//------------------------------// // The Fairy-Tale of Mythology // Story: Time is Forever // by MysteryMelt //------------------------------// The Fairy-Tale of Mythology “Mythology is not a lie, so remember the myths forgotten by the day.” ~ Star Swirl the Bearded “It was night when she trotted through the golden city; in the moonlight Canterlot looked much more gritty. But even at night it was much more lively, a myriad of life, most likely. She admired the nightlife while she trotted along, they were ponies having fun and even some sang a song. Fillies and foals played tag in the light, and others danced wildly throughout the night. Returning from a visit to the archive of spells, now it was midnight as rang the church bells. She headed to the palace to do some research, along the way she passed many trees of birch. But she was underlined with worry that lead her astray, the words of Celestia that told her the way: ‘Twilight, my most faithful student, I’m afraid, your time in Ponyville is nearing an end...’ Those words rushed in her mind and corrupted her thought, the words that had caused her to become distraught. Yet she still wondered why she that must say goodbye to her time in Ponyville. Celestia explained it was for her own protection, and now all that Twilight felt was rejection. She kept their discussion a secret from friends, until with Celestia she could make amends.” “Alright, enough with the rhyming already! It's annoying. Are you trying to get me into trouble?!” “Twilight suddenly shouted out to the surprise of everypony... no doubt. However, it was not time to leave Ponyville just yet... To impress she had to improve on everything: Spells, patience and even learning. She could adopt her wings again in order to impress or perhaps even become a grandmaster in chess. Within her satchel was a unique book, which she had stole from the archives like a crook. She was looking for it but let’s spare the details, the book is about mythology and fairy-tales." “Okay, enough, seriously. Stop!” “...Twilight said as she wiped her brow, she wondered who, what, where and how? When inside a tower of the royal palace, she took out the book named the Myst Borealis. Twilight looked down and had to admit, that the rhyming voice was coming from it. In here it was quiet enough but alas the book was covered in fluff. She filled up her lungs and blew with some clout, then opened the book and looked throughout.” Silence. As soon as she opened the book... it stopped. Twilight sat back in disbelief. The Myst Borealis — as the book was called — had narrated her every move in rhyme from the moment she first touched it. Twilight thought a talking book would be interesting and magical, but it hadn’t shut up for the whole trip over here and had gotten unbelievably annoying. But how did it speak, was it alive? They're must be a scientific explanation. It’s two deep covers acted as lips and the pages inside acted as a tongue. The book was learning about her, learning about its surroundings, it was sentient. For now at least, Twilight was just glad for a little peace and quiet. As Twilight looked through the shelves of books in the confidential section of the Canterlot archives she spoke to herself. She mumbled on about what Celestia had said about her leaving Ponyville and trying to keep it a secret from her friends.The Myst Borealis had overheard her. As she flicked through the brownish pages, she noticed the Myst Borealis was illegible and full of hieroglyphs. She did notice however that the book was written entirely in rhyme. The back cover had something etched in the middle of the page, Twilight noticed it was a riddle: The book's words whispered in her ear: 'It will all soon become very-quite clear.' The book had poems about ancient fairy-tales, puzzles and riddles. But Twilight was most interested in the symbolic drawings of the long ancient creatures that walked the world a thousand years ago. They were strange horses with rooster hindlegs, trees which walked the forlorn forests of old and pictures of little green goblins which years ago caused destructive mischief. There was a small torn scroll that was affixed between two pages; it fell out of the book as soon as she opened it. She curiously unrolled the spell. It was called the Myst Spell. The spell itself wasn’t hieroglyphic and was perfectly readable. Few spells in Equestria actually had words, but rare spells required one to chant in the quiet spaces of their mind. With time and effort she could easily translate the book, but for now she was more interested in the spell. Perhaps if Twilight could cast such a spell in its simplest form, she could impress Celestia enough to allow her to stay in Ponyville. Afterall, that’s what the book had said why she had stolen it