Power Of Truth

Chapters

Prologue: Power of a Name
Chapter 1: A Pleasant Yet Horrible Conversation
Chapter 2: Blood Pact
Chapter 3: The Vault

Prologue: Power of a Name

Author's Note

This is my first fanfiction story. Please excuse any grammatical errors, at the moment I do not have an editor. Also I would love to receive feedback and advice. I am still very new to this site, and the Mlp world so everything helps.
(Chapter changed on 11/7/20)

-OYL

Prologue: Power of a Name

Twilight flipped the bit that rested on her hoof. Watching as it somersaulted in the shimmering summer air. It truly was mesmerizing, and she enjoyed watching the intense faces of her captors gradually follow the bits flight. She allowed herself a small satisfied smile. After around a year of slavery, she, along with all her other friends would be free. Of course she couldn't give herself all the credit. Without her dedicated mentor she would have perished within a week. Twilight mentaly filed away a thank you for Lily.

Everything was going according to plan. All the guards present had seen her perform the same bit flip for the past two minutes. Always the same in nature, the bit would fly, hover in the air, and then land silently on the magenta mare’s hoof. Subconsciously, the guards began to focus on the bit, forgetting to keep an eye on their true target, Rose Blush.

They had no idea how this once timid and innocent mare had transformed into the leader of their very own syndicate. It had all happened so fast. She started out as just another slave, struggling to survive. Only a year later she had become the bane of all true criminals. She even had the audacity to attempt a coup, but they would see that she failed.

Twilight, who was now known as Rose Blush, nodded to her mentor, receiving a sly smile in return. She couldn't help but grin at the peculiar situation she was in. A crime lord, syndicate leader, apprentice to a dark mage, and missing princess. All these titles were added to her already impressive list. She felt her batons underneath her slave garments, checking to make sure everything would be ready for her big move.

Meanwhile, Lily stood contently in the corner of the large balcony. She could not have been more proud of her short time student. She knew from personal experience that surviving the dark side of Equestria was no easy task. However, Twilight was an avid learner, and once she found a reason to fight was unstoppable. Her mind wandered to Shoe Shine, hoping he had indeed succeeded in his part of the plan. Without a male puppet at the head, Twilight and herself could never have pulled this off. Fortunately enough, they had found the perfect stallion. She felt her excitement grow as Twilight began to speak, her training was about to bear entertaining fruit.

“So gentlecolts. Are you going to arrest me? I have been waiting for quite some time to beat all of you. Or meet all of you?” She shot the nervous guards a coy smile, flipping her well styled mane dramatically. This caused some of them to blush, and others to just stare in confusion. It still shocked her how far looks could take you. She decided she would apologize to Rarity once she saw her again. “So. I will offer this deal only once. Surrender your weapons and leave my city. I promise I won’t tell Shoe Shine about your treachery.” While she spoke, she continued to flip the bit, allowing the motion to plague her enemies subconscious. “Cant speak?” She leerd, raising an eyebrow.

“You will pay for your insolence slave! No pony crosses The Arrowhead and lives!” The guard yelled out his idiotic assertion, desperately hoping that his fellow criminals would stay loyal to their now absent leader. Luckily enough for him, the guards surrounding Rose were the last and most loyal of the original syndicate. The guards in question, nodded their heads in affirmation. They then refocused themselves on Rose, preparing to attack. Lily rubbed her forehooves together, and had only one thought. Let the fun begin.

Twilight sighed and softly spoke,
“So be it.” She then proceeded to throw the bit high into the air. The guards who had been gradually tricked into focusing on this small object followed the bit, waiting for something miraculous to happen. They had walked straight into the trap. By the time most of them had looked away from the bit, four of their own were already on the ground incapacitated. Twilight had moved with lightning quickness. The second the bit left her hoof, she was on the attack.

Lily watched, a satisfied smile gracing her features, as the perfectly executed assault unfolded before her. Twilight started by kicking the table she was sitting at into the two adjacent guards, knocking them both out. She then leapt to the right side with a swan like grace, landing with both of her batons already out of their respective hiding places.

The three guards she landed in front of only had a split second to register what was happening before their body's began to collapse beneath them. This was the result of well placed strikes that hit vital points, such as the temple or throat. One of the three guards had still been looking at the bit which was nearing the ground when he had been struck. Poor soul, at least he saw stars before the nothingness.

The bit hit the ground. Five goons had already been left to eat the floor, and only three more remained. Twilight recognized a unicorn preparing to fire off a stunning spell, and she cursed the powerful inhibitor ring restraining her, before she let loose her batons. Both struck the unicorn, though they were not enough to take him out of the picture, he was left stunned and unprepared for the hoof strikes that followed. He attempted valiantly to stay in the brawl, but Twilight had trained for too long to miss the principle points and gaps in his lacking armor. He hit the cold tile like a rock.

Rose whipped around and observed her final two opponents. One was a burly earthpony, the second was a nimble looking pegasus. She immediately ran statistics in her mind, planning out attacks and counter attacks, all in a matter of seconds. Twilight couldn't help but continue to curse her missing magic. If she had her wings and horn, this battle would have been over already.

“AHHHHHHH.” The large stallion cried out in sincere pain. Twilight rolled her eyes at her mentor who now stood alone and serene between the two indisposed criminals.
“You know I had them right where I wanted right? It was all part of the plan.” Twilight tried to keep her tone confident, but she could not cover up the fact that she had indeed made a mistake.

“Twilight dear. Your performance was exemplary. However, you did not move quickly enough from target to target. I can say in full confidence, that you would have been able to dispose of them yourself. However, I got tired of waiting. We do have a lot to attend to.” She strutted forward while speaking, her soft melodic voice still a pleasant sound, even after it had reprimanded her.

“No! Us, having work to do? I have never heard such a blatant lie in my entire life! It's not like we have criminal lords, an army of slaves and most likely the royal guard waiting for us.” She shot her friend a sultry smile (which she had mastered by now). Twilight turned towards the doorway, falling in step with Lily. As she left the balcony she felt compelled to look back. This was not the final battle, she was sure of it. However, this battle had lifted the final chain of slavery, Twilight was free.

With this realization, Twilight began to think about all of her friends and family. A few nervous thoughts crossed her ever full mind. ‘How am I going to explain all of this? Should I even bother? Will my friends accept the new me? Can I go back to who I was before? Will I fight for truth and freedom bearing the title of rebel? Or will I comply once again with Celestia, and live stuck in the web of lies I have discovered?

Twilight did not know what path she was going to take. What she did know however, was that either way she went she would never be the same. Most likely she would end up arrested after this fiasco anyway. She laughed at that thought, receiving a questioning look from Lily. She elected to ignore the unspoken question, and continued to enter the small throne room of the mansion/castle. The sight that greeted her was one she had not expected. The room was filled to the brim with slaves, servants, syndicate members and her other allies alike. They all fell to their knees as she set foot in the room.

Uncomfortable would be an understatement. Twilight had never liked ponies treating her like royalty. This scenario was like her coronation amplified one hundred times. These ponies were not bowing out of obligation, they were bowing to her by choice. They were loyal to her by choice. If only they knew who she really was, then this situation might have been actually less agonizing.

“My Queen. We have gathered in honor of your victory over The Arrowhead syndicate. We are prepared to serve.” Lily paused, deciding to scratch her obviously prepared speech. “You saved all of us. Whether it was from slavery, a purposeless life of crime, or from death itself. We are in your debt and shall serve you forevermore.” Lily proceeded to execute a charming and smooth bow, joining the hundreds already on their knees.

