Twilight couldn't have been more excited, she had found an ancient scroll locked behind the most complex door she had ever seen. The ruin was filled with warnings that use of the spell would bring only horror and death upon the user, but stated it wasn't the spell itself that caused it. It was said that Star Swirl the Bearded created it, only to lock it away for decades. Several journal entries made it clear that he used the spell about the same time he disappeared from lore.
Twilight had found Star Swirl the Bearded's own journal, documenting his life from when he started studying magic, to the very end. The journal got extremely cryptic when referring to the spell, more so than usual. He wrote in his traditional cryptic way, but also in another language that had never before been seen. Had Twilight not unlocked the code by solving a ridiculously hard puzzle in the back, it would have gone unsolved.
Twilight and her friends were to assemble with the Elements of Harmony in the center of the Royal Garden for the spell to be observed by "experts". Although many doubted the solidity of the plan, the Royal Sisters agreed there was nothing to worry about so long as the Bearers of the Elements were ready.
Twilight took in the surrounding are to get her brain working. There were red and gold drapes over the windows, she was sharing a guest bed with Fluttershy and Applejack, the rest of her friends were sharing a bed on the other side of the room, the room itself was otherwise drab and not worth noting.
She rolled out of bed with a yawn, awakening her friends in the process.
"Is it noon already?" Rainbow Dash asked in between yawns.
"Nope!" Twilight responded joyfully, "but it is time for us to go into the garden!"
"Yay! The garden!" Pinkie Pie said.
"Are you sure this is safe dear? I mean, if Star Swirl the Bearded couldn't handle it, why would we?" Rarity had been against using the spell from the beginning.
"Yes, but we have something Star Swirl didn't!" Twilight replied, "the magic of friendship!"
"Hey Twilight, why don't you magic us down to the Royal Garden so we can get this over with?" Applejack said curtly.
"Well we all need to get ready first, I'll tell the princesses to begin gathering everypony while you start." Twilight trotted through the door.
"Ah've got a bad feeling about this." Applejack said under her breath as she began trying to fix her mane.
It had been almost 15 years since The Lone Wanderer had defeated the Enclave and kicked them out of the Capital Wastes. 15 long, boring, good years. He was happy that the people of the wasteland had free water, and almost no trouble from raiders or otherwise, but at the same time, he was made for adventure. Which was why he decided to leave Megaton, and head to the east.
He had thought about it for many years, but only seriously considered it after the Brotherhood stationed several soldiers in every major settlement around the wastes. As the Brotherhood of Steel flourished, more guards were posted in cities and on trade routes. He had no reason to be there, other than putting the occasional wannabe hero or initiate in their place, and anyone could do that.
He got Reilly's Rangers back together, they had disbanded after most serious crimes began to be dealt with swiftly by the Brotherhood, and was planning on letting them use his house as a base of operations. Their "real" job, however, was to simply make sure nobody stole any of his advanced alien technology.
With everything in place, The Lone Wanderer left Megaton and started east. He didn't know it, but his last adventure in his world was about to begin.
The Mane Six were assembled in the Royal Gardens, several ponies of varying size and color surrounding the protective bubble being used to contain any ill effects. With the Elements prepared and no civilians in danger, it was time to use the spell that destroyed the second most powerful unicorn that ever existed. Only Pinkie seemed to be unfazed by the circumstances.
The Royal Sisters stood on a balcony and discussed the current events.
"Are you sure this is a good idea sister?" Luna asked.
"I believe that Twilight Sparkle is more powerful than Star Swirl, and with her friends I don't believe that there is any danger." Celestia replied.
"But we do not even know what the spell does, what if it causes something that cannot be beaten by magic? What if it some kind of self-destruction spell?"
"I read it over, sister. It appeared to be closer to a teleportation spell than any kind of physical one."
"You're sure it is safe, at least, safe enough for her to survive?"
"Of course not, but that's what makes it exciting." Celestia joked.
Celestia turned to the small crowd around the protective bubble, "Don't blink, it's about to begin!" She shouted down.
Twilight turned to her friends and nodded, words failed her as she began to cast. The orb around her horn grew until enveloped her completely, but it didn't stop there. It grew in size until it pressed against the bubble, consuming the Mane Six in it's brilliant purple glow. Suddenly it vanished, leaving only the Elements, where their bearers once stood.
There was murmuring and shocked gasps as the onlookers were forced out by the guards. Celestia ran inside, while Luna sat calmly on the balcony. She felt the Bearers go, not from life, but from the world.
The Wanderer had been walking for days when he decided to stop. Not because he was tired, but because there was a disturbing amount of Raider activity in the vicinity. Over one week he built a shed to better help any injured he came across, and it was easily defended from their constant attacks.
Though, that was perhaps the most disturbing part. The Raiders knew who he was, he heard them during their attacks, but they simply kept attacking. It was as though something in the area made them all insane, why else would they attack someone who was once the head figure for a large religion? They knew he destroyed the Enclave, but still, they continued to throw themselves onto his pike, so to speak. All the towns in the area were destroyed or encampments, though they showed signs of once having civilized members less then 200 years ago.
He believed there was something unseen causing it. He ruled out the "insanity gas" he experienced in a Vault, as his vision didn't change; it couldn't be radiation, his Pip-Boy would have detected it. He was stumped on what could possibly do this to once civil people.
He left his shack, now with theories and notes scribbled on the wall, and went south. He had firing going off the other day, and could still hear it, in that direction and decided to take a look. After a quick walk, he found found something quite exciting.
He was standing on a high ledge, looking down on raiders firing on an honest-to-god town, complete with defenses. It looked like an even more decrepit version of Megaton. He hopped down and began firing on the Raiders, hoping to gain entry by helping the town.
"Holy shit!" He heard the familiar voice of a standard raider from the town.
"It's him!" He heard another.
These were not insane raiders that had gotten in the town, these were the citizens.
"Open the gates! Let him in!"
A wall opened to The Wanderer's left as a grenade blew up next to him. There were hundreds of raiders, they seemed to have been trying to conceal their true number before, well worth running away from.
"Hey man! You okay?" A friendly raider asked.
The Wanderer was understandably confused by the raider's concern for his well-being, and didn't lower his gun.
"Whoa! Calm down, we did just let you in." The raider said.
"Excuse me if I'm not quite comfortable hugging it out with a raider." The Lone Wanderer replied, trying not to sound too hostile.
"You don't have to put away your weapon, just don't shoot at us. Unless provoked of course." The raider had his hands up to indicate surrender.
"What's going on here? Rival gang?"
"Don't pretend like you can't tell it's way worse than that."
"Do you know what's causing it?"
"Do I look like a fucking scientist to you?" There's that good ol' raider attitude.
"We do know where they're coming from though." The raider continued, "there's a place way far south from here, whenever somebody goes there they don't come back, if they do, they're shooting at us."
"So: go south, destroy whatever's there, and try not to go insane. The last of which would bring death and despair to all for many years to come. Got it." The Lone Wanderer semi-jested.
"If you need anything, I'm sure any stores nearby will give you a discount. Especially if you tell them what you're doing."
The Wanderer looked around the city, it appeared to be an actual city with several large stone buildings inside the metal barriers keeping out the insane raiders. The Wanderer located the nearest store and told them what he was doing, he got several items and bullets.
Raider City, as his Pip-Boy called it, would be a good place to rest for the night. The next day he would go south, and deal with whatever wannabe god/leader/monster was there. Assuming there wasn't just a portal to R'lyeh there, or worse.
