Umbral Souls

Chapters

Chapter 1: Tremors
Chapter 2: The World of Night
Chapter 3: Equis
Chapter 4: The Umbra Hunters
Chapter 5: Night Swimming
Chapter 6: The City of Moonlight
Chapter 7: Church Rats
Chapter 8: Liberation
Chapter 9: The Priestess of Luna
Chapter 10: Heart of Darkness
Chapter 11: Saviors
Chapter 12: The Scions of Equis
Chapter 13: Sanctuary
Prologue (Edited 25.12.2019)

Chapter 1: Tremors

After twenty minutes of writing to Princess Twilight, and another three hours trying to go back to sleep, despite the weariness of a very much sleepless night, Sunset Shimmer urged herself out of bed well before her usual time at a quarter to eight. It was as if the trepidations of her night terrors had stripped her of any ability to rest that night.

After getting dressed, going so far as not wearing what she’d seen herself wearing in her dreams, and might as well, since today’s forecast was estimated to be a warm and sunny day regardless. She fed her pet leopard gecko Ray and actually had the time to straighten out and brush her hair. Exiting her home, Sunset began to slowly, with a feeling of glumness, walk to Canterlot High.

After stopping by the Sugarcube Corner to sit down for a panini and a large black coffee, which lasted well after she was done with her breakfast, taking long swigs as she went on. She still felt just as solemn and weary, in spite of a filled stomach. After making her way down her usual path, the city council still not having filled the three-foot deep hole on the sidewalk along the way, the school that was Canterlot High came ever closer.

Being unusually early today, Sunset rested underneath the rearing, freshly restored, horse statue that stood before the school, a representation of the school’s premiere team, the Canterlot Wondercolts. But those privy with the goings-on at Canterlot High knew it was also the other end of the portal between this world and Sunset’s home world, Equestria. Leaning against the embossed corner of the facet at the backside of the statue, she stared at the polished stone surface with a sense of foreboding. She reached out, almost touching the disguised gateway, but reeled her fingers back, feeling unsure.

She considered the possibility of taking just a quick visit to Princess Twilight at her castle in Ponyville, thinking that maybe meeting with her second mentor would help put her mind at ease. She was well ahead of the first bell, there could be time. The Princess had not responded to her message so far. If she knew Princess Twilight like she did this world’s Twilight Sparkle, she was likely an early bird- pony? Regardless.

Of course, being ascended to the position of Princess would make her life busy more often than not, and given what Sunset Shimmer knew of Princess Twilight’s past endeavors since after they met. These included having her previous home blown up by a power-engorged centaur, the very timeline of their world being flip-turned upside down, getting abducted by the queen of insectoid shapeshifters, and even meeting the very Pillars of Equestria themselves, it sounded like a miracle if Princess Twilight had any time for anything these days.

Resigning herself to just waiting for the Princess to respond on her own time, she leaned her head back, gazing up at the near cloudless morning sky, and with a deep breath, closed her eyes.

“Sunset? … Sunset, darling?”

Sunset Shimmer jerked awake when she felt a soft, but deliberate nudge on her shoulder rouse her from her inadvertent nap, being met with the concerned expression belonging to Rarity, the alabaster, indigo-haired girl squatting beside her behind the statue. So much for getting my money’s worth on the large coffee, Sunset thought as she rubbed her eyes.

“Are you alright, Sunset?” Rarity asked, concern radiating from her azure eyes, a friendly hand on Sunset’s shoulder.

Sunset craned her neck to straighten the kinks brought on by her poor choice of headrest. “Hey, Rarity,” she greeted with a drowsy groan, stretching out her arms. “It’s… It’s nothing, had trouble-” her sentence was cut off by a yawn, “trouble sleeping.”

Rarity eyed Sunset with a slight purse of her lips, but the fashionista didn’t outwardly pursue the matter further as she stood up, almost by second nature dusting off her skirt.

“Goooood morning!”

The two almost jumped as the ever chipper and boisterous sound of Pinkie Pie greeted them before they could properly converse. Accented with a puff of confetti as the pink haired girl popped up seemingly out of nowhere above Sunset and Rarity, clinging onto the statue by means currently unknown to the laws of physics. That was until gravity took hold, whether by her own will or not as she dropped down on the pavement, only to bounce right back up and shake like a dog to shed all the stray confetti from her puffy hair.

No matter what one’s mood or the predicament, Sunset Shimmer could always expect to smile at the sight of her overly pink friend. “Hey there, Pinkie Pie. Good morning,” said Sunset Shimmer with a warm, yet weary smile.

This elicited the bouncy anomaly of a girl to look over Sunset Shimmer almost disturbingly close, popping up behind her to scrutinize the skin along her arm before rounding back between Sunset and Rarity. “Trouble sleeping, huh?” she asked, sounding surprisingly astute for those who’d known her for long enough.

Sunset could only blink in astonishment. Before she could even draw a complete breath and raise a hand in inquiry, Pinkie Pie provided the results of her observations; “Mozzarella-cheddar panini and a large coffee!” the pink girl replied, leaning in to sniff the air close to Sunset Shimmer’s lips. “Hmm… Foalgers, Americano.”

Sunset Shimmer couldn’t so much as stammer at her friend’s impeccable clairvoyance. If magic wasn’t endemic to this world, then Pinkie Pie was the sole exception. Either that or Equestrian magic had been seeping into this world long before she’d come along and Pinkie was the one sole recipient. Sunset Shimmer nodded in confession, grasping her left arm, looking down forlornly.

“I had a… really bad nightmare,” was best Sunset could admit. Just thinking of the feeling of suffocation made her shiver.

She looked up at the feel of Rarity placing a comforting arm around her shoulders, “Sunset, remember that if there’s anything the matter, you can always tell us.”

“Morning everyone!” came the voice of Twilight Sparkle.

Indeed, ever the punctual straight-As model student, Twilight arrived at a brisk, eager pace, giving a joyful wave as she came. Despite Sunset, Rarity and Pinkie returning the gesture, the bespectacled, former Crystal Prep student promptly deduced that something was wrong. “What’s the matter?” she asked, approaching Sunset, looking her over with great concern. Sunset yearned to hug her for simple comfort.

“Sunset Shimmer’s been suffering from nightmares,” Rarity replied, maintaining her comforting arm around Sunset’s shoulder.

Sunset Shimmer sighed, “I don’t want to trouble anyone,” eliciting a soft scoff of disapproval from Rarity. “But yes. It was… It was a bad one,” she shuddered, the look of concern in Rarity’s expression deepening when an uncontrollable shiver ran through Sunset’s body.

Sunset welcomed the sensation of Twilight embracing her, returning the comforting gesture as the two hugged. When they finally parted, at Sunset’s dismissal, Twilight fished for her smartphone, “Well, it is a widely accepted theory in psychological circles that nightmares have a correlation with a variety of factors we experience while awake or something in our sub-conscious.” The bespectacled girl spoke matter-of-factly as she perused something on her screen, “Has something been troubling you lately?”

Pinkie suddenly slid up next to Twilight, holding a hand close to her mouth. “Just between us; I bet it was the potato salad…” she whispered one bit too audibly with a tone of trepidation before sliding back down. The four girls shuddered in unison remembering yesterday’s cafeteria travesty that reportedly sent everyone that ingested it to the latrines that day.

Sunset shook her head, “I… don’t think that’s what it was.” She looked at Twilight, “I’m hoping it’s nothing, but I did send word to Princess Twilight. I can still remember it so vividly… I… I don’t even want to begin to describe it.”

“Describe what now?” came the unmistakable southern twang of Applejack who walked up to the steadily growing group of friends, her little sister Apple Bloom walking past them to join her own friends, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo ahead. The cowgirl was quick to pick up that not everything was right among the quintet of her septet of friends.

“Sunset’s had problems with nightmares,” said Rarity informingly.

“Night terrors ya say?” said Applejack, bringing a hand to her hip. “Potato salad?”

Sunset Shimmer gnarled her fingers ever so noticeably. Enough with the potato salad!

“Wait-” Sunset chimed in, regaining her composure in an instant. “By any chance have you been having particularly vivid nightmares?” she asked, feeling a mix of hope, and a different kind of trepidation.

When something major was about to happen involving their group, Sunset had taken note on how something being off from the regular order of things, or something shared between her and her six friends would serve as the unifying precursory omen, of sorts. Applejack promptly shook her head, Pinkie pursing her lips as a slightly saddened expression crossed her features while Twilight and Rarity shared the same sentiments as Applejack.

“You know what I always do when I have bad dreams?” came the near whispered voice of Fluttershy, who almost on cue approached everyone else, bearing a comforting smile with a glint of something no-one could discern emanating from her eyes. “When that happens, I find that getting a hug from a good friend always makes me feel better,” she said, walking over to Twilight. “Excuse me, Twilight,” and with that she unzipped Twilight’s backpack, pulling out something small, purple, and fluffy. The quadruped sputtered, shaking itself all over, before waving a paw with an abashed, toothy smile.

“Spike?” said Twilight in surprise. “When did you get in my bag?”

“Oh, I’ve been practicing,” said the small dog, one-of-a-kind, granted the power of speech and human-level intelligence by Equestrian magic, in a matter-of-fact tone. “All I had to do was wedge myself between mathematics and physics while avoiding the added mass of your notebooks via paws,” explained Spike a matter so astute, much like his owner. “But that’s beside the point. I heard someone needed a hug?”

Sunset Shimmer couldn’t help but smile as Fluttershy handed Spike over to her. Unable to turn down such a gracious offer, Sunset took the rabbit in her arms and gave him a soft embrace. The dog went as far and even hugging her back with his front paws. Sunset handed Spike back to Twilight who clearly mouthed something along to lines of “Cheeky little rascal, stroking his head affectionately. With five of her best friends gathered around her and offering comfort, Sunset surely started to feel the effects of the nightmare fade, even if it was just a little, undoing that final moment of having her friends evaporate away from her mind. All that was missing was Rainbow Dash…

Who subsequently came speeding onto school grounds, accompanied with a rush of air and a rainbow-streaked after image following her as she used her Equestrian magic-begotten super speed, lifting a small puff of dust on her halt. The blue rainbow-haired girl eyed her smartphone with a look of triumph.

“Oh yeah, made it!” she grinned. “Looks like Mr. Cranky Doodle won’t be giving me detention today!”

“Dangit, Rainbow Dash, what've we talked about usin' yer powers?” asked Applejack with scowl.

Rainbow looked back at Applejack indignantly, “Hey, gimme a break! I slept in, Cranky said I’d be getting detention if I didn’t turn up for math on time!”

Applejack crossed her arms, remaining unconvinced, “Slept in, huh?" She raised a brow, "Accidentally or on purpose?”

Rainbow Dash shot Applejack a pout when she noticed everyone huddled around Sunset Shimmer. She approached Sunset, holding out a hand against her forehead, “You alright there, Sunset?” she asked as she felt her own for comparison.

Sunset raised a brow as all six of her friends huddled around her. Her mind flashed between them and when she saw those very faces being corroded and eaten away by the darkness as it had pierced its way into her. The images faded when she found Twilight press up against her into another embrace, followed by Rarity to her right, then the rest followed suit into a group hug. As her friends embraced her, Sunset closed her eyes, feeling the warmth generated by their shared friendship, which felt familiar… Like that light that she’d held in her dreams. In between her friends, it was almost like the vividness and intricacies of her nightmares began to fade. She could still remember, but the images and sensations became muted. She smiled happily as she reached out to whomever she could reach out to touch. As the six parted around from her, she felt so much more relieved.

Fluttershy tittered. “Nothing like a group hug to cure ill wills,” she said.

“Feeling better, Sunset?” asked Twilight, her expression giving the impression that something about her had improved outwardly too.

“Much better,” said Sunset, rubbing her eyes. “Thanks girls.”

“Like I said, darling,” Rarity chimed in. “If there’s anything you need to talk about, we’ll all have our ears open to you.”

Sunset Shimmer took a deep breath. “Well, it’s a bit strange, but, the best I could describe it was that I…” she sighed, “I was being swallowed by this immense darkness. I’d… I’d never felt anything like it before. It’s like I was wasting away; it was cold, I couldn’t breathe, and worst of all, all that I knew, what I am, was slipping away…”

She watch as her friends stared at her with shared expressions of concern, and a tinge of fear in the case of Fluttershy, who continued to hold Angel like a teddy bear in her arms.

“Worst of all was when it took you from me. My memories, my knowledge, my visions, everything. That’s when I woke up. By Celestia, I’ve never felt so scared before in my life.”

Twilight reached out to plant her hands on Sunset’s shoulders, “Did the Princess write you back?”

Sunset shook her head. “Not yet. I thought I could handle it before then. But I guess I was wrong,” she smiled sheepishly, followed by another hug by Pinkie Pie, accompanied with that strange “squee” sound.

Twilight gave Sunset a reassuring smile, “Don’t worry Sunset, once class is over, we can discuss what brought this on. And besides,” she brought her hands together, “I can finally put all this reading about psychology to use!” she said eagerly. This elicited a giggle from Sunset at her favorite bookworm.

“Whoa! And pronto!” exclaimed Rainbow Dash, looking at the clock of her smartphone. “I can’t help after school if the bell rings!”

With Sunset’s fears restrained for now, the seven friends began to head for their first class of the day, offset only by Fluttershy tripping with a squeak. Before anyone had the chance to help her up, Sunset realized, as did her friends, and every other Canterlot High student around them, that the earth was shaking. No, not just shaking anymore, but rumbling, like an earthquake. As she tried to maintain balance, she soon joined Fluttershy and a few others on the ground.

Rarity yelped as she found herself on her hands and knees, watching as the ground visibly shook underneath her like Vinyl Scratch’s bass on too high a volume. “What is happening?!” she called out hysterically.

“I don’t know!” Twilight Sparkle exclaimed as she herself had fallen flat on her rear, her glasses almost vibrating off of her face. “This is impossible! We’re nowhere near a fault line!” she said in disbelief before watching Pinkie Pie who hadn’t fallen, instead taking to shaking uncontrollably by the soles of her feet, sliding about like an out of control jackhammer.

Inside her office, Principal Celestia found herself holding on for dear life to her desk from the school shaking uncontrollably. She winced with apprehension as she heard her framed certificate loosen from the wall and drop, hopefully the carpeting sparing it from any damage. Taking the initiative as the authority of Canterlot High, she reached for the PA system, switching it on with the flick of a finger and drew the microphone towards her:

“Everybody, please remain calm,” she spoke levelly, but with raised volume. “All students and faculty, brace yourselves, and stay away from anywhere things might fall on you!” As she took her hand off the mic, she suddenly realized something dire and resumed, “Everyone inside the library, evacuate immediately!” she called, fearing for someone getting crushed under the heavy oaken bookcases that were not bolted to the floors as they would be where something like this would be more commonplace. Or heard of.

She watched as a silhouette approached her windowed door and came stumbling in. It was Vice-Principal Luna.

“What’s going on?!” Celestia called to her sister and fellow faculty member, managing to maintain somewhat of an air of calmness to her.

“I don’t know, sister,” said Luna as she wobbled into the office, teetering dangerously to the side, slamming into a filing cabinet. “I tried calling the geological survey, but no answer!”

Another tremor sent Luna reeling back, one of the cabinet draws getting pulled open, which inexplicably sent a spray of confetti all over Luna’s face. The spook sent her falling over onto the shag carpeted floor, her hair laden in a mess of pink, blue and orange bits of paper.

Celestia cursed herself for having missed one of Pinkie Pie and Rarity's "confetti fashion" pieces as she slowly arose from her high-backed chair, roughly pushing it up against her desk before slowly clambering towards Luna, continuing to support herself against the heavy piece of furniture, until she too found herself falling over to the floor. She winced from the pain flaring from her knees and elbow before reaching out for Luna’s extended hand.

The two sisters clasped each other for dear life, sharing a look of worry as the unexplained tremors continued to rock their school, if not the whole town. Just then Celestia winced again as her ballpoint pen dropped down atop her head. Followed by the sounds of more of her movables collapsing atop her desk, rattling against the solid oak surface. Lastly her com mic came rattling dangerously close to the edge, almost perfectly position above her head.

Before Vice-Principal Luna could reach out to push the mic back, it came falling and struck Celestia squarely on the head, eliciting a pained “Ow!” on impact.

Sunset was reaching out and grasping at Twilight’s hand as she stayed close to and had her other arm over Fluttershy, who held herself protectively over Angel Bunny, who in turn clung to his owner’s arm, shaking uncontrollably from the impossible tremors due to lack of mass. Sunset watched as Applejack and Rarity crawled over to their respective siblings and Scootaloo. Up ahead she could see Rainbow Dash kneeling, managing to keep herself steady enough with her arms to prop her body upwards, head darting about alertly as their fellow students tried their best at hanging on.

To the right, close to one of the wings of the school she saw Bon Bon lying prostrate on the ground, covering her head with her arms with Lyra Heartstrings huddled over her. Sweet Leaves of the conservation club was on her knees, dangerously close to the building itself.

“Look out!” called Flash Sentry as a piece of the stonework lining the roof of the school came loose and plummeted to the ground, with Sweet Leaves being right below its path.

Sweet Leaves screamed helplessly as the hefty chunk of stone came at her. This elicited Rainbow Dash to fearlessly kick off into super speed. In a blur of colors, she dashed and managed to drag Sweet Leaves away before the piece of the school’s construction smashed into the ground. But before she could bring herself to a proper stop, she lost her footing and slammed into the backside facet of the horse statue.

“Rainbow Dash!” Sunset Shimmer called out. “Are you okay?!”

Rainbow fell over, shaking her head, hissing in pain. She did not notice what looked like a breach, like broken glass that began to form on the statue’s facet, or that the stone horse’s legs began to give away. Its right hind leg crackled ominously, before it violently burst, its imbalanced weight causing its left hind leg to split apart. With a dense crack, the statue began to collapse, right towards the disoriented Rainbow Dash underneath.

“Rainbow Dash!” Sunset and her friends cried in unison.

All six of them braved the tremors as they rushed to save their friend. Rarity was already materializing one of her diamond constructs in her hand, whilst Applejack powered through the tremors with enough force that her boots split through the concrete blocks of the schoolyard walkway. Twilight Sparkle’s telekinetic aura began to envelop the collapsing stone horse and Pinkie Pie frantically fished for a fistful of sprinkles from her pocket.

Before any of them could reach their imperiled friend, the breach upon the statue’s facet began to grow, crackling lines spreading across its surface like a web. Suddenly the facet burst with a beam of blinding light that enveloped the seven girls. All that could be heard was the cacophony of their combined screams, until the stone horse fell with a thundering crash, and the beam was gone. As were the seven girls.

The other students could only look on in shock from their spots, trying to brave the still going unnatural earthquake. The Cutie Mark Crusaders had utter looks of horror etched on their faces as their sisters and sister equivalent were gone. After what felt like an undetermined amount of time, the unexplained tremors gradually felt less forceful. Yet no-one dared to get up on their feet until they all felt certain that the earth beneath them did not even ripple.

Sweet Leaves was among the first on their feet, who approached the shattered remains of the once noble Canterlot High statue. Her mouth hung agape, looking around for her savior Rainbow Dash and her six friends. Followed by Flash Sentry, flanked by the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Soon all the students had gathered around the ruined landmark. Questions being asked, concerns voiced, comforts being given, in particular to Sweet Leaves. Flash Sentry eyed the statue, the facet back to its smooth, polished state. No matter where the students searched, under the rubble, around the statue; Sunset Shimmer, Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie were gone.

Author's Note

Fun fact: The order of introducing the Mane Six, aside from Rainbow Dash, was done via dice roll.

Chapter 2: The World of Night

The first thing Sunset Shimmer felt was pain as she was ejected from the portal, the near blinding brought on by the spiraling vortex that was the limbo between worlds wearing off . Her head spun and the weight of someone else lying on top of her did not help the soreness of her posterior and lower back. Judging by the scent of some costly perfume and shampoo, it was most likely Rarity.

Sunset felt as her hand touched cold stone underneath her and- Wait. Hand?!

Indeed, looking at the limb she was extending from underneath the pile-up composed of her and her friends, she saw that her arms and hands hadn’t changed back into their original equine form, wiggling her fingers just to make sure she wasn’t just seeing things from the disorientation. Indeed, no hooves, only fingers, and the toes she felt pressing against the insides of her boots.

Rarity moaned atop Sunset. “… Are we dead?” she muttered.

“I feel dead, does that count…?” asked Fluttershy with a discernible trembling in her hushed voice.

Sunset tugged her body backwards in an attempt to slide out from underneath Rarity, and Twilight who was lying on Sunset’s legs. Managing to scoot up to a sitting position, she also saw Applejack half lying on her back, dislodged from their pile, albeit her leg being caught under Twilight, atop whose chest, clutched protectively in her arms, was Spike, with Pinkie Pie lying prostrated on the floor, arms stretched forward and one shin bent up. The puffy-haired girl was moaning loudly.

“Ya’lright there Pinkie?” asked Applejack, her trademark Stetson missing from atop her head.

“I fell on my keys…” groaned Pinkie before she reached under her belly, pulling out not her keys, but a strangely antique looking brass candelabra. “Oh, nevermind!” she said, back to her chipper tone as she inserted the random find into her hair.

“Ohhhh…” groaned Rainbow Dash who was lying over Fluttershy’s legs, holding her head as she rose to an elbow and shook her head, “Did anyone get the number of that bus?”

“Birthday or social security?” quipped Applejack, not in any malicious context as she placed her cherished hat back on before yanking her foot out of their pile-up to go and help Pinkie. Her response was a dry, humorless mock laugh from Rainbow Dash.

Twilight sat up on her knees, Spike setting onto her lap, before inspecting her glasses for damage, “So is this how it feels to cross between dimensions?” she inquired with a soreness to her voice, no doubt directed at Sunset.

“I’d say both yes,” Sunset began, wincing as a dull pain flared in her buttocks, “and no.”

The girls slowly, with groans and gripes a plenty exchanged, managed to get themselves disentangled from one another and back on their feet, albeit Twilight and Fluttershy stayed kneeling on the floor, going over Spike, like worried mothers, in spite of the dog seeming no worse for wear. The seven friends looked over their surroundings, a slight chill hanging in the air of wherever they were.

“For a castle in a magical land, this place seems a bit… archaic?” said Rarity, having immediately begun to fix her hair.

“Plus I didn’t think pews came standard with castles,” Rainbow Dash added, craning her neck.

“Princess Twilight never said anything about having a chapel,” said Fluttershy as she looked around.

As her friends shared their remarks about their new surroundings, Sunset Shimmer had remained silent. She didn’t do anything to even interject to her friends’ remarks at how wrong they were in their assumptions as the feelings of dread came rushing back.

She and her friends were not in Princess Twilight’s crystalline castle. Somehow against all expectations the portal had tossed them into a dark, downright dreary place, almost gothic in atmosphere: They were in a large rectangular room with a high ceiling supported by hefty wooden rafters, the stonework a somewhat faded hue of reddish granite. As Rainbow Dash had pointed out; before them started a side-by-side double row of heavy wooden pews that ran down the room towards a sturdy looking set of wooden double doors. The only thing she found different were the stained-glass windows.

Turning around, Sunset had her trepidations confirmed at the sight of a familiar statue. Set atop of sturdy granite pedestal, carved from a white marble. It was clearly equine in form, rearing on its hind legs with its forelegs bent close to its body, its head held aloft proudly atop its elegant slender neck, with a long, conical horn coming out of its forehead. A pair of wide wings arced from its back, and a long mane flowed down along its neck, Sunset noticing the painstakingly etched strands. Atop its head sat a brilliant golden tiara, and despite being only stone, an expression of warmth and benevolence stared down at those who would stand before its gaze.

“Ooooh, glow-y!” Sunset Shimmer heard Pinkie exclaim beside her.

As if she could forget; below the statue’s gaze was a familiar altar, though its contents were now sprawled on the floor, including the pair to the candelabra now stored in Pinkie’s… hair. But they were all insignificant to what lay on the floor before the feet of the seven girls: A small fragment of pure, golden radiance that served as the sole source of illumination to this otherwise dreary place.

It’s just like before… Sunset’s mind echoed as she saw Pinkie reach a hand for the shard of light.

Snapping out of her reverie, Sunset Shimmer lunged to grab Pinkie’s wrist, the others expressing each their own response, from questioning grunts, stunned gasps, or a pained yelp in the case of Pinkie.

“Don’t touch it!” Sunset snapped and in one fluid motion turned tail and ran for the doors, which weren’t even barred.

“Sunset? What the heck is goin’ on?!” Applejack called with a tone of frustration and befuddlement as she and the rest watched their friend’s episode of hysteria.

“It’s just like in my dream!” Sunset Shimmer responded with panic in her voice. “The darkness is-”

Looking through the doors… It wasn’t nearly as dark as she’d remembered in her dream. Her mouth hung agape as she opened the doors wider, her eyes now staring intently at the sky, whereas before she dreaded peering back up into that endless, maddening void she’d beheld in her dream. The sky was now a soothing dark azure, a vast canvas beyond her reach, dotted with brilliant little dots of light amidst radiant nebulae and the pearly white face of the moon shone down upon her. A moon much larger than either ones in Equestria, or the human world. Or closer. So close in fact that it looked the size of a tennis ball from where they stood.

“Well just look at that…” said Applejack as she and the others joined Sunset Shimmer, all of them just as amazed at the splendor of a night sky unlike anything they’d ever seen before.

“It’s like the sky is dotted with diamonds,” awed Rarity, her hand rising steadily close to her mouth in wonderment.

“So… is this it?” Twilight Sparkle chimed in, in between her own marveling of the sky, glancing at Sunset. “Is this Equestria?”

Sunset’s gaze lowered from looking at the white maiden in the sky, down the steps of the temple building which led to a well-travelled stone path that might have been angling at a slight downhill into a sparsely forested area. The trees themselves weren’t exactly the same as they’d been in her dream, while not fully stripped of their leaves, husks carpeted the path forward. She slowly shook her head, her mind filled with a plethora of questions of her own, and the persisting tinge of terror.

“This is not Equestria…” she murmured. “This can’t be Equestria!” she said with raised volume, looking back towards the statue.

Rainbow Dash raised a brow, “So did we just get transported to Cloudrim?”

Everyone eyed the rainbow-haired girl with varying expressions, none of them implying amusement. Applejack squeezed the bridge of her nose and shook her head whilst Twilight Sparkle rolled her eyes. Spike shook his head at the athlete, before idly scratching at an ear with his hind leg.
“And it’s outta here, ahhhhhh…” said Pinkie in a hushed tone as she mimed swinging a bat, before simulating a roaring crowd with slight waves of her hands.

Sunset walked back towards the altar, unable to look away from the statue of her old mentor.

“Wherever we are, I’m certain that this isn’t Equestria,” she said with finality in her voice. She knelt down, and like she did in her dream, she gently picked up the glowing fragment of light, holding it in her cupped hands, feeling the warmth and ethereal comfort that began to flow into her body.

“So then…” Fluttershy piped up, appearing beside Sunset Shimmer, looking up at the statue, “What is this statue doing here?”

“And who is that anyway?” asked Rainbow Dash.

“That’s Princess Celestia,” said Sunset, looking up from the shard in her hands. “I don’t know why that is here, and where we are, or why we didn’t change into ponies, or what even this is,” she turned to her friends, all of them looking at her with mixed expressions of concern, if not outright fear. “All I know is that this is what I dreamed of. It’s right here, in this church where those things in the darkness chased me. On this very spot is where the darkness swallowed me.”

As her friends looked amongst each other, Sunset rounded the altar under the statue. She felt the surface of the pedestal, holding onto even the slightest hope that like the one at Canterlot High, maybe it could also take them back. Her heart sank as all that greeted her touch was cold, dusty granite. With a heavy sigh, she returned to her friends, who at this point appeared very much frightened, particularly Fluttershy, who stood in place with terror in her eyes, clutching onto the closest thing for comfort, that being Rarity.

“I need to get in contact with Princess Twilight. We’re completely cut off from our home, and I can’t be certain whether of not my dream was a warning, or a premonition of what will happen.” And with that she went to seat herself on the frontmost pew on the left row, propping her backpack on her lap to get her journal.

Applejack paced back and forth under the gaze of the equine statue, hands to her hips as she and her friends waited for Sunset Shimmer to finish writing her distress letter. She watched as Fluttershy sat huddled on the frontmost pew of the row to the right, with Rarity seated closely beside her in comfort. Applejack smiled proudly at the fashionista’s care. Rainbow Dash, being Rainbow Dash who had no sense of patience or discipline whatsoever was lying on her back on the pew behind the first, her brow furrowed either in contemplation or, as would usually be the case, boredom.

What she would do to have the Equestrian Twilight Sparkle there with them right now. The seven of them in this room had faced dangers that only a few years ago she’d have thought on the realms of impossibility, and since then she’d never in her wildest dreams imagined something like this. She thought about what was happening back home. Had the school been reduced to rubble from those tremors that struck their town? Tremors she’d overheard Twilight declaring as being impossible. And in cases where scientific knowhow was concerned, the farm girl had the inclination of believing her.

Were their fellow students alright? Her family? The farm? Her teeth grit behind her lips from the sudden hint of paranoia clawing at her mind. No! No. She assured herself that everyone was fine. She had to remain strong, for the sake of everyone, both in body and mind. She had the inkling that her strength would be needed to see this through.

Pressing her hat down against her head, she walked up to look at Pinkie Pie, who was slumped on the floor near the wall. The normally bouncy pink girl had set up a row of individual sprinkles, which she was idly flicking at the wall with a finger, making them pop like bang snaps.

“Ya doin’ alright there, Pinkie?” she asked, leaning forward, watching Pinkie’s hand trail along the line of sprinkles with each pop.

Pinkie’s wide-open eyes rolled at Applejack, her lips distinctly pursed. Given the state of the pink girl’s hair, which remained puffed, Pinkie Pie’s state of mind that moment might best be deemed inconclusive.

“Honestly,” Pinkie said, popping another sprinkle, “Not great.”

Flick. Pop. Flick. Pop.

“I think I might be just slightly freaking out,” she concluded, holding up her popping hand with a gesture.

All that Applejack could think to do was give her friend an assuring smile and a pat on the shoulder, “Well don’t you worry there, Pinkie; I’m sure Sunset and the Princess can come up with somethin’.”

Flick. Pop.

She switched her attention to Twilight, who’d taken the liberty of going through a chest left in the corner left from the statue. She seemed to be busy going through a stack of old yellowed papers, sifting them in her hands, perched against the wall. Spike, being a dog, was sniffing around the chest and anything that caught his attention. He promptly snorted with a sneeze from the dust.

“What’cha got there, Twi?” asked Applejack, when she felt her nose twitching, and before she knew it, she sneezed, sending dust spraying everywhere, making Twilight reciprocate the gesture. The farm girl laughed awkwardly, “Uh, sorry about that…”

Twilight took off her glasses to wipe away the dust with a cloth. She looked up at Applejack, the two sharing an awkward laugh.

“I thought I might find something pertaining to this new world. Given that we’re in a temple that, as far as we know, venerates the Princess Celestia of Sunset Shimmer’s world, or possibly a dimensional counterpart to her, in the very least, then perhaps the religious texts might shed some light,” she explained in her overly formalized manner, tapping the chest beside her with a foot. “Unfortunately the chest was empty, save for these few scraps I managed to gather,” she frowned, holding up one of the pages, squinting in the dimness due to Sunset’s removal of the glowing shard.

“Well, can you make something out?” Applejack asked. In all honesty, she couldn’t give a ball of manure about whatever people who lived here believed, but she wasn’t about to say that directly in Twilight’s face when occupying her time clearly did good in keeping their studious friend calm.

“Not all that much, sadly,” said Twilight, sifting to another page, or rather half of one. “Their language and linguistics match that of our world, albeit more archaic in grammar. Hmm, of all the things to know about parallel dimensions, isn’t it fascinating that three different universes have no language barrier to speak of…?” As Twilight went on in her own little narration, she failed to notice Applejack quietly backing away.

Applejack sighed as she slumped down next to Rarity on the pew she shared with Fluttershy, Spike running up and jumping up to join her, the farmer giving him a pleasant scratching to his fluffy chest in gratitude. The pink-haired animal caretaker had calmed down as she and Rarity shared words of encouragement, Applejack herself managing to catch how Rarity spoke about the beauty of this world’s night sky. She looked over the back of the pew where Rainbow Dash was lying stretched out, her arms folded under her head. The rainbow-haired girl looked up at Applejack in acknowledgement.

“Yer head doin’ alright there?” Applejack asked.

Rainbow Dash flashed a smirk, rubbing the side of her head. “Just a bruise. I’ll be fine,” she said, before peeking back at Sunset, still embroiled in her journal, “How much longer do you think she’s gonna be?”

Applejack sighed through her nose, “For getting’ almost squashed by a statue and getting sucked up by that portal to who knows where, ya seem to be taking this awfully well…”

Rainbow Dash just smiled, crossing her legs, “Am I the only one here who doesn’t think of this as being awesome? I mean sirens and magical plant monsters, or magic imprisoning mirrors and cellphones aside, those were all in our own world. But now we’re somewhere completely different! It’s like something right out of Daring Do and The Celestials’ Gate!”

Applejack did not feel like indulging in Rainbow’s disregard for their predicament. “Oh for Pete’s sake, Rainbow; didn’t ya listen to what’s had Sunset scared half to death even before anythin’ happened?”

What she’s said was surprisingly enough to give the star-athlete of Canterlot High pause. Applejack watched as an uneasy grin etched itself on Rainbow’s face, giving off an awkward laugh. “So…” Rainbow began, taking another, more concerned look at Sunset, “W-what do you suppose this darkness is?”

Applejack rested her head atop her arms over the back of the pew, looking at the doors to the temple, the feeling of unease worse than before as she thought back to the unusually pale Sunset Shimmer she’d met outside Canterlot High. If she’d known anything, it was that Sunset Shimmer was someone who didn’t scare easily, especially given her origins as a being already from an alternate world: A world where magic and monsters, something thought to exist only in stories and Granny Smith’s tall tales, were real.

“Ah really can’t say…” said Applejack, exchanging apprehensive looks between one another before looking at Sunset, currently chewing on the back of her ballpoint. “But whatever it was she saw in that head of hers, I don’t reckon I really wanna know…”

At that Rainbow Dash kicked herself up and off the pew and approached Sunset. Applejack watched as the athlete went around and sat next to Sunset. The two trading looks she couldn’t make out from the angle before Sunset resumed her message, until the two looked at one another again, Applejack swore she could make out Rainbow Dash giving an empathetic smile. At least she was on the same page as the rest of them now.

Applejack then looked over to Fluttershy and Rarity. She placed a hand over Rarity’s resting on the pew, gently pressing her fingers around its soft form, “Ya’ll doin’ okay?”

Rarity scooted closer to Applejack, taking hold of the farmer’s arm for comfort. “I’m… adjusting. But, Fluttershy was feeling anxious,” she said, looking over at their shy friend, who now sat cross-legged next to Rarity with Spike having moved to rest on her lap.

“I can’t deny it,” said Fluttershy, gently stroking Spike’s head. “Out of all the times I’ve felt scared; this is possibly the worst…”

Rarity’s hand went from Applejack’s arm to Fluttershy’s shoulder. Applejack smiled softly at the two as her hold on Rarity’s other hand tightened ever so slightly.

“Don’t you worry Fluttershy,” she said with a note of confidence. “Remember; we’re all here with you, together. And like all those other times, we’re gonna pull through, get back home somehow and we can fix whatever’s goin’ on!”

Fluttershy looked down, touching the geode necklace hanging from her neck. She took in a deep breath through her nose, held it for but a moment before gently sighing from her mouth. “I know…” said Fluttershy, straightening up ever so slightly as a display of a rise in confidence. “I’ll… I’ll try to be strong. I shouldn’t be afraid when I have all of you.”

Rarity looked at Fluttershy with a smile that could melt ice looking at the animal caretaker. As did Applejack, though she also focused much on Rarity’s, feeling herself blush as the two of them still held hands.

“Alright!” came the voice of Sunset with finality in her tone, closing shut her journal and tucking it away into her backpack before standing up and slinging it onto her back in one sure, fluid motion. “I’ve informed of Princess Twilight of our dilemma as best I could summarize it. We’ve now got a choice and I want everyone to be honest and true.” She then gestured their overall surroundings, “Do we stay here and wait for a response?” Then she indicated the doors, “Or do we leave? I still can’t say what is even out there and we will be vulnerable. But I personally feel we won’t be accomplishing anything by staying put.

Rainbow Dash stood beside Sunset with her arms crossed, “I say we leave. And I swear it’s not just because I’m bored and feel cooped up, but that I agree with Sunset on her part.”

Pinkie Pie suddenly popped up from behind the pew those two had been sitting on, in true Pinkie fashion. “About time!” she exclaimed. “I know it’s dark and spooky and eerie and maybe harmful and so many other negative nouns out there in this completely new and unknown dimension-” She gasped for air, “But it’s only so long until listening things pop isn’t all that fun anymore.”

Rainbow looked at Pinkie with an arced brow, “Sooo… We leave?” To that she earned what would best be described a rapid-fire nod from the puffy haired party girl.

Twilight Sparkle, ever the polite academic, despite the decayed state of her subject of research, placed the scraps of paper back into the chest where she’d discovered them and joined at the side of Sunset, “One can’t expect to find answers by always keeping it safe? Wouldn’t you agree?” She took Sunset’s hand into both of hers. Sunset only smiled, immediately grasping the meaning behind Twilight’s inquiry. This prompted Applejack to stand up, adjust her hat all the while assuming a lax stance.

“I know enough about democracy to see where this is going,” remarked Spike, hopping off Fluttershy’s lap onto the floor, tail wagging eagerly at the prospect of exploration.

“Well what’re we waitin’ for?” asked Applejack in emphasis to her decision. She was an Apple, she’d rather tackle the predicament head-on rather than hunkering down.

She spotted from the corner of her eye how Rarity rolled hers in good humor, before she and Fluttershy were both on their feet. It was fair to say the decision was unanimous.
And with that, with Sunset’s lead the party made their way out into the night under the radiant glow of the great moon up above.

“Pardon me for askin’,” said Applejack as she looked around with a squint: Bright as the moon’s glow was, it didn’t offer the amount of illumination she’d been comfortable with, “but by any chance one of ya bring a flashlight?”

Right on cue, Twilight produced a small LED keychain flashlight with a proud look on her face, promptly clicking it on. To everyone’s surprise, the little device emitted a beam of light brighter than what something so small should be capable of. To anyone but Twilight and Spike’s surprise, specifically. Unfortunately, she hadn’t paid attention to everyone’s placements when a certain puffy pink bouncy friend screamed “Bright light!” and fell over with a thump and a rustle of leaves.

Sunset reached into a pocket on the inside of her studded leather vest to produce the radiantly glowing shard of light, “I’d say we’ve got everything covered,” she affirmed.

Pinkie Pie suddenly appeared out of nowhere upside down and above them, a mess of shriveled leaves tangled in her hair, “Then let’s go-go-go!”

With the intensity of Twilight’s little modified light, the group unanimously agreed to her taking point. Sunset Shimmer placed herself amidst the group, in no particular order as they preferred to stay huddled together, holding onto the shard of light in an upturned palm to grant them further illumination among one another. Whatever Twilight rigged into the little lamp, the ring of illumination was intense enough that one could mistake any spot it landed on as being in daylight. Spike was numerous paces ahead, faithfully remaining in sight as he sniffed about and kept a diligent ear out for anything.

“Everyone present and accounted?” Sunset heard Applejack ask from behind her.

The group let out a unified “yes” in varying volumes. Sunset took to holding hands with Fluttershy for comfort whilst she looked around their surroundings as they went along the slight slope. The endless crackling and rustling of leaf husks filled the night air. They should have been chilly, but the fragment seemed to exude a warming aura that kept them largely comfortable, despite many of their outfits being ill-suited for this dusk.

“Everyone still here?” came Applejack a little later, to which she received the same answer as last time, though with a murmur of “For Pete’s sake,” from Rainbow Dash.

Sunset looked up into the starry sky. That was one of two factors in their predicament that had placed her mind somewhat at ease. The other was her having the fortune of having all her friends there with her. All over the endless canvas above stars glittered around the great moon that looked down upon them. She even noticed pockets of stars that seemed closer together, forming rather peculiar shapes amidst the dark blue and nebulae. If she was looking at it correctly, she could have sworn she saw one cluster formed into what clearly looked like a heart, with possibly wings or some other curved shapes on its left and right.

“Everyone still-”

“Applejack!” Rainbow Dash called in annoyance. “You don’t need to keep asking every five minutes!”

“Ah beg yer pardon, but one of the first rules of survivin’ outdoors is keepin’ constant tabs on everyone,” the farmer girl retorted.

“Um, maybe we shouldn’t be making too much noise altogether, if you wouldn’t mind…” Fluttershy interjected, her eyes peering into the distance.

“What’s up, Fluttershy?” Sunset inquired with urgency, the events of her dreams now at the forefront of her mind, having taken to mentally check for any potential coincidence since stepping out of the temple building. While the events weren’t playing out in correct sequence, she knew it was in the woods where the shadowy husks appeared and gave chase.

Sunset noticed Spike, much closer to the group, standing firm and vigilant, one forepaw off the ground as his ears perked. “Everyone, quiet,” he requested urgently, “I hear something…”

Fluttershy furrowed her brow, bringing her free hand to her ear. As a light breeze blew past them, “There’s something out here with us…” Fluttershy said ominously, amazingly not exhibiting outward fear.

Whereas Sunset felt her heart begin to race as her head darted around, trying to spot anything in the darkness, spike slowly backing up to the group, a faint rumble emanating from his throat. She was specifically on the lookout for anything illuminous. But that’s when she realized… “Wait, Fluttershy; your power is sensing animals. Are you saying there’s-”

The group almost jumped as howls filled the stillness of the night, reverberating through the trees. This was enough for Spike to yelp and back into the safety amidst everyone’s legs.

“I’m not sure,” Fluttershy responded, now seeming afraid as everyone huddled together into a circle, “But I can feel hunger, and... and terrible pain…”

There came another howl, followed by another, and yet another further away from their position. The tone had a hollow, almost ethereal tone as it rang through the darkness. Twilight’s sudden scream made the group shift their attention in her direction, when she was immediately trailing her light towards the right.

“Wh-what?!” asked Rarity hysterically. “What is it?!”

“I don’t know! It ran into my light, but then vanished!”

Another howl rang out, this time much louder, like whatever was stalking them could have been anywhere close by. Applejack held her arms out to shield Rarity and Pinkie Pie whilst Rainbow had assumed a combative stance, glancing left and right, straining her eyes trying to spot anything.

“Not just one either!” called out Spike, head darting in every direction in front of him, “Don’t know how many… There!” he yelled, Twilight’s hand bearing the flashlight diverting to catch a glimpse of something, only for said something to leap away from the light.

That’s when they finally spotted the dozen or so pairs of red orbs approaching from the woods, accompanied by a series of feral snarls. The orbs got closer; while taking to avoiding Twilight’s impossibly bright light, the illumination cast by the shard finally unveiled the monsters.

Sunset’s mouth hand agape as she beheld the creatures that begun to circle the group. They walked on four legs, with bodies at about two and a half feet tall and at least the length of an adult human. They looked very lupine in form, but the most peculiar trait about them was that their bodies seemed composed of pieces of wood, branches and roots, as well as moss and even some lichen.

“Timber wolves?!” Sunset blurted.

“Say what?!” called Rainbow Dash, eyeing one of the purported wolves that seemed to have taken interest in her.

“Equestrian creatures composed of wood bonded together with wild magic,” Sunset explained.

“Oooh!” called Pinkie. “I get it! Because they’re wolves made of-”

“Timber; we see that Pinkie,” Applejack concluded for the pink girl.

Rarity whimpered as one was stalking in her direction until Applejack brusquely stomped a foot in its direction. The creature darted about a foot away, but continued circling the group, a rattling snarl emanating from its wooden jaws. Spike defiantly stood forth, barking at one nearing Twilight, but a snap of its wooden jaws made the much smaller canine leap back. To his credit, Spike continued to growl, undoubtedly driven by his baser protective instinct. Fluttershy tried talking to the beasts, but any attempt at establishing a rapport was met with vicious snarling barks.

“Th-they’re so angry…” Fluttershy croaked, visibly shaken how the creatures seemed to be equally intent on attacking her as everyone else.

Twilight seemed to be able to use her lamp to make a single wolf scurry farther back, but each time they would always return to encircle them. The girls had managed to inch forward a short distance, backs held together in trying to make it harder for the beasts to single one of them out as easy prey. Sunset leaned out just for a moment to shine the light of the fragment at them, which had similar effects to Twilight’s keychain, albeit seemed less effective.

“Alright, that does it!” Rainbow Dash roared and, in a blink, darted at the one timber wolf that had been eyeing her and delivered a vicious soccer kick. With the force added by the momentum of her super speed, this sent the head and a few inches of the creature’s body splaying into wooden debris.

Before the girls could object, one of them seemed to have picked Pinkie due to her back facing this particular one. As the creature lunged, it found itself slamming not onto the unsuspecting, succulent flesh, but a diamond barrier that had formed in the gap left by Rainbow Dash, after which a brutal thrust kick came bursting through it and shattered the timber wolf into firewood.

“I… I…” Sunset felt how Fluttershy huddled close to her, “I can’t get them to listen! They’re in so much pain and- and anger!”

“Well I’m not too fond of them either!” retorted Rainbow Dash as she took a chunk of the wolf she’d shattered before rushing to Sunset and Fluttershy’s side and forcefully slammed the piece of wood right between an approaching timber wolf’s eyes before presenting it with her infamous goalie kick enhanced with her super speed.

Sunset could only watch with Fluttershy as her friends fought off the beasts. Twilight Sparkle reached out with her telekinesis, and with a strained mental yank pulled a prowling timber wolf’s hind leg off, making it lose balance, followed by Rainbow Dash rushing up to pick up said leg and swing it like a golf club to shatter the rest of it.

A sigh escaped from Pinkie’s lips, oddly enough, as she twirled a can of sprinkles, somehow, in her hand, popping the cap off with the flick of her thumb.

“Just so you know,” she said, her voice carrying a tinge of guilt, “I don’t approve of violence towards animals…” She suddenly looked nowhere in particular, “Although these are wolves made of wood. And technically if they’re made of wood, wouldn’t that mean it’s not an animal? And given that I’ve blown up trees before, but with the addition of the whole wolf thing-”

“Pinkie,” Rainbow grunted as she slide-tackled a wolf off its legs, “you know I respect your observations, but maybe this is not the best time to philosophize?”

Pinkie’s mind focused again with a blink, “Oh, right!” She shook the jar before swinging out an arcing wave of sugary death that erupted into a sparkling, popping series of flashy bursts, that completely obliterated two timber wolves. The remaining few scattered and fled back into the woods, leaving behind the shattered remains of their kin.

The girls and dog regrouped, all well and uninjured and not at all worse for wear.

“So, does this confirm anything about where we are?” asked Twilight as she carefully nudged a piece of timber wolf to the side with a foot.

Sunset looked among the scattered pieces of wood, Spike having taken the opportunity to viciously gnaw at one before spitting it out, kicking dirt at it with his hind legs. While she was not an expert on Equestrian fauna, or flora or anything in between, she knew that timber wolves were composed of healthy, strong wood, the magics animating them revitalizing its structural integrity, making them strong as oak. These timber wolves, for the lack of a better term, seemed less healthy. She remembered them being an indicator of the health and inherent magics of whatever region in Equestria they inhabited, like the Everfree Forest.

“I’m still not so sure about that,” said Sunset glumly as she tossed a piece of wood away. “These timber wolves; they didn’t seem as healthy as normal. We should probably keep moving in the event these things might reassemble.”

The girls looked around, Twilight’s rigged light illuminating a tree that was almost pale white, pieces of its bark split open to reveal its greyed, hollow insides.

Sunset looked up, back towards the great moon dominating a large swathe of the sky. She then looked back at the strange shard that continued to bathe their immediate vicinity in light. It felt like every step they took only brought more questions.

With a sigh, Sunset solemnly turned to her friends, “Let’s keep going. This path must lead somewhere.”

Rainbow Dash groaned quietly as, after an agreed ten-minute gap, Applejack once again asked if everyone was present and accounted for. She didn’t even bother to respond along with the others; Applejack could clearly see her, given that she was walking ahead of the farm girl.

