The Witches of Moonlight Lake

Chapters

Ch. I: Prologue
Ch. II: 500 Years Later
Ch. III: Home (Solange)
Ch. IV: Home (Terra)
Ch. V: Home (Amaris)
Ch. VI: Saturday Nights and Discoveries
BONUS CHAPTER: Merry Christmas Witches!!
Ch. VII: Truth

Ch. I: Prologue

The darkness of a forest was a perfect setting for what was occuring this silent night. In the cover of darkness, three figures traveled at light speeds unseen by any other pony. Once they finally came upon their destination, an abandoned looking cabin near a lake, the figures slowed to reveal a trio of ponies with cloaks covering them from sight. As quietly as they could manage, the trio entered the cabin and locked the doors and windows. Once they confirmed they were alone and unfollowed, the ponies removed their cloaks to reveal three stunning unicorn mares. The first, a tall white coated mare with a blonde mane and tail in a long braid. Her cutie-mark of a caldron shimmered as she moved to light the candles strategically placed around the darkened room. The second, a medium height coffee coated paint mare with cream markings. Her blood red curly mane and bunned tail bouncing slightly as she moved about placing items from a saddlebag onto a table, her cutie-mark of an inflamed cross shimmering against the candle light. The final, a shorter, azure coated mare with charcoal colored cropped mane and tail lit a fire inside a built-in fire pit. Her cutie-mark of a voodoo doll with a knife in its head illuminated in the fire light as she filled the caldron with water to boil.

“Is everything prepared sisters?”, The white one asked.

“Yes Solaria. The ingredients are all here.”, The brown one chuckled.

“We're only missing one crucial thing for this to work: the blood of a virgin. That's where he comes in.”, The blue one smirked as she removed from the largest of the bags, a bound and unconscious Pegasus colt.

Walking towards the bound Colt, Solaria grinned as she inspected him.

“You actually got him?!? Excellent work Artemis! Soon we shall be able to complete the ritual and bring him back to this world.”, Solaria said with a twisted smile to her azure ‘sister’.

“Are you absolutely certain this colt's disappearance won't cause the citizens of the village to come searching for him?”, The brown mare asked as she started pulling petals off of a selection of flowers and crushing some herbs in her hooves.

“Absolutely not. You need not worry, Terra Nova. We’ve got this!”, Solaria reassured her coffee colored ‘sister’ with a calming hoof on her shoulder.

Terra Nova sighed in relief as she saw that the water was finally at a boil. Bringing the table closer with her magic, the mare gently set the table down next to the caldron in her green aura. Calling her coven sisters over and prepping the other ingredients with Artemis, Terra Nova cackled as the colt was unceremoniously dropped by a black aura. The three then lit their horns simultaneously. Auras of black, green and red enveloped the ingredients and brought them above the caldron. Cackling, the three mares began to chant as they put the ingredients into the boiling water.

Eye of Dragon

Tongue of Manticor

Petals of Lavender

Leaves of Rose!

Timberwolf Claw

Dolphin Tears

Dog Paw

and Hippogriff Toes!

We witches three do summon the great McCracken!

The three then proceeded to draw a circle with a star in the center. Placing the now conscious and freaking out colt atop the star, the coven surrounded the sacrifice. Before they could begin though, Artemis heard the tell-tale sounds of an angry job of ponies approaching. Growling in annoyance, the sisters abandoned their sacrifice, briefly forgetting to re-tie him back up. Summoning their brooms, the trio took to the skies to attempt to ward off the impending attack.

The villagers saw the three witches ascend to the skies as they got to the cottage. A small group went to search for the missing colt inside the cabin. The rest went armed with crossbows and other weapons intent on bringing down the coven.

“Foolish ponies! You cannot take us! We are all powerful and once our supreme leader of darkness rises again, we shall be at his side! Bringing darkness and despair wherever we walk! For we are the Daughters of McCracken and we. have. RISEN!!”, Solaria boomed from her broom as her sisters cackled hysterically.

All was well until a strategic move with a net casting spell from a young unicorn stallion struck Terra Nova and down she went. Soon after Artemis was struck down as well. With only Solaria left, she knew she couldn't do it without the others. So perhaps doing the only “good” thing she's done since foalhood, she turned around and flew back down to the ground. Willingly giving herself up (but not without casting a few...well placed hexes on some unlucky ponies near her) to her captors.

(A day later…)

The entire village gathered at the stakes in the middle of the woods. The three witches that dare to kidnap one of their own were now standing chained to the three stakes. Two of the three witches stood there with insane grins on their faces. Only one looked remorseful and had already resigned to her fate.

“Any last words, you demons of Tartarus!”, The executioner said as he lit the torches.

“You all will burn! McCracken shall rise! Faust will fall and with her Paradise!!”, Artemis bellowed as the first torch was thrown on her stake. Her screams of agony could be heard throughout the woods.

Terra Nova looked on as her killer looked at her with an almost sorrowful gaze. Using this, she managed to speak one final plea.

“Please, somepony find my daughter. Tell her mother's sorry and that she loves her very much. Don't let her fall into the wrong hooves. Please? I beg of this...my final plea. *sigh*...I am ready. See you all in Tartarus.”, Terra plead as the torch reached her stake. She didn't even flinch as the flames scorched her body.

“Hahahaha! You think you’ve won? We will be back! Maybe not in this lifetime, maybe not even for many lifetimes! Yet we shall return. This coven shall rise! Stronger than the three of us could ever be and we shall help our father rise! Long live McCracken! Long live Mc--”, Solaria was abruptly cut off by her own screams as she too was burned by the final torch. Yet her body, as she stand dying posed a sinister smile at the knowledge that her final curse was through. It would be many years until her curse was realised.

Ch. II: 500 Years Later

“C’mon Zelda! If Mist and her gang catch us because you're being slow, I’ll skin your hide myself!”, A teenage unicorn shouted down the hall to a young zebra.

“Sorry I am! Running slow is all I can. *pant. pant* Friend Terra, can we rest? I feel like that would be best!”, The zebra called back as she caught up with her friend and accidentally slipping into her native Zebrican rhyme accent.

“We rest when we get to last period with the rest of the crew.”, Terra replied as she all but lifted her friend in her pale pink aura as they hoofed it towards the staircase. Both silently praying that their bullies didn't catch them.

Alas, today just wasn't their lucky day, for when they looked back to see if they were being followed, they ran smack into the aforementioned lead bully.

“Well. Well. Well! Look what we have here girls?” Mist sneered as she picked up both equines by their manes “A freak of a basic magic knowing unicorn and a L.D. rhymes-a-lot zebra! Girls, what do you think we should do to these two?”, She finished to her gang of 10.

“Ooohh! I know! How ‘bout we give them both a mane cut? Faust knows they both need one with those rats’ nests they call manes.”, another filly called Mini Tart squawked to her leader. The others agreeing as Mist made a switchblade appear from thin air and aimed it at Terra’s throat.

“Let's start this mane cut a bit under the ear shall we?”, She chuckled darkly as she pressed the blade into Terra's soft neck. Drawing a bit of blood, all the while Zelda's bucking against her captors and swearing harshly in Zebrican as she tries to reach her best friend.

Suddenly, as quickly as the blade was pressed against her throat, it was gone. With eyes closed, Terra couldn't see what was happening, but she did hear a strangled gasp followed by shouts of ‘let her go!’ and ‘stop, you're really hurting her!’. Slowly opening her eyes, she saw Mist being held on the ground whilst being choked by a blood crimson aura.

“Terra! Stop choking her! She's gonna pass out!”, Zelda shouted to her. It was then that she realized that the aura was coming from her horn! Dispelling the aura, Terra backed away in shock as Mist and her gang fled towards the principal's office.

