“Take as much help as you want, go to Horseshall Island and start digging.”
Twilight Sparkle had a lot more “help” than she wanted. With crystal ponies from the north and royal guards from Canterlot, Equestria’s newest princess suddenly found herself in command of the largest army in the whole kingdom.
She arrived on the windswept northern island in October accompanying a resupply shipment, three weeks after the first tent of the field camp was pitched. By December the pit was as deep as Canterlot Castle was tall. What Twilight had first assumed to be stone turned out to be part of the permafrost. Beneath it there was ice; chunks as big as houses with inclusions of limestone and sand. Shovels had to be sharpened at least daily, and even then sledgehammers were needed to make any headway.
Twilight had known about the ice since the beginning, of course. She had known ever since the geologist took the first cores before excavation began. Yet she had strict orders from Princess Celestia: do not melt any ice found deeper than two metres. Treat it like rock. Twilight could have believed that her old mentor was trying to save fuel, had she not been so consistently and generously supplied with everything imaginable.
On New Year’s Day Twilight crawled out of her sleeping bag and flopped down on top of it, letting the near-zero air of her tent cool her a little before she put on the rest of her gear. If she wasn’t a little cold before squirming into her armored snowsuit, she would be uncomfortable all day. Ever since the last sunset on November 14 she had been trapped inside two layers of heavy fleece jumpsuits. And that was only her underwear. It itched incessantly and smelled worse and worse as the project wore on. While the dig teams only stayed three weeks each, Twilight had to be on site in case a discovery was made.
When she was first summoned to Canterlot in August, she had assumed the worst. Princess Celestia did not often send letters so late at night, and her letters had never been signed by all the other princesses before. Twilight arrived the very next morning, leaving Spike in Ponyville to look after the castle.
“Hello Twilight Sparkle,” Princess Celestia said as soon as the last princess entered the throne room. Princess Luna and Cadence sat on either side of the white alicorn. There was no one else at all in the cavernous chamber. No guards or attendants or advisors.
“What happened, Princess Celestia?” Twilight asked, stopping just short of the steps to the throne. “Is King Sombra back?”
“In a way, yes,” Cadence said, getting up from her seat. Her horn lit up, and a bright orb grew out of nothing in front of Twilight. “Twilight, do you remember King Sombra’s journal? The part where he meets his ‘mother’?”
“Yes,” Twilight replied, excited despite her anxiety. “Did you find out something about these umbra? Did you find another umbrum? Did you find the spot where King Sombra was digging?”
“Not quite,” Cadence said. “Twilight, for the last month ponies have been disappearing from the Crystal Empire. It started with one filly wandering onto the tundra late at night. Now many crystal ponies are leaving their homes in a trance. They will climb fences, walk through barricades… they have even started fighting the guards. Whatever is influencing them, it is getting stronger.”
“But how do you know it’s the umbra?” Twilight asked. “King Sombra is gone! All the others have been buried for millennia! And they've never done anything like this before!”
“We don't know what they did in the past, Twilight,” Cadence said grimly. “Even the crystal ponies know almost nothing about them. Nopony knew what they called themselves until we found Sombra’s journal. But I have reasons to believe that the umbra or something similar to them is behind recent events.” She nodded to the magical orb, which had reached a stable size about as big as a pony. “Look at this. This is a dream that Luna extracted from a crystal pony colt last week as he left the city.”
Twilight squinted and leaned into the light, until she passed entirely through its crackling boundary and saw that there was no light at all. She could hear something moving around her, and even felt it brushing against her sometimes. It did not breathe and she heard no footsteps, but she knew that it was circling her. The sound was like dead grass rustling in a cold wind. She could almost feel that wind…
Suddenly a pair of eyes stared into her face. They were not especially ugly or evil-looking eyes. She could not recall even a vague image of them afterwards, not their shape or color, but they frightened her like nothing else she had ever seen. Twilight jumped and opened her mouth to scream, but found herself sitting once again in the sunny throne room.
Twilight lit the lantern and looked over the mess in her tent. Several large volumes from Princess Celestia’s personal library sat open beside her sleeping mat. The contents of her ink bottle glistened with ice crystals, and her quill was white with puffy frost.
This must be really serious, she thought for the umpteenth time as she scrubbed her face with a dry towel and combed the knots out of her mane.
Finally she could not put it off for any longer. She was hungry, and sore from slouching. The little brass clock beside her pillow said it was 7:14 a.m. Any later and the good food would all be gone.
Twilight parted the entrance to her stiff snowsuit with some difficulty. It was custom made to matched the purple of her coat (besides the reflective plates), and even her cutie mark was duplicated on the flank plates. It was quite comfortable once everything was in place, but the suit was also put together with no room to spare.
