Twilight walks along the edge of the Everfree Forest, checking that everything is in order. For the past few days no unicorn has been able to use magic, even the princesses have been having problems, as a message from Celestia had explained. Though what makes Twilight worry more than the lack of magic, which does have her pretty rattled, is the end of Celestia's letter. In it she told Twilight that Princess Luna had gone into a deep sleep, and she hasn't woken up. Sometimes she thinks she hears noise from her room, but when she checks there is no change.
"Twilight, you should go home. You unicorns have been havin' a mighty hard time since ya'lls magic stopped working."
"Applejack, I know it may not help, but I can't help walking here. The Everfree Forest has always been the mysterious place filled with magic and evil we don't understand. I can't imagine something so terrible would come from anywhere else. But I don't know how to find out whats going on. This is just so frustrating!" Twilight stomps her hoof.
"Come on sugarcube, lets go back and find a book for you to read." Twilight sighs and follows Applejack back to Ponyville. When they reach the library they find the other girls waiting for them.
"What's going on?" Twilight frowns.
"Twilight!" Spike runs up to her, holding a letter. He opens it and she reads it allowed.
"Dear Twilight, something has happened. Luna has disappeared, and a darkness seems to be overtaking the land. I need you and your friends to prepare for the worst. Whatever has been going on, it's beginning to take action, and I fear we will soon be in the midst of great turmoil. Stay sharp, and stay safe. Princess Celestia."
"Twilight, I don't understand!"
"I don't either... But Celestia is right. we need to prepare for anything. Whatever is going on, it's about to make its move, and we can't be caught unprepared. Spike, get my quill and some paper, we need to get to work..."
It's dark in Ponyville. Celestia's letter arrive several days ago, but despite letters from Twilight, she hasn't heard anything new from the princess. Now the sun hasn't risen today, and Twilight, as she paces in her room, watching the window, wonders what could have possibly happened.
"Twilight, come on, I'm sure the princess is so busy fixing things she just hasn't had time to raise the sun. Nothing could have happened to her. I mean, come on, her magic is so powerful!"
"Spike, she hasn't done the thing that is her purpose! Princess Luna is gone, and so is Princess Celestia! I can't use magic, and this darkness is more than just a nighttime darkness. It has an foreboding feeling to it."
"Twilight...."
"TWILIGHT!" Suddenly Rainbow Dash flies in.
"Whats wrong? what happened?"
"Some ponies just appeared in town! Come on!" Twilight runs out and follows Rainbow Dash to where a group of ponies are lying on the ground, unconscious. She walks over and nudges one gently. Suddenly the pony seems to wake up.
"What... What is going on?" One pony stands. Even in the darkness Twilight can see this is no ordinary mare.
"An alicorn... Are you a princess?"
"Princess..." The pony looks at Twilight. "It feels as though its been so long since I've heard someone call me a princess." The pony looks at the three others on the ground. "Where are we... Everything seems so hazy. We were in a war, and I came here, and... I can't remember."
"A war? What?"
"Wait... I think..." The pony shuts her eyes, spreads her wings, and lifts her head. Everypony watches her, curious and worried. A light emanates from her horn. Suddenly the darkness disappears from the town. Everypony can finally see clearly, and they see the beautiful pony in front of them properly. She has a white coat, and a red mane and tail which cascade down like tumbling waves, and beautifully sad blue eyes. Her coat is dirtied, even bloody, and her mane and tail seem torn up a bit. Twilight looks at the mare's cutie mark, it's a sword pointed down in front of a shield, bearing a heart for a crest.
"Who are you...?" Twilight quietly asks.
"My name is Angel Heart. This land... this land has changed since I've been sleeping, but I remember now."
"Changed? Sleeping?"
"the forest was larger, the tree's tall. I remember now. Our war, we were winning."
"War?"
"Young one, I am the daughter of an ancient kingdom. We had a great war in our land, ponies fighting, creatures killing us all, evil spreading its lies. I remember now what happened to me. I had come here, the place of great magic once, to speak with the king of our enemies, to arrange his surrender. But my servants..." She looks at the other ponies, who are all beat up, wearing metal armor that bear the strange heart crested shield, like the one that creates Angel's cutie mark, as their symbol. "We were overpowered, it was an attack using the power of the forest, and stealing the power, and even some lives, of his own army. He thought he would kill me, but I also drew upon the power of the forest, and it must have saved me, allowing myself and my servants to disappear, sleeping until his magic would call us forth again. But with the changes... that pony can't be alive today. He was but a normal unicorn, despite his great deal of power."
"Princess, I never heard of the war you're talking about."
"I understand. perhaps I've been asleep longer than I thought. But our war was a great one, and many ponies died during it. I must speak with a leader. Who is your leader?"
"Princess Celestia, but..."
"Celestia... I don't know her."