The walk felt like it was taking forever. Every step revealed just more trees, the only variation being a felled one in the middle of the path, followed by a small stream they needed no more than to hop over. Sunset informed them that from there on out they would be walking blind, that this was as far as she’d gotten in her dream before being forced into a retreat. Dash and Spike had offered to do some forward scouting ahead, but by unanimous vote by the rest it was deemed safer to stick together.

“I spy with my Pinkie eye, something beginning with… M!” Pinkie abruptly spoke out, no doubt trying to liven the mood.

Rainbow rolled her eyes, “Is it “moon”?”

“Nope!”

Her eyes darted left and right in bewilderment, “What else could it be?”

“That speck of mildew we passed about ten feet back!”

Rainbow snorted. Just Pinkie Pie cheating at life, as usual.

“Well, I believe I’ve got one,” called Twilight from the front of the group. “Something beginning with the letter T.”

“Seriously Twi?” Rainbow groaned. “I was expecting this from Pinkie Pie, but you’re giving me the most obvious, in-our-faces answer possible?”

“You mean “town”?” asked Spike, pointing forward with a paw.

As the path began to curve downwards into a hill, Rainbow could see the forest give way to a few pockets of trees along the path, leading to a small, walled town, or perhaps village would have been more fitting, because from this distance it seemed like it wouldn’t hold more than maybe a few hundred people. The land around it consisted of large square patches of land that further in the distance were bordered by more forest.

Applejack stepped forward and squinted her eyes, covering the top of her eyes with a hand, “Well, it’s somethin’. But am I the only one who doesn’t see any lights?”

“Indeed,” said Rarity. “It looks abandoned.”

“Or everyone’s asleep and there’s no crime rate to speak of, thus no need for law enforcement?” asked Pinkie optimistically with a half-hearted grin. Everyone exchanged looks with one another. “Eh, it was worth a shot,” she shrugged.

“It’s better than nothing, I suppose,” said Sunset. “We could use a rest, and it’s better to have shelter for that.”

That was a notion everyone could agree on as they continued forth, with a slight increase in their pace. The group went on for quite a while without so much as saying a word, Applejack even disregarding the need to keep asking about everyone’s presence, much to Rainbow’s delight, seeing as they crossed over the tree line. The light of the moon on the open road granted them much needed expanded vision. Rainbow took an idle look around, surveying the change when she noticed Pinkie’s face suddenly scrunching and her awkwardly hopping on one foot.

“You alright there, Pinkie?” Rainbow asked.

Pinkie’s head snapped in Rainbow’s direction, her face sporting an expression of overexaggerated alarm, “Pinch-y knee!”

The group stopped at Pinkie’s shout, all eyes on the pink party girl. “Uh, what was that now?” asked Applejack, no doubt having to strain her memory trying to remember every single bodily spasm that was the Pinkie Sense.

“That something scary is about to happen,” said Pinkie, looking back where they’d come, her mouth forming into an O. “I think it might be that,” she pointed casually.

Rainbow looked back, just in time to hear Fluttershy’s peeping whimper and a shocked scream from Rarity when she could feel the color drain from her own face. Running after them down the path came another of the aptly named timber wolves. A timber wolf six times the size of the ones they’d fought off, and even from the increasingly closing distance one could make out this one having three heads at the front, each with their own pair of eyes; hollow white orbs that stared at Rainbow and her friends, black motes of what looked like smog seeping from its mouths.

Author's Note

Timber Cerberus. I think I'll name him... Twiggy. :pinkiesmile:

Chapter 3: Equis

Sunset petrified as her blood felt like it froze inside her veins as the decayed aberration came for her and her friends, leaving swathes of darkness trailing behind it like smoke that exhumed from its three mouths and the many gaps in its makeshift body. By all accounts the timber wolves reassembling themselves in their sicklier state they had been it should have been possibly, but being able to combine themselves into their larger gestalt form they’d been known to take when facing odds they could not tackle with strength of numbers?

But what terrified Sunset the most was the smog-like mist that bled through any gap between the seams of each individual piece and poured from its mouth like vapory froth, as well as the three pairs of eyes its three heads exhibited. Completely white and bereft of anything resembling life or… anything. Those traits were just like those of the husks that attacked her in her nightmare.

From her peripheral vision Rainbow Dash saw Rarity covering her face with her arms akin to cowering, but at the same time used her Equestrian power to generate a large diamond as a barrier in front of her. Rainbow and the rest immediately huddled behind the makeshift shield, hoping its seemingly diamond-like durability would stop the incoming monstrosity. Unless it would tip it over and squash the seven of them underneath- Seven?

She heard Twilight calling out to Sunset who’d remained in place, looking at the creature with an expression of horror, paralyzed in fear. Rainbow could not believe Sunset Shimmer of all people to succumb to such a predicament: Given the red-head’s history with magic, both for good and ill, Rainbow had always known Sunset Shimmer as steadfast and brave.

With only seconds to act, she was just about to rush out to snag the catatonic Sunset out of the way of the timber monstrosity’s closing-in jaws when Pinkie suddenly wheeled around Rarity’s barrier spinning a… piece of taffy in her hand?

“Surprise, Twiggy!” the pink girl blurted and with one fluid motion and impeccable accuracy, threw the length of taffy that became ensnared around the monster’s left foreleg like a makeshift bola.

The explosion that followed took off “Twiggy’s” entire leg, its weight sending it careening to its side and collapsed, sliding right towards Rainbow and the rest behind Rarity’s shield with a rumble. The girls all took off running to the left, narrowly avoiding the abomination as it skidded several more feet into a halt.

As Twilight ran up to Sunset and began to gently shake her, Rainbow warily eyed the monster, seeing how the black smoke continued emanating from its otherwise inert body.

“Come on, Sunset, what’s gotten into ya?!” she heard Applejack, glancing towards everyone else as they huddled around Sunset, the farmer shaking the still tranced Sunset roughly at the shoulders.

Rainbow noticed how the maimed timber abomination’s body began to rumble, its right-most head peering over the side of its body, the hollow eyes making it difficult for her to pinpoint whether it was eyeing her, or everyone else. With a rattling roar, the creature got back on its remaining three legs, Rainbow tensing to run when the monster charged, albeit lopsidedly, towards her friends.

Rainbow saw as everyone scattered; Pinkie, Flutershy, and Applejack who was pulling Rarity along by her wrist running towards the left, while Spike and Twilight, whom pulled Sunset along, to the right, closer towards Rainbow’s position. The monster let loose a cacophonous trio of its rattling bellows as it veered to go after Twilight, Spike and Sunset, skidding on its legs along the ground, almost toppling on its side again before chasing after the two.

Rainbow clenched her fists as she ran towards the right, going around Sunset, Twilight and Spike and closing in on the lumbering timber beast. Gritting her teeth in less than the split second it took her, she leapt at the creature’s left head and struck it in rapid successions with a super-sped bicycle kick, having the strange urge to let out a most peculiar ululation.

With her sheer speed, combined with the force she placed into each strike, the monster’s left head was completely decimated into a series of splinters. The creature, or as she now preferred to refer to it; Twiggy, collapsed its weight on its good foreleg. Rainbow landed gracefully close to it, boastfully crossing her arms and, seeing as no-one was looking, gave it the finger.

Her moment of victory was short-lived when Twiggy raised its two remaining heads, the area where its third one was merely a gaping hole frothing with the same black smog permeating its body, and howled, sending bursts of the strange substance in gouts, including from the headless hole, blasting Rainbow Dash.

The gout sent Rainbow reeling away the moment it touched her. She stumbled uncontrollably and collapsed onto ground. Her body curled up into a fetal position, her lips quivering as an indescribable coldness overtook her body. Her mind grew hazy, feeling unable to think clearly as she shivered.

In what felt longer than it seemed, the haze began to lift, her senses restoring to their usual acuteness while feeling returned to her body one again. Her thoughts ran a mile in her mind as they resurfaced. She managed to sit up, still shivering from whatever had just struck her. Her mind snapped back into focus hearing the screams of Twilight and Sunset.

Twiggy continued its pursuit, the girls having the good sense to swerve in varying directions to keep the more cumbersome timber beast from catching up to them, leaving Spike looking uncertain what to do as he himself ran along, being virtually no match for something so large. Given Rainbow’s experience trying to work out with the two, she knew they would not last long, especially the more bookish Twilight. She could see Applejack, letting loose a battle cry as she carried a hefty stone over her head, rushing after the beast with Rarity, Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy in tow, the farmer’s magically enhanced strength allowing her to bear the weight without slowing down.

Rainbow rose back to her feet, feeling the rush of her blood warming her chilled extremities once more. She dared not risk getting too close to Twiggy again, seeing as whatever the dark smog was that filled its body; it was dangerous. If she hadn’t backed away, she didn’t doubt the coldness could have killed her where she’d stood.

Applejack caught up to Twiggy and with a roar hurled the stone at the persistent beast. It broke through the monster’s rotted wooden hull, leaving another pitch-black hole and seemed to stun it just for a moment as it continued in its pursuit of Sunset and Twilight. Rarity in a brilliant bit of subtlety conjured a diamond disk underneath the beast’s hind leg, only to yank it out in order to trip it. The abomination did not relent or shift its focus.

No matter how persistent they were in their courageous attempts at trying to get Twiggy to go after them, it would go on pursuing only Twilight and Sunset. The two suddenly split apart in different directions, Twilight managing to get some eight more feet before tripping and collapsing, whilst Twiggy slid and swerved to chase after Sunset. It was then when Rainbow remembered the shard of light that Sunset had been carrying, the glow managing to breach through the gaps in her fist even from this distance.

It’s going after the light! Rainbow realized, mentally patting herself on the back. A cunning plan formulating in her mind, she bolted in the direction of Sunset and Twiggy.

Rainbow sped up next to Sunset and in one brisk motion managed to unfurl Sunset’s hand and take the shard into her own. “Mind if I borrow this?” she blurted before darting away from Sunset, holding the fragment between her index finger and thumb to let Twiggy know she had it.

Indeed, Twiggy once again skidded against the ground before rushing, almost futilely, after her, what with her having already covered some hundred feet or so and it trying to lumber (she snorted) on only three legs. Rainbow held out her hand, taunting the monster with the shard in her hand, before speeding away backwards, able to catch a look at the rainbow streak she emitted before correcting her direction and running at the far end of the fields over a mile away.

Not even winded, Rainbow leaned against a tree, looking at the fragment with renewed intrigue, seeing as she had some time before Twiggy would catch up to her. After the downright horrifying experience with the dark smoke, it felt like the light of the fragment, which felt pleasantly warm against her hand, describing the feeling akin to relaxing in a warm, soothing bath, had completely chased away any residual cold and haziness that had persisted in her body.

Rainbow looked up to see the clumsy, snarling outline of Twiggy approaching. She shuddered just, and just, slightly at the haunting white orbs that were its eyes. She shrugged casually, placing the fragment in her pocket, which glowed through the fabric, before leisurely stretching her legs. Left; once, twice. Right, once, twice. She then stretched her arms out in front, fingers threaded, palms outward, before calmly raising them above and over her head, getting up on her toes. She went further to bend her outstretched arms behind her back, straightening all the kinks in her body before limply kicking her legs.

As the timber beast came increasingly nearer, Rainbow grinned, her side facing the beast as she briskly jogged in place. “Heya, Twiggy!” she called in a condescending tone. “Ready for another go?”

Twiggy roared, pouncing towards her, its blackness frothing maws agape. With a resonant “zoom”, the creature only managed to chomp down on rainbow patterned colors.

Rainbow smirked as she ran along the edge of the tree line. Though Applejack would scold her for it; she couldn’t help but enjoy this. Glancing back at the ever persistent Twiggy, Rainbow ran just deep enough into the forest to begin zigzagging between the trees. She could hear Twiggy’s wooden frame crashing and snapping against the trees, undoubtedly causing some structural damage.

With a surprised yelp, she skidded to a halt, almost having a repeat of before when she narrowly avoided slamming into an erratic boulder in a small pocket of open space in the woods. Twiggy, now missing its right head and a few good chunks of its overall body, came crashing through behind Rainbow. She leapt out of the way, followed by a shattering burst as Twiggy slammed all its weight against the massive rock, and fell to hundreds of smoldering pieces.

Looking at the results of her rather on-the-go plan, Rainbow shrugged, and promptly took off running down the cleared path courtesy of Twiggy. Fun as it was living out a scene one would see in a modern superhero blockbuster, she needed to get back to her friends.

Sunset leaned her head against her knees, sitting huddled against the cold stone wall. The pain of guilt from when she’d been unable to act when the timber aberration attacked them racked at her mind. Twilight, Fluttershy and Spike huddled close beside her for warmth and comfort, but it did only little to ease the fears plaguing her mind regarding the very nature of the monster. A monster that was probably still chasing after Rainbow Dash after she took off with the shard.

She looked up forlornly. Still no sign of the rainbow blur anywhere. Applejack was back to pacing while Rarity leaned uneasily against the same wall, rubbing her bare arms from the cold night air. Pinkie tried to rectify this by huddling up to Rarity, the fashionista managing a slight giggle.

“How do you think she’s doing out there?” asked Sunset, holding onto her knees tightly out of concern and from the cold like Rarity, wishing she had adorned her jacket instead of her studded vest.

“If Rainbow has any sense; she’d toss that dang pebble and skedaddle back here pronto,” said Applejack.

“No!” Sunset blurted, responding almost without thinking, eliciting looks from the other girls.

“Why the heck not?” Applejack asked, brows furrowed. “You don’t wear a bullseye unless yer’ looking to get shot.”

Sunset looked up incredulously at the farm girl, “S-she can’t! That shard is tied to whatever is going on, we can’t get rid of it!”

“You saw it yourself, Sunset,” Applejack retorted. “That timber thing was on you like hornets until Rainbow took it from ya!”

Sunset felt strangely angry. Holding onto the shard did make her a target, she did not deny, but at the same time simply having the shard with her gave her a sense of peace and comfort. She could have sworn since parting ways with it that the world felt colder than it did when she had it. And the fact that she’d found the shard under a statue of her mentor back in Equestria might have also formed some inexplicable desire for it.

“That same shard was in my dream, before I was swallowed by the darkness. But when I saw the timber… thing, I saw that very same darkness as the things in my dreams…”

“Sunset, ya can’t keep usin’ a dream to make your decisions,” said Applejack, headstrong as ever. “You made no mention of timber wolves, for one.”

“Applejack does have a point,” said Twilight, rubbing her shins from the goosebumps lining her body, when she suddenly reeled away slightly from Sunset looking at her in discontent. “Not that I’m saying your own observation don’t have merit.” Sunset couldn’t stay mad at Twilight.

“At the very least, it seemed to keep us from freezing…” muttered Fluttershy, shivering slightly as she held the hem of her teal dress tightly against her chilling legs.

“That would also be a fine argument on not tossing it!” Twilight concurred.

The sound of a distinct “zoom” closing in on them elicited everyone to stand with anticipation, which they’d managed only after Rainbow Dash came speeding in from the distance, her rainbow streak accented with a hint of gold as she came to a skidding halt before them. She looked uninjured, unperturbed and her mere presence seemed to carry with it an aura of warmth.

“I took care of Twiggy!” she proclaimed, puffing her chest with her hands pressed to her waist in triumph.

Indeed, as soon as the rainbow-haired athlete returned, the air around them began to feel warmer. They could still feel the nip in the night air, but otherwise it felt tolerable again. Rainbow produced the shard from her pocket and presented it to Sunset. She responded by hugging Rainbow Dash, tightly, as thanks for her quick thinking on distracting the timber aberration, but for also not doing what Applejack had suggested just then.

“Rainbow, you magnificent pain in the… tuckus,” said Sunset in praise.

Rainbow’s eyes darted from side to side from Sunset’s jovialness, “…You’re not gonna kiss me, are you?”

Sunset chuckled, “In your dreams,” as she released Rainbow and took the shard from her hand.

Applejack, though undoubtedly relieved, gave Rainbow a questioning look. “So, what did ya do that makes ya think “Twiggy” isn’t goin’ to be after us again?”

Rainbow smiled smugly at Applejack with crossed arms, “Well let’s just say he’ll be having problems picking up the pieces.”

Pinkie let out a vociferous “Ohhhhh” as Applejack raised a brow in confusion, “Say what now?”

Sunset held the shard in a closed hand, “Rainbow, I’m not kidding about how grateful I am that you didn’t throw the shard away. I get it, AJ, that you think this thing is dangerous, but I just know it that it’s going to help us in the long run.”

“Wait, what?” Rainbow asked, cocking a brow at Applejack. “You were wishing I’d toss it?”

Applejack held up her hands, “Now-now, it was only a suggestion, Ah-”

“I get it, I’m not the most…” Rainbow cut in, only to falter when she furrowed her brow. “I’m not the most…?”

“Patient?” suggested Rarity.

“Considerate?” asked Fluttershy.

“Agreeable?” Spike chimed it.

“Prudent,” said Twilight, raising a finger.

Rainbow shrugged, “Eh, that. Point is, I think I get what’s been eating at Sunset. This darkness she’s been on about.”

Sunset’s eyes widened in realization. When Rainbow performed her physics-defying bicycle kick on… guess they were now calling it Twiggy now, she remembered when it expelled the thick, smog-like gouts of darkness and how Rainbow had seemingly been engulfed. She grabbed Rainbow by the shoulders, staring at her intently.

“Rainbow, when that smoke touched you; what happened to you?”

Rainbow gently brushed Sunset’s hands off her, pursing her lips in contemplation. “Well, it was cold for one,” Rainbow began, but soon seemed to have difficulty.

Sunset noticed the unease creep into the athlete’s face; she did not need that many new details, she instantly realized what Rainbow was talking about, but she, they needed the others to listen, to understand what it was that Sunset felt was lurking somewhere in this world. She held up her palm with the fragment. The radiant glow seemed to have an effect as Rainbow’s features began to relax. The sense of dread could still be seen in her cerise eyes, but the focus was returning. Rainbow took a deep breath, her shoulders relaxing, with closed eyes she brought her hand to her geode.

“It was cold, and draining, like something just sucked the life out of me,” Rainbow reiterated, Sunset looking at her with encouragement, giving the athlete an empathetic nod. “And I began to forget… Like, I forgot who I was, who you were, stuff I have in my head twenty-four seven.”

Sunset and Rainbow looked among their friends, the newfound rapport between the two about this world seemed to do its job convincing the rest. Fluttershy looked down uneasily, a slight whimper escaping her lips, to which an uneased Twilight put a hand on the shy girl’s shoulder, her free hand grasping at her own geode for strength.

“Like what Sunset said back before the quakes hit: I couldn’t breathe, I lost feeling all over, and…” Rainbow grimaced, “If I hadn’t backed away, I’m sure I would have been dead right then and there.”

Applejack walked up to the two, looking apologetic. “Alright, you convinced me. Ah’m sorry about what Ah said just then. Ah was only lookin’ out for everyone else. You know that,” the farmer said, looking at Rainbow in particular from her recounting of her experience.

“There’s one more thing;” said Rainbow, putting a hand under Sunset’s in emphasis, “while I was able to recover, when I was holding onto this thing; I felt back to a hundred percent. No matter what it is, Twiggy seemed dead set on getting it.”

“Until he fell to pieces!” Pinkie chimed in.

“Until he fell to pieces,” Rainbow concurred.

“Well, in that case,” said Applejack, who promptly began huddling everyone through the ajar gates of the village. She then pulled them shut, slid their bar in between and began to pile various heavy objects against them, consisting of some barrels and a few crates she found strewn about. “In case ol’ Twiggy decides he’s not quite in pieces just yet,” she finished, dusting off her hands.

“Good thinking, Applejack,” Sunset nodded in approval. “If it’s still able to reassemble, this might cause it to break apart all over again.”

“Still kind of iffy, given that the last things he crashed into were a few dozen trees and a big rock,” Rainbow added. “It was a really big rock.”

“An erratic?” asked Twilight in strangely eager curiosity.

“It still begs the question though,” Sunset intervened, looking around quizzically. “How did those timber wolves pull themselves together in the first place? They were pretty much drained at the time they attacked us in numbers; they should have stayed in pieces at that point or at reassembled to their normal forms.”

“What do you think happened?” asked Fluttershy, a tone of sadness in her voice, given her natural rapport with animals. Timber wolves may have been mostly plant matter, but Sunset figured they had some animal in them given their predatory behavior.

“Well, I have theories. Foremost that whatever that smog was coming from its body, it might have something to do with the darkness I felt in my dream.” She looked over at Rainbow, “And what struck Dash.”

“So now the better question is: Where did it come from?” Twilight added, a hint of unease in her voice.

“We should probably discuss this further when we’ve got shelter,” said Applejack. “Get a fire goin’, maybe lay low a bit. Has Princess Twilight responded yet?” Sunset shook her head, her diary not having chimed and shook since their trek down from the church. “Right,” said Applejack glumly. “Well, we better find a place that’s easy to defend to hunker down in.”

“Hold on, hush!” Spike interjected, perking an ear, eyes narrowing as he focused on something the rest couldn’t hear.

Sunset hunched down beside him and as softly as possible asked, “What is it, Spike?”

Spike ignored everything for but a moment, seeming to switch between perked ears, before nodding forward, “Over there, I hear something.”

He indicated a building a short way down from the gates. It was a simple square design with battlements running along the top, each corner embossed with a guard tower. Possibly a barracks, what with its vicinity to the gates, which themselves were framed by an abandoned inn, based on the sign hanging over the door and its very rustic design with a thatch roof, opposite of which looked to be an abandoned stable. The latter only added to the questions in Sunset’s mind, seeing as she was still confused about the presence of the equine Celestia statue in the church, added with the timber wolves, a species she knew for a fact was endemic to Equestria.

“Any idea what it is, Spike?” asked Twilight, kneeling beside her companion whom continued to listen further.

“It sounds like… banging,” said Spike.

“Banging?” asked Rarity. “By any chance if couldn’t elaborate a bit on that?”

“Like someone’s hitting something, repeatedly, regular pattern. Metal on metal definitely.”

“We should check it out,” said Rainbow. “Maybe there’s someone here who could help us.”

“Either that or a headbanging zombie,” added Pinkie with a giggle, which went mostly ignored.

“In either case,” said Applejack, looking around before finding a plank of wood strewn on the road. “Might need something a little somethin’ extra, just in case,” she emphasized, tapping her makeshift weapon against her hand. “Lead the way little fella.”

Spike led the group towards the barracks with Applejack closest behind, a pair of banners hanging above its doors. Applejack grunted when the doors only barely budged. She looked back at everyone, Sunset glancing at Rainbow holding a palm out and punching down on it. Applejack nodded, to which she bust the doors open with a single thrust kick, the snapping of wood indicating that she just split the bar holding them shut.

The doors creaked on their hinges as the party made their way inside, bringing them to a hallway perpendicular to the door, the white stone wall in front of them adorned with a scone bearing a lit torch that bore a golden flame on it. Sunset eyed the torch in wonder, the light feeling the same as that from the shard. Spike was correct; the sound of rhythmic, metallic clanging emanating from somewhere within the barracks.

Going by their experience so far, the group wordlessly agreed to stick together, making their way to the right, Spike warily leading the way, skulking beside the wall with Applejack close behind, plank in hand. They rounded a corner, ignoring an adjacent door that likely led to the guard tower on that specific corner. Spike raised a paw towards the end of the hall, another torch scone, this also holding a torch of golden fire attached to the wall, and there was yet another further down. Past that came a flight of stairs down to another door. As they descended, the clanging came increasingly louder, barring the occasional pause before it would begin again.

The door to the underground level was not locked like the entry to the barracks. Here the clanging reverberated clearly off the stuffy walls, another torch sconce lighting their way to a door along the left wall of the hallway.

Spike nodded towards the door, head held low. Applejack pressed an ear to the door, further confirming with a nod that whoever, or whatever was making that noise was just behind it. She grabbed the handle, everyone tensing as the farmer girl nodded in rhythm to the clangs: Once, twice, three!

Applejack threw the door open and rushed in, Spike and Rainbow Dash following immediately after with a battle cry. As Sunset hurried to follow them, she pulled herself to a halt against the door frame when she saw Applejack skid to a stop, Rainbow colliding with her, the two almost collapsing, whilst Spike just looked very uncertain about the intended charge, one paw off the ground.

“Well, now this is a surprise,” came a low, slightly gravelly voice, carrying with it a distinct accent Sunset could not quite identify.

Entering the room more courteously than their more abrasive friends, Sunset beheld a rather capacious room with all the walls being adorned with possibly the biggest assortment of weapons she’d ever seen, putting even Canterlot museum to shame. She could spot swords and axes of varying designs, polearms and spears, both elegant and robust, a few shields of differing shapes, and even what looked to be a katana, still housed in its hilt and strange daggers with the grip parallel to the width of the blades. Overall, the selection was impressive, both in variety, but also the clear anachronisms between a standard cruciform sword and one particular rapier that she took a strange fascination to.

“I was not expecting company…” came the gravelly voice. “And y’ certainly don’t look to be with the Hunters.”

Beyond a sturdy wooden table, in front of a flaming hearth, standing slightly hunched over an anvil was a human man. He was tall, well over six feet with a robust build to match that Sunset found close to matching that of Bulk Biceps at Canterlot High. His skin had a muted grey tone, had a thick brow with bushy eyebrows and a disheveled mane of silvery-white hair, with a full beard. He was wearing a pair of thick leather gloves, with one holding onto a hefty hammer, while the other brandished a pair of tongs grasping a piece of glowing hot metal against the anvil. A thick leather apron adorned his chest, with the image of an anvil embroidered on it, with what looked to be depictions of sparks flying off it. He also wore grey, weathered trousers and a pair of hefty leather boots.

“Oh, put that stick away, lass,” he said, sounding unamused. “I’ve got my wits, and y’ don’t seem like bandits to me. If y’ were, y’d found this here hammer in your noggin,” he added, letting out a hearty laugh.

Applejack idly put the plank down, herself looking equally surprised at their discovery. Sunset beckoned Twilight, Pinkie, Fluttershy and Rarity in, Fluttershy meekly closing the door behind them.

The burly blacksmith left the glowing piece of metal atop his anvil, “Hunh, certainly not with the Hunters. They usually send only three my way.” He cleared his throat slightly, “Well met. My name is Anvil Sparks, but my friends just call me Andre. I was in charge of the armory here under Commander Firebrand.”

Sunset looked amongst her friends. Rarity shrugged her shoulders unsurely, Rainbow seemed more focused on the various weapons, no doubt maintained or crafted by this Andre. “Uh, greetings,” Sunset spoke up, trying to sound the part, but undoubtedly failed with trying to match whatever strange time period this world was in. “My name is Sunset Shimmer, and these are my friends; Twilight Sparkle, Fluttershy, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and this is Spike.”

Andre’s bushy brows rose, standing in silence as he scrutinized his new guests, “Y’r parents must think the highest of y’ t’ name y’ all after the Scions.”

“Ah beg yer pardon?” asked Applejack, casting an utter look of confusion at everyone else. “The Scions?”

Andre walked up from his work. Approaching the table, he took a closer look at everyone. Sunset Shimmer instantly wondered what would happen if she were to use her empathic telepathy on the burly blacksmith, but she couldn’t be sure if they could trust him, and not wishing to antagonize him. She simply eyed the giant of a man as he pulled up a chair and seated himself.

Under his bushy eyebrows, Andre was looking most intently at Applejack and Rainbow Dash, taking a cursory glance in the direction of what could have been either Rarity or Fluttershy. The blacksmith leaned forward, supporting his head against his upheld hands, going over the group in deep thought.

“Hmm, the two of y’ are very much the spitting image of Duchess Applejack and Lord Rainbow Dash, no doubt,” he said, eliciting further confusion from the two. “But this shouldn’t be possible. As far as everyone knows, those two fell to the darkness, just as the other four.”

“Duchess?” asked Applejack, looking at Rainbow who seemed equally flummoxed.

“I’m a lord in this world?!” Rainbow Dash blurted out.

Thinking that the confusion reverberating throughout the room would get them nowhere, Sunset Shimmer slid back the only other chair present at the table and seated herself directly across from Andre. Putting her hands together atop the table, Sunset took a deep breath, clearing her thoughts, compiling the best form of query in her mind.

“Listen, Andre,” she began, looking at their new acquaintance, “I can imagine you might be very confused about what might be going on right now.”

“And how we definitely did not mean to break your door down!” Pinkie chimed, only for Rarity to slap a hand over her mouth, letting out with a nervous chuckle with an equally uneasy grin to match.

Darting her eyes with pursed lips, Sunset inhaled through her nose and sighed. “As I was saying: It might be hard to believe, but given your mention of our names, and the insight about my two friends behind me,” she emphasized pointing a thumb behind her, “we are from another world where most people have a counterpart, or another them, living a different life.” She squeezed her hands together, “I hope that I don’t sound mad just saying this.”

Andre sat up, arms crossed, still looking among the group. He scratched his chin in thought, some soot from his work at the forge becoming dislodged. The silence, broken only by the crackling of the fire within the hearth-turned-forge, lasted for a good long while. Sunset felt uneasy; wondering how well versed such a world that was existing in an earlier time period from their own would perceive concepts like parallel universes.

Andre lowered his head, a thoughtful hum emanating from his throat. As the silence began to feel like it would begin pulling at her sanity, the blacksmith looked up from his contemplation, “I am but a simple blacksmith, but I am not ignorant about the forces of magic. I will not deny; the two of y’ look exactly like the Duchess and Lord, as well as her looking very much like Duchess Rarity of Geodis.”

Amidst Rarity gasping in dramatic awe at the mention of her being a duchess in this reality, Sunset could breathe a sigh of relief at the blacksmith’s words.

“If you were to pardon my curiosity, but how did y’ lot find yourselves in Equis?” Andre asked.

“That’s what this realm is called?” asked Sunset in her impromptu role as interdimensional ambassador.

“Aye, the Holy Land of Equis, ruled by the Divine Equines of the Sun and Moon. Or at least it used to be…” Andre explained, closing his eyes with a hint of sorrow in his voice.

Sunset’s eyes widened, “As in Celestia and Luna? Like the statue in the church up on the hill?”

“Um, aye. That was the local church for the Sect of the Sun. There is also a church for the Sect of the Moon here in the village.” Andre stood up and walked over to a draw adjacent to the table. He produced a rolled-up parchment that he unfurled over the table.

Sunset looked over the slightly faded map, Twilight and the rest leaning over her to see it themselves. The land on the map seemed almost entirely enclosed within a ring of mountains, the western half of it colored in a creamy yellow and the eastern half in a light blue, the colors separated by a jagged line running from north to south. At the north-east end the mountains unveiled into a region marked as “Dragon Lands” that expanded off the borders of the map, possibly a dimensional counterpart to the one from Equestria. The south-west area had the mountains open to a coast leading to a “Poseic Ocean”. At the very center of the land was a city, titled in bold calligraphy as “Anor Equis”, no doubt the capital, while two other cities stood out prominently; one directly east from Anor Equis marked “Moonlink”, and one quite a way south-west marked “Sunlink”.

This land seemed to take a very stringent dualism to its naming conventions and how the land was divided based on the motifs of the celestial bodies mirroring the princesses of Equestria, or the Divine Equines as Andre had referred to them. Basing it on what Andre mentioned about the church to Celestia and the one for Luna being within the village walls, Sunset assumed they were in the blue half, or Lunar Province, as opposed to the Solar Province. The province was divided into three holdings, most of it being taken up from the south by the Twilight Mire, north of which was Geodis, the land of which Rarity’s counterpart was allegedly a duchess. Curiously the Dragon Lands were also colored blue.

On the yellow side a quarter of the northern half was dominated by forest, unsurprisingly dubbed Everfree Forest, much like in both Equestria and the human world. South of that was the Sunrise Highlands where the city of Sunlink was located, and south from that to the coast bordering the Twilight Mire was Celestial Coast.

“Mind you, this map is no longer accurate, following the upheaval two years ago,” said Andre informingly. “Well over half the Celestial Coast is now sunk to the Poseic Ocean when the moon was pulled as close as it now is,” he emphasized trailing a finger along an estimated area, “And if rumors hold true; a chunk of Everfree Forest withered away.”

Twilight looked up from the map, “The Great Upheaval?”

Andre closed his eyes somberly, “Aye. The night when the Divines themselves perished…”

Sunset’s head bolted upright at the blacksmith’s words, “P-perished?! Celestia and Luna?!”

“Aye. And ever since then the only light we’ve had is the moon staring down on us in this unending night, without the Celestial Sisters to raise and lower the sun and moon no more.”

Celestia and Luna in this world… Were dead? So this Equis had been shrouded in night for several years, which brought only one crucial question to Sunset’s mind. “Andre, we implore you; tell us everything you know about what’s happened,”

The blacksmith sighed solemnly as he rose to go back to the draw to fetch a leather-bound book. Setting the somewhat large tome before her, Andre visibly pondered for a moment as Twilight reached out to open the book. The pages were written in an archaic calligraphy, some letters seeming different, but otherwise seemed to match that of the language of Equestria and their own, albeit with slightly different grammatical styles. On some pages were extravagantly portrayed pictures, the first coming across as a dark void with a single pale blue flower, twisted and frail, alone in the darkness.

“I’ve never been a man of books and tomes,” said Andre in confession, “But there is no-one alive in this land who doesn’t know the tale of the Divines and how they chased away the Umbra.”

Long ago the land was shrouded in the primordial darkness. Within was no warmth, no harmony, no hope, only its monstrous children of terror and domination.

From within the darkness, though weak and frail, life blossomed, only for the children of the darkness to stomp it down, devour it, leave it cowering in fear.

Born from its very abyss, but shunning its nature, humanity rose to oppose the darkness that bore them, but the children of darkness tore them down.

From the heavens descended the first light. The darkness hated it. Its children cowered from its touch. Humanity embraced the light, and welcomed it in their hearts.

The darkness sought to devour humanity for their insolence. While humanity’s hearts were strong, the darkness consumed their strength and their hope. They prayed for salvation from their suffering.

From the light above, its daughters heard humanity’s plight and answered their prayers. The Divines descended upon the dark, with their heavenly host.

The darkness lashed out, ferocious, unrelenting. The Divine Sisters and their host fought back, humanity at their side.

Within the darkness, its father stirred, the cruel Umbra, with a hunger to devour all. Umbra reviled the light, and would swallow it.

With humanity’s hope and love, the Divines prevailed, and the darkness cowered. Light chased the darkness away, to the deep places of the land.

So long as humanity had hope, gifted with the spark of their host, the Divines would shield them from the dark. With seven Scions at their side, the world overcame darkness, and fear and domination crumbled to harmony.

Sunset could see how Andre’s reciting of the lore of the land, coupled with the tome he provided had Twilight ecstatic as she sped through page after page. While Sunset could admit that knowing the somewhat similar, though different origins of this new world. The tale seemed to have roused strong emotions in Andre the blacksmith, for Sunset could spot a thin line cutting through the soot on his cheek. Sunset permitted Andre a moment to compose himself, for she still had many crucial questions to ask of him.

“Then…” she paused, collecting her own thoughts, “what caused the destruction of the Divines?”

Andre looked down upon the map, clenching his hand tightly around a closed fist atop the table, “It was when our fair Lady Luna fell to the darkness of the Umbra. Y’ see, while the Divines banished the dark into the depths of the land, some of its children remained. Those monsters can’t stand the light of Celestia’s sun, but could just about tolerate the light of Luna’s moon, but still cowered from it in their pits. I don’t know the exact details, but I understand that Lady Luna thought she could make peace with the creatures of the darkness, to perhaps make them eventually be able to live in the light of the moon in harmony with the rest of us.”

Sunset felt the uneasy anticipation of where this story was going, knowing the parallel history of Equestria and its Luna.

“Lady Luna disappeared. But then she came back, but not as Luna no more. She was now but a creature of Umbra, calling herself Nightmare Moon.”

And there it was. So, Nightmare Moon was responsible for the unending night, and why the moon appeared so much larger in the night sky. That still raised the question of what happened to Celestia and how she and Luna… How the Divine sisters perished.

“What happened to Celestia?” Sunset inquired, though felt about as unready to hear the fate of her old mentor’s dimensional counterpart. The horror as she’d felt when her friends had their memories of her erased.

“Lady Celestia tried to save her sister from the darkness, but in her grief she too succumbed to her own. I don’t know the details, but they say she became for the light what Nightmare Moon was to the darkness: A wild, unruly flame that would burn all before her. In their shared madness, our Fair Ladies destroyed each other.” Andre reached for something under his apron, held out an enclosed fist, unfurling it to reveal a radiant golden light emanating from it, “All we have left of the Celestials are their scattered pieces, the last lights of Equis.”

Sunset gasped, able to hear the rest of the girls’ reactions as Andre unveiled to them another glowing shard. In response, Sunset dug into the pocket inside her vest and revealed their own to the blacksmith, who looked over it in surprise.

“Ahh, y’ found one yourself too? That is fortunate; these little shards of the light are now the most valuable things in the land. They are what keeps the darkness at bay,” Andre explained.

“Ah beg yer pardon there, Andre,” Applejack interjected, “but we met this timber… wolf thing.”

“We called him Twiggy!” Pinkie Pie popped up behind her.

“Uh, yea; “Twiggy” seemed more intent on actually gettin’ at this here thing rather than stayin’ away,” Applejack elaborated.

Andre nodded, “Aye, it’s a tad tricky that way. Y’ see, with the light fading, the Umbra has begun to seep in, turning both man and beast alike into its children. Most of these creatures will cower away from the Celestials’ light, but those steeped deeper in Umbra’s touch will become strong enough that they no longer fear it, but will instead be like moths to flame and seek to snuff it out.”

“Thus, ‘swallowing the light’,” Twilight emphasized.

“That’s about it. If y’ wish t’ survive long out there, you’re going to need to make use of these shards. I’m sure y’ saw the torches I set up along the way to my workshop? Well, there’s a trick t’ it. I’ll show y’.”

Andre stood up, murmured something under his breath as he looked around. Rummaging through a bin of firewood, he returned with a handful of dried hay. He rolled up the map and set that aside on the far end of the table and put the hay on the table. He placed his shard beside it, producing his smithing hammer. Before Sunset could protest, Andre knocked the hammer against the shard, which sparked intently. The hay was struck by one of these sparks, and with a crackle it lit ablaze with a golden flame. Andre put the hammer away, revealing the shard undamaged. He promptly patted the flame out and swept the ash and cinder to the floor.

“Quite handy, eh?” said Andre with a chuckle. “These shards are pieces of the Celestials themselves; no force in this world is breaking them. When you need protection from the darkness, just use your shard to start a fire. It will keep probably most of the Umbra-Touched at bay, but be wary about the stronger ones. If y’ find more of these shards out there, y’ must keep them from being swallowed by the darkness.”

At least now Sunset was affirmed that the shard they found was important. And knowing that it was an actual piece of Celestia, it only made it feel more precious to her, like a fragment of her mentor’s essence was with her, watching over her and her friends in this alien world. Now all that remained was deciding what to do, and what they could do.

“By any chance, Andre, do you know anyone who might be able to help us?” Sunset inquired further, her hand grasping at the shard she held with renewed vigor. “We were kind of aimless coming down here from the church. You mentioned magic; is there anyone who might be able to help point us in the right direction if we were to help this world?”

Andre looked at her with an expression of surprise, his gruff features feeling softened. “Well, your best bet, if looking for those with more knowhow than me,” he chuckled, “y’ should head for Moonlink.” He rolled out the map again, indicating a spot in the northern area of the Twilight Mire.

“Now, we are here, the village of Quarter. You must go ‘round Moonshine Lake, to the west,” he ignored the snicker from Rainbow Dash. “You will find it easily, largest hold in the Lunar Province… Well, barring maybe Lapis in Geodis. You would be wise t’ go north first, where the Hunters dwell.”

“You mentioned these Hunters before,” said Sunset. “Who are they?”

“The Hunters are just that; they hunt the monsters of the Umbra. They come to me regularly when they need repairs or new arms. Y’ should seek them out first, for there’s ill tidings that Moonlink has gone foul…” said Andre forebodingly.

“Foul in what sense?” asked Applejack, perhaps her inherent sense of unbreakable honesty rubbing her the wrong way at the thought of whatever happened at Moonlink.

Andre furrowed his brow, “Scootaloo and the Hunters bring news that since the fall of the Celestials, the high priestess who watched over Moonlink went missing. Now it’s being governed by someone who cast out all those faithful to Lady Luna, leaving them to fall prey to the dangers outside the city. I reckon were you to seek aid within Moonlink, this new governance would sooner lead y’ astray rather than help y’. But Scootaloo, an upstanding lass if ever there was none: Just tell them I sent y’, and she’ll surely help.”

Sunset turned on her chair to address the others. Rainbow Dash looked startled at the mention of the name of her sister-in-spirit back home, the rest exchanging further looks of unease and confusion. And could she blame them? They’d gone their entire lives living in stability, barring her arrival and her bringing of Equestrian magic into their world. Sunset could argue to know how they felt, herself being alien to this new world, but she also had the privilege of being knowledgeable about forces shared between this world and her own. Right now, all she cared about was uncovering whatever sent them to Equis, to unravel why the darkness, this Umbra, was plaguing her dreams across the dimensional walls.

She almost missed when Pinkie Pie slid next to Andre, the blacksmith equally flummoxed as anyone else when it came to Pinkie’s sporadic presence, and produced a cupcake from out of nowhere, setting it on the table, smiling sweetly like molasses as she slid back to the group. Sunset and the rest watched as the blacksmith eyed the light-blue frosted piece of confectionery in what could best be described as barely restrained awe.

“Where’d you get that?” asked Rarity.

“Oh, I never leave home without the obligatory ‘thank-you-for-being-super-helpful’ cupcakes!” said Pinkie, smiling ever sweetly.

The blacksmith picked up the cupcake, looking it around, his eyes alight with what could best be described as wonderment. He slowly brought the confectionery to his mouth and took a bite, his mustache getting stained in the frosting. Sunset and the girls could only watch, small smiles of endearment forming on their faces seeing a tear trickle down the burly blacksmith’s cheek. A wave of happiness permeated the workshop, Andre looking like he hadn’t felt such joy in years, all from Pinkie’s small gesture of thanks.

Andre slowly consumed the cake, taking his time to savor what everyone no-doubt knew was possibly one of the tastiest things imaginable, it coming from the wizardry that was Pinkie Pie and her talent with deserts. After what felt like an eternity, Andre consumed the last morsel. The blacksmith sat in place, eyes closed in reverie, taking a deep breath and sighing in pure happiness.

The blacksmith stood up, a hint of frosting still in his mustache as he looked over his guests with a renewed strength reflected from his eyes. “Right! If you’re going to be seeking out the Hunters, you’ll be needing a means of protecting yourselves. Something better than a piece of wood!”

Sunset pursed her lips in surprise from Andre’s newfound enthusiasm, but knowing that this man had been living in a world of unending night for five years and their god-equivalents gone, Pinkie’s show of good will undoubtedly had a strong impact of hope. With Andre’s offer, the girls went to looking around the selection of armaments lining the walls.

Rainbow Dash, to Sunset’s surprise, found something to her liking quickly; a pair of cudgels. About two or so feet long, comprised of shafts made of ash wood, with about a quarter of their lengths from the tips encased in sheaths of studded metal. The rainbow-haired athlete revved them around in her hands, looking like a child during the holidays. Rainbow looked at Sunset with raised brows.

“Eh, swords are cool and all, but these things just feel closer to heart,” she said, twirling one of the cudgels. “You know, kind of like baseball bats.”

Sunset rolled her eyes with a wry smile as she went about looking for her own pick. She saw Andre busy sharpening a simple battle axe whilst Applejack stood nearby, testing the feel of a circular wooden shield on her left arm. Assuming the axe was Applejack’s choice; Sunset couldn’t help but think it suited the farm girl, given its application as a tool in addition to its more… unsavory purposes.

Sunset noticed that Twilight, Fluttershy, Rarity and Pinkie Pie were not perusing around the selection of weapons. In the case of Fluttershy, it was understandable; conflict was the furthest thing from the animal caretaker’s nature, at least in the current context where the group might be called to… Sunset felt suddenly rather uneasy in her stomach at the thought that she would be forced to turn a weapon against someone or something.

The closest she’d ever come to actively harming someone with lethal force was during her darkest moment when she was overcome by the thirst for power. But now the act of violence could mean the difference between life and death in this new world. The thought of taking a life disgusted her, but when it came to the probability of needing to save the lives of those people most dear to her in all the multiverse, she urged herself to accept that she needed to do whatever it took to protect them.

Sunset approached the rapier she’d noticed earlier. She lifted it from its spot on the wall, feeling a tad heavier than the foils she wielded in the Canterlot High fencing club, but perfectly manageable. She inspected the hilt, which in an aesthetic sense immediately caught her fancy: Unlike the simple domed guards of the foils, this one was a true work of art. She vaguely recalled seeing pictures of old swords in books when she first took up fencing, and this sword guard was very similar to those she’d seen. The grip and guard were a gilded gold. A domed disk would curve over the knuckles, the back of the hand and fingers, like enclosing them behind little miniature shields, little holes being punctured in a pattern to reduce their weight. The most striking feature were the additional strands of curving steel that enclose around the hand, reminiscent to the likeness of a still flame, which still left plenty of room for the flexing of her wrist. It was this particular shape that Sunset thought had her enamored. The grip itself was wrapped in silvery cord, ending in a weighted pommel.

Sunset drew the sword from its hilt, the slight scraping of metal making her feel like a swashbuckling hero. Assuming a sideward stance, away from anyone else, she flicked the sword in a circular motion. It felt slightly more cumbersome, and the more rigid construction made it feel slightly less maneuverable than she’d thought, but overall, she felt that she could handle the slight weight increase. She darted forward on her feet, thrusting towards an imaginary adversary, then let forth a short flurry with just her wrist alone. In what almost felt like second nature, she slid her legs together, the rapier held straight up in front of her face, and she indulged herself in a courteous bow towards her imaginary, perforated, foe. The sudden sound of Twilight, Fluttershy, Rarity, and Pinkie clapping softly, or loudly in the case of the pink one, made her blush slightly, but bowed again, before sheathing the sword. Indeed, this would suit her well.

With that, their party was ready, with Rainbow having adorned a pair of thick leather bracers as additional protection, and Applejack stood ready, looking like the most anachronistic warrior in existence in her Stetson as she brandished her wooden shield and the freshly sharpened battle axe hanging from her belt. Andre was slightly uncertain about the four in their group who refrained from carrying weapons, but Sunset’s mention of magic, plus her confidence in Rainbow Dash and Applejack, what with their Equestrian powers, seemed to convince the blacksmith.

Sunset graciously accepted Andre’s offering of the map of Equis, and he was happy to oblige Twilight in keeping the theological tome. The blacksmith saw them on the way out into the eternal night air, the flames of the golden torches and the light of the shard in Sunset’s pocket bathing them in warmth.

“Just travel directly north-west from here and you’ll come upon Duskwood Thicket. The Hunters have made themselves home in the iron mine just a way’s inward. As long as they know you carry a piece of the light they’ll know to approach. Tell them my regards and they will trust you,” said Andre, a renewed hope emanating from his eyes. “If you find yourselves back here, know that you are always welcome. Though, uh, next time, use the back entrance.” He laughed jovially at the last remark.

Sunset heard Applejack chuckle awkwardly. Before they were to leave, Sunset approached Andre, “If you don’t mind me asking, Andre. What made you so readily trust us?”

Andre crossed his arms, a smile visible underneath his still frosting-stained mustache, “Y’ said that y’ came down here from the church to Celestia. While it may have been very hopeless these five long years, I always though myself as one of the faithful to our Fair Ladies. Perhaps the Celestials themselves brought you here to aid us in our time of need, like they did at the dawn of history.”

Sunset felt genuinely honored at how highly the blacksmith thought of them; seven strangers and their dog companion who broke into his holdings. Without thinking, Sunset put a hand to her chest and bowed to the blacksmith, bringing a hand to her newly acquired rapier, smiling in confidence. Andre bowed in return, and with that waved goodbye, wishing them luck as they set off down the cobblestone road, off on their next adventure.

