The Darkening

Twilight Sparkle awoke to the sound of approaching hoofbeats. She unfurled her bat-like wings and stretched as the strange dream replayed in her mind. The perplexing dream had been plaguing her sleep for the last two years, sometimes leaving her for long spans of time, only to return when she least expected it.

With a shake of her head, she chastened herself. This was not the time to dwell on such things.

Her large, sensitive ears informed her that three ponies had just come to a halt at the mouth of her cave. She knew why they were here, but she wasn't looking forward to this gathering. Taking a deep breath, she gazed at the entrance from her perch among the stalactites for a moment.

I have nothing to worry about. I have always been loyal to Mistress, and as long as I remain so, I will be safe.

She released her grip, and twisting in the air, landed lightly on her hooves. With her chest thrust out and her head held high, Twilight exited the cave and glared at the three bowing vamponies before her. Although all four of them were Ascended, Twilight was the first born of Mistress's generals, and was second to none but Mistress herself.

Illuminated by the light of the full moon that held its endless vigil above, Rainbow Dash, the second born, arose and spoke. "Mistress is ready for us."

"Then we must go," Twilight replied dryly. At her response, Pinkie Pie and Rarity stood but remained silent. During a formal meeting such as this, they knew well that only Rainbow had the privilege to speak.

Wordlessly, Twilight stepped around them, and led the group toward the dilapidated town.

They trotted through the dead forest in silence, little more than shadows drifting through the night. Their glowing red eyes were the only sign of their passing as they weaved through the twisted, bare trees and withered bushes.

As she led the way, Twilight's mind returned to her dream.

In the dream, she was always in a forest that was teeming with life, accompanied by a small purple dragon that she had never before seen as the sun shined brightly overhead. Most confounding of all were the bizarre sensations she always experienced in her chest and stomach as they talked.

Twilight shoved the baffling thoughts aside as they came upon the dried riverbed that ran along the outskirts of the town. Spreading their wings, the four of them soared over the collapsing bridge and landed on the opposite bank where a small crowd of vamponies bowed submissively.

The glint of moonlight on shattered glass caught Twilight's eye as she trotted among the underlings, and she spared a quick, disinterested glance at the tall, circular building.

The front door was hanging from its hinges, two faded diamonds still barely discernible upon its peeling surface, all of the windows were smashed out, and the tattered red flag hung limp at the top of its spire. At the foot of the building lay a mannequin, the remnants of a decaying dress still strapped to its plastic body.

Twilight suddenly caught sight of the purple dragon bounding past the mannequin and heading for the front door. Surprised, she came to an abrupt halt, but the dragon had vanished. Rainbow was forced to break formation to avoid bumping into her, but remained silent as she watched Twilight uncertainly.

After taking a moment to blink and clear her thoughts, Twilight continued. That had been the first time that she had seen the dragon while awake. She now knew without a doubt that it was a vision. But what could it mean?

"I wonder what Mistress wants with us," Rainbow said unexpectedly.

Twilight scowled, annoyed that Rainbow had interrupted her thoughts. "That is none of our concern. If Mistress summons us, then we come. That is all that matters." Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Rainbow nod and turn her gaze forward once more.

In truth, Twilight was troubled by their summons as well. Mistress hadn't summoned them all together in nearly two years; what could have transpired that had caused her to call upon them now? With a start, she suddenly wondered if she knew about her dreams. Up until now, only Mistress had been gifted with visions, and she would likely be infuriated to learn that Twilight was having them as well.

Twilight swallowed hard. There were none who had angered Mistress and lived, and if she even suspected that Twilight was having these visions, then her fate was already sealed.

As they entered the Town Square, the throngs of vamponies surrounding the Town Hall bowed as they backed away and created a path to the door.

One of the underlings was too slow in his retreat, and with a snarl, Pinkie struck him in the face. With a howl, he was sent soaring through the air for several yards before smashing into the base of a crumbling statue of a rearing pony.

Pinkie laughed as the broken creature tried to climb back to his hooves. "You've gotta be quicker than that!" Her fangs glistened in the moonlight as she smiled wickedly. "Otherwise, playing with you is no fun!"

She pounced onto the injured vampony and giggled as he feebly tried to fend her off. Then, just as she bared her fangs and prepared to bite him, Twilight caught her by the mane and flung her toward Rarity.

"Mistress is waiting for us," Twilight scolded as Rarity helped Pinkie keep her balance. "Have you already forgotten?"

The smile died on Pinkie's face. "Forgive me, Twilight."

"Don't let it happen again," she growled. Despite her fear that Mistress had summoned them here to kill her, Twilight still wished to please her, and was not going to let Pinkie's stupid games make them late.

