The Lord of the Ponies: The Search for Harmony

This is madness.

The dark forest of the Everfree streaked past Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo as they rushed into its somber embrace. The branches of trees and the bushes of stabbing thistles scratched at their fur, drawing blood as they stabbed deep. But the pain was lost to the pair of fillies, for every few moments while running, they would look back, and beyond their cloudy breaths they would look for the Changeling Grishnákh and always find the vengeful creature behind them.

Scootaloo took a sharp turn left, pulling at Sweetie's hooves to follow. They galloped under a thick overhang of vines and continued on for what felt like a mile until they collapsed against the moss-covered base of a tree, spent and gasping for breath.

"Did... we... lose... him?" gasped Sweetie Belle. She scanned the forest quickly and saw no sign of the pursuing Changeling. She lay back, resting a hoof on her heart and feeling its dangerously fast rhythm slow, then smiled. "I think we lost him."

Sweetie Belle turned to Scootaloo and saw no shared expression of elation. Instead, she was pointing to her left into the dark forest, and a quiet whimper escaped her lips. Sweetie Belle peered over her friend's shoulder and saw Grishnákh.

He scanned the forest, his back to the fillies, then he turned and stared them straight in the eyes. His face contorted into a primal snarl, and he let loose a hiss which echoed deep into the Everfree. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo took off galloping as he lumbered towards them, screaming at them as he limped on three good legs.

"I'm going to tear out your filthy, little innards!" he roared into the forest.

The two fillies, their breaths shallow, hid behind a tree, but in time they could hear the heavy, uneven steps of the approaching and relentless Grishnákh. "Come here!"

Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo bolted again, rushing into a denser part of the Everfree forest, where it seemed roots covered every patch of ground. Jumping behind an gnarled, mossy tree absent of leaves and with broken branches, the fillies dove into its shadow, falling silent in what the hoped to be a refuge.

Scootaloo looked up and found the trunk rose to a height greater than any tree around it. "Tree. Climb this tree," she whispered. Sweetie Belle hopped onto her back, wrapped her hooves around the lowest branch, and pulled herself up. Then, she reached down for Scootaloo, who grabbed her hooves, and pulled her up. Sweetie Belle fled onto a higher branch, and Scootaloo took her spot on the lowest branch.

She looked about the forest then sighed; Grishnákh was nowhere in sight.

"He's gone," she whispered before the cool grip of a Changeling wrapped around her ankle and jerked her from the tree. She fell onto her spine and yelped, squirming to break away from Grishnákh, who pinned her. His gaze was consumed with fury as he looked down on her, his fangs bared for the upcoming kill.

"I'm going to suck the marrow from your bones, you little bitch!" His reeking breath choked her, and she curled into a ball as his open maw and ready fangs reached for her neck.

"Scootaloo!" yelled Sweetie Belle, the tree twitching under her as she finished screaming. Wait... a twitching tree?

Sweetie Belle turned to look at the tree trunk. Unlike before, there were two large, yellow, glowing orbs. The tree groaned, and an entire section of the trunk featuring the orbs turned to her with a sickening crack. Then Sweetie Belle realized they weren't orbs; they were eyes.

Sweetie Belle leaned back, sacrificing her grip on the branch for distance from the unnatural face. But she fell from the tree, fear cutting off her scream, before the massive Ent caught her in an ancient hand of knotted, finger-like branches.

It rose like a titan and lifted a massive foot of roots.  Scootaloo froze, staring, as the Ent's foot hovered over Grishnákh, raining soil on him. The earthen shower prompted the Changeling to turn from her. He saw nothing unnatural, but stars filled his vision when Scootaloo kicked his chin; he staggered back, and then the Ent's foot fell upon him, squashing him like jam into the muddy soil.

Scootaloo didn't scream either. She fled from the Ent, with Sweetie Belle screaming behind her, "Run, Scootaloo!"

But its massive strides and long arms caught up to her in an instant, and she too was scooped up into the Ent's empty hand .

The Ent stopped moving, preoccupying itself with examining its latest catch, the struggling fillies. To Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, it did not look happy.

"Little Changelings! Burárum..." spat the Ent as it began its trek through the Everfree forest anew.

Sweetie Belle stopped struggling and stared up at the tree in newfound amazement. "It's talking, Scootaloo. The tree is talking."

