The Elohim's Lament

Chapters

Chapter 2 - Unwanted Inheritance
Chapter 3 - Crystal Road
Chapter 4 - Fate Grows Near
Chapter 5 - Shining's Turmoil
Chapter 6 - The Hold Between Space and Reality: Chaos
Chapter 1 - The Red Stallion

Chapter 2 - Unwanted Inheritance

Queen Cadence sat upon the crystal throne, glaring aimlessly at the window down at the Crystal Empire, her eyebrows knitted and her eyelids tense and drawn up. It had only been an hour since Twilight’s disappearance, but that didn’t lessen her concern.

This hadn't been the first time that Twilight had escaped their sight, in fact, it had been occurring for months on end after she had declared Twilight as the next successor to the Crystal Empire, a decision supported by the majority of Equestria, except for Twilight.

Royal guards were sent to watch her, and yet, she kept finding new ways to escape their sight, making it difficult for any highborn to pledge their allegiance to protecting the queen’s heir. In the grand scheme of things, most who lost sight of the princess for too long were stripped of their honor and sent overseas, and every knight knew just how important honor was, especially in Equestria. If the princess was in danger now, their vows would mean nothing. The number of knights to guard the queen lessened nearly everyday.

As for now, the only recent knight who had pledged his loyalty to protecting her was Euphor Black, a young knight who was thirty-eight of age, also known as “The Sword of the Night," along with those who served under him. He was a tall, powerful stallion whose fur matched that of the night, while his eyes had the same light-blue glow of the Crystal Empire at daybreak. He was one of the bastards of Trottinghelm, an independent land in the south of Equestria. However, Barston Black, the warden of Trottinghelm, made the announcement for the young stallion to inherit his last name before sending him to the Crystal Empire to serve as the queen’s appointed knight, as well as the second commander of the royal guards.

Cadence feared that she would once again have to strip the honor of another knight . She hated doing that, but it was the Equestrian law created by Celestia and Luna (One who fails their duty is stripped of all ranks and titles)

"Where is that hard-headed horse now?" She mumbled to herself, pressing a hoof against her cheek.

Luckily, it seemed that she would not have to do it today. The giant doors to the throne room bursted open, revealing Euphor Black, drenched in sweat and panting heavily. "I've found her, your grace!" He announced, his voice staggered. Beside him stood Twilight, hanging her head low. "She was in the unity cavern, roaming around aimlessly."

Cadence sighed deeply as well as Twilight. "Go on and alert her brother, and order him to my courtroom." She commanded, "I'll speak with her, alone."

Euphor nodded and bowed down before leaving, the royal guards who stood in the room did the same. Cadence forcefully shut the doors behind them, glaring at Twilight with furrowed eyebrows.

An unwavering silence filled the room, tension crackled as they awaited one of them to utter a word, no matter what it word. Cadence wasn't foolish enough to expect an apology from Twilight, she wasn't going to listen. On the other hoof, she could not let her off without punishment.

She raised her wings and descended from the throne and to Twilight. She still didn't bother to acknowledge her. "Do you know how many knights we've sent overseas over the past month?" She asked, her voice dripping with disappointment.

"How should I know? I never counted." Twilight asked, scowling.

"Twenty-nine!" Cadence announced in her royal voice, stomping a hoof onto the ground, causing a forceful wind to graze Twilight.

Cadence then began to frantically trotting back and forth, her eyes searching for answers. "The other lords are beginning to see us as incompetent! Over seventy-two knights were sent back to their homes in this past year! Soon, there won't be any more highborns to pledge their loyalty! You keep on running off and off like a little filly in a market! It's embarrassing!"

Twilight felt she was going to erupt into flames from Cadence's pestering. "Do you think I care?" She asked, causing Cadence to stop and stare. "It's not my fault they can't do their jobs!"

"Nopony has your magic, Twilight. You know that!" Cadence said.

"Exactly, so why bother?" Twilight asked, obviously annoyed.

Cadence sighed once again and walked over to her, raising her chin with her hoof. Twilight only stared back with sharp, sparkling eyes. "Twilight," she called, Twilight responded by rolling her eyes. "You were born an Alicorn, and because you are, you must learn how to act like one!"

"I thought Alicorns were able to do whatever they wanted." Twilight whined, pouting.

“Just how blind are you?” Cadence asked, appalled. “Do you see me, an alicorn, go wherever I want?”

“But you’re a queen–”

“And you’re a highborn!” Cadence reminded as she stomped a hoof, this time with greater force to punctuate her statement, her angered eyes lingering over Twilight, she then added, “But above else, you’re crystal born, one who was born an Alicorn to be clear.”

“But I never wanted to be a highborn!” Twilight argued, angrily yanking her head away from Cadence’s hoof. She then made her way to one of the windows, aimlessly staring down at the city, her sad expression staring right back. “Besides, I’m not your blood sister. I didn't asked to be saved by you ponies, so why me?”

Cadence’s face then held a look of pity. Those words always made her heart ache. She had been hearing it ever since she was a filly. Just five years ago, Cadence had found Twilight, along with a young Shining Armor, when she was just a filly upon a small hill not too far from the kingdom. It was like nothing the ponies of the Crystal Empire had seen before, some even claimed it to be "A gift from God," it was almost impossible, a pony with no blood-relation to the Alicorn race just randomly appearing upon a hill.

Despite the questionable circumstances surrounding her true heritage, Cadence named her heir that day. Ever since then, Twilight had never seen Cadence as her blood-related sister, nor claimed her to be, even when asked.

Cadence went over to Twilight and stood behind her within an inch behind her. "Why don't you just make Flurry Heart your heir instead?" Asked Twilight, "She's your actual daughter."

Cadence answered by placing her wings over her back, Twilight gave her a tragic look. "She's too young, and my time as an Alicorn will be up into the next fifteen years, more or less!" She said, "You have inherited my last name, making you my successor!"

Twilight forcefully smacked Cadence’s wing off her back with her wing, "I never wanted your last name, Mi Amore Cadenza!" She shouted, tears streaming down her face, "I never wanted to be an Alicorn! I never asked your last name, and I don't want to be queen! All I want is to explore the world, that is all. I'm not fit to be queen."

"In the grand scheme of things, do you think that it matters what you want or do not want?" Cadence asked, Twilight hung her head low. "Tradition is what holds this land together, and it must stay that way. The creator made you an Alicorn for a purpose, and that purpose is to rule the Crystal Empire. Whether you like it or not, you're my heir and that's final."

Twilight turned, "But—"

"I don't want to hear it!" Cadence shouted with a snort. "Now, I want you to be competent and stay within the eye's reach of the castle. If you try to escape from your room again, I will place you in the dungeon until I decide it is time for you to be released. Your brother will also speak to you about this!"

