Specter of Equis

Night in Equestria. It was a calm, brisk winter night. The Pegasi had deemed it appropriate to allow snowfall that night. Most of the ponies of Ponyville were asleep. Others, like Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, and a little dragon named Spike, were wide awake and worried. Their friend had set off into the Everfree Forest that night, and it had been an hour since his departure. He told them he’d be just that long. Yet, he had not yet returned.

Twilight sat in silence, tracing her hoof in the snow. Spike was next to her, sitting with a worried expression on his face. Rainbow hovered above both of them, flying circles in the air. She was most anxious of all. She periodically let out short grunts and growls, showing her unease with the situation.

“Where do you think he is?” Rainbow asked, landing beside her friends.

Twilight sighed. “I don’t know, Rainbow. He said one hour. In and out in one hour. I don’t know why we didn’t go with him. Why didn’t we go with him?!” Twilight seemed a mess at this point.

“Why don’t we just go find him?” Spike asked.

Rainbow started hovering above her friends again. “I’m with Spike. We should go in there, Twilight.”

The Alicorn shook her head in disagreement. “No. We promised him we’d stay here.”

“Twilight, we’ve been through the Everfree Forest loads of times, and we've had tons of visits to the castle. Why should this be any different?” Rainbow questioned.

“Because, Hanzo told us to wait here. He said that something didn’t feel right; that he was going to see to it himself. We have to respect his wishes.”

Rainbow rolled her eyes angrily. “Buck that! I’m going in!” She tried to fly through the trees, but was pulled back by Twilight’s powerful magic.

“No, Rainbow Dash! We’re not going in there! We wait for Hanzo!” Twilight said, pulling Dash to the ground next to her.

Rainbow let out an agitated groan. “Come on, Twilight! We have to find him!”

“Uh, girls…” Spike muttered, pointing towards the forest.

Exiting the trees was Hanzo Hasashi, otherwise known as Scorpion. He walked towards his friends with a distinct limp, and his outfit had scratch marks all over it. The skin of his exposed arms were scraped up as well, and his mask was missing multiple pieces. He let out a painful growl as he removed his hood and threw off his mask. He fell down to one knee. He grabbed a handful of snow and pressed it on some of his wounds. More growls escaped from him.

“Hanzo!” his three friends shouted in unison. They ran to his side, trying to help him up.

“What happened in there?” Twilight asked frantically.

“What’s that in your hand?” Rainbow asked.

Hanzo looked to his right hand, which was clutching a golden amulet, with a green gem in the center. He wearily stood up and held the amulet for his friends to see. “This amulet… it does not belong here. It landed near the Castle of the Two Sisters, and I believe the magic residing in the amulet disturbed the spirits resting there. They didn’t seem too pleased with me intruding on their territory.”

“What spirits?” Twilight asked. “We’ve been to the castle before, and we’ve never encountered any spirits.”

“We’ve never activated or possessed any tainted power while you were there. This amulet… As I said, it does not belong here in Equis.”

“What is it?” Spike asked.

Hanzo looked weak as he spoke. “If I am correct, it is the amulet housing one of the greatest evils in the universe.” The girls and Spike looked to each other in unified confusion.

“What evil, Hanzo?” Twilight inquired.

“The fallen Elder God, Shinnok.”

The girls and Spike remained confused.

“Who?” Rainbow Dash asked.

Scorpion sighed. “You know of the Elder Gods, and that they rule over and maintain order in the Realms. But there was one that did not agree with the others. His name is Shinnok. He is the Fallen Elder God, for he was cast out from the Heavens long ago. His evil ambitions know no bounds. If his amulet is here in Equis, it does not bode well for the realm.”

“So, can’t we just get rid of it? Can we destroy it?” Spike asked.

“Shinnok was an Elder God. He cannot be killed. Nor can his amulet be destroyed. The only thing to do is safeguard it. As Protector of Equis, it will be my soul duty.”

“But wait, if the amulet doesn’t belong here, where does it belong?” Twilight asked.

“Earthrealm,” Hanzo answered. “Perhaps I should have words with Raiden as to why it is here. Something is amiss. I must find out what.”

“Well, whatever comes next, Hanzo, you won’t be facing it alone,” Spike reassured him.

“Yeah, we’ve got your back!” Rainbow exclaimed.

“No matter what,” Twilight added.

Hanzo smiled warmly. “Thank you, my friends. Let us return home. There is much to do.”

“Yeah, like sleeping,” Spike joked. The group exchanged laughter.

“And getting you patched up,” Twilight noted.

“That would be appreciated,” Hanzo agreed.

As they made their way back to Ponyville, Hanzo clutched the amulet in his hand. He feared for the future. And he was right to. What came next would change Equis forever.