Twilight Sparkle wandered through the labyrinthine corridors of Canterlot Castle. Her delicate hooves clicked and clacked against the white marble tiles, calling forth an eerie roll of echoes that stalked her up and down the cold, empty hallways. Archways clawed over her like the talons of some great beast while jaws of ivory columns gnashed together as if to mesh floor and ceiling into one. Rich moonlight seeped through tall, gold-embroidered windows in between priceless works of art and masterfully cut statues. Through them stars shone like scattered families of fireflies in the night sky; they wove together to form hollow constellations and brilliant structures.
The path Twilight had taken had managed to free itself of all other life. On any other night she would have run into a dozen different guardsponies within the first few minutes of her nightly stroll, but the halls were now barren and exposed. It wasn’t as though she were afraid of an attack in the empty halls, but the oppressive silence left her feeling uncomfortable and lonely.
The astute unicorn was attempting to make her way to Princess Luna’s suite in the west wing. She had never visited that part of the castle, not even in all her years as Princess Celestia’s disciple. Her teacher had always confined their lessons to either her own suite in the east wing or the open courtyard. As a result, Twilight had very little knowledge of her current location.
Twilight’s pace quickened as her frustration grew. About half an hour had passed since she’d first entered the castle, and she felt no closer to her destination than she had at the front gates. She glanced from side to side in the hopes of recognizing some grand work of art that would reveal her location. Her jaw clenched when she found the particularly out-of-place sculpture of a circus clown blowing into a stone balloon. She had already walked past the clown five minutes ago. Why couldn’t Luna have just met me herself! she thought crossly. She came to a halt in front of the clown, glaring at its frivolous design and silently cursing herself for being so late.
As Twilight brooded over her predicament, she thought back to how it had come to pass…
***
“…the energy siphoned from our own reserves of energy, as well as our varying attunement to the magic of the earth and of the air; however, this energy may be summoned from outside sources such as…” Twilight laid the heavy volume in her lap and leaned back in her chair. She had been chipping away at the vast collection of essays for a respectable (if not downright unhealthy) eighteen hours, and though they riveted her like apples to Apples, she could only go so long without eating.
She closed her eyes and allowed her other, more neglected senses to take over. The Golden Oaks Library had been her home for a few weeks now, but she had yet to overcome the sheer bliss of living among such an amalgamation of knowledge. The sweet smell of starchy parchment hit her like a wave of endorphins. A hazy perfume of old ink spiraled from her collection of notes and other writings. Twilight took in the intoxicating smells and held onto them as she stretched her stiff limbs. Her wooden chair creaked and squeaked in protest under her arching back. She could feel its polished surface slide through her coat as she reached out under the watchful gaze of hundreds of diverse volumes.
“Hey Twilight, what’s for lunch?” asked Spike from the top of the stairs.
Twilight opened her eyes and released her breath in a great huff. Her stomach growled angrily as her chest flattened. “I dunno. What about breakfast?”
Spike rolled his eyes and hopped down the open steps. “Twilight, it’s noon. You skipped breakfast to read that stupid book.. again.”
“Oh. Woops…” Twilight grinned. “I guess that’s why ponies invented brunch. How does Waffle Horse sound?”
Spike smiled from the base of the stairs. “Yeah – let’s go. I’m as hungry as a dragon.”
Now it was Twilight’s turn to roll her eyes. She took hold of her ravenous assistant with her magic and lifted him onto her back. Once Spike had aptly balanced himself, Twilight trotted out and into the wilds of the town.
The library door opened to reveal the bustling life of the quaint hamlet that was Ponyville. Vibrant rays of sunlight beat down upon thatched cottages of straw and clay that littered the open fields. Well-worn roads snaked through crowded buildings and shops. Ponies of all walks of life maneuvered through the busy market. Pegasi flew confidently over the traffic of Earth ponies and Unicorns selling their crops and other wares. To the dozens of ponies rushing between shops and homesteads, Twilight and Spike were merely two more faces in the crowd.
Twilight stepped down the path from the library, Spike bouncing in tandem to her steps. She breathed in the open, summer air; it really was a wonderful day. Birds sung over the cacophony of haggling shop-owners. Warm, invigorating air trickled through Twilight’s mane and coat. An occasional pony or two stopped to wave as she traversed the busy streets.
“Twilight!!” yelled a voice from high above. A few ponies looked up from the busy road to the unexpected outburst. Twilight stumbled to a stop and spun around, trying to locate the brash speaker. Quite suddenly, she was tackled to the dirt, Spike flying off her rear. Twilight yelped as she was turned upside down by the impact. She shook her mane out of her eyes and spit out the dirt that had found its way into her mouth. A second’s glance upward was all she needed to recognize the pegasus with the most unorthodox greeting.
