The Golden Trail

Gold groaned, her whole body feeling as if it was being held down by a lead sheet. When she sluggishly opened her eyes, she was greeted by a blurry version of her bedroom's ceiling. Dim sunlight lit up her room in a gloomy ambiance, a perfect match to the heavy haze flooding her groggy mind. When she managed to force herself to sit up, she winced as a sharp spear of pain ran through her skull.

"W-What happened?" she mumbled bitterly, massaging her temples.

Easing past the throbbing in her head, she tried to remember what happened before now. She remembered talking to Applebloom's friends, but her memories started to become harder to grasp when she answered a knock at the door. There was ...screaming. Had she screamed? Then there was a sharp pain in her chest and head, before everything suddenly stopped. The only memory she has after that was waking up just moments ago. She flinched when she tried to figure out what else had happened, but a spear of pain instantly killed the attempt.

"Fine, she hissed, frozen in place with her hooves still at her temples by the pain. "I will find out what happened another way."

After a few minutes, the pain finally dropped to a more manageable degree. Before she could force herself to move, her bedroom door opening caught her attention. Standing at the threshold was Skully, the skeletal pony seemingly frozen in shock. Gold was in a similar state, a hint of confusion slipping into it that grew as the seconds ticked by. Just when she was about to find her voice, Skully turned and ran further into the house, her teeth frantically clacking too quickly for her frazzled mind to interpret.

Gold sat, staring blankly at the open door for a few seconds, then nervously said, "Well...that happened."

Seconds after those words left her mouth, several sets of hooves could be heard galloping towards her room. In just a blink, her family stumbled in, worry and relief plastered thick across their faces. She didn't even have a chance to voice her concerns on the matter before Applebloom galloped up to her and gave her a teary, bone-crushing hug.

"You're awake! You're finally awake!" she sobbed, burying her face in Gold's chest.

Ignoring the pain in her head and now her barrel, she forced on a small smile as she gently hugged her cousin back.

"Ya'll really need to stop doing things like this, sugar cube," Applejack sighed, a tired smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "Don't know if my heart can take it."

"Eeeyup," Big Mac nodded, sporting the same kind of smile.

"Maker knows Ah can't," Granny huffed. "Honestly, spookin' my kin like that. What the sam hill was that Princess thinkin'."

"She....didn't really have much of a choice," Applejack frowned. "Gold needed ta' know. Not like she knew Gold was gonna take it that badly."

Big Mac nodded, his face turning grim.

Granny's frown deepened at that, reluctant acceptance dominating her features.

All of that caught Gold's attention.

Gently rubbing the weeping filly's back, she gave them a small frown and asked, "What happened?"

"You...don't remember?" Applejack asked, cold dread paling her coat and wilting her ears.

Gold shook her head, worry slowly filling her gut.

"I remember talking with Applebloom's friends, then meeting Princess Twilight and Lord Spiderweb at the door. Everything after that is....hazy."

A chilled silence filled the room, each of the Apples trading worried looks. After a few tense minutes, Applejack broke it with a frustrated sigh.

"Let's get some food in ya' first. You've been out for a couple weeks and Ah think this is the kind've thin' you need to hear with a full belly."

Gold wanted to argue, but the second the word food left Applejack's mouth, her stomach betrayed her.

Letting out a small huff to break the thinning tension, she looked away with a blush and said, "Very well. If I have truly been a sleep for as long as you say, I suppose I can wait a few minutes."

Chuckling at the display, the elder Apples made their leave while Applebloom continued to cling to her. While she slowly eased away the filly's tears, a few questions continued to nag at the back of her head. What happened on that day? Why couldn't she remember? Why did trying to remember hurt so much? Most importantly, where did this dread come from every time she tried to do so?

***

Twilight frantically paced her library, several dozen tall stacks of books surrounding her in random positions all through the room. As she did so, a book held in her magic's grip floated in front of her face. After what happened a couple weeks ago at the farm, Twilight sent a letter to Celestia to inform her about the situation. To her surprise, the elder princess had agreed to avoid direct interaction with Gold, opting to provide assistance from a distance in any way that she could. When asked, Celestia simply stated that her sister insisted on this approach and refused to elaborate any further on the matter.

Choosing to drop the subject, she requested access to much stronger protective magics to add to the precautions she and Spider had already put in place. In addition, Spider had requested the use of Elite Guards as well as regular scouting guards from both the Day and Night Courts to increase their options. The requests were granted and so, while Twilight was scouring through dozens of ancient tomes, ten armored ponies stood perfectly still in one of her castle's empty guest rooms.

A chill shot down her spine when her thoughts drifted towards them.

"Why did he have to ask for them?" she mumbled, continuing her pacing.

As her thoughts continued to drift towards her unnatural guests a familiar boy's voice sheepishly called out to her.

"Um, Twilight?"

Twilight let out a startled yelp, almost dropping her book as she spun to face the voice's source.

"Spike?" she panted, hoof pressed to her chest.

The baby dragon cringed, then nervously stammered out, "Sorry."

"No-no-no, it's fine," she sighed, small smile gracing her muzzle. "I was just....thinking about something spooky."

