Below the sea, beyond the stars...
Twilight Sparkle paced back and forth around her library, strands of her frazzled mane littering the floor. More books lay strewn about the room than there were on the shelves, and the piles kept growing. She'd spent weeks sifting through every relevant book she could think of, as well as many more that held little topical relevance.
For over a month, Rarity had been in Ponyville hospital, stuck in a mysterious coma interspersed with violent night terrors. The doctor's sedation suppressed the worst of it, but so far no cure—neither magical or medicinal—had been found.
“No, no, no!” Twilight yelled in frustration, chucking another book over her shoulder with her magic. “Ugh, why is this so hard?! Sleeping sickness and night terrors are some of the most extensively studied topics in medical history! What makes Rarity's condition different?”
“Twilight, I know how much you care about Rarity,” Spike gave Twilight a worried look. “I do, too. But you've been awake for three days straight. Maybe sleep will help clear your mind?”
“That hasn't helped me the last thirty-three nights, Spike!” she snapped. “I've searched through every book from here to Canterlot for a solution, and Rarity still isn't better. How in Celestia's name are we supposed to cure her without access to all possible informa—”
“Twilight, that's enough!”
Twilight turned around to see Princess Celestia standing in the doorway. Her expression immediately softened. “P-princess? Why are you here?”
“I invited her,” said Spike with a heavy sigh. “I love you, Twilight. You're my only real family, and... I’ve never seen you so obsessed. I can’t lose you like I’ve lost Rarity.”
“I don't understand,” Twilight glanced back between them. Don't tell me this is—”
“An intervention. I'm afraid so, Twilight,” Celestia said firmly, but not unkindly. “I will be taking over the search for the cure, along with Luna and Discord. This is a problem that could affect any of our royal subjects, and I cannot allow you to shoulder this burden alone.”
“But... but... Rarity is my friend!” Twilight protested. “The Element of Generosity! What kind of Friendship Princess would I be if I didn't help her?”
“Forgive me if I'm speaking out of bounds,” said a familiar, smooth-talking voice. Teleporting next to Celestia, Discord looked down at Twilight with a deep frown – the first time she’d ever see him look serious. “But harmony is not universal, it cannot solve everything. Why do you think I was merely turned to stone, while Sombra was all but destroyed?”
“So, Rarity's condition has something to do with chaos magic?” Twilight hummed and rubbed her chin.
“That, we do not presently know,” said Luna as she stepped inside. “But that is precisely why we must now be primary investigators, Twilight. No offence intended, but we've more experienced in dealing with potentially dark magic than you. As such, for your own safety, we politely ask you to withdraw and hand over your findings thus far.”
“Luna... Celestia...” Twilight slumped to her haunches. “Please, let me search with you. I can't fail Rarity; you know what it's like! We've done so much together as the Elements of Harmony, why can't we just fix this? We helped you, we helped Luna, and Discord. I can handle dark magic. There must be a way, I know there is! I know—”'
“Twilight, that's enough!” Spike all but threw himself over Twilight's chest, wrapping his claws around her as tears streamed from his eyes. “Please, let it go. You've done so much and... it's enough. Rarity wouldn't want this, she only expects your best, and... and...”
“I don't say this often,” Discord sighed and placed a claw on Twilight's shoulder. “But please, take the little dragon's advice. There are things in this universe that even Alicorns struggle to understand. Let this go, and everything will work out.”
Twilight cocked an eyebrow. “Fine...” she conceded, pulling Spike off with her magic. “Spike, please show the Princesses and Discord to my study. All my research is there. Just,” Twilight offered out a hoof. “Promise me that you won't hurt Rarity any further, will you?”
“You have my word,” Discord took Twilight's hoof in his claw and shook it. “Rarity will come to no harm under my watch. Believe it or not, she is my friend, too.”
“Well, for her sake, this had better not be another prank,” Twilight shot Discord a resentful glare. “Because if it is, you'll wish we'd never released you.”
With that, Twilight broke off her hoof shake and trotted toward the door, avoiding eye contact with the princesses. “I'm going to bed, I need sleep. Good night.”
Slamming the door behind her, Twilight's mind sprang into action with a plethora of alternative plans. If she could not conduct research in Equestria without royal intervention, she would just have to look elsewhere for some real answers.
Later that night, Twilight retired to her study. Gently closing the door behind her, she pulled the curtains shut and lit the candle on her desk. She sat there quietly for a few moments, just in case Spike was still awake. Once she confirmed she was alone, Twilight opened her desk drawer and pulled out her diary. Levitating a quill in her magic, she dipped it into the ink and began writing on a fresh page:
Sunday, October 3rd, 11:42pm.
Dear Diary,
I'm finally ready. I have all the details I need to begin my investigation in Saddle Arabia. My plan is to periodically note down my findings here, giving me a basis for a full report later. Without rigorous application of the scientific method, I cannot demonstrate to Princess Celestia how foalish it was to keep Rarity's cure from me. How can I ever be expected to fulfil my duties as the Princess of Friendship—a title she bestowed on me—if I hide at the first sign of danger? If my mentors refuse to cooperate, then this time, they learn a lesson from me…
Twilight paused, splashes of ink dribbling on the page. Her hooves were already shaking and her magic glowed darker from the rush of emotions. She put down the quill and took a deep breath. Focus, Twilight, she thought, picking it up again and crossing out the last couple of sentences. Getting angry at Celestia won’t do any good.
She continued:
As expected, I’ve been temporarily barred from the magic sections of the Canterlot Library, but that doesn't matter. Much to my frustration, it’s obvious I won’t find what I’m looking for in Equestria. That’s why I’ve decided to return to the mountains of Saddle Arabia. I will collect data through direct investigation of local magic and construct a working hypothesis from that basis.
However, my trip to the Canterlot Library wasn’t entirely a waste of time, as I’ve rented out numerous books on the topics of geology and mountaineering. From what little sense I’ve made of Rarity’s hysteric ramblings, she refers to the subject of sea monsters from Equestria’s distant past. If my theory is correct, these creatures once inhabited what is now Saddle Arabia, before the dividing mountains were pushed up from continental drift. Perhaps local palaeontologists and historians can refer to local folklore based on these creatures, and if so, how they may have influenced Rarity’s dreams.
With any luck, working with this naturalistic hypothesis can be combined with Luna’s dream insight, in addition to whatever dark magic is keeping her out of Rarity’s head. Tomorrow, I will travel to Canterlot and gather the necessary equipment needed for mountaineering. If anypony asks, I’ll say I’m going on vacation to Yakyakistan to take de-stress.
As a final note, I will make good use of the scrying crystal I bought back in Saddle Arabia.
Opening a hidden compartment in her desk, Twilight pulled out a small, white crystal sphere, no bigger than a buck-ball. Even in the dim candlelight, it still shimmered as bright as any of Rarity’s jewel-covered dresses.
