The ancient Light stared at the back of the old stallion's head much harder than she should have. As a matter of fact, she was so fixated that her neck cramped slightly. It was not that there was much to see except for strands of thinning hair, but rather about him in his entirety. His age, however, concerned Auriel the most. His flesh was weakening and his body degrading, yet it appeared not to have been caused by erosion due to the flickeringly flimsy bond between meat and soul, but rather a naturally induced state of magical cannibalism.

'I was wondering how my world's creatures managed to remains alive without direct connection to my magic, and so little of it remaining in the ground and air too. Without enough magic, these ponies start to crumble away, but even that is not enough for the soul core to remain pure, thus cracked in the process. I will need to look into connecting the relays, but first, figure out what the impact would be to my children and their amusing concept of 'society' and such.' Auriel thought darkly while chewing her cheek's inner flesh. "Can't let another corruption happen." She mumbled quietly under her breath.

"Is everything alright, Auriel?" A quick question caught the ancient being off guard for just a moment before she quickly turned her head towards the questioner. "You've been awfully quiet the past few minutes. Is something irking you?"

"Felt more like a couple of months if you ask me." Auriel answered nonchalantly while wavering her eyes over Starswirls soul core before perishing the thought once again. "Just thinking about this strange place this world has become." It was not a pleasant sensation to alienate herself from her grand creation, but she knew that these ponies were rather unamused about a creature claimed to have made all they can touch and more. "Might I ask what you wish to show us, magister?"

"It's 'magic caster', not magister." Before turning his head towards the golden fox, the old magister commented from the front before quickly pointing it about ten degrees higher to meet her eyes. "And as for the reason for this excursion, it's due to the lacking movement of the sun."

Auriel halted abruptly, almost freezing in time, before her eyes slowly rolled down like marbles in a glass. "The sun stopped moving? As in, it is no longer in motion and not being held back by something?" Her voice was as sharp as a knife, almost sounding like an old teacher who just needed a hunch of a reaction of guilt to finalize a sentence.

"Yes, a group of highly skilled unicorns would move sun and moon from dusk to dawn for the past two-hundred-and-sixty-three years." Starswirl said as if he read out a book entry from his memory. "Truly a mystery, but who knows, maybe I can get to the bottom of this event in my lifetime."

"Sure, good luck." Auriel replied grimly; her thinker pondered away the great mystery thoughts, each possibility worse than the one before.

"Where is lady Luna, while we are on the topic of enigmas? I was sure to have felt her presence near you when I beckoned?" Starswirl answered without turning his gaze towards his followers.

"Luna's in the real lulu land." Auriel commented casually while turning head towards the sleeping mare on her back, with baffling dexterity. Starswirl walked a few steps back, granting him higher ground and seeing the unconscious alicorn. "She drank a pretty strong tea that kicked her in the head like a mambajumba."

Starswirl stared emotionally at the trio presented at him breathlessly, inhaling deeply for three seconds before exhaling. "I will just accept that it was a creature you once knew of but what remains a matter at hoof is to awaken her. Time is running short, schedules are tight and my patience is too thin to repeat myself in an hour or two."

"No need to burn yourself like that, mentor, I am sure Auriel will end Luna's slumber very soon, isn't that right?" Celestia said with half of a shivering smile before budding the great fox once lightly, not that she would even be able to push the great creature back with all her might if she wanted to.

Auriel mumbled something under her breath just loud enough for remnants to be heard of; these could be encrypted to 'Yeah, yeah, just a moment, not like...' the rest was lost.

Celestia dropped the smile not long after seeing the golden, vegetarian predator tapped the ground, from which various pushed and plants grew bearing many, colorful, almost luminescent liquids. "I hope she understands the state I wish her to be in." The alicorn whispered with as much curiosity as there was uncertainty in her voice.

"My... nerves have not been reduced to pebbles by the strict hourglass, or the squealing of lady platinum desire for warm baths and hot meals, but by the unknown, I am faced with problems outside of this-this seemingly blessed land." The mage admitted with a solemn voice before starring off into the frozen wilds. "I feel it in my bones and horn, something terrible is soo to happen."

Celestia opened her mouth as if it was to comfort her worrying mentor before her visage suddenly jerked when she saw the happenings behind the stallion. Auriel held a transparent, hourglass-shaped object containing a black, vibrating, and sparkling liquid.

