Sojourner Sparkle

by Tyrannosaurus_Tux

Rating: teen
Tags: Adventure, Princess Celestia, Death, Human, Main 6, Princess Luna, Gore, Original Character, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Dark, Alternate Universe
Length: 12992

Twilight Sparkle journeys both to save the world, find her purpose as a Princess, and to discover the origins of her kind.

There are tales of bravery, loyalty, and sacrifice. There are tales long past that tell of a monstrous era with perilous decisions and honorable companions. It is often said that these tales of darkness, despair, hope, and defiance are all in the past. They were sagas of discovery, of friendship, and of struggle.

There are times, however, even in the modern day, when these tales are forged anew. Twilight Sparkle, youngest Princess of Equestria, is about to go on such a journey.

Spiritual successor to Kingdoms of Man

Published 2017-05-03 23:20:01 UTC
Last updated 2018-07-10 15:26:39 UTC

Prologue

The bitter, cold wind blew across the tundra of the South, stealing away warmth and life.

Rolling plains, otherwise flat and craggily, lain empty. Devoid of anything save sparse brush, and the wind. The air down south choked with thinness, with almost no moisture to be found. Few even knew of this place, and whatever maps contained this area never bothered to give it a name. It encompassed the southernmost point in the world. Nobody would idly choose to suffer the cold or the emptiness.

Twilight Sparkle was anything but idle, however. The tall, weary alicorn woke from a fitful sleep, and slowly rose from her required stupor. The camp that she set the night before could be described as minimal. It was hardly a camp at all, but a resting place that Twilight set aside for her use in the night prior. A wide pit had been dug, and ashes were what remained of yesterday’s fire. Twilight regarded that ash fondly, for it provided warmth to her weary frame the night before. The stars watched to the alicorn’s great journey, as well as the sun of the day. They both mourned for the lone wanderer. Before long, her facial features hardened.

She, with a twitch in her eye, Twilight smelled herself and realized that she was filthy with exertion. A select friend of hers would have a hissy fit were she to discover Twilight’s current condition, she thought fondly.

Twilight then considered that her friend would likely already be in protest of her current actions, but Twilight had made her choice long ago. Stretching up, she banished the pile of ashes with a gust of summoned wind. She saw the ash as it flew, and she remembered the smell. It was too familiar to Twilight. It reminded her of green hills being consumed by starving fire, and Twilight went back, for a moment, to a city of homes at war. She felt the armor on her frame grow heavy. Her breath deepened, and then she forced herself into the present.

She took slow strides through the wastes. The armor she wore carried many dents and scratches, but it still protected Twilight’s body very well. It clinked and clanked with every step, and her armored boots crunched and squashed whatever managed to grow here, which wasn’t much. Moss and various green stains on the landscape numbered among the only witnesses to the lonely mare’s march. Her lavender coat bore many scars, and her mane and tail were matted and messy from lack of care and the stress of a long journey. Her tall, spiraling horn bore faint marks of scorches from extreme magical exertion. Finally, her wings, strong as they were, only were cared for enough that she would be able to fly and fight.

She was not here for pleasure, or for research purposes. The gray, tattered cloak she wore over her armor concealed edged and blunt weapons, long worn and well-used, but well cared for. Over the cloak, Twilight bore a rounded metal shield of blue and silver, an heirloom of an event long gone. The passing of the former bearer of the shield wore heavily on Twilight’s mind. It and many other reasons were why she was here, in the most inhospitable point of the world.

No mortal or otherwise on the face of Enov would dream of colonizing this place, and no attempt had been made to even explore this far-away place. Twilight marched towards the only other reason why that never was. The Tower.

Twilight suspected that it marked the absolute South Pole, or near close to it. Twilight was well aware of the many names that the Tower possessed like a demon. Obsidian. Death. Despair. Hell. It really mattered not to Twilight at this stage. Perhaps the denizens of the Tower had a name for it. Perhaps they called it “The Tower of the Master”, or simply “Our Tower”. Cracking a grin at this thought, Twilight regarded the Tower more closely.

It was made from obsidian-colored brick, and the architecture glowered with a dark and looming presence. If the Tower didn’t look abandoned, it would be a formidable fortress. Indeed, its location and the extreme remoteness would require a siege party to be supremely well-prepared in rations and other traveling needs. Smaller turrets hung off the Tower itself, as well as the walls surrounding the Tower itself. It was an intimidating sight, but Twilight knew that the Tower itself only held the truly fearful things.

As Twilight got closer, she bore witness to the one siege that the Tower would ever be under and was currently losing. In places on the walls and on the battlements, dark bricks had fallen out, and the light of the day failed to gain much entrance into those breaches. She even saw the poor state of the once-formidable gate as it rested, having fallen off its rusted hinges on the barren soil outside. Stopping for a moment, she looked over the evil structure. The attack of time ever continued, and it showed in the depleted state of the former fortress. No enemy who would have made the journey here would be repelled from those shoddy walls and the collapsed gates would not bar any entry at all.

Taking a long breath through her snout, Twilight lifted the hood from her face. After having inspected the Tower’s outer walls and the Tower itself, she turned her attention to the top of the Tower. It was surrounded by battlements of obsidian spikes, and the keep of the stronghold was situated within these spikes. It almost looked like a rounded house, albeit with dark paneling and black roofing.

Rolling her shoulders, Twilight stepped from the soft dirt of the outside world... and into the unknown darkness of the Tower itself.

Miscellaneous discarded remnants of interior stood before Twilight in the darkened room, as well as the rusted remains of jagged weapons and coarse armor. Recognizing the make and style of these weapons, Twilight drew her longsword. The edge of her weapon shone hard, and the craftsmanship thereof was excellent. The silvery surface of the weapon promised a swift end to any who opposed Twilight. The decorations were an afterthought, but Twilight regarded these engravings as works of beauty, made by a master of his craft. That, as well as the quality of the weapon itself, causing Twilight to have long considered this blade one of the finest to have ever been made.

As she drew her sword to rest in the air by her side, Twilight cast a spell to dispel any concealing darkness within the entranceway to the Tower. Having done so, Twilight was surprised when all that greeted her were more dark bricks and a few doors. One to the left, one to the right, and one that led straight ahead to the Tower stairway. Twilight considered her surroundings for a while and wondered if it was worthwhile to explore the walls surrounding the Tower, as opposed to just rushing to her destination up the steps.

After a moment of deliberation, Twilight saw the rotted state of everything inside the room she occupied and determined that there would be nothing of value to her here in the walls of the Tower. No gold to pilfer, and no tomes to take. No food to eat, nor water to drink. The only thing she could take was the scraps of metal that now lay on the floor, and they were hardly worth scavenging.

Listening intently, Twilight swiveled her ears to listen for any sound that came from within the Tower, or the walls. After a minute or two of this waiting, Twilight decided that the only course of action to take now was to proceed. Sheathing her sword, and letting the cloak conceal her weapon once more, the Alicorn of Friendship proceeded.

Having reached the stairwell, Twilight’s source of light shone a pale purple light on all that she saw. Looking down, she saw the spiraling staircase going ever down, down, and down. It seemed to go on forever, but she saw a pale red light at the end of the stairwell. She would deal with that later. Twilight tilted her head upward, and she saw that the stairs also went up, up, and up.

Breathing in through her nose, and letting it out through her mouth, Twilight unfurled her sore wings. It was an ascent of a simple affair. The only other sources of light there to be found in the stairway of the Tower were slotted windows placed periodically throughout the levels of the Tower. These firing slots allowed the dim light of the far south to filter in, and light up the dark place with a grim mood and scenery. The air itself seemed to float in place with gray ash flakes lazily moving to and fro. Having taken to the air, Twilight’s ascent did not take very long.

At the extreme edge of the tower, the entrance to the top loomed. More light came through, but the light itself seemed... warped. The sky itself seemed to darken around the summit of the Tower as if the Sun’s light itself twisted and altered as it shined here. The warmth was stolen away, and the golden rays became... darker, somehow. As Twilight landed to finish her ascent, she gulped in a bit of nervousness. Even after all she had been through, she never could quite ignore the fear that gripped her heart completely.