"WHAT!?" Everypony is shocked.
"Princess Celestia has ruled for thousands of years!"
"Thousands... then I must have been asleep for longer than I thought." She walks around, looking at everything. "If I've been awakened though then somepony knows of the war. If they hope to gain me as an ally, then I wonder what kind of pony your Celestia is." she looks at Twilight. "I don't wish to speak anymore out here. I ask you care for my servants. They earned their rest. Our sleep was not one where we could recover from our injuries, but merely one meant to keep us from death's grasp."
"Princess, I don't understand whats going on. if you're from a time before even Princess Celestia..."
"What is your name?"
"Oh, um, Twilight. Twilight Sparkle."
"Miss Sparkle, as I said, I do not wish to speak out here anymore. I am tired myself. After all, I was nearly killed."
"Oh, uh, r-right. Um... Hey, girls, lets go back to my house."
"alright. And you ponies, take care of these soldiers!" Applejack adds, looking at some of the others. they nod, and the six leave with their strange new guest. They go to Twilight's and she is led upstairs so she can rest on Twilight's bed. she lies on it and looks at the six, who are eager to learn more of this strange, ancient princess.
"Princess Angel, what was your land called?"
"We were the ponies known as the protectors of love and dreams. We called our land Eternia, and I was the princess of our land. My father and mother ruled until their untimely death at the hands of the head of our council."
"How horrible."
"Yes, that was their attempt to take over. And that is when the war began. There was no time for me to become queen, not officially. I took over, and led my little ponies into a battle that should never have happened. If the war is unknown, then most ponies must have died quickly, or all agreed to erase its horror from the past to protect the future. My cousin, I wonder..."
"Cousin?"
"I had a cousin, she ruled in a land far away. It did not grow in peace like ours had for so long. If there was to be something done to protect the future from our war, then it was done by her."
"This is amazing. History, secret history, from a princess who was before Celestia!"
"How do we know this is all true though? This here pony could very well be lying."
"I could be. but I'm not."
"If yer from such a long time ago then how come you talk like you're from our time? Language changes over time you know!"
"I suppose. But if your princess didn't come too far after me, then, perhaps, the language of my time was passed on to them, and they have carried it on since then."
"um, Princess, if... if I could..." Fluttershy stutters, though she's so quiet no one seems to hear her. But Angel looks at her.
"Yes?"
"Oh! Um... if... if the other side won, then, how come they didn't tell the story still? I mean..."
"Perhaps they didn't win. To use the magic of the forest without proper care and respect for it, that would cause great injury. And if that old pony didn't properly prepare his attack, he may have fallen victim to his own trap. what happened after that I don't know. But, in order to wake me up... his magic is required to awaken me. Some pony, a descendent perhaps, knows of the great powers we once held, and wanted to bring it back, so it seems."
"That must be whats causing all these problems."
"Problems?"
"Yes. You see, us unicorns haven't been able to use any magic. Even our princesses have been having trouble using magic."
"I see. that isn't good. It may very well be that your magic has been drained."
"Drained?"
"To break a spell created using the forests mystical powers, that would take great power, and may steal the power of other ponies, like was done in order to cast the spell in the first place. when you recover you may gain your power back, but I'm not sure what is going on myself. Perhaps, there may be a new war about to begin."
"What?"
"you don't really think..."
"The princess hasn't been answering Twilights letters..."
"Maybe..."
"She couldn't have been..." Twilight stays silent, taking in the possibilities now brought before her.
"Ponies, for now rest. when I am recovered I will find your lost princess. Good or bad, you will know, and move forward."
"No... No, I have to go now!" Twilight turns and runs.
"Twilight! you can't get up..." The door slams shut. Twilight is gone.
"Twilight might get hurt if she tries to run to Canterlot."
"We can't let her go!"
"but can we really chase her down and stop her?"
"I can't leave, not so soon."
"Apple Bloom will get worried."
"Ponies..." Angel gets off the bed and stands. "If she is so worried, then I will use what strength I have to find the truth. come, follow me. until we find what is happening, you five will be my new soldiers. I ask little other than loyalty and quick action. listen well, and if she is in danger, then we may save your princess yet." Angel walks downstairs, the others in tow, and headed outside. Already her magic had faded, and the darkness grabs at the ponies with a fierceness they hadn't experienced before. "Do not let the darkness fool you. It is the after effects of the spell, nothing more. Come now, we must hurry." They run, soon catching up to Twilight, who had been caught in the darkness.
"Miss Twilight..." Twilight spins around and smiles at the sight of these ponies.
"Twilight!" Spike runs up and hugs her.
"A dragon, i hadn't even noticed." Angel smiles, then continues walking. "Come on, we have a great deal of work to do, and little time. Now, tell me, where is this Canterlot?" As they walk Angel's horn keeps a light around them, and on the path ahead of them.