Can’t believe I got this for only ten bits! Twilight mused, rotating the crystal in her hooves. Crystals like this haven’t been used in centuries, yet this one functions as good as any newer versions. It’s practically a museum piece! She could easily spend all day staring at the Crystal’s beauty, but alas, she had work to do. Carefully placing the crystal on its desk stand, she returned her attention to the diary. Adding an asterisk to the end of the last sentence, she wrote at the foot of the page:
*Addendum: I have already ruled out the Crystal as a cause of Rarity’s nightmares, as she never handled the ball, neither physically, nor in her magic. As far as I can tell, my crystal has no irregular properties to it. I will include this detail in my final report.
Returning to the main body of the text, Twilight went on:
The crystal will help to enhance my spells during this investigation, so I will factor that into my final report, though I don't expect much from the ball directly.
A swift knock on the door made Twilight jump, breaking her concentration. She slammed her diary shut, pulled out a replacement book to open over it and unlocked the door with her magic. “Come in,” she said, keeping her voice even.
The door creaked open as Spike slipped in, dressed in his nightgown and sleeping cap, carrying a pillow in one claw and a blanket in the other. “Twilight…” he yawned, rubbing his eyes. “It’s almost midnight, come to bed already.”
Twilight shook her head. “Sorry, Spike. My vacation in Yakyakistan is tomorrow, and I’m still struggling with the local dialect. I can't risk accidentally starting an avalanche, so I’ll need a guide.”
“But Twilight,” Spike whined, frowning. “You can do that on the train ride tomorrow, and I wanna sleep next to you while I still can.”
Twilight sighed. “Alright, Spike,” she smiled as she closed the book. “Just let me finish this chapter and I'll be right along. I’m almost done.”
“Sure thing,” Spike yawned again and turned to leave. Half way out the door, he stopped and added, “Oh, Twilight?”
“Yes, Spike?”
“Sorry for telling on you to Celestia,” his posture drooped. “I was just worried about you.”
“I know, Spike,” Twilight smiled. “And it's okay. I appreciate you looking out for me. Now, get to bed. I won't be long.”
“Good night, Twilight...” Eyelids fluttering, Spike lurched out of the study and headed back to bed. By Twilight's estimate, he had about fifty steps before he fell asleep where he stood.
Perhaps I have done enough planning for tonight, she thought. Turning back to face the desk, she noticed that the scrying crystal had begun to glitter with a greater intensity than before. Levitating it up to eye level, Twilight gave it a quick once-over, but didn’t see any notable changes. Maybe it's just a bit of loose magic.
Shrugging, Twilight replaced the orb, blew out the candle and trotted off down the hall, unaware that her notes glowed in response to the crystal.
Three days later, Twilight's balloon touched down at the port of Al-Coltabra, Saddle Arabia, arriving just before sunset. Though it was late in the year, the temperature still soared to over thirty-three Celsius, so she took off the hiking sweater she'd worn during the flight. Folding it up neatly and sliding it into her equipment pack, she hopped out with the rope and tied it to the anchoring post.
Pulling the knot tight, Twilight took a moment to admire the tranquillity of the Saddle Arabian coast. The clear blue water lapped its way up and down the beach with the tide, turning the golden sands a lighter shade of brown. It was a picturesque scene, like a postcard brought to life.
Twilight could spend hours just watching the boats gently rock and roll on the calm surface, but alas, she wasn’t here as a tourist. She had a mission to complete. So, double checking that the knot was secure, she trotted off to find the Harbour Master, Sea Shanty. In the low light, the earth pony's aquamarine coat and white mane were difficult to spot, not least because of how common a combination that was amongst sea-fairing ponies. Twilight recalled a rumour that he was born at sea, which made it no surprise that his cutie mark became a small sailboat.
These days, however, he had much bigger maritime jobs to take care of. This evening, Sea Shanty busied himself with one of his regular duties, directing a group of unicorns to load up a ship bound for Manehatten. “A little to the left... no, no, too far. Move back to the right, just a wee bit...”
“Sea Shanty, good evening!” Twilight called.
“Just a bit more left, then job's a—” Sea Shanty paused for a double take. “Wait a sec, Princess Twilight? Is that you, or is the sea air finally doing me ‘ed in?”
“Nope, it's me, alright,” Twilight chuckled. “I can tell you’re as busy as ever. Do you have a minute?”
“Oh, aye, I’m busy alright,” Sea Shanty removed his cap and rubbed his mane. “But what about you? I didn't expect to see ye back so soon. Did somethin' happen? I can see ye've got quite the hefty pack, there.”
“Well...” Twilight thought about that question. She briefly considered lying and sticking to her cover story, but on the other hoof, she couldn’t dawdle while Rarity was in such an unstable position. “It's... sort of personal, but it is related to princess duties.”
“Oh?” Sea Shanty gave Twilight a curious look. “Well, what's on yer mind? Maybe I can help.”
“It's Rarity,” Twilight explained, her expression dropping. “Since our last visit, she's become very ill. All the Canterlot doctors can do is to keep her stable, as there’s no known cure. Celestia is taking care of matters back home, so I'm looking to collect some rare herbs native to this region. It might be our only chance of saving her.”
Sea Shanty didn’t answer right away, rubbing his chin. “Well,” he said, his tone even. “I'm not much of a doctor. I know how t' keep away scurvy, and that's about it. That said, I think I know others who can help on yer search.”
“Time is of the essence, so any information would be helpful,” Twilight bowed, a small smile regrowing on the edges of her mouth. “Though I do have one organisation in mind. Do you remember the Explorer’s league?”
“Aye, I figured ye’d want t’ find them. It’s been a long time since I last visited ‘em, but I think they still have a branch in town centre. Take a right at the smithy, an’ they should be there. Nowt much more I can say except, good luck in findin' that herb of yours.”
“That's perfect! Thank you so much for the help.” Twilight threw her hooves around Sea Shanty. She'd desperately wanted to visit the Explorer's League last time she was here, but didn't have the time due to the friendship problem. Now, her thoughts raced with all the different possibilities of new scientific discoveries she’d make, thanks to the help from like-minded creatures
“Think nothing of it,” Sea blushed. “Just be careful on yer journey, will ye, Princess?”
“Oh, of course,” Twilight replied, gesturing to her overstuffed backpack. “I’m always prepared! I've brought every mountaineering essential a pony could wish for. I've even brought several magical items to examine the unique properties of the high-altitude flora and judge their suitability for curing psychological hallucinations in addition to all manner of probable symptoms—”
“Um, Twilight…” Sea wheezed, his face turning from red to blue. “I can't breathe...”
“Oh, sorry,” Twilight chuckled and let go. “I didn't hurt you, did I?”
Sea let out a violent cough but held up a hoof. “Nah, I'm alright. Just me lungs aren't what they used to be, y'know?”
“Of course.” Twilight rubbed the back of her head. “I hope you can take it easy once you're out at sea.”