Coming up on the keep of the Tower, Twilight saw that the disrepair of the tower extended to this portion of the structure, too. Many holes in the roof and the walls of the keep were present, and she had no doubt that time would bring it down with the constant barrage of entropy and the invasions of erosion. However, Twilight’s intended to bring all of it down. Coming up on the empty doorway of the Tower, Twilight remarked that the steel door that kept the keep safe stood in a similar state of repair as the gate to the Tower; namely, that it fell down and laid like a corpse, beyond all repair. Entering the keep was a simple affair. The click of the armored boots Twilight wore on the stone was supplanted briefly for the clang of the shoes on the door, until she stepped off it and looked within. The structure was void of any of all accouterments, as well as any and all interior design and walls, save one; the throne of the Master of the Tower.

The reek of evil lingered here. Looking at the stone throne, Twilight saw the Master of the Tower. It was a wretched creature. A facsimile of a more familiar, bipedal race. Dark energies seized this individual and warped it beyond any and all recognition to its friends and family if it ever had them. Twilight saw the hunched individual and pondered for a moment. Did this individual once have a name? Did it love? Did it hate? Did it know what happened to the rest of its kind, and did it care? What did it feel, now that it fell into darkness? As she pondered, she looked the creature itself.

Rags and armor adorned the creature. The coverings were perhaps once whole, the culmination of hours and hours of work and labor, by the hands and even claws of the most skilled laborers the Master of the Tower corralled to its disposal. The dark robe, and the black steel of the Master’s armor and clothing had rotted and rusted now. Hunched were the creature’s shoulders, as well as its chest as if bourne with a heavy burned. The only thing that remained whole, Twilight realized with a start, was the creature’s weapon. The black steel of the dark bastard sword had not withered with the Tower and the Master. The relic darkly glittered, a rival to any blade that mortals and demons could make. Finally, the head of the creature hung limp, and the long, smooth hair that capped the head was a wrinkled white, thin, and withered. Hooked, pointed ears extended past the skull of the Master, and the points curved upwards, in a display that made the ears themselves resemble curved horns. Dust hung heavy in the air.

However, the depleted state of the Master of the Tower made Twilight wonder if perhaps the Master died, and that her task was all the easier. As soon as the thought had occurred to her, however, the creature stirred. Slowly, the head, having looked to be the head of a dead creature, pulled itself up with the creaking of a stiff corpse, and the hooked ears now towered above its head for the first time in what must have been an age. The obsidian crown of the Master of the Tower stood tall, round and pointed. The craftsmanship of the crown was made of the same black steel that the Master’s sword comprised made of, and it seemed to join the sword in the unyielding defense against the ravages of time.

After the Master finally erected its head above its shoulders, Twilight could see the inky-black eyes of the beast. She had no doubt now that she was in for a bitter struggle against this monster, and that it would tax her greatly. Without irises, the eyes of the Master focused on Twilight, and gray, cracked lips peeled back, revealing rotted and pointed teeth that seemed to forever sneer, and the Master asked something, in the voice of the damned and the dead.

“Why are you here?” it croaked. The sound reverberated off the walls of the keep, and the dark inflections of the tone that the Master of the Tower adopted told Twilight that it there was no intention of yielding, nor did it wish to give up the powers that the Darkness granted it, even if the darkness had taken the goodness from him and replaced it with a void-like hunger for carnage, conquest, and destruction. Twilight saw the same thing from its ilk and fully intended to repay this hunger with the destruction of this final Dark Eldaur.

Twilight turned to the side, displaying her armor, which was decorated with her cutie mark. It was a violet star, surrounded by smaller, white stars. The Master of the Tower did not seem to recognize it, but Twilight did not require it to. She simply stated, “To draw the curtains on this war, once and for all.”

After a moment of thought, the Master let out an “Ah.” After another moment, it said, “So, we have lost?” Other than the head, which tilted slightly, the Master gripped the rugged hilt of his dark sword tighter, and otherwise remained motionless, still as a corpse. Seeing a Dark Eldaur in this state unnerved Twilight, but she pressed on. Finally, the Master said, “So, all my kin have passed from this world, trying to fight you and your kin?”

Twilight, instead of responding verbally, simply nodded her head. Her horn glowed, and her sword was again retrieved from the scabbard it sat in. The Master finally stirred, and it’s rotted form slowly raised itself from the stone throne it had sat on for many millennia. The creaking of bones and the stretching of atrophied muscles echoed off the tower’s walls, and the inky eyes of the Master still focused solely on Twilight and her drawn weapon. Still, the Master had not raised its own weapon against her. What was it playing at? The stiff jaw of the Master worked slowly as it muttered darkly,

“You do know that we are no longer a threat to your world, then? You won the war. We are the remnants who retreated from the War long ago, to wait for the dust to claim us. The light does not waver, but we did. Your armies did not falter, but ours did. You won. We lost. Why attack?”

Twilight regarded the Master icily, with a gaze that was heavy with hatred, and a fire of fury was lit in her expressive eyes. After taking in a deep breath from her mouth, she simply replied, “Because there are some who simply need to be destroyed.”

“Oh, but why is that?”, bargained the Master. “Surely, after we had paid for our own transgressions with the blood of our kin, and the almost total destruction of our race, that you would show leniency and spare us? What if we...”

Twilight saw the breath of the evening chill slowly enter the Master, with a wheeze that belied the true power of the Dark Eldaur. He finally stated, “What if we wanted to be friends?”

Twilight’s breath hitched, and her brain paused. Could there really be peace between her people and the Dark Eldaur? There may yet be a reason to spare the monsters, and reason still to try to redeem them, as she did in the past. Besides that, she needed to demonstrate to the world and to herself that she was indeed the Princess of Friendship. To do that, she would have to befriend the Armies of Darkness. However... all at once, Twilight’s eyes hardened.

Shaking her head, she declined with a stern growl, “Your fate was sealed when you attacked us long ago.” Twilight raised her sword in a fighting stance.

Nodding, the Master said with some sadness, “Very well. You’ll have to excuse me if I offer you a last stand. You will find me in the deepest pit of our last Kingdom of Darkness.”

Tilting its head backward, the lips of the Master peeled back completely, and black blood ran down its teeth as it roared. The roaring, Twilight thought, must have been heard for miles around, but heard by no one.

No one, other than the Thrall of the Master. As she listened, Twilight could hear the underground rousing, ready to meet her with blade and fire. Drums sounded in the deep, and the clash of iron on iron rose from the pit, along with the jeering and cheering. That was nothing less than Twilight had expected. As the Dark Eldaur got into a combat stance, it suddenly shifted. Skin stretched over bone and regained its dark color. Hair grew from the scalp of the Master’s head and darkens from a deathly clear-white to a lush dark. Holding its sword to its side, the Master teleported underground with a flash of red magical light. That was fine, Twilight reasoned. The Dark Eldaur would be the last minion of the Shadow to die. As the first of the last hunched orc of the Master of the Tower reached Twilight, her eyes glowed white with sheer magical power, and she made her final choice in the War.

Though the world had been saved, and though the Enemy lay where they fell in battle, Twilight would not rest until every last trace of the Shadow burned away.

1 - The Call

On a plain of grass stood a tree. However, this was no ordinary tree. In lieu of bark, sap, and wood, the tree was comprised of minerals, glass, and no small amount of magic. Indeed, this tree stood taller than the buildings around it, which were modest houses lined with wood and roofed with thatched straw. This town this strange tree found itself a resident of was named Ponyville, and, as one could imagine, this town held ponies in it.

