Princess Celestia stood alone on one of her palace's many balconies. The capital city of her country, Equestria, stretched out before her to the very edge of even her divine vision. This place, with its spiraling towers, intricate streets, and happy citizens, was something her and her beloved sister could be proud of. This was the city of Canterlot.

This was home.

This was her home, her paradise, and she ruled it alongside her sister as princesses. Of course, some beings gave her loftier titles such as queen or empress. Some even called her a goddess, but she had no worshipers. She needed no worshipers. She had subjects and, more importantly, she had friends.

Suddenly, there was a voice behind her. “Good morning, Princess!” it greeted her, “Um, I hate to be a bother, but, are these two friends of yours?

Celestia turned around and saw a pale pony with a red mane flanked on either side by two strange creatures. The first was a towering, humanoid figure in armor so thick and heavy that it was doubtful that there was any living thing actually underneath it all. The second was a shining dragon as large and terrifying as he was glorious, like a living statue of platinum.

The stallion spoke again, “They are friends, right? Because, well, they're a tad intimidating.”

Celestia nodded and answered, “Yes, Soliloquy, they're friends from afar. Thank you for showing them to me. You may leave us now.”

The stallion quickly thanked her and left as the armored figure stepped forward and gave a courteous bow. His voice was a deep bellow that echoed through his helm as he said, “Princess Celestia, it is good to see that you and your realm are both well.”

Celestia smiled and bowed back. “It's nice to see you too, Torm. How is my cousin? Is Meilikki well?”

The dragon growled, “He favorite follower went mad and is now writing fan fiction about her and a renegade dark elf. I swear, that girl was made to keep others of her gender from being taken seriously. This is why the drow hate us.”

“You're as charming as always, Bahamut,” Celestia acknowledged the dragon. She walked between and past her two guests, entering her palace's glorious interior before saying, “I assume that this is not a social call.”

Both visitors followed her inside and Torm answered, “I desperately wish it was, but Faerûn is in grave peril and in need of new heroes.”

Dear Princess Twilight Sparkle,

As you know, our world exists parallel to others. You have been to one of these other worlds and managed to save both it and our own. For this, no one is more deserving of accolades than you.

Unfortunately, the time has come again for you to save both another world and our home of Equestria. The Forgotten Realms of Faerûn have come under threat by an ancient creature known as Tiamat. If the Forgotten Realms fall to this force of chaos and evil, I fear that our home may follow.

Enclosed, you will find a magic scroll and a map. The map will lead you to the location of a magic mirror much like the one used in the incident with Sunset Shimmer, but it will instead lead you to Faerûn and unlike the other mirror this one can be used at any time so long as it is intact. Keep its location secret to any and all in both that world and ours. Walk through this gateway with your scroll and you will become the hero Faerûn and Equestria so desperately need.

The other Elements of Harmony will meet you before you enter the mirror. Do not leave Equestria without them. Agents of my old friends Torm and Bahamut will fill you in on the fine details once you arrive in the Faerûnian town of Greenest.

Best regards,

Princess Celestia

Twilight placed the letter back in her saddle bags again. She stared out the window wondering what kind of world Faerûn was. Was it anything like the school she had found the first time she walked through a magic mirror? Was it ruled by more of those weird Human things?

Her wings and horns ached at the thought of their loss and her purple mane frayed slightly with anticipation. Last time, her lavender coat had been taken from her and instead her skin was turned that color. Though the experience wasn't all bad, it was difficult to get used to her strange form in the other world.

“Are we almost there, Spike?” She asked the small, purple dragon on her back.

She heard him folding the map and then his scratchy voice reassure her, “Yep! It's just at the top of this mountain. The map kind of makes it look like it's in a cave or something.”

Twilight peered around at her surroundings. Something about this place seemed familiar, but she couldn't tell what. Just then, the cave came into view and old memories rushed the the front of her mind. “Isn't this where that dragon was before Fluttershy scolded it into leaving?”

Spike hopped off her back and nodded. “Yeah, I guess. I wasn't there for that. Sounds awesome, though,” He took a few steps into the cave, “Anyway, it looks like this is where the mirror should be. No wonder the dragon moved in. I bet that mirror is worth a whole pile of bits!”