"Open the food hole!" Auriel said with a smile only a very creative mother would give before opening Luna's mouth and dumping the black liquid into her throat. Luna's eyes shot wide open before a deep, green hue overtook her face like a ravenous mold infection. However, the blue alicorn could not spit out the foul liquid, as her muzzle was kept shut by Auriel's paw, forcing her to swallow.

"Now what did we learn?" Auriel asked sweetly before removing her paw.

"The rainbow was so sweet... urgh." Luna belched loudly with a tumble that nearly forced her back to the ground.

"Meh, close enough." Auriel shrugged before throwing the reaming juice over her shoulder and onto the newly grown plants, letting them shiver and wither away with a coughing jerking.

"What in Primus' name have you given her?" Starswirl asked with risen eyebrows.

"Ceffoo."

"Coffee...?" Luna asked while slowly rising to her hooves after mastering her stomach.

"That sounds even better."

"Greetings lady Luna, we were just about to start the process of lowering the sun, do you believe to be fit enough for such a task?" The sweetness in disguise buried within the stallion was almost-no, was much worse than the pungent beverage, as it, at the very least, tried not to hide its true nature.

"Of course... urgh... mentor." Luna replied as fast as she could, but not fast enough for the burp that interrupted her.

"If you want to, I could give you something for the stomachache."

"No! - No - "no"..." Three voices cried out.

"Shesh, fine." Auriel snorted in response to this upmost rude rejection of her offer. The golden fox looked at the ponies for just a moment longer before they turned around and continued the walk up, making the fox wonder for just a moment if she was supposed to follow or wait before ultimately just treading along. 'Note to myself, baby portions are extreme portions for ponies.' A few minutes the party came to a halt, with Auriel patiently waiting on the side with curiosity.

"Very well, now, can the two of you remember the spell matrix?" Starswirl asked... causally, it was almost like he tried not to appear 'above' in any way, at least for now. When two short nods came to his question's response, he nodded and was the first to ignite a spark of magic.

For the old fox, she could see the very magic they were attempting to weave; of course, there were other creatures that could too, even outside the Lights. However, none could quite see the mana like the one who spun it in the first place. It was a circle, bearing various symbols with each possessing reason and meaning, lines that spoke the tales of great magisters from apprentice to master, each whisk understood the command and place they are supposed to take place as a conduit for the spell. Auriel leaned forward; her eyes gleamed with interest like a child seeing snow for the very first time. It was sophisticated, refined, only taking as much mana as needed for spell crafted to fit any mage who could cast it, not perfect in effect; however, the mold was as pushing the casters closer to perfection than most could on their own. The silver mana of the stallion filled the matrix's engravings like water flooded cracks in the stone, bearing patience and control. Soon a second source of magic fuel joined, this one burning hot and filled with destruction, daring to combust at any time if poked too deep. Finally, the third resource for this spell joined; it reminded the old fox of heavy gas, dense and slow, however able to change at any time given or remain the same if the circumstances are allowed.

Each of these three manas, as different as they could be, filled the matrix, each one-third while struggling to maintain this balance. The core of the matrix shivered and shambled, quivering left and right as the mana was poured into the center, and from there, strings formed and tried to weave themselves to a rope that should reach the heavens. However, the rope, not long was it created, quickly started to shave itself down to a stalk that soon collapsed only seconds after it so much so graced the sun's surface.

Auriel watched this display breathlessly; this sight caught her deeply; she knew though not why. The spell failed, and it was clumsily executed. Still, this coordination to reach a common goal with this kind of determination despite such noticeable difference, a hope burning so bright to overstep impassable obstacles to so much so touch a destination out of reach, woke a sensation she tasted once similarly before the first grain of time fell. Finally, she took a light breath and stood up, still watching the backs of the panting and growling ponies.

Auriel pointed her paw to the circle of ponies and reached forward, both physically and magically, joining this ritual. Her magic shone celestially, perfection given form, stable, heavenly, warm, life-giving untouchable and alone, taking fourth of the circle, but stopped not there as her mana mixed with that of the mortals, and the two that were half-way to godhood. Auriel heard three short gaps. Not often has she touched her creation in a way like this, a way where all could see her, and she them. The sensation of a significant burden crushing one, a fear of failure, anxiety not to reach standards, the woe of existence.

