Dark Days of the Unforgiven

by HeatseekerX51

Rating: teen
Tags: Adventure, Princess Celestia, Twilight Sparkle, Princess Luna, Drama, Original Character, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Mystery, King Sombra
Length: 62307

A conspiracy in the heart of Canterlot threatens to plunge Equestria into darkness. Meanwhile, the exiled prince of a forgotten kingdom is uncovered by Twilight. Can Princess Twilight and Æclypse the Unforgiven save the world from a new nightmare?

-Equestria is beset by a grand conspiracy when a secret cabal seeks to overthrow the rule of the Alicorns. In doing so, they unleash a monster that threatens to cover the land in perpetual fear and darkness.
-In the wake of the defeat of Queen Chrysalis, Æclypse the Unforgiven, exiled prince of the ancient Kingdom of Thule is unmasked by Twilight Sparkle. But how could this be? Divided between his true identity and the persona of 'Wanderlust' that has come to define his life, can the unicorn come to terms with who he really is?
-Unnerved by a letter left behind for her at the scene of a theft, a sense of dread stalks Princess Celestia through the halls of Canterlot. A trauma thought put behind her rising from the shadows of her memory.
-Can Twilight, her friends, and the exiled prince of ancient Thule save Equestria from a nightmarish future?

Published 2020-10-24 10:30:00 UTC
Last updated 2022-05-07 07:16:22 UTC

Prologue: Some Kind of Monster

PROLOGUE

“SOME KIND OF MONSTER”

THE CRYSTAL EMPIRE,
The Night it Fell

If a city could scream in terror, it surely was now.

Tremors shook the glorious crystal palace as Queen Amore took refuge in her bedchamber, bits of ceiling tumbling loose and shattering on the floor with each shuddering blow. Outside where panic gripped her subjects and filled the air with anguished cries, was also the sound of hatred and rage rising every now and then to drown out the wails and bellow in fury. The stained-glass windows of the room, normally shining with all the brilliance of the realm, were now darkened with shadow and smoke.

But she was not alone. With her was one of her loyal imperial guards, a white Pegasus who had come to the Empire one day as part of a retinue from Canterlot and decided to stay. It had been strange for him to make the city-state his home, being the only Pegasus among them, but his reason for doing so was of the most compelling nature. Valiant Charge had never thought himself to be the bravest pony, nor one of particular destiny, but as he stood there, he knew that bravery was the only path left to him now. Destiny, just on the other side of the threshold.

Amore and Valiant Charge brought their gaze down from the ceiling and onto each other, tears in both their eyes. There were no words that need be spoken that could not be communicated between them in the moment through their fearful expressions. The whole city had been swallowed-up by a storm of darkness, a tempest of fear more biting than the northern winds. It had swept over them without mercy, coming suddenly and without warning. Now the imperial palace was the last redoubt, the last prize she knew to be claimed once all opposition had been crushed.

The dread was interrupted however by the mewling of gentle coos, drawing both of their attention to the swaddled foal that lay in the cradle held aloft in her magic. A pair of soft lavender irises looking up at them in contemplation.

As Valiant looked down at the filly, his otherwise grim façade broke, the corners of his mouth dropping, forehead furrowing. A single tear wound its way through the fur of his cheek and fell onto the blankets of the babe. Queen Amore clenched her eyes shut.

Then came a quaking of the palace greater than before, both of their heads snapping upwards, eyes wide open and ears alert as they stared at the double doors of the chamber. It was coming, they realized, coming for them, coming for… her.

With one final heaving sob of her chest, Amore thrust herself at Valiant Charge, kissing him like she would never kiss him again. When they broke apart, they kept their foreheads together, muttering a few last intimate vows.

Valiant tore himself away with a gasp, looking away to the ceiling to reign in his emotions. Taking one final look at the filly in the cradle, he leaned down and planted a kiss on her forehead. “I love you more than life itself.” He whispered.

The palace shook once more, this time by a sonorous bellow.

Amore took the filly to her side as Valiant seized his helmet and spear from where he had set them aside, donning them as if for war. He placed a hoof on the door handle, glancing back one last time to her. “You know what to do.” With a firm nod he opened the door and fluttered out, shutting it behind him.

The queen could not control the sob that escaped her then, nearly losing her balance and using a hoof to cover her mouth as she wept. But from the corner of her sight, she saw the tiny form moving under the blanket, and she remembered the importance of her task.

Lifting the cradle in her magic she set it on the bed. On the bedside table was an envelope, sealed with her emblem in wax. She tucked it into one of the folds of the blanket. “Don’t you lose that.” She said, voice breaking.

Next, she reached her magic over to the mirrored dresser, where there lay a beautifully ornate jewel box of gold and marble and took hold of it. Drawing it close, she opened it to extract a present given to her by her friend, to be used in times of great need. It was a necklace, from which hung an amulet. Constructed of white-gold and citrine crystal, it resembled an upside-down triangle with a citrine gem in the middle. From the top of it however, was the likeness of a unicorn flanked on either side by a pair of wings.

She held the amulet before her and above the infant and began concentrating on a spell as her horn gleamed brighter and brighter.

On the other side of the threshold, Valiant Charge nodded to the two Crystal ponies who remained at their post just outside the door. Brave enough to remain at their station or just unlucky enough to get stuck here, it did not matter to Charge. “Right, this is the last line, we are all that stands between them and that thing.”

The one to his left put a hoof on his shoulder, meeting his resolute gaze. “We are with you, sir.” He stated definitively.

“Aye, sir.” Said the other.

With affirmation they each readied their spears and poised where they stood at the end of the long hall, awaiting the inevitable.

The gem at the center of the amulet began to glow with inner light, the construct merely a conduit through which its true power was focused. Below it, the swaddling and the child within began to glow with a sparkling radiance.

As the three sentinels stood ready, the opposite end of the long hall began to darken, as if the light itself was being consumed. Steadily the cloud of shadow progressed, the walls groaning from some ethereal pressure being exerted against them. A new sound filled the space then, a voice, terrible and foreboding called out from somewhere within the approaching shadow. It spoke not a word but loosed a cry that caused the two ponies at Valiant’s side to quiver like children.

“Steady on lads.” He told them, pulling back with his spear, tightening his grip. “No place for him to run now.”

The darkness billowed forward.

Queen Amore opened tear-filled eyes, to see the gems of the amulet aglow with magical might, the stowed magic acting as an accelerant to her own considerable reservoir. The swaddling then began to shine with the same power, becoming saturated with its energy. A happy trill escaped the babe, delighted to feel the warmth and positive emotion enveloping her.

In an instant she ceased to be Queen Amore, Dilectus Meus Rex of the Crystal Empire, stripped of pretense and pomp. She was just a mother, with no thought other than the safety and future of her child, a future she would never get to see.

A roar like a wicked distortion, an unnatural refutation of harmonious music tore through the hall, crashing over the guards. Again, the crystal guards trembled, eyes wide wither terror, mouths quivering.

“Spear forward! Eyes front!” Valiant Charge commanded them, gritting his teeth, his gaze unmoving. “Meet your fate with your head held high!”

The darkness surged forward, consuming all in its path, nothing but a void racing to meet them.

Amore leaned forward, kissing her babe on the forehead and pausing there for a few precious moments.

Valiant roared, dashing forward to assault the oncoming entity, eyes red with passion, his cry filled with anger and pain. The guards on either side a pace behind him, choosing to embrace destiny at full speed rather than have it fall upon them.

The princess in her bundle disappeared in a flash of brilliant golden light just as the screams of the guards erupted, wild and sharp for only a heartbeat before being cut-off abruptly, swallowed by a heavy bellow. Amore turned with a gasp, the doors to the chamber shuddering from impact. The Amulet clattered to the floor, its gem dim and dark, its white-gold now a subdued silver.

She stood there, still quivering from the emotion wracking her from the inside out, staring at the doorway. The gaps along the frame darkened, a steady creaking noise building as she watched the doors begin to bulge. For what reason this dark entity had decided to turn its wrath on the Chrystal Empire she could not fathom, it seemed she alone might have the chance to ask it.

The pressure on the door subsided, leaving her in a palpable silence. But something more subtle then began to occur. A tendril of shadow crept its way between the doors, curled up, and began to fiddle with the lock. Amore could only watch on in incredulity as it deftly turned the latch.

“H… Hello?” She stammered, the tendril slithering back to the other side.

The doors swung open, and there upon the threshold the dark cloud hung in place, coalescing, shrinking down until it took the form of a black unicorn with glowing green eyes that smoked with malefic magic. A sinister visage highlighted by a horn that radiated with infernal crimson as if it were a sword freshly pulled from the coals.

“Let it not be said the hospitality of the Crystal Queen could be found wanting.” The eyes of cruelty smoldered as the last of the shadow was incorporated into his body. Bright with malice and gleaming with delight.

He stalked into the room, favoring Amore with polite nod.

“Your countenance is known to me…” She suddenly realized, expression dropping in shock. “You are Sombra, Principate of the Thulian Guard.”

“I was.” He replied coyly. “I found the station unfulfilling, however, and I have opted for a more prestigious office.”

Amore grimaced. “If you think the Crystal Ponies will bow to you-”

“They will have no choice in the matter.” He scowled. “Your realm is already mine, your subjects have nowhere to run.”

“What have you done with the Crystal Heart?” She demanded. “How did you bypass its protection?”

Sombra smiled, caressing the end of the bed with a hoof. “The relic is in my possession and will remain so until I find a suitable use for it. As for how I defeated its magic… that is not for you to know.”

Shaking her head resolutely, she stood before him, chin raised. “I know of your tradition. You cannot claim to be king without a queen, and I will never marry you.”

But her defiance did not dismay him. “You are already despoiled.” In stride he approached the cradle and used a hoof to tip it towards him. Very suddenly his calm demeanor fell way, his face tightened and the smoke fuming from his eyes doubled in intensity. “Where is the girl!” He roared, fangs bared, horn pulsating with such heat that she was forced to flinch.

Aghast, Amore recoiled from the snarling fiend, grasping his true intent. “My daughter? You came for my baby daughter?”

Sombra screamed, battering the cradle across the room with a swing of his hoof. But in its place, he saw the amulet where it had fallen on the carpet. “What’s thissss?” he hissed. Picking it up in his magic, he examined the peculiar ornamentation. “An… Alicorn Amulet?”

In the moment that he was transfixed by the item, Amore, her magic exhausted, attempted to flee past him and charge the open doors. But his reflexes had been sharp before the transformation, now they were supernatural. Just as fast as she had bolted, she was enveloped in a stream of malicious magic. A black river with boiling expulsions of emerald and magenta that seized the queen with a pained gasp.

She tried to pull against its strength, but it could not be fought, dragging her back as she cried.

“You’ve done something with her…” Sombra growled, still staring down at the amulet. He forced her to turn in place despite her efforts to twist her neck away. “Where… is the girl?”

“You…” Amore struggled. “You will never get to her, monster.”

Sombra had always fancied himself a savvy judge of character, able to discern a lie from honesty. As far as he could tell, there as no hint of deception in her defiance, nothing but a certain belief that the princess was out of his reach. The room itself darkened as his posture shifted into something predatory.

“You speak with such conviction for something you will never see fulfilled.” The green sclera of his eyes flashed, and the blood vessels of the red iris throbbed.

A tear slid down the side of Amore’s cheek, a terrible understanding breaking her heart as she began to weep in sporadic coughs. “Mi Amore…”

“Yes…” Sombra whispered gravely, the light in the room dimming until all but his eyes and horn were visible. “I believe you would have been a wonderful mother.”

Outside the palace, the shadow-storm began subsiding, retreating from the city center to the towering shards of obsidian crystal that grew along the barrier. The sky, once a beautiful blue was now saturated in burnt orange and brown.

Slowly creeping out from their various hiding places, the crystal ponies started poking their heads out, bodies shivering from terror, fearfully alert as they scanned for any sign of the roaring cloud that had swallowed their kingdom whole before they could even understand what was happening. Individuals at first, then groups appeared to brave further and further from the safety of their shelters.

“Look!” A stallion exclaimed, pointing a hoof to the sky. Atop the Crystal Palace, a new crown of black shards wreathed the apex, smoke billowing out from the uppermost windows.

“A fire in the Queen’s chamber?” One mare cried.

“Where is the Guard?” Another panicked.

As a wild fear spread among them, a sky-rendering crack of thunder filled the air, stopping everypony in their tracks and silencing all.

One pewter grey stallion with a pale-yellow mane thought he saw movement on the balcony and squinted to focus.

A new surge of commotion rose when activity on the main balcony became clear; a dark figure carrying something large in his magic.

“Who is that?” Worried ponies asked.

Without preamble or precedence, the object was tossed from the balcony. Ponies scattered from its projected impact point, shrieking as those closest dove aside just as it crashed and shattered into dust and fragments.

A nervous few approached the rubble, stunned to find broken bits of a brown rock material in hundreds of pieces. But there was one piece that remained somewhat intact. A mare used her hoof and turned the rough side over to see the other.

She gasped and recoiled, expression twisted in terror to see the left side of Queen Amore’s face staring up at her, a pool of tears fossilized around the bottom of her eye. Others screamed.

“BEHOLD AND TREMBLE!” Standing on the balcony for all to see, Sombra glared down at the populace, a fiendish smile exposing his fangs. “YOUR QUEEN IS NO MORE! I AM YOUR KING NOW! AND YOU BELONG TO ME!” His voice carried out with supernatural power so that it seemed as if he was among them on the ground, the sheer malevolence reverberating them to the core. The image of his cruel face appeared in the surface of the black spires, projecting his baleful gleam to all.

“MY CRYSTAL PONIES! MY CRYSTAL EMPIRE! MY CRYSTAL… SLAAAVES!”

The obsidian spires that sprouted along the borders of the empire jerked suddenly as they grew and propagated, shadow spreading out like serpents from them. Everything the shade fell over encrusted with the same material, transforming the gleaming city into a jagged landscape of malignant design. And all the while, Sombra’s mad cackle filled the air.

As he stared down at the ponies screaming and fleeing from the spikes bursting from the ground around them, a savage grin spread across his face, a feeling of elation coming over him as he soaked in their fear. Enthralled as he was by the sounds of terror, the reflection of fire dancing in his eyes, something else perked his attention. Sombra turned away from the city and gazed off into the distance, towards the crystal mountains that crowned the world.

“Yes…” He said to nopony in particular. “I know, there will not be much time.” His ears twitched in the way they might to listen intently, catching the whispers that came to him. “Yes, there is much work to be done…”

With the city quaking he returned to Amore’s chamber, and spying the Alicorn Amulet, held it aloft in his magic.

“How interesting…” Sombra muttered, eying his reflection in the gem. “I shall have to have to make a study of you.”

“And learn much I did. Knowing the Equestrians would come for me, there was precious little time to accomplish what I had come here to do. I had paid a terrible price to gain the power promised to me by Those That Whisper, a bargain from which there is no retraction. But it was a power granted to serve an end, not to squander on vain pursuits.

And with the power of the ancient magic at my command, nopony could defy my will. It was a simple effort to subjugate the populace; for without the Crystal Heart to inspire them their spirit was easily broken. My chains slipped over their necks as if they belonged there, and obediently did they march to labor in the mines.

Long did I toil myself upon my grand design, the need for rest posing no obstacle to my efforts. I carved a place for myself to work and conduct my studies, unlocking the secrets not only of the Crystal Heart, but also the curious amulet; finding it to be a device with which to store a great quantity of power. Though Queen Amore had thwarted my plan to make a prize of her daughter, the amulet proved to be quite useful in its own right.

Despite the urgency of my task, I often found myself thinking on my family. Regretfully, I had not thought to spare the time to bid my father the proper respect before leaving. Nor had I bid my mother the love she was due from a dutiful son. I wondered what considerations my brother was making, as I had parted from him in a state of anger. Would he betray me to those southern usurpers?

I even reflected on my old mentor, Iambic Pentameter, a notion that struck me as somewhat morbid, considering.

The one indulgent hobby I did partake in, was in the completion of a grimoire of my own arrangement and magical theory. The great mages of the unicorn tribe had always composed their own books; it was these tomes that created the basis of all unicorn education. I began compiling mine years before after being keenly interested in the grimoire of Vortigern the Black, whose thesis on conjuration was ahead of its time.

He also inspired a quite ingenious notion for a delightful surprise.

Unfortunately, the work in the quarry was not as productive as I had desired. I sought the guidance of the Whispers, but all they told me was ‘deeper’. My crystal slaves worked day and night on rotation, mares and stallions, children and the elderly alike bent their backs in the pit. But ultimately, I knew they would not reach the end in time. So, I began to put my contingency plan into action.

Then the Alicorns came, just as Those That Whisper told me they would.

“SOMBRA!” Princess Celestia boomed out, her royal voice like the roar of thunder than the kind melody known to most. Aloft in a rust-colored sky, the white alicorn in her golden armor shone like a star, her rainbow radiance beaming in all directions. “SHOW THYSELF, VILE TYRANT! COME FORTH AND FACE THY RECKONING!

Hovering in place above the city, the Princess of the Dawn held her spear Mane Gloriam at the ready, her face grim at the sight of what the once beautiful empire had been brutalized into. Obsidian spires guarded the city’s perimeter and stuck out like weeds throughout at violent dimensions, her fur pricking to their malevolent presence. Despite her power, she did not trust it to protect her from surprise attack, her body no less flesh and blood than any other Equestrian.

Queen Amore was her friend, Celestia had known her since the Crystal monarch was just a filly, and she feared for what this villain might have done with her.

“DO NOT THINK THE SHADOWS CAN HIDE YOU FROM ME!” She barked once more, sweeping the spear-tip across her field of vision as she proceeded closer to the palace. “DARE YOU DISHONOR YOUR FAMILY FURTHER BY COWERING FROM YOUR PUNISHMENT LIKE A SCOLDED COLT?”

Still no answer. Indeed, there had been no sign of the populace either, the city eerily silent as she at last reached the foot of the citadel. It was there she noticed the scattering of rubble on the ground, an odd thing to find in the on the otherwise abandoned streets. Cautiously, she fluttered down to investigate, folding her wings tightly and taking a guarded stance. It looked as if a statue had been shattered, possibly a casualty of a struggle in the palace.

She used the point of her spear to turn aside one of the larger pieces, staring at it for a moment before her eyes widened and she let out a horrified shriek, Mane Gloriam clattering where it fell.

For several seconds Celestia could not speak, only let her mouth tremble and feel the tears well at the base of her eyes.

“Mmmmm… hahahahah…” A dark laughter echoed from all around yet from no discernible origin.

The mocking cackle served to bring Celestia back to the moment with a sharp snort. All at once she felt her breast burst with emotion; pain, rage, and something new that even she did not quite understand. Her spear was retaken in her magic, and with but a slight bend at the knees, she rocketed upwards in a burst of light so furious it left scorch marks on the ground.

Hooves shod in golden greaves slammed down upon the viewing balcony of the Crystal Palace, cracking the material underhoof. Her breaths were protracted, seething between clenched teeth, horn alight.

The curtains that led to the inside of the palace parted, black talons curling over the folds and peeling them aside.

“I see you’ve been reunited with your old friend,” A deep voice from the shadows beyond the threshold spoke. “A pity you had not the care for it sooner.”

“AHHHHH!” A torrent of sunlight magic erupted from her horn as she screamed, sending the beam into the darkness.

An elated laughter was the only reaction to her outburst, fading after a few seconds.

“THOU SHALL PAY FOR WHAT THOU HAST DONE!” She cried, turning about with spear ready. “COME FORTH AND SHOW ME THE QUALITY OF THY TUTOR’S INSTRUCTION!”

She waited, posture low, muscles tensed.

Then the darkness spewed a bullet, streaking at the Princess like a burning comet with a trail of crimson embers. She parried the magic with a flare from her spear, over a hundred years of practice behind the counter.

The voice returned, “My foalhood masters taught me well enough… but it was the masters I found who showed me the nature of true power.”

Celestia’s eyes narrowed. “Masters? What masters bestow such vile arts?”

“The masters who whispered their secrets to me, revealed their truths…” In the center of the shadows was birthed a red horn, piercing the veil like a fang. Below that, a pair of flaming green eyes emerged fuming with purple smoke and burning with crimson irises.

“And if you listen closely… they might whisper to you too.”

As magma erupts from the mouth of the volcano, so did the dark fury of Sombra burst from the threshold, throwing itself upon the alicorn. Celestia braced against the onslaught with the length of her spear, breaking the black tide like a rock against the surf. A sunlight nimbus protected her, forcing the shadows to flow past and reform on the other side.

The great mass of Sombra swelled where it collected, looming over her as if it were about to crash down. She wheeled about and sent a blast of her brilliant magic straight for its gut but struck no target as the blackness opened to allow it passage through. The gap closed just as quickly, and again Sombra threatened to smother her under his sheer dimensions.

But again she shielded herself, and the two forces, light and shadow roiled against one another. Sombra’s façade emerged, and for the first time he and Celestia stared directly into each other’s eyes.

“You’re a monster for what you’ve done to these ponies.” She growled.

Sombra did not respond immediately, his gaze lingering on hers, the fury in his eyes faltering for a moment. “You have no idea what I’ve done.”

The dark unicorn reared back and smashed his horn against her barrier, forcing a separation between them, using the slight reprieve to coalesce his body from the mist. He fired his own torrent of corrupt magic, attempting to burn through her protective shield with brute force. Celestia dug her hooves in, feeling them carve into the crystal as her magical construct was forced back.

“If thee wish to contest thy might to mine,” She bit. “Allow me to demonstrate the disparity!”

Power coiled along Celestia’s horn and detonated in the next second with a thunderous boom that repulsed Sombra’s attack and overtook him instead.

“RHHAAAAAH!” He bellowed as the golden wave lifted him off his hooves and tumbling over the ledge of the balcony, his body smashing through the railing as he went.

Hearing his cry dissipate in the moments after, Celestia warily approached the edge with practiced steps that maintained her defensive posture.

As she did so, twin serpents of black smoke slithered over the sides of the balcony behind her where they silently merged into a single plume. A tendril lifted itself from the mass, and at the tip there hardened a spike of obsidian, poised to take the Princess in the back. Sombra’s eyes manifested, baleful and narrow, focused on where her armor was the most vulnerable.

But just as his dagger seemed ready to strike, it was shattered by a blow from above, the bludgeoning instrument embedding itself in the crystal surrounded by the black shards.

“Sister!” Coming to land between Celestia and Sombra, Princess Luna plucked up her pugil and magically held it at high guard. “Dare thou turn thy back to this fiend? ‘ere he put a lance though it?”

“The lesser light…” Sombra growled.

“The lesser brother.” Luna snapped.

Celestia strode to her sister’s side, striking the butt of Mane Gloriam on the floor. “Stand thee now against the both of us, usurper? Yield thy mad ambition to reason and surrender, Sombra.”

“Or persist in thy folly,” Luna suggested. “And yield to my cudgel.”

The dark magic swelled, enlarging Sombra’s façade to giant proportions until he towered over them both, arcs of red lightning streaked through his form.

“You think you have come to claim victory?” His words seethed with a cruel glee. “You think you can save these ponies?”

The same malefic smoke that burned from his horn now fumed from the corners of his mouth, his eyes blazing with a new intensity. “You can save nothing! …You have already lost.”

The two sides surged screaming towards one another, and the Crystal Empire shuddered.

If the alicorns thought their united power would make quick work of me, they were dreadfully mistaken. But in the end, they were victorious.

Outside the city limits, out in the ice and snow, the royal sisters let their weapons fall to the ground in exhaustion. Catching their breath and removing their battle-scarred helms, Luna collapsed onto her forelegs while Celestia refused to break her gaze. Across from them some dozen paces, Sombra sat in the base of a crater under a net of golden magic glowering right back at her. Only his head remained uncovered, the center of the net about his neck like a collar.

With the great portion of his power spent, Sombra was reduced to his mortal form, the black unicorn smoldering in his rent armor. His mane plastered down over his face, he gave no more indication of his discomfort than the steady but raspy cadence of his breath. But his compliant demeanor belied the glint in his pupils, venomous as a viper and far more devious.

Luna looked to Sombra with a sidelong glance. “How dost thou dark powers serve thee now, pretender?” She mocked.

Sombra did not return the jab at first, instead he ever so slightly shifted his gaze in her direction, but not fully away from Celestia. “They serve me well enough.” A small grin began to curl his lips as his ears pricked to some sound only he could hear.

“Oh?” Celestia raised her head and tossed back her mane. “It would seem the supremacy of thy master’s power has proven a lie. Account now for your defeat.”

One side of Sombra’s mouth lifted higher. “I will tell you something about lies, Celestia, and power too Luna.”

“Spare us thy humor.” The princess of the night snorted.

“I will spare you a truth your mentors neglected to share; it is that all power comes at a price, that innocent power is a lie.”

Luna cocked her head, “Speak for thyself and thine own machinations, fiend.”

“Indeed,” Celestia continued. “I tire of your cruelty, Sombra, it is time to lay our judgement upon thee without further delay.”

The unicorn’s smirk twisted into a sneer.

“For thy heinous crimes, I Princess Celestia-“

“And I Princess Luna.”

“-Do herby banish you.” Taking up Mane Gloriam, Celestia levied it at Sombra. The magical binds tightened around him and pinned his legs to his body. Luna took up her pugil and with a great heave, slammed it into the icy ground to open a fissure that descended beyond the touch of light.

“You won’t destroy me yourself!” He raged, swirls of dark magic fighting under the net’s constriction to escape. “You wouldn’t sully your hooves! But you’ll condemn me to icy tomb for all eternity!”

A spiteful Sombra aimed a spit at their hooves, though the alicorns did not respond. “My brother is a fool to have placed such aspirations upon thy virtue! Too deceived by your own propaganda to realize how much of a threat to Equestria you truly are.”

“We are Equestria’s guardians!” Rebuked Luna. “As we have been and always shall be!”

“As Amore protected her daughter from you,” Celestia said as she ascended into the air. “So we now protect all.”

It was at the mention of the foal that Sombra’s eyes lifted with a resurgent lust. “You think the girl is safe…” He began with a shake. “I will claim what was denied to me.” His voice dropped to a slithering rasp. “I will find her… I will find her, Celestia.”

Luna likewise flew to join her sister, horns brimming with power, their very eyes transformed to a blinding radiance.

Sensing the inescapable, Sombra swelled against his restraints with every bit of strength he could still muster. Clenching his teeth, he loosed a final defiant cry.

“I WILL FIND HER!”

And so Luna and Celestia unleashed their magical might and destroyed my mortal form, casting my spirit into the frozen pit. And there I was to remain, sealed away, the menace of my shadows defeated once and for all.

Or so they must have thought… Mmmm, mahahahaha…

The chasm below slammed shut with a satisfying crack, but it was another noise that suddenly drew their attention. The boom of an explosion sounded from the Crystal Palace, both sisters turning to see the trail of an object streaking away from the city and disappearing over the horizon. Trading suspicious glances, they set wing towards the defiled capital.

But they would never make it.

With the resounding crescendo of accumulating magic, the city was absorbed in a blinding light, halting the alicorns at the perimeter and forcing them to shield their eyes. They felt the wind rush past them in the next moment, opening their eyes to find a barren crater where the shining jewel of the north once sat.

Celestia flapped there for several moments, face wide with shock and jaw fallen, Mane Gloriam tumbling to the ground. Gobsmacked herself, Luna turned to her sister and saw the tears beginning to slip down her cheeks, pupils searching.

“What has he done?” She choked.

Luna’s hooves crunched over the permafrost soil as she strode the waste, the snow already knee deep now that the barrier of the Crystal Heart no longer held the arctic storm at bay.

Her hoof recoiled when it struck an object hidden just barely under the surface, jostling it from where it lay and disturbing the frosting of snow. She glanced down and recognized the outline of a book knocked askew from where it had been left. An errant gust blew the flakes away, revealing a curious tome.

Seeming to have been bound between two slabs of stone was the second most interesting feature, that being the circle of spikes sticking out from the cover, surrounding a sigil of a burst star.

Knowing perfectly well what this was, Luna scowled as she wrapped Sombra’s grimoire in a dark cloth.

And for a many year’s time, I did not hear Those That Whisper, and I slumbered in my prison.

Until they spoke to me once more, and for a short time I was free. But though my destiny had not yet come, my brief liberation did serve a purpose. Just like the Whispers promised me.

My name is ßombra Ultima, second son of King Rubicon and Queen Eras of the Carolingian bloodline. I am brother to Prince Æeclypse the Valiant, Principate of the Kingdom of Thule, and heir to the throne. It was he who named me Principate of the Thulian Guard.

I am the descendant of kings and queens going back to the foundations of the Unicorn Tribe. And for a brief time, I was myself, a conqueror. A title I am rather fond of.

I have supped from the waters of death and returned from the event horizon of oblivion. I have transcended mortality and become the instrument of a destiny only the gods themselves may comprehend.

I am King Sombra, and this is my story.

\

Author's Note

[evil laughter intensifies]

Hello everyone. sorry for the super long wait for the beginning of Dark Days. Aside from all the regular life stuff, I was also trying to get some Godzilla/Marvel stuff done. Though more pertinently, the original plan was to have both this prologue and the first chapter put up at the same time.
-But, seeing as I haven't published anything in months, I decided to just toss this out there and get the ball rolling on the 2nd of the 4 Unforgiven stories.
-To sate your curiosity, yes, chapter 1 is already partially written, several thousand words down. So that is not too far away.
-Dark Days has a huge advantage over PATH, in that it has had years for the story to coalesce and form into something that I hope will be really, really good, and set the table nicely for the next Unforgiven.

Leave all comments, good, bad, indifferent.
~Crush 'em.

Chapter 1: This Monster Lives

CHAPTER 1

“THIS MONSTER LIVES”

A long time ago, there existed the Kingdom of Thule, the ancient homeland of the unicorn tribe. Set in the north of the Equestrian continent, it was ruled By King Rubicon, Queen Eras, and their sons Prince Æclypse and Prince Sombra.

While Prince Æclypse would go on to great acclaim in his ascension to the throne, history would remember his younger brother as one of the most dreaded tyrants of all time. Prince Sombra attacked and conquered the Empire of the Crystal Ponies, deposing the Crystal Queen and subjugating the populace through dark magic.

Hearing of this, the Alicorn rulers of Equestria, sisters Princess Celestia and Princess Luna set forth to liberate the Crystal Empire. Celestia appealed to Æclypse for his aid, but, bound by the ancient law of his tribe that kin shall not raise arms against kindred, the prince refused. Thusly, an angry Celestia levied a doom against him for his decision.

Sombra was defeated, his body destroyed and his dark spirit vanquished and sealed in a frozen tomb. True to her word Celestia returned to Thule and exiled Æclypse, stripping him of his title and family name, declaring him thenceforth: “Æclypse the Unforgiven”.

But that was not the end of his story.

OUTSKIRTS OF PONYVILLE

Standing on the precipice of the cliff’s beak, Æclypse stood like one of the statues Twilight had seen in the Canterlot Museum of Fine Arts. Here was not the young prince she had heard about and seen depicted in the library window. Here was the mature stallion at his full power; and possibly the most robust unicorn Twilight had ever seen, easily a head taller than her without the curved horn.

“Æeclypse… the Unforgiven…” His words hung in the air between them as she gawked stupefied. She had of course entirely expected to be correct about her deduction, considering the evidence, but to see him standing before her in real life was like a miracle.

Though he did not seem particularly happy about the situation.

“Would that we met under different circumstance, Your Grace,” Æclypse tightly began now in his natural voice. “This might be a more pleasant introduction.”

Twilight let her mouth flap open and close before she resolved the sudden dryness in her throat. “I... I have more questions that words to articulate them!” She said in an excited burst, like running water spilling out of a bath. “How do you know Changeling magic? What happened to you after you left Thule? HOW ARE YOU EVEN ALIVE?!” She plopped herself down where she was and put a hoof to her head, messaging the skull in an attempt to help process the revelation.

Æclypse gave a weary sigh as he rolled his eyes, returning his gaze back out over the cliffside. “Long story, suffice to say.”

“No kidding!” Trotting closer to him, Sparkle inspected him like she might a science exhibit. “You must have done so much! Been so many places! So much history you’ve lived first-hoof!”

She let out a shudder as a dizzying sensation suddenly overtook her at the prospect of having a living library to talk to. Well, another one anyway.

“Twilight…” he hesitated as he tilted his head down. “You must keep my secret. Nopony can know I’m here, it would…. Ugh… upset things.”

“Because Prince Æclypse was exiled from Equestria…” Twilight began as the gears of thought turned. “Which was never lifted, which means you’re still technically an outlaw.” She shook her head. “Wait, there’s no way Celestia would hold a grudge against you for this long, I’m sure if we went and talked-”

“I’m sure she’s well past any anger she felt,” Æclypse interrupted. “From what I hear she’s quite forgiving. But I’m afraid there’s no use in my petition, I’m not a prince anymore, and there is no Thule to return to.”

“I think you’re right.” Striding up beside him, Twilight mulled a new idea. “You’re the last living heir to the throne. You’re not a prince… you’re the King.”

His throat tightened a moment. “I am no such thing.” He spat. “Besides, it seems my brother has beaten me to the title by a significant margin.”

“Oh yeah…” Twilight couldn’t help but cringe at the notion, recalling all too well her encounter at the Crystal Empire. “So, you were telling the truth before? About why you came to meet us?”

The shift in conversation roused a lifted eyebrow from Æeclypse, somewhat surprised. “I was. Word of Luna’s return got around pretty fast, then Chrysalis’ failed attempt at Canterlot. Then I hear Sombra’s curse had finally been broken. So I wondered, what kind of ponies could be going around and doing all these great deeds if not the Princesses?”

“And what has your impression been?” She asked.

“Pleasantly surprised, on all accounts.” For the first time, she saw the faintest hint of a smile from him as he glanced sidelong at her.

Sparkle returned the gesture. “Glad to have the endorsement of the pony who defeated the Fyre Drake!”

Her compliment had the inverse effect of souring his expression. “As I said that stallion is long gone, and I ceased to be him several lifetimes ago. As far as anypony should be concerned, I do not exist.”

“Well…” Suddenly finding herself in an awkward position, Twilight swished her tail. “Now that Chrysalis has been brought to justice, Æclypse, what are you going to do?”

Looking right at her, Æclypse immolated himself in green fire and once more assumed the form of Wanderlust. Not as tall, but still well-built for a stallion.

“Who? Never heard of the guy.” He said, walking past her and back towards the forest path. “Forgive me, but it’s rather late and we’ve both had quite a busy day. I am, as they say in Zebraica, ‘bushed’.”

“Are you leaving Ponyville?” Twilight asked, causing him to pause several paces away. “You don’t have to if you don’t want to, you know.”

“Not yet, Princess.” He swiveled his head around with a heavy breath. “But I do need some time to… sort myself out.”

She let him walk off without further delay, understanding that she too had a lot to process.

“I’m gonna have to make a list of all the questions I need to ask him,” Twilight realized, heading off on her own accord. A cascade of new considerations was beginning to register with her, both personally and as matter of having some measure of royal authority.

“Do I have an obligation to turn him in?” She wondered aloud, a habit of having Spike at her heels while she worked through a thought process. “He did just confess to being an outlaw.”

There was a moment of total silence in the night as she half expected her number one assistant to answer back with some remark or question that would usually help her arrive at a conclusion. “But if I did, how would Princess Celestia react? How would Princess Luna?”

Æclypse had been right, she began to think. Bringing him into the open might stir up more trouble than good. And if it wasn’t going to change anything for the better, then what was the point?

A yawn overtook her, the hour was indeed late and ever since her meeting with Chrysalis her mind had been much too consumed with this mystery to let her catch a proper amount of rest. Fortunately, Mayor Mane and her friends were doing their part to organize the recovery of Ponyville, otherwise she might never get the chance to put her head down.

“Whatever he decides to do,” Twilight said, glancing up at the waxing moon. “I hope it works out for him.”

“Sort myself out… tuh.” Side stepping down the incline, Wanderlust finished his grumble with a frustrated snort. “Was that supposed to be some sort of double entendre, old boy?”

He came to a skidding halt at the bottom of the slope, kicking a cloud of dirt into the air as he scowled. “Somehow it seems less funny having another pony in on the joke.”

Seeing that he was alone, not unlike ten-thousand other nights he’d spent out on the road, it was easy for him to slip back into old habits of contemplative sulking.

“This was not how I imagined my week would go.”

A puff of green flame, and Æclypse was now returned. “Ponies plan, and the gods laugh. We know all too well how fast fortunes can turn, why should any of this phase you now?”

After passing a tree, Wanderlust gazed up to the leafy canopy to the stars. “I suppose I shouldn’t, but I didn’t expect the gods to go and drop Chrysalis on me! Which does seem to pose a rather interesting question, doesn’t it?”

Æclypse nodded his head, “If bringing that creature to justice isn’t what the boon of the Cup of Crimson Wonder was meant to fulfill…”

“Why don’t I feel any different? If I am still possessed of the Cup’s power…”

“What in Tartarus do they mean for me to do with it?”

Arriving at the side of a stream, Wanderlust peered down into the gently running water, but it was the ancient prince staring back.

“What do they want from me? Am I supposed to live like this forever?” His expression hardened; jaw tightened. “Well, what if I don’t want to? What if I don’t want to be a pawn in their game anymore?”

A sudden caw caused his head to snap up, seeing a black bird perched on a low-hanging branch across the water. The raven sat there watching him as they beheld each other for several moments.

“Come to point me in a new direction?” He asked sharply, kicking at the water. “Got some new errand for me to run?”

The bird said nothing, merely cocking its head and shifting its wings slightly.

“Well maybe you can make some other pony the object of your amusement; I think I’ve done my share.”

Again, the raven declined any direct response, continuing to peer back at him impassively. But Wanderlust’s defiant façade faltered, looking back down to the rippling water at his true self.

“I thought I knew why you’d given me this life, but I’m not sure anymore.”

Another caw from the raven drew only a slow acknowledgement from the unicorn, searching the avian for any sign of message.

“And now here I am trading squawks with you, expecting every black bird to be an omen of the gods.”

“Perhaps that’s just it,” Æclypse answered back in the reflection. “I bargained with powers beyond my reckoning, and these are the terms.”

Wanderlust sighed, “But how can they expect anypony to live like this? Regardless of whatever blessing they think to give them.”

“I suppose that’s a perspective we can’t ask to understand.”

