Discovering the Past

Chapters

Chapter 1: Daycare
Chapter 2: New Dawn, New Day
Chapter 3: Surprises
Chapter 5: Beginning Plans
Chapter 6: Sleep Over
Chapter 7: Dreaming of Luna
Chapter 8: Going Deeper
Chapter 10: Knowledge is Dangerous
Chapter 11: The Night of Angels
Chapter 12: Time After Time
Chapter 13: Revelations
Chapter 14: Surprise, Surprise
Chapter 15: Complications Arise
Chapter 16: Preparing for Battle
Chapter 17: Calm Before the Storm
Chapter 18: A Battle on Two Fronts
Chapter 19: Escalation
Chapter 20: Turning the Tide
Chapter 21: Clashing Steel
Chapter 22: Saying Goodbye
Chapter 23: Taste of Defeat
Chapter 24: Silver Lining
Chapter 26: New Hope
Chapter 27: Games
Chapter 28: How Unexpected
Foreword: From the Author(s)
Chapter 4: Judgements
Chapter 9: First Rays of Sunshine
Chapter 25: Set In Motion

Chapter 1: Daycare

Once upon a time, many many thousand years ago, when the two pony princesses had not yet been born, the land of Equestria was wrought with chaos and disharmony. Fights broke out in the streets, ponies were forced to either hide, or fight to survive. But one day, the leaders of the three pony tribes, called a truce, and a treaty was forged among them. This treaty stated that the earth ponies would provide food for the unicorns and pegasi, while the former would bring day and night, and the latter would control the weather to the favour of the earth ponies below…

“Aw, we’ve heard this already Miss Sunlight! We hear it every Hearth’s Warming Eve!” cried Sweetie Belle.

She and her fellow Cutie Mark Crusaders, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo, as well as the numerous other young fillies and colts expressed similar feelings of disappointment towards their teacher. They were situated in the old mansion, tucked away on the outskirts of Ponyville. Its façade was dark and worn, but its age did not give a sense of dirt and cobwebs, but rather a sense of experience. The interior was spacious yet cosy, sporting 2 dozen rooms on each of its two wings and several larger rooms deeper inside. The hallways and rooms were lit by curious, yellow crystals, regardless of the time of day. Despite its hill top position, one wouldn’t even see the mansion without knowing where to look. The foals were gathered by the hearth of the main library, listening attentively to the mare taking care of them all for the evening. Miss Sunshine took care of any foals whose parents could not pick them up straight away after school. She is a pale yellow Pegasus with long, straight yellow mane and tail, a slightly darker shade than her coat. She wore a golden circlet on her head adorned with a diamond shaped deep purple gem and a cutie mark in the shape of a simplified sun, an orange disc surrounded by eight tear-shaped rays of light.

“I know, I know, Sweetie Belle,” she said “but please bear with me for the moment, this story is different,”

“Fine,”

“Now then, where was I? Ah yes,”

A raised hoof interrupted her once again.

“Yes Rumble?” she sighed, patience was not a common commodity among teachers, but if they didn’t have it, they hid it well.

“Can I please go to the little colt’s room?”

This request was met with un-abstained giggling from the rest of the foals. Miss Sunshine threw a quick glare at her charges to silence them.

“Of course you can Rumble,” A grey Pegasus colt with wavy black hair got up and trotted off to the west side of the library.

“Now” Sunshine continued “Are there any more questions before we get started?” Another hoof shot up, this one belonged to a pink unicorn wearing a tiara inset with diamonds.

“Yeah, where’s the weird guy?” she hollered. The entire assembly giggled, minus an unamused adult.

“Diamond Tiara, please! Inside voices, we are in a library you know”

Tiara harrumphed and sat back down. The “weird guy” in question was a midnight blue unicorn stallion with straight, spiky, yet neatly combed mane and tail of a deeper shade of blue, nearing black. He would be seen occasionally around the mansion or in one of its many workrooms by an overly curious filly or colt.

“My brother Mister Star is on business in Canterlot following preparations for the Grand Galloping Gala,” Miss Sunshine answered

“What kind of business?”

“General organiser, he is also currently working on the dresses that my family and I will be wearing to it,”

This was met with a collective “Oooh!” by her assembled audience.

“Ah! Rumble, your back. Please have a seat so we can continue the story. Good boy, now, where was I…”

Years the races have toiled, under their uneasy peace. Distrust began to fester and just when it began to boil, the Crystal Empire Intervened. Little known to the three tribes was that the Crystal Empire has been taking over every one of its neighbouring nations, not through military conflict, but through peace. The Zebras, Griffons and surprisingly, Dragons have accepted the new peace. The three tribes reluctantly ended there skirmishes and joined the Empire. For those of you who have not seen it, the Crystal Empire was a huge city far in the north of Equestria, even larger than Canterlot today. Every building was hewn from crystal, even the very ground on which you would stand is made from it. In its centre was the Grand Spire, a tall, thin building that reached to the sky. It held The Empires Parliament as well as its most precious and powerful artefact, the Crystal Heart. True to its name, it as an aqua, coloured gem about the size of a pony’s head, despite its shape, it was not carved, but found. Stranger than this, is its ability to channel, amplify and release the emotional energy from the Empire’s inhabitants, Crystal ponies. The heart was what kept the monsters of the Everfree away, as well as the cold of the Empire’s frigid location. It was what kept the Crystal ponies safe, and warm, but like all good things, it must come to an end…

“And I’m afraid young fillies and colts it is time to conclude our story for now.”

She was met with a chorus of “Awwww”s and pouts from the assembly.

“Don’t be that way; I’ll see you all tomorrow after school, goodbye for now! Chestnut, can you please escort the children to Cheerilee’s school house?”

“Of course Mistress” she answered. She worked for Miss Sunshine as a maid, and Butler. She has a chestnut brown coat (After which she is named) and a chocolate brown, curly mane and tail, the former was done up in a single braid down her left side. She also wore a white collar and green bow tie around her neck. Her cutie mark was a door, with a blue bow on it.

“Will Master Star be joining you this evening?” she continued

“I’m afraid not,” Sunshine answered “He has business in Canterlot,”

Chestnut nodded glumly and went for the door as the last filly walked out of the room.

“Oh, and Chestnut?”

“Yes Mistress?” she asked

“Don’t be so formal dear granddaughter, we are family remember?”

A ghost of a smile touched Chest Nut’s lips as she exited, silently closing the door behind her.

Chapter 2: New Dawn, New Day

Morning was Sunshine’s favourite time of day. Many ponies wouldn’t even bother and lay in bed at this time, but not her. She never missed the sunrise, the beautiful shimmering disk as it emerged from the horizon, all the shades of yellow and orange shimmer seamlessly as it rose. She sighed in contentment, lost in the display; she almost did not notice the hoof steps behind her. She smiled, she knew who it was, nothing took her by surprise anymore, not since she was a filly, and that was a long time ago. Though she may not look like it, she has more years on her than the princesses have had birthdays, that is to say, she is really, really old. Yet, she doesn’t look a day older than Twilight, Ponyville’s librarian, Element of Magic and Equestria’s newest princess, a gift from a friend, days gone by.

“You never get tired of it do you ‘Miss Sunshine’?” a deep, buzzing voice whispered “Even after all these years,”

“Never,” she replied “What about you? Honour Bound, is our longevity worth it to you?”

Honour bound, is well, a changeling. He is a creature resembling a pony, but has holes through his forelegs and hooves, a long crooked horn, fangs, insect like wings and a dark coloured exoskeleton in place of fur. He looked like any other changeling, minus his ‘cutie mark’ a silhouette of a changeling’s face with red eyes and a sword through it. Changelings feed on love and other emotional energies, but can consume pony food for only a fraction of the sustenance that emotion gives, but Honour Bound has found a way to constantly feed himself, without a host, nullifying his need to steal love from ponies.

He chuckled tiredly, considering his answer.

“You know me sister, always looking for something new and exciting to do,” he replied “And speaking of new and exciting, how’s your third afternoon foal sitting?”

“Not so different from the previous times, I think all the stress is going to wear me out,”

“You? Stressed?” he scoffed “Since when do you get stressed?”

“There’s a first time for everything, now, I believe there is someone at the door,”

“And you know this, how?”

“Call it intuition, come on let’s see who it is, Come along Mr Bound”

Honour bound, sighed in defeat and trotted after her “Someday, you are going to stop calling me that,”

*=_/)|*|(\_=*

A short trot later they arrived in the foyer where a weary looking Chest Nut, still in her blue pyjamas.

“A good morning to you Mistress Sunshine and to you Master Bound” she greeted, giving a short bow to each as she addressed them. “You have guests”

“Who do we have the pleasure of meeting this early in the morning?” smiled Verity

“Messrs Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Doctor John Doo-Smith, Ditzy Doo-Smith, and Princess Twilight Sparkle among … others await you in the meeting room,”

“Excellent, we’ll meet them right away,”

“Not looking like that you’re not,”

Honour Bound snickered a bit before handing his sister a mirror. Her normally straight mane was all frazzled and strands stoop up at odd angles. Sunshine sighed and focused on her hair while channelling magic through the gold circlet on her head (she never takes it off, except for a bath) “Just like a unicorn would do with their horn” she thought. After a moment’s concentration, a violet aura, a lighter shade than the gem it originated from cascaded over her mane. The magic smoothed it out until it was at its most impeccable state, which was, its normal state to be honest.

“You’re getting better” Chest Nut commented with a grin

“Why thank you, now may we see the guests now?”

“But of course, right this way,”

As she took a step a hoof from Honour bond blocked her.

“Why so serious? We know our way around here my dear, age has not affected our minds,” he went to lead before silently adding “Yet,” with a sly grin. The two mares rolled their eyes and made their way to the guest room.

*=_/)|*|(\_=*

“Ladies first,” smiled Honour Bound. He transformed into his daily disguise as they walked towards the guest room. He is now charcoal grey unicorn with short, wavy jet black hair. His ‘cutie mark’ persisted despite the disguise.

“Quite the gentle colt aren’t you brother?” Sunshine smiled

“I try,”

Inside they found the assembly of mares (and stallion) seated at the long table at the centre of the guest room. The room was well kept and lit with sunset orange crystals and the table was polished to a mirror-like shine. What set it apart from other meeting rooms was the array of strange artefacts that Honour Bound, Sunshine and Astral Star have been collecting. What did not surprise them in the slightest was that all the guests had taken it upon themselves to wander about and chatter noisily. The Doo-Smith Family, consisting of John (Doctor), Ditzy (or Derpy), Dinky and Sparkler were seated at the table eating from a platter of muffins provided by Chest Nut, having apparently missed breakfast. John was going on about some wild space adventure with equally outrageous expressions and lots of arm waving taking place. This earned the laughs of the rest of the family, and an eavesdropping Chest Nut whose normally passive face smiled with genuine amusement.

Pinkie Pie and Applejack somehow got into an argument over which was better, cupcakes or apple pie. The fit farm pony looking very angry at the pink ball of fun while said ball of fun just laughed off her opponents arguments and put forward her own. This earned a smile from Honour Bound who was all too familiar with disputes like this. Rainbow Dash, surprisingly sat still on a couch towards the back of the room, her eyes entranced by what was the latest Daring Do book, featuring the not-so-fictional character of the same name and herself. Twilight and Rarity were admiring the artefacts stored in glass cases all along the walls of the room. Twilight had her eye on a small, bronze telescope, the label says that this telescope was used by Royalty to observe the position of the sun, moon and stars as they made their way across the sky.

Verity allowed herself a smug grin as she watched the new princess scrutinize this piece of observational technology.

“If they only knew,” she thought to herself.

Rarity was looking at in what she thought was a stunning set of jewellery. The set in question was an identical replica to what Celestia herself wears today, but scaled down so that the pony of average size could put it on. Sunshine took a glance on the circlet she was wearing then smiled a knowing smile. The smile only grew wider when she noticed a limp lock of pink mane drifting from behind the couch and Rainbow sat.

“Must be Fluttershy,” she mused, there was a lot of ponies in this one room after all.

Her gaze then wandered to who Chest Nut referred to as “others”. A midnight blue Pegasus sat on a couch at the back of the room across from a tall white unicorn. The Pegasus looked a lot like Verity’s brother Astral, if he was a mare, and a Pegasus, the only other difference being her cutie mark which was just a crescent moon, missing the three stars that Astral’s had in addition. The Unicorn was also a mare, and very tall, she greatly resembled Fleur de Lis, from Canterlot but her cutie mark was a simplified sun, identical to that of Sunshine’s own. She already had a good idea as to who these two mystery mares may be and looked at her brother Honour Bound for confirmation. He looked back, smiled and winked, he had the same idea.

“Ahem,” Sunshine cleared her throat politely to get every ponies attention. They only continued their shenanigans.

“Can I have your attention please?!?!”

Instantly, every pony in the room stopped what they were doing and looked over to Chest Nut. Her call for attention was a bit forceful, but still contained that sense of neutrality and respect she always maintained.

“Mistress Sunshine would like to have a word with you all,” she continued, she glance over to Sunshine who gave a polite nod in thanks.

“Thank you Chest Nut,” she said “Now then, welcome all of you, to my family house, to what do I owe the pleasure of all of your company?”

Twilight was the first to speak up. “Thank you for meeting with us so early Miss Sunshine,”

“Please Twilight, just Sunshine will do, and I’m up this early anyway,”

“Well then, the princesses have been a bit suspicious of your activity, and that of the stallion next to you” she said cautiously. Twi glanced to Honour Bound, but he maintained a straight face.

“I don’t see the reason why you should feel this way,” Sunshine frowned

“I’m sorry, but it’s the princesses who…”

“Excuse me Princess,” Honour Bound interceded “But I don’t believe she was talking to you,”

His gaze shifted over to the two mystery mares at the back of the room. He could smell the nervousness coming out of them, it smelt like sweat, and felt like fear, but not quite fear, he knew how that smelled.

“Isn’t that right? Princess? Luna? Celestia?” He hissed every syllable causing all present company to grit their teeth at the sound. Even Pinkie Pie, whose light hearted banter ceased as he said it.

All ponies slowly looked to the two mares at the back of the room. The Pegasus suddenly took interest in her own hooves while the unicorn kept her gaze even, but Honour Bound could see it in her eyes that he spoke truly. The awkward silence that followed was soon broken by none other than the Doctor.

“I always knew it was you two!” He said, laughing all over his chair

“You tend to say that a lot, don’t you Doctor?” admonished Derpy

“Well, yes but that’s cause I’m always right!”

He was met by a glare from all his present family.

“Alright fine,” he conceded “Mostly right,”

“That’s better,”

Celestia dropped her head in defeat and relinquished her disguise, earning gasps from the main six. Shortly afterwards, Luna did the same. Celestia is a tall, slim white alicorn with a more complex image of the sun for a cutie mark. She was wearing golden horse shoes, a necklace and a crown. Her mane and tail was long, and glossy. Made up of pastel greens and pinks, it drifted lazily in the non-existent breeze. Her sister Luna was very similar, yet very different. She too, is an alicorn but her build was a bit stockier than other mares her size, which was above average, but considerably shorter than her sisters. She was wearing silver-blue horse shoes, a crown, and a black necklace with a crescent moon adorning it, reflecting her cutie mark. The two sisters stood before their audience with regal splendour, but it was now no mystery as to how they were feeling.

“Embarrassed,” Honour Bound thought “served on a bed of forced collectedness and drizzled with disbelief, delicious,”

“That is indeed who we are,” Luna said calmly, but her voice cracked as she said it “But I must know, how did you find us out so easily?”

“Sorry Princess, it’s a trade secret,”

“Well I…” Doctor started

“...ve seen them in those forms before, I know, now let the princess speak,” finished Derpy

Doctor just grumbled and gestured for the regal sisters to continue.

“I’m afraid that the question that my sister and I is trying to ask you is: What are you? Both of you,” Celestia asked. Her tone was one akin to the tone used by mothers disciplining a child. The question took Sunshine and Honour aback so much they literally took two steps backward.

“I… don’t know what you mean your highness` we are just normal pony folk,”

“Now we both know that is a lie,” said Celestia “So how about you come clean, and I won’t have you escorted out in chains,”

The hosting pair considered their options carefully, they haven’t use any of their upper-end magic in years, and did not like hurting any pony, especially their present company. It was then that they heard the door knock.

*KNOCK*

“It’s open!” Sunshine called.

Chapter 3: Surprises

The door opened to reveal Charlene, Astral Star’s personal assistant. She was a charcoal black unicorn with a fiery orange and yellow, long, wavy mane and tail. Her eyes were of the same colour and her cutie mark was of a burning book. “Ah! There you are Miss Sunshine, Astral and I have been looking all over… for… you…” Her sentence slowly drifted off as she quickly realised who exactly was in the room.

“Huh, Princess Celestia, Princess Luna. How are things?” she greeted folding her right hoof over her chest and giving a bow of respect as she said it.

“Quite well,” the solar princess replied “but, we have many questions for your master,”

“He is not my master,” Charlene replied scathingly “I may work for him, but he is more than my master, he is… my friend,”

“Sure he is, but we would like to have a word with him regardless,”

Charlene merely nodded and gestured for some pony to come inside, without taking her eyes off the regal white alicorn. The door opened a little wider to reveal the midnight blue unicorn that was Astral Star. Mane and tail neatly combed despite his recent arrival from Canterlot, and that smug, ever present grin was painted across his face, a grin not too different from the Doctor’s.

“Thank you Char, now then before we go into any detail, how about we have our present company go on a tour around the mansion?”

Present company started to whoop and talk excitedly as they followed Chest Nut outside the room into the main hall. “You too dear, I’ll see you shortly,”

Charlene nodded reluctantly and made her way out the door. Soon it was only the three princesses, Astral Star, Miss Sunshine and Honour Bound left in the room.

“Princesses? Would it be too much to ask to confer with brother and sister for a moment?” Astral asked

“Be my guest,” Celestia replied evenly

“Much appreciated, now huddle up!”

Miss Sunshine, Honour and Astral bunched up like hoof ball players before a match and began to converse quietly to one another.

“I don’t like this dear sister,” whispered Luna, her nervousness was easy to distinguish in her voice “I have not heard of any beings to which our informants have described,”

“What have you heard about them princess?” asked Twilight “It can’t have been too bad could it? After all, I’ve known them ever since you let me stay in Ponyville”,

“None of it is bad, my student,” replied Celestia, her calm and even tone reasserting itself “but none of it adds up. You see…”

“We have discovered a series of false identities and dead ends when we were looking through the Canterlot archives,” began Luna “When we asked the archivist to look into it, he found even more, some dating back to Equestria’s foundation,”

“Yes,” continued Celestia “and these identities, and the records of their deeds are very strange indeed, but there are similarities and patterns. For example, the false identities always come in threes, two stallions and a mare, posing as a family of every combination you can imagine. A single mother with two colts, a young couple and a colt, siblings, you get the idea,”

“Indeed, and the stories associated with these identities always contain extraordinary feats of magical power and strength. For one instance, a mare managed to petrify a Basilisk, with but a glare,”

Twilight giggled at this, and Celestia shared a smile with her student.

“As ironic it is, the story has persisted in much folklore, so the story is strongly considered true to an extent,”

“But that isn’t the strangest tale we’ve heard, legend has it that when angered, a stallion with emerald eyes would throw a glare to his assailants, causing them to flee in absolute terror,”

“That can’t be true, can it?” asked Twilight smiling a cheeky smile

“Tell that to my royal guards,”

Twilight then lost her playful grin as reality steeped in “Are they dangerous?”

“We hope not,” Luna replied grimly “for our sakes that is,”

*=_/)|*|(\_=*

Meanwhile in the group huddle.

“I’ll tell you this guys,” started Honour Bound “I don’t like it”

“That makes three of us,” whispered Sunshine “I don’t plan on going to jail anytime soon, and after we’ve stayed out of it for so long,”

“I agree,” responded Astral “but if we do not tell them what they want now, we won’t be keeping that streak for very long. Plus, escape is out of the question. Am I right in saying that none of you have used anything ‘extraordinary’ lately?”

His companions all nodded

“Good, we will not use those powers unless we require them, I haven’t use them in a while and who knows what will happen if we use them now. So, are we in agreement?”

Begrudgingly, they all nodded

“Very well!” he broke there huddle and turned towards the princesses.

“Now then, where do we start?” Astral inquired, climbing into a chair and gesturing for his siblings to do so as well.

“How about from the beginning?” replied Luna “What are you?”

“We are ponies,”

He was met by a glare from all princesses.

“Well fine, seeing as there is no point in keeping it up,” He gestured to Honour Bound who nodded readily.

He channelled energy into his horn, imagining his disguise burn away as he did so. His appearance earned frightened gasps from the royal trio, not because he was a changeling, they have seen his kind before, but because of how different he looked from the average one. His form as the average changeling was just another disguise to hide his true self, which was considerably a lot more frightening. He was half a head taller than Celestia, but just as slim. His horn was almost as long as his neck, and more crooked than normal. His eyes were a startling shade of emerald green rather than the light blue from the normal ones, but still lacked any pupils. His wings were very large, sporting a wingspan the width of the room and a second pair one foot shorter than the first. He turned his emerald eyes to the Princesses. Celestia and Luna were trying in vain to maintain their composure while Twilight Sparkle gaped in awe, subconsciously writing down notes at a furious pace. Honour merely smiled at their reaction, a fanged grin that any pony else would have seen as sinister, but not to his family. “Expecting something different?” He asked cheekily, his voice deep and authorative, accompanied by the low buzzing that came with changeling speech. He took their stunned silence as a yes and motioned for Astral to continue.

“Now, will there be anything else?” he grinned cheekily, Sunshine and Honour managing unsuccessfully to suppress their full blown laughter as the Princesses, who for the first time in a long while, were lost for words.

“So, um…” stammered Twilight, the newest revelation has taken her quite by surprise, it’s not every day you meet a changeling, let alone one as big as Honour Bound. “Are you all… Changelings?”

“Of course not,” Miss Sunshine snorted “but it is indeed as Celestia suspects, we are not, who we are before you, there is so much you do not see, and if you did, you would not really understand what we went through,”

She looked over to Luna and Celestia “They do,” she continued “but you don’t… just yet anyway,”

“Anyway, if you want to know what myself in my sister really look like, we will have to bring you over to the playing fields, it can be a bit cramped in here,”

Astral turned and made his way out the door, Miss Sunshine followed suit, then Honour Bound and after a short while, the three princesses followed cautiously behind.

The playing fields were a set of open spaces the size of a hoof ball stadium each, separated by a thin strip of trees. The hosts took their guests over to the centre field, where Astral’s family would play if they ever come to visit again.

“Now then,” started Astral “I’ll go next,” he merely took two paces back, and stared evenly straight at the two princesses,

Twilight has taken a position away from the regal sisters and was now busily making notes next to an amused Miss Sunshine. Before either Celestia or Luna could enquire, Astral dissolved into black fire. This fire turned into sphere of darkness, so deep that the light around it seemed to distort bend around it, and as the sphere grew, so did its effect on the surrounding light. The sphere almost began to touch Luna and Celestia, the latter had to lean back to avoid it messing with her eyesight but Luna seemed drawn to it. Through her eyes, inside she saw stars, galaxies and universes, and endless expanse in this ball of darkness, only the size of a carriage. A little world only she could see, but in her awestruck state, she could not see that Sunshine and Honour were well aware of this miniature multiverse as well. And just as it had appeared, it disappeared, the ball of darkness had dissipated, leaving a flabbergasted Luna, a relieved Celestia and an utterly fascinated Twilight Sparkle.

In its place however, stood Astral, but not quite him as they know him. He was a good head taller than Celestia, but just as slim. He had no mane and tail, and they couldn’t tell if his impossibly dark coat was hair, or he actually made of darkness, even his long, straight horn looked to be of the same material. The only exceptions to his dark coloration was his eyes and cutie mark, the former lacked pupils, but glowed a penetrating white, as if he was always staring at you, or into you. His cutie mark persisted, but now glowed a soft white, like the real moon and stars. The final exception to his apparent darkness were the folds of dark, purple vapour that came off his body, like steam. Twilight finally looked up from her notebook to realise that all the grass around Astral seemed to be dying, but instead of shrivelling up, it turned grey, then shrank, like they were monotoned then re-winded back to seedlings. Again, princesses were struck speechless. The power that exuded from the tall, dark unicorn gave them a great sense of foreboding and fear, quietly gnawing away on the souls of his observers. They were afraid to speak.

“Well? What do you think?”

He found his answer in a trio of terrified fillies bursting from the tree line and galloping across the playing fields, towards the mansion, as fast as their little legs could carry them.

“Well,” Miss Sunshine said, breaking the silence that followed the fillies breakdown across the field “Guess I’d better reveal myself so we can get back to the tour group and sort this out,” She turned to the Princesses “You might want to avert your eyes, it may get a bit bright,”

As she said it, she spread her wings, looked towards the sky, and closed her eyes. White light cascaded from the gem on her circlet, quickly spreading to her whole body, gently lifting her off the ground, without aid from her wings. As she rose, she grew. Despite being cocooned in white light, they saw her legs grow longer, her body bigger and at this point they had to shut their eyes from the heat and warmth flowing out of Sunshine as she transformed. The princesses now realised they had no idea what they were up against

*=_/)|*|(\_=*

Earlier…

“Do you think they’ll be okay,” asked a nervous Chest Nut, letting her normally passive face drop to convey worry for Miss Sunshine, Honour and Astral.

“They’ll be fine, this isn’t the worst thing they’ve been through you know,” replied Charlene calmly

“Yes, but do you really believe those stories? Those foalish stories of fighting Dragons, saving empires and befriending death?”

“Yes, I do, look around Chest Nut they are real, they told us themselves,”

“But we were foals,”

“And now we are not. I believe in them and what they do, so why shouldn’t you?”

“Well, they aren’t too different from the average pony,”

“That they are,” Charlene said, then added “and so much more,”

“Yes but those were in the stories, do you believe in all those foal’s tales they’ve been telling us?”

Charlene stopped and turned to face Chest Nut so suddenly, they bumped noses. “Yes, I do, Astral raised me, took care of me, and now I’m taking care of him. They’ve been through a lot, seen a lot, this very house is proof of all they’ve accomplished,”

“I know, but these are the Princesses we are talking about! The very ponies that can burn it all to the ground if they so choose,”

“Then let’s hope they don’t,” Charlene spoke with finality “Come along cousin! We have a tour to give!”

The tour was going quite nicely, as they quietly made their way through the softly lit halls, and the occasional room. The Doctor did not hold back with his questions which Charlene happily answered for him.

“How is this house lit? I can’t detect any kind of power system anywhere in this building,” exclaimed the Doctor brandishing his sonic screwdriver, a small silver cylinder with a glowing blue bulb at its tip, at his tour guide’s face. “There are no wires, no conduits, no tubes, not even a rune!”

“The mansion is powered using a battery situated deep beneath the ground,” Charlene answered patiently, this was only his eighty-something-th question now “It charges the surrounding grounds with a low level magical field, which the appliances are designed to draw from to gain power, constantly replenishing themselves. It’s a good source of low maintenance, emission free, entirely sustainable and reliable power supply,”

“Can I see this ‘battery’?”

“You’ll just have to wait for that part,”

Chest Nut breathed in deeply, putting her right hoof on her chest, and extended it outward as she slowly exhaled. A breathing exercise taught to her by Miss Sunshine to calm the nerves. It worked, and soon she was trotting along calmly.

“Hey, Miss Nut? What’s that?”

Chest Nut silently fumed at this form of address, it made her sound like a, well, nut. She forced a smile and turned towards the little filly who asked her. Her name was Apple Bloom, she made it to the first and third of Miss Sunshine’s day care services, so the brown mare was quite familiar with her. What she was also familiar with was Apple Bloom and her friends, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo's knack for breaking things and causing trouble during their ‘crusades’.

“Please, Miss Bloom, just Miss, or Chest Nut will do,”

“Yes Miss,”

“Good, now what would you like to know,”

“I was jus’ wonderin’ what this weird statue thing is,”

“That is a Weeping Angel Ms Bloom,” she replied tersely “Now please keep up with the rest of the group,”

“A WHAT?!?!”

The Doctor quickly leapt over to the back of the group and put himself between the stone statue and himself. The Weeping Angel was a statue of a Pegasus mare, with a long, curly mane and tail. It was also wearing a toga and a vacant expression, its head tilted to one side as if curious, but if one looked closely, they could see groove marks worn into the statue beneath the eyes, as if it had been crying, a lot.

“Okay everypony!” the Doctor said, his voice a mix of forced calm and restrained hatred, borne over years of dealing with this universal monstrosity. “Back away slowly, but keep your eyes on it! And whatever you do! Do! Not! Blink!”

Shrugged shoulders and eye rolls were given by their tour guides, and the only other pony who seemed to know what’s going on was Derpy, who huddled Sparkler and Dinky protectively in her wings. Doctor paused to look back at the rest of the company.

“What?” he inquired “This thing is dangerous! How’d it even get here?” !” he turned back to the Angel and gave a yelp as it seemed to have moved at least five metres closer to the group, frozen in a walking stance and its head still cocked to the side.

“It was brought here by Astral Star,” Charlene replied evenly “It provides additional security for the residents, keep things interesting and are pretty decorative aren’t they?”

“So they are safe?”

“Not even remotely if one were to jeopardise the safety of this mansion. They’ve been… domesticated, by their stay here,”

“Domesticated?!?!?!”

“The battery that keeps this mansion running also feeds the many Weeping Angels that patrol the grounds,”

“Many?!?!”

“The Weeping Angels, since being attached to this food source, lost their need, and eventually, ability to kill or transport ponies back in time,”

“I don’t even… ”

“Like when us pony folk started raising pets like my darlin’ Winona,” Applejack offered “Dogs like her are hard ta find in the wild now, and the ones we have treat us nicely as long as we take good care of them,”

“Guess it makes sense,” conceded the Doctor

“Come on Doc,” teased Derpy “Your just itching to go on another wild adventure, aren’t you?”

“Aw, you know me too well don’t you?”

“Well if you ask me, I think they can use a bit of TLC don’t you agree?” asked Rarity

“Good thing we don’t ask you then Miss Rarity,” replied Chest Nut

“Quite right,” continued Charlene “There are now close to 300 Weeping angels patrolling the grounds right now, it would be a pain trying to clean them all. Plus, the more they are fed, the better they’ll look anyway,” She paused “Now that I think about it, I’m surprised there aren’t any more around. I wonder where they went off too,”

“Ooh! Ooh! I know! I know!” exclaimed an ecstatic Pinkie Pie. Chest Nut took a moment to note the myriad of streamers, confetti and balloons that seem to have materialised as the party pony hopped, skipped and jumped her way down the hall. “Care to enlighten us, Miss Pie?” she asked impatiently.

“They’ve all gone to the big circles to see that big blob of darkness over there!”

Instantly, the Mane Six, Doo-Smith Family and their tour guides were all huddled over by a tall window, looking onto the mansion’s playing fields. There seemed to be close to 100 Weeping Angels on the open ground. Most followed the stepping stones to the centre field while some took shortcuts, including through the tennis court, cricket nets and the occasional one in the swimming pool. It was disconcerting watching these angels since they were so many, and the fact that they only moved while being unobserved. That is to say, they must feel quite frustrated right now, especially the one in the swimming pool, which could swim, but did not have enough time unnoticed to come out, only sinking to the bottom as its splashing drew new observers. They all seemed to be converging on the centre playing field which, unknown to them was where Honour, Sunshine and Astral were revealing themselves, so they dismissed the growing sphere of darkness as something they were simply drawn to.

What surprised them most however were the three little shapes that galloped across the field towards the shadowy ball. These three figures were none other than Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, who have managed to slip outside as the other ponies gazed over the grounds.

Chapter 5: Beginning Plans

“Okay girls you ready?”

“Yep!"

“How about you Dash?”

“Just get it over with,”

A little time before, Twilight and the gang rummaged through Verity’s file. She seemed kinder and more open than her two brothers by a significant margin. She was also very outgoing, and hid little about herself when asked. That is why they chose to question her first, but not directly. The file says she has a soft spot for children, and her many occupations seemed to all centre around their care. They voted unanimously that Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, Apple Bloom and Dinky would make first contact.

The only thing that worried them however, was her magical capability. Verity is a Pegasus, and an extremely talented one too, but her top speed was never recorded. It is known that she also has magic, unicorn magic. In place of a horn, she uses a golden circlet with a purple gem in it. But this news was only unusual, what actually worried them was her level on the Starswirl scale.

The scale measures a unicorn’s maximum magical power. It can be determined by many different tests, but the easiest and most straight forward is to cast the most powerful spell said unicorn knows. The results of her latest test put her well above 2000 Starswirls. Her brothers could easily be just as powerful, but they hide their power well, while Verity’s shines like a beacon in a sea of grey. They considered the implications, but decided that she wasn’t the type to use such power without proper reasoning, and so conducted a plan.

Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity and Ditzy are to drop off the fillies Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle and Dinky off at Ms Sunshine’s Day Care Service. Miss Sunshine was later revealed to be her latest in a long string of aliases. They were to ask if they could stay for the night, and on the event that they are accepted, are to ask any questions about Verity. The girls were happily oblivious to the plan, but the mares were confident in their natural curiosity.

The mares and their fillies were now walking up the estate towards the front doors where a steady stream of fillies and colts were already entering. At the door, was Chest Nut, she was wearing a white collar and green bow tie and her hair was done to one side in a mid-length wave, different to the single braid she had just this morning.

“Afternoon, Chest Nut,” began Applejack

“Good Afternoon to you as well, Miss Applejack,” replied Chest Nut evenly “And to what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?”

“We would hate to impose Miss Chest Nut,” answered Rarity “but we all have a busy night ahead of us this evening. Applejack needs to harvest all the apples in preparation for the gala, I have a load of new orders to fill and Derpy is taking the night shift,”

“So we are asking if you could take care of our their little sisters, and my daughters for tonight,” finished Ditzy, golden eyes spinning in their trademark fashion

“Like a sleep over,” added Rainbow

“It shouldn’t be a problem,” said Chest Nut “How about you Miss Dash? Any plans this evening?”

“No, actually, but Scootaloo here just wanted to stay with her friends,” she chuckled, pulling the little orange Pegasus into a warm hug.

“Hmmm, it shouldn’t be a problem. I will inform the masters of your requests, and I am sure they’ll agree. Will there be anything else? A light snack? A Drink?”

“Actually I…”

“That’s enough Rainbow,” growled Applejack

“Very well then, I wish you a pleasant evening to all of you,” bowed Chest Nut

“You too,”

They then turned away, the four mares heading straight back to the front gates, and Chest Nut went inside, slowly shutting the heavy oaken doors behind her. She then made her way straight to Verity’s room somewhat anxiously. Once she made, it she took a moment to fix her hair, and tighten her bow tie. She then took a quiet breath and entered the room. Verity’s room was enchanted by her brother Astral to resemble the time outside. During the day, the room was bright, and cheery, during the night, like tonight, it was dark, and studded with stars, like a night sky, playing across the walls and ceiling.

The bed’s colours matched the scheme of the walls as they shifted throughout the day, as did the colours of the various other things that populated the room. The bed was a luxurious but subdued queen sized four poster, with eight pillows and a stuffed ursa -minor residing on top of it. Verity sat by the mirror, neatly brushing her hair into its trademark, straight state, evenly spread between both sides of her body. She didn’t brush her hair to fix it, since she had magic for that. Brushing her hair was a quiet code for ‘I’m thinking about something’.

“Ahem,” coughed Chest Nut, politely asking for her attention

“Do you have a cold, my dear?” Verity asked gently

“Um, no Miss Honora,”

A smile crept onto her mistresses lips “Don’t worry yourself, I’m only teasing. What do you need?”

“I have come to inform you that the fillies have arrived and have requested to stay here, as you have predicted,”

“Very well, can you make preparations?”

“Already underway, mistress,”

“No need for that, you are among family, not employers,”

“But you pay me,”

“Handsomely,” she giggled “but that is still no way to treat your auntie,”

Chest Nut cracked a smile “You mean, great, great, great, great…”

“Yes, yes, yes,” Verity dismissed with a wave of her hoof “but still, learn to loosen up a bit, mares your age don’t normally act like this,”

“Mares my age tend to do some strange things,”

“That they do,” Verity got up from the mirror and put a comforting hoof on her nieces shoulder “But just keep it in mind,” Still embracing, she walked out the door, hoof to hoof, towards the leisure hall.

*=_/)|*|(\_=*

Astral Star was very busy. His latest experiment yielded somewhat promising results, and he was determined to complete it before dinner. Said experiment was the fabrication of a living being through magic, the creation of a golem. The process was never perfect, and gave highly varied results, ranging from Timberwolves to Elementals and such. This particular golem was being made by using Astral’s own magic as the life source and a pile of scrap metal from his latest creation as the body. The attempt brought forth a Timber wolf, made of scrap. He was able to control it for some time before his elation got the better of his control, and the construct collapsed. Soon, he assigned a personality and independent mind to his newest creation, using a quartz crystal shard inscribed and enchanted with magic as the creature’s heart.

He soon led the wolf into a stasis chamber, a tall blue cylinder made of crystal, and full of preservation incantations and runes, where it would reside until needed again. Happy for his success, he whistled a jaunty tune, and began to scribbling furiously into his note book. So engrossed he was in his latest success, he did not notice when a certain changeling sneak up behind him.

“BOO!” the changeling bellowed.

Astral was so shocked; he reflexively jumped, spun around, and directed a black spear of darkness towards his assailant. The spear passed harmlessly through the changeling and dissipated on the other side, but his mind was a different story. His eyes widened and stared sightlessly, his body turned rigid, as he slowly collapsed to the floor. Quickly realising what he did, Astral quickly cancelled the spell and went to comfort the now nervous wreck that is his brother.

“I thought you learned the last time you tried to surprise me,” the blue unicorn chuckled

Honour Bound rose to his feet shakily and shook his head vigorously. “So did I,” he mumbled “but it was just too tempting,”

“What did the spell show you?”

“Darkness, lots of it. A mare, screaming in the distance, children sobbing, a giant shadow, green eyes, swallowed the sun, then turned to me,” he mumbled incoherently. He regained his exposure and spoke again “Then you cancelled it,”

“Hmm, very sorry for that brother,”

“No worries,” he sighed “I’ve learned my lesson, again. So, what are you up to?”

“The usual,” he shrugged “Check this out,” gesturing excitedly he turned towards his latest creation. The Scrap-wolf sat immobile in the stasis tube, regarding them blankly.

Honour Bound merely raised an eyebrow “Another one? Isn’t this like, your 50th Timber wolf?”

“It’s a Scrap-Wolf, and this is my 56th attempt at animation. The others were made from other things. I can’t seem to get anything other than wolves though,”

“Do you think it’s something to do with your magic?”

A unicorn’s magic is unique, just like its wielder. There are minute amounts of differing magical radiation that come from each caster. This way, a skilled caster could tell exactly who cast a spell, when and where. Each pony’s magic also had a character, a personality. The colour of the aura is only a part of a magician’s identity. Magic normally coalesces to suit its owner’s personality, beliefs, ideals etcetera, but if it doesn’t, that unlucky pony won’t live for too long. Astral’s magic is very unique, and strange. His magic works slightly differently to a normal unicorn’s. For example, where a laser from a normal unicorn would burn or destroy its target, eliminating its physical structure, the magical equivalent of brute force. Astral’s would seep into the mind of the target, damaging it, before working its way through the body, systematically compromising weak points and nullifying strengths, like poison. One of the many things that made him unique, and terrifying.

“Maybe…”

“Whatever the case, we’re needed upstairs,”

“What for?” he asked, eyebrow raised

“The foals have arrived, as she predicted,”

“Of course,” he said rolling his eyes “Best not keep them waiting,”

The two brothers then trotted steadily to the stairs, climbing swiftly up the narrow passage and into Astral’s fake study. A room used as a front to hide his real study, which was hundreds of metres underground. Honour Bound went out the room, while Astral replaced a book, “Necromancy, a foal’s guide, by Noctilucent” on the bookshelf. The shelf then shuddered, and slid to the left, covering up the now secret passage. Satisfied, Astral also made his way out the door, and to the leisure room.

*=_/)|*|(\_=*

The leisure room is a room, about as big as a school basketball court. It was simple, but the various toys, gadgets and various other things destroyed any sense of space it had before. A myriad of toys cluttered the floor, computers and similar electronic stations were situated towards the back. There is an art corner on the other side of the room, which took up most of one side. The place was fully equipped with an abundant supply of art materials that these foals were just eating up. Their drawings adorned every space on the walls that their little hooves can reach. It was a mess, but as long as the children were making themselves busy, Chest nut couldn’t care less.

Verity just smiled warmly at the assembly of fillies and colts, and slowly, all of them stopped what they were doing and smiled back. She just had a way with children, something that her brothers just could not understand. She just started walking around, making sure every pony was safe, as per usual, like a teacher in the playground. She turned to see Astral Star by the computers, playing Minecraft with the foals, specifically, one Sweetie Belle and Button Mash, as per usual, and Honour Bound, making impersonations of famous ponies, currently doing a rather apt performance of Hoity Toity, again, as per usual. She took a seat by the door and smiled contently to herself. She loved kids, loved the little energy they had, running around, worry free, curious and innocent. Sure, many out there do not share her philosophy, but she didn’t mind, she liked seeing them happy, and that’s all that mattered. The children in turn, loved her.

They couldn’t quite tell why, just something about her that made them warm up to her. Was it her smile? Her voice? Her ever positive nature? Whatever it was, they liked it. Soon, story time was at hand, this signalled the foal’s favourite time of their stay, or the near end of their time here. They quietly packed away whatever they’ve been doing, and calmly filed out the door, towards the library. The trip was short and quick, meandering the grand, ancient, wooden hallways, making several turns, gawping at a nearby Weeping Angel before being hurried along by Chest Nut. The Library was equally grand. It took up the greater part of one wing of the mansion, it had the ground floor, mezzanine level and lower archives. All three floors were filled with shelf upon shelf of books, a collection to rival the Canterlot Archives. The foals began to seat themselves by the hearth, a fireplace towards the centre of the back wall, and the brightest source of the library’s dim lighting. Verity trotted over to the nearest shelf and magicked “Ancient Folk Tales For Foals, by Rubid E. M.” and brought it towards the luxurious arm chair where she now sat.

“Now then, my little ponies,” she began “Where were we?”

Soon, the Crystal ponies also felt distrust and paranoia towards each other. It spread like a disease, turning pony against pony, friend against friend, soon the whole empire was consumed in conflict and hatred. The other nations, witnessing the fall of their newest alliance, reacted immediately. Some withdrew to their homeland, to escape future bloodshed. Others, saw this as their opportunity to claim the Empire’s power for themselves. This small scale conflict, then became a fully-fledged war. The Dragons and Griffons fought ferociously for control, while the ponies could not help but fight themselves. Those who have not yet fallen into insanity, turned to the Crystal Heart for protection, but it did them no good. The Heart, normally charged with the harmony of the Empire’s inhabitants, was draining. Its surface lost its sheen, fading to a dull grey, for just as it thrived off of harmony, it choked on chaos. Soon, the enchantment protecting the Empire failed, and the creatures of the wild roamed free. The Windingos, normally bound to the sky by the Heart’s magic, fell upon the ponies like a plague, feeding off their hatred and cultivating it for years to come. The Empire was soon lessened into a barren wasteland. No life grew there anymore, and the sun and moon were never seen again. Just when it couldn’t get worse, it did. An evil Unicorn King, took the war as an opportunity to rule. Amassing an army of brainwashed ponies, he conquered the Crystal Empire, and enslaved its surviving inhabitants. Centuries has the Empire toiled under his tyrannical rule, soon, any hope the Crystal ponies had of salvation was gone. Generations slaved underneath the Evil King’s wrathful gaze, and the land faired no better. For Centuries to come, there was only darkness.

“And that, my little ponies, is enough for tonight,” finished Verity, slamming the book shut. She then sat up and returned the book to its place on the bookshelf. “Now I understand you have a few questions…”

She turned to see that none of the assembled foals have their hooves up. They gazed at her with their wide eyes in awe and wonderment. Slowly, one filly had the courage to speak up.

“Miss Sunshine?”

“Yes?”

“That was the stupidest story I’ve ever heard,”

Verity was shocked by the harshness of the language used by one so young. She took a moment to seek out the offending filly, and to her chagrin, she found her answer in none other than Diamond Tiara.

“What kind of a story was that? That’s not the Hearth’s Warming Eve’s Story!”

“Sorry to disappoint you, Miss Tiara,” Verity replied evenly “But, as all of you should know, there are multiple sides to every story,” she levelled a glare at Tiara “And, very rarely do they have a happy ending,”

“That’s not true,”

It was a different pony this time, a grey earth pony with a whitish mane and glasses. Silver Spoon, Diamond Tiara’s equally little partner in crime.

“All the stories I’ve heard have happy endings,”

This drew a bemused smile from the yellow Pegasus.

“Well, except this one,” she added hurriedly

Verity, stood up and walked slowly around the room, looking every foal in the eye calmly. Why she walked to travel more often than flying was a mystery for many ponies. Upon reaching the door, she sighed, not in defeat, but to vent the rising feeling of frustration.

“Very well then,” she said “Out you go,”

The assembly of foals slowly stood up and made their way warily to the door, where an equally wary Chest Nut stood to escort them to the front door.

“Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, Scootaloo and Dinky, stay here please,” The four fillies did as they were told and sat back down.

Soon, the door closed, and it was just Verity, the Cutie Mark Crusaders and Dinky, left in the library.

"Follow me," Verity said finally.

Chapter 6: Sleep Over

“I’m getting tired of hallways,” complained Scootaloo

“Toughen up princess,” replied Apple Bloom sternly “It’s the only way we’re gonna get anywhere in this house,”

“Apple Blooms got a point,” added Dinky

“Nopony asked you!”