Twilight's mouth quivered intensely, all she heard from Cadence's words were, "You're the next queen, and I could care less about your feelings" Breathless with ambivalence, Twilight frowned, her tears flooding the carpet, she then scowled and turned tail and ran out of the room. Leaving Cadence filled with uncertainty.

To Be Continued!

Chapter 3 - Crystal Road

Twilight was just about to disobey Cadence’s orders again, planning to fly out of the castle and back to the cave, however, ten spears emerged from both her left and right said, blocking her path. Of course, it was Euphor Black and the other nine men under his command. Twilight didn't feel the need to raise her head to realize that. All she did was keep her teary-eyes on the floor and ordered angrily, "Move out of my way, that is an order."

"We take orders from the queen, not you." Euphor Black replied, his breath still slightly heavy. "Your mother has ordered us to take you back to your room, so if you would, please, come with us."

Twilight let out a short gasp through gritted teeth. She couldn’t believe that, at that moment, she had forgotten about her position in the palace. Even though she wished not to be queen, she had used her abilities as an Alicorn to get out of any situation she pleased. Usually, the royal guards would be shaking in their horseshoes right now, however, they weren't. If anything, they just seemed irritated.

"Princess, we need you to come with us." Euphor reminded, his voice carrying a heavier weight.

Reluctantly, Twilight fell silent and obeyed their orders. A wave of relief washed over the guards. "The bitch finally obeyed," a knight wanted to say, but he kept quiet.

"This isn't fair," Twilight complained. "You should all be bowing down to me like pets you are! Why is it always the prince who gets to do whatever they want?"

"Because life isn't fair, Alicorn." Euphor Black replied, his eyes tired. "It never was, and it never will be, so just deal with it like the rest of us."

Twilight's pupils flared. "But I'm not like the rest of you," she corrected, "Especially not you, bastard. I'm an Alicorn born of Skyros, and you should treat me as such. I could literally just fly away from here if I wanted to—"

"That's enough!" A light-blue pegasus stomped his hoof and the knights stopped in response. He then turned to Twilight, whose eyes were wide with shock and disbelief. "I don't care if you're an Alicorn or not! He may be a bastard, but his honor is all he has! And it won't cease to exist because of a privileged, ungrateful highborn like you! You being alive keeps our heads from being on a spike!”

Euphor Black walked up to the light-blue pegasus and wrapped a hoof around his mane, giving him a look of sincerity. “Compose yourself, Thunderblide, there is no need for you to defend me,” he reassured, his eyelids drooping ever so slightly, “Besides, I can care less about her name-calling. It’s not like I haven’t heard it before.” He then removed his hoof from Thunderblide's back before turning back around.

“This girl will be the end of us,” Objected Thunderblide, “Are you really willing to give up your life for someone like her, someone who isn’t even Crystalborn?”

Euphor’s eyes were intense. “Our loyalty lies in the hand of the Crystal Empire,” He said, “You don’t want your tongue cut off from the words you’re uttering to the princess, right?”

“N-no.” Thunderblide said hesitantly.

“Then we shall do as we’re told.” Euphor turned back around, and the journey to Twilight’s room continued.

Twilight could barely refrain herself from laughter at Euphor. Out of all the knights surrounding her, he seemed to be the most loyal, and possibly easily manipulated. His loyalty was unmatched, even for a bastard with nothing to inherit. She didn’t like being a queen one bit, but she found comfort in controlling others.

Twilight and Flurry Heart shared the same great chamber with each other near the deck of the castle. The room was bigger and brighter with more candles than any other chamber room. In the very middle lies a crib for Flurry Heart and a lullaby decorated with smaller versions of the Crystal Heart hung above her from the tall ceiling. Meanwhile, Twilight's bed was on the right side of the room, next to her books of magic she placed on the oak-wood shelf. The bed was half the size of the bookshelf with a cover of red fabric, accompanied by a lantern that sat by on a small table.

Flurry Heart spent the majority of her time asleep in the room. After a specific incident which endangered the safety of the Crystal Empire, Cadence and Shining Armor created a magical barrier to keep her inside until she was able to gain control of her magic.

Seventy-two knights were stationed at the wide crystal entrance of her room. As she grew closer, she could hear Flurry Heart's whining, which caused her to groan.

"Can't you shut her up?" Asked Twilight, "I don't wanna hear her whining."

"And we don't wanna hear your whining either. If it wasn't for the bits, we would've probably disowned you by now." Said a royal guard.

"My brother will have you disowned if you said that to him."

"But he's not here," Replied the same guard. "Now, go inside, we're done with you."

Euphor Black stayed silent and led her into the room. Flurry Heart quickly noticed her presence and flew up out of her crib. "Twi, Twilight!" She cried, Twilight only rolled her eyes, and tried to avoid any kind of eye-contact with her younger sister. She wasn't in the mood for it.

Twilight let out another sighed, "Oh, I'm so done with this." She mumbled, going over to her bed.

"Twilight—Twilight!" Flurry Heart flew towards her.

"Why?"

That was all Twilight could ask when Flurry plumed herself onto her side. Every time she saw Flurry Heart smile her hooves shook In anger. She looked so happy, all the time, and rightfully so. She had over a thousand years before to enjoy herself with life. She was no heir. She was loved by nearly everyone, especially Cadence and Shining Armor. She couldn’t fathom why they paid so much attention to her.

“What have you done that makes you so special? Why does my brother always take joy in your sight? No one’s ever looked at me like that, no. I’m nothing more than a tool to keep this kingdom going. No one, except for my friend from the east, has enjoyed my company. There is truly nothing to smile about. It’s always Twilight this, Twilight that, but no one’s ever resented you.
You nearly destroyed the Crystal Heart upon your birth, and these ponies want me dead? No! You shouldn’t smile, as there is nothing to be happy about." She could feel her hooves trembling in anger as rage fueled her heart. She was so hate-filled that if she had a spear by her side… she could've… she would've…

Twilight sighed deeply and put her magical grasp on Flurry Heart. "Sleep." Twilight uttered, putting Flurry Heart into a deep sleep with a magical spell, and placing her back into her bed. Feeling droopy, she decided to lay down in her bed, but with a slight flutter of her wings, a book fell onto her bed, barely missing her head. In response, Twilight groaned as she rolled over to the right side of the bed. Laying there was a red book with the book cover of a golden hoof print. Under the hoof print read: "Forbidden Magic."

Tomorrow, a horsing competition will be held at the Equestrian games for the marriage of Princess Rarity and Prince Blueblood from the east as well as the official baptism ceremony for Twilight Sparkle at the Celestial Cathedral in Canterlot. Celestia, Luna, and their daughters, Trixie Lulamoon and Sunset Shimmer. Shining Armor was chosen as one of the knights to participate for the Crystal Empire.

