The Darkening.  The name given to the last twelve years in which the vamponies have ruled Equestria in an everlasting night.  The few living ponies that remain hide within their small, walled towns and scavenge the decimated lands for food and water.

Twilight Sparkle, the first born of Mistress's generals, played a crucial role in the fall of Equestria, and has remained steadfastly loyal to Mistress.  But when Mistress betrays her and leaves her for dead, Twilight begins a quest for vengeance.  Guided by a strange being named Discord, she seeks to gather the Elements of Harmony in order to destroy Mistress once and for all.

Meanwhile, the vampony hunter Applejack, tormented by the perversion of her friends and her own failure to protect her family, learns of the existence of a very rare gem that can save Apple Bloom from her heinous fate.  With her best friend, Spike, she sets off on a quest to find the Phoenix Heart, and bring her sister back among the living.

In the darkest hours of a dying world, the destinies of these two determined ponies will clash.  Their resulting struggle will start Equestria down a new path that could lead it toward its salvation, or its ultimate destruction.

A very special thanks to my pre-readers:
Whinifree
Twilight-the-Pony

Coverart by: Twilight-the-Pony