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All characters copyrighted to their original owners, and used for non-profit amusement reasons.
Constructive criticism strongly supported.

Thousands of years ago, before the reign of Celestia or Luna, before Discord or Sombra, the ancient tribes all fought countless centuries for control over Equestria. The six tribes: The Pegasi, the Unicorns, the Earth Ponies, the Dragons, the Gryphons, and the Beast races had not yet learned the virtues of companionship. When the war had finally come to a stalemate, a dark power seized control.

Using his malice, the centaur dread lord, Tirek, usurped power from the dragons, and used them to win the war for his own gain. The populace was in a state of crisis. Tirek's abuse knew no bounds, and with his draconian subordinates, the people were defenseless against him. Those who still clung to their gods prayed for a savior.

In the golden halls of Elysium, the gods heeded their calls. A sacred blade was forged, focusing the powers of Kindness to end cruelty, Laughter to end depression, Loyalty to end betrayal, Generosity to end greed, Honesty to end lies. These powers combined within the sword to create a powerful magic, one that can only be achieved by all five of the other powers in unison with each other, Perfect Harmony.

The chief god, Solaris, wished to take the blade and cast Tirek down personally, however the gods lived by a strict code that prevented any of their numbers from directly entering the mortal realm. Solaris devised a new plan. He searched through the afterlife for souls of those lost to the great war. He decided that out of all the races, the three tribes of equines were what he would use to create warriors capable of defeating Tirek.

Using fragments of the souls of the equines, Solaris gave life to a new creature. It was no unicorn or pegasus or Earth Pony, but a combination of the three. He also gave a small piece of his essence to this construct, which he dubbed as an Alicorn. As with all life, the Alicorn was born an infant, and Solaris raised her over the course of five centuries. During that time, the goddess Nocturnal, Solaris's beloved, created her own Alicorn to assist Solaris's. The two Alicorns grew up as sisters, one of the sun and one of the moon. The centuries filled them with knowledge, as they would be the ones who would look after the land, should their plan succeed.

After half a millennium, the two sisters descended from their heavenly perch to end Tirek once and for all. Using the powers of the sword, the two sisters swiftly ended the dread lord, but at the cost of the blade's powers.

With the dread lord's death, the land was liberated from his control, and the two sisters ruled from then on.
Some believe that when Tirek was slain however, his darkness left our world deformed, that is why the Ponies must control the laws of nature now.

The book was closed as it's reader had decided she was finished. The Ponyville Library's only resident sat contently at the upstairs desk as she stretched her wings. The old book before her was titled 'History of Equestria: Myths and Legends'. It was funny to her as only a year ago, she would still have regarded them as myths and legends. However, she'd seen almost all of these tales come to life, and she had also seen them be defeated shortly after. The library's previous occupant, Twilight Sparkle, had been the one who had often defeated them, with the help of her friends. She had moved to Canterlot sometime after becoming a princess.

The current occupant was a blue Pegasus with a white mane styled into a bob and had moved in only recently. She hadn't yet spoken with too many of the townsfolk, the only one she could remember easily was a strange pink Earth Pony. Pinkie Pie was her name. The pony behind the desk's smile grew slightly as she remembered how warmly she was welcomed, despite Pegasi being held in rather low regards for this town. She hadn't even spoken to anypony yet, and when she returned home that night, practically the whole town was there in a big welcoming party.

"That was nice..." She absentmindedly said aloud. A sudden knock at the door drew her attention. The librarian sighed, disappointed as she set down the book. She let out a yawn as she spread her wings and flew over to the door. The second her hooves touched the floor, she opened the door. "Yes?" She asked as she landed. At the door was an orange earth pony wearing a stetson hat on her blonde mane. The librarian recognized her, she was at the party as well, in fact, she was the one who catered it. What was her name again? Applejack, that's it!

"Hello, Book Quill," Applejack said, smiling warmly. "I came by to ask you somethin'."

"What?" Book Quill replied, her soft voice barely carrying through the air.

"Well, I think I better come inside, this is a private question." Applejack took a step forward, then backpedaled, "Um, if I may, that is," She said with a sheepish grin.

"Come on in." Book Quill moved to the side, allowing Applejack to enter the library. As soon as Applejack was in, Book Quill closed the door behind her. "Now what was it you needed?"

"I need you to help me an' the other four to help prepare for a visit from Twilight. Y'know, the prin-"

"I'm aware, Applejack." Book Quill politely interrupted. "What is it you need me to do?" Applejack cleared her throat as she walked to the middle of the room.

"I need you to do what Twi would usually do in this kinda situation, y'know, be sure everything's ship-shape for Twilight's arrival." Applejack walked over to Book Quill and placed a hoof on her shoulder. "Think you can do that, if you have the time?" Book Quill put a hoof to her chin and thought a moment. She turned around and flew up to her desk, where she pulled open a drawer and took a small notebook out.
Book Quill flipped through her schedule, patiently analyzing each page to ensure there might potentially be a chance to help out. After two minutes, she smiled, there wasn't anything going on that required her.

"I don't see why not. My schedule's clear!" Book Quill chirped as she flew back down to Applejack.

"Great! The first thing you'll need to do is find Rainbow Dash," Applejack paused. "You've met Rainbow Dash, right?"

Book Quill nodded, remembering her from the welcoming party.

"Alright." Applejack continued. "She and some other Pegasi are clearing the sky for when Twi gets here. They shouldn't be too hard to find." Applejack started to make her way back over to the door. "I need to get going, I promised Pinkie that I'd help bake for the festival."

"Take care." Book Quill said as the country pony left. As soon as the door was closed, Book Quill flew back up the stairs and began to write a new schedule in her notebook. She dipped a quill in a vat of ink and began to write.

To do: Find Rainbow Dash

She closed the notebook and tucked it firmly inside her saddlebags. Without any hesitation, Book Quill set off into the town to find Rainbow Dash.

The sun shone high and mighty as the Pegasi around Ponyville worked on making this day perfect for the Princess's arrival. Rainbow Dash had organized a whole group to help make the weather ship-shape for the occasion.

"Stormwalker! I need you to move that cloud over there!" Rainbow Dash ordered. "Thunderlane! Get that snow cloud out of here!" Suddenly, a loud crack rang through the air as a bolt of lightning shot past her, barely hitting her face. "Derpy! What are you doing with that storm cloud?" She fumed.

"Sorry!" A grey Pegasus yelled back. "I was trying to move it away, I'll be more careful!"

Rainbow Dash pressed her hoof against her forehead as she repressed an anger-induced rant. She turned her attention to two mares idly chatting by a rather large raincloud.

"Cloud Chaser, Raindrops!" Rainbow Dash yelled to the two mares, both of whom recoiled from the sudden reprimanding. "Stop talking and start working! Now!" They wasted no time and both quickly flew away to find some other clouds to move.