“What. Was. That?!?”, Terra asked bewildered.

“No idea. C’mon...we should...get to class.”, Zelda said as she pulled her friend out of the stunned hallway of ponies and other creatures.

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(Later that Day…)

Walking home, Terra and Zelda were with their other 5 friends: Solange (a Unicorn), Amaris (a Unicorn), Salem (a Pegasus), Sabrina (a Pegasus) and Zeus (another Zebra and Zelda's twin brother). They were making idle chit chat as they caught up with one another until Zelda brought up what had happened that afternoon before last period. With that in mind, the group of 7 stopped in their tracks to fully discuss what happened to their “unofficial” leader.

“So yeah, then when I all but almost passed out from fear, Terra’s horn just started glowing a deep red, almost like blood colored. Then she grabbed Mist and slammed her and three of her little cronies into the ground and lockers. Nearly choked the life outta all 4 of them. That wasn't the strange part. I mean it was strange, but like when she opened her eyes...they were like bright green! Like the color of my hoodie green.”, Zelda finished explaining as she gestured to her old beat up hoodie.

Every equine who was listening was fascinated by this development. It had been no secret that the 7 of them had all been experiencing strange magical “abnormalities” over the past few months. Even the twins, who had their own strange way of Zebra magics, were experiencing stronger forms of it. Salem and Sabrina both were having issues with their flight and cloud walking and of course the 3 unicorns had been experiencing magic surges like crazy. Of course nothing had ever escalated to this.

“I still say it's too much hay in their diets! I mean really? Three unicorns having similar magic surges within 3 days of one another and on the same magic wavelength of off the charts?!? That doesn't spell suspicious to anypony? It's gotta be the hay. Seriously. What are your mothers and fathers’ feeding you three!?!”, Zeus stated to head scratches and thoughtful looks.

While they thought these things all through as they continued walking, they came across a path that lead into the woods.

“Hey, shortcut. Let's move.”, Solange said as she and Terra started moving towards the path. Only to be blocked by Salem.

“Woah there fillies! You three know better than to go into those woods.”, He said while pointing to the large forested area.

“Oh come now Salem! You don't honestly believe in that old pony’s tale do you?”, Solange asked her skeptical friend.

“N-no! Of course not. It's just that it's forbidden to enter the woods that lead to Moonlight Lake. You of all ponies know this Solange!”, Salem rebutted back to his friend.

“Oh in the name of Faust! Quit being a bunch of scaredy cats and c’mon! Besides, I’m certain that it's a shortcut to town.”, Amaris said as she, Terra and Solange trekked forward into the dark and opposing woods. The others warily following behind.

(In the dark woods…)

The group of 7 traversed the twisted paths that came with the woods. Every so often stopping due to a strange sound or from stepping on a sharp objects of some sort. While the other 4 equines had no idea where they were going, the 3 unicorns seemed to be drawn to the paths and kept walking as if they’d known these woods like the back of their hooves. With only the light of their pale pink, orange and blue auras as their only light, the group suddenly found themselves in a clearing that lead to a most magnificent natural lake.

“Wow... it's beautiful!”, Sabrina gasped in awe as she stepped closer to the water.

The three horned one's paid their friend no mind as they instinctively went about almost searching for something. But what? They weren't sure.

“Hey guys! Check it out! I found this weird old cabin.”, Solange called to her friends. Immediately only Amaris and Terra came to her sides.

“I was kinda hoping for all of you, but ok”, Solange said as the other two came closer to her.

“We know, yet for some reason, we felt...I dunno? Drawn to this place. We should check it out.”, Terra said. Earning two simultaneous nods as the three of them entered the creaking old cabin.

The floors--or what was left of them, were dirty and dusty. What looked like a fire pit had long since been extinguished, yet the wood looked untouched. What was a long table held what looked like somepony’s cooking supplies.

“Talk about creepy. Yet...this place seems familiar in a way.”, Amaris said as she blew some dust off what looked like a caldron.

“True that, girl. I--I feel something strange being in here.”, Terra said as she picked up what looked to be a doll.

“You mean...like we all have been here before. Like in a past life or something?”, Solange said before tripping over something hard.

“Ow! What the hay?!--” she stopped before picking up what was indeed some kind of book “H-Hey girls. C’mere. I found a weird looking book!”, She finished as she blew the dust off of it. Revealing a cover with strange rune symbols on it.

“‘Forewarned ye who reads this tome! The dark lord McCracken shall rise and with ye, he shall take back Equus from Faust. Ye who readth this sacred text are worthy of being the Children of McCracken!’”, Solange read the runes as they lit up along with their horns.

Suddenly the three young mares were thrown back by an energy from the foreign book. Each landing a few centimeters away from three specific objects: A cross, a doll and a caldron.

“Wh-What was that Solaria?”, Terra asked as she rubbed her head.

“I don't know and--wait. What did you just call me Terra Nova?”, Solange asked in shock.

As the two of them bickered over what was going on, Amaris groaned as she grabbed onto the object she landed next to: a doll with buttons for eyes and a stitched up mouth.

“Uhhh...guys?”, She squeaked.

“Not now Artemis!!”, The duo shouted simultaneously before being shocked by what they just called each other.

“What is it you want Amaris?”, Solange asked.

“Not me, you two! Look! Your cutie-marks, they’ve changed! Mine as well!”, Amaris screamed while freaking out.

“What?!? That's ridiculous. Cutie-marks can't...change?!?”, Solange said as she looked at the place on her flank where there once was a orange and cream sunflower, now lay a caldron with green smoke.

Looking amongst themselves, the trio soon took notice of their new cutie-marks. Terra, a burning cross. Amaris a voodoo doll with a knife in its head.

“I dunno what's going on here, but..I want to know more.”, Terra spoke after a silence and with her picking up the cross she landed next to.

“Well, I wanna get the fuck outta here now! This is getting too meta for me today!”, Solange said as she shrank the caldron and put it in her saddlebags along with the book. With Amaris picking up the voodoo doll, the trio left the mysterious cabin and went to find their friends.

Ch. III: Home (Solange)

(4 Days Later…)

The calmness of the early morning hours of a warm Saturday in June was soon shattered by the shrill cries of a baby as the door of a brown brick apartment opens and out comes a slightly worse-for-wear Solange levitating two bags of garbage into the trash bins out front. On her back, in a carrier, was a small 2 month old foal currently crying. Trying her hardest, she maneuvered her blood red aura to attempt to pick up the crying foal. After barely managing to pick him up a few feet in the air, her magic failed her and she quickly grabbed onto the now scared foal as she tried to soothe him back to calm. Turning back towards the apartment, the pair went back inside.

“Everything okay?”, An older mare asked as Solange put the little one in his bouncer chair before sitting down next to it in a chair.

“It's fine, Ma. Apollo just needs a bottle then a bath. Isn't that right little stinky colt!” Solange paused as she nuzzled the baby and attached a pump to one of her now exposed teats “Honestly, was it this hard with me? I couldn't have been this difficult!?”, She finished as the bottle attached to the pump began to fill.

“Well, it is your foal. I should expect no less of a big mouth. After all, for your first 6 months of life, you were a loud baby. Then you kinda mellowed out after you hit 7 months and started crawling and your magic? Please. Girl your magic was out of control from the moment you were born. Of course it didn't help anything when your first words was a weather hex that you promptly used on your older cousin.”, Her mother, Sammy Bridleway spoke from the kitchen as she made breakfast.

