The back alleys of Canterlot would be enough to give anyone an uneasy feeling. The tall buildings surrounding the heavily neglected streets blocked out most of the light, leaving the alleys in a perpetual state of shadiness. The streets were overcrowded with piles of boxes and barrels that carried anything from overripe fruits and vegetables to fake valuables. The apartment entrances and storefronts carried a feeling of constant neglect, with window sills that haven’t been dusted in years, paint jobs that were so badly chipped that the raw wood underneath was revealed, and highly rotten doors. Despite these conditions, a few Canterlot ponies have occasionally decided to brave the alleys. They usually ended up being shaken down for their money and sent home terrified but unscathed.

The stallion that went down the alley that midnight in early spring knew that he wouldn’t be jumped. His height alone was impressive, as he was a head taller than even Princess Celestia, and a horn as long as hers. He held himself with a sense of power, an aura of strength coming off of him that would have spelled doom to anyone attack him. His dark, ebony-black coat would have given him a sinister appearance, but his flowing, magically enchanted mane was a dull rainbow of hues and effectively detracted from his coat’s ominous color. His eyes were piercing as their magenta irises stared cautiously around the alley for threats.

It was his pair of alicorn wings, however, that he knew would stop any attackers from coming forth.

His name was the Collider, and he was over a thousand years old.

His horn glowed faintly with a combined spell: a flashlight spell, which allowed him to see his way through the shady streets without bumping into anything; and a tracker spell, tuned to a magical signature that he had followed into the alley. The magic led him through the streets, and he strutted towards his goal like an overzealous peacock. A grin grew on his face as he approached the destination: a windowless shop front with a sign nailed to the door:

“The Map Shoppe”

The Collider ignored the sign on the door, and instead focused on the prize he was after. The magic that he was tracking told him that the artifact was inside the shop, and nothing would stand in his way of getting it. He magicked the door open and stepped inside.

The room was small and square, and it was evident as to why the store was in the back parts of Canterlot. The only light in the shop was from a single candelabra, which did a decent job lighting up the room. Dark wood-paneled walls contrasted a moldy white marble floor. Almost every inch of floor space was given to barrels and boxes and shelves filled to the brim with scrolls of varying degrees of age, just barely providing enough room for a regular-sized pony to move around comfortably; for the Collider, he had to squeeze his way through the shop. A small number of unfurled scrolls were pinned to the walls, showing political, geographical, and historical maps of Equestria. The back of the store was dominated by a counter that was little more than a wooden box, the only things on top of it being an outdated cash register and a half-empty oat smoothie. Behind the counter, contradictory of the dark walls around it, was a brightly-colored Bohemian bead curtain, covering an open doorway.

“Hello?” the Collider called out, his tone heavy with disgust. “I’m looking for the owner of this… establishment.”

“That’d be me,” a unicorn mare answered, stepping through the curtain. Her coat was a grayish tan, her mane was a sickly olive color, and her eyes were a pale chartreuse. She had on a grubby gypsy outfit which gave off an odor that told the Collier it needed to be washed by last week. Her cutie mark was a blue-and-gold compass rose.

She gained a powerful sense of intimidation from looking at the Collider, her eyes going wide as she stared the stallion twice her height. She could feel butterflies in her stomach as she sized up her guest, finally speaking once she noticed his wings.

“Er, h-hello,” she stammered out, swallowing a bead of saliva that had formed on her tongue. “My-my name is Rose Compass… I’m the owner of this store. How can I help you?”

“I’m in the market for a map,” the Collider said. His tone shifted from judgy to indifferent as he began to rifle through a barrel of scrolls. “A particular one that I was informed would be in your possession…”

“Oh, of-of course! What map are you looking for? I have countless in my--”

“The Castle of Harmony.”

Rose Compass stared at the Collider for a few seconds, her expression shifting from confusion to fear as she processed his request. Finally, she spoke.

“I’m, I’m sorry, sir…” she said, averting her eyes. “But, that map… It, it doesn’t exist.”