The mana now blessed with gold reached towards the middle in perfect harmony, creation a rope so strong and light, it ensnared the sun, one born at the beginning of all and raised by the fox's loving heart without complaints, before slowly lowering itself below the housing. As the sun licked sight's floor, a second rope was formed and reached to the moon, crafted from the primordial bedrock and molded into a perfect cube by an undying desire for creation. The moon obeyed and rose from the horizon's below, ever higher until the celestial bodies stood opposite around the world.

Celestia shook her head, breathing heavily as if she jumped from a bath to a river, the sensation of pure content in every way, the lack of mortal plight or worry now just a fleeting memory. She looked to Luna; she shared this expression, just like Starswirl, whose eyes were directed to the sky. Celestia lifted her head, just like her sister, and was met with a sight most beautiful.

The ponies saw only in the corners of their eyes how the fox's paws glided through the air with fluent, enchanting motions as stars rushed across the night sky, taking of forms and constellation, all becoming a work of art, each light in place, every wave and swirl of different blue hues with purpose, and, if I dare say so myself, a gleam of joy, as if the night had once again been graced by an old friend.

"It's..." Luna said softly while staring at the mesmerizing heavens with tearful eyes glued to the moon. "...Beautiful." Finally, was her sentence complete, just like the desire for the perfect night. Oh, what in the world would she give to see such a sight every night. On this night, Luna felt closest to the moon, not just judged by the shine or joy in her heart, but like a band that connected the alicorn with the great pale marble in the sky.

"In due time, I'm sure you can guide my sky just like I have long ago." Auriel spoke softly, motherly even as she fell to her paws like a cherry petal, walking to the sisters and sitting in between them with arms ensnarling them. "And the sun, of course, will be guided by you when you are ready." Auriel's eyes swayed gently towards the in awe alicorn of white.

"What... what magic have you cast?" Starswirl asked, his initially demanding tone faded into a question of curiosity.

"I have done not much, I have just enhanced and encouraged what was there, a nudge, and a good word." Auriel said with a gentle smile before letting grow just a bit more. "Besides, I think it's time to give my creation a bit more say in this ever changing world."

"I... you..." Celestia asked with a shivering jaw and quivering lower lip, her voice stuck in her throat like a stone. It was not anger or worry; sadness would be most fitting, but not the hurtful kind.

"Yes?" Auriel asked curiously, interested in the words Celestia wished to speak, however, already knowing it was of a topic not directed today.

Celestia stared into those two eyes; the emotions she felt reminded her of her mother, however, not so much in the sentimental sense, but more of a primordial connection. It sparked memories and realization of a day where everything changed for Luna and her, not for worse in the grand or little scheme, but change nonetheless. "It's... nothing."

"It wasn't nothing if you wished to tell me for at least a second." Auriel said with a tilt of her head, still warmly smiling, before lowering it just a little bit. "Please do speak to me, if you have something on your mind, when you are ready, that is." Her comment, directed at the solar alicorn, still touched the lunar one much more than she could've thought.

"I..." Starswirl started breathless, catching the attention of everyone present. "I may ruin the atmosphere, and I do apologize, however, I feel like your words also involuntarily were directed at me. I have to reveal something... important to you." Auriel let go of the pair of mares and leaned forward, awaiting further wisdom. "From the beginning of the expedition, the waves bringing the three tribes and me communicated through magical impulses to transmit our location, but this morning all communication ceased by something blocking out our magic."

"What could this mean?" Luna asked with shock filling her voice.

"To be quiet frankly, I have no clue." Starswirl shook his head. "I looked through every possibility, be it a powerful caster, creature, shift of lay lines, or even a sudden surge of wrath iron particles in the air, but nothing matches this signature." His voice sounded almost maddening with desperation. "So I ask you if you could help me, find the root of this situation."

"I will not promise you that I can help, this world is much more fragile than I once knew, but I may try, if I dare to push further than that, who knows what follows." The golden fox said in an almost sterile tone. It was easy to create something with seemingly unending power, yet, to create something just like someone wishes, even if they say it is perfect, will never be of such grade. "This, if I am supposed to assist in your dire time, would require a touch, if you'd call it such."