“Calm down Scootaloo!” cried Sweetie Belle “you might upset Miss Sunshine,”

Verity, did in fact hear their conversation, but wasn’t upset in the slightest. She quietly pretended not to hear them, but listened amusedly. She was leading them to what was, for all intents and purposes, the other side of the mansion. There, Charlene has prepared a room for the Crusaders plus one, and a couple guests. These four were not the only ponies who have asked to stay after all. After a short walk, or what seemed like an eternity to the fillies, they arrived at their destination.

“Here you are,” Verity sighed “In you go, I’ll just go prepare dinner. If you need anything, tap the orange crystal next to the door,”

The fillies wandered in cautiously, only to lose it once inside the room. The room was the same size as one floor of the library, inside were eight beds, each one looked like it belonged to a five star hotel. There was a TV, and various game systems hooked up to the back of the room, between its two windows. A door leading to the bathroom could be seen to on the left wall, close to the window. What really surprised them however, were the other four ponies in the room. These unexpected guests, were not the only unexpected guests after all.

One sat on a bed, quietly reading a book. She was a very pale shade of blue, with a white, curled mane and tail, with blue highlights. She was a Pegasus, and much to the crusader’s disappointment, had a cutie mark, a flower in the shape of a snowflake. Two were playing chess in the middle of the room, looking like exact opposites. One was a unicorn colt with dark, almost black coat and short, ragged, purple mane and tail. The other looked like a miniature Verity Honora, having similar colours and mane style, the difference being that she was a unicorn and her colours were a tad paler than the mare standing by the door. She, like her opponent, was a blank flank. The final stranger was an earth pony colt, with an earthy brown coat and a short, spiky mane and tail of a lighter shade, he too was a blank flank.

“I think introduction are in order,” Verity said cheerfully “fillies and colts, may I present Apple Bloom...”

“Pleased ta meetcha’!”

“Scootaloo…”

“S’up?”

“Sweetie Belle…”

“Hi!”

“and Dinky,”

“Hello!”

“Girls, these are the ponies you’ll be staying with for tonight, this is Noctilucent…”

“Pleasure to meet you,” answered the dark unicorn colt

“Elysium…”

“Greetings!” cheered the yellow unicorn filly

“Asphodel…”

“Hello,” said the earth coloured pony

“and Snow Drop,”

“Um, Hello,” mumbled the pale blue Pegasus, not looking up from her book

“I think you’ll become the best of friends!” finished Verity happily “Now make yourselves comfortable, Charlene and I will be here soon to bring you some food. Take care now,”

She cheerfully trotted out the door, magically closing it behind her. An awkward silence followed, as the two groups measured the other up. The silence was soon broken by Scootaloo, with a lack of tact, surely inherited by being around Rainbow for too long.

“What’s up with her?” she asked, gesturing to Snow Drop with a wave of her hoof.

“There is nothing wrong with me,” replied Snow Drop plainly.

“Why don’t you look at me when I talk to you?”

“I’m sorry, I just don’t see ponies very well,” she murmured

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Chill out Scootaloo,” said Sweetie Belle

“No, it’s alright,” sighed Noctilucent “Snow Drop here, is, well, blind,”

“Then how is she reading?”

Elysium trotted over to Snow Drop and whispered something into the blue Pegasus’ ear. The little blue Pegasus nodded, and Elysium magicked the book from the bed and opened it for the crusaders and Dinky to see. It was blank, no title, no text, no nothing.

“She doesn’t see ponies very well,” explained Elysium “but she sees other things clearly,” she paused and scratched her head “I’m not entirely sure what though,”

“Right,” Scootaloo commented drily

“How am I supposed to know? Snowdrop doesn’t really talk too much,” Elysium mulled over what she just said, looking at the ceiling with a roll of head. “Well, except Uncle Astral, Auntie Honora and Uncle Bound,”

While the rest of the gang made idle banter, Dinky took a closer look at the new ponies. Snowdrop was indeed blind, her pale blue eyes glazed over, giving a somewhat unsettling appearance. The rest of her looked fragile, cold and sad, like she stood alone on a brisk winter’s evening. It took some will power not to cry for her. Noctilucent seemed to be the leader, he was a little taller and slimmer than the rest of them, but not by much. He had this unsettling glint in his eye, almost like he was calculating the most efficient way to end you where you stand. Given his previous and obscure history, she wasn’t far from the truth, but he himself was oblivious of it. Elysium seemed to be the kind of filly to crack a joke, share a smile, with a bit of mischievousness thrown in. She was overly happy, but not like Pinkie Pie, that’s for sure. Asphodel seemed the silent type, only chipping in when some pony said something wrong. He was small, brown and uninteresting, but the latter was certainly used to describe her father at first glance. Dinky returned from her mental analysis to see that Sweetie Belle has set up her laptop, Apple Bloom, Elysium, Noctilucent and Scootaloo were playing cards and Asphodel and Snowdrop went back to reading.

“Sweetie Belle? What in the hay are you doing?”

“Just setting up a video chat room,” The white unicorn answered cheerfully

“Who’re you talking to?”

“Well Twilight wanted to know about Astral,” Sweetie explained “So what better way than to talk to these guys,”

As she finished, the screen blacked out, then grew to the moving image of Princess Twilight Sparkle. The video and sound quality was perfect, but the behaviour of the newest princess left something to be desired.

“Hello there Sweetie Belle, how goes your trip?” asked the purple alicorn

“Fine so far,” Sweetie Belle replied “We met some new faces around the house, wanna see?”

“Sure! Tell them to come over,”

Sweetie Belle stood up for a quick moment to gather all the ponies in the room. They all assembled quickly behind Belle’s laptop, and in view of its camera.

“Let me introduce you. This is Asphodel, Noctilucent, Elysium and Snowdrop,” she said, pointing a hoof to each respective pony. “It’s good to see you all,” spoke Twilight happily “But some of your names seem familiar. Noctilucent and Snowdrop, where have I heard them before,”

“You probably seen them around Ponyville,” suggested Scootaloo

“Maybe… I’ll have a look later,” The next time she spoke, her inner-school-filly was showing again “So, find out anything?”

“Not really, not yet. We’ll find out some stuff and fill you in tomorrow morning,” said Apple Bloom

“Ok then, see you tomorrow,”

“Bye Princess,”

The video chat was closed down, and a Minecraft main menu popped up. “Okay…” sighed Dinky, now what?”

“Does she really want to know that much about Uncle Astral?” asked Asphodel with a raised eyebrow

“Yeah, the princesses are really worried if they’re a threat or somethin’,” answered Apple Bloom

“Sounds like a load of hogwash to me,” said Noctilucent sternly “They haven’t done anything to deserve that kind of suspicious treatment,”

“Well, how about you? What’re you doing here?” inquired Sweetie Belle

“Our parents sent us here for Astral to teach us magic,” Elysium explained “They say he’s the best magic user whose ever lived,” she accentuated the last part with a wave of her hooves.

“Yeah, well he can get in line behind the Princesses,” scoffed Scootaloo

“No, you don’t, understand,” corrected Noctilucent “Those three are really, really old,”

“So are the princesses,”

“Again, not understanding. Twilight may be the element of magic, but there is still so little she knows about it. She isn’t the first magically adept unicorn to be born in Equestria,”

“Well…”

“I’m not finished, there are things those three have done to get to where they are now, some were good, and some were bad. But what myself and my friends can agree on, it’s they are here to help us,”

“How would you know?”

“Because,” Noc sighed “In one of my past lives, I was one of his instructors,”

This was met with a collective gasp from the Crusaders and Dinky, then a deluge of questions.

“Really?”

“What did you teach him?”

“Past lives?”

“But you’re younger than him,”

“Prove it,”

“ENOUGH!” Noctilucent bellowed.

His voice was laced with power, deepening it and contributing a low thrum of authority. His eyes turned a glaring white, and all other lights in the room began to fade. The chandeliers swung on their features, the windows began to crack. They could here thunder and see lightning dart across the sky, despite it being absolutely clear mere minutes ago. The dark unicorn’s display of power rattled through the souls of all present ponies, minus a completely unperturbed Snowdrop. His outburst lasted only for a couple seconds, and as its effects began to fade, he was met with a group of horrified colts and fillies, clutching each other in fright. Noc sighed and motioned for Snowdrop to come over. Despite being blind, the blue Pegasus gave a nod and retrieved a small sapphire from the bracelet she wore. Formerly hidden as she sat, it was an elegant but simple band of silver, etched with snowflake and wind like patterns, with a single diamond shaped sapphire embedded in its centre. She passes the blue gem to Noctilucent who took it in his hooves and began to chant. His words were low and whispering, using language from the old tongue, the same language that gave him his name. When he was done, the foals before him begun to relax and disentangle themselves from one another.

“What was that?” asked a terrified Sweetie belle

“That,” Noc sighed, somewhat exhausted from his display “was your proof,”

*=_/)|*|(\_=*

In the kitchen

Verity, despite her filly-hood education, was a master chef. When one lives for millennia, there is not much to do than to learn, in her case at least. She grew up among nobility, and was taught how to act like one, but despite this, she kept her good sense and so no trouble in interacting with ‘commoners’. In a matter of minutes, she had prepared a meal worthy of a five star restaurant in Canterlot; all it needed now was 45 minutes in the oven. Whistling a country tune, she put away her cooking utensils and met her two brothers at the counter. Astral sat loosely by the counter, taking semi-automatic sips of his hot chocolate, and staring at his notes. Honour Bound sat rigid straight, taking large gulps of his scalding hot tea, with a satisfied ‘aaaah’ after each one. Verity set her mug of coffee on the counter and pulled a seat opposite the two stallions.

“So, how’s work?” she inquired

“Uneventful,” admitted Honour Bound “But they are increasing shifts as the gala gets closer,”

Honour Bound took a job as an elite guard. He disguised himself every morning, and took the teleport vigil to Canterlot. He did all of this in disguise of course. He wasn’t really her blood brother, but they inducted him as family years ago. He spent most of his extended life span travelling, seeing the sights and other what not.

“How about you, Astral?”

“Fine,” he mumbled “Stock is flying off the shelves. I’d be surprised if I’ll get to keep any of my newest toys,”

Astral owned a toy and book store in Manehatten. It is really popular, and he’s having a rough time keeping up with demand. The books he sold were mainly educational but with a few popular adventure novels like Daring Do thrown in to keep things interesting. The toys were all of his own creation, mostly wind ups and board games. He, like his sister, took all his extra years learning and applying new skills.

“How about you sis?” Honour asked, smiling slyly “Holding down several jobs at once again?”

“You know the girls and I can handle it,” she said reassuringly, giving a wink to accentuate the point

Astral and Honour smiled knowingly, all too familiar with the “girls” she mentioned. Before the conversation can go any further however, thunder and lightning wracked the outside window, sending angular shadows darting across the room with each strike. Thunder echoed throughout the house, a sound that would alarm even the hardest of ponies. Suddenly, all lights in the kitchen faded to black, but the oven kept going. Astral lit up the room with his magic and tested the lights, they were shut down. Verity only sighed at this highly irregular turn of events and made her way to the room where the foals were staying, Astral and Honour in tow.

*=_/)|*|(\_=*

Back in the Foal’s Room

“Hey Elysium, give us a light please. Cheers thanks,”

After Noctilucent’s magical outburst, the eight foals were temporarily lost to darkness. Elysium provided light using her horn, but Sweetie Belle couldn’t help because she doesn’t know any magic yet, and for Noctilucent, any kind of light-based magic seemed beyond him. It continued to rain heavily as the thunder and lightning receded into distant rumbles. Upon further inspection through the window, one could see that the storm clouds stopped just past the estate grounds, as the stars could easily be seen above Ponyville. The only pony who was not disturbed was Snowdrop, who continued to read her book peacefully.

Minutes later, a knock on the door interrupted the foals from their un-attentive state. They started looking at each other with pleading eyes, but Noc caved in with a grudging sigh and went to answer the door. When he opened it, he was met with the fanged face of Honour Bound, looking down at the little colt with a straight, passive face. The young figure of Verity Honora pushed passed him and fussed over the foals, searching for injuries and making sure they were fine. Honour soon followed her in, but Astral stayed by the door and gave his nephew a steady look. The tension between the two collapsed when Astral offered him a warm smile.

“That’s some magic you put up there, good work,”

Noctilucent stood speechless. He had single-hoofedly stalled the whole mansions power for close to an hour and conjured a storm cell right over their heads and this midnight blue unicorn was congratulating him?

“I, don’t understand Uncle Astral,” the young colt stammered

“It’s a part of magic my boy,” replied Astral soothingly “That is the nature of your magic, all you can do is work with it,” He paused, then threw a cheeky grin back to Noc “You might want to have a look at your flank, young colt,”

“Did I sit in something?”

“Just look,”

The young unicorn stood up and looked at his flank. Sure enough, in a flash of white light, the image of a storm cloud, with rain and lightning appeared on his back thighs. Overcome with childish glee, he broke an enormous smile and leapt onto the older unicorn, giving him a tight, but meaningful hug. Astral gently chuckled and returned the embrace, disregarding the fact that all present company was watching them now. He didn’t care; he’s finally received his cutie mark.

*=_/)|*|(\_=*

Meanwhile, at the Golden Oaks Library (Twilight’s House)

Ever since she made that call to Sweetie Belle, something has been gnawing on the young princess’s mind. She’s heard those names, somewhere before, and she had the feeling they were significant. So, setting everything aside, she initiated a research project, and a rather short-lived one at that. The reason being was that she found her answers almost immediately, but in the most unlikeliest of places. She spent almost an hour trawling through genealogies, history books, newspapers, magazines, but she found her answers in two books. One was a popular foal’s bedtime story book, and the other was a text on Ancient Equestrian Mythology.

Elysium and Asphodel were two of the many realms that resided in the underworld, where all beings went when they died. She made the mistake of telling every pony that Cerberus guarded Tartarus, when he in fact guarded the whole subterranean empire. She barely lived down the shame. She pushed thoughts of that day beside and found more information on these two names. Elysium was where all the good souls went, those that lived there lives for good. It was heaven, where souls could rest for eternity in happiness and content. Those that did even better were given the choice of rebirth, to live a second life. Ponies who accepted rebirth, and made it to Elysium three times in a row, went to the Isle of the Blessed, which made Elysium look like a 2 star Motel. Asphodel was an endless plane, where all the mediocre, everyday souls went. They spent their eternity wandering through the endless sea of grass, often forgetting everything that they once were and returning to what they came from. Souls that end up here, fade over time as their owner forgets who they were, and are lost forever.

She turned to the bedtime story book, seeing that the names Noctilucent and Snowdrop appeared in the Contents. Noctilucent originated from ‘The Tale of the Necromancer’, a story about an evil practitioner of dark magic and death. The Necromancer would bring the corpses of the dead back to life as his puppets, serving his every whim. Noctilucent was his name, an ancient name dating back further than recorded history. It meant ‘Night Light’, a contradiction of nouns if ever there was one. It is said that this he was defeated by a knight in shining armour in single combat, and upon his downfall, relinquished his dark power, and shrunk back into a foal. The foal was brought to a young couple, and raised in secret. No one has ever heard of the Necromancer since.

Snowdrop originated from a more peaceful story and one Twilight was familiar with, it was called ‘The First Snowflake’, a sad little tale of acceptance and understanding. Princess Luna told her the story herself, remembering it fondly, but it did little to hide the guilt settling on the moon princess’ heart as she told it. According to the story, Snowdrop was a small, pale Pegasus filly who was born blind. She has suffered many hardships, and just when she couldn’t take it anymore, she found her calling. She made the snowflake, in tribute to the stars she couldn’t see, and for everything she wished came true. She became good friends with Luna, and spent her life making these stars, thousands upon thousands each winter. She lived well, but she lived alone, her only source of true companionship being Princess Luna. She lived to a ripe old age, but she did not die happily. She died knowing that the friend she once knew became a monster. It was a real tear jerker, and was adapted into many plays, movies and books. Twilight has seen a few of them herself. What she wants to know, is what connection do these foals have to their namesakes from the past, if any. She knows just the pony to ask, and she can do it tonight.

Chapter 7: Dreaming of Luna

Dreaming is a lot more complex than random events happening inside your head, there is a magic to it. Dreams are made of feelings, memories and experiences, buried deep inside your subconscious. Only when your conscious self is deactivated (i.e., you’re asleep) can these things manifest. These thoughts could present themselves in many ways, that is to say, no person can have the exact same dream as another. There is so much to dreams, reliant on your own personality and experiences, for the same one to occur more than once.

When you are the Princess of the Night, and a master Dream-Walker however, the limitations of the mind are mere speed bumps to her magical will. Here, in this realm of dreams, she sits, and waits for some pony in need of help. To describe the dream realm would be impossible for physical language, but to the mind, nothing makes more sense. The realm has no shape, no matter, no life, unless the dreamer wills it. Even subconsciously, the dreamer creates a world in their head, full of possibilities. To attain a degree of control in this world, is near impossible without sheer strength of thought. For to have conscious control of your dreams, without waking up, is a difficult task indeed.

Princess Luna stood vigilantly over the dreamscape, an endless, hill strewn plain of long green grass, bathed in the light of the afternoon sun. Though she might not openly admit it, the sunset was indeed beautiful, coupled with the fact that it signalled the end of day, and the beginning of her glorious night. Her task was to make sure that all ponies under her care slept safely and soundly. It was her duty to help her subjects conquer their fears. For who better to absolve them of fear, than the ruler of its source? Images from dreams all across Equestria, floated lazily by in the darkening sky, one in particular, drew her interest. It seemed that Twilight Sparkle was asleep, and was silently pleading for the Night Princess’s help. She unfurled her wings, and launched into the sea of darkness above, travelling across dream space, to help a fellow alicorn in need.

When she arrived, she found herself sitting at a gazebo in the Canterlot gardens. The sweet scents of the garden’s many exotic floras wafted through the air, calming the nerves. Twilight sat opposite to her, and between them a small table, with herbal tea and biscuits set and prepared for them in the traditional Canterlot style that nobility were so fond of. This construction of landscape was neither of their doing, it only reflected how the dreamer, Twilight was feeling.

“I’m glad you made it princess,” greeted Twilight “The girls and I have made progress in our investigation,”

“Already?” asked Luna, clearly impressed by this fortuitous turn of events “my sister’s words about you are beginning to become quite apt, as I’m sure,” she paused to see her host look away and blush, despite being in an insubstantial environment. “Now, please tell me, what you have found,”

“Well, we decided that we should have the fillies go first,”

“A risky decision, but it payed off without harm, yes?”

“Of course, we have discovered that there are foals in their care,”

“Foals?” asked the Princess, of all the things to find in that house, foals were not at the top of the list “How many?”

“Four, a unicorn colt, and earth colt, a unicorn filly and a Pegasus filly,”

“Names?”

“Noctilucent…”

“An ancient name that one, haven’t heard it in centuries. I certainly hope he is nothing like his predecessor,”

“Asphodel…”

“Another strange name. It’s a realm in the Underworld,”

“Yep, I found it in a book about Ancient Equestrian Mythology. There is also Elysium…”

“Where does he get all these names from?”

“and finally, Snowdrop,”

Suddenly, all psychological processes in the princess’s mind short out at the mention of this name. She sat silently, eyes trained sightlessly on the purple alicorn, who was desperate to get her attention. “Princess? Are you alright?” she asked. Snowdrop, it has been many years since she has heard that name. Her best friend, the only one that understood her and her night. But she died; she died during her banishment on the moon. The poor Pegasus looked on as her best friend became a tyrant, a monster. Luna’s greatest heart ache, was never saying goodbye.

“Twilight,” she said intensely, an edge being added to her voice “What exactly do you know about Snow Drop?”

“Only as much as the folk tales mention, but I’m sure the girls can get some more information,”

“I want you tell me everything you know about those four when they are done. Clear?”

“Crystal, princess,”

The sudden intensity of Luna’s attitude was no surprise to Twilight. According to the tales, She and Snowdrop were the best of friends, and if Luna’s reaction was taken into account, it must’ve been true. ‘There must be more to those three than we thought’ pondered Twilight ‘I wonder what…’

“In the meantime, I will go to Hades to check on his realm,” continued the blue alicorn “Your news may very well concern him,”

“Hades?”

“The ruler of the dead. And you said you studied ancient mythology,” Luna smirked

“Well… I…”

“Do not worry yourself, I was only teasing,” Luna spread her wings once again and prepared to leave the dreamscape “Remember your task, Twilight,” she said, and took off in a flash of white light, leaving Twilight’s mind, and approaching the waking world.

Hades, was not someone who you wanted to visit. He is King Under the World, Emperor of the Dead, God of the Land itself, and all things that dwell on, and within it. It has been thousands of years since either princess has met him, and the last times were on less than pleasant circumstances. The journey to the Underworld was easy, all you have to do, is die. If you wanted to keep your life, then it causes issues. The front gate is blocked by Cerberus, and all other entrances are protected by wraiths and other malignant spirits. Spirits that are, oddly absent from their posts. Luna touched down at the base of one of the many mountains close to Canterlot.

It was hidden by an ancient enchantment, one similar to the one protecting Astral’s Estate. It was invisible to all witnesses, but clear as day to those who knew where to look. This way, no one will ever accidentally enter the Underworld. Luna took a deep breath, and stepped through the invisible passage. Inside was a small alcove of rock, the smell of moisture and dead plant life hung thickly in the air. Ahead of her stood a tunnel, just about her height, with two black obelisks either side of it. The obsidian prisms were had a flawless black sheen, disturbed only by warning sigils, carefully carved into its surface. She glanced around; surprised to see that there were no guards at all. Steeling herself, she stepped through, and walked down the tunnel.

After a few minutes, the tunnel widened into a chamber. Judging by the numerous cruel looking weapons and armour, it must have been an armoury of sorts. ‘Been’ was the right word, the light crystal has long since died out, and cobwebs were draped generously across all the arms. Despite this, the weapons looked good as new, forged in the river Styx, these were not ordinary swords. Luna exited the armoury, now heading along an extensive, narrow corridor, conjuring a light for herself using her horn. The torches that once lit the hallways were all but burnt out; bones littered the ground and webs hung from the walls like white velvet curtains.

At the end of the hall, she found herself in a cathedral-like room. Statues of various creatures lined the sides, ancient tapestries hung on the walls, depicting great battles and figures of power. This was the throne room of Hades. The chair he sat upon during his rule was made of stone, carved to look like it was made of bones. At either side were two lesser thrones, one for Persephone, Hades’ wife, a simple armchair adorned with now dead flowers, and Thanatos, the grim reaper, his was made of real bones, adorning an onyx chair. All thrones were empty.

Something wasn’t right, he should be here, and come to think of it, there should be dead all over the place, where is everybody? She took flight and patrolled the surrounding corridors, all dark, and all empty. She then flew straight out the throne room, and into the grand cavern which housed Hades’ capital city. A huge, natural cave, big Manehatten and twice as tall. The once thriving City of Hades, lay in ruins below her. Piles of earthen rubble remained of the countless buildings; the once mighty Rivers of the Underworld were reduced to a trickle. Landing on the spire atop Hade’s castle, she used her magic to enhance her vision across the dark cavern.

Elysium and The Isle of the Blessed looked operational, but was completely deserted. The Fields of Asphodel have long died out, leaving behind cracked soil and dead grass. It too was empty. The fires of The Fields of Punishment too, were long extinguished. The only place that still seemed full was Tartarus, as dangerous and secure as ever. Luna tried to comprehend what this meant. If the dead weren’t here, and if Hades wasn’t here, it meant no pony truly died. Their souls would have nowhere to go, either being born again, or wander across the surface, with no sense of purpose or identity. She took it all in, and prepared a teleport to Canterlot. She landed and focused her immense magical power into her horn. She willed herself to travel to the Canterlot throne room, and as the magic instantaneously consumed her, so shall it be.

*=_/)|*|(\_=*

Astral’s Estate

“Ok, you go first,”

“I rolled a 5, what does that mean?”

The eight foals now sat in the mansions library, playing board games and reading books to past the time. Dinner was simple, no conversation took place there. When Apple Bloom asked Astral if they could stay in the library, he reluctantly agreed. Sweetie Belle was flipping through a Geaneology, scrunching her face in confusion as she read it.

“How come there aren’t any family names?” she asked “and what’s with all the weird pictures?”

“Back then, ponies had all sorts of names,” answered Noctilucent “Sometimes, more than one. Those pictures are family crests, it’s the only way ponies could associate with family centuries ago,”

He got up from his game of ‘Snakes and Ladders’ and pointed a hoof at one of the symbols.

It composed of a crescent moon, with a darkened circle where the rest of it should be, and a sun on top. Then on top of it all was a changeling’s face with a sword through it.

“That’s my family crest,” explained Noc “There’s a story behind every one of these. They say the crests reflected the family’s values, or their best deeds. My one is just our uncles' and aunt’s cutiemarks, one on top of the other with the oldest at the bottom and the youngest at the top,”

“Ooh! That reminds me! Hey Snowdrop, how’d you get your cutiemark?”

The pale blue Pegasus looked up from her book to look over at the general area of Sweetie Belle. Snowdrop sat on a cushion on top of one of the libraries study tables, despite a chair being directly next to her.

“I don’t want to talk about it…” she murmered, voice fading out as she finished the sentence.

“Why not?” demanded Scootaloo

“Just read this,” Elysium randomly popped out of a gap in the book shelves and tossed a small paperback over to the orange Pegasus.

“Um, thanks?”

“No prob,” and the little yellow unicorn disappeared back into the shelf.

Shrugging off her random antics, Scootaloo examined the book she was given. It was a small paperback, like the ones she found at school for reading. It was blue, with a pale blue decorative border and a flower on the front. It was titled ‘The First Snowflake’.

“You mean this fairy tale? What’s that got to do with…” Suddenly, something clicked in the young pegasus’ mind. “Wait, so you are…” her little brain then finished registering her sudden Epiphany, as her mouthed let up girlish squeals. “You’re Snowdrop! The Mother of Winter! The First Snowflake! The filly whose wish came true!” she continued to excitedly buzz around on her little wings and rattle off Snowdrop’s many titles.

The gathered foals covered their ears while Snowdrop just looked away and blushed.

“It’s good to see that she has not yet been forgotten,” They all turned to the source of the new voice. It was Astral Star, sitting in one of the armchairs by the hearth, reading a huge encyclopedia. He appeared to also be making corrections with a quill and inkwell. How he got there without them noticing was a mystery.

“Ponies these days take so much for granted,” he whispered, not looking up from his book. Sweetie Belle began to take a closer look at the stallion, and her eyes eventually wandered to his cutiemark, a crescent moon surrounded by three stars.

“Hey, Mister Star?” she inquired, trotting up to the older unicorn

“What can I help you with, Miss Belle?” he smiled

“How’d you get your cutiemark?”

Suddenly, the smile was gone. He violently slammed the book shut and teleported it away in a flurry of blue sparks.

“That, my girl, is not a happy story,” he said intensely, the sudden change in mood was unsettling “are you sure you wish to hear it?”

Sweetie nodded, and soon, all the foals gathered round to hear the coming story.

“Alright then,” he sighed “I’m sure every other cutie mark story you heard was a happy one. My one is not, so don’t say I didn’t warn you…”

/|*Astral's POV*|\

Verity and I lived in a city on the other side of Equestria. My father was a guard to the ruler at the time, Matriarch Amarylis, and my mother was a crystal Pegasus, a rarity to the crystal ponies, who took refuge there during a particularly violent blizzard. She fell in love with my father and ended up staying. Verity was taken in by the Matriarch after a magical accident during an entrance exam into the ruler’s own school. I passed mine as well, but not without earning the suspicion of the judges, and eventually, every staff member in the school. Each exam was different for all entrants, but each was difficult. Verity’s was to fly as high and as fast as she could around the school, doing it in less than ten seconds earned her a spot in the school. Mine was to make a statue of the Matriarch using my magic, out of diamond.

I tried every spell I knew on it, laser spells, shatter spells and a whole range of harmful magic. Little did he know that the giant boulder of diamond was enchanted to withstand offensive spells, they were testing intelligence, not power after all. When I was on the edge of giving up, I experienced a magical surge. When a unicorn’s magic surges, his/her magical power distabilises, increasing it by an order of magnitude, but resulting in a complete loss of control. I vaporised the diamond into a dense black smoke, using my newfound power I arranged the smoke into the tall, slender shape of the Matriarch. Once satisfied, I froze the smoke using gathered moisture in the air, and my surge subsided. The result was a statue of the matriarch, as required. Not as required was that the statue looked to be made out of black ice, not diamond. The judges were stunned, not only have I experienced my first recorded surge, but I controlled it so easily.

They allowed me entry, but not without spreading caution to my teachers. So much untapped power can be dangerous, after all. From then on, my school life began to look up. The wariness of the teachers was soon amended, and my entrance exam forgotten as I began to ascend rapidly through the school’s ranks, with Verity coming close behind. The difference between her and myself being, she was very popular, easily the smartest and prettiest mare in the school. She always had a group of ponies following her around, hanging on every word she said. While I became the sole target of relentless bullying from older students, who remember how a mere foal, and a blank flank at the time, bested them in every academic contest the school had. I merely shrugged it off, my only friend in the whole school was my sister, and that was enough for me.

One day, walking home from school with my sister, one of the senior students walked past and violently shoved me to the side, into a nearby alley. The unicorn stallion who shoved me took hold of Verity and threw her in as well. Several more senior students materialised next to the first. Before Verity could take off an escape, one of the students threw a vicious punch to her cheek, knocking her down. He then proceeded to rear up, and stomp on her right wing, fracturing it with a crack, triggering a scream. I stood by no longer, and rammed the stallion away from my sister, sending him tumbling head-over-hooves back to his friends. Angry, they all pointed their horns at us, each shooting lasers of various colours. Their beams were caught deftly by a shield from myself, spreading the energy along its surface until it dissipated. Despite the efficiency of the barrier, I began to falter, now struggling to maintain the shield. The colts in turn raised the intensity of their attacks, witnessing their opponent struggling to stand, pure rage replacing all reason they used to have.

I knew that if I were to let up now, they would surely kill me, and maybe my sister as well. I was out of options, with barely enough power to keep the shield going, I had nothing to work with, as the shield took up all of my concentration. Just when the shield faded, my mind snapped. I begun to feel angry, no, furious at these colts. I suddenly became aware of their every thought, I found their actions to be no more than a show of spite, accelerated into full blown hatred. Digging deeper, I found the real reason why they did this, they were jealous. They belittled me everyday just to feel superior. I began to pour more of my own untapped potential into the shield, letting rage gradually consume me. The blue dome of my shield began to swell, and change into a sickly green. According to witness accounts, I had green fire in my eyes, as anger controlled my actions. The shield was no more a shield, but a wall of bright green flame, my own magic at its purest, with barely a hint of control. Letting out a mighty shout of rage, I propelled the wall towards them, letting the wild magic consume my assailants. Wave by wave, I battered my enemies, relentlessly crushing them underneath my magical might. When my power ebbed, and focus returned to my mind, I collapsed.

When I woke, I found himself sprawled on the ground in the alley, Verity fitfully dosing by my side. He looked towards the senior students, who lie still, too still. Worry overcame my mind and I scrambled over to them, waking my sister in the process. When I got to their side, I was relieved to find that they were all still alive. What shocked me though, was that their eyes glowed a sickly green, and exuded an odourless purple vapour. They were muttering in their sleep, eyes wide open, body racked with random spasms and shivers. I turned to Verity, but her mouth was set in a hard line, eye brows furrowed in thought, and her right wing hanging limply by her side. She had no idea what happened to them.

The scene did not go unnoticed, and shortly after I came to, the guards arrived and escorted Verity and I to the Matriarch’s chambers. Matriarch Amaryllis was glad to see that we are alright, and sent my sister away to the medical bay. She showed no wish for punishment for either of us, or our attackers. To me however, she looked suspicious, wary, almost afraid. What I had done was an ancient, evil art of magic, one that could not be learned easily, especially at my age. It was Fear magic, the art of manipulating the minds of ponies, often in order to control and gain power over them. She thought that what I had done was punishment enough for them. She then became gentler and told me she was going to teach me as well. That brightened up my day that’s for sure.

/|*End POV*|\

“What happened to the bullies?” asked Apple Bloom

Astral tore his eyes from the ground and glared intensely at the young filly, making her grimace and look away. His expression softened.

“They died,” he whispered, shame leaking into his voice “years afterward. But by bit their minds degraded until nothing was left of the ponies they once were. They went insane,”

“Like Twilight with Miss Smartypants?”

“No,” he chuckled humourlessly “They killed themselves,”

Chapter 8: Going Deeper

Canterlot Castle

“Tia! I have grave news from the Underworld!”

Celestia looked up from her virtual mountain of paperwork to see a rather frazzled and tired Luna burst through the doors into her private study. The study was nothing special, a simple room made for practicality than aesthetics, being full of shelves, books and writing material. Something of a similarity between herself and her student. She drew in a sigh, awaiting the new information. Underworld news, was bad news.

“The Underworld has been abandoned!”

Now that, is news she thought she’d never hear. Hades’ relationship with the two princesses was a shaky one at best, but both knew that conflict would do unparalleled amounts of unnecessary harm. Hades’ kept the cycle of life and death flowing, making sure that no evil being or creature ever returned to the land of the living. While Celestia and Luna kept the land above, guiding them towards peace and harmony. If he is gone, and so are the dead…

“Where have you received this news?” Celestia asked, worry starting to creep over her composure

“Twilight and her friends found a lead. There are four foals that the three look after. Their names are Asphodel, Elysium, Noctilucent and Snowdrop, sound familiar?”

“Too familiar,” agreed Celestia “But what does that have to do with…”

“I’m not finished. Those ponies should be dead, but somehow they were born again. So I checked the Underworld…”

“That was very risky of you, dear sister,” admonished the white alicorn “You know very well that there are things down there that could have very well killed you,”

“I know, but when I went down, the whole place was abandoned. It looks like the city hasn’t been touched in centuries!”

Celestia put a hoof to her chin and pondered these events. If every soul in the Underworld had the potential to be born again, it could cause unparalleled amounts of chaos. That, and every enemy the regal sisters have ever made, could easily stage a comeback.

“Go to Shining Armour, tell him to double all patrols around the Everfree, as well as the big cities. I will send him a list of characters the guards will need to look after. I will go to the archivists to see how much more information they can dig up about those three,”

Luna nodded and made way for the door, “Wait!” she turned around to her sister, waiting expectantly “There is something I need you to do…”

*=_/)|*|(\_=*

Astral’s Estate

Sleep came easily for foals, something that most adults find and envy. Soon, all the foals slept soundly in their beds. Sweetie Belle had managed to convince Astral to lend her some books, which now rested in a pile next to the white filly. Chest Nut and Charlene set about cleaning up the library. Verity and Honour went to bed, while Astral stayed up a little longer, conversing with some colleagues and revising his experiments. It almost midnight, just the time that the Princess of the Night was waiting for. She is going to pay them a visit.

Princess Luna loathed the idea of using her power over dreams to spy on ponies, but Celestia specially requested it. The subject of the three also provided ample exception for the blue alicorn. Sitting in her own dreamscape, the familiar rolling plains in the light of the sunset, she stood vigilant, watching for the dreams she has been tasked to find. It wasn’t long before she found Verity’s dream, it was a globe of light, sending warmth flood through the princess’s mind. Luna readied herself, and took off, heading for the light. Upon getting closer, the warmth and light became harsher, almost painful, but she pushed on. When she could almost touch it, the heat became unbearable. Flames shot out from it, scorching Luna’s dreamscape, and threatening to burn her mind away. It was agony, the only time she felt pain this bad was when she fought Celestia as Nightmare Moon. She forced herself away, diving clumsily back to the ground, and landing awkwardly on her back.

She lie there for a few minutes, and then got up to survey the damage. The gentle, rolling plains have become scorched in many areas; some of it was still on fire. She grimaced at the kind of mental harm she put on herself and set about healing her dream. She thought for a moment, that wasn’t a normal dream, it was guarded by powerful magic. Gathering her strength, she flew again, this time towards a dark, ragged circle, like something punched a hole in her sky. A stark contrast to Verity’s dream, Honour’s seemed, broken and chaotic. She approached it easily, and flew onward, into the changeling’s mind.

Upon arrival, she found herself in a dark cave, lit by a single torch on the ground in front of her. The cave was made out of a black, smooth, glossy rock, vaguely similar to the material used for the changeling hives. In front of her was a barred gate, framed in white crystal, and the element of magic’s symbol on the top. Luna approached it, and tried to open it. It gave for a few seconds, then as if realising who was opening it, shut itself off. Luna grunted in frustration and turned to the other side of the cave. There, an arch way as tall as herself appeared, leading down further, lit sparsely by green torches. Seeing no other way to go, she ventured downwards, paying no heed to the whispers that echoed throughout. At the bottom, the tunnel opened up onto a platform, looking down onto an enormous cavern. As tall as the mountains near Canterlot, and as wide and dark as the eastern sea, it easily dwarfed the Underworld in size. Below, was an enormous labyrinth of roughly hewn granite stone. The cavern wasn’t lit, and upon trying a light spell, found that she had no horn, and on further inspection, no wings. Being in this situation before, she passed it off as a condition in Honour Bound’s mind and nimbly hopped her way down the wall.

The labyrinth was much darker than anything else in this dreamscape, but as if by magic, Luna could still see a couple feet in front of her. Believing the way to Honour Bound’s mind was on the other side, she ventured forth. She has been familiar with mental safeguards, obstacles that one must overcome to gain access to another’s mind, but none as detailed and complex as this one. Following the basic rule of navigating most mazes, she stuck to the left side as she walked. After what seemed like hours of walking, she stumbled upon something. The object was a small, black crown, like the one she always wore… Oh. Searching her head with her hoof, she found that her crown was indeed missing. Turning back the way she came, a wall now blocked her passage. Fixing her crown, she muttered in frustration, not only was she lost in a mental labyrinth, but the walls moved.

Cursing herself, she picked up a random piece of chalk on the ground, and began to trace her way through the labyrinth. To her utter astonishment, every wall she drew on did not move behind her. The chalk must’ve been there as a clue, so that ponies Honour trusted could make it. Mere minutes later, she found the centre of the maze.

It was a small garden, with crystals in place of flowers and rocks instead of stems and leaves. In the centre was a tall, red crystal spire, glowing an ominous blood red. Around it stood multiple ponies, all of different shape, size, gender and race, chanting in deep bass tones. They paid her no attention as she approached. She’s seen some of them before, but most were complete strangers. When she went to touch one, they disappeared in shimmering haze, like a mirage. In their place, sat a small, blue filly, weeping before the spire. She lacked any wings or horns, but she had a cutie mark, a crescent moon on a splotch of black.

“Are you alright, little one?” the Lunar Princess asked cautiously

“No”

“What is wrong?”

“Everything”

Luna, mildly confused, but also curious, approached the filly. The filly turned towards her, regarding her with big, sad eyes.

“This maze is a death trap,” Luna whispered “how did you get here?”

“This maze was made by Astral Star,” the filly explained between sobs “it was put here to deter psychic invaders,”

“What invaders?”

The filly’s eyes grew harsh, and angry. She stood up and turned to the Lunar Princess, fury etched across her youthful face. Only then did Luna notice, who that filly is. She saw her every time she looked in the mirror. The next time the filly spoke, her small, frightened tone was replaced by the deep thrum of a changeling’s.

“Invaders like you!”

The filly grew in size, becoming taller than Luna. Her coat became a jet black, and her mane lengthened and darkened to the blue of the night sky. Armour grew across her body, and her pupils shrunk until none could be seen amongst the glowing whites of her eyes. A long, straight horn grew from her forehead, and large wings sprouted from her back. Before her stood her past, the one part of herself she’ll never come to terms with.

“Run, little princess,” hissed Nightmare Moon

Luna, now utterly terrified raced down the labyrinth as fast as her legs could carry her. Tears flowing freely from her eyes as pure fear seeped into her mind. Nightmare Moon, took long, graceful strides towards her prey, savouring each drop of her target’s fear. Luna payed no more heed to where she went, shutting her eyes, she barrelled through the corridors. Monsters of every shape and size rose out of the shadows, causing her to double-back, turn and flee several times over. She no longer cared any more, only fear controlled her now. Soon, she was backed into a dead end, monsters of shadow stalking towards her. They made way as the presence of Nightmare Moon compelled them, letting the Lunar Tyrant observe her cowering self.

“There is nowhere to run…” she said, coming closer

“No…” Luna whispered weakly

“Nowhere to hide…” approaching arm’s reach

“Please…”

“And no one to save you…” she whispered, pointing her horn at the petrified princess. Luna lie there, helpless, as Nightmare Moon’s horn glowed, no doubt to end her where she stood. She closed her eyes, not wanting to see death take her…

“LUNA!”

*=_/)|*|(\_=*

Canterlot Castle

Luna woke with a start. She was in in the main throne room, where Celestia now sat. The first rays of sunshine peaking over the horizon. She was also standing up, and very tired, and sweaty. Celestia looked down at her sister with mild amusement. Thankfully, they were the only two ponies in the room at the time.

“What is wrong, dear sister?” Celestia asked, true concern showing on her face

“I don’t know,” replied Luna, dumbstruck at her current situation “What happened?”

The solar princess raised a curious eyebrow “You came galloping through the hall, crying. Your eyes were glowing green, and you kept muttering about some pony out to get you,” she stood next to her sister and put a comforting wing around her. She offered her sister a handkerchief and said “Tell me, dear sister, what happened to you?”

Luna took a minute to compose herself, wiping the tears away with the offered handkerchief. She took a deep sigh and begun to explain.

“I went into the dreams of the three, as you asked. Verity’s was impossible to get to. It was protected by a powerful safeguard; I had to pull out before it did some serious damage to my mind. Honour’s was easier to get to, but it wasn’t normal. His dreams were broken, and twisted. What I found was a labyrinth, a safeguard I’ve never heard of. It tested my patience and my resolve, but I failed,”

Luna began to whimper again, but stood strong, fear seeping into her voice.

“Honour was there, he knew I was in his head. He conjured up my memories, turning them against me. He created Nightmare Moon; she chased me throughout the Labyrinth. When I thought she was going to kill me, I woke up,”

She turned her teary eyes to her sister, seeking an explanation. Celestia’s expression softened, and guided Luna to her bedroom. “It is a powerful mental safeguard invented by Astral,” explained Celestia “It did not create an obstacle, but manifested one instead. The safeguards you saw were composed of the memories, emotions and experiences of whom it belongs to,”

“But how did he know about Nightmare Moon? And all those creatures?”

“Establishing a mental link is a two way street, but it takes an experienced mentalist to go the other way. Also, according to records, these three could very well be older than you and I, no doubt they have witnessed our… Battle,”

Luna nodded her understanding and walked solemnly into her bedroom, closing the door behind her. Celestia trotted back to her throne, her mind deep in thought.

Chapter 10: Knowledge is Dangerous

Charlene thought it was a better idea if the foals made the journey to the front gates by themselves, and they were eager to oblige. Each foal carried two saddlebags, one strapped to each side, with the exception of Sweetie Belle. She pulled her things along in a red wagon, with all the books she borrowed.

The front yard of the Mansion was in a desolate state from last night’s storm. The grass and plants were bleached white, and crunched beneath their hooves. The trees were gnarled and bone white, absent of any leaves. There were patches of scorched earth where lightning has managed to meet the ground, setting it briefly alight. It was a grim reminder of their otherwise mediocre visit.

Ditzy, Rainbow, Rarity, Applejack and Twilight Sparkle were eager to meet them again. The night before had been just as rough for the mares as well as the foals. The storm, despite being confined to the sky above the estate, still made its presence know to the rest of the town. Soon, the foals approached the gates, black iron bars that parted in the middle. An opening in the high mossy stone wall that enclosed the grounds. A pair of equally weathered stone statues of the Canterlot Royal Guards stood silently on each side.

As soon as the fillies reached the gates, they were virtually assaulted by questions.

“How are you?”

“Are you Okay?”

“Are you hurt?”

“What happened last night?”

“What did you find?”

“GIRLS!”

Every pony stood at rapt attention to a particularly annoyed Twilight Sparkle.

“This isn’t the place for discussion. How about we go back to the library, and talk about your findings,”

Without another word, she trotted off back to town. Slowly, the rest of them followed in silent agreement. Little did they know that their every step, is being watched.

*=_/)|*|(\_=*

Golden Oaks Library

Once seated, drinks were served, snacks passed round, and files redistributed. Cookies, lemonade and tea to be precise. Luna has asked that any previously unknown information would be added to the files. All information gathered would be presented to the Celestial sisters at the Grand Galloping Gala. What they plan to do with this information is currently unknown.

“Okay girls,” began Twilight, quill and parchment at the ready “What did you find out about Honour Bound?”

The fillies pondered it for a moment.

“Nothing really,” concluded Dinky “Verity, Astral, Chest Nut and Charlene were the only ponies who actually talked to us,”

“Okay then…,” Twi made a note on the parchment “How about Verity?”

“Verity told us a lot of stuff, so she just lent us this here book if we got any more questions,”

Apple Bloom plucked a heavy bound tome from Sweetie’s wagon and threw it on the table with a big *whump*. It was a heavy, leather bound tome. Dust and cobwebs still clung to it, and the remnants of a locking mechanism hung limply from the front cover. The title read “Significant Ponies of the Motherland” and didn’t appear to have an author. Applejack was the first to take a look, and soon all the assembled ponies crowded in behind her to get a look.

Upon reading the tome, they found out a couple things. Firstly, was that the tome was written in some form of ancient dialect. Things like names and occupations were decipherable, but the rest wouldn’t make any sense without a point of reference. The tome, despite being the thickness of a pony, only detailed a dozen or so subjects. The first of which was Verity Honora, who had several hundred pages dedicated to her.

