Evergreen Heart

Chapter 9
The beast within.

Zecora stared out the window of her home. The weather above the Everfree was dreadful and it seemed to be growing worse still. The drizzle from that morning had turned into a full on storm, fat raindrops spattering against the glass of her window. She felt a cold shiver run up her spine.

For the last couple of minutes she had felt restless - it wasn't just her, either. It was as if the Everfree itself felt uneasy. There was always a certain lingering sensation of danger, but she had long since grown accustomed to that. No, this was something else. Something that filled her with an unnatural sense of foreboding.

She walked into the small area she used as a kitchen and started heating up a pot of water. Perhaps some nice soothing tea would help her quench the eerie feeling. She had just put the kettle on the stove when an ungodly scream of agony echoed across the forest.

“What in the name of the seven kings is going on out there,” she cursed in her native tongue.

Zecora opened her window and angled her ears, listening intently for whatever it was that howled so fiercely. As seconds ticked by, the zebra realised that the ever living forest suddenly became deathly still - no bugs buzzing about, not a bird singing its song. Just as she was about to retreat into her home, shrieks and cries erupted in an echoing cacophony of pain and suffering. Along with it came the crowing of confused birds that took flight, thousands of them flocking over and away from the woods. The stunned shaman looked on in mounting horror as first a few, then by the dozen, wild creatures ran blindly past her tree, tripping and trampling anything that stood in their way.

She had to know what was going on, but Zecora knew better than to go running off blindly into the woods. Only fools did such reckless things. No, she had a better method to discern what was happening, thanks to her shaman training.

She rummaged through one of the few cabinets she had and soon found what she was looking for - a shallow clay bowl decorated with a relief of symbols that belonged to her native tribe. She blew some dust off the relic, not having used it for some time. She then filled it with water and set it down before her. She took a seat and stared into the bowl, beginning a chant in her native tongue. It was a simple but effective scrying technique.

“Roho kubwa, unipe mbele kuona nini uongo zaidi,” Zecora chanted as she cleared and focused her mind, allowing the spirits to grant her a vision of what went on.

After several minutes the water in the bowl began to ripple as if hit by a raindrop. An image began to form and sounds filled her mind, showing events happening not all that far away. What Zecora saw in the waters of the scrying bowl elicited a gasp of horror from her.

She saw a snarling, hissing, roiling mass of vegetation devouring everything in sight. Critters ran into their burrows or hid in the trees only to be dragged out by vines, squealing and shrieking ,and tossed whole into waiting maws or acid filled pitcher plants. Some of the larger predatory creatures fought back, most still opting to flee like the rest of the animals. The only creature that was remotely holding its ground was a large adult hydra, and only because it regenerated the heads it was losing. A pair of Manticores was trying to defend their young, the female using her body to shield the cubs while the male attacked the vines with tooth, claw and stinger tail. Its attacks only brought it pain as barbed thorns sank into its flesh and stuck fast. One of the cubs got snatched by a vine, and when the mother intervened she too was hoisted up. Both manticores were dragged into the roiling mass and dumped into waiting pitcher plants. Their mewling cries were mercifully brief. The wounded male snatched up the remaining cub by the scruff of its neck and ran for it.

The more the unholy creature devoured the more it grew and spread. It assimilated the surrounding vegetation and turned it into more of itself. If left unchecked, it would grow until it consumed the entire Everfree forest, and everything beyond.

“Oh merciful spirits say it ain't so, say its not my friend who causes such woe.” Her voice was thick with emotion, for she recognized the acid spitting flowers that were consuming all that moved.

She ran outside into the rain, throwing caution to the wind. She had to put a stop to this. The rational part of her mind told her this was dangerous and foolhardy, but her heart told her she had to try. She had to talk to her friend and find out why he was on a rampage, to talk some sense into him. She had to see with her own eyes what the spirits had shown her.

And so she ran into the woods. It did not take much effort to find him. All she had to do was follow the path of the fleeing animals in the opposite direction.

********

Fluttershy was out in the sun, humming to herself as she carried a bag of feed to the chicken coop. She walked into the pen and called out to her feathered friends.

“Good morning little chickens, I hope you're all hungry.”

There was no response, which puzzled Fluttershy. Normally her chickens would be out and about by now, especially when she brought food over. She put the bag of feed down and walked over to her coop, sticking her head inside.