"I... I am unaware what you mean with this, however, if it helps and your goal is nothing else, then do not restrain yourself." Starswirl answered after a moment of thought. If there was any ill, would she have waited this long, or even require consent, or was it just a game to build and break towers?

Auriel tilted her head for just a moment, staring deep into the stallion's eyes, seeing everything he was with each memory shown, however not even daring to touch them even a second's time, only needing this one spell's thought. And there it was! Her paw reached forward, and claws' tip tapped the unicorn's horn's top. A light sprinkle of mana erupted, the scents of blurred spells by the hundreds filled her nose, but one was all she needed. She grasped it, memorized it, and let go of the stallion, who could only stare at his horn with crossed eyes. Auriel rose two her hind paws, her steps gracing each stand of grass on their head, light like the wind and elegant like the sun did she sway forward until she stood at the hills very top, next to the tree bearing fruit, below the pale moon, and behind an ever stretching land of ice and snow.

Auriel took a deep breath and spread her arms wide, one paw pointing to heaven, the other to the floor while her eyes, shining like jewels, stared deep into the north. Her paws slowly moved to the center, still outstretched, but never reaching it, for her limbs danced in a circular motion continuously, scraping a path forward with her magic. She felt the north, cold ice chill, the frost, the beauty, and elegance, and soon heard voices.- Damn it all, Starwirl, have you fallen deaf on our prayers? - Mother, how much further, I cannot feel my hooves? - I should've just let the damn let me be eaten by a forsaken chenoo, rather than freezing to death! -

Their pain, hate, and hardship seeped through this never stopping storm, almost as furious as ice and snow itself were they driven, and in any other circumstance, she would've been disappointed that one could or would be reduced to the running of rage. Auriel shook her head lightly before letting her magic out and forward across the ground, the sky, and the wind, hoping to create a tunnel of safety and warmth; however, just as she was about to cast, she heard something most ominous.- What is taking so long, lady Persiana? We can't keep these beasts back any longer! - Be silent, Pecado, just a moment longer, and we have this heart of crystal! -

A crack, a snap, a shake that broke her very core brought the ancient being to screams. Auriel closed her eyes with her left paw, bleeding with pain and lifeblood, while the other closed the heart, as howls of agony escaped the canine before she fell to the floor. The floor began to glow before this energy seeped away into the frozen north. The land of snow-it changed, where the cold once lulled unlucky souls into a slumber lasting eternally, now it bit and sapped every last wish and hope of life and joy away. A great storm started to rage, the heavens clouded with black snow stealing sky's shine, spires of ice grew like vines fuelled by hatred towards the pale moon, yet this outcome's sight was stolen when a wall of ice erected, parting the land of frost, with that of the forest.

The fox felt empty and pained like she was drained of her power in a desperate attempt to keep this world soil alive when one world stone was stolen by sinful mortal grasp, yet what stung more than this agony she never once knew was the sensation of betrayal by those she nurtured and fed, keeping them warm in a vail, safe from the real world it was. At least a little solace was the cries of every beast and plant, mourning the pain their maker went through.

"Mother!?" Cried Luna out of reflex and rushed forward, falling to her knees and scooping the great, light fox up. A sight most horrible and painful plastered Luna's mind. Golden sap, most familiar and memory forth bringing, ran down Auriel's face, eyes' glim shivered frugally while whisks of magic fainted in a light glow, her chest stone grey where her heart should be, and last, was the pain not enough as it was? The fox's body shifted between color and transparency, where a golden sphere rested in her chest. "Hangeth by mine side!" Where these words truly meant for the fox or just a cry of past times, no one knew, as this moment was cut off when the rest of the ponies tried to reach three leaders after having felt the sudden disturbance, and they would've succeeded was it not for a great white flash which stopped them all.

"Auriel what happened!?" Queen Chitin shouted quiet angrily as she felt the love gathered wither away when a great sorrow soured this world surface, but her anger soon shriveled away, like any emotion she bore, when she saw what she thought was her race's dying hope. "No! Get away from her!" She screamed before the buzzing of her wings enflamed the previous silence this summer night bore.

The ponies stared bewildered at the massive bug pony, wondering what poisonous fruit or evil drink they consumed; however, before they were even able to start running towards the magician and the guardians, were they surrounded by dozens of changelings.