The first thing they found was that her real name was not Verity Honora, but a long string of ancient names. Her full name was:

Veritas Fidelis Numen Laetitia Bonita Venia Lumen Honora

It was quite a lot to remember, so they just stuck with Verity. According to her profile, she is also a weather mare, scientist, teacher, soldier, messenger, trick flier, paramedic, doctor, Arch-mage, counsellor and queen. Wait, Queen?

Further down the page was a biography, spanning the majority of her section of the book. From Twilight’s dubious grasp of the ancient language, she was able to decipher a couple of sentences.

“Veritas Honora is the youngest ever pony to rise to the title as Matriarch of the Mother Land,” Twilight read, incredulity spreading across her face

“As the personal student of Matriarch Amaryllis, she has attained Arch-Mage status, and fulfilled all educational and practical qualifications to become next in line to the throne. She has elected her brother, The Dark One and his personal friend, Venom Stride to be her personal consultants. These two have their names changed frequently to protect themselves from evil-doers. Despite meeting all criteria, Veritas was denied the ascension ceremony that would have immortalised her as ruler of the land. Civil war, corruption and other major conflict has prevented her from attaining rulership. Matriarch Amaryllis faded in enemy captivity before the ceremony could be done. Her power has seeped back into the earth, well out of reach of any mortal pony. At the time of this text’s publication, Veritas has found residence in the Crystal Empire, under the protection of King Arbour and his wife, Queen Dremeda,”

“So, she’s royalty!” exclaimed Rarity, a whacky smile on her face.

“Relax sugar cube,” calmed Applejack “She used to be royalty, but I ain’t never heard of no ‘Mother Land’ before,”

“Yeah,” Rainbow added “How old is this book anyway? And how old does it think Verity is?”

“Well, according to the tome, she was born during the Pre-Equestrian Age. Possibly before the princesses,” answered Twilight

“No,” scoffed Derpy “The Doctor and I have never been that far back before,”

“Maybe you should ask him,”

“I’ll be sure to make a suggestion,”

“Ok then, what did you find out about Astral?”

Scootaloo, cookie still in her mouth, reached over the table and flipped the tome’s pages. Towards the very end held Astral’s profile. It only confirmed what Luna’s research has found, but some other interesting facts were found in the hundred-or-so pages. For instance, the profile confirmed their ages to be well older than any record of Celestia or Luna. In fact, they predated all of recorded history. The only place where they could even hope of collecting more data was either in the Crystal Empire, or in Astral’s Estate.

“Okay, let’s see here…” Twilight read

Astral Star was a powerful magical prodigy, easily besting his peers in any form of magical competition. His magical power was only rivalled by his sister, Veritas and his personal friend, Venom Stride, later to be dubbed, ‘Honour Bound’. Astral and his mother have been at the receiving end of many ancient superstitions, believing that a dark pony who doesn’t belong would bring about eternal darkness. That was not the case. Astral’s magic differs greatly from normal unicorn magic, in many ways than one. His magical power doesn’t come from the amount he can expend, but on how he uses his expended magic. Each spell is masterfully manipulated, accomplishing much more than original intentions. His fame originated from his study into the control of pure, unstructured, wild magic, a huge source of raw magical power. His ill-gotten reputation is not entirely underserved however, as several cases were confirmed of his darker side. His actions have created many folk tales and myths, such as the Headless Horse and Slender pony. Although he has not killed one innocent pony, said innocent pony tends to be caught in the crossfire, and kill themselves. He is extremely protective of his possessions, especially his large collection of knowledge. Most of this knowledge is kept in a crystal obelisk deep below the earth. Not much else is known about his motivations, but he sure can be trusted. Do nothing to deserve his treatment to enemies.

“Look at some of his titles!” pointed Rainbow Dash “Dark One, Death Bringer, Fear Gazer, Night Stalker and a whole ton more. He sure makes a name of himself,”

“Just like some pony I know,” muttered Applejack, though it wasn’t heard by anyone else.

“Who? Doctor Whooves or Rainbow?” asked Derpy

“Eh, doesn’t matter,”

The conversation went on to a tangent after that, forming an argument over who was more famous, the Doctor or Rainbow Dash. Twilight just heaved a sigh, and let it go on for another 2 minutes.

“Okay girls, how about we look at Honour Bound’s profile and you can go do whatever you want,” suggested Twilight

“Sound’s good to me!” Derpy chirped

“Ok then,”

Honour Bound certainly had a lot more information, but that was only because of the many personas he has adopted during the books writing. Being a changeling, it doomed him to many years of suspicion before he was finally accepted as a member of Verity’s royal court. It was also intriguing to find that Honour Bound was not his name, but his title. He was never given one. This part, unlike the rest of the book, was written in old Equish. The text is as follows:

Honour Bound was not born of noble blood. He never knew his parents, and he never wants to. He was born on the streets of a changeling hive, or more accurately, a military complex. Life was difficult, food was out of the question, and water was as precious as gold. He spent his early childhood roaming the streets, trying to survive. This sub-standard way of life was interrupted when the changelings declared war on the Crystal Empire. Honour fled for his life in fear of conscription, eventually making his way to the Mother Land. Normally, the Matriarch’s protection would repel a creature like himself, but curiously, it allowed him safe passage. He was discovered by a young Astral Star, and taken in as a brother, despite his race, naming him Maple Leaf, after the tree he found him under. Astral’s parents and sister did not find out his secret until they returned from the ritual of adulthood, finding your totem. By that time, himself and Astral had become the best of friends, and his parents happily accepted him. Verity and Matriarch Amaryllis were sceptical at first, but trusted him as he proved his worth. Honour Bound’s totem is the Wolf, and his spirit was the Blizzard, a very odd combination indeed.

Fast forwarding, he was eventually kidnapped and conscripted by the Changeling Royal Court into their army. Honour Bound, being the sneaky little changeling he is, played along and learned all he could about the army’s military organisation, and fled. To his dismay however, he was caught. The changeling who controlled the hive, Princess Halim, sentenced him to death. Execution was not the intended punishment however; something much crueler was devised. Honour Bound was branded magically, a changeling’s face with a sword through it where a cutie mark should be. The brand remained on him, disguised or not, and cannot be erased. The brand marked him a traitor to the crown, and gave any willing changeling the permission to kill him on site. Honour managed to make it back to the Mother Land, and sought protection under the wings of the Matriarch. Not much more of his life’s story has been recorded.

Honour Bound is physically and magically, an impressive specimen. Due to the constant supply of love he received from his adopted family, he has grown much larger and stronger than your garden variety changeling. His rapidly growing size and shape needed to be hidden however, so he took on a disguise as a normal pony, or normal changeling. Magically, he has been proven a match against the school’s professors, and the kingdom’s best arch-mages. His magic is not too different from unicorn magic, but was more based on power than structure. His biggest disadvantage is that he couldn’t regenerate his magical reserves autonomously, but required emotional energy to recover.

Finding him will not be easy, as he is a master of the art of deception and disguise. Despite his shady tactics, he has the full trust of the Royal Court.

“Well, paint me pink and call me a pie! This bunch’s got more surprises than Pinkie at a Birthday Party!” exclaimed Applejack

“I sincerely doubt that,” countered Rarity “but you do raise a valid point. There is obviously much more we don’t know about them, are you sure you want to delve deeper Twilight?”

“Positive,” the purple princess replied “Celestia is counting on me, and I intend to do this to the best of my ability. I hope I can count on your help with this,”

“Of course you can darling, but I just hope that all this doesn’t get out of hoof,”

“Yeah, plus, what’s the Princess gonna do with this information anyway?”

“Um…” thought Twilight sheepishly

“Hold up, you didn’t even ask?”

“Well…”

“Ugh, whatever, I’m gone, see you guys later!”

Rainbow took off in a blur of techni-colour light, straight out the window and into the open air.

“Okay then,” Twilight said “You can go do what you want; I’ve got a lot of reading to do,”

With that, they parted ways. Rarity, Ditzy, Applejack and the all but forgotten foals trotted right out of the library door. Twilight heaved a sigh and moved towards the mountain of books Sweetie Belle left behind. The little filly sure knew how to pick a collection. Sighing to herself, Twilight picked up some dusty old tome and began to read. With those thoughts came another question.

“I wonder what the princesses are doing,”

Canterlot, Night Guard Armoury

Elite Guards Sunshine Smiles and Frolicsome Meadowlark were two of the best ponies the Night Guard can offer. As brothers, they trained together, fought together, and won together. The reason why they were selected to be Princess Luna’s personal guards however, was for their unmatched loyalty. Physically, they were both identical. They both had dark grey coats, black spikey manes and tails and golden eyes. As most of the Night Guard are, they are Bat Ponies, possessing leathery, fingered wings, slit pupils and frayed ears. They possessed no immediate magical power, but did have enhanced vision and keen hearing, skills invaluable to a pony of the night. The one difference between them was an eye patch worn on Sunshine’s right eye. Why they were called to the armoury of all places, was a mystery to them.

Minutes after they arrived, a tall, slender figure stepped out of the shadows, revealing itself to be none other than Princess Luna. The bat pony brothers bowed hastily, but deeply to their ruler.

“Rise,” Luna commanded “I have a special task for you, but be warned; it will not be easy,”

“What is your will?” asked Sunshine. His voice was deep and level, customary for any royal guard.

“Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to run reconnaissance,” she explained “There is a group of ponies, claiming themselves to be as powerful as my sister and I. They have taken residence in a large estate on the north-western edge of Ponyville. We have reason to believe that it is magically shielded, for neither I, nor my sister have discovered this place, until we were invited. Princess Twilight has studied the nature of the shield, and has deduced that it is a simple, but powerful perception charm. It is configured to shield all within from sight and sound. Only those who already know what’s inside its borders will be able to enter.

"From there, your task is simple. You are to sneak into the mansion and map its interior, including any entrances, exits and secret features. You may also map the immediate exterior of the building. You must be very careful. The whole estate could be guarded by creatures my sister and I have never seen before, and some that we never want to see again. Should you encounter one of these monsters, you must leave its sight immediately,”

“Is that all?” joked Frolicsome, letting a smile play across his normally stern face.

“You’ll require these,”

Luna passed out a saddle bag. It was a non-descript, black wooden box. There was a metallic jingling to it.

“Do not open this unless you inside the grounds,” she explained “It contains all the tools you will require,”

She paused, letting all her information sink in.

“Do you accept this mission?”

The twins took a short look at each other, then broke into a fit of laughter. When it subsided, they both gave their customary, cheeky smile

“When have we ever said ‘no’ to you, Princess?” Sunshine smirked

Golden Oaks Library

Twilight was soon inundated with parchment, quills and exciting new discoveries. Each book was a veritable cornucopia of information. The little princess couldn’t remember a time when she’s smiled this much. The books detailed a whole new, undiscovered world, practically hidden from all of recorded history. The land didn’t have an official name, but was referred to as ‘The Mother Land’. It was situated on the other side of the Crystal Mountains, a range that marks Equestria’s Northern-most border. It was an ideal location, since no pony who’s ever lived has been brave enough to go there.

Texts and notes flew around her as she expertly manipulated each one with her own magic, an extrordinary feat of levitation, all but standard for Celestia’s prized pupil. Using a cypher from one of her own personal books, she’s been able to translate the great majority of the information. The sheer magnitude of her findings would put the Canterlot archives to shame. Now, if only she could go to the Crystal Empire’s archives, she could more than confirm the existence of those three.

A quick letter to the princess would fix that!

Canterlot Throne Room

“Ah! A letter from Twilight,”

Celestia sat regally on her throne, as always. The day council was particularly slow today, so with nothing better to do, she opened up the letter and began to read.

Dear Princess Celestia,

I’ve progressed leaps and bounds in the investigation, with the help of my friends. I’ll be sending over a summary report later this evening. Now, I’m sure you’d love to know what we found.

The three in question, are in fact very, very old. The tome that describes them predates anything the Canterlot Archives have, or maybe even the Crystal Empire. They come from a kingdom on the other side of the Crystal Mountains. It used to be led by a Matriarch, a powerful, but wise mare, who watched over the land. How it fell is a mystery right now, but I hope I can find some more regarding it.

Verity Honora is royalty! Can you believe it? It says that she was the Matriarch’s prized pupil, and chosen successor to her throne, until the kingdom fell. I examined her biography, and some of the details are quite startling. For example, she can use magic, and she’s a Pegasus. Among her more powerful magical skills are petrification through sight and the ability to fly close to the speed of light.

Astral Star is who we must be more worried about. Magically, he is the best out of the three, having mastered every known and unknown magical art. One report even says he died then came back to life. There is supposed to be some ancient prophecy surrounding someone like him, where a Dark One would betray their family and bring about darkness eternal. Sound familiar?

Honour Bound’s biography only raises more questions. He was apparently born on the streets of some Changeling Hive, and fled when a war erupted between the Changelings and the Crystal ponies. He was found and taken in by Astral and his family. Physically, he is the group’s superior.

I hope this report would help you understand them a bit more. See you at the Gala!

From your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle

P.S I also sent a Creature’s Almanac from Astral’s collection. All the creatures that are under his care are highlighted in green.

Highlighted in green? Celestia levitated a small, red, leather bound book out of its brown paper packaging. The title read “The Mage’s Guide to Magical Creature’s” by Noctilucent. Intrigued, the solar princess opened up and began to read. The contents listed well over 500 catalogued creatures, this being only the first volume. Scanning the contents, all she got from it was more worry. Some of the highlighted creatures are either incredibly dangerous, or completely unheard of.

There were Manitcores, Serpents, Skeletons, Zombies, Wraiths, Spirits and a whole bunch more. The one thing that really worried her, were the Darklings.

“Luna?”

Celestia looked up to find her sister, aimlessly wandering the hall, a stack of parchment floating by her side, and a sleepy expression on her face. Upon hearing her name, she snapped to attention and awaited the incoming question.

“Please tell me you haven’t dispatched the Recon Officers yet,”

“Sorry to disappoint you then,” Luna yawned “They’re off to collect their things. They’re starting the mission tonight,”

“Can you recall them?”

Luna shook her head

“Is something the matter, Tia?”

Celestia drew in a heavy sigh, and met her sister’s eyes with her own.

“There are Darklings on those grounds,”

Luna’s expression went from surprise, comprehension, worry then anger, all in two seconds. Finally reaching her own conclusion, she shook the thoughts away and looked to her sister again.

“Surely you must be mistaken,” she said

Celestia’s face became grim, cementing the new danger into the supposedly mediocre recon assignment.

“I’m afraid not. The most we can hope for is that Astral has control of them, and for the well being of your officers,”

Chapter 11: The Night of Angels

The Mansion came into view in an off, purplish haze. The twins studied the blue prints quickly, but carefully, memorising every detail. Upon arrival, the concealment spell around the mansion dissolved before them in purple vapour. The devastation from a night ago was still fresh, casting eerie shadows and shapes in the moonlight. The grand home, now looked like a haunted mansion, surrounded by a cemetery, strife with death and decay.

Frolicsome and Sunshine took it all in quickly. They saw it as a sign of the danger they now had to face. Bone white trees, twisted in the wind, creaked in the strength of the wind. Grass crumbled to dust at the slightest touch, and the earth was like baked clay. The landscape was the least of their worries for now.

“What do you think?” asked Frolic “Looks like something you’d see on Nightmare Night,”

“If I didn’t know any better, I would’ve thought it was Nightmare Night,” Sunshine agreed

The Mansion came into view, a looming façade, bordered in moonlight. No lights seemed to be on, lending the building a foreboding aura, keeping with the haunted theme. Shadows danced across its surface, creeping slowly across its face, as the moon was blocked by cloud. This, did not encourage the two guards at all.

The door was a simple affair, nothing a couple of lock picks couldn’t handle. In minutes, the heavy wooden doors parted for their entry. Once inside, they were greeted by the wide expanse of the foyer, void of any light. The moon light was insufficient for lighting anything other than the floor, but keen bat pony night vision won out. Down to the left was a corridor, with several doors leading into rooms across the wall. Stone statues guarded the doors in pairs. Granite statues of robed pegasi mares, faces blank of any expression. The hall to their right was a similar story. There were also a staircase, leading forward and up, into a set of heavy double doors. Two more sets of stairs branched from either side, leading to other wings of the building.

“Yeesh, It’s gonna take forever to map this place,” whistled Frolicsome

“We don’t need to map everything, only things of importance. Things such as their bedrooms…”

“That’s a little creepy, don’t you think?”

“Their equipment…”

“What’s a bunch of immortals need equipment for?”

“Their assets…”

“I’m surprised they didn’t try to take over Equestria or something,”

“Who says they didn’t? And their military capability,”

“Hold on. Military?”

“Ponies this important need protection and power after all. I’m surprised we haven’t stumbled into anything,”

“Who says we didn’t?” Frolic smiled, imitating his brother “Besides, the only abnormal things we’ve noticed are the statues,”

“Intriguing things, the statues…”

They trotted silently down the left corridor, checking each door as they passed. Most rooms contained bookshelves, beds, tables, chairs or a combination. The occasional room was lined with a menagerie of ancient artefacts and museum pieces. Some could prove noteworthy, so a quick sketch and name was added to their notebooks. Oddly enough, every bedroom was impeccably clean and unoccupied. The mansion proved to be an unlikely labyrinth as further corridors branched from the one they are now following. These too, had statues lined across the walls. These ones had their faces in their hooves, silently weeping in the darkness. Shadows flickered across the walls, but each was dismissed as a trick on the eye.

Frolicsome was very wary of his surroundings, but maintained his confidence. Sunshine however, did not even try to hide his growing suspicion. Something nagged on the very edge of his mind, like something was itching to get noticed, but remained hidden. As time wore on, the growling of thunder and the steady patter of rain could be heard outside. The corridor eventually levelled out, revealing a right turn to another corridor, identical to the original. Oddly, this one seemed completely free of statues. Sunshine frowned, something wasn’t right here.

“Hey Sunshine?”

Sunshine turned to his brother, annoyed at the disruption of his thoughts.

“What is it?” he grumbled

“Did you ever notice that?” he whispered, raising a trembling hoof.

Sunshine turned around to see a completely unfamiliar sight. The hallway behind them was free of statues as well, all but one. It was standing in the middle of the hallway. It was definitely not there before, otherwise they would’ve had to walk around it. It was life-size and depicted a very pretty mare, swathed in a stone robe. It stood sullenly, regarding them with a slightly turned head and a blank expression.

“Well that’s odd,” Sunshine commented “Where’ve all the others gone?”

Frolicsome brought a trembling hoof to the windows. He clearly wasn’t hiding his fear anymore, as feeble stutters formed instead of words. Outside, a storm was in full swing, lightning and rain arching across the sky, painting shadows across the walls. Sunshine barely suppressed a gasp. Right outside the windows, in the now pouring rain, were the statues.

Hundreds gathered around the windows, staring at the two of them with all their expressionless faces. Lightning played across their features, painting them in an eerie light. They were all identical, and despite giving no intentions of harm, the brothers were well, and truly afraid.

“What are they?” Sunshine breathed. No creature was that fast, and none he’s ever seen even resemble this statues.

“I don’t know, but I’ve got a bad feeling about…”

He was cut off from his speech as a blur of movement slammed into him.

“Gaah! Get it off of me!”

Sunshine whipped his head to the left, where a now captured Frolicsome gasp for air. He was painfully pinned to the wall by a stone hoof, a decent distance from the ground. The biggest surprise was the ability to move at all, and with such unparalleled speed and strength. Its wings were spread, and where a blank face used to be, now bore a heavy scowl. Frolicsome thrashed and kicked with all his might, but nothing fazed the stone mare. If anything, she only seemed to get angrier. Sunshine ran up to help, prying at the statue, trying fruitlessly to loosen its grip on his brother.

“How?” he demanded “The damned thing’s got a grip like a vice!”

“I don’t care! Get it off!”

Sunshine considered his options, and decided for the direct approach. He reached for his scabbard, drawing the short sword out with his teeth. With a firm grip on the handle, he carved a vicious arch in the air, aiming right for the statue’s neck.

To his dismay, not only did the sword prove to be ineffective, but completely useless. All that remained of his trusty blade was metal shards, and the cloth bound handle, still in his mouth. Casting the handle away, he considered his options. Bat ponies had no significant magical power, relying instead on evolution for their skills. His pondering was cut short by a sickening…

*CRACK*

Frolicsome, still pinned his stone captor. Eyes stared sightlessly at his brother, conveying a now futile plea for help. Blood trickled freely from where its hoof met his chest. The mare now had her indifferent eyes set upon the remaining intruder. Lightning flashed across her face, elevating her expressionless visage to the most terrifying thing he’s ever seen.

Losing his senses, he dropped everything he carried, weapons, equipment and materials. All he had left was the box Luna had given him. Through desperation, he pried open the small wooden casket, tearing off its hinge in the process. In fear, he looked up, only to meet the eyes of the stone mare, inches from his own. Her hoof, curled and poised to strike was equally as close. Had he not looked up at that moment, he would’ve been knocked unconscious, or worse. There was something haunting about her face, like it didn’t care what it did, or what was done to it, nothing could harm it.

Not taking his eyes off of the statue, Sunshine fumbled for its contents. He heard rustles of paper, some metallic jingling, and something long and with a handle. He grasped it with a trembling hoof and swung it at the creature’s face with all his might. His make-shift weapon thudded against the mare’s cheek, dealing no visible damage. His momentum turned against him as the failed swing caused him to stumble.

Shaking away his daze, he looked down at his hoof to see a small, green lantern, made out of what seemed to be petrified bones. The middle was occupied by a dull green crystal; it emanated a sickly green light. He made no further observation as a huge force slammed into him, sending him tumbling head-over-hooves down the length of the corridor, lantern in tow. The angel approached rapidly, closing distance metre by metre as Sunshine blinked away the dizziness from the impact.

Wait, blinked?

Finally looking at the creature, he held its eyes for a moment. Summoning courage, he blinked, once. The angel advanced two metres before stopping, and remaining that way as Sunshine kept it in sight.

His observations were correct, the Pegasus only moved when he closed his eyes. Considering this fact, he fixed his eyes into an unblinking stare. As he predicted, the statue ceased to move, now locked in a walking stance, as if petrified on a morning stroll. Keeping his eyes fixed on the creature, he retrieved the lantern, which now glowed a little brighter, and walked backwards on trembling hooves. As he got farther and farther from the statue, he allowed his usual confidence to re-establish itself.

He thought he finally saw his escape. The fates had other ideas.

A sharp, powerful blow came from his right side, knocking all the breath from him as he impacted against the farthest wall. A second statue, completely identical to the first stood with its flank to him.

“She kicked me,” he muttered “The damned statue kicked me,”

The ‘damned statue’ wasn’t done with him. As soon as he stood, the angel was upon him again. A stone hoof jabbed at his back legs, effectively crippling him. His screams were muffled as a second hoof wrapped round his mouth. He was then pulled painfully upright, forced to stand before his offenders. Several more statues appeared around corners, and fixed him with their blank, expressionless faces. More hooves pinned his crumpled form to the wall behind him. He could only moan pitifully, as the hoof on his mouth deprived him of oxygen.

His armour was stripped from him, flung before his eyes as their brilliant design was reduced to scrap. His lantern was snatched from his weak grip, taken to even Celestia doesn’t know where.

The statues gathered around to face him, while one continued to choke him into submission. It must’ve been oxygen deprivation, but he could hear them whispering. Unearthly sounds, like a winter breeze through icicles. They spoke of time, space and endless torment. Their visages burned themselves into his mind, as he tried in vain to keep his eyes open. Soon, a deep drowsiness descended upon him, melting all resistance he had left.

The last thing he saw were a dozen, stone faces. Their beauty marred by lightning and rain, lending him only dread as darkness ate at the edges of his vision. Shapes became indistinguishable as green light swam across the forefront of his awareness. He barely even registered a familiar shape move among them as unconsciousness took hold.

He passed into a deep and nightmarish slumber.

Chapter 12: Time After Time

Sunshine opened his bleary eyes to find himself in a rather strange location. He found himself lying face down in an infinite expanse of white. An endless landscape of pearly wasteland, not a single bump or ridge on its smooth surface. The sky was a different story, it was a clear, light blue of a summer’s day. What was odd was that there was no sun to be found on this clear sky. With it, he nor anything else on this land cast a shadow. His armour and other belongings seemed to have returned to him. His sword also appeared to have been completely repaired.

“What in Luna’s name…”

While his addled mind tried to formulate a logical explanation, the land began to shimmer, as if in a haze of heat. Steadily, the white expanse gave way to a familiar grassy meadow, overshadowed by a magnificent castle, resting upon a mountain top. Despite its familiarity, it seemed much smaller and rugged compared to the Canterlot he knew and loved. It was much smaller, and many of the magnificent towers and spires seemed to have disappeared. The land also seemed younger, fewer trees grew, but the grass was greener and more lively, swaying in the breeze.

Sunshine felt at peace here, but this was not his home, and as long as he lived, he will find a way back.

Frolicsome tossed and turned on the marble floor. Horrible images of torment and pain swam through his consciousness, torturing his mind and soul. Flickering shadows pierced his mind with unbearable cold. Like snakes, they struck and poisoned, leaving him writhing in agony. He felt a hoof nudge him, but he did not acknowledge. A rougher shoved broke his state momentarily, but then came back worse than before.

He was finally brought back to reality when a hard hoof was swung at his face, impacting with a satisfying *CRACK*

“What in all hells…” he muttered, nursing a bruised cheek bone

He looked up to find the confused, but stern faces of a stallion and mare. The stallion was a brown earth pony a short, spiky mane and tail of a darker shade. His cutie mark was an hourglass. The mare was a grey Pegasus with a spiky yellow mane and tail. Her cutie mark was a plume of bubbles. The oddest things about the pair were that the stallion was sticking a silver stick with a glowing blue tip at his eyes, and the mare’s eyes seemed to have trouble focusing.

“Ah, there we are!” sighed the brown stallion “Good as new! Minus a bruise, but, at least your awake,”

“Yeah, sorry about that,” smiled the mare sheepishly “but nothing else we tried seemed to work,”

“So, what’s your name?” the stallion asked “I’m the Doctor, and before you say anything, it’s the Doctor. Just the Doctor. This is my lovely assistant and wife, Ditzy…”

“Hi!”

“And we just so happen to find you convulsing on the floor of this here castle,”

Taking a moment to steady himself, he found that he was indeed, in a castle. It was a grand building, made of white stone. Stained glass windows depicting important events lined the walls to his right and left. At the back of the room stood a throne, simple, elegant and adorned with precious metals and stones. Pillars lined the sides, supporting a huge glass roof, welcoming the light of the sun. Behind him stood a small blue barn, roughly the size of an outhouse. A common sight among the country side, but not in a hall so magnificent as this. Shaking his head to clear the last of his dizziness, he resumed his normal, respective attitude.

“My name is Frolicsome Meadowlark,” he said “Personal Guard to Princess Luna and Co-Captain to the Night Guard,”

“Really?” said the Doctor “You don’t mind me saying if that’s impossible, do you?”

“Actually, I do mind a lot,” Frolic retorted “Now if you would show me the way back to Canterlot, I have to report to the princess and find my brother,”

“Okay, let’s just say you are from Canterlot. How in Equestria did you get here?”

“That’s classified,”

“Ugh!” grumbled the Doctor “Enough of all you secretive types,”

“How about this,” suggested Ditzy with a cheeky smile “If you don’t tell us how you got here, we won’t take you back to Canterlot,”

Frolicsome looked for a retort, but it died in his throat. He settled his internal debate with one word.

“Fine,”

“Great!” exclaimed Ditzy “To the TARDIS!”

“Oy, only I can say that!” complained the Doctor

With that, they both clambered into the little blue barn, argument resounding in their wake.

Having dealt with odd ponies before, Frolicsome merely shoved it off and proceeded cautiously to the ‘TARDIS’. He had to admit though, these two are certainly the oddest pair he’s ever met. Upon entering the barn however, he came to the conclusion that they were definitely the oddest ponies he’s ever met.

For want of a better description, it was bigger on the inside. It contained a huge circular room, like a dome. The walls were lined with circular indentations, breathing white light into the dominant yellow-bronze. Organic pillars supported the roof, like the branches of an ancient tree, warped by age and the elements. In the centre stood what was presumed to be the control panel. A round menagerie of everyday devices and other odd bells and whistles that didn’t quite belong there. Connecting it to the roof was a large transparent column, emanating an aquamarine hue. Mechanisms inside moved constantly, creating an odd sound, like some low, metallic groaning. At the control panel were Doctor and Ditzy, fussing over some kind of monitor.

“Go on, say it,” smiled the Doctor, keeping his eyes glued to the monitor

“What kind of magic is this?” the guard breathed

The Doctor blinked, honestly surprised by his reaction.

“Well, that’s a new one,” he commented “Never had that one before. It’s always ‘It’s bigger on the inside!’ or something of the sort,”

“First time for everything!’ sang Ditzy

“Alright then, down to business,” greeted the Doctor, then began to wave his glowing blue stick at the disgruntled guard.

“Please get your wand out of my face,” Frolic growled

“Easy on there, it’s a sonic screwdriver, not a wand. I haven’t seen a pony use a wand for years. Anyway, I’m just collecting a DNA scan out of some stray particles so I can identify you,”

“Save the lingo for the scientists and just get me back to Canterlot,”

“Yeah, sure, give us a moment,”

Doctor began to tap furiously onto an old typewriter, hardwired into the console and fixed in place with nails. His hooves worked in a blur of motion, making it impossible to decipher what exactly he’s been typing. Seconds later, he pressed one final button, which prompted a loud *ding* from the monitor.

“There we are!” he exclaimed “Let’s see here…”

His words were lost into an incoherent mess of “Hmm”s and “Uh huh”s. He kept looking towards Frolic, confusion and worry in his eyes. Finally, he turned to Ditzy, who only offered a shrug in response. Heaving a sigh, he turned to Frolicsome.

“Well, guess you are Frolicsome Meadowlark,” he conceded “Sorry for the mix up. We didn’t really expect to see you at all, and here of all places,”

“Where exactly am I?” Frolic asked

“Not ‘where’, but ‘when’. Although, ‘where’ is still a pretty good question,”

The brown stallion pressed a few more buttons and a panoramic view of the castle outside appeared on the monitor. It looked truly beautiful, but also very off-putting. It looked so similar to Canterlot, but looked so different as well. The whole city was much larger, as was the mountain it was built on. The country side immediately below it was covered in large villages, with farmland going further outwards.

“Familiar, isn’t it?” whispered the Doctor “Welcome to ‘The Mother Land’!. Home to a population of 2 million ponies, 34 percent unicorn, 36-ish earth pony, 14 percent Pegasus and 16 percent other. This place has remained secluded from the rest of the planet for thousands upon thousands of years!”

“You haven’t answered my question,”

“I was getting to that. This kingdom has been concealed by a powerful magical incantation and runic ward system. Very powerful, for something so ancient of course. It resides on the other side of the Crystal Mountains, which block off the north of Equestria from the other side of the world. When we are, is currently thousands of years before either Celestia or Luna make an appearance. We are currently experiencing a period of great peace,”

“But then, how are you here?”

“This beauty we are currently standing in is my TARDIS. Time And Relative Dimensions in Space. The best ship in the universe and also a time machine,”

“Yeah,” Frolic scoffed “And my toaster’s a laser cannon,”

“It probably isn’t, but how else do you explain us being here?”

He had to admit, he has a very good point.

“Now, it’s my turn,” the Doctor’s face lost its playful smile, and was replaced with a heavy scowl. “How did you get here?”

Frolicsome took a moment to gather his memories, then debated whether he should tell the odd brown pony and his equally odd companion. He finally decided that what harm could there be if it meant getting him home.

“Princess Luna appointed my brother Sunshine and I for a reconnaissance mission of Astral Star’s Estate…”

“Hardly a wise decision,” The Doctor commented “Continue,”

“It was supposed to be an easy job, get in, map the place, get out. Until the statues showed up,”

“No…”

The odd stallion’s face dissolved into slack-jawed worry, coupled with a hint of fear.

“We thought they were harmless at first, so we passed them by. Then we found that they started moving…”

“You didn’t…”

“A statue attacked me. Had me pinned to the wall one foot off the ground. Sunshine tried to help, but it wouldn’t budge. That last thing I remember was a great pain in my chest, like some pony stabbed it,”

“You did,” he sighed “What you encountered was a Weeping Angel. A very powerful creature that feeds off temporal energy. They can only move when they are not seen. They are extremely dangerous, and we’ve needed to deal with them before. When Ditzy and I visited the mansion, a pony named Charlene told us that it was inhabited by hundreds of those things. We were assured that they have been domesticated, but now that you’re here…”

“Actually,” interrupted Ditzy “You remember when you asked if they were safe?”

“Yes…” replied the Doctor, not sure where this is going

“Did you remember her answer?”

And suddenly, it all clicked together.

“Not even remotely if one were to jeopardise the safety of the mansion,” She quoted, a satisfied smile on her face

“Oh, right,” it was the Doctor’s turn to be sheepish now “Anyway, we have to get you home!”

The brown stallion rushed over to the other side of the console, pushing buttons, pulling levers and smacking things. He paused for only moment to ask Frolic something.

“So, what date would it be in the morning after your little mission?” he inquired

“The 15th day of the August, two years from Luna’s return,” he answered proudly

“Alrighty then! You might want to hold onto something!” he cried, pulling one final lever.

The whole room shook as a metallic wheezing echoed throughout the ship. Frolicsome clung to a handrail for dear life while Ditzy and Doctor laughed like mad ponies. It was like a roller coaster for them, nothing more. As abruptly as it started, it stopped with a loud thud. Frolic took a moment to retain his sense of balance, while his two companions stumbled around like a pair of drunks, giggling hysterically.

“That was a doozy!” announced the Doctor

“I’ll say!” shouted Ditzy “Let’s get out, I’m gonna lose my lunch!”

“What lunch?”

“Exactly, now move!”

The pair made their way to the door and haphazardly stumbled out the door. Frolicsome followed suit soon afterward, not too keen on having an experience like that again.

Upon exiting the TARDIS, Frolicsome noted several things. First, was that he was in some pony’s bedroom. Second, that it was a bedroom he spent most nights standing outside on guard duty. Finally, that there were half a dozen night guards pointing spears at him and his companions.

“At ease, gentle colts,” commanded a female voice

All night guards withdrew their spears, and settled into the usual stance they took while guarding their posts. The two centremost guards took two paces to either side as a regal blue alicorn strode toward him, baring a face that he has not seen for many years.

“Welcome back, Captain Meadowlark,” Luna spoke. Her voice hinted relief, but also anger “I hope you have a good explanation for your absence,”

Chapter 13: Revelations

“Spears,” Doctor muttered “Always spears, always weapons for that matter. Everywhere we go, we get some kind of weapon shoved in our faces. Lo and behold! Even places we’ve already been!”

“Well we’ve never materialised in Luna’s bedroom before,” explained Ditzy “That’s a first, I swear!”

She then quickly added “For me at least,”

“What do you mean?!?!” cried a flabbergasted Doctor

Ditzy dissolved into a fit of giggles, having successfully pranked the lord of mischief making himself. Said lord of mischief couldn’t help but join in the hysterics. Luna watched on with an arched brow. Never has a pony acted so casually around her, besides her own family.

“Sorry to have to interrupt,” said Luna “but I need all of you to get yourselves out of my room, despite how friendly you may be,”

“Alright, alright,” Doctor conceded “just let me get the TARDIS somewhere safe. Come along Ditzy!”

“Coming!”

With that, they scrambled back into the TARDIS. Seconds later, the blue barn began to disappear, accompanied by its signature noise and kicking up a strong breeze as well. Soon, it disappeared entirely, as if it had never been there in the first place.

“They’re not coming back, are they?” asked Luna wirily

“In the past half-hour I’ve known them, no,” replied Frolicsome “They won’t”

At another time…

“What do you mean I don’t have proper identification?” demanded Sunshine

After finally making his way to the Canterlot, he was faced with many things. The city was a lot smaller, and looked to be under construction. The floor was just dirt, and many of the residential buildings were just tents. Some of the proper buildings were reserved for higher class ponies and official buildings. The castle was a lot smaller. Scaffolding webbed its entire exterior. Half built towers stood in the background. All in all, the city seemed very busy. What he had a problem with, was the Captain of the Guard. His name was Iron Clad, an old, sturdy grey earth pony with a white, neat mane and tail. His cutie mark was a war hammer. He wore the Captain’s purple armour, and certainly acted like the Captain. His office, where they now sat, was a squat cobblestone building to the side, next to the Castle Doors.

“Sorry son,” he replied evenly. His voice was deep and gravelly, evidence of years of shouting and battle. “But we have no record of you in the guard. Besides, most of you Night Guard seemed to have gone into hiding,”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, after Nightmare Moon’s banishment, most of you just left. Some denounced Celestia’s rule, most just straight up left though,”

“What do you mean banishment? She was defeated by the Elements of Harmony right?”

“Yeah, Celestia defeated her in their old castle, banished her, she did,”

“Okay, that’s it,” Sunshine growled, his patience wearing thin “You played well, but just let it go and bring me to Princess Luna,”

“Fine then!” Iron exclaimed “Have it your way, meet me at 1700 hours on the dot. Being a pony of high military training, you’d know when that is, correct?”

Sunshine merely nodded

“Good, meet me here, I’ll show you to your princess. Any more questions?”

“Yeah, how long have I been away?”

“Well, the most of our historical records have been lost during the battle. All I can say is, you haven’t come round these parts for a long, long time,”

“Where is Princess Celestia?”

“Ever since the battle, she’s sealed herself into the old castle. No pony will be entering there, and she definitely hasn’t made any outside contact. Food and water have been teleported inside to keep her nourished. No pony knows when or even if she’ll come out again,”

Iron Clad paused for a moment.

“If you’d like, I could let you stay in the Night Guard barracks. All of them have gone, so there should be plenty of space,”

Sunshine nodded. Giving a formal salute, he turned and made his way for the door. Thankfully, the major layout of the castle remained unchanged. All that was missing was several corridors, leading off to other wings. Finding the barracks was a breeze. It was a large, long stone building that resembled a warehouse more than anything else. The inside was lined with doors, leading off into small rooms, with a bed, chair, table, and large chest each.

Frolicsome chose the room closest to the door and began unpacking his things. With him, he brought a meagre amount of food, water, parchment, quills, ink, a hundred or so bits and the box Luna had given him. Inside were several scrolls of parchment, one contained a list of things to look out for in the mansion.

“I wish I opened this box sooner,” he muttered

Opening one of the scrolls, it seemed to be full file on the statues that attacked him and his brother. The thought of his brother was like a knife in his heart, but he knew as well that every mission carried that chance, and this one so happened to be it. It didn’t make his loss any easier though.

The file contained a detailed sketch of the statue, named ‘Weeping Angel’ in the file. It was a dangerous creature, which lived eternally, feeding on energy to survive. Its one weakness was that it could not move while being observed. Despite that, it was incredibly quick, covering several metres in the time it takes to blink.

“They’re strong too,” he thought, his sides still hurt while thought about it.

The file also mentioned that their primary food source is potential temporal energy. They gather this by sending a pony back in time, so that they could feed on all the events the pony would have made happen, but now cannot. It was a cruel way to die, to be zapped into a world so familiar, yet so different. To die there, knowing you’ll never see your friends and family again. Deciding that grieving over something that is yet to happen would accomplish nothing, he decided to take a quick nap. He had 4 hours until he would see his Princess again.

Frolicsome waited impatiently outside the Captain’s office. Night descended quickly, and with it, the familiar Equestrian night sky. Nothing was more beautiful than this. Stars of every colour pierced the sky, like holes in a winter blanket. The moon was full tonight, bathing the land in tis soft white glow. Sunshine sometimes wondered, why no pony could not notice something so spectacular.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?”

Sunshine turned to see Iron Clad. He wore a simple brown tunic and robe, like what most travellers and hermits wore.

“It’s a shame that not many ponies can really appreciate this sight,” he continued “Most ponies will only think of that horrific battle when they see it now,”

“And you aren’t?”

Iron sighed “I’ve been around a long time Mr Smiles. When you become as old as I am, all you can do besides work is think. It’s true, every time I see that moon, all I can think of is that battle,”

His eyes grew distant, staring into space as memories flooded back to him.

“Do you see her?” he whispered

“Who?”

“Your Princess, do you see her?”

“No, I don’t”

Iron put a hoof over the bat pony’s shoulder and extended a hoof to the moon.

“Do you see her now?”

Sunshine was still confused as to what he was looking for, but as he gazed up at the moon, all his answers lay before him. On the moon, where what should’ve been a pale circle, with the occasional crater marking its surface, was her. There were many craters, but all of them formed together to resemble the face of her princess.

“This isn’t happening,”

“Yes it is,” replied Iron “Everything is there, before your eyes, yet you still refuse to accept it,”

“What date is it today?” he asked hurriedly

“It is currently the third day of the fifth month, in the year 5 C.R,”

“C.R?”

“Celestia’s rule. This is the first time in history when she’s ruled alone,”

Sunshine accepted these truths with grim understanding. The Angels had indeed sent him back in time. All the possibilities soon crashed down on top of him like a ton of bricks.

“So,” Iron continued “Where’d you say you’re from?”

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you,”

“I’ve seen a lot,” he smiled “Try me,”

Astral’s Estate (Present)

Astral Star had his hooves full with the latest developments. First, Royal Guards showed up, demanding that they question him. A quick amnesia spell sent them running back to Canterlot, with no idea why they approached him in the first place. He sat tiredly in his office. A simple wooden room lined with shelves upon shelves of text. He worked at a heavy table, lined with silver, and with a wide view of the land outside behind him. His worries only escalated when a certain blue box materialised inside. Now, he has the Doctor to deal with.

“Okay Doctor, I’ll make this clear for you,” he said, patience wearing incredibly thin “I have explicitly warned the princesses of these angels, yet why she sends an espionage team here anyway is beyond me!”

“To be fair, even the Doctor forgot that these Angels are still dangerous,” Ditzy added quietly

“That’s not why we’re here,” said the Doctor “Why we’re here, is to find out where Sunshine is,”

“And I’m telling you, I don’t know!” shouted Astral “None of my Angels have sent any pony back for hundreds of years. He can be anywhere and any when in Equestria by now,”

Realising anger was getting the better of both of them, the two stallions heaved a sigh. Now that the tension has decreased considerably, they started a more beneficial discussion.

“If it helps, I’ve asked Verity to find out which Angel sent him,” Astral offered “I don’t know how that will help, but it’s a start for you two,”

Right on cue, the heavy double doors of Astral’s study opened. Verity Honora strode in, confidently as ever, followed by Honour Bound. The changeling was pushing along a large platform on wheels, where a Weeping Angel stood. The amount of people in such a small room all but guaranteed that it will not be moving.

“Hello brother,” she greeted, giving a nod of her head “Hello to you too, Doctor and Ditzy. How is married life treating you?”

“Very well,” they answered simultaneously, then giggled at each other’s responses

“However, we could use your help getting a certain pony back from the past,” added Ditzy

“He name doesn’t happen to be Sunshine Smiles, does it?” asked Verity

“How did you know?”

The yellow Pegasus only gave a smile in response.

“Anyway,” Honour spoke “Let’s get down to business. This here is Anna, the Weeping Angel,”

“You named it?” inquired Doctor, growing intrigue evident on his face

“Of course. How else are supposed to tell them apart?”

“But they don’t have tags. They all look the same to me,” pointed Ditzy

“They tell us their names,” said Honour exasperatedly, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world

“Again, how exactly?”

“She’ll show you,” Verity answered motioning to Anna with a hoof “Go on Anna, we’re all listening,”

Doctor and Ditzy had little hope for this opportunity of finding help. What they expected, was a minutes of awkward silence as they waited for the Angel to start chatting, do an interpretive dance maybe. What they didn’t expect was a full psychic message relay to expand outward from the Angel. The Angel itself did not move at all, in fact, it seemed at peace. Soon, the room, and all the ponies inside, were soon engulfed in an irregular, star studded, cyan light.

Doctor and Ditzy found themselves floating in an ethereal void of sky blue, studded with pin pricks of light. There was no ground, and as far as they were concerned, they were in the sky. No moon or sun seemed to shine, yet the whole place was well lit, unlike the space the two travellers knew and loved.

“Ok, where are we?” asked Ditzy, who made several feeble attempts to fly around

“Not a clue,” answered the Doctor “My screw driver is gone, and so is my TARDIS,”

“What happened?”

The Doctor rubbed a hoof against his chin, and stared into space (quite literally) as he began his ramble.

“The Weeping Angel has somehow been able to broadcast a high powered telepathic field. The forced must have overwhelmed our minds, so our brains blocked all conscious thought before it started melting out of our ears,”

“So, we’re asleep?”

“Pretty much, yet how did we achieve such a level of lucidity? It takes years of training that neither you nor I have done. Any average pony would wake up as soon as they realise this isn’t real. However, our current state could be magically induced, but the probability of an Angel using magic is lower than if I were to spontaneously combust!”

“Correct,”

This triple-layered voice is a new one. It was female, but serene and mature. Warmth flowed from every syllable, promising peace and calm to the listener. If light could talk, this would be her voice.

A bright flash of golden light appeared before the pair, temporarily dazzling them. When it subsided, the most beautiful mare either had ever seen, stood before them. She was a tall, and slender Alicorn, much more so than Princess Celestia. Her milky yellow coat gave a low sheen, like dull metal. Her mane and tail were very long, and made of three shades of gold, forming a stripe each down its length. Both rippled and flowed slowly in the non-existent breeze. Her eyes held no pupils, but shined a soft white. Her cutie mark was a simple sun, somewhat similar to Verity Honora’s.

“Welcome to the Astral Archive, Doctor,” she greeted, giving a slight nod of her head “And to you, Ditzy Doo,”

“Um, hi,” Ditzy stuttered, still awestruck by the mare’s sudden appearance

She gave an impossibly warm smile at her reaction. Not amused, but more pleased than anything else.

“Do you seek knowledge? Or would you like to make a contribution?” she continued

“I’ve got a couple questions,” said the Doctor, who recovered far quicker than his companion “First off, who are you?”

