Author's Note

For the foreseeable future, until and unless I become burnt out again, I'm going to try and go back and forth between my Endingverse stories and two other non-Endingverse stories each week, so this week will be the non-Endingverse stories, this one being the one I plan on working on alongside A Cloaked Heart, and next week will be two of my Endingverse stories. Variety being the spice of life and all. If that doesn't work, I'll go back to this and my other story once a week until they're done.

Art for that sword picture done by yakovlev-vad

11 - Escape Pt. 2

The four of us all watched in silence as eutherian guards ran around us, shouting in their own language at each other and passing by us and even through us as if we weren’t even there. Which we technically weren’t. Minutes after we’d started avoiding the guards, Cadance had begun experiencing a headache. As I was carrying her still, I told Shadow to bring all of us into the Umbral until she had recovered. He brought us all into the Umbral and instantly the area around us became…more dynamic. Shadow had taken me into the Umbral a couple of times at my request, and every time it happened things would get a bit duller and more grayscale. However, in this place, it seemed like the colors were only enhanced as was everything else. I looked at one of the purple glowing crystals nearby, wondering just what it was.

What I wouldn’t give to be rescued right now, I thought, Hell, I’ll even take a party from those brawlers in the Adventurer’s Guild saving us! I wouldn’t put it past my aunt to put an emergency quest forward to the guild.

When the hallway was empty, I looked at Shadow. “Let’s stay in the Umbral until we find our way out of here,” I said. “You can somehow enter it even with those lights? Let’s stay in their light until we find a door or something that may lead us out. And let’s keep an eye out anyone who may enter the Umbral. They’re still eutherians, after all.”

“Understood, your Highness,” Shadow said as he began to inch forward. Zecora and I were holding his hands while Cadance was still on my back recovering from her sudden headache. The palace here was unlike Canterlot in many different ways. It was darker, for one, and the various pillars and walls each had sconces with the glowing purple crystals mounted in them. The windows each provided a view of the towering pillars of Silver Sanctum, the purple lights scattered among them.

We continued our exploration of the palace until we reached a dead-end hallway. We were about to leave when I paused. The hallway only had one door at the end of it, and something beyond that door was calling out to me. I turned to face it. The door was like any other door, but the only difference was its color. It was pure navy blue. The others saw this and looked back at me. Shadow approached, looking at the door, then back at me. “Your Highness, we need to go,” he said softly.

“I know,” I said in a distracted tone before taking a single step forward towards the door. “But there’s something here…”

Shadow looked at the door, then back at me. “Your Highness, we don’t have time for this.”

I ignored him for a moment, looking at the door more carefully. After a few minutes, something began to form on the door. A glowing rune began making itself visible. A rune in the shape of Luna’s cutie mark. I turned to Shadow. “Send me back to the real world for a little while. I need to see what’s beyond this door.”

“You’re Highness, I don’t think-”

“I gave you a command, soldier,” I replied sternly. Pointing to the door, I said, “Whatever is beyond this door could very well be important for the enemy’s plans. There is a moon rune here, a rune with an ancient cutie mark on it. The one belonging to Nightmare Moon.” Which meant, at least from what I had studied, that this door could only be opened by Nightmare Moon and even her family. Were this Earth, I would have described the magic as a genetic lock.

Shadow paused; a bit taken aback by my tone. He stiffened, then approached the door. He touched it warily, then turned back to me. “I strongly advise against this, your Highness,” he warned again.

“I know,” I said in a softer tone. “We don’t have much time to argue about it, though, and if these cultists have one weapon or something they might use in an effort to complete their plans, then we have to take the opportunity to deprive them of it, don’t you think?”

Shadow sighed, but shook his head and gave me a dry smile. “Be careful,” he said.

“Here, take Cadance,” I said as I turned around to give the recovering pegasus to him.

Shadow nodded, then took her and helped her to her feet. “Harmony be with you,” as he touched my arm.