The underling climbed to his hooves, his wounds already healed, and bowed deeply. Twilight glared at the vampony. A bite from an Ascended was poisonous to the underlings and would kill them in a matter of hours, but sparing his worthless life hadn't been her reason for stopping Pinkie.

"Next time, get out of our way," she hissed as she turned her back on him.

Reaching the Town Hall, Twilight's gaze landed on the skeleton lying beside the stairs, and she sneered with contempt.

The pitiful mayor of this town had been too afraid of her true destiny, and had thrown herself off of the third floor balcony rather than ascend to a superior species. Instead of obtaining the strength and immortal life that fate had offered her, she had received nothing more than a broken neck.

Twilight turned away from the wretched remains and climbed the stairs. Walking over the broken remnants of the door, she pushed aside the thick, black curtain that was draped over the doorway and stepped inside.

She had no trouble envisioning this room being used as a meeting place for the town's former inhabitants. It was large and open, with multiple balconies on the second floor, most of which were collapsing, several banners depicting a sun, moon, and an apple tree hanging in tatters above, and a shredded red carpet spanned the length of the floor.

On the far side of the room, sitting upon the stone throne that Twilight had carried here from Canterlot, was Mistress.

Her coat was as black as the deepest abyss, her face, which more resembled a bat's than a pony's, was covered in thick brown fur, and her enormous brown wings were easily three times the size of Twilight's. Her mane and tail had long since disappeared, and her fangs descended several inches below her chin.

Knowing full well that she could be walking toward her own demise, Twilight steeled herself and made her way toward the throne.

Mistress's pink, furless ears perked up as the four of them bowed. "I can hear your hearts quickening," she commented in her guttural voice. "Do my summons worry you so?"

"We are just...concerned, Mistress," Twilight replied shakily, her head still bowed toward the floor.

A long, thick, black tongue ran down the length of her fang as she grinned at them. "There is no need for concern, my children. Now, rise."

As the four of them stood up, Mistress gestured to the black curtain hanging behind her. "I have a special gift for my generals. Think of it as a show of gratitude for your everlasting loyalty."

It was a struggle for Twilight to hide her relief.

"And what is this...gift?" Rarity asked.

"Mortals," Mistress answered.

"All right!" Rainbow exclaimed, but quickly cowered from Twilight's scathing glare.

"Yes," Mistress continued, completely unfazed by Rainbow's interruption. "We have managed to capture four of the living, and they are all yours."

Twilight felt her fangs begin to drip with anticipation. The Ascended had long since shed the need to consume blood to live, but they still enjoyed feeding immensely. How long had it been since she last fed? It must have been a couple of years at least. She began to fidget with nervous excitement. She couldn't wait for the taste of mortal blood.

As the four of them headed toward the curtain, Mistress held up a hoof. "Twilight, I would like a word with you." Mistress turned her gaze to the others. "You may proceed." She simply sat on her throne and watched Twilight while the others disappeared behind the black curtain.

After enduring Mistress's unrelenting gaze for several moments, she began to tremble. Mistress knew. She didn't understand how it was possible, but it was. And now, despite everything that she had done for her, Mistress was going to kill her.

Mistress unfurled her wings, and bracing themselves on the floor, they raised her body high into the air. She took three giant steps, and lowered herself onto her hooves directly in front of Twilight.

Although Twilight's mind screamed at her to run, she held her ground firmly and obediently waited for Mistress to address her. If she was going to die, then she would face death with the same dignity that she had faced all other obstacles that had stood in her way.

Without warning, Mistress wrapped her forelegs around Twilight's neck and drew her close.

Twilight's body stiffened. She could feel Mistress's breath on her neck. Mistress's bite was as lethal to the Ascended as their bite was to the underlings. Closing her eyes, Twilight struggled to remain still as she waited for the fangs to sink into her throat.

"Why are you frightened, Twilight?" Mistress whispered, her long fangs lightly scratching Twilight's shoulder. "Do you not trust me?"

Twilight swallowed hard. "I am...worried that you are displeased with me."

“Of course you are.”

"M-Mistress?"

"Always so honest and loyal." Mistress released her and stepped back. "Have you ever worried yourself over anything other than my every desire?"

Twilight bowed again. "My life is yours, Mistress. Surely, you know this."

"I do." Mistress placed a hoof on Twilight's chin and lifted her head. "And I appreciate it more than you could ever know." She studied her for a long moment. "No, Twilight, I am not displeased with you."

With a sigh of relief, Twilight began to relax. "I am grateful to know that you still value me."

"Value you?" Mistress gestured toward the curtain that led outside. "Of all the thousands of vamponies in the world, you were the first born. You stood by my side since the very beginning, and I owe all of what I have to you and your dedication."

Twilight blinked. Mistress had never talked to her like this before. Why was she acting this way?

