Tribulations by Earth

CHAPTER THREE: BASE PASSIONS

-Sweet Apple Acres: The Orchards -

Twilight felt herself teleported right into the cold, wet outside. She begin to catch her breath as she spotted the apple trees around here. Twilight steady herself, getting herself some bearings. Twilight looked around. The storm was causing the trees to move in a dangerous way. Lightning flashed above her revealing dark shapes. It seems Silver Light was right and that evil forces were loose, causing the weather to become very chaotic. But if it is windigos that were causing these storms, then it should only be cold weather. Something was not right. Twilight shook her head. Now was not the time to dwell on what these creatures are, that’ll come later. Right now it was time to find her friends. “It’s okay.” Twilight said to herself. “I can do this.” And then she jump out into the open.

That is when she found herself looking up to a swarm of changelings

Oh,” Twilight let out softly.

At that moment, five of them lunged at her. Twilight sprint underneath them and to the other side of a row of trees. The changelings were coming out of the sky, landing on either side of her. Twilight gave out a yelp as the changelings out their raspy hiss. She ducked as the changelings attacked one another with their miscalculated leap. Twilight took the moment to escape.

“Okay, bad idea,” Twilight said and turn back to the woods.

She stopped.

In front of her were horrible creatures. Twilight guessed she was looking at what were once only legends before. They were not like the creatures Twilight as read. They were black as night, their mane was raggedy and wild, and their eyes glowed with a fierce red. Their entire bodies were just plain sinister looking. Twilight took a step back as bolts of lightning were shooting out of their mouths. The wendigos let out a loud howl that chilled Twilight to the bone.

Then the wendigos charge. They flew across the skies, their bodies flapping like giant bats. Twilight did her best to attract the wendigos. She even stopped to fire a beam of magic in the sky. The wendigos let out a fresh cry of hunger. But they could not see where Twilight was heading to with all the trees in front of them. Twilight hope this will give Silver Light enough time to get Spike out of the library. Bolts of lightning were being shot down from the sky. One barely missed Twilight. She had to teleport soon. But not yet. Not until-

“Find her!” The booming voice of King Sombra commanded.

Twilight realized all of the wendigos and changelings were going to comb the land for her. She could hear the buzzing and rumbling of the monsters above. They will hunt her down no matter what. But she was prepared for that. With a quick turn, she jumped underneath a tree and vanished with a blast of teleportation.

*

The entire room was filled with a white light that nearly blinded everypony. Twilight stood on the ground, dizzy for a bit. Her magic was running a bit thin and teleporting long distances and without seeing where she was going really was taking it out of her. Twilight looked up to see three ponies looking down at a fourth figure. They all turned to see Twilight standing in the room. Apple Bloom came running to her, tears in her eyes.

“Twilight! Twilight!” Apple Bloom cried out. “You got save Applejack! You got to save her!”

Apple Bloom ran into Twilight, sobbing uncontrollably. Twilight looked up at the other Apple family members. Big Mac, a stallion that Twilight never see expressed any emotion, was shedding tears. Granny Smith seems broken as she looked down on Applejack who was laying on the ground. She looks like she was sleeping peacefully except for the glowing red gem on her head. Twilight approached the family of Earth Ponies. Normally, they were all suspicious of magic but Twilight needed to rescue Applejack. She raised her horn, magic sparkly out of the tip.

“Don’t worry, everypony.” Twilight Sparkle told them. “I will get Applejack back to normal.”

“You-You-promised?” Apple Bloom asked, her large eyes quivering.

Twilight took one look at the grieving family.

“I promised,” Twilight said and she meant it.

Twilight raised her horn and then touch the red gem with the tip of it. The two magic almost instantly connect. Twilight felt the room spin around her. She felt every hair on her mane standing up from the wave of energy. Her body began to shake. But she remained focused as she poured her magic into the Fear Gem. There was something blocking her before she finally made a connection. Then everything disappeared.

-Applejack’s Fearverse-

Twilight felt herself landing on solid ground. She looked around to see that she was back in Ponyville. But everything looked disoriented. She felt as if the buildings were swaying back and forth. The sky was a weird color orange and it put the entire scene in a brown tint. Twilight looked for directions or any sign of Applejack. But it seems that the entire town was a maze. Twilight began to gallop towards the general direction of Sweet Apple Acres. This, however, turns out to be fruitless as every time Twilight goes in the right direction, she wound up back in the center of Ponyville. She stopped after the fifth time. It was then that Twilight saw another pony, although she didn’t recognize him.

“Excess me, sir?” Twilight asked the stallion. “Can you tell me where Sweet Apple Acres is?”

“What?” the stallion said, clearly hostile.

“Sweet Apple Acres” Twilight repeated. “You know the farm that built this town? The one run by the Apple Family?”

“There’s no Apples living amongst us, missy.” The stallion replied, clearly annoyed.

“Oh, you gotta to be kidding me,” Twilight said, rolling her eyes.

“Look,” Twilight stepped in front of the stallion. “This entire town was built because of the Apple Family. Apples are what Ponyville grows.”

“We ain’t growing apples, missy.” the stallion said, putting his hoof down. “All Ponyville sells are turnips. Turnips and peaches. That. Is. All.”

Twilight, however, looked over the pony’s head and clearly saw an apple tree in the distance.

“Then what is that?” Twilight pointed at the tree.

The stallion turned around to see the tree. “That ain’t no apple tree.” He simply said.

Twilight let out an irritated growl. She shook her head and realize what she was doing.

“Why am I arguing with you?” Twilight said as she rushes off to the tree. “You are not real.”

“Right back atcha, missy.” The stallion said.

Twilight was heading off to the tree. She then notices something. All these buildings looked different but something was off about them. It then hit Twilight. These buildings were not ones she remembers because they were not Ponyville of the present. This was Ponyville of the past. Or at least some version of it. Twilight’s theory was confirmed when she found another pony she didn’t recognize standing in front of the apple tree.

“I say, I say, I say!” the loud pony said to a crowd of ponies. “Fillies and gentlecolts of Ponyville. Elect me, Ditch Turnip, as your new mayor and I will give you everything you wanted! You want a new house? It is done! You want to have your taxes go to the right things? It is done. You want to have your lives perfect and make sure your neighbor has to pay for it all? It is done. That is the Turnip policy. Who’s with me?”

The crowd cheered.

“Turnip for what?” Ditch Turnip asked.

“For you!” the crowd replied.

“And how to get me?”

“By electing you and trusting you to keep your promises.”

“That’s right!” Ditch Turnip said. “Why deal with the consequences now when you can have your children deal with them later and you can enjoy your much-needed vacation.”

“Oh, how can I ever find Applejack?” Twilight groaned.

As soon as those words were spoken, a glowing light came from outside Ponyville. Twilight Sparkle turn towards the general direction. She ran down the street and out into an open field. Before she could get lost, Twilight teleported a few feet. She landed exactly where she meant to. She kept this up until she found herself at the entrance of Sweet Apple Acres. The orange light hovered over the farm. Voices were being emitted from across the field. Twilight swears she can hear Applejack. Twilight made her way down to the farm.

There she can see Applejack crying uncontrollably. She was in front of Granny Smith who was rocking back and forth in her rocking chair. She kept saying something over and over again. Twilight went over to hear what she was saying. As she walked over, she saw bits of woods scattered everywhere. Claw marks were everywhere. Twilight saw bits of cloth clinging to the fences and bushes. Twilight quickly doubled her pace as Applejack began to speak again.

“Granny, where is Mom and Dad?” Applejack asked, her eyes filled with tears.

“Don’t you worry, youngling.” Granny Smith said. “They’ll be fine.”

“You keep saying that!” Applejack shouted. “You keep saying that but that’s not true!”

“Don’t you worry, youngling.” Granny Smith repeated. “They’ll be fine.”

“You keep telling me that!” Applejack was now furious. “You never tell me what happen to Mom and Dad. You keep lying to me.”

“Don’t you worry, youngling.” Granny Smith continued to say. “They’ll be fine.”

“Applejack!” Twilight said as she approached her. “You have to snap out of it.”

Applejack saw Twilight and turn away from her in shame. She didn’t seem like herself. She avoided Twilight’s face as she tries to talk to her. Twilight didn’t feel like dealing with this. She turned in front of Applejack and try to lift her chin up. She wanted Applejack to hear this.

“Hey, AJ,” Twilight spoke softly. “You have to listen. This isn’t like you.”

“Yeah, and how would you know?” Applejack muttered. “Maybe I am a weak pony. Maybe I am lost and cannot take care of the farm.”

“Come on, Applejack,” Twilight said laughing. “We know that is not true. You are strong, reliable, honest, tough, and let’s not forget who was willing to work without any help from others by herself on the apple farm.”

Applejack looked up. “Me?”

“Yes, you,” Twilight said. “Now let’s get out of here.”

“So, you're telling me the truth?” Applejack asked.

“Yes”

“Honestly?”

“Honestly.”

Then the world began to shimmer. Everything stopped before a bright light covered everything.

-Sweet Apple Acres: Farmhouse-

The two ponies suddenly woke up and were forced apart. They landed on their backs. The Apple family let a cry of joy as Applejack started to get up, putting her hat back on. Apple Bloom was half sobbing and laughing as she runs up to hug her sister. The two of them hugged as Big Mac and Granny Smith came up to hug her. Twilight shook her head as she too got up. The family hugged for a good while until Applejack saw the glowing red gem. She went over to stomp on it. But before she could Twilight intervene.

“Wait!” Twilight said and she bent down and touch the gem with her own horn.

The gem flashed and then it turns into a small red material that looked like it was a part of a unicorn’s horn. Then the gem flashed back to its original state. The magic flickered but then die. Twilight lift it up and put it in her bag. She then pulls out a necklace from the bag. A necklace that had an apple on it. The Element of Honesty.

“I knew it,” Twilight said, her eyebrows narrowing.

“Knew what, sugarcube?” Applejack inquired.

“Normally, any unicorn could easily found out these were Fear Gems.” Twilight explained. “If they had a detection spell on then we can easily find that there is dark magic nearby. But King Sombra disguised the gems as crystals so that they could have snuck by security. And he is using his own horn to fuel the magic. That way he can make sure we are targeted and isolated.”

“So, he planned this?” Applejack asked. “He wanted to catch us off guard?”

“Yes, but what I don’t get is how he could do this.” Twilight continued to think. “If it his horn, then it must be what is anchoring him to this land. I always heard rumors that his horn survive but in order for him to achieve this kind of power, something else has to be helping him. What did he say?”

“Now, Twilight, don’t be rattling on like a squirrel in a walnut tree.” Applejack reminded her. “We need to solve this together. We can’t go all willy-nilly on King Sombra. Besides he’s dead.”

“No, Applejack,” Twilight said. “He’s alive and he’s attacking Equestria.”

“Okay, so how do we stop somepony who we stop before?” Applejack asked.

“We have to undo what damage he has cause first,” Twilight stated. “We have to rescue our friends first. Then we can use the Elements of Harmony to stop King Sombra and save Equestria.”

“Well, I’m with you there, girl.” Applejack exclaimed.

“Great.” Twilight turned to Big Mac. “Big Mac, I need a favor to ask you.”

“Mmmm?” Big Mac inquired.

“I need you to get me and Applejack to Fluttershy’s cottage,” Twilight told him. “We need to go by cart and Applejack and I need to remain hidden. We must have a blanket or something covering us.”

“What are you going on about?” Applejack asked.

“We need to go to Fluttershy’s place and rescue her next,” Twilight said as she levitates a blanket down. “I can’t be teleporting all the time, it is too much energy. Besides, we'll need it for the final match. But if we go outside exposed, then King Sombra’s patrol will find us. I gave them the slip once but I don’t think it will work a second time.”

“So, is this a plan you are making it up as you go along?”

“Pretty much, yeah.”

Applejack smiled a bit.

“I like that, sugarcube,” she said.

-Ponyville-

The town seems abandoned as the storm continued to get worst. All the ponies remain indoors, avoiding the windows as they saw creatures fly past them. The storm wendigos were searching every street, tree, and stone for a certain unicorn. They did not care for the others but shot bolts of lightning at them just keep them out of their way. The storm wendigos did not see a figure galloping across the streets and towards the other side of town. Big Mac was known for his endurance. He kept going full speed across the town, his mind focused on the destination ahead. The drenching rain was nothing to him. He had the strength ten times of a normal pony. He was dragging a cart across the muddy land where inside Twilight and Applejack remain hidden.