"Never again." Hissed the lunar alicorn, pressing Auriel's barely conscious body to her chest. This combination of words enraged the Queen when she landed not far before her, and it soothed not her nerves when the second alicorn took the side of the blue one.

"W-wait, I'm sure we can talk this out, right?" Asked Diamond Bell as she stood surrounded by many changelings. The young Princess Crysalis hid under her barrel. Chrysalis and Bell, and everyone else present in the throne room were dragged along when the queen cast her teleportation spell.

"We'll talk when they unhand Auriel." Queen Chitin bared her fangs, speaking through them with anger and hatred. If this was how and for what she would die, then so be it, not like there would be much left if nothing was done, at least, those were the thoughts that pushed her further.

"We have done nothing, something in the frozen north breaks all spells and retaliated when Auriel pushed further than us." Celestia spoke frantically, as truthfully as she could be in the face of a near drawing feral beast.

"Lies, you think I would believe your deceptions once more? You believe to think a god having made earth and sky could be thwarted by mortal's grasp? You'd dare to assume I'd consider even for a heartbeat that a ravaging, spiteful creature hating magic would lurk in the frozen north, having never been seen by any creatures eyes or heard of such power, to suddenly reveal itself like a diabolic rash and strike down a god not in theory, but in flesh?" With each word, she took a haptic step like a clock, her voice slowly drifting higher while tone drifted into absurdity; her face's expression made the disbelief only more apparent. "Or do you simply assume me to be but a daft fool?"

"What would we gain by ending the life of Auriel?" The wizard, Starwirl asked dryly, almost half-awake, yet staring at her like she had gone insane. "Death is what would be our final reward. Not a golden paradise, but an eternity of darkness, the world how it was made before it was changed by her paw, an abyss of void and emptiness. We would just kill ourselves in the end, even if only our children in thousand years time would see it all die what the light touches." It was almost like he saw into the fox's being when she saw him in his entirety, but the stallion saw much more than any pony should've.

A cold wind, not one that woke life joy or shivered the mortal flesh blew past them, but a dead whiff, empty and devoided of all emotions the world once bore. It was like this world, that just felt like a little fantasy, was but a colorful wrap-around a land of coldness, emptiness, and hardship. Soon a second wind came, more alive than the one before.

"B-both of you... are wrong." Auriel whispered, her voice carried by the wind, breaking silence and storm, just like the one brewing in the hearts of ponies in many kinds. Her paws closed themselves weakly but regained their strength soon as the world gave back some of its energy to rejuvenate the grand maker. The fox's blood spilled a moment ago, seeped back to her as she separated herself from Luna's embrace, her flickering form taking on tangible ways, the shine once more glowing in heavenly eyes and the heart forgiving seemingly every crime once more beating.

"Bloodshed won't solve anything, it never has and nor ever will, so please, were I to die and world's light soon to fade, keep at least this little wish alive until the age of dark is complete once more." It would've been admirable to make such a request, was not for the consequences this one's end would bring. "No, these ponies surrounding me have not attempted to strike me down, and Starswirls assessment is true, however, it was, at least the feedback I received, not done directly by a creature."

"I feel like I am overlooking something..." Princes Platinum spoke slowly while attempting not to make eye contact with the horde of cockroach ponies staring deep into her soul with pupilless eyes while guarding a giant fox that seemingly almost cracked the world in two. "Mayhaps the frozen wasteland was not as bad as it sounded." She added quietly as a changeling hissed at her, spit shotting in her direction, only reinforced her emotionally empty and near fainting state.

"Past dear, as it is right now I doubt even Celestia and Luna would survive a day." Auriel said with a weak swing of her arm, at least her humor survived, before her smirk fell like a bag of rock into the ocean. "oh... right." She seemed to somehow... lack emotions, not even the curse of joy; however, even pain nagged her not, only a subtle sense of betrayal and sadness coated her wind like fog.

"Excuse me, what did you just blabber out?!" Commander Hurricane said with a shock that cracked his otherwise calm outside.

"Ehm... well, how do I put in words... Short or long answer?" Auriel tapped her index fingers against one another with uncertainty while supporting herself on Luna's shoulder. She blinked hard as if she lost the trail for a moment; weird, that was rare for someone who prided herself to possess near-perfect memory.