“Ha! That's a good one,” Sea Shanty forced out a chuckle, which soon turned into a fresh round of coughing. “No offence, Twilight, but ye don't know the ocean like I do. Never a dull moment when a captain's concerned, I can tell ye that.”
Twilight nodded. “Absolutely. Perhaps I'll pick up a book or two on sailing for the journey back.”
“Anyway, what I meant t' say was be careful around some of them explorer types. They tend ta get a wee bit over-eager once they’re out on the slopes.”
“I'll keep that in mind, sir,” Twilight replied, levitating out her diary and a quill to note down Sea Shanty’s caution. “I'll visit the Explorer's League first thing in the morning. For now, I'm heading for the hotel. I need to adjust my body clock to this time zone!”
“Aye, that can be a right pain in the flank,” Sea Shanty laughed. “Anyway, ye rest well now. I've got a ship t' finish loading.”
“Of course. Good night, Captain Sea Shanty,” Twilight saluted before leaving.
“G'night Princess Twilight Sparkle.” Saluting back, Sea Shanty turned his attention back to the task of loading, only for a sudden shiver to ripple through his body. “Ugh, I really am getting' old. Sea air's givin' me chills already.”
Twilight awoke early the next morning. Glancing at the clock beside her bed, her eyes shot open. How had she slept in so late?! Then, in the corner of her vision, she spotted an open book lying on the floor.
Bolting upright, she realized she'd kicked off the covers during the night. Frantically, she glanced around the room, soon spotting the crumpled pile of blankets on the floor to her left. Then she saw something that made her blood run cold.
A book, lying face down and open on top of the discarded covers.
Twilight jumped out of the bed and dove for it. With great care, she flicked through each page, looking for even the slightest wrinkle or tear. Only after confirming it wasn't damaged—and, in fact, looked brand new, even down to the bookmark placement—did she breathe a sigh of relief. Closing the book, the picture on the cover caught her eye: a sandy-yellow Pegasus with a red mane, dressed in a white robe. The stallion sat atop a rocky outcrop, looking over the ruins of an ancient mountain village through a pair of binoculars.
Lost Locations of the Unification Wars, the title read. By D.C Loreprance. The title sounded familiar, yet Twilight couldn't quite recall where she'd gotten it. Letting out a long yawn, she decided it was lack of quality sleep, caused by the one-two punch of jet lag and stifling room temperature. She turned back to the first page, and sure enough, there was the official stamp of the Royal Canterlot Library.
With one mystery solved, Twilight re-made the bed and packed the book into her saddle bag. She thought for a moment about what she'd want for breakfast, but after some consideration, she decided that she wasn't that hungry after all. Besides, she thought to herself. It's past ten-thirty a.m., so the cafeteria will be closed already.
With all her gear packed, Twilight checked out of the hotel and followed Sea Shanty’s directions—as well as an old map she’d found in her room—sticking to the shade where she could. After a short, ten-minute walk, she reached the marked building, though at first, she wasn't sure if she'd reached the correct place.
Five times she glanced back and forth between the map and the building. She'd heard members of the Explorer's league were eccentric, but what she was looking at was more akin to something Discord would create for a prank.
For a start, it was slanted. Not on a hill, just slanted at a twenty-five-degree angle, as if one end had sunk into the arid ground. She supposed it could have happened during the rainy season, but since no other buildings looked to be affected, it had to be a design flaw.
Furthermore, the front door was on the first floor up, with a flight of stairs leading up to it that was also slanted. The ground floor had triangle-shaped windows across it, and by the shadowed figures darting about inside, it was clearly occupied, making it even more curious that the entrance wasn’t there.
But what baffled Twilight the most was how the stairs twisted in on itself halfway up, creating a corkscrew spiral. Though she supposed it would give unicorns or pegusi little trouble, how the earth-bound members got around it, she had no idea.
Glancing around, the few locals who were out in this heat didn't show much interest, passing the guild halls with the same indifference as they would any other building. They must be used to it, Twilight thought, turning back to face the stairs. Maybe it's a tourist trap to attract more business? Then again, this isn't exactly Las Pegasus...
Before she could ponder the building's origins any further, the front door slammed open, and out trotted a type of pony Twilight had never seen before. They had a bushy, pink mane that encircled their head, stretching from the tip of their nose to the bottom of their chin; a curved horn that looked more like an antler from the way it split in two; and a deep, red coat that looked to glow in the mid-morning sun.
The pony didn't say a word, instead went down the stairs—including the twist—toward Twilight. Not wanting to appear rude by staring, Twilight ran up to meet them.
“Good Morning,” Twilight smiled politely. “My name is Twilight Sparkle, Equestria’s Princess of Friendship. I'm looking for the Explorer's Guild, am I in the right place?”
The odd pony nodded, but didn't return the smile. Instead, she bowed and gestured to the stairs behind her.
“Do you want me to follow you?”
The pony frowned, aggressively gesturing behind her.
“Oh, you want me to go first,” Twilight gave an awkward chuckle. “Sorry, I'm not used to communicating with mute ponies – no offence, of course. I even struggle with my baby niece, Flurry Heart, at times.”
They rolled their eyes and let out a disgruntled sigh, continuing.
“Oh, sorry, I'm rambling,” Twilight rubbed the back of her head and went past them. Once she reached the twist, she stopped. “So, how do you get around this? I mean, I know I could just teleport or fly, but you didn't do either. Is it like the cloud walking spell unicorns can cast, or is it a more unique enchantment...?”
Twilight’s ramble was cut short by the mute pony’s impatient hoof-tapping and cocked eyebrow. Now that they had her attention, the mute pony began to jog on the spot.
“So... do I just walk across? No spells needed?” Twilight’s expression was blank.
The silent pony nodded, though their face was still scrunched with mild annoyance. To Twilight, they looked to be holding back the kind of condescending slow clap Starlight had once given her.
With a gulp, she decided to trust in their magic and walked forward. Fighting the reflex to extend her wings or flash forward, she made it across the twist without issue. After fumbling with the door, which had closed on its own, she made it inside to witness the oddities of the guild hall's interior. – though compared to the outside, the lobby looked relatively normal. A golden chandelier hung from the beige ceiling, while a wooden desk and chair stood ahead a pair of scarlet curtains leading to other rooms behind.
The only problem was the room being upside-down. Twilight stood on the ceiling, facing the chandelier, with the curtains and desk ten feet above her. While she was busy gawking, the mute-pony closed the door behind them and rang a bell with their magic.
“Ah, good, our guest has arrived!” A rough voice announced from behind the curtain. Then, much to Twilight's surprise, a grey-furred goat in a tan jacket and welding goggles walked across the floor to his desk. “Princess Twilight Sparkle,” the goat said. “So nice of you to join us today.”
“Um, hello,” Twilight looked more than a little confused. “Are you—”
“Why yes, I am a member of the Explorer's League,” the goat interrupted. “In fact, I'm the head! You are wanting to find the lost city in the mountains, as described by D.C Loreprance, correct?”