The suggestion gave Wanderlust enough of a pause to close his eyes and run a hoof over his mane. “I haven’t been able to sleep since the other night. I’m getting lost in my thoughts.”

Æclypse raised an eyebrow, “This is a rather introspective conversation I’m having with myself…”

“Hmm.” Agreed Wanderlust. Sparing the raven one last glance he turned and began walking beside the water, heading upstream.

Body cocked, the raven watched him a few moments longer before taking off and disappearing into the forest.

Lyrics are part of the scene, so you're not married to the the timeing. Press play, keep reading.

Try as he might, Wanderlust could not escape the silhouette of his other self at his side, backlit by the moon as the outline of the old unicorn kept a parallel pace. He snapped his head away with a bitter click of the tongue, trying to keep the reminder out of his peripheral.

“I don’t wanna die alone,

I don’t wanna live forsaken.

I refuse to let them know,

Because my soul is breaking.”

Æeclypse’s shade continued,

“I don’t wanna let you know,

That my heart is just so jaded.

I refused to let it show,

I refused to let it go.”

“Wake me up,” They said together.

“When it’s all over.

I’m tired of living life like it’s a dream.

Please wake me up, when it’s all over,

I’m tired of living right here in between.

I refuse…”

The ground inclined, became rockier as he continued towards the water’s source.

“I’ve always walked alone,

I chose the path less taken.

I refuse to let them win,

My life’s a question I keep asking.

Wanderlust shook his head.

“It’s not a joke at all,

Inside my spirit’s fading.

I refuse to take the fall,

‘cause you’re not there at all!”

“Wake me up!” They cried, waterfall just ahead of them.

“When this over.

I’m tired of living life like it’s a dream.

Please wake me up, when it’s all over,

I’m tired of living right here in between.”

“I refuse…” Approaching the falling water, Wanderlust glared nose-to-nose with his alter ego.

“’Cause at the end of the day, I’m not you…”

“I refuse.” Wanderlust dashed his hoof though the water and shattered the image of his counterpart.

The hill continued upwards and so did he, seeking the peace of solitude that he hoped to find in the clear night air. Memories seemed to manifest around him as he went, faces from his childhood like his mentor Wiglaf and his cousin Parsifal stood to his left. His friends the pegasai Ruffles and the gruff earth pony Santy Veins that had ventured across the seas with him on the right. Even a little filly named Trixie stood beside the spriggan Dail Lachan as they smiled at him.

Two more figures stood directly in his path between him and where the trees cleared.

“Wake me up, when this is over, I’m tired of living life like it’s a dream.”

Wanderlust stared at his wife and son before him, before immolating himself in green fire.

“Please wake me up when it’s all over,” Æclypse brought up a hoof to his wife’s cheek.

“I’m tired of living right here in between.”

But he shut his eyes and dispelled the illusions with a nova of light from his horn.

“Wake me up, when this is over,

I’m tired of living life like it’s a dream.”

Wanderlust burst from the form of Æclypse at a hurried stride.

“Please wake me up, when this is over,

I’m tired of living right here in between…”

Leaving the memories behind, he settled down on the grass of the open hilltop.

“I refuse…” The words hung in the air as he gazed up to the pale face of the moon before nestling his chin among his forelegs.

Some Time Later…

MORNING IN CANTERLOT

The rays of dawn were still streaming over the mountain-side city as the day began for its denizens. The golden spires and ivory towers gleaming above them as if they had just been polished. And just as in the first days of the city’s existence, Celestia watched over it as the sun itself watched over the world.

The Solar Princess stood alone on her private balcony, staring out over the realm.

“Luna, you must lower the moon!”

Though her gaze was over Canterlot, her vision was elsewhere. Voices replayed in her mind to the feeling of a cold shiver between her shoulder blades. In a single night, her whole life had been turned upside-down and the illusion of her comfortable status quo shattered.

“Why?”

Was what her sister had answered in a voice that resembled the one she was familiar with, but possessed a distorted quality. More strangely, she remembered it was also spoken playfully, as if with a childlike impishness. Despite the warmness of the morning, Celestia couldn’t stop her teeth from chattering.

Luna had been sitting there with her head cocked to one side, staring into the mirror as one transfixed.

Celestia used her wings to caress her flanks, finding a sudden need to assuage herself of things she’d rather forget. It was a mental journey she’d taken hundreds of times over hundreds of years, wondering why.

Why didn’t I see the signs? She’d ask herself night after night. How could I have been so blind?

“Princess Celestia?”

“Oh, how they love to dance in your precious light….”

“Um… Princess?”

“Sister please, you must lower the moon!”

“But all will know the wonders of my dark and jeweled sky…”

“Princess Celestia!”

“…When all the world is wrapped in an eternal lullaby…”

“You must lower the moon! It is your duty!”

“………..……. No...”

“Princess!”

Celestia practically jumped out of her ornamental shoes to find her aide Capulet standing at her side, the poor mare recoiling from where she had to physically prod the alicorn out of her recollection. A slim unicorn mare with a dirty white coat and beige mane, she might as well have been a filly next to a full-grown pony in comparison to the princess. Capulet was frozen in place with her right fore-hoof pulled back as if the wrong move might result in an instantaneous blast of sun-lit magic.

“Oh Capulet, you startled me,” The princess smiled with a soothing tone, laying her left wing over the mare’s shoulder to ease the tension. “Sorry, I’m afraid I was lost in a daydream.”

Relaxing under the gentle touch and soft benevolence, Capulet let her shock melt into an understanding smile. “Sorry to give you such a jolt, Your Majesty, I just thought you looked a bit… anxious?”

Celestia met hers with a tight smile of her own, “Merely a thought getting the better of me. Nothing to worry about.” With a quick inhalation and straightening of the posture, the air of uncertainty was dispelled and exchanged for the serene and poised alicorn. “Now I assume you have today’s agenda to go over?”

“Yes!” The secretary chirped, producing a clipboard with a scroll pinned to the top. “It’s much the usual; briefings with the city council and royal petitions in the morning…”

Listening as they returned to the inner halls of the castle, Celestia could effectively recite the schedule by rote. Little in the way of her governance had altered much in the time since the ascension of her sole rule. The image of stability and permanence had been one of the most important pillars of her reign in the early years after the terror of Discord and the loss of her sister. Perhaps because it was simply an efficient system. Perhaps it was just her way of coping,

“… and just before dinner, you have a meeting with the heads of your Magic Academy to discuss….”

It had been a greater relief than she ever let on when Luna returned to her throne, a return to her own half of the duties. Technically, her sister did hold a nightcourt for the hearing of petitions and other royal ministrations; but the fact of it being at night and the reputation she had for being less empathetic kept most of them at bay. A fact that Celestia knew Luna took advantage of to partake in her dream-walking and other projects. All the same, not having to manage the night shift after a thousand years was refreshing.

“… and then of course Nightmare Moon is coming…”

The words froze Celestia in place like a shock of lightning. Suddenly her meandering thoughts were dialed to a pinpoint, along with a chill that wriggled its way up her spine. “What did you say?” She asked.

Capulet glanced up at her side to see the Princess’ gaze dead ahead, as if entranced by some unseen fixture. “I uh… I said Nightmare Night is coming up in the next week.”

Celestia let her breath exhale slowly, shedding the apprehension with a blink. “Of course. I’m sorry dear, I’m more preoccupied than I thought.”

“Anything to do with Chrysalis, Your Majesty?”

The question brought on a new train of thought, causing the princess to loose a small sound of disgust. “While she’s unpleasant to think on, she does not deprive me a moment of sleep.”

“She did seem to rattle a few cages while she had the opportunity. There were a lot of ponies gossiping and whispering on the way out.”

“There’s never any lack of water to churn the rumor mills,” Celestia observed dryly.

“I guess not.” Agreed Capulet, returning to the schedule on the unfurled parchment hovering in front of her. “But as for next week, all preparations are moving ahead for the masquerade ball.”

Celestia nodded. “Luna’s putting a lot of love into this. I hear she’s been very engaged in the planning.”

“A bit too much if you ask her staff.” Tucking the scroll away, Capulet glanced about before engaging in a bit of her own gossip. “I hear she’s a frightful micromanager and won’t let anypony else make any decisions about the decorations. They’re praying for her new aide to get here as fast as possible.”

“Well this is a big deal for her.” It was actually a happy thought for the alicorn to muse on her sister’s enthusiasm. “It is her night after all.”

“Will you be attending then? If so, we should start getting your outfit ready.”

“I don’t know,” Celestia mulled. “This is her own holiday, and I don’t want to steal any of the attention from her.”

“That’s fair, Your Grace, but it would do to ask her. Maybe she’s looking forward to having you there so she can show off.”

The Princess chuckled, “Entirely possible.”

Rounding a corner in the hall, it was then that Celestia espied Canterlot’s renown head librarian of the Royal Archives, Biblio File, coming their way. There was a brief flash of recognition between the stately earth pony and the alicorn. Within it, a telling glance so subtle only a well-trained eye would perceive it.

“Capulet, you go ahead and find the city council and tell them I’ll be along shortly,” Celestia said, gesturing with a wing down one of the hall’s other exits. “I’d like to check in with Biblio for a moment.”

“Of course, Princess,” She said, looking over to acknowledge the librarian with a friendly nod before trotting off.

In the span of a single stride Celestia’s demeanor shifted from positive to cautious, approaching Biblio with a guarded nod. “Good morning, Biblio. You have some news for me?”

Returning the greeting with a bow of her own, File maintained her customary sober expression. “Nothing exciting I’m afraid, the mystery evolves. Further examination of the crime scene yielded little else, except to postulate that the iron box originally contained scrolls of some kind before it was pilfered. Looking over Starswirl’s inventory records, I believe I’ve found a connection to an unspecified group of scrolls he referenced during his later years. What they contain, is likewise left unstated.”

“Then why would somepony steal them?” Celestia asked. “How would they even know?”

“How indeed.” A sliver of uncertainty worked its way across the matron’s expression. “I’ve interviewed the guards on duty that night and on the few nights prior, and none of them report anything out of the ordinary or suspicious.”

“And any requests to visit the Starswirl wing would have had to go through you.” Added Celestia.

“Yes.” Biblio File let the word hang, weighing the implication of her admission. She fixed her eyes on the Princess for a few moments, hoping against the prospect of seeing any hint of doubt.

The alicorn raised her head and found another object to focus on. “So, whoever did this, had to have detailed knowledge of the library and the guards’ patrols.”

File likewise quickly dropped her sight elsewhere. “Such is my assessment as well. If it pleases Your Grace, I would like to compile a list of possible suspects.”

Celestia had a sick feeling in her stomach. The mares and stallions that would be on that list would all be ponies that she knew, trusted, greeted with a smile when she saw them. But what else could be done? Whoever left that scroll, whoever knew those words was not likely one to come forth of their own volition.

“What scratches at me most, dear,” Celestia began, still looking off. “Is what could have been their motive?” She twisted back to the mare. “To what end would they do this?”

Biblio bit her lip. “Besides the interests of the theft, I have to think they wanted to scare you.”

The conversation halted as a pair of unicorn guards passing in the hall bowed to Celestia as they went.

“’Morning, Princess.” They said almost in unison.

“Good morning Roundel, Picket,” The Princess returned with a smile and a slight bow.

What would I do if it were them? She wondered. How would I feel?

Once they had walked out of earshot, Biblio licked her lips, “Princess, if you find my approach too unsavory, perhaps-”

“You have my blessing, Biblio.” Celestia spoke rather suddenly, and with a deep sigh. “As much as it pains me to hold any of you suspect, this matter must be investigated, the thief apprehended.”

“Thank you, Your Grace,” Bowed the librarian. “I shall be as thorough and… discreet as possible.”

“I believe you will.” Laying a wing on the mare’s shoulder, Celestia gave her a tight smile. “Thank you, Biblio.”

The two parted, but after a moment, the princess paused to look back. “If you require any assistance, I suggest you enlist the aid of the pegasus guard, Flash Sentry.”

“Oh?” File said, raising an eyebrow.

“I trust him.” Celestia said firmly.

ELSEWHERE IN CANTERLOT

Afternoon.

Like most any other day, the sun shone bright over the heart of Equestria. Bight, but never so hot as to be unpleasant. Its happy denizens trotting about their business, tending their stores, and generally enjoying the typically pleasant routine of their satisfied lives.

They’re like fish in a school. Mused the pair of cold, pale yellow eyes peering out from the inside of the carriage as it rolled through the city streets. Gliding along in predictable patterns… with just about as much foresight.

The carriage was unornate, if finely made of woodgrain panels and brass fixtures, giving away nothing to signify who might be riding in it or identifying specifics. It was pulled along by a pair of coal-colored earth pony stallions wearing bronze helms topped with long black mohawks.

“More lively than you’re used too?” Asked a polished female voice from the other side of the cart.

The yellow eyes shifted towards his company sitting in the opposite corner, cloaked under a velvet black robe with gold trimming, naught but her ivory horn sticking out from the hole in the top of her hood. Despite her features being hidden, one could still detect the exquisitely formed figure crouched under the fabric.

“Not to pry,” She continued with an audible grin. “But you don’t strike me as a very sociable pony.”

“I find the public tiresome, Grace,” The grim voice answered, already sounding worn out. Though the carriage shaded him from the sun, he still wore a cloak of silken black over his head, clasped about the neck with crescent moon brooch. A steel-blue nose poked out from under the hood; his horn protruding from a similar device that kept the cowl in place.

“This city is so bright it’s going to give me a migraine.”

“Good thing you’ll be working nights then, Apostle. Canterlot is quite peaceful afterhours.” Grace said. “This high up on the mountain the air is a bit thinner, the night breezes much cooler.”

Apostle’s eyes roved back to the window, “An interesting dichotomy.” He noted. “Or is it symmetry?”

The theorizing was met with a light chuckle. “Oh, I think you’ll fit right in.”

Turning a corner, the charioteers brought the shape of the royal palace into view.

Apostle craned his neck upward, “I’ve never seen the palace this close before. It always seemed so small from below.” He said with a bit of awe.

“It is something of a marvel.” Grace agreed. “I’ve lived here my whole life, and it still draws the eye.”

“I suppose I could build something nice if I had a thousand years to take my mind off a trauma.”

“Canterlot is a city built on legacy.” Reclining in her seat, Grace let a long white leg slip out from underneath the robe. “While the Earth Ponies and the Pegasai spread far and wide to settle Equestria, the unicorns knew they remained a breed apart. So here on the slope of the mountain they founded their own city, from which they could look down on all of Equestria like the nobility they had always been.”

Apostle caught sight of the leg but regarded it with no more interest than any other object in his environment before turning back to the scenery. “The legend says that Princess Platinum herself picked the spot.”

“Yes, that is how the story goes.” Noting the lack of interest from her company, the leg was swiftly withdrawn. “But it wasn’t until Celestia decided to turn it into the capitol of the continent that it began to grow into the splendor you see now. After all that… unpleasantness at her original castle.”

The yellow eyes slowly slid over to give greater scrutiny to his ride partner. “You sound like you know your history well.”

“But of course,” She responded, feigning a wounded tone. “Noblesse Oblige, my dear. If the best of our kind does not carry on our history, our memories, who will? The earth ponies who spend their lives in ceaseless labor?- The pegasai as untethered as the weather? Let them plow their noses in the dirt I say, let them chase the clouds. We are stability, Apostle, the unicorns are civilization.”

“Couldn’t put it better myself.” He countered playfully. “But the sisters forged Equestria under their hoof, a greater ascendency than any tribe could achieve on their own some might argue.”

“Well, we can’t all be demigods can we?” Grace snapped, crossing her forelegs.

Apostle felt an involuntary smirk, “So why upset the order now? Why not just enjoy the comforts of nobility? Let the sisters do all the hard work while you… do whatever it is you aristocrats do.”

“Because it is our legacy, our birthright. The unicorn was put on this world to bring it law, order, to master the forces of magic and bend them to our will. To rule, Apostle. It is our place, to rule.”

The yellow eyes rolled. “Far be it from me to cast aspersions on another pony’s ambition.”

“You disagree?” She asked, her head twisting in his direction. “After that rousing toast you gave?”

He raised a defensive hoof. “Merely playing the adversary. It’s one thing to advocate for what you believe is rightfully yours. It’s another to just be pretentious about it.”

Apostle could practically hear the polite smile forcing its way over her mouth, the product of a well-drilled social reflex in response to an indirect slight.

“You must forgive me,” Grace began, the poised tone belying a seething anger. “I forget that you are not accustomed to the… conversational nuances of Canterlot high society.”

She let the phrase dangle for a moment. “To those of a more rural upbringing, I’m sure it must come off as haughty and self-aggrandizing.”

The words were honeyed with the inflections of understanding and cordiality, but the cruel undercurrent was there for the trained ear to detect.

He did not respond right away, did not react the way a mare so trained in the socialite arts expected. Instead, he simply let the comment go unanswered, choosing rather to pretend he hadn’t heard it at all.

It was subtle, but after a few moments he did hear the sound of her lips pulling back and sucking a small breath through her teeth in impatience.

Several quiet minutes went by uninterrupted until the carriage hit a patch of cobblestones as it traversed an intersection, jostling the occupants inside.

“We’re nearing your destination,” Grace informed him. “I can always tell where I am in the city by the particular bumps and pitches of the road.”

“Have you never left Canterlot?” Apostle asked, breaking his silence at last.

“A few times a year to visit Manehattan or Los Pegasus. But they’re much to… eh, uncouth for me to want to stay there for very long.”

“Too many of the vulgar masses?”

Grace tilted her head with a sigh, “I suppose the rest of Equestria can’t help but seem dim compared to the light of Canterlot. But you enjoy the dark parts of the world, don’t you?”

A grin spread beneath the yellow eyes. “You’d be surprised at how many hidden secrets this land has to offer.”

The charioteers slowed to a stop in a small neighborhood, alongside a knee-high stone wall that had to be several years in disrepair.

Grace lifted a hoof and gestured through the window on her side. “Heritor has agreed to provide you lodging for a time until more suitable arrangements can be made.”

Crossing over, Apostle saw the lodging was not more than a run-down cottage crushed depressingly between two larger, more expensive buildings. There was a front yard that was more akin to a waterless swamp than any of the presentable status-signifiers they’d passed on the way. The house itself sat under a short bridge connecting the structures to either side.

“It reminds me of a rotted tooth.” He said flatly.

“Yes, well Heritor assures me that you should be secure here. Says nopony even notices it’s there at all.”

“It will suffice.” Apostle opened the near-facing door and stepped out, using his magic to pluck a pair of bags from the roof of the carriage. “What of Heritor?”

“She’s made other arrangements for herself,” Grace clarified. “You’ll be undisturbed.”

“Good.” He paused to adjust his cloak, “I’ll need some rest before tonight, I can’t afford to be at anything less than my best.”

“I’m sure they’ll welcome you with open hooves.”

“Thank you for the ride, Grace,” Apostle said with a curt bow. “And please express my gratitude to Legacy for everything he’s arranged.”

“I will.” Using her magic to close the door, Grace extended her left foreleg through the window, presenting it with a delicate flourish. “We’ll send for you.”

Apostle reached forward and laid a polite kiss on her hoof, “Looking forward.”

The cart moved on suddenly, leaving him standing alone on the roadside. He watched it drive off for a few moments, a suspicious habit. Curiosity sated, he took up his bags and turned towards the house. There was a low hum in his throat as he approached the door, finding it unlocked and swinging open at his prodding. Yellow eyes greeted the shadows, and he smiled.

OUTSKIRTS OF PONYVILLE

In the idyllic beauty of the forest, there was a different song in the heart of a pony.

Sitting under green eaves and surrounded by wildflowers, Fluttershy rested where a beam of sunlight poured itself through the boughs above. It was a gentle melody that she expressed in drawn out pronunciations. An ambient tune while she remained preoccupied with the bird between her hooves.

“Beloved, gaze in thine own heart, the holly tree is growing there. From joy, the holly branches start, and all the trembling flowers they bear.”

The sound was something somber and bittersweet, but still comforting. She stretched out one of the robin’s wings as she sang, feeling along the length of it for impairment.

“The changing colors of its fruit have dowered the stars with merry light. The surety of its hidden root has planted quiet in the night.”

At a certain point, the wing flinched, the location of the injury revealed, and she took a moment to caress the bird’s cheek to ease its distress.

“The shaking of its leafy head has given the waves their melody, and made my lips and music wed. Murmuring a magic song for thee.”

With great care she folded the wing and began wrapping a sliver of fabric around to keep it in place. All the while, the robin gazing up to her in rapt attention.

“There the loves a circle go, the flaming circle of our days. Grying, spiriling, to and fro, in those great ignorant leafy ways.”

Fluttershy fixed the bandage in place with a pin and gave it one final stroke with her hoof. She then lowered her own wing, and the robin hopped its way over the feathers to find a good nestling spot.

“Remembering all the shaken hair and how the winged horseshoes dart, thine eyes grow full of tender care. Beloved, gaze in thine own heart.”

She smiled at seeing the bird settle itself into the small of her back.

A twig snapped somewhere in the forest. Fluttershy’s head snapped around in the direction of the noise with a sharp gasp, hoof clutched to her breast. Her ears swiveled, listening, her eyes searched every wavering leaf.

“Hello?” She asked, barley above a whisper. “Anypony there?”

Rising to stand she postured forward, breath caught in her throat to hear any response. As the seconds ticked by her body continued to shift ever closer, an unconscious compulsion to go forth and find the source of the sound. For a few moments, she felt a warm anticipation swell in her chest.

But nothing came to reward her patience. No sign that she was anything other than alone. She exhaled with a disappointed sigh and flattened her ears, flicking her tail involuntarily.

The robin chirped up curiously from its position, eliciting Fluttershy to glace back.

“Oh, nothing little buddy. I just thought I heard something.”

The bird answered with a short series of tweets.

Fluttershy was just crossing the small, stream-spanning bridge to her cottage when she heard the voice call out.

“Oh Fluttershy, darling, there you are!”

The pegasus looked to see Rarity standing at the door to her home waving a friendly hoof. “I wasn’t sure when you’d return, dear. It’s time for Opal’s appointment.”

Indeed, the familiar cat was sauntering in between her friend’s legs, rubbing its cheeks over every limb in the way cats like to do.

“Oh, I’m sorry, Rarity,” Fluttershy apologized as she trotted up to meet her. “I must have let the time get away from me when I found this little one.” She stretched a shoulder to display the robin. “I found him when I was out for a walk in the forest.”

“Out for another walk, eh?” The unicorn queried with a coy tone. “Find anything else while you were out there?”

“No…” Shrugging as she passed, Fluttershy avoided eye contact as she pushed her door open. Rarity raised an eyebrow but did not pursue the matter.

Once inside, Rarity shut the door behind her and gave the room the once over. “I see you’ve got the place back in order.” She said, noting the collection of animal food bowls stacked on a table and the assorted forest critters either lounging about or skittering across the floor.

Fluttershy eased the injured robin into one of several straw-padded bowls arranged against a wall on various platforms. “Yeah, the changelings kinda wrecked the place, but I had a lot of help cleaning up.”

Just as she finished the sentence, it was then Rarity saw a pair of squirrels using their tails to dust-off a lamp in the corner. Above that however, was a large indentation in the wall that looked oddly quadrupedal. “Eh… what happened there?”

Glancing at what her friend was gesturing to, Fluttershy waved a dismissive hoof. “Oh, one of the changelings triggered the secret party canon Pinkie Pie installed. We spent three days picking confetti out of every nook and cranny.”

While the mares continued to gab about recent events, Opalescence was intently focused on the newly arrived robin sitting just out of view in its elevated nest. A low, eager purr filled the cat’s breast, predatory eyes peering upwards.

“How’s, um, Twilight doing?” Fluttershy asked as she gathered some feline-related care items, including the tin of ‘Look Your Baast’ fur oil imported from Abyssinia especially at Rarity’s request. “Is she still trying to shake Chrysalis out of her head?”

“You know, it’s hard to say,” Rarity sighed, looking over a family of mice playing in a sawdust-floored cage. “She’s been very busy lately, I’ve only spoken to her a few times. If it’s not dealing with the needs of the town, she seems so preoccupied with other things, I can barely get her to hold a conversation.”

“Oh, like, what other things?”

“Not sure,” Tapping her chin with a hoof, the pale mare gave the question a bit of thought. “Whenever I ask, she just tells me it’s nothing to worry about. I don’t know how much I believe her though.”

Snuggled comfortably into its temporary nest, the robin lazily turned its head. A flash of movement in the corner of its vision caused it to tense with a chirp, but after a moment of anxious scrutiny, it failed to detect any sign of danger.

The white cat poised still as a statue on the shelf, frozen mid-stride as it stalked towards its target, angling along the wall to the left of the nest.

“Maybe she just wants to take her mind off things,” Observed Fluttershy, setting down a claw-scarred wash bed. “You know how she gets.”

Rarity bobbed her head, “True darling, but I’m moreso considering the circumstances. Chrysalis went to great lengths to punish Twilight personally; she’s never faced that kind of animosity before. Even Trixie was more of a nuisance than anything else.”

Opal, from her vantage on the nest platform just above the robin’s, readied herself to pounce on the otherwise unaware bird.

But just as she launched herself into the air, she was caught in a nimbus of light-blue magic. Much to her chagrin.

“Mrrow”

“I just hope she isn’t feeling worse than she’s admitting.” Setting Opal down into the washbed, Rarity untied the bow in the cat’s fur and removed her collar. “Being a princess carries a certain obligation to keep up a façade of confidence and stability. I worry she might be doing so at the expense of her own well-being.”

Fluttershy began running a brush through Opal’s fur, “And what about you?” She asked, shifting the focus. “You and Sweetie Belle getting on okay?”

“Oh, you know me,” Rarity huffed playfully. “We’ve dealt with those nasty changelings before, and Sweetie thinks the whole thing was an adventure. She can be utterly incorrigible sometimes.”

There was a pause before Fluttershy spoke again. “And, no more letters from you-know-who?”

The question caught Rarity a bit off guard. Though she had told the others about the letter Wanderlust left her, Fluttershy was the one she really talked about it with. Love the rest of her friends as much as she did, there were certain feminine aspects she felt the gentle pegasus connected with her best on. It’s what made her such a good spa buddy and gossip partner.

“Unfortunately, no,” She said after a long inhale. “After everything that’s happened, I think he’s returned to the road.”

“For what it’s um, worth, Rarity, I think he was looking forward to starting something new here, and he cared about what you thought of him.”

“He was nice to have around the house… for the day or two that he was…” Seeing that Opal was in the customary good care of her friend; Rarity gave the cat one last stroke before breaking away. “I certainly wouldn’t mind having him cook breakfast again at least. Anyway, I’ve got a few errands to run, Fluttershy, I’ll be back in a bit to pick up my little Opal-wopal.”

The cat did little more than raise an eyebrow and utter a disgruntled ‘Mrow’.

“No rush, she’ll be ready when you get back.” Giving her friend a wave goodbye as she went through the door, Fluttershy set the brush down and leaned in close to Opal.

“Now you just sit tight, and I’ll go fetch the water for your bath.”

With a quick muzzle-nuzzle, the mare flittered off, leaving Opalescence alone. The cat stayed in place, only her eyes moving to follow the pegasus out of sight. When the last of the pink tail was gone, they shifted quickly back, finding the robin once more.

TWILIGHT’S CASTLE

Evening.

“Aren’t you excited, Twilight?”

Spike’s question jolted the Princess of Friendship out of the nap she’d been in the middle of, her head shooting up from where it had been laying on its side at her desk.

“Hmm? What?” Was her half-mumbled response, a partially unfurled scroll stuck to her forehead.

Bounding over from the doorway, Spike hopped up and detached the paper from its adhesion, waving it around. “The Masquerade! Princess Luna’s ball coming up!”

Spike himself had coughed-up the invitation earlier in the day, right when he was in the middle of building a castle of cards.

“Oh, right…” Rubbing her head with a forehoof, Twilight yawned and pushed herself away from the cluttered desk. Layered of scrolls and a pile of books, the ugly cornucopia was the focal point in the makeshift office she’d created in one of the many unused rooms.

She plucked the note from the dragon with her magic, reading it over for what seemed the first time. It wasn’t unlike the letters she’d received for the Grand Galloping Gala in as far as its quality went, the difference was in the style. Whereas Celestia’s Gala invites were reflective of her solar theme of white and gold, this one was a beautiful denim blue with ivory-colored lettering, the text surmounted by the image of a half-mask.

“I think it’s going to be the biggest event of the season,” Spike continued. “Just like the Grand Galloping Gala!”

“That’s probably Luna’s idea, Spike,” Twilight added as she rolled the scroll and set it aside. “We got her to enjoy Nightmare Night so much when she came back, I guess she really wants to make something new out of it.”

“Who’s gonna say ‘no’ to another holiday on the calendar?” Asked Spike as he glanced around the room; the décor including a map of Equestria that spanned half the wall and a duel set of rapidly filling bookcases. “I know it ain’t gonna be me.”

“Well, this one’s gonna be past your bedtime, Spike, it doesn’t start until midnight.” Sparkle thought a moment. “And I’m gonna need a proper costume.”

“I bet Rarity would love to help you out with that.”

“I bet you’re right,” Twilight chirped, the array of papers and books on her desk were taken up in her magic, sorted into neat categories and replaced on the tabletop. “I’ve been cooped-up in the castle for days, I need to get some fresh air.”

Sliding one folder in particular into the desk-draw and tucking the invitation into a carry-pouch, Twilight pushed her swivel chair back and rounded the room to the door. “Spike, if anypony’s looking for me, I’m going out for a canter.”

“Take your time, Twilight,” Spike called back as she left, hopping into the swivel and letting it spin around. “If you come across a new issue of ‘Mane-iac’ while you’re out, I would treasure you forever if you picked it up for me.”

“Isn’t that one set in an ‘elseworld’ or something? Where she’s the hero instead of the villain?” She asked, pausing at the entrance.

“That’s the one!”

Sparkle rolled her eyes and smirked. “If I should happen…”

“Thanks!” With a short wave, Spike propped his diminutive legs on the desk and braced his head with both claws.

When Twilight had been out of sight for several seconds, he let out a relaxed sigh. “I gotta get me an office.”

In the town center of Ponyville, Twilight was relieved to see the denizens alive with activity, the besieged berg beginning to look more like itself. All around she saw ponies with optimistic attitudes and hopeful smiles as they repaired their homes and businesses. The emergency relief package from Canterlot had helped with the cost of rebuilding, but it was the community itself, every pony pitching in to help their neighbors that was actually doing the work.

She passed by Sugercube Corner, where Mr. and Mrs. Cake had worked day and night to clean-out the mess left behind by the Changelings and get their shop up and running. The sweet scents of cinnamon, vanilla, and fresh baked bread were already wafting out from the kitchen windows to tantalize hapless passerby’s into parting with their bits. There was a flash of memory from the terrible night, when she and the imposter Spike had holed themselves up in the cottage, when she had caught the glimpse of the gleaming green eyes.

Twilight came to a halt, looking to the shop and indulging herself in punishing notions of how she failed to detect that her closest friend and confidant had been replaced. She appreciated that Spike didn’t hold it against her, but it still didn’t make her feel any better.

“I’ve got to make it up to him for his hatch-day.” She resolved.

Moving on, Twilight meted out a few ‘hellos’ and ‘good evenings’ as she went, accepting them in return from others. The top floor of town hall was surrounded in framework where a few pegasai and earth-ponies were still installing the new roofing after clearing the fire damage. Mayor Mane had been putting in long hours on her end, doing half her work from home, and all despite her own recovery from being one of the victims taken to the hive.

Eventually, Twilight found herself at Carousel Boutique. Doors closed against the Fall evening’s drop in temperature, light in the windows gave signal to activity inside, and a silhouette passed by one to her right.

“Oh, hello Twilight!” Rarity greeted with a cheer as the junior alicorn entered the shop, putting aside a naked mannequin she’d been moving. “I wasn’t expecting a visit tonight.”

“Just thought I’d drop in,” Twilight said, lifting a foreleg for them to hug. “I needed to get out of the castle for a bit. Pluuus…”

Breaking apart, Sparkle produced the invitation to Luna’s masquerade, unfolding it for Rarity to inspect. “I need a dress.”

The curious unicorn quickly scanned the letter with lips pinched, then gasped. “Twilight! This is incredible! Princess Luna is having a masquerade!” Rarity said, pronouncing the last word with an accent. “And on Nightmare Night? You’re just telling me now? How could you!”

An embarrassing blush gave her away, forcing Twilight to shrug. “Well, to be honest I kinda forgot about it until Spike reminded me. I’ve been a little busy since, uh, you know.”

“I can only imagine.” The seamstress sympathized with a scrunched smile, then began adjusting Twilight’s mane with slight touches of magic. “But if you’re in need of something to wear, that I can help you with.”

Rarity stepped back from where Twilight stood on the model dais, draping the measuring tape around her neck as she made mental notes.

“Your measurements are pretty much the same dear, I just wanted to make sure.”

The princess smiled awkwardly, “You made a me dress a couple months ago.”

“I know, it’s just… Well…” Rarity shrugged. “Ever since you became an alicorn, I’ve been wondering if you’re going to…” After a moment, she straightened her legs and arched her back to make herself appear taller and larger.

In a moment Twilight understood and suppressed a small chuckle, “You know, I’ve been wondering about that myself.”

They shared a warm giggle, Twilight flaring out her wings. “I keep thinking I’m going to wake up one day and my mane will be all wavy.”

“Oh…” Rarity swooned as she put a hoof to her chest. “I can just picture it.”

Twilight trotted over to the rack of base dress designs and slide a few aside, glancing among them. “I know I’m asking for a gown on super-short notice.”

“Darling, I take it as a challenge.” The unicorn waved off. “Truthfully, I’ve had some ideas for this sort of thing for a while. Uw! I can’t wait to get started!”

She made to head off towards her fabrics, but Rarity stopped and backtracked. “Sooo… given any thought to your plus-one?”

“Uh… maybe.” Twilight answered non-committedly. “Besides one of you girls, I don’t know who I’d bring to something like that...”

“Reeeeally?” Her friend teased with a mischievous bit of the lip, “Can’t think of any stallion at all…?”

The purple princess did her best to hide the rising shade of red on her cheeks. “Rarity… I-”

“Are you sure there isn’t any pony who works in Canterlot?” Coming just behind Twilight, Rarity nudged her flank. “A certain somepony who might look handsome in his Guard uniform?”

“Oh, will you stop!” Twilight scolded, turning to give her a friendly swipe. But Rarity dodged the attack and began laughing wickedly as she hurried away up the stairs to her design studio.

“Goll-lee…” She sighed, shaking her head. “It’s getting late Rarity, I’m heading home.”

Indeed, the evening glow had since faded to dusk and despite the nap earlier, Twilight could feel the first pangs of weariness calling to her. Giving the path to the upper floor one last glance, she listened for any response. But after a moment of nothing but the faint tones of hum-singing, figured Rarity was already engrossed in her work. “I’ll catch up with you later!”

Passing an oddly dissatisfied-looking Opalescence curled about the base of her scratching-pole on her way out, Twilight gave the kitty a friendly stroke over the back before crossing the doorway threshold. She was greeted by the cool kiss of the season’s air upon a breeze, reminding her to sketch out preparations for the annual Running of the Leaves when she found a spare moment. Indeed, as she trotted home all manner of ideas and plans for the upcoming season competed for headspace, a pleasant distraction from all the worry and stress of the past week.

“Princess Twilight.”

The voice seemed to call out of nowhere. Taken by sudden surprise from her thoughts, Sparkle halted with a jolt, glancing about the street to see who’d spoken. For several moments she could not discern who it had been. Though a dozen or so ponies were out and strolling, none of them were attentive to her searching.

“Over here.”

Given the second clue, Twilight turned and found a lone figure seated in the outside restaurant at one of the tables comprising the edge of the arrangement. A grey stallion wearing what looked like an old worn olive-drab sun hat and a blue scarf tied around his neck. Resting at the base of his seat was a pair of familiar saddle bags.

“We should talk,” He said, lifting a cup of tea to his mouth and taking a modest sip.

“Yeah…” She gaped, still astonished. “We should.”

As she approached the table, Wanderlust stood from his seat and used his magic to push out the adjoining chair for her.

“Thank you.” Twilight said, using her own magic to slide herself closer to the table, Wanderlust doing the same.

“I may be an outlaw, but that’s no reason not to be a gentlecolt.” He punctuated with a wink, shifting his hat back on his head to reveal a smirk. “My mother would never stand for it.”

White magic engulfed the porcelain tea kettle and poured a second cup, simultaneously arranging the bowl of sugar cubes to the table center.

“I’m glad you stuck around.” Was the first thing Twilight said, earning a momentary pause in his work. “There’s so much I want to ask you about.”

“And there are many answers I’d like to give you.” Wanderlust complimented, resuming the pour. “You know it feels like forever since I’ve had an unabridged conversation. Sugar?”

“One, please.”

“Very well.” Expertly dropping the single white block into her cup, he passed it to her.

“How are you alive?” Her question came out with no hidden trace of astonishment, ignoring her tea and staring directly at him. “I mean I know some really old beings, but you were just a regular pony, right?”

“Mortal? Once, yes.” Wanderlust nodded, settling back into his chair. “I’m not invulnerable, I know that for sure. I suppose a better term to describe me would be ‘preserved’. Like a… pickle.”

“Then, how?” There was a distinctly new character to his speech she noted, as if speaking without the façade of the vagabond she’d met before allowed a truer, more casual conversation.

He licked his lips for a thought. “There are, as you know, certain artifacts of ancient magic in this world, each providing their own particular blessings or curses. I drank from one such item called the Cup of Crimson Wonder, at the behest of omens that led me on a long journey. The gift it bestowed has been my long life, to serve me for so long as my destiny requires.”

Twilight’s brow furrowed, “What does that mean?”

Casting his head aside, Wanderlust huffed comedically. “Gods above know. Until recently I thought my purpose was to avenge my family and defeat Chrysalis. But nothing seems to have changed so… I suppose your guess is as good as mine.”

Thinking on the manner in which the magical table in her castle guided her and her friends to solve friendship problems far and wide across Equestria, Twilight recognized what it felt like to flounder at discovering your purpose.

“I get that sometimes myself.” She consoled.

“Then we’re both instruments of fate.” He said, raising his cup to toast. She did likewise, and both took a sip.

“The Princesses told me a lot about you, and what happened.” Twilight began. “That you wouldn’t cross a line when it came to Sombra.”