Twilight was in way over her head. Before her disappearance she had defied Celestia repeatedly, experimented in forbidden magic, and attempted to uncover truths that had been buried for centuries. Now, she was a criminal, a syndicate leader, and apparently, a queen. Objectively this situation was remarkable and should have been a moment of triumph and pride for Twilight. She however, was plagued with worry. The rebellion against the Princesses had already been spiking. No doubt, they would see Twilight as a threat, and possibly a rebel. She placed her hoof on her temple and rubbed deeply. She was indeed in a lot of trouble.

Rose recomposed herself and strode down the aisle, holding her head high. It would seem that her decision had become a great deal more complicated. She reached the single, cheaply made throne, and lithely sat down. Her heart seemed to beat faster than ever before, yet she found herself cool and at peace. She addressed the crowd laid out before her.

“It is time to save Equestria. The crime world for too long has tortured the common pony. They have committed the most appalling crimes, and caused countless atrocities. I shall stand for it no longer. WE will rise together, and bring back true peace to equestria!” She ended by drawing her hidden crossbow, she then proceeded to shoot a large tapestry of the former tyrant. The bolt hit directly between his eyes.

Poison Lily sighed contentedly as the vast hall exploded in cheers and praise. Her Queen had succeeded. Though there would be trying times ahead, she knew that in the end it would all be worth it. These ponies were not the only ones who had sworn loyalty to Twilight. Her support was stronger than she would ever know, and soon, they would join together and an oh so glorious war would follow.

Poison Lily smiled, a true mirthful smile. Very soon Equestria would see a grand and complicated conflict like it had never seen before. The deepest most profound forces of the world itself were moving. She leaned back, and watched lovingly as Twilight conversed with her friends. The real fun would begin, it was only a matter of time. Twilight had a prophecy to fulfil afterall.

One Year Ago

Ice Whip let out a satisfied sigh as his last piece of enchanted armor latched into place. It felt truly wonderful. The Common soldiers always found fitting their armor to be a tedious and most unpleasant task. However, this was not the case for the grand mages of The Second Sun. Their armor was especially fitted to their needs, and enchanted by the entirety of the council. So the experience for Ice Whip was quite different. The slight cold touch of the armor, the flowing magic that seemed to pump you with fiery adrenaline. The assorted weapons and gadgets, whose very presence implied glorious battle; all fueled his soul.

These sensations made Ice Whip shiver in anticipation. He had trained for countless painstaking years, just to fight this single, most important battle. Of course he had enjoyed his numerous past duels, but nothing truly compared to killing an Alicorn. Ice Whip stopped fitting his secondary sword as that thought slipped through his mind. He knew better than to fall into arrogance, failure to remain composed and logical in battle would result in imminent defeat. Defeat, was something he could not, and would not allow. Far too much was at stake. This mission could go as far as to expose The Second Sun, or set in motion the meltdown of Equestria.

His final prepared battle potion slid into its respectable compartment with a dull and muffled thud. This small almost inaudible sound drew the attention of the two other mages in the room. Both were adults in their middle ages, with finely tuned body's and minds, prepared in the same fashion as their captain. The mare looked down at her own unique armor, initiating a last check before her commanding officer could ridicule her. The stallion next to her, who was slightly older, walked towards Ice Whip, his cloak flowing behind him. He roughly placed his right hoof upon Ice Whip’s right shoulder. He then recited The Sun’s Mantra.

The words flowed melodically off of his tongue, drowning out the creaking floor boards and incessant bugs. The stallion's eyes remained closed for the entirety of the psalm. The violent yet calm emotions and verses that intertwined demanded respect and reverence. He eventually completed the mantra, stepping aside to provide room for the mare to take his place. She mirrored the stallions actions and words down to the dot. Finally, Ice Whip repeated the mantra himself, letting his mind come to terms with the ancient words. The three mages after a moment of silence moved to a corner of the abandoned café.

They sat down with no hassle to be seen, their armor was now a part of their body, physically and magically fused until ordered to do otherwise. Upon contact, the cushions shot out large plumes of dust, causing the mare to cough. After some inelegant hoof waving to clear the dust, the mare spoke.
“So, how long are we supposed to wait?” Her voice was sweet and light, her mouth smoothly forming the words beneath her deep brown eyes and above her striking scarlet coat. Many good ponies had fallen into her beautiful trap, swooning over her innocent demeanor and elegant appearance. Even when hidden by her hood and armor, she was still stunning.

Ice Whip lazily glanced over, putting his head on his hoof.
“We will wait until we receive the signal. It should be in about two hours. However, taking into account the fact that Silver Hammer is not our best agent, I would count on an hour or so delay.” Ice Whip’s voice was cold and hard. All who had heard his voice always felt that they were somehow in imminent danger. He spoke in a friendly manner to his long time subordinate, however it carried an undertone of annoyance, which was only heightened after he received an eye roll from the adjacent mare. “Don’t give me hell. I was not the one who assigned her to this mission. Also you're not a filly anymore, you can wait a few hours.” He paused dramatically then smiled evilly before leering, “If you can’t handle it I might just pull you back into training, and give you a nice lesson on patience.” The mare would not even dignify that with a response. Instead she gave him a killer glare and an annoyed grunt, before leaving the table, claiming to have a parched throat.

After a few minutes of fixing an armor problem, Ice Whip turned his powerful gaze to the stallion seated on his right, who was obviously lost in thought. Ice Whip tapped him on the shoulder, eliciting a slight twitch.
“What are you thinking about old man. Still wish you had my position?” The older stallion ignored the jab and Whip’s amused expression, instead deciding to engage in conversation.
“I was thinking about Sombra again. It still bothers me that we let him leave like that. His essence and physical being were no where near complete. He was not really himself. He lacked his brilliant mind and his legendary power, which of course made him humiliatingly easy to defeat.” His voice was nothing like the other two, it was common and monotone, carrying no significance and evoking no emotion. He sighed and then snorted in frustration. He had always been such a fan of King Sombra, so when he was informed of the resurrection project he had been nothing short of ecstatic. Now, Sombra was seen as nothing more than a foolish and arrogant crystal maniac.

“I cannot believe you are still going on about that. Yeah the council was stupid to let him go, but sulking isn't going to change anything. Put your eyes and mind on the mission.” Ice grabbed Daylight Dream by the back of the neck and violently pulled him right up to his own face. A single deliberate breath rolled out of his mouth, filling Daylight's nose with the foul smell of hate. “Twilight Sparkle is the target. She is the enemy. The Princess of Friendship will fall by our hooves, and we will be heroes.” Whip’s eyes were as cold and harsh as his name. It only took him a half second to push Daylight back, stand up, and exit the room.

Right as he exited, Ice ran into Poison Lily, who luckily was agile enough to avoid a full collision.
“You are lucky Ice that I have better reflexes than the blind fool who almost hit me.” She flicked her mane to the side, and out of her eyes. This revealed the fact that her helmet was now latched onto her back instead of upon her head, revealing her luscious dark brown mane. Ice gave her a once over before crafting an excellent frown of disapproval. He unconsciously felt his own mane. It was dark blue, like that of the night sky. It was short cut and felt very wiry. He remembered a time when he had been a stunning young stallion, his whole future ahead of him. Ice immediately felt far older after that observation.

Ice was about to fire back a childish retort when his horn began to glow. It was not the elegant dark blue of his magic, but the violent dark black magic of The Messenger. He shot his eyes up towards Lily, and immediately recognized the same magic pulsing gently around her own horn. The air in the room seemed to freeze, and all sounds ceased. Not even the creaking of the decaying floor boards continued. In a loud bang three messages appeared, one for each of the mages. Their cutie mark displayed on the front, and the seal of The Messenger on the back, this could mean only one thing. Executive orders. The unicorns nodded to each other before going their separate ways to privately view their new mission or possible mission adjustments. Ice Whip, Poison Lily and Daylight Dream all opened their letters. No pony breathed or dared to move. They had all received the same orders.

