Her Destiny

Chapters

One - Shattered
Two - The Concord Flame
Three - Crystal Heart
Four - Moon's Lullaby
Five - Master and Mascot
Six - Huntress in The Dark
Seven - The Key and The Cage
Eight - Creator
Nine - Scientia Potentia Est
Ten - Homecoming
Twelve - Ground Zero
Thirteen - Always Together
Fourteen - Deep Down
Fifteen - A Weeping Moon
Prologue - Battle at Tambelon
Eleven - Ride The Lightning

One - Shattered

Silence.

As her consciousness started to slowly come back from the white fade of seconds ago, Twilight’s ears immediately searched for a sound to hear.

There was nothing.

She forced her eyes open. However, her eyelids seemed to weigh tons.

Her body ached. Not only her limbs, but she was almost sure to feel even her mane sharing the same pain as everything else.

Managing only to roll pathetically to the side, Twilight forced herself to get up from the floor. This action, supposed to be something so normal, costed the purple mare great amounts of willpower.

Staying up on her four shaking and weak legs, she tried once again to open her eyes. The eyelids opened a bit, but the light from the torches hurt her, forcing her to close them back.

Twilight tried to understand what was happening with her.

She didn't seemed to be able to perform tasks that a newborn does. Judging by how her legs were protesting to keep her body, she wondered if, somehow, she had born again...

“Are you there, Applejack?” Twilight said aloud. At least, she still knew how to speak.

The strange thing, though, was that no Applejack answered.

Worry washed her over. One more time, the lavender mare reunited her willpower, and lifted her eyelids. Her vision was blurred, and the world around entered her brain as an image slowly being unveiled.

Taking some time to get used to the glorious headache pestering her, Twilight begun to glance around. She still was inside the royal chamber of Tambelon.

However, something was really, really wrong.

She was alone.

With difficulties, Twilight crawled aimlessly through the room, looking for any signals of her friends.

“Rainbow Dash!” Twilight shouted, “Rainbow Dash are you there?”

Not a single sound. The ominous silence made her heart beat faster, and a knot formed at her throat.

“Pinkie Pie? Are you girls playing a trick on me? Please, stop! It’s not funny!”

She walked some more, going towards the place where they channeled the Elements. Finally, Twilight understood why her body ached so much: She was thrown several meters away from the blast.

“Rarity! C’mon, say something! Fluttershy, you don’t need to hide anymore, the rams are gone!” Twilight yelled louder, her four hooves dancing erratically as she tried to reach the place.

She never felt so confused in her entire life.

After suffering to reach the place, Twilight’s flank hit the ground, her face twisting in shock...

Forming a circle around an area in front of her, she found the necklaces and her crown. However, something was terribly wrong with the precious Elements of Harmony.

The beautiful golden color that composed the pieces of jewelry had lost its lust, seeming to be little more than rusted and dull metal rings. Her crown was lying on the ground along with the rest, shattered to pieces.

Her heart raced faster.The knot at her throat suffocated her, robbing her from breath.

“What’s happening here? Where are my friends?”

Twilight’s gaze was still in utter shock. Think as she may, nothing made sense, and the horrible sensation of helplessness made the purple mare feel her mind close to crack.

“Girls, please answer me,” Twilight tried to shout, but she whimpered. Her eyes burned, and her vision blurred again, this time, due to the flooding water invading the inner side of her eyelids.

The tears came.

She lowered her body to the ground, lying down, resting her head against one of her fore hooves. Everything around her seemed to spin around, out of control. Everything ached, and the pain seemed endless. Everything looked like a nightmare.

Twilight stayed on the ground, crying. She whimpered and sobbed, almost in silence. She was in panic, begging for a light to appear and give her answers.

Suddenly, the sound of approaching hooves snatched her attention.

She perked up the upper part of her body, motioning her head to the entrance of the hall. Inside of her, she thought about seeing one of her precious friends entering the room, and turning everything in just another bad dream.

However, a dark figure stood at the door. Glowing, red pupils furiously eyeing her from there.

Twilight’s tears flowed strongly, not from the fear of that figure, but due to her last hope being brutally crushed upon the sight.

“You!” The mysterious figure shouted from the entrance.

“Who are you?” She asked back, unable to identify the owner of that shadowy silhouette.

The monster clasped his hooves on the ground, coming closer. It was commander Hammer Horn, general of Grogar’s forces.

Still fighting against the pain, Twilight managed to get up from the pathetic heap she was in, and stand her ground against the surviving enemy.

She noticed how the ram looked around her body, noticing the way she trembled to remain standing.

“You did it...”

Twilight’s face twisted in confusion, “What?”

“You transcended.”

Hammer Horn was out of breath. Twilight’s visage seemed to impress him, somehow.

“What are you talking about?”

He raised an eyebrow, confused, “You didn’t knew what you were going to do, then?”

“No! Stop saying those absurd things!” The mare demanded, going from fear to rage in seconds. Even so, the tears were still flowing from her eyes without stop.

The ram smiled mischievously, “You are an alicorn now...”

Twilight’s felt her breath stopping for a second.

“Why don’t you try to move those wings at your back, Goddess?” Hammer Horn asked, a malicious smile plastered across his face.

The mare mind’s clicked.

Slowly, she moved her head to see one side of her body, and found a folded wing. Deciding to check if that vision weren't an illusion, Twilight tried to move the alien appendage, and the wing opened, showing her big purple feathers...

She did the same with the other side.

Once again, Twilight felt her mind close to crack.

What’s happening here? Why do I have wings? I’m not a pegasus!

Trying to summon a mirror just to make sure that she still had her horn, the purple mare used a spell. Some pink sparks flew off from the tip of her horn, but her magic failed. Twilight didn’t understand why, she tried once again, with double the focus but she only got bigger sparks.

It seemed that even magic, her identity, had abandoned her...

With her heart beating faster again, Twilight begun to move her head furiously to the sides, looking desperately for the shield she used to hit Grogar with. When she found it, she managed to forget about all the pain and ran towards it, looking to the reflective surface.

She found a different mare being shown back to her.

Twilight was taller, about half-a-head taller than the average mare, much like Princess Luna and Princess Cadance. Her horn was bigger and pointier, her mane was longer and smoother than before.

“No! This is wrong!” Twilight backed away from the shield, shaking her head in negation and closing her eyes.

“Believe me, I’m feeling as confused as you. The spell you used some hours ago seemed to be too perfectly executed to be made by accident,” Hammer Horn walked closer, still smiling.

“I’ve told you that I don’t know of any spell!” Twilight exploded in rage, shooting her eyes open in his direction.

Her bellows asked for more breath than normal, and she begun to hyperventilate. Her heart raced so fast, that the beats were hurting her chest.

She wanted to scream, hoping to open her eyes in a faraway place, at her safe and cozy bed if possible.

“Where’s my friends?” Twilight shouted at the ram.

Hammer Horn laughed, “How am I supposed to know?”

“You rams are the only ones that could have taken them away while I was out cold!”

“That blast of white light, capable of engulfing all the land with its shine. It was very similar to an event that transpired three thousand years ago...”

The mare gazed at Hammer Horn, fighting to not resume her weeping, “What? How’s that even relevant?”

“A powerful being used her magic to sacrifice an entire nation with the objective of transcending into godhood.”

Twilight scuffed a hoof against the ground, furious, “Stop with this nonsense! What the hay are you trying to tell me?”

A creep smile opened in his evil face, “You killed them, right?”

Her mouth opened, and the tears started to fell down again. Twilight’s face contorted into a despaired frown, mixed with utter shock.

“Are you completely insane?” She asked in disbelief, “How could I have killed them?”

“They aren’t around, am I right?” The ram asked back, sarcastically, “Unless they are hiding through a spell.”

“It does not prove anything!” Twilight shouted, rage turning into more and more panic.

“Maybe. However, you are an alicorn, and I would never forget about the fate of that nation to the far east of Equestria. The cries of a million of innocents, having their souls sucked into a maelstrom of magic, only to grant a single pony, the powers of a Goddess.”

Twilight’s headache intensified. She led a hoof to her forehead due to the absurd pain.

“I was already inside the castle, and I’m sure to have heard some nasty screams coming from here. Aren't they from your fellow bearers?”

The memories started to come back, and Twilight revived the scene transpiring before everything went white. Rainbow Dash pleads to stop, and the screams of pain coming from each one of her friends, their voices covered in total panic.

“It’s... A lie...”

She breathed.

“It’s impossible! I don’t know that spell...”

Twilight’s eyes started to dance inside their orbits, her head was about to explode.

“Well, perhaps you knew the spell, but never wanted to use it, and blocked it? Perhaps it was just a similar spell, that surged within you due to your interaction with the Elements of Harmony? The possibilities...”

Hammer Horn seemed to be enjoying to torture her further.

“No! That’s impossible! It simple can’t be true!”

Lost inside of her own mind, drowned in the depths of despair, Twilight tried with all her strength to use one of her strongest weapons, reasoning, to explain the situation.

This... never happened before. The Elements... they are supposed to channel our inner powers; they are like manifestations of our own souls. Your soul can’t harm you; your own power can’t kill you just because it is being channeled. Then... if the Elements aren’t to blame, who destroyed them? Where are my friends? Are they… dead?

She could feel her sanity slipping.

Was it… me? Was it that power surge my fault? Like the time I could not control my powers during the test to be accepted at the school for gifted unicorns when I hatched Spike’s egg? Does that mean that I’m the one to blame?

“No...” Twilight breathed, going backwards, shaking her head vigorously to the sides in negation.

Hammer Horn watched in silence as Twilight’s mind broke apart like a cracked wall of thin glass...

“They can’t be dead!” She screamed to no pony, her voice hitting a high-pitched frequency due to a torrent of tears coming from inside of her all at once.

“I’m not a murderer! I didn’t knew about the elements! I didn’t knew about any spell!”

Her legs trembled, and she fell to the side, screaming with all the strentgh of her bellows when she hit the ground, crying and wailing in pure despair.

She kept screaming until her voice was no more. Then she just cried in silence, her face laid directly against the stone floor.

Her friends were gone, forever.

Twilight couldn't bear a world where those five weren't there by her side. The simple idea was like a vivid nightmare, devouring her sanity and her feelings. Her heart wasn't broke; it was tore apart from her chest with brutality, leaving behind an empty void, that ached like a broken bone, one that would never be able to regenerate...

To make everything worse, she was the suspect number one. She probably was the responsible for their deaths, and it does not mattered if she killed them by accident.

She still was a murderer.

“We promised to go back home together... We pinkie promised,” Twilight sobbed, in between the hiccups, as her immobile body spasmed and convulsed on the floor, tears freely falling from her lifeless eyes.

Hammer Horn still watched in silence. The ram seemed to not even produce a sound.

Twilight slowly raised a hoof towards him, pledging, “Can you kill me too, Hammer Horn?”

He frowned.

“Can you please let me go with them?”

The ram walked over her direction, and raised his hoof, preparing to smash her head.

Twilight closed her eyes, although a smile crept across her muzzle; dying now would be a blessing for her...

However, when the ram applied the strike, his hoof passed Twilight, as if he was a ghost.

The purple alicorn shoot her eyes open, and moved her head towards him, “What?”

“Our king is gone. Without him, this entire city is dammed to return to the Tartarus, along with each soldier from his army.”

Twilight hanged her head low, and closed her eyes, filling the air with the sound of her wails.

“It’s a shame, isn't it? I don’t have enough time to turn that cute head of yours into a pancake.”

Everything around the alicorn started to transform into mist, the walls were disintegrating around Twilight.

The same fate was falling upon the ram, “I bid you farewell, Sparkle. If you really are the responsible for their deaths, I will see you at the Tartarus soon enough. If not, well, good luck trying to explain it to this world.”

In seconds, the entire city vanished, leaving no trace behind, except for a huge crater on the middle of the Everfree Forest.

Twilight now was laid upon the soft ground.

Her tears kept falling, being absorbed by the earth and disappearing. The forest around her was as quiet as the city was moments before, and her sobs and wails kept filling the air.

The night was colder and harsher. Despaired, Twilight trembled due to the low temperature, drowned in her pool of dread. In the corner of her eye, she caught the vision of the destroyed Elements of Harmony, the only things that were left behind.

She crawled on the ground, scratching her belly against the soil, going towards the remnants of the necklaces. When reaching them, the alicorn enveloped each one in her fore hooves and sat.

“Please! Come back!” She screamed, “I will do anything! Anything at all! But for Celestia’s sake, come back!”

She clenched the destroyed jewelry against her chest, hugging the pieces as if she was hugging her friends. Some sharp shards even started to hurt her, making small cuts, although the pain produced by those shards seemed to not affect the despaired mare at all.

It was too weak...

Twilight keep screaming and screaming, crying without stop, “Don’t leave me alone! I don’t want to be all alone again! I’m sorry! I never wanted to this with you girls!”

Suddenly, the alicorn was surprised by the sound of several creatures getting near, bustling through the foliage around the big hole.

“The screams are coming from over here!” A male voice shouted from the distance.

Confused, Twilight begun to glance at all directions.

Quickly, an entire battalion surrounded the crater. The squad was composed only by bat-ponies from Luna’s night guard.

The knights glanced at Twilight with a hint of fear in their eyes, Twilight ceased her screams, and turned to one of them, “Can you please help me?”

From her position at the border of the hole, she crawled in his direction, using her muzzle to pull her body through the ground, she didn’t wanted to let it go from the Elements. The bat-pony walked near her with a bland expression.

“They vanished... I don’t know what happened... They broke, you see?” Twilight showed him the broken jewels.

He looked back at her with a mix of disgust and pity on the eyes, “Are the princesses sure? This mare looks like she completely lost it!”

“I dunno. She sure seen in shambles, but there’s no city here anymore, and those broken shards sure are from the Elements of Harmony,” another soldier replied to the first.

“We don’t have any choice, huh?” He turned back to Twilight, “Look filly, you are under arrest.”

Twilight’s jaw dropped.

“What?”

“Those are Princess Luna’s orders. You need to come with us, and I really hope you aren’t planning on resisting.”

Twilight backed away, “Why Princess Luna is arresting me?”

“It looks like you killed the Elements of Harmony to perform a forbidden ritual to transform yourself into an alicorn.”

The second knight came closer, “Well, there’s no denying she is one. Plus, she have the Elements, or what is left of them.”

“No!” Twilight shouted, “I didn’t killed them! I swear!”

Both knights exchanged confused glances. The first one spoke, “Okay filly, where are the other five mares if you hadn't killed them? Can you explain us why the necklaces are destroyed, and why you are an alicorn?”

Twilight remained in silence.

The second knight sighed, “We don’t want to do it with you Miss Sparkle, but we can’t ignore an order from our liege. Besides, the story does not look to be so absurd now that I’m seeing the situation with my own eyes.”

The first one came along, “He’s right. I thought you were a great unicorn, Miss Sparkle, but it appears that the power turned you into a monster, capable of killing your friends. I hope Luna have mercy upon your soul...”

“Now come with us, and don’t try to resist, please.”

They walked in her direction. One of the bat-ponies tried to take Twilight by her hoof, in an attempt to separate the shards from her.

“No! Don’t you dare to touch them!”

Immediately, the alicorn slapped his hoof, her face twisting into a fit of rage.

Another knight tried to do the same, but received a bite from Twilight. Several bat-ponies flocked around her, she tried to fight against the swarm in a desperate attempt to protect the shards from the soldiers.

They eventually overpowered her, casting the shards to the ground...

Twilight was chained down.

Her four limbs were linked together by a chain, restricting most of her movements. A large strip of metal was passed around her body, forcing her wings to stay folded. A terrible magic gadget called “Nullifying Ring”, designed specially to block an unicorn’s magical power, was put at her horn.

She was then mercilessly thrown to the rear wagon of a huge flying carriage, pulled by four bat-ponies.

It was a quiet trip until now.

The hours passed on the wooden floor of that box-like place were a torment. There was no more reasoning for Twilight, just tears.

She cried quietly, taking solace in the memories of her six friends.

Rainbow Dash’s clumsy, hot-heated demeanor.

Rarity’s drama queen acts.

Applejack’s stupid stubbornness.

Pinkie Pie’s absurd powers.

Fluttershy being scared of her own shadow.

Spike’s sarcasm and laziness.

She even smiled a bit upon remembering the moments they spent together, silly moments, which Twilight could question why they were bringing her joy.

Those stupid mares who had the courage to throw Celestia’s personal student life into one big mess, and she was so happy for it to have happened...

She remembered how they grew to be special to her, like a family, like her own blood. Twilight remembered every single special moment with them, each laugh and hug.

She loved them...

However, everything disappeared in the blink of an eye. It was so unbelievable to her, so alien, that two years of building that strong friendship had vanished in few seconds.

She couldn't accept it!

There had to be some explanation, something she was missing. Twilight forced her body to stand once again, staying in that pathetic heap wasn't helping her to think.

This time, her body felt a little strong. Twilight concluded that her strength was coming back to her by the time, even if slowly.

The carriage was shaking a lot. She walked towards the window, blocked by several metallic bars. Although the clouds were dampening a clear vision of the ground below her, Twilight knew that route really well...

Everfree to Ponyville.

Suddenly, Twilight’s ears captured the guards pulling the carriage engaged in a strange conversation.

“We are transporting her to Ponyville instead of Canterlot?”

The purple alicorn trotted near to have a better hearing.

“Yes, that’s what the last order was saying. Canterlot is still under alert due to the siege from the rams. Plus, it looks like the Princesses want to pass on her judgement as soon as possible.”

Princess Celestia will be at Ponyville!

Twilight knew that, if somepony could explain her what was happening, it sure would be her beloved mentor.

Also, she would be seeing Princess Luna, which could give her the chance to discover why she was imprisoned.

It was time to be strong, for her friends!

Determined to watch the ordeal towards the end, the purple alicorn returned to her resting place, to wait for their arrival at Ponyville.

The carriage landed.

Outside, Twilight could hear a commotion. Something seemed strange...

She got up, looking aimlessly to the wooden walls, confused. Soon enough, the back doors opened, and two bat-ponies stallions gazed at her from outside, shooting daggers through their eyes.

Along with the vision, a deafening sound of an enraged crowd invaded her prison. Ashamed, Twilight hanged her head low and trotted outside, without protest.

As she hopped out of the carriage, the purple alicorn finally understood what was causing the commotion: All the residents from Ponyville were gathered at the entrance of her oak tree, where several guards from both the Night and the Sun Guards formed a circle, blocking the residents from trying to enter the vicinities.

“Look! It’s the librarian!” A stallion shouted amidst the mob.

“She’s an alicorn! Does that mean the rumors are true?” A beige mare with rose red mane asked.

“She murdered those ponies! She’s a monster!” Another stallion yelled, his voice full of rage.

Twilight bit her lips.

“Come with us, Princess Luna is waiting for you,” a Night Guard said to her, blankly.

Twilight closed her eyes and followed her scouts towards the oak tree. On her way there, the purple alicorn could hear each pony from the town shouting insults and calling her by several names.

Murderer.

Traitor.

Monster.

Each voice echoing, each insult, felt as a dagger piercing her back. Twilight could only wonder how the news spread so quickly.

“Twilight!” A familiar voice shouted, close enough to attract her attention.

Her ears perked up, and with eyes full of tears, she glanced to the direction of the voice.

Sweetie Belle.

The small filly was forcing her way through the huge mass of ponies being contained by the knights. She was crying, looking towards the purple alicorn with worry on her eyes.

“What happened Twilight? Where’s Rarity?” Sweetie Belle managed to reach the border, she tried to break the formation, but a knight caught her by the waist.

Twilight only shook her head in negation as an answer for her question.

The filly stared at the purple alicorn, baffled. Twilight turned her gaze away, and continued to follow the knights leading her.

“This can’t be true!” Sweetie Belle shouted, her voice slowly vanishing at the distance, “You can’t have killed my sister! She’s your friend, and she loved you and you loved her back!”

Twilight felt as if she could puke right now.

“Sweetie is right!” Another familiar voice, coming from near her new position.

Once again, the purple alicorn motioned her head to see who it was. This time, she found Mrs. Cake, bearing a crying expression.

“Pinkie! Where is she, Twilight?” The mare asked with a shout.

“I don’t know Mrs. Cake!” Twilight yelled back. Immediately, one of the guards pulled the chain around her neck, almost strangling her.

“Shut up!”

Twilight gasped for air, and the pain made her watery eyes shed some tears against her will.

“Don’t ya dare to do this with her!” A male voice shouted with anger from the opposite side.

Twilight caught the vision of Big Macintosh being blocked by two guards.

“She’s innocent! Ah know it! Let her go!”

The purple alicorn closed her eyes again, her ears deflated, glued to the sides of her head. A weak stream of tears rolled down from her eyes. The shame was too strong to bear.

They finally reached the entrance of her library. The scouts halted Twilight on place.

A strong glow of azure magic illuminated the place, and in the blink of an eye, Princess Luna appeared.

Her presence made Ponyville become quiet again.

Each mare and stallion stared at the beautiful night alicorn with attention. Luna moved her head around, in silence, observing the huge commotion.

Twilight looked straight at her eyes, and as she always do, bowed down.

Luna sighed, her cold expression melting into a worried frown. She cleared her throat, and begun speaking using her Royal Canterlot Voice, “Citizens of Ponyville! We succeeded in capturing the pony charged with the accusation of murdering five residents of this town!”

“She’s a traitor! Throw her on the jail and give the key to a hydra!”

“Monster! How could you harm them?”

“She deserves no mercy from you, Princess Luna!”

Twilight moved her head back to the Princess of the night, “Did you knew this was going to happen? That’s how everypony knows what happened, right?”

Luna pouted, “No. Celestia has precognitive abilities, though they are not perfect. She told me that you were going to undergo a transformation, and this event would trigger something really catastrophic upon Equestria.”

“Then why Ponyville want to tear me apart?”

“That’s because I had to alert them about you becoming a possible threat, and pass on the fact that you were going to return here, but alone. We had to presume that you performed an ancient forbidden spell, which the cost was the lives of the Elements of Harmony. That pillar of light just confirmed our suspicions. The information leaked, somehow, and in few minutes, this whole town was aware of it. ”

Twilight turned her head away, “You don’t trust me anymore, Princess Luna?”

The blue alicorn bit her lips, “How could I? Where are your friends?”

“I don’t know.”

“What about the Elements of Harmony? Is it true that my guards found the shards in your arms?”

“Yes.”

“Can you tell me how and why you transcended?”

“No. I don’t have any idea how this have happened...”

“Then, explain how to give you the benefit of the doubt,” Luna looked more distressed than even Twilight. The purple alicorn could catch a glimpse of sadness in her eyes and expression.

“I’m not a murderer.”

Luna remained in silence for some seconds.

“Citizens of Ponyville!” Her Royal Canterlot Voice made the ground tremble, “We shall pass on the divine judgement upon this mare!”

Luna cleared her throat and tried to fake a cold expression, “Give me any proof of your innocence, and I will let you go.”

“I can’t,” Twilight breathed, “I’m beyond confused. I’ve lost the ponies that I love the most on the world, and now I’m inside this strange body. How could I be searching for clues about my innocence, if you captured me without giving me time to search for anything?”

“If you were innocent, you would not be in needing of proofs.”

“I am innocent, Princess Luna!”

Determination beamed inside Twilight’s eyes. The enraged crowd behind her kept shouting insults the whole time.

“She’s lying Princess! She’s an alicorn! She killed them!”

“Give our friends back you monster! They don’t deserved to be sacrificed for you to gain power!”

“If you were innocent, our Holy Lady Celestia would never accuse you!”

Luna gazed at the furious mob. Her’s and Celestia’s knights were struggling to keep the ponies away.

She turned to Twilight, “You... Do not deserve this.”

The purple alicorn hanged her head down, “I hoped to hear answers from you, Princess Luna. If you don’t know what’s going on, how could I know?”

Luna remained in silence once again, her eyes were unable to focus on Twilight, as if she was reluctantly trying to hide something.

“I need to pass on your sentence or things are going to get really ugly here.”

“It doesn't matter to me. Still, I can only keep believing that I’m innocent, because I would never harm my friends for a selfish gain.”

A voice echoed, stronger than any curse through the enraged crowd, “No! You aren't to blame Twilight!”

Luna and Twilight looked towards Sweetie Belle.

“She’s innocent Princess! She has to be!”

“The filly is right Princess!” Mrs. Cake also forced her voice to its limits to attract their attention, “Pinkie remained so many nights working hard at our bakery to prepare desserts to this mare! She always said how she admired Twilight for her hard work, and kindness! My little Pinkie loved her! And there wasn't a single day that they didn't laughed together just because they were around each other!”

“She would never harm’em!” Big Mac was about to break through the guards, “Their friendship was stronger than anything on this world!”

Luna remained perplexed.

“Still, there’s nothing more than words to back her innocence!” Luna spoke to them, “The proofs of her wrongdoings are greater than those hopeful feelings. Besides, not even herself can give me a straight explanation about the events that unfold five hours ago!”

“Princess Luna is right!”

“You guys are being deceived by this monster!”

“Don’t let her fool you guys! She killed your family!”

The mob kept torturing Twilight.

Luna turned to the crying alicorn, “I cannot deem you guilty, nor absolve you. I can only trust your fate to the hooves of my sister.”

“Be it. Celestia is my only hope right now.”

The Princess of the Night cleared her throat one more time, turning to the crowd, “I am unable to pass on my final decision about this mare’s fate! However, fear not Children of Equestria! Our Holy Lady Celestia shall have the final word! Let us pray to her light to shed the truth upon this whole ordeal!”

The crowd was silenced.

Twilight whispered to Luna, “We are going to Canterlot?”

“No. She’s here, waiting for you inside the library.”

“Can we end this once and for all, please?”

“As you wish.”

The absurd silence was broken by the sounds of Twilight’s chains dangling as she moved. Luna used her magic to open the wooden door, and the two alicorns trotted inside, closing the door right behind them...

The insides were murky and dark.

Few lamps were lit, and were unable to provide real lighting to the interior of her library.

Scattered across the place, Twilight observed several books on the ground. There were more books on the ground, than on the shelves.

In the middle of the place, she found a tall white alicorn, sat on the wooden floor. She was ecstatic on place, looking towards the side opposite to the entrance.

“Princess Celestia?” Twilight asked, with a low and pained voice.

Luna stopped right at the side of the door, while Twilight walked towards her mentor.

Something was wrong with Celestia.

Her beautiful magical mane was amiss. In its place, a long, pool blue colored smooth mane fell from her head, covering her back. Her long and smooth tail sported the same coloration.

She was not wearing any of her royal regalia.

“You came...”

Celestia breathed.

“ I've been brought here, Princess. I would try to find you, anyway, so it does not matter.”

Twilight glanced around her destroyed library, “Where’s Spike?”

“We banished him,” Celestia answered with an empty voice.

“No!” Twilight covered her muzzle with a hoof, trying to control the flood of tears, “Why?”

“He’s a dragon. Eventually, he could become a threat to this town, and harm the others without you near to protect him from himself. It’s his destiny.”

“You’re wrong!” Twilight shouted at Celestia, “He’s the most gentle and noble, and kind dragon or pony around here!”

“I used to be full of hope just like you...”

“Where’s him?” Twilight yelled further.

“The Everfree. To live among his species.”

“He can’t survive there! The other dragons are going to harm him!” Twilight cried, her tears of sadness mixed with the ones of rage.

“It’s not our problem. We can’t ensure that every single creature on this world will live. That’s cold, I know, but believe me when I say that I would do anything to make even the smallest bug happy.”

They remained in silence.

Twilight was breathing heavily, sobbing, being the only one to produce a sound. Luna seemed to be just observing everything, displeased.

“What happened to me, Princess Celestia?”

The white alicorn moved her head towards an opened book on the ground to her right side. Her horn flared with a gentle white glow, enveloping it. Celestia closed the book, showing the thick cover to Twilight, “Do you recall this title?”

Twilight observed the tome briefly, and sighed, “Of course. It’s a fairy tale called, ‘The Twilight Princess and The Stolen Kingdom.’ “

“I used to tell the tale to my student before her sleep.”

Celestia’s words stung Twilight’s heart like an arrow, “You mean me, right?”

“In this tale, a Princess called the Twilight Princess comes from a faraway land to save a beautiful country from two evil Queens that enslaved the ponies and made them do all their desires. The Twilight Princess is seen by those ponies as an enemy, and few are the ones who help her on her quest. In the end, we all learn that the Twilight Princess was the true Queen of that beautiful country, and that those evil ponies had stolen her place, when she was an infant.”

Celestia turned to Twilight. Try as she might to hide, the purple alicorn could clearly see that Celestia was crying, for some reason.

“The Twilight Princess endured many hardships, because the ponies enslaved by the evil Queens were blind to the truth, and thought their evil rulers were giving them blessings. She fought with them, and in the end, she defeated them, and through the light of her dawn, a new eon of harmony and peace spread across the land.”

“Princess Celestia... Why are you crying?” Twilight asked, confused.

Celestia closed her eyes, two huge trails of tears descending through her cheeks. Luna walked towards her, concerned, but Celestia shook her head, asking her to stop where she was.

“This fairy tale is about you, mare.”

Twilight’s jaw dropped.

Grogar’s words boomed inside her head, finally making sense...

You could even surpass the Sun Goddess herself if you could grow wings and strong hooves. Surpass the Goddess... she should feel threatened by your existence, that must be why she keeps you so close.

“You are here to take our place. To rob me and my sister from our place as rulers of Equestria. You are here to destroy everything we worked so hard to build! One thousand years of struggle and suffering.”

The purple alicorn shook her head, quickly becoming irritated with such absurd accusations.

“I will not allow it! I will not permit that you, a unruly brat take away my country and my crown!”

“Shut up!”

Twilight’s scream made the whole building shake.

“I don’t want your crown! I don’t want your place! I’m not going to steal Equestria from you, Princess! I don’t even know what the hay is happening! It’s me, Twilight Sparkle! Can’t you see it?”

Celestia stared blankly at Twilight, in silence.

“Please Princess... Stop doing this...”

Twilight’s voice slowly melted into despaired wails, followed by tears.

“I’m so scared. My friends vanished, and I’m not looking like myself anymore. You are the only one that can help me right now...”

Luna looked towards Celestia, even more worried. Twilight continued with her wails.

“I’m begging you Princess! Please, help me! How could I do anything to harm you or your sister? You two are important to me as my own mother! I love you so much, but hearing you saying those things to me is toring my heart apart!”

“No pony returned from Tambelon...”

Twilight gasped.

“No pony returned. My student is dead. You are not her...”

It was the worst nightmare Twilight had on her life, except it was real.

The purple alicorn lowered her head, and closed her eyes, tears falling freely, rolling down her face and dripping to the ground, “It’s just a fairy tale, right? It’s not real, right?”

Celestia turned to Luna, “Can you give me the shards?”

The Night Princess nodded, taking a few steps forward. Her horn flared, and emitted an intense azure light, shooting a beam right in front of Celestia. Together in a pile, the destroyed Elements of Harmony appeared out of thin air.

“To destroy the harmony of this land. It’s your first task, right Twilight Princess?” Celestia asked, cruelty clear on her voice.

Twilight remained in silence.

Celestia channeled her magic powers, and a white light enveloped the shards.

“You are right, this is just a fairy tale, we can’t take it as the truth. Me and my sister, we are not evil queens. The only one here about to make others suffer, is you.”

The blinding white light enveloped the vicinities. Then, the pile of shards changed into a huge, stained glass door, just like the windows from Canterlot’s castle. It depicted an intricate and mysterious design.

Twilight observed the glass in front of her, and her eyes went wider due to the image.

It showed a glowing white tower at the center. The six Elements of Harmony floated around it. At the bottom, a defeated Grogar was lying on the ground, and at the top, a purple alicorn was proudly showing her wings, and with both her hind hooves, she smashed Celestia and Luna’s cutie marks. A crown, different from the crown representing the Element of Magic was atop her head and she had a sword at the side of her body, resting in a sheath.

However, what attracted Twilight’s attention was the image of her friends near the purple alicorn. Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie and Fluttershy could clearly be seen close to their respective elements.

“This is what I saw. This is what my powers showed me. I don’t know what you did with my dear student, but you are not going to harm my little ponies!”

“They are alive?”

Celestia raised an eyebrow.

“They are alive, right Princess? Tell me, please!”

Celestia scuffed a hoof on the floor and turned around, “Luna, call the guards. Leave her at the deep level.”

“Tia...”

Luna’s eyes glowed with sadness.

“Aren’t you hearing me, sister? Take her away please, and come back here, we need to talk.”

Twilight shook her head in disbelief, “I still love you, Princess Celestia.”

The white alicorn cringed, as if she was hurt by those words.

Luna opened the door, and the guards awaiting outside marched towards Twilight’s direction.

“I don’t know why you are hiding the truth from me. I don’t know why you are treating me like trash, but I feel, deep inside, that you still are the same Celestia that I loved. I will never hate you, my Princess, and I know that someday, you will tell me everything that is happening. Until that day, I swear, I will never harm you or your sister, or even a single pony!”

Suddenly, Twilight started to cough. The persistent cough started weak, but soon, Twilight felt her breath leaving her, and her bellows pained.

There was blood...

The world around her started to spin, and her vision blurred, her legs lost strength, and she fell.

Her last vision was that of Celestia’s face, going from a normal gaze, to utter panic.

However, the purple alicorn smiled...

You still there, right my Princess?

They are alive!

I know they are alive!

I cannot give up now.

I need to find them, I need to know the truth.

I need to save my friends!

Was I really born to take Princess Celestia and Princess Luna places, even if I don’t want to?

Is this my destiny?

I can’t accept it!

I will change it at any cost!

Two - The Concord Flame

The persistent sound of a loose water faucet slowly dripping nearby forced Twilight to open her eyes.

She was in a dungeon. One of the deepest in Canterlot castle. It was the kind of dungeon that only the worst criminals in Equestria were destined for, the kind of dungeon that once one entered, one never escaped.

Her legs were chained by a magically enchanted chain, designed especially to lock even the supernatural strength of an alicorn. Her wings were held against her body by a large strip of metal, making it impossible for her to unfold them.

Even her horn had received the nullifying ring once again.

The cell, a small room made of white marble, was murky and damp, moss and fungi sprouted forth between the stone, clarifying just how little upkeep the place received.

Twilight could only see a bed, a water faucet to her near left, and a toilet as furniture inside.

The bars separating Twilight from the corridor outside were rusted and forgotten.

A single torch was the only light that made it down this far into the underground prison. The meaning was clear: you're never going to see daylight again.

By this point, Twilight had lost any sense of time. How much have time passed since her struggle at the Golden Oak Library?

If that even mattered.

The alicorn got up and slowly trotted over to the bars, while the chains dangled on her trembling legs, causing small cuts in her lavender skin.

Twilight pressed her head against the iron bars as despair overwhelmed her. None of this made any sense. How had things gone so wrong? Was she a bad pony?

Twilight shuddered against the rusted iron as sobs racked her body, each tear shed for a different reason. Sadness. Guilt. Confusion. Betrayal.

That image, of Celestia turning her face away from her still burned inside of Twilight’s mind.

Why? Why? Why?

Twilight slammed her head against the bars as the unanswerable question brutally tortured her.

How much more can be taken away from me besides my life?

Twilight shook the thoughts from her mind, but try as she might, she couldn't stop the never ending stream of tears.

Celestia... Princess Celestia why? I love you so much, why have you abandoned me?

She was bombarded with the memories of her childhood, growing along her beloved teacher.

The gifts Celestia always gave her in her birthdays, the marvelous parties for them she made in the Canterlot ballroom, even when the only guest was the Princess herself.

Her proud smile when Twilight learned a new spell.

How she used to cuddle in the bed together with the big, white alicorn, like how she would cuddle with her own mother.

When Celestia sung her lullabies.

I can endure losing everything... but to lose you...

Despite all the suffering and pain consuming the bottom of her heart, no answer came to her. The heavy weight of not only being betrayed by the one Twilight had placed all her hope, but also,her hopeless lack of answers crushed her on top of her unending suffering.

“Why? Why? Why?” Twilight wailed, pathetically trying to find the answers inside of her head, where she only found even more pain.

The sound of metal being hit started to resound across the silent corridor again. Each time she asked herself why, Twilight slammed her head against the rusted bars wanting to numb the enormous pain coming from her heart.

“Hey, take it easy girl,” a female voice called Twilight, making she stop the self-torture, “you are going to get a bump into that cute, little head of yours.”

The alicorn raised her head, and opened her eyes to look at the corridor outside.

She found a female bat-pony, clad in dark-blue armor. In anticipation of her rule over Equestria and the coming of the Eternal Night, Princess Luna - as Nightmare Moon - cast a powerful spell on her most loyal Guards, transforming them into the Night Guards. The Night Guards proved to be a competent fighting force and were granted full pardons following Nightmare Moon's banishment, forming several Houses from which all modern Night Guards are descended from.

In terms of abilities, the bat-ponies that form the Night Guard are just like the normal pegasi, except that their wings are made of a thick, black leather skin instead of feathers. Their eyes have cat-like pupils, capable of controlling how much light is going to enter, granting them an almost perfect vision in the penumbra. Also, they have an enhanced hearing sense, making them formidable fighters even in total darkness.

The downside is that they simply can’t function during the day. They are all nocturnal creatures.

This one in particular attracted Twilight’s attention. She was a young mare, few years older than the ex-Element of Magic herself. Her fur was dark-gray and she had a very short pale blue mane, which formed a fringe falling from her head, over her right eye. she also had very pointy ears, different from a normal pony ear. Her eyes were an astonishing color of amber, with a fended feline pupil of deep black. She sported very luxurious regalia over her chest, showing she was not a common soldier: This regalia was a huge piece of adorned steel, tinged with a deep dark-blue color and a big jewel, probably a sapphire on the center, over her heart. This jewel was not your average sapphire, seeing how its design resembled an eye.

“C’mon, don’t cry on me like that. I’m not the best with feelings, you know.” The bat-pony gave a kind smile to Twilight.

She spoke just like Rainbow Dash; having a brash and carefree way with words.

“W-who are you?” Twilight breathed, her prudence halting the tears as she eyed the unknown guard warily.

“I’m Midnight Blossom, captain of the first platoon of the Night Guard under Princess’s Selena command.”

Twilight hadn't needed any more explanation from the bat-pony to know what she was talking about.

The first platoon of the Night Guard was known as ‘The Unseen’; ponies with astounding abilities of espionage and stealth and a grim reputation of being Equestria’s assassins...

Princess Selena is Luna’s known name outside of Equestria. It is also considered her ‘archaic’ name, from the time when Nightmare Moon was banished.

Uninterested in anything that the mysterious mare could tell her, Twilight simply turned around and walked slowly towards her bed, “What could an important pony such as you, Captain Blossom, possibly want with a filthy traitor such as me?”

Midnight Blossom smiled. She shuffled one of her wings inside the large saddlebag she brought at one side and picked a small object.

The bat-pony turned her attention back to the mare weeping silently inside the cell, and asked, “Are you familiar with Equestrian myths Miss Sparkle?”

Twilight just nodded.

“Then, I assume I don’t need to tell you what this is.”

Twilight observed as the strange bat-pony rolled inside the cell a small, black object. It kept going forward, until it hit her hind hoof, attracting her attention.

As she looked to it, the purple alicorn found a tiny obsidian stone. Her eyes widened in shock almost immediately.

The Night Guard was known to execute some nasty operations, such as assassinations of enemies and threats to the supremacy of the Two Sisters. But sometimes, those threats came from inside of Equestria itself: Nobles with enough naivety to defy the alicorn supremacy and try to take the throne for themselves, mad criminals trying to abduct the Princesses and use them as tools for bargain, and many other ponies with bad intentions. It was when the ‘The Unseen’ was called.

The chosen assassin was gifted with a small sphere made of obsidian stone, where the cutie mark of the said target was carved using a spell. Once the job was finished, the assassin delivered the stone with his or her own cutie mark carved on the other side back to the monarch who tasked him with the job, this way, the monarch who ordered the assassination could be sure that the job was completed.

Not a single target on the history was able to run from them. ‘The Unseen’ become subject of legend in history books, , but their existence, and the existence of their black stones were very real and known to only a handful of scholars.

Twilight’s hoof trembled. She begged to not see her cutie mark on the other side of that ominous gem... she rolled the obsidian stone to see the hidden face.

But her prayers were in vain.

Carved on the side facing the ground, was a six pointed pink star with five smaller white stars around it.

“Then... you are here to kill me Captain Blossom?” Twilight asked with a sour smile across her face.

“Nope,” the bat-pony answered with a carefree expression.

Twilight’s face twisted in a mix of relief and confusion, “I don’t understand. It is an order from your superiors’ right?”

“That’s the problem Twilight, Celestia’s orders demanded you to be hidden from the public eye until further notice, and kept safe in the dungeon. Suddenly, I wake up with the mail mare giving me a package containing an Obsidian with your cutie mark. I’m sorry, but I’m not a puppet; I know when something smells fishy and this definitely rots!”

“Maybe they changed their plans,” Twilight answered disheartened.

“That’s impossible!” Midnight grunted, “Princess Celestia would never renege on her word. especially regarding a pony’s life.”

“You have your orders Captain Blossom. Just carry them out... believe me or not, you are doing me a favor,” Twilight replied, tears slowly falling on the cold stone floor.

The bat-pony sighed with exasperation. She picked from inside her saddlebag a key using her wing, and motioned it to the locks.

Midnight opened the cell, calmly walked inside, and sat in front of Twilight in the ground.

“Your brother’s name is Shining Armor right?”

The purple alicorn raised her head, and nodded.

“He was the captain of the royal guard before marrying Princess Cadence, the Crystal Empress. We used to go to the same training grounds during his training for night operations. He was a great stallion, a noble warrior, and I must admit, a very cute colt...”

Twilight looked to Midnight Blossom with confusion; she was unable to comprehend what that mare was trying to say.

“He never stopped talking about his little sister! Twilly this and Twilly that, she is the cutest filly in the world, she is a small genius and tons of gibberish about her. Even being darn annoying, I enjoyed having him around, showing all that love for his family.”

“Midnight, why you are telling me those things?”

“Don’t be a hasty filly, let me finish. One night, some diamond dogs robbed a shipping of gems that was going to be sent to Saddle Arabia, as payment for medicine they brought to Canterlot’s hospital. My platoon was assigned to pursue the robbers and retrieve the cargo, some of the Sun Guards who were about to complete their training for night operations were also assigned to come with us. Among them, Shining Armor.”

Suddenly, Midnight Blossom started to take off her regalia and armor, locking gazes with Twilight. The sound of iron hitting the ground echoed inside the small cell.

When her dark-gray fur was completely naked, Twilight could see a nasty scar on her chest, few centimeters from her heart.

“Midnight! That wound-” Twilight gasped.

“An acid arrow enchanted with manticore’s venom... pierces through armor like it’s nothing. The diamond dogs were expecting us and were prepared for a fight. They surrounded my platoon and their leader shot me straight in the heart, but thanks to your brother’s shield spell, the arrow only penetrated slightly.Still made a nasty wound.”

“My brother saved you?”

“Yes. If Shining Armor wasn’t there, I would’ve been done for. I’m not going to harm his sister, just because a higher up ordered me.”

Midnight turned around and picked the obsidian from the floor.

“The order didn’t come from Princess Celestia. We are Luna’s guard, but orders for assassination must come from the sun Goddess, or they can’t be carried out This obsidian came to my house with the royal insignia of Celestia of course, but our most benevolent ruler would never renege on her word I’ve lived under the rules of the Night Guard since the day I was born, and she never failed us.”

“But if it was not her then who sent you the stone?” Twilight asked with curious eyes.

Midnight sighed, “I dunno, But to use the royal insignia of Celestia like this it must be a pony very close to her.”

Twilight shook her head in disbelief, “It does not matter Midnight. If I am to die, let it be. Inside this prison, there’s nothing I can do.”

The room fell silent for some seconds.

“Are you innocent Twilight Princess?”

wilight’s ears perked up, “What did you just call me?”

“Simply answer my question. Are you innocent or not?”

“I am! I know from the bottom of my heart that my friends are still alive somewhere!” Twilight shouted back.

“Then you need to prove it.”

Midnight trotted near Twilight and freed her from all the restraints.

“What are you doing Midnight?” Twilight asked, confused.

The bat-pony answered, “What is right. Come with me.”

Both mares trotted out of the cell. Midnight took in her mouth a huge, stuffed saddle bag that was on the ground near the cell and without a second warning, started to put it around Twilight’s body.

“Midnight, what’s this?”

“Some things you will need if you are going to run away,” she replied.

Twilight gasped in surprise, “You are going to help me escape? But what if one of your superiors discovers you?”

“I’m the captain of ‘The Unseen’ Twilight, believe me, if I want to do something that no pony will ever know, I can do it.”

The huge bag is neatly placed around Twilight’s body. Midnight offered a cape to Twilight with one wing.

“Where are you planning on going? You do realize that they will know you escaped and put a bounty upon your head, right?” The bat-pony inquired.

Twilight shook her head, accepting the black cloth that would conceal her identity, “I need to go see my parents! I need to take them away from Canterlot, from Equestria if possible!”

Midnight winked to Twilight, “Don’t worry. Your brother came this afternoon and took them away before any Equestrian troops could lay a hoof on them. They are safe in the Crystal Empire, because they are out of Equestrian jurisdiction.”

“My brother?” Twilight asked shouting, “you mean my brother already knows about me?”

Midnight nodded, “Half the planet already knows, and only a day passed, news of the rise of a new Goddess spreads like wild fire. Your brother tried to break inside this complex to save you; thank Luna that I was already up and could stop him.”

Twilight covered her wings and back with the black cape, letting just the hood off to finish her conversation with the Night Guard, “Let’s get going.”

Midnight nodded, and both mares started to run through the shady corridors of the prison.

“If you are not going to run away from Equestria immediately where do you plan on going?” The bat-pony asked.

“Everfree Forest. The sooner the better,” Twilight affirmed with determination.

Midnight ended up laughing, “Are you completely insane? Why do you want to go there?”

Twilight moved her head to face the bat-pony straight on the eyes, “One of my best friends is there, and he’s in danger. I need to take him with me at any cost.”

Midnight just smiled in a satisfied manner.

They continued to run non-stop, traversing the vast amounts of cells side to side on that ugly corridor. Twilight’s heart was almost exploding.

Don’t worry Spike, I’m coming for you. I will take this small shard of hope and put everything back in place!

“Wait!” Twilight had a sudden realization, “if we keep going this way, we will end up on the low-level dungeon! There will be a ton of guards.”

“Hey! Dontcha you trust this knight here?”

The bat-pony stopped near a wall. She pressed a stone, activating a hidden passage.

“I never thought about hidden passages on the castle!” Twilight observed impressed.

You don’t know about half of the secrets this place houses. Now exit through here, and try to not run or act suspiciously. It is already late at night, and all the Night Guard is at Shady Trough, a nightclub.”

“Midnight what about you?”

“I can’t go with you right now. I need to stay here and discover what is happening with this country and why the ponies I lived all my life believing in were going to sacrifice an innocent.”

Twilight gave Midnight a tender smile, and passing a hoof around her neck, she hugged the bat pony.

“I hope to someday be able to thank you enough Captain Blossom,” Twilight whispered.

“Stay alive and clear your name. That’s enough for me,” the bat-pony’s cheeks flushed a little.

They broke from their hug, and Twilight put on the hood that almost covered her entire face. The alicorn trotted out of the prison, and the stone walls closed right after...

Two hours later, some soldiers from the Sun Guard, Celestia’s most trusted knights, were assembling at the gardens to meet with their Goddess while she raised the sun, as they did every morning.

The chalk-white pegasi clad in golden armor were lined up at one side, while the bulky dark-gray earth ponies also sporting the characteristic armor formed another line on the other side.

From one of the gates leading to the inner parts of the castle, two ponies wearing a more intricate set of golden armor trotted out. One was a pegasus mare with chalk-white fur, a very short spiky red mane, a short red tail looking nothing like a mare’s tail, and aqua green eyes. Her armor consisted of a heavy golden mail that protected most of her chest and back, and a very long chain-mail under it, hanging down to the middle of her limbs. She also used a golden set of regalia over her hooves.

The other one was a pegasus stallion. He had a long, straight blonde mane and tail, pristine chalk-white fur and sapphire-blue eyes. His armor was composed of a long golden plate protecting his neck, and a beautiful regalia covering his back and chest, where a small piece resembling a shield rested, with a big blue five pointed star adorning it.

Both guards trotted through the corridor of stallions, each one of them saluted the two as they passed.

“I scored one thousand at yesterday’s battle simulator!” The mare shouted excited, “Better be ready Cloud Skipper, I will take your record down soon!”

“I believe you Pussywillow, you don’t need to shout,” he paused to yawn, “It is so early in the morning, Celestia hasn’t even raised the sun yet.”

As they reached a big, double door with a sun designed over it, both ponies sat on the ground, one at each side. It looked like every movement was rehearsed to happen in that exact orderly form.

The huge doors opened...

“We salute thee, O brightest star of the morning. Long live to the Princess of the Sun!” They shouted together in perfect unison.

But the pony who trotted out was none other than Princess Luna.

“P-princess Selena?” Cloud Skipper yelled in surprise.

Luna looked to him with a cold stare, “Indeed.”

Pussywillow stood up, “Princess Selena, you should be in your chambers at this time of the day, right?”

The dark-blue alicorn ignored the pair and started to trot towards the center of the garden, explaining.

“My sister, Princess Celestia is ill. She will not raise the sun this morning. I shall take the task until she gets better.”

Both captains followed the night ruler to the place where Celestia used her powerful spell to bring the day to all the land. It was a huge circle made of ivory-white marble on the ground, in which a Equestrian’s crest was engraved.

The alicorn stood over it, looking to the horizon. From there, she had the perfect vision of the faraway mountains that encircled the country. The sky was still dark-blue and starry...

“What happened to Princess Celestia, Princess Selena?” The blonde stallion insisted, showing legitimate worry over the sun Goddess.

“It is too soon to tell Commander Skipper. I would like to ask of you for some secrecy on the subject.”

Luna voice also showed worry, and a little bit of sadness. Even so, Cloud Skipper looked with an uncomfortable gaze to the ruler.

“We shall oblige my liege,” Pussywillow said and bowed down.

Luna sharply inhaled some air, and closed her eyes. She stretched her wings to the sides and started to send her magic into her horn. The entire body of the powerful alicorn glowed with a pale white light, and the tip of her horn burst with a blinding light of same color.

After all the knights recovered their visions, it was there on the horizon: the magnificent sun, painting the sky into a beautiful purple and orange efulgecency.

Luna sighed, and slowly opened her eyes, looking to the sun with a sad gaze.

“It’s pretty amazing seeing you raising the sun Princess Selena,” Pussywillow smiled awkwardly.

“What’s so impressive Captain Pussywillow?” The alicorn turned to her, “my sister moved both the sun and the moon for a thousand of years during my exile, it is only natural that I’m capable of doing the same.”

The mare started to sweat nervously, “It’s not what I meant my liege! It’s because-”

“If you’ll excuse me Captain, I must retire to my chambers, I want to have at least some rest before attending to my duties as Equestria’s ruler.”

The Princess of the Night trotted back to the door from where she came.

Pussywillow sighed, “I thought I was done for. Even her being such a sweet Princess, something in her still scares me.”

“Maybe because you are such a scaredy cat during Nightmare Night? She is Nightmare Moon after all,” Cloud Skipper answered, grimacing.

“I-I’m not a scaredy cat!” Pussywillow cheeks flushed, and she stammered, “Besides, don’t forget to never talk about Nightmare Moon near Princess Luna, she still resents that event.”

“Yeah, you don’t need to remind me about that…”

Pussywillow raised an eyebrow, noticing something wrong with the commander.

“Are you feeling well Skipper?”

Cloud Skipper kept looking at the door from where the alicorn passed, spacing out completely.

“Hey, can you come down from the clouds?” The mare shouted, trying her best to regain his attention.

“Yes, I’m feeling fine don’t worry Pussywillow,” he snorted, eyes still locked at the adorned door.

“Then why you are still looking at the door? Is there something wrong with the Princess?”

The stallion turned around, and almost ignoring Pussywillow, he started to walk back to the entrance where they had entered the garden.

“C’mon Skipper! What’s gotten into you?” The mare followed him, her expression showing worry.

Cloud Skipper sighed with exasperation, and looked to her with a very serious frown, “I don’t like where this is going Pussywillow. You remember that I like to hang out at the Shady Trough when I have some free time right?”

The mare simply nodded.

“Yesterday I went there. The strange thing is that almost half of the Night Guard were amiss, and some of the guys that weren’t there always hang out at that bar.”

Pussywillow raised an eyebrow, “What’s strange about that? Guards can have assignments to complete. Maybe they were just too busy to go to Shady Trough yesterday.”

“You are half correct my dear. What scares me is not the fact that they were amiss, but is the amount of soldiers that weren’t there. Of course, I went on and checked some schedules and, believe me or not, some were supposed to be assigned with important requests out of Equestria, like protecting incoming cargo or scouting politicians.”

The mare face twisted in a frown, “Well, the only occasion when the Princesses cancel those types of requests and assemble all the troops is when we are under a war situation.”

Cloud Skipper laughed.

“What’s so funny?” Pussywillow shouted, angered.

“Once again you are half correct, filly. There’s another situation when the Princesses can call out all the troops to assemble at the castle. It’s when a class S prisoner is being brought to Canterlot Palace for interrogation and confinement into the Deep Level Dungeon.”

The red-headed pegasus sighed, “How you are able to memorize all those rules and textbooks?”

“Unlike you, I wasn’t born in a noble family. I had to study hard to enter the military and get promotions.”

“Ah, yes I forgot all about it.” The mare rolled her eyes around, bored.

“Anyway, I think that this scenario is the one with higher chances of being true.”

“Then, you are saying that a really terrible prisoner was brought by half of the Night Guard yesterday to Canterlot?”

The stallion nodded, “We already know that the Elements of Harmony prevented the invasion from Tambelon two days ago. A war situation is very unlikely.”

Pussywillow led a hoof to her chin, rubbing it, “Maybe the bad pony who they transported here was somepony from Grogar’s army?”

“I’m not a magic expert, but if I remember correctly Grogar was bound to his city and army due to the pact they made with the Bell of Tartarus. If he was banished again, then his army went with him.”

“Impressive. You are the nerdy type Skipper, I never knew.”

Cloud Skipper’s cheeks flushed with bright red, easily spotted through his chalk-white coat.

“I like spend my free time reading! It’s important for a knight to be at the peak of his physical and mental abilities!”

“Are you sure?” Pussywillow giggled, “I thought you just liked to go to Ponyville’s library to see that mare, Twilight Sparkle.”

“No! Of course not!” he turned his gaze away from the pegasus mare, even more embarrassed.

Pussywillow giggled, and kept on rambling, “Let’s not run away from the subject. If the big bad pony that came here yesterday wasn’t a ram from Grogar’s army, then who was it?”

Cloud Skipper serious frown returned, “Do you remember about any suspicious rumors running around Canterlot recently?”

“You mean that absurd story about a ‘Twilight Princess’ we heard from the barman some hours after the state of emergency due to Grogar’s return was called off?” Pussywillow raised an eyebrow in disbelief.

The stallion simply nodded.

Cloud Skipper cleared his throat, “The Twilight Princess. Risen from the path of dawn to bring an end to the era of the Two Sisters and spread across the planet the ultimate eon of harmony and prosperity. However, her road will be filled with thorns and she will appear as a monster, clad in a terrible cloud of fear.”

“Are you hearing yourself? That’s just preposterous!” Pussywillow laughed.

“I know. Sounds like a kid’s tale,” the stallion concluded.

“Then why are you bringing that up?”

Cloud Skipper closed his eyes and started to recite the legend again, “A shining tower of light shall appear on the far away horizon, announcing her coming. Everypony on the land will throw rotten fruits against her and call her a murderer.”

Pussywillow stared blankly at him for some seconds and then raised an eyebrow asking, “The unicorns from the army said that the tower of light we saw two days ago was produced by the Elements of Harmony’s power banishing Grogar right?”

“Alicorns can’t get ill…”

Pussywillow’s heart skipped a beat.

“I have served the army for all my life, and my mother before me, and her father before her. Celestia never got ill for over a thousand of years, and now she’s suddenly struck with a disease that is halting her from raising the sun. That’s just too convenient.”

Without uttering any other word, Cloud Skipper entered the doors and disappeared in the darkness, leaving a disheartened red-headed mare behind, lost in her own thoughts.

Are you saying that the legend of the Twilight Princess is real and the Two Sisters are afraid of her?

A wooden door slid open, revealing a train-career brown furred stallion.

“The first train to Ponyville’s station will reach in some minutes mistress, would you please wait at the platform?”

Inside the small cabin, he found just a single pony, covered in a very long black coat, hiding her face beneath a hood.

Twilight moved her eyes, hiding under the hood she was wearing, “Of course, thank you for being so kind.”

She disembarked at Ponyville’s station. It was very early in the morning, and she made sure to be the only pony inside that train, and the only one at the platform.

Taking the train was a very bold course of action, but it was the fastest. With Spike’s life at stake, Twilight was not thinking about risk.

The purple alicorn scanned around her surroundings intently. No known or unknown faces were around, lucky that Ponyville’s station is not always bustling with activity, let alone so early in the morning.

She was unable to avoid the memories of traveling to all kinds of places, like Appleloosa or the Crystal Empire. Memories of happier days seemed like a far away ilusion, bringing sorrow to her wounded heart.

Twilight smiled weakly.

It wasn’t time to reminisce, she had to find Spike.

From the station, she had two options: One was to follow the train’s rails, circling Ponyville and avoiding being spotted by anypony, the other was go through the town and take on the risk of bumping into a familiar face. She chooses the first, just to be sure…

It was a lonely way following the rails.

Ponyville had already disappeared from her field of view, and Twilight was encircled by the wild. It didn’t take too long for her to finally spot the menacing forest that everypony feared.

The sky was still enveloped by the fresh orange color of a new morning. Something in that brief moment when day and night met, gave Twilight a soothing sensation, as if something whispered to her that everything was going to be alright.

More minutes walking, and she could finally gaze upon the ominous trees of dark-green leafs and the thick vegetation.

Without a second thought, Twilight trotted inside, her face being constantly bashed by plants.

I wish I never had to enter this dreaded place again. Not after losing everything here…

Twilight thought that she could push any resentment aside and focus on the task. She was wrong.

Being inside the forest stung her heart with cruelty The screams of her friends before everything went white during the struggle in Tambelon seemed to echo in her head, as if hey were coming from the trees around her…

It didn’t take long before she finally ended up in a trail. The light of the sun completely blocked by the trees, the constant noise of insects and animals resounding on her ears, the creepy atmosphere…

Everything that makes Everfree Forest, the place that everypony hates.

Twilight just had to find Spike. It was going to be easy, or so she wished to believe.

I don’t even know how I should start looking! I don’t have magic, and I don’t know how to fly, this place is not even mapped! What am I supposed to do?

A sound called her attention. Being on the edge helped the mare to become quite audible aware, and she managed to hide behind a bush before anything could spot her.

In few minutes, a pair of heavily armored stallions came turning the trail and entered her field of vision. The stallions were pulling a big wooden wagon somewhere.

They are wearing the Sun Guard’s armor! What are Princess Celestia’s guards doing in the Everfree? I don’t know if I should, but maybe following them could give me hints to find Spike…

Taking care to keep out of their hearing range, Twilight followed the stallions.

After several minutes of walking among the thick vegetation, Twilight glanced upon a huge opening in the middle of the forest. It wasn’t the same opening made by Tambelon, but a lot of unicorns were used to remove enough trees to open it.

Before her eyes, a big military encampment appeared. Several guards clad in golden armor, from all the different species trotted side to side in a frantic march, organizing everything, from the preparation of huge barracks to unloading of weapons from big wagons.

What’s this? Why there is a military camp here?

From inside a barrack, a pegasus mare trotted out. She was white-cream furred, sported a short black mane and her long black tail was tied at the tip. She had brown eyes, and was wearing a golden armor, composed of a long golden cloth that flowed down at both sides of her body, a heavy piece of golden metal protecting her chest with a small neck piece, and a chain mail below it.

Slowly, she walked towards the two stallions pulling the wagon, and yelled at them, giving orders, “You two are both late! Expect fewer rations tonight! This is the first day of this siege and you two are already giving me a hard time!”

“We are sorry Commander Wild Fire, but navigating inside the Everfree is really difficult,” one of them tried to reason, “we got a little lost with the map-“

“Shut up!” Wild Fire shouted, angered, “I don’t want to hear any excuses! We already detected parties from both the Crystal Empire and from Concordia around this forest, meaning that an invasion from them is at hand. They are probably here to find the Twilight Princess and use her as a weapon to threaten Equestria! We cannot allow it!”

The stallions stared blankly to the pegasus.

“Get those weapons at their respective places and join the patrols! We need to find the Concordian pony that still is in the forest and capture him!”

Luckily for her, Twilight was hidden near enough to hear every detail of their conversation. She didn’t get any tips about Spike’s location, but something about the words ‘Twilight Princess’ was pestering her.

She had to move out or she could be discovered, but the huge encampment covered almost any possible route, Twilight’s only option was to go back and circle it.

“The Twilight Princess…” Wild Fire breathed, and picked a small purple scale from inside her armor, using a wing

Twilight’s eyes shot open upon seeing it. It was one of Spike’s scales!

Reason and emotion are always fighting. This was no strange subject for a renowned scholar such as Twilight. However, even a brilliant mind can easily be defeated by her raging emotions.

“Where’s Spike?” Twilight shouted, leaping from her hiding place and right in front of Wild Fire.

The Sun Guard stared at her, mouth agape, eyes wide open in shock.

“I asked where Spike is! Please answer my question!” Twilight insisted.

“Who the hay are you?” The cream furred pegasus still was unable to believe what her eyes showed her.

Some guards near trotted hastily towards the commander, pointing spears and swords to the mysterious pony that appeared out of nowhere.

Before they could launch any type of attack, Wild Fire raised a hoof, signaling them to halt their advance.

Twilight hooves trembled.

She could die right there, but it wasn’t time to hide or cower anymore. Spike’s life was at stake, and she was going to do anything to save him.

The purple mare threw the coat to the side, revealing her identity.

“I’m Twilight Sparkle! Where’s my friend, Commander Wild Fire? Please, answer me!”

The sound of gasps and curses was heard across the crowd of armed ponies. Nopony could believe their eyes, let alone Wild Fire who kept looking to Twilight with a dropped jaw.

“The traitor! The ‘Twilight Princess’!” Wild Fire yelled, her face twisting into an enraged expression.

Twilight eyes watered up, “Where’s Spike?”

The commander took a large crossbow that was resting near a wagon close to her, and aimed at Twilight, “I don’t know how you managed to escape from the Deep Level, but you are not going anywhere right now!”

“I’m not going anywhere unless you tell me where my friend is !”

Without any mercy, Wild Fire shot the arrow. Twilight managed to see when the trigger was pressed, and evaded the bolt by rolling to the side, still the arrow passed millimeters from her face, causing a deep cut against her cheek.

The alicorn quickly stood up enraged, she screamed at Wild Fire, “Where did you get that scale?”

The pony gazed upon Twilight with disgust in the eyes, “It fell in the ground when we brought him here. I heard from my master that dragon’s scales are good luck charms in the battlefield, so I took this one with me.”

“So you know where my friend is?”

Twilight was already crying, unable to control her emotions.

“No. I just hope that the older dragons have devoured him!”

She gasped, and then closed her eyes. She could feel an enormous amount of rage building up inside of her, as the thoughts of Spike being tortured and hurt by the older dragons invaded her frail mind.

Tell me where he is you… whorse!

Twilight shot open her eyes, but they were different. The sclera coloration had changed to a sick green, and a strange mist flowed from them to the sides, forming two long dark-purple lines, her irises were red with fended pupils.

A beam of deep black coloration is shot from the tip of Twilight’s horn, and nailed the commander straight in the chest, throwing her some meters away.

The purple alicorn shook her head, doing her best to take control of her emotions once again. All the knights near her were still amazed by the demonstration of sheer might, looking with dropped jaws to the alicorn.

With difficulty, Wild Fire got back on her hooves, and immediately ordered her subordinates, “Kill the traitor!”

Twilight recovered just in time to jump out of the way from a thrusting spear coming straight to her.

A flying pegasus tried to hit her in the air with a sword right after she jumped, but she managed to flap her wings and launched herself to the side, crashing into the ground.

Twilight’s reaction was to stand up as fast as she could before being pushed any further and run along the trail where the stallions came from. She knew that Wild Fire wasn’t going to give her any answers, and she had to survive to save her friend.

Several knights chased after her.

Twilight was running again.

However, this time from three armed pegasus guards, ready to kill her without mercy.

She constantly asked herself what she could have possibly done to deserve that.

The trail cutting through the heart of the Everfree Forest never seemed as ominous and creepy as it was now . It was not like she had the time to look around anyway.

Run.

Run faster.

It was the only things she could concentrate on doing.

To where? She didn’t know, but surely away from her flying stalkers.

Twilight had to stay alive or Spike was going to suffer because of her. Dying like a complete failure was out of the question.

During her stroll, she saw some arrows being shot at her sides, none of them hitting her, thank Celestia.

As the chase proceeded through the trail, Twilight started to think how pointless it was. She was faster than her stalkers, but not enough to lose them, although, they would never really be able to reach her.

They could keep running forever, or at least, until they could corner her.

After more minutes of a crazy chase, Twilight’s ears perked up. She heard the sound of water…

The alicorn jumped out of the thick vegetation in front of her and fell right in the margin of a large river. Without wings or magic, it was impossible to cross.

Twilight felt fear.

She thought about crying, but tears weren’t going to save her. She had to fight them, somehow. The purple alicorn turned around and looked up to the small hill that she had jumped from.

In the next second, three pegasus knights flew right through the bushes, landing and surrounding her on the ground. They were just leading Twilight here the whole time…

The knights prepared their spears to attack. Twilight knew it was over for her.

However, all the ponies froze in place when they heard the sound of wings ruffling nearby. The knights turned their attention back to the small hill.

“You guys already gave up on finding me to chase that filly? Oh, C’mon! I know I’m a juicy bounty.”

A loud, noisy and raspy voice yelled at them.

From her speaking pattern, mannerism, and over confidence, Twilight thought she was looking at Rainbow Dash for a moment.

However, the mare standing atop the cliff was different. She had light-pink fur, a completely messy mane, very similar to Rainbow Dash’s mane, of a deep purple color, and her tail was just as messy as, bearing the same coloration. She was as tall as Twilight, and wore a beautifully crafted armor. Her big, pink wings were stretched proudly upwards, and a smile was plastered across her muzzle, while she looked with determination to the pack of knights below with her purple irises.

“The Concordian!” One of the knights shouted, fear in his voice.

“T-that’s the Concord Flame!” Another knight shouted, even more frightened.

“You two, don’t dare fall behind! We have orders to bring both the Concordian and the Twilight Princess to Commander Wild Fire!”

“Are you kidding? She’s the undefeated Princess of Concordia who won a war against Griffonia! We don’t stand a chance…”

Without a second thought, the pegasus who ordered his companions to remain in their grounds pushed a crossbow from his back and shot an arrow against the pink pegasus.

The mare evaded to the side, but the bolt scratched her left wing, causing a small cut…

“If she can bleed, she can be defeated,” the knight affirmed, preparing his spear again.

Lost in the middle of that scene, Twilight only continued to stare blankly at the pink pegasus.

Princess of Concordia? War against Griffonia? What those guys are talking about? Those things aren’t in any books I ever read!

Quickly, the pegasus flew from where he was towards the mysterious mare and applied a strike with his spear. With unearthly alacrity, she dodged to the side, and took the handle in her mouth, firmly halting the pegasus in place.

The pink pegasus moved her neck in an arc, spinning the opponent along with his weapon and striking his body against a tree, with enough force to break his armor and cause some serious damage.

Another knight took off, and trying to take advantage of her moment fighting against his companion, he flew over the mare and stabbed her with his spear from above. The mare activated a strange contraption in the regalia she was wearing on both forehooves and two pairs of gray blades protruded from them menacingly.

With a single movement, the mare clashed the blades on her right hoof against the tip of his spear, changing the course of his attack. The absurd amount of strength produced sparks in the place where metal collided against metal.

Twilight marveled at the scene.

That’s preposterous! She’s a pegasus mare, she can’t be so strong! Unless she’s not a pegasus mare… but if that’s the case, then what the hay is she?

The knight landed, and quickly turned around, taking his spear on his mouth and sweeping the weapon in the mare’s direction, which she blocked using her left claw.

“I like how you Equestrians fight! Someday, I wish to meet with your Master of Arms, and give him a good hoof bump. It’s rare even among other nations to find soldiers that face defeat and keep going without any doubt.”

She deactivated the blades, applying a punch against the knight’s chest strong enough to throw him several meters away. It was as if the soldier was bucked on the chest by Applejack.

Before the supposed princess was able to breathe alleviated, the last knight was already behind her, pointing the tip of his spear to her neck.

“It’s over Concord Flame! You lose!”

“I’m sorry, but I have to disagree…”

Her eyes flared with an orange color, almost like if they had started to burn with powerful flames. In one second, the pink pegasus was there at the mercy of that knight, in the next, she was behind him pointing one of the blades from her hooves to his neck.

“What kind of mockery is that?” The knight yelled, trying to understand what have happened.

Twilight had the same reaction. She was unable to comprehend what her eyes just showed her.

The Concord Flame was puffy and drops of sweat were appearing on her forehead, showing that whatever strange power she used, it wasn’t easy for her stamina.

“Extreme Speed,” she said while struggling to recover her breath, “It’s a technique that only few pegasus ponies are able to obtain after intense training. I was the one who created it, and I can only use it once in a day. For a second, I can fly at the same speed as light…”

The purple alicorn gulped.

That’s absurd! There’s no way a pony can move at the same speed as light!

“That’s impossible!” The knight shouted, frightened.

“Well, then feel free to believe in whatever you wish to explain how I’m the one pointing my weapon to your throat,” she snorted, “drop your spear and turn around.”

Without any other options left, the knight threw his spear to the ground, and turned around slowly, looking to the pink mare with rage in the eyes.

“You are going to regret this day Concordian! I pray to Celestia that the Twilight Princess is going destroy you all!”

She lowered her head, smiling sheepish, “Believe me, that filly should be the least of your worries Equestrian. Besides, I don’t pray to your Celestia anyway.”

The pink pegasus planted a strong punch against his belly, making the knight spurt a cloud of blood and fall to the side unconscious.

With the problem solved, the mysterious mare turned around to face Twilight.

“I hope you are alright filly,” she shouted from above, looking to the purple alicorn with a smile on the lips.

Twilight nodded.

The pink mare flew from the small hill, landing right in front of Twilight, “C’mon, let’s get past this river and have some more space to chat. I don’t like the feeling of having even more Equestrians chasing after me.”

“I can’t fly…” Twilight whispered.

“I know!” The pegasus smiled, “Come, lean on my neck, I will give you a ride.”

“Tell me why you are helping me first.”

“Because you are the only reason I came here in the first place.”

The pink pegasus led Twilight to another opening in the forest, away from the river, and hopefully, away from any knights trying to kill them.

She landed, and pointed to a trail right next to them, “Let’s get going, this trail will take us out of this forest and to Dodge Junction, where you can take a train and flee from Equestria. As long as you stay in this country you are-“

“Shut up!”

Twilight shouted, two huge trails of tears flowing from her eyes.

“What’s wrong filly?” The mare asked, raising an eyebrow.

“I don’t… I don’t know anything you are talking about! I’m scared!”

Twilight’s body was shaking as if she was in the middle of a ice storm without any garment.

She was in panic.

The Concord Flame sighed, “Yeah… maybe you are right. Here, let me introduce myself!”

She placed a hoof above Twilight’s shoulder, “My name is Princess Stella, but you can call me Firefly!”

Twilight moved her eyes full of doubt to her smiling visage, “P-Princess?”

“I’m not an Equestrian, filly. I come from Concordia, a kingdom far to the south-east of Equestria.”

“B-but that’s impossible! You are a p-pony! I never heard about any other pony nations besides Equestria!”

Firefly sighed again, “That’s because Celestia don’t want you, or anypony in this country to know.”

Twilight lowered her head, feeling a heavy burden being placed upon her shoulders. Grogar’s words once again boomed inside her head: Her beloved teacher really was lying to an entire country for more than a thousand of years.

“Well,” Firefly breathed, sitting down, “Are you up for a small history class?”

“It’s going to help my head stop from spinning?” Twilight asked with a pained smile.

The pink pegasus laughed, “Maybe!”

“Then you can start whenever you wish.” Twilight said, sitting down too.

“Besides Equestria, there are four more pony nations. They are; The Crystal Empire, Henosis, Concordia, and The Black Islands. Each of those kingdoms are governed by their own Princesses.”

“Why does Celestia want to avoid contact and even public knowledge of your kingdoms?”