They were not ponies of Terran origin, however, nor were they the product of the cruel hands of both time and fate. These ponies had forged their own destiny and chartered their way into a state of civilization. As the colorful little sapients wound their way through the streets and markets of Ponyville, the crystal tree, which stood almost as a sentinel above all of its neighbors, shone with a violet light. Were one to observe these ponies, one would observe the vast differences between these Equestrian ponies and Terran ponies. For one, their faces and bodies were rounded, and expressive. Another difference that would be readily obvious was the range of colors their mane and coats were, as one could empty the contents of a crayon box and find a pony that matches any given color of that crayon box.

This crystal tree was the residence of one young Princess Twilight Sparkle, the former student of her now fellow Princess Celestia. It had been the event of a lifetime for Twilight Sparkle to have been crowned a Princess, for it not only brought societal changes when Twilight Sparkle climbed the proverbial food chain even higher, but it brought with it a bodily change, as Twilight Sparkle would soon learn how to deal with an additional set of appendages.

Twilight Sparkle was originally a unicorn.

Unicorns are ponies with horns that can channel magical energies. These energies can be used from anything to telekinetic manipulation to interfacing with forces of the universe otherwise unassailable by any effort. The bone-like growth from the top of her head shone with a light that was the same color as her eyes; brilliant violet.

As one could imagine, Twilight’s mane and fur were reminiscent of that same event of the day. A pale purple fuzz covered everything from her face, her hooves, and even her rump, which was decorated with a curious element of pony biology called a cutie mark. These are unique to every individual in Equestrian society, and they appear to have a coming-of-age function. Twilight’s Cutie Mark, for instance, comprised a picture of a hot pink star with 6 points, itself surrounded by other, smaller white stars.

A curious physiological component, indeed.

As for the other new two appendages, they were the newest additions to Twilight’s frame. They were great feathery wings, of a size that which would cause a pegasus, ponies with wings, to envy. Her skill with these wings, however, would not be enviable for even a filly pegasus. It was a common event around Ponyville to have Twilight crash into something. So much so that she started gaining the reputation her pegasus friend, a multi-chromatic Rainbow Dash, used to have.

In this instance, Twilight was reading. This came as a surprise to exactly no one. Her fascination with the written word and with the things recorded down and observed is near-fanatical at times, and it takes the intervention of both her colleagues and her closest associate Spike the baby dragon (who was only as tall as Twilight’s shoulder) to part from the ink words and long-departed worlds. The book Twilight was reading that day was a tale of adventure and a tale of both hard-fought and well-earned victories against an ancient foe.

Such a tale was fantastical, Twilight reckoned. There were adventures to be had in her country of Equestria, but none quite like that which was described in these tales. She had been the subject of much commotion ever since she arrived at the town of Ponyville, from defeating various villains seeking to ruin the day to travelling between worlds and saving the day in an alternate dimension of their own Equestria, where everyone she knew (including herself) was turned into bipedal creatures with nimble hands, of the same curious coloration as the pony-kind she was more familiar with.

Even this would pale to the adventures she would regularly find herself enjoying, however. This was a tale of not only saving the land but the entire world. The foe that challenged the valiant heroes were of a stock that the only recourse of action was to destroy them. The idea of such an irredeemable enemy fascinated Twilight. Even Discord, the spirit of chaos and disharmony, was able to change his ways when offered with friendship. But the creatures of this deep evil... they were pitiable, in that sense. However, their commitment to evil also brought with it actions that made them irredeemable.

Such an adventure would be interesting to go on, Twilight reasoned, but that was both highly unlikely... and highly dangerous. As she thought, it was a very irrational thing to think, but Twilight thought that such an adventure would be worthwhile to her. A deep desire of hers was to prove herself to the world, independent of her friends and family. She wanted to stand on her own four hooves, and stake her own course throughout the histories. She had already saved Equestria, but she wanted more adventure.

Taking a moment to yawn, Twilight realized with a start that the sun had set and that she was reading by candlelight. She had not noticed the soft light flickering but smiled when she saw that the candle was light with a flame. It would seem that Spike, her number one assistant, was looking out for her.

It was also probably an unspoken message to inform Twilight that she should probably sleep. Stretching her limbs, Twilight sensed the weariness creeping into her bones and conceded to the need for sleep. With a soft huff, she blew out Spike’s candle and retired for the night.

Upon the morning, there was a light wind that blew through the window and into Twilight’s royal bedchambers. This wind, of course, had the precise trajectory and the exact speed to waft over the snout of the gently resting Twilight Sparkle. Of course, such a chill morning wind would not go unnoticed by the young matriarch. She scrunched her face and realized with her waking mind that Celestia’s sun had risen and that she needed to rise.

With a sound that was half a yawn and half a sigh, Twilight yielded the warmth of the bed to greet the day and the business that it would bring. In her early morning stupor, Twilight recalled that not much of interest, be it an occasional disaster or even just the usual hijinks that the denizens of Ponyville would get themselves into, had not occurred for some time.

If she were any other mare, she would see this as a stroke of luck. Finally, the chain of interesting times that Ponyville lived in was broken. However, Twilight knew better, and she resolved to at least have some pancakes this morning before the inevitable. After a series of morning rituals, such as washing and brushing her mane and fur, Twilight was much more aware of her surroundings and noted that Spike was curiously absent from the castle.

‘Spike must be off to Rarity’s again,’ Twilight concluded. It was admirable for Spike to continue his dogged pursuit of the one he loved, but even though her heart went out for him, she suspected that his pursuit would ultimately be in vain because Rarity was simply not interested in Spike romantically.

Her train of thought was interrupted by the need to pay attention to the ingredients gently floated around Twilight, and the need for her to carefully monitor the process of making pancakes, as she would rather not burn breakfast. After an arduous process of mixing, flipping, and ultimately heating the mixture at just the right temperature, Twilight found herself with a hearty and delicious breakfast.

As she ate, she recalled a time when her fatigue was so great, that she actually took a nap on a pile of pancakes, resulting in her already messy mane - being covered in twigs and leaves - to be messier from the whipped cream and chocolate chips sticking to her mane. She really had received an earful from Rarity after that little incident, regarding the importance of taking care of one’s own hair, and, even though she phased out half of what Rarity said, she had conceded to her talking points, if begrudgingly.

Even though it was an embarrassing event, Twilight remembered it fondly. She didn’t quite know why, but she felt that she was a better pony for having come through that event. It was simply another series of unlikely events that she and her friends had gone through be it to save Ponyville or the entirety of Equestria. There, for the grace of the stars, couldn't be a better situation for Twilight, she reasoned. She had friends, a good home, an important station in her nation, and she had served it with loyalty and courage. What more could she want?

A picture of a brash, brave, and strong stallion flashed through her mind. She allowed herself a little blush and conceded that she still had to experience that which made a mare a mare. Pushing such thoughts out of the way, though, she cleaned her now dirtied dishes and then stopped herself from continuing on her daily routine as she saw a flash of magic. It was a letter, she knew, from Canterlot! The scroll had the royal seal, so she immediately knew who it had to have come from.

Her mentor and now fellow Princess, Celestia, was the eldest of the Princesses and was almost the very image of the sun if the sun were made into a pony. Her brilliant white fur was matched only by the flowing aurora that was her mane. And her magenta eyes shone with an almost infinite capacity for both motherly concern and wisdom.

This letter was a summon, Twilight realized with a start. It didn’t specify to come immediately, but it was worded as if there was something of great concern that Celestia wanted to council Twilight about. ‘Who knows,’ Twilight thought. ‘It may even be the start of a new adventure.’

Witnessing the grandeur of Canterlot, Twilight saw the Castle, looming in the distance. The white walls stretched and the golden and violet peaks towered over the haughty and well-to-do town of Canterlot itself. The large, bright weave of the banners, displaying the multicolor iconography of Equestria, swayed with the wind. This was Twilight Sparkle’s destination today.

Having arrived by train and having hoofed it the rest of the way, Twilight fast approached the castle at a canter. The guards at the gate nodded to Twilight, and she nodded back. Their gilded armor and polished weapons put the Princess at ease. It was always nice to see that the Royal Guard were there to protect Equestria. After having passed through the front gate, Twilight roamed the marble halls. They too were decorated lavishly, with all the accouterments that royalty could afford to line the walls with.