“Yes, exactly!” Twilight's jaw dropped. “How did you know?”
“I know a great many things, Princess Twilight,” they replied with a smirk. “It's my job to know things, you see. But, good heavens, where are my manners? Allow me to properly introduce myself. Flash Flame, be a dear and turn the room a bit, won't you? I seem to have gotten a bit muddled up!”
With a disgruntled huff, Flash Flame pressed down on a hidden switch in the floor. The room shuddered, lurching to the left as it started rotating on its axis. Caught off guard by the sudden movement, Twilight jumped, hovering in mid-air until the room had righted itself.
“My apologies, Princess,” the goat said with a light smile, his ears drooping. “It's rather easy to get topsy-turvy around this place over time. It's been a while since we've had any guests, I'm sure you understand.”
Twilight nodded, but in truth, she didn't understand. She had so many questions to ask, she didn’t know where to start.
“Anyway, my name is Surefoot McGruff, chair-goat of the Explorer's League. It's a pleasure to meet you, Princess.” McGruff held out his hoof to shake Twilight's, which she accepted.
“Pleased to meet you too, Mr. McGruff, though you can call me Twilight. I've never been one for formalities. This is... um... quite the place you have,” Twilight forced a smile, trying to remain polite amidst of all the weirdness.
“Indeed, it is, Twilight,” beamed McGruff. “I've been with the Explorer's League for the better part of two decades. Never a dull moment here, especially with my Kirin assistant, let me tell you that.”
“Sorry, Kirin?” Twilight tilted her head.
“Mx. Flash Flame, behind you,” said McGruff, though Flash Flame didn't look to be in the mood for further introductions. “They're not much of a talker, a common trait among Kirin, I’ve found. Still, an interesting variant on unicorn ponies, I must say. Quite a rare breed, yes. We should exchange notes sometime, as I gather you didn't come here for a biology lesson, correct?”
“Oh, yes,” Twilight admitted. “Sorry, this is a lot to take in at once.”
“Not to worry, Twilight,” McGruff gave a sympathetic smile. “You’re not the first pony to comment on the Discord-influenced architecture. Happens a lot, I know. But let’s get down to business, shall we? Yes, the business of your mountain expedition.”
Unfastening the buckle on her saddle bag, Twilight levitated out both her book and map across McGruff’s desk while she explained the details of Rarity’s illness. “The Doctors think the cause is contaminated water, but that doesn’t make sense. Why would only Rarity be affected when we all drank from the same source? Furthermore, Princess Luna can’t access to Rarity’s dreams, suggesting some form of magical affliction.
“If my hunch is correct,” she continued, “then it has something to do with the cataclysm D.C Loreprance described. The friendship problem we’d come to resolve was over the preservation of ruins, so I suspect that wild magic has something to do with this curse, and the settler unicorns’ downfall.”
McGruff rubbed his chin. “Very well researched, Twilight. I’m impressed!”
She blushed. “It’s nothing, really. Research is what I do.”
“Yes, indeed,” McGruff smiled. “But more to the topic at hoof, you’re in need of a guide to reach the ruins, correct?”
“Exactly! Do you have a member who’s free within the next two days?”
To that, McGruff burst into laughter, which was met with a confused stare from Twilight. Even the Kirin seemed to be chuckling under their breath.
“Do we have members spare?” McGruff said between haughty guffaws. “My dear Twilight, we always have members spare, it’s our job! In fact, I would be delighted to take you there myself.”
“Wow! Really?” Twilight beamed, giggling like a school filly as her grin grew wider. It was all she could do to hold herself from jumping on the spot. “This is amazing! Thank you so, so much! I won’t let you down, I promise!”
“Oh, I know you won’t,” McGruff was amused. “I’ll just need to make some slight adjustments to our route, and then we’ll be ready to go whenever you are.”
“That’s fantastic!” Twilight offered her hoof out for a shake. “I’ll leave the maps with you and be back first thing tomorrow.”
“It’s a deal,” McGruff accepted the shake. “Though you’re more than welcome to stay here, should you wish. I’ll even make sure your room is right side up!”
“Well, I don’t see why not,” Twilight giggled. Before she could ask about the room, her stomach started growling. “Would you mind if I stayed for lunch, too? I only packed rations for the climb.”
“Of course,” McGruff stood up and gestured to the curtains behind him. “Step right this way, and you shall have a meal fit for a Princess!”
Curious to see what more oddities the Explorer’s League had in store, Twilight slipped through with McGruff in tow. The moment they were out of sight, Flash Flame grinned and lit up their horn. A moment later, they were gone, both the Kirin and the room shimmering out of existence like a fading mirage.
Dear Diary,
I’m so excited to announce the progress I’ve made; I can barely sleep! I haven’t just gotten a guide to take me through the mountains, I’ve got the head of the Explorer’s League himself! I never thought I’d have such a prestigious honour. I knew the league members would be just as intrigued by this mystery as I.
It was surprising that the league halls are imbued with chaos magic, as I didn’t notice passing by on my previous visit. However, despite the initial shock, they appear to have it all under control – or at least, whatever level of control mortals can have over chaos magic. It’s something I’ve just decided to accept for simplicity’s sake.
Tomorrow I will make the first phase of the ascent, weather permitting. We will travel through the south-western passage, following an old spice road carved out by the original Saddle Arabian settlers. From there, we will follow the glaciers up before ascending the tougher ridges, leading into the valley itself.
The journey should take three days in total, if all goes to plan. If I’m honest, this does all feel too easy right now. Why would Celestia, Luna and even Discord give such strict warnings if all I had to worry about was an upside-down lobby? I suspect once I get closer to the ruins, I should be able to detect darker magic at play, so I can’t be too cautious.
I will double check the strength of my warding spells before I set off, just in case. With regular breaks and some luck, protecting myself shouldn’t be difficult. The only way to know is to face it first-hoof, just as Celestia taught me at the Gifted Unicorns school so many years ago.
If I have time, I may test my wards against the chaos magic present in the league halls, but that will depend on how much McGruff has under his control. Discord is definitely hiding something, I know it!
The first day of climbing came and went with relative ease. The road was long and winding, but it was carved on a gentle slope, rising to three-hundred meters above sea level. The second day also started off well, until it was time to go off the trail. With the stone bridge ahead collapsed, there was no choice but to climb up and take a detour.
Tethering themselves together with a high-strength rope, Twilight and McGruff used a combination of picks and anchors to hook themselves into the rock. Centimetre by centimetre, they pulled themselves up a variety of sheer cliffs, though the difference in skill soon became apparent.
Where McGruff bounded up every little crevice with minimal effort, Twilight moved much slower, gripping the rock face with all her might as she hauled herself up. Occasionally, she tried to use her wings for extra assistance, but with the wind speeds so strong, there weren’t many occasions she could remain stable with her wings open. Twilight was part way up the fifth rock-face of the day, and for the moment, the wild weather looked to be calming down.