“Well, that’s because we are a bunch of bastards. Do you know what we call Equestria, filly?”

Twilight shook her head in denial.

“Edenia, the Promised Land. A land made of happiness and harmony, where no pony suffers. Equestria is Celestia and Luna’s utopia made real, and the most powerful kingdom out of the five nations. When they founded this place, after their wars against many enemies that were trying to bring destruction upon ponykind, the Two Sisters choose just a few ponies to come to Equestria and help them build the perfect country.”

“Are you telling me that the legend of the Heart’s Warming Eve is another lie?”

“No!” Firefly raised a hoof and shook it, “Hey, we celebrate it too! That holiday is an exaggeration of a historical event, but I think I’ll save it for another class.”

“Alright, please proceed.” Twilight nodded.

“Nations like Concordia, my country, never fit in Celestia and Luna’s view of a peaceful place, where war cannot exist. Thus, to avoid knowledge of warfare contaminating future generations, they closed all the borders and hid any historical record about the other four nations, making all their subjects believe that the only place inhabited by ponies was Equestria.”

“But we have direct and close political relationships with the Crystal Empire!”

“The Crystal Empire is nothing but a puppet in the hooves of Equestria. You don’t know how hard is for them up there on the Frozen North to grow crops and produce food for all their population, due to the harsh climate. Equestria gives them all the supplies they need to not starve to death, and the Crystal Ponies donate juicy amounts of gems and weapons back to Equestria. Still, if they ever try to rebel, Equestria can easily crush them by starving them of food, so Celestia and Luna just made the Crystal Empress, Cadence, play their game of never giving her subjects any information about the existence of other nations.”

Twilight lowered her head in shame, “The way you talk about my country… you made my Princesses looks like tyrants.”

“Sorry if I’m being too rash, filly. The truth is that the Two Sisters are just too kind. Didn’t you ever ask yourself why everything in Equestria is controlled?”

“Not really.”

“With their strict control over so many things, like the climate, the sun and the moon, the knowledge that can be shared amongst the population, Celestia and Luna were able to save so many ponies from the world outside. At this point, I believe you already saw a few things right? Like changelings, adult dragons, windigos, so many creatures that could easily wipe away a country. Well, all those things are rare inside Equestria, thanks to the Two Sisters efforts to keep harmony as the pillar of their society. The problem is that with this, comes a few sacrifices…”

Twilight looked to her again, “Like keeping us blindfolded about the world around us?”

“Yup, a strong light can blind you as much as the deepest darkness. The fact is that Equestria

survived, and is doing pretty well without the hoofs of anything from outside.”

“This still does not explain why I’m their enemy, just because I’m an alicorn now…”

The pink pegasus smiled, “That’s because an alicorn is born to rule Twilight.”

“How do you know my name?” Twilight grunted.

“I’ve told you, I came to Equestria to find you, and to help you find your way.”

“Why?”

“That’s your destiny. I’m here to enable you to go search for it.”

Twilight stomped both forehooves on the ground, furious, “This isn’t my destiny! It can’t be! My destiny was to stay in Ponyville with my friends researching magic for my Princess! I don’t want to be an alicorn, and I don’t want to be a ruler! I don’t want to fight against the ponies I love and bear this pain of feeling like a murderer!”

Firefly laughed, “Wishful thinking alone can’t get you very far, filly.”

“Then, can you tell me what my destiny is?” Twilight shouted, her breath had accelerated, and she was noticeably angry.

The pegasus looked to her for some seconds without saying a single word.

“No,” Firefly breathed, “but I can help you find it, if you are willing to take the thorny road ahead of you. Or, you can choose to give up on your life and die ignorant to everything, it’s your choice.”

It was Twilight’s turn to wait for some seconds in silence.

“I… want to help my friends. I want to find them, and prove to myself that they are alive. I want to undo all this madness! That’s the way I choose!”

Firefly opened a large smile.

“You will need some help to do it filly, believe me. You have become an alicorn, but you don’t seem to know how to use your powers yet, I can give you a hoof with that.”

Twilight frowned with confusion, “How? You are a pegasus, right?”

Firefly laughed out loud.

“I’m Princess Stella, remember? I’m an alicorn, just like you.”

“If you are an alicorn, where’s your horn?”

“That’s an old story but…”

The pink mare used a fore hoof to move her purple mane out of the way, showing to Twilight the top of her head. There, the purple alicorn found what looked like the remnants of a severed horn.

“As you can see, I lost mine.”

Twilight gasped in surprise, “By Celestia! What happened to you Firefly?”

“Let’s leave it to another class too, Twilight.” She hid the severed horn again with her mane.

“How you can help me?” The purple alicorn asked curious.

“What do you want to learn about your new condition? Do you want to learn about magic? Maybe you want some flight lessons? Want to find a way to master your superior strength? I’m not a scholar, but I’m older than Celestia and Luna and I’ve been an alicorn for all my life training to use my skills to protect my people.”

“Magic.” Twilight said without thinking twice.

“Of course it was going to be magic, you were a unicorn before ascending right?”

Twilight nodded, “Yes, and magic was my special talent, but I lost all my magic when I was turned into an alicorn. Except…”

“What is it filly, something happened?”

Well, earlier today when I found the Equestrian defense line deeper in the forest, I was confronted by a Commander called Wild Fire. She tried to hurt me, and I’m almost sure that I managed to hit her with a spell but I don’t remember how I did it.”

Firefly rubbed her chin, “Do you remember what you were feeling when you hit her?”

“Anger. I was furious; I wished to make her vanish from the map!”

“Whoa! Take it easy filly! Anger is bad for you and for your new condition. It leads you to the darkness of your heart, and you can sink inside of it and end up like…”

Firefly paused to sigh, “Nightmare Moon.”

A cold chill run through Twilight’s spine, as the memories about her duel against Luna’s dark side came to her mind.

“What’s the difference between alicorn magic and unicorn magic?” Twilight asked, shoving the thoughts about the pitch-black alicorn to the bowels of her memory.

“It’s a whole new world Twilight. Unicorn magic is propelled by thoughts. You wish for something, like rising a cup of tea to your mouth, and bingo, the magic inside of you manifests through your horn and does the trick, obeying what your brain asked it to do. That’s why all unicorns,

eventually in their lives, learn a spell or two; it’s like learning how to walk, your body makes it happen as it grows.”

“Ok I got it, but what about alicorn magic?”

Firefly motioned a hoof to her chest and pointed to her heart.

“It uses the feelings. Just thinking about what you want is not enough to manifest your magic power; you need to feel what you desire in order to make it happen.”

Twilight rubbed her chin with a hoof, “That must explain why I’m unable to cast anything. I’m trying to channel my power using the wrong means.”

“Yup, you are correct.”

“Why does this difference exist?”

“Alicorn magic is way more powerful than unicorn magic. What about raising the sun? Or moving the stars and the moon from place? Do you think that a single unicorn can execute any of those tricks?”

Twilight sighed, “Of course they can’t. “

“Feelings are much more intense than reason Twilight. Alicorns are able to channel their feelings through their horns, putting their very souls into their spells, and perform such absurd tasks. However, feelings are also much harder to control than thoughts; you can lie to yourself, but can you lie to your heart?”

“I don’t think so. Deep inside you knows the truth despite your efforts to say otherwise.”

Firefly smiled proudly, “Hey, you are a quick learner! I’m starting to see why Celestia took you as student.”

“Can we please focus on the lesson Princess Stella? “

“Sorry! I will bite my tongue before saying anything about your old life again. Alright, now you understand the concept, let’s try doing some magic!”

The pink mare picked a stone from the ground, and threw it at Twilight’s feet.

“If you were going to lift this stone, without using your magic, how’re were going to do it?”

Twilight’s face twisted in a frown due to the strange question. Was her teacher mocking her, or doing some prank question?

“I would use my mouth?”

“Are you asking or answering filly? Go ahead and do it!”

Still confused, Twilight lowered her body and picked the stone with her teeth, lifting it.

“Wait.”

Twilight froze in place.

“When you took the stone, what were you feeling?”

The purple mare stopped to try and think of a good answer, releasing the rock from her mouth, “Nothing in particular.”

“Are you sure? When you were involving the stone with your teeth, did you kindly put them around the rock, or did you bite it with crushing strength?”

“Of course it was with kindness! If I forced the stone against them, it would hurt me.”

Instead of answering, Firefly just smiled, leaving Twilight to ponder by herself.

“You mean I felt kindness?”

“Kindness is a powerful force, believe me. It is the power that makes everything move, like music flowing through the air, with harmony and peace. If you force your will against something, you just create imbalance, and anything that could be moved, will try to resist. Kindness is like a key to almost everything.

“Then, I need to feel kindness to cast telekinesis? I need to focus upon it, and make it not only flow through me, but project it into the objects I want to move?”

“Go ahead and try Twilight.”

The purple mare nodded. She was kind of nervous; it was like becoming an insecure filly again, trying to impress her teacher with the most basic of all spells.

Kindness, I need to pour kindness inside of me and make it flow through the rock.

She continued to focus on the stone, looking to it intently.

How am I supposed to do it actually? Should I feel empathy for the stone or something like that? But that’s just a rock!

The purple mare sighed internally.

Why I’m thinking so much? I was supposed to feel my magic, not think about it like Princess Stella said! Still, it is so hard to feel kindness towards a silly rock.

Some sweat was already rolling down her forehead, thanks to all her efforts to keep focused on the stone and ignore anything around her.

Fluttershy always felt empathy for everything around her, animals or plants. Maybe she could pass this test easier than me…

Twilight’s thoughts jumped out in a tangent.

“Fluttershy… maybe you can help me right now my friend.”

The purple mare raised her body, sitting back in the ground. She closed her eyes and emptied her mind of anything else, besides some precious memories containing the butter pegasus. Fluttershy’s kind visage smiled to Twilight in her thoughts…

Her horn flared, and a light formed around her like an aura, enveloping Twilight’s body in a soothing shine, in the shape of a pink butterfly, akin to Fluttershy’s cutie mark.

Slowly, not only the stone that Firefly threw her started to float around, but many others got enveloped in her pink magic grasp, and joined the first one in their rise to the air.

Princess Stella looked, astonished, at all the small rocks floating around Twilight.

She has an impressive latent magic power! It’s stronger than Rosetta’s first magic surge, and she is just practicing some telekinesis!

“Hey, filly! Open your eyes, you made it,” Firefly called.

Broken from her concentration, Twilight shot her eyes open, and all the rocks except the one she was focused to, fell to the ground suddenly.

The purple mare observed the small stone floating in front of her and smiled with a determined look on her eyes.

“I really did it!”

“Yup, congratulations, it’s still weak, but now that you know the drill, you can practice and improve. You will be lifting huge boulders bigger than your body in no time.”

The pink mare rose from the ground, and stretched her wings.

“P-Princess Stella?” Twilight called her, stammering.

“I need to go back to my country filly. My liege needs me there.”

“I was going to ask you to help me with some more spells.”

“I’m sorry Twilight. I can’t stay in Equestria any longer with the news of the Twilight Princess escaping about to blow through the world. You are the eye of the storm, but after meeting you, I don’t have any fear. I just know that you are going to become a great ruler someday Twilight…”

“Thank you.”

“Just stay strong on your way and never give up on hope. By the way, where you are planning on going?”

“I know you risked your life to save me Princess Stella, but my friend Spike is somewhere here in this forest, and I need to find him before anything bad happens.”

Firefly giggled, “If you are talking about the small baby dragon with purple scales, don’t worry, a party led by your brother Emperor Armor came to the forest earlier and rescued him. He’s safe at the Crystal Empire.”

A wave of relief washed over Twilight’s heart. Her beloved assistant was safe.

That news made the purple alicorn even happier than having one spell back at her control.

“I’m so glad! Thank you so very much big bro!”

“I would advise you to go to the Crystal Empire, and ask Princess Cadence for support.”

“You don’t even need to, Princess Stella,” Twilight breathed, “my whole family is there. I need to face them before going anywhere else.”

“Then we shall part ways. Don’t forget that you are most welcomed at Concordia, Twilight, if you ever stumble across my country on your way to find your friends, you will be received with open hooves.”

“I will remember it, Firefly.”

Firefly took off, flying fast as Rainbow Dash.

Twilight observed her new friend disappearing in the horizon, and turned her attention to the trail that was going to lead her to Dodge Junction and from there to the Crystal Empire, her next destination.

It was already noon.

Celestia’s sun was shining bright across the land. It was a warm day of summer, but the heat was just perfect for a good day of work.

The huge, ivory spires that composed Canterlot’s landscape seemed even more imposing receiving that light.

It was this beautiful scenery that Celestia observed from her balcony.

The white alicorn glanced around her beloved city, but her eyes lacked luster. It was like the life was sucked out of them.

Not a single smile came across her muzzle.

She just stared blankly at the landscape in front of her, as if she was waiting for something.

Suddenly, the Princess coughed. She led a hoof to her mouth.

When it stopped, Celestia checked her white hoof, and found some drops of blood on it…

The door opened behind her, and Luna entered.

“Sister, I hate to bring you this news but Twilight has escaped from the Deep Level. Her current location is unknown.”

Celestia just lowered her hoof and kept looking to Canterlot’s landscape, not even turning to see her sister.

“Find her. Do anything in our power to bring her back, but find her.”

Luna pouted, “I will summon my best soldiers to track her down Tia. She will be back in our dungeon in no time.”

The white alicorn nodded, “I trust you my dear sister.”

Luna took some steps towards her sister, like she was trying to say something, but stopped midway.

“Did you ordered the knights to start the excavation like I told you?”

The dark-blue alicorn lowered her head, “Yes Tia, I gave the orders, but to reach that place… the soldiers are going to take much more time than you asked them to.”

Celestia turned around, rage stamped on her face, eyes burning with hate.

“I don’t care!” She yelled, “Make them work more! Put half of your Night Guard to work at it during the night and shift turns with my Sun Guards! They have to work on it 24/7 non-stop!”

Luna cowered. To see her benevolent sister so out of character like that was almost impossible.

“A-Alright Tia, I will carry out your orders.”

Celestia breathed heavily, trying to come back to her normal self, “I’m sorry sister, I’m just… so tired.”

Luna, in the verge of tears, trotted towards her sister and hugged her tenderly.

“Don’t worry Tia! Please, just take care of yourself!”

Celestia passed her hoof over Luna’s trembling body, “I know that I’m asking too much of you to bear this burden with me, but I need you to trust in your big sister this time, my little moon.”

Luna vigorously nudged Celestia’s white fur, “I have to pay for my sins too, Tia. If supporting you through this ordeal can repair half of the damage I caused you in the past, then I’m willing to take any wound along with you!”

“Thank you Luna, I love you…”

“I love you too sister.”

She was breathing heavily, shoving tears down her throat. With difficulties, the alicorn walked aimlessly towards the wall in front of her, where a mirror was resting.

The night Princess was so drunk with her rage, that she needed to put a hoof against the wall to not fall down to the floor.

“Twilight Sparkle.” She whispered.

The mirror in front of Luna cracked, and then fell down to the floor, being reduced to pieces.

“Be prepared."

Three - Crystal Heart

Three days have passed since Twilight’s ascension.

As per Celestia’s request, the government was doing everything in their power to halt the spreading news about the event that took place on that fateful night...

The legends about the Twilight Princess. The rightful heir to the throne of Equestria, Goddess of harmony, harbinger of an eon of pure happiness and peace to all ponykind.

Those preposterous words were echoing inside Princess Luna’s mind as she hastily trotted by the corridors of a mysterious place: The Night Wing.

An underground facility, located inside the Canterlot Palace. It was a special area, where just Luna and few ponies of her small Night Guard were allowed to enter.

This secrecy was necessary for keeping anypony away from the dreaded treasures that were left dormant inside, sealed away from Equestria to never be discovered.

Although it was a dark place, the architecture requested by the Lunar Sister to compose these underground chambers were breathtaking, just as her beautiful and mysterious night.

The corridors were less spacious than the ones belonging to her sister’s wing above ground level. They were adorned by beautiful pillars made of a silver stone that gleamed with the several magical lights that lit the way through those dusky galleries, placed in strategic places at every junction or crossroad, and held inside luxurious glass lamps at each side of the corridors, made of a rare type of dark-blue marble.

For the floor, the architects choose a special gem, black in color, but dotted with several small sparkles of silver color, aiming to resemble the night sky.

All the doors inside were made of an ebony wood, adorned with a painting of the lunar cutie mark belonging to the ruler, made by the most famous and well-known artists of Equestria.

Luna trotted hastily through the galleries. She traversed many corridors and passed by many doors, until finally reaching the end of one. The alicorn faced a big, double door ahead of her, and her horn flared with magic, opening it.

She entered, reaching a large room. It had a big round table at the center, where six chairs were waiting. Each of those chairs were made of plain brown wood, same as the table. Stuck on the wall at the other side was a giant map of Equestria.

It was an unbelievably simple, empty room.

Luna calmly walked towards the table, and sat down in one of the chairs.

After taking a deep breath, her glorious, flowing magical mane vanished, revealing her simple looking pale-blue mane, larger than when she was first saved from Nightmare Moon, but retaining the same style and cut. Her tail, also in tangible form, presented the same color and smoothness, but it was also much longer than before.

Almost immediately, two bat pony mares entered.

The first one had dark-gray fur and a very cute looking short mane, pitch-black in color. Her big, bright eyes were green like shining emeralds.She was wearing blue, metallic armor very similar to Midnight Blossom’s. Her long, black tail was tied at the base by a silver ring, and flowed through the air with grace.

The second one was a taller and bulkier mare with gray fur. Her short mane had a cut resembling a military style, and was dark-blue, having two big pale blue streaks. Her spiky tail also had the same streaks flowing from the base to the end of it, and was also tied in the base by a silver ring. Her eyes were magenta, with a cold glow to them, and she had interesting marks right at the sides of her eyes: two small dots.The mare was dressed with the same decorated armor as the first one.

“Hope we aren’t late, Lady Selena!” The green-eyed mare chirped.

“No. Both of you are always really good with time-keeping,” Luna gave them a weak smile.

“Unfortunately, it looks like our friend Midnight Blossom does not share this trait with us,” The second one said with a low and cold voice.

Luna giggled, “Leave her be. I bet she’s trying to hook a fine stallion for her right now. You bat ponies are such naughty mares...”

The green-eyed mare pulled a chair and hopped onto it, resting her forehooves upon the table, “You made us this way Princess Selena. Weren’t you just self-projecting?”

Luna’s cheeks blushed instantly.

“Can you be more professional, Jasmine?” The magenta-eyed mare spurted, taking a seat in front of Jasmine across the table, “We are the Princess’s friends, but we still owe her some respect!”

“Don’t start sounding like an old mare, Night Watch! Princess Selena isn't a cranky old grandma that doesn't know how to have some fun! Right Princess?”

The dark-blue alicorn giggled again, nodding, “You are right Jasmine my dear, but Night Watch is right too. We can chat all about stallions and naughty things during my breaks. Right now, we need to work.”

Night Watch looked back to Jasmine with the half-lidded eyes of somepony who just won a bet, while the black maned mare ballooned her cheeks in a very childish expression of anger.

“Then, Princess Selena,” Night Watch ignored her friend and turned to Luna, “What is your request?”

“I’ve called you three, my most trusted and skilled warriors to perform a mission that only you three are capable of doing,” Luna affirmed somberly.

Jasmine scratched her mane, confused, “Aren’t all our missions important? I mean, you and Celestia are always very touchy with the whole assassination stuff and all...”

“That’s because-”

“Because we aren’t supposed to kill our target this time, right Princess Selena?”

Midnight Blossom trotted inside, her feline amber eyes shooting daggers against the alicorn.

Luna cleared her throat, “You are right, Captain Blossom.”

“Hey Button!” Jasmine jumped out from her chair and offered a hoof to Midnight Blossom.

“Hey Bubbles!” The amber-eyed bat-pony hoof bumped.

“Got some new boy toy to play with?”

“No, I was doing some field research...”

Luna raised an eyebrow upon hearing the last sentence coming from the bat-pony’s mouth.

“Seems serious,” Jasmine chirped.

Midnight Blossom smiled, “Nothing special, just searching for the poor sod that helped the Twilight Princess escape from the Deep Level. I wonder who could have been...”

“I don’t know who it was, but I would be happy to stab him to death with my spear if I get the chance!” Night Watch thundered her hooves against the table.

“Maybe you will get the chance someday Night Watch,” Midnight Blossom turned her attention to her fellow night guard, “for now, his or her trail is just too cold to find anything worth.”

“Don’t you have at least some speculation?” Luna asked, curious with the subject.

“It was a knight; only them have access to the Deep Level, and a member of either the Sun or the Night Guards, because only those knights have the rights to manage prisoners of high rank.”

“It could be anypony...” The princess breathed.

“Yes. Even somepony that is here right now...” Midnight slowly smiled.

The dark alicorn only raised an eyebrow, and looked around the room at each one of her most trusted guards.

“It wasn't me!” Jasmine shouted.

“I’m not pointing any hooves Jasmine, don’t worry. Midnight is correct though, It could be anypony seeing how even some Sun Guards like to remain up late at night to perform some tasks and training. I will put somepony in the case, you shall focus in the mission I’m going to give to you, Midnight Blossom.”

“As you wish my liege,” The amber-eyed bat-pony bowed down.

“Then what is it? Who do we have to not kill?” Night Watch asked all of a sudden.

“Jasmine, Night Watch and Midnight Blossom, my three most trusted knights and my precious friends; you shall bring Twilight Sparkle, the Twilight Princess back to the city of Canterlot, but not a single bruise must be seen in her fur.”

The reactions from each mare were unique.

Night Watch’s face twisted into a enraged frown, as she grinded her teeth and looked to Princess Luna with fury in the eyes.

Jasmine led both forehooves to her face, covering her muzzle, while her expression showed shock and confusion at the same time.

Midnight Blossom smiled widely.

“That’s absurd!” The red-eyed bat pony shouted, “She’s a threat to Equestria, to the peace, and above all else, to you Princess Selena! Give us permission to track her down and kill her on sight!”

“You have your orders, Night Watch. You must bring Twilight unscathed to this place, and you have six months to do it.”

The mare knew her Princess enough to know when Luna was upset, or being really serious just by hearing her voice or looking into her eyes. The dark alicorn’s visage never was so serious as it was right now...

“Yes, my liege,” Night Watch bowed down.

“How am I supposed to bring somepony without harming them? I’m an assassin, I only know how to kill ponies,” Jasmine breathed.

“I know you will find a way Jasmine.”

“Alright...” She sighed with exasperation.

“You’re all dismissed. I await for good news from each one of you.”

Both Jasmine and Night Watch bowed down, and trotted outside the meeting room. Midnight Blossom remained, looking with a gaze full of discomfort to Luna.

“What happened Selena? Why Twilight is a monster now? You loved her, and admired her for bringing all those smiles to your beloved sister’s face. She had become an alicorn, but she’s the same inside, and who can tell for sure that she killed her friends in the process?”

Luna turned to the bat-pony, eyes half lidded, face twisted between sadness and guilt.

“We don’t have any guarantee that she can resist the Darkness of the Heart and control the transcending power that is inside of her. We can’t take any other risks...”

“You are hiding something!” Midnight shouted.

“I don’t know what you are talking about.”

“Stop lying Selena! This isn't like you at all! You were the sweetest and most gentle mare that I ever met! I was proud of being part of the Night Guard just to serve you, and to become your friend was like a dream come true! However, I don’t even think that I know you anymore beneath those lies!”

Luna just wiped her tears before she could start crying, masking her feelings with a visage of pure coldness.

“Who do you think I am, lowly mortal?” She yelled back, “I’m Selena, Queen of the Night! You don’t have any right to shout at me and inquire me with those stupid questions!”

“See!” Midnight hadn't flinched even the slightest with Luna’s shouts, “Who are you? You are not my friend Selena, nor my Princess Luna! You are just...”

Luna stared, shocked, to her knight.

“That monster who cursed us a thousand years ago.”

The dark alicorn turned her face away, biting her lips, and trotted to the entrance door.

“What would you be capable of doing, to protect the one you love the most in this world Midnight?”

“What do you mean Selena?”

“Find Twilight. Bring her back at any cost, unharmed.”

Twilight was awaken by a sudden change in the temperature.

She was inside a cabin, alone. The purple alicorn had traveled all the afternoon, passing through the cities of Baltimare, Fillydelphia, Manehattan, all the way from Dodge Junction.

At her side, three books had formed a pile in the soft couch, victims to her insatiable desire for knowledge. She was taken to the land of dreams during the conquering of the fourth volume, probably soothed to sleep due to the soft rock of the train.

This time, using the money Midnight had put inside the saddlebags in their encounter at the palace, Twilight rented a top class cabin, one reserved just for nobility. She wanted a place where she could take a quick shower, and take care of the bruises and cuts that her long journey so far had given against her fragile body. Everything she needed, was around that expansive cabin.

Her other needings were sleep and rest, until she finally could put her hooves on the Crystal Empire’s soil. Everything was in check.

After getting up from the absurdly soft couch, Twilight walked calmly towards the two big windows, and saw the wheat fields of Manehattan slowly fading away at the distance, while the landscape started to change to a rocky appearance. The train was already at the final part of the trip: The Crystal Mountains, and from there, Frozen North.

Her horn flared with a pink glow, and she used her telekinesis spell to lock the windows in order to protect her cabin from the cold that was about to envelop the region.

Twilight trotted back to the couch, throwing her body there, belly up, resting a hoof against her forehead and focusing her gaze into the ceiling.

I am doing the right thing going to Cadence to ask for help? I can’t even begin to think about all the political problems that the Empire can face if they help a wanted criminal that is charged of killing five national heroines, making a ritual to transform into an alicorn and is about to led a rebellion against Equestria.

Twilight rolled in the bed, she wanted to take a look at her wings. With a movement, she opened them upwards, flapped them three times, before folding the pair back into their place.

I never thought in all my life what means to be an alicorn. I just took for granted that they were really powerful and noble ponies whose magical prowess far surpassed any unicorn. Then, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna were the most powerful ones, being something akin to a God...

She sighed, and rested her head on the couch, closing her eyes.

However, by the looks of it, alicorns really are Goddesses! Even if I don’t feel almighty at all...

From her mouth, a cute yawn escaped. Maybe she still needed some more sleep.

What is the true meaning of being an alicorn? There are no books on the subject at all. hope I can find something in that library at the Crystal Empire, and I hope Cadence can tell me something about it.

In the next second, the innocent purple alicorn was sleeping again. She still was some hours away from her destination, resting some more could not do any harm.

A pure white snow covered the crystalline streets of the Crystal City. It was late at night, thus the bustling activity that normally lightens the atmosphere around was nowhere to be found.

It looked somehow magic and sacred, like an untouched holy ground.

In its place, a glorious peace walked in the streets, enveloping the kingdom in a comfortable feeling of protection. It was snowing, small flocks of ice falling from the skies calmly, inviting the citizens to a good night sleep.

The last train coming from Equestria just arrived at the station. The train-career stallion trotted out first, yawning, and bringing with him a mug of coffee in one of his forehooves. He slowly walked over the last open ticket cabin at the station, offering the mug to the poor vendor, cooped up inside the cold cabin. Both were Equestrians earth-ponies, not crystal ponies, which made the cold atmosphere even more terrible to them.

The doors from the train opened, and another train-career stallion led Twilight to the platform. The purple alicorn was carrying her absurdly heavy saddlebag, and she once more concealed her identity using the black hood that Midnight gave her.

“Thank you for your kindness, I can go just fine from here,” Twilight smiled, thanking the stallion who helped her reach the right place.

“Are you sure that you don’t need anything else to protect yourself from the cold? The Frozen North isn't frozen for nothing!”

“I feel fine, don’t worry. It’s not the first time I set hooves here, and I am getting used to the climate.”

“If you say so my lady, I will go back to my duties. Thank you for riding with us tonight!”

He returned inside, leaving Twilight to walk away from the station and towards her next destination: The Crystal Palace.

The snow made low noises as her hooves opened small holes in it. Twilight walked slowly through the empty streets of Crystal City, completely covered by a white blanket.

She had to admit, her heart was racing a little. Deep inside, the alicorn feared that even her family was going to reject her. However, there was little to do, besides keep going against the snow towards the palace.

After some time walking, the alicorn reached a large plaza, the same place where they held the fair to awaken the memories inside the crystal ponies when their kingdom resurfaced about one year ago.

The sound of hooves getting close attracted Twilight’s attention. Worried about being discovered by the wrong ponies, she quickly found a construction to hide.

From the darkness of that night, a chalk-white stallion trotted near the magical lamps that lit a monument dedicated to the Crystal Savior, Spike, constructed in the place where the Crystal Heart used to be. The stallion was followed by a young crystal pony mare, clad in a very beautiful and unique armor.

“Emperor Armor! Please listen to the reason! We already made a terrible mistake attacking that facility belonging to Equestria to find your sister. If that Captain Blossom from the Night Guard did not appeared to knock some sense into this thick skull of yours, we could have shaken the relationships between our countries forever! It is a cold night and the sun did not even raised yet, and worse, our spy at Canterlot did not send us any new information. We should wait until doing a new crusade to find your sister!”

“You speak too much, Laurel!”

Upon hearing the sound of that voice, Twilight knew exactly who he was.

“My sister is in danger! I can’t stand idle while she’s lost in a world trying to capture her and kill her!”

“I understand sir, but we should wait a little until we get everything settled. We just returned from an incursion against Equestria! Lady Cadence is still writing those letters of apology to the Two Sisters. I can’t even start to imagine the trouble we would cause to the empire if we just go and create another ruckus at their core within a day.”

Shining Armor stopped at the middle of the plaza, and turned to Laurel asking, “Do you have a family Laurel?”

“Yes sir! I have a mother and a small filly already, and my husband works at the train station.”

“Twilight is the most important part of my family to me! Just the fear of her being in danger is enough to make me feel anger! I can’t let anything happen with her without trying to do something about it.”

Laurel looked at the burdened face of Shining Armor, as the stallion hanged his head down and bit his lips. It was obvious that he was struggling against his feelings.

His duties as leader of a nation were in conflict with his protective instincts, and he was unable to choose a single path to follow.

“I’m not going to stand here Laurel! I’m sorry but my family comes before my place as Emperor.”

“What if Equestria declares war against us due to your foolish actions my liege?”

“Then, it shall be a war worth fighting for me...”

Laurel gasped, but the shining determination inside his eyes told the knight that Shining Armor was going to take any action necessary to save his sister.

“I understand sir. I shall return to my duties at the castle.”

The armored mare turned around and trotted away until disappearing in the darkness of the night, leaving Shining Armor alone in that plaza with his feelings.

“Twilight, I refuse to let them harm you! It doesn’t matter what I will have to do, I will save you!”

The stallion breathed, his voice close to a wail.

“Always playing the hero...”

Twilight exited from her hiding place and walked near her brother.

“Even when we were just foals, you always said that you were going to be near to protect me.”

Shining Armor’s eyes almost popped out of his head, “Sis! It’s really you sis?”

Twilight took the hood out of her face, looking to her big brother with a kind smile.

“I wish I had the chance to warn you about my coming but-”

Before Twilight could utter another word, she was practically tackled by the big, chalk-white unicorn, hugging her furiously.

“Sis! Sis it’s really you! Oh, by Celestia I’m so glad! You are alright!”

Two big trails of tears were coming from the stallion’s eyes, as he furiously nudged Twilight’s lavender fur.

He’s hugging me.

He’s isn't hating me, or trying to harm me.

He’s hugging me like he always did.

“Big bro...”

“I was so scared Twilie. I was so scared of losing you! I don’t even know what I could do if Equestria killed you! I’m so happy right now! I’m so happy!”

“You’re warm...”

“Ah, yes! I’m wearing some clothing below this armor, you are barely covered. Mom is going to pick on you so much for coming to the Crystal City without decent garment.”

“That’s not it silly...”

Twilight’s eyes watered up, as she finally embraced back her brother, nudging him with all her strength, “I miss having somepony to hug. I miss this feeling of being loved...”

“Don’t worry, everything will be just fine from now on.”

“Big bro...” Twilight called with her most infantile voice.

“Yes Twilie, what do you need?”

“Can we just stay like this? Just a while longer?”

Shining Armor smiled, tightening the hug around his sister’s body, “We can stay like this as long as you like Twilie.”

Some time later, when both ponies were recovered from their emotional shock, Twilight and Shining began to trot back to the palace.

“Sis, can you show me?”

“Big bro...”

“You don’t need to if you don’t want. You are taller, your mane is much longer and your horn is different. You don’t need to show me the wings, I can clearly see that you are different, but I wanted to see with my own eyes.”

Twilight sighed, and stopped, “Please don’t make a fuss over them ok? I don’t even know how to use them yet.”

She used her telekinesis to take off the saddlebag and the hood. Finally, she flapped her large wings open, showing them to her brother with her face hanging low, as if show her wings was an act of shame.

Shining Armor smiled, “I never thought they would fit you so well. After marrying an alicorn, you kind of get used to the combination of horns and wings.”

Quickly, Twilight perked her head up, giving her brother a content smile.

“Can you tell me what truly happened? I’m not buying the lies that Equestria spread about you.”

Twilight nodded, and after lifting everything back to its place around her body, they resumed their walk.

“I don’t know exactly what happened either. I only remember activating the power of the Elements to use against Grogar as I always did, but then everything started to go out of control. I felt this absurd power, and I was unable to stop it and then everything went white and I passed out. When I woke up, my friends disappeared, and I was turned into this...”

“After all, there’s no proof that the girls are dead? Equestria is simply saying they are to accuse you?”

She sighed. Inside, Twilight wanted to defend her kingdom, even with them trying to kill her, but her brother’s words were the pure truth.

“It looks just like it big bro...”

“That’s preposterous! It makes them sound like they are searching for a scapegoat for something!”

Twilight shook her head in denial, lost in thought, “I don’t know big bro. Nothing makes sense.”

Shining Armor trotted near his sister, and passed a hoof around her back, “Don’t worry Twilie, you are safe now.”

Even knowing that her temporary peace wasn't going to last for long, Twilight smiled back to her brother. She was just too happy to be thinking about problems right now.

“Why is she still up? It’s so late at night already!” Twilight asked to her brother. Both ponies were inside the big Crystal Palace, and were waiting just outside the royal throne room.

“It’s my fault,” Shining answered apologetically.

“What did you do?”

He gulped, fearing that his sister could wish to kill him the same way his wife did some hours ago, “I kinda invaded a military facility belonging to Equestria in order to save my little sister using a platoon from our army. You know, it is not the wisest way for an Emperor to act, specially if the country you just invaded was the biggest ally of your own country.”

Instead of scolding him, or just smiling due to her brother’s embarrassed expression, Twilight looked away, “It was because of me right?”

“Don’t blame yourself, I would move a mountain to rescue my little sister,” Shining nudged her, trying to cheer her up, “Besides, Midnight Blossom stopped me before I was able to cause any major ruckus, so the damage to the relationships was minimal. Cadence is working on an apology letter to Celestia right now.”

“She really wishes to see me? I’m a traitor to Equestria, thus, a traitor to the Crystal Empire too.”

“You are family. Not only that, you are innocent, because there’s no way in hay that you would harm your friends Twilie-”

Before the rant coming from Emperor Armor’s mouth could proceed any further, a crystal pony stallion opened one side of the huge, adorned doors and called.

“Twilight Sparkle, the Crystal Empress wishes to speak with you.”

The chalk-white unicorn sighed, “Finally, what’s gotten into Cadence? She made us wait forever!”

“She wishes to speak with the Twilight Princess alone, my liege.”

Shining’s face twisted into a puzzled frown, like if he just received a punch in the gut. Twilight gulped upon hearing that, becoming a little worried with what Cadence had in store for her.

“Can you tell mom and dad that I’m here and that I going to see them right after seeing Cadence big bro? Pretty please?”

The emperor came back to reality with his sister’s voice, looking to her with a worried expression too, “O-Of course Twilie! Sheesh! Maybe she’s really mad with me...”

Twilight hugged her brother, smiling, “Don’t worry, I know that it’s nothing serious.”

The chalk-white unicorn kissed the top of Twilight’s head, “I will be at mom and dad’s room, you know where it is right?”

She nodded.

“Good. We will be waiting for you.”

Shining trotted away. Twilight drank up her hesitation, and entered the throne room.

Inside, several knights formed a tunnel from the entrance, through the hallway, ending near the throne. Twilight felt a little intimidated, but kept walking towards Cadence.

The Crystal Empress was sat in her throne. She sported an austere visage, looking to Twilight with a serious and rather cold expression. Her eyes weren’t showing any emotion...

Upon seeing that, the purple alicorn lost focus of everything around her, and just stared at Cadence, looking at her from above.

“Knights, leave us alone!”

The powerful voice of the Crystal Empress echoed through the room, and in a perfect march, all the crystal ponies walked through the entrance door.

Twilight, too scared to go any further, stopped midway, gaze still locked at her sister-in-law.

Cadence stood up, opening her huge wings in a single motion, their ruffling sound falling upon Twilight as if it was heavy. Calmly, the Princess walked over her long-time friend, and stared at her very soul.

“Its really true. You have become an alicorn, just like the legends told us. You fled from Equestria, and now you stand before my throne as a betrayer. The fairy tales said that I, the Crystal Princess, was supposed to be the first to fall by your hoof, Twilight Princess. Are you here to kill me?”

Twilight hanged her head low, eyes starting to burn and water up. She sobbed in silence, as she steadily shook her head vigorously in negation, although the shame of such an accusation made her unable to look to Cadence in the eyes.

“Do you understand the heavy load you put into my shoulders by coming here?”

Ashamed, Twilight nodded.

“You are an enemy to Equestria, thus an enemy to this country. The simple fact that I received you into my throne room is enough to cause a war between the Crystal Empire and our mother nation of Equestria. Do you understand that?”

She nodded once more.

“It was supposed to be my duty as ruler to arrest you and send you to Equestria immediately!” Cadence shouted, making Twilight cower even more.

“I know...” She wailed.

“My people suffer because of you! My country can be led to fight a war that we can’t win if your hooves continue to walk through this land! Do you understand this Twilight Princess?”

Cadence’s shouts stopped.

Twilight heard a faint sob.

The purple alicorn opened her watered eyes to see from where it was coming. However, her attention was immediately robbed by the image of several tears dropping in the floor right in front of her.

“I’m not going to do anything. I can’t! I love you! You are my precious family and you saved this kingdom, and you saved my life when I needed somepony the most. I can’t do anything about my feelings Twilight! I can’t put my duty as Empress in front of my own heart!”

Twilight rose her head, exchanging gazes with a crying Cadence, who was desperately trying to control her emotions and swallow the tears. Unfortunately for the pink alicorn, they just continued to force their way and fall to the floor.

“Cadence...”

“What am I going to do Twilight? I’m scared! I don’t want my people to suffer anymore! They suffered too much in the past... They don’t deserve to see another war... However, you don’t deserve to carry the burden of everypony in your shoulders!”

“I promise to go away as fast as I get to see my parents and my Spike Cadence-”

Twilight was interrupted by the sound of the big double doors opening suddenly. In seconds, the throne room was flooded by armored knights, led by Laurel.

“Empress Cadence! We are here for the Twilight Princess! Please allow us, we are going to be brief.”

Cadence was very confused, she looked to each crystal pony face below the helmets, trying to understand what was happening. Twilight bite her lips and closed her eyes, how she was supposed to fight all the way through so many knights?

All the huge battalion drew their beautiful crystalline swords from their sheaths, and presented them towards the purple alicorn.

“Stop! I didn’t gave you orders to harm her!” Cadence shouted.

“This is above your orders my liege,” Laurel shouted back with a smile, “This is the will of each crystal pony who was alive in that day one year ago when the pony that goes by the name of Twilight Sparkle and her six friends fought with everything they got to save this land from Sombra.”

Then, in a perfectly rehearsed movement, all the knights bowed before Twilight, clasping their swords in the ground.

“We are the Crystal Guard! And by the will of the Crystal Heart, this nation foundation, we hereby swear our sacred vow to serve Twilight Sparkle, the Twilight Princess! May our swords be thy blade and our armors thy shield! For as long as those bones have life in them, we shall protected the Princess of the Dawn!”

Neither Cadence nor Twilight could believe in what their eyes just saw.

Laurel stood up, walking over Twilight, “Equestria may be doubting your integrity Twilight, but not a single crystal pony of this land will remain idle as they accuse one of our saviors of treachery. We vow to protect you, to fight alongside you, and there’s no alicorn in this world that can bend our will!”

The crystal pony mare turned around, raising a hoof to the crowd behind her, “Long life to the Twilight Princess!”

Several hooves were thrown to the air in response.

“Are you going to ever forgive me for being so foolish? It was obvious that my people would choose to fight even against Equestria to defend the one who saved them.”

Cadence closed the doors after the last knight exited the room.

Twilight trotted near Cadence, head hanging down, eyes shadowed by her fringe which was falling upon her head.

As if she slapped Cadence’s face, Twilight embraced her sister-in-law strongly, almost tackling her down to the floor, “I never felt anything other than admiration and love for you. I don’t need to forgive you, because you never did anything against me. Maybe now, I admire you even more for standing strong against your feelings and putting them aside for the greater good. If someday I truly become a Princess, I want to be like you Cadence!”

The pink alicorn locked her forehooves around Twilight’s back, once again suppressing the upcoming tears. She rested her head on top of Twilight’s head, while the purple alicorn nudged her chest strongly.

“You are my family Twilight. My savior and my little sister too. I would never let something happen to you.”

“Can you help me? I’m a little confused with this alicorn business.”

“Of course I will, but there’s still some ponies you need to see right?”

Twilight nodded silently.

“Then go. Feel free to wander in the castle, it’s yours too. After all, my knights crowned you a legitimate Princess tonight.”

The purple alicorn calmly walked by the corridors, as the magical blue flames coming from the crystals used to illuminate the interiors showed her the way. Never her heart was at so much peace, and Twilight could finally revive the feel of being at home.

After entering the galleries pertaining to the royal chambers, Twilight found at the edge of a corridor, her brother sat right besides a door. Shining Armor was struggling against his own drowsiness, it was very late at night already and the emperor was supposed to be sleeping.

“Big bro...”

“Twilight!” Startled by her voice, Shining Armor shot his eyes open, “What happened between you and Cadence?”

Twilight giggled, “She said something about the royal couch being soft enough for you tonight.”

Shining laughed, ending his fit with a sigh, “I screwed up big time.”

“Don’t worry, she will forgive you eventually, you know how she loves you and all. Mom and dad are asleep?”

Shining Armor mood dropped immediately, “Dad is sleeping right now. He was unable to keep up with everything happening around him, so mom gave him some medicine, and forced him to sleep, you know how he can be over protective with his family. Mom is...”

“She’s giving you a hard time right?”

“Mom refuses to eat, sleep, and leave her chambers for three days already. She said that she’s going to pray non-stop for your return...”

“Praying?”

“To Celestia, whom else? Mom is the religious type remember?”

Twilight mood dropped as well, and she nodded in agreement, looking away.

“She said that Celestia is going to bring you back to us, and that everything the others are talking about you, and about Princess Celestia is a bunch of lies.”

“I will talk to her right now...”

“She’s waiting for you inside.”

Twilight trotted towards the door, Shining decided to follow his way to the guest room, and think about a good way to apologize to his wife before sleeping.

“Celestia wants me dead,” Twilight breathed before entering.

Her brother just hanged his head low, sadness washing him over, “I know. Still our mom doesn’t want to believe that Celestia abandoned us. Irony can sting like a poisoned arrow.”

“I can’t blame her big bro. If she can’t pray to Celestia, who’s she is going to pray to?”

The siblings parted ways. With care to not make any loud noises, Twilight opened the door.

Inside the barely lit room, the purple alicorn found her dad, sleeping soundly in a big and confortable bed for two ponies, his form hidden beneath some blankets to protect him from the cold that was permeating the room. A big curtain of light coming from the moon entered through an opened window. Resting right below it, looking to the moon and the stars outside, even if they were hard to see due to the clouds, Twilight Velvet, Twilight Sparkle’s mother, whispered some inaudible words...

“I knew all along my prayers would be answered. Celestia never failed us before, why she would fail now?”

Twilight eyes shot open in surprise, “How did you know it is me?”

The white unicorn moved her head around, giving Twilight a warm smile, and gazing at her with eyes full of joyful tears, “A mother always knows, Twilie.”

“When Princess Celestia came personally to see your test that day, the day when you hatched Spike’s egg, I was so proud seeing my little girl attracting the attention of our Holy Lady Celestia. Eventually, you grew so attached to her that I started to feel losing my place as your mother...”

“Mom!”

“You were happy my dear, that was everything in the world that I needed to know. I have to admit though, that I missed being with you all the time. I missed seeing you blooming into the beautiful mare that you are today, I missed seeing you going to school for the first time, I missed so many things my dear, that I don’t know if I’m deserve being called your mother anymore.”

Velvet was crying, tears falling freely from her eyes. Twilight hugged her even strongly.

“Stop saying those absurdities!”

“They are the truth Twilie. It’s sad and shameful, but Celestia is your true mother when it comes down to who stayed with you through the path of your life. I was nothing more than a shadow in the background! I regret it so much, and I beg to you to forgive me!”

“Everything you said may be true, and if somepony would made me choose between you two, maybe I would flinch and be unable to say one name, but don’t even try to say that you aren’t my mother!” Twilight shouted, her voice echoed through the room.

“Twilie...”

“You were there when I got my first cut remember? You dried my tears, took care of me, hugged me and said that everything would be fine. Remember those nights during the weekends when I came back home from the school? Who read me stories despite being so tired with her work? It was you miss Velvet. Who shaped me into a mare worthy of being Celestia’s protegé and the Element of Magic? You did!”

Twilight stopped a moment to sob. It was like screaming out things that she wished to shout out for so much time...

“You gave me my first book, you helped me face my first love, you were always by my side. Even if it was just in the background, I always could hear you cheering me on with your prayers mom!”

Velvet wrapped her forehooves around Twilight’s arms that were passed around her neck, and tightened her eyes, making even more tears fall down.

“So, never! Never, are you hearing me? Never again you dare to say that you aren’t my mother miss Velvet!” Twilight shouted, putting more strength in her arms, closing the hug they shared even more.

“I love you my child. To the hay with this world, I just know that you aren’t to blame for what happened to the other girls! I know you are a victim too! You don’t have to suffer anymore, just stay here with us.”

“I can’t. I need to find them and find the truth mom.”

“You will suffer more! You will get hurt and be in danger!”

“Yes, I will. However, that’s something I need to do. It’s the only way to heal my soul, and the only way to know what truly happened to the rest of my family.”

The room went silent. Only the faint sobs from Twilight Velvet and from Twilight Sparkle could be heard. Mother and daughter knew that this was going to be a long and painful goodbye...

“I can’t let you go Twilight!” Velvet shouted.

“I need to mom, I’m so sorry for making you have to bear this pain because of me, but I can’t live with the feelings of being a murderer inside of me.”

“Let her go Velvet...”

A sultry male voice spoke. Both mares looked behind, finding Twilight’s father, Nightlight, getting out of the bed.

“Good night dad.”

“Hello, honey. You were going to embark in a long journey without telling me a goodbye?”

Twilight’s cheeks turned red, and she smiled awkwardly, “I was planning on leaving you a big letter. Shining told me that you were sleeping, and that you went through a hard time...”

Nightlight smiled, “You and your brother are just too overprotective with me. I’m not a colt, alright?”

The blue unicorn walked towards his daughter.

“You have become a beautiful alicorn my dear. I’m so proud...”

“Sometimes I feel ashamed dad.”

Twilight lowered her head and closed her eyes. Her father hugged her, and stroke her mane kindly with a hoof.

“Don’t feel any shame. Put your head up and be proud of yourself. Did I ever tell you what I felt on the day you were born my dear?”

Twilight shook her head in negation.

“Right after your mother gave birth to you, the nurses wrapped your small body in some clothes and gave you to me. From the very moment I took you in my arms, I felt that you were destined to do great things. You grew up so fast... First you entered the school for gifted unicorns, then becomes Celestia’s student, and then heroine of two countries! I can only be proud of the mare that I can call daughter.”

“Oh, dad...”

“Rise your head Twilight and go find your friends. You and me, we always were dreamers, and ponies who followed their dreams even if the others told us that was impossible. I would never married Velvet if I hadn't followed my heart as it was saying to me to try and conquer that silly filly over there.”

Nighlight winked to Velvet, making her blush. Twilight nudged her dad’s fur with the tip of her muzzle.

“I don’t know what is going to happen. I don’t even know if I will ever see you and mom again!”

Her dad laughed, “If your heart tells you that we are going to share more hugs like this one, then I have no doubts that we will see each other again. We will pray for you my child, and we will be forever waiting for you to return with open arms, right Velvet?”

The white unicorn washed away the tears streaming from her eyes and nodded.

Twilight looked to her dad with tears in the eyes, the stallion hastily cleaned them, before they could escape from Twilight’s grasp.

“Don’t cry on me right now. Be strong my child, and go with your heart in peace.”

“I love you dad. I love you mom. I will miss you two so much!”

Twilight closed the door of her parent’s room. She walked slowly, following the corridor from where she came from the throne room. Shining Armor opened one door right at the moment when his sister passed in front of it.

“Did you talk with her?”

Twilight nodded, “You can go and sleep too, I made her eat some apples and get to bed. She’s in shambles, doubting everything. We can’t do much about it, I only ask you to stay by her’s and dad’s sides while I’m gone.”

Shining raised an eyebrow, curious.

“Gone to where?”

“To find them big bro. My friends, and the truth. I need to know why I’ve become an alicorn, and what truly happened with my Princesses. I just can’t sit idle here at the Crystal Empire and make the crystal ponies fight a war against Equestria because of me.”

“Looks who is playing the hero now...” Shining smiled, passing a kind hoof at his sister’s head.

“I’m not trying to be any hero, I am doing what is right.”

“I know. You need to see Spike too, the little one wanted to see you so badly, but he’s just too young to stay up so late.”

Twilight nodded, “Don’t worry I will go see him right now. Where is he?”

“In your private chambers.”

“I’m going then. Tomorrow, we shall part ways.”

“Yes. I will take my platoon and scout you to the border.”

The siblings exchanged glances for some seconds,in silence. Shining wanted to say something for Twilight, but he could not. Twilight also wanted to say something, but was unable to find the right words.

Twilight walked some more, and kissed her brother in the cheek, “I will miss you big bro. I love you and I promise to come back to you, thank you for being the best family in the world...” She whispered in his ear with a soft voice.

“I wanted to walk down this path with you but I can’t. I’m sorry Twilie.”

The purple alicorn trotted back, and shook her head with a smile, “This is my destiny big bro, it’s time for me to face it, alone.”

“I’m going, Cadence needs me.”

Once again, the two parted ways in silence.

Twilight trotted calmly towards a bedroom dedicated just for her. She never accepted being treated differently, even if she had the right to, after all her brother is the emperor of those lands, and the empress was her foalhood friend.

As such important family member, a very expansive and luxurious chamber was reserved for her. However, those walls were going to see the purple alicorn for the first time.

With a flick of her horn, Twilight turned the golden knob with caution; she didn’t wanted to awaken the important guest that was inside. The alicorn entered slowly, sticking her neck first to see what was awaiting her.

The room was barely lit by the magical crystals glowing in a pale blue light. Everything was neatly kept, from the shelves of books to the giant circular bed.

Twilight opened the door some more, just enough for her to enter. With a inspecting glance around her surroundings, she found what she was looking for: Spike.

The small purple dragon was sleeping soundly inside of a basket. Twilight could not help but to laugh internally, thinking of how humble Spike was; he could just hop on the bed and sleep there. Maybe it was time for her to say to the dragon that he was far from being her pet...

With careful steps, Twilight walked towards the drake resting in the basket. She planted a kind kiss on his forehead and with a soothing and whispering voice, she breathed on his ear, “I’m so happy to see you alright...”

Hearing her voice, Spike slowly opened his emerald eyes. He failed to recognize the face in front of him, as if he was still sleeping and having a dream about happier days.

Twilight just gazed at him with a kind smile.

No words were exchanged when Spike finally noticed that he was looking at the most important pony of his life right in front of him. His big eyes watered up at the same time as his lower lip started to tremble, and with a single move, the dragon hugged Twilight strongly, passing his arms around her neck, breaking into tears...

Twilight just hugged him back, resting her head into his shoulder, “There, there. Why are you crying silly?”

“I was so afraid that something bad had happened to you Twilight!” Spike struggled to speak against the tears flowing freely from his eyes.

“I’m alright, you don’t need to cry,” Twilight breathed.

“When all those soldiers came to the library and started to say absurd things, I was so scared...”

Twilight felt her chest being pierced by those last words. Her loved friend was in danger, and she wasn’t there to help him.

“Then they started to take all our books away and burn them! I tried so hard to stop them and to save your books Twilight, but they were so many!” Spike was raising his voice, venting out his frustration. In response, the purple alicorn hugged him back even strongly, trying to make the dragon feel safe.

“Thank you Spike! Thank you so much!”

“They said that I was too dangerous to stay in Ponyville. I asked them why, and they started to call you a murderer and a traitor! I just couldn't keep hearing those lies, but before I was able to do anything, the guards knocked me out cold. When I woke up, I was in a cage...”

“It’s all my fault Spike. Can you forgive me?”

“It’s not your fault Twilight. They just released me inside the Everfree Forest and said that I was banned from Equestria forever. Your brother found me not long time after and explained to me everything that happened.”

“Still, you had to endure so many horrible things because of me, that I don’t even want to think about it...”

Spike broke from their hug. The young drake looked to Twilight, and with his arm he wiped away the tears streaming from his face. He clenched his fists and puffed up his chest, “Don’t feel bad! I was able to face everything because you taught me that true friendship can overcome anything!”

Twilight opened another smile. A tear of joy escaped from her grasp and rolled down her cheek, her heart filled with pride, “You are growing into a really noble and brave dragon Spike...”

“All thanks to you Twilight.”

Twilight hugged her faithful assistant again, this time just to make sure that everything was real. The two friends stayed together for quite some time, just hugging each other and letting their hearts find the solace that was so much needed for both.

“What you need to find so badly in the library Twilight?” Spike asked as they walked through the corridors of the palace, back to the throne room.

“Answers,” Twilight said somberly, “The library of the Crystal Empire is very old and it can contain some information regarding the subject I need to research right now.”

Spike scratched his head, confused.

“Which subject?”

The duo reached the huge and imposing front doors of the throne room. Twilight nudged Spike’s head with her muzzle and kissed his forehead, "You really do not mind staying up all night with me? You can return to my room and sleep there if you want, Spike...”

He shook his head vigorously, “Nope! I’m going to help you with whatever urgent research you need.”

“Thank you,” Twilight breathed smiling, “I need to see Cadence before going to the library, can you wait for me here Spike?”

“Of course! Take your time.”

Twilight nodded, and magically opened the doors.

As she did when entering her chambers, the purple alicorn sticked her neck inside first, glancing around the room to make sure that she didn’t come at a wrong time.

In the distance, she found the balcony windows opened, and several snowflakes falling inside the room. A cold wind was blowing from outside, making she shiver.

Twilight entered, closing the door behind her. The sound of her hooves echoed inside the empty gallery, as she walked towards the opened balcony, following a winged shadow projected by the light of the moon.

“You should at least wear some garment if you are observing the nightly landscape. Your kingdom is really cold, and you can get ill,” Twilight said as she reached a solitary Cadance, who was looking to the Crystal City covered in the white blanket, deep in thought.

Cadence waited until Twilight came to sit at her side, she smiled and turned to her, “Alicorns can’t get colds Twilight...”

“I didn’t know.”

“You came here looking for answers about your new condition right?”

Twilight nodded, her expression turning sad.

“I do not know how to answer to you. I am the youngest Princess of the world, and my knowledge about our race is very limited.”

“Are alicorns really Gods?” Twilight asked all of a sudden.

Cadence’s expression turned to pain. Slowly, she raised her head and looked to the sky, observing the clouds shedding the precious white snow into her kingdom, “Yes and no, we are closer to accursed existences than Gods.”

“Luna and Celestia have the power to raise the Sun and the Moon. You have power to awaken the love in the hearts of all ponies. The magical abilities you three possesses are... amazing to say the least. It far surpasses any unicorn’s power.”

“Still, being an alicorn is nothing more than a curse.”

Twilight didn’t understood exactly why her sister-in-law was so bitter about their race, “Can you tell me why?”

“One could say that it is the immortality, but that is not really a problem. We have enough magical power to give the gift of eternity to others if we so wish. The true curse, lies upon our destinies.”

“Our destinies?”

“I never wanted this Twilight. I never wanted to be a Princess or a God. I wanted to be just an ordinary mare, having to work to buy my house, marrying the stallion I loved and having foals to raise. I wanted to grow old and see my family getting bigger and bigger. However, I didn’t had any choice, my destiny was sealed from the very moment I was born into this world. Alicorns aren’t individuals Twilight, they are symbols...”

The purple alicorn started to understand what Cadence was talking about, “You mean...”

“I love my people Twilight. I love this land and I want to make them happy for all the eternity, but deep inside, I know that their happiness must come before mine. I see so many children running around smiling and laughing, and I regret being unable to bred a foal...”

“Cadence! You mean we can’t be mothers?”

Cadence nodded.

Twilight opened her mouth from the shock. She was still young for thinking about having a foal, however this dream would never come true for her...

“What happened today between you and me was beyond torturing. My family will never grow, and each precious friend and relative I lose will never be replaced. We alicorns don’t have the right to suffer because of it, we need to be strong all the time for the sake of our kingdom and our people. We can’t cry, we can’t feel despair or show emotion, we are but the flags of our nations.”

“That must explain why Princess Celestia is always trying to be so collected and formal.”

“Celestia is a powerful Princess, Twilight. She’s one of the oldest alicorns to be born into this world, and she endured so much suffering in the course of those years. If I were in her place, I do not know how I was supposed to choose between the happiness of my people, and the salvation of my young student...”

The two princesses remained silent for some moments.

“Why does she wants to kill me Cadence? Why does she hates me so much?”

“I don’t know Twilight, and pains me to say that to you. Celestia must have an ulterior motive for doing what she did to you.”

Cadence passed a hoof around Twilight’s neck, and pulled her nearer, “Can I ask you a favor?”

“Of course.”

“Please, don’t lose faith in Celestia. Never stop believing in her, even if it is the hardest thing to do.”

“I will try.”

“What you are going to do right now?”

“Research the Crystal Library and try to find any information about the alicorn race.”

Cadence sighed, “I can’t guarantee you are going to find it. I do not posses your skills with research Twilight, but in my spare time, I wandered inside the library and tried to find anything about the same subject, but nothing came to light.”

“Cadence,” Twilight breathed, “I never knew anything about your past. What about your family?”

The pink alicorn hanged her head low, giving to Twilight a bittersweet smile, “I can’t seem to remember. I can only tell you what Celestia told me. The family I know was an adoptive one, and I never really met my true parents, I only know that I was born an alicorn. I do wonder if they rejected me and abandoned me because of my race...”

“Cadence, I never knew.”

“Don’t worry, Celestia found me and handed me down to a family of nobles from Canterlot that raised me and showed me the power of love and how it could transform everything. When I got my cutie mark, I wondered why it was a heart made of crystal. Turns out that I was a Princess of a lost kingdom, destined to rule over this place.”

“Are you happy with it?”

“It’s not about my happiness Twilight. It’s about their happiness. The happiness of each crystal pony living below the flag of this country. If I have to keep sacrificing my own well being in order for them to be happy, I will gladly accept it. That’s why we, alicorns, exist.”

The colossal doors from the crystal library are opened.

From outside, the silhouettes of a small dragon and a young alicorn watched in awe as the magical crystals spread through the huge place lit in an intense blue light, revealing the several bookshelves housing a huge amount of books.

“We will have our hoofs full,” Spike breathed, scared by how the library was giant in comparison to their small, old oak tree.

“Who was planning on getting some sleep?” Twilight turned to him, and smiled sheepish.

Both walked inside, eyes scanning through the countless covers resting in the wood shelves at the walls. Any of the different, colorful books could contain the answers they seeked, they just needed to find it.

“Do you know where we can start looking Twilight?” Spike inquired, starting to feel dizzy from all the scanning.

Twilight’s irises run to the top end of her sclera, as she tried to access her memory bank and remember something relevant from the time when she looked through this same library, searching for any hints of how she and her six friends could save the Crystal Ponies from Sombra’s curse.

“Come,” she chirped, “let’s begin with the history section.”

The pair walked through the barely lit galleries, following Twilight’s memory. After some time walking towards the right set of shelves, Twilight stopped.

“Here, it will be hard finding anything but it will be worth it.”

Spike observed the several books perched on the shelve, “Twilight, I know I asked it already, but why are you so interested in discovering things about the alicorn race?”

The purple mare was already using her telekinesis to take some volumes out of their places, and was selecting more with vigilant eyes. After hearing Spike’s question, Twilight sighed, and turned back to him, “Everything started to go out of control because I’m an alicorn now. That fairy tale about the Twilight Princess don't make any sense, and I can’t use it to help me find the truth about my transformation. I need to know something about the alicorn race, anything at all that has some logic to it, and it’s not shrouded in mystery.”

The young drake smiled, and nodded, “I see. That’s very like you Twilight.”

“I have those wings now, but I’m still me right?”

Twilight moved the pile of books enveloped in her pink magic aura near her assistant, and he picked all the thick compendiums in his arms, following the purple alicorn as she trotted further, taking any interesting title that crossed her field of vision.

“Maybe we already took a good amount here,” Spike breathed, “Why don’t we take a look at another section?”

“Good point, let’s get going. We have a night full of research to do.”

Several hours later, and the pair had raided almost the entire library.

Twilight easily saw through Spike’s drowsiness, as the dragon was constantly yawning and scratching his eyes while helping her take notes about the books they were reading, and any possible useful information they gathered so far.

She wished to ask him to stop and take some rest, but the alicorn knew her assistant just too well. Spike’s pride would just make him stay.

With a kind smile, Twilight turned her attention from the book she was reading, to her friend which was also reading a tome, “How many sections we already checked?”

Spike lazily looked to her with half lidded eyes, “Let me check,” he breathed and picked up a small notebook and a quill, “twenty four, everything from the World’s History section to the Pony Biology section.”

“That’s so many things, and we still had found nothing...”

Twilight’s voice sounded frustrated. She hanged her head low, thinking that maybe Cadence was right when she said that the chances of finding anything related to the alicorns inside the Crystal Library were low.

A glimpse of light shone through the stained glasses and hit the corner of her eye. For an instant, Twilight moved her head to the majestic window at her right side, basking in the beautiful design, depicting Spike and Cadence using the power of the Crystal Heart to defeat Sombra.

“The sun is already up,” Spike sighed, seeing that his sleep was condemned to wait until the new night, “and we didn’t made any progress...”

“I’m sorry. Maybe we just need to try and find another way of getting our hooves into some rarer books.”

“Maybe. I wonder if the girls are seeing the same sun as us right now.”

Twilight felt her heart flood with nostalgia and doubt at the same time...

“Probably.”

The sun invaded the library, covering Twilight into an warm light. Her fur bristled in excitement, as the warm glow washed away the harsh cold of the night that enveloped her body.

She just closed her eyes and smiled, as if she was received a kind hug.

“I love her sun...”

The alicorn’s eyes shot open, as if a sudden realization just had hit her brain like a crashing pegasus.

“That’s it! The sun!”

Spike used all his strength to raise an eyebrow and asked with an unimpressed voice, “What are you talking about Twilight?”

“Come here Spike, I think I remembered something!”

Twilight bolted towards one of the sections that they still had not explored yet. Spike followed her, and with curious eyes, he observed the signs showing which sections they were.

After some time running, the drake’s eyes felt on the sign “Astrology”.

Twilight entered on the corridor formed by the two big shelves. Spike just got more confused.

“Twilight, what do you plan to find on this section? We are looking for something related to the alicorn race!”

“Just a minute Spike! I remember that the last time we visited, I was reading an astrology book. Then, I skipped a chapter that had Celestia’s crest designed on it, and it was showing some kind of temple...”

The young drake crossed his arms and leaned against one of the shelves. Twilight kept looking for the book as fast as she could.

“Here it is!”

The purple alicorn lifted a small tome with a dark gray cover and several golden trimmings from the shelve.

Spike came closer to see the title.

“Places of Adoration Through Equestria?” The drake rubbed his chin.

Twilight opened the book using her magic, and the pages rapidly turned until she reached the chapter she was looking for.

She cleared her throat, and started to read out loud for Spike.

The Nameless Cathedral at the city of Vanhoover is a unique place in Equestria. Researchers state that the construction was made three thousand years ago by an unknown race of ponies as a place of adoration and meditation, where they could feel closer to their Gods.

No pony, not even the closest ministers to the Two Sisters know if such edification has any ties to the actual beliefs in our present day Goddesses, but any pony that enters the place affirms that they could sense something “Supernatural” just from being around it.

“Cadence told me that we, alicorns, are entities that are the equivalent to Gods, because of our higher powers and duties as guides to the ponies. If this place was constructed by an ancient race, then it can only mean they made it in order to have a place to worship an alicorn God!”

Spike looked in awe to Twilight for some seconds, trying to catch some breath after the torrent of informations that flooded his ears.

“You mean you are going into Equestria’s territory! That’s too dangerous Twilight!”

“I know Spike, but that’s the only hint we found after so much research. Maybe I can find something related to the alicorn race over there, I can’t miss this chance.”

Suddenly, Spike hugged Twilight strongly.

“Then, please take care! Don’t let Equestria take you, or hurt you! We can’t help you from here.”

She smiled.

“I’m glad that you aren’t trying to convince me to bring you along.”

“I need to stay here and help your parents. They need all the support they can have, after all, their child is going on a mad quest to find five ponies that can be dead, all while fighting against the most powerful nation of the world...”

Twilight kissed Spike’s head, “I’m so proud of the dragon you are becoming Spike.”

“Do you promise to come back soon?”

“As soon as I get some information regarding my condition.”

“Pinkie Promise?”

“Yes! Totally a Pinkie Promise!”

Twilight came alone to the station, bringing nothing else than her saddlebag. The train bound to get her back into enemy territory was waiting for the rest of the passengers to enter.

She looked one last time to the Crystal Palace, shining beautifully into the sunlight.

The purple alicorn had to force the tears back to her throat. To see everything she loved; everything that still remained at least; so far in the distance was really hard.

However, she had vowed to herself that no pony would be hurt because of her ever again...

One of the train carer stallions came out of the main wagon and warned Twilight, “Hey! We are about to go! Could you place take your seat missy?”

“Yes, I’m going!”

As Twilight turned away to enter the train, a familiar voice called her from above.

“Twilight! Wait!”

She looked to the sky, and found Cadence flying towards her. The pink alicorn landed right in front of her, smiling.

“I almost thought that I wasn't going to make it!” Cadence breathed.

“Something happened Cadence?”

“Not at all, but you went straight from the library here, and I didn’t had the time to give you this...”

The Crystal Empress’s horn flared, and she produced from a small bag at her side a tiny booklet, immediately stuffing it inside Twilight’s huge saddlebag.

“I can’t tell you what it is about here in the open, so I took notes and hid them inside. Please, read it as soon as you get to your cabin.”

Twilight nodded, “Okay Cadence, I will.”

They exchanged silent glances for some seconds.

“I hate long farewells,” the purple alicorn turned her head away.

Cadence smiled, sending any signs of sadness back down her throat, “Me too. We will be waiting for you.”

Twilight trotted away, and entered the train. Cadence remained at the station, seeing her sister through the window, as the locomotive started to drive away, separating the two. They still looked to each other, as the train started to build up speed.

The purple alicorn raised a hoof, resting it against the glass. She saw Cadence crying...

When Cadence finally disappeared from her view, Twilight closed the curtain of her cabin’s window, and sat more comfortable at her couch. With a flick of magic, she brought the booklet from inside the saddlebag to her hooves, and opened it kindly...

Twilight, I will try to make it brief.

When I was young, Celestia told me something about the alicorn race. Something that scared me for all my life...

She said that inside of each alicorn’s soul, a door exists.

Sooner or later in our lives, we will see that door. It will ask us things, it will tempt us to become stronger and stronger.

It will try to feed upon our emotions, negative and positive, and it will try to dominate us, and turn us into things that we aren’t.

Be aware Twilight. If you ever see that door, don’t open it!

Don’t open it or you are going to lose yourself beyond repair!

“Cloud Skipper! Where are you?”

Pussywillow shouted from across the Canterlot’s castle garden. The red-haired mare brought with her a golden spear, resting it in her wing.

The night had already befallen once more.

“Where did that stallion get himself into? It’s almost time for our shift with the Night Guard, and he didn’t gave me my sword fight lessons!”

Pussywillow heard the sound of hooves getting nearby, and the grass being stepped on.

“Cloud Skipper?” She called, and turned to the bushes behind her.

However, the pony who came out was Midnight Blossom.

“Hey! Hello, Pussywillow!” She chirped, and smiled to the mare with a carefree expression.

The red-haired mare sighed, and looked back with the most annoyed expression that her face could twist into, “Good night, captain Blossom, what you are doing so far from the Shady Through?”

“I’m going to the Deep Level Dungeon to investigate about Twilight Sparkle’s escapade.”

Pussywillow raised an eyebrow, “Deep Level Dungeon? Don’t you need something like, permission from both the Princesses to enter there?”

“Yup, I sure need. I already got it from Selena.”

“Yes, but what about Princess Celestia?”

“ I’m going in with her, and I have acquired such permission.”

A male voice suddenly spoke, scaring Pussywillow. She screamed and jumped out of place.

“Are you alright?” Cloud Skipper asked, scratching his mane, while observing his friend floating right above him and Midnight Blossom.

“It’s not Nightmare Night yet to be so scared Pussywillow, calm down!” Midnight Blossom almost bursted into a fit of laughs.

“Did you just crawl out of Tartarus, Cloud Skipper?” The pegasus shouted, enraged.

“Nope. I came through the door.”

“Horse apples,” Pussywillow complained and landed, “So, you two are going to the Deep Level Dungeon?”

“Yes,” Cloud Skipper answered, “Midnight needs some help with her investigation. The Twilight Princess is top priority, and anything regarding her must be taken care of as soon as we can.”

“Can I go with you two?”

“Well...” Midnight trotted towards Cloud Skipper, “I don’t think so.”

“Why not? I’m just a patent bellow you two! I’m a soldier of Equestria, and it is my duty to find the Twilight Princess too!”

“We know,” Cloud Skipper turned around, “However, there’s things that you are not ready to see yet Pussywillow. Maybe next time ok?”

“Let’s get going Skipper. Also, don’t worry Pussywillow! I’m not going to steal Skipper from you!”

The red-haired mare blushed profusely, “What the buck are you talking about Midnight?”

Skipper looked to her, “Hey!”

“Let’s go tiger, or I’m not enough for you, and you want the newbie too?”

The stallion’s eyes rolled around his sclera, “Please Midnight, can we just stop flirting like this? I feel like a colt everytime you do that.”

Midnight Blossom laughed and the two trotted inside the castle, leaving an angry Pussywillow behind.

“So, when are you going to be true to your superiors and tell them you freed Twilight?”

Cloud Skipper asked the bat-pony mare as they walked through the depressing galleries of the Deep Level Dungeon.

“What about never? I just said that to you because you are that important to me.”

Cloud Skipper cleared his throat, “Please Blossom, not while we are working okay? Plus, we decided to keep it hidden until my family is ready to know that I’m not marrying a noble.”

She sighed, “Your parents are so traditionalists! I thought that the word ‘Love’ was more important than a title!”

“There’s isn't much I can do; let’s just wait until all this mess regarding Twilight is over.”

The bat-pony winked, “Yeah, you are right,” she crashed her flank against his’s, “We can just keep loving each other hid from the world, it makes the sex even spicier, don’t you agree?”

The stallion blushed and coughed, “Not here, you pervert! We are inside a creepy dungeon!”

“I think the atmosphere is just perfect. We have chains, torches, cuffs...”

“Can we please stop with this and focus?”

“Alright, sorry.”

Cloud Skipper did his best to regain his composure, “Ok, so what did we come here for again?”

Midnight Blossom’s expression changed completely. From her normal, casual look, the bat-pony visage turned into an intimidating focused and serious expression. Even her eyes looked more threatening than normal...

“Twilight turned into an alicorn. However, do you know why every noble and minister didn’t ask questions like how, or why?”

“Because the Two Sisters said so?”

She shook her head in negation, “No. Because they know that she was not the first one.”

“Twilight was not the first pony to transcend?” Cloud Skipper almost skipped a heartbeat.

They stopped in front of a certain cell...

Midnight kept looking at it, with a menacing gaze, as if something terrible was inside. Something that would jump at them in any moment.

“One year ago, Canterlot city was attacked by a mysterious race of beings known as the Changelings. Though the city was saved by the combined power of Princess Cadence and her husband, Shining Armor, we needed to do more research into their species.”