As she roamed the hallways, an itch sat in the back of Twilight’s mind, demanding that she turn her attention to a presence that made itself known to her. Looking aside, she was surprised to see Luna, Princess of the Night. The dark blue mare was also an alicorn, with a horn and wings. The weariness in the Night Princess’ eyes and features was evidence of her being awake when she really shouldn’t be. The bags under her eyes sagged, as did her wings. Yet, when she saw Twilight, the Princess of the Night perked right back up, straightening her stance and adopting that signature steely look in her eyes that Luna often wore.

“Twilight Sparkle,” she said. “My sister has sent for you.”

Despite herself, Twilight couldn’t help but feel a twinge of unease. She replied, “Y-Yes. Is there... something wrong?”

Luna shook her head as if to admonish herself. “No, there is no emergency assailing Equestria, Twilight,” she said. Pausing a bit to seemingly collect her thoughts, Luna continued, “But there is something my sister would ask of you.”

‘Well, that didn’t sound ominous at all.’

Heeding Luna’s cryptic warning, Twilight proceeded to Celestia’s study, where they would regularly meet for personal or official reasons. The only thing that Twilight heard as she walked down the marble hallways was the sound of her hooves meeting the floor, and the sound of blood pounding in her ears. Despite the otherwise welcome atmosphere, and the peacefulness of the day as a whole, Twilight couldn’t help but feel as if something was about to happen.

Twilight had done this perhaps dozens, maybe hundreds of times. She softly prodded at the door to Celestia’s study. The age-old carved wood and the shiny brass of the door hinge creaked and squeaked as the door swung inward.

The study itself was a small room that took up a corner of the castle, permitting for a few windows to allow sunlight to shine through and light up the scene. Furthermore, near the tall, narrow windows, there was a modest brick fireplace, currently dormant, but Twilight could still catch a whiff of the smoke that the fireplace spat up the chimney. The rest of the wall space was writing desks and stacks of bookcases. Cushions and seats were lined around, and in a modest chair sat Princess Celestia.

The alabaster alicorn belayed any notion of age, as her pristine condition allowed her to look young even at thousands of years of age. A horn, longer and spiraling more than any pony Twilight had ever met, sat upon her head, crowned by her golden regalia, as well as framed by a prismatic mane. Her tail and her mane held the appearance of a sunny Aurora, as one would witness in the northern regions of the world. As Twilight entered, Celestia looked up from her book and saw Twilight with a smile.

Twilight, upon seeing Celestia, sped up her pace and embraced her former mentor. As Celestia craned her neck around Twilight’s head, she said, “It is good to see you again, Twilight.“

Untangling from each other, Twilight took her seat on a cushion that neighbored the red on that Celestia sat on. It seemed to Twilight that it was an awful casual setting for a meeting. She adjusted her rump on the cushion and graciously accepted the teacup that was wordlessly passed to her. Letting the smooth taste of the tea put her mind at ease, Twilight finally said, “It’s good to see you again, Pri– Celestia. How is everything?”

Her slight smile growing, Celestia said, “Very good, Twilight. The nobles have been behaving, and the weather is lovely, as always. I hear that the garden is growing especially well this year, even if I haven’t had the chance to see it yet.” Taking another sip, Celestia first looked at Twilight with a smile, but then... slowly, her expression fell. She avoided Twilight’s eyes and then tried to find the most interesting piece of the floor. Her eyes darted first to the right, then the left. Before Twilight could ask what was wrong, she noticed someone in the doorway of the study. It was Princess Luna, and she stood there with her signature stoic expression. Her eyes met Princess Celestia’s, and Luna nodded. Then, she walked away.

Looking back to Celestia, and setting down the teacup, Twilight asked, “Is there... something wrong?”

Breathing evenly, Celestia stretched her neck. After a series of popping sounds, she sighed. Finally, Celestia lifted her head to see Twilight’s eyes. “Equestria has been at peace for a thousand years,” Celestia finally replied. “The hardships of the 3 tribes are not even a memory for most ponies. And yet... there are hardships that endure.”

Mouth slightly agape, Twilight then said, “What? What endured?” Celestia then looked over to a bookshelf and withdrew one of the tomes from its dusty neighbors. Blowing softly on the cover, Celestia spirited the book over to Twilight for inspection. It was an almanac, a guide to the various places and location in Equestria. The map also included the lands to the East; the place of the Griffons and the Dragons. To the West... were cities and countries that Twilight could not recall.

“Celestia... what’s this?” asked the now-nervous Twilight. She levitated the tome back to Celestia, and she regarded it with a calm eye.

She replied, “Friends. They have been fighting an evil longer than I have been alive. Then... even he has been alive.”

“He?” inquired Twilight. She leaned over as Celestia gave back the tome. The mountains to the west were always called “Undiscovered Lands” on every map Twilight had ever seen, but this almanac gave this mountain a name: King’s Peak. The lands to the west held forests and plains before coming to a shore. A few towns dotted the forests and plains, as well as the westernmost one which was surrounded by a graphic of a wall, one that even in this old drawing, seemed formidable. That fortress was called Echgarth. The towns to the east of Echgarth and to the west of King’s Peak were named such things as Uschlon, Polaw, and Moradin.

“Yes, Twilight. He has sent for you.”

Looking up at the lines and the shapes of the maps, Twilight asked again, “Who?”

With a breath out and a breath in, Celestia slowly said, “The Forgemaster Adrastos. He is a powerful and wise being.” Looking at the door, Celestia regarded the return of Princess Luna. Luna had strapped to her sides, two sword scabbards. they were crafted with faux-leather and gold that wrapped around in bands and fitted ornaments. Immediately, Twilight tensed up and tried to hide her face behind her teacup as she drank without tasting the tea. Then, wordlessly, she set the tea down.

Luna magicked one of the swords at her side over to Celestia. Grasping it in her own golden aura of magic, Celestia drew the sword. Lightly scraping, the blade shone as it was drawn. Twilight looked on in awe as the light of the dual edges shone in the golden afternoon light. As the blade was revealed, Twilight found herself admiring the gold and fine wood construction of the handle, as well as the fine steel of the sword.

Smiling, Celestia remarked, "This is called a longsword, Twilight. This one is named Sonne Invictus: The Unconquered Sun." Celestia held it up to the light, and the sword shone. Twilight, having been caught up in the radiance of Celestia's sword, almost didn't hear Luna drawing her own sword.

As she held it up to the light, it, too, shone. However, soft blue light danced off the single edge of the curved blade, as it rose above the straight guard and grip. Luna, now with a full smile, also remarked, "And this is my sword, Princess Twilight. It is a kriegsmesser, and she is called Mondet Caesus: The Moon shining in Darkness."

The two swords seemed to tower over Twilight, and her face quickly fell. Her eyes wandered to the edges of the swords, ever maintained and sharp. As she looked, a question began to form in her mind and was visible in her eyes. "Does Cadence have one?" The swords wavered as the Princess' eyes went wide. With quick motions, the swords were sheathed. Celestia handed her weapon back over to Luna, who put the sling back around her neck, and walked out of the room, her wings over the swords.

Finally, Celestia turned to Twilight. "No," she replied. At this, Twilight pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes critically at her former mentor.

"No?" she asked.

At this, Celestia nodded. She then said, "Princess Cadence was always one for love, not war. She turned away the opportunity to visit Adrastos and gain a sword of her own. She, instead, chose to marry Shining Armor, and live the life of a normal pony."

Celestia then sighed through her nose, and continued, "There is something about Alicorns that you should learn Twilight. We are instinctively and easily capable of love and defense. Cadence was a mare who loved more than defended, and so has been drawn in love to a defender. In a way, they will complete each other. She is the caring mother, and he is the stalwart father. In time, Shining will discover that he is growing wings."

Ignoring Twilight's wide-eyed, slack-jawed exclamation of "What?!", Celestia further said, "But you, Twilight. You have proved time and again that you are an alicorn. You love your friends as much as you love defending Equestria."