There was a long deliberate stare from Wanderlust, not at her but rather through her to some distant point beyond. He ruminated in this state for a bit before exhaling. “Yes… That was the point of no return. Sombra may’ve succumbed to a dark madness, but I was in full control of my mind when I refused Celestia. I knew what might happen, I accepted the consequences.”

“But why couldn’t you help?!” She spat suddenly, bringing her hoof down on the table and rattling the cups. “If you couldn’t go yourself, you could have sent others.”

“I’ve spent a thousand years thinking about it, Twilight. All the ways I might have done something. But there is no loopholing the gods, Princess, not by word or deed could I make war upon my brother. I might have gone to usurp Sombra’s conquest out from under him as his rightful Lord, but that would have won me nothing but his wrath. If I send warriors, it’s still my command. All the shoulda-coulda-woulda’s you can devise.”

He paused. “Truth be told… I had hoped the Princesses would defeat him. I did not recognize the unicorn that left Thule and set the Crystal Empire ablaze.”

The two gazes met, neither flinching. “Right or wrong I made my decisions, and I live with them. All the doubt, all the regret, all the guilt, all the bitter pride.”

They each took a moment to process, downing another few gulps of tea.

Twilight cast her gaze off to the side, “You know… I still believe Celestia would forgive Æclypse if you asked.”

“You’re probably right,” Wanderlust said looking down. “But he no longer exists to seek it. I however have my own priorities. I meant it when I told you about opening an academy for young ponies, that was my goal before the Changelings mucked everything up.”

Twilight at last broke a small smile. “Maybe once we finish putting the town back together, we can revisit those options.”

“But there is something else, Princess Twilight. Something I’ve been after for a very long time.” Using his magic to reach into one of his saddlebags, Wanderlust produced a thick book, hardcover beaten, pages tinged with age. Setting it on the table and flipped though until locating his intention, he spun the book around and faced it to Twilight.

“The Alicorn Amulet?” She asked confused, seeing depicted on the page a pretty good likeness of the infamous artifact, having the general shape but lacking certain details. “It’s filled with dark magic, what do you want with it?”

“It’s not quite what you think it is, Twilight.” He began, using his magic to create a series of visions over the book to illustrate his tale. “I first heard about it four-hundred years ago when I was still on the other side of the Celestial Sea, black-market brokers in magical items spreading rumors of an amulet filled with dark power. Once they described it, I realized it was familiar to me as something once possessed by Queen Amoré of the Crystal Empire, a gift to her from Celestia.”

Twilight’s eyes opened as wide as dinner plates. “What?!” She hissed, stifling her alarm to not disrupt the ponies within earshot. “The book I had didn’t mention anything about that!”

“I think I know the one you’re talking about, and you’re right. Makes me think it was written sometime after it’s rediscovery. Amoré showed it to my mother during a diplomatic visit to the Empire, though its true purpose I only devised later. The amulet is a vessel, designed to absorb and store a large capacity of magic. In Amoré’s case, a battery of Celestia’s own power I must assume. The fact that it is now known to contain dark magic leads me to believe-”

“It’s filled with Sombra’s magic…” Twilight spoke in a hush to finish his sentence. “Trixie used it to battle me, it corrupted her, turned her into a tyrant.”

“So I’ve learned, much to my heartbreak.” A weight seemed to press down on Wanderlust as he sighed. “I told her about my mission to find it, she knew what to look for, what it could do because she grew up helping me search for it.”

His hoof curled around the teacup, visibly uncomfortable. “After I left her, the last thing I thought she’d do was go find it, much less put the blasted thing on. She knew what it was and she still used it. I suppose I should be angry with her, but who am I to condemn anypony?” The ethereal illustrations dissolved as he shut the book.

Twilight narrowed her eyes, regarding him carefully. “So why do you want it? If it’s full of your brother’s evil power, what do you want to do with it?”

“I want to destroy it, Twilight.” He answered with a stare as hard as stone. “This is what brought me back to Equestria. I became Wanderlust so I could search this continent without drawing attention to myself.”

Sparkle could feel the severity radiating off him, his eyes glinting with a cold seriousness.

“I might be too late to do anything about Sombra or make amends to those he hurt, but this, this last vestige of the malevolent force that turned him into a monster… This at least I can rectify and destroy the last of his evil once and for all.”

Princes Twilight considered him for a time, and they sat in silence.

“We’ll be closing in ten minutes!” A waitress cheerily informed them as she cleared an adjacent table.

“I know where it is.” Twilight said to finally break the silence. “After we got Trixie to take it off, I put it somewhere safe.”

“That’s good, but the only way to be truly safe is to get rid of the evil magic it contains.”

“Most probably, but how?” She asked. “I’d like to save the amulet if at all possible, but what do we do with the magic?”

“I haven’t exactly nailed that down yet.” Wanderlust admitted, leaning back. “I had a few ideas, but I figured I’d need to find the thing first.”

He glanced at the waitress standing not far away, and decided it was time. Retrieving a few bits from his bags, he tossed them on the table and stood from his seat, donning the bags as he did.

Sparkle did likewise and led the way back to her castle, Wanderlust in tow.

“I’m willing to believe you, but we do this together. We find a safe way to dispel the amulet’s power or siphon it out somehow.”

“We’ll need to take precautions,” He agreed. “Even the slightest bit infecting one of us could be a disaster.”

They walked a few moments before she had something more to say.

“And there’s one other thing I’ll need from you.” She declared.

“That being?”

Twilight twisted the corner of her lip into something mischievous “You’ll need a fancy outfit, for a formal occasion, but with a bit of flair.”

Wanderlust trotted up to come even with her, puzzled. “What are you talking about?”

“If you want me to take you to the amulet, then you’re going to be my plus-one to the Nightmare Night masquerade.” Her face upturned, Twilight deliberately ignored the look of bewilderment on his.

“You want me to go to a ball? Why do you make it sound like there’s a catch?” He prodded, apprehension building.

“Because the ball is in Canterlot, at the palace.”

Wanderlust stopped dead in his tracks as she continued onward, his mouth suddenly going dry, heart palpitating, eyes widening in dread.

“Dear gods no…”

CANTERLOT

LATE NIGHT

“You there! Those curtain ties need to be higher!”

The command provoked another flurry of activity in the ballroom, ponies hurrying hither and tither, some with measuring tape to ensure the exact precision of their work. Hovering above them all, Princess Luna observed with suspicion and jealousy all the doings of the palace night staff as they set about the preparations for her masquerade. In biddance to her order, a pegasus mare flew up the length of the towering dark blue curtains and relocated the large silver ribbons that belted either side.

“Good! Now make sure the folds are evenly spaced!”

“Yes, Princess!” The poor mare sighed, her face tired.

Luna crossed her forehooves, searching among the throng for any activity not sufficiently busy or setting not properly set.

“I will put Celestia’s droll gala to shame!” She boldly proclaimed, stretching her forehooves out in exclamation. “Behold and tremble at the nocturnal elegance of my design!” Luna tittered. “Tales of my masquerade’s splendor and exquisite genius shall be spoken of in swooning recitation and the most refined circulations.”

Curling a hoof to her chest, the dream-walker became mentally enchanted by her own ambitions, letting a devilish grin form in her lips.

A knock on the hall’s entrance drew the attention of a posted thestral sentry who arched his eyebrow at the sound. The double doors to the ballroom swung open crisply, and a single unicorn stallion stood at the threshold.

“Greetings,” He said with a cunning charm. “I am Apostle.”

Original art by Faith-Wolff

Wearing a black robe clasped with a crescent moon brooch, the hood lowered to uncover his steel-blue fur and black mane, his pale-yellow eyes shined with delight.

Receiving him was the stern face of a Lunar guard, tall and helmeted, his scrutinizing gaze unreactive to the newcomer.

“Your arrival is expected.” The thestral soldier stated flatly.

“As it should be.” Apostle agreed, then he tilted his head. “I must say I’ve never met a thestral of your stature before. You’re an impressive specimen.”

“I am Leo Nightus, commander of the Lunar Guard and First Servant of the Night Mistress.” He said with a snort. “I was bred for this position.”

“And very well I’d say, Commander.”

Commissioned art by Faith-Wolff

“Follow me.” Nightus instructed, allowing Apostle to enter. As they walked, the unicorn marveled at the effort being put on for the ball’s preparation. That was until his gaze found the blue alicorn, and a breath escaped him involuntarily.

A side glance and Leo noticed that the stranger’s attention had become fixed on the Princess. This evoked an ember of irritation in the thestral, causing him to scowl.

“Princess Luna requires an aide to attend her mundane tasks, so that she may more adequately attend her greater duties.”

“I will do all that the Princess requires of me.” Apostle smiled, never taking his eyes from her. “I am eager to serve.”

Nightus faced forward, snorting.

Approaching the Princess, the commander signaled to one of his subordinate troops to fetch her attention. Then as they stopped, he turned.

“You come highly recommended,” Leo stated without compliment. “Despite such a dearth of information on your résumé.”

Apostle gave no hint of offense, but smirked. “Read my file, have you? My patrons have often employed me with no small degree of confidentiality. Please understand that I am not at liberty to put many of my accolades into print. Trust that I will serve her Grace with no less dedication or… discretion.”

“And trust that you will be watched, unicorn.” Leo Nightus warned, using his stature to impose himself. “Until I decide otherwise.”

Apostle acknowledged with a deferential nod. “Of course. The safety and welfare of the Princess is our paramount interest.”

“Is this the one?”

Both stallions looked up to see Luna descending to land among them, taking in the newcomer with curious caution. “You are to be my new aide?”

“Princess Luna,” Bowing his horn to the floor, Apostle prostrated himself with perfect poise. “I am Apostle, and it is my immeasurable honor to come into your divine service.”

She regarded his show of exaltation with an arched brow, giving Leo look as if to say: “Well, that’s interesting.”

Luna raised her right foreleg and presented her hoof. Still kneeling, Apostle touched his own hoof gently on the underside of hers and kissed it.

“Forgive my obsequious, Your Grace, but long have I wished to lay but a single kiss upon your sacred cleft and pledge myself to the Mistress of the Night.”

“It does seem like you’ve practiced.” She said dryly, withdrawing her hoof. “Rise, Apostle, you may entertain me with your honed flattery another time. For now, I accept your service and assign you your first task.”

“Your wish is my command, Princess” Apostle righted himself, appearing all the more satisfied.

“Yes, I suppose it is.” Returning to the air, Luna pointed to a podium at the foot of the throne dais where sat pile of parchments, some curled some flat. “There you will find my many notes and designs for the hall. See to it that all the objectives for the night are completed.”

“Down to the finest detail, Your Majesty.” The unicorn accepted with a lowered head.

Luna now turned her attention to Leo Nightus, “Commander, there are many dreams for me to visit tonight, I shall see you at the appointed time and place.”

“You will, Your Majesty.” He likewise acknowledged with a bow.

As she rose higher into the air, so that the moon was visible through the grand window, she gave the loyal thestral a wink. Luna turned, her horn alighting at the tip and spiraling down along its length. Suddenly pale rays of moonlight became apparent through the glass, bathing her in an ethereal ivory glow that enveloped her until she was nothing but a shimmer. The light then faded, leaving nothing behind.

Apostle let out a euphoric gasp, still mesmerized to the spot she’d disappeared. “What a sight…” He said reverently.

Leo Nightus squinted in his direction but could not find himself disagreeing with the sentiment. “It never gets old.”

With a sharp breath the Commander dispelled the moment and hardened his nerve once more. “You have your task for the night, Unicorn.” He prodded with a gesture. “Do not disappoint the Princess.”

They parted with respectful nods, Apostle letting his gaze linger as Nightus walked away before resettling on the collection of plans on the podium. He strode over, neither greeting nor seeming to notice those he passed by, his interest solely focused. Rounding about to the sloped side and taking in the number of scrolls, he selected the one on top: a diagram of the seating arrangement encircling the dance floor.

“Elegant.” He remarked.

A quick lick of the lips preceded his shifting glance, making sure nopony’s attention was too interested in his direction. He used his magic to bring the sheet closer to his face, obscuring himself between its curled edges. His eyes closed, and he took a long, deep sniff of the parchment, running his nose over its surface. The exhale that followed was one of gratification, released slowly to savor every particle of scent.

Opening his eyes, he searched and singled out a pony elsewhere on the floor, “You there… A little to the right.”

ELSEWHERE IN CANTERLOT

“I’m still trying to figure out how we swing this.”

In the hall lit by firelight from the corner braziers and the candelabra at the center of the long table, the cloaked figure at one end parsed indecisively through several papers. Some diagrams, others full of text; he scanned among them with a frustrated sigh.

“It’s the bloody timing! She just had to have her little party.” The stymied stallion was hooded in a black velvet robe with gold accents, an aperture for his white horn to stick out and keep the hood in place. He took a sheet in his magic and after a momentary inspection, cast it back down.

“I’m looking forward to it.” Reclining in her own seat two down to his right, the unicorn mare under her similar hood was conversely inspecting the pedicure of her own forehoof. Her fur was pale paste yellow, her accent aristocratic. “I think it’s delicious that we’ll be hiding behind our masks. Isn’t it so fitting, Legacy?”

“The comedy of it is not lost on me, Worthy,” He said with his own less acute enunciation, sorting a few sheets into a stack. “But we can’t be in two places at once.”

“Oh, the dilemmas of our station.” She mused. “We’re too important to not be seen at Luna’s inaugural ball, but then we’ll be stuck there during midnight on Nightmare Night.”

“And thus, out of position for the ideal moment to perform the ceremony.” Legacy finished with a tired hoof to his head. “At least until the next full moon I suppose.”

“What of Apostle?” She asked. “Has he voiced any chagrin over the confliction?”

“Not to me at least. I’ll have to meet with him and hammer out these details.” Arranging the papers together and affixing them with a binder clip, the stallion pushed them away and sunk back into his chair.

“He’s a fox, that one. Too clever by half. Whatever trust we place in him should be kept at leg’s length.”

“I think we all assume he has his ulterior motives, Legacy.” Leaning forward, Worthy placed her foreknees on the table and steepled her hooves together. “The question is: do our interests align long and far enough to get what we both want? I mean, who that comes to sit at this table doesn’t have their own agenda? We are a conspiracy after all.”

“True.” He acknowledged with a wave. “But he’s still an outsider. I don’t care what kind of magical artifacts he brings to the table. I’d much prefer a more diplomatic avenue to all this.”

“As if the alicorns were going to be persuaded to turn over their crowns.” She scoffed. “Or that the earth ponies and pegasus would ever agree to a return to the pre-Equestrian social order. Come now old friend, we wouldn’t be here if we had any more convenient options.”

Legacy took a few deep breaths, reaching into his hood to massage the length of his nose. “It’s late, Won’t your husband be missing you?”

“Doubtful.” She rolled her eyes. “Ever since he discovered fantasy leagues for hoofball, he’s hardly noticed my late comings and goings.”

“Well I for one am quite weary.” Taking the collection of papers in his magic, he slid them into a drawer just under the surface of his portion of table, and placing them in, shut and locked it. He took the key and dropped it into an inside pocket of his cloak as he stood.

“Care to accompany me for a bit?” Offering a foreleg, the gentlecolt waited as she came over and gracefully interlaced hers underneath.

As they made their exit, they used their combined magic touches to extinguish the flames until the only light came from the passageway beyond the doors.

She paused at the threshold. “Oh by the way, our next little message for Celestia will be up in the morning.”

“Oh good.” Legacy chirped. “That should be fun.”

JUST BEFORE DAWN

CANTERLOT

“Good morning, Your Grace.” Leo Nightus greeted with a bow as the solar alicorn approached the doorway of the eastern balcony.

“Good morning, Leo.” She replied warmly though somewhat morphed by an oncoming yawn. “How was the night?”

“Productive. Princess Luna was able to focus her attention on guiding those in the dreamscape instead of busying herself with the number of doilies on the tables or how many folds are in the curtains.”

Celestia had a good chuckle. “I see her new assistant has assumed those responsibilities then?”

“Indeed he has.” Though he tried to mask it, there was a detectable twinge in the way the soldier chose to agree, earning a curious eye from the princess.

“And your first impression of him is… unfavorable?” She asked leadingly.

Leo shifted slightly, a signal of his discomfort. “It is not my place to spread rumor and gossip, Your Majesty.”

Glancing to both sides, Celestia tilted her head, awaiting him to continue.

“But I don’t like him.” He finally admitted.

“You know, Commander,” She began, sliding closer. “You have many skills, but I’ve been around long enough to see through the most stoic façades.”

She got closer, lowering her voice to a moderate whisper. “I know how you feel about her. But don’t let that turn every stallion in her orbit into an enemy. A little jealously is natural as long as you can be reasonable about it. Give him a fair chance.”

“Of course you are correct, Princess, wise as ever. It’s just…” There was a long pause before he finished the thought. “He strikes me as something of a sycophant. He seemed all too… satisfied to kiss her hoof.”

“Luna does attract an eclectic following.” Celestia shrugged. “It’s her niche.”

Now it was Nightus who contained a chortle. “Aye, she does.”

“I wouldn’t worry, Leo.” Laying a wing on his shoulder, she gave him an encouraging smile. “Luna knows she could not have a more steadfast and faithful champion than you.”

A tight grin could not help but break its way through his defenses. “You are too kind, Your Grace.”

“Just trying to be helpful.”

The balcony doors creaked open, and through them came the silhouette of the aforementioned unicorn. Apostle walked out as one in a state of elation, a dreamlike aura about him. He spotted Leo and Celestia standing to the side and gave them a blissful bow.

“Princess Luna awaits you, Your Majesty.”

Nodding in return, Celestia offered her hoof. “Thank you, mister…?”

Apparently caught off guard for a moment, a startled Apostle stared, hesitating a few seconds before his compliant veneer returned and he surrendered the kiss.

“Apostle, Your Highness. I am your sister’s humble servant.”

She had the long-practiced poise not to show it, but in the moment he touched her, there was an odd feeling. Though perhaps it could just be Commander Nightus’ misgivings rubbing off on her.

“And may you serve her well,” She bid him. “If you find yourself with the time, I might suggest meeting with my aide, Capulet. She can help you get more acquainted with the castle and how things run.”

“I shall make a point of it.” Sparing the balcony one last interested glance, Apostle straightened his posture. “Do forgive me, but Princess Luna has dismissed me for the day and my body is still adjusting to the late hours. I must retire.”

“Of course.” Celestia and Leo Nightus moved to allow him room to pass.

“Your Grace, Commander,” The unicorn nodded to each in turn before exiting.

“I will do as you advise.” Leo said after Apostle was out of sight. “I will afford him the opportunity to prove me wrong, Your Majesty. But I will keep my eye on him nonetheless.”

“That’s all I ask.” Using a wing-tip to pat him on the shoulder, Celestia headed out to the balcony.

I fear I shall have to do much the same…

Luna was lounging on the balcony rail, forehooves draped over the side as she looked out to the western horizon.

“Finished gossiping with my commander, are you?”

Celestia rolled her eyes. “As if he were capable of such a thing.”

Luna swiveled a head to look back with a wry smirk. “Oh, I’ll crack that nut yet, Celestia. He’s a tough one, but I’ll wear him down.”

“I believe you will.” Joining her sister at the balcony rail, the solar alicorn chewed her lip for a second in thought. “How have you been lately, really?” She asked seriously.

The tone of the question struck Luna as abrupt, and she stared back at Celestia perplexed before answering. “Preoccupied, I suppose is the best way to put it.” She said. “I want my masquerade to be a big hit, but quite frankly I’m so nervous. I’ve sought to alleviate my fretfulness by throwing myself into the preparation.”

“I hear you’ve become quite the terror.” Celestia giggled.

“I’m sure I have.” Shifting her gaze sidelong away from her sister, Luna tried to hide a bit of embarrassment. “I also didn’t realize how much I’d enjoy the whole process.”

“Once you have a dozen or so of these things under your wing, it all becomes somewhat routine.” The older alicorn advised. “I know it will be a wonderful night for you.”

Luna turned back and found Celestia wearing an encouraging smile. “Thank you, sister. I can’t wait to show you.”

Simultaneously they felt tugs on their magic, the call of their respective duties. Together and without any further pomp or circumstance, they ascended a few paces into the air, horns and eyes brimming with light.

As if projections on an unimaginable canvas, the moon rotated and sunk down into the west, taking with it the deeper shades in its wake. From behind them in the east arose the sun, heralded by the oncoming wave of clear sky and cradled in ribbons of orange, red, and yellow atmospheric strata. The heavenly bodies set in motion, the sisters lowered to the ground and relaxed their magic.

“In any case, with Apostle’s management of the ball, I’m glad to be able to concentrate more on helping troubled ponies in the dreamscape. It tends to being me back into focus.”

Luna shrugged her haunches to disperse some stress. “Put things in perspective.”

“We all need a little time for introspection.” Celestia agreed.

“Enjoy your day, sister.” Retreating, Luna raised a salutary wing. “I shall see you at dinner.”

“Luna-” Reaching out, Celestia stopped her, and much to Luna’s surprise, embraced her in a firm hug.

“I want you to know that I love you, and…” Adjusting herself to bring them face-to-face, Celestia wanted to drive the next point home. “And however you might decide you want to… transform your relationship with-” She paused to glance back towards the hall. “-Him, know that you have my blessing, and I will support you in whatever way I can.”

Her face drawn out, Luna sputtered to find the words she wanted to say, a perceptible puddle of moisture accumulating along the bottom of her eyes. Ultimately, she elected to simply throw herself back into the embrace and nestle even tighter with her sister.

“Thank you, Celestia.” Luna choked, almost breaking. “I love you too.”

After a few beats more of sisterly affection, they untangled themselves, Luna heading off with a smile and theatrical command for Leo Nightus to escort her.

Celestia remained on the balcony, letting the wind pick up her mane and dance with it. Spread out before her, Equestria bloomed like a flower in the morning light, a garden of life and prosperity. After more than a thousand years, it was still her favorite sight. She remained there for a few minutes enjoying the bucolic tranquility, waiting for Capulet to come find her there to start their day.

“Princess Celestia?”

It was definitely not Capulet who had arrived first. Instead, she turned to find a visibly nervous Flash Sentry standing at the doorway.

“Yes, Flash?” She asked with concern.

He glanced sidelong, “There’s uh, there’s something you need to come see.”

Celestia wasn’t sure what could be the matter, but she felt a chill at the base of her neck.

“Capulet is going around to make excuses for your absence, Princess,” Flash explained as they descended the staircase, heading out to the courtyard. “I’ve managed to grab enough guards to keep the area blocked off from civilian onlookers.”

Evidently Biblio File had spoken to Flash Sentry, which is how he knew the importance of containing this situation.

“It’s a good thing I decided to go through the courtyard on my final tour, or I might have missed it. I can’t figure out when the perpetrator might have had the chance to do it, we’ve kept up patrols.”

There was a bewildered regret to his voice, which she understood. But she placed no blame on him or any other guard; whoever was behind this was clearly going to great lengths, and evading palace sentries was likely a trifle task.

“It’s alright, Flash,” She assured him. “I’m sure everypony was doing their jobs.”

“Biblio File wasn’t very happy when I woke her up, but once I told her about it, I practically had to dive out of the way!”

“Really?” That last bit Celestia found troubling.

Coming out to the courtyard, both Celestia and Flash fluttered down from the palace walkway to the large lawn that formed the vast span of the area, save the fountain in the epicenter. A number of guards stood at the perimeter and in the air, blocking every entrance or potential fly-by.

Biblio File sat opposite the wall that framed the northern curve of the park and supported the wide avenue above. Noticing the arrival of the pair, she fixed the Princess with a deadpan stare, as if to indicate there need be no explanation on her part.

Celestia landed beside her and faced the wall, staring up at the cause of all the worry. There, painted in large black letters, was the message:

TOMORROW

DAWNS IN

DARKNESS

That chill at the base of Celestia’s neck erupted into a full-blown shiver, her jaw going slack and a dizziness overcoming her.

Biblio and Flash noticed her breathing become stressed, and a stagger of her right foreleg to steady herself.

“Your Majesty,” Biblio whispered so as to not alarm the surrounding guards, prodding her shoulder. “Your Majesty, I don’t know what this escalation means, but clearly it’s designed to manipulate you one way or another.”

With a gasp, Celestia found her way back to sensibility, looking to either side to see the unease on her company’s faces. She swallowed a hard lump, her own expression traumatized.

“Investigate what you must.” She said absently. “Then get rid of it.”

“As you wish.” File acknowledged.

Celestia flapped her wings, bringing her a pace off the ground, and issued one more order to both of them. “Luna hears nothing of this, you understand?”

Flash and Biblio nodded, watching the princess fly off.

“I don’t know what this is, but it’s really got her rattled.” Sentry said after a de-stressing exhale.

“Quite so.” She agreed. “I’ve tried to find any reference to the phrase in her history, but so far nothing.”

“Do you think maybe we should, you know, tell somepony? Like Princess Twilight or Cadence? They might know something.” He argued. “I mean, maybe Princess Celestia needs an outside advisor on this?”

“You may be correct.” Walking over to the ominous graffiti, Biblio File examined the letters. “But we’ll keep it quiet for now. At least until we have a better idea of what we’re dealing with.”

“If you say so.” While Flash drifted off to relate the shush-order to the other guards, she continued to inspect the message.

“What’s your context?” She asked aloud, staring upwards. “What is it you’re trying to say?”

PONYVILLE

Wanderlust stood immobile; his breath steady to steel his nerves.

“Okay old boy, you’ve faced down worse things than this. Time to just get straight to it.”

The night before.

“I suppose you can sleep in here.” Twilight Sparkle said, poking her head into the room. “It isn’t much but-”

“I’m sure it’ll be fine, Princess.” Moving in past her, Wanderlust set his bags down on the floor. The space itself was sparse, nothing more than a small table in the room jutting out from the wall. “Believe me, I’ve made do with worse.”

“You probably have, huh.” She followed him in, watching as he extracted a number of items from his saddlebags to construct an impromptu sleeping setup. “I can’t imagine all the years you’ve spent out in the world, everything you’ve seen and done.”

“Maybe I should start writing books,” Wanderlust smirked. “Like that Daring-Do chick.”

At this Twilight chuckled, “You know her too? That should surprise me, but I think I’m all out of shock when it comes to you.”

Wanderlust bobbed his head as he continued to build his nest for the night. “Yeah, I ran into her a while back somewhere in the forest south of the great desert. I think it had to do with a spirit totem or some such thing.”

“Huh…” She thought, trying to recall which of the books could be based on such an adventure. “I don’t think I remember reading any of her stories with a mysterious unicorn.”

“To be fair, it was early in her career, and I had beaten her to the temple.” He said, rolling out a deflated mat that popped to full size with an audible sucking sound. “Besides, when I saw her taking notes, I asked her to omit a few details.”

“I’ll have to make sure to ask A.K. about it next time I see her.” Mulling a new thought, Twilight rubbed a hoof along the inside of the opposite leg. “So, speaking of mares we have in acquaintance; any thought of telling Rarity you’re back?”

The mention of her name brought Wanderlust to a grinding halt as he attempted to lay himself down. His gaze drifted across the floor, chest filling and depressing with his thought process.

“I have thought about it here and there.” He said at last. Kneeling down onto the air-mattress. “But frankly I had a lot of my own baggage to unpack before I wanted to begin thinking about her.”

“Rarity is a generous soul,” Twilight began, deriving a mutual shrug from both of them. “I think she’d be happy to see you, and she’s a good ear to bend if you need to talk to somepony.”

“I’m sure she is, but unless I divulge my secret to her, I’d just going to have to keep lying about something. Eventually she’ll get wise to it.”

Sparkle raised a defensive hoof, “Look, I’m not saying you have to empty your soul all at once, just, whatever you feel comfortable with now.”

Wanderlust rolled onto his back and cradled his head with his forehooves, staring up at the ceiling to ruminate on the prospect for a bit.

“I’ll give it some thought, Princess.”

The morning.

Carousel Boutique stood before him like an ominous monolith, a source of daunting expectation.

It was still early, his fetlocks damp from the dew on the grass. Wanderlust peeked out from under the brim of his hat, wary to any pony that might seek to engage him.

“Yeah, you just go up and knock.” He spoke the words but remained in place. He glanced back to see his right hindleg bouncing up and down automatically until he made the conscious decision to stop it.

“Alright, that’s enough.”

The knock at the door came unexpectedly. Tending to her mane at the mirror, Rarity paused with two brushes embedded in her hair at the sound.

“Now who could that be?” She asked Opalescence as the cat lay sprawled out on the bed. “Uh, I’m not ready to be seen by the world.” Looking back into the mirror, she whipped her hair into something manageable, draping it to the side with a bounce. “Not my first choice, but it’ll do in a pinch.”

The knock came again as she descended the stairs, and through the diamond-shaped window in the top-half of the door she could see the silhouette of a figure waiting on the other side.

“Who is it?” Rarity called out in a sing-song voice, hesitating a few paces away from the door.

Wanderlust exhaled. “Rarity, It’s uh…”

The door swung open before he could finish, and the white unicorn stood before him, her stunned expression locking onto his. For a few moments they simply stood there on either side of the threshold, neither speaking nor moving. There was something in the pools of her eyes that stifled his ability to speak, all he could do was remove his hat and clutch it to his chest.

Finally, she swallowed her reaction and forced herself to wear a smile.

“Well, good morning, Wanderlust.”

“Miss Rarity,” He began with a nervous huff. “I know it’s rather early, I hope I’m not bothering you too much.”

She tilted her head, making an effort to suppress whatever she was feeling. “Sir, if you’re going to appear at my doorstep at this hour asking for my time, you might as well come in and make breakfast.”

Rarity turned without another word, prancing off towards her kitchen with face upturned.

“I knew using those berries would come back to haunt me.” Wanderlust grumbled.

“Thank you for the bits, darling.” Sitting at her kitchen table, Rarity sipped the cup of morning coffee as she observed the stallion move about the stove. “It was more than enough to cover the expenses.”

“A toll paid for a guilty conscious.” Wanderlust answered, using his magic to control multiple items at once: a fry pan, pitcher of batter, pad of butter. “Plus, the room and board I incurred.”

She rolled her eyes. “The flowers were very nice too. You have excellent taste.”

He turned to give her a sly smirk. “Those were just for fun.”

As he returned to the food prep, she put her nose to the rim of her cup, deciding how to phrase her next question.

“The goldenrod… I take it you were speaking about those in your note when you mentioned something ‘being dear to you’. What do they mean?”

“They uh…” Setting things down, he leaned on the counter and searched the floor for courage as he let out a long exhale. “They are a memento of how I met my wife.”

Rarity’s face popped, almost spitting up the mouthful of coffee she had.

“You’re married?!” She managed to sputter without making a mess.

Wanderlust nodded, trying not to appear amused by her surprise. “I was, married and had a son.”

She stared into her coffee, clearly taken aback by the revelation of his family. “And they are?...”

“Long gone.” Their eyes met over the table, and he pursed his lips. “I lost them to the changelings. That’s why I became rather volatile when I learned of their presence here.”

Rarity was speechless for a moment, looking to him with stunned empathy. “Sweet Celestia, I had no idea…”

Even after hearing it for so long, Wanderlust still found the expression vexing. He held up a hoof to forestall any continued offers of sensitivity. “It’s not your baggage to carry. In any case, the goldenrod signifies the aspect of a time in my life when I needed mending and came to find it.”

“And your present means you’ve found some catharsis?” She asked.

“I was wounded for a long time after what happened, and I do feel some fulfillment with Chrysalis being punished. But…”

He swallowed, “I was thinking more of the last time we were here, breakfast with you and Sweetie Belle. It was… it felt, redemptive? I don’t think I have the right word for it, but it was something I wasn’t sure I’d ever feel again.”

Rarity pushed back from the table and came around. “Your letter was very sweet. And while I find this all a bit… emotionally overwhelming,” She placed a hoof on his chest. “I’m glad to have helped you find some comfort after all that you’ve gone through.”

Without diverting his eyes from hers, Wanderlust placed a hoof under the one she braced against him, caressing the length of it with his frog to keep it in place. They stood there in emotive silence as the rays of sunlight streamed in through the window above the stove, giving them both a glow that seemed to magnify the experience.

The moment however, was interrupted by the smell of smoke. They both turned to see the pancake batter had become a burnt, blackened puck in the pan.

“Why don’t I take you out for breakfast? He said.

“It’s very kind of Twilight to let you board in one of her spare rooms.” Rarity said as she and Wanderlust strolled in the town. “In whichever room remains intact, that is.”

“The Princess assures me that she has more castle than she knows what to do with.” He smiled. “I offered to recompense her, but she wouldn’t take my money.”

“Hmm, yes.” Looking the streets over, she saw the bustle of small-town life returning to normal. “I remember Applejack once tried to convince her to start renting out her empty rooms like a hotel. A dubious if not utilitarian employment of her estate.”

“I’m sure she’ll find something to do with it.”

They came to a stop at the edge of a small creek, settling down on the grass.

“So what are your plans now?” Rarity asked. “If you decide to stay, that is.”

Wanderlust mulled the thought. “Well I did purchase some property. I’d like to put a house on it, do some developing. I haven’t even been out to inspect it yet.”

“So you’re not put off by all the catastrophes this town seems to go through?” She teased. “The occasional dragon harassment? Everfee infestations? The odd tyrannical centaur?”

“Oh I don’t mind any of that.” He plucked a blade of grass and threw it into the steam. “I’m more concerned with the water table, digging permits, zoning restrictions.”

Rarity tittered. “Well, as a small business owner myself, I can help you navigate some of that.”

Laying himself back on the ground, Wanderlust clasped his hooves over his chest. “Another thing I’m dreading is this ball Princess Twilight is dragging me to.”

“You’re her date for the masquerade?!” She said, scandalized.

“Not because I want to!” He defended. “It’s… eh… Think of it as a business arrangement. I accompany her to Canterlot and go to this blasted-ball, and she helps me with this other venture I have going. Royal connections and all that.”

“I see.” Rarity tilted her head and looked away from him. “Might I ask what this other venture is all about?”

Wanderlust’s eyes darted. “Family heirloom. Lost for a few generations that I’m trying to recover.”

Ehh… true enough. “I think it may have wound up in some aristocrat’s collection.”

This excuse at least seemed to mollify Rarity’s temperament. “If you’re looking to make inroads with the artifact community, Canterlot and Manehattan are good places to start.”

“As was Twilight’s reasoning.” Wanderlust rolled his head away and breathed a silent exhale of relief. “Believe me, surrounding myself with pretentious nobles all night is a far less attractive option than digging the foundation of my house. But it’s something that… belongs in the family.”

“I recall you saying that you weren’t close with your family anymore?”

“I’m not, but it’s matter of principle. The least I can do to… honor them.”

“Alright then.” Rarity decided, laying down beside him. “Go to the ball and pay your due. But don’t enjoy yourself too much.”

“Wouldn’t think of it.”

“And don’t dance with any mares who give you the ‘come-hither stare’.”

“I’ll just dance by myself then.”

“Good.”

CANTERLOT

Apostle stared up at the portrait as the voice behind him droned on. It was a depiction of the ceremony in which the unicorn elders ceded control of the sun and moon to the alicorns. He wondered how old it was, a reproduction or an original. Behind him, roughly half the chairs were filled with fellow covert conspirators, goblets of red drink among them.

“-takes place on the same night as her ball. I say, are you listening to me?” Cloaked in the customary robe, the white unicorn at the head of the table looked to the outsider. “Apostle, what are we going to do?”

“Legacy, if you’re worried about the effect of conducting the ritual on Nightmare Night, you needn’t bother,” Turning to face his company in the torch-lit hall, Apostle waved the concern away. “There wasn’t anything of more import about the night when it happened than… any other night.”

“You’re kidding…” Grace said in displeasure as she crossed her forehooves and threw herself back in her chair.

Legacy raised his hooves in gesticulation. “I just thought there’d be some greater connection to the entity or make the summoning more potent.”

Apostle had a small chuckle, “Your preoccupation with ceremony is endearing, and it would be poetic, I suppose.” He mused, sitting down in the chair opposite. “Though it does appeal to the romantic in me, we’re perfectly fine conducting it the next night. I’ve already arranged my absence from Luna’s service.”

“Well, if the significance to the anniversary is merely sentimental, why don’t we just do it tonight then?” The suggestion came from Heritor, who griped in a monotone. “We have all the components do we not?”

“Patience, sister, patience.” Apostle bid her. “Don’t be too eager to hasten destiny, you may not like how it comes. If we do it before, we’ll have a harder time controlling the perception and justifying our little coup d’état.” The conniving unicorn clarified. “Besides, don’t you want to enjoy the party? Let them have one final night of thinking they’re still the paragons of Equestria’s affection before we take it all away from them.”

Legacy shrugged and thought for a moment. “And you’re sure there’s really no better way?” He asked leadingly. “I mean, this is quite the drastic measure.”

Apostle fixed him with a serious glare, leaning onto the table. “What we’re pursuing is quite drastic. But when it’s done, and we get what we want, we will look back on this enterprise and understand it was all worth it.”

“You better be right.” Came Mantle, a stocky white stallion under his cloak. “There’s no room for error here. If the Princesses find out what we’re doing-”

“Trust me, they’ll never see it coming.” Sitting at the opposite end of the table from Legacy was another white unicorn, taller than the others, his voice young and full of a smug confidence.

“I must congratulate our new friend, Apostle.” He raised a chalice in salute. “Your scheme to unhinge Celestia has been quite entertaining. Her paranoia grows.”

Apostle returned the gesture, “You’re too kind, Heretic. Without your own efforts, none of this would be possible.”

It was at this point Heritor stood up from her seat, reaching a pale yellow hoof into her hood to adjust something. “Yes, I’m sure we can spend all night congratulating each other, but I’d rather concentrate our attention on the ritual.”

Casting a beam of dull-pinkish magic, she created an image of the assembled members gathered around a large stone well, projecting it over the center of the table.

“A spell of the magnitude and intensity we’re attempting hasn’t been seen in centuries. Not to mention the extraordinary peril of channeling the sheer amount of dark magic necessary to pull it off.”

The image changed to feature a tornado of magical force erupting from the pit of the well, engulfing all miniatures into its maelstrom.

“Never mind what Celestia or Luna might do to us. If we don’t have this ritual down to the finest degree, we could be looking at the biggest magical catastrophe since Cherneighbyl in the Boviet Union.”