Chapter 4: The Umbra Hunters

The trek through the abandoned village of Quarter fortunately had gone without any complications. While Sunset had the small urge to inspect the church dedicated to Luna, given the newfound information, courtesy of Andre the blacksmith, personal curiosities had to be ignored since, now knowing about the Umbra, time was of the essence for this world. And for them, should they not find a way back home.

They walked perpendicularly in somewhat of a line across the field, Spike naturally several paces ahead, the little dog regularly looking back to see that everyone was accounted for. The moonlight from the celestial body dragged closer, courtesy of the late Nightmare Moon, granted them plenty of illumination under the starry sky that it made Applejack’s need to roll call redundant. No doubt to Rainbow Dash’s relief.

Going over the map, Twilight holding onto one end and Sunset the other, the shard making a nifty reading light, Sunset looked up towards a patch of trees in the distance, the area branded on the parchment as Duskwood Thicket. It was there that the Andre said the Umbra Hunters dwelt, purportedly under the command of the dimensional counterpart of one of their friends from Canterlot High.

This knowledge made Sunset Shimmer glance over at Rainbow Dash, who walked right next to her, her newly acquired cudgels hanging limply in one hand from the convenient straps extending from their leather-bound grips. The athlete appeared troubled, somewhat unusual for the rainbow-haired girl’s normally confident, if not occasionally abrasive, personality.

“You okay there, Dash?” Sunset asked, still holding onto her end of the map.

The athlete was quiet for a while before muttering, “Not really…”

Sunset quietly gestured to Twilight, who took the entirety of the map. Now her attention focused on Rainbow Dash.

“Is it about what Andre said about your counterpart?” she asked, the mental image of her being swallowed by the darkness in her dream resurfacing, and now that Rainbow was the first of them to be physically touched by the dark.

Rainbow didn’t look up, her gaze trailing along the ground as she went, rubbing her arm, like she was cold, in spite of the shard’s divine warmth. “Yea… I mean, I know it’s not technically me, but also is, and just kinda made me realize how close I just came to…” the rainbow-haired athlete shuddered

“Hmm,” Pinkie Pie hummed, at the end of the line, next to Fluttershy who was next to Rainbow Dash. “Technically not you, but technically is you, but technically still not you since you’re not from here, but still technically is you since she has the same name as you and Andre said looks like you…”

Fluttershy, looked slightly concerned as Pinkie continued prattling on to herself, not hearing the puffy-haired girl stop to take a breath. “Are you concerned about Scootaloo?” she asked.

Rainbow glanced at Fluttershy, “Well, yea. I mean unless she doesn’t know the dead me. Sunset, do dimensional counterparts tend to keep the same friends in their own world?”

Sunset looked up, contemplatively scratching her chin. Rainbow presented an interesting conundrum about interdimensional causality if there ever was one. On one hand, Princess Twilight Sparkle, as she’d recounted in their correspondences between each other, had met her friends in Equestria as a result of Princess Celestia’s machinations, whereas their Twilight had not met their clique until rather recently as a result of the Friendship Games, which occurred much later than in Equestria. Of course, this also brought up the question of the nature of time differentials between dimensions. And the ramifications of whether or not their Twilight could have met them simply on coincidence, or if the concept of destiny was a factor… Sunset felt strangely morose as her thoughts trailed on, almost forgetting Rainbow’s question.

“Well, as far as I know your Equestrian counterpart knows its counterpart of Scootaloo, much as you know ours…” She rubbed her temples as some of the questions in her mind became as troubling as her nightmares. She shook her head, forcing the philosophical contemplations of a determinative universe aside. “It’s possible,” she stated in a flat tone.

“…But technically you were there, while technically she was here…” Pinkie continued, Fluttershy looking at her with an utter look of bamboozlement regarding how she had yet to inhale. “But technically we know you and not her…” She pouted her lips, a strained look upon her eyes, “What was I doing just now…?”

Existential implications were set aside as they’d just reached the edge of Duskwood Thicket when Pinkie’s knee visibly twitched for everyone to see. A twitchy knee? But that would mean-

A sound akin to a rattling howl accented with a sharp, raspy hiss bellowed over the fields. Sunset spun around, her hand grasping at the hilt of her rapier, Rainbow Dash taking her cudgels in both hands beside her while Applejack stepped forward from the group with her shield and battle axe at the ready. Something was closing in on them from the distance, any discerning traits hard to spot from the shadow cast by the light of the moon. All she could make out was at best an indescribable, convulsing silhouette closing in on them.

With another rattling howl, Pinkie let out a ridiculously long, rasping gasp. Her eyes looked as if they might as well have popped out of their sockets, “It’s Twiggy!!!”

Rainbow Dash, undoubtedly trusting in Pinkie’s impeccable foresight that was the Pinkie Sense, reached for the inside pocket of Sunset Shimmer’s vest. Sunset blushed from the unwelcome contact against her breast as the athlete snagged the shard.

“Don’t sweat it guys, I got this!” she proclaimed with a daring smirk before dashing towards the approaching timber beast.

Indeed, the ever persistent Twiggy had made its return: Once again, having reconstituted itself. From the ever-decreasing distance between it and their group, Sunset saw that its previous three heads had been reduced back into one, the hollow white eyes glowing with their eerie, hungering emptiness. Sunset made the mistake of assuming it had reconstituted, when now she could see that it had been reduced to but a head on a burly misshapen torso being supported by a pair of digitigrade legs much thicker than previously. The darkness spewed forth in spouts all over its body, a frothing miasma emanating from its clattering mouth.

As Rainbow Dash rushed at the aberration, Twiggy retched its head forward, spewing a gout of darkness from its maw like a dragon breathing fire. Rainbow Dash yelped in fright as she darted to the side to avoid the deadly smog, the ground where it touched becoming deathly white with swathes of darkness arising like smoke from ashes. Rainbow yelped a second time as another gout of darkness was launched at her, darting away back towards the group.

Twilight swallowed. “Twiggy’s adapted his strategy…” she said with a wavering voice, a look of terror emanating from her bespectacled eyes.

Rainbow skidded to a halt, looking back at the child of the Umbra with bewilderment. Twiggy stepped forth, letting loose another blast of darkness. Rainbow narrowly prevented Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy from getting hit by pulling them away by their wrists.

“Run for it!” she screamed, pulling her two friends along with her into the thicket at normal running speed.

Sunset Shimmer looked at the retreating Rainbow Dash, then at Twiggy as it pulled back, the rims of its mouth spewing with more smog. She and everyone remaining bolted into the forest, narrowly escaping the gout of darkness that withered the ground where they’d been standing further. They slalomed between approaching trees as fast as they could, hoping that Twiggy’s frame would splinter from trying to ram in after them.

In but a moment the sounds of wood splintering filled the thicket, accented with Twiggy’s rattling roar as the bipedal abomination tackled its way through. Sunset Shimmer dared not look back at the risk of getting stomped, chomped, or struck with a gout of darkness, being able to spot Twilight slightly ahead of her, covering her head as she forced herself through branches and brambles.

Sunset burst forth from the trees into a slit clearing, finding Rainbow Dash awaiting, cudgels in hand whilst Fluttershy supported herself against a tree, panting in exhaustion, besides her being Pinkie Pie, kneeling on the ground, gasping for breath, and Spike, also winded as he panted briskly. Twilight stumbled into the clearing, followed by Applejack and Rarity further down in the clearing, the farmer urging the fashionista onwards. Twiggy rammed its way through the tree line into the clearing, its body dented and cracked from the multitude of impacts, but the increased bulk kept it from falling apart as easily.

When she’d thought they were done for, Sunset heard a high-pitched war cry from somewhere above them, when from atop the trees someone came lunging down at Twiggy, brandishing a large downward held sword, that gave off a golden surge. Whoever it was drove the sword right through Twiggy’s wooden carapace, the aberration letting loose its distinct rattling roar, only its sudden violent spasming betrayed undeniable pain in spite, of its lack of flesh. A stray gout of darkness spurt from its mouth, but it was unfocused and very much an involuntary puff.

Fluttershy yelped when someone else came rushing past her, the hem of a ragged brown coat billowing behind them. Brandishing two small swords whose blades also exhibited golden jolts coursing through them, whomever it was drove both blades parallel to one another right into Twiggy’s midsection. The abomination thrashed violently, trying to shake the first assailant off its back… neck, whichever, the attacker holding on to their sword.

Twiggy’s head was flung back when something shot through the air, striking directly into its mouth, a burst of light and a crackle like electricity spouting forth. The assailant with the large sword rolled down onto the ground, adjusting their angle before swiping at Twiggy’s left leg. With a burst of sparks and a surge permeating the air, the limb was severed, a gout of shadow spilling forth as Twiggy came collapsing onto the ground with a rustling crash. The two swordsmen began to hack away at the timber abomination, the air filled with the snaps of electricity and muted claps of thunder.

Sunset and the rest could only stare awestruck as the two swordsmen slashed away at Twiggy’s rotted wood body, able to effortlessly avoid every spurt of shadow, like this was second nature to them. Another bolt shot through the air, Twiggy’s forehead bursting from another thunderclap, its hollow eyes disappearing into the darkness inside its body, which had been reduced to a barely mobile torso, its lower jaw hanging loosely from its now topless head, the two warriors backing away, both of them reaching for something on their persons. The two held up in unison a radiant glow from their hands. Two more shards of light! Held within small corked flasks.

Twiggy’s dismembered body shook as if the light shining upon it was excruciating. Suddenly a third person slid down a trunk of a tree, rushing at the immobile Twiggy, producing yet another shard from their person, joining the other two as the darkness spewing from the monster’s body began to shrink and waver. Rainbow Dash rushed forth to join the three, holding out their shard, with the others’. The shadows swirling within the timber creature’s body grew smaller by the second, until it faded away into small mote, disintegrating into nothing.

Before Rainbow could gloat, a thin blade came dangerously close to her neck. She reeled back startled, when the third attacker to join the fray in one fluid motion trained a blackwood longbow at Sunset and the rest, while the one with the two-handed sword stood beside the archer, her blade surging with erratic streaks of electricity along its length. With the amount of light shining within the little clearing, Sunset could get a very good look at the three.

The one with the twin swords, their design being thin, but still wide enough for a double-edge, with hilts reminiscent of a fleur de lis in their shapes, made of a bronze alloy, wore a brown, ragged cloak with a hood. Underneath was a black suit of armor. It looked terribly dented and scratched all over, the chestplate engraved with decorative, vertical grooves, the two middlemost having a series of bronze filigree embedded in them, which showed signs of blackening. Overall, the armor seemed rather light, with most of it comprised of mismatched bits of fabric and leather, the only metal bits being the chestplate, the gauntlets, with more filigrees, and a black helmet with a slightly dented and bent visor worn underneath the hood; adorned with the same filigrees.

The warrior with the large sword, a simple cruciform double-edged design, Sunset could make out as a short woman. Her skin was a shade of bluish gray, and underneath the red hood she wore, which sported a green checkered pattern, Sunset could make out locks of yale blue hair. Much of her outfit was comprised of a lot of red with said green pattern, including a red kilt and a sash wrapped around and over a studded leather vest and tassets. Most striking was a pouch hanging off the front of her belt with a grey thistle stenciled onto it.

The archer was a girl clad in a rather fine outfit consisting of layered leather leggings and a near thigh-length tan vest over a dark grey woolen undergarment, with boiled leather manchettes matching her leggings, and a long, thin sword hanging from her belt. Sunset first found the most distinguishing feature to be her hat; a rimmed, pointed bycocket with a single black feather attached to it. Followed by the cerise head of hair and the light orange skin of her face. She suddenly lowered the blackwood longbow.

The archer was ignoring her completely, her eyes focusing entirely on Rainbow Dash. Even the twin swords wielding warrior had lowered his or her blade from Rainbow’s neck, lifting up the visor of their helmet like trying to get a better look at the rainbow-haired athlete. The swordswoman had an expression of utter disbelief looking back and forth between Applejack and Rarity.

Rainbow Dash stared, stunned, at the archer girl, “S-Scootaloo…?”

At first Sunset was confused. The archer girl was clearly taller compared to Scootaloo back at Canterlot High. She took off her bycoket, fully revealing her hair, worn in a style almost perfectly matching Rainbow’s. It was Scootaloo! But older than the one they knew, probably around their age.

The older dimensional counterpart to Scootaloo continued to stare at Rainbow Dash, her purple eyes wide with bewilderment. She took an uneasy step towards Rainbow, slowly raising a hand as she took another step. Rainbow did not reel or flinch when that hand touched her face.

“R-Rainbow… Rainbow Dash…?” she uttered.

Rainbow raised a hand and placed it upon Scootaloo’s forearm, her eyes softening from their previous state of disbelief, to a look of solemnity. Scootaloo’s lips quivered, a wet streak trickling down her cheek. Before anyone could say or do anything, Scootaloo threw her arms around Rainbow Dash, a tearful sob escaping her lips.

“Merciful Divines…!” she choked, holding onto Rainbow Dash in a tight embrace. “It is you!”

As the older Scootaloo sobbed onto Rainbow Dash’s shoulder, the twin swords wielding warrior sheathed their armaments before proceeding to pull down their hood and shedding the black, dented helmet, a long silvery mane of hair descending from within its confines around a charcoal grey face, finally revealing and confirming his gender as a man. He looked at Scootaloo and Rainbow Dash with a somber expression, holding his helmet underneath his arm.

Sunset Shimmer felt her stomach knot itself. The sight of Scootaloo being reunited with Rainbow Dash tugged at her heartstrings, knowing that soon they would have to reveal the true nature of the Rainbow Dash she was tearfully embracing.

“How is this possible?” asked the swordswoman, between looking at Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo, and Applejack.

The farmer looked at the new acquaintance, her face sharing in the somberness of Scootaloo’s emotions. “It’s complicated…” she muttered. “Very complicated…”

Rainbow Dash, feeling nearing her threshold, gently took Scootaloo by the shoulders, taking a deep breath, only to need another as she mustered the courage to tell the heartbreaking truth to the woman sobbing onto her.

“I’m…” she hesitated, wanting to hug Scootaloo back, but knew it had to be done. “I’m not… I’m not the same Rainbow Dash…” she finally managed, albeit in a hushed tone, and her chest aching.

Scootaloo pulled back from embracing her, looking back at her with her now reddened, tear-stained eyes. In spite of being older than the Scootaloo Rainbow Dash knew and considered the closest thing she had to a sister; she could not help but see the younger Scootaloo in this one’s eyes.

Scootaloo grasped at Rainbow’s arms, so tight that it hurt, but she did not flinch, “W-what…?”

Involuntarily gasping from the surge of emotions, now it was Rainbow’s turn to embrace Scootaloo, holding onto the archer girl tightly. “I’m not the Rainbow Dash you know…!” she blurted, fighting back tears as her emotional fortitude crumbled.

The sound of leather squeezing against leather came from below, no doubt Scootaloo’s manchettes curling into fists. “B-but… But you’re right here!” she forced herself free from Rainbow’s hold, backing away a few steps, her teary eyes widened in incredulity. “You’re standing right there! And- and so is Applejack! And Twilight! And Fluttershy! E-everyone! You’re all here!”

Now it was Fluttershy who approached Scootaloo and embraced the despaired girl. “I’m sorry, Scootaloo…” she spoke softly, “but we are not the same.”

The silver haired swordsman looked among everyone in bewilderment, “Then, what are you-?”

Sunset Shimmer looked up. “We’re her friends’ counterparts from another world,” the fiery-haired girl said with finality in her voice.

“They’re not Umbra-Touched, I can tell you,” the swordswoman in red declared, holding up her light fragment. “With this much light they’d be reelin’,” she declared, sporting an accent slightly similar to Andre’s, just not as deep.

Rainbow Dash walked up to Scootaloo, still being hugged by Fluttershy, her incredulity remaining as she stared at seemingly nothing around her, and placed a hand on her sister-equivalent’s counterpart’s shoulder.

“It’s true, Scoots…” she said, closing her eyes in regret. “I’m a Rainbow Dash, just not your… the Rainbow Dash. We came looking for your help; Andre told us where to find you. We want to make everything right again.”

Scootaloo looked up at her, tears still brimming from her eyes, but she seemed to have calmed down, regressing from incredulity to sadness. “You called me Scoots…” she whispered through a sob.

Rainbow urged a small smile, “Yea, I have my own Scootaloo back home. If I know her, then I’m betting you’re just as awesome as her.”

Scootaloo went quiet, very quiet. She knelt down to pick up her hat, placing it back onto her head as she turned away from Rainbow Dash, and walked a few feet away. Rainbow could only watch, along with everyone else, as Scootaloo stood in place, head held down, arms either crossed or holding onto herself, in contemplation. Rainbow would have almost preferred being chased by Twiggy again, which was now just a heap of rotting scraps of wood all over the ground. This was what she was afraid of upon learning of the existence of her own counterpart in this world, and Andre having told them specifically of Scootaloo.

Whatever happened to her counterpart when she “fell to the darkness” as Andre had put it, though Rainbow could envision, having herself been touched by a piece of this very darkness that almost drained her of all she was. Her body shuddered at the thought, in spite of four shards in her presence. Looking at the back of Scootaloo, it felt like not even a million shards could warm the cold she must have felt. Perhaps some things in the multiverse were just ubiquitous: For every Rainbow Dash, there was a Scootaloo, like sisters, unrelated by blood.

The silver-haired swordsman began to approach Scootaloo, when the archer turned back towards the congregation. Wiping her cheek with a gloved hand, she walked past her comrade in arms and approached Rainbow, avoiding eye contact, ducking her head to cover hers with the front bangs of her hair and the tip of her bycoket. Rainbow looked at the archer somberly, not certain how to address her further.

Scootaloo finally looked back at her, her eyes still red from shed tears, though she appeared more assertive now. “We should confer somewhere safer,” she spoke, her voice wielding a tone of professionalism, in stark contrast to her counterpart, as well as exhibiting a more archaic speech pattern. “Come, our holdings are not far from here.”

Rainbow felt a tinge of relief at Scootaloo’s demeanor, until she felt the tug on her arm as the archer dragged her along by her hand. She caught her looking at her over her shoulder just for a moment, spotting a sliver of something in those purple eyes. Rainbow felt the small smile etch onto her face, feeling the vigor in the older Scootaloo.

Just like my Scoots…

Rarity groaned silently to herself as a branch scraped against her overly exposed arm, regretting not having brought a cardigan or something. Though with the weather back home, how could she have in the first place? It’s not like she’d expected going dimension hopping, of all possible things. And her studded sandals didn’t feel as great to be traipsing around on uneven woodland ground. Granted, she had the painstakingly received expertise to make the best of any predicament in whatever ensemble she might have adorned. Oh, the sheer volumes of internalized tears she had to hold to attain the power of running in heels…

She and her friends were being led through Duskwood Thicket by Scootaloo and the two other… Well, she supposed they might as well be called hunters, based on what the admirably generous Andre referred to them as. She and Applejack were close to the back of the slaloming row of people, the rear being brought up by the swordswoman. Rarity, with her ever vigilant eye for detail, had to admit; the checkered kilt, sash and hood just seemed to really complement the warrior.

“So, uh…” Applejack spoke up, looking over at the huntress over her shoulder.

The woman behind them, carrying her sword over her shoulder as one would carry a rifle, which Rarity found a bit off, based on what she’d seen in most depictions. But now that she was seeing a real-life example; carrying something so long on one’s back in a hilt seemed counterproductive since it would’ve made it impossible to draw it from one’s back or one would have to remove the sheath from their back.

“Maddie,” the woman said, taking a glance to the side, her own light shard held in a loose fist.

“Uh, Maddie,” Applejack confirmed. “Pardon my curiosity, but how did the lot of you come about?”

Maddie flexed her arm slightly under the weight of her sword. “I came from down south after Sweet Apple Acres went bonkers,” she said, the mention of Sweet Apple Acres making Rarity, and especially Applejack in her peripheral vision, flinch, which Maddie also took notice of.

“Yea, everythin’ went absolutely insane when the Umbra-Touched came. At first Earl McIntosh and his guard tried to mount a defense, but when your holdings fell, there was nothin’ to be done. All anyone could do was flee and hope they were not caught by the Umbra-Touched or whatever other beasties came about since the Divines perished.”

She pursed her lips contemplatively, no doubt bad memories, “No-one knows what happened to Duchess Applejack, except that Earl McIntosh tried to find her, chargin’ through a horde of those husks all on his own… Don’t doubt both a’ them are dead or fell to the dark.”

Rarity cleared her throat, “Pardon me, but what exactly is the difference between ‘dead’ and ‘fallen to darkness’?”

Maddie shifted some of the weight on her shoulder. “When you fall to the darkness, you change: Everythin’ you are on the inside is gone and all that’s left of you is just a hollow pawn of the Umbra, hungerin’ for life and the light if it’s too drenched in it, like that timber beastie.”

Rarity looked ahead uneasily in the direction of Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo, now wondering which might have been worse in context: That either this world’s Rainbow was lying somewhere dead, or if she was skulking somewhere out there in the dusk as whatever happened to a human when falling to darkness. She couldn’t help but shiver, in spite of the light being given off by Maddie’s shard.

She felt Applejack put an arm around her comfortingly, the warmth coming off the farmer girl alleviating the dread, at least for now. For since she and the rest of the girls had rediscovered their friendships thanks to Princess Twilight’s intervention, and even having brought Sunset Shimmer to their fold and finding their own Twilight Sparkle, Rarity deep down held strong to the belief that they could overcome any adversity and hardship if they remain strong and true together. But as the mystery behind this new world, something she’d never imagined to experience first-hand, at least not like this, unfurled before her, she could not help but fear this might not end the same as everything that happened before.

Sunset brushed a limp-hanging branch out of her way as Scootaloo guided them to a great glade within the thicket. The land here was clearly affected by human intervention, with scores of stumps of felled trees dotting the landscape, while out in the distance to the east stood what seemed to be a windmill, though whatever its use was here escaped Sunset. At the far end of the glade due north arose a great cliff face. Around it stood a few slightly decrepit wooden shacks, and at the base of was a reinforced wooden frame lining a wide opening leading underground. Getting closer revealed a wooden double door, which seemed to lack any means of opening it.

Scootaloo motioned for everyone to wait as she approached the door. She picked up an unassuming rock, about the size of a tennis ball, and knocked on the door in a rhythm. One-two-three. Pause. Four, five. She then dropped the stone rather specifically.

Sunset traded awkward glances with Twilight, who simply shrugged. Just then the doors shook slightly before they slowly began to open ajar. Beyond opened a wide passage into the mines, the walls on either side bearing torches that were set alight using the shards, letting off a warm, golden light. About five feet further the tunnel split into two, with someone manning a gear-operated winch mechanism. Before anyone could so much as let out a peep, Pinkie Pie’s jaw dropped, followed by another one of her iconic gasps before she pretty much leapt at who was manning the mine’s doors.

“Oh my gosh, Maud!” the pink girl screamed, ecstatic.

Indeed, the woman manning the winch was yet another dimensional counterpart to their home world: In this case it was none other than Maud Pie. Much like the one they all knew back home, this one also stuck to her very simplistic flat-cut bangs at the front while the rest of her hair fell just above her shoulder in a geometrically perfect line around the rest of her head. Even her style of clothing was very much what to expect of Maud; a simple bluish-grey, long-sleeved tunic held in place by a dark grey belt, with a matching pair of pants and heavy dark grey boots.

Sunset knew everyone was expecting it. She was expecting it, oddly enough, but even then, it felt so odd how the eldest Pie sibling retained her emotionally lacking expression. Maud looked at the pink, bouncy girl, one hand still on the winch, but remained motionless, nary a muscle in her face twitching as she beheld her sister’s counterpart. Pinkie seemed her ever chipper and ecstatic self, flashing a smile as bright as the golden flames of the torches lining the interior of those very mines.

“… Pinkie Pie? But I thought you were dead,” said Maud, equally deadpanned as ever. “How is this possible?”

Scootaloo approached Maud, “It’s going to take some time to explain…” She looked over her shoulder at the rest of their unexpected guests, “Have Maddie take your shift in the meantime. You should come with us for our meeting.”

“Understood. Thank you,” said Maud, her expression and tone unchanging.

As by her request, Maddie remained in the entry tunnel whilst Scootaloo led the rest down the tunnel to the left, which took a sharp curve further left, leading to what Sunset Shimmer presumed as a foreman’s office. The ground had been lined with wooden planks to simulate a floor, over which was a heavy-set table, which seemed to have been propped up with logs, with maps and charts sprawled across its surface with many impromptu markings that had accumulated over time. A hefty looking iron chandelier had been hung from the ceiling using a series of large bolts to secure it in place. Some propped up logs were scattered around the office to serve as makeshift seating. Something Rarity seemed all too eager to make use of, lifting one foot over a knee, revving her foot in discomfort. The fact she’d managed to make it this far with at least one quarter of it entailing running for their lives was particularly impressive.

Scootaloo slung off her blackwood longbow, perching it against the table before removing her bycoket. She half sat over on the table, arms crossed, eyeing her guests. Maud stood beside her, with her hands held over her lap, one grasping the other. It was uncertain, but given her unbreakable poise, perhaps a hint of outward emotions had begun to break away, just slightly.

“Alright, here we can talk in safety,” said Scootaloo with an air of professionalism. “You said Andre sent you our way, so regardless of what you mean about 'counterparts' and 'other worlds', if he was willing to trust you, then I trust you too. So…” she indicated with a hand, “I would like an explanation of why our fallen friends are suddenly back among us.”

Sunset looked amongst her friends, “Should I be mediator or…?”

“Well you are our resident magic expert,” said Rainbow Dash with a shrug.

Sunset chuckled dryly, “Well what you just said, Scootaloo, yes: We come from another world; different from here, but also similar, with people and places who coincide almost perfectly with those here.”

Twilight stood forth, adjusting her glasses. “It’s a dubiously accepted theory in our world that there exists an infinite number of parallel worlds, where something different in each one’s causality creates an alteration from one to the other.”

Scootaloo raised a questioning brow, Twilight’s emphasis feeling it went over her head.

“I believe Star Swirl the Bearded was also theorizing about the existence of alternate worlds existing where we stand, only invisible to us through the fabric of reality,” said the silver-haired swordsman, looking up from inscribing something with a stick of charcoal. “Legends say he found the means of peering into these “parallel worlds” as Lady Twilight put it.”

Scootaloo chuckled, looking over her shoulder, “Sorry: This is Night Quill, or the Knight Poet. He has a penchant for tales and myths.”

Night Quill shrugged idly, “Well, more of the knight and less the poet these days. Assuming we ever see the sun again, seeing the Scions before us once more and possible confirmation on Star Swirl’s theories about alternate worlds would be another legend in the making.”

“You genuinely believe we came from another world?” asked Twilight curiously.

Night Quill chuckled, setting his charcoal down, “M’lady, in my career it’s best to always leave room for possibilities about the outlandish. Why, we live in an era where one woman single-handedly brought an end to the wyverns of the Wastelands, all while not losing anyone in her platoon.”

“Who was that?” asked Rainbow Dash, sounding endeared by this tale.

The Knight Poet darted his eyes to the side and back, “Well, you. Or the Rainbow Dash of our world, rather.”

Sunset watched as Rainbow Dash’s face beamed like it had never done before. No doubt if this was a cartoon, her eyes would be sparkling in the wonderment. The rainbow-haired athlete’s expression had Scootaloo and Night Quill looking at her uneasily.

Applejack came up to Rainbow Dash to seat her as she was temporarily lost in her little reverie, patting her on the shoulder, “Just give ‘er a moment. She’ll be back… Probably.”

Sunset tapped the tip of her foot against the floor, giving an awkward chuckle before trying her best to ignore it and straightened herself, “Regardless; we came to this world seemingly through the Celestia statue in the church up the hill from Quarter. I don’t know what caused it; just that our world was struck by sudden tremors, and we were flung here from our end through a portal. Everything else we know so far we learned from Andre.”

“Not to mention being chased by the big, scary, not-at-all-nice, murderous, wanting-to-eat-our-lights-out Twiggy!” Pinkie called out, this time having somehow hung upside down from the chandelier. Before anyone could protest, she bounced and landed perfectly beside Maud.

“…So, you are not really my little sister, but a Pinkie Pie from a different world?” Maud deadpanned. She slowly looked at the bouncy pink party girl, “It warms my heart to know that, even if my sister is gone, there’s still another somewhere out there doing her best to make people happy.” A small, almost imperceptible smile just about etched itself onto the stone-faced woman’s lips. She produced a small rock from a pouch hanging from her belt that she held in an open palm, looking down upon it, “Boulder says he’s happy to see you as well.”

Sunset couldn’t help smiling as Pinkie petted Boulder in Maud’s hand.

“So then,” Scootaloo chimed in, “what are you doing here? And why come to us?”

Sunset sighed. “At the moment we’re not sure. Andre simply told us to meet you here, to which we were hoping you might know of someone more astute of magic that might be able to assist us, and if at all possible, what we can do to help this world.”

Scootaloo looked down, pondering on Sunset’s words. “Well, the closest who could have possibly aided you would have been High Priestess Starlight Glimmer, over in Moonlink.” She shut her eyes and shook her head, “But not too long since the world ended, she simply vanished, and since then Moonlink has been under martial law under the decree of “High Priestess” Abacus Cinch.”

Twilight flinched as soon as the name escaped Scootaloo’s lips, “A-Abacus Cinch-?!”

“The most impertinent, arrogant, sacrilegious witch of Moonlink!” blurted a new voice entering the office.

Sunset spotted how a tall, wiry man entered the foreman’s office. His skin a tone of somewhere between alabaster and a very light grey with dark grey neck-length hair slicked back over his head, as well as sporting a goatee from his pointed chin. He was adorned in a maroon robe with a raised collar, accompanied with a red sash held up by a large, golden medallion with peculiar engravings. Upon entry, his turquoise eyes fell upon Sunset and her friends, which rendered the new arrival speechless, looking indecisive as to what to do.

“By the Divines, Maddie did not jest,” he said, sounding breathless to the point of needing to hug the wall for support.

Scootaloo gestured at the man, “This is Archivist Neighsay. He was in charge of the Moonlink temple archives, up until he was cast out among all the “non-believers” once Cinch took over. He helps us with intelligence regarding Moonlink.” She placed a hand on the hilt of her sword, “As well as keeping our armaments enchanted to be effective against the Umbra.”

The Archivist, after a deep breath, dusted himself off and courteously nodded towards Sunset and her friends. “Forgive me; I was uncertain in regards to Maddie’s mention of the newly returned Scions in our midst.”

Twilight disregarded the excessive formality with a wave of her hand, “That’s not necessary, Sir Neighsay. We might look like your Scions, but we’re not the same people.”

“Turns out that among us also stand living, breathing proof of Star Swirl’s theories regarding alternate worlds,” Night Quill remarked, crossing his arms, smiling amusedly.

Archivist Neighsay ran a hand over his head, still seeming flustered, yet tried to carry with him an air of formality. “Believe you me, much as I would be fascinated to inquire the circumstances, right now we have a dire situation on our hands.” He approached Scootaloo, producing a roll of parchment from a pouch inside the sleeve of his robe and handing it to the huntress; “Our informant brings ill news from Moonlink…”

As the swirling colors of the vortex that was limbo slowly began to alleviate in her distorted vision, the discomfort of what came with such drastic physical metamorphosis ran through Starlight Glimmer. It had been a while since her last foray into the human world, so the new sensations that came with possessing the digits called “fingers” and “toes” would take some time getting accustomed to again. And that first wobbly step with her dimensionally granted bipedalism, with no-one to aid her this time around, felt doubly treacherous. Particularly when it became intercepted by her foot getting caught in something. Before she could take the first step, she found herself collapsing onto the hard asphalt of the walkway to Canterlot High.

Starlight hissed in pain at the scrapes and bruising in her newly formed forearms and hands. Rolling onto her back, she pulled back her outstretched legs, setting them beneath her to try and get back up again. With another wobble and a slight dizziness as she managed to stand up straight, she noticed the cause of her sudden tripping right on arrival. Splayed around the portal were the remains of the rearing stallion statue that stood over the podium, smashed into bits of varying sizes. The torso remained relatively unscathed, the rear legs having both snapped off and a sizable portion of the left flank missing, while the neck and head had stayed intact and attached, albeit the jaw and both ears had snapped off.

She rubbed her sore elbow, looking over the rest of her surroundings. Other than the collapsed statue, with somepony-… Someone having bordered the site with construction tape, everything seemed fine otherwise. School seemed to have been in session, the first indicator for her to hurry on out from behind the cordoned off area before someone took notice. She took another look around as she slid her saddlebag-turned-backpack along her arm and rummaged around inside it, producing a crystal from within supplied by Twilight for this particular venture. About half a foot long with a distended shape; it was carved from amethyst, with a magically applied white streak that curled along throughout its length.

Having received Sunset Shimmer’s message through their connected diary, the Princess of Friendship requested that Starlight Glimmer perform a survey of the human world, for the current dilemma facing Equestria left her stretched thin, with their five friends being sent all over Equestria, while Spike diligently remained at Twilight’s side. Especially with the recent turn of events, Twilight would need Spike’s aid. Her being the only one available to hold down the fort, or castle, in Ponyville and having experience in the human world, Starlight Glimmer was more than happy to oblige her mentor’s request.

Looking over the damage caused by the tremors Sunset reported about in her message, she discovered additional bits of damage; including a fallen piece of the school’s stonework, and even cracks that were discernible not only on the walkway to the school, but also some on the road the humans drove what Sunset referred to them as “cars”.

One thing she remained confused about was the crystal Twilight had insisted she take with her. Though she was still somewhat sketchy on the details, Twilight managed to make mention of a similar incident from before she had met Starlight Glimmer; about yet another world, an alternate Equestria that Star Swirl the Bearded and Princess Celestia visited long ago during the age of the Pillars. An incident where the fabric between the two mirrored worlds almost fell apart. Whatever it was, Twilight had insisted that whatever was happening to Equestria right now might have had a connection with whatever happened to Sunset Shimmer and her friends, and how they themselves were now trapped in a world completely foreign to all of them.

Starlight held out the crystal, trailing it along in the air, as instructed, waiting to see for any reaction. While the reasons for its requirements were not entirely clear to her, she was well enough versed in the magic arts to know that it acted as a form of siphon: In laypony’s terms, it would seek out magical energies in its local vicinity, storing a “sample” of said energies within it, which could be observed or “bled out” for further study to determine its properties.

Her eyes widened when she noticed how the white streak of the crystal began to change: Like a wave of swirling, suffocating smoke, the pristine white of the siphon dimmed, becoming increasingly ebon. Looking closer at the blackness, Starlight could see how the blackness ebbed and wafted within the crystalline structure. And it began to change the moment she’d pointed it towards the portal…

Author's Note

Assuming it as an easy guess: Yes; Night Quill is my OC. A bit of a nod to myself there just for laughs. His outfit and weapons are derived from the fallen knight set and Gotthard twin swords from Dark Souls 3 (my favorite pieces of gear from that specific title).

Maddie, for those unfamiliar with the Brony Analysis community, is the OC of Mad Munchkin (YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/Amymethven?pbjreload=10, DeviantArt: https://www.deviantart.com/mad--munchkin), whom I was granted permission to use.

Alternate Scootaloo's outfit and weapons are derived from the Hunter's Set, the Balder side sword and Black Bow of Pharis from Dark Souls and Dark Souls 3

Took a bit longer for chapter four to come out since I am currently also looking for employment, as well as writing material intended for publishing.

Chapter 5: Night Swimming

Scootaloo went over the parchment provided by Archivist Neighsay, her brow furrowed as her eyes read between the lines. Glancing at Neighsay on occasion, the Archivist nodded solemnly almost every time. Once she was finished, displaying more of her professionalism, set the letter down, which was promptly picked up for perusal by Night Quill.

Rainbow Dash looked to Applejack and Rarity, the farm girl merely shrugging as she and the rest of them stood or sat in silence at whatever Scootaloo and her companions were addressing. When Night Quill had finished his turn with the letter, he hunched over the table by his arms, pursing his lips at whatever ill news was inscribed on the parchment.

“She can’t be serious, can she?” the silver-haired “Knight Poet” asked, looking up at Neighsay who could only nod in rueful contemplation.

“What’s going on?” Sunset inquired.

“The aforementioned “High Priestess” Cinch intends to enact another one of her purges,” said Neighsay, complete with air quotations. “She’s performed them on a regular basis since her takeover of Moonlink to weed out anyone she deems as a threat to her newfound authority.”

“She started out covertly exiling members of the public she had suspicions about sowing discontent among the people,” Scootaloo elaborated further, motioning at Night Quill, “like people who held great sway with the commoners.”

“Eventually she moved onto members of the Moon Temple’s clergy and authority figures, myself among them. If it wasn’t for Lady Scootaloo and her Umbra Hunters, I shudder to think what might have happened,” said Neighsay, giving a respectfully deep nod to Scootaloo.

“And without the Knight-Centurions to maintain order, with their members spread thin scouring the land for more shards, there is no true martial order anywhere anymore,” said Scootaloo, looking over the copiously marked map.

“So, let see if I’m understandin’ this right,” said Applejack, rubbing her fingers over her temples. “After all of this with the Divines being gone; your whole land just fell to lawlessness?”

Neighsay grimaced ever so slightly, “Throughout our history the Knight-Centurions answered to Celestia and Luna either directly or through their appointed generals, following the standard chain of command. When the sisters fell, command fell to the Scions, whom each at the time were doing their all to maintain order in their appointed holdings. In the predicament of the Scions being unable to hold to their duties, command would’ve fallen to General Shining Armor.”

“But since Archmage Twilight Sparkle’s fall to the darkness in Anor Equis, Shining Armor hasn’t been seen since,” Scootaloo added. “Since then the Knight-Centurions have either deserted, fallen, or are still out there trying to find all the fragments of the Divines. Commander Firebrand’s regiment was the last we knew of until they too abandoned Quarter.”

“And then someone exploits the instability of the predicament for personal gain,” sighed Twilight. The situation must have stung in particular over who said someone was.

“Well it is Cinch we’re talking about,” replied Spike bluntly. Strangely, while this caught the attention of the Hunters, eliciting some modicum of surprise, but it seemed very restrained.

“Hm, so Lady Twilight having a talking dog were factually based,” remarked Night Quill, seemingly the most impacted by the revelation of the talking canine.

Spike seemed quite surprised that even his life-changing alteration from an average dog persisted.

Rainbow Dash, often the air of confidence and assuredness, was beginning to feel the complexity and the dire straits of their predicament thus far. She felt such newfound sadness for the older Scootaloo before her, amazed that the huntress had been able to keep even this small group of vigilantes fighting against such overwhelming odds. So not only had she the monsters to contend with, but essentially the entire land was now what she could best describe as an almost all against everyone else kind of conflict, when even authority figures would use this most apocalyptic of circumstances as just a petty means of seizing authority over others. Like this one whom she assumed would be the spitting image of a certain someone whose face she’d have wanted to punch so much.

“What do we do to put an end to it?” asked Rainbow Dash, her eyes furrowed determinedly.

“Rainbow, what are you-?” was all she let Sunset manage.

Rainbow Dash approached Scootaloo, placing a firm hand on the huntress’ shoulder, looking her directly in the eyes.

“Scoots; I can’t begin to even pretend I know exactly what is going on right now, and how this must be affecting you and your crew.” She motioned at Neighsay, Night Quill and Maud, “But I want to ask you this: If your Rainbow Dash was here, in this room, right now; what would she do?”

Her stream of conscience seemed to have elicited something within her sister-equivalent’s mind, as she could see a glint of something in the huntress’ purple eyes.

“She…” Scootaloo pursed her lips, closing her eyes in thought before looking back at Rainbow with exactly what that glint was, “She would stop at nothing to put an end to it, and ensure everyone was safe.”

It was a glint of hope.

Scootaloo stood up, placing her own hand atop the one grasping her shoulder, looking back at Rainbow Dash with a reignited determination.

“Rainbow Dash would go out of her way to loyally defend the people of Equis from anyone and anything seeking to harm it,” the huntress spoke the utmost truth she knew.

“You bet we would,” Rainbow confirmed with a confident smile. “Let’s go show this fraud of a High Priestess what for!” She slammed a fist against her palm, her smile getting toothy on impact.

Scootaloo reciprocated her idol’s counterpart’s smile as she held up a fist towards Rainbow Dash, which the rainbow-haired athlete promptly tapped with her own.

“Alright, first and foremost, we need to come up with a plan on infiltration.” Scootaloo turned to Neighsay, “We’ll need every piece of intelligence we have on Moonlink so far!”

“Ma’am!” the archivist acknowledged with a curt bow.

“Night Quill; tell the men to make ready the boats!” she snapped towards the silver-haired knight poet.

“At once!” Night Quill thumped his chest before exiting the office.

“Now,” Scootaloo began, leaning over her table as Neighsay set down a journal filled with an array of various papers, “we have a battle to wage…”

Rainbow stood beside the huntress, rubbing something off the corner of her eye.

“Somethin’ wrong there, Dash?” asked Applejack, approaching her.

“No,” said Rainbow levelly. “Just proud.”

Rarity peered over at the shoreline, the rhythmic sloshing of water being the only sound to break the unnatural silence of the world shrouded in perpetual night. From the back of the rowboat she watched Applejack seated at the prow end, rowing with long, sure strokes of the oars, while at the center of the boat was Maud, her back loaded down with something that by any stretch of logic would have the woman collapsing into a heap.

“Uh, Maud, if you do not mind me asking,” said Rarity, scratching her arm under the worn, dark grey cloak that the hunters had provided her.

The thing hadn’t been washed in what was undoubtedly years and it itched against her skin. Her friends had been provided with similar, varying pieces of garb, thinking it best they try and hide their identities and not risk rousing the suspicion of six prolific dead people suddenly walking the streets. Applejack was provided with an old leather longcoat topped with a greyed hood to cover her head, albeit she still insisted on wearing her Stetson over said hood.

“What is it?” asked Maud, her face unmoving, as was expected.

“How is it that you can carry that and we aren’t sinking to the bottom of the lake?” Rarity finished, remaining concerned over how close the rims of the boat were to the surface of the water once Maud had boarded. The weight having resulted in some difficulty to shove off, until Applejack relieved the two men from that task.

Maud held out her left hand, presenting a ring she wore. Ever the enthusiast when it came to jewelry, Rarity held onto Maud’s hand as she inspected it. It was quite large, the bronze hoop covering almost the entire base segment of Maud’s finger. In its socket was a base composed of small, iridescent stone balls that glistened in the moon’s glow, topped with one much larger ball at the center that was tethered to the base with a brass hoop. It wasn’t exactly what Rarity would call the most aesthetically resplendent.

“I call it the Ring of Boulder,” said Maud, her eyes fixated on the ring. “It lets me bear the heaviest of loads. I named it after Boulder and it was a gift from Pinkie Pie. She had Archmage Twilight make it for me when I became Chief Geologist of the realm.”

Rarity looked up at Maud, being able to at least imagine the nostalgia in the eldest Pie sibling somewhere in her deadpan expression. It felt somewhat bad that they didn’t let Pinkie take a boat with Maud, but at the insistence of Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo, she was placed in the front, just in case they were to need her Pinkie Sense, seeing how it saved their skins with Twiggy twice now.

Rarity then gazed to her left, to the open waters of Moonshine Lake. The name had elicited a few immature notions of laughter, much to the confusion of some of their newfound companions, particularly from Rainbow Dash. Before shoving off, the Umbra Hunters had been highly insistent that they keep as close to the shore as possible, warning that something had inhabited the lake since the fall of the Divines. So long as they remained on the shallows, it should not be bothered. That notion, combined with their boat being weighed down by Maud’s impossible load, made Rarity shiver under the cloak, seeing how they had to drift just slightly further from the shoreline to prevent being caught in the sand underneath.

“What exactly is it that lives in there?” Rarity asked, not hiding her uneasiness looking out over the wide-open expanse of water, made much more foreboding by the dark of the night.

“I don’t know,” said Maud, her unique demeanor making it seem like she was not scared in the least. “I mostly stay in the mines. Someone said they saw a boat getting dragged under by something about as close as thirty feet from the shore. Since then the Hunters have used the shoreline for transport. They doubt our enemies would think them insane enough to cross by water.”

Rarity couldn’t be quite certain, but she soon felt like the sloshing of the oars on water had slowed down. Looking over at Applejack, she saw the farmer glancing worryingly towards the open water, every stroke from then on being deliberately long drawn.

Rainbow Dash took a cursory glance towards the shoreline, ensuring they would not get dragged onto the sand, while also not being too far from it, as the Hunters had gravely insisted. Down from her at the prow of their boat sat Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie, albeit the latter had stood up, one foot on the bench and held her hands over one eye like holding a spyglass. And this being Pinkie, for all they knew she might actually see things magnified through them. At the back sat Scootaloo, warily eyeing the open waters, her blackwood longbow already nocked with an arrow. Their prow had also been affixed with a lantern, lit using the very method Andre had demonstrated back in Quarter, as a beacon in case of the three boats behind theirs lost their way.

At the request of the Hunters to remain incognito, Rainbow Dash had been supplied with a brown gambeson coat, and a very mismatched silvery helmet. Scootaloo seemed strangely insistent that she take it for whatever reason. It was certainly something too fine to go with something like her dirty, worn gambeson; it was beautifully crafted, reminiscent of Antique era warrior helmets she’d seen in historical books… Or was it movies? Either way. Complete with a red arcing plume that ran from the top to the back, while the front had been molded and engraved into the likeness of an equine’s head.

Through her rowing she could hear that Scootaloo and Fluttershy were deep in conversation, their shy friend having donned a green, hooded robe to hide her lush head of hair. Whereas Pinkie Pie had donned a red bandana and somehow, this being Pinkie Pie, had brought her hair down around her jaw and chin to simulate a beard, which might explain her sudden choice of behavior, the only thing missing being an eyepatch.

“So, in your world you spend your days learning instead of working to further your own goals in life?” asked Scootaloo, taking a moment to look away from the ominous dark lake.

“Well, yes, and no. People spend the start of their lives learning as a means of not only being ready for life on their own, but also to find what they are best at and have the means and knowledge to accomplish their desired goals,” said Fluttershy. “To us, learning is work. All of us even work while out of school for additional experience and to make some extra income. I work at an animal shelter myself, because taking care of animals is what I know I wish to do.” She looked behind her, towards Rainbow Dash, “And our Rainbow Dash here; she’s the best athlete at our school, so no doubt she’ll make a great career as a sportsman.” She tittered, “As long as she remembers to keep up her grade point average.”

“Oh, thanks a lot, Flutters…” Rainbow groaned, not exactly thrilled to espouse her comparatively boring life to dimensional counterparts whose lives entailed much more harsh endeavors as opposed to the mundanity of life as a high schooler.

Surprisingly, Scootaloo seemed intrigued by Fluttershy’s explanation, “So in your world you have no need of warriors to safeguard your lands?” She glanced at the side, “I couldn’t imagine a world where people like me were not needed.”

Rainbow chuckled awkwardly, “Uh, it’s not that simple, exactly. It’s more that being a “warrior” is more of an option, rather than an obligation like I assume it is here.” She contemplated for a moment, “If you don’t mind me asking, Scoots; what was the Rainbow Dash from here like?”

Scootaloo looked away, expressing a hint of sadness, peering back at the dark waters of Moonshine Lake. Rainbow felt like mentally kicking herself, maybe get Applejack to do so literally once they made port. Half expecting Fluttershy giving her the stare, to her joy, Scootaloo looked back from the lake, seeming much less forlorn.

“Rainbow Dash… She was the greatest Knight-Centurion of Equis ever to have lived. She was brave, compassionate, but most of all, she was loyal. To Equis, to her comrades, and her friends. Remember when Night Quill said she conquered the Wastelands from the wyverns?”

Fluttershy did not seem very fond of the notion, “Um, please don’t be mad, but conquering someone else’s home does not feel very virtuous…”

Scootaloo waved a hand dismissively, “Bah; these were wyverns we’re talking about! The Wastelands? That wasn’t always its name. Ages ago, sometime after the second generation of Scions, those were once the Dragon Lands. And trust me, there were dragons… At least that’s what even the Divines would have us believe. Now wyverns? To the uninformed; you might just say two-legged dragon. The Celestials may have once chased the Umbra away to the depths of the land, but not all of its monsters stayed well enough away.”

“Oh yea,” said Rainbow Dash in realization, “Andre told us that.”