“R-Rainbow Dash!” she spurted out. “I swear you’re going to be the death of me!” Her lip curled in anger when the sky-blue pegasus started snickering.
“C’mon Twi – learn to live a little!” She backed off Twilight and offered a hoof of support. Twilight accepted it after a brief reprieve but maintained her cross demeanor. Rainbow Dash pulled her friend onto her hooves with a grin. Rubbernecking ponies continued on their separate ways, smiling to themselves.
“It’s ‘bout time you came out of your cave, Twi. I was starting to wonder if you had starved yourself reading,” said Rainbow pointedly.
“Oh ha-ha,” said Twilight. “I’ll have you know Spike and I were just--” She cut herself off. “Oh my gosh – where’s Spike?!” Maternal instincts kicking in, Twilight proceeded to gallop around in a big circle in an effort to find the baby dragon. Rainbow started snickering again.
“I’m up here!” yelled Spike. Twilight and Rainbow Dash stopped and looked up. The purple dragon was clinging for dear life to the roof of an adjacent shop.
Now, few things in life may compare to the irony of a ferocious, fire-breathing dragon being reduced to such ridicule. Rainbow Dash thusly toppled over backwards in bawling fits of laughter. Twilight, however, jumped forward and pulled Spike down with her magic, setting him gently on the ground.
“Are you okay?” she asked, concerned.
“I’m fine” said Spike with a blush. He had noticed Rainbow rolling in the dirt. She was putting on a most opulent show of kicking at air between waves of brutally intense laughter. She took a few deep breaths and managed to calm down enough to take in Twilight’s deathly glare. The unicorn’s eyes seemed to burn red with apoplectic rage, though that could simply be a trick of Rainbow’s watering eyes. The pegasus backed up onto her hooves as Twilight prowled forward, but she could not shake her wobbly grin. Twilight dug her hooves into the dirt and proceeded to give her good friend the telling-off of a lifetime.
“How dare you laugh like that when it was your fault he got in that situation in the…!” Rainbow was hovering against the wall of somepony’s house. “…to me I can brush it off but to Spike I…!” Ponies had started rubbernecking again. Spike had taken refuge behind a pile of barrels. “…one day and I won’t be nearly as understanding-”
“Oh look!” interrupted Rainbow Dash. “That pegasus is dropping letters! I better go help her-see-you-later-” and she took off in a flash of colors for a gray mailpony with a blonde mane.
Twilight sputtered in indignation as she followed the rainbow trail left by her friend. She was, in fact, chasing a mailpony, and said pony had, indeed, dropped a letter from a hole in her bag. The letter dropped like a stone into the busy crowd of shoppers below. It was caught by a pair of purple claws.
Twilight fidgeted on the spot, embarrassed by the ponies’ stares. She decided she would track Rainbow Dash down later and finish her lecture. She could even write it out on cards… however, Spike’s return to her side pushed the thought out of her mind. He was holding the thin envelope that had escaped from the klutzy pony.
“Um, thanks Twilight.. but you don’t have to be so loud, you know…” he said quietly.
“Just forget about it,” grumbled Twilight. “What does that letter say? We can deliver it for that pegasus.”
Spike held out the letter for Twilight. “It’s for you,” he said tentatively.
“What?!” she exclaimed. She yanked the letter from Spike’s claws and held it up to her eyes. It read,
To: Twilight Sparkle
Golden Oaks Library, Ponyville
From: Princess Luna of Canterlot
***
Twilight sighed as she continued her quest through the dark halls of the castle. It wouldn’t do her any good to stay in one place, so she would simply keep moving. The empty corridors seemed to breathe with anticipation, though really it was Twilight’s sigh echoing back to her.
She turned around a corner and gazed into another long passage. The windowless corridor faded into darkness; however, a faint, blueish glow gleamed through an opening in one of the walls. Twilight slipped under the veil of shadows and followed the strange light. Stepping into its trickling blue glow revealed a grand stone staircase that twisted up and down the center of the castle. The massive steps extended all the way from the central pillar to the surrounding cylindrical walls, so it was impossible to tell how far the tower would reach. The outer wall was lined with black, iron torch sconces that twisted into smooth points. They breathed cool, blue flames that danced with the urgency of a pony rushing to complete a paper that was already two days late.
Eager to explore an area she had not yet visited, Twilight skipped to the staircase, smiling like a filly. Such was her joy, she did not notice the tall alicorn already descending the flight of stairs, and so the two ponies collided in a jumbled mess of furry limbs and space hair. Twilight squeaked and tumbled down with Princess Luna, who hit the ground with an audible thwump.