Just like that, he vanished, and the colors around me dulled again. Wasting no effort, I turned and tried to open the door, pouring a bit of magic into it. There was the sound of something being unlatched, and the door slowly opened to my touch. I pushed it open, then quickly shut it. The darkness around me seemed to permeate my soul as I held up my hand. The room was soon illuminated by my magic’s bright blue glow.

The room looked more ancient than anything that I’d seen before. There were what looked like centuries of dust gathered around the room. The room was a decent sized triangle shaped affair, with stone tables built into the walls. The tables were covered in inches of dust, but there were outlines of what looked like ancient artifacts there. Some of which I recognized, like Nightmare Moon’s helmet and the full armor set that she wore when she fought Aunt Celestia. I could feel the darkness radiating from these artifacts, the corrupting influence of the jealousy that manifested into Nightmare Moon.

But that wasn’t all that I saw. There were chests on one side of the room, all open and showing a large number of coins that I hadn’t ever seen before. They were the same size as bits, but were made of a dark blue metal that had a bright sheen, reminding me of what oil on water looked like. A dark rainbow sheen. I grabbed a small pouch that was full of these coins and placed them in a pocket for later observation and study. Then I turned to the far end of the room where the magical presence was the most prevalent.

That’s when I saw the sword in the stone. It sat on the side of the room completely opposite the door. It stood out from other swords I’d seen in the past, mostly because the blade itself was made of some blue metal. The sword’s grip was wrapped in a dark crimson material with two metal rings around it for extra grip, and the cross-guard, which was encrusted with a bright blue gem, was slightly curved and a bluish silver tone. The sword’s pommel was a crescent moon surrounding a metal sphere. There were English letters inscribed within the sword’s fuller, and as I approached, I read the words SHE WHO WIELDS ME- before they cut off because that part of the sword was buried in the stone.

As I approached, I could feel the temperature beginning to drop. Not only that, but it looked like there was a mist falling to the floor off of the blade, almost as if the blade itself was made of dry ice. My hands began feeling a bit warm despite the dropping temperature. I wrapped my hand around the grip.

Who dares to touch us?!

I froze in surprise. I’d just heard a voice echoing inside my head. When I tried to let go, I was unable to. I was stuck to it. I felt a chilling cold pass through me, but only my hands remained warm. “Who are you?” I asked.

A mere foal attempts to steal us?! the voice replied in indignation. Release us this moment, or you shall be eternally frozen until my wielder returns!

“If I could release you, I would,” I said hastily as I pulled at my trapped hand with my free one, “but I can’t!”

Hold fast, young colt, the voice replied, not filled with a sense of curiosity. Tell us thy name.

The voice reminded me immediately of Luna’s voice from the show. I stopped struggling and stood up straighter. “I am Prince Blueblood of Canterlot,” I said.

Thy true name is not this Blueblood, but thou art a prince, the voice said.

I was a bit taken aback by how she knew that Blueblood wasn’t my real name. I cleared my throat. “My birth name was only ever given as Vladímir,” I explained.

Ah, a name from the Duchy of Stalliongrad, the voice said. We detect no Stalliongrad accent from thee, however. How came this to be so?

“I was born in Canterlot and raised in an orphanage until Princess Celestia found me and brought me into her family,” I said, realizing belatedly that I was talking regardless of intent.

Truly? And how is it that we are communicating? Only a member of my wielder’s family may touch and be able to speak to us, the voice replied.

I raised an eyebrow. “Wait, you’re the sword I’m holding now?”

We are no mere sword, foal! The sword sounded insulted now. We are Crescent Moon, blade of Princess Luna Selene Nightwalker, Princess of the Night!

My jaw went slack despite my years of control exercises. Crescent Moon was the name of Aunt Luna’s personal blade. Like Aunt Celestia’s own blade, which was called Dawn’s Light, which I had never seen and wouldn’t see until I was of age despite my mental age, it had been personally forged for Aunt Luna at the beginning of their rule over Equestria by the forges owned and operated by the Mystics of the Mountains of Light up north. It had also been lost after Aunt Celestia’s fight with Aunt Luna while she was Nightmare Moon. Lost until now, that is. “Aunt Luna’s old sword…” I said without thinking.