"Elaborate and not nerve-wracking would be appreciated, thank you." Chief Chief Stone said sternly, which was quickly stopped by four spears made out of resin held a bit tighter by the changelings surrounding him.

Auriel lifted one of her paws and was about to snap; however, she quickly stopped it and bit her lip lightly. Instead, she grabbed a stick and drew a large circle. "Let's, ouch... let's say this is me, and the background is the world..." She said as she drew such. "Everyone still following me?" She asked; however, she added out for a moment, her eyes light blinking once.

"Yes!" Little Crysalis said proudly.

"Well, I am probably not as powerful as you believe me to be... well, in the grand scheme of things, in comparison there's a huge difference, however all I create sooner or later falls apart, so I need to continuously sustain it with my magic." Auriel drew an apple, an arrow to the right, a shivered husk of fruit, and once again a living piece of food. She spoke quickly to not be interrupted by this heinous, alien fatigue. "However a problem I soon discovered was the transportation of magic, as a constant supply would make the region around me highly sustained, beautiful, dangerous, while the other side would most likely just be dead, or if I were to do it with penetrating pulses, I'd kill all current life with each blast." She shivered for a moment, horrible memories, nightmares flashed before her inner eyes, and she suppressed the urge to vomit.

"Overfeed and burst, or extracted and reduced to a husk, few feral changelings who tried to steal love in my mother's hive described the sensation, before and after, at least those who survived the meal, as excruciating beyond understanding... or whatever the gurgling screams of agony were." Queen Chitin spoke calmly as if a wave of nostalgia had hit, utterly unaware of the horror of those surrounding her, well, most at least.

'Maybe not having a birth family isn't that bad.' Auriel thought with quite the horror. "Ehm... Eh, anyway! To make life function around the globe, I've employed lines which would transport my magic, the ley lines, to the world stones, and this is where things get interesting." She drew lines from herself going in all directions until they reached smaller circles.

"Now it gets interesting?! Mages have for centuries question the phenomenon of lay lines!" Clover the clever stomped angrily as if the accusation and insult towards mystery pocked a beehive. "Oh, eh, please continue, but-but not too fast, I'm writing everything down, everything." She said before, true to her world, summoned several scrolls to her side.

"The world stones-!" Auriel proclaimed, however, stopped for just a second as the scribbling started. "Are very special creations of mine. Each took a very long time to make, and I say that proud and loud, and repeat, a really long time before they were ready, and not only that, each one of them contains a varying amount of my blood. In other words, not only are they indestructible for most of my creations, they are connected to me and hold part of my power." Auriel heaved hardly, the weakness set in, and she was forced to sit down. "The magic from the ley lines would feed the world stones, which not only healed everything in their range, it kept each region intact, so it would not run rampant, spread, mutate or even absorb more power, thus breeding mightier children." Auriel growled quietly, a mix of fatigue, remaining pain, and, as disappointed as she was, anger and betrayal plastered her heart. She added dotted circles around the circles that represented the world stones, forming a patchwork blanket. "Now, one of my... creations stole a world stone just a little bit ago. The altar and stone could not take the magic needed from another relic, to keep the region stable, so they ripped it from me, who in that moment tried to connect myself to the frozen land."

"The world is falling apart." Auriel spoke sadly; it hurt physically to admit it. Several frozen faces stared at her. "It would not be so bad were it just so few, but sooner or later the weave will break if more stones are stolen, or worse, more than one in a single region. I wondered why this world's strength was thinning, but to think this chaos, the frozen celestial bodies, the withering fauna, the dead earth, and hollow animals are all traced back to these sins." All emotions slowly left Auriel's face as she sat there with a blank expression, and not even what went on inside her, if anything at all, could be described. After all this hardship, the sacrifice, and horrible things... it all would be brought down by a selfish act of her creations, ultimately self-destruction of absolute scale. How poetic, were she not close to crying.

"But... how..." Rockhoof spoke slowly before shaking his head slowly. "No, I understand not this concept... of life and magic and all, but may I at least know how much time remains?" A question that laid thick in this atmosphere. Humble even when faced with the end.

