Depth of Mania

by Albionian

Rating: teen
Tags: Adventure, Dark, Alternate Universe, Sad
Length: 4358

The land of Equestria has never had to fear two things war and madness.

The land of Equestria has never had to fear two things war and madness. The time is long into the Celestial reign. Equestria is prosperous and happy. Mishaps have happened and have been quickly put down by the Elements of Harmony. What is too come may not be so different perhaps?

Published 1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC
Last updated 2013-03-30 05:54:01 UTC

Prologue[Excerpt One]

Madness is a very basic disease easily solved by many spells and cantantions and some potions are said to cure it too. Insanity a deeper madness without methods is almost uncurable, many have tried and few can actually figure out how to. But I have a spell near the end of this book that does just that but we will get to that later.

Mania said to be the land of Madness is ruled by what seems to be an actual alicorn. I would call you mad if you said it without me seeing it but I have. The Lord of Madness was his title and his name was Vesania quite an unusal name it was. He rules over the land of Mania with a iron hoof but many of the ponies inside the realm actually like him. It seems odd but they say he is quite fair on everything he just himself is mad as the realm itself so he leads like he was evil but he is good? That is what I gathered it doesn't make much sense let me tell you once again though that will be later.

The realm itself is close to what Equestria is, but more etheral? The land is much more brighter in the sense you can see the spirit motes that dwell upon the world. It is an exact copy of Equestria from what I've seen of it. The normal ponies who live in the towns and villages in the normal realm are of course not present instead the homes and buildings are inhabited by new ponies usually carry the same job as the corresponding owner of said building. Seems quite simple and easily assumed wouldn't you think? That's what I would have thought then I saw small pockets of places they called demented. These zones were out of place true chaos a person in the bakery would sell quills or something or other. Things made no sense in these zones and were said to be led by none else than Discord but another factor comes into this all the ponies in these zones repeat the same thing over and over. It's quite fascinating actually.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Two unicorns stood in the fields outside the town of Ponyville. Their horns glowed with magical energy as they concentrated. The ground in front of them began to split. From the tear came two columns both made of white marble. The columns rose from the ground and stopped after reaching about the height of a normal one story building. The slit they came from closed. The unicorns horns grew brighter as sparks started to dance between the pillars soon more and more came and went. Suddenly a blast of energy and light sent them sprawling to the ground. They had just opened a portal. One stood and helped the other's feet.

"Auctor?" The one who had helped the other spoke first.

"Yes Praeses?" Her returned the call.

"Did we do it?"

"Yes...For Celestia's sake we did...For the one our parent's to be the superior you aren't to superior."

"Hey you can kick your ass right now!?" Auctor shrugged while Praeses continued to stare into the deep vortex inside the columns.

"Should we go in?"

"Not yet Praeses we have to get supplies remember we do not know if there will be food--"

"But the book--" They had cut each other off.

"I don't give a damn about the book as it was written before our parent's even our grand parent's time!"

"Yes but how much can really cha--" Auctor gave his brother a hard glare. Praeses may be stronger but Auctor was much more intelligent and had a tongue of silver on his side when dealing with most people. The two brothers walked away from the portal. In hindsight was not their best idea they would later come to figure out as a certain pony has found the odd energy spike that happened when they opened the portal.

Twilight Sparkle had just finished reshelving all the books in the library when she felt a large shiver go through her body. She felt drained suddenly. "What? Why am I so tired all of a sudden?" She walked over to the door leading to her bedroom and tried to open it with her magic to no avail. "What in the name of Celestia!?" Her voice was heard by her dragon assistant Spike. "Twilight you ok?" He walked into the main room and looked to Twilight.

"For some reason I can't do magic Spike!"

"What?" Once again she tried to open the door with her magic but nothing happened. No glow from her horn nothing.

"I think you might want to talk to Celestia..." He reached for a conveniently placed quill and ink well. He searched for some parchment and after finally finding some looked to Twilight ready to write the letter.