The blade was silent for a while. Thou art related to our wielder by blood? Crescent Moon asked.

“I’m the only descendent of Eclipse left in the world,” I explained, “or as far as we know.”

The voice paused, then spoke again. Our wielder did place a caveat on us and our older sister Dawn when the Princesses had the Mystics enchant us, she said. Only true blood family members could touch us and speak with us. We should have guessed this right away.

I wasn’t about to reply to confirm that, so instead I just shrugged. “How did you get here?” I asked.

Crescent made a scoffing noise. The fools who fled from my wielder’s aid when Princess Celestia used the Elements of Harmony against her captured me and brought me and all that remained of my wielder here, she replied.

“Probably to give to Nightmare Moon when she returns,” I pondered.

Cease from referring to our wielder by that accursed name! Crescent bellowed in rage.

“I’m being serious here, Ms. Crescent,” I said. “The eutherians who placed you here are cultists who are waiting for the return of Nightmare Moon.”

Crescent remained silent for a while, then she said, Thou art more than you seem.

“I am, but we can discuss that later,” I said as I looked at my hand which was still stuck to the hilt. “I’ve been captured by these cultists. Me and a couple of others. I know I’m not your wielder, and I have no right to ask this, but will you lend us your power and aid in our escape?”

The sword was silent for a bit. Then, the runes on it began to glow a bright starlight blue. The blade began glowing a dim navy blue as well. We shall not give thee our full strength, blood of my wielder, Crescent began, but we shall lend thee a portion of it in exchange for a promise from thee.

“What promise?” I asked.

When our wielder returns, and if she is returned to her former glory, return us to her, Crescent demanded. Either thee or thy descendants. Promise us this, and we shall be eternally grateful.

“I never intended on keeping you forever,” I reassured her. “Aunt Luna will return in my lifetime, according to prophecy. When she has been cleansed of the Nightmare, I will return you to her.”

Be sure that thy word is kept, Crescent said, because if not, we shall unleash our rage upon thee and thine.

“Duly noted,” I said as I began pulling. However, as I did, the sword began to shrink. The former sword became a dagger, but in my hands, it very well could be a sword. “Is this what you meant when you said a portion of your power?” I asked.

Nay, Crescent said, we have simply made our outer form easier for a young foal such as thee to carry us.

“Oh, well thank you,” I said.

Is our sheath nowhere in sight? Crescent asked hopefully.

“Aunt Celestia has the sheath back in Canterlot,” I explained.

We see, Crescent said somberly.

“When we get back, I’ll reunite you with your old sheath,” I promised as I stuck the sword into my belt, finally able to release it. “For now, I’m sorry, but this will have to do.”

‘Tis alright, we suppose, Crescent said in a resigned tone.

I looked around the room. “Is there anything else in here I should take with me?” I muttered.

I said it more to myself than anything, but Crescent must have thought the question was meant for her, because she replied, Nay, nothing of true import in this room can be done without my wielder or the power we possess.

When I left the room, I felt a hand grab my tunic. The world became sharper again as I saw the other three begin to rematerialize as I was drawn back into the Umbral. Shadow’s eyes were full of concern, but then relief as he saw that I was unharmed. “Your Highness, you were in there for so long that we were all beginning to worry,” he said.

Zecora was immediately by my side, her hand reaching out to clasp mine tightly. “Are you alright?” she asked.

“I’m fine,” I promised, then gestured to the now small dagger on my belt. “I found something in there that might help us fight our way out of here if it comes to that.”

The other three looked at Crescent and their eyes widened. Shadow reached out to touch it, but I held out my hand in an almost instinctive manner to stop him. He paused and looked at me. “Your Highness,” he began, “that dagger isn’t safe for you to use.”

