PROLOGUE:
The Land of Equestria.
A continent spreading from the dry south to the freezing north. A land filled with valleys, mountains, fields, forests, and rivers. A land where creatures frolic amongst the tall grass and souring tree-tops.
But there is more to Equestria than its wildlife.
The nation of Equestria was founded thousands of years ago by the three pony tribes: Pegusi, unicorns, and earth ponies. After overcoming their differences and surviving many obstacles, the three tribes came together to form the nation of Equestria.
To oversee this fledgling nation, the ponies formed The Congress of Equines. Representatives from each group made decisions for the betterment of Equestria. They based all their choices on what was fair for all ponies, not just the leaders.
Over the years, more and more towns and communities were formed in Equestria. And with each community came their own representatives, which had their own goals. As the representatives started fighting amongst each other, Equestria suffered.
With little organized leadership, Equestria became known as a land free for the taking. Soon, more and more dangers made their way to the fledgling nation. Towns fell to Dragon Fire, ponies became prisoners to conquering Emperors, and unicorns were consumed by the use of Dark Magic.
Try as they might, the ponies of Equestria were no mach for the dangers that now permeated the land. Desperately, they cried out for salvation.
Thankfully, one pony answered that call.
In the Barren North of Equestria, there lived a unicorn known as Regal Sunlight. This mare had devoted her life to the pursuit of magic. She hoped to not only expand the understanding of magic, but also find new ways to use it to help every-pony.
For years, she practiced her craft in the barren snow-covered landscapes. Far away from any-pony, she could utilize her full potential without causing harm to others. And soon, she believed she’d reached the highest state of being a unicorn could reach.
But once Equestria had fallen under siege, she knew it was time to use all she had learned to defend her nation. However, she also knew that magic alone wasn’t going to be enough. The dangers to Equestria were not only coming from the land, but also the sea and sky. Spells could find solutions to fighting these threats, but the question became “for how long”?
Regal knew she had to find a way to use every aspect of Pony-Kind to defeat these threats. After days of thinking and research, she finally found a way.
Using the most powerful transformation spell imaginable, Regal transformed herself into something new. Now, she had now only the horn of a unicorn, but also the wings of an Pegasus, and the strength of an Earth Pony.
But the transformation had an unforeseen side effect. Not only did Regal have the abilities of every type of pony, but every ability was already at it’s full potential. Now she could fly faster than any Pegasus, and hit harder than any Earth Pony.
Se was no longer just a pony….she was something more.
With her new powers, Regal presented herself to the Council of Equines. The Council was weary at first: no one had ever seen a pony like this before. Many even called for her to be banished for her actions. But even more saw Regal for what she was: the best hope for Equestria. After many hours of debating, the Council agreed to let Regal fight for Equestria.
Over the next few months, Regal traveled across the land to all areas under siege by evil forces. Starting in the south, she fought the Dragons back into the barren mountains. Then she battled the invading armies in the central lands. Finally, she headed back towards the far North.
As Regal liberated towns across Equestria, other unicorns decided to fight with her. Regal began teaching these unicorns in her own unique brand of magic. The training was rigorous, and many unicorns soon gave up. But many trained hard, wanting to be just as brave and powerful and Regal.
By the time they reached the Far North, many unicorns had also mastered the transformation spell, gaining the abilities of Pegasi and Earth Ponies. However, none were able to replicate the power the Regal possessed.
The last enemy facing Equestria was a pony known as King Albtraum. Originally, Albtraum was a unicorn stallion from a foreign land. Seeing the potential for new discoveries, he settled in the Far North, a short distance from the Barren North. Here, Albtraum discovered a substance he dubbed “The Darkness”. This was a dark form of magic produced from shadow crystals that formed deep in underground caverns.
While studying these crystals, Albtraum was soon corrupted by their influence. With the power he gained from them, he decided to set his sights on Equestria. Soon, he began conquering villages: killing those that fought against him. Those that survived were also corrupted by The Darkness, and became his loyal followers.
Regal and her group traveled to their encampment, launching an all out attack. King Albtraum sent his strongest forces to fight them, culminating in what became known as “The Battle of The Far North”.
Even with training from Regal, every unicorn soon fell to Albtraum’s forces. The others fought bravely, but one by one they soon started to fall.
Furious, Regal fought her way towards King Albtraum. The two engaged in the fierce battle, a true fight of Good vs. Evil.
After many hours of fighting, Regal was able to overpower King Albtraum. Using the last of her strength, Regal obliterated Albtraum into nothing.