“My name is Amaryllis, last Matriarch to the Mother Land,”

“But how?” the Doctor was completely taken aback by her answer “You died, thousands of years ago!”

“So glad that ponies are still optimistic these days,” she sighed “I suppose I owe you an explanation,”

Amaryllis then closed her eyes, and raised her head upwards. As soon as she did this, colour and shape cascaded from the space beneath her feet, quickly flowing in all directions. The sky above was consumed in colour, streaks rising from the horizon and slithering across the sky like snakes. Rocks, trees and plant life sprung from the new solid ground, lending structure to this new world. A large village spawned in the distance, resting in the shadow of a magnificent castle, fixed upon a mountain top. The three stood on a green hill, surrounded in all directions by long green grass. Particles of light coalesced into a bright rectangle, as large as the Matriarch herself. It took a position to her left.

As she began her explanation, relevant images formed on the screen.

“Thousands of years ago, the land I called home went to ruin at the hands of corrupt powers. I have acted far too late. I was captured, and held in chains. Verity managed to free me, and my people, but it was too late. I faded before I could pass on the right to Matriarch, so after a long struggle, my student regained my power, and assumed the role of ruler. As a last ditch effort, our foe sacrificed his soul to Tartarus, unleashing dark power upon my lands. The survivors were brought to the Crystal Empire, where they now live today,”

The screen faded back into nothingness, as the golden alicorn brought her eyes back to her audience. Said audience tried and failed to process everything she had just said

“I have been given a second life by Astral Star,” she continued “As Matriarch, I, as well as all my successors, am entitled to rebirth by Hades. Until then, Astral bound my consciousness to a large crystal spire buried deep underneath the Mansion in which you stand. I serve as an interface for the Astral Archive, a vast collection of knowledge compiled myself, and named by him,”

“Do you have any more questions?” she asked “It would be truly remarkable if you didn’t,”

“Sorry to disappoint you then,” the Doctor smiled “But we have a lot,”

“Time here is slower than in the material world. An hour here, may only pass as a mere minute,” she smiled “I have time,”

Chapter 14: Surprise, Surprise

“Okay then!” he said, newfound interest glinting in his eyes “First question, what do you mean by ‘fading’?”

“Fading is a natural phenomenon among many immortal beings,” Amaryllis explained “We all had a beginning, and so we all must have an end. Gods do not exist in the sense that one could grasp. They are mere manifestations of mortal ideals and beliefs. Have you heard the saying: ‘If you believe in something hard enough, it’ll become real?’”

Doctor and Ditzy nodded

“In some cases, this is true. Only if a large number of ponies believe with all their hearts and minds in one thing, it will come to pass,”

The magical light screen came into being yet again, providing visual material for her explanation.

“Long ago, even before my birth, the land was wild and dangerous. Ponies struggled to survive, while beasts fought for the right to live all around them. Desperate for help, the dwindling population created tales of powerful beings who watched over them, lending their beaten souls hope. Years afterward, the first god came into being, Chronos, God of Time. More appeared soon after, Zeus, Poseidon, Hades and more. These Gods are manifestations of pony’s beliefs, gaining power from their thoughts and prayers. Most made up the fundamental forces of nature, controlling it for the pony’s needs. Others were more concept based, such as war and love, teaching pony’s how to best achieve them,”

She paused, letting her face settle into a frown as she continued

“The Gods were not perfect. They shared the same faults as the pony’s whose heads they sprung from. They grew proud, spiteful and greedy. Conflict frequently raged between them, as each sought for dominance. Power corrupts, as the Gods forgot their duty to the pony’s below, and bickered amongst each other. Destruction and war ravaged the land as the Gods fought, intent on ending one another, and taking the land with it. The ponies, desperate for a solution, turned to one of their own for a leader. To her, they poured their hopes, dreams and wishes for an end to this turmoil. That, was when the Matriarch was born.

“The ponies worshipped and revered her. She in turn, healed the land, and sowed peace and prosperity to all the great kingdoms, throughout the world. As ponies turned away from their Gods, these immortal beings begun to fade. As Immortals, they cannot die, but as manifestations of thoughts and dreams, they can. These great symbols of nature and emotion soon became a mere passing thought. As their fame died out, so too did they, leaving no trace as they left this world.

One God remained. He is the incarnation of death, something all ponies know and fear. He embodies the unknown truth, and tips the scales of fate in his hooves. He is Hades, the last God, and the one true Immortal,”

Amaryllis allowed ample time for her explanation to be fully comprehended.

“Anything else?” she asked, a somewhat cheeky grin playing across her lips

“I think that’s enough for today,” said the Doctor, it was a lot to take in after all. Even his adventures earliest adventures did not go that far back.

“Wait, your forgetting something” exclaimed Ditzy “Ms Amaryllis, would you happen to know where Sunshine Smiles is? He was sent back in time by a Weeping Angel named Anna,”

Amaryllis smiled a little wider. Her horn glowed a vivid gold, a flash of light revealed a skeletal lantern, with an odd green gem at its centre. It hung suspended in the air before the gold alicorn, rotating slowly by some invisible force. Ditzy didn’t really know what to do, until Amaryllis motioned for her to take it.

“This is called, the Warden’s Light. It was a Lantern used by one of Hades’ reapers to light the way to the Underworld. It was locked in an armoury below the mountains near Canterlot. How this came into Mr Smile’s possession is beyond my knowledge, but not for long. It was taken by one Weeping Angel, then handed to Astral for examination, which he then passed to me, and now to you,”

“Um, thanks,” said Ditzy, cradling the odd lantern in her hooves “But how is it supposed to help us?”

“Take it to Verity Honora,” she instructed “Tell her to use her ‘intuition’ on it. She will tell you where and when Sunshine Smiles is,”

“How do we get back?”

“All you need to do is ask,” she smiled

“Can you send us back?” Doctor asked

“Say please,” Amaryllis sang cheekily

“Can you send us back, please?” he sighed, laying emphasis on the ‘please’

“Manners can go a long way, Time Charger,”

As she said so, a blinding light emanated from her body, gaining steadily in intensity and warmth. Soon, it became almost unbearable.

“We will meet again, son of Gallifrey,”

With one final surge of light, the tranquil landscape, and the figure before them, shimmered like in a haze of heat. The landscape lost its colour, fading to shades of grey one streak at a time. The sky darkened as each star winked out of existence.

“In Time,”

Then everything faded to black.

Thousands of Years ago…

‘It could be worse’ Sunshine mused ‘but not by much’

Many things have happened in the weeks since his unorthodox arrival into ancient Equestria. Iron Clad laughed off his explanation of his arrival, but his disbelief was put to the test when Sunshine showed and told him some things about the future. Iron decided to reserve judgement for now. In return, Iron put him through several physically demanding tests to establish his rank among other guards. Sunshine passed with flying colours, proving to be the best guard ever to arrive. To the chagrin of his fellow guards, Sunshine rose through the ranks, almost becoming Iron’s equal in strength and skill. When subtlety and stealth were involved, Sunshine was far superior.

It was now exactly two weeks from his arrival, and Sunshine was the happiest he’s been since then. The barracks were essentially his home now. It was well furnished, with a velvet arm chair and luxurious four-poster single bed. An oak wood writing desk, dresser, book shelf and chest were positioned against the wall. All of it was courtesy to a generous salary payed by Iron Clad, and the hundreds of bits he brought, which seemed to be worth a lot more here than in the future. Homesickness wasn’t too big of an issue, since he was in the same place he’s already been, but in a different time. This was also not the longest time he’s spent away from familiar surroundings. In fact, this was luxury to him.

Here he sat contently, watching the world go by out his room’s window. Thoughts swirled before him, mainly about his family, his friends, and how he was supposed to get back. Most of his time spent off guard duty was done in the castle library. The old castle where Everfree would be in the future was being steadily migrated into the new castle in Canterlot. The inner Citadel of the old castle remained untouched, as Celestia sealed herself inside.

A thought occurred to him, the only pony that could possibly know how to get him back would be Princess Celestia. If what Iron Clad said is true, no one has seen or heard from her in two months. That didn’t stop Sunshine from maintaining that small shred of hope. Having decided what to do, he quickly penned a letter to Iron Clad, to be forwarded to the Castle Citadel. It read:

Dearest Princess Celestia,

My name is Sunshine Smiles, Co-Captain of the Night Guard and personal guard to Princess Luna. I know that you greave for her, and I understand your pain, but I write to tell you that all will be okay, in time. I do not belong here, I am from the future. I was sent back in time by a creature called a ‘Weeping Angel’.

I do not know what to say to convince you, but I offer more than consolonce. Luna is alive and well in my future, she rules beside you once again. You will be the happiest you’ve ever been in your life, I promise you. As a Night Guard, I swear on everything that I stand for is true. If I would please have an audience with you, I would reveal to you the future. All I ask, is that you find a way to bring me back.

I patiently await your response,

Regards, Sunshine Smiles

Satisfied, Sunshine rolled up the parchment and sealed it in wax, baring the emblem of the Lunar Guard. A short time later, a non-descript Royal Guard arrived at his room to collect it. If the royal mail was anything like it was in the future, it would take weeks to get a response, if any from the princess.

“I patiently await your response,” he murmured to the sun above.

Astral’s Estate (The Present)

The Doctor opened bleary eyes to find himself in one of the Mansion’s spare rooms. It was a mediocre room that one might find in the average hotel. He was lying in a single bed, with mattresses that were just too soft and a blanket that was too thick. Beside him, a couple feet away, Ditzy slept peacefully in an identical bed. Taking a minute to appreciate how adorable Ditzy looked asleep, the old Time Charger shook himself awake and exited the bed.

As he did so, a dull clang resounded as an object tumbled off the bed and hit the floor. The skeletal lantern sat dejectedly on the floor between his bed and Ditzy’s. Its green gem glowed sickly green and emitted subtle pulses. The thing’s mere presence unnerved him, as Matriarch Amaryllis’ words echoed through his mind.

“Used to light the way to the Underworld,” she had said.

It sounded like the lantern was a one way trip to death. Good thing he didn’t know how to operate it. A knock on the door and the sudden entrance of a certain charcoal unicorn stopped further thought.

“Ah, you’re awake!” Charlene said, sounding genuinely relieved “You’ve been out for almost half an hour. How’re you feeling,”

“Peachy,” Doctor replied “But Ditzy’s still out like a light,”

“Leave her be, she could use the rest. Come now, Astral wants to see you,”

She then turned and trotted right out the door, Doctor following soon afterward.

Upon arrival back in Astral Star’s study, the Doctor spun him a summary of what happened when the Angel knocked him out. Astral did not seem surprised at all, in fact, he completely expected it all to happen.

“We could’ve let you talk to her ourselves,” pointed Astral “But, we figured since Anna was the one that sent him back, she would introduce you to the Matriarch,”

“Well, tanks for the trip down memory lane, I guess,” said the Doctor “The only time I ever saw her was when she was a filly,”

“I take it she gave you something to keep?”

Doctor held up the strange skeletal lantern and held it at arm’s length, weary of its aura.

“Yeah, this,”

Astral took it from him, and studied it under his own magical grip. He observed it for several minutes before handing it back to the Doctor.

“That is an ancient artefact from the Underworld,” Astral explained “I’ve only ever been their once. That Lantern was used by Charon the boatman to guide us to the gates of Hades. When we concluded our business there, Hades gave us this lantern, among other things as a parting gift. I then gave this to my mother, before the Crystal Empire disappeared,”

“I am truly sorry,”

“Don’t be,” he smiled “Every cloud has a silver lining, and my parents are still alive and well. I suppose I have Sombra to thank for that, if I didn’t want to blast that sorry excuse of a king to the Underworld, that is,”

“I just realised something. Ditzy and I arrived here for answers, and all I got was more questions,”

“The Universe is a big and confusing place, young one,”

“Young one?” Doctor spluttered “I’ll have you know I’m almost a thousand years old!”

“Then how old do you think I am?”

Astral savoured the look of Doctor’s dumbfounded face as the truth dawned on him.

“Right,” he conceded “You win. I’ve got a question though. How exactly does that ‘Astral Archive’ work?”

“I would say ‘it’s simple’ but I would be lying. You see, every living thing in this mansion is connected telepathically to this Mansion. Every living thing. As soon as you cross that wall, mental information is plucked from your mind and stored in the Archive,”

“Isn’t that an invasion of privacy?”

“Well, no, since the only pony that could access all of the stored information is Matriarch Amaryllis. Even I could only access data concerning myself, common knowledge, and that of my family and closest friends,”

“That brings me to my next question. Why and how is Amaryllis in the Archive?”

“Despite all her strength and character, Amaryllis was more afraid of Death than any other. The rebirth she was entitled to only gave her soul another chance at life. There was no guarantee that her mind could make the journey as well. I offered her a chance, a slim one at best, to preserve her consciousness until the time came for her to claim a new body,”

“Wouldn’t that be possession?” asked the Doctor, concern worrying his features.

“No, after this long, her spirit doesn’t have the strength, plus, I’ve never known another pony with a higher sense of morality. Hades is gone now anyway, so she can’t be born naturally,”

Astral opened up to an excited smile as he continued

“Verity and Honour are actually attempting to create another body using magic. Their using how she looked like before ascension as a scaffold,”

“Right, well, if Verity isn’t too busy, can she come up here so she can take a look at this?” he asked, gesturing to the lantern, which now hung dejectedly on the hatstand next to the door.

“I’ll give her a call,”

Mansion Subterranean Laboratory

The Lab, as it is affectionately called, is a huge cavern, hollowed out by years of magic and machinery. It was much larger than a hoof ball stadium, and carried several floors as well. The main work space was at the immediate entrance, where materials, tools and workbenches galore resided. Below it were several floors of more specialised equipment and test chambers. On the other side of the cavern, lay the great magical battery that powered everything within the Estate. It consisted of a large mechanical receiver on the roof of the cavern, wires and thick cables jutted out from all sides, leading energy away from the receiver. The cables dispensed magic at various focus points throughout the Estate, making sure that every inch was powered and maintained at its capacity.

A huge column of yellow-white light streamed from the bottom of the cavern. A huge, circular pit lay there, so deep that the whole column could not be seen from the edge. Magic was being funnelled from deep beneath the earth, being brought to the lab at its purest from. Dozens pf multi-coloured crystals orbited the column, lending its own shade of colour as it passed. These crystals harmonised that pure, untamed magic into a more stable and safe form. The column of light was directed at the receiver, which collected the magic and spread it into the very soil of the Estate.

The greater portion of this power was dedicated to a large stasis sphere, filled with nutrient rich green fluid. A large cable connected to the receiver tunnelled through the rock and into the centre of the working space. There, suspended in this sphere, lay a body. It, along with the sphere that contained it, hung suspended in the air, with no physical support. A complex circle of runes below it made sure that it remained still and unbroken.

Inside the sphere was the body of a pony. It had a creamy white coat, and a three-toned pink, green and a darker pink mane. Right now, it was only a foal. It held no cutie mark, and its mane and tail were only centimetres long. It looked like it slept peacefully, but in reality, it was not even alive. Honour Bound and Verity Honora stood at either side of the sphere, pouring all their magic into its surface, gritting their teeth at the force and concentration required. Into it, they poured their hopes and desires, what they wished the body to be. As seconds wore on, the foal only grew to the equivalent of 5 years onward. It was now the same age as the Cutie Mark Crusaders. The cutie mark of a beautiful pink orchid appeared on its flank.

The flood of pink magical energy finally subsided as the pony and changeling collapsed in exhaustion.

“How’s she doing?” gasped Honour Bound, still panting after several minutes of rest

“Looks like she’s progressed,” replied Verity, equally tired “Maybe, 5 years or so,”

Honour Bound wiped the sweat off his brow with a hoof.

“What’s the target age again?” he asked

“About 20 years,”

“Not too far off then,” he joked

“How about her aesthetic?”

Honour Bound levitated over a clip board. On it, a picture of the filly’s adult form was taped. Next to her stood another gold Alicorn. Honour

critically examined and compared the picture and the filly in the sphere.

“Looks fine to me,” he concluded “We’re pretty close now,”

There brief analysis was interrupted when the sliding of metals and the clop of hooves on the stone alerted them to the new arrivals. Astral and Doctor walked down the spiral staircase to greet them. The former was looking excitedly at Amaryllis’ new body. The latter had his head swinging around and his mouth wide open in awe.

“Great job you too!” congratulated Astral “Verity, can you tend to the Doctor’s request? I’d like to have another jab at the sphere,”

“You sure?” Verity asked with arched eyebrows “Your magic isn’t really compatible,”

“Oh, it will be,” he grinned

A blue flash erupted from his horn and a small sandwich bag levitated before him. Inside, was a single strand of aquamarine hair, about the length of a pony’s foreleg.

Honour whistled appreciatively

“How did you manage to get that?” he wondered

“Simple, when Celestia visited here, I had one of the Weeping Angels cut a strand,”

“Forgive me for the interruption,” Doctor confided to Verity “But what is that?”

“That, is a strand of Celestia’s hair,”

“And what are they going to do with said hair?”

“Just watch,” she grinned

Astral opened the sandwich bag and took out the hair. It glistened in the laboratory lights, like fishing line. Astral closed his eyes, and held it before him. When he opened them again, his pupils were gone, only a white light could be seen in his eyes. The hair began to exude faint wisps of pink vapour, crackling slightly like electricity. The vapour thickened into smoke, which began to wrap themselves around Astral, swirling faster and faster, shielding him from view. Seconds later, the swirling cocoon began to slow, its colour fading from bright pink to dirty green. Then it stopped altogether, sending dull cracks through the air as the new substance hardened.

“Astral?” said the Doctor, worried and confused for the blue unicorn “Are you in there?”

“I’d step away if I were you,” Verity

Upon her words, the makeshift prison glowed an iridescent green, brightening and brightening. Dark cracks crawled across its surface, spilling forth beams of white light. As the cracks covered every inch of the cocoon, it exploded outward, showering the observers in harmless green shards. As the light subsided, a new form stood where Astral should have been. She was a tall, slender alicorn, with a three toned pastel blue, green and pink mane and tail. Both rippled and flowed, despite the absence of moving air. Her cutie mark was of a stylised sun. She turned her magenta eyes to the assembled crowd and gave them a wink.

“Surprised yet?” she said, grinning at the Doctor’s dumbfounded expression

“I guess so,” he breathed, in awe of the view before him.

Chapter 15: Complications Arise

A mere three days after Sunshine sent his plea for help, a letter riding a breeze of purple wind flew into his window and onto his bed. Not risking any magical traps, he had it directed to some of the Royal guard’s top specialists. Thankfully, there was no sign of any magical tampering, so Sunshine could read it in peace. A copy was sent over to Captain Iron Clad for the records.

The letter read:

Meet me at the Citadel gates at Midday. I will not be kept waiting. If you make it here, we will talk.

Signed, Celestia

Sunshine wasn’t sure what to make of it. He had seen that purple wind before, since Celestia’s letters to her faithful student were always transported that way. What worried him was the tone of the letter. It looked like nothing the Celestia he knew would write about. Despite this, he wasn’t willing to give up on the chance of getting home. He was halfway through packing his things when a Royal Guard knocked on his door.

“Lieutenant Smiles,” he saluted “Captain Clad would like to see you in his office, immediately

Sunshine gave a nod of his head and followed the guard to the squat stone building that was the Captain’s office.

Iron Clad sat in his chair, twirling a dagger in his hooves while critically examining the letter before him.

“Ok, Sunshine, I got some good news and some bad news,” he began “Which would you like to hear first?”

“Does it really matter?” Sunshine shrugged

“Not really. Good News is, you’re clear to go,”

“I’m sorry, what?”

“If what you’ve told me is true, then you’ve been looking for a way back to the future, correct?”

Sunshine nodded

“Well, I’ve been organising a couple things, and as soon as you’re ready, you may leave,”

“Thank you very much sir,”

“Don’t thank me yet, I haven’t gotten to the bad news,”

He started to gather his thoughts before breaking the news to him.

“We don’t have any guards to spare, so you’ll have to make the trip on your own. So you’ll have to be wary of bandits, rogues and the like. These are troublesome times you’ve landed in. In case this little venture doesn’t turn out as you’ve expected it, I’ll keep the Lieutenant spot open for you for the next week. What I can do for you is lend some supplies; you’ll get food, water and shelter. There should still be some guards over their supervising the last of the migration. When you see them, give them this,”

Iron Clad pulled out a sheet of paper with his magic, and set it on the table.

“This will get you access to the Citadel. I hoped I could do more for you, but we can’t really spare too much,”

“You’ve done a lot for me,” Sunshine said evenly “I can’t ask you for more, so thank you,”

“You are very welcome. Now, if there is anything you’d like to say, I dismiss you,”

He got up and saluted the bat pony before him

“The Royal Guard thanks you for your service, friend,” he smiled

Sunshine returned it, with a smile on his face “Likewise, friend,”

With that, Sunshine bolted right out the door and back to the barracks. Iron Clad chuckled and shook his head in wonderment.

“Looks like kids just never change,” he smiled

Mansion Subterranean Laboratory

“What do you think?” the tall white alicorn smiled

“I don’t know,” sighed the Doctor “I honestly don’t know. How are you doing that? How are you, Celestia?”

‘Celestia’ pouted at his response

“Honestly Doctor, I am a bit disappointed that you haven’t figured it out. In fact, you’ve been asking more questions than I’ve ever known you for,”

“And who are you?” he pointed “That isn’t any typical shape shifting spell, or illusion, I’d wager,”

“Correct. That little spell is a bit of changeling shape shifting combined with a spell of my own craft. I am Astral Star, currently in the body of your benevolent ruler, Princess Celestia,” he/she boasted, striking a dynamic pose

“And where is the real Celestia?”

“Oh, I’m sure she’s fine,” Astral assured him, using Celestia’s voice

“Actually,” pointed Verity “She’s currently in her throne room, maintaining the day court. An argument has erupted between a unicorn and a griffon over a bar fight,”

Verity said it so evenly and casually, that any other pony would’ve actually believed in what she said, straight away.

“And you know this, how?”

“Intuition,” she shrugged, throwing a wink towards Honour and the Celestia imposter that is Astral.

“Fine then,” he conceded “Have it your way,”

He turned to Astral “How good is that disguise?”

“As good as it gets,” he shrugged “Essentially, I am her. Flesh and blood, right down to her genetic code,”

“So, where is your actual body?”

“Non-existent, for the time being of course,” he smirked “A full body transformation,”

For once in over a hundred years, the Doctor was completely, and utterly, impressed. Verity took advantage of his stupor by lightly taking the lantern off his hooves.

“I’ll give it back later,” she smiled “Go on, watch the show,”

The Doctor gave a nod, and trotted over to where Honour Bound, and the transformed Astral stood. The little filly inside the sphere opened her eyes for the first time of its empty life. It regarded them with a blank stare. It conveyed no emotion, no recognition, only a response to movement and sound.

“Is that…?”

“Yes it is,” Astral confirmed “That is Matriarch Amaryllis’ new body,”

The little thing looked so small and weak. Child innocence was still evident. What it lacked, was a mind and soul. Without a mind, it could not remember, speak or move. Without soul, it could not feel. For now, the pony in the sphere, is just a body.

“How long have you been growing it?” the Doctor asked

“It’s taken us well over one year now,” Honour answered “Amaryllis only started talking to us on the night Luna returned,”

“But now that I have this,” added Astral, gesturing to his new body, and speaking through its voice “We’re probably not going to have to wait much longer,”

Astral now strode to the sphere, stepping over the runic circle that encompassed the floor around it. The circle’s blue light shimmered to gold in acknowledgment of Celestia’s magical power. Verity watched from above, having concluded business with the lantern. Astral closed his eyes, letting the runic circle’s warmth envelope him, swirling around him like a blanket of sunshine. The wind pciked up, and played with Celestia’s pastel mane, blowing back everything that wasn’t tied down. Astral opened his eyes, where once were blue irises, was now only white light.

He was ready.

Drawing forth all his and his current body’s magical power, he reared up. Runic light flared all around him, responding to his call. Letting loose a mighty roar, he slammed his fore hooves into the circle. Wings out stretched and horn pointed at the sphere, all the wild golden light coalesced at the tip of his horn. Swirling around its length, gaining in speed and intensity, upon reaching its climax, it was shot forth in a narrow piercing beam. The laser impacted the sphere with monumental force, but the rune circle prevented any movement. The light seeped into the sphere in wispy tendrils, wrapping around the body’s skin like bandages on a mummy.

The whole sphere transitioned from sky blue, to gold yellow. Minutes he spent doing this, pouring all the magical might he could muster into that sphere. Minutes more, and his new Alicorn body began to burn away. As he dug deeper, the form of Princess Celestia dissolved into blue sparks, starting at the tip of his horn, and ending at his hooves and tail. Astral stood in his real body, barely standing, only the force of his magic kept him upright. As the last of Celestia’s magic faded away, the golden light took on a light blue hue. The beam ceased its path, and rippled over the sphere, no longer seeping inside. Astral’s reserves, were now depleted, and he collapsed into the hard stone floor.

The sphere wasn’t done, however. The magic that was truly Astral’s, and not of Celestia’s form, coalesced at the body’s forehead. The body was now at its prime age, only a little over Fluttershy’s age. It has grown larger, and its mane and tail longer. Had she been walking around today, she would turn many stallion’s heads round in attention. The blue light around its head faded, leaving behind, to Honour Bound’s utter astonishment, a horn.

Mouth still agape, and eye’s wide, Honour Bound franticly went to the clipboard baring Amaryllis’ image. His eyes did not deceive him, the young mare in the painting, was an earth pony, while the mare in the sphere, was a unicorn. Verity sprinted down the remaining steps down, almost tripping over the last couple. The changeling and mare shared a confused and worried look, then turned it to an exhausted Astral Star.

He smiled sheepishly, scratching the back of his head.

“I just don’t know what went wrong?” he joked, although humour was the last thought on his mind.

Thousands of years ago…

Despite the fact that it took a little over an hour by train to get from Ponyville from Canterlot and vice-versa, it took only ten minutes for the trained bat pony. Part of his rigorous training regime, was the delicate and subtle art of gliding. The manipulation and use of natural air currents allowed for low effort, sustained flight with a relatively fast speed to boot. Coupled with the fact that the sky offered no obstructions and obstacles that the land did, it made quick travel a breeze.

Sunshine’s in flight euphoria stuttered as the land below where Ponyville should have been was naught but a field of grass. It only confirmed to him how close, yet so far away from his home. Putting all negative thoughts aside, he focused on the task at hand, getting to Celestia, for she was his only hope now.

Sunshine flew lazy arcs around where would be the Everfree’s perimeter, scanning for signs of pony activity. The wild, untamed forest’s edge was still several kilometres south east. The area below him was only normal woodland, which had a lighter green to its character than the Everfree. Sure enough, he finds a non-descript grey earth pony mare hauling as wagon full of furniture out of the forest. The night guard dove into a fast, but steady approach, spreading his wings metres from the ground to cushion the impact. He landed with a loud thud, and a small cloud of dirt in front of the pony. Said pony only looked at him with disinterested, half closed eyes.

She was a grey earth pony mare with a straight, earth brown mane and tail, the latter of which reached just short of her shoulders. Her cutie mark was a hammer crossed with a chisel. Her face conveyed no emotion whatsoever, but not like the way the Weeping Angel’s did. Hers only showed boredom, or disinterest in everything around her, including the sudden entrance of the tall, dark bat pony.

“Excuse me, ma’am,” greeted Sunshine with a nod of his head “I was wondering if you could direct me to the old castle,”

The mare looked up at him, and remained silent. Just when it was getting awkward, she finally spoke.

“Follow the path into the forest,” she said, in a mature but monotoned voice, indifferent to what he heard every day from the Canterlot receptionists “It winds a bit, but it’s only a few minutes walk. Once you’re there, talk to Second Leutenant Golden Lance. He’s at a big marble building west of the citadel, you can’t miss it,”

“Thank you kindly,” Sunshine said “Name’s Sunshine by the way,”

“Carver Pie,” she responded, letting a small smile emerge from her dull guise “See you ‘round,”

With that, they parted ways. Sunshine headed into the forest, following the path that Carver pointed out. Carver continued down a long winding road to Canterlot, a large wagon of furnishings in tow. After the chance meeting, a thought entered his mind. Could this Carver Pie be related to pinkie Pie, element of laughter? They had the same last name after all*.

“Nah,” he muttered, smiling to himself “Nopony that boring could be related to a mare like Pinkie Pie,”

The forest was a lot more different than the Everfree that would exist here a thousand odd years from now. For instance, it was very green, every leaf and stem had the same shade of prosperous growth. The trees here grew tall and strong, forming a thick canopy that let only small streams of sunlit through, but somehow still kept the forest well lit. Out of the corner of his eyes, Sunshine could see woodland animals cowering in the nearest bush. Birdcall and other natural sounds trilled through the trees, adding to the already cheery atmosphere. It was disheartening to see it so lively and full, only to know what would become of it in the future.

A short walk along a sandy dirt road later, he came upon a large clearing. Ahead of him stood the castle, in all its majestic glory. It strongly resembled the Canterlot Castle, but was very sturdy and made of grey stone than the marble white that the future one took. It was also smaller, and compacted, leading him to theorise that the castle was built for more functionality than aesthetic. Despite this, the architects still made an impressive building to look at. What worried him were the ruined stone houses across the bridge, every single one looked blasted to rubble. Those that still stood sported vicious holes and singe marks. Only a strong, wooden bridge spanning a small gorge with a river at the bottom, and a pair of guards, separated him from reaching it. The one to the right was a unicorn stallion, the same non-descript type that he’s seen several times before. The one to the left was a Pegasus mare, half a head shorter, but had the same colour scheme, mane cut, armour and weapons, consisting of a spear and long sword.

Gathering his thoughts, he marched up to the pair of guards, setting himself a stoic expression and confident gait.

“Greetings,” he said, saluting to the pair. They did not return it, but fixed him with a steely glare each.

“What business do you have, traveller?” the stallion sneered

Taken aback by the informality of his response, Sunshine let out a snort of disgust

“Is that any way to greet a fellow guard?” he asked innocently

“You’re no guard,” the stallion hissed “You are a filthy bat pony. Any friend of Nightmare Moon’s is an enemy of ours,”

The Royal Guard threw a sideways look at his companion, seeking for support. The poor mare jumped slightly, then nervously nodded her head. Sunshine noticed her behaviour, and found it intriguing.

“You see?” he continued “We hate your kind. You’re better off on the moon, with your mistress,”

Sunshine heaved a sigh, then glanced over to the mare. She shook slightly and held her spear close to her. Seeing no help in the mare’s eyes, Sunshine turned back to the stallion.

“How about this, Captain Iron Clad sent me here so that I may see Princess Celestia,” Sunshine explained

“More lies?” the stallion snorted “How about we have your sorry flank dragged into the dungeons in chains!”

The stallion then growled, hefting the spear in his magical grip, then hurled it at the Night guard, whistling through the air as it closed distance. Sunshine panicked for a moment at the guard’s sudden aggression, but quickly reassumed confidence. He bounded to his left, feeling the air displaced from the spear as it flew past him, stopping with a *thwack* into a nearby tree. The guard snorted in annoyance and drew his sword. The mare shuffled away, quickly and quietly, noticed only by Sunshine, but not the stallion in front of him.

“For Celestia!” the unicorn cried, and charged headlong into Sunshine, sword swinging wildly in front of him.

Chapter 16: Preparing for Battle

Sunshine thought if this joke of a guard was ever taught how to fight with a sword. He calmly drew his own sword in turn, waiting for the right time to strike as his opponent blundered towards him. As soon as he’s within range, the Royal guard yelled a battle cry, and swung his long sword in a horizontal arc, aiming for the bat pony’s neck. Sunshine took off into the air at the last minute with incredible speed, the stallion’s strike not even touching a hair on his tail. He then landed behind his opponent, as momentum from his failed attack carried him forward. Sunshine clenched his sword between his teeth, and took a swing at the stumbling unicorn.

The swing successfully severed the straps holding the unicorn’s armour in place, causing it to fall to the ground, just before he did the same. Growling his frustration, the guard got up and charged again, throwing his sword right at the night guard. Sunshine weaved left, dodging the clumsily thrown weapon, leaving himself open to attack momentarily. Despite Sunshine’s sudden vulnerability, he recovered quickly and nimbly dodged his opponent’s right hoof. Somehow, even the guard’s punches were clumsy. Sunshine spun right, then brought hilt of his sword down on the unicorn’s back, just between the shoulder blades. The guard cried out in pain, and collapsed to the ground for the second time.

“As a matter of fact, I am a Night Guard,” Sunshine stated, examining his sword for any notches. Satisfied, he sheathed his sword, and gave his fallen adversary a mocking bow “Former Lieutenant Sunshine Smiles, at your service,”

“Former?” the guard spat, standing back up again “No wonder the Captain doesn’t need you,”

As the guard finished his sentence, a throwing knife flew right past him, mere millimetres from his now exposed neck. The guard flinched, then looked wide eyed at Sunshine Smiles, who was throwing and catching yet another knife in his hoof, a taunting smile on his face.

“Next one goes between your eyes,” he said, deftly catching and sheathing his knife “As a matter of fact, I resigned. Now, are we going to have a proper discussion? Or will I go to Canterlot frustrated, and you away from here on a stretcher?”

The guard took a nervous gulp, but took no other course of action.

“Looks like you’re going to retirement early,” Sunshine sighed. He then unsheathed his knife, twirled it twice in his hoof then flung it at the cowardly guard

Fearing the worst, as all sense drained out of him, the royal guard froze in his place, eyes screwed shut as the knife made its deadly path through the air. The knife was interrupted mid-flight with a hard *crack*. The unicorn opened one eye to see the knife’s course directed away from his forehead, instead burying itself in his helmet. A third guard, this one a Pegasus stallion, stood rigidly over Sunshine’s target. The knife skidded off the top edge of the Pegasus’ round, wooden shield, effectively saving the fallen guard.

“You’ve got a good throw, son,” he said. His voice was low and gravelly, but very strong as well. “But I’m going to have to ask you keep your knives and swords to yourself,”

He then turned to the cowering unicorn.

“And you? What’ve I told you about handling strangers? Refer them to me first!” he shouted

The unicorn whimpered apology after apology, actual tears streaking his face. The newcomer only rolled his eyes at his subordinate’s unprofessional behaviour. He then turned to the Pegasus mare, who’s been hiding behind a tree for the whole fight.

“And you! What do you think you’re doing? Abandoning your post,”

“No sir,” she stuttered. She sounded way too young to be in the guard “I was just…”

“Just what?”

“Um, never mind,” she whispered, hiding behind her mane and looking at her superior from the corner of her eye.

The newcomer sighed, then muttered something about ‘guards these days’. He finally turned to Sunshine, and gave him a proper military greeting.

“Welcome to the old castle, Second Lieutenant Smiles,” he saluted, which Sunshine promptly returned “Captain Iron Clad wrote to me about you. I’m First Lieutenant Golden Lance, but as a soldier of somewhat similar ranking, you can just call me Lance,”

“Actually, I resigned,” Sunshine pointed

“Meh, details, details,” he said, waving a dismissive hoof “I believe you’ve got some papers for me?”

Sunshine nodded, and produced a sheet of paper. Since it was handed to him, he had to put it into several boxes and containers to protect it. It was apparently, a very frail piece of parchment.

“Ah, here we are,” said Golden Lance with a sigh.

Holding the parchment with one hoof, he produced a set of reading glasses from under his breast plate, put them on and began to read.

“Mhm,” he nodded, still reading the paper “Come along, Mr Smiles, I’ll show you to the Citadel,”

Many things struck Sunshine as odd as he walked across the sturdy wooden bridge towards the Castle. For one thing, it only vaguely resembled the ruins in the Everfree from his own time line. The second, was that it was no mere castle, it was a full on city.

Well, the remains of one at least.

Most Buildings and houses were nothing but moss covered, dusty, singed pieces of rubble. The road into the Citadel was straight and boring. Nothing to either side but ruins, even the roads lacked cobblestone, most of it being strewn all over the place. The sky only got darker as they neared the Citadel. It was a large, granite rendition of the magnificent marble castle that sat in Canterlot. To get to it, they needed to cross a large crevice, this time the bridge was old and rickety. They didn’t go straight to the Citadel though, and instead veered left, into one of the stone buildings that was still left standing.

The building appeared to have been an Inn before the great battle, but it was now just an empty two storey building. Inside, it was cosy but damp. The floor was lined with wooden boards and the walls were made of smooth stone, greened over age and patched in several areas. At one side of the room, where the bar used to be, was Lance’s desk. The rest of the hall was occupied by simple wooden chairs, facing the desk as if Lance was expecting an audience.

“Welcome to my office!” he said cheerily “Sorry for the rude reception, but after things going on, the guards here tend to get edgy,”

He threw a sideways glance to the pair from the bridge. The two looked away immediately.

“Those are the only two guards I have on active duty,” Lance explained “That’s Rough House the stallion, and Potence the mare,”

Rough and Potence gave a half-hearted salute.

“Anyways, I heard you want to try reach Celestia. How do you plan to do that?”

“With this,” Sunshine hoofed him a yellow piece of parchment, it was the letter that Celestia wrote to him.

Lance took a moment to look astonished.

“Fascinating,” he said. Donning his reading glasses, he began to read.

Several seconds later, he looked back up to Sunshine with a relieved smile on his face.

“Looks like she’s not dead after all,” he chuckled “Hey Rough House! You owe me a tankard of cider!”

Rough cursed under his breath.

“We’re getting off topic here. What I’m saying is, I can’t give official clearance until we’ve cleaned up this place of any dangers,”

“Dangers?” asked Sunshine, somewhat surprised by the turn of events “What kind of dangers?”

“Meet me in half an hour. I got to write a letter down to the Captain for some troops. Go to one of the upstairs rooms, there are plenty of spares, so get yourself settled,”

Lance gave a salute, which was respectively returned by the bat pony. Sunshine gathered his things and made his way upstairs and Golden Lance began to write his letter. Potence gingerly walked up to him, not very sure about what she had to say.

“Spit it out, Potence,” Lance sighed “You’ve been in my service for a year, and you still can’t get a coherent sentence without practice,”

“It’s just that, um,” she stuttered “Are you sure we can trust him?”

Lance gave her a questioning look, which she shied away from.

“If the Captain trusts him, so do I,” he answered, finishing his letter with a flourish “Have a little faith, my dear. The worst is yet to come,”

Astral’s Estate (Present Time)

“Okay, so let me get this straight,” demanded Ditzy, somewhat frazzled after an afternoon’s worth of bombshells “So, that mare in the bubble is about to powerful alicorn ruler from thousands of years ago, and you are growing her a body, AND you have the power to shape shift into anypony?”

“Not any pony,” Astral replied, tired after explaining it to her over and over “Most ponies, yes, but with a pony as powerful as Celestia, I need something of hers. It doesn’t need to be a part of her body, just something that she’s owned or used for a reasonable amount of time,”

“Right, and the pony in the dream is…”

“Yep, Matriarch Amaryllis,”

Ditzy dissolved into stunned silence for a time, then broke into the biggest grin the Doctor has ever seen.

“This is so AWESOME!” she exclaimed, flying circles around the magical liquid orb

“But after Astral’s little blunder,” Verity scolded “We are not sure if the body would be compatible anymore,”

“Why don’t we just ask?” Honour huffed “She’s not our almighty ruler anymore, she’s our friend. Remember?”

“Oh, um, right,” Verity stuttered, a blush forming on her cheeks. She quickly regained her composure and addressed another issue “We can do that at a later date. Doctor, Ditzy, you wanted me to use my intuition on this lantern, yes?”

“That’s correct,” Doctor confirmed

“Well, I’m already done. Sunshine Smiles is currently in the old castle of the two sisters, or should I say city?” she pondered for a moment, then gave up “Anyway, he was transported almost exactly 1000 years ago. The ponies are currently evacuating the whole city and building up the city of Canterlot. Sunshine is with three other guards, looking at…”

Verity frowned in concentration, then her face became slack. Worry and fear registered on her face as she bolted to one of the many bookshelves in Astral’s library.

“Quick! I need the 'Mage's Almanac of Creatures'!” she pleaded, throwing books all over the place

“Right here,” Honour said, patting the book which sat on one of the work tables

Verity flew right to it, blowing away several sheets of paper in her haste. A violet aura glowed around the jewel in her circlet, and the book levitated before her, rapidly flipping between pages. When she found the page she was looking for, she turned towards her companions, true fear on her face. She held the book up for them to see. Astral and Honour immediately blanched, while Ditzy and the Doctor looked questioningly at it.

“There’s no time to lose!” exclaimed Verity, rushing around like a mad pony “Take this with you!”

She pelted the Almanac at the two time travellers. Ditzy caught it successfully in both hooves, despite ugly rumours about clumsiness, she was very coordinated when she tried to be. Verity scrawled a set of numbers and letters onto a piece of paper, and stuck it to the Doctors forehead with tape. The Doctor did his best to look undignified, but he was ignored as chuckles escaped Ditzy’s lips.

“Use your TARDIS to go to that location,” she instructed “There will be a two storey building in front of the castle, you’ll find him there,”

The Doctor was about to say something, but was stopped by a hoof in his mouth.

“No time to lose!” Verity cried “GO! GO! GO!”

Ditzy and Doctor belted right up the stairs, through the secret passage, across all the hallways and into Astral’s office, where the TARDIS still stood tall and proud. The Doctor fumbled with the keys, eventually unlocking it, and scrambled inside, Ditzy following close behind. As soon as he was inside the familiar transcendental room, he tore the sheet from his face, read it, then expertly flipped all the necessary switches and buttons on the TARDIS. A rough ride later, the two travellers galloped right out the door and into the land outside. What they didn’t expect however, was to land inside a freshly scorched mess. The building had been completely obliterated, a massive whole existed where the top floor and roof should’ve been. What was summed to be clothing, bed sheets or furniture smouldered in the background. There was no sign of any other life, as a dense fog began to settle over them.

“Are we too late?” Ditzy asked, her voice shivering with fear

The Doctor’s face turned grim as she met her questioning eyes

“I hope not,” he whispered, as much to himself as the mare beside him.

Much Earlier

Sunshine strode over to Golden Lance, who leaned patiently on the wall just outside the Inn’s entrance. Rough house and Potence stood on either side of the doorway, and gave a cautious salute as he walked past. It had been only been half an hour, but the sunlight seemed to dim as thick cloud blanketed the sky.

“Lieutenant Smiles,” Lance greeted with a salute “Follow me. Rough, potence, you too,”

Sunshine and the pair marched off into the distance, due East of the Inn.

Minutes later, they came upon the first statue. It was an odd, angular shape made out of a smooth white stone. It crumbled slightly at the touch, so Sunshine refrained from touching any more of it. The shape was like a tall, thick kite shield, much taller than Celestia, wide as a pony and as thick as a tree trunk in the middle. Behind it, what looked like the remains of an appendage was attached to the point where the four corners intersected if a line was drawn between them. It was also made out of white stone. Further on, more and more of these odd statues started to appear, lending an eerie atmosphere to the bleak ruins of the city.

The landscape was littered with these strange structures. Sticking up from the ground like abstract tombs in a cemetery. Al little while later, they came upon an even odder statue.

“Here we are,” Lance said finally, signalling for the ponies behind him to stop “Take a good look Sunshine, ask me any questions if you happen to have any,”

Sunshine promptly stood forward and paced around it, critically examining its structure.

The statue was of a huge, spider like creature with four shield like legs and a long, thick scorpion’s tail, ending in three sharp points. The statues from before seemed to be the legs, assuming that the rest of it had already crumbled to dust. Besides the huge legs, the rest of its body looked fragile, its exoskeleton thinned out into small scales. Its tail grew thicker near the end, and was lined with hooked barbs and large pieces of chitin jutting out the side. The three points made a triangle over the creature’s head, poised ready to strike. Its head was a diamond shape, and made out of the same material as its legs. It had three, triangle shaped eyes, cold and lifeless in its petrified state. This could’ve been a formidable creature, had it not been a statue.

“What is it?” Sunshine breathed, turning to Golden Lance

“To be honest, we don’t know,” Lance replied evenly “Weeks after Nightmare Moon’s banishment, scores of these things came out of the forest, and laid waste to what wasn’t already rubble,”

He turned his gaze to the statue as he continued to speak

“These are possibly the most dangerous creature’s we’ve encountered outside the Everfree forest. There only weakness seems to be bright light. All we have that fits it, are magnesium flares, and those things are in short supply, and don’t even kill it, rather blind it. No pony has even put a dent in these things. Sword, spears, arrows, magic, nothing. Their only fatal flaw, however, is the sun,”

He looked up to a brighter patch of the grey cloud that obscured all vision of the sky, where the sun should be.

“An hour before sunrise, these hell spawn turn and flee back to where ever they came from. These statues here are the guys that didn’t make it into shade in time. They always come here, terrorise, destroy, kill, and then vanish when the sun rises,”

He turned to Sunshine, a serious look on his face

“Here’s the deal. I’ve sent a letter to Iron Clad requesting reinforcements to secure the perimeter of this city. We need to protect the Citadel, at all costs. The four of us need to make sure that none of those creatures make it to the Citadel gates until reinforcements arrive. If we are all still alive when the sun rises on the next day, you can talk to your princess,”

“Celestia said to meet her at midday!” he protested “I can’t just keep her waiting,”

Lance considered this for a moment, eyes turned to the sky. He finally let out a sigh when he came to a conclusion.

“Fine then,” he grumbled “Go to the princess, but make sure you get your flank back here in time for the mission. Understood?”

Sunshine nodded, and gave a salute. He then took off, heading back to the Inn to grab his belongings. Lance walked his way back, flanked by Rough House and Potence, mentally preparing themselves for the night ahead.

