Convexa Tempus

One

The stallion trotted the last few feet before throwing himself flat onto the snow. Propping himself on his front knees, he peered over the crest of the hill shaking the balaclava off his face. Blinking flakes of snow from his eyes he raised a pair of binoculars and began scanning the planes. At first there was nothing but sheets of snow falling across his vision, but then as it faded he began to make out the towering structure piercing the sky.

He’d been positioned here for little over a week; he hadn’t hesitated in setting off when the scouts informed him their target was seen here. His gaze swept from the base of the structure back and forth as he’d done every day since his arrival. He was about to give up, reluctantly as this had been their best lead in six months, but then something caught his attention. Squinting he tried to identify the dark figure making its slow way across the ice in the direction of the structure.

He flicked a switch on the side of the binoculars and instantly his view flashed yellow before settling black. Amidst all the dark cold an orange blob of body heat moved. Zooming in he could make out the figures limbs and mane, definitely a mare, but was it his target? Flicking off the infra-red he placed the binoculars in a heap of snow next to him, then raising his horn he sent a pillar of violet light into the sky. Instantly the snow ceased to fall and his view was made clear. Squinting at the figure he made out that it was wearing spectacles and a collar.

His ears pricked up as he heard the crunch of snow behind him, turning he saw one of his men rushing to his side. When the soldier reached him he crouched down and addressed him through his balaclava.

“You signalled sir,” he said in a muffled tone, “did you find something.”

“Yes, send word immediately to Canterlot,” he said seriously, “tell them we have identified the target.”

“Affirmative Captain Shining Armour,” said the soldier turning and charging back the way he came, and Shining Armour got to his hooves and gazed once more over the ice planes.

“She’s back.”

Two

“Miss? MISS!” Dawn snapped awake, trying to figure out who had said what and why.

“Sorry what?” she asked the room of fillies in front of her.

“That was the bell miss,” a pegasi filly announced, “can we leave miss?”

“Oh, of course,” Dawn said waving her hoof dismissively and then immediately the class began scrambling for the door. She rested her face on the desk wanting to get back to sleep when a voice spoke very close to her.

“Are you alright Miss Dawn?” she looked up and saw a yellow unicorn filly standing in front of her desk, all the other pupils had left the classroom.

“Yes, I’m fine Pumpkin, I just haven’t been sleeping well,” she gave her a reassuring smile, “I promise I'm fine, now run along, and give my regards to your parents.”

Pumpkin Cake waved her farewell and left the room, Dawn dragged herself onto her hooves and began packing her essentials and unfinished lunch into her saddle bag.

Stepping out into the sunlight she yawned before making her way down the street of Ponyville. All around her ponies bustled about their daily business, trading at the market and playing ball games, but this all phased through her. Her thoughts drifted back to her dreams of the night before and she shuddered. Princess Cadance warned her there was a risk of this occurring after she became bound to the elements of harmony, but still, nothing could have prepared her for the reality of it. She was only roused from thoughts when she heard somepony shouting her name.

She looked all around but saw nothing, then looked up in time to see an orange blur come hurtling out of the sky at her. She almost jumped out of her skin as she sidestepped to safety, but she hadn’t needed to. The Pegasus came inches to where she’d been standing before bouncing back into the air, where she did three backflips before soaring to the ground in front of Dawn.

“Wow Scootaloo, you’re almost as good at flying as you are at showing off,” Dawn said smiling as the Pegasus brushed her purple mane from her eyes.

“Well I had a pretty good mentor,” Scootaloo said beaming at her. She continued walking with Scootaloo matching her stride talking about her day at the Wonderbolt’s Academy. Dawn smiled politely and nodded in acknowledgement when Scootaloo looked at her expectantly. Its not that she wasn’t interested in what she was saying, she was just too tired to manage Scootaloo today.

“Anyway, Spitfire let us out early because a royal guard delivered some urgent information requiring her to go to Canterlot,” Said Scootaloo. Dawn raised her eyebrow at this, not sure why it sparked her interest.

“So yeah,” she finished, “I've got some weather jobs to take care of around here, ill catch you later.”

Without waiting for a response Scootaloo shot off and Dawn made the leg of her journey home alone. Dawn stepped up to the main gate stopping briefly to read the sign hung over the lane way, it read ‘Sweet Apple Acres’. She dawdled up the lane listening to the clang of metal coming from the barn, she wouldn’t disturb Dusk while he was working, instead she entered the farmhouse and collapsed onto the sofa passing out in seconds.