"Dear Princess Celestia, I am currently unable to do any magic at the moment. I do not know why I am unable to and if it only has affected me or if its affected other unicorns in Ponyville. I am in need of assistance."

"That's er...ot how your letter's usually go."

"This is an odd situation Spike please just send the letter hopefully Celestia can figure out why I can't do anything." By that time Spike had sent the letter and he burped green flames erupting from his mouth and a letter dropped to the floor. Spike it up and unfurled it while clearing his throat.

"Twilight I am sending Regent over to help you. You are to listen to him of course as he is still a prince after all. Please get this figured out I find my self worried about this I have never seen such a thing."

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Both Twilight and Spike had heard of Regent and Twilight had seen him quite a few times on her visits to Canterlot. He was supposedly the husband of sorts to Princess Celestia but he was rarely seen by anyone even Celestia herself had once said she barely sees him. He seems to bury himself in his work on more archaic magics of the world. Rumors be told he has even seen and heard the Necronomicon speak. Some are stories of him tampering with time and what not. The two of them sat on the couch and waited for Regent to show up. Minutes ticked by and soon minutes became an hour. Then a knock came from the door. "Spike get the door that should be Regent." Spike walked over to the door and opened it on the other side was a lead-colored alicorn with a dark gray mane with lighter gray fraying the end of the mane. Which went down to the start of his shoulders. He nodded to Spike as he entered. "So Twilight you can't do any magic from what Celestia told me."

"Yes I can't watch." She focused on a book that was on the table and tried to lift it her horn began to glow but quickly died.

"Your horn glowed...but yet you didn't seem to perform the spell..." He suddenly became lost in his own thoughts and Twilight stood in front of him waving her hoof.

"Hello? Equestria to Regent? Hello?" He suddenly snapped his back into focus. "What? What was it you were saying?"

"Nothing you just zoned out on us."

"Oh...Well I think I have an idea what may have caused this..."

"What?" She suddenly interrupted.

Regent shot her a look and started to talk again, "If you would have let me finished I believe it was some sort of energy drain."

"A what?"

"An energy drain. Somepony must have done a great feat of magic and needed more power so that pony used his or her magic to drain surrounding Unicorns of their magical energy to use. It's not permanent as you can see you should start to be able to do magic as you regain your energy but we must find who did the drain in the first place as they could be dangerous if they needed to even perform an energy drain." Twilight was still confused at Regent's explanation.

"Of course my explanation may not make sense as energy drains are old archaic spells so a pony like you wouldn't know much about them." He snickered as he turned to leave the library.

"Come along we must go and find the pony that casted that spell." Twilight followed him out of the library leaving Spike who wasn't really listening so as soon as Twilight and Regent left he went to the kitchen and came back with a bowl of gems scarfing down small hand fulls.

The three ponies headed through town all the ponies who passed by the group quickly bowed as Regent passed. A lot of the unicorns they passed by seemed worried and asked Twilight and Regent why they couldn't do any magic. Regent didn't explain and only responded with "We are working on just stay calm." They exited Ponyville and were in the fields. Regents horn had a faint glow to it as they wandered through the fields. Seemingly in no direction just following Regent till they came over a hill and saw the portal.

"They opened a portal...well we found what they did. Now let's find who did it." They walked closer to the portal. Suddenly two cloaked figures came running out of the woods. When they saw the group they stopped. The alicorn surprised them but they knew who he was.

"Auctor?"

"Yeah?"

"What are we gonna do?"

"Well archaic magic is outlawed. I do believe we may be arrested. Just run for the portal they shouldn't follow should they?"

The group looked at the cloaked figures. "I think they casted the spell Regent."

"Do you not think I don't know that Twilight it was certainly obvious." He snapped at her. The two ponies ran towards them,

"Halt!" Regent's horn started to glow but he was cut off as one of the ponies crashed into him knocking him into the portal with them. Twilight and Rainbow Dash not expecting this looked to each other. "What do we do?" Twilight asked her friend.

"We have to go in after him!" Rainbow Dash answered.