Chapter 17: Calm Before the Storm

Not risking the rickety old rope and wood bridge, Sunshine Smiles flew across the gorge, landing softly on the other side. He landed on a large open stone platform. Before him stood a large set of heavy wooden doors. Walls stretched out around the Citadel, presumably to protect it from potential siege situations, as if the gorge around it wasn’t enough. Sunshine approached the gates, smelling the damp, musky scent of age from the moss-covered fortress. Gathering courage, he knocked firmly, but slowly, four times in succession.

*KNOCK*

Seconds later, the gates began to rumble. The heavy wooden doors creaked and groaned in protest as its age worn shape was hauled on equally old hinges. Once open wide to its capacity, it stopped with a loud thud, and the crackling of loose stones. Inside, lay a building Sunshine was familiar with. Across a small courtyard, lay the old castle, as old and as ruined as when he saw it in the future. Sure, there were still patches of stone yet to be knocked off, but other than that, the sight was completely disturbing. It was so familiar, yet so different, a thousand years before his birth.

Repressing the urge to shiver, Sunshine walked onward, his steps echoing across the otherwise silent grounds. Crossing the courtyard, he came upon a smaller set of heavy wooden doors. This one parted in the middle, and had the Equestria’s emblem branded across the centre. Before he could knock, however the door opened halfway, and a slender figure came into view.

She looked just like the Celestia from his time period. Tall, slender and beautiful, but this time, with major differences. Her mane was dulled and ragged, as was her tail, hanging limply by her right side. Her eyes were tired and drenched in sadness, red from weeks of crying, cast downward in sorrow and shame. She lacked any of the formal jewellery she normally wore, having traded it for a lavender purple robe. Her wings hung limply by her side, as if she lacked the effort to fold them close to her body.

After a few seconds, Celestia finally looked up to meet Sunshine’s eyes, and whispered

“Are you, Sunshine smiles?” her voice was quiet and shaken, none of the calm, collected tone she usually carried was evident

Sunshine nodded “Yes, Princess Celestia,”

Celestia nodded in turn, and went to trot inside

“Follow me,”

Sunshine complied, and trotted into the dimly lit castle.

Lance watched on from his side of the crevice, next to the rickety old bridge. He was quietly surprised when the Citadel gates opened, for the first time since the battle. He shrugged, and turned to his two companions.

“Alright, I want you two to gather up all the supplies from the Inn, and set up a camp here,” he ordered, pawing a cross in the dirt with his hoof “Create a perimeter using the remains of our magical torches. Use them wisely, and make sure a solid ring is lit around camp,”

He looked at both of them, measuring their enthusiasm. He was disappointed, but carried on anyways.

“You have your orders,” he said with finality “Do it!”

Potence and Rough House scrambled in the dirt and galloped back towards the Inn, a cloud of dust in their wake. Once they arrived, Rough quickly assembled a sack out of canvas, while Potence dashed around, picking up weapons, armour, food, water and various other materials. Once the first bag was full, Rough made another one, and filled that as well. Soon, the two ponies stood outside the inn, with half a dozen bags assembled in front of them. Rough House attempted to pick one up, but it clearly weighed far too much for him. Potence didn’t even try, but gingerly prodded the bags with her hoof.

“Now what?” demanded Rough “We got the stuff, but how’re we supposed to get it to the camping site?”

Potence shrinked back at her partner’s tone, and gave only her fearful eyes as acknowledgement.

Before he could debate any further, a large bulky shape emerged from the fog that encompassed the outskirts of the ruined city. Sensing danger, Rough House drew a spear from one of the bags with his magic, and held it before him defensively. Potence tried her best to hide behind the armed unicorn. The figure approached slowly, but soon revealed itself to be a familiar grey earth pony, pulling along an empty wagon. Carver Pie strode casually right up to the pair, ignoring the spear held by the cautious guard.

“Can I help you?” she asked, voice devoid of emotion

“Well, yes,” Rough stuttered, surprised by her dry demeanour “We need these things taken to a camp site. Can you do that?”

“Sure,” Carver nodded, but also added “For the right price,”

Rough House groaned at her second remark, but quickly recovered

“You will be paid a bonus by the Royal Treasury,” he stated firmly “Now come on, we’re on a schedule,”

Carver said no more as she trotted over to the pile of bags. She casually took one in her mouth, and tossed it into her wagon with seemingly little effort. Rough House tried to help, but quickly dismissed it as he wasn’t able to lift a single one. Minutes later, Rough and Potence were leading a heavily loaded Carver Pie down to the bridge entrance. They quickly pitched the tents, lit a small fire, and set about making themselves comfortable. In the distance, the sun began to set. A warm orange colour filled the sky as the sun made its finished its journey for the day, making way for the night to come. Carver Pie was just about to head back, but was quickly stopped from a hoof on her shoulder. Potence, wriggling out of her nervous shell, pleaded with the earth pony with big blue eyes.

“You don’t want to go out there,” she said, voice quivering in fear

“Why not?” Carver asked, raising an eyebrow

“Terrible things come here after dark,” Potence explained “Absolutely awful things,”

Deciding to take the nervous Pegasus’ word for it, Carver sat back down and made herself comfortable by the fire. Her curiosity grew with each moment as she wondered what exactly appeared during the night.

Astral’s Estate (Present Time)

After the Doctor’s hasty departure at Verity’s ‘request’, Astral Star had been scampering all over the laboratory, haphazardly collecting whole sorts of random reagents. Fully aware of why Verity was so adamant that the Doctor made haste to Sunshine Smile’s time and location, the blue unicorn was making his own preparations. Weapons, armour, magical artefacts and tomes were hastily flung off the shelves and into an awaiting box or bag. Astral planned to go into a specific spot into the Everfree forest, and use one of his time sigils to assist Sunshine Smiles in the battle to come.

Half an hour later, Verity, Honour Bound and Astral assembled at the edge of the Estate, closest to the Everfree forest. Honour Bound stood in a Changeling Captain’s attire. A simple deep purple chest plate and helmet, as well as horseshoes and greaves on each leg. Changelings already had a very tough exoskeleton, and coupled with Honour being something of the species’ Adonis, he required little protection, but he kept a sword sheathed to his left side regardless. Verity was dressed in lithe, gleaming, gold plated armour over a tight white robe. It looked fragile up close, but was actually nigh impenetrable to any normal weapon. She had a helmet that framed her face, with articulated feathers jutting from the sides. She also had a thin, but tough breastplate, and armour for her legs and hooves. A glittering lance was strapped to her right side, and a short sword tied to her left. Astral wore a dark coloured cloak that almost touched the ground behind him. Over the top, he wore an angular breastplate, fashioned from the shapes of triangles and diamonds, as were the armour on his legs. He had a rough black staff in one hoof, topped with an odd black tetrahedron, glowing an intimidating shade of purple.

“Alright, you guys ready?” Astral asked

“As we’ll ever be,” Honour replied sarcastically, shrugging into a leather harness. He was chosen to bear the wagon of supplies, since he was the strongest out of the three.

“Well let’s go!”

“NOT SO FAST!” ordered a stern, male voice

The assembled three were quickly surrounded by a dozen Royal Guards. About five unicorns, four pegasi, and three earth ponies, each brandishing a spear or sword. A burly earth pony stallion stepped forward and levelled his sword at the three of them. His next words were laced with hatred and anger.

“By order of the Princesses Celestia and Luna of Equestria, we place you under arrest,” he growled, his companions muttered approvingly

“On what charge?” Verity demanded

“On the attempted murder of Frolicsome Meadowlark, and the death of Sunshine Smiles,” he replied evenly

"Preposterous!" Verity exclaimed, stamping a hoof into the ground

“Relinquish your weapons, and kneel on the ground with your hooves behind your head,”

Seeing that none of the ponies in front of him complied, he added

“It wasn’t a request,”

Verity cast her eyes to Honour Bound, who shrugged in response. She then turned to Astral, who offered her a wink, and a shake of his staff. Realising the meaning, she motioned for Honour to get ready, as he too noticed Astral’s gesture.

“Sorry, ladies and gentle colts,” Astral announced, imitating a stage performer and gesturing to all the guards before him “But I’m afraid we won’t be sticking around for long,”

“Oh, and why’s that?” replied the leader guard with an arched eyebrow

“Because, you’ll be scared witless before any of you even reach us,”

Astral then raised the staff in his hoof into the air. The gem fixed to its top began to glow more brightly, tendrils of violet light arcing across its surface like solar flares. The guard leader widened his eyes in shock, but quickly pointed his sword at the blue unicorn and cried

“SEIZE THEM!”

But it was too late. By the time even one of them made one step, Astral brought his staff to the ground with a resounding *CRACK*. The ground around him erupted with purple energy. The magic slithered across the grass from his staff, and entangled all the guards in chains of violet light. All of them struggled against their bonds, but their efforts proved fruitless as their binds only held them tighter. They were then forced to the ground as the chains wound tighter and tighter through the ground, eliminating any hope for escape. The guard leader glared daggers at the three, fury etched across every part of his face. Astral merely smiled at him in return. As the unicorn focused, his eyes glowed a sickly green, and purple smoke escaped from the back of his eyelids. His smile only grew wider, becoming cruel as he uttered his next two words.

“Fear me,” he said simply

Green light burst from his eyes, and enveloped the captured guards before him. The blinding flash happened only for a moment, but its effects were disastrous for his would-be assailants. All that was left of the Royal Guards, were a gibbering, thrashing and flailing group of ponies. They all convulsed on the ground, muttering and crying in silent fear as they lived through the horrible nightmare that Astral had subject them to. All their eyes glowed the same sickly green as the pony who did this to them.

Astral let out a sigh, the glow in his eyes fading till it showed his normal ones. He turned to his companions, who up until now, had shielded their eyes with their hooves.

“Honour, bring the wagon back to the laboratory. Verity, make sure that Chest Nut, Charlene and the foals are brought somewhere safe,”

Honour Bound nodded and galloped away, hauling the wagon full now pointless ingredients behind him. Verity started to go, but quickly turned to face her brother.

“What are you going to do?” she asked worriedly

Astral gave her a frown as he uttered the words “I’m putting the mansion into lock down,”

Verity gasped in surprise, but quickly nodded, and ran full pelt back to the Mansion. Astral turned to the magical barrier that encompassed the Estate and began to chant. The dome of magic rippled an opaque purple, then green, then gold and continued to in succession. Runes danced across its surface as he chanted. His words and own magical power empowered the barrier in all possible ways, reinforcing it for the potential battle to come.

“Help would arrive another day,” Astral muttered

They were about to be very busy.

The Old Castle (Thousand years ago)

Night approached quickly over the old Equestrian landscape, as Celestia set the sun to make way for the night. Sunshine Smiles sat on in her bedroom while she set about the task. He had a good look around the castle, and for a Princess of the Sun, Celestia sure spent a lot of her time in the darkness. The halls were lit sparsely, and only by candle. The very room he sat in was lit by only three candles, positioned on the ground, in the centre of the room. His keen bat pony eyesight allowed him to see tattered fabric, and splinters of wood shoved up against the wall. The only intact furnishings were a table, a study, three chairs, a dresser, and a luxurious four poster bed. All of which started to gather dust, besides the bed which looked to be the most frequently used object in the room.

Celestia trotted down from the tower, levitating a tray with a teapot and two cups after her. She slumped lazily in her bed, and buried her face in her pillow. Muffled sobbing could be heard as she lay down on her stomach. Wishing to break the tension, Sunshine took a tentative sip on the still boiling hot tea.

“Jasmine,” Sunshine noted

Celestia looked up from her pillow with tear stained eyes.

“It was Luna’s favourite,” she sniffled

It disturbed Sunshine to see her like this. Every time he’s met her, she was always calm and collected, no matter what the situation, she was on top of it. It pained him to see the immortal princess, who would guide Equestria alone for a thousand years, grieve for her sister in such a way. He was beginning to see a whole new side to the normally passive guise of the Celestia he knew and served. Celestia gently blew into a tissue, and threw the used paper out the balcony window, and into the crevice below. She began to collect her composure, clearing her throat, sitting up and straightening her robe.

“So,” she started. She sounded calm again, but it sounded forced as well, sadness was still evident in her voice “If you are from the future, how far exactly,”

“About one thousand years,” Sunshine replied casually

Celestia’s eyes widened at this sudden turned of events. She scrambled off the bed and stood uncomfortably close to the bat pony.

“My sister, how is she? Is she well?” she blurted, her expression was now pleading to him for a good answer

“She is fine and well, princess,” Sunshine said “She rules by your side once more,”

“Tell me!”

Her tone was hungry and desperate, like she’d been starving for some good news. Realising her sudden outburst, Celestia sighed, and moved to sit opposite to Sunshine, the tea set between them.

“Sorry,” she mumbled, sounding ashamed for he sudden burst of emotion “Please, tell me more,”

Sunshine sat up. He drew a breath, wondering how he was going to explain it to her. Finally, he decided to be truthful, if it meant getting himself back home. But knowing about the potential consequences of future knowledge, he chose to keep some things to himself.

“I wish I could tell you everything,” Sunshine began “But future knowledge can have large consequences,”

“Please,” Celestia pleaded “Anything you can tell me will do,”

“Where to start,” he sighed “A thousand years from now, you will take on another student. You will teach her personally, and the two of you become the best of friends. On the day of the Summer Sun Celebration, exactly one thousand years from her banishment, Nightmare Moon will break free,”

“Why are you telling me this? Will she ever come back?” Celestia asked, tears flowing down her cheeks again

“I was getting to that. This student will make five friends. The six of them will become the new bearers of the Elements of Harmony, and cleanse Luna of the Nightmare forces,”

Celestia breathed a sigh of relief as Sunshine continued

“You would invite her to rule by your side once more, and she will accept it willingly. From then on, you will rule together, like old times,”

Celestia looked to be on the verge of crying again, but this time, she was smiling. She levitated tissue over to herself and begun cleaning up the steady stream of tears.

“Thank you,” she said “I needed that,”

“You are most welcome, Princess,”

Celestia got up and moved towards the dresser. She began throwing things out carelessly, obviously looking for something. Finally, she found it, a simple metal key hung on a gold thread.

“You wish to go home, don’t you,” she smiled

Although it looked like she was still grieving for her lost sister, she seemed to be a lot happier now than before. There was a twinkle behind her tear streaked eyes that reminded Sunshine of the Celestia he’s always known.

“Of course,” he replied questioningly “but I don’t have a clue how,”

Celestia approached him, and motioned for him to hold out his hoof. Doing so, Celestia gently placed the key in his hoof, then closed his hoof around the key.

“This was given to me by a stranger, a long time ago,” she explained “He said that if I ever needed help, all I had to do was put all my hopes into it, and he will appear. You have need of him, much more than I do,”

Sunshine looked up at her, a confused expression on his face.

“Take the key,” she continued “and in time, he will come to take you home,”

Sunshine nodded to her, and then went to leave.

“Goodbye, Sunshine Smiles,” Celestia farewelled “It’s been a pleasure talking to you,”

"And to you, Princess Celestia," he said, bowing to the solar alicorn.

Sunshine smiled and waved back at the Princess, as he made his way out the door, and into the world outside.

Chapter 18: A Battle on Two Fronts

With newfound confidence, Sunshine Smiles wore the key around his neck, and flew right out of the old castle. He did three lazy loops before gliding gently down to where Lance had stationed camp. The camp consisted of four tents and a small campfire, set out the traditional camping way. Lance sat with his back to his tent, whittling a small statuette with his hunting knife. Rough House sat by the fire, staring intently into its hearth. Much to the bat pony’s surprise, Carver Pie had returned, and was now wrapped up in a blanket, curled up by the fire. Potence was nowhere to be found, she was presumably hiding in her tent. Golden Lance was the first to notice him. He quickly sheathed his knife and stowed his whittling project in his tent, then proceeded to greet his fellow lieutenant.

“Ah, Sunshine, you’re back,” he said, giving him the customary salute “How’d your business go?”

Sunshine returned the salute

“Rather well. Celestia gave me this,” he said, gesturing to the key around his neck “She said that if I out my hope into it, some pony would come round to get me out of here,”

“Lucky you then,” Lance chuckled “I won’t pry, but it’s nice to know that Celestia’s still in there,”

Sunshine took it as his dismissal, then began to pitch his own tent. It was identical to the others, a waterproof cloth suspended over two triangles made of sticks. Also, like the others, it was built to house two, yet each pony had one to his or herself. He supposed that they could use a little comfort before the dark night ahead. He was just about to finish his tent, the familiar form of Potence. She gingerly walked over to Sunshine, summoning the courage to speak to him.

“Um, excuse me?” she asked quietly

Had it not been a bat pony she was talking to, they probably have dismissed it as back round noise.

“Something on your mind, Potence?” Sunshine responded, hammering down the anchor points for his tent

“I was just wondering,” she whispered “How did you get into the Guard?”

Sunshine stopped his hammering and through a curious look to the shy Pegasus.

“Funny,” he said “That’s the first question that popped into my head when I saw you,”

He went trotted over to the fire place and motioned for Potence to sit beside him. Sensing an impending story, the others sat down and watched him eagerly.

“Now,” Sunshine sighed “Where to begin…”

Astral’s Estate (Present Time)

Honour Bound galloped with all his might back to the mansion. The landscape blurred past him, the only thing clear to him was his destination. When he finally reached it, he didn’t stop, and ran straight for a vine covered brick wall. Focusing his magic, a green sheen rippled across his body, and the wagon trailing behind him. Instead of ploughing straight through, a ring of green fire erupted from the wall’s base, growing wider and wider in diameter. Without hesitation, Honour Bound dove right into it. He now found himself in the main room of the Mansion’s underground laboratory. Quickly unharnessing himself from the wagon, he turned back the way he came, and used the glowing ring of fire to jump right back into the outside world. What he found at the other side, didn’t surprise him in the slightest.

An assembly of eight Royal Guards stood defiantly before him. Each had a spear pointed at his chest, and a sword scabbard strapped to their left side. There were five unicorns and three pegasi. Honour Bound grinned at the prospect of battle, and let his mind relax. The disguise he wore for so long burned up in green flame, showering the ponies before him in ragged chunks of ash. Honour Bound felt the confines of his form loosen, as he began to grow taller. His exoskeleton became harder, resembling armour more than a part of his body. His horn grew longer and more crooked, like Queen Chrysalis’ during the Canterlot invasion. His wings grew larger, a second pair sprouting behind the first. Raw power shimmered across his form like an angry fire, ready to lash out at any who dare came closer. The only ponies who have ever witnessed this form and lived, were his family, and three princesses mere days beforehoof.

Relishing the freedom of his true form, he towered before the guards and eyed them hungrily. He tasted the aroma of fear flow off of them like water from a spring. His mouth watered as he geared up for an attack, sparks of lightning crackled across his body, swirling at the tip of his horn.

“Kneel!” he screeched, letting loose an arc of terrible green flame.

The attack was poorly fended, as all but three ponies were blown metres away, lying still as unconsciousness claimed them. The remaining guards fared no better, the attack robbed them of all the fighting strength they had, leaving them breathless and on the verge of collapse themselves. Honour Bound strode towards them, the grass wilting in his wake. He put a hoof underneath one of the remaining guard’s chin and raised his eyes to meet his own. In the changelings eyes, the guard so only his altered reflection, no remorse or pity could be found in those emerald green eyes. The guard began to shiver as his mind broke down with fear. This only made Honour even more eager to take it. The changeling brought his mouth closer, salivating at the prospect of a meal. Honour Bound closed his eyes, opened his fanged mouth, and inhaled deeply.

More than air was drawn into his gaping maw. A blue-white vapour radiated out of the guard, and was immediately sucked into the hungry changeling’s mouth. The guard didn’t feel afraid anymore, he felt it literally drain from his body. He grew weary, quickly becoming unable to stand on his own. When Honour was finished, the guard slumped forward, as exhaustion finally claimed him. Honour Bound looked up at the remainder of his numerous adversaries. All eight of them were now nothing but unconscious stallions in field of grass. Honour Bound grinned wickedly, eagerly awaiting the next wave of his would-be prosecutors.

Charlene and Chest Nut did their best to pack the bags of the foals and their own. Astral taught that lying to children was a sure fire way to make them complacent, so the four foals were completely aware of the situation. Charlene packed two sets of clothes, some food and some form of entertainment for each foal. She crammed them all into a single suit case and carried it along with her as she galloped full pelt to the arranged meeting place. Chest Nut and Verity were organising a stage coach to take them away from the mansion. They decided to take Astral’s coach, an ornate black carriage with gold trimming, built to transport six ponies. It was luxurious by today’s standards, sporting red velvet seats, tables and two sets of curtains on each window.

Two burly earth stallions, both Big Macintosh size, were harnessed to the coach. They were both a dark grey, with deep blue armour, reminiscent of the Night Guard’s. Their eyes held no pupils, only an opaque aquamarine colour. Verity stood by the coach, still clad in gold armour, while Chest Nut and the foals clambered inside. Charlene arrived in the nick of time, securing the baggage to the roof, she took her position at the driver’s seat, holding the reins of the two stallions before her. Just before she geared them up to go, she caught a flat dark object flung at her by Verity.

In her hoof was a round, smooth river pebble. Etched onto its surface was a rune shaped like snowflake.

“Take the sigil with you,” Verity instructed gesturing to the stone “Run through the gates to the south of the Estate. It will take you to the Crystal Empire,”

Charlene nodded, and stowed the sigil in her saddle bag.

“Good luck,” she said, then snapped at the reins, causing the stallions to gallop forward, pulling the carriage with it.

Verity watched them go, then as soon as they were out of sight, she turned to the Weeping Angel which stood silently behind her this whole time.

“Come,” she said to the Angel “We have a lot of work to do,”

The Old Castle (Thousand Years Ago)

The first thing they saw was a green glow in the distance.

The company of five had long since fallen asleep. The starless night sky cloaked the land in darkness. Not even the moon shone through its shroud. They spent the evening telling stories of how they got to where they are now. So long have they spent without interruption, that they have all succumbed to the need for sleep. However, they’re sleep was fitful, as a distant rumbling threatened to wake them. Golden Lance was the first one to wake, and quickly roused the other guards, but left Carver Pie sleeping soundly in her tent. As the glow grew closer, the lights began to separate. A cluster of three bobbed along close to the ground, while a larger source swayed several metres above it. Its movement was accompanied by the cracking of metal against stone.

“What is it?” Sunshine asked, bewildered at the sight before them

“It’s one of them,” Lance growled “Rough House, Potence, take up your positions and light the warding torches. Sunshine, get yourself a weapon. Looks like we’re about to be very busy,”

The Guards obediently followed their orders. Taking a piece of lit firewood each, Potence and Rough lit the perimeter marked by glowing blue torches. These torches shone a bright cyan light, illuminating a large amount of the surrounding grounds, humming persistently as they shone. Sunshine snatched his sword from his pack, as well as his belt of throwing knives. Hurrying back out, he saw the creature finally come into view.

It was huge, easily the size of a small barn. It walked in a steady gait on its four large, shield like legs. They reached up to the height of its tail and impaled the ground beneath with razor sharp points. The main body was smaller, forming a disk shaped cephalothorax the size of a tent. It had three narrow, blank eyes, glowing a sickly, piercing green. Its tail arched over its body, like a scorpion’s. The same green glow could be seen between its three claw like stingers. The whole thing’s black shell glistened in the fire light.

“Potence, get your crossbow,” Lance ordered

The shy Pegasus dove behind a log, then fumbled for her crossbow, loading in a bolt, drawing back the string and took aim.

“FIRE!”

The bolt sailed straight and true, whistling as it made its deadly path through the air. It hit its mark with a hard thwack, causing the creature’s stride to stutter. Sadly, it did not do much else. The Darkling let loose a horrifying shriek, like claws raking across a chalk board. It stopped its advance and levelled its tail at the fearful Pegasus. The glow between its three stingers steadily glowed brighter. Having fought these creatures before, Lance yelled urgently at the rest of the guards.

“Hit the ground!”

With a loud squelching sound, a large projectile covered in glowing green goo was flung at them from the beast’s tail. All ponies hit the dirt in time as its attack flew over their heads, landing with a thud several metres behind them. Sunshine took a glimpse at the projectile. It looked like a bee’s stinger, but much larger, almost the length of a spear. The glowing green goo turned out to be acid, as it ate its way into the stone beneath it. No sooner had he looked back, than another stinger flew right passed him, missing his head by centimetres. Sunshine grimaced in pain as a drop from the stinger landed on his exposed foreleg, melting through his flesh and exposing bone. Oddly, no blood flowed as the acid melted that too.

“Don’t let it touch you!” Lance warned.

“Now you tell me!” Sunshine yelled furiously, hastily bandaging his new wound.

The Darkling eventually grew tired of its ranged assault, and battered the warding torches away with a sweep of its claw. With the gaurds only advantage gone, the creature advanced again, chittering menacingly as it readied yet another stinger. Mustering his courage, Lance charged forward, impaling the creature’s front leg with his spear. The creature howled in frustration and tried to dislodge him. Lance hung on tightly, drawing his sword and hacking relentlessly at the creature’s leg. Sunshine charged in next, jumping and landing atop the creature’s carapace, and stabbing downward with his sword. Whereas Lance found a chink in its armour, Sunshine only found hard plating, as his sword rebounded harmlessly. Rough house charged in last, while Potence continued to provide cover fire with her trusty cross bow.

Rough house used the momentum from his charge to slide underneath the creature, stabbing upward with his spear. The spear went right through the Darkling’s soft underbelly, going in until half the shaft was stuck inside it’s body. When Rough went to pull it out however, things began to go very, very wrong.

The creature’s blood was acid, the same liquid that dribbled freely from its tail. When Rough withdrew the spear, he only got half the shaft back, and a healthy dose of poison to the face. The brave unicorn screamed in pain, trying fruitlessly to remove the acid as it worked its way through his head, melting flesh, boiling blood and singing bone. It took only moments as Rough House’s lifeless form, crumpled to the ground, his eyes mere hollow sockets, and his face stretched into an empty, lipless smile. It was all too much for poor Potence as she immediately dropped her bow, curled up and cried. Seeing its reprieve, the Darkling readied its tail for another attack, but this time, with no stinger.

Lance heard a gurgling come from within the creature as a bulge made its way up its tail. He broke free from the creature and flew back a safe distance, metres away.

“Sunshine! Get out of there!” he yelled

Sunshine noticed the bulge too, and took off, abandoning his sword due to his haste. A huge spray of acid showered the area above the creature where the two guards were mere second’s beforehoof. Curiously, the acid did not affect the creature at all, dribbling off its exoskeleton like water before sizzling on the ground beneath it. The creature shrieked, flinging another stinger straight up into the sky. This one was a lot bigger, and brighter as it arced through the air like a deadly mortar. As the projectile made its descent, the two remaining ponies came to the realisation that they were in its downward path. The two of them took off in separate directions, seconds before the stinger landed.

Instead of striking the ground like all the previous ones, this stinger exploded violently, showering its surroundings with shrapnel and acid. Sunshine’s youth and natural agility allowed him to avoid the deadly shower. Golden Lance was far less lucky. A large shard of chitin buried itself in his left wing, causing him to fall in a downward spiral, where the creature hungrily awaited. With his last moments of life, Lance flung a gold object attached to a chain at Sunshine, who promptly caught it in both hooves. Lance closed his eyes, and remained calm as he awaited death by the worst possible means. The Darkling reared up, opening its fanged mouth as the doomed Pegasus fell inside, catching him neatly in its jaws. The creature swallowed him in one gulp, accompanied by a sickly bone crunching sound.

While the creature recovered from its meal, Sunshine took a quick peek at the object in his hooves. It was a locket, simple but elegant in design, shaped like an oval with the sun carved on both sides. Inside, were two pictures and a folded scrap of paper. One was of a younger Golden Lance standing proudly beside Princess Celestia. The other was him again, in a suit by a flowered archway, beside him a beautiful mare in a white dress. Realising Lance’s meaning, Sunshine stowed the locket, and turned back to the creature, vengeance burning deep inside his soul. Letting anger consume him, Sunshine yelled a battle cry and charged at the monstrosity before him, intent on avenging his comrades.

Chapter 19: Escalation

The few skirmishes between the guards, Honour Bound and Verity had escalated into a full blown siege. Astral Star’s magical fortifications required a period of recovery between absorbing punishment. The guards have worked out that focusing their attacks at one point will weaken the shield, until a small area gave in. They then hurried inside in small groups before the barrier regenerated. Honour Bound was doing a swell job of incapacitating many of the raiding parties, but even he couldn’t reach more than one at a time. For that reason, Verity had stationed a squad of Weeping Angels to key locations around the Estate. Entrances and exits around the building, as well as several more Angels roaming the ground randomly.

The landscape was strewn with unconscious guards, and abandoned armour and weaponry. Honour Bound stood above his next meal, a young earth pony mare who had blindsided him in his most recent skirmish. The changeling overwhelmed the guards in speed and strength. Moving with a velocity that defied his size, he quickly dealt with the mare’s comrades. The plucky little guard managed to cut a slash into his hide while his back was turned. The cut was shallow, but irritating as pain raced through it. In rage, he swept the mare away with a beat of his wings. Unlike the other guards he had fed on, this one did not reek of fear, but guilt and shame.

Using a bit of changeling magic Honour looked through her mind, ascertaining the source of this emotion. He found his answer in a familiar, yellow Pegasus with a gold circlet. He recognised her instantly, she was his very best friend after all. Wasting no time, he consumed her emotions, drawing it from her like air in a vacuum. Unlike the others though, he did not completely drain her, and left merely sleeping, rather than extremely exhausted. Savouring the taste of her emotions, he felt the wound on his back close over and heal, not even leaving a scar.

Satisfied, he marched off to the next group of guards, who had unwisely, not chosen to avoid him.

Verity was having a hard time with these guards. Not only was she not as magically versed as her brothers, but she was also very rusty when it came to combat. Several close calls were made as the guards forgot their orders to capture, and swung wildly in an effort to hit her. Each swing was dodged nimbly by the yellow Pegasus, darting left and right, just out of range then charging back in with an attack of her own.

Not wanting to kill the guards, she had long since traded her customary lance for a sword and flail, not the average mare’s weapons of choice. Wielding both weapons in her magical grip, thanks to her circlet, she wielded them with unmatched ease and flexibility. Both weapons were wreathed in electricity instead of steel blades, causing the slightest contact to shock her opponents into submission. Due to its lightning form, her flail mace had no limit in range, allowing her to deal with guards from a distance. One unicorn approached her, taking the initiative and casting a barrier to protect himself. Smart.

The guard struck first, hefting his massive halberd into a downward cleave. The attack was dodged easily, as Verity replied with a sharp stab with her sword. The electricity rippled and dissipated across the shield, dealing no damage to the guard, but causing his focus to waver. Verity repeated the pattern, dodge stab, dodge stab, wearing out the unicorn’s magical endurance rapidly. Soon the barrier failed altogether as a horizontal slash made its mark across his armour. The unlucky guard convulsed as electricity raced through his body, then collapsed to the ground. Seeing that he was still conscious, Verity spun her mace twice, then smacked it right into his exposed belly, sending him hurtling away. Now surely he was down now.

Verity stopped to sit down and catch her breath. She wished she had some kind of regenerative power, not quite like Honour Bound’s, but anything else would do. She stood up wearily, and made her way to the next group of invaders.

Astral spent the whole chaotic afternoon in the laboratory, creating a huge amount of modifications to the Mansion’s Magical Harmonizer. The Harmonizer was the Mansions power source, the huge column of light flowing from the bottom of the earth, and into the Mansion’s receiver. What he didn’t tell the Doctor, was that the Astral Archive and the Harmonizer were connected. The magical battery served as a conduit from which the Archive could use to access the mind and body of everything within reach. Astral loathed the idea of using these creations as weaponry, but he could not find any other way to repel them without harmful force. He had ordered Verity and Honour to incapacitate, not kill after all.

The Harmonizer and Archive worked in tandem. At the bottom of the pit from which the light column originates, is a huge, flawless crystal spire. It was an ancient artefact from far before Amaryllis’ time. It held almost all knowledge from the past, present and to some degree, the future. The Archive worked as a focal point from which the magical ley lines could be drawn from. The spire is like a well reaching a water table, basically. The Archive also interacts with any intelligent being within range, allowing them access to its information, should certain parameters be fulfilled. What Astral was doing, was manipulating the function of this magical telepathy to not only observe, but to directly implant information. He was going to broadcast his own nightmare spell into every pony on his Estate, who thought of themselves a Royal Guard.

The spell was engineered to torment the victim, until they fell asleep. Sleep induced this way can only be nulled by the counter spell, which any competent medical pony since the Crystal Empire should know. This way, he deterred all the guards, whilst doing minimal harm to them. Before he could finish and activate his modifications, the figure of a splendid golden alicorn shimmered into existence behind him.

“Are you sure you want to undertake this action, Astral Star?” Amaryllis asked

Astral turned to face her with a serious expression

“Do it,” he said

Amaryllis faded away to a haze of smoke, travelling into the column of light. Upon contact, the column shifted in colour from clean blue, to an ominous purple. Lightning travelled up its length, running through the ground above. On the surface, the guards began to scream.

Captain Shining Armour of the Equestrian Royal guard, was having a particularly rough day. Not only was this his first siege operation, and the first one in over a hundred year, but it was going disastrously. He had organised every guard available to contribute to the siege, as per the Princesses’ orders. What was not taken into account was the magical barrier that closed off the Estate entirely. It took a group of 12-15 guards to wear a small hole down enough to pass through, and even then, the breach only existed for a short period of time. Each breach made could only allow a group of 6-10 through, a little more if they had a running start, or were pegasi.

Shining Armour was a large, well-built unicorn stallion. He had a powder white coat, and a two toned blue and light blue mane and tail. He wore the customary Captain’s armour, an purple and gold alternative to the traditional golden colour.

Any guard that made it through only wound up somewhere outside the Estate’s perimeter in a catatonic state. The medical officers identified it as a fear spell, similar in nature to King Sombra’s, but restrained to the point that it only acted while they were conscious. As an instinct action to protect itself, the pony mind withdrew into a coma until the spell could be lifted, lest it be exposed to more psychological harm. Shining found it puzzling how beings so obviously powerful did not use any kind of lethal force. He was deployed to capture murderers after all, not invade some pony’s land. It wasn’t even a proper castle!

His makeshift camp was steadily growing in size as more guards arrived from Canterlot, and even more who required medical attention. It was positioned on the side of the Mansion farthest from Ponyville, as to not attract attention. It was a haphazard mess of white tents, surrounding a larger purple one, with guards walking about like ants in a colony. Morale was low, since no guard has ever made it even close to the actual building, without being put down.

“Captain Shining Armour!” said a voice behind him

He turned to see a Pegasus mare donned in the traditional Royal Guard armour. She was well built, but slender as well. Her coat oddly was not affected by the enchantment in the armour, so it was its original creamy yellow. Her gold mane and tail were a little long, but raggedly cut, like she styled it with her own sword. Against regulation, she had her heavy long sword strapped across her left side, under her wing, and a gold circlet with a sky blue gem inset into it, peeking from underneath her helmet. Considering the situation, Shining decided he could let uniform slide for now.

The mare trotted up to him and greeted him formally.

“Sergeant Venia Honora, reporting for duty sir,” she said, saluting her higher ranking officer

“At ease, Sergeant,” Shining stated calmly, returning the salute “I want you to help with the Northern Offensive, there is a huge changeling blocking off our invasion parties. We need all the help we can get to immobilise him,”

“Understood sir,”

“Good,”

“Just one question,”

Shining raised an eyebrow “Yes?”

“Has Princess Celestia ever told you what exactly we are dealing with?” she asked sceptically

The Captain mulled it over a bit

“No,” he admitted “She hasn’t, but we got our orders, we need to apprehend these ponies. Understood?”

“Understood,” she confirmed with a nod, but doubt was still present

And with that, she took off, heading towards the Northern front. Something seemed odd about this mission. It hadn’t even been two weeks since she was stationed at the Crystal Empire, when she was pulled back to Canterlot on urgent circumstances. There was apparently a trio of murderers near Ponyville, and if they were who she thought they were…

Shaking the thought out of her head, she instead focused on the task at hand.

Upon arrival, Venia found that there was no pony there. Until she looked to the shield, and saw forty-something Royal guards writhing on the ground. The breach in the barrier they made was still opening, meaning that it happened recently. Thinking quickly, Venia hopped right through, as the breach closed over with hiss and a slash of sparks. Venia was just about to land, but resorted to hovering instead. All of the guards who have taken the northern offensive lay motionless on the grass beneath her, purple lightning danced across their bodies. Curious, Venia tapped the ground gently, with a bit of her hoof. She immediately regretted it.

Electricity raced up the contact and dispersed across her body, threatening her current safety. Venia gasped in shock and withdrew her hoof, struggling to keep her wings balanced in an effort to stay off the ground. Her actions did not go unnoticed however, as a bolt of green magic sailed right past her cheek. It was so close to making its mark, that it singed her helmet to the point of it shrivelling. A giant of a changeling strode purposely towards her, casually tossing away his latest meal, a cruel smile on his fanged face.

“I would run if I were you,” he hissed mockingly “But I would still shoot you down within inches of where you are now,”

Venia immediately went for her sword, but before she could even reach it, a stream of green light lacerated the strap. The sword clattered noisily on the grass below, immediately becoming engulfed in familiar purple energy. Honour Bound stared at her casually, his horn smoking slightly from his latest spell.

“Now, would you do me a favour and turn around?” he asked of her innocently “She needs so much practice,”

She whipped round, only to be tackled straight to the ground by a blur of gold feathers and armour. The figure pinning her could’ve been her own reflection, had she taken a bit more care of herself. The only difference was their mane style, and that this mare’s eyes were sunrise yellow, while her own were a light pink. The newcomer had Venia’s neck trapped in the arch of her halberd. She was suspended millimetres from the ground by an aura of purple magic, originating from her foe’s circlet. Purple lightning swarmed below her, just itching to reach her. Now that she thought about it, her opponent looked a lot like herself.

Wait a minute.

Venia now really had a look at the figure above her, while the figure did the same.

“Venia?” the figure asked tentatively

“Veritas?” Venia astonishingly replied

What happened after was a girly squeal from each of them, and a warm hug that lasted five minutes, giggling all the way through.

“I missed you so much!” Verity exclaimed, pulling her twin away to get a better look

“Me too!” Venia cried “It’s been just too long hasn’t it?”

Verity released her hold on Venia, letting her drop to the ground. The electricity dispersed around her, no longer seeing a threat. Not wishing to get in the way of a happy reunion, but wanting to get a move on, Honour Bound stopped their conversation by politely clearing his throat.

“Excuse me, ladies,” he said “I would hate to interrupt your chat, but we have a lot to do,”

“Honour Bound!” Venia squealed, wrapping the changeling in a tight hug “My, you’ve grown! I didn't even recognise you!”

“Not really,” he blushed “This was how I always looked like. You’ve only seen a disguise so far,”

He disentangled himself from Venia’s embrace and began trotting back to the Mansion.

“Come along now!” he called back “Astral would like to see both of you,”

Venia and Verity happily trotted behind him, exchanging questions and answers excitedly as they went.

“Venia!” Astral cried, wrapping his hooves around the gold Pegasus “How I’ve missed you! It’s been…”

“Two months,” Venia smiled

“Only two months?” Astral remarked “I must be getting old. Anyway…”

He turned and rummaged around in the drawer behind him. He eventually withdrew an ornate circlet, identical to the one Verity wore, but there was a space where a gem should be. He offered it to Venia, bowing on his right hoof, levitating the circlet before him.

“Welcome back.” He smiled, looking up at a confused Venia

Honour Bound took Venia’s plain-looking circlet right off her head, and pulled the gem from its place. He then took the other circlet from Astral, and transferred the sky blue gem. Finished, he reverently set it upon Venia’s head. Realising the meaning of this impromptu ceremony, Venia began to get a little teary. Astral could swear that she was crying by this point. Venia was always a very emotional mare, more so than all but few of her sisters.

“Matriarch of the Motherland,” Honour finished, then added “Or at least a part of her,”

He earned a room of giggles and a friendly punch in the shoulder for his crack at humour. Recovering from his fit of laughter, Astral motioned for them all to join him. They gathered around a large table in the Mansion’s library. On it, were various old pieces of parchment, each detailing some form of diagram. Astral brought forth a larger piece, a full map of the whole Estate.

“Okay,” Astral started “We have guards penetrating the barrier here, here and here,”

He gestured to several points around the perimeter, each one glowed a soft red at the touch of his hoof.

“We don’t have many assets,” he continued “Honour Bound and Verity can only hold them off for so long. Eventually, they’re going to find a weak point in the deterrent field I’ve set up, and are going to resume the attack,”

“Well its one heck of a deterrent field,” Venia commented “You have guards dropping like flies out there,”

“Well, I do my best,”

He paused, tapping a hoof to his chin in thought.

“Why the princesses would resort to arresting us on the suspicion that we’ve killed two of their officers is beyond me. After all, they’ve been sent on an espionage mission to my Mansion. I’d like to see that hold up in court. One question though, what are you doing here anyway?”

“Captain Shining Armour had received orders to use any available guards to apprehend you guys,” Venia shrugged “Myself included. The princesses seem to have over-estimated your abilities,”

“Well, with the show we’re putting on, they think they didn’t. In fact, the Princesses themselves might just waltz in here to take us themselves,” Honour noted

“That’ll be the day,” Astral chuckled “When Celestia and Luna fly all the way here just to see us in chains,”

“Well, looks like we don’t have to wait long,” Verity whispered sombrely, cradling a small golden tiara in her hooves “They’re on their way,”

Chapter 20: Turning the Tide

Old Castle (One Thousand Years Ago)

Sunshine Smiles gathered up all his fury and strength, and charged at the Darkling. He slammed into its side, causing it to reel sideways in an attempt to regain balance. The Night Guard didn’t stop there, he delivered quick, strong slashes with deadly accuracy, each scoring a weak point in the creature’s armour. Finishing his assault, he backed up to survey the damage. Glowing green acidic blood flowed freely from all the gaps in its main carapace, as well as several punctures made by the spears of his fallen comrades. There were several cross bow bolts lodged into its exoskeleton, thanks to Potence. Its right front leg wobbled and shook as it bore weight on it, blood trickling from the wounds inflicted by Golden Lance. His survey was cut short as a projectile singer missed him by inches.

Nimbly dodging all the creature’s projectiles, he dove in again, hacking and slashing relentlessly at the Darkling’s weak points. It screamed in rage and frustration, trying desperately to deter the persistent guard. In a last ditch effort, it fired a stinger right at Sunshine as he landed on the creature’s back. Hearing the hissing sound that forewarned an incoming stinger, Sunshine took off again, flying erratic loops to avoid it. Luckily for him, the stinger impacted right where he was moments ago, the creature’s back. The sheer force of the projectile, as well as its size, made the creature’s legs give out underneath it. The stinger pierced right through the body, and hooked itself to the ground. The Darkling screamed and screeched as it tried futilely to pull itself off of its own stinger.

Sunshine took this opportunity to go in for the final attack. Flying two vertical loops for momentum, he sped straight towards the monster’s head. Deftly dodging the creature’s feeble attempts to ward him off, he went for a corkscrew, severing the creature’s head like a black spear, with momentum and sword alone. Its head dropped to the ground with a sickening thud, while the rest of its body thrashed and spasmed. It eventually sat still, acid trickling to the ground, sizzling against the rocks. Sunshine observed the damage. The creature’s torso, legs and tail were still intact, but impaled to the ground. Its head was a couple metres away, the glowing in its eyes dimmed as the last of its lifeblood bled out. A burning sound brought his attention to his sword, just a handle and crosspiece now, thanks to the Darkling’s acid blood.

He trotted back to the camp, where a weeping mare lay on the ground in a pool of fresh tears. Seeing the sadness in her eyes, Sunshine gathered her up from the ground, and pulled her into a warm and comforting hug. Potence seemed to resist at first, but then gripped him tightly, crying into his shoulder.

“Shhhh, It’s okay, its gone now,” Sunshine cooed, stroking the mare’s back as she relaxed into him.

He held her like that for minutes, as she wept gently for the death of her friends. After what might have been eternity, she finally broke away, and wiped her tears with a hoof.

“Um, thanks,” she whispered, smiling sheepishly

“No problem,” Sunshine replied, offering her a comforting grin.

This touching moment was interrupted as several more green lights appeared in the darkness, hundreds of them. Sunshine hoped they were just fireflies, but in his heart, he knew better. Lance wasn’t kidding when he said scores came in the night. Sunshine frowned grimly at the prospect of the terrible night to come.

To his relief, or chagrin, the creatures advanced on him one at a time. Seeing the demise of their brother, the other Darklings shielded their faces as soon as Sunshine took to the air. Potence was alright again, and provided a distraction with her crossbow. She had plenty of ammunition, since she was the only one using it. Despite her reserved nature, she was a deadly marks pony, scoring several hits on Darkling eyes before they have a chance of protecting themselves. That also made her a target for the ranged stingers that flew by her log shelter.

As the creatures focused fire on Potence’s position, it opened up an opportunity for the Night Guard. Taking a loop for speed, he dove towards the closest Darkling from behind and severed both legs on one side with immense speed and force.

His target collapsed to its left, sending an ill-aimed stinger into the Darkling in front. Screeching angrily, it turned and fired at the crippled monster, ending its life with an acidic barb through the skull. Seeing his sixth, and last sword broken, he landed next to his latest kill and hacked off a piece of its leg with his hunting knife. With a makeshift, acid-proof weapon in hoof, he charged back into battle, brimming with newfound confidence.

Potence was more terrified than she’d ever been in her life, and that is an impressive record. She had lived a very sheltered life, under the cover of her overprotective parents. When the time came to ‘leave the nest’ everything new terrified her. Despite her shy nature, she was an excellent marks pony. She left many an instructor baffled as to how such a delicate pony could ever shoot another, let alone become a Royal Guard. For all her faults and weaknesses, she was one good shot.

