Portents of Shadow

by Starry Wisdom

Chapter 2: Vault of Past and Present Dawns

The most frightening part of my vision was that I somehow could feel the terrible pain of that little foal. It was like a telepathic echo crying out begging for help, for comfort, for a mother’s embrace. The whole scene played out again and again in my mind for the next few hours despite my best efforts to push it to the back of my mind.

The single word she spoke was just outside understanding each time; yet somehow I knew out of all the things I had seen or heard that day it was the most important part of a very large puzzle.

It is probably why I was so distracted, I admit now, though I’d never have then, that so lost was I in my thoughts that I became hopelessly lost in truth. It was fortunate for me that I came across the cave. Or perhaps not fortune considering what I found inside.

The cave was aglow with the warm flickering light of a campfire. As the sun set I hesitated for only a moment before stepping forward into the shadowed lip, where the firelight couldn’t quite reach. The walls of the cave made from some bluish crystals which at first I mistook for ice refracted and reflected the dancing flames in all directions.

Beside the campfire was another unicorn, a handsome male maybe a little older than myself. Wrapped heavily in his blanket it was hard at first to see what his coat was or his cutie mark. But he shifted and I saw that he was a sort of dark blue. Much like the Stallions of the Lunar Guard, only far larger, his horn was long, spiraled and sharp, unlike any other unicorn I’d ever met.

At first he looked asleep. But as I approached he spoke not even lifting his head. “Welcome, child. I so rarely see new faces that it is always a pleasure.”

Stunned I froze where I stood, one front hoof raised. Placing it down I took a step backward toward the cave mouth and heard him chuckle.

“I don’t think going back out in this weather would be very wise.” The stallion turned his head and smiled warmly. The fires reflecting in his amber eyes making them seem warm and liquid. “Come sit by the fire, I don’t often get visitors in my little cave.”

Hesitantly I approached the stallion by the fire and noticed what at first I thought were saddlebags next to the fire were in fact cooking tools. A kettle and a camping pan, various flasks with what looked to be an assortment of liquids. Another step and the smells made my mouth water, the faint flowery aroma of daffodil and daisy sandwich being grilled near the flames, one of my favorite foods.

The stallion must have seen something for although he didn’t make a move he chuckled a rich rolling sound that filled the cave, his horn lit up and a small flat panned cooking iron lifted out of the embers and drifted to a flat rock with a quick movement there was a steaming perfectly grilled sandwich sitting there.

“Please have what you like, I can make more. I am sure you must be hungry. If you require a drink, I keep tea here but on nights like these I prefer something a little stronger. A little fire blossom wine from the dragon kingdoms.”

I watched the unusual stallion in a daze, accepting the toasted sandwich mutely as he slid a small flask towards me and smiled disarmingly. Lifting the food to my mouth taking a cautious bite; it was perfection, the light flavor of daffodils and daisies mixed with a tangier something, a sauce of some kind. Pulling it away to examine it more carefully it positively dripped yellowish paste with black flecks.

“With mustard and cheese, a little taste of the Royal Court,” the blue stallion replied to the unspoken question, “I don’t suppose you have much access to that here it doesn’t grow in Equestria. It’s a plant found in the far south, in the land of the Zebra.”

After the stallion had mentioned the name, mustard, I almost remembered hearing of it before then. And the few fragments I had from that time the meal was one of the few things I managed to hold on afterwards. “So, who exactly are you?” I asked, “I don’t believe you’ve introduced yourself.” I took another bite of my meal while waiting for his response savoring each bite.

“Forgive me,” the stallion dipped his head and shifted slightly. “My name is Equinox, at least for the present. I’ve been called other things in the past and I do not doubt that I’ll be called others in the future.”

I knew I remembered the name from somewhere the moment he spoke it, but it was hard to think, the firelight flickering, and the cave getting warmer by the moment. Or was it the cave, even now the events seem to be jumbled. Something in my heart tugged at me, like it was desperately trying to warn me of something.

Equinox’s horn glowed softly and the flask at his side floated up as he offered me a drink, “drink my friend, the night is cold even in the cave and by the warmth of the flame this will give you heart.” Equinox’s voice was soft and melodious, the firelight dancing hypnotically in his liquid amber eyes. Without thinking I had the flask to my lips and tilted it back. I didn’t even remember taking it from his magic.

At first it tasted much like cool, clean Cloudsdale water, but that temperature rose rapidly as it slid down my throat. Sending waves of warmth through every limb, and making everything in the cave spin.

