The Darkest Star In the Sky

Trixie awoke with a throbbing pain in her skull. Her vision was blurred and the entire room was spinning. She felt like she was going to throw up.

“Oh, you're awake already? That shot was supposed to keep you unconscious for at least another hour. Oh well, I guess it would be better for you to be awake anyway.”

Trixie still couldn't see straight, but recognized the voice as belonging to the person that had dragged her into that vortex earlier. She wanted to curse her, to condemn her for tricking her and to damn her to eternal torture, but all she managed to say was “Whuh...”

“I would suggest that you not talk,” the mare said. “The tranquilizer I gave you is strong enough to take down a fully grown manticore. There's a good chance of you swallowing your own tongue right now.”

Trixie tried to talk again, but started to choke. She took the mare's advice and kept her mouth shut. As she tried to sit up, she noticed that she couldn't, realizing that there were some kind of bracers on all four of her hooves and around her neck. She had been shackled down to some sort of wooden board that was lying at a diagonal angle. “Sorry, but I didn't have much of a choice,” the mare apologized, sounding genuine. “I can't have you fighting back for this next bit.”

Trixie's eyes widened. Her vision cleared up almost instantly, allowing her to see the insane mare standing in front of her. “Fight back!?” she repeated.

“Great! You didn't choke!” the mare answered cheerfully. She ran off to the side, out of Trixie's line of sight. She continued to talk. “I bet you're wondering what you're doing here?”

Trixie tried to keep her tone calm. This mare was clearly out of her mind, so it was probably best not to anger her, Trixie decided. “Yes...you could say that,” she answered. She had a second to study her surroundings, finding herself in a large chamber with black, stone walls. It was cylindrical in shape, judging by the way the candles lined around the walls cast their shadows. There was a large, ornate, golden chandelier hanging in the center of the ceiling.

The mare reappeared with a necklace in her hand. It had a sizable red jewel in it and was set into a bronze representation of an alicorn. Trixie instantly recognized the bauble. “The alicorn amulet!” she called out, trying to sit up as if to reach for it and grab it.

The mare looked the jewel over. “This is what you went into the forest for, right? You were hoping to get this back from Zecora, weren't you?”

Trixie was more than a little scared now. “How did you know that?”

The mare ignored the question and continued talking. Her cheerful nature had left her, replaced by anger and malice. “I knew we shouldn't have trusted that shopkeeper. He was supposed to keep the amulet safe, not sell it to the first second-rate magician to come by with a sack full of coins.”

Trixie would have taken offense to that if she were not scared out of her mind. She racked her brain for some way that she could get out of this. The mare was still talking angrily. “That old, doddering fool! I don't even feel bad for disposing of him. After all...” She paused, licking her lips. "...it wasn't a total waste."

The unicorn realized that she had to get out of here, even though she did not know where she was. She would figure that out once she was free of this maniac. She focused on the bracers around her hooves. Her captor was so distracted with her own monologue, that she did not even realize that she was making her escape. “I suppose it was our fault for trusting the most important artifact in Equestrian history to a common salespony. You can be sure that will be the last time we ever do something as stupid as that.”

The last shackle fell to the floor, broken in half. Trixie jumped off the board and made a run for the nearest door. She looked back at the mare. She had stopped talking, but she wasn't making any move to pursue her or stop her. Did she not think a unicorn would be able to escape, Trixie thought. She decided not to stop and think about it and continued towards the door.

She flung it open, swinging it outwards. She was about to jump out when suddenly she realized that something was wrong.

There was nothing but white space ahead of her. As far as she could see, there was nothing but a...a void. She looked below her, finding out to her horror that she, along with the chamber, was suspended in midair. All around her was naught but emptiness. And that meant...

She was quickly pulled down to the floor, away from the door. She looked up to see the mare standing over her with an insane grin. “I'm so sorry,” she apologized. This time, Trixie couldn't help feeling that the apology was not sincere. “I've been a terrible host. My name is Cyril. Now that we both know each other...” She pulled out a knife and placed it on Trixie's neck. “...shall we continue?”