in the first place. But one thing the book said was right; it was going to be a long day. It was already past midnight and she had prepared to study until morning... determined as always. She had told none but Spike of her little sneak into the archives. She wasn’t going to give up. With candle-light by her side, she sank deeply into the quiet spaces of her own mind... after she memorized the spell... she attempted to cast it. Ancient yellow light shone from her horn, it wheezed and popped. She could feel the energies of the arcane spell as they mixed with the thoughts of her mind and erupted into magical results. Mentally, she chanted the spell over and over through her mind. Sparks flew across the marble tiles. She felt it, the spell, but it's effects were not to her liking. She felt strange, her horn itched. “Argh!” She groaned as the magic faded but her horn itched like crazy, she scratched it with her hoof but it was to no avail. The irritation continued. She couldn’t do it; she failed to cast the spell. Sweat dropped from her brow. It was a most powerful spell, but it felt so simple to cast. Cock-a-doodle-doo! Time had flown... the sun had risen, all without her prior knowledge. In a state of unrest she darted from the tower with the book underhoof and the spell scroll wedged back inside. The minute the sun peaked in the sky Celestia would be awake. Twilight quickly placed the book back on the ‘confidential’ shelf in the archives before the zenith of the sun and before anypony had chance to notice her. Nopony was any the wiser to her little crime and escapade into the night. The Library door swung open with a disheartened slow speed. “...So, how’d it go?” Spike jumped down from the bottom step, his stumpy legs landed with a small bounce. He had waited all night for the result and he smiled with high hopes. Twilight walked in with her head hung low. “It’s no good Spike; I couldn’t cast the spell despite all I’ve learnt.” Twilight seemed agitated. “I wish I had more time.” Spike deadpanned: “Well, I don’t know why you would wanna’ even cast such a spell but—” “Spike, I don’t care, alright? If I don’t cast that spell then I might be leaving Ponyville for good! Argh, this itching!” She pointed her horn to itch like a crazy-pony. How can a horn itch anyway? It’s scientifically impossible. “Nevermind!” Twilight growled between her teeth. Slam! She rummaged upstairs and slammed the door in her wake. Spike curled up into his small bed with a tearful pout. “Urmmm...” Twilight Sparkle groaned in her bed, she had slept all through the morning hours. Her sleep had done nothing to stop the itching from her horn. She turned over and grumbled before she awakened. Strange, she had never awoken to feel something crawling on her before. Her eyes shot open and she flung back the bedclothes. A bunch of red ants scurried over her, but not just any ants, giant red ants which squirmed and had hairy legs... “Aaaaaahhhhhh!” It was a scream from the bottom of the chest. Twilight levitated out of bed and disposed of the ants with a panicked swing of her hooves. “Roger-roger-roger,” the red ants repeated over and over again as they scurried away tapping their pincers together wildly. Twilight rushed down the stairs and exploded out of her home. Her jaw dropped at the scene. The grass had turned pink and trees from the Everfree Forest were... alive. They walked, as they used their branches for forefingers and tree roots for feet. “Treants?! Here, but how?!” Twilight gasped in disbelief. Crrreaaakk! Twilight’s jaw closed and her ears fell. She turned slowly and looked up. The Library moved. Since her home was an entanglement of a tree of a building, it too came to life and uprooted itself using its roots for feet and branches for arms, taking the entire Library with it. The beehive on the branch broke into several pieces, the windows of the library acted as eyes and the curtains that shook from movement were it’s eyelids. Many of Twilight’s prized books inside fell out of the windows, the door to the Library slammed open and shut much like a mouth talking and branches snapped from their once perfect place. The Tenant simple stepped over Twilight with a huge step, each footstep of the Treant caused huge thuds that shook Ponyville. Golden Oaks Library walked off into Ponyville, much to the astonishment of Twilight. “What’s happening?!” Twilight bellowed in confusion. Inside the now mobile Library, Spike awakened as he slid from side-to-side in his little bed... Everypony ran in any direction as Ponyville was ravaged by creatures from beyond the grave. “Roger-roger-roger,” the red ants said in their deep military-like voices as they scurried past. The red ants didn’t seem to harm anypony but seemed dangerous as they snapped the giant