But before he died, Albtraum claimed that one day, The Darkness would rule over Equestria. And all those like Regal would pay the ultimate price.
With no leader, the remaining followers of Albtraum fled to the far reaches of Equestria. Regal and her surviving followers destroyed everything in the encampment, making sure nopony would ever succumb to The Darkness’ influences.
Across Equestria, ponies soon learned about Regal’s victory over the evil’s invading Equestria. Towns and Villages celebrated the victory of Regal and her followers, and others soon came forth asking to join their ranks.
Regal, fearing what Albtraum had said, knew that she couldn’t let it come true. So with confidence, Regal and her followers began training others to master the transformation spell, in order to turn themselves into the ultimate form.
As they did, the ponies of Equestria formed a name to define this new breed of ponies. Unicorns with all the powers of Pony-Kind.
Alicorns.
Author's Note
Hope this got people interested for the rest of the story. If you have any thoughts or suggestions, please let me know in the comments.
Thanks for reading!
CHAPTER 1: THE MISSION
A sea of clouds, stretching far into the horizon. Above it sat a clear blue sky, visible thanks to the rays of the shining sun. The only sound was the flow of the wind across the sky. It pushed the clouds away, leaving the blue sky intact.
In a way, it was almost funny. The clouds were below and the blue vastness was up high. To some...it could be a metaphor.
“Mam”.
Eclipse slowly opened her eyes, giving herself a better look at the sight in front of her. Now she could see not only the sky and sea of clouds, but also the bowsprit stretching towards it. Truly nothing compared to the clean vision she’d seen in her mind.
Sighing, Eclipse turned toward the sound of the voice. As she did she took in a better look at her surroundings. She stood on the bow of a large wooden airship. Beyond the bow stretched a large mid-section, dotted with hatches and stairways to the floors below. At the other end rose the main cabins, above which sat the bridge. Ponies in blue uniforms walked about the decks. Most went about adjusting ropes or moving cargo. Others stood watching the ship move throughout the sky.
Above her sat a giant purple balloon, filled with thousands of cubic feet of hot air. Four ropes connected it and the ship below. All together, it was the perfect example of Equestrian engineering. No magic, no Pegasus power, just the hard work of scientific design and Earth Pony manufacturing.
Finishing her 180 degree turn, Eclipse looked down at the source of the voice. Standing below her was a dark grey unicorn colt with a spotless white mane. He carried two small saddle-bags on his back; each one filled with books he insisted on taking with him. Of course what stood out about him the most was his cutie-mark: a swirling line dotted with three stars.
A sign of sucking up all the brightness around him? Possibly, but Eclipse always found it hard to come to that conclusion. Still, she gave the young colt a large smile. No need to spread her displeasure with the view to everyone.
“What is it Star Swirl”?
The young colt stood up straight. “Sorry to interrupt your contemplation mam, but I come bearing a message”.
“From who,” asked Eclipse.
“The Captain mam; he wanted me to inform you that we’ll be arriving at our destination in ten minutes”.
Eclipse nodded. “Did he say anything about the situation on the ground”?
“No mam,” replied Star Swirl. “But from what I heard on my way out, we should expect some dangers a few miles out”.
Eclipse sighed; she’d hoped that things wouldn’t turn out like this. Making changes to the plan always resulted in disaster...at least for her it did. And no doubt Star Swirl would only add to the tension; young learners were always unknown factors in situations.
“So, will we have to alter the plan mam,” asked Star Swirl.
Eclipse shook her head. “The Council’s instructions were clear and precise. Besides, I think we can handle a few unknown variables”.
“Of course mam,” replied the young colt.
Eclipse stepped around Star Swirl and headed for the nearby stairway. The young colt quickly followed along behind her. As the two descended, Star Swirl floated a book out of his saddle-bag.
Eclipse noticed and smiled. “Another science-fiction novel Star Swirl”?
“No mam,” he replied. “It’s a spell book. We haven’t been in many situations where spells are needed. So I’ve been keeping up with my studies when I have free time”.
“What level book is it”?
Star Swirl smirked. “Level Ten”.
Eclipse stopped, turning back towards the young colt. She raised an eyebrow; something wasn’t right.
“Last I checked, you were only permitted books up to level six. How did you acquire a level ten book”?
Star Swirl’s face formed a frown. He looked away from Eclipse, not able to stand the disapproving look she was giving him.
“I….I might have….sorta….kinda….taken it from Councilor Righthorn’s personal collection”.
Eclipse’s nostrils flared. “You WHAT”!