Bring the princess in alive. Kill the other two.

-The Council

The mages refitted their armor and went back into the main room. Normal ponies might have felt remorse, fear, anger or really any sort of emotion. However, this was not the case. The dark mages are trained to kill emotion and master their mind. So, light friendly conversations floated out of their mouths, speaking of life, while their intentions were now only of death. Princess Twilight Sparkle would be taken alive, and no pony would know until it was too late. Not even her kidnappers would live to speak. The fourth dark mage would make sure of that.

The fourth mage watched the other three from a far, sharpening his knife. He enjoyed his job, tying up loose ends. There was a sense of finality and peace when no one but yourself was left alive. Small sparks flew off of his blade as he continued to sharpen it, the only light to aid him slowly fading behind the horizon. He held up the knife and gently inhaled the scent of poison. Even if he failed, his mission would be complete one way or another. That knife would inevitably end up buried in someponys back, time just had to decide who. He settled himself against a nearby piece of ruble, taking in the desolate street laid out before him. He smiled and closed his eyes, joining the masses of people waiting on the one who would decide the fate of the world.

Iron Eclipse stood at the edge of his once hometown. His eyes threatened to break down and let loose emotion. Iron Eclipse though, was a soldier and a hero. So he would settle for nothing less than the best from himself. He used his horn to adjust his cloak, gently pulling it over the tips of his feathered grey wings. It tickled slightly and made him consider a triumphant return instead of a silent one. However, he knew said plan would draw the attention he was trying to avoid. He inhaled, taking in the salty pine trees and mountain air, the air of home. Or one could say his second home, he did not linger long on the tragic reality of his past. Instead he exhaled and moved forward, towards the waiting future, and towards the forgotten past.

Twilight was not happy. Definitely not happy. She had been wandering the streets of Manehatten since the sun came up, and now it was pitch black outside. Endless hours walking and listening to her illiterate guard who seemed to enjoy annoying Twilight with pointless information, instead of in depth history. She did not want to be too harsh on her bodyguard, but she had claimed to be lost exactly six times. Now it was dark, Twilight was lost, and they were obviously on the bad side of the city. That was arguably the one good thing that had come of the pointless trek. Twilight had seen a small portion of the less fortunate Equestria. A side that until now she had been oblivious to. Twilight after passing a destroyed library made a note to ask Celestia about this area. She was about to write a quick angry essay about the need for knowledge and books in all communities, when she realized there were no longer a second set of hoofs sounding off on the pavement. Twilight looked up from her notebook and saw what appeared to be a storm of energy swords, raining down on her from three different directions. Her only thought before instinct kicked in was this: Today is the wrong day to mess with me.

Celestia collapsed on her large alicorn sized bed, exhaling in a relaxing and relieved matter. No matter how many years she had held day court, it still seemed to always present new problems. Unfortunately before she could sleep, she had to check on her sister. Iron Eclipse’s return had been a hard blow, and Luna was still deciding whether it was a good blow or not. Celestia walked onto her balcony and gave the starry night a small smile, she inhaled the warm and damp air of summer and wondered what it would be like to have summer up north. She had always wanted to know if it was still cold or not during the summer time. Celestia chuckled to herself before opening up her wings, after a thousand plus years, she still wondered about such trivial and silly things. She tensed her muscles and prepared to elegantly launch into the sky, but then it hit her. A feeling. A bad feeling. The feeling of dread. Celestia's eyes narrowed. Only dark magic could set off the alarm now blaring violently in her head. She instantly knew what it meant, even though she would refuse to believe it. The Second Sun had returned.

Chapter 1: A Pleasant Yet Horrible Conversation

Author's Note

If you have not seen my small message at the end of the story summary, you might want to read that. It explains what parts of fim are included. I still have no editor so excuse or comment on any grammar mistakes. I would love to get some more feedback as well! Whether its giving advice or just stating if you like the story or not, I would really appreciate it. I hope you enjoy this chapter, and like I said on my blog, I should add one per week! :twilightsmile:

-OYL

Chapter 1: A Pleasant Yet Horrible Conversation

Two Weeks Prior

The sound of hooves against stone echoed and bounced off the walls of Twilight's castle, revealing the approach of five eager mares. The mares in question are in fact not ordinary by any account. These ponies hold the high positions of element bearers, or in other words, they were champions. As they made their way through the castle they barreled past many peculiar creatures. These creatures include but are not limited to, a confused baby dragon gouging himself with sweets, a previous criminal mastermind dusting a bookshelf, and a pony who spoke only in the third person attempting to recite a speech.

Luckily, the mares were used to these seemingly bizarre scenes, and flew past like nothing was out of the ordinary. Countless tourists had lost themselves in the vastness of Twilight's castle, however the bearers all knew the corridors like the back of their hooves, so it took them only seconds to reach their predetermined destination. The tall and elegant double doors blocking the way into the throne room were roughly thrown open.

The five mares entered in one large group. The first cyan colored mare agily darted inside, her short rainbow mane catching wind as she flew like a bullet towards her throne. The earthpony mare who appeared next, casually walked inside. She quickly grabbed a hold of her hat to prevent it from running away as the air from the first pegasus’s launch hit her in the face. This golden, presently annoyed mare, scolded her friend for going so fast indoors.

Next to enter, was a beautiful white unicorn. She had a lustrous purple mane that curled at its end. This gave it a nice bouncy appearance when she strutted by. It was most likely earned through tedious work, but nonetheless beautiful. She smoothly flowed into the room, stealing the spotlight without effort. Her eyes sparkled with anticipation as she dainty sat upon her own throne. The fourth mare who was a yellow pegasus decorated with a pink mane, snuck in behind the second and third mares. She was not hiding in a literal sense, however after the door creaked behind her, that fact quickly changed. She preceded like she was walking on eggshells, yet from the way she smiled afterward, you could tell that deep down she was overall excited.

The last of the five to enter was a bright pink earthpony. Her mane looked like a mix of cotton candy and bubbles, and she entered bouncing joyfully alongside an enormous party cannon. Many had attempted and failed to place a method upon the pink terrors madness, she was simply eccentric and utterly uncontrollable. She laughed maniacally as she shot herself into her own seat, sending forth immense amounts of offensively bright confetti. The party cannon somehow appeared next to her as she landed, yet not a single mare present even raised an eyebrow at that peculiar fact. They only smiled or gave a slight laugh at the sight.

The five mares were now seated on their respective thrones, each bearing their unique cutiemark. After they caught their breath from the mad sprint, idle conversation ensued. However, it did not last long. The distractions of a cold throne, peaceful inhalation, and monotonous conversation could not keep the mares from staring at the empty, alicorn sized throne. Rainbow Dash, Apple Jack, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie all turned away from the vacant chair to peer at the single clock on the wall.

The clock itself in nature was not peculiar or idiosyncratic in the least. It had numbers counting up to twelve, accompanied by the standard three hands. The only cause for this attention could have been the crack in the glass case, which stuck out like a sore thumb amongst the surrounding perfection. However, this was not the case. The clock was not the sole focus, it was in fact simply in the way of what the mares were wondering about.

The clock ticked ominously slow, and held them all in suspense as the time of their meeting descended upon them. The final second ticked away. Just like that, Twilight Sparkle was late. This fact alone made the mares more excited, Twilight was never late, which means whatever was happening was in fact, momentous. Unfortunately, accompanying the excitement was worry and fear. The majority of their thrilling adventures did not occur or end without a struggle.

