“This doesn’t make any sense! Why is magic trying to tear him apart! It should be healing him!” Twilight was now panicking as she looked over the creature that was being burned alive by every healing spell she had.

The naked ape like creature appeared out of nowhere screaming in pain in the main halls of Canterlot Castle. She had to knock it out to get it to stop flailing around so she could get him on her back and run to the medical section of the castle.

“Magic seems to be making it worse! We need to stop any more from getting to him!” Nurse Redheart shouted while working over a medical device.

“I need all available unicorns to draw as much magic from the patent and the room as possible! Now!” Doctor Needle ordered. The smell of rotting and burning flesh getting stronger every second.

Princess Twilight and the two solar guards that were watching the door started pulling as much magic from the room as they could. The burning of the creature’s flesh started to slow. “It’s working! Everypony! Keep it up!” Twilight shouted now that she had a way to help him.

“It’s awake! Restrain it!” Before Twilight knew what was happening both the medical staff and the two guards were on him. He started screaming in pain. “Make it stop! It hurts! It hurts! Oh god it hurts!” Tears streamed down his face as he struggled to tear from their grip.

Twilight had to think fast. She quickly cast a spell that temporarily shuts off Simone’s nerve endings. “Oh please not be a mistake!”

He slowly stopped struggling and laid back down breathing heavily. “Thank god. Thank you…” he slowly passed out.

Nurse Redheart slowly got off of him and sighed. “The burning has returned, but it isn’t as bad as before. If I’m correct then it has maybe three days before it becomes fatal. I-I have never seen a case like this. Why is this happening?” The other staff slowly got off him and wiped away sweat.

Twilight just blinked. “I don’t know. I don’t even know what it is! All I know is that he is filled with dark essence! I can’t even ask the princess’s because they won’t be back for another four days!” She was pacing around the room now.

Redheart stopped her with a hoof. “Princess, we have no way to heal him. If you want him to live to next week then you must find a way.” She wore a worried expression as she looked Twilight in the eyes.

Twilight sat on the floor as she fought for an answer in her head. “I’ve already used every healing spell I know. I can’t ask the princess’s…” she thought for a moment before her eyes lit up. “I need a magic containment capsule. I’m going to the Tree Of Harmony!”

Twilight was careful to hold the capsule that held the creature by the handles as to not accidentally leak magic inside. Only the guards and Nurse Redheart remained with Twilight. The guards returned to their station outside the room. “Princess, are you sure that you will be alright in transferring him to Ponyville?”

“I’ll be fine Nurse Redheart. I’ve made this trip many times before. We don’t have time to wait for an escort. I’ll see you later.” Twilight started her journey to Ponyville. “Come on buddy. I’ll get you fixed up.

Twilight was now floating the creature in the capsule out of the train. “Everypony! Twilights back! Ooo! Can I have a party!” Pinkie bounced around and looked around the capsule. “Ooo! What’s this? It seems kinda black and flakey!”

“Pinkie! It’s an emergency!” Pinkie put on a serious face and saluted waiting for orders. “I need you to get the girls as fast as you can!”

“You got it!” Pinkie proceeded to pull the four mares from her mane. Each equally confused as the next.

“But... But... But… I was…” Rainbow Dash started But was cut off by Rarity.

“Girls. Let us never speak of this again. Agreed?” She said looking around.

“Agreed.” They all said in unison. Pinkie just giggled.

“Alright everypony! We need to get this guy here to the Tree Of Harmony. If we don’t then he’ll die.” Twilight directed the girls.

Rainbow Dash flew up and peered down into the capsule. “What is it? I’ve never seen anything like that.”

Twilight turned towards the still unconscious creature with worry painted on her face. “I actually don’t know, but magic in general seems to be trying to hurt him. I don’t know why but I really feel like we have to help him.”

She floated it down to the girls so they could see. “Oh, the poor thing…” Fluttershy whispered as she placed a hoof over the glass.

Twilight walked up next to Fluttershy and looked down into the glass.”This is why we need to hurry. He doesn’t have much time left.”