The collar was a tube that went all the way to her chin, and ended with a hood that was really a helmet. Taking one last breath of natural air, she fastened the mask over her muzzle. Now only her eyes were exposed, and she was determined not to put on her goggles until after breakfast.
A rustling at the entrance of her tent startled her. The shape of a hoof was momentarily visible on the soft door, searching for something to knock on.
“Come in,” she said, already opening the inside zipper.
A stallion in a yellow snowsuit stood in the darkness, steam billowing around him. His goggles fogged up and froze as soon as the humid air inside the tent hit his face, so that no sign remained of the living pony beneath the suit.
“Princess Twilight,” he said. “We have found the Nest.”
The mask around her muzzle was elastic; otherwise Twilight’s mouth would have fallen open. She had done as much research as she could, but Cadence had been absolutely right about the lack of previous knowledge. She had read every last account of the umbra from the Crystal Empire as well as Canterlot, and if she had not delve into the dangerous waters of speculation and folklore she at least waded it. Still, Twilight felt utterly unprepared.
Nopony has ever seen a nest before, she thought. Most ponies don’t even know what an umbrum is, let alone a nest. Who is this guy?
The messenger reached up and cleared his goggles. His eyes and even his face glittered like diamond, casting little flecks of light all over the inside of Twilight’s tent.
Of course.
She followed him along the path of packed snow, carrying her lantern with her levitation spell. She could have used her light spell, but most sources agreed that umbra could drain magic. Even though this nest had been buried for at least five thousand years, Twilight knew from personal experience that magic became less reliable deeper in the pit.
There was a kind of elevator for the first twenty metres of the descent. It was little more than a plank held up by ropes and a winch. Despite her working wings, Twilight was nervous every time she had to make the descent. With two ponies going at the same time, she had to stand with her hooves gathered close together and her neck sticking out past the edge. Below her the pit glittered with hundreds of lanterns that seemed to illuminate nothing.
Fortunately the operators on top gave her a smooth ride. Twilight hopped off as soon as the platform came to a stop, and took the yarn-wrapped handle of the lantern in her mouth. From this point on she would use no magic at all.
“Stay behind me, Princess,” the crystal pony said. His own lantern was hanging from his left hoof. “These umbra are… unpleasant to look at. You will know what I mean when you see them.”
The ice looked like walls of glass. Wind moaned across the opening of the pit, though the air around Twilight was still and smoky. About two dozen ponies stood in a loose group further down the steeply-sloped path, their headlamps and lanterns pointed at a black crack in the wall just wide enough to admit one pony.
Her guide rubbed away the new frost to the right of the crack and peered into the ice as one would check on a dark room. Twilight looked back at the other ponies in the group. Beneath a few of the goggles she saw glints of crystal.
“Here he is,” he said, backing away from the wall and pointing his lantern at the glistening patch of smooth ice that he created.
Twilight now felt the cold from within as well as without.
At first glance it could have passed for an ordinary pony that had been put through a pasta machine. The weight of the ice had distorted it, but its shape was still distinguishable. Twilight could make out four black legs in the crushed and torn mass. The torso opened up along jagged tears, cracking along with the ice as it flowed and changed over the long years.
Thankfully it had no eyes or sockets; everything above its nostrils had been ground to paste. But the horror that was its gaping mouth was more than enough. Long jagged fangs floated in the matrix. The biggest ones were broken to pieces. Overall it looked like its mouth had exploded.
“There are more in the nest,” said her guide, shrugging at the crack. “Thousands more.”
“Are they all dead?” Twilight asked, backing away as she shone her lantern down the long passageway.
“Umbra never die, Princess,” he said grimly. “As long as the bodies remain, they exist. They can wait. They are patient.”
“Five thousand years,” she said, raising a hoof to her mouth. “I wonder if they’re conscious.”
“They are,” he said. “All of them. But it’s not as bad as you imagine. Umbra aren't trapped in their bodies like you are. In fact, the one you see here is already free.”
Twilight turned around. Just a glimpse of the glistening glass shape was enough. She fired a blast of energy from her horn, heating up the passage for a brief moment. The ground became slippery, and all the rough edges on the walls were smoothened.
The crystal pony stood almost as tall as Princess Luna. Shreds of clothing dangled from his body. He had taken off his goggles. What little remained of his shimmering yellow coat turned black before her eyes, and the glow of his eyes replaced the light of his lantern.
“You are surrounded,” he said in a deep, raspy voice.
“Surrounded?” Twilight repeated, pulling the mask off her face. Her horn was still humming, though she did not show her full power. “There’s just one of you.”
But even as she spoke another pair of evil eyes appeared behind the corrupted crystal pony.
