PROLOGUE
Like any other night, I was asleep, snoring in my king sized bed. As expected, I had a plethora of duties ranging from awful to deathly boring. It's a routine I've followed for week after week, year after year, decade after decade.
However, the day before had been quite strange. As I had been going through those monotonous tasks, there was what could only be a presence. Through words, I find difficulty in describing it. Something just felt... off, as they say.
It started the moment I woke up. When I turned to my left, I saw my half-finished glass of water on a little table. At the moment I turned to see it, the water had a slight ripple. The ripple stopped just as I looked at it. Obviously, that didn't set off any alarms, as there could have been any reason that happened.
I got up and started the day, brushing my teeth and preparing my flowing hair, occasionally checking the mirror to see if I saw something. I was sure it was nothing but my paranoia, which surprised me. When I was a filly, I may have done that, but I knew I had grown past the habit.
The door swung open, startling me. It was nopony else but my dear sister, Princess Luna.
"Finished your night duties?" I asked.
"Yes, sister. I'll be going to bed now, but I do need to ask you something first."
When Luna said that, she had a look of worry on her face that I hadn't seen in a while. It didn't mean that there was a world-ending catastrophe, but just like me I could tell that she felt this presence. I nodded for her to tell me what was wrong.
"Do you remember those nights when I was really small? When I cowered under the sheets of my bed as thunder roared outside?"
As she talked, I realized that the mask of fear, professionalism, and power she once had was violently stripped away. This was her at her most vulnerable, and I felt the weight of what was happening.
"Yes, I do."
She fiddled around with one of my brushes, sometimes just staring at them in deep contemplation.
"That's what I feel now. I know I shouldn't but something is wrong. Would it be so much of a worry to bring a couple of guards as I sleep for the day?"
I've heard and seen my sister do strange things, definitely. Things that cause me to do a double take, pinching myself to make sure I'm actually awake. But in the past few years, this was the strangest. God of the moon, Princess Luna, has just asked me to have guards perched at her door, not because of any factual evidence, but on fear. I didn't need any more confirmation that something strange was going on.
However, I wasn't going to disappoint my own sister. I called over some guards and told them to watch over Luna as she slept during the day.
I continued on with my royal duties, but they seemed less tedious than usual. Possibly due to my ever growing fear of what was to come. The presence seemed to fade since I talked to her, but that didn't overly calm me. Starting tomorrow, I would delay my work to chat with Luna. I needed to find out what was going on.
At this point, I was almost done with all my duties. Every once in a while, my subordinates would ask if I was alright. The new 'force' was already affecting me.
Luna would have started her work in a few minutes, but I had to meet up with her first. I had asked her to stay in our room. As I paced towards the Royal Castle, thoughts flashed through my mind. The presence returned, feeling stronger this time. Even when my sun was at its highest point, and ponies skipped around with beaming smiles, I felt as if the world was grey.
I reached the castle, walking up the flight of stairs to our room. The presence felt slightly stronger.
Now, I was just outside, ready to open the door. I couldn't shake off the presence at this point. It was so poignant, it felt like an anvil was dropped on my head.
I swung open the door.
Nothing. Nopony in sight. Except two limp, probably dead guards.
I looked around the room in horror. Every little decoration was misplaced or magically scarred. This was the remnants of a struggle, as if somepony were kidnapped and fighting back. I investigated, checking the guards. I scanned through them and saw that their hearts had stopped. Looking at their skin, I saw burn marks. The marks had to have come from a magical source, but I was more than sure that these weren't ordinary unicorn or even alicorn blasts. It was something else entirely.
I went over to Luna's bed, examining even more of the strange magical marks. I also saw along with them what is unmistakably the struggles of Luna as she battled whatever came after her. The portrait of just us two was shattered on the ground. Curtains ripped. Souvenirs broken.
Memories lost.
I picked up the shattered portrait. Instead of a web of fragmented glass, a single line separated me and her.
There was only one thing left for me to do.
I went to the nearest few guards I could find. I saw three who I knew were experienced, so I trusted them with the task. At this point it was hard for me to trust anypony.
"You three, I need to ask of a favor."
"Yes, Princess," responded the three in unison.
"Get a carriage and bring me the Mane 6."
"Why, Princess?" asked one of them.
"Because we're going to need all the help we can get."
"SO THEN THERE WAS THIS HUGE FIREBREATHING MONSTER THAT LIKE BREATHED FLAMES BUT NOT ANY OLD FLAMES LIKE REALLY COOL FLAMES AND THEN GUMMY BEAT IT WITH HIS OWN TWO HANDS EVEN THOUGH HE DOESNT REALLY HAVE HANDS BUT LIKE..."
Pinkie continued on with her sugar-rush induced rant, as Twilight and the rest slept on their thrones. Except Rainbow Dash, who had a pillow over her ears, fuming.
"Pinkie! Please, I'm trying to sleep! We can hear about your dream tomorrow."
"Oh! Sorry, Dash..."
The table in front of them lit up, illuminating Pinkie's face with a blue aura. She stared in wonder as Princess Luna's cutie mark was spotted far from Equestria.
Twilight yawned and slowly began to wake. Her drowsy appearance was shaken when she spotted the same symbol.
"Woah, what the hay?" asked Applejack, who also woke up.
They all jumped as the door knocked. Twilight went to open it, seeing a guard motioning to a carriage.
"Hey! What's going on?" She asked, obviously angry at the sudden interruption.
"Princess Celestia needs you in Canterlot. Please, get in."