“Have at thee- ow!” proclaimed the princess. She rolled down the last couple steps and landed at the base of the staircase. Twilight tripped backwards in her haste to avoid the large pony and fell on top of her. Luna “oof”ed and “ow”ed under Twilight’s impact.
“Who should be the unfortunate cretin responsible for so foolishly attacking the Princess of the Night?!” demanded Princess Luna from beneath the dazed unicorn.
Twilight yelped in shock and horror as she recognized the title of whom she had tackled to the tiled floor. She rolled off the belly of the ancient mare, bent her forelegs, and slammed her forehead into the ground. “Princess! I’m-so-sorry-I’ve-been-trying-to-find-you-for-nearly-an-hour-and-I-saw-this-staircase-so-I-wa-…”
Princess Luna shook her head and rose to her hooves. Her starry mane flowed to the side like a flag flapping in the wind. Her ears seemed to be ringing, though the sound was discordant and broken, and it was coming from her hooves. Perturbed, she looked down and found that the pony she had been searching for was hunched at her feet, babbling about some world-ending crisis; in reality, Twilight’s speech was so fast and slurred that Luna could not make out a single word.
“Pray, Lady Sparkle, do not apologize.” guessed Princess Luna. Twilight choked back her next dozen words but did not dare look up. “Twas an accident, yes? We are most understanding. After all, we have had our, um, ‘fair share’ of mistakes.”
Twilight stole a quick glance up at the princess and ducked her head in embarrassment. Hardly any time had passed since she and her friends had first wielded the Elements of Harmony to transform Nightmare Moon back into the pony that stood before her, and even though she had since renounced her evil deeds, the alicorn still struck an intimidating figure. Twilight could not imagine that she was particularly happy to have run into her. “Sorry, Princess…” Twilight closed her eyes and bonked her head on the floor as she remembered Luna asking her not to apologize.
Luna smiled in amusement. “Come now, Lady Sparkle. There is no need to be so… servile. We are most grateful for thy help in ridding us of the evil of Nightmare Moon. Tis, in part, the reason we have summoned thee, after all.”
Twilight held her breath and stood up awkwardly. “Yes, Princess… but I’m afraid I still don’t understand what you have summoned me for. The letter you sent was rather brusque, if I may say so.” She dipped her head to the side, attempting to appear humble. The letter had mentioned the meeting time and place, but nothing of any substance.
Luna dropped her smile and took on a more serious tone. “We are afraid that the sensitive nature of our meeting is such that we did not want to risk anypony learning of it.” She lowered her brow and paused. “Come, Lady Sparkle. We shall explain along the way.” And with that she turned back towards the stairs and moved on forward. Twilight hastened to her side.
“If thee would not mind,” she added, “I would like to continue our discussion in a less formal tone.” It was then that Twilight realized that the princess had been addressing herself in the plural. I guess that was normal in her day, she thought. Out loud, she said, “That’s fine, Princess.”
“Oh please,” said Luna, “thou may address me as Luna, Twilight. Thy deed has earned thee that much, I believe.” She faced Twilight and gave a warm smile. Twilight couldn’t help but return a sheepish grin. “Alright, Luna.”
The azure ponies climbed through the steep flights of stone steps in relative silence. The windowless, featureless walls brought forth a feeling of claustrophobia. The blue torches were unnaturally cold; they seemed to suck the warmth from the air and return it like a chilled breath. Twilight shuddered at the thought.
Luna’s eyes flicked towards Twilight. “The flames are of my own creation,” she stated, reading Twilight’s reaction. “I find the heat generated from hundreds of torches along one of the castle’s main staircases to be rather taxing.”
“Oh, n-no!” stammered Twilight. “They’re lovely. I was just.. admiring the design…” This was partly true. The dark iron that looped around the torch sconces created some dreadfully chilling shapes.
Luna grinned at Twilight. “Were thee now? The metalwork is of Gothic origin. The style was created by a pony named Hoofus Prancigenum. I quite admire his work.”
“Mmm…” hummed Twilight. She had never been one for small talk, especially not with the second most ancient being she had ever met.
Luna sensed that the conversation had grown awkward. She hastened to change the subject. “So, Tia and I have been discussing thy continuing education. I must say, I am most impressed with thine aptitude for magic.” Despite its anxious state, Twilight’s mind went fuzzy with pride at the princess’s words. She smiled and mumbled an innocent “thank you.”
“Indeed, not many ponies possess the purity of character to wield one of the Elements of Harmony, let alone the Element of Magic” Luna continued. “In fact, it is largely for that reason that I have summoned thee. Pray tell, hast thou noticed the absence of other ponies in the castle?”