Twilight closed her gaping mouth, and then asked, "What's happening, Princess? Is there... something wrong?" Looking out of the window, Celestia gazed into the distance. A disconnection between here and somewhere else came in her eye, as she remembered... something.

Finally, Celestia turned back and said, "You must go to King's Peak and seek out the Forgemaster. I fear the ages are about to change again.

A Shadow grows in the West."

2 - Maps and Saddlebags

Twilight Sparkle sat awake in bed. She stared at the covers in the dead of night, with her eyes looking for imperfections in the sheets. She looked up to see Spike sleeping soundly in his own bed. He clutched his own blankets closely to himself as he breathed softly. Twilight even noted that Spike’s face was relaxed, but with a small smile on his face. The green and purple baby dragon had much to learn, much to experience, and much to envy.

This brought a small smile to Twilight’s own face. The revelations that Twilight just received had kept her up, and she had no doubt that if Spike knew what she knew, he too would have been up tonight. Twilight’s ears twitched, she yawned, and she rubbed her eyes with a hoof. It was too late for this. Slowly, she laid down on her pillows and pulled over the comforter over herself. Even with her worry, sleep came quickly to her.

Applejack and Rainbow Dash lively walked down the streets of Ponyville. They laughed and joked about this and that. Their destination was the Crystal Castle. It was easy enough to find, after all. Its glittering form towered over every other building in the town. As they walked, Rainbow Dash finally asked, "So what's this summons all about?"

Recollecting their collective purpose, Applejack took a moment to calm down from the joking and the laughing. "I dunno, Sugarcube. It must have to do with the summons that Twilight herself got from the Princess." Nodding, Rainbow Dash took on a more somber look as she remarked, "I hope it isn't anything... bad."

Taking note of her friend's turn of demeanor, Applejack asked, "What's the worry, Dash?" Looking back at Applejack, then looking up and ahead of the crystal castle, Dash hung her head. "I dunno," she said. "She's been awfully tight-lipped about her latest meeting with the Princesses. She didn't even tell Spike anything, and I get all the Princess news from Spike."

Applejack scrunched up her face in a look of contemplation and out, "hmm." Looking back to meet Rainbow Dash's eyes, Applejack then said, "I haven't the foggiest. I just hope everything's okay." They both looked at each other, and then to the castle, and then back at each other again.

They quickened their pace.

Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Equestria, sat in her chair. Her chair. It flanked by 5 other such crystal chairs, arranged in a circle around a massive, raised crystal platform. This platform had a special kind of magic on it, one that was designed to alert Twilight and her friends of any arising problems in Equestria. Twilight looked again; there wasn't anything to be concerned about. Nothing in Equestria was going wrong, which what concerned Twilight. Even at the westernmost edge of the map, where the western coast met the water, Twilight could see a growing darkness. It was subtle, almost imperceptible. It was at the extreme edge of the map, and the darkness was static. Twilight wondered how much longer this would be true.

Eventually, her name was called. Then, her name was called again. Twilight, finally breaking out of her stupor, stupidly asked, "Huh? What?" She looked around and noticed that all her friends had arrived. Applejack, a blonde-orange earth pony, sat with her signature brown Stetson hat on her head. Rainbow Dash, a rainbow-haired cyan pegasus, sat next to Applejack and leaned over to look at Twilight. Fluttershy, a pink-maned and yellow-cream colored pegasus, Seemed to withdraw herself a little as she looked at Twilight and found only her worried look. Rarity, a white unicorn, was much the same but trying to keep her cool by messing with her violet mane. Finally, Pinkie Pie was the only individual here to be smiling, as the overwhelmingly pink pony bounced on her rear in her chair. Twilight turned to see Starlight Glimmer walk into the room. Starlight Glimmer, a unicorn with a purple mane with an aquamarine highlight and a light pink coat, came to a stop near Twilight's chair.

The room became silent as the doors slowly slid shut, and all eyes slowly turned to Twilight. Finally, Applejack ventured a question. "Everything all right, sugarcube?" Twilight looked up and regarded all her friends with slightly wet eyes. Then, she did a breathing exercise, pressing her hoof to her chest and closing her eyes on the inhale, and reaching out with her hoof on the exhale. Wiping her face, Twilight then spoke up.

"H-Hi... girls. How's it... going?" With this, she gave a half-hearted grin. It was the grin of somebody with their hoof caught in the cookie jar, or someone who had bad news. Looking more intently at Twilight, everyone else leaned in as they tried to pry the secrets from Twilight with just their eyes. "Y'alright, sugarcube?" asked Applejack. Quickly turning her head to regard Applejack, Twilight Sparkle then replied, "Y...Yeah! Everything's... fine!"

"If there's something wrong, Twilight, you must tell us!" pleaded Rarity as she got up from her chair to place a hoof on Twilight Sparkle's shoulders. Taking a few more deep breaths, Twilight wiped her face again, and then said, "Princess Celestia has a mission for me." Popping in from above, Pinkie Pie took the opportunity to ask, "Oooh! What kind of mission?"

"There is a danger that is growing in the West. I don't know what it is, but I have to travel to King's Peak so I can talk to the Forgemaster." Starlight Shimmer then interjected with, "I've never heard of King's Peak before." At this, Twilight Sparkle nodded. Using her magic, she formed an arrow that pointed to the West of the continent. Even on this magical map, the region is simply called "The Undiscovered West." Highlighting the mountains that ran along the land, Twilight continued.

"Yes. There is a pony here that can help Equestria survive the coming evil. I have to go there and recruit our allies to the west."

"Um. Excuse me." a soft voice said. Everyone turned to Fluttershy, who was looking at the map table with intent eyes. "We have allies to the west? How can we have allies if we don't know about the land?"

After a moment, Twilight said, "I... don't know. Apparently, nobody ever bothers to go there, and the maps forgot what was there. It is still important that I seek out the Forgemaster, and learn what he knows, so Equestria can be readied."

Pinkie Pie started to bounce on her hind legs, jumping from one hind leg to the other, as she held her hooves close to her body. Her grin was as genuine as it was wide, and she said with her happy closed eyes, "A new friend! A new friend!" Then, Pinkie Pie lowered down on all fours, looked Twilight in the eyes, and asked, "So, when are we going?"

"I will be going as soon as I'm ready." Twilight sadly answered. She looked into Pinkie's eyes, then the eyes of the rest of her friends. "However, I will be going alone."

The rest of the ponies (and dragon), as one, exclaimed "What?!" As the hall then descended into every pony talking at once, as well as Spike trying to talk to Twilight, she found herself shrinking from their attention more, and more. "What do you mean, 'I'm going alone', Twi? We ponies stick together!" Pleaded Applejack. Rainbow Dash added, "Yeah! We've been things through thick and thin! Whatever this new evil is, we can stop it!"

Rarity took the opportunity to put her own two bits in, saying, "Indeed, Twilight. We may no longer be the bearers of the Elements of Harmony, but we are still a team!"

"Yeah!" shouted everyone in the room. They were so busy encouraging and talking to a downtrodden Twilight that they didn't hear hoof knocks on the entrance to the room. Neither did they hear the second set of knocks. Finally, someone cleared their throat, and the ponies gathered finally took notice of who had just arrived.

It was Princess Celestia, with her regal ornaments and all.

With the issue forgotten, the ponies took the time to bow to the monarch newcomer to the conversation. Bowing herself, Celestia regarded her subjects and peer with soft eyes and a gentle smile. With a small shiver and a deep breath, she said, "It is good to see you all again, my little ponies."

Applejack was the first to ask, looking up to her beloved leader, "Is it true? Does Twilight have to go alone on this journey?" Her smile faded, and she closed her eyes. Nodding her head solemnly, Celestia looked at Fluttershy as she meekly walked on hoof-tips to look at Celestia through her mane. With a brave face, she looked up, and asked, "But... why? Why does she have to go alone?"