pincers on their mouths. Everypony was experiencing the same athwart Ponyville... At the Carousel Boutique, Rarity was stood on a small wooden stool. Her weapon of choice was a small broom as she did her best to repel the strange giant red ants. “Take that you vile bugs!” She snarled almost triumphantly. Munch! Munch! Her eyes widened to their fullest. She turned to the horror... “What are yo— oh sweet Celestia! Don’t eat it! Nooooo, not the colours!" Rarity exploded with anger. They were eating the Tour De’ Cloak, the diamonds, the carefully sewn linen, her pride and joy. Usually she would faint at the sight of a bug, but her work came first. She jumped from the stool whacked the ants with a broomstick which give a faint cry. Then to finish them off she cast a small blast of harmless magic to blast several ants out the windows. “It’s ruined, ruuuiiinnneeeddd!!” She screamed in ruin and held the dress with tears in her eyes... Inside Fluttershy’s cottage animals of all kinds panicked in a blind rage. They smashed photo’s and tore up the furniture with their claws. A small brown bear smashed through the wall and small beavers chewed through the walls and carpet. Her entire cottage had become ruined. “Please... please stop...” Fluttershy squealed but to no avail. Why weren’t they listening? Had every creature in Equestria gone mad? “Hehehe... Angel... put down the bat. Pretty please.” Fluttershy squealed again as her pet bunny rabbit Angel approached Fluttershy as he smacked a baseball bat against his paw. “Eee.” Fluttershy screamed quietly as birds of all colours flew out of the door in their hundreds. The animals of Equestria had become untameable... The Friendship Express chugged down the train line as it departed from Appleloosa. Aboard one of the passenger carriages, Applejack and Pinkie Pie, who had just gone on a wild west shopping spree in the town. The Friendship Express sped down the line on route to Ponyville. Applejack gazed out of the window with a dozen shopping bags on the seat, mostly filled with dozens of cowgirl hats, one for each day of the week it seemed. It was good to have seen Little Strongheart again, perhaps not so much of a treat seeing Braeburn waffle on about his own pony business. Opposite Applejack, Pinkie Pie smiled to herself, she was counting the many trees as they flew by. “Huh?” Pinkie Pie tilted her head. A big green thing clambered up onto the window. It stuck her tongue out at the pony. “Heeeyy!” Pinkie Pie said in both delight and confusion. “What in tarnation?” Applejack had also seen them. She too watched as more of the little green things climb up the windows. “Ha! I think they’re funny!” Pinkie Pie giggled. “Funny!” What they didn’t know was that the entire Friendship Express had been taken over, hundreds of the little green goblins were crawled across the sides and upon the roof. They had pointy ears, sharp teeth and sticky fingertips which enabled them to stick to the outside of the train. In the drivers cabin at the very front of the train one of the green gremlins grabbed the lever controlling the train and pushed it forward with hysterical laughter, while a dozen more of them, giggling wildly, jumped onto the pony driving the train and blocked his view. The Friendship Express chugged faster and faster... steam parted from the pivots connecting the wheels. The train turned a sharp corner, the left side of the train tilted until it parted with the tracks and toppled inadvertently... “Pinkie, get down!” Applejack gasped, jumped from her seat and grabbed Pinkie Pie. Both ponies hit the carpeted floor as The Friendship Express derailed. The whole train crashed on its side with an almighty thud... but that didn’t stop there. The forward momentum of the vehicle made it continue to scrape across a meadow and continue on its side. All the lagging passenger cabins behind derailed in turn. The windows of the train explode inward and sent sharp shards of glass in all directions, parts of the wreckage exploded into flame as it slid across the grass. Anypony still inside shook from left to right violently against the train walls. The little green gremlins rode the flaming wreckage of the train like a roller coaster, some laughing and some cheering with evil grins, but all of them with little care for their own safety. Some couldn’t hang on and splattered into green mush as they hit the ground violently. The train finally came to a screeching halt at the end of Ghastly Gorge. The train perilously hung on the edge of this jaggedly gorge, ready to plummet inside at any moment... C-c-crrreeaakk... Sparks flew from wires that dangled from the roof of the train. Through the raging torrent of black smoke an innocent voice could be heard shouting in desperation... “Applejack!” “...Applejack... over