Monsters ravage Equus.

Beasts among Beasts destroy cities.

Purest of Monsters destroy, pillage, deceive, and kill by the score.

And Misunderstood flood the outer wilds, trying to survive.

A Cursebringer, marked by a pure white Skull, stands strong in the white.

Curses are brought to all.

One Week Later...

The towns and cities across the Empire and Equestria were all filled with frightful mutterings, whispers of a beast so dark and powerful that it brought the beasts to their lands. They had seen some of their greatest protectors brought low. The shock and horror was prevalent, and word reached every pony soon enough. The Princesses had heard first, and later told the grisly news to The Elements. Disbelief was evident in their eyes when they heard.

Thus, they had all traveled to the Crystal Empire's Royal Hospital to see for themselves. They rushed through the streets once there, the Diarchs lagging behind, guilty looks upon their muzzles. Quickly stepping through the sliding doors, Rainbow was the first to shoot to the nurse behind the counter.

"Where are the Pillars?! Where's Flash?!" she demanded. The nurse blinked a few times, before gaining a sad frown.

"I'll... lead you to their rooms." She trotted out from behind the counter, and gestured for them to follow. Twilight walked up next to the nurse.

"...How bad is it...?" she asked quietly. The nurse said nothing for a moment.

"...I'll be honest, Your Highness... It's not good," the nurse replied with a deepened frown. Twilight's head fell. Pinkie's mane was flat, mirroring the mood of everypony around.

They arrived at a door labeled '3-G', and the nurse slowly opened it for them. They stepped inside, fearful of what they might see.

They all gasped in abject horror, tears forming in their eyes. They rushed to the sides of their friends and idols, seeing them all unconscious, save for one pegasus stallion. Rainbow zoomed to his side, tears in her rose-colored eyes.

"Flash! Babe, what the buck did that thing do to you?!" she screeched. Flash said nothing, bearing a thousand yard stare. "Flash? Come on babe, talk to me!"

Princess Luna stepped up behind her. "Leave him be, Rainbow. He has been through much."

"Buck that! I'm not leaving my coltfriend here to waste away!" Rainbow retorted angrily, glaring at the Lunar Princess through her tears. Luna just stared back, sadness abound in those orbs of cyan. Rainbow couldn't hold it anymore. She cried into her coltfriend's chest.

With Rockhoof, Applejack was trying to not shed tears at the prone, unconscious form of her idol. Pinkie was crying into Fluttershy's chest by the bedridden Somnambula, wing now but a bandaged stump, along with the rest of her body.

Twilight stood by Princess Celestia with Rarity, the Solar Diarch watching on with a face that looked beyond tired. Beyond sad. Twilight and Rarity looked to the older mare.

"Princess... Where are Mistmane, Meadowbrook, and Star Swirl?" Twilight asked softly, fearing the answer.

"Star Swirl closed himself off in the Crystal Archives. He hasn't come out for three days," Celestia replied with a just as soft tone. The hope in Twilight's eyes faded.

"...And the others...?" Rarity continued.

"Mistmane has been in the Gardens, and Meadowbrook is with the doctor," the Diarch answered. They all lowered their heads, and an uncomfortable silence ensued.

Rainbow's angry, breaking voice broke the relative silence. "I'll make him pay..." she growled out, trying to stifle her sniffles and sobs. She took Flash's hoof in her own, her eyes hardening. "I'll make that bucker pay, I swear babe..."

The others in the room looked to her, and their own eyes hardened. Twilight's voice went dark as her hair covered her face. "Yeah Rainbow... We will."

Author's Note

EDIT: Opening theme is here!

I know it's really short. Trust me, I do. But, I felt having a short one would make up for any future long ones. That, and this is just how this chapter turned out. Sorry if I dashed your guys' expectations.

Anyway, thanks for reading.

-Timeless Celestial