Links to the Past

Twilight,

a lot of things happenned the last few days, but we're going to recap the importrant things.

Three old friends of Hase appeared in the beggining of the week. Their names are Thunderflight, Rush and Gale, the predecessors of the Wonderbolts; the Starflyersfliers. Apparently they were lured into entering three cryochambers 1000 years ago. But that's not importrant.

Today we got ponynapped by a big black three- headed snake. It brought us to some guy, named Vortex, who traded us for Hase. He is still with him. We don't know what happenned to him. Vortex behaved kindly though. We freed the Elements of Havoc Sentinels of the Elements, who had apparently reverted back to good. We're going in the Everfree now. We thought it would be good to keep you informed.

Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, Applebloom

" Leave the gals alone fur a week, disaster's just behind da corner. " Applejack noted with an ironic tone.

" That's not funny, Applejack! What if the Elements of Havoc are only pretending to be reformed? " Rarity was really worried.

" They are not. Otherwise they wouldn't refer to themselves as the Sentinels. That name was erased from their mind when they were depowered. If they can remember it, they are reformed. " Celestia comforted her.

Everypony were pretty tired after the exam, but all miraculously filled up with energy as soon as the letter arrived. Twilight had immeadietly taken it to Celestia.

" Princess, are you familliar with this Vortex? " the purple alicorn asked.

" Sadly, yes. " Celestia frowned. In the same moment, Luna entered the throne room.

" What has happenned, sister? " she became concerned, as she saw the white alicorn's muzzle expression.

" Vortex has returned. And he has ponynapped Hase for some reason. " the princess of the day replied.

Celestia's frown was also passed to Luna.

" Wait a minute. Who's that guy Vortex? " Rainbow Dash wondered.

" Vortex is the former dominion of the night, former Emperor of Equestria. Our uncle. " Luna cleared it to her.

" And our father's murderer. " Celestia added.

The Mane 6 gasped.

" He... he... " Fluttershy stuttered.

" He killed his own brother? " Twilight guessed what she ment to say. She received a thankful glare from the yellow pegasus.

" Under the white flag. " Luna confirmed it.

" An' wha' abot da black snake? " Applejack wondered.

" Wha' does it have ta do with all of this? "

" A Voidian. His favourite tools. " Luna replied.

" A what? " Twilight didn't catch the word.

" We'll explain on the way there. " Luna replied.

" Prepare 4 chariots, each for two ponies. " she turned to the nearest guard. He nodded and left the hall.

The following half an hour seemed like minutes for the Mane 6. The Princesses were talking with the right hoof of Shining Armour ( since he was in the Crystal Empire and couldn't serve his role as the captain of the guard) about something, but the mares couldn't hear anything through the walls.

" Wha' do you think he wants from Hase, Twi? " Applejack gave up eavesdropping, and tried to answer the many unanswered questions in her head a different way.

" His machines, perhaps? " the purple alicorn made a wild guess.

" What army were the Princesses talking about? Can somepony create an army from magic? " Rarity also turned to her friend for answers.

" No, that makes no sense... " Twilight held her left forehoof against her chin, as she mused.

" A unicorn can create a ghost copy of a pony, but that copy won't be able to do any physical damage. Also, maintaining an army of such copies is both useless and fatiguing. A magical army... that's impossible! "

" By conventional methods only. The chariots are ready. " the group turned around and saw Luna and Celestia at the open door. They followed them down the corridor.

At a balconee, 4 chariots, with 4 guards to pull each, except the Princesses', who had 6, were awaiting. Celestia and Luna got on their chariot and the others had no choice but to do the same. Twilight, Spike and Pinkie Pie got on the first, Rarity and Applejack on the second, and the last one was left for Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash.

" Has any of you flown with a chariot before? " Luna asked. Everypony shook their heads. A faint smile appeared on the muzzle of the blue alicorn:

" They're overrated. They're slow. You won't fall off, that's sure. " she assured them.

" Diamond formation. " Celestia told the guards. They nodded, and the four chariots flew off. In the air they formed the shape of a diamond, reminiscent of the card type. The Princesses' chariots were first, a little behind, on the left and the right, respectively, were Twilight's and Rarity's chariots, while Dash's was last.