Fluttershy looked down uneasily. Rainbow Dash couldn’t help but feel that this world was exactly the worst kind of realm for the animal caretaker to end up in, given her propensity for pacifism and not wishing to harm anything. Most of the time at least.

“Wyverns; now those were creatures back from when Umbra had covered the land. They were the reason all the dragons went extinct, well, as much as we know, seeing as no-one has ever dared venture beyond the Dragon Lands. Maybe some are still far out there, somewhere,” Scootaloo trailed a hand across the sky. “Regardless; the wyverns were dangerous, and once the broodmother awoke from its centuries-long slumber; then came the war.”

“Oh… my,” muttered Fluttershy. “How big were wyverns exactly?”

Scootaloo held out a flat hand towards the moon, extending the thumb perpendicular to her upward fingers, humming under her breath in thought, “Hmm, I’d say the average size of a fledgling would be… about eight feet. But the adults? Oh, I’d say twenty feet on average. Granted, adult wyverns were not as numerous, but when we had flocks of fledglings swooping down on us; let’s just say not everyone made it unscathed ducking, if not at all. Worst was when the adults came and destroyed everything their cold flames touched…”

Cold flames? Yes; Rainbow Dash could picture and simulate mentally how it felt to be burned by the cold of the Umbra.

“Celestia and Luna dispatched the most elite of the Knight-Centurions to take the fight to the beasts’ domain in the Wastelands, under the command of Commander Wind Rider. Suffice to say, casualties were high and soon enough they had to send in not only the reserves, but even just the initiates. Which is where Rainbow Dash came in. She was but an initiate at the time, among the first to be enlisted for the war,” Scootaloo continued, her face fond with the waves of nostalgia she emitted pertaining to her hero.

“And she ended the conflict!” Rainbow interjected, grinning eagerly at Night Quill’s mention of her counterpart’s heroics.

Scootaloo chuckled, rolling her eyes, “Well if you’d let me finish, you’d know how she did it instead of just assuming she ended the conflict by expelling magical rays of awe,” she laughed. “Despite what Night Quill may have said about “single-handedly”, Rainbow knew she would never had made it to the broodmother’s roost without the help of her platoon. Her commanding officer, Knight Spitfire, had been tasked with manning the westmost flank of Wind Rider’s keel to push directly towards the roost. Except Wind Rider hadn’t taken precautions to ensure the defense of the east. This resulted in them being pincered by the fledgling attackers. When Wind Rider’s strategy failed, and with Spitfire being injured, it was Rainbow Dash who ushered everyone in her platoon to the underground waterways to safety. From then on, the Knight Centurions could only hold the line against the wyverns at the Wastelands’ border, while Rainbow and her platoon were stuck behind enemy lines.”

“Goodness!” gasped Fluttershy. “How did they get out?”

Scootaloo leaned forward, resting her elbows to her legs, one hand never letting go of her bow as she smiled with barely restrained eagerness; “Turns out the underground river became their salvation, as that’s how they got to the heart of the Wastelands, quite close to the roost where the wyvern broodmother was. Throughout the trek, Rainbow Dash ensured everyone stayed together, and even against her superior’s wishes, never left Spitfire behind, despite her injuries. And as luck would have it, with the wyverns being preoccupied with the forces at the border, with only a few adult wyverns.”

“And that’s how they got to the broodmother and offed her?” asked Rainbow, when a sudden thump made everyone on the boat jump. This was followed by angered, muffled cursing from Night Quill, who’d donned his dinged helmet once again, when his boat bumped on the back of theirs, having forgotten to row due to being so enamored with Scootaloo’s recount of her counterpart’s heroics.

Fluttershy tapped her fingers together in embarrassment, “Maybe we should finish this another time?”

“That would probably be for the best, yes,” Scootaloo concurred, flashing Night Quill an awkward grin, shrugging sheepishly.

At the endearing, but highly unnecessary “land ho” from Pinkie at the front of the line of boats, their party approached the now abandoned fishery at the north by north-west edge of Lake Moonshine: A series of buildings constructed on and off the shore; most of it suspended over the water with sturdy timber frames, underneath being a dock where they would leave their boats. Off in the distance under the soft light of the moon the walls of Moonlink showed against the landscape, with a tall spire piercing at the starlit sky from deep within amidst the taller roofs that rose over the stone barrier.

Docking their four boats in a line along it, everyone began to clamber off. Sunset was placed in the second boat down the line, along with Night Quill, Twilight and Spike. As Spike easily hopped onto the docks, Sunset took the Knight Poet’s hand as he helped her, then Twilight up. So far, everything had gone swimmingly, all five of their boats having made it with no trouble, barring the collision between her boat with Rainbow, Fluttershy, Pinkie and Scootaloo’s. That and Applejack, Rarity and Maud’s appearing dangerously close to taking the plunge due to Maud’s impossible load strapped to her back.

With everyone disembarked, and the boats secured, Scootaloo told Night Quill and Maddie to check up the steps leading up into the fishery proper. Along with them in addition was Neighsay and two of the Umbra Hunters, who, much to Sunset and her friends’ initial shock, turned out being Lyra Heartstrings and Bon-Bon.

Indeed, with them stood the dimensional counterparts of two of their acquaintances from Canterlot High, the “best friends forever” as they referred to one another in a way that was clearly just platonic. Admittedly, seeing their friends dressed for battle felt strange:

Lyra donned a suit of chainmail that covered very much every inch of her body, her head being covered in its entirety by a masked helmet where the only features seeable were her brilliant gold eyes through the eyeholes, while over the mail she wore a somewhat tattered dark green tabard with what seemed some form of coat of arms painted on it in white. Sunset believed she’d seen something similar in the human dimension: A waxing, full and waning moon side-by-side, only in this one the full moon in the center was replaced with a sun. To her back was strapped a simple, but effective looking bearded axe. The entire ensemble was fastened tightly with a thick belt.

Bon-Bon in turn wore an ensemble made mostly of brown leather, only with metal spaulders, the left one being more domed, kneepads and a domed helmet with a sizable gap for the face, some of her blue and pink curls protruding from underneath the back. In one hand she held a simplistic, but very long, almost double her own length, wing-lugged spear, while in the other she perched against the floor a rather large, layer-segmented shield.

Maddie soon peeked down from up top, beckoning everyone to ascend into the fishery. Entering the abandoned establishment from the fresh, if cold, night air, felt like being struck by the contrasting air inside.

Spike literally had to walk back, gagging, “Ho-holy geez! That stench just burns!”

Indeed, the air inside smelled outright wretched from no doubt years of gutting and cleaning fish, as well as from some fish carcasses, and most likely from the contents in the barrels left to rot once the place had been abandoned. Fluttershy in particular did not take well to the stench, being a strict vegetarian; her face turning green in the glow of their shards, while Spike had to plug his much more sensitive nose with a clothes pin he’d somehow obtained.

“Night Quill’s off inspecting the rest of the place,” informed Maddie, snorting at the foul air. “The sooner we get out of here, the better.”

“No kiddin’, this place reeks worse than the pigsty in July,” said Applejack in agreement to the swordswoman, squeezing her nose shut.

This particular room was no doubt where much of the gutting took place, a large table set in the center with cutting boards and various cutlery left to rust, along with many specks and stains and other foul-smelling contents best left undescribed. The distinct buzz of flies emanated from among the barrels scattered around.

Neighsay looked over for a spot on the table with the least amount of stains, and rolled out a map of Moonlink. Rainbow Dash held up the shard-lit lantern from one side, while across from her Scootaloo observed the parchment.

“Alright, so far so good…” said Scootaloo as she leaned over. “Now the next trick is getting into Moonlink without being spotted and getting to our designated safehouse.”

Sunset stood beside Rainbow, lowering the scarf from over her mouth, provided, along with the grey hood she’d donned, by the Hunters. Moonlink seemed large enough already seeing it from the distance, but the map revealed just how expansive the city was in its entirety, assuming she was reading the ratios correctly in the slight dimness. The edge of Lake Moonshine was included on the map, setting them just south-east. The city itself was encircled entirely by the wall, being somewhat of a circle, if not for the inward dent on the south-east quarter. At the center, surrounded by a moat was the Temple of the Moon; their destination. The city itself had been divided into four districts, going clockwise from the north; artisan, market, followed by the smaller military and magi districts, with a fifth encircling around the moat being branded as the nobles’ district. Around the city were numerous pockets of habitation, most likely farmers. Though interestingly, all of the outer settlements had been marked with crosses, so either they were abandoned… or decimated.

The city itself, given its archaic layout, looked like a maze with its winding streets amidst the squares and rectangles representing buildings. Fortunately, several buildings within the market and artisan districts had been marked. A few in the military and even one in the nobles’, but the quill marking in the military district nearing the south-west end of the nobles’ district had been crossed off, as was the lightning bolt on the northern area of the nobles’ district.

Scootaloo put a finger by a building in the artisan district along the dent in the wall, marked with what looked like a spade of some kind. Or was it a trowel?

“Here,” said Scootaloo, “it’s a warehouse our mole is hiding out in.”

“How do we get inside the wall?” asked Rainbow Dash, something Sunset Shimmer was curious about too, given the sporadic nature of this mission.

“That’s the easy part… probably. All we need to do is-”

“Trampoline over it?” called Pinkie, sounding slightly nasal due to the gumdrops shoved up her nostrils.

Scootaloo looked over at Pinkie, whose head was leaning in over her left shoulder, raising a questioning brow, “Uh, what?”

Pinkie bounced in place, “Pogo sticks?”

Scootaloo turned to Rainbow and Sunset, “What is she on about?”

“Oh! Use my party cannon to launch us over it one at a time?!”

“Um, Pinkie,” came Fluttershy, her own nose clamped shut with one hand, “you didn’t bring your party cannon.”

“Oh,” Pinkie frowned, shoulders slightly slumped. “Right… How did I manage that of all things?”

Neighsay cleared his throat. “As I’m certain what Lady Scootaloo meant to say;” he trailed a finger along the shore of Lake Moonshine, “there is the main sewer drain leading into the lake straight from the city: It will be a simple trek just north along the tunnel, then just a few turns east and the warehouse will be the first building we come across. As it so happens; there will be a ladder leading up inside, so we will not be spotted by the patrols.”

“A sewer?!” gasped Rarity, her face cringed in immediate disgust, furthered from the rancid stench of the fishery. “I can’t go wading in sewage, in these shoes!” she shouted, indicating her high heels that exposed some of her feet.

Sunset could see Applejack rolling her eyes outside Rarity’s view. Granted, the thought of wading through sewer water did not sound appealing to her either, but given the circumstances, she had to agree more with Applejack that it was not the appropriate time to worry about the state of one’s garments. Then again, having one’s bare feet in said sewer water elicited just as much sympathy.

“We could always swap footwear,” chortled Lyra from underneath her helmet. She promptly apologized at the unamused expressions shared all around their party.

“There’s a perfectly fine walkway going through the sewers, Rarity,” said Scootaloo, trading looks of bemusement with Rainbow Dash.

“And besides, Rare,” said Applejack, resting her hand over her battleaxe on her belt, “if it gets too hairy, I’ll just carry ya on over,” she said with a smile, which gained her a scowl, which soon softened away into a touched smile.

Just then Night Quill came barging into the room, both of his swords drawn, “We’ve got to get out of here! We’ve got-”

Before anyone could register the Knight Poet’s muffled shouts, without warning the wall of the fishery on the lake’s side let out a booming crack, with something shooting out through the freshly made hole, darting across the room in a blink and almost striking Night Quill, who barely managed to roll out of the way, a loud snap emanating as it latched to the wall. It was a kelp-green tendril, glistening in the light of their shards and lantern with slime and mucus, its tip stretching out into frayed, elastic filaments as it stuck to the wall.

With another ear-splitting crack, a second tendril breached the wall, swaying around blindly as it knocked the table over, everyone backing away as the table became adhered to it and was forcibly pulled away, slamming against the wall, splitting it in half.

Sunset spotted Applejack prepping her battle axe, and with a mighty heave, the mucus-laden tentacle, albeit distending slightly under the force of her blow, split, the tip remaining stuck to the wall whilst the rest of it thrashed about violently, spewing what looked like a mix of green slime with swirls of black. The squirming appendage retreated, knocking over one of the barrels, spilling its putrid contents over the slimed floorboards, and slinked its way back out of its hole.

Everyone had backed away to the wall on their side of the room, Fluttershy having gone so far as hiding under a small table set against it, visibly shuddering at what had just happened. Sunset held her breath under gritted teeth, slowly urging herself to look at Applejack, who stood to the side, axe held up threateningly at the possibility of something else breaking its way into the fishery.

“Well…” huffed, Lyra, lowering her own axe in relief. “That wasn’t so bad.”

“Oh, come on,” muttered Pinkie. “You never say that.”

Indeed, with another crack, a third tendril burst its way into the room, snapping around one of the ceiling rafters up above, disturbingly close to the party. From the two previous holes snaked in two more, fresh tendrils, which almost like they were genuine serpents, launched themselves forth, one snapping in place around the door where Night Quill had barged in, and another on the wall opposite of that, adhering into place firmly.

“Aw no, you don’t!” yelled Applejack as she began hacking away at the tentacle snared around the door frame, joined by Night Quill and Maddie who jabbed their swords into the appendage, while Lyra and Bon Bon began hacking and stabbing at the other. Scootaloo, in one swift motion, launched three arrows at once on the one tethered to the rafters.

A loud boom shook the building, dust and splinters shaking off the waterside wall as something large slammed against it with great force. Sunset, though feeling very unprepared for whatever was trying to force its away in, drew her newly acquired rapier, while Rainbow Dash twirled her cudgels in her hands, craning her neck side-to-side in preparation. Even Rarity stood close to Applejack, defiantly materializing a diamond over each hand, while Twilight utilized her telekinesis to begin levitating the various knives and other cutlery now sprawled around the floor.

With another slam, the waterside wall bulged forth, spraying the room with splinters as cracking violently on impact. In preparation, Scootaloo trained her bow towards the wall, nocking three arrows at once. Just then two more tentacles burst through the wall, one on Applejack, Maddie and Night Quill’s side, another on Lyra and Bon-Bon’s, the latter striking at Bon-Bon that sent her spinning in place before falling over on the floor with a thump, only for her to almost reflexively jab at the new tentacle that adhered itself to the floor. With one more booming crack, the waterside wall of the room burst, showering everyone with bits and pieces of carpentry as whatever was after them revealed itself.

Sunset for the first time in her life felt like she might flush out her morning coffee when her eyes beheld what it was. And wished they hadn’t. While Twiggy may have been a horrific sight with its cold burning eyes and ruthlessness; by comparison this new creature felt like it was birthed straight out of something from an H.B. Lovetap work:

This creature looked to have taken the shape of a giant skull atop a writhing, slimy gaggle of tentacles. Not just any type of skull, but specifically a browned, human skull; one that must have been twelve feet tall and least seven or so feet wide. A pair of dark, hollow sockets stared at everyone in the room, within them dozens of smaller white, lifeless pairs of glowing dots, and spewing black, smog-like plumes. The most disturbing facet about this aberration were the distinct shapes embossing the entire surface of its skull; the shapes of dozens upon dozens of human faces, all of them twisted into shapes of pure agony; screaming, crying, mania, rage, and with the creature writhing incessantly, one could almost mistake the faces upon its visage to be moving, accented with its ceaselessly clacking teeth. A sound that felt like a twisted combination of hissing and gurgling escaped from its maw, spewing water into a cold, condensed mist into the room.

“Dear sweet Celestia, what is that?!” yelled Neighsay, equally horrified of this new creature as no doubt everyone else.

“I don’t know,” called Applejack. “But right now; all non-combatants take cover!” she said, flipping the table on their end to its side as an impromptu barricade for Neighsay, Fluttershy, Spike and Maud, while everyone with even the slightest means to defend themselves stood defiantly in front of it, trying their best not to let this aberration’s sheer visage send them into fits of panic and hysteria.

Scootaloo immediately released her three arrows directly into the creature’s bizarre compound eyes, the satisfying crackle of lightning bursting from somewhere inside it as it writhed and shook from the impact and bursting lights. In response the creature shot out another tendril at the huntress, ensnaring around her ankle.

“No!” Scootaloo screamed as she found herself clawing at the floor with the creature dragging her towards it, Bon-Bon being first to grab her hand, only for herself to get dragged until Lyra grabbed her tightly around the waist, though it did not stop them from slowly sliding.

“Lay off, freak!” yelled Rainbow Dash, rushing towards the nightmare from the lake with a roar of vigor, tossing the lantern right into one of its eye sockets. The glass shattered inside, eliciting a burst of golden flames as the oil within ignited, sending the creature into throes of what seemed to be pain as it gurgled loudly, all of its tentacles flaying uncontrollably, pulling out some of the floor planks with whatever adhesive substance coated them. It only managed to keep its grip with the one up in the rafters.

Scootaloo clambered back onto her legs. “Quickly, push it back, now!” she barked, snatching her bow back and nocking another triage of arrows and letting them loose; landing another bullseye in one of the creature’s eyes.

Bon-Bon, having the longest reach in the group, charged forth and jabbed her spear into its other eye socket multiple times, eliciting more sparks and crackles where the enchanted weapon made impact.

Sunset looked up at the tentacle snagged onto the rafters, then to her rapier. Up close she wouldn’t stand a chance of inflicting any damage, and only risk being eaten, or whatever this thing did to its victims, but perhaps her smaller weapon could still do something about the slimy appendage.

“AJ, give me a boost!” she looked at the farm girl, pointing at the tendril.

Applejack looked up, then back at her, instantly understanding the plan. Shedding her weapons, she knelt down and held her hands together, Sunset placing her foot down on them, after which she lifted Sunset’s entire weight up. Sunset grabbed hold of the rafter, and with a little added help from Applejack, managed to get one of her legs over it, and pulled herself onto the sturdy wooden beam. Drawing her rapier, she began to savagely jab at the tentacle, the sickening sound of metal piercing flesh reverberating in her ears as clear fluid leaked out of the punctured holes, accented with more swirls of black.

Just when it seemed their advantage had won, the creature opened its maw and let loose a stream of water. While it wasn’t even close to being on par with a jet stream or a water cannon, it was still strong enough to push Bon-Bon back, slamming against the table before Rarity managed to erect a barrier of diamonds. Bon-Bon shivered uncontrollably, curling up on the floor. Lyra huddled over her immediately in worry.

“Crud, it’s spewing Umbra through the water!” Lyra called out with a slight muffle through her helmet. “I need a shard!”

As Sunset saw Maddie handing her shard to Lyra to resuscitate her friend, all the while she tried her hardest to get the infernal abomination to let go of the rafter, but no matter how many times she jabbed the finely-honed steel into the appendage, it would not budge. In a burst of frustration, she swung the rapier down edgewise against it, but the blade did not have the heft to cut through it. To add further insult to injury, the creature shot out two tentacles once again, this time latching onto Rarity’s barrier and began to pull itself back up.

Rarity grit her teeth, doing her best to maintain her sizable barrier after the two forceful slams delivered against it. All the while the creature opened its maw and seemed to… vomit something out onto the floor, twice. They looked like two writhing, slimy mounds, which immediately splayed out into gaggles of tentacles, from within emerging a brownish skull-head atop each, like little miniature copies of the monstrosity.

“You’ve got to be kidding…” murmured Sunset as the two spawn began to lurch towards everyone on their flexile limbs, slamming themselves against Rarity’s barrier with reckless abandon.

“I…” Rarity gasped, her brow furrowing from the strain, “I… can’t… keep this… up…!”

“Lower the barrier, Rarity,” came the voice of Maud.

“Are you crazy?!” Rainbow Dash blurted out incredulously. “If that thing sprays us, we’re as good as dead!”

“Trust me…” a muted “clunk” sounded, “I’ve got this,” she said, her voice now muffled.

Rarity grunted, almost collapsing, hadn’t Twilight and Applejack been there to catch her, when the spawns and their parent’s tentacles tore the barrier to bits. Maddie was able to immediately skewer one right through its “head”, the enchanted claymore causing it to convulse and gurgle violently, until it began to break down into blackening gunk, which then seemed to evaporate into the air, like ashes in the wind. At the same time Pinkie Pie, with a more creative twist, blew the gumdrops up her nose at the other spawn, which both detonated, the creature slumping down and slowly liquifying into an unrecognizable paste before it too seemed to disperse.

A set of heavy footsteps stomped against the floor as the impromptu table barrier was turned aside by the very people it was protecting. Only Maud seemed to have vanished, in her place a veritable figure of stone. Indeed, Sunset noticed that the massive package Maud, against almost all the possible laws of physics, had lugged with her thus far was gone, reduced to a roll of burlap and linen.

“What in the hell?!” Applejack blurted, Twilight and Rarity looking up at her with perplexed expressions. “… What?”

What Maud had been carrying along all this time was a suit of armor, carved and chiseled from stone, instead of being forged from metal. The entirety of the armor was lined with geometrically vertical grooves along the surface, giving it a more aesthetic look instead of being just rough-hewn stone. A pair of pointed, angular pauldrons adorned her shoulders, framing between them an almost cylindrical helmet, which had a series of vertical slits carved into it, along with a “plume” running from atop it to the back, also of stone. A pair of faulds, accented with a kilt of leather obscured her thighs, and a hefty carved pair of greaves adorned her feet. A pair of stone gauntlets adorned her hands, which seemed to have chains wrapped around them. Possibly to hold them in place?

To complement the armor, Maud held aloft a monster of a tower shield, almost taller than she was and wide enough to cover her from the front, comprised of segmented layers with similar grooves carved against its stone surface, just like her armor. Hefted against her shoulder was what looked like the tooth of some gargantuan beast. It was as big as a person, obsidian in color, with the supposed sharp end having a dangerously thin looking “grip” while the root end was clearly meant to serve as a massive bludgeon.

The stone figure that was Maud charged past the puddles of evaporating sludge that was the monster’s spawn straight at the nightmarish skull visage. It let out more ominous series of gurgles, looking to rear back before lunging forward, spewing another stream of water from its maw, but the sheer mass of the armor and shield kept Maud from being forced backwards, their sheer girth also being thick enough that the Umbra infused in the water did not affect her. When the aberration ceased its current mode of attack, Maud swung the black tooth mace, with one hand, to everyone’s amazement, and utterly decimated the left half of the creature’s skull face.

“Holy Toledo!” exclaimed Rainbow Dash, the only divergent reaction being Bon-Bon casting a confused glance at her for her choice in words.

“Alright, Maud!” screamed Pinkie, disturbingly more cheerful, despite the brutality of what was occurring before her.

As the bone splinters flew, like with Twiggy, the decimated half of the monster’s face spewed with smog-like plumes, but Maud’s armor seemed to protect her just fine, as well as it wafting more upwards, instead of spraying forth. Sunset noticed the creature was only now trying to loosen its hold onto the rafters.

Oh no you don’t! She was not going to let it off so easy. She drove her rapier straight through the appendage, feeling as it sank through the slimy flesh and embedded into the wood, putting all her weight against the sword.

“The beast is cowering!” called Scootaloo, tossing aside her bow and drew her own sword, pointing it with lethal intent towards the aberration. “Hunters, attack!”

On command, all the Umbra Hunters charged at the reeling creature with a unified battle cry. They were on it like a pack of wolves, sinking their lightning-enchanted blades into the lake monster with terrifying ferocity, the sounds of flesh being punctured and hacked filled the rancid air of the fishery. The sight was… haunting to behold, to see their friends, even if they were dimensional counterparts and not the ones they knew, acting so vicious. Still up in the rafters, Sunset Shimmer’s weight on her sword ebbed at the heart-sinking feeling at the sight before her.

It made her shudder at the thought. The thought of what might have been for Equestria, should the Nightmare Moon of her world had never been banished, and later redeemed by Princess Twilight and her friends using the Elements of Harmony. Would Equestria have devolved into this kind of existence of violence and struggle? She was not so naïve as to pretend Equestria never suffered hardships like war. But she felt she understood that, aside from the war with Umbra, Equis sounded like it might have been very similar to Equestria once, too long ago.

As the Hunters hacked away at the aberration, with its strength leaving it, its body, now reduced to mostly its tentacles and smoldering gouts of darkness, its body gradually began to reel itself into the building, its one tentacle still adhered to the rafters. While Lyra, Bon Bon and Maud pulled back, Scootaloo, Maddie and Night Quill produced their shards to shine upon the spewing carcass. As with Twiggy, the light began to dissipate the motes of darkness that sustained the creature and its unnatural form, only this time, something was different. From within the Umbra, another light shone forth.

When the now limp, somewhat shriveled gaggle of appendages stopped spewing motes of darkness, Scootaloo sheathed her sword, and in its place drew a hunting knife, with which she began to dig away at the now deceased aberration’s gummy insides, if it had any left. With a deft flick of a wrist, she extracted another shard of the Celestials from within, and another, another, and once more another, until the glow came all from her open palm instead of the carcass before her.

“That certainly explains why it did not cower in the least,” said the huntress, showing off the grim bounty of their victory for all to see. “Good work Maud; your Armor of Boulder really won us this battle.”

“Thank you,” muffled Maud through her stone helmet, her impossibly large bludgeon resting on her shoulder like it did nothing to weigh her down.

Sunset dropped down among everyone else, the floor drenched in a mixture of water and bits of the creature, as well as its water-like blood, if it even was blood to begin with. Everyone seemed none the worse for wear, aside from a drenched Bon-Bon, whom the light from Maddie’s shard had resuscitated entirely, and the Hunters having specks of moisture smearing their garb.

Her friends seemed alright, Rarity having recovered from the mental strain of using her powers, Rainbow Dash seeming rather pepped at the display of the Umbra Hunters offing another monster. But one of theirs, Fluttershy, seemed to not fare well, as the pink-haired animal caretaker had huddled against the wall once covered by the table, hugging her legs tightly against herself, with only Spike to paw at her in at attempt at comfort. Rarity, as the second most soft-spoken of their clique, stepped forth and knelt beside their terror-stricken friend, placing a comforting hand on her robe-covered shoulder. The fashionista looked troubled.

“Goodness… Fluttershy, sweetie, you’re shivering!”

Fluttershy’s eyes darted towards Rarity, her fingers clenching tightly against her shins as the poor girl trembled before her friends. “I… I-I don’t…” she muttered, looking away from Rarity in a mix of fear and downtrodden shame, “I don’t think I can do this…”

Twilight came around, kneeling opposite of Rarity, trying to catch Fluttershy’s gaze, but the shy girl averted her attempts by keeping her eyes directed towards the floor, “Fluttershy, we know that you’re scared. We’re all scared. There’s nothing to be ashamed of-”

“No, Twilight,” Fluttershy responded in a meek retort. “I can’t handle this!” she said more forcefully, bringing her hands to her head, “This is nothing like all the other times! This is… This is the most scared I’ve ever been in my life! And I can’t even do anything, because all the wildlife here is nothing but monsters, and whatever that… that thing was!”

Sunset watched as her friend fell into hysteria on the floor. As Twilight, Spike and Rarity did their best to comfort her, Sunset could only think of how unfair this was on Fluttershy. While she knew all too well that the animal caretaker was much stronger than what one might assume from a cursory glance, her strength came in the way she treated others. Kindness, compassion, empathy, with an unexpected strength of assertiveness when pushed too far where her inherent benevolence failed. Unlike what their counterparts in Equis were, Fluttershy was the furthest from the standards of a warrior.

In this world, ways of war, like in the history of their home and that of Equestria’s, were a commonplace aspect of life. Even Scootaloo, Maud, Lyra and Bon-Bon, those whom in their world would likely not a soldier make, were accustomed to it. Scootaloo’s hero in this world was a veteran warrior of legendary renown, so it was obvious where she attained her inspiration and drive as a fighter in her own right. And no doubt being forced to live under Nightmare Moon’s eternal night had time to chisel many who previously had no aspirations for combat into hardened survivors like Lyra and Bo-Bon.

It was true; Equis was nothing like what they had encountered in the past. If she could, and not doubting about her friends, Sunset would gladly shoulder Fluttershy’s share of this harrowing burden in her place. But as before, they would need Fluttershy; they were going to need the full strength of their Equestrian powers sooner or later. Without her, they could only rely on their personal geodes. Everyone in their group was equally crucial for them to succeed.

“Oh Fluttershy…” Sunset whispered under her breath, in sadness.

Rainbow Dash looked on as everyone of their clique huddled around Fluttershy. She turned to the Umbra Hunters, who were looking in between her and her friends, looks of concern adorning their faces, though with Lyra and Maud it was difficult to tell with their helmets, but Rainbow could imagine. A stark contrast to the warrior zeal they just exhibited just a moment ago when they hacked and mangled the lake terror into the shriveled, gummy carcass half lying on the floor, half suspended from the rafter.

“Listen…” Rainbow spoke, turning their full attention to her, “I ask that you don’t think any lesser about Fluttershy. Alright? She’s not exactly fighter material like you, and maybe me and Applejack on our part.”

Scootaloo looked towards Fluttershy, her expression never flinching, then back to Rainbow, “Scion Fluttershy was just like her.”

Rainbow looked somewhat surprised at the huntress’ remark, “Really?”

Scootaloo nodded, “She was the Scion of Kindness for crying out loud. Though it’s not to say her feats were any lesser than those of our Rainbow Dash or the like.”

Rainbow glanced back at Fluttershy, the sight of her friends huddled onto the floor, no doubt terrified of what had to be the most disturbing thing they had ever seen in their lives.

“If only we had Sif with us,” lamented Scootaloo as she shook her head.

Rainbow turned back to Scootaloo, “Who?”

“Sif, the Great Wolf of Everfree,” muffled Night Quill, who then promptly removed his restrictive helmet, shaking his head as his sweaty hair slid out and loosely settled over his shoulders. “What made Fluttershy the Scion of Kindness was her efforts in bringing peace between the people of Everfree and the dire wolves from the north that encroached upon Equis. She did this by befriending one of the great beasts, whom she named Sif. Since then she became Fluttershy’s most trusted protector and guardian, and the rest of the wolves came to live with the people of Equis as friends, rather than enemies.”

“That’s right;" said Scootaloo with an earnest nod, "she did this with no bloodshed. Or even her infamous stare that allowed her to bring any natural creature to its knees if she so willed it. But never, under any circumstance, would Scion Fluttershy advocate for a violent solution. If it came to that, it was usually Sif who would stand in her place.”

First her dimensional counterpart being a legendary war hero, and now hearing about Fluttershy’s counterpart’s exploits as some mighty beastmaster made her mind swim with so many endearing images. Mostly that of Fluttershy riding on the back of a giant wolf. But she digressed.

“So where is this Sif now?” she asked, wondering if imparting such knowledge might serve to embolden Fluttershy.

Scootaloo shrugged her shoulders, “No-one’s heard of her since Everfree Forest fell to the darkness. I’d hate to make things worse, but it’s likely that Sif fell with the forest herself.”

Rainbow sighed. Still, maybe she could make some use of the knowledge on the Fluttershy of Equis. She turned to approach her friends. Looking over to Applejack and Sunset, the farmer girl looking back at her with pursed lips, while Sunset seemed lost in some personal musing, standing in place, holding onto her own arm, looking forlorn. Down around Fluttershy remained Rarity, Twilight, Spike and Pinkie Pie had scooted in next to Twilight.

Rainbow Dash knelt in front of Fluttershy, trying to look into her shy friend’s averted eyes, “Hey, Flutters,” she spoke as in her mind she considered how best to approach. “You’re not hurt, right?”

Knowing to take her time when it came to Fluttershy, she sat there patiently. After a moment of silence, Fluttershy slowly looked up at Rainbow.

“N-no…” murmured Fluttershy, hugging her arms around her body, her legs still curled up, “… I’m alright.”

Rainbow reached out, placing a hand on Fluttershy’s knee. She smiled, trying to exude the adequate amount of confidence, and empathy, “That’s good.” She smiled confidently, “Because if that thing had harmed a hair on your head, I would have done something much worse than the lantern to the eye,” she said, pulling down on the lid of her eye for emphasis.

“An’ that would’ve been…?” asked Applejack, raising one brow questioningly.

Rainbow waved off the farmer girl’s inquiry, “Eh, I would’ve come up with something. Spur of the moment, you know,” she chuckled. Honestly Applejack’s little jab helped the mood; they’d be at each other daily anyway; just how she preferred. “Though to tell you the truth; I dunno how I managed even that, because I swear, being stuck in this cramped place with that thing had me scared way worse than Twiggy.”

“Assuming the smell hadn’t done us in already…” groaned Spike, as indeed, while the destruction of the waterside wall had dissipated some of the stench lingering in the fishery, it was only now that Rainbow noticed a new addition to the foul potpourri of scents, emanating from the creature’s shriveled carcass. The best she could describe the odor was too foul to even put into words.

Fluttershy, after a moment, slowly raised her head, looking at Rainbow Dash with a look of utter defeat, “I would’ve been better off staying behind in the mines for all the good I can be out here.”

Rainbow shook her head defiantly, “Now you know that is not true, Fluttershy,” she said in earnest. “We’re a team, and in my team; no-one gets left behind.”

Fluttershy looked to her side, looking down at Spike looking up at her, pawing at her side to show encouragement.

“Heh. Just like your counterpart hadn’t in the war,” said Fluttershy, petting the dog lovingly.

“Or our Rainbow Dash in any sporting event,” added Twilight Sparkle, to which Rainbow shot a look of high praise.

Fluttershy sat quietly again as she scratched behind Spike’s ear, the dog hugging her with his front paws. After a while she looked up at everyone, from Applejack to her right to Twilight and Pinkie beside her to her left. “But… I just don’t know what I can do now. All of you were able to do at least something, while I just cowered away because there was nothing I could possibly do against that thing…”

Twilight rolled her eyes in awkwardness, “I doubt me flinging a few rusty knives was going to do all that much, really.”

“To be frank,” remarked Spike, “I’m not that much good either. I mean, I’d charge in to protect each and every one of you, but let’s face it: I’m not exactly a mastiff.” The dog visibly shuddered, “Plus I just don’t wanna touch those things, especially that one…”

Fluttershy smiled, lifting Spike on her lap, “We know you’re brave, Spike. Whereas I’m worried I won’t be brave enough. What if I get so scared and make things hard for everyone?”

“I just spoke with Scoots; there’s nothing wrong about being scared, and there’s no reason for you to feel bad. Turns out the other you from this world; she was just like you: She was not a fighter either,” said Rainbow in reiteration. “So if you two switched places, there wouldn’t have been that much she could have done either. Well, unless she had Sif…” She smiled mysteriously, hoping to entice Fluttershy’s curiosity at what she herself had learned.

Fluttershy blinked looking at Rainbow, the curvature of sadness slightly ebbing away from her features, “Sif?”

Rainbow crossed her arms, “Yea, turns out your counterpart had a giant wolf named Sif to fight her battles for her as thanks for her kindness. Sound familiar? Just ask Scootaloo.”

Fluttershy’s sadness seemed to have evaporated as the mention of the elusive Sif. Even Spike could clearly not help opening his mouth in awe. “… But… But what does that have to do with-?”

“Rainbow has a point,” said Twilight. “You’re not a warrior, we don’t want to make one out of you. We want you to be what makes you the Fluttershy we know. How’s about in return we’ll be your Sif?” She noticed as Spike nodded in support of those words, which she reciprocated.

“We can stay in the sidelines, watch everyone else’s backs, and do what we can when needed, okay?” said Spike, tail wagging with determination.

“Sounds like a fair deal to me,” said Applejack in agreement. “And besides, Ah can’t help but think how we’re goin’ to be needin’ that kindness of yours sooner than later.”

“So what do you say, Flutters?” said Rainbow as she held a hand to Fluttershy. “How’s about we get out of here and we save a city? Together.”

With that, Fluttershy took Rainbow’s hand who helped her back on her feet.

Rainbow turned to Scootaloo and her hunters and Neighsay, who had courteously waited the entire time, “So, where to next?”

“The drain tunnel to the sewers is just down along the shore,” informed Neighsay, formal as ever. “We should get a move on in case someone heard the ruckus. Last thing we need is Cinch’s guards finding us.”

“Got that right…” murmured Twilight under her breath.

“By all means, lead the way,” affirmed Rainbow, picking up her cudgels.

Author's Note

Might have some residual Magic: The Gathering in me, because the lake creature (whom I personally named Turso, after Iku-Turso, son of Äijö from the Kalevala) was basically an enlarged, aquatic version of Slitherhead

Maud's armor and ring are a direct reference to Havel the Rock and his armor and ring from the Dark Souls series.

This took a bit longer than I'd hoped due to some real-life predicaments. I'll try to get chapter 6 done sooner.

As I'm sure everyone whose even taken a glance might notice, but Umbral Souls now has a cover. A special thanks to Tatara94 of DeviantArt for taking the time to make it for me!

Chapter 6: The City of Moonlight

They were not guards, but the fight against the lake aberration had brought attention of something on their group the moment they’d stepped out of the fishery into the small settlement around it. Sunset Shimmer, to her trepidatious fortune; recognized them:

Gathered around them were a mob of what may have one been people. Each and every one of them shrouded in darkness, wafting off their bodies like some black, heatless flame licking their shapes, wafting into the night sky like smoke. Their bodies seemed limp, almost lifeless, standing with hunched shoulders and sagging arms, the only show of life, or rather some sick imitation of it, were the hollow white orbs peering at everyone through the darkness. Unfeeling, unthinking, just… Sunset couldn’t perceive what exactly gazed at her from behind those unearthly orbs. Just that in her core, she felt a familiar sense of fear, just like in her dream.

Some of them were tall, some of them short. Some men, some women. Thin, fat, anywhere in between. Some had the outlines of simple farmer’s clothing, while some had frames indicating armor, with distinct kettle hats. Some of them carried weapons in their limp-hanging arms, consisting mostly of knives, axes, and simple farming tools, while some of the armored ones wielded swords.

Before Sunset could attempt to comprehend what they were, the Hunters were on them as if by sheer instinct. Scootaloo skewered the closest with her sword with no hesitation. Fluttershy gasped audibly as the blade pierced through, eliciting a haunting, moan-like rasp.

The memories of her dream flooded back as Sunset remembered her struggle with the creatures pursuing her.

Scootaloo in a very callous-seeming manner kicked away the dark husk, the momentum sliding it off her blade. The thing stumbled and collapsed onto the ground, unmoving. When Sunset almost began to feel sick; like the spawn of the lake aberration, the husk began to fade away, like ashes blown in the wind, with no trace of it left.

“These were the same things I saw in my dream…” said Sunset absently, her hand barely grasping at her rapier as the hunters went about dispatching the husks, seeing Lyra cleave one perfectly in two from the waist down, the separated pieces evaporating before either had hit the ground.

“What are they?” asked Twilight Sparkle, horrified.

“Same as the creature from the lake. Only these were once humans,” said Neighsay grimly, standing with Sunset and her friends as the hunters performed their calling. “These are the very things the Umbra Hunters hunt; beings swallowed by the darkness of the Umbra.”

“How… How does this happen?” Twilight stammered, looking over at the archivist.

Neighsay sighed regrettably as he watched the hunters fight. “When humans are overcome by Umbra’s touch, the darkness strips them of everything they once were. Their emotions, their memories, their very sense of existing; all that remains is a husk that will go on to attack the living in hunger for the light within each of us.”

“So that’s what I felt when Twiggy spewed on me? And when the lake thing sprayed Bon-Bon?” asked Rainbow Dash, who, while grasping her cudgels in preparation to fight, looked uneasy as the Hunters effortlessly dispatched their foes.

“Indeed;” confirmed Neighsay, “as the old verses say “Umbra reviled the light, and would swallow it.” That is why the Umbra-Touched attack us.”

Twilight took something from her pocket, “Mr. Neighsay; the lightning enchantments in the Hunters’ weapons are somehow anathema to Umbra-Touched, correct?”

“That is correct: The Umbra-Touched hunger for an consume light. But; ironically the same light they hunger for can also hurt them. Husks like these pose little threat to the Hunters, and even unenchanted weapons can dispatch them, but the more steeped in the darkness they are, the stronger they become. Hence the Hunters’ need to use the shards to put down stronger Umbra-Touched.” He looked over at Twilight, “Is there something you can do?”

“I’m not entirely certain,” said Twilight, “but it’s worth a try.” She stepped ahead from the non-combatants. “Avert your eyes!” she called and pointed her keychain LED lamp at one of the husks, and clicked it on.

At Pinkie’s call of “Bright light!” the husk that was struck by the impossibly bright beam cowered and thrashed wildly, as if it had been set ablaze, and staggered away. Bon-Bon spotted the opportunity and skewered the distracted husk with her spear, making it literally poof into dust the moment the blade struck.

“My word; you possess powerful magic, Lady Sparkle!” said Neighsay, sounding amazed at her use of the little device. “What is it?”

Twilight smirked, holding the lamp casually between her index and middle finger, “Technology.”

“Oi! Not sure if you noticed; but we could use a little help!” Maddie called before parrying a sloppy blow from one of the husks of the armored variety, and in kind slammed the pommel of her claymore into its face.

Almost expected; it was Rainbow Dash who was the first to step forth, cudgels at the ready. The athlete took a deep breath, then craned her neck, twirled her cudgels with deft movements of her fingers and joined the fray alongside Scootaloo. Next was Applejack, looking at her axe with pursed lips, in a look displaying unease. When she looked back at the husks shambling towards Maddie, she grit her teeth in determination before rushing to join the battle. Sunset watched as the farmer used her geode-given strength to shield bash the armored husk backwards off its feet whilst Maddie dealt with a pitchfork wielding one by driving her sword horizontally into its midsection.

Sunset looked at her hand grasping at the rapier still in its sheath. She jolted, looking back at the battle as Pinkie Pie, having moved there without anyone noticing, threw a spray of sprinkles at an armored husk, the burst of crackles dazing it enough for Maud to crush it effortlessly into dust with her great mace.

She felt someone’s hand on her shoulder. She turned to see Rarity, looking at her straight in the eyes. Sunset looked back, questioningly at her fashionista friend. Rarity nudged towards the battle, at their friends, looking at her with a solemn expression. Sunset looked down to her rapier, then back to Rarity. She pursed her lips, furrowing her brow as she silently understood what her friend was implying. Their friends were out there, risking their lives for their new friends from Equis. With a firm nod, Sunset grasped the hilt with her and unsheathed the graceful blade.

“Fluttershy, Twilight;” she turned to the two, “you stay with Neighsay. If it looks like we’re in trouble, use your light to support us. Spike,” she looked down to their small companion, “keep them safe and watch for more.”

“You got it!” said Spike with a salute of a forepaw.

Twilight nodded. With it settled, Sunset rushed to battle with Rarity, the fashionista already forming a diamond to act as a shield. Humans or not, and whether they still retained something of their former selves before becoming the darkness-spewing husks, she rightfully did not know. If this would make her a killer, their lives were on the line regardless.

Sunset deliberately drew the attention of one of the husks, this one grasping a sickle. She assumed a defensive posture, just like in fencing, blade pointed with lethal intent at her adversary. It raised its weapon to strike her, but Sunset, with gritted teeth underneath her lips, lunged. Under usual circumstances she would have been called for foul when she thrust the sword at the husk’s head, the finely-honed blade seeming to pierce, making the husk stagger back. Whether or not it actually felt anything and it was merely some form of muscle memory, she was uncertain. In mimicking what Scootaloo had done, Sunset quickly drove the sword into the husk’s chest, using the momentum from the thrust to shove it back and off her blade: No blood or any other bodily fluids to be seen. The husk collapsed to its knees, and before it managed to fall over, it disintegrated away, with nothing left but the sickle.

Another husk came skidding to a sliding halt close to her after a reverberating slam, only to dissipate too. Applejack came up next to Sunset, shield in front defensively.

“How’re ya farin’?” she asked, revving the wrist of her weapon hand.

Sunset trained her sword forward as an armored husk approached them, doing nothing to help the awful feeling in her stomach, “I’ve been better.”

“Yea, me too,” the farmer girl concurred before stepping forth and brutally snap kicking the husk, her magically amplified strength sending it flying back several feet before sprawling to a halt. “When will these things stop comin’ already?”

“Umbra-Touched won’t stop. Unless you destroy them,” came Maud’s muffled monotone from nearby, Pinkie Pie sitting on her shoulders, flicking gumdrops at any husk that came too close as miniature explosives.

“Pardon me, but-” said Rarity before being interrupted by a hatchet striking the human-sized disk of a diamond in front of her. She then pushed forward, sending it and the husk behind it sliding backwards before slamming into a wall of a shack. “Aren’t we just potentially drawing further attention with all the light and ruckus? I mean the city has battlements; wouldn’t battlements imply patrols?”

“Rarity has a point,” said Scootaloo as she and the hunters had huddled around with everyone into a semi-circle. “We need to make our way towards the drain tunnel,” she said, then loosed an arrow at one of the husks, the lightning-infused projectile disintegrating it upon being struck. “Night Quill, get to Neighsay and take point, we’ll follow suit. Use your shard to light the way.”

“Yes ma’am,” muffled Night Quill, running off towards Neighsay, Twilight, Fluttershy and Spike.

“Alright, Hunters;” said Scootaloo with her tone of authority. “Follow Night Quill’s direction, and just off whatever gets in your way. We need to get to Moonlink.” She loosed another arrow at one of the few remaining armored husks.

With that, they began to briskly move as one, the husks voraciously continuing to approach them. A yelp emanated from Rarity as a larger diamond materialized before them, blocking a bolt that bounced off the barrier. Scootaloo, like she had the eyes of a hawk, loosed yet another arrow and somewhere in the distance a sparkle of electricity signified another felled husk.

Progress was slow with them having to back away, and hazardous, especially when discovering that the husks knew how to use ranged weaponry and had enough cognition that they could throw their armaments. Those that caught up to them had to be quickly dispatched. A combination of the Umbra Hunters’ skill, the girls’ powers, and their numbers made it noticeably easier. Applejack, Maud and Bon-Bon, being the only ones with shields, brought up the rear, while Scootaloo strayed slightly from the rest due to her ranged capabilities, never missing a shot with her blackwood longbow.

Eventually they managed to rejoin Twilight, Fluttershy, Spike, Neighsay and Night Quill near the shore of Moonshine Lake, the ground beginning to rise into a steadily climbing hill. The husks were still in pursuit.

“We have a problem!” Rainbow heard the muffled voice of Night Quill, who’d approached Scootaloo, lifting his visor, “It would seem the High Priestess had bars installed at the mouth of the drain tunnel.”

Scootaloo audibly groaned, taking the time to shoot another husk, seemingly needing little to no time to aim, “Great. Any suggestions?”

“What’s going on?” asked Rainbow after zooming in between the two hunters.

“Cinch has closed off access to the drain tunnel with bars,” explained Night Quill. “That was our only surefire way inside Moonlink.”

Rainbow Dash furrowed her brow, coming upon a realization in an instant. “Still is!” she proclaimed, darting back at their rearguard. “Applejack, we’re going to need some of that Equestrian strength!”

With the farm girl joining her, Scootaloo and Night Quill, Rarity taking Applejack’s spot as a shield bearer, the four of them dashed to the end of the drain tunnel. Indeed, a heavy set of vertical iron bars had been framed into the opening, too narrow for any person to slip through, let alone none of their party with their bulkier gear. Applejack scrutinized the bars, going along the heavy iron frame wedged into the tunnel, before she gripped two of them along the same placement as the walkway inside. With nary a grunt, she bent the bars into a wider gap, the iron squealing in futile protest.

“Ah’ll be right back,” she informed, running back towards the nearing rearguard, returning shortly, hefting Maud’s impossibly large bludgeon against her shoulder. The farm girl slipped through the gap in between the bent bars, hefting the bludgeon with both hands. “Now steer clear!” she called, holding up the weapon with both hands like a batter at the plate.

Rainbow, Scootaloo and Night Quill did as requested; getting to a safe distance, when a reverberating bang pierced the night air. Rainbow could feel her ears pop when another bang sounded, followed by another, until the fourth, which brought the entire iron frame collapsing down onto the shore with a rumble.

“Great work, you two!” said Scootaloo in high praise at Rainbow Dash.

Applejack stepped out of the newly opened drain tunnel, “Alright, way’s clear! Let’s all mosey on inside!”

That was the cue for everyone, including their rear guard who had completely closed the gap to scurry into the tunnel.

“Twilight,” Sunset called, pointing at the still approaching husks, “cover our escape!”