“This dagger, as you so call it,” I said in an almost protective manner, “is more than it seems, and only I can wield her for the time being.”

Shadow nodded slowly, although I could tell he didn’t approve. “Very well,” he said. “We should get moving.”

The four of us continued making our way down the halls, Shadow taking the lead as he had been in my shadow when Zecora and I had been blindfolded. Despite us being in the Umbral, even I could see the purple of the medieval black light. Fortunately, since we were in the Umbral now, not even its piercing light could sense us. Even so, our entire bodies were lit up like a light bulb in the same bright blue that resulted from a black light’s glow on white.

We ran for a good five or so minutes, all the while the Silver Sanctum guard presence became more pronounced as the news of our escape spread. Even though we were in the Umbral, we still stayed still when guard patrols rushed by. Shadow was a bit annoyed by this, but old habits for those of us who weren’t in the Umbral regularly died hard. Eventually, however, we found ourselves standing at the entrance of the throne room, where Dawn Star was seated on her throne, looking like she had been hastily brought out of bed. Her mane was somewhat messy, although a maid was tending to that, and her crown was seated on a small table next to her throne. And she. Looked. Pissed.

“How in Luna’s holy name did the prisoners escape us so easily?!” she was demanding of an older dark red eutherian stallion with jet black mane and tail and dark gray eyes. “Captain Stinger, tell me that!”

Wait, I can understand her?? I thought incredulously.

It is our magic that has provided thee with such a gift, Crescent said. Thee and thy companions may now understand, in thy own tongue, the language of these fools.

Oh, I thought, surprised that Crescent had been able to read my thoughts. Thank you.

Thy thanks is appreciated.

“My apologies, your Majesty,” Captain Stinger said, saluting and bowing his head in reverence, “but we don’t know, yet. The three prisoners were spotted with a eutherian youth, but the group vanished shortly afterwards. We’re searching the city everywhere.”

Dawn looked absolutely pissed. “If they find the Tenebra, they can escape back to Equestria and warn their precious Princess Celestia of our existence.” She sat back in her throne and thought for a bit, her jaw working. “Wake up the morning shift as well,” she ordered, “and order the best members of the Vespertilio to make their way into the Forbidden Realm. If there is a eutherian with them, he may be a part of that higher class of mage.”

“I’ve already sent messengers to that effect, your Majesty,” Stinger said. “They should be here shortly.”

“Good,” Dawn said. “In the meantime, make sure some of your guards make their way to the Tenebra to help the Gatekeeper. The prisoners may make their way there.”

“How, your Majesty?” Stinger asked. “None of them can fly.”

“Did you forget that there was a eutherian reported with them?” Dawn asked sharply. “One bearing the armor of the Royal Canterlot Guard, no less! He or she could easily carry three foals! The pegasus filly is with them, too, and she may be recovering her strength as we speak!”

Shadow winced nearly imperceptibly. If this Tenebra could only be gotten to by flying, we were fucked. There was no way that Shadow, despite being older and stronger than the rest of us, could fly anywhere. And I doubted I could perform that wing spell again and be able to fly either Zecora or Cadance for very long. Still, we needed to find this Tenebra. I turned to Shadow. “Let’s follow this Stinger stallion,” I said. “We can at least find the soldiers he will have guarding this Tenebra.”

“I suppose that’s a good point,” Shadow reluctantly agreed. And so, we turned and followed the eutherian down the halls once more. Stinger flew with a purpose, but we followed close behind. Despite carrying the weakened Cadance on his back, Shadow made excellent time while holding onto mine and Zecora’s hands. I pumped my prepubescent legs for all they were worth, wishing I had my adult body back more than once as I nearly stumbled a few times.

Zecora, on the other hand, fell more than once. I had to carry her on my back while holding Shadow’s hand after the fifth fall. She apologized to me for that, but I told her that it was fine. It wasn’t her fault.