“Is everything alright?”

Her flock were all sitting in one corner, looking extremely nervous.

“Goodness, what's gotten into you all? Did something happen?”

Her chickens clucked nervously. Something was clearly amiss.

“It's okay little friends, why don't you all come outside for a little while and have some breakfast.”

She tried to coax them out for several minutes more but they wouldn't budge. It was then she noticed a commotion outside. She pulled her head out of the chicken coop and saw all manners of creatures flee the Everfree forest. She was about to ask one of the fleeing animals what was going on when there was a ruckus behind her. She turned around to locate the source when she noticed her critter friends fleeing her cottage and joining the mass exodus away from the Everfree. Even Harry the bear was running away.

She tried for several minutes to calm the frantic critters to no avail when a voice above called out to her.

“Fluttershy, what in the hay is happening?” came the voice of Rainbow Dash, who dropped to the ground moments later. “Why are all those animals fleeing the Everfree? There's a virtual stampede heading for the hills in every direction.”

“I don't know, it started a couple minutes ago. I went to feed my chickens, but they were all scared for some reason. Next thing I know there's hundreds of animals of all kinds coming out of the woods.”

“Okay, you stay here and keep an eye out. I'm gonna go find Twilight. Maybe she knows what's going on. I'll be back in a second.”

With that, Rainbow Dash flew off at top speed, leaving behind an anxious Fluttershy who stared at the Everfree forest with worried eyes.

*********

Zecora had been running for several minutes, going against the endless stream of fleeing animals. Finally she caught sight of the mass of carnivorous plants through the trees and dashed towards it. She skidded to a halt when she got within thirty yards of it and gagged. The stench of blood and the sour sweet stink of acid was overpowering. It permeated the entire area. She swallowed the bile that rose in her throat and called out.

“Aeron, my friend, what madness has got hold of you? Why are you attacking all these creatures?”

A trio of carnivorous flowers focused their attention on her, hissing like a bunch of angry cobra's. Before she could get another word in she was forced to run for her life as streams of acid began spraying in her direction. A grasping vine shot out, trying to tackle her, but she jumped over it and under the next one that came at her. A third one hit her across the flank like a bullwhip and she cried out in pain, but she kept going, dodging between the trees to evade the snaking vines. More acid came her way, spattering against the trunk of a large tree she passed only seconds earlier.

Something was terribly wrong. She may only have known Aeron for a short while, but this behavior was completely out of character for him. Something must have happened. She made it to a safe distance and stopped to assess the damage. The vine that had hit her had left a nasty cut across her flank and several thorns were stuck in her flesh. She glanced back at the writhing mass of vegetation and decided it was safe enough to take a moment to remove them. Pulling the thorns from her flesh proved extremely painful. They were barbed with serrated edges, almost like a saw-blade. At least they weren't poisonous.

A terrifying howl got her attention and she spun to face the creature, again when a gigantic wolf's head formed out of it to swallow the hydra it had been fighting whole. Her eyes went wide when the possible implications of what she was seeing struck her. Could it be that her friend was not in control of his actions, but rather the corrupt spirit of a timber wolf? On their own, such beings were dangerous enough, but if one had access to the unquantified magical abilities Aeron seemed to posses, the horrible ramifications of it were on full display before her.

She fled, for there was nothing she could do from here. If the spirit of the wolf was in control then there was only one way to help her friend now. She just hoped she had enough time.

********

More and more creatures poured out of the Everfree forest, fleeing in all directions, and more and more ponies showed up to watch the spectacle.

Twilight came running up to Fluttershy with Rainbow Dash following from above.

“Fluttershy, what's going on here?”

“We were hoping you could tell us, Twilight,” Rainbow cut in before Fluttershy could answer. “They've been pouring out of the Everfree for a while now. Something weird is going on.”

“Could it be some sort of spell?” Fluttershy mumbled nervously from behind her mane.

“Maybe, but I have no idea what sort of spell could cause a whole forest of creatures to flee in a panic.” Twilight said.

There was a sudden commotion among the ponies watching the edge of the woods as an adult Manticore carrying a cub came barreling out of the underbrush. The great beast was bleeding from several cuts and its eyes were frantic. Several ponies ran in terror, but Fluttershy responded in a heartbeat. With a speed that made Rainbow Dash blink she interposed herself between the Manticore and the ponies and began to calm the beast with a soothing voice and quiet words.