"There is a new threat," Mistress continued. "It looms just out of sight. I have seen it in my dreams, but I do not know what shape it may take."

"Could it be Luna?" Twilight asked as her eyes narrowed. "I've heard rumors that her numbers have grown recently."

Mistress shook her head. "No. It isn't anypony that we've faced before." She stepped aside and glanced toward the back room. "We will talk more on this subject later. For now, feed and rest well."

"Of course, Mistress." Twilight inclined her head.

As she made eye contact with Mistress, her blood red eyes flashed brightly. With a startled cry, Twilight blinked and shook her head until her sight returned, and found that she was alone in the room.

Twilight remained still, wondering what this new threat could possibly be. It was unsettling to hear Mistress speak so...strangely. It sounded like she didn’t think she would be around much longer. Could this foe really be so powerful that Mistress's confidence had been shaken? Pushing her worries aside, Twilight crossed the room and stepped through the black curtain. Whatever is coming, Mistress will prevail; just like she has over every other enemy that we’ve faced.

The hallway beyond the curtain was long with several rooms that had once been offices. Scattered about the floor were piles of splintered wood that had once been desks and chairs.

As Twilight started down the hall, she glanced into the first room and found Rainbow with her mortal.

Rainbow was already feeding, her eyes half closed in obvious ecstasy as she clutched her mortal tightly. The unicorn mare's mouth was open in a silent scream as her wide eyes stared up at the ceiling. Twilight stood for a moment and watched as the life slowly began to dim in the mare's eyes before she moved on.

She was envious of Rainbow. Unicorns were incredibly rare to find these days, and the magic that ran through their blood made them even more delectable than other mortals. The underlings were known to kill one another for the chance to feed on one.

At the next doorway, Twilight snickered when she saw that Rarity had managed to get a stallion. Rarity derived a twisted pleasure from seducing her victims and making them accept her bite willingly. The stallion was pressed back against the wall, his face a confused mixture of fear and longing.

In the next room, Pinkie was laughing as she repeatedly knocked a terrified mare off her hooves. She would step back and allow her a chance for the open doorway, but then quickly cut her off and throw her back to the floor.

Twilight shook her head as she trotted toward the back room. Pinkie loved to play with her mortals, and would likely take even longer than Rarity to finish feeding.

As she came to the final doorway, Twilight grinned wickedly as she caught sight of the unicorn mare huddled in the corner. Entranced by the prospect of tasting her magic-infused blood, she didn't notice the cloaked pony staring out of the cracked window until she spoke.

"Greetings, Twilight Sparkle," the figure said without turning.

Immediately, Twilight crouched low to the ground, extending her wings and baring her teeth. She watched the mysterious figure closely for several long moments as the silence around them seemed to deepen, interrupted only by the sound of the unicorn’s rapid breathing from the corner.

When it became clear that the cloaked pony wasn't an immediate threat, Twilight demanded, "Who are you?"

"Somepony who wants to help you," the figure replied calmly, her gaze seemingly focused on the moon. Her voice was soft; barely above a whisper, but it held an underlying strength.

Twilight spat her distaste on the layers of dust that coated the chipped tiled floor. "Help me?" She held her head high and thrust out her chest as her red eyes flashed dangerously. "I am first born of the Ascended. I do not need 'help' from anypony."

Finally, the cloaked pony turned away from the window. Despite her excellent night vision, Twilight could see nothing more than the vague outline of the pony's face beneath the hood. "You have become blind to your destiny. You were fated for much more than simply standing in Mistress's shadow."

Twilight's lip curled in disdain. "I shall always stand by Mistress's side. That is the only destiny I need." She was certain now that this was one of Luna’s underlings. "Return to Luna and tell her that any more attempts to subvert an Ascended will result in her death."

"You so quickly assume me to be a servant of Luna?" The amusement in her voice was unmistakable. "No. Unlike you, I am slave to nopony."

Gnashing her teeth, Twilight growled, "Enough! Leave now or die!" She turned her attention to the unicorn mare, who was staring at the cloaked pony with horror. "It's time I feed."

As she approached, the unicorn's eyes snapped to her, and she tried to shrink further into the corner. "No...please!"

Wordlessly, Twilight flung the mare to the floor and pinned her body with her own. Effortlessly, she restrained her forelegs and exposed her neck.

Mere inches away, Twilight could clearly hear her pulse pounding in her neck and smell the warm blood pumping through the artery. Closing her eyes, Twilight relished the feel of the tense body beneath her and the heaving breaths of the mare's last moments of life. Her fangs dripping with anticipation, she ran her tongue lightly over the tender flesh and smirked at her victim’s gasping cry before baring her fangs and slowly lowering to her prize.

"So you are not interested in learning about the dragon?" the cloaked figure suddenly asked.