Rainbow Dash glanced around the area. She grinned as she sighted a large group of clouds that had yet to be cleared. The steady beat of her wings increased in speed. Her eye's narrowed as her grin grew wider. With a powerful pump of energy, Rainbow Dash shot off like a cannon towards the clouds. Wind whipped her face as she sped, tears forming as the air pelted her sight. The clouds drew closer and closer with each rapid beat of her wings. Her grin widened even more. She quickly reared back, bringing her hind legs in front of her. Rainbow Dash pointed her hooves as she plowed through the clouds, her momentum and energy tore them apart.

Rainbow Dash kept going forward a ways, then she angled her wings just enough for her to start losing speed. She gradually increased the angle until her speed evened out. Soon enough, Rainbow Dash came to a full stop. She looked behind her, the patch of clouds was completely gone.

"I should have taken care of this myself!" Rainbow Dash said in a cocky tone.

"Not bad." A voice came from behind her. Rainbow Dash turned around to be looking directly into a pair of grey eyes. Rainbow Dash recognized her as the new pony in town. She backed up to give herself some room between her and the azure Pegasus floating in front of her.

"Hey Book Quill." Rainbow Dash greeted. "I'm guessing Applejack sent you?" Book Quill simply nodded in response.

"Yes, Applejack wanted me to keep preparations organized for Princess Twilight's arrival and told me to see you first."

"Ah, well, the weather's pretty much handled, me and some of the other Pegasi have been working on getting the clouds out for today."

While Rainbow Dash spoke, Book Quill pulled her notepad and began scribbling down all the details Rainbow Dash was giving her. The weather had been taken care of, as has been stated, and several of the other Pegasi that weren't helping with weather had gone to either help with the catering or decor. She scribbled down a few more minor details and closed her notepad.

"Thank you Rainbow Dash." Book Quill politely said.

"No prob. Hey, you should stop by town hall next," Rainbow Dash flew past Book Quill to gesture towards the tall building at the center of the town. "Rarity's helping them decorate for Twilight, Fluttershy's there too."

Book Quill nodded curtly and took off towards the town hall. From her vantage point in the sky, she could see that the streets below were bustling with various ponies, all of them helping with setting up the town for Twilight. Book Quill never had the pleasure of meeting the princess personally, the thought of which made her feel positively giddy inside, just like a child would act when told they could get a new toy. An excited grin crept up on Book Quill and lasted all the way to the town hall. As she landed, Book Quill wasted no time going straight inside.

Inside the Town hall, several streamers and banners consisting of the colors purple, magenta, and bright pink were all strung around, and in the middle was a large violet tapestry with a bright magenta star in the middle of it. Book Quill could tell that the meat of the festival would be held here, seeing how extensively they've decorated this building compared to the rest of the town.

Standing in the middle of the rotunda was a posh white Unicorn levitating several smaller banners in a small tornado around her as she looked them over. Every now and again, she'd levitate a banner over to a meek cream colored Pegasus.

Book Quill trotted over to them, listening in on their talking one near enough to hear it.

"What do you think about this one, Fluttershy?" The white Unicorn asked, levitating a yellow banner over to the canary mare.

"Oh, it looks beautiful, Rarity." Fluttershy said in her usual quiet voice. "What about this one?" She asked, lifting a green banner up for Rarity to see.

"Please, Fluttershy. We're making this place look great for Twilight! Besides, green is just such an ugly color." Rarity responded as she hung another violet banner across the room.

"Oh, Okay."

"Ooh!" Rarity cried in excitement. "I think she'll just adore this one!" Rarity used her magic to levitate a vibrant blue banner over to Fluttershy, who cocked her head to the side as she looked at the fabric.

"I think she'll love it!" Fluttershy peeped.

"Yes, this is definitely the one!" With a swift flick of her head, Rarity's magic neatly folded all the banners floating around her and sent them all into nearby boxes. Rarity nodded satisfied, and turned around to leave. That's when she saw Book Quill standing just a short way from the door. "Oh, Hello there!" Rarity politely greeted.

"Hello." Book Quill responded. Her attention was drawn entirely to the expansive array of decor in the room. Those two must have been here all morning to get this all done! "This place looks amazing," Book Quill gawked. "I can see why they wanted you to be the one's decorating this!"

"Why, thank you!" Rarity politely bowed her head as she spoke.

"Um...Th-Thanks..." Fluttershy hid behind her mane as she muttered.

"Well, I can see that the decorations are taken care of." Book Quill looked around the area some more. It was a truly dazzling sight to behold. "I guess I should head out again." Before Book Quill could leave, Rarity levitated another violet banner, this one much larger than the others, out of a cardboard box.

"Wait, while you're here, Book Quill," She began. "I was wondering if you could help us hang this one last banner up."
Rarity unfolded the cloth, instead of the violet star that was the mark of Twilight, the violet cloth was consumed all but around the edges by black. In the middle of this void was a golden, bat-winged orb with two small, bird-like talons. In the center of the golden orb was a thick red ring, with another golden dot in the center, making it look like a winged eye-ball.

Book Quill craned her neck as she inquisitivley looked the banner over. Whoever Twilight's apprentice was, he apparently had edgy tastes.

"Who's that for?" She asked.

"This," -Rarity glanced back to the banner- "Is for Twilight's apprentice." Rarity turned to Book Quill with a polite grin. "He sent me the design to put on here, that way I could have this ready for when they arrive." She trotted over to one of the walls, this one noticeably had a spacious gap where the large banner quite obviously went. "I'm sorry to have troubled you with this, but I'm not able to see high enough for me to nail it into place, and Fluttershy refuses to go anywhere near it."

Both Book Quill and Rarity turned their attention to Fluttershy, who was now whimpering from her hiding spot underneath one of the buffet tables. Fluttershy opened her eyes for just a moment, frightfully squeaking as she caught sight of the banner again.

"I see." Book Quill muttered. "I don't see why I can't help, after all, I was here to make sure things were in order." The instant she said those words, Rarity's face lit up.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" The white Unicorn excitedly said as she moved the unorthodox banner up to the front end of the building. "Again, I'm sorry to have troubled you with this, but we need a Pegasus to do this."

Book Quill shrugged. "It's no trouble." Book Quill stretched out her wings and flew over to the banner. As much as she didn't want to say it, being that close to the image made her feel very uncomfortable. Something about it seemed wrong. She stopped in front of the banner. Something had occurred to her. She'd forgotten to get the nails.

"Rarity?" Book Quill yelled down. "We forgot the nails!" Book Quill couldn't hear Rarity's response, but four nails were hovered over to Book Quill, who grabbed them with her mouth. Flying back over to the banner, Book Quill began to put in the nails to hang up the banner. The whole time she was up there, she felt as if the golden pupil was staring at her. In little time, Book Quill had finished nailing in the banner and quickly flew back down to Rarity.