"WHAT!? Into that thing I don't like that idea!" Twilight got shoved by Rainbow Dash and fell into the portal. Rainbow Dash

just ran straight in. The sensations of being teleported through the portal was not a good feeling it felt like ants crawling all over your insides. When it was over they felt better though and Twilight felt amazing like she could do anything. They scanned the area around them when they came out of the portal and they saw Regent laying on the ground unconscious.

"Regent!"

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Both Twilight and Spike had heard of Regent and Twilight had seen him quite a few times on her visits to Canterlot. He was supposedly the husband of sorts to Princess Celestia but he was rarely seen by anyone even Celestia herself had once said she barely sees him. He seems to bury himself in his work on more archaic magics of the world. Rumors be told he has even seen and heard the Necronomicon speak. Some are stories of him tampering with time and what not. The two of them sat on the couch and waited for Regent to show up. Minutes ticked by and soon minutes became an hour. Then a knock came from the door. "Spike get the door that should be Regent." Spike walked over to the door and opened it on the other side was a lead-colored alicorn with a dark gray mane with lighter gray fraying the end of the mane. Which went down to the start of his shoulders. He nodded to Spike as he entered. "So Twilight you can't do any magic from what Celestia told me."

"Yes I can't watch." She focused on a book that was on the table and tried to lift it her horn began to glow but quickly died.

"Your horn glowed...but yet you didn't seem to perform the spell..." He suddenly became lost in his own thoughts and Twilight stood in front of him waving her hoof.

"Hello? Equestria to Regent? Hello?" He suddenly snapped his back into focus. "What? What was it you were saying?"

"Nothing you just zoned out on us."

"Oh...Well I think I have an idea what may have caused this..."

"What?" She suddenly interrupted.

Regent shot her a look and started to talk again, "If you would have let me finished I believe it was some sort of energy drain."

"A what?"

"An energy drain. Somepony must have done a great feat of magic and needed more power so that pony used his or her magic to drain surrounding Unicorns of their magical energy to use. It's not permanent as you can see you should start to be able to do magic as you regain your energy but we must find who did the drain in the first place as they could be dangerous if they needed to even perform an energy drain." Twilight was still confused at Regent's explanation.

"Of course my explanation may not make sense as energy drains are old archaic spells so a pony like you wouldn't know much about them." He snickered as he turned to leave the library.

"Come along we must go and find the pony that casted that spell." Twilight followed him out of the library leaving Spike who wasn't really listening so as soon as Twilight and Regent left he went to the kitchen and came back with a bowl of gems scarfing down small hand fulls.

The three ponies headed through town all the ponies who passed by the group quickly bowed as Regent passed. A lot of the unicorns they passed by seemed worried and asked Twilight and Regent why they couldn't do any magic. Regent didn't explain and only responded with "We are working on just stay calm." They exited Ponyville and were in the fields. Regents horn had a faint glow to it as they wandered through the fields. Seemingly in no direction just following Regent till they came

over a hill and saw the portal.

"They opened a portal...well we found what they did. Now let's find who did it." They walked closer to the portal. Suddenly two cloaked figures came running out of the woods. When they saw the group they stopped. The alicorn surprised them but they knew who he was.

"Auctor?"

"Yeah?"

"What are we gonna do?"

"Well archaic magic is outlawed. I do believe we may be arrested. Just run for the portal they shouldn't follow should they?" The group looked at the cloaked figures. "I think they casted the spell Regent."

"Do you not think I don't know that Twilight it was certainly obvious." He snapped at her. The two ponies ran towards them,

"Halt!" Regent's horn started to glow but he was cut off as one of the ponies crashed into him knocking him into the portal with them. Twilight and Rainbow Dash not expecting this looked to each other. "What do we do?" Twilight asked her friend.

"We have to go in after him!" Rainbow Dash answered.