For Shining Armor, horsing was an easy sport. The objective was to test the willpower of both stallions. It was simple. All one had to do was charge forth and slam the spear into each other’s armor until one's Armor was completely broken.

In the fields, Shining Armor was with his fellow squire: Flash Sentry. This would be his second time horsing. The first was against Barston Black, which ended in a tie. For his training, Flash Sentry drew a long line in the field which resembled the wooden structure in the middle of a horse competition. Shining Armor equipped his crystal spear and prepared himself for a charge, snorting as he held his spear sideways.

One… Two… Three… Begin!

The two horses charged with great speed, their stomps leaving deep holes into the ground. Shining Armor's speed was far greater than Flash's, making it quite easy for his Armor to break upon impact. The powerful impact sent Flash strolling onto the ground, his spear following him.

"You've gotten better," He groaned, "The average crystal knight wouldn't be able to handle two of those strikes."

Shining Armor looked down to hide his smirk, taking off his helmet and placing down his spear. "You went easy on me." He said, approaching Flash.

"Maybe you're just getting better." Flash spoke in a groan as he stood up, putting his helmet back on. "Soon, there will be no need for me to be your squire."

"I think it's too soon for me to begin my journey as an appointed knight, I'm only eighteen after all." Shining Armor objected, "I'm still young and have plenty of life to live."

"Which is all the more reason to not get killed during the competition." Flash Sentry said, he then made his gaze evermore serious.

"I won't die, I can't," Shining Armor claimed with confidence in his eyes. "No one has died in a horsing competition in ten-thousand years. What makes you think my life is in danger?"

"Your opponent is not the average crystal knight, or Canterlot knight for that matter. He is Darren Hargon of Galloptoia. One of the most ruthless knights of our species." Flash Sentry told. "He's slayed entire armies."

"You think I'm not aware of that?" Shining Armor asked, turning around and walking over to pick up his spear.

"You obviously don't seem aware of Elohim's cruelty," Said Flash, "One swing of that spear and you'd be dead before you even know it."

He really is a worrywart, Shining Armor saw, walking back over to Flash with a confident smile. "Death is a certainty for all of us, my lord, but fearing it is foolish. I am about to become a knight as we speak, I will not quiver in death. Besides, I'll just leave it for Elohim to decide."

"Now, if you don't want me to die, then I suggest we practice some more." Shining Armor went on.

This kid knows nothing of knighthood, Flash thought.

Just as they were about to train any further, an earth pony called their names from afar, holding a scroll In his mouth. He was an old pony with beige fur and a Gray mane, accompanied by deep wrinkles in his face.

"Horseshoe Devan." Shining Armor approached him tentatively along with his squire. Horseshoe Devan was the royal advisor to empress Cadence, so him being all the way out didn't surprise Shining Armor one bit.

"It is a note from your majesty." Devan told him, handing him the note which was an order from the troubled empress.

Shining Armor nodded and quickly did what he was bid, but not without leaving Flash in the complete dark.

The sun was beginning to set, painting the Crystals of the Crystal Empire green. As Shining Armor made his way through the streets and passed the Crystal Heart, all he could think about was how beautiful the town used to be before the first Crystal Incident. The fur of everypony used to match the color of the Crystals, making the scenery all the more pleasing. However, without the complexity of the ponies, it made the day seem rather… dull. "I wish that hadn't happened." He thought as he approached the castle doors. The guards were quick to let him in.

Shining Armor trotted his way all the way to the throne room where Cadence resided, upon setting hoof near the entrance of the throne room, he stopped. He had just remembered something. "Where's Twilight? She should be here, preparing for her flight across town tomorrow."

He opened the door to the throne room, Cadence was quick to take her gaze off of the window and towards Shining Armor. Shining Armor could tell she was exhausted from her eye bags and her half-shut eyes.

"Welcome, husband." She flew out of her chair, barely keeping her balance. Shining Armor quickly ran up and caught her. As he did, he saw the sky-blue magic aura of her horn fading in and out of sight.

"You've overused your magic," Shining Armor stated in concern, placing his horn on hers, "Let your advisor sit the throne for now, maybe tomorrow, too."

"I'm… fine." Cadence argued.

Shining Armor sighed and a dark-blue magical aura covered his horn. He took a few steps back, allowing Cadence to fall to the ground. With one more, deep, heavy breath, he unleashed the magic of his horn onto Cadence, painting her a shimmering light like those of crystals. This was a spell Shining Armor had come up with upon marrying Cadence. After the incident with Flurry Heart, the magic of the Crystal Heart had lessened severely, causing a magical spell to hold it together.

Luckily, due to her Alicorn and Crystal heritage, she was able to craft a spell to keep it together. Unfortunately, in return, that would tire her tremendously, oftentimes causing her advisor to sit the throne for a day or two.

Her royal advisor was a female Unicorn by the name of, "Lyra Heartstrings."

"Lyra, please sit the throne for tonight. My queen needs to rest for a moment." Shining Armor ordered, and Lyra was quick to obey. Shining Armor then helped Cadence up.

"Take me to the Crystal Crypt," She commanded, huffing and puffing rapidly, "It's about the Crystal Heart."

Chapter End

Author's Note

Upon re-reading this chapter, I realize the idea that Lyra being Cadence’s royal advisor will never be funny to me, as well as Flash Sentry training Shining Armor.

Chapter 4 - Fate Grows Near

Even with Shining Armor's spell now casted, Cadence still struggled to walk, or even fly. Upon entering the hall, she stumbled onto the carpet, coughing profusely, blood dripping out of her mouth. The guards around the castle were quick to approach her and ask about her well-being, just as quick as Shining Armor wrapped his hooves around the sick and weak Alicorn.

“Cadence!” Shining Armor called, his eyes filled with concern. Cadence tried to speak, but her constant coughing would not allow her. The guards exchanged glances of concern with each other, whispers of terrible possibilities of the queen floating among them, causing the fur of Shining Armor’’s coat to shoot up in fear.

“Take her to the Maison Dieu immediately!” Shining Armor commanded.

“Yes sir!”

“Wait!” Cadence softly pressed her hoof against Shining Armor’s cheek, his eyes softening ever so slightly in response. “No, you mustn't! Take me to the Crypt, the heartstone is in danger!” She pleaded.

Despite her plea, Shining Armor closed his eyes and shook his head left and right, opening his eyes with a defiant glare. “No, you need to rest first! You’re coughing up blood, that’s never happened before! This is far too dangerous to be left unchecked-”

“My life isn’t of importance now!” Cadence shouted back, her voice shrilling through the hall, the blood from her mouth dripping onto the carpet. And with that, the whole castle went silent for a moment.