It sharply turned on Sweetie Belle, eliciting another set of sickening cracks and groans as its aged body acclimated to moving again after centuries of slumber. Sweetie Belle noticed, as she stared into its great, yellow eyes, it was even angrier than before. "Tree? I am no tree!" Then, strangely, its reverberating voice switched to a calmer tone. "I am an Ent."

"Shut up, Sweetie Belle. Don't encourage it," interjected Scootaloo, looking over at the other captive filly, her face reflecting anger but her eyes revealing her true state of fear.

"Treebeard, some call me," said the Ent, his eyes wandering to the sky as if the two fillies in his grasp deserved minimal attention, like toys which were favorites long ago but were now only worth a passing toss about.

Sweetie Belle gulped. "And whose side are you on?"

Treebeard turned to look at Sweetie Belle, and she saw a reinvigorated spark of interest in his eyes. "Side? I am on nobody's side because nobody is on my side, little Changeling." He looked around, downcast. "Nobody cares for the woods anymore."

Scootaloo, with a free hoof, poked Treebeard's bark, scowling. "Okay, I've had enough of this. We are not Changelings. We are regular, bona-fide ponies."

Treebeard looked at Scootaloo. "Maybe..." Then the anger returned to him, and his grip became tightened the fillies, almost crushing them as they futilely struggled against his iron grip, gasping for breath. "But you could easily be Changelings in disguise!" he spat.

"They come with fire! They come with axes! Gnawing, breaking, biting, hacking, burning! Destroyers and usurpers! Curse them!" roared Treebeard into the silent forest.

"No! We are ponies," yelled Scootaloo.

"Maybe you are..." Treebeard's grip on the two fillies slackened, allowing them to regain their breath. "Maybe you aren't." The Ent shook his head. "The dark Alicorn will know."

Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle looked at each other, sharing a glance of hopelessness. "Nightmare Moon?" asked Sweetie Belle.

Treebeard suddenly dropped them, and they landed on a soft soil bed. They looked up slowly, shaking as their eyes crept upward and picked out the cloak of an Alicorn, its fur black as night.

Rover's claw scratched against the surface of a leaf stained with a black liquid, smearing the ooze on his finger. Then he brought it to his mouth and licked it, immediately spitting out the black goo with a disgusted look. "Changeling blood."

Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash followed behind the Diamond Dog, who had now moved on to a strange indent in the muddy soil, one shaped as if a tree with no roots had been there. "Strange tracks, these are."

The trees groaned in response. But it was unlike the "tame" forests; it was rhythmic, a chorus of songs as old as the Alicorns themselves.

The three companions placed themselves in a tight circle, frantically looking about the forest as the noises slowly rose to a great roar.

"What's happening?" cried Pinkie Pie, she and her fellows covering their ears as the trees' songs assaulted their senses.

Then a gust tore through the forest, shaking the tree to their very roots, and their cacophonous songs ended, followed by the wind. The three travelers recovered, looking towards the gust's origin. Rover was especially suspicious, as his nose twitched from a new scent entering it. He sniffed loudly — somepony was not very far away.

"What is it? What do you smell?" whispered Rainbow Dash.

"A pony, but not a friend," answered Rover.

Rainbow placed her hoof over the handle of the sword strapped around her waist. "We move quick. If it's hostile, we kill it." Then she tapped Rover's shoulder and pointed him to the left then repeated it with Pinkie Pie, directing her to the right. They moved in their separate directions; Rover's claws were ready, and Pinkie's hair went flat as she mentally prepared herself to take a life. And Rainbow Dash crept forward, pulling her sword partially from its sheath, her eyes trained to the forest directly in front of her.

Shortly thereafter, she saw a pony. Its back was to her, and a cloak covered its body. But she could see its dark-furred hooves. Nightmare Moon.

Rainbow Dash roared, pulling forth her blade as she blitzed towards the dark Alicorn. Then she fell to her knees as her sword clattered against the muddy soil, the blade and handle glowing red-hot. Rainbow looked to her steaming hooves and shoved them beneath the cool mud.

Looking up, she saw Rover leap for the Alicorn, his claws and maw open, ready tear into Nightmare Moon's flesh, a primal growl erupting from his throat. But the Alicorn swished her head towards him, and he was sent hurtling back, landing beside Rainbow Dash with a great yelp.

To finish their attack, Nightmare Moon's horn burst with light, and Pinkie Pie materialized beside Rainbow Dash.