Despite that, we still caught up to Stinger as he came upon two young looking eutherian mares in guard uniforms. “Gloom Cimmerian! Twilit Sky! Head to the Tenebra at once! Our Queen wants it double guarded in case the prisoners make their escape there!”

The two mares nodded, giving the eutherian captain a salute. The one named Gloom Cimmerian, who had bright purple eyes a dark purplish brown coat of fur along with dark straight brown mane and tail, each of which had light purple streaks through them, along with a dark anvil shaped cloud with lightning coming out of it for a cutie mark saluted. “Yes, captain,” she said.

Twilit Sky, an extremely dark blue mare with sky blue eyes, a twilight purple mane and tail, each with sky-blue streaks through both and a lighter blue circle with several stars inlaid inside as a cutie mark, nodded in agreement. “It will be done.”

Stinger glowered at them, and I immediately knew something was off. “You’re lucky that your mother was my predecessor, Brighters,” he said, and that last word he spat off as if it was some sort of insult. “Now, get moving!”

The two younger mares nodded swiftly and turned to fly away. We followed close behind the two, and as we did, I heard the one named Twilit sniff. Gloom turned to her. “Sister, what is it?” she asked with concern.

“I hate the captain, sometimes,” Twilit said, a bitter edge to her tone.

Gloom slowed down and sighed. “I know.” She reached back and grabbed her mane, which was tied back in a neat ponytail. She looked at the hair in her hand with a scowl.

“If only we weren’t born with these Brighter streaks…” Twilit said, “then perhaps father would still be in the picture and mother wouldn’t have been forced to retire early.”

“Hey, enough of that talk,” Gloom said sternly as they picked up the pace again. “Father was a coward. Mother raised us despite everything. She gave us food, a home, and even got us into the Silver Guard. If we prove ourselves, we could even get into the Vespertilio.”

“I doubt that,” Twilit said gloomily. “We’re Brighters.”

“So what?” Gloom asked. “We need to prove them wrong. We need to prove that even if we are Brighters, we can be just as good members of the Silver Guard.”

Just as the two guards turned a corner, I saw them pause. They landed and stepped to one side, putting their fists against their breastplates in salute. “Greetings, Princess Viridian,” both said in unison.

We paused and watched as an older eutherian mare in her own armor and a young filly appeared. The older mare wore clothes that I had seen some eutherian maids in Canterlot wearing, so I guessed she was some kind of maid, but one who was also trained in combat due to how she carried herself. I saw Shadow tense up as he looked at her, so I took a closer look at her. She was a dark gray mare with a black mane and tail which seemed to have a dark red sheen to it in certain light. Her cutie mark was a set of three clouds. She did seem to radiate confidence, but also danger.

The young filly, apparently named Princess Viridian, had dark green fur with a dark black mane and tail and dark purple eyes. She had no cutie mark yet, if her dark blue silk pajamas were any indication. She looked like she was around my age, maybe a bit younger. The young filly looked at the two with confusion. “Where are you two going?” she asked with childlike innocence.

“The Tenebra, your Highness,” Twilit replied.

That seemed to get the young Viridian’s attention. “Why?”

“The Queen ordered for guards to be placed there,” Gloom replied, “in case the escaped prisoners decide to use it to return to the surface.”

Viridian tilted her head in confusion once more. “My sister has prisoners that escaped? What did they do? Are they dangerous?”

“Your Highness,” the older armored mare said chidingly, “it is far too early for you to be worried about something like this. You should be in bed resting, not speaking to these…mares.” There was a hint of tension in her voice when she said ‘mares’.

Viridian’s eyes then flashed with the same purple light that came from the crystals around the castle. She scanned the area, but then her eyes landed on us. They focused on us. Her eyes widened in response, and that’s when I knew we were in trouble. “I’m not tired,” the younger eutherian filly said, looking away from us.

Or…maybe we aren’t in trouble, I thought. While Misty was chiding the young princess, I turned to Shadow. “Did that filly see us?” I said in a whisper.