here!” Pinkie Pie shouted and coughed uncontrollably as black smoke that had quickly filled the derailed carriage now filled her lungs. She was trapped under a large piece of heavy wreckage. It crushed her back hooves and caused her to wince in pain. She struggled to break free but to no avail. Applejack was far from unfazed. Burn marks and soot stained her fur coat and she was covered in singular scars. “Help!” Pinkie Pie screamed dramatically. Applejack parted through the wreckage of an upturned seat and sprung into action. The entire train was turned on it’s side meaning Applejack would have to walk over all the broken glass of the windows. She did so carefully. Although the billowing smoke made it near impossible to see. She followed her friend's voice. Crunch! “Darn...” Applejack winced as glass pierced the soft bottoms of her hooves causing them to bleed out. She took a dive toward Pinkie Pie. “Pinkie, are ya’ okay?” The athletic pony lifted the large piece of metal off her friend to survey the damage. Pinkie Pie got up, and checked herself for any broken bone. All seemed good. Thank goodness. But the pink pony was in a similar state to her friend, broken and bruised. The entire train wobbled on the edge of the gorge and suddenly caused both ponies to lose their balance. “We need to get out of here. Can ya walk?” “Y-yeah...” Pinkie Pie mumbled. Applejack placed her hoof around her best friend to help support her. Together they limp over to the back end of the carriage. “Darn it, the trains on its side, all the doors are blocked!” Applejack panicked. They changed their plan and headed for the door at the back of the carriage. Applejack slid open the door... BOOM! Their faces felt the searing heat as a burst of flames knocked both ponies back. “The other side, hurry,” Applejack ordered. By now the smoke it unbearable to even breathe. Electrical sparks shimmered from the roof, both took utmost care to avoid them and they slid their way through the wreckage. “This doors jammed,” Pinkie Pie tugged at a door which is on the side of the train. They were no doors left. They were trapped. Hope fled from Applejack. The train creaked louder and made both the friends stop in their tracks in fear... C-c-crrreeaakk... A creak was followed by a sudden jolt. The whole train is pushed forward, both friends fell off their hooves and against the floor of the train. The back-most carriage of the train descended into the gorge, as it fell down into the abyss it pulled the rest of the carriages with it... “Up! Go up! Hurry! Hurry!” Applejack shouted as the two friends find a small hole in the top part of the train. Applejack gave Pinkie Pie a boost, the pink pony clambered up onto the side of the train now serving as the roof. She took a deep guzzle of fresh air. She turned and saw the carriages fell one after the over. Their carriage was next! “Appleeejjaaccckkk...” Pinkie Pie shouted in horror as their carriage turned to all. Pinkie Pie lent her friend her hoof. Applejack jumped and grabbed it. “You’re too heavy...” Pinkie Pie said tearfully. “Just pull, damnit!” Applejack hoped and prayed. Somewhere, Pinkie found the strength to lift her friend up, but not without consequence as her foreleg muscles tore in the process. As Applejack reached the open air, both she and Pinkie Pie dived off the train just as the carriages fell behind them. They land and roll on the grass on the edge of the gorge as the Friendship Express chugged its last breath. It fell into the darkness and exploded into flames at the bottom. A pillar of fire rose up into the air. If anyponies were still inside, they were now gone. As several more explosions erupted in the gorge Applejack and Pinkie Pie stood on the edge of the gorge. Both of the silently felt relieved to be alive. The wind blew through their manes as they gazed down, memorized by the flames, memorized that they were both still alive. Applejack then turned to Pinkie Pie with a stern look to say: “Still think they’re ‘funny’?” “Twilight, we came as soon as we could!” Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash and the deflated Rarity charged towards their friend. “W-what’s going on?” Rainbow Dash was the first to ask in confusion. She had slept through most of the chaos. “These creatures are... out of control.” Fluttershy said. Even her calm and collective ways proved ineffective against these feral creatures. It was useless to keep trying. “Something has gone horribly, horribly wrong!” Rarity sobbed, still upset about her all dresses being eaten. Twilight stood in shock. Her eye twitched to the destruction around her, the Library, her home and her home town now ravaged by monstrous creatures she had only read about in the most ancient of books. “Heellooo... Equestria to