Heritor turned now in full towards Apostle, “To be honest, I’ve never seen formulas like the ones you’ve given us. Their style is archaic, but I haven’t been able to reference them anywhere.”

She dismissed her illusion and used her magic to toss a few sheets of parchment on the table, each of them featuring an array of magical equations and diagrams.

“I don’t know how you came up with these, so I’m not certain why any of us should risk our horns trying to manifest this stuff. Especially since you plan to use that… thing you brought back as some kind of arcane focus.”

Apostle glanced down at the sheets without much reaction. “You’re very well educated, Heritor, and I appreciate your expertise, but these aren’t spells you’d find in textbooks or on the library shelves. Magic of this kind is not very well-known, as you attest. Only a few mages in history have even tasted its capabilities.”

“Which raises the question of how you could be so familiar with them.” She responded, a not-so-subtle hint of accusation in her voice.

Casting his gaze over to the other assembled members, Apostle took a deep breath and collected a thought. “You will excuse me if I keep a few certain secrets to myself.” He began with careful measure. “But what I will tell you, is that this magic, like all others, is… inherent in our world and to access it, you just have to know where to look.”

Heritor scoffed, setting back down in her seat.

“Forgive our good sister’s cynicism, friend.” Heretic said. “But she’s of the empirical type, whereas you strike me as more the faithful.”

Apostle offered his detractor a deferential bow, “Of course, I do not mean to offend your discipline, Heritor, especially given the kindness of your home. So perhaps… a demonstration will allay your mistrust.”

The project members turned to Legacy, who after a moment, gave his nod of approval.

Taking a deep breath as he put his forehooves on the tabletop, Apostle closed his eyes. “Guard yourselves, brothers and sisters,” He warned. “Remember to keep your hooves and magic close and do your best not to show fear.”

Grace and Mantle traded glances.

Apostle’s horn began to swirl with his native spruce-blue magic, fuming along the spiral and trailing off the tip like smoke from an incense. They could see in his face the strain of arduous summoning, reaching deep to exert above-average casting strength. Then the miasma of his magic began to change, becoming bubbles that roiled in expanding and shrinking sizes. Suddenly the firelight of the room dimmed, the flames themselves fading down to the embers. Shades of green now intermixed with the boiling ether, accumulating until the froth consumed the horn and black sparks flared with jagged rhythm.

Heritor pushed back in her chair, as did the others who felt the presence of a hungry force generating before them, something that made their fur stand on end and senses dilate.

With a bestial growl, Apostle’s eyes shot open as pools of green light, seething at either side with the same dark magic. And from the tempest surrounding his horn was cast a stream of furious power towards the center of the table where it coalesced into a shapeless cloud of the same nature.

For a few brief seconds, from within the turbulent and flaring veil, there appeared to be the form of something moving in it; a triangular head crouched low and long jaws opening wide.

In the next moment Apostle shut his eyes and the magic was dispelled, the firelight resurging and the malefic cloud poofing out of existence. He took his hooves down and let his body fall back into his seat, panting from the effort as he glanced at the others.

“Heritor is quite right when she says that we must be careful in the utmost,” He half-grunted. “But it can be done, with all of us. So I suggest you study the magic and make yourselves ready.”

This time Heritor offered no further challenge or comment, collecting her papers into her robe and retreating into her own thoughts.

“That was quite the show, brother.” Offered Heretic amusedly. “A pity you can’t favor us with such a display at the masquerade.”

“Wouldn’t that be something.” Apostle said with a small laugh.

SOME DAYS LATER
Train to Canterlot

It was another sunny and bright day, as could be expected. Wanderlust sat on the edge of his seat, foreleg propped on the windowsill and staring out over the midland Equestrian countryside. The view was incredible; splotches of forest to accent the rolling hills and diverse villages, a distant afternoon horizon to the south and west.

In the days since returning to Ponyville, Twilight had related to him her own course of events leading up to his unmasking. How she chanced upon discovering the Thule exhibit in the library, tidbits of the conversations with Luna and Celestia. He in turn had laid out an extremely general outline of his journey; places he went, ponies and creatures he met. By the end, Twilight had filled three books with just the cliff-noted version of his story. True to her reputation, she found it all very fascinating.

In the interim, Wanderlust set about to rehabilitate his name with the other Element Bearers. Though Rainbow Dash remained the most reluctant, she did at least accept an apology in the form of a generous donation to the Retired Wonderbolt Fund.

“You know normally I’d be delighted.” He said with some misery. “This vista is lovely.”

“Never been on the train to Canterlot, huh?” Twilight Sparkle asked from the opposite seat. “I guess that makes sense.” Beside her, hanging from a hook that sprouted along the top of the wall was a white fabric that protected her ballgown, the covering emblazoned with Rarity’s business logo.

Accompanying Wanderlust was his worn saddle bags on the floor beside. “The one place in the world I’ve made the concerted effort not to drift through.” He clicked his tongue. “You know, I once spent two weeks taking the northern road around the mountain rather than come within a league of it. I always thought I’d be caught for sure if I stepped hoof inside the city.”

Twilight concealed a chuckle. “The more difficult path does seem to fit your M.O.” Then another thought occurred to her. “Did you ever manage to swing by the old Castle of the Two Sisters like you planned to?”

The question peaked his attention, and he turned to her. “It had been in the back of my mind for a while. I think I might have come near it once, a long while ago, admiring the old stonework.”

Hopping down from her seat, Twilight got on the same bench as him, leaving some room between them so as not to be invasive.

“I’ve been wanting to ask you,” She began in a hush. “Why couldn’t Luna find you after you left? And how come she hasn’t found you since she came back?”

“Quite simple really. I stopped myself from dreaming.” His answer was matter-of-fact. “A little trick I picked up from experimenting in the lucid dreamscape.”

Twilight balked, “So wait, you don’t dream?”

“Nope.” He said. “Haven’t had a dream since I left Thule. I just go to sleep and wake up.”

“That sounds so depressing.” She said, looking down to the floor in despondency. “I can’t imagine never dreaming again.”

“You get used to it.”

Listening and feeling the tracks beneath them clack and rattle, they both gazed through the windowpane for a few minutes before Wanderlust had a question of his own.

“Query for you, Princess, if you’re comfortable with it.”

“What is it?”

He bit his bottom lip before beginning, shifting to face her. “When you… When you rescued the Crystal Empire, you met Sombra, right?”

Her expression pinched, “Kinda-sorta, for like, a couple seconds. Why?”

“I don’t know, I just… what was he like?”

Thinking of the answer roused a strange grimace from Twilight, “Well, he was just a big, dark, angry cloud for most of the time with his face poking through. Then at the end, Spike and Cadence say he actually appeared in his body for a moment.”

“Hmm…” Wanderlust reclined back. “It’s not that I don’t know the evil he committed, or the pain he caused. But call me crazy, I missed him sometimes, you know?”

“Well, he was your brother,” She said with melancholic empathy. “You did grow up with him, knew him when he was normal.”

“I don’t think ‘normal’ was ever a term one could apply to Sombra.” A reminiscing smile crept across his face as he stared out to the clouds. “Born in a storm’ they said of him, ‘an ominous birth’ they whispered. Hmm… He had his peculiar traits. I tried to be a good brother, but mostly I think he was just lonely.”

CANTERLOT CASTLE

Celestia took a long breath as she stared at the tall double doors. She’d been readying herself for this meeting ever since she saw the message.

“Are you sure you’re alright, Princess?” Capulet asked. Standing beside the alicorn with her itinerary folder, the slim mare looked up to her with some worry. “You’ve been tense all day.”

“Am I really that bad at hiding it?” Celestia half-joked with a raised eyebrow.

“You keep… ruffling your feathers.” Her assistant said. “It’s like the Pegasus version of restless leg.”

The Princess shrugged her shoulders and put a stop to the absent-minded flinching. “It’s better than the horn-itch.”

“Tell me about it.”

With a flick of her mane Celestia strode forward, opening the doors and finding the private dining room already prepared for the meal. Bouquets of lavender installed in the wall fixtures and a lit candelabra centered the long table at which Luna sat reviewing some parchments. Off to her side stood Apostle, who waited patiently for his mistress to finish her work. He spared the incoming pair a tight-lipped smile and a dutiful bow to the Princess.

“Pardon me a moment, sister,” Luna said without diverting from her papers. “I just want to look over these contractor permits before we have dinner brought out.”

“Another new project, Luna?” Celestia asked, genuinely interested, gauging her sister’s mood.

“A revival, actually. I’ve decided to restore my Night Garden for public access.” Holding up one sheet, Luna slid it over as Celestia took her seat. “I took the original plans and threw in some new ideas.”

“Oh…” Scanning the diagram, Celestia noted several additions, including a small fountain designed to reflect the moonlight, a ‘basking knoll’, and several mirrors to reflect the light and give the garden an ethereal glow.

“Seems like it’ll be enchanting, Luna.”

“Why thank you, Celestia,” The younger sister returned with playful mock formality, accepting the design back. “It should be a comfortable little spot for ponies to come and enjoy a few peaceful moments.”

Sorting the papers into an orderly stack, Luna passed them off to her aide. “Apostle, you may file these appropriately and resume your duties after dinner.”

“Of course, Your Grace,” He said, half-kneeling as he took up the parchments in his magic.

“Capulet, you’re dismissed for the night.” Celestia informed her own assistant. “Enjoy your evening, dear.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty. And you as well.” Parting with her own bow, Capulet found herself side-by-side with Apostle as they exited the room.

“Will you be attending the masquerade?” He asked side-long.

Clutching her folder a bit closer to her breast, she cleared her throat while glancing down the hall. “Ah, no. It’s much too late for me, I like to begin my workday pretty early.”

Capulet moved to step away, but Apostle moved in tandem. “Surely Princess Celestia can afford such a devoted servant some grace in her schedule?”

She gaped for an answer, finding herself suddenly at a loss under the inspection of his strikingly bewitching eyes. He seemed to loom where he stood, his presence growing like an eventide shadow, crawling its way over her until it threatened to ensnare her.

With a sharp inhalation she shook herself free of the enchantment, surprised at herself for the lack of control.

“It’s really my own preference.” Said Capulet, who turned away abruptly and headed down the hall, feeling the air around her become lighter with each stride.

“We really must have that get-together, you and I,” He called after her. “Her Grace thinks there’s much you could show me.”

She twisted her head around without slowing, giving him a thin smile. “I’m sure we’ll get around to it.”

Watching his counterpart hurry and disappear around a corner, Apostle pursed his lips. “I’m sure we will.”

“So, Luna,” Celestia began somewhat delicately. “I know this time of year might be a bit strange for you. Have there been any… difficult feelings?”

The staff were just placing the dinner plates on the table as Celestia asked the question, removing the silver covers to reveal a gourmet roasted dinner.

Luna spared her sister a non-committal shrug, more interested in her meal. “If you’re referring to the anniversary of the night I transformed into Nightmare Moon, returned, and was liberated from the curse…”

Celestia didn’t respond, but rather uncomfortably started to prod at her food.

“Then I admit it has been on my mind as of late.” Raising an eyebrow, Luna likewise assessed where to start with her plate. “But nothing disconcerting has manifested, if that’s what you fear.”

“You know, if there’s anything you feel like you need to share, anything you want to talk about; I’m here.” The words tried to be comforting, but the solar alicorn couldn’t help but sound probing.

Luna now gave Celestia a curious look-over, detecting some ulterior motive to the offer. “Sister, is there something more evident that worries you?”

“Well, clearly I’m not hiding it very well tonight.” Celestia flustered.

“Celestia?”

Pushing her plate away, the elder princess brought both hooves to her mouth to help contain a thought before she could properly articulate it. “Every year I keep thinking back to that night. I keep wondering why I didn’t see it coming.”

“My insecurities at the time were-” Luna began before being cut off.

“There was so much I didn’t do, Luna.” Celestia practically gasped. “I either didn’t notice or didn’t care about the depression you were falling into; I didn’t see how desperate you were until it was too late.”

Suddenly feeling the weight of the conversation, Luna abandoned her position and flocked to her sister’s side. “Sister, you cannot take all of that blame unto yourself, my own heartbreak and petty jealousness made things worse. If I had just…”

Celestia seized her sister into an embrace, burying her head into Luna’s shoulder. “I didn’t know what the Elements would do, I didn’t know they would take you away from me. I thought they might fix you, or purge your magic, I never thought…”

The words faltered as she let herself collapse, emotionally and physically. Luna caressed the back of her neck to assuage the grief, finding herself in some bafflement to be the sober and supportive one in this situation.

“Celestia, needless to say there’s plenty of regret to be had over that night. But it is over, you have forgiven me, and I forgive you.”

{Sniffles} “You do?”

“Of course, of course.” The sisters remained locked together for a minute or more.

“The years you were gone were the longest thousand-years of my life.” Celestia finally said as they came apart, somewhat jokingly.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t be there for you all that time. But at least you weren’t alone, I’m sure you have many fond memories of ponies you knew, the many good friends you had.”

“I do.” Resting back in her seat Celestia let her sadness diffuse like a bad weather, using a hoof to dry her eyes. “More than I could name in a day.”

Grateful to have resolved the unexpected outburst, Luna used her wings to pat herself down and resumed her seat. “Perhaps even a special few who might have made your years a little less lonely.”

Celestia made a small sound, almost a laugh but closer to a snicker.

This slip caught Luna’s attention immediately, “We knew it!” She cried, leveling a hoof in her direction.

Realizing her blunder, the solar princess tried to swallow her glow into a deadpan, but to no avail.

“Thou hast been concealing a secret beloved! Do not deny it sister!” The accusation was nearly hysterical with glee. “We demand his name!” Luna paused, “Or their names…?”

Rolling her eyes, Celestia couldn’t help but surrender to the smile that broke through. “His name is mine to keep. But to give you something to chew on, it was centuries ago.”

“Centuries? And none since?”

“No.” Celestia let her thoughts idle before giving Luna a look of resignation. “No, I wrestled with the idea for a while, but after seeing so many ponies drift away in the passage of time I realized… It would just beget a mountain of complications and heartache.”

She reached out a took Luna’s hoof, “I just couldn’t do it alone. Not without you.”

They shared a moment, each aware of the catch-22 the gift of their lengthy lives came with. It had been difficult at first, back before their falling out, to watch friends grow old and pass on as they themselves appeared ageless.

“Well, I’m back now…” Luna shrugged. “Perhaps you could…”

“What about you, huh?” Celestia challenged back. “What scheme are you preparing for your hapless commander, I wonder?”

Returning to their meals with renewed contentment, the younger sister gave only a sly arch of the eyebrow as insight.

Finishing a biteful of her own, Celestia smirked and decided against trying to pry it out of her. “Alright then, trickster, keep your secrets.”

Elsewhere in the city

“Stars above…” Passing into the shadow of the city, Wanderlust gazed up to the grandeur of the gold and ivory capital. The train rolled through the small guard station on a river-spanning bridge, curving around until the station came within sight just ahead. Though most of the city was still obscured behind the slope of the mountain and by other buildings, he could already see the spires of the palace striking into the sky. It was nearing dusk and the sun was on its last legs, ebbing towards the west and giving Canterlot a parting glow on its far-facing side.

“It’s beautiful,” He said almost involuntarily.

“Just wait ‘till you see the inside of the city!” Twilight giggled, following his line of sight. “I used to live in that tower, right there!” She pointed out.

The station itself was nothing too remarkable; a platform and a station house where some waited and employees milled about.

“I’ve probably been to every other station on the rail lines, but this is where they all begin.” He observed, seeing the conductor disembark to greet some colleagues. “All roads lead to Canterlot.”

“You make it sound so ominous,” Holding her protected ball gown aloft and sporting her own saddle bags, Sparkle shook her head with bemusement. “It’s been here the whole time.”

“Good evening, Princess!” An amiable white unicorn guard saluted as they passed through the station.

“Good evening.” She greeted back with a wave of her wing.

“Do you require an escort, Your Grace?” He asked.

Twilight smiled and gestured to Wanderlust, “Oh no thank you, I brought one with me!”

The royal guard appraised the grey and blue stallion with some impressed murmurs and a glance. “For a fellow who looks like he hitch-hiked here, you’re fairly stout.” He remarked. “Yes, you look like you’ve seen a scrap or two. The Guard is always looking for a few good ponies to serve.”

“Oh, I’m sure I wouldn’t be any good at it.” Wanderlust said politely. “Never been much the soldering type.”

Twilight had to turn her face away to hide her suppressed chuckle.

“Well, if you find yourself in need of a fair wage or a… place to live, drop by the recruitment office.”

“I’ll certainly consider it.” Wanderlust offered the guard a friendly salute before they continued on through the station.

Once they had gone a little bit, he turned back and glanced again at the guard, who was now joined by another in idle conversation.

“Their armor is well made but seems more presentation that practical.” He remarked to Twilight. “Closest I’ve ever seen a Royal Guard. Color me curious, but I’ve always been keen to learn how the Crown trains its regiments.”

“You know my brother, Shining Armor, was Captain of the Royal Guard before he got married.” Twilight mentioned with some pride. “And I still have a friend or two from school who took up the service; I bet I could get you in a few places.”

“That actually does sound like something I’d enjoy.”

“Who was that fella with Princess Twilight?” The Pegasus guard asked once she and her companion had left.

“Don’t know.” The unicorn said suspiciously. “Came in off the train with her.”

“Say, is Flash Sentry on duty?”

“Not ‘till tonight I believe.”

“I’d wager that’s something he’d be interested in.”

“I’d wager you’re right.”

Stepping through the other side of the train station, Wanderlust was forced to stop and stare, craning his neck up to the grandeur of the city.

“Well, its reputation is certainly warranted.” He admitted, taking in the bustling metropolis. “It definitely rivals anything I’ve seen in Saddle Arabia or Maretopia.”

Twilight nodded, taking in the scope herself. “It was built to inspire, to be a beacon of light to all Equestria.”

“Or in Chrysalis’ case, a bug-zapper.”

Both snickered heartily.

“You sure you’re okay finding your own place to stay? I can arrange a room for you in the castle.” Twilight offered.

Wanderlust raised a hoof, “Naaaaa… that’s too close for me. I don’t want to be any closer to the Princesses than I need to. I’ll find a lodging somewhere.” He looked about. “In the meantime, I need to acquire the proper attire for such a formal occasion.”

“Oh!” Pointing down the avenue with some excitement, Sparkle found herself delighted to give directions of her hometown. “Down that way two blocks and a left, there’s a clothing boutique called ‘Best of the Best’. They’re sure to have something for you there.”

“Best of the Best, huh?” He questioned. “Sounds dubious.”

The junior alicorn shook her head, “You go do whatever you need to do. I’m gonna go check in at the palace. I’ll meet you tonight at the Royal Library.”

She began trotting off, but Wanderlust spoke after her. “Just remember, Princess: we have an agreement. I go to your ball, you tell me where the amulet is.”

“Don’t worry about it, vagabond,” Twilight teased as she walked away. “You just hold up your end of the bargain.”

He watched her leave, taking to the air towards the spires of the palace.

“Hold up my end of the bargain’ she says. Tuhh”

Streets he had never seen so clean, trees so well kept, and shops so chic. Marveling at the elegant estate of the capital grounds, Wanderlust was forced to admit to himself that he didn’t actually hate being here.

Maybe it was more spite than precaution that kept me away. He thought as he ambled along the avenue. Sour grapes? Self-flagellation?

The denizens around him conversed and mingled with cheerful attitudes. If there were any ponies of lower economic status, it was hard to tell. But there was another feature of the locals he noticed: There’s quite a lot of unicorns here. I wonder if there’s any descendants of old Thule walking around?

Eventually he found the boastfully named clothing store. Being already evening he hoped to have enough time to peruse the selections a bit before the shop keeper closed for the day. The façade was surprisingly less ostentatious than he expected: a modest awning with the title scrawled across the length in fancy print above a set of doors between bulging display windows. Attire for stallions on one side, mares in the other, they were each expertly dressed. Wanderlust gave the stallion model an appraising hum.

The chime of a small bell alerted the attendant, a relatively short pegasus mare, pecan fur with vanilla-white mane and complementary set of pearls about her neck. She hurried over with a conditioned polite expression and met him a few steps in from the door.

“Good evening, sir, are you lost?” She asked with a curious tilt of the head.

“No.” Wanderlust said, dipping his head and coming up with a smile. “I require a gentlecolt’s tuxedo, I was told this was the bon endroit to find one.”

The was a startling blink of reorientation as she faltered. “Oh, um, I see, did you have any particular designer in mind? Or would you like me to show you some recommendations?”

“I was wondering if you had any Hugo Bronc.”

“A stallion of mature taste I see.” She remarked with an approving nod. “Well, we do have some Hugo in stock, but as I’m sure you’re aware, he’s not exactly the most… affordable designer.”

Wanderlust spared her a tight smile as he magically reached into his saddle bag and produced a laden medium-sized sack that clinked and jangled.

“L’argent n’est pas un objet.” He told her, leaning down to her ear and whispering. He untied the aperture of the pouch and held it between them. The Pegasus’ eyes grew wide when she looked down.

“Right this way, sir.” She said. Coaxing him gently with a wing, she guided him towards the male department.

There was another who noticed the odd-pony-out in the store.

“Wait here a moment, sir,” The attendant began, leaving Wanderlust standing in front a trio of mirrors. “Let me check in back to make sure we have something available in… your size.”

Left alone for the moment, he looked himself over among the mirrors, putting his saddle bags aside and using a hoof to brush back his mane.

“I really do look like I fell out of a dustbin.” He mumbled, angling closer to the reflection to inspect his face.

“You’re new in town.”

Wanderlust knocked his eyebrow against the mirror as he pulled back to see he’d been approached upon by a unicorn mare standing just behind. Pearl-white fur, mane of light pink with a pale swirl, she was a stunning beauty. Her locks bounced about a swanish neck as she narrowed her gaze on him.

“Tourist?”

“Just a visitor, yes.” Giving the spot on his forehead a quick rub, he tried to play it off. “Blown in off the wind.”

“Must have been a strong wind to carry your physique.” She accented the last word by placing a hoof on his chest where her gaze lingered, her foreleg was lean and exquisitely shaped. Wanderlust felt a familiar swell in his pulse.

“What brings a stranger like you to Canterlot?”

“Oh, you know, the sights, the sounds, the altitude.” They stepped in a semi-circle, winding closer together.

“I can’t quite place it, but there’s something… intangible about you.” She roved her eyes over the rest of his body.

“Well, as you can see, I’m very tangible.”

“Hmm…”

The Pegasus sales associate returned, pushing a garment rack on which hung two sets of tuxes and a coiled tape measure. She cleared her throat.

“Pleasure to have you again, madame.” She said before turning to her customer.

“Sir, these are the biggest sizes we have in stock at the moment. I’ll take a few measurements to be sure, but I think we’ll need to do a bit of tailoring to accommodate your dimensions.”

Wanderlust and the unicorn mare stepped apart to allow her to present the first suit. “Before we do that, let’s find out which you prefer: this one, or this one?”

Hovering in place to switch the sets in front of him as he looked in the mirror, she gave him a few moments with each.

“Definitely the second one.” The pale unicorn suggested. “It’ll frame his shoulders much nicer.”

Wanderlust held up a hoof. “The lady is right. I think number two is the winner.”

“Very good, sir.” The pegasus stowed the outfits and used the tape to take a few choice measurements.

“Can you have it ready by tomorrow evening?” He asked when she had finished.

“Of course, sir. And to whom may we make the order?”

He thought a moment. “Percival.”

“There is also a fee upfront for service and reservation. If you’ll follow me to the counter, we can fill out your order.”

“Naturally.” Summoning his bags Wanderlust turned to the other unicorn and gave her a slight bow. “Thank you for the advice. C’était un plaisir, madame.”

The compliment seemed to amuse her, and there was a sparkle in her violet eyes as she offered her hoof. “Je suis sûr que c’était le cas.”

Cupping his hoof under hers, he laid a delicate kiss on the cornet and parted.

Remaining at the mirrors, she used her magic to adjust her bangs and bounce her mane, entirely pleased with herself.

“What an odd fellow.”

Canterlot Palace

After storing the gown at her old suite, Twilight Sparkle fluttered down to the main entrance of the castle, a quartet of guards snapping to attention at her approach.

“At ease gentlecolts.” She bid them.

“Evening Princess.” One of them offered.

“Evening, Mantle, good to see the castle’s still standing.” Twilight said.

Mantle smiled. “Another day at least, Your Grace.”

Waiting at the foot of the tall stair ascension, Capulet beamed to see the junior alicorn.

“Twilight! Always good to have you back.”

The mares hugged like old friends. “I just got off duty, but I heard you were in town, so I decided to stick around.”

“Because obviously, I would come straight here.” Sparkle said with some self-deprecation. “Sometimes it feels like I never left.”

“Are you trying to catch Princess Celestia?” Capulet asked as they made the extravagantly long trek up the stairs. “She should be finishing her dinner with Luna shortly.”

“Not right away, I was kinda hoping to sneak a peek at the preparations for the masquerade.” Twilight ducked her head surreptitiously. “I’m so interested to see how different it’s going to be from the Grand Galloping Gala.”

Capulet crowded closer. “Well, from what I understand, it’s going to be a lot more… elegant than the Grand. Luna really wants to set it apart and make a statement.”

“And make a statement it shall.”

The mares looked up to see a stoic figure at the top of the stairs peering down at them, Apostle.

“The Midnight Moonlit Masquerade’ will become the new standard for excellence in Canterlot high society.”

Twilight gave Capulet a raised eyebrow as they reached the final steps.

“I tried to talk Princess Luna out of the triple-alliteration,” He said. “But I suppose she just wants what she wants.”

He bowed to Princess Twilight as she arrived with a foreleg across his chest. “Apostle, Your Grace, humble aide-de-camp to Her Nocturnal Majesty.”

“He’s new here.” Capulet said.

“Uh, hi.” Twilight reached out a hoof, but when Apostle attempted to take it for a kiss, she instead engaged it a jovial shake. “Just ‘Twilight’ is fine, please.”

“As you wish.” He acknowledged, gathering to his normal posture. “The Princess has placed me as overseer of the ball’s preparation. If you’d like a little glimpse of what’s in store, I can certainly accommodate you.”

“Sure.” Turing back to Capulet, Twilight gestured with her chin. “You coming?”

Raising a hoof, Capulet gave a twist of the mouth. “I’ll catch up with you tomorrow. I’ve had a long day.”

“Alright then, see you tomorrow.” After another brief hug with her friend, Twilight was strolling alongside her new acquaintance.

“So, Apostle, where are you from?”

“A small village to the east.” He said. “Hollow Shades. It’s rather hidden away in the forest.”

“I’ve seen it on a few maps, must be a big difference from Canterlot. Is this job what brought you here?”

“Indeed. Call me ambitious, but I’ve always had lofty aspirations. I’ve also always been an admirer of Princess Luna, so when the opportunity presented itself to come into her service, I came straight away.”

She nudged him with knee. “Read all those stories growing up too huh?”

Apostle smirked. “I did, but I never believed she was just a historical invention or a legend mothers tell their foals to explain the mare in the moon. No, I knew she was real, I knew she’d come back one day.”

He stopped suddenly. “Thank you for that, by the way.” He said with an easy smile.

“Oh,” Twilight patted him on the shoulder. “It wasn’t just me.”

“Of course not, but I thank you all the same.” Once again he offered a short bow. “Come, let me show you the hall.”

“Commander Nightus!”

The voice boomed through the corridor, preceding a rapid march of hoofsteps.

Assembled at the door to the Thestral garrison, the small group of Lunar guards all spun around in response to the call. Then, all in unison turned to the tallest among them with arched eyebrows and silent apprehension.

“She’s all yours boss.” One of them said soberly as the party dispersed, leaving a numb Leo Nightus alone to face the oncoming wrath.

“What is the meaning of this?” Luna demanded to know, charging up to her chief officer and holding out a piece of paper for him to see.

Unsure of the cause of her displeasure, he made a show of inspecting the document before clearing his throat. “This is our duty roster for the week, Your Highness.”

“Do not play coy with us, Commander, you know to what we are referring.” She scolded, pointing to a particular column of names.

“You are not scheduled for duty on Nightmare Night. How do you account for such a lapse in detail?”

“It’s simply my night off in the rotation. Lieutenant Morgana is perfectly capable of-”

“Unacceptable!” Luna’s neck and shoulders lurched as she lifted her chin and cast an ireful gaze at the thestral.

“You will attend my Midnight Moonlit Masquerade, you will wear your finest uniform, and I will hear no objection!”

With Leo’s mouth still hanging agape, Luna stormed off the way she’d come, leaving him to stand perplexed and rub the side of his head. “Yeesh.”

“Looks like she just blew up your plan, Commander.” Said another thestral guard as he rejoined Nightus. “Now you’ll definitely have to dance with her.”

“One word out of you, Chiro,” The commander threatened. “One word out of you to the others and I’ll have you scrubbing the parapets with a toothbrush.”

“I must confess Princess, that I have something of a small fascination with you.” Apostle said as he and Twilight strolled through the ballroom among the hustle and bustle of the staffers.

Twilight’s attention had been on a raised platform where unicorns were attatching near-to-translucent wires to the ceiling. She raised an eyebrow. “With me?”

“Yes. When you gained renown as an alicorn, I was surprised to learn that, much like myself, you rose to your position from more common stock. You might consider yourself an inspiring figure.”

“Well it helps to have been personally selected as the princess’ student.” She chimed with some humor.

“The young prodigy fortuitously discovered.” He let a smirk flicker across his face. “Would that there had been more princesses to go around, who knows how many more gifted unicorns might be found in the nooks and crannies of Equestria.”

“Are you talking about yourself, Apostle?” Twilight asked.

“Oh, I would hardly consider myself in such a league.”

“Don’t sell yourself short. Just recently we encountered somepony who might be as talented as me, maybe even moreso.”

“Really?” Apostle seemed genuinely surprised by the admission. “And what became of this rare bird?”

“I’m not sure to be honest.” Twilight sighed. “She got away and disappeared.”

He ran his tongue over his teeth, mulling a thought. “Fascinating.”

She shrugged. “Well, if I ever run into her again, I hope she’s more open to a conversation.”

“I’m sure she will be.” He winked.

“Thank you for the preview.” Twilight said to Apostle after a few minutes more of looking over the room.

He escorted her back to the doors. “No trouble at all, Your.. eh- Twilight. I hope this doesn’t spoil your enjoyment for tomorrow night.”

“Oh I’m sure I’ll be just as wowed as everypony else.” She stopped at the threshold. “Have a good night, Apostle.”

“And you as well.” Shutting the door behind her, he remained in place, staring at the paint for several seconds.

He found his way to a chair, climbing on and propping his foreknees on the table. Pressing his hooves together, he brought them against his nose and stewed in thought.

Another unicorn to rival Twilight Sparkle? Hmmm… I’ll have to follow up on that.

Later on…

“Where is he?” A slight chill had set into the mountain air, and Twilight shivered, folding her wings over her chest as a make-shift shawl. Waiting by the corner of the Canterlot Library’s grand staircase under the unicorn statue, she looked once more over the lamp-lit streets for any sign of her co-conspirator.

“Sorry I’m a bit late.” Wanderlust said, appearing out of the nighttime shadows quite startlingly. “Would you believe me if I said I got lost?” He chuckled. “This place is bigger than it looks.”

“It’s been rebuilt a lot. Come on.” Enveloping him in her nimbus of magic, Twilight took to the sky and headed towards the Pegasus landing on the higher floor.

“I appreciate the effort.” Wanderlust said as they floated up.

“Teleportation can make some ponies nauseous if they’re not used to it.”

“I remember, and I still want you to teach me it.”

“You teach me how to cast fire spells, I’ll teach you to teleport.”

They surmounted the railing and touched down on the landing balcony, where they were immediately met by a pair of Lunar Guards.

“Halt!”

The thestral who’d issued the command raised the beak of her helm in surprise, gawking at her partner. “Princess Twilight? What are you doing here?”

The Princess and Wanderlust traded nervous glances.

“Just thought I’d come by for a little late studying.” Twilight managed to construct. “What’s with the extra security?”

Exchanging their own set of curious looks, the thestrals whispered something between them before the mare approached.

“Well, Princess, there was an incident in the Starswirl wing that is still under investigation. The head librarian has increased security for the duration.”

An incident in the Starswirl wing? Twilight wondered to herself. “Really? What happened?”

The male thestral gave his partner a shrug. “Some type of theft, I hear. Must have been pretty serious, seemed to ruffle a lot of feathers.”

Again the female spoke up, gesturing with her hoof towards Wanderlust. “Might we ask who you’ve brought with you, Princess? We could look the other way if it were just you, but…”

Twilight raised a wing to introduce him. “Oh, this is a colleague I’ve brought to consult on some research material.”

“Hello, I’m Scientes Mendax, my expertise is in dead languages.” Wanderlust began, putting on an academic-sounding pronunciation. “Princess Twilight has sought my help deciphering some Aegyptian codices stored here at the library.”

“Can we ask why you’ve come so late?” The male sentry asked, still sounding perplexed by the situation.

“I just prefer to do my research when its not so busy.” Twilight explained. “The library is so much more peaceful at night. I’m sure if you check with Biblio File, she’ll tell you I did it all the time when I lived here.”

The thestrals stepped back and faced the opposite direction, conversing in whispers.

“Knowing Liar?” Twilight mumbled without moving her lips.

Wanderlust offered an apologetic shrug. “I’ve used it before.”

The guards returned, having come to some resolution.

“Princess Twilight, you may take your guest into the library.” The female said. “But expect a visit from the shift supervisor. He’ll probably have his own questions.”

“Fair enough.” Sparkle and Wanderlust gave the thestrals grateful nods as they proceeded to the doors. “Thank you.”

The library at night was reminiscent of a mausoleum; filled with the silent gravity of history. A pony surrounded by the memories of a civilization could feel the connection to those who’d left a part of themselves behind to share with the living, to be remembered.

“There’s a powerful presence in this place.” Wanderlust noted solemnly as he took in the ambiance. “I can feel it.”

“Celestia says that memory has a magic all its own.” Twilight agreed, leading him down the flight of stairs to the first floor. “And this place practically breathes with Equestria’s collective memory.”

They arrived at the main service desk, Wanderlust so mesmerized by his environment that he bumped into a cart and knocked a few books to the rug, causing an abrupt noise that echoed throughout.

He cringed. “My bad.” Quickly returning the books to their place, he followed Twilight around to the huge stone shelf behind the desk.

“Behind here,” She said. “I wanted to show you this ever since that night on the cliff when you dropped your disguise.”

“Wait, I thought you were showing me where you stowed the Alicorn Amulet?” He protested, recoiling. “We have a deal.”

“And I will bring you to it after the ball. Right now, I think this is something you need to see.” She said.

“This is the exhibit, isn’t it?” He realized, pointing not to the bookcase but beyond, recalling what she’d told him about her accidental discovery. “This is…”

She stopped him. “Look, it’s not my place to tell you how to feel about what happened back then, what you should or shouldn’t have done. And it’s not my place to tell you how you should feel now. But I do think you’ve been punishing yourself for things long past and things nopony can change. You should give yourself something better to remember your story by. This is why I wanted to bring you to Canterlot.”

Wanderlust stared up to the imposing fixture, his heart beginning to thump in his chest.

“Now this thing weighs like two tons, help me move it please.” Twilight asked, stepping to the side of it.

Working together, they bore their magical force against the right edge of the bookcase, pushing it aside with the grind of stone on stone.

“This was a lot harder with just me.” She said with relief.

Inexorably as the object moved, more of the chiseled engraving was revealed. Wanderlust felt an uneasy lump form in his throat to see the symbol of Thule once more; a short-sword wreathed with oak leaves stabbing downwards, it’s hilt and handle framed by the fylfot. The grinding came to a stop and the emblem stood before him, over him, overshadowing him. He stared up to it like a fearful child.

Twilight gestured to the aperture in the partition, the hole for a unicorn to fit their horn and unlock the doors. “If you would do the honors.”

His face flashed with dread, darting between her and the keyhole. Finally he stepped forward, swallowing his fear with a pant, and lowered his horn.

Like the first night, the doors jolted to life with a steady grumble, opening outwardly on their hinges.

It was dark inside, and both alighted their horns to disperse the shadow. Twilight sent motes of magic into the air where they located the candlelit chandelier and brought the whole chamber into illumination.

Wanderlust let out a gasp at seeing the collection: the books, the relics, the armor. He looked up and saw himself poised in the stained-glass window. In the counterpart, his brother.

Green fire consumed Wanderlust, and in his place emerged Æclypse the Unforgiven.

“I never thought…” Something inside his frame seemed to give out, and Æclypse staggered. Twilight rushed forward to help support him, a heavier burden than she anticipated, and found a wet rivulet trickling down from his eyes as they floated in a daze.

“You okay?” She asked.

“I…” He cleared his throat, stabilizing his posture. “If you could give me a few minutes.”

“Sure.” Twilight backed away, leaving him to wrangle his emotions and explore the exhibit. Letting out her own exhalation of pressure, she gave him his privacy.

Æclypse roved over the items on display, tilting his head to read the titles of the books in the runic script. He stopped when he came to one of the plaster busts, coming face to face with it. There was a label at the base but reading it wasn’t necessary to know who he was looking at, it was a face he knew well.

Commissioned art by Faith-Wolff

“Hello father.” He said tightly, his brow pinching. In his mind’s eye he suddenly saw his father’s face alive, looking down to the floor on the day of his exile. Unable to watch as his only remaining child was expelled from his home. A proud head weighed down by grief and shame.

He stifled an outburst, refusing to let even this inanimate likeness of his father see him brake. Leaning forward, he gently laid his forehead against that of the bust.

“I’m sorry. If you can hear me somewhere, tell mother I’m so sorry.”

Æclypse pulled away from his father, leaving behind a set of tears to streak down the sides.

The edge of the long tapestry hung from the shelving; an arrangement of scenes meant to depict a portion of the history of Thule. He glanced over it, each portion bringing with it some nostalgic comfort. In the final scene he saw his own great victory over the Fyre Drake embroidered for posterity.

I remember that monster being much larger…

At the very end of the tapestry, he saw the black shape of Sombra. It was then with a wince he turned to the stained-glass windows, to the rearing image of the ill-fated son of Þule.

I haven’t seen you since you left…

He stared hard at it for a good minute, neck muscles flexing, tail swishing sharply.

“Why did you do it?” He asked aloud. “What happened that changed you?”

Æclypse’s face twisted into a mask of anger, his eyes welling up. “How could you become that…?”