Twilight's eyes flew open wide in shock, and she whipped around to face the pony. "How do you know of that?"

"The dragon is part of your past life," the figure said, giving no indication that she had even heard Twilight. "His destiny is tightly intertwined with your own. That is why you dream of him...you are trying to remember."

"What..." Twilight was so stunned that she didn't even react as the mare desperately dragged herself out from beneath her.

Memories of her dream raced through her mind: their walk through the forest, the conversations they held, and the strange feelings that she always experienced.

Her thoughts lingered on those feelings. They were indescribable; she had never felt anything like them before, and even though they scared her, she couldn't help but miss them once she awoke.

"There is a hidden door in the library, obscured by a large bookshelf, that leads to the basement," the pony continued. "It is down there that you will begin to learn the truth."

A basement in the library? She knew of the library but had never been inside. Could there really be something down there that would tell her more about the dragon?

Twilight glanced out the door and down the hall.

Mistress was gone. She didn't know for how long, but she knew that she had been leaving Ponyville for long periods recently. It was very likely that Rarity and Pinkie were still toying with their mortals, and although Rainbow had already started, Twilight knew that she usually napped after her feedings. This would be the perfect time for her to inspect the library without any of the others knowing that she had left.

A sudden thought brought her pause. Would Mistress want her exploring the library? Perhaps she was the one who had hid the door. Never in all of these years had she gone against Mistress's wishes, but this time was different. She had to know more about the dragon, and the strange feelings the dream brought. Also, she had never been warned against entering the library. Surely, she would have been told if there was any reason she wasn't allowed to enter.

Twilight frowned as she moved closer to the figure, trying in vain to see into the shadowy hood more clearly. "How do you know all of this?"

"I know everything about you, Twilight Sparkle. You are more than what you've become."

At that moment, there was a loud snap behind her. Twilight spun around to find that the unicorn mare had stepped on some splintered wood in her attempt to reach the door.

Glancing back, Twilight was surprised to find that the mysterious figure had vanished. Baffled, she looked around the room, but knew that the only way out was through the door she was now facing.

With a frightened shriek, the unicorn galloped toward the door at full speed, but Twilight quickly caught her by the tail and threw her to the floor.

What was she going to do with this mortal? She didn't have time to feed if she was going to search the library, but she couldn't just leave her here. If Mistress or any of the others discovered her, they would know that Twilight had snuck away.

Watching the pathetic creature crawl across the room in a futile attempt to escape, Twilight decided to kill her.

She lifted the mare up, slammed her against the wall, and gripped her neck with both forelegs. The unicorn's wide eyes were darting around wildly, and her lips were moving as though she were speaking, but all that came out were pitiful squeaky noises. It would take just a simple twist of the neck, and it would be done.

But Twilight hesitated. If the others found the body, they would know she hadn't fed, and she knew that no matter where she tried to hide it, it would eventually be found. There was only one option left.

Twilight released the unicorn and smashed out the remaining glass of the window. She growled angrily, "Get out and hide in the woods."

The unicorn was still pressing herself against the wall. "W-what?" She blinked.

"The underlings were only here for the gathering of the Ascended," Twilight explained impatiently. "Once we reached Mistress, they would have left. Ponyville should be deserted."

Studying her warily, the unicorn slowly stepped forward. "I...I don't understand...y-you're letting me...go?"

Twilight snarled at her in frustration, causing her to cry out and fall back onto her haunches. "Yes, now go!"

Slowly standing back up on wobbly legs, she asked, "But...why?"

Closing her eyes, Twilight had to take a moment to suppress the urge to kill her. "Because I must go to the library, and if you are found, then Mistress will know that I was somewhere that I shouldn't be."

Suddenly looking hopeful, the unicorn hurried toward the window. "Oh, thank you, Twilight. Thank you so—"

Fed up with the foolish mortal, Twilight grabbed her and tossed her head-first through the window. Her hind legs caught the frame and she landed in an awkward heap on the ground.

Slowly climbing to her hooves, the unicorn looked at Twilight for a long moment, and then she turned and galloped into the forest.

Finally free of the bothersome mortal, Twilight hastily climbed out of the window.

She needed to get to the library quickly, search the basement, and get back to her cave before the others realized she was missing. Then she would be able to explain that she had taken her mortal to her cave to feed. She had done so a couple of times in the past, and knew that none of the others would dare enter there.

Twilight turned her gaze toward the large, hollowed-out tree near the center of town.

Flying would be the quickest route, but Apple Bloom would be somewhere near the schoolhouse. With the full moon glowing so brightly, she was certain to be seen by the little wretch, and then she could forget about her story of returning to her cave to feed.

Since walking was the only sure way of reaching the library unnoticed, Twilight started off at a canter.