Until, suddenly, a huge gale blew in from the right. Twilight’s horn flared to life, but she couldn’t complete the teleportation spell in time. The rocks beneath her hooves gave way and she slipped, caught only by her safety rope.
“Are you okay there, Twilight?” McGruff called with a quiver in his voice. Though Twilight couldn’t see him—he’d already made it to the top—she could tell this was more out of worry than of the cold.
“Don’t worry… I’ll be fine…” Twilight replied between heavy breaths, barely able to hear her guide over the howling wind. “I just need a minute.” Shivering, she carefully put one hoof in front of the other, using the pickaxe held in her magic to regain her lost progress.
Then, it began to snow. At first it was only a light flurry, but with the intense winds constantly buffering Twilight left and right, it soon evolved into a full-on blizzard, completely obscuring the way ahead. Clinging to the rock face for dear life, Twilight forced herself up, slowly switching between movements of her pickaxe and climbing spikes to keep her steady,
“I-I’m o-k-kay, McGruff!” she called, shivering harder than ever. Though she heard no reply, she knew he must be worried sick. With how little progress she’d made and with the weather getting worse, Twilight decided to try and teleport again.
Closing her eyes, she focused her mind to envelop both her and her equipment in her magic aura. Then, she released a pulse of magic, flashing out of existence before she re-appeared a hundred meters above.
“I… made it…” she huffed, barely able to stand from exertion. “I think… I think we should find shelter and set up ca—”
When Twilight looked up, Surefoot McGruff was gone. Panicking, she frantically darted left and right, using what little magic she had to give her light. But her guide was nowhere to be seen, as if he’d vanished into thin air.
This is bad, this is bad! she thought, her mind bouncing between panic and confusion. What do I do?! I can’t search for him in this weather! But I can’t leave him behind… Think, Twilight, Think!
Just as she felt her thoughts would overwhelm her, a soft light pulsated from her saddle bag. Its effect was instant, calming, a similar sensation to how she felt around Spike. Her mind suddenly clear, she opened her saddle bag and levitated out her scrying crystal.
“Twilight? Twilight, can you hear me?” the familiar voice of McGruff echoed from inside.
“Mr. McGruff!” Twilight exclaimed, cradling the crystal in her forehooves. “What happened, where are you?”
“It’s… it’s hard to tell,” McGruff said. “Your line went slack, and, well, I can barely see my hoof in front of my face.”
“I teleported to the top of the cliff,” Twilight felt the tension drain from her body. “I can try and cast a beacon spell, if it helps.”
“No, no, I wouldn’t recommend it!” McGruff insisted. “Save your magic, I’ll be fine. Not the first time I’ve been lost in a storm, no. Focus on finding shelter for yourself.”
“B-but where can I go?” Twilight asked, though she knew the answer already. Based on her knowledge of the map, there was only one place to go.
“There is a slight overhang, about a hundred paces due north of your current location,” McGruff confirmed. “Set up camp there and wait for me. Unless, that is, I don’t return within the day. In which case, the moment the storm subsides, return to sea level. Flash Flare will know what to do.”
Taking a deep breath, Twilight did her best to remain calm against the fierce wind. “Okay. For now, I’ll focus on using magic as a snow shield until I can find shelter. Will you still be able to talk through my scrying crystal?”
“That should not be a problem, Miss Twilight Sparkle,” McGruff smiled. “For now, this is where we part ways. Good luck!”
“Good luck to you, too, friend.” The crystal went dim, and with it, the soothing comfort of familial contact. Now, she was truly alone, lost in a blizzard. But she couldn’t give up. Rarity’s life depended on it.
So, she cast her shielding spell, carefully controlling her mana expenditure to keep the barrier’s surface to an absolute minimum. Twilight pressed onwards.
Night fell and the moon rose, but Twilight couldn’t tell from the thickness of the blizzard. With some difficulty, she’d managed to set up camp and light a small fire within the tent. This was her only source of light, but more importantly, her only source of heat. After the thirty-minute hike through freezing winds, this was the most she had energy for. Wrapped in a thick blanket within her sleeping bag, she curled up near the fire, shivering.
Her heavy eyes blinked rapidly, but she fought off sleep. She knew what effects hypothermia could have on a pony, so, until she had sufficiently warmed, she had to remain awake. All the while, her heart continued to pound away in her chest relentlessly.
Desperate to keep herself occupied, Twilight tentatively reached for her saddle bag containing her diary. She tried to hold the quill steady in her magic, but she was too weak to even lift it. If she was to write, she’d have to do so with her mouth, the old-fashioned way.
Dear Diary, she wrote slowly, though much of the ink streaked and blotched due to her chattering teeth. I’ve come so far, only to fail. I thought I'd planned for everything, but in the end, the unpredictable mountain weather got the better of me. Should this journal be discovered posthumously...
Twilight stopped, the remaining ink leaving big, black spots on the page. Her thoughts turned to Rarity, reminding herself of the terrible screams of horror she endured. No, she thought. I'm not going to die. I’ll survive this night, then I'll begin my descent. Ruins or no ruins, there must be more information out there, even if I have to search all of Saddle Arabia for it, I will find answers.
Slipping out of her sleeping bag, Twilight closed her eyes, sat up and held her quivering hooves above the fire. To tune out the wind’s howl, she focused her attention on the burning wood’s soft crackles. Using that as an anchor, she slowly released a flow of magic from her horn and into the fire.
At first, nothing happened, but Twilight persisted. Grunting with the strain, she pushed what little magic she had outward, visualising the arcane essence becoming interwoven with the dancing flames. Then, after ten minutes of deep concentration, the fire burst to life, doubling in size and filling the entire tent with its warmth.
It had come at a price, however. Twilight had given all the magic she had left. “I... am… alive...” Panting heavily, her vision blurred and a second later, she fainted.
Light. A soft pulse in the centre of her vision.
Twilight sat upright, wide awake. Her campfire still burnt, and the gales still blew, yet she felt calm. She no longer shivered, her muscles weren’t as tense, and her heart rate had returned to normal. Looking around her, she noticed the scrying crystal in her lap, blinking on and off.
How long have I been out for? Twilight wondered. Oh no… Has McGruff been trying to get in touch with me all this time? She took it in her hooves, all senses focused on his next message.
Instead, it began to shake violently. It tore itself free from her hooves and hovered above the fire.
Twilight opened her mouth to scream, but no sound escaped her lips. She could feel her fur stand on end, leaving her wide eyes transfixed on it. It was something that shouldn’t be possible. Scrying crystals merely conducted magic, resonating to enhance the arcane power given to it from an external source.
But Twilight didn’t use her magic, either voluntarily or by force. In fact, she still felt drained from the spell she’d cast the night before, yet still it glowed. So, she sat there, paralyzed and slack-jawed at the sight equal parts fascinating, bewildering and terrifying.
Twilight Sparkle, she thought with a voice that was not her own. Follow.
“McGruff?” Twilight asked with some difficulty. “Is that you? What's going on?”