"Thank you, again." Rarity bowed her head in polite gesture.

"Don't mention it," Book Quill responded. "But before I go, do you know anything else about Twilight's apprentice? He seems like an interesting character." Rarity put a hoof to her chin in thought. After a brief pause, Rarity lowered her hoof.

"Not really. To be honest, this is the first time hearing about any apprentice," Rarity glanced to the floor. "Twilight said in the letter that he wanted his prowess to speak for itself."

"Did she at least say his name?"

"Sorry, she didn't say anything about a name."

"Oh." There was an awkward silence that was quickly interrupted as two more ponies entered the building. The first was Applejack, who was pulling a cart full of various pastries and treats. Behind her was Pinkie Pie, bouncing in while the cart strapped to her remained unaffected, somehow.

"Howdy!" Applejack said as she walked over to the nearby buffet table. "I see that Book Quill got everything done!"

"Hi!" The Pink pony waved her hoof ecstatically as she was able to keep bouncing. She too stopped at the buffet table, her eyes going wide as she saw it. There was another pause, then suddenly she vanished from her spot. The cart stood still for a moment, as if she was still strapped to it, then gravity kicked in and and the front end of the cart drooped.

"Where did she-" Book Quill started to talk but was interrupted as Pinkie Pie suddenly popped up right inf front of her.

Pinkie Pie paid no attention and went straight to Rarity.

"Rarityyyy!" She whined. "You forgooooot!"

"Um...Forgot what, dear?" Rarity sounded just as puzzled as she looked. Pinkie Pie backed away hastily, as if Rarity had just delivered a nasty insult.

"Well, duuuuh! You don't expect us to put food on a party table without a party tablecloth!" With those words, Pinkie Pie slammed a frilly bright-pink cloth right down on the table. How she had that on her, nopony knew. None of them questioned her anymore.

"What in tarnation?!" Applejack yelled. Everypony turned towards her. She was staring up above the door. All eyes went to what she was staring at, which was none other than the peculiar banner Twilight's Apprentice made..

"Woooaaahhh!" Pinkie Pie said. "I don't know why, but I wanna call that thing Jimmy! It looks like a Jimmy."

"What does?" A new voice came in. Book Quill looked and saw that Rainbow Dash had now entered.

"Rainbow Dash!" Pinkie Pie sprung right over to her and grabbed Dash with her hooves. Just as quickly, Pinkie Pie zipped back to the exact spot she was just standing. "Doesn't that look like a Jimmy to you? It looks like a Jimmy."

Rainbow Dash cocked her head to the side, squinting at the odd pattern.

"What's that supposed to be, Twilight's new pet?" She deadpanned.

"Actually," Rarity cut in, "That's supposed to be for Twilight's apprentice." As soon as she had said those words, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Pinkie Pie all gawked in surprise.

"Wait...wait, wait...Twilight got a student?" Applejack asked as she walked closer to Rarity. "When?"

"I don't know, I just found out yesterday." Rarity responded. "I don't know much about him, but Twilight said that we'd all like him."

"Really?" Rainbow Dash asked, unconvinced. "This seems really strange. Why wasn't Twilight fawning over this guy to us over letters?"

"Maybe he's shy?" Fluttershy chimed in, poking her head out from under the table.

"Well she could AT LEAST tell us about him! I cannot believe how rude she is being!" Pinkie Pie interrupted. "Why wouldn't she tell us?"

"Well, we can ask her later today. She is bringing him here, after all." Rarity added.

"How long would we wait for?" Book Quill asked.

"Two hours."

"Alright, I'm heading back home for now." Before anypony could reply, Book Quill flared her wings out and flew off towards the library. Her mind din't linger on how rude the sudden departure was. Something was off. Book Quill didn't know the girls that well, but they knew Twilight, and for them to all think of something Twilight did as irregular set a bad feeling in her mind.

She had little time to think of it though, as she was at the library soon enough. Being home made any unease swiftly drift away form her mind. Book Quill went in and breathed a relaxing breath of homeyness. Book Quill had checked in where she'd needed to already, and now was her time to relax for the next two hours.

To the Librarian,
I'm assuming that you're looking for this book. On behalf of my teacher, one Princess Twilight Sparkle, I had come by to fetch it. I promise you that this will be returned when I return with Twilight later on today. Until then, you have my deepest apologies.

Two hours later

The streets of Ponyville were alive with Ponies excited for the Festival of Twilight. Trying to move through the pastel-colored crowd, Book Quill made her way towards the market square, where the majority of the festival would be. The streets of the town were all decorated with the same banners and streamers that Rarity had put up inside town hall, even images with Twilight's star Cutie-Mark on it.

Up ahead, the town's market was coming into view. Book Quill quickened her pace as she approached. The Market was abuzz with Ponies either seeing the sights, buying whatever the shops were selling, or the Ponies who ran the shops. Near the center was a brilliant golden throne with violet cushions with a smaller throne beside it. The larger throne was topped with the star shaped like Twilight's Cutie Mark, while the smaller throne had no fancy decorations. Book Quill figured this was for whoever Twilight was teaching.

Whoever this character was, he certainly was making an impression. Several of the apprentice's flags had ponies staring in awe at the design. Book Quill couldn't blame them. The design marked on the flag was a truly interesting sight to be displayed amongst the town.

As Book Quill went further into the bazaar, she began to hear music coming from a lyre somewhere nearby. Book Quill stopped and listened for the where it was coming from, adjusting her ears so she could better determine where. Book Quill began to move in the direction her ears were taking her. The song was a very simple tune, but it had a heavy sense of elegance about it.

Absentminded, Book Quill drifted off her current path, forgetting what she had planned as the music serenaded her ears. She had never heard this song before but... Somehow she knew it. It stirred an odd feeling inside of her. As if it gave her nostalgia of some sort.

Before long, Book Quill found who was playing the song. The pony playing was a mint green Unicorn with a mane of similar color. She was holding the lyre with a golden aura, plucking each string with her magic. The mark on her flank was a lyre as well, signifying that playing it was her special talent. She stopped playing her Lyre and lowered it down to a small table beside her.

"That was beautiful!" Book Quill said. The unicorn mare squeaked and jumped, her guard was totally down and Book Quill had sneaked up on her. The mare quickly regained her composure though, forcing a smile as she meant to acknowledge Book Quill.

"Oh, thank you!" She said. Her voice was bubbly and full of passion, but there was a shake in her voice. Book Quill figured that she wasn't very social. "That was just a rehearsal for later."

"Rehearsal?"

"Yes, the Princess's apprentice requested that I play this for him later...Oh, my name's Lyra, by the way. Lyra Heartstrings." Lyra raised her hoof to Book Quill.