Cloud Skipper looked to the cell with the same serious expression, then back at his girlfriend, “What are you talking about Blossom?”

“We, the Unseen, discovered that the Changelings were all part of a different species of ponies, just like the Crystal Ponies at the Frozen North. They were an ancient race, but they turned into those monsters due to a curse put upon them, by a powerful individual that was alive, three thousand years ago...”

Carefully, Midnight took a key from inside her armor, and stepped towards the cell’s door, opening it slowly.

“This individual was an unicorn. She tried to use a forbidden spell to attain Godhood through the sacrifices of many innocent ponies from her own people.”

Cloud Skipper’s eyes almost popped out from his skull when he saw what was inside, chained by two magical restraints plunged into the walls...

“But instead of turning into an alicorn, she turned into what the changelings call a Hive Mother. Her name, was changed to something more fitting.”

The being’s glowing, neon green eyes looked back to the pair through the darkness inside.

“Right? Queen Chrysalis..."

Four - Moon's Lullaby

“Chrysalis! The Queen of The Changelings!” Cloud Skipper seemed to be beyond baffled with the revelation.

“Don’t lose your cool, Skipper, we are here to ask this bug some questions,” Midnight Blossom turned to him, trying to restore his composure.

Inside the cell, Chrysalis seemed to be weak and inoffensive. The changeling stared at the couple with half-lidded eyes, and an emotionless expression.

Soon, her nose started to move, as if she was sniffing something, and an electric-green spark flashed through her eyes, “This smell,” she hissed, her evil voice booming with an echo, “I just can’t forget how good this smells...”

“Hey! Glad you are alive down here, stupid bug,” the bat-pony quickly turned to her, eyes shooting daggers at the queen.

“You are the one who captured me, last time I saw the outside world. How I wish to break those chains and strangle that neck of yours, cursed bat!”

“You captured her, Midnight?” Skipper asked, as drops of cold sweat started to fall from his forehead.

“Yup. Me and my squadron were tasked by Princess Luna to search the area and scavenge any changeling that might still be unconscious near Canterlot. Turns out we found the Queen herself, passed out cold and with a broken horn north of the Everfree. The rest of them escaped, and seems that they have fled to the underground, and to places beyond Equestria.”

The white pegasus was panicky. Chrysalis and her race proved to be the greatest threat known to the ponies of Equestria. They managed to invade Canterlot, their capital, with seemingly ease, kidnap a Princess, and exchange her place with their own Queen. After Shining Armor’s barrier fell, the violent insect-like creatures gave the mighty Sun Guard run for their money.

He was one of the guards who ended up inside a disgusting cocoon, and he was sure to remember it as an unplesant situation. Leaving the whole green mucus cocoon business behind, his true fear came from the fact that those changelings were too well organized, aggressive, and numerous enough to be a real threat to Equestria again, if they ever wanted to rise against it once more...

“What you want from me, bat?” Chrysalis hissed, irritated by the presence of Midnight Blossom.

“Answers to some questions...”

The queen laughed, mocking the bat-pony mare, “Why would I answer anything to you?”

Midnight opened a smirk, showing her fangs, and suddenly, she turned to her coltfriend, and planted a kiss on his lips.

Skipper blushed, caught by surprise. Midnight felt her stallion almost jumping out of place, but she knew how to quickly get him in the mood for some ‘action’. They closed their eyes and continued for some seconds.

Chrysalis eyes flashed again with a neon green spark, and she licked her lips. She was upset, like a plagued wild animal.

Midnight broke from their kiss, and turned to Chrysalis, “We can give you a little of this if you want, just enough to satiate your hunger for the day.”

“My hunger cannot be satiated, bat. Not even if I could suck you and your boy-toy dry. Nonetheless, I miss the sweet taste of love, and maybe we could make a deal...”

Cloud Skipper shook his head in negation, “Midnight! What are you saying? She’s a dangerous criminal! We can’t make a deal with her!”

“I’m sorry Skipper, but this bug here is the only way for us to find some answers about what happened with Twilight. Besides, this is not the first time that I made a deal with the devil...”

Chrysalis laughed again, “You scourge were created by the alicorn nightmare, right? That’s rich!”

“Shut your trap, freak! Do we have a deal or what?”

The queen pondered in silence for some moments. She continued to stare at Skipper and Midnight with those unholy, intimidating neon eyes. The white pegasus was sweating even more; just being around her was enough to cause him an absurd discomfort.

“This is the fear that an animal has when facing a predator, Skipper,” Midnight whispered to him.

Skipper gulped, breathing heavily.

“Those monsters, the changelings, are everything that we, the ponykind, could become if we embraced our most primitive and violent selfs. Thank Luna for the balance and for Harmony.”

“Ask me,” Chrysalis breathed with an empty voice.

“Good,” the bat-pony mare smiled, “Okay, so tell me, the stories about you, are they really the truth?”

“If you mean the stories about me being a three thousand years old, yes, you are right. My name one day was Emerald Night, I was a nightcorn.”

“Nightcorn?” Skipper asked to Midnight, confused.

“I’ve told you that those things were part of an ancient extinct race. They lived to the far west of Equestria, past the Saddle Arabia great desert, on several islands at the Great Purple Ocean. Those Islands were known as the Shimmering Islands.”

Chrysalis cackled, “You are astoundingly intelligent for a pony with a brain full of guano.”

“A knight must be at the peak of its physical prowess, as it must be at the peak of its mind. We aren’t just a tin can full of meat, bug.”

The changeling sighed, continuing with her story, “We were a very prosperous country, mind you. The nightcorns were great magic researchers; in fact, our entire civilization was based on magic. Without it, we would easily succumb.”

“Let me guess,” Cloud Skipper interrupted, “you guys destroyed everything with some magical apocalipse.”

Chrysalis cackled once again, mocking the white stallion, “Where did you got this idiot, bat? Some stallion sale?”

Midnight Blossom raised an eyebrow, discontent with Chrysalis’s statement, “He is a little naive at times, but believe me, he compensates...”

Cloud Skipper blushed.

“Our civilization didn’t crumbled because of us, stallion. However, our strong magical advance attracted the attention of other races. They went far enough to wage war with us in order to take our researches away.”

“Which races?” Midnight asked.

“The gryphons. It always those stupid, bird-brained freaks. The saddle arabians, being great sailors, tried as well.”

“The outcome?” Midnight pressed further.

“We were close to annihilation, what else? Years and years of war make a race suffer too much, and differently from the Unicornians, we didn’t have an alicorn Goddess to protect us.”

Chrysalis voice seemed to have a tiny bit of nostalgia mixed in the usual evil filled, snake-tongued, sound.

Cloud Skipper could see the eyes of his marefriend beaming with happiness, she got Chrysalis exactly where she wanted, “Who was Emerald Night?” Midnight asked.

“She was a very sedulous, very diligent researcher. A genius, the government used to call her. It was a shame that she lost her husband and her newborn filly during the war...”

“Chrysalis...” The stallion felt somehow sympathetic to the queen’s story.

“What does one do, when their hearts have only hate and sorrow inside? Even one of your Princesses was unable to resist, am I right?”

Skipper remained silent. He looked towards Midnight, and the bat-pony asked to Chrysalis,“What did you do, Chrysalis?”

“She won the war, alone.”

The queen cackled madly, before continuing, “There was nothing more to save. Years of exposure to magical radiation turned each female of our race unable to breed foals. The continuous battles emptied our natural resources. Food started to get scarce, and many innocents were dying from starvation. Still, the war continued, even after the gryphons and the saddle arabians took what they were searching for.

Wait!” Skipper hissed, “If they took what they wanted, why did they keep attacking?”

“They were also looking for something that wasn't on the Shimmering Islands.”

Midnight’s expression changed to a curious frown,“What was that?”

“The Heart of The World,” she answered, with an empty voice.

Chrysalis took a deep breath, then spoke, “They thought that our superior magical abilities were a result from a contact with the Heart of The World. They were so very wrong. We gained our magical advance through our research and skill. However, who wants to have to work hard to gain something? It’s easier to take it away from the weaker, right?”

“That’s why we Equestrians are pacifists; nothing good comes from war!” Skipper yelled towards her.

“Pacifists? Whatever, I’m not here to discuss Equestrian story, unless you bat are willing to give me some extra portions of that sweet, divine love.”

Midnight shook her head in negation, “Forget it, bug.”

The queen laughed, “Just as I thought. The only thing that could save us from extinction was a miracle. Funny thing was, it did not matter how much we prayed, our gods never answered us...”

Chrysalis hung her head low, “How feeble and small is a mortal, without a god to pray to. The despair is always bigger than your faith in the end, when you have a gryphon soldier piercing your belly with a spear. You survive, and then, you swear to yourself...”

Her eyes glowed strongly for a moment, “That you will create a ‘God’ with your own hooves.”

Skipper and Midnight exchanged glances. They were very close to extracting the informations they were searching for from the mouth of the devil itself.

“Did you manage to succeed, Emerald Night?” Cloud Skipper asked first.

Chrysalis mocked him with a cackle, “You think you have my sympathy, by calling me by that name? I’m Chrysalis, not Emerald Night. She died stupid stallion, long ago.”

“Answer my question, or the sounds of your empty stomach are going to be your only companions tonight!”

She smiled back at him, “You are looking at the results, idiot.”

“Then, you were the first changeling?” Cloud Skipper cringed, thinking of how powerful the creature in front of him was.

Chrysalis smiled even wider, “Alicorns are Gods. They are creators, providers, symbols. The pinnacles of power from the ponykind. An alicorn god could smash an entire country, simply by flaring its horn. Emerald Night had stopped searching for salvation, she had abandoned the pursuit of bringing a miracle to her land. She wanted only revenge, only to expunge those filthy invaders from the face of the world.”

She stood up, and walked towards their direction, as far as the chains allowed her to, “Then she used all her knowledge to create a spell. Not a common spell, oh no! A supreme magick capable of what seemed to be impossible: To turn a mortal, into a god. To turn flesh, into pure magic, death into eternity. Unfortunately, stallion, such a magick has a price, a very, very high price. To become me, Emerald Night sacrificed each and every nightcorn survivor, as well as each and every gryphon and saddle arabian that were on those islands on that night.”

“Interesting,” Midnight breathed, looking at Chrysalis dangerously near her sweating coltfriend, “It means the spell exists, then.”

“They were consumed by a maelstrom of magic, a glorious pillar of white light that could be seen from far across this world!” Chrysalis yelled, “And they vanished. And the war, was over, once and for all.”

Skipper trembled, “To where they went?”

“They are still here. Every night, every second, I still can hear their screams. Their glorious, pained screams inside of my soul, hating me for my treachery, hating me for their imprisonment.”

Chrysalis was looking straight to Cloud Skipper’s soul, “I’ve lost my child to the war. However, my new condition as Goddess gave me the power to create so many more adorable children! I love my little ones so much stallion...”

She smiled, her face as mad as it could be.

“Is it possible to replicate that spell?” Midnight came closer, entering the gap between Chrysalis and Skipper.

Chrysalis felt disgusted, “Of course not! I’m the only one who knew that spell. I did not even write in in a book or anything.The secret to become divinity, is mine alone.”

“That’s everything we needed to hear,” Cloud Skipper smiled, turning to Midnight.

Chrysalis walked back to the back end of the cell, “Do still have any other questions, bat?”

“Only one. The spell, it worked, or it failed?”

The white stallion joined his marefriend in the question, “That’s right, you are not an alicorn, you became a Hive Mother.”

“Isn't it obvious? Chrysalis hissed, “It failed. It’s impossible to truly become an alicorn. I’m powerful, I have eternity on my hooves, I can create a living being using my magic, but even so, this is not a fraction of the powers that an alicorn has. Only through the power of love can my powers rival theirs.”

“That’s it. Skipper, come here, let’s give her the snack she wants,” Midnight turned back, and smiled to her coltfriend.

He gulped, blushing to a crimson color, “How are we supposed to do it?”

“Don’t worry you silly filly,” Midnight giggled, and moved a hoof towards her armor, “we are going to use this.”

Midnight stretched her hoof, showing Skipper something.

He laid his eyes on a small piece of stone, with some curious and intricate designs in it. He raised an eyebrow, and looked back at his marefriend, “What’s this?”

“It’s a rune. However, it is no ordinary rune! Some unicorns from the Sun Guard, using the research we did on the changelings, managed to produce an artificial spell that mimics the abilities that a Hive Mother has of absorbing love!”

“That’s interesting, but why they did it?”

“Well...” Midnight threw her gaze away, smiling awkwardly, “do you remember how this bug over here managed to defeat her Holy Lady Celestia during the invasion?”

“Aye,” the stallion nodded, “still have nightmares about that scene.”

“We thought that, if we could isolate the spell, we could replicate it’s effects too.”

Skipper sighed, “Then, it was for military purposes, right? Soldiers with enhanced strength, powerful enough to rival a Goddess through the power of those love-charged runes.”

She gave him a saddened smile, “Yeah...”

“I’m happy it didn’t work. The world could be a mess if those things fell into the wrong hooves.”

Midnight Blossom remained in silence. Skipper knew how it was hard for his marefriend to let the reputation that precedes her behind, and he didn’t want to make her feel bad for helping in the creation of a possible apocalypse weapon. With a warm smile, he trotted near her, and planted a lovable peck at her lips. They closed their eyes, savoring the moment together.

A strong green light lit the cell. Its source was the small rune, still within Midnight’s grasp.

“W-What?” Skipper broke from the kiss, blushing, “What’s this?”

His marefriend chuckled, “Don’t worry, silly! How do you think this rune is charged? It’s with true love!”

“I see...” He breathed, looking towards her hoof with an uncomfortable gaze, “I don’t like to have an eerie green light around me while I kiss you.”

Midnight wrapped one hoof around his neck, looking straight to him with passionate half-lidded eyes, “It’s just for a few minutes, okay?”

He nodded, and they resumed their kiss, making the rune lit once again. After a few minutes, the light wore off, even with their muzzles still dancing against each other’s.

Midnight opened one eye, looking to the rune, “It’s okay,” she warned, with her voice being muffled by her coltfriend's lips.

He broke from the kiss, “Alright. Now give it to her, and let’s get out of here.”

Midnight walked towards Chrysalis. Cloud Skipper looked to his marefriend, as her eyes once again changed to their dragon-esque aspect. He waited until the bat-pony was near enough to offer the rune to Chrysalis.

“Here bug, eat,” Midnight said with disgust.

Chrysalis lunged towards the rune, as a starved beast. Her maw opened widely, and she would easily be able to chomp Midnight’s hoof off, if the bat-pony wasn't smart enough to let go of the stone before it.

“Let’s go,” Midnight turned around. Skipper also turned around and both ponies trotted to the exit.

“She will never make it...”

Chrysalis’s voice boomed, freezing Skipper and Midnight in place. Irritated, the pegasus turned back, and shouted, “What the hay are you talking about, freak?”

“Do you really think that you can fool me? That I do not know why you two came here?”

Skipper looked at Midnight, the bat-pony trying to understand what was happening. He returned his attention to the changeling, “How could you?”

“Twilight Sparkle...” Chrysalis hissed, as if she just spat the name, “She managed to transcend, and now, Celestia and Luna think that she used my spell, murdering the rest of that dreaded gang that halted my plans some time ago. Am I right, little pony?”

The couple just stared at Chrysalis, baffled by how the monster could know so much from inside a prison cell. She cackled, mocking their expressions of utter surprise.

“Oh! C’mon, do you guys really think that I hadn't heard anything? It’s really quiet inside this place, so anything that happens outside is quite easy to hear. After hearing it, it didn’t take too much reasoning to make some assumptions. Judging by your reactions, I bet that I just won the lottery...”

“You know all about it right?” Skipper asked, infuriated, “You could even be an attestant, and relieve Twilight from her crimes, because you know that she’s innocent!”

“Of course I could! However, why should I?” Chrysalis had the most content smile splattered across her muzzle, “As far as it concerns me, this predicament will throw Equestria into a huge mess. Those stupid alicorns will be fighting against each other, and they will, sooner or later, kill themselves. My only complaint is to be rotting away inside this cell, unable to see the country burning because of their own foolishness!”

Skipper scoffed a hoof against the ground, “We will save everypony!”

“Really? I don’t care, pony. Also, who said that Twilight is innocent?”

The pegasus’s eyes shot open in surprise.

“I didn’t said anything. Maybe she is, maybe she’s not. Either way, not even if you gave me each drop of love that you could gather, would I say the whole truth to you.”

“Let’s go Skipper, bugsy here is just mocking us. Even if she is telling us the truth, there’s nothing we can do,” Midnight planted a hoof at her coltfriend’s shoulder, signaling to him to come with her.

He nodded, and the ponies trotted out of the cell. Chrysalis was left alone in the darkness again, smiling with an infuriating satisfaction...

Cloud Skipper and Midnight Blossom traveled back from the prison, and onwards to the main wing of the Canterlot Castle, where the stallion had a cozy room for them to mull over the information they had gathered.

Luckily for both, the main wing of the castle was far from being busy during the nighttime. After all, the sun guards are ponies with normal daytime lives, different from the nocturnal bat-ponies of the Night Guard.

As for Luna’s army, they were either out of the city tracking Twilight down, working at Celestia’s strange excavation project, or drinking at the Shady Through.

With the low security, it was very easy for two ponies of their rank to trot through the castle, without being questioned by the nobles, knights or employees that were still packing their things to go back to their homes after a long day of work.

Finally reaching his room, Midnight pushed the door with her hoof, and Skipper entered first. With a clap of his frontal limbs, the magical lights turned on, showing the interiors.

Everything was painted in white, from the walls, to the wardrobes, and every piece of furniture was decorated with beautiful trimmings of golden color. The floor had a blue coloration, very light and soothing. The ceiling above them was decorated with luxurious glass lamps, dangling from the white marble, and lit with magical orange flames.

Cloud Skipper’s bed was huge and circular, big enough to accommodate two or three ponies with ease. Several soft cushions of bright red colors were around, above an impeccable white blanket used to protect the soft cotton mattress.

The room was big. Bigger than somepony could think about a room belonging to a knight, even if the soldier in question was a high-ranked one. It looked more as a bedroom pertaining to the nobility.

Midnight Blossom trotted towards the bed, slowly using her forehooves to loosen the leather straps tightening her armor around her body along the way. The heavy plating fell to the ground, resounding through the room.

She threw her body at the huge bed, falling there on her belly.

Skipper observed everything smiling. He walked towards a hanger, and started to get out of his golden armor, putting it on the wooden piece with care.

“I’m beat!” the bat-pony mare complained from the bed with half-lidded eyes.

The white pegasus chuckled, amused by his marefriend's drama-queen act, “C’mon, you’re a bat-pony, and it’s just three A.M., you were supposed to be at the top of your condition right now.”

He yawned. Of course that Cloud Skipper still was a normal daytime pony, and he had past his bedtime by hours right now. Still, he could endure it, if she was with him...

With a smile plastered across his muzzle, Skipper walked to his bed, sitting at her side. Gently, he passed a hoof across her mane, looking straight to her amber eyes, “You can sleep here if you want. I will lock the door to make sure that nopony sees you.”

She turned her head to him, and smiled, “Thank you. I will just take a quick nap and try to soak in all this madness.”

“You mean Chrysalis’s story?” Skipper’s expression turned into a worried frown.

“Right. I’m worried,” she nodded.

“What do you mean?”

The bat-pony sighed with exasperation, she was noticeably avoiding eye contact with her coltfriend, lost and deep in thought, “The way Chrysalis described her own transformation... It was so very much alike to what happened with Twilight. It’s no wonder that everypony here in Canterlot is doubting her innocence.”

“Sorry to interrupt you,” he nudged her, derailing her train of thought, “but let me ask something. This legend about Chrysalis and the nightcorns, how many nobles know about it?”

“Everypony,” Midnight breathed slowly, “Politics is hassle. You don’t know how many spies and double-agents we got on the military, working for them. If anything of impórtant happens, they chirp like little birdies at their ears in exchange for dirty money. Somehow, they managed to discover we got bugsy caged down there, and in their fear, the nobles began to research everything about her that they could.”

“I can’t blame them, though. Chrysalis and the changelings scare the hay out of me.”

After saying that, Skipper felt that unusual chill going through his spine, making his fur bristle. He was sure to never again see green-colored objects and peanut butter the same way...

“I got your point. She’s dangerous, but we can keep her down there without any problems. What happened is that they dug so deeply into the history, that they discovered things that they were not supposed to know...”

Skipper raised an eyebrow, “Not supposed to know? What do you mean?”

“The past Skipper. The past of our species is something that is supposed to be governed by the Two Sisters, and by them alone. That info regarding the nightcorns, and Chrysalis’s mutation, they were meant to be kept in ultimate secrecy. We let it slip, and Luna got furious with us for that.”

Midnight sighed again, clearly worried with everything that was happening.

“Midnight, why would she want to keep it a secret?” Skipper asked, curious.

“It’s to ensure peace. Contact with the world beyond our borders is dangerous, and our Holy Lady Celestia would do anything to prevent the knowledge about warfare that other nations could bring to Equestria from reaching us.”

Cloud Skipper sighed, feeling a small hint of deception inside of his heart. When he vowed to serve Celestia and Luna, he slowly came to know about Equestria being an isolated nation, shut out from the rest of the world. However, it pained him to lie everyday to his subordinates about what lurked across the world.

Monsters and dangers, he used to say, nothing you small fries would like to see. It was a blatant lie; Skipper knew at least about the second largest and powerful nation, Concordia, to the far east. His vow, though, prevented him from telling anypony the truth about that place. He still could only imagine what kinds of secrets the Night Wing housed, and his marefriend, had access to everything...

“How’s this relate to the truth about Chrysalis?” Skipper asked, faking a smile.

“The part about the Shimmering Islands and the race of the nightcorns made their curiosity itch. If such a thing existed on the past, how can they be sure that there’s not more hidden nations and species across the borders? Sure, the Crystal Empire resurfacing last year caused a huge ruckus between them...”

The stallion crossed his fore limbs,“I bet Luna did something a bit extreme to make sure that no pony would try to venture out of Equestria...”

“She sure did,” Midnight sighed, “her original plan was to execute a mass memory erasing spell during an event where all the nobles were supposed to come. We managed to calm her down, somehow, and instead of erasing their memories, she just made them vow to protect the secret, with their wealth and titles at stake. Of course, they agreed; you don’t want to upset the Goddess of The Night too much.”

“Yeah... She eats your soul on Nightmare Night after all!”

Skipper laughed, wanting to lift the heavy atmosphere. Midnight Blossom could not resist, and laughed a little together with him.

“C’mon, silly!” She chirped, “Luna’s not like that!”

“I know,” he stopped, “but anyway, Chrysalis gave us some juicy information. However...”

The white pegasus fell silent suddenly.

“What?” Midnight asked, raising her body, “There’s something wrong?”

“You were right. The similarities between their transformations are frightning.”

“Are you doubting Twilight, Skipper?”

The stallion keep his silent, lost in thought.

“C’mon! Say somethin’ will ya! You were the one who believed most blindly in her innocence, and now you are doubting her because of what bugsy told us?” Midnight shouted, putting both her fore hooves on his shoulders, and shaking the stallion a little.

“You told me that Twilight seemed to be completely lost and that she was doubting herself when your platoon brought her to Ponyville,” Skipper opened his eyes, and stared right into his marefriend’s eyes...

“Maybe she was scared! We don’t know for sure what happened at Tambelon!”

He sighed, “I know Midnight. I’m going to help you get to the bottom of this, I swear. However, I would like you to know that I’m not one hundred percent sure about her innocence anymore. I’m really sorry...”

Midnight frowned, turning around. She closed her eyes and crossed her fore hooves together, “Are you sure?”

“As long as the possibility of her crime still lurks, I can’t go against the facts. For their ascensions to be so much alike, it can only mean one of them were mimicking the process.”

Skipper fell silent once again. Midnight opened one eye, and raised an eyebrow out of curiosity, asking, “What now?”

“I’m just wondering... Were all the alicorns normal ponies before becoming gods? Was Princess Celestia a mortal before becoming Equestria’s Holy Lady? If they were, and then, transcended later in their lives, could Chrysalis have mimicked those transformations, and what we saw was just the natural process happening with Twilight?.”

Skipper observed Midnight Blossom leading a hoof to her chin, questioning herself.

“You got a good point there. However, we would be implying that Twilight was destined to become an alicorn goddess!”

He sighed, faking a neutral expression, deep inside, he was truly worried, “Then what Chrysalis told was just enough to rise even more questions.Besides, if the only spell that existed was a failure, and turned Chrysalis into that monster, how could Twilight's spell be perfect, and turn her into an alicorn, if she never had any contact with it?”

Suddenly, somepony knocked on the door. Midnight and Skipper exchanged confused glances, and the stallion quickly jumped out of the bed, trying to take the armor of his marefriend from the floor on his way to the doorway, with his wings and mouth.

Before Cloud Skipper could reach it, the unlocked oak door flung open. Much to his surprise and discontent, the one who trotted inside was none other than Prince Blueblood.

“Good night, little brother! You came back from that bar and didn’t even tell me! You’re hurting your big bro’s feelings!”

The pompous, blonde stallion was looking everywhere, clearly avoiding eye contact with Cloud Skipper. His face immediately frowned to an expression of disgust, mixed with discomfort.

Skipper spat the piece of armor he brought with his mouth, and sighed, “What do you want, Blueblood? Can’t you see that I’m busy here?”

Blueblood was showing that he could not care less. With eyes full of boredom, he looked back to his brother, raising an eyebrow, “Busy? You guys from the royal guard actually get busy? In a country such as ours, I always questioned my auntie about the need of an army...”

The white pegasus sighed again, this time, doing his best to hide the anger coming from his insides, “Please, let’s not discuss this again, okay? What do you want, for Celestia’s sake?”

Ignoring his question, Blueblood stretched his neck, searching for what was behind his little brother. He found Midnight Blossom, still laid on the bed, just observing the brother’s quarrel.

“What do we have here?” Blueblood smirked, trotting towards the bat-pony.

He made sure to tackle Skipper on his way there, and the pegasus felt his hoof almost moving by itself, and it was about to land a punch on that snotty bastard!

“Hello Prince Blueblood, I was discussing some urgent matters, regarding the Twilight Princess crisis with Captain Cloud Skipper,” Midnight jumped out of the couch, going towards the white unicorn, faking a smile.

Skipper noticed how his brother was launching some not-so-friendly glances over his marefriend. The way he focused on her hips moving while she walked, and how his eyes danced through her legs and tail made the white pegasus almost explode with anger.

Blueblood was practically eating Midnight with his eyes, and everypony on that room knew about it. Skipper led a hoof to his face; it was the only thing he could made to stop himself from lunging against the white unicorn.

“Good night, I don’t remember knowing such a beautiful flower of the night, such as you, mistress...”

Midnight smirked, quickly glancing over her enraged coltfriend, asking what was happening with her eyes and expressions without Blueblood’s knowledged.

Skipper just rolled his eyes inside their sockets, what could he do?

“You’re a famous noble, and I’m a knight. It’s just natural we don’t know each other, but I know you by name, at least. I’m called Midnight Blossom, Selena’s Night Guard captain, First Platoon.”

“I see. Auntie Selena does have a fine taste when choosing her knights,” Blueblood painted the most fake, infuriating and insinuating smile that a pony would be capable of doing. He was not worried about flirting with his own brother’s marefriend right in front of him.

“Blueblood!” Skipper shouted, he had enough.

The white unicorn frowned into a displeased expression, and turned around slowly, “What?”

“Are you going to tell me what you came here for? We don’t have time to waste with you!”

Blueblood remained silent for some seconds, only observing his brother’s altered breathing, and his expression of anger. With villainous accuracy, he turned his body around completely, hitting Midnight’s muzzle with his tail.

“It must be something really important for you to be in such a hurry, little brother...” He hissed, poison being expelled from each word.

“Do you even know what’s happening to your country?” Skipper raised an eyebrow, going towards him, “This crisis is beyond a matter of urgency!”

Blueblood kept walking towards him, “Of course it is! I can even see why you have to discuss it with Captain Blossom here with both of you completely naked.”

Blueblood smirked victorious, taking advantage of his brother’s flushing cheeks.

“Well... We didn’t saw the needing to be wearing our armors after a long day of work! It’s not like we wear clothes in casual situations and-”

“That’s enough little brother,” Blueblood interrupted, “I just think it is quite amazing how quick you were to betray our father’s will of cleansing your half-pure blood, by choosing this bat-pony here, over Pussywillow.”

Skipper remained silent, and trotted nearer his armor on the hanger. Midnight raised an eyebrow; she was feigning ignorance until now, but Blueblood crossed the line.

“Go away, or I’m going to show you why our dad choose me to don the Azure Star of the Royal Sun Guards over you again, big brother...”

Blueblood coughed, clearly resentful for some event of their past, “Fine, I just was passing by to warn you about two knights quitting due to the harsh conditions they are being exposed to at that excavation project. Bless our Holy Lady, but I have to admit that I am curious to know what auntie needs to excavate so quickly.”

“See you later, big brother,” the white pegasus replied blankly

“See you later, Skipper, and I’m sure to be looking forward to our next encounter, Captain Midnight. Maybe without my hot-headed and selfish little brother around. I don’t mind sharing, unlike him...”

Blueblood winked to her before trotting out of their room. A strange silence fell inside.

“Okay,” Midnight broke it after some seconds, “What just happened here?”

Skipper hung his head low, deep in thoughts. He continuously looked at the star crest that adorned the chest piece of his armor resting on the hanger in front of him. His gaze had a hint of pride and sadness mixed together, and he knew just why that small object made him feel that way.

“It was just my older brother being the snotty bastard he turned into.”

“That’s the strange part!” Midnight shouted, “He’s Prince Blueblood! He’s a sissy!”

“Not anymore,” the stallion replied, shaking his head, “It happened just recently, but it happened, and its not pleasant to see him behaving like this.”

“Recently?”

“Yes, like just a few days ago. I don’t know why, but now he thinks that every mare is his plaything, and that every stallion must lick the path he walks through.”

“I see,” Midnight frowned, “maybe his position finally got over his head. What surprised me, though, was the fact that he’s your older brother. I thought you weren’t a noble, Skipper.”

“Half-brother...”

Skipper didn’t wanted to talk about the subject. Being with Midnight, and bringing her joy was the only thing he cared about, thus, he deemed some secrets about himself less important.

“Care to explain? I’m not forcing you or anything, but if I’m going to marry with you someday we need to know this stuff about each other, am I right?”

He sighed with exasperation.

It was always difficult to talk about those subjects, but that mare over there was the most important thing in the world to him, and he could not lie to her.

“We share only the same father. My mom was a commoner, and worse, a concordian he met during a campaign the Equestrian army made into their territory to ensure that no concordian would dare to travel to Equestria.”

“Were Blueblood and his mother already alive at that time?”

He nodded. His marefriend was really good with investigations.

“He was just a newborn. Our father was a knight; he occupied the position that Shining Armor came to occupy after him, and that I do now. My mother was a concordian pegasus that worked at a local bar, close to the border. She and my father spent one night sharing some stories from each side, and they had too much cider...”

Skipper paused, and turned his head away from the insignia as if he was in shame.

“Skipper,” Midnight breathed, “Do you mean that you are-”

“A child that our father never wanted. Yes, that’s what I am!”

Skipper closed his eyes. He already came to accept who he was, but it was always hard to remember.

“My mother slept with him, and got pregnant. The other day, our father ran away, too scared to at least say goodbye to her. When my mom found out she was expecting me, it was already too late. She traveled to Equestria, to try to find him, but when she discovered he was a noble, and had a family, she could not muster up the courage to tell Blueblood’s mom about her husband’s betrayal.”

“She returned to Concordia?”

He shook his head in negation, “No. She would never make it back. She once told me that crossing from the concordian side was already a victory, and that she would never have the same luck. What she did was remain in Equestria, living a simple life. It was harsh, and she had a newborn colt to raise, but we managed, somehow, until she got too ill to keep going. I grew up, and joined the military, but she died before I could even receive my title as knight.”

Midnight came closer, “You told me that you didn’t have any family when we started to date, and that your mother was dead, but I never knew it was so-”

“Tragic? Nope! Don’t worry, we had plenty time together! Time to know each other, and time to love each other. It’s painful to remember about her death, but my mom makes me very proud when I stop to think about it. She was a true heroine...”

“How did your father come to take you into his family?”

“My mom wrote him letters periodically talking about my condition. He kept hiding them from the world, but he always wanted to know me, because his first son was a little...”

Midnight chuckled, “Different?”

Skipper did the same, “I would use the word exotic, but that works too. While Blueblood was making him ashamed going to galas and parties, and spending his money on trivialities, I was raising in the ranks of the military and being praised by the captains. Of course this attracted our old man’s attention, he really wanted a strong stallion as son to pass on the family’s legacy as Captains of the Royal Guard.”

Skipper looked straight at Midnight’s eyes, his expression showing distress, “He summoned me one day to the training grounds and told me everything. He showed me the letters, and said things about my mom that only a pony who knew her could have known. I was infuriated, of course, because I had to study and train hard to become a knight, while my half-brother had the world at his hooves. He told me that he was very proud to have a talented son, and invited me to become part of the House of the Azure Star.”

“You accepted?”

“I wish I didn’t. However, our old man was on his last days, dying from the same disease that killed my mom.”

Midnight led a hoof to her mouth. Skipper let off a pained giggle, thinking how ironic that situation was.

“He told me that it was his last wish. I had no choice...”

Skipper darted his eyes away, biting his lips. Midnight embraced her coltfriend on her hooves, trying to soothe his pain.

“Calm down. You did the right thing.”

“While his mother accepted me, and welcomed me as her own son, Blueblood was utterly displeased with me. We fought a lot, from words to swords. He may not look like it, but that bastard knows some tricks with a fencing rapier, not enough to beat me, though. When Shining resigned his position to become emperor of the Crystal Empire, he wanted to take the family’s heirloom, the Insignia of the Azure Star, and become the next Captain, but everypony in the military appointed me to take the position, and well, he hates me for it.”

Midnight chuckled again, resting her head at his shoulder, “I’m glad! Did you ever have any doubt about taking the position from him?”

“Of course I had...”

Midnight backed away, looking to her coltfriend with a puzzled expression, “Then, why did you take it?”

Skipper blushed and smiled, “Because I saw a certain bat-pony mare that was Captain of the First Platoon, and she had the most amazing flanks I saw on my life, and the most beautiful eyes in all of Equestria.”

Midnight blushed, and slapped the right side of his flank, “So you’re in because of my butt?”

He grunted with the shock, giggling, “Not really, but you know how it is, you have to make your move, or else...”

The pair exchanged glances in silence for some moments. Their half-lidded eyes burned with warming passion, as they stared at each other’s irises for a few seconds, enjoying the vision to the fullest.

Their muzzles slowly approached to each other, as if their mouths had been magnetized. Their moist lips collided, and they joined together into a passionate kiss.

Skipper had long forgotten the harshness of the story he just told her. He loved that mare too much to care for his past. Being with her in the present was everything he wanted right now...

With a wing, Midnight took a piece of her armor from the ground, and without breaking from their kiss, the mare threw it against the door, closing it shut.

“Good evening missy, can I sit here?”

Twilight glanced to the side, at a fine looking young stallion, wearing a tuxedo and a hat.

“Of course, be my guest,” she answered, quietly.

The stallion calmly found his way to her side inside the small cabin of a train going from the Crystal Empire to the city of Vanhoover.

“Thank you very much,” the stallion smiled to her. Soon, he eyed Twilight from head to toe, paying attention to the long, black cloak she was wearing, an unusual outfit for riding a train.

The alicorn soon noticed this, but she decided to remain quiet, feigning attention to the book she was reading. If she could avoid any questions, she was going to avoid them without thinking twice.

“Are you coming from a cold place, missy?”

The stallion asked, taking some interest in Twilight’s erratic behavior.

She nodded, looking at him with the corner of her eyes, “Crystal Empire...”

“I see!” He giggled, “That’s the coldest place that I ever set my hooves on. No wonder you’re dressed like this!”

Twilight quickly returned to her book.

The stallion blinked in rapid succession, a little dazzled by how Twilight was avoiding him. She wanted to turn invisible right now...

“So! Tell me, what’s your name?” He pressed further.

The alicorn grinded her teeth. How could she blame a fine looking young male for trying to make his moves towards a young mare, probably the same age as him?

Certainly, an entire secret crisis encircling her wasn’t his fault, but still, she needed to avoid contact with any unknown ponies right now.

“It’s Twilight...” she breathed, looking at her book all the time.

“Nice to meet you Twilight! I’m Flash Sentry!” The stallion opened a huge smile.

She remained in silence, praying for the train to arrive at the station as soon as possible.

Flash Sentry sighed, “Okay, sorry if I’m upsetting you. I just thought we could chat a while, but I think we can’t, right?”

Twilight nodded.

As the uneasy silence befell the room, the sharp sound of the train’s whistle cut through it like a sharp knife. Both ponies felt the train stopping, and Twilight quickly grabbed her things using her magic and trotted towards the exit.

“I’m sorry Flash Sentry... Maybe in another place, we could have talked more, but in this world, there’s no place for me.”

Twilight walked out of the cabin, leaving a confused Flash Sentry behind.

As she exited the train, Twilight’s eyes scanned her surroundings. She was at Vanhoover’s station.

The city was small compared to a big center such as Manehattan or Canterlot, but it had several attractions that made it a tourism spot of worldwide fame. Vanhoover had everything from museums about ancient lost technology, to water parks, and even research institutes working on several projects to make the equestrians’ lives easier.

This was enough to make the station bustle with activity. From her spot, the young alicorn could see every different type of pony around the station.

She saw the average earth pony doing menial jobs, such as mop the floors or sell tickets, pegasus flying around selling newspapers and helping groups of ponies to find their ways through the known places of the city, and unicorns using their magic to amuse the crowds in small street shows.

Everything along with groups and more groups of ponies, some dressed in very classy attires, or simple garments decorated with a more colorful design. Either way, those ponies coming and going around her were too busy with their own business to mind a heavily dressed mare hiding from attention beneath a black garment.

Twilight sighed with relief. She finally felt invisible amid that crowd, and she loved it.

I need to find the Nameless Cathedral as soon as possible. However, I can’t navigate through Vanhoover without knowing where to look, and I need to avoid contact with ponies. In other words, I can’t just start asking where it is to everypony; I need just one pony to guide me there directly without questioning why!

She glanced around a little more, searching for a friendly face in the crowd, one that looked like a tourist guide.

Twilight trotted away from the train and it began its trip to the next destination. She walked down the small set of stairs separating the platform, from the main yard, still trying to find somepony capable of answering her question. No one in sight...

“Hey! Stranger!”

Her ears captured the small voice calling her even through the deafening chorus of erratic voices buzzing all around her. Judging by the infantile sound, it was a colt.

Twilight turned around, feeling a little insecure, “Who’s there?”

Indeed, her eyes quickly found a young caramel coated colt, with spiky brown hair covered by a small green beret, looking at her with curious, blue eyes from below.

“Are you lost missy?”

She nodded, taking her time to look at the small earth pony some more. The alicorn observed that he brought beneath a hoof various newspapers.

He smiled to her, “Don’t worry, you were lucky to speak with me! My uncle runs a tourist guide business, and our fee is the smallest in Vanhoover!”

Twilight smiled. Even though she declined Cadence’s offer of helping her with horsepower, she couldn't decline the money the Empress willed to lend for her crusade. Money was money, and it mattered not where you used it throughout Equestria, it was the same. Plus, the purple alicorn didn’t had her work at the library, nor her generous scholarship from Canterlot anymore, or even the time to actually earn the bits herself.

Travel through Equestria while hiding from the authorities was not the cheapest way of life, making Cadence’s generous donation impossible to refuse.

Thanks to that, Twilight was not really worried about the money.

“Thank you very much, young one! Could you tell me where I can speak with your uncle?” Twilight said, lowering her head, and speaking close to his ear.

The colt cringed a little. The mysterious mare walking on the middle of the day dressed in that black cloak seemed a little intimidating.

“O-Of course! Just go right there!” He raised a hoof, pointing to a small corridor in between two ticket cabins, “It’s the white door, just remember to say that you’re there thanks to my recommendation. My uncle gives me some coins after the work when I send a client to him.”

Twilight giggled, and used her magic to levitate his beret.

“What are you doing missy?” He shouted in surprise.

The alicorn inverted his hat, and using more magic, she levitate a huge quantity of bit coins, placing them inside the beret, then on the ground in front of him.

“Is this enough to buy a newspaper, and thank you for the indication?”

His eyes almost popped out of his head. It was probably the first time he saw so much money coming his way, “It’s enough to buy all the newspapers I have!”

“I need only one. You can take the rest as a small tip,” she winked.

Twilight took the newspaper in her mouth, and walked away from the colt to the small corridor he showed her.

Finally reaching the corridor, the alicorn looked around and found a small white door, opened. She trotted nearer and found a small room.

Inside, she could see a huge counter, from wall to wall, those painted in a mossy green color. Several posters of Vanhoover famous tourism spots were hanging on the three walls encircling the room.There were two chairs right in front of the brown, wooden counter, where Twilight saw a couple of unicorns, dressed as tourists, sat. Those two were chatting with a middle-aged, caramel furred earth pony of grizzly spiky mane. He was wearing a small pair of round eyeglasses and a tie.

She knew that the conversation could take a while. Glancing around, she found a bench, right next to the entrance door, and decided to sit there in order to read the equestrian’s newspaper for the first time after the events of one week ago.

Calmly, she trotted towards the green bench, and sat. Using her mouth, Twilight took the recently bought newspaper from inside her saddlebag. She was getting used to not use her magic all the time, like she did when she was just a unicorn.

Using her telekinesis just to open it, Twilight started to glance through the main news. She was looking for anything related with the incident, and indeed, she found...

Princess Celestia is out in vacation, leaving her younger sister, Princess Luna, charged with running Equestria!

Twilight’s face contorted into a confused frown.

Wait, what? How Celestia can go out on a trip after everything happened?

She decided to read deeper into the column.

After the events with the assassination of six national heroines, Princess Celestia needed a vacation from her arduous task of running our nation. Her medical team warned the Royal Council about our Holy Lady’s weak health conditions after being put under so much stress due to the mysterious events where the five bearers of the Elements of Harmony, along with her personal student, Twilight Sparkle, lost their lives while fighting a powerful enemy. Without mental health to keep running the difficult life of Holy Lady, Princess Celestia retired for an unknown period of time to a far away castle to the south, where her closest friends plan on nursing her back to perfect health. Princess Luna, her younger sister and co-ruler, took the responsibility of giving us both the sun and the moon, and is going to act as our Holy Lady while her sister rests. When questioned if the “Powerful Enemy” was disposed of, her closest knights and advisors said that it’s still on the run, but the deceased Elements weakened it to a point where the army can easily destroy it, before this monstrosity who took Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Fluttershy and Twilight Sparkle from us can do any more harm to our peaceful country.

The newspaper was reduced to a smashed ball the second Twilight finished reading the column.

She felt a mixture of anger and sadness inside of her, strong enough to make her scream.

So many years living at Celestia’s side made her a very aware pony, especially in fields such as politics. She could easily spot a lie on a newspaper when she saw one, and she knew this was a lie fabricated by nobles in order to soothe the population’s cravings for knowledge about Grogar’s invasion and the magical pillar of white light, as well as the shocking news about the destruction of the Elements of Harmony.

Also, they were saying she was dead, and her friends too...

She could only keep shaking her head in negation while smashing the paper further and thinking about how they were bold enough to say those things about her friends. They were alive!

However, a story of such proportions could not be entirely false. Something smelled fishy, especially about Celestia’s illness...

Alicorns can’t get ill.

Twilight recalled the words Cadence spoke to her previously at the balcony.

If alicorns can’t get ill, then why Princess Celestia is retiring? What is happening at Canterlot that requires her to actually stop doing the job she did for more than a thousand of years?

She threw the smashed paper at the nearest trash can. Twilight closed her eyes and sighed.

At least, the Royal Council isn't pointing their hooves at me. They are just killing me along with the girls, and they don’t want the masses to know about the Twilight Princess yet.

Even so, Ponyville knows that I am still alive. Everypony over there saw me that day. Lucky for the government, Ponyville is a small rural countryside town that no one ever heard about, and news about the Twilight Princess will probably turn into hoaxes on their way to the big cities, which gives me more time. However, I don’t know how much time I have with the army looking for me, and if I know correctly how our kind can be a bit ‘extreme’ with hoaxes, the Royal

Council will have to make my existence public sooner or later, and I can expect the masses turning me into public enemy number one. I need to find the answers fast!

The sounds of trotting hooves robbed Twilight from her thoughts.

“Thank you very much, Mister Mane for your indication, we shall use this guide while we visit Vanhoover,” the female unicorn chirped happily, as she and her husband walked out of the small room.

“Don’t sweat it!” The spectacled stallion replied while waving a hoof, “Hope you like your stay!”

Twilight observed everything in silence. The stallion turned to her with a happy expression and asked, “Are you the next on the line for treatment, my dear?”

“Your cousin told me about you,” Twilight nodded and jumped out of the bench, going towards him.

“That colt! He’s a hard worker! I need to thank him more today. Come, let’s see what the Grizzly Mane Tourist Agency can do for you.”

“Are you sure that you don’t want to let that cloak at the hanger my dear? It’s a quite hot day, and you must be dying all covered like that.”

The stallion, on the other side of the counter, sitting down in his own chair asked, eyeing Twilight’s heavy clothing with surprise.

“I’m fine, thank you for your offer again,” the alicorn shook her head in denial.

It was obvious that she could not took her cloak off. She didn’t even want to think about how other ponies would react upon seeing an alicorn trotting through the street like it was the most normal thing in the world.

“Okay...” He continued to stare at Twilight with a frightened expression, “Well, what can we do for you?”

“I need to go to a place called the ‘Nameless Cathedral’. I want to hire a guide to take me there, one that does not ask questions, and is kind enough to show me the way right now.”

The stallion nodded, “I have the perfect pony for you, my dear!”

He opened a drawer on the counter, and took a piece of paper. With his mouth, he quickly wrote something on it, and hoofed it down to Twilight.

“She’s working at her charity job at the moment, but she’s about to finish, you can go and show this to her. She’s a kind mare, the quiet type, and will not ask you any questions if you don’t want to. What’s better, she knows Vanhoover like the palm of her hoof!”

Twilight looked at the paper for some seconds, and turned back to the stallion, “That’s excellent, Mister. Thank you kindly.”

“You can speak about our fees directly with her, and we are very happy to serve you! Hope you enjoy your stay!”

The alicorn ventured through the nearby streets. Far from the station, she soon came to realize that Vanhoover was a quiet town. She still spotted some tourists groups, but it was nothing compared to the vivid station.

Minutes walking, and from afar, at the end of a long avenue, Twilight saw the hospital. It was a huge building, made in the classical era, rich with small details adorning the big marble columns and statues of Celestia along the frontage, marks of the said period of architecture.

The entrance revealed a beautiful garden, full of greenery. Tall and well cared trees nested several birds, and the path to the stairway was surrounded by several flowers, of different colors and sizes.

From her position, the alicorn could spot a crowd, formed only by fillies and colts, on the marble path leading to the main entrance. She could hear their laughs from afar; certainly, they were having fun.

A smile formed at her face. Twilight loved to hear the laughs of a foal, and it was even better when they were such spontaneous demonstrations of happiness.

It reminded her of Pinkie...

Twilight trotted further, now reaching the big walls encircling the building. She looked the yard inside through the huge, iron gates that were opened.

I bet the one performing the show to them is my guide. Let’s wait until she finishes...

Calmly, the alicorn trotted towards a nearby bench, and sat. She continued to look at the crowd of foals, and observed they were all wearing hospital clothes. Some of them were bald, while another had a limb missing.

Those are all disabled foals, or they probably have serious illnesses. I would like to know who’s the mare doing this charity job. What she is doing is marvelous.

“For my next trick, I will need a volunteer. Who would like to help me?”

Twilight heard a very familiar voice, making her ears perk up.

“Me! Please!” A small bald filly vigorously waved a hoof.

“Alright! Seeing how you were fast enough, I will let you help me. I present you, the Magic Boxes!”

The alicorn saw a strong blast of pink light. The mare doing this job was a strong unicorn, and she just used a high level summoning spell, Twilight concluded.

“This challenge is rather simple, you need to pick one of those three boxes, and if you find the golden coin, you can have a prize! Are you ready to take me on, little one?”

“Of course!”

The showmare giggled, “You beat me last week, Sun Beam, but I trained extra hard for today!”

“C’mon, shuffle them!” The upbeat filly shouted.

“Okay. Here’s the coin, as you can see, it’s golden. Now, I will put it under one of the boxes, like this and...”

Twilight saw another blast of pink light, and at the same time, all the foal started to sound as if they were seeing the most amazing thing of their lives.

“She’s moving them faster, for sure!” A colt shouted on the middle of the crowd.

“Can you really follow her, Sun Beam?” Another filly asked.

“Shhh! Keep quiet, she’s focused, can’t you tell?”

The light stopped suddenly, and the alicorn heard the showmare once again.

“Can you guess where the golden coin is, Sun Beam?”

Some seconds of silence passed. No foal was brave enough to even make a sound.

“Here,” she chirped.

“I’m sorry filly, but as you can see, this box has a silver coin below it!” The showmare shouted, victorious.

The other foals started to laugh.

“Yes! She finally beat you, Sun Beam!” One of the colts said aloud, going closer to the bald filly, “Don’t worry, I know you can win again next week.”

“Wait!” Sun Beam’s command made even the birds on the trees stop, and pay attention on her.

“What is it, filly? I got you this time, can’t you see?”

“No you don’t! Show us the back of the coin!”

The showmare remained in silence for a few moments, then suddenly burst into laugh, “You are too smart for me, Sun Beam!”

“The coin has two sides! One is golden, but the other is silver!” The colt near Sun Beam breathed.

“Yup!” The filly turned to him, answering, “She just inverted the coin inside the box with her magic, without any of us noticing, because we were paying too much attention at the new speed she was using.”

Twilight saw some nurses exiting the building, slowly walking towards the crowd.

“Awww! The nurses are here already,” Sun Beam complained.

“Yeah... It’s a shame,” the showmare replied.

“Wait!” The filly said aloud with surprise, “Where’s my prize?”

“I wasn't expecting you to beat me again, Sun Beam. I hadn't brought anything for you this time...”

“But you said I would get a prize!”

“Yes, you are right. Here, take this.”

The filly stuttered in surprise, “It’s your hat!”

“Of course, and you earned it. Take it with you, and lets bet it next week.”

“Okay! You’re not going to beat me!”

Quickly, all the fillies and colts followed the nurses back to the hospital. The crowd started to vanish, and Twilight would finally be able to see who was the showmare doing the stunts.

Her jaw almost dropped...

“Trixie!”

Twilight jumped out of her bench, and walked towards Trixie with eyes wide open in surprise, and a confused expression on her face.

She observed that Trixie was smiling weekly, happy for completing another day of her charity job. Where was the snotty and cruel mare Twilight once knew, she could only wonder...

Trixie turned around, and immediately found the somber figure walking towards her. The blue unicorn cringed a little, scared by the mysterious mare coming in her direction.

“C-Can I help you?” She asked, worried.

“Y-Yes!” Twilight stuttered, “I’m your client, from the tourism agency. Mister Mane told me to come here to find you.”

Twilight did her best to avoid eye contact, and tried to keep her face hidden under the hood, Trixie could easily identify her, and that could mean trouble.

“Your voice... It sounds awfully familiar...” Trixie breathed, trying to see the hidden figure below the black cloth.

Twilight coughed, and turned in the opposite direction, “S-Sorry! My voice really sounds common! You’re not the first one to say that!” She answered, trying her best to fake her voice.

Trixie raised an eyebrow, discontent, “Are you kidding me? Please, do not mock me, I don’t like when a pony tries to make a fool out of me.”

“I’m not doing anything as such Miss, I’m just a really reserved pony, who would like to avoid unwanted questions. Mister Mane told me that you were a guide who does not ask much...”

“Mister Mane told you the truth, Mistress. However, I do not trust in ponies who are hiding themselves from me,” saying those words, Trixie started to trot towards the gates.

Twilight tried to stop her, “Wait! Where are you going?”

“I have more important business to take care of.”

“What about your payment? I can pay you more if you guide me without seeing my identity!”

“I’m not going to sell myself, sorry. That’s my politics, and even if Mister Mane gets pissed with me because I refused a job, I will answer to him later.”

Twilight was cornered. Trixie was the best guide to take her to the nameless cathedral. She didn’t had the luxury of choosing them, seeing how her time at a city was supposed to be short, after all, the army was looking for her, and she could be spotted at any time. Her only option was to accept Trixie’s terms...

“Wait!” She shouted, not faking her voice anymore.

Trixie froze in place, and turned back.

Twilight removed her hood, “It’s me Trixie...”

The unicorn’s eyes widened in shock, and her jaw immediately dropped. Her expression twisted into the most baffled face that Twilight ever saw, as if Trixie was seeing a ghost...

“Sparkle!” Trixie shouted, scared, “What the hay? You’re dead!”

The alicorn shook her head, taking a few steps forward and trying to explain, “No Trixie, I’m not.”

Trixie backed away, “The reports says otherwise!”

“I know!” Twilight shouted, “They are lying to you, and to everypony of Equestria. I didn’t died that night. I don’t know exactly why the nobles forged this hoax about my death, but I am pretty much alive.”

The unicorn remained frozen in place, confused and scared, staring at Twilight without blinking for a second. Twilight didn’t knew what to say.

“Okay, but what are you doing here in Vanhoover, then?” Trixie asked, breaking the silence.

“I’ve told you, I need to go to the nameless cathedral, fast,” Twilight turned her head around, glad that Trixie didn’t made any other questions related to the events of one week ago.

“Why there? I know you’re an egghead, but that’s just a historical site. There’s nothing important there,” Trixie replied, raising an eyebrow.

“It can hold the clues that I need to find them...” Twilight breathed.

Trixie’s expression turned to curiosity, “Who’s them?”

“My friends, Trixie.”

“You mean the Elements of Harmony? Are you telling me they aren’t dead either, but you don’t know where they are?” The unicorn led a hoof to her chin, bombarding Twilight with a questioning gaze.

Twilight nodded, “So many things happened. I don’t want to talk about them, but yes, they disappeared. I need to find them Trixie, to put everything back in place, and you are the only one who can help me!”

The awkward silence fell over the place again. The rivals exchanged glances for some moments. Trixie looked puzzled, while Twilight’s eyes beamed with determination.

“You can have other guides, you know,” Trixie spoke, and turned around.

Twilight gulped, fearing that the unicorn was going to leave her behind, “They aren’t going to trust me if I don’t tell them my motives. Plus, I need to go there fast, because-”

The alicorn stopped mid-sentence. She almost let slip the fact that she was being chased by the authorities.

Annoyed, the unicorn turned her neck, casting an irritated glance over Twilight, “Because?”

“I have my reasons...” Twilight turned her head away.

Trixie chuckled, amused, “Are you kidding me? I’ve told you that I do not like being mocked. I would do less questions, if you were a tourist. However, to me, you’re a ghost, and your actions are suspicious. I’m trying to be a better pony, Sparkle, and I’m not going to involve myself into political messes. If you do not tell me what’s exactly happening here, then forget it.”

Twilight bit her lips. She was too desperate to lose Trixie’s skills like that. She closed her eyes, and slowly, she led all her limbs to the ground, and lowered her head.

“I’m begging... No! I’m imploring; Please! Help me!”

Trixie looked to the pathetic heap in front of her with half-lidded eyes. She sighed, and turned her head away, “No.”

Twilight rose her head, “Why?”

“I can’t. I still can’t forgive you for the humiliation you made me go through.”

The alicorn’s face contorted into an enraged frown, she was starting to get pissed with Trixie for acting as the selfish bastard from the past.

“What I need to do for you to help me?”

“Nothing. I want you to disappear from my field of view, and crawl back to your coffin, Sparkle.”

Twilight grinded her teeth, “You are humiliating me for revenge, aren’t you?”

“Maybe,” Trixie breathed, smiling, “It’s rather amusing to have you at my feet, begging for my help. I can’t say it’s not pleasant...”

The alicorn quickly stood up, furious, “You really need to feel superior, Trixie?”

She chuckled as response, “I don’t need to feel, because I am superior, Sparkle!”

“I have to disagree! You’re just a selfish bastard! Aren’t you saying you want to become a better pony?”

Trixie turned around, irritated, “ Yes I am! However, it does not mean I need to help every little hayseed that appears at my door, begging for help. You’re are an enemy to me!”

“Same here!” Twilight shouted, “I need your damn help, and I will get it, even if I have to force you!”

Trixie grinded her teeth and trotted near Twilight, “What the hay are you talking about?”

“I challenge you to a duel!”

Trixie’s eyes widened in surprise again, “What kind of debauchery is this?”

“You heard me! This time, I’m the one challenging you to a duel!”

Twilight stood nose to nose against the blue unicorn, looking straight at her eyes with determination.

If I can’t convince Trixie to help me through her kindness, then I have to use other methods, such as showing her that I’m still strong and need to be respected. It’s a strange way of gaining her trust, but that it’s the only card I have left...

Twilight took a deep breath, “No tricks this time! No magical amulets, no friends to help me! Just you and me, and our magical abilities! If I win, you’re are going to guide me to the nameless cathedral, without asking anything!”

Trixie backed away a little, smirking with satisfaction, “And what if you lose?”

The alicorn shook her head, “I’m not going to lose...”

Trixie laughed hard, “That’s a deal, filly. It’s time for the Great and Powerful Trixie, to finally prove who’s the strongest unicorn in this country! You’re are in hot water, because I don’t plan on holding back!”

“Me neither!” Twilight smirked.

I have only one spell at my side. I don’t know if Trixie got anymore powerful after all those months, but I bet I can defeat her using my intelligence like last time... Right?

Five - Master and Mascot

“I’m glad that you knew this nearby park. I didn't want to upset the children at the hospital with our fight.”

“Mister Mane wasn’t kidding when he told you that I know this city like the back of my hoof. It’s my birthplace, after all. This park is completely abandoned for years, here we can fight with our full power without having to worry about hurting innocents.”

Twilight observed her surrounds. Trixie had led them here, to an abandoned park, away from any curious eyes, and more importantly, from the hospital, where the duel could cause unwanted damage.

The place was an old garden, with only the most basic upkeep. The grass was cut, at least, but the trees encircling the field where the alicorn and her rival were standing could use some care. The benches, made of wood, were covered in moss, and the few trails leading inside were lost under the ever growing greenery.

“You should be worrying about yourself, Sparkle!” Trixie shouted, upset.

“I’m not. I beat you once, and I can do it again!”

Trixie grimaced, “Hope you’re ready then.”

Twilight’s heart started to beat faster. It wasn't like that time in Ponyville...

She didn’t have her magic with her this time, only a weak telekinesis, still in need of polish. She didn’t had her five precious friends by her side, to give her support and cheer her on.

Nonetheless, there was no turning back now.

The purple alicorn lowered her head along with the front part of her body, and grinded her teeth, focusing her gaze upon the blue unicorn. She spread her four hooves to give her a good base.

A lump of dry air and saliva went down her throat...

Suddenly, her horn flared with a strong pink light. Several small stones that were on the ground slowly lifted to the air and started to float around her, engulfed in her magic grasp. It was impressive to see how Twilight managed to lift so many rocks consciously after struggling so much to lift a single one a week ago, during her training with Princess Stella.

Trixie raised an eyebrow, casting an unimpressed gaze upon her rival. She prepared her stance the exact same way as Twilight, and awaited the incoming attack.

Like a machine gun, the stones were hurled towards the blue unicorn with outstanding speed. The amount of magic energy put on them could be enough to open holes in a tree’s body. Even so, Trixie remained stoic on place, analyzing the rain of rocks coming at her direction.

Trixie may be asking why I’m using such a low level spell against her. I need to make it look like I’m just getting warmed up.

Much for Twilight’s surprise, Trixie got up on two hooves. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, as her horn started to pour out a mysterious azure light. Her right fore hoof was engulfed in said light, and with fast and precise movements, the blue unicorn begun to draw a strange symbol on the air. Each stroke left behind traces of whichever incantation Trixie was summoning, and Twilight could clearly see the symbol.

The young alicorn gasped in surprise when the realization sunk in.

Rune casting!

By the time the rocks were about to hit her, Trixie finished drawing the magic symbol. A strong azure energy surged in front of her, and the mysterious letter turned into a magic circle, full of intricate designs. From that magic circle, a giant sphere of white light formed, covering Trixie’s nearby area into a sturdy, translucent shield, formed by several smaller hexagons, that looked like scales.

As the rocks collided against the sturdy mass of magic, they were instantly turned into nothing more than pathetic dust...

How’s that even possible? Rune casting is the rarest kind of magic known to ponykind!

Trixie’s face contorted into a huge grin. The shield shattered, and the blue unicorn immediately started to trace yet another letter in the air. This time, the air around both rivals blowed with a cold chill, enough to make Twilight’s fur bristle. She almost felt like being back at the Crystal Empire.

It’s a high level art, that uses ancient draconic language, to create spells that far surpasses the abilities of normal unicorns!

Near Trixie’s body, several small pellets of ice started to form out of thin air, slowly growing and taking shape. Those small balls were as blue as her fur and perfectly round.

The only pony to ever dominate rune casting was...

After summoning quite a huge quantity of them, Trixie swung her hoof, pointing it in Twilight’s direction. Following their master’s command, the pellets flew towards the alicorn, at the same amazing speed as the stones were thrown previously. Twilight stood still in place, frozen in utter shock...

Twilight wished to have a ward spell. Unfortunately for her, she hasn't...

Her only option was to use all the strength of her hind legs to avoid the rain of ice, by leaping backwards.

Starswirl the Bearded!

When the pellets hit the ground, they violently exploded into a blue mist, leaving small holes on the ground. Twilight imagined what could have happened to her if she was hit by just one of those small spheres.

“Are you been training, Sparkle? You leap like an earth-pony! That’s impressive!”

Twilight landed at a huge distance from her previous spot. She darted her attention back to Trixie in the same second. She observed that her rival still had some more ice spheres to shot…

Quickly scanning her eyes through the battlefield, Twilight managed to find a huge rock, covered in green moss. Big enough to serve as a bunker.

As fast as she could, Twilight ran towards the stone, her eyes still glued at every movement done by Trixie.

With her other hoof, the blue unicorn commanded the rest of her pellets to attack. They cascaded towards Twilight, missing her for inches, while she fled desperately to the only safe spot. The pellets hit the ground mercilessly, leaving multiple holes in the soft ground.

With a leap, Twilight rolled and ducked behind the huge boulder, slamming her back against it. She could hear that the few ice spheres still left impact her bunker, forming a cold dust right above her head. The boulder trembled upon impact, making the young alicorn fear that maybe it was not going to be enough to secure herself. Luckily for her, the attack ceased right away.

“It’s that all, Holy Lady’s personal student? I’m sorry, but I’m disappointed with you!” Trixie shouted, malice on her voice. She was openly provoking Twilight.

The young alicorn felt an inexplicable rage building inside of her, “Don’t you dare to defile Celestia’s name, Trixie!”

“Then, show me more of what she has taught you!”

Twilight’s horn flared with an intense pink glow. Taking the rage welling up inside of her as a fuel, she focused her magical grasp on the giant stone behind her back.

The huge boulder was engulfed in a pink aura, glowing strongly. Twilight shouted, “If you want it so badly, then take it!”

With a push, the huge boulder was hurled towards the blue unicorn with devastating speed. Trixie barely had enough time to react, looking at the big chunk of stone flying like a missile, coming straight like an arrow in her direction.

Knowing that it was going to be impossible to summon her shield, Trixie braced herself against the ground, and prepared for the impact.

Seconds before the stone collided against her, she summoned a smaller pink shield, using conventional magic. This one, however, was very small and barely covered the area in front of her.

The rock smashed against the defensive wall, making Trixie feel all the recoil generated from the impact. Even with all her strength, she couldn’t hold still on place, and the stone dragged the unicorn some meters away. The pressure was about to crush her lungs...

Summoning all her magical power, Trixie managed one of the most difficult things for an unicorn to perform: she cast a double spell. The blue unicorn sent her magical grasp at the stone, trying to take a hold of it, while still maintaining her poor protection up in order to not receive a direct, and probably decisive strike.

She shouted a battle cry, desperately trying to channel more power, and by raising the upper part of her body, Trixie sent the stone flying above her, making it rocket to the skies and fall far away from her. The whole ground trembled with its impact.

The blue mare was sweating profusely, taking huge breaths of air. The last maneuver costed her much stamina.

That’s it!

Twilight was already running towards her, at an impressive speed; it was clear her new body's physical mobility was superior to a unicorn's.

That’s how I can defeat Trixie!

On her way towards the blue mare, Twilight grabbed three big stones with her telekinesis. They were floating around the young alicorn like small planets orbiting around the sun.

Even with Rune Casting being an amazing ability, it still has flaws.

Trixie barely had any time to react. Twilight threw one of the said stones in a point blank shot against her, leaping above her head right after, using the momentum of her charge to boost the impulse. The blue unicorn summoned her weak defense, but still felt the heavy impact against her chest.

Immediately after landing at the other side, Twilight changed her direction abruptly, making a drift in the soft soil, and aimed to repeat the process.

It takes time and concentration to prepare a spell using the art. I’m faster than her! If I can keep moving and pressuring her, she will never be able to cast them!

Twilight charged at Trixie again. This time, the young alicorn launched the stone and passed swiftly at one of her sides. The pink wall securing the blue unicorn shattered with the impact of the stone like a thin glass wall, and Trixie got hit straight at her chest, falling to the ground.

Twilight continued to run, then reduced her speed and came to a complete stop. She turned back, and smiled victoriously, waiting for Trixie to recover.

“Is that good enough for you, Trixie?”

The blue unicorn got up with difficulties. Her legs trembled, and she was clearly forcing herself to get up, “I’ve told you, Sparkle! Do not dare to mock me!”

Suddenly, Trixie’s left fore hoof ignited with an azure flame. Runes and designs appeared, looking like tattoos depicting several symbols of draconic nature and different shaped magic circles.

Those symbols were engulfed in a strong white light. Trixie slammed her hoof against the ground, and on that place, a rune appeared.

“You think I’m some amateur with rune casting? If you can become an athlete and run like an earth-pony in such a small period of time, then I have enough time to practice this art and master this! Behold! The Command Rune!”

Twilight couldn't react. Before being able to even understand what Trixie had done, she felt the cold embrace of her rival’s spell grabbing all her four legs from below. A sharp pain cut through her body, as if her limbs were invaded by a cold so strong that it felt as if several needles were penetrating into her legs.

Screaming from the pain, Twilight looked below, towards her immobile legs, only to find them firmly caged into a thick, blue wall of ice...

“It hurts!” Twilight shouted, trying to break from the ice using her special earth-pony strength, but even that was not enough to aid her into escaping.

“Sorry...” Trixie apologized, “the pain will go away soon.”

“How’s that even possible? What did you do with your arm?”

With half-lidded eyes, the blue unicorn slowly trotted near Twilight. She was smiling, certain of her victory.

“The biggest egghead of Equestria doesn’t know what a command rune is? You surprise me, Sparkle! If an explanation will help you to admit defeat, then, I don’t mind giving you one. A Command Rune is another creation of Starswirl the Bearded. He knew that Rune Casting had many flaws, so, to counterbalance them, he developed a method that consists of carving the rune symbols in your skin with a special paint. This paint only becomes visible upon applying the exact amount of magical energy upon it, and then, the rune is instantly summoned, mimicking the process of drawing it at another surface. However, this method is not perfect, either...”

Trixie presented her forearm, showing to Twilight the markings, which still glowed. Slowly, the glow begun to wane, and the designs were disappearing with it.

“It’s good to only one use, you have to remake the entire tattoo if you want to use it again. Even if you carve several runes and invocations, you can only cast a single spell using it. It does pack a punch, especially because you don’t need to draw the symbol in the air or in the ground, however, the biggest flaw of this ritual is that every time you use it...”

Trixie’s voice became monotone.

“You lose so much stamina that you also lose a year of your lifespan.”

Twilight gasped, “Trixie! You just sacrificed a year of your life to try to beat me?”

The blue mare cackled with her question, “You don’t know how much I would be willing to give in order to beat you, Sparkle. Besides, I already lost twenty years of my lifespan to research and master the Command Rune. One year more makes no difference to me.”

Twilight bit her lips, and closed her eyes. She still struggled against the ice, putting all her efforts into breaking it. The pain cutting through her legs was so intense, that she had to control herself to not scream even more, however, she refused to give up.

“Stop. Give up, you lost...” Trixie breathed.

She shook her head, and resumed her pitiful attempts.

“Why can’t you see that is futile? This ice is stronger than a rock. Even an earth-pony stallion would be unable to break it.”

“Because my friends are counting on me...”

Twilight looked deep inside Trixie’s soul. The blue mare stared back at her, at those violet irises burning with passion and determination...

“Then, you leave me no choice. I’m sorry, but it’s over, Sparkle...”

Trixie’s horn flared with an intense pink glow. A small sphere of concentrated energy appeared at the tip, showing how much power she was channeling. Mercilessly, the blue mare shot a beam of magic, aiming straight at Twilight’s chest. Unable to dodge, all she could do was receive the impact.

The energy was so strong that the ice block holding Twilight on place shattered to pieces. It happened so fast, that she wasn’t sure if she felt the pain. The young alicorn was thrown backwards with the recoil, slamming her back against a tree, and falling to the ground upon her flank. Everything was spinning out of control, her head was killing her, and just now she could feel a sharp pain coming from her chest. Upon closer inspection, Twilight saw that her lavender fur was tinged in a burnt black at the place where the beam nailed her, and that her coat had gained a big hole.

The young alicorn tried to move her body, but all her limbs were too numb to respond. She darted her vision towards Trixie, seeing her image slowly fading in a blur.

I lost...

Everything went black.

It was an unexpectedly warm day at the Crystal Empire.

With the bright sun illuminating their bed, Shining Armor shuffled his body under the white blankets. With passionate eyes, he moved his head to his right side, in order to nuzzle the pink alicorn who still was asleep.

“Rise and shine, my queen. We have a country to manage.”

Cadence yawned, then opened her eyes. She exchanged glances with her husband for some minutes, still drowsy from her recent awakening.

“Really? I feel like if I just went to sleep...”

Shining smiled, hugging her, “Me too. But our ponies needs us.”

His horn flared, and the blanket covering the couple was unveiled. The first one to leap out was Shining, while Cadence simply turned around, covering herself with the cloth once again.

“ I think the Empress has the right to sleep ten minutes more!”

The chalk-white unicorn laughed, “You don't mind to trust your country to the hooves of a lowly mortal?”

Cadence closed her eyes, smiling sheepishly, “As long as this lowly mortal is my husband, I believe he is more than prepared to keep everything running smoothly.”

He trotted towards the door opening it just enough for his body to pass, “I will try to not break the Crystal Empire apart in ten minutes. Sleep well my dear.”

Shining Armor closed the door, leaving Cadence alone. The emperor laughed internally, thinking on how childish she could be sometimes. The stallion’s mood suddenly dropped, as his face contorted in a worried and pained frown...

Sometimes, I forget all about the pressure she had to endure. Last night’s letter was really chilling, especially the part about the nobles from Equestria trying to convince her to hand my mother and my father to the army. What are we going to do if they decide to attack us?

The emperor trotted away from his bedroom’s door, walking the corridor leading to the nearby throne room. As he entered it, a worried Laurel seemed to be waiting for either him or the Crystal Empress.

“Emperor Armor!”

The mare shouted, saluting the stallion immediately.

“At ease, Commander. Is something wrong? You seem to be worried over something.”

She nodded, “We got a small problem...”

Shining Armor raised an eyebrow, confused, “A problem you say? Which kind?”

“Unwanted visitors. I lead them to the library.”

The emperor and his faithful retainer approached the huge, adorned doors. Shining Armor’s semblance was one of utter disgust, mixed with huge amounts of worry.

Laurel was the one to open the door. She looked inside, as the sun rays invaded the murky gallery, which for some reason was left in complete darkness. The chalk-white stallion exchanged glances with her for a few seconds, giving her an order, even without uttering a single word.

The crystal mare bowed down, and awaited until her emperor entered the place, closing the door shut.

Shining bided in the complete darkness during struggling moments, hearing only his breath. He sighed with exasperation and in a single motion, he clapped his fore hooves. Obeying his command, several magic torches ignited, casting an intense fiery blue light across the place.

“I hope that those magic lights don’t hurt your eyes...” Shining said, monotone, casting his glance over the top of one bookshelf.

“I’m flattered by your kindness, Emperor,” a mare voice answered.

Atop the huge shelf, a certain red-eyed bat-pony looked below, facing Shining Armor with half-lidded eyes. It was Night Watch...

“So long, Shining! I’ve missed you!” Night Watch smiled with mischief.