"If nothing is done?" Auriel asked, slowly lifting her head. "A mere one and a half thousand years, possibly a little less." An extended period of time, but to her, it was just a blink of the eye after having spent millions of years crafting her masterwork. Yes, the frame would survive, and the birth of a new world would not take even a fraction of her slumber, but it would just not be the same. She didn't want to see her children crumble to ash before her very eyes as the world would consume itself to survive a little longer.

"Well... there is a little time left at least to change that, right? You said that you only a certain amount for things to remain... ok?" Bell tried to lift the ancient fox's mood slightly and stood still when the canine stood up with a shiver, walking towards her.

"In theory? Yes." Auriel spoke slowly, drained, before collapsing on the ground, ensnarling the mare who just accepted the position as a cuddle buddy. "But retrieving will not be easy, or locating at least. It's also important to know that the thieves when they took the artifacts, gained power beyond normal measures. And... I wish not to be forced to kill them... given their new state."

"So, if a pony were to have stolen one of these stones, and you claim it was blood from which they were crafted, the same liquid used to let our guardians ascend to alicorns, could this hypothetical pony thieve now be an alicorn?" Plaitumun leaned forward, her head poking through the line of changelings. For a moment, the fox wondered if she said that it was, somehow, her blood that transformed the alicorns, or at least, with the greedy unicorn around.

"Maybe." Auriel spoke darkly with a deep glare, with anger quilling inside of her. "However it is uncertain what the thieve becomes, after all, my magic can do beautiful and horrific things if not controlled. This 'pony-thieve' you speak of may have ascended to alicorn hood, but could also have transformed into a creature lacking conscience, so gruesome in existing that it and every other being in its vicinity will have their mind broken." The fox's tone descended into depths that could summon nightmares into the most fierce of dragons, but her whispering follow-up was almost twice as fear-inducing. "And that... that would be the lesser price to pay." Platinum let out a silent pout, unaffected by the horrific side effects told to her and only disappointed in once less chance for eternal beauty.

"T-that not likely to happen, r-right?" Chrysalis spoke with fear in her voice as her little head poked out of the golden tail.

"I don't know, I have... at least never intentionally let my magic run free, this world is always a balanced system, even when I am not awake I am at least guarding its frame." Auriel spoke coldly, not the angry or irritated way, just lacking the strength for niceties. She leaned her head forward and gave the ling a little lick on the cheek. "Don't worry, I'll keep you save, and if that is not enough, there is a very large primordial ice wall between the there and here." To have the creator put herself below a wall of ice...

"It seems to be as much blessing as curse." Starswirl answered; the glance of Queen Chitin made him wonder for a moment if he stole her sentence, before continuing. "There is much to do, it would appear, however, I suggest that this journey will have to take place another day. Our predator friend is tired, a new ally has introduced herself, even if it is just as neighbors and mutual hopes that keep us together, and lastly, we soon have to figure out how to save the rest of our fleeting race."

Queen chitin chewed on her inner cheek flesh, unsure if she should let out an angry comment or decline this offer of 'friendship' as juices of rancid emotions swirled in her body like venom. "Very well, 'equal partner in this endeavor' let us see what the future brings." It... was at least an attempt to be nice to the pony bunch.

"Waiting is sadly all we can do right now... the magic is fresh, the wound not closed and neither is the fabric cleanly cut, the storm of magic will shred any spell we'll try to cast, anyone entering perhaps too. Let's just hope ponies can better survive in the wild than I originally thought." Auriel spoke slowly as her head sank to the earth.

"I... I think the day was stressful enough as it is. Maybe we should all go rest now?" Bell spoke, as she felt the light breaths of Auriel, as she drifted off into the land of slumber. It hurt her to talk almost unaffected by the possible erasion of nearly all of ponykind, to be locked away in a storm no records remember with terrors lurking even the maker speaks not of, but a little hope was perhaps needed, after all, be it as small and flickering as it could be.

"Is something the matter, private?" asked Stone as he looked over to a guard mare.

"No sir, just wanted to suggest the same thing, however, might I ask when we will clear the diplomatic tasks, sir?" Sunny Smiles said with faked fatigue, almost like not wishing to talk about a topic in public.

"When the time comes, we'll see, but said moment is not now." Queen Chitting spoke as she trotted towards her changelings that began to gather at one point. "Until next time, ponies. Have a good night." She said before her horn was engulfed by a magical glow, and the lings were gone from the ponies' sight in a flash of light.