"My name is Book Quill." She said as she took Lyra's hoof. "Pleasure to meet you, miss Heartstrings." The two shook hooves, but an awkward quiet followed and replaced the sudden enthusiasm. Book Quill couldn't get that song out of her mind, though. "Um, if you don't mind me asking, what was th-"

"Lyra!" Another mare called, interrupting Book Quill. "Are you down here?" A grey earth pony mare with black hair came over to them. "There you are, I've been looking all over for you! The others are waiting over near town hall."

"Oh, sorry Octavia," Lyra nervously said. "I was just speaking with miss...Um...Book Quill, was it?"

"Yes." Book Quill responded.

"Book Quill? How cute." Octavia simply replied. Octavia walked over to Book Quill, scanning her with her purple eyes. "I don't know why, but I feel that we'll be meeting again soon." Octavia then turned around, walking away from the two. "Come along, Lyra, the Princess's apprentice is waiting for us."

"They're here already?" Lyra excitedly asked.

"Yes, they're at town hall as we speak."

Lyra began to giggle excitedly as she ran off with Octavia, forgetting entirely that Book Quill had even spoken to her.

Book Quill pouted as the two left her. Either way though, she now had a chance to meet the Princess, as well as investigate this apprentice. Book Quill unfurled her wings and took off to fly over to town hall. As she flew, she caught sight of Rainbow Dash down in the bazaar. The thought of investigating the matters of somepony else's friend was one that she hadn't ruminated on, and now that it did occur to her, she began to feel like a snoop. This wasn't her place and she knew, but she was curious nonehteless. Not wanting to miss out, though, Book Quill decided to get Dash's attention.

"Rainbow Dash!" Book Quill called. Rainbow Dash looked about, hearing her name but not where it came from. It wasn't too long before she caught sight of Book Quill

"Yeah?" Rainbow Dash called back. "What's up?"

"Twilight's here!"

Rainbow Dash lit up and immediately took of towards Book Quill, catching up in seconds.

"What are we doing here then? We need to get the others!" Once more, Book Quill could feel her desire to investigate bubbling up. She frowned, but her eyes didn't betray what she was thinking.

"Could you go find them?" Book Quill was polite with her words, but that snoopy feeling was only heightened. "I... I really want to see what this guy she has with her is like." Book Quill expected Rainbow Dash to shut down the request almost immediately. To her pleasure though, Rainbow Dash nodded

"Alright. I'll be back!" Without another word, Rainbow Dash zipped off into the distance towards Applejack's farm.

Book Quill went back on her way to town hall, where she saw several of the Royal Guards all standing in formation around a red carpet leading from the Town hall to a white carriage. Two ponies walked out from the carriage and into the building, but Book Quill couldn't tell who they were that well from where she was.

Book Quill flew down and landed just as the carriage began to pull away. The two ponies had already went inside, and within moments, Rainbow Dash and the others had arrived.

"Hey! I got the others!" She called.

"I see that." Book Quill said. "I think I just saw them go inside."

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go!" Applejack said as she and the others went inside the town hall.

Book Quill tagged along behind. As she reached the door, there was an odd feeling in her gut. Somepony was approaching her. Book Quill wasn't sure how she knew, but she swiftly twirled around to see them. The pony was an Earth Pony stallion with a sickly green coat and white hair that covered half of his face. This guy gave her the same feeling as that song. She felt like she was remembering something, but it felt dark.

"Excuse me!" He called as he came towards Book Quill. "Did I just see the Princess go in here?" The stallion spoke in a very effeminate tone, one that Book Quill felt like she'd heard too many times for her sake.

"Um, yes. She did." Book Quill responded, keeping any anxious feelings about this stallion in check. The more she looked at him, the more she felt like unpleasant memories wanted to surface.

"Ah, thank you!" The stallion smiled and went inside, not saying another word to Book Quill. As he passed, Book Quill noted his Cutie Mark. Orange and white diamonds interlacing each other in an extravagant manner.

After he was gone, a cold sweat broke out on poor Book Quill. The song and that stallion both made her mind feel strange, as if they were things she should have recognized but didn't.

Immediately upon entering, Book Quill was greeted by a large crowd of ponies all gathered to see Twilight.

Up at the other end of the Town Hall, Princess Twilight in all her radiance sat on a majestic violet throne. The seat next to her was missing its occupant, whom Book Quill presumed was the Apprentice.

Next to her was a white stallion with blue hair wearing the formal outfit of a Royal guard Officer's uniform. He stood alert next to Twilight, scanning the crowd for any suspicious figures. Book Quill knew who this stallion was. The captain of the Royal guard and brother of the Princess, Captain Shining Armor.

Book Quill waded through the crowd, trying to get a better view of them.

"Hey, Book Quill, over here!" Rainbow Dash called.

Book Quill looked up and saw the cerulean mare hovering just a short distance away from where she was standing now. Book Quill moved through the crowd again, trying to get closer to Rainbow Dash. Thankfully for her, most of the Ponies were polite and moved out of the way for her. Soon enough, Book Quill was over where Rainbow Dash was, as well as the others.

"Have you seen Twi's apprentice yet?" Rainbow Dash asked as she landed with the group.

"No, I haven't yet." Book Quill responded.

"Oh."

"He should be here soon, if not, we can just ask her in a little bit." Applejack cut in.

"Yes, it would be a good idea if we simply wait on this one." Rarity joined in.

"Ssh!" Pinkie interrupted. "It's starting!"

Everypony turned their attention towards the other end of the town hall, where Shining Armor was now standing with a spotlight on him. Behind him was Twilight, who was glancing around the spacious room, trying to see something. Shining Armor cleared his throat, then his horn lit up.

"Fillies and Gentlecolts!" Shining Armor said, his voice being amplified by his magic. "Here today on this glorious evening, one of our fair Princesses is here to ensure that the Festival of Twilight proceeds as planned. She was once a member of this town, and has chosen it for the festival so she may revisit. I present to you, Princess Twilight Sparkle!"

With those words, Shining Armor moved out of the way, and Twilight stepped up to where he once stood.

"Thank you, Shiny, I can take it from here." Twilight looked over the crowd, then to the empty throne for her apprentice. She cleared her throat, then addressed the crowd.

"Citizens of Ponyville," She began. "May I say that it is wonderful to be back here. Many of you were here back when I ran the Library. To think I'd be here now..." Twilight paused, thinking over her humble beginnings. "Today I wished to formally introduce a young Unicorn I'd met who was full of magic potential. I'd made him into my apprentice and he has shown amazing promise in both magic, and in the tachings of friendship. However he will not be ale to join us, he had was called to the badlands for a diplomatic meeting with one of the dragon dens." There was a series of surprised gasps coming from the crowd. "Do not worry, this tribe has no hostile intent, and I can assure you that if anything went wrong, my student knows how to handle himself. The meetings shouldn't be too long, and I know he will be here when he can. For now, let the festival begin!"