Each one of Potence’s crossbow bolts scored a hit directly into a weak point in the advancing Darkling’s armour. Despite her deadly show of accuracy, the bolts did little to slow their advance, and seemed to only irritate them further. Several times had she been forced to duck under an incoming stinger. Her log shelter was quickly dissolving as projectile after projectile impacted it with a loud thud. Her shots did however, distract them from the deadly bat pony above, who took out one Darkling at a time with deadly speed and strength.

Sunshine begun to feel weary with each kill he made. He must have slain a veritable army already, yet even more lay just beyond his vision, their green glow signalling their presence. The hourglass by the campfire said that he still had 4 hours until the sun rises. Reinforcements wouldn’t arrive until then, and Princess Celestia is in no shape to deal with them herself. If any make it past him and Potence, they would surely go into the Citadel. So caught up in though was he, that a three clawed tail snatched him right out of the air.

The claw gripped him so tightly, that it didn’t leave him any room to cut himself free. Even if he did, all he would get is a bucket load of acid, and that would surely guarantee his demise, if the creature below did not. He hung suspended in the air as the fanged, gaping maw of the creature below widened to accommodate him. The inside was no more a mouth, than a tunnel of teeth, with acid dripping from every surface. Slowly he was lowered down, as if the creature wanted to savour the look of fear in the eyes of its prey, just as much as its taste. Just when he lost hope, a new one sprung from the fray.

Carver Pie was wearing a thick, dusty brown coat that was a plain as her personality. She also wore a black hard hat with a candle fixed to the front, and a determined expression on her face. With great strength and speed, she leapt from the ground and swung a large iron pick axe straight between the Darkling’s eyes. The monster screeched in agony, dropping Sunshine and allowing him to fly to safety. The Night Guard and earth pony regrouped behind the log where Potence took shelter.

“Nice of you to join us,” Sunshine smiled “Thanks for the save,”

“Not a problem,” Carver replied, a ghost of a smile on hers “I’m not going to get paid if you’re all dead now am I?”

Sunshine and Potence cringed at the thought.

“Well, as long as you’re here, we could at least hold them off for a little longer,” the bat pony commented “How long have we got until sunrise?”

Potence took a glance at her hourglass, and it didn’t look good.

“About 8 hours,” she answered fearfully

“Well isn’t that just great?” Carver remarked sarcastically

Suddenly, a large stinger, brighter than the rest, impaled itself into the ground one metre from their position, on their side of the log. Sunshine’s eyes turned wide with shock as a terrible realisation came to him.

“Every pony! Get down!” he ordered

Thinking quickly, Carver Pie shrugged off her coat, and draped it over the three of them as the stinger detonated with a hiss and boom like an exploding boiler. All the stray shards of rock and chitin were absorbed by the coat, but Carver had to quickly abandon it as acid ate its way through. She took a sorrowful glance back at the blackened remains of her coat, it was her favourite after all. Sunshine looked inquiringly at her pickaxe, which seemed relatively unharmed, even when it was swung into a Darkling’s face.

“Carver, what’s that axe made from?” Sunshine asked

“Why do you want know?” Carver asked suspiciously

“Their blood is acid, and your pick doesn’t melt in it, even though you just killed one,”

“Some pony turned up at my house last week and sold me this,” she shrugged “Promised me I would never need a new one, and it looks like I won’t,”

Ending the conversation, Carver vaulted over their log shelter, and brought the point of her pick down onto an approaching Darkling’s leg. The leg severed with a sickening crack, as the monster lost balance and ploughed into the dirt before her. Bringing in her axe for another swing, she drove it right between the creature’s three glowing eyes, ending its pitiful existence in one stroke. Following the queue, Sunshine and Potence leapt into action. Sunshine returned to the sky to dismember and hopefully kill a Darkling with one fell swoop, while Potence sought to distract them from her two comrades.

Sunshine dove in a lateral arc, flying loops around the monsters, and severing chunks of armour with his improvised sword. The Darkling’s shrieked in agony as legs and even tails were severed from their bodies. Carver leapt from foe to foe, finishing what Sunshine started. All the creatures before her fell as her pick made short work of their faces. Being born on a farm, she was extremely fit and strong, with a resilient nature that kept her going despite the atrocities committed by ally and enemy alike. Potence’s crossbow drew in their attention as bolt after bolt pierced their exoskeletons. Even more found their way into their eyes, sending them reeling in pain. By the time they reached Carver, they were moving at a sluggish pace, bleeding profusely, and blind as a bat, though by some animalistic compulsion, they kept going.

Darkling’s fell left and right, their big black bodies creating obstacles for the ones behind. They were bottle necked into single file as they tried the narrow passage to the guarded bridge. Their corpses littered the ground, creating pools of acidic blood, which were bounded across gracefully by the pick axe wielding mare. The tides turned as the Darkling’s onslaught decayed to a standoff, the only thing keeping them equal being numbers. For the first time the whole team started to smile.

They were winning.

Canterlot Throne room (Present)

Princess Celestia was not in a happy mood. Murder was a serious crime, one that has been committed very rarely. Incidents only occur once or twice a decade, disregarding the occasional war or invasion. The three she’s after seem to be very dangerous, according to the information gathered. She knew the risk of sending in Luna’s two personal guards, but that did not make her anymore prepared for the consequences. Her sister was absent from her side, tending to the funeral of Sunshine Smiles. Obviously, the terms of his death have been kept secret. If ponies knew why he died, it could cause uproar in the populace.

What set her on such a sour mood, lie in the ongoing siege. Firstly it wasn’t supposed to be a siege in the first place, but the apprehension party she sent was quickly incapacitated. Magical fortifications surrounded the Estate, and any guard that managed to get through only wound up back out exhausted, unconscious or hurt, but otherwise alive. Without proper support, the siege can go on for far longer than considered acceptable. She had tried to keep it quiet, especially in such close proximity to Ponyville.

Sooner or later, they would be noticed if she did not take action, and end the siege. She strode outside the throne room, and prepared for a long flight. This time, she flew on the intent of seeing justice brought down upon its offenders.

Astral’s Estate

Astral and Venia were having tea out in the front gardens. Venia’s magic was standard, but her weapon expertise was exceptional. In stark contrast, Astral’s magical prowess was unequalled, but his swordsmanship left something to be desired. Neither of these traits could contribute well to the defence of the mansion, since they wanted minimal harm to come to the guards.

Verity was allowed for perimeter control for her ability to enchant certain objects with power, allowing the electric sword and flail she wielded. Honour Bound’s magic worked by draining all of his targets physical strength, and their mental strength too, should it be necessary. Weeping Angels stood silently behind every corner and sometimes in open space. The guards have long since been warned of their capabilities, being struck blind by their movement and stealth.

All in all, defending against the siege was a cup of tea for this group ponies.

“So, Venia,” Astral said, trying to light a conversation “How goes the guard work?”

Venia took a sip of her tea

“Not so bad,” she shrugged “I’ve been stationed at Canterlot since the last time I saw you, then the Crystal Empire before I got here,”

“The Empire?” Astral breathed, clearly impressed “Tell me, have you seen…”

“Of course I have,” she assured him “She’s doing well, and same to your little colt too. She asks where’ve you been though. It’s been a lonely month for her without you around,”

The blue unicorn chuckled a bit

“I’ll visit when all this blows over. I’m sure Celestia would listen to reason over instinct,”

As if by some cruel switch of fortune, the sky was illuminated by a harsh, golden glow. The light was blinding, and encompassed the whole Estate in its glow, leaving not even a shadow. The magical field brightened blue in response, trying in vain to keep the mansion sealed and protected. Eventually, as all good things come to an end, the field dissipated into a haze of cyan sparks. A majestic figure flew above the remains of the shield. A tall, slender white alicorn with a rippling mane and tail.

“Venia! Get out of here!” Astral commanded, hastily gathering his equipment

“I’m not leaving you,” she shouted, reaching for her own sword

“I’m not going to have you hurt, not again,” he replied intensely

A light blue aura gathered around his horn as he focused. The same aura wrapped around the struggling Pegasus, silencing all her pleas.

“I’m sorry,” he said with finality

She vanished in a shower of purple sparks, a scorch mark in the shape of a star on the ground where she had been standing not too long ago. Astral then turned away, and faced his foe above.

Chapter 21: Clashing Steel

Earlier in the Estate

Charlene thanked whatever God’s her grandparents believed in that the children they’ve been working with were silent. At least, relatively speaking. Crawling down from the driver’s seat, she took a position facing the three foals across the table. Elysium wouldn’t be quiet, excitedly whispering things to Noctilucent, and Asphodel, both of whom showed major disinterest in her words. Snowdrop was curled contently between Chest Nut and herself, sleeping soundly, and silently.

The two stallions who drove the carriage were not alive like she was. They were constructs of stone and magic, conjured up by Astral Star. This made them obedient and powerful, but stupid in the sense that they didn’t do any more than what they are told. Within minutes, the carriage came to a stop on a hill, far away from the Mansion, whilst still residing inside the Estate borders. Charlene and chest Nut quickly climbed out and surveyed their surroundings.

Surrounding them were four, perfectly round archways. They corresponded to the East, West, North and South headings. The North looked to be made of ice or crystal. East was composed of jagged rock and twisting vines. West was green and lush, made out of healthy trees and beautiful flowers. Lastly, south was made of red rock, with sand cascading down its edges. Charlene took out the runic sigil from her bag. The rune glowed an icy blue-white, as the northern archway began to swirl. A powerful wind picked up, and swirled around the gate, leeching temperature from the arch, quickly becoming a flurry of snow and ice. The wind flowed into the arch, and blew in a clockwise formation, like a portal.

“How’d you do that?” Chest Nut asked, genuinely impressed

“Something Astral taught me,” Char replied “He used runes to work the great majority of his machines, as well as his sigils,”

She pointed at the four archways in turn.

“The Eastern Arch goes to a hideout in the Everfree forest. The South one goes to the Badlands. The West one goes to the Eastern shore. Finally, the Northern arch, goes to the Crystal Empire,”

“And we are heading there now?”

“Precisely,”

Charlene and Chest Nut hurried back into the carriage, just as the stallion drivers whinnied and darted forward. The carriage picked up speed, and burst through the arch, fitting through it snuggly as it vanished inside. On the other side, the ponies were virtually assaulted by the sudden change in temperature. Elysium gathered the two colts into a warm hug. Oddly, they did not protest, and instead wrapped a blanket around the three of them. Chest Nut retrieved a scarf and coat from her saddlebags and put it on hastily. Charlene never did mind the cold, and Snowdrop only yawned in response.

Outside, the wind and snow beat at the carriage relentlessly. Howling in the dark of the sunless, white expanse. They rode quietly for what seemed like hours, until one of the foals broke the silence.

“Miss Char?” Asphodel said inquiringly

“Yes, Asphodel?” she smiled

“Where are we going?”

“We’re going to go visit your Aunt and Uncle,” she grinned, ruffling the brown colt’s mane.

“We’re going to visit Aunty Alley?” Elysium cried, jumping up onto the table with excitement

“Lysa, get off the table,” Chest Nut reprimanded “But yes, you will also be visiting Master Greaves as well,”

“Yay!” she exclaimed, jumping back into her seat

No sooner than she had sat back down, did they come to a halt. The wind died down suddenly, as the assembled group took a peak outside. The windblown plain of snow was replaced by a flat plain of short green grass. Ahead, Crystal houses came into view, as well as several orchards and barns. Further inward, they found even more houses, and even some Crystal ponies too. They were all earth ponies, but their coats gave off a reflective sheen, one that was as blinding as the sunlight off all the other crystal structures. A lot of newcomers wore shades for the first few minutes of arriving, taking it off when their eyes have adjusted to the plentiful light.

The citizens paid them no mind, but smiled and waved instead. Elysium returned their greetings enthusiastically, even though they couldn’t see her because of the blinds. The carriage came to a halt in front of a tall, two storey crystal house. It was fairly bigger than the average house, almost one and a half times or so. Despite this, it mimicked the architecture style impeccably, making it almost unnoticeable to the relaxed eye. The two mares stepped out of the carriage and knocked on the door.

The first knock didn’t even make contact before the door flew open. A blur of midnight blue pounce on Charlene, with such speed that she didn’t even feel it until it let her go. All she saw was a haze of blue feathers before she was finally released. Standing over her was a midnight blue crystal pony with a long, straight mane and tail. The former hung down unevenly, obscuring the left third of her face. Her cutie mark was four white diamonds. The strangest part about her was a pair of feathered wings, folded against her sides.

“Charlie! It’s so good to see you!” she squealed, hugging the charcoal unicorn tightly once again

“Hello, Miss, Way,” Charlene choked

Miss Way’s face turned serious as she held Charlene in front of her.

“Is that any way to treat family?” she pouted “Please, it’s just Alley, or Alacrity. I’m sure my son has taught you about addressing your familiars,”

“Oh, he has,” Chest Nut replied “Verity too,”

Chest immediately regretted opening her mouth as Alley hugged her too.

“Chest Nut! I didn’t see you there!”

“Please, let go,” she pleaded “Charlene, Help?”

Charlene only giggled in response.

Hearing the commotion outside, a new figure stepped out of the house. He was a tall, strong copper orange earth pony, but not crystal oddly enough. He stood half a head taller than all the gathered ponies, but his smile revealed the gentle nature beneath. His cutie mark was a hammer striking an anvil. Also hearing the commotion, a gaggle of foals stumbled out of the carriage.

“Ah, what an unexpected surprise,” the stallion said, smiling warmly “Charlene, Chest Nut, how are things?”

“Doing well, thank you Mr Greaves,” Chest Nut replied politely, successfully prying herself from Alley

“Please, just Copper. Next thing you’re going to call me great-great-great…”

“Yeah, we get the idea,” Charlene said dismissively

“Auntie Alley!” the foals screamed, burying the crystal Pegasus in a pile of fur, hugs and giggles

“I missed you too kids!” she grinned, ruffling their manes “How’s my children treating you?”

“Great! Astral, Verity and Honour Bound have been taking care of us really well,” Elysium chirped, hopping up and down on the spot “Their defending against in invasion by Celestia’s guards!”

The whole group stood stock still, in silent shock.

“Is there something I said?” she asked innocently

Chest Nut buried a hoof in her face.

Astral’s Estate (Present)

“Astral Star!” Celestia bellowed, her voice thrumming with sheer power “By the power invested in me by the ponies of my kingdom, and all that support my dream of a peaceful Equestria, I sentence you to a life in my prison!”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Astral retorted “He’s not dead, just back in time. The Doctor’s gone back to get him,”

“Based on everything you’ve told me, and everything I see now, do you really think I would leave you here unharmed?”

“Well…”

“No more talk!” she screeched, gold magic wrapping around her horn “You will fall!”

She let loose a violent stream of white light, sizzling and crackling as it carved through the air. Astral manifested a cyan barrier with his own magic, dissipating the fatal attack across its surface. Celestia took a breath to recover from launching an attack of such ferocity, but Astral seemed unfazed. He blocked her attack with unnerving ease.

“Stop this now! We can end this before any pony gets hurt!” Astral shouted

“I agree,” she replied scathingly, more magic spiralling around her horn “The only pony to be harmed, is you!”

She let loose her magic in a single bolt of white light, flying high into the sky. After hitting the cloud layer, it exploded into hundreds of shards of equal size and strength. Astral thought quickly and darted inside the mansion, hoping that Celestia didn’t use the spell he thought she used. He was sorely mistaken.

The light shards zeroed in on his location as he galloped down a hallway. He jump, spun, and ducked in repeating succession as bolt after bolt flew right at him. He was not the athletic type, so several shards hit their mark, searing his coat and sending pain lancing through his head. Even if he had been, the speed and dexterity of the shards would still allow them to hit him. Turning around, Astral called upon the surrounding shadows to his will. Shadows from curtains, other hallways, rooms and even his own coalesced into a single point before him, expanding into a wide, round circle. As if by compulsion, the lights were pulled into the black circle, vanishing upon its surface.

Astral let out a breath, recovering for her next assault. Blood trickled from various parts of his body, even more parts were singed black. He had no expertise on healing magic, so he had to just ignore his wounds. A mighty force crashed through the ceiling and landed with a slam in front of him. Celestia stood before him, eyes white with rage and power, surrounded by the debris of her entrance.

“Really, Celestia?” Astral joked, spitting blood “Didn’t your betters tell you how to knock?”

“Mine are long gone,” Celestia said quietly “But you, how about you join them!?!”

She channelled and repeated the same spell from before, this time with greater speed and proximity. Astral knew that the spell would finish him at this range, so he prepared a spell of his own. Celestia let loose an arc of energy, not flying upward, but forward. It detonated into a million shards mid-flight, all poised to strike the blue unicorn. Astral cast his own spell, as shadows danced across the hallways, obeying their master’s will. Black tendrils formed from the darkness, each one lashing out to snuff multiple shards of light. When they were done, not a single one even touched him. They turned, and darted towards the solar alicorn, who banished them with a powerful burst of light.

“Mine are alive and well, princess,” Astral spat ‘Can’t say the same for yours,”

Angered, she summoned forth a large, golden halberd out of thin air, the blade fashioned to resemble the sun. She brought it down quickly on Astral’s former position as he darted right. She dislodged it from the ground, and spun it around her horizontally. Astral conjured his own sword, a black zweihänder fashioned from crystal, etched with customary blue runes. He brought is across, deflecting the vicious blow on its flat side. As the blades clashed, Astral’s word began to wail, the souls within were begging for release. Celestia fended Astral away with the butt of her weapon, making room to move.

“What is that weapon?” she asked angrily, sweeping the air with her halberd

“A sword forged in the Underworld,” Astral replied proudly, twirling the weapon for effect “It belonged to one of the reapers, then gifted to me,”

“No one has been to the Underworld and lived,” she pointed “Much less been given a weapon,”

“Guess I’m the first,”

Using the conversation to his advantage, he levelled his sword and charged. Celestia recovered quickly, and bounced the sword into the floor to her right, and savagely kicked her opponent across the room. Astral got up awkwardly, and brought the sword to his side again. Celestia empowered her halberd with divine magic, and swung it through the air before her. A hot, bright arc of energy flew from its path, carving through the air as it made its deadly descent. The unicorn rolled forward, underneath the arch, as it cleaved through the brick and stone, and still kept going. Empowering his own blade, he hefted the blue sheen of metal that is his weapon, and drove it into the floor point first.

“Let’s take this outside,” he grinned

A circle of soft, blue light manifested on the floor beneath him. Soon after, the same circle formed below Celestia. Not catching his meaning in time, the circle turned dark, as it formed a pit, engulfing the surprised alicorn. A similar pit formed below Astral, and he dove into it, much more readily than his opponent.

The pit opened up in the sky, dumping Celestia on the ground, and Astral soon afterwards. They now stood on a nondescript hill of long green grass. Ponyville and Canterlot could be seen in the distance, as well as the Mansion in which they once fought. Not taking chances, Celestia made the offensive, swinging two horizontal strikes, and ending with a downward thrust. The first two strikes was blocked by Astral’s zweihänder, and the last one sidestepped. The blue unicorn aimed a high overhead swing, which Celestia braced herself for. He fainted the swing and swung back around for a sweeping strike, also readily blocked by Celestia.

Gritting his teeth, he twirled his sword twice, then sent it on a rapid assault of light, but rapid stabs. Celestia spun her halberd in front of her, blocking all the blows with the pole of her axe. Seeing her opponent’s focus waver, she trapped the handle of his sword in the crook of her axe, and drove both deep into the ground. Astral tried in vain to dislodge his sword, realizing too late to dodge the next attack. Celestia released a huge burst of white light, covering the distance between them in less than a second. Astral’s half-formed shield took the brunt of the impact, but the sheer force sent him flying backwards, back towards the mansion.

“Oh, no you don’t,” she growled, preparing to pursuit her beaten foe.

Suddenly, a green flash of light illuminated the air, her in a ring of green flame. A hole-ridden, black hoof emerged from the flames striking her hard in the face. She staggered back, only to be sent forward again as her backside touched the flames. Another blow awaited her as she was sent winded to the ground. Two large sickles pinned her neck to the ground, as a huge, regal changeling stood over her, wreathed in green flame and a wicked smile on his face.

“Yes he will,” Honour Bound hissed

Celestia pried the two sickles from the ground, and flung them toward the changeling. Honour held out a hoof, and the curved blades thudded into his arm. He didn’t even grimace as he withdrew them, and there wasn’t even a wound to prove the blow. Celestia took up her steel, and repeated her basic sequence of attack, with little success. Honour parried them expertly, and lashed out a sickle at the end, slicing a shallow cut into the solar princess’s side. Growling in frustration, she put her focus into another magical attack. Not letting her channel, Honour Bound inhaled deeply, drawing in all sources of magic around him. Celestia found her magic draining away as the gold essences flowed into his gaping mouth. Streams of purple and green vapour were drawn in, withering the grass at their feet.

Celestia felt herself grow weak, so she relinquished her magical channel. Noticing the absence of her magic, Honour stopped his draining, and exhaled sharply. A plume of green flame cascaded from his mouth like an ethereal flame thrower, smothering the princess in its embrace. She screamed in agony as her own resistance to flame was bypassed. She was experiencing an all new sensation and she did not like it one bit.

She felt herself burn.

Chapter 22: Saying Goodbye

Sunshine Smiles, Carver Pie and Potence had been given a reprieve from there relentless defence. The first wave of creatures had been successfully destroyed, as their corpses all but carpeted the surrounding land. Judging by the rustling of trees, and the eerie green lights in the forest, a second wave was not too far behind. With four hours still left on the clock, they needed the energy.

Sunshine examined his sword, a roughly hewn piece of chitin from a fallen Darkling’s leg. It was very tough, withstanding a direct blow, but easily carved with the right tools. A stab with his knife did no damage, but a carving motion, much like whittling, could remove some pieces. The entire Darkling’s leg seemed to be solid chitin, but its body, head and tail seemed full of acid, almost swelling with the amount. The dead monsters deflated like balloons as their life blood dribbled out, often leaving nothing left but their shield like legs.

Potence happily hummed to her heart’s content while scavenging for some left over bolts. Her supply may have been extensive, but even that tired after hours of solid shooting. Her aim seemed just too good, each one punching through at least one major artery. The resulting acid made the bolt unsalvageable. For once, she was thankful she missed a couple.

Carver Pie sat solemnly on a large rock, sharpening her pick axe with a wet stone, cleaning it lovingly. On the rock farm, where she had little to herself, the axe was her most prized possession. A pony the colour of the rising sun came to the little farm when she was but a filly. She offered her parents a set of tools that would never need to be replaced. They bought five tools, but they were warned that if the tools were not treated properly, they would bring bad luck.

A shovel bought from the mare, was used intensively, and without proper care. Soon the shaft snapped and the blade rusted off, within four days of purchase. A hammer and chisel wore themselves down before the statue they were forced to make. A plough used in the fields was not cleaned liberally, so all crops harvested yielded only half of what was planted. The pick axe however, was given to herself. She treasured it beyond anything else, and cleaned it lovingly, sang it songs, and even tucked it in at night. It was her only true personal possession, and her only friend.

She never thought she’d use it to squash any oversized spiders though.

The clip-clopping of hooves in the distance alerted her. Putting the wets stone away, she narrowed her eyes at the source. Two figures, small and pony shaped trotted towards her. She gripped her axe tightly, noting the rush of adrenaline through her bloodstream. Ever since she’s started helping these guards, she’s been starting to feel a lot more than she was comfortable, but she liked it.

Screaming a battle cry, she leapt high into the air, pick raised above her head. When she landed, she halted her axe just before the grimacing faces of a brown stallion, and his grey Pegasus companion. The stallion opened one eye to see the axe point centimetres from his skull, then let out a sigh.

“See?” he noted, putting a hoof around his companion’s shoulder “Weapons, weapons everywhere!”

“You’re being too dramatic,” the grey mare confided, shrugging off his hoof “Hello! My name is Ditzy and this is the Doctor. Just the Doctor, trust me. Have you happened to find any pony by the name of Sunshine Smiles this fine evening?”

Carver looked quizzically at the two. Their behaviour was certainly suspicious, but any help given, was definitely needed. Plus, they definitely didn’t look like any bandits, or ponies that would side with the Darklings.

“I’ll take you to him,” she said finally, hefting her pick onto her shoulder and trotting away “Name’s Carver Pie, by the way,”

“I knew it!” Doctor exclaimed, swinging his hoof as if snapping fingers

“What do you know?” Carver asked sarcastically

“You look like a relative of a filly I’ve met. Born and raised on a rock farm weren’t you?”

“Of course, proud Pie family tradition,”

They talked no more on the short walk to the camp site. Potence seemed to have found new strength, as she was hefting Darkling legs into a makeshift wall. Upon noticing them, she dropped the leg, and dove behind it with a loud *eep*.

“Potence,” Carver sighed “These ponies are looking for Sunshine, can you go fetch him for me?”

“Right away, Ma’am!” she saluted, darting into a nearby tent

“I’m not even in the guard!” she called after the shy pegasus

Moments later, the armour clad bat pony stepped before them. He had been tying pieces of Darkling Chitin to his armour, giving it an intimidating, angular appearance. He had a chitin sword, strapped to each side, and an array of knives across his chest of the same material. He took off his helmet, fashioned from a hollow Darkling skull, and regarded to the two newcomers.

“Doctor,” he said simply

“That’s him!” Ditzy cheered

“That’s me!” Doctor cried “It’s good to see you. Luna’s been so worried!”

“How did you did you find me?” Sunshine asked

“This!” he said, pulling a device out of thin air

It looked like a very bulky brass phone, with a satellite dish on the top, and a long, extendable antennae. As the dish rotated, it gave a *ding* sound whenever it pointed at Sunshine.

“What is it?” Potence said, peeking from behind Sunshine

“It’s a machine that goes ‘ding’,” announced the Doctor proudly “It can cook microwave meals from 30 feet, download comics from the future and track alien DNA. All I had to do was recalibrate it to your brother’s DNA signature, and it would lead us to any matches,”

“Right, and who are you?” Carver said finally

“I’m the Doctor, the Oncoming Storm, Bringer of Shape, Destroyer of Worlds and Saviour of even more. I have witnessed the rise and fall of civilisations, the beginning and end of time, and also…” he paused for effect “You’re Birthday,”

“Who, me?” Potence squeaked

“Yes, you! Happy Birthday Potence!” he cheered, as Ditzy slapped a party hat to her head “Anyway, we’re getting off topic. If Eyewitness accounts are correct…”

“Wait, so we’re going to make it out of here alive?”

“Pretty much. It also means a giant Darkling is going to burst out of the ground in three seconds,”

True to his word, a Darkling burst out of the ground, showering the ponies in dirt and rubble. Carver ended its life anticlimactically with a pick axe to the face. Its limp body flopped back into the pit from which it came, now blocking the entrance. Unfortunately, that wasn’t all.

Several more erupted from the ground, quickly snatching up all five of them in their three clawed tails. None had magic, and enough freedom to move to cut themselves loose. Even if they could, the only pony that could cut himself free was Sunshine, who was donning their own chitin for armour.

“Do something!” Carver cried reaching for her pick axe, 15 feet below her

“Oh, I wouldn’t mind,” the Doctor said casually, hanging from one leg “It’ll all be over soon,”

“That’s not exactly comforting!”

“Just listen to the Doc,” Ditzy smiled “It’s all going to be alright,”

“It’s not!” Potence cried, tears streaming from her eyes “We’re all going to DIE!”

Sunshine had heard enough, and flung three knives at various weak points on the tail, severing it completely. As its grip on him was lost, he flapped his wings and repeated the method on potence, catching her mid-flight. The Darklings hissed in disappointment, and began fighting with the others over food. Sunshine lay her down gently, then set about getting the others.

The monsters clawed at each other with their shield-like legs, scrabbling for food. The Darkling’s who still had their prey wasted no time, and lowered the ponies into their mouths. Carver acted quickly and wedged her axe in the creature’s jaws, bounding away when it released her. Doctor and Ditzy feared nothing as they hung limply above their gaping mouths.

“Are you mad?!?!” Sunshine screamed, frantically hacking at the creature’s tail

“Nope,” said the Doctor confidently “I might be, but she’s not. Just keep an eye on the horizon for us,”

“Why? The sun doesn’t rise for another two hours!”

“Or does it?” Ditzy added mysteriously

Sunshine hated being wrong, but right now, he was too busy being shocked

A warm purple-blue light swept across the sky like a blush, bathing the land in soft colour. Purple gave way for red, then orange as the night made way for the day. The yellow disk of the sun rose rapidly, as the birds sang praises for its arrival. The woodland around felt alive with sound as the wind billowed through the trees.

The Darkling’s shrieked in confusion, and scrabbled away from the approaching light. Their movements became sluggish, and jagged like bad marionettes. None of them escaped as a grey pallor spread across their body, ceasing all movement and sound where it formed. All that was left of the mighty second wave, was a gallery of panic stricken statues.

The Doctor hopped agilely from his former prison, back down onto the ground. Ditzy flew lazy loops before settling down next to her bizarre companion. Sunshine, Potence and Carver stared open mouthed at the rising sun, eyes wide with shock. The time travelling couple had a giggle at the sight of their faces.

“But… but…” they muttered incoherently

“Never count on a blessing, my little ponies,” said a familiar voice from behind them

They turned to see the majestic form of Princess Celestia. No longer the image of a grieving wreck, but now the confident and powerful figure that they all knew and loved. Sunshine, Potence and Carver bowed hastily, kneeling on one front leg, with their heads down. Doctor and Ditzy watched on from a distance.

“But when one comes, embrace it with open hooves,” she finished, smiling down at the three before her

She extended a hoof underneath Sunshine’s face, and lifted his eyes to meet her own.

“It is I, who must thank you, Mr Smiles,” she smiled warmly “Thanks to you, I believe I am one step closer to leading my subjects, but until then, I will award your bravery,”

She withdrew her hoof, and summoned forth a magnificent golden halberd, its blade forged in the shape of the sun.

“Rise,” she commanded softly “All of you,”

The three got up awkwardly, and stood to rapt attention.

“To you, Potence, I award the most prestigious medal of bravery that can ever be awarded. For standing by your comrades, even in the face of almost certain death, I immortalise your name among the bravest of all guards,”

She conjured a small wooden box before the frightened Pegasus, and motioned for her to open it. Inside, was a beautiful golden medallion, wreathed in silver and strung on a purple and blue ribbon. On one side was Celestia’s cutie mark, and on the other, Potence’s own, a rose flower caught in a ring of spikes.

“Every rose has its thorns, and no rose is as magnificent as you are. Congratulations!”

Celestia levitated her helmet off slowly, revealing Potence’s true colours. She was very light grey, with long aquamarine hair that almost touched the ground, framing her beautiful face. She accepted the medal graciously, and smiled widely at the princess, and at her companions who returned it enthusiastically.

“To you, Carver Pie I award a title that many stallions, and fewer mares would dream. I extend an invitation to join the Royal Guard, as its Vice Captain, I know you will serve well. There is no item I may give to you worthy of such a position, so I give you my blessing, and a medal to commemorate your victory,”

Carver accepted the simple medal happily, allowing a rare smile to grace her lips. She also received a scroll, closed by a royal seal, as well as her own pick axe. It was retrieved by the princess from a fallen Darkling’s mouth.

“To you, Sunshine Smiles, I award you with a token of personal value,” she levitated a small, black crown from behind her reverently. It was small and simple, something a filly would wear. “When you return to the future, give this to my sister and tell her, I am sorry,”

Sunshine cradled the crown gently, treating it as if it was made of china

“I will,” he nodded

“No doubt I will remember you in the future,” Celestia whispered “But if I were to forget, take it as a reminder of your bravery, and that of the soldiers that have fought bravely in this land,”

She stood, and stepped away from them as white light spiralled all around her, picking up wind and dust.

“We will meet again,” she farewelled, vanishing in a plume of dust and light

Sunshine turned to his two companions, trying vainly to make out words. He was aved the trouble as Potence flung her arms around him, crying gently.

“I’ll miss you,” she sobbed

“I will too,” he whispered, stroking her mane

Carver was never the sentimental type, but gave him a nod, which was happily returned. Sunshine held out a locket, the one Golden Lance gave him before his death. Realising the meaning, Carver took it reverently, and nodded again.

“I can’t say I’ll see you again,” he announced, breaking away from the hug “But I can say, that is was a pleasure fighting with you,”

He gave a salute, which was returned half-heartedly by the two mares. Carver trotted back to camp to pack away her things, but Potence stood rigidly still, eyes cast down to the ground. Before Sunshine could ask what was going on, she darted forward and kissed him on the cheek.

“Thank you,” she whispered “For everything,”

She turned and flew quickly back to camp, following Carver Pie, who looked quizzically behind her. Sunshine was still standing there, shocked, before a grey hoof gently nudged him over.

“Come on lover-colt,” Ditzy teased “You have a family to return to,”

The Doctor returned to them with all of Sunshine’s belongings tied to his back like an oversized rucksack.

“Gotta love earth pony strength and endurance,” he chuckled “Come along now, not too far to the TARDIS,”

They made it to the odd blue barn in minutes. Doctor and Ditzy went in to set the coordinates, but Sunshine found it hard to leave. He had spent almost two months in the past and made many friends. It was hard saying goodbye, but he knew deep in his heart that it was necessary.

“Goody bye,” he whispered, walking solemnly into the TARDIS

The big blue box shimmered and pulsed with a metallic wheezing sound, kicking up gusts of wind in its departure. Soon, it disappeared, leaving no trace of its existence what-so-ever.

Chapter 23: Taste of Defeat

By the time Honour Bound was done, Celestia looked just about ready for a barbeque. What wasn’t seared, or caked in soot was still on fire. The green flames made short work of the solar princess, leaving her a whimpering heap of burning flesh. Honour trotted up to her casually, savouring the smell of despair wafting from his fallen opponent.

“You think you know suffering, don’t you?” he hissed mockingly, raising a sickle

Before Celestia could provide a scathing remark, the sickle plunged into the earth centimetres from her throat, trapping her in the hook of its blade.

“Over a thousand years, and to think of you as their leader,”

He rounded on her, staring deeply into the princess with his own blank, emerald eyes. The effect on her was hypnotising, but she kept her focus.

“You are weak!” Honour spat “A pathetic excuse for a leader. What leader deserts her people, for the death of two of her subjects? What leader destroys another’s home, on mere suspicion?”

He pressed his hoof into her throat, making her gag on the ground, and grimace as it touched her singed coat.

“TELL ME!” he roared

Honour lifted his sickle from the earth, and struck her hard with the flat side of the blade. She didn’t even moan as she was sent tumbling down the grassy hill. Honour reached her again with a mighty leap, cracking the ground below at his landing. Honour forced her to stand with his magic, then secured her in place with tendrils of rock, wrapping around her legs.

“A leader who cares for her subjects,” she choked, spitting blood “Would never give up on them. Not like your pathetic Matriarch,”

The changeling’s eyes widened at the insult, face melting into a snarl. With a mighty beat of his four insect wings, he sent a gust of wind laced with dust and small rocks to the captured princess. She grimaced in pain as the rock and sand lacerated her already wounded skin. She slumped in her bonds, only kept up by her stone supports.

“Don’t you dare insult my leader!” Honour shouted “What kind of pony do you think you are, comparing yourself to divinity?”

“I am Divinity,” Celestia retorted

“What Goddess feels the need to banish her own sister for a thousand lonely years?”

Celestia had no reply for that, but was choked into submission by a holed black hoof.

“Suffering, is not a weakness the Gods possess. You are no God, Celestia. You are a Princess who hides behind the guise of a Goddess. YOU ARE A COWARD!”

He lifted her up into the air, shattering her earthen bonds, and tossed her to his left. She was sent tumbling yet again, landing in a nearby creek. The native birds flew away in fright at her sudden entrance. Honour Bound landed beside her yet again, looking at the crippled princess with envy.

“You had everything, and you didn’t even realise,” he said quietly “You had a loving sister, an entire adoring nation at your hooves. What did you do with said nation?”

He picked up a large pebble, the size of a pony’s head.

“You abandoned them,” he growled, crushing the pebble for effect “You wallowed in your pride, and their admiration. Your arrogance brought upon the greatest fall your new land has ever seen since Discord’s reign,”

Celestia went to get up, but Honour’s strong hoof held her firmly in place, keeping her lying limply in the mud and water. He brought his face closer, looking into her eyes once again.

“You know what I had?” he asked quietly “I was born on the streets, to a bastard, drunken soldier and his little whore. I grew up without a father, nor mother. I spent the first six years of my life treading through filth, scavenging for scraps and devouring anything small enough to fit in my mouth,”

His grip loosened as happier memories flooded through him.

“But Astral changed that,” he whispered “He found me on the edge of his forest, starving and exhausted. He gave me food, shelter, a loving family to call my own. They accepted me for who I am, not what I look like. The Matriarch adopted me as her third student, and taught me all she knows. When times of trouble arrived, she gave her life to see that the ponies she looked after remained safe,”

He relinquished her grip on Celestia, and allowed her to stand before him. Even at full height, Honour Bound still towered over her by a head.

“A real leader, would rather die than see her subjects get hurt. You have filled that well today, but the lessons of the pasts must be learned if one were to stride into the future,”

He banished his two sickles with a soft *pop* and turned away, back towards the mansion. Celestia stood there grimly, replaying the words in her head. His lessons were quite relevant, but she came here for one reason and one reason only. She readied a powerful spell, channelling magic into her horn and focusing on a single point. With a mighty cry, she released a thin, powerful beam of light that singed the air around it.

Honour turned in time to see the light, but not to avoid it. He screamed in pain as the laser ploughed right through his armour, exoskeleton and flesh beneath, then remerging on the other side of his body. He slumped to the ground breathing heavily, feeling his flesh being cooked from the inside. His own fluorescent green blood poured from the smoking wound, watering the ground beneath him.

Green sparks of magic emerged, and set about healing his wounds. Each spark restored a small part of the wound, but it was a lengthy process. Celestia limped over to her fallen opponent, using her halberd for support. She fixed a silver bracelet with a blue sigil branded on it to the changeling wrist. As he was bound, the green magic faded away. Honour felt his magic grow weaker, as one after another his bodily processes shut down. The last thing he felt was himself bleed out on the grass beneath. The last he saw was the satisfied smile on his opponents face.

“No… Honour…” he gasped

And with that, Honour Bound breathed his last.

*=_/)|*|(\_=*

Astral Star limped through the hallway, hastily wrapping bandages over his various cuts and bruises. He was in no shape to fight, but he still had to do something. With a splinted front right hoof, and bandages haphazardly wrapped around his other legs and torso, he went into his fake study. To his shock, the key book “A Foal’s Guide to Necromancy” has been taken from the shelf, and the secret passage lay bare for all to see.

Sensing an intruder, he resummoned his zweihänder, and held it before him in a magical grip. Entering the laboratory, he saw signs of struggle. Three Weeping Angels stood around each other, fangs beared, ready to snatch an invisible foe. When two Angels look at one another, they stop moving since neither could blink nor move while looking at each other. It was a deadlock to their otherwise full proof safety feature.

A bat pony clad in the Night Guard’s armour stood at a servicing platform, a narrow runway that led to hoof’s reach to the giant column of light that was the mansion’s power source. Sensing movement, the guard whirled and flung three throwing knives in quick succession at the blue unicorn. Two were blocked with increasing clumsiness, and the third lacerated his left cheek. Nursing a shallow cut, Astral limped towards the intruder.

Not taking chances, the intruding bat pony drew his own sword, gripping it between his teeth, and flung himself towards Astral. He was much faster compared to the blue unicorn, but the giant zweihänder provided for more than efficient coverage for the smaller sabre. Switching tactics, he bounded behind his injured opponent, and took a swing at his rear end. Thanks to magic, Astral moved the blade to block the strike without turning.

With increasing frustration, the intruder flew a safe distance, and flung more knives in a flurry. Astral went for his magic, conjuring a round shield of darkness, much fuller than his previous one, since he had more shadow to work with. Knife after knife fell through the shield, but Astral’s focus was wavering. Injury was messing with his accuracy and skill, so he concluded that he must end the fight quickly. He conjured the same shield directly above the intruder. With confusion, the bewildered bat pony looked up, only to be pelted with the very same knives he had thrown moments ago.

The knives lacked momentum, so the meagre two metre drop caused only slight lacerations and scratched armour. He quickly picked up three knives and sent them flying back towards Astral. The blue unicorn held the knives in a telekinetic grip, forcing them to a stop, then sending them straight back again. The first was easily dodged, while the second took a glancing blow at his left wrist, and the third hit him directly in the right arm.

It impacted with a crunch and crack of broken bones as the intruder roared in agony. With hate fuelled energy, the bat pony renewed his assault. Despite his newest wound, his attacks were incredibly fast. Astral could barely keep up as strikes pelted him like a storm of hail. Eventually, his guard broke, taking slashes across the chest. He slumped to the floor, defeated, in a pool of his own blood.

The victor grimaced as he put weight on his right hoof, but otherwise smiled proudly at his close win. He walked with a limp back to the service platform, sword clenched in his teeth. Astral looked drowsily towards the figure, eyesight blurred by a mixture of blood loss and actual blood. HE clawed for his sword feebly, when even magic wouldn’t work under his pain.

The intruder hefted his sword into his left hoof, leaning against the railing with his right. He looked determinedly at the swirling vortex of light.

“FOR MY BROTHER!” he cried, plunging the sword into the vortex

The blade melted under the intense force and energy, mingling with the raw magic as it travelled towards the mechanical receiver. As the foreign matter reached the apex, the machine began to break apart. Metal was no natural component of magic, and the receiver was not meant to handle artificial material. Wild, pink energy rippled across the ceiling in angry streaks of lightning. The receiver began to detach from the roof, bringing the whole chunk of rock and earth it rested upon with it.

Astral stood weakly, hobbling his way towards the giant green sphere. The incomplete body of Matriarch Amaryllis stared back at him, eyes blank of emotion, unaware of impending disaster. The whole section of earth came loose from the ceiling, falling down into the giant pit from which its energy came. The still spiralling column of light cut through the debris like the super laser it now was. Thankfully, the rest of the roof remained intact, if half the Mansion above did not.

A huge, column vortex of pink light shot towards the sky for all to see. Ponies from all over Equestria could see the mysterious, yet magnificent display. Without anything to receive it, the magical energy thinned out, then dissipated in the space of a few seconds. The intruder, now determined to be Frolicsome Meadowlark, flew through the gaping hole and back into the outside world.

Astral remained behind, weeping over the destruction of his home. Everything he’s ever done, resided in this Mansion, and little more than half of it was even salvageable thanks to the day’s events. The biggest reason he was crying, was the young mare, slumped in a pool of dull green nutritional gel. Without power, its life support system failed immediately. Astral channelled one last spark into the life support monitor. The few seconds of flat green lines and incessant ringing only confirmed his loss. The white mare with the three-toned mane, lay on the floor, dead.

Astral slumped to the ground in defeat. He had lost so much in such a short amount of time. Nothing seemed real to him anymore, only trivial compared to what he’s just been through. He was almost relieved when the guards came, binding his magic and escorting him out in chains.

*=_/)|*|(\_=*

Verity was eventually overpowered by the sheer amount if guards she had to face. They came at her five to eight at a time, disregarding orders to subdue, and only focused on drawing blood. By the time she was out down, she sported deep cuts along the side, shallower cuts and scratches all over, a burn mark to the chest, and a black left eye. Her armour still clung to her only by sweat and blood, most of it broke off during her fights. Her chain flail and sword were discarded on the ground where she was defeated.

The guards threw her into a kneeling position before the Captain of the Guard, right outside his own tent. Captain Shining Armour was supposed to be pleased by the victory, but he felt only guilt and shame seeing the beaten mare before him. Forcing the calm look of authority, he addressed his wanted criminal.

“Verity Honora, by order of the Princesses Celestia and Luna, I place you under arrest on the charge of one account of murder, one account of attempted murder, and innumerable counts of assaulting the Royal Guard,” he stated, checking the prisoner for a reaction “Do you have anything to say in your defence?”

Suddenly, a huge column of pink light shot right into the air, lighting up the afternoon in a magenta hue of colour. The display lasted for seconds, but Verity stared at its position for minutes.

“No…” she breathed, as the implications of the light hit her full force.

She fell to the ground, finally beaten. She cried herself to sleep, right on the floor on which they threw her.

“Take her away,” Shining ordered grimly

Two earth pony guards moved her onto a stretcher, and carried her away from curious eyes. Next to arrive was a midnight blue unicorn, half dressed in obsidian black armour and a tattered cloak. His stretcher was saturated with his own blood, as much of it seeped through the clumsily applied bandages. Frolicsome limped along next to it, grim satisfaction on his face.

Last to arrive to Princess Celestia, looking far worse for wear. She was covered in blackened scorch marks and blood, her own as well as the corpse's behind her. Chained to her halberd was the corpse of the biggest changeling Shining’s ever seen. It was much bigger than Queen Chrysalis, and looked a lot stronger and intimidating. A hole about the size of his hoof worked its way through his right side, then through his left chest. Around it was an ugly scorch mark, as well as some burns. Fluorescent green blood matted the ground as the solar princess carelessly dragged it along. Two Pegasus guard flanked her, each carrying a large sickle.

“Take him with the rest,” Celestia demanded, motioning to the dead changeling “He’s not going to stay down forever,”

“Forgive me, princess,” Shining Armour replied “But, whatever happened to ‘apprehend, not kill’?”

“He won’t be dead for long,” she responded curtly “Now do as I say,”

Shining saluted hesitantly, then ordered a couple guards to carry the changeling to the awaiting prisoner caravan.

The caravan was a series of crude wooden carriages, fitted to house bandits and rogues for transport. Already inside was an unconscious Verity, whose fur was matted by her brother’s blood as he still bled out. Astral was barely conscious, muttering incoherently as the guards tossed Honour Bound inside. The guards closed the doors with a slam, and gave orders for the caravan to go. The carriage lurched forward as they began the solemn journey back to Canterlot.