Queen kept her eyes close, even well after having teleported back to her throne room, and only said, "Leave us." without much to add. She heard the changelings walk to their posts but knew she was still not alone. Luckily, those she wished at her side stayed. "Bell, please take my daughter to her room. I wish to spend the night alone with Auriel." She stayed blindly as she felt a painful, nostalgic clenching in her chest that dared to crush her, and any sight and word more was simply too much. When she heard them leave, she opened her eyes for just a moment. There it was, an empty throne room, with a sleeping fox at her hooves. She ignited her horn once again, and now they were in her chamber. The queen wasted no time and levitated the fox onto her bed; it was surprisingly easy, given how large the fox was or how much magic she passed, one would assume she'd be sweating out every last drop, well, if she could sweat, that is.

"Oh my little furred friend, how much you scared me today." Queen Chitin spoke solemnly as she laid down next to the fox, sharing the warmth and comfort. This sensation of loss... it was unlike the time of great slumber that befell her mother, or deaths of her once, plenty daughters, it was a faint hope she once bore. The circumstances were much different, and the situation incomparable, yet the pain of loss, only with it could she find familiarity—one event of foolish youth, the other of stained anger.

Chitin shook her head; the damn memories have long not haunted her, not that she had the strength for many years past to dream, and yet, as she sat there, tranquility soothed her. Chitin's eyes hovered over Auriel, the collar and the wendigo crystal still attached; she careful put it off Auriel and into her dresser before resting her head onto the soft fur unrivaled even by the finest of griffon feathers. Maybe the times of hate and pain could not be forgiven, but that did not mean the future would be just as bleak, and, who knows, maybe one day she could even open her heart once more.

There, in the frozen north, in the very core of this once plagued, and now godforsaken land in which ice and cold reigned, and mortals plight was aplenty, exactly there stood an ancient mountain bearing almost the shape of a spire. There once was a clean, ever polished crystal wall, but now there was a large hole. Just a few steps inside and an artist of marble or paint might've broken down to shed shears of joy, at least, of how this holy place used to appear. A floor bearing millions of frozen forms, becoming one seamless mosaic telling a story of ice and snow, atop which floated crystal giving warmth, and light and energy. The walls bore engravings in glowing, unknown texts, statues of creatures bearing might and beauty in volumes indescribable, and the ceiling, oh the ceiling how it melted eyes away. Crystal chandeliers hanged, snow fell internally but never reaching the floor, and a scene that depicted the frozen north in a light that mortals could grasp described a beautiful valley that matched the pristine state flutter valley once was in.

Now? It was all destroyed, everything.

The floor was littered with corpses of unicorns, pegasi, earth ponies.. and the guardians of this sanctum. Giant, blue shelled insects, bipedal golems of ice, snow spirits, they all laid there, starved to the bones; mayhaps this was why mortals could've ever dreamed of defying and defiling a god. And at the very end was a little heart-shaped hole in a flat, pearl-white runic plate adorned with runes and gems. The jewel, however, was gone, stolen with force and greed, or perhaps desperation? Now, this dead place stood silent, lacking the beautiful, magic-like humming of magic. Until something awoke, They awoke.

Beneath the floor, something started to glow golden; it appeared to be eggs, though they seemed more similar to seeds, larger than even an elephant. The seeds, then, changed to a bronze, light-red hue, and then fell into darkness again for a few moments. Suddenly, the ground broke with earthquake-like strength causing the very mountain above to shake, splinters and crushed ice shot in all directions, filling the air in a fog, through which only a dark green light escaped, in shapes of circles and jagged ovals. Screams that could make the bravest dragons cave in and cry howled through these ruins like thousand pained banshees, for their awakening meant only one of two most disastrous happenings.

If a creature was able to still stand there in front of the mist, to withstand the screams, power, and sickly stench these... created monsters exuded, then they might've thought to have gotten insane because in a moment so short, the brain it could not realize it, they were gone, hungry and on the search follow their orders granted eons ago.

Author's Note

Dear Reader,

if you have come this far and are interested in a little more,
then I'd like to tell you that I have rewritten the first chapter and left a little poem, at least, if you can call it such.

Yours sincerely,
Zwillingen700.