The wendigos eventually did notice and went flying towards his direction.

“Keep going, Big Mac.” Applejack told her brother. “You’re doing fine.”

Suddenly changelings were coming from all directions.

“Or not” Applejack realized.

But Big Mac wasn’t going to be taken down so easily. He plowed past the attackers and towards Fluttershy’s cottage. The wendigos try using wind and lightning to slow Big Mac but it all seems to be doing was fueling his rage. He leaped up unexpectedly, causing the wendigos to scatter. They landed roughly on the ground. Twilight used her magic to keep the blanket on but she feels like she was spotted. She hoped that they could keep this cover on for just a little while. Yet it was in vain. For another voice erupted from the skies.

“Well...Well...Well, what do we have here?” the alluring voice of Queen Chrysalis said, her voice was dripping with sickening excitement. “Do I see the one little-lost unicorn and her friend trying to escape?” She let out a bout of laughter. “Don’t think you are hidden, for we have been given far greater power than ever before!”

Suddenly the ground shook as a loud roaring sound came from behind. Twilight peaked from all around and saw something moved over the ground. Then, right in front of them, a large crystal emerge from the ground. The crystal was about three times larger than Big Mac. Twilight felt a dark voice growling from somewhere. She turned to see an army of wendigos coming at them. They were being hunted down. There was no escaped. They were cornered. But then Big Mac did the unexpected. He plowed right into the crystal.

“Nope” he simply said.

Shards of crystals flew everywhere. The wendigos had to scatter to avoid getting hit. The three ponies were able to gain headway and were at the boundary of Fluttershy’s cottage when a line of crystals began to appear. Big Mac slowed down as they reach the cottage. Twilight quickly leap out and hit the ground running. Applejack soon followed. The two of them manage to make it to the door as more crystals were appearing on the ground. Applejack turns to Big Mac.

“Now, you head on back to the farm, you hear?” Applejack told her brother. “I don’t want to hear no fuss! Granny Smith and Apple Bloom need you.”

Big Mac was about to say something but a large crystal bloom out of the ground in front of him.

“Oh, gosh.” Applejack said as she turns to the doorway and shut it.

Twilight thought she was prepared for this but it still broke her heart to see Fluttershy in this state. She was curled in a ball, her legs twitching. Angel Bunny, her pet rabbit, was prodding her. He looked worried as did Applejack who glanced down at Fluttershy. Applejack seems frightened of what has happened to her dear friend.

“Is that what I was like?” Applejack asked with a look of terror on her face. “Scared and isolated?”

“Afraid so,” Twilight replied as she approached Fluttershy.

“Get her out of there now.” Applejack said, an edge of anger in her voice.

“Planning on it.” Twilight as she prepared her horn.

“No.” Applejack turn to Twilight. “Get. Her. Out. Now.”

Twilight held the gaze of Applejack for a moment. She nodded her head once. I promise, Twilight told her silently. Then she pressed her horn on the gem. Once again the sensations of the Fear Gem hit her like a ton of bricks. She could feel the gem resisting her magic, trying to keep her out. But Twilight was persistent and push through. Then once again the room around her disappeared and Twilight fell through the darkness.

-Fluttershy’s Fearverse-

Twilight felt herself landing on something soft. She felt herself rolling in the soft, whiteness until she was able to stand. Twilight looks around to see where she was at. It was Ponyville again but definitely different this time around. It was winter this time. The sky above was a deep shade of red. Everything seems to be darker and less colorful. Twilight began to move around looking for clues on where Fluttershy was at. She didn’t like the looks of this place. It was giving her the creeps. She was making it down the street when she saw two pegasi in front of her.

The two pegasi seem to be staring at each other. Then suddenly the two pegasi lunged at each other. Twilight let out a gasp as the pegasi began to fight like a pack of Diamond Dogs. They were punching, kicking, and yelling as they both tumbled down the street. Twilight was about to break it up when she saw another pair of ponies doing the same thing, and another, and another. All throughout the streets were ponies feuding and fighting. They were all yelling and kicking like mad animals.

“What is going on here?” Twilight asked.

Just then the house behind her exploded. Twilight felt her body being thrown across the air a few feet before she landed softly on the ground again. Twilight turned around. High in the sky was a pegasus who was riding his cloud and striking house with powerful lightning bolts. The pegasus kept yelling strange words and phrases. But the worst part was that he seemed to be purposely setting the houses all around him on fire. He laughed maniacally as he continued to burn the town to the ground.

“These houses will not serve the enemy.” The crazy pegasus said. “For our own country!”

Twilight quickly realize the situation was getting out of control. She ran down the street and out of the center of town where the madness was most active. It seems the ponies were doing their best to me hostile and throwing whatever they can at each other. After a few minutes, Twilight began to hear a chanting happening nearby. She turned the corner and saw a group of pegasi surrounding somepony.

“Fluttershy, Fluttershy, Fluttershy, can hardly fly!” the group of pegasi were chanting.

Twilight went to the group to find the pegasi have surrounded Fluttershy. Fluttershy was curled up in a ball, weeping profusely. She was burying her face in the ground, trying to ignore the voices around her. Yet they kept on going, repeating the same words over and over again. Twilight tried to get in between the crowd, yelling at Fluttershy to listen to her.

“Fluttershy! They are not real! None of this is real! Fluttershy, listen to me!”

But it was no good. The voices kept on going. Twilight did and last-ditch effort and teleport right next to Fluttershy. She yelled at the top of her lungs, “Stop!” at the pegasi. The pegasi then slowly backed away into the shadows. Twilight gave them a burning glare until they were gone. She then put her arm around Fluttershy, giving her comfort.

“Shhhh, it’s okay,” Twilight said softly.

It seems like this soothing words came to Fluttershy for she stopped crying.

“It is all right,” Twilight told Fluttershy as she looked up.

Fluttershy sniffled. “Is it?”

“Yes,” Twilight confirmed. “This isn’t real, Fluttershy. Nothing here is. You are perfectly safe. Nothing is going to hurt you.”

But even as she said those words a great shadow began to loom over them. Twilight looked up to see a giant bear coming at them. The bear was at least twice the size of a normal bear. It was growling fiercely as it came down upon the two ponies. Twilight tried to remember that this isn’t real. She kept repeating that this was all an illusion.

“This isn’t real. This isn’t real.” Twilight quickly told herself. “This is all imaginary. Nothing can hurt me.”

But fear quickly took hold of her reasoning. The bear let out a mighty roar. The footsteps it made shook the ground. Everything felt so real now. Twilight looked around for an escape but she was becoming too frightened to move. The bear began to raise its claws. Its fangs were bearing down on the two ponies. Panicky, Twilight turn to Fluttershy.

“A bear!” she practically yelled. “You have a bear in your nightmares!”

“It must be Mr. Bear,” Fluttershy said softly. “I didn’t mean to bring him along.”

“Undo it! Undo it!” Twilight said in a panic state.

Fluttershy quickly flew up in front of the bear’s face. The bear let out a mighty roar to intimidate Fluttershy. But Fluttershy stood her ground, hovering in midair between the bear and Twilight. She raised her front hooves in front of the bear. The effect was to make Fluttershy bigger. The bear seems to notice that it wasn’t scaring Fluttershy. It seems confused for a second before it began to back away. Twilight wonder if Fluttershy was using her Stare on it. Before long, the bear disappeared. Fluttershy settled back on the ground.

“I guess that wasn’t hard,” Fluttershy said.

Twilight felt her heart rate return to normal. “Thanks, Fluttershy.” She told her friend.

“It was no problem,” Fluttershy said, giving Twilight a small smile. “It was an act of kindness.”

Twilight felt herself smiling. And like that, the illusion was broken.

-Fluttershy’s Cottage-

The two ponies return to the real world, their eyes blinking. They looked around to see Applejack pacing like a worried mother. Her face lit up when she saw Fluttershy returning to normal. She quickly went up to her and hug her tightly. Twilight meanwhile pick up the powerless Fear Gem and put it in her bag. She then picked up the Element of Kindness. She gave Fluttershy her Element.

“So, now what?” Fluttershy asked.

“Next, we go to Pinkie Pie,” Twilight announced.

Applejack, however, spoke up.

“Uh, yeah, there might be a slight problem to that.”

Twilight turned to Applejack.

“What’s that?” she asked.

Applejack pointed to the door. The door to Fluttershy’s place was covered in crystals. It seems crystals were appearing everywhere. Twilight looked around for an exit but it seems like King Sombra trapped them here. Twilight turned to Applejack.

“What are we going to do?” Twilight asked.

“Don’t worry, I got an idea.” Applejack said as she approached the door.

“You do?” Fluttershy asked.

“Yes, there is a reason I am the second best applebucker in Equestria.” Applejack told her. “Big Mac ain’t the only one who can break these crystals. Although, apologizes in advance, Fluttershy.”

“What are you-” Fluttershy and Twilight began to ask before Applejack turned around and kick the door with all her might. The door literally flew off the hinges. Crystals flew everywhere from the sheer force. The door flew a good few feet before it crashed into a small tree. The door shattered into a million pieces from the impact. Applejack turned to face her friends who were quite shocked by Applejack’s action.

“Come on, our friends are in danger.” Applejack said. “We can worry about everything else later.”

Twilight narrowed her eyes. “Right.”

-Ponyville: Sugarcube Corner-

With the madness that was going on outside, The Cakes decided to close shop early. They could hear the panicking yells that were echoing through the streets. It wasn’t easy living near the center of town. It seems that something is always happening in the center of town. But it was good for business. Everyone comes to their bakery for food and treats. Mr. Cake, however, was starting to regret that decision. He looked out the window to see ponies panicking all over the street.

“Oh, darling please get away from the window.” His wife called out.

“There is something fishy going on, Cup.” Mr. Cake told his wife. “I don’t know but something feels off out there. I can sense it. I just need it to hit me like a ton of bricks.”

It was at the moment that three figures came out nowhere and burst into the bakery through the window and landed on top of Mr. Cake. Applejack, Fluttershy, and Twilight had to quickly outrun the wendigos and use a cart to get her faster. What they had not accounted for was how to stop. The cart was getting out of control in the rain and was stop full force by a large crystal which sent the three of them flying. Luckily, Twilight was able to keep them afloat for a long while and have them landed safely in the Cakes’ bakery. Although safely is a questionable description of the other party. Mr. Cake got up, groaning. Mrs. Cake came running in.

“Oh my goodness, what’s going on?” Mrs. Cake asked.

Twilight shook herself to return the feeling to her body.

“Sorry to intrude on you like this,” she told the Cakes. “But we need to find Pinkie Pie. Have you seen her around? Is she here?”

“Oh my,” Mrs. Cake let out. “Is it serious?”

Just then a bolt of lightning hit a house nearby. The explosion shook the house causing everypony to glance in the general direction. They could hear several ponies panicking from all over the street. Twilight returned her gaze back to Mrs. Cake.

“If I had to guess,” she replied to Mrs. Cake. “I would say yes, this is very, very, serious.”

“Well, she went upstairs with a package not too long ago.” Mrs. Cake told her.

“Perfect, Fluttershy you take The Cakes to the basement,” Twilight told her pegasus friend. “If the wendigos are getting stronger and the changelings are trying to break into the houses, then they need to be protected. Applejack, you have to guard the stairs and make sure nothing tries to get in while I try to get Pinkie Pie back.”

“All right, then.” Applejack said and Fluttershy nodded.

Twilight quickly went up the stairs and to the room where Pinkie Pie lived. She could hear the storm shaking the house. If she is quick enough, then she can keep the Cakes safe. The storm was getting worse, however. How was King Sombra able to fuel these wendigos to be this powerful was a question that has been bugging her since she realized what was going on. But she didn’t have time to think about it now. It was something she can look into later. If there was a later.

Twilight enters Pinkie Pie’s room. Pinkie was seemly asleep on her bed, muttering something. It seems like all the color was drained in her room. Everything was duller, greyer. Even Gummy, her pet alligator, looked less colorful. Twilight approached the bed. On Pinkie’s head was a large red gem that was glowing brightly. Twilight looked at Gummy who seems intrigued by what was going on.