Twilight?” Rainbow Dash waved her hoof infront of her friends face. Twilight itched her horn and shook her head as she was brought back to her senses. All these creatures could only mean one thing... “The Myst spell,” she cleared her throat, “these creatures could only have come from the Myst spell.” “And what exactly does this ‘Myst Spell’ do?” Rarity asked. “The Myst Spell had images and spoke of long ancients creatures from the fairy tales of lore. These ants, those walking trees, all these creatures existed thousands of years ago. I know because they're all in a book I have, Ancient Equestrian Mythology. Somehow, the Myst Spell has made these creatures real.” Twilight pointed to the distance where a group of giant red ants were scuttled about in a line. “Roger red ants.” Next, Twilight pointed to a group of the little green gremlins that climbed upon the rooftops and jumped across the like it was all just a game. Not of the little buggers made it across and some splattered into green mush on impact with the ground. “Kobalos Goblins. They like to plays games, deceitful games and are playfully deadly...” “And...” Suddenly a larger creature ascended behind Twilight... “Uh Twilight, you might want to look behind you.” Fluttershy pointed and hit behind Rainbow Dash. Twilight turned. Smash! A creature unbeknown to her smashed its hooves and knocked the student back off her own. A creature known as a Hippalectryon. A hybrid creature of half horse at the front with Pegasus wings and of half rooster at the back with rooster wings, feet and tail. It neighed in anger and shook it’s plumes. “Urg... what a hideous creature.” Rarity snarled. “A species called Hippalectryon,” Twilight explained as she had read from the book. The half horse, half rooster snarled raged over the four friends and crashed into a nearby cottage. “They’re some of the oldest creatures known to ponydom, they walked Equestria in the time before we did...” “...and they’re ugly,” Rarity added. The large Hippalectryon flew off into the sky, its rooster wings had to work twice as hard as any pegasus to fly. “We need the Elements.” Rainbow Dash said. “NO!” Twilight stopped everypony. “Doctor Whooves said there was something wrong with them, and that we shouldn't use them anymore. The Elements are not the answer to everything!” Twilight put her hoof down. “We need to find the Myst Spell.” “Where is this Myst spell now?” Rainbow Dash flapped her wings ready to soar the skies, ready to brawl. “Canterlot.” Twilight replied. Rainbow Dash took flight up into the sky. But just as she took flight the Hippalectryon descended to attack. It smashed its entire body into Rainbow Dash and caused her to descend from the sky like a piece of shrapnel. Crash! The hybrid creature wasn’t doing it intentionally, it had difficulty flying with it’s rooster-like wings. Twilight was about to shoot a blast of magic at the creature, but her horn sparked and backfired. Painful yellow bolts of magic sparked from her itching horn. “No magic...” Twilight grunted. “No flying...” Rainbow Dash got up and brushed herself off of dirt. Splash! “Eeeekk!” Rarity squealed as she got covered in cold water. Her mane dropped over her face. The Kobalos Goblins on the roof of the cottage burst into fits of hysterical laughter. “Uohhh. Okay, this... is getting really annoying.” Rarity said between her teeth that chattered together as she shivered. “Wait, didn’t you say the Myst Spell was in... Canterlot?” “Doesn’t that mean? Oh no.” Everypony gradually turned to look up at Canterlot perched high on the cliffside in the distance. Smoke could be seen billowing upwards from the capital city and stained the blue sky... Canterlot was under direct attack. “This isn’t just an accident...” Twilight paused to itch her horn, “this is an invasion... and I know who is behind it.” From the Canterlot Archives, the Myst Borealis opened as it fell off the shelf with powerful magic. Its many pages flicked through on their own each one quicker than the last. The symbols in the book lit up like fire until they exploded magic all through the Canterlot Archives, the rays of light exploded harmlessly out of the windows. Several blasts of the yellow light erupted from the Myst Borealis. Each dancing light swirled into an open area before the light formed into previously extinct creatures. They formed from the bottom up and then march out of the room, some even fought each other on the way out. From roger red ants to green gremlins to massive treants made from birch, all of these creatures merely emerged from the scroll to attack Canterlot, from the inside. The royal guards fought off the bigger creatures, mainly the treant, which roar in their deep voices. The guards flung their sharp spears at the creatures, some picere the