Unfortunately enough, they were often called to deal with the most vile beasts of Equestria. Some of their enemies had gone as far as to enslave entire kingdoms, and threaten the world with dark power. Such atrocities seemed to have become a common occurrence in the past few years, and the mares often wondered why. They were pulled from whatever strange tangents their minds had created as Twilight Sparkle unceremoniously rushed into the room.

Twilight's entrance was almost too stereotypical. She stumbled in, carrying a massive pile of books and quills, all of which were covered in dust and cobwebs. She had a distressed look on her face when she recognized the clock on the wall, yet her demeanor remained overall excited. The pile of old books landed on the central table with a smack, releasing dust and even page fragments in a miniscule explosion. Rainbow Dash coughed and used her wings to blow away the dust, a look of disappointment sneaking up onto her face. None of the five other ponies present could deny that the ancient books on the table were a killjoy. With Twilight, books were almost always involved in some manner. However, when she called a meeting like this it usually meant only one god forsaken thing. Research.

Rainbow Dash was about to rattle off a dozen questions, when Pinkie Pie leapt onto the table, somehow letting loose a dozen balloons in the process. She landed with surprising elegance, but before anyone could register her random and sudden movement, Pinkie swept up a book and shoved it in her mouth. She gained a thoughtful expression and sat down, accidently turning on the map in the process. She released a chorus of hmm’s and ahhh’s, as she seemingly swished the book inside her mouth. The book itself was colossal, and could never have fit inside of a ponies mouth, well, until now.

Twilight who was used to Pinkie was still appalled.
“PINKIE! Don’t eat the books! These are around a thousand years old!” She shot open her wings in a gesture of panic, before magically removing the book from Pinkie’s mouth. “These pages hold priceless knowledge! PRICELESS!” She examined the book, thoroughly assessing every corner and bind.
“But Twilight! How are we supposed to know how old it is without tasting it?” Pinkie Pie’s high pitched voice broke through Twilight's concentration and the other mare's amusement. Twilight at that only gave a tired sigh, while putting down the undamaged book. She then slowly went to her throne and sat down. She was about to begin her explanation when the interrogation began.

“Twi, I don’t know where the hay you got those books from, but they sure don’t look like something worthy of a summons.” Applejack’s tone was polite, but hinted at genuine confusion. She unconsciously straightened her hat before she continued, “We dropped all our chores and ran like it was cider season t’a get here. I am also mighty sure that we gave the whole town a fright.” She took a slight pause for a deep breath, taking her hooves off of the table. Her eyes seemed to light with an idea, however before she could ask whatever question she had formed, Rarity methodically slid into the conversation.

“Darling, I think what Applejack is trying to say is that you cannot use a royal summons for a research project. You know we all love your research projects and such, however we also have our own lives. And we cannot simply drop everything for your own personal endeavors.” She gave Twilight a sweet smile before using her magic to fix a small imperfection in her mane.

Twilight gave an undignified grunt, wondering why she had not foreseen this reaction. Unconsciously she ran some statistics, hoping to plot out the probability of her obtaining a chance to speak. Her answer came when a small piece of popcorn hit her on the head. She snapped back to reality, and what a sight to behold. In a matter of seconds Pinkie Pie had set up what looked like a military barricade, and was firing popcorn at a flying Rainbow Dash, who said something along the lines of, “This is soooooo, much cooler than some crummy research project. I just wish the egghead could understand.” Without even one indignant thought, Twilight moved on.

Fluttershy somehow had gotten hit by a popcorn projectile and promptly fainted. Applejack and Rarity were bickering about business and why they both needed to be back to work. Twilight was puzzled by that conversation, they were agreeing, yet somehow they were also arguing. She clawed her eyes away from the chaotic scene and decided, enough was enough.

Princess Twilight reached within and withdrew a combination of spells from her endless labrinth of a mind. She efficiently tied the selected spells to her magical energy, bringing them to life at the tip of her horn. She formed a small appreciative smile. No matter how often you practice magic, it always feels amazing. The warm glow emanating from your horn, your soul blending with the magical power within, wrapping you in what felt like a hug and a ice cold wind at the same time. Twilight sighed, again, wishing this millisecond could last. It would not. The multitude of spells at her command shot out of her horn, simultaneously engulfing the room in a magenta light.

Fluttershy opened her eyes, blinking rapidly as she climbed into consciousness. Surprisingly enough to her, everything looked completely normal. All six of them were seated and silent, their attention drawn to Twilight who posed proud and elegant on her own throne. Fluttershy could only remember something strange whacking her on the head, and then it getting caught in her mane. She had tried not to panic at first, but when it remained stuck and she couldn't see it she assumed it was some creature holding on to her.

Promptly she was seized by the iron hoof of terror, and succumbed to the pleasant darkness. She was in truth, slightly upset that she had fainted. After many years of adventure her control over her fear had improved considerably. Yet, today she was beaten by popcorn. Sometime while blacked out, she had been saved from her salty adversary and placed upright. Fluttershy formulated a quick thanks for the girls, but she decided to wait, after recognizing academic frustration painted upon Twilight's frowning face.

She seemed like she was on the verge of an angry rant. One that would most likely last an hour or more. So the five mares on the chopping block stayed silent, hoping to be spared from the torture that lingered on the horizon. The air was thick with hot embarrassment as the mares realized why exactly the princess was feeling the way she was. Luckily enough for them, today, Twilight was far too happy to formulate a tirade.

She instead slowly inhaled then exhaled, a small, partially forced, smile rising on her face. She quickly pulled her wings in, causing a small ‘thwap’ to sound. After that action was complete, she settled into her chair, watching her friends squirm in embarrassment. Once she was comfortable and completely settled, she began to speak.
“Now. If you would all remain quiet, I will explain what is going on and why you were summoned here on such short notice.” She gave them a slightly menacing stare before continuing.

“In one week, a comet filled with immense magical energy will pass over equestria. This event is a once in a lifetime opportunity not only for its physical beauty, but because it will cause a magical surge that is like nothing ever seen in Equestria before. I know for certain that it will at least double all types of magical reserves. This means that earthponys will be two times stronger, pegasi two times faster, and unicorns will have twice their normal power capacity.” Twilight gazed around the dead silent room, observing her friends as they reacted to the news. Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Rarity all had their mouths wide open in utter astonishment. Applejack had her eyes practically bulging out of her head, and Pinkie Pie was sleeping. Or at least she put up the illusion of sleeping, you can never really know.

Before they could rattle off another thousand questions, Twilight took up the mantle once again.
“The scholars of Equestria are going to use this surge in countless experiments that will change the world forever. We have been tasked with keeping Ponyville under control once the surge hits.” This news shattered her friends smiling faces. The last thing they wanted to do was control and attempt to organize a bunch of ponies.

Twilight quickly realized she was losing them. Their faces gave it all away. So she immediately began to explain the next part of the plan, “Don’t worry, you won't have to actually tell anypony what to do. We just have to be ready in case a creature of magical origins attacks Ponyville. You will have all the time in the world to experiment with your new power. Though I must remind you that it is only a surge and will not last very long. The maximum amount of time predicted was around four hours. So make the most of it!”

Twilight grinned like a mad pony as her friends began to explode in excitement. Nothing made her more happy than seeing her friends in complete and pure joy. She decided to let them gush for a little while. After all, there really was no rush. Life was perfect and she could not have been happier. Of course along the way there had been bumps (aka scheming villains and terrifying monsters), but it was all worth it for years like this one. Twilight had a loving family, amazing friends, two devoted students, and all the knowledge/books she could ever want. For what seemed like the one hundredth time that day, Twilight gave a truly satisfied sigh.