“Don’t worry, Gummy,” Twilight told the gator. “I will have Pinkie Pie back. I promise.”

Twilight then touched the Fear Gem with her horn and was plunged into darkness.

-Pinkie Pie’s Fearverse-

Grey.

Everything was grey around Twilight. The ground, the sky, the houses, the trees, and even the walls. The walls were especially grey. Twilight wasn’t shocked by this but this seems very unnerving. Twilight looked around. It seems like everything that had any life and color in it was completely drained. Twilight saw some activity in the center of the town. Twilight took a glance at it. There were ponies walking in a row, each of them doing it in sync. There were all walking past a large poster that had a red and gold symbol on top but Twilight couldn’t tell what it was. It kind of looked like an equal sign. In front of the sign was a unicorn saying stuff into a microphone. Twilight didn’t know why but there was something awfully familiar about her. Twilight shuddered. She hopes that this is the only time she has to see this unicorn. Twilight could hear what she was saying and even her voice was creepy.

“This is a harmonious society.” The unicorn droned on. “Practice is the sole criterion from facts. Seek the truth from the facts. We are all equal.”

Twilight turned away and began looking for a place Pinkie Pie would be at. She remembers Pinkie Pie saying something about growing up on a rock farm. Twilight tries to look for directions for a rock farm. Then she came upon a street where there were a bunch of fillies playing in front of the houses. Each house was creepily identical. The fillies were the scary part. They were playing games, skipping rope, and bouncing balls in the same rhythm. Twilight felt the pattern drilling in her mind. It was discomforting just looking at it. Twilight quickly turned away and ran down until she spots the outskirts of Ponyville.

“Okay, horn,” Twilight told her magic appendage. “Show me where is Pinkie Pie.”

The horn seems to know what she was talking about. It dragged her past the houses and into a large rock field. Twilight kept her eyes peeled for Pinkie Pie. She could be anywhere around here. Finally, Twilight found her. She was pushing a bunch of rocks with her nose in the middle of the field, muttering to herself. Twilight ran up to the hill, yelling her name.

“Pinkie! Pinkie!” Twilight cried out.

“No talking, no smiling, only rocks.” Pinkie Pie kept muttering.

“Pinkie, we need you!” Twilight said once she was in front of Pinkie Pie.

Pinkie Pie looked utterly confused as if she didn’t even recognize Twilight. Twilight noticed there was something off with Pinkie Pie. Her mane was flat, her body was discolored, and one of her eyes was twitching. Twilight didn’t know why but this new Pinkie looked less like her friend and more like one who would do the most horrible, notorious things imaginable. Twilight felt she got her too late. She had to do something quick.

“Look, Pinkie-” Twilight began to say but suddenly her back hoof slipped.

Twilight found herself slipping off the top of the hill. Twilight tried to gain traction but it didn’t matter. She slips off and began to fall down the side of the hill. Twilight braced for impact as she tumbled down the rocky hill. But the pain wasn’t as severe as should be. Twilight felt herself bounce a couple of times before she landed hard on the ground. Twilight groaned. She looked up to see Pinkie Pie staring down at her. And to see a huge boulder coming down from the side of the hill and right towards her. Twilight had just enough time to react.

“Oh, perfect” Twilight said in a deadpan voice.

The boulder landed on her with crushing force that would normally kill a unicorn. But the rules of physics didn’t seem to be applying much in this realm. Must be taking a few notes from the owner of this nightmare, Twilight thought. She felt the pain hit her but it seems to be neglected. It didn’t kill her but it was still heavy enough to push her into the ground. Twilight tries to lift the boulder. She almost got to move before a pink blur started to push it off her. Twilight looked to see Pinkie Pie completely scared and worried, something Twilight never thought she would see on her friend’s face for Pinkie was more of an optimistic, hyperactive pony than most of the ponies Twilight has meet. Twilight got out of the crater and shook the feeling back to her body.

“Are you all right?” Pinkie asked.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Twilight said, brushing the dust off of her forelegs. “Not much worse than getting hit by an anvil.”

“You got hit by an anvil?” asked a flabbergasted Pinkie Pie.

“Yeah, I think so.” Twilight struggled to remember. “I think it was after the piano but before seeing the hydra. I honestly can’t tell at this point. It was the day I try to find out about your Pinkie Sense. It bugged me so much because it makes no sense to me.”

“Well, duh.” Pinkie Pie said in a tone dead voice. “It is my sense after all.”

“Oh,” Twilight said quietly. “That’s true.”

The two of them sat in silence for a moment before they suddenly both burst out into a fit of laughter. Their laughter was so strong that they fell to the ground. As Pinkie Pie continued to laugh, her color began to return to her body. Her flat mane became poofy and inflated. The two of them laughed and laughed. Tears began to roll down their faces. Color began to return to the world. After a good couple of minutes of laughter, the two friends began to get themselves back together.

“I don’t know why that’s so funny,” Twilight said as she wiped away a tear.

“Me neither.” Pinkie Pie let out, bursting into a smile.

“I guess it is time for us to get Rarity next,” Twilight announced. “Hopefully I won’t have an anvil fall on me this time.”

“Yeah, maybe you need your own Twilight Sense.” Pinkie Pie chuckled. “Can’t have stuff fall on you all the time or else you might break something.”

“Yeah, that will be a barrel of laughs,” Twilight muttered. Then she too started to let out a series of giggles.

The two of them continued to snicker and giggle as the world started to dissolve. It fades away into nothingness and then they too were gone.

-Sugarcube Corner-

Twilight and Pinkie Pie returned to reality with a fit of giggles. Twilight and Pinkie were feeling much better now, better after dealing with the terror of the last few hours. Twilight looked outside to see the eerie stillness that had engulfed all of Ponyville. The rain and wind kept on going but everything else was gone. There was no movement outside, no wendigos, no ponies, and no crystals appearing out of the ground. Everything was too still. Like a large calm before the storm delivers a final blow. Twilight didn’t like it, not one bit.

Pinkie was still laughing when Applejack came galloping in.

“What’s going on?” Applejack asked. “Are you guys all right?”

“Oh, Twilight just got me out of that crazy world.” Pinkie Pie said as she got off of her bed. “We were just talking about how Twilight was hit by an anvil. Or was it a boulder?”

“Yes,” Twilight said as she looked down to the floor, pondering the situation. Then she looked at Applejack. “But we still need Rarity and Rainbow Dash if we are going to use the Elements to stop King Sombra’s attack. But King Sombra has to know what we are up to by now. This seems to be too easy for us. I’d expect King Sombra to have all six of us to be heavily guarded or something. It should be like a trap he had last time.”

“Well, you might want-a reconsider that thought processes before we try to get to Rarity and Rainbow Dash.” Applejack said blatantly. “Because I have a hunch of where them wendigos might be heading. They all went away right after you enter Pinkie Pie’s room.”

“Great, that definitely means King Sombra is aware of us being awake,” Twilight exclaimed. “I was hoping he won’t notice since he is not connected to his old horn. Now I don’t know how we can get to Rarity or Rainbow Dash with his forces alerted.”

“Pshhh, don’t worry about it.” Pinkie Pie told Twilight brightly. “We’ll get them out.”

“What makes you so sure?” Twilight turned to Pinkie Pie.

“Well, you got me and Applejack out.” Pinkie Pie pointed out.

“And Fluttershy” Applejack informed her.

“And Fluttershy,” Pinkie Pie resumed to her statement. “That’s three out of five. If we keep at it then we can have all of our friends free from their crazy world. Then we can stop King Sombra and his evil army of wendigos from taking over Equestria and save our world from terror, destruction, and unlimited doom! Especially unlimited doom! It will be like old times, nothing compared to fighting Discord. I believe we will have Equestria back to normal before the day ends. Then nothing bad will ever happen again.”

Twilight felt a small smile “You really believe that, Pinkie?”

“Believe it?” Pinkie Pie said as she jumped up to the ceiling. “I know it!”

“Okay then, girls.” Twilight rallied up her friends. “I don’t know what King Sombra plans on throwing at us but with you gals at my side, I believe we will beat this.”

Twilight let her horn glow with her magic.

“We can do this!”

-Ponyville: Carousel Boutique-

“We can’t do that!”

Twilight looked at where Rarity’s place is at. Surrounding the clothing store was near all the storm wendigos who were circling the building. They have wrapped the store in a vortex of wind similar to a tornado. Twilight could see a pair of them ready to strike the moment they try to approach the store. Twilight was able to find cover in a small porch for her gang but in order to get to Rarity’s place, they will have to go out into the open. Twilight didn’t want to risk having her friends be attacked but it seems they have no choice. The longer they continued gathering, the more powerful they will become.

“We have to get to Rarity’s place,” Twilight said to herself. “But how?”

“I may at times be a few apples short of a bushel,” Applejack told Twilight. “But how are we going to get past that?” She pointed to the wall of wind. “That there wind will be strong enough to knock us to the ground. And with them wendigos flying about, we will be exposed!”

“Yes, I know,” Twilight said. “But how can we get to Rarity’s?”

“Maybe a distraction?” the quiet voice of Fluttershy suggested.

“No, we can’t split up.” Twilight tried to think of something better.

“Oooh, a distraction?” Pinkie Pie was curious.

“No, no, no.” Twilight groaned in frustration. “We can’t split up and I can’t teleport there. I may have enough energy for a single jump but Rarity is too far. We have to go out in the open and the wendigos will have us cornered. I don’t know what we can do now. Wait here and let the wendigos tear this town apart or run out in the open? I am totally unprepared for this! This isn’t like my test! I’m going to fail! I’m going to fail Rarity and I’m going to fail Rainbow Dash. Worst of all, I’m going to fail Princess Celestia and all of Equestria! I can’t do this!”

Twilight slammed her head against a wooden post, hyperventilating and sobbing uncontrollably. Fluttershy put her hoof around Twilight, comforting Twilight. She looked out into the stormy wall of wind with great intensity. She felt anxiety just looking at it. But she comforted Twilight. Now was not the time for them to panic. Fluttershy figures they will find a way in. Right now, Twilight just needs to take a breather. They couldn’t just go at this without thinking first.

“It is okay, Twilight,” Fluttershy said softly. “I know the pressure is too much. We just have to take baby steps, that’s all.”

“But-but-but-how can I-” Twilight began to say.

“Shhhh, you can’t keep blaming yourself, Twilight.” Fluttershy reminded her. “We are all in this together and we’ll figure a way out together. Don’t put the pressure all on yourself or you’ll snap. And I don’t want you to snap. Just breathe and think of the most calming places.”

Fluttershy’s words were calm and soothing. It made Twilight feel better.

“Thanks, Fluttershy,” Twilight told her as she wipes away a tear. “I really began to lose it.”

“It’s all right,” Fluttershy said. “Just remember, we’ve beaten Nightmare Moon. We can definitely do this.”

“Yeah, I guess even with teleportation, having you guys-” Twilight began to say. Then she paused with realization. “Fluttershy, what did you say?”

“About Nightmare Moon?”

“Yeah,” Twilight said and then she gasped, her face lighting up. “Fluttershy, you’re a genius!” Twilight exclaimed.

“I am?” Fluttershy was taken aback.

“You see I don’t have to teleport to Rarity.” Twilight turned to her friends. There is a way we can get to Rarity together. Now we have to gallop as fast as we can. Do you trust me?”

Applejack and Pinkie Pie looked at each other and then back at Twilight.

“Aww shoot, Twilight.” Applejack said, kicking her front hoof up. “You know I’ll trust as long as Celestia keeps the days shining.”

“All, right. We have to do this quick.” Twilight told them. “Everyone ready?”

“Ready, steady, and jumpy to your favorite candy.” Pinkie Pie told her.

“I’m, I’m ready,” Fluttershy said quietly.

“Okay, let’s do this.” Twilight turned to the general direction. “On my mark, get set….GO!”

The four ponies burst out from the hidden location and into the street. As expected, the wendigos leaped out of the sky and start to dive towards the group. They were able to gain enough ground before they were closing in. Soon they were only a few feet away from the whirlwind. But the wendigos were closing in on their trap. Three were coming in from behind, two were coming from above, and four were coming from each side. They let out a hiss of energy, sparks flying from their mouth. It seems like they’re about to strike. Then a flash of purple light and the ponies were gone.