The clacking of her hooves upon the dry, cracked road reverberated amongst the forlorn houses as she navigated around the shattered remains of wooden crates and barrels, broken glass, and ruined furniture that were strewn about the street.

The underlings had spent the first several nights after Ponyville had fallen tearing the town apart looking for survivors. Most had been dragged screaming from their hiding places, but some had tried to fight back—Twilight glanced at a small group of skeletons lying beside several broken weapons—they had been dispatched swiftly and mercilessly.

As she leaped over an upended wagon, Twilight's mind returned once again to the dragon. After being plagued with dreams of him for two years, she was finally going to get some answers. She had to know who he was, and how to control the feelings he invoked.

Just a couple of months ago, she had awoken from the dream and been alarmed to discover that she had been crying. She knew that crying was a sign of weakness among the mortals, a sign that they had given up. She had lost count of the number of mortals that had cried just before she had bitten them.

Frightened that she was growing weaker, Twilight had raced out of her cave and killed the first underling that she had found. She had broken the underling's neck almost without effort, and had crushed its skull for good measure. Relieved that she still possessed her strength, she had returned to her cave and slept peacefully.

Her thoughts returned to the present as the schoolhouse came into view atop its hill in the distance. Although Twilight wouldn't need to pass anywhere near it, Apple Bloom could often be found soaring around the school grounds.

As if on cue, Twilight suddenly heard the loud, wicked cackling of the little Ascended. Quickly taking shelter behind a gutted house that was missing most of its front wall, she caught sight of Apple Bloom looping in the air before returning to her work.

In the beginning there had been many turned foals, but because of their small size, hardly any had lasted for long. Some had died from hunger as they were unable to compete with the larger underlings for mortal blood, and many more had been killed by the more violent ones simply because they had annoyed them.

But Apple Bloom was different.

Being an Ascended, Apple Bloom was more than a match for even the largest of the underlings, and was the most ferocious vampony that Twilight had ever seen. She was also very twisted and cruel, perhaps a side effect of her having been such a mischievous foal in life.

The first of the pikes came into view as Twilight's path took her near the edge of town. Stuck firmly in the ground with the heads and torsos of vamponies impaled on them, the crude implements were positioned about the front of the schoolhouse like grotesque lawn ornaments. Unable to hold back a shudder, she hurried along, trying not to look at the several writhing underlings that hadn't yet perished.

It was here that underlings that were unfortunate enough to anger Mistress met their end at the ruthless hooves of Apple Bloom.

While impaling a vampony didn't kill it, the wound couldn't heal around the foreign object, leaving the vampony vulnerable. Utterly defenseless, the underlings could do nothing as Apple Bloom decapitated and eviscerated them.

As Twilight watched, Apple Bloom landed on the upper half of an underling's body. Its face contorting in pain as it slide several inches further down the shaft, the underling twisted and kicked weakly as Apple Bloom sank her teeth into its throat.

Moving silently through the shadows, Twilight sighed with relief as she rounded a corner and a row of houses blocked the schoolhouse from sight. Ahead, the library loomed into view. With a quick glance behind to ensure that she had not been spotted, she galloped the remaining distance.

The huge, dead tree was completely devoid of leaves, its gnarled branches reaching into the sky like fingers desperately groping for salvation. The bark was cracked and brittle, and a broken telescope amongst a heap of splintered wood beside the door was all that remained of the highest balcony.

In stark contrast to the rest of the town, the library's interior was mainly intact. Other than a couple of collapsed bookshelves, an overturned pedestal, and the wooden carving of a pony's head laying on the floor, the room was unruffled.

Cobwebs and strands of dust that marred the ceiling were dimly illuminated by the small amount of moonlight that managed to penetrate the filthy windows. The thick layer of dust coating the floor swirled about Twilight as she crossed the room, and she paused to wipe her eyes and cough.

It was then that she noticed a distinct trail through the dust that led from the entrance to a large bookcase. Apparently, somepony had been here recently, and Twilight was certain that it had been the cloaked pony.

Since all the other bookshelves were carved into the wood of the walls, Twilight followed the path to the standing bookcase. It was clear from the marks in the dust that this bookshelf had been moved, and she found herself wondering what the cloaked pony could have been searching for.

Reminding herself that she didn't have a lot of time, Twilight shrugged and pulled the bookshelf away from the wall with ease. As she exposed the door that could possibly answer at least some of her questions, she hesitated.

Was she really going to do this? What if Mistress had hidden things down here that she never wanted found? Twilight’s loyalty had always spared her from Mistress’s ire in the past. Did she really want to go against her wishes now?

Mistress had given her a great gift; only those who had had the honor of being bitten by Mistress herself became an Ascended. Unlike the underlings, the Ascended continued to grow in strength, speed, and could heal fully from even the most grievous of wounds in minutes. They ruled Equestria unopposed, and answered to nopony but Mistress.