“Before you get angry….well, angrier, let me explain”.
Eclipse was ready to tell the young colt no. Stealing in and of itself was wrong, but it was even worse to steal from a member of the council. If Righthorn figured out what happened, Star Swirl could be in much trouble. Or even worse, they could blame her for not keeping better tabs on him.
But at the same time, Eclipse was curious. Star Swirl had always been an expert at the spoken word. He’d already mastered spells that most couldn’t because they were too difficult to say. So it wasn’t a stretch to believe that he could give a logical excuse for his actions. And in the end, that was something Eclipse wanted to see.
“Alright, try and explain yourself”.
Star Swirl stood up even straighter. Even his chest was starting to push out a bit.
“I borrowed Righthorn’s book simply because I’d finished all the books up to level six”.
“And you couldn’t have asked Book Keeper Quill for something not related to the main curriculum,” replied Eclipse.
“That would be a waste of my time,” rebutted Star Swirl. “Besides I finished all the level six books in one week. I needed something that I knew would take longer”.
Eclipse groaned. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I slightly agree with you”.
“Slightly”?
“Yes, slightly,” said Regal. “Stealing is still wrong….but I can’t say I’m not proud of you for advancing this far in such a short period of time”.
The look of worry on Star Swirl’s face quickly reformed into a joyous smile. It was rare that he got compliments like this from Eclipse. He knew that eventually he’d be given a long winded speech about the dangers of stealing and dishonesty. But if that was the way she reprimanded him for stealing from a member of the Council, it was totally worth it.
Eclipse turned and resumed walking along the main deck. Star Swirl followed behind, continuing to read the spell book. He quietly chanted a few spells, making sure he didn’t accidentally use one.
As they walked along the main deck, Eclipse reviewed the plan of attack for when they arrived. The Council had given the two of them stick guidelines on how to proceed. Any deviation could result in the whole mission going south….in more ways than one.
Even now, Eclipse could recall everything that had lead up to this moment. Their days on the ship, the boarding at the shipyards.
And most importantly, the assignment of her mission.
***
Hard granite floors. Tall sandstone walls dotted with stain-glass windows. Topped by the large concave ceiling with ornate carvings.
All these the components that made up the long hallway that stretched before Eclipse. The same components that she’d seen almost every day as she walked about the Temple. Sights that would astound most ponies that had the privilege to enter the building.
But for her, it was just another hallway.
The young Alicorn slowly made her way down the hall. Each hoof-step created echoes that rang all the way to the other end. The sunlight shining through the stain-glass shined colors of every hue around her.
Still, it wasn’t enough to counter her white coat or her golden/dark mane. And given how little light available, Eclipse was happy that there was something to liven up this drab location.
“Oh what the ancients would do if they knew what I was thinking” she thought.
After walking for a few more minutes, she stopped before a large wooden door. Rising up twice her height, it was covered in carvings depicting Alicorns floating over a group of ponies. On the right door was the rising sun, while the left side depicted the setting sun.
Perfect balance, as it always should be.
Pausing for a few seconds, Eclipse pushed the door open and walked through. She found herself standing in a large circular room. The walls reached the same height as the hallway, leading to a ornate dome roof.
On the side opposite Eclipse sat three stained-glass windows. The far left one depicted the many dangers that faced Equestria during it’s founding. The far right window depicted the frightened ponies that faced these many dangers.
The final window was by far the most beautiful. It depicted Regal Sunlight, wings outstretched, shinning her magic across the land before her. Ponies cheered in celebration, while Darkness retreated towards the bottom.
No matter how many times Eclipse looked upon these windows, they never got any less beautiful. After all, this was the beginnings of the Alicorn Council. A single pony, changing the world in ways it would never come back from. Now, there were hundreds of Alicorns around Equestria. All working to make the land a better place with the leadership of the High Council.
“Ah Eclipse, you finally made it”.
Speaking of whom….
The young Alicorn focused on the center of the room. Sitting directly under the domed-roof was a large crystal table. Surrounding the table were seven crystal thrones, each occupied by an Alicorn….all of whom were staring at her.
Taking a deep breath, Eclipse walked forward.
“Sorry if I kept you waiting,” she said, stopping before the table.
Now that she was closer, she did a quick sweep of all the Alicorns that were present. She started with the one to her left.
Councilor Nova, a purple mare with a orange mane. Out of all the other councilors, she was by far the most strict. Any deviation from the rules always resulted in a day long disciplinary course. Most young-lings were found crying in their quarters by the time it was over. Eclipse could still remember her disciplinary course….and the subsequent nightmares that had resulted from it.