The wendigos roared furiously. They turn to see that Twilight’s company were within the vortex. Twilight felt dizzy, her body completely weak. She never thought she could teleport her friends like that but good thing it worked. Twilight was able to walk a few feet before she started to stagger. Applejack picked her up and help her get inside Rarity’s home. The four of them entered the building as the vortex started to close in.

Applejack set Twilight to the side as she shut the door.

“Are you okay, sugarcube?” Applejack asked.

“Yes, I’m fine,” Twilight said, wearily. “I just need a minute.”

“Well, that minute better hurry up fast,” Pinkie Pie spoke up. “Because I think these storm wendigos might have noticed us.”

She pointed to the incoming wall of wind. Twilight stood up. She couldn’t afford to stop now. She had to keep going. She turned to the center of the room where Fluttershy was comforting a small filly. Sweetie Belle was crying over Rarity who was completely still just like Applejack was. Twilight felt her heartstrings tugged. She hated herself for not coming here sooner. There was no time to waste. She approached Rarity.

Sweetie Belle looked up to Twilight. “You are going to save, Rarity?”

A determined look appeared on Twilight’s face.

“You have my word.” Twilight informed her.

And without further delay, Twilight plunged herself into Rarity’s mind.

-Rarity’s Fearverse-

Twilight found herself once again in the middle of Ponyville. But like the others, this one was different. The entire town was desolated, old, and nearly in complete ruins. Every town looked like it was ransacked and broken. Twilight didn’t have time to look around. Time was of the essence. She quickly checked every street and houses for a sign of her unicorn friend. But to were to no avail. Then Twilight began to hear a new sound. Yelling and groaning. Twilight looked to the direction of the sound. It was somewhere east of Ponyville. She ran to the fields and up to the top of a hill. There she came upon an abysmal sight.

Piles upon piles of gems were all over the field as far as the eye can see. The ground was turned up and destroyed as it seems like something was searching for these gems. Down below, there were hundreds of ponies all chained up and forced to carry carts of gems. They were miserable, dirty, and malnourished. Twilight found it sick. She trotted down the hill to find out who would do such a thing. She didn’t have to look far. Holding whips and barking orders was a species Twilight hoped to never have to encounter again. Diamond Dogs.

Diamond Dogs were patrolling the rows of gems, ordering the ponies to move faster. They were vicious, brutal, and totally more relentless than the ones Twilight had encountered before. She didn’t she could get by without them noticing. But the Diamond Dogs were more focus on their captured ponies than the one running around. Twilight even catch the stuff they were saying and they were things Twilight never wanted to hear.

“Work, ponies, work!” one of them shouted. “Work or die! We are in charge!”

“Work for us, work faster!” Another one said. “For we are in charge. For the sun will never set when we rule the land. No night! No sleeping! Your precious princesses belong to us now.”

Twilight suddenly heard a familiar voice. She turned to the direction where she saw a white unicorn taking care of another pony. Twilight came running up to her. Rarity was trying to get a pony to drink some water. The pony was gracious. But as she was about to drink, a whip came out of nowhere and smack the bowl of water out of the pony’s face. Rarity was taken aback as Twilight looked up. In front of Rarity was a large, tough-looking Diamond Dog who towered over her. Rarity wasn’t impressed. She gave this Diamond Dog the meanest, angry stare she could muster.

“How dare you?” Rarity said to the Diamond Dog. “The poor thing was thirsty. You can’t keep her working like this.”

“Too bad.” The leader of the Diamond Dogs told her. “You ponies work! You work! Work or die! We are in charge! You work! We profit!”

But it’s not just fair!” Rarity whined.

“You be quiet!” The Diamond Dog raised his whip.

Before he could bring it down, Twilight leaped up. She grabbed the whip with her mouth and force the dog to stagger. The Diamond Dog turned around. He saw Twilight and let a nasty growl. Twilight didn’t care. She stood her ground. Then the Diamond Dog struck. Twilight, however, was able to evade his attack, allowing him to crash into a pile of gems. The gems start to collapse. Twilight could see the Diamond Dog struggling to get out of the avalanche of gems. Twilight turned to Rarity who looked amazed.

“Twilight?” she said. “You came to rescue me?”

“Let’s not count this as a rescue yet,” Twilight said as she noticed the dogs were beginning to circle her.

“I would help but my legs are chained and can’t perform my magic.” Rarity informed her. “I did bring my sewing needle but I can’t reach my lock.”

Twilight saw that they were being surrounded. Two Diamond Dogs was holding a leash that holding three ravage, vicious dogs that were barking and snarling. Twilight realizes she couldn’t escape without Rarity. This Fearverse was determined to keep Twilight here. Perhaps a part of King Sombra’s plan? Whatever the case, Twilight would have to keep these dogs at bay long enough for Rarity to escape. But Rarity didn’t have any magic left. She must have spent it all trying to help the ponies in here. Darn it, Twilight thought. If only she knows that none of this is real. Twilight tried to think of a solution. It wasn’t easy as the dogs were bearing down on her. Then Twilight came up with a plan. A risky plan but a plan nevertheless.

“Rarity, take my magic,” Twilight told her.

“What?” Rarity said. “Your magic?”

“Yes, use it to unlock and free yourself,” Twilight told her. “I’ll distract the Diamond Dogs until you are free. I can keep them at bay for long as you need.”

“But, darling-”

“No buts!” Twilight said and with one, last effort she let out a spark of energy that traveled from her to Rarity. “Now get out of here.”

It was just in time too because the Diamond Dogs let loose their minion dogs and they came right for Twilight. Twilight was able to evade a few as she zigzagged all over the field of gems. It didn’t keep them off for long. Soon they were cornering Twilight against a mountain of gems. Twilight was prepared for this. She lifted her horn and try to produce a spark. This causes the dogs to hesitate. This gave Twilight enough time to jump onto the gem mountain behind her and began to climb.

Twilight was able to climb a lot farther than the dogs were able too. She soon was on top of the gem pile. She looked around to see the dogs circling her. Then suddenly a gem came flying. Twilight looked to her left and saw a group of Diamond Dogs throwing gems at her. They weren’t able to hit her but Twilight saw what they were doing. They were making her footing unstable. Twilight was trapped. She tried to back away but there was no room. Then she saw a Diamond Dog climbing up the gem pile next to her. He was smiling evilly, think he had her now. The Diamond Dog leaped.

Suddenly a gem came flying at the airborne Diamond Dog. He fell down screaming, hitting another pile of gems. Twilight looked to see Rarity was free. She started to pelt the dogs with the gems. This causes the dogs to scatter, allowing Twilight to get down. She slid down and landed next to Rarity. Rarity was smiling at her beautiful triumph. Twilight turned to her.

“So now how do we escape?” Twilight asked.

“Not to worry, dear.” Rarity said, brushing her mane. “For where there is a will, there's a way. And I-” Rarity paused as a Diamond Dog leap out of nowhere. Rarity reacted by simply kicking the dog right into a pile of gems. “Have a way.” She finished.

Rarity turned around and started to head back to Ponyville. Twilight turned to catch up with her. She didn’t know what Rarity was up too but she hoped it would be helpful. Twilight grew more doubt when Rarity started to pick up random gems. Twilight was about to remind her that this was no time to be picking up gems when she started to throw them at random slave ponies. Then Rarity used the gems to break the chains off. The ponies were overcome with joy.

“Be free my fellow ponies!” Rarity shouted to all of them. “Let us not enslaved like a common beast!”

“Rarity, what are doing?” Twilight had to ask. “They are not real…oh!”

Twilight realized what Rarity was doing. By freeing the other ponies, they started to run around and looking for an escape route. The Diamond Dogs found themselves in utter confusion. Real or not, dreams or not, they were acting like any normal dog would do. They were panicking. The slaves were overrunning the Diamond Dogs who had no choice but to retreat. This gave Twilight and Rarity and opportunity to escape.

“Thanks for come getting me, Twilight.” Rarity said as they were making it to the town.

“You’re welcome, Rarity,” Twilight said. “Now I hope we can exit this nightmare soon.”

Right on cue, the world began to fade away. Twilight was happy to escape this horrible land. Now there was one thought that was singing in her head. One more to go.

-Ponyville: Carousel Boutique-

Twilight and Rarity woke up with a start. The house was shaking and stuff was beginning to fly around. All of them remain in the center of the room as the tornado was starting to rip up Rarity’s home. The walls were being torn apart, the windows were breaking, and the chairs were starting to fly up into the ceiling. All of them were paralyzed with the mere sight of this sudden destruction. All except Applejack who pulled a rug to the side to reveal a trapdoor.

“Quick, Y'all!” she told everyone. “Into the cellar!”

Twilight, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Sweetie Belle, Fluttershy, and Applejack divided into Rarity’s basement as the house started to collapse and rip apart by the fierce winds. They manage to get in just in time. The ground was shaking by the mere force of the wendigos who were using all they can to stop Twilight. Luckily the ponies were safe in the darkness down below. Although how long they were going to stay here was anypony’s guest.

Applejack managed to find the matches and lit one. “I didn’t even know you had a basement, Rarity.” Applejack said as she held the match gently in the mouth and use it to light a lantern. “It was lucky you did or otherwise we be trapped in here like mice in a snake hole.”

“Yes, well it is where I keep my old dresses and unused display mannequins.” Rarity informed her as she continued to stare at the ceiling where her home was being destroyed.

“Hey,” Twilight put her hoof on Rarity’s shoulder. “Don’t worry about it. I’m sure we can rebuild it. The important thing is that we got you and Sweetie Belle out of harm’s way.”

“Yes, I supposed that’s true.” Rarity said, her eyes quivering. “It’s just all my hard work, my home, my….OPAL!”

Rarity leaped up to the door but Twilight and Fluttershy hold her back. It was just in time too because suddenly the shaking stopped. It was followed quickly by a loud THUD that made everypony jump. Rarity began to sob uncontrollably into Fluttershy’s body as Twilight back away, staring at the ceiling. Various noises began to play out. Glass breaking, wood snapping, something large scratching at the ground. Then a haunting howl echoed from above them. More movement came from various directions. Applejack came up next to Twilight. She too was looking at the ceiling.

“I think they are looking for us.” Applejack said.

Suddenly everypony went still. They didn’t dare make a sound. Even Rarity kept her sobbing to small whimper. The noises continued. It wasn’t until another howl came from somewhere far off did the searching end. One by one the scratching stopped. Everypony let out a sigh of relief. The danger has passed for now. Now the question was to see if the coast was clear. Twilight turned to Pinkie Pie.

“Pinkie, check to see if we are safe,” Twilight asked her pink friend.

“On it!” Pinkie Pie said and she bounced up to the door.

“Now, all we have to do is find Rainbow Dash,” Twilight said.

“I think a got a hankering of where she might be at, Twilight.” Applejack said as they walked up the stairs. “But you ain’t gonna like it.”

“Where?”

“She too was hoping for a package like us.” Applejack said. “So she went home right before this whole mess happen.”

“Her home?” Twilight thought about it for a moment before it hit her with a dark realization. Rainbow Dash’s home was right in the sky. Right where the wendigos were patrolling. How was she to get up there without being spotted? Guess it didn’t matter that she didn’t get all her other friends if one is still held captive. And the last time she tried to use the Elements without Rainbow Dash, things did not go well. Twilight felt almost defeated. But she won’t allow herself to think like that. Rainbow Dash won’t give up. So neither will her.

The crew arrived above ground. All around them were the ruins of Carousel Boutique. Rarity let out a surprised gasp, tears building up in her eyes. Twilight looked to the area around them. The rain had almost completely dissipated. Only a fine drizzle came down on Ponyville. The wind and lightning were absent too. Yet the eerie calm still lingers over the town. Twilight felt like time was running out. This was the end game. If King Sombra were to strike, now would be the time. But with the exception of the few crystals that littered the streets, all seems normal. It seems King Sombra is up to something, Twilight thought. But what could it be?

Twilight stepped out of the hole. No sooner as she done so when something white, fast, and furious came out of the blue and attack her face.

“AHHHHHH!” Twilight screamed.

“OPAL!” Rarity cry out in joy.

