Another time. Another world. One filled with splendor and hope and light. For a thousand years, the world of Equestria was a symbol of light and love, where anypony could be anything. Ruled over by the princesses of night and day, moon and sun, it was home to many different species who were born with equestrian roots: Earth pony, Pegasi, Unicorn, Buffalo, Yak, Diamond Dog, Dragon, Changeling, and Griffin, amongst others. It was also home to species that remained in the shadows, far from praying eyes: Dwarves, Umbrum, Aladors, Feys, Twars, and Syphs, among others. It was a world where all could live in happiness and peace forever, without worry.

But it wasn't always peaceful. Monsters dredged from the deepest recesses of darkness came to tear apart Equestria and bring ponykind to extinction. However, there was hope for all to count on. This hope came in the form of six jewels said to behold great power: the Elements of Harmony. Only six were said to wield this great magic: Applejack, element of Honesty; Rarity, embodiment of Generosity; Pinkie Pie, incarnation of Laughter; Fluttershy, who represented Kindness; Rainbow Dash, avatar of Loyalty; and finally, Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Friendship and element of Magic.

These friends were entrusted with the task of defeating terrible enemies of great power. Some included Discord, the spirit of Chaos itself who saw the error of his ways through Fluttershy, his best friend; Chrysalis, a changeling who's heart was filled with deceit; and Tirek, who lived on a steady appetite of rage and stolen magic. All were defeated by the Six, who in their quests also gained many resourceful and powerful allies.

One of these was Starlight Glimmer, a Unicorn who twice fought the Six, and lost both times. She became their friend and ally, wielding powerful magic. It was said that she, Discord, a turncoat changeling Thorax, and former villian Trixie Lulamoon bravely fought the changelings and in the final struggle, defeated the queen Chrysalis, ending her reign and saving a spot for Thorax to take place as King and reform the changelings so they would know love and friendship.

Things went smoothly afterwards, but such things can change. In the wake of the battle of the changeling hive, unicorns began to explore new types of magic and infuse them into machines. They began to create contraptions that could run on new forms of energy. Science and magics advanced to make Equestria better for the future. They created airships that were small enough to carry one pony or even fly fast while carrying many ponies. They made robots that ran off solar energy and could do house hold chores and other laborious tasks. They made crystals that could be used to transmit messages and images without the aid of magic.

In other words, they had made the stuff of tomorrow.

All was well for 30 years, and in the space of time, everything changed. During a genetic engineering test, it was said that a mysterious virus, called the A-Virus, caused stillborn unicorns in the womb to grow wings and gain powerful magic, causing a succession of alicorn foals that Equestria had never seen before.

But the most tragic event in Equestrian history was when the two sisters, Luna and Celestia, vanished one day without a trace of ever having left. Nobody knew where they went, and the only thing that was counted as evidence that they ever lived there were their crowns and decorative bridles, lying on their beds.

In the wake of this disappearance, ponies by the dozen panicked. Equestria was left without two of its key defenders, and stranger still, the sun and moon moved across the sky at their usual intervals, and seemingly without any form of control. Ponies didn't know what to think about it, and began to fear the worst.

The nation would've fallen into paranoia and fear had not a certain government faction called the Federation came forth to restore order, led by the mysterious alicorn called Lord Ravenwing. He told the ponies what he knew about the past few events: he told them that sisters left because there was corruption within the ranks of high officials, and they were planning to undermine the monarchy the Equestria had so long been ruled under. Even the Six were in on it, and they were planning to install a government of anarchy and dictatorship.

He said that he had been given a blessing by the vanished princesses, saying that before they left they passed onto him the right to rule. He stated before the awed crowds that he had begun by banishing the Mane 6 to the farthest, most distant corners of the land, as well as the corrupted princess Mi Amore Cadenza, prince Shining Armor and the young Flurry Heart. He promised that he would take the responsibility in place of the princesses, and stop the dissenters from making war with them.

For a few years, all was well, and many lived peacefully under his rule. But soon it was discovered when many cities fell to Federation legions (particularly their own) that they realized that the Federation had lied, and mighty Lord Ravenwing was a cruel and abusive dictator. He laid heavy taxes on trades from other races, leading them to poverty. He enslaved the Umbrum, Crystal Ponies, reformed Changelings and Diamond Dogs as work forces. He allied with the former queen Chrysalis and made her general of his military. Worst of all, he outlawed magic, saying that magic only belonged to the Federation and anyone who disagreed or used it would be met with a terrible fate. Using the technology that was originally used to help ponies, he cut down entire towns and cities and killed millions.

No one dared to question his rule, despite the tyranny of the Federation's reign. So now Equestria has degraded into a former shadow of itself. Ponyville now lies abandoned, Canterlot is in ruins, and the Elements of Harmony are needed more than ever before. Even the People of Dreams, who were once led by Nightmare Moon and Nightmare Rarity have been exterminated. Only the races who have lived in secret for years were safe, for they've hidden themselves so well.

Only a few cities, like Las Pegasus and Phillydalphia, are out of reach from the Federation's rule, and a single rebellion led by those who have hope fight the tyranny that has infected the land.

The only hope of the people is a prophecy, laid down by the late shaman and zebra prophetess Zecora. It was said that as she was about to be killed by Lord Ravenwing himself, she stated that eight individuals, all different but sharing the same purpose, will one day "revive" from the ashes and will save the world. Two of those listed would be "the last alicorn" and "the daughter of the black king." After she made that intriguing omen, Ravenwing killed her in a fit of anger and left her to the crows to feed upon.

And so the years passed. Then one day, 30 years after the disappearance of the sisters, something incredible happened...

Author's Note

Other species will be seen in later chapters.