Next was Councilor Cultura, a green mare with a light-red mane. Cultura specialized in plant magic, having grown up near the Ever-free Forest. She was also the one called upon when dangerous animals attack towns or villages. And most important, she was by far the most calm and caring of the councilors. Most members of the Alicorn Council agree that she is by far the best teacher to have.
After Cultura came Councilor Fridged; the only stallion on the High Council. While most Alicorns were mares, there were cases where stallions could become one. And Councilor Fridged was by far the best example. He had a whitish-blue coat and a dark blue mane. He specialized in frost magic, given that he hailed from the Frozen North. His role outside the Council was the research and experimentation of new potions….which usually resulted in a few explosions.
To Eclipse’s right sat Councilor Righthorn, a pink mare with a curly brown mane. When not helping to decide the course of all Alicorns in Equestria, she was usually in the Archives. Righthorn was the biggest collector of magical books and items. If it had anything to do with magic, she usually had it or knew about it. Her role outside the High Council was teaching the young-lings the proper form of magic casting. It didn’t matter how bad you were at it, she could make you an expert in no time.
Next to Righthorn sat Councilor Emerald Glow, a dark green mare with a black mane. Out of all the Alicorns in Equestria, Emerald was probably the most knowledgeable about the Council’s history. From the days of Regal Sunlight to the last few seconds, she knew it all. Of course, not everyone had her enthusiasm for the past. Many young-lings have been known to fall asleep during her classes. Of course, those that got caught usually had to write a report about the topic in question. Let it never be said that she didn’t make you know the material.
To her right was Councilor Obsidian, a mare with a grey pelt and black mane with golden highlights. A master of design and construction, her role was the upkeep of the Alicorn Temple. But her expertise was also used when Alicorns needed to infiltrate buildings or fortresses. In a split second, she could tell where all of the hidden passages and areas of interest were located.
Finally, there was the most important Alicorn. The one in the largest throne, sitting directly across from Eclipse.
The leader of the Alicorn High Council: Mistress Faust.
Faust was a white Alicorn mare with a red mane. She stood taller than any other Alicorn, and also had the longest wingspan. When not keeping the other Councilors in line, she was working to make a better experience for the other Alicorns. She did a bit of everything: teaching, experimentation, research, etc. If there was something to be done, she had a hoof in it at one point.
Faust was what every Alicron strives to be: a perfect example of what one could achieve with enough work and determination. Earning the rank of Mistress came only with years of training and dedication to the ideals and laws of the Alicorn Council.
And now, she was smiling at Eclipse.
“Of course not Eclipse, a pony is never late. Everyone else is simply early,” she replied.
Nova snorted. “I beg to differ”.
“Well thankfully no one asked for your opinion Nova,” retorted Emerald Glow.
“And that means I can’t express it? Why should I have to keep my mouth shut on topics that worry me”?
“Because this isn’t the topic we are focusing on,” said Fridged.
“Indeed, we need to get back to what we were discussing,” said Faust. “Eclipse, please have a seat”.
A small chair rose up from the ground before Eclipse. She quickly sat down, keeping her attention on Faust. The other Council members did the same; some more invested than others.
Faust cleared her throat. “As I said before Eclipse arrived, we have received some disturbing news”.
Faust ignited her horn, covering the table in it’s glow. The Council watched as small holographic shapes began to rise out of it. As the glowing died down, Eclipse took in what she was seeing. A large holographic town sat before them, filled with similar sized ponies. They went about their business, not seeming to notice their larger surroundings.
“This is the town of Sundown, a small community located in Southern Equestria. Two days ago, we received word that Dragons were spotted a few miles outside the perimeter”.
“But how is that possible,” asked Obsidian, “we haven’t seen a Dragon on Equestria soil for thousands of years”.
“That’s what worries me,” said Faust. “But that’s not the end of it”.
Her horn glowed again. The council watched as a large dragon flew over the town. Fire shot from it’s mouth, incinerating the buildings it hit. Ponies screamed and ran for cover through the burning wreckage.
“Not only have Dragons returned, they’ve now attacked an innocent town”.
“That’s an act of aggression,” said Righthorn. “Has Congress been informed of this”?
“Yes,” replied Faust. “They are the ones who brought it to my attention”.
“But this doesn’t make sense though,” said Cultura. “Dragons are territorial, and will attack if they think their land is threatened. But Sundown has been there for decades. Why are they attacking now”.