Rarity’s pet cat hissed angrily as it bounced off of Twilight and out into the streets.

“Oh, Opal come back here.” Rarity chased after her cat.

Twilight shook her face, giving herself a minute to recover from that cat attack. She then looks at the overcast sky above her. There was not a wendigo in sight anymore. But Twilight had a bad feeling where they might be. She tried to use a spell to find them but her horn glowed feebly. Twilight groaned again. She still needs time to recover. She can’t use a cloud walking spell now. And she needs to use her magic to get Rainbow Dash out. Twilight began to think. She had an idea, a risky one like what she had to do to save Rarity. Granted this one will not just put herself in danger but others as well. Yet the entire Equestria was in danger. They have to risk it. Twilight turned to her friends.

“Applejack, Pinkie Pie,” Twilight told them. “You gather all the ponies that are remaining in town. Get them to safety. Once I get Rainbow Dash, there is no telling what King Sombra will do next. We need to get everyone out of harm’s way.”

“On it!” They both replied.

“Fluttershy, I need you to help me get to Rainbow Dash’s place.”

“Me?” Fluttershy was taken aback. “I know I am a pegasus and such. But I can’t do anything helpful.”

“Yes you can, Fluttershy,” Twilight told her. “You are the only one I trust who can lend me a hoof in getting Rainbow Dash. I just need you and couple of items.”

“All right. I do my best.” Fluttershy agreed. “But what items do you need?”

“Rope. Lots of it.”

-Above Ponyville-

Twilight’s assumption of where the wendigos were at was correct. Above the layer of clouds that had blanketed nearly all of Equestria, the wendigos were patrolling the sky, waiting for a disturbance. It wasn't long before their senses alerted them to something breaching the clouds. Three groups came down on the scene. It was coming up right near where Rainbow Dash lives. In a matter of minutes, the pack of wendigos was surrounding the intruder. Only it wasn’t a pegasus. It was a hot air balloon. It rose up for a few seconds, taking the wendigos by complete surprise. They stared at it for a few moments before one of them let out a bolt of lightning, blowing up the balloon. It seems like nothing else was on it.

That, however, was the point. While the wendigos were attacking the aircraft, a pegasus and a unicorn were rising out of the sky and right towards the cloud house. Twilight was hanging on desperately as Fluttershy struggles to get to Rainbow Dash’s home. They manage to make it. Fluttershy landed on the cloud, panting with effort. She wasn’t used to carrying something as heavy as a unicorn this far. Twilight, meanwhile test the clouds to see if it was safe for walking. It was. Twilight let out a sigh of relief. It seems Rainbow Dash made her house safe for earth dwelling creatures. Twilight proceeded to enter Rainbow Dash’s home.

It didn’t take long before Twilight found Rainbow Dash. She was laying on her couch, twitching. Her cyan body looked cold and sick. Twilight wonders if the Fear Gem was doing its best to keep Rainbow Dash trap. Given how bold and brave Rainbow was, Twilight wouldn’t be surprised that King Sombra was trying his best to fight Rainbow Dash. Before she could proceed to get Rainbow Dash back to reality, Fluttershy let out a scream. Twilight ran out to see what it was.

No sooner did she got outside did it became clear that they were spotted. The wendigos were coming from every direction. Their red eyes were glaring with such a burning rage that Twilight could feel their hatred from here. They were going to flank the house, catch them by their blind side. Twilight hope this didn’t happen. She began rummaging through her bags.

“King Sombra must have had alarms set off as soon as I enter Rainbow Dash’s home like he did at the Crystal Empire,” Twilight said to Fluttershy. She could feel the hairs on the back of her neck standing up. The wendigos were tough to kill. Twilight didn't have the means to kill them. But she knew this was going to happen. She had a plan ready, though. King Sombra is good at predicted my moves, Twilight thought. Well, two can play this game.

“Wh-What are we going to do?” Fluttershy asked.

Twilight started to tie ropes to the columns of Rainbow Dash’s home. She hated doing them manually. But she needed to save her magic for Rainbow Dash. Once she recharges, then she can do everything the normal way. She grabs the ropes and started to tie them to Fluttershy.

“You are going to fly us out of here,” Twilight ordered Fluttershy. “We are sitting ducks here in the open. We need to move now!”

“But I-I-I can’t move an entire house by myself,” Fluttershy said.

“Yes, you can!” Twilight said. “You help us get Rainbow Dash before and we can do it again. Remember Discord. Remember getting water for Cloudsdale. You can do this. I believe you.”

Fluttershy gave Twilight a small, pleading look before a look of determination took over her. She jumped off the clouds and start to head to the sky. The house gave a mighty jerk but eventually picked up speed. The wendigos realize this and try to intercept. But as they got closer, Fluttershy put in all her effort and dived down. The house followed, sinking underneath the wendigos. The wendigos howled in frustration as their prey slipped past them. Twilight meanwhile was going towards Rainbow Dash. She lit up her horn.

“Hope this is quick,” Twilight said to herself as she heard thunder rumble from above.

She touches her horn on Rainbow Dash’s head and she was plunge quickly into her nightmares.

-Rainbow Dash’s Fearverse-

Twilight found herself caught off guard. In all of her other friends’ Fearverse, she was greeted with a despair version of Ponyville. In here, however, it was sunny, clean, and above all, happy. Twilight realized that she was also not in Ponyville. She was high above the ground, probably somewhere in Cloudsdale. All around her were crowds of pegasi who were cheering immensely. What they were cheering for was pretty obvious. Twilight turned to see a small race being perform right in front of her. The crowd went wild as one racer cleared a difficult barrier. Twilight wasn’t a betting pony but she guessed that Rainbow Dash was one of these racers. She began to approach the race when a voice began to speak up.

“Ah, yes what a fantastic start to our annual Tour of the Clouds.” The voice said in a delightful tone. “It is a beautiful day here in Cloudsdale where we get to see the best pegasus flyers from all around Equestria compete in a race that has attracted everypony around.”

Twilight could see that as she tries to scan for Rainbow Dash. It shouldn’t be that hard to spot her.

“It looks like a crowd favorite is just appearing on the stage,” The announcer said. “One of Ponyville’s finest flyers, the most talked about pegasus this year, it is Rainbow Dash!”

Twilight looked up to see Rainbow Dash flying into the stadium followed by another group of pegasi.

“Can this rookie possibly beat the records set by this race and become champion?” the announcer pondered. “It is difficult to decide. Her competition is closing in on her. Soarin, a Wonderbolts veteran, has won the Tour of Clouds six times thus far. He is aiming to break the record with seven. Can this champion stop the rookie or will his hopes be dash by none other than Rainbow Dash? This stage will be the deciding factor. It seems like they are neck to neck. They’re weaving through the cloud cones. They are going over the rainbow ridges. It seems they are getting closer to the exit. They have to fly over the pits. Hopefully, the snow doesn’t freeze their wings and oh!”

The crowd gasped. In a quick move, Soarin knocked down a cloud full of snow, hitting Rainbow Dash with full force. The impact knocked Rainbow Dash down. It caused her to spin and crashed right into a cloud. She tries to get up but her body seems completely frozen, her wings glued shut. Rainbow Dash tries to gain ground as she starts to slip off the cloud and dangle over the open sky. Twilight quickly started to leap to Rainbow Dash, hopping from cloud to cloud.

Rainbow Dash pleaded for help. Soarin paused. He stops moving forward in the race. He turned around and head to Rainbow Dash. At first, Twilight though he was going to help Rainbow Dash. But then she saw a wicked grin appeared on his face. He stepped towards Rainbow Dash who was struggling to keep herself in the cloud. Then Soarin lunged forward and slam his hooves on top of Rainbow Dash’s.

“We don’t need someone like you around,” he growled into Rainbow Dash’s ear. “We are better off without you. You are an embarrassment to the rest of us. I don’t need someone like you beating me. You are not Wonderbolt material. You're not even pegasus material. Now get out of my sight. Long live the Wonderbolts!”

And the Soarin pushed Rainbow Dash off of the cloud.

“No!” Twilight let out as Rainbow Dash fell down, her wings completely worthless.

Seeing Rainbow Dash falling caught Twilight by surprise. There was only one course of action she can do. She leaped off of the cloud and dived right after Rainbow Dash. She narrowed her body, trying to keep up with Rainbow Dash who was flailing about. Twilight inched closer to her. But she was getting out of reach.

“Ugh, I really wish I had wings right about now,” Twilight said before she let out a huge sneeze.

Finally Twilight was able to catch up with Rainbow Dash. Twilight grabbed onto her, hoping they can find a way to get Rainbow Dash to fly again. Twilight really did not want to test if falling to the ground in this nightmare will end badly or not. She shook Rainbow Dash. Rainbow Dash was taken aback.

“Twilight, what are you doing here?” she asked.

“Rescuing you,” Twilight said. “Although judging by how we are falling to the ground, I would say it is not going as planned.”

“What are we going to do?” Rainbow Dash said, terrified. This was so unlike the Rainbow Dash, Twilight knew. She was running out options. And space between the ground. She had to snap Rainbow Dash out of it.

“You have to fly us out of here,” Twilight begged her. “You are the only one that can do it.”

“But I can’t!” Rainbow Dah admitted. “I’m not that good. Everypony knows it. I am not the best flyer in Equestria. I keep trying and trying but I always fail! I am disappointing everypony. I’m a complete and utter disappointment. I am a failure.”

“No, you are not,” Twilight yelled over the wind. “You are the best flyer I know.”

“Am I?” Rainbow Dash asked bitterly. “Am I really?”

“Yes, you are!” Twilight told her angrily. “You can do this. Don’t believe the words I’m saying. Believe in yourself!”

Rainbow Dash looked defeated. She closed her eyes. For a moment, Twilight felt like all was lost. Then Rainbow Dash opens her eyes, a fiery passion burning in her. She began to free her wings. The two of them were falling fast now. Twilight thought they were going to hit the ground. She closed her eyes and hope Rainbow Dash would be able to pull up in time. She held her breath.

Then suddenly she was jerk upwards. Twilight opened her eyes to see Rainbow Dash flying them both away from the ground. They were flying fast, faster than Twilight could ever hope or dream. As they were soaring above the sky, the world began to fade away and they returned to reality.

Now it was time to face the king.

-Rainbow Dash’s house-

The two ponies jumped out of the dream and back into reality. Twilight had time to look around the see the wendigos were doing their best to destroy Rainbow Dash’s home. Bolts of lightning were ripping the house apart, destroying the clouds walls. It was becoming clear that they were catching up with them. Twilight looked out to see Fluttershy completely exhausted as she did her best to get them out of here. Before Twilight could think of a plan to escape, a fast, blue blur went past her and took hold of the ropes. Twilight felt her body fly backward as the cloud house tripled in speed. Rainbow Dash flew them out of the wendigo’s range and completely left them behind.

It was after a few minutes did Rainbow Dash slow down. Twilight doesn’t know where they were at or where Ponyville was but it seems they have completely lost the wendigos for now. Twilight regain her balance and laid down for a bit, panting. All this mind diving was really hard on her. Fluttershy came next to her, tired and worn out. Twilight knew they should be heading back but she just needed to rest for a minute. Rainbow Dash was checking on her damaged house. She went inside to check on her pet tortoise, Tank. Twilight looked at the setting sun. Has it really been only a day when all this was happening? It felt like forever. Then Twilight looked at the sun again, a horrible thought dawning on her. Celestia and Luna might be trapped! But then how are they still controlling the sky? Were they still fighting King Sombra’s reign of terror? Or were they completely lost somewhere far away, not knowing what is happening? Twilight didn’t know what to believe but she hopes she’ll be able to find the Princesses.

“Well, it could have been worst.” Rainbow Dash said, holding Tank. “I mean it is not like a can simply rebuild with the clouds around.”

Twilight and Fluttershy were too exhausted to acknowledge this.

“So, what’s going on?” Rainbow Dash turned to the purple unicorn. “Who’s doing this? Where’s Princesses Celestia? Where’s the rest of the gang?”

Twilight explain everything as best as she could. When Twilight was done, Rainbow Dash flew up in anger.

“That fiend!” Rainbow Dash said to the sky. “That no good unicorn! He’ll pay for this!”

“The only problem is I don’t know where King Sombra is at,” Twilight said, getting up.