Shining Armor felt his heart sink. His wife had always been willing to put herself before others, and yet, hearing those words come out of her mouth was so jarring. Cadence painfully pulled herself towards Shining Armor’s face, her eyes heavy with dark circles underneath them.

“Listen, I am the only one whose magic can stabilize the heartstone. You need to take me there now!”

Heartstone?! Shining Armor thought. “The heartstone?! What?! What’s wrong with the heartstone?!” Shining Armor called out, but to his avail, the only response he got out of Cadence was a loud and painful moan before her head fell back, and her eyes closed. Shining Armor called out to her numerous times in desperation, but it was to no avail. The young queen had fallen unconscious.

Shining Armor whipped his back to the guards with furious eyes, “Take her to the Maison Dieu!” he commanded, his voice shrilling through the hall. The guards snapped out of their state of shock and immediately put her on a stretcher, and to the elegant crystal healing place located outside the castle walls: Maison Dieu.

It was muffled and nearly impossible to hear through the loud ringing in her ears, but Cadence could hear the shouting of both her husband and the guards. She couldn’t quite make out what they were saying except maybe a few words as she was more focused on the throbbing pain that ravaged her head. Due to squinting so hard at the pain, attempting to open her eyes was difficult for her, and her body was too exhausted to move even after the tremendous amount of rest she had gotten.

A few minutes passed, and the ringing in her eyes began to fade, and her vision began to come back.

Luna’s moon shone bright through the window, and onto the eyes of Cadence’s causing her to squint even more. It’s still night time. She thought. How long have I been unconscious?

“What do you mean ‘there’s nothing you can do’?” Shining Armor shouted furiously, “I bring you to my castle and you offer me nothing?! You have been an appointed mage for both Celestia and Luna, aren’t you still in contact with them?!”

“Why yes, young knight.” Responded Stardust Amber, the silver-coated stallion with emerald eyes and long, spiky black hair with stripes of dark green running through it. “However, I’m afraid even the Alicorns will not be able to help her in her current condition.”

“And why not?!” Shining Armor shouted, the tone of his voice raising tremendously. “They’re a part of the same race, how would they not know?!”

Stardust Amber hung his head low and sighed deeply, “Look, even after millions of years, we still do not know much about Alicorn's work. We only know that they are insanely powerful magic-wise, and can live for thousands of years. We know less about their predecessors, the Omnicorns.”

The unicorn then raised his head back up, and gave Shining Armor a glare of uncertainty, “However, what we do know is that the previous users of this spell have suffered a similar fate…”

Shining Armor’s eyes dilated with worry, “And what happened to them?” he asked, his voice quivering…”

Another deep sigh escaped the mage's mouth, and his expression turned dark, “They all died.” He said, the tone of his voice heavier this time.

The room suddenly fell silent. The mage lowered his head back down, while Shining Armor looked back at his wife, whose eyes were now wide open, but with the same dark lines drawn under them. He went over to the soft, white mattress in the middle of the room where she laid, and stood over her, their eyes meeting. Shining Armor placed his hoof against her cheek, and smiled.

“What’s wrong with me, dear?” Cadence spoke in groans.

“Nothing…” Shining Armor said, hopeful that the ‘nothing’ he spoke of was truly the case, “It’ll all be fine.”

Cadence was about to speak, when five bloody coughs suddenly erupted from her mouth.

“Dear!” Shining Armor looked on in concern.

“I’m… fine…” Cadence assured, blood streaming down the right side of her mouth and onto the mattress.

Stardust Amber placed his magical grip softly onto one of the napkins in the box that sat on the Crystal counter next to the bed, and walked over to the bed to wipe off some of the blood on Cadence’s face.

“I casted a healing spell over you upon bringing you here. It works faster on ponies and slower on Alicorns, but I'm sure it will kick in just a few minutes. I’ve provided you with some medicine, which should slow the pain a bit.” he said, “So, how do you feel right now?”

“I feel better, but only a little bit,” Cadence replied, “I still feel light-headed, and my throat still feels sore… other than that, i think I’m fine…”

“I see,” Said Stardust Amber, nodding, “Well then, I must be on my way now. I’ll be back tomorrow.”

Stardust Amber then began making his way towards the door, and stopped when Shining Armor held his hoof and hollered, “Hey! Where are you going?!”

The unicorn turned around with a deep sigh, “I’ve done all that I can for now,” he replied, “The medicine and the healing spells should hold whatever sickness she has at bay. I do not know for sure whether she will be alright or not, but this is the least I could do. Besides, I have a meeting with the Magic Council in Canterlot in just a few hours, so I must not be late. I wish you two the best of luck.”

Stardust then left the room, and the moment he did, Shining Armor let out a sigh of anger. Once again, in this very room, he felt powerless. He hated this feeling with a burning passion, and yet, it seemed like it was the only emotion he could feel at the moment.

He turned over his sick wife, who was now sitting up and staring aimlessly out the window.

“I’m… sorry, Cadence.” He said.

“For what are you sorry for?” Asked Cadence, turning to Shining Armor

Shining Armor sighed deeply, “I… I don’t know… It’s out of my control anyway..”

Cadence’s eyes softened as Shining Armor walked over and sat on the Crystal stool next to her bed. Upon sitting down, Shining Armor couldn’t stop tears from rolling down his cheeks. He had been repressing them for as long as he possibly could after hearing the same news over and over again from multiple Unicorns, but he could no longer hold it in anymore.

As he sobbed uncontrollably, Cadence hung her head low to where her mane covered her eyes.

“I get it,” Cadence sighed, “So, the curse the fates bestowed upon me has finally begun to take its course…”

“And here I am, once again, not being able to do a damn thing about it,” Complained Shining Armor, gritting his teeth in anger, “It's just… Why now of all times? Just when the Equestrian Games are about to begin? Just when Twilight is about to become the next heir to the throne…”

Cadence’s eyes glimmered with sadness as she laid back down in her bed, and stared at the ceiling. “It's the fates, my dear husband,” she answered, her voice soft and cold, “Lachesis is nearly at the end of my thread, and now it's only a matter of time before Atropos finally cuts it… Oh, the life of an Alicorn has never been so short…”

“Stop that, please,” Shining Armor spoke through gritted teeth, “You won't die… no… not here, not now.”

Cadence sighed once again. Her husband's sheer refusal to accept the truth made her pity him more than anything. “You heard what that mage said, each Alicorn before me with disease died… there's no stopping it now, whether you like it or not…”

“QUIET!” Shining Armor whipped his head to his as swiftly as a lightning bolt. The sudden raise in his voice caused Cadence to gasp, and meet his rage-filled eyes. “I'M NOT GOING TO LET YOU DIE! I'LL GO TO THE DIVINE LANDS, STORM INSIDE THE DIVINE TEMPLE, AND COMMENCE A BINDING SPELL LIKE YOU DID TO FLURRY HEART THREE YEARS AGO!”