“I don’t think it’s about territory,” replied Fridged. “I think something….or someone….has caused this to happen”.
Nova leaned forward. “What proof do we have of this?”
Faust sighed. “At the moment, none”.
“So for now we can only assume that this was done solely by the Dragons,” said Nova. “Which means we need to act now if we want to defeat this threat”.
“You know we can’t just go head-first into something without knowing everything we can about the situation,” said Obsidian.
“Agreed,” replied Faust. She turned her attention to Eclipse, who’d remained silent up until now. “That’s were you come in”.
Eclipse stood up straight. “What is it that I’m to do mam”?
“We need proof that what is happening here is being orchestrated by someone. In order to get that, we need you to go and scout the area”.
Eclipse nodded. “Will I be looking for anything in particular”?
“Well ringleaders and fortifications would be one thing,” replied Righthorn. “But mostly try and look for any sign that these attacks aren’t random. Anything that points towards coordination from somepony else”.
“If there even is such a pony,” replied Nova snootily.
Eclipse ignored Nova’s comment. It seemed strange that she was so against checking on these attacks. But given how she was against almost everything except her own ideas, this wasn’t that surprising.
"This is a simple observe and report back mission," said Fridged. "Try not to go into battle unless it's absolutely necessary".
The rest of the council nodded in agreement. Honestly, they didn't need to tell Eclipse twice. She was happy to fight if the situation called for it. But she preferred talking things out rather than resorting to violence. Of course this didn't win her much favor with some Alicorns, who saw fighting as the fastest way to solve a problem.
"Adrenaline Junkies, all of them," thought Eclipse.
“That is all the information we have for you at the moment,” said Faust. “If there’s nothing left to add, you may leave”.
Eclipse raised a hoof. “I do have one question: am I to do this mission alone”?
“I’m afraid we can’t send any other Alicorns at the moment,” said Obsidian. “If this isn’t a coordinated attack, we don’t want to waste our numbers”.
“Luckily I don’t need another Alicorn. I’d like my apprentice Star Swirl to accompany me,” said Eclipse.
The council looked at each other, uncertainty plastered on their faces. Soon each was looking at Faust, who in turn turned to Eclipse.
“Are you sure Star Swirl is ready to take on a mission like this,” she asked. “He’s still a learner”.
“And yet he’s surpassed all other students in his group, as well as most beginning Alicorns. If not for his age, I’d say he was ready to become an Alicorn right now”.
“We’re not questioning his skills,” said Fridged. “We just want to make sure he won’t be in over his head”.
“Dragons are not the ideal first mission,” said Cultura.
“I know,” said Eclipse. “But I have faith in him, and I believe you should as well”.
The council remained silent for a few minutes. Eclipse knew what they were doing: silent debate. Sending a young colt into a dangerous territory wasn’t the brightest move. But still, Eclipse would be there to make sure nothing happened to him. And if he was as skilled as they said, he could at least hold his own against some enemies.
And hey, maybe there was no danger. In which case, this could be a good way for him to see more of Equestria.
After five minutes of silence, Faust spoke.
“Alright Eclipse, Star Swirl can accompany you to Sundown. But we ask that you try not to put him in unnecessary danger”.
Eclipse bowed her head. “Don’t worry, I’m confident nothing bad will happen”.
“Very well then,” said Faust, “you may leave now. The councilors and I have other matters to discuss”.
Nodding, Eclipse stepped away from the table and walked towards the door.
***
“Mam….MAM WATCH OUT”!
Snapping out of her memory, Eclipse found herself back on the deck of the air-ship. A split second later, she saw that she was approaching the rear cabins. She stopped in her tracks, taking a deep breath.
“Are you alright mam,” asked Star Swirl. “I tried calling out, but it looked like you were in a trance”.
“No not a trance….just remembering,” she replied.
Star Swirl floated his spell book into his saddle-bag. He didn’t feel like reading knowing his master wasn’t fully paying attention. As he did, a nearby megaphone turned on.
“Attention everypony, this is you Captain speaking. We will be touching down in five minutes, I ask everypony to make their way out onto the deck with their belongs. We hope you had a nice trip and thank you for flying Equestria Sky-Ways”.
Star Swirl felt rumbling beneath his hooves: likely ponies making their way towards the deck. Thankfully his and Eclipse’s supplies were already packed in his bags. It always helped to have everything at the ready in case something went wrong.
Shaking her head, Eclipse turned and headed for the railing.
“Come Star Swirl,” she called back, “our mission is about to being”.