“I’m also very happy to see you again, Night Watch. Even more to see that you’re now one of the Three Great Commanders of the Unseen! Guess that all the training I passed on to you was worth it,” Shining shouted back at her.

With a quick movement, the bat-pony leaped from atop the shelf, and used her leathery wings to dive towards the emperor, landing right at his side.

“Jasmine made it too. The army isn't the same without you around. Cloud Skipper isn't spineless, but now Wild Fire does as she pleases, and she is pissing us off.”

“What about Seraph and Blind Dive? They were great soldiers too.”

“The old one-eyed bat retired, of course. That airhead decided to quit as well, something about needing to give her brother more assistance at his donut store or whatever.”

Shining Armor turned around and trotted towards a table, “I trust in both of them. Wild Fire is a little all over the place, but her loyalty to Celestia is unquestionable. Skipper is a good stallion, and he will probably become a better Commander than I once was.”

Night Watch chuckled, “Let’s hope so...”

The emperor sat on one of the chairs, and turned back to his old friend, gazing at her with discontentment, “Let’s stop pretending, Night Watch. I’m praying to not see an obsidian stone rollin’ in my direction right now.”

The mare chuckled again, “Don’t worry, Emperor. When I do my job, my obsidians are the last thing my prey gets to see.”

“What do you want then?”

“Chat.”

An awkward silence befell the room for a few moments. Both ponies looked at each other, staring daggers.

“Should I start asking why you would make such a long trip, just to chat?”

Night Watch choose to sat on the ground, “I’ve told you that I miss you. Isn't that enough?”

“Frankly, no.”

She led a hoof to her chest, feigning a sad expression, “We used to be such close friends, Shining, why do you treat me like this?”

“Because you scare me, just like Wild Fire scares you. Blind loyalty to beings such as Selena and Celestia means trouble in my dictionary, and I know Jasmine and Midnight Blossom well enough to say that they aren’t zealots like you.”

Night Watch cackled this time, her weak facade of sadness shattering in seconds, “Princess Selena just wants to bring peace and harmony back to our country. However, as long as we have a certain runaway going about unpunished, we can’t do it.”

“Are you referring to the Twilight Princess?” Shining asked, raising an eyebrow.

“You were quick to accept your sister’s fate...”

“My sister is a victim too. She died along with the other Elements, right?”

Night Watch muted. Shining could feel the mare studying his behavior, looking closely for an opening to attack him. The tension started to build...

“That’s what the news said. I’m happy to see you still read the newspaper from Equestria, even though you have no more duty to actually mind our status.”

“Old habits die hard. Besides, I am still mourning her death. I believe you saw that the stores all around my domain are still closed.”

“Well, it has been a week already. Aren’t you lifting it?”

Shining looked to the side, purposely avoiding eye contact with Night Watch, he wanted to show her that he was sad, somehow...

“I’ve lost a limb when the news came to us. The pain of losing the one you love the most in this world is just too big to endure. My kingdom will return to normal tomorrow.”

“Lost a limb, huh?” She raised an eyebrow, “That must explain why you rushed into Equestrian territory, armed with an entire battalion and tried to storm a prisoner facility!”

He turned back to her, “What do you expect? My messager on Equestria, covering the situation and informing me about the status of the siege said that a young mare, purple furred and with lavender eyes was found amidst the chaos ensuing after the white pillar phenomenon. I could only guess it was my sister, and that something had happened with her. The motives of why the Equestrian forces decided to take her to a prison were beyond me.”

Once again, Shining Armor left Night Watch at a loss for words. The mare stared back at him, mouth agape, and trying desperately to rebuke his last phrase.

“If you have nothing better to say, I would like to return to my chores...”

“Wait a minute. I’m here for a few other reasons too!”

He sighed, her stubbornness, a characteristic he used to admire in her, was undoubtedly pissing him off.

“Then, please don’t hesitate to ask.”

“I would like to engage in a little conversation with both your father and mother. I remember they were there when I received my title, and I think they would like to know that now I’m a Commander too…”

Shining smiled, shaking his head, “I’m afraid that its going to be impossible.”

The mare raised an eyebrow, “Why?”

“They are class S prisoners and are under the custody of the Crystal Empire. I’m afraid that not even you have the permission to speak with them, unless you have a legitimate order from me, or from my wife.”

Night Watch’s mouth opened in disbelief, “Are you kidding me? You mean you just… Took your own family under custody?”

Shining face was adamant, cold and emotionless. He nodded, looking at Night Watch straight in the eyes, “Those orders came directly from your Holy Lady Celestia, right after the Twilight Princess escaped from the Deep Level Dungeon one week ago. If you want, feel free to check the official logs.”

The bat-pony was unable to mask her feelings. She was biting her lips, and forcing her eyes, irritated about being unable to outsmart her former teacher.

“You’re good, Shining.”

Shining Armor got up from his chair. Calmly, he trotted towards the door, “You never was very good with those espionage maneuvers, Night Watch. I’m not trying to humiliate you, but you and Jasmine should leave it to Midnight Blossom. If I was supposed to fight with you, then I would be more worried.”

The bat-pony covered her eyes with a strange pair of black sunglasses, and started to trot towards the door too.

“Midnight is a little occupied with tracking down the Twilight Princess. Are you sure you don’t know anything about it?”

“Of course…”

“Really? I bet if I run a search around your castle, I would find several proofs that she was here, not long ago.”

Shining smile, “Sure! Want to take a look? I doubt you would find anything, friend. Besides, Laurel and I would be pleased to walk around with you. Those restricted areas are a bother, you know?”

“Restricted areas? I’m sure a Commander from the Unseen would have some… permissions?”

The emperor cackled, “Why? Equestria is our mother nation for sure, however, the Crystal Empire is an independent nation, and we have our rights to cast off-limit areas even for the highest ranks of Equestria’s army. The only ones who can give you those permissions are Selena or Celestia, but I can’t even start to think about all the political problems that could arise from such an incursion… I’m afraid you’re far from your jurisdiction, Night Watch.”

The bat-pony smiled back, exiting the library, “I know. Please Shining, just watch your back, ‘k? I assure you that the Unseen are the least of your problems, if you’re messing with this alicorn stuff.”

Shining exited, glancing at Laurel by the side, who was watching the stairway, “I’ve married one, Night Watch, I’m already messing with this ‘alicorn stuff’ from the start.”

Night Watch shrugged, “I guess. See ya soon!”

“I bid thee farewell, old friend, and Godspeed.”

The mare stretched her leathery appendages, and with a swift beat of wings, she took flight, disappearing into the clear blue skies.

Laurel sighed with relief. She trotted towards Shining Armor, bearing a content smile.

"I apologize, my liege, but I couldn't help overhearing your conversation with that bat-pony…”

Shining Armor smiled back, “That’s alright Laurel, you are my most loyal knight, and one of my best friends, I trust you to be always protecting me, my wife and this kingdom.”

“Thank you. I would like to add that you have improved as an emperor. The way you managed to dodge her questions and attacks was amazing!”

He blushed, giving an awkward smile to Laurel, “Yeah! To be blunt, I asked Twilie to help me a little with those political maneuvers right after me and Cadence came back from our honeymoon. I knew I was going to be emperor, but I didn’t wanted to be crowned one without being prepared.”

“Your sister did a fine job, my liege.”

Shining Armor nodded, his face immediately changed into a frown, “Indeed. I owe her a lot…”

Laurel managed to notice the swing in his mood on sight, “Is something the matter?”

“Don’t you think it’s strange, Laurel?”

The crystal mare looked back to him with confusion, “What do you mean?”

“Why would Selena send us her Unseen, right after the nobles send us that horrible letter about my parents? Something of that magnitude needs to be approved by at least fifteen of the twenty ministers from the parliament, and at least one of the Two Sisters needs to give an approval too.”

Hearing him, Laurel led a hoof to her chin, and her eyes travelled to the top end of her sclera. Shining continued in silence, questioning himself.

“Its almost looked like Night Watch was completely oblivious to the letter. If Princess Selena sent her here, she should have been aware of such an important decision. Even if she got here after tracking Twilie down from Equestria, Luna should have informed her right after the parliament did the voting, cancelling her orders…”

“I’m afraid I can’t help you there, my liege, I’m not versed on the Equestrian politic system.”

He sighed, worried, “Worry none, Laurel. I will return and take a closer inspection at that letter. I’m starting to get a little suspicious about how things are going inside Canterlot, and I don’t like it.”

Far away from the protection of the Crystal Heart, the skies near the Crystal Empire changed colors.

As far as the eye could see, everything above was covered by black, murky clouds, floating above like an endless sea. They were so dense, that not even the powerful sun of Celestia managed to disperse them, let alone pass through, leaving everything below them shrouded by a darkness as absolute as night.

Those clouds were casting a perpetual snow. Snow that blanketed all the region in a thick, white covering, giving the landscape a desolated appearance. The freezing winds were howling too, it was like hearing the Wendigoes themselves galloping…”

Flying fast, without any fear of those barren lands, Night Watch seemed to be looking for something. She stopped in mid air, and removed the sunglasses from her eyes, “Those babies Princess Selena gave us are amazing! My eyes aren’t getting hurt from the sun at all.”

She yawned, her mouth opening against her will, “Still, I’m getting really drowsy from staying up ‘til so early in the morning. I need to find Jasmine ASAP, and get some sleep.”

Night Watch shoved the sunglasses inside her saddlebag, and resumed her search. It didn’t take too long to find her friend, right below her.

As the bat-pony approached, she noticed that Jasmine was playing with the snow, and she had already made a pretty big snowmare.

“What are you up to, Bubbles?” Night Watch asked, landing right at her side.

Jasmine was pushing a huge snowball without any difficulties, and humming a strange song, while smiling in a carefree way. Even being friends with her for as long as Night Watch managed to remember, something about Jasmine scared the hay out of her…

“I’m making a snowmare, of course!” Jasmine chirped, proceeding to lift the huge ball with her forearms and link it together with the rest of the snow pony’s body.

“Nice. Care to listen to what I have to say?”

“Right now?” She asked, pouting, “I’m about to start making her wings!”

“For Luna’s sake, Jasmine, can you get serious for a second here?”

Like a loyal dog obeying its master’s command, Jasmine stopped her little project, and sat on the snow, waving her tail and gazing at her friend intently.

“I’m all ears, Dots!”

Night Watch rolled her eyes inside their sockets, sighing. She never understood that mare’s sudden mood swings. Either way, she got her attention, so she shouldn’t lose the opportunity.

“Shining was more tough to chew than we could imagine. I’m pretty sure he’s hiding something big inside that castle, but I couldn't get a straight answer from him. However, I just know ‘he made contact with the Twilight Princess…”

“Do you think she’s still there?”

“I doubt it. During the night, I observed the castle from the outside. No one was inside the rooms, except for the ones who were supposed to be there. Also, with all this heat between Equestria and the Crystal Empire, do you really think that Cadence or Shining would be so imprudent as trying to hide the Twilight Princess below Celestia’s nose?”

Jasmine smiled, “We can assume she fled here after leaving the Everfree Forest then, but she already moved on. To where do you think she fled this time?”

The red-eyed mare shrugged, “I have no clue. If I could get my hooves on Shining Armor’s family, maybe I could have more luck, but he made sure to block all my paths to them.”

“Still, what can we presume from here on?”

“Well, our spies in Concordia reported that no pony traversed the borders in the last six days, meaning she hadn’t fled there. She has no means to conquer the Crystal Wall, so there’s no way she tried to reach Henosis. With no airship, the Black Islands are out of question too.”

“Also, the non-ponies are too obedient to us to house a wanted criminal like her in their domains, without warning us. Do you know what that means?”

A grim smile crept across Jasmine’s face, showing her sharp fangs. The same grin formed at Night Watch’s muzzle.

“She’s back at Equestria!”

The red-eyed one shouted, noticeably excited.

Jasmine nodded, “Right! It makes everything so easier!”

“Can you guess where?”

The black-maned one shrugged, “Our country is huge, we will need to make some searches.”

“No problem! Let’s split up and find some clues. She’s probably using the trains, they are fastest, and most efficient way of walking around Equestria.”

She nodded again, “Indeedy! Unfortunately for her, if she is using them, she’s bound to leave a trail behind, and if there’s a trail, we can track it down!”

Both bat-ponies started to trot, aiming at different directions, they stretched their black wings and prepared to take flight. Night Watch turned her head around, calling Jasmine.

“I’m going to the Manehattan main branch. Can you cover Las Pegasus?”

“Of course, Dots!”

“Perfect. Let’s fly! Black as night…”

“Luna’s might!”

With their goal fresh in mind, the assassins took flight.

I’m starting to get tired of fainting!

Twilight forced her eyes to open.In time, her vision cleared and she started to scan her surroundings.

She was lain atop a comfortable bed, covered by a cerulean blue blanket, decorated with various tiny star patterns. Her head was carefully put at a fluffy and comfortable white pillow.

There was a door right in front of her. Scanning the walls, Twilight noticed the yellow painting, and the white details that colored the bedroom.

By her right side, she found a large dressing table, one that clearly belonged to a dressing room, with the huge mirrors, and lights. Several pictures were glued to it, but the young alicorn couldn't recognize the ponies depicted on them. They had a striking resemblance to somepony, though…

Aside from the pictures, the dressing-table had make-ups, perfume bottles, and several other items that made at least one thing clear: She was in a mare’s room.

To the left, Twilight found a small cabinet made of plain brown wood. It was closed.

Twilight could only say that it was a pretty normal room. Something that was not helping to discover where she ended up after being knocked out by Trixie…

Thank Celestia, my head stopped buzzing. Sheesh! That magic blast was massive! How did Trixie manage to become so good?

Suddenly, the young alicorn gasped. Her horn flared instantly, and she applied her telekinesis on the blankets, in order to unveil the rest of her body as quick as possible.

She eyed herself from the tip of her hind hooves, to the top of her chest.

To her relief, the black cloak hiding her secret was still in place. However, it gained a big hole right in the chest. The wound she gained from the duel had already received the first aid it needed, and was hidden by a neatly made patch.

She even dared to touch it. No pain.

The pony who made it sure did a great job. Still feeling a little uneasy due to the alien place, Twilight hopped out of the bed, her four hooves firmly touching the wooden floor.

No one saw my wings, and that’s good. Now I need to get going before they find out about them.

“You’re awake? Good, I was starting to get worried.”

As fast as her neck could move, the young alicorn looked towards the door. It was Trixie.

“Trixie!” She shouted, almost jumping in place and getting her guard up.

The blue unicorn gazed back at her with a bland expression, “Are you alright? Don’t tell me that you hit your head in that tree and lost your senses.”

“Well, I… Where am I?”

Twilight shouted, distressed. Trixie just continued to stare, and entered the room.

“My house, where else?”

The young alicorn send a lump of air down her throat, “Y-Your house?”

“What with the stuttering? Of course I brought you here. Look, I know you got nopony else to look after you in Vanhoover, so I couldn't abandon you at a hospital. Besides, your wound was shallow and easy to treat.”

“Thank you…”

Twilight was taken aback. Even after defeating her, Trixie showed her mercy. It could be the perfect opportunity to brag about being the most powerful unicorn of Equestria, or mock her as long as she wanted for losing, but the blue unicorn seemed to be truthfully worrying about her long-term rival.

“That’s alright,” Trixie breathed, and walked towards the bed to sat.

“Thank you for not removing my clothes…”

Twilight darted her eyes away. She was feeling an uncomfortable shame due to her defeat. Trixie simply stared at her, answering.

“The hole was big enough to treat your wound just fine. You must have a pretty good reason to be wearing those heavy clothes in such a warm weather. I decided to mind my own business and leave you the way you were.”

“I guess I lost in the end…” She said under her breath, looking to the blue unicorn with discomfort.

She nodded, “Indeed.”

An awkward silence fell across the bedroom. Trixie seemed to wait for a reaction from Twilight.

“I guess you can ask me anything, right?”

Once again, the mare at the bed nodded, this time, smiling weekly, “Naturally.”

Twilight sighed. She was cursing herself internally. Why, for Celestia’s sake, she had to get so cocky, knowing how weak she was?

“Then, what’s going to be?”

Trixie smiled with satisfaction, and a bit of malice.

“I could make you wear a maid’s outfit and serve me for the rest of your life…”

Twilight blushed instantly. Was her quest doomed to end in such a strange and awkward way? Becoming a slave for her enemy, after a pathetic mistake?

“Don’t worry, though. As amusing as it sounds, I don’t need you as my slave. Come here, this will do.”

Bewildered, the young alicorn walked in a slow march towards her rival. She was still unable to look at Trixie on the eyes.

“Raise your head! Look at me, Sparkle!”

She did as ordered. Instantly, right when their eyes finally met, Trixie slapped Twilight’s face. It was strong, and painful. However, Twilight quickly looked back at the aggressor.

Trixie was angered, and two small dots of water were forming at the sides of her eyes, tears of rage and deception.

“Why?” The blue mare shouted, her lips trembling, “Why did you do that? I fought with you armed with everything I had! I trained hard to become at least a decent spellcaster to have a chance against you! Why have you humiliated me? Why did you make this victory taste so sour?”

Twilight stared at her rival perplexed. She led a forehoof to her cheek, still burning from the strong hit it just received, she could clearly portray Trixie’s hoof printed on it.

“I don’t get it…”

Another hoof slap, this time, against her other cheek.

“You don’t get it? How dare you? Are you mocking me, Sparkle? I’ve told you over and over again that I don’t like being mocked! What were you trying to prove, fighting with me using only your telekinesis spell? Am I not a worthy opponent for your full array of spells? ”

The realization sunk in.

Trixie was right.Twilight had humiliated her proud rival, even if she hadn't meant to. When two unicorns duel, they are both giving their best to defeat the other. Using a spell that even a filly is capable of evoking is one of the most low forms of showing depreciation for your opponents talents…

“Answer my questions, Sparkle! That’s my side of the bargain!” The blue unicorn shouted, the tears starting to escape from her grasp.

“Slap me more! I deserve it!”

Trixie eyes went wider. Twilight was shouting, and asking her to slap her face further.

“What?”

“I’m so sorry… I’m so very sorry, Trixie!”

The blue mare’s tears stopped, as the young alicorn firmly grabbed both her forehooves.

“What has gotten into you, Sparkle?”

“I never meant to humiliate you! I never wanted to!”

Trixie grinded her teeth, and raised her hoof in anger, preparing another blow against Twilight's face, “Why did you do that, if not to show how superior you are?”

“Because I can’t use any other magic! I’ve lost everything Trixie! Everything!”

“How’s that even possible? The only way for an unicorn to lose his or her powers is by fracturing their horn. Yours is clearly on place!”

Twilight took a deep breath, darting her eyes away. She was about to take a hard decision…

How many more ponies am I going to hurt? Trixie doesn't deserve to feel humiliated, because I am nothing more than a weak, pathetic excuse for an alicorn. She was always so proud of herself… I can only imagine how this side of her has developed after she managed to master such an amazing art as rune casting.

“Are you going to explain yourself, Sparkle?” Trixie shouted, her fore arm still raised, “Or should I slap the truth out of you?”

I made a promise to myself that day. I promised that I would never again, let somepony get hurt because of me. I will live up to it, even if I have to pay the ultimate price…

“Do you have the habit of reading the newspaper, Trixie?” Twilight asked, seriousness resounding with an uncomfortable weight on her voice.

The blue mare immediately lowered her hoove, intrigued, “What? Well… I do! How’s that relevant?”

Twilight took some distance. She walked away from Trixie, to give the blue mare a full view of her body.

“One week ago, the six Elements of Harmony were destroyed by an entity you might know as the Twilight Princess. That’s what all the nobles in Canterlot are trying to use as an explanation for the chaos that ensued after the white pillar phenomenon. The truth, however, is not as sweet as their lies sounds…”

Using her hooves, Twilight slowly took off the black garment covering her back. In a single motion, she moved her wings open, producing a loud ruffling sound.

Trixie’s jaw almost hit the floor. Her eyes remained gazing at Twilight’s pair of wings, without blinking for a second.

“On that night, the Elements of Harmony, the jewels and not the ponies, they broke…” Twilight hung her head low, ashamed, “My loved friends disappeared, and this happened to me. I’m an alicorn now, even if I never wanted to be one. For all the intents and purposes, I am the Twilight Princess…”

The blue unicorn was baffled. She continued to stare at her rival in awe, trying to fully process the information. Twilight raised her head, and with a pained expression, she continued, “After my transformation, I lost the control over my magic. Even knowing how to cast, alicorn and unicorn magic works differently, meaning that I have to learn everything again. I’m sorry, I never wanted to humiliate you during our duel Trixie, its just that I don’t know how to use anything besides telekinesis…”

“Y-Y-You… I-I mean, C’mon! Can you please explain with more detail?”

The young alicorn felt a wave of relief wash her over. Trixie wasn’t going to call the authorities, at least not for now. She wasn't running away in fear, and her baffled reaction was completely understandable.

“Of course,” she nodded, “I can tell you the whole thing.”

After revealing her secret to Trixie, the blue unicorn decided that her bedroom was no place for Twilight to tell her such tale. They wandered around the house a little, after Trixie offered some refreshments for the young alicorn, a treat she was needing.

During their stroll, Twilight observed that Trixie lived in a very beautiful, big manor stylized in a classic fashion. Everything was made of quality wood, from the stairways to the floor and even the ceiling. The furniture was very luxurious, decorated with several details of carved wood and the cushions covered in velvet. Big chandeliers of glass dangled from the ceilings inside of the main rooms, such as the living room and the dining room. Finally, the two mares reached the large terrace at the entrance door.

An insider's view of the whole city awaited the young alicorn. Trixie’s mansion was localized atop a cliff, on the outskirts.

Trixie sat on the entrance steps. Twilight followed, and sat at her side, where for the next hour, she recounted her ordeal, from the moment she planted her hooves at Tambelon, to the book she found at the Crystal Empire’s library, where the informations about the nameless cathedral appeared, leading her to reach Vanhoover with the hope of shedding some light about her condition.

As the sun started to set on the horizon, Trixie looked to the vast landscape, with a puzzled expression. Twilight could only wonder if she did the right thing telling the blue unicorn the truth, but it was too late to turn back.

“I understand everything now,” Trixie said in a low voice, almost whispering, “It’s breathtaking.”

“Can you help me?” Twilight asked.

Her rival remained petrified in place, gaze still glued to the setting sun. Twilight started to feel butterflies housing a party inside her stomach.

“Are you really sure that your friends are still alive?” Trixie replied, monotone.

The young alicorn felt that old knot at her throat coming together again. She bit her lips, and pressed her eyes. It was an innocent question, coming from somepony who just now, heard something that no one else besides the nobles and the knights knew. Why it stung her chest so much, she could only wonder…

"Believe me when I say, that there isn't a single day in the last seven ones that I don’t wake up feeling my heart being smashed. I cry, and I give everything I have to make the tears stop. Somehow, I do it, and push forwards…”

Trixie turned her attention to a crying mare at her side. Twilight was spitting out everything her pained heart was holding inside.

"Their screams haunt me. Their faces of pain are the last image I have in my memory from them. I feel like a murderer, even if I don’t know for sure, Trixie…”

Twilight covered her eyes with her forehooves, trying to hide the shame, and control the tears, “This pain is so hard to bear! I want to make it all go away! I want my old life back so much, Trixie!”

“Calm down…”

Trixie hugged Twilight, her neutral gaze changing to one of pity, as she stroke the purple mane of her rival, soothing her.

“As long as I have this small shard of hope within me… As long as the tiniest possibility of them being alive exists, I will do anything to find them, Trixie! Because I don’t want to live forever with this unbearable feeling of guilt inside of me! I will put everything back on place, I swear! I will become the old me again, and I will return to Ponyville with all my friends, and everything will be just like it was before this mess!”

“I will help you…”

Twilight immediately broke from their hug. Her eyes were wide open in surprise, “Trixie?”

She smiled, nodding, “I will lead you to the nameless cathedral tonight. You offered forgiveness to me in the past, even if I never did anything to deserve it. I need to repay you, even if not for you, but for myself.”

Twilight smiled, “Thank you so much!”

She hugged her again, making Trixie blush, “C’mon! You’re a big alicorn, don’t start getting all sappy on me!” The blue mare complained.

“Sorry!” Twilight giggled, “Are you sure you want to be involved in all this madness?”

“Of course. Besides, I can’t sit idle here while you are out there, fighting against the world for survival. You don’t deserve this, Twilight...”

Trixie smiled. Twilight could feel a faint bond between them. Something that the alicorn couldn’t really explain. Maybe Trixie wanted to show her that through the chance Twilight gave her on the past, she could really become a better pony.

“Alright…So, when are we going?”

“Let’s make some preparations first, we shall go really soon, but let’s take our time and wait for Princess Luna to put her night in this sky. The nameless cathedral is a tourist spot, and it will be full of curious eyes during the day. Let’s wait ‘till everything has calmed down, and make our move.”

The night came, swiftly.

Vanhoover was resting under the utmost silence, as the flocks of tourists were currently resting at the hotels.

Using the mantle of the night to cover them, Trixie and Twilight trotted towards the center of the city, passing by the hospital, and even the field where they had their duel previously.

Twilight’s heart was, of course, beating faster and faster the more as they walked. She had no fear of being found by whatever authorities could be out there just waiting to grab her. Her uneasiness came from the fact that she was just about to discover if that suicide mission was going to be worth any of the risky…

Soon, Trixie guided the young alicorn to a place far away from the center of the city. Finally, the Nameless Cathedral revealed itself for Twilight…

It was a surprisingly simple place. A medium-sized abode, made of cold gray marble, resembling a manor of some sorts, except for the pointy shape of some structures. Every window was made with beautiful stained glasses designs, although, their drawings were rather neutral, such as flowers or merely abstract.

The cathedral was at the end of a road of grey marble, linking it to a small plaza, where during the day, some children used to come and play after school, Trixie explained. It was encircled by a humble garden, composed of grass and few flower beds, mostly litmus. It was protected by huge iron gates, encircling all the vicinities, and separating the abode, from the street and from the plaza.

What surprised Twilight more than anything else, though, was the fact that not a single religious motif could be seem. Normally, places for worshiping are adorned by the royal crest, and sometimes even by statues of Princess Celestia. However, none of those objects where seem to be found, at least not at the entrance.

“That’s it?” The young alicorn asked.

“Is there any doubt? Of course it is! The Nameless Cathedral! One of the Seven Wonders of Vanhoover!” Trixie explained, raising her voice.

Twilight observed the place in silence, paying extra attention to the simple architecture, and at the lack of details. Her face couldn't hide it : She wasn't impressed, maybe even a glint of deception was pestering her feelings…

“What were you expecting, Sparkle?” Bemused by her reaction, Trixie asked, poking her shoulder with her elbow.

“Well… Something more ‘regal’ as they say. Do you know the history behind this place, Trixie?”

She nodded, “Of course! I wouldn't be the best guide around, if I don't knew about all the important places of my city.”

“Care to show me around?” Twilight asked, giggling.

Trixie smiled in a sheepish way, and started her explanation, “In front of you, mares and gentlecolts, you can see the mythological ‘Nameless Cathedral’. It’s the oldest place in Vanhoover, and one of the oldest ones in all of Equestria! The legends say that the whole city was constructed with the sole purpose of protecting this sacred ground from any enemies. Archaeologists and researchers trace its age to be even older than the foundation of Equestria itself! The numbers show three thousands years of history. However, no pony really know for what purpose this mysterious temple was build, however, the strange ‘aura’ it gives off is enough to intimidate even the most skeptical of the souls, as they are filled with a strange sensation. Those who are struck by this uncanny feeling, can only compare it to the majestic sentiment of being closer to ‘God’...”

Trixie finished her tirade. Twilight, who watched each second with attention, trying to grab any details that maybe the book which brought her here could have let slip, sighed. Nothing, except the fact that Vanhoover was constructed with the purpose of protecting it.

The young alicorn calmly walked towards the entrance, “I still can’t feel this mysterious aura…”

“It only works when you’re inside,” Trixie replied.

“Did you felt it too, Trixie?” Twilight asked further, coming even closer.

The blue unicorn nodded, “Yeah… It’s just like the legends say. When you’re inside, it’s like the walls and the windows are looking inside your soul, pointing to every little trouble you might be feeling. Somehow, it’s soothing and magical. When you spend some time inside, even if just in silence, reflecting about anything wrong you have done, once you exit it’s like a burden have been lifted from your shoulders. If this place wasn't so ‘divine’, it would certainly be scary.”

Twilight returned her attention to the mysterious cathedral. She had to admit she still was a little unsure about what to think regarding such a simple looking place. All the temples she visited so far had a completely different atmosphere.

“Trixie, forgive me, but I must ask again if you are sure in coming with me. From now on, I’m afraid that things are going to get pretty ugly, and I don’t want you to get hurt because of me…” Twilight turned to her companion, and said with a pained voice.

Trixie trotted near Twilight, and planted a kind hoof at her shoulder, smiling tenderly.

“I will not back away now, Sparkle. I know just too well the fear and the pain of feeling all alone on this world. I don’t want to abandon you after everything that happened between us. Like I’ve told you before, you don’t deserve this, and I know that you would do the same for me…”

The young alicorn smiled, blushing a little. She felt very warm inside. Trixie was her long-time rival, but a known face nonetheless. More than that, she always felt a certain interest in knowing about that blue unicorn better. Twilight wished for a friend that shared the same interest she had in magic, and Trixie seemed to be just like her: a spellcaster, aiming to become the best that she could. Having her by her side was reassuring.

“Thank you again…” Twilight said under her breath, trying to hide her flushed cheeks.

Trixie opened a timid smile, “Now stop behaving like a small filly and let’s go.”

Together, they walked to the big, iron front gates. Twilight forced them to open, and quickly noticed that they were locked tightly.

“Of course,” she rolled her eyes inside their sockets, thinking of how silly of her was to try and enter at that time of the night.

“I know I already asked this,” Trixie begun, “but let me ask again. What are you hoping to find inside the nameless cathedral, Sparkle? It’s a tourist spot, there’s nothing special besides this uncanny magic that permeates it. I already went inside, and I couldn't find anything out of the ordinary.”

Twilight took some distance, thinking if she was going to be able to jump through the gates, “There’s a chance that this place is related to the alicorns. As you know, our Princesses are goddesses, however, there’s not a single motif here that resembles them. I think that maybe I can find informations about other alicorns that aren’t Celestia or Luna.”

The blue mare raised an eyebrow, “Taking in consideration that this whole ordeal started after your transformation, and that mysterious Princess Stella appearing out of nowhere, I can follow your thoughts. However, it’s only speculation.”

Before charging towards the door, the young alicorn gave up. She didn’t wanted to slam her head against the iron gates.

Twilight turned her gaze to Trixie, nodding, “I know. Unfortunately, it’s my only clue.”

“That’s alright. I never really explored this chapel further in, so I can’t be sure that it does not house any secret,” Trixie replied, turning her attention to the entrance.

“How are we going to enter?” Twilight asked, scratching her mane.

“That’s easy!” Trixie answered with confidence, “Flying! You just need to use those wings!”

Twilight blushed, pouting, “I can’t…”

“What?” Trixie launched a surprised gaze upon the young alicorn, turning her neck towards her in a second.

“I hadn't learned how to fly yet,” Twilight smiled to her, awkwardly.

The blue mare led a hoof to her face and closed her eyes with deception, “Brilliant, I’m following a chicken…”

Twilight’s face went completely red, not even her purple fur was enough to hide the furious crimson color, “It’s not that easy, okay?” She shouted, bewildered.

“I bet it isn't. Still, we need to find a way,” Trixie chuckled, making Twilight even more furious.

“I have an idea!” Twilight exclaimed, excited, “Trixie, you could just cast a teleportation spell! With this range and being able to see where you’re going to teleport to, it’s going to be a breeze to even teleport us together without spending even a small part of your stamina!”

Trixie paralyzed and remained in silence.

Twilight blinked in rapid succession, waiting for an answer.

“Trixie?” The young alicorn called.

“Sorry, but that’s out of question!” Trixie finally replied, blushing profusely.

“Why? Teleportation is one of the Five Basic Spells taught at any school,” Twilight raised an eyebrow, completely baffled.

“I’m not good with the Five Basics Ones, okay? I’m not some good-two-shoes like you!” Trixie shouted, irritated.

“At least you could try! C’mon, it’s so easy from this distance, that even a foal would manage it!” Twilight tried to reason.

“No! I’m not going to! Last time I tried to teleport from this distance, I ended up atop of one of the towers of the Canterlot Castle! On the roof!” Trixie grinded her teeth, “Look, I missed the Magic 101 classes, so I never really learned the basics!”

Twilight’s muzzle gained a mocking smile, and she eyed Trixie with half lidded eyes, “Missed? You mean you ditched them, right?”

Trixie blushed further, “I had other, more important, magic to learn and practice! I wouldn't waste my time on pathetic things like Telekinesis or Warding!”

“I guess we need to do something about it, then, when the opportunity arises,” Twilight said, still smiling in a mocking way.

“What do you mean?” Trixie asked, raising a questioning eyebrow.

“Lectures!” Twilight exclaimed.

Before Trixie could even protest, Twilight returned her attention to the gates, “It means that, unless somepony opens this for us, we can’t get in?” Twilight said, pouting.

“Apparently… Or I could explode this gate with a Magic Blast,” Trixie breathed, disheartened.

“Let’s try to not wake up the whole city, Trixie, I already saw your spell, and it’s a little too much for this situation.”

Suddenly, and conveniently, the gates flung open, making a squeak sound of metal.

Trixie and Twilight’s jaws dropped. The young alicorn, scared by what happened, started to laugh forcefully, “Look! Aren’t we lucky?”

Trixie’s gaze was glued to the path that just opened for them. She gulped, answering, “I’m not feeling really well right now!”

“I know it’s a little suspicious, but maybe we should try to enter?”

“A little suspicious?” Trixie shouted, going up in her two hind hooves and raising her fore legs, “It’s so crazy and scary that I don’t even want to begin thinking about it!”

Another sound called their attention. This time, the front doors, made of wood opened.

Trixie and Twilight turned their heads at the direction of the door, hearing footsteps coming closer and closer…

“Somepony was expecting us! That’s the only explanation!” Trixie started to walk backwards, scared.

Twilight gulped, and put herself together, drinking up her hesitation. She assumed her fighting stance, “If you want to go now, go ahead! I don’t want you to get hurt, anyway. However, I’m not going anywhere, because I need to find more clues, and the only place to find them, is here!”

The footsteps were coming even closer. Trixie shook her head, as if to send her doubts to the bowels of her mind. She stood besides Twilight with determination, and did the same as the young alicorn.

“I’m not going anywhere, either! If you can be tough and remain here to face the danger, I can do it too!”

Finally coming to light, Trixie and Twilight are assaulted by a rare vision. At the end of the stairway leading to the insides, a gryphon was standing, looking straight to the duo.

He seemed to be an old one, bearing a tired, but respectful visage, one that can only be gained through the years. His feathers had a lighter shade of brown near the area of his face, going darker and eventually melding in color with the fur of his lion half.

He had strong arms, from which four orange claws protruded. They were sharp and pointy, probably used for self-defense. His hind paws were that of a lion, a characteristic of all gryphons. By the looks of his whole build, this old beast wasn’t a pushover: his body had an athletic and trained appearance, only strengthened by his palatable experience.

Folded at both sides of his body, his wings covered by dark brown feathers were resting. He was wearing a pair of small, golden and round spectacles.

His eyes were brown, and had a kind glow. Twilight was almost sure that she had already saw those eyes behind the small pair of spectacles, somewhere before…

With calm and gentle movements, the gryphon took off the eyeglasses, clearing them with a small piece of cloth brought from a bag he had tied around his neck. He smiled kindly to the mares, and spoke with a voice full of wisdom.

“Welcome to the ‘Cathedral Without a Name’, my dear Mistress! I’ve been expecting you!”

Twilight knew that his speech was being directed towards her. On top of that, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was an old acquaintance of that gryphon…

“Expecting me? What do you mean, and who are you to call me dear and mistress?” She shouted, a little irritated because of the confusion she felt.

“You are right. I’m apologize for my lack of tact, Twilight,” he paused, giving her a slight bow. In that moment, Twilight felt her heart starting to beat faster again.

Twilight? He knows that I’m Twilight Sparkle!

“My name is Louis. However, you know me by another name,” He smiled tenderly.

“I know you?” Twilight asked, her irritated expression melting in one of curiosity.

“Indeed you do. I’m Owloysius, and I’m very happy to see you again, my dear Mistress.”

Six - Huntress in The Dark

“It cannot be!” Twilight yelled, baffled, “My pet owl wasn’t a gryphon!

“Keep calm, my dear mistress. I assure you that I speak only the truth,” said the gryphon, trying to soothe the alicorn’s apprehension, looking at him with a expression of utter shock.

“Did I miss something here?” Trixie whispered, nudging Twilight’s shoulder, gazing upon the gryphon with a questioning look.

Twilight ignored her. She was too shocked to mind her companion, or anything besides that strange sensation tingling at her chest. That claim was just too much impossible to be actually true, but the feeling that she knew that gryphon calling himself Louis was just too much for her.

“If you are truly the one you claim to be, prove it!” She shouted, with an enraged expression.

“It’s just so much like you to question what you can’t comprehend at first,” Louis retorted a tender smile, and adjusted the glasses dancing upon his beak, “Let me see… Before Princess Selena asked you to go to Tambelon you were reading ‘Unicorn’s Anatomy, An Essay by Starswirl The Bearded’. You left at page twelve, chapter five, sixth paragraph, and had expressed to me your discontent about the adaptations made to the modern language.”

The purple alicorn’s jaw dropped. With an even more shocked look, she turned to Trixie, and exchanging glances with her for a few instants, she concluded, “He’s right…”

Both ponies were taken by surprise, as the gryphon began to laugh happily, attracting their attention to him.

“Transcending into Godhood hasn’t changed you at all, Twilight. I’m so, so glad that you are alive and okay. You look amazing, and those wings, they fit you so well…”

Quickly, Twilight withdrew her lavender wings, which had ruffled open due to the shock. After that, she stared at Louis attentively. Slowly, as her heart calmed, her expression melted into one of tenderness and her mouth opened in a content smile.

“It’s you… I can tell by the way you eyes are shining,” Twilight concluded, walking towards the gryphon, without a single hint of fear.

Louis remained static in place, smiling. As she was about to reach his position, the gryphon bowed, “It’s good to be back by your side, my dear mist-”

However, before he managed to finish, Twilight hug tackled him, and whispered while nuzzling his fur, “You’re alive… I was wondering what the night guards did with you, after they invaded the library. I’m so glad to have you back with me, Owlowiscious,”

He covered Twilight’s back with an arm, and chuckled, “Now, now, let’s not be too sentimental here. I’m sure you have a lot of questions, and I suppose we should make haste to answer them.”

Twilight nodded, still glued to him, “You’re right,” she breathed, letting go of him, and taking a few steps backwards. The purple alicorn couldn’t help but to look at the gryphon in front of her, her brain unable to process the fact that the big creature in front of her was her small, pet owl.

“Let’s get inside, it’s safer for us. Can you please tag along, Miss Lulamoon?” Louis asked, turning his attention to the blue unicorn, who still looked completely lost amid the situation.

Trixie shot a questioning gaze towards Twilight. The purple alicorn nodded, with a reassuring smile on her face.

Together, the three walked inside, as the wooden doors closed right behind them.

“Are you sure you made the wisest decision, Shining?”

“It’s for the better, honey, we need to help my sister, in any way we can.”

Shining Armor was hidden behind a house, with a glowing orb floating right in front of him. Cadence’s voice boomed from the object. It was some kind of long-distance communication device.

The emperor was covered in black robes, and used the mantle of night to aid him in his hiding. Judging by the architecture used in those houses, it was clear he was amid the streets of Canterlot…

“Why didn’t you send Laurel? She could have handled things better than you!” Cadence’s voice coming from the floating sphere yelled, sounding as worried as it could be.

“Because Laurel didn’t live her entire life in Canterlot. Calm down, Cadence, I will be alright. You need to trust your husband a little more,” Shining chuckled.

“It’s just that you are so impulsive and reckless sometimes!” She yelled.

“He’s coming, I need to go,” Shining moved his attention to a specific door pertaining to a small saloon, that was just about to open.

“Be very cautious, my love, and don’t get caught!” Cadence shouted from over the magic artifact.

“I will make sure to, Cadence, I love you!”

The stallion’s horn flared with a magenta colored light, and the huge sphere was covered in it. In seconds, the basketball-sized globe was shrunken to the size of a small golf ball. Hastily, Shining stored it safely inside his robes.

He watched in silence, as the double doors opened, revealing the shape of another stallion.

It was a middle aged pony, fur chalk-white, just like the emperor, mane and tail sapphire blue, fashioned in a short, but elaborated style. His horn was big, bigger than the average size of a stallion’s horn. He was wearing an elegant black tuxedo, a monocle, and had a blue mustache under his nose.

The noble seemed to be a little inebriated, as his steps were out of accord. He tripped a little, before completely exiting the saloon, the fur of his face covered in lipstick marks.

What happened to you, Fancy Pants?

Shining sighed, watching from his position, as his friend struggled to keep walking in a straight line, following in a random direction.

Feeling uneasy due to to his condition, Shining Armor decided to leave his hiding spot and follow in his direction in order to help him.

He galloped towards the drunken stallion, “Fancy Pants!”

Immediately, the inebriated noble turned around to find a very suspicious looking stallion halting him on a dark alley…

“Wat’cha ya wanthi ya scum?” He turned around with difficulty, puffing up his chest, “Ya ‘renth going tha tak mah monee! I’m a mothabuckin’ Arms Master! I can kik ya flenks to tha moon!”

Shining sighed upon hearing his drowsy voice, and slowly came near him, “Calm down, it’s me, Shining Armor. Can’t you recognize me?”

The drunken stallion scrutinized the pony clad into those ebon attires, narrowing his eyes and stretching his neck closer.

“Shinin’?” He asked, head and body moving against his will, “Ish that reallee ya?”

The emperor rolled his eyes in disbelief, letting off a discontent sigh, “It’s me, of course. What happened to you? Why are you so drunk?”

“I’mma not drunky,okay? I was only partying!” Fancy giggled, smiling in a really silly way, “Fleur has left me! I’mma have nothin’ moar gettin’ in mah way! I will party hardy until everythin’ burns!”

Suddenly, the noble started to lose his balance, his body was about to plummet to the ground. Before that could have happened, Shining grabbed him, putting one of his hooves around his back, and giving him a place to hold to.

The emperor shot a questioning glare after rescuing his friend, and asked, “Fleur left you? Why did she do it?”

“Becaush she’s a whorshe! She wantad only mah monee! Last week, that bastar’ Bluebloody came over to our meetin’ thingy, and whispered a few thingies at her ear… Durin’ the night, she simply left, withouth sayin’ nuthin!”

The questioning gaze on Shining’s face evolved into a complete contemplative look, “That’s strange. Fleur Dis Lee loved you, Cadence said that when she went to buy clothes with her, she didn’t stop talking about you for an instant.”

“Don’ try to make thin’s betta for her! She’s a cursed whorshe, and I hate her!” Fancy yelled, leaning all the weight of his body onto the emperor, his breath letting off an awful alcohol odor.

“Yeah, right. Let’s hear if you are going to tell me the same once you get all this cider out of your system. Let’s get going to your house, you need to take a cold shower, and rest a lot,” Shining armor concluded, looking towards the direction of his friend’s house, “I just hope to still remember how to teleport us safely.”

After saying this, Shining’s horn flared with a strong magenta glow. He closed his eyes to concentrate, and with great effort, both ponies vanished into a blinding white light.

As the doors closed behind her, Twilight could finally lay her eyes on the majestic structure she saw outside, from inside. As she was expecting already, it was still missing any religious motifs like its exterior.

Her gaze danced around the ceiling, following the amazing design. Different from the classic structures, this one displaying an oval form, which seemed to amplify the feeling of awe the temple transmitted. Twilight followed with her eyes the structure as it opened and cascaded to the floor, with six sturdy looking columns linking the dome to the ground, sustaining it, and forming a uniform pattern, cutting through the middle of the great hall.

Everything was made of a stone-gray marble, cold to the touch, but still reflecting the dim, orange lights from the bronze torches neatly hanging on the walls from strategic points to provide equal lighting to the whole building.

Lines of long, wooden benches were also found there, neatly organized into a uniform fashion. The benches faced the same direction, towards an altar made of the same cold, gray marble, at the top of a tiny set of stairs.

The walls all had beautiful stained glasses as windows, as Twilight had previously seen on the outside. It was a really amazing place, in it’s own right.

he stayed there, observing the building’s uncommon structure, for several minutes. Louis and Trixie were already past her, going towards a door located behind the altar. For an instant, Twilight tried to follow, but her heart raced faster for some reason.

Something got hold of her chest. A strange sensation tugging at her very soul. She felt sorrow…

Twilight’s ordeal so far passed like a film in front of her eyes. The deaths of her friends on Tambelon, Luna and Celestia’s judgement and punishment at Ponyville, her escape with the help of Midnight Blossom, the encounter with her precious family at the Crystal Empire, and the fight against Trixie.

She led a hoof to her chest, gasping for breath. Her whole body had frozen in place, and her mind seemed to burn.

Is this the Nameless Cathedral’s famous power? It’s stronger than I could imagine!

Both Louis and Trixie stopped when they took notice that Twilight was taking too much to keep going forward. They turned around, and stared at the breathless mare, with her head hanging low and eyes focused on the ground.

Trixie was the first to come towards her, and worried, she asked, “Are you alright?”

For a brief moment, Twilight moved her head towards the blue mare, panting, “Is this the power of this church? That sensation you told me that anypony who enters here feels?”

“It is,” she nodded, “but I never knew it was going to affect you this much.”

“Her condition as an alicorn must change the rules for her, Miss Lulamoon,” Louis said, with a solemn voice.

“Can you move, Twilight?” Trixie turned back to her companion.

“I’m not sure…” Twilight hung her head down again, and closed her eyes, heart beating so fast that she felt it was about to burst, “Maybe I have too much regret inside of me to enter here…”

Louis walked towards his friend, “You need to concentrate, my dear Mistress. Try to focus into your current mission, and not the images of your past.”

Twilight did as the gryphon suggested. She took a deep breath, and focused on his and Trixie’s breathing sound, emptying her mind of all her more recent memories. It was hard, but as she continued to tell herself that she had to find the truth, more the sensation diminished.

“Thank you, Louis,” she said, raising her head towards him after a couple minutes, “I’m think I’m feeling fine now.”

“Good,” the gryphon nodded and smiled, “let’s keep going.”

Twilight found her body able to move again. Although her heart was still feeling heavy, the dizziness had vanished, and this time, she could follow Trixie and Louis towards the door at the end of that great hall.

The door lead to a much more simpler place. It was a long corridor, made of plain brown wood. Several small, wooden doors lied shut along it. Louis walked a little further to the right, and opened a door, inviting the two mares to follow suit.

They did so, and reached a smaller room, similar to a kitchen. Inside, there was a table, with some bread, a tea set with some fruits above it, a water faucet lying at the opposite wall, and some cabinets, with several silverware inside of them lied to the right side of door.

The Gryphon walked in, and reaching the table, he pulled a chair, and sat, “Please, do come over here, we can chat with more tranquility.”

Twilight smiled, and followed him, sitting on another chair across the gryphon at the table. Trixie was still a little uneasy, that was clear. For a few seconds, Louis and Twilight looked towards her, waiting for the blue mare to join them at the table, however, she remained in place, waiting for Louis to say something and end the mystery.

“Trixie, c’mon, don’t be so rude with him,” Twilight called her, smiling awkwardly.

“I’m sorry, Sparkle, but I still not convinced. How can he know that we were coming here, at this hour and date? It sounds too suspicious for me.”

Louis laughed, “That’s what I call getting straight to the point!”

“Don’t mind her, Owlowiscious. She’s just worried with our well-being. You may remember she was a little evil back there, but she has changed a lot!” Twilight blushed, embarrassed by her companion’s grumpy attitude.

“I can’t blame her,” he turned to the purple alicorn, a reassuring smile plastered across his face, “To tell you the truth, I’m happy and satisfied that you got Miss Lulamoon to accompany you through this journey. You see, your heart is still too young and innocent, and it will take some time for you to adapt to the harsh world out there. You’re a little too naive for the kind of ordeal you are about to face, and somepony who already knows the harshness of life can help you and protect you from the ones trying to abuse of your kindness, my dear Mistress.”

Trixie raised an eyebrow, “I will take your fallacies as a compliment, gryphon.”

"You may do so, Miss Lulamoon,” Louis bowed, shooting a confident smile towards the blue mare.

“I guess the first thing I was going to ask you is, what happened to you? Why are you a gryphon now?” Twilight interrupted any further attempt for the two to keep discussing over pointless accusations.

Louis turned his attention back at Twilight, “It’s a long story, but I guess we are here for those kind of tales. First, I must ask you and Miss Lulamoon, if you two are aware about the existence of the gryphon kingdom, Griffonia, to the far east of your mainland.”

While Twilight nodded, Trixie looked a little lost. The purple alicorn turned to her and decided to explain.

“The main land mass that composes Equestria, Trixie, isn’t the only continent that Equus, our planet, possesses. There are other smaller continents nearby, beyond the oceans. One of those is known as the Mist Continent, where the kingdom of Griffonia lies. It’s a harsh place, environment wise, seeing how its climate can range from arid deserts to below zero tundras. The gryphons were the only species able to adapt to such conditions, thus they were capable of surviving and developed a kingdom out there.”

“As sharp as ever!” Louis giggled.

“Okay, that’s all amazing and smart, but what does this Griffonia kingdom has anything to do with Sparkle becoming a Goddess and you stalking on us here?” Trixie retorted, still not convinced.

The gryphon cleared his throat, proceeding, “I’m ashamed to admit that, my dear mistress, but the truth is that I’m not your pet owl, turned into a gryphon. It is, in fact, the other way around.”

Twilight’s eyes widened a bit, as she was taken by surprise, “You mean that… The whole time…”

“I’m afraid so,” he nodded, “The whole time you had a soldier of Griffonia sitting right at your side.”

A little disheartened, the purple alicorn hung her head low, “Why? You mean you helped me with my papers that one time, just to have me inviting you to come over the library? Did you take advantage of my naiveness too, Owlowiscious?”

“Believe me or not, Twilight, everything was for your sake. Also, although I don’t mind that you gave me a name, my parents would be rolling in their graves if I decided to keep being called Owlowiscious. Please, call me Louis.”

Twilight raised her head towards him, a serious expression displayed, “Tell me the truth, Louis. Why did you were sent to spy on me?”

“Of course,” he sighed, “I’m Louis Asclepius the Third, a retainer to the Warlord Gilles de Rais from house Crimson Feather. Ten years ago, a rare magic phenomenon occurred here, at the Land of Edenia, or as you two are used to call it, Equestria. It was a strong blast of magic, of uncommon signature, so strong that the whole landmass was able to see it, and its residual blast reached to our land.”

The purple alicorn rubbed her chin, trying to remember what kind of magic event of such proportions could have taken place ten years in the past. Then, it clicked…

“Rainbow Dash’s first Sonic Rainboom!”

The gryphon nodded, “Correct. It took me some research to discover it was your friend’s special talent that caused a magic explosion so great, that every shaman of our country could feel it.”

“It was also on that day that I got my Cutie Mark…”

He nodded once more, “Exactly. That is what I was talking about.”

Twilight raised an eyebrow, “What does that mean? Are you trying to say that, the magic phenomenon of uncommon signature that attracted your country’s attention was-”

“The magic surge you displayed after the Sonic Rainboom awakened you to your power,” he interrupted.

Twilight couldn’t understand it well. Or maybe, deep inside, she could. It was due to that uncontrollable magic power surging from within her at the occasion, that Holy Lady Celestia took notice of her, and decided to take her under her wing.

“Not only our domain, but every shaman on Griffonia could feel it. A magic so strong that some of our best magic users thought to be seeing another Goddess being born. It sounded the alarms all over our land, and the five Warlords decided it was a top priority to discover what that was about,” Louis concluded, waiting for Twilight’s reaction.

However, Trixie took some steps forward and interrupted, “Wait a minute! What does Griffonia have to do with that? Isn’t the problem, Equestria’s business?”

“Unfortunately, Trixie, Griffonia is very different from our Equestria,” Twilight answered, “We are pacifists, while the gryphons… They don’t share our vision. They are prone to war, and to violence if they ever feel threatened.”

“Of course, such an event could only mean trouble,” the gryphon concluded.

“What did the Warlords decided?” Twilight asked, turning her attention back to Louis.

“They were more than afraid of preposterous assumptions. Some thought that maybe, Celestia, who was for more than a thousand years in silence, could be creating some kind of living weapon, to start a world domination campaign. It didn’t help when one of our diplomats sent a letter in regard to the event, and her Holy Lady replied with ‘I have taken care of the bearer of such power. She’s under my utmost care at the moment’.”

The purple unicorn bit her lips, “She was talking about me…”

“Indeed. The ambiguous and short response that her Holy Lady sent to our diplomat only worsened the apprehension that the Warlords were feeling. If Celestia was training a pony that could display such a strong magic prowess, what could possibly happen if we permitted her to do so? Griffonia once fought against the Saddle Arabians over a small archipelago near the coast, because the horses were trying to steal an important trade route we agreed to share with them. They abused our kindness, and backstabbed my kingdom. Tolerance wasn’t an option, especially because of how fierce Celestia once was in the past.”

“They decided to go to war?” Trixie asked, curious.

“I’m not going to lie,” Louis replied, with a pained smile, “A military intervention in order to capture and secure the individual in question was in the plans of two of the five houses.”

Trixie raised an eyebrow, “Houses?”

“That’s right, Miss Lulamoon,” he nodded, “I take you aren’t aware about Griffonia government system. It’s quite simple. Our kingdom is divided into five smaller states that we call shires. Each shire possesses several cities under its control. Those shires are governed as a standalone by a figure of power who receives the title of ‘Warlord’. When the need arises, the Warlords from the five shires gather to make a ‘War Council’ and take the necessary decisions about how Griffonia is going to act in front of a situation. When a situation where there are disagreements about the best way to act surges, a voting system is used, and the majority wins. Of course I could rant on about how this system works in depth, but I guess it is not important at the moment.”

“You are right,” Trixie snorted, discontentedly.

“It was a matter of time before another Warlord could change their mind, and vote for a military intervention. My Lord Gilles agrees with Celestia’s pacifist views, and abhors war. He didn’t want Griffonia to attack Edenia, especially because the other warlords were basing their judgements in assumptions rather than in logic and facts. In a last attempt to prevent pointless bloodshed he, as the Warlord controlling the biggest shire, decided to take the matters into his own claws, and assured the War Council that he would send a spy to safeguard the pony indicated as ‘living weapon’ and make sure that he or she would never be used against Griffonia. Somehow, his confidence managed to convince the other Warlords, and they agreed in letting Lord Gilles send a spy, as long as it could provide them with information for as long as it was needed.”

Louis’s placid facade, for the very first time, turned sad, “Thus, as retainer to my Lord, serving him since he was an infant, I offered myself to accomplish such task. I used ancient shamanic magic from my tribe, to disguise myself as an owl, and be able to reach you, Twilight, without raising any suspicion. For six years, I’ve been watching you, from the shadows, as your life in Canterlot, surrounded by guards and other ponies who could grow suspicious of my behavior, didn’t allow me to get closer to you. Spying you through windows was everything I managed to do. Luckily, it was enough to satisfy the needing of the Warlords, and to send them reports about how you were growing as a normal mare, except that you displayed an outstanding talent with magic. Your later arrival to Ponyville appeared to me as the perfect opportunity to finally reach you, and clear any doubts that Celestia was raising a student and not a weapon…”

“You mean that you have been spying on me since I was ten…” Twilight sobbed.

He nodded, “Yes. I’m sorry my dear mistress, but there was no other way of avoiding a conflict between my country and yours. I wish I could be sincere with you before, but I couldn’t blow my cover, not as long as the other Warlords were still suspicious about you. Before Tambelon’s invasion, they still thought that Celestia trained you to become her weapon of mass destruction, and that she was only expecting a good opportunity to launch you against us.”

She planted a kind hoof over his claw resting above the table. With watered eyes, the purple alicorn smiled, casting a tender gaze over her gryphon friend, “Don’t worry. I guess I must thank you, Louis. I don’t even want to think what I would do if suddenly, a war breaks loose because of me. You were protecting me even before we met…”

He replied with the same tender expression, “I must admit that living the last six years of my life observing you made me grow kind of attached to you. That day on Ponyville, I wasn’t going to appear so suddenly, but I couldn’t help it. I needed to help you, because I knew how those papers were important to you. Thank you for understanding, my dear Mistress, and for taking care of me during those last months…”

“Okay! This is all sweet and cute, but it still doesn’t explain everything!” Trixie shouted, getting closer, “Why did you decide to blow your cover now, after so many years?”

They both glared at Trixie. Twilight’s heart skipped a beat; her companion was right.

As the purple alicorn turned her attention towards him, Louis tidied his glasses with a claw, “You are quite the observer, Miss Lulamoon. After Tambelon’s Invasion, I had no other option but to flee the Golden Oaks Library, and regroup. I decided that the wisest course of action was to return to my Lord, and wait until any news regarding that event came to light. Thanks of how important it was, the news about the Elements of Harmony, Twilight included, being killed by a mysterious entity known as the Twilight Princess spread through Griffonia like wild fire. The Warlords called a new War Council to trace a strategy on how they would react.This Twilight Princess could mean even more trouble than Celestia’s student, so, gathering more information about it was crucial. Due to my previous experience as spy, and my success in keeping reports about Twilight Sparkle in check, Gilles once again expressed his desire to send me to investigate. In fact, it was my and my Lord’s personal wish to find out the culprit behind my dear Mistress’s death, and discover what motivated such an attack. The War Council once again allowed, and I returned to Equestria. It didn’t take me too much time to discover that the nobles forged a lie about your death only to calm the population, and that in fact, you were the Twilight Princess all the time.”

“How?” Twilight interrupted, asking with worry.

“I managed to intercept a few letters from two captains of Edenia’s army, named Midnight Blossom and Cloud Skipper. It seems they are investigating your ordeal on their own, behind the Two Sister’s back. They strongly believe that Celestia and Selena have an ulterior motive to call you a traitor and imprison you, but they are still trying to figure it out. You got friends out there, Twilight, and they are fighting to help you as best as they can.”

She couldn’t help but to smile. It was so reassuring to know that Midnight Blossom was still aiding her, even if it was only from the shadows. Also, Cloud Skipper was involved too, and Twilight had some fond memories about that stallion…

Knowing that he cared for her warmed Twilight’s heart.

“So, you decided to do the same?” Trixie snorted, glaring at Louis with disbelief.

“I’m sorry, but I was really happy to discover that Twilight was alive. I decided to do my part too, and track you down in order to help you in any way I could. I had to follow your trail, all the way from Canterlot, here.”

“I guess you need to be more cautious from now on, Sparkle. If this guy managed to find you, who knows if the Royal Guard isn’t going to do the same?” Trixie said, turning to Twilight.

“I must admit that it was hard,” Louis giggled, “you are pretty good with keeping a low profile, Twilight. I guess I only managed to find you, because of my experience as a spy, and because I have spent six years observing you. Only someone who knows about your mother’s aliases you used to take the trains could discover it was you.”

“Then, it brings us down to the last question,” Trixie kept glaring at the gryphon, “How did you manage to discover we were coming to the Nameless Cathedral?”

“It was the only logical course of action. Twilight’s thirst for knowledge will never change, and turning her into a different being would only give her a stronger reason to try and get information about it. I tracked her until the Crystal Empire, and did some research at the library. I found this book about this place, and deducted it was the only place where Twilight could find clues about the alicorn race. I simply checked the train schedule, and bingo, another of Twilight Velvet’s aliases was in the list of the passengers. I came here, and persuaded the caretakers to let me do some research, and of course, await your arrival.”

Trixie finally grew quiet.

“I guess I’m that predictable,” Twilight breathed, blushing.

“Don’t worry, it’s not your fault. Like I said before, it’s only natural of you to try to gather knowledge about a subject you aren’t aware of,” Louis finished.

“What are you planning to do now, gryphon?” Trixie broke her silence, still not trusting Louis.

“Help you two find what you came here for. Information regarding the alicorns is something that sounds too good to let pass, not only for Twilight’s quest, but also for me. Alicorns always amazed my kind; we do have our own Gods and religions, however, none of them are living beings, walking among us. I am sure that disclosing those secrets is the dream of any scholar, and I am no different.”

“That’s so good to hear!” Twilight opened a huge smile, “I’m sure that together, we can find the answer we came looking for!”

“I guess we should begin, then,” Trixie replied, “We don’t know how much time we have before somepony appears looking for you.”

Twilight nodded, “Right. Louis, during your research about this place, did you find any library, or any kind of place where some info could be stored or preserved?”

“I sure did,” he replied with a smiling face, “There is a library here, and is a really interesting place. Come, I shall lead you two there.”

Shining Armor made sure to wake up really early that day. He didn’t plan to spend the night at Fancy Pants’s apartment, in the heart of Canterlot, but what could he do?

His friend was having a terrible time, and was in need of somepony to help him. Not only that, but he didn’t manage to squeeze any answers regarding his mission here until now.

The night still ruled out there. It was the darkest hour, right before the dawn.

The stallion lifted his body from the soft, velvet made, red couch, placed in the tiny living room. It was a cramped room, floor covered by a expansive tapestry, full of designs from Saddle Arabia. The walls got a red wallpaper, and a golden chandelier dangled from the oak ceiling, providing the room with lighting. Fancy was a huge fan of books, having a small library inside there as well; several glass cabinets fought for space at every wall. Books and more books were scattered across the living room, turning the place into a big mess.

Shining could only think about how his sister would have wanted to kill his friend for letting so many rare tomes lie on the ground like that. After giggling a little, the emperor hoped out of the couch, and before being able to move an inch, his ears moved towards the bathroom door, as they were opened by somepony.

“Sweet Celestia! This is not a hangover! This is death sentence! Divine punishment I must say!”

Fancy Pants crawled from inside, mane still wet and fur still a mess. His sclera had an abnormal pinkish-red coloration, and his voice sounded pained.

The noble followed towards the table, sitting on a comfortable cushioned chair, and slammed his head against it.

“It’s your own fault, Fancy. You should have known that giving yourself to those saloons isn’t going to solve your problem with Fleur.”

Shining glared at him, a snit smile covering his face. He knew that Fancy Pants didn’t want a scolding, but sooner or later, somepony had to do it.

“You are right, Emperor Armor. It’s just that I couldn’t bear being left by her. I love Fleur, and seeing her leaving like that destroyed me. I was willing to do anything to forget everything that happened that night…”

Shining sighed, and slowly walked over the table, joining him. He used his magic to grab a tea-pot, and filled one tea-cup with a good amount of steaming coffee, offering it to his friend, “Drink. It’s no magic potion, but it will help. I’m sorry to bring this up right now, but there was no way that I could imagine this situation happening with you, and I can’t go back without a few answers.”

Fancy, with his chin still glued to the table, moved his gaze first to the tea-cup, then to Shining, “Of course I’m aware of that. An emperor wouldn’t come to see me, if he hadn’t a really important motive to do so.”

“I will try to be really brief, and get straight to the heart of the question. Two days ago, a letter came to our palace. The sender was addressed as being Equestria’s Noble Counsel. However, the content wasn’t pleasant to read… The nobles demanded Princess Cadence, my wife, hand down my father and mother to Equestria’s army.”

Fancy Pants bloodshot eyes widened, and he rose from the table, surprised, “What? That’s completely preposterous!”

“There’s more. The day after receiving that letter, a dispatch unit formed by none other than Night Watch and Jasmine, two of Selena’s generals from the Night Guard, landed on my domain, and tried to, for some reason, interrogate my parents. I don’t know what Equestria is up to, but if I recall correctly, when the nobles vote for a pacific contact with another party, asking for an unharmful custody transfer, the military is immediately dismissed. Also, any military intervention can only be made if the Noble Counsel allows it, meaning if they had already voted for a peaceful approach, Luna should have called her Night Guard off. There’s something clearly wrong happening here, and I need to know what!”

Shining expected any kind of reaction coming from Fancy Pants. He was a noble, one of the descendents of the six families that founded Equestria, a thousand of years ago. Even after his ancestors decided to give full power over their newly discovered land to the Two Sisters, those who carried the blood of the old kings and queens from the three nations still had importance, and their voices had weight when the nation faced times of danger. Those descendants formed the High Counsel, and together, their decisions had as much power as the will of Celestia and Luna.

“I’m completely baffled Shining. I assure you that no call from the counsel was made recently. Last time we gathered was to make decisions about how we should react to the threat that the Twilight Princess represents.”

The emperor raised an eyebrow. He couldn’t find in his friend’s visage a single hint of doubt. He wasn’t lying, but something seemed amiss…

“That’s strange,” Shining led a forehoof to his chin, face turning into a pensive frown, “That letter had the royal insignia! That symbol can’t be falsified, nor it can be duplicated and only a handful of nobles have access to the place where it is secluded… Somepony gave the order to write that letter, Fancy, and this same pony must be plotting something against the Crystal Empire!”

“I don’t think that this mysterious pony is targeting your country, exclusively. You see, if that letter was intended to bring your parents out in the open, it means that it’s target must be your sist-”

Shining clasped his hooves strongly against the table, startling his friend. It was a spur of the moment reaction, but he didn’t felt any regrets, “My sister! What do you know about her?” He roared.

Fancy blinked in rapid succession, dumbfounded by his explosion of anger, and lowered his head in shame, “We know enough…”

“Don’t you dare to hide the facts from me! What the nobles are truly doing?” Shining Armor pressed further, determined to drill through Fancy Pants for any information.

“Like I’ve told you already, we did reunite to decide what we were going to do about your sister. We know that she’s alive, emperor…” The stallion replied, too ashamed to keep eye contact with his friend.

“Who’s the bastard deciding to use her as a scapegoat to calm the population?” He yelled even louder.

“We didn’t knew what to do. Twilight was a national heroine, the leading figure of the Elements of Harmony. Even if they were never expected to, their existence brought hope to the hearts of the ponies all over Equestria. However, when Twilight returned alone, transformed into an alicorn, and accused of killing her friends to transcend by the Princesses, we couldn’t allow the population to have their image of Twilight destroyed like that… Even in death, the Elements of Harmony still bring hope to our ponies, Shining. We needed to keep that flame untouched, or our nation could crack. The decision to ‘create’ the Twilight Princess based on the old fairy tale, was unanimous… I didn’t want to see your sister turned into a monster, and become persecuted like that, but there was no other way.”

‘I can’t… Believe on this madness! I swear that I’m about to puke…” The emperor turned his face away in disgust.

“I’m sorry Shining, I’m really sorry. As long as we can’t prove your sister’s innocence, we have no other means to assure that Equestria is going to be fine,” Fancy Pants pouted, also facing a different direction.

Still enraged, Shining asked, “You said ‘as long as we can’t prove Twilie’s innocence’, what do you mean? There’s somepony trying to find what truly happened?”

The noble returned his gaze to Shining Armor, and smiled, nodding, “There is. Captain Cloud Skipper from the Sun Guard and Captain Midnight Blossom from the Night Guard are both working hard to find answers for Twilight’s condition.”

The emperor smiled.

Those two… Still the same rebellious little wretches they were during their time at the academy...

“Also, me and all the nobles from House Unicornia are secretly supporting Twilight. We think that something is wrong with Luna and Celestia, for them to be so savagely persecuting a mare who they used to adore like their own flesh and blood. I want to know the truth as much as you do, my friend,” Fancy Pants planted a kind hoof over Shining Armor’s shoulder.

The emperor finally rose his head back at his direction, and smiled, “Good. Still, we are clueless about that letter.”

“I think I should examine it closely. Did you bring it with you?” Fancy asked, planting his head once again against the top of the table.

“Unfortunately no. Cadence decided to store it in a safe place at the Crystal Palace in case it becomes some kind of important clue or proof.”

“A wise decision I must say,” Fancy breathed, “Although I would appreciate waiting for this hangover to end, we must make haste and travel back to your country. I will go with you, and inspect this mysterious letter closely.”

Shining nodded, “Alright. I will help you pack your things. Let’s get going right now, the next train departs at five o’clock.”

“We shouldn’t be wandering around this time of the night…” Fancy Pants whispered and gulped, looking at every darker corner and alley of the streets they trotted about.

Shining Armor’s face contorted into a mocking expression, and he smiled with half-lidded eyes, “Don’t tell me you are afraid of the dark, Fancy Pants. It doesn’t suit a grown-up stallion like you.”

“I’m not afraid of the dark, Emperor, I’m afraid of the things that hide in the darkness…”

This time, the emperor couldn’t control himself, and laughed right at his face, “I’m sorry! We are in Canterlot! This is the capital of power of the strongest nation of the world! What could possibly happen here?”

Suddenly, a scream.

Fancy Pants and Shining Armor both froze in place, paralyzed by the sheer terror the voice displayed. It was a pained scream, pertaining to a stallion, and it wasn’t far away from their current position.

They exchanged glances, and as fast as they could, trotted towards the source of the sound.

It echoed one more time, even louder. The empty streets helped the creepy sound to scatter faster through the vicinities. That region of Canterlot was known for its narrow streets and tiny buildings, a paradise for those who liked a bohemian scenery for their art pieces.

Shining Armor’s heart was racing, beating at the same beat of his hooves, galloping quickly through the stone streets. Something was terribly wrong with the sound of that scream...

As both he and Fancy Pants turned the corner, they were dumbstruck by the image in front of their eyes. The main avenue, lead to a plaza where a famous fountain was located. A giant, pale-silver moon hovered right above it, on the blackest sky they ever saw. It seemed so close that, for an instant, one could think that it could be touched…

At their right side, the first house had its wooden door opened. An even more alarming sound invaded their ears. It was the sound of somepony crawling miserably through the floor, dragging the weight of his whole body towards the exit…

The stallions couldn’t move. They watched in silence, mouths agape, as a middle aged earth-pony stallion crawled from inside that house. That poor pony, wearing a black sailor uniform, struggled to breathe. His white-cream fur was tinged into a deep red… It was blood.

His, short, silver mane, messed and drenched in sweat, had several small stains of it too. His blue eyes, slowly losing the glow of life, were stagnated, pleading for salvation. He painfully dragged his lower, lifeless limbs with him, using his two fore hooves, and formed a trail of crimson on the floor that seemed to shimmer in the moonlight.

As he finally managed to creep out the house, an even more hideous scene played…

From the same wide open door, another pony walked. This one clad into a tight, pitch-black attire, face covered by a mask, ears and mane covered by a hood, and eyes hid behind yellow goggles. That mysterious, unsettling figure, trotted out in three hooves, cruelly observing as his victim implored to be somehow, spared.

In one of its pasterns, it firmly wielded a fencing rapier, stained by the stallion’s blood. Although many ponies would find difficult to walk using three hooves, this spectral presence seemed to perform the task with no problems what-so-ever.

It stopped right beside the dying pony, where he lied, no more strength to continue crawling. With its other forehoof, the pitch-black creature flipped him over his back, belly stuffing and deflating in a crazed rhythm, desperately seeking for air.

“I pierced your neck and your lungs and you still managed to survive,” the assassin breathed, voice so low that only Shining and Fancy managed to barely hear it, “It’s no wonder that you became a legend, North Pole, for conquering the Crystal Wall. However…”

The soft voice coming from that pony-esque monster made things clear for Shining Armor. It was an adult mare, identity secured behind the clothes.

“You can’t possibly survive without a beating heart…”

Upon declaring those words, the mare rose the hoof in which her saber rested, and pointed it towards her victim’s chest. With a merciless strike, she drilled his flesh, piercing his heart. North Pole gasped, and then spurted a dust of blood, the red liquid being thrown against the mare’s black robes, staining it.

He still tried to breath once and twice, however, his belly stopped moving, and what was left of glow inside his eyes vanished. They remained open, looking to the pale moon above, eternally frozen in utter terror...

“No!” Shining shouted, he could no longer remain idle watching the scene.

Immediately, the mare turned her yellow goggles towards them, and observed.

“Are you crazy, Shining Armor?” Fancy Pants gasped, scared to the bone, “She’s coming after us now!”

“I don’t care! There’s no way I’m letting her go unpunished after committing this monstrosity!”

Without thinking twice, the emperor charged at the assassin’s direction. The mare, upon seeing him running towards her, turned back and bolted towards the plaza, coming through the main avenue.

The chase continued until the emperor could already see the fountain, and the main square. It was a small plaza, with just a few green benches encircling the statue of Celestia at the middle of the water body.

That place was a dead end. At the other side of the fountain, tall apartments formed an inescapable barrier of stone and iron.

Upon seeing she had no escape, the assassin stopped, scanning the huge buildings in front of her. Shining managed to hear her uttering some curse words, and observed as she walked back a few steps, looking frantically for an escape route.