“Oh yeah. I forgot that's what happened the day I first spoke real words. I also seem to remember that hex being my favorite throughout my first 5 years of life along with others.”, Solange replied as the bottle filled completely and the pump stopped. She then screwed the top back on and promptly levitated it into a pot of boiling water to heat up. Unfortunately, her mother noticed the color of her aura was different.

“What's wrong with your magic?”, Sammy asked with a concerned face.

“N-nothing! Nope! My magic is fine.”, Solange replied as she cancelled out of her magic.

“Uhh yeah it is. Because your aura is blue, like your eyes yet today it's blood red. Why? And I want the truth. Now.”, Sammy said with a glare only a mother can give to a foal.

Realizing she couldn't hide it anymore, Solange told her mother everything while her son drank his bottle. From what’s been happening to her magic lately up until what she, Terra and Amaris had discovered in the old cabin near Moonlight Lake. She then brushed it off as she got up while picking up her son to burp him.

“I dunno why you seem to be so interested in what’s up with me, but I’ll assure you I am fine!”, Solange said in an almost hostel tone as she dug into a beat up old suitcase to retrieve a onesie for Apollo and a fresh diaper.

“Okay! Damn. Relax. However I am concerned about your magic. As well as this surge of magic that you’ve had with this...book? Can I see it?”, Sammy asked, ignoring her daughter's frosty tone.

Sighing, she set Apollo back in his playpen/crib before going over to her saddlebags on the couch. Searching through the them, she failed to notice that the hoodie she had been wearing, had slid up her back, exposing her flanks.

“IN THE NAME OF CELESTIA, WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR CUTIE-MARK?!?!?”, Sammy all but screamed as she saw the caldron on her daughter's flanks where a sunflower used to be.

“Uhhh….I...ummm...I honestly have no clue. It happened right after me, Terra and Amaris got practically body slammed into the floor by this book.”, Solange said honestly as she held out the book and the shrunken caldron.

Shakely, Sammy grasped onto the book and caldron before telling Solange to go wash Apollo up and take him to the park for a while. After making sure her daughter and grandson were as far away from their apartment as possible (for the moment), Sammy rushed to her cell phone and dialed a group call.

“Hey Diana, Bundty Cake? Have you two gotten a really good look at your girls’ lately?”, Sam asked as soon as there were answers.

“No. Why?”, Was the immediate response from both mothers.

“Because I...I think...it's time.”, Sammy said with a shaky tone.

Ch. IV: Home (Terra)

Same day. Around the same time…)

The sound of a headboard knocking against a wall was audible as the occupants of the room could be heard ravishing one another fervently from the other rooms, despite the bedroom being closed and locked. Trying to block out the sounds with a pillow, Terra sighed as she realized that sleep was pointless and decided to get up. Rolling out of bed (and avoiding falling on her face), she managed to sluggishly get to her hooves as she trudged towards the bathroom. After a quick shower and teeth brushing, Terra barely had time to attempt to use a quick drying spell before the door would be pounded upon. Unfortunately for her, the “simple” spell backfired greatly as her now neon green aura nearly singed her fur as she tried to dry off from the otherwise relaxing shower. Causing her to yelp rather loudly as her fur singed and scramble to fix it. Unfortunately, somepony heard her yelp in pain.

“What's going on up here?”, Green Tea, Terra’s aunt asked as she saw her 16 year old niece with now singed fur and an annoyed look.

“Nothing! I'm good Auntie ‘T’! Honest. I... must've had a magic hiccup or something.”, Terra reassured her aunt as she slid her towel up closer to her flanks. She then apparated to her room without excusing herself.

Back in her room, Terra sighed as she looked through her closet to find a nice sundress for the day. After finding a nice blue one that complimented her coffee and cream colored coat, she slipped that one on as she fixed it so that her cutie-mark wasn't showing. When she was done, she apparated downstairs to get some breakfast.

“Morning mom.”, Terra greeted her mother with a kiss to the cheek.

“Mornin’ baby. What was your auntie fussin’ at ya about now?”, Bundty Cake asked her daughter with an inquisitive glance as she pulled out her daughter’s favorite cereal from the shelf.

“Huh? Oh! Nothing, I just had a magic hiccup and singed my chest while trying to dry off from my shower. Speaking of which” she paused at the sound of the shower running again “Sounds like that brother of mine is awake...more now.”, She finished with a sly smirk as she poured her cereal.

Bundty rolled her eyes at her daughter’s antics at antagonizing her older brother.

“So what's on the agenda for today hun?”, Bundt asked Terra as she started stuffing her muzzle.

“After this, heading to the park. Might catch up with the crew while I'm at it. If Dart asks where I am, tell him I'm at that weird abandoned diamond mine near the woods. That'll shut him up quick.”, Terra laughed at the thought of her brother's fear of that place.

“Okay miss smart ass. Oh, and don't think that the conversation about the incident at school is over. You really should be lucky! I should be grounding your delinquent tail for fighting, but I suppose the 2 week suspension from school is punishment enough. Plus the chores.”, Bundty cakes replied in a tone that meant ‘cool it kid’.

“*gulp* Yes ma'am.”, Terra replied as she got up from her seat and put away her bowl.

Just then, the landline rang and Terra went to answer it. Instead of it being whoever she was expecting, it was Solange’s mom.

“Ma! Ms. Bridleway’s on the phone!”, Terra shouted from the living room.

“Okay okay! You ain't gotta shout. This ain't Neigh York no more.”, Bundty chastised her rapidly retreating daughter who, in her haste, dropped the receiver. Picking it up, she answered.

“Hey Sam. How goes--”, she was interrupted instantly by her friends’ worried babbling.

“Woah! Woah there! Calm down. Okay now what was that about cutie-marks?”, Bundty asked more clear.

“Have you. Looked at. Terra or Amaris’s cutie-marks recently?”, Sammy replied slower on the other end.

“No. Why?”, Came the immediate response from her and Diana.

“Because I think it's time.”, Sammy stated.

Both mothers immediately replied with a ‘WHAT?!?’ before asking to elaborate.

“Okay, so I was helping Solange with the baby this morning and I noticed her magic was off. It wasn't the normal blue aura she has, but a blood red one. Plus her cutie-mark was completely different!”, Sammy explained.

“How so?”, Bundty asked.

“It wasn't a sunflower like normal….it was a caldron with smoke.”, Sam said in an almost fearful tone.

At that, Bundty dropped the receiver in shock and she assumed Diana did to as she heard a phone drop on her end too.

“I-It can't be?! There's no way.”, She tried to reason, but Diana butted in.

“Of course there's no way! Our girls’ wouldn't be that dumb as to go into those woods and find the stuff!”, She rebuttaled.

“I'm afraid so. Solange showed me the book and caldron she shrunk down in her saddlebags. If I'm right, Terra and Amaris must have the cross and voodoo doll. Ask them immediately!”, Sammy warned before hanging up.

Placing the receiver back on the dock, Bundty dropped to the floor in shock. Only one thought occuring in her head.

“Damn.”

Ch. V: Home (Amaris)

(Same Saturday as before…)

The sound of an electric alarm clock blared through the small apartment. A light blue hoof smacked into it to quiet the offending sound. The body that the hoof was attached to slowly rose from the bed. Glancing at the clock, Amaris stretched as she looked over onto her nightstand at the little cotton filled cloth doll with button eyes. Reaching out and grabbing it, she brought it closer to her to inspect it.

“Okay little doll, let's just see who your bonded to?”, Amaris spoke to the doll as she lit her horn and performed a bond tracking spell she learned from a library book. Her now black aura steeped into the doll’s cloth frame as it began to glow bright orange. After a few minutes, the glowing stopped and Amaris sighed.