“I saw that, too,” Shadow agreed, “and I don’t know.”

Viridian waved her hand dismissively. “I’m not tired now, Misty,” she repeated while looking back at the young mare guardsponies. “Besides, I’ve never seen the Tenebra.”

“Your Highness, we really should be going,” Misty insisted.

“Not yet,” Viridian replied sharply, almost in a pouting tone. “When I see the Tenebra, then I’ll go to bed.”

“Princess, the Queen wouldn’t be pleased to hear that you were getting into trouble on normal occasions,” Misty said, “but if these prisoners are going to the Tenebra, then you should be far away from it.”

Viridian looked petulant at this. Then, she pointed down the hall. “We’re only a minute away from the Tenebra’s doors,” she said, “and I won’t tell my sister if you don’t.” Her eyes gleamed with childlike excitement.

The two guards and Misty exchanged a look. Then, the armored maid sighed. “I am getting scolded for this, I’m sure,” she said before pointing sharply at the two mare guards. “You will protect the princess with her life. Is that understood?”

“Understood,” both younger mares said.

Misty then reached down, took Viridian’s hand, and turned to walk down the way where Viridian had pointed. Shadow and I exchanged a look before we both nodded and began to follow them again. At the very least, they were walking, so we could follow much more easily behind them. Still, there was something about Viridian that gave me pause. As we snuck after them, I turned to Shadow, who was staring intently at Dawn’s younger sister. “There’s something about that filly that’s different, isn’t there?” I asked.

He nodded silently as he adjusted the young pegasus on his back gently. “I don’t know what, but there’s something about her that I can’t place. I’ve never heard of anypony being able to see eutherians who are in the Umbral, but if she did see us, we may be in trouble.”

“This Vespertilio may be eutherians who can make their way into the Umbral,” I reasoned. “They must call it the Forbidden Realm.”

“That is a safe assumption to make, your Highness,” Shadow replied.

I felt Zecora’s arm, which was around my neck, tighten slightly. I reached up and patted the young zebra princess’ arm reassuringly. “We’ll be okay,” I said reassuringly.

As we walked, the princess looked at the guards. “Do either of you know anything about the prisoners that escaped?” she asked.

“I know that one of them is an Equestrian Prince,” Gloom replied.

“Really? What does he look like?” the princess asked.

“Well, he has bright white fur, straw blonde mane and tail, and light blue eyes, from what description we were given,” Gloom said. “There’s a zebra and pegasus filly with him and a eutherian stallion as well.”

“Huh…why did sister put them in the dungeons?” Viridian asked.

“That I don’t know, your Highness,” Gloom replied.

“It’s nothing you need to be concerned about,” Misty said.

No less than a minute later, the princess and her impromptu entourage took a sharp right, and I noted that there was no left turn. When we turned, we saw that the hallways walls and ceiling began to grow larger. At the end we saw a set of double iron doors. A single eutherian stallion stood at the entrance. I had to assume this was the aforementioned Gatekeeper. He was a burly beast of a stallion, holding a massive sword in front of him. He was a dark orange furred stallion with a dark yellow mane and tail. His cutie mark was of a swinging great sword. When he saw who was approaching, he straightened and saluted. “Your Highness. Lady Misty.” He turned to the mares, and a visible frown appeared. “What are you two doing here?” he asked.

“Captain Stinger asked that we guard the Tenebra, sir,” Gloom explained. “Three prisoners have escaped from the dungeons, and the Queen ordered him to provide extra guards just in case they come this way.”

The Gatekeeper scowled at the two younger mares. “The captain should have sent some more competent guards, then, instead of you two,” he spat. The two mares bristled at that, but the Gatekeeper simply shrugged. “Very well. Take up stations on the other side of the door.”

As the two mares moved to take up their guard positions, Viridian spoke up. “I want to see the Tenebra!”