The many Ponies in the crowd began to cheer as Pegasi threw down confetti. Twilight gave a satisfied nod, then went off with Shining Armor, leaving through a back exit.

"C'mon, lets go after her!" Rainbow Dash said as sped off.

"Rainbow, wait!" Applejack tried to call. It was no use, Rainbow Dash had went outside the building now.

"C'mon, girls, lets go after her!" Applejack shouted as she began to chase after Rainbow Dash.

The other girls exchanged skeptic glances, then followed Applejack.

Princess Twilight went through the town's main bazaar, taking looks at all the stands set up for the festival.

Twilight had to say, the Ponies really were excited to see her. The entire town was decorated with banners that matched her mane and coat colors, as well as some with her Cutie-Mark on them. She even saw a few banners here and there for her apprentice, and despite the odd design choice, she felt glad that the festival had to do with him as well!

Twilight's train of thought was interrupted when she heard a familiar voice calling her name.

"Rainbow Dash?" Twilight turned around and saw the cerulean mare zipping through the sky and heading right towards her.

"Twilight!" Rainbow Dash yelled again. Twilight took a nervous step back. To say that Rainbow Dash sounded miffed was an understatement, not too much of an understatement, but an understatement still.

Rainbow Dash began to angle her wings upwards, slowly but steadily coming to a halt and landing in front of Twilight.

"Rainbow Dash! It's very good to see you again! How is everypony?" Twilight's stature almost immediately went to uncertain straight to cheery and pleasant.

"Their all fine, but you have some explaining to do!"

"Rainbow Dash?" Another voice called, but Twilight wasn't able to identify it. Twilight looked past Rainbow Dash and saw the rest of her friends running in their direction, but at the front was a Pegasus that Twilight didn't know. Her coat was a deep azure blue with a few violet specks flecked across her coat, while her hair was an almost glowing white. She had a slightly miffed look in her odd grey eyes, and on her flank was a scroll crossed over by a feather quill dipping into an inkpot.

The mare and the others soon enough caught up to them.

"Rainbow Dash, next time will you...wait...for..." The mare began to trail off as she saw Twilight. "P-princess Twilight!" The mare said nervously as she knelt down. "What an honor it is to meet you!"

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. "Book Quill, it's alright. You don't need to bow." She said.

Book Quill glance up at Rainbow Dash. "You sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure." Rainbow Dash grunted. Book Quill slowly stood back up, hoping she hadn't just made a fool of herself. "Anyways," Rainbow Dash continued. "Why didn't you tell us about your apprentice?" She asked.
"You'd think that would be kind of important!"

"Also, why would you want him to get a history book if he's in the badlands?" Book Quill chimed in. "Also, how would he even get the book if-"

"Wait, you mean you had contact from this guy and didn't share it with us?" Rainbow Dash interrupted. "How come?"

"It just slipped my mind. I'm sorry, I have trouble with these kinds of things!"

Book Quill and Rainbow Dash began to argue with each other as the others stood by. Twilight wasn't sure what to think of the situation. As the argument went on, one thing became increasingly obvious. That Twilight was beginning to become annoyed. She could feel a vein begin to bulge on her forehead as she listened to the two.

"Look here, Missy! You got something from this guy and neglected to share with us! Next time, remember!"

"As I've said a million times already, I'm sorry that it didn't occur to me! I may be the librarian, but I'm not a genius!"

"Alright, enough!" Twilight yelled, catching the attention of the arguing mares. "You two are acting like foals!"

Rainbow Dash and Book Quill both flinched slightly. Then Twilight continued.

"Now, all of you," -Twilight raised a hoof and waved it at the group- "And I mean all of you, calmly tell me what you need to tell me."

The group of mares were all silent for a moment. Then, surprisingly, Fluttershy spoke up.

"Sorry, Twilight, we just wanted to ask why you never told us about your apprentice. We thought you would have sent a letter."

"Oh. Sorry," Twilight began. "I wanted to, but I couldn't. Spike's been gone for a while, so I couldn't send anything."

"What?" Rarity yelled, pushing her way through the group and towards Twilight. "What happened to him?"

"He went to the Badlands to try and find the dragon who laid his egg. My student had reasons to believe that the dragon den the negotiations are being held at is Spike's den. I hope he's right, I miss him..."

"Don't worry Twilight," Pinkie joined in. "I know as a fact that Spike wouldn't forget about us! Nope, not in a million zillion years! And considering how long dragons live, maybe even longer than that!"

"It's not him forgetting that I'm worried about..."

"Listen Twilight, I'm sure Spike can handle himself." Rarity rejoined. "You mustn't worry yourself!"

"You're right..."

"So," Applejack began. "Why not tell us a little about your apprentice?"

"Yeah, like why did he decide to put demonic eyeballs everywhere?" Rainbow Dash said.

"And what does the 'V' stand for?" Book Quill added.

Twilight glanced about the girls, her apprentice wanted to be a surprise, but since it was clearly spoiled, she decided that no harm would come from telling them. Just as she opened her mouth, an ear-splitting roar echoed through the valley.

Flying in over the mountains and followed by a hurricane of fire, a serpentine dragon approached; Its fire-like mane danced about the flaming tempest behind it, the eyes in its jade mask glowed bright yellow as it drew closer to the town. Townsponies screamed in fear as they saw the impending doom over the horizon and began to run about in panic, the only ponies standing still were the girls, each one of them stared in shock at the flaming leviathan.

"What is that?!" Fluttershy screamed in terror, her eyes dilating to pinpricks.

"Dragon!" Rainbow Dash yelled next, her voice wavering in fear as well. "It's heading right for us!"

Applejack let out a terrorized yell, frantically looking about as she muttered to herself, Rarity was doing something similar.

"Where's Applebloom?"

"Where's Sweetie Belle?!"

The two mares took off without another word, both intending to find their siblings, leaving the rest of the girls behind.

"Wait!" Twilight called after them. Both Applejack and Rarity were too far away to hear, Twilight let out an annoyed grunt, then the Alicorn turned towards the dragon and took flight. "Get everypony to a safe place!" Twilight called down to the remaining girls. "I'll try and deal with the dragon!" Twilight turned forward and stopped short once she saw that the dragon was mere feet away from her.

Despite the immense heat radiating from the beast, Twilight's blood ran cold. She quickly regained herself and put on the best scowl she could muster before looking the dragon in the eyes. "Listen here!" Twilight yelled, remembering the technique that Luna had taught her. "I will not stand idly by while you terrorize my kingdom! I give you one chance before I am forced to deal with matters in a more physical manner! Now, leave and never return!"