Once the Manticore was calm she gave it and the cub a quick examination. When she saw the grievous wounds and wicked barbed thorns still embedded in it she let out a horrified gasp. Twilight and Dash were at her side in an instant.

“What is it Fluttershy, what have you found?”

She quietly showed them the wounds, eliciting a gasp from the other two ponies.

“I don't think I want to meet whatever did that,” Dash said.

Twilight's horn lit up as she cast a quick diagnostic spell on the thorns.

“I'm sensing remnants of a dark and feral magic. I need to consult my books to figure out what-”

“AIIIEEEE!”

A panicked scream interrupted her and everyone whipped their heads around to see what was happening. A section of the Everfree forest had burst open, writhing vines and roots emerging from the crack The wounded Manticore grabbed its young and fled. Ponies milled about in panic or stood rooted to the spot when giant carnivorous flowers angled their maws towards them.

“Everypony, run back to Ponyville!” Twilight shouted, using magic to amplify her voice.

Vines began to whip out, trying to snare them and sprays of acid arched through the air. Twilight threw up a quick barrier spell to shield herself and Fluttershy. The acid bubbled and hissed as it slid down the magical forcefield.

“Rainbow, get everyone out of here!” Twilight yelled to her multichromatic friend before launching a Flash-Fire spell at the aggressive mass of vegetation.

The magic struck the vines, causing them to sizzle, boil and catch fire. One of the hissing flytraps tried to bite the purple stream of energy, and ended up literally exploding, the acid and other fluids inside evaporating into a scalding mist within seconds.

“I need every unicorn who is capable of casting Pyromancy spells with me now!” Twilight yelled at the group.

Several unicorns stepped forward, some more willingly than others. Lyra, Silver Spanner and Vinyl Scratch were amongst the first to stand by Twilight’s side.

“We need to set up a flame barrier spell to contain this thing. I need anypony who knows how to channel flame spells no matter how basic to pour your energy into the spell I’ll prepare. The rest of you, watch the flowers and keep them off us any way you can. Use whatever spells necessary!”

***********

Zecora stormed into her home and slammed the door, barricading it as best she could. The timber swarm, as she referred to the out of control spirit, had not been heading her way, but if it kept spreading it was only a matter of time before it reached her home. Hopefully the barrier she had around the perimeter would give the beast pause. She needed time to prepare, but first she had to treat her injury. She took a jar of healing salve and gingerly applied some to the nasty cut across her flank, hoping it would not leave a scar. The ointment stung terribly, but soon the pain died down to a dull throbbing ache. At least now she wouldn’t have to fear infection.

With her injury taken care of she began to gather ingredients from around the house whilst throwing a cantrip at her cooking pot to start the fire beneath it. First fresh water went into the pot. Next she gathered up many powerful herbs. She prepared the ingredients with diligence. She had only done this once under the watchful eye of her mentor, and she could not afford mistakes. She sliced and diced the herbs extra fine then tossed them into her mortar to ground them up into powder. One by one she added them to the pot and soon the water began to take on an amber hue. As the ingredients were added to the brew she began to sway and dance rhythmically until the stew like brew began to boil.

Over in Ponyville pinkie pie suddenly fell over as her body was shaken by a combination of shudders and twitches.

“Are you alright pinkie?” Mister Cake asked.

“I WAS RIGHT!” She yelled.

“Right about what?” the confused store owner asked.

“I dunno, but my pinkie sense just told me that I was right about something, and that it had something to do with cooking and dances.”

Zecora stirred the thickening brew carefully. What she was brewing was a very potent mixture reserved for special rituals. It would help to put her in a powerful deep trance so she could perform what her mentor had called spirit walking. It would allow her mind to wander outside of her body and in doing so make contact with another. She hoped that doing so would allow her to reach Aeron, if it wasn't too late. She left the brew to simmer and began to prepare the rest of the things she would need.

First she cleared out an area of the floor and put down two incense burners. To this she added strong relaxing incense and then lit them. Soon a pleasant scent began to rise from them. Next she took a small clay jar from a cabinet. It contained special body paint made with pigments from her homeland. She dabbed a hoof into the jar and began to carefully apply the paint to herself, chanting a cleansing prayer as she did so. She carefully painted ritual markings on herself in a slow deliberate pattern. Once complete she stood up and stretched her limbs then went to check on the brew.