Chapter 24: Silver Lining

Alley Way, Copper Greaves, Chest Nut and Charlene sat around the coffee table. A sombre mood permeated around them like a thick cloud. The foals, true to their nature, stayed upstairs where they could amuse themselves. Elysium’s news more than struck a nerve in the older couple, but drove a knife of worry into their hearts as well. The princess was not to be underestimated, and neither should her Royal Guards. Alley and Copper were also familiar with the strength of their children, and hope that they would be okay. They heard the story regarding the siege from Charlene, and accepted it with grim reluctance.

“Well…” Alley said, breaking the silence “It can’t get any worse, right?”

A bright magenta light poured through the windows, cascading from the sky above. For a whole three seconds, the sky was lit by wild, pure magic. Copper face-hoofed at the unfortunate turn of events. Him and his wife knew what the light meant. It meant that their children have fallen, and their home destroyed.

“Looks like I was wrong…” Alley smiled grimly, taking a seat beside her husband for support.

A moment later, an armour clad figure burst through the front door. She was a creamy yellow Pegasus with a long golden mane and tail. It looked like she got caught in a fire fight, as the tips of her mane and patches of her armour were singed.

“Venia!” Alley cried, wrapping her hooves around her fellow Pegasus “Thank goodness you’re alright! How is my son?”

Venia gently brushed the blue Pegasus off of her and began removing her armour.

“Celestia has joined the siege.” She said grimly

Alley’s face fell into true worry and shock.

“You know what the light means, don’t you?” she sniffled

Venia nodded, then traced the ancient rune for defeat in the air. The rune shimmered in a blue light, before falling like stars. Alley went into the backyard, coming back with a bird perched on her back. It was a magnificent, golden phoenix, unlike the fire red of normal birds of flame. It had a full glittering crest framing it’s head and three peacock feathers in addition to its normal tail. It regarded all the ponies quizzically as it was led into the room.

“Huri?” Charlene said, clearly confused “What’s she doing here?”

“I dunno,” Alley shrugged “She turned up in my backyard a couple hours ago,”

“So, if she’s here…”

A knock on the door signalled the arrival of a new character. She was tall, just as much as Luna, but slimmer. She was also an alicorn, with a soft pink coat and a three toned purple, white and darker pink mane and tail. Behind her stood two crystal guards, a mare and a stallion. The mare looked resolute and strong, with a lavender coat and darker mane that shimmered in the afternoon sun. Her partner looked like a gender swapped version of herself, but obviously lacked any professional behaviour. Both wore the customary silver armour of a Crystal Guard, and wielded a spear in their right hoof.

“I’ll get it,” Copper sighed, awaiting the inevitable

He opened the door to see the grinning face of Princess Cadence, and the disinterested ones of her escorts.

“Copper!” the pink princess smiled “How are you?”

“Doing well, ma’am,” he said politely, with a slight bow “Please, make yourself at home,”

Cadence smiled gratefully and let herself into the spacious living room. The two guards took up positions either side of the front door, and closed it behind them Copper found it odd how they were guarding from inside the house, as if trying to keep them in rather than foes out.

“Alley,” Cadence said to the crystal Pegasus “I didn’t know you owned a pet, let alone a phoenix,”

“Oh it’s not mine,” Alley giggled “It’s from a friend of mine. She’s having a little trouble at her house, but nothing to worry about I’m sure,”

Cadence’s face turned deadly serious

“Her home doesn’t happen to be a flaming ruin right now, does it?” she asked

Alley faltered

“I wouldn’t be any wiser,” she said nervously

“Don’t worry,” Cadence sighed, taking a chair by herself “I’m not here to arrest you, I’m just here to ask questions,”

“Well, ask away,”

“My aunt’s actions have been questionable lately, especially since she got obsessed with your children. She’s been pulling her hair out over something called the Spire of Knowledge. Do you happen to know what it is?”

Charlene and Chest Nut acted brilliantly, trotting over to the kitchen and pretending to busy themselves cooking dinner. Alley looked to Copper, who gave a nod of conformation. Gathering her thoughts, she begun the explanation.

“The Spire of Knowledge was a mythical structure of limitless power. It was said to be an ocean blue, round crystal obelisk. Contained within was supposed to be the knowledge of the whole multiverse. What’s that got to do with Celestia,”

“Well, for some odd reason, she has reason to believe that not only does it exist, but it is under the protection of three immortal beings, who she also believes to be your children,”

She paused

“Shining gave me the mission report. Verity collapsed with a mix of exhaustion and grief, Astral has been fatally injured, and Honour Bound has been declared dead,”

Alley gasped, putting a hoof over her mouth. She felt her eyes tear up, but quickly steeled herself. She knew her children, and somehow in the end of the day, they would return to her. Even death couldn’t hold them back. Huri sensed her pain, and nuzzled her cheek comfortingly, emitting soft purrs. Alley smiled, stroked the bird, and motioned for it to go. Huri reluctantly took off and flew into the kitchen, where the two mares were busily preparing themselves.

“I give you my sincere condolences for…”

“Save it,” Alley said, a little more harshly than intended “Those three are the best ponies I know, and I for one believe that they will return to me,”

“Well, in that case, I’ll take my leave,” Cadence smiled, turned and made her way out the door, her two guards in tow.

Alley breathed a sigh of relief. There was no time to lose. If she was to help her children safely, she had a lot of organisation to get too.

“Chest Nut, did you get it?” she shouted to the kitchen

“Got it,” the brown mare mumbled through a quill in her mouth

“Great, send it with Huri. She’ll know where to find them,”

With the assistance of Charlene, Chest Nut wrapped the parchment she’s been writing into a scroll, and sealed it in wax. She stamped it with the Nightmare Insignia, a family code of urgency developed when Nightmare Moon came into being. She was about to tie it to the gold phoenix’s leg before it pecked her indignantly. Huri gave the mare a hurt look before taking the letter into her claws. Chest Nut smiled sheepishly at the bird before assuming her trademark neutral look.

“Good Luck,” Chest Nut whispered

Huri rolled her eyes, and took flight out of the kitchen window, quickly vanishing in the clear expanse of blue sky. Chest Nut walked back to the living room to see Venia laughing hysterically.

“That bird is too smart for her own good,” she explained through giggles

*=_/)|*|(\_=*

Verity woke up in the pale moonlight. It had been many hours since the mansion’s collapse, yet she is still feeling every moment of it. She had felt something that hasn’t plagued her since a long time ago. She felt true, and utter despair. The one thing that she was entitled to give, was hope, and she had lost it, though momentarily. Astral looked a paler shade of blue as he watched the silver disk float across the deep dark sky. His blood ceased bleeding, but not because he was healed, but quite the opposite. He had none left.

Honour Bound was no more, but curiously, a hard cocoon lay where his dead body used to. An elliptical, glossy shape with veins of pulsing green web coursing down its length. It was the same size he was, and gave the same, steady and strong heartbeat.

“I would say ‘good evening’ my dear Veritas, but truthfully, it is not,” Astral spoke. His voice was different though. It was deep and hollow, rattling with every breath. What she heard, was the voice of death.

“We meet again, Hades,” Verity smiled, though forcefully

“I hoped I would surface under better circumstances,” he replied “But that was how it turned out to be, hope,”

He turned to her. Where Astral’s bright, intelligence blue eyes once were, were only black pits. Darkness shrouded his eyes, and leaked thick, black tears. The sight that would normally leave a full grown stallion screaming, was not even unnerving to her.

“Hope, a strange concept,” Hades said “The belief that things would go the way you wish. It brings life together in the face of darkness. Yet, it does not hold sway over fate. Things come, things go, that is how it was, is, and ever shall be,”

He sighed “All life must come to an end, even my own,”

“It’s been a pleasure talking to you again, Hades,” Verity said, putting a hoof on is shoulder “But I really need my brother back,”

Hades shook his head

“Even without my realm, returning from the dead is no easy task. The only things with that power, are dangerous artifacts, Gods like my former self or certain magical creatures, such as…”

“A phoenix?” Verity said, grinning mischievously

“Of course,”

Hades knew that look, and turned to see a brilliant trail of light descend upon them. Huri landed softly on the carriage floor, nodding greetings to the two ponies. She placed her scroll on the floor, and plucked one of her own wing feathers. She rested both on the ground before Verity, and took a perch in one of the ceiling corners.

“Many thanks Huri,” Verity smiled

She turned to the scroll, and unravelled it quickly, while Hades watched with mild amusement. The scroll contained a brief message, detailing the status of her parents which were thankfully fine for now. The second half was occupied by a large, intricate runic sigil. The sigil was composed of two birds, a phoenix and a nightingale flying circles around each other, like yin and yang. Behind them as a summoning pentacle, but with only four points. Verity grabbed the phoenix feather with her magic, since her circlet was not taken from her, as well as a feather from her own wing. Condensing moisture from the air, she conjured a cup’s worth of water, and combined them. The heat and pressure brought upon the three objects emitted a blinding white light. In seconds, all that was left was a golden orb. Wisps of red and blue orbited lazily around it as the yellow Pegasus placed it gently on Hades’ chest. He didn’t even flinch as the orb sunk into his flesh, like it wasn’t there.

“I will see you again, Veritas,” he farewelled “Hopefully, during better circumstances,”

The black from his eyes were gone as the orb worked its magic. The essence of the phoenix feather, burned away all impurities, making way for the good. The essence of water, renewed the body, helping it grow and regain what was lost. Finally, Veritas’ own life force and magic, made him remember who he once was, and what he still has to do.

Astral woke with a deep gasp and a heap of coughing.

“Thanks,” he said with a smile between coughs “Never thought I had to die again in another 500 years or so,”

“Neither did I, but it seems that recent events have changed our future to a path less taken,”

“Really? You’re still going to play the ‘wise old sooth sayer’ even in custody?” Astral groaned

“Definitely, but can you please tell me what’s going on with Honour Bound?”

Astral took a close inspection of the huge green-black cocoon where his adopted brother once lay. He tapped it softly, with his ear pressed to the side. He came to a rather startling conclusion.

“It seems he is going through rebirth,” Astral concluded, clearly amazed

“Please clarify, I’ve seen rebirth cycles, but nothing like this before,”

“Changelings are a rather strange species,” he began “Especially when it comes to pony magic. Honour has been with me since I was a foal, and remained close even now. Extremely few changelings, if any, have ever been exposed to so much emotional energy, and for so long. It seems that our gift of immortality has rubbed off on him, if in a weird way,”

Astral conjured up small summoning pentacle on the wall, flashing a clear blue. It disappeared quickly, leaving behind an antique looking pocketwatch. Opening it, in place of the normal clock was a blue miasma of moving patterns. Hundreds of hands spun at random but very quick speeds across the face, generating a bright blue light in their motion.

“The Amulet of Chronos,” Verity noted with a raised eyebrow

“It didn’t always look like this, but it should get the job done,”

He then fastened the large chain around the cocoon, none too gently. The chain dug into the hard surface until it became partially submerged. The green vains glowed brighter in response, and pulsed faster than before.

“There,” Astral sighed “That should speed up his recovery. How long until we get to Canterlot?”

Verity shrugged

“We’re only halfway there, so we should arrive by morning,”

“Great, That gives us plenty of time to prepare,”

*=_/)|*|(\_=*

Corporal Flash Sentry was having a less-than-satisfying time at the ruined mansion on clean up duty. A free spirit at heart, the lean Pegasus with the orange coat and short blue mane and tail loathed this kind of work. He, along with a dozen or so of his comrades were tasked with removing all evidence of the Princess’s arrival at the scene of the siege. Easier said than done, you could plot her path of violence with a pen and paper from an altitude of 500m. Neither he, nor his colleagues couldn’t resist being surprised by Celestia’s violent behaviour lately. The mission report said that Celestia took down the unicorn and the changeling single-hoofedly, but the blood was on the wall, and they knew otherwise.

It was nearing 8 at night when they were finishing up the final clean-up site. The laboratory peaked through a ruined circle of dirt and rock, a substantial distance from the surface. Being a Pegasus, Flash could enter easily, as well as about four other guards.

“Well,” a guard said “Looks like we’re all done here,”

“Not quite yet,” Flash replied harshly “We have one more item to tick off the list before we can get back to Canterlot,”

“That being?”

“A dead mare, white coat, three toned mane and tail. Why? You’ve seen her,”

“Give me the picture,”

Flash reluctantly hoofed over the bloodied clipboard to his fellow guard. The guard whistled appriecatively and gathered the other guards.

“Dang, hey guys, check out this sweet filly,”

“I wouldn’t mind getting a piece of that,” one smirked

“I’d be willing to share,” another said

“Guys,” Flash complained, rolling his eyes “This is really not professional behaviour,”

“Says you, Boy Scout,”

“If you’re done clopping over a photograph, we need to find this mare,”

“Nah, I’m leaving. If she were alive, maybe we’d stay,”

“Yeah! Catch you later Flashy!” a guard snorted

Laughing richly, they took off into the night sky. Flash was just about to get back to it before he heard complete and utter silence. The laughter of his comrades ended far too adruptly to have been natural. No Weeping Angels have been spotted any where near the Mansion since the Harmonizer was destroyed. Suddenly, a thick, heavy weight fell right on top of him.

“Ugh, what?”

Cursing to himself, he crawled out from underneath the massive lump. He froze in shock once he realised what exactly fell on him. It was his comrades, all of them, even the ones that stayed on the surface. They were all knocked out cold and tied together in chains. Relief washed over him when he realised that none of them showed any wounds on their enchanted white coats. Before he even knew what was happening, a tremendous force knocked him sideways, into a pile of scrap metal. Besides a couple bruises, he was alright. Until the same force knocked him high into the air.

Flash was beyond conscious thought as he was relentless whacked around like a rag doll. Reaching the terminal height of the mighty toss, a dark figure rose up to meet him, and slammed him down into the dirt again. Flash groaned as physical shock settled in. he must’ve had at least 15 broken bones by now. He jumped in his skin when an ornate golden two-pronged spear pinned his neck to the floor. The sharpened blades rested far too close to his skin on either side of his neck, creating shallow, superficial cuts.

A figure lit only by moonlight stood over him, holding the spear in place. If the place was even a little brighter, he might have collapsed even earlier. Above him stood the most beautiful mare he had ever seen. White, alabaster coat, completely unblemished and seductively flawless. Long, three toned mane of cherry red, meadow green and dark green that reminded him of summer. A face, that even though regarding him sternly, was equal with the warmest smile he had ever received.

“Who are you?” the mare demanded, sinking the spear lower into the earth, bringing the sharpened blade closer to his throat

That voice, he could listen to it all day, maybe even all his life. It reminded him of a symphony of violins, violas and cellos. Capable of so many expressions of emotion but sounding so beautiful no matter which is being portrayed. The mare was obviously getting impatient, and sighed in defeat.

“Stallions,” she grumbled, hefting a large wooden shield

Flash was knocked right out of his fantasies with a hard blow to the head. The mare retrieved her spear and shield, looking pitifully at the guard below her. She turned to the moon, basking in its soft white light as she let the brisk late night air flow around her.

“It has been too long,” she murmured

Collecting her few possessions, the mystery mare set off towards Ponyville.

Chapter 26: New Hope

The next day, the incident at Astral’s Estate was all but forgotten. The mob of ponies from the day before were completely absent as they returned to their day-to-day lives. This excepted a certain studious purple alicorn, who took the whole night for a research project.

Twilight Sparkle was holed up in her tree of a library, frantically flipping through all her books for something like the twelfth time. She looked even more dishevelled than the day she broke down over her friendship letters, and that is an astounding feat. She sat on a virtual mountain of books, muttering mild obscenities to herself as each one failed to yield what she sought.

“Twilight,” Spike cried “It’s been something like eight hours already!”

The new princess paid him no heed. She didn’t need to. All she needed to do was fix her mistake…

Somehow

“No, No NO!” Twilight shouted, screaming her frustration into the air “This all doesn’t make any sense!”

Each book she looked at had even littler information regarding the mare from last night. Her only clue was a solid gold knife, etched with ancient words on each side. All she gathered was that the first two lines:

“Mater Lumen, Pater Noctus,”

“Mother Light, Father Night,” Was some kind of signature. Probably of the maker, or whoever owned it at the time. The other side:

“Veritas et Honora,”

Meant ‘Truth and Honour’ in the same ancient tongue. The only other times she’s heard those words were in Verity’s own name. In fact, her entire name roughly spelt out the Elements of Harmony:

“Veritas Fidelis Numen Laetitia Bonita Venia Lumen Honora,”

Translated to modern Equish, it means:

“Truth, Faith, Force, Joy, Goodness, Forgiveness, Light, Honour,”

Maybe there was some special meaning to her name. Perhaps it is a reflection of Verity’s royal status. Maybe it was a spell of some kind…

Any further thought was blocked as her front door violently slammed open. In a split second, a blur of pink obscured her vision. Pinkie Pie happily bounced up and down in front of her like a soda with suicidal thoughts.

“Hiya Twilight!” she grinned

“Pinkie!” Twilight returned, finally having the strength to put down the books “You’re feeling all better!”

“Sure am! A new store just opened up!”

“Wait, what?”

“A new store! You know, the places where you can buy goods…”

“Yes , yes, I know what a store is Pinkie,” Twilight rebutted “But what do you mean? Why does that make you happy?”

“Well, it’s not really new, more of like old, but new at the same time! It was closed for a really really really really long time! Now it’s open again!”

“What’s it called?” Twilight asked exasperatedly, having no idea where the ecstatic pink pony was going with this. Pinkie was random during the best of times, and the worst. She was happy about virtually anything in Ponyville, but the pony Twi most expected to be excited about a new store was Rarity.

“Astral Star’s Emporium of Magical Artefacts!” she announced, throwing confetti and streamers to accentuate the point.

“Wait… What?”

“You know, a place where they buy and sell magical artefacts?” Pinkie explained slowly, throwing a worried glance “Are you alright Twilight? You’re slower than usual. Maybe you should get out more…”

A new store opened by Astral Star? Not only was it weird, but completely impossible. How could Astral open a store when he was clearly going to Canterlot awaiting imprisonment? Murderers weren’t treated very well in Equestria, most were executed immediately before Celestia and Luna came in. Opening a store straight after this kind of sentence was not really first on the to-do list for any Equestrian convict. Heaving a sigh, she decided to press for answers.

“Pinkie, you are making less sense than usual,” she stated simply “Astral’s gone to prison remember?”

“Well duh! Of course he is, silly!” the pink party pony giggled

“Then how did he open the store?”

“I didn’t say he opened the store,”

“Then who did?”

“His sister of course!”

Twilight froze for a second.

“You mean Verity?”

“Nope, his other sister!”

The new princess rubbed her temples. Dealing with Pinkie gave her frequent headaches, and the lack of sleep was doing her little favours.

“What other sister?” she asked, with forced patience

“She’s really cool! Looks a lot like him too! A little loco-coco, but great fun too!”

“I mean, who is this mare?” Twi’s patience was seriously thinning now

“I dunno,”

Finally, it snapped.

With a loud, frustrated groan she catapulted all her books across the room, burying an unfortunate Spike.

“You know what?” Twilight growled “Fine, you win. Let’s just go,”

“Okie dokie lokie!”

Pinkie resumed her happy bouncing and bounded right out the library door, Twilight dejectedly following suit.

“You know I got to clean all this!” Spike shouted after them, gesturing wildly to the library’s new carpet.

Heaving a sigh of his own, he began to clean up. He had little trouble despite his complaints. It’s not like this was the first time she threw all the books on the floor.

The store was a five minutes’ walk away from the library, just down the road. It sat on a corner near the town hall, sticking out like a bat in the day time. It was a wonder Twilight didn’t notice it earlier. It was a deep blue store, with angular yet elegant design, accented with large but minor violet gems. A myriad of strange jewel-encrusted magical attire stood behind the display windows, two nestled either side of the door.

Entering the store, it looked like Luna joined the gypsies and decided to take up arts and crafts. The ceiling was a splendid replication of the night sky, accurate to every star and constellation during the winter solstice. Little paper dragons and birds flew lazily across the fake sky of their own accord. There was a large aisle down the middle to the register, wearing a beautiful tapestry of The Crystal Empire on the rug. Either side stood three large shelves, with one more on the wall for each side. Every single one was full of beads, bracelets, tiaras, necklaces, horseshoes and more. Some of the more dangerous or lethal looking artefacts were hung behind the register, where a young pegasus mare now sat, regarding them eagerly.

The mare was midnight blue, similar to the façade of the store. She had a long mane and tail and intelligent blue eyes, just like Astral’s. Unlike Astral, she had a aura about her akin to eternal joy. Not unlike a certain pink party pony. The apparent owner of the store trotted from behind the register to greet them.

“Hello and welcome to Astral’s Emporium!” she greeted happily “Pinkie, it’s great to see you again! How’s your latest purchase working for you?”

“Work’s like a charm!” Pinkie replied haughtily, throwing in a wink for good measure

“Oh hehe,” the mare giggled “Clever one aren’t you?”

She turned away from the ecstatic pink mare and immediately noticed the awkward face of Twilight Sparkle.

“Oh, where are my manners?” she said hastily “My name’s Aurae from Canterlot, proud owner of this store. Would you do me the honour of your name, young mare?”

“My name’s Twilight Sparkle,” the new princess replied with a nod of her head “It’s a pleasure to meet you,”

“Ah, I know you!” Aurae said knowingly “You were that little filly back in kindergarten who just couldn’t put down a good book. I’m an avid reader myself, but even I could give it a rest from time to time,”

Twilight blushed from the reminder. Looking back on her fillyhood, a lot of it was cringe worthy, or happy, but never in between.

“Uh, yeah,” she replied sheepishly “Anyway, I’m here to ask you a couple questions,”

“Shoot,” Aurae nodded, taking a comfortable position behind the counter

“Is it true that you are Astral’s sister?”

“Well…” Aurae rolled her head “It’s a little complicated. I guess you can call us family, but we’re a lot closer than that. Heh, I could even be his daughter if we weren’t the same age. I guess the most accurate description would be ‘brain child’ but that doesn’t really make sense either since…”

“Hold on, what?” Twilight was positively buzzing by now

“The way he described it was ‘organic magical emotional construct and blah blah blah. Apparently, I was the product of several spell misfires and failures. The final one gave me a body, and an independent consciousness. Before that I was just a couple random thoughts going around his head,” Aurae explained, gesturing wildly at the insanity of her own claims

“Anyway, do you know what happened to him?”

“Yep, he went to prison in Canterlot,” she stated plainly

“Wait, you aren’t troubled by this at all,”

Aurae pondered for a moment

“I guess I should, but it’s really not in my nature. Sadness isn’t really an emotion I can feel, since Astral’s mind was divided into three a long time ago, and I got the happy side. My sister got the ‘meh’ side and we don’t really talk about the third one…”

“Why not?”

“Let’s just say that at the rate things are going between the Princesses and my brother, father or whatever, you’ll see it soon,”

Aurae paused

“That reminds me, I really have to get to Canterlot. I would’ve gone last night, but some pony bought out the last of my Sigil Wings so…”

Twi’s eyes widened in recognition

“Wait,” she interrupted “Sigil Wings?”

“Yep,” Aurae acknowledged “A really sleek, black pair of mechanical wings Astral invented. Powered by Equestria’s ambient magical field, it could run forever! Nopony has ever bought any before though, that’s why I had only one in stock. The rest is over at the mansion…”

Her eyes narrowed

“THE MANSION!” she squealed, bolting straight into the distance.

*=_/)|*|(\_=*

Twilight flew back towards the ruins of Astral’s Estate, trying in vain to keep up with the blue blur that was Aurae.

The royal siege took a huge toll on the place. The front half of the mansion disappeared in a huge sink hole, revealing the interior of the underground lab, and all the remaining rooms. Wooden and stone debris littered the whole property, the odd magical artefact here and there to add interest. The giant hole where the harmonizer should be, pulsed an eerie, magenta light.

Twilight approached the edge of the crater. The whole thing radiated intense heat. Standing next to it felt like sitting inside an oven. Disobeying her instincts, she leaned toward the gaping earth, and peered into its depths.

She was roughly shoved backwards just before she took a glimpse. Aurae stood before her, a concerned expression on her face.

“What did you see?” she asked worriedly

“Just the light,” Twi answered “Why?”

“The raw, untamed magic down there would most likely kill you,” the blue Pegasus explained with a shrug, looking down the abyss “Down there is so much knowledge that it would burn away your mind to contain it all,”

“So, how are you looking at it right now?”

“Oh Twilight, I was never alive! Not properly anyway,”

“What do you mean by…?”

“Oh come on now princess, there are more pressing matters to deal with than understanding some ancient magic. For now, you’ll just have to ‘deal with it’ as ponies say these days,” Aurae scoffed, waving her hoof “If you’ll excuse me, I’ll have to make a trip to Canterlot to see my sister,”

With that, she strolled off the hill, and down towards Ponyville, Twilight hastily catching up.

“Sister?”

“Of course, you know, a sibling who’s a girl? You’re remarkably slow today Miss Sparkle, as Pinkie has previously noted,”

“Heh, sorry about that,” Twi blushed “I guess this is a lot to take in in so little time,”

Aurae comforted the new princess with a hoof on her shoulder, slowing down so that they walked beside each other.

“No worries dear, it’s taken its toll on all of us,” she sighed “Some, more than others,”

Chapter 27: Games

It had been no longer than four hours since Honour Bound’s Induction into the makeshift facility. In four hours, he’s given second-degree burns to every pony (totalling at eight) who wished to speak with him, friendly or not. The final speaker would be Princess Luna, the only pony with the most contact with him available. If her terrifying dream experience could be counted as ‘contact’.

Honour Bound had to be moved to a fire proofed, magically enhanced steel room with a double coating of every dampening sigil available. The chains were replaced with magical hard-light tethers and a muzzle of a solid titanium-cobalt alloy. This was the only substance they had at the time that could withstand his flame breath, an attack he could utilise even if magically bound. Additionally, a tranquilising gas permeated the room at a lethal concentration level. Something that did not affect the giant changeling in the slightest. Scientists and technicians milled around the outside, constantly monitoring and correcting the cell’s functions.

“Are you ready?” a lab assistant asked to the blue alicorn

“Ready,” Luna confirmed

Two more ponies, these ones donning yellow bio-hazard suits marched up, holding a black case between them. Setting it down before the Lunar princess, they opened it clasp by clasp, revealing a small amulet, a silver phoenix with wings wrapped protectively around a flawless blue sapphire, hung on a golden chain.

“This will ward off the gas,” the assistant explained “It’ll keep you breathing normally for the next 15 minutes of exposure. When the gem turns red, leave the cell immediately,”

Luna nodded, as the three ponies made way. The door was a solid slab of volcanic steel, with no hinges or locks what-so-ever. The amulet around her neck did two things, it acted as a key to pass through the door, and it also absorbed impurities in the air. There was a huge lack of breathable air in the cell, and the amulet could only absorb so much.

Mustering courage, she stepped through the steel slab as if it wasn’t there. Inside, was nothing but the thick, green haze of gas, with the only break in colour, being the ominous black silhouette of Honour Bound. Her entrance was greeted by the metallic shrieks and klinks of the chains and plates that bound the giant changeling, as well as a deep, mocking chuckle.

“We meet again, Princess Luna,” Honour hissed, his voice vibrating like the wings of a thousand bugs. “I would say it’s a pleasure to see you again, but I see no benefit to lying in my current position, wouldn’t you agree?”

“Enough of the idle banter!” Luna demanded “I came here with questions and I expect some answers,”

“Seeing as how you are the guest here in this room, how about we play a little game?”

“No games changeling, you are the prisoner here, not I,”

“Is that so?”

His tone worried the princess. It was just too much like Discord’s back in the day. Mocking, always one step ahead.

“Have a look down at that little medallion of yours, and you’ll get my meaning,” Honour explained, with no subtlety in his satisfaction.

To Luna’s utter dismay, it was already red.

“Listen carefully princess, my magic is the only thing keeping either of us alive. This gas you have here is enough to put both of us to sleep forever,”

He paused, relishing Luna’s horrified face

“Rethinking my offer of a game?”

Luna heaved a sigh, there was nothing to lose in here.

“What do you have in mind?” she asked suspiciously

“A game of knowledge,” he said simply “We ask each other one question at a time. The other must answer the question truthfully. Any false answers, and I will relinquish the hold I have over the gas,”

“How will I know you will keep your word, changeling?”

“You won’t. However, I will know if you lie. You’ll find my answers to be satisfactory, if shocking,”

He paused again

“Do we have a deal?”

“Fine,” Luna nodded grudgingly

“Perfect. As my guest, you will have the first question,”

Regarding the things she expected to happen, playing a quiz with a gaint changeling wasn’t one of them. Having the opportunity to ask questions without being burned alive though, was a first for everyone since Honour’s confinement. She began the game with a question that has been bugging every pony, especially the guard.

“How are you able to fight and live for so long?”

“Putting two questions together are we? Sneaky, but I will indulge you with an answer, as requested,”

Despite the vast amount of dampening sigils, Honour’s crooked horn lit up, creating a pocket of breathable air in the lethal gas. He then began conjuring an image, a three-dimensional rendering of a royal guard.

“As you might have already deduced, changeling’s feed on certain emotions. Love is everyling’s favourite, and the much preferred choice, but any kind of emotion should suffice. Love wasn’t the first emotion I was exposed to when I was born. I had not experienced its warmth until the age of six. As such, I have adapted myself to draw from negative emotions, fear, hatred and rage for instance. These things were plentiful back then.

In the siege, the guard’s hostility and fear fuelled me onward. With each passing minute, the anger that each guard possessed grew, as did the amount of effort required to subdue them. The two balanced each other out. Fighting your sister though…”

Again, he let out a deep, throaty chuckle that set Luna’s nerves on edge.

Anyway, my longevity was a gift from an old friend of ours. It was never really his intention to give it to me specifically, but I obtained it none the less. !”

Honour ended his explanation by shuffling awkwardly towards the night princess. The heavy plates and chains hung awkwardly off his jagged frame. When he stopped, he bent low, now eye level with the princess, letting her see what has become of him.

The binding plates looked corroded, as if acid has been eating away at them, little by little. The hard-light tethers flickered every so often, the nodes binding point A to B having been uprooted from their place on the ground. All tethers dragged behind Honour like an abandoned cloak. The helmet and muzzle were the most broken pieces on him. The right side had completely melted off, presenting a glowing, emerald green eye. The muzzle hung from his left cheek, now a discarded piece of metal. Luna always wondered how the previous ponies were burned, and how Honour could speak so clearly.

“My turn,” he rasped “Why is Celestia moving against us?”

“What?”

Honour’s eyes flashed red at her response.

“You know something. Don’t hide it from me, little Luna,” he hissed

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said more surely

Again, the eyes flashed red.

“Do not lie to me, princess,” his hiss growing into a snarl as he crawled closer to the blue alicorn “This gas that surrounds us is not only lethal, but highly flammable. Consider your next words carefully,”

Luna took a gulp, taking a quick glance at the changeling before her, and the door behind her. Summing up her chances of escape, she caved in. She had already witnessed the changeling’s prowess in battle, and had no intention of receiving it first hoof.

“My sister theorised that you and your two companions hold a secret to infinite knowledge,”

“Oh, far from infinite,” Honour chuckled, taking a comfortable position on his haunches. Even at this position, he was more than eye level with the princess. “Please, continue,”

Luna sighed “Legend has it that you possess an artefact that is the key to all knowledge of the multiverse. Something you call, the ‘Spire of Knowledge’,”

“The Spire has been destroyed many millennia ago. The one we possess is not the Spire, but the eldest of seven sister crystals, scattered across Equestria by ancient spirits. The other that you may know of is the Tree of Harmony, the second eldest of these crystals,”

“If the spire is destroyed, then my sister’s cause is lost?”

“Ah, your next question. Together the seven sisters collectively restrict all of Equestria’s known magical threats. The Tree holds back the Everfree, while our Spire protects you from…”

“You?”

Honour’s eyes narrowed

“Yes, us,” he growled “Our collective magic is enough to influence nature and reality itself. The Spire keeps us in check. My turn again. Have you heard of the Darklings?”

Luna took a nervous gulp

“I am familiar with such creatures,” she stammered

Honour’s grin was enough to unnerve her

“A pity. It would make the look on your face much more satisfying,”

With that, Honour Bound stood up, drawing himself to his full height.

“If I were you, I would tell your little toy soldiers to guard the walls,”

Turning around, he marched back into the gloom, the creaking and screeching of metal accompanying his departure. Taking the cue, Luna left the room, passing through that same volcanic steel door.

Waiting on the other side was Princess Celestia, a tired look on her face.

“Well, how’d it go?” the solar princess asked

“An improvement from previous tries, sister,” Luna haughtily replied “How’s Frolicsome’s going?”

This drew an amused giggle from the white alicorn

“Very well, enough,”

While Luna was interrogating the changeling, Captain Frolicsome Meadowlark of the Night Guard was making his own preparations. He was being screened for anything that can be used against him during his interrogation, a process that lasted a full twenty minutes now.

“Hurry up already,” the impatient bat pony growled

“Patience is a virtue, Mr Meadowlark,” a lab mare admonished, looking him over one final time “There, you’re ready to go,”

Huffing to himself, Frolic stepped up to the cell door.

“Oh, and remember Mr Meadowlark, peaceful thoughts,”

Peaceful thoughts? Just what did they think he was going in for?

Before he could find an answer, the doors of the sealing compartment closed behind him, and the door to the cell lay wide open. Inside the well-furnished hotel room of a cell, a creamy yellow Pegasus with a long mane of gold sat by the vanity. She was doing her into two curly pig tails, happily humming the ’Funeral March’ to herself.

“Um, Miss Honora?” Frolicsome said, unsure of what to do

“That’s me!” the mare replied cheerily, still doing her mane in the mirror

“I’m Captain Frolicsome Meadowlark, and…”

Before he could make it any further, a blur of yellow rand toward him and began assaulting his hoof.

“Pleased to meet’cha!” Honora grinned, giving Frolic’s hoof a vigorous shake “Name’s Laetitias, but you can call me Lily. I used to let ponies call me ‘Titty’ but in the past couple decades, people…”

“You mean ponies?”

“…have been thinking about something completely different when they hear that word. I mean seriously, what is wrong with ponies these days?”

“Um,”

“Ooh! Let’s not forget r34. If you don’t know what that is, don’t worry you don’t need to know. Seriously, do not look it up. I REPEAT! DO NOT LOOK FOR R34!”

“Okay, okay!” Frolic exclaimed hastily, taking a number of steps backward “I won’t look for r34,”

“Great!”

“So, I’ve got a couple questions for you…”

“Ooh, let me pull up a seat…”

“Really, there’s no need to…”

Before he knew it, he was swept off his feet by a floating chair and deposited roughly at a small wooden table-for-two. Laetitias was at the kitchenette, firing up the oven and slicing up fruit and battering a mixture.

“Banana, chocolate or mango?” she called

“Um, mango?” he said, unsure of what’s going on

“Sweet!’

And she was gone again. With a happy look on her face, she strode over to the cell door exit, wearing an apron and carrying a woven picnic basket in her mouth.

“Won’t be for long!” she smiled, mumbling through the basket, right before slamming the door

“Wait, you can’t go out there!” Frolic shouted after her

She wasn’t gone for two seconds before a golden blur burst back in, and attended the kitchenette. Golden hard-light pony structures appeared out of thin air, readying the table before him fir for a high class restaurant. A large plate, four different spoons and forks, two bowls and three different glasses were set in front of him. Another set was placed on the opposite side. A musical string quartet appeared on the other side of the room, contributing a light-hearted atmosphere.

Laetitias reappeared by the oven, withdrawing a tray of freshly baked mango muffins. Giving the tray a nice long blow to cool it down, she set down the muffins in a neat pile on the table, before throwing the tray over her shoulder, where it vanished into thin air.

“So, fire away, Mr Lark!” she said, examining a muffin in her hooves

It took a couple seconds for Frolic to mentally process what exactly was going on right about now. This crazy mare had not only defied so many laws of reality, but she was treating this like some kind of dinner-for-two.

"Ready!" she said, sporting that childish grin

“Um, okay then,” he started “First question, who are you?”

“Oh you know who I am, silly!” the mare replied taking a bite of savoury baking “Wow, these are good…”

“Ahem?”

“Sorry,”

“Anyway, the papers say that Verity Honora’s done some things…”

“Oh, the truth’s gone out has it?” Lily giggled “What’s good old Verity gotten herself into now? Robbery? Contemporary art? Social Justice Vlogging? Or, Gods forbid…”

She paused for effect, looking Frolic straight in the eye

“Stallions?”

“I don’t think so,” Frolic muttered unsurely

“Oh, that’s a relief,” Lily sighed, collapsing into her chair “So what’s she really done?”

“Murder,”

This took the yellow mare by surprise. Frolicsome looked more sure of himself now than before. There was a serious look in his eyes that would unnerve any other pony. The happy yellow Pegasus on the other hoof, adopted an air of young obiviousness.

“I’m sorry, but you’ve got to be a teensy-weensy little bit more specific,”

“Her creatures have killed my brother,” he whispered intensely

“Oh! Sunshine Smiles right? You know, tall, dark a little handsome, looks just like you too!”

“Yes, him,”

“Why in Equestria do you think we killed her? I mean sure, she’s killed her fair share of ponies, but, haven’t we all?”

“No,”

Laetitias thought about that for a moment.

“Wait ‘till nine o’clock tonight, sharp. You’ll see him again. I’m willing to put a wager on it,”

“Really?”

Lily reached under the table and produced a large bag of bits from nowhere. A large burlap sack overstuffed with the golden coins.

“How’s 420 bits sound?”

“420 bits? You serious?”

“Yep! How about this, if you see your brother again, have the bits. If you don’t see him, then don’t have the bits. Deal?”

Frolic sighed. This was going to be a long afternoon.

“Deal,”

“Nice!” she grinned, hefting the bag to Frolic under the table. “Okay, I’m ready for question number two!”

A very, long afternoon.

Chapter 28: How Unexpected

The first reports came in hours after the Magenta Sky incident. Four Crystal Guards were forced to abandon their outposts near the Crystal Mountains after a freak magical surge of unknown power. The surge destroyed a large number of a mountain’s face, exposing a huge cavern of rock, predating any recorded Equestrian activity.

These guards are having their funeral service done tomorrow.

From then, strange, black shapes crawled across the rocky surface. Each one cast an eerie, green glow as they flocked to the mountain’s foot by their hundreds. When the flow of shadows finally ceased, they advanced again, slithering across the land as a single, streak of black.

Canterlot

“… and when she tried to get me, ZOOM! I was outta there! And when Astral blasted her into the pit it was amazing! And when…”

Frolicsome let out and audible groan, blissfully ignored by the happy mare in front of him. Laetitias had been at this for almost an hour, and showed no sign of slowing down, let alone stopping. The muffins she baked never seemed to run out, even though she was guzzling at least one per minute. The sun had almost set by now. The gold mare opened up a magical window on the wall, so she could see the sun sink below the horizon.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Lily murmured

Frolic sat up with a start.

“Um, what is?” he asked unsurely

“The sunset,” she sighed “All the colours, orange to blue, it’s magnificent,”

Frolic had to agree. The sunset was always a sight to behold. It held a special place in the hearts of all ponies. The colours of orange to blue complimented each other perfectly. You could pick out a hundred shades of either in just one section of sky.

Lily continued, sighing to herself “It’s such a shame that this will be the last one some ponies might ever see,”

“What?”

The yellow mare’s sudden change in moods was slightly unnerving. She levelled, a serious almost angry glare right into the bat pony captain eyes.

“9 o’clock sharp,” she stated, leaving the table

When Frolic turned to see where she was going, she was gone. Only an open cell door and the faint smell of baking in her wake.

Down Below

Honour Bound sat in his cell, silently contemplating the lethal, green tranquilising gas that surrounded him. The gas had a profound effect on his senses, a fact that he kept to himself, and hid well. The lethal concentration may not have bothered him, but the fact that it also displaced any breathable air, certainly did. It was a reason why he wanted to get over this ordeal as quickly as possible.

Honour had been biding his time inside his cell, silently leeching the suspicion and fear that each and every pony brought into his vicinity. The dampening sigils were not universal. It may have proven more effective on a unicorn, but certainly not a changeling. With careful, calculated motions and actions, he began his escape plan.

Honour deeply inhaled the lethal gas, opening his mouth to its widest extent, sucking it all in like a hungry vacuum. He made sure that the gas did not enter his lungs, but went to his stomach instead. In seconds, he had inhaled the whole room’s full of toxin.

“What’s going on?” A lab pony demanded

“Gas concentration is decreasing rapidly!” another cried fearfully “It’s already reached non-effective levels!”

“Dammit! Get the guards!”

Body now filled with the toxin, Honour stumbled his way over to the volcanic steel door, and pressed his horn against its centre. Using his remaining magic, the giant changeling morphed the composition of his horn to replicate that of the necklace Luna wore during her visit. The enchantment on the door resisted at first, but soon allowed him access. The first to exit the cell was the long, crooked shape of the changeling’s horn. By this time, two dozen guards organised themselves in four equal lines, spears and shields at the ready.

Honour’s head broke forth, sporting a wide grin as he took in the guard’s obvious terror. Rearing his head back for force, he snapped it forward and released his entire stomach’s worth of tranquilising gas. The green smoke flowed out with a hiss, quickly permeating the whole room. In this much more open space, the concentration was far from lethal, but it was more than effective. Ponies, guards and lab ponies alike dropped to the ground after mere seconds of exposure.

Honour Bound stepped lightly through the steel door. Pausing to admire his work, he levitated a guard before him. This mare’s eyes were half closed, slightly glazed over in a state of near unconsciousness. The giant changeling closed his eyes in a state of contemplation, gently stealing away all the mare’s remaining energy. A faint green vapour wafted off the sleeping mare and flowed into his body. Honour dropped her, feeling his tiredness fade away.

He walked over to the nearest window, and bathed in the last rays of sunlight.

“Wake up, my brother,” he whispered to the setting sun “The dark ones await you,”

Canterlot Dungeons

Celestia sat outside a plain cell, quietly contemplating the ways she was going to do this. Inside the cell, the plain, granite statue of Astral Star stared back at her. This petrification wasn’t like anything she was familiar with. The victim wasn’t just trapped in stone, they became stone. She sat there for thirty minutes, before a disjointed, serpentine figure detached from the shadows. It had the face of a goat slightly disjointed, with a single fang too large for his mouth among his normal teeth. A pair of arms, one hand of talons, and one paw. Two legs, one belonging to a lizard, and the other a horse. The tail of a snake, ending with a tuft of white hair.

“Discord,” she greeted evenly

“My dear Celestia,” Discord replied, bowing down mockingly “You called?”

“Yes, I have need of your ability,”

“Well, I’m not going to get much done without your say-so nowadays, now will I?” he drawled, pulling a tea pot out of the air and taking a swig of the boiling liquid. “Spit it out already,”

“I want you to unpetrify this pony,”

“What? Is that all?” he joked “I thought petrification was your little specialty,”

He received a stern glare in reply.

“Well alright then. Stand back, this’ll be a snap,”

With a simple snap of his taloned fingers, Astral’s statue was enveloped in a white flash. Remarkably, nothing happened.

“Hm, now that’s odd,” Discord mused

Suddenly, the statue’s shadow lengthened and darkened, until it enveloped the whole cell, and spilled into the hallway. A tall, equine form rose from the pool to confront the draconequus. A thin alicorn, two heads taller than Celestia, his horn burshing the top of the ceiling. His coat was a jet black, rippling like liquid across his body. A regal, black cloak was draped on his shoulders. He also wore the adorned, white bones of a young dragon, its skull acting as his crown. He looked down at Discord with blank, piercing white eyes and smiled.

“Well,” he noted, with a deep, charismatic voice. A series of malignant tones that set their teeth on edge and a tingle down their spine. “This was unexpected,”

Ponyville: Astral’s Emporium of Magical Artefacts

Aurae was busily packing her bag for what could be a several day’s stay in Canterlot. Twilight stood by the entrance of the store, bags packed already thanks to some organisation and Spike. Minutes later, Aurae emerged from the store with a sky blue suitcase and matching saddlebag. Curiously, she was also wearing an ornate silver armlet with a jet black diamond set into the centre.

“What is that?” twilight asked curiously

“No time for that,” Aurae dismissed “We’re burning daylight,”

With that, Aurae shoved a huffed purple alicorn into the shop, along with her bags. Working quickly, Aurae took some chalk and began to draw a large complex circle pattern, resembling Celestia’s cutie mark, but had the crescent shape of the moon rather than the rounder sun. Twilight sat in the middle of the sigil, completely perplexed.

“What are you…?”

“There’s no time!” Aurae snarled, grunting in frustration

Working quickly, the nimble blue Pegasus took a heap of reagents from the nearest cabinet. Drawing herbs, salt and a golden, ancient looking knife from the open shelves. She scattered the herbs and salt across the chalk drawn lines. While doing so, she began an deep ancient tongues. Old words that would mean nothing to anypony but Aurae herself and a few others. These words were created to fabricate magic for non-unicorn races.

“Da mihi virtutem astra,” she muttered “lunam et ostendam me in via,”

When she finally finished, she began the final rite. She took the ornate knife in her mouth, and made a horizontal cut across the underside of her right forearm. Curiously, no blood leaked out, only small pinpricks of soft blue light. Wincing in pain, she shifted her armlet to cover the cut, the gem in its centre glowing blue in response.

Without another pause, she slammed her wounded hoof into a point in the sigil. The same blue glow spread across the pattern, glowing brighter and brighter over time. Aurae darted inside to join a bewildered Twilight, before the whole pattern, themselves and their baggage included, disappeared in a huge flash of white light.

All that remained of their presence was a scorch mark in the shape of the lunar sun.