The Collider’s gaze turned cold in a heartbeat. He forced Rose Compass’s chin up and bent down to her level. His eyes burnt with barely-suppressed rage, and as he spoke, he did so in little more than a hiss.

“Do not lie to me.”

Rose Compass swallowed her fears, continuing in a trembly voice, “I-I’m sorry, s-s-sir,” she whimpered. “Th-that map doesn’t exist… it-it’s a legend, you see… I-I wouldn’t have--” Rose Compass suddenly stopped mid-sentence as her throat closed up. She let out a rasping choke as she grabbed at her neck, trying instinctively to free herself. She noticed, through her panic, that her neck was engulfed in a bright orange magic aura, and upon looking up, she saw that the Collider’s horn was also bright orange.

“Listen here,” the Collider said, all calm pretense abandoned. “I know for a fact that the map to the Castle of Harmony is in here. How do I know that? Because it is my legend’s map.” He lifted his wing and turned just enough to allow Rose Compass to see his cutie mark: a pattern that resembled a flower with six petals, all different colors, and a core that was a solid gold. “Now then, since this part of the legend is real and has no issues with crushing you like a bug and turning your store inside out to find the map, I recommend just giving it to me. Are we understood?”

Rose Compass nodded quickly, more terrified than she’d been in her life. As soon as the Collider released her throat, she crashed onto the floor, landing spread-eagle on her stomach. While she gasped loudly to catch her breath, she scrambled behind the desk, feeling as if she was going to be sick. She threw open a drawer and began to dig around inside, her hooves moving past useless knick-knacks and new scrolls as she hunted for the one thing that would save her life. After a short moment of searching, she felt the gentle brush of ancient parchment under her hooves, and a wave of relief passed over her as she pulled a rolled-up map. She read the letters marked ‘c of har’ on the tie holding the map into a scroll and broke into a smile. She placed the map on the counter, looking visibly relieved.

The Collider levitated the map over to himself, unfurling it to verify that it was the map he was after. A small smirk crossed his face as he closed it back up, then nodded at Rose Compass.

“Thank Celestia,” Rose Compass muttered to herself, before saying out loud to the Collider, “A-as for the fee, well, it-it’s on the house, of course!”

“As expected.” The Collider put the map away before he focused his gaze more intently on Rose Compass. “Now, onto more important things than the here and now. Should something go awry with my plan, you’ll be receiving six guests to your shop in about a week, searching for the map that you just sold me. I don’t expect this to come to pass, but I’m simply covering my bases. Tell them whatever lie you want to cover up my purchase, and do not tell them that I was ever here. Once they leave, contact me with this.” The Collider pulled out a blank sheet of parchment and placed it on the counter. “It’s enchanted so that anything you write on it will appear on a similar one in my possession. Write to me that they’re in Canterlot, and include where they’re going should they mention it.” As he turned to leave, he suddenly seemed to think of something else. “Oh, and, Miss Compass…

“Do not try to protect them. I would hate for you to receive the same treatment I have in mind for them…”

The Collider stepped out of the shop. He gave a smile of satisfaction, having completed this next part of his plan. He took out the map to the Castle of Harmony, smirking at the time-yellowed paper that he held in his magic. He had come so far to get the piece of paper that he floated in front of his face and knew that the troubles he had encountered getting it were all worth it.

And then he crumbled the map into a little ball and lit it on fire.

After ensuring that it was burnt beyond all recognition, he threw the useless scrap of paper into a nearby barrel, smirking as he trotted calmly away from the map store. He made his way back to the main streets of Canterlot and turned his gaze to the beautiful spires of Canterlot Castle. The last few phases of his plan were going to happen within its walls. Soon Equestria would be under its rightful ruler, and the Collider knew that his rule would be truly great.

Author's Note

Some of you may be confused as to why I had decided to reupload the prologue. The answer is simple: I wanted to make it clearer, cleaner, and more concise.

I hope you're satisfied with the changes I made.