bark of the treants and cause them to groan in pain. Inside the royal chambers Princess Celestia was also having trouble, hundreds of the little green gremlins burst into the chambers, one of jumped on her back and rose like her like a feral mare, it held her mane like a saddle as the Princess bucked her back hooves. She casted a white coloured magic spell from her horn but the magic just deflects off the creatures. They giggled hysterically... the Princess most powerful magic only tickled them?! “M-magic is useless against them,” Celestia struggled before finally knocking the gremlin riding her off her head. She charged to the vault and past two guards who defended the gates to the royal chambers from a group of giant red ants. In one-thousand years the Princess had never seen anything like it. She arrived at the vault where she kept the Elements of Harmony safe, only to find more of the little green gremlin had already penetrated the vault. They had opened the blue chest encrusted with gems and were bashed the precious Elements on the stone walls of the palace. One gremlin even bit the Element mistaking it for food! As they spot Celestia, they rush off in hysterics with the shiny Element of Harmony still in their claws. The creatures seemed to be able to climb up the walls without falling. Some of them ran around in circles before and crashed into each other as they departed... the Elements of Harmony had been stolen. Twilight, Rarity, Fluttershy and Dashie ducked, dodged and fought through the chaos. Twilight shot several bolts of magic at any invading Hippalectryon which attack, Dashie punched them out of the sky, Fluttershy cowered behind her friends and Rarity carefully fended of the army lines of ants. “Where are we headed?” Rarity said over her shoulder, she didn't want to break eye contact with the giant ants for fear they would eat her. “Canterlot,” Twilight returned, “the Myst spell is there. But without my magic and any form of flying, we'll have to take the Friendship Express!” Suddenly an explosion of fire ripped through a nearby house and blasted all four ponies off their hooves. They were flung into opposite directions, the wreckage crashed in the middle. They were on separate sides. “Ow, ow, owwie!” One pony sulks in pain. “Girls? Girls?! Is everything okay?” Twilight was alone and split apart from the other three. “We’re okay, we’re all okay, Fluttershy just got a splinter in her hoof, that’s all,” Rarity explained and tended to Fluttershy who has a nasty splinter of wood from the wreckage stabbed in the bottom of her hoof. “I’ll meet you at the train station! Get going!” Twilight commanded. Rarity, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy headed off in the opposite direction and tried to cross the river but a Treant stopped them at a small bridge above an embankment. Suddenly Rainbow Dash turned kicks a Treant with her back hooves, a tree grunted back falling backwards down the embankment and into the river. Defeated it grabbed its now broken limbs in pain as it was washed away down the river. “...Take that,” Rarity cheered in victory. Twilight Sparkle turned to depart also but only saw a group of roger red ants. They charged towards her as their deadly pincers snapped. She blasted her magic to fend off the giant ants, each bit of magic caused her horn even more unbearable strain. All the creatures seemed to be multiplying, if not stopped soon, they could overrun the entire world. Twilight suddenly came face to face with two of the little the Kobalos Goblins. One of them seemed to be a chief. Twilight had read that the Kobalos Goblins can bite off their own fingers as a test of strength, they then worn their own finger on a primitive necklace. This made them the chiefs. The mischievous little buggers danced on the cottages, some were even looting. Twilight tried to blast them away with a quick non-lethal spell from her horn, but the goblins were immune to her magic, the magic tickled them and they burst into fits of manic laughter. Smash! She gasped as a huge dragon foot stopped her in her tracks, she followed the foot upwards... “Spike, no! Not you too!” Twilight shouted in devastation as the godzilla sized Spike destroyed Ponyville. Spike had grown to three-times his normal size and now rampaged across the town and spat green fire in a blind rage. He could no longer control his own actions. He couldn’t even recognize Twilight’s voice. The Myst Spell was not just reanimating extinct creatures, it was effecting all creatures in Equestria. It had turned all the creatures of the world into raging monsters. “Don’t worry Spike, I’m going to fix all this, I’m going to save you!” Twilight shouted up to the dragon before she avoided being stopped on, she continues out of Ponyville and