Twilight’s breath was coming out in gentle huffs. She had lost count of the number of floors they had passed. “Now that you mention it,” huff, “I most certainly did.” She wrinkled her muzzle in annoyance as she remembered aimlessly wandering through empty halls.
“Yes, I understand that the solitude was less than desirable, but it served a purpose. You see, the subject of this meeting is of such secrecy and importance, I could not risk another soul learning of it. That is why I left so little information in my letter.”
“If you were so worried about privacy,” gasped Twilight, “you could have sent the letter through Spike.”
Luna frowned. “Through whom?”
“Oh, I’m sorry,” said Twilight. Her breathing was labored, and her knees were buckling. All those long nights of reading had really knocked her out of shape. “Spike is my baby dragon. Princess Celestia sends letters to me through his dragon breath, though I’m still unsure how…” Twilight trailed off.
Princess Luna pondered over Twilight’s words. “Hmm.. I suppose I will simply need to ask her myself.” She looked over at Twilight and smiled. The unicorn was struggling to keep up with Luna’s longer strides. “With haste, dear Twilight! We are but a few more laborious steps away from our destination.”
Twilight attempted to respond, but all that came out was an undistinguished “yuh” of breath. Her four legs moved like lard in purple-furred tubes. If I survive the trip home, she thought, I might just start taking Rainbow’s advice. She methodically lifted another hoof into the air and toppled over. The hoof had not found the step it had been seeking and flew forward with the rest of Twilight’s body onto a slick floor. She had conquered the stairs.
Smiling shamelessly, Twilight looked around. She lay in a dark room that was shaped like a half-moon. The wall to her right was curved inward and made of thick glass that opened to the night sky. A glass door framed by silver led to a wide, stone balcony complete with iron railings; evidently, they had climbed all the way to the top of one of the castle’s towers. A full moon cast its silver glow over Twilight and the obsidian floor. The great passage of stairs from which she and Princess Luna had arrived was enclosed by black iron that reflected the railings outside. A gray, stone ceiling curved up to meet the flat wall to Twilight’s left side. The wall’s only feature was a mammoth door composed of dark wood that had been embroidered with solid gold. It stood around ten hooves tall and just as wide at its farthest point. Luna’s cutiemark of a crescent moon glowed from within the wood.
“I see that thou still hast some vigor!” exclaimed Luna from the top of the stairs. She chuckled to herself. “Come now, my sister has waited long enough.”
“WHAT?!” Twilight shouted. She had not known that her all-powerful teacher would be awaiting her arrival! Surely, she would be second-guessing the commitment of her egregiously tardy student now! Immediately, Twilight began running a hundred different apologies through her head, each one more verbose and less eloquent than the last. She stood at attention beside Princess Luna, who lit her horn and pushed open the massive door.
Luna’s room was slightly larger than the room outside. It was lightly furnished with three plush legchairs, a shallow coffee table, and a thick carpet. A fire (a normal one this time) flickered behind a metal grating. Eerie shadows chased each other on royal blue walls. A door that might have led to the princess’ bedroom cut through one of the walls alongside a couple of open windows. Princess Celestia sat in the chair most facing the door, smiling gently.
Princess Luna walked inside and sat in the middle chair. She gestured for Twilight to take the final one. The petrified pony took a few shallow breaths, closed her eyes, and tried counting to ten, though she lost track after forty-two… Nonetheless, having successfully failed at calming her jostled nerves, she obediently moved forward. The great door from which she had entered slammed shut in an instant, and the consequent BOOM caused Twilight to nearly jump out of her fur. She galloped into her seat with a blush that could be seen even through the dark atmosphere.
“Princess Cel-” she began.
“Stop, Twilight,” interrupted Princess Celestia. “Whatever you need to apologize for can wait. Besides, I am sure that I will forgive you, as always.” She smiled knowingly. Twilight returned a shy smile of consent.
“However,” continued Celestia, “I believe I can assume that you wished to apologize for your rather impressive tardiness?” She grinned mischievously, knowing she had pushed one of her student’s buttons. Twilight’s lower lip trembled as she fought back an endless stream of apologetic excuses. “Of course,” the princess continued. “I had sensed that somepony had entered the castle sometime before our meeting was to begin, but when the time came and went and you still had not arrived here, Luna offered to go down and assist you.”
“‘Twas the least I could do,” said Princess Luna. She gave Twilight another warm smile, who sat in her chair with wide eyes. She was surprised by the princess’ words. Apparently, her run-in with Princess Luna had been by design, not coincidence. Luna had likely wished to meet her all along. The thought left Twilight feeling a little cold inside for how she had treated her.
“Th-Thank you, Princess Luna,” Twilight offered.