Dawn was standing on a crag; she looked out over the ocean surrounding her, the waves frozen solid. She then craned her neck staring at the familiar black clouds imposing over the entire sky. She then turned where she stood and saw the group of ponies assembled on the rock with her, she then looked back at the frozen ocean knowing what was coming next, and she wasn’t disappointed. The ice began shattering before her eyes and the structure began ascending into the sky piercing the clouds.

Three

Dusk entered the house shortly after nightfall, hanging his work jacket and the coat hoof next to the door and wiping the sweat from his brow with his fore hoof. While he couldn’t see anything in the darkness he heard familiar tossing and murmuring, and he knew Dawn was having her dream again. He approached the sofa and kneeled down in front of her resting his hoof on her shoulder. Her struggling eased slightly but he knew it wouldn’t last. He briefly considered waking her but he knew she needed to sleep whether she dreamed or not.

Getting up he walked into the kitchen where he filled up the kettle with tap water and set it to boil on the stove. He then placed two cups on the bench, placing a normal teabag in one, and in the other he emptied a small bag of green powder. That morning he’d decided to pay a visit to Zecora before starting work, and so shortly after Dawn left for school he set off to the Everfree forest.

He met Zecora early upon arriving to live in Ponyville, and like everypony else they bonded easily enough. While they rarely had need of each other’s company she knew she could always go to him for repairs and he knew he could always rely on her for remedies, and that’s what he needed today. He’d only been to her house on a couple of occasions but he still knew the way and it didn’t take him long to arrive where she greeted him warmly.

“Greetings to you this day Dusk, come in, forgive the musk,” she said leading him into hollowed tree she made her home. The smell of various toxins and herbs hit him as he approached the tree stump where Zecora was laying out small bowls of steaming liquid. As he sat down she gestured for him to take one, clearly it was some kind of beverage.

“So tell me Dusk what brings you here?” she asked, “For if you require a potion that is my career.”

Dusk explained Dawn’s recent night terrors, without telling her specifically what it was she was dreaming.

“So I was hoping you could give me something that might help,” he finished.

“Hmm, indeed these dreams are a problem,” she said uncrossing her legs and standing up, “to provide you with a solution would be my duty solemn.”

She walked over to a shelf and began sorting through jars of herbs; while he waited Dusk sipped more of the minty drink she gave him.

“First you must brew her tea, and by adding ground sand shade, gone shall her dreams be,” she said as she began grinding a brown stem in a pestle and mortar. As she explained instructions for allowing it to stew she emptied the now green powder into a draw string pouch, but just as she finished there was a knock on the door and before either of them could react the door swung open and a royal guard marched in.

“Lady Zecora, I bring a message to you from Princess Cadance,” said the guard and Zecora accepted it and he turned leaving the house. Zecora’s eyes scanned it, her expression becoming grave.

“I apologise Dusk but I must be on my way, an urgent summons from the princess, I mustn’t delay,” she said. Dusk was about to ask what the letter said but she was already dashing out the door. He picked up the pouch from the table and returned home.

That evening he was preparing the drink as Zecora had instructed, all the while sipping his own tea. He heard shifting from the other room and he turned to see Dawn walking unsteadily into the kitchen rubbing her eyes.

“Hey there, did you get your commission finished today?” she asked stifling a yawn.

“Yes, and I also paid Zecora a visit, she gave me something that should help you,” Dusk replied, Dawn looked surprised.

“You didn’t have to do that,” she said smiling, Dusk didn’t respond he just finished stirring the cup before handing it to her.

They sat on the sofa while Dawn drank Zecora’s remedy, she updated him on the school day and he talked a bit about the repair he’d been doing that day. He was just telling her about his visit to Zecora in more detail when she shot up in her seat.

“Did you say a royal guard brought her a summons from Canterlot?” she asked in a strange tone.

“Yes, why?” he replied curiously. She told him about her run in with Scootaloo and what he’d said about Spitfire receiving a similar summons.

“Do you think something’s happened?” Dusk said glancing out the window. Dawn just shrugged staring into space.

“Something’s always happening in Equestria,” Dawn said simply.

“You know what I mean,” Dusk said turning back to her. She cocked her head thoughtfully.