“Well, whoever you were bound to is long dead. Therefore, you are an unbonded doll. Practically a toy. However, I know you are no mere toy. Somehow and I don't know how, but I sense great potential in you. As well as an uncanny urge to make more of you for some reason.”, She ranted to the doll as if it could actually hear her. Taking a deep breath, she got up and got ready for her day. Stepping into the tiny on-suite bathroom, she took a quick shower and brushed her teeth before drying her fur with a towel (‘Not sure if a drying spell would be wise’ she surmised in her head as she did). After all that was done, she ventured downstairs with her saddlebags and went to start on breakfast for her and her mom.

As she got breakfast ready, Amaris heard the unfortunate tell-tale sounds of a glass bottle falling onto the floor and a choice swear to follow. That to her, signaled that her mom was awake. Quickly getting three plates out, Amaris scrambled to get her senses together as she adjusted her saddlebags and went into the living room where her mother lay slightly hungover on the couch. Grabbing a pain reliever, she slowly approached her mother.

“G’morning Mam. How was your night?”, Amaris asked her mother as she passed her the painkillers and a bottled water.

Her mother only sighed and grumbled something low and in their native Eponan dialect as she tossed the 2 pills back and drank some water.

“déanfar an bricfeasta i nóiméid.”, Amaris said in response to her mother's grumbling about needing food. She then went back to the kitchen to finish up breakfast.

A short while later, a large burly stallion came sauntering through the back door. A tired grin on his face as he walked up to Amaris.

“G’morning daidí. You're just in time for breakfast.”, Amaris chuckled as her father nuzzled against her side playfully before taking his seat at the table. Her mother having already seated herself, was smiling sadly as she kissed her husband on the cheek as he sat down.

“So, réalta beag. Got any big plans for today?”, Connor McLeash asked his daughter. Purposely saying his nickname for her in a warm tone.

“Not really. Gotta head to the park in a little while, my friend, Solange text me a mere second before you came in dad. Says she wants me to meet up with her and the rest of the crew there.”, Amaris replied as she casually levitated the plate of pancakes towards herself...only for the plate to fly straight into the ceiling fan above them. Splattering pancake mush and butter all over.

“I'm so sorry! I--I didn't mean to do that! In the name of Luna, today's starting off uafásach.”, Amaris sputtered out as she levitated (with a bit more control) a broom and dustpan to her and started cleaning up her mess. Yet when she was done, she looked up at her parents and they had a shocked look to them both. Once they both recovered from the shock, it was her mother, Diana who spoke first.

“L-Little darling...why is your magic black? Like onyx black?”, Diana asked in a tone that betrayed her concerned look.

“*sigh* Do you want the full story or the cliff notes?”, Amaris replied.

“Both!”, Her parents said together.

So it was that Amaris told her parents what had happened. From what had been happening to her magic recently to the incident in the woods with Solange and Terra. Needless to say her parents were both shocked beyond words. Thankfully, Amaris was able to read their faces exactly and proceeded to show them the voodoo doll she found.

“I am just glad neither one of you girls were hurt” Diana started as she hooded Amaris back the doll “However, I...I think you should just...go and meet your friends. Be quick now and don't have them a waiting!”, She finished as she all but herded her daughter out of the house. Not taking into consideration that she probably should've checked her daughter's flanks for abnormalities. As she thought that to herself, her phone rang with a group call.

“Hello?”, The still shocked mare answered.

“Have you. Looked at. Terra or Amaris’s cutie-marks recently?”, Sammy Bridleway said frantically on the other end of the phone.

“No, why?”, Both mothers responded.

“Because I think it's time.”, Sammy stated.

“WHAT?!?”, Diana and Bundty Cakes shouted in shock.

“How sure are you, Sam?”, Diana asked.

“Absolutely certain. It's time ladies. Our girls deserve to know the truth.”, Sam replied as she said more stuff before hanging up. Hanging up the phone, Diana turned to her husband. Fear etched across both of their faces.

“*sigh* What are we gonna do lamb?”, Conner asked in a rarely used unsure tone.

“I don't know, but I do know one thing: Our girls’ secret will be spoken and we'll have to deal with 3 emotionally charged teenagers...Faust help us all.”, Diana responded with a sigh as she and her husband sat on the couch.

Author's Note

Translations provided by: Google Translate.

Mam = Mom
daidí = Dad
déanfar an bricfeasta i nóiméid. = "Breakfast will be done in a minute"
réalta beag = "Little Star"
uafásach = terrible

Ch. VI: Saturday Nights and Discoveries

(That Night…)

The night air was cool against their fur as a quintet of equines stepped out into the streets of Neigh Jersey. All 5 girls were dressed to the nines as it would be that they were out clubbing. It had only just reached 8:30pm when they all managed to meet up with the boys that made up their specific crew.

“Hello girls, you all look fabulous this evening.”, Salem complimented the group of girls. Earning a spattering of ‘thank you’re in return.

“Well, We all have this one” Zelda paused to indicate towards Solange “to thank for that! After making sure her sitter was situated, she all but apparated to each of our houses to make sure we were all ready. Thankfully I was already at Amaris’s place so that helped in getting ready.”, She finished breathlessly.

“Oh...what can I say? I haven't had a night out since Apollo was born and my mom all but forces me out of the house tonight with the promise that her grandson was safe with her.”, Solange stated her reasoning to general good-natured laughs from her friends.

“Yes. Also, I feel like we only just saw each other.”, Amaris's said.

“That's because we did. Remember? Earlier at the park?”, Terra aided her... slightly aloof friend from potential awkwardness.

“Oh yeah! Thanks cailín. Somehow I forgot.”, Amaris replied with a hoof nervously scratching her neck.

“That's okay. It happens to everypony once in a while!”, Sabrina remarked to her friend.

The seven equines stopped outside a lit up nightclub. The bouncer asked them for I.Ds and with the clearance, they entered. As was expected, the place was loud, chaotic and the scent of hormones and weed permeated the air. In other words, a typical Saturday night at Crazy Eight’s Nightlife Club and Casino. As the group of 7 split up: with Sabrina and Zeus heading towards the Casino, Zelda and Salem gravitating towards the buffet and the remaining trio headed to the bar to summon some “liquid courage” for any of them to be able to have some real ‘fun’.

“Alright girls! I know this week's been a form of Tartarus in itself, but let's remember why we're here!”, Solange said as she clapped both her best friends on the back.

“To let loose like the crazy bitches we are!”, Amaris and Terra howled together in response to their (somehow not yet buzzed) friend.

“Hell yeah girls! Now let's do it!”, Solange said as she ordered three cockatrice blasters from the bartender. Chugging down the drinks, Terra managed to get to her hooves faster than the others and was all on the dance floor.

“Now that filly knows what she's doing.”, Amaris said as she threw back her shot of dragon whiskey.

“Duh! Hmmm...I’m getting a feeling.”, Solange said as her voice got steadily slurred.

“Oh yeah? What kinda feeling?”, Amaris replied with a question as she felt a disturbing tingle in the back of her eyes. Ignoring it, she simply continued to pour shots for the two of them.

“Like...like something bad is gonna happen.”, Solange said as she flipped her blonde and orange mane back over her shoulder.

(Around the same time, but on the opposite side of the nightclub…)

Terra and Zelda managed to meet up on the casino's balcony floor to attempt to sober up for a moment with some food. So that's what they were doing, simply eating and talking at the buffet. All of a suddenly, a group of strapping young stallions, obviously a bit older than themselves, came cantering up to them. Large, hungry smiles upon their faces as the 4 of them start trying to talk to the two high schoolers.