“Thou art most welcome, Lady Twilight,” said Princess Luna. She continued to smile at Twilight, an expression of pure gratitude.
Princess Celestia straightened out in her chair and assumed the tone she reserved for Twilight’s lessons. “So, Twilight, you were probably wondering why we have summoned you here, especially under such circumstances.”
Twilight knew she was referring to the abandonment of the castle. “Yes, Princess,” she answered.
Celestia leaned back in her chair. The shadows of the fire danced over her face. Only her eyes shone through the darkness that hid her features. “You are the first bearer of the Element of Magic in over one-thousand years, I myself being unwilling to claim the title since.. well…” She looked hesitantly over at her sister, who stared determinedly into the crackling fire.
“Thus,” said Luna, “we believe that thou hast some significant destiny in the order of Equestria.”
“Yes,” breathed Celestia. “Your magic lessons have taken you very far already, but magic alone is not enough. From now on, your education will focus on the more mystic forces of our world. Your friendship studies are a reflection of this change.”
Twilight nodded in captivated silence. If magic wasn’t already a mystic force, she couldn’t imagine what other subjects her teacher had planned.
“Thine attunement to the Elements of Harmony, however, has forced us to change the priorities of thy lessons,” said Luna. “We must inform thee of those dangers which are most directly influenced by thine actions.”
“The beasts that inhabit the realm of Tartarus are your first lesson in this regard,” stated Celestia.
Twilight was taken aback. “Tartarus?” she asked. “Beasts?” she squeaked. She had neither heard nor read of such a place. An altogether unfamiliar feeling of being unprepared crept over her.
“Yes,” affirmed Celestia. “It is where we hold the most wretched, evil creatures who stalk this land. They are beings who cannot be reasoned with, no matter how hard we try...” Celestia trailed off, a hint of regret in her voice.
“But it is not an evil place – not entirely,” interjected Luna. “Tartarus is a world untouched by Time, the greatest of the mystic forces. Ponies of the living world cannot escape its embrace, and eventually, we all succumb to its power.” She smiled jokingly. “Most of us, anyway.”
Twilight smiled at the jest. “What do you mean by the ‘living world’?” she asked.
Luna sat up in her seat. “Tartarus is also known as The Land of the Dead,” she answered. “It is where the spirits of deceased ponies will travel when they fall to the power of Time.”
Twilight’s jaw dropped. She had not woken up this morning with the expectation that she would be learning about the afterlife. Nothing could have prepared her for what she was hearing. From the sound of it, Tartarus was a physical land that could be reached by the two ponies before her. After all, they claimed to have imprisoned great monsters in its depths. Fleeting thoughts of seeing long-lost relatives flitted through her mind as Luna continued her explanation.
“… are always seeking to escape the grasp of Time. They find refuge in the only land beyond its reach – Tartarus.”
Twilight was suddenly struck by an idea. It was completely conjecture, but it seemed too unlikely to be a mere whim. She stared into the eyes of her teacher but hesitated to test her thoughts. Celestia saw through her student’s apprehension. “Go on, Twilight,” she said. “Remember what I told you – question everything.” She smiled with encouragement.
Twilight switched her eyes between Celestia and Luna before addressing her teacher. “Is this how you’ve managed to live through all these years? You have some connection to Tartarus?” She kept her eyebrows curved downward in a submissive expression, hoping she hadn’t upset the alicorn princess.
Celestia beamed with pride. “That,” she said, “is for another time.” Luna smiled delicately. Twilight nodded, holding back her own smile. She had her answer.
“For now,” Celestia continued, “we have a field trip to take.” And with that, Twilight’s ears drooped, her heart sunk, and her mouth “oh”’d.
What have I gotten myself into…
***
Twilight Sparkle wandered through the dense woods with her trusted mentor, Princess Celestia. Snow-draped trees hung over the two ponies like great, white umbrellas. Green needles extended from their branches to grasp the white crystals. Fallen leaves and branches crackled and crunched under the ponies’ hooves. The earth was hard and dead. Tracks of large predators could be seen in patches of glimmering snow. Several of the tracks appeared as though they could envelope whole ponies under their girth. They were illuminated only by the faint glow of moonlight.
The wood was located at the peak of Canterlot’s supportive mountain. The air was cold and thin, the wildlife even more so.
Twilight did not know what to expect from their journey. She knew that they would not be going any farther than where Celestia had imprisoned Equestria’s most terrible foes. She did not believe that the beasts would harm her whilst her teacher was by her side, but she was still afraid. It was not so much the beasts that frightened her, but this unknown desire to explore beyond the dark prison and walk amongst the dead, to claim their ancient knowledge for her own. The thought excited her.