The dragon cocked its head to the side, then began to laugh a deep guttural cackle.

"You will find yourself easily outmatched." The dragon calmly said. "My master will not allow this insolence!" The dragon lunged at Twilight, swerving it's head out of the way at the last second to whip her with its tail, the blow connecting and sending the Alicorn to the ground.

The remaining Girls, including Book Quill, ran to the downed Princess's side, Rainbow Dash glared daggers at the dragon.

"Who do you think you are, attacking a Princess!?" She roared, flaring her wings in an attempt to intimidate the dragon, who simply laughed again in response.

"I am Volvagia, and I am here to deliver a message." It said, loud enough for the entire town to hear. Volvagia then flew over to the center of the town, coiling his snake-like body around the spire that was town hall, then breathing a massive gust of fire down into the streets below, setting them ablaze. "Your precious crown means little to me, or my master."

The hills off the edge of Ponyville gave great view to the destruction Volvagia was causing. A cloaked figure stood, ginning dementedly at the pandemonium and strife. They raised their hand outwards and it was quickly enveloped in an orange glow. Streams of dark energy seeped from their fingertips, stopping and swirling in the air but a few meters in front of them.

Oval rings formed where the magic stopped. With a loud snap-hiss, the rings tore holes in reality, glowing blue eyes could be seen from within. Legions of skeletal warriors marched forward from the portals, coated in scraps of plate armor and all wielding massive steel cleavers.

With a psychotic look in their eyes, the figure pointed towards Ponyville. "Find those that possess what we seek!" He said, his voice dripping with sadism. The army of Stalfos bowed to the figure, then marched towards the burning town. "Do not bother with mercy! These creatures are worth nothing!"

Applejack ran through the burning streets of her home, fear welled withing her at the prospect of losing her sister. The heat whipped her skin, but the farmpony payed it little mind.

"Applebloom!" She called, her voice wavering. The only sound she heard was the fierce cackling of the flames. Applejack called her sister's name again, but her calls still went unanswered. Her resolve quickly began to crumble apart. She couldn't bear the possibilities of this situation.

Applejack called one more time. Once more, her cries went without response. Then, she heard something. It was faint, but it sounded as if somepony was calling her name. Applejack turned in the direction of the voice and listened again. She heard it again, this time much clearer.

The farmpony ran in the direction of the voice, hoping to her gods that it was Applebloom. To her great relief, her sister was unharmed, hiding under a turned over wagon with Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. Applejack ran over to them, pulling them out from under the wagon.

"Thank Celestia you're alright!" Applejack said, pulling Applebloom close. "Listen, y'all need to get outta here! It ain't safe!" Applebloom nodded, then turned towards her friends.

"Come on, Ah know a safe way outta this place!" Applebloom said, running off towards a building that had been spared from the fires. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo followed her, Applejack did as well.

"Be careful!" Applejack called as they went. Soon, Applebloom and her friends were out of sight. Applejack knew that her sister was smart, they'd make it out okay. Now all she had to do was find her friends. Applejack scanned the area, smiling as she saw Rarity.

Without a second thought, Applejack went off towards her, happy that she had found Applebloom.

Rarity's horn flashed with a vibrant blue, lifting a collapsed building support from in front of her. As she had made her way through the town, she had heard somepony screaming from inside the building she currently stood in. She moved the rubble to the side, finding twho'd been trapped..

Lyra lay unconscious under the rubble, breathing weakly. Her coat was flecked with blood, most of it her own from scrapes and cuts the debris gave her. Rarity wasted no time in pulling her out from the rubble. She put Lyra on her back, and ran outside. The building shook and trembled as the fire ate away at its support, and it came crashing down soon after Rarity and Lyra were outside.

Rarity kept running, hoping to find a haven from the inferno for her to bring Lyra to. She stopped cold in her tracks, though. Rarity could hear moans coming from the flames, moans of what sounded like other ponies! The noise was quiet at first, somewhat distant. It drew closer, increasing in volume as it did so. Rarity's heart pounded as she could hear bones rattling and creaking along with the moans. Something was coming for her.

Without a second thought, Rarity ran behind a pile of rubble, pulling Lyra's prone form behind her. Rarity peered out behind the junk, scanning for the source of the noise.

The heavy stomping of nearby boots were heard, creaking stacked upon it. Rarity couldn't breathe. She saw what was making all the noises.

A large skeleton slowly trudged through the ashen ground. It was a humanoid creature, one that Rarity couldn't identify. It wore a suit of battered armor, the chestplate was damaged enough to see the ribs underneath. A simple metal cap rested upon its skull while rusted pauldrons sat on its shoulders. It dragged two massive metal cleavers behind it as it trudged along, completely unaware of her presence.

The skeleton moaned in muted agony. Of all the grotesque features of this demon, Rarity had never felt fear as true as she did wehn she peered into its eyes. Dark magic caused the skull's eyes to glow a dark magenta, and showed nothing but malice and misery. Rarity stifled a shriek as she peered into the darkness.

The skeleton leered over in her direction. Rarity quickly retracted her head back behind the rubble. She held her breath, keeping as still as she possibly could. Moments passed, Rarity couldn't tell if the skeleton had left or not. She risked a glance, to her great relief, the skeleton had meandered off.

Rarity grabbed Lyra and moved forward, hoping that there weren't more nearby.

A blood-curdling screech echoed through the cracking flames, Rarity turned around just in time to see the skeleton emerging from a hiding spot nearby. It rushed at her, raising its cleavers as it prepped to strike. Rarity screamed. The only thought in her mind right now was that this thing was going to kill her.

Before the end could come, however, the skeleton's arm was knocked off by a strong blow.

"You get away from her!" A familiar voice called. Rarity opened her eyes. Applejack stood defiantly in front of the skeleton, which barely acknowledged its missing arm. It screeched again as it raised its other cleaver, but before it could strike, a rainbow blur struck the sword, sending the other arm flying.

Rainbow Dash landed next to Applejack, snorting as she stared the skeleton down.

"You mess with her, you mess with us!" She boasted, puffing out her chest. The skeleton stood still for a moment, its empty eyes gazing into their souls. Then, with another screech, the bones that made up its arms flew back into place, reassembling themselves as its weapons levitated back over to its hands.

"Well, this should be fun..." Applejack muttered to herself. The cowpony let out a yell as she charged at the skeleton, dodging to the side as it brought down one sword, then repeating as it brought down the other. The blades became embedded into the ground, Applejack took advantage of this by kicking out one of its legs.

Rainbow Dash followed up with a kick to its arm, then a ram to its ribcage. The skeleton stumbled back, but quickly picked itself back up and resumed the assault. Applejack and Rainbow Dash ducked out of the way as the skeleton began swinging its swords wildly in an attempt to hit the ponies.