If she hadn't received Mistress's blessing, then she would still be a weak, pitiful mortal. Mistress had freed her, and for that, she would always remain by her side. She glanced back at the entrance. She didn't need to know anything more than that...right?

Suddenly, the little dragon appeared, wearing a pink apron and carrying a feather duster. He dusted the far corner for a moment before simply fading from view.

Twilight shook her head. The visions were getting stronger, and she knew that she couldn't continue to ignore them. Whether she was disobeying Mistress or not, she needed answers.

Her resolve strengthened, Twilight gripped the doorknob and slowly opened the door. The hinges protested loudly as she revealed a landing that overlooked the basement and a narrow stairway that snaked down to the pitch-black room below.

Twilight only needed a brief moment for her eyes to adjust as she passed from the dimly lit library to the darkened basement, and then she leaped from the landing without hesitation. She landed easily next to a long table that still held several chemistry sets, many of which still contained colored liquids in stoppered tubes. Against the opposite wall stood another table with a row of framed pictures, and in the far corner was a lone stool.

She lifted the closest picture and blinked.

It was a picture of her with five ponies gathered closely around, all of them—including herself—were smiling strangely. Their expressions confused her; why were their eyes so bright and their smiles so large? What could have happened to cause them to look like that? She frowned as her hoof rose to her smooth forehead. She hadn't known that she had once been a unicorn. The knowledge didn't bother her any, but trying to imagine herself with a horn was bizarre.

Her frown deepened as she studied the picture closer. She recognized Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie, but there were two others that she had never seen before; a yellow pony with a pink mane, and an orange pony with a hat. She wondered who they were, and why Mistress hadn’t turned them as well. Could they be among the skeletons that littered the streets?

In the next picture she was standing with her wings spread, the other five all pressing close and smiling at her. Twilight glanced back at the first picture and confirmed that she was wingless, then smirked. Even when she had been nothing more than a pathetic mortal, she had managed to ascend. Gazing at the others and the way they were looking at her, she wondered if they had once served her. Her eyes paused on her cutie mark, and she stared at the stars for a long moment, pondering what they could mean.

Finally, she shrugged and put the picture down. She didn't care what it represented, that was part of her past life. Still, as she stepped toward the next picture that lay face down in the dust, she couldn't help but steal a quick glance at her now blank flank.

As she lifted the picture and turned it over, Twilight gasped and dropped it. The frame struck the edge of the table and clattered to the floor, landing face up. She stumbled backward, tripping over an overturned chair and falling hard onto her rump, causing a thick cloud of dust to plume up around her.

Blinking the dust from her eyes and fanning her hooves as she coughed, Twilight stood and hesitantly gazed at the picture.

She was standing in the library above, smiling as an owl stood on her back. But she wasn't looking at the owl, she was looking down at the little dragon that was clinging to her right foreleg.

Slowly picking up the frame and brushing away the broken glass, Twilight sat back on her haunches and stared at the dragon. He was hugging her leg tightly, his head turned up and gazing at her as though she were the most important thing in his world. It was the expression that he always wore in the dream, the expression that caused those strange emotions to surface.

At that moment, a warming sensation began to spread throughout her chest, and her stomach fluttered not unpleasantly. The hoof holding the picture began to tremble as she realized that she was experiencing these emotions without the aid of the dream for the first time.

Who was this dragon? What connections did he share with her in the past? How could he be affecting her like this? Why was he doing this to her?

Twilight didn't realize that she was crying until a tear fell onto the picture. With a strangled scream, she dropped the frame a second time and quickly backpedaled away.

Taking deep, gasping breaths and wiping at her eyes with shaky hooves, Twilight desperately struggled to understand what was happening to her. With a start, she remembered Mistress's warning of a new threat.

These feelings weakened her. And he could provoke them from something as simple as a photo, or a dream. She concentrated on her symptoms; the teary eyes that made everything blurry, the shaky hooves that would make gripping a weapon difficult, and the sensations in her chest and stomach that would make her physically weaker. She realized that she couldn't fight like this; even an underling could best her in this condition.

Twilight's eyes widened as a realization struck her. The dragon was the new threat. She recalled how Mistress had been acting as if she had lost her confidence, and realized that she must have experienced these same debilitating symptoms.

For the first time in her life, Twilight felt true terror. How could they fight an opponent that could do this to them? If even Mistress was shaken, how could they ever hope to win?

She had to tell Mistress what she had found, but she needed to be careful not to mention her visions. Perhaps if she confessed to talking with the hooded pony, she could convince Mistress that all of her knowledge about the dragon had come from her. She may be punished for listening to the stranger, but not nearly as severely as she would if she revealed her dreams.