The mixture appeared to be just right, so she turned off the fire and allowed it to cool while she prepared a few additional precautions. First she took a mixture of coarse salts and powdered gemstone and made a wide circle on the ground. It would serve as a barrier against malignant spirits and hopefully give her one more layer of magical protection should the timber swarm arrive at her home. Next she lit several colorful candles made of a special wax and placed them around the room. These too would act as a warding measure and would keep away those spirits who were not hostile but merely curious. Lastly she brought out a small Tiki Idol and placed it just within the circle. The Tiki would serve as a beacon for her own spirit so she would be able to find her way back.

Her preparations complete she took a wooden bowl made from a coconut shell and scooped some of the brew from her cauldron. With slow deliberate steps she walked into the circle and sat down.

“Roho kubwa ya hewa na ardhi, great spirits of air and earth, kuongoza ukimbizi huu wanyenyekevu, guide this humble seeker.” she began to chant, her voice low.

She lifted the bowl and took a drink from the still warm potion. The taste was as terrible as she remembered but she swallowed it anyway.

“kufungua jicho langu ndani, open my inner eye, naomba kifungu katika ulimwengu wa zaidi ya, allow me passage to the realm beyond.”

She took the bowl and drank the remaining potion in one gulp then closed her eyes, taking a deep calming breath.

Suddenly she lost all feeling in her body, but she knew this was normal. It was the first sign that the brew was working. She breathed out slow and allowed her mind to drift. When next she opened her eyes she was hovering above herself. Her flesh and blood body was sitting in the circle, deep in trance and appearing asleep. She waved an ethereal hoof in front of her face before giving herself a onceover. She still looked like herself, be it a translucent blueish green version of herself.

Zecora took a moment to center herself before taking off as fast as she could go, back to the timber swarm.

*******

Twilight was panting hard, doing her best to stay alive. She had been so sure the flame barrier spell would stop the monster but it just kept coming. At first the creature seemed to burn up as it came in contact with the spell, but after a minute or so the flames died out. The vines were actually bleeding watery sap, giving the flames no time to take hold. Everypony had broken and run after that. Doing their best to evade the grasping vines and sprays of acid. She could still smell the stench of burning hair from a few droplets that had splashed the tip of her tail. It was only through sheer dumb luck that nopony had been heavily injured or killed yet.

She dodged another splash of acid and telekinetically threw a large boulder at the writhing mass. Crushing several dozen vines and a couple of pitcher plants, the acid leaking out and consuming its own mass. Still the thing kept coming. She caught a brief glimpse of Rainbow Dash and several other weather team pegasi as they pushed in a couple of thunderclouds to buck lightning into the monster. Beside her every unicorn that wasn't fleeing for their lives were hurling whatever spells they could at the thing in an effort to stop it. She saw Vinyl throw some sort of sonic explosion spell, Lyra firing blasts of raw telekinesis, and some pony she didn't recognize fire a bowling ball like a cannon. Speaking of cannons, pinkie pie had rolled out her party cannon, but mister and missus cake were helping her stuff it full of everything but the kitchen sink to launch at the creature.

Twilight realized they were fighting a losing battle. For all their efforts the thing was driving them back towards ponyville inch by inch.

Suddenly Rainbow Dash was by her side again, “That's it Twi, we used up all the thunderclouds in the vicinity and it barely made a dent in the thing. What do we do now?”

“I don't know, we can't keep this up.” she groaned as she lifted an empty cart and hurled it at the thing, “We can't hold it back for long. Tell the mayor to evacuate Ponyville. Get everyone on the train, foals and elderly first.”

“On it!” Dash threw her a salute before rocketing away to start the evacuation.

“We're gonna need a lot more help if we're to stop this thing Twilight” Said Lyra from beside her.

“I know, I've already had Spike send a message to the princess asking for guard support, but even at top speed they won't be here for at least an hour. We just need to hang on long enough to get everypony to safety and then we can regroup.”