"You mean those "guards"?" he frowned, doing air quotes with his claws.

Twilight nodded, audibly gulping and fighting back a shiver.

"I-I know why they're here, but ...."

She grimaced as she let the sentence drift, a sentiment Spike shared in equal measure.

"How can Spider put up with those things?" he asked.

Twilight gasped, then frowned in disapproval.

"Spike! The Elite Guards are not, things. They are ponies, no different from anypony else."

Spike wanted to argue, but he could tell from the look in Twilight's eyes that she was not going to budge on this. Swallowing down his thoughts on the matter, he gave her a reluctant nod and apology.

Once that passed, a conflicted look settled onto the dragon's features. A look that Twilight had been seeing more and more often these last few days. She could tell that something was bothering him, but up until this very moment, she just couldn't find the time to find out what it was. Between trying to find additional ways to protect Gold and setting up the things Spider said was needed to maintain the Elite Guards, she was ashamed to admit that her worries for her number one assistant had drifted more and more onto the back burner.

Refusing to let that continue any further, a look of genuine worry spread across her face as she asked, "Spike, is something wrong?"

He flinched, then sheepishly looked own at his claws. For a minute, he continued to fiddle with them, struggling to find the words. When he finally did, he took a deep breath and nervously asked a question that shook Twilight in a way that she didn't expect.

"What am I in our family?"

Twilight stared blankly at him, her mind struggling to process the question.

After a few seconds, Twilight managed to stammer out a question of her own.

"W-What do you mean?"

"I mean," he nervously continued. "I've always been your assistant, but, am I your brother, your friend, your..."

He froze, unable to get one last word out to complete his question.

Twilight was equally stunned, both halves of her mind at war with each other. As that was happening, Spike gradually grew more worried, thinking that he may have crossed some sort of line. Before either of them could advance or drop the subject, Spider casually entered the library, denting the tension in the room.

"Don't mind me," he intoned, scanning the shelves. "Just looking for something to pass the time with. Continue your talk with your son, Princess."

"Right, thanks, Spider," she chuckled, then suddenly turned ridged as she squawked, "WHAT?!"

Spike stared at the stallion with open mouthed wonder, not entirely sure how to feel at the moment.

Spider simply plucked a book out of a shelf with his magic, turned towards them, and blankly asked, "What? Were the two of you not aware?"

"Aware of what?" Spike asked.

Twilight nodded, still too stunned to speak.

Spider rolled his eyes.

"Of course you weren't told. I swear, Raven probably runs Day Court more than Princess Celestia does."

"Huh?" they both balked.

Ignoring their outrage, Spider continued.

"Under both dragon and Equestrian law, due to being the one responsible for Spike's hatching and his birth parents' ...passing, you are legally Spike's mother."

Both of them stared at him with slack jaws, the stallion simply popping open his book . He managed to get past five pages before the duo snapped out of their stupor. Twilight was the first one to find her voice, shock and worry coating her words.

"B-B-B-But, I-I-I was a foal at the time!"

"That's why your title as mother didn't become official until you turned six-teen," he continued, still reading. "Up until that point, your parents had temporary guardianship of him."

"That was how it was set up?" Spike asked. "Then, why didn't anypony tell us?"

"I would think somepony had," he shrugged. "Not that it ultimately matters all that much."

"WHAT?!" they chorused .

"Outside of official business, this fact doesn't need to change your dynamics, does it?" he asked, raising a brow at them and sporting a small smug smile.

They gave him and each other unsure looks, still trying to accept this particular reveal.

Spider just chuckled lightly to himself, floating a loose blank notecard over to keep his place, and snapped the book shut.

"It would seem that the two of you may have a few things to discuss. With that, I shall take my leave."

Still bearing his smile, he floated the book onto his back and made his way towards the library door. After he opened it, he looked over his shoulder and said something that made the newly minted family blush.

"Also, do make sure to take things slow with Echo, Spike. I do not think the Princess is ready to be a grandma, yet."

"It's not like that!" Spike barked.

Spider just let out an amused snort before he left.

Spike huffed in irritation, face still red and arms crossed as he glared at the exiting stallion.

"Jerk," he huffed. "I really don't get why you like him so much, Twi."

Silence.

"Twi?" he blinked, worriedly turning to face her.

Twilight stood straight and ridged, eyes wide as they stared blankly into the distance.

"Twilight?" he asked, waving a claw in her face to get her attention. "Are..are you okay?"

After a few tense seconds, Twilight responded with a brittle and shaky whisper that was almost too soft for him to hear.

"Sweet Celestia, I'm going to be a grandma one day."

Spike let out defeated sigh, clutched the sides of his head in frustration, then groaned, "Not her too. Maker, just take me now."

***

Gold made her way through the Everfree Forest with stoic purpose, eyes locked onto the path ahead of her as she progressed. Under the surface, a numbing dread gnawed at her very soul. If what Applejack told her was true, then she could not afford to be unprepared. She knew what The Stones were willing to do to get to those that have slighted them. To think that Moonstone was willing to use that spell only added to her disgust towards the mare. At the same time, a fear she never knew slithered through her. Even now, it threatened to put her into another stroke if she let her guard down.