“Don’t worry, Twilight.” Rainbow Dash said. “We’ll find him.”

“How?”

“You forgot,” Rainbow Dash leaped up and quickly flew in a loop above Twilight. “You have the fastest flyers in Equestria. I can cover all of Equestria in ten seconds flat!”

Twilight simply raised one of her eyebrows.

“Okay, maybe not ten seconds flat” Rainbow Dash reframed. “But I can find an evil fortress that King Sombra is hiding before the day goes out.”

“That’s awesome, Rainbow Dash,” Twilight said politely. “But I think I have a plan to find King Sombra.”

“You do?” Fluttershy asked.

“Yes, I do.” Twilight looked down to the ground below and then up to the sun. She is ready to end this. No longer would she allowed King Sombra to hurt her friends. It is time to stop him from harming Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, and all of Equestria.

“Come on, girls. Let’s assemble our group. It is time for us to strike back.”

-Ponyville-

The town of Ponyville remained in the tense stillness that hovers over the area for the past few hours. It seems that even the atmosphere knew that something was happening. Everypony in the area was evacuating or hiding from the storm monsters that have attacked their homes. Now it seems like a final battle was being set up. It was wise for the town to clear way. Who knows what could happen next? Only the outcome of this battle will decide. All they can do is hope.

Coming up the street were the only ponies brave enough to face King Sombra and his powerful army. Twilight was leading the group, her eyes focusing on the road ahead. Following her were Applejack who remain sullen and quiet, Rarity who eyes were darting everywhere nervously, Pinkie Pie bouncing up and down next to Fluttershy who was trying to be indistinguishable among her friends, and Rainbow Dash who was flying above them, ready to attack anything that could be dangerous. The crew was nervous. They feel like they could be walking into a trap. They had their Elements on, ready to use them at a moment’s notice. But the feeling that something was watching them never wore off. Still, the Elements brought a certain warmth and courage that kindle inside their bodies. If they were going to fight, then it was best they have their heads up.

Twilight’s idea of finding King Sombra seems simple enough: use the Fear Gems. They have a hidden connection to the dark lord who had to use them to against Twilight and her friends. It was to ensure that they were shown their most troubling fears to keep them occupied. But as Twilight dismantle the defenses and rescue her friends, the gems became inert and the power inside remained in flux. Normally this would leave it vulnerable for one to destroy. But Twilight sense that King Sombra had it connected to him for a reason. Whether to ensure their fulfilled their job or to alert him of their presences, Twilight could only spectate the reasoning. However, it was a mistake either way. For he was connected the Fear Gems by making it out of his old horn. And any talented unicorn could use a spell that would track anypony if they left something behind. Twilight just happens to be a talented unicorn.

“Now, hopefully, this will work,” Twilight said as she connects the two pieces. Her magic was almost fully restored thanks to some food and the Element resting on her head. She put the two red gems together and then cast her tracking spell. The magic glowed for a moment before it started flashing in the direction that led to the center of the town. Twilight looked at the bearings.

“Girls, King Sombra is center of Ponyville,” Twilight announced.

“Then let’s get over there and stop him.” Rainbow Dash said impatiently.

“Hold it,” Twilight said, holding her hoof up. “Something is not right. It is like I’m getting two-”

Just then a roar echoed through the town. The six ponies looked up to see a wall of darkness falling from the sky. Something large was enclosing the entire center of the town, an entire structure was made of obsidian rock and steel. It was shaped like a large citadel, similar to the one in the Crystal Empire only it was on top was made of black crystals and earth. The fortress was ascending above the entire town. Twilight saw a stream of bright, purple light coming up from the tallest tower and up towards the sky.

Figures began to emerge out of the clouds and suddenly an army of wendigos was emerging out of the clouds above. A cold chill erupted from the center, sending a wave of howling wind and ice across the landscape. The roads all over the town begin to freeze over. Ice was forming everywhere along with large crystals emerging from all around them. The group was suddenly facing an offensive attack. They braced themselves for the cold, wintry fury these wendigos were bringing.

But just as one was about to hit them, a jet of green flames hit the wendigo in the face. The wendigo howled in pain as it turned around and retreated back to the group. Then a burst of silver light came from another source and something flew across the air. A silver spear pierced the retreating wendigo. The storm wendigos howled as they try to spread out before another silver light appeared and another one was pierced with a spear. Twilight turned around to who had joined the fray.

Behind them was Spike who started to blow jets of small flames at the lone wendigos and Silver LIght who was holding multiple spears between them and the storm army. Twilight was glad that Spike was alive. She felt her spirits soar at the sight of her baby dragon being alive and kicking. Spike and Silver Light were able to push the wendigos back, keeping them from attacking the town. But the road in front of them was now ice and crystal covered with occasional lightning strike striking the ground. In the middle of this layer of defense lie the fortress and dark king himself. Twilight turned to the captain who was blocking a wendigo from reaching her with her spear.

“I’ll hold them off” growled Silver Light. “You go find King Sombra. Hurry, I can’t keep them back forever.”

“But how are going-” Twilight began to ask.

“Go, you foals!” Silver Light fired another spear at the wendigos.

Twilight paused and then nodded once. “All right.” She told her. Then she turns to her group. “Let’s go, everypony!”

They didn’t even walk two steps before Silver Light spoke again.

“Spike, you have to go with Twilight.” He ordered the dragon. “She needs you more than me.”

“But the wendigos.” Spike pointed out. “Would they be able to get to you?”

“Just listen!” Silver Light hissed, her eyes narrowing f. “I’m dispensable, you’re not!”

Spike pondered for a second before he too gave a small nod to Silver Edge.

“All right. If that is what you want.” Spike said and then hurry after Twilight.

Once the group had disappeared into the depths of town, Silver Light stopped her volley of spears. She reached into her bag as the wendigos began to circle her.

“Finally,” she said, smiling. “It is time for the real fun.”

Then the wendigos all attack at once before the mysterious pegasus erupted in silver light.

At the other end of the street, the group was going as fast as they can, weaving between the hills of crystals. But a maze seems to be forming out of Ponyville. Walls of crystals started to burst out of the ground. Each path they tried to take was cut off with a burst of jagged crystals. Applejack tried to break them but these crystals were indestructible. Rainbow Dash went flying over the wall but a strong gust knocked her down. Twilight then tried to teleport but the dark magic kept blocking her. This was frustrating, Twilight thought. They try to seek a different path to town center but it ended up getting block too. After a while, it became clear as crystal that King Sombra was making sure they never reach him. But they weren’t going to give up.

Instead Twilight decided they will break in together. All at once, the six ponies kicked the crystal wall. The wall began to crack when Twilight uses her power to take a hold of the centerpiece. With her magic, she twisted the wall apart and cause it to collapse into itself. Twilight lift the debris out of the way. Then they did it again at the next section group took the opportunity and enter the arena that surrounded Town Hall.

In the middle of the circle were a group of large, black monoliths that was emitting dark magic. It stood above them, nearly ten feet tall. Twilight could see blue and purple letters glowing on the smooth surface of the pillar. What is this thing? It looked alien and out of place here. Twilight could see purple flames burning on the top of the pillars. Twilight looked for more clues. Above them were two clusters of crystals that were humming softly like a deformed chandelier. They were purplish black and they were sparking with dark energy. Twilight felt a disturbance coming from these crystal masses.

“Look!” Fluttershy pointed to an area left of Twilight.

The group turned to see a large statue near the wall. Discord remain in his petrified state, his body unmoved from the position they had put in when they used The Elements of Harmony. Twilight approached the statue, giving an unwary stare. But it seems Discord remained lock.

“Well, we can cross him off as an issue,” Twilight said.

Just then an evil laughter started to come from all around them. The group drew themselves closer as crystals upon crystals started to appear all around them. Then in the center of the arena, a vortex of purple flames erupted. It swirled for a few seconds before something appeared. A figure emerged out of the light, floating menacingly over them all. The dark king himself.

King Sombra’s appearance has not changed since the last time they had encountered him. The only difference was his body was fully solid. He exhaled a ragging breathe, his greedy eyes looking down at the terrified ponies below. He was the lord of fear, an agent of darkness. To be in his presences requires the most astonishing amount of courage. Yet the group began to stand up. This is it, Twilight thought. This was their fight. She began to approach him as a powerful gust of wind was coming down upon them from nowhere. King Sombra let out a bark of laughter

“You think you can stop me?” he asked them, a twisted form of amusement was plaster on his face. “Go ahead, Bearers. Hit me with your best shot.”

“King Sombra, your time is up,” Twilight yelled over the wind. “Surrender now or we will use the Elements!”

King Sombra simply smiled back.

“All right then,” Twilight said. “Have it your way.”

Then she activated the Element and one by one her friends follow suit. To use the Elements of Harmony was something unusual and hard to explain. The Elements was a deeper level of magic. A magic untouched by most of ponykind. Regular magic requires a train of thought, concentration, crafted words and most importantly a powerful emotion. You have to want to use the spell to achieve it. The Elements of Harmony were like this but more. They were a hidden power, a power that was rooted in the heart of the magical field, a spectrum of different feelings and emotions. While normal magic uses positive feelings and dark magic uses negative feelings, The Elements of Harmony was like everything combine, a pure, unadulterated, raw source of energy. To use them was to be connected to it. To use it was to be connected to her friends and their Elements. Every positive memory, everything they cherish, all the connection they have made. For this magic was made of friendship and friendship is the most powerful, positive magical forces that this world had to offer.

A field of white magic engulfed Twilight and her friends. Their Elements glowed with a power beam of colors before they formed together to create a concentrated ray of magic. The magic shot out and headed straight for King Sombra. The rainbow beam sparked with power as it lit up the entire sky and earth. King Sombra looked bewildered for a moment before the beam completely overcome him. He began to yell in fury.

Twilight would have smiled if she wasn’t focusing on her Element. She felt victory at last. But then something went wrong. Amongst the powerful ray of light, a red spark emerged. Then slowly emerging from the light was a red bubble of dark magic with King Sombra inside, still intact. King Sombra was laughing, his head tilted back. He had tricked them all. With a stomp of his left front hoof, a wave of magic hit them. Twilight felt the connection broke and then the Elements were deactivated.

Twilight let out a gasp of surprise before she was thrown back a few feet. She and rest of her friends were knock off the ground and push back by King Sombra’s spell. Before they could move, crystals burst out of the ground and engulf them, pinning them down so they could not move. Twilight tried to struggle but it was useless. She could hear Spike running towards her. Twilight turned her head. Spike almost reached her when a bolt from King Sombra knocked him down too. Twilight looked up to King Sombra who looked nothing short than enthusiastic over his victory.

“Oh, I have waited a long time for this, my little, purple unicorn.” King Sombra gloated. “You see, no one appreciates the patience of a plan like I do. It is the same kind of patience that resides in the crystals and their magic. You could never understand the brilliance and the power I have developed to get to this moment.”

Twilight struggled and then look back at King Sombra. “How could you stop the Elements?” she asked.

“Oh, it is quite simple.” King Sombra grinned. He looked like he wants to tell her this. “The Elements may be the strongest magic in this realm but they cannot fight the magic I have found. For they relied on the power of hope. Hope may be strong in this world where everything is peaceful and brilliant. But I have seen other worlds, worlds that have a power that can destroy hope. For there is one emotion more powerful than hope: fear. And have armed myself with it.”

“What?” Twilight couldn’t believe it.

King Sombra was shaking his head, bemused. “Did you really think it was that easy to retrieve your friends from my Fear Gems?” he pointed out. “I could have used any of my powers to render them useless. But I had to use a fear that correlates with their Elements to perfect my defenses and anchors me to this land. No matter what you do, your Elements will never stop me.”

“You couldn’t do this alone!” Twilight shouted. “You were defeated! Your body was destroyed!”

“True,” King Sombra acknowledged. “But I have made a deal with the darkness on the other side. There are creatures upon creatures, rulers upon rulers, gods upon gods, who like power. And I have spoken to a new player. A new god from a different world. He gladly gave me help for what I have to offer. You see Discord,” King Sombra pointed to the statue. “I have to give him over to him and I will be restored to full strength. The darkness is hungry and it is time to feed it. Once I get rid of Equestria, I will rule this world and build a new empire. An empire that will expand across the void and to ever realm possible. I will rule all of the worlds!”