She returned to casting spells as best she could but she could feel her magical reserves begin to wane. She couldn't even imagine how the others must be feeling. She took a deep breath and focused on an advanced combat spell she read about once. The air before her shimmered as a wide tipped spear of pure magical force took shape. She then used a telekinetic burst to hurl the ethereal weapon at the monster. The spear sliced through the wood and vines like a hot knife through butter, sap and acid splashed everywhere as it drove deep into the mass of vegetation. The thing let out a strange shrieking noise and seemed to pause for a second. She let out a small whoop and bounced up and down for a brief moment, relishing her small victory. It might not be much but she took some satisfaction in giving pause to the monster who was threatening her friends. She was snapped out of it when something landed at her hooves with a thump. She glanced down only to find a strange looking pinecone covered in thorns.

Then the thing exploded.

**********

It took Zecora half as long to get back to the timber swarm now that she did not need to move around the trees. She could simply pass through them like a ghost. Finally she reached the writhing mass of terror. The first thing that caught her attention was the evil dark green glow that emanated from it. This was clearly the aura of a timber wolf, but something had enhanced it. Something much older and darker. She had no time to think about that now, she had to find Aeron's consciousness. She had to find the core. But where in the creator's name could it be. All she could see was a sea of carnivorous vegetation. She began to fly over it whilst opening her spiritual senses to their fullest. She felt rage, pain and hunger, oh merciful maker so much hunger. An eons old mad desire to consume living essence to still the hunger and dull the pain. And behind it all a sadistic impulse to inflict suffering. It was almost too much for her. If she had been in her body the sensation would surely have made her vomit. But she had to push on, she had to find her friend. She let her senses wander, trying to find that one spark of light she knew must be somewhere. There! She could sense it, a tiny spirit, like a flickering candle flame. She sped towards it and dove right into the writhing mass below, into the darkness. And suddenly she was elsewhere.

She found herself back in her normal body inside a room unlike any she had ever seen. It was a medium sized bedroom that doubled as a study. The walls were made of white stone. In one corner was a desk with a strange flat device on it as well as a second rectangular device with buttons marked with letters and numbers. Several books stood off to the side on the desk. Next to the desk was a display cabinet filled with an assortment of knick knacks. On the opposite side of the room was a bookcase filled with books of all kinds as well as a number of strange glossy cases marked with the letters DVD and several titles in a language she didn't know. Next to the bookcase was a small window, its curtains were closed. Underneath the window was a simple bed. And on that bed sat a creature unlike any she had ever seen. It looked vaguely like a hairless version of the large apes that lived back in Zebrica. The thing had wrapped itself in a blanket and crawled into the far corner.

“Hello? Aeron, is it you?” Zecora said hesitantly

The creature blinked as if seeing her for the first time, “Z-zecora?”

“Yes my friend, its me. I'm glad I found you, I was worried I would be too late.”

“I'm sorry.” Aeron said, his voice breaking into a choked sob, “I didn't want this to happen.”

“Shh it's going to be alright my friend, follow me and let your troubles end.” She held out a hoof to him.

“I can't! I can't go outside. If I do it will get me.” he cried as he motioned to the only door in the room, hastily barricaded with a cabinet and chair.

“But you must,” she said a she pressed a gentle hoof against his shoulder. “Only you can get yourself out of here and end this. I can only show you the way.”

“I don't even know where here is. Or why I'm suddenly human again. I don't know what's happening anymore.”

Zecora sat down next to him on the bed, “This is all in your mind my friend. This place,” She said waving a hoof at the room, “Is what's known as a mindscape. It is a visual representation of your inner self. A place where you feel safe.”

“My bedroom back on earth.” he mumbled.

“But you cannot stay here Aeron. You must face the beast and regain control. Do you know what's happening in the outside world? Right now the beast is trying to consume everything. If you don't stop it here and now it will soon devour what is left of you, and then all of Equestria.”

“But how? look at me Zecora, I'm nothing, how am I supposed to fight this beast. I don't even know where it is right now or how it got free in the first place.”

“Do you know what happened before all this? What were you doing before you came here?” She waved a hoof at the imaginary room.

“I... I was lost and trying to find my way back to your place, but I ran into a dragon and.. I said something I shouldn't have. Then the dragon got mad and tried to kill me. Then I got mad myself and... and I fought back.... and killed it. That’s when the hunger started, then came the beast and it chased me all the way in here. I barely made it in the door before it got me. But so long as I stay in here it leaves me alone. I don't even know what it is. When it hunted me all I saw was shadow and evil glowing eyes.”