Coughing and spluttering I lost my grip on the magic and Equinox seemed to be ready grinning wildly he caught the flask before it could hit the floor and chuckled.

“Careful there, it’s powerful stuff,” Equinox grinned, eyes twinkling clearly expecting the reaction.

When I regained my senses and my eyes stopped watering I glared back at the stallion, who couldn’t seem to control his amusement. “You knew that was going to happen, didn’t you!” I managed between errant choking gasps.

The insufferable unicorn simply nodded and burst out in a full and rich laugh his entire body shaking with mirth. The firelight seemed to dance across the crystal walls echoing the sound. The interplay made my eyes begin to flutter, I couldn’t keep my magic up and my horn flickered out.

Equinox was at my side steadying me before I could strike the floor, he seemed to move with the very grace of the wind. One moment he was laying on his side across the fire the next he was at my side, without needing to bother with trivial things like walking to my side.

As I slowly drifted off to sleep, being supported to a moss covered patch of floor I caught sight of something out of the corner of my eyes. The faintest glimmer of wings surrounded by a midnight blue aura, but I was already half asleep, too far gone to care, and the lights of the cave were dancing in my dreams before my eyes were even closed.

As the stallion placed a blanket of moss over me and my last thoughts before I drifted off to sleep was how strong and handsome this stallion was... and the soft chocolate laughter of Equinox as he laid to sleep.

Now thinking back on the situation, I realized what happened-- I did not then. Hard journeying, freezing cold and exposure to high magic. It can do strange things to a mare who isn’t prepared, and I certainly wasn’t. So when the lights in the cave danced hypnotically and the strong spirits hit me like a runaway applecart all of my magic fled, all of my control vanished. And eventually, inhibition as well.

When I awoke the sunlight was streaming into the cave and igniting the beautiful walls alight with golden fire. Prismatic shards shattering the light in a multicolored and wondrous wash, my first thought was that it looked as if Rainbow Dash had sprayed her sonic rainboom all over the cave. My second thought was how comfortable I was.

Nuzzling deeper against the firm bulk of something, I pressed my muzzle into a pile of soft stringy fibers and my eyes fluttered closed. Reveling in the warmth that was radiating from it; the smells, cool dew drenched grass before the dawn and a hint of sunlight dappling on freshly tilled soil.

When memories of the previous night returned my eyes flashed open when I realized who I was leaning against. Scuttling backwards, I slammed my flank into one of the crystal edges and winced with the pain.

“Some way to be woken up,” Equinox said rubbing his side which had been violently smacked into one wall of the cave from the force of Twilight’s shove.

“What’s the big idea?” I glared, wincing at the pain from the cut; reaching into my saddlebags for something to place on the cut, “you think you can slip into anypony’s bed during the night?”

The large stallion glanced quizzically back at me and shook his head in amusement, trotting over to her and dipping his horn to her flank. “Would you like me to heal that?”

I nodded and Equinox lowered his horn to the cut as a glowing light blossomed from his horn. Warm like the sun, yet veiled behind clouds, it reminded Twilight of something.

“How…” I asked as the wound simply closed and vanished.

“No time for that,” Equinox said shaking his mane vigorously, “we should get you back to Canterlot as quickly as possible. I can take you through these caverns and it will save you almost two weeks of travel off of your journey. If we don’t stop for anything we’ll be at Canterlot in just under a week.”

I couldn’t believe him, he wanted me to travel with him back to Canterlot. Underground? And he actually thought it would only take a week? I was not much of an adventurer but I knew how long it took me to get as far as I did, at least three times that. “I believe I would rather take my chances with the road,” I said turning back to the cave mouth.

Trotting back to the entrance and I was assaulted by a blast of frigid wind. So strong was the wind that I would have fallen over if Equinox hadn’t been at my side, displaying once again his uncanny ability to seemingly be in one place and then another without bothering with the intermediate motions.

Three days later Equinox and I took our first steps into to the great crystal chamber that he called the heart of Equestria. Massive columns made of black and white marble with gold and silver veins running throughout. Tiled floors, giant octagonal pieces alternating between gleaming obsidian and polished ivory, but the most beautiful of all was the vaulted walls and ceiling made of multi-faceted polyhedral crystals with faces twice our height.

I could only find one flaw that marred its perfection, a massive crack running across the center of the chamber from one end of the hall to another at least eighteen inches across. The edges of the rift were pitted and cracked as if corroded by some acid. And the gaping maw simply oozed a damp menace that I could almost taste.