“I’ve been wondering for a while, ever since the dreams started, if she was back,” she replied. Six months and no one had seen head or tail of her. Could it possibly be that Fate was back?

Four

The Pegasus galloped across the bridge, the guards standing aside to allow him to pass. He quickly navigated the dark stone corridors, steadily descending deeper and deeper. When at last he emerged into a colossal cavern, he felt as if he was standing inside a planet. He stood on a platform amidst hundreds of ponies all lined neatly, all looking at him with baited breath.

The ponies were black and grey, some with stripes or patches of dark colour, some with horns and others with wings. While there was little variation in them the Pegasus knew each and every one of them as individuals, they were his family, the same blood coursed through each of their veins. He began marching forward standing tall and skeletally thin, his coat and wing feathers jet black.

“Welcome back Grim,” a cold voice echoed throughout the entire cavern, “What news do you bring your master?”

Grim reached the end of the crowd and spoke out into the abyss. “My lord, the tribes have crossed the boarder, and are each declaring themselves the rulers of your land.”

The cavern began to shake as something began to rise up from beneath the edge of the platform all the ponies stood. A dark shape broke the horizon and mounted the platform; it was the hoof of a massive horse leg. And behind it came the rest of the body.

The ponies looked on in terror and awe at the giant being that now stood before them. It was impossible to decide if the darkness shrouded it or if the horse’s body was woven from the darkness itself. Its mane and tail swept out behind it like waves of a pitch black ocean, its wings spread wide making the huge cavern seem so much smaller. A top its head was a black horn which alone was taller than Grim himself, but the most striking feature of this creature was its eyes, pools of inky blackness which seemed impossibly dark, and endlessly deep.

“Well that wont do now will it?” the being spoke, its voice still echoing causing Grim’s bones to tremble, “take as many soldiers as you need, show those fools the price of claiming land that belongs to me.”

Grim bowed and spoke, “your wish is my command, lord Sullivan.” He then turned and marched back the way he came, the other ponies still grovelling at Sullivan’s presence. When he reached the bridge again he spread his wings and soared into the darkness channelling his thoughts out to his brothers, calling them to his aid. These foreign invaders were about to discover how their actions had incurred the wrath of a god.

Five

Spitfire swooped into the palace courtyard, guards pointing and whispering excitedly. She knew there was a time for putting on a show, but now was not one of those times, these ponies would just have to make do without. She ascended the main stairs and entered the palace making the familiar journey to the throne room where the letter had told her to go when she arrived. As she reached the doors two guards stood to the side to allow her to pass.

“Keep up the good work Dave, Rodriguez, looking sharp” she said with a wink as she entered the hall.

As she approached the throne the three ponies gathered there stopped talking and looked at her, or rather two ponies and one zebra. Zecora stood with Princess Cadance and Marelin, who looked as flamboyant as ever.

“Don’t stop on my account,” Spitfire said grinning, “though if it’s not too much trouble you could rewind a little so I could catch the start.”

Cadance laughed and Marelin smirked; only Zecora was unamused.

“Thank you for coming on such short notice, both of you,” she said addressing Zecora as well as Spitfire. Then her voice turned serious, “obviously due to the nature of what I’m about to tell you I needed to be fairly vague in what I wrote to you both.”

Spitfire understood, she may be a performer by profession, but she was no stranger to matters of national security. It was especially in the past few months after Cadance retook the throne that she began to have a greater involvement in ‘political affairs’, though the truth was she, Zecora and the few others chosen had only a single duty in the kingdom, it seemed now it was time to carry out that duty.

It was roughly a month after she was reinstated that Cadance requested Spitfire come to Canterot castle. Once there she was surprised to find herself in a group of seemingly random ponies as well as Zecora. It was there Cadance informed them of events that had been set in motion by the one who called herself ‘Fate’. She knew that being called here today meant their fears had been confirmed and Fate really had resurfaced.

“Not long ago one of our scouts informed us that our target was seen, and so Shining Armour took a small team of soldiers to where she’d been sighted to confirm it.” Cadance stopped for a moment to breathe, “After a week I received a letter from him, Fate has indeed been found.”

Spitfire, Zecora and Marelin exchanged glances.

“Where exactly has she been located to?” Spitfire asked, afraid what the answer was going to be. Cadance didn’t answer for some time, but when she did the whole world seemed to fall silent.

“The gates of Tartarus.”