“You have nowhere to run, monster!” He shouted, standing right at the middle of the street from where they came.

She laughed maniacally, turning around to face the emperor.

“Don’t you think that the one here who should be running, is you?” She asked, voice muffled by the mask in front of her muzzle.

Quickly, the emperor rose his guard. He stared at the two sick yellow lenses of the goggle covering her eyes, trying to imagine a face behind that horrible blackness, “I’m not afraid! You can’t overcome me with fear! I’ve faced monsters far worse than you, and I will not let you escape unpunished!”

He’s once again bombarded with a sick, mocking laugh, “What is this all about? Emperor Shining Armor is far away from his home, and yet is behaving all benevolent. Who do you think you are? Some kind of paladin of justice or something?”

“No pony deserves to have its life robbed like you did with that stallion! Who are you, and why did you do that?

The assassin moved a fore hoof to her waist. With a fast movement, she drew her rapier from inside its sheath, firmly securing it within her pastern, “Go back to your throne and to the safe embrace of your wife, Shining. Equestria is about to change forever, and there’s nothing a foreigner like you can do about it.”

Rage and anger welled inside Shining’s belly. He had enough.

With the same movement, the emperor drew from within his black mantle, a long-sword, just like the mare did, by grabbing it with his pastern. The hilt was made of a sapphire stone, same color as his mane, and wore the Crystal Empire’s crest. The blade was translucent, being almost transparent, and it was hard to discern the length of the edge. That was Chrysanthemum, the Crystal Sword of the emperor.

With determination, Shining pointed the tip towards the mare, “I will tell you why I’m butting in those affairs. My sister still loves this country, as much as I do. I was born here, and I’ve grown up here. Equestria is still inside my very heart, and in the hearts of all my precious family. I will not permit that you stain the soil of my country with innocent blood!”

“Go away, or I shall have no mercy,” she answered blankly, and pointed her rapier in his direction.

“I will not.”

“Fine.”

With a strong start, the mare rocketed with a lunge in Shining’s direction, leaving a trail of dust behind. It was an otherworldly strength, making the mare slide through the ground as if she floated a few centimeters, something that Shining never saw before, not even in his days on the army.

She held the rapier firmly in her hoof, her arm flexed at the side, preparing the weapon to apply a decisive strike.

She is utilizing the Canterlot Master Style. Normally, an unicorn warrior would use his telekinesis spell to hold his weapon. However, we are trained here to use our forelegs to wield them; this way, the horn remains free to launch spells, while still having the weapon at our disposal. The question is, how somepony like her knows it? Only a few knights, and a few nobles are trained to fight using this art!

She pierced mercilessly, the force generated by her lunge producing an air wave around her. In that exactly instant, the emperor’s horn flared with a strong magenta light, and a sturdy, pink colored barrier came forth around him.

The tip of the rapier couldn’t bypass the shield, and the assault stopped. For seconds, the assassin remained in the air, right foreleg stretched numbly, paralyzed due to the stronger force halting her in place. Her hind hooves, on the ground, still emanated a weak dust.

Now!

Shining cried a battle shout, pouring all his strength into an attack. The crystalline blade raised in a crescent arc, and the barrier was cancelled just a second before the edge could cut the mare in half.

However, the opponent was all well aware and prepared for the counter hit. With amazing alacrity, she dodged it with a quick step for the opposite direction, utilizing amazing movements that seemed like ballet steps to the emperor.

“What the hay?” Shining complained, looking over the mare, as she finally landed after doing a somersault.

“Too fast for you, emperor?”

After mocking him with a sonore chuckle, the mare charged at him again, this time running with fast steps, instead of applying her deadly lunge.

Shining started to ask himself why she would try the same attack again, after seeing it wasn’t going to work. Nonetheless, he focused on the mare coming in his direction, and observed that she, for some reason, sheathed her rapier back.

What are you up to?

The emperor decided that it was his perfect opportunity to strike. She had no means of deflecting his blade, and she couldn’t change her trajectory.

With a heavy start, the stallion charged in the same direction, decided to clash against her.

When he reached enough distance, Shining came to a full stop, his hind legs pressing hard against the ground and producing a cloud of debris, and applied a strike, attacking in a horizontal fashion, in order to reduce her options of escape.

As impossible as it could sound, the mare rocketed to the sky, leaping in his direction and evading the blade. She soared above his head, and all he could do was to follow her with his gaze.

Shining saw the mare shuffling around her waist. His ears perked up, as he heard a strange metallic ‘cling’ sound.

Throwing knifes!

Shining immediately brought about his magenta colored shield, and leaped, spinning in order to make his belly face the opponent. In the next second, several silver daggers rained from her forehooves in his direction.

A loud crack sound echoed as the knifes begun to crash against his barrier. Shining Armor’s shield cracked and shattered in several spots.

In a desperate maneuver, the emperor deflected the knifes about to hit his vital spots with his blade with quick slashes, and he escaped unharmed by inches.

The maneuver costed Shining some concentration and momentum, and while his opponent landed safe on the ground, he plummeted to the stone floor like a potato sack, falling onto his back.

A moment with his guard lowered could mean his demise. As soon as he fell, Shining gathered his strength and rolled around, leaping back to all four. It was just in time to block with his sword an incoming lunge from his opponent…

The flat side of Chrysanthemum’s blade served as Shining’s last shield. He still asked the Goddesses protecting him how he was able to react in time before being stung by that rapier. Nonetheless, the swords clashed against each other, the tip of the rapier ravaging Shining’s sword, producing sparks.

“Amazing. Guess your luck is with you today, or maybe being married to a Goddess and being brother to another made you a really blessed stallion,” the assassin breathed, forcing her weapon and trying to make Shining falter.

“It doesn’t matter, does it?” He smiled, and shouting a battle cry again, he poured all his strength into his arm, in order to throw the opponent away. It worked as expected, for the mare was physically weaker than the trained emperor, and she was pushed back several meters far from Shining.

“Guess you’re right…” She replied and chuckled.

“Those daggers… How they possibly could have destroyed my shield?” He asked, distressed.

“Dagger of Origin,” she answered, drawing yet another knife from her waist after levitating her weapon with a telekinesis spell, “They are made of a rare crystal found at the Crystal Empire that is capable of cancelling magic. When they touch a magic construct such as a shield, they immediately cancel the very fabric from where the barrier gains its power, shattering it.”

She’s an unicorn!

The mare scattered several knives in front of her, and took her rapier back into her pastern. After concentrating for a few moments, her magic aura enveloped each knife, and she prepared her deadly lunge once again…

“You had your chance, emperor! You’re going down!”

Once again, the mare prepared her mortal lunge, now with several knives floating above her head, prepared to strike down in case he tried to raise his magic barrier or dodge. If he tried to defend them with his sword, then it was going to be just too late to escape from the deadly attack from her rapier.

I’ve got no other options. It’s now or never!

Shining plunged his sword into the ground. He closed his eyes, and started to concentrate a huge amount of magic power into his horn. The power surging from within him made some stones start to float around him…

Without a second warning, the mare lunged towards Shining Armor, in the same fashion she did with her first attack. This time, the daggers floated above her, following her trajectory like birds of prey, ready to strike down from the heavens.

Shining Armor opened his eyes. They had changed color, somehow. From sapphire-blue, they had become golden, and were shimmering with a strong, uncanny glow. Suddenly, he raised his body, balancing only on his hind legs. With a determined gesture, he pointed his sword forward and shouted with a thunderous voice, “Come forth! Rho Aias!”

At Shining’s command, a huge, circular shield surged in front of him. It looked like a disc, golden but translucent, and had a strange symbol at the middle, something akin to a seven-petaled flower. At the surface, magenta-colored electric sparks passed in a chaotic fashion, through all its extent.

In that moment, the assassin chuckled, Shining could just hear it. She threw her floating knives at the huge shield, and prepared further to strike, by retracting her arm and tensing her muscles.

The sound of the knives clattering against the magical surface filled the air. They were deflected, and thrown in all directions. Shining remained stoic in place, as the assassin, unable to stop her charge, hit the same shield with her rapier, which also made no effect against the mighty guard.

Like the first time her attack was defended, she remained motionless in place, arm stretched and hind legs pressing firmly at the stone floor. She seemed to be dumbstruck, somehow, still unable to believe that her Daggers of Origin failed in front of that strange shield.

“Allow me to present you to Rho Aias: The Strongest Shield. As you must know, my special talent is Protection. This includes shield spells of high levels, and during the time I served under the sun guard as Captain Shining ‘The Shield’ Armor, Holy Lady Celestia taught me this one spell. Rho Aias is considered to be the most powerful shield that an unicorn is capable of summoning!”

“But the Dagger of Origins-”

“You said that the crystal they are made of cancels magic, right?” Shining interrupted, preparing Chrysanthemum for a counter-attack, “This shield isn't a spell, it’s an invocation! It’s one of Celestia’s most precious possessions!”

With a simple wave of his free hoof, Shining Armor called the almighty Rho Aias off, his eyes returning to their usual sapphire coloration. He leaped at her direction, so suddenly, that the assassin didn’t had time to react.

Chrysanthemum swayed through the air, whistling like a bird, and came crashing down. The mare could do little besides blocking the attack with her own blade, and several sparks were produced due to the colliding powers and flew in all directions. Shining forced his strength upon the mare, making she cower.

“Surrender…” Shining hissed.

“No!” She shouted in a cracking voice.

Shining focused, looking straight at her goggles. He couldn’t saw the eyes behind them, but he knew they were there. With a quick inspection, the emperor could see her arm trembling, from either fear of his next action, or because she was about to lose that tie.

Before the mare could think about taking any countermeasure, Shining poured all his strength into the handle of his sword, and using sheer force, he applied a vicious strike with the weapons still glued to each other. His might assault destroyed his opponent’s guard, and send her staggering backwards, as even more sparks filled the air around them.

The emperor stared at the mare being thrown backwards, and raised his sword to the air, aiming it. Shining flung Chrysanthemum against her, spinning wildly like a chainsaw. She could easily be cut in half if she didn’t reacted, somehow…

Time seemed slow down, and the emperor followed the trajectory of her forearm. He managed to easily predict she was going to try and deflect the flying sword with her rapier. Shining’s horn flared, and in a flash of a few seconds, he disappeared, and teleported at the exact minute, before the assassin could change his blade’s trajectory.

He grabbed Chrysanthemum by its handle with perfection, while still in the air and immediately swung it in a horizontal arc. His target, with her guard completely opened, couldn’t react; the attack disarmed her, her weapon launched to the left with fury, and the extra force send her staggering backwards even further.

The emperor managed to firmly plant his three hooves on the ground, a cloud of debris covering his sides, while the assassin crashed into a wall, the creepy sound of her backbones and ribcage slamming against it echoed through the plaza

Breathless, the mare slid through it, falling upon her flanks, in defeat. She coughed, sickly…

Trying to get a hold of herself, the mare weakly rose her head to look towards Shining, and said with a pained voice, “I guess… you need to be… a strong warrior to rule a country.”

“I’m not strong to rule!” Shining shouted back, “I’m strong to protect what’s important to me. Now, tell me, who are you?”

She forced a laugh, which made she cough some more, “You will have to kill me!”

“Fool… Don’t you go thinking that I can’t do it!”

Once again, the vicinities were covered into a bright magenta glow. In the blink of an eye, Shining Armor teleported from his position and appeared right in front of his opponent.

“However, I will not… This sacred soil have been tainted enough by your actions alone.”

With difficulties, the mare at his hooves tried to once again mock the emperor with a laugh, which ended in more coughing and gasps for air, “What are you going to do, then?”

“This…” He answered, blankly. Quickly summoning his power, Shining enveloped the entire apparatus hiding the mare’s identity in his magic aura, and removed everything…

“This cannot be!”

Shining couldn’t believe in his own eyes. The mare who just assassinated an innocent and tried to kill him was… Fleur Dis Lee!

“Fleur!” He yelled, dumbstruck and walked a little backwards shaking his head in negation continuously, focusing his gaze on the white mare, muzzle covered in blood, right in front of him.

Fleur smiled with satisfaction, and a red glow shone at her eyes, they quickly returned to their normal light-purple color, though. The unicorn observed Shining’s morale and determination melt, as the realization that he had just injured a friend sunk in.

“What happened to you, Fleur?” Shining asked, pouting.

Before the unicorn could utter a single word, Shining’s ears perked up and moved towards the top of the avenue leading to the plaza. Fancy Pants voice echoed in a desperate attempt to catch his friend’s attention as quickly as possible, “Behind you Shining!”

Without a second thought, the emperor jumped around and evoked one of his strongest and sturdiest shields. He watched as a searing red sphere of flames, bearing a furious crimson color, smashed against his barrier and produced an explosion, blinding him with a curtain of smoke.

The smoke disabled him of doing much, besides hear that somepony, most likely an unicorn, teleported near him, then teleported away on the next second. He also could hear Fancy Pants trotting near, coming down from the top of the avenue.

As the smoke cleared and gave him some space to see, Shining basked into an unsettling vision. Atop one of the apartments, another black figure had brought Fleur to his back, where she had laid down to rest.

This one was clad in the same attire as Fleur was, however, a creepy, monstrous translucent cape of crimson red floated right behind his neck…

It was something so otherworldly that Shining’s breath was taken away…

The magic cloth was huge enough to blanket one of the buildings almost completely.

As mysterious as it appeared, the pony used a high-level teleportation spell, and vanished into a blinding red light.

Fancy Pants trotted near Shining, staring at the spot where the pony appeared, and helping his friend recover from the shock of almost being turned into cinders, he asked with trembling voice, “What’s happening here Shining?”

Shining licked his lips, cold sweat rolling from his forehead freely. He looked at the place where the pony was one last time, and turned to Fancy Pants, replying, “I don’t know Fancy… But I can assure you that something really sinister is happening in Equestria right now…”

Seven - The Key and The Cage

“What is this place?” Asked Trixie, looking around while entering the place.

“I don’t know for sure, but it’s awesome!” Twilight replied, squealing like a fangirl as she did the same.

Louis brought the pair to the far wing of the cathedral, a place only the caretakers are allowed to enter. It was a huge room, housing several wooden tables and chairs, scattered in-between the large columns sustaining the massive roof. All around the place, a huge number of old-looking shelves covered the walls. They were stuffed with scrolls and tattered books. There were no windows or any kind of opening nearby.

“This is a very special place. It’s a branch of the main Canterlot Library dedicated only to house books with more than a thousand of years of existence. The rarest tomes of your nation, from times when Equestria was still divided into the three smaller, racial countries, are all here, secluded from the rest of the world. Only a distinct few are admitted to see them." The gryphon turned around and explained.

Twilight’s eyes widened in pure awe, “I can’t believe it!” She yelled, excited, “There’s so much knowledge here! So much to learn!”

“I’m sorry to burst your bubble, Sparkle,” Trixie interrupted her happiness spurt, “but we can’t stay to read all those scrolls and old tomes. We are kinda in a hurry here.”

“Oh! You’re right…” Pouted the alicorn.

Louis giggled over Twilight’s behavior, “Let’s try to focus on our task of finding information about the alicorn race, my dear mistress.”

She sighed, “I guess we have no other choice.”

“Where do we start?” Trixie asked, looking over the infinite amount of shelves around them.

“That’s a good question…” Twilight answered, leading a hoof to her chin and rubbing it with a pensive frown.

The gryphon did the same, "Let’s split up and start with the subjects that are more obviously related."

The three scattered across the huge room, each one choosing a random shelf to search through. After a few moments of silence, Trixie yelled from the left side, “What? What’s this? Those books aren’t written in our language!”

Twilight shouted back from her side after opening a tattered tome, and noticing she could barely understand what was written on it, “Trixie’s right! What is this? It looks like ancient unicornian…"

Louis tried to explain, “I’ve told you girls that those tomes and scrolls are really old. I can translate a few, especially the ones written in foreign languages, but the those in unicornian and old dialects from the pony nations…”

“Don’t worry!” Twilight chirped, “I can translate it roughly.”

Trixie blushed, “I can… Help you guys with the lighting?”

Both Twilight and Louis giggled. The alicorn trotted near her companion and planted a kind hoof over her shoulder, “I guess you'd better leave this boring task with us, Trixie.”

The hours flew by, while Twilight and Louis searched through the scrolls and books for any kind of information regarding the mysterious living Gods. However, even with the invaluable help from the wise gryphon scholar, nothing worth of note came out from the shadows.

Trixie was observing a sand clock from over one of the table almost finishing to empty one of its sides, her expression as bored as her face was capable of being.

"You weren’t kidding when you said this was boring, Sparkle…”

From the table next to her, Twilight giggled, embarrassed by how long the research was taking, “I’m sorry, Trixie.”

“That’s alright. I think I prefer this than being chased by the army.” Concluded the mare

“Me too. How much time has passed since we got here?” The alicorn asked, looking towards Louis, his eyes still glued to an old, yellow scroll.

He stopped to turn his attention to Twilight, “I’m not sure… How many times did you flip the sand clock, Miss Lulamoon?”

"Three times."

He nodded, “Three hours then. That’s a lot of time, although I guess you and Spike are used to spending even more time than this, right my dear mistress?"

Twilight smiled widely. "Indeed! I’m glad you were an owl with nocturnal habits, Louis. I would feel so bad right now for keeping you up until so late.”

He giggled, tidying his glasses with a claw, “It took me quite the training, in fact.”

Twilight sighed with exasperation, “It’s a little disappointing to search for such a long time and not find anything, though… It’s even more irritating to not be able to fully understand what some scrolls are saying. I guess I found only works of fiction and minor, outdated, scientific research."

“I had no luck either, I’m afraid. Nothing but several schemes about medical procedures and a few books on anatomy…” The gryphon complained, leading a claw to his face, and rubbing one eye.

“We have to agree that those things have immense historical value. Many of those works could have been the base for any modern knowledge we have at the present era. Still, they are useless for us right now.” Twilight concluded, closing the tome in front of her, and pouting.

Trixie retained her uninterested gaze over the two for the entirety of the complaint between the learned alicorn and gryphon. “I’m just amazed by how you two are able to bear this horrible stench of burnt wax!"

The alicorn and gryphon immediately shifted their sight to the unsettling quantity of candles that were spread across the room.

“I guess we're both used to it. I’ve lost count of how many nights we stayed up until late reading and studying with some candles lit to provide a smidgen of light..." Twilight answered before her gryphon friend.

“It’s a shame that this place doesn’t have any windows, Miss Lulamoon. Perhaps you would rather rest somewhere else while we keep going with the research?” Asked Louis.

“Suit yourself, gryphon. I don’t trust spies, let alone the clawed, half lion types. Twilight isn’t safe, and I will make sure that you’re not going to backstab us.”

“Trixie!” Twilight's expression contorted into a severely mad frown, “Don’t treat Louis like this! He’s a valuable friend!”

“Friends doesn’t spy on friends! They don’t hide secrets, let alone identities from each other. This feathered snake could have fooled you for two whole years, and yet you're all happy-go-lucky now that he's unmasked himself and you actually should be cautious!" Yelled Trixie, with an even more enraged expression.

“What do you know about friendship, Trixie?” Twilight yelled, irritated, “Do you even have any friends?”

“That’s none of your business, Sparkle! I’m trying to protect that purple neck of yours, but if you’re going to simply put it on the axe’s way, then count me out!”

Immediately, before Twilight could rebuke the last sentence coming from her companion, Louis coughed loudly, calling attention from both of them.

"Miss Lulamoon, you may be correct in asserting that my dear mistress should be more cautious around even her old friends from now on. This world wants her dead and they know her weakness. Thank you for protecting her like this..."

“Louis…” Breathed Twilight.

The gryphon raised an eyebrow, his face becoming serious and his gaze locked at Trixie, "“However, she’s still a dear pony to me. I would never do anything to harm her, even if that meant to resign my position as a retainer of my lord.”

Trixie exchanged some not so friendly glances with him for a few seconds before quickly turning her head away.

“You actually scare me, gryphon. Especially because you’re good with words…”

She hopped out of her chair, and trotted towards the entrance. Worried, Twilight asked, “Where are you going?”

"I'm going out to breathe some fresh air before all this burnt wax makes me insane!"

Twilight sighed, observing her companion trotting through a corridor that was formed by several columns in the middle of the room.

“Why is she so ill-tempered?” Whispered Twilight, hanging her head low.

Louis walked near the alicorn, and kindly covered her withers with a a wing, shooting a conforting smile towards her, “Because she cares for you, and fears losing you as a friend."

“I guess she’s behaving like an overprotective older sister, right?”

“Exactly. Respect her wishes, my dear mistress as those feelings of admiration and love she has for you are genuine.”

“Hey! You two!” Trixie's yell cut through their tender moment like a razor.

She seemed to have stopped midway before trotting completely to the exit. Twilight and Louis followed her to the spot where she had stopped.

“What’s the matter, Trixie?” Asked the alicorn, her tone emitting a sense of worry.

“Louis, you’re translating the foreign tomes, right?” Trixie had her gaze locked at the top of a column, for some reason.

“Yes,” Louis replied, trying to figure out what the mare eyed with so much attention.

In no time, Twilight quickly found a small symbol, something similar to a tiny lightning bolt engraved on the column Trixie was fixated in.

“What’s that symbol?” Asked Twilight, she too regarding the strange marking.

Ignoring Twilight’s question, Trixie turned to Louis. "Have you found anything written in Old Draconian?”

The question prompted the gryphon to put a claw against his chin and rub it, accessing his memory bank, “No. I’m pretty sure that there was nothing in Old Draconian whatsoever…”

“What’s so strange about that lightning bolt symbol, Trixie?” The alicorn inquired, restless to sate her curiosity.

“It’s no lighting bolt. You do know that my runes are of Draconian nature, don't you?" Replied Trixie.

Twilight nodded. “Yes, I’m aware.”

“Runes?” Louis asked, also curious about the situation.

“Trixie is a very skilled Rune Caster, Louis. In fact, she’s the first unicorn in history to truly dominate the ‘perfect rune casting’; a theory from one of Starswirl’s books.” Answered Twilight, proud of her friend.

The unicorn smirked and replied, "I will take your eargerness to tell him about my art as a compliment, Sparkle."

Twilight blushed and lowered her head in order to hide her flushed cheeks, "I'm sorry, Trixie."

Returning to the subject, Trixie moved her gaze back to the rune sculpted on the column, "That symbol is a rune. Sigel, the rune of the sun."

Louis locked his view towards the place where the two mares were looking at, "I see. But that's strange... Why`s there a rune here?”

“I’m not sure. Runes were spoken by the dragons of old, from time immemorial. It was their language; however, at some point in history they stopped speaking and writing in this language, exchanging it for ours. Nopony knows why this happened." replied Trixie, with a monotone and worried voice.

“Well, we are at a three-thousand-years-old temple...” Twilight interrupted, scrutinizing the symbol further with absolute attention. “Did the dragons still spoke that language at the time?”

“Probably not. The dragons abandoned the runic alphabet before even this temple was constructed.” Concluded Trixie.

Louis seemed to be as mesmerized as Twilight by that curious design. “This is completely out of place. There’s no other marking similar to that one on any structure here, inside or outside. By the looks of it, it’s not made recently. Rather, it was here all along, from the time of its construction..."

"Trixie, you said it meant sun?" Asked Twilight, edging closer to look.

“Yeah, it reads Sigel, and it means sun. It’s used to conjure strong flames and heat based spells.”

Twilight pondered in silence for a few seconds, trying to process the situation. Did that strange rune had anything to do with her quest?

The books weren’t the answer, but an attraction such as the Nameless Cathedral couldn’t be hiding secrets from its visitors for three thousand years, could it?

How many explorers and adventurers would have found that rune right there, and tried to play with it, hoping for a magic secret passage to appear out of nowhere and show them all the answers for the many mysteries it housed?

Still…

“Maybe it's tied to Princess Celestia?” Asked Trixie to Louis, “The sun is her biggest symbol.”

“It would be even more strange. This place has not displayed any kind of religious motif so far. It was constructed before any legends about the Two Sisters even existed." Affirmed Louis.

“Don’t you guys think its funny that there's a sun rune in a place where no sunlight ever entered?” Asked Twilight, out of the blue, calling both her friend's attention.

The gryphon and the mare exchanged glances.

“You’re right…” Replied Trixie, rubbing her chin with a fore hoof.

Louis nodded in accordance, "“That’s a little strange, yes. The original design of those inner chambers was never modified for three thousand years, so it’s true that this sun rune never received sunlight, at least if it was carved after the temple was constructed."

An unconfortable silence suddenly befell the room...

“Are we really going to just let it sit here, as if we didn’t see it?” Twilight pressed further, trying to spark any idea from the gryphon or from her unicorn companion.

“The problem is that we don’t have any idea of what this rune is." Explained Louis, with a disapointed expression.

Twilight was dead set on obtaining an answer. She turned to Trixie, and begun rambling, “I’m not a specialist, but if I recall correctly, runes are symbols made for invocation. They’re kinda like a circuit, that directs your magic towards the spell, but in order for the spell to work, you need to make some sort of power run through it, normally, which is normally your inner magic."

“She’s right." Replied Trixie, also turning her attention to the gryphon, “That’s how runes work in a nutshell. It’s not so simple though, as you need to make the right type of magic run through it, and that’s what makes rune casting so impractical for most spellcasters. It requires a lot of effort to learn the different types of raw magic power that you can create using your neutral inner magic.”

Louis smiled, gazing over the rune again. “If this rune is an incomplete spell, sitting here for three thousand years waiting for someone to cast the right type of energy to activate it, then it is prone to be hiding something truly valuable."

“I think it wouldn’t hurt to try.” Trixie did the same.

“Okay!” Twilight chirped, excited, “What kind of energy do you think it can spark that rune, Trixie?”

“Heat. Sigel symbols are prone to react to high temperatures.” Replied Trixie.

Twilight blinked in rapid succession, wondering how she could do it, “Can you cast some fire, Trixie?”

“Don’t be silly! You can’t active a rune using another rune. They are closed circuits, made intentionally to not react to other runes, or it could cause serious side effects to the caster, like uncontrollable chain reactions.” Trixie retorted, displeased.

"How much heat do you need for its activation, Miss Lulamoon?" Questioned Louis.

"Unless we burn this whole place down, I don't think we can emulate the internal stimuli a rune caster needs in order to start a Sigel spell." Trixie's face turned gloomy.

Both the alicorn and the gryphon grew silent, deep in thought...

“Can’t you two think about something outside? I don’t know if I will be able to endure this smell of burnt wax much more…” Complained Trixie, once again blocking her nose with one hoof.

“It’s still night outside, miss Lulamoon, patrols must be up. It is dangerous for your two to remain on the streets,” Replied Louis.

“I can’t believe I will have to wait until the sunrise!” Trixie complained further.

Upon hearing the word, Twilight felt as if her brain was just struck with a lightning bolt.

“The sun! That’s it!” Twilight yelled, scaring the other two with the sudden outburst.

“What?” Trixie asked, looking with a confused gaze over her companion.

“Focused sun beams are capable to produce high amounts of heat, aren’t they Louis?” Asked Twilight, grimacing.

“Indeed they can. However, as we already stated before, this room does not possess any kind of opening for the sunlight to enter. Besides, it’s still late at night.”

“Then, what if we produce an artificial sun beam, using normal magic?” Replied Twilight, her smile going even wider.

The gryphon raised an eyebrow, trying to comprehend, “An artificial sun beam? Well… I think it could work, but how are you planning to do it?”

“The gryphon is right, Sparkle. If you’re planning to use a spell to create the sunlight, may I remind you that you don’t know how to cast any spell besides telekinesis?” Trixie interrupted, also raising an eyebrow.

“I knew one before turning into an alicorn…” Twilight pouted, stopping her explanation for a minute, “It’s not that hard.”

“It’s still hopeless if you can’t cast it.” Trixie spurted.

Twilight nodded towards her, and smiled again, “That’s why you are going to cast it!"

Trixie’s eyes widened in surprise, “Are you nuts? Those spells take at least a month to learn! We don’t have time!”

“I know, silly. May I remind you about basic unicorn knowledge? You know… How an unicorn can help other to perform a spell that he or she does not know…” Twilight’s cheeks became flustered, as she remembered about a technique that almost no unicorn ever used due to… Awkward reasons.

The same happened with the unicorn. She immediately threw her gaze away, as her face tinged in red from the embarrassment. “Are you out of your mind?” She shouted, expression even more shocked, “You’re not an unicorn anymore! Maybe it will not work!”

“We can’t be sure unless we try,” Twilight replied, her lips moving erratically, and her face growing more and more red, “I was a unicorn before, and in theory, it doesn’t work with pegasi and earth-ponies only because they doesn’t have horns. I have one, as you can see.”

Louis watched the debacle proceed in silence until now, “May I ask what are you two talking about? I’m not a pony, as you may remember…”

Twilight giggled awkwardly. “I think it’s best for you to see, Louis.”

“One word about this, Sparkle, and I swear in the name of my ancestors that I will obliterate you!”

“Don’t you go thinking that I’m not feeling really strange right now, Trixie!”

"I guess I understand the whole ‘awkward reason’ for not using this, but I don’t get what purpose it has…” commented Louis.

Trixie and Twilight stood in front of each other. Their heads were close enough for their horns to touch each other in a ‘x’ shaped fashion. Their muzzles were about to collide…

“Well…” Twilight begun, her vision glued to Trixie’s purple eyes trying to desperately look away, “Horns are magnificent things you see. They are really sensitive to magic, and they are able to sense and share magic energy and even thoughts, when they intersect like this…”

“However...” Trixie continued, “We don’t normally go intersecting horns with other unicorns because… Only lovers or close family members do it… It’s a really particular thing, something you may want to share only with a pony you completely trust.”

“I will transfer my knowledge about the spell to Trixie’s horn, and she will act as a medium between me and her magic. This way, she will be able to cast it without having to learn the spell.” Concluded Twilight.

“I understand. You ponies have some really interesting abilities.” Louis replied, trying his best to avoid any unfortunate comment that could spawn from that situation.

“Alright, here we go!” Twilight breathed, closing her eyes and focusing her magic at her horn. Trixie did the same.

Purple sparks started to jump out of the alicorn’s longer and pointier horn. Twilight grumbled, as if struggling to keep focused. Trixie’s horn was enveloped in a perfect calm azure magic field.

Calm down, the connection is okay, but with all this doubt inside your heart, you will only make this take forever and be really uncomfortable for yourself

Twilight heard Trixie’s voice booming inside her head and got a little startled.

Trixie?

Of course! Who else could it be?

I can hear you inside my mind!

Our horns are intersected and we are exchanging magic energy right now; it’s only natural that I can hear your thoughts and you can hear mine. You never intersected horns before? Not even with your parents or your brother? If I remember correctly, you come from a family of unicorns, right?

Not really... We never felt the need to do so. Not even for experimentation.

Sheesh! I'm feeling really awkward to be the first one to enter your mind. C'mon, send me the spell and let's get this over with.

Twilight gulped. She never felt so embarrassed before in her whole life. She tried to focus even harder, forcing her magic the old way; however, her efforts were completely in vain, as the sparks produced by her horn only jolted out with more fury.

It’s hard! My magic isn’t obeying me!

That’s *really** great! I will help you, but you need to clear your doubts… How old are you?*

Why do you want to know?

Are you actually embarrased to tell me your age? Don't be silly, Sparkle. Just go ahead and tell me!

I’m sixteen…

Twilight hadn't wanted to reveal her age. She was always respected for her vast knowledge over many different subjects, like a renowed scholar. However, who would respect a wise pony that wasn't even legal yet?

You're young. Impressively young for someone with your power, I'm nineteen, and I still think I lost too much time with research. So, being so young and cute, did you ever kiss somepony before?

Why is that even relevant?

Believe me, it is. Tell me, was there a lucky stallion or mare to taste Celestia's personal student's lips?

Twilight remained in mental silence for a few moments, taken aback by Trixie's obnoxious question. Having a lot of friends was easy for her after the first years in Ponyville with the rest of gang, but she still lacked a lot of experiences on the field of romance. Social interactions were hard for her before, and even after opening a lot due to her friendship studies, romance was still... Hard.

There is... It was just once, back when I was still living in Canterlot, a few months before coming to Ponyville to start my friendship studies. I was attending a formal prom to celebrate our graduation from The School For Gifted Unicorns, and there was this knight called Cloud Skipper. He offered to be my pair during the waltz, since the stallions were too afraid of my status as Princess Celestia's protegé to come and ask me. We danced and chatted a lot that night, and then when a few mares from my class started to make fun of me because I had never kissed before, I stole a kiss from him. He was a true gentlecolt to not back away, not get mad at me for doing such a stupid thing, he just tagged along and I swear I could see stars, Trixie. However, when we broke, he said that although he loved each second, he was already engaged in a relationship with other mare, one he truly loved, and that he couldn't betray her feelings.

Twilight opened her eyes for a brief second, and found something truly interesting happening. The chaotic pink glow coming from her horn was gone, along with the erractic sparks, and a soothing azure aura had taken ahold of her horn.

There, there. The magic connection is perfect now.

How did you do it?

Because you opened up with me. That’s why I was asking those obnoxious questions. We tend to get calmer once we open up with somepony else things we like to hide from others. It’s like sharing a burden, the weight lifts a little, and our doubts clear.

It was very clever, Trixie. Even though I feel like thrusting my head in a vase of dirt to escape the embarrassment.

Thank you. Now, let’s focus on our task, try to concentrate on the spell again.

Twilight did as Trixie suggested, and focused her magic to create the desired spell. Although she would fail, for not knowing exactly which kind of feeling would enable her to produce an artificial sun beam, her strong wish to make it happen traveled from her horn, and entered Trixie’s horn.

The point where both horns intersected started to glow with a strong orange light. In seconds, it was so bright that Louis had to look away to not hurt his eyes.

From that light, a strong golden beam erupted, going straight to the rune atop the column, igniting the sigil immediately. The black symbol became bright red, as if it was set on fire.

“You did it girls!” Louis shouted, cheering.

Twilight deactivated the spell, however she didn’t back away. She stared inside of Trixie’s eyes, and whispered, “I hope you don’t laugh at me for being so silly, young and inexperienced…”

With the same murmuring voice, her companion replied, "Friends wouldn't."

Slowly, they separated their horns, backing away from each other, cheeks still burning with embarrassment. They both looked towards the rune, lit in a red coloration.

They watched in awe as the rune begun to react further. From its shape, several golden-reddish straight lines started to quickly spread through the column. They seemed like trails from a circuit board. Whenever they made curves, instead of actually ‘curving’, they followed straight lines, and the shapes they made formed polygons.

Those lines begun to travel through the ceiling and the floor, following towards the same direction, aiming to converge on a single place.

“What are those lines?” Trixie asked, trying to follow their path with her eyes.

“I don’t know!” Twilight shouted, answering, “However, I guess we are about to discover!”

The lines finally reached their goal. They converged at the entrance door, and produced a powerful, blinding white light. It was so strong that everyone inside the room had to turn their heads away from the blast, and protect their eyes.

That glow slowly dissipated, and they were able to gaze over the entrance once again.

The door had become kinda creepy, in fact… It somehow mutated, changing shape, color and material...

A pair of doors resembling large stone tablets engraved with a mural, showing strange symbols shaped like some kind of tree, with numerous tendrils and branches. A few engravings resembling spheres appeared atop it, at the place where its branches stretched to the sides, displaying strange, incomprehensible letters of a foreign nature, forming unknown words. The same bizarre lettering was present at the base, where its roots were supposed to be, forming even more indiscernible words…

“What is that?” Trixie asked, swallowing a huge ball of saliva and air.

“I’m not sure…” Louis replied, panting.

Onwards… Onwards…

Twilight's head got stung, as if hit by an insect's prick. She closed her eyes for a second, and shook her head, ignoring the foreboding sensation tackling at her chest.

“What is it, guys?” Twilight asked, looking towards her two friends.

“What do you mean, Twilight?” Trixie turned to her, asking with a puzzled expression.

Open the door… Open the door…

Again. This time, the sting nailed her with greater intensity, and she could hear a voice.

“I can just swear I’m hearing you calling me, Trixie… Like you did when our horns were intersected.”

Louis and Trixie exchanged questioning gazes. The gryphon tidied the glasses above his beak, and said, “Miss Lulamoon didn’t said a word, my dear Mistress. I also assume that she’s unable to mentally communicate with you, if your horns aren’t linked.”

Twilight felt a little dizzy, “I supposed we need to enter, right?”

“That’s the entrance door!” Trixie shouted, skeptical.

“I’m not sure, Miss Lulamoon. It doesn’t look like the entrance door anymore. Plus, the fact that this whole place does not possess any kind of opening besides that very door in front of us, makes me wonder if we are still inside the same room.” Louis explained, taking a glance around and provoking an irking feeling with his deduction.

Trixie broke into a cold sweat, “This is becoming rather creepy really fast…”

Onwards, Twilight!

Twilight grumbled, as if her chest was stung by a sharp pain. She retreated a little, and led a hoof closer to her heart.

Worried, Trixie and Louis came closer. The unicorn asked, placing a comforting hoof over her shoulder, “What’s up, Sparkle? Are you sure you’re feeling well?”

She nodded. “We need to get going. This is the closer to the truth I ever felt!” The alicorn replied with determination, and walked near the door.

They both followed, and stood on place, waiting for Twilight to open it. By this point, the alicorn’s heartbeats had become accelerated and she was already strugging to breathe. She felt her mouth drying, and her throat knotting, but the urge to open that door surpassed everything else. Was the truth she sought just beyond that point?

Extending her hoof, Twilight pushed the door…

The Gates of Sheol awaits...

A sudden, sharp pain nailed her head, entering through her horn and invading her brain at an insurmountable speed. All her sense of self was instantly destroyed, reduced to pieces.

Soon, space, time and everything would follow along. Twilight felt, for the very first time, what she could only describe as ‘losing consciousness while still being cognizant’.

It didn’t take more than a few nanoseconds, and yet she could easily perceive that something had happened around and within her. In the blink of an eye, Twilight felt her body moving, and yet staying at the same place. It wasn’t anything like teleportation. It was much more ‘alien’.

When she finally got a hold of her vision, of her sense of self, she was standing inside of a completely blank room, 'filled' with nothing more than an empty, white and limitless space…

She looked below her, asking herself how could she still be standing on her hooves, for there was no floor to stand on.

She glanced around, looking for an object to focus her vision at; however, there was absolutely nothing. That sensation of boundless space, made her feel nauseous and she was slowly sinking into despair…

She closed her eyes and tried to breathe; focusing in her own heartbeats. It was so quiet around her, that the rhythm coming from her chest reverberated through her body like a mad stampede.

Where am I? Where am I?, She asked herself, eyes still closed.

Where are my friends? What is this place?

“Irregular. Condition unknown. Threat level minimum. Self-destruction chances are of seventy-three percent.”

Twilight opened her eyes in a rush. Something around her had changed.

The same door she saw previously at the library, except much bigger and imposing, floated a slightly above an unexisting ground, where her hooves were supposedly standing on, a few meters in front of her. Her eyes immediately glued to the surface of the black gates, where that same designs appeared.

“What is this?”

“The cage.” a familiar voice replied, accompanied by the sound of walking hooves clasping against the floor.

And then, from behind the structure, Twilight saw what she thought to be impossible: She saw Twilight walking towards the front part of the door before sitting.

The old Twilight Sparkle.

The body which the alicorn wanted so much to have back. A simple, plain, lavender unicorn. She smiled to the alicorn, and nodded her head, hinting to a reverence.

“What kind of debauchery is this…?” Twilight replied, monotone. Her reaction could be anything, from puking her last meal, to jumping backwards, to screaming as loud as her lungs allowed her to. However, none of those things happened. Apathy and awe were the only things that her mind allowed her to throw at the image right in front of her.

"Are you here to open the door, Twilight?” The unicorn asked, with a clean face.

She immediately broke into a cold sweat. Twilight passed her tongue against her lips, looking at the other Twilight that sat right in front of her, and searching for a single flaw on her appearance. Anything that could tell that imposter apart from her old body. She found nothing though, for the travesty in front of her mimicked even her voice with irritating perfection.

“What are you?” The alicorn asked, confused and freaked.

“I’m Twilight Sparkle! Princess Celestia‘s personal student! I was tasked by her majesty to come to the town of Ponyville to study the magic of friendship!”

The way she answered, like a pre-programed doll, made Twilight almost vomit.

“No… I’m Twilight Sparkle!” Twilight shouted in anger.

The other Twilight pouted, “I thought I wasn’t an alicorn…”

"I'm not an alicorn!" She yelled, her rage proceeded with more fury.

"Then, who's Twilight Sparkle?" The fake replied, smiling a mocking grin.

Her reaction destroyed any kind of reaction from the alicorn. Twilight simple stood still, motionless, too confused and scared to take any further action.

Two rivers of tears rained down from her eyes, darkening the lavender fur of her face. The way her purple irises gleamed after being flooded by the tears made her eyes looks like they were trembling.

The alicorn finally mustered some willpower to reply, “Please… Tell me who are you. Tell me the truth!”

“The truth?” The fake asked and paused, a smile returning to her face, “The truth is clear, Twilight. I’m the Alpha and the Omega, I am the first and the last, I am the sun and the moon and the twilight between. I’m all things and one, and also, I am you." She concluded by pointing a hoof towards Twilight

“Are you… God?” She asked, struggling to dry her tears

For the very first time, Twilight witnessed the mysterious entity laughing. It was a long and scandalous gloat, as if the simple question she asked sounded more than an absurd joke.

“Of course! Just like you are, too."

The alicorn backed away, pouting, “I’m not God…”

The other Twilight opened a huge, mocking grin, “You are, and there’s no denying to that. You’re still far from perceiving this, but for somepony else, you’re their only hope. So, how’s it going to be? Are you here to open the door, or not?”

Twilight quickly rose her head and her gaze fell upon the monolithic structure right behind the fake Twilight, “What’s inside?”

"The answers you came looking for. And even more answers, to questions you didn't even questioned yet."

Twilight gulped, gaze fixated on the black stone door. Was the fake telling her the truth?

Observing how Twilight cowered, the fake looked inside her eyes and asked, “Are you going to open it, or not?”

Answers were everything the alicorn wished for. From the very first time she was brutally transformed into something she wasn't supposed to be, separed from her precious friends and persecuted for a crime she hadn't commited, all Twilight wanted to know was why it have to happen like that...

With those raging feelings spiraling inside her head, she felt compelled to do so. Her whole body seemed to move against her will, and she walked towards the strange door.

However…

"Don’t open it!"

Twilight froze. Her ears moved, alerted, and turned backwards, hearing a familiar voice echoing through the empty void.

Almost immediately, she turned her whole body around, and heard the same voice again, shouting at her.

"Don’t open it, Twilight! Or else you’re going to lose yourself beyond repair!"

“Cadence?” She asked, finally identifying the owner of that familiar voice. She tried to find an image of her dear sister-in-law nearby, but she found nothing.

Her memory suddenly clicked, reminding herself about the small handbook Cadence had handed down to her, when she left the Crystal Empire.

“She’s right!” Twilight shouted, scared, and turned around once again to eye the fake and the monolith, “I will not open it!”

The unicorn gazed back at her, “Fine.”

Twilight blinked in rapid succession, asking herself if that was going to be so easy.

“That’s fine. On this world, there’s no such a thing as an unique path. Everything crosses and intersects. Past, present and future, lies and truth, everything is just a matter of how much are you willingly to offer." Explained the fake, looking at Twilight with a bland expression.

“What do you mean?” She asked, bewildered.

“It’s simple. You can go on and open the door, and sate your urges right now, paying a certain price that maybe you aren’t ready to pay, or you can turn around and keep searching through this thorny road ahead of you, paying a lesser price. It’s all up to you, Twilight."

The alicorn stood still for a few seconds, processing what she had just heard. She eyed the fake, feeling a certain nostalgia for her old, natural body. She craved to be ‘Twilight Sparkle’ again, and let this fraud called Twilight Princess to be gone. However, Cadence’s words echoing through that strange place only made more sense, as she dived into the question: How much was she willingly to pay?

Was she ready to ‘lose herself beyond repair’ in order to know the truth?

With a sigh, the alicorn immediately turned around, closing her eyes and trotting away. She could still feel the fake eyeing her in a confused gaze.

“Does that mean you’re going to take the most difficult path?” She asked, with clear malice in her voice.

Suddenly, something fell from above right in front of the fake. That Twilight looked down, to find a very familiar stetson hat laid on the invisible floor, right in front of her.

“This pony, through her stubborn and honesty ways taught me a very important lesson. She taught me that in this life, nothing comes without hard work. If opening that door is the easiest way, then by no means is it the correct one. If I am to conquer the truth, then I will conquer it by my strength, together with the strength of my friends!” Twilight shouted, as the presence of the fake was getting more and more distant.

For a brief second, Twilight felt somepony placing the stetson on her head…

“Good job, sugarcube. Ya did an awesome job out there!”

Twilight’s heart skipped a beat. That voice, could that be...?

“Applejack!” Twilight yelled and looked around.

“Are you alright, Sparkle?” Trixie’s bored voice called.

Twilight inspected her surroundings with closer attention, to find she was back at the entrance door of the library, seconds prior to being transported to the white room. She had, indeed, opened the ominous door, and in front of her, a spiral staircase leading to an unknown location appeared behind it. That staircase was long, and it was impossible to see its bottom…

“Trixie,” she called, fearfully, “How much time have passed since I opened this door?”

Trixie looked towards her with a confused expression, “A few seconds?”

“What happened to me?” Twilight asked further.

“You opened the door, trotted inside a few steps and stood still waiting for me and Louis. It’s not like there was time to anything else happen.”

The alicorn gulped. Whichever power had manifested within her it had bent the time as if it was a sheet of paper.

“Right?” She squealed frightfully, her voice cracking and sounding unsure, “Better find a way to go down those stairs fast.”

Trixie shot at her one for her most cold and suspicious glares, “I agree…?”

Louis quickly interrupted them, “I can fly through the pit and reach the bottom."

“I will go first, then. You can come back later and take Trixie.” Twilight affirmed vehemently.

“Is that fine with you, Miss Lulamoon?” Louis turned to Trixie, and asked.

"Even though I still do not trust you, gryphon, alright, just take care down there.” She replied.

Louis turned to Twilight this time, and lowered his body, in order for the alicorn to hop on his back. She then did as much, hugging her friend’s neck with both forelegs.

“Hold on tight!” He warned, spreading his big wings to the sides, and taking flight.

“I hope I’m not too heavy for you!” Twilight said, and gulped, tightening her hug around her friend’s neck.

Louis giggled, “Are you afraid of heights?”

Twilight’s heart was beating faster. She fearfully eyed the ground getting more and more distant, “Maybe…”

“You used to fly on your balloon!” Louis replied, preparing to dive towards the seemingly bottomless pit.

“My balloon was big, slow, and I had total control over it…”

The front part of the gryphon’s body started to point towards the pit, lowering, Twilight could feel her belly twisting.

“Let’s go!” shouted Louis, and with an impulse, he dove towards the darkness.

Too afraid to continue, Twilight decided to close her eyes. She was scared about flying, even while having complete trust in her friend’s flying skill.

Without her vision, all she could do was to hear the ruffling sound of Louis’s wings, controlling their trajectory and speed, and feel the produced wind born from the displaced air due to their rapid downfall passing through her fur.

“I can feel you trembling…” Louis whispered.

“I’m sorry!” Twilight replied, fearfully.

“Keep your eyes closed and your forelegs tight. Don’t worry about the rest, I will take care of it.”

His words were reassuring. Even so, she decided to do as he said, and kept her eyes closed, just in case.

“Are you seeing anything?” Twilight asked, curious about their surroundings.

“Nothing. It’s really dark, I’m navigating using my instincts alone. I’m seeing a small light at the bottom, though. It’s probably a torch.”

Twilight gulped, imagining whatever awaited them beyond that darkness could change her world forever.

And in a few seconds, she felt Louis reducing his speed.

“We are almost there. There’s a torch here, like I’ve told you, Mistress. Could you please open your eyes?” Louis asked.

Slowly, Twilight dared a peek with one of her eyes. She saw a small circle of blue light, illuminating the floor right below her, coming from a small lantern attached to it. Louis was soaring a few meters from ground level, and just as he said, everything except the area covered by the magical torch was pitch-black.

“Can you land Louis?” Twilight asked, with a low voice.

The gryphon did as asked, and landed inside the circular blue field produced by the lantern, strangely placed on the ground instead of at one of the walls. Louis lowered his body, and Twilight got off, trotting towards the lantern as fast as she could.

The alicorn fiddled with the apparatus. Without much problems, she discovered that the lantern could be detached from the ground. She took the object with her mouth by a golden chain dangling from its top, and turned to Louis, speaking with a mouthful, “Can you get Trixie? I will try to find a way and wait for you two here.”

He nodded, “Alright. But don’t go too far. This place can be dangerous and I don’t want to leave you alone.”

Twilight watched as he flew away, and then turned around. She sighed, fearing the seemingly endless darkness around her. She carefully walked in a straight line, looking for a wall and praying for this gallery to not be too big.

Soon, the light from her torch would reveal a black wall. She reached for it with a hoof, and begun to scrutinize the structure, “This seems like obsidian. Which is strange, because this type of rock is often used to isolate magic emanations. I can still feel that presence on the air around here. I'm still inside the cathedral, probably inside a basement of sorts. However, with all this obsidian, the magic should be severely dampened. Whatever is producing it must be something really strong..."

Soon, the alicorn heard the sound of wings coming nearby. Louis had reached the bottom again, bringing Trixie on his back this time. He landed and helped the unicorn get off his back.

“Do you have any idea where the hay are we?” Trixie rushed to her side and asked, worried about the eerie place around them.

I was just giving some thought about it. I guess we are in a basement of sorts, deep beneath ground level. This place was built to house something, or better yet, to seal something…” Twilight replied, dividing her attention between Trixie and the wall.

“Why do you think that, my dear Mistress?” Louis approached, asking.

“You see, all this place is made of obsidian. I believe you two know for what purpose this rock is used in a building. Those who built this underground chamber with so much obsidian were clearly trying to secure something inside, or trying to prevent anything from outside to enter…”

Trixie gulped loudly, “Are we really supposed to try to and open it?”

“I’m not turning back now, Trixie. Louis is still there; if you want to go back and let me handle things here, he can take you up to the surface and away from the possible danger.”

The unicorn stared at Twilight for a few moments, and suddenly shook her head in negation, “No way! I’m not letting you play the strong type on me! I know you are as scared as I am!”

Twilight giggled, “Yeah, I am really scared, maybe even more than you.”

"What's up with the smiling face then?" Asked Trixie, shooting a questoning glare over the alicorn.

"The truth I've been seeking for so long can be right here, behind a door, Trixie. For some reason, knowing that is giving me strength to face my fear and keep going."

Trixie stood still, perplexed, observing as Twilight resumed her search. She didn’t had a single snit comment inside her famous repertoire to retort that statement. Louis came closer, and patted her shoulder with a claw, smiling at the unicorn tenderly.

Soon, Twilight found something, “There’s a door here…”

Twilight placed her lantern on the ground, and activated her telekinesis, grabbing the only source of light within her magical grasp, and then lifting it high in order to illuminate the whole structure.

In front of the three friends, appeared what seemed to be some kind of trap door. There was no knob, hinges or places to where it could slide open, just a big chunk of obsidian stone slightly protruding from the wall, and small gaps indicating there could be another chamber behind it.

“How are we supposed to open it?” Louis asked, tidying his glasses over his beak.

“Those symbols…” Twilight breathed, observing small inscriptions carved at the base of the door. Wich they were strangely reacting to the blue light from the lantern, by glowing.

“More runes.” Trixie said and took a few steps forwards.

The unicorn lowered the front part of her body to better analyze the small runes there, “That’s unusual…”

“What’s the matter, Trixie?” Asked Twilight, worried.

“There’s a few runes that aren’t part of the official draco-archaic alphabet. The way they are displayed here seems like an incomplete magic circuit, probably a system to open this trap door. Aside from those runes I can’t recognize, used as a master word to the whole circuit.”

“And what does it mean?” Twilight inquired.

“It’s a ragnarök rune. It means ‘twilight’. Funny, isn’t it?” Trixie looked towards the alicorn.

A tense silence befell the room, the three exchanging unsure glances towards each other.

“Do you think that this whole place was built with the intention of waiting for Twilight to come here?” Louis asked with a serious voice.

“If that’s the case, then somepony made this place knowing she would come here three thousand years later…” Trixie replied, glancing over Twilight.

The alicorn remained in silence for a few seconds, mulling over the awkward situation.

“We can’t stop now.” She affirmed, “Do you know about any way to open it, Trixie?”

“Not really.” Replied Trixie, pouting, “Those different runes are impossible to translate. They aren’t anything like the draco-archaic alphabet I’ve learned."

Twilight sighed, discontent. She walked closer to the wall, and rested her forehead against the door, trying to calm her troubled mind and think more clearly. Suddenly, her horn reacted from the contact it made with the obsidian, and produced a few sparks.

A pink magic glow jolted through the door. Scared, the alicorn backed away, and everyone inside the chamber watched in pure awe as the runes ignited with the pink glow, and finally, the door vanished as if it was never there...

"That explains everything now… Twilight was the key!” Louis exclaimed.

“So it is true? Was this place constructed only for Twilight to come and enter?” Trixie asked, looking towards the gryphon.

A strong white light was coming from inside. It wasn’t blinding, but it was enough to render the lantern unecessary.

Slowly, taking care with each step, the three friends passed to the next chamber, reaching what seemed to be an enormous underground cavern, made of calcarium rock.

So big was it, it seemed as it could house the whole Canterlot castle, making the gryphon, the unicorn and the alicorn gasp in awe. Inside was a big lake of pure, crystal clear water.

Upon that lake, there was a small island, and there, a vision that left Louis, Trixie and Twilight even more breathless.

In front of them was the biggest tree they ever saw in their whole lives; It wasn’t a common tree, though. Its color was of the purest white, from its main body to the its branches and leaves. The tree itself produced a calm, soothing white light and it illuminated the water from the lake, and as well as the whole cave.

The three friends came near the body of water, and remained there, motionless, gazing at the tree.

Trixie licked her lips, “What’s this?”

“I don’t know. However, even being a gryphon, I can sense the strong magic coming from it. It’s the same sensation I had when I first entered the cathedral, but much stronger. This tree must be the source behind it! What we felt was just a small fraction, dampened by the obsidian walls encircling this underground cavern.” Louis explained, still in awe with the mysterious vision in front of them.

Twilight felt her chest heavy once again. It was hard to breath, hard to concentrate.

Pained, she lowered her head, focusing on her breathing and pushing the memories brought by that three's strange power away. However, when her eyes befell upon the bottom of the lake, Twilight almost had a heart attack...

“What’s the meaning of this?!” She shouted, suddenly, startling her two friends.

With erratic back steps, she retreated from the lake, and eventually, her flanks crashed against the ground.

Trixie and Louis observed Twilight with confused expressions. While the gryphon came over her, to try and help his mistress, the unicorn walked towards the lake and decided to investigate what Twilight had seen.

Trixie gasped. The alicorn could still see in her mind's eye what made her companion get startled like that. Inside the water, which was clear as glass, they saw an uncountable amount of different jewels resting on the bottom. It was completely carpeted with them...

Those gems all had different shapes and colors. Some even resembled Cutie Marks. They produced a dim light, shimmering not only with the white light coming from the tree, but also having their own, unique colored glow.

Also, they emanated a weak magic. A kind of magic they were sure to have felt somewhere else...

Eventually it became clear that each one of those stones were… Elements of Harmony!

“Sparkle! Those stones!” Trixie shouted, and walked near Twilight.

Louis managed to help the alicorn get back to her hooves, and she answered with a shaken voice, “Yes. They are, without a doubt, Elements of Harmony, or at least some kind of artifact close related to them…”

“But there’s so many of them!” The unicorn yelled.

"I'm scared as you are, Trixie."

Louis decided to look at the stones glowing weakly underneath the water. He was robbed of his breath, “How’s that even possible? Their shapes, their glow… It’s impossible to mistake. However, they feel incomplete, as if they are devoid of life.”

“You mean they are dead? We are seeing a graveyard for Elements?” Trixie asked, and gulped.

“I’m not sure… Maybe it was an error coming here in the first place...” Twilight pouted, confused and scared.

Twilight cowered, and hung her head low. Immediately, Trixie walked near her and pressed her chest with a hoof, shouting, “Oh no! Don’t you dare get all moppy now! You’ve passed through all that nightmare to reach here only to give up? No! Not on my watch, Sparkle! There’s must be something here we still hadn't checked yet.” she turned around and begun to scan the cavern with her gaze.

Twilight was startled by her sudden outburst. However, after hearing her friend’s words, she felt a flame rekindling inside her. Trixie's overconfidence finally gained purpose in front of Twilight’s eyes; she wasn’t cocky only for bragging but for looking positively through difficult situations and finding the strength to persevere using her abilities. The alicorn realized that she lacked that. She lived her whole life judging everything by logic and reason, but forgot to trust in her powers and keep going, even if the scenario said she was incapable of attaining success.

“Can you help me fly over that tree, gryphon?” Trixie asked to Louis.

“Wait, Trixie,” Twilight interrupted, “Let me go over there. That door opened because of my presence, so maybe being an alicorn will show me something more at that tree!”

The unicorn cocked an eyebrow, analyzingly, and thought for a few seconds, before nodding in agreement.

Louis walked towards Twilight’s field of view, and laid on the ground in order for the alicorn to hop onto his back, “I’m ready anytime, Mistress.”

She steadily hopped into onto Louis’s back, and hugged his neck. The gryphon got up, stretching his wings, and took off.

Twilight watched from his back as they traversed the lake, observing the alarming amount of incomplete Elements of Harmony stored beneath the water. She felt fear, and sorrow at the same time. Internally, Twilight prayed not to find her Element of Magic, or any of the five others among those deceased artifacts.

After a little while, they reached the destination. The huge tree of light towered before Louis and Twilight even more menacingly. They felt like tiny ants before a higher being, watching them in silence with absolute superiority.

Calmly, Twilight took a few steps ahead, she then stopped, and looked over her shoulder, towards Louis. For the very first time, she found doubt over his facade. Her wise friend was scared, maybe even more scared than she was…

W-What’s wrong Louis?” She asked, stuttering.

Louis forced a smile, laughed and turned his gaze away, trying to mask his absolute apprehension, “My grandmother used to tell me stories about a hero of my country who climbed the tallest mountain to find Zuu, our greatest deity. She loved to describe the fear he felt when he looked inside of God’s eyes. I can’t help but feel exactly the same as I look towards this tree…”

“When he looked inside of God’s eyes?” Twilight breathed, gazing to the top of the tree again.

For a moment, she thought about Princess Celestia. She was to the ponies the same Zuu was to the gryphons, but it was different in her own way. She wasn’t an almighty higher being, ruler of everything. She was a kind mother, a benevolent Princess always there to hear their pleas, the warm sun rising every morning.

She thought about who was right. Who truly could don the name of ‘God’.

Twilight also thought about herself. Who was she, after all?

She wasn’t ‘God’, despise of what the strange apparition inside her mind said earlier. Even if she looked like one, she knew she wasn’t.

“There are more runes over there!” Louis shouted, suddenly cutting Twilight out of her inner turmoil.

Immediately, after regaining her composure, Twilight looked over her friend, and found his arm stretched and his claw pointing towards the tree’s main body.

Looking over there, she found small red marks similar to the ones she found at the door, close to the roots. They were small, and it was impossible to see them from over the other side of the lake.

In fear, Twilight walked towards them, followed closely by Louis. She stopped a few inches from the tree, near enough to touch it. The strong luminescence coming from it somehow wasn’t hurting her eyes, nor disrupting her vision. Twilight scrutinized the symbols, and she easily recognized them from before.

“There’s a ragnarök rune here too,” she pointed, warning Louis.

“Hold on a minute, I will bring Trixie here!” And quickly took off, going back to the other margin.

After watching he departing, Twilight returned her attention to the runes carved on the tree’s main body. She was itchy to touch them, and discover if they would active some contraption like the door did before.

Trixie wasn’t able to properly identify the unknown runes back there, so her presence wouldn’t help in this situation either. Also, they activated by pure luck…

Maybe it was time to play with her luck for a change...

Slowly, she raised her right forehoof and moved it to touch the symbol that meant ‘twilight’.

A sudden shock followed.

Twilight felt her brain being invaded by a flood of information, so powerful that her conscious exploded into nothing. The last thing she managed to see were crystals coming from the tree, and growing through her hoof, enveloping her foreleg and encaging it with their grasp. It was clear that the tree didn’t want her to leave.

The shock made her whole world turn upside down, and the vivid images flashing on her eyes with lightning-fast speed only worsened it. Twilight felt fear…

She screamed.

Before long, everything went black.

Eight - Creator

“Where are we uncle Astera?” A hooded little filly asked an old-looking earth-pony stallion. Wearing an azure mantle which covered his whole back, the old earth-pony also donned a huge pointy azure hat. His outfit displayed a star motif, as if his garment aimed to resemble the night sky or the cosmos itself, his neck adorned by golden collars and bejeweled amulets.

His fur was as white as snow, the same as his mane and tail. They were long and straight, just like one could portray the image of the old, full-grown magician from fairy tales. His eyes were magenta colored.

One of his most prominent features was a beard of sorts, protruding from his chin. The long fur was tied by a piece of cloth.

“It’s a very special place, Sunny,” he replied, with palatable wisdom in his serious, raspy voice, “This place is one of the many Akashic Records spread through the Promised Lands.”

“What are those places, uncle?” A second hooded filly asked. This one was clearly even younger than the first one, not only by her lower stature, but also for her immature voice.

These places, Moon, are the closest places to the Heart of The World. A small portion of its power escapes through the earth and reaches those underground caverns, forming those chambers. This one, we call it the Chamber of Awakening. All the Akashic Records are important, but each one of them has an unique feature. This one has this; The Sephiroth.

“It’s huge!” The first filly gasped in awe.

“It’s beautiful too! Look how it glows, Sunny!"

“What is that tree, uncle Astera?” She questioned.

“Its a living entity born from the Heart of The World. It’s not like a common tree for it's not made of wood and leaves, but rather of magic, the very force which moves everything in our planet. A proof that every single living being that walks through this planet was born from magic and draws sustenance from magic. Sephirot is older than ponykind, and is the sole testifier of eons and eons of history."

“So, why did you bring us here, uncle?” The younger filly questioned.

He smiled bitterly and grew silent. The two hodded fillies waited for a reaction from their uncle.

“The necessity arises. Both you and Sunny are too young for this moment, however we have no other choice. His advance will not stop and the situation will only worsen day after day. Come here, you two,” the stallion concluded and moved towards the shore of the lake. The fillies followed suit.

Astera stopped, gazing over Sephirot with respect.

“I’ve brought them, Creator. I know its too soon, but the chaos being spread through the Promised Lands is out of control.”

The whole lake lit with an intense white glow. It blinded the fillies, prompting them to hug each other out of fear. Astera remained stoic and observing.

The water froze. It became solid, transparent, like a thin blade of glass. Sephirot emitted a different glow, stronger and fiercer and then, as if traversing a veil, an uncanny figure trotted out.

It was hard for the two fillies to fully comprehend what their eyes showed them…

This entity was made purely of white light, like a silhouette clad in a mantle of luminescence. It was clear that, although it wasn’t transparent nor even translucent, there was no flesh composing its structure. It towered the fillies and even Astera with an imposing height.

Its features were strange and unfamiliar to them, but the curvy, delicate, accented forms composing it's body could only belong to a female.

it wasn’t a pony. At least it didn’t look exactly like one. Instead of a tail, she displayed a huge and impressive bird-like tail made of the strangest feathers they had ever seen. The feathers opened upwards like a fan, markings resembling eyes in them, seemingly gazing down on them.

Her body was divided into two sections; her lower half had the features of a pony, four long legs ending in hooves. The two closer to her hindquarters having stronger thighs in contrast to the other two.

However, in place of her head, the torso continued upwards and morphed into a structure unlike anything they had previously seen.

It reminded them of the bodies of young dragonesses they had seen depicted in Astera’s various books' few pictures. Waists, shoulders and all those strange joints with weird names they didn't understand. However, this being's four appendages didn't end in claws like those of the dragons', but formed unique clawless "fingers" quite unlike all but one species she was in likeness of.

Finally, it had an oval, uniquely shaped head. No muzzle, its place being occupied by a small snout and a tiny lipless mouth right below. She had no eyes, giving her face a sinister and featureless appearance. Flowing upwards as if a perpetual wind blew it about, her mane melded into her forehead, fluttering in every direction.

The being moved her head towards Astera and towards the fillies. A smile surged in her otherworldly face and she floated in their direction.

Sunny and Moon cowered, trembling on the ground. The older sister protecting the younger with her body, placing herself above the other in the small pile they formed. Both tried to look at it through their hoods, like one would see a small child peek from below the safety of its blanket.

“Why art thou two are afraid of me, my little ponies?”

The creature spoke, with a soothing and gentle voice. Its motherly tone helping the fillies to feel less fear and slow their panicked reactions.

Astera observed and smiled tenderly.

“You can’t blame them. Donning The Mask of The Creator can only upset little children, my liege.”

“This is but the form of my inner soul, Astera. Sephirot can only bring my essence here, not my body,” she replied to the earth-pony.

“I understand,” he said, nodding and turning to the little fillies, “Ye two, there’s nothing here to fear. Queen Iridia only wishes to speak with thee.”

The older sister moved, getting up. She gazed over the giant being of light and gulped, then turned to her little sister still on the ground, “Please Moonie, get up.”

Still scared, the younger sister also got up, but immediately moved as close as she could towards her sister.

“What art thy names?” The being that Astera referred as 'Queen Iridia' questioned.

“I’m Sunny Skies."

The older sister replied and took off the mantle hiding her identity, revealing a bright white fur, a long and straight, vivid pink mane, almost covering one of her eyes, a pair of small wings and a little horn protruding from her forehead. Bright, innocent pink pupils beaming with both passion and kindness. She was still a blank flank.

"It's your turn Moonie. Don't be scared, I'm here for you."

“I-I’m Twinkle Moon…”

Stuttering and still shaking a little, the younger sister did the same. She had an indigo blue coat and her straight mane -a lighter shade of blue- was cut in a shorter fashion, whereas her tail was as long as her sister’s. Her turquoise green pupils gleamed with the tears ready to go down her cheeks. She had wings and a horn as well, and too, was still a blank flank.

Iridia smiled gently, passing as much confidence as her almost indistinguishable facade could.

“I’m happy to finally meet ye."

Sunny passed a hoof around Moon’s neck and asked, “Who are you, missy?”

“I’m Iridia. I’ve designed all the creatures of this world. Some of them call me Creator. My duty is to oversee all life forms of Gaea and help them grow.”

“Are you God?” Moon asked with a concerned look on her face.

Her simple innocent question prompted another smile from Iridia.

“I’m not. At least not more than you or your sister. We are all the same my little pony. Can you tell me why you asked to come here with your uncle Astera?”

Both fillies gasped in surprise.

“H-How did you know we asked him to bring us to see God?” Moon took a step further, getting off from her sister’s protective embrace.

“I’ve been watching you two. I know a lot about you and your sister and how the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony has tormented your land. How the ponies of the Promised Land suffer because of their past sins…”

“Make him go away!”

Moon closed her eyes and shouted with all the strength of her bellows. Her sudden outburst startled both her sister and Astera.

“Moonie! Y-You shouldn’t yell at ponies. Especially at one like her!" Sunny tried to reason with her little sister.

“No, Sunny! I’m tired! I can’t accept what that monster does with our family. With our friends! No one sleeps, no one lives, no one smiles or is happy, all because that monster treats them like his dolls! I can’t accept that anymore! I want mom and dad to smile like they did when it was your birthday!”

Tears started to flow from Moon’s eyes. Tears of sadness and revolt, coming from a small, weak infant, that could do nothing to protect what she loved the most…

“I want them to live! I want everypony to be happy and free! We can’t live with the constant fear of being toyed with by him! She's God isn't she? Then, she's the only one strong enough to make him leave us in peace!"

She sat on the ground and started to clean the streaming tears with both forehooves, “Make him go away! Please make him go away!” Her voice pitched and failed, as she forced the words to pass through her tightened throat.

An uncomfortable silence befell the cavern.

“Discord is too strong, even for me Moonie,” Iridia breathed.

“Then there’s nothing we can do? Our mom and dad said that if we prayed, eventually our prayers would be answered and Discord would disappear… They lied to us, didn’t they?”

Sunny hugged Moon, wanting to comfort her younger sister in an attempt to cease her tears.

“No. They didn’t,” Iridia shook her head in denial.

With care to not scare the foals, the being of light stretched one of her four arms and opened the palm of her strange clawless hand, showing to Moon and Sunny, a small seed appearing to be made out of crystal.

“Take this small seed with you. Plant it in the fertile soil, of the most special place you two discovered. Give it water every day and keep it safe from Discord. Be good to Astera and to your father and mother and to your family and friends. Keep telling them to be strong and trust in their love and friendship. This seed will become a tree someday and when it bears fruits, something truly special; something that will make Discord go away for sure, will be at your disposal."

Sunny looked to the seed in Iridia’s hand with concern. Nonetheless, her tiny horn flared and she grasped the seed with her magic.

“Moonie, we need to go. We need to plant this seed.”

The younger sister raised her head and with eyes still wet from the tears asked, “Where are we going to plant it?”

“In the Evergreen Forest, of course! Discord hates that place because he can’t find us when we hide there.”

Moonie wiped the tears, sobbing, “Let’s plant it inside that cave we found!”

Sunny nodded, “Yeah!”

The older sister looked towards Iridia one last time, “Thank you, Lady Iridia.”

Iridia remained in silence. Her enigmatic visage seemingly observing Sunny.

“Do you love your little sister, Sunny?” She asked, out of the blue.

“Of course I love her!” Sunny answered and kissed Moon’s forehead tenderly, “She’s my little Moonie, my most special family in the world! I would do anything for her.”

“Anything?” The enigmatic being asked further.

With the confidence of an adult, Sunny nodded, “Anything!”

“Then you can go,” Iridia concluded.

Both fillies bolted towards the entrance. Astera simply watched them go, with a stern expression.

“That seed,” he breathed, “You sacrificed all the Harmonizers only to produce that small seed?”

Iridia moved her faceless head towards the lake below her hooves. Apparently, she was observing the uncountable quantity of dull gemstones, resting inside the lake.

“The Harmonizers failed, Astera. They weren’t strong enough,” she replied, voice full of sadness and regret.

“Even so, they were the only means of defense against things such as King Sombra and Queen Chrysalis. What are Concordia, The Crystal Empire and Unicornia going to do without their powers?”

The old stallion sounded bitter, almost resentful. Iridia hung her head low and answered.

“Those fillies. Are you fully aware of what you’re witnessing, my dear friend? They are strong. Stronger than I was, than any alicorn born into this world before them has been. All because they have something we lack…”

He turned around, back to the majestic being of light speaking with him, “What do you lack, Creator?”

“Love. Their undivided love is what makes them so powerful. They will command the sun and the moon and the very stars one day. They will succeed in turning the Promised Land into a place we can only dream about. They will nurture that seed I gave them and make The Tree of Harmony a reality.”

Astera smiled, “The Tree of Harmony? You mean, you sacrificed the Harmonizers to create-”

“The Ein Soph, the True Elements of Harmony. The six elements that encompasses the very music which flows from the Heart of The World and sustains our existences” Iridia interrupted, “Loyalty, Kindness, Honesty, Generosity, Happiness and Magic. The very foundations of our world and the most effective weapons against the chaos. And they are the only ones who can truly create them, for they don’t fear their hearts, like we do.”

“You’re forgetting something, Creator,” Astera said, with weight on his voice. “If they do not fear their hearts, it also means they are one step closer to the Cage. What will happen if one of them opens it?”

“I shall pray my friend, for it to never happen,” she replied, monotone, “We are ‘God’. However, we are also Nightmare and it is what leads this world of dreams, to destruction.”

It stopped.

Twilight felt the electricity running wild through her body suddenly stopping. The cristalline growth binding her weakened, and then it shattered. That scene happening right in front of her eyes, like a movie playing direcly inside her head, made Twilight feel her body completely numb.

With the strong grasp of Sephirot gone, she lost her only support, and her weak legs faltered. She crashed pathetically to the side.

Her right side pressed against the cold, hard floor, her face glued to it. She couldn’t move a muscle; only stare blankly at the runes carved on Sephirot’s trunk, still burning in a bright crimson.

She breathed slowly, trying to formulate a reaction. Then it clicked.

Twilight noticed that she had learned a few things, as if something had softly whispered at her ears, answering some questions she was previously doing to herself.

“Sparkle! Sparkle what did you do?”

She heard Trixie’s voice calling for her. Twilight wanted to get up, turn around and explain, but she couldn’t move an inch.

Suddenly, she felt someone grabbing her and turning her around. Twilight noticed that her gryphon friend had enveloped her in his arms, and was trying to hold her with kindness.

