Author's Note

I noticed some story flaws that needed improving, so I'm restarting. Hopefully it turns out better this time.

Prelude

White. That was all Twilight could make out in the corners of her vision. The scent of grass and other vegetation permeated her nostrils. Her heart pounded, reverberating through sensitive ears as her gaze veered between two unknowns. The animals before her were reminiscent of wolves, yet unlike timber, which she was accustomed to, their structure composed itself of flesh and bone, protruding jagged, mangy tufts of fur. A young girl draped in cloth sat frozen idly by, paralyzed in terror under a tall, lanky tree. The Alicorn couldn't blame her. Locking onto the beasts of prey, they bared their fangs, lips dripping with a hunger too long unsatiated. Twilight truly believed it was the end for them both, and then...Something changed. Folding back their ears, whimpering in contrition, three emaciated canines approached, nuzzling the girl's chin in an act of affectionate prayer. It was then that Twilight understood. The poor things were driven not by malice, but desperation. They were suffering - suffering from starvation. They only desired what was necessary to keep themselves breathing, yet such a dramatic shift gave the Alicorn pause. Why had they halted? Why did they stop when the opportunity to acquire sustenance presented itself? Was the child next to her somehow responsible?

"Did she...Is this her doing...!?"

The corners of light grew brighter. Twilight's vision obscured, blocking the nameless world from view. It was already clear the dimension in question was not her own. It was somewhere else far, far away. She found herself wondering if she would ever see this mysterious realm again, though odds were unlikely. Her mind raced with questions she assumed would go unanswered, and the mare believed it would always be that way, but life has a strange way of surprising people when they least expect it. Such a gift would come to her in the form of one she knew quite well.

Amongst the stars of the astral plane, Luna glided between galaxies. Some teemed with life while others were devoid, though one thing remained true. Dreams transcended the boundaries of time and space. In the realm of reality's subconscious, all things were possible. This was how natural law dictated the mind function. Nightmares, no matter how vivid or corporeal, never bled into the waking world. Upon arriving in the Milky Way, this notion was put to its ultimate test.

"What in our sister's name...!?"

Nine planets aligned around a cosmic ball of fire. Like Equus, Earth had a sun of its own, yet the dark shroud cast blocked over said star's life-sustaining rays. The princess could no longer deny malevolent forces were amiss. An attempt was at play to smother the planet from within.

"How can this be!? This evil I'm sensing...How could it have reached so far, and so quickly as well!?"

Shadows crawled across oceans like black fire, erupting in geysers of volcanic ash and soot. Boundless energy consumed everything, threatening to expand beyond its native borders. Countless cries of agony echoed in a deafening cacophony of anguish. Humanity was haunted, but by what, they knew not. Even the reaper would not be able to set them free.

"This is too terrible! I must warn 'Tia right away!"