Images of her family and friends laying dead flashed briefly into her minds eye, even taking form as hallucinations around her in ways that nearly made her retch. Taking a moment to catch her breath, she leaned panting against a tree on the side of the trail. With each deep breath, she pushed away the illusions and dark thoughts to the most macabre corners of her mind.

"I will not let that happen," she panted, eyes shut tight to make the horrid images go away faster. " I will stop her. I have to. I have to!"

After several shuddering breaths, she finally manages to regain enough control of herself to resume her march.

While she was not the same cruel killer she once was, she was not a weak and helpless filly either. She still had her training from her past life, but that was not the only option she had at her disposal. A small sinister smile came to her lips as she thought about what she planned to do. It would be dangerous, almost suicidally so, but if she wanted to secure her family's safety, there was no other option available.

That was fine.

Whether it was one death or one hundred deaths, she would endure them all if it meant protecting the ponies she cared about.

Eventually, she made her way into her mistress's clearing, a somber frown replacing her smile. Gaia sat on her haunches on the opposite end of the clearing, her composure equally formal. When Gold reached the center of the clearing, she bowed to the great wolf and stood at attention.

"Good morning, my student," Gaia intoned.

"To you as well, Lady Gaia," she replied.

Gaia stared down at her student with a critical eye, sensing a shift in the mare that she hadn't seen before now. Curious, but also concerned, she voiced her thoughts on the matter.

"Something has happened."

Gold nodded.

"The situation has become far more grim than we thought. Moonstone Dagger has called upon a vile power that is beyond my current abilities to counter. My friends and family wish to protect me, but I....I can not allow them to do so. I refuse to let them step into the dragon's maw for me. Especially if I could attain the power needed to prevent them from doing so in the first place."

"You wish to shield them from her," Gaia nodded, a hint of confusion creeping onto her stoic face. "Is she truly that fearsome?"

"Yes," she frowned, disgust and hate marring her face. "In fact, given the nature of her spell, I am the only one that can defeat her."

"How so?" she asked.

With a heavy sigh, Gold told Gaia about the spell that Moonstone was using. As the words left her mouth, the spirit's face gradually shifted from stoic, to disgust, to absolute outrage. When she finally revealed the spell's weakness, the wolf was visibly seething.

"That is what must be done?" she growled.

Gold calmly nodded.

"DAMN THE TAKER AND ALL OF HIS TWISTED CREATIONS!!!" she roared, green flames surging across her body. "WHY WOULD ANYPONY CRAFT SUCH A TWISTED SPELL?!"

"Why would a pony torture another for their own amusement?" Gold bitterly offered. "The Stones were sick, even by my old standards. Bloodstone's murder was one of the few good things my family ever did, but even that couldn't stop his twisted legacy from continuing."

"Indeed," Gaia nodded, the green flames slowly receding back into her body. "With all of that in mind, I think I know why you have come to me today."

Gold nodded, a look of resolute determination gracing her features.

"Are you sure of this?" Gaia asked. "Once you start the trial, you cannon stop until it is completed. Do you understand?"

Again, Gold nodded, her determination still strong in the face of Gaia's warning.

The spirit stared down at her in silence for a long moment, then let a small smile creep across her muzzle.

"You are truly a madmare," she chuckled. "Almost poetic, considering who you are facing.

Gold let a similar smile grace her own muzzle.

"I am related to Pinkie Pie. I fear a bit of insanity may be a part of my blood by default."

"Indeed," Gaia nodded.

Regaining her composure, the spirit straightened her posture and said, "Let the Trial of the Forest, commence."

Immediately after the words left her mouth, a large pulse of magic burst out of Gaia's body. Gold flinched as it washed over her, but was otherwise unaffected by it. However, the same could not be said for the trees surrounding the clearing.

Groaning wood and loud cracks filled the air as the forest started to shift around them. Entire trees uprooted and replanted themselves in completely new spots, the canopy forming into a thick ceiling or branches and leaves. The air was heavy with magic, filing the clearing with an eery weight that put a slight chill down Gold's spine. After a few minutes, the changes to their surroundings completed, plunging the area into a sudden jarring silence.

Surrounding them on all sides were solid walls of trees and ivy all of them glowing green with Gaia's magic. Spaced roughly ten feet apart from each other were ten openings in the walls. Each one of them resembled pitch black hallways, the canopies of the trees forming the paths so thick, that no sunlight could make it through. Even the glow of her mistress's magic could only illuminate the first two feet of them. Each of the paths radiated a faint aura of dread, the beings at their end ready to serve their purpose for what was to come.

Gold gave each of the paths a passing glance before giving her teacher a determined frown. Gaia gazed down at her with the cold indifference of a judge. After a long moment of silence, the spirit said her piece.

"As you know, this test will not be the same as the last one. Before, you were trying to prove yourself worthy of my teachings. Now, you wish for the power of my servants. Subduing them will not be enough to earn their power.Do you understand?"

Gold nodded.

Another long pause, seemingly to give Gold one last chance to decline the challenge, passed between them. Seeing that Gold was truly committed to this path, she broke the silence one last time.

"Very well. Now, choose your first path."