Rainbow Dash landed on the other side of the capsule and smiled at Twilight. “Well I guess we otta get going huh?”

The rest of the girls smiled at Twilight. “We’re all ready when you are hun’.” Applejack Said as she hugged Twilight for a moment.

“Thank you all. Let’s head out before it’s too late.” Twilight lifted the capsule in her magic and the girls started their journey to The Tree Of Harmony.

“This doesn’t feel right. It’s like the forest is welcoming us instead of trying to push us away.” Dash spoke looking around at the locals watching them.

Applejack rolled her eyes. “Hush Dash. Let’s not complain about a blessing.” A twig snapped to the left and everypony’s heads snapped to look at what was there.

“Heh… blessing. Right.” Rainbow mumbled under her breath. “The Tree should be right up here.”

The cave entrance to the tree was indeed up ahead and the group of seven cautiously entered. Finding the tree, Twilight opened up the containment capsule and set the creature at the base of the tree. “I really hope this works. I don’t know what we would be able to do if the Tree Of Harmony can’t help him.”

Roots from the trees immediately started to wrap around the unconscious creature. Mostly around its limbs and main body. The six mares watched on curiously. “What is it doing?” Rainbow spoke up.

A quick flash from the roots and the flesh of the creature was ash. The burned skeleton was all that remained. The girls screamed in terror. Both Twilight and Fluttershy broke down in tears. Twilight was because she caused this to happen to this poor creature. “WHAT JUST HAPPENED?! Why did the tree do that?!” Twilight screamed as she was now confused.

“Twi! We need to go! Timberwolves!”Three large wolves walked out from behind the tree. Twilight grabbed a leg bone from the remains with her magic before joining the girls as they ran. They kept running and running until they reached the edge of the forest and had to stop to breath. “What- what happened in there?” Rarity gasped out in between breaths.

Twilight inspected the bone she had grabbed. “I don’t know. I’m going to bring this to Celestia. She’ll know why. Why don’t you all go home to rest. I’m going back up to Canterlot.”

Twilight was now knocking on Princess Celestia’s bedroom door after studying the creature’s bone in her room for the few days she was gone. “Come In.” Twilight pushed open the door to reveal the regal princess waiting in the middle of the room. “Oh! Twilight it’s good to see you. What are you carrying there?”

Twilight looked down at the bone she was levitating with her magic. “That’s actually the reason I’m here. Can you take a look at it? This bone belonged to a creature that magic itself was trying to destroy. I had to put it in a containment capsule and remove all the magic that I could to slow the damage.” Celestia took the mysterious bone in her grasp.

Pulling it close to inspect it she noticed something unsettling. “I haven’t seen such magic purity since before Luna and I first battled Discord.” Celestia had whispered to herself, but Twilight overheard it.

Taking a step closer Twilight gave off a confused look. “What do you mean by pure? All I could make of it was a dark magic.”

Celestia flinched when she said that. Sighing she spoke. “I suppose I can’t hide it from you anymore. I guess you would have found out eventually with how smart you are.” She stopped to think on how she would say it. “But before we get into that topic may I ask what happened to this creature?”

Not knowing what to make of the situation Twilight spoke. “The doctor said that he didn’t have long if I couldn’t find a way to help him. Since I couldn’t bring him to you I decided to take him to the Tree Of Harmony, but… when me and the girls set him down on the roots they did this to him. Why would it do that to someone?” She was almost in tears again from thinking back to the event.

Celestia knew exactly the reason why it happened and had to look away. “I had hoped to tell you on happier terms, but it seems that I won’t have that luxury this time. Are you ready to listen or do you need some time to settle down?”

Twilight shook her head. “No. I’m ready to hear it. It’s been bothering me for days.”

Author's Note

This is my first solo fanfic. There will be one more short chapter in the future. I never realized how hard it is to write one on your own... but anyways I’m currently looking for anyone that would like to coauthor one of these stories. Anyone can do it and it’s really fun. Message me if you would like to!