Upon hearing that, Cadence jolted up out of her covers, her eyes now gleaming with rage that matched the intensity of Shining Armors. “NO, YOU WILL NOT DO SUCH A THING!” She shouted with defiance, “DO YOU REALLY WANT A REPEAT OF TEN YEARS AGO?!”

Three Years Ago - The Crystal Empire

Flashback

It was the worst day of both Cadence’s and Shining Armor’s life. Clotho had spun the thread of life and gifted them their first child, Flurry Heart. However, her two other sisters were planning to cut the thread short.

Flurry Heart’s bloody and almost lifeless body laid on the floor as tears streamed down her face. She had been born, yes, but she was barely breathing, and the mages of Equestria knew that there was nothing they could do to save her. No matter how much Cadence pleaded, that was all they told her, and though her husband was distraught at the thought of their child not being able to experience the journey that is life, he too knew that there was nothing they could do, and he hated it.

To Be Continued!

Author's Note

"Nah, I'd win"

Chapter 5 - Shining's Turmoil

Shortly after remembering that moment from years ago, Cadence suddenly fell into a deep slumber. Shining Armor called out her name in desperation, pushing his hooves with a small amount of force in an attempt to wake her up, but it was to no avail. Whatever slumber she was in, she wasn’t getting out of it anytime soon. Shining Armor felt worried, but there was a semblance of relief within his heart. She hadn’t gotten sleep ever since the preparation for the ceremony, and the magic spell she kept over the Crystal Heart had only amplified her stress. With Lyra sitting the throne, he knew she could sleep peacefully. But, then again, there was a great fear that washed over him.
“What will I tell Celestia and Luna if she doesn’t wake up in time?”
“What if… she dies in her sleep?”

Even though Shining Armor hated these types of thoughts with a passion, and yet, it was like he could do nothing to stop them from appearing. This was the absolute worst he had seen his wife since that terrible incident, and with what the fates said to those who try to defy nature, he knew for a fact that Cadence most likely wouldn’t make it past this year.
But he didn’t want to think that. He had already envisioned so many things they could do in the future.
“Cadence will live,” he told himself, “Yeah, she has to. Alicorns are the closest thing to Elohim in this world… she’s the Alicorn of love…
Without her love, the entire world would-”

He froze at that thought, and his eyes dilated in fear. His breathing became rigid and hard, and he took a few steps back from Cadence’s bed, his hooves shivering with the thought of the worst possible outcome. “N-no!” his mouth quivered, “What love will be here if… she…”
Twilight.

“Hm?!”

He stopped, and at that moment, Twilight appeared in his mind. He found it quite off putting that he thought of Twilight first and not his own daughter, Flurry Heart because he never interacted with Twilight often due to being on guard duty much of the time. In fact, he always thought of Flurry Heart more than Twilight.
Sure, he loved her, but her constant disrespect towards Cadence made it hard for them to bond, and she wasn't necessarily nice to him either…

But, there was something about Twilight that was special… something that Flurry Heart didn't have….

A claim to the Crystal throne.

“That's right!” He suddenly shouted, “Once you pass on, Twilight will be the one to carry your will.”
But… should she really?
She isn't our true daughter, after all….

Cadence’s resolve was… put into Flurry Heart
Shouldn’t she carry out her will?
No, Cadence chose to put her resolve into Twilight! What am I thinking?! To deny that is denying her will…

A sudden flare ignited in Shining Armor’s eyes.
It was clear now.
If Cadence were to die soon, then Twilight will be the one she lives through, but not only as the perfect queen, but as the living carnation Cadence herself.

He went over and kissed her on the cheek faintly, running his hoof through her mane ever so slightly. His eyes then gazed over to Luna’s moon…
“I’ll do any I can to carry out your will, dear…
Even with the one who hates you the most…”

In Twilight's room

Twilight had been staring at the book that had fallen from her bookshelf for over five minutes. She wanted to open it, but the small label on the left corner that read: The contents within these books are not meant to be read, made her hesitant to do so.
Why is this book even in the castle? She asked herself. If it’s forbidden, then shouldn’t it have already been banished by Cadence?

She leaned slightly forward towards the book, constantly looking around the room in search of anyone who might’ve been watching her. After scanning the room for a while and assuring herself no one was near and that Flurry Heart was still asleep, she placed her magical grasp upon the book, and slowly opened to the first page.
Then, she let out a short gasp…
This is…!

On the first page, painted in black, there was an ultra-realistic inside of a triangle embedded in gold, something that she knew couldn’t have been drawn in there. Even worse, she recognized that symbol. Shining Armor had told her about it not too long ago. It was the all seeing eye that held Chaos Magic.

Twilight scarcely observed her surroundings again, knowing that if anyone saw this, especially Cadence and Shining Armor, she would be in deep trouble.
Should I even be reading this? She asked herself, hesitating to turn her head back to the book and continue reading. No one in this land condoned symbols like this because it was said to be a sign of the opposite of Elohim's intentions, the only force that prevented this world from being perfect. Chaos.

However, if this form of knowledge is so dangerous to learn, then why was it in front of her right now? And more importantly, would she ever get an opportunity to see something like this again?
If there was one thing she desired, it was to learn more about this world and its magic. She couldn’t just skip past such knowledge that could possibly bring her closer to the truth of the world.
She couldn’t help it. She hesitantly looked back down at the book, and continued reading, the all knowing eye staring deep into her soul.

The text under the eye was written in a distorted cursive, some of which seemed to be roughly translated, causing some words to flow inconsistently between sentences, but Twilight was able to read it. Essentially, it was just a big info dump on the Antediluvian Era. Nothing of importance really caught her attention besides the eye which she kept tricking herself into thinking it was moving.

"Anything catch your interest?" a familiar voice asked from behind.

Twilight instinctively shot up from her bed, shutting the book and throwing it across the room in a panic. Before she could turn around, she noticed the room around her had completely changed. Everything had turned completely black and it seemed Flurry Heart had gone with it. Twilight knew this spell.
An Imaginary Domain... but that's an ancient spell, no one has used it since the Antediluvian Era! She thought, looking around in disbelief.

"You are incorrect, in fact, the last person to use this spell was Starswirl the Bearded from 1000 years ago." Said the voice, "but I'm quite impressed, you see, no one has ever recognized this spell just by the look of it.
But, you must stop relying on books to feed your knowledge."

Twilight turned around slowly, and there stood the stallion from the cave, holding some kind of stone within his magical grasp.