On the opposite side of the hall there were three pathways, the right was blocked by a door that was half crystal and half stone and a bright light shown from somewhere deep within. The left was a door made of the same black material as the tiles inscribed with a design of four tall creatures on two legs with arms stretched in front of them holding back a shapeless thing that even carved on stone radiated hatred. Above each of the four was a symbol and surrounding the shadow keeping it contained were ten runes. Six of which I knew instantly as the symbols representing the Elements of Harmony. The remaining ones I’d never seen. The final path led up a winding ramp and into darkness.

“Behold, the Vault of Past and Present Dawns; no pony has set foot in these halls in centuries. Not even the Princesses of Equestria. Do not gaze into the crystals they will entrap your soul.

“It’s amazing,” I whispered approaching one of the slabs of black polished crystal and pressed my hoof to its surface. It felt, wet. Gazing into it I saw my reflection and many shadowy forms that bubbled up from somewhere deep within.

I never noticed when my horn’s magic ignited of its own accord or when Equinox cried out in alarm for me to stop. It was far too late at that point, I was already caught, falling into a shadowy world of terror and fearful images that even now, after they had come to pass, haunt my dreams.

The world lurched and I found myself bound, unable to move except to shift my vision. I had no body. I was an entity, able only to see, feel, taste and hear what was happening around me. The edges of my vision seemed watered and blurry, dominated by ripple-edged shadows. Sounds were watered and distant as if my ears were constantly ringing from a blow. But even still things were all too clear.

I watched myself, standing surrounded by dozens of shelves in the Royal Canterlot Library. The pale sun shone through massive stained-glass windows lighting up the stacks but not touching where I—my future self was standing.

My double stood there, her horn a blaze with magical light firing of burst of magic after burst into the shadows. I couldn’t see what she—I was fighting, until one of the shadows detached themselves from a clump on the ground and lunged for her. It flowed from a two dimensional shade to a fully animate monstrosity from the depths of hell. I saw my own magic--her magic, pierce it causing it to vanish into nothing.

Again and again, she used her magic until she was staggering. I knew my limitations, and at this point I knew that I was already well past the point of exhaustion. I watched myself as I dipped my head in seeming defeat and felt my heart clench until I saw myself lift my head eyes glowing and the tiara of magic flicker into view and a protective bubble made of pure light surrounded me pushing the shadows back.

I hoped that she had finally won against the horrible things that were just oozing up from the floor. But I was wrong, the more light that is shone, the more shadows that are cast. And eventually the spell weakened.

The shadows still kept coming; they crept along the ground and slid along the floor, like liquid darkness they ate into the light until her horn finally dimmed. It was at that point that one of the shadows finally made contact with her.

I heard myself scream, saw my head whip around and blast the shadow off with magic but it was too late. My attention diverted the shadows had a chance to flow in and smother Twilight with a cocoon of darkness.

I watched unable to do anything as the shadows sank into the purple unicorn, feeding on some darkness and growing as it flowed into her. On and on shadows came from all over the room rushing in like a torrent until abruptly the surge of darkness stopped; the tiara of harmony flickered fitfully and the light in the gem died.

Sickened and weak kneed, I watched myself spread her newly shadow-granted wings and fly off cackling insanely.

The image flickered and I was outside Ponyville, somewhere near the edge of the Everfree forest. My dark nightmarish self was above laughing madly. Dipping and diving madly she was an expert flier. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy were just barely able to keep up with the sheer speed and dexterity my evil self had. And even with my terror of the new creature, I couldn’t help feeling the tiniest bit envious.

“Twilight I’m sorry I have to do this, but you wouldn’t want to be like this,” I heard Rainbow Dash call from high above the trees. There was a ripple and a blur of motion and the sky filled with sonic rainboom just under the canopy of the forest.

With shock I saw myself simply slide out of the way of Rainbow Dash’s attack and fire off a wave of force knocking dash completely off balance. An instant later, a gargled shriek cut off by a squelching crack as Rainbow Dash smashed into the ground at full Rainboom velocity.

Fluttershy went nuts and dive bombed the monster I had become and my darker half simply laughed at her. Spinning midair Shadow Sparkle bucked Fluttershy straight in the face. The yellow maned pegasus’ wings went limp and just tumbled from the sky hitting the ground with a sickening crunch.

I wanted to cry but couldn’t; I wanted to empty myself but couldn’t. Rainbow Dash dead, pulped on the forest floor, Fluttershy if not dead, horribly injured. One by one I watched as she killed my best friends using their own magic or talents against them.

Rarity entombed in a solid crystal, a look of terror on her face. Pinkie exploded in a shower of multi colored confetti. Applejack turned to run but didn’t even make a full stride before she screamed once and turned into an apple tree.