“Uhh, excuse me?! I do believe we're far too young for the likes of you boys! Now if you’ll excuse us.”, Zelda spoke in a sassy voice that all but was followed by a grimace from the ‘leader’ of the quartet of colts.

“Nah. Nah I think we'll just stick around for a while longer. After all, with practically no pony else around and the fact that there's two incredibly fine ass ladies with us. We could have ourselves a little bit of...fun. Whaddya say boys? Should we show these fillies a good time in the V.I.P section?”, The leader, a tall butter coated earth pony said to his boys with a predatory grin on his face.

“N-no!”, The shocked equines stammered out as they backed up slowly. Suddenly Terra felt her horn tingle and all of a suddenly, she could hear herself give off a mental distress call to Solange and Amaris. A simply plea of ‘help me’ was all it took for a moment later, two more young mares appeared with clearly annoyed (and slightly plastered) faces. Snarling, Solange yelled at the group of colts to go away.

“Oh look here! Two more for my other boys! Alright boys, take your pick and let's show these ladies a good time.”, The leader spoke in a chillingly sweet voice to his three friends as they all advanced on the 4 hapless mares. Their intent clear on their faces.

“I fear for me and you! Girls, what do we do?”, Zelda freaked out as she stood paralyzed by one of the unicorn stallions.

All of a suddenly, the three unicorns felt a completely foreign feeling come over them all as they instinctively got closer to one another as the unicorn that paralyzed Zelda advanced towards her in a sloppy, clearly drunken kiss. They didn't know why, but they somehow knew how to stop the absolute pricks that were attempting to rape them. Standing together, the started chanting in pony Latin.

“vae canibus. veneficas enim tribus viribus McCracken hoc vobis malediceret!”, the three young mares shouted as their horns glowed blood red, neon green and onyx black respectively.

et draco lingua. Saturni dente relictam ab anguis. est profunda passiones huius temporis tua fata! McCracken per haec est lex erit? Secula seculorum!!

The three unicorns eyes lit up in the same colors of their auras as they launched a brilliant blend of the three colored magics at the stunned quartet of idiots. Being airlifted by the magic, each of the four of them were tortured inside and out. Two of them were literally turned inside out, one was set on fire and Amaris used a conjured up voodoo doll that looked like the leader and plunged a dagger that Solange summoned into its head. Effectively, the yellow leader soon found himself impaled through the head via a nearby carving knife. When they stopped finally, Zelda was shocked to see the twisted mangled bodies of their would-be rapists. She was absolutely floored to see the equally twisted smiles on her three friends faces as they laughed like insane mares.

“W-W-What?”, was the only thing Zelda could utter before fainting.

Once their eyes returned to normal (Solange’s blue, Terra’s mulberry and Amaris’s gold), the three of them dispelled their magic before looking in horror at what lay before them. Solange double checking that Zelda was okay. Once she was sure, Amaris levitated Zelda onto her back as Terra called the others on her phone telling them it was time to go before apparating to the back alley of the club.

(The streets of Neigh Jersey)

The seven friends met up at a nearby park. While Salem and Zeus were trying to console a visibly disturbed Zelda the other four were truly freaking out at what just happened nearly 30 minutes prior.

“Okay okay so let me get this straight: You and ‘Zee-Zee’ were minding your own business up on the very empty balcony and all of a sudden these 4 huge colts come at you two like some creepers. When Terra somehow called for help, you two came and after that you guys all blacked out for a second before you came to. Laughing like insane asylum patients as you looked upon the bodies of said creepers. Yeah that sounds absolutely fucked up!”, Sabrina said as she placed the ground. The three unicorns nodding in shame.

“I dunno what happened that we blacked out, but I felt something. Something that was telling me that we were doing right. Ya know? By k-killing those guys.”, Terra said shakily.

“Me too. Like...like our magics and subconsciousness were in harmony or something like that.”, Alaris replied equally shaken.

“I may not know what the fuck happened back there, but I know sompony who can shed some light on the matter.”, Solange said.

“Who?”, The rest responded in curiosity.

“Duh? Our moms! C’mon you guys, let's head to my house.”, Terra said as the rest of their little gang followed in the warm dark night.

Author's Note

Translations from both Irish and Latin courtesy of Google Translate:

cailín = girl

vae canibus. veneficas enim tribus viribus McCracken hoc malediceret vobis = "horrible dogs. we witches three, by the powers of McCracken, hereby curse you!"

et draco lingua. Saturni dente relictam ab anguis. est profunda passiones huius temporis tua fata! McCracken per haec est lex erit? Secula seculorum!! = "tongue of dragon. fang of snake. a deep suffering is your fate! By McCracken's law this shall be! FOR ALL ETERNITY!!"

BONUS CHAPTER: Merry Christmas Witches!!

Author's Note

Hey everyone! Here's a special Christmas installment (that has next to no continuity to the rest of the story). Merry Christmas people!

BONUS CHAPTER: Merry Christmas Witches!!

The snow fell gracefully as the streets of Moonlight City, Neigh Jersey were filled with ponies bustling to and fro from place to place and shop to shop, preparing for Christmas. Everywhere it seemed was all wrapped up in the Christmas spirit! From businesses to residential areas, even city parks were decked out in holiday fashions. Though some of the best would be from the residential areas. A pony couldn't walk around neighborhoods without seeing some form of holiday decorations up on somepony’s lawn. Yes this time of year was a time of peace. To slow down and reflect on what a pony had and to be grateful for any of it. Even so nopony knew this better than a certain trio of mares living in a stylish high-rise loft apartment in midtown. Each of them loved the Christmas season for various reasons and showed it in very different ways.

“Apollo James Star, You get your little hide back here and…” A voice rang out in frustration as the mare attached to said voice, Solange, ran after her 3-year-old son in an attempt to get him clean “...Get. In. This. TUB!”, She cried out as she once again narrowly missed her cunning toddler. Said foal was busy giggling as he levitated his stuffed animals and began an assault strike on his mother. Pelting her with soft stuffed creatures (and an accidental voodoo doll).

“Okay, seeing as I was just watering my plants and then I was thrown halfway across my greenhouse, I’m gonna guess Apollo ‘accidentally’ threw my doll. Now as to how this kid got my doll from it's heavily locked cabinet with the other two is a mystery.”, Terra said as she grabbed her voodoo doll up from the floor and with a pop, placed it back in its fortified cabinet. Making sure to add extra protection wards around the cabinet. Turning back to the chaotic scene between mother and foal she sighed and shook her head.

“Alright little star, apologize to your auntie. Now!”, Solange scolded her son gently.

“Sowwy ‘Auntie Rhea’. But I don't wanna take a bath!! Why I gotta take a bath?!?”, Apollo said/complained as his mother picked him up by the back of his neck with her blood red magic and half-dragged him back to the bathroom to resume his nighttime bath.

“Because all good little colts and fillies take baths every night. Plus it's Christmas Eve. Do you really want me to report to St. Nicholas’s helper elf that a certain unicorn colt was being naughty and refusing to take his bath, plus attacking his poor, defenseless mommy with a battalion of stuffed animals?”, Solange explained to her son, while also good-naturedly threatening him with no St. Nicholas visit. That seemed to do the trick as Apollo quieted down and took his bath without more complaint.