Celestia cleared her throat beside Twilight. “Luna was very pleased to meet you – properly, that is,” she said. They had left Princess Luna behind so that she could carry out her nightly duties.
Twilight stared forward. “I wish I had been a little more sympathetic. I was worried that she wouldn’t like me because of what my friends and I did to her.”
“What you did for her,” Celestia corrected. “Her heart may have been shrouded by jealousy and resentment, but she is a gentle soul. I don’t believe she ever meant to instill such fear and pain.”
Twilight dipped her head but did not respond. Her current standing with Princess Luna was not at the forefront of her mind. She resolved to settle the matter the next time they met.
She and Celestia continued down the path through the wood in silence, observing small changes in the nature around them. The trees grew gray and ragged, twisting around at odd angles as though in terrible pain. No other foliage could be spoken of, not even the decayed remains of leaves. No more tracks could be seen because no snow had sought to fall in this valley of death.
Celestia extended a wing out in front of Twilight and came to a stop. “We’re here,” she said. Twilight looked up at her teacher, then around her outstretched wing.
A vacuous pit sunk into the earth before the two ponies. Its edges were so far apart, all of Canterlot Castle would fit comfortably within its borders. Twilight had mistaken the pit for the edge of the mountain. The dirt was soft and gray, and the air was deathly still. It seemed as though life itself had abandoned any attempts to claim the dead earth.
Weathered stones jutted out along the inner walls of the pit in a downward, spiraling pattern, forming a chaotic line of steps down the abyss. Many appeared to be broken or missing. Twilight gulped at the sight.
“We’re g-going down th-there?” she asked shakily.
Celestia wrapped a wing around her student and smiled. “Yes, but we won’t be taking the stairs. Even if you were to jump off the edge of the abyss, it would take about nine days to reach the bottom.”
Nine days… Twilight thought incredulously. Compared to such a distance, her trek up Luna’s tower seemed infinitesimally short. She moved closer to her mentor, not wishing to be let go. “How will we be getting down there, then?” she asked.
“We will be using very advanced ritualistic magic to teleport to the bottom,” she said. Twilight frowned at the princess, confused. Rituals were strictly prohibited in Celestia’s school. They were said to summon dangerous creatures that could rival the power of Celestia herself. There were rumors that she had absconded with all the texts containing such magic into her private study, though Twilight had never dared to test the theory. She supposed it didn’t matter now.
Celestia understood all this from Twilight’s expression. “And now you see why I have banned such magic. I would not want any of my students flinging themselves down into the depths of Tartarus.”
Twilight relaxed. Yes, she thought, that makes sense. I don’t even want to go there with the princess – or do I? She shook her head and pushed the thought from her mind. Now was not the time for such fantasies.
Celestia released Twilight and walked some ways around the crater, sifting through the dirt. Twilight followed closely behind. The princess dug out the earth, looking for some material or other substance that Twilight could not see. The sight reminded her of a certain orange pony tilling fields of apple trees.
The princess continued with her hunt for many long minutes. The silvery moon arched over Equestria like a frozen star. Twilight felt as though she could count every one of its craters from her vantage atop the mountain peak.
“Ah, here we are,” said Celestia without warning. Twilight looked down at the princess. She was running her hooves through a wide patch of gray dirt. There didn’t seem to be anything particularly exciting about this spot of earth, but the princess had clearly seen something that Twilight had not. She formed a wide circle and began filling it with triangular shapes. Twilight observed, fascinated, as her mentor dug up mounds of loose dirt and threw them to the side. The end result was a star-like structure of straight, pointed lines.
Celestia stood within the circle and beckoned for her student to follow suit. Twilight gulped and stepped into the strange formation.
“Now listen very carefully,” said Celestia. Twilight fixed her eyes on her teacher’s. “This magic does not work like normal teleportation. Rituals require the use of complex spells. They are often spoken in ancient or foreign languages, none of which you will have studied.” She paused for a moment. “They require absolute concentration. One slip of the tongue could have us hurdling into the surface of the sun, or worse – we could summon one of the great demons of Tartarus. Understand?”
Twilight nodded vigorously, her mouth agape. Her teacher really was doing nothing to allay her mounting nerves. “There will be no need for us to be in physical contact. We must simply stay within the boundaries of the circle. Be sure that you do not leave its borders – not for any reason. Are you ready?” she asked.
Well, the honest answer would be no, but Twilight couldn’t imagine her response changing anytime soon, so she said, “Y-yes…”
Celestia nodded firmly and closed her eyes. Her horn glowed with a golden aura as she began mumbling a stream of alien language. Twilight felt muscles she didn’t even know she had tense up in anticipation.