Follow, the crystal repeated, and this time, Twilight obeyed. Without dressing herself in her thick winter coat and sweater, she marched out of the tent and into the snowstorm. Stranger still, the crystal's magic also influenced the weather; parting the thick, black clouds to create a stable path of sunshine for her to walk through. The sudden increase in temperature also melted the snow ahead of her, creating meter-high walls of ice either side of the affected path.
Carrying only the saddle bags containing her documents, Twilight kept up the pace. Slowly, the crystal's path snaked its way up the mountain, climbing ever higher through routes that weren't marked anywhere on Twilight's map. The journey lasted hours, the route well beyond the point where external oxygen-supplies—either magical or physical—would have been required, yet Twilight never tired. Rather, she felt more energetic than she had in years!
Twilight's initial fear transformed into excitement. She was about to make the discovery of a lifetime, a completely new and unknown phenomenon to magical science! Though the crystal never answered any of her many queries, Twilight still jotted down multiple different hypotheses to explain how it moved on its own.
She briefly considered that she was hallucinating—or indeed, still in a dream—but if that was the case, why could she feel the solid orb in her hooves? Why did the bright solar rays warm up her fur, in contrast to the bitter mountain winds? She was experiencing too much clear sensory information to dismiss all this.
She realised that the most logical explanation she concluded was that the orb was possessed. Perhaps one of the lost pony souls from the city ruins, killed in the ancient cataclysm, wished to share its story? Twilight couldn't be sure, but it was a point of future investigation nonetheless.
When the crystal came to a halt at last, Twilight found herself awestruck at what she saw before her. A glacier of mighty proportions, carving its way slowly down the mountain until it reached the cliff's edge. Twilight had read about them before, of course, but seeing the humongous wall of sparkling blue ice in person was a different experience.
Follow, the telepathic voice said again, flying off over the glacier's surface. Leaping into the air in hot pursuit, Twilight dodged and weaved her way around huge chunks of jagged ice, twice as big as she was, in order to keep up with its winding path.
Then, as sudden as its start, the crystal stopped, hovering right in the glacier’s middle. When Twilight landed, a word popped into her mind. It was a strange word, one that she had never heard before, in a tongue she was not familiar with. It was a word that felt slimy in her mouth, as if describing some unpleasant disease. She had an overwhelming urge to speak it, so perhaps saying it outloud would rid her of its bitter taste.
“N'yarlathoc.”
As the word passed her lips, the glacier shuddered beneath Twilight's hooves. Jumping into a hover, she stared in wonder as a huge crack shot straight down the centre. The masses of ice and rock groaned as it split in two, lurching into motion to reveal the hidden structures buried beneath.
Twilight couldn't believe her eyes. It was the ruined settlement, just as it was described in D.C Loreprance's book! The remains of dozens of small buildings lay scattered across a wide area, some little more than rectangular foundations, while others still stood with magnificent lime-stone arches and pointed, spiral-shaped towers.
From her vantage point, Twilight could see numerous runic patterns carved into the earth, all intricately weaved around the buildings with mathematical precision. But what stuck out to her the most was the structure in the centre of the village: a gigantic pyramid carved out of solid emerald. It dwarfed all the others in the area, standing at least ten stories tall by Twilight's estimate; bigger than even the Great Pyramids of Breeziea, yet seemingly untouched by time.
Follow. The crystal's voice broke Twilight's concentration. Follow, and you shall have all the answers you could desire.
Twilight gulped. As wondrous as it was, she had to admit it gave off a foreboding presence. Just the way it cast a long shadow over the ruins made her stomach churn, and the more she looked at it, the more things looked off about it. She couldn't see an entrance, but she could see a series of arches leading up to where she'd expect it to be; with each arch bending and twisting in of itself in different, geometrically impossible ways.
The pyramid's surface was pristine and immaculate. By contrast, the buildings closest to it were the least well-preserved, with many as little more than a pile of broken stones. Whatever this was, Twilight was certain it had something to do with the cataclysm that wiped out the village, and, by extension, Rarity's curse.
Rarity, she thought, returning her attention to the scrying crystal, which still floated in place.
Follow, the crystal said, the voice sounding extra insistent. Follow, and you will discover what ails your friend. You will gain the knowledge to save her.
“Yes…” Twilight replied, unable to hide the hesitation in her voice. “I won't lie, I'm a little creeped out by this place, but I can't get cold hooves now. Whoever you are, strange spirit, thank you. I think I can handle a little wild magic, so long as I have you by my side!”
Twilight landed at the foot of the pyramid, just ahead of the closest arch. Now that she was on the ground, the entrance was obvious: hidden under a gap just wide enough for two ponies to walk through side by side. The doors looked to be a combination of heavy iron and emerald stone, sharing both the rough rigidity of the former and the polished green shine of the latter.
The doors sported no handles or knobs to open them by. Instead, Twilight reasoned they would be opened by magic, due to the symbols depicted on each door; unicorn heads, each facing the other. Though when Twilight cast her magic onto the doors, nothing happened.
If this pyramid was anything like the Daring Do novels she'd read, then the door required a password to open. So, as unpleasant as she felt it was to say, she spoke aloud the one word she'd learnt prior:
“N'yarlathoc.”
The doors clicked, shuddered and swung open, revealing a pitch-black tunnel. A gust of warm air blew over Twilight, carrying with it a putrid odour that made her face scrunch up in disgust. Despite this, she didn't hesitate to enter the tomb. She could deal with the smell better once she got inside.
Right behind the crystal, Twilight cast an illumination spell to light the way ahead, only for a long series of torches to burst to life instead. Each of them revealed curious images etched into the wall, all pristinely preserved with rich, detailed colours painted over.
They depicted a wide variety of what Twilight presumed to be prehistoric sea creatures, likely based on a combination of fossil remains and the ancient pony myths inspired by them. The most numerous were short, eel-like fish covered in silver scales, each with a long, slender head topped with a pair of short antennae. The simplicity of their body shapes placed them firmly in camelbrian geological epoch, taxonomically speaking, which Twilight knew to be an era of vast biodiversity in Equestria’s oceans, long before any creature set hoof on land.
Furthermore, above the hundreds-strong shoals of silver fish were larger, more insectoid looking creatures, many times the size of the tiny hordes. These had thick, armoured exoskeletons covering their entire bodies, fronted by huge, curved pincers that cut into their prey before consummation. The murals spared none of the bloody hunting details. One piece showed exactly how each fish was caught and subsequently butchered. Afterward, the predator's jaws extended out to eat the remaining scraps.
It was quite a grotesque sight, but Twilight found she couldn't look away. She found herself morbidly fascinated with this scene of prehistoric drama, to the point where she levitated out her diary and scribbled down quick sketches of what she saw for later comparison.
Please keep up, Twilight, spoke the orb, though in a softer manner than before. The eternal puzzle of inspired minds awaits your analysis.
Twilight’s ears pricked up as she finished her sketch. “Puzzle?”