"I hear you're tracking the hoofsteps of two fillies," announced the cloaked Alicorn, her voice unmistakably Nightmare Moon's.

"Where are they?" yelled Rainbow Dash, her voice brimming with anger.

"They passed this way the day before yesterday. They met somepony they did not expect. Does that comfort you?"

"Was it you they met? What have you done with them?!" demanded Pinkie Pie.

The hooded Alicorn turned to face them, her face shrouded in her hood's shadow. Then with the swish of her head, the hood fell back to her neck.

The sight before them sent the three companions into a fit of confusion. They stared at the Alicorn before them, their eyes wide with curiosity. Rainbow Dash stood up and took a step towards the pony before them. "It cannot be."

Twilight Sparkle stood before them, smiling as she watched her friends slowly recover from the shock. Rover cried, bowing her hooves. "Forgive me," he begged between tears. "I thought you were someone else."

Pinkie Pie leapt on Twilight and hugged her, crying into the cloak. "We saw you fall. We thought you had died."

Twilight Sparkle stopped smiling and weakly pushed against Pinkie's hug. She took the hint, and stepped back to her companions. "I did fall, through fire and water," spoke Twilight, her voice now hers.[

***

From the lowest caverns to the highest peak, I fought with the Balrog...

At the top of Durin's tower, the highest point in Equestria, Twilight Sparkle and the Balrog battled. A storm raged above them, pelting the two combatants with hail. Thunder cracked, striking the mountainside, threatening to vaporize any who strayed from the tower.

The Balrog slashed at Twilight's chest, raking his massive claws below her skin, drawing blood which quickly poured from her body. Her horn glowed purple, and a wave of concussive energy blasted from it. It struck the Balrog, and forced the beast back, tumbling, as it leaned against the edge of the tower, recovering to strike again.

Her body bleeding and rent and with little energy left, Twilight cried out and lifted her horn to the sky. Lightning tore through the clouds, connecting with her horn, granting the Unicorn a blinding radiance atop her head. The Balrog recovered and charged again, roaring as it raised its closed fist for the crushing blow. But with her last effort, Twilight willed the lightning from her horn into the Balrog, and it shot from her horn, transfixing the Balrog on a great bolt of electricity.

The demon screeched, and Twilight ducked as the beast toppled off the tower behind her, falling to the mountainside before coming to a rest against the hard rock and freezing snow, little more than a smoking husk.

... until, at last, I threw down my enemy and smote his ruin upon the mountainside.

Twilight smiled weakly, pressing a hoof to her chest to feel her heart beat rapidly as she mentally congratulated herself. But with her racing heart, she felt a sticky wetness coat her hoof. She lifted it before her eyes and found it stained with her blood. She looked to her chest, finding three deep lacerations, each bleeding gratuitously. The Unicorn fell to her side, her breaths slowing along with her heart.

But darkness took me, and I strayed out of thought and time. Stars wheeled overhead, and every day felt as long as a life age of Equestria.

But it was not the end. I felt life in me again.

***

"I have been sent back until my task is done," finished Twilight, observing her audience.

"Twilight," said Rainbow Dash wonderingly, just as Scootaloo spoke of Rainbow.

A moment of confusion played across Twilight's features. "Twilight?" Then she smiled. "Yes, that's what everypony called me." Her smile grew even wider. "I was once a Unicorn." Her horn glowed lavender,covering latch around her neck in the same purple sparkle, and then her cloak fell back from her body, revealing two feathery wings. "I am now Twilight Sparkle the Alicorn."

Pinkie Pie jumped forward, stroking one of Twilight's wings. "These are so cool!"

Twilight once again lightly pushed against her friend, forcing her back.

"But I have come back to you now, at the turn of the tide." Twilight then took off southward, saying, "But we must travel to Appleloosa with all speed." The others followed.

"Appleloosa!" exclaimed Rainbow Dash. "That is no short distance."

"And hear of trouble there, we have," remarked Rover. "Their Mayor's leadership bodes ill."

"Yes." Twilight's expression darkened. "But it must be our prime objective."

Pinkie Pie ran up beside Twilight, eyes wide. "But what about Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle? Have we come all this way and lost Rarity for nothing?"

Twilight stopped and turned. "Yes, and I'm sorry about disappointing you, but we must move on without them. We will meet up with Rarity soon; she has gone ahead to ensure the path is clear for us. I will tell her that Sweetie Belle is safe."