All the history in this world is with me, as I have witness what Chaos can do.

To Be Continued!

Author's Note

I took a lot of inspiration from Domain Expansion with the red stallion here.
In fact, you will see many Jujutsu Kaisen references throughout this story.

Also, Shining Armor is a bum and I'm not tryna hide that.

Chapter 6 - The Hold Between Space and Reality: Chaos

Twilight stood up from her bed, the only object besides the book that wasn’t swallowed by the darkness of the imaginary domain. Hesitantly, she slowly walked over to the red stallion, his bright yellow eyes shining through the darkness.
“How did you–”

“Just learned it.” the old red stallion interrupted, holding his right front hoof out. “It’s still incomplete, but it’ll do.”
Twilight stopped when she had reached within eight feet where the red stallion stood. “Ho-how’d you get in here?” she asked, her voice trembling, “The Crystal Heart is supposed to act as a barrier to disable any magic from intruders. How did they not sense you?”

The red stallion chuckled, then paused for a moment. “The Crystal Heart is only fifty-thousand years old. It is made to disable the magic of creatures of that Era and beyond. This spell is ancient, over a million years old.” He answered, “Magic back in the Antediluvian Era was much stronger than any period in the world, even this spell is only a fraction of what it used to be.”
This stallion…

Twilight stared at the red stallion for a moment and couldn’t help but think of the legend she had read in a book just before going into that cave. The initial idea was that the vulture, the animal of death, had possessed more knowledge than any creature in the world. Not only knowledge of what happened centuries ago, but the knowledge of magic… all kinds of magic, even those that are forbidden. She also thought about how he corrected her earlier.

Yes, Starswirl the Bearded was a great mage, probably the best in the history of Equestria, but she had never heard about him using ancient magic… nor did she even think it was even possible. History had only told her that he had created new spells to further enhance the civilization of Equestria. Why would he know how to use an imaginary domain?
Unless, it was all a lie…

“Tell me, just what are you?” She asked, her tone heavier.

“As I told you, I am many things.” The red stallion answered as he did in the cave, “Though, If you choose to give me a name, I don’t mind.”

The red stallion’s gaze then shot over to the book right behind Twilight who stood confused. Upon doing so, something just snapped within him. It was a feeling, a strange one. One that he hadn’t felt in over a million years. However, he couldn’t quite put his hoof on what it was called which irritated him. If anything, being alive for this long, with a great understanding of nearly every creature and magic, he’d thought he’d know by now, especially knowing the truth that was in the book
.
Maybe it’s the eye. He thought to himself. I’ve never liked that eye of yours, not ever.

“Hey.”

The red stallion snapped back into reality and his gaze was back on Twilight’s, blinking his eyes rapidly as if he was coming back into the real world. All he could do was smirk.
Have I really lost myself? He thought, chuckling in his mind and holding back a laugh in reality.
His blinking stopped, his glowing, yellow eyes making their presence known. Twilight, taken off guard by this, took a few steps back, her eyes gleaming with uncertainty.

Without talking, he pointed over to the book behind Twilight, to which she whipped her head around to where his hoof pointed.
“That book,” he muttered, “where’d you get it?”

Twilight looked at him, then the book. “It was somehow on my bookshelf… it just fell, but I've never seen it before.”
Twilight whipped her head back to the red stallion, “What about it?” She asked, sounding almost defensive unintentionally.
“The eye,” the stallion answered, “The all seeing eye… did you see it?”

“Yes…” Twilight answered, lowering her tone. “Do you know what it is? Can you tell me about it? Have you seen it?” She asked, her eyes glimmering with interest with each question.

“Don't you already know what it is?” The red stallion asked. Twilight nodded faintly.
“Yeah, sorta, Cadence told me about it.” she answered, remembering a conversation with Cadence two years ago. “She told me that it was a force that contradicted Elohim’s ability to create. An eye of Chaos.” she mouthed the word from Cadence, putting a hoof to her chin. “It was also the source of Discord’s Chaos magic before he got sealed.”

Twilight then turned her attention back over to the Red Stallion. “Do you know why this is here?” she asked, pointing over to the book using the same hoof that she held to her chin, “It shouldn’t be. Anything related to the underworld is looked down upon. Artifacts like this are banished by the great church, so it doesn’t make sense why it is here.”
“Just how much has changed?” The Red Stallion asked. “You cannot simply banish something that is cursed.”

“Cursed?” Twilight raised an eyebrow.
“Yeah, a curse,” The Red Stallion replied, a slight hint of confusion in his voice. “The evil fabric that exists between creation and chaos.”

“What?” Twilight asked, “No, that’s corruption.”

The Red Stallion let out a sigh. “Is that what it’s called nowadays?” He asked. “I’m pretty sure there is a huge difference between corruption and a curse.”

“Okay, what’s going on? Why are you here? What’s with all the talk about curses, and why do you want to know about the eye?”

“Well, you wanted to learn more about Alchemy, right?” Asked the Red Stallion. “This is the first step in that. To answer your question about the book, I made the book appear there this morning, before you came into the cave with the help of the teleportation spell. I was originally going to let you read it once you came back, but given the circumstances, I’d just thought we’d get this first lesson over with.”

“Hang on,” Twilight commanded, “You said I was wrong earlier about the spell, that Starswirl used it even after it was said to be gone,” she mentioned, “Just how do you know?”

“Why I’ve lived for so long, Twilight,” The Red Stallion spoke followed by a chuckle, “Did you really think everything you read or hear was real? Just look at me, for example. Ponies spoke of my appearance to be a vulture, an animal of death, but in reality, I’m just a stallion!”

At this point, Twilight didn’t even know what to say. She could only question the knowledge she obtained from the book and just how accurate they truly were. At first, she wanted to rule it out as a possibility that a stallion like the one in front of her could exist, but the spell casted before told her otherwise.

The knowledge I’ve gained. Is it even true?

“Some of it is.”

Twilight let out a short gasp, nearly jolting up into the air.

Oh, right, this is an imaginary domain. He can hear everything I say without me saying it!

“However, If you want the most reliable source, I’m just the deity you need.” The Red Stallion said, pointing a hoof to his face, arrogance full within his voice.

Slowly, the Red Stallion walked past Twilight, and took the book within his magical grasp. He then opened it to the very first page, where the eye seemed to stare at him eerily. He could see a slight tear forming within the eye as he continued to stare at it longer and longer, even though he knew those tears weren’t really real.

“This first lesson,” Twilight muttered as he stared at the book, “Just what is it?” Twilight turned her body over to where Tirek stood, “Is it difficult.”

The Red Stallion tilted his head over to the right ever so slightly before bringing it back up again. “Only if you make it out to be,” he said.