After a few more minutes of ecstatic chatter Twilight sent out a silent message to Starlight and Trixie, asking them to please join her and the girls in the throne room. A minute or so later her two students casually walked into the room, bringing what appeared to be tea. Twilight's mouth all the sudden felt parched and more dry than sandpaper. She shook that notion away, knowing it was most likely physiological.

Fluttershy got up and grabbed a chair for Trixie, while Starlight set the tea supplies on the table, allowing Rarity to take up its service. A fleeting moment passed, and then it was silent once again. All eight ponies silently sipped their warm tea, unconsciously adjusting their positions to be more comfortable. Starlight decided she wasn't going to wait for Twilight, and asked the obvious question.
“Soooo, what exactly are we still here for? Do we need some kind of plan of defense? If so, I can make one.” She was already aware of the situation, but not the plan. So she casually turned her gaze to Twilight, expecting her to provide a straightforward answer. What she received was not exactly what she expected.

Twilight was extremely nervous, and it was adorably obvious. She sat sunken into her throne, almost as if she was attempting to phase through the solid crystal. Her eyes darting back and forth gave her the visage of a trapped animal, and that was not even the worst of it. Twilight was rubbing her forehooves together in an agitated manner as a lukewarm sweat broke out on the back of her neck.

Under normal circumstances Twilight being nervous would not have come as a shock. She had a slight reputation of overreacting and losing her head over miniscule misdemeanors. Today however, was different. Twilight had been happy and confident, even going as far as to be commanding. Going from confidence to complete distress was a colossal jump, even for her. Not to mention the fact that Twilight had gained an exponential amount of confidence with every passing year. To say the least, this situation was unnerving for all of the mares present.

Twilight swallowed her fear and embarrassment. They were her friends, they would understand. Right? She saw the concern plainly displayed on her friends faces.
“Twilight Darling, you do not need to be so nervous. We have all been the best of friends for years. We have battled countless ruffians and villains together, risking our lives for one another. I am confident that whatever it is you have to say, we will still love you the same after.” She again straightened Twilight’s mane, but this time added a gorgeous baby blue flower from a nearby vase.

Rarity smiled lovingly and watched Twilight’s face blossom into a sad smile. The others in the room straightened up and gave Twilight supportive nods, allowing her to gain strength from their love and care.
“I know. I love you all more than I can put in words, and I would trust you all with my life.” She paused, her sad smile wavering. “But I don't know if this is something I can ask you all to do. It could end up meaning nothing, or it could end up meaning possible treason.” Her smile remained, yet it turned far more nervous than sad as she revealed a possible result.

Applejack was the first to react,
“Twi’light I don’t know what you are planning, but we are with you no matter what. We stick together through thick and thin. Just tell us what is going on.” She knocked back her hat to reveal her deep green eyes. Nothing but support and unconditional trust radiated from her gaze. Twilight was lost in the heart warming moment when Rainbow Dash interrupted.

“Are you going to explain the situation or what? We can’t sit around all day.” She rolled her eyes playfully as she rocked back and forth in her seat. Twilight couldn’t help but chuckle at the situation. Rainbow Dash was telling her not to sit around all day, ugh, she was the one who slept on clouds for hours. The sassy statement was just what Twilight needed. She mentaly prepared the story and calculated possible ways to tell it. Finally she settled on the whole truth. No use in telling only part at this point. Applejack would find out the whole story eventually anyway. Twilight nudged her horn awake and began to project her memories for all to see.

“It all started when I went back to the Castle of the Two Sisters a week ago. I had noticed on our last trip that there was an ancient library still intact. So, I decided to go back and catalogue the books in the library. After a few days of preparation, I set off into the Everfree forest. I knew it was dangerous to go alone, but you all were so busy that week that I didn't want to intrude. I told Starlight that I was going on a trip to the Zebrican tribes for political reasons, and that I was not to be distrubed.” The table of ponies watched the story play out before their eyes. Vivid life like colors flashing and adapting as the small character Twilight headed into the Everfree forest. They all remembered that crazy week like it was yesterday. Yet somehow they knew nothing of this trip. Soon enough they all realized that their first thought explained the second.

“I was lucky, and reached the castle without a single drawback. Yet once I arrived, that quickly changed.” Her neutral expression turned frustrated, verging on anger as she uttered that final sentence.
“The library that I had seen was unfortunately, mostly destroyed. I approximated that what was left contained only ten percent of the library's original knowledge. That however was not even the worst part.” Her voice seemed to drip with contempt, and her friends recoiled slightly. Twilight Sparkle was many things, but angry and contempt, definitely not.

“I discovered a secret vault below the demolished section of the library, and it was sealed by Celestia and Luna’s magic. At first this was a grand discovery, and my academic side was bursting at the seems. I immediately sent a message to Celestia, asking her to open the vault.” The princess paused, creating a dramatic effect that was honestly unnecessary. “Her response was this.” Suddenly the mirage that had been displaying Twilight's memories flickered until a small letter appeared. It read as follows:

Twilight, this vault is sealed for a reason. I ask that you do not attempt to open it.

Inside is very dangerous knowledge that belongs under the ground. The only

reason that the books and scrolls inside remain is because of the strong magical

charms protecting them. I know that you live for knowledge, so I understand this

will be hard for you. I implore you to heed my words. Do not open the vault. You

Cannot begin to comprehend the damage those tomes have caused. I care about you, and that is why this letter is not a request. I hope you will understand.

Your loving teacher,

Celestia, Princess of the Sun, Solar De Gloria

Even from across the room, Pinkie Pie could feel Twilight fuming in anger. She silently stalked up to Twilight's side as the others finished reading. She then softly put her hoof on her shoulder and whispered into her ear,
“Celestia loves you, you know that. It's okay that you disagree, and also, you really need to make up for not being a rebellious teen.” The last sentence was whispered with a mischievous smile, and Twilight laughed, immediately lightening the droopy mood that had settled. Pinkie Pie bunny hopped back to her seat, leaving behind a cupcake with Twilight's face on it behind.

“I wish it ended there girls, I really do. I wish I could just accept my teachers command and be done with it. But I can't. I need to know what is in that vault. I strongly believe that all knowledge should be open to everyone, unless it could literally incite dark magic, knowledge in itself is not evil.” She recited those words with conviction, she even stood up to say it.

“This leads me to the favor I wanted to ask for.” The mane six looked at eachother, sending messages without uttering a word, while Trixie and Starlight kept their eyes fixed unwavering on Twilight. “I need you all to keep Celestia away from Ponyville if she wants to come, and to distract her if she does arrive.” Again she paused, this time to carefully watch her friends' reactions. To her cosmic relief they all wore the same permanent expression of understanding and support.

“I understand that it is a lot to ask, but I need to use the comets power to break open the vault. Without Celestia's permission, the only way to open it up is with complex and powerful magic. I tried and came close before, but her spells were still too powerful for me to break on my own. I’m not quite sure, but I believe because she ordered me not to, that breaking into that vault is treason. Or at least insubordination.” Her features along with her friends became nervous and teetered on the edge of fear once that statement hit home. Twilight was about to back out and revoke her favor when Fluttershy, to everyone's shock and delight, spoke up.

“We understand Twilight, and we are happy to help. No one, not even the Princesses should keep knowledge from everypony. Well, unless it is really really really bad.” She shrank back after her statement, though a soft vibe of confidence continued to resonate from where she now sat. Everypony else looked at Twilight and gave her nods of agreement. Twilight, with happy tears coming to her eyes, thanked them all for coming and agreeing to help. She then bade them farewell, apologizing for delaying their work.