The cave was as dark as Twilight remembered and even though there was no dragon aside from Spike, she could still smell the smoke. Unsure of whether the glistening of the walls was real or just memories of the massive pile of treasure playing tricks on her, she pressed on. Soon, she and Spike could no longer see through the deep darkness around them.

Swaying her head in one graceful motion, Twilight lit up her horn like a purple torch and the two continued. As they walked, the cave took on unfamiliar and disturbing features; carvings of dragons eating what Twilight and Spike recognized to be humans lined the walls and some mad language that looked like claw marks made up some kind of captions. Whether these were praising such monsters or warning others about them, Twilight did not know.

Just as the two of the considered turning back and waiting for the others, they heard something moving in the darkness behind them. Twilight spun around and shouted, “Who's there? Show yourself!” and Spike ducked behind her.

A calm, deep voice answered back, “Relax, it's only another little pony,” just as a hooded stallion stepped into the light of Twilight's horn.

She couldn't see much of this stranger, but she could tell he definitely was a pony. His silk robes were a dark purple and though only his muzzle was visible, she could see that his coat was well groomed and shone red in the light of her horn. Both Twilight and Spike calmed down and allowed the newcomer to speak.

“My name is Dungeon Master,” he said, “and I am here to show you the rest of the way to Faerûn.” For a moment, Twilight thought she could see a polite smile as he stepped closer and told her, “It's so good of you to come, Princess.”

Twilight nodded and said, “Likewise. This place was getting kind of creepy. Sorry for yelling before.”

Dungeon Master walked past her, saying, “Think nothing of it. Please, follow me, Princess. Your friends are already waiting for you.”

As they moved on the cave began to look less natural. Soon, the rough stone of a natural formation was gone and replaced completely by more horrific carvings lining smooth tunnels that were obviously dug into the very heart of the mountain itself. Torches lined some of the walls, providing just enough light to see the carvings and where they were going.

Twilight dimmed her horn as her, Spike, and their new friend entered a large chamber with an arched ceiling. She didn't know how far into the mountain they were or how much the tunnels had slanted down if at all, but the very air in this room felt heavy and thick. In the center was a full length mirror with an intricately carved border displaying black, white, green, blue, and red dragons coiling around one another.

Five other ponies stood before this mirror and Twilight recognized them right away. A puffy pink blur was upon her faster than she could react and a pink pony with a puffy mane had her in an embrace.

The pink pony cheered, “Hi, Twilight!” and gave her a great squeeze before letting go and allowing her to breathe again.

Twilight took a breath before saying, “Hey, Pinkie Pie. So, you guys all have magic scrolls too?”

A blue pegasus with a rainbow mane took a tube out of her saddle bag and told her, “Right here! I'm ready to save the world when you guys are. Let's do this!”

The other ponies all took out their scroll tubes and Spike let out a heavy sigh. “I'll hold down the fort while you guys are away,” he assured them, “Don't worry about a thing, Twilight. Shining Armor is coming to Ponyville to help out while you're gone.”

The six little ponies all turned to the mirror with looks of determination and anticipation plainly on their faces, but stopped before even taking a single step towards it. Between them and the mirror was Dungeon Master, shaking with rhythmic, rattling breaths.

He was laughing.

The stallion threw off his hood, revealing a pair of terrible, reptilian eyes and long horn. His soft chuckling erupted into maniacal laughter right before he roared, “I can't believe how easy you made this! All standing together like that! Are you all honestly this stupid?”

An orange mare among them put down her scroll tube and asked, “Just what in the hay are you talkin' about Dungeon?”

The stallion gave a wide, sadistic grin and shouted, “You can ask my master in the next life, heroes,” - he raised on hoof high, - “Praise Tiamat's glory!”

With that, Dungeon Master struck his hoof against the floor with a mighty clack! The six ponies and Spike all braced themselves...

… and nothing happened.

The stallion tried again. Still nothing. He tried again and again. Nothing. Finally, hr looked at his hoof and whispered, “Why isn't this working?”