Twilight was going to say something due to his silence, but he eventually turned the book to her and asked, “Can you read the text on the bottom?”

At first, Twilight was confused by his question, because she had already read half of the first page. However, as she looked at it now, the text was entirely different. It was no longer just words, there were symbols mixed with text she could not understand.
She glanced over at the Red Stallion, a look of puzzlement crossing her face as she tilted her head quizzically.

“What is this?” she asked, taking frequent turns glancing over at him and the book, trying her absolute best to not glance at that eye.

“They’re hieroglyphs,” answered the Red Stallion. “They’re used by the Cats in the east.”
Twilight froze. “But… it was just written in pony language when I read it.” she said, “Did you do something to this?”

“Not really,” The Red Stallion answered with a smirk, “You see, the very purpose of an Imaginary domain in the Antediluvian Era was to reveal the truth of something, whether it’d be text or something on the creature’s mind. Deciphering, as you may call it.
These were not written in Pony language, Cadence simply casted a spell to make it seem as if it was written in Pony language.”

“Just how many years of knowledge do you contain?” Twilight asked intently, taking her attention completely off the book.

“As I said before, I have been in that cave for tens of thousands of years. The years before that I was spending through… well, the world.”

Twilight moved closer to the Red Stallion ever so slightly. 'You're not an Alicorn.’ She mentioned. “Is it because of Alchemy that you have been able to live so long?”
The Red Stallion nodded, his smirk only growing wider, “You are correct,” he said, “speaking of Alchemy, let’s get to reading, shall we?”

The Red Stallion then gestured over to the book using his right hoof which Twilight followed blindly onto the book.
“Just look at the shapes… what do you see?’” The Red Stallion asked.
Twilight pointed her hoof at the seven shapes below the eye, dragging it across as she spoke.

“A pony… Goat… a Peacock… a Pig… let’s see, a toad, a Lion… and… a snail?”
“Well done!” The Red Stallion said, giving her a small round of applause. “You actually managed to figure them out. I see you are well inversed in the existence of other animals!”

Twilight stood confused, staring aimlessly at the shapes she had just listed, “I don’t understand,” she said, “What does this mean?”

“These are the seven evil fabrics behind existence, the seven deadly sins.” Answered the Red Stallion.
“No.. these are just animals.” Said Twilight.
“Yes, but it is also the meaning behind those animals that define them as sins,” The Red Stallion said, moving closer between Twilight and the book and pointing his hoof at the first shape.

“That right there is not a pony, but a Changeling. They are from the renaissance era where creatures from the Era before thought to be dead, became new creatures.
Changelings used to be sea creatures called Kelpie, before one bred with the third Alicorn of love, creating a Changeling.
Because creatures are not supposed to breed with beings other than their own, this created a disturbance within their nature, causing them to bind their divisive nature with the Alicorn’s love… which created the first sin: Lust.”

“The first Alicorn of love? But, that can’t be…” Twilight argued back. “Cadence told me the third Alicorn of love sacrificed themselves to create the Crystal Heart.”
“That’s a lie even she is unaware of,” The Red Stallion clapped back, “Also, why are you trusting your mother so much? I thought you resented her.”

Twilight froze for a moment and looked down at the darkness below her.
“Well, it’s not like she’s the worst pony in the world…It’s because of her existence that the Crystal Empire is safe. I don’t love her, but I know she has to live.” she answered, her voice shuddering. “I just… I don't like that I have to be the one to carry out her will. I’m not ready for it, nor am I fit for it.”

“And I assume that’s another reason why u decided to come to me, is it?” The Red Stallion asked in a more sinister tone. “The Great Tales of the God of Death and Rebirth is to grant ancient knowledge. You thought that if you were able to learn how to revert yourself back to a Unicorn, your life would be easier…
And then, you nor your mom would suffer anymore, right?”

Twilight raised her head, a raging fire within her eyes and her teeth gritted. For some reason, even more than she imagined, she hated hearing the red stallion speak of the little affection she had for Cadence.
“Teach me how to do that.” she demanded, her voice carrying a heavier weight.
The Red Stallion’s smirk was as big as it has ever been.

She’s just like him. He mentioned, seeing a mere reflection of Starswirl as he stared deep into her eyes.

To Be Continued!

Author's Note

"Ah yes, my imaginary domain technique, I haven't used this since the Heian Era."

Anyways, hope you enjoyed this chapter.

Chapter 1 - The Red Stallion

It’s so dark…

The young lavender Alicorn hurried her pace through the dark tunnel ever so slightly, a shimmering light surrounding her horn, illuminating the cave ever so slightly. It was too big of a risk to turn tail and run or trot now, as the ponies outside of the cave would be sure to hear, and the magical bursts of her wings whenever she flew would only cause more noise. She held her breath, trying to maintain her labored breathing, her focus dawning on the rocky path in front of her.

The cave was brooding with a mysterious energy, cursing her with frightening illusions of somepony or something lashing out from the darkness. The glimmers of crystals that were positioned on the walls, flashed her eyes continuously, and jagged rocks stuck out of the ground like spears. "Maybe I shouldn't be here." She told herself, but she knew that there was no turning back. What she was searching for was too great to simply turn down.

In this cave is said to be the vulture, otherwise known as The God of Death and Rebirth. It had always been an interesting topic among the ponies of Canterlot, and yet, was only said to be a legend. It seemed too bizarre to seem true. To think that there was a creature that was as powerful as Elohim, that roamed the earth freely In a physical form, haunted the minds of the fillies and colts.

However, Twilight always found it fascinating, even though the ones of the council saw it as a fable and nothing more. She wasn't there for the mere sight, no, she wanted to find the one thing that could bring back something she held dear. Up until now, the thought of reincarnation seemed impossible, but now she seemed closer to it than anypony ever was or could be.

She felt her hooves move faster as the light from the entrance cave grew darker until it was no longer visible. Even then, she felt exposed, like somepony, whether a civilian, friend, or family member, would catch her lurking in this cave. The thought still haunted her even though she was far away from the guards.

As she continued to stroll through the cave, speeding up with each second, constantly looking over her shoulder. The crystals of the cave began to glow more intensely, lighting up the cave even more. Soon enough, there was no need to use the light of her horn, as nearly a thousand shards of crystals, unique in color, shape, and size, set the cave ablaze.

Twilight stood impressed for a moment. Usually, in the Crystal Empire, the color of a crystal depended on the position of Celestia's sun. At daybreak, they were blue, at dusk, they were green, at dawn, they were red, and at Nightfall, they were purple. However, the colors of the crystal didn't match the light outside of this cave. They seemed completely randomized.