Once the rest of the elements of harmony left, Trixie, Starlight, and Twilight remained. Starlight and Trixie exchanged a glance before tentatively walking up to Twilight.
“Twilight, I think I need to let you know that I believe this whole mission is foolish. You have everything you could ever want right now, so I don't understand why you would risk it just for a few old and dusty books. Princess Celestia would never accuse you of treason, though your relationship with her I do believe would take a major blow. As your friend I need to tell you my true opinion, and my opinion is that this is a foolhardy quest which will end with broken relationships.” Starlight held her breath, waiting for Twilight to respond, tensing her body as she waited for verbal retaliation. Yet again it was not what she expected.

“It is not about the books.” Twilight stated, her voice just above a whisper. “It is about the truth.” Her eyes seemed to burrow into her head as the horrible words tumbled out of her mouth. “What I am saying is that Celestia lied to me. She lied about what was inside of that vault, and she lied as to why it was sealed. I was able to work my magic enough into her shield to open a small hole. Inside I didn't just see books and scrolls. I saw weapons, magical objects, statues and other crazy things I couldn't recognize; even after doing research.” She exhaled slowly and snuck a look at Starlight and Trixie, who were both allowing their jaws to smack the floor.

“Trixie doesn't understand? Why would Celestia lie to you?” Trixie cocked her head slightly, giving her question a truly curious tone that was almost cute.
“I don’t know. That is why I have to break in. Celestia doesn’t lie to me, ever. So whatever is in there is a threat to all of Equestria. So I am going to open it up and force Celestia to tell me the truth, hopefully mending our relationship instead of breaking it.” Her wings drooped to her sides as the thought of a broken relationship with Celestia fully expanded in her mind.

Luckily, Starlight knew Twilight and recognized the bad train of thought.
“How about you go to bed? It has been a long day, and the comet won’t arrive till next Monday.” She smiled knowingly as Twilight suddenly straightened out.
“Nope, I am completely fine! I have so much to do today! Mondays are the start of the week, I can’t start my week by sleeping the day away!” She was almost yelling at this point, desperately attempting to get her point across. Starlight did not flinch, she just stepped forward and put Twilight to sleep with a simple spell.

Trixie raised an eyebrow,
“It was that easy? Isn't she supposed to be our great and powerful teacher?” She aimed the question at Starlight. However, it wasn't a real question. Trixie had a profound respect for Twilight and after becoming her student would cross the world for her. The question was implying that Starlight had performed some kind of trick.

“She didn't fight me Trixie, she knew what I was planning before I even summoned the spell. A part of her knows that she needs rest. Especially after reading all those astronomy books last night. I mean wow, this mare can read like no pony I have ever met.” With that, Trixie and Starlight levitated Twilight upstairs and into bed, giving her a quick caring glance before silently exiting the room. Starlights was still worried as she trotted down the hall. What would she do if she lost Twilight?

Celestia sat upon her throne, fear coursing through her body. It had been a week since the vaults were discovered, yet she still could not let it go. If Twilight managed to somehow open it up, the consequences could be world shattering. Even though the vault itself was not enough to cause the permanent damage Celestia was afraid of, it provided the tools for her enemies to win. If only Twilight understood the power she held. History would return to haunt her, Celestia was sure of it. However what she could not be sure of was Twilight. Would her prodigy and surrogate daughter stand by her side, or would she fall to the lure of the dark. Only time would tell. Celestia released a breath she did not know she had been holding. Oh how she wished Luna could help her, but she knew better. If Luna knew, things would get very complicated very fast……….

Chapter 2: Blood Pact

The Day Of The Comet

To say that Princess Twilight was in a state of distress would in fact be the understatement of the century. The Princess of Friendship in her storm of worry had most likely worn a channel into the crystal ground upon which she was pacing. Even after hours of nervous muttering and cold sweat, she would not stop. Her apprentices had attempted to calm her down, but their attempts had been fruitless. Even her best friends had stopped by, the result was no different.

Twilight's mind was controlled chaotically by her fear and guilt. She had never crossed Celestia like this before. Her mentor, Princess, and mother figure, had always been there for her. How could she do this to her? Even if Celestia had not given a direct order (which she rarely ever did), Twilight should have respected her wishes. But, something was different. This time, Twilight could not turn away, or let it go. She was like a fish, stuck upon a hook of truth. Once she had latched onto the truth, she could not let it go, it just was not her. She had to do this.

Again, the questions and anxiety kicked in, sending her resolve and logic to the depths of her mind. She continued her pacing, not reacting in the least to the three mares in her doorway. All of Twilight's agitations all lead to the question: What would happen after?. This single terror haunted her intelligent mind, locking it down, and preventing her from doing anything productive.

Meanwhile, Starlight, Trixie, and Sunset stood by in quiet concern. They all had tried their best to cheer up their immensely depressed mentor, but nothing, not even Sunset's return, had lifted the weight. For the past week, whenever Twilight had not been pacing, she had been laying out a complex and remarkable plan of how to keep Celestia away from the vault, should she arrive. This single distraction was in fact not a distraction at all, it was a reminder.

All of Twilight's friends had attempted to coerce her out of her castle, but had failed in full. The only option left was to wait for the inevitable. The mane six, excluding Twilight, had all left to prepare for the comet. They all hoped to witness the monumental event, and to watch the comet as it would soar above. Twilight had lost such desires. All that mattered was that she found out the truth.

Starlight sighed and turned away from the pitiful scene. She and the girls loved Twilight more than anything, so it hurt to see her in such distress. However, Starlight was not one to stand by and watch things fall apart. She nudged her two companions with her magic, and motioned for them to follow her out of the room.
“We need to talk.” Starlight's voice was low and lined with concern. “I doubt that anything truly horrible will come out of this event, but we need to be prepared just in case.” As she spoke, Starlight led the small group into their private section of the castle. This was most likely the only place where she felt truly safe talking in private. Their private wing was a recent addition. It had been constructed right after Starlight had been accepted as Twilight's student, and by god it was magnificent.

The wing itself was shaped like a large bowl. It had a skylight dome ceiling that was made of glistening glass panels, enchanted to pour out rays of sunlight. The floor in contrast to the normal crystal of Twilight's castle, was instead constructed of opaque wood, that tended to remind one princess of a certain home. The enormous room was divided into four sections. The first was a beautiful library, filled to the brim with all sorts of books on magic. The second section was an enchanted training arena. This area was littered with dummies and targets, magical enhanced, so they could survive the onslaught that seemed to constantly assault them.

The third room, which could only be described as a laboratory, was stock full of rare ingredients and expensive lab equipment, all glistening in the artificial sunlight. The final sector contained a simple bedroom, with three beds and matching wardrobes inside. Each bed was engraved with a cutie mark that would match with its own wardrobe.

The overall artistry and design of the wing was nothing short of breathtaking. Rarity had truly outdone herself on this one. Each individual room or sector had a retractable roof, as to allow the magical sunlight (or moonlight) to shine upon any area when necessary. The wing was perfect.

Starlight settled down at a library table, and waited patiently for her friends to get comfortable. She did not wish to be interrupted. Especially when the topic at hand was so sensitive. Starlight had already made some incredibly radical decisions in regards to how she felt about Twilight Sparkle, and she was hoping that her fellow past villains had reached the same conclusions. Trixie and Sunset discarded their signature mage cloaks, tossing them onto one of the many vacant tables. Starlight considered removing her own cloak, but she threw that thought out the window, she would hopefully need its contents later.