“It is the remnant of a timber wolf spirit. It has latched on to the primal part of your own self and taken root. When you traded reason for rage, you gave it power and it broke free of your control. If you are to regain control, you must cage the beast once more for if you do not it will return to finish the job, and both you and Equestria will be doomed.”

Aeron shuddered, “I can't, I don't know how.”

“This is your mind Aeron, in here you are the master. You can do anything you desire, much like in a dream. All you need to do is believe in yourself. Anything you imagine in here will become reality.”

For the longest time they sat in silence until he finally spoke up.

“I don't know if I want to go back Zecora. Out there I'm just a... a thing, some weird creature I was never meant to be. Was it destiny? Or some random convergence of magics? Am I even in control of my own fate or am I a puppet dancing on the strings of some storyteller for other people’s amusement? I don't know what I'm meant to do or where I'm supposed to go, and I feel lost and.. alone.”

She wrapped her forelegs around him in a hug saying, “I'm sorry my friend. I know this is a heavy burden for anyone to carry. But you aren't alone. You have me, and in time you will have more friends. And they will help you, trust in that. Believe in that.”

He leaned into her hug and for the first time in weeks he cried. It might just be in his mind but it felt like a relief to finally be able to shed tears again. He cried for what felt like hours, but time had little meaning in the mindscape. Once he finally calmed down Zecora let go of him gently.

“I'm sorry, you must think me a weak fool.” Said Aeron as he wiped his eyes.

“Nonsense, there is no shame or weakness in shedding tears. But come my friend, I hate to push you after such an emotional moment but it's time to face the beast. The longer you wait the stronger it grows. Gather your wits and focus your thoughts.”

With a slow nod Aeron dropped the blanket and got up off the bed. Zecora briefly studied him. While shorter than his plant form he was still taller than her by a good head or so. His mane was very short, and he had a small mustache and beard not unlike those sometimes sported by minotaurs. His eyes were incredibly small compared to those of a pony. He was wearing a short sleeved shirt and she observed how his arms were rather hairy, but nowhere near as hairy as any creature on Equestria she was familiar with. He also wore pants of some rough material she didn’t recognize. His legs were a lot longer than those on a minotaur, and they were oddly straight.

“So this is your true form.”

“Yes, I know it's not much to look at but, this is me. The real me, or how I used to be anyway, before….”

She placed a hoof on his hand and gave him a sympathetic smile. She could not imagine how hard it had been for him, but she could at least be a shoulder to lean on. Then she turned back to the door, pushing aside the cabinet and chair to clear the way.

“Are you ready?”

“Not in the least.”

“Have a little hope my friend, I will be by your side.”

And with that they reached forward and opened the door.

***********

Twilight stumbled drunkenly, bleeding from a nasty head wound. The monster seemed to evolve newer and more diabolical methods of attack the longer the conflict lasted. First it had started shooting exploding seed pods that were covered with barbed thorns. There were still thorns stuck in her barrel from the one that had gotten her, making breathing too deeply a painful experience. She wasn’t the only one injured. Some of the flowers had stopped shooting acid, but instead had begun to puff out thick clouds of spores. The spores caused a burning itching rash upon contact. Lyra had taken a full blast of the spores and had to be carried away after breathing them in. The poor mare couldn’t stop retching and was barely able to draw breath. Twilight had called for a full retreat after that happened. Unwilling to find out what horror the thing would unleash next.

The evacuation of Ponyville was in full swing. Already the train had left, stuffed to the brim with ponies. Every available Pegasus had been rounded up to help fly cart-fulls of ponies to safety. Many of the ponies that had been trying to hold off the vines had suffered cuts from thorn grenades or minor acid burns. Those with severe injuries were given priority and carried directly to canterlot for treatment. By now the vines had reached the town proper, and several buildings on the outskirts were in the process of being demolished. Thick vines crushing the support beams and walls until they collapsed in on themselves. A few buildings had caught fire as a result of acid hitting the thatch roof. Rainbow dash had immediately sent a few pegasi off to grab whatever rainclouds they could in an effort to keep the flames from spreading.

Twilight tried to fire another telekinetic blast but found she could no longer cast spells. She felt completely drained, her head was spinning and she lost her footing. But before she could fall Applejack appeared at her side, letting her lean into her.

“Ah got you sugarcube just take it easy, you've done enough for one day.”