*

“Are you sure about this, Twilight?” Spike asked, looking up at the abandoned castle.

Twilight gulped nervously. “Not particularly, but we have to find out what's going on.”

Rainbow Dash looked at Twilight with a deadpan expression. “Well that's reassuring.”

Twilight, Spike and Rainbow Dash were standing in front of Celestia's and Luna's abandoned castle at sunset, just as the mysterious voice had told her. Though, she did disobey the command to come alone.

“So...what now?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“He didn't provide any specific instructions,” Twilight answered. “He only said to come here at sunset.”

“I also said to come alone.”

All three turned around to see a pegasus standing behind them. He was dark purple with a long, shaggy mane that was silver with black streaks. He was wearing a pink blindfold over his eyes. The most striking them about him was the one bat-like wing that he had as opposed to the other one which was normal. He was wearing a necklace with gray pendant that had a ruby red star-shaped jewel in its center. His cutie mark was of a black outline of a crescent moon.

“Whoa!” Spike exclaimed, earning himself a punch in the shoulder from Twilight, along with a glare.

“Who are you supposed to be?” Rainbow Dash asked, looking the strange pegasus over.

The pegasus acted as if he did not hear the question. “We were expecting to speak to Princess Twilight Sparkle alone.”

“We?” Twilight, Dash and Spike all said at once.

“Can you really blame her for bringing her friends along?” A unicorn stepped up beside the pegasus. She was a white mare with golden eyes. Her mane was long and light purple with black streaks. Her most distinguishing quality was her horn, which was black and crooked. It also looked like it had been broken off at the tip. She was also wearing a necklace similar to that of the pegasus, except she hers was in the shape of a diamond. Her cutie mark was the symbol for femininity with horns on it. “You show up at her house in the middle of the night and tell her to come to some old castle by herself? I wouldn't show up alone either.”

“You always did have a flair for the cryptic arts.” An Earth pony came to stand beside the other two mysterious ponies. He was maroon red and had a black mane with white streaks. His eyes were gray and piercing. He did not have anything striking malformed about him. He was wearing a necklace just like the others', but his had a simple ovular jewel. His cutie mark was shaped like a sideways “V” and had a dash in the opening. “But perhaps that wasn't the best way to go about gaining someone's trust.”

The pegasus scoffed.

“Who...are you guys?” Rainbow Dash asked, looking thoroughly confused.

“My name is Allis Yahn,” the pegasus answered with a bow.

“I'm Kassandra Tharsus,” the unicorn said. Then, she added, “Feel free to never use my last name.”

The Earth pony stepped forward. “And I am Radley Kane. And we are the Order of the Darkest Star.”

“The Order of the Darkest Star?” Twilight repeated. “I've never heard of you before...”

“For good reason,” Radley replied, gesturing to the darkening sky. “We are a secret society, tasked with the duty of keeping a certain evil presence suppressed and contained.”

“And who would that be?” Dash asked.

“The original alicorn princess,” Allis proclaimed. “Princess Blackstar. We are called to arms whenever she stirs.”

“What? Isn't Celestia the first alicorn?” Dash asked.

Kassandra shook her head. “Celestia was merely the first alicorn princess to not attempt to destroy the planet. Blackstar existed years before Celestia was even born.”

“But what does all this have to do with Twilight?” Spike implored. “Or you guys?”

Radley was the one who answered. “It has been the duty of the Order to keep the power of Blackstar under control and Equestria out of her grasp.”

Kassandra walked towards Twilight and touched her chest. She felt a dull pain. This unicorn is stronger than she looks, she thought. “But this time,” Kassandra continued Radley's thought. “We need your help to stop her.”

“But she's a princess, right?” Dash reminded. “Shouldn't she be...good?”