As this was going on, Terra Nova simply chuckled as she went back to her greenhouse. With a quick glance around, she lit her horn and the small planter full of daisies suddenly transformed into a patch of deadly nightshade. The rows of posies turned into foal’s breath. The large Weeping Willow turned into a large cross with a dummy tied to it. Her bushes of marigolds and rows of sunflowers quickly melted away to briar bushes and rows of wolfsbane, desert roses and lilies of the valley. Finally, her many rows of roses only half transformed. One half remained roses and the rest turned into rows of varying plants and flowers including: stinkweed, wild carrot, young larkspur, foxglove and (her favorites) fire lilies. With a content sigh she resumed her work of watering her precious plants. Afterwards, she lit her horn once again and produced a ring of smooth pinewood that she crafted before taking a bit of everyone of her plants into her magic and began to carefully weave them around the wooden ring until they resembled a wreath. Satisfied with her work, she replaced the glamour charm back on her garden of death and left her homemade greenhouse.

“Okay! The final wreath is finally done! Let's get it put up….somewhere…”, Terra’s voice fell off as she realized there really wasn't that many places she could put the new wreath. Just as she was about to set it aside and figure it out later, the front door burst open and in walked a (very) snowy Amaris with bags laden with gifts and food supplies strewn across her back and in her onyx magic aura.

“How now and can somepony help me before my back breaks?!”, Amaris shouted as her legs shook like a failing support beam.

Seeing her ‘sister’ nearly about to keel over, Terra strode over and helped remove some of the bags of presents.

“I see you had a time and a half at the mall. Then went to the grocery store and picked up some more ingredients for tomorrow's dinner.”, Terra analyzed.

“That's exactly what I did. Plus I couldn't resist stopping in the toy store and getting Apollo some more stuff!”, Amaris shrugged as she unpacked the food and put it away with her magic.

“Oooh! I just thought of the perfect place for this last protector wreath!”, Terra exclaimed as she walked over to the near empty front door and hung the wreath above the peephole. Glancing down at the doorknob, she straightened the door knob hangers until each was straight. After all, in her mindset if the bones were crooked or tangled up, they couldn't do their job the right way. Quickly placing a timed glamour charm on the door to make it look like any ordinary Christmas decorated door with bells on the door and a regular wreath, Terra went back inside and took a look around. Solange had since gotten Apollo out of the tub and into pajamas (with Amaris quickly wrapping and hiding the presents she got beforehoof) and he was now playing with his favorite stuffed animal, a little ursa major which he (with help from her) figured out a spell that could illuminate the toy creature to look like it's astral counterpart. The apartment looked completely decked out for Christmas. Big tree was in the center of the living room. Stockings hung with care above the lit fireplace. The enchanted snow globes snowfall eternal with the small versions of St. Nicholas’s workshop, The Nutcracker king and the courageous ballerina in their lovers’ pas de deux, finally their favorite snow globe of the three of them around a cauldron making a potion caught her eye immediately. Smiling, she dusted that one off before teleporting the two presents she made herself from her room. Making sure they were ok, she sent them back to her room before sitting back down in her favorite spot in the living room: her stained cedar rocking chair.

“So ladies, is everything prepared for tonight's activities?”, Solange asked in a chipper, but clearly tired tone.

“Yep! Everything's in place. All that needs to happen is us waiting until moonrise before heading out. Oh and of course making sure Apollo is really asleep before we leave.”, Amaris replied. Her voice instantly going serious.

“Excellent. Now as far as getting him to sleep, that's the easy part. Keeping him asleep is even easier than that! I see no issues on that matter.”, Solange replied as she looked on at her son as he played.

Walking into the kitchenette, Solange produced a sippy cup and filled it with milk before placing it in a pan filled with boiling water on the stove. Letting it heat to an appropriate temperature for toddlers, she quickly rummaged through a cabinet and produced a vial of a clear liquid with a crescent moon on the outside. Pouring the contents into the sippy cup and stirring it up til it dissolved, Solange screwed the top back on before heading back to the living room and giving her son his nighttime cup of warm milk, standing aside and watching to make sure he finished the whole cup. Once he did this, Solange picked him up and carried him to his room for bed.

“Do I gotta *yawn* go to bed now?”, Apollo whined as he yawned a big yawn.

“Yes. Besides, if you don't go to sleep, how do you expect St. Nicholas to come and visit? You know he sees you when you sleep and knows when you awake.”, his mother asked and answered.

“Okay...goodnight...mama. H-H...Have...good….sleep…”, Apollo said as his words slipped off and he fell into a deep sleep. Gently kissing her little colt on the head, Solange tucked him and his ursa major in tightish before turning on the nightlight and closing the door behind her.

(A few hours later…)

The moon was now at its highest peak. Snow lightly falling in some spots and clear sky in others. Standing on the roof of their building, the trio of witches summoned their brooms to their hooves.

“RISE!!”, The trio cried out as they were each deposited onto their brooms and took off into the night sky. When the got close enough to a residential area without being seen, Amaris began to sing a spell:

Come, little children
I'll take thee away
Into a land
Of enchantment

Come, little children
The time's come to play
Here in my garden
Of shadows

Follow, sweet children
I'll show thee the way
Through all the pain and
The sorrows

Weep not, poor children
For life is this way
Murdering beauty and
Passions

Hush now, dear children
It must be this way
To weary of life and
Deceptions

Rest now, my children
For soon we'll away
Into the calm and
The quiet

As she sang, hundreds of foals of varying ages suddenly became entranced and left the comfort of their homes. Their parents or guardians blissfully unaware of their young ones disappearing into the cold winter night. The magic became strong enough for Solange and Terra to be able to keep the children airborne for an extended period of time. The trio had one destination in mind: Saddle Mountain. As they reached their destination, Amaris finished up her song.

Come, little children
I'll take thee away
Into a land
Of enchantment

Come, little children
The time's come to play
Here in my garden
Of shadows

When they all touched down, the witches were first to step hoof onto the highest point of the mountain and set up a rune that would form into a direct portal to Tartarus. Once this was complete, the trio turned to the crowd of over 1,400 foals and amassed them into a magical corral. They then simultaneously began the spoken spell that would open the portal as their horns glowed in their respective aura colors.

Tenebrosi exhibito dominos inferi digneris. Haec humili fetus McCracken sacrificia ut mitteret. Haec itaque erit omne tempus est!

The runes glowed a brilliant red and where once was an empty place, now stood a literal gateway to Tartarus. Silently the witches used their magic to send the entranced foals through in groups of 10. Once the last group entered the gates of Tartarus, the runes closed the portal and the witches looked on in satisfaction.

“I'm glad we do this twice a year! Aren't you ladies?”, Amaris asked in glee as she pulled out two presents from her robe.

“Absolutely! I mean, yeah the one in June is fine and ponies are easier to catch when it's hot out. Yet the one in December is my favorite because foals are so innocent and they're especially so when it's around the holidays! When they all try their hardest to stay on St. Nicholas’s ‘nice list’ and become absolute angels. Oh how they are so easily swayed! I love it all!”, Solange cheered as the runes disappeared and their work done. Summoning their broomsticks, the trio flew up high into the night sky and back towards their apartment.

(The Next Morning…)

News reports surrounding the disappearance of ⅓ of the population of foals in the city blew up on all outlets that, seemingly not-so-peaceful Christmas morning. None of the coven members were paying attention to the almost white noise of the tv as the 7 adults and 4 foals clamoured around a large-ish dining table filled with an astounding breakfast of everypony’s favorites. Once breakfast was eaten and the foals were playing with their new toys, the adults were sitting on the warm terrace (courtesy of Amaris and a simple temperature control bubble spell cast upon the area) discussing the events of the previous night.

“So tell me again what was the enchantment you used on the poor helpless idiots of foals? I simply have to know how you guys do it every year!”, Sabrina asked as she sipped on her juice.

“Oh a simple spell to catch them in a trance, disguised as a calming lullaby. I don't have an actual name for this spell so I just get told to ‘do the thing’ by either Solange or Terra...usually Terra though.”, Amaris explained to the pegasus while she took a small sip of her wine.

