Ponyville, 12:45 PM, Twilight's House
"So let me get this straight Twilight," Rarity said, sipping from a cup of tea that Spike had prepared for her,"You heard a voice in your head and saw an image in the Everfree forest?" Her friends all sat at the table, listening to Twilight.
Twilight nodded,"Yes Rarity, and the voice was somepony asking for my help."
Fluttershy looked down, then muttered something barely plausible,"But, um...Is it anypony that you've seen before?" She asked.
Twilight hesitated,"Well...No, it didn't feel like anypony that i know, but....I can't help but feel that they are really in trouble though, whoever they are."
Rainbow Dash snorted,"You know it could just be someone trying to take advantage of your good nature and kidnap you."
Applejack nodded,"Ah hate ta agree with that Twilight, but what if it is a trap?"
Twilight sighed,"Then we use the Elements of Harmony. I mean, what could possibly be down there that could stand up to them?"
They all looked at one another, none of them coming up with an argument.
"Alright Twilight, we're in." Rainbow Dash declared. The other ponies nodded assent.
"So it's decided then. We'll all meet at the edge of the Everfree in a couple of hours. That way we are all prepared in case it takes awhile to get there or if it is indeed a trap." Twilight said to them. Her friends nodded, and left to prepare for their journey.
Spike hesitated, then asked,"Um Twilight? Do you even know where this place is?"
Twilight shook her head,"No, i don't. But that's where the pony whose in trouble is going to help me with hopefully. If i can get whoever it is to talk to me again, maybe this time they'll help me with directions."
Spike nodded,"Okay, but it seems an awful lot of risk you're taking and a lot of trust you're putting into that pony."
Twilight smiled,"Don't worry Spike, I know what i'm doing." She said reassuringly, then went upstairs to pack her saddlebags.
Spike watched her leave,"I certainly hope so Twilight." He said worriedly.
Canterlot, Celestia's Private Sanctum
Shining Armor, Princess Cadence, and Princess Celestia all stood gathered around a table.
Shining Armor shuddered,"I can't believe that he could penetrate the magic barriers around Canterlot. Isn't that impossible?"
Celestia nodded,"It should have been, and yet he did it as easily as if he were walking through a field. Even more alarming is that he actually penetrated my mind and forced me into a nightmare where Luna had been hurt."
Cadence cleared her throat,"Um if you don't mind me asking, where is Luna?"
Celestia replied,"She hasn't been feeling well so i helped her to use the hibernation spell to speed up her recovery."
Cadence nodded, then Shining Armor spoke again,"Anyway, do you know if he actually broke free of his prison?"
Celestia shook her head,"No, but if he was able to penetrate the magical barriers around Canterlot and my mind, then he must be very close to it."
"So should we check to see if he is close to breaking free then?" Shining Armor asked.
Celestia shook her head,"Not me, as it would look suspicious if another princess left or didn't show. It would have to be you two."
Cadence looked a little confused,"Um, what would we be expecting when we go down there?" She asked.
Celestia hesitated, then said,"Place both your horns on mine." They both complied and an image went coursing through their minds.
The image was clearly of a battle, and from the figures they could make out, it was one unicorn versus about a hundred. However, the hundred were being slaughtered, and not just by the lone unicorn's means. The enemy unicorns all wore the Sunguard uniform, all were unicorns...and were all attacking each other while the lone unicorn watched. He stood on top of the massacre, ponies falling at his blue flaming hooves, which matched his eyes and his mane along his pitch black body. His horn was glowing and streaming in random patterns that did not seem to make sense to Shining Armor and Cadence, but they were still horrified at the slaughter.
After a few more minutes of this, only one unicorn was left standing. She looked around in horror,
"W-what have i done?" she gasped, shocked. The black and blue unicorn just smiled and impaled her on his horn, vanishing and reappearing next to her as if he had been running at full speed. The stallion smiled in satisfaction as his enemy slid lifeless to the ground. Suddenly a bright light shone in the sky, causing him to back off recoiling. The light faded, revealing a very angry, younger Princess Celestia in her battle gear. Behind her, was more than a hundred sorted Earth Ponies, bathed in light, their determined eyes fixed on the flaming black unicorn Celestia roared out her challenge at the stallion,
"Surrender Nightmare! You are outnumbered!" The Nightmare just chuckled, his eyes starting to turn a deeper shade of red. He spoke, his voice lightish but had a steady edge to it. "Am I? Do you really underestimate my abilities that much Celly?" Then his eyes glowed completely blood red, and his mane burst into flames of the same color and rose a few feet, then the Nightmare spoke again, this time his voice roaring out differently, darker and full of hate.
"You should know Celestia, those that stay in the light of the sun for too long...Will BURN!" On the last word, the Nightmare's body began to glow with outlines of fire. Suddenly, the Earth ponies that had been standing with Celestia began to scream as their flesh began burn as flames exploded from their ears. Young Celestia turned in horror as their screams died out when the flames came out of their throats and eyes. The Nightmare's booming laugh echoed throughout the field, then the memory faded, leaving both Cadence and Shining Armor speechless.
Celestia spoke to them with a solemn voice,"That...is what you face..."