"We can't hit it if it keeps this up!" Applejack yelled over the flames, narrowly evading a strike from a rusted blade. Rainbow Dash flew back to avoid getting bisected, she was too preoccupied with dodging the skeleton's swords to respond to Applejack, but she knew exactly what the farmer was talking about. They'd need a powerful blast to destroy this thing.

"INCOMING!" A high-pitched voice called. There was a loud bang, the skeleton flew apart as streamers and confetti blasted it to pieces. The Skeleton's bones bounced harmlessly against the ground, Applejack and Rainbow Dash stared in confusion until they saw a welcome sight.

Pinkie Pie stood with a manic grin on her face. She rolled a cannon forward, crunching the skeleton's ribcage under its wheels as she approached the girls. "Hiya!" Pinkie called. "This thing works reaaallly well!" Pinkie Pie turned around, her smile never fading. "Fluttershy, I found them!" She called again.

Fluttershy quickly ran forward, wrapping her forelegs around Rainbow Dash's neck. She began to sob uncontrollably, the days events finally got to her. Rainbow Dash winced slightly from the unexpectedness, but quickly put a hoof around Fluttershy. The moment was interrupted when the skeleton's remains exploded into a cloud of purple mist, fading away in the breeze.

There was a pregnant pause. Nopony quite knew what to say about that.

"Let's...let's keep moving..." Applejack said, her voice weary. "I don't wanna run into another one." The rest of the girls nodded and quickly continued on their way, completely oblivious to the figure sitting on a rooftop just a distance away.

"Hmph, not even a Stalfos could stop them..." He said quietly. The man's snake-like eyes trailed the girls as they fled towards the library, which had been spared mostly form the fire. "These creatures are going to be such fun!" He said with glee. The man raised up his arm, keeping a warm gaze on the girls, then he snapped his fingers. There was a flash and he was gone, the only thing that lingered were diamond-like sparks from his magic.

Darkness had come for Ponyville.

Book Quill ran as fast as her hooves would allow her. After Volvagia attacked Twilight, she'd tried to make her way back to the library to take shelter. As luck would have it, the quickest path had been blocked by a destroyed building, and the other path was in an inferno.

The heat blistered at her, her coat risked bursting into flames if she didn't make it fast enough. From the looks of things, the district the library resided in had yet to be reached by the flames. Book Quill allowed a glad sigh to escape her lips. Hopefully, this mess would quickly be resolved by either Celestia or Luna.

Her gait slowed slightly as the fiery tunnels came to an end. The streets were oddly barren, though Book Quill didn't blame anypony for not wanting to stick around. She swore that she'd seen walking skeletons as she made her way over. Soon enough, she came upon the Library.

Book Quill's brow furrowed as she approached. Somepony was inside. She quickened her pace, running through the doors to find Princess Twilight frantically flipping through as many books as she could. She muttered something unintelligible under her breath, not noticing Book Quill.

"Hello?" Book Quill asked, startling Twilight. The Alicorn turned around, a violet glow around her horn as she prepared an attack. It faded as she saw Book Quill. Twilight let out an annoyed sigh as she glanced back to the book she was reading.

"Sorry." Twilight said, her voice wavering. "Don't sneak up on me like that." She warned, pointing a hoof at Book Quill. The Pegasus nodded quickly in response, not wanting to annoy the Princess.

"Uh...Are you looking for something?" Book Quill asked, stepping into the library. "I'm not sure how a book is going to help this..."

Twilight grunted as she threw the book into a large pile behind her and levitated another one over to her. To say she seemed stressed was a great exaggeration. "I'm searching for a way to send a letter to the other Princesses, they surely can help us!" Twilight threw yet another book into the pile. "Why aren't any Pegasi bringing in rainclouds?" Twilight asked, looking out the window.

Book Quill flinched as she realized that all the nearby clouds had been cleared. There wasn't a single raincloud for at least a few miles, not like Volvagia would let any ponies fly while he still circled the town.

"It doesn't matter, I found what I'm looking for!" Twilight happily announced. She quickly opened to the page she searched for and began to write on a piece of parchment. Within just a few seconds, Twilight finished the letter and sent it away with a bright flash. "She should be here with a group of guards any time!"

"Why can't you take care of this?" Book Quill asked in a confused tone. "I thought Alicorns were the most powerful beings in Equestria?"

Twilight shook her head, clearly distraught by her inability to stop Volvagia.

"Alicorns are indeed powerful," She began, her tone soft. "But I'm not at a level like Celestia or Luna. At best, I only have a tenth of their power, and most dragons have half the power of an Alicorn." Twilight's ears drooped, saddened by the events. Her thoughts drifted to her apprentice, he wasn't as strong as she was when it came to magic, and if the dragons he'd been sent to negotiate with were of ill intent...Twilight quickly pushed those thoughts out of mind. "I can try to keep him occupied while Celestia makes her way here. Until then, I want you to take cover here." Twilight ordered.

Book Quill wasn't certain about that plan, not after what Twilight had told her.

"What if Volvagia-"

"I know what you're going to suggest," Twilight interrupted. "But I'm not going to sit and let him destroy my home!" Without another word, Twilight went out the front door, taking off after Volvagia.

Book Quill stood silent. Twilight's courage was admirable, to risk one's own life for the safety of others. Once again, memories of things that never happened to her came back. This time, it felt more clear... This memory didn't bring a feeling, but a color... Green.

Regardless, Book Quill watched Twilight and Volvagia battle outside.

The great serpent easily evaded any attacks Twilight pulled, retaliating with tail-swipes and bouts of fire. Twilight dodged them to the best of her abilities, but she wasn't able to avoid them all. As the battle progressed, Twilight became more disheveled, patches of her mane and coat were charred from Volvagia's flame. She panted heavily, not being used to combat like this.

Then, without any reason of why, Volvagia turned tail and fled. Twilight pursued after him, but a strong gust of wind knocked her off path. The Alicorn fell, crashing on top of a building that had been spared Volvagia's fire.

Book Quill let out a surprised gasp as she saw two figures casually walking through the abandoned streets. Both were humanoid, any features beyond that weren't clearly visible from their distance. One of them had a faint glow around their arms, it appeared that they were the source of the wind that knocked Twilight down.

The other figure floated slightly above the ground, it appeared to be laughing. The figures began to move, coming towards the library, Book Quill felt her stomach lurch as they did. Doing the only thing she could think of, Book Quill hid under her bed, waiting for what felt like hours on end as the two closed the distance.

Soon enough, too soon for Book Quill, she heard the front door open as the two entered the library. Book Quill shuddered, she could feel a powerful darkness from the other room. As many other things today, this feeling brought an unwanted sense of recollection. Taking a risk, Book Quill crawled out from under the bed, slowly opening the door to see the intruders.