Lost deep in her thoughts, it took Twilight several moments before she noticed the flashing light behind her. Turning toward the lone stool in the far corner, she spotted what appeared to be a star-shaped jewel.

The jewel was an ugly grey color, but as she watched, it pulsed with a dim pinkish light several times before returning to its muted hue. Staring at the strange gem, she felt something stir deep within her, and it began to glow a bright pink. She felt as if she'd somehow seen this jewel before, as if it were a part of her.

Twilight didn't realize that she was reaching for the jewel until her hoof touched it, and then she was enveloped in a white light that washed her world away.

***

The spark ignited inside me when I realized that you all...are my friends!

Spike, sure, I was disappointed, but you're my number one assistant, and friend.

We've learned that friendship isn't always easy. But there's no doubt it's worth fighting for.

A fear that will never come to pass. I'm never going to send you away.

What do I do now? Is there a book about being a princess that I should read?

***

Twilight found herself lying on her side amidst the dust, but had no idea how she had gotten there. Glancing up, she found the star-shaped jewel laying on the floor several feet away. It was once again grey, its glow having been extinguished by her touch.

What happened? She had heard her own voice, and seen fleeting glimpses of the dragon (Spike?), and the other five ponies from the pictures...but how? It must have been experiences from her previous life, but she didn't understand why, or how it could be possible.

Realizing that she was panting, Twilight forced herself to get her breathing under control, and then stood on trembling legs. Without taking her eyes off of the jewel, she slowly began walking backward toward the stairs, but promptly bumped into something.

Twilight turned and gasped as she found Mistress standing before her, her bat-like features twisted into a mask of rage.

"What are you doing here?" Mistress hissed.

"M-Mistress...I-I..." Twilight stammered.

Mistress's gaze fell to something on the floor and her eyes flashed dangerously. "You were after the Element?"

The Element? Twilight stared at the jewel for a moment, then her breath caught in her throat as the implications sank in.

"No, no, I—"

"It's you," Mistress stated in a deadly calm voice.

"Please, listen! There was this cloaked pony that—" Twilight began hurriedly.

"You're the coming threat I've foreseen."

"I didn't even know the Element was down here, the cloaked pony told me of a dragon, he's—"

Without warning, Mistress struck her across the face.

Twilight’s head snapped back as pain exploded over the right side of her face, and she collapsed to the floor. Mistress's enormous wing scooped her up like a shovel, lifted her high into the air, and slammed her down onto the table with the chemistry sets. She broke through the table with a deafening crash, splinters of wood and shards of glass bit into her back as the various colored chemicals spilled over her.

Shaking her head, she tried to climb to her hooves. She needed to get back up and explain that she wasn't the threat, but the world seemed to sway beneath her and she swiftly crumpled to the floor.

Mistress grabbed her by a hind leg, and with a single beat of her huge wings that created a vortex of dust and debris that assailed Twilight's face, launched herself to the landing. Coughing and sputtering, she fell to the floor as she was released, and heard the door being torn from its hinges.

"Please...wait..." Twilight managed between gasps for air, but Mistress wasn't listening. She gripped both of Twilight's hind legs and flung her across the library.

Twilight tumbled and rolled across the room before slamming into a bookshelf. Dozens of books pelted her head and back as she slowly climbed to her hooves, desperately trying to think of something that would abate Mistress's anger.

"I never took you for such a fool," Mistress growled. Twilight looked up and found the room empty. "If you were going to use the Elements against me, you should have gathered the others before coming for this one." Her chest heaving with ragged breaths, Twilight frantically spun around. Where was she? Her voice sounded like it was all around her. "You should have known that I would be watching this one." She snorted. "Especially after I had just told you of my vision."

"Please, you must listen to me," Twilight said, her gaze darting around the library. "I'm not the new threat. There was a cloaked pony in the room with my mortal, and she told me I would find more information about the coming threat in the basement. That's why—"

In the blink of an eye, Mistress was towering over her. "Lies!" she shouted as she lifted Twilight off the ground by her throat. "Nopony entered or left the Town Hall after our gathering but you and your mortal."

Struggling to breathe, Twilight fought the urge to kick for fear of striking her. "I'm...not..."

"I know you've been having visions," Mistress said coolly. Twilight's heart seemed to falter. Her fate was sealed.

Mistress grinned wickedly. "You seem surprised. Do you want to know how I know?" She pulled Twilight so close that their muzzles were touching. "You mumble in your sleep."

With a sudden scream of anger, she threw Twilight into the library door. The door exploded from the force of her impact, and she landed on the hard, cracked ground several yards away.