“You got it,” said Twilight, switching on her lamp and shining it towards the remaining husks. As hoped, the impossibly powerful modified lighting caused all of them that were struck to reel back, snarling in their hollow, inhuman voices.

Applejack motioned everyone to hurry into the tunnel, relinquishing the bludgeon back to Maud along the way, with Bon-Bon bringing up the rear.

“What’ll we do about them?” she asked, pointing her spear towards the reeling husks.

“Leave that to me,” said Applejack, “Now ya’ll just get on inside.”

Bon-Bon looked back and forth between Applejack and the husks, before relenting and hurrying into the opened drain tunnel. Rainbow tugged at Twilight’s arm, motioning her to follow and led her inside as well. Inside the tunnel, assaulted by the ever-pleasant stench of mold, rot, and things she was better left not knowing, Rainbow watched as Applejack, with a grunt, lifted the entire bar frame up and over her head. Quickly backing into the tunnel, she slammed the frame mightily back into the seams, albeit slightly leaning inwards from part of the ceiling having caved in. Almost forgetting, the farm girl bent the gap between the bars back into place.

Soon enough, the husks came clambering after them. In spite of the impromptu set up, the combined weight of stone and iron kept them from getting through. They forced themselves against the bars, reaching towards their group through the gaps, their echoing rasps reverberating off the tunnel’s infrastructure.

Rainbow Dash handed Applejack her shield, looking back at the ravenous husks with trepidation.

“Ya’ll go on ahead,” said Applejack. “Ah’ll bring up the rear; make sure these guys don’t take us by surprise, just in case…”

Inside the drain tunnel their motley group was forced to walk in single-file, Fluttershy being situated behind Neighsay, while ahead of him Maddie now brought up the advance. Behind her came Night Quill, one of his swords sheathed while he continued to loosely hold onto the other, while in his other hand he held his light shard in a flask. Without the illumination the Knight Poet would have probably appeared like some body-less specter, what with his black armor underneath his raggedy cloak.

Seemed like at the moment everything came to look its scariest, thought Fluttershy, not helped by the pitch-blackness of the tunnel. It felt slightly cramped inside, a feeling of claustrophobia creeping through her, but she felt she could manage it, preferring it over the thing in the lake and the shuffling husks that attacked them trying to get this far.

The sounds of her and everyone else’s footsteps echoed through the tunnel, accented by the quiet dripping and drizzle of water emanating from somewhere off the walkway, though how deep down it was now was hard to tell in the darkness. Somewhere behind here she heard Pinkie humming something, which served as a good indicator that things were going smoothly.

“How far is this ladder exactly?” asked Maddie from the front.

Fluttershy could see Neighsay unrolling the map from earlier, “Not far now, I should say. We should be coming by the last cesspit of this line any moment now, so be mindful of your footing, Maddie.”

“Yea-yea, I gathered we’re in a sewer…” murmured the swordswoman.

It was understandable, the drain tunnel reeked. It wasn’t quite as vomit inducing as the fishery, at least to Fluttershy, but the stench of whatever had slid down there, added with the mold and mildew lining the humid walls and ceiling was the farthest from any improvement.

Deciding to break the monotony, Fluttershy glanced over her shoulder, “Um… Sir Quill?”

The Knight Poet lifted his vizor, peering over the rim of his helmet’s faceplate, “Please, Lady Fluttershy, Night Quill will suffice. Is something the matter?”

Fluttershy rubbed her upper arm, looking down at her feet in shame, “I’m… I’m sorry I haven’t been useful.”

“I assure you, Lady Rainbow Dash already did so on your behalf, and we do not think any less of you,” Night Quill said in reiteration.

“I know. I just wanted to say it myself, and thank you,” Fluttershy flashed a meek smile at the Knight Poet. “I may not have someone like Sif on my side, but at least I have my friends…”

“I’m certain you do them proud, milady.”

“Just Fluttershy will suffice,” Fluttershy tittered, echoing the Knight Poet’s words.

“Alright, watch your feet!” called Maddie from the front. “It turns right; so don’t go falling over the ledge. Celestials’ sake, we don’t wanna have to fish you up from the cesspit.”

“Duly noted, Miss Maddie,” said Neighsay flatly as he stepped sideways around the bend.

Fluttershy followed suit, stepping carefully around the bend herself, despite the good two extra feet of legroom before the ledge, leading into a shrouded drop of indeterminable feet. The walkway curved back the direction they were originally going, only the walkways widened noticeably so that at least three people could stand safely side-by-side. As Neighsay had promised; there was indeed a rusty ladder leading upwards.

Everyone tried to fit as best they could around it, though Maud had to keep back with the broad frame of her armor and weapons.

“Now, before anythin’ else,” called Applejack from the rear, still keeping watch, “is everyone here and accounted?”

“In answer to Lady Applejack’s question; I count fifteen heads, including our good canine friend Spike, and we started with fifteen,” said Neighsay. “All are present and accounted, yes.”

“Well, that’s good to know,” Applejack called, with a chuckle. “And it looks like our acquaintances ain’t followin’ us to boot.”

“Assuming they could even see where they’re going if they were,” stated Rainbow Dash in a very matter-of-fact way, quite unbecoming of her.

“Don’t be fooled,” said Scootaloo. “Umbra-Touched creatures can navigate in darkness as easily as a bee finding flowers,” she emphasized.

Fluttershy noticed Rainbow eyeing the darkness of the cesspit warily. In response, she herself could not help but feel slightly vulnerable, thinking if something they themselves could not perceive was skulking down there, in the impenetrable blackness. Something that, as Scootaloo attested, might be eyeing them right now, poised to strike in their obliviousness. The thought made her scoot closer to the wall, suppressing the desire to whimper.

Night Quill took hold of the ladder, “I’ll go first, see that the coast is clear.”

“You remember the code?” asked Maddie, to which the Knight Poet simply nodded.

Night Quill’s boots clacked against the iron fixture as he clambered up, the hems of his coat disappearing into the blackness as he went. After a while the sound of rhythmic knocking of metal against metal resounded up above.

“Anyone else thinking this looks super convenient for something to nab him and gobble him up?” asked Pinkie Pie in what was allegedly meant to be a whisper. This earned the pink-haired party girl several questioning, if not disapproving looks. “Just me then?”

A muffled voice spoke from up above; “They're the prey.”

“And we are the hunters,” came Night Quill's equally muffled tone from up above.

A moment passed when the sound of something metallic scraped and banged. Hinges caked with years’ worth of rust squealed in the darkness, a faded beam of light making its way down into the sewers.

“Ai’ght, welcome to Moonlink, mate!” said a new voice in a heavy accent.

A moment passed as Night Quill’s boots clacked against the ladder further up. A moment of silence passed, when the Knight Poet, his voice sounding slightly clearer called back down, “Alright, the coast is clear!”

Fluttershy stiffened at the feel of a hand on her shoulder, “Lady Fluttershy, I insist you go first,” said Neighsay courteously.

She cleared her throat, the looked at the Archivist gratefully, “Thank you, Mister Neighsay.”

Fluttershy grabbed onto the rusted iron ladder, took a deep breath, and began to ascend, her laced sandals tapping softly as she went. Approaching the soft light of the moon, she saw Night Quill offer her his hand. The Knight Poet, again stripped of his helmet, helped her out of the manhole. Wiping the grime off her hands onto the hem of her robes, Fluttershy observed her new surroundings.

Indeed, where they were was a form of warehouse. The smell of old wood, accented with dust, replaced the reek of the sewer. The building had a simple layout; a large, seemingly square layout composed of mortar and stone, the walls lined with sturdy, wooden mezzanines, with a large door situated at the far end. Bereft of any unique features, besides the series of crates, barrels and various other containers stacked huddled all about above, with more space left around where the manhole was. A tattered blanket had been draped over the mouth of one crate huddle in the corner, the glow of a lantern emanating from within. It seemed someone was living there.

“Sorry about the mess, but in my line of work… Well, wouldn’t be gettin’ anywhere with me dustin’ all the time, eh?” said a new voice, accented with a snicker.

Hunched near the manhole was a small, almost gangly man, draped in a worn and tattered, almost denim-like tunic, complete with a drooping cowl that covered his features, his only means of seeing the world around him being two eyeholes. The man waved idly at Fluttershy, just as Night Quill aided Neighsay out of the manhole. As their friends and companions began to file in, Fluttershy realized the feel of something pawing at her ankle.

She felt almost surprised to realize that tugging on her was a rat. Not Umbra-Touched, not monstrous in any way, shape or form; but a simple brown, button-eyed rat that was looking up at her, its little pink nose sniffing at the air around her. In an instant, her inherent sense of animal rapport kicked in, fawning over the rodent.

“Aww, hello there,” she said quietly as she hunched down. “You’re the first ordinary animal I’ve seen so far. What’s your name?”

The rat squeaked earnestly, the sounds translating in her mind as if the rodent was speaking her language.

“It’s very nice to meet you, Winifred,” said Fluttershy, happily petting the rat atop its head, a notion Winifred seemed pleased by, after which he began to squeak and peep openly, sounding very pleased to have someone new to converse with.

Sunset welcome the smell of dust and wood over the nose-assaulting effluents of the sewer. One-by-one, everyone in their group made their way up into the abandoned warehouse, Twilight with the utmost care levitating Spike up into her arms. It took longer than others for Maud, who needed to shed certain parts of her stone armor and have them brought up piece-by-piece with the aid of Applejack’s herculean strength. As this was going on, Sunset couldn’t help but notice Fluttershy standing to the side, with something brown and furry perched on her shoulder, which the animal caretaker seemed to not take any notice of.

“… Fluttershy; did you know you have a rat on your shoulder?” she asked, pointing at the rodent with slight apprehension, its snout twitching incessantly.

“Yup!” said Fluttershy, rather eagerly. “His name is Winifred,” she emphasized, petting the animal gently.

Sunset couldn’t help but manage a wry smile. It figured, seeing as Fluttershy found no animal beneath showing affection towards.

As soon as Maud had finally gotten the rest of her armor brought up and was in the process of reassembling it over herself, Scootaloo called for everyone to focus on her;

“Alright; once again so far so good. But don’t relax yet, for getting inside the walls was the easy part.” She looked around, indicating towards a discarded crate, which Applejack was quick to push over, on which Neighsay spread out the map of the city.

Scootaloo trailed a finger along the map, finding the warehouse, marked with the spade, and then trailed further along the streets, until settling on a larger building that had been marked with a shape reminiscent of an apple. The building was quite far from their current location, seeing as they had to cross well over a mile if drawing a straight line across from their starting point and destination, through the winding and twisting streets of the city, so the trek would be even longer than that.

“I’m assuming there will be patrols, right?” asked Sunset, going over in her mind at the fastest possible routes towards whatever the apple-marked building was.

“Wouldn’t be a city living in curfew without them,” Scootaloo remarked. “And if I’m not too mistaken, it’s now at least four in the afternoon, so the people will be confined into their homes, unless given express permission from Cinch or her followers. This leaves only soldiers and criers as the only people to walk the streets.”

“Dare I even ask what these criers will be preaching about?” asked Twilight with a clear distaste in her tone.

“Cinch is trying to convince people that in embracing the duality of the Celestials we incurred the wrath of Nightmare Moon, and that by forsaking the old teachings we would be spared from the Umbra,” said Night Quill, his words dripping with proverbial venom. “Those who do not submit, or at least outwardly pose as such enough, are expelled from the city.” He crossed his arms, eyeing the map, “I shudder to think what they’ve done to my home…”

“The other problem is that there are no specific patrol patterns that we’re aware of,” added Neighsay, who stroked his goatee in contemplation. “That will make infiltration difficult. Particularly in our need of avoiding conflict.”

“So? If we’re spotted, we’ll just beat the guards to a pulp until it’s lights out,” said Rainbow, slamming a fist into an open palm.

“And when the guards realize they’ve been roughed up?” asked Applejack, eyeing the athlete in disappointment, to which Rainbow reeled in realization.

“Well, if I’mma make a suggestion,” called the man in rags. “Managed to snag a lil’ so’mn that just might help ya!” And with that he slinked into his little abode inside the warehouse. He remerged with a quartet of blue tabards, three kettle hats and a length of rope.

Scootaloo’s eyes brightened amidst everyone, “Good job, Mole!”

Pinkie beamed up in the sudden realization; “Ooh, I get it: He’s a mole, and his name is Mole!”

Applejack looked about the currently vacant street, idly adjusting the kettle hat atop her head; the feeling of being without her Stetson was awkward. Her cherished hat had been passed to Rarity, who walked behind her, hands bound in rope, connected to Neighsay, the end of which she grasped in the hand of her shield arm.

This was their plan on hopefully getting to the rendezvous point with increased success. Four of their party, herself, Lyra, Bon-Bon and Rainbow Dash had donned the tabards, emblazoned with the symbols of a waning, full and waxing moon, and three of the kettle hats, with Bon-Bon being forced to use her own and hope any patrols they crossed did not question it, as well as their mismatched armors. They then used the rope provided to give the impression of them having captured dissenters:

Rainbow Dash was pulling along Scootaloo, Fluttershy and Night Quill, using the Knight Poet’s ragged cloak in the hopes of hiding their armaments. Lyra pulled along Twilight and Sunset, and Bon-Bon Maddie, whereas Maud had to make her way with Pinkie Pie and Spike, with the Pinkie Sense and Spike’s higher sense of hearing and smell, hopefully being enough to avoid capture in Maud’s bulky armor, while carrying a portion of the “prisoners’” stripped weapons to boot.

Preferring to take the precaution at first, they decided to covertly make their way across the street from the warehouse to an alley in between two buildings, Applejack spying around the corner, checking to see if the coast was clear.

The roads within the city were mostly cobblestone, while the sidewalks were made up of painstakingly lined stone blocks assembled into tightly compacted lanes along the road. Far from being any expert in history, but she could tell that the architecture was very old. Furthest styles she would recognize were those of settler times back in their home world. Here the buildings seemed composed of a form of half-timber framing with a mostly white infill materials, with angular tiled roofs, though some odd building or two appeared to have been composed of reeds. Overall, very rustic, truly verifying how backwards in time this world was compared to their own.

Many of the buildings in the market district were overshadowed by some of the more grandeur structures much further in the nobles’ district, while everything in the city itself was dwarfed by the temple of the moon, with its grand central spire that pierced into the heavens. Even its surrounding spires themselves were able to outdo all of the buildings in the city from the distance their party was from it.

“Just remember;” called Scootaloo in hushed tone, “by any means, try to steer clear from the market square.”

According to Mole, that place would be swarming with guards, and it was where they kept the cages for people about to be banished.

“Right,” muttered Applejack. “Well, it seems clear. Just stay calm, no sudden moves, and those in rope, keep yer heads down: Looks mighty more convincin’.”

And off they went, Applejack and her row taking the lead, the rest following in a disorderly fashion. As agreed, the “prisoners” kept their heads lowered as a sign of submission, letting their bound arms get dragged loosely for authenticity’s sake. Applejack on occasion yanked at the rope as if ordering her charge to keep pace.

She kept an ear out, hoping that Pinkie Pie, Spike and Maud were making their own progress without any trouble. It was a comfort, knowing that the Umbra-Touched hadn’t made their way into this grand bastion, as far as everyone knew, yet being forced to skulk about like criminals made the city feel unwelcoming and dangerous in its own way.

“It feels so unfair, doesn’t it?” Rarity whispered from behind. “It’s very much the end of the world, and someone has the audacity to take advantage of those left for their own gain…” said the fashionista with utter contempt.

“Ah’ hear ya, Rare,” muttered Applejack as she walked down the road into the direction of the temple, as instructed by Scootaloo and Neighsay, counting down the number of blocks before they would change direction north-east, hoping to circumvent towards their destination.

Applejack tensed when she spotted two guards rounding the very corner where they themselves had planned to turn northward. Instantly recognizable for the blue tri-moon tabards and kettle hats, much like the husks outside the walls. And to their misfortune, the guards were trekking towards their group. Still, Applejack had to urge herself to keep going, trying to look casual. Or was that appropriate?

She pretended like she did not see the two guardsmen, trying to maintain as neutral an expression as she could. They approached. The guards were looking at them. Applejack prayed in her mind that they just let them pass without any hassle.

“Oi!” Oh of course they wouldn’t. “What’s goin’ on here?”

And what a convenience that Applejack was the uncrowned worst liar in Canterlot High. Applejack took a deep breath in preparation to best convince the guards to let them pass, hoping to at least try and disguise her thick accent…

“Got the drop on a bunch of dissenters is what we did!” blurted Bon-Bon with a surprisingly good fake accent, stepping forth with Maddie in tow, jerking the smaller woman along with a convincing display. “This little git even managed to bust my helmet! So I took this thing from her to compensate,” she said, tapping her helmet forcibly. “Actually feels rather good. Taking them to the rest of the trash.”

The two guards looked at one another, murmuring something Applejack couldn’t quite catch, retaining her neutral expression.

“A’ight,” said one of the guards, pointing over yonder. “Just take ’em to market square an’ lock ‘em up with the rest. What’s a few more?”

“Just cram ‘em in there if need be,” Bon-Bon quipped. “Could be more dissenters out in these parts, so stay sharp.”

The guards saluted, which Applejack, along with Bon-Bon, Lyra and Rainbow Dash reciprocated. With that both sides could be on their way. After rounding their designated corner, Applejack checked to see that the guards hadn’t followed. To her, and everyone else’s relief, they had not.

“Nice improvization back there, Bon-Bon!” said Scootaloo with praise.

Bon Bon giggled endearingly, switching back to her own vernacular, “Thanks!”

“Let’s just hope Maud and Pinkie Pie are doin’ alright…” said Applejack under her breath, glancing over her shoulder, wondering where the two inter-dimensional siblings were now.

Pinkie Pie felt a sudden shudder rise up her feet, through her body, and coming to a point with a flick of her front-most curl. That meant something unexpected was about to happen. In her reverie, she did not realize until too late when her toes struck something hard and dense. She grimaced wildly as pain shot through her left foot.

“Yow!” she exclaimed, hopping on one foot, “Holy jalapeño haloumi!”

It was at that moment of pain, frustration, and test of balance that she came to a realization;

“Wait, my friends aren’t here…” she mused, suddenly gasping, “I can swear for real!”

She took a deep breath and focused it all to deliver one powerful, boisterous, “Son of a-”

Maud’s armor-covered finger pressed against her lips, cutting her off mid-word. The dimensional counterpart of her sister stood perfectly still, unmoving, when Pinkie saw a pair of guards walks straight past the alley they were currently in. After an uncounted amount of time passed, Maud lowered her finger.

“We better get going, Pinkie,” said Maud, remaining visibly or at least vocally, given her armor, unperturbed by the sudden attempt at profanity. “Plenty of opportunities to swear later.”

“Oh, right!” Pinkie acknowledge before prancing onwards, despite the nagging feeling somewhere in her sugar-addled, logic and sense defying mind that something had changed, but for the life of her, even she could not quite discern what that was. It was likely best to just keep going and get to the rendezvous point.

“… I should feel slightly offended by what she was going to say,” said Spike to no-one in particular, “but I choose not to.”

“Oh, I’m certain they’re fine, darling,” said Rarity. “Pinkie Pie has her Pinkie sense and whatnot to keep her out of trouble… Probably. And our little Spikie is with her.”

They continued on northwards, maintaining their façade dragging their “prisoners” in the direction of the market square, about four blocks down if Applejack’s memory of the map remained true. They were to go two blocks north before turning westwards, and that would be their destination. Another pair of guards approached them, this time one male, one female. Applejack swallowed as inconspicuously as she could; these two were on them right when they themselves needed to turn left. If they slowed their pace or stopped, it could look suspicious, and she’d rather not get any closer to the market square two blocks further, knowing it could be swarming with guards.

To the surprise of the guards, and Applejack to boot, something dinged against the kettle hat of one of them, both looking down the street, opposite the direction of where Applejack and her friends needed to go. A moment later and one of the guards flinched when something dense struck her right over the forehead on her helmet: A stone, about the size of a large marble, clacked off the cobblestone road. Both guards ran off in the direction of whomever was throwing stones at them, not paying Applejack and their party any mind.

Whoever it was who bought them this opportunity, Applejack was grateful, pulling Rarity and Neighsay along at a faster pace, peeking over her shoulder in case the guards came back. The eagerness at the prospect of safety almost made her want to run the ending stretch to their destination.

“Almost there,” called Scootaloo. “It’s the big building, apple sign over the door; can’t miss it.”

Sure enough, it was as Scootaloo described it: A large three-story building in that rustic, half-timbered style of construction, its façade lining with windows, two large ones on the ground floor with a hefty double door in between, up three wooden steppes, a faint light emanating from within. The second and third stories’ facades were lined with smaller windows, six for each. The building seemed more high-end than most of the ones near the city walls; not exactly blue blood standards, but still quite nice. The doors even having a patterned frame of a sandy-colored stone that contrasted against the greyish white of the mortar infill that composed the walls. Above the doors hung a prominent sign in the shape of an apple. Burned into the wood in simple lettering was “Apple Hearth Inn” between two embossed images of mugs or flagons.

Scootaloo easily slipped out of their faux bindings, eyeing her surroundings in vigilance as she made her way up the steps. She bid the others wait, then knocked on the door, in some form of pattern; possibly a code like back at the mine:

Knock-knock-knock. Thump. Knock-knock-knock.

Scootaloo continued surveying the streets, as did everyone else, no doubt dreading when the unexpected guard would pop out of nowhere and expose them. After a painfully long moment, the lock of the door rattled and clicked bluntly, no doubt a sturdy model. The door quietly creaked, just a crack, then ajar.

“Holy Celestials; Scoot!” came a surprised, familiar voice from behind the door. The voice made Applejack’s stomach squeeze harshly. The vernacular was completely different, but the tone was spot on.

Scootaloo hushed sharply, taking another look around. “We’ve got to get inside, quickly. We’ve got quite a number of Hunters this time around.” She looked over at Applejack, no doubt catching her expression of trepidation, “You… might want to brace yourself.”

Scootaloo called for Bon-Bon and Maddie to enter first. Applejack silently mouthed thanks towards the huntress for her tact. Followed by Rainbow Dash and her cue, then Lyra, and last was her turn. Swallowing the lump clogging her throat, Applejack steeled herself going up the steps and crossed the threshold. The homey scent of lacquered wood entered her nostrils as her boots clopped against the wooden tile floor. A series of aged, but fine furnishings was the first thing she realized; a number of round tables, with chairs stacked over the surfaces.

To her left came an unmarked door, next to which a staircase arose upwards. At the back of the large room, no doubt the dining area, was a grand hearth set alight. Far to the right from the entrance stood a bar, with three barrels lined at the back. As everyone crammed their way around the tables, the “captives” slipping their wrists out of their bindings and the pretend guards shedding their helms.

But all of this was for the moment trivial for Applejack, as she removed her kettle hat, her attention focused on the girl who stood before the bar. Adorned in clothing befitting a more high-end commoner: A white collared shirt with the sleeves rolled up over her upper arms, over which was a dark green sleeveless vest with bronze buttons emblazoned with embossments of apples. A pair of mahogany pants adorned her lower half with tanned leather boots, stenciled with, as expected, pictures of apples in a triad pattern.

She was roughly Applejack’s age, with a light-yellow skin color, and a head of brilliant vermilion hair, the most distinguishing feature of it being the large, light red bow worn at the back of her head. The hardest part was meeting the girl’s brilliant tangelo eyes, which were fixated on Applejack, the pupils having shrunk to near pin tips.

Indeed; before Applejack stood her sister Apple Bloom. Or rather, the older dimensional counterpart of Apple Bloom. Standing there, one hand almost over her mouth, open with the most disbelieving expression Applejack had seen yet.

Applejack placed the kettle helmet aside. Not even bothering to retrieve her hat from Rarity, she gingerly, with slow, careful steps, approached the dumbstruck Apple Bloom. She could feel the eyes of everyone in the room fixated on her and her sister’s counterpart. Her stomach twisted like yarn, the feeling racing up her chest like a stinging pain against her heart. She stood a few steps away from Apple Bloom, looking at the flummoxed girl somberly.

With a slow, deep breath, her resolve worked its way up from her insides, “Apple Bloom,” she uttered.

Apple Bloom’s lip quivered, her breathing shallow and wavering. Applejack felt her heart ache as she saw tears begin to form in Apple Bloom’s eyes. Having braced herself for the inevitable, Applejack could only close her eyes when her sister’s dimensional counterpart rushed her, and with the tried and true Apple Family fortitude, slammed into her like a miniature truck. That stopped dead in its tracks against her, feeling arms wrap around her torso, and tears smother onto her freckled cheeks from Apple Bloom's.

“Applejack!” gasped Apple Bloom through her tears, embracing Applejack with the strength of a vice. “Holy Celestials, you’re alive!” she sniffed.

Despite the force from Apple Bloom’s embrace, and the burning ache in her chest, Applejack put her arms around her little sister’s dimensional counterpart and let her pour out her emotions. Applejack had been told to have always cried on the inside, but for the life of her, despite such a claim, she could not help it when she felt a streak of warm, salty fluid escape from her own eye.

Applejack almost missed the sound of a door opening adjacent of the bar, “Eh? What’s the matter there, Apple Bloom?” came another familiar voice derived of the southern twang she’d always come to associate with it.

“Now why didn’t Mole or anyone tell us we’d be having…” out came hobbling a somewhat rotund old woman, with a striking lime green complexion and a head of white hair tied in a bun, adorned in a worn, dark green dress with a quite elegantly woven multi-patterned scarf over her shoulders.

“Celestials’ mercy,” murmured Granny Smith, a hand over her heart as she beheld her granddaughter returned from the dead, no doubt wondering for if she had bit the dust for a moment. “Applejack?” she quivered, hobbling closer towards the embracing Apple siblings.

Applejack watched as the counterpart to her beloved grandmother hobbled to her side. She figured she could handle further heartache, as she held out one hand to the elderly woman, who reached out and touched it, looking like she was uncertain of what she grasped in her own wrinkled ones. Applejack could feel her tears swell further as Granny Smith joined in the embrace with Apple Bloom, still exuding strength beyond her age.

Rarity wiped away the tears from her eyes with a handkerchief as she beheld the counterparts of Apple Bloom and Granny Smith embracing whom they thought was a sister and granddaughter returned from where there was no return. She passed it to the equally emotional Fluttershy, who subsequently blew her nose before wiping away excess tears with her hands. Rarity could see how Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo stood side-by-side near the Apples, Rainbow having a hand to the huntress’ shoulder, looking forlorn, knowing that soon the once missing Apple would have to reveal the painful truth to the family.

She thought she could hear footsteps coming from upstairs. Was someone staying with the remaining Apple family? A relative? Was it one of the Hunters or an informant coming to see the commotion down below? At first, she did not pay it much mind, though she did look over curiously when she heard the clear sound of boots against the steps just above her.

A pair of tanned leather boots came stepping down first, the feet connected to legs adorned in black pants. Based on the body type, it was a woman, revealing to be wearing a pinkish white shirt with slightly puffy shoulder sleeves and a quite nicely matching magenta vest over it. They might have been in constant peril, but Rarity’s innate eye for fashion and style was just impossible to restrain for extended periods of time.

The woman descending the stairs, her skin a hue of extremely pale grey, bordering on pristine white, leaned over the railing, at which Rarity could have sworn she felt her heart stop for a few seconds. A pair of brilliant green eyes stared directly at hers from above, framed by soft curls of light greyish rose and mulberry hair.

Rarity gasped, “S-s-Sweetie Belle?!”

And with that this universe’s Cutie Mark Crusaders’ (whatever that name actually meant) line-up was complete by the unexpected arrival of Rarity’s little sister’s counterpart descending into the main floor of the Apple Hearth Inn. Sweetie Belle rushed the last steps down and around until she stood before Rarity, eyes gazing up at her in disbelief.

“Rarity…?” she whimpered, reaching out to touch Rarity’s arm, her brilliant green eyes glinting as it was her turn to shed tears, “S-sister?”

Rarity could not help being instantly shattered by her little sister’s sweet innocence at the best of times. Even with this older dimensional counterpart, that same innocence still shone forth from her eyes. Rarity reached out and took Sweetie Belle’s other hand, which tightened around hers almost upon contact.

“Oh, dear Sweetie Belle…” Rarity uttered under hear breath, “I… I didn’t expect this, I… I didn’t know I’d find you here-”

Sweetie Belle sniffled, Rarity felt her hands tightening onto hers and her arm, and feeling like she herself ready to cry seeing her sister, dimensional counterpart or not.

“You’ve come back to us?” Sweetie Belle choked, “You’re you once again?”

Rarity felt at a loss for words. She hadn’t the slightest inkling what the older Sweetie Belle before her was asking her. Her once again? Whatever could that have meant?

“Sweetie Belle, dear. This… This is going to be hard to grasp… A-and accept, but I-”

Sweetie Belle latched onto Rarity, her tears staining the faded cloak she was still adorning as she sobbed against Rarity’s shoulder.

“I forgive you, Rarity,” Sweetie Belle sniffled, embracing whom she thought was her big sister, all the while Rarity’s mind was disheveled and perturbed.

Author's Note

Granny Smith was a late addition to the story based on a dice roll. Overall, I think it decided fine, given elements I've already planned ahead.

This also marks the first moment of Fluttershy being the point of view character in the story.

Since this story has been influenced by things other than just Dark Souls, you might spot the occasional reference to these things. In fact the "husks" as I'm referring to the basic Umbra-Touched human enemies, are directly derived from an enemy from another critically acclaimed videogame franchise.

And boy do I have the perfect talent in choice of musical ambiance when writing sad scenes; was listening to this number towards the end: Rose's Theme

Chapter 7: Church Rats

Sunset Shimmer hugged her arms as she witnessed the tearful reunion of the Apple family. Of course, it was not a true reunion. The sister and granddaughter to Apple Bloom and Granny Smith thought returned was not the Applejack they knew. She was not a Scion, nor a Duchess as Andre had mentioned, she was a high school student from Canterlot High, in another dimension.

That was what made the heartfelt scene so painful. Sunset thought back to Scootaloo when they first encountered her and her Hunters in Duskwood Thicket. It was impossible to wonder which moment tugged at her heartstrings more. When she thought she couldn’t be closer to the brink of crying herself, she heard the rhythmic thumping from upstairs. Glancing upwards, Sunset at first did not heed much, her attention focused more on the Applejack, much like everyone else stood around amongst the inn’s tables in respectful silence.

It was when she heard Rarity utter something that had Sunset and Fluttershy to her right divert their attention to someone leaning over the staircase railing. When she thought the moment couldn’t get more saddening, there came yet another familiar face not truly of one’s they knew.

They watched as the dimensional counterpart of Sweetie Belle came rushing down the remaining steps, stopping before whom she thought was her sister reborn, “Rarity…? … S-sister?”

Sunset stood by Fluttershy, the animal caretaker’s eyes watering at the sheer emotional enormity overtaking the inn, placing a comforting arm around her shoulders as the two watched the scene unfold. Rarity was absolutely stunned as her sister’s counterpart reached out to touch her, no doubt just to confirm she hadn’t been overtaken by madness. Rarity reciprocated by taking Sweetie Belle’s other hand in her own.

“Oh, dear Sweetie Belle… I… I didn’t expect this, I… I didn’t know I’d find you here-”

They watched as the tears of longing seeped out of Sweetie Belle’s eyes, “You’ve come back to us? You’re you once again?”

Her once again…? Wondered Sunset at Sweetie Belle’s specific choice of words. Did she mean she was miraculously cured from her state of being a husk like the horde they witnessed outside the walls?

“Sweetie Belle, dear,” said Rarity, doing her best to remain level, but gradually failing. How could anyone in such a predicament as this? “This… This is going to be hard to grasp… A-and accept, but I-”

If proverbial heartstrings could snap, then Sunset thought she felt that very sensation inside when she witnessed Sweetie Belle throw herself into the arms of whom she thought was her sister. “I forgive you, Rarity!” she declared.

Sunset heard how Fluttershy began sobbing into her own hand at the sight of the two misconstrued reunions between loved ones. Sunset hugged Fluttershy in an attempt to console her, feeling herself how warm, salty tears seeped their way out the corners of her eyes. How she wished these reunions could be genuine; but they were not. It wasn’t fair on those people, desperate as she and the girls were for a means to get back home.

“S-Sweetie Belle…” Rarity uttered again, her voice wavering from the sheer emotion of the moment. “I… I’m not-”

“You don’t need to say anything,” sobbed Sweetie Belle, burying her face in Rarity’s shoulder. “You weren’t you; I just knew it! You’d never do anything to hurt others. Scion or not, I know my big sister!”

“Ah’… Ah’m sorry, but…” Sunset heard Applejack utter from by the bar. She watched as the farmgirl held onto the hands of her little sister and grandmother’s counterparts, her freckled cheeks stained in tears. The Element of Honesty that she inherently was could never lie. She hated lying, even if it would hurt less. “Ah’m…Ah’m not the same Applejack,” she croaked, keeping her hold onto her dimensional relatives’ hands. “Ah’m not the sister or granddaughter ya’ll lost, Ah’m…”

“What are you saying, Jackie?” asked Granny Smith, baffled. “Of course you’re… well, you. You’re standing right here, I can feel your hand, I-”

“I’m sorry, Granny Smith,” Scootaloo spoke out, having shed her bycoket in a show of respect. The huntress rubbed a gloved hand over her cheek, reciprocated by Rainbow Dash putting a comforting hand on her shoulder. “I thought so the first time myself but…” she sniffed, “these aren’t the same people come back to us.”

Applejack shot a glare at the huntress, “What are you on about, Scoots? How could you say that?!” She pointed a finger towards Rainbow, “Rainbow Dash is standing right there, and there’s Rarity, and Fluttershy and Sunset, and Twilight. Everyone-”

“It’s true, Apple Bloom,” said Twilight readjusting her glasses after wiping her own tears away. “We aren’t the same people.”

Archivist Neighsay stepped forth from the sidelines, “Perhaps it’s best if we explain it slowly…”

“So, let me see if I got this straight,” said Apple Bloom, her lack of the southern twang common to the family in their home world being something Applejack was finding hard to get accustomed to, “you’re saying she’s not our Applejack, but that she’s from a place where there’s people, just like us, but living different lives?”

“That’s about the size of it, yes,” said Twilight in confirmation.

The lot of them had set down chairs from atop the tables to sit down and rest, while the Hunters got busy distributing drinks and some food for everyone, now that they were for the most part safe inside the Apple Hearth Inn. They made it a point to keep as few candles lit as possible while keeping the shutters closed to not rouse suspicion from outside. Currently, Maddie and Night Quill assumed covert positions behind a window each, keeping an ear out for both guards, as well as Maud, Spike and Pinkie.

Applejack had assumed a place around one of the round tables with Apple Bloom, Granny Smith, Archivist Neighsay and Twilight to better help explain the no-doubt outrageous claims they were making over their identities. Apple Bloom, though sounding a might frustrated, seemed to accept to a degree, while Granny Smith appeared to have a hard time grasping the concept, appearing to have gone into a mild state of shock. At the table next to them gathered Rarity with Sweetie Belle, the former trying to explain the same to her sister’s counterpart with help from Sunset, Scootaloo, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash.

“It’s a mighy bit confoundin’, Ah’ know,” said Applejack, herself not making it a point to even try hiding her natural accent; she was not Applejack of Equis, but Applejack of Canterlot and she would speak how she always did, “but the best Ah’ can put it is that Ah’ have my own Apple Bloom, and Granny Smith out there… An’ of course Big Macintosh.” She looked around, “Is, um, is he around- Ah’-Ah’ mean… Oh horseapples…” she muttered, smacking a hand against her cheek in shame. “Ah’m sorry, Ah’ jus’ don’t…”

“Your brother went to look for you, when you didn’t return from the hold…” muttered Granny Smith, seeming to have gone into a semi-catatonic state. “He never returned…” Neighsay put a comforting hand over hers on the table.

“Lady Smith is undoubtedly referring to the fall of Twilight Mire, back when the, well, end fell upon us,” Said Neighsay informingly. “The Mire wasn’t exactly the best defended, so when the Umbra-Touched came they overran the farmlands. Duchess Applejack refused to surrender and she continued to hold down Sweet Apple Acre to the last. Most everyone presumed her dead…”

“Big Macintosh didn’t,” replied Apple Bloom, her hands intertwined together tightly atop the table. “Big brother went to find you and bring you back, but he didn’t come back. It’s been two years since…”

“Aw gosh, Ah’m so sorry…” said Applejack glumly, holding a hand over her chest. Stubborn to the end her counterpart seemed, just like herself, though the accounts made her question whether she truly would stand to fight to the last against such overwhelming odds. “So then… How did ya’ll escape?” Apple Bloom seemed dumbstruck by that question. “What’s wrong?”

Apple Bloom shook her head, “Nothing, nothing. Just… Sweet Divines, the real you would know we’ve ran Apple Hearth Inn for ages.” Applejack nodded in acknowledgement. “Ever since your ascendance to Scion, you made it a point to letting Granny Smith live it easier here in Moonlink while you and big brother ruled over the holdings.”

Such a notion Applejack had to commend her late counterpart for. Back home it was a near daily ritual of telling Granny Smith to take it easy, but a mix of Apple family fortitude and stubbornness had kept the matriarch of the family well rooted in the dealings of the family business on top of her duties as the lunch lady at CHS. As far as Applejack knew it, Granny would never let herself be constrained to a retirement home, so it made sense for the Applejack of this world to place her in a less strenuous, but fulfilling role running a rather high-end inn and tavern from the looks of it.

“Even across different worlds, an Apple’s an Apple,” said Applejack fondly. “Always workin’ an’ lookin’ out for each other…” They may have been counterparts, but Applejack’s innate pride in her family made them feel all the same as those back home. The feeling was made all the more tragic that this world’s Applejack was not coming back…

“But then…” uttered Sweetie Belle as despair emanated from her eyes, “if you’re not really my sister, doesn’t it mean she’s…?”

“Sweetie Belle, please,” said Rarity softly, holding to her sister’s counterpart’s hands as they sat facing one another, “tell me what happened. What did the… other me, do before she… Before she died?”

Sweetie Belle sniffled loudly, “She isn’t dead!” Her hold onto Rarity’s hands tightened, “My sister is not dead!”

“Listen Sweetie,” Scootaloo came up from behind and placed hands onto her grieving friend’s shoulders, “I understand it’s hard to wrap your mind around it. I’m still wishing it were the case that this was our Rainbow Dash, but we have to accept-”

“It’s not that!” Sweetie Belle blurted. “I saw her before the exodus! My sister wasn’t dead. She’s…” A fresh stream of tears ran down her cheeks, eliciting Rarity to scoot closer and embrace her, the fashionista gently patting her back.

Rarity shushed softy, “It’s okay, dear. It’s okay.”

“What do you suppose she means?” asked Fluttershy, the animal caretaker having been able to compose herself, all the while her new friend, Winifred the rat, nibbled on a piece of bread offered atop the table.

Sunset pursed her lips, rubbing her arms underneath the cloak she was provided. Despite the noticeable warmth inside the inn as opposed to the cold air of the eternal night outside, she still felt quite chilly, once more cursing herself for having worn her lighter choice in outfit. She saw how Applejack was deep in conversing with her family’s counterparts past Rarity embracing the hysterical alternate Sweetie Bell, all the while the rest of the crew remained in respectful silence.

Two hunters, Maddie and Night Quill watched the windows while Lyra and Bon-Bon sat side-by-side at the foot of the staircase, the former having finally been awarded the chance to shed her helmet. They sat silently on guard, all the while Lyra had an arm around Bon-Bon’s back, the two of them leaning into each other.

Scootaloo sat herself back down and reached for a green bottle with a wicker enclosed base, and took two gulps of whatever beverage it contained. She offered the bottle to Rainbow, who merely shrugged before accepting the bottle and in an almost perfect recreation, took two gulps. She looked at the label on the bottle, nodding in approval.

“Hmm, apple cider,” she remarked, offering the bottle to Sunset, who graciously declined.

“I guess the rumors were true then,” said Scootaloo before taking a chunk out a piece of bread with her teeth. After a moment of thoughtful chewing, she resumed, “They say Duchess Rarity went insane during the fall, to which she became obsessed with retaining her hold on the city of Lapis, all the while the Umbra-Touched razed it to the ground.” Another contemplative moment of silence followed.

A thought came across Sunset on Scootaloo’s words. “Didn’t they attack Moonlink too? Despite all the carnage outside, the city seems to be holding… Structurally at least,” she added hastily on Scootaloo’s scoff. Moonlink was not holding, not the way it should have, at the very least.

Scootaloo seemed to resume pondering on Sunset’s words, all the while Rainbow helped herself to another gulp of cider before passing the bottle back to Scootaloo.

“For whatever reason, the cities ruled by the Scions fell under heaviest attack. Some say the Umbra’s creatures did so deliberately, as if the attacks were deliberately orchestrated,” said Scootaloo, before taking another swig. “Honestly; I don’t buy it. Umbra-Touched are nothing more than instinctually driven monsters.”

Sweetie Belle had begun to calm down under Rarity’s care, the two having resumed their previous places, though still holding hands. “You… I mean…”

Sweetie Belle hesitated, though Rarity motioned her understanding of her choice of words, “The city, you… You wanted everyone to stay and fight, all the while everyone was already fleeing for their lives, out of Lapis. I tried to get you to come with us, but you… You called us all traitors for running away.”

Rarity glanced uncomfortably at Sunset’s general direction, “Traitors?”

Sweetie Belle nodded stiffly, “Lord Toity was trying to escort me away, but you caught us before he could. He entrusted me to Lady De Lis’ protection while he stood his ground… You said… You said that failure to serve you will be rewarded with… with death…”

Fluttershy outwardly gasped at Sweetie Belle’s words, nor did it fail to rouse a shiver down Sunset’s spine. Rarity, be it any she’d known, the embodiment of generosity with the very soul of charitability, would never wish harm upon others for not catering to her whims. There was no way any duress in the universe could taint her like that… Right?

“So the rumors were right after all…” muttered Scootaloo.

Rarity stuttered, “W-what happened then?”

Sweetie looked down upon their hands, “Lord Toity and you fought, while Lady De Lis led me to safety. Most of us managed to reach and hold out in Citrinesburgh, until the Knight Centurions decided it was not feasible to remain, so we were all forced to evacuate further west, to Moonlink.”

“Yea…” Scootaloo spoke up, “I was here too. Rainbow Dash ordered me south, granted me express permission to reside in her manor in the nobles’ district. I refused to just sit and wait, so I took part in the defense of the hold during the influx of refugees. The city couldn’t hold everyone, and it came close to a riot, hadn’t High Priestess Starlight Glimmer stepped out to mediate. In the end roughly half the refugees were granted asylum, while the Knight Centurions took the remaining further west, to Sunlink. Not sure about Anor Equis.”

“We’ve been holed up here ever since, not knowing what to do,” said Sweetie Belle wearily. “When High Priestess Starlight Glimmer disappeared and Cinch took over, it’s been literal hell in here; not knowing when someone will be dragged off and exiled next.”

“Oi!” Maddie called out from her post at the window. “It looks like they made it. Someone get the door.”

Bon-Bon leapt up from her spot and undid the series of locks on the hefty oak door. Maud came stomping inside in her ‘Armor of Boulder’ as she called it, complete with a hefty sash slung on her back bearing the remaining gear the rest couldn’t carry. Spike came scampering inside, right into Twilight’s awaiting arms, praising her little assistant. But there was no sign of-

“Hi girls!” shouted Pinkie, popping up from out of nowhere. “Lowdown; I hit my foot, I swore, and this fake beard is so unbelievably itchy!” she declared, pulling a rubber band from the confines of the hair brushed around her jawline, to which the curly pink fluff sprung back to its regular placement with a ‘sproing’. “Oh, hi Apple Bloom, hi Granny Smith, hi Sweetie Belle- Whaaaaaaa…?!”

After Pinkie getting the shock out of her system and Maud unloading the remaining armaments of the crew, as well as emerging from her impossibly heavy armor herself, the Hunters gathered around the table adjacent to the door, where Neighsay produced the map of Moonlink, as well as a few other papers from within his sleeves and spread them out. While Applejack remained with Apple Bloom and Granny Smith and Rarity with Sweetie Belle, Sunset and the rest wordlessly invited themselves to the Hunters’ huddle.

“Alright, so we’re inside the city, what now?” asked Sunset.

“I’ve been pondering as much as I could, in the wake of the…” Neighsay glanced back at the Apple family glumly, “… Well… Point is, we won’t have long until Cinch will enact the exile of many citizens for the sake of ‘public stability’. We need to find a way to not only stop this from happening, but also find the whereabouts, or fate, of our previous High Priestess and should she still be among us, provide her liberation.”

“We certainly can’t just storm the castle, that’s for sure,” remarked Twilight, eliciting a snicker from Pinkie, but that went largely ignored.

“Why don’t I just super-speed over to the cathedral and see what’s what?” asked Rainbow, no doubt eager for action once more.

“No offence, Rainbow, but every time you speed off on your own you usually end up in a bigger mess,” remarked Sunset.

Rainbow pouted, “Like that time with Twiggy?”

Sunset held up her hands, “Okay, most of the time. Besides, that wasn’t so much reconnaissance as it was thinking on your feet during combat.”

“I’ll have to agree with Sunset; you’re better thinking on your feet during moments of duress,” said Twilight.

“Um, excuse me-”

“I have to agree with Lady Shimmer and Sparkle; subtlety is our best bet to see to it High Priestess Starlight Glimmer is found.” Neighsay stroked his goatee in contemplation.

“All fourteen of us won’t be able to make it for certain, what with the guard patrols,” added Scootaloo.

“If I may-”

“What if it’s just a few of us while the rest lay low here?” asked Sunset.

“Even if just a few of us went to try and find Starlight Glimmer, the cathedral is a veritable maze for the unaffiliated, barring myself, of course, but even then it’s not assured we can find her in time before the expulsion, for I know not where Cinch holds her important prisoners,” explained Neighsay. “For all we know she might have moved her to a separate location, and Mole and none of our informants have found any clue to such whereabouts.”

“Everyone-”

“Hey, I think Fluttershy’s-” came Pinkie, when a light-yellow hand abruptly slammed against the table, causing everyone in the room to jump. “Oh, never mind.”

With all attention on the animal caretaker, Fluttershy cleared her throat. “As I was trying to say, my new friend Winifred here; he says his cousin and his wife and their- How many was it?” She abruptly asked the rat currently perched on her shoulder, which promptly let out a series of peeps. “Oh my; thirty-eight children, and fourteen of their extended families, live inside the cathedral. He says they know the ins and outs of the place like the backs of their paws.”

Sunset couldn’t help but snicker at the looks of utter bafflement the Umbra-Hunters had, looking between Fluttershy and the sniffing little brown rodent perched next to her head. After a humorous moment of silence, the lot of them seemed to straighten up in whatever idle motions they could come up with, be it Night Quill politely coughing into his hand, Maddie putting her hands behind her back and balancing on the soles of her feet, Neighsay stroking his goatee once more, etcetera.

“Hmm, yes, well…” Neishsay cleared his throat, “It appears our new friend, Mr. Winifred…”

“He says just Winifred will suffice,” giggled Fluttershy.

“Winifred, has actually granted us an advantage. If Lady Fluttershy and maybe a few others at most were to infiltrate the cathedral, we just might succeed in finding Lady Glimmer and… Oh my, I believe I just came upon something absolutely brilliant!” The archivist looked up, a glint in his weary eyes.

“You sure it’s not just the apple wine talking?” chuckled Night Quill.

“It was one glass and you damn well know it,” retorted Neighsay. “Don’t you see? The answer is right in front of us, literally.”

Sunset looked amongst the girls before pointing to herself, “You mean us?”

“Exactly,” beamed Neighsay. “As far as everyone else knows; the Scions have fallen, but yet we have you here! Different world or not; you seven are exactly like them, both in appearance and voices… Well, barring Lady Applejack’s strange choice in vernacular. No offence.”

“Say what now?” called Applejack from her table.

“Ooooh, I see where this is going,” said Pinkie, a broad smile forming on her lips.

“Lady Pie; are you saying you’re pondering what I’m pondering?” asked Neighsay, seeming quite jovial in comparison to his normally formal, if somewhat dour, persona.