She leaned into her friend and allowed her to guide her to one of the last waiting chariots. Rainbow Dash herself had strapped herself to the front, ready to carry them off.

“Is that everypony?” she asked AJ

“Everypony is either on the train or in the air Twi, we're the last few.”

“I can’t believe this is how it ends. After we saved Equestria from nightmare moon now Ponyville will be destroyed by this, this… monster.” She blinked back a few angry tears.

“Something is happening.” said Dash, pointing at the deadly flora.

A shudder went through the mass of monstrous vegetation. The vines shook and quivered and the thing let out a howl as if something had just kicked it in the gonads.

“What's it doing now?”

“I have no idea.” Twilight said.

***********

When they stepped through the door Zecora and Aeron found themselves in the middle of a dark forest. It was hot and humid and foreboding.

“Why the heck does the inside of my head look like Endor?”

“I have no idea what Endor is, but this wood is likely made by the beast to feel more at home.”

“Well I don't like it, not one bit”

for the longest time they carefully made their way through the woodlands trying to find the beast. Until it found them. It started with a furious growl that set their teeth on edge. Then the beast emerged from the gloom. A monstrous wolf of shadow and bone and ghostly organs. It absolutely reeked of corruption and death. Its eyes twin pits of hellish green madness.

Aeron felt fear and despair grip his heart, Every instinct told him to bolt. To hide and cower somewhere. Zecora felt it too, but she knew how to fight back against the beasts abominable aura. She stood tall and stared it in the eye.

“Back to your cage, beast of night. In us you shall instill no fright.”

It snarled and bared its teeth at her. Next to her Aeron flinched.

“Stand tall Aeron, I cannot fight it for you. Only you can break this beast and cage it once again. The time is now. This is your mind, your domain. You are it's one true master. Believe it!”

Aeron swallowed and looked the beast in the eye, and saw what it intended to do. He saw how the beast was consuming Ponyville. It would destroy the town and grow larger, until it reached Canterlot. It would devour Aeron's mind little by little and use his knowledge and imagination to grow and evolve new and ever more effective ways to hunt and destroy. It would overrun the city and eat every pony too slow to flee. It would eat Celestia and absorb her power much like it had the dragon's. And it would seek out every pony from Aeron's memory and devour them agonizingly slowly, savoring their torment. Unbidden, the faces of three terror stricken fillies came to mind. No, not them. Not that!

With a savage cry Aeron leaped forward, punching the beast in the snout with all the power he could muster. He wanted nothing more than to stop this terrible monster. To beat it back into submission and put an end to its vile desires. And in the mindscape his desire and thoughts became reality. With a strangled howl the beast flew back as if struck by a freight train, smashing through trees and bushes and finally crashing into a large boulder.

“You will not have them! Never again! I won't allow it!”

The beast sprang to its feet, necroplasm leaking from its shattered maw. It roared a challenge and charged. It pounced on Aeron and clawed at him whilst trying to tear his throat out. They struggled on the floor, rolling and bucking. Aeron cried out in pain as the beast tore at him, but the pain was dull compared to the pain he felt in his heart at the thought of the Cutie Mark Crusaders being digested alive by this abomination. He threw the beast off him and rolled back to his feet. It came at him with thorny vines, sprays of acid and bony blade like teeth.

He needed protection, some way to defend against the monsters supernatural attacks. An image came to him and Aeron threw up his arms, a shimmering barrier that blocked the beast's attacks forming in front of him.

“How did I just do that?” He said as he stared at his hands.

“Because you willed and imagined it my friend. Like I told you, you are the one with real power in here.” Zecora shouted to him.

The beast came at him again. Vines lashing out like whips, and necrotic looking flowers belching acid. Aeron jumped and dodged back, trying to summon the shimmering barrier again. It took him some effort but he finally made it work, and he used the cover it provided to take a much needed breather. This might just be in his own mind, but it still felt very real and taxing.

“It’s using my own attacks against me.” he said between gasps for air.

“Because it knows nothing else. It is but a parasite, feeding on your imagination. It has none of its own.” Zecora shouted.

“If… if that is so then… then it only has power because It stole it from me? whatever it's doing to the outside world, it's using my imagination to commit its horrors.”

“Yes my friend, but now you are beginning to see. The beast only has as much power as you grant it. It is but a passenger inside a spare portion of your mind.” Zecora said

“Then can't I banish it from here forever?”