Lips pulled back to bare teeth and he actually growled. “How could you break our hearts like that!” He hissed.

“Why couldn’t…” The rage faltered, crumbling into something frailer, his façade trembling. “Why couldn’t I protect you from yourself?”

His legs wobbled until they surrendered, collapsing onto his rump, dejected.

“You were my little brother.” Bringing a forehoof up to cradle his face, Æclypse shut his eyes. “I was supposed to protect you.”

Twilight had meanwhile found herself not too far in another section of the library. Locating the ‘culture’ district of the aisles, she had pulled out a book on the theme and decorum of a masquerade. Beautiful illustrations of mares and stallions accompanied details of specific dances and etiquette one should be expected to know and adhere to. It seemed like it would be a different creature than the Grand Galloping Gala, more mature, more… enchanting.

Hoofsteps echoing elsewhere in the library alerted her to the coming of another.

The guard supervisor. She remembered. If he sees the Thule chamber is opened… Twilight fluttered from the aisle, climbing the shelves until she reached the top and could see both the main entrance and the stairs to the 2nd floor. With the doors just coming to a close, she saw the moonlight glint off armor as a figure passed into obstruction behind another bookshelf.

She swooped back down, hoping to intercept whoever it was. This’ll be awkward to explain if-”

Coming around the corner, she bumped chest-to-chest with the guard, the both of them yelping in surprise.

“I’m so sorry! I-” Twilight pulled back only to realize she recognized the pony adjusting his askew helmet.

“Are you alright, Princess?” Flash Sentry asked, setting his helmet level and reaching out a helpful hoof.

“I’m fine, Flash.” She said with relief, using her wing to make a gesture of brushing off his armor.

“You know, I just got the strangest sense of déjà vu.” He remarked, catching her eyes. “Like we’ve been in this spot before.”

An impulsive giggle forced its way out of Twilight as she blushed, humoring him with a smile. “Trans-dimensional memory transmission? Or something more cosmic?”

She waved a dismissive hoof. “Oh, who knows how that stuff works.”

“Spooky, right?” He said. “So I was just coming by to check on you guys. I heard you brought in some language expert?”

“Yes! My expert, Mr…. Mendax.” Twilight tried her best not to cringe. “He’s back there trying to figure out some ancient papyrus about a giant… snake eating the… sun.”

“Sounds pretty metal.” Flash said, seeming impressed. “Brains and brawn, huh?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well I just,” He sputtered a moment. “The other guys said he looked like he was good guard material. Didn’t strike them as the academic type.”

“That’s just kinda the… archeologist look, you know? He’s outside a lot, does a lot of traveling.”

Flash nodded, swallowing a thought. “Must be a cool guy to hang around with.”

Another lesson from Rarity clicked in Twilight’s head, one concerning how a lady should be careful when flaunting another stallion’s exploits in front of somepony she liked.

“Not really no.” She began with some comedy to her voice. “He’s kind of a downer to be honest.” Twilight leaned closer, lifting a wing to create a whisper-shield. “I think he’s got some family issues.”

Sentry winced, trying not to get provoked into laughter by her comment.

“I could use some company though.” She said, tilting her head. “He’s gonna be a while.”

This at last seemed to draw a smile from the young stallion; his posture straightened, growing a cheerful expression. “Well, I’ve got time to kill.”

Offering an open wing, Flash made a gallant gesture of opening a path for the lady. The only problem was where it led to.

“Let’s go this way.” Twilight quickly suggested, using her wing to guide him in the opposite direction. Away from the main desk and the open doors of the Thule exhibit.

“You’re the Princess.” He acquiesced.

THE NEXT DAY

Nightmare Night

Looking up to the Canterlot Palace, Wanderlust hadn’t felt this kind of dread in a long time. Dressed in his newly bespoke suit and sporting a raven-themed mask, he waited for Twilight Sparkle at the far end of the long brick pathway that led to the castle. Other chariots and carts pulled up to the intersection for their patrons to disembark at the arch and make their way to the castle. The guests stopping or simply meandering to make conversation or marvel at the ornate lanterns strung along the road. He expected the Princess to arrive shortly in her own carriage.

“I’ve had a lot on my mind since last night.” Turning to the side of the path, he saw his shadow stretching over the grass, modified as it was with a curved horn and long mane. “And I really don’t want to go in there.”

“Give me all the pirates and petty tyrants you can find,” Æclypse chuckled. “I’d rather swim back down and pick a fight with Squirk than have to put myself in same room with…”

“I know, it’s a tough moment.” Wanderlust glanced down the road. “But it’s a small price to pay. Soon enough the princess will cough-up the Alicorn Amulet, and we’ll figure out how to cleanse it of Sombra’s taint once and for all.”

“And what then?” Æclypse asked. “Go back to Ponyville? Start a new life until the gods decide to stir the pot again?”

“Perhaps then I can look towards the future for once, instead of drowning myself in the misery of the past? I’ve spent lifetimes being moored to my mistakes and sneaking though the shade of history. I mean, what more can I do?”

“I do have that property deed in Ponyville to do something with…”

While thinking on the matter, Wanderlust noticed a party couple had stopped on the path and were fixing him with curious stares.

“I tend to think out-loud when I’m anxious.” He told them with a forced smile. “Big night and all.”

“Quite.” Was all the stallion said, coaxing his date into continuing along.

When they had passed, Wanderlust turned back to his projection. “Great. Now I look like a nutcase.”

“A very dapper nutcase.” His shadow corrected.

“True.”

It was then a two-pony carriage pulled up to the venue, a pegasus fellow in a top hat drifting down from the perch to unfold the stairs and open the door.

“Have a lovely evening, Princess!” He said as Twilight Sparkle stepped out.

“Thank you, good sir.” She produced some bits and tossed them his way.

The coach caught them with a smile and a wink before flapping over to his team and happily leading them onward.

Twilight wore a gown that started black at the bottom and gradiated upward to silver with starlight-twinkles across the length of it. Her mask mirrored the dress, a main piece from which sprouted long feathers, silver at the bottom to black at the top. Standing at the drop-off point, she glanced about and waited for any sign of him.

“Well, I really hope Equestria doesn’t need saving tonight.” Wanderlust mumbled.

“What an outfit!” Approaching through the gaggle, he gave her formal bow. “Thematic and stylish.”

Twilight giggled, dipping and twirling her dress to show off. “Thanks! Rarity put it together. Pretty quick too, I think she already had the concept. She likes to plan ahead like that.”

“A work of art matched only by its creator.”

“I’m telling her you said that.” Mimicking other couples along the path, Twilight assumed a position and straightened her posture. “Shall we?”

“We shall.”

Strolling the brick avenue with Sparkle beside, Wanderlust tried to look in every direction except towards the palace.

“What’s the matter?” She asked.

“You do know I find this incredibly stressful, don’t you?”

Twilight sighed. “Come on, don’t worry so much. It’s not like the guards are gonna turn their spears on you the moment you step inside. You’re wearing a disguise, on top of your disguise!”

He curled a lip into semi-snarl. “I still don’t like it. Why did you want to do this anyway? Why choose me for your plus-1 over any of your friends, or that young stallion suitor of yours? What was his name? Crash Entry?”

“Flash. Sentry!” She chided, blushing under her mask. “He’s… a friend.”

“But you’d like it to be more than that, don’t you?”

Twilight turned away.

“Can’t fool me, Princess. I know what it’s like to be in love. You might think it’s crude to say, but love is like a scar: once you get it, it’s with you forever. You ruminate on it, remember how it felt to get it, reflect on how it changed you.”

“I don’t know if I’d go quite that far,” She defended. “We barely know each other.”

“You’ve been smitten, anyway.” He looked down. “But you do have a point; True love… takes time. Growing together, imprinting on each other.”

Off to the side there was a marble statue of a unicorn rearing back, and just behind it, Twilight and Wanderlust could see the fidgeting legs of two ponies and hear soft chuckles.

“And some of that, too.”

Sparkle tried to suppress a laugh, but snorted instead, and they both walked quietly for a minute.

“What was she like?” Twilight asked, earning a curious eyebrow from Wanderlust. “Your wife.”

He was silent for several moments as they walked, gazing forward but looking far beyond. In his mind he saw her, a soft brown mane framing a feminine neck and sweet blue eyes. “Her name was Bjørg. She was a strong mare for such a tender frame.”

“How long did it take for you to fall in love with her?”

“I knew from the moment I first laid eyes on her that there was just… something about that mare. I didn’t know exactly what at first, but…”

“She must have been special.” Twilight said, endeared to his wistful description.

Again, he was quiet for a time before speaking. “Princess, you’d think that after so long, memories would diminish or fade entirely. I met and lost her before I drank from the cup and was bestowed my long-life. But I can still remember her as if it were only a few years ago. Maybe that’s part of the gift.”

The castle drawbridge was flanked on either side by Lunar guards in polished armor, greeting ponies at the near side before they crossed the span. One guard worked with a clipboard, questioning guests briefly before allowing them to pass.

“Thestrals are in interesting bunch.” Wanderlust said. “Secretive but very loyal.”

Twilight hummed an agreement. “Tell me about it. I tried to consult some for a school essay once; they weren’t very interested in speaking to outsiders.”

When they arrived at the checkpoint, the interviewing guard narrowed his vision.

“Welcome to the Midnight Moonlit Masquerade, Your Grace.” He offered politely. “Of course, you are expected, but who shall we say is your company this evening?”

“Percival.” Wanderlust said.

“Per-ci-val…” The guard murmured, writing the name on the pinned sheet. “Very well, enjoy your night.”

They each thanked the guard and proceeded, Wanderlust staring upwards at the spires and heights before passing under the portcullis.

“You’re gonna love the palace.” Twilight told him. “It’s retained much of its original design.”

“So it’s old, just like me?”

Within the outer wall, the front lawn of the property had been transformed into a soiree of its own, with food tables and music, lights strung from one statue to another. Costumed guests milled about in small groups or couples, some enjoying a dance to the band.

“This must be a reception party before the official one start at midnight.” Twilight guessed. “I wonder where the Princesses are?”

In her tower quarters, Luna glided in off the shimmering moonlight through the open balcony, carrying a literal bucket filled with candy in her magic. She set it down, plucking two pieces off the top and stuffing them in her mouth before a knock came at the door.

“Entah!” She called out between chews.

The door opened with a creak, Apostle bowing reverently as he met her with a grin. “And how did Nightmare Night with the little fillies and colts of Equestria go, Your Majesty?”

She swallowed half-a-mouthful. “Splendid. Many scares were meted out, much candy was given in tribute, and much fun was enjoyed by all.”

“Excellent, Your Highness. You should know that your guests are streaming in and being entertained in the anteparty as we speak.”

“Very good, Apostle.” She finished the rest of her mouthful and inserted another piece just as quick. “I shall begin my preparations. Make your final inspections before we invite them in.”

“At once, Your Nocturnal Grace.”

Apostle couldn’t see her eyes roll as he backed out of the room and shut the door.

Luna groaned. “I really must break him of that habit.”

Pushing the bucket of sweets aside Luna cantered to her dressing mirror, her wings quivering.

“Alright Luna.” She said, meeting her own gaze. “Time to show everypony that Celestia’s not the only princess who can throw a party.”

Casting her magic, she opened her wardrobe and extracted a gown of black sheer fabric, with faint points of light to emulate the night sky. The neck of the dress was affixed to a silver collar with wave-like extensions and centered by a crescent moon brooch that glowed with pale fluorescence. Luna bit her lip in excitement, placing it in front of herself as she looked in the reflection.

“Yes…”

“My my…”

Twilight spun to see a couple coming to meet her, each in their own formal attire. Wanderlust didn’t recognize the stallion, but she did.

“Princess Twilight, what a beautiful young mare you’ve blossomed into.” The stallion said as he and his lithesome companion bowed.

“Councilor Fancy Pants, you’re too kind.” Sparkle said, beaming. “You and Fleur look extra-impeccable tonight.”

Fancy Pants was dressed in a casual-but-elegant light lavender jacket, white ruffled shirt, and black vest. His well-known mane of blue hardly hidden behind his simple mask. Fleur meanwhile wore a willowy black gown that flowed off her frame like water, giving sharp contrast to her white fur and pink mane, her mask one of gold embroidery with white accents over black.

“Oh, this is my plus,” Twilight introduced, gesturing to Wanderlust. “Percival.”

“We’re acquainted.” Fleur smiled, extending her hoof.

As before, he took it and kissed her cornet.

“I was right about the suit,” She continued. “It practically hugs you.”

“The lady knows good taste,” Wanderlust said, nodding to Fancy Pants.

“That she does.” Fancy then extended a friendly hoof. “Fancy Pants, Canterlot city council. And this lovely creature with me is Fleur de Lis, she’s an… um… socialite.” He chuckled.

“Percival…” Fleur began, eyeing him like a cat does a mouse. “I simply must know more about you; how did you become such a friend to Princess Twilight?”

“Oh, it’s merely a kind gesture on her part.” Wanderlust said modestly. “See I’ve recently begun investing in some development in Ponyville, real estate and so forth. But come the Changelings, all my work goes up in green flames!”

“Dreadful creatures.” Fleur scowled.

Twilight then chimed in, “Yes, there were some plans in place to build a new youth academy near the town that got a bit… derailed.”

“A youth academy?” Fancy and Fleur shot each other intrigued looks. “A mind for the future of Equestria, then?”

“Life has been very… generous with me.” Wanderlust said. “It’s my way of giving back and investing in the next generation.”

“Noble and industrious.” Fancy smirked. “I like him already. And I’m sure there’s many a deep pocket in Canterlot who would like to be in the ground-floor of such a venture. Do reach out if you think there’s anything we can help you with. This is a city of connections and associates, and I can get you in with some influential ponies.”

Twilight coughed.

“Of course, Her Grace can do that too!” Pants said before breaking into a hearty laugh that the others joined in.

“Or perhaps we can turn your interest to Canterlot some time?” de Lis suggested, staring straight into his eyes. “I’m sure we can figure out something to do with a pony of such enterprise and vision.”

Wanderlust stared back, and for a moment he saw her pupils dilate. “I’m always getting into new projects, I’m adventurous.”

It wasn’t until he looked away that Fleur sucked in a small gasp of air, suddenly realizing she’d stopped breathing.

Fancy Pants moved to depart. “Well, we’re still making the rounds before the night’s activities begin. I’m sure we’ll run into each other again.”

“See you around, Councilor, Fleur.” Twilight said.

The four ponies gave short bows as the pairs split.

Fleur de Lis clung close to Fancy as they walked away, her expression one of contemplative bewilderment. “He interests me.” She said.

“What was that?” Twilight asked.

Wanderlust’s brow furrowed. “What was what?”

“That thing you did. Fleur de Lis is one of the most confident mares I’ve ever met, and it looked like you set her brain on stun.”

“Oh that.” He shrugged. “Little technique I picked up in Trotsylvania. I call it the ‘Immortal Transfixer’. I like to pull it out on ponies who play mind games.”

“Can you teach me that?”

“It takes a century or two to master. So, maybe later.”

Nopony would ever guess it, but Luna took no small amount of pride in doing her own mane. As she sat at her desk, inspecting her work in the vanity mirror, she hummed musically and made slight touches to different spots. It was when she looked down to pat-out a wrinkle in the dress that she thought she caught a flash of movement in the mirror.

Her face shot up with a snap, watching every twitch of her reflection, watching to make sure nothing else moved that she wasn’t moving. Luna’s mouth hung open, unwilling to speak or even blink as she stared. But after several seconds of nothing but her own fearful face, she began breathing again. She stepped back from the desk and found a fabric to toss over the glass.

“It was just a trick of the eye, Luna. Nothing but your own imagination. We’re just nervous over tonight.”

Exhaling the jitters, Luna closed her eyes and opened them again. She looked over to a patch of floor towards the opposite corner, where a circular rug had once been laid in front of a tall mirror. And she remembered that’s where it started.

Down on the floor she saw herself as a little filly, playing with her dolls and mumbling a song to herself. Then she saw herself turn towards the mirror, curious, ears swiveling to listen.

“Who are you?” The filly asked.

…

“What’s your name?” The filly grimaced.

…

“That’s a weird name. Why would your mommy name you that?”

…

“You don’t have a mommy? Neither do I.”

…

“Sure! We can be friends!” Filly Luna smiled, her little tail bouncing.

…

“Okay… I’ll keep it a secret.”

Luna shivered, using her wings to clear the air around her, dispelling the images like smoke in the wind.

“That’s enough of that.” She said. “I have a party to host.”

“Attention, Everypony” Emerging from the archway of the palace, a grinning Apostle waited until conversations died out and all eyes were on him. His mane was braided straight down along the neck and complimenting his silk cloak was a mask of silver stretching down his nose resembling a skull.

“The Midnight Moonlit Masquerade will begin shortly. If you will, please begin making your way to the ballroom.”

He stepped aside and gestured with a hoof to the open doors. The chatter of the crowd rising again, the first waves eagerly started climbing the steps, Apostle greeting each with a polite smile and nod.

“Welcome, thank you for coming.”

“Must I really?” Wanderlust complained.

“Come on.” Twilight nudged him in the shoulder as she headed for the entrance.

Joining the herd, Wanderlust kept his gaze downward, focusing on his breathing, hoping nopony would take notice of his reticence.

What do I do when I see her? He asked himself. What do I do?

“Welcome, Your Grace.” Apostle said as Princess Twilight passed him by. While she nodded in return, Apostle looked past her to the preoccupied unknown unicorn at her side.

Hmm.

The ballroom was towards the rear of the castle, opening out to the back gardens. As such the path to it began with the ascension of the grand staircase. Posted at the foot of the steps was yet another Lunar Guard checkpoint, this one however, featured a small archway through which the guests were walking. A shimmer of translucent magic rippled with each pony that went under, the thestrals observing each as they did.

“I’m not going to lie, Princess.” Wanderlust said as they progressed in the line. “I may go all to pieces in there.”

“It won’t be that bad, I promise.” She whispered. “The last thing they would even imagine is that you’re here.”

It was then that the checkpoint came into view, both Wanderlust and Twilight watching as those in front passed through the veil.

“Well, that’s new.” Sparkle said.

“What is it?”

“It looks like an anti-glamor device.”

An older unicorn mare in front of them twisted her head back. “In case there are any un-captured Changelings about, trying to ruin the event.”

Twilight pursed her lips in thought. “That makes sense.”

In the next heartbeat, she and Wanderlust snapped face to face in stark realization.

“Changeling disguise magic.” He whispered through clenched teeth; eyes wide.

Before Twilight could say a word, he was already ducking out of line and heading back to the entrance.

*cough* “Excuse me.” *cough*

Breaking out of line herself, she followed him.

Their departure had not gone unnoticed; Fancy Pants and Fleur de Lis turning to see them leave.

A thestral guard at the device likewise tracked them visually before mouthing high-pitched squeaks. Posted in the heights of the grand gallery, two Lunar guards lifted off from their roosts.

Catching up to Wanderlust in an alcove off the main hall, Twilight used her wings to flutter down in front of him. “Okay look, I didn’t know they would have that; we’ll find another way in.”

“No, Princess that’s it, I can’t do it.”

“Huh? But you’re so close!” She pleaded.

“Find some other tradeoff for the amulet, Twilight, I’m not going in there.”

Wanderlust moved past her, leaving her to sputter in frustration.

“But… You have to! You’ve come all this way!”

He spun and faced her, tearing the mask off, incredulous. “To do what? Put on a funny mask and dance? Why did you need me to come to this bloody thing at all?”

“Because…” Twilight sighed, biting her lower lip. “Because I’m the Princess of Friendship, and fixing friendship problems is my job. I wanted to… fix your friendship problem with Celestia and Luna.”

Wanderlust gawked at her, astonished. “You… what?!”

“Hey! You didn’t live a thousand years just to show up in my town, and come to my castle for the cosmic forces of harmony NOT to try and mend your falling-out.”

He put a hoof to the side of his head. “Unbelievable.”

Twilight puffed her chest, steeling her confidence. “Like I told you when you first showed me who you really were, I don’t believe this is all coincidence. I think you’re meant to be here. So I can help you. So they can forgive you.”

“I don’t want to be forgiven!” He hissed with a stomp; gritting his teeth “Of all the things I’ve mourned or wished for a thousand years, not one of them was the chance to throw myself at Celestia’s hooves and humiliate myself, begging for my name back! I didn’t want it then, and I don’t want it now!”

“Hold there.” Two thestral guards landed behind them, spears at the side. Twilight and Wanderlust immediately reigned in their composure.

“Is there a problem, Princess Twilight?” The taller of the pair asked.

“No problem.” She said.

Wanderlust forced a pained smile. “I’m afraid I’ve forgotten a rather important errand I must run early in the morning. Her Grace was just trying to convince me to put it off and come back to the party.”

The guards exchanged quick looks. “Very well then, if you come with me Princess, I can expedite you through the line.”

“And I can escort you to a side-door.” The other guard said to Wanderlust with narrowed gaze. “Help you avoid the crowd.”

“I’d appreciate it.” Trotting over, Wanderlust followed the shorter guard down a side hall.

Twilight frowned to see him go, but nonetheless let the taller thestral lead her back to the line.

“Right this way.” Skipping past the others and going right to the anti-glamor device, the guard gestured for her to be the next one through without delay.

“Thanks.” She said, polite but cheerless. As she stepped through, the magic rippled around her, the thestrals making careful observation. But when she looked the same on the other side, they seemed to relax.

“Through here, sir.” Standing to one side of the hall, the guard pointed to where two more thestrals stood a post at a non-descript exit. Between them and Wanderlust however, was another anti-glamor portal.

“Can’t have any of those nasty shape-shifters sneaking in, can we?”

Wanderlust’s lip twitched. “Absolutely not.”

Okay… three guards… lightly armed… short sprint to egress.

He stepped forward slowly, making a show of examining the ornate framework of the portal.

Disable the first with a blast against the wall… line-up the second and third, use second as obstruction… plow forward with force-shield.

The other guards waited patiently, seemingly casual, though Wanderlust noticed their hooves were positioned to spring into action.

Get outside… find a place to hide… kick myself in the head for being an idiot.

Wanderlust lowered his head slightly, discreetly summoning his magic, preparing.

“Oh, there you are, Percival!”

All turned to see Fancy Pants and Fleur de Lis standing at the intersection of the hall, his hoof raised to hail.

“I say, come walk out with us. I wanted to pick your brain about that development project you’re working on for the Princess.”

A somewhat stunned Wanderlust turned to the guard. “Pardon me then.”

“You looked a bit uncomfortable back there.” Fancy asked, the trio nearing the main entrance. “You’re not actually a changeling, are you?”

The bluntness of the question got a sudden chuckle out of Wanderlust. “No. Just didn’t expect to be led into a trap like that.”

“Well, we can hardly blame them. It wouldn’t be the first time this palace has been infiltrated.”

“Canterlot’s just rife with clandestine activity, Percival.” Fleur bumped his flank. “Most common ponies think being a noble is all tea parties and polo.”

“I do like my polo.” Fancy said.

“But there’s more fun to be had, if…” She swished her tail against Wanderlust’s. “You’re in the right circles.”

Wanderlust faced her with raised brows, then smoothly put the raven-mask back on.

She smiled.

They stopped at the palace threshold, the last of the guests having gone inside by then.

“Will you be staying in Canterlot long?” Fancy inquired.

“No.” Wanderlust shook his head. “I only came as a favor to Princess Twilight. I’ve never actually been here before.”

“I do hope you decide to visit again before long.” Fleur said. “As a stallion of business, you might find it profitable.”

“Then I will certainly give it much thought.” Giving both parting nods, Wanderlust descended the steps out to the front garden.

“He could be an asset.” Fancy mulled out loud, he and Fleur going back inside. “But we need to learn more about him.”

“Well of course.” She said. “That’s half the fun.”

Arriving in the ballroom, Twilight was impressed to see the final preparation. Tiny crystals hung from the ceiling at various lengths, the curtains along the wall-spanning windows to the rear garden were drawn. And the rim where the overhead dome met the ceiling was lined with mirrors, to what end she could only speculate. The tables were laid out like constellations around the dance floor, Twilight realized, reflecting their shape skyward. In here, even the service staff and guards wore simple masks. While she could recognize some of the other guests under their costumes, other she couldn’t.

“Whoa.” She muttered.

“Make way!” Somepony called out from the far end of the room. All turned and gasped as Princess Celestia made her entrance, giving the alicorn a wide berth. She wore a dress that was tight around the front half of her torse then blossomed out on the back half, shoulder props that reached up almost to her jawline. Her whole dress was sparkling black with gold trim at the very edges, the mask matching the scheme but the top of it had angular rays bursting out like the sun. Instead of letting her mane flow naturally, she had it braided to the side.

“Well, what do you all think?” She asked to everypony. “I figured an eclipse motif was appropriate.”

She was happy to receive an unintelligible chorus of applause and compliments, bowing and thanking them kindly.

“Princess Celestia!” Twilight cheered as she vaulted the crowd to embrace her mentor. “You look amazing!”

“Thank you, Twilight!” The senior alicorn beamed, wrapping up her former student in her wings. “And your dress is beautiful, I love your mask.”

“Thanks.”

Celestia craned her neck left and right. “So where is this mysterious plus-1 I kept hearing rumors about?”

Twilight’s smile dropped. “He was here, but he uh… He had other things come up. Had to leave in a hurry.”

“Oh, that’s too bad.” The feigned sympathy was barely hidden as Celestia looked off to the side. “But if you need a dance partner, I’m sure one of my guard retinue would be happy to oblige you...”

Where Celestia stepped away, Twilight could see a blue-haired guard standing a few paces back glancing around. He wore a dress uniform of crimson red with gold piping and a simple red mask with gold designs veined throughout.

A smirking Celestia coaxed Twilight onward with a hoof. “Go, go, go.”

“Hi.” Sparkle said, walking up with a smile.

Flash Sentry almost lost his mask, startled to see Princess Twilight approach him in an outfit that evaporated all the moisture in his mouth.

“Hey… Um, Princess.” He blundered, managing a clumsy smile as he bowed. “You look… royal.”

He’s trying. Celestia bless him he’s trying. “You’re very handsome yourself, Flash.”

Checking to make sure they were talking, Celestia chuckled to herself before making her way further into the crowd.

“Auntie Celestia, you look positively radiant.” Dressed in a black court coat with faint blue embroidery and an exaggerated collar over a velvet blue vest, the blond locks of Prince Blueblood hung loose from under the phantom-esque mask.

“Blueblood,” She said. “Dapper as always.”

“Dare I say, auntie, Luna threatens to outshine you for once. I can’t wait to see what she’s got planned.”

“Neither can I.”

Sticking out markedly from the crowd, Leo Nightus patrolled stoically through the room in his dress uniform of black and hague blue, his hawkish-helm doubling for a mask. He spied Apostle coming towards him and silently cursed.

“Commander,” The unicorn greeted. “I must say, you cut an imposing figure in that combination. Little wonder thestrals acquired such a frightful reputation. I grew up hearing all the foalhood warnings to never be caught alone in the forest at night.”

“A ghastly superstition, spread among fearful rural ponies.” Leo said with some bite.

“And from fearful rural ponies do I originate, but I later learned much better. Your kind is a noble and martial tribe, much to be admired.”

Nightus took stock of him for a moment, deciding how far to take the compliment.

“That we are, Apostle. And where specifically might I ask is it you originate from?”

Apostle seemed to delight in the question. “Perhaps you know it, Hollow Shades.”

The name did strike Leo, vaguely, a twinge of something in his memory.

“Yes, I do believe I’ve heard of it.”

“Then you may forgive its misconception of things that go bump in the night.” Apostle shrugged. “The forest can be a scary place in the dark.”

The sound of ponies counting down drew their attention to the rest of the room. Midnight had arrived.

The lights in the hall went out. After an initial hush from the crowd, the room became silent, all waiting, listening, holding their breath. Then like a newly birthed star a pale light shone in from the outside, reflected by the mirrors in the dome to create a construct above the dance floor, the illusion of a moon. From somewhere in the dark a deep string began to play, sonorous and forlorn, dragging its first note out over several seconds before drifting into another.

In the center of the light construct a shadow began to form, materializing from the very strands. Poised like a ballerina, the shape of Princess Luna reached up with one hoof to the sky, her head bent back dramatically as she spun in place.

The delicate plucks of a harp then joined the mournful string, creating an ethereal melody. By some means the mirrors were shifted and cast some of their light farther into the room, catching all the dangling crystals so that they gleamed and flickered in the darkness. A hundred stars surrounded the mare in the moon as she twirled, trance-like in her construct.

Then the stars began to be pulled slowly towards the center, drawn by some magnetism. The bass of the string began to rise, and the notes of the harp increased in frequency, matching the steady journey of the crystals.

When the stars had seemed to reach their limits, the string erupted in a crescendo. In the next moment silence returned, the music and light shutting out abruptly, leaving all in darkness.

A single low note filled the hall, and the moonlight appeared as a pillar from above to the floor, where Luna now stood with wings flared.

“Once upon a time,” She said, not in royal projection, but in a flat deliberate voice. “In my folly, I couldn’t understand why ponies did not find the same happiness in my night as they did my sister’s day. And I was filled with a poisonous jealousy.”

She turned her head to see everypony mesmerized, locked on her. Though she did wear a mask it was relatively simple: black lace with silver accents with silver threads following the spiral of her horn.

“Now I understand that my night is meant to give ponies peace and rest. Provide serenity, cradle the womb of dreams. The night’s beauty is not in opposition to the day, but the necessary compliment.”

“So tonight, I invite you all to enjoy the nocturnal hours as I do. To bask in the moon’s pale beauty and walk with me in the garden of shadows.”

The keys of an unseen piano began to play with a methodical melody.

“Enjoy yourselves,” Luna encouraged, accepting a glass from a waiter and raising it in toast. “Dance, drink, delight. The night is ours.”

The mirrors above shifted, this time casting the moonlight to encompass the crystals and provide a measure of illumination to the rest of the dance floor. While the corners of the room remained somewhat in shadow, the great portion was given a ghostly atmosphere that bathed everything in a soft glow. The dais of the band was now visible, the rest of the players now joining the piano, ushering in a haunting harmony.

Mood music. More to follow

The audience resounded with an applause of rapping hooves on the floor and commendations, to all of which Luna remained impassive. She nodded stoically in thanks to a few different directions. Even as a beaming Celestia approached, she did not break the cool façade.

“Luna, that was phenomenal!” Celestia said in close proximity. “Ponies are going to be talking about that until next Nightmare Night!”

“Then I shall have to outdo myself, sister.” Luna said with a slight smirk.

Around them the guests had begun breaking into couples and taking to the dance floor, moving to the music in elegant coordination.

Luna looked on proudly as her plan blossomed into fruition, but there was another thought that pricked her mind.

“Sister, you know I never see you dance much at your galas. Will you not find a partner tonight? There must be somepony who isn’t afraid to take the lead with you.”

Thankful for the concealment of the mask, Celestia rolled her eyes to the ceiling and swallowed the first words that came to mind.

“Believe it or not, stallions don’t offer to dance with me much.” She admitted. “I think it’s because I’m so tall.”

“I suppose it can be intimidating.” Luna joked.

Celestia put a hoof on her shoulder. “I’ll be fine. You go find your own dance partner.”

The sisters shared a quick hug before Luna took a few steps and was absorbed into a throng of guests wanting to inundate her with their own fawning adulation. Celestia meanwhile took a deep breath and strolled farther into the floor, stepping in sync with the melody. Happy to let the ambiance sweep her out of her normal inhibitions, she began waltzing, remembering another time when she had a partner that guided her across the floor.

She felt his hoof on her shoulder, his breath on her neck, the warmth of his body so close to hers. Indulging the memory of a love long lost, she smiled and let herself be immersed in the moment.

“No, wait, I think we go-” Twilight tried to contain her giggling as she and Flash attempted to mimic the fluidity of those around them, succeeding only in stepping on each other’s hooves. Nonetheless they laughed-off their clumsiness and enjoyed the trial-and-error process.

“Wait, are you supposed to lead or am I?” Flash asked.

“I don’t know, I didn’t get this far in the book.”

They both burst into a chuckle, at last finding some coordination.

“There’s no use in trying to duck it all night.” Leo Nightus downed his glass in a single go and set it on the platter of a nearby servant. Being a thestral, it was naturally easy for him to maneuver through the dim lighting and shifting environment to find his objective.

Princess Luna was still being hounded by Canterlot socialites when he found her, politely acknowledging their praise and using subtle indications of wanting to break away.

“Ah-hem.” At the clearing of his throat, the crowd opened to afford the commander a clear avenue to the princess.

“Your Majesty,” He began, kneeling down. “It would be my greatest honor if you would favor me with your first dance of the night.”

For a moment Luna did nothing but stare at his gesture. The others glancing back and forth in interest.

“It would indeed please us to dance with you, Commander.” She said, stepping forward and offering her hoof.

Leo kissed it, and stayed there a few seconds after, raising his eyes to meet Luna’s. In the moonlight, her eyes seemed to twinkle even brighter.

“Lead on then,” She said.

Commander Nightus stood and positioned himself at her side, and together they marched onward to a spot at the center of the floor. There, they bowed to one another formally, and their dance began.

As the party got into swing, Apostle stood at the side of the dance floor, watching contentedly as the princesses and others swirled below the stars, losing themselves to the euphoria of the night. He watched Celestia spin her invisible partner. Watched Twilight and the young guard explore their budding courtship. And when he turned his eyes to Luna and her thestral commander, he watched as one spellbound. Everything else in the room faded away until only she was left; a creature of pure grace and beauty, silver moonlight gleaming off her every curve. He watched until even the music receded, and the vision of her filled his whole mind.

“Splendid evening we’ve got.”

The voice ripped Apostle out of his fantasy with such a suddenness, he shot a glare at the unicorn stallion who’d interrupted it. Though in the dim light, they didn’t seem to notice his displeasure.

“Yes.” He hissed, restraining his ire. “It’s a night many will remember.”

“Then I hope they remember it fondly.” A mare appeared on his right, her attention on the dancers. “Because things are about to be very different around here.”

Apostle found several familiar figures within sight, the same ponies who offered praise and affection to the princesses to their faces, schemed their downfall behind their back. What had Chrysalis called them? He recalled. Little scorpions, hiding right in her bosom, ready to sting. But these conspiring unicorns were right, things were about to change.

“Indeed.” Apostle said. “Tomorrow night begins a new age in Equestria.”

“Here, here.” More masked unicorns joined the intimate circle, raising their glasses to a toast.

“To the Restoration.” The fellow at Apostle’s left said, raising his own.

“To the Restoration.” The others echoed surreptitiously.

At least I admire their boldness. “To the natural order.” Apostle saluted with a hoof in lieu of a drink.

The cohorts in treason downed their glasses, faceless smiles congratulating one another and having a laugh.

But Apostle did not share in their revelry. He looked past them to something more enticing, and piercing yellow eyes focused on something of higher priority.

“To us…”

Elsewhere in Canterlot

With his tie loosened and jacket slung over his barrel, Wanderlust meandered under the streetlamps of the city. The moon was unusually voluminous in the sky, and he glanced up to it periodically. He knew his hotel was in a different direction, but he had no desire to go to bed just yet. Instead, he’d rounded the corner and coming into view was the Canterlot Library. Thanks to Twilight, he now had a fair knowledge of the building’s layout, entrance points, and even a flimsy excuse should he encounter any guard patrols.

With three princesses attending a celebration along with half the upper-class of Canterlot; undoubtedly, most of the guard’s attention would be there. Leaving ample opportunity for him to sneak back into the Thule exhibit.

Seeing that old stuff really did a number on me. I don’t think they’d mind all that much if a single measly bust of Kung Rubicon were to suddenly go missing…

His ears perked to hoofsteps half-a-second too late to avoid a collision from the left.

CLASH!

“Yipe!” A mare’s voice cried out, reacting in just as much surprise as him as they tumbled together to the ground, a small flurry of papers dispersing into the air and falling around them like leaves.

“I’m sorry, I was distracted, didn’t notice you coming.” He apologized, helping her to stand, but she shrugged off his touch. She wore a dark cloak, a horn protruding from an aperture in the hood that concealed her face. He glanced to where she’d come from, a relatively modest building with a sign that read: ‘Canterlot Historical Society’.

“I wasn’t paying attention either,” She said with some frustration, dusting herself off, pushing a set of glasses back into place, and began collecting her parchments. “Sorry.”

Without hesitation, Wanderlust plucked up a few papers only to be struck by what he saw.

“These look complicated.” He said, staring at a multi-faceted magical formula, shapes and symbols overlaid one another. “Old too.”

The mare paused, then took the papers from his control. “You have a good eye.”

Wanderlust shrugged. “Reminds me of something Equiephas Levi might have made.”

“Equiephas Levi?” She asked, seeming shocked to hear another pony even say the name. She scanned the design again, leaning closer to it. “You know him?”

“Not greatly, but I did study him a bit. Had some interesting ideas and formulations, but never got much of anything to work.”

She nodded. “That’s the consensus, yes.”

“But your stuff looks more advanced,” Wanderlust gestured to her notes. “More complete. Are you a fan of his work?”

She stashed her papers into her cloak. “Not as such, but it’s come up in other research I’m conducting.”

“Really?” He rolled his tongue in his cheek. “That looked like some pretty heavy conjuration magic, with an element of sssomething I’m not sure I recognize. You’d better be careful with it.”

The stranger shot a quick glance down the road. Wanderlust could tell there was something pulling her away, but something just as compelling keeping her from leaving. Instead, she took a step towards him.

“Clearly you know your magic.” She said. “Wouldn’t have guessed it from the expensive suit. I might have taken you for one of those patrician elitists who can’t be bothered to study the arcane arts.”

“What can I say, I’m not from here. But! -” He reached out with a hoof. “Call me Sable.”

She tilted her head and raised a hoof to her chest, hesitant. Eventually, however, she did reach out and accept his offer. “… Heritor.”

“A pleasure. And your cloak is quite nice as well, is it custom?”

“Uh, yes.” Heritor rescinded her hoof and checked over her shoulder. “Listen, it was interesting meeting you, but it’s late and I have to go.”

“Very well, have a good night.” He wished her as she turned away. “Good luck with your ‘research’.”

The inflexion on the last word caused her to look back once more before continuing into the shadows.

Wanderlust too began to drift off. That symbolism… He thought. There’s something queer about it I can’t quite put my hoof on.