“You bet! Now if we only had a towel that would be something…” said Pinkie, smiling like a scheming kitten while twiddling her fingers.

Neighsay’s mouth lined at whatever was going through the pink party girl’s mind, “… Excuse me?”

Sunset chuckled, “I think I get the picture… Err, I mean I understand; you want us to pretend that we’re the Scions, since people looked up to them.”

“And most certainly still would!” exclaimed Scootaloo. “If we were to declare the Scions of the Moonlight province having returned, we could sway the populace and guards to our side over Cinch.”

“Pardon me, but,” Rarity came up to the assemblage, looking less certain than the rest, “what about me? You heard what Sweetie Belle said; the me of this world, she… For all we know she killed one of the lords of the land, and since some of the people here are refugees from her city.”

“People don’t actually know of it,” called Sweetie Belle as she joined the gathering. “Lady De Lis insisted we keep the secret of my sister’s… madness. It was to ensure hope, that she and Lord Toity gave themselves up, along with the remaining city guard, to ensure our escape, and that they might have survived to join us later. Of course, it hasn’t come to pass…”

Rarity, despite not being specifically herself involved, couldn’t help but sigh in relief. Sunset could empathize, for it was united that their group would be at their strongest.

“Speakin’ of,” Applejack joined everyone else around the table, “how’re we gonna proceed with this?”

“Weeellll,” mused Pinkie playfully, “I saw, assuming I’m reading this right, that there’s a stage in the square, right?”

“Technically it’s just a platform, but-”

“Perfect!” cried Pinkie, cutting off Scootaloo’s answer. “Just leave the kettles to me, and the lot of you get up there on my mark.” Everyone stared at the party girl in confusion. Pinkie groaned from exasperation; “The guards. I’ll distract the guards, you lot get to the square and let it be known their lords and masters have returned, and I shall join you shortly.”

“A tad extreme with how you define “Scions”, but that could work,” said Scootaloo, with maybe a lick of uncertainty. “Then all that remains is getting the rescue team to the cathedral. But who should go other than Fluttershy?”

Sunset threw up her hand immediately, “I’ll go. If your distraction works we shouldn’t face too much opposition. However,” she grasped at the sheath of her rapier, “Fluttershy is not fighter, so I’ll be there to protect her. And I can use my power to peer into people’s minds if need be.”

“I’ll go with you too,” said Twilight. “I can use mine to pick locks, and seeing as they are not as advanced here as they are back home, we should be able to get inside places we’re not meant to see.”

“I’m going with you,” said Spike.

Twilight looked at her companion with concern, “Spike, this could be dangerous, you-”

“Of course, it’s dangerous,” said Spike defiantly. “Everything here is dangerous. That’s why I’m not letting you out of my sight, nor smell, nor hearing. I can’t fight, but I know enough that you humans wouldn’t be anywhere without us dogs.”

“He has a point, Twilight,” said Scootaloo, arms crossed. “A canine companion like Spike can prove beneficial. Let alone one like Spike. It would be foolish to leave him behind.”

Twilight, though undoubtedly reluctant, sighed in defeat, bending down to pick up their little mascot, “Alright, feisty rascal you. You’re coming with us.” A satisfied huff escaped Spike, smiling proudly.

“Well then, Ah’ guess that’s the rescue team ready,” replied Applejack enthusiastically. “Now all that remains is how we’re gettin’ ya’ll to the cathedral.”

“That part will be the most difficult I should say,” remarked Night Quill. “We got past the patrols just barely, and I don’t like the idea of risking the three of you being captured.”

“I might be able to help with that,” came Apple Bloom, pointing a thumb over her shoulder. “We’ve got a wagon out back. Every day the guards will be moving provisions to and from the cathedral all around the city. A few of you could pull that over to the cathedral in disguise while the rest hide in the wagon.”

“I suppose that could work,” Scootaloo nodded. “Lyra, Bon-Bon, you two don disguises and get those three to the cathedral. Try to join us over at the market square if you can. Otherwise, should anything go wrong, regroup at Mole’s and wait for us. If anything happens to us, you’ll need to keep up the fight.”

“Ma’am,” the two saluted in unison with their hands to the chests.

“I suppose this is the best we can do on such short notice,” mused Neighsay, grimly. “Nevertheless, time is of the essence.” He turned to Scootaloo, “Lady Scootaloo, in the event if we fail,” he placed a hand to the young huntress’ shoulder, “I wish you to know that it’s been an honor serving with you, all of you.”

The Hunters all shared a formal salute before their appointed leader. Scootaloo reciprocated the notion before them, before donning her bycoket once again.

“Your counterpart really chose the perfect leader,” remarked Sunset to Rainbow Dash.

“I know,” replied Rainbow. “When all of this is done and we save the world; I bet she’d make a fine Scion…”

The ride was packed, dark, and smelled slightly vinegary. Sunset couldn’t even peer through the open bunghole on the side due to her height, all the while keeping a tight hold on her sheathed rapier to prevent it from knocking against the sides. The steady rumble of wheels rolling against cobblestones was the only constant she could perceive from her visually deprived hiding spot. More than once had the cart come to a stop, followed by the exchange of words between guards and predominately Bon-Bon, using her fake voice to great effect.

Finally, after an uncomfortable while being cooped up inside the stuffy container, faint light seeped its way inside, indicating the tarp on top had been removed. With a soft knock on the side, Sunset knocked the pommel of her sword against the top until it popped off, earning her the sweet relief of fresh air while slowly raising her head from within the barrel. Fluttershy was fumbling her way out of the potato sack she’d hidden inside of; all the while Twilight lifted the hatch to the small crate she and Spike occupied aboard the cart. Bon-Bon got busy helping the three off while Lyra stood on guard by the corner of what Sunset assumed to be the larder.

Sunset found herself unable to not marvel at the sheer size of the cathedral: From the distance she’d seen the lone central spire rising far above any other building in the city. From cursory looks at the city map, the building had a circular layout, with the entire structure being surrounded by smaller spires around its walls, which came to connect to the building itself with high grand buttresses. Occupying the wide space between two of such was an extension to the building with a wide, heavy door; the larder.

Encircling the building was a grand moat, one of the five stone bridges visible a short distance away over which they had made their way onto the cathedral grounds. To her amazement, the grounds themselves were a garden, but unlike anything she’d seen before, with pure white trees with coiling trunks reaching towards the eternal night sky, their leaves aglow with an ethereal blue light.

“We’ve got a bit of a problem,” said Bon-Bon with a hush. “Door’s locked.”

“Leave it to me,” said Twilight, going over to the large door, taking a peek inside the keyhole with her keychain lamp. Sunset watched intently as Twilight raise her other hand, her Geode glowing a faint violet, her fore and middle fingers swerving slowly. With a loud ‘clunk’ the door swung slightly ajar inwards.

Bon-Bon nodded with a look of amazement, “Perfect! Lyra and I will take our leave. Good luck in there.”

“You too,” said Sunset as the two hunters took their leave in their guard disguises. She took a deep breath of the nippy night air, doing her best to calm her nerves in the wake of entering enemy territory. “Alright… You ready for this?”

Twilight nodded in acknowledgement, as did Spike in her arms, while Fluttershy, in addition, held up Winifred the rat in her hands, the rodent already squeaking instructions through Fluttershy’s animal empathy.

“Winifred says his first cousin once removed is just through here, past the kitchens,” she informed the two. “She or anyone of the extended family should know the ins and outs.”

“Perfect,” smirked Sunset, gripping the sheath of her rapier, “let’s get going. The faster we find Starlight Glimmer, the better. If not, at least we can hope the rest might get the public on their side.”

With that, they entered the larder, Fluttershy leading them by way of Winifred’s directions.

Starlight Glimmer found herself once again needing to acclimate as her body reversed its metamorphosis back from human to her regular pony form. The immediate sense of vertigo from the mismatched posture in lieu of her naturally intended quadrupedal posture made her twirl around before collapsing, with only a pile of books to cushion her fall. Shaking her head to alleviate the disorientation, she realized the crystal had slipped from the non-existent grasp her hooves provided. Fortunately, the crystalline siphon landed only a short distance from the mirror, allowing her to easily draw it closer with her telekinesis.

With her task completed, Starlight took the siphon over to the hastily assembled alchemy set-up the Princess provided her, giving Starlight express permission to commence with any testing should she herself still be busy. She levitated the crystal and set it sideways onto a frame, after which she positioned a pair of electrodes to both ends, taking meticulous care to ensure they were perfectly aligned with the stone’s tips. Now all that remained was but a spark to bleed the energies within into the connected spherical vial for a sample-

The bang of the door almost caused an electrode to drop right off the table, but a reflexive grasp with her magic allowed her to save the delicate instrument. The sound of hooves carried over, belonging to a familiar mulberry alicorn with a blue mane with streaks of purple and magenta nearly galloping to her side.

“You’ve returned,” said Twilight, her eyes focusing on the now blackened crystal. “How was it? Was the school alright? Did anyone see anything?”

“The statue was destroyed, but the school was fine,” said Starlight in alleviation to her mentor’s fears. “Principal Celestia was unreachable. It turns out she took a nasty conk on the head and was in hospital for a concussion…”

“Oh dear…” muttered Twilight. “I’m certain it has to be a coincidence, it must be…”

“Coincidence?” asked Starlight. “Why? Was it something to do with Princess Celestia?”

“Yes,” said Twilight gravely, “and Princess Luna!” Starlight felt her breath cease for a moment. “Both of them are just… I don’t know what it is; a coma it seems. We tried to revive them using less conventional methods, but nothing’s worked so far. Somnambula and Mage Meadowbrook relieved me and are trying to come up with an alternative solution while Star Swirl works to find any magic that we might have overlooked.”

“A coma?!” Starlight gasped. “I… Honestly I didn’t expect the Princesses to be able to succumb to ordinary ailments.”

Twilight, taking over, adjusted the previously dropped electrode, realigning them with the ends of the siphon, “I’ve never even heard of Princess Celestia getting sick once since I’ve known her. Though calling it a coma might be misleading; it seems more like some imposed hibernation from the looks of it. Their metabolisms had decreased to bare minimum, on top of no reaction to any stimulus.”

“You don’t suppose what’s happened here could be connected to whatever happened to Sunset and the girls?” asked Starlight, taking a moment to send a jolt of magic into a miniaturized lightning rod set on the worktable, the energy coursing through the copper conductors to form and arc running through the electrodes, the siphon and the vial.

“I don’t know,” Twilight muttered, the both of them watching intently as the jolt forced whatever energy the siphon had gathered began to slowly seep into the vial, taking the form of a black substance best defined as looking like ooze with the wafting properties of smoke. It coalesced into a sphere within the crystalline vial, which began to grow as the blackness of the siphon began to erode away back into a pristine white. “I just hope they’ll be alright, wherever it is they are as of now.”

Starlight couldn’t help leaning in closer, watching in trepidatious amazement as the blackness swelled within the vial. Though small and harmless(?) inside the vial, looking at it brought about an inexplicable sense of dread. As it continued to grow, a shudder raced through the unicorn’s spine, the shudder ending in an uncontrollable flick of her tail. As it continued to bleed into the repository, she thought she could feel the light itself drain from the room around them, and the air growing colder.

“What is this…?” she wondered aloud, when something within felt like it was staring at her through the crystalline glass. A small tendril of the blackness splattered itself against the side of the phial, a deafening shriek calling out that felt to reverberate throughout the entire castle.

Author's Note

Okay, after over a year of hiatus, here's chapter seven of Umbral Souls. I'll see how people feel like and whether or not this story can hold a candle to my other project. Honestly, I'm still uncertain which story is worth continuing.

Chapter 8: Liberation

As soon as the patrol of Moonlink guards were well away from earshot, Pinkie popped her head out of the empty rain barrel on the corner of a presumed vacated homestead. Taking a look and a hard listen for any sounds of shuffling mail or boots on the ground, the coast seemed clear (added with the thought of where such an idiom originated in the first place). As such, it was safe to resume her work. The intention; the perfect distraction.

It was no secret in the least, that if there was anyone in the unfathomable vastness of the multiverse, that if there was anyone more than qualified for ensnaring the attention of others; it was her, or her name wasn’t Pinkamena Diane Pie (which it was). Of course, with the limited window of time and proper resources (despite ample amounts of towels at the inn), rather than the usual idea of people’s desire for a good party; she had to make do with the next best thing: A kaboom.

Under most circumstances she’d had the perfect tool for the job; her party cannon. Of course, she did not have her cannon with her (a notion that still baffled her as to how the writer could have possibly deprived her of something so intrinsic to her character). But she did have magic on her side. Magic, and just the right amount of the equally magical compound known as β-D-fructofuranosyl α-D-glucopyranoside. Colloquially known as sugar.

Indeed, packed up into a small bunch a good ten feet away from her hiding spot was a stack of three packages of sugar, with a line of it running down to her position, where it diverted to another line leading down the street, snuggly confined to a gap running between the cobblestones, which also did well to obscure the trail from onlookers. At the end of that she’d set up another charge in the next alley between the buildings, and yet another further down from that. And if there was anything she’d learned about explosions: You couldn’t make do with only one; that was just obvious. You would require three at minimum.

Clambering out of the barrel, she took one last cautionary look around. “Operation Sweet Release of Boom-Boom is a go-go,” she declared in hushed whispers. Rubbing her hands together from excited anticipation, with a touch of her geode she primed her magic, then with the dab of a finger, the lines of sugar began to fizzle, a spark trailing along just like it was gunpowder. To her satisfaction, it went fast, just like in the cartoons.

As Pinkie let herself be lost in a cackling fit of satisfaction, her fingers gnarling viciously at the giddiness of the moment, all the while she seemed to go wall-eyed in the midst of her laughter. She abruptly ceased when something of importance came to mind: “Ohhh, right: I’m supposed to get away…” As soon as she realized, the ignition line was mere inches away from the charge.

In a wild double take, her body instinctually flung itself back inside the rain barrel where she curled up and covered her ears for the impending detonation. Any second now…

“Are you sure we shouldn’t have considered something else?” asked Rainbow as she stood huddled in an alleyway between two buildings near the market square, doing her best to remain out of sight, dreading at the moment when a patrol would spot either of their groups as they awaited for Pinkie’s signal.

Applejack replied with a sharp hush. “Keep it down.”

“Don’t fret, Rainbow, I’m sure Pinkie will pull through,” said Rarity, albeit her tone suggested she wasn’t herself wholly confident on the plan. “I’m more concerned she doesn’t end up blowing half the block… er, street? … Whatever, sky-high with the amount she helped herself.”

“Not gonna lie, that’s also what sort of worries me…” muttered Rainbow. Just then the sound of boots on cobblestones and jingling mail emanated from behind. The three of them knelt down, trying to appear as small and un-seeable as they could. After a pair of polearm wielding guards walked by the entry into the alley, she exhaled in relief. “C’mon, Pinks, what the heck are you-?”

“… Where’s the kaboom?” Pinkie asked aloud. “There was supposed to be an ear-shattering kaboom.” Peeking her head out the top of the barrel. There was the impromptu charge tucked away underneath some refuse. The trail of sugar and burned away to nothing, with the odd errant spark spurting from the sugar packets.

How was this possible? Throughout her experience with her magic, Pinkie was certain she could affect any form of sugar, right down to fructose, on account of that little accident in the cafeteria. Did she get salt by mistake? … No, she distinctly recalled tasting it beforehand: It was most certainly pure. Was Equis sugar somehow different? If she couldn’t cause some kind of head-turner for the guards, then the plan was a bust.

Dejected at both her failure and being deprived living out one of her fantasies, Pinkie slouched, resting her jaw against the rim of the barrel, “Oh fiddles-”

An abrupt boom tore through the hauntingly still air of Equis, followed immediately by sharp whistles like a flurry of fireworks had been set off all at the same time. Rainbow felt her body freeze in trepidation, seeing who might have been the exact same guards from earlier running back the way they’d come from. From the other end of the alleyway, several more guards in blue tabards and kettle hats came rushing, right into that very alleyway!

When the first two had made their way in, they both stopped upon realizing their positions. Rainbow worked fast, and with two light-speed conks on their heads with the shafts of her cudgels, they were out cold. She saw how Rarity bound a third one’s arms in a ring of gemstones, leaving her open for Applejack to knock her out with the blunt of her axe.

Just when things could get more hectic, another explosion rang out nearby, added with what might have been a building crumbling down.

“Ah’ think that’s our cue!” called Applejack, before springing into action. A few guards were still present, but it was a chance they had to take, to which Rainbow sped out ahead in a blur.

Through her unique perspective when in superspeed, she could see the Umbra-Hunters charging out of their own respective hiding places. Maud came charging out at the front, having shed most of her armor, with only her stone gauntlets and massive dragon tooth club hefted over one shoulder, which she used to ram through a pair of guards, knocking them away like a charging bull. One of them managed to reach out and snag onto her ankle, but much to Rainbow’s amazement, the added heft did nothing to slow Maud down and said guard was soon sent flying away from the momentum. Behind Maud, Scootaloo ran up and knocked the other guard out with an uncanny method of gripping her sword by the blade and whacking him across the face with the pommel. This was good, for one thing they all unanimously had agreed upon; absolutely no fatalities.

Trusting her friends to be able to make it, Rainbow ran farther, entering the wide expanse of the market square. Where once there would have been stands and stalls for the good, free people of Moonlink to go about commerce, the space was largely vacant, save for sandbag battlements and a few carts, and the cages. Three of them, wrought from iron, all of them filled with people, ready to be carted outside the city walls as fodder for the Umbra-Touched to prey on. Many guards had remained. A few too many than she liked, but she knew she could manage.

A third explosion tore through the endless night, dozens of guards rushing through the streets to inspect the ruckus, the uncomfortably vacant streets becoming a hive of activity. An entire building had crumbled down to its very foundations, kicking off a cloud of dust and dirt, all the while the guards clamored in questions and shock, when suddenly the building beside had one of its walls come crumbling down on top of the heap.

In the midst of the chaos, they seemed completely ignorant of the rain barrel that went rolling down the street, almost like it was doing so deliberately, particularly when it took a sharp turn northward and continued on its way. Through the entire predicament, not one paid a single thought on the lonely container, nor did anyone have the mind to stop it.

The Umbra Hunters continued fending off any pursuers. Maddie took the time to get one particularly burly one into a chokehold, holding the flat of her blade over his neck with both hands while Night Quill socked him across the face with a fist. Another made the grave mistake of carelessly charging at Maud, who was in an almost casual manner leaning against her great mace, only to abruptly stomp on the guard’s toes. Before he could so much as whine, the unusually strong Pie sister (with aid from the Ring of Boulder) grabbed him by the neck of his tabard, and with a double twirl, sent him flying.

“Yaaaaaaa-hoo-hoo-hoo-hooey!” screamed the guard before plummeting into the canal separating the artisan and market districts of Moonlink with a splash. Maud’s face did not even flinch.

Rainbow watched as Scootaloo led Neighsay onto the platform at the center of the square, where Cinch had seemingly set up a hangman’s noose. All the while Applejack and Rarity hurried over to the cages.

“Stand back, Ah’ll get ya out,” said Applejack, touching her geode to prime her powers. Taking hold of the cage door with both hands while propping a foot against the structure for balance. With a protesting squeal, the farmgirl effortlessly pulled it off its hinges.

Rarity in turn took a more delicate approach: Using her geode she conjured a disk-shaped gemstone with seemingly paper-thin edges, slipping it into the gap between the frame and hatch. With some added force; the gem sawed through the bar within the lock, the door slowly swinging open with a satisfying squeak on its rusty hinges. All the while Applejack was soon over and done with the third cage, tossing its dislodged door aside.

The townspeople set for what might as well have been an embellished execution warily filed their way out of the cages: Men, women, even some who might as well have still been children of many combinations of colors in both skin and hair, some whom Rainbow thought she might have recognized from back home; thinking she recognized the likes of Roseluck, Silver Spoon, as well as Vinyl Scratch (wondering how the naming convention would work here, if she had the same name). Although she could see why Vinyl was one of the prisoners given their version’s propensity for going against rules and regs on many occasions.

Soon the gathered townsfolk began to stare as Neighsay held out his arms atop the square’s platform to gain attention, all the while the Hunters assembled to the side in anticipation of an assault by returning city guards. “People of Moonlink, hear me! I am Archivist Neighsay, service to High Priestess Starlight Glimmer of the Church of the Moon!” he called out to the people. “Like you, I was exiled from our last known bastion of safety by the usurper, Abacus Cinch, in her bid for power. But with the aid of these brave warriors and fellow exiles, our Umbra Hunters, I come to you now, to bring you hope!”

With no urging, Rainbow Dash was the first of the three to reveal herself to the populace, lifting the silvery blue horse-headed helm from her head, unveiling her rainbow-patterned hair for all to see, to which Applejack and Rarity soon followed suit, lifting their own disguises before the gathered crowd. The hushed murmuring of the gathered citizens of Moonlink fell to complete silence, scores of eyes staring up at them in what amounted to a potpourri of disbelief, shock and amazement.

All when a barrel came rolling down into the square, everyone’s focus turning to the container which, against any conceivable form of realism, propped itself up almost perfectly beside the platform. Before nary a question could be presented, it let out a burst of confetti; Pinkie Pie in all her pink puffy glory leapt out, landing on the ground, legs split apart and her arms held out in a grandiose gesture.

“We’re baaaack~!”

The interior of the Cathedral of the Moon was slightly less frigid than the cold night air of Equis, what with Sunset having relinquished her shard for the time being for safekeeping over at Apple Hearth Inn, the unanimous decision being its undoubted hampering of stealth. The larder of the cathedral had been unexpectedly better stocked than Sunset had believed, what with the dozens of barrels and numerous jars of preserves. The question of how the people could continue to feed themselves after two years of unending night was not lost on her, all the while feeling a tinge of indignant anger over how these resources were being hoarded by an opportunistic monster like Cinch.

Fluttershy, holding Winifred in her hands, listening to what Sunset could only fathom as directions being peeped by the helpful rat, led them through another door into a room that, while still quite dim, was illuminated, and bore some semblance of warmth, courtesy of a crackling fire. It was a kitchen: Heavyset oaken tables were set up in two rows of three with the odd knife, cutting boards and some other kitchenware like bowls on top, while above wrought iron pots and pans hung from racks clung to the ceiling with sturdy chains. Along the wall to the right from the larder door were wood burning stoves; made up of bricks with heat conducting iron surfaces, while at the adjacent wall far back was a pair of ovens. Lastly, past the rows of tables, opposite the wall of stoves was a great open hearth with a rotary spit set over it. Any warmth was greatly appreciated, though it would not be long when Fluttershy motioned to follow past the hearth to yet another door between that and the ovens.

Inside was pitch dark; but with Twilight’s impossibly bright keychain light, the whole space became illuminated like daylight at night. Fluttershy yelped over how close she came to taking a tumble down the precariously placed flight of steps leading down. Upon their descent, the air down there being musty and earthen: A wine cellar, with great kegs lined up orderly along the walls, a series of crates to the side holding sacks what might have been potatoes, while a great ale keg perched atop sturdy timber frames sat a few feet away from the stairs.

Fluttershy briskly went over to this very barrel, where she knelt down and let Winifred down onto the ground, the rat scurrying into the tight space between the great keg and the wall: A most perfect place for a rat, or a whole family of them, to remain hidden.

“Winifred’s getting his cousin,” said Fluttershy informingly. “She’s been here the longest, so he believes she knows where they might be holding Starlight. If not, there’s his thirty-eight nieces and nephews.”

Sunset did not relish the thought of having to skulk around to thirty-eight different locations, let alone with being in hostile territory. “Greeeat,” she mouthed in false enthusiasm. “Meeting the extended family and all…”

After a while waiting, Winifred, or at least whom Sunset assumed was Winifred, scuttled out from the gap. Only for Sunset and Twilight to be taken aback when not just one, but at least a dozen more smaller rats came scurrying out behind him, their whiskered snouts sniffing about all over, before settling down in a surprisingly orderly line, perching down on their hindlegs, their focus entirely on Fluttershy. At the front of this row of rodents was Winifred and a grey rat roughly his size.

“Hello there!” said Fluttershy eagerly, squatting down in front of the rat assemblage. “It’s very nice to meet you… Gertrude? I hope us dropping in unannounced is no trouble…” The rat squeaked something in response. “Oh yes, I see your point… Yes, I can imagine it being very gloomy with not as many people around.”

Sunset carefully crept up behind Fluttershy, nudging the animal caretaker, “Fluttershy, I’m sure this is very nice for you, and Winifred and his cousin and the rest, but we’re kind of in a hurry here.”

“Oh, sorry,” mumbled Fluttershy sheepishly. “Gertrude, is there by any chance that you’d know if there’s a certain person being held somewhere in the cathedral. Her name is Starlight Glimmer; she used to be in charge here, but she’s gone missing and we’re trying to find her. We need her help to save everyone in Moonlink.”

Gertrude began to let out a series of peeps, which Fluttershy went on to listen most intently. The rodent seemed to grasp at the air, maybe some rudimentary attempt at a gesture, when a few of the smaller rats squeaked in response. “Oh, where can we find William?” To this Winifred peeped out. “Wonderful! Thank you very much, Gertrude,” said Fluttershy, gently petting the grey rat’s head with an index finger. The little rodent clearly approved.

Letting Winifred clamber back onto her palm after he snuggled slightly with Gertrude, who, along with her dozen children, scurried back into their hiding place behind the great keg, Fluttershy stood up, a triumphant smile on her face. “Gertrude says her older son William lives near the storage cellars and that there have been multiple people brought down for the past few years. He should know where they’re keeping Starlight, and Winifred knows how we can get to William.”

“Good work, Fluttershy… And Winifred,” Sunset added hastily when Fluttershy glanced at the brown rat settled comfortably on Fluttershy’s palm. “So, where do we go from here?”

“Back up into the kitchen, out of the kitchen, then immediately down the hall to the left. Come, Winifred knows where it is.”

But when Sunset had managed back up the cellar steps, the distinct shuffling of armor could be heard clear as day: A kettle hatted guard awaited at the end, slightly rotund and what Sunset thought were slightly bucked teeth peeking over his lower lip.

“Hey!” he shouted in a slightly hoarse tone, sounding strangely familiar. “You’re not supposed to be in here!”

Right when the man reached to grab her, Sunset managed to seize his wrist and pulled. The guard screamed as he went tumbling down the steps, Fluttershy and Twilight barely managing to get out of the way. As he lay motionless on the floor, Twilight tentatively brought a pair of fingers to his neck.

“He’s alive; his armor protected him from serious injury,” she remarked, when the buck-toothed guard groaned. “… Wait, isn’t this-”

“You’re supposed to be out in the cages,” came another guard; this one lankier, and had a voice that seemed to indicate everything not being quite upstairs with him. Before he had the chance to say anything further, Sunset drew out her rapier and held it dangerously close to the man’s exposed neck.

“We do not have time for this, nor do we wish to hurt you,” she hissed, keeping a steady hand as the guard stared rather blankly down at her blade. “If you value your life, and the life of your friend, and this city, you will go down there, keep quiet, and stay out of our way. Got that?”

The guard seemed to have to really consider his options and the ramifications of Sunset’s ultimatum. “Okay,” he replied absently. “Excuse me, uh, milady, yea…” he said, before seemingly deliberately tumbling down the steps with a rattle and a thump, falling right atop his comrade. The two of them groaned in great discomfort, the lanky one rolling off his thicker fellow onto the floor.

Sunset urged Twilight and Fluttershy to hurry, no telling whether or not one or the other would make good of her demand. As the door to the wine cellar was closed, Sunset considered blocking the door with something, but her conscience told her better. For all they knew; those two could be stuck down there for who knows how long, whether Cinch was deposed or not, and be forgotten.

“Weren’t those…?” Twilight began asking, when Sunset promptly cut her off.

“Snips and Snails? Definitely,” she said. “I swear, this has got to be some constant with them always falling in with the wrong crowd!”

“This way,” called Fluttershy, leading them out an ajar door on the other side of the hearth. “It’s just down here, and then the stairs down.”

“Alright, let’s hurry and find Starlight,” said Sunset determinedly. “I just hope the others managed alright on their end…”

“This is not alright!” cried Pinkie as she threw a palmful of edible glitter into a guard’s face. Despite their attempts at passive resistance, the Moonlink guards had returned with gusto, resulting in her, Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow, the Umbra Hunters and citizens getting into a brutal brawl with them.

“Will – you – lot – get – a – clue?!” shouted Rainbow in rhythm as she deflected multiple incoming blows from a guardsman’s longsword before socking her across the face to take her out, hopefully without too much injury.

“Please, we implore you!” called Neighsay from the platform, all the while urging any civilian to make their way atop. “You need not follow Cinch! There is still hope; the Scions have returned!” He tried, seemingly in vain as he held out his arms to try and shield the people behind him from any potential assault with fatal intention.

“Seriously, we don’t wanna hurt ya’ll!” yelled Applejack in desperation, parrying an incoming spear with her shield, then seizing the weapon from her attacker and snapping it in two.

Pinkie ducked and wheeled around any attacks that came her way, until to her shock a spear made impact… and was subsequently caught in the endless tangles of her puffy hair. The guard stared in bafflement, all the while trying to yank his weapon back, which only elicited yelps and cries of discomfort from Pinkie, who was in turn trying to pull herself free, but it would seem that both her and her attacker were at an impasse.

“Ow-ow-ow! Oooww!” cried Pinkie, both hands gripping at the shaft of the weapon on her end. “It’s in my floof! It’s in my floof!”

“What the bloody hell is this?!” asked the guard in frustration, all the while yanking harder, which elicited further pain from Pinkie as no doubt clumps of tangled hair were being pulled. The spectacle came to an end when Maud with an uppercut sent the man flying in an arch into the waterway some twenty feet away.

“Whew. Thanks Maud!” said Pinkie, turning to her sister’s counterpart, forgetting the spear shaft still jutting out of her hair, almost striking Maud, but the stoic Pie sister simply blocked it by raising a gauntleted hand.

“Are you okay, Pinkie?” she asked, her face the very vision of concern.

“Yea! Takes more than a spear in the head-fluff to bring down Pinkamina Diane P-”

“Behind you.”

“Huh?” Pinkie turned around, only for the spear shaft to smack an incoming guard in the face.

“My eye!” the woman screamed, stumbling away with both hands to what was undoubtedly going to bruise.

“To your left,” said Maud, Pinkie once again turning to face down her attacker, but like last time, the spear shaft somehow attained enough momentum to smack the kettle helmeted man on the side of the head with enough force to knock him over.

“Whoa!” said Pinkie, bobbing her head, with which the shaft bobbed along with her movements. “This thing’s pretty effective! Hey, girls! My hair is a deadly weapon! Who knew?!” With the realization, she charged into the fray. “Jiyū banzai!” she cried, swinging her head side-to-side, conking multiple attackers down as she went.

They went as quickly as they could while refraining from making too much noise from their shoes clapping against the smoothed stone tiles. A distinct feeling of what could be interpreted as disappointment dawned on her, seeing as the cathedral did not seem so grand as she’d envisioned. Granted, they had so far only seen where the clergy’s food was prepared, so they hadn’t the chance, or need it would seem, to explore in leisure.

Fluttershy through Winifred led them down a capacious hallway, giving them a brief glance through a passage along the way towards what might have been the central chamber, which with the multitude of pews and pillars no doubt propping up what would be a grand mezzanine. Their destination came in a staircase located at the end of the hallway. Descending down, they arrived in a lackluster chamber in a rectangular layout, three of the walls, the one in front and to their sides bearing a door, while the space immediately to the right from the stairs had a series of barrels and boxes lined up, as well as a shelf filled with rolls of parchment or vellum.

Fluttershy listened as the rat once again peeped to her. “Oh, another floor down…? Ah,” she nodded, seeing how another staircase leading down opened to the left of the one they’d just taken. “Goodness, this place is even bigger than I thought.”

“In the olden days cathedrals and monasteries would serve as the living space of clergy,” Twilight stated as they descended further, the lighting growing increasingly dim. “The clergy was not only responsible for maintaining the religious laws of towns and cities, but they actually also took part in scientific ventures. In fact, many clergymen have contributed to the advancement of modern science, like Legume Mesquite for-”

A loud, sharp bang rand through the vicinity, spooking all three of them, enough to make Fluttershy let out a scream.

“I hear you out there!” came the muffled sounds of someone, followed by another bang. “You won’t get away with this! Cinch is going to get us all killed!”

They’d descended to a hallway lined with doors on either side at regular distances, counting up to perhaps six on either side. The dimness made it hard to tell, but there might have been another at the far end of the corridor. The man behind one of them kept on shouting and violently thrashing against the heavyset door, second to the left, screaming obscenities at them and Cinch.

“Let us out here you Divines forsaken rats! She’s lying to you! She’s lying to everyone!”

Sunset stepped forth, “Um… Hello?”

“I know you heard me! Let us out!”

“Oh, give it a rest, Sir Soarin!” came another voice across from the first door, a woman this time, her voice carrying with it a distinct air of formality. “They’re not going to just release us, not with your threats of violence and slander. Honestly; why would someone have any inclination of letting you go when you boast about breaking their faces?”

“We’re not Cinch’s men,” said Sunset, “we’re with the Umbra Hunters.”

A moment of silence followed, “For real? You guys are genuine?!” came the voice of the man through the door, sounding strangely less threatening when his mood alternated something more agreeable.

“The Hunters?! Here, in the city!” came another voice from the door beside that of Sir Soarin’s, followed by an intense shout of “Yea!!!”

“Sorry about my *ahem* threats of bodily violence,” came Sir Soarin. “I’m Soarin of the Holiness’ Knight-Centurions. I was imprisoned under orders of Abacus Cinch for “rabble rousing” while out on orders of Knight-Commander Firebrand to acquire volunteers for the Final Brigade.”

A Knight-Centurion? That’s a good sign. “We’re here to free you and High Priestess Starlight Glimmer. If there is anything you know that might lead us to her location, that would be greatly appreciated.”

“Time is of the essence, for our comrades are busy putting on a distraction for us,” Twilight added.

“That’s not good!” came the booming voice of whom was clearly this universe’s Bulk Biceps. “If only I had a dumbbell… Or if they’d given me a bed. I’d have this door down in a jiffy!” The sound of bare feet on stone sounded, followed by the door shaking noticeably, after which came only a comparably pitiful squeal of pain.

“Sir Biceps! For celestials’ sake, you’ve tried that a dozen times. You’ll break yourself before the door,” came the voice of whom sounded much like Octavia Melody. “We don’t know the status or whereabouts of her holiness, but I have frequently heard footsteps. I believe there’s a passage somewhere near you, possibly the basement.”

“A passage?” asked Sunset, looking back the way they’d come, spotting another flight of stairs beside where Winifred had led them thus far. “Yes! There’s a way further down out here!”

“I thought as much,” said Octavia. “Please, if Lady Glimmer is still among us, you must get her out. Snips and Snails have keys; you’ll find them much easier to contend with than other guards-”

“I can pick locks, no need for that,” Twilight interrupted. “I can get you out too, then we-”

“No time! You must get Lady Glimmer out of her first. The people will listen to her; she’s a chosen of Luna herself as priestess.”

“I agree with Lady Melody! Get Lady Glimmer out as soon as possible! We can await liberation a little longer,” said Soarin with equal urgency.

“But it’ll only take a-”

“GO!!!” boomed the voice of Bulk Biceps, enough to make the door quiver amazingly enough.

A series of peeps came from Winifred. “Winifred says it’s exactly where William is.”

“Then it must mean we’re on the right track,” Sunset assumed. “Just hang on, all of you: Moonlink will be liberated, and then we’ll take the fight back to the Umbra!”

“Godspeed you lot!” said Octavia through her door, whilst Soarin began banging against his in some unconventional applause.

Committing their friend’s counterpart’s words to action, the three hurried back and down the next flight. The three could not move further though, for there was no lighting there; not even a measly candle: Thus, the basement was enshrouded in total blackness. When Sunset began to ponder if she’d seen a lantern anywhere on the way, the darkness was immediately abated with the click of Twilight’s pocket-light, the impossibly bright device lighting up the confines as if it were Princess Celestia’s throne room.

“Dare I ask how you did that?” asked Sunset as they looked around to get a bearing of their surroundings.

“Oh, nothing too extreme,” said Twilight. “A bit of rewiring, appropriate led shielding and, of course, uranium…”

Sunset looked at their resident mad scientist in sheer flabbergast. “… You have uranium in there?!”

Twilight grinned sheepishly, “Only a few grams. I mean, I could have used more, but with the lack of space, plus do you know how hard it is to replace the fuel in a button cell, and shield it properly-?”

“No-no-no; how in Princess Celestia’s sunny, rotund backside did you get uranium?!” blurted Sunset.

“Internet, like she does with everything,” remarked Spike.

Sunset could only stare in bafflement.

“Oh, don’t give me that look: Uranium’s been available for purchase by civilians since the advent of the radioactive energy lab kit from the 1950’s,” Twilight rebutted.

“If we weren’t in imminent peril right now, I’d have so many more questions for you right now!” She placed a hand over her neck. “This thing’s not gonna give us thyroid cancer or anything is it?”

Sunset’s inquiry was forced on hold when something sounded near their vicinity. Despite the impossible illumination by Twilight’s (now confirmed potentially radioactive) light. The basement was mostly comprised of a series of support beams, with walled off sections, holding crates and barrels of unknown content. Listening around, the three of them slowly progressed further, the smell of dust and mildew aggravating their sinuses. Further back they came upon a barred-off section, which seemed the source of the sound: A metallic jingling.

Not wanting to shine the light in at the risk of blinding whomever, or whatever was confined here, Sunset peered inside. She could see someone huddled in the back.

“Twilight, shine a bit of that in here, I think she might be-”

She was taken aback when the person confined within came rushing right at her, slamming against the bars. A pair of wild, light blue eyes were staring back at her past the bars, grasped with pale heliotrope hands so stained and unkempt, the nails having grown into erratic lengths, none matching the other. Oily, clumped purple hair, with hints of aquamarine, clung to her gaunt face. She was dressed in absolutely appalling, frayed long coat, or robe.

“Starlight Glimmer?!” asked Sunset, utterly appalled at the state they’d found their friend’s counterpart; seeing the iron shackles around her wrists, connected by a short length of chain, which in turn was attached to a long link tether.

Starlight was breathing hastily, baring teeth as her eyes flitted between Sunset, Twilight and Fluttershy. Incomprehensible vocalizations began to emit from her throat, as she started to slide down the bars down at the floor… She was sobbing, collapsing to her knees.

“Is this your new means to torment me, Abacus?” she muttered darkly.

Sunset knelt down to level with Starlight, “Starlight…? I’m so sorry-”

She was taken aback a second time when Starlight banged a palm in fury against the bars, her sunken-in eyes glaring past them, directly into Sunset’s. “Depriving me of sight and contact not enough for you? Now you stoop so low as to use the illusions of my lost friends?!” She grasped at the bars, a spiteful, demented grin etching on the imprisoned woman’s face. “Is there no humanity left in you, you Umbra-accursed crow?! Just kill me already! You’ve condemned the entire city to its doom, so just get it over with! Isn’t this enough already?! End my suffering!”

Chapter 9: The Priestess of Luna

A cold shiver raced down Sunset’s back as she beheld the state in which this universe’s Starlight Glimmer was: Years in captivity had rendered her an unkempt, foul-smelling mess, all the while her sanity had clearly been pushed to the brink: Glazed pupils glared in a most unnerving blend of spite and unmatched sorrow, fresh streaks of tears leaving noticeably purer pink-purplish lines down her dirty cheeks.

“Sensory deprivation?” uttered Twilight. “What kind of woman is this world’s Cinch?!”

Sunset looked about the bars for a latch or lock. Whatever this caged space had been used for before it became a prison, there was indeed a padlock… Make that three padlocks, lined vertically to the right between the frames. “Twilight; can you use your magic on these?”

Twilight stammered for a moment, no doubt the utter inhumanity on display having had a great impact. With the pocket-light pointed upwards in one hand, she clenched her other around her geode, the inherent power priming. She then grabbed hold of the first padlock, her palm covering most of it, with her fingers grasping around the metallic hoop. Her forehead crinkled ever so slightly; having some time ago divulged the secret of her new talent by ostensibly feeling around the inner mechanisms with her mind, and with a mental twist, there was a faint click. On letting go, the first padlock dropped from the frame with a clatter.

As Twilight worked her literal magic, Sunset knelt down to Starlight’s level. The gaunt face of this Starlight Glimmer eyed her past the bars with undecipherable emotion: Her breathing sounded uneven, all the while her hands remained gnarled around the bars. She glared quietly at Sunset, no utterances escaping her lips. Almost as if she were wary.

“Who? Who is it really under that illusion?” she rasped, her lips parting waveringly into a toothy grimace while her right eye twitched.

“W-what?”

“Don’t play dumb with me,” Starlight muttered with hostility. “I know, oh, how well I know Cinch’s tricks. Lulling me into a false sense of security, yes. You’re going to feign letting me out, only to push me right back in the moment these bars open when I’d try to make a run for it. You want me to think I’m being rescued, yes you are…”

Sunset stared in abject horror at Starlight’s words. The assaulting stench emanating off her was enough to make the bile rise in her throat, but she refused to show such disregard. Before she could utter a word, Starlight banged her shackled hands against the bars, the clanging and rattling of iron spooking the lot.

“And you have the gall to take their faces!” she screamed, eyeing Sunset madly. “Divines’ mercy, are there no depths to which you won’t sink to anymore, Abacus?!”

“Starlight!” Sunset called out, leaning forward. “Starlight, we’re not illusory! We’re real!”

Starlight pressed her forehead against the frame of the bars, her teeth gritted and her mouth huffing in barely restrained anger, “Stop…” she rasped. “Just stop…” she blurted, her voice wavering. “I beg you; just end it. She’s doomed us all. I don’t…” she sniffed, “I don’t want to be left here for the Umbra to claim me. If there’s any goodness in you, just please-”

“No!” Sunset blurted, reaching past the bars to grasp at Starlight’s head. “Starlight; we’re real, we’re here to save you!” Her eyes locked with Starlight’s, pulling her own head closer until almost nothing but the frame of iron separated their foreheads.

Starlight’s hair felt absolutely filthy, with the accruement of oils and grit and other substances, and her skin was clammy and rough, and Sunset couldn’t care less right now. She was not the Starlight Glimmer she and the girls befriended not too long ago, but all the same, from bearing the exact likeness, it was downright instinctual to show affection to a dimensional counterpart, just like the rest did with the counterparts to their kin. Sunset felt a pair of cold, gnarled hands grasping at her wrists inside the cage.

“There’s… There’s no ripple…?” uttered Starlight, staring back at Sunset, holding tightly to her wrists like they were the one thing holding her together. “You’re not fading… It…” A wavering gasp escaped her lips. “S-Sunset…?”

Sunset nodded. “Yes, Starlight. I’m here. I’m really here.”

Starlight’s lips quivered, her eyes looking like they’d changed, “Divines’ mercy…” Gone was the glazed madness. For the first time in a while Sunset dared not even imagine, Starlight Glimmer saw hope.

“H-how?” asked Starlight, her hands refusing to let go. “Y-you were… But…”

“We’ll explain everything later. Right now, we need you in saving Moonlink. Everyone else is currently rescuing the civilians.”

“E-everyone…?” Starlight stuttered.

“The Umbra Hunters, Rainbow, Applejack, Rarity and Pinkie are out there buying us time to save you. Neighsay is convinced your voice will win the guard to our side,” Sunset divulged encouragingly.

A fresh streak of tears slid down Starlight’s cheeks, “Everyone… They’re alive…?”

“I got the last lock,” informed Twilight as the clatter of the third padlock emanated through the basement.

Managing to get Starlight to release her for the time being, Twilight swung the door open with a wave of telekinesis. The next dilemma was getting Starlight’s hands unshackled: To their misfortune; the iron cuffs around her wrists showed no signs of a keyhole, just rivets driven into holes on one side, too tight to try to remove by hand or magic. At the very least they needed to get the link tethering her to the floor cut. The blasted thing had been driven into the floor with a ringed iron stake; too firm for any of them to dislodge with their bare hands or even Twilight’s telekinesis.

“If we had a pole or something to slide into the hole, we could wedge it out using leverage,” said Twilight, her mind immediately finding an answer to the figurative riddle.

“If only we’d figured to bring AJ,” muttered Sunset, fruitlessly yanking at the chain. “Look around. Maybe there’s something we can use.”

“Here,” peeped Fluttershy, presenting a long wooden pole, possibly for a hoe or polearm or the like. The fact of its wooden make was concerning whether or not it could withstand trying to pull the stake out, but the fact it didn’t look at all worn added with the distinct hue of lacquer in the illumination of Twilight’s pocket light did somewhat alleviate the concern, if only slightly.

Getting to work, Sunset slid one end of the pole into the eye of the stake, the thing barely managing to fit through with the link. Sliding about a foot’s worth of it through, she them began to steadily pull the pole upwards, uttering “Don’t snap,” incessantly in a hushed stream. Twilight proceeded to envelop the stake in her telekinetic aura and began to mentally pull.

“For the love of Celestia, just don’t snap…” Sunset grunted, applying more force, all the while Twilight’s brow furrowed from the increase in her own mental force.

“Keep going, I think it’s moving a little,” called Fluttershy, joining Sunset in pulling on the pole, which was starting to bend forebodingly. Even Spike proceeded to help, squeezing himself under the pole and began to push with his back.

Sunset pursed her lips as she and Fluttershy pulled harder, holding her breath for what felt like the inevitable outcome of their improvised lever snapping at any moment. The thought of their mission failing on account of something so small and simple felt foreboding at the forefront of Sunset’s mind, to which they’d need to find something else to free Starlight, thus wasting more time, all the while their friends were out there, possibly-

No! She dared not think of them falling, let alone when they still had no idea what happened to bring them to Equis. Why? How? They needed to survive if they were to see their home again, to see their friends in Equestria, who Sunset knew were looking for them too, she just knew it…!

With a heart-stopping “plink”, the stake popped out of the intersection the stones making up the floor. Praise be to Celestia and whatever other greater power was out there in the multiverse, was what Sunset was thinking as Twilight floated the bothersome piece of iron to her hand and wound up the excess chain. For the time being Starlight would continue to have her hands bound, but at the very least she was no longer tethered or locked up.

“Let us make haste,” said Starlight in the more archaic inflections as she tried grabbing for the pole to use as support, “we need to rally the people and stop Cinch before she knows.”

“Hang onto me,” said Sunset, bringing Starlight’s bound hands over her head to allow the reeking High Priestess lean against her for support.

“Shouldn’t we try to save the other prisoners?” asked Fluttershy, taking point with Twilight, all the while Sunset slowly, but surely helped the weakened Starlight to the stairs out of the basement.

“There’s no time,” urged Sunset. “You heard what Soarin said; we need to get her out pronto.”

“Sunset,” Starlight uttered, “your vernacular sounds most unusual…”

Sunset clutched at the priestess’s bony wrist firmly as the two of them started to slowly, but surely, make progress going forth, “It’s a long story, my friend. We’ll explain everything once things are settled. Right now, we need you to… Oh…”

Sunset looked up the flight of stairs they’d come down. It was going to be awkward trying to clamber up the stairs with Starlight clung to her and her weakened legs. Clenching her lips, she was just about ready to carry Starlight up the stairs if she had to, when the faint tingle of magic wafted against her, finding Starlight enveloped in a familiar telekinetic aura. It took but a moment for Sunset to follow the gently rising Starlight up the stairs and sling her arms back around her neck and shoulder before Twilight’s magic dissipated, Starlight, looking at an almost reverent gaze at her bespectacled savior.

“It’s okay, we’ll make sure to get you out unscathed,” assured Twilight, a hand clasped around her geode. “I say we just take the way through the cathedral nave. I saw from the map the main doors lead directly down to the square.”

“Isn’t it dangerous?” asked Fluttershy, as the four of them ascended the next flight of stairs with Twilight once again floating Starlight safely up, letting her lean onto Sunset for a moment as to not strain her mind too much. “Couldn’t there still be guards or- Wait!” she let her rat friend Winifred climb onto her palm from her shoulder, the rodent looking up at her attentively. “Winifred and I can check. Wait here.”

The animal caretaker ascended the last flight of stairs, stopping just at the top. From what Sunset could make out she set Winifred down and was surely following the rodent go down the hallway. She quietly whispered something to him, after which she just waited. When Sunset began to fret it was taking longer than she’d liked, she saw Fluttershy urging to follow suit.