She shook her head, “No, it is part of you now, as much as any memory or instinct. It will always be there, but now that you know where it is you are it's master and jailer.”

The beast did not appreciate her words. It lunged at Zecora with a burst of vines, intent on strangling her before tearing her limb from limb. But Aeron got there first. Protecting her with the same shimmering barrier of light. Howling in fury the beast lashed out with blinding speed in an all or nothing attack. But somehow Areon managed to strike first. Kicking the beast away from her and into the ground.

“I’m starting to understand now. Thank you Zecora.”

He turned to the beast as it reared up to its full height. Its aura of dread and despair flaring up. It grew to the size of a bus. Long fangs growing from its maw like a sabre toothed tiger. Even longer spikes erupted from its back along its spine, and it growled deeply. thousands of black wasps swarmed around it like a cloak of darkness.

“I know now what you are doing beast.” Aeron said.

“You steal my ideas from my imagination and my memories. And you seem to know my fears as well. But thanks to Zecora my eyes are now open.”

The swarm of insects came at him, and for a moment Aeron faltered, but he regained his composure and stood tall once more. He now had its measure. Once he overcame his fears the fight was practically over. He shrugged of the insects with a small burst of energy.

“You have no real power in here, all your attacks are stolen from my memories. You lash out at me with my own fears and phobias. But I will not let you win. It is time for you to go back to your cage.”

The spirit roared at him. Its eyes full of madness.

“Well if you want new attacks so badly, let me share one of my favorites with you.” Aeron said with a mad glint in his eyes.

The beast took a hesitant step back, baring its bone like fangs.

“You may wanna brace yourself Zecora.” Aeron grinned wickedly.

His zebra friend looked at him with slight apprehension. “What are you doing?”

He just smiled and began to chant, “Darkness beyond twilight, crimson beyond blood that flows. Buried in the stream of time is where your power grows. I pledge myself to conquer all the foes who stand before the mighty gift bestowed in my unworthy hand. Let the fools who stand before me be destroyed, by the power you and I possess… DRAGON SLAVE!”

What followed those words was a beam of crimson light and an explosion unlike any the poor zebra had ever seen nor ever wished to see again. The whole forest shook as if caught in a massive earthquake and the poor mare was thrown to the ground as the ridiculously large magical blast wave and storm of dust knocked her over. When things finally settled down the beast lay on the ground in a broken heap in the middle of a large crater.

“That was a little spell courtesy of miss Lina Inverse, I hope you liked it monster.”

The beast only had the strength left to let out a gurgle. Slowly Its mass dissolved and it lost its monstrous appearance, until all that remained was a scrawny looking wolf pup of midnight black. It lay on the floor unable to move, staring at them with angry yellow eyes. It opened its mouth to growl but all that escaped was a little yip. With one last look of disdain Aeron banished it to an iron cage. And once the cage door slammed closed the jungle too began to dissolve. Replaced with a city street.

“You have done it my friend, the beast's reign is at an end. I don’t know who this Lina Inverse is, but please don’t ever do that again. I feel as if you took ten years off my life.”

Aeron grinned sheepishly. “Sorry about that Zecora.”

She gave him a wry smile. “At least it is over.”

“Because of you Zecora. If you had not come for me I would still be cowering for my life inside that room. But you showed me the truth and a way out. Thank you. I owe you more than I can say.”

“Think nothing of it my friend, but now you must wake and take control once more before..”

Zecora was interrupted when the city shook and trembled violently. The landscape began to shatter as if made of glass and the sky turned black as night.”

“What is happening? Zecora what's going on?”

Before she could answer Zecora found herself forcibly ejected from his mind.

**********

In the outside world, the mane six and the remaining evacuees watched in horrid fascination as the massive swarm of vines and roots began to wither and die. Tendrils of corrupt magic burst and ruptured through the flowers and vines and bled off into nothingness. The vegetation disintegrated into dust, unable to hold onto the dark corrupt magic it had drained from the very soil of the Everfree forest any longer. And without the power of that evil magic it was no longer able to sustain its enormously increased body mass. When the last of the writhing mass finally disintegrated it left behind two things.

A pile of animal bones. A horrid testament to its hunger. And on top of it all lay a prickly seed that pulsed with a gentle light, like the beating of a heart.