Allis shook his head. “Much like Nightmare Moon, Princess Blackstar has a heart corrupted by darkness and evil. The only difference is...that is how she truly is. There is no mislead filly there to restore.”

“But why do you need my help to stop her?” Twilight asked. “Why not Celestia or Luna or Cadence?”

Radley, Kassandra and Allis all turned to each other. Allis was the one who spoke up. “Because you are the strongest of all the princesses.”

Twilight was very taken aback. Dash and Spike looked surprised as well. “What are you talking about!?”

“There hasn't been a unicorn that has mastered magic in millenia,” Allis continued. “The last one that did was Starswirl the Bearded.”

“And even he did come close to the power that you have attained,” Radley added, shaking his head.

“With that, you are the strongest out of all the princesses,” Kassandra picked up. “You might be a bit green, but when it comes to raw power and potential, you are definitely the shining star.”

Twilight was speechless. She had no idea what to say to this. More powerful than Celestia? Was that even possible? She felt almost dizzy with that belief.

Rainbow Dash decided to ask the question that they should have asked in the first place. “Why should we trust you guys? How do we know that you aren't working with this Blackstar chick?”

Kassandra shrugged. “I guess you don't,” she admitted. “You can go ahead and leave now if that's what you want.”

“Just know that if you do,” Allis followed up, stepping closer to Twilight so that he was barely a a hair length away from her face. Even with the blindfold on, Twilight felt that he was looking directly into her. “Equestria will fall into the hooves of Princess Blackstar. You might be the most powerful alicorn, but you have no idea what Blackstar is capable of.”

“We'll give you some time to consider joining alongside us,” Radley offered. “However, time is short. You will have to make your decision soon.”

“Thanks,” Twilight said with a small bow. She made a turn to walk away. “I'll need to talk to my friends first.”

As soon as she did, Allis was in front of her again. “I do not advise that. We need you and you alone. That is why I asked you to come alone.” He turned his head towards Spike and Dash.

“There's no way I'm leaving Twilight to fight this alone,” Dash declared, walking straight up to Allis.

Kassandra rolled her eyes. “Of course she decides to bring the Element of Loyalty with her,” she muttered.

Radley approached Rainbow Dash. He kept his tone calm and even. “You must understand, we're not planning on fighting Blackstar. Even if we won, she would simply rise again. Alicorns are extremely resilient. Even when they die, they still have a chance to live. We have something else in mind that would put Princess Twilight in danger if any of her friends were there.”

“If you're not planning on fighting her,” Twilight began. “What are you planning?”

“If you decide to fight with us,” Allis repeated. “We will tell you. Meet us here again at sunset tomorrow with your decision...alone this time.”

Radley bowed to Twilight. “Until next time, Princess Twilight. Farewell.”

Kassandra smiled and waved. “See ya!” A flash of black energy surrounded Twilight, Dash and Spike. A second later, they were gone.

“You did send them home right?” Radley asked, raising his eyebrow.

Kassandra looked offended. “I'm not a filly. I know how to use this thing.” She flicked her tapped her horn. She turned to Allis. “And what was that cowcrap about her being the strongest Alicorn?”

Allis smiled a little. “The two of you played along nicely. Surely you know that there would be no chance of her agreeing if we told her the truth?”

“You mean the one about her being the most disposable of the four princesses?” Kassandra answered coyly. She shrugged. “I guess you got me there.” She looked at her hoof, smiling smugly. “At least the decision won't be hers to make.”

Allis raised an eyebrow under his blindfold, causing it to fold slightly. “So that was not just a friendly touch on your part?” he asked sarcastically.

“You know as well as I do that she's critical to putting an end to Blackstar,” Kassandra retorted, giving the blindfolded pegasus the stink eye. “Once we do, we'll be free of this stupid curse, and this whole thing will be over.”

“I certainly hope so,” Radley added. He looked up into the sky. He appeared to be looking somewhere distant, somewhere past the stars. “It gets pretty lonely, with just the three of us.”