Wincing as she felt her broken ribs mend themselves, Twilight stood and watched Mistress step out of the library and into the soft moonlight. Raising up on her hind legs, she let loose a deafening bat-like screech that echoed throughout the town. Twilight recognized it immediately; she was summoning the other Ascended.

Although her mind was screaming at her to run, Twilight stood her ground. "I'm not your enemy," she stated firmly. "I won't fight you."

"Good." Mistress's guttural voice was nearly a whisper. "That will make this much more simple."

Mistress propelled herself forward with a powerful flap of her wings and punched Twilight square in the jaw.

She heard as much as felt her jaw snapping from the blow as she was lifted into the air and smashed into the side of a house. She felt herself crash through three walls, and then found herself lying on her back staring up at the starry sky.

Rolling onto her stomach, Twilight watched the gaping wound in her foreleg close as white hot spikes of pain stabbing at her jaw confirmed that the bone was reconstructing itself.

With a moan, Twilight began to crawl away, but stopped at a pair of blue hooves. Lifting her head up, she found Rainbow grinning down at her. Gripping her by the mane, Rainbow roughly yanked her to her hooves and forced her to rear up, pinning her forelegs behind her back.

"Time for a trip to the schoolhouse for you!" Pinkie cried in a singsong voice.

Apple Bloom's small frame fluttered inches from her face. "I've already got the perfect pike chosen for ya."

Dread knotted in the pit of Twilight's stomach as she imagined herself impaled and at the mercy of this heinous creature.

Rarity licked her lips. "I may even stay and watch."

"No," Mistress said, "Twilight deserves better than that."

"Aww, c'mon!" Apple Bloom complained, but at a look from Mistress, she quickly landed and backed behind Pinkie.

"I will kill her myself." Mistress turned away. "Take her to the gorge."

Rarity took one of Twilight's forelegs while Rainbow held onto the other, and then the two of them lifted her into the sky and followed the others.

As soon as they were above the town, Twilight's eyes landed on the Ghastly Gorge in the distance, and knew that Mistress intended to bite her and leave her at the bottom. The gorge ran very deep, and both its walls consisted of steep cliffs. It would probably take her three days to die from the bite, and in her weakened state, she would never be able to climb back out. The Ghastly Gorge would be her tomb.

No! She still had a couple of minutes before they reached the gorge. She needed to think of a way to convince Mistress that she was still loyal. That the dragon was the real threat.

Rainbow and Rarity flew her out to the center of the gorge and hovered in place. Glancing down, Twilight could see the bottom several miles below her. Swallowing hard, she fought against the urge to struggle; she was determined to die with dignity.

Drawing near, Mistress gently placed a hoof against her cheek and simply watched her for a long moment. "This is...unfortunate," she said. "You were always my favorite."

Twilight felt Rainbow's grip on her foreleg tighten painfully at her words. She knew Rainbow had always strove to be the best in Mistress's eyes, and had always resented her for being the first born.

"Before you die, I will allow you to speak." Mistress pulled back several feet. "You deserve that much."

Taken aback, Twilight just stared at her, but quickly composing herself, she closed her eyes and bowed her head. "Thank you, Mistress." Relief washed over her. Now she could freely tell her of the dragon and prove her loyalty.

"There is a dragon," Twilight began, "I don't know where he's from, but I've been seeing him in my dreams. He's small, perhaps still a baby, and doesn't look like much of a threat, but he weakens me just by looking at him." She met Mistress's hard glare. "Just by seeing his picture in the basement, he reduced me to less than an underling. He is the coming threat, and I don't know how any of us can fight him."

Mistress began to laugh. It was a horrible sound—much like a choking dragon. "Who, Spike?" The laughter cut off as she sneered at her. "No, Twilight, Spike only has that effect on you."

What?!

Before Twilight could fully comprehend what she had said, Mistress lunged forward and sank her teeth into her neck. Twilight threw her head back and opened her mouth to scream, but the pain sucked all the air from her lungs. It felt as though fire was being injected into her veins. The horrific burning began in her neck, but soon spread everywhere from her hooves to the end of her tail, and even to the tips of her ears.

As Twilight arched her back from the first spasms of pain, Mistress wrapped all four legs around her, enveloping her strained, heaving body in a deadly embrace. Twilight feebly batted and pulled at her head, but her forelegs soon slipped away as her vision began to waver.

"Farewell, Twilight." Mistress's voice seemed to be echoing from far away. Twilight slowly realized that she had released her, but the pain was only growing worse. Mistress turned away. "Cast her in."

Darkness began to creep around the edges of her vision as she started to fall. She hardly noticed the rushing sound of the wind as it whipped through her mane, nor was she concerned about the rocky ground below that was racing up to meet her. All she knew was the fire burning through her body that seemed to be broiling her insides.

Closing her eyes, Twilight welcomed the black nothingness that greedily engulfed her.