"It's on top of the mountain near by."
"The mountain... I see." She smiles. "Tell me ponies, do you know what the name of the mountain is? Or rather, what it was, since it may have changed in your time."
"Umm..."
"Uh..."
"wait!" Twilight smiles. "I remember! I heard it in an old ponies tale what it used to be called. It was Equestria, right?" Angel nods.
"Yes."
"But thats what our land is called now."
"Yes, that legend was supposed to have been where the founding ponies got the name from. One name of unity between us all to call our land our own."
"I get it. So, wait... This is from an old legend right?"
"Yeah... wait! Thats it!" Twilight stops, and so does the group. "The legend of the land before all, where pony kingdoms were supposed to have sprouted from. That was really this land?"
"I suppose it is. What does this legend say?"
"It says that the ponies came from here, all kinds, and this kingdom was the first, and the strongest. But because of its strength, those with greedy hearts continually attempted to take it for themselves, and though peaceful times were filled with amazing memories and advancements, the wars that would happen would destroy the land and the people bit by bit. Thats why ponies spread out. They left and created new countries, some were peaceful, some were on the verge of internal war."
"Yes, that is what happened. the peaceful countries were small, and few. The next largest country was one filled with distrust and hatred. Each pony clan wanted nothing to do with the others."
"That sounds like what it was like before we came here. like the story we tell during Hearth's Warming."
"Then that country Princess Angel is talking about must be where we come from."
"This is so cool!"
"And confusing!" Pinkie cheerfully adds.
"Confusing isn't a good thing Pinkie."
"It isn't? I'm so confused!"
"Ponies, we must hurry. I will take you through a passage that few would know of." They continue walking, heading for Mt. Equestria. The ponies begin to tire though, and soon Rarity stops.
"I can't go any further! Im so tired!"
"Little one..." Angel walks over to her. "If you are tired now, with such a short walk, then what will you do when war calls upon you to run vast distances and fight?"
"I don't want to fight!"
"Believe me, neither do I. However, you must prepare. We will find soon that war is to begin, and all of you will be asked to do things you would never have dreamed of. War means death, and soon that shall be a song you will sing, though you may never enjoy it." Angel uses her magic and lifts Rarity, and the others, up. She continues walking, allowing the ponies to rest. finally they reach the mountain, and the ponies are all set down.
"What now Princess?"
"Be patient." She places her hoof on the wall, and suddenly it swings in, the rock scraping the ground beneath it. They walk in, and all six ponies, plus spike, are surprised. Inside the mountain is an entire city.
"Woah."
"How awesome is this?!" Rainbow Dash flies up, looking around.
"This is my home. The capital of Eternia, Equestria. Our city was filled with many things, many beautiful buildings, happy ponies. But now..." Angel looks at the buildings, many collapsed and turned to dust. She then looks up at the castle, carved out of the mountain itself.
"This place is amazing. I wonder if Princess Celestia or Princess Luna knew about this place."
"Perhaps, but perhaps not. Magic can not find this place, nor bring you into it."
"What?"
"why?"
"To protect us." Angel walks forward, heading to some stairs. "If anypony could just appear and disappear as they pleased then we might be in trouble. There was a spell cast on the inside of the mountain, over our city. No magic could look within, nor bring you in. You had to use one of the entrances. I only know of one time where this magic spell was broken."
"Really?"
"Yes. There was a creature who appeared in my room. He was nothing more than a baby, but something had brought him to me."
"I see. What kind of creature was he?"
"To be honest, I don't know if his kind would have even of had a name. They were hunted and destroyed long ago, before I knew of their existence. He was an orphan himself. A creature made of a great mixture of others, filled with magic beyond measure.
"that actually sounds really familiar."
"Yeah, doesn't it?" they start talking. When they reach the stairs they stop.
"We aren't climbing all the way up there... are we?" Twilight asks.
"No. Watch." She again puts her hoof to the wall, and it opens, revealing a large, round, empty room. they walk in, and the door closes. the floor shakes a little, then starts moving, going up.
"What... this is amazing!"
"I am glad to see the magic of this place can be revived." Twilight looks up at Angel, who is watching the walls disappear below them.
"Princess... Everypony you know is gone, aren't they?"
"Yes, save for the stallions who traveled here with me. I do not believe I will find anypony else who I might know."
"I'm sorry Princess. To lose everypony you know..."
"I will be fine dear Sparkle..."
"Please, call me Twilight."
"Twilight. I will be fine. I have no regrets in that life. I left it protecting those around me, and that is all I need to know. Now, tell me more of this legend."
"Oh, the legend. Well, its said that in the greatest war of the old land the pony king and queen had a daughter who was to rule soon. But she never got the chance to become queen, because her parents were killed at the start of the war, and she had to lead her fellow ponies in battle. She disappeared though, just as her side was to win. They faltered, but someponies took control, and they once again began to defeat the other side. Finally they won, but the land, they felt, was cursed, because nopony had ever lived there without feeling the pain of war, so they left, and the land was supposed to be lost. But after talking with you I know that the legend was talking about where we are now!"
"It seems to be as you say." Suddenly they stop, and the wall opens. "come ponies, we are near the top of the castle. Let us find our way to your Princess's castle." They walk across the dusty floor. Angel flaps her wings occasionally, clearing a great deal of dust. What they see beneath it is a beautiful design, one so elegant and intricate that it must have been the floor of the castle. Finally they reach a wall and she puts her hoof again on it. The wall opens up, and they find themselves in Canterlot. They walk out, and Angel increases the power of her light, revealing a scene nopony wanted to see.
"AHHH!"
"NO!" around they see blood, destroyed buildings, even a few motionless bodies.
"Yes, it has begun. Come, and stay close. We mustn't be separated, for enemies may still haunt this place." She continues walking, and the seven follow her, feeling sick, and ready to cry. None of them had ever seen something so terrible. They get to the castle and walk in, no guards to stop them. as they walk all of them begin to worry more.
"Please, Celestia..." Twilight quietly says. Suddenly they hear talking. Twilight, without hesitating, runs to it.
"Twilight!"
"Twi!" The ponies and spike chase her, but Angel sighs.
"I pray it is a friend you are chasing." She follows. Twilight bursts into a room, and there she sees Celestia and a room full of ponies.
"PRINCESS!" Twilight runs up to Celestia, crying.
"Twilight, what..." the others walk in, Angel last of all.
"So, this is your princess. Celestia, correct?"
"Yes. And who are you?" Celestia frowns, not trusting the strange pony.
"My name is Angel Heart." She walks forward. The ponies around watch her, surprised to see another alicorn. "I was awoken by whatever force is waging war against your ponies."
"Awoken?"
"Princess, you know the old legend of the lost land? With all the wars?" Celestia nods.
"Of course. Luna and I were told the story many times by our mother when we were fillies."
"The princess in the story is Princess Angel." Everypony looks at Angel differently now.
"Yes. I am the princess who was to become queen. I was sealed away long ago, but the magic being used now, it is the same magic that was used to seal me away. Somehow the colt who waged the final war is back, and his magic brought my few soldiers and myself back from our eternal sleep. Now he wages war on you, wanting this land."
"We know there is war being waged, but it was a mare who showed herself to me. A young one, with a red coat and black and white mane and tail. she was a unicorn, but she was certainly female."
"I see. Perhaps..." she looks at the ponies around. many are normal citizens of Canterlot, and there are some soldiers. "Everypony, prepare yourselves. As you all must now know, there is no safe place for you."
"We can't fight!"
"We're too important for that!"
"We'll get dirty!"
"I might ruin my hair." Angel glares at them, making them all go quiet.
"What a bunch of fools. your pride and looks mean nothing once you die. You can be the most beautiful pony in the world, but when death comes for you, then your body will turn back to dust like all the rest, never to be praised or even looked at by anything but the insects that wish to devour you." she looks at Celestia. "You need to be present for your kingdom. Without their leader, the ponies will feel helpless, and even the bravest will be willing to surrender. Stand tall Celestia, for war will try to bow your head in shame." She then walks out.
"Wait! Princess Angel! Where are you going?" Twilight asks.
"This darkness is bothering me, and must be scaring the ponies all around. I'll need to disperse it."
"Wait." Celestia follows her. "I can help with that." Angel smiles and nods.
"I would appreciate that." they walk out together, and after a minute light shines brightly outside. Everypony runs out, and all are glad to see the sun shining, and the darkness receding into the distance. Suddenly Angel collapses.
"Princess!" Twilight runs over, along with Applejack and Fluttershy.
"It's alright." Angel stands again. "I'm just tired. I need to rest a bit."
"That's right. you didn't get the chance to rest back in ponyville. somepony..." Applejack looks at Twilight. "was in too much of a rush."
"Uh, heh, sorry about that..."
"It's alright. you were worried. I just need some time to rest and recover, and then I will be ready to help."
"Of course. Come, this way. We'll..."
"No, not out here. Twilight..." Angel looks at Twilight. "I will find my room in my castle, and you will lead the rest of these ponies to my castle. Just put your hoof up to the wall, and it will open." she then walks away.
"Princess... Alright! Everypony! Please get some things from your homes and the stores. We are going into the mountain, where there is a hidden city."
"A city IN the mountain?"
"Twilight, we've checked before. There is nothing." Celestia says.
"We came through it though!" Rarity says.
"Yeah. The princess says there is a magic spell that protects it. maybe that's why you never found it before."
"I see. Well then, lets go. hurry everypony. We don't have time to waste." The ponies all run, getting their things...