Those ponies outside. The whole dig team!
“These new bodies are sufficient,” he said. “Now, bring us to the Crystal Empire.”
“I don’t think I will,” Twilight said. “You can only possess crystal ponies. Last I checked, there are less than a hundred crystal ponies in this camp. You are outnumbered.”
“Each one of us can match one thousand ponies in combat,” he said. “Our strength does not fade with time. You cannot fathom our full power. Take us to the Crystal Empire.”
“If you’re that powerful, why do you need me to do anything?”
The ponies closed in. For a second there was an opening in their ranks. Twilight prepared to charge, but could not move her legs. Crystals of black ice had grown out of the ground, encasing her limbs. They were still growing, and slow though they were they showed no sign of stopping.
“Take us to the Crystal Empire!” He said again. “Take us to the Crystal Empire!”
“No,” Twilight said, though she could hear the fear in her own voice as the braces tightened around her legs. “No, I will do nothing for you.”
Aiming her horn down, she blasted the ice around her hooves with all her power. For a second the air was filled with steam, which quickly fell in a cloud of diamond dust. The crystals around her legs continued to grow, completely undamaged.
“Well, Princess?” He sneered, revealing a mouthful of jagged black teeth. “Will you die here, and like this? It’s a pity, isn’t it?”
She could not feel her legs. The crystals crept across her chest, picking up speed when it reached the base of her neck. It pressed tighter and tighter. Twilight felt like her head would pop.
“Take a breath,” he said, taking the lamp off Twilight’s horn and crushing it against the ground. His hoof was momentarily engulfed in a fireball, but no discomfort could be seen on his face.
The crystals pushed her ears against her head, and grew across her chin. She raised her head, as if she expected to stretch her neck indefinitely. She pursed her lips as it continued along her muzzle. At her forehead it found bare skin. Its coldness stunned her. She squeezed her eyes shut.
“Princess Twilight! Stop struggling!”
Twilight gasped, and coughed when the chill air filled her lungs. She could move a little, but something was weighing her down.
“Princess, it’s alright!” Said her guide. “It’s all in your head! Please stop struggling! You’ll trigger a cave-in!”
Twilight forced herself to go limp. A second later the weight lifted; three ponies stood up. She sat up tentatively, lifting one hoof in front of her face and then the other. Already the throbbing pain was gone.
Out of the corner of her eye she saw movement, and immediately fired off a bolt of magic in its direction. The pony crashed against the wall and fell limp to the floor.
“Stop it!” The guide yelled, throwing aside courtesy and putting Twilight in a headlock. “Listen to me! Whatever you saw, it wasn’t real!”
Twilight took a deep breath and choked again.
Where did my mask go?
It was pulled down against her chin; the crystal pony put it back on for her, and adjusted her hood before letting go.
“W… what happened?” Twilight stammered. “You turned into an umbrum! You all did!”
“It was some kind of protective spell,” he said. “We must have set it off somehow. You started attacking us, princess.”
“Alright,” Twilight said slowly, eyeing the other pony with suspicion. Two others had crept past her, and were checking on the unconscious pony. “And our lamps?”
“Yours broke when you threw it at me,” he said. “Mine is that one over there.”
Several lamps had been brought over, some hanging on poles. More ponies had gathered around to gawk at the scene. Had they not been sworn to secrecy, Twilight was sure that her face would be on the cover of every Canterlot tabloid for weeks.
“It’s best if you don’t go any deeper into the nest,” said the guide. “It is quite narrow in places, and whatever enchantments are protecting this place, they are especially effective on you.”
“And you?” Twilight asked, raising an eyebrow.
“I saw nothing unusual,” he said. “Princess, even if a pony such as myself was overcome by the umbra’s influence, we would still be considerably less dangerous than you. Even if it proves fatal, Equestria will not experience an unreasonable loss.”
“Are you telling me to leave?” Twilight said, standing up tentatively. Her limbs still remembered the cold pain.
“I’m simply offering my thoughts,” he said dispassionately. “We are capable of excavating the rest of the nest, if that is what you want.”
“Yes…” Twilight said slowly. “And…”
She studied the crystal pony’s eyes. Her heart skipped a beat whenever a facet of his features was darkened by shadow.
“What do you think we should do?” She asked. “Can the Crystal Empire contain these bodies? Should we keep them here?”
“Better to keep them away from the Crystal Empire,” he said. “At best it will be worrisome for us, and at worst…” he shuddered. “Keeping them here is risky. This operation has become too large. Even if we seal this pit again, somepony will get curious eventually. And hiding the nest defeats the entire purpose of this dig. No, the umbra we find here must go somewhere.”