"WHAT!? Into that thing I don't like that idea!" Twilight got shoved by Rainbow Dash and fell into the portal. Rainbow Dash just ran straight in. The sensations of being teleported through the portal was not a good feeling it felt like ants crawling all over your insides. When it was over they felt much better though and Twilight felt amazing like she could do anything. They scanned the area around them when they came out of the portal and they saw Regent laying on the ground unconscious.

"Regent!" They galloped over to him and he woke with a start as they shook him.

"Where are they!?" He shot up and scanned the area around him. He stomped his hoof. "Damn they got away." He took in the surroundings. They were in the same field but it was less colorful. More contrast to their usual colors everything looked ethereal. He saw a small village off in the distance. He turned to the two ponies that followed him in. "You two we have to find those two and bring them back." He gave a sly smile, "You two ready for an adventure?" The two ponies looked to each other for a few moments...

"I guess so." They said in unison. Quickly Regent turned and heading towards the village. Unknowing to them the horrors that they would walk into.

"Auctor they are walking into--"

"I know we have to do something but we can't till they actually go in there." The two brothers walked through the dense woods surrounding the path to the village. Watching the three ponies as they entered the village. All was quiet and all was normal till a door opened. A pony walked out, it was a stallion from the looks of it. He seemed normal enough he was shut his door and started to walk down the road. Of course Rainbow Dash ran over to greet this pony, he seemed to ignore her but we she got close and touched him; he suddenly moved without warning letting out an ear shattering screech. The pony's eyes reeled into the back of his head and he grabbed Rainbow Dash. The two brothers ran out of the woods pushing past Twilight and Regent who were too scared to move well Twilight was and Regent had no idea what was going on. Both their horns glowed, the both shot bolts out of their horns at the pony holding Rainbow Dash down. The pony flew back his grip on Rainbow Dash gone. In Regent's mind he thought about what the pony was trying to do to her it was unclear was he trying to consume her flesh? No wait what the hell when did...THOSE TWO! He shot forward and used his magic to grab the two brothers.

"Let's us go Regent if it weren't for us, your friend here would be demented like the rest of these ponies! And I do suggest deciding quickly as that screech called more of them." Regent dropped them and he looked around to the groups of ponies approaching them. Auctor and Praeses horns stayed glowing...Their cloaks still kept over their heads. The ponies closed in on the group and bolts were let go ponies fell. Twilight and Rainbow Dash sat in the middle of the circle the two brothers were holding they held each other scared out of their minds. Regent's horn was glowing the whole time ready to blast anything that got close but the brothers kept the ponies at bay. "Regent just get they out of here!" Auctor yelled to Regent not looking at him keeping his eyes focused on the ponies in front of him. Regent started to move and ushered Twilight and Rainbow Dash back the way they came to where the portal was.

The ponies closed in Praeses looked to his brother, he was keeping them at bay but one came around his side and tackled him. He dashed towards the heap and bashed the pony of his brother. "Come on! Get up Auctor can't be laying down on the job eh?" He helped his brother to his hooves quickly and they looked to the rest of the ponies. "This isn't the time for your corny jokes...There's too many of them we have to run." Praeses nodded and they ran back to where the portal was in the previous clearing. When they stopped running their cloaks hoods had fallen off their heads.

"What the...? What are you two?" The three of them were looking at the brothers.

"Us? Well I believe were just some unicorns." The ponies faces changed telling them that they knew the lie. The two brothers before them were odd was the lighter saying. They had horns like unicorns but they had stripes reminiscent of Twilight's friend Zecora.

"Ok...Our mother was a zebra were as our father was a unicorn so when they had us we were both unicorns and zebras they were told it was almost unheard of ponies having half zebra and half whatever race you would like to say. I guess we beat those odds." Praeses smiled slightly as he explained how they came to be living around Ponyville, "Our parents were kicked out of Trottingham due to the fact they got married and they decided to live in the Everfree for our mother could get ingredients for her potions and what not and our father could practice his love for ancient archaic magics." When he finished the two brother's looked to the group before them, Regent spoke up first.

"So you two are zebracorns?"

"Essentially yes we are zebracorns if that is what you'd like to call us ok but otherwise we are hybrids."