" Vortex doesn't use normal magic as his primary weapon, even though he's as skilled as us in it. " Celestia began explaining. Twilight was listening carefully. She was able to, since the chariots were moving slowly.

" He uses chaotic magic. If I start explaining in details, we will reach Ponyville before I'm finished. All you need to know, is that it draws power from the Void between the dimensions, the parallel worlds. That power constantly grows, so chaotic magic has unlimited potential. Therefore, the techniques with chaotic magic are different than the techniques with normal magic. In magical duels between chaotics, who are the wielders of such magic, none can overpower the other by sheer force. That's why their strategy usually revolves around counterspells and counterattack. "

" That means we would have to use spells he doesn't know of. " Twilight was aware of the strategy against this technique. She had read much about the counterattack strategy and knew the only way to emerge victorious from a battle with such an opponent was to use a spell they can't counter. "

" I'm afraid that will be a bit tricky. I'm not sure an alicorn with 9800 years of experience would have any. "

" 9800? How?" Twilight was shocked. That was almost thrice Princess Celestia's life, who had lived for whole 3500 years!

" Our father and Vortex created our world. " Celestia replied.

" Before that, however, they had already lived 1000 years. They sped up the world's creation to mere hundreds of years (somewhere around 300) and ruled Equestria for another 5000. Discord's reign lasted 500, ours - 3000. Vortex is probably the oldest pony to still be alive. "

" Our father would have been 5 years older though. " Luna frowned.

" An' what about da army? " Applejack asked from the right chariot.

" That Void between the worlds is inhabited. Billions of creatures, who had lost their homeworld, only to be bond to the Void, turning their lives into eternal misery. Chaotics are able to control those. " Celestia noted.

For the rest of their travel Celestia and Luna tried to explain more about the chaotics and ways to fight them. They also pointed out the weaknesses of the most commonly summonned Voidians.

The chariots landed in the town center. Rainbow Dash enthusiastically flew off before there were even 30 feet to the ground, annoyed from the slow travel, and tried to keep the crowd away. She only let the mayor pass.

" Princess Celestia. " she bowed.

" We're so glad you're here. An hour ago, three uncautious fillies released the spirits you had so carefully pursued. They flew off to the Everfree. With your help I'm sure they will be contained again. " she told the princess of the day.

" Those spirits aren't what you should worry about, Mayor Mare. It's what they flew off to fight. We come to aid them in that quest. " Luna replied instead of her sister. Confusion could clearly be read on the mayor's face, but the regal sisters had no time for this. They used their magic to make way through the crowd, and together with the mane 6, headed towards the Everfree.

" Apparently the Everfree is a perfect crowd barrier. " Luna pointed out, as the crowd following them stopped on the very edge of the forest.

" We should reconsider using the old castle again, sister. It will be more peaceful for sure. " the princess of the night suggested.

" We will reconsider it... once its current occupant leaves it. " Celestia replied.

" Are you sure the lords are reformed, Princess? " Pinkie Pie asked with a tone, that indicated she was asking because of some unknown reason, that was unrelated to the current situation in any way.

" Yes, Pinkie. " the white alicorn replied.

" Including the lord of fire? " the pink earth pony continued.

" Yes. " Celestia's expression gave out her utter confusion.

" Great! I've always wanted to pop popcorns with fireworks! " the party pony bounced and victoriousy raised her hoof while she was in the air.

While Pinkie Pie was enthusiastically explaining to the others what grand party she was planning to organise after all of this was over, Rarity, worried for her coltfiriend, was speaking with Twilight and Spike aside from the rest.

" What if that warlord wants to use him for some sort of sacrofice? " the fancy unicorn bit her lower lip, something she would normally never do, since she considered it horrible. That indicated how worried she was.

" He could perform a sacrofice with anypony. Why would anypony need a scientist in particular for a sacrofice? " Spike calmed her down.

" No, if that Vortex ponynapped the Cutie Mark Crusaders to trade them for Hase, it means he needed him in particular. " Twilight spoke.

' But why? What use does an age- old alicorn have from an unsuccessful scientist ? ' she asked herself in her mind.