“Well however it came to be, I know the Dark Lord is pleased with our sacrifices of last night. However are any of you concerned about the fact that ponies will start looking for foals immediately?”, Zelda asked before taking a bite out of her piece of rum cake.

“Oh I wouldn't worry about that. A easy amnesia spell and those ponies won't even remember which one's are missing.”, Terra answered through bites of blueberry pie.

“Well then, I must say Merry Christmas to us! Our task for the end of this year is complete and I can assure you ladies and gentlecolts that the Dark Lord is most pleased with our efforts. All while thankfully sparing our own young ones from the witches’ curse to Tartarus. To our highest mages!”, Zeus toasted and everypony followed his example. Marking the end of another successful Christmas.

Ch. VII: Truth

Author's Note

So sorry for the wait! Life is hell and I been busy as all get out! Anyways enjoy this chapter that totally changes how the rest of this story pans out.

Ch. VII: Truth

The group of 7 ran as fast as their hooves could carry them towards Solange’s house. As soon as they got in, Solange called out to her mom.

“In the kitchen.”, Sam said in a wavering tone.

Noticing the uneasy tension in the air, the group came into the kitchen. Only to come into the sight of Solange, Terra and Amaris’ moms sitting at the table. Little Apollo nestled in his cart seat chewing on a toy. Once he saw his mother however is when he started crying and getting fussy. Immediately going over to her fussy son, Solange picked him up and began soothing him (whilst the others cooed over their “nephew” as he steadily calmed).

“Somepony wanna explain why Apollo was in his cart seat and why his diaper bag is packed? Because I’m sure for one, that it's close to his bedtime and two, that I didn't plan on taking him anywhere this time of night.”, Solange said in a tone that only a concerned mother can muster.

“He was in his cart seat because Falling Star is on his way here to come pick up his son.”, Sammy explained.

“But ma, this ain't Falling’s weekend. Why in Tartarus is he coming-”, Solange started before being interrupted.

“-I called him and told him to take Apollo for a few days. Believe me, what will happen these next few days...we don't need an innocent baby in the house for. Besides...you probably will be so distracted and confused that you won't be able to take care of him properly.”, Sammy explained as she interrupted her daughter mid freak out.

Solange just looked at her mother like she’d grown a second head before gently placing her now calm son back in his carrier.

Just as she finished rehooking Apollo in his seat, a horn honked on the side piece of street. Looking out the screen door, Terra saw that it was Solange’s “on-again/off-again” coltfriend, Falling Star in his old beat up yellow cart. Getting out, he approached the door which Terra quickly opened up and let him in.

“Ladies and gentlecolts, good evening to you all.”, Falling said in a mellow speech.

“Hi Falling Star. Apparently my mom's called you up to take Apollo?”, Solange said in a completely even tone.

“Yes I did! Here Falling, here's his playpen, diaper bag and of course, the baby.”, Sammy said as she passed Falling everything (and Apollo).

“While I'm not sure why I’m getting him this weekend but judging by the completely serious look on your face Ms. Bridleway, I won't question it and just take my son.” Falling started in a demure voice as he placed everything by the door before grabbing his son “What day do you want him back?”, he finished with a questioning glance to his ‘ex’.

“Oh... probably best to keep him the rest of the week. He has plenty of pre-made bottle bags in the cooler inside the diaper bag. He also has plenty of clothes and toys. Now please, go.”, Sammy urged as Solange gave her foal a quick hug and kiss and her ‘ex’ a quick hug before the father and son left.

Once the pair were gone, the three older mares urged the 4 other equines that weren't their daughters out of the kitchen and upstairs. With a quick blocking spell and a silencing spell on the whole first floor, Bundty Cake came back and sat down with her completely confused daughter as the others did.

“Okay, now can somepony please explain just what on Equus is going on?! Because I’ve had one heck of a night and I'm already regretting drinking!”, Terra said as she rubbed her head in pain.

“Okay. Girls, do you remember how we used to tell you about those old faery tales about witches and wizards of the... malevolent nature?”, Sammy asked. Gaining a slow but steady round of uneasy ‘yeses’ as a reply.

“Well...girls, answer me this. Do you remember the story of how ‘Moonlight City’ got its name?”, Diana asked. Getting a similar response as Sammy.

“Of course. The town was rumoured to have been the nesting grounds for a coven of dark witches. Those who followed McCracken’s teachings and idolized Tartarus. They were one of the worst covens around in the dark ages of ponykind. Moonlight City got to be known as such because of the lake that the witches were supposedly drowned in, which happened to be called Moonlight Lake. That's also why the lake and forest around it are forbidden.”, Amaris answered in an unsure tone.

“Correct. However that story that you’ve all been told in school practically your whole lives…” Bundty sighed as she grabbed a water bottle from the fridge with her magic “... it's not the truth. Or at least part of it is the truth anyways.”, She finished with a deep sigh.

“W-what do you mean?”, Solange asked. Steadily getting more unerved as the story went on.

“Well...the part about the witches is correct…” Diana started while receiving shocked gasps from the three teens “...what was falsified was the fact of how many witches and how they died. You see they didn't die by water. The night the coven was exposed and captured, they were about to sacrifice a young colt by the name of Calm Breeze. Their ritual was supposed to bring forth the most fearsome deity of them all: McCracken.”, Diana finished to even more shocked gasps.

“Luckily for Calm Breeze, his family had gotten the entire village together and went searching for him. Their trail lead them to a cabin in Swallow Forest--which is now known as the forbidden forest where they attempted to surprise the three witches responsible for so much destruction and misery. However the witches sensed the village was coming for them and they fled on their broomsticks. Now here's where things took a bad turn for the coven. There were a few unicorns in that search party that were skilled trappers. Using anti-magic net launching spells they shot two of them down and the third witch willingly gave herself up and the three were captured.”, Bundty continued.

“A day after they were captured, they were taken back to the very woods they resided in and were burned at stakes. The leader of the cult however, right before the flames consumed her, summoned the power of all three of them and placed a powerful curse upon the land. With the promise that they would be back stronger than ever, they perished and their ashes were dumped in iron boxes and forever rest at the bottom of that very lake.”, Sammy finished with a sigh.

“Woah.”, Was the collective response of the teenagers.

“Indeed girls. However there's more to tell you. You see, what the townsponies forgot was that each of the three witches were mothers as well. The one who handled the caldron had a son, the one who handled the cross had twins a filly and a colt and the one who handled the voodoo doll had a daughter. Those 4 young ponies knew what their mothers and fathers were and they weren't afraid. Throughout the years and their bloodlines, the story of the witches’ fierceness and cunning were passed until it became legend amongst those who believed in it. Now I know it may seem like we’ve gotten off track but believe me this is all necessary information. Anyway, many years ago, when the three of us were in high school ourselves we went to a fair on the boardwalks. We came across a fortune teller’s caravan. While Bundty and Diana were sceptical about it at first, I wasn't and convinced them to come with me to get our fortunes told. So we went. What we were told next haunted us so bad that we hadn't talked about it in almost 20 years….that is until today.”, Sammy told the intrigued trio of young mares.

“What was is mama?”, Solange asked.

“She--she told us that we would bear the bringers of a new age of death and destruction. At first we didn't know what on Equus that meant, but after a few years went by and when you girls were born….somehow and I'm still not sure how, but I could tell something was wrong with you. Not wrong in the sense that you were unhealthy! Quite the opposite really. See around the time you were 1 year old, I noticed your magic surges would switch colors from blue to blood red sporadically. Diana and Bundty Cakes noticed this in you girls as well. Whenever it would turn red, something terrible would happen. Like for instance one time when you were 2 you accidentally killed our neighbors dog and you didn't look the single most bothered by it. In fact you laughed and clapped like it was a funny cartoon.”, Sammy explained. Tossing it to Bundty to continue.