The enigma persisted in his mind even as he passed by the library, forgetting his intent to burgle the likeness of his father.

‘Canterlot’s just rife with clandestine activity...’ The amorous socialite had told him.

“No kidding.”

In the Masquerade…

More mood music

The pace of the music had slowed, and so in turn, had the dancers, consolidating into swaying pairs moving through the dim light.

“I’m surprised, Commander.” Luna said as she and Leo Nightus moved back and forth. “I never took you for one who knew their waltzes.”

“A skillset of my upbringing, Your Grace.” He said from under his helm. “My mother was gifted with an uncommon talent for dance.”

They stepped within a pace of each other, their masks accentuating the depth of eye contact.

“Tell me more about your family.” She bid.

“What’s there to say?” Leo shrugged. “My family is much like every other thestral camp. My mother, Rousettus, and father, Anaxan were arranged shortly after they came of age. I have a younger brother and two sisters.”

Luna hummed curiously, “You are years past coming of age, Leo. How is it that your own marriage has been avoided?”

“Well, fortunately I was a precocious young officer by that time, and an allowance was made on my behalf. The argument being that taking the time to settle a family would ‘distract’ me from my advancement.”

“I see. Evidently they were correct.” She smirked. “I’m quite lucky to have such a capable Commander be in place upon my return.”

He swallowed an uncomfortable cough. “The honor is all mine, Princess. We have long awaited the time when you would come back to us.”

“And tell me, Leo.” Luna slid herself closer. “Now that you have established such an accomplished career, do you not intend to take a wife and sire your own camp?”

“As… As most thestrals are married young, the prospects of finding a suitable partner at my age is rather, unlikely.”

“Then might you not look elsewhere? Or have thestrals instituted prohibitions against mixed couplings in my absence?”

“Not explicitly.” He managed to say while suppressing the urge to down another glass. “Though it is much frowned upon. The ponies of Equestria and the thestrals have never sustained very cordial relations. In the few occasions where such a liaison has been discovered, the deviating thestral is typically… shunned by their camp.”

“Oh.” The revelation seemed to elicit a withdrawal from Luna, the alicorn shifting away slightly and looking out elsewhere.

“Though…” He began. “This is largely a product of the thestrals disengaging from interactions with ponies during the time of your banishment. Perhaps now that you have been restored…”

“There is opportunity for change.”

Luna and Leo found each-other’s gaze and continued to dance.

“Mind if I borrow her for a bit?”

Twilight and Flash were startled to see a stallion giving a bow and present his hoof, obscured in the low shadows. It wasn’t until he stood up that she recognized the stature of Prince Blueblood in his fractured mask.

“Oh, uh…” Sparkle and Sentry stepped apart. “Sure. I’ll find you later.” She said to Flash.

“Cool, I’ll just go check out the snacks and do a uh… quick patrol.” The pegasus said, giving her a shaky smile and a wink before fading into the surroundings.

“Don’t worry, friend, I won’t keep long.” Blueblood assured as he took up the position of Twilight’s dance partner.

She put on a polite smile as they began swaying. “A splendid event tonight.”

“Indeed it is.” He grinned. “We haven’t had the chance to catch-up since you moved to Ponyville. How has small-town life been treating you?”

“Pretty good, actually.” Twilight looked down at her hooves, surprised to see herself falling into sync with him. “Made a lot of friends, got a big new castle.”

“Good to hear, good to hear. And so what is an aspiring young alicorn like yourself planning to do with all this newfound success?”

Twilight wasn’t sure if it was the dark atmosphere of the room, or the fact that Blueblood was doing a flawless job of leading her, but she was feeling a strange bit of excitement. Maybe it was the mystery of the masks and outfits, that for a little while they could pretend to be somepony other than themselves.

“Well I’m not really sure yet. It all happened so fast.”

He hummed. “I imagine it can all be a bit overwhelming at times.”

“Tell me about it.” She said. “Sometimes I wish I could take these wings off for a day and just be a normal pony again.”

“It does seem unfair to have such a heavy mantle thrust upon you. And at such a young age.” Blueblood reared up, hooking one of her forehooves to draw her up as well, and smoothly spun her in place with a flourish.

“I bet nopony even stopped to ask you if you wanted to be a princess in the first place.”

“Well, no…”

“Though I must suppose Celestia employed the vast wisdom she’s acquired over a dozen lifetimes to choose somepony as malleable as you over somepony ostensibly more… qualified.”

Again, Blueblood led her up into a twirl, this time coming down into a sweeping side-step.

“What do you mean?” Twilight asked. “It’s not like these were just given to me out of nowhere. I earned them.”

“As we all know.” He came back. “I only meant to say that, unlike Cadence who was raised in the palace, you come from more humble beginnings. There was never any expectation or preparation for you to assume such an extraordinary role.”

Twilight took a step back in tandem with Blueblood. “Yes, it has had its challenges, but…” A pin of light reflected from one of the star-crystals, catching her partner in the eye as they came back together, giving his brilliant blue iris a striking glint.

“But after all the tests I went through, and with the help of my friends, I think it’s all been worth it.”

“Do you ever wonder…” The Prince began, letting the preparatory phrase dangle. “What your life might have been like had you not solved Starswirl’s spell?”

The question forced Twilight to think for a few moments. The tempo of the music had sped up slightly; a harp, piano, and clarinet accelerating as a violin kept a continuing note. If not for Blueblood’s skillful way of maneuvering her, she feared tumbling over.

“Maybe once or twice. But with all the good we’ve done across Equestria, big and small, I have to think this is the path I was meant to be on.”

“Yes, that’s the strange thing about fate isn’t it?” He leaned forward, flashing a cheeky smile. “You never know where it’s going to lead you until you’re already there.”

Raptured in the exquisite melodrama of the band, Celestia was quite enjoying herself when she felt the presence of another watching her. She stopped, and found standing amidst the shadows the enigmatic new unicorn in Canterlot.

“Your Majesty,” Apostle bowed in his skullish mask. “Might a mere mortal such as I dare to ask for this dance?”

The fact of a stallion being so bold was arresting enough for her to stare speechless, what struck her was more, was the grey fur and black mane. She hadn’t made the connection before, but here in the deep music and ethereal ambiance, for just a brief second her heart leaped in her breast.

“Of course.” She eventually said.

When Celestia didn’t offer a hoof, Apostle flashed a tight smile and took up a neutral position with her as they engaged in a rhythm at half pace with the music.

“You must be impressed with your sister’s imagination.” He said. “Especially the opening performance.”

“It was very brave of her.” She agreed. “She’s always been the more artistic one.”

Apostle glanced upwards to the twinkling crystals. “An expression of catharsis. A work of visual poetry allowing us to share in her emotive vulnerability. What better way to kick-off the night?”

Celestia gave him a nod. “From what I hear you’re quite the admirer of her. Can I ask why?”

In mirror, they stepped apart, shifted to their respective right sides, and stepped back in.

“Call me a romantic.” He said. “Ever since I was young I’ve always been captivated by the mysterious and esoteric. To me, Princess Luna was the embodiment of the night’s occult allure.”

“I don’t always pretend to fully comprehend my sister’s domain. But you’re right, it does possess a unique beauty. Something that took me many years to appreciate.”

“That is the way of life, is it not?” Apostle sighed. “Sometimes you never see the most important things for what they are until one day, you realize they’ve been there all along. Or until it’s too late, and you’ve missed it altogether.”

In the course of their movement, Celestia was able to catch a glimpse of Luna dancing with Leo Nightus. While she was putting on a stoic face, Celestia could tell there was a happiness brimming just under the surface.

“Don’t I know that well.” She lamented.

“Most of all, I imagine.” The pair switched places in cadence with the rhythm of the cello, and now he fixed a transcending eye on Luna, peering just to the side of Celestia’s neck.

“A tragedy for all Equestria, but felt most acutely in the heart of the one who must bear it the longest.”

There was an uncomfortable boldness in the way he talked, she decided. Not because she found it impudent, but rather because of another who spoke to her with such candor.

“You have quite the penchant for the poetic, Apostle.” Celestia told him. “I think you and Luna will get along very well.”

“Oh, I truly hope so, Your Grace.” Apostle stepped closer, still moving to the music, his focus still locked. “It is my deepest desire.”

THE NEXT NIGHT
Elsewhere in Equestria…

Even. More. Mood music

Even in Equestria, so governed by the forces of harmony, there remained those places hidden in the darkness. Old places, where the light did not reach, and harmony was held at bay.

It was into one of these ancient and secret places that two cloaked unicorns marched, the torches born aloft in their magic the only illumination in the abyssal darkness. They stopped periodically to light the wall sconces staggered on either side, guiding those who followed in their wake in the stone artery. Walking two-by-two, shoulder to shoulder, none of them spoke, none of them diverted their attention from what was directly in front of them. Only one moved alone in the center of the column.

His own hood drawn over for once in communion with the others, Apostle carried the rectangular stone box before him on a black pillow. Keeping in pace, he kept his attention on the lid, seeing through it to the item inside, seeing all the power it was about to bestow.

The mare and stallion who led the procession entered a much wider space, breaking left and right along the curved wall. As they continued to set the lights, they revealed a grand chamber of stone, in the center was an elevated round platform. The room might have once been something to marvel at with its archways and pillars, the huge carved mural opposite the entrance. But the cobwebs and dust testified to its long abandonment; crumbled masonry littered the floor. An iron grate now sealed the pit of the well, an intricate lattice beyond which was nothing but black.

As the other project members filed in and took positions around the shaft, Apostle climbed atop the rim of the well and set his bundle down gently in the middle of the grate.

“Tonight we will transform Equestria.” He announced for all to hear as they encircled. “Tonight, in the Well of Shade do we undertake to set right the natural order. For too long we have abdicated our proper role in the world, put our faith in the benevolence of the Alicorns.”

“No longer!” Grace called out from her position. “No longer are we content to simply be the vestigial aristocracy of a plebian rabble!”

“No longer!” Crusade bellowed. “No longer will we serve under an interminable, undying oligarchy!”

“No longer.” Heritor spoke up, not quite as demanding as the others but just as serious. “No longer will we allow Equestria to stagnate, shackled to an ancient complacency where favoritism is official state policy.”

“No longer.” His stature already greater than the others, Heretic raised his hooded head. “Will the natural dignity of the unicorn be repressed to uphold the princesses’ unnatural rule.”

“No longer will we be denied.” Apostle said, unveiling his face to reveal a hungry grin. “Tonight, we take history and Equestria back into OUR hooves!”

A hearty cry went up from the surrounding members who raised their hooves in solidarity.

Apostle looked down to the stone box. “Tonight… A new power shall rise and drag Equestria into a glorious new age! Kicking and screaming if need be!”

Again a cry went up, affirmed in gesture. Legacy cut a subtle glance over his accomplishes as he did.

“Tonight,” Apostle opened the box’s lid. “Equestria will belong to us.”

And she will belong to me.

In unison they all began to chant as their horns alit, not in modern Ponish, not even in the archaic Pony-Latin. But a different tongue altogether; a guttural verse with harsh accents and belligerent punctuations. Theirs was a song of anger and malice, antithetical to ponies, and they struggled to voice the phrases at first. But with each syllable, each recitation it grew in volume, intensity, fervor.

Reaching into the box with his magic, Apostle winced in pain to take hold of its prize and raise it above his head. Curved as a dragon’s talon and red as crimson lifeblood, he gasped to marvel at it.

“With the severed horn of your once-great champion, King Sombra, we call upon the forces of eternal darkness, the forgotten masters of the primordial world to now find us! Come! Shade of the Nightmare! Bless us as you once blessed the nocturnal alicorn!”

The project members erupted with a particular word, and each of their magics burst into the roiling fume of dark power. A few staggered but held their place, channeling it like a bolt to Sombra’s horn as their mantra continued.

“Give us the power to overthrow our enemies! To rule!”

Apostle’s magic too transformed into a river of volatile malevolence, feeding into the horn, which itself now burned with a red miasma.

“Grant to us the forbidden power!”

A pulse like a heartbeat rippled around the horn and stood itself upright, more than a dozen streams forming to become a miniature hurricane-sphere of their combined energies. Daggers of black lightning striking and flashing outwards from the storm, arcs of red coursing like jagged veins throughout.

“Spirit of the Nightmare, we summon you to this world!”

The volume of the chanting plateaued as each unicorn reached a perfect unity.

“Now! Come!”

The red aura around Sombra’s horn expanded with each throb, its glow oscillating to each beat. And for several moments this continued, the project members straining to sustain the magic. Apostle, clenching his teeth, felt his reserves depleting fast.

Come on! He cursed internally. Come on!

He stared into the tempest of dark magic, where shades of black, grey, green, and purple boiled.

It must work! IT MUST!

In the malignant ether, two pale eyes appeared to meet Apostle’s gaze, coalescing from the darkness. He gasped.

Finally the strength of the others gave out, and in rapid succession their streams died off, the casters collapsing to the floor. Even Apostle on the verge of fainting was forced to relent, wobbling to his knees. He watched however as the disembodies eyes were absorbed into the storm that nonetheless continued to encompass the horn.

What?! I don’t understand?!

A grumbling few of the others were beginning to regain their footing when the room itself groaned. Several sharp gasps went up as they scanned the temple, only to find the shadows lengthening, the dark recesses of the subterranean space reaching out towards them. The light of the torches beginning to dim as long black claws moved inexorably closer, slithering over the stone.

“It’s here…” Apostle hissed, instinct keeping him pressed on his belly. “It’s coming!”

Heritor felt her heart pounding in her breast, her breathing ragged. She went to Legacy and clutched at his shoulder. “I think this was a bad idea.” She whispered.

The torchlights went out like candles on a cake, the only illumination left, a radiating crimson glow.

The metal plate under Apostle jerked, causing him to flinch in surprise. He looked down expecting to find something but found only the blackness seep upwards through the gaps. Like a startled cat he raised up on his hooves, a deep, impulsive fear gripping his chest. A new sound drew his attention back to the magical construct, something between a growl and a long throaty exhalation.

Emerging through the fog the eyes returned, this time with a red iris around slit pupils, this time focused on him. They narrowed, and Apostle felt himself in the presence of something overwhelming. The shadow saplings wound themselves from all dimensions towards the pulsating horn, extending inch-by-inch with crooked roots. Without realizing it, Apostle stumbled backwards off the well, the wind knocked out of him upon impact. As he gasped for breath, he looked to see the eyes still boring down on him, right until the black veins reached the horn and all light was completely snuffed out.

In the total darkness, metal twisted and cried out, stone cracked, and a frigid chill swept shivers through the ponies as they blindly huddled where they sat.

Then slowly, like the birthing dawn, the fires of the torches came back to life. The shadows retreating to their crevices and the cold bite relented to the ambient heat.

The members searched among one another for sign of injury or other malady. Apostle was being helped to his hooves by two unicorns he knew as Tempo and Juris when Legacy made a beeline to him.

“What in the world was that?” He demanded.

Apostle shook his head in a daze. “I don’t know.” He said. “I don’t understand. The Nightmare was here, I felt it, we all felt it.”

“I told you.” Leaning herself against one of the support pillars, Heritor held a hoof to her chest. “Dabbling with that kind of magic was dangerous. Now we have no idea what we’ve conjured.”

“I thought we were supposed to get powers?” Grace asked, she and Heretic looking themselves over. “Was your ritual a dud?”

“I don’t…” pulling himself free, Apostle stumbled to the side. “There was…”

“Look.” A blue stallion said, pointing to the well. “The horn is gone, and so is the grate.”

Those not recovering on the periphery approached the well, murmurs of questions and speculations among them. Indeed, both items were nowhere to be seen.

“We were off.” Heritor grumbled to herself. “We had to be off somewhere…”

Before anypony could lean their head over the rim however, black smoke began to spill over the sides, causing them to recoil and retreat. A cauldron boiling over, the shadow ichor flowed and pooled about the perimeter of the well.

Legacy and Apostle traded anxious expressions.

Then from the well came the terrible groan, reverberating through the stone and causing some to press their ears shut. A sound of something scraping against the walls of the shaft became noticeable, coming closer, moving with a purpose.

“I think… we should leave.” Worthy suggested, backpedaling towards the entrance. A few others joined her, moving carefully.

The moat of blackness around the well suddenly streaked across the floor to the threshold of the hall, arching up into a jagged palisade of obsidian crystals. The escaping ponies tumbled as they fell back,

“It did work”. Apostle realized to his horror. “Just not for us.”

A smoldering mass of red fabric billowed up from the well, black stains of soot and ash marring the color. It shuddered upon surmounting the rim, the head of it tumbling over the side to the stone. With no recourse to escape, the members stared mouths hanging as somewhere within the scorched red bundle, a wheezing rasp of a breath was taken.

Apostle caught sight of Heritor, and he didn’t need to see her face to know that she had come to the same conclusion.

The red horn appeared from under the object; and as it was raised, revealed itself to be the apex of a helmet wreathed with spikes. Below it, the red fabric unfurled to show the collar of a royal mantle, singed and dirty white fur speckled with black. A billowing mane of pure darkness gushed out from the space between, flowing and undulating in an unseen breeze.

Taller the thing grew; twice, three, four times the height of the ponies, casting a shadow in every direction that overlaid them all. The cruel crown was but the upper-half of a long and sinister mask, empty eye sockets and a yawning portal for a mouth with a pair of beak-like teeth. Apparent on the brow, were twin thorns of crimson inlaid in the metal on either side of a pale gem.

Armored legs struck out from under the mantle’s folds in barbed greaves to take the weight of the entity, staggering forward, dragging the rest of the cloak into the open. Like the collar, the fringes of the cape looked as if they’d crawled through the embers of a fire; torn, ragged, and charred.

Supported by the neck of living shadow, the mask floated in place as if its wearer were asleep. A steady, heavy breathing came from inside.

Commissioned art by Tea-Bee Art

Apostle swallowed hard; heartbeat throbbing in his ears. Feeling his own legs quiver as they stepped forward mechanically, propelled by a will of their own. Closer he moved to the entity, transfixed upon the dreadful helm.

“Are you… who I think you are?” He trembled to ask, craning his neck upwards. “Are you King Sombra?”

Still the helm was dark. Apostle looked among the project members, just as confused and frightened as they were.

“Is it King Sombra who stands before us?”

Still there was no response, and for a moment the temple was absolutely silent.

Green eyes suddenly flared into being within the eye sockets of the helm, red irises bleeding through, black pupils contracting to slits. Discharging a miasma of dark purple fume, they swung back and forth before finally tilting downwards, focusing on Apostle.

The unicorn convulsed, falling on his hind legs, stupefied.

The entity seemed to examine Apostle for several seconds, the eyes narrowing and roving over him.

Then a hoofstep somewhere drew its attention, the helm snapping to the side. A stallion had been trying to back away but froze mid-stride when he was caught.

The red horn pulsed.

With a terrifying suddenness, the pony was yanked to the floor and pulled against his will towards the entity.

“NO! HELP!” He shrieked, hooves scraping over the stone to no effect. Now broken of the paralyzing fear, the others scrambled for a means of escape. Grace and Heretic sprinted for the exit, trying to clamber their way over the black crystal obstacles. Heritor began searching the other corners for anything that might offer a way to flee from the thing they’d summoned. Apostle remained in place. Only one thought to jump to his cohort’s aid and attempt to hold him back.

“DON’T LET GO, MARLEY!” Legacy barked, diving onto his stomach and latching to the victim’s hooves. But the stall was only worth a second, and soon both were sliding over the stone floor.

Whisps of black lashed out from under the red cloak and wrapped themselves around Marley’s legs. He was pulled up like a fish on a hook, and with a shake Legacy was flung aside, leaving Marley to dangle helplessly upside-down.

“Please… Please…” He cried, one forehoof extended to beg off, the other shielding his face.

The horn illuminated with a burning red magic, enveloping Marely, turning him upright and stretching out his limbs in Vitrhoofian form. His hood undone, Marely was a middle-aged stallion with grey-azure fur and a swept back mane of light brown. His face winced as he tried to shut his eyes but was unable.

The towering devil brought him close so that Marley was awash in the green glow of its eyes. His jaw began to slacken as resistance withered, a gasp of air lodged in his throat and threatened to choke him. Red irises narrowed, searching.

Suddenly the hold was released, and Marely fell to the floor at Apostle’s hooves where he shivered. Apostle stared down at him with silent hesitation, then back to the entity. And stepped back.

Once more Marely began to be pulled along the floor, the very shadow he stood in coiling around his legs. He looked over his shoulder to see the dark space where the devil’s cloak parted, a void about to swallow him.

“No…!”

All other members gathered near the exit, watching on in stunned horror as Marely fruitlessly tried to dig his hooves in, only to glide backwards.

“Help me…” He begged Apostle, tears running down his cheeks. But Apostle merely leaned back and watched, too terrified, too fascinated.

“Somepony, help!” Marley twisted over onto his back, scrambling frantically, finding no emotion in the iron face of the thing they’d brought to this plane.

Unable to bear the approach of the void any longer, he spun onto his belly, letting his hooves drag listlessly as he disappeared into the darkness. No cry of pain was let out as his body was absorbed, his simply vanished.

Nopony understood what to do next. Would it do the same to them? And what exactly had it done anyway?

“HRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!”

The teeth-rattling scream came from inside the entity, from Marley.

It was then that the wraith turned its attention to the huddled unicorns. The shadows on every surface stretching out from it like an explosion in slow motion, and it spoke in a deep, harsh voice.

“That… is who I am.”

Chapter fade-out music...

Author's Note

Next Time, in Dark Days of the Unforgiven:
The rest of the ponies,
Bad dreams,
A new Nightmare awakens in Equestria!

Sorry for the Monster of a 1st chapter. I didn't plan on such a girthy into, but it's what came into being. Trust me, I had nowhere this much stuff in the chapter bullet-points.

Big thanks (yuge, bigly) to Evowizard for letting me use his character "Apostle". He is the love child with Tarbtano, as featured in the story "The Bridge: A Shimmer in the Dark"

Please do: Bring any typos and misspellings to my attention. No matter how many times I go over these things, I always seem to miss something.

Go visit the channel of the composer Peter Gundry, who's music immensely helped me write this chapter.

Thank you for visiting my story, I hope you come back around next time.

~Crush 'em

Chapter 2: The Thing That Should Not Be

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

Chapter 3: “In The Not Too Distant… Present”

Chapter 3

“In The Not Too Distant… Present”

Somewhere in Time and Space…

“So here we are.”

The rolling hillside of the Equestrian midlands was an idyllic bucolic, home to modest villages and hamlets of average, good-natured ponies. The roads that led through this region, nestled on the northern border of the Everfree Forest, were well-kept and safe to travel. As they had been, for as long as anypony could recall.

“Gee, Servo, this sure is a lovely and peaceful day”

“It sure is, Crow. Whose name I was definitely already aware of.”

Making their way along one of the countryside lanes was an odd pair: a golden and brown griffin who ambled beside a red and white pegasus, the latter of which had a pair of large disc-wheels held in place by a harness cycling him along instead of hind legs.

[Artwork by Faith-Wolff]

“You know, Servo, I’ve been thinking.” The griffin began. “After all our zany schemes and madcap misadventures, I kinda feel like we’re on the downturn of things.”

“Yeah, I think you’re right, Crow, we’ve lived quite a life of excitement, drama, harrowing danger. It’s hard to imagine we’ll come across any more of a non-stop action rollercoaster of adventure at this point.”

Crow straightened, pointing up the road, “Hey, a signpost! This’ll tell us what town or major landmark we’re approaching!” Fluttering ahead, he came to a hover by a wooden pane on two legs that featured a weathered but charming illustration of the phrase:

‘Welcome to Ponyville’.

The griffin tilted his head, “I’ve heard about this place.”

Servo wheeled up, using his wings to provide a boost and gave the sign a nod of recognition, “Yeah, a sleepy little town, stable, nice place to retire. Like Amityville, Cape Fear, or The Shire.”

Crow perched himself atop of the sign and brought a talon up to shield his eyes as he gazed down the road. “I think we should head in, sample some of the local fare.”

“Well, I think that’s an excellent proposal, my fine feathered feline!” The pegasus cheered.

Hopping down, Crow stood on his hind-paws and shuffle-stepped around his friend. “Can we sing a song on our way in? Something Broadway-esque that explains our backstory and motivations?”

“Nah, I don’t think that’s necessary. We’ll just reveal our history through a series of well-paced comical flashbacks.”

“So like normal?”

“Yeah.”

After a while more of walking, the two came to a tall archway on the side of the road that begat a new path leading through a grove of tall, robust trees. There was another title etched across the span of the archway:

“Ap-ple A-cers.” Crow sounded out by the syllable. “You think they sell computers?”

“Maybe, let’s go check it out.”

Crow jaunted onward down the path, a bounce in his stride: “Aaaaple Acres is the place to be!”

“Faaarm livin’ is the life, for me!” Servo joined.

“Land spreadin’ out so far and wide!”

Keep Manehattan, just give me that countryside!”

Eventually A large barnhouse came within view, and just outside was an elderly crone of a mare with light green fur and a bun of grey hair. She was scrubbing something over a washboard set in a large metal tub and mumbling a tune to herself.

Crow was the first to approach, fluttering ‘till he landed on a tiered wooden fence several paces away.

“HELLO OLD LADY.” He announced in a loud, clear voice. “WE ARE-”

“Crow, that’s incredibly rude!” Servo chided him, yanking the griffin down by a wing.

“Eh?” The aged mare turned, one eye squinting in their direction of the squabbling duo. From her side she took up a brass hearing horn and put it to her ear. “One ‘ah you two confurnit dollywhoopers say sum’im?”

Servo and Crow paused in their tussle.

Crow gasped, “My grandmama used to call me a dollywhooper… Grandmama?”

The impressionable griffin began to advance, trancelike, but Servo cuffed the back of his head. “She’s not your grandma!”

“Well, are ya’ just gonna stand there and jabberjaw, or ya’ gonna come on over?” she bade them with a folksy affability.

Surmounting the fence, Crow smoothed the feathers of his crown down before they popped back up while Servo cleared his throat.

“Good day madam,” The pegasus began. “We weary travelers wish to avail ourselves of your flavorsome wares.”

Her face scrunched. “The hwhat now?”

Crow seized her horn with a talon and put his beak into the funnel: “APPLES, WE WANT TO BUY APPLES.”

“Oh!” The mare’s eyes opened, and she smiled. “Sure we got apples! The best dang apples this side of Canterlot!”

“Do you have a Genius center?” Crow continued at a normal volume. “I have questions about the Terms of Service agreement.”

“Uh, no, just the apples.”

Servo stepped forward to interject himself, “Sorry about my friend, he hasn’t been quite right ever since the experiments. I’m Servo, and the bird-cat here is Crow.”

The pegasus offered a hoof, which she took and gave a hearty shake. “Granny Smith, pleased ta’ meetcha. You fellas jus’ come on around and we’ll get you loaded up.”

“Bird-cat?” Crow asked aloud as they fell in behind Granny Smith. “Well, I do make that weird chittering sound whenever I look at myself in a mirror.”

“Say, how’d ya’ come by that contraption strapped to yer rump?” Granny pointed to Servo’s wheels.

Servo chuckled, “Oh it’s not an interesting story really. Just your average experimental amputation by a mad scientist.”

“One ‘ah those huh?” Granny nodded.

Granny Smith brought them to the back of the barn and gestured to a stack of baskets.

“We charge by the bushel, one basket-one bushel, five bits.” She informed them.

Crow took a basket and inspected it, “Can I buy one of these? It’s the perfect size for me to snuggle into.”

“What are you talking about?” Servo said incredulously. “You’re way too big to fit in that thing.”

“No, look,” Scrunching his body down, Crow wriggled his head under the handle of the basket. “See, I just work my head in first and then…” He attempted to squeeze more of himself through, but the effort came to a halt just over his neck.

“…I may have to stretch it out a bit.” He panted

The awkward sight was interrupted by a gaggle of young laughter emanating from a trio of fillies standing off nearer to the farmhouse.

“Girls! Hwhat I tell you about having a giggle at the customers!” Granny warned.

As the griffin began to twist and fidget to divorce himself from the basket, Servo gave the kids a smile, wheeling around to them.

“You think this is funny: you should have seen the time he impersonated John Travolta to get into a theater.”

“Who’s John Travolta?” A filly with a large red bow in her mane asked, trading a confused looked with her white-furred friend.

Servo dismissed her question with a non-word and a hoof-wave: “Ah, you’re too young to know.”

It was then he noticed the diminutive orange pegasus girl staring up at him with large inquisitive eyes.

“Kid, you’re not about to gauge my interest in your local corn-god are you?”

“Can you fly?” she asked.

“Of course I can.” He flared his wings and flittered the white tips, lifting himself off the ground a few inches before setting down.

“So why do you need the wheels?”

“You ever try to stay on your wings all day? Trust me, you’d be begging for a little time on the ground before long.”

Her little face furrowed, and she looked to the ground. “I can’t fly yet. My wings don’t work.”

“Oh that’s…” Servo bent down and lifted her chin. “Hey, we all have a little trouble getting off the ground sometimes. Listen close kiddo: flying for a pegasus is no different than riding a bicycle, it’s just a lot harder to put hoofball cards in the spokes.”

Her eyes went side to side for a few moments. “Thanks…?”

He let her go. “What’s your name, kid?”

“Scootaloo.”

“Tell you what, me and my friend are planning to be around for a while, I could try to teach you a thing or two about flying.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Your parents’ll let you spend time with a homeless drifter they’ve never met before, right?”

“My parents aren’t even around!” She exclaimed brightly.

The handle of the basket was enveloped in a nimbus of magic as Sweetie Belle and Applebloom worked on opposite ends to help free the griffin.

“Pull harder, Applebloom!”

“’Ah am!”

“I’m gonna go get some grease,” Granny Smith said as she started off. “You just keep ‘ah working at it.”

Crow felt his neck compress after another tug. “Okay, what if I rotate my head 90-degrees to my left, and you pull at an upward-right angle, when I say go?”

“They’re not moving a couch, you goof!” Biting down on the opposite end of the basket from the rest of Crow’s body, Servo unfixed himself from his harness and flapping his wings, began yanking as he fluttered upwards.

The girls each latched onto his felid tail, using their collective pint-sized bodyweight to anchor him downwards.

Pulled taught between the two forces, Crow’s face scrunched into a mass of feathers with a beak sticking out. “Almost, yeck!, got it!”

His body stretched before a final POP! liberated Crow, the griffin spilling onto the fillies in a pile. “I haven’t been in a spot that tight since I had to wrestle Chastity Bono for a stuffed pork chop.” He licked the back of his talon and used it to smooth out his ruffled feathers.

Servo spat the basket out, “A lot less grunting this time.”

“You guys are weird.” Sweetie Belle said with a tittle; she and the other fillies climbing out from under him.

Crow looked down and cupped her cheeks in his talons, “All I’ve ever wanted is to be noticed.”

Applebloom and Scootaloo held the wheel-harness in place as Servo lowered himself upon his wings into the apparatus. “Thank you, girls.” Once in, he touched down on his forelegs and secured the straps with a sharp tug.

“If I go get my scooter, can we have a race?” The eager little pegasus asked.

“Absolutely! Seven laps around the barn. The winner gets a milkshake, the loser has to talk like Tommy Wiseau for the rest of the day.”

“I don’t know who that is.”

“Oh, my sweet summer child.”

Not Too Far Away…

He stalked through the brush with expert skill, at home in the woodland, a noble of the green. Under the camouflage of light and shadow, he was all but invisible to the untrained eye among the bough and bush. And this was despite his adornment, marking him as one of an elite and prestigious bequest. But his eye was finely tuned to discern in the forest, a gift of his race honed through years of practice, and he could observe his intention with virtual impunity.

It was the song that drew him on his walk. As the breeze dances with each leaf and winds its way around stem and trunk, so did the melody filter its way to him. A simple tune, only a few notes rising and falling without words to complicate its form. He didn’t know if it was an imitation or something hummed without direction, it didn’t matter. Beautiful all the same, it drew him on with both enchantment and endangerment.

There she sat, at the edge of the pond a short distance away singing to herself as she cared for an otter laid supine over a flat stone. Some injury to its tail was causing the aquatic critter a great deal of distress, but as she sang it relaxed, allowing her to examine and sooth its anguish. Like an upset babe brought to ease by its mother’s care, the otter settled into a docile state with only a respiratory mutter.

In silent attention he watched, fearing to despoil the moment, to encourage an idea that threatened to undo him. He didn’t quite understand it himself to be honest. What exactly was this elation in his breast? He had never felt it before and certainly never imagined it would arise in response to this. How could he even feel this? A transgression of this boundary was unheard of, unthinkable, impossible. And yet… here he was.

From behind his cloak of leaves he peered out, and she none the wiser.

In Ponyville…

There was a new spring in Rarity’s trot as she went through the market with her basket held aloft in magic. Even though the weather in any given location was orchestrated by the local Weather Guild pegasai, the procession of the seasons themselves were beyond the scope of mortal capabilities. As such there was a timely crispness in the air, autumn eager to welcome Equestria with her kiss into her abode.

A tasteful scarf around her neck, she gave out greetings as she trot along in her typical sociable manner.

“Hello, Flitter, nice to see you.”

“Toe-Tapper, darling, can’t wait ‘till rehearsals Thursday.”

“Amethyst, love your mane today.”

This jovial parade continued until she reached the vegetable section and overheard an argument between familiar voices.

“There’s nothing wrong with putting grapes in an apple pie!” Rainbow Dash spat emphatically.

“Nothin’ wrong?!” Applejack was aghast, staring at her friend in disbelief. “You might as well put pear juice in apple cider!”

Rainbow Dash prepared to counter her suggestion, but she hesitated, thinking over the idea.

The consideration struck Applejack like an arrow to the chest, and she recoiled before narrowing down. “I am gonna try and forget this conversation ever happened.”

Rarity couldn’t decide what to think of what she was seeing. “Ladies, please, let’s not squabble over the contents of pies.”

“I wasn’t trying to!” Rainbow protested. “It was just an idea!”

Applejack righted her Stetson and raised a forehoof, “I am not listening to this profanity a minute longer.”

The tension of the moment was interrupted when Rarity pointed with a hoof at their cutie-marks, which were currently flickering.

Twilight’s Castle

Spike stared down at the glowing images of cutie-marks orbiting the mirrored mountain peaks of northeastern Equestria, north of Manehattan.

“The map’s never sent any of us there before.” He remarked.

“Who’d be having’ a friendship problem up in them hills?” Eying her cutie-mark, Applejack scrunched her face to understand. “Who even lives up there?”

“Maybe another griffin roost?” Rainbow Dash suggested. “Or a dragon!”

“Not likely.” Spike put his claws on his hips. “If it were dragons, clearly the map would have called for me.”

“Clearly.” Applejack confirmed.

Pulling a tome down from the shelves and flipping through the pages, Spike stopped on a page with a similar depiction of the mountains.

“It just calls them: ‘The Miser Peaks’.”

Rainbow hovered over his shoulder to peer at the pages, “Anything about who or what lives there?”

Spike checked the preceding and ensuing pages, “Nope, nothing.”

Applejack threw up a hoof, “Well, I guess that’s the first mystery to solve when we get there.”

“Cool!” Dash executed a tight and smooth backflip, “It could be anything! How soon can we leave?”

“Jus’ let me tie things down at the farm and pack a bag, I’ll meet’cha at the train station in two hours.”

“No, you’ll meet me there!” With a rear back, Rainbow Dash bolted from the room, leaving the polychromatic trail in her wake.

Applejack turned to Spike, bewildered: “That’s… what I said, isn’t it?”

“So then, I had to cover myself in mud, and construct a series of deadly booby-traps to ensnare the predator who was hunting me for sport.”

The Cutie-Mark Crusaders looked up at Crow in utter confusion.

“What was he?” Applebloom asked.

“What was his name?” Sweetie Belle gasped.

“He was a hideous monster that makes trophies of men. His name was Bruce Vilanch.”

“Oh, you’re telling them tall-tales!” Servo exclaimed in an awkward voice. “You’re tearing them apart, Crow!”

Scootaloo, kicking along beside him on her scooter chuckled before taking another slurp of her milkshake.

The group of them were just entering the outskirts of town when Applejack came up the road from the opposite direction.

“Applejack!” The little sister called out, bounding over to meet her. “Some weirdoes came by the farm!”

Applejack was struck by the casual insult, “Applebloom! That’s not-”

It was then she laid eyes on the lanky griffin with a bushel of apples and the paraplegic Pegasus. She ducked her head and spoke softly. “It ain’t polite to point that kinda stuff out.”

“But that’s what they said they were.”

By now the others caught up, “Howdy… y’all.” AJ introduced herself. “I’m Applejack.”

“Oh, hi Applejack.” Servo said, extending a hoof.

Crow did likewise, “Love your breakfast cereal, so nice to finally meet you.”

“Right… And you are?”

“I’m Crow, and the Flintstonemobile here is Servo.”

“Check me out.” The Pegasus smiled.

Applejack nodded, more to herself than anything, then reached a foreleg around her sister’s shoulders, pulling her aside: “Listen, Applebloom, the map dun’ called me and Rainbow Dash to go settle one of these dern friendship disputes. I gotta pack a bag and head outta town for a spell. You girls just uh…”

While these out-of-towners were odd, the fillies did seem to take a shine to them, and she wasn’t picking up any airs of deceit.

“You just, look out ‘fer each other, okay?”

“You got it!” Applebloom saluted her sister.

The Bearer of Honesty turned her attention to the newcomers: “Welcome to Ponyville, fellas, hope you enjoy ‘yer stay.”

“So do I,” Crow said, “Not like that time we got trapped in that village, and had to fear the mysterious monsters lurking in the woods surrounding that village. And then Servo got stabbed, and I had to stumble blindly through those woods to get medicine back to the village... What was the name of that place, Servo?”

Servo shook his head, “I don’t remember, Crow, I do not!”

While the pair talked it over, Applejack slid a disbelieving look to her sister, who for her part appeared entirely amused by their eccentricity, shooting back a delighted smile.

“I bes’ get goin.”

Leaving the group to their discussion, Applejack heard one of them call out to her:

“Oh, bye Applejack.”

In the Whitetail Woods…

Even with his status as Archknight of the Thicket, Blackthorne still had his usual duties to attend. As such his patrol through the kingdom’s territory was a welcome relief from the attention he was now receiving back home. He was a reserved stag, eschewing the praise and deference due to one elevated to his station. The solitude and tranquility of the forest was far preferrable to the bustle of court; with no one here to intrude on his peace.