“Where?” She asked. “I want your opinion on this matter. If you could choose, where would you put them?”
“Somewhere out of the way, I suppose,” he said. “Somewhere no one would think to look. One of the smaller towns near Canterlot would be ideal, or up in the Foal Mountains, in one of the glaciers. They should be accessible to your researchers, but not in a big population centre. I don’t know what they’re capable of; nopony does.”
“Right…” Twilight said. “Thank you. What time is it?”
“I wouldn’t know, Princess,” he replied. “I suppose it must be close to eleven.”
“Go up and fetch a few more ponies,” she ordered. “Start cutting the nest into blocks. Make sure you don’t expose any part of the umbra. They stay completely in the ice. The rest of you, if your shift is not finished yet, get some chisels and start widening this crack.”
The crystal pony bowed and marched up the ramp. Dozens of ponies passed Twilight as she made her way to the lift. She felt unsteady, and a little sick. The memory of the attack was fading quickly; already the whole thing seemed ridiculous from beginning to end.
They’ve been frozen for longer than Equestria has been around. Of course they’re dead.
When she got to ground level, Twilight took the most direct route to the chain of public tents. She would have taken shortcuts, but the snow on either side of the narrow trail were taller than her and vertical in most places. Wind constantly swept loose snow and flakes of ice through the narrow passages; they had to be shoveled twice a day.
The airlock of the cook tent felt even colder than the arctic wind. Twilight took the broom and brushed the outside of her snowsuit. Her boots had a crust of ice. Under the warm yellow light of three lamps everything looked mundane and harmless.
Twilight opened the inner door and immediately pulled off her mask and goggles. The scent of sweet spices and fresh bread made her mouth water.
The cook tent had three large tables and six benches arranged in a way that only ponies without hind limbs could use comfortably. The insulated walls were decorated with large prints of beach scenes and wide open fields. Back in October somepony had superglued a giant pinup of Soarin to the ceiling, and Twilight still had not decided whether she should try to remove it or explain it to Celestia when the equipment returned to Canterlot.
The ceiling vents were always open so ponies would not suffocate from all the fires burning in the tent. Besides ten lanterns hanging on the steel overhead beams, something was always cooking on the six gas stoves. Once in the while a cold draft made it all the way to the floor, but it was warm enough to go without a snowsuit.
“Good morning, Twilight,” Cinnamon Swirl said, bowing her head politely. She wore her fleece layers under a jumpsuit made of white canvas. When she first arrived at the camp in November, the brown earth pony mare used to bow fully.
“Do you have any soup?” Twilight asked as Cinnamon Swirl filled a metal mug with coffee.
“Always,” she replied. “Tomato or mushroom?”
Twilight grimaced as she always did. Despite all the support from Canterlot, quantity was much more feasible than quality. All the magic in the world couldn’t keep bread soft and mould-free for three months. On Horseshall Island, soup came out of a can and tasted exactly like one.
“Tomato then,” Cinnamon Swirl said, stifling a giggle. “Cheer up, Princess. I heard about what happened. We’re all going home soon, right?”
“Yeah,” Twilight said, struggling out of her snowsuit and pulling the fleece layer off her damp coat. “Fresh food, a hot bath, and some sunlight. That’s not too much to ask for, is it?”
“No.” Cinnamon Swirl agreed, and then lowered her voice. “Is it true, Twilight? Did they find umbra here? In Equestria?”
“Where else would they be?” Twilight said with a shrug before taking a sip of her coffee. “We’re not exactly in the centre of Equestria. The Crystal Empire’s two days’ walk from here. This is where Princess Celestia expected to find them.”
“But Horseshall Island,” she said. “Twilight, I’ve read a lot of books about this place. You know how I feel about Horseshall Island. About the animals here, and the plants and the climate. A lot of ponies have come here ever since Equestria started expanding north. Ships used to overwinter in the strait northwest of here. You remember the pictures I showed you, right? It just seems so familiar, even though this is the first time I’ve come here personally. And all this time, these things have been buried right under our hooves. It’s scary.”
“I’ve never thought about it that way,” Twilight said, keeping her own voice down. “Don’t worry, once the umbra are gone, Horseshall Island will go back to normal. I have a restoration spell ready; I’ve been designing it for months. Once we fill in the pit, everything on top will come back by next winter. It’ll be even better than before. Removing all that dark magic must be good for this place.”
“I don’t know…” Cinnamon Swirl said when she set down the bowl of soup in front of Twilight. “If dark magic was a problem here, wouldn’t the whole place change when you take it away?”
“I suppose…” Twilight said. “There’s only one way to find out.”
“Right.”
Cinnamon Swirl seemed just a little glum as she went back to preparing lunch.