"You two seem to have an extensive vocabulary..."

"Indeed we do our parents made sure we were schooled in both magic and alchemy."

"How does that have to do with your vocabulary?"

"It really doesn't we just read a lot of old books so our vocabulary is quite extensive that's all. Now I believe your next question is if we'll come quietly?"

"Yes I have to take you back to Celestia..."

"Well we'd love to and we will but one thing you should notice the portal isn't open." Regent turned around and looked at the

portal and area between the columns is empty.

"What did you two do!?"

"We did nothing! We will have to see Vesania about getting us home."

"Who?" Praeses laughed at this remark and Auctor continued the conversation.

"Really Regent you haven't heard of Vesania even in your studies of the archaic magics? That is quite laughable you either aren't studying or you're looking at what you would find more useable most likely dealing with say the Necronomicon or Discord and the chaotic magic he commands?"

"Why in the name of Celestia are you two so intelligible about this place and everything else."

"Because that's what our father and his father before him did!" Praeses spat between his bouts of laughter.

"Yes...Our great grandfather wrote a book on this place he was here once before and was never able to finish his work. Our grandfather and father tried to finish it but never could get back here so we continued the quest." Regent walked over away from the group shaking his head and went into his own thoughts. Auctor seeing the two other ponies scared at the fact of the overwhelming aura of the situation. Twilight was talking with Rainbow Dash. "What happend?" Auctor asked geunine concern in his voice.

"When that pony attacked her it scared her."

"Well of course getting attacked does that..." Auctor rolled his eyes, my god they aren't use to violence are they? "Now what are your names I never caught them?"

"I'm Twilight Sparkle and this is Rainbow Dash." Auctor nodded and gave his name and his brother did the same. Auctor looked to Regent, "Are you done with thinking how you're gonna get out of this or what ever your thinking about?"

"Yes and I guess I have to follow you two if I and these two are to get back to Equestria."

"Well then...Welcome back!" Praeses started to laugh at his own joke. Regent raised a brow.

"He's correct we still are in Equestria just not the realm you are used to we are in the realm known as the Aether in many books. The realm we live in is the Ether and then there is the world of Discord himself called the Nether. But do not worry if everything goes well we should be able to go home fairly quickly. One problem however we have to go through that village again."

"Your kidding me!?"

"No I'm not sadly...If we want to get through we will have to fight our way through due to the fact of Rainbow Dash upsetting their  routine." Without another word Auctor and Praeses walked forward towards the village. Regent looked to Twilight and Rainbow Dash and motioned for them to follow.

When they entered the village the ponies started to swarm them again still aware of their presence. Auctor and Praeses cut a path towards the other side while Regent kept the rest off them. Soon they started to notice skeletons that littered the path. Auctor and Praeses said nothing neither did Regent but Rainbow Dash and Twilight yelped at the sight of pony skeletons spread along their path. The skeletons were surrounded by a thick black goo as well. They walked through the village blasting any of the ponies that came close, which was many by the time they exited the village Auctor and Praeses were out of breath and they're breathing in short quick breaths.

"I...Think...Were..." Auctor took a deep breath, "I think were through."

"What were those things?" Twilight spoke.

"Those are ponies affected by Discord... They are demented, insanity fills their minds. Doomed to walk the same path each and every day expecting new results. The only time they break that is when someone tries to interact with them like Rainbow Dash did."

Auctor looked into the distance seeing a large wall. "Hm...You can even see Haven from here." The ponies looked in the direction he was and saw the wall.

"What is that?"

"As I said it is Haven. The capital of this realm much like Canterlot." Praeses was already ahead of them heading through a swamp. Auctor followed suit and ran after him. Leaving Regent, Twilight, and Rainbow Dash alone.

"Should we go with them?" Twilight had strong disbelief in her voice, "I think it would be best Twilight since they know what they are doing..." Regent was face hoofing as he said this. Why was Twilight so scared and why isn't she interested in this place? For the love of Celestia it's out of place for her.