Though there was of course, the other reason he liked to get away from the Thicket. A reason that was growing on him more and more with each passing day.

A harness now adorned his breast as he strode the wood, one of bronze mail with an emerald diamond affixed centrally on his chest. The base of his antlers bore decoration as well: matching emerald stones fixed into bronze bracelets polished to a shine. Despite what he considered to be an ostentatious display that might otherwise hamper his ability to conceal himself, these ornaments did more than look pretty.

At the sound of a crunching leaf, his ears swiveled to the north.

A younger stag reached the top of an earthen berm, catching his breath as he searched for his intended, misty vapor rising in the crisp air.

It was then Blackthorne’s shape reappeared from the greens and shadows of the forest, a glimmering enchantment receding into the emeralds of his adornment.

“Oakenheart,” He called out, drawing the other’s attention.

The younger stag sighted Blackthorne with a slight gasp of surprise, but quickly found his composure and raised his head.

“Sir, the King summons you, right away.”

“Did he say for what?”

Oakenheart met his superior’s gaze, “He did not, Sir. It wasn’t my place to press.”

An answer Blackthorne expected. “Indeed. Lead on then.”

Liberated and cleansed of the encrustations and gloom of the Changelings defilement, the Kingdom of the Thicket was restored to its natural glory. Towering trees and lanterns of bioluminescence created an ethereal city of wonder, where spiraling paths led one upwards into the boughs. In the center, the mighty ash tree stood, its branches reaching wide, its trunk the palace of the Royal family.

Unlike the ponies or the griffins, the civilization of the deer was grown, not made, in accordance with their traditions of preserving the life and splendor of the forest realm. In place of buildings stood trees, their roads were beaten paths; streams flowed towards a springwood fountain and its pool where the young and old refreshed themselves.

An object that always caught Blackthorne’s attention, as it did now while he and Oakenheart made their way, was the stone relief embedded at the base of the Royal Ash. It depicted the founding of the Thicket Kingdom: a herd of deer standing before a much taller figure of similar body shape, its mighty antlers crowned with leaves, an ancient creature of elemental power called a ‘spriggan’.

Much to his restrained chagrin, Blackthorne was greeted along his way like nobility, which he politely returned without enthusiasm. They made their way up one of the ash tree’s curving paths.

“I see the title still does not sit well with you.” Oakenheart observed.

Blackthorne turned a fading scowl on his companion, “It is more self-importance than I care to carry.”

Finding the answer dubious, Oakenheart narrowed his eyes on the gifted raiment. “Do you mean to say you find the prestige of Archknight unwelcome?”

“It is a great honor to serve my king and realm.” The knight recited. “I simply wish to do so in a more… discrete manner.”

“You know, Sir Blackthorne… many a deer would be near tears of joy to be elevated to such a position. Your begrudging is… curious.”

He heard the slight insinuation in the junior’s tone. “Would that I could impart such a bliss to another, and spare myself such jubilation. But our good king has seen fit to bestow the honor upon me, and uphold the honor I shall, no matter how it may conflict with my own predispositions.”

“Indeed.” Oakenheart agreed, casting his gaze in the opposite direction. “Spoken like a true knight.”

As it was, the King was not his hall but rather occupied in his own chambers. They met the guards posted outside the room, and waited as one announced Blackthorne’s arrival.

“I bid your leave, Sir.” Oakenheart said with a curt lifting of the chin, adhering to the formalities of disengaging a superior. “And wish you good luck.”

“Gladly I give it, and wish you luck as well.”

The two parted with one final glance, not unpolite but not very friendly either.

The guard reappeared. “Sir, King Aspen will see you.”

Inside, the King was facing away from him, engaged in the midst of some tome as it sat on a stand and flipping through its text casually.

“Come, noble Blackthorne,” King Aspen said with a raised hoof, face still looking into the pages. “Let’s have a chat, you and I.”

There was no desk between them so he stepped forward to the center, and postured with his forelegs straight, chest out, and chin lifted. Unlike ponies who bowed, lowering one’s antlers was a sign of aggression among the deer, so a raised chin served as the gesture of deference and respect.

“My Lord, you called for me.”

“Be at ease, Blackthorne, you’re not at court.” Aspen bid with a wave, finally turning to see him. “I don’t suppose you know why I’ve summoned you?”

Relaxing his posture, Blackthorne cleared his throat, “I do not, my Lord. I was out on patrol when Oakenheart found me.”

“Out… on patrol…” Aspen let the words hang as he rounded the room inspecting other items of interest, a pregnant pause before he continued. “And nothing more while you were out?” With that question he leveled an insightful gaze on him.

The knight’s brow furrowed with accruing uncertainty. “What… more would I be doing, Your Grace?”

Aspen did not speak immediately after, but mulled a thought with a sigh. “Tell me: your patrols bring you near to Ponyville, correct?”

Blackthorne swallowed. “On… one particular route, yes.”

“And were you on that route today?”

“I happen to be so, my Lord, yes.”

An uncomfortable expression came over the king. “It has come to my attention, that you have been making that route with unusual frequency as of late. Is there a reason for this interest?”

“Incidents have been increasing in Ponyville over the past year, my Lord. The Changelings are only the most recent occurrence. I believe that it behooves us to keep a closer eye on what goes on there.”

Aspen nodded, acknowledging the virtue of the point. “You are right. We have been… detached from the world outside the forest for generations. Perhaps it is time we take a more proactive role in Equestria.”

Stepping closer, the king apprised Blackthorn, “Is that what you are doing, Blackthorne? Seeking a more proactive… relationship with the ponies?”

He couldn’t meet the King’s eyes, “Your Grace, I…”

Aspen moved in, within leg’s distance. “Blackthorne…” He tried to speak but the right words came only stubbornly. “You know, you would not be the first to seek such a thing.”

The knight’s eyes darted to the king.

“Historically speaking,” Aspen clarified. “Of course.”

While Blackthorne stood in place and tried to process what he was hearing, the king circled about him. “But… as we know, there are certain types of… associations that are considered Lagan.”

“Forbidden, my Lord.”

“Yes, but there’s more to it than that. Something Lagan is not an arbitrary distinction, there is a greater cause behind it, a higher value than a simple admonition. Do you understand, Blackthorne?”

“I do, my Lord.”

“I don’t want you think I summoned you here just to harangue you, Archknight. I have too much respect for you to treat you like some common insubordinate.”

“Your Grace…” Anxiety roiled in the knight as he began to wrap his mind around the true scope of this conversation. “I don’t quite know what to say.”

“You should say nothing about the matter, Blackthorne.” Aspen returned to the book and flipped to a new page. “And partition your patrol routes more evenly.”

“I will, my liege.”

“I’m glad we had this talk, Blackthorne. I look forward to having you in my service for a long time.”

The knight stiffened his posture and lifted his chin, “I bid your leave, my Lord, and wish you wellness.”

“I give it,” King Aspen said. “And may your honor never falter.”

The second Blackthorne was on the other side of the chamber doors, he released a breast-full of air and nerves. His brain was working at a frantic pace to condense what he was thinking and feeling into something coherent. But he recalled his composure with a deep breath and exhale, glancing to the door guards who regarded him stoically. He spared them a nod and departed.

The Previous Evening in Canterlot

Wanderlust was not a happy unicorn.

Upon discovering the Alicorn Amulet was missing from Twilight’s hidden drawer, an argument had ensued that resulted in them splitting up for the evening. The Princess was at a loss to explain how somepony could have known where the Amulet was, much less steal it without leaving a trace.

It wasn’t her fault, Wanderlust knew, she was more shocked than he was when they saw the empty box. In his frustration he’d become short, and vented unkindly at the Princess. Fortunately, he’d left before saying anything specifically regrettable.

“What happened?!” Æclypse roared, turning on Twilight and holding the empty box aloft. “Where is it?!” He demanded.

Twilight stared at the box in astonishment, mouth agape. “I….I…”

The chest slammed shut and went flying, crashing into a stack of books that sent all clattering to the floor.

The elder unicorn barked in anger and imposed his bulk over the smaller mare.

“How could you be this careless with the Alicorn Amulet?! Don’t you understand how dangerous it is? What it could be used for in the wrong hooves?”

“Stop yelling at me!” She balked, her words belied by the twinges of fear in her face. Ears flattened; she recoiled a step. “I don’t know what happened! It should be here!”

“It’s not, Twilight! Which means somepony else has it! Which means somepony else knew about it!” He stamped at the end of each statement, then leaned in with a glare. “Who did you tell?”

Something within Twilight bolstered her nerve, and her demeanor shifted: her breast filling and jaw stiffening. “I didn’t tell anypony! Why would I if I were trying to hide it?!”

“Somepony knew, Twilight.” He bristled. “Either you let it slip, or they figured it out somehow.” Æclypse’s eyes darted with a new thought: “Zecora, how much does she know?”

Sparkle tried to think, “She knew I had the box, but so did plenty of ponies. Nopony knew I brought it here.”

He strode away from her, letting a long exhalation deflate his stress.

“I’m sorry.” Twilight said. “We’ll figure this out.”

Æclypse paused and grit his teeth, “Will we now?”

“You could have handled that better.” The reflection chided him. With his forelegs draped over the side of the bridge, Wanderlust stared down at the vision of Æclypse mirrored back up at him.

“I just want this to come to an end. Is that too much to ask?”

“You’ve faced plenty of setbacks before. This one is no different.”

“But we were so close!” Wanderlust knocked his hoof against the bridge-wall. “How can it just…?”

“I know it’s frustrating, but we can’t lose our head. We just need to get back on the trail.”

“Oh, that’s easy for you to say, you don’t have any plans for next week. I’ve got things I want to do.”

“So what?” Æclypse asked provocatively, head cocked. “You’re just going to mope around and begrudge the world because you’re not quite there yet?”

“So what should I do, huh? Just let it slip by me again?”

“You’re too worked up, old boy. Take your mind off it for a bit and come back refocused, when your thoughts are clear.”

Wanderlust pondered, and remembered the invitation to explore the Royal Guard barracks.

“I think you’re right.”

“Of course I am.”

“I need some distraction and a good night’s sleep.”

“There you go.”

“I’ll go take a look at what the Guard have going on, then find some dinner.”

“You also owe Twilight an apology at some point.”

“Yes…” Wanderlust scowled. “Tomorrow.”

Wary as he was about trotting near to the palace, the directions he got from ponies along the way nonetheless directed him that way. The compound was an adjacent property tucked between the castle proper and the sheer of the mountain and removed from public eye. The front of the compound was a two-story white stone façade with a mural tower over the portcullis that served as the main entrance.

The gate was up at the moment, with a pair of stout white Earth Pony stallions standing under the archway engaged in conversation. Ornate spears leaned complacently against their shoulders.

Wanderlust nodded as he approached them, “Evening, gentlecolts. I’m looking for Lieutenant Mantle, is he about?”

The guard to his left gave him a skeptical mien, “What business do you have with the Lieutenant?”

“I was invited to join him for the evening.” Wanderlust told him politely but firmly, leveling out with the guard. “If you could guide me to him, or get word to him that Wanderlust is at the gate, it would be much appreciated.”

Unflinching, the haughtiness that had initially greeted him waned in the eyes of the guard, icy irises subtly cowing the stallion’s boldness.

“Corseque,” The guard said sidelong to his counterpart. “Go find the L.T. and let him know.”

“Right.” Corseque, as he had been named, gave the others a wary glance before stepping away.

This left Wanderlust and the stubborn guard to stand at leg’s length from each other, both unwilling to cede any ground.

“Well, you have my name friend, might I ask yours?” Wanderlust asked after a few moments.

“Bardiche.”

“That’s a fine spear you have, Bardiche. Are you proficient with it?”

Bardiche’s expression shifted, silently balking at the question. “What’s it to you, stranger?”

“Just curious.”

His nerve seeming to steel, the guard casually stepped back, not out of fear, but a soldierly reposturing to create an ideal distance between them. “You know that’s an odd question to ask a stallion you just met. Are you looking for trouble?”

Realizing he was being too bold, Wanderlust bit his lip and demurred his poise. “Beg your pardon, sir, I don’t mean to be rude. The whole reason for my visit tonight is to learn about the standards of the Royal Guard for some research I’m doing.”

“Research? Like a book or something?”

“Yes, something like that. If you have some technique with the spear, I’d be interested to see it.”

Bardiche scrunched his mouth to the side. “Let’s see what the Lieutenant says, then maybe I can show you a thing or two with the spear.”

A few minutes later Corseque returned with Lieutenant Mantle, who wore a pleased smirk to see the civilian at the gate.

“Ah! I was hoping you’d come!”

Bardiche snapped to attention at the arrival of a superior officer.

Striding up beside Bardiche, Mantle noticed the cold air between them and chuckled. He extended a hoof to Wanderlust but spoke sidelong to the guard: “As you were soldier, good to see at least one of you out here doing their job.”

“Can’t let just any scoundrel off the street wander in, Sir.”

“Scoundrel?” Mantle chuckled, eying his fellow unicorn. “I’ll have you know this gentlecolt is a personal friend of Princess Twilight. Which to me, disqualifies him from such a slight.”

Bardiche thereupon was in a discomfort that wore itself on his face, and he took in a deep breath that swelled his chest. “Please excuse my ignorance, Wanderlust. I was unaware you were kept in such reputable company.”

“No worries,” Wanderlust forgave him with a congenial pat on the shoulder. “I’ve been known to be a scoundrel from time to time.”

Again, Mantle chuckled, thumping his flank against Wanderlust. “See? I knew there something I liked about this fellow. Come, let me show you around.”

Wanderlust gave the guards a nod as he left them at their post, they giving their officer a parting salute as they did. The area immediately beyond the gate was a type of staging area, an open space where a large formation could be conducted.

“This is where we hold our morning and evening role-calls.” Mantle informed him. "30 to 40 in a formation, depending on the day.”

While the space was largely free, there were a number of ponies in guard attire milling about. It was here he noticed that not all of them were of the famed sterling-white or storm-grey type that Canterlot was known for. Some of these were colorful, shorter, taller, even a few mares.

“Are those some new recruits? Or are they tasked elsewhere beside the city?”

Mantle looked to where Wanderlust was referring to, and understood. Something on his face seemed to tighten.

“Well you see, traditionally, only white or grey coated stallions could enlist in the Royal Guard. Recently however, Princess Celestia has ordered us to… ‘diversify’ our ranks and expand our recruitment standards to include all coat-types and… mares as well.”

“You don’t sound terribly thrilled about it.”

Mantle flinched to realize his faux pas, and downplayed the statement with a laugh. “Oh, don’t take it the wrong way, but this move was done for superficial reasons. We don’t actually need any bolstering to the ranks, the Princess just wants us to ‘appear’ more inclusive. Some rubbish about ‘optics’.”

“A P.R. stunt?” Wanderlust offered.

“Yes! It’s a matter of standards, you see. What’s the point of having them at all if you’re just going to toss a set of barding on anypony who trots in and call them a soldier?”

Wanderlust tilted his head with a scrunch, “Indeed. One would think that the protection of Canterlot and the Princesses was not taken seriously.”

Mantle shot a hearty hoof into Wanderlust’s shoulder, “Exactly!”

Something unspoken balanced on the tip of Mantle’s tongue, as if it might spill out if he were to tilt his head forward, but he reigned it back. “Come,” He said eventually. “Let me show you the training grounds.”

To the left of the assembly grounds there was a doorway through the partition which led to what Wanderlust recognized as a general-purpose environment. Dummy-stands, drill & ceremony sections, a type of obstacle-course that ran the perimeter of the walls. A few unarmored ponies who were clearly handling a lance for the first time were poking at straw targets as their supervisor observed from his lean. A Drill Instructor was taking a group of six through their paces at marching commands.

It was a more professional set-up than the type he’d gone through in Thule, but it didn’t seem anywhere near the level of rigor or efficiency he remembered. Despite the difference it did feel rousing to be amidst a martial environment again.

Mantle noticed his inspectful stare. “This is a new batch we just started processing yesterday; couldn’t get any greener if they grew out of the ground.”

There was however a corner section of the yard where a trio of white stallions in simple barding were sparring with staffs, one end of them painted green. Of the three an earth pony with his staff gripped in his teeth was trading moves with a unicorn who held his with magic, while a Pegasus stood a few paces away, waiting a turn.

“What about them?” He asked.

“Ah, now these are legacy admissions. Each of them has had family members in the Guard for generations, they walk in the door with some experience and knowledge. They’re practically bred to be Canterlot Guards, and we typically fast-track them to an assignment.”

As he watched them swerve and strike, appraising their skill. Wanderlust felt an old itch.

“Would you mind if I sparred with one of those legacy chaps?” He asked, pointing to the trio. “Maybe he could teach me a thing or two.”

Mantle met the proposal with a smirk of amusement, “Why not? You look like you could take a bump. You ever train with a weapon?”

“Not for a long time, I’m sure my form is outdated.”

In short order Wanderlust was outfitted with a set of training barding and given a faux spear, and stood before the young legacies weighing the balance of the implement. They in turn muttered between themselves, snickering as they eyed the older stranger twirl his stick.

“You sure you know how to handle that thing?” The unicorn mocked with a chuckle. “Take care not to get a splinter.”

“Oh, I’m sure it can’t be that difficult.” Wanderlust went through a few motions. “Just try not to hit myself.”

The Earth Pony was the first to step forward, and Wanderlust regarded him with a salute; holding the staff straight up and down in front of his face, the top end at eye level.

“I’ve had a lot of practice against unicorns.” The stallion said, holding his staff in a curled hoof and returning the salute. “But I’ll be gentle.”

“Please, I’m here to see what you can do.”

Mantle stood with the other two as each combatant entered their stances; the Earth Pony with his staff in his teeth, Wanderlust levitating his at a high slanted guard. “Basic high stance, posture is good. He must have seen it in a book or something.”

The two began a methodical circling, the younger stallion prodding and feigning, Wanderlust maintaining his guard and watching. Finally the impatience of youth won out and the Earth Pony made a move; skidding around to his left to curve his body before springing straight to strike at an off angle. It was an overly aggressive move, just enough to elicit a response, which it earned in the form of a swift wheeling deflect.

“That was efficient.” Mantle said, mildly impressed. “Bull will have to stop playing around.”

The same thought seemed to manifest in the young stallion’s mind, and he lowered his head. This time the attack was a short charge followed by a sharp spin to slam the butt of the staff into his opponent’s space. A technique designed to bring an earth pony’s superior brawn to bear. Again, Wanderlust countered the attack deftly by pivoting around the charge and parrying the jab, switching places where they stood.

“Outdated form, he says…” Mantle noted with a growing interest.

Bull, as the Lieutenant had named him, snorted with some irritation. Wanderlust remained cool.

Now the unicorn took the initiative; stepping forward to the right and making a pair of exploratory smacks against Bull’s staff. As soon as Bull responded by moving to block, Wanderlust swung low and landed a tap on Bull’s right foreleg. He then retreated into another high guard.

“Oooooo!” The Pegasus hooted, breaking into a wild laughter.

But the unicorn was not amused, instead focusing on his senior’s movements.

Bull charged; not a messy, furious oncoming, but aimed like a lance. He was moving into that space whether Wanderlust was there or not. Again Wanderlust pivoted but now the onslaught began in earnest: Bull bucked his hind legs to prevent a blindside and came near to smashing into his head, then used the momentum to wheel about and continue his assault.

He's strong alright, but let’s see how long he can go.

Wanderlust was put on the backhoof, retreating under the punishing blows. Though it might appear for a unicorn to have the advantage in a duel such as this, the simple truth was that exerting magical control was equal to flexing a muscle. And in a contest of strengths, an Earth Pony’s physical might was a formidable contest for any unicorn’s concentration. Bull’s stated experience with unicorns was bearing its fruit: if he couldn’t out maneuver the unicorn, he could smash through him.

“Observe here,” Mantle said to his recruits. “Sometimes sheer brute force will defeat technique.”

One blow after another Wanderlust managed to weather at an accumulating cost: his defense losing distance, his teeth gritting to maintain concentration.

Okay, he’s got endurance.

But after a dozen or more of these blows, the pace began to slow, the impacts landing with less force. This was the opportunity Wanderlust had been waiting for. One more blow he let skim off his staff, using the momentum to coil his hind legs underneath. Then he sprung forward and lunged out with his forehooves to seize the ends of Bull’s staff and twist it from horizontal to vertical and over. Instead of letting go as a more experienced pony would, the brash young stallion found himself on his back, with the green end of Wanderlust’s staff hovering over his chest.

The dust was still settling as Mantle and the other recruits gaped with open mouths.

“I’ll tell you one thing,” Wanderlust said through his panting. “I’d hate to face you again in a few years.”

Bull, finally spitting out the staff stared up at the unicorn with a mixture of shock and fascination. “Where’d you… learn that?”

Wanderlust leaned down for only them to know, “Fighting yaks.”

Helping the lunk of muscle back to his hooves, Wanderlust gave him an approving knock on the upper foreleg as they each caught their breath.

The Pegasus then took on an elevated smirk, and took up his own training spear, “Hope you’re not too winded to go another round.” He broke from the others and assumed a confident stance. “How’bout it old boy?”

“Give the stallion a minute, Hawk.” Mantle chided him.

I know I shouldn’t… Wanderlust thought to himself. But by the gods it feels so exhilarating to swing a weapon again! Let’s see what these kids have…

Retrieving his staff, Bull glanced between the cocksure Pegasus and the unicorn and shrugged as he cleared the space.

The younger unicorn removed his helm and used it to settle down on, keen to observe the next bout more intently. His revealed mane was a burnt orange that tapered to a black tip.

Exercising his jaw muscles to alleviate the ache in his head, Wanderlust walked to a position opposite Hawk. “Forgive me if I’m a bit too slow for you, your friend has left me quite taxed.”

A trail of blonde mane wavered out from underneath Hawk’s helm as he smirked, “Don’t worry, old chap, just a friendly spar.” With his wings to keep him aloft, the Pegasus was able to wield his training spear in his forehooves, and he twirled it playfully.

Wanderlust knocked the butt of his staff on the ground a few times before adopting a stance. This time the staff was held back at an angle along his right flank, with the green end pointed away and slanted towards the ground.

“A long tail stance?” Mantle asked aloud, listing his head to the right. “Against a Pegasus?”

Hawk appeared similarly bewildered by the choice as he presented his training spear in a fool stance, forward and with the green end slightly downward, which most pegasai took against grounded opponents. This left Wanderlust ostensibly unprotected against a direct attack. Thusly confused, Hawk held his staff a bit tighter, unsure what kind of trickery might be involved.

But he was confident in his natural ability to access another dimension of movement, and approached Wanderlust in subtle increments, always keeping the green of his staff pointed at his opponent.

As before, Wanderlust did not attempt to counter the first few probatory jabs but rather chose to avoid them with dodges. Hawk was more cautious than Bull, aware that his calm demeanor belied an adept challenger. Still, he looked for an opening he might exploit without making too sacrificial a mistake.

But Wanderlust was first to attack in earnest, arcing a swipe at Hawk’s staff that nearly tore it from his grip before returning it to recoiled position.

The Pegasus retreated, briefly stunned.

“That was a test, Hawk!” Mantle shouted at his recruit. “Keep ahold of your bloody weapon!”

Hawk regarded his instructor with a combination of sneer and fright and resolidified his stance.

“Remember,” Said Wanderlust, “You can outmaneuver me. Don’t waste your energy poking around.”

He seemed to take the advice rather immediately, the Pegasus dashing overhead to make a pendulous slash before wheeling back into a ready stance. Wanderlust managed to get his staff over his back to intercept and likewise pivoted through to put himself at odds.

Mantle blew out a long breath. “I’m beginning to think you’re not quite the novice you presented yourself as.”

Chancing a sidelong glance over his shoulder, Wanderlust raised a brow and curled his mouth: “I may have understated my skill a tad.”

Hawk dove again and now their staffs collided, the momentum allowing the Pegasus to force Wanderlust’s back almost against his horn. The sticks wrestled against each other left and right before they disengaged, and the stallions began trading strikes and parries.

“He’s holding back.” The younger unicorn said, his eyes keeping track. “He could move his stick around anywhere he wants in his magic but he’s keeping it close, keeping it fair.”

“Picked-up on that, did you?” Mantle said.

The strategy of the long-tail stance revealed itself as Wanderlust was able to defend himself from the assault from the higher vantage. Though even this tactic was only just enough to prevent the most dangerous attacks from getting through; Hawk in constant motion and making glancing contacts that kept the unicorn in a state of reaction. In this way they fell into a rhythm: strike and parry, strike and parry, strike and parry.

Once Wanderlust felt secure in the pattern, he slipped the next exchange, allowing Hawk to overextend his swing. When he did, Wanderlust’s staff smacked it down before sliding upwards and pointing the painted end at Hawk’s neck. The young Pegasus backpedaled before the technique reached its full extent, swinging abruptly to put some defense between himself and the opponent’s spear.

Both were panting; Wanderlust’s mane damp with sweat and mouth open halfway to exhale, Hawk rolling his shoulders to exercise the burn in the muscles and his nostrils flared to supply his own lungs.

Perhaps I was being a bit hasty…. He began to wonder.

Hawk adjusted his grip, moving to a plow stance with the butt of his staff tucked into his lower belly.

What’s this? A powerthrust to break my guard or something clever?

As the unicorn imagined what might be coming at him next, the training yard was replaced by a dark and windy battlefield, consumed in the noise of ponies hollering and ear-splitting shrieks. Across from him, the Pegasus was imagined to be a griffin skyreaver in its terrifying battle-fury. His gaze smoldered.

Hawk circled to his right for a few beats, closing the distance before exploding forward. The initial strafe was ostensibly a passing one, but it was altered in mid-wing beat. In a move the caught Wanderlust off-guard, the strike came down at his left side, forcing him to deflect at a weak angle. But Hawk had nonetheless made the commitment, and in doing so, exposed a crucial vulnerability.

Wanderlust’s training spear rolled through the deflection and came green-first against Hawk’s abdomen.

Mantle and the younger unicorn each jolted with surprise, the technique having frozen Hawk in place to realize the duel was over.

“A palisade inversion…” The unicorn muttered. “My grandfather showed me that move.”

Mantle’s brow furrowed, “Nopony’s taught that move in generations.”

“Because it was invented to battle griffins.”

Hawk and Wanderlust met each other’s gaze, and the disbelief of one was greeted by the friendliness of the other.

“A daring move,” Wanderlust complimented with a smile. “Nicely done, my boy. But it seems I have you.”

Hawk let his staff go limp; shock dissolving into dejection, into resolve. He inhaled, stiffened his chin, and without a word, raised a salute. It was returned, and Wanderlust again gave the recruit a nod of approval.

As the victor took a respite and the vanquished cleared the field, Mantle rolled his shoulder and prepared to step forward. Before he took a second step however, the younger unicorn donned his helm and strode past him.

“Fox, I’m not sure-”

The aspiring guard spun on his instructor, his eyes full of restlessness, “I’ve got to face him now, Sir! I need to…” He looked to Wanderlust who was catching his breath. “I just need to.”

Mantle made no further objection as the young Fox took up his training spear and trotted to the sparring circle.

Wanderlust gave him a sidelong consideration, sweat beading through the fur of his face. “Be with you in a moment.” He bid between breaths. “And who might my next opponent be?”

“My name is Fox Fauchard, and I am the scion of many proud Canterlot guards.”

“Good,” Wanderlust nodded, flicking his staff and clearing his nostrils. “Good. I like the sound of that.”

Fox stepped forward, saluted, and took-up a middle guard, his magic holding the staff in front of him; the green angled slightly upwards.

It was then that Wanderlust noted the number of those gathering on the periphery: the other recruits, the instructors, and a few new bystanders that had come through. All of them curiously eager, like children vying for a good spot to watch a parade pass by.

Come on old boy, you’ve got one more in you. Give ‘em a little show.

“Alright.” Wanderlust saluted and presented his weapon in a similar fashion. As soon as he did, Fox advanced with a rapid set of attacks, taking advantage of the initiative and worn-down opponent. The older unicorn parried on the backstep, circling as the two began to dance.

Finally Fox relented, drawing back this time into an inside-right position where he waited for whatever response might come.

Unfolding from a hanging guard, Wanderlust gave him a pleased expression, “There’s the enthusiasm I like to see. You know your paces well.”

“I have my grandfather to thank.”

“Don’t we all.”

Fox’s tactic changed as he came on, lunging forward in increments before beginning a series of stabs and slashes meant to get past the guard.

He’s aggressive, his form is solid…

Again each attack was met and countered with deft maneuvering until Fox gave one last power slash with an angry roar. Wanderlust’s staff caught the other and deflected it to the side, but that was when Fox stepped in and drove his shoulder into grey fur and muscle. The impact was heavier than the spry recruit anticipated and so his shove wasn’t as fruitful as he desired, but it was still rewarded by a near-toppling. Instead of capitalizing however, he half-expected some mortal reversal to come in the next second, so Fox danced back and crouched into a low inside guard.

For the first time Wanderlust was thrown off his balance, almost sprawling to the ground, unable to hold his staff up for protection. He wore surprise plainly, and as he regained his guard let a delighted grin shape his face.

“Good! That’s how to make an opening! You just have to follow through!”

On the last word, Wanderlust came on, making side-to-side attacks to establish a pattern before going for the legs. But Fox was savvy and caught the move with a parry, he now on the backstep. With a cry of excitement, Wanderlust wheeled himself around with side-hops and tried to confound his opponent with both staff maneuvers and an impending threat of melee.

Mantle was pleased to see his student giving this deceptively capable foe a proper run, but that didn’t distract from the rather disconcerting fact of his expertise.

Younger and with nimbleness to contend the experience, Fox danced his way out of the press to put himself in front of Wanderlust again.

They locked in a bind.

“Your grandfather taught you well.”

Fox didn’t spare the rejoinder he was hoping for, but the gears of thought were turning behind the brown eyes. Instead, he tossed the bind away and adapted the side-dash to close almost flank-to-flank, vaulted his body spine-to-spine rolling over to the other side. Wanderlust tried to follow him, but the acrobatics were a distraction, and just as Fox’s hooves hit the ground, his staff swept into grey forelegs.

The crowd gasped.

Wanderlust’s muscles reacted to the sudden loss of stability, and he somersaulted forward, twisting to get his hooves underneath him. There was no time to recover as Fox Fauchard’s training spear was already racing in towards his widened eyes. A prone roll to his left staved off defeat, and he kicked out at the green end to knock it away.

But a zealousness for victory possessed Fox, and he abandoned the staff in favor of charging him with melee intent, bearing forth with his horn alight and teeth clenched.

Weapons aside they clashed as stallions of old did: with blazing horns sending sparks from the contact, rearing up and trading hooves.

I must’ve made this kid angry!

It was during this development of the fight that a small group of ponies atop the wall looked down and saw the source of the commotion.

“My goodness!” Chancellor Fancy Pants exclaimed, adjusting his monocle. “That fellow gets around, doesn’t he?”

Fleur de Lis contorted her face into one of perplexity, “For what reason is he tussling with that guard?”

A pegasus, leaning on the wall who was likewise watching the spar spoke up: “Old chap’s been running the gauntlet against the young bucks! Giving those legacy recruits a proper lesson!”

“You don’t say?” Fancy traded a raised brow with Fleur.

Fox and Wanderlust retreated from one another a few paces, each catching their breath. The younger unicorn staggered, his muscles straining. The older trying to slow his heartrate, shoulders slowly rising to a fighting poise. With a perception of a seemingly indomitable opponent, Wanderlust could see the spirit in Fox’s eyes dimming.

“Alright Fox Fauchard, what else did your grandfather teach you?”

Something in the brown eyes was rekindled.

With a little dance of the forehooves, Wanderlust charged, focused as a diving falcon. Fox was too exhausted to attempt a dive or dodge.

The crowd leaned in. Those above on the wall leaned in.

Wanderlust reared-up to smash down with his hooves. Fox, bereft of better choices, threw himself backwards onto his spine with hooves ready.

The training yard let out a collective gasp when the dust cleared, and Wanderlust was sent head over hooves into a supine crash, Fox’s gleaming horn inches above his head in the next moment. The two locked eyes as they panted in their inverted positions, a drop of perspiration falling from Fox’s cheek.

Wanderlust groaned as he let his legs collapse to either side, “Well done lad.”

Bull and Hawk rushed to their comrade and enveloped him in jostling and congratulations, carrying him off as they did. This left the older stallion to relax where he was as Mantle approached to stand over him.

“Well what happened there?”

“Got tired… he caught me.”

“Did he now?” Mantle reached down and aided Wanderlust to stand. “Because it looked to me like you set him up for an easy counter.”

“Oh really?” Exhaling as he straightened his legs, Wanderlust let the air out through pursed lips, his helmet floating off in a magic nimbus. “Because I could have thought of easier ways to do it.”

Mantle regarded him with a squinted eye, but declined to follow it up when he noticed the silhouettes on the rampart above. He stepped away.

Fox broke from his companions, removed his helmet and strode back to Wanderlust, “You’re not too bad. For an old mote.”

There was a mirthful gleam in Wanderlust, “And you’ve got some potential yourself. For a yearling.”

“When I was watching you, your technique reminded me a lot of my grandfather. That’s partly why I wanted to take my turn with you.”

“I hope it was out of respect, feels you got a little angry at the end there.”

A look of sheepishness struck Fox, “Sorry about that, my blood got kinda hot there.”

“No no,” Wanderlust stepped in close and fixed him with a steadfast stare. “That’s exactly what I was looking for. When you’re in the midst of battle there’s a sweet-spot you need to find, somewhere between fury and focus. When you can channel that violent urge and fuel what you’ve honed in your training, that’s when you’ll be at your most dangerous.”

Fox held his gaze a second, looked down, then found it again, “You’ve been at this a while, haven’t you?”

Wanderlust mulled his tongue on the inside of his cheek and rolled his eyes, “You could say that.”

Bull and Hawk then also approached, the haughty air from earlier replaced by one of esteem.

“Bull Lucerne.” The earth pony introduced himself, his mane was shaved down to the stubble.

“Hawk Estoc.” Said the Pegasus.

“A pleasure, gentlecolts.” Wanderlust shook each their hooves in turn. “You keep up your training, and Canterlot will be in fine hooves.”

“Wanderlust!” Mantle called from the base of the wall where a stone archway led to another part of the compound. “Join me, will you?”

“If you’ll excuse me.” Wanderlust nodded to each in turn as Bull and Hawk departed.

Fox however remained a moment more and offered a deferential nod. Wanderlust returned it.

Wanderlust followed Mantle up a flight of stairs that led to a type of veranda with expensive furnishings: benches, potted plants, statues, and rugs. It was there that Chancellor Fancy Pants and Fleur de Lis were waiting for them; he overlooking the balcony to the city, she reclined on one of the padded benches.

The chancellor turned at their approach, “Ah! Good to see you on your hooves! I must say you surprise me, I understand you made quite the sport of those strapping lads.”

He and Wanderlust shook hooves. “Didn’t realize you were such a proficient pugilist!”

“Well they gave me all I could handle. Lieutenant Mantle here has done a fine job in their instruction.”

“Good to hear, good to hear.”

The lieutenant said nothing but let himself show a bit of pride as he fell in tow.

Fancy gave the grey unicorn a pat on the shoulder and bid him follow, “You look like you could use a good sit, come join us.”

The horizon was an orange field, reaching out over Canterlot with its fingers giving the spot a warm atmosphere. Wanderlust was led to a couch and Fancy used his magic to pour a glass of water from a pitcher, which Wanderlust accepted readily and downed in a single go. With a gasp of refreshment, he eased himself down opposite Fleur. Mantle leaned himself against the guardwall and observed as Fancy chose a high-backed chair.

“You’re just a Renaissance stallion, aren’t you?” She asked, eying him like a dessert.

“Not to brag…” Wanderlust let the unspoken hang with a sly smirk.

“I have a rather interesting question for you,” Fancy Pants was examining the state of his left hoof. “Not that it’s necessarily our business… but I was wondering exactly what your name really is?”

My what?

Wanderlust seemed to be the only one caught off guard, pausing as he poured another glass of water. Neither Fleur nor Mantle did more than wait patiently for an answer. The grey stallion took a breath, glancing among his company.

Oooooh, that’s right…

Fancy continued: “See, I was just chatting with our colleague here, and he referred to you as ‘Wanderlust’, whereas Fleur and I know you as ‘Percival’. I was just… curious why you’d give out different names.”

Wanderlust swallowed and finished pouring his drink. “Old habit I’m afraid.” He drew a breath and reclined into the rest at the end of the couch. “Being the ‘Renaissance pony’ that I am, I’ve… been around the block a time or two, and I’ve learned the usefulness of not spreading your name around too much. So, I like to drop something different every now and then, and not… attract too much attention.”

Fleur leaned in on her right fore-knee, “Fascinating answer.”

“And…” Fancy bobbed his head, “This being your first time in Canterlot at the side of Princess Twilight, you’d like to avoid becoming too notable a figure… Do I have it?”

“Yes, you have it.”

“So what should we call you now?” Mantle asked.

Glancing among the company, Wanderlust pursed his lips. “Wanderlust.” He looked into his drink. “I had a cousin named Parsifal when I was younger who I was very good friends with.”

“I must say, old boy, you make for quite the unusual chap.” Fancy leaned forward in his chair, steepling his hooves as he chewed on a thought. “I’m a bit flummoxed as to what to think.”

“The more we learn about you, the more enigmatic you become.” Fleur added.

“I don’t mean to give you any cause for concern,” Wanderlust took another sip of his drink. “You’ve all been very gracious to me, I’d like to return the gesture.”

As if the same thought occurred to the three of them simultaneously, a knowing look circulated between Fleur, Fancy, and Mantle.

Fleur shuffled a bit closer on her couch, rested her chin on a curled hoof, settled her eyes on him and smiled.

Author's Note

Lot happened in this one, didn't it?

Next Time, in Dark Days of the Unforgiven:
-Where he began
-Putting her hoof down
-One Tribe, One Kingdom, One King

Fortunately, I found a comfortable place to split the body of this installation into two chapters, so as to spare you another exhausting read. So I managed to get an extra chapter out of this one. Works fine for me.

Big thanks (yuge, bigly) to Evowizard for letting me use his character "Apostle". He is the love child with Tarbtano, as featured in the story "The Bridge: A Shimmer in the Dark"

Please do: Bring any typos and misspellings to my attention. No matter how many times I go over these things, I always seem to miss something.