"Crystals shone randomly, resembling the colors of daybreak through nightfall," Twilight recited a rumor she had heard just the day before, her voice echoing ever so slightly throughout the cave. "The rumor was no lie. This really is the cave."

Amazed, she continued to walk a bit further, the different colors making her head ache, but she didn't react, she could care less. Nothing could stop her meeting the magical being of this cave, nothing.

A cold air then smacked her right in the face as she arrived at a wide opening in the cave. This part of the cave was unlike any other. The roof ascended even higher with even larger and brighter crystals hanging above. The rocks had also increased in size and the circulator platform that was held by two larger rocks below, leading all the way to the next tunnel, was flat and smooth, crystals surrounding the edges of the platform.

Twilight's eyes sparkled with amazement and she gasped in awe. "This can't be!" She said, flying up, the sounds of a magical burst shrilling through the cave. She flew up to one of the crystals of dawn that hung upside down on the roof, and placed a hoof on it. "The legends were true!" She muttered, and then followed up with a shout of excitement, "This is it, it is… this is… the cave… if that's no myth, then the vulture must be nearby…"

"Who is this vulture you speak of, young one?" A deep, crackling voice emerged from below. Twilight felt her fur shoot up as she turned around. There stood a figure shrouded in a tattered, hooded cloak. It didn’t look like a vulture at all. In fact, its body resembled that of a red stallion, a very old stallion.

The crow's voice echoed through the cave, "Ah, young Twilight Sparkle, you have ventured far. What brings you to this forsaken place?"

"Who are you? How do you know my name?" Twilight asked.

"Don't worry about it." Said the cloaked figure. "The better question would be: why is a young Alicorn roaming around this cave?"

Nervously, Twilight asked, "Are you the God of Death and Rebirth?"

He chuckled, his voice filled with a sense of foreboding. "I am many things, young one. However, that is quite the fitting name for an old stallion with an ability like mine."

Twilight flew down to the man's level, analyzing what little she could see of the stallion's old and wrinkled face. Only his gray, long beard was visible under the hood he tugged so tightly. "You're no vulture," She said, looking at his hooves. "You're just a stallion."

"Vultures and crows feed on the dead, not bring them back. It's Elohim's way of cleansing." The stallion answered, slowly lifting a shivering finger. "I offer a chance for anyone to learn the magic of reviving those who have died and provide knowledge to the living."

"Knowledge of what sort?" Twilight asked.

"Forbidden, ancient magic. Alchemy, they call it." The stallion said.

"Alchemy?" Twilight had heard of that before.

"Yes, dear. Alchemy." The stallion repeated. "Magic like that goes all the way back to the Ice Era."

"But wasn't it buried within the ice?" Twilight asked. "The Elephants buried it within a magical ice that cannot be broke, there's no way any creature could get their hooves—or hands on it."

"That may seem to be the case. However, some of it still remains here, in my grasp." The red stallion turned his gaze over to the tunnel that awaited the deeper depths of the cave. "Alchemy is deep within the forbidden annals of the occult lies an arcane and treacherous art known as magic. The damned thing revolves around the potent life force that flows within every living being—the essence of blood. It is only through the sacrificial act of spilling one's own or another's blood that practitioners tap into the wellspring of unimaginable power. By harnessing the life essence contained within the crimson fluid, I can unlock the ability to manipulate the boundaries between life and death.
The sacrifice of life, either willingly given or forcibly taken, fuels the dark magic and forms the bridge that allows the departed soul to return to the mortal plane.
With the return of the deceased, the practitioner gains access to unattainable knowledge that resides within the realm of the afterlife. This knowledge encompasses forgotten histories, ancient secrets, and insights into the very fabric of existence itself. The user's mind becomes a vessel, flooded with otherworldly wisdom, granting them an understanding that defies the limitations of mortal comprehension. Those who dare to traverse this perilous terrain must confront the shadows within themselves as they dance on the razor's edge of forbidden power."

"Woah—wait—hold on!" Twilight held her hoof out, her mind spinning in circles trying to obsord the bundle of information that the stallion had poured into her brain. "Just how do you have possession of this magic. In fact, why should I trust you?"

The red stallion chuckled once again. "It all awaits in that cave behind me." He said, "The choice of whether you choose to see it for yourself, is up to you, Twilight Sparkle. All of your questions will be answered when the time is right."

Twilight raised an eyebrow. "Just what do you mean: when the time is right?"

"I mean that I will tell you when the time is right." The red stallion confirmed, once again turning his gave over to the cave, this time pointing a finger at it. "But, in order to obtain the right time, you must have the knowledge to understand it. So, go ahead, search deep for the symbol of blood."

Twilight hesitated, her mind racing with possibilities. She knew the dangers of making impulsive decisions, but the allure of unlimited potential was hard to resist. Gathering her courage, she spoke with determination, "Show me."

Tirek's eyes gleamed with an eerie light as he raised a gnarled hand. "So be it, Twilight Sparkle. Your wish is granted. I will say, for an Alicorn like you, this magic won't take very long for you to learn."

"Just how long have you been here?" Asked Twilight, staring at the cave.

"Tens of thousands of years." The red stallion said. "For all those years, I've never had any creature enter this cave."

"I'm glad to be the first." Twilight said, the red stallion smiled in response. In reality, Twilight was conflicted on whether or not she was glad to be his first visitor. His aura was so unbearably eerie and uncomfortable that she was beginning to consider running away. But the truth to all problems was possibly right behind that cave, and there was no way that an Alicorn of her age would give up the chance to learn forbidden magic, rather than spend years learning harder magic spells.

Twilight nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. Even so, the thought of it seemed eerie. She knew she had to wield her newfound abilities with care and thoughtfulness, however, what if she couldn’t? Furthermore, she couldn’t round her head around why she was trusting this stallion so easily. As she began walking towards the tunnel, the stallion's voice followed her, a haunting reminder, "Choose wisely, young Twilight Sparkle, for the path you tread is filled with both light and darkness."

"I will." Replied Twilight.

Just as she took a deep breath and was ready to enter the cave, shouts of her brother calling her name echoed throughout the dungeon. Twilight instantly regretted flapping her wings. "No, the guards have found me!" She murmured, "They've found me!"

"Come back again tomorrow." The stallion urged. "The next time you do, there will be no reason to flap your wings."

"You will be here tomorrow?"

"I'm always here." The stallion replied. "and under no circumstances should you divulge anything about our conversation or our future meetings, understand?"

"Right!" Twilight then began to trot towards the direction of the voices of the tunnel, her mind scrambling for a lie to tell them. Meanwhile, the red stallion smirked and chuckled michevously, a golden bell emerging from his cloak as his glowing eyes shone through his hood.

Chapter End

Author's Note

This is truly one of the chapters that exist