Celestia again looked at them all and then walked amidst and past them to reach the map table, where Twilight was still seated. With a hoof, she gently rested her limb on the Undiscovered Lands. "This is not merely something solved with friendship alone, I'm afraid," the Solar Princess began. "It is something that requires... a personal touch. This is a deeply personal journey for our newest Princess, and it is something that is best done alone."

Spike, having been quiet for the longest time, finally spoke up. " I disagree." he announced forcefully. His voice even carried with it the tiniest bit of anger. Anger at the Princess. Ramrod straight, and rock still, with eyes like saucers, it is all Twilight Sparkle could do to not immediately spirit Spike away. "Spike!" she shouted in an unsteady voice. With a smile, Celestia interjected. "It is alright," she said calmly. "It is a sign of loyalty and love that Spike would seek to defy even me just to accompany you." She lowered her head, and added, "That, I can respect." Spike's earlier bravado now carried more weight to his stance, and he shrank away from the Princes he had just challenged.

"However," Celestia continued. "This is indeed a journey that Twilight Sparkle must take on alone. I have nothing left to say." With that, Celestia bowed again to her little ponies and departed. She left behind her a bunch of ponies (and dragon) to look at each other with downtrodden eyes.

The morning was quiet, and only the hardest of workers in Ponyville was to be up at this early hour. The sun had not yet risen, but there was still enough light for Twilight to work. The supplies had been gathered, the bedroll wrapped up with rope, and a spare map stuffed haphazardly into her saddlebags. She brought a small amount of food, as there was ample grass between her and her destination, but she did pack a canteen of water.

Checking, double checking, and then triple checking her pack and gear, Twilight shouldered her saddlebags. Ample of time had been given for farewells, and all the arrangements had been made. Starlight Shimmer would manage the castle in her absence, and Ponyville should run normally. As normally as it could, anyway. Rolling her hoof steps, Twilight walked lightly through the crystal halls and doorways, looking for any sign of life that may want to say another goodbye to her. She shifted the weight of the heavy saddlebags on her back and fluttered her wings. Perhaps she would use these to fly to her destination. She shifted the weight of the saddlebags again.

"No, they might be a bit heavy for that." Twilight mused. Just as well. She could use the exercise. As she neared the front entrance, she paused to scratch her horn. Following that, she eyed the crystal doors to her palace. She took a long breath in through her nose, closed her eyes, and let her breath out through her nose. Looking to the left, and then the right, her eyes drank in every detail of the palace. She even turned around to see her own banners and tapestries line the hallways, and she smiled.

"Well," Twilight thought. " here goes." Turning back around, she nosed the door open and walked outside. The stars were retreating their light to make way for the advance of the sun, which even now peaked on the eastern horizon. The lazy streets were lit with a warm glow as the cold of the night was banished away. The thatched-roof houses were lit golden by the morning sun, but the streets themselves remained in shadow. However, there was still enough to see what waited for Twilight outside her own castle.

"Y'all didn't think we would let you leave without us, right?"

It was her friends. Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity. In front of them, all was her adoptive little brother, Spike. They each had their own bags, filled with provisions and tents and bed mats. Underneath these saddlebags (and backpack), everyone wore a cloak, one that was a desaturated hue of their coats. They were made from thick, heavy material, and Twilight looked as Rarity magicked over a dark violet cloak, neatly folded in her magic. Rarity told Twilight as she accepted the gift, "We'll be going where there isn't any pegasi weather teams or railroads... so you might as well keep the rain off of yourself, darling."

Eyes watering, Twilight neglected to hold up the cloak long enough that it fell to the ground. Before Rarity could ask whatever was the matter, Twilight had rushed forward and embraced Rarity. The rest of the gang fell in and they all had a big group hug. Sniffing, Twilight started to tear up. Before long, the hug was broken up, and Twilight retrieved her cloak. "Oh, my little ponies," she exclaimed. "Not even Celestia could keep us apart, right?"

"You got that right, sister," replied Rainbow Dash as she hooked a hoof around Twilight's neck. She broke away, as well, and Twilight walked up to Spike. She had on his back a tent, but the package and the wrapping of the tent were taller than he was, but he shouldered his burden and was able to look up to meet Twilight's eyes, as his hands clasped the shoulder straps. Smiling, Twilight nuzzled her Number One Assistant, and asked, "Did you have something to do with this, Spike?"

Beaming, looking up with eyes closed, Spike replied, "Yup! I just thought it was a little unfair that Celestia would ask you to go alone! We always go together, right? So, I asked the girls to come with!" At this, Twilight scooped up the little drake and held him close in a hug. "Oh, Spike," said Twilight. "You didn't have to."

"If I didn't," Spike jokingly said. "Who would be your Number One Assistant?" After another moment of riotous "aww"-ing and laughter, Twilight put on her cloak. Her head fits through the neck hole, and she made sure to look at herself now that she had the cloak. Twilight asked around, "How do I look?" Pinkie Pie jumped up and down in her dull pink cloak and said, "Like you're ready for an adventure!"

From inside the castle came Starlight Glimmer. She leaned against the door and had a sad smile on her face. "Well, it looks like you guys are off to save the world again," she remarked. "I'll have to hold the fort and keep Equestria from falling into chaos while you're gone." Twilight, having seen Starlight, walked up to her and hugged her with a foreleg. Returning the embrace, Starlight Glimmer chuckled. "Looks like I'm having my own adventures in Ponyville, just like you."

From inside the castle came the sound of rattling pans and a shattered plate. Downtrodden, Starlight said, "That'll be Trixie again." Looking Twilight in the eyes, and with a smile, she continued, "I better see what that is about. I'll see you when you get back!" Turning around, Starlight Glimmer retreated back into the Ponyville Crystal Castle, now temporarily under new management.

The adventurers then proceeded down the road to the west, out of town. As they walked, the sun continued its advance. Six ponies and one dragon merrily trotted and one even bounced around from the excitement. Houses passed by, their occupants still sleeping, surely unaware of the new adventure and the new set of histories that was unfolding this day. As they neared the edge of town, alone pony came out from the left-side alley, laden with a long bag.

It was Princess Luna.

Greeting the adventurers, Luna simply presented her package. "I had suspected that you would disregard the advice of my sister," Luna said. "Thus, I have prepared something for thine journey. You may have prepared for everything you can think of, but you are not prepared for what I can think of." Withdrawing the content of the bag in her magic, Luna handed out a bundle of... short swords. Seven them went to their new owners, and they looked upon the swords with hesitant motions and still faces.

"Go on," urged Princess Luna. "Let them see the light of day." At this, the group drew their weapons. Straight, coming to a point, these steel-and-wood weapons hearken back to a more violent time. The simple wooden handle and hilt were decorated with gold and leather. The narrow hilt gave way to a straight blade that widened somewhat before sharply angling to come to a point. "Pegasi Gladii," muttered Rainbow Dash. Everyone turned to look at the prismatic athlete. "It's a... Pegasus Gladius. These were what the heroes of the Pegasi Guard used." Her face lit up and her grin widened. "So cool." She waved around the weapon in her grip before carefully sheathing the sword. She then took the strap and wore the new weapon around her neck, and she beamed with a bit of pride.

"You know of this weapon," remarked Luna. "But do you know how to use it?" With a modest chuckle, Rainbow Dash suggested, "You... stick the pointy end into the other guy?"

Smiling, Luna replied, "More or less." With some laughter, the group took off. The sun rose ever more, casting the light of the day on the fields and plains that were about to be traversed. Luna watched the departure of the Elements of Harmony (and Spike), and she looked at the sky and saw that it was a clear day. From the alley, another pony appeared.

It was Princess Celestia.

"I suppose you are happy with these circumstances," spoke a remorseful Celestia. "Yes," replied Luna. "They will be the ones to finally break the siege of shadow."

"Hmm," mused Celestia. "It would have been better still for Twilight to go alone."

"Now, all of their lives are in danger."