“No, you can’t” Twilight was struggling to free herself. But each movement was useless. Twilight tried to use magic but it was rendered incapable by the crystals. She couldn’t give up. They were so close. But were they? They have played right into King Sombra’s hooves. Twilight didn’t want to fail. Everyone was counting on her. Equestria was in dire peril. Yet her plan fell flat with King Sombra. He easily has beaten them all. Twilight closed her eyes. She needed to succeed. Fight to her last breath. She remembers the days when it seems all was lost until a sudden spark of hope erupted out of her. She could use one right about now. She remembers the day Discord ruled. The time Queen Chrysalis had attacked. The night of Nightmare Moon. Of when all her friends pulled through. Now she’ll never see them again.

Suddenly a spark did emerge out her, her eyes opening with realization. This spark ignited something within her. Hope. Commitment. Power. Rage. Suddenly a burning inferno was building up inside her. She wasn’t going to let King Sombra win. She let out a growl of anger as she built up her power. The power kept rising and rising. Then Twilight let it all out. She yelled with righteous fury as the crystal that held her were blown apart by the raging, purple flames that radiated from her magical body. Then all the crystals that kept her friends were blown apart by the sudden influx of energy. Twilight stepped towards King Sombra. King Sombra was at least surprised by this.

“This is new.” King Sombra said; a flicker of fear ran across his face.

“You may have beaten us once, King Sombra.” Twilight was now shaking with her raging power. “But you will not stop us. I will fight to protect my friends. No amount of fear would stop me from doing so. You can use all her dark magic you have, King Sombra. But I will overcome you and stop your victory. Today is the day we will win.”

“You may think you have found our fear.” Twilight continued. “But I know that hope will always win as long as one keeps fighting. For you made one mistake, King Sombra. A mistake that will stop you and be undoing. Because you place your power over fear but your fear has no ground to stand here. No matter what you throw at us, I will always believe in my friends and the best of ponykind. For what you have shown my friends can never happen to us. We will never give up! We will strived to the end even if we have to face those who will keep lying to us, where everypony is hateful and cruel to each other, where nopony could enjoy their day because of a dark, crushing force, a world that is full of greed and hunger, a world that will betray us and won’t lend a hoof and we will certainly never be broken by such forces. You have failed the moment you place your power in fear because fear is useless against the power of friendship!”

Twilight suddenly felt her power rising. Her body began to float. Soon all her friends were floating. They too began to glow with colors and magic auras. The six ponies began to float up to King Sombra who was looking at this sudden reveal with surprise interest. But once they were on the same level as King Sombra, King Sombra simply closed his eyes and allow a smug smile formed on his face.

“Be that as it may, Twilight Sparkle.” King Sombra simply said. “But explain to me then, how you are going to go past this?”

He moved his hoof across the air, showing off a dozen wendigos

“You may have a power to fight me,” King Sombra told them. “But do you have the power to fight my army? These wendigos are fueled by emotions and hatred by the many worlds beyond ours. There are millions upon millions of worlds that thrived in hate. Attack me and you will engage with every single one of them. You may have friends with a tremendous amount of courage and hope but I have friends that are beyond this world, friends from the dark side of magic. They are gods. You are mere weaklings to them.”

“Don’t listen to him, Twilight.” Applejack yelled. “He’s just trying to stop us from winning. He wants us to give up.”

King Sombra chuckled. “I’m just being polite and showing how utterly useless your attack will be.” He said.

Twilight didn’t believe it. “I know.” She told her friend. Then she gathered all the power she had.

“It’s over, King Sombra!” she pointed her horn at him. “Your reign of terror ends now!”

A large white ball of magic began to emerge. King Sombra, however, lit his horn glowed too.

“Not so fast!” King Sombra said suddenly.

A wave of magic came across the crystals that flanked King Sombra. The crystals open up and revealed two figures trapped inside. Twilight let out a gasp and stop her magic. Inside the crystal traps were Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. Both of them look defeated and broken. They were trapped inside a powerful bubble that held them captive. Twilight looked at them and back at King Sombra.

“You-” Twilight was about to threaten the dark king but he cut her off.

“Let’s not have childish threats get in the way.” King Sombra told her. “I have allowed this inflated sense of determination for far too long. It is time to render you and your Elements useless. Relinquish your Elements or you will never see your precious Princesses again!”

“You can’t do that!” Twilight cried out.

“Can and will.” King Sombra said savagely. “You see these?” King Sombra waved his hoof on the magic pillars below. “These are pillars of arcane magic, built in the deepest regions of space. They were formed in the abyss in which I had slumber there for centuries. I infused them with the magic disciplines link to time and space. With them, I have the power to banish anypony I see fit. How do you think I got rid of the Crystal Empire for a thousand years? Granted, I only had a fraction of what I have now back then. Now imagine what I can do with this precious gem. Thanks to my friends, I can send my enemies far, far away. Now give up the Elements or your Princesses will be banished from Equestria.”

Twilight felt like she was in a middle of a critical moment. What can she do? If she gives the Elements to King Sombra then they will have no way of defeating him. But if they don’t Princess Celestia and Princess Luna would be banished from Equestria forever. She looked at her friends who seems just as terrify and perplexed from this choice as she was. Twilight looked down at the two royal sisters. She wanted to beg for their forgiveness, for failing them. Twilight wanted to say something to Celestia. But King Sombra was watching her intensely. So for the longest moment, Twilight looked at her powerful leader, her mighty teacher. Then Celestia finally looked up her. They held each other’s gaze for one moment. Then Celestia gave a small wink.

“Enough stalling!” King Sombra commanded. “What will it be? The Elements or your Princesses?”

Twilight let out a small sigh. “The Elements.” She said, lifting her tiara off of her head. “You can have them.”

Everypony behind her gasped. King Sombra, however, gave a different reaction.

“Actually,” he said as he looked up. An evil grin came upon his face again. “It doesn’t matter.”

Suddenly a bright blue light shot from the ground and towards the ceiling above. In a fraction of a second, the ceiling erupted and a million crystals were engulfed into the swirling sky above. Everypony looked up. Twilight felt the hairs stand up on her body. Her mane was suddenly whipping behind her for the sudden charge of energy in the sky. Twilight shielded her eyes as the column began to glow immensely. Then the powerful blast erupted from below and flew up high. Twilight saw the sky began to be torn apart. The sky was being ripped into pieces. One by one, the blue sky disappeared. It was replaced by a dark, massive area of pure nothingness. Then Twilight saw stars emerging from the darkness. Then a large, unknown, ringed planet. Before she could even believe it, a large portal into space had formed right above them all.

“Now to get rid of Equestria once and for all.” King Sombra told Twilight. “Once I get rid of Equestria, I will build my own land. A land where fear will thrive. A land in which I will begin my new empire. And nothing will stop me now. It is too late. Equestria has fallen!”

King Sombra laughed maniacally, lightning spewed from everywhere. Then a voice spoke up.

“Not so fast, King Sombra.” Princess Celestia told him.

King Sombra looked down at her, his evil eyes burning with hatred.

“You may have built a defense against the Elements,” Celestia said, her horn glowing. “But you have made a critical flaw in your plan. For you have attacked my subjects with the magic of your old horn. And it is this magic that is keeping you here. Now it will be destroyed.”

Then Celestia revealed a red gem that was hidden behind her. The last piece of the Fear Gem, the one used to stop Twilight before Spike uses his dragon fire. Celestia had modified it, however. A bright light was glowing inside it. She had rigged the gem to destroy all of the dark magic it touches, severing King Sombra’s connection to this world. There is only one last effort needed to be done. Celestia threw her piece to Twilight. Twilight caught it midair and then connected it with the rest.

The Fear Gem down as pulsing with an unbalance stream of magic. Now it needs to be broken. Twilight knew how to do it. She lifts the gem above her and threw it to the ground. It seems like they have won. It was flying to the ground faster than a raindrop. But then it stopped. Twilight felt her heart sink. She looked up as King Sombra lift the gem above her. Then with a simple nod, he knocked the six of them out of midair and down to the ground. Twilight hit the ground with an enormous thump.

Twilight tried to get up, her body shaking from the fall. As she steadies herself, she saw Spike running up to her. Twilight turned to see the sky being torn apart. King Sombra began to fill his powerful Fear Gem back to full strength. It was what was keeping him here. But it can’t be broken by magic, he has a defense for that. There has to be a way, Twilight thought. She can’t let him win. Then a thought occurred to her. It was a last ditch effort but it will be the only way to save Equestria.

Twilight turned to Spike. “Do you trust me?” she asked.

“What?” Spike asked, surprised by her sudden question.

“Do you trust me?” Twilight asked again.

Spike straighten his body, preparing for anything.

“Yes,” he replied to Twilight.

“Good,” Twilight said. “Because this is my last shot.”

King Sombra remained floating in the air, tasting his victory at long last. Where to send Equestria, he thought. There were a million of places he could choose. They were all passing through his head, lingering only briefly for a moment. Then he felt something was off. King Sombra looked down to see Twilight still standing, her horn glowing. King Sombra leaned forward, his eyes narrowing.

“What are going to do, little unicorn?” he challenged her. “I have won and you have lost.”

“I’m going to do what it takes to end this,” Twilight yelled as the wind was beginning to pick up. “And I’m sorry that this has to end like this but you leave me with no choice. Goodbye, King Sombra! To the Void from where you came from!”

Then Twilight lighted up her horn and lift Spike up into the air. She blasted him across the sky and right towards King Sombra. King Sombra was utter befuddled by this move. He tilted his head back, wondering why this unicorn was sending one of her friends to their graves. The dark king fired up his horn, ready his magical defenses. As he raised his horn, he realized was Twilight was aiming at. Blank shock struck King Sombra’s face. The Fear Gem was hovering a few feet from him, barely able to get in his cone of protection. Then the purple dragon grabbed within a second blink. Before King Sombra could blast the little pest, Spike holds the gem and took a huge bite out of it. The gem broke clean in half, fractures forming all over the sections. The magic burns out and King Sombra’s old horn, his own soul, was destroyed. His connection to this world and all the dark forces he was bringing, was severed.

“NOOO!” King Sombra howled as the entire world began to shake.

Figures began to surround King Sombra. He tried to blast them away but they were mere lights that were wrapping him in ghostly chains. King Sombra’s real body began to be torn away, fading into bits of shadows. The chains began to be lifted into the portal above, lifting King Sombra up. King Sombra dived to the closest wall of crystal, using all his might to keep himself from being pulled into the portal. It was all in vain, however. He began to yell at the top of his lungs.

“NO! NO! NO!” King Sombra shouted at his unknown captors. “This isn’t over. I promised you will still have Equestria. This is just a setback. I can still do this! I can still win! I promise! Don’t take me back there! HELP!”

But something had gripped the chains tightly. It pulled with a mighty force and began to drag King Sombra up from the ground and into the portal. King Sombra let out on final yell before his entire body was pulled away and he has sucked into the endless void above. A flash of energy engulfed the sky and suddenly all the dark magic, crystals, and monsters were gone within a cold, jolty second. Lightning flashed across the sky, causing the dark clouds to dissipate completely. Everything was back to normal.

Except for one problem.

The pillars were still intact. Equestria was still in the process of being ripped away from the world and being banished into regions unknown. Twilight, her friends, and the two princesses looked around to see that the shield that encased their land was still unblemished and whole. Meanwhile, the sky above was slowing being ripped away by the growing portal. Everypony looked up. The blue sky, the warmth was fading away. Twilight could see stars, planets…darkness. The ground was rumbling with a great tremor. Panic began to settle in. Everypony who remain in town were now screaming and galloping about. Spike came running to Twilight, the remains of the Fear Gem still in his claws.

“What’s going, Twilight?” Spike frightfully asked.

“The end,” Twilight whispered vaguely. “We are trapped in the middle of space. King Sombra must have been in the middle of teleporting Equestria when we destroyed the Fear Gem. I didn’t know. I thought that we would have been able to return to our own land.”

Her friends started to gather all around. They were all looking at the remains of the sky.

“Now, how are we going to stop that?” Applejack pointed to the portal.