The puzzle that will bring you to the light of truth and lies.
Stuffing her diary back into her saddle bag, Twilight trotted after it. It waited for her at the end of the tunnel, floating by the door. At first, Twilight considered speaking the same, unpleasant name that had revealed both the pyramid and opened its gates to her, but this time, no words came to mind. Instead, this inner door behaved as she’d expected from the first: a short burst of magic, and it slid upwards.
Twilight would have questioned the temple’s seemingly arbitrary rules, if it weren’t for the object in the following room’s centre. It was a stone obelisk, the only object visible in the pitch blackness, thanks to the orb’s light.
But just as she stepped inside, it went out.
“No!” Twilight lunged for it, narrowly catching it in her hooves as she skidded to a halt belly-first ahead of the obelisk. “No, no no! This can’t be happening! Don’t leave me now, I need you, please, stay with me—”
Casting a light spell, Twilight’s attention snapped up to the monument before her. There was a round hole at the base, sized to her scrying orb’s exact dimensions. Without conscious thought, Twilight rose to her hooves and slot the orb into the obelisk.
Nothing happened. Maybe it’s not positioned right? Pushing the orb further in, she expected at some point to hear a click or the clanking of some ancient mechanism. Then she remembered the orb’s final words to her.
“The puzzle that will bring to light the truth and lies…” she said out loud. “If this is a puzzle, there must be a clue to its solution somewhere in this room.”
Holding her light closer to inspect the obelisk, Twilight noticed a series of symbols engraved just above where her crystal was inserted. They were identical to the strange fish that she’d seen carved into the walls before, each one facing in a different direction to the other. Then she noticed how the fish were drawn onto a thin, stone tile, arranged in a square pattern with one slot missing.
This must be the puzzle my crystal was talking about. I don’t know who or what was controlling it, but the cure to Rarity’s illness has got to be inside this obelisk!
Sitting down in front of it, Twilight got to work. At first, she shuffled the tiles around randomly, experimenting to get a general idea of the required pattern. She had done many puzzles like this as a foal, so it wasn’t long until she slotted the last tile into place, with all the fish pointing outwards.
The obelisk began to rumble, the solution sinking inward, and suddenly Twilight felt faint. The room spun around her, colours streaking across her vision. She felt both light and heavy at the same time, like she could float away on the breeze, but was sinking through the floor, dragged under by an unseen force.
Horrible visions flashed before her eyes, revealing snapshots of a war long past. Brutal, hoof-to-hoof combat between settler unicorns and a raiding party of earth ponies, with maces smashing in heads and blades of all kinds slicing open veins until the snow ran red with blood. Those incinerated by unicorn spells were the lucky ones, their quick deaths sparing them from the slow agony of bleeding out, knowing both that their end was near and how much they’d failed.
It was a massacre of epic proportions, ending only when the dead outnumbered the living.
As quickly as it began, Twilight awoke lying on her back, the vision fading. A cold sweat trickled down the side of her head, her breathing laboured. Never before had she seen such a grotesque display of cruelty between ponies. It made her sick to her stomach. How and why she experienced such a vision, she didn't know. But as terrible as they were, she wouldn't give up. She couldn't give up. If this was the price to pay for Rarity to get better, she would accept it.
Still, as Twilight rose to her hooves, once more enveloped in darkness, she couldn't stop her legs from shaking. She hesitated to move forward or cast another light spell, for fear of what more grotesque images it would reveal.
Alas, she needed to see where she was going. So, taking a deep breath, Twilight summoned an orb of light at the tip of her horn. She was back in the hallway, but the images had changed. Gone were the small fish and larger crustaceans. Longer creatures took their place, with fangs too big for their mouths. Hideous bony spines protruded from their backs, revealing their serrated tips every time they coiled around their prey.
Worst of all were the eyes. Bulbous, bulging eyes that lined their bodies, their unbroken stares gazing out into the abyss, filling Twilight with a powerful sense of dread. She had to get out of here, away from the ghastly eyes that watched her every move.
Panic surged through her body, and Twilight ran, galloping down the hallway as fast as her hooves could carry her. But the further she ran, the more monsters appeared from all across the walls, the ceiling and the floor.
Why? The question repeated endlessly in Twilight's mind. Why are they following me? I just wanted to help my friend get better! I'm no thief, no vandal! The door couldn't come soon enough. The second it came in sight, she zapped it open with her magic and shot straight through.
Slamming it shut behind her, she found herself in front of the obelisk once more. This time, however, the puzzle was different. Instead of tiles, there was a series of concentric rings, each one bigger than the last. The images were different too, depicting the same horrible creatures that Twilight had just escaped from.
Something was very wrong. It had all been wrong, right from the moment she laid eyes upon the Explorer's League halls. Many times, Twilight could have just cut her losses and run, leaving Rarity's cure to Celestia and Discord. But now, as always, she couldn't stop herself. Her body moved on its own, paying no heed to such troubled thoughts.
With shaking hooves, she turned the rings. One by one, they formed an image, a creature that made Twilight’s blood run cold. Three hellish heads piercing her with its hypnotic gaze. Her mind screamed at her to look away, but she could not. She was captivated, transfixed by the beast before her.
A great force slammed into her chest, flinging her back across the room. Pinned to the wall, the world around her began to spin. All at once, the truth was revealed. A long bloody war between unicorns and earth ponies, the dead rising from their graves. Black magic sparked across the unicorn’s horns, connecting with Twilight to show her centuries passing as the seconds ticked by.
Generation after generation, the creatures of the sea grew huge. Glowing, bioluminescent eyes; uncountable numbers of limbs; gigantic, beaked jaws that snapped through rock as they did bone. Back and forth the visions flashed. Twisted pony cultists, bodies corrupt and mutated from their deals with beasts from beyond the stars who’s roots extended into Equestria’s distant past. The guiding hands of alien creatures, injecting venom into the bodies of their prey.
Settlers screamed out in terror and anguish, aghast at what had become of those who swore to protect them. Unicorns who had once been powerful mages were reduced to monstrous, half-fish, half-pony hybrids, their bodies grotesquely deformed. Heads bent on long necks at unnatural angles, squid-like tentacles replaced hooves, and eyes bursting out of their skulls to grow on stalks.
The massacre that took place on that day was even more brutal than the wars seen before. Cultists moved with unnatural speeds, leaping great distances in the blink of an eye. Not a single pony was spared from their wrath, demolishing anything in the way of their vicious feeding frenzy, shredding their victims in showers of gore.
“Make it stop!” Twilight cried, trapped in a spinning magic whirlpool that dissolved the walls of reality around her. No matter how much she screamed or tried to resist, the ancient creatures of the sea just kept coming, morphing from one form to another as vast expanses of geologic time were condensed into singular moments. Even as the sea dried up and the land pushed upward, the city remained, retaining the bodies of its ancient, monstrous inhabitants. Sea ponies, but ones that resembled the mutated cultists more than the legends portrayed.
