//------------------------------// // Chapter Four - The Hollow Shades // Story: Lost // by FluxFeather //------------------------------// As Twilight, Starlight, Sunburst, Spike, and the mane five stood on the outskirts of Hollow Shades they were amazed to see it wasn't the same as before. Well, the dark red-ish clouds were still hanging over the area, blocking out all light. Suddenly Twilight heard the voice again. "I hear it! We're getting closer!" She said. "C'mon." As they followed Twilight, a sense of unease flowed through them. "Are you sure we have to go? What if this voice still is just your imagination?" Spike asked. "Yes, I'm sure. And it is real!" Twilight answered. "And if we don't follow it and heed its call… Equestria will have no future." "Then let's get goin'!" Applejack said as she started trotting close behind Twilight, the others then followed. "How will we even know when we find it?!" Rainbow Dash asked as she was getting tired of this whole thing. "I would think that Twilight would hear it again," Said Sunburst as he stayed close to Starlight's side. And as he was reading a book that he had brought with him. Twilight had tried to call out for it but was getting no response. She called out again. Still nothing. Until suddenly, it called out again. "This way!" Twilight announced, before galloping ahead, the others galloping after her. They followed Twilight who was led by the voice to a small village, or at least that's what it looked like from all the old houses. "It doesn't look like there's anyone here, darling," Rarity said as she looked around along with the rest. "Hello? Anypony here?" Twilight called. "Halt! Who are you?!" Shouted a mysterious pony. They turned to see a pony hiding in the dark. "I'm, sorry, we didn't mean to intrude, you see I'm looking for a-!" Twilight had said before she was rudely interrupted by another pony who hid in the dark. "Stand down, Amber!" Shouted the other pony, who had a southern accent. "Is that a threat?!" Exclaimed Amber as she brought herself into the light to reveal her coat which was as black as coal, her mane was a beautiful purple, her eyes were frightening as they were a hue of a bright and burning red. And as she revealed her full self they could see she had bat wings, indicating she was a bat pony. "A bat pony?" Starlight said. "But I thought they were just a myth." "Oh, we're real," Said Amber. "Yeah, a real pain in the rump!" Said the pony with the southern accent as he stepped into the light himself to reveal he was just a normal stallion, but there was something about him that Applejack seemed to recognize… and that was the Apple cutie mark on his flank. "He's a member of the Apple family!" Applejack said in shock. "I always knew a branch of the Apple family lived in these here parts." "I'm Commander Apple Winesap," He greeted. "I'm the leader of the Apple tribe in The Hollow Shades." "I am Amber Night, the appointed close guard, well, the only guard for our master. Rainius Songbird," She greeted herself. "I'm Twilight Sparkle, ruler of Equestria. And these are my friend’s Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Spike, Starlight Glimmer, and Sunburst," Twilight said as she introduced them all. The two ponies froze. "Your majesty," Amber said, hastily bowing down before the Princess of Equestria. "Let me escort you to my master." And with that, Twilight was off with Amber leading her to her master. Twilight gave one quick glance back at her friends before leaving. As for her friends; they stayed behind with the commander, Apple Winesap. As Twilight and Amber were passing by all the villagers, Twilight saw little bat pony fillies and colts with their families and merchants, then they came upon Rainius's throne. "Master. There is someone here to see you. She's the ruler of Equestria," Amber said as she bowed down. Rainius looked at Twilight. "Are you really the ruler of Equestria?" He asked. Twilight looked up at the pitch-black that enveloped Rainius. "I am. My name is Twilight Sparkle, and a voice has led me here," She said. This intrigued Rainius. "A voice you say?" He inquired as he walked to Twilight, revealing himself. A sky-blue coated stallion that was indescribably beautiful with a blonde mane, blue eyes, and… a horn? Twilight looked at all, the other bat ponies and noticed none of them had horns. He was different. "I'd like to hear about this." "Um… well, ever since I had gone back to Ponyville, I had been hearing this voice and I couldn't sleep or even think, then I was shown a future of chaos. Then I was led here by it," Twilight explained. "I was thinking that maybe you would know why this voice is calling me? What does it want? What does it mean?" Rainius looked at Twilight before setting a fire with his magic to keep her warm. He sighed. "Long ago, back to the beginning of time. This world was governed by two gods. Helia the Harmonious and Caspian the Chaotic. They had fought numerous times, with the balance of power shifting between them until Helia was finally able to reason with Caspian, and together they forged a balance that would hold the world in order... and so it came to pass, and the two lived in harmony until Caspian plotted to destroy the balance and rule the world. To do this he tricked Helia into entering the afterlife with him, saying that they would return when the world was driven out of balance, but Helia saw through his scheme and held him in the afterlife, for all eternity..." As he showed her holograms of the two gods and how they fought and how they came to create a balance. "But apparently eternity wasn't forever," Rainius said in dismay as he created another hologram of Caspian. "With this being one of the darkest realms in the world, he was able to draw much of his power back, and he brought about a world of chaos amongst our small village. He even unleashed a plague upon our village. It killed my mother." He showed a hologram of when he was a colt sitting next to his mother while she was ill. Twilight gasps. "That's awful," She said. "How did you stop him?" "We didn't," He began. He then made a hologram of his father facing the chaotic god. "My father had tried to defeat him, but it wasn't enough. My father was lost, then I was knocked unconscious by a mysterious shadow. And when I had gained consciousness that day, I was the new master of our tribe." "So, how was he stopped?" Twilight egged on. "The only one who could stop Caspian was Helia," He answered. He created yet another hologram showing Caspian's defeat by Helia. "But not before he cast a spell on the whole village to shroud it in eternal darkness. And it's only a matter of time now before he regains all his power and can take over all of Equestria." "There's gotta be a way we can stop him," Twilight replied. "You said you heard a voice, right?" He asked. "Yes," Twilight retorted. "But what does it have to with Helia and Caspian?" Rainius sighed. "On the day this village fell, a voice had called out. I had heard it before I lost consciousness," He said. "Though it was said that only a god could hear the call. Maybe that's untrue." "Do you think that's who's calling to me?" Twilight asked. "Is that same voice you heard?" "Maybe, but alas that answer could only be found in the Well of Shade." He replied. "The Well of Shade?" Twilight questioned. "You mean that place where we freed Stygian from his shadow?" "Yes, deep within the well contains answers about the past, maybe if we go through there we could find out why this voice is calling to you and what it could be about," Rainius replied. "Twilight Sparkle, I believe you are destined for something more than being the ruler of Equestria. And that voice is calling to you to find out what that is." "You really think so?" Twilight asked. "I know so," He replied. "Now, let's head to the Well of Shade." They got up and started heading off. Rainius led with Twilight not far behind. "She's the one. I just know it… Helia."