“Mistress! What did you do? What happened?”

Twilight’s mind couldn’t exactly process what just have happened. She could only smile to them.

“Don’t you tell me you fried your brains Sparkle! Say something, will ‘ya!”

“I’ve found it…” She breathed.

It immediately spawned a confused gaze from both her friends, flocking around her.

“You found what?” Trixie questioned.

“What we came looking for Trixie. Clues." Whispered Twilight, still smiling.

She forced herself to get up, prompting Louis to try and hold her on place, “Calm down, Mistress, you may not be strong enough to get back on your hooves.”

“Don’t worry Louis, I’m alright now,” she replied and got back to all four.

Twilight breathed, alleviated. Her journey found a new meaning, a new purpose. She turned to Trixie and to Louis and started to explain.

"This tree isn’t just your standard run-of-the-mill tree. It’s called Sephirot and it is made of concentrated magic. It has a will of its own and although it can’t directly communicate with us, it can understand us and speak with us through its magic. All this time, it was sending a small portion of its power to the surface, calling somepony here. If weren’t for all this obsidian, it could probably be discovered before. A thousand years ago, Starswirl the Bearded came to this cavern accompanied by Princess Celestia and Princess Luna and they called somepony through the higher magic that Sephirot possesses. The temple and antechamber we passed through were made to protect Sephirot from danger. Unfortunately, with the passage of time, its castle also became its prison.”

Trixie and Louis exchanged unsure gazes. The blue unicorn turned to her companion and dumbfoundedly asked, “How in the name of Celestia do you know all about it so suddenly?”

“Because Sephirot spoke with me. It passed some information regardings the events, which potentially relates to present struggles via its magic right to my cortex. I’ve, in a sense, inherited some of its memories.”

Louis, also dumbstruck, asked, “Then, those ragnarök runes we saw were really meant for you.”

Twilight shook her head in negation, “No. They were prepared by Starswirl for when the Two Sisters needed to come back. They were meant to active it together, but I guess the being so close to them during my whole life somehow confused the runes and the mixed magic signature was imprinted on me. That’s why I managed to active them with my presence.”

“How much of its memories this tree has given you?” Trixie stepped further, worry plastered all over her expression.

Twilight smiled, “Enough. Sephirot is really, really old. It passed only enough information to not fry my brain.”

“Then, can you tell us what are those Elements of Harmony resting inside the lake?” Trixie asked further.

She nodded, “Yes. Those are called Harmonizers. They’re the prototypes of the Elements me and my friends used. Three thousand years ago, the Unicornians created them through complicated magic rituals to act like tuning forks. Their goal was to power up the inner magic flowing inside of one’s body by adapting its frequency to the same wave of the rest of our world. It enabled a pony to perform great deeds… Things that only an alicorn would normally be capable of doing. In the ancient times there were thousands of Harmonizers spread across the world. They were strong, but even their powers weren’t enough to rival those of the monsters they had to face.”

Louis was breathless, he sat on the ground, gaze glued to Twilight’s placid facade, as she explained mysteries he tried to solve during his whole life, “What happened to them? Why are they discarded here like this?” He asked, curious.

“They were sacrificed. Their essences extracted and their powers recycled to produce another thing…” Twilight answered to him, calmly.

“Who sacrificed them?” Trixie interrupted.

“Sephirot didn’t showed me much about her. She’s Iridia, the All-Creator, designer of life. She reunited and condensed the powers of those Harmonizers and created what she called ‘The Ein Soph’, the True Elements of Harmony. Infinite light to combat infinite shadow. They are the six Elements of Harmony you are familiar with."

Louis grew silent, seemingly analyzing the story unfolding in front of him. Trixie was perplexed, even a little scared. "How this whole mess has anything to do with you looking for your friends and your transformation into an alicorn Goddess?" She asked.

“It tells me enough. I finally know that the answers I sought aren’t here, in Equestria. I need to go further, to speak with her, with Queen Iridia, the All-Creator. Sephirot told me that the ‘Ein Soph’ system can’t be easily destroyed. The True Elements of Harmony are bound to still exist somewhere else, meaning that their bearers are must also be alive!”

Twilight clasped a hoof against the stone floor, producing a loud noise.

“Are you sure?” Trixie asked, tilting her head.

“It’s only speculation,” Twilight sighed, “I’m still clueless on how and why they broke in the first place. Nonetheless, it sure filled my heart with even more hope!"

“Then our next objective is to find this ‘Queen Iridia’. Sheesh… This creepy tree knows a lot about history, but didn’t help you much when it comes down to your future,” Trixie concluded.

“Yeah… Sephirot was always vigilant, but when the obsidian started to block its magic, it couldn’t oversee what happened across the world anymore. It could only show me events of the past.”

“Let’s go back then. I don’t think we can find anything else here. I’m just worried about how we are going to reverse that magic door operated by the sigil rune…” Trixie said, pondering.

Twilight moved her right hoof to her chin and rubbed it, deep in thought, “You’re right. As long as Louis is here to give us a ride we are fine on the way back, but that door can present a problem, seeing how it’s our only form of returning.”

Louis opened a huge mocking grin and broke from his silence, “Maybe you two could create a lunar beam and deactivate the rune together?”

Twilight blushed and giggled awkwardly, “I hope it doesn’t require us to actually do it. Trixie?”

The unicorn’s eyes shot open in surprise and she blushed even stronger than Twilight, “No! Please no! I will use a deactivating counterspell I know before trying anything that potentially can involve me and Sparkle linking together again!”

“I’m glad it worked!”

“C’mon, is it so bad to link with me Trixie?”

“D-Don’t even start it Sparkle! I’m not into mares! It’s shameful to be seen linking horns with a female, let alone by a friend of yours!"

Twilight and Trixie discussed as they trotted out of the library. It was late at night and their bodies started to feel the effect of sleep deprivation. Vanhoover’s nightly landscape welcomed them.

They breathed the fresh, night air with satisfaction. Their mission had succeeded without any major problems. Although it was only a step, Twilight thought, her renewed hope felt as strong as ever.

“We need to acquire information regarding this Queen Iridia now.” Trixie turned to her and warned.

Twilight nodded, “I’m aware. I will hit the Crystal Library again and have a quick search about any legends involving the strange being of light Sephirot showed me. It may be shallow, but we did discover something amazing today with this small clue I found. So who can say for sure that we can’t be lucky again?”

“Actually, my dear Mistress, it will not be necessary,” Said Louis, interrupting their questioning.

The ponies turned to the gryphon, “Do you know something about, Louis?” Twilight asked, with a confused expression.

He sighed, lowering his head and nodded slowly, “Yes... Yes I do know. It’s classified information belonging exclusively to House Crimson Feather. I was apprehensive to share it with you, but…”

“Showing our true colors now, are we?” Trixie hissed, “Why do you feel apprehension to share this with Twilight? Aren’t she your friend?”

“Trixie!” Twilight yelled, scolding her companion.

“Calm down my dear Mistress. Miss Lulamoon is right. I shouldn’t be doubting about my resolve to help you. I’m feeling ashamed for not giving you the information straight away when you said you were going to search for Iridia,” Louis confessed, head hanging low in shame.

“Louis… I’m sure you have a strong motive for not doing so…” Twilight breathed.

“Oh please!” Trixie yelled, “Why don’t you kiss him already? Can’t you see he lied to you? Just like I thought he would…” Trixie shot a cold stare towards the gryphon.

“Trixie, I know how you feel. I understand you want to help me and protect me, but…” Twilight turned to her and replied with a calm voice, “I’m glad to have you by my side. I’m glad to have a new friend to give me support, but my old friends are also important. Louis was with me during so much time and even if he changed, he’s still the same to me… That’s why I will trust him! Even if I shouldn’t!”

Trixie grew silent.

“Are you the same socially incapable young student Celestia sent to Ponyville that day?” Louis smiled and asked, looking Twilight straight in her eyes.

“I guess the friendship lessons worked,” she breathed and smiled back to him.

“Enough!” Trixie yelled, “Are you going to tell us what you know about Queen Iridia or what?”

Louis turned to Trixie and nodded, “I’m sorry. Like I told you previously, it is classified information coming from my country. A few years ago, our most renowned archeologist found an old sunken ship, belonging to the Saddle Arabians near our coast. We believe that this ship was destroyed during the war our races fought on the past. Inside the ship he found one of the most valuable pieces in terms of historical importance ever found on Gryphonian territory; the Rosetta Stone. It is a tablet made of diamond, with several inscriptions written on it. The content of those inscriptions however, was dubbed too dangerous to reach the public eye by the War Council …”

“That’s must be why I never heard anything about it,” Twilight said, trying to remember about anything related to this Rosetta Stone, “What’s so dangerous that it needed to be hidden from the public?”

“The inscriptions. The text referred to an entity that could be the true ‘God’ which created life on our world, painting Zuu and all of our pantheon as a lie. The most religious shires didn’t want the followers to have their beliefs shaken…”

“What did the text say?” Twilight asked.

Louis cleared his throat, then begun reciting,

“Praise Princess Iridia, The All-Creator, watcher of life, observer of evolution, embodiment of harmony.

Blessed be you who sits atop the throne of the land of Henosia, at the Dawn Castle, beyond the Crystal Wall.”

“The Crystal Wall!?” Twilight yelled, surprised.

“Do you know anything about it Sparkle?” Trixie asked, looking at the excited Twilight with confusion.

She nodded, “It’s a geographical anomaly to the far north. Several years ago when our main land was still changing, two masses of air formed by completely opposite temperatures collided. It created a titanic structure. A chain of mountains made of pure ice, which ranges from one continent’s side all the way to the other. The extremely low temperatures of that region prevents the ice from ever melting. Explorers, geographers and researches dubbed it the Crystal Wall, the northest point of our main land and the farthest point you can reach…”

Louis nodded in silence.

“However, this tablet found in Griffonia says that there’s something beyond it, if I'm not mistaken?" Asked Trixie.

“Most likely,” Twilight confirmed and nodded, "When we met at the Everfree Forest, several weeks ago when I escaped from the dungeon, Princess Stella from Concordia did said something about a land inhabited by ponies called Henosia. I'm sure she was talking about Queen Iridia's kingdom."

“Are you planning to go there my Mistress?” Louis’s face filled with worry and he turned to Twilight, inquiring.

Twilight grew silent and gave it some thought. Henosia, the mysterious land to the far north, governed by who seemed to be the oldest living being of their world. Princess Iridia…

“I… I need to. Princess Iridia is defined as being the creator of life and observer of evolution. Such a being must hold the answers as to why I’ve become an alicorn. Besides, she also designed the ‘Ein Soph’, so there’s a possibility that she might know the whereabouts of my friends. Henosia holds all the answers I’m looking for, There’s no way around it."

“I see,” Louis took a deep breath, saddened, “I’m afraid I will not be able to accompany you on this next step, Mistress.”

“What!?" Trixie yelled, surprised.

“I wouldn’t ask you to. What I’m suggesting here is pretty much utter madness. And you have your duties as retainer of your lord. Will you be returning to Griffonia?” Replied Twilight, with a calm voice and a sad frown.

“Indeed. I must make haste too. The War Council is pressuring House Crimson Feather. They demand answers from me in respect to your intentions as living Goddess. Griffonia must know the truth about the Twilight Princess as soon as possible. We must part ways, right here, right now.”

Twilight felt a terrible knot forming at her throat. From the very moment they were reunited, she knew their meeting was going to be short lived, however, she didn't wanted to cry during the time to say her farewells. She wanted to say goodbye to him with a smile on her face and make her friend proud of her recent growth. However, she couldn’t help it…

She pouted, lips starting to tremble against her will. Twilight lowered her head and threw her gaze away, trying to hide her wet eyes, from Louis, holding all the tears with courage.

“Promise me you will return to me one day. That I will see your smile and hear your wise voice soon enough. This whole struggle has no sense if I can't bring everypony together again, and you're included." Sobbed Twilight, trying her best to not let the tears escape.

Louis reached Twilight’s chin with a claw, raising her face towards him, “In my country, we only do promises if we are staring in each other’s eyes.”

She failed. Two small rivets of fresh tears escaped from her eyes, rolling through her cheeks, "Louis..."

Suddenly the gryphon hugged Twilight strongly.

“I don’t care for customs though. I just wanted to say that you’re like the child I will never have. I saw you maturing from a timid infant and becoming an amazing leader and an invaluable friend. You’re strong, Twilight. Stronger than most enemies I’ve faced and stronger than most conrades I ever had. Never, ever lose this undying determination you have inside of you. I am sure that when we meet again, you will be not this shaken mare who fears the future, but a beautiful and brave Princess, proudly wearing her crown and fulfilling that ancient fairy tale.”

Twilight passed her forelegs around Louis’s back, tightening the embrace.

“Goodbye,” she breathed.

Louis broke from their hug and walked backwards, still gazing at Twilight with a smile on his face. He opened his wings and with a loud ruffling sound took off and disappeared into the night sky…

Twilight sighed and lowered her head, her ears deflating. She breathed sharply and looked towards the sky, as if saying her last farewells. Trixie walked near her, “His child huh? For a moment there I thought he was going to kiss you. I hope you didn’t fell for an old gryphon Sparkle.”

With her foreleg, Twilight wiped the tears persisting to escape from her eyes and begun laughing, then turned to her companion with a mocking grin over her face, “Rest assured, he’s not my type. Although I love a wise male, I'd prefer somepony younger.”

Trixie immediately yawned, “Sheesh! I’m beat!”

Her companion was right. She could feel that irresistible urge to stretch her limbs dominating her. It was late and the last adventure robbed Twilight even from her amazing earth-pony stamina.

“Do you think we are safe to keep hiding in your house until we figure out how we can reach Henosia?” Twilight asked, waving her neck from one side to another, feeling the tight knots popping.

Trixie nodded, “Yes, we can, as long as you don’t go showing your pretty face around.”

The duo decided to sneak their way back to Trixie’s manor and pray for a safe journey.

Swiftly, Trixie and Twilight managed to reach the unicorn’s house without raising any suspicions from the patrols nearby.

Once there, they barely exchanged a few words, as Trixie directed Twilight to a previously prepared guest room, going to her own bedroom right after.

Twilight opened the door using her magic and stretched her neck inside to take a peek. It was a simple bedroom, but she didn’t care.

The alicorn walked towards the bed and crawled to the soft couch awaiting her. The sleep came almost immediately.

Slowly, Twilight begun to wake-up. She didn’t knew for how much time she slept, but the birds were already chirping by the windowsill. The sunlight timidly entered through the gaps of the window, bathing everything around her in a calm dim light.

She felt refreshed, although a little lazy still from her recent waking.

Twilight yawned and stretched her forehooves by throwing them upwards. She thought about how long it had been since the last time she slept so peacefully.

With a slow start she hopped out of her bed, moving towards the bathroom.

Twilight scanned the surrounds; pretty average bathroom. She motioned her attention towards the mirror hanging on one of the walls. A mix of sadness and relief tackled her chest the minute her reflection appeared before her eyes; she was glad to be alive and be able to continue searching for her friends, but...

How I wish to wake up one day and have my old body back... To discover that everything that happened was just a nightmare.

Her messy mane needed some care. Her unkempt fur also desired a good brush. Twilight started to imagine if Princess Celestia also wakes up every morning like that and has to make everything a mortal like her needs to do in order to look presentable.

She turned her attention to the shower behind her and smiled.

I guess I can do it right now. Who knows when I will have another chance?

A murky, moisty vapor filled the bathroom. The sound of running water was cut, as Twilight turned the handle with a hoof, switching off the water stream. Dripping, she walked out of the shower box and sighed. Her mane and fur were feeling heavy due to the water.

Twilight walked near a cabinet and opened it to find a few folded dry towels. She applied her telekinesis making one float towards her.

She scrubbed her whole body, passing it through her strange new shell.

Everything was bigger; her legs, torso, chest, rump and neck. Everything was larger and bigger. It was both scary and funny at the same time; Twilight did had some pride about her appearance, coming from the beliefs of the minds from the classical era about how healthy and sculped bodies were the beautiful works of nature, which would house even healthier minds. Seeing everything so different was upsetting her, even though such a minor subject shouldn't upset her.

Im looking more like Cadence now. Its so strange, but I have to get used to it, at least until I can find a way to turn back.

She stared at the mirror for a few seconds. Her longer mane falling heavy to the sides of her head, her immense horn jutting out of it, even the design of her face looked different, as if she had somehow passed through a growth spurt again, even though a mare her age wasn't supposed to grow any longer.

I had so much trouble with all those exercise routines only to have everything changed by some wacky magic... I should be happy for being taller and thinner, but even so it's strange to stare at the mirror and looks like this!

Twilight was almost done. She needed to do something about her wings though. A sedulous research like her knew that the feathers composing the wings of pegasi arent waterproof like those of birds, but they are rather more similar to a ponys fur, thus needing to be dry with care. Normally pegasi use mane blowers on their feathers or let them dry in the sun.

Does Trixie have a mane blower? Oh dear… Those wings are nothing but trouble!

The drawers from the cabinet present on the guest room were all opened by an array of spells. However, Twilight still couldn't find the gadget she was looking for.

What am I going to do? Look at this mess! Trixie is going to kill me!

Twilight looked to all directions, stomping her hooves frantically on the ground, like somepony desperate to find a toilet...

“Sparkle, are you awake?”

Trixie’s voice boomed from the corridor outside. Twilight thought about returning to the bathroom and hiding, but it was already too late. As the alicorn turned around, a blue furred unicorn was standing still on the doorway, observing her expansive carpet being bombarded with a mixture of water, soap and mare’s sweat…

“What are you doing, Sparkle?” Trixie asked blankly.

Twilight grimaced, uncomfortable, “I needed to take a shower - and you see - I’m not sure how to handle my wings and I - came here searching for a mane blower…”

Trixie sighed and lead a forehoof against her face, closing her eyes and lowering her head, “Look, I know you detest as much as I do to be treated like a foal, but you could have called for my help.”

“I didn’t want to wake you up…” Twilight replied, pouting.

“I’ve been up for several hours already. You were probably much more tired than I was,” Trixie answered, coming closer to the wet mare, “I decided to take this opportunity and find some information to help us not to go flying in the dark.”

“Really!” Twilight opened a huge, excited smile, “What did you get?”

“I’m not telling you,” Trixie’s eyebrow rose, forming a discontent frown, “Not before we dry those feathers.”

The loud sound of a mane blower working to its full capacity filled Trixie’s bedroom.

Laid upon the soft couch covered by the azure blanket donning silver star patterns, Twilight waited patiently in silence for Trixie to finish her wings. While her friend was at it, the alicorn decided to use the time and read a book entitled “Wings, a Quick Reference Guide.”

“At least those feathery appendages are easier to do than our manes and tails,” Trixie shouted trying to win over the loud noise, “Don’t you hate when you dry your mane and or tail and it ends up looking like a bale of hay?”

“Indeed!” Twilight yelled back, “Wing care is easier than it seems! I guess I will get a hold of it in no time!”

“Good!” Trixie replied, turning the machine off and normalizing her voice, “I don’t want to have to babysit you forever.”

Twilight flexed the muscles of her wings. They felt light as feathers with all that water gone. She folded them, thinking if one day she would put those appendages to good use instead of only using them to ruin her friend’s carpet.

Curious about Trixie’s endeavors, Twilight immediately brought the subject pestering her mind up, “Now that we have taken care of those problems, can you tell me what did you discovered?”

Trixie walked near a saddle bag left above her dressing table and applied her telekinesis on what seemed to be a magazine, throwing it towards Twilight.

The alicorn gazed over the cover, to find the word ‘Geography’ written in big, golden lettering.

“A geography magazine?” Twilight’s face contorted into a confused frown, questioning if her eyes weren’t deceiving her, “You mean like one of those to help tourists choose their vacations?”

“What’s so surprisingly about it?” Trixie shrugged, “You know, books aren’t the only way of finding good info.”

The alicorn blinked in rapid succession, “I guess you’re right,” she moved her attention back to the magazine, “What of value is supposed to be here?”

“As you can see, this one is a collector’s edition of an old magazine that is no longer being published. I got it from my grandfather, Gray Mane. The first time you mentioned the Crystal Wall, I couldn’t remember very well. Then last night, it clicked. My grandfather is a famous tourist guide who traveled all across Equestria-”

As Trixie continued to explain, Twilight divided her attention between hearing her friend’s words and flipping the pages of the old magazine. It was full of comments about hotels and tourist spots in different places of Equestria and beyond. A few articles even commented about places located on Griffonia and Saddle Arabia.

“Several years ago he wrote this article about an expedition led by North Pole, a noble from Canterlot. North Pole wanted to discover if the legends about the Crystal Empire were real, so he took a group of scientists, history researches, geographers and explorers to the Frozen North. They couldn’t find any clue about the Crystal Empire, but they did found something-”

Twilight flipped another page and a huge article about North Pole’s discoveries featured two pages. It even had an old-fashioned photo of a small group of ponies wearing heavy winter attires, plunging the mast of a flag in a snow covered field, a giant wall of white-bluish ice right behind them.

“The Crystal Wall. They say on the article it was so cold and the climate was so harsh that they couldn’t keep going, dubbing it the farthest point you can reach if you travel north of Equestria. North Pole and other two explorers tried to enter, but their further attempts were short lived-”

The alicorn suddenly interrupted Trixie by beginning to read aloud a passage from the magazine,

“We tried for three days to keep going, but we discovered that it’s impossible for a pony to climb those walls, even with the best equipment we can and will ever be able to fabricate. The howling winds cut like razors; the temperature so low that remaining around for too long will cause your lungs to freeze from the sheer cold of the air you’re breathing; at some points the ice is so thick it was capable of bending our mountaineering equipment made of sturdy steel.

After experiencing the natural wonder that is the Crystal Wall, I’m starting to question myself if it even is truly natural…

If a God of our world wanted to create this place to serve as an inaccessible frontier, then I can only say that no mortal has means to defy God’s will.

Mercury, one of my fellow explorers and my most trusted mapper, found what seems to be an entrance, leading to an internal set galleries, which tortuous tunnels formed a labyrinth. We did try to take this route as well, but Mercury wasn’t in the best physical shape and I demanded we return. He has little Silver Spoon and beautiful Headdress waiting for him at home… I couldn’t run the risk of him throwing away his life for a lost cause. I guess the maps he drew are going to be really handy the next time we try to explore this death trap.”

“Exactly,” Trixie finished.

“Those are actually good news!” Twilight shouted excitedly.

“What?” Trixie shot a gaze of uncertainty, “Those famous explorers said it’s impossible to cross. How can those be good news?”

“Trixie, you should remember how experimentation works. You experiment with something not only to discover the answer for yourself, but also for the ones trying after you doesn’t repeat the same mistake,” Twilight replied, hopping out of the bed.

“English, Sparkle. I’m not versed in ‘Dorkess’,” Trixie rolled her eyes.

“If you had paid attention, you should have noticed a few details. First, North Pole states that he and two of his comrades found a possible way in, through internal galleries. Second, Mercury, his mapper, actually managed to draw a map of those internal galleries and third, they had plans on returning, probably with more equipment and better prepared to cross it via those galleries. Seeing how North Pole was willingly to return, they probably managed to reach pretty deep within this labyrinth he describes and that he expected to find an exit if they could continue,” Twilight concluded and smiled towards her friend.

Trixie opened her mouth for a few seconds.

Twilight was happy, she was still as sharp as ever, “I think our objective is clear now: Find North Pole and ask him for the map. Maybe we can even be lucky enough to convince him to come with us as a guide.”

“You do really think you can just go to somepony else and ask those things with a clean face?” Trixie retorted.

“Not really. My plan actually involves us paying him and sponsoring a new expedition to the Crystal Wall…” Twilight replied, timidly.

Trixie’s eyes widened in surprise, “You do realize how much it costs to sponsor an expedition, right?”

“I do,” Twilight noded, “Let’s say I have plenty of money for such a thing.”

“Amazing…” Trixie rolled her eyes, “It still leaves us with the problem of finding him.”

“I know where we should start, actually,” Twilight smiled.

“You do?” Trixie asked, shooting an impressed gaze.

“Yes. Did you took notice of the names North Pole says on the magazine?” Twilight pointed.

“Sorry, the whole part about the family of his mapper sounded too uninteresting to me,” Trixie blushed, “Don’t tell me I should have paid attention to it too?”

Twilight giggled, “Don’t worry, there is practically no way those names could ring a bell to you. As for me, they sure did…”

The alicorn suddenly hung her head low and her face turned into a sad frown, memories invading her mind’s eye. Trixie took notice and quickly asked, “What’s the problem, Sparkle?”

“Silver Spoon is Mercury’s daughter… I know this filly, Trixie. If we can find her, we probably will manage to find clues about her father and if we find her father we can find North Pole,” Twilight replied, finishing with a sigh.

“It still doesn’t explain why are you so down all of a sudden,” Trixie spurted, pressuring her.

“Well, Silver Spoon is a little filly from Cheerilee's class. It means we need to travel someplace I wished to never go back again, not without solving this whole situation… We are going to Ponyville.”

“I think you look gorgeous with the new regalia we have prepared for you, my liege.”

Luna stood still in front of a mirror inside her room on Canterlot. She was testing a new set of royal regalia crafted by the best jewel artisans from the capital; compared to her older and usual jewelery this one posed more prolonged crystal-bluish hoof shoes, a larger black chest-piece adorned with a blue crystal, and a bigger crown to allude to her important position as the new regent, adorned with sapphires and a big pearl at the center.

She stared at the mirror and the mirror stared back at her. Luna felt nothing but uncertainty filling her chest. A thousand years ago, she wanted this…

A thousand years ago, she was Nightmare Moon. Her sorrow, jealousy and pride… Her resentment and her desire for recognition drove her to do something that no matter how much everypony around her said it was forgiven, deep inside, she knew it was not. She tried to kill her own sister, her only family, the one who she truly loved.

Deep inside, Luna would never manage to forgive herself…

And suddenly, she was the one sitting atop the throne of the most powerful nation of the entire world.

She felt afraid. She felt incomplete. She wanted her big sister by her side, to help her and tell her everything was going to be alright.

But Celestia was far away. Both physically and mentally.

Luna was all alone, once again. This time however, her cage wasn’t a cold chunk of rock, far from her ponies. It was one made of gold and jewels, with more attention than she desired for. Luna felt like a rare bird; receiving all the attention, but still unable to fly away somewhere else, where her heart wanted to.

She turned to the mare reflected on the mirror, the one holding the power to change the world on the back of her hoof and she asked…

How would you feel if you were the one here now, Nightmare Moon?

Would you be happy for finally conquering what you sought so much?

Would you stand strong and proud, instead of fearful, like am I?

This weight and this responsibility… This is what Tia had to endure for a thousand of years. How did you manage to do this, my dear sister?

“Are you alright, my liege?” The mare responsible for helping Luna get changed asked. She had a light pink coat with a purple mane and tail. Her cutie mark was of three colored buttons in a triangular formation. She was wearing a two-tone blue crossed scarf and a headband held up her mane in the back.

“I’m sorry Suri. Thank you. You and the artisans did an amazing job.”

Suri bowed, a content smile plastered all over her muzzle, “If you’re happy, so am I, my liege.”

“If you excuse me, I must be on my way,” Luna breathed and trotted out of her bedroom, leaving a worried Suri behind. She wanted to be less blunt and display the same grace as Celestia, but her shaken resolve was on the way.

She followed towards the throne room, enveloping the golden handles of the doors within her azure magic grasp and entering. Inside, Luna found a distressed and saddened friend… Midnight Blossom.

They exchanged glances for a few silent seconds until the new regent sporting her elegant regalia could reach the throne and sit down. Luna observed that not even once, her friend rose her head to look at her straight in the eyes…

“Good evening, Midnight Blossom,” Luna spoke, blandly.

Although she knew something was wrong, the monarch couldn’t muster the strength to ask. Instead, she opted for keeping things between them professional; Midnight was her knight and she was the Princess commanding Equestria, period.

“Good evening my Princess,” the bat-pony mare replied, head still hung low in a mix of shame and reverence, “I’ve brought some important news for you.”

“Please, feel free to tell me,” Luna said, hoping for good news.

Midnight Blossom sighed exasperatedly. The alicorn could only guess her friend was growing more and more disappointed with her, as the days went by.

“Night Watch and Jasmine have both returned from their mission on the Crystal Empire,” Midnight spoke, derailing Luna from her train of thought and continuing, “They were successful in obtaining valuable information regarding the Twilight Princess..." Somberly spoke the captain.

Luna’s heart skipped a beat, making her pupils shrink. The monarch licked her lips and demanded, “Continue.”

“The Twilight Princess is still walking through our land, using the trains to navigate. Jasmine discovered she`s using fake names to buy tickets and Night Watch perceived that those fake names were monikers used by her mother Twilight Velvet when she published her books. Recently they bumped into a list of reserved chairs on a train and they found another moniker used by Velvet listed as the reservee of the seats. We are sure that the Twilight Princess is inside that train and moving towards her next destination...” Midnight breathed. Luna was sure that her friend was forcing the words to come out from her mouth.

“To where?”

“Ponyville…”

Nine - Scientia Potentia Est

“Got our tickets Sparkle!” Trixie chirped, entering the guest room occupied by Twilight.

The night had just fallen, and Twilight decided it was time for a little practice. The inside of the room was lit with a few candles in order to create an atmosphere of concentration in which she trained with her telekinesis to move a different variety of objects.

Different weights, shapes and substances. Twilight tested her magic on all kinds of things. From thick covered books and wine bottles, to liquids like water, and even the bed she just slept in.

Her telekinesis had improved a lot since the last time she’d tried it. She managed to somehow envelop several books within her magical grasp, with seemingly no increase in the required effort. Twilight was impressed with herself. Unicorns generally have difficulties casting multi-spells, and even a talented one like her was supposed to be having at least a bit of trouble.

“That’s amazing.” Trixie affirmed and entered while observing Twilight’s training.

“This is spectacular!” Twilight cheered. “I’m still testing my limits, but I think I could cast telekinesis on at least six different objects at the same time without any extra effort!”

“Guess alicorns do work different from unicorns.” Trixie breathed, putting the saddlebag she was wearing aside, “Have you tested how much weight you can carry now? I remember seeing you lift an ursa minor…”

Twilight blushed, “I had a headache for days after that…”

“I can see why,” Trixie replied, smiling, “So, how much weight?”

Twilight quickly turned her attention to the bathtub inside the small bathroom next to the wardrobe, “I filled it with water and lifted it. Still lighter than an ursa minor, but I guess a hundred liters of water would be quite difficult to keep in the air for an hour and a half.”

Trixie’s eyes widened, “That’s impressive! A hundred liters for hour and a half non-stop!”

The alicorn nodded, “A little more due to the weight of the bathtub itself. I can’t believe it either… Alicorns have such an absurd power compared to us unicor- I-I mean, to unicorns like you…”

Her friend opened a timid smile, “You still can’t see yourself as an alicorn, huh?”

Twilight looked away in shame, “I’m sorry. It’s hard to believe…”

“Don’t worry,” Trixie reassured her, “It’s not like I can’t understand you. Changing species like that is crazy. So anyways, here they are! Fresh tickets to Ponyville!”

The unicorn applied her telekinesis on a pair of small slips of paper inside a pocket on her long purple cape, showing them to the alicorn.

Twilight observed the tickets with a bland expression. She felt a mix of nostalgia and sadness.

“Guess you aren’t all that happy about it…” Trixie lowered the tickets and sighed.

“It’s not a matter of being happy or sad, it just feels wrong.” Twilight replied, closing her eyes, “The last time we were together, we made a vow to return together to Ponyville after defeating Grogar. It’s sad that we couldn’t keep that promise…”

“But you’re fighting to bring them together again, aren’t you?” Trixie stepped up, asking with a serious voice.

Twilight opened her eyes and smiled, “You’re right Trixie. I wish with everything I have to return together with them, but I need to find Silver Spoon and her father. I also need to find North Pole and the map, reach Henosia and talk with Princess Iridia. And then, I will recover my old body and bring everyone back, and we will go home together!”

“That’s better.” Trixie smiled and nodded, “I will have to stay by your side and make sure you don’t let that depressed mood destroy your mission.”

“Thank you Trixie, from the bottom of my heart.”

The unicorn laughed a little and blushed, “No problem Sparkle. You’re a fun mare to be around and I finally feel that I will be able to offer my art to a good cause.”

Twilight looked away and blushed, “I wish you could say it was because we’re friends now...”

Trixie opened a small grin, “Do I really need to say it? We just entered a chamber older than our country itself, older than our goddesses and you still think you aren’t a friend?

Guess you have been neglecting your friendship lessons Miss Sparkle!”

She walked near Twilight and passed an arm behind her neck, “Also, there was that thing about intersecting horns with you, but we are going to forget about it, right?”

Twilight laughed. It was the first time in quite a while that she laughed so downrightly. Trixie made she remember what it felt to have a true friend by her side.

“Yeah, right!” Twilight replied with a huge smile plastered across her muzzle.

The alicorn felt safe for a change. Trixie was by her side, and together they were stronger. However, Twilight was aware about something a little unsettling for her: Their duel two days ago proved something she wasn’t ready to admit; her current knowledge about her new power as an alicorn was insuficient, putting her on a situation of powerlessness.

Although she still was Twilight Sparkle inside, this lack of control over her abilities could turn her into an easy prey for their enemies. If she couldn't find a way to fight alongside Trixie, she could become a burden for her friend, and run the risk of hurting her.

She needed to become stronger…

“Trixie, I have a favor to ask.” Twilight whispered, destroying their happy mood.

Her friend’s face contorted into a puzzled frown, “What’s the matter Sparkle?”

Twilight broke from their hug and walked to the nearby wardrobe, head hung low. She was, after all, preoccupied with her decision, “During our duel you launched an amazing spell. What was that? A form of condensed Magic Bolt? I thought the five basics weren’t your strong point.”

The unicorn smiled, probably proud of her creation Twilight guessed, and replied, “It is a form of Magic Bolt, yes. I called it Magic Blast. I created it based on the principle of magic conservation from-”

“Spectral Flash! Her books on Arcane Arts are amazing! I never thought about testing her theories though…”

Trixie eyed Twilight with an unimpressed gaze, prompting the alicorn to instantly slam a hoof against her mouth, as if she just said a curse word.

“Is there a book you didn’t read Sparkle?” Trixie completed with a bored voice.

Twilight giggled, “I think it’s hard to read everything, but I must admit that those kinds of subjects do interest me, so its natural that I end up knowing a thing or two.”

“Back on the subject, what did you want to ask me?”

“I want you to teach me your spell.” Twilight affirmed vehemently.

Trixie’s mouth formed a small, content mug, “That’s an honor. Twilight Sparkle, Equestria’s most powerful unicorn, and now some kind of goddess is asking me to teach her?”

“I am. I would be too naive to think that we will never face any kind of danger. I don’t want to be a burden to you all the time Trixie. Your Rune Casting is amazing, but I can’t even do simple basic spells, and I’m not an earth-pony born to know how to properly use my strength. I was born a unicorn and magic is everything I know. If I want to find my friends, I will need to become stronger…”

Twilight declared, finishing with an exasperated sigh. She didn’t wanted to sound dramatic, nor looks like a character from an action book, but the truth was right there in front of her eyes.

She felt a comforting hoof being placed on her shoulder, “Of course I will help you. Follow me. We’ll continue in the garden.”

Trixie smiled, and moved towards the door. Twilight followed her right behind with a puzzled expression.

"I can’t really tell you that you will be able to be casting Magic Blasts in the next few hours. What I can do is remind you how to cast its base form, Magic Bolts. After you remember how to properly cast them, we can practice my spell and see if you can master it."

The unicorn used her magic to drag around a black plastic sack, filled with something Twilight couldn’t guess the identity of.

Twilight eyed the black object with confusion, “What are we planning to do again?”

“We are going to draw your power, or to put it simple, force it out. As I’m aware you know, the Five Basic Ones are referred to as such because its said that any unicorn can cast them, as if those spells are natural from our tribe.” Trixie rested the seemingly heavy sack on the ground, and turned to Twilight, “You have an alicorn body now, but your heart is still that of a unicorn, meaning that the Five Basics are still inside of you. What we are about to do is force the spell out using a technique my father used to train me with.”

Twilight’s eyebrow moved all by its own, as her face contorted into a most confused and lost expression. Perplexed, she watched as Trixie pulled a pink balloon full of water from the black sack.

“I don’t get it.” She complained. Trixie only smiled back at her.

Suddenly, the unicorn enveloped the balloon within her magic grasp and launched it upwards. With extreme precision,Trixie fired a small, pink, bullet-like bolt from the tip of her horn, nailing the balloon, popping it and making the crystalline water rain down.

Twilight observed Trixie’s display, still asking herself how this was supposed to help her learn anything.

“Let’s give you the instructions then. I will throw those water balloons at you. You must destroy them using your Magic Bolts. Got it?”

“But I don’t know the spell!” Twilight shouted, whining.

“But you do remember how it works, don’t you?” Trixie scuffed.

The alicorn hung her head low, and looked away. She did remember the theory. Magic Bolt was a simple, Telekinesis based spell, but Twilight lacked the knowledge about which corner of her wailing heart needed to be awakened in order to summon that effect.

"Are you ready, Sparkle?" Trixie asked, preparing a balloon.

Twilight nodded and lowered her body, getting ready.

C'mon Twilight, you can do it! Magic Bolts used to be one of your specialities!

Mercilessly, Trixie launched the balloon at her direction. The projectile flew towards Twilight as she prepared herself to counter-attack it. Focusing on the fast object, the alicorn started the process of invoking her spell. As she had already expected, the pink glow lingered on her horn, as if dampened by some unknown force. Instead of producing magic, chaotic golden sparks sprang in erratic directions.

It didn’t took much time for the balloon to finish its trajectory and nail Twilight right in the face. The rubber popped, spreading water against her fur. It was like being hit by a soft pillow. No pain.

The water inside however, was freezing cold! It drenched her face, mane and chest, rapidly falling through her forearms and reaching her hooves.

The shock of the liquid quickly spreading on her skin made a cold shiver run down her spine. Her fur bristled from the low temperature and her muscles became rigid. Twilight gasped and started to shake her head as a reaction to try and fling the cold water off of her face.

“What is this? This is freezing!” She shouted, protesting.

“I’ve draw an ice rune on those balloons, so I can make their temperature drop when I launch them.” Trixie answered, smirking, “If failing to stop my attack means nothing but getting wet, then this training wouldn’t have much significance.”

"You mean it's a kind of punishment for letting the baloon hit me?" Twilight realized, pouting.

The unicorn nodded, “Just like the training we received at the School For Gifted Unicorns. Self-Defense 101, remember?”

“My teacher used light spheres, magically charged with a really low electric current. It was like being stung by a bee.” Twilight replied, remembering about her old days at Celestia’s school.

“Same as in my class.” Trixie readied yet another rubber ball, “Don’t worry. I wasn’t expecting you to get it done on the first one, so let’s keep trying. Ready?”

Twilight took a deep breath.

Of course she was frustrated. Of course she felt insecure.

But giving up was out of question.

“Let’s do it!” She yelled and focused on the floating balloon enveloped inside Trixie’s magic.

Without thinking twice, Trixie launched the second balloon.

Twilight was aware that her approach was wrong. Her alicorn magic was different than her old unicorn magic, and summoning her powers as she was used to meant sure failure. Without controlling her feelings, she was doomed to fail over and over again. There were just a few seconds before she was going to get hit by yet another ball full of freezing cold water. She had to think fast…

What should I feel? How I am supposed to express my desire to attack that balloon?

Should I feel rage? Should I want to destroy it?

The balloon was halfway from her. Twilight closed her eyes and focused every fiber of her being into relaying all her rage and channelling it into her horn.

Seconds of remembering about the scene with Princess Celestia, on Ponyville. Remembering about the giant crowd of townsponies calling her names she didn't dared to repeat. About the sorrow and rage she felt, when the most important pony on the world for her, her mentor and beloved Princess, rejected her for being something she shouldn't be.

Even so... No.

This isn't legitimate rage.

Once again, the balloon splat against Twilight’s face, spreading even more water on her fur. The same sensation tingled each corner of her skin as the freezing cold water flowed over her body.

Twilight hung her head low, and started panting, trying to endure the sensation.

It isn't anything like the rage I felt when those soldiers were badmouthing Spike. I do not really hate my Princess, nor those ponies of Ponyville. It's empty, and thus, powerless.

"Is everything alright?" Asked Trixie, worried.

No, it wasn’t, Twilight thought. She was feeling truly frustrated at the moment.

“Just… Give me a moment, please!” Twilight yelled back, in between heavy breathing.

Her temperature was rising again, maybe from a mix of rage and sunlight. The alicorn never really noticed how terribly she reacted to failure. Everything was easy for the prodigy, Twilight Sparkle, and what wasn’t easy, she had her amazingly powerful teacher to help her with.

However, now there was no Celestia to help her.

“Trixie.” Twilight called raising her face and looking at her friend with a serious expression, “What do you feel when you cast your Magic Blast?”

The unicorn blinked in rapid succession, taken aback by the strange question, “What do I feel?”

Twilight nodded in silence.

"It's hard to explain. All I can say is that you should be more honest to yourself, Sparkle. You asked me to help you get stronger, but do you really want to become stronger? This power you're looking for is inside you, but maybe you fear what its inside. Get your game on, Sparkle! You're the only one on Equestria who can bring them together again! Be honest to yourself, and answer your question!"

“Honest with yourself?” Twilight paused to wonder. Was she being truly honest with herself?

Did she really desire a stronger power?

Power never really meant anything for me. I was fine with just making Princess Celestia proud of me with my studies and research. But everything is different now… Without power, how can I really save so many things that this madness wants to take away from me?

Honesty. Applejack’s element.

I know it may sound so selfish but… Without them, without those I love, I’m not me. Without them, is the same as being dead. Power… If this power I have inside of me now can allow me to fight for them, and bring them back-

Twilight closed her eyes. For a few seconds, she focused on images of the noble earth-pony, the stubborn, down to earth friend, who was always there to lend her a hoof.

It was time for Twilight to face it. There was no more running, no more avoiding it. It was time to be honest with her true desires.

-I want every bit of power I can get!

As she opened her eyes once more, a mysterious light shone within her irises. A strong purple glow danced inside like flames and a brilliant aura enveloped her, taking the shape of a red apple.

I will not lie to myself anymore! I want to be stronger! I hate this body, but if it gives me the strength to pursue the truth, then I want to control all the power I can draw from it!

“Do it Trixie! I’m ready!” She yelled, ignoring the baffled reaction from her companion, watching the display of raw magic power happening in front of her.

The unicorn licked her lips, and applied her magic on a balloon, aiming it towards Twilight, “Here goes nothing!”

The rubber sphere flew right at her direction. Twilight’s horn shone with a strong pink light, forming a small bulge of raw magic on the tip. A perfect blast of energy, almost like a bolt of lightning hurled towards the balloon, nailing it, and exploding it halfway before Twilight’s position, spreading the crystalline water in all directions.

The bolt, unimpeded, continued, losing its original trajectory. It flew towards a tree, passing near Trixie, and collided against the canopy, causing an explosion. The strong pink light it produced faded in a few moments, and the unicorn turned around to observe a big, black hole amidst the green foliage…

Twilight sighed, and the maelstrom of magic dissipated slowly. She displayed a tiny smile on her muzzle.

I got it.

“Please, do it again!” Twilight shouted at Trixie, who was still observing the hole made on the tree.

“Okay!” Trixie yelled back, and fired yet another balloon towards her friend. This time, Twilight focused on the object coming in her direction at a high speed. With her goal clear on her mind, Twilight evoked the spell without problems.

The small bolt fired by her horn was this time just strong enough to destroy the balloon and vanish. Nonetheless, she did it consciously, meaning that she had recovered yet another spell. It was just a matter of practice from now on.

“I did it!” She yelled, victoriously.

Trixie smiled, nodding, “See? I told you your spell was still inside of you.”

Twilight quickly trotted to her friend, looking at her with happy, filly eyes, “Do you think its the same with all the others?” She begun to bounce on place, excited, “Maybe we could try some Warding right now, or maybe a basic Transmutation!”

“Easy, Sparkle!” Trixie replied, smiling, “I’m sorry, but I’m not good with those kind of spells. You better find other masters to help you with that.”

Twilight stopped and pouted, “Alright…”

“Whelp! We don’t have time to chitty-chat. Let’s pack up and prepare for our departure."

“I’ll be trusting on you to watch the fort, old horse.” Trixie said, smirking.

The gray-maned stallion who helped Twilight at the station a few days ago smiled back at her. He was Gray Mane, Trixie’s grandfather. He, Trixie and Twilight were having a conversation at the entrance of Trixie’s mansion.

“I hope you two don’t mess everything up. The country’s already in turmoil with this whole business of the Twilight Princess alone. I don’t even want to know what might happen if they discover she’s gathering talented knights to aid her.” He replied, looking at Twilight.

The alicorn blushed and applied her telekinesis on a long, hooded cape inside of one of the saddlebags attached to the sides of her body, covering herself to hide her wings and face, “We will try our hardest to stay out of trouble Mr. Mane. Thank you for your help bringing me and your grandchild together.”

“My little Trix was a troublemaker.” The old stallion looked over the blushing Trixie, “She has changed a lot after meeting you, Twilight. I think she needed somepony to bring her hooves back to the ground. I’m sure she will be a lot of help in your quest for truth.”

Twilight nodded, “She is invaluable.”

Trixie called their attention by scratching her throat and making a loud noise, “I hate to interrupt you two talking about me like I’m a little filly, but me and Sparkle need to get going to the station before we lose our train.”

Gray Mane laughed, “Right. You better come back alive, do you hear me?”

“As if the Great and Powerful Trixie would die before her grand finale.” Trixie declared and winked.

“Yeah, right.” The stallion scuffed, as if accustomed to Trixie’s usual tirades, “I have a farewell present for you before you go.” He turned around and pulled a small saddlebag from behind the entrance door.

Trixie’s eyebrow rose, “What?”

“Use that fancy magic of you unicorns and see for yourself.” He declared, tossing the package at Trixie’s hooves with his mouth.

The unicorn did as told. Trixie applied her telekinesis, opening the saddlebag and revealing its contents. It was a cape and a hat, very similar to the ones she normally used, however, those two were crimson red instead of purple, and had silver moon patterns instead of colored stars. The neck piece that serves as a pin to hold the cape on place had the shape of a Golden, eight-pointed star with a small circle behind it and a larger, sun-like circle encasing it.

“It’s my father’s cape and hat…” Trixie breathed, seemingly disturbed by the vision.

“His most prized possession. You, Trixie Lulamoon, who have inherited your mother’s legacy, the perfect rune casting, are the only one worthy of wearing this mantle and hat.” Gray Mane displayed a bitter-sweet smile as he spoke, “You are about to step upon a difficult path, I know that, but I’m also sure that you and your friend will be able to conquer all difficulties and put everything back in its rightful place.”

Twilight observed as Trixie’s always serious and proud eyes watered a bit. The unicorn forced her eyelids to close, making the tears spread and vanish, as she nodded vigorously, thanking her grandfather, “I will make everypony proud! This time, for real! No lies, no pretending. I will make you all proud of me!"

Grey Mane hugged Trixie gently, “I’m sure you will!”

Twilight smiled. She couldn’t help but to think about her loving family, all the way in the Crystal Empire and about her promises to each one of them.

The unicorn and the old stallion broke from their hug, and Trixie quickly donned herself with the red cape and hat as if putting on a suit of armor.

“Let’s get going, Sparkle! We will find your friends and clean your name!” Exclaimed Trixie, excitedly.

"Let's go!"

Ten - Homecoming

The duo reached Vanhoover’s station just a few minutes before the scheduled time for their departure. It was early in the morning, meaning that only a few ponies were trotting about the station, which was marvelous for Twilight to keep a low profile.

Twilight, caped and worried, and Trixie walked towards the platform, where a station employee awaited for them.

“Is the train bound for Ponyville about to arrive?” Trixie quickly asked him.

He cheerfully smiled to her, “Hello ladies, good evening! Yes, the train bound to old Ponyville is about to arrive. Do you two have any luggage needing to be moved?"

“No.” Twilight answered, hiding her face beneath the hood, “We just have those saddlebags and nothing else.”

The sound of a train engine quickly approaching made their ears perk up.

“Hey! Looks like you two made it just in time,” The brown-furred, bulky stallion answered, “Your train is just arriving.”

The big locomotive reduced its speed, spreading its vapors all around the platform. Without a second though, Twilight and Trixie embarked, going in further to search for their cabin.

“Blonde Rush?” Trixie asked Twilight, lifting her saddlebag onto the upper bed inside their small cabin, “Was your mom a fan of earth-pony runners or something?”

Twilight giggled, walking towards the cushion closer to the window, “She tried to use as many aliases as she could. She didn’t want to be known for her literature.”

The alicorn sat on the soft, velvet-red cushion, and looked through the window. Slowly, she felt the train starting to move and rock, gaining speed. However, outside, the same stallion who helped them a few minutes ago seemed to be waving his forehooves towards the train, trying to call her attention. Twilight’s face contorted into a puzzled expression…

“There’s no way the train could be stopped right now, is there?” She asked Trixie.

Trixie laughed, “I’m sorry but not a chance!”

“Strange. That station employee seems to have forgotten to tell us something. He seemed restless…” Said Twilight, curious.

The unicorn shrugged, “There’s nothing we can do now. Besides, it must have been something unimportant.”

Twilight nodded, “I guess.”

“Whelp, I dunno about you, but I will make sure to enjoy this trip!” Trixie excitedly cheered, smiling and clapping her fore hooves on the ground, “It’s been so long since I managed to board a deluxe train like this one.”

"I guess I will skip the fancy buffet or the spa this time, I'm a little tired."

“Actually, its no surprise to me.” Trixie replied, “The amount of energy you must have spent casting that blast which destroyed the tree on my orchard would have been enough to put any unicorn into a vegetative state. Guess you, as an alicorn, have that much more energy, but as you at the moment can’t control it, it must be harder to recover after just blasting it all away. Your body must be feeling some kind of a side effect, so you better rest.”

The alicorn sighed, alleviated, “Good! I mean… I really need some sleep right now!”

She headed towards the nearest bed, applying her telekinesis on the cape and saddlebag covering her body, and shoved it all aside, throwing everything on the ground. Then, Twilight jumped on bed, belly up, nuzzling the comfy mattress.

Trixie giggled, “Go rest then, I’m going to try out those spas I talked about! Just thinking about having my fur washed with those expensive shampoos! It makes me all tingly inside!”

“Just be sure to wake me up before we stop. I need to dress up!”

Trixie had probably heard what Twilight said, even though she just exited the cabin while humming a soft tone and seemingly ignoring her companion. The alicorn smiled to herself, and turned her body around, resting her chin in the soft embrace of the velvety mattress.

Her eyelids wished to close all by themselves. She blinked one, two, three times, and found herself unable to open her eyes again. Her breath begun to go slower and slower, and before she took notice, Twilight was fast asleep.

“Twilight, please, wake up!”

Trixie’s voice invaded Twilight’s ears, glued to the sides of her head, invading her consciousness, and bringing her back from the sandman’s embrace.

Feeling renewed, the alicorn calmly opened her eyes, her eyelids feeling as light as feathers, compared on how they had previously seemed to weight tons. The first blurred image they captured was that of Trixie’s face, looking intently at her, expression in a mix of worry and distress.

As the blur from her recent waking begun to fade, Twilight’s peripheral vision catch a slight change in her surroundings; the previously sunlight illuminating her cabin was gone, and two gas lamps mounted on the walls provided the only light in the murky room.

Twilight’s own face contorted into a confused frown, as she eyed Trixie and scanned her surroundings, asking, “How long was I asleep?”

Trixie’s expression seemed to lighten up a little, “You slept for almost twelve hours. Guess you did spent much energy casting that blast.”

“Oh no!” Twilight shouted, scared, “Did we miss our stop?"

The thought prompted the alicorn to jump out of her bed and immediately get up on her hooves.

“Calm down!” Trixie replied, “We didn’t miss our stop. That’s what worries me. . You see, that spa was so good that I kinda lost track of the time… Traveling from Vanhoover to Ponyville by train takes four hours, but when I decided to check the time, I realized six hours had passed, so I thought something was wrong. What is even stranger, though, is that even though we are the only passengers going to Ponyville, no one from the train staff came to inform us about reaching our destination.”

“Maybe what that stallion at Vanhoover’s station was trying to tell to us wasn’t so unimportant after all…” Twilight commented, and sighed, feeling a little regretful about her neglect.

Trixie nodded, “It’s too late to complain, though. We better leave our cabin and ask somepony from the staff about this.”

As the mares turned to the door in order to leave and search for an employee for help, somepony knocked on it, and a male voice spoke, dampened by the wood.

“I’m sorry to interrupt you ladies, but our next stop is the new Ponyville station . If you could be kind and pack your belongings, we will be reaching there in a few minutes.”

Trixie and Twilight exchanged glances, silently asking each other what to do. Twilight scratched her throat, and decided to reply.

“T-Thanks! We are going to move out to the platform really soon, so please, just give us a moment.”

The next thing they could hear was the sound of his hoofsteps disappearing on the corridor. Trixie turned to the alicorn, with a confused expression, “Why didn’t you ask him as to why Ponyville became the last stop?"

“I doubt it makes much difference now… Let’s pack up and prepare to disembark.”

Both friends followed the corridors inside the train, towards the platform. On the way there, Twilight wearily observed the sinister shadows looming outside the windows, amid the nightly landscape. Tortuous trees, their branches forming ugly, bent shapes, and their leafless forms looked a lot like claws.

A stallion observed both mares coming along the corridor, and opened a smile, “I hope both of you enjoyed the trip, my ladies.”

Trixie greeted him with the same careless smug, although Twilight only noted their conversation with the corners of her vision, and heard their voices as distant echoes.

“We sure did! I’ve never felt so renewed after a trip!” Trixie chirped excitedly.

“Why are we stopping here? This isn’t Ponyville’s station!” Twilight complained, turning to the employee.

He eyed her back with guilty eyes, “I’m sorry my lady, it looks like you weren’t informed back at Vanhoover. Ponyville’s new station is located in a different place, due to security reasons.”

“Security reasons?” She asked back, discontent.

“We can see for ourselves, right Blonde Rush?” Trixie interrupted their discussion with an awkward grin, and a sudden shout, followed by a hoof placed over Twilight’s shoulder.

It prompted the alicorn to turn her gaze towards her companion. Trixie shot at her a gaze of somepony trying to tell her to stay calm, stirring up a commotion inside the train was the last thing they wanted at the moment.

“Yes, you’re right Trixie.” She nodded, and lowered her head.

Although the stallion seemed to be a little weary about that hooded mare’s strange behavior, he just opened the door, pretending nothing happened.

Twilight and Trixie disembarked immediately. They reached a simply outpost, clearly made in a rush. The cheap wood used still smelled fresh and there were no cabins, nor benches; one thing was certain, no pony passed by since its construction.

A strange sensation dwelled inside Twilight’s gut. She found herself sieged by apprehension, but she didn’t quite understand why...

As the locomotive blared its loud whistle, and the train departed, following the trail towards Dodge Junction, she turned around to catch a vision of the landscape.

“Is this what I think it is?” She asked Trixie, her jaw dropping.

“I would say you can tell me better, but it sure looks like it!” Trixie replied, her expression becoming the same as that of Twilight.

Sweet Apple Acres…

Or at least, what was left of it.

The once beautiful, healthy apple trees belonging to the Element of Honesty and her family, were nothing but a shadow of the past. Their current state was deplorable; their bodies were crooked to the sides, almost bending to the ground. Their once vivid leaves were either withered, or completely destroyed by bite marks. Their branches were tortuous, and there were very few apples upon them, and even those were small and ugly.

Not only were the trees were destroyed, but both mares could see an alarming number of small, shiny red eyes staring back at them from the darkness and fog permeating the orchard. Sometimes, a fast-moving winged critter flew from tree to tree, and a low-pitched cry was heard.

“Are those… Vampire fruit bats?” Trixie gulped and asked, eyes fixated on the unsettling scene.

Twilight felt rage and sorrow tackling at her chest. So much that she completely ignored her companion’s question. She felt that cursed knot forming at her throat, the one which always came before a flood of water would begin to fill her eyes. Bravely, she endured, and jumped out of the platform running, almost tripping over her hooves.

“W-Wait a minute, Sparkle!” Trixie shouted, but it fell on deaf ears.

Twilight braved the fog and followed towards the main house. Her eyes were searing, but she kept telling herself not to shed tears.

She could see the fence separating the orchard from Applejack’s state, and she continued to run.

Slowly, the dense fog became more and more clear, and in a few seconds, she had a good view of the Apple’s old house.

Twilight’s flank fell to the ground with a loud ‘thump’ sound.

“This… This is wrong…”

She whispered, mouth hanging agape in shock.

It was destroyed.

The ceiling was full of holes, big enough for a pony to enter. A disgusting, black dust was spread through the entrance, along with piles and piles of withered leaves brought by the wind. Not a single glass from the windows remained intact… It was absolutely impossible for anypony to still be living inside...

“Sparkle! Wait for me! I’m not as fast as you!” Trixie’s pleas reached her ears, but Twilight was shocked.

The unicorn reached her position, and lowered her head, taking large breaths of air, “What the hay, Sparkle? Do you keep forgetting you have earth-pony powers too? I can’t keep up wit-”

Trixie paused. She finally had turned her attention to the deserted house where the Apple family once lived.

“What happened here? Do you think the vampire fruit bats did this? I bet they stormed the place looking for apples after the orchard was destroyed. Those critters!” Trixie commented, trying to reach Twilight. However, the alicorn didn’t move at all…

“Granny Smith… Big Mac… Apple Bloom… They’re gone.”

“This place is in a pretty bad shape alright, I doubt there’s anypony still living inside.” Trixie nodded and concluded.

“What happened to them, Trixie?” Twilight asked, lowering her head, closing her eyes and biting her lips, “Applejack treasured this place, but her grandmother and her brother were no different. Why would they abandon Sweet Apple Acres?”

“We can’t be sure if we keep moping around here! Let’s try hitting the central square, maybe we can find some familiar face to help us and gather info.”

Twilight nodded in silence, mustering her strength and getting back on her hooves. As her companion started to trot away, the alicorn looked over the barn and the field with a gaze filled with sadness, bidding a last farewell to the place where once, so many laughs were shared with her family, and followed Trixie.

“This is impossible…”

Twilight’s voice echoed through the vicinities.

Ponyville was a ghost town.

The houses, although still mostly intact, were left to gather dust. There was not a single trace of anypony around.

“This is really, really creepy. What happened around here?” Trixie expression was one of pure awe. She wasn’t broken like Twilight was, but seeing the town completely abandoned took her by surprise.

“My home…” Twilight whimpered, any attempts to hold off the tears failing.

The duo walked through the trail in front of the town hall, and observed the desolated place. The silence was almost cruel…

“There must be some kind of explanation as to why this happened.” Trixie commented, trying to cheer Twilight by stimulating her curiosity, however, the sadness had taken the alicorn into a strong grasp.

As they finally reached the main square, Twilight’s eyes befell upon what would be the last straw… The last vision her troubled mind could endure before completely giving in.

Golden Oaks Library had disappeared, scorched to the ground.

Trixie divided her attention between looking over the burnt black area, full of remnants of burned tomes, and Twilight’s eyes, glimmering with palatable pain.

“They destroyed my books… They burned my home.”

“Sparkle…”

“I loved my home Trixie. I loved Ponyville.”

The alicorn moved towards the ugly black pile of wood and cinders, like a soulless doll, a zombie. She stood still amid the ashes and closed her eyes.

“It’s all gone.” She whimpered further.

The smell of burned paper filled her nostrils as if it happened yesterday. As the wind caressed her purple fur, Twilight’s ears were invaded by echoes…

Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie’s laughs…

Rarity’s whining…

Fluttershy’s squeaks…

Applejack’s accent …

Not long ago, those sounds had filled the walls of her home and made her feel complete. She took off her cape, casting it to the ground, for it was a lack of respect to enter that place hiding who she was.

She pried her eyes open again, her vision immediately falling over a shining object buried under the black dust. Twilight walked over there, and applied her telekinesis to lift it out of the rubble.

And then, fresh tears came crashing down…

A photograph of her friends, hugging and smiling together with her. Twilight sat on the ground, looking at the picture covered by a thin glass. Her teardrops falling on that glass, , and washing the ashes staining it.

“Sparkle…” Trixie whispered, getting closer to her.

“This picture of us used to be by my side all the time…”

She hugged the picture and closed her eyes, the precious memories from the past coming like a flood.

“It’s a miracle it remained intact like this.”

“Maybe its some sort of an omen.” Trixie said, turning her gaze away.

Twilight nodded, still clinging strongly to the reminiscence of her past. Still pressing the portrait against her chest, as if wanting to meldt together with it...

“I want to believe it is… I need to keep pushing and fighting, and getting stronger. They are alive, somewhere Trixie… They must have survived, just like this picture. ” Twilight sobbed and tried her best to control the tears, to no avail.

“Do you want to rest for a little while? I know it must be hard for you to come here and see everything like this.”

The alicorn wished she could be stronger and continue. To leave the dust of a past that will never return behind and keep searching. However, her heart ached so much...

“Yes, I want to be by myself just for a while Trixie… Just for a little while…” She wailed.

Trixie turned around, and completed, “I’ll go scout the vicinities to try and find any clues. Please, try to stay here where I can find you.”

"What the hay?" Trixie complained, walking past by the market square where she usually stationed her trailer to perform, "Ponyville used to be such a lively little hamlet.”

How could this place just turn into a ghost town? What could have happened?

Trixie walked in circles, scrutinizing each building and corner. She was searching attentively or any small clue.

As she walked past an alley, Trixie’s ears caught a peculiar sound; something was lurking in the shadows near her, and it was trying to past her without being noticed...

But Trixie didn’t have any plans to allow it…

She stopped, but continued to move her gaze in random directions, pretending she hadn’t noticed anything. While faking she was distracted, the unicorn with precise and short movements drew a rune on the ground, moving her foreleg with extreme caution.

Complete.

The sound was hoofsteps. However, they weren’t like the sound of hooves, clasping against the concrete floor. It was more akin to the sound of claws…

I hope you’re ready for what is to come, amigo…

Trixie jumped around, her horn flaring furiously with a blinding azure light, she clasped her hoof strongly against the small symbol she had just draw on the ground. The symbol ignited, and the alleyway lit with an intense orange glow. Her target was a barrel full of dry leaves she could spot from her current position. It served as the catalyst to produce a giant pillar of flames.

The unicorn could hear a scream from there, and saw a form that wasn’t that of a pony jumping from the passage, escaping from the blazing explosion.

The creature was a diamond dog.

A female, judging from her body and voice. She sported a pretty small frame. Trixie guessed she was still a puppy, or at least could pass for one.

Her fur was a dark shade of gray, her eyes were green, with black fended pupils, although at the moment, they looked more dilated due to the shock of being attacked out of nowhere.

Her ears were small and bent towards the inner part of her head, the points almost touching her big puppy eyes.

She was dressed with a plain blue waistcoat and a black spiked dog collar around her neck.

“Freeze!” Trixie shouted, prompting the small dog to forget about the pyre and look towards her.

She whimpered, her ears glued to the sides of her head, and her tail moving to between her legs. Trixie could see her whole body trembling.

“W-W-What’s happening?” She yelled, stuttering.

“I wouldn’t move an inch if I were you, vermin!” Trixie remained stoic, and walked over the dog, her horn flaring with a raging pink color.

“Who are you?” The dog asked, completely lost, “Geez… I thought this town was deserted…”

“I’m the one asking the questions here!” Trixie shouted back at her, her intention was to show the diamond dog who was the boss.

“Okay! Okay! Just calm down, will ya?” The dog replied, swinging her hands erratically, as if begging Trixie for not to incinerate her.

“Who are you?” Trixie walked right in front of her, gaze always locked at her eyes, intimidating the dog. The unicorn was good at performing, so it was easy for her to fake superiority or even cruelty in order to keep an upper hand over an unknown presence.

“My name’s Roxy! Is this a good answer?” She shouted, breaking eye contact by turning her head away.

The dog was sweating a lot, Trixie noticed.She had that creature right where she wanted.

“It’s something…” The unicorn replied, and with a soft gesture, made the pyre disappear.

Roxy looked to the side, noting how the magician was able to control such an explosive power with ease. She gulped.

“What are you doing here, Roxy?” Trixie asked, grimacing.

"What do you think, I’m a diamond dog! I’m looking for any valuables left behind by the townsfolk who fled.” Roxy grumbled, distressed.

“So you do know what happened to Ponyville?”

The dog turned her gaze back at Trixie, as if surprised by her question, She nodded, “Of course I do! We diamond dogs need to move fast if we want to make a livin’.”

“Can you tell me?” Trixie’s voice was softer.

“It actually impresses me you dunno!” Roxy replied with authentical awe.

“I’m not from here Roxy, I’m from Vanhoover, just arrived.”

“It makes sense I guess…” The diamond dog breathed, “So, you’re going to fry me just because I was stealing?”

“Nope. I was going to fry you because I thought you were trying to attack me from my blind spot.” Trixie shook her head in negation, and sat down, “Now I have no motive to do so. You're not a treat especially because you're all alone."

“Hey!” Roxy yelled, and got up, “How do you know I’m all alone?”

“Diamond Dogs only raids towns in packs, even if the town is deserted. If you were with your pack, they would have attacked me much sooner."

Roxy’s ears deflated and she threw her gaze away, “Darn… You got me.”

“Please, tell me what happened to Ponyville!”

“It’s exactly what it looks like. The townsfolk are all gone and the town is abandoned.” Roxy replied with a clean face.

“Did they flee ? And if they did, why?” Trixie was restless.

“Yup, they fled. I heard from a traveling merchant from Manehattan that all the townsfolk fled to different places, where they had family or friends who could take them, out of fear and left the town completely deserted. I thought it was a good opportunity to come here and take anything of value before any authority or other dogs could come to do the same."

"Why?"

"It's all because of the Twilight Princess."

The unicorn was kind of expecting an answer like that. Twilight being the cause wasn’t all that mind boggling. But that dry reply wasn’t enough…

“I don’t understand. Why is the Twilight Princess tied to this massive exodus?”

Roxy scratched her throat and smiled nervously, “Sorry to answer your question with another one, miss - What’s your name again?”

Trixie blushed, “Oh! Of course, sorry for my lack of tact. I’m Trixie Lulamoon.”

“It’s alright, especially because five minutes ago you were trying to fry me.”

She blushed further and giggled uncomfortably, “I swear I wasn’t aiming at you.”

“I’ll believe in you, seeing how doubting or running away could end with me getting turned into beef jerky.” Roxy seemed to still be afraid of Trixie, but the unicorn couldn’t blame her.

“Do you know a foal’s book that goes by the name of ‘The Weeping Princess and The Stolen Kingdom’?”

Her question intrigued Trixie. Yes, she knew that book; a fairy tale written for foals by an unknown author. She could even remember having her own mother telling her that story before sleep.

“Yes, I do.” Trixie nodded and stared at Roxy with confusion and curiosity.

“The Twilight Princess is accused of killing the Six Elements of Harmony in order to become an alicorn and to plan her conquest of your kingdom, Equestria, by overthrowing Princess Celestia and Princess Selena. Many folks believe that these events are the fulfillment of the story told in that book, ‘cept of course, you know, the part where the Twilight Princess is the rightful heir to the throne.”

Trixie accessed her memories, trying to remember about the general plot of that silly fairy tale. A nameless unicorn called “The Weeping Princess” in the story was born to be a powerful monarch, chosen by the stars to bring about an eon of harmony and happiness to ponykind.

However, in a far away land, two evil queens set their greedy eyes on her peaceful land, fearing that someday, when she became a powerful queen herself, she would end their cruelty over the world. They attacked her kingdom when she still was an infant, captured her parents and almost killed her. Her loyal paladins saved the little princess, and ran away, to a distant place, where the evil queens could not find her.

The little princess was raised by her paladins, and came to know many powerful creatures of her vast world, growing in power and wisdom, until one day she returned to her stolen kingdom and defeated the evil queens, fulfilling the prophecy once told by the stars.

She became the new queen, and the whole world rejoiced, as the harmony was finally brought to the four corners of the planet.

It’s not so unlikely… If what we saw at that Akashic Record is true, then it means Celestia and Luna aren’t from Equestria. The country had not existed before they founded it.

However, Twilight was born a pure Equestrian from Canterlot. However, she did defeat an evil queen with help from paladins; Nightmare Moon, the queen, and the Elements of Harmony, the paladins.

But what doesn’t make sense is the part about her being the rightful heir to the throne. As far as I know, Twilight doesn’t have a drop of royal blood in her.

“I don’t get it.” Trixie finally spoke after a while, “Are there any mentions on the story about the Weeping Princess harming villagers?”

“Whelp, it’s not explicit, but there’s a passage where a village is destroyed not by her, but by the soldiers sent by the Queens to seize her.” Roxy replied, rubbing her chin.

“And let me guess; the villagers fled because they were afraid that this village would be the one to be destroyed in case the Weeping Princess would return.”

The dog nodded, “You got it. The first place she came to after she killed the elements was Ponyville, and the villagers started to believe she would come here again if she wanted to hide, but I’m not sure why...”

And she did return… What the hay is happening here? Is Twilight really repeating what happened to this Weeping Princess from that fairy tale?

Trixie got up, and begun trotting back to where she left Twilight, “Sorry for the first impression Roxy. Go on and do your pillage, I doubt somepony cares after all. Thanks for the info by the way.”

Roxy eyed Trixie with confusion and surprise, “You don’t care?”

“Do I look like the militia or something?” Trixie scuffed, cocking an eyebrow, “There’s nothing left of Ponyville anyway. Just take care.”

With a huge smile, the diamond dog nodded and fled, running at her top speed. Trixie chuckled, gazing towards her path.

Also, I got something much more precious than pillaging… Answers!

“Sparkle!”

Twilight heard Trixie’s voice from across the road. Still lingering to the ashes of her old home, the alicorn moved her attention towards her unicorn companion, galloping in her direction.

“Is something the matter, Trixie?” She shouted back, worried.

Trixie stopped right in front of her, lowering her head to catch some breath, inhaling sharply.

“I’ve - found something - important!” Trixie tried to explain while breathing heavily.

Twilight planted a kind hoof over her shoulder, “Calm down.”

Her friend nodded, and kept trying to recover her composure.

After a while, Trixie finally recovered and they moved to exchange info in a much less gloomy location, a set of benches near a park close to the central square. The unicorn recounted what happened to Ponyville and about the fable which, strangely, seemed to tie in with to Twilight’s struggles.

Listening to Trixie’s testimony made Twilight remember about the fateful night when she fought Grogar, and when she first stepped into Ponyville after her transformation…

“Princess Celestia did show me that book and said I was a lot like the main character, however, she also said she and her sister were no evil queens. It was me who was the one trying to bring chaos to their kingdom, and for that, I should just disappear…"

Twilight hung her head low. It happened quite some time ago, but the remembrance still stung her chest. She never wanted any of this… She wanted her teacher back.

Trixie gave her a sympathetic smile, “She didn’t give you any credit huh?”

The alicorn remained silent, and Trixie turned her gaze away, “Look, maybe Celestia couldn’t recognize you. Maybe she thinks you’re not really yourself.”

“I’m not all that different, Trixie. I just looks like a giraffe; A winged giraffe with this stupid over-sized horn.” Twilight scuffed, angry and sad about her appearance.

Trixie laughed, “C’mon, you’re not all that bad! Sure, the horn looks a little exaggerated, but your new manestyle is pretty awesome.”

An uncomfortable silence fell over the duo. Trixie did her best to cheer Twilight, but failed. Anything would fail as long as she had to stay in Ponyville with all her memories haunting her.

Not only that, but she was the culprit for the desolation of the small town which three years ago had accepted the complete stranger from Canterlot in their midst. It was like repaying all their kindness with cold cruelty.

“I guess we aren’t going to find Silver Spoon here anymore.” Trixie breathed deeply, and sighed.

Twilight simply nodded, gazing over the ground.

“We should try to get going towards Manehattan. If she was from a rich family like you told me, there’s a huge possibility her family fled there.” Trixie concluded and hopped off the bench.

Twilight remained static in place, mopping over the situation, lost…

“C’mon! There’s no point staying here!” Trixie shouted, “I know you feel guilty about what happened here, but we both know it isn’t your fault!”

“I’m not sure Trixie…” Twilight whimpered, “I’ve always told you I’m not sure about anything. About their deaths, and about my transformation. I don’t know if what the Princesses are saying about me is true or not. Maybe I did it… Maybe I am the Twilight Princess who killed the Elements of Harmony in order to become an alicorn, to gain power to overthrow them and conquer Equestria. Maybe I’m not even Twilight Sparkle.”