“I don’t know,” Twilight said, collapsing on the ground in a dismal defeat. She looked at the black monoliths that were humming with chaotic energy. It seems like they were dying. Twilight realize the power source of this instrument must have been cut off when they got rid of King Sombra. Soon they would be lost in another dimension or in the middle of nowhere and it was all her fault. She made a mess of things trying to stop King Sombra. He was the only one who was able to use these stones properly. If only she could take control of their magic and use them to return home. But now it dying and there will be no way they can get back home. The amount of magic that would require them to go back is beyond what they have. It would require…

Twilight suddenly stood up.

“Hold on,” she told her friends. “I have an idea.”

“Uh, do you mind tell us what this idea of yours is before, you know, do it?” Rainbow Dash inquired.

“It involves the Elements,” Twilight said as she put on her Element back on. “I need you to use them once I am in the middle of these monoliths. I’m going to take control of this spell and rerouted it. I’m going to close that portal I’m going to get us back home. This is my mistake. I’m going to fix it. Somehow, someway and if I don’t make it, tell everypony that I’m sorry.”

Then Twilight teleported.

“TWILIGHT!” Spike yelled.

Twilight then appeared in the middle of the columns. She summons up her magic and tries to repeat the spells King Sombra was using to open the portal. The air was hot, almost too hot for Twilight’s taste. Every fiber of her body felt the magic charged through it. She got her horn glowing and then she cast a spell that she hopes will work. The spell floated above her and then flash. Suddenly bright purple, almost white, strings of magic began to connect to her horn. The power began to overwhelm Twilight. She needed to counterbalance it. She summons all her will and uses her Element to power up the alien devices around her. It was working. Her Element began to glow and then it began to spread out. A bright, purple ball of light spread out and overtook Twilight. Soon the entire area was glowing with purple energy.

The rest of her friends stood on the side, struck by confusion.

“Whatever are we going to do now?” Rarity asked.

“I’ll tell you what we are going to do.” Rainbow Dash said as she flew up. “We are going to help her. You heard what she said. We can’t stand by here and watch. She needs our help.”

“I don’t think we are going to stand by and watch.” Applejack said and she pointed to her Element. “The Elements are already activated. They will probably go off any minute. I guess we are going to perform the same spell when we fought Discord.”

“But, um, what if doesn’t work?” Fluttershy asked.

“Then I guess we don’t know until we find out.” Applejack said. “Come on, girls. The fate of Equestria rests in our hooves.”

The group of them lined up. Then with their fullest concertation, they began to use the Elements of Harmony. Their power began to charge and then suddenly they fired a ray of light. The Elements of Harmony connected with the dangerous tool that was ripping Equestria apart. With the sudden power, The Column was now emitting strange lights and noises. It became clear that it wasn’t usually powered this way. Now things were starting to go hectic.

Applejack felt herself being lifted into the air, her Element shaking. She still kept concentrating, she didn’t dare try to let go. She noticed however that something was moving her. She opened her eyes just for a minute. The rest of her friends were being moved across the air too. It became clear what was going on. They were being moved to each section that surrounded Twilight, forming a star-like figure. Multiple colors were streaming out of the columns. The magic connection was shaking. They had to hold on still. Each one of them felt a burning sensation on their chest. Something was happening to the Elements, something that had never happened before. It was like they were being drained. Still, they kept at it, knowing that they would fail all of ponykind if they give up now.

But deep in the magic center of all this was a different struggle. Twilight was fighting the madness that was overwhelming. All of space was running through her mind. Needless to say, it was mind-numbing. She couldn’t figure where they were at, how to get home, or how to stop the darkness crushing her and all of Equestria. It was like she was everywhere yet nowhere at the same time. She kept looking at the night sky, looking for a sign. Constellations. But none of them were making sense and didn’t look at all familiar. Then she felt a chill coming down on her.

The constellation was warning her of something. There was shadow figure. A shadowy figure with an evil grin. Twilight felt fear overcoming her. Fear from all of Equestria. She had to get Equestria out of here now. But how? She couldn’t move this entire land. The only other option was to teleport. Twilight felt that she can do it. If she can use the spell to affect all of Equestria, then she will teleport them to a safe place, a place where they would be caught by that shadowy figure. She needed a place that would be safe. A place with a familiar setting. A place with a sun and a moon.

Twilight felt the idea came up to her. She had to do it. Giving an unspoken apology to the Princesses, Twilight fired two golden lights at Luna and Celestia down below. The Princesses looked up in time to see the magic hit their horns. They felt themselves being frozen solid and their bodies become weightless. For once, Celestia and Luna didn’t know what was going on. Their powers were nullified by King Sombra’s dark magic. He had to cut their powers off so they wouldn’t be able to take control of the sun or the moon while he had them locked away. Now Twilight was doing the exact opposite and use it to help her locate a place to put Equestria. The royal sisters didn’t know this of course but they seem to understand the risk that was coming with it. Celestia gave Luna a knowing nod and then together they used their deific powers to help Twilight.

The black monoliths began to shake as cracks appeared on the surface. It was going to break apart. The pressure was too much. The mighty shield that held them together was weakened by the strain that this spell was putting it through. Twilight felt the jeopardy of the situation as time was running out. She had to choose quickly. There was not much time left. Then she saw it. A pale blue dot was floating in the darkness. It didn’t look much but it was hope. She focused all of her might on the blue orb in front of her. It grew bigger and bigger. She looked up to see a planet that had a sun and a moon. This was perfect. She then used the only spell that would work now: teleport.

Just like that, a bright light emitted from all around Equestria. The spell was more complex and slower acting than it would be for a regular unicorn. Yet it was working. Twilight could feel it. She could see everything being held together but still be teleported to the new location. Tears were streaming down her face. The magnitude of it all was overwhelming. She didn’t dare break the connection. This was their only hope. If she didn’t see it through, then millions would be lost. Twilight had to say one thing, one thing that would keep her from giving up. As the spell was nearly completed, she said it with last fiber of her being.

“For Equestria!”

As soon as she said those words, the magic columns broke apart and a powerful, magical shockwave rippled across the land. Everything fell into place. Every tree, every speck of dirt, every drop of water. It all came together. The land rigged itself back to normal, fusing with the seabed below. It shook the crust a little but most of the energy was absorbed by the final push that brought Equestria here. It seems like everything was safe and secure as Equestria finally settled.

Twilight remain in the air for one last second.

“I-I-I-I did it,” Twilight said, her tear stricken face broke into a smile.

Then she felt the weight of thousand worlds hit her mind, her energy burn up. She fell, both her body and mind. Then in a flash, she disappeared into nothingness...

-Ponyville: Aftermath-

Celestia looked up at the night sky. The cool air felt refreshing over her body. After this past day, she felt like she could use a warm bath. Everything seems safe for now. But there were still problems she had to face. She couldn’t delay the inevitable. Celestia took a deep gulp of this fresh air before proceeding to the first problem that was present to her.

Twilight and her friends were missing. Whatever they did to save Equestria has somehow destroyed the pillars of arcanic magic. Celestia was unaware that such a magic existed to begin with. It seems the Elements were a bit more powerful than expected. The Bearers were, however, a link needed to complete the spell. Whether this had killed them or merely teleport them to parts unknown, it was difficult to tell. Celestia didn’t like this feeling of powerlessness. It should have been her on the line. She should have been the one to ensure Equestria’s safety. Yet the burden of saving Equestria had fallen to her pupil instead. Twilight, instead had to deal with the consequences. Celestia swore to herself that she would protect Twilight and save her from danger. And she failed.

“I’m sorry, Twilight,” Celestia whispered as two sets of tears rolled down her face. “I’m so, so sorry.”

Coming from across the town was the sound of hoofbeats. Celestia straightens her body, demolishing her tears. She couldn’t show her subjects her tears. Now she must be strong. They were depending on her, to lead, to stand strong. She must be resilient for them and go through every difficult task ahead of her, be it one, ten, a hundred, or a thousand. Every second of every day of every year she must endure. The least she could do was to make sure Twilight’s sacrifice wasn’t in vain. Celestia turns to see the approaching figures.

Guards were gathering around her. Inquiring expressions were shared among them all. It is no doubt that they needed guidance. The entire town of Ponyville was in shambles, rumors of the attacks were running rampant, and several emergencies were declared all across the town. The last thing Celestia needed was Equestria to fall into disarray. She didn’t trust that they will be able to defend themselves so readily if they were to face another crisis. They have enough enemies to deal with at the moment. Speaking of which…

“Your Majesty,” a gray pony general named Solid Stonewall bowed before delivering the news. “Several of my scouts have tracked a group of Changelings into the deserts south of here. The formation indicates that indeed, Queen Chrysalis was among them. These group of Changelings seems to be the same ones that attack our patrol and caravans. No doubt King Sombra has given them an opening to ensure that their attacks will help distract our armies during this crisis. By the Maker’s Voice, we will do better to ensure this will never happen again.”

“Indeed,” Celestia said as she approached the guards. “This was no doubt an act of pure malice on part of two parties wanting revenge for our recent victories. But they were mere pieces that were playing their part. No doubt that there is a force out there that help them achieve this victory.”

Celestia looked up to see Luna hovering behind the guards. The look on her face indicated that she wished to speak to Celestia. Alone. Celestia nodded once and then turn back to the crowd.

“Listen up,” she told her guards. “I want Queen Chrysalis captured alive. She has vital information of the recent attack on Equestria. She is on the run and she must not escape our borders. I repeat, she must not escape! General Stonewall, I want you to lead the search in the southern deserts. I want you and every guard to comb the desert and the borders surrounding it. I want you to search every part of the badlands, outlands, highlands, and the wetlands for her. General Flamestrider, I want you to search for any spies or dark magic users that are hiding in the Canterlot and Ponyville area. Report to me your findings as soon as you found something.”

“Now,” Celestia turned to a messenger pegasi. “I am setting an emergency session for the day and night courts. Tell Councillor Winter Night to set up contacts with the rest of Equestria communities. Our first priority is to set up relief for our citizens. Once we get our recovery efforts underway, I need to organize an investigating committee into solving a current predicament. We will decide the next action as soon as possible You are all dismissed.”

With that, Celestia and Luna took off and flew into the night sky.

The two sisters were flying across the land, heading west at a casual speed. They were able to keep themselves hidden from unwanted eyes. Celestia knew they would be asking questions, questions that she doesn’t have the answers to. Yet. She hopes that Luna has found out something. But the look her younger sister had told Celestia that this won’t be good news. It is something that Celestia hopes she can solve or at least marginally handle. They don’t need another crisis on their hooves, especially if the Elements of Harmony were gone. This day, has indeed, gone terribly wrong.

After what seems like hours, the two sisters landed on the edge of their land. Beyond them was a dark, vast ocean. Celestia didn’t know why but the colors of this ocean seem duller and tone down. It was like the water wasn’t as bright as it usually was. Even the sky lacked the color and feeling the Celestia was used too. This strange land feels lifeless to her. Lune meanwhile was looking up to the stars.

“The constellations are wrong,” Luna said softly.

“What?” Celestia asked.

“The constellations,” Luna repeated. “They aren’t what they were back home. Everything has changed. The sky, the ocean, the feeling of this land. Nothing is the same anymore, my dear sister. Nothing.”

“I’m sure we will figure this out.” Celestia tried to reassure her.

“It’s not just that.” Luna lifted a small rock from behind her and chuck it out into the ocean. Instead of hitting an invisible barrier, the rock kept bouncing across the water surface.

“The barrier is gone?” Celestia asked, dumbfounded.

“Yes and that’s the problem,” Luna said. “Follow me, my dear sister.”

The two sisters flew up to the night sky. The air was getting colder and thinner as they were heading to a higher altitude. But they kept it at a slow pace. Celestia had a feeling that they were being watched. Somehow, someway. Finally, when the land below as small and compacted, the two sisters slowed down and stopped in mid-air. Luna looked to the west where a faint, pink glow lingers near the horizon. Celestia studied it for a moment. It looked like firelight but controlled. So this land must have artificial lighting which means….

“No” Celestia let out, her stomach dropping.

“Yes, Celestia,” Luna said, looking at the distance. “I believe,” Luna pointed to the horizon. “The truth is out there.”

“That could only mean one thing.” Celestia realized.

The two sisters recognized the gravity of this discovery. That they and their subjects were not alone.

“Of all base passions, fear is the most accursed.”
-WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE