The Shadows of the Everfree
I
“Applebloom, where da you think you’re goin’?!” Applejack shouted after her sister. The little filly only turned around for a quick second, shouting something about skydiving. That stumped Applejack. “What the hay is skydiving’?”
“Only about the most awesome thing ever invented!” Rainbow Dash crashed in. She left in her wake toppled haystacks and a partly broken barn door. She giggled nervously when she saw the mess she had made. “No hard feelings, right?”
“What do you want Rainbow?” Applejack sighed, knowing it would be pointless to argue with the rainbow-maned daredevil.
“I was flying close to the Everfree Forest this morning, making sure no wolves were out for blood or something, when I heard a bone-chilling shriek that sent the birds flying. I wasn’t afraid though,” Rainbow Dash puffed out her chest, buffing a hoof against it.
“If you were so brave, why din't you fly in ta get a look at it?” Applejack joked. Rainbow Dash instantly lost all of her wind and bravado, looking down and blushing. “It’s alright sugarcube, not everyone has to be brave all the time.”
“I kicked a dragon in the face,” Rainbow sighed, “But this was something out of this world.”
“GIRLS!” A loud shriek was heard from outside the farm.
“That sounded like Fluttershy,” Applejack picked up her ears. “That don’t make a lick o' sense. Fluttershy is always so quiet.”
“We should go see what the problem is,” Rainbow Dash jumped up, flaring her wings. “Go get Twilight. I can handle Fluttershy.” She zoomed out the barn door, leaving a rainbow trail as she went. Applejack followed at her best speed, heading towards the town of Ponyville, a buzz of activity in the noon day sun.
Applejack arrived in town, out of breath but not stopping her gallop. She spotted ponies heading towards the town hall and decided it would be best to follow them. Rounding the corner, she spotted the Princess of the Sun, Celestia standing in front of a large, scared crowd.
“Calm, everypony! What Fluttershy has seen is no threat,” Celestia shouted, her voice magnified by magic. “I urge everypony to return home while I and the Royal Guards handle this matter. There is no need for alarm.”
Standing next to Celestia were Luna, Twilight, and Spike. Rainbow Dash was off to one side, standing over Fluttershy, who was either asleep or had fainted. There was no sign of either Pinky Pie or Rarity for the moment, but Applejack knew they had to be somewhere close by.
Everypony in the square heeded Celestia’s warning, turning around and quietly returning to their houses, murmuring. Applejack pushed herself through the crowd, fighting against the current, toward the grand stand where her friends were arguing.
Celestia was talking to Luna off to the side while Twilight and Rainbow Dash were arguing over what should be done. “Girls, stop arguing!” Applejack pushed the two mares apart when they both knocked heads together. “What in the name o’ Celestia is going on here?”
“It’s bad, really bad,” Twilight muttered to herself, looking at her mentor. “Celestia seems very nervous. I have never seen her nervous. I don’t know what is going on and Fluttershy…” Twilight crouched on the ground, covering her head and shaking. “I don’t know what to do. What can I do?”
“You need to calm down sugarcube,” Applejack hushed her. “You heard Celestia. Let her and the Royal Guard take care of it.” Without warning, a large stallion landed next to her. He was an earth pony, which made the fact that he had fallen from the sky even more surprising. Then Applejack noticed his scythe and his armour.
“Well shucks,” Applejack grinned. “How have you been Night Blade? I wish you would visit more often or at least give us some message of how you been doin.”
The stallion remained silent and stoic, glancing over his shoulder at another pony, a Pegasus this time. His dark blue coat and light blue main told Applejack all she needed to know about who the stallion was.
“Hey there Galeful Knight! How’s it hanging?” Rainbow Dash flew over to the Pegasus. They both seemed perfect together, especially with their quick to action without thought styles. But Galeful Knight had a thing for Fluttershy.
“Rainbow,” Gale sighed, his voice high pitched but full of authority. “Now is not the time. There is definitely a lot going on here and we need to be focused on our job.”
“Twilight, are you all right?” Celestia asked, her voice again filled with compassion. She rested herself next to her prone pupil, putting a wing over her for comfort. “Do not worry my pupil, this is not something I will make you have to face alone this time. Or face at all. The Elements will be of no use to us against the beasts Fluttershy has seen.”
“Sister, Black Paladin has returned,” Luna coughed. Applejack looked over his shoulder, seeing the leader of the trio of stallions walk up from his shadowy hiding place. His brown coat was brushed and in tidy order, which Applejack always found strange with all the sneaking around he did.
“Yes, General Paladin?” Celestia looked up, not moving from her pupil’s side. Black Paladin bowed along with Galeful Knight and Night Blade.
“You know I do not like being called General, even if I do wear the armour for it,” Paladin sighed, his voice whispy. “The beast. It is as we feared your highness. I believe they were again awakened with the release of Discord. I do not believe the resealing this time did anything to them. The roam free through the Everfree Forest. I came across much carnage.”
“Princess Celestia,” Twilight mumbled, her voice hoarse,” What… what is happening?”
“Your magic is picking up on the dark magic of the beasts. You are not attuned to it,” Black Paladin answered for Celestia. The sun princess shot Paladin a death glare, though the stalwart unicorn did not move.
“Why aint any of the other unicorns like Twi?” Applejack demanded. Twilight cringed, covering her ears.
“It has to do with her energy and the attunement to the Element of Magic,” Black Paladin responded from the side of Princess Luna. He locked eyes with Applejack. For a moment nopony spoke as the two glared at each other. Applejack always had problems when it came to trusting Black Paladin. There were to many unanswered questions about him.
“Calm down dear,” A pristine voice calmed Applejack. “Black Paladin means good in his actions. He just is simply dreadful when being social.”
“Rarity,” Spike started floating, hearts in his eyes. Rarity didn’t notice because Pinky Pie swatted him down. “Ow! What was that for Pinky Pie?”
“Shhhhh! It’s story time!” Pinky Pie shouted before sitting in front of Luna like a little filly. She had a bag of popcorn and a drink with her. “Continue on Princess.”
“Thank you Pinkie Pie,” Luna giggled at the pink pony’s shenanigans. “To speak of these creatures, you must first understand what they are and where they originated from.
“Long ago, when Discord ruled Equestria and her denizens, a darkness swept across the realm that Discord could not himself control. Even today, nopony truly knows who or what was the cause of it. From this darkness arose beasts of ancient power and terrifying size and speed.
“We named them Darklings, for their love of the shadows and secrecy. They are hunters one and all. To say they are savage beasts who have no consideration of anything else other than the kill is to find yourself dead before you can even know they are upon you. There intelligence far surpasses any I have seen before, even Celestia’s.
“They know everything about our history, which is a far greater concern. Because we do not yet know their true goal here in Equestria, we are merely foals trying to outplay grown adults. They have been silent for well over 4 thousand years, since the fall of Discord. They have still been around and stray nestlings have been found before, but the main population seemed to no longer exist.”
“So, these Darklings?” Applejack scratched her head, confused. “They… uh… are carnivores then? Like dragons?”
“There teeth are like swords,” Night Blade speculated, shifting on his hoofs a bit. “There claws are axes that can cut straight through gems. But, the strangest part about them is that they have no eyes. They rely solely on their other senses, which are well developed. They know we are here already.”
“I’m sure I can outrun them!” Rainbow Dash boasted. “I’m the fastest thing in all of Equestria. Nothing can even touch me.”
“You may be fast, but I doubt that will help,” Galeful Knight cautioned, chuckling. He had gotten Fluttershy to open her eyes a bit, but she was still out of it. “They will corner you, cut off your ability of strength and use it against you.”
“How do you all know this stuff?” Twilight asked weakly from beneath her mentors wings.
“They appeared once or twice,” Black Paladin sighed, leaning against the town hall. “We were lucky that we work well together and understand how to fight our enemies, or else we would be dead. They show no mercy, those Darklings.”
“They sound simply horrid,” Rarity shook her head, eyes closed. “I’m disgusted just thinking about such a beast. How can anything so ghastly exist?”
“Angel…” A small voice murmered. Applejack turned her head to see Fluttershy crying into Galeful Knight’s shoulder. She instantly rushed over, resting beside Gale along with all the other ponies.
“What happened sugarcube?” AJ quietly questioned, leaning in close.
“Those… those monsters,” She put hysterically. “Th…they… took… Angel. I… they… eaten me.”
“Great,” Galeful Knight sighed. “Shush Fluttershy. Everything is going to be just fine. Please listen to me. You must under all circumstances not go into shock. Ok?” Fluttershy nodded, her eyes wide and terrified. “I do not think Angel is coming back.”
Fluttershy shuddered, before totally breaking down in a crying fit. She threw herself against Galeful Knight, crying into his shoulder while he just held her close. He had known how important Angel was to Fluttershy.
“Where are these things?” Rainbow Dash shouted angrily. “I am going to teach them not to mess with my friends!”
“That is ill logic,” Black Paladin pointed out to Rainbow Dash. “We already told you, nothing will stop them. At least, nothing you can do.”
“Oh yeah! And how would you know that?” Rainbow demanded, hovering in front of Black Paladin’s face.
“Because I have seen to many arrogant Pegasi die to those things,” Black Paladin stated, his voice cold. “So Rainbow Dash, I do not wish to see another of my friends die to the hands of those beasts.”
“Oh…” Rainbow blushed, turning around and turned a bright red in the face. “Well, who said I needed you to look after me.”
“Rainbow, dear, please calm down,” Rarity attempted to soothe her. “I am sure Paladin meant no disrespect to you.”
“Where is your sister Rarity?” Night Blade suddenly asked. “Or yours, Applejack. Neither of them were at the town meeting.”
“Nor did I see them around Ponyville when I looked around,” Galeful Knight spoke up.
“You don’t think…” Applejack looked over to Rarity.
“Oh no…” Rarity looked about ready to faint. “No… nononononono. They couldn’t have.”
Applejack instantly started to think what Applebloom could have meant by skydiving. The only place they could jump from into something soft would have been near the Everfree Forest in Froggy Bottom Swamp.
“Princess Celestia!” Applejack and Rarity both realized that there sisters were in danger. “I think our sisters may be in danger. You must let us go and help them.” Applejack got out before Rarity.
“Absolutely not,” Celestia stated. “I cannot allow the users of the Elements to put themselves in such a risk. You must be here in case Equestria is attacked by any other foe. The Elements may be no use to us in the coming battle, but you should know that it is only because I care for you greatly that I dare not any of you leave.”
“Do not worry Celestia,” Black Paladin bowed. “My team can handle this.”
A roar split the air. It was only just beginning.