"Are you sure of this?" asked Rainbow Dash.

Twilight turned on Rainbow Dash. "It was more than chance that Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle came to the Everfree forest." She looked about the trees. "A great power has been sleeping here for many long years." Again, Twilight turned to Rainbow Dash. "Their presence will be like the metaphorical falling of small stones which start an avalanche in the mountains."

Rainbow Dash leaned in to Twilight's ear. "In one way you haven't changed: you're still an egghead."

Twilight chuckled, and then a new seriousness dawned upon her. "An event is about to happen that has not happened since the First Age of Equestria: the Ents are going to wake up... and find that they are strong."

"Strong?!" asked Rover, eyes scanning the canopy. "That sounds good."

"So now you can all stop your fretting," departed Twilight, moving towards the southern edge of the forest. "In fact, the fillies are going to be a lot safer than we're about to be."

The halls of Orthanc echoed as the Changeling Overseer walked towards Nightmare Moon's throne room. His steps were crisp and slow, giving him time to rehearse his announcement of the foreigner. His body ached; always he would be the one to report to Nightmare Moon when something went wrong — any loss of production towards the fulfillment of her grand army — and always it was his hide that was beaten, his ears which would suffer her verbal abuse. I just want to announce this... visitor... and get out of here.

The throne room doors stood before him. With his eyes aimed downward, he opened them; he had learned never to look Nightmare Moon in the eye. In the middle of the room, focusing on the Palantír with her eyes closed, stood Nightmare Moon.

The shriek from the door's massive hinges forced its way into the Alicorn's head. She opened her eyes and scowled, her burning gaze turned to the doorway and the Changeling Overseer. He avoided her gaze like the weak, submissive creature he was. "What do you want?"

The Overseer gulped. "My Queen, the leader of the Griffons has arrived."

Nightmare Moon's scowl disappeared, replaced by a smile. But her searing gaze remained, and the Changeling Overseer felt it on his back. "Thank you. See her in, please."

Were it proper to run, the Changeling would've sprinted from the place. "As you command, your Highness."

He stepped from the room and made for the end of the hall. There, in the shadows beside the last window, the Griffon Queen leaned against the obsidian stone. Without slowing to address her properly, the Changeling Overseer quipped, "She will see you now." Then he continued down the hall.

"Thank you," said the Griffon Queen.

The Changeling Overseer nearly tripped, stopping before his face impacted the stone floor. When he turned, he saw the Griffon Queen was near the throne room, Nightmare Moon approaching her with a smile. Thank you, she had said. It had been a long time since he had heard those two words addressed to him. Thank you, she had said. It brought a smile to his face.

***

Nightmare Moon strode to the doorway, greeting the Griffon Queen as she crossed the threshold. While the Griffon's back was to her, she closed the door, turning on her potential ally. "I'm pleased you accepted my invitation, but I'm sorry to hear about your father."

The Griffon Queen easily saw through the Alicorn's false sympathy but made no comment. She needed this arrangement to go smoothly. But the idea of spending more time than necessary with the Alicorn threatened to tear apart her demeanor. "Look, you know why I'm here. Just say whatever you have to say, and get it over with.

Approaching from behind, Nightmare Moon's aura froze the Griffon in place, threatening to shatter her resolve like a thin sheet of ice. The Alicorn stepped past the other Queen and turned on her, an unnerving twinkle in her eye. "Well then, Gilda." The Alicorn melded into the shadows, a cold wind blowing into darkening room. "You know that nothing can stop our armies, not even the borders of Equestria. Once this land is ours, we will expand outward. All lands will be consumed by the Horde." Nightmare Moon leaned in close to the Griffon Queen. "But you have a chance to save your people. Join us, the winning side, and secure the lives and lands of your people. What do you say to that?"

Nightmare Moon held out her hoof. Gilda stared. The action was simple; the decision was not. But in the flawless sheen of the Alicorn's hoof, Gilda saw her people, dead, dying, her lands burned to a crisp. All from not submitting.

 Queen Gilda took the hoof in her taloned hands, knelt before Nightmare Moon, and kissed her hoof. "We will fight for you. We will die for you. We pledge our service to you, Nightmare Moon." Gilda's pledge was like an unsuccessful purge; it still left her sick to her stomach.

But Nightmare Moon smiled, looking down at the Griffon Queen kneeling at her hooves.

Good.