“Or the time when you, Terra were 3 years old and you tried to help your cousin’s cat from out of a treehouse. You burned the house and killed the cat. Hell, if it weren't for my quick thinking, you could have easily killed both you and your cousin, Branch.”, Bundty Cakes added before tossing it over to Diana.

“And I recall once when you were still a foal, Amaris. We had given you a stuffed dragon to play with and not even 10 minutes later, you had the damned thing brought to life and it was spewing fire all over the apartment we were in at the time. Thankfully your dad managed to put the fires out, but sweetpea...your eyes looked as black as onyx as well as your aura. Yet you just sat there and giggled.”, Diana finished as she rounded it back to Sammy.

“The point is, originally, we thought that your magics were simply having those spurts that all young unicorns get. It even mellowed out by the time you three started school. However, with the way things have been going on with you three this past week. We can no longer deny this is true.”, Sammy capped it with a grim tone.

“What is?”, Amaris asked with a quivering voice.

With a slow inhale, Bundty Cakes spoke.

“That the three of you are the reincarnations of the leaders of the cult. The Daughters of McCracken.”

The three young mares gasped in horror at this shocking revelation. None of it made any logical sense. However, what was supposed to be an eye-opening moment, turned into exactly what the mother’s were expecting.

“Oh. My. McCracken!”, Amaris shouted.

“Sweet merciless Devil!”, Terra shrieked.

“By the dawns...We're witches!?!”, Solange screamed.

This set off a tumble of confused speaking/shouting from the teens. Unable to help their girls anymore, the mothers’ simply hung back as the teens basically went into a state of semi-shock.

“Wait wait wait! Does that mean?...Is that the reason why we felt that connection to those things we found in the cabin? Because those things...were ours to begin with?”, Solange finally reasoned once she stopped screaming hysterically.

“Faust’s mane, that makes perfect sense!”, Terra added.

Due to their hysterics, none of the young mares noticed their horns lighting up. Or the fact that the back door had flung open on its own as well as the broom closet door in the hallway. They certainly noticed when out of nowhere, three broomsticks slammed into their sides.

“Ow...”, groaned all three girls as they curiously picked up the offending brooms.

“I think the brooms activated once their mistresses returned. But why now, is the question.”, Diana whispered quietly as they watched the three young mares go with their instincts and inspected the brooms.

Unknowingly oblivious to the conversations of their mothers, the three young mares took in the sights of the somehow familiar brooms.

“This feels…. familiar?”, the white one commented.

“Indeed….like we’ve done this exact thing before.”, the brown one added.

“Almost like...”, the blue one continued before abruptly stopping as the trio huddled together. Holding their heads in pain, the three of them all but screamed as their eyes turned completely black. Their horns cast a protective shield around them as the surrounding areas began to become disorganized and messed up. Fearing this would happen, the mothers quickly managed to grasp ahold of the magic sphere and, just as quickly teleported them all away.

Teleporting was a relatively easy thing for unicorns to do. Teleporting with a group was...for lack of better words, a bit more tricky. Yet the experienced mares were strong enough to withhold the connection long enough to reach their destination. When they arrived, they couldn't help but shudder a bit at the unfamiliar cabin. Despite their obvious fear, the trio of moms boldly approached the aged cabin. Pushing the old, creaky door open, they gently placed the solid white sphere that contained their daughters in the middle of the floor...unknowingly atop the pentagram on the floor.

“Okay, well we're here. What shall we do now?”, Sammy asked as she stepped back away from the protective shield.

“We don't do anything. It's all on them now. We’ve done our job. Now they need to figure things out. I just hope they choose the right path for them.”, Bundty Cakes replied, already preparing the lanterns around the desolate room with light. Diana, likewise was already preparing a note to the girls as Bundty went with decidable tactics and stepped back onto the raggedy porch. The other two mares following suit. With the crackle of electricity that usually signaled a protection spell wearing off, the three gave a sad look at their daughters before teleporting back home.

When the sphere finally disappeared from around them, the trio of newly-realized witches rubbed their eyes and groaned, as if in pain. Finally finding their hoofing, the three young mares took in their new surroundings.

“Wait! This is that cabin! Why are we here again?”, Amaris asked confused.

“Don’t know? Maybe something around here could--”, Terra started before being interrupted.

“-Girls! There's a very cryptic letter here. Only thing is, I can't exactly see what it says.”, Solange blurted out as she discovered the note.

At that point, Terra remembered that Solange always carried her reading glasses in her purse. Noticing said purse laying next to its owner, she grabbed it in her magic (which is still green) and rummaged through it until she found the glasses. Hoofing them to Solange, said mare cleared her throat and began to read the note, which was strangely in pony Latin.

It read:

aperire librum. ea enim responsa. invenire serpens, feles, et in media nocte vespertilio furrure. et illi tibi. Benediximus

“Well...I guess I’ll actually open that book I found. Let's see what we’re working with.”, Solange said as she carefully reached for and picked up the book she found before (as to how it got there, they only managed to assume that their moms brought it with them). Gathering around her, Terra and Amaris were stunned when Solange opened the book. There, right before them was a picture of one of the most disgusting creatures that anypony had ever seen. He looked like a pony, but only in face and body. His back legs were that of a goats, forelegs of a lion and wings of a bat. The most distinguishing features that he had were the pair of bull’s horns atop his head and the short, but neat goatee he sported upon his blood red face. Capped off with a long almost demonic tail with a point and the trio automatically knew who they were looking at.

“Dark Lord McCracken!”, the trio gasped before the same wave of magical energy came forth and blasted them in all directions.

“Ugggghhh….wha-What happened that time Artemis?”, the white one asked as she rubbed her head again.

“Do I look like a timey wimey tuner? Your guess is as good as mine, Solaria”. The brown one replied with a buff as she stood up and helped the white one up.

“Will both of you shut up for a second?!? My head hurts enough without your questions Solaria and your sass, Terra Nova.”, the blue one griped as she rose to her hooves.

“Sorry Artemis. Just a little frazzled now. It is almost like...”, Solaria trailed off in thought.

“...Like we’ve just been asleep for a long time and now we're awake?”, Terra Nova completed the thought her ‘sister’ had started.

“Exactly...Now I admit, even I had my doubts about if my spell would even work. Apparently I was wrong! Our souls did stay in a state of sleep mode for” Solaria paused to look at the cellular phone in her purse “SWEET CERBERUS'S LUNCH WAGON!!! It's been 500 years! See?”, She finished as she showed the date of June 6,26 A.L.

“Clearly in our absence, the pony of nightmares managed to break free of her celestial prison. Apparently technology has advanced quite a lot since we've last been on these lands. Just look! Oh if the dark lord saw these cell phones, he’d have a field day! Ohhhh! Wait!--what was that note our mothers’ left?”, Terra Nova asked as she found it. Re-Reading it aloud for confirmation:

aperire librum. ea enim responsa. invenire serpens, feles, et in media nocte vespertilio furrure. et illi tibi. Benediximus

“Why do we need to find beasts?”, Terra Nova asked.

“Don’t you get it? Our familiars! We must be ready to receive ours! It's a sign.”, Terra Nova replied as she set the parchment down.

“I suppose so.”, Solaria agreed.

“Well, if we're going to find them or...more accurately have them seek us out, then we’d best get moving.”, Artemis said as they summoned their brooms and headed out.