Trixie’s face contorted in a fit of anger, “Stop with the self-pity! This is not the Twilight Sparkle I know! The Twilight Sparkle I know is determined, strong willed, and never gives up! You’re sad because of what happened to Ponyville? Then stop moping around and do something about it! For example, keep trying to find the truth!”

“What if I’m not Twilight! What would you do Trixie?” Twilight shouted back at her, rage filling her expression.

They both exchanged glances in silence for a few seconds, eyes narrowed, shooting daggers.

“What would you do? Abandon me? Tell the Princesses where am I? Would you just leave me, like Celestia and Luna did? Like the rest of my country did?” Twilight shouted without end, venting her frustration and sadness.

Trixie eyed her for seconds in silence, and her expression slowly melted from rage into confusion and sadness...

“It doesn’t matter anymore… Not for me.” She whimpered, “I will follow you, even if you’re not Twilight Sparkle… Because you are -” A flood of tears came from the unicorn’s eyes, much for the alicorn’s surprise, “- the only true friend I’ve had in my entire life!”

Twilight was taken aback. She motioned one of her forehooves to her mouth, dumbstruck by Trixie's reaction. Twilight's rage and sorrow were being directed against somepony who didn't deserved them. She was doing the exact opposite of what she had promised to herself, not that long ago: She was hurting somepony.

And out of everypony... It had to be Trixie…

Her first new friend, after losing so much. The first ray of light amid all the darkness of her road.

“I want to believe you’re Twilight!” Trixie yelled, lost in her outburst, “I don't care if you aren't her! I'm accustomed to be the villain, to be fightning on the wrong side! However, for a friend... For my only friend I will gladly do it... It's just that I can’t keep being strong for both of us all the time…Please... Tell me I'm not mistaken again!”

She sobbed and whimpered, prompting the alicorn to almost do the same. However, her friend asked her to be strong for once.

Twilight threw herself against Trixie, hugging her with both forearms and covering the unicorn’s back with her huge lavender wings. The embrace was strong, full of confidence. The alicorn wanted Trixie to feel her determination, to know she was there for her.

“I’m sorry. I’ll never freak out like this ever again.” Twilight concluded, her voice firm and strong.

It made Trixie’s tears stop. The unicorn passed her forearms around Twilight’s neck, hugging her back, “Do not walk in front of me, I may not follow. Do not walk behind me, I may not lead. Just walk by my side, and call me your friend. Together, Sparkle, we need to keep going together! This is friendship, isn’t it?”

“Right. Together!”

Slowly, they broke from the hug, Trixie wiping the tears from her face, and pouting.

“What the hay!” Trixie complained, “You got to see me all sappy and crying.”

Twilight smiled, "I won't tell anypony. I promise."

"What's that silly thing you told me you and your friends used to do to seal a promise?" Asked Trixie, throwing Twilight a small smile.

Twilight laughed and she motioned one of her fore hooves to her chest and started to design a cross over it, "Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye. There; now's a pinkie promise, and you can't break a pinkie promise!"

"Good." Said Trixie, wiping the last tear to still cling inside her eyelids.

“Manehattan, right?” Twilight asked, hopping out of the bench.

Trixie nodded, “Let’s hope we can find a train to board this late of night.”

The unicorn begun trotting away and Twilight immediately begun to follow her but then...

A small pebble fell from the sky near Trixie, and rolled in Twilight’s direction. The alicorn followed the small round stone with her gaze as it rolledin her direction, trying to understand what just happened.

And then… The realization hit her as soon as she took notice of a six-pointed pink star carved on it...

Obsidian stone!

Twilight’s blood froze, as her eyes widened in shock and her mouth went dry. She couldn’t really understand what force drove her body to move, but she didn’t regretted it a bit.

With a precise lunge Twilight leaped towards Trixie and shoved her to the side with a tackle, the unicorn plummeting to the ground with a loud gasp.

Immediately after, Twilight turned her body around in a complete 180 degrees spin, ruffling open her big wings and raising her head.

She could hear it whistling through the air as it traversed the distance between an attacker and her only and precious friend.

An arrow… Heading towards where Trixie would have been had she not have taken her place.

The alicorn closed her eyes. There was no time for her to concentrate for a spell to blast it out of the air and save herself. But Trixie wasn’t going down because of her. It should end there…

Twilight expected for the cold iron tip to pierce her beating heart, but the pain didn’t come. As she peeked using one eye, a grayish magic aura had engulfed the bolt millimeters from her chest, making it float in the air as if the time around it had stopped.

“Sheesh! You almost got me in trouble there, Twilight Princess!”

A brash, loud voice shouted from the distance, the sound of uncountable ruffling wings following close behind.

The arrow fell to the ground, and Twilight could breathe alleviate. Trixie got up from the ground in silence, she probably understood why Twilight did that, as the sound of a flock encircling them and getting closer dominated the surroundings.

At last, from the shadows, a familiar figure popped, accompanied by an entire battalion formed by armed knights, composed only of bat-ponies.

Night Watch…

As soon as the commander landed near Twilight and Trixie, the several armed knights surrounded them.

“I’ve been looking for you all over this country, Twilight Princess.”

Her merciless, magenta eyes had a predatory glow to them as she stared towards Twilight intently. The alicorn could feel her blood running cold just from looking inside them.

"I’ve got you. I’m here to carry on Princess Selena’s orders! I will capture you and bring you to Canterlot at once!” The commander shouted, her sadistic smile only growing in size. It was as if she could feel Twilight’s fear getting out of control…

“Who the hay is her?” Trixie asked, whispering close to Twilight’s ear.

“Commander Night Watch, from Princess’s Luna special operations group, The Unseen.” She replied and gulped.

“So, the stories about the group of assassins serving under the Night Crown are true…” Trixie concluded, and focused her gaze at Night Watch.

Twilight nodded, and turned her attention towards the bat-pony mare shouting, “Why did you halt your attack? Hasn’t the Equestrian Crown decided to give me death penalty?”

Night Watch opened her mouth to speak, but somepony cut her off before she could explain, appearing out of thin air by her side.

A mare, fur tinged in lead gray; yellow eyes with fended pupils; she had a longer, lizard-like bald tail, ending in a furry bale of dark blue hair, very different from an average pony’s tail.

The same type of messy hair adorned her ach one of her pasterns; Her long, savage dark blue mane formed a bang, almost covering her left eye. Protruding from her forehead, a long curved black horn glowed with a pale, gray light.

“Princess Selena’s orders are absolute. She tasked us with bringing you back unscathed.”

“Precisely.” Night Watch affirmed, smiling towards her knight, and then back at Twilight.

“What the hay is that?” Trixie asked, pointing with a hoof towards the mysterious gray mare.

The commander replied, still smiling, “She’s a nightcorn. A unicorn who embraced the night, just like each of us moori did a thousand of years ago. Nightcorns are even rarer than us, that’s why the few are all serving under the Night Guard.”

The nightcorn smiled sadistically, just like the commander, "The name is Jasper, and it’ll be a pleasure to hunt you down tonight.”

“That strange magic came from you…” Said Twilight, narrowing her eyes with rage towards Jasper.

“Jasper gives my battalion the touch of magic we need in certain missions, like capturing aberrations of nature, such as you, Twilight Princess.” Night Watch hissed, spitting Twilight's nickname with disgust.

“Commander, I believe we should stop with the pointless explanations and subdue her.” Jasper affirmed, licking her lips.

“Seize her.” Night Watch declared with a bland voice and expression.

Immediately, three knights jumped towards Twilight, readying their spears to strike in case she tried to resist.

Twilight closed her eyes and lowered her head, trying to think of something. Suddenly, an azure glow passed through her eyelids, surprising her.

As she opened her eyes, she saw Trixie, shielding the two of them with her shield of tiny hexagons. The knights were striking, trying to break it, while floating around and brandishing their spears against different locations.

“Trixie…” Twilight whispered, shocked.

“What?” Trixie cocked an eyebrow, questioning, “You do realize you almost took an arrow for me a few minutes ago, right?”

“What’s this?” Twilight could hear Night Watch speaking from across the distance between them, “Filly, If you intervene, you’re going to get involved with something bigger than you can swallow!”

Trixie turned to Night Watch, “Commander Night Watch! I’m not abandoning my Princess! I’m Trixie Lulamoon, and I am her knightress!”

The moori’s face twisted in a mix of rage and curiosity, “A knightress serving under the Twilight Princess?”

“Are you out of your mind, unicorn?” Jasper shouted, outraged "She’s the betrayer! She’s going to be responsible for the destruction of our kingdom! How dare you to pledge allegiance to her?”

“Does it help if I say I believe in her innocence, despite all the lies you, your corrupt nobility and your mad princesses are saying about her?” Trixie shouted back at Jasper, giving them a confident face.

“How dare you? You dare to tarnish Princess Selena’s name!?” The nightcorn was about to jump against Trixie’s neck, but Night Watch held her in place, and moved her attention towards Trixie.

“We will be giving you one more chance to back away and surrender, filly. My next course of action will be to forcefully carry on my orders. If you truly believe in what this monster you are protecting says, I will take you’re ready to assume all the consequences for declaring knighthood to her flag.”

Trixie smiled widely, exchanging glances with Twilight, and shouting back to the commander, “I am!”

Twilight bit her lips.

“Trixie… We can’t fight them. They are trained soldiers, with battle experience, while we are just two civilians with our only training being a few combat classes we attended at the School for Gifted Unicorns! We don’t stand a chance.” The alicorn wailed, worried.

Trixie scuffed Twilight’s affirmation with a mocking grin, “Whatever. They aren’t going to get you, I won’t let them!”

Swiftly, the unicorn drew a rune on the ground. Right after, she cancelled her shield, the moori were free to strike both of them. Trixie planted her right fore hoof firmly against the symbol, igniting both her horn and the letter in a powerful azure glow.

A thick blue mist flowed from around the caster, enveloping everything near her, and Twilight. The alicorn observed, baffled, the three knights falling to the ground, turned into statues of ice…

“I am your knightress! I am your sword, and your shield! I will protect you, and lead you to your friends! And then, the world will recognize the majesty of my art!” Trixie declared with thunderous voice, as if challenging Night Watch and Jasper.

“It’s suicide to fight Trixie! We need to run!” Twilight pulled Trixie's fore arm. She felt afraid of fightning, and she didn't wanted to watch, powerless, as her friend fought with those enemies.

However, her knightress slapped her clutch away, “I will keep them occupied. You run.”

The bland voice from Trixie made Twilight’s heart almost stop. She moved her head to the sides in negation, holding up tears of despair.

“I can’t abandon you!”

Twilight screamed, trying once again to bring Trixie with her, but once again the unicorn dismissed her touch, shoving Twilight’s hoof with her shoulder.

“You think I will lose to them?” Trixie shouted, angrily, “Are you mocking me Sparkle? How many times do I need to tell you? I don’t like being mocked!”

Twilight’s lips trembled. Her eyes stung. The adrenaline running wild inside her body made her heart beat with a frenzied rhythm. She stared at Trixie with watered eyes and a despaired expression, any words dying in her mouth before she could complete them.

“Go. Towards Dodge Junction, past the forest, where will be difficult for them to track you down. Wait for me. I will be joining you soon.” Her friend spoke, voice even more bland and monotone. Her expression didn’t passed anything to Twilight. Not confidence, not fear, not courage, not anything at all…

Twilight remained static, paralyzed.

“Go!” Trixie yelled, pushing Twilight away, and making her fall to the ground.

Twilight couldn’t take it anymore, she cried, in silence, closing her eyes, trails of tears falling over her cheeks. She quickly got up, and turned around, running at full earth-pony speed. Each step she made away from Trixie pained her, as if small needles were piercing her heart…

She didn’t have the courage to look back…

The leaves and branches lashed at her, opening small cuts in her skin. Those bruises were tiny, but they ached and seared, causing a horrible discomfort.

She didn’t care much though. Twilight only continued running.

Away from her past.

Away from that haunted town, full of memories she didn’t wanted to remember.

Away from the shame of leaving Trixie behind, abandoned to her own luck.

She didn’t know to where, not even when she would be able to stop.

She only continued to run... Without looking back.

She felt pathetic.

And even then the sound of beating wings stalking her from the nearby trees still filled her ears and heart with utmost despair. The moori weren’t going to let their prey escape.

Eventually, her path ended in an opening near the border of the Everfree Forest, to where she had just fled.

The dark night sky was suddenly covered in ominous clouds, announcing a storm. A thunder strike roared in the distance…

Twilight stopped.

It’s pointless.

She thought, eyes gazing over the nothingness, wide open in shock and fear. The moori were getting closer and closer.

I can’t escape from them!

It was then, when a strange sound assaulted her hearing. A scream, coming from a nearby moori guard chasing her down.

Twilight’s ears perked up in attention and she finally turned around to observe the forest, the trees and the thick foliage, forming a natural green wall in front of her. Her worried eyes focused at random points, desperately searching for the source of the that shout.

A few seconds after, two guards jumped out of the bushes and landed right in front of her. They seemed as scared as the alicorn herself.

The rain came crashing down with violence, quickly wetting her mane and fur, making the light purple become darker…

Both knights were panting, and trying to recover their breath, one of them turned to Twilight, and with a distressed expression, he shouted at her, “Is this your work, monster? Did you summon some kind of beast to aid you in your escape?”

Twilight’s expression turned confused, “I don’t have any idea of what you’re talking about!” She yelled back at him.

“Stop lying! Nothing natural can move as fast as that beast! It must be something created by a monster like you!” The knight shouted, preparing his spear to attack, “If I kill you, it will go away!”

“Calm down!” The other knight yelled at him, “The orders said that we can’t harm her!”

“Screw the orders! I’m not going to die here because of this aberration of nature!”

He lunged at Twilight, dead set on striking the alicorn down. Twilight could see the despair and the fear in his eyes. Whatever scared those stallions so much inside the forest was bound to be something truly fearful…

It was when a yellow blur came out from inside the thick foliage, and in the blink of an eye, nailed the knight, smashing him into the muddy ground.

Armor bended. Metal deformed as if made of plastic. Twilight wasn’t sure if the moori could survive such a vicious attack.

She stared, fearfully, at the figure standing above the blacked out knight, hindhooves pressing his face against the soil, humiliating him.

The pony was clad in a black hooded mantle, hiding its identity. However, Twilight could see a small fringe of wet, golden blonde mane falling from inside the hood and against its obscured face.

“Get your dirty hooves out of my prey, scum!” It yelled, pressing its hoof even more firmly against the knight’s face.

“W-W-What are you?” Twilight said, stuttering in fear…

Suddenly, with a simple movement of his hoof, the other knight threw his spear mercilessly, but not at Twilight. The beast was his target.

Leaving a yellow blur behind, the pony back stepped, seconds before being struck by the pointy lance; the artifact flew towards a tree, and got stuck on it. Twilight gazed at the scene with wide open, shocked eyes and a dropped jaw.

It’s capable of moving so fast, in such short of a time! I don’t think even Rainbow Dash was capable of accelerating so fast!

“I said… My prey! Mine alone!”

In the blink of an eye, the beast vanished from its position near the alicorn, and leaving nothing more than a lightning-yellow streak a speck of dust behind, it was already in front of the second knight, hitting his jaw with a vicious attack from its fore hoof.

The impact produced by that high-speed-powered punch sentd the soldier staggering backwards meters away, as if his head was just slammed by a moving train. He ended out of Twilight’s field of view, somewhere amid the green foliage.

Such unholy strength! With that acceleration, this thing could easily rival an earth-pony strength wise!

“Now come here, my little purple birdie!”

The beast roared, turning back towards the alicorn. Twilight’s heart almost jumped out of her chest. She thought about either launching an attack using her rudimentary magic bolts, or running away as fast as she could; however, the fear from being the target of this monster paralyzed her…

All she could do was stare, motionless, as the hooded pony spread open its wings, and with an impulse, soared in her direction, tackling her body, and easily subduing her.

Twilight was pushed towards a nearby lone tree, in the middle of the opening, and got pinned against it in seconds. As her back smashed against the wooden trunk, she felt her lungs being crushed, and she gasped for air.

Before she could recover, Twilight peaked with one eye; she watched in awe as the beast begun to fly in a circle, holding her mouth a mysterious black rope ying Twilight down to the tree.

In the blink of an eye, the alicorn was completely tied to the tree trunk, unable to move her upper limbs, as her lower limbs danced pathetically in the air, searching for ground.

After recovering from the sudden attack, Twilight yelled at the mysterious attacker, “Who are you? What do you want from me?”

Finally, the pony landed in front of Twilight, and gazed towards her from above her shoulder, laughing quietly. Quickly, she turned around and took off the wet hood, revealing a very familiar face…

“I am Lightning Dust, and I’m here to avenge Rainbow Dash’s death!

Twelve - Ground Zero

“Do we really need to tie her like this?”

“I saw what she’s capable of, Jasper. We better be safe than sorry.”

Inside the big main hall of Ponyville’s townhouse, Jasper and Night Watch studied Trixie. She was hanging from the ceiling, forehooves tied by an iron chain, forcing them to remain upwards.

The commander, prepared for the capture of the infamous Twilight Princess, had brought with her a potent nullifying ring for her horn. She never could have guessed she would be using it on a common unicorn.

However, Trixie’s display of strength, and loyalty to the commander's sworn enemy showed Night Watch that even as just a civilian, the “Rune Witch” shouldn’t be treated lightly.

“The perimeter around the town hall has been secured. All the units have been called back. We are short six stallions though. Rat Trap, Leather Flap and Sonic Boom, as well as the three from the fifth division we found near the Everfree a few minutes ago, were all sent back to Canterlot to treat their wounds.”

Jasper had a clear preoccupied tone in her speech. Night Watch was certain that Jasper didn’t agree with the methods that her commander was using to lure Twilight into their trap...

But Princess Luna’s orders are absolute.

“Wake her up. I need to chat with her.”

The nightcorn sighed, throwing away her gaze in shame. Following Night’s orders, she applied her telekinesis on a bucket full of water, and in a single motion she threw the liquid against Trixie.

The unicorn immediately opened her eyes abruptl, breathing sharply from the shock of being bathed in cold water.

Night Watch gazed at her, coldly.

Trixie’s vision was blurred and confused. She couldn’t recognize the place where she was. Every muscle in her body her body ached, but she quickly had her attention attracted to her pasterns, as the firm grasp of the cuffs wounded her, the weight of her own body and the slow rocking caused by the water being tossed at her only worsening the pain.

Out of breath, she was scared to the bone. The terror of waking up surrounded only by enemies was intense.

“Congratulations. It was an amazing strategy.”

She couldn’t answer. Trixie felt her eyes getting stung. The despair made her feel like crying, but she knew she couldn’t...

Crying pathetically like that would only give her captors more space to torture her. With courage she gulped down the tears, slowly normalizing her frenzied breathing.

“I take you’re aware as to why we brought you to the town hall instead of immediately sending you to the capital’s prison, right?”

Night Watch’s voice was horribly calm. Trixie knew it was a form of torture, but experiencing it was completely different than reading about it.

In silence, the unicorn nodded.

“Good. I will be blunt, Rune Witch, I had no intention of keeping you alive, but I decided to do so in honor of your glorious display of power during our battle. Princess Luna could certainly use somepony with your unique abiliti-“

“If you’re thinking about brainwashing me with your propaganda and asking me to betray Twilight, forget it bat!”

How she could muster the courage to stand her ground like that was beyond her, but Trixie did so anyway.

She observed Jasper sighing right behind the commander, biting her lips in frustration. Night Watch seemed to be fuming and trying her best to control her urges to smack Trixie’s gut.

“I was afraid you were going to say something stupid like that. I will proceed to the next question, then: Where’s the Twilight Princess?”

“Far away, I hope.” She monotonously replied.

“Jasper, leave us alone.” Night Watch ordered without a single trace of feeling on her voice. It made Trixie almost wet the floor below her...

“Commander... We should not forget that we are Equestrians, and that this mare is our sister; we do not torture any living being, let alone our brethren; it’s written in our honor code, the same honor code you and the other Unseen commanders signed on the day of your promotion.”

Jasper had a fearful look in her eyes. Trixie lowered her head, and pressed her eyelids closed, once again halting tears of fear trying to escape her grasp.

“Leave. It’s an order.”

Night Watch rebutted and glanced over Jasper, shooting daggers at her soldier.

Jasper bit her lips, and turned around, slowly trotting out of the town hall.

“I can’t believe you’re seriously protecting her like this.” Night Watch turned to Trixie, looking at her with both curiosity and ire.

Trixie opened her eyes, and gazed over the moori, using every last acting lesson she had learned from her father to look as serene as possible.

“Won’t you do the same for Luna?” She replied. The pain from her cuffs was becoming more and more pronounced as the steel wore its way into her flesh.

Night Watch ironically laughed, “The Twilight Princess is an aberration. My Princess is the legitimate ruler of this land.”

“Why do you keep calling her that? Don’t you try to fake it! I know you and the other commanders from the Unseen know the truth! Twilight Sparkle, the Element of Magic and Princess Celestia’s personal student! This is who the Twilight Princess really is, and you know it!”

Trixie's harsh words made Night Watch react with anger; she flew towards her and grabbed her by her mane with a hoof. Night Watch pulled Trixie’s silver hair, raising her face, forcing her to look inside the moori's dragon-like eyes.

“She destroyed our Elements, betrayed her mentor and killed her friends! She’s not Twilight Sparkle anymore! She’s a monster, and she will pay for her crimes!”

Trixie gulped hard. Those magenta orbs, filled with fury bashed her heart with fear. However, at the same time, the unicorn could feel a force driving her to continue firm on her belief...

“You’re wrong. She didn’t kill her friends. She didn’t betray Celestia. We’re going to prove it. You will see.

“You seem amazingly confident for somepony who was abandoned a few hours ago by this same imposter you defend.”

Trixie just smiled.

Night Watch, taken aback by her reaction, released her mane, and flew a little backwards, asking with a discontent voice, “Why are you smiling?”

“Because of how bad you are at lying,” replied Trixie, serene eyes glowing with a content happiness, “You do not believe she left me behind , because if you did, you wouldn’t keep me here like this. You never planned on an interrogation; you wanted a reason for her to come back here. A bait. Deep inside, you know, just as well as I do, that Twilight can’t abandon a friend, and you will try and take this opportunity to seize her again.”

Night Watch couldn’t reply. Her mouth opened, but no words came out of it. The scene made Trixie’s smile grow larger.

The moori bit her lip and landed, asking, “And what if she doesn’t come for ya?”

“That would prove she isn’t Twilight Sparkle, but just a monster disguised as her.” Replied the unicorn, with satisfaction, “But if she does come, what will I prove to you, Night Watch?”

Silence befell the large room.

Trixie couldn't understand what made Night Watch grow silent. Her question was almost retorical, but it did sparked something inside her enemy. Unsure of what was going to happen next, the unicorn kept the silence.

"Princess Luna is suffering," Night Watch replied at last, lost in thought, "I’m not sure why, but it must be because of Princess Celestia. They are both hiding something from us, all of us... It’s something regarding Twilight and her so called ascension. They are doing things they would never do for the sake of something... But I still believe on them, because deep inside, they are the same... Otherwise, Twilight would be already dead by now. Remember that Luna – no, that Celestia wants Twilight alive.”

Trixie got surprised by Night Watch’s sudden answer.

“Why are you telling me this?” She asked, narrowing her eyes.

The moori sighed and licked her lips before replying, “Look Trixie, I know that ponies like me, Jasper, Midnight Blossom and Jasmine, are nothing more than pawns on the grand scheme of things. But you and your Princess are different; you girls are destined to change the course of history, be it succeeding in your goal of finding the truth, or even by failing here tonight. I’m nothing but a spear being wielded by Selena Caelum Noctis Una, Princess of Equestria. I have no right to question her order. But it doesn’t mean I’m completely blind; I know there’s something wrong going on, and if your Princess can show us the light, then I’m interested to see it.”

With that, the moori walked out of the main hall into a side door, vanishing from Trixie’s field of view.

Finally, the unicorn could cry in peace.

As her wails filled the hall, and her tears drenched her face, Trixie slowly dived into the moori’s last words, trying to occupy her mind and ignore the pain coming from her pasterns.

Princess Celestia wanted Twilight alive at any cost... It was obvious; seeing how Jasper even saved her from a suicide leap against an arrow meant for Trixie.

It was so much easier to simple kill Twilight, but Celestia wanted Twilight safe in a prison cell at Canterlot... But why?

What makes the sworn enemy of Equestria, the betrayer, the monster who destroyed the Six Elements of Harmony, and now threatens to usurp the throne of the Two Sisters so important, that they needed to keep her safe and sound?

There was nothing Trixie could make out of the few clues they had gathered so far. The intense pain wasn't helping her thinking, either. Suddenly, the unicorn is startled by a familiar voice shouting from the outside...

Twilight walked slowly into the big plaza, the town hall clear in her field of view.

An immense sense of dread assaulted her chest. She kept walking though, defiantly placing one hoof in front of another.

In due time, she reached a nearby fountain, her gaze going straight to the town hall. It was flocking with moori guards, armed with their spears.

Each one of them looked at her with a certain degree of awe and disbelief, none of them really believed she would come back.

Twilight gathered all of her inner strength. In that moment, she thought what would have happened if she had the chance to stand her ground like that for Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Fluttershy and Applejack...

For each one of her dearest sisters, lost to the uncertain fate of that night...

Nonetheless, she could do it for Trixie. And she sure as hay wasn’t going to lose another friend!

The alicorn inhaled sharply, closed her eyes and yelled at the top of her lungs, “Give my friend back to me!”

Her courageous shout echoed all across Ponyville. The vampire fruit bats lingering in the nearby houses all fled. The soldiers exchanged unsure glances, uncertain of how to respond to that display of willpower.

She wheezed, eyes still closed, head hanging low and ears perked up, as if waiting for an answer from the forces of Equestria observing her.

The doors of the town hall opened. Jasper trotted out with sadness in her eyes. The knights turned heir attention to her slowly descending the steps.

The nightcorn narrowed her eyes and shouted at Twilight, “Why did you come back?!”

To that, Twilight answered with a thunderous voice, “Because I won’t leave my friends behind ever again! “

The nightcorn seemed to be assaulted by a wave of disgust. She motioned her head away, covering her mouth with a forehoof. Twilight could faintly hear her whispering, “She’s really her... Why are we hunting down a heroine? Are we fightning for the wrong side?

Twilight finally raised her head, and almost bursting into tears, declared, "I’m not a heroine anymore. I’m just the monster you all want dead. But even so, my friend still means the world to me. And I’m not going anywhere without her!”

“Seize her!” Jasper shouted, unable to look away from Twilight’s face.

Some soldiers found themselves paralyzed. They couldn’t fly, let alone capture the dreaded Twilight Princess. One of them complained, “Screw it; Princess Luna’s orders are to accomplish, not to question.”

And with that, he soared from atop the town hall, going straight towards Twilight with high speed.

The alicorn entered a fighting stance. Her big horn flared, and she prepared to strike him with a magic bolt, unaware of the powerful obsidian armor he was wearing. Before he could attack her though, a yellow blur surged from behind a house.

Lightning Dust smacked the tip of his nose with a merciless punch, sending him staggering backwards all the way back to the town hall, where he crashed against the wall, going out cold.

The mare, still floating at Twilight’s side, cheered happily, “Yeah! Right on the nose!”

Jasper and the rest of the soldiers couldn’t believe in what they saw.

“He’s not dead is he?" Twilight asked, looking over Lightning.

“Nope. But he will have a headache for days. You really wanna do this with zero losses, huh?” She replied and asked.

Twilight nodded, covering the spear left by the soldier with her magic aura, and preparing to charge head on towards the town hall.

Infuriated by Lightning’s attack, more soldiers soared from their places, ready to strike down both mares.

Running through the plaza, all Twilight could focus on was at the door of the town hall, her goal, even though Jasper was still protecting it. Soon, the first pair of moori guards reached her, motioning their spears to try and cut the alicorn in half.

She quickly managed to block one of the incoming attacks with the spear she grabbed from the first knight; her enhanced telekinesis was capable of withstanding the formidable force of the blow. However, she left her other side open for the second moori guard, who came in for the kill.

Twilight’s eyes widened as she noticed Lightning entering the tiny space separating her from the soldier about to cut her. The pegasus landed a vicious punch against his chin, sending him away before he was able to attack her.

With that, the alicorn refocused on her first attacker. Without him noticing, she enveloped his own spear within her magical grasp, and in a single motion, before he could even think of letting it go, Twilight slammed the knight against the ground, head first, knocking him unconscious.

“Open fire! Use the electrical round tips!”

Both Lightning and Twilight quickly raised their heads towards the top of the town hall when they heard Jasper’s thunderous roar. Four knights, armed with bows were preparing to rain down arrows on them.

“Tch! How’s your agility, fake Goddess? Ever escaped from arrows before?” Lightning asked, an insane smile plastered across her muzzle.

“We’re not going to need to."

Lightning’s smile disappeared, and she cocked an eyebrow, “Huh?”

Twilight’s giant horn flared with not-seen-before intensity. She focused all her mighty into the spear and made it spin madly, faster and faster on a horizontal axis. The rotation made it look like a discus-shaped object.

As the knights opened fire, Twilight send the spear flying towards them. Their arrows and the alicorn’s spear clashed in the air, and each projectile was deflected. The lance, however, continued on its trajectory.

The knights lowered their bows, trying to comprehend how she could have enough power to perform such an attack. They were forced to jump out of the roof when the spear, powered by Twilight's magic, passed right through the building, cutting bricks and wood like a hot knife against fresh butter.

Twilight watched as her attack completed its purpose, and with a determined gaze, she ran towards the door. Lightning Dust even cringed a little, she barely could believe in watch she had just witnessed. She followed suit, though.

“What are we going to do, Jasper!?” One of the moori guards shouted, scared.

“She’s isn’t going to give up... Dammit, you guys retreat! Call reinforcements! Princess Selena can’t blame you guys if you run for your lives!” She yelled back, waving with a hoof for her companions to escape from Twilight’s fury.

“Understood, but what about you and the commander?!” Another knight inquired, worried about Jasper.

“We can stand our ground! Just remember to alert the HQ about those knightress aiding her!”

With that, like a flock, all the bat ponies still capable of flying left the ground, and escaped from the battle. Watching it made Lightning laugh hard, and she turned to Twilight, “Can you believe that? You’re making them run as if you are some kind of monster!”

Jasper used her telekinesis to bring from inside two crossed sheaths at her withers a pair of long, silver combat knives. The weapons floated slowly to near her forehooves, “Why did it have to come to this?”

The nightcorn vanished.

Twilight didn’t seem to care; she was really close, almost at the steps leading to the entrance. Suddenly, Jasper appeared right above the alicorn, both knives firmly wielded in each hoof. Their blades gleamed in the moonlight, pointing to Twilight’s neck as if they were hungry for her.

Before she could fall on Twilight, Lightning appeared flying at high speed and tackled the moori, taking her by her waist, and flying away with her.

Twilight wanted to thank the pegasus for helping her, but there was no time.

She continued onwards, conquering the steps and reaching the door. She immediately applied her magic on the handles and slammed the big double doors open... Only to find Night Watch waiting for her right behind it armed with a crossbow, and a killer smile.

“Gotcha."

Lightning Dust threw Jasper aside with all her strength.

The nightcorn crashed hard against the soil, rolling along with the dust she left in her fall.

Lightning couldn’t help but laugh at the situation. Landing near Jasper, she stood and waited patiently for her opponent to get up.

Jasper picked her daggers from the ground with her magic, and got up on all four, passing a hoof against her nose.

“Who are you?” She asked, looking with fury towards the pegasus.

Lightning licked her lips with satisfaction, “Your little boys were calling me a ‘beast’, so yeah... I’m a beast, Jasper.”

“Why are you helping the Twilight Princess?”

“You mean that whorse over there?” She paused to point Twilight, still going towards the entrance door with a hoof, “Because she’s going to lead me to Rainbow Dash.”

With balance not common to all ponies, Jasper managed to get up on only her hind hooves, and she picked her floating daggers with her pasterns, crossing them in front of her face, “And are you willing to die in order to protect her, and your goal?”

Lighting smirked, “I’m sure as hay I am!”

The nightcorn lunged at Lightning, daggers ready to impale her chest, “Die, beast!”

Lightning easily dodged her first attack by stepping aside, “Whoa! You could can hurt somepony with those things, catty!”

Jasper launched yet another blow towards her, cutting swiftly with her knife in a horizontal arc, leaving a trail of silver light behind.

The pegasus avoided the attack once again simply by lowering her body, and side-stepping to the other side.

“You’re fast, beast! Faster than any civilian I have ever encountered!”

Jasper shouted a battle cry, and brandished her weapon in a vertical, descending cut this time, the same shining trail of silver following the trajectory of her blade. Lightning dodged yet again, rolling out of the harm’s way, much for Jasper’s irritation.

“Civilian?” The pegasus asked, smirking, “Did you ever visited a Wonderbolt Training Facility? I lived my whole childhood at one, and I can tell you; we do military level training over there bub. Same as you guys from Canterlot.”

Jasper tried to throw a knife towards the pegasus, but Lightning easily avoided it, flapping her wings and gaining the sky.

Jasper’s horn flared, and she applied her telekinesis on her knife, calling it back to her hoof. The nightcorn stood still, closing her eyes, as if she had just given up.

Lightning looked at her in confusion, and asked, “What’s the matter?”

“Mission accomplished.”

Lightning’s eyes shot open in surprise, and she turned around to see Night Watch pointing a crossbow at Twilight.

“Twilight!” Trixie wailed from inside, shouting to her companion.

The alicorn was shocked to see her friend tied up like that. She grinded her teeth, lowered her head and forced her eyes to close. The poisonous rage begun to erode her unstable psyche once again.

Night Watch, however, had no doubts; she shot the projectile at point blank. The arrow exploded, turning into a net of sorts, and encasing the alicorn with ease.

Twilight struggled inside the net but an electric current struck her. The more she struggled more energy caused her quite the pain.

“It’s over, we won. I would advise you to stop struggling, Twilight Princess. This net was prepared alchemically just for you,” Night Watch warned and threw her crossbow aside.

Inside, Twilight wasn’t sure about what to do. She couldn’t let it end there, but each time she tried to launch a spell, an electric jolt passed through her body, destroying her concentration. The same happened every time she tried to break free using her strength.

“She came back, Night Watch!”

Trixie’s voice startled everypony there.

“She came back just like I told you she would! Are you satisfied now?! Does it not prove she’s the same Twilight Sparkle she once was, except in a different body?”

Night Watch looked at Trixie for instant, completely expressionless.

“It doesn’t matter.” She scuffed.

Trixie whimpered, closing her eyes in defeat. Night Watch turned back, picking from inside her new suit of armor another nullifying ring, “I’m but a pawn of the Goddesses’ will, Rune Witch. If their order is to capture the Element of Magic, I will oblige. That’s my sacred duty as knightress.”

“Screw you!”

This time, Lightning’s voice called their attention towards the set of stairs. The pegasus had captured Jasper, and she had her unconscious over her withers.

Lightning threw the nightcorn on the ground, and picked one of her knives with a hoof, pointing towards her throat, “Here’s the deal, batty; you let this purple whorse here and that other blue one there go, and your little lead soldier won’t get thrown at the fireplace.”

Night Watch grinded her teeth and cringed, “How dare you?!”

“That’s how I play my cards batty. So, what’s it going to be?”

“LET HER GO LIGHTNING!”

Twilight yelled suddenly, scaring everypony.

“Are you nuts, Twilight?” Lightning asked, face contorting into a puzzled frown, “I’ve just put this batty here and her lead soldier on the fray and you’re going to sacrifice yourself for them?”

“Equestrians don’t kill each other! Princess Celestia taught us that our soil is sacred and that we should never tarnish it by spilling blood on it! Let alone the blood of our sisters and brothers who have been born under the same sun and the same moon as us!”

Night Watch gazed at Twilight in awe. Lightning stared back at her with her mouth agape and asked, “Then what do I do now?!”

“Leave me! Take Trixie and escape! I will think about something later, but you two need to get away!”

“I’m sorry filly, but you’re in no position to bargain!” Night Watch interrupted, “Once I put this nullifying ring on your horn, you will be nothing more than drooling macaroni.”

Enraged, Trixie shouted from inside, “How can you have so many nullifying rings with you? Those things are rare!”

“I only need one to take down the Twilight Princess so it’s no big deal...”

Twilight narrowed her eyes, “Only one? So, what about the one you used on Trixie?”

“It’s huh – a weaker one!” The moori replied, clamping her mouth shut and throwing her gaze away.

“You’re lying.” Twilight affirmed. She could see through a lie when somepony tried to throw one at her. And this moori was as bad as Applejack when she tried to lie.

“Trixie! Try to use your magic! She used a fake ring on you, you can break free!”

Twilight’s voice echoed through the hall, reaching Trixie in no time. The unicorn smirked and nodded, moving her attention to the small horn on her forehead.

“C’mon, don’t you fail me now...” She whispered, focusing her magic power. A strong pink light ignited and Trixie smiled.

“Good one Night Watch! But did I tell you how much I detest being mocked?”

Upon declaring that, Trixie launched a ferocious magic blast from her horn, destroying what was left of the ceiling of the Ponyville’s town hall, along with the metal joint which served to keep her chain dangling and her forehooves tied.

Night Watch turned around, with a completely shocked expression. Trixie trotted near the bench where her cape, hat and belongings were left, and after placing everything on her withers, she turned to Night Watch, her horn flaring with energy, “Get away from my Princess!”

The unicorn launched a powerful blast of energy, nailing the commander straight on her chest. It launched the moori out of the town hall, through the steps Twilight had used to reach them, passing right above Lightning’s head and into the cement floor of Ponyville’s plaza, her face kicking the dirt.

“Lightning, free Sparkle and come here, fast!” Trixie shouted, falling to her knees.

The pegasus nodded, and leaving Jasper’s unconscious body behind, she moved towards Twilight, quickly removing the net used to subdue her. Twilight galloped towards Trixie as fast as she could, and finally embraced her dear friend in a tight hug, to which Trixie responded with the same.

“You look horrible.” Trixie commented, broking from their hug and looking straight into her friend’s eyes, smirking.

“You don’t look any better.” Twilight replied, eyes filled to the brim with tears as she smirked back at Trixie.

“Hey! Batty is getting up! Why didn’t you fry her, unicorn?” Lightning interrupted their reunion.

“Sorry lady, but who in the name of Celestia are you? And I didn’t fry that moori because she’s wearing sturdy obsidian armor, which cuts the effectiveness of my magic by a considerable amount.”

“Reinforcements must be on their way already,” Twilight said, ignoring the quarrel between Lightning and Trixie and turning her attention to the door, “What are we going to do?”

“Crap... I guess I have no choice,” Trixie said picking from inside her cape a small round stone, “Sparkle, I need your help. My stamina is so low that I’m about to faint, so I won’t be able to cast this rune, even using an actual sigil. I need a batch of your absurd energy to get us out of here.”

Twilight eyed the small stone, and asked, “What are you planning to do?”

“I’m going to use a teleportation spell. I will try to power it up with a rune I’m experimenting on, but I don’t have much energy left on me, so... Your horn...”

Trixie’s cheeks became flustered and she threw her gaze away in embarrassment. The same happened with Twilight, and she begun to blink in rapid succession.

“Last time, okay?” Trixie declared, firmly holding the rune in her pastern, activating it.

Twilight nodded, “Can it have three passengers?”

Trixie cocked an eyebrow in confusion, “We’re bringing that pegasus?”

"Yes she’s coming along. I owe her.”

“Alright... It will probably cut the effectiveness of the spell a little, but you’re Twilight Sparkle; a strange magnet for friends and eccentric types. Get over here Lightning!”

Trixie shouted, and in a flash, Lightning Dust reached their position, looking at them with curious eyes, “What are we gonna do, gals?”

“Trixie will teleport us.” Twilight replied.

The pegasus smiled, “Nice! Where are we going?”

“That’s the interesting part. Trixie is terrible with teleportation spells, and she doesn’t really know how to do it or where her spell will lead us.” Twilight replied, and laughed awkwardly.

Lightning stood still for a few moments, gazing at Twilight with a bland expression, and then answered with a big smile, “Nice! It sounds so fun!”

Twilight slowly moved her face towards Trixie, to which her companion only rolled her eyes and commented, “Pegasi.”

“What do I need to do, unicorn?” Lightning asked to Trixie.

“My name’s Trixie, okay? Stop calling me by my species. Hold on Twilight, and close your eyes.”

She placed a hoof on the alicorn’s wither, “Why do I need to close my eyes?”

Trixie’s cheeks blushed further and she replied, “To be safe! The light produced can hurt your eyes!”

“Okay.” Lightning nodded, and promptly closed her eyelids.

Twilight gulped, and motioned her head towards Trixie’s head, as her friend came in the opposite direction to do the same.

Their horns touched each other, and they stopped. Both mares instantly felt the connection forming.

At least you are a good liar. To be safe was a good excuse.

I don’t want to be seen like this by more ponies! Also, sorry for sapping your energy like some kind of vampony... And thank you very much for rescuing me like this, Sparkle.

It’s nothing. You’re my best friend Trixie. I would do anything for you.

You’re my best friend too, you crazy Goddess...

Now just be sure to not teleport us to one of Canterlot’s towers, okay?

I will do what I can.

Twilight, Trixie and Lightning were engulfed in a blinding azure light. A giant circle, full of intricate designs appeared on the floor, circling them inside. Soon, the light gained intensity and like an explosion, it bathed the destroyed town hall in a strong yet soothing glow that lasted for a few seconds.

In the next moment, none of them were there anymore.

Night Watch finally got up on her hooves. Her chest hurt, just like the first time she got hit by Trixie’s Magic Blast. She coughed, and spit a few times trying to get all the dirty out of her mouth. Defeat sure tasted horrible.

She stretched her neck, feeling the bones pop a few times and calmly walked towards the town hall. She stopped at Jasper’s body, and checked for her pulse: She was alright.

Sighing, the commander resumed her walk and stood still in front of the big circle design on the ground left by the Twilight Princess and her two knightresses.

“What an amazing moment for you to be taking a nap, Jasper.”

Night Watch felt a chill running down her spine. A blow of wind run through the vicinities, and the cloudy weather cleared, revealing the silver, pale moon behind.

She turned to the entrance of the town hall, and walked there, glaring the skies. A flock of moori, twice as big as her small division, was preparing to land.

And somepony really special was tagging along with them.

“Princess Luna?” The commander gasped in awe, watching the descending Night Goddess, coming to the destroyed town.

The moori landed. Two of them were known faces for Night: One was Jasmine, her companion at the Unseen; the other one was a bulky male, wearing heavier armor than the rest of the guards.

His mane was impossible to discern due to the big, eastern-stylized helmet he was wearing, but his tail was dark blue with lighter, vertical purple stripes, contrasting with his gray fur. One of his savages, yellow eyes was covered by a black eye patch; He was Blind Dive, retired commander of the Unseen, the one who passed his sword to Midnight Blossom.

Luna landed right after by their side. A few moori guards with big, red crosses designed on their armors galloped to the unconscious soldiers spread across the plaza.

Night Watch slammed her butt against the ground, and laughed.

Soon, one of those guards with the crosses reached her, and asked, “Commander, do you need to treat your wounds?”

“Just give some painkillers. Take Jasper, though, she got a pretty ugly bump on her head.”

The knight did as ordered and carried Jasper away on his back. Night observed as the Lunar Sister scanned the battlefield with narrowed eyes and an opened mouth, moving her neck ever so slowly.

“I bet she had so much fun!” Jasmine cheered, out of a sudden.

The stallion near her wearing the fancy helmet smirked, “You call this disaster fun, Bubbles? I guess Big Boss here isn’t exactly excited about good ol’ Ponyville being torn asunder.”

Night Watch couldn’t shake off the sense of dread haunting her. She had screwed big time this time.

Luna walked towards her, face frowned with confusion, eyes darting the steps instead of her knightress.

When she stopped in front of Night, the moori did a short reverence, before going straight to the point, “They escaped my liege.”

“You destroyed Ponyville just to fail, Night Watch?” Luna scuffed, her face passing more confusion than ire.

Night Watch shrugged, “I wasn’t prepared to fight an opponent with abilities like her knightress’ . We lost, but we gained knowledge about them.”

Luna sighed sadly, “You made sure to not hurt the Twilight Princess, didn’t you?”

“I did.” She nodded.

Luna followed towards the magic circle left by Trixie’s rune spell, and begun to scrutinize it, “This is... Rune Casting? I can recognize Starswirl’s technique here, mixed with another, strange pattern that I never have seen before.”

“She’s got backup, Selena,” Night warned, smiling, “A Rune Witch versed in the perfect rune casting theory called Trixie, and a pegasus calling herself a beast; her name is Lightning, and she is the fastest civilian I have ever seen flying in my whole life.”

“So, is she like a Lightning-Fast Beast?” Jasmine asked, scratching her chin in thought.

“That sounds just right, Bubbles.” Night Watch replied her colleague.

Pained, Luna closed her eyes and lowered her head, her ears deflating in sadness, “I can’t believe this... This isn’t supposed to happen.”

The alicorn turned around, and begun trotting to the steps, in silence.

“Don’t worry Selena; I will get her next time.” Night Watch said, getting back on her hooves.

“There won’t be a next time for you, Night Watch.” Luna stopped, and replied with a bland voice.

The commander’s jaw almost hit the floor, “W-What do you mean, my liege?”

“You will be put back to your activities at Canterlot Castle, commander, and out of this case.”

She tried to reason, “B-But Princess Luna! -”

She was interrupted by a cold stare coming from Luna, “Not only did you fail to capture the Twilight Princess, but you almost reduced Ponyville, a town that I hold dear in my heart, to scraps. You’re a mad dog, Night Watch, and I can’t let your madness cause this land any further harm. I’m sorry, I know you kind of took this mission as a matter of honor, but you’re too violent for something like this.”

Night Watch grinded her teeth and closed her eyes, ears gluing to the sides of her head in shame, “Can you forgive me, Luna?”

“You’re already forgiven, but please remember: We cannot permit our hearts to be clouded by rage and hate. We shall be beacons of light and hope to those who trust us in this dark hour, my child. Even if the light seems so far away now...”

Luna gently walked near her knight, and kissed her head, giving her a reassuring smile. Night Watch felt relief, but she couldn’t help but to also feel a glint of sadness on her Princess’ eyes.

The alicorn finished walking the steps, reaching Jasmine and Blind Dive again, “I shall inform my sister about those recent events. Jasmine, I want you to track down the Twilight Princess from now on with all your mighty. Blind Dive, I need you to accompany me to my sister’s side.”

Both moori bowed down.

“Let’s get going.”

As the night alicorn spread open her majestic wings in order to gain the skies, all the moori stopped their activities to look towards her. Blind Dive, preparing to go with her, shouted with a thunderous voice, “Black as night!”

And while the Night Princess took flight, each of her soldiers yelled back, throwing their forehooves up, “Luna’s might!”

The strong azure light faded before Twilight’s very eyes. She had seconds, moments to analyze what was around her; she found a thick wall of leaves and branches, the moonlight being dampened by tall trees...

In the next second, she felt they didn’t exactly had appeared on the ground, rather, upon looking below, Twilight discovered they were floating above a lake...

“Oh crap!”

The alicorn, the pegasus and the unicorn all fell down, spraying water to all directions. They quickly arose to the surface, all at the same time.

Lightning complained, “What the hay?! Do you wanna drown us all, Trixie!?”

Trixie looked at her, throwing daggers, “I thought you were informed that I couldn’t control our destination!”

“Even so, you could have aimed at another place!” The pegasus shouted back, “It’s not like there are many lakes on Equestria!” She turned to a margin, “Do you see that over there? It’s ground! Not water, ground! It’s easier falling on the ground than inside a freakin’ lake!”

“Are you dumb?!” Trixie yelled back, “I just said I couldn’t control our landing point! It was just a terrible coincidence!”

Ignoring the loud sound of yells behind her, the alicorn scanned their surroundings, “Are we back in the Everfree Forest?”

Lightning laughed, “Great spell ya did there, Trixie! We are practically back at square one!”

Trixie slammed a hoof against the water, “You little pest! I saved your feathered butt, and that’s how you thank me?”

Still giving little to no thought about her friends’ quarrel, Twilight continued to look around, “I know this place...”

Before the alicorn could utter another word, she found a very familiar place. It was a small hut, carved out of a strong oak tree, various colorful pieces of pottery and a few masks adorning the place.

Right in front of her, with a big, friendly smile, Zecora observed the trio swimming on the lake in front of her hut.

Twilight’s face becomes brighter, as she smiled cheerfully upon seeing her old friend, “Zecora!”

The zebra nodded, still smiling, “Welcome back, Princess Twilight. I’m glad to see you back too.”

Trixie and Lightning turned to her, Lightning quickly cocking an eyebrow in confusion, “You know her, Twilight?”

“I do! She’s an old friend from Ponyville! We ended up in front of her house by pure luck!”

Zecora closed her eyes, “Maybe not by luck, Princess Twilight, but rather the hand of fate decided it was time to recompense you for all your determination. I see you and your paladins are wounded and tired. Please, come inside, we shall tend your wounds.”

Twilight nodded and helped Trixie out of the lake, the three soaked mares following to inside the oak tree.

Zecora observed them entering patiently, then turned around to face the trees, and asked to no one, “So, all I have to do is not rhyme anymore, as my Gods demanded me to, and our bargain is complete?”

A mysterious voice replied, seemingly coming from the air, “Oh, Zecora! Sure a little price to pay for the safety of your old friend, don’t you agree?”

The zebra nodded, “It is a complete desecration of our tradition, but alas, their lives are much more important than a sin to be committed for the greater good.”

That strange yet familiar voice continued to mock the zebra, “I love bargaining with you, do-gooders! You’re always going to extreme prices just for the sake of the others. And what’s best! The favors you ask are always so cheap. Sure, controlling the trajectory of a random teleportation spell is no trouble for the one who controls all the causality of this world, don’t you think?”

“I’m sure it wasn’t. I just wondering what part on this great event you are going to play Discord.”

A scandalous laugh filled the surroundings.

Thirteen - Always Together

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Fourteen - Deep Down

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Fifteen - A Weeping Moon

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Prologue - Battle at Tambelon

Luna's tranquil, night sky smothered the land of Equestria in its soft embrace.

The bright stars shone high in the dark blue mantle, and they were accompanied by the silver moon in the center, casting its glorious, pale light upon the landscape.

From atop a small cliff, a single pony gazed at the big forest right in front of her. Her purple mane flowed with the blows of cold wind, and her innocent, lavender eyes were shrouded with doubt and concern.

Her irises observed with attention the green mantle of leafs, looking for something down there. Her already wide eyes went even wider after she found what she was looking for: A city.

“It is true after all,” The purple unicorn breathed, “Tambelon returned from Tartarus after a thousand of years in the banishment.”

From inside of a cave behind her, several other ponies trotted closer. Two earth ponies, two pegasi, and another unicorn.

“I can’t believe Princess Luna send us here at this time of the night! My beauty sleep is going to be ruined!” A chalk-white unicorn complained.

“What in tarnation?” an orange pony wearing a stetson exclaimed, after seeing the same image as her purple friend, “How’d a huge city appear all o’ sudden in tha middle of tha Everfree Forest?”

“B-b-but what happened Twilight?” A pink maned pegasus asked, stammering and shaking, “w-w-why is the city here now?”

“Calm down, Fluttershy,” the purple unicorn smiled to her with kindness answering, “It looks like the spell weakened now that the Princesses are not attuned to the Elements anymore, and Grogar found a way to bring himself and his city back from the banishment. Do you remember what Princess Luna told us? Grogar is a powerful spellcaster, he probably teleported his entire city here, where he can command his invasion easily.”

“I don’t remember about the Princess telling us about any... spell.” Fluttershy gulped.

“It was a powerful spell that only an alicorn is able to cast. It is capable to send a being to the Tartarus, even if it is still alive... It’s a terrible, forbidden magik that was never used again. He wants revenge now, that’s why he sent his army to besiege Canterlot and corner the Princesses.”

“Wait a minute,” a cyan blue furred pegasus flew to Twilight’s side asking, “If only an alicorn can cast this spell, how the hay are we going to defeat him?”

“Tha Elements of Harmony, right?” Applejack turned to Twilight.

She nodded.

After finishing the conversation, she glanced at the ominous city once more.

“Even so, this is not going to be easy. Discord and Nightmare Moon were one thing. Our enemy this time is Grogar, the king of Tambelon, he is violent, evil and his guards are trained for war. The struggle against Chrysalis during my brother’s wedding can’t compare with this.”

Each one of the girls looked at Twilight with worry...

“In the past, Grogar invaded all the nations to the north. Every time he set foot on a new nation, he gave them two options: complete submission, or total annihilation. Those who submitted were turned into slaves for the rams, those who tried to resist were destroyed with cruelty. That’s why the Princesses didn’t saw another destiny to him, other than sending him straight to the Tartarus, alive.”

Her eyes started to water up. Twilight was on the verge of tears...

Applejack took a step closer to her, “What’s happening sugarcube?”

“I’m concerned about you girls. I don’t know what’s going to happen inside the city... I don’t want to see anypony here hurt.” She turned her face away from the orange pony.

“Oh, Twilight! Don’t feel sad. I know those guys are, like, super evil meanies, but we are together! And if we stay together nothing can stop us!” A pink earth pony planted a kind hoof over Twilight’s shoulder.

Twilight looked at her and then Rarity took a step up too. “Pinkie Pie is right. We can do this because we are together,” the chalk white unicorn nodded.

Twilight looked around, and the smiling faces of all her friends around her helped to reassure her that all would be well in the end.

The group traversed the mist that shrouded the city’s vicinities. Everything was quiet, giving the already ominous forest an even creepier atmosphere.

Finally, they reached their destination.

The walls encircling Tambelon were huge and imposing. Even in the total darkness, they seemed to reflect an eerie light into the mist, as though an invisible pair of eyes were watching all from behind them.

They found some nearby bushes which could provide some cover while Twilight analyzed the possible means for the Element Bearers to enter the enemy stronghold without being noticed.

“Looks like the gate is open,” Rainbow Dash pointed with a hoof.

“Maybe they are expecting us, with some cakes!” Pinkie smiled, “I never tasted cakes made by goats before. I want to taste it,” she licked her lips.

“Umm... I doubt that they want us inside Pinkie,” Fluttershy nudged her before the pink party pony could start bouncing towards the gate.

“Any plans, sugarcube?” Applejack asked to Twilight.

The purple mare gave a concerned look to the Element of Honesty, and shook her head in denial.

“Oh, for Celestia’s sake! I don’t want to keep crawling in a bush for the rest of the night,” Rarity grumbled.

She cast her telekinesis spell, reaching her saddlebag. A huge white cloth, big enough to cover all the ponies was drawn from inside, and outstretched in front of them.

Confused, Rainbow Dash asked, “We are going to sew something Rarity?”

"Don’t be ridiculous Rainbow Dash! This one of my masterpieces. Lo and behold!” Rarity exclaimed, proudly.

The chalk-white unicorn started to cover the said cloth with her blue magic aura, and in a few seconds, the cloth vanished.

All the other ponies stared blankly at it, trying to understand what just transpired before them.

“Ooo! Do it again! Do it again please!” Pinkie started to happily bounce where she stood.

“I don’t get it Rarity,” Rainbow Dash scratched her mane with a confused frown.

Twilight’s eyes sparkled in awe when the realization sunk in, “Rarity! You made an Invisible Mantle?”

Everypony looked to Twilight, even more confused. Rarity moved her curly mane and raised her head, “It took me several nights, but after our struggle at the Crystal Empire, I thought that we could need something like this eventually.”

Twilight turned to the rest of the gang, “We can use it to get past the gates and sneak into the city.”

Rarity levitated the mantle and covered all the Bearers. The contraption was really an amazing invention: From the outside anypony who hides underneath the mantle is completely invisible, but from inside the mantle is transparent, allowing the ones under it to see everything that’s happening around them.

Both unicorns used their magic to help the mantle float a little from the ground, to not get it stuck on anything. Even the glow of their magic auras was hid under the marvelous cloth.

With their disguise, the ponies trotted through the gate with care. The two big watchtowers, standing threateningly at each side of the shallow passage made of gray cold stone, were empty. This fact concerned Twilight, but they had to keep going.

After passing through it, the Elements saw the interior of their enemy’s stronghold: the atmosphere inside the city was as heavy as lead, the roads were made of cold gray stone, the night above gave a creepy and eerie appearance to everything around the Bearers. At both sides, some houses stood, they were made of wood, and had some gray and black painting. However the buildings seemed abandoned, looking as ruins long forgotten, making the city even more gloomy.

“Hey,” Rainbow Dash whispered, “This place is deserted.”

“Keep quiet, Rainbow Dash,” Twilight scolded her, “they can’t see us but they can hear us.”

“They?” the pegasus laughed, “there’s no ‘they’ here Twilight. This place is more empty than my stomach.”

“We can’t go out in the open before being sure.”

A sound coming from the end of the road startled them. Applejack, who was leading the group, signaled to the rest of the gang to stop.

A rubber ball bounced from a corner, echoing through the streets as it hit the ground and continued towards the girls. They just stared blankly as the red round object bounced on the stone floor in their direction.

Fluttershy, the last on the line started to hear a mumble at her side. “Pinkie?” she looked to the pink pony. Pinkie was sweating profusely, trying with all her inner strength to not break their formation.

“Pinkie, please don’t do something rash!” Fluttershy whispered.

Pinkie’s face filled up with a red glow, the sweat rolling faster and faster, as she bit her lips and tried to ignore the playful sound of the rubber ball.

But her efforts were in vain. The pink party pony jumped out of the cloth, revealing all the Bearers below it. In the air, she yelled in a cheerful tone, “I will catch it!”

“Pinkie!” Twilight shouted, looking to the mare going to jump on the red rubber sphere, pinning it down on the ground with her hooves.

Suddenly, the sound of a bell is heard, echoing through the empty streets, making everypony freeze.

“This was easier than I predicted,” A bass, evil male voice boomed on the air.

In front of the Bearers, a large figure appeared out of nothing. It was a big goat-like monster, dark-blue furred, a long lighter blue beard protruding from the chin, and giant curved horns coming from the top of its head, curling to the sides. His maleficent red eyes had no irises and shone with fury. Around his neck, a large red belt was used to hold a golden bell.

“Welcome to my capital, Bearers of the Elements of Harmony. It’s a shame that I won’t be able to smash Celestia and Luna for now, but maybe obliterating each one of you shall be enough to hurt them in some way.”

Twilight’s face twisted with rage, “Grogar!”

“It’s him? The big bad guy?” Rainbow Dash asked to Twilight.

“Y’all can bet it is, sugarcube!” Applejack confirmed.

Grogar looked to the orange pony with curiosity, “The hat looks ridiculous on you by the way. What happened with your tastes through those years?”

Applejack ignored the fact that, somehow, the monster seemed to know her, and laughed at his face.

“Oh yeah? From where ah come, only cows use bells ‘round their necks partner!” the orange pony replied, with a grin on the face.

“Should I feel offended by it coming from the Element of Honesty? The said most dependable pony from Ponyville?” Grogar replied, irony resounding on his voice.

“He knows about us?” Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow.

His evil laugh boomed through the vicinities, “Not quick enough to catch my hints Element of Loyalty? And Celestia dubbed you the quickest pegasus of Equestria. That’s rich.”

“Stop insulting my friends you-you monster!” Fluttershy tried to put her bravest face and protect her fellow Bearers.

Grogar cackled madly, “Don’t try to look brave Element of Kindness. Maybe you should return to that cottage of yours and cower below your bed!”

His eyes are then directed at Rarity, who kept looking to him with visible fear.

“Good evening, Element of Generosity, I should feel honored about receiving you at my not so clean Tambelon. After all, you hate getting dirty, right?”

“He sure knows a lot about us!” Rarity gulped.

“Big deal!” Twilight shouted, “what difference does it make?”

The goat grimaced showing his sharp teeth, “It pains my heart hearing this coming from you Twilight Sparkle. The all-powerful Element of Magic, the catalyst that recreated the strongest spell in existence. Where’s the curiosity that drives you?”

“You want questions?” she yelled, “then how did you gather so much information about us?”

“I returned from my banishment quite long ago. On the same day that a certain Princess returned from the moon...”

The same day that I met the girls! That’s really a long time ago!

“However, you don’t simply jump declaring war against a nation that already defeated you. I decided to take my time and study my enemies using a ‘Hide in The Shadows’ spell that can completely hide my presence from the world around me. Surely putting that lame piece of cloth that you used to invade my city to shame.”

“The nerve of you!” Rarity shouted displeased.

Applejack turned to her, “Calm down, this guy is just tryin’ to get tha best of us.”

“I was rather happy by seeing how the Princesses lost their attunement to the Elements of Harmony, but you six appeared in the way before I could take advantage of the weak moment that Equestria was facing. Defeating Nightmare Moon sure was an impressive feat for six countryside brats.”

“Well, technically Twilight is not from the countryside, she’s-” Pinkie explained, but was interrupted by Rainbow Dash.

“Too much information Pinkie!”

“And so many things happened after that! I would say that sending the spirit of chaos back to stone and reforming him was even more impressive. What about your little war against those disgusting insects called Changelings? I watched it all and I have to clap my hooves for you.”

Pinkie giggled, making a happy and silly face, “Oh you! Stop being a flatterer.”

“I don’t think he’s complimenting us Pinkie... It’s called sarcasm,” Fluttershy whispered to her.

“Meanie!” Pinkie’s face changed to a serious frown.

“I know everything about each one of you ponies. Your strengths and your weaknesses. That's why I am attacking Canterlot now, because as I predicted, Celestia sent you six to try and defeat me using those stupid powers of harmony, but her precious knights don’t stand a chance against me.”

“Then let me tell you a secret, goatee!” Rainbow Dash flew closer to him, “we are going to make you eat that bell, because no goat can defeat the Elements!”

“Yes! We will send you back to the banishment!” Twilight yelled.

“You ponies don’t know anything about your precious Elements of Harmony. Guess that Celestia’s utopia does not have space for some truths...”

“Shut up!” Twilight yelled, “we don’t believe in any lies that you are planning to throw upon us!”

A sick laugh erupted from the goat’s mouth. “Twilight Sparkle, your faith on your beloved teacher sure is astounding, but as a fellow researcher, you should know better that our only true friend, is knowledge.”

“Don’t you dare to continue with that small talk with our Twilight!” Fluttershy leaped in front of her purple friend, shouting to the behemoth.

A sick laugh erupted.

“You ponies really thought that I, Grogar! King of Tambelore and Lord of The Rams could be defeated by six adolescent ponies playing heroines? Don’t make me laugh! I have made strategies far beyond your comprehension to invade kingdoms that put your small Equestria to shame.”

“Really?” Twilight shouted defiantly, “because to me it looks like you are right where we wanted you to be!”

Her horn flared with a strong pink glow, and the necklaces of the Elements of Harmony appeared instantly around the necks of her friends, and her crown at the top of her head.

Grogar took some steps backwards, concerned.

“You used a ‘Hide in The Shadows’ spell to observe us, right? Good, because Princess Luna taught me the same spell to hide the Elements and catch you off guard.”

“Whoa Nelly! Where’s Pinkie Pie?” Applejack started to look around, scared.

Twilight gulped with the realization that a team member was amiss. Grogar smiled, full of himself.

“Guess that she saw another ball bouncing to somewhere...”

The behemoth shook his bell, and several goat knights were summoned on the buildings nearby, armed with crossbows. They were small rams, same size as an adult stallion, and were wearing a basic set of armor along with a ringmail. They had long horns that pointed upwards and curled a little at the tips. Their fur was dark-blue, just like Grogar's, and they had red, glowing eyes.

“I will not waste my time with such idle banter. I have an army to prepare for the invasion of Canterlot.”

Grogar turned back, ignoring the Bearers and disappeared in a flash of magic.

Twilight and the gang looked around, their small forms trembling. The goats were pointing the crossbows directly at them.

“What we are going to do Twilight?” Rainbow Dash called to her purple friend.

“Everypony! Gather around me, now!”

The four mares gathered around Twilight, and she cast a big shield spell, very similar to her brother’s speciality. The goats fired their crossbows, but the arrows were deflected by Twilight’s shield.

Each time an arrow hit her shield although, the unicorn mumbled and gasped as if she was in pain.

“What’s wrong Twilight?” Rarity turned to her.

“I’m not so good with ward spells Rarity...” she raised her head, giving a pained smile to her unicorn friend.

“Heads up girls! They are preparing the next wave!” Rainbow Dash called their attention to the goats. They were recharging their weapons.

Twilight gasped, “I don’t know if I will be able to hold for another wave!”

“What we are going to do?” Rarity eyes welled up with some tears.

Fluttershy was cowering on the middle of the group, shaking from head to tail. A vision of something in the top of one of the buildings attracted her attention, “Pinkie Pie?”

The Bearers looked to the same direction as her: It was Pinkie Pie indeed, and she was sneaking behind one of the knights, bringing with her the red rubber ball on one of her hooves.

She walked closer to him, and nudged the back of his shoulder, “Surprise!” she shouted before hurling the ball against his face. The object hit the knight which enough strength to send him flying out of the building, unconscious.

Taken aback by the sudden attack, all the other goats turned their crossbows to Pinkie. She quickly took cover by throwing her body on the roof, right before an array of arrows passed above her.

“Pinkie!” Twilight screamed, worried.

Applejack broke through the shield, running towards one of the houses, “Ah’m not lettin’ yah get our Pinkie!”

The orange pony bucked the wall with her hind legs, making the entire building shake violently. The three knights located on the border of the roof all fell down, breaking some crates on the other side where they landed.

“We still have three more to go!” Rarity shouted to Twilight. The purple unicorn focused her gaze on the remaining enemies, and turned to Rainbow Dash.

“Can you put them out of commission before they prepare the next array?”

The cyan pegasus nodded, “I can, but their helmets are going to give me a hard time.”

Immediately, Twilight’s horn flashed, and a pair of boxing gloves appeared around Rainbow Dash fore hooves.

“What are those?” she exclaimed, taken by surprise by the curious objects involving her limbs.

“Don’t ask!” the purple unicorn replied , “just go there and punch them right in the face. Those will help you to not get hurt from their helmets.”

A rainbow blur flew right to where the remaining three knights were preparing the next attack and they could only see the colors, and feel a strong punch in their faces, forcefully throwing them off the roof and to the ground.

After her attack, Dash landed on the roof, “Easy as pie! Speaking of which: Pinkie! Are you ok?”

The party pony got up on the other roof, and smiled to all the girls.

The Bearers assembled on the ground, “We need to plan ahead before proceeding.”

“We need to be fast too Twi, those goats know that we are here,” Rainbow Dash warned, looking around.

“Yup!” Applejack nodded, “not only that, but that ol’ Grogar knows an awful lot 'bout us.”

Twilight moved her attention to the orange pony, “Yeah, but that’s not a real problem. Judging from his reaction, he fears the Elements, and he probably wants to avoid a direct confrontation with us.”

“Umm... What if we, you know, go to his castle without being seen?” Fluttershy whispered.

“That will be hard my dear, they are probably waiting for us,” Rarity replied to her.

“Right Rarity,” Twilight nodded, “what we need to do is create a distraction, and make them come out in the open. This way, we will avoid being caught by surprise again.”

“Whoa Nelly! Y’all saying that we should lure them on?” Applejack gulped.

“Not only that, but act in separate groups, creating more distractions at the same time and forcing them to use all the horsepower they got to try to catch us. Also, somepony will have to sneak inside the castle to distract Grogar himself, while the others assemble back after losing his knights.”

“It’s a nice plan Twi,” Rainbow had a unsure frown on her face, “but that’s sounds kinda like a suicide mission. We are alone on this, and we are not in our territory.”

“We still can run away if anything goes wrong. Besides, the only one who is going to really take on the risk of being caught is the pony who is going to distract the king inside the castle.”

“And who’s going to take this task Twilie?” Pinkie took a step up, looking with a concerned gaze upon her friend.

The purple unicorn frowned lowering her head, “Me.”

Everypony gasped. Rainbow Dash started to shake her head in denial.

“No you don’t! If anything, I should be the one going. After all, I can try to run if you guys fail, and I’m the fastest here.”

“I know Rainbow Dash, but once inside, there will be no way of knowing that the parties outside had to withdraw. I can’t rely on any magic to give you a signal, because Grogar is a spellcaster like me and he must have some sort of defense for that. I will have to completely trust you all and keep him distracted until we are together to use the Elements of Harmony.”

Twilight walked a little further, looking to the bridge at the end of the street.

“Besides, this is my plan anyway. If it fails, I will take the responsibility for everything. My friends can’t pay the price for my errors, I would... never forgive myself.

“And how you think that we would feel if you got hurt Twilight?” Dash tried to reason with the purple unicorn.

Rarity trotted to Twilight’s side, “Rainbow Dash is right my dear! Let me go with you then, my magic is not strong as yours but still can be of some help.”

However, the purple unicorn denied, “I have to carry this burden alone. And I have to ask to you Applejack.”

She turned, facing the orange mare straight in the eyes. Applejack froze, “W-what are yah talking about sugarcube?”

“This time, you have to trust me,” Twilight’s eyes beamed with determination, she was reminiscing the episode on the cliff, on their first adventure together.

Applejack didn’t find the right words to answer. She stared at Twilight, blankly for some seconds, in silence, then a voice shattered the silence, a calm and soothing voice... It was Fluttershy.

“Then promise us,” the pegasus said firmly, getting near the purple unicorn, “promise us that you are going to be safe, and we are all going to escape from this city together!”

The purple unicorn nodded, and turned her gaze to Pinkie Pie. She motioned one of her front hooves to her chest and started to design a cross over it.

“Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.”

Pinkie’s lips trembled, “Y-you can’t break a Pinkie Promise!”

Twilight smiled tenderly, “I would never do such a thing with you.”

They hugged, both in the verge of tears. All the other ponies joined on the hug, one of the strongest ones that they ever shared...

Here’s the plan girls. I was able to make a mental map of the city by the view we had in the cliffs earlier. It’s not precise, but will be enough to help us for now. First of all, everypony needs to be aware that Grogar knows about us, and his soldiers will try to use our weaknesses against us. But I know that their dirty tricks can’t weaken our bonds.

Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash, you both are pegasi, then you two will go first, through the main bridge, and feign a frontal attack.

They started to traverse the long bridge. After going halfway through it, they finally spotted some enemies. Two of them were different from the previous foot soldiers that attacked before, being larger goats, not as large as Grogar, but bigger than the soldiers. They were wearing spiked armor through their bodies, and their giant horns curled on their heads.

The two larger goats were accompanied by several smaller soldiers, all of them armed with crossbows and waiting for the girls to pass by, forming a defensive line. The elite guard spotted the two pegasi flying through the bridge, and shouted, “The enemy is coming, prepare to immediate fire!”

“They are going to hit us Dash! We need to turn back!” Fluttershy yelled at her friend.

“We can’t pull off without getting their attention. Trust me ‘Shy we can do this!”

In a impressive stunt, Rainbow Dash gained some more speed, and begun to fly in circles.

I know that you normally need two strong flyers to make this, but I just need a smaller one.

A small tornado formed in the middle of the bridge, and started to go towards the rams. The strong winds made it difficult for them to have a clear aim, and some of the foot soldiers were being pushed backwards by it.

The elite guards stood unaffected by the winds though, and they yelled at their subordinates at the same time, “Fire you idiots!”

With difficulties, the rams shot their arrows. A huge barrage of them flew towards the tornado that kept coming to their direction, and were pulled in by it. The uncontrollable winds spread the arrows to all directions, some even being throw back at the rams, who panicked.

“Stay in your positions!” one of the bigger rams yelled, but all the foot soldiers were fearing being struck by their own arrows, and begun to withdraw.

“I’ve had enough of you mare!” the other elite guard shouted, scraping his hoof on the wood floor. He lowered his head, aiming his horns to the middle of the small tornado, and rushed in.

Rainbow Dash was nailed, screaming in pain and flying backwards with the recoil. Fluttershy gasped in horror, and quickly flew to catch her friend and try to soften her fall. She hugged Dash on the air, but the hit was too strong to absorb and both pegasi were sent crashing to the floor some meters away.

The cyan pegasus was barely conscious, and Fluttershy had some bruises on her body. “You need to run...” Dash mumbled.

“I’m not abandoning you!” Fluttershy screamed, tears coming to her eyes.

“I can take care of myself silly... This is nothing. But you need to make them go away remember? Twilight is counting on us!” the cyan pegasus begun to get back on her hooves, her body shaking from the pain.

Rainbow Dash finally got up, while Fluttershy stayed on the ground, trembling.

“You need to fly away ‘Shy, now!” Dash yelled at the butter pegasus.

“B-but...” she stammered, uncertain of what to do.

“Look to me right now Fluttershy!” Dash yelled even louder, as if she was giving orders to her friend. The butter pegasus rose her head, exchanging gazes with Dash’s magenta eyes, “don’t think that I’m not feeling any fear, they can kill us and I know. But there’s no way in Tartarus that I’m letting my friends down right now! If you can’t take your piece of this cake, then I will have to defeat both of these ugly goats!”