3 - Distant Hills and Mountains

Los Pegasus shone in the afternoon light. The buildings radiated and glittered as they stood, almost altar-like. Ponies with too much money and not enough sense went between the buildings, showing off their clothes and their shiny ornaments with so much care put into their appearance. In the distance, giant lettering read "APPLEWOOD" on a hillside. Nearby, studios and sets were adorned with the richest and most powerful of ponies as they danced before cameras and orated their lines.

The business conducted by the more common folk was to peddle to the rich and the powerful. Hay dog stands lined every other corner, waiting for hunger to strike at the actors and artists, only for the street stand owners to swoop in and save the day from the hunger pangs. The more dramatic of them would go on to have acting careers (or so they hope), and they took to the streets like actors took to the stage. They rehearsed, they danced, they sang, and they competed fiercely.

Above the studios and the apartments and the mansions was the Las Pegasus Clouds. The party never seemed to end, as the various buildings and venues displayed brightly-lit signs and promotional materials advertised their wares and their services. It was Party Cloud Nine, and the carnivals featured many a ride and attraction to both receive guests and loads and loads of bits. Ponies from all walks of life vacationed there, and the solid platforms and buildings set in the clouds themselves meant that anybody could enjoy the sights and sounds.

Meanwhile, a train came into the station of the westernmost town in Equestria. The industrial machine pulled and heaved as it came to a slow stop, directed by tired, dirtied, overworked, and underpaid conductor ponies. They looked on at the rich ponies and scoffed. Finally, the train came to a screeching halt. Steam flew out of the brakes and the engine that pulled the train. The passenger cars opened, and more of the rich ponies came out. Their gaze was ever on the other elites and the monolithic altars of high society.

As the day wore on, more food cart ponies took to the streets in the hope that they could sell their food, and more scenes were shot and more ponies sang and ate and drank. The Party that never ended kicked on a few lights in the clouds and the murmur above never seemed to end. As the light was dying, and as the food cart ponies went home, another train pulled into the station. It was the same complement of rich ponies and tourists from all over Equestria to partake in the high-energy life that was Los Pegasus.

There were seven individuals, however, that did not quite match the descriptions of the elites who lived on the ground, or the partygoers who board carriages to the neverending party in the sky. These ponies (and dragon) wore heavy-duty cloaks, wore a sword on their withers, and saddlebags adorned their backs. They were as happy to see the sights and sounds as anyone disembarking the train, but their destination was neither the town nor the clouds.

Their goal was West. Their immediate aim, however, was the hotel GrandePone.

Their smiles were wide, and the laughs flowed. They enjoyed the sights and sounds of the ground city, even as the other ponies ignored them. Perhaps the Seven must looked to be actors on their way home from a day of shooting. The building loomed, and Rarity took a bag out of bits that jangled. "Now girls," began Rarity. "It would be incredibly unfortunate if we were to immediately set out after a day on the train. I know that a journey begins with the first step, but why not be well-rested for that first step?"

A chorus of agreements met Rarity, and they all congregated in the hotel lobby. Opulent decorations and posing pony statues greeted them, as well as a humorless pegasus stallion stationed at the front desk, which was made of marble. Flanking the desk were stairs that lead up to the various floors and rooms of the hotel. "Welcome to the GrandePone," flatly said the brown stallion with a red uniform. "What can I do for you?"

"Hello, darling~," sing-songed Rarity. "It is good to see you again. I will take a room for 7, please." Nodding, the desk pony hoofed over a key. Rarity took the key in her magic and pocketed the golden object. As the ponies walked up the stairs, they conversed amongst themselves and joked about what they might find. Applejack, meanwhile, said to Rarity, "That fella seemed like a cloudy day."

Leaning back, Rarity said, "That is his name, darling." They didn't notice that Pinkie Pie was still at the front desk, doing a whole routine for the service desk pony. During the whole thing, the smile never left her face. She sang, she danced, she pulled gifts and confetti from who-knows-where, and when she was done, she rushed to meet her friends before she lost sight of them. As she departed, the desk pony smiled slightly. That pink pony was nice.

Day came again to the town of Los Pegasus. The food cart ponies rolled out again, the tourists came out of their hotels to enjoy the attractions of Party Cloud 9, and the actors and directors rose from their trailers to go through the motions of filming again. Workers toiled for the maintenance and the enjoyment of those who came to play, and ponies of all kinds and backgrounds found enjoyment in a day of self-celebration and the celebration of life. The trains came, more ponies embarked and disembarked, and life continued as usual.

At the town's edge, seven individuals made themselves ready for a long trip ahead. They conversed and they chattered, and their saddlebags, swords, cloaks, and their supplies sat in a four-wheeled cart. Barrels of water sat in the back, a large tent sat in the middle, flanked by the saddlebags and canteens, and the front was reserved for food. Applejack, ever the hard worker, had hitched herself up to the cart, along with Pinkie Pie.

As the sun rose higher into the overcast sky, Twilight Sparkle pulled out a map. "Here we are at... Los Pegasus," she pointed out. "From here, we go around the edge of these woods until we see the mountains. Then, we head northwest until we hit King's Peak." Pinkie Pie hoofed the map, and asked, "Which mountain is it, huh? The one under the 'Un' in 'Undiscovered West'?" Twilight Sparkle tilted her head, and incredulously said, "...Yes. Yes, it is. That's where we're headed."

"Well, come on, then!" shouted Applejack. "To King's Peak! All aboard!" Spike, Rarity, and Twilight Sparkle clambered onto the front of the wagon and took their seats as Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash hovered next to the wagon, flanking it on both sides. A few more things were tied down, the canteens were filled, and a few drinks were had. "Hey, Pinkie," challenged Applejack. "How fast do you reckon' us being able to go?"

Pinkie put a hoof to her chin, looked to her upper right, and "hmm"-ed. Finally, she turned to Applejack and excitedly responded, "I think we could go halfway there today if we really hoofed it!" Taking the challenge, Applejack adopted a mischievous grin and then reared up on her rear hooves, while flailing her forehooves. "Yeeeehaw!" she shouted, and Pinkie wordlessly mimicked her actions with a closed-eyes, open-mouthed grin. At that, the marathon was on.

Holding on for dear life, the unicorns and dragon held onto the cart (and each other). The slight bumps and hills were accentuated in the up-down motion in the cart, as they raced up parallel to the train tracks that lead away from Los Pegasus. The journey took them across valleys and over hills. Every once in a while, a train would come up or down the track, assuredly full of ponies just going about their day. Twilight Sparkle looked over. Surely, they would be seen by many ponies who would think little-to-nothing about the cart that was racing around.

She turned back to see Pinkie and Applejack still doing their best to trample the landscape as they zipped around the cart. Twilight Sparkle closely looked at the two earth ponies still gunning it. They were so focused on running that they were more or less abusing the poor cart with their reckless speed. "Don't you think we should uh... slow down?" Twilight asked.

Pinkie Pie looked back, asking innocently, "Why? Are we going too fast for you?"

Looking back, Applejack added, with a mischievous grin, "If we're going too fast for you, why didn't y'all just say so?"

"It's not that," Twilight insisted. A particularly large bump nearly threw her off the cart. "I just don't know how sturdy this cart is!"

Realization shone in the eyes of the earth ponies there, and they slowed to a much more manageable pace. The pegasus ponies took this opportunity to find seats on top of the wagon. Awkwardly looking into the forest of the Undiscovered Wilds, Twilight thought for a moment about what might be found inside. Perhaps it would be other ponies, like that Forgemaster Celestia spoke about. For him to be around for as long as Twilight suspected he has... Adrastos must also be an alicorn or a being of similar agelessness.

"So, does anypony know where we're going?" asked Rainbow Dash. 'Of course she would forget the morning briefing,' thought Twilight.

"We," Pinkie announced, "are going to King's Peak to find the Forgemaster! I'm going to throw him a party, and he'll stop being lonely!"

'That's... one objective.'