With one last flight of stairs covered, they began to make their way back down the cold, stony hallway and took the first turn to their left, down the passage leading to the cathedral nave. Despite the urgency of the situation and the coldness, Sunset could not help halting herself in amazement at the main hub of this place of worship:

Structured in a manner more befitting an auditorium than a standard church: The four of them stood in a wide opening, faced by arcing rows of pews in a low elevating slope before them, enough to fit hundreds of people for whatever gatherings they held in this world. Added with a grand mezzanine above them, suspended by four great gneiss beams at the front, up on which were more rows of pews in a similar upward curving slope to let everyone in attendance see in the direction the four girls occupied.

Unable to keep herself from taking a peek, Sunset beheld the altar. It was situated not at the very end of the great space before the pews, but rather half-way: Built up from the marble floor, an elegantly curved design, currently seemingly bereft of any items of religious or ritualistic significance: Cold and bare, before a much grander sight that seize her attention immediately.

Up above, built atop a sturdy, four-sided embossment protruding from the wall stood a statue: Easily five times the size of the average human: Her body composed of a polished, dark stone, standing on four, elegantly slender legs, a swan-like neck, and a grand pair of wings furled out that broke the very moonlight beaming in through the bare glass windows even further above. A flowing, undulating mane spread out behind her, a simple, silvery tiara holding the stone hair out of the eyes of the serene, equine face that could witness all seated before her in worship.

It’s Princess Luna. I wonder what she might think if she were to see this. Here, Celestia and Luna always held equal reverence. Very unlike back in Equestria, where it was the younger sister’s jealousy of not having her nights appreciated that led to the birth of Nightmare Moon. Here, it was the monsters this Luna sought to help that corrupted her unto bringing the eternal night upon Equis.

“What’s wrong?” asked Starlight. “You’ve been through here many times, it’s-” she choked on her words as the sound of footsteps, none of their own, echoed through the enormous open space of the nave.

“It would seem we’ve rats scurrying about our place of worship…” came a voice from up on the mezzanine, accompanying the clacking of shoes against stone tiles.

Up on the mezzanine, emerging from an entry they had not noticed, came a tall and sleek feminine silhouette, the voice emanating from her dreadfully familiar, if not almost sickeningly so. Stepping into the light of the moon shining upon the edge even from the distance, there was no mistake:

With a head of neatly kept hair with a most discernable curved plait framing the left side of her face, and despite the more rudimentary rounded glasses on thin metal frames; there was no mistaking her. Wearing an outfit much more regal than she’d deserved: A dark shirt reaching well up and around her neck underneath a fine overcoat or robe with pronounced shoulders, the light of the moon sparkling off the gilded embroidered patterns. Arms held formally behind her back, she looked down upon those beneath her over her nose in clear-defined arrogance.

She brought out one arm, grasping in her hands something thin and silvery, and with a flick of a wrist, something small and bright flung off it and flew up the grand ceiling of the cathedral. The speck of light settled in place and began to brighten, illuminating the nave further with a pale blue light. Sunset almost mistook it as one of the common illumination spells she herself had used back in her home dimension. Under the light, Cinch seemed puzzled, actually turning to look down proper, even adjusting her glasses. Sunset herself felt like smirking; she thought they were the Scions returned.

She could not help but boast, perhaps even talk her down to surrender, “This has gone on far enough, Abacus Cinch. Do not try to stop us and we will show mercy once the real High Priestess has addressed the people of Moonlink!”

She saw Cinch’s lips lining as she spoke. Just as Sunset was certain their presence had begun to unnerve the false priestess, Cinch soon smirked in what might have been amusement.

“Cute trick, but amateur,” spat Cinch.

Before Sunset could discern what was happening she felt her body sting and convulse when Cinch pointed whatever she was holding towards her, a bolt of lightning launching towards her. Sunset screamed from the flaring of her nerve endings as magical lightning raced through her, further panicked as everyone else screamed with her. The bolt had bounced from her and Starlight to Twilight and Fluttershy like chain lightning out of her RPGs.

The convulsion made Sunset collapse on her knees, the added weight of Starlight pulling her down effortlessly. Feeling Starlight’s shackles against her neck made it even worse, until the High Priestess herself pulled herself off Sunset, rolling onto her back beside Sunset. With her nerves settling from the abrupt jolt to the system, Sunset tried getting on her knees, enough to see Twilight and Fluttershy trying to get back up from how they’d slumped to the floor, Spike fretting over Twilight with a whine. Just then Sunset let out another scream, seeing the electricity arc from her to Twilight, to Spike, to Fluttershy, electrocuting all of them all over again.

“What’s this?” called Cinch from up on the mezzanine, seeming puzzled between looking at what was evidently a wand of some kind and her targets. “The illusions aren’t wearing off?”

“We aren’t-” Sunset was shocked a third time, unable to keep herself from screaming as she felt like the voltage was stronger this time. Slumping prostrated to the ground, she could feel her fingers and even her whole leg spasm.

“Stop it, Cinch!” yelled Starlight, the malnourished priestess managing to clamber up to her knees. “They are not illusory! Imprisoning a High Priestess was heretical enough, but to strike out at our Scions?!”

“Impossible,” Cinch spat, thankfully ceasing to strike everyone with whatever magic this world possessed, “the Scions all fell. None could survive the Umbra this long without precautions.”

Sunset grunted angrily, reminders of her own world’s Cinch and the pettiness that almost cost Twilight her humanity, and possibly the very borders between two worlds flooding through her memories. With a forceful yank, she managed to unsheathe her rapier and wobblingly stood back up on her feet. What she could do against a ranged foe, one possessing magic like that, with but a sword and none of the magic she’d have at her disposal as a unicorn, she was not so certain.

“You have to stop this!” called Twilight, the genius rising to her feet, albeit a twitch of her leg almost sent her toppling right back down, but she managed to pull though. “Resorting to tyranny at a time like this: It’s helping no-one, not even you! We need to work together to fight back against the dark. If you keep this up, there will be no-one left to save, not even you!”

“There is no fighting back against the Umbra, you idiot!” retorted Cinch brusquely, with what seemed to be hints of fear in her voice. “I don’t know who you are, but with both Celestials and the Scions gone, there is no salvation to be found. Just as it’s written!”

“So, you decided to give up and live it up on a power trip while it lasts?” asked Sunset.

Cinch looked at Sunset confoundedly, possibly due to her choice of wording. “Idiots. A Scion would especially know that without either the Celestials or the Sigils to keep the dark at bay, there is no stopping it! The Umbra grows in power every day and will eventually consume us all. Of course, I’m not so shortsighted: I am not living out… Whatever balderdash you spouted about power: I need time and privacy to adapt.”

“Adapt?” asked Twilight.

Cinch began to pace as she spoke, her eyes focusing on the silvery wand in her hand. “With these sycophants to a fallen deity still holding to some false hope that something will simply come and bring us salvation, how could anyone hope to prepare accordingly for the inevitable?”

“What is she talking about?” asked Sunset, hoping to stall just enough to find some means to get out of the line of fire this Cinch was capable of before formulating some form of escape.

“She imprisoned me underneath the façade that I had fallen,” Starlight spoke. “She’s been corrupting the teachings of the Divines, that by embracing both Sun and Moon we lost vigil. Since then she’d barred anyone but her guards from the cathedral while forcing me to teach her more about light sorceries. Apparently being an archivist was not enough…”

Cinch slammed a fist over the mezzanine barrier, “I did not come all the way from Geodis to have such a paltry position, whelp!” She huffed exasperatedly, managing to resume some air of dignity, continuing to peer over her nose. “If the order of the world is dying, then I refuse to go down with it. You will not interfere, High Priestess, and whomever you three really are.”

Cinch promptly brought two fingers to her lips and let out a loud, tinny whistle. The notion of being swarmed by guards was first to dawn on Sunset, but then remembered that most of them, barring two currently in the wine cellar, were likely still occupied outside. For a moment nothing happened, until the sounds of uneven footsteps(?) emanated from somewhere nearby. The lot of them barely had time to respond when something big came barreling into the nave opposite the entry they’d taken.

“Holy Toledo!” cried Spike as whatever Cinch had beckoned stepped into the nave with them.

It wasn’t particularly large, nowhere the size of Twiggy or whatever that abomination they’d encountered at the fishery was: It wasn’t even tall enough to stand over your average human, but it was the girth and length that was the concern, on top of the two growling mouths at one end. Indeed, for while Sunset had never seen one herself, she could never mistake a creature so iconic and exotic: An orthros.

Indeed, like being back in Equestria: The creature Cinch had summoned was a near ursine-sized canine amalgamation: Brown fur with darker splotches dotting its body, a body in the manner of some large dog breed, with the most distinguishing trait being the two heads side-by-side at the front end of its body, each with its own neck adorned with spiked leather collars: One belonging to what she could only describe as Alsatian, while the other seemed to be that of a St. Bernard.

Sunset managed to drag Starlight out of the way of the rushing magical beast, pulling her amidst the pews before rushing back out into the open, rapier brandished out in front, just like back in fencing club, trying her best to not show fear. One never showed fear before an ornery orthros, not unless somepony wanted to end up mauled.

“What is that?!” bellowed Fluttershy, peeking from behind the safety of the altar, with an equally scared Twilight following suit with Spike clutched in her arms.

“It looks like Orthros: A Skyrosian mythical creature said to be brother to Cerber-” Twilight was quickly pulled down to cover when the orthros rushed forth and came dangerously close to snapping her with the jaws of its Alsatian head.

“Get away from them!” roared Sunset, attempting to lunge at the beast with a honed thrust. She was quick to regret it when the beast turned its attention squarely on her and lunged. All she could do was leap out of the way onto the cold, hard stone floor, her lack of protection sending webs of pain throughout her forearms and sides on collision.

Before she could get away, the orthros’ St. Bernard head latched onto the sole of her boot with its powerful jaws. Uttering a panicked stream of “Nononono” whilst it dragged her closer, no doubt ready to pounce and maul her, Sunset tried desperately to claw away to no avail.

“Stop! Now!” called Fluttershy with a surge of magic emanating from her form, the pink flash of her geode’s power drawing all focus towards her, including that of the orthros. Sunset still had the undignified status of having her foot in the orthros’ mouth and dangling off it like a ragdoll.

The animal caretaker had clambered atop the altar, her eyes locked onto the giant canine beast with her infamous stare, amplified by her geode. “Put her down, gently,” she ordered, pointing in Sunset’s vicinity, which the beast acquiesced. Upon clambering back on her feet, she could only thank the stars they had Fluttershy with them, able to pacify even magical beasts.

The orthros’ two heads began to yowl meekly, staring at Fluttershy in what could only be described as something between fear or respect. Fluttershy held up and open palm, urging the beast to cease the unintelligible whining.

“One at a time, if you please,” said Fluttershy less sternly. The Alsatian head started, the orthros getting down on its haunches submissively as it communed with Fluttershy. The caretaker gasped a tone discernible only as shock, hopping off the altar and slowly approaching the placated canine, “She beats you if you do not comply…? Oh, has her men beat you? Even when you do your best?”

With Cinch’s ace in the hole currently docile, Sunset was just about ready to rush up and give her what for. To add to her relief, Starlight Glimmer had managed to crawl her way to the back of the pews, having almost made her way to the exit door in her weakened state. Seeing Cinch looking on in disbelief how Fluttershy had managed to placate her orthros, now was their perfect opportunity. She motioned Twilight to follow.

“Listen, you don’t need to stay here, with her,” said Fluttershy, close enough to the orthros to touch, the once fearsome beast having quickly lost all signs of threat under Fluttershy’s words, coupled with her powers. “Out there, I’m sure there’s someone who could really use a hardworking, good orthros like you, and who would treat you with much love and kindness. Why don’t you follow us outside while we get this whole mess sorted out and-”

An enraged growl emanated up from the mezzanine. “You worthless beast!” This caused the orthros to reel away and looked to try and hide behind Fluttershy to no avail. “If you won’t obey, then you’re just another experiment!”

Cinch unveiled something else on her person: It didn’t seem anything special at first glance: It was something small and round fitting in the palm of her hand, difficult to make out even under the slowly fading magical lighting. What concerned Sunset more was the intensifying glow around the silver wand in her other hand; she was casting a spell of some form! Twilight managed to snag Fluttershy and pull her out of harm’s way with her telekinesis, just in the nick of time when Cinch fired an arcing bolt from her wand. Specifically, bolts of pitch blackness that felt like it drained the very colors from the air around them, almost like the opposite of light illuminating the dark. The bolts struck the orthros, causing Fluttershy to collapse on her knees, screaming and holding her head.

“Cinch, what are you doing?!” cried Starlight from her position as she too bore witness.

“If anything is to survive the end, it is only thanks to the Umbra,” said Cinch, watching with cold dismissal as the orthros, writhing and crying in what could only be agony, was subsumed by blackness carried by Cinch’s magic. “I have toiled these past five dayless years trying to discover a way in which I could survive it all. While I have not yet unraveled this conundrum, I’m certain you and my pet will make perfect test subjects…”

They could only watch as the very semblance of color dissolved from the orthros’ form, leaving it but a slumped mass of blackness on the floor, continuing to seemingly drain away at the very light in the vicinity. The first signs of any life were heavy paws clacking against the cold stone floor, a black mass standing back up on all fours, when the two heads, almost indistinguishable against its very body, snapped their lifeless, white-eyed gazes straight at Sunset, Twilight, Spike and Fluttershy. With a lifeless, rasping snarl, black smog erupted from its maws and the former orthros lunged for what it was stripped of, now hungering.

Chapter 10: Heart of Darkness

If someone had kept a tally over how many times they’d stepped near death’s door, this was certainly one of them. Not knowing what else she could do, with only instinct and previous experience guiding her actions, Twilight shined her augmented keychain light at the rushing orthros. Correction; the Umbra-Touched orthros.

To a smidgeon of relief, the newborn monster reeled mid-charge, sliding precariously across the remaining distance between it and her. She felt Sunset pull her away from the oncoming mass of un-life and darkness, the newborn Umbra-Touched slamming viciously onto the altar.

“Radioactive light, right!” gasped Sunset, urging her and Fluttershy away as humanly possible from the rattled monster, the impact having seemingly done some damage to one of its heads and disorienting it. “Out the other way!” she called for, only for the three of them stopping in their tracks when a bolt of lightning struck the floor inches from Fluttershy’s foot.

“You will not escape, peons!” called Cinch up from the mezzanine. “I don’t know how you tamed something as vicious as an orthros, but you are no Scions. Whatever tricks you’re using, I see no Sigils on you!”

The Umbra-Touched orthros hopped up onto the altar and swiftly began to stalk after the three of them, a gout of blackness erupting from its impacted head, which seemed to twist and pop itself back into proper placement. Intriguing as to how something that by seemingly its very definition had no life, as far as Twilight understood what Neighsay told her, it had some form of healing factor much like Twiggy. Sunset took a chance at thrusting her rapier at the abomination, striking it somewhere in the chest it seemed, but the effects of the attack seemed negligible when it tried to snap back at her with darkness frothing jaws.

Shining the light at the thing again seemed to do much more, the creature reeling and wailing in some unnatural cacophony, the swathes of blackness seeming to try and peel off its body, like being pushed back by the illumination. Just like father and Shining Armor always told her; it certainly did pay to be prepared.

That’s when another bolt of light-bending blackness struck the orthros. While the effect seemed illegible at first under the constant glare of the extensively enhanced light, the monster became emboldened enough to lash out with a small gout of blackness that drained at the remaining warmth in the vicinity, forcing a retreat.

“As long as she’s got that wand, we’re just sitting ducks down here, and the pews will make maneuvering difficult!” Twilight remarked.

“And we’ve no way up there!” blurted Sunset going out of her way to maintain her position between the orthros and their group, despite the near uselessness of her plain rapier against the Umbra-Touched. Another thrust aimed at one of the orthros’ heads seemed to elicit little reaction beside another gout of dark smog that Sunset had to scurry away from. “There’s no way out!”

“Precisely, peons,” Cinch responded up above, wand and flask at hand. “You and your parlor trick magics and cheap steel. To think lowlifes such as yourselves thought to pass themselves off as Scions, yet you can’t even fight your sworn enemy. Your lies have brought thee low indeed.”

“Chaaaarge!”

From the direction of the pews came two figures charging into the nave. That’s when Twilight realized the door at the back had been opened, and Starlight Glimmer clung to the side of one of the pews: During the fight she must have managed to open the doors and get outside.

Still garbed in their guard guises came Lyra and Bon-Bon, bearded axe and spear at hand, the tip of which found itself driven into the side of the Umbra-Touched orthros, accompanied by the crackle and spark of the enchanted lightning imbued into it. This caused the orthros to bellow out in the unique chord of the pain of an unliving.

Lyra rushed up beside Sunset, axe grasped in a defensive posture with one hand near the head and the other close to the bottom of the shaft, “Are you alright?”

“Weren’t you two supposed to join up with the rest?” asked Sunset, sound not even the least ungrateful.

“We felt bad leaving you novices behind, so we decided to wait for you,” said Lyra, smirking at Sunset. “Seems we made the right decision.”

With that exchange the other half of the power couple joined the fray, her enchanted bearded axe proving phenomenally more effective from Sunset’s rapier, catching the orthros in one of its necks in the display of brutality.

“You three; get Lady Glimmer out of here! We’ll handle this beastie!” Bon-Bon cried out, jabbing her spear back and forth as quickly as she could, the repetitious barrage taking the strength out of the aberration’s hindlegs.

“Cinch is up there!” said Twilight, pointing an accusatory finger at the woman who in the home dimension could have well been the very bane of her existence. “She’s somehow channeling the Umbra into the orthros!”

Cinch from her safe vantage point above seemed furious; any harder and she may have smashed the vial in her clenching fingers. Without so much as saying a word, she slid the brightening wand against the side of the vial, the light-draining aura overtaking the instrument. Not daring to take a risk; Twilight let instinct drive her, reaching out with her telekinesis for the tools in Cinch’s hands.

The ploy almost worked, but Cinch was fast enough to seize back the items, leaning dangerously close over the ledge of the mezzanine. As she tried in vein to keep hold on the items under Twilight’s mental grip, the black vial shattered in her fingers, rivulets of blackness spattering to the floor, while her hand became coated in it. The realization might as well have drained the color from Cinch, as she started to tear away at the ink-like substance, only to smear it onto her other hand. And it began to spread down her arms.

“Oh no, no!” she cried out, flaying her arms as if trying to flick the substance off, all the while the light and color around her began to warp and fade. “G-get it off! Get it off me you fools!” she cried when in her panicked flaying she went tumbling over the ledge of the mezzanine.

In that blink of a moment Twilight could only watch in shock as Cinch fell down thirty feet from the mezzanine to the solid stone floor. The sound of impact was a dull snap, leaving her body laying there on her belly. Her terrified eyes looked as if they were staring straight at Twilight.

Twilight slapped her hands over her lips in horror. She just killed Abacus Cinch. She hadn’t meant to. She was only trying to get the wand and vial away from the wayward, self-styled priestess, the only logical course of action she could think of in but a blink. Much as she outwardly despised the woman, both in her home dimension and for certain here on Equis, but to go so far?

“I… I killed her…” she gasped into her hands. It took nary a blink when two pairs of arms were around her, one bringing her head to rest against a shoulder.

“No… No, you did not,” said Sunset, albeit her wavering voice did little to soothe the realization. “You saw; she did it to herself.”

“N-no…” Twilight sniffed. “No, if I hadn’t…”

The sudden rush of incomprehensible guilt made the battle raging just a few feet away feel muted. Twilight could only stand there, looking at the lifeless eyes of Cinch, still gripped in terror from the realization of impending death, staring right at her. Any inkling of reason in Twilight’s mind made her think she was accusing her through the gaze: She killed her. The light and color began to fade from Cinch, like the very essence of life was draining… No, it was draining…!

The blackness from the vial had encroached to cover Cinch’s arms, and the splatter from the floor had seemingly adhered to her legs, reaching out for footing as it spread over her like some virulent growth. Her body was being consumed by the… By the Umbra. The blue of her clothes, the color of her skin and hair, it warped away like it was being sucked away by the blackness. It wasn’t long until she was completely subsumed, the last to fade being her eyes… And the cold white that replaced them.

“Grab the wand and go!” yelled Lyra, her and Bonbon, almost terrifyingly dismissive of what just happened in the midst of hacking away at the persistent, but weakened Umbra-Touched orthros. “Get Starlight Glimmer to the square before-?!”

She was cut off when the black smear that was once Abacus Cinch, against all feasible laws of momentum and leverage, sent itself rocketing towards the battle. Lyra barely had time to tumble out of the way as it connected, quite literally, with the orthros, the conjoined mass sliding and slamming into the altar and shattering half of it, breaking further laws of physics. The mass of Umbra immediately began to shift and convulse, accented by unnatural sounds, like a hellish cacophony of screams, roars and whispers.

“Go-go-go!” Screamed Bon-Bon, rushing to help Lyra to her feet.

Everyone made a mad dash for the exit; Twilight having regained enough of her composure to lift Starlight and carry her along. They rushed through the double door, through a short passage towards the grand doors to the cathedral, a hatch on the left one having been left ajar. As they fled, the unworldly chorus from the mass of Umbra cried out, with ever increasing volume to where it was almost deafening in spite of the growing distance.

“Agh!” cried Pinkie, the pole of the polearm still jutting from her floof, as her leg seemed to seize up. “Ah! Calm down, knee! We’re kind of in a spot here, don’t ‘cha know?”

It was Rainbow who was first to catch the party girl hopping awkwardly on one foot. Thankfully, with their combined powers and the ever-decreasing number of combat-able guards, most of them impaired, incapacitated, smacked upside the head or tossed into the canal, they’d held their own amidst the chaos they’d sown.

“Pinkie? What’s wrong? Are you hurt?”

“Oh, come on!” grunted Pinkie. “You really haven’t picked up on “pinchy knee” yet?! Honestly?”

“Wait… So something’s gonna happen…?”

That was when she, and by extension everyone else be they friend or foe, heard it. Some unworldly call reverberated throughout the city, that sent chills down one’s spine.

“What was that?!” asked Rainbow, dreading just what in this world of unending night could produce such a haunting call.

“It came from the cathedral methinks,” said Scootaloo, evidently sharing the sentiments of dread that’d felt blanketing the city.

“Our friends are down there!” called Applejack, who was ready to quit the field as she rushed past her latest opponent, when many of the remaining guards began to point their weapons in her direction. “For Pete’s sake! Ya’ll really think that ain’t a bigger deal now?!”

“W-we have our orders,” said a male kettle-hatted guard, albeit the waver in his voice was a clear sign of his uncertainty.

“Then nuts to your orders! What do ya reckon could make a sound like that?!”

As if in response, another, even louder cry permeated the air of Moonlink, sending another wave of unnatural cold, and with it, a wash of terror through the masses.

“It’s the Umbra!” cried someone amidst the citizens or guards.

“The Umbra’s in the city?!” a guard among the remaining ranks cried out.

“It seems that way,” said Scootaloo, sword grasped close to her chest, as if some unorthodox comfort item. Swallowing her fears, the young huntress held up her sword in address to all around; “If you all want to live, you can either join us in the fray, or you can flee! Or you can be fools and resume this pointless feud! The Hunters’ are sworn to seek out and destroy any aberration spawned by the dark, and we have that duty to uphold! Do you want to save our last bastion of safety, or are you going to let it all fall?!”

By her call, the remaining Umbra Hunters gathered around their leader, enchanted weapons at hand, likely as a show of deterrent for anyone foolish enough to resume the battle just taking place. Rainbow, Applejack, Rarity and Pinkie with the pole in her hair, took their place with the Hunters. After a moment of hesitation that felt longer than necessary, any guards still able to fight lowered their weapons, some of them stepping up in a silent show of new fealty. The one guard conflicted by his previous orders nodded to the Hunters, bringing his weapon arm to his chest, to which many more did the same.

“Alright. Anyone able and willing, on us!” Scootaloo trained her sword in the direction of the cathedral. “For Moonlink! For Equis!”

“For Equis!”

They hadn’t much time to flee, having barely made it to the bridge when the grand doors to the cathedral were smashed off their hinges. On a moment of self-reflection, Twilight had begun to re-evaluate her guilt over what befell Cinch, or whatever she was now, currently rolling and dragging itself out the cathedral after them.

What the Umbra had made of Cinch and the orthros: It seemed as if any encounter they’d come to have with its monsters would attempt to one-up one another over what unholy shape they’d take:

It looked barely human: Anything remaining of the former Abacus Cinch might as well have been the remnants of a human skeleton, albeit somehow grown multiple times normal scale to the point where the head was as tall as a person, so it had to crawl, or rather, drag its way out of the cathedral, what with the seeming lack of legs. The skeleton was mired in writhing and bubbling ink-like substance all over: Running down its back like some membranous cloak, strings of it stretching from its shoulders and clavicles to its neck and jawbones, a thick coating of it slathered atop the skull, with a pronounced curve to the left of its visage. Its ribs were similarly slathered, stretching like a sinuous web between each bone, while the arms were covered in blobs and smears of the substance. The entirety made it look like it was covered in some inky mockery of skin and tissue. As with any other Umbra-Touched, its eye sockets were alight with the cold white lifeless glow.

“That is not right!” screamed Spike, right before a tremor and a buffet of air sent everyone sprawling onto the cobblestones.

The monster raised its hand back up in preparation of another smash: One hit and any one of them would be crushed underneath the sheer force. Twilight shone her light at its skeletal visage, not sure it would harm something of its scale. Whether from pain or from being blinded, it let out an enraged wail, covering its lifeless eyes with its rearing arm before lashing out with a misplaced backhand. That’s when Twilight felt the ground give way underneath, and she felt herself falling.

“Twilight!” Sunset managed to snag her by the forearm, Twilight hanging on for dear life with both of hers, hearing the rubble crash and sink into the moat. This left the two of them hanging precariously over the edge of what remained of the bridge, Sunset trying to manage the strength to pull her up.

Twilight watched as Fluttershy came scrambling to help pull her up, with Lyra and Bonbon taking defensive positions beside them, and poor Spike stepping about in uncertainty and terror. Twilight dared not look back, fearful of whatever the Umbra-Touched Cinch might try: Surely it could simply reach out and-

Twilight screamed when she felt what may as well have been the touch of death wrap itself around her, barely able to register the panicking screams of her friends. She saw the world turn hazy as she was lifted up in the icy grasp of Cinch. As the Umbra began to drain her, she could make out the nightmarish skull visage glaring at her, like some lingering shred of her nemesis was still there, resenting her. To think the last thing she’d see before her end was the very face of death glaring at her when the haze began to thicken.

S-Sunset… Girls… With the final shreds of sensation remaining, she felt herself falling, unable to see, just barely able to hear, her body was so cold.

“Twilight!” Sunset cried out alongside Spike, having her grip wrenched away as the Umbra-Touched Cinch snatched Twilight in its bony, grasp. Her heart felt like stopping inside her chest hearing her pained scream as the Umbra bit into her body.

“No! Twilight! No!” Fluttershy called out herself, the girl on the verge of tears as the monster held Twilight before its visage, almost like in resentment.

“Dammit!” Sunset fretted, seeing no way to get at Cinch with the bridge having collapsed, leaving it out of reach out of any of them, with Twilight’s body going limp and lifeless. “No! Twilight!” She called out, reaching out towards her, when Bonbon held her back.

“Don’t! You’ll fall!”

“Let me go!” screamed Sunset, outright pounding her fist against Bonbon. “Let me go! She’s gonna die!”

Something small zipped overhead and embedded itself into Cinch’s skeletal hand holding Twilight, followed by the clap of thunder and spark of lightning. The monster bellowed with its haunting wail, releasing Twilight to seemingly nestle its hand, when a rainbow blur leapt over the moat underneath, grabbed Twilight and with the remaining momentum leapt back over. Stopping with a skid and falling to her knees, there was Rainbow Dash, who promptly fell forward with the added weight of Twilight in her arms.

Whatever else happened around her became only secondary as Sunset rushed over to the motionless Twilight. Resting her head against her lap, Spike hopping and nudging her prone form, while Sunset cradled her cheeks: They felt ice-cold to the touch, which only made Sunset fear the absolute worst. Rainbow pressed her fingers to Twilight’s neck, holding her breath as she felt for a pulse.

“Her heart’s beating, she’s alive,” said Rainbow with relief.

“Thank Celestia!” cried Sunset, on the verge of despair. “We need to get her someplace warm, and a shard! Does anyone have one?!”

“We left all of them at the Apple Hearth for safekeeping,” said Rainbow, he breathing equally uneven and shaky.

The rest of her friends came rushing to their side, all fretting over the unmoving Twilight. While her body still felt cold, her increasingly heaving chest and quivering lips were a further comforting sign that she was alive, but they couldn’t possibly know if there was any lasting damage.

Sunset felt an arm upon her shoulder, seeing it was Scootaloo, the culprit behind the arrow, “Get Twilight to Apple Hearth. We’ll handle the Umbra-Touched.”

“But we can’t just quit the field,” said Rainbow in protest, albeit she seemed uncertain as he eyes drifted back to the shivering Twilight.

“You’re much too important!” said Scootaloo in a commanding tone. “We can handle wherever this thing crawled out from, you just get Twilight to warmth and the shards will revive her.”

“It’s Cinch,” Sunset spat, casting a spiteful glare at the monster temporarily stranded on the cathedral court. “That thing is Cinch; she was doing something with the Umbra and now it’s afflicting her.”

“Well then,” said Scootaloo, drawing an arrow from her quiver and training her blackwood bow, “this just became personal.” She stated before loosing the arrow, followed by a thunderclap and the Cinch abomination’s unworldly wail.

“We should get Starlight somewhere safe too.”

“You found her?!” Scootaloo looked about, noticing the emaciated and filthy high priestess clinging to Neighsay for support. “Milady!”

“If I might ask,” said Starlight, holding up her still shackled hand, “is there anyone here who can undo these binds?”

“Just hold on a sec.” Applejack came up to her taking an appraising look at the iron shackles. Priming her geode, then slipping her fingers in between the gaps and with a grunt, the bolt was snapped and the first shackle fell from Starlight’s wrist, followed by the second and the irons rattled onto the cobblestones of the street, Starlight rubbing her callused wrist in relief.

“Thank you, Applejack,” she said with a praising smile. “But what Lady Scootaloo says is most wise: You should get Twilight to safety before anything else.”

“You should get out of here too, Lady Glimmer,” said Neighsay urgingly. “The Apple Hearth Inn is the safest as you can be right now.”

“No, Sir Neighsay,” said Starlight, trying to take a step, only to stumble before being caught by Applejack. Brandishing a wand, the one Cinch was using earlier: Near two feet long; made of wrought silver, with vine-like filigrees winding up its entire length, to a tip bearing a familiar tri-moon crest. “That accursed witch has gone too far, and I will not rest until justice is delivered unto her.”

“But ya’ll can barely stand up,” said Applejack in protest.

“Maybe,” huffed Starlight, “but you should know all too well I need not strength to fight. Neighsay; will you be my legs?”

“I swore an oath in service to the High Priestess of the Moon, then so shall it be,” said the grand archivist.

Starlight nodded in acknowledgement before turning to Sunset and the girls. “You get Twilight to safety and we’ll meet back once this madness is done with.”

Applejack sighed. “Fine, but we’re comin’ back fer ya as soon as Twilight’s safe. No backtalk.”

Starlight shook her head with a smile, “Not that I can, Scion.”

With the decision made; Applejack went and picked up Twilight in a bridal carry and started on a brisk pace away from the fighting, with the guards who’d joined int giving them free passage.

“I take it things went better on your end?” asked Fluttershy.

“We saved the people, and I killed a building!” chirped Pinkie Pie, disturbingly contradictory to the sounds of the Cinch abomination’s wails. “Only problem is I got this stuck to my floof,” she added, indicating the spear shaft jutting out of her hair.

The way to safety wasn’t very far, but with the way Twilight was shivering, it might as well have been, the sounds of battle nearby not helping the matters. Along the way they passed by the market square, with civilians and a few guards, some whom were immobile, Sunset dearly hoping they’d only been injured or incapacitated. With the seven of them, the supposed heroes of their age, all together and accounted for, it came as no surprise for the citizens of Moonlink to be amazed. Before the lot of them could crowd in praise, if not worship, Rainbow took the initiative to warn all of them about the Umbra-Touched being on the loose and to seek safety. This was fine to Sunset; right now all she cared about was getting Twilight to warmth and safety, having still not roused from whatever condition prolonged exposure to Cinch had done.

The welcoming sign of Apple Hearth did little to stem the cold dread in the air as the battle raged on at the cathedral, the haunting chorus of the Umbra reverberating far and deep even at such a distance. Pinkie knocked on the heavy oaken door in that particular pattern Scootaloo had demonstrated, but she seemed to get into it as the knocking was extending into an outright drumming solo until Sweetie Belle came to answer.

“You’re ba- What happened to Twilight?!”

“Long story dear, she needs warmth and a shard,” urged Rarity.

“Get her upstairs, we’ll get your shard,” Sweetie instructed with a point of her thumb.

“What in the world’s going on out there?” came Apple Bloom from the back, all as another wail let its way into the inn in answer, the sound almost making the two’s hair stand on end with the chills it brought with it.

“I’m not entirely sure,” said Pinkie, “but the best I can surmise is that Sunset, Fluttershy and Twilight found Starlight Glimmer, almost got out scot-free, ran into Cinch who might have been experimenting with the Umbra which caused her to grow into a monster birthed from the very recesses of insanity and nightmare!” She paused, “Of course that’s just a guess…”

Applejack carried Twilight upstairs, taking the first door she came to on her left, slightly ajar. Whether it was someone’s room probably wouldn’t mind for the moment as Twilight was laid down on the bed in the corner, Rarity covering her shivering form with a thick blanket. Sunset knelt by her side, feeling Twilight’s cheek; it was still cold, the heat drained from her body. Spike, ever loyal to his owner, clambered over onto the bed continuing to paw at Twilight’s prone form, unable to not cry when nothing could rouse her. The little dog laid beside her, head pressed firmly to her cheek.

The sounds of footsteps portended the arrival of Sweetie Belle, in her hands a small flask containing a single celestial shard: The one they originally found on arrival in Equis. The mere presence of it dispelled the clawing cold, opposed to that which Cinch’s had brought down on Moonlink. Despite its power illuminating through the glass, Sunset had the uncontainable urge to pop the cork and take the shard in her hand and holding it to Twilight.

Despite the cozy safety of the inn for the time being, the sounds of Cinch’s corrupted form continued to make their way inside, the celestial light being the one thing keeping the cold from clawing at them further.

“What do we do now?” asked Applejack, her unease evident the way her hand was cradling the head of her axe slung to her belt.

“We can’t just leave the Hunters out there to fight that thing on their own,” said Rainbow, her arms hugged around herself. “But we can’t leave Twilight like this either. I mean, what if…”

“Don’t say it…” spat Sunset, not taking her eyes off their comatose friend, her free hand idly stroking the top of her head. “Listen, you guys; you go help the Hunters. I’ll stay with Twilight. I’m not any good in a fight like this with just a piece of metal.”

“I don’t think I’ll be any more help either,” muttered Fluttershy, who’d seated herself atop a chest. “I can stay and watch over her if you prefer.”

“No, Fluttershy, it’s just the fact,” said Sunset. “Unless someone can whip up one of those lightning enchantments onto my sword, might as well be hitting it with a stick.”

“Hmm,” Pinkie brought a contemplating finger to her chin. “If only we had something to stick one of those shards onto a weapon…”

“Well, in any case, Sunset has a point,” said Rainbow, swallowing her apprehensions. “We won’t leave our friends out there, nor our friend here. You three watch over Twilight, we’ll help handle Cinch.”

Rarity looked to her sister’s counterpart, “Sweetie Belle, dear, can you fetch us the remaining shards? We’re all going to need them.”

“Oh! And Maud’s rock suit!” exclaimed Pinkie.

“Well, Ah guess we better mosey if Ah’m gonna be carryin’ a load,” said Applejack, giving his confirmation. “But first…” The group huddled around Sunset into a life-affirming group hug. “We’ll get through this, sugarcubes. Ya’ll see.”

With those final words of encouragement, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity and Pinkie Pie were off. Although Pinkie was snagged against the door frame with the pole still protruding from her hair and fell over, having to pick herself up. How it hadn’t smacked anyone along the way would forever remain a mystery.

With only Sunset and Fluttershy staying behind to watch over Twilight, the light of Celestia marking this little room as their small consecrated ground of safety.

Sunset ran a hand through Twilight’s hair, already able to feel the warmth of life underneath her finger tips, and the shivering had stopped. But the fear of Twilight having been in Cinch’s Umbral grasp for even seconds too long continued to gnaw at her. Sunset uttered a prayer under her breath to Celestia, both the one from Equis, and her mentor.

Author's Note

New chapter in only two days after the last. Wow, I really am back in the zone. :rainbowhuh:

Trivia: Umbra-Touched Cinch's design is in reference to Highlord Wolnir of Dark Souls 3, as well as some traits borrowed from Gravelord Nito of Dark Souls 1, as well as Mass of Souls and Pus of Man from DS and DS3 respectively.

Chapter 11: Saviors

Under most circumstances, Star Swirl would have been just content to teleport to a location he was already well familiar with. But in light of the tragedy most unforeseen, by him or anypony, this time he chose to withhold haste out of respect. As such, he’d only transported nearby and walked the rest of the way down the dim hallway and gently nudged open the grand door, to the dwellings of Celestia.

Ever since whatever had befallen his greatest students, both Princesses had been relocated to the room of the elder one for ease of monitoring. Currently both of them lay on their royal grand beds set side-by-side, each them entirely motionless: Even the ethereal flow of their manes had become uncharacteristically halted, and as if they’d become dulled in tone, especially noticeable on the elder Celestia. Looking over the alicorns was a familiar blue earth pony mare with a tall, winding cone of a dull red and rust hued mane, adorned in traditional, if slightly out-of-date by proxy, swamp folk attire of linen wraps and a green skirt.

“Friend Meadowbrook,” called Star Swirl softly, “how fare your efforts with our Princesses?”

The blue earth pony healer looked up from her current administrations to Celestia, her soft, gentle eyes the epitome of concern. She glanced back at Celestia, having placed some form of vapor-expelling vial near the comatose Princess’ snout, no doubt intended to inhale said vapor, before turning back to Star Swirl.

“It’s the darndest thing, Star Swirl,” said Meadowbrook, her voice carrying a mixed tinge of bafflement and despair. “Ah’ve tried everything I know regardin’ such ailments. It ain’t sleepin’ sickness, nor is it anythin’ like, say, the snooze moss outbreak in Ponypei. It’s quite obvious; they ain’t got no moss anywhere.”

Holding back the shudder from that particular imagery in his mind, Star Swirl trotted up to the equally prone Luna: The dark blue Princess of the Night looking like her coat had darkened and greyed, and her mane barely even wafted the way it normally would through the sheer power her body normally generated on a regular basis. The old unicorn could not help himself as he placed a hoof softly to his former charge’s forehead.

A sense of regret ran through his mind, how he was unable to help the younger of the two when she succumbed to her fears and insecurities, resulting in a thousand years of lone banishment. All the while he and his fellow Pillars were stuck in limbo. The same could be said about poor Celestia, whose regal white form and lack of flow in her mane made her and her sister side-by-side look almost as if they were subtly monochromatic, like the color had drained from them as much as their consciousness and liveliness.

Hesitant as he was to leave during this utmost moment of crisis, tidings from Ponyville called for him. “Do not blame yourself my friend: I’ve yet to make any progress on my part either, even with all the help I have down in the royal archives. All I ask is you continue watching over them until I get back.”

“Where are you going?” asked Meadowbrook, putting a cork into the mouth of the very much useless vapor vial.

“To Ponyville. Princess Twilight made a discovery using one of the mirrors. She suspects whatever is happening on the other side might be connected,” he stated, looking over his former students in sadness before his horn glowed with energy… Only to stop, looking apologetically between the Princesses and Meadowbrook, before showing himself out of the sisters’ chambers, then proceeding to power up his teleportation.

As he’d done times unaccounted, with a booming spark of power, he was out of the dimmed halls of Canterlot in an instant… And subsequently found himself on the balcony of the Castle of Friendship. Making a mental note to get better acclimated with the place, lest his pride be wounded, and with an adjustment, he transported himself to the tall front doors underneath. Much more dignified, he opened the doors with telekinesis and let himself in.

What he found once he’d managed to navigate himself to the library he did not expect. Both Princess Twilight Sparkle, and her own protégé Starlight Glimmer were sitting outside the library, at a seemingly deliberate distance away from the doors. Both mares seemed troubled, especially how Starlight Glimmer seemed to be shivering, sitting on her haunches, almost coiled inward on herself. Seeing this made Star Swirl consider that he had felt an uncharacteristic nip in the air. Surely it might have just been the castle, as crystal, in his many years of experience, was not the most efficient insulator.

“Princess Twilight? Miss Glimmer?” Star Swirl called out, announcing his presence and bowed graciously. “What is going on? Hast something happened since our communication?”

Princess Twilight looked up from her spot on the floor. As the young alicorn rose up properly on all fours, a pronounced shudder raced down her entire body, ending in an involuntary flick of her streaked tail. Her eyes belied something being very much amiss. “S-Star Swirl…” she hiccupped, shaking her head vigorously as if to shake off the informality she portrayed. “That is… Yes. Something has happened and we…” Twilight eyed the door to the library warily. “We have no idea what it could be.”

Despite having known her only for a short time, Star Swirl was more than want to adhere to the newest princess’ warnings. Princess Twilight was inexperienced for certain, but her intuition and sense of faith made up for much despite any failings in the past on her path of growth. After all; it was this faith that allowed Star Swirl and the Pillars to return from Limbo after all this time, on top of mending the deepest of wounds.

“In that case I very much should assess the situation,” said Star Swirl, walking up to the doors to the library, readying a telekinetic push to open the doors, when the nip in the air intensified to a flesh-biting chill before he had properly realized.

On opening the doors, a chill grew into a bone-chilling sensation, almost as if the harshest of winds was pushing against the skin of his face, yet it did nothing so much as to even make his beard waft. Starlight Glimmer uttered a horrified squeal, unable to move, and Princess Twilight seemed scarcely capable of keeping any semblance of composure.

Of course, Star Swirl was not deemed the greatest wizard of his time for nothing: Despite the sudden drain on even his fortitude, he focused a spell through his horn, projecting a sphere of power which radiated a golden hue over him, as well as the other two ponies present. The strange force permeating the castle collided against this hue, outlining it as a domed field shielding the three. When you’d spent so long trying to vie for control over the sun like him; he’d learned much about Celestia’s assigned heavenly body and how to harness it.

“This should protect us,” he declared, his light barrier having dispersed the unnatural presence from affecting himself, the Princess and her protégé. “Now, let’s see what we’re dealing with…”

With Princess Twilight and Starlight Glimmer sticking close to remain under the tentative protection of his spell, the three entered the library. Despite the sheer intensity of whatever force was spreading itself through the Castle of Friendship; the place was undisturbed: Nothing had fallen, broken or been forced out of place. It was perfectly orderly. All except for the unworldly lack of vibrance.

Approaching the table pointed out by Twilight, everything upon it undisturbed. Physically at least. Star Swirl trotted over to examine the impromptu laboratory setup. A basic energy siphon and distil, elementary, even during his time, but ever effective. Inside the distillation flask, properly shielded, was where the anomalous disturbance was at its strongest, almost as if the immediate color around it had been drained away.

An inky mass of blackness writhed and swirled suspended inside the flask. Though he’d never seen its like in the material world; it did feel similar to what he had witnessed before. It was very much like the unworldly presence given off by the Pony of Shadows, but at a much grander scale. Instead of emanating the very essence of hatred, spite and all the other antitheses of what Equestria stood for, it was something much more… primal.

Focusing on the enigma within the vial, he would not be able to pry deeper without lowering his protective barrier. “Princess, Miss Glimmer, I need you to lend your power to maintaining my barrier. I’m going to see if I can take a closer look into whatever this… thing is.”

“Is that wise, Star Swirl?” asked Twilight in clear trepidation. “You can see what it’s already doing from simply being here.”

“I am fully aware of the dangers it poses and appreciate your concerns, Princess. You need not worry; the moment I feel something amiss I’ll break away,” he declared with confidence.

With evident reluctance, the two mares silently agreed with one another to his request. Focusing their respective powers through their horns, they formed connections to Star Swirl’s light barrier spell, maintaining its integrity, thus freeing his own horn for further use.

Such an option as he was undertaking would undoubtedly spark controversies, but given the current circumstances, especially if this aberration was in any way connected to the Princesses’ current states, it was a necessary evil. Mindreading had always been a frowned upon, if not outright heretical form of magic, but during the dark times past the age of Grogar, Star Swirl believed understanding of such taboos was necessary to safeguard the realm from any other evils. He focused the figurative lance to pierce through whatever possible sentience this thing might have had. If not, it would result in nothing being picked up and he would simply move to the next option.

Reaching forth, he used his horn to forcibly burrow into whatever semblance of a mind this thing had. At first, he wasn’t picking up anything, just his own focused thoughts; the princesses, and the need to protect his homeland being at the forefront of his convictions. It seemed whatever this strange anomalous thing within the flask was bore no sentience, unless…

No. No, there was something within. It was scant, not even on the level of the lowest of insects in terms of linearity. To call it a “mind” was overreaching. Attempting to focus on anything comprehensive, Star Swirl’s prying succeeded in uncovering a single thought, a speck of something surrounded by vast emptiness: An idea that has yet to properly form, but its most base foundation was there.

Consume.

Archers among the guardsmen and women who’d chosen to throw away their misbegotten loyalties aimed their nocked bows upwards, their assigned leader barking the command to unleash a flurry over the destroyed primary bridge to the cathedral square. Many arrows met their marks, embedding, whilst some bounced off, the eldritch mockery of humanity that was once Abacus Cinch, the self-appointed tyrant of Moonlink. Those that left their mark on the black sludge that might have passed as some unsightly skin over the skeletal abomination seemed to not even phase it as it reached out over from its side, like it was attempting to clambered over the canal into the market district.

This was hampered when a lightning infused arrow became embedded in a speck of muck adhering to the gangly limb, the monster reeling with an unholy wail as it nestled its hand underneath its inky webbed ribcage.

“Do not let it get across!” called Scootaloo, having assumed command over both the Hunters and guards as she nocked another arrow.

“Someone get some fire over here!” called the commanding archer. Not a bad option, thought Scootaloo, since any light, be it holy, lightning or just fire, would do more than just regular steel and arrows.

Starlight Glimmer, her silver wand in hand, mustered what little strength her starved and strained body had, held up the holy instrument, the light of the moon reflecting off its pristine surface: Reacting to the light of the pale lady, as her patron had ordained countless generations ago, the moonlight coalesced into the symbol at the tip, lighting it aglow with an intensity like a white sun. With a heave, she swung the wand, launching the light as a projectile in a slow-moving arc.

The spell stopped over the canal, still quite a way from having even reached the now corrupted Cinch. The veritable star of moonlight she’d conjured hung over the canal for but a moment, when a fusillade of smaller, equally radiant specks of light were released unto the monster, pelting it with a rain of stars that crackled and singed against its form. Cinch consciously had to “step” away on the massive arms it used as its only mode of proper locomotion.

Though seeing her light sorcery tearing and searing at her former captor brought unimaginable satisfaction, this feeling was short-lived as vertigo made her legs give way, sending her toppling onto the cobblestone street, if not for the loyal Archivist Neighsay to catch her.

“Milady, please; you are much too weakened to fight,” he said urgently, hefting her arm over his shoulder to keep the both of them steady.

“I know, Neighsay,” Starlight choked, shaking her head to clear away the wooziness. “But I swore an oath to watch over the people here. I can’t cower away just because I-” her voice was cut off as a twinge of further vertigo sent her swaying uncontrollably.

“Lady- uh, ma’am- that is to say…” one of the guards uttered by Scootaloo.

“What is it?!” barked Scootaloo, launching her well-aimed arrow directly into one of the Cinch abomination’s eyes, her aim landing true as it covered its face with its gnarled, muck-laden hands.