Then, ever so slowly, white light crept through the meticulously placed lines. Its warm glow pooled outward like liquid, seeking the boundaries of the star. The thin rays melded into each other as they collided at crossroads within the formation. Twilight could feel the ground pulsate with heat through her hooves.
Suddenly, the ground sputtered a wave of dust that flew straight into Twilight’s eyes. The tense unicorn sputtered in surprise and stumbled into Princess Celestia.
The princess gasped, cutting off the stream of incantations. She immediately continued chanting at breakneck speed. The white light of the circle began to fade into yellow, then orange, then blood red. The earth seemed to boil with fiery heat as the night sky was blotted from view, only to be replaced by a crimson glow. Twilight hopped on the spot, crying out from the burns on her hooves. She fled the circle, praying to land on the edge of the great pit...
***
Twilight awoke in a sea of ice. Its frozen maw bit at her scorched limbs with cold hunger. A deafening wind roared over her prone body.
Twilight shook where she lay. The ice was already numbing the right side of her body, but she was not confident that she would be able to stand. Her hooves had been burned too fiercely to support her body’s weight, at least not without suffering unendurable pain. Her horn shimmered as she attempted a warming spell, but the cold air sapped away the heat all at once. She was forced to lie in the ice until she was either rescued or dead.
She cracked her eyes open; her tears had nearly frozen them shut. The bed of ice she had felt stretched out before her in every direction. She could not see where it ended, but she could see through its transparent surface. No bottom of the frozen lake could be seen. Numerous odd creatures were trapped within its depths. They appeared ape-like, though much straighter and balder. Their faces were locked in expressions of terrible agony. They frightened Twilight.
She looked away from the frozen bodies. She could not bear to look at them, but after seeing what lay before her, she wished her eyes had just stayed shut.
A colossal monstrosity was buried halfway through the ice – torso down. If there were such a creature to which Twilight could grant the title of “giant,” this beast would be its god. It was an abomination of the creatures trapped within the ice. Two sets of sinewy wings, each one several times wider than its body, flapped slowly around its back, producing that deafening wind. Clawed hands stretched outward on burly arms. The beast’s head was formed by not one, but three faces, all pointed in opposite directions. Their eyes were empty and unmoving. Their jaws slid up and down, chewing.. something.. no, someone… Twilight gasped when a blood-curdling scream escaped from the mouth of the central face. It was the piercing sound of astronomical agony. The screaming being flailed its arms in desperation as its lower half was consumed by the beast. Strips of skin hung from its body, but the streams of blood froze before they could fall to the icy floor.
Twilight closed her eyes and turned away. The tears that had begun to form at the sight of the beast froze them shut almost immediately. She did not care. As long as she did not have to bear the sight of such evil, she was content to lie here as her body was slowly claimed by the ice. It wrapped around her, siphoning the warmth she still carried.
She felt her body relax as the ice crept over her. It felt as though the pain was disappearing, being replaced by a growing warmth. The ice around her eyes melted away. The pain in her hooves had dissipated.
“Twilight…” whispered a familiar voice. It was soft and kind. The unicorn opened her eyes, fully expecting to wake up in some sort of paradise. She was surprised, therefore, when her eyes once more laid upon the voluminous ice-lake. “Twilight,” the voice repeated, now with a hint of urgency. A faint panting could be heard through the wind. Twilight looked up and was blinded by a golden light. Celestia was hunched over her student, worried.
“Prin-cess,” Twilight croaked, “what happened?..”
Celestia’s eyes softened. “We overshot our destination,” she whispered. “We are in Dis, the very lowest ring of the very lowest circle of Tartarus. I had to find Cerberus to track you down.” She nodded to the side, pointing out a massive, three-headed dog that stood between the two ponies and the wind. Three long tongues slobbered great globs of saliva. Sticky icicles clung to their lips.
“We most go,” Celestia added. “I should not be here. Can you walk? I cast a healing spell over your legs.”
Twilight furrowed her brow and stretched all four legs. They seemed to be working, so she pulled her body away from the ice. Her legs trembled, though whether it was from fear or pain, she couldn’t say. “I can stand, but walking may be pushing it,” she said.
Celestia nodded. “Then I will carry you.” She kneeled beside Twilight and lowered her wings. Twilight stepped onto her teacher’s back with feeble effort.
“Where are we going?” she asked.
Celestia swiveled her neck to address her student. “Don’t be alarmed, but we will be going forward.” Twilight gulped. She didn’t mean…
“Yes, Twilight, forward. It is the fastest way back to Equestria. Do not fear; that monster will not harm you – not as long as I am here.” And with that small assurance, she walked around Cerberus and into the howling wind. Cerberus whined a short, deep moan and walked away.