Fluttershy gulped. She could not abandon Dash, and everypony was counting on her too...

It was time to be brave, for her friends.

She got up, and produced from her saddlebag a tomato. The butter pegasus aimed the fruit and threw it against the other ram, hitting him right in the face.

“I may be late for the rendezvous at the castle,” she whispered to Dash.

The cyan pegasus giggled, “Take your time ‘Shy, just give that monster a wacky ride.”

Furious, the ram grumbled, “Damned foal! How dare you?”

The other ram tried to calm his brother, “Wait. It’s Fluttershy, remember from the briefing that she is just a coward, and she must be ignored. Rainbow Dash’s treat level is higher.”

Another tomato was threw against his face. Fluttershy giggled, provoking the elite guard.

“Blast the orders! I’m not letting a pipsqueak humiliate me!”

The ram roared, and begun to run towards Fluttershy. She turned back, and flew as fast as her wings could carry her, with the guard right on her tail, back through the large road from where they entered the city.

“That foal. I hope he captures her at least.” the remaining ram stared blankly as his brother vanished on the mist that covered the vincity.

Rainbow Dash cackled, “He’s screwed. ‘Shy will show him.”

“Are you sure? You know that you ponies don’t stand a chance against us. Why fight back?”

“We don’t stand a chance?” she laughed at his face again, “I should be the one saying you to give up.”

“Why don’t we make a deal?”

Dash raised an eyebrow, “What you are talking about?”

“You know that my brother is going to capture your friend sooner or later. Then why don’t you give me your necklace and run away from the city with her? I promise to send him a signal to let your friend go unscathed.”

“Never,” Dash replied blankly.

“Are you going to abandon her to her own luck then? That’s your loyalty?”

The cyan pegasus knocked a hoof against her own chest, “My loyalty lies with my friends. I will never doubt them, and never abandon them! ‘Shy is going to defeat your brother, and we will defeat your king together.”

“Whatever,” the ram grumbled, “I wanted to reduce you to a bloody pulp anyway you cocky brat!”

He prepared to attack Dash, who just stood on place, eyes determined and focused on her opponent. The ram rushed against the pegasus, faster than before.

Dash could evade, but she didn’t...

Somehow, the pony managed to get a hold of his large horns and absorb all the impact with her front hooves. The ram kept pushing Rainbow Dash backwards through the bridge and towards a wall of one house on the other end of it.

“I will smash you!” the ram shouted, doubling his speed.

A second before the impact, Dash used her hind legs to buck the ground, making a momentum that lifted her to flight. The wall blasted, spreading debris all over the place.

The cyan pegasus landed right after, looking to destroyed house. The debris moved and the elite guard emerged from it, his eyes spinning.

“I think you used your head too much huh?”

He collapsed in the next second. Dash giggled, and felt to the ground too, breathing heavily, her face turned into a pained frown.

My side is killing me. The hit I took from the first guard really hurts... I need to rest just a little. Guess you are not going to be the only one who’s going to be late for the party ‘Shy.

Fluttershy managed to escape from the ram until now, but she was almost outside Tambelon, already seeing the two watchtowers and the shallow stone passage from where they entered.

“Stop running you foal!” the elite guard yelled behind her.

She looked behind to measure the distance between herself and her chaser. Her heart was almost jumping out of her chest, all she thought was to keep flying towards the exit.

Fluttershy entered the shallow passage, but the ram followed her. She closed her eyes, and passed through the gates, going directly to a nearby tree and hiding behind it.

Her lungs bellowed wildly, she despaired.

The butter pegasus peaked from behind the vegetation, looking back to the gates, but she saw nothing. A sense of relief washed over her chest.

But before she could breathe alleviated, a evil laugh boomed behind her...

The elite guard was there, looking straight to her soul, he raised one hoof and punched Fluttershy, who somehow managed to throw her body to the ground, avoiding being hit by millimeters.

His strength was enough to open a hole on the tree. The pegasus started to crawl on the ground, hopeless, trying to think of something in order to escape.

But her fear clouded her mind completely.

The ram removed his stuck hoof from the tree body, and jumped right in front of the mare crawling on the floor, laughing, “You can’t escape anymore! Any last words?”

Fluttershy froze. She knew that was over for her. As a last attempt, she brought to her face her most brave look, and faced the enemy direct on the eyes...

“Do your worst!” she shouted, locking eye contact with him.

Something made the ram doubt his own action. The gaze on that mare’s eyes was... frightful.

He froze too, unable to smash Fluttershy under his hoof.

Some seconds passed. The butter pegasus kept her opponent paralyzed into her stare, but he was too strong willed to give in and run. That was when a mad laugh was heard by both, seeming to come from nowhere.

“Watch out!” Fluttershy shouted, pointing upwards with her hoof.

The ram escaped from the effect of the stare, “You little wimp! Who you think I am to fall for an old trick like this one?”

Then a piano fell from above, hitting him direct on the head, smashing the ram below it and putting him out of commission. Fluttershy leaped backwards from the shock, scared.

Some seconds later, when her breath started to come back to normal, she finally realized that a message was written with red paint on the body of the piano.

I know that Celestia ordered me to not intervene, but I could not let my only friend to be hurt by those abominable rams.

I never abide by her rules anyway, so why this would be any different?

Go get’em tiger!

Fluttershy smiled, “Thank you!”

She moved her attention to the city.

I’m going Twilight. Please be safe!

Pinkie, Rarity, and Applejack, you three need to take the longer way, through the house’s street, and towards the market place. At the end of the second district, right in front of a building that looks like a prison, you girls are going to find a place where the width of the stagnant moat encircling the castle is smaller. That’s where you will enter, but stay alert, the marketplace and the town district are prone to have enemies expecting a back-door.

The ponies were already running at full speed towards the second district, passing through the marketplace. Rarity was behind, panting, while Pinkie and Applejack were side by side, paying attention on the nearby buildings, searching for any enemies trying to ambush them.

“Oh dear! Why do I have to get so sweaty from all this rush? My mane is going to get smelly and wet!” Rarity complained.

“We can’t be worried ‘bout some wet mane Rarity!” Applejack shouted.

“No rams until now. Maybe we got really lucky and will be able to reach the castle without being attacked?” Pinkie asked to Applejack.

The orange pony shook her head in denial, “I doubt it sugarcube.”

They continued to trot as fast as their legs could carry them. Pinkie looked behind to see where Rarity was, but she vanished from her vision.

“Applejack! Rarity is not behind us anymore!” the pink pony slowed the pace, until she comes to a complete halt.

“Shoot! What happened?” Applejack did the same.

Suddenly, a lasso was thrown from the window of an abandoned candy store, and wrapped around the orange pony’s neck.

Something strong began to drag Applejack inside the store, as more and more ropes kept coming and captured her hooves and body. She tried to resist, but whatever was pulling her had enough power to subjugate the earth pony.

“Oh noes! Applejack!” Pinkie shouted going towards her direction, but her friend yelled at her.

“Go find Rarity! Make sure she’s safe! Ah can take care of mahself!”

Pinkie stopped, and the image of Applejack being pulled inside the dark and ominous building through the window burned into her eyes. They started to get moist, but she sent the tears down her throat and turned back the road to find Rarity.

Her search didn’t take long. The chalk-white unicorn was behind a building, with her eyes glued to a storefront.

“Rarity!” Pinkie yelled, almost mad.

The unicorn turned her neck to the pink party pony, “There you are Pinkie Pie, come over here!”

She obliged, but as she reached Rarity’s position, Pinkie started to shake her front hooves in all directions at random, blabbering some unpronounceable gibberish.

“I don’t know what you are talking about my dear, but take a look inside!” Rarity pointed to the insides of a deserted fashion shop.

Pinkie glanced through the window, seeing an amazing and preposterously large diamond shining on the floor. If ‘Tom the Rock’ had a twin brother, this was the one. Only this one was really a diamond.

“I’m going to enter and take it! It’s too big of a treasure to leave behind,” Rarity trotted towards the door.

Faster than Rainbow Dash, Pinkie covered the door with her body, “No! Don’t go inside, it’s a trap and you know it.”

“Don’t be absurd my dear. There’s no enemies around here, plus it will take just a second, don’t worry.”

The chalk-white unicorn removed Pinkie out of the way, as if she was the door itself, and entered inside.

Pinkie leaped out of place and tried to enter, but immediately all the doors and windows were locked with thick iron covers that came sliding from above.

The pink party pony could do nothing but sit on the ground, staring blankly at the sealed way separating her from her friend.

“I told you that this was a trap...”

“Pinkie?” Rarity’s voice came from inside the building.

Pinkie leaped in surprise, her hope reassured, “Are you okay you silly pony?”

“Indeed! But you need to go without me! I shall find a way out, but Twilight needs you to help her. Go to the castle!”

“Alrighty!” Pinkie slammed a hoof against her forehead, “take care please!”

Inside the store, Rarity turned around, to take a better look at what was surrounding her. It was a boutique, similar to her, but was completely abandoned and tattered. At her right side, several mannequins were stacked one above the other, covered in dust, at her left side; she found a counter, destroyed with several holes.

In front of her she saw some coat hangers, with tattered clothes hung on the rusted iron bars. And of course, the giant diamond shining with the lights of some torches that were ablaze to give the place some lighting.

“Come to mama!” Rarity smiled, and trotted towards the stone. But before she could reach it, a trap door opened below the gem, making it fall into a big, pitch-black trap hole.

“That’s really ironic to see. The Element of Generosity’s very weakness is in fact, her greed.”

The double doors at the other side of the fashion store slammed open. From inside, a big ram trotted out. He was smaller than the elite guards, having long horns going up instead of curling to the sides, and cruel eyes with red irises. His coat had the same dark-blue coloration as Grogar, and he wore the spiked armor of the elite guards.

He stared at Rarity, who still looked to the trap hole with her mouth agape, and her eyes wide open in shock.

“You were the easiest to trap. My name is commander Hammer Horn, I’m Grogar’s general and my orders are to arrest you and all the elements.”

“Was it you who activated the trap door?” Rarity asked, ignoring him.

The ram sighed with exasperation, “Indeed it was.”

The chalk-white unicorn threw her body to the ground, and begun crying with despaired screams, slamming her hoof continuously on the floor.

“Why?” she shouted while on tears, “you are a monster! A monster I say!”

Enraged, the ram expelled some smoke from his nostrils, and clasped his hoof against the ground; making the whole building shake, “Don’t make a fool of me wimp! Don’t you understand the situation you are in?”

“He was so pretty!” Rarity proceeded with her act, crying even louder, “how you can be so cruel?”

The ram leaped from the other side of the trap hole, and tried to smash Rarity under his hooves. The chalk-white unicorn snapped out of her act, and swiftly evaded the attack by leaping from the ground to the counter at her right.

Hammer Horn smiled, “You are pretty fast for a fashionista”

“A lady never reveals her secrets darling.” Rarity winked, taunting him.

He turned to her side and rushed to pin down the unicorn with his horns. Rarity jumped from the counter to his back, and from his back to the ground in the blink of an eye. Hammer Horn destroyed the rotten wood with his mighty assault.

“That’s it? You are going to keep running?” he turned to her, and asked with a bored voice.

“Do you think that I am going to dirty my hooves by fighting you or something?”

The ram smiled mischievously

“We don’t need to fight then.”

Rarity raised an eyebrow, and looked to the commander with curious eyes, “What you mean?”

“Hand me over your necklace, and I will not only leave you alone, but I will give you the diamond you saw, and even more treasures from the Tambelon’s vault.”

Rarity paralyzed, and kept staring blankly at the ram with her eyes wide open. Hammer Horn started to laugh, “It’s tempting is it not Lady Rarity? You do not have to keep fighting on in this dirty, defiled place. You can leave this hole and go back to your precious boutique, with your saddlebag stuffed with the treasure of a kingdom and a diamond bigger than your body. Just hand me over the Element of Generosity and this nightmare will be over...”

Then the chalk-white unicorn cackled. Her laugh was so loud, that the sound echoed through the place.

The commander was taken aback by her reaction, he stared at Rarity, shocked, with his jaw dropped, trying to understand what happened.

“You really think that I would fall for it? That I would exchange my friends for some diamonds? Don’t make me laugh Mister Hammer Horn!” Rarity expression changed suddenly from a huge mocking smile to a serious and disgusted frown, “there’s no bigger treasure in this world to me than them, and I will never betray my five most precious gems for some dirty money! Your sick words are disgusting and make me want to vomit!”

Hammer Horn could have exploded from rage then, his eyes were set ablaze from the upcoming wrath filling his being, “Guess the briefing was not so accurate. You are not the weakest minded of the Element Bearers.”

“It is true that I can be weak at times. But as long as they are with me, there is nothing in this world that I cannot overcome.”

He expelled another cloud of smoke from his nostrils, “Then be it. I shall bring your life to end without any problems; you are after all the weakest of the Bearers.”

“Is it what your briefing said to you?” Rarity raised an eyebrow.

The ram cackled, “A pathetic unicorn afraid of fighting. This is the only thing that my eyes show me right now; I do not need any further info to know that.”

Hammer Horn rushed in her direction without a second warning. The murky room is lit with a bright blue light, and the curtains that adorned the windows come to life.

They quickly grabbed the commander’s hind legs, making him fall to the ground and slammed his entire body against the stone floor.

“You do realize that you choose a boutique to trap me do you not? My magic is not strong as Twilight’s magic, but you are in my natural habitat darling.”

Hammer Horn tried to cut the curtains with his teeth, but it was all in vain, as Rarity used her magic to wrap his front hooves and mouth with some of the old cloths from the coat hanger.

“Do you give up?” she asked with a smile, and released his mouth from the wrap.

“Never! Equestria will fall upon the might of Tambelon!”

“Then have a good night my dear, my friends are waiting for me.”

Her horn flared with an even stronger light, and Rarity levitated the giant diamond from inside the pit, back to the ground level.

“How is this even possible?” Hammer Horn shouted, impressed by Rarity control over the giant gem.

“This is my speciality.”

The stone involved by the blue light floated in the air, and with crushing speed is hurled against the goat, hitting him mercilessly.

The impact sends both the commander and the diamond against the wall. The fragile stone composing the building was not able endure the hit, and a hole opened, making Hammer Horn and the gem end up on the outside street.

Rarity smiled, she was victorious, but her hooves began to shake and she almost fell to the ground.

My horn is hurting! I’m going to need some painkillers when I get back. Need to remember to not try to lift so much weight again.

With some difficult, the chalk-white unicorn exited the store through the hole she opened on the wall, and took a look at the direction she was supposed to follow.

Please, be safe everypony...

Applejack woke up inside the candy store. She was surrounded by foot soldiers armed with small hammers. Some of them still were holding the several ropes used to bring her inside.

Rage welled up inside her belly. The rams had made the mistake of letting go of the ropes, and were just observing her.

“Ah’m not goin’ to be kind partner. Better be prepared...”

The mare stood on all four. Her green irises rolled around, exchanging threatening gazes with every foot soldier there, tension building up in the air.

One of the foot soldiers finally jumped to attack the mare with his hammer, Applejack rapidly turned around, and in the exact moment that the ram was close enough, she used both hind legs to buck him on the chest. The metal of his armor bent in the shape of her hooves, and the foot soldier was sent flying against the wall, crashing there and going out cold.

His fellow soldiers gasped in shock. In an attempt to control the furious mare, the rams took the ropes with their mouths to hold Applejack on place. But before enough soldiers could grasp the restraints to counter her, Applejack took one rope with her mouth and moved it with all her strength aiming to use one of the soldiers to hit all the others that she could.

With one move of her neck, the orange pony swept through the room, bringing all the foot soldiers restraining her with the ropes down, as she used one of their own companions like a flail to hit them with impressive strength.

“That’s how it is on tha farm, you mess with tha bull, yah get tha horns!”

The remaining opponents gulped, but charged at the same time against Applejack. The mare smiled...

From outside, all that could be seen was the unconscious bodies of the rams flying through the glass windows, from the roof, and from the wooden door into the street, while the sound of metal being hit and screams of pain came from inside. As the last foot soldier was sent breaking through the window, Applejack trot out of the building, her stetson covering one side of her face.

The mare stopped on the doorway, looking towards the castle. Her stetson covered a purple eye, and some bruises on her face.

Ah’m coming Twilight, hang in there...

My part is going to be tricky. While all you guys got Grogar’s forces attention, I will use some of my spells to sneak inside the castle and walk right inside of his royal chamber. This will be sure to get his attention on me, and buy time for you girls to come by and surprise attack him. Remember that we will act all at the same time, so each second counts, we have to be swift and relay at the castle the first opportunity we get.

Twilight choose a way behind the main set of houses, a small road between the buildings and the west walls.

he never ran so fast in her life, adrenaline running wildly inside her body.

Something was strange. A lump was stuck in her throat, and it refused to go down... A lump of something that even the most sedulous researcher of Equestria was unable to define what was.

It was dread she felt? Fear? Doubt?

She just continued to run, until she saw the image of the castle’s walls past the stagnant moat.

The purple unicorn trotted to the border of the road, and looked down on the smelly water pond. There was no turning back now...

Twilight summoned her magic powers, and closed her eyes, the memories of her brief training with Zecora coming to her as vivid images. Slowly, she planted a hoof on the water surface, feeling it as hard as the ground; she proceeded to place her next hoof down. Everything was looking fine, and then she brought both hind hooves down.

Twilight was standing on the surface of the water.

Then, step by step, the unicorn walked through the stagnant moat. In her forehead, drops of sweat were rolling, showing how stressful it was to maintain the spell running, but she had to be strong and keep pushing.

The water pit seemed to be bigger than an ocean, but Twilight never opened her eyes, to keep her concentration unbroken. The sound of her hooves hitting the water seemed to never end...

Finally, a different sound, she opened one eye to check. The torture was over; she had managed to traverse the moat.

Her irises ran up the castle wall in front of her.

Now I need to use my reverse gravity spell to climb the wall.

She trotted closer, and prepared her mind to cast another high level spell, but she heard the sound of hooves coming closer at high speed.

Twilight ducked behind a house, and observed a foot soldier running through the main street with an arrow plunged into his helmet. He looked completely freaked out.

The ram entered the castle, screaming ‘Lord Grogar’ with all the might of his bellows.

It looks like the girls are doing a good job with leading the enemy troops astray. Let’s follow the guy and see what happened.

Twilight didn’t have to waste anymore spells with sneaking. Maybe due to overconfidence or because he really was a very careless ruler, Grogar simply let his front door opened, without any guards to overlook it.

The purple unicorn trotted inside, passing through a garden. Said garden was horrible, the only plants were weeds and big thorn bushes. There were statues, but the thorns were covering them, hiding the sculptures under the thick foliage.

After some walking, there it was, Tambelon castle. It was not too big, and looked more like a manor than a castle. As the rest of the city, it was ominous and creepy. The walls were made of cold gray marble, the entrance was adorned by two big stone columns that formed a portal. The doorway leading inside was wide open, the two big wooden doors inviting anypony to enter.

Twilight swallowed any fear that clouded her mind, and with care to not be too loud, entered.

“They are squashing us my liege.” the ram said with a trembling voice.

The foot soldier was now in front of the Lord of Tambelon inside his throne room. A large room made of the same cold gray marble as the rest of the castle. It was perhaps the only place in the entire city that didn't looked like a ruin.

A red carpet coming from the giant entrance doors adorned the floor, flowing all the way to the steps leading to the throne where the goat sat. At both sides, several torches hanging on the walls provided light to the murky, windowless room. Some shields depicting Tambelon’s crest also were on the walls for decoration.

Behind the throne, a giant golden bell hung with a chain, from the ceiling.

Grogar, furious, stomped his hoof against the arm of his luxurious throne, “Send more soldiers! I want them imprisoned right now!”

“We can’t my liege... You ordered the troops to assemble near Canterlot. We have just a small group of guards and few Elites here for your personal protection,” he tried to reason with the behemoth, shaking from head to tail.

Grogar creaked his teeth menacingly, his red eyes lit in an even more angered light, “How’s this even possible?” he shouted as loudly as his breath allowed him, “they are six brats! Six stupid little ponies from a countryside village! We are trained soldiers; we crushed countless of those towns in our times of glory!”

The foot soldier could only continue to shake in fear hearing his lord venting out his frustration, “The briefing was not as accurate as it seemed. We studied them individually, but not as a team...”

“Shut up!” Grogar’s loud bass voice almost crushed his minion against the ground, “are you suggesting that those cursed Element Bearers are strong due to their Friendship or whatever? That’s preposterous!”

The giant goat stood up from his throne, “Power lies within crushing might, with ultimate strength, be it magical power or simple military prowess. Friendship is not power! It’s just a cheesy word!”

“I agree my liege,” the ram started to nod, moving his neck as fast as he could, “but what are we going to do?”

Grogar’s horns lit with an electric blue light, then some blue sparks begun to appear around the tips.

“I will crush them with my own hoof. As for you...”

A lightning bolt is hurled from the horns against the foot soldier, hitting him without mercy. He was electrocuted to death by Grogar.

“I don’t need weaklings in my ranks.”

He shook his bell, the sound echoed through the room. He scratched his throat, and started to scream loudly, “Attention you fleabags still inside the castle!” his voice was magically projected, gaining enough volume to rival a megaphone, “Grogar demands all of you to hunt down the invaders and bring them to me immediately! Forget about my protection, just find those ponies and bring them here right away!”

The behemoth proceeded towards the front doors, but then...

“Stop right there Grogar!”

Twilight’s voice boomed inside the sinister room. Grogar stood in place, shocked.

She jumped from the ceiling, and landed safely right in front of him. Her lavender irises looked with sadness to the executed soldier on the ground.

“A reverse gravity spell? You are really good for someone your age little pony.”

Twilight had used another high level magic to reach his throne room by walking on the ceiling where she could go unnoticed by any guards that might have crossed her way. It was a clever trick, but the spell sure drained the unicorn of some stamina.

“I don’t need any compliments from you,” she replied, her words sounding as sour as possible.

“You realize the mistake you committed? This is my castle, my throne room, what makes you think that I’m not going to simply smash you?”

The unicorn lowered her head, “I know, you don’t need to remind me. However, I’m not letting my friends face you, I don’t want to see them getting hurt.”

“Self-sacrifice? Celestia taught you that too I assume,” his face turned into a mocking smile.

“I don’t plan on losing too!”

“You are going to fight me alone? Are you nuts, little pony?”

This time, the goat didn’t resisted and cackled madly, mocking Twilight, “ Your beloved princess send you to die then! And I will show you.”

Grogar launches another lightning bolt, aiming at Twilight this time. The attack almost took the unicorn by surprise, but she summoned a ward around her before being nailed.

The blue energy hit the lavender shield, the magical power strong enough to send Twilight backwards, shattering her defense. Luckily, the spell ended before doing her any harm.

“Congratulations. You are the second spellcaster to have enough magical power to resist my Thunder Horn. Shame that by invading my fortress, you are already exhausted.”

“I’m not here to fight!” Twilight yelled at Grogar.

The goat eyes went wide in surprise, “What are you talking about?”

“I’m here to offer peace to you, as Princess Celestia offered a thousand years ago. We don’t need to wage war Grogar! Let’s stop with this madness before anypony else get hurt.”

Once again, all that Twilight heard was a mocking laugh, “Silly unicorn! Why I would accept peace?”

“Then tell me why you choose war over it? It does not make sense!”

“Because war is in our blood. Our race is born to fight, to conquer, to search for glory on the battlefield. You ponies are marked with your destinies right? Those cutie marks or whatever. They define your destinies, personalities, your whole beings. Can you change it Twilight Sparkle? Change what you are down to the core?”

Twilight's mouth went dry, and she didn’t knew why, but Grogar’s words stung her chest as an arrow, making her heart beat even faster.

“ I... Can’t.”

“Then you know that there’s no way of changing me. We rams live for war, it’s our destiny, and you can’t change it with words.”

The giant goat lowered his head, and passed his roof on the floor, aiming his big horns at Twilight’s direction.

“You are good with spells, but can you fare so well with your muscles? I assume you are far from being the athletic type...”

He rushed at full speed towards the unicorn. Twilight stood in place, planning how to react to the onslaught of her opponent, when a pie flew from the doorway behind her and struck Grogar right in the face, spreading whipped cream all over his eyes and blinding him temporally.

Twilight immediately turned around to see who did the prank, and she found Pinkie Pie standing still on the doorway, with her muzzle dirty with the same white cream-like substance.

“Pinkie! You did it!”

“The pies those goats bake are horrible!” she complained, “but at least they serve as good weapons.”

Grogar struggled to wipe the cream from his eyes, and was running aimlessly through the large throne room. Twilight quickly saw it as an opportunity.

Her horn flared, and she enveloped one of the shields at the walls in her pink magic aura. When the blind goat tried to finally hit her with his horns, she put the shield right in front of him, making his attack hit the metal surface instead.

Twilight’s magic was strong enough to rival against his physical might, and the shield held by her telekinesis made him collapse to the ground as if he hit a wall made of concrete.

Pinkie Pie rapidly came to Twilight’s side, “Are you alright Twily?”

“Yes don’t worry, you made it just in time. Let’s keep him busy until all the girls are here.”

The behemoth didn’t take long to recover from the crash. He quickly grabbed the bell at his neck, shaking it. The cream covering his eyes was engulfed in a pale blue light and lifted to the air, “Never thought that I would use my magic for something like this.”

A stream of smoke flowed from his nostrils, and he focused his maleficent gaze upon the two Bearers, “Enough with your silly jokes! Time to end your pathetic lives!”

His bell is once again rung, and his mouth lit with a flaming glow. Grogar’s cheeks expanded and he coughed up a big fireball from his mouth, which flew at high speed in their direction.

“Try to defend this spell with your pathetic ward Sparkle!” he shouted, mocking Twilight.

Seconds before the scorching sphere struck them, a blue blur passed and pushed them out of the harm’s way. The fireball exploded, opening a hole on the ground. Twilight and Pinkie were safe, reunited with Rainbow Dash.

“Sorry for being late egghead, but fear not! Your friendly neighborhood Dash is here.”

“You are our hero Dash.”

“No time for pointing the obvious Twi, we have a bad guy to bring down.”

The behemoth was beyond infuriated, “Why do you rats keep coming? My troops must be a bunch of dronken monkeys!”

His bell rangs once more. The king raised one of his front hooves and thundered it against the ground, sending a shockwave of such power that the earth shattered as the spell made its way towards the three mares.

A rope flew through the air, wrapping around Twilight, Pinkie and Rainbow Dash‘s waists, and a firm pull removed them from the danger. The powerful spell hit the wall breaking a part of it and opening a hole to the garden outside.

“This can’t be!” Grogar yelled, frustration was clear on his voice, “not a single one? All the rats are still alive?”

Applejack trotted towards her friends, “Is everypony alright?”

The three nodded. Twilight gasped after taking a glance at Applejack’s wounded eye.

“Applejack are you alright?”

“Don’t worry sugarcube, this is nothin’ that an ice cube can’t fix. How is everything goin’?”

“Not too good,” Rainbow Dash complained, “he keeps bombarding us with those spells, and it’s a pain to keep evading them.”

“As long as he has that bell, there’s little we can do,” Twilight explained, “that bell is a powerful regalia from Tartarus that works as an infinite pool of stamina; Grogar can keep throwing us all the spells he wants and he will suffer little to no fatigue...”

“Then we need to do something ‘bout that bell,” Applejack affirmed, “Pinkie, did ya bring that party cannon of yours?”

“Of course silly, how do you think that I traversed the moat?” Pinkie giggled.

After some seconds of silence from everypony due to the image of Pinkie blasting herself from her cannon towards the castle windows was printed on their minds, Applejack scratched her throat and ordered, “Let’s bring it here! I’ve gotta a plan.”

The party pony nodded in accordance, “It is on the corridor outside.”

“Perfect! Twilight, Dash, keep tha old goat busy, we will be right back!”

The earth ponies exited the room, trotting as fast as they could. Grogar remained analyzing his opponents the whole time, trying to figure which spell he should use to obliterate them.

“That’s good to see. At least some of your fellow Bearers have something inside those tiny skulls, and decided to flee.”

“Don’t be hasty to have your flank kicked, goatee!” Rainbow Dash yelled at him.

“Enough with the pointless threats! This is a battle, and it is fought with actions, not with chat!”

“You could not be more right!” Rainbow Dash lowered the front part of her body, craving to run against the behemoth and take him on.

I am worried about Applejack’s plan...

Twilight looked to the doorway, worry clear on her face. Seeing her disarray, Rainbow Dash called her attention with a loud shout.

“Don’t doze off now!”

Twilight immediately returned her focus to the situation at hand.

“Trust in AJ! Trust in your friends egghead! We are with you on this, and we will not fail.”

The unicorn nodded with determination, “I’m sorry Rainbow Dash, I tried to take everything in my hooves and I forgot that I am stronger because you girls are with me.”

“We knew...”

Twilight was taken aback.

“We knew from the start that you devised that crazy plan just to try and confront Grogar alone.”

“I’m so sorry...”

Dash smiled, “Don’t worry, and thanks for trying to protect us as you always do, Twilight.”

Ignoring the reassuring words shared by his opponents, Grogar prepared another charge.

“Rather than using any spells, I think smashing your frail bones under my hooves is going to be so much more pleasurable.”

Grogar launched a furious assault without a second thought, his giant horns aimed directly at Rainbow Dash. In that exact moment although, Pinkie and Applejack returned, armed with the pink pony’s party cannon.

The goat, impressed by the heavy weaponry displayed in front of him, stopped his rampage immediately.

“How the hay did you bring a cannon inside through the stagnant moat?” the king asked, bewildered.

All the girls except Pinkie cackled at his face.

“That’s Pinkie Pie for you goatee!” Rainbow Dash shouted.

“It does not matter!” his angered voice made the laughs hanging on the air cease, “even a cannon can’t destroy the might Grogar! You ponies probably don’t have the guts to shot it anyway.”

The party pony picked a small phosphor from inside her messy mane, and lit it by passing it against Applejack’s flank, “Are you sure my dear?” she asked, with half-lidded eyes and a mocking smile.

A drop of sweat rolled down Grogar’s forehead. The short wick is set alight, and quickly vanishes. Grogar took some steps back, awaiting for the impact but then...

A huge amount of confetti and small pieces of paper along with two or three balloons was everything that apparently shot from the contraption, much to his surprise and dismay. Some of it even ended up stuck on the goat’s face.

“This is some kind of joke right?” he asked, with a mix of deception and rage.

“Of course it is silly!” Pinkie answered cheerfully, “I am the number one party pony of Ponyville.”

“Then let me smash you all with my most powerful spell! I don’t even care if I have to blow away my own castle; I just want to reduce each one of you vermins to shreds!”

The pieces of colored paper on his face self-combusted and he was ready to take any price just to destroy the Bearers.

Suddenly, Pinkie giggled, “Oh! I forgot to say that I am also very good with surprises!”

Rarity, hid under a small part of her Invisible Mantle, appeared atop his back and involved the red belt that kept the bell around his neck with her blue aura. A simple pull, and the chalk-white unicorn snatched the regalia from the king.

She was hiding inside the cannon? It was just a distraction for her to be shot in my direction!

“No!” Grogar shouted when the realization of their plan sunk in, “give it back!”

He moved his hooves, trying to take back the artifact floating right above his head, but Rarity was faster, she threw the bell in the direction of the door, and immediately, a butter pegasus passed soaring in its direction, and took the regalia in her mouth.

The behemoth moved his attention to the Bearer sitting on his back, “I will crush you!”

“Twilight, now!” Rarity signaled.

Twilight responded by casting a teleport spell on Rarity, bringing her to safety in a second.

Fluttershy was floating close to the doorway with the bell on her mouth. Grogar was sweating profusely; not only he had lost his trump card, but also, all the six elements were right there in his throne room.

“Don’t be a bad pony Miss Fluttershy! Please, give me back my bell, and I promise that I will be more gentle when I execute each one of you.”

She raised an eyebrow, sarcastically. Everypony planted a hoof against their faces.

Twilight asked, bemused, “That’s how you was planning to reason with us?”

“What do you expect? If you are not going to give it back-” Grogar jumped in Fluttershy’s direction, “I will take it by force!”

His strong legs allowed him to give a huge impulse, enough to really reach Fluttershy in the air. But before he could grasp the butter mare, Applejack reacted picking up her lasso with her tail, and with a quick and precise throw, she wrapped one of his hind hooves.

Rainbow Dash joined forces with the orange pony, and together they pulled the rope, bringing the behemoth to the ground, planting his enormous body against the stone floor.

Before he could express any reaction, Twilight and Rarity combined their magic and wrapped his entire body with the rope, restraining each limb to make sure that he was not going to escape.

The purple unicorn then casted a transformation spell, and turned the rope into a thick cable made of metal.

“Fluttershy! The bell, throw it away!” Rarity yelled.

Fluttershy flew to the hole opened on the wall, and with a move of her neck, she threw the bell away. The object traversed the air and landed directly on the stagnant moat, sinking into the pitch-black water...

Grogar smiled; Tambelon had lost once again, and he knew it.

All the Bearers proudly wearing their respective necklaces gathered around the fallen giant in a circle.

Twilight was the first to manifest, “It’s over Grogar. You lost.”

“I know.”

The purple unicorn felt a little unsure, seeing a once powerful and proud creature reduce to a pathetic heap on the ground was a sad scene.

“You don’t need to return to the banishment. We will offer peace again to you. Order the soldiers stationed at Canterlot to retreat and take everything back to your homeland, sign a treaty that you will cease your attacks against Equestria and you can live with your people and your land.”

Grogar cackled, even madder and crazed than ever.

“I shall die as a warrior Twilight Sparkle. I will uphold my honor above all else, even about my people. That’s our destiny...”

His red eyes focused on her.

“Celestia must be proud. She found a brilliant mind, a genius researcher, a loyal subject and a strong magician. You could even surpass the Sun Goddess herself if you could grow wings and get strong hooves. Surpass the Goddess... she should really feel threatened by your existence, that must be why she keeps you so close.”

The room fell silent for some instants.

What he is talking about? Me, stronger than Princess Celestia? That’s impossible! She’s an immortal alicorn! She’s the ruler of all ponykind!

“Focus, Twilight!” Rainbow Dash scolded her again, “you are dozing off too much today! What’s gotten into you?”

“I’m sorry again Dash. No more dozing off!”

The six Bearers closed the circle around Grogar. Twilight yelled at him, “This really is your final decision?”

“That’s how I play this game Sparkle. Show me once more the Power of Harmony feared even in the deepest prison of Tartarus!”

“So be it. Girls, get ready!”

The crown representing the Element of Magic flared above Twilight’s head with a strong white light. Slowly, the necklaces begun to respond, each one giving off a different color. The strong magic power resounding lifted each one of the six to the air.

A strong wind blew inside the room, making the torches flick in a mad dance of light and shadows.

But this time, for the very first time in all the occasions where the elements were used, something was different...

Their hearts started to beat faster, and faster, like a mad rollercoaster. The ponies felt something inexplicable, they could only compare it to fear.

“Twilight what’s happening?” Rarity shouted in the middle of the chaotic storm

“My heart.... It’s like something is... smashing it!” Fluttershy tried to catch breath.

“My head is spinning!” Pinkie screamed, fear was evident on her voice.

Twilight never heard any of her friends. The surge of magical energy was focused on her as always, but this time, the trance state that she normally enters when the spell is being channeled was deeper.

“Twilight yah need to stop!” Applejack screamed trying to reach her friend, “there’s somethin’ wrong with tha Elements!”

In the deepest part of her trance, the purple unicorn saw something...

A cutie mark.

A familiar one on top of that. It was her own cutie mark, and now, it was shattered. She felt the symbol being reduced to pieces, breaking like glass. It was painful, as if her cutie mark really was being torn apart.

The strong shock of that vision made Twilight escape from the deep trance. And when her consciousness came back, she was received by sound of all her friends gasping in agony, trying desperately to catch breath.

“Twilight! Stop the spell!” Rainbow Dash screamed.

She despaired too, and her own heart felt as if it received a sudden punch. The same pressure shared by all the bearers hit the unicorn, all their pain at the same time.

“I...can’t... the Elements are going haywire! I can’t control their powers anymore!”

Her eyes opened, as if they were forced to, bathed in a blinding white light. Each Element shot a beam of a different color, and those smaller beams converged into the purple jewel atop her head, the entire crown became white like ivory, and shot a giant white beam of light against Grogar.

Once it nailed the behemoth on the ground, a chalk-white blast wave engulfed the room and kept spreading, eating the whole castle, and finally the whole city in few seconds...

From all of Equestria, the ponies observing the horizon could see a giant pillar of white light ascending to the skies, like a colossal tower.

And as fast as it appeared, it vanished, leaving only the serene night sky and the perpetual silence hanging on the air.

Eleven - Ride The Lightning

“Either your courage is really uncanny or you’re just plain stupid.” Night Watch declared, observing from her position as Trixie parted ways with Twilight.

The unicorn laughed, mocking the moori commander, and turned around, looking straight at her eyes, "I don't care what you think of me. I won't let you harm her..."

Trixie stepped out of the icy fog she had used to encase the knights. Her long, crimson cape flowed with the breeze, her pointy hat obscuring one side of her face. She puffed her chest proudly, her left eye glowing with a powerful azure light, “She’s Twilight Sparkle! The same heroine who saved your flanks from Nightmare Moon! She’s not a traitor, nor a monster, nor a betrayer! She will never use those powers of hers to harm our kingdom! I’m sure of it, and I will fight with all my strength to protect her, until she can shout out to the world the truth you have been hiding from her!”

“This cannot be…” Jasper whispered, attracting Night Watch’s attention.

“What’s the matter, Jasper?” The moori asked promptly.

“She is… Using a rare kind of magic. It’s Rune Casting! I thought it was just a legend!"

“I don’t understand those magic-babble terms.” Night Watch’s face contorted into a confused frown, “Just tell me, it’s really that powerful?”

The nightcorn slowly nodded, eyes still gazing in awe towards Trixie. Her commander displayed a content, mocking grin and patted her knight on the shoulder, “I guess this is a little too much for you, then.”

Both Trixie and Jasper looked perplexed towards the moori.

“Get going. I want you to track down the Twilight Princess with the rest of our battalion. I will fight this knightress of hers, and see if this Rune Casting of hers is so powerful as to strike such fear in the heart of my right-hoof mare.”

Jasper bowed, and her horn flared with a strange grayish-white glow. In seconds, the nightcorn vanished from Trixie’s field of view, as if she had just fused with the night itself. As soon as she disappeared, the rest of Night Watch’s troops took flight, leaving only their commander behind…

Trixie observed as Night Watch begun to move her neck to the sides, stretching it. She had a small smile on her muzzle, much for Trixie’s disgust.

Is this freak mocking me or something?

“Your knightress says my magic is uncommon, but she displays a very uncommon magic herself.” Trixie called the commander with a grin plastered on her face.

“Jasper’s special talent is illusion and concealment magic. She’s the perfect asset for a division of assassins, like mine.” Night Watch replied, her small smile turning into a grin as huge as Trixie’s.

Both ponies started walking very slowly in circles, going in opposite directions, studying their opponent with attention…

“So, you dismissed your whole battalion and decided to stay behind, alone? You’re going to duel me? Isn’t that a little old fashioned and stupid for a pony who takes pride in commanding an assassination squad?” Trixie provoked, smile only getting larger.

“You got it, filly. Besides, that’s how Equestria solves its problems; with minimum bloodshed. Taking in consideration what you did with Leather Flap, Sonic Boom and Rat Trap over there, I don’t wanna see more companions of mine turned into ice cubes.” The commander replied, pointing to the three guards Trixie had transformed into ice statues earlier.

“Oh, that!” Trixie motioned her gaze towards them and returned to the moori, “Don’t worry, they aren’t dead. They will defrost in a couple of minutes, probably with a tremendous headache, and a cold.”

Night Watch laughed, “That’s good to know! For a moment there, I thought you were some kind of zealot, capable of killing in the name of your Princess.”

“Just like you are, Commander Night Watch?” Trixie launched the rhetorical question with a mocking grin, raising an eyebrow.

“Yeah… Just like me!” Night Watch shouted. The gaze from her magenta eyes suddenly became much more threatening. With her left forehoof, she reached behind her armor, and produced a small metal bar. She activated some sort of contraption, and the metal cane sprung to life, doubling its size and turning into a spear, bigger than her body.

Using her pastern to get a firm hold of the weapon, she pointed the tip towards Trixie and declared, “You’re messing in business you shouldn’t, filly! This event is about to evolve into a serious conflict! Just like it happened with the Changeling Invasion or with Sombra’s Return! Back away now! What did the Twilight Princess gave you that’s so important to risk your life fighting for?”

Trixie’s expression grew serious. For the first time, she was about to ‘fight’ a real battle, where she could end up dead…

Her old self could run away, and leave this whole ‘Twilight Princess’ business to somepony else. However, things had changed…

“Friendship.”

Night Watch blinked a couple of times, probably still trying to process that answer. Nonetheless, she stretched her leathery wings, and getting ahold of her weapon with both forehooves, she took flight, charging at Trixie with amazing speed.

Immediately, Trixie’s horn flared with an intense pink glow, and from the tip, a powerful blast of pink energy was shot in a straight line towards the flying moori. Night Watch got surprised for a moment, but she maneuvered to the side, escaping from the blast, which exploded behind her, against the wall of a random house, turning the construction into smithereens.

Although her direct trajectory changed, the commander still had momentum to attack the unicorn from her side, reaching her position in seconds, brandishing her huge spear in a descendent arc.

Trixie quickly summoned her weak and small pink ward, at the exact moment before being cut. The spear clanged against its surface, producing sparks, and then shattering it. Even though she took some recoil, Trixie was ready for a counter-attack: She raised the front part of her body and thundered both fore hooves against the ground, activating a rune encircled by a magic circle.

In front of her, right below the commander, a razor sharp icicle appeared violently from the ground , ready to impale the moori mercilessly.

Night Watch widened her magenta eyes in shock, and backed away, flapping her bat wings as fast as she could, escaping gaining a hole on her chest by inches.

Taking the chance to keep bombarding her opponent, Trixie rolled from behind the ice spear, and after finishing a rune on the air, several smaller ice bolts formed all around her. With a gesture from her right fore hoof, the unicorn commanded them to attack Night Watch.

Her target continued to back away, flying in her opposite direction. This time, each blue bolt was deflected by precise, lightning-fast slashes, as she swung her weapon like a whip in order to avoid being stung.

After all the bolts were deflected, the moori laughed loudly, “Amazing! This is freakin’ amazing! You can just defy one of the magic’s laws using this exotic art of yours! You’re a monster!”

Trixie felt a little scared by her reaction. Although, she used the best of her acting skills to not let her fear show itself for Night Watch to see.

How can she laugh like this in the middle of a fight? Is this the difference between an experienced warrior and a mere civilian like me, just like Twilight said there was?

“Defying the magical laws that disables an unicorn from tampering with the forces of nature is just one of the aspects of my art, commander! It matters not to me if you think I am a monster!” She shouted at Night Watch, seriousness weighed on both her voice and expression.

Still floating a few meters above Trixie, Night Watch spun her spear, readying it again to strike.”I can go even faster, filly. Think you can keep up with me?”

In a flash, Night Watch vanished.

Trixie gulped, scared.

Her eyes widened in shock, as she finally spotted Night Watch behind her in the corner of her vision, hooves flexed, her spear positioned to pierce Trixie without mercy. The only possible action was to roll to the side for an escape.

Night Watch stabbed the ground, an electric spark blasting from the tip of her weapon, causing debris to fly in all directions.

Rapidly, Trixie got on all four again, readying yet another rune while maneuvering out of harm’s way. Her horn glowed with an azure shine, and this time, a thinner,longer, spear-like icicle appeared by Trixie’s side from a blue mist. With a gesture, as if throwing the protrusion towards Night Watch, moving her hoof in a crescent arc, Trixie sent the floating spike against her.

Night Watch awaited until the icicle was just about to hit her, and vanished again, then reappeared right in front of Trixie with her weapon positioned to apply a cutting attack in a horizontal fashion against the unicorn.

Trixie motioned her hoof, calling the ice spear back, and the construct obliged, coming back to attack the moori from behind. Night Watch changed her attention, focusing her gaze onto the object, then instead of hitting Trixie, she brandished her spear while rotating her body to the opposite direction, striking and shattering it.

The unicorn saw it as an opening for striking down the commander. Trixie backpedaled, gaining enough distance to take aim, and after concentrating her best Magic Blast, she assaulted Night Watch’s back mercilessly nailing her with an almost point-blank shot. The strike sent the moori flying, as the beam launched her back, towards another random house, where both the energy and the wall seemed to explode in a cloud of sparks, debris and dust.

Trixie landed a few meters away, observing the cloud of dust and debris left from her attack.

And then a macabre laugh filled her ears with shock, and her heart with despair…

“Where did you learn those moves, filly? Are you sure you never joined the army? We could certainly use somepony with your abilities…”

Night Watch’s brash, raspy voice came out of the mist, as it slowly settled, and revealed her form. The commander had gained several bruises on her face and hooves, and her armor had cracked in a few places, but she was surprisingly okay for somepony who was just hit by that amount of energy…

“How did you-!” Trixie was at a loss for words.

The moori motioned one of her hooves to her chest, punching the sturdy armor protecting her, “Obsidian armour. Extreme resilience against any kind of magic. We came to capture a goddess, filly, we aren’t dumb enough to jump into battle without being prepared… Though I must admit you’re damn powerful! I don’t think a spellcaster less than class A would be able to crack this armor like this! I did well in sending Jasper away, she’s only class B, and she’s one of the strongest nightcorns we have. ”

Calmly , Night Watch picked up her spear from the ground, and plunged the tip into the earth. She moved her gaze across the battlefield, stopping over the giant icicle Trixie had called previously.

“You like to use ice spells… Why?”

Trixie wasn’t sure if she should feel offended or flattered from having her art attracting the curiosity of one from the mythical ‘Unseen’ in the middle of a death battle.

“Runes are commandments to the forces of nature encircling us. They are words of power, communicating with the elements that one day, formed our planet. I need the right atmosphere to fully create a spell using them. Lightning-based ones asks for high electrically charged climates; Fire-based ones requires a high amount of heat or combustible material; However, all that ice-based runes needs is-”

Trixie quickly drew a rune on the air, by motioning her right fore hoof. A blue mist formed around it, and a small ball of ice appeared, sitting atop its back.

“Water. As you must be aware, there’s water everywhere, diluted into the atmosphere in the form of vapor. The runes serve to gather this water, and then lower its temperature until I can reshape it in any form I desire, thus creating ice constructs embedded with my magic.”

“I can’t help but keep feeling surprised by this.” Night Watch affirmed, picking her spear back, preparing it for her next assault.

“It’s my mother’s legacy. She died, poisoned from the gases the special stones she used to craft them generated. She wanted to cure the world using healing runes, but her dream never came to be… That’s why, I will fulfill her desire, and not only continue her legacy, but I will protect my friends and family!”

“I admire your determination, but you will yield! The Two Sisters will not allow your Princess to destroy what they fought so hard to build!”

“That’s the problem, Night Watch!” Trixie shouted, angrily, “My Princess will not destroy what yours built! She just wants to have her life back to how it used to be!”

The moori smirked, “The throne of Equestria doesn’t have three seats, Trixie. Even though Selena rules the night, only her Holy Lady Celestia reigns supreme. A third alicorn can’t exist without throwing the balance off even more.”

“But Twilight doesn’t want to rule!” Trixie yelled, even more angry.

She was first replied to with a mocking cackle, which almost made her explode with wrath.

After wiping a single tear falling from the corner of her eye with a hoof, Night Watch answered further, “Alicorns rule, Trixie. That’s their destiny; the reason behind their existences. Your Princess can try to run as long as she want; sooner or later, it will be for naught. She will rule, or she will vanish.”

Night Watch disappeared for an instant, until surging back right above Trixie, her eyes filled with murderous intent, her weapon ready to strike from above with a descending cut.

“And if you keep getting the way of me stopping her... I will kill you!”

The strike was vicious. All the unicorn could do was to put on her weak, pink shield and brace herself. The spear scratched the magical construct, producing sparks as Night Watch continued to ravage Trixie’s defense with her weapon.

And before long, the shield shattered, and the razor sharp tip penetrated Trixie’s flesh.

A shallow wound right above the left side of her withers, but deep enough to draw blood from her. The pain of having, for the very first time in her whole life, the coldness of the iron cutting her made Trixie almost pass out.

It seared, even though it wasn’t hot. Her eyes immediately filled with tears and she had to swallow a pained scream about to escape from her mouth; losing psychologically to Night Watch was the last thing she wanted at that point.

Using all of her will power, Trixie jumped backwards, to escape from another possible incoming attack. She was scared, afraid and due to it she crashed pathetically on the ground, rolling.

As quickly as she could, Trixie recovered and got back on all four. The pain coming from the wound was intense.

She could feel some blood escaping from the wound and rolling down through her skin, drenching her foreleg. The hot liquid, her own life force escaping her, flowing through her body made Trixie panic…

The crushing pain made her vision blur… Trixie begun to have doubts about her victory.

I still have the Command Rune…

Trixie focused her vision at Night Watch. The moori smiled widely, showing her pointy fangs with satisfaction. She had just readied her weapon for the next assault.

If I - Wait! What am I talking about?

Trixie braced herself. Her breathing was heavy and pained.

Is spending one year of my life span to win against this mare really what I was planning?

Her opponent wasn’t interested about Trixie’s thoughts. She charged forth, spear prepared to impale the unicorn.

Trixie saw an image of Twilight in her glorious alicorn form flashing in front of her eyes...

That star I couldn’t grasp… She’s the one worthy of giving my life to!

Moving her hoof towards a hidden pocket inside her long crimson cape, the unicorn snatched a small piece of stone. She waited patiently for Night Watch to be closer to her. In a single motion, Trixie threw the small stone on the ground, a few meters in front of her.

“Banshee’s Scream…”

The round stone had several circular designs on it. Those strange scribblings lit in an intense azure glow when they touched the soil, provoking a monumental sound shockwave.

The wind blast was so strong that Night Watch had to stop midway to Trixie, and close her eyes. Everything around the ponies was engulfed by debris from the soil. Even some pieces of the nearby houses begun to extricate from the structures and fly away.

The moori landed and took a step backwards, covering her eyes with her forearm, Trixie however, seemed to be completely unfazed by that malevolent catastrophe.

“If you ain’t going down by my magic-“

Trixie motioned her hoof to her side, quickly making it dance, drawing a symbol on the air, which complicated lines glowed through the night. The moment she finished, the wind ceased.

“-I will smash you with my strength!”

Cold dust gathered around her hoof and in no time, a giant sledgehammer made purely out of blue ice appeared. The unicorn rapidly wielded the maul with both hooves, and leaped towards the commander, with her weapon right above her head.

Night Watch tried to peek with one eye what was happening, but before she could take any action, it was too late; Trixie smashed the moori under the head of her sledgehammer, crashing the icy construct with all her strength she had left. The impact was so strong, that even the weapon was reduced to pieces, as ice shards flew in all directions, and a creepy bluish-white mist formed where the commander was supposed to be.

Trixie felt her whole body going numb...

It was the last of her stamina. She couldn’t even remain on hoof.

After the attack, the unicorn fell to the ground, panting heavily. She just remembered how Rune Casting is tiresome for the caster, and how her mother’s books described that one should never dream about using it for long periods. She had outdone herself this time.

“Colt, I’m gonna be sore tomorrow!”

Trixie’s eyes shot open in surprise.

This cannot be!

Amid the blue mist, the unicorn could see the commander rising from the ground, ice shards falling all over her body, her armour even more cracked, about to break and two trails of fresh blood falling from both sides of her mouth. Night Watch stepped in her direction, ever so slowly, licking the blood escaping from her snout, and staring at Trixie with an evil intent, “If you had played this card earlier, maybe before I cut you, maybe... You could have won. However, your strike was weakened by the pain from your wound. Try to mask it all you want filly, I was victorious the moment I drew first blood. You aren’t mentally prepared for a battle, a true warrior doesn’t shake when their opponent hurts them.”

Her words echoed inside Trixie’s mind like a knife penetrating her chest. Twilight was right again; and Celestia know how she detested when that egghead had reason backing her!

Get up!

She yelled mentally, forcing her numb legs to respond.

Get up you damned foal! Get back on your hooves and keep on fighting! This isn’t the Grand Finale you promised to your old man!

Night Watch witnessed Trixie drawing power from her will alone, and slowly, clumsily, the unicorn was back on all four of her hooves. Her weak legs trembled, and her expression was one of pure pain, but nonetheless Trixie’s horn flared with the same azure glow from before.

“Lay down. You’re finished,” the moori hissed, bewildered by Trixie’s stubbornness.

“Even if it kills me, I will defeat you, Night Watch! I won’t let a bat get the best of me! I am the Great and Powerful Trixie, and I will prove my power!”

She wasn’t even sure as to why she just shouted that. Maybe it was her way to rally the last amount of energy she had left and try some kind of desperate tactic. However, her energetic yell won nothing more than a smirk from the commander...

“You didn’t understand, I said you are finished. I’m not holding back anymore...”

Upon declaring that, Night Watch fiddled with her spear, turning the handle as if turning the lid of a bottle. The weapon divided into two halves, and from both hollow sides, a strange black powder flowed down to the ground, quickly forming a pile in front of her.

“Minimal bloodshed. Doesn’t mean we don’t know how to completely obliterate an enemy.”

The moori spread her leather wings upwards, and then on a single motion, she flapped them, producing a strong blow of wind; stronger than it would seem that a simple beat of wings would be capable of producing.

It made the pile of black powder spread rapidly, becoming a thick, huge ebon cloud. Unable to run, the unicorn could only stare at it as it covered everything around her, reducing her visibility to zero. The strong smell it had made Trixie immediately cough, the thickness of it invaded her nostrils and made they sear.

Even with her eyes firmly closed, it was almost like feeling them burn. She tried to move away, but no matter to where she turned, she could still feel the powder all around her.

What’s this? What the hay is this? Is that freak trying to asphyxiate me?

This black powder... Wait a minute!

Night Watch swiftly flew towards the ceiling of the Ponyville townhouse, observing her black mist spreading more and more like a stain on the surfacing of the ocean. Almost the entirety of Ponyville square was now tinged pitch-black.

“This is an alchemically enhanced blast powder, Trixie. Equestria never bares its fangs, but that it doesn’t mean it doesn’t have them. We know how to destroy, and unless we are caught by surprise, like when Chrysalis tried to conquer us, no opponent in this world can defeat the Land Where The Sun And The Moon Sleep.”

Calmly, the moori picked up a strategically positioned bow from the town house's ceiling, waiting for her at that location. Still holding the tip of her spear with one hoof, she scratched it against the tiles at her hooves, setting the tip aflame.

“Black Death...”

Using half of her spear as an arrow, Night Watch took aim and attacked. The moment the fire dart made contact with the black powder spreading across the vicinities, a monumental explosion took place, illuminating the dark night. Buildings, houses, memories... Everything reduced to pieces by Night Watch’s arrow, and by Luna’s will.

“Goodbye, Rune Witch.”

“You are... Lightning Dust! That mare from he Wonderbolts Academy!”

Twilight’s jaw dropped. The cocky mare who had almost killed her and four of her friends so many months ago during Rainbow Dash’s training at the Junior Wonderbolts Academy was right in front of her.

She shot an unsure glance at Twilight, surprised by her reaction to her presence, “What about it? You speak as if you were there...”

“I was!” Shouted Twilight, enraged.

She received a mocking laugh as reply from Lightning Dust, “Yeah! Right! As if there ever was some kind of a freakin’ alicorn around there.”

“Don’t you recognize me? I’m Rainbow Dash’s friend! I was with four other mares on the balloon that you almost shot down with a tornado!”

“Shut up, dammit!” She yelled, expression filling to the brim with rage, “Stop lying you monster! Hearing her name coming from your foul mouth makes me sick!”

“Fine...” Breathed Twilight, lowering both her face and her voice, “What do you want from the monster who killed the Elements of Harmony?”

“Revenge...” She hissed, her intention clear.

“Why are you taking so long, then?” Asked the alicorn, a mixture of apprehension and anger constricting her chest, “You already subdued me, just finish what you started...”

“That’s what is bothering me, freak,” Lightning Dust sat on the ground, observing Twilight’s wings and horn with attention, “Aren’t you supposed to be a freakin’ God? Or at least a ‘fake God’, like the newspaper dubbed it. How could I have defeated you so easily, if you destroyed Dash and her bunch while they were using those fancy Elements of theirs."

“Should I ask you why do you want to exact vengeance upon Rainbow Dash’s death, if you and her didn’t ended in good terms?”

Lighting Dust’s eyes shot open in surprise, “How could you know that?”

Twilight was cornered, but since her captor wanted to chat, she was sure to give her one heck of a ride...

“Like you just said, I am a ‘freakin’ God’. Maybe, I do know a few things I wasn’t supposed to.” Twilight declared that with a malicious smile plastered across her muzzle.

“Figures... Are you trying to scare me or something?” Her captor smiled even wider, looking straight to her eyes without a hint of fear, “To the hay you know, I don’t give a damn about it. It’s simple you freak; you killed that bastard, so you’re better than her. If I kill you, it will prove once and for all that I’m better than both!”

Twilight’s expression contorted into a confused frown. It wasn’t as if she couldn’t understand Lightning Dust’s twisted logic, but what exactly did she want?

“You mean... You wanted to kill Dashie right from the start?” Asked the alicorn with a hint of fear on her voice.

Once again, Lightning Dust replied with a cackle. It made a cold chill run down Twilight’s spine.

“Are you dense, monster?” She yelled, face twisting into hatred in a couple of seconds, “I wanted to crush her cyan skull under my hoof! I wanted to make her taste the dirt on them with her tongue! However, you had to appear and snatch her away from me!”

Twilight blinked in rapid succession, trying to process what just happened. She never heard somepony yelling with so much ‘passionate’ hate before, let alone directed at one of her best and closest friends.

“Why do you hate Dashie so much?” Inquired Twilight, curious about her captor’s reason.

“Why should I tell you? I should simply go and crush your ribcage between my forehoof and that tree, and turn your lungs into swiss cheese.”

Twilight gulped. Lightning Dust’s borderline behavior scared her to the bone. That mare had a clear intention of killing her, and she could feel it from a mile away. From the corner of her eye, she took a quick glance at the rope Lightning Dust used to subdue her, and concluded something a little unsettling...

This rope is made of obsidian enriched thread. My magic is completely useless on it! She came prepared...

“Killing me isn't going to get you anything!"

“It doesn’t matter. All I want is make somepony pay for what they did to me!” Lightning hissed back, furious.

Twilight narrowed her eyes, she wasn’t going down without a fight, “What did they do to you, Lightning Dust? What the hay are you talking about?”

“Rainbow Dash destroyed my dream! She destroyed my only chance of proving my father I’m not useless!” The pegasus shouted, furiously.

“Who is’s your father? Why do you need to prove anything to him?”

Upon hearing Twilight’s question, Lightning Dust smirked, lowering her head and throwing away her gaze.

“Soarin’. From the Wonderbolts...”

The alicorn wasn’t sure how to absorb the shock. Was Lightning Dust telling her the truth?

“Y-You’re – Soarin’s daughter?!”

Still smirking, the pegasus turned her eyes back at Twilight, “If you doesn’t believe me, I don’t care. I’m his daughter; the one he never wanted, the result of a night on Las Pegasus, too much alcohol, a young stallion with too much fame over his head, and a poor and young whorse trying to make some profit of an easy night with a celebrity.”

There was a strange, yet profound honest on her expression, observed Twilight. Her eyes never flicked or felt weak.

“Lightning Dust...”

“What?!” She yelled, her face immediately becoming full of hate, “Are you going to pity me?! If you’re thinking about feeling pity over me, I will break your neck you fake goddess!"

“What exactly are you trying to prove?” Inquired Twilight, feeling more curious than fearful with the recent turn of events.

“That I don’t need him to be the best there is in what I do! I will become Equestria’s number one flyer! I will best him, and Rainbow Dash, and any whorse who dares to cross my way! I will kick him out of the Wonderbolts and-“

She paused, much for Twilight’s surprise, and suddenly, the pegasus begun to laugh maniacally.

“I can’t! I almost forgot that Rainbow Dash destroyed my only chance of joining their ranks! I can’t give that bastard a satisfying kick on his sorry arse outta his own team! All thanks to the said fastest flyer of Equestria... Is it explanation enough for you, Twilight Princess?!”

Twilight sighed.

“Rainbow Dash is still alive...” Said Twilight, sobbing.

“Say it again?!” Lightning almost jumped at Twilight upon hearing that.

“She’s alive, Lightning Dust. I didn’t kill her, nor did I kill any of the six elements of harmony. The media lied to you, as it lied to everypony in this country only to avoid mass hysteria that would follow if they knew the truth...”

Although Twilight was aware that a few words weren’t going to change the rage-fuelled beast in front of her, she had to try and convince Lightning Dust of her innocence; dying at her hooves and leaving Trixie behind to die as well was the last thing she wanted.

Lightning Dust looked at Twilight with a confused expression and asked shouting, “Truth? What the hay are you talking about you freak of nature?”

“That Twilight Sparkle and me, the Twilight Princess are one and the same.”

Just like Lightning Dust did previously, Twilight replied to her question with a calm expression, never letting her eyes falter for a single instant.

The pegasus mare was certainly taken aback by that, “You’re lying! Of course you’re lying, there’s no way in hay you could be the Element of Magic! Why her Holy Lady Celestia would hunt you down if you were her own prized student?”

“That’s what I’m trying to discover as well. Somehow, after the invasion by Grogar weeks ago, I’ve become an alicorn, and because of this strange transformation, the Princesses are hunting me after I escaped from Canterlot, and are trying to capture me, accusing me of killing my friends. However, they aren’t dead! I know they aren’t!”

Lightning Dust gulped, “I-It’s doesn’t prove anything!”

“Did you read the letter?” Asked Twilight, out of the blue. She was referring to a short letter Rainbow Dash asked her to help write, right after they came back from the Wonderbolts Junior Academy. That letter was somehow an apology for what had happened between the two at the academy.

The pegasus blinked in rapid succession, surprised.

“H-How could you know? Y-You’re doing that again, right?!”

“You didn’t read it, am I right? I bet you didn’t, seeing how you are furious with Dashie, but believe me, Lightning Dust, she never wanted anything like that to happen. She didn’t want to destroy your dream...”

Lightning stomped a hoof against the ground and grinded her teeth, “Shut the hay up! I don’t believe you! You can’t sweet talk your way out of this! I’m going to kill you and satisfy my hunger for revenge, right here, right now!”

The sound of an explosion of monumental proportions cut their talk like a razor sharp sword.

The giant column of fire and smoke rose from the distance, above the green sea of trees, illuminating the dark night. The ground trembled with fury, startling both mares as they watched the scene playing in front of their eyes with mouths agape in shock.

Judging from the position of the flames, Twilight was certain; the explosion came from Ponyville. On that moment, her heart felt constricted, smashed by an unknown force.

Something was terribly wrong with that. Something regarding a pony too precious for her to ignore…

Trixie?

The alicorn asked herself, as the fire and the smoke from the distance begun to settle. Her eyes went even wider as she could clearly hear a whisper at her ear, as if the night itself had spoken to her.

Save your friend...

Twilight closed her eyes tightly, and screamed with all the strength from her lungs, “Trixie!”

The air around her suddenly became noticeably hotter. Twilight was enveloped in a raging purple flame, as her giant horn begun to spark, just like when she tried to conjure her magic by the wrong means. When she opened her eyes again, something was different with them; their purple color was darker and the pupils fended, just like those of the moori guards she had just fought.

“What the hay...?”

Lightning observed the raging tempest of magic happening right there and paralyzed. She could only stare at Twilight, something strange happening with her.

Trixie isn’t going to die because of me! I won’t let anypony else die because of me! If it gives me power to save her... I will let loose every last inch of the rage that is inside my heart!

The ground that had stopped from trembling after the explosion settled, begun once again to shake violently as debris from the ground rose and started to levitate near the tree where the alicorn was tied in.

In no time, the fiery aura covering the alicorn illuminated everything around, and she struggled to destroy the obsidian rope.

“Give up! You can’t break free from that rope! It’s magic proof, and not even an earth-pony stallion in his top physical condition would manage to destroy it with sheer strength alone!”

Lightning Dust shouted, scared.

“Really?!”

Twilight spoke, but she felt as if it wasn’t her. The voice coming from her mouth boomed and echoed through the vicinities with malice not there before. "Your trinket can stop us! Great! However, what about this little tree behind us?”

Twilight’s horn flickered in a darker shade of purple. Quickly, she enveloped the tree behind her back with her strange magic, applying her telekinesis, and then, with cruelty, the alicorn begun to smash the plant, crushing it inside her arcane field.

The sheer amount of magic applied to perform the task seemed to bend the reality around the tree, a feat that only Discord had previously achieved. The plant deformed, and then an explosion happened, throwing debris and smoke all over the place.

A pair of menacing purple irises lit amid it. Twilight was free.

She trotted out of the cloud of smoke, the tree and the rope vanished from sight.

“What kind of monster are you?” Lightning Dust asked, perplexed.

Twilight wanted to reply, but her mouth didn’t answer. She begun to feel strange, as if her body was taken by something and she could only watch as it moved by its will alone.

“Out of our way, miscreant, you deserve no longer to remain in our presence.” She replied, even though she didn’t want to say any of those words.

“Say that again?! Who do you think you are, freak?!” Lightning Dust declared, and using her amazing speed jumped at Twilight, ready to hit her face with a punch.

“I've defeated you once, I can do it again!”

“I SAID OUT OF OUR WAY, VERMIN!”

Somehow, in a way not even her understood, Twilight moved her forehoof faster than the pegasus, and punched her gut while avoiding Lightning’s attack. She could feel her limb crushing the pegasus’s inner organs, smashing her body with earth-pony strength. Her victim spurted a thick cloud of crimson, fresh blood from her mouth, before being send staggering backwards by the mighty blow meters away from the alicorn, close to the border of the opening.

Twilight couldn't understand... What had she done? What was happening with her? Why couldn't she control her own body?

She despaired...

She was out of control, and was set on killing Lightning in case she continued to stand on her way; she could feel the murderous intent as strong as a force crushing everything around her.

Lightning Dust finally crashed near the trees. The pegasus rolled on the ground, coughing, getting back on her hooves slowly.

“Do you want a piece of me, monster?” She asked, challenging the berserk alicorn. Two trails of blood tinged the sides of her muzzle, but even though she smirked with confidence.

Without uttering a single word, Twilight’s giant horn flared with a dark purple light. She took aim, seemingly pointing the spell at Lightning Dust. A bulge of energy formed at the tip, and once again, small stones started to float around the alicorn, as her magical power surged with fury, even a few sparks of pink color flashed through her body at random places.

The alicorn was afraid of herself. She wanted to stop, but she couldn’t…

“Kneel, mortal. Vanish from our sight, by your will, or be reduced to atoms by our power.”

“I’m not going anywhere! Not without my revenge!” Lightning declared, and spreads open her wings, preparing to attack again.

“Foolishness!” Twilight yelled, “We only want to save the life of our friend! Cease your petty attacks and let us pass!”

“Your friend?”

Lightning stopped. She looked at Twilight with interest and curiosity.

The alicorn smirked, and then, she launched a giant beam of dark purple energy from the tip of her horn, blinding everypony around, even herself. The blast was so powerful, that not even Trixie could compare.

Deep inside, what was left of Twilight’s true persona prayed for her attack to not have hit Lightning Dust...

Seconds after the assault, the alicorn observed a straight trail of destroyed trees linking the opening, all the way towards Ponyville, smoke still fuming from the ravaged soil.

She could only wonder about how powerful the blast was... It opened kilometers of forest with a single attack, reducing the strong, old trees to nothing but dust…

Slowly, she felt the strange power driving her going away, giving her control of her body once more. Her irises returned to their usual shape and coloration.

“All of this, to save your friend?”

She darted her eyes to the side, to find Lightning Dust, still alive, sitting on the ground looking at the scar she just left in the vegetation. The pegasus seemed perplexed and curious at the same time.

Panting, the alicorn nodded.

“I believe in you now,” the pegasus declared, surprising Twilight, “This is just the kind of thing that Dashie would do for her friends.”

“I learned a lot from her.” Still trying to recover from the last shock of having her body taken by something she couldn’t understand, Twilight replied in a small voice.

“Are you sure she still alive?” Lightning Dust inquired, locking her eyes with Twilight’s lost gaze.

“Actually, no. However, I’m not giving up hope, not before being sure.”

Lightning Dust laughed, startling Twilight.

“That’s rich!” She yelled, all of a sudden, “So you’re looking for her, just like me?”

Once again, she nodded in silence, and without thinking twice, Twilight begun to trot towards the town, in order to save Trixie.

“I can’t believe that cursed mongrel died so easily, either. If I help you find her, are you going to let me settle my score with her?”

The alicorn stopped and then looked straight to Lightning Dust’s eyes, smirking, “If we ever find her, she’s going to kick your flank so hard that you will kiss the moon. Come with us, and we will find out.”

Laughing, Lightning Dust got back on all four and begun following the alicorn, “Sure.”

Suddenly, Jasper appeared besides Night Watch, atop Ponyville’s town hall.

“Commander! I’m sorry, but when I saw your Black Death, I had to come back and see what happened!”

The moori dropped her bow, and sat. She was feeling beyond exhausted; the fight against the unicorn was hard, even for her, an experienced soldier.

“Did you guys get that alicorn, dammit?” She complained her eyelids about to close by against her will.

“We had to divide our patrols to look for the Twilight Princess in different areas. I’ve lost contact with the fifth division, and I’m a little afraid that she could have-“

The moori laughed, startling the nightcorn.

“Calm down, Jasper. If you are thinking she maybe had attacked them or hurt them, believe me; she didn’t.”

With wide open eyes Jasper protested, “But commander! She killed the Elements of Harmony only to gain power! What would stop her from killing some soldiers?”

Night Watch’s gaze was still locked at the ground of her genocide attack. There was still smoke covering the site, and debris falling from the sky, but her instinct was telling her that something was wrong…

“Commander Night Watch, is there something wrong?”

She raised a hoof, asking her soldier to remain in silence, “Just a minute, Jasper.”

From a small opening on the thick smoke screen dampening her vision, Night Watch spotted a blue body, still standing down there…

Her eyes almost popped out of her skull.

“She’s still alive!?”

Jasper got startled from Night’s surprised reaction and looked towards the same place as her commander, only to find the same pony standing still against all odds.

“That’s impossible... Nopony has ever survived after being hit by the Black Death before... Even Princess Selena demanded from you that you would never use this technique against any equine...”

Immediately, Night Watch flew from her position, towards the ground. With care, she landed a few meters from where Trixie was still standing, and studied with caution.

The unicorn’s pupils were blank, as if she was unconscious but still on hooves.

“Tell me you’re dead, witch. Because if you aren’t at least outta in dream land, I will start believing you aren’t pony.” Declared the commander, smiling.

Trixie suddenly gasped, inhaling sharply, and then coughing a immense cloud of smoke, finally plummeting to the ground like a potato sack.

The sound of her opponent finally kissing the dirty filled Night Watch’s heart with content. On that moment, Jasper teleported near them, even more worried.

“She should be nothing more than a red stain on the ground,” the nightcorn commented, looking at the unconscious Trixie in fear.

Slowly, Night Watch walked towards Trixie and touched her neck with a hoof in order to check if she was still alive.

To her surprise, she was.

On top of that, the commander observed her skin was freezing cold, but slowly heating up once again.

With a short laugh Night Watch raised her body. Jasper looked at her with curiosity and asked, “What happened commander? How did she survive?”

“This mare is worthy a medal. Her strategies on the battlefield are uncanny, even though she’s a civilian. She saw through my Black Death, and moments before being hit, she encased her body in ice. It prevented her from being fried alive or being reduced to pieces, but she still received the impact. She lost the battle, but escaped alive.”

Jasper’s mouth opened in surprised, “That’s – a wicked tactic indeed!”

“Call back the other divisions’ outta there. I want you to take Trixie to the town hall and tighten the security around this perimeter.”

“I’m sorry commander, but our priority is to capture the Twilight Princess!” Replied Jasper, startled by Night’s strange order.

“I’m aware, Jasper. She will come back here to try and save her knightress,” the commander answered with complete confidence.

“But commander, she’s just a monster! What makes you think she would care for a single knightress?”

“Friendship,” said Night Watch, “Now stop questioning my orders and go, dammit!”

Jasper immediately saluted, and took Trixie’s unconscious body within her magic field, trotting away with her towards the town hall.

After watching her soldier going, the moori looked over the forest beyond the horizon with defiant eyes.

“Come Twilight Sparkle! I will make you pay for Luna’s plight!