Moments later three new ponies, all alicorns, very young—burst into view, teleporting practically into the center of the carnage. The youngest of them instantly went from pony to pony, or the remains of each and examined them briefly before looking up with tears in his eyes standing next to Rarity, “They’re all gone Sparky, I’m so sorry.”

The middle one also a male was standing near the splintered body of Rainbow with a look of pure hate on his face. Sparking electricity from all over his body, the oldest one purple in color with two color hair. Walked forward with tears in her eyes.

“I know this isn’t you. I know deep down that you must want to crawl into a hole and die. I—” she choked and sobbed brokenly. “I wanted so much to believe you could be saved, but… I now see that even if we could, you wouldn’t—there isn’t enough of you left to come back to.” The oldest said.

The Shadowed Twilight laughed and giggled as she pointed her horn at the alicorn, sending a blast of magic barreling down at her. Quicker than lighting the blast struck a barrier and deflected in an arc around the alicorn’s glowing horn.

The alicorn spoke again, “You have caused so much pain, and I wanted to free you, bring you back to what you were. But I can see that even if I did, you wouldn’t be able to live with what you have done. I do now, the only thing that can be done.” The very heavens opened up and thousands of tiny stars began to fall the first few slammed into a black shield surrounding the nightmare form of Twilight Sparkle then the shield simply vanished. She had only a moment to look surprised as she was impaled by thousands of tiny glowing stars raining for the heavens.

Again the image flickered and I found myself on the grassy hill overlooking Ponyville. The night sky was streaked with clouds that were striated black and red with flashes of lightning that danced across the clouds, it looked like the end of the world. Cloudsdale was barely staying in the sky, Canterlot looked like it had been half blasted out of the mountain and the waterfalls were simply not there.

Looking up Twilight saw three alicorns fighting in the sky, or rather the last moments of a battle. A smaller pink alicorn tumbled from the sky her wings on fire with a midnight blue alicorn in royal armor dove to intercept. The upper alicorn took the opportunity to send a blast of fire in their direction and soon both of the smaller ones were tumbling head over tail uncontrollably from the sky.

The remaining alicorn white and red, with a mane and tail made of flowing flamed simply laughed. With a stab of pain, Twilight instantly knew the voice. Princess Celestia. With no word at all, the sun burned through the clouds and a line of light lanced through the sky and in less than a blink. Cloudsdale was simply gone, moments later Ponyville was ash as well.

At first Twilight thought her eyes were playing tricks on her when two wings of pegasi flew away from Cloudsdale. All were making all speed away from the quickly dissipating clouds. The inferno pony that Celestia had become simply grinned and turned to them, Twilight was certain that she was going to see hundreds of inflamed ponies falling from the sky when the second wing broke from the rest and turned to face Celestia. In the lead was proud Pegasus with a mane and tail of rainbow colors, she was far outstripping the others and moments later there was the telltale flash and multi colored explosion of a sonic rainboom as Rainbow Dash barreled straight into Celestia and vaporized.

For the first time since I had been trapped in this terrible nightmare I felt something, I mean truly felt a physical sensation. A wave of immense magic and a pressure on my shoulders. The world itself rippled, sights, sounds, smells and sensations returned to normal as my body—I had control of my body again. Everything felt real, no longer like a dream.

“Come now young Twilight Sparkle, this event you were never meant to see,” the voice resonated across the hilltop. I turned expecting to see a handsome stallion, but instead I saw a creature. Almost six feet tall in back star-dusted robes that made him look as though he was wrapped in the stars themselves. Around his neck and chest was V-shaped strip of cloth about four inches wide with ten charms sewn into the material.

On his back Twilight noticed a huge great sword made of shimmering rainbows etched with ten runes and a slot for a smaller sword to rest within it currently empty.

Tall and nearly hairless except for a thick main on the top of its head. He walked only two legs and had bright white wings that sprouted from his back.

“A bit surprising I know, but after all you’ve been through today can you be quite surprised at seeing new and unusual things?” The creature spoke again, the voice was disconcerting coming from such flat face and yet there was only kindness and sympathy in his tone.

“What are you?” I managed to breath between sobs. Released from spell that bound my movements I shook all over. If that strange creature hadn’t been holding me—obviously through magic despite the lack of a horn—I doubt I could have remained standing.