Thank you for visiting my story, I hope you come back around next time.

~Crush 'em

Chapter 4: “Master of Puppets”

Chapter 4

“Master of Puppets”

Canterlot Palace

Twilight roamed the royal halls with a face of concern. When she told Æclypse that nopony knew she’d stowed the amulet here in Canterlot, she’d hadn’t quite been telling the truth. In fact, she was now on course to find the one pony she did relate its location. She just hoped the conversation wouldn’t go into… awkward places. Dinner time was approaching, and she figured that would be a good time to broach the subject.

What she was less content with, was how she’d left things off with Æclypse. Or Wanderlust, whatever he felt like being today. She understood his frustration, his lashing out in the moment, but that didn’t mean she cared to be on the receiving end of it. They would take the night to let heads cool down and meet at the train station in the morning and figure out what to do from there.

After he’d left, she scoured her room for any sign of tampering or theft, only to find the dust undisturbed and no other item molested. With the box seemingly unsullied, she was baffled as to how the amulet had been removed without leaving behind some kind of trace. Unfortunately, instead of eliminating the object of her suspicion, these factors only served to bring them into greater prominence.

The sides of the walkway were open to the cool evening breeze, the sun on its long descent into the western horizon to bid Canterlot goodnight. Twilight, her mind absorbed in a tumult of thoughts and worries was just re-entering the castle interior when she nearly collided into a brass chestplate.

“Whoa!” A welcome voice exclaimed, “We just keep bumping into each other, don’t we?” Flash Sentry smiled, his hoof out on her shoulder to help steady her.

“Flash! Hey!” Without a thought, Twilight reached out and hugged him. “You don’t know how relieved I am to see you.”

His brows arched. “Wh… Really?”

She froze for a second before her body jolted, “I mean- I was- I just, had a lot on my mind.”

Flash gave her a comforting smile and joined to her side. “What’s going on?”

As they entered the interior halls, Twilight bit her lip, “It’s a little hard to explain: Something wasn’t quite the way I thought it was going to be, and now I’m not so sure of certain things I thought I was.”

Flash nodded. “You’re right, that is hard to understand.”

She had a low chuckle, realizing what she’d actually said. “Sorry. To be honest, I’d rather think about something else for right now. Please distract me, Flash.”

His heart fluttered for a moment for some answer to her request. But what? As they walked, his nearer wing slowly unfurled and stretched over her back, laying down gently.

Her skin twitched at the unexpected touch and she felt a small gasp draw in her nose, but she warmed to it in the next moment.

Flash felt her move a bit closer.

“So, what’s up with you for the evening?” He asked.

“Dinner with Princess Celestia, then packing for an early train back to Ponyville. You?”

“Same.”

That got an earnest laugh out of her.

“I’ve got a meeting with a colleague in a little bit to discuss… security matters, then a quick bite to eat before my shift begins.”

They carried on in awkward silence for a few moments, catching a raised look from a stationary guard as they passed.

“You… wanna hang out later?” Twilight asked.

“Yeah!” Flash exclaimed with more excitement than he intended. Both turned their faces away, cheeks flush.

“I mean sure, yeah, that’d be cool.” He clarified with artificial nonchalance.

From somewhere behind, a pony snickered.

“How about we meet by the fountain?” She suggested.

“Which one?”

Twilight giggled, “The one in the courtyard where you played the guitar for me.”

“Oh, thaaaat one, okay.”

The couple stopped at an intersection where they came to face each other, irrepressible warm smiles forming.

Flash’s eyes darted down before meeting hers again, “So uh, see you later then?”

With her mouth curled an eyes gleaming, Twilight nodded. Whereas most normal conversations would end here with the parties going their separate ways, the young alicorn and the Pegasus remained in place, absorbed in one another.

That was until a cough ruptured their enchantment.

“Good evening, Princess Twilight,” Apostle said as he bowed his head. “I hope I’m not interrupting anything.”

He appraised them both coolly as the flustered pair sorted themselves into a more respectable composure.

Twilight choked back her emotion, “No no, Apostle, we were just…” She turned to Flash, searching for an explanation in his face.

Which he supplied for her: “-Just discussing some of the recent goings-on in Canterlot.”

An amused grin threatened to parse Apostle’s implacable façade, only reaching a half-formed state. “Of course, a Princess should be kept well apprised of capitol affairs.” His gaze shifted to Flash, and he reached out with a hoof. “I don’t believe we’re acquainted; Apostle, aide-de-camp to Her Nocturnal Majesty Princess Luna.”

“Flash Sentry, Royal Guard.” Flash half-chuckled, gesturing to his armor.

“Well met, sir.” Regarding the Pegasus with a polite but closed smile, Apostle returned to Twilight. “Your Grace, I was just double-checking your attendance for dinner tonight. Princess Luna is quite eager to enjoy your conversation this evening.”

The inquiry served to put Twilight at ease, and she answered with a practiced air of formality: “You may tell Princess Luna that I will be there, and I will be delighted to enjoy her conversation this evening.”

“Excellent. In that case, I shall leave you two to your… discussions.” After an exchange of nods, the dark unicorn carried on his way.

Flash kept an eye on him as he departed, “Does he give you the same odd vibe he gives me?”

“I don’t know.” Twilight mulled indecisively. “Everypony’s a little weird sometimes. I’m sure we’ll get used to him.”

A Long… Time Ago…

Icy wind bore aloft frozen crystals at keen enough speed to sting the faces of the troop of unicorn stallions marching through the snow of the mountain slopes. The sky howled in its primordial fury; the roof of the world a dark and terrible vista. It was evening, and the frigid wrath of the north would soon be amplified by nightfall.

“This way!” Shouted the one at the head of the pack, a red cloak wrapped about his neck and head beating violently against his armor as he turned towards his comrades. The others were hearty in their own right, trudging at a steady pace through knee-high snowbanks and protected by thick overcoats and scarves.

The slope up which they ascended was a white stalagmite reaching into the sky, its pinnacle bare on one side. Ahead of them yawned an opening, a cave at the mountain’s bellybutton that promised shelter to the battered ponies from the storm’s flagellation.

His cloak beating about him, the leader reached the mouth of the cave and waited for the others to catch up, ushering them in as they did one by one. As the final one passed by, he gave the world a suspicious glare with a cunning green eye before taking refuge in the cavern himself.

A good ways in, and the stout unicorns threw back their hoods and shook themselves free of the snow accumulated on their clothes, their horns illuminating the space around them. Their faces were a mixture of hardened veterans and hale youth, all bore a shrewd glint in their eyes as their breaths froze midair. One of them unfurled a saddle pack and spilled a collection of firewood into a loose pile while others dislodged stones to make a circle.

With a few sparks they ignited a fire, and many shivers of relief filled the cave as they crowded around.

“We are assailed on all fronts!” The leader of this troop declared hungrily as his face came into the orange glow, his visage dazzling with a mad delight. “Even the gods see fit to test our strength!”

“Might then the gods of drink and hearth make good sport of us, my Prince?” One of them suggested with a wry grin.

“No, Hrithgar.” The leader uncovered his head to reveal a lush mane of raven black and handsome features in grey fur. “I don’t think they’ll bother with us tonight. Let us try to find some comfort while we can and see if the storm is sated by morning.”

Travel packs were laid down and bedrolls laid out where the stallions found suitable, small talk and humor among them giving the otherwise dreadful accommodations a semblance of normalcy. The heat from the fire slowly overtook the chill within the confines of the cave as they made camp, driving back the cold from their respite.

While most of their bedding materials were simple woolen linens, those of the prince were of much finer dyed threads, with visibly less wear to them.

“I see you’ve brought a little bit of the castle along with you, Sombra.”

The oldest of the group approached the prince, his coat a fair white with greying mane, his features that of a stallion a generation senior.

“Forgive me my indulgence, Iambic, but what good does a prince’s privilege serve him if he does not exercise it from time to time?”

The younger prince of Thule smirked. “Besides, I think it prudent to maintain a certain presence among the Thanes. I represent not just my own station but my father and my brother’s, and should carry myself as such.”

“Fair enough.” Iambic Pentameter admitted with a small nod. “I recall your father liked to keep a token of your mother with him out on patrol; usually a kerchief or a scarf that carried her aroma. He would bear it under his cloaks to preserve the scent.”

The story seemed to amuse Sombra. “He does have his sentimental moments now and again.”

“Still, it might do to appear a bit more relatable to your Thanes. They are the ones freezing their flanks off for your mission.”

“And do I not freeze with them?” Sombra asked, posing the question with a raised brow. “Is the welfare of these Thanes not my responsibility to bear? I hardly think a few sheets of cloth is such an offense for them to begrudge me, Iambic.”

Another thought seemed to press itself upon the mind of the senior unicorn, but he dismissed it in favor of another.

“So how does your vision look now?”

Stuffing the remains of his pack’s contents in the bag to create a pillow, Sombra drew a breath and roved a glance over the interior of the cavern.

“All is in accord thusfar. A series of defensive posts in the Crystal Mountains will go a long way towards improving our defensive logistics. This whole rock can be transformed into a viable position to station soldiers and supplies.”

“And the circle?”

The question prompted an excited inhalation, Sombra’s green irises flaring. “Yes! I have been working on that!” His magic reaching into a side pocket of his pack, he drew out a protective cloth satchel, and from that drew out a tome. He flipped to a page.

“Based on my understanding of Vortigern’s conjuration formulations, I should be able to create an arcane gateway between any two positions by means of teleportation circles. We’ll be able to move ponies and equipment almost instantaneously from point to point. This will also give Thule the means to expand and reinforce its borders with unprecedented ease. The whole untamed north of this continent will be under our banner.”

Pentameter’s chest swelled and fell, pondering the implications of such a power. A rise of laughter from a group of Thanes near the fire temporarily drew their attention. The Prince and the veteran sat down, a candle produced from Sombra’s satchel provided a light for their conversation.

“It’s an ambitious undertaking… though it may not be received well by our neighbors.” Iambic considered aloud. “The federated yak tribes may find our expansion distressing given our history. We may run into disputes with Pegastopolis concerning aerial territory. The Earth Ponies may decry the curtailing of their own agricultural expansions. There’s also the matter of how the Crystal Empire would react to this… boldness.”

“They might…” Sombra let the implication hang. The corner of his mouth curled wickedly, and his emeralds gleamed. “But what will they do about it?”

“Will the Yaks rattle their horns for war while they quarrel with one another for what meager sustenance their lands provide? The Pegasai might leverage their mastery of the weather, but do we not possess ourselves the means to manipulate the firmament? Our command of transmutation magic has advanced considerably since the elder days.

The Earth Ponies might withhold their trade in food and craft goods… but will the average frugal and practically minded Earth Pony be willing to abstain our trade for so long out of some abstract principle? Resist the potential of participating with an expanding economy? And will the Crystal Ponies bemoan the primacy of their Empire as excluding the rise of ours? What justification will they offer to deny Thule an equal state?

Will any of them go groveling to the alicorns in the midlands? Pleading the tyranny of Thule? If we expand and proliferate our power to such a degree so as to arouse such… reactions from our neighbors… What will they do?”

“Indeed…” Sombra fixed him with a confident stare, the shadows cast over his face heightening the cunning glint in his eyes. “What can they do?”

It was a grandiose vision, one that rivaled great unicorns of the past like brothers Hengist and Horsa, Thalamar the Great, and the prince’s own inspiration: Vortigern the Black. Certainly his brother, Prince Æclypse, poised to assume the throne had his own visionary designs concerning overseas trade agreements and opening new seaports.

As far as Iambic could tell, there were historic times ahead for the unicorn kingdom.

It was sometime in the night, as Sombra wrestled with his blanket that he awoke with a gasp of frustration. His corner of the cavern was cold, and his snout was caked with the ice crystals of his breath. Crinkling his nose, he glanced about and saw that while the fire was reduced in its volume, the others all appeared content and sleeping soundly. With an irritated snort, he tore himself from his bed to stand, and wrapped himself in his cloak.

Sensitive to let his Thanes get their rest, he skirted the camp site with a dim illumination from his horn. Chastised as he was by his mentor Iambic Pentameter not to pace, it was a behavior that helped him to focus his thoughts when he was feeling restless.

The cold was miserable, he didn’t enjoy shivering. The ground was hard and rutted, he didn’t enjoy the aches in his back. But if enduring this relative privation would earn him the esteem and honor he sought, suffer it he would. Not every pony can slay a dragon as his brother had done.

Then his ear flickered to a faint sound. His face snapped to a black void to the rear of the cavern, well beyond the scope of the firelight. He approached it, and found the shadow extending before him as an avenue deeper into the mountain. Standing at the threshold he considered the temptation to investigate, ears twitching, sawing his bottom lip between his teeth. A look back to his company to see them unmoved, and he continued into the darkness.

I don’t know how such a shaft could have been bored by natural causes, perhaps it wasn’t, but I must have followed that tunnel for quite some distance for I lost track of time. The cold of the receiving cavern became a null sensation the farther I went, or perhaps I simply lost track of that as well. What it was that lured me on I could not articulate precisely, but I was enchanted by this… calling, as it were, beckoning me onward.

It must have been when I neared the end that I began to hear the voices. It was nothing intelligible you understand, they spoke in a disarray of whispers, a confusion of speech that came and went like breath in a lung. They bid me follow… closer… closer…

At end I arrived at a new chamber, and I saw all around me growths of black crystals jutting at every angle from the floor, walls, and ceiling. The light of my horn diffused and reflected across their surfaces brought much of the space into view. Like standing in the maw of some giant creature surrounded by its obsidian fangs. There the voices were strongest, but still in their damned impenetrable mutterings.

“Speak if you can!” He challenged to the echoes. “What are you?”

As if forming from the stolen air of countless breasts, I received back but one coherent phrase: ‘All hail Sombra! That shalt be king hereafter!... after… after… after…’

Incensed by the proclamation, I demanded more. “Stay, you imperfect speakers! By order of birth I know I am prince of Thule, no more than to be prince. Say from whence you owe this strange intelligence, or why within this bosom of shards you call to me for such a prophetic vow! Speak! I charge you!”

And speak they did. They began to tell me things.

They spake of histories lost, magics unknown, of power without restraint. Power such as no mortal pony has ever wielded before. But there would be a cost, a sacrifice such as no mortal pony has ever paid before. I cannot say clearly at what point I was resolved to step across that line, but you might say that first night was when my hoof lifted from the ground.

That was when I began to listen… to Those That Whisper.

The storm had passed by the time the rest of the troop awoke, ambient light drifting in from the outside. Among groans and coughs they set themselves to refreshing the fire and snacking on what rations they brought with them.

Iambic Pentameter drew his first deep breath of the morning as he opened his eyes. He saw the others likewise in the process of preparing for the day and taking turns at the mouth of the cave for relief.

When he looked to Sombra, he found the Prince sitting up in his bedding, wrapped in his cloak and facing away from the group. He listened for a few moments, and perceived what sounded like a low incessant muttering. What was being said could not be deciphered.

“Did you sleep well, my Prince?” Iambic asked, curious what it might provoke.

Sombra jolted with a sharp nasal-gasp, snapping his head to the left but keeping his face hidden. “What?”

“It’s morning.” The veteran unicorn noted, removing his blanket. “How long have you been up?”

Sombra pointed his head in the direction of the entrance, as if noticing the sunlight for the first time. “Hard to say… I have been occupied by my own thoughts.”

“So it seems.” Iambic began wrapping up his bedding. “Something that troubles you?”

The prince exhaled, centering his face toward his hooves. “I believe we will have to seek a different location. I don’t think this cave will serve our needs.”

“Really? You were quite fine with it last night.”

“I have concluded otherwise.” Sombra spat, almost a snarl. “We shall disregard this peak, and make do with another.”

Pentameter paused in his work, fixing his gaze on the back of the prince who still did not face him.

“You are unusually short this morning.” He said in a firmer tone, a light reminder for the prince as to whom he was speaking. “Perhaps your temperament will be more at ease with some breakfast.”

Possibly realizing his transgression, Sombra stirred from his bed and gathered his clothes about him. Now he finally gave his face to his father’s comrade with a plain stoicism. “Of course, Iambic. I find myself… out of sorts this morning.”

The whites of Sombra’s eyes were bloodshot, his façade trying to conceal a weariness weighing on him like a yoke.

His sympathy getting the better of him, Iambic Pentameter put his things down, sighed, and stepped in to lay a hoof around the Prince’s neck.

“You bear much weight on your shoulders; your family’s legacy, Æclypse’s rising prominence.”

Sombra shifted a fatigued glance to his senior.

Iambic continued: “It can be hard for one in your position to find their place in the order of things, to gain renown outside the association of your family. I know you don’t like to entertain the gossip-mongers but you are building a formidable reputation of your own.”

Sombra began to speak, but bit back the words.

“You know your brother supports you; he will not hear an unkind thing spoken of you in his presence. And our good king your father is proud of you, though he might not proclaim it from the throne. I have known him long enough to see it in the way he looks at you. You have a great ambition all your own and the force of will to see it through.”

For a few beats Sombra looked up to his mentor, considering his words. Finally, the prince’s frame sank with an exhale, shedding the invisible yoke and letting his head rest on Iambic’s shoulder.

“Your words are more kind than I deserve, Iambic. I fear that without your clear-headed guidance my petty inclinations may take the better of my judgement, and I be lost to baleful imaginations best not dwelt upon.”

“Then dwell on kinder things.” Iambic held him at leg’s length and raised his face. “They are abundant if you haven’t noticed.”

Sombra sucked a breath through his teeth to voice an unflattering truth. “I do have habit of… overlooking certain things.”

The elder stallion took on a comforting smirk. “I know of one thing your mother would have you take more notice of…”

Sombra cocked his head, not grasping the implication. Then his face widened in realization.

“Kelda?! That confounding vixen?” The prince turned away and began repacking his things. “With every flick of her mane and blink of her eyes she unseats me! She and I cannot exist in the same room without her hooks ensnaring my mind and tangling my nerves like burs in a mane!”

Iambic clicked his tongue. “How torturous.”

“It’s insufferable!”

A short time later, when Sombra was replenished with food and water, he was still tired but much more amenable. As his troop of Thanes gathered to empty the cavern into the crisp, clear morning, he spared a final glance towards the back with a beam of light from his magic. Though he searched for the tunnel, he found nothing but rock wall.

I made sure to mark the location of the cavern on my map, for I would return to it many times in the months to come. And of course, I kept it a secret. For the most part.

Canterlot.

After nightfall.

Apostle had an array of scrolls levitating in place as he strolled through the hall, mumbling while he determined which tasks he could manage himself and which would need to be presented to Princess Luna. The alicorns were at dinner, which gave him time to sort.

“Florist schematics… weather clearances… possum clothing?... oh yes.”

It was when he passed through an intersection that something caught in the corner of his vision that made him retract a step. There were two things about what he saw at the opposite end of the short hall that made him stop and swivel an ear, using the parchments to obscure his face. The first, was that of the two ponies engaged in a muted but friendly conversation, one of them was the guard Flash Sentry who he’d met earlier.

The other was a comely thestral mare who spoke and interacted with him in what anypony would describe as flirtatious. Curious, as Apostle glanced between the sheets, was that Flash appeared to allow this behavior to go unchallenged. While the romantic drama of two young ponies was hardly his interest, the fact that this one may very well involve Princess Twilight Sparkle showed the potential of being… useful to him.

The conversation continued for a minute or two longer as he observed, the mare having a coquettish laugh before bouncing a hoof off his chest and departing. Flash, evidently self-satisfied, jaunted along on his own way.

Allowing the scrolls to furl, he pondered what he’d just seen until a palace guard approached him, presenting with a small, wax-sealed note.

“Counsel, a letter for you.”

Apostle regarded the message and took it. “From whom?”

“They did not say.”

The guard remained while Apostle glanced over the note.

“Thank you.” Apostle said after a few awkward seconds.

Once alone, he cracked the seal and removed the slip of paper inside the folds, reading it quickly. Its contents roused a scowl from the unicorn.

“Can they go a single night without having to fret and complain?”

He stuffed the items in his cloak with a huff and carried on.

Elsewhere…

Dinner with the princesses seemed to lack some of its typical liveliness for Twilight. Celestia occupied her normal seat in the middle of the long table, Twilight three paces to her left as they each enjoyed a bowl of soup.

Celestia, while polite and glad to see her, was sparse on the small-talk. Luna was running late, which left the two to fill the gaps of silence with tight smiles and darting glances. There was a tenseness from the solar alicorn, which wound itself like a spring as the minutes ticked by. That something was off tonight was plain to Sparkle, but without knowing what it might be, she didn’t have a comfortable avenue to broach the matter. The importance of the missing amulet seemed to diminish in her mind.

“Twilight,” Celestia said, letting her soup spoon rattle into the bowl. “There’s something we have to discuss.”

“Oh, thank the stars!” Twilight exclaimed with all the breath she’d been holding back. “I’ve been dying over here!”

Celestia rubbed the side of her face with a hoof, letting a small chuckle wriggle though her anxiety. “It was that obvious, was it?”

Using magic to drag her chair behind her, Twilight brought it right next to her teacher’s side. “Princess Celestia, whatever is going on, I am here to help you.”

With a tight smile, Celestia put a wing over her, “Thank you, dear. That does mean a lot to me.”

“So what’s wrong?”

The words to express her thoughts roiled like a thunderhead, and Celestia took a moment to order her articulation. “I can’t exactly put my hoof on it, but I have good reason to believe that something very dark may be rising in Equestria.”

Twilight swallowed. “Like… like what?”

Celestia thought. “I’m not sure. But I fear it may have something to do with the Nightmare.”

Ears flattened against purple fur as Twilight’s heart gripped. “The Nightmare? But… I thought we destroyed it with the Elements of Harmony!”

“Unfortunately, that’s not as clear as we’d like it to be.” Drawing a breath to sooth her nerves, Celestia explained: “The entity that we know as the Nightmare is not something any of us truly understand. Luna thinks it may be a type of ‘tantabus’, something that manifests as a concentration of negative emotions. It’s not a living thing, but it does have a will of its own. From what we do know, it attached itself to Luna when…”

Celestia gulped. “…That night. Whether the Nightmare is a unique entity, or one of a species, or something we haven’t imagined… we just don’t know. But… last night, myself, Luna, and even Cadence sensed… something. That was what her message was about. That was why I asked how you’d slept.”

Twilight tried to grasp the scope of she was being told. “And you’re sure it’s the Nightmare?”

“My visions aren’t a science, Twilight.” Celestia stared down into the bowl of her soup, into her reflection. “Even I don’t always understand what it’s trying to tell me. But I saw terrible things in my dream, and my intuition does recognize the way it makes me feel.”

She turned to Twilight with earnest eyes: “I believe in my heart that the Nightmare has returned, somewhere, somehow.”

“That is my conclusion as well.” Striding into the room from her usual side entrance, Princess Luna waved off her thestral escort before continuing. "My time spent in bondage to the entity has bequeathed to me a particular insight.”

Taking her seat, Luna uncovered her bowl and contemplated the dish. “I sensed a powerful surge of dark magic in the night, its flavor was… familiar to me.”

Neither Celestia nor Twilight were inclined to press the nature of Luna’s intimacy with the Nightmare.

“Soooo… What should we do?” Sparkle asked.

The elder alicorns exchanged a glance and let a long breath pass.

Luna snorted. “The most dangerous foe one can face is the kind you understand the least. It is unpredictable. Without more information, all we can do is fan our search for clues and hope to locate the entity before it does too much damage or becomes too powerful.”

“Twilight,” Celestia took her student’s face in a hoof. “We don’t know if this thing has attached itself to somepony or is running loose, or what. And unless we want to remove the Elements from the Tree of Harmony, we may not have the means to defeat something like this head-on. I don’t want you and your friends putting yourselves in harm’s way. Leave this to us.”

Sparkle’s face widened and she began sputtering, “But-! Uh-! We can-!”

Celestia raised a hoof to quell her protests. “Twilight, you are not to share this information with your friends, with Spike, or anypony else. You are not to take actions on your own to locate or confront the Nightmare. That…”

The words that came next came uncomfortably, choking their way up her swanish neck. “That is my command.”

Even Luna raised an eyebrow to the sound of her sister issuing a direct command to her prized protégé.

Twilight, for her part, was speechless.

Later That Night…

The doors to the secret chamber were thrust apart as the hooded Apostle stormed into the room. The many members of the Restoration Project already in their seats, their overlapping conversations were brought to a stark halt upon his arrival. All concealed eyes affixed to him.

“I don’t have all night.” Apostle stated bluntly. “What is it we need to address?”

Heretic burst from his seat with such violence the chair was toppled, “WHAT DO YOU THINK WE NEED TO ADDRESS, YOU BLUNDERING NECROMANCER!?”

Apostle read the room, and replied carefully, “I see that you are upset, Heretic, but I’m afraid you have me at a loss. I’m not sure what you were expecting to result from the ritual.” He slid into his seat on the opposite end from Legacy. “We accomplished precisely what we intended to do.”

“I think we got a bit more than that!” Heretic seethed from under his hood.

Heritor blew a calming breath, “We need to re-assess the plan.” She said. “I think… I think we are in over our heads.”

Legacy, the de facto leader of the assembly remained still in his chair, with those closest to him all waiting to see how the discussion would go.

Apostle ruminated with a hoof to his lips for several moments, thinking over how to bring them back. He would have to massage this situation very carefully.

“The end result may not be… exactly what we planned, but we have achieved our goal: we have an ally who will depose the alicorns and restore the unicorn to our rightful place of prominence.”

Legacy tilted his head to the left, “Juris, care to offer any educated speculation?”

Juris, with a foreleg of light brown leaned forward on the grand table, “We have a verbal agreement with the… Master… and the problem as I see it, is that the stability of our arrangement is at the whim of this… thing. The council has no mechanism of enforcement against him to protect our interests, nothing to bind him into fulfilling his end of this surreptitious contract.”

As Apostle listened, he noticed that his exhalation was becoming visible.

“If what Apostle has told us is true of the Master’s terms,” Equivocate now picked up the conversation in his dreary tone. “Then it certainly sounds like he has aims of his own that may or may not include us. Our only point of mutual interest seems to be the removal of the alicorns. Beyond that… his true intentions and motivations may or may not include us.”

Apostle thought, and recalled a curious moment from his encounter.

“There may be one thing we can negotiate with.” He said.

Grace gestured with a bent hoof, “Pray tell.”

Taking a deliberate moment to draw a breath, Apostle reclined in his seat. “Does the name ‘Thule’ ring a bell for any of you?”

A few of necks straightened at the mention.

“I should hope so,” Legacy said, preparing to speak as a teacher might before a class, rising from his seat and moving to the antique painting of the unicorns elevating the sun. “It’s a part of unicorn history that has become all but forgotten to us.”

Worthy rose from her place and joined him, “Ancient Thule is the father of the unicorn tribe, long before the Great Winter of the Windigos and the ordeal of Princess Platinum and Clover the Clever. The kingdom she was the princess of, was the Kingdom of Thule. The last knowledge of it we have is that it fell into obscurity after a scandal so profound, its population abandoned it to never speak of their shame again. Our group only retains this little knowledge from generation to generation due to our… internal predispositions.”

By the reactions among the table, not every attendant was fully aware of this information.

“Why do you ask, Apostle?” said Legacy.

A new and vast conception of events now began to manifest in the mind of the ambitious warlock.

“When he was… investigating my memories, he was quite unsettled to learn that I had no knowledge of this ‘Thule’. Quite unsettled if I may say so. He referred to it with: ‘my kingdom, my kindred’ before I left him.”

A series of glances were traded among the council, Legacy, Worthy, Grace, and Heretic becoming very still.

“We’ve never known the details of Sombra’s origin.” Heritor began, her voice betraying how staggered she was. “Is it possible he was a genuine Thulian unicorn?”

“If that’s true…” began Estate, jeweled bracelets clinking on her purple foreleg. “Our arrangement with him may not just be an alliance of interest, we may in fact be in allegiance to him.”

“Allegiance?” Heretic balked. “You think I might owe fealty to that… THING? I am of legitimate royal descent, documented from Princess Platinum herself! If anything, he owes me his allegiance!”

Apostle’s eyes diverted to the upper corners. “You are free to sort the matter out with him if you’d like, but I might suggest a more respectful tone if you do.”

The challenge seemed to rebuke the prideful Heretic, who reclined his posture as he looked around the room.

“I might just do that.” He boasted flatly. “Next we meet, I shall have to educate this creature on just who has the rightful claim here, and we shall see who ‘The Master’ really is.”

The light in the room dimmed, and again Apostle saw his breath turn white. This time, his eyes widened to the realization.

“Indeeeed….” A cold voice from nowhere answered. “I am eager to learn.”

As before, the sound of creaking coincided with a surge of the room’s shadows. Then like a stormwind blowing open a door, the darkness streamed towards a single spot, coalescing at the base of the painting of the unicorns and forcing Legacy and Worthy to stumble backwards.

A crimson light preceded the emergence of the dreadful iron helm of the Master, his eyes of burning emerald and red fuming with dark magic. The great crimson cloak ragged with char and ash billowed about his intangible shoulders and absorbed the rest of the shadow-mass underneath itself, whereupon the sabaton-plated legs strode forth.

The Restoration Project members froze in place, not via some magical hold but out of sheer terror as they stared up to the towering wraith. An extended inhale from underneath the cruel helm brought the Master to a functional height in the chamber, the lights in the room returning to their luminosity.

“So… It seems you have some hesitancies regarding our covenant? And there is a… hierarchical matter to be resolved?”

His slit pupils fell over Heretic, who withered under their inspection. “Or have I misheard you?”

Heretic retreated until he came against the backrest of the adjacent chair.

“As it happens…” Returning his attention to the body, the Master set his posture upright. “The one answer may settle the other.”

“You there…” An armored hoof was raised in the direction of Heritor. “By what name may I address you?”

She slowly gulped, afraid to make any sudden movement. “Heritor.”

“Heritor… A curious moniker, but you have grasped correctly. I am a son of Thule, norðeweard trêowful.”

With this admission the room began to stir to the sound of the ancient tongue.

“Apostle, likewise, has taken my measure: to learn that Thule has faded from history fills me with an anguish that I cannot put into words, mîn feorth gnorian.”

The last words carried an undertone of pain, accented by a hoof clutched to his chest.

“Though I am known to you by the title that conquered the Crystal Empire, I will give you now the name of my birth, as bestowed by my father and kissed by my mother, mîn trumnes ægðand brêostsefa.”

The Master stepped forward and planted his left hoof on the table, “I am the son of King Rubicon Ultima and Queen Eras Carolania, brother to Prince Æclypse the Valiant heir to the throne of our father. I, ẞombra Ultima, Prince of Þhule.”

Though the Project members said nothing, there did arise in them a growing confidence that they would not be struck down in the next second, and they gathered around the table.

“Or at least… I was...” Looking over his hoof, the former prince lowered his volume. “Before the alicorns destroyed my body and imprisoned me in darkness and ice, neither alive nor dead. Now this power, this ‘Nightmare’ entity provides the tissue with which I may take corporeal form. I wonder which is the greater part?”

“You have your mind, at least.” Legacy dared to say. “The Nightmare may provide the vehicle, but is it not Sombra at the reigns?”

As the Master shifted his gaze to regard him, the slit pupil widened. “Perhaps a new name will do then, if I am neither wholly one nor the other?”

“Well…” Worthy began delicately. “You did conquer the Crystal Empire, which, I think, would entitle you to retain the title of ‘King’ at least.”

Grace turned to Heretic and gave him a light jostle in the shoulder, “It would appear your claim to preeminence has been… superseded.” She mocked, chuckling. Heretic fixed her with a fleeting look, then set his chair upright and sat down.

“Then I will adopt a name that embodies my new state.” Dark ethers roiled from the eyes of the Master. “Though the world may hear only of ‘The Master’, I shall take the title ‘King Nightmare’.”

In contrast to their initial reaction, the majority of the members now indulged their interest.

“Terrifying and appropriate,” Estate observed. “A king to replace a princess.”

“And one of true royal blood,” Legacy said, his voice swelling with pride. Coming alongside King Nightmare, he raised a hoof to the others. “Though we did not realize it, fate has delivered to us the perfect instrument of the Restoration Project. One who has the resolve, the power, and the noble right to champion our endeavor!”

Much to Apostle’s subtle surprise, hooves began clapping on the table to signal their approbations.

I’ve really done it haven’t I?

King Nightmare brought his face to Legacy, “You, you are the one who began to speak so fondly of Thule… How might I know you?”

“You may call me Legacy, as we all here have taken pseudonyms to protect our identities in this enterprise. In time I will introduce you to the rest of us.”

Nightmare purred, “You must indeed. And I believe I should know this one,” He turned to Heretic. “You who are a descendant of our heroic Princess, hí nama beón écelice gesǽlig.”

“Heretic.” The cloaked stallion offered without self-importance and mild confusion.

“An even more intriguing choice. And I believe that brings me to the primary concern that was raised among you, that of my own motivations.”

Looking around the table and letting the atmosphere breathe, King Nightmare filled his chest and began speaking ceremoniously: “It has always been my driving purpose to serve my kingdom, to bring glory and pride to Thule and its unicorns. That is the sole purpose for which I was bred and educated. And every action I have ever taken, no matter how ruthless or how cruel, was for the greater good… of my kindred. And now, here before you, I find my kindred again. Here in this chamber, I find sons and daughters of Thule ready to honor its legacy once more.”

“You wonder why I would hold my own interest to yours and I tell you it is because restoring the natural privilege of the unicorn is to restore the glory and honor of mighty Thule upon the face of the world once more. No longer will you kneel and bow to usurpers and the unworthy. No longer will you be forced to live the lie of equality with the Pegasus and the Earth Pony!”

Spirits at the table were rising, Apostle could feel it like a tide taking them up. A force of sheer will too powerful to oppose.

“I, last heir to the throne of Thule, conqueror of the Crystal Empire shall lead you back into the halls of your forefathers. The progeny of Thule will raise their horns once more in pride, and the ancestral nobility that is your birthright.”

While the others applauded, Legacy stepped over to two of the male members and spoke softly between them, whereupon they walked to an adjacent room. After that, he rejoined King Nightmare and cleared his throat.

“Great Master, in our preparation for your arrival we have secured some items of interest to serve you in whatever capacity you deem useful.”

Legacy gestured to the returning stallions who between them, carried a small platform upon which sat an ornate, dark-stained box. Flatter than it was tall, the top of it bore the engraving of two unicorns meeting over a throne in gold inlay. King Nightmare appraised the box with curiosity.

Heretic glanced back to Apostle, the two exchanging clenched jaws of uncertainty.

Legacy continued: “Presented to you,” Using his magic to open the lid, he unveiled three scrolls bound with blue ribbons and arranged horizontally one atop another.

“These scrolls were, shall we say, ‘liberated’ from the library of Starswirl the Bearded by our esteemed member Heretic. Each of them contains a… unique gift.”

King Nightmare took them up in his crimson magic, and one by one untied the ribbons and examined the contents.

Upon reading the first one, there was aroused a curious hum. “I had no idea…”

Upon reading the second, his helm tilted, “Unexpected….”

Upon reading the third, the green sclera of his eyes expanded in surprise. “Be ðæt gods!”

“I take it these items are to your satisfaction then?” Legacy inquired.

King Nightmare met him with delighted eyes. “Exceeded, and more, my good stallion. To impart the significance of these, I shall name them in turn: This first one, I shall call ‘Terror’. The second, shall be ‘Mayhem’. This the third…” He took another few moments to behold it. “Forwyrd, this I shall call ‘Destruction’.”

The second and third scrolls he recoiled and set the ribbons back about them. “With these instruments at our disposal, shall we undermine the rule of the alicorns. First, by sowing fear among the populace to strike at their sense of security. Then, unleash turmoil to diminish the Princesses’ ability to maintain the peace. Finally, destruction to consume the strength of their greatest protectors, and when they are weakened, that is when we will make our move. We will push the alicorns aside to provide the safety, security, and leadership that so many will be crying out for.”

“Pardon, Great Master,” Heritor spoke up. “There remains another factor you may wish to address that could threaten your, admittedly, grand design.”

“And what would that be, my dear Heritor?”

“Twilight Sparkle and her friends, the wielders of the Elements of Harmony.” The name of the princess was given with a hard grit.

King Nightmare drew a long breath, searching his mind for the reference. “Oh yes, Apostle provided me some passing knowledge of their existence.”

Apostle clenched his teeth.

“Then you must know that they have overcome some of the greatest threats Equestria has ever known: Nightmare Moon, Discord, Chrysalis-twice, Lord Tirek.” Heritor paused to emphasize her point. “Your plan must account for a way to deal with them.”

The Master thought for a moment, regarding the mare. “Of course, it must. This, I presume, is something to which you have dedicated thought?”

“Considerable” Heritor agreed.

“Then we must be in council on the matter.” There was something in his tone that might have belied a smile. He put the scrolls Mayhem and Destruction back into the box but kept Terror aloft, pondering as he gazed at it.

“There is a question… that I would put to the assembled and have their mind.”

Legacy shrugged, “You need only ask.”

“Tell me, heralds of a Thule reborn: would you agree that Celestia has sat for quite long enough on her lofty, fraudulent throne?”

“AYE!” The group roused, stamping their hooves on the table. Apostle likewise beat his hoof against the wood, sans the zest of the others.

Plumes of dark magic surged from the corners of King Nightmare’s eyes at their answer.

“Then if the mind of the assembled be as one, and my mind consider the same…” The scroll floated directly before him, unfurled. The crimson peak of his helm radiating.

“Then let us begin.”

Author's Note

Now the great story-arcs may commence!
MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Next Time, in Dark Days of the Unforgiven:
-Eyes everywhere, conspiracy abounds!
-Terror in the night!
-We're off to Never-Neverland!

So, this and the previous two chapters were originally supposed to be one. But, after actually writing them out, the volume proved enough for three. And I really never want to dump a huge chapter on you guys again like ch1.
After this, I'm back onto my Godzilla/Marvel stuff for a while. But when I do return, I'll be coming with the first major arc of the book, the start of the major musical influences, and yes, more Crow and Servo.

Big thanks (yuge, bigly) to Evowizard for letting me use his character "Apostle". He is the love child with Tarbtano, as featured in the story "The Bridge: A Shimmer in the Dark"

Please do: Bring any typos and misspellings to my attention. No matter how many times I go over these things, I always seem to miss something.

Thank you for visiting my story, I hope you come back around next time.

~Crush 'em