Sunset, who was more socially aware than Trixie, read Starlight's face like a book. Whatever the topic of today's discussion was, it was indeed serious.
“So, you wanted to talk in private. Here we are.” Sunset chimed, slight suspicion sneaking its way into her tone. “And this better not be about the essay due tomorrow, because I will not let you copy me again.” Starlight opened her mouth to retort, but decided better of it.
“As unfortunate as that situation was, it is not the topic of today……… What we need to talk about is the emergency plan. Or in other words, what we will do if Celestia retaliates.” The lilac mare purposefully paused for dramatic effect. She then observed the adjacent mares, as they reacted.

Sunset seemed to lose her previous smile, and had her eyes clouded with deep thought. Trixie fidgeted in her seat, but to Starlights surprise, gained a look of determination, before stating,
“I do believe this situation needs to be addressed. I will not allow any harm to befall Twilight. She is acting in the right, and even if she wasn't, she does not deserve any form of suffering.” Her eyes had an iron gleam, and Trixies lack of using the third person left Starlight and Sunset gaping. Never before had either of them heard her talk without it.

Sunset recovered first, and brought her jaw back into its rightful place. She then addressed Trixie, her interest piqued by the blue mares speech.
“Trixie, I don’t mean to pry, but I have never heard you talk outside of the third person before. I thought it was some sort of condition? And since it isn't, why have you always talked that way? And why have you stopped now?” Sunset tilted her head in a cute and curious manner, mirroring Starlights foalish appearance of confusion. Trixie sighed and seemed to lower herself in her seat.

“I stopped talking in the third person, because I no longer need to.” Her eyes blinked back tears. “I apologize in advance. This topic is not light.” Trixie released another sigh, but this time her entire aura seemed to reflect the action. “My family always told me I was worthless and would never amount to anything. So I started to tell myself that I was great, because no one else would.” The hot tears were now flowing free and deathly silent out of her eyes as Trixie opened up the heavy gate to her heart.

Never before had either of the mares seen such emotion from Trixie. She had always held up such a convincing mask, that even her own friends had been fooled. None of Trixies friends save for Twilight, had known about her past. It was her closely guarded secret. Trixie had put her past in a vault, locked the door, and threw out the key. Then she threw the vault in the ocean and proceeded to barricade the shore. No pony was meant to know.

The mares sat in reverent silence, allowing Trixie to get a hold of herself. Though Starlight and Sunset had countless questions, including: Why reveal this now?, they held them back in respect. Their friend deserved time, and they would provide it. Starlight raised her hoof and placed it on Trixies shoulder, and Sunset reflected the action. Her friends' loving support flowed into her, and Trixie raised her head high, ready to speak.

She gave a genuine smile before sitting up straight and clearing her throat.
“I kept using my name all the time because no one else seemed to use it. I was an unwanted nobody, and I feared that I would remain that way forever……… That was until I met Twilight Sparkle. She asked me the same question that everypony asks, and in a tired fit of emotion, I told her everything…….. It was not Twilight's hugs or my ability to tell somepony the truth that freed me. It was what she said after………. She said, ‘Trixie, I am sorry that you have felt that way. But you don't need to fight and claim to be great and powerful, because you already are……. You are a strong and beautiful mare. I have and will always see that. You don't need to convince anypony else or yourself of that fact.’” After repeating Twilight's response, she fully broke down. Not the slow cold tears of sadness, but warm tears of joy.

Sunset and Starlight both gave Trixie a heartfelt and painfully long hug. They both understood that it was never easy to relive the pain of the past.
“We both love you Trixie, just the way you are. What Twilight said was true, and you should never forget it.” Sunset whispered, slightly tickling her friend's ear. They all held the group hug for a little longer, savoring the precious moment.

Unfortunately the moment had to end. Starlight desperately needed to say her piece before Twilight could leave her trance.
“Now. Let's get to business……. We all owe everything to Twilight……. She is our teacher, princess, friend, and more. We will do nothing short of anything for her.” She attempted to pierce the souls of those present. Though Trixie’s revelation was a good sign, what Starlight had planned was intense, and would push their loyalty to the limit. “I want us all, as friends and as loyal followers, to join in a blood pact. A pact that will forever bind us, so we can keep Twilight safe.” The air in the room dropped into the negative range, as the implications of this pact hit home.

A blood pact, especially one sealed by magic, was for life. Entering one was incredibly rare, and was only used by the most loyal (or radical) of followers. The last recorded time a powerful group of ponies had entered a blood pact had been during the Nightmare War. This request from Starlight was nothing short of insane. It spelled eternal servitude and unquestioning belief in a single pony. Though all of them in truth did owe their lives to Twilight, a blood pact was on another level. Starlight began nervously chewing on her right hoof.

“I’m in.” Sunset did not hesitate to answer.

“I am also in.” Trixie was only a second behind.

Starlight was stopped dead in time. She had hoped they would agree, but if she was honest, she had expected at least a little bit of outrage and/or resistance. Total, confident agreement had not been expected. She gazed into the eyes of her friends, searching for the same determination and love she felt. She was not disappointed.
“I knew by how you approached the topic that this was coming. I am more than willing to join in this pact. And before you ask, yes, I know all the implications.” Sunset seemed to challenge Starlight with her gaze, unwavering and certain.

Trixie only nodded in response.
“Well. There is no use in wasting time.” Starlight withdrew a dagger from her still attached cloak. Sunset raised an eyebrow at this, most likely wondering why she would have a weapon like that on her. Luckily, no questions were asked. No more time was to be wasted.

Each mare slit their hoof and allowed a small pool of blood to form. They then put their hooves side by side, allowing the blood to be dispersed among all the hooves. Finally, the three mares ignited their horns, and using advanced and ancient theories, connected their souls together. The air pulsed steadily with restrained magic, its smooth yet unpredictable flow held prisoner by the present mages. Their horns continued to glow more and more bright with every passing moment as their connection grew.

Sunset Shimmer had never felt anything quite like this in her entire life. Even while under Celestia, such ancient magic had never been implemented. The severity of the situation which she had previously understood, seemed to exponentially grow. Yet all was not dark and uncertain. The connection she now had with her friends was astounding. She felt as if they were all one pony, brought together by harmony and blissful magic.

The overflow of ecstasy was almost too much for Sunset. For a moment, the orange mare allowed herself to bathe in the music and power, slowly closing her eyes. Succumbing to the seductive peace of oblivion was the primary risk, and Sunset was standing on the edge of the cliff. Luckily, her ever attentive mind violently smacked her in the face, and reminded her why she was doing this. Or more, who, she was doing this for.

After what felt like an eternity, physical chains of pure mana locked the mares together. The chains glowed with each of the mare's respective auras, intertwining to form beautiful ropes of light. They seemed to sing as they released soul magic into the cold and empty air, causing a milky hum to echo off the walls. It was an elegant and terrifying scene.

Each mare in turn began to recite the spell that Starlight had previously laid on the shiny wood table. The binding words were in the ancient tongue. They all silently thanked Twilight for her boring history lessons. The words made little sense, but judging by the runes that seemed to faze into reality, the spell was working. The chanting stopped as the final nail in their coffin was prepared. The end lines would seal the blood pact. No going back. They would protect their savior and each other with everything they had. Only death shall break the chains. The mares with tears of love in their eyes synchronized and slammed the hammer down.

Twilight was ripped violently from her thoughts as the castle violently shook. Her hooves beneath her vibrated and spazzed out of control as the power of the (earthquake?) intensified. The princess, after her brutal swing back to reality, was quick to assess the situation.

Walls are holding steady. No risk of castle collapse.
Earthquakes near ponyville are unlikely, so this is most likely a magical repercussion.
Princesses too far away to be the cause. Discord is at Fluttershys. The comet, even if it came early would not cause this type of quake.
Logical origin: My students

Once she had the problem pinpointed it only took her a moment to uncover a solution. Reaching out with her magic, she found her students. Though she could not determine what spell they were performing, she gathered that it was extremely powerful, and unstable at that. Twilight used her wings to fly out of the danger zone, and into the clear air. Once she had her bearings, she gathered her magic, determined the location, and teleported to her students.