Twilight was petrified. The terrible beast loomed above them like a mountain. It did not react to Celestia’s approach but continued to grind at the bodies in its mouths. The screaming had silenced.
Celestia surrounded Twilight and herself in a golden aura and locked her wings to the sides. She levitated themselves next to the sunken waist of the creature, nearly unbalancing Twilight. The young pony felt close to fainting.
“Princess-” she began.
“Shh!” Celestia cut her off. She briefly faced Twilight, who crossed two hooves over her mouth. The princess’s eyes were wide with fear.
“Celestiaaa…” boomed a powerful voice. Celestia’s pupils shrunk to little pinpricks in shock. She looked up to see one of those monstrous faces turn and face her.
“What do you think you are doing?” The beast grinned widely, sharpened fangs still sinking into the body of one of his victims. “You know the rules about coming down here...” His voice was velvety smooth and enticing. It radiated power, yet it was soft and clear. Twilight thought it was the most beautiful voice she had ever heard.
“As do you, beast,” the princess spat. Twilight could feel Celestia’s body shaking in fear. “You cannot harm me.”
“Very true,” the beast admitted. “But I must confess, I am rather surprised to see one of the living among us.” He focused two starry eyes on Twilight. She gazed back, entranced. “This has not happened for a few millennia now, not since that wonderful poet, Dante, was so kind as to journey through my home. He even sought to share the experience with his fellow Man, and oh my, did I bring him such fame.” He paused dramatically. “I could do the same for you, young one.”
Celestia lowered her gaze and continued moving. “Do not listen, Twilight. He is the master of deception; he will not grant you what you seek, not without cost.” Twilight, however, continued to stare into the beast’s eyes. Locks of curly, brown hair fell around his face like moss hugging a cliffside. She no longer saw the creatures ensnared by the beast’s jaws.
“I can grant you knowledge,” he whispered. “I can grant you respect. I am as ancient as Time itself. I have seen the history of the world, and I would share it with you, if you would but stay to hear it.” He smiled warmly, arching his neck to keep the ponies in view as they approached his body. “I assure you, you will be returned to your land whenever you desire.”
Twilight started to slide off the side of her teacher. At last, she had found the endless source of knowledge she had been seeking! She would never sleep again if it meant that she would be granted such coveted wisdom. Celestia, however, had other intentions. She enveloped Twilight in magical chains that locked onto her back and took off at a gallop. Twilight screamed and struggled to free herself.
“NO! LET ME GO! PLEASE! LET ME STAY!” she pleaded.
“HA-HA-HA!” The monster boomed. “You cannot keep your hold on her forever, Celestia! She will grow to become more powerful than either you or your wretched sister!” He guffawed as the flayed man in his maw began to scream once more. “She will be MINE, just as your sister had been mine!”
Celestia burst through the core of the beast and emerged in darkness. The roaring wind and howling laughter faded into silence. The frigid air was replaced by one of warmth. Twilight stopped struggling on her teacher’s back. A light glistened ahead.
The princess slid to a stop and quelled her horn. Twilight’s binds faded away, so she jumped off her teacher’s back, ashamed. She had kicked and screamed like a raving lunatic to stay in the lake, despite the princess’s warnings. She felt like a greedy fool.
There was a hint of regret, as well. Deep down, she knew that what she truly desired was wisdom. She also knew (though she could not explain why) that the beast had been completely genuine in his offer to give it to her. He may have had some ulterior motive, but Twilight had been willing to take the risk. He played her like a lyre.
“Are you alright, Twilight?” asked Princess Celestia.
Twilight looked up at her mentor. Her eyes were sad and heavy.
Of course, she must have been referring to her mental well-being. Her pupil had gone utterly deranged for those last few moments in the beast’s lair. Clearly, she was not alright, and Celestia knew it. “What do you care..” It was more of a statement than a question.
Celestia lifted her head and sat beside Twilight. “I do care, Twilight. I know what that demon can do to ponies. After all, my Father was the one who banished him to that place.” Twilight’s ears perked; she had never heard Celestia speak of her heritage.
“Your father?..” She looked up at her mentor, who smiled.
“Yes, my faithful student. He was – He is – a being of such love and light, I cannot ever hope to be like Him, but that doesn’t mean I won’t try.” She wrapped a wing around Twilight. “But that is for another time. Now answer me, are you alright?”
The corner of Twilight’s mouth twitched. She nodded lightly. “I’m fine, but I think I’ve had enough for one day…”
Celestia’s smile widened. “Then this lesson is over.” She rose to her hooves and walked towards the morning light of Equestria. Twilight trailed some ways behind. She did not want Celestia to see the tears welling in her eyes.