“What I am is unimportant, how you came here is, on the other hand,” he paused, “other hoof, is another matter.” His hesitation over the word hoof was clearly evident obviously aware of his lack he quickly continued to cover his slip. “The fact that you are still sane after this great an exposure to those crystals is quite extraordinary. You are a credit to your family, young child of the swirling stars. But it is time for you to return to your body, you are not ready for this kind of powerful of magic, not ready by many, many years.”

“Is… is this real? I’d never hurt them! NEVER! Oh Celestia…” I couldn’t continue, my hooves digging into the ground, the tall creature was on his knees in an instant taking my muzzle in his hands forcing her to look into his eyes.

“Yes. Yes and no,” he said with a soft smile, “but thanks in part to your actions here today and what you do based on what you’ve seen, things may change, at least for you… For this place, it is already too late; I may yet be able to save the realm from destruction but not those who have already fallen. We did not see the danger in time. Now you must return and I must go to protect the heart of Equestria. Tell Equinox that Unity is returning.

I opened my mouth to reply but the world began to spin. I felt dizzy and nauseous all over as if my body was being compressed and drawn through a tiny straw. When I came back to myself I was staring at the flat piece of black quartz it had a long straight edged crack through it and it was smoking slightly along the break. As I faded back to my body, heard the one named Unity call to me, “the burden of foresight is too great this blessing I give to you. Remember only what you must. Forget all else.”

Feeling the solid world around me again I crumpled to the floor sobbing uncontrollably the terrible weight of what had been seen crashing down on me. It could have been minutes or hours later that I slowly became aware of the soft comforting words of Equinox by my side. My head resting against his flank his hooves gently stroking my flank, and something more, I finally understood that during the past week I’d grown close to him, very close.

“I know, the crystals here always show dark things, but they aren’t true. They are never true. Shhh, hush now and rest little one.”

“You have to warn them! Warn the Celestials! They are coming; death, destruction…” I tried to continue but Equinox placed a hoof over my lips gently cutting off my words.

“It wasn’t real, trust me,” I had to speak, the message was too important, the compulsion too strong. I pushed him away and with a force of will I pushed the last vestiges of hysteria from my voice.

“He said it was, he said you must warn the Celestials.”

“Who is he?” Equinox asked calmly.

“Unity…” I said as calmly as I could, giving his words as much emphasis as I could. I was still on the verge of tears but something was nagging at the back of my mind, “tell me it wasn’t true!” With a shake of my head I started to wonder what I was asking about. I could feel that there was something important that needed to be said but as I reached out for it scuttled away. As the thought flickered through my mind I heard a kind voice whispering to her, “Forget little filly, until the time is right, enjoy your blessings, take comfort in love. Be safe, be comforted and remain ignorant of the terrors of the future.”

Equinox stared at me, opened up his mouth to speak when the ground itself shuddered and a cold vapor began to snake across the floor. His mouth snapped shut and eyes widened even more. “We have spent too long here, expended too much magic we need to leave now.”

I didn’t complain, I obeyed, remaining as close to Equinox as I could. When he dipped his head and cantered for the far side of the chamber I matched his speed. The moment we passed under the middle archway on the far side of the room the feeling of terrible dread slowly faded away causing me to sag against crystal wall and start to sob again.

The comforting voice of Equinox drifted over to me as he padded over and smiled, “Twilight, dry your tears, I wish to show you something.”

Blinking back the niggling feeling of some distant fear I looked back to Equinox, as he slowly raised his horn and shot a blast of pure radiant light high towards the distant cave ceiling. That beam of light, brighter than the sun slammed into the crystal faceted walls and sparkled, splitting billions of tiny shards reflecting light in every color of the rainbow.

“The darkness cannot exist in the same place and time as the light, only when it fades can it take hold in a pony’s heart.”

Regaining my strength I slid next to him and smiled. The vague memory of something still present like a shadow but quickly replaced by a need I believed was still months away. Eyes shining I pressed myself against Equinox and smiled, in barely more than a whisper I spoke, “I choose you; be with me.”

Equinox stiffened slightly, and a pink hue lightened his cheeks, quickly deepening across the bridge of his muzzle. “The shock of fear and loss is confusing you. Making you mistake companionship for love. I would be a poor choice for you.

“I know; at least I think I know, although I do not fully understand,” I replied with a grin on my face, “I am as clear headed now as I have ever been. I choose you.”
“It is this place; my presence, the power of Unity. Many things combined,” Equinox replied in a very quiet voice, “If you are certain of this decision, we will part soon and we will likely never meet again.”

I only nodded with soft smile, “I choose you,” turning slightly my flicking mane and tail invitingly.

With a sigh Equinox nodded. “It seems you are…