Twilight did teleport somewhere, but it was definitely not to her threatened friends. For some reason, she was being blocked. She did not know how or why, but in the instant she recognized she was not where she was supposed to be, she was off by hoof. When Twilight was halfway to the Student Wing the tremors ceased. Even though this was a good sign, it only made Twilights pace quicken.

Moments later, Twilight burst through the doors to the SW. Frantically searching for her students, and possible danger. What she found was not what she expected. Seated at a library table were Sunset, Starlight, and Trixie. Each held a book in their hoof as they wrote their essays. Twilight cautiously walked forward. Could this be a changeling trick?
“Twilight! It’s nice to see you out of your room!” Starlight exclaimed.
“Yeah, it’s been waaay to long since you have left your little cave. I was starting to worry about your complexion.” Sunset leered, smirking while she spoke. Trixie gave a little snort of concealed laughter, before pretending to work.

Twilight blinked. Rubbed her eyes. Blinked again, and was still not satisfied. The explanation she could conjure up, was that she had imagined the whole thing. She mentaly facepalmed. Her friends were right, she was letting the stress get to her. Shaking her head, she seized the last vacant seat. After one last confused glance at the girls, she pulled her own papers through a portal, and began to diligently work. Everything seemed to be fine.

Though Twilight's senses were picking up on intense magic and possible cover up spells, she ignored those improbable thoughts. She had enough to think about already, her fatigue and weary mind were most likely to blame anyway. Shutting down her magic, Twilight began to finally focus on her mound of late paperwork. Maybe her next friendship report could be on paranoia, and why all your friends should avoid it. She picked up her quill and began writing. For all she knew this could be her last report.

The depressing concept was stabbing her productivity in the back. Luckily, she would not have to wait long for a distraction. BAM! A purple dragon who had been successfully stealing gems from the lab looked over at the four mares, eyes wide. A guilty and nervous smile awkwardly rose up, as he simply stated:
“Well. I guess no dessert for me tonight huh?” He simultaneously set down his purloined goods, and scratched the back of his neck in embarrassment. The only response he received was the hysterical laughter of the adjacent mares.

Twilight was rolling on the ground in overwhelming amusement. She cleared her slightly teary eyes, and managed to bump into Trixie, who for some reason gave her a very hearty hug. She mentaly shrugged and melted into her friend's embrace. Starlight and Sunset were still laughing, pointing at the now scarlet dragon. Twilight’s fears melted away. Everything was going to be alright.

“Will the comet be enough master?” A hooded figure asked, his deep voice ricocheting off the black stone walls of the fortress. He had addressed a tall and burly looking pegasus, who’s only immediate response was a low growl.
“You doubt the council? Foolish mage, you believe not in what is hidden.” The stallion seemed to spit the words out, venom rolling out alongside his hideous voice. No pony scared the dark mage like Starkill Shadow. His existence to most was nothing but legend.

The two continued to slowly glide, the mage cowering behind his superior. After an eerily silent march they finally reached a pair of large doors, each decorated with dark crystals and eclipsed suns. The doors were levitated open by the mage, allowing his armored master to enter unhindered. Starkill’s armor clinked and swayed as he strutted into the vast room. The lowly mage bowed deeply before taking his place by the door. He had no wish to be any closer.

“Gentlecolts, I do believe the time is upon us!” Starkill Shadow smiled like a madpony, allowing his fangs to gleam in the moonlight. The rest of the council remained in void silence. All nine chairs but one were occupied. While the council had originally been rumored to belong only to unicorns, this fact had been obliterated by the return of Starkill. No pony really knew who or what the council was anyway. They only ever appeared as shadows, constantly shifting and altering in appearance. This protected the council, but also gave them a constant facade of power. No pony besides those present could hold shadow form.

Starkill strutted over to his seat and licked his lips while he observed those present. Though he was not the most powerful among the council, he was undoubtedly the most dangerous. His gaze caused the shadow forms to shimmer and fade, revealing the ponies beneath. The council members were quick to repair the damage, but the message was clear. Starkill was here, and he was to be feared and respected. They thought they were somepony? Wrong. They are nothing but worms.

“The comet will pass in an hour's time, and our King will finally be free.” His sentence ended with a maniacal laugh that sent chills down everypony's spine. “I have been listening to the winds, and they tell a tale of doubt……… You believe that because you failed once that you will fail again?” His grin had turned into a disgusted sneer as he finally sat upon his throne. “Your failure last time almost cost us our secrecy. You were foolish to release him before the time was right……. I urge the halfwit who allowed this travesty to step forward.” The pegasus’ tone was dull and ice cold. This was not a request, it was an order.

“This mistake was the fault of the entire council. I apologize that……” The council member's sentence was cut short as a bladed feather impaled his throat, slicing straight through the shield of powerful magic the mage had created. His body stood erect and as still as a statue before slumping to the ground. All eyes traveled to Starkill, their ears twitching at the tsk tsk that originated from his black mouth.
“A true follower of the dark never apologizes, it is a sign of weakness……. I do believe the problem has been solved.” The silhouette of Starkill appeared to spread across the whole room, suffocating all present.

Once he felt like his point had gotten across, Starkill Shadow seated himself once again. The death had not been necessary, but oh it had been fun. Power was never given, it was seized. He knew that if he wanted to return he had to make a robust entrance. Judging by the fear emanating from the majority of the council, his plan had succeeded. He mentaly took note of the few who remained calm and composed, they would be important for the end game.

“Back to the topic at hand. I expect that all the necessary preparations have been made?..... Good. We will not receive another chance like this. So unless you want to waste a couple thousand years gathering power, do not make a mistake.” With everything in place, all Starkill had to do was sit back and wait. His old friend would take care of the weak council members when he arrived. The Second Sun had to be strong. The war that had been postponed for a thousand years was set to resume.

Starkill knew that it would regrettably take time. Luckily enough for him, he had all the time in the world. Another thing he had to thank Sombra for. After a thousand years, waiting a year or two would feel like nothing. His mind drifted to Sombra’s brother, no doubt he would play a role, he just did not know what. On that note, a certain magenta alicorn flew across his mind. She was a wild card indeed. He wondered how much she knew. No doubt Celestia hid the truth from her, that manipulative ass of a pony. He snorted in resentment.

The rest of the council was engaged in meaningless conversations, none of which applied to Starkill in the least. He rolled his bored eyes and wondered if he could get away with killing another of the weak ones. The idea collapsed as he realized that all their power was necessary. His eyes then rediscovered the mage attempting to hide by the door. Any other day he would have killed this lowly whelp, however he was apparently competent enough to aid in the kidnapping of one Twilight Sparkle, so he decided to allow him life.

Miniscule shooting stars began to glide by the tall windows of the room, signaling the approach of the comet.
“The hour nears, let us take our places.” An elderly unicorn who spoke from the far side of the table declared. “All hail the King. May he reign eternal.” All present repeated the line. Truly the time had arrived. King Sombra was coming home, not in part, but in full. All the power, all the cunning, all the dark knowledge. It would be glorious indeed.

A final evil smile danced across Starkill's features. He honestly shouldn’t be killing off the members of his cult, but he couldn't help himself. He relished his power. After a thousand years of hiding, he could finally stretch out and be free. The old gang was getting back together after all. He let loose a low cackle, filled with malice and sinful desire. He was back, and soon Sombra would be as well.

Chapter 3: The Vault

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