The blue pegasus took to the air and shouted, “Get him!”

“Uh-oh,” the stallion muttered as his eyes went wide. This was going to hurt and he knew it. He just didn't know how much or for how long it was going to hurt and at that moment would have given anything to never find out.

A multicolored streak tore through the air and threw Dungeon Master from his hooves followed by a pair of orange hooves pinning him to the ground. He struggled for a moment, but was then met with the two most intimidating blue eyes on the cutest yellow face he had ever seen. His mind went numb with shock, though his body practically screamed in pain. For a brief moment, he reviewed the decisions he had made throughout his life that had led him to this moment and deeply regretted every single one.

He recalled taking to a life of crime after his village had burned down. He recalled getting involved in a the nearby cult of some vile cause or deity. He even recalled leading the princess to this room, guided by the light of her magical, purple horn.

He stopped and whispered, “Wait, is that how it works?” before turning his head and lighting his own horn with a blaring, red color. The scroll tubes took on the same light and flew high into the air, one even cracking against the ceiling. Before they could hit the ground, Twilight's horn glowed again and the tubes gently floated to her side where they simply hung in the air, orbiting her.

A sickening thud followed by a cracking noise filled the chamber as the orange pony used her back hooves to kick Dungeon Master up and over the mirror and against a wall. He was now writhing on the ground, moaning something about how he should have simply learned a trade as the other ponies looked to the scrolls.

Twilight furrowed her brow and asked, “So, which pony had which scroll? All of the tubes look the same!”

The white unicorn standing before her said, “I'm not sure, dear, but that one is cracked. See?”

Pinkie gasped and exclaimed, “Rarity is right! What's gonna happen when we go through the mirror with it?”

The yellow pegasus who had paralyzed Dungeon Master with only a stare suggested hopefully, “Maybe it's not that bad. I'm sure that we could just go to Canterlot and get another one anyway.”

Spike pointed to their foe and told them, “There's no time! He's getting back up!”

Dungeon Master was indeed getting back to his feet. His horn glowed again and a square chunk of the floor raised high over his head. Angrily and maniacally, he cried out, “You will not stop the Age of Dragons! Even if I'm stuck here for now, she will reward me in the hereafter! PRAISE TIAMAT'S GLORY!”

The orange pony shouted, “It's now or never, girls!” grabbed the nearest scroll and ran for the mirror at full tilt. The others followed closely after with whatever scroll they could reach first. Just as the last of them made it through the portal, there was the tremendous crash of stone against stone and breaking glass.

The mirror was in pieces and only Spike and Dungeon Master remained in the room. Only the sound of the unicorn's panting was left hanging in the thick, heavy air. Perhaps for the first time in his young life, Spike felt a sort of quiet fury overtake him.

Dungeon Master growled at the little dragon who was staring him down. “And what can you do?” he challenged, “What could a pathetic excuse for a reptile who only serves to ruin the image of his glorious mother possible do to a true servant of Tiamat, the Queen of Dragons?”

Spike only answered, “This,” before letting loose a wave of green flame from his mouth.

In Celestia's throne room, there was suddenly a plume of green flame and a wicked looking pony in a purple hooded cloak appeared before the princess. He and her locked eyes for a moment and time seemed to stand still. The awkward silence seemed almost deafening.

Then, Celestia's eyes narrowed and she called out, “Guards!”

The room was immediately filled with armored ponies wielding spears that were all leveled at the intruder's throat. He struggled to find his voice or an excuse, but was quick to give up.

Looking at the princess, the only thing Dungeon Master could say was, “That's not fair,” before he was dragged away in chains.

Author's Note

Readers,

The first chapter in a new story! Few feelings like it in the world, right? It's such a strange mix of unstoppable excitement and paralyzing dread.

Anyway, you guys can call me Artgineer or just Arty if you want. I'll try to update about once a week and tell you guys if I have to skip an update for some reason. Please leave feedback of some form or another either positive or negative, I only ask that you not be a jerk about it (a request that I'm sure people will pay due heed on the internet [/sarcasm]).

Thank you for your time,

• Arty