The guard stiffened in attention, “Ma’am, if that abomination figures out to use one of the other bridges?”

Scootaloo swore under her breath, “Maud! I need you to take out the outlying bridges to the temple! Start from the artisan district!”

Without a word, the taciturn Maud Pie hefted her impossibly large club against a shoulder and took off running along the canal to the north as fast as she could. Scootaloo was ready to release another arrow, when she was forced to dodge: Cinch’s distended arm swung down at her specifically, forcing her to dodge roll to the side, losing her arrow in the process. In revenge, with one fluid motion she unsheathed her sword and drove it into the muck and gaps of Cinch’s hand. As the enchanted lightning coursed into the unholy palm, the monster drew its hand back. The air rippled as it howled like an enormous, unsightly banshee into the skies, rearing back on its hands.

“She’s gonna jump it!”

Indeed, Cinch started running on her hands, each strike of bony hands against stone sending thunderous claps against the ground. A beam of concentrated while light flashed across the broken bridge, striking Cinch square in the ribcage, somehow causing enough of an impact to knock her over with another wail, the skeletal abomination going prone. All the while High Priestess Starlight Glimmer collapsed to her knees; her breathing strained from the sudden exertion.

“Milady!” Neighay cried out, huddling over the gasping priestess.

“I’m fine, Archivist,” she choked, attempting to stand back up, but in her weakened state she collapsed to the ground.

Seeing the High Priestess collapse as a result of Cinch’s abuses, a seething anger welled up inside Scootaloo. Seeing Cinch prone, but writhing as she… No, it, recovered from the magical blast, it was now vulnerable.

“Fire!” Roared Scootaloo, nocking another arrow, eliciting the other archers to do the same. “Fire! Let her have it! Don’t give that monster an inch!”

Unleashing another salvo, headed by Scootaloo’s more direct lightning arrow, which struck somewhere inside Cinch’s ribcage, while further arrows embedded into her. This caused the monster to cringe and roll onto its front. Before anyone could see what it was doing, it retaliated by tearing a large chunk of the inky substance that passed for its flesh and flung it across the canal.

The squad of archers scattered to avoid the incoming attack, but two of them stumbled into one another, and caused a third one to stall, and the umbral muck struck, engulfing them. A triad of agonized screaming followed from them writhing and trying to crawl out of the substance. All everyone could do was watch and listen as their bodies contorted, unnatural cracking and twisting overtaking their forms, until the light of life left them. What remained in the dissolving pool were three lifeless black husks, their eyes overtaken by the lifeless white. The three new Umbra-Touched lurched out towards their former comrades.

Scootaloo turned her arrow towards them, knowing it as her only option. “I’m sorry…” she uttered, and her shot found its mark in the head of one of them, a vicious spark from her enchanted weapon making it spasm before disintegrating into black motes and dust that faded into the winds.

It didn’t take long for Night and Maddie to dispose of the other two with their enchanted blades. Unavoidable, but the sting of Cinch causing three further victims due to her madness would linger for a moment longer.

“Milady, you cannot keep this up,” came the voice of Neighsay as he supported High Priestess Glimmer. “If you exert yourself like this, we might lose you!”

Scootaloo could hear the High Priestess’ labored breathing, though she adamantly refused to release her grip on her wand, “Dammit, Cinch need to be stopped! I can’t leave you all unprotected.”

“In all due respect, Starlight, maybe for the moment you worry about your wellbeing, and let us do the protectin’?” came that most odd accent, but Scootaloo welcomed it as Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity and Pinkie Pie arrived on the field of battle, with Rarity bearing a crystalline glass vial aglow in the light of the celestials.

“How’s Twilight?” asked Starlight with a weary gasp. “Is she… Is she still with us?”

“She’ll be fine, I just know it,” said Rainbow Dash with iron confidence. “Sunset and Fluttershy are looking after her, and I think you should go to them.”

“I… I cannot-”

“Starlight, listen,” said Applejack putting a firm hand on the High Priestess’ shoulder, like they were on the most familiar of terms, “Ah’ get you wantin’ to protect everyone; trust me: Ah’d stand with my friends through thick ‘n thin and then some. But you’d done your share for now; go rest up and let us have a turn, alright?”

“Lady Applejack is right,” Neighsay concurred. “The people of Moonlink are going to need your leadership now more than ever. Let the Scions and Hunters deal with that harpy while you recover.”

“I…” Starlight slung her head down, “I understand. Go with the Divines’ blessings, my friends.”

Applejack smacked the front of her shield with her axe whilst firmly nodding, “You got it.”

“Incoming!” Shouted Lyra from the bridge, when another black globule of inky flesh came hurtling towards them.

Before anyone had a chance to flee, a segmented barrier of diamonds formed into its path. But something was different: Instead of the faint whitish blue glow they gave off, they were awash with a golden radiance; the light of the Divines: The globule slammed into the shield, quickly dissolving, the light veritably burning the darkness away. Everyone’s attention switched to Rarity, who was looking at her hands, one still bearing the vial containing their accrued shards.

“It’s never done that before,” said Rarity, glancing between her hands and necklace.

“Ah’ think your magic got affected by the shards since you’re holdin’ ‘em,” Applejack surmised.

“That just makes it better for us,” said Rainbow Dash, when she turned to Scootaloo. “Hey, Scoot. You mind lending me your sword? I don’t think these cudgels are going to quite cut it.”

As if she could ever deny her role model, this other one having truly proven herself as the original Rainbow’s equal in bravery and loyalty, Scootaloo unsheathed her cruciform side-sword and tossed it hilt first for Rainbow to seize it.

“Alright, what’s our situation? Anything else we can use besides your arrows?”

“We’ve got fire now!” called one of the now turncoat guards, the lot having set up braziers further back. “We can offer fire support with oiled arrows if need be. Though I’m not certain how much use it will be.”

Scootaloo nodded, “Any light will be fine. Just mind the buildings and watch out if Cinch throws any more Umbra at us. I think Lady Rarity has that venue covered.”

“Alright, let’s hope we won’t burn the city down while we’re at it,” remarked the guard before rejoining her forces who were readying arrows.

Rainbow looked across the destroyed bridge, drawing Scootaloo’s attention, seeing the Cinch abomination skulking about as if it was scrutinizing their actions from its position. Perhaps the light of the celestials had it second-guessing, if Umbra-Touched were even capable of any thought besides consumption. It grew concerning when it appeared to begin stomping away, possibly for one of the outlying bridges. Before any further tactics could be discussed, Rainbow zoomed forth, leaping across the destroyed bridge in a rainbow blur and closing the gap with the monster in a blink.

She daringly leapt onto Cinch’s ooze-covered back and jabbed into the ichor before kicking herself off. Everyone around awed at the godly speed she exhibited, and no doubt her daring as she leapt over a sweeping attack from one of Cinch’s distended arms and easily ran around the overhead smash that followed, the monster earning another jab at its hand, once again cradling it underneath its mass. Rainbow was not relenting, as she rapidly jabbed the blade directly into Cinch’s eye socket with a vicious crackling of lightning, intense enough that what looked to be embers spilling out the orifice.

Rainbow’s next action was well calculated when the aberration spewed a rolling mist of Umbra from its dangling maw: Retreating back over the bridge to the clamor and triumphant hoots of the guards. Scootaloo herself was entirely convinced; she was just like her Rainbow Dash: Loyal, daring, skilled… and more than a little insane.

Sunset hadn’t moved from her spot beside the bed, her knees numbing against the hard, bare wooden floor, focused in her entirety on the prone form of Twilight who hadn’t so much as stirred since five of their band had gone off to aid in the battle against Cinch. Her hand clenched Twilight’s against the bedding, the soft radiance of the celestial shard shining through the gaps in between. Fluttershy sat at the edge, her own hand nestled atop the other two, and Spike lay there with her nudging at her cheek with his snout.

Twilight’s body had seemingly recovered: She was warm again; her heartbeat and breathing were stable. She just hadn’t woken up. Sunset’s hold on Twilight tightened fearfully. What if being in marginally prolonged contact with the Umbra-Touched Cinch had done something and they were too late to help her? Was her physical body undamaged, but her mind lost somewhere?

It can’t end like this… thought Sunset, almost unaware of the beating inside her chest and the feel of something wet sliding down her cheeks. “Twilight…” she uttered silently, reaching out with her free hand to stroke her head with longing affection, “Please… Please be alright…”

She barely heard the footsteps coming in from outside, roused only at the call of her name;

“Sunset,” called Starlight Glimmer, or rather High Priestess Starlight Glimmer, being supported by Applebloom against her shoulders as they came in, tailed closely by a slightly scuffed, but still dignified looking Neighsay. “How is she? Did you get her the- Oh, I see,” she noted, no doubt noticing the light emanating from between their fingers.

Fluttershy looked up from her spot on the edge. “She’s not waking up,” she sobbed distraught. “We gave her the shard, but she hasn’t budged at all.”

“What can we do?!” asked Sunset in pleading. “Were we too late? Is she…?” the thought made her choke on her words.

Starlight looked over the motionless bespectacled girl under woolen covers. With a pained grunt, she allowed herself to stand up from being supported by Apple Bloom, a notion that made Neighsay visibly fret, but the starved and frail priestess brought up a hand to dismiss his concerns. She shuffled up beside the bed before holding out the silvery wand they’d taken from Cinch.

“I may not be able to fight in my current condition,” said Starlight, the notion confirmed further by the unspeakable odor wafting from her unwashed, ragged and emaciated form, “but let there be no objections for helping my friends.”

The wand, so pristine it might as well have glowed even in the dimness of the room. That’s what one might have assumed at first glance, but the wand truly did bear with it a pristine whitish glow, perhaps with a hint of an ethereal tone of blue. It coursed up along the filigrees curling along its length in rivulets, coalescing upon the tri-moon heraldry at the very tip, lighting up the waxing, full and waning so the entire room was bathed in its radiance.

Sunset watched in amazement, Starlight muttering something in an airy whisper under her breath. She held the wand over Twilight, the light twisting and writhing against the normal laws of physics until they came to focus all on Twilight. The wand’s glow slowly died out, leaving the entire room in darkness, when the lighting inexplicably returned to normal. Twilight’s form bore this soft blue light, the light of the moon, much longer, until it too faded.

The spectacle was underplayed when the high priestess collapsed to her knees, Sunset, Fluttershy and Apple Bloom rushing to her aid. That was when Twilight’s lips let out a weary utterance. Sunset watched with bated breath as she stirred, her eyes beginning to flitter. This roused Spike from his saddened stupor, his tail beginning to wag and emerald eyes bright with overwhelming happiness.

“Twilight!” he barked overjoyed.
“Twilight!” Sunset and Fluttershy called out, sharing in their mascot’s relief.

As their previously comatose friend arose to the support of her elbows, a grateful smile met them in response, “Girls-”

She hadn’t a chance to finish when Sunset flung her arms around her, forcing Twilight right back down onto the bed, under Sunset’s must jubilant embrace, all the while Spike hopped around the two, barking happily.

“Sweet Celestia, I thought we almost…” Her hold tightened, once more choking back on those most morbid thoughts. “Twilight…”

Her relief was reciprocated as Twilight hugged her back, and said with soft comfort, “I would never leave you. Thank you, Sunset. You and everyone else.”

Sunset let out a soft, mirthful laugh as she at least allowed Twilight freedom, until it was Fluttershy’s turn, the animal caretaker being just as, if not more so, emotional as she wept out all the pent-up trepidations she’d held up to that moment. “I think Scootaloo and Rainbow should get most of the credit, seeing how it was they who freed and scooped you out of Cinch’s grasp.”

“Cinch…” uttered Twilight, her eyes hardening, even under Fluttershy’s clingier hug. “Where is she now?”

Neighsay politely cleared his throat, “Everyone else is currently engaging the hag as we speak. So far, they’ve managed to keep her secluded to the temple district, but I’m not certain how long they might manage. This Umbra-Touched seems to be of a particularly potent variety.”

“We have to go help them,” declared Twilight, though not to be so abrupt as to interrupt Fluttershy’s last bits of destressing.

“But you were just… You know,” uttered Spike. “Can you-?”

“I’m fine,” declared Twilight, when Fluttershy finally released her. “We still have a city to save. And we need to be together.”

As if there was any doubt in what was espoused; through whatever happened: They would always be strongest together. Sunset figured it was time they showed the monster formerly known as Abacus Cinch, and Moonlink, and Equis.

Chapter 12: The Scions of Equis

Leaping back over the bridge to avoid overexerting herself and the rolling smog of Umbra from touching her, Rainbow Dash could hear in the distance as Maud collapsed the first bridge connecting to the artisan district. Now the only issue remained that the Cinch abomination seemed fully intent on going the exact opposite direction from the taciturn Pie sister’s. Scootaloo ordered a cadre of archers and Night Quill to hurry on over to try and impede its progress in that direction.

To say that they were at an impasse was an understatement: With only one among their ranks capable of engaging in melee range, and the limited arrow volleys dealing minute damage at best, it was the most uphill battle they’d experienced so far.

Cinch in what might have been some remaining shreds of frustration, let loose a bellowing belch of Umbral smog that wafted over the cobblestoned ground like rolling mist, wafting over the moat. Before anyone could so much as attempt a retreat, an arcing wall of waist high gems, bathed in divine light materialized in its path, the motes sizzling away like ashes on contact.

“Good work,” Applejack could be heard uttering beside Rarity. “Oh, hey; this an oil barrel?”

Rainbow could not help peeking over her shoulder, seeing the farmer tap the side of a barrel near the rearguard archers.

“Affirmative, ma’am.”

“Alright, Ah’ wanna try somethin’!” With her geode-gifted strength, Applejack effortlessly lifted the barrel over her head. “Get ready to fire!”

Getting a good running start, and with a herculean grunt, Applejack sent the barrel hurtling towards Cinch. The velocity was far more than enough to not only close the distance, but also shatter the wooden casket against her form. With the command from Scootaloo, another volley of flaming arrows was let loose. Whether or not they’d deal damage was irrelevant, for when even a few embedded into the Umbra-Touched monstrosity, the oil now saturating its inky flesh lit aflame.

“Nice!” exclaimed Rainbow, added with Applejack pumping a triumphant fist, watching the monstrosity go up in flames, a shrieking, skeletal inferno as it had no visible means of putting out the flames.

All the monster could do was writhe and shriek as fire licked at its, now most certainly, pitch-like skin.

“Think that’ll be enough?” asked Rainbow, as the lot of them observed the monster be incapable in extinguishing its personal inferno.

“I don’t know,” muttered Scootaloo. “This one seems to be stronger than your average Umbra-Touched.” She turned to the archers under her command, “Don’t let your guards down just yet. The moment you see it acting in aggression, let the arrows fly.”

Triumphant as it seemed, given that the Cinch creature hadn’t attempted to make a break for it, nor did it seem to have the cognizance to simply hurl itself into the moat, the sounds of its unearthly wails was beginning to ebb at everyone’s psyches. And Rainbow had not the stomach to get anywhere close to something that could spew what might as well have been vaporous death. Or something that could spew vaporous death that was currently on fire.

Cinch abruptly clutched around its head. With another deathly wait, it pulled, literally tearing the inky substance, now aflame, from around its skull, revealing a dull grey, shimmer of bare bone, though possibly slightly charred. Despite not possessing any of the intricacies of the human body, it was still a thoroughly morbid sight as the monster tore its skin off with its gangly hands to rid itself of the flames… Which it then lobbed towards the city’s defenders, a gruesome black blanket of darkness that was also in flames!

Everyone around was scrambling for cover, when Rarity, by what might as well be instinct on her behalf formed a dome of golden diamond where she estimated the center of mass was. The glob of Umbra splattered against her barrier, the impact making her falter and reel. Bits of burning murk slid and dripped off around the sides, which seemed to burn away to nothing, while the barrier seared away its bulk, albeit slowly.

“Rarity, look out!”

Rarity seemed to only comprehend much too late when Cinch’s legless skeletal form came plummeting from up above: It had taken the opportunity to run on its arms and leapt across the bridge with impossible strength. Picking up speed in but a blink, Rainbow zoomed to snatch and drag Rarity out of the way, but she lost her footing as the ground shook underneath the both of them tumbling over, just as Cinch raised a skeletal arm to smash down on both of them.

“Oh no you don’t!” Applejack, barked lunging forth and smacking the skeletal aberration in the face with her shield. Which shattered into pieces on impact. “Aw shoot…”

Rainbow took this chance to pull Rarity and herself up and get some distance, their hearts seizing when the aberration tried smashing down on Applejack with its other arm, but the farmer was fast enough to retaliate by punching the giant limb coming down on her to divert it away. Subsequently followed by something pink and sizzling flying into Cinch’s eye and detonating with a powerful vibrant blast.

The four of them gathered together, Pinkie still having the spear jutting from her hair, when Cinch brought her skull-head back on them, now significantly further charred, those lifeless white orbs in the eye sockets glaring down at them balefully. With a scream, Rarity conjured a dome over them all when Cinch let loose a bellowing blast of Umbra. It was terrifying to realize hadn’t they discovered the celestial shards’ light being somehow transferred through Rarity’s magic, they might have been dead at that very moment.

“If she decides to go smashy-smashy, we’re toast!” exclaimed Pinkie. “That metaphor is just a-a-awfu-u-u-u-l!”

“Incoming!” screamed Rainbow as she witnessed Cinch raise a fist for a smash through the radiant light of the enhanced gem barrier. However, she’d stopped spewing Umbra from her maw, but given the size of Cinch’s skeletal hand it would undoubtedly cause a tremor, and it would be impossible to know if all four of them could get out of dodge fast enough.

When she thought they’d met their maker on this veritable apocalypse world, Applejack intercepted the blow with a haymaker, her magical herculean strength diverting and sending the blow directly into Cinch’s own face. Under most circumstances, it would have been outright comical, if not for the skeletal Umbra-Touched toppling over and bringing an entire town building down around her, kicking up an enormous dust cloud.

“Hey, Cinch!” Pinkie yelled out. “Why did you hit yourself?!” With that she joined to rest of them in getting distance. “I know it was low for me, but I couldn’t help it.”

“Right, now Ah’m more worried we didn’t crush anyone or none got hit with that smoke,” retorted Applejack.

“Yea- Oh, hey!” Pinkie exclaimed more jubilantly. “Twilight’s okay!”

“Girls!” Sunset called out, her, Fluttershy and indeed Twilight close behind.

“Wait! Stay back, it’s not-”

Applejack’s warning was cut off when Cinch arose from the newest pile of wreckage, the ground booming as she hand-walked after the lot of them.

“She’s gonna wreck the whole city at the rate we’re going!” said Rainbow Dash hands clenched at the hilt of Scootaloo’s sidesword. “We’ve tried fire, we’ve used lightning, but she’s not staying down!”

“There’s something we haven’t tried,” said Sunset in urgency. “Everyone, pony up!”

Everyone put actions to words as they almost simultaneously clutched their geodes, the spark of Equestrian magic erupting within each as their bodies underwent the transformations: Equine ears appeared through their hair, which itself elongated and became separated into a tied portion, mimicking the tails of ponies, and Rainbow, Fluttershy and Twilight unfurled their wings.

Their plan was cut short as Cinch’s hand came slamming down towards the lot of them. Everyone managing to get out of dodge with their Equestrian granted enhancements, the three with wings being able to handily avoid the shockwave: Rainbow and Fluttershy had grabbed Applejack and Rarity respectfully, while Twilight had snatched and levitated Sunset and Pinkie along with her powered-up telekinesis. They retreated a ways back into the market square, Cinch continuing her pursuit, seemingly intent on them as her primary victims.

“No fair! We can’t let loose with her swinging at us!” said Rainbow in frustration.

“Oh! Ooh! I’ve got an idea!” called Pinkie, reaching into her hair to pull out… two sticks of gum. “Jawbones, don’t fail me now!” And with that she started chewing hastily.

“Pinkie! This ain’t the time!” exclaimed Applejack as they all landed on the platform previously used for executions.

Pinkie summarily ignored Applejack’s scolding when she spat out the freshly chewed up wad of gum into her hand, then finally pulled the spear out of her hair and adhered the gum to the flat of its blade. She proceeded to hold a hand out to Rarity, “Rarity, shard me!”

Rarity, still holding onto the shard in question, looked at their friend in apprehension, “Pinkie, I do not know what you’re on about, but shouldn’t we…”

Pinkie briefly pinched the bridge of her nose, “Oh just give it here, woman!” She snatched the shard and stuck it to the gum, then held the weapon to Rainbow, “Now make like a Rainbow, Valkyrie- I mean, like a Valkyrie, Rainbow and stick it to ‘er!”

At this point she was not one to argue and snatched the improvised holy weapon from Pinkie and took off. With her impeccable speed, coupled with her Equestria-given power of flight, she spun around the girth of Moonlink twice over before coming down for a direct charge at Cinch, a fearsome battle cry resounding over the skies of Moonlink through it all.

The spear was delivered right at home into one of Cinch abomination’s hollow eyes, barely giving Rainbow a blink as she swerved upwards and hooped around back to her friends. Cinch was flaying its head madly, an unending stream of radiance erupting from her eye. The spear had to have embedded itself, miraculously not having snapped from the sheer force behind it.

“Now’s our chance!” Sunset called out. She and her friends bravely rushed to confront the monster.

When they were close enough but remaining out of reach, the seven held hands, the powers within their geodes primed. The magic lifted them further out of reach off the ground, the seven Equestrian artifacts around their necks lighting up in a rainbow of brilliant colors and each shot forth a beam, coming together into a veritable rainbow that blasted forth, enveloping the Umbra-Touched that was once Abacus Cinch.

The monster of the dark howled its last as the rainbow ray washed over it, a streak of gold trailing in its wake, causing it to disintegrate before their eyes, until there was nothing left but the abating echo. The spear lodged in its eyes clanked to the ground, its blade glowing from the holy light of the Divines, as did four further shards scattered about on the ground.

Moonlink’s tyrant and elusive monster was defeated. The city was saved.

Author's Note

A short one this time, bringing an end to what I guess could amount to the "Moonlink saga".

Chapter 13: Sanctuary

Before the sizable burn mark upon the cobblestoned street over Moonlink’s market square, the next moments were interesting, to say the least. The people of Moonlink, both former prisoners and those who’d remained hiding in their homes throughout the many a ruckus that had taken place outside their doors gathered all around. Hostilities between the very guards previously tasked with keeping the populace in line were forgotten, them too joining their charges to behold what transpired.

For all these uninformed masses knew, before them within the walls of their haven, bodies garbed in of resplendent, magical attire of rainbows of color, stood those who would be their champions during a time of hardship. To expected what came next felt obvious, if a bit uncomfortable:

Cries of utter joy and praise rained upon the seven girls, how the Scions had returned, finally, to deliver them to salvation from the endless night. Some went as far as weeping in bliss, while some went as far as shouting in reverence to the Divines themselves. Those most restrained simply held their heads low in groveling, while a few went as far as getting down on their knees.

The spectacle was all so wrong, thought Sunset: They weren’t their saviors, not really. They were a septet of high school girls from a different world who simply bore the exact likenesses of those saviors, but other than that, she couldn’t guess a thing about what the other Sunset Shimmer might have been.

Getting the crowd to not smother them in turn was surprisingly easy: It took only coaxing from Fluttershy, of all people, to get the people to clear a way towards the Apple Hearth Inn. It was a surreal experience to say the least, as they briskly walked down the path, with the people still continuing to heap praise for them, while those along their stride bowed or knelt in respect. There was a strong inkling the people were going to be huddled around the building for a long time still even as the door was shut.

“Thank the heavens, you’ve returned!” called Apple Bloom from the direction of the bar.

“Aw shucks, sugarcube,” said Applejack with an affirming thump to her chest. “It’s gonna take a lot more than that. Apples forever, right?”

“Is Starlight alright?” asked Sunset in urgence.

“Lady Glimmer is resting. I thought I’d bring her some food. Her eminence looked like a veritable skeleton- uh, I mean…”

Applejack simply waved it off, “Aw come on now, Apple Bloom. Ah’m sure Starlight ain’t the kind for takin’ offence.”

Sunset led the lot up the stairs, to the very room they had left Spike, Starlight and Archivist Neighsay in. Spike’s overjoyed barking portending their arrival to the other two inhabitants.

“Celestials’ mercy, you did it!” exclaimed Neighsay, the man looking positively ecstatic, very different from the more restrained and formal demeanor. A look of further amazement came upon his face as Sunset and the girls entered, still ponied up with their elongated hair, pony ears and transformed outfits, and they all seemed to emanate a faint glow from their forms.

Starlight Glimmer lay with her back upright against the headboard of the same bed Twilight had been resting in. Like Neighsay, she appeared transfixed on Sunset and the girls, so it was safe to say their counterparts did not possess the same.

Amazed as she were, Starlight looked less ecstatic, but comparatively forlorn in the wake of being freed.

“Neighsay told me…” she stated forthright. “I had many questions regarding how you all appear to us so suddenly, just as the world is slowly dying, when all of you went missing not long after the fall of the Divines. Let alone your differences in ability, your odd form in vernacular, Twilight being constantly bespectacled, and none of you possessing your assigned Sigils.” She began to clamber out of bed, only for Neighsay to put a hand to her shoulder, shaking his head insistently.

Sunset sighed in empathy. Now that the threat was over and they were no longer in hostile territory, she willed herself to return to normal, as did the rest of the girls in a flash of light. “I know. We didn’t mean to trick you, Starlight, but we couldn’t just leave you.”

“If anything, we need your help,” said Twilight in affirmation.

Starlight closed her eyes, the blackness and bags around her eyes showing prominently. The high priestess leaned her head against the headboard, looking wearier than ever before. No-one dared to make a sound, almost wondering if Starlight had fallen asleep. This proved not to be the case as she turned her head to face Sunset again, opening her eyes dejectedly.

“Please, explain everything.”

“It’s the least we owe you,” Sunset concurred. “It’s best we start from the very beginning.”

Sunset and the girls reiterated events leading to the present. For the sake of context and ease of understanding, they also included an abridged account of their lives and exploits: From Sunset’s arrival in their home dimension, the Fall Formal that changed their lives, the battle of the bands, the Friendship Games, Camp Everfree, the Memory Stone and Equestria Land. Starlight remained largely silent, listening intently, and without question. Throughout it all she would remain focused on the group, while at times diverting her gaze down to her wand she had refrained for letting go of.

Upon completion, an uncomfortable silence fell over the inn. Sunset, and undoubtedly her friends too, felt the sorrowful gloom as Starlight Glimmer stared intently at her wand, before slowly, deliberately staring out the window; the pale lady, so ominously close than she should have. To imagine the internal turmoil the high priestess must have been going through.

“Everyone,” she uttered shakily, then swallowing, “I ask that you leave for the dusk hours. I have much ruminations to sort through.”

“My lady, you need your rest,” said Neighsay softly. “You’ve just been through a horrific ordeal.”

“I know, Archivist. My body may be withered, but my mind is clear. Please. I’ll be fine.”

It was a unanimous decision to comply to the counterpart of another friend somewhere through the fabric between universes. As everyone walked out in quiet respect, Starlight’s voice called out, “Sunset.”

Sunset turned around, seeing a small, weary smile on Starlight’s lips, “I never thanked you for freeing me.”

Sunset reciprocated, “It’s what friends do. Even if we just met.”

And with that the high priestess was left to her requested solitude. For a time, she remained still and quiet. Then came the tears. Finally, the priestess curled in on her knees, the floodgates of emotion finally giving in, and she wept.

Despite the city of Moonlink being liberated, the air and atmosphere inside Apple Hearth Inn was not belated in the least.

Sunset, Twilight and Spike sat and lay, on the large bed of the room given to them by Sweetie Belle. It was evidently one of the higher end ones for wealthier patrons, but with this being the veritable apocalypse, wealth was far from an issue. Sunset sat hugging her knees, the gaggle of emotions swirling in her mind.

Barring the oddly prophetic nightmare; the day may have otherwise been as any regular: Arriving at CHS, sitting down for Cranky’s math lecture, listening to Rainbow Dash and Trixie’s exasperated groaning, then through Harswhinny’s history lectures… Today had been vaccination day as well, so perhaps the slightest hint of a silver lining, as far as the trypanophobic Pinkie was concerned.

No, trying to joke about it was inappropriate and foolish. With still no word from Princess Twilight, thus the notion of the journal possibly being cut off from its recipient came up, but no… no she had to hold onto hope. That was the best they had to hold onto now; they still didn’t what happened to CHS, or Canterlot. Was everyone alright? Sweet Leaves was almost crushed if not for Rainbow Dash’s intervention.

“Sunset…” she looked over her shoulder at Twilight, who was laying on her side, her back to Sunset, cradling Spike in her arm. It was easy pick up something was wrong; she had removed her glasses, tentatively grasped in her hand before her face, her eyes focusing on them vacantly.

Sunset was on her like a mother hen, turning around and bringing a gentle hand to the genius’ shoulder, “Twilight? What’s wrong?” Stupid. What isn’t wrong?

“Sunset, I’m… I’m scared…” Twilight’s lips quivered.

“I know, Twi, I know. I’m scared too,” Sunset nodded weakly. “When… you know, I thought I’d lost you… Do you feel weird in any way?”

Twilight’s eyes darted between Spike and her glasses, “I… I don’t think so. Just…” she swallowed.

Sunset leaned in and put and arm around her, feeling how she was quivering under her touch, “Try not to think about it…” she shushed. She wanted to say the correct thing, anything, to help her, but like a fool, nothing came to mind. Just empty comforts.

The door to the room suddenly opened, but Sunset did not budge. She either did not care, maybe she froze.

“Hey, uh…” Rainbow Dash uttered from the door, “… you okay? We can go back if-”

Sunset peeked over her shoulder, finding everyone; Rainbow, Applejack, Pinkie, Fluttershy and Rarity huddled around the door.

“No, no, it’s okay. Come on in,” Sunset beckoned.

The lot of them gathered at the center in a ring: Rarity and Applejack sat side-by-side on top of the trunk at the foot of the bed, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie were content sitting cross-legged on the floor, Fluttershy on a stool, and while Sunset insisted Twilight have the more comfortable proper chair in the corner, the latter insisted being fine joining her on the floor as well, Spike remaining cozy on Twilight’s lap.

The forlorn silence resumed as everyone found their places, save for some shifting and an abrupt sneeze from Rainbow. The six looked among each other, no-one able to start off with whatever they had weighing on their minds.

“This was the worst day ever,” muttered Pinkie, first to break the silence. Her characteristic mirth and optimism felt gone, the only sign of positivity being her heir remaining puffed.

“Yea, it really was,” Sunset agreed, a comforting arm remaining around Twilight, who snuggled up to her. “If only I’d realized that nightmare was more than just that.”

“C’mon now Sunset, don’t you go pinnin’ this on yerself, ya hear?” Applejack insisted. She wasn’t wrong, not really. How could they have had even an inkling that Sunset’s dream was tied to Equis?

“I… Yea, you’re right, AJ,” sighed Sunset hugging Twilight tighter. “But it’s just bothering me how oddly specific it was. How could I dream about Equis?”

“Maybe it’s just Equestrian magic again,” called Rainbow, spreading her legs out.

“Yea, kinda obvious with all of these things,” Pinkie added, thankfully not losing all of her pep just yet.

“Is there any word from Princess Twilight?” Rainbow asked, to which Sunset could only shake her head.

“Sunset, you don’t…” Fluttershy looked close to shivering as she held onto Angel, “you don’t think that… That maybe-”

“No!” blurted Sunset, albeit perhaps a bit too forcefully. “No, there’s nothing to suggest that: The journal could transmit through dimensions already; it’s in no way different whether it was our world or this one.” At least I hope so.

Rainbow looked uncharacteristically fidgety as she curled her legs back in, “You sure about that?”

“Everyone; Princess Twilight is just that, a princess,” said Rarity offering her own dissuasion. “I’m sure she’s got plenty to deal with as is. But I’m certain she’ll get back to us.”

“Yea. She’d never leave us hanging,” Applejack nodded firmly.

“You’re right, she wouldn’t,” murmured Sunset. “Makes me wonder if Equestria was affected somehow too since it was the portal that brought us here.”

“Maybe that’s why she’s preoccupied?” offered Fluttershy more hopeful.

“Then I’m confident she’ll help us,” said Rainbow with the best smile she could manage.

The general mood did uplift if just a bit. Still, this was nothing like all their previous hurtles: They were in completely unknown territory, not fighting wild Equestrian magic, and Sunset was at a complete loss how they could get home.

“We…” Twilight, started, clearing her throat and wiping her tears away with her hand, “we’re all scared.” Everyone gave their own silent affirmations. “But at least we’re all together.”

“That’s right,” said Sunset, never having loosened her hold on Twilight. “We just gotta keep it that way. We’ll think of something.” We will make it out of this. We have to…

Their convictions were solidified when everyone huddled around Sunset, Twilight and Spike the lot of them pulling together into a life-affirming group hug. The moment made the world of eternal night feel that much brighter and warmer. Even when teetering on the end of a world, the Magic of Friendship hadn’t abandoned them.

Prologue (Edited 25.12.2019)

My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Equestria Girls

Umbral Souls

She did not know how she came to be here. She was alone in the midst of a forest of pale, gnarling trees. Bereft of any foliage, they reached for the sky, their branches contorted into little clawing hands. Beyond their reach was nothing. Looking up made one feel as if they were to fall upwards into an endless expanse of utter blackness.

The sky was the most unsettling thing about this place. There were no stars, no moon, no nebulae, nothing. Yet still she could somehow see around her at an impressive radius, like an invisible spotlight was somehow piercing through the void up above. But nothing in this impossible illumination cast shadows around her.

Looking herself over; she was adorned in her cyan yellow hemmed shirt dress, her jeans and her favorite black high-heeled boots, topped with her low-cut black jacket. At least she was clothed: The air around her felt freezing. She could not explain it, but it felt like the cold went beyond the chill that sent goosebumps up her arms; like it was saturating her to the core. The sensation made her feel… It made her feel like she was empty, hollow, like the warmth within her had dissipated into the void.

The sudden sense of vertigo and anxiety came over her, making her stumble; falling to her knees with the sounds of countless husks of leaves cracking under her. She shook her head, eyes tightly shut. For a moment she felt close to hyperventilating, or suffocating. Grasping the carpet of leaves and dirt, she breathed deeply. Urging herself to look ahead, her resolve steeled, at least for now, she stood up and continued onward. It was all she could do.

She walked forward, each step accented with the snaps of twigs and the crackle of leaves. The inexplicable ring of illumination trailing on with her, uncovering the darkness surrounding her. More gnarled trees unshrouded in her wake. She hopped over a felled one, the carpet of leaves clearing away towards approaching a stream of water crossing her path.

She squatted down besides the anemic stream, the surface reflecting the unsettling void above on its almost still surface. Looking at this first sign of life, she realized for the first time that she did not hear anything. This place was the definition of deathly silence; no rustling of leaves, no creak of branches, no wind to be heard. She stood up and looked back from where she’d come; she could see nothing beyond the illuminating field, everything behind her enshrouded in the darkness.

The feelings of dread and anxiety began to creep their way inside her again. All she could do was hug her arms in fear. What was this place? When? How did she get here? Why was she here? She almost didn’t realize the quiet chattering of her teeth. She felt something trailing down her cheek. Touching it, she felt her fingers moisten. Looking down at her hand, her fingertips stained in her tears.

“H-he-…” she stammered, finding her voice. It started as course, making her cough. Swallowing the dry lump formed in her throat, she steadied her breathing before managing to call out; “H-hello?”

Her voice felt small, almost pathetic. She looked around again. Nothing to see past the field of impossible illumination around her. First the darkness felt like it would overwhelm her, now the silence. She took another deep breath,

“Hello?!” she called out, louder this time, the unease of this place making her unwilling to be any louder. There was nothing, not even an echo to call back to her. She was alone.

Wrapping her arms around herself once more, she took a step forward, then another, her boot coming down on the little stream before her with a splash.

That’s when she saw something ahead of her, past the stream, beyond the illumination. Two white dots, just over the rim. Then there were two more to the right, then another two. Suddenly there were dozens of them, all around her beyond the illumination. They wobbled unceasingly in the darkness, staring at her. Then came the sounds. Rasping, growling, like someone trying to clear their throat in sickness.

She instinctively took a step back. She could barely yelp when something from the darkness stepped into her illumination. It was staring at her with two white, hollow spheres. Its gangly arms hung almost limply as it shuffled towards her, stopping to crane it neck, almost like, whatever it was, was scrutinizing her. For the life of her, she could not say what this thing… these things were. All she could think was that it looked almost like a human, but its entire body was dark. She could see a literal miasma of darkness exude from its very being, the eyes being nothing but cold white orbs staring at her intently.

She looked around in haste, for an escape, or something. She spotted a felled tree branch among the husks of leaves. She swiftly grabbed it and held it up in a threatening pose, gritting her teeth tightly to try and mask the absolute terror she felt. The humanoid husk lurched towards her, rasping loudly as it reached out with its gnarled fingers. She swung the branch, connecting with its head. It fell over from the impact. The thing slowly got on its knees, looking almost pathetic as it tried to stand back up. Before she could bring herself to bash it further, another one of those things rushed at her from the right, arms held out, letting out something between a pained rasp and a racking scream.

She felt the impact course through her fingers as she whacked it right upside the head. Its face planted on the ground, urging her to soccer kick it for good measure. She hurried away back the way she came, yet another one of these things, a woman, with a disheveled veil of hair obscuring her head came lunging at her. She once again swung the branch, sending it sprawling onto the ground. Another, lunged at her from behind, to which she swung with a wide, powerful arcing blow. It connected with the creature’s head, but the branch gave away and violently snapped halfway down its shaft.

Her heart sank, looking at the remnants of her impromptu weapon. As another of these dark husks came at her, the best she could do was chuck the snapped branch with all the force she could muster before wheeling around in a blink and taking off in a mad dash. Another tried to bar her way, but managing to utilize her momentum, she rammed straight into the husk with a brutal shoulder tackle, pushing it aside as she ran for her life.

What started out as deathly silence was replaced by a stygian chorus of rasping snarls as more of these human husks emerged from the darkness, like she had rattled a hornet’s nest, with herself inside. They were all after her like rapacious wolves. The ring of illumination allowed them all to see where she was… That’s when it dawned on her; she was this illumination. A tiny spark in an endless blackness. Somehow, she was the one giving off this faint shimmer within this world of darkness that followed her wherever she went.

Her lungs burned from within from the cold air. Even as her fear screamed within her to not stop, she did not know how long she could keep going. She was no athlete, and no matter where she went, she herself would be the beacon that drew these things towards her. No place to run, no place to hide.

She ran, swerving past a tree that came up ahead. As her lungs hurt, she could feel tears seep from her eyes. She dared not stop, terrified underneath the endless void up above, and of what these things would do to her. She begged in her mind for someone, anyone, to help her. So steeped in fear was she that she did not realize how the forest floor gave way to stone, and with her inability to see ahead, her foot got caught against a stone step, and she tripped.

Pain shot throughout her body as she fell against the edges of worn stone steps. Her left arm got the worst of it as her body brought it up all on its own to protect her head. With an agonized wince, she rolled onto her back and sat up. Her ring of illumination revealed the forest floor having given away to a stone path leading up to the steps she literally fell upon, and that the human husks were still coming, their soulless eyes finding her from the endless blackness of this place. One was already scrambling past the rim of her personal illumination.

She scrambled back onto her legs and hurried up the small flight, coming upon a set of sturdy double doors that had been left slightly ajar. Flinging herself into the gap in between, she forcefully pushed them shut on her pursuers. She could almost weep in bliss as she saw a hefty wooden bar held in place with iron frames against the surface of the left door. She immediately pulled it between the two, effectively sealing off her attackers, at least temporarily, she hoped.

Slumping her back against the door, she slid down onto the cold stone floor, panting profusely as she felt her heart hammer away in her chest. She gazed up at the ceiling of whatever this place was that saved her, at least for now.

As her breathing settled and she regained enough of her bearings, she could now see where she was. Past the sturdy doors began two rows of pews on both sides of the wide rectangular room. It looked like she’d stumbled into a church or temple of some sort. Down the long aisle at the far end there was… Light?

Standing up, her legs feeling slightly wobbly from the exertion, she began to slowly hobble down the aisle. Her eyes stared intently at what awaited at the end. A single, brilliant glow emitted from what she guessed would be the altar to whatever this place venerated, or used to, in the very least. She had been so overwhelmed by the daunting darkness outside that she almost failed to notice the illumination given off by whatever it was that filled the room.

As her aching legs carried her onward, almost stumbling, but managing to catch herself against one of the pews. She felt as if she were mesmerized by this glow. As she neared, she could feel like life was returning to her, like she was walking in a soothing summer breeze. The feeling came back into her digits, and coursed up into her hands and feet, and flowed up and down her body. She felt whole again. The light felt so warm, like it was dissipating the fear from her, and yet, in the back of her mind it felt so familiar.

As she stumbled upon the altar, its surface a mess, with its cloth missing, a candelabra lying on its side and mounds of melted wax dotting it, she found it. Set in the very center was… a fragment of pure, golden light. Warm and radiant, yet it did not hurt her eyes, not even strain them. Slowly, she reached out for it. Her fingers reeled ever so slightly as her palm was just upon it. She touched it with the tip of her finger; it did not burn her. Slowly, and ever so gently, she picked up the fragment of light.

She looked down at the piece of radiance nestled in her hands; it felt weightless, perfectly smooth, like the light itself had been chipped and given form. Holding it made all the fear and hollowness vanish from her entirely, her mind no longer clouded by the overwhelming void outside. She pulled her hands closer until she was holding the piece of light against her chest. She held up her head, for the first time not afraid to close her eyes as she reveled in the light’s warmth. The best she could describe the sensation was like she was being embraced, like a pair of soft, silken wings enveloped her, much like so long ago, back home.

She opened her eyes, her mind now clearer than it ever had been since coming here. Her eyes changed from bliss to amazement. Her mouth opened in surprise as she beheld what stood above the altar.

Set atop a great slab of smooth, polished white stone, was a distinctly equine figure. Whomever sculpted it must have poured their very heart and soul into it: It stood reared on its hind legs, its front legs curved close to its body, holding its head up high and proud. A long, conical horn jutted from its forehead, whilst a pair of wide, slightly arched wings arose from its back, and from its head, down its elegant, slender neck flowed down a magnificent mane. Whether it was simply her mind playing tricks on her, or her regained ability to see and cast shadows, or a little bit of both, she could have sworn the mane had flowed. While it was just a statue, an expression of pride, wisdom, and even what could be interpreted as a motherly smile, could be discerned from its features. Topping it all off was a golden tiara set atop its head, the only part not made of stone.

“Princess Celestia?” she mouthed as she beheld the statue.

Being lost in the scores of questions in her mind, she failed to notice that the illumination in the room had dimmed. Looking back down at the piece of light, she realized that it was slowly, but surely, fading.

As the light began to fade, the realization of terror erupted in her mind. Her head darted back and forth between the fragment, and the statue of Celestia, not knowing what to do, or if she had done something. She desperately held the fragment away from her, splaying her fingers out as wide as she could, then placed it back atop the altar. The glow continued to fade, and within her, the fear ingrained within her anew, the clarity and peace in her mind evaporated.

“No…” she gasped, taking a step back from the altar, when the light had faded to a beam shining upwards, only the face of the Princess remaining illuminated.

The darkness was setting in again. It surrounded her, like a flow pouring itself through the windows of the church, and slinked its way inside from under the barred door. It encroached around her, swirling around her feet, ensnaring them. The warmth drained from her very being as the void began to swallow her. She tried to scream, but there was no voice. She gasped, clawing at her neck as she felt like her breathing was being cut off.

“The wick of a candle…” something whispered inside her as the darkness climbed its way up her legs, up to her chest.

In desperation, she reached out for the slowly fading face of her old mentor, the beam of light almost gone, being engulfed just like her.

“The roaring flame…” the whisper spoke, louder this time, as she found herself collapsing on her knees, still reaching out for Celestia, and the final shred of light as the darkness had encroached up to her chest.

As she was being devoured, she felt herself slipping away. The face of the Princess was almost completely gone as she lost the very sense of feeling from herself, her mind becoming shrouded as all what she was became consumed by the blackness.

“Even the brilliant sun, all fade…” the whisper in her mind had grown into an almost deafening roar as the blackness creeped up her neck as she still tried in vain to reach for Celestia, and the light.

The last thing that ran through her dissipating mind was the warm, smiling faces of her friends, those most dear to her in all of existence. She couldn’t do anything, she couldn’t call out, she couldn’t scream, she couldn’t even cry as those six smiling faces were eroded and consumed by the blackness, the only thing she could now see was her hand, still reaching out, as the darkness coiled its way up it.

“But darkness is eternal.”

Sunset Shimmer jolted up, screaming in sheer terror, her flailing kicks sending her covers sprawling off her bed, her nails almost tearing through her duvet cover as she grasped at the first thing she could get her hand on, whilst her other pulled at the neck of her pajamas. As she gasped and sobbed, her state of panic slowly faded from the faint streaks of light peeking in through her window’s blinds.

Looking around, she was in her apartment-converted loft. As her breathing steadied, she hugged her legs against her body, the bunched-up warmth confirming to her that she was alive and well, aside from the shivers running down her back and the drumming of her heart reverberating through her body. She wiped a stream of tears away from her face, through which she could also feel the beads of cold sweat dotting her forehead.

When her heart eventually began to settle back down to a more normal pace, she slid her legs out. She looked at her alarm clock, one she’d impressively constructed all by herself, on her night stand; four in the morning. She sat in place for a moment, assuring herself that she was where she belonged, and, with her legs slightly shaky, stood up, making her way down the stairs from her mezzanine sleeping area, bracing herself against the wall to avoid falling, albeit almost bumping her bass guitar off its spot on the wall.

She went into the bathroom, the familiar hint of sewer stench at this point being a comfort, where she looked at herself in the mirror. Her brilliant red and yellow hair was tangled and disheveled, and through her slightly squinted eyes, she found herself looking rather pale. She felt her forehead; if anything, it felt rather clammy from a combination of sweat and the poor heating in the loft. She turned on the faucet and splashed cool water on her face to wash away the sweat. Looking herself over once more, she noticed the tear in the neck of her violet-red pajama top. With a slight grimace, she figured she could ask Rarity to mend it for her sometime. She felt the tear, looking at it with concern.

“What was that…?” she murmured to herself.

It wasn’t unusual to have nightmares on the occasion. But of all the terrors she beheld in her sleep; that was the worst, bar none. What felt most unsettling was how vividly she could remember all the details, the darkness, the silence, the husks that attacked her, the church and… Celestia. And the light she held in her hands.

Returning to her sleeping area, Sunset took out her Equestrian journal, opening its cover emblazoned with her yellow and red blazing sun cutie mark, going through the pages to find the next blank. She looked up in uneasy thought, idly clicking her pen. Contemplating; on one hand it was a dream. An unusually vivid one, but still a dream. Maybe she was just homesick. Maybe it was something she ate that really did not agree with her. The potato salad she’d had for lunch at school had felt rather off.

But what still chilled her to her very core, even while awake, was that unending looming expanse of darkness. Just thinking about it sent shivers down her spine, and woud no doubt make her tail twitch on end were she in Equestria. Given the events she’d set in motion with her first return to Equestria and the series of unusual incidents that would follow: What if Equestria was in danger, and its inherent magic that now seemed to bleed into this world was warning her?

But that couldn’t be right either: What she saw, those things skulking in the darkness, those were clearly humans. It couldn’t have been this world. Could it? If so, why the statue of Celestia, the one from Equestria?

She tapped the tip of her pen against the page of her journal, with a furrowed brow, she felt she had the appropriate approach to go on, and she began;

“Dear Princess Twilight Sparkle. I would normally not trouble you with something like this, but I felt it give my mind ease by telling you…”

Author's Note

After years of being in a fiction writing slump due to circumstances I would rather not burden all you wonderful people, I believe I finally found a means of getting myself back in the driver's seat and managing some form of contribution to this amazing fandom.

I present to you the start of Umbral Souls, my second attempted foray into the field of My Little Pony fanfiction, based heavily on my indulgence into the Soulsborne videogames, with elements from various other franchises and settings that may or may not become apparent in the long run.

I earnestly hope I can ride this train to the last stop, and more importantly, that everypony enjoys reading this. Thank you, and have a great day!