The Dark Ones

I opened my eyes, only to find I was no longer in the stairway camp with Bourbon. Instead, I was back in the void-like room from before... except instead of a piercing light, all that met my gaze was sheer darkness.

As I continued my observation of this peculiar environment, a single light rose far into the distance of the pervasive void. It persisted in its futile attempt to shed light upon this shrouded plane of existence, and as it did, more of its kind began to peer from the ethereal horizon.

Soon there came to be millions of them, dotting the void, casting dim rays as they appeared. A familiar pounding returned to my head...

Art thou the one they refer to as Artyom?

*I take it you are yet another to invite yourself to my thoughts, and not the first one?*

Ah, is the Griffin tongue of your preference? So be it. To reply to thy inquiry, indeed, We are not the one whom has contacted ye before.

*In this case, what business do you have with me, strange one? Is there more in need of saying?*

We wondered what Our sister observed in thee. Be advised, She places great faith in thee. On the other hoof… art thou indeed a foal amongst thy kin?

*Is my age a problem?*

No, no, young Artyom, perish the thought! ‘tis not a hindrance to thy cause in the slightest; thy inexperience is, in fact, a valuable tool in paving the road of thy apprenticeship. We are merely curious.

*If the safety of Exhibition lies within the protection the six the other spoke of, then you needn't worry, strange one. Their lives shall be as protected as my own.*

Very well, young one. We shall take Our leave with less of a burden over Our heart’s withers. May good fortune fall upon thee.

*I wish you the same.*

The radiance of the area began to fall away, one orb at a time. With every light that left, the pounding in my head lessened gradually, until it eventually subsided altogether, leaving no trace of its existence, and I was left to wonder what path I was being shepherded into. Where would it lead, and what were these magnanimous beings capable of bending the reality of dreams planning?

As the thoughts flowed by, I questioned if maybe, just maybe, my own mind was playing tricks on me.

-----~~~/)(~~~-----<

Solemn. That was the only word to accurately express the air of emotions around Ponyville. Since the disappearance of Equestria’s newest Princess, along with the other bearers of the Elements of Harmony, the entirety of Ponyville became less and less joyous. Even the littlest colts and fillies became downtrodden in their absence.

But Ponyville was not the only place infected with morose. In a familiar throne room, in a familiar castle within a familiar capital, a certain unicorn was addressing their vanishing act with one of the two diarchs. "But there must be something you can do!” he shouted, and immediately adopted a contrite stance after realizing it. “… I'm sorry, Princess, but I worry for Twilight; if she is in danger..."

"I can assure you, Captain Armor, that Princess Twilight Sparkle and the Elements are safe,” Celestia told the stallion before her. “Believe me when I say their absence is justified, and we have ways to eventually bring your sister and her friends back to Equestria… but this development is going to take some time, until they are done with their mission."

"I...” Shining Armor didn’t look reassured. “Forgive me, Your Highness, I know I shouldn't have exploded like that, Princess. I understand your priorities." That he actually didn’t went unsaid.

"It is quite alright Captain; I know what it is like to lose a sibling, no matter for how long,” the white royal said. “Perhaps there may be a way to help calm your nerves in the meantime."

He looked up with hope. "Yes, Princess?"

"If you are too worried for Twilight to bear the feeling, go see my sister; she may be able to help you. Ask for her assistance on the matter during Night Court."

The captain bowed, feeling it was more than he could have asked for. "Thank you, princess Celestia. And… I’m sorry for the intrusion."

Celestia glanced at the slight scrape marks on the path of the doors her subject had slammed open on his way in. Nothing some polish couldn’t fix. "As I said before, Shining Armor, it is alright,” she cooed to the pony before her, not addressing him by his rank anymore. “You care for your sister, and it is only natural to be concerned."

-----~~~/)(~~~-----<

Twilight Sparkle woke up to no visibility or cold, smooth stone floor beneath her. As she looked around she called out for her friends. "Applejack?" She was met with silence. "Rarity?" No response. "Rainbow Dash?" The only sound she heard was her voice. "Pinkie Pie?" More silence. "Fluttershy?" Silence. "Girls?" Silence. Starting to feel afraid, she tried another idiom entirely. *Khan?* Silence. There was a pattern here, but she refused to acknowledge it. It was scary to think of it.

"… anypony?" she pleaded quietly, but like all the other times, as soon as the words left her mouth, they dissipated without the slightest echo, and the world was once again deathly quiet save for her own breathing. Just as she was about to give up hope of not being alone in… wherever she was, a figure emerged from the shrouded expanse.

"Twily, is that you?" came an all too familiar voice.

"SHINY!!” Without a second thought, the mare galloped straight for her BBBFF and crashed into him, wrapping her forelegs around the other pony in a massive hug, an action magnified by her size being the same as that of the recently arrived stallion. After nuzzling his cheek for a second or two, and receiving a tender noogie in turn, she broke it and faced one of the ponies she loved the most in the world. “Where are we? The last thing I remember was talking to Khan before going to bed..."

Shining Armor smiled. "Don't worry, you're just asleep, and Princess Luna linked our subconscious selves so we could chat a bit.” His nose rankled a bit in confusion. “Who’s Khan, by the way?"

"Oh! He’s a human from the Metro, a hermit I think. He gave us shelter for the night, and we’re following him for now."

If the Royal Guard turned Prince of the Crystal Empire wasn’t befuddled before, he certainly was now. "He's what from where?"

Twilight blushed. In her excitement of the reunion, she had forgotten her brother might have no idea what she was talking about. "Er, this may take a while to explain..."