As the Plundervines began to unwrap around the two lumps in front of the Tree of Harmony, Twilight and her friends were delighted to see both Princess Celestia and Princess Luna emerge.

Both looked as confused as to what had gone on recently as the girls, but both looked to be fine otherwise as they stepped forward as the vines all across Equestria began to vanish.

Twilight couldn't help herself and ran over and pulled both of her fellow princesses into a hug, one they were both more than happy to return.

"We know how hard it must have been for you to give up the Elements. It took great courage to relinquish them," Celestia said.

The girls smiled at that, as did Twilight, though no one saw it. After a moment, something caused her to again look at the Tree of Harmony. As she watched, it glowed for a moment as a root extended out to her.

Feeling slightly silly, but not knowing what else to do, Twilight broke off the hug and walked over to it. The moment she touched, a flower began to bloom and unfurl. From inside it came a box. No one knew what to make of it.

"What's inside it? How do I open it?" Twilight asked.

Luna gave it a look as well. "Six locks, six keys," she said in a thoughtful tone. Everyone turned to look at Princess Celestia, who only shook her head.

"I do not know where they are. But I do know that it is a mystery you will not be solving alone."

Twilight and her friends shared a smile. It sounded like an adventure. Maybe it would even be fun as well.

As Celestia and Luna began to leave, Twilight turned back to the box. Something was telling her there was something else she needed to see, something important.

Without thinking, Twilight once again reached out to touch the mystery box.

And everything went white.

***

When she could see again, Twilight found herself no longer in the cave the held the Tree of Harmony. Neither her friends or the princesses were anywhere to be seen.

But it was what was all around her that held her attention.

All around her, a city lay in ruins. Fires burned out of control in several spots Dust hung heavy in the air, so much so that Twilight couldn't even tell what time of day it was.

Her heart skipped a beat as she heard thunder, one that kept repeating itself every few seconds. After a moment she realized it wasn't thunder at all.

It was footsteps. Of something of a size that Twilight couldn't even begin to imagine.

In the distance, something moved, something massive. A moment later another joined it as the two locked in mortal combat. Twilight couldn't make out shapes, but the size of the two combatants was huge in a way she had never seen before.

Before she could try and make sense of it all, her visions filled with white once more.

***

When the light faded again, Twilight found herself in an entirely new place. Gone was the burning city she had first seen. Now all around her was snow and ice and the cold to match. Twilight could feel the cold in her bones.

It reminded her of that very first trip to the Crystal Empire what felt like a lifetime ago now.

In the distance, she watched in shock as explosions rocked the frozen tundra. For a moment more nothing happened, and then the ice gave way. Twilight didn't know what was going on, but she could feel it now.

Something was very, very, wrong here.

And then, something began to rise from the crater in the ice. First one head, then another, then another, and then a massive pair of wings. Twilight thought it was a dragon. But no dragon she had ever heard of had three heads. And the feeling it gave off...

It wasn't just wrong. It was utterly alien to everything that was normal, and the malice it oozed as it pulled itself from its icy tomb? Only King Sombra had given off something like this. But this? This was on a whole different level than the former king.

Again, Twilight's vision blurred into white.

***

And again, when she could see again, Twilight found herself in a different place. Gone was the cold at least. What drew her attention though was the smoking mountain in the distance. Mountains didn't smoke. Unless...

Before she could even react, the top of the mountain exploded, confirming her worst fears as she looked around the town she was in. This time she could see the inhabitants. They were human to her shock, but not like her friends at Canterlot High.

Shaking her head, Twilight turned her attention back to the volcano. To her horror, something began to climb its way out of the smoking crater. It looked like a bird, but on such a scale that it was impossible by any definition she knew. Its was wingspread was enormous as soon as it took to the sky.

As it flew over the town, Twilight couldn't hold on as a supersonic wave of destruction hit her and sent her flying even as the town around her was reduced to ruins.

***

When she could see again, Twilight was lying on her back in the Tree of Harmony's cave. All of her friends were giving her a concerned look.

"Are you alright Twilight?" Fluttershy asked.

Twilight blinked as she reoriented herself. "What happened? Did you girls see what I saw?"

Everyone shared a look. "Twilight. Nothing happened to us. We saw nothing. Your eyes were overtaken by magic and then you fell over," Princess Celestia replied, her tone laced with concern.

"So what did you see?" Spike asked.

Twilight thought about it. "I had visions. Visions of," she paused as she tried to make sense of it all.

"Of what?" Princess Luna asked.

Twilight's ears fell. "I. I don't know."

But there was something Twilight did know as she finally stood back up and a few minuted later, everyone left the cave behind.

Something was coming, she knew it for absolute certain now. Something was coming that would change Equestria forever.

***

That night, astronomers all across Equestria and Equus spotted something new in the night sky. A distant speck of light that had not been there before.

It almost seemed to have a golden tint to it. But few believed it. It was so far away at the moment that it might have been a trick of the light. But for all they didn't know about it yet, one thing was for absolute sure.

The object was on a direct course for Equus itself.

Author's Note

This is it. Equestria has seen its last Summer Sun Celebration of the Fourth Era. History will record that this day marked the beginning of the end of the current era.

Only time will tell if Equestria will even be there for the next Summer Sun Celebration though. I already know how this ends.

And I've left enough clues to know what's coming and what Twilight saw.