Canterlot

In a brilliant flash of white light, the two travellers arrived. Twilight stumbled around hastily, trying to regain her composure. They had arrived in a dark living room, a wide area well-suited to the life style the Canterlot Nobles were so fond of. It reminded her of her own home, despite the lack of bookshelves. The wide windows were blocked by heavy set curtains, letting a trickle of moonlight through to illuminate the surroundings. In place of bookshelves, there were glass cases, each one containing a bizarre magical artefact that looked more suited to Nightmare Night costume than a personal museum.

Aurae quickly scanned the bookshelves while the startled alicorn took a look around. The rune Aurae used was scorched into the masterfully woven rug, exactly on top of a similar, more solar design. Juddging by the depth of the burn, it was either the spell was very volatile, or she used it often.

“While I do enjoy your visits, Aurae,” a female voice said sternly “I do wish you would call in advance,”

The two ponies turned to see a dark blue Pegasus in purple bathrobe behind them. She could’ve been Aurae’s twin, but the newcomer wore her mane in a neat bun at the back of her head, and two bangs framing her face. In addition, she wore half-moon glasses, crystal teardrop earrings and a mildly curious expression.

“And you brought a guest,” she continued, she sounded like Aurae too, but the tone was much drier and disinterested “How odd,”

“Well hello to you too, sister,” Aurae smiled, embracing her twin for a brief moment “Venti, this is Princess Twilight. Princess Twilight, this is Venti, my sister,”

“Nice to meet you,” Twilight greeted warmly

“Likewise,” Venti responded plainly “You have been expected, Miss Sparkle,”

Twi’s eyes widened in surprise

“By who?”

Venti shrugged

“An old friend of Astral’s. According to her story, you two have had quite the first impression on each other. Am I right my dear?”

She addressed her question to a previously hidden figure by the curtains. She was the same white, unicorn that assaulted Twilight back at the library, though no hostility could be seen on her face.

“Yeah, very sorry,” the mare said sheepishly, rubbing the back of her head “How about a fresh start. My name’s Amaryllis and I’ve heard plenty about you, Ms Sparkle,”

Down Below

Discord and Celestia looked up at the dark figure, completely dumbstruck. The figure’s very presence filled them with unparalleled dread. A thousand, hungry souls festered in his piercing white eyes, silently begging for release.

“Is this the welcome I get?” he asked “How rude. To think I thought you to would grow up one day,”

“Hades?” Discord whimpered, hiding behind the white alicorn’s hair for protection

“The one and only,” Hades grinned, peering down at the cowering draconequus “Nice to see you out of Tartarus, again,”

“Well, I…”

“Ahem?” Celestia interrupted

“Oh, I haven’t forgotten about you my dear,” he chuckled, levelling his gaze back to the solar princess “So many souls hunger for your death. Regarding the path you have chosen, you will be doing them a favour in the near future,”

“I have no time for your games, Hades,”

“Of course you don’t. Let us talk in private,”

A series of black, hellish chains, sprouted from the ground and wrapped themselves around a screaming Discord. His cries were all that was left as he was yanked into a fire-draped hole in the ground, never to be seen again. Celestia shouted in surprise, but was shot down with a glare from the dead king.

“You’ll have him back,” Hades assured her “That is, if you want him back?”

“Discord is a citizen of Equestria now,” Celestia remarked sternly “He is my responsibility,”

“And I’m sure he loves you for it. Come along now, we have much to discuss,”

With that, the shadow black alicorn strode out of the room, the darkness writhing in his wake. Hesitantly, Celestia followed soon after.

Foreword: From the Author(s)

Greetings and Salutations everypony!

My name's Astral Star, and I, along with my friends, thank you for expressing interest in my fanfiction. If you didn't know, this story was our first attempt at a story, and so far, our longest. This story has progressed in a way that represents our growing skills as writers. A skill that we no doubt, will forever hold dear.

For sentimental reasons, this story will not be edited anymore than grammar and punctuation. This story has grown at the same time as we have, and we see it as a reflection of what we used to be, and what we are now as writers.

All of us here have shared a giant imagination regarding the origins of our various OCs, and the world we lived in. We're all kids at heart, and this is our opportunity to express ourselves.

With that, read on!

~Astral Star and Company

Chapter 4: Judgements

Earlier…

The self-proclaimed ‘Cutie Mark Crusaders’ managed to sneak past the adults as they fussed all over the angel. The angel however, upon being approached by Apple Bloom, had different ideas. The Angels changed as they fed off their new power source. Gaining a sentience higher than their former animalistic hunger for food, and as such, now have a means of communication, feeling. The Angels can communicate rudimentary ideas and concepts through radiating emotional energy.

The type of energy and the amount that it gave off changes its meaning. Normally, only another Angel could read these energies, but any other emotion driven race, such as Changelings or Crystal Ponies, will be able to detect them and even read them as well. The Angel sensed Apple Blooms curiosity as she neared it, and this curiosity grew as the little filly heard Charlene give explanations. The Angel then began to ‘talk’ to Apple Bloom, explain what they are, and what they were doing, and she was a good listener. Soon, AB pulled her fellow crusaders to the side and led them to the playing fields, where the Angels were headed.

“Do you even know where we are going?” asked a frustrated Scootaloo

“Of course! The angel said they were heading that a’ way!” cried Apple Bloom

“How exactly did it tell you?”

“I dunno,” said Apple Bloom, scratching the back of her head “It kinda… thought at me,”

“Thought at you?”

“Like that one mare in the Power Ponies who could talk to people in their minds?” inquired Sweetie Belle

“You read those comics too?”

“Sorta,” replied Apple Bloom “but it didn’t use words, they were more like… feelings,”

“Feelings?” Scootaloo said drily

“Well, yeah,”

“Pfft, whatever, we made it to the fields any way,”

“Cool!”

The three fillies galloped full pelt towards the big ball of dark, excitedly looking side to side at all the Angels who looked like they were petrified in the process of walking. One or two managed to fall over, while another was locked in a swimming position at the bottom of the pool. Upon reaching the centre field, they decided to hide behind one of the trees that grew around the grounds to serve as borders between fields.

“Is that… Princess Celestia?”

“Princess Luna?”

“A Changeling?”

They all took in the sight before them, barely fighting off the urge to scream and run like the little fillies they are. After a few minutes of surveillance, the dark sphere engulfed Princess Luna, while Celestia stepped back to keep herself away from the globe. Then suddenly, it retracted, and all that was left was some monotoned grass, and some surprised expressions gracing Equestria’s princesses. Then, what they saw next shattered any hopes they had of remaining unnoticed.

“ENDERPONY!” screamed Sweetie Belle, her cry was reflected by her fellow crusaders as they proceeded to run full pelt away from the field, ignoring the Angels and running right back to the others.

“Rarity! Help!” cried Sweetie Belle “An Enderman came out of the big dark ball!”

“Whatever do you mean darling?” Rarity said soothingly

The tour group managed to hurry down to the ground floor to meet the three fillies on the outdoor patio. All of them were gasping by the time they arrived to meet the crusaders.

“It was a tall, black unicorn stallion with white eyes and purple smoke coming out of him!”

“Oh, you mean from that game you girls play every afternoon?”

“It’s Minecraft, and it’s good! But the Enderpony is real! We saw it!”

She glanced to her two friends and they chorused in approval. Applejack took a good long stare at the three fillies. Being the element of honesty, she could tell if some pony was lying, but if said pony happened to truly believe something, lie or not, it would be impossible to distinguish it from the truth. Her ability to rat out a liar was something she was very proud of, even before discovering her element. She finished her critique of the three fillies with only one conclusion.

“They’re tellin’ the truth,” She gasped

“WHAT!?!?!” chorused the group. Chest Nut and Charlene however, had a very good idea as to what was going on.

*=_/)|*|(\_=*

After a few painful seconds exposed to what could only be described as ‘a miniature sun’ the light began to fade to a bearable level. And there before them, was Miss Sunshine, whose name took quite a literal meaning once she transformed. She was tall, just as tall as Celestia, and just as slender, but her wingspan dwarfed even the Solar Princesses, effectively being double in length and width. She had a creamy yellow coat, and a soft, sunset mane, which billowed lazily in a non-existent breeze. Her eyes, like her brother’s, were a startling white, but looking into them gave a sense of peace and calm, a stark contrast to Astral’s. Her circlet grew to match her new size, and her whole body radiated a soft, pulsing light. In fact, her whole new appearance just screamed ‘motherly!’.

"S-Sunshine?” stammered Twilight, struggling for words to describe what she’s seeing in her note book.

“If you are going to know everything about us Miss Sparkle,” said Sunshine “Then you will address me as ‘Verity’ from now on, for it is my first, and my true name,”Her voice was so soothing and warm that Twilight almost lost herself in it. Although the words were harsh, she could not hear any negative tones in her voice, only a calm, even and warm one.

After a couple minutes of gawping, Celestia decided she’d had enough and began to look around them. There to her mild surprise, was a ring of something like 100 stone statues, who appeared to be… weeping. They all sat on the ground, wings outstretched to the side, and front hooves covering there faces.

“What are they?” breathed Twilight

“The Weeping Angels,” Honour Bound answered, the low thrum of his voice setting her on edge “beings that feed off magic, among other energies. They only move if they are unobserved, while if they are, they become mere statues,” He chuckled “Like an eternal game of ‘Red Light, Green Light’,”

“But why are they here,”

“In these forms, our bodies give off large amounts of raw magic,” he raised a brow at the sisters “You can feel it can’t you? There is a lot to feel. These forms are the manifestation of the very nature of their magic. As for myself…” he flexed his wings reflexively “This is just what I am,”

“The Angels are here because the our transformations have off set the magical field that they normally feed off of,” answered Astral “They are merely investigating the cause of the disturbance,”

Astral’s appearance was very hard to look at without sending shivers down the spine, but they found that Verity, as she is called, has the opposite problem. They find it extremely difficult to take their eyes off of her.

“But why are they crying?”

“They are not, that is just how they look,” Verity answered “But Legend has it they were beings who existed before time and space, but were punished by the disciples of light for their wrong doings, cursed into the state they are now. To us however, they are helpful and harmless,”

They let the matter rest as the princesses tried to come to terms to what they have just found, namely, the three magical beings that stood before them. This was clearly more than they bargained for. Not only were the answers given so readily, but they also found a set of beings, who rivalled themselves in power and age.

“Can we have a quick moment?” Celestia inquired “I have something to discuss,”

“I’d be surprised if you didn’t,” smirked Verity “be my guest,”

“Luna, Twilight, let us head back to the mansion, we have a lot to talk about,”

“We would be surprised if you didn’t, princess,”

The other worldly forms of Honour, Verity and Astral slowly shimmered out of existence, leaving behind the familiar forms of a changeling, a midnight blue unicorn stallion, and a creamy yellow Pegasus mare. The five ponies (plus one changeling) then calmly made their way back to the mansion, there was no rush after all.

“What do you think we should do now sister?” asked Luna “This is indeed an outcome we cannot possibly have forseen,”

“Quite so dear sister,” responded Celestia “but that just makes me more determined to discover the truth. We cannot let such powerful beings go about unwatched, peaceful or not,”

“So how do you propose we proceed?”

“We will go back to Canterlot and see what we can find in the archives, and attend to our royal duties. Twilight?”

“Oh, yes princess?” said Twilight distractedly, having not looked up from her note book since discovering the subject’s true forms.

“I need you and your friends to find out as much about them as you can, you can report your findings to me by letter,”

“You can count on me princess!” her faithful student cried enthusiastically

“I know I can,”

*=_/)|*|(\_=*

Back at the Lobby...

“Hello again, my little ponies,” greeted Celestia “It pains me to say that my sister and I cannot stay here much longer,”

“No worries,” replied Astral “was hope that your time here was enjoyable?”

He was met with a exclamations of happiness and joy, amongst them a ‘meh’ from Rainbow and a nervous squeak from Fluttershy, who aside from that, did not make a sound her whole visit.

“Very good. Just remember, you are all welcome in this house, just remember to call ahead first! Farewell for now!”

Chest Nut held the door open as the mane six, Doo-Smith family and Princesses Luna and Celestia filed out the door, chatting to themselves as they made their way off the grounds. Astral Star turned to his assembled companions

“Well, that went well,”

“Well enough,” Verity replied curtly “but we have to make preparations for their next visit,”

“And how do you know they’ll be coming back?” asked Honour Bound

“Call it intuition,”

The assembled ponies all groaned at Verity’s words. ‘Intuition’ was her code word for a mysterious power that Verity had. She rarely shared any details about it, but what they do know is that it allows her to look into the past present and future of an object, by looking at said object, or anything related to it. The extent of this power is a mystery to all but Verity herself. Verity, Astral and Honour said their farewells and trotted off to do their own business. Honour went to the library, Verity went to the workroom to check the dresses that Astral bought in Canterlot, while Astral himself went to the basement to work on his latest experiment.

*=_/)|*|(\_=*

Outside…

“Remember what I have told you Twilight,”

Celestia has been briefing her protegee ever since they’ve left the mansion. Twilight urged the solar monarch for more details on what she found in the archives, but she wouldn’t budge.

"It would be helpful to know what we are really dealing with,” she muttered

“I feel the same way,” Celestia said “Now, we must be off, it has been a pleasure as always, my little ponies,”

She and her sister took a gallop and rushed into the air on a beat of their wings. As they picked up speed, Celestia vanished into a white flash, high into the sky, and soon after, Luna followed suit.

“A strange spell for long distance teleportation,” the lavender alicorn mused.

“Come on girls!” she said aloud “Let’s head to the library, lunch is on me!” Their steady walk accelerated into a mad dash for Twilight’s house, motivated by the prospect of food, and judging by a cloud of dust where Rainbow had been, some more than others.

“We have a lot to talk about” thought Twilight grimly.

They arrived at the Ponyville Golden Oaks Library (or Twilight’s house) in record time, speeding from one side of Ponyville to the other in less than 5 minutes. The library was an extension of Twilight herself, really. A giant oak wood tree, grown carefully and precisely, hollowed out decades after its germination. That is to say, it must have been the most difficult house in Equestria to make.

Its walls were lined with shelves upon shelves of books, with windows higher up to provide light. There was a distinct lack of chairs, and only a single table that could fit them all. Twilight wasn’t the type to host a visit after all. A couple minutes later, Twilight and her loyal assistant Spike, a baby purple dragon, managed to seat every pony on cushions and tidy up the table, formerly used as Twilight’s experiment table. Soon they were all munching away on a garden salad with bread rolls and butter on the side.

“Somethin’ on yer mind sugarcube?” asked Applejack, she wasn’t the only one to notice that Twilight has been on edge during the whole meal,”

“It’s fine Applejack,” Twilight replied “It’s just that…”

The orange farmpony raised an eyebrow, while the rest of the guests stared in interest at the new princess.

“Your not gonna make this easy, are you?” Twilight stated dejectedly

“Eenope,” replied Applejack, imitating her big brother, Big Macintosh

“It’s just that…”

“Yes…?”

“Well, I…”

“Aw come on spit it out already!” cried Rainbow, who literally took off with suspense.

“Those three, they just scare me,”

“Whatever do you mean darling?” gasped Rarity “I mean yes, the décor could be a lot better (and a lot worse) but they still seem like nice folk,” she then added, under her breath “I wonder if that Astral Star fellow is single,”

Thankfully, nopony heard her say that as the conversation progressed.

“Yeah! Chill out Twilight!” replied Pinkie Pie, her voice, ever layered with that good humoured excitement of hers “They’re not bad ponies, I’ve known them since I came to Ponyville,”

“You have?”

“Sure! Astral Star let me stay in the old mansion for my first couple nights here, before the Cakes took me in,”

“That information could have been useful ages ago!” Twilight yelled exasperatedly “but that’s not it. First of all, the amount of magic their giving off is incredible, more so than I’ve felt from either of the princesses,”

“But how can that even be possible?” asked the Doctor “that amount of magic your describing is fatal to any mortal creature on this planet. Unless you’re saying they are aliens, which I highly doubt since most races don’t even acknowledge its existence, or you’re saying…”

“That’s what I think,”

“Immortals,” gasped a flabbergasted Doctor “more of them. Blimey, bloody hell…” his subsequent rant was cut off by a sharp blow to the back of his head. “Language Doctor,” admonished Derpy “especially not in front of the kids,” Said kids were watching the adults with high amusement.

“Terribly sorry,” he mumbled

“I wrote a letter to Princess Luna asking for the files they’ve made when investigating those three,” Twilight continued “Celestia seemed to be hiding things from me, but Luna gladly gave me the files,”

Using her magic, she retrieved said files from the shelf closest to her own bedroom on the top floor, and spread them out across the table. They were three worn, cardboard folders with numerous sheets, pictures and coloured labels on each of them. Each one contained an improvised mug shot, and several pages of their personal history, family members, magical capability, etcetera. Verity’s file seemed to be the fullest while Honour Bound’s the emptiest, but was still held a substantial number of material.

“Ok guys, Princess Celestia tasked me to find out everything I can about these three subjects, and present my findings to her in the upcoming Grand Galloping Gala,” stated Twilight, reasserting her trademark confidence “So, how about we go over Honour Bound first,”

She levitated his file to the centre of the desk and spread out the sheets to all members. As the her guests began to riffle through the files, she just remembered to tell them something

“Oh, and I forgot to mention, he’s a changeling,”

“A WHAT?!”

The gathered ponies skimmed the files with renewed interest, muttering relevant details to other members, and discussing any said details with others, while Twilight noted down anything of her interest. The page containing a brief overview of him, went something like this:

“Honour Bound is a Changeling with abnormally high levels of strength and speed. Not many sightings of him have occurred in the recent years, but we have found a trail of fake identities and dead ends to confirm his existence. These identities are all original, leading us to believe that he did not abduct ponies to feed. Said identities vary greatly from those of his companions, ranging from size, gender and even race. His greatest threat is mystery, every time the guard seems to have caught him, he surprises them with some previously unknown magical skill. That being said, he exhibits astronomically high amounts of magical radiation from his spells, measuring 800 on the Starswirl scale. He is also prone to violence without warning. Not much else is known about him, so proceed with caution.”

“Quite a charming fellow isn’t he?” muttered Ditzy

“You can say that again,” replied Rainbow “just look at what he did to the guards,”

“Hey Dashie! Look!” yelled an ecstatic Pinkie Pie “one of his identities was your old flight instructor!”

“You mean Wither Wing that old geezer?”

“The very same!”

“Whose Wither Wings?” inquired Applejack

“He was my old flight instructor, back when I was younger,” answered Rainbow “He was this old Pegasus who taught me the basics. I kinda got a little…” she started scratching the back of her head “Impatient, with him,”

“You? Impatient?” guffawed Applejack

“Yeah! Can you believe it? Anyway, he wouldn’t teach me all those cool moves the Wonderbolts did, saying that I needed to master the basics first, learn some control, and work as a team with your peers and some stuff like that,”

“Looks like he got the right idea,”

“Hey!”

The whole house broke into laughter at Rainbow’s expense, but being the good sport, she laughed along with them. When the laughter subsided, Rainbow took a seat again and looked to the floor, reality crashing down on top of her. “It’s just hard to believe that he was a changeling this whole time,”

“Don’t worry about it Rainbow,” comforted Twilight, draping an arm over the blue speedsters shoulders “Don’t think about what he is, but what he did. That makes him good in your book right?”

“I guess…”

“Great! Let’s have a look at Astral next,”

There was decidedly a lot more information in Astral’s file, but there was a lot more of it they didn’t like. Even Rarity withdrew her interest in him upon looking through those papers. The pony being described in this file, they agreed, is not the same pony they met this morning. Looking through his files, the gathered ponies winced, gasped and made other expressions as they read through. Twilight, who immediately put down the autopsy reports, started reading his magical detail. His magic level was around the same as Honour Bound’s, 800 Starswirls, herself only being somewhere around 250 and the princesses a bit northward of 500.

The page also included a list of all the magical arts he’s been seen performing. Alchemy, teleportation, mentalism, pretty much every art the purple alicorn has heard of, plus a few mythical ones, and a heap of ones she’s never even heard of were listed on this page. One art she could not help but whimper at, was Necromancy. Necromancy was an extremely forbidden art, it was death magic. It was extremely dangerous to everypony, especially the caster. It took its toll on the soul, as well as the mind and body, its power corrupting its users, and wasting them away with each spell. Even the Celestia and Luna cannot speak its name without disgust, or fear. It was all too obvious they’ve seen it first hoof. Again, a page containing a summary of information was provided:

“Astral Star is a dark figure, never to be trifled with. He is an adept in all the known magical arts, and as far as we know, all the unknown ones as well. Despite his huge magical arsenal, his greatest asset, was his intelligence. He extremely smart and cunning, being known to create marvellous pieces of engineering with mere scraps. He may appear charming at first, but there is a lot more to him than he lets on, sort of like a certain Time Charger I know. He too has a string of false but original identities and dead ends, but all identities are male, and are between the ages of 8 and 40. His true identity is a mystery. Several sightings have ended catastrophically for the witness and victim, often ending in insanity, loss of consciousness, and on the rare occasion, death. There is not enough evidence to convict him of murder, especially with his preferred weapon. Said preferred weapon is a pulse of negative emotional radiation originating from his eyes. This pulse inflicts all affected ponies with a vision so terrifying, only half the afflicted soldiers have fully recovered from it. Question this pony only if you have to. Stay safe, and do nothing to deserve what he can do.”

“And I thought the last guy was bad,” muttered Applejack

“Oh, he might not be all bad,” sighed Ditzy “the Doctor turned out to be a good guy, how about we find out a bit more about him before making judgments hmm?”

“I guess,” conceded Doctor “but that doesn’t mean we don’t exercise caution.”

"How about we take a look at Verity then call it a day?" suggested Twilight

The group all nodded in silent agreement.

Chapter 9: First Rays of Sunshine

Astral’s Estate

Honour Bound and Verity woke up earlier than usual today. The sun was barely peeking over the horizon, but they had a lot to discuss.

“You felt it didn’t you?” spoke Honour Bound, eyes set on the sunrise

“I did,” replied Verity “I just hope the poor girl’s alright,”

Honour merely nodded. Their safeguards were old ones; they were cast eons ago by Astral, times long forgotten. Thousands of years ago, on the other side of the world, they had lived. The possibility of living so long, and so well would have never occurred to them, yet here they were.

“Do you think she would try again?” inquired the changeling

“I have no reason to doubt her,” answered Verity “But intuition tells me that Astral has yet to be discovered,”

Honour merely nodded “We should go prepare breakfast; the others will surely be waking soon,”

In silent agreement, they trotted down to the dining hall.

“Scootaloo, you awake yet?”

“Not with you talking to me,” Scootaloo grumbled

The filly’s room was still dark, heavy curtains masking the sunlight that barely made itself known through the window. The other foals were sound asleep, not a single one snored.

“Sorry,” apologised Applebloom, sounding genuinely sorry for it “Somethin’s been bothering me,”

“Care to share?”

“We haven’t heard Verity’s cutie mark story yet,”

“Really!” the orange Pegasus exclaimed “That’s what you’re all worked up about?”

“Just ask her during breakfast!”

“AAAAGGHH!”

The two fillies rounded in surprise to see the grinning face of Elysium, lit an eerie blue by the light of her horn. “Simple!” she continued “Hers is quite a story!” she paused thoughtfully “But you might not want to know about Honour’s cutie mark,”

“But I thought he didn’t have a cutie mark,” Scootaloo said curiously

“That’s ‘cause it’s not a cutie mark!” the yellow unicorn giggled

“You’re makin’ less sense every minute I talk to ya,” commented Applebloom dryly

“I get that a lot. I just call it, intuition!” she smiled, annunciating each syllable of the word carefully, then trotted out the door.

Shortly afterward, the other foals woke up. Noctilucent and Sweetie Belle immediately picked up a book and read it, while Asphodel and Snowdrop still lay in bed. Elysium poked her small head back into the door, an impatient expression on her face.

“Move it! Breakfast is ready!”

*=_/)|*|(\_=*

The foals fixed themselves hurriedly and bolted down the hall, following the small yellow blur that was Elysium. In seconds, they found themselves in the dining hall. The hall was not so much a hall, but a large room. A simple, circular white table stood in the middle, with enough seats to occupy the foals, Astral, Verity, Honour, Charlene and Chest Nut. Windows to the back of the estate encompassed to of its walls, the entry/exit occupying one, and a counter and entrance to the kitchen on the last. What was special about the room, was that everything inside it was enchanted to become anything they wanted. Today, they opened the door to find themselves in Ponyville Park, their breakfast assembled on a picnic table on a hill, overlooking the sunrise. There sat Verity and Honour Bound, waiting patiently for the foals to join them, while Astral was already tucking in. Breakfast was simple, eggs, toast, hash browns, bread and a veritable cornucopia of drinks and pastries. As they all ate, a question began to creep into Apple Bloom’s mind.

“Miss Honora?” she asked cautiously

Verity finished her mouthful, delicately setting her cutlery aside, and dabbing her mouth with a napkin

“Verity is fine,” she replied “What’s on your mind Apple Bloom?”

“I was just askin’, how’d you get yer cutie mark?”

Verity looked taken aback, but recovered quickly “Well then,” she began “Where to begin…”

|*Verity's POV*|/

No doubt you have heard Astral’s story, correct? Well, mine is a little less sad, but tell me if I get a little too detailed. When I was young, just like you, I was an energetic little filly. I always wondered about the world around me. While I took the active approach to learning, Astral was content with his books for answers. While my method yielded better results, it often got the better of me. One day, I was playing in the fields close to my parent’s house. It was common practice for me, to run about the flower fields, without a care in the world. Then suddenly, I fainted. I didn’t just collapse into unconsciousness, like normal ponies do, I was fully aware of what happened to me. My body became rigidly still, and I felt my mind begin to wander, away from the fields where I played. I found myself on a street, several minutes’ walk from my house. Confused, I began to look around, searching for a familiar face to point me home. As I reached an intersection, I watched a pony in a black cloak, run off with what looked like some valuable jewellery. Seconds later, alarms blared in the street to my left, and an angry shop keeper barrelled past, hurling abuse and insults to the cloaked pony. I put two and two together, and figured out that the cloaked pony must be a thief. Before I could do any more, however, some unseen force yanked me back to the present.

I lay on the flower fields, nauseous and cold. With no idea what happened, I stood up on shaky hooves, the light of the moon, and the stars of the night sky guiding me home. The house we owned was a simple, two storey cottage, not unlike the houses in Ponyville. The first thing I did was to tell my brother, he was sitting in the window sill, reading a book. True to his nature, he raced to the bookshelf and plucked a book from it using his teeth. We were very young at the time, I had barely begun to fly, and Astral had yet to master his magic. The book was a history text on the Matriarch, the ruler of the land I lived in. According to the book, what I saw was a vision, a brief look into the future. I dismissed it as ridiculous, despite his protests. I paid no heed to his arguments and forgot about it for the rest of the evening. I told my parents, and they said they would take me to the doctor in the morning. Apparently, I was lying in the fields for 3 hours, and they were very worried. They asked me to describe my ‘vision’ in detail. They wrote it down, and sent it via royal messenger to the Matriarch. The next morning, I awoke to hear my father discuss today’s paper, on the front page, a black cloaked pony was escorted to the Matriarch’s palace in shackles.

I was utterly confused. Ignoring my parent’s greetings and ‘Good Mornings’ I grabbed a copy of the newspaper and skim read it. Apparently, the stallion in the cloak was a wanted criminal, charged with several robberies. He had been caught because of a tip off that the Matriarch received from an undisclosed source. Guard were waiting at the store on the street I saw in my vision. I finally realised what had happened. The Matriarch took my vision, and used it to stop a thief. The mere ridiculousness shone to me, but truth won out. A white light emanated from my flank, and there it was, my cutie mark. Part of it anyway…

|*End POV*|/

“Whaddya’ mean ‘Part of it’?” didn’t you get the whole thing?” Asked Apple Bloom, clearly confused

“No, I was a special case,” Verity answered, she looked to her flank, and on the simple, sun shaped mark she bore today. “That day, I only earned the base of my cutie mark, the circle,” she continued “I had to earn each ray individually, before it became a full sun,” she paused, throwing a glance to the CMC “Would you like to know more?”

“Yes please!” replied Dinky enthusiastically

“Alright then, for the rays on my cutie mark…”

|*Verity's POV*|/

I had to achieve several tasks, eight in all. My first ray was earned in my entrance exam to the Matriarch’s School for Gifted Youngsters. It was a highly prestigious school, and the most advanced, I’ve ever been in terms of education and resources. It was also the largest building in all the land the Matriarch ruled, next to her palace of course. For convenience, let’s refer to her land as ‘The Sphere’ from now on.

My brother and I always seeked to learn, taking advantage of the opportunities that life granted us. We were also very ambitious, for going into that school was no easy task. Our parents were worried that we might be aiming to high for our age, but they helped us get a place. Before I could start however, each of us needed to pass an entrance exam. Each pony’s exam was different, but all of them were difficult. Mine was to circumnavigate The Sphere, in 10 seconds. I wasn’t the best flyer, but I was a good student. Because I was a Pegasus, and one of noble blood, they had expectations. Little did I know, that the Matriarch was behind it all. Approaching the window in the test chamber, I looked to my brother for support. He saw I was worried, but he gave me a smile and a wave for good luck. Mustering my courage, I said a prayer to the Matriarch, and took off.

Flying was always a pastime of mine, no matter how ‘average’ I was. I always enjoyed the freedom of flight, the sheer thrill of being in the air. I felt no such euphoria on this flight. I pumped my wings as fast as I could, ignoring their protests and the tears in my eyes. It has already been 4 seconds, and I barely reached the outer rim. Thoughts began to circle in my mind, I thought I’d never do it, it would take nothing less than a miracle to complete it. Doubt was blinding me, and I began to slow down, possibilities of failure were weighing on my shoulders. Then I thought of my brother, my parents, how they believed in me. I couldn’t let them down, not now, not ever. Gathering my remaining strength, I sprinted through the rim, flying faster than I’ve ever flown before. The pain in my wings was drowned in the thrill of flight. My hooves stretched out in front of me, bolted for the finish, mere kilometres from me now. A warm light began to radiate from my body, but I just kept flying. As the light intensified, it pooled at the front of my hooves, a spiralling miasma of colour. I was determined to touch it, flying even faster and faster. When my hooves finally reached it, the world was drowned in a deafening *BOOM*. Light cascaded behind me as a reached an all new level of speed. The land seemed to halt as I became faster, eating up the final distance in record-breaking time. When I reached the window I started from, I slowed to halt, and calmly flew in, as if nothing extraordinary happened.

I trotted over to the Judges, a silly, smug smile on my face. They were literally speechless; one reached for a stop watch and showed me my score. I had apparently navigated the whole outer rim of The Sphere in 4.67 seconds. I paused, that would have meant that it took me four seconds to get to the border, and two thirds of one to make it all the way back, from the other side of the land, no less. Suddenly, the judges began to bow. I thought they were bowing to me, so I bowed back. This drew an amused chuckle from a tall figure behind me. I quickly found the Matriarch was behind me and quickly rounded to bow to her, but a hoof on my shoulder stopped me. The hoof belonged to the matriarch, and she smiled warmly down at me. The Matriarch is a tall, beautiful Alicorn, a splitting image of Celestia, but her coat, mane and tail were mixes of gold and yellow. Like the sunrise, her long mane shifted and flowed on the lightest of breezes. She cast no shadow, because she radiated light, illuminating the room far brighter than any lantern or crystal. She said to me:

“You have done well, young one. You have past your test, and are now one step closer to being ready. From this day forth, I will teach you personally,”

I am embarrassed to say that as she finished, I hugged her on the spot. Many ponies would have me pried off in a heartbeat, but she just chuckled, and gently returned it. It was truly one of the most magical moments of my life.

|*End POV*|/

“… and that’s how I got my first ray,” Verity finished

“Whoa” the assembled foals looked utterly impressed. Although, none of them wanted to admit that they have no idea where she lived, or who the Matriarch was.

“It sounded like a mix of Twilight and Rainbow’s cutie mark story,” commented Dinky

“That it does, little one,” replied Verity “my other seven rays would take just as long to explain as this one, so we’ll just have to leave it at that,”

“Aww!”

“No pouting! Charlene will escort you back to your room to pack away all your things. We’ll meet you in the lobby where your sisters and mother will pick you up,”

She motioned for Charlene to stand, but was interrupted by a small voice

“Miss Verity?” Sweetie belle asked

“Yes, can I help you?”

“Can I please burrow some of your books?” she asked, practically begging with those big green eyes of hers.

“Okay, just make sure you don’t lose them,” Verity sighed

“Yay!”

With that, they all galloped out the room, Charlene trying desperately to keep pace. The remaining four shared a laugh at the scene, then things became more serious.

“You’re going soft on them,” said Honour Bound

“I was never hard on them,” pouted Verity

“True,” admitted Astral “But we have to be careful what they find out about us,”

“If my intuition is correct, they will find out everything,” she paused “How she reacts, and how she finds out is up to us,”

Astral nodded, conceding the point “Well, if we are going to open up to them, we might as well get it over with,”

“Aw, but where’s the fun in that?” inquired Honour playfully “I kind of like playing this charade,”

“Well whatever you do, be very careful. I don’t want to lose any of you to Celestia’s interrogations,”

They all nodded, and made their way out the door.

Chapter 25: Set In Motion

The six Elements of Harmony Bearers gathered in Twilight’s Library, solemnly regarding the scene outside. A steel wire fence and a small army of guards now separated the remains of Astral’s Estate from the angry public. Besides any new or visiting folk, every pony at least knew of the ponies that lived there, if they didn’t know them personally. Almost the whole town gathered at the gates, bombarding the guards with questions.

“Well girls,” Twilight said sullenly, attempting to strike up a conversation “We messed up pretty bad, huh?”

“I guess,” Rainbow replied “Am I right in saying that this little adventure didn’t turn out as we expected?”

“I believe so. Even Princess Celestia herself arrived here. I just wish the whole thing went under better circumstances,” Rarity remarked

“It’s not your fault, Twi,” said Applejack, shaking her head “None of us could’a known it would end like this,”

They paused the conversation at the sight of Canterlot’s newest prisoners. The scene outside did a lot to sting the nerves of all six. Verity went into the carriage first, being carelessly thrown in by a couple brutish guards. Astral went next, positively drenched in his own blood. None of them knew if he was even alive or not. Last went Honour Bound, his corpse held together by strips of flesh as a cruel looking hole worked its way through his body.

“Welp,” Pinkie murmured nervously, twiddling her hooves. Ever since the siege started she’s been way out of sorts. “It can’t get any worse, right?”

Wrong.

A dark cloaked figure burst into the library, kicking the door a good eight feet away. Rainbow reacted first, flying headfirst into the figure for a charge. The intruder nimbly sidestepped and kicked the rainbow Pegasus out the door, Rainbow’s own momentum lending it distance. Applejack dove in for a signature double kick. Her front legs were yanked from beneath her as the figure twirled all around the orange farm pony. Now encased in a pink aura, Applejack was swung twice in the air, and flung right out the door, hitting her rainbow friend on the way.

Pinkie Pie broke the rules of the universe, and grabbed her big blue party cannon out of nowhere. Before she could activate it, the stranger grabbed and shoved her inside her own weapon, launching the pink pony straight out the same door with a bang.

Twilight finally found the focus to wrap the intruder in her own magic, only to be rewarded by a return blast. The two unicorns clashed beams of magic as Rarity safely lead Fluttershy out the door. Twilight could tell when she was being beaten, and this was one of those times. The intruder clearly had an overwhelming amount of magical strength, easily pushing the point of impact away. The figure tilted her head to the left, sending the focal point of the beams into the roof above.

Twilight had no time to recover as she was pinned to the floor by the cloaked pony. Much to her surprise, the stranger cast off her own cloak, revealing a white coat, three toned mane, orchid cutie mark, a pair of sleek, black mechanical wings and some bags strapped to her back.

“Where is Astral Star?” she growled, pushing her hoof painfully into the new princess’ throat.

“In… The… Caravan…” Twilight gasped, gesturing weakly to the window

The mystery mare bounded up to the second floor, without the use of stairs. She stared intently at the prisoner caravan, now several kilometres away now. Following the path, she found its destination to be a tall castle, fixed to the side of an even taller mountain. She jumped back downstairs to confront the purple alicorn.

“Where is it heading?” she demanded

“Huh?”

Her inattentiveness earned her a gold throwing knife inches from her throat.

“The Castle on the hill north of here,” the mare clarified “What is it?”

“That’s Canterlot,” Twilight gulped

The mare nodded and bounded out of the library like some kind of cat or antelope. Now outside, the mare spread her black mechanical wings and ran her absolute hardest. Reaching terminal speed, orange symbols glowed along the edge of each wing. With a mighty flap, she took off, flying to Canterlot with astounding speed, a bright, neon orange blur in her wake.

As the mare flew away, Twilight noticed the gold knife that almost spelt her end. She recognised it instantly, it was a museum piece after all. However, this was no replica, and judging by the weight, and the way the knife warped on impact, it was solid gold too. There was only one time period that made knives so valuable and impractical. She’d been studying it ever since she was tasked with investigating the immortal three.

Engraved one the knife’s sides were the words:

“Mater Lumen, Pater Noctus,”

And on the other side:

“Veritas et Honora,”

“Okay, let me get this straight,” Verity sighed, struggling to comprehend the logic behind her brother’s plan “You want me to petrify you…”

“Yes,” Astral replied cheerily

“And you’re going to whack me over the head…”

“Yep,”

“With a frying pan?”

“Precisely,”

Verity slapped herself to make sure she wasn’t dreaming.

“How in Hades do you think that’s going to work? And for that matter, where’d you get the frying pan?”

“Oh, it will,” he assured her with a wave of his hoof “I summoned this pan last night. Apparently, the carriage only binds offensive spells and a couple others. Don’t worry though, I’ve already talked to Laetitias and everything!”

Verity’s face had gone several tones paler

“You didn’t…” she gasped. Oh Gods, please not her...

“I did,” Astral smiled “Now, if you don’t mind?”

Verity sighed in defeat. Well, at least I'm not on the receiving end.

“Fine, just be gentle okay?”

“Sure, sure,” Astral replied unconvincingly “On three,”

“1…”

“2…”

“3!”

With a mighty cry, Astral swung his frying pan right into his sister’s cheekbone. On contact, Verity’s eyes flashed a bright white, flooding the small carriage in its radiance. The gold Pegasus slumped to the floor unconscious, cradling a wounded, and possibly broken cheekbone. Astral Star was nothing but a granite statue now. His stance and expression portrayed indifference, much like his Weeping Angels. If any pony other than the guards were to open the carriage, they would dismiss him as a mere garden ornament.

The bright flash of light, and the simultaneous *clang* did not go unnoticed however. The caravan grinded to a halt as Captain Shining Armour and one of his non-descript lesser went to investigate the strange happenings. Opening the carriage, they found:

-A huge changeling cocoon

-An unconscious mare

-And a statue

Shining let out a big sigh as he gestured for the caravan to continue.

“Princess Celestia is not going to be happy,” he grumbled

The series of wooden carriages made its solemn journey through the city of Canterlot, and towards the Castle of the two princesses. The streets were quiet as the caravan went on its way. Many residents stared in curiosity, but most turned up their noses in disgust. The prisoner’s carriage broke off from the rest and headed to the castle’s back entrance, while half a battalion of guards scrambled out of the other vehicles to secure a perimeter. Celestia waited grimly in her castle’s rear hall. Two dozen guards stood on either side of her, spears levelled at the ready. A pair of guards trotted in cautiously and unlatched the obscene amount of steel and magical bolts on the carriage door. As the heavy wooden panel crashed into the floor, all gathered guards grimaced in anticipation of a battle to come. They were relieved to find only three harmless things inside.

“What is the meaning of this?” Celestia demanded “Where are the prisoners?”

Shining Armour stepped forward cautiously

“These are the prisoners, your highness,” he stated firmly “They have made plans for what I would assume to be their escape,”

“Then don’t take any chances. I want them in the most secure cell we have in this castle,”

“Of course,”

Shining went to instruct his fellow guards to remove the prisoners before a blue glint caught his eye. A glowing blue circle, smack bang in the centre of the cocoon, was slowing down. Numbers that flashed by at incomprehensible speed decelerated until only one number remained.

“Weapons at the ready!” he cried, drawing his own sword

The cocoon hissed as sliver cracks raced up and down its hard surface. Thick green steam rose from the shell as parts popped off through sheer pressure. All the guards drew their swords hastily and formed a loose circle around the offending object. As soon as they comprehended what was happening, the cocoon violently exploded, showering the hall in green slime and chitin. No sooner had it done so, was all hell unleashed.

Honour Bound, fully formed and very alive, leapt from the remains of his prison and descended upon the terrified guards. At his full size, he easily dominated all his adversaries, moving with uncanny speed and skill with his twin sickles. Captain Shining Armour managed to trade two blows with the monstrosity before being knocked a clear 50 metres away. Within seconds, he had decimated all his captors, and stood alone against the solar princess. Celestia regarded him sternly, and took up her steel, a gleaming gold halberd fashioned to resemble the sun. The giant changeling showed no remorse, only vicious intent as he struck with the speed of a snake.

Honour let loose two horizontal slashes with staggering force. Celestia could barely keep pace as her blade clanged and groaned under the assault. Seeing an opening, the white alicorn went for a thrust, attempting to impale her adversary with the spear point of her weapon. Honour stepped aside and swung one sickle straight down, impaling itself into the marble floor and taking Celestia’s halberd with it. With his other hoof, he jabbed the solar princess across the temple, then went for a low slug into her gut. Both hit perfectly as Princess Celestia collapsed backward into a winded heap.

Retrieving his twin sickles, Honour Bound joined them hilt-to-hilt, creating a double ended scythe. With vicious intent, he spun it quickly in his magical grip. With his makeshift circular saw, he prepared to end the life of the defeated alicorn below him.

“ENOUGH!”

A deluge of sapphire blue chains shot up from the ground, binding the giant changeling. His spinning scythe was wrestled from his green aura by another calm blue one, and discarded out a nearby window. Princess Luna walked into the fray, a deadly expression on her face.

“I will see no more bloodshed!” Luna cried “Stand down, or I will make you!”

Honour snarled his challenge at the blue alicorn and spat on the ground in a show of contempt. Luna responded accordingly, and channelled for a powerful spell. Celestia woke just in time to see her sister’s laser sail right for her giant foe.

“Luna, don’t!”

But it was too late. The beam burst apart in a shower of sparks as blue lightning cascaded across Honour’s body. His normally green eyes and wings shifted to a glowing sky blue. He growled as cobalt lightning filled his mouth and the air around with the smell of ozone. With barely a pause, he spat out the streams of potent energy. Luna erected a barrier just in time to see it shredded like paper under the onslaught. Curiously, the lightning did not harm her. She only grimaced as the electricity arced over her body before dissipating. As the last of the energy emptied out, Honour Bound collapsed in exhaustion.

Celestia got up groggily, using her Halberd for support.

“Are you alright, sister?” she asked

“I should be asking you the same question,” Luna pithily replied “That’s the first time I’ve seen you so beat up in eons,”

“Sadly, this is not the first time I’ve been bested today, but hopefully it will be the last,”

Seeing as all the guards in the room are down for the count, the two princesses took it upon themselves to escort the new prisoners to their cells. Celestia levitated Verity’s unconscious form to her left, while magically dragging Astral’s statue to her right. Luna, with great effort, pulled along Honour Bound using the same spahirre chains that were used to defeat him. Strangely, his eyes and wings were still an off blue since the battle, a big difference to his normal emerald green.

A short while later, they arrived at the prison wing of the castle. Despite its name, it looked no different to a hotel. Albeit, a hotel with magically reinforced walls, one-way windows, electric laser bars and a whole host of things that wouldn’t look out of place on a space ship. Honour’s cell was specially prepared for a giant changeling of his fighting strength. He was strapped into a heavy plated suit of armour, blanketed in every inhibiting enchantment in the Canterlot Archive. Luna’s magical chains were traded for real, thrice-tempered steel ropes. His hooves were welded to the floor, wings chained to the ceiling and mouth clamped shut, he was all but harmless now.

Astral, now being a statue, was carelessly tossed into a non-descript padded cell and was chained to the floor. Verity, though unconscious, was the only pony to fully comply and was given a cell that bared a startling similarity to a Canterlot luxury 5-star suite. The huge room sported a queen sized for poster bed, fully stocked bathroom, kitchen, lounge area and dresser. A unicorn wearing a lab coat and carrying along a clipboard approached the two princesses.

“When would you like to start interrogations?” he asked

Luna went to answer, but was quickly shut out by Celestia

“Immediately, start with Verity. I want her in the interrogation room by 10 o’clock,”

“Yes, your highness,”

Celestia dismissed the unicorn with a nod, and left her sister’s side. There had been some rough points, but now, everything was going according to plan.

“Almost there,”

Elsewhere…

In a land beyond Equestria, beyond the frozen Crystal Mountains, something is stirring. For centuries, they have slept, lulled constantly by the songs of the earth. Their sweet, harmoning rythms kept captive these ancient creatures. As a startling flash of pink light arched through the sky, the first of many awoke.

Long has it slept, imprisoned by sounds long forgotten, the spirits of ancient times yearning for peace between creatures. It stretched its serpentine body, hearing the sounds of falling rock and dust. The dull glow of its spiked tail, eyes, spines and crest grew brighter. Four eyes opened blearily and took in the sight of its home for the first time.

The creature looked up to see darkness. All around it, not a single spark illuminated the black fog. It could not see, yet something was still clear. It could see life, the spirit threads that bind the soul to the body shone toward them as an eerie green hue. It saw that of its brethren, and the ponies far down south. Through some animalistic compulsion, it knew where to go. Its brothers and sisters, though asleep, knew it too.

It was time to awake from their slumber, and do what they have strived for. Their entire purpose now lay within reach.

The time had come, to extinguish the light.