And the more time passed, the more Twilight saw the source of all this evil. A great demon, a creature so old as to be unrecognisable to even Celestia’s ancestors. The same, three hellish heads as she’d seen on the puzzle; razor sharp teeth; thick, grasping claws, all meshed into a shapeless mass of flesh that watched over Equestria’s evolution with its single, central eye.
And it looked straight at Twilight.
Then, she awoke. Once more back in the hall, surrounded by murals of the damned. Now she knew. Now she understood. The ancient city, Rarity’s condition, the unicorn settlers, it all fit together, though none of it made sense. The truth was the truth, regardless of her feeble mortal mind’s understanding. She was but a pawn in the master’s long game.
Beside her, her diary lay open. Across every inch of its pages, Twilight read line after line of incomprehensible ramblings she did not remember writing.
“Ancient father who embodies the sun and moon! Bringer of chaos, bow down to masters all! Al’yee, al’yee, ala’morie! He is all, all is he, one and us, creator, destroyer, undeath and rebirth! Al’yee, al’yee, kalka’my! Pleasure and pain, my kalaka’wei! Ka! Ka! Baba’key! N'yarlathoc, N'yarlathoc, bring me one, bring me all!”
To this, Twilight smiled. Her breathing was shallow, and she could barely stand, but she would not rest until the last puzzle was completed. Just as her unicorn ancestors did so long ago, she would become one with the timeless city. Only then, would Rarity be saved.
Twilight would embrace her master. So, off she trotted down the hall, the walls warped with pulsating magic. What fools, she chuckled to herself. How could they think to control his majesty? If only the wendigos got to them sooner, the beasts.
Soon, she reached the chamber where her master awaited. As the door opened, Twilight was presented with her final challenge. A puzzle box lay in pieces in front of the obelisk. Picking up each piece in her magic, Twilight rotated them around and slotted them together.
Before long, it was finished. With one last check to ensure a perfect fit, Twilight carefully slotted it into the obelisk. Complete at last, the ancient monument burst to life with a blinding flash of light, at last revealing the full horror and majesty of her new, dark master.
And Twilight laughed.
“Twilight!” Applejack called for what felt like the thousandth time. Even with the help from Celestia’s scrying orb, trying to find a single pony out in this wilderness was like looking for a horseshoe in a hay bale. Were it not for Starlight Glimmer’s magic, they wouldn’t have even made it this far. “Any sign of her yet, Rainbow Dash?”
“Absolutely nothing!” Rainbow huffed, bucking another cloud away. “Ugh, Twilight! Why couldn’t you have gone to Yakyakistan like you said?”
“To think, she came all this way for my sake,” Rarity said, trying to maintain a brave face and resist the urge to cry. “If I hadn’t drank from that stupid, stupid lake…”
“Now, Rarity, don’t go blamin’ yerself for all this,” Applejack wrapped her hooves around Rarity’s shoulders. “Remember, we all drank from the same lake. You were just unlucky, is all. Once we find Twilight, and we will find her, she’ll be as happy as a spring-loaded jackalope knowin’ you’re all better.”
“Hey, if you two could cut out the lovey-dovey stuff, maybe we’d find her faster!” Rainbow Dash gritted her teeth, half tempted to dump a cloud full of snow on Applejack’s head out of pure frustration.
“Well your belly-achin’ ain’t gonna get her found faster!” Applejack shot back. “So how about you have some Celestia-forsaken empathy, for once in yer life!”
“Girls, please!” Fluttershy protested, flying between Rainbow and AJ. “I know we’re all worried sick about Twilight, but fighting amongst ourselves won’t make it any better. I’ve already asked a snow leopard to help us with the search, so please be patient.”
“Fluttershy’s right,” added Starlight, shivering. “By now, she’s at serious risk of hypothermia, and that’s if her rations have lasted.”
“What does the scrying orb say?” asked Rarity. “It’s been a long time since I last used one.”
“My spell doesn’t give specific details, but I’m optimistic.” Starlight smiled lightly, hoping to ease Rarity’s conscience a little. “You see how it pulses, right? The higher the pulse rate, the closer we are.”
Just then, the familiar shrill voice of Pinkie Pie called out from the top of the slope. “Everypony, come quick! She’s over here!”
With no time to waste, the group rushed up the slope to where Pinkie was bouncing. True to her word, there was Twilight Sparkle, half-buried in the snow with an open diary and shattered scrying orb next to her. She was in bad shape, but alive all the same. Pulling the shoal off her back, Starlight wrapped it around Twilight with her magic and helped her to her feet.
“How is she, Starlight?” Pinkie asked, on the verge of tears.
“She’s lost a ton of weight,” Starlight frowned. “But I think she’ll be okay.”
“Twilight? Can you hear me, Twilight? It’s Rarity. I’m all better now, thanks to you!” Though she didn’t know that for sure, Rarity hoped the little white lie would ease Twilight’s exhausted mind. Plus, it would help all her friends up their spirits.
Twilight muttered an incoherent reply. “N'yarlathoc, al’yee…”
“What’s she saying?” asked Dash.
“I don’t think she’s even speaking ponish,” Fluttershy added, though she declined to add how uncomfortable the words made her feel. “Poor Twilight, what happened to you?”
“I think she’s delirious,” Starlight concluded, focusing her magic on her scrying crystal. “Possible symptoms of hypoxia, given how long she’s been up in the thin mountain air. We’d best get her somewhere warm, now. Rarity, could you help me with the hearthing spell? It’ll take a lot of magic to teleport us all to ground level.”
“Of course, Starlight.” Rarity said, but before she began her spell, something written in Twilight’s journal caught her eye.
“Hey, Rarity, what’s the hold up?” Dash groaned. “You heard Starlight. We need to get going, before Twilight gets any worse.”
“Oh, right, sorry,” Rarity said, slipping the diary into her saddlebag. “It’s just odd that she wrote about the Explorer’s League. I thought they’d relocated to Canterlot years ago!”
“Y’know, that does sound mighty odd,” Applejack rubbed her chin. “They just got done demolishin’ that old building last time we were there.”
“Ugh, great. More mysteries,” Starlight groaned, rubbing her temple. “Whatever the case, we’ll look into it when Twilight’s in the hospital. If they put her up to this, then they’ll be answering to both the Princesses, and me.”
“Now that’s what I like to hear!” proclaimed Rainbow Dash, placing her hoof on the crystal with her friends. As they zapped away, they failed to notice the small pieces of a puzzle box lying a short distance away from where Twilight was found.
When the snow leopard returned to the scene, he took one look at the pieces and hissed at it.
Author's Note
Thank you for reading this sequel story to the very first horror fic I ever wrote. This has been in my head for some time now, and I'm glad to get it published on Halloween!
Special thanks to Illya Leonov (AKA Morgan Freepony) for his reading of that first fic, as he was key to my motivation in writing this sequel. If you come across any errors, or have any critiques, please let me know in the comments =3.