The Gatekeeper looked down at her, and his face softened, although he didn’t smile. “Princess, I have orders from your sister the Queen not to open this door unless given a direct command from her.”

“I’m the Princess,” Viridian said, “and I want to see inside!”

“It’s dangerous to see inside now,” the Gatekeeper replied. “What if the prisoners come here while I’m showing you around.”

“Then you can deal with them!” Viridian said, “so open the door! I won’t step inside, I just want to see it.”

There was a brief silence in the room, then the Gatekeeper seemed to deflate. “Oh, very well,” he said as he reached to his belt and pulled out a keyring with a single key hanging from it. He turned, walking over to the door, and sticking the key in the lock. He pushed the door open slightly, and he peered inside. He then turned to the princess. “Come and see it,” he said.

The princess walked gleefully up and stuck her head in. “Whoa…that looks cool!” Without so much as a second thought, she rushed into the room, giggling.

“Your Highness, please come back!” Misty shouted in alarm as she and the Gatekeeper rushed into the room.

“Now!” I ordered, and Shadow and I rushed into the door as quietly as we could.

When we entered, I saw that we were in a massive cylindrical room that stretched upwards, but instead of a ceiling, I saw a swirling mass of stars above us. However, they also seemed to be enveloped in an invisible sphere. The stone floor was made of the same purple glowing light that the crystal sconces throughout the castle were made of. Despite the urgency of our plight, I was frozen in awe. It was an incredibly beautiful sight to see. Still, we were in a hurry, so Shadow and I moved to press ourselves against the wall as we watched Viridian looking around. She looked at the Gatekeeper, then pointed up at the lights. “What are those lights?” she asked.

“That’s the Tenebra, your Highness,” the Gatekeeper said.

“Really?” She spread her wings and hovered slightly. “So if I go up there, I’ll end up in Equestria?”

“You shouldn’t go down there, your Highness,” the maid said.

Viridian landed and looked up at the lights. “Where in Equestria does it lead?” she asked.

“A dense forest known as the Everfree,” the Gatekeeper said. “It’s close to Canterlot, and the Equestrians don’t dare go inside.”

“Oh, okay,” Viridian said. Then, she turned and her eyes flashed purple before looking squarely at me. It was brief, but I knew right away that she could see me. She looked away and back to the Gatekeeper. “Why don’t you send those two guardsmares in here and take your station again? I won’t be here long.”

“Gladly, your Highness,” the Gatekeeper said as he bowed and left the room. The two younger mare guardsponies were swiftly pushed into the room before the door was closed nearly all the way.

The two mares looked up at the sight before them, eyes wide. “Wow…that’s beautiful,” Gloom said with an astonished smile.

Twilit smiled as well, but much more reservedly. “So, this is the Tenebra,” she muttered softly.

“What does it feel like to go through it?” Viridian asked curiously.

“I don’t know, your Highness,” Misty replied, “but the scouts who have gone through have said that it feels like you’re going down a slide.”

“Really??” Viridian’s eyes lit with excitement. “Do you think that if I begged sister enough that she’d let me go through?”

“Absolutely not, your Highness,” Misty admonished the young foal. “If you ended up on the other side, you’d be seen as an enemy by the Equestrians.”

“Why?” Viridian asked.

“Because you’re a member of the royal family, and you could be held hostage since we have Prince Blueblood as our own prisoner,” Misty said. “Or will soon enough once more,” she amended.

“I’ve never seen the sun or Luna’s blessed moon, though,” Viridian complained.

“The Queen wouldn’t allow it,” Misty repeated. “Besides, if we go through, then contact with the Everfree will need to be reestablished.”

“Huh?” Viridian looked like her eyes were glazing over.

“Sorry, it’s not important,” Misty replied before she looked at the nearly closed door. “We should get going, though.”

“Not yet,” Viridian said with a pout.

Misty sighed. “Fine. I’ll give you a few more minutes, but we need to get you to bed very soon.”