The first she saw was the one who floated above the air. It was a slender humanoid form, much taller than the average Pony, and wore a vibrant red robe of sorts. A white bird-like mask covered the top of its face, a red hood covering the back of its head. The creature tore through the shelves, opening books and violently throwing them away.

The other figure stood a short ways away from the bird-masked being. It was tall as well, only slightly shorter than the masked one. It wore a purple tunic, secured to its form with a golden belt with a piercing red eyed buckle. Its red sandals clacked along the wooden floors as it calmly walked to the different shelves, carefully looking through the books. It turned around, Book Quill shuddered as she saw its unnatural red eyes. Atop this one's head was a simple purple cap.

"Where are they!?" The masked figure yelled, its voice was high and gravelly, a combination that grated on Book Quill's ears. "The Elements are supposed to be here in the library!" The creature threw a ball of ice at one of the shelves, freezing it solid before smashing it with a forceful punch. It quickly turned to the other figure, frowning under its mask. "Master, I swear they were here, honest!"

The other figure looked up from the book it read, turning towards the masked being with unnerving calmness.

"Clearly Twilight has moved them." He said, his emotionless voice carrying a Canterlot accent. "Do not worry, Wizzrobe, I shall not hold this one against you."

Wizzrobe collapsed onto its knees, a grateful smile on its face. "Thank you master!" It said excitedly. "I shall not fail you again in the future!"

"Good." Wizzrobe's master replied, their voice still monotone. "I will not be as forgiving in the future." Wizzrobe cackled, showing gratitude and fear with each breath. Wizzrobe gulped hard as it clambered to its feet. "Now, before we leave..." Wizzrobe's master turned around toward Book Quill, staring straight into her eyes.

Book Quill stood up and attempted to run back into her room, but a strong force lifted her into the air. She was spun around towards Wizzrobe and its master, who was holding his hand out as if holding her.

"It is impolite to eavesdrop, Pegasus." The master said, using his magic to pull Book Quill closer to him. "You really aught to know better than that..." He paused, looking Book Quill over with slight intrigue. "Hmm...Your essence is one not at all foreign to me...You are a fascinating thing." He continued, a slight smile coming to his normally expressionless face. "Perhaps you can be of use..."

Suddenly, the doors to the library burst open. Book Quill felt a wave of relief wash over her as she saw Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy enter. She also noticed Lyra laying unconscious on Rarity's back, badly beaten.

"Let her go!" Rainbow Dash yelled, flaring out her wings.

Wizzrobe let out a mad cackle and hovered over to her, smiling dementedly as he bent down to her level. "Aren't you just adorable!" It mocked, grabbing Rainbow Dash's cheeks with both hands. "Master, can we keep her?" Wizzrobe didn't wait for a reply as he threw Rainbow Dash into the ground. "My bad!" It said playfully as it quickly floated back towards Book Quill.

Rainbow Dash slowly stood up, she put a hoof over her muzzle after being unceremoniously introduced to the floor. She glared an assortment of blades at Wizzrobe, who laughed again as it took notice. "I said, put her down!" She repeated, stomping her hoof down.

"Truly bold of you to attack ones above your own level." Wizzrobe's master spoke as he glanced them all over. "Knowing your lot, however, I can see why. You are the bearers of Harmony, the ones who have stopped many a great foe of Equestria's past. Your bravery is commendable, to say the least."

Applejack stood next to Rainbow Dash, a spiteful glare in her emerald eyes. "And just who are you?" She asked, lowering down to a charging stance.

Wizzrobe's master let an amused giggle escape his lips. "Twilight has not told you of me? I doubt she had the time to, what with Volvagia acting as a distraction." Rainbow Dash's glare intensified, she stood in a stance like Applejack's, ready to strike at this man. "Very well. I am Vaati, wind mage and student of the great Twilight Sparkle. It is an honor to meet you. Well, it would be." Vaati turned to Book Quill, her face frozen with fear. "I'm certain you want your friend back, don't you?" He asked, his voice never breaking from monotone.

Fluttershy broke out from behind the group, a glare that easily outmatched Rainbow Dash and Applejack's plastered onto her face. "If you so much as touch one hair on her mane, I swear to Celestia, I will-"

Vaati whipped his other hand toward Fluttershy, a strong gust of wind knocked her back into the others.

"My sincerest apologies." Vaati spoke, moving to Book Quill. "But I'm afraid that she threatens my plans. I hope you understand, I cannot allow any form of insubordination to occur." Book Quill's eyes shrunk to pinpricks. Why would he regard her as a threat against him? "Farewell, Pegasus. I truly am sorry that I must do this."

Book Quill barely had time to scream as Vaati shot a blast of magic energy from his free hand. She was vaporized on the spot, not leaving so much as a speck of dust. The ponies in the room gazed in horror at Vaati, who stared sullenly at the spot Book Quill previously occupied.

"You monster!" Rainbow Dash screamed, charging full force at the wind sorcerer. Vaati didn't even acknowledge her, not until she nearly made contact with him. Vaati nonchalantly reached out his hand, casting a spell that stopped Rainbow Dash cold in her tracks.

"As I said, I am sorry that it was brought to that. Now to deal with you." Vaati charged another magic blast, preparing to hit Rainbow Dash with it. Before he was able to release it, a powerful blast of kinetic energy struck Vaati in the chest, sending him sailing into the back wall.

Twilight stood in the doorway. Her eyese streamed tears and anger, her mouth contorted into an anguished frown. Wizzrobe screamed at such insolence towards his master and prepared to attack Twilight, but Vaati signaled for him to stay back. "Why?" Twilight asked, her voice crushed. "Why would you do this? Why would you send these monsters to attack us, Vaati? You were my friend..."

Vaati's eye's glinted with curiosity. "I never sent any monsters." He said. Before anypony was able to respond, Vaati and Wizzrobe vanished with a bright flash of light. Twilight collapsed onto her haunches, staring defeated at the spot Vaati previously occupied.

"He's going to pay for this..." Fluttershy growled, staring at the spot Book Quill had been.

Princess Zelda's eyes widened in shock as she sat upon her throne. She quickly stood up, making her way towards Hyrule Castle's great balcony. Two guards followed after her, concerned by their Princess's sudden departure.

"What's wrong, milady? One of the guards asked. Princess Zelda did not respond. She stared off towards the forest, where Ordon village made its presence. She quickly turned towards the guards, an urgent look on her face.

"Send for Link." She ordered. "The day I feared has arrived."

Author's Note

Wow, this one took me a long time to make! Sorry if it seems rushed near the end, I was getting anxious to finish this. Please, tell me what you think of this, this one has been in the works for a long time and I'm happy to finally have it out! Also, I'd like to thank Wandering Quill and LordSiravant for providing inspiration for this! If you haven't, check them out! They've both got some really good Zelda crossovers on here.