Sometime after the gain of my mark 1
I found myself astray, lost 2
alone in a wood cold and dark. 3

What a wood that was, so drear 4
not even the Everfree 5
could strike my soul such fear. 6

Naught could have been more bitter 7
than that arduous place. 8
Oh! What I'd give for only one sweet apple fritter! 9

How I came upon, I could not say 10
so alone and withdrawn into myself I was 11
when I first came, lost from the Way. 12

And yet hope sprang upon my way 13
in the terrifying maze of fears14
for at the far end it seemed a hill lay 15

and I lifted my eyes. Its shoulders glowed 16
already from the sweet rays of light 17
and by virtue of its rays lead straight on a mare's road, 18

and shining, comforted me against the fright 19
whose agony beat upon my wretched heart 20
through all the terrors of that piteous night. 21

Just as a pony, who with her last breath 22
flounders ashore from perilous sea, might turn 23
to see the wide water of her near death- 24

so did I turn, my soul still fugitive 25
for death had not yet stilled, to stare down 26
that pass of which a pony had yet to leave alive. 27

And so I lay to rest from my heart’s race 28
till my heart ceased its pound and breath returned. 29
Then rose and pushed up that slope at such a pace 30

each hooffall rose above the last. And lo!31
Almost at the beginning of the rise 32
I faced a spotted Leopard, all tremor and flow 33

and gaudy pelt. And it would not leave, but stood 34
so blocking my passage time and time again 35
I was on the verge of turning back towards the wood 36

This fell at the first widening of dawn 37
as Celestia’s Sun was climbing Aries with the stars 38
that rode with him so to light the new creation 39

Thus the waiting hour and sweet celebration 40
of commemorating the sun did much to arm my fear 41
of that bright murderous monster with its treason. 42

Yet not so much but my knees shook with dread 43
at sight of a great Manticore that bounded upon me 44
raging with unseen brimming anger, its enormous head 45

held high as if to strike mortal terror 46
into the very air like a pegasus’s static bolt. 47
Upon his track, a She-timberwolf drove upon me, a wooden horror 48

ravening and rotted beyond all belief. 49
She seemed a rack for avarice, hollow and craving 50
oh many the aristocratic souls she has brought to endless grief! 51

She brought such heaviness upon my magic and spirit 52
at sight of her savagery, I thought both my horn would surely snap, 53
and died from every hope of peaking that high summit. 54

And like a Canterlot noble- eager in acquisition 55
but desperate to self-reproach to keep grace when Celestia's wheel 56
turns to the hour of his loss- all tears and petition. 57

I wavered back; and still the monster pursued, 58
forcing herself closer so that I might retreat 59
till my hoof lost grip and I feel into the sunless wood 60

And as I fell to my soul’s ruin, a magical presence 61
gathered before me in the foul and discoloured air, 62
the figure of one who seemed hoarse from long silence. 63

At sight of so familiar a shape in that friendless waste I cried: 64
“Have pity on me, whatever creature you are, 65
whether wraith or living pony.” And it replied: 66

“Not pony, though pony I once was, and my blood 67
was Lombeard, both my parents Manetuan. 68
I was born though, late, sub Discordian, and bred 69

in Roam under Augustus in the noon 70
of the false and lying draconequui. I was a spellcaster 71
and wrote for none other but one 72

who came to Roam after the burning of Trough 73
but you- why do you return to this sunless realm 74
instead of climbing that shining Mountain of Joy 75

which is the seat and first cause of pony’s bliss?” 76
“And are you then Starswirl and that fountain 77
of purest speech? My voice grew tremulous: 78

“Celestial light of wizards! Now may that zeal 79
and love’s apprenticeship that I poured out 80
in your heroic spells serve me well! 81

For you are my true master and first spellmaker, 82
the sole creator from whose ideas I drew the breath 83
of those sweet spells whose incantations are my life’s anchor. 84

See there, immortal sage, the monster I flee. 85
For my friendship’s salvation, I beg you, guard me from her 86
for she has struck a most primal and mortal tremor through me.” 87

And he replied seeing my spirit in tears: 88
“She must go by another way who would escape 89
the wilderness, for that mad monster that fleers 90

before you there, suffers no pony to pass. 91
She hunts down all, preys on all, and knows no glut, 92
but feeding, grows hungrier than she was. 93

She mates with any monster, and will mate with more 94
before the Alicorn comes to hunt her down. 95
She* will not feed on lands nor loot, but honour. 96

And honesty and kindness will make straight her way. 97
She will rise between Fetlock and Fetlock* and in her 98
shall be the grace of friendship and new day 99

of that sad Itfilly for which Nisus died, 100
and Thunderus, and Equestrius, and the mare Camilla. 101
She shall hunt the monster through every kingdom sick with pride 102

till the monster is driven back forever on the Moon 103
whence Envy first released her on the world. 104
Therefore, for your own good, I think it well 105

you follow me and I shall be your guide 106
and lead you forth through an eternal sunless place 107
There you shall see the ancient ponies tried 108

in endless pain, and hear their lamentation 109
as each bemoans the fate of cruel pains through a hollow emptiness. 110
Next you shall see upon a burning mountain 111

spirits in fire, yet content in fire 112
knowing that whensoever they learn and understand 113
they yet will mount into the blessed circle. 114

To which, if it is still your wish to observe, 115
a worthier pony* shall be sent to guide you. 116
With her I shall leave you, for the Queen of the Sun, 117

who reigns on high, forbids me to come there 118
since, living, I never learned her true teaching. 119
She rules the waters and the land and air 120

and there holds court in her city and throne 121
Oh worthy are they who she chooses!” And I to him: 122
“Wizard, by that Alicorn to you unknown 123

lead me this way. Beyond this present ill of instinctual terror 124
and worse for my mind to conjure and dread, 125
lead me to Applejack’s Gate* and be my guide through the sad halls of rigor.” 126

And then then: “Follow.” And he moved ahead 127
in silence, and I followed, my mind brimmed with thought, where he led. 128

Author's Note

* line 96: The second she in this referring to the Alicorn

* line 98: Refers to a place, though one could also interpret it as her mother.

* line 126: Originally St. Peter, I felt Applejack's honesty best represented the gate.
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Greetings! I have begun a new project, that will cover Twilight's trip. However, we start with a mildly Dantean beginning, but further on, Twilight will stray from the alternative path again. I'm sure overly-magical unicorns in weird places will go over well.

Cheers!