“Okay,” Viridian said, her pout deepening.

As she looked up at the view before us and the other three waited, Shadow turned to me. “Your Highness,” he whispered, “I’ve been looking at that Tenebra, and I believe that I can carry you, Princess Zecora and Miss Cadance up there.”

“I…I can fly a bit, I think,” Cadance said softly from Shadow’s back. She fluttered her wings, then winced. “It doesn’t look that high.”

“We wait until these ponies leave,” I said, “and then we can figure out how to escape through that. If that does indeed lead to the Everfree, there’s a town called Ponyshire nearby where we can contact my aunt and Zecora’s family.”

“What if they follow us up there?” Zecora asked nervously.

“If they do, they risk exposing their big secret underground city,” I explained, “so I don’t think they’ll pursue us.”

Why doest thou not use magic to create temporary wings of thy own? Crescent asked.

I looked down at the sword and placed a hand over the crescent moon shaped pommel. Because last time I tried it, I nearly got myself and Zecora killed because I’m not yet good enough at magical control to use it.

Leave the control to us, Crescent replied, and before I could object, a pair of magical wings spread from my back. I looked back and saw, to my slight amusement and immense shock, that unlike the wings from before, these were nearly carbon copies of the wings Nightmare Moon was depicted as having. Verily, thy new wings are truly befitting a prince of thy elevated station, she said.

“Your Highness?! Where did these wings come from??” Shadow asked.

“I’ll explain later,” I promised before clenching the pommel and mentally asking Crescent how long these wings would last.

They shall last only for a short while, she replied, so it is best to move posthaste.

“These wings won’t last too long,” I added, “so hopefully these ponies leave soon. We can’t be in the Umbral when we leave.”

Apparently, life has a sense of humor because mere moments after I said this, I heard shouts of alarm coming from the three mares in the room. I quickly turned and saw that Viridian touching the sphere and being sucked in. Everything happened at once after that. Misty flew after the young filly, eyes wide in alarm. The two guardsponies also flew after the group. Inwardly, I swore as I turned to Shadow. “Let’s move!” I turned to Cadance and Zecora. “Hang on, you two!”

Nodding, he brought us all out of the Umbral and he and I both spread our wings and flew towards the Tenebra just as the door burst open and the Gatekeeper rushed in. His eyes widened briefly when he saw us, but that was the last I saw of him. The last I heard of him was him bellowing “INTRUDER!” And that was when the passage through the Tenebra started.

The passage through the Umbral reminded me of the wormhole passage scene from the movie Interstellar, and I wondered if the Tenebra was some sort of magical wormhole. However, the stars soon began to give way to a deep blue, then a sky blue, then a dark green.

The next thing I knew, I was lying face down on a pile of old leaves and pine needles. The ground itself was wet and the front of my clothes were starting to get soaked. Zecora was still clinging to my back, her body trembling in fear. Slowly, I got back up, noticing that the wings that had been on my back were gone. Shadow was nearby and running up to us, his dagger drawn. Seeing this, I reached down and drew Crescent.

Just in time, too, because I saw the two eutherian guardsponies rushing towards us, their own swords drawn. Misty was standing protectively beside a now somewhat messy and wet looking Viridian. I held up my sword as the two guardsponies approached. “This is gonna be fun,” I muttered.

“Stand down, you two,” the princess said in a commanding tone.

The two didn’t even look “But your Highness, he’s one of the prisoners!” Twilit said.

“He and the others were following us,” she said. “They could have hurt us long ago.” She turned to me. “Right?”

“Correct, your Highness,” I said as I stood tall and inclined my head politely to my fellow royal. “We didn’t want to kill anyone.” I shuddered at the memory of being forced to kill the guard earlier.

Viridian stepped past Misty, then faced me. The foal I had been observing was gone, replaced with a well-trained royal like myself. She inclined her head as well. “Well then, your Highness,” she said, “my name is Viridian Nightfallen, First Princess of Silver Sanctum. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”