Shrugging her shoulder, Twilight Sparkle looked behind herself and lifted a book up from her saddlebags. They swayed gently against the side of the cart. It was bound in green material and was built to last. She flipped through the black pages, smiling. Going from back to front again, she looked at the pages before arriving at the front cover. She had not brought the tools necessary to engrave the front cover of the book, but that really was of no concern. After all, it was what was in the book that was important.

Or, in this case, what was going to go into the book.

Putting away the journal, Twilight looked around some more. The pine leaves of the trees swayed gently in the breeze. The trees blanketed the base of the mountain. Gently sloping over and then back down to the trees again, the distant peaks spoke a cold promise to anyone who would venture into the mountaintop caves in search of adventure and treasure. Twilight imagined going into such caves. Looking at cave walls and around rocky corners, Twilight would brave the dangers and come out of the cave with a wealth of gems, or lost knowledge.

She would emerge out of the cave, over the fog, laden with loot. A burden of fortune. A hoard of books, of gems, of gold. A wealth of knowledge, and a wealth of money. A handsome reward, for a task well performed. The books can purchase a deeper understanding of the universe, and the money can purchase comfort and pay for the bills.

A crystal castle is surprisingly hard to maintain, after all.

Shaking her head at such strange thoughts in her head, Twilight groaned. Jumping off the cart, she stretched her legs and walked aside the cart. Rainbow flew down next to her, grinning. Teasingly, she asked, “Is that enough comfort for one day, Twilight?”

Nodding, Twilight said, “These adventures always start slow. I’m sure that we’ll be doing more than staying awake once we get there.”

Fluttershy flew over to Twilight’s right, and landed into a walking pace. “Well, yeah,” she said. “That’s how it always starts. And then there’s something scary so now there’s running... and screaming.”

Rainbow let loose a squeaky laugh. “Come on, Fluttershy. We’re just going to a house call for some hermit,” she said. “Right, Twilight?”

Flattening her ears behind her head, and looking down with a head heavy with thought, Twilight said nothing back. After a pause, during which everybody was looking at Twilight, Rainbow asked, “Right?”

The cart slowed to a halt. Pinkie Pie and Applejack unfastened themselves from the hitch, leaving the four wheeled cart to sit, as Spike drove in some wheel chocks. The girls and dragon formed a tight circle around Twilight. Expectantly, the girls looked to Spike. sighing, he reached up, and placed his clawed hand on Twilight’s shoulder. “Twilight?” he asked. “What’s wrong?”

Blinking hard, Twilight hoarsely said, “I don’t think this is just another adventure, Rainbow.”

Frowning, Rainbow landed and put a hoof around Twilight’s shoulder. She asked, “There’s something else, isn’t there?”

Gulping, Twilight said, “Yes.” Correcting her wide stance, she levitated her sword out of the cart. “If this was just another adventure,” she stated. “Princess Luna wouldn’t have felt the need to give us these.” She pulled out the sword. It had a tapered point, and was overall short, compared to the swords Twilight had seen brandished by Celestia and Luna. Would she soon be carrying a similar sword?

“Yeah,” Applejack concured. “This whole adventure into these supposedly unknown places seems... different this time around, and I’m not just talking about the swords.”

Blinking, Rarity turned to Applejack and asked, “Whatever could you mean, darling?”

Looking back to Rarity, Applejack answered, “If what I’m hearing from Twilight is true, then there’s something the Princesses ain’t telling us. Something they’re now sending us to find out for ourselves. It’s one thing for us to be blindsided with a conflict like with the Changelings at the Royal Wedding, it’s quite another for the Princesses to know but not tell us about it. It all seems very suspicious, Twi. What they’re not telling us... it sounds like we ought to know and consarnit, they’re not telling us!”

Grimacing, Applejack stamped her hoof. Fluttershy said, “Th-There must be a reason... the princesses... oh, dear. I’m sure they had their reasons.” She pawed at the grass with her hoof. The grass swayed in the breeze. The hills ahead was flanked by forests. Pinkie Pie tapped her chin with a hoof.

“So,” she pondered. “What aren’t they telling us?”

Everyone looked at Pinkie, then at the sword, gleaming in the air, suspended by the hilt by Twilight’s magic. Twilight looked at how she was holding up the sword.

Rarity cleared her throat, and said, “Well, we can... make educated guesses, Pinkie. If it was a danger we could handle on our own, Luna wouldn’t have felt the need to... loan us these swords.”

“We may have to kill something.”

A pregnant pause took hold. The wind kicked at their cloaks. Twilight looked around at the expressions of her friends. They stood, staring with scared eyes and agape mouths. Twilight blinked. Did she really just say that?

“K-K-K-Kill?”

Fluttershy swayed, unsteady now on her hooves. Reflexively, Rainbow Dash propped her up, and slowly lowered her on the grass, where she gracefully fainted.

Shaking her head hard enough to send her ponytail spinning, Applejack said, “W...Well, it’s not as if we haven’t been in a scrap before.”

For that heartbeat, the wind sounded as if it was hissing. Hooves figeted. They indeed got into a straightforward fight with the Changelings in Canterlot.

Rarity cleared her throat. “Well,” she reminiced. “Even with our melee with the brutes, it wasn’t something that resulted in any casualties.”

She put a hoof to her snout. “At least, I don’t think so.”

Pinkie sighed. She lamented, “I can’t make a party out of that. Blood is so annoying to have to wash out of fur.”

“Pinkie...” Rarity tenatively asked. “Why would you know about that?”

Without missing a beat, Pinkie replied, “Out on the rock farm, you tend to know first aid.”

Leaving it at that, Rarity turned back to Twilight, who had by then sheathed her sword, and levitated it back onto the cart. She asked, “Have the Princesses told you about what sort of danger that would need a sword?”

Twilight shook her head. “No, nothing.”

Rubbing her face, Rarity mused, “Well, they’re obviously expecting trouble. But, not too much trouble that they wouldn’t tell us what the trouble was, and just leave that briefing for our Forgemaster.”

All ears twitched as everybody heard a commotion at the cart. It was Fluttershy! She had gotten up, and, without notice, taken her sword hilt and put it on. The hilt of the blade rested on her withers while the rest of the blade dangled to her left. Her face was matted with tears, but her expression was still. Taking the gladius in her right hoof, she unsheathed it and started to do... drills.

A swipe, a stab, a twirl, and a lunge. Her body was in synchronous motion with the blade. Utilizing her wings, Fluttershy practiced some surely familiar moves, like flying up with one wing beat and stabbing downwards. She dodged left, right, foward, backward, up, and down. Even a shoulder roll or two was underaken, even with scabbard, cloak, and gladius in hoof.

After the minute of exersion, Fluttershy sheathed her sword. Everyone stared, Rainbow Dash the most incredulous of them all. After a moment, she asked, “W-When did you learn to do that?”

Fluttershy, having finished her drill, recoiled. She dropped the sword where it clanged against the grass, and ducked behind the cart with a “Meep!” Everyone watched as she mumbled, “I, uh–I had some training when I was a filly. My Dad, he thought... yeah.”

Twilight Sparkle looked at Rarity, who shrugged, and then at a beaming Rainbow Dash. Shaking her head, she asked, “Your Dad got you lessons in martial arts when you don’t like violence?”

“Um,” said Fluttershy. “I liked to think of it more as... dancing.”

Rarity grimaced. “Well, Darling,” she explained. “It is a dance...” She looked down, eyes looking at her cloaked hooves. “...of death.”

Fluttershy whimpered, but did not move to take off her sword hilt.

Twilight Sparkle looked at the darkening sky. “Well, girls,” she announced, “I think it’s a good time to set up camp for the night.”

The pine trees swayed with the wind.

Applejack chose to announce then, “Well, I’ll just have to show you some real camp grub, then! Nothing gets a pony’s spirits up like hot food!”

The plains were vibrant, but empty aside from the group. As the seven made to the treeline, Spike ran ahead, exclaiming, “I’ll make the campfire!”

Twilight smiled and shook her head.