took a shortcut through a dark cavern on route to the train station... Drip... Drip... The cavern was damp, Twilight threaded through some muddy puddles, the cavern was a shortcut to the train station and served as protection from the creatures. She wished she could’ve used her horn for a source of light but it itched too much. She carefully and silently trotted through the dark cavern. Without seeing where she was going, Twilight crashed into something, a rock? No, not a rock, it had fur. “Incy Wincy spider climbed up the water spout... down came the fire and washed poor Incy out..." A deep voice sung. “W-who’s there?!” Twilight said and darted her gaze in all directions, but her voice echoed in the darkness. Twilight stepped back, as what she thought was a rock unfolded into a massive creature. Eight sharp long legs spread apart and smash against the rocky ground... “Out came the sunshine to dry up all the pain... and Incy Wincy spider went in the dark again.” That what unfolded was a giant black-coloured spider. It towered over her with a terrible glare... its eyelid’s were vertical, rather than horizontal. Could it be another creature from formed from the Myst Spell? Twilight's ears flopped down, she stood firm ready to attack. "Do not fear me, young pony. I wish you no harm." It's deep voice echoed. Clang! The threat evaporated. The beast was chained to the cavern wall via one of its eight legs. “Amah! Many years I have waited for this meeting.” the spider spoke! Its voice was extremely low and monotone, but also seemed intelligent. “W-who are you?” Twilight looked up in fright. “What are you?” “I am a daemon with many names, so many forgotten names. The zebra calls me fear, but fear you should not." The spider daemon used all its legs to crawl up a wall, as far as the chain would stretch. “The zebra? You can’t mean... Zecora?!” Twilight raised an eyebrow. “How else am I meant to get sustenance?” The spider comfirmed. Why would Zecora feed this beast? Twilight thought. “Let me ask you this, young pony, is one still free if they are chained?” The spider inquired, the intriguing grin on the demon's mouth made Twilight believe this was a test of some kind. She didn't need long to think or answer: “Perhaps the chains are only an instrument of abstract...” she replied. “Oh! Very clever indeed.” The giant spider's eyes flashed with knowledge. One of its eight legs pulled on the chains as it crawled along the cavern. “These blasted chains were forged and infused with the magic from the Nevershade Mountain, where the sun always shines and where the shadow never lurks. It will never break. None can help me escape this contemptible cave.” The daemon growled in a low tone. “Have you told them yet?" It spoke again, "your friends I mean... have you told them it’s your fault these creatures walk again?” The spider said in it's deep croaky voice. Twilight hung her head in defeat. She hated to admit it... but deep inside, she knew it was her who tried to cast a spell from an illegible book beyond her capability. She tampered with the Myst Spell to try and impress Princess Celestia; it was all her fault all this happened. Clearly distressed by how much this creature knew about her and her friends, she had to ask more. “How do you know all this?!” Twilight was distressed by how much this creature knew about her and her friends even though it was confined into this cavern. “Amah! Once they were ponies who went on pilgrimages and starved themselves of the sun. They prayed in the darkest reaches of caverns such as these. They were the Cistrine Sisterhood. It was their sole duty to protect the core of the world, but that duty has long since past. Eventually they saw things which were not there in the dark, events which were yet to come. Visions. A thousand years of anticipatory darkness here has given me that those same visions. I foresee what is to come,” it explained. “But why do you assume that I am apart of evil? Is it due to my ghoulish exterior? Have you yet to learn to not judge a book by its cover?” “Wait... that’s the lesson I learnt when I first met Zecora— Ueh..." Twilight stopped as she had worked it out, Zecora must of told this creature all about her. "Nevermind. Now if you excuse me, I have a kingdom to save.” Twilight realised this daemon was peaceful in nature but it’s knowledge of everything annoyed her. Twilight was about to leave until the daemon spoke again... “What was the last thing you said to that dragon of yours? The one now terrorising your town?” The spider daemon relished in all the knowledge it knew, perhaps it is using this knowledge against Twilight in a battle of wits? Twilight could outsmart this beast... she turned to reply. “You mean Spike? The last thing I said...” Twilight’s face dropped. She was suddenly stricken with grief... her last words to Spike: ‘Spike, I don’t care, alright? If I don’t cast that spell then I might be leaving Ponyville for good! Argh, this itching!’ “Oh no...” Twilight sulked on the cold stone floor of the cavern, the last thing she said to him were a bunch of angry words... “Hear me out, young pony, for I am more of a philosopher and certainly a pacifist at heart.” “Hmm?” Twilight acknowledged the daemon and turned her neck up to gaze at it. “To stop all the evil creatures that roam this rock... use an artefact known as The Left Hand of Hades. It will be used for great evil, but then... it will be used for the greater good.” “You’re helping me?” “Amah! But of course,” Suddenly the spider daemon crept right up into Twilight face, its breath was cold and could be seen in the air, it had four layers of teeth in its mouth which all rotated. Twilight stood strong and faced the beast without trying to show fear. “To cross the saviour of harmony is a foolish thing to do indeed,” the spider daemon whispered before it disappeared into the darkness. All the things it knew, all it's knowledge of the future. Can I trust a daemon? What does ‘amah’ even mean? Twilight thought about it too much. One thing was for sure, she would have to have a word with Zecora... Twilight Sparkle continued onwards and rushed through the cavern away from the shady encounter. She quickly arrived outside to breathe the fresh air once more; she made haste toward the train station. Time was of the essence, explosions could be heard in the distance as Ponyville was wrecked in temporary chaos. The six friends met upon the Ponyville train station. “Goodness, are you okay?” Rarity helped Applejack and Pinkie, and gave them some makeshift bandages to place around their scars and wounds. “Nay, they destroyed the Friendship Express, horrible little buggers. All of Equestria is cut-off!” ” Applejack explained. Equestria was connected via train lines, without the train everypony was trapped in their own town or cities as the chaos unfolded. “This thing is worldwide.” Pinkie Pie splayed both her front hooves wide to demonstrate the size... but then fell flat on her face without proper balance. “So now what?” Rainbow Dash asked. All the friends watched Twilight pace up and down. “There’s nothing else we can do. Without flying or magic we’re trapped here.” Wwwwiiiiiiiiiirrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! The sirens rang. The most terrifying sound in the world. The new noisemaker system that was installed recently by the mayor of ponyville was being put to use. All the megaphones rang out loudly as the alarm sounded. The girls could hear it all the way from this lonely train station. “We need to get to Canterlot and find something called ‘The Left Hand of Hades’. It might be a long shot but we might still be able to change all this.” Twilight itched her horn. “The only option left is for me to teleport us all.” “But I thought you couldn’t cast your magic because your horn was all itchy.” Pinkie Pie said with worry. “And I’ve never actually seen you teleport anypony else other than yourself... “It’s a risk I’m willing to take right now,” Twilight replied as in the distance they could hear the destruction of Ponyville and the sirens behind them. They could even hear Spike roar stridently like a true dragon in the distance. “Alright, but only if you’re sure...” Rainbow Dash was skeptical, but trusted her friend. Everypony placed their hooves together in a circle except for Pinkie Pie who was understandably reluctant. “What about you Pinkie Pie? You in?” Twilight asked. “Let me quickly grow a moustache and think about it.” Pinkie Pie stroked a moustache that had appeared on her face from nowhere. “O-kay!” Pinkie decided. “Then it’s settled.” Twilight removed all doubt as she cast the teleport spell, white light surrounded the friends in a bubble and with a quick flash they had moved... Crash! Spike roared into the air, pillars of white smoke simmered from his nostrils. He crashed through Ponyville with little care and little awareness of his own actions. His massive feet destroyed any and all things in its path. Alas, Ponyville was now covered in a layer of green flames no doubt from fire of the pink dragon. Then a glimmer of something caught his eye: a flying bird of orange fur with red sun-like feathers from its tail. Spike was about to grab the little birdy. But something stopped him, an inkling of his past... he looked into the birds eyes and remembered... ‘No! It's just a defenceless egg, like I was! And I'm not gonna let you hurt it!’ ‘Now I realize that who I am is not the same as what I am...’ ‘I'm proud to call Ponyville my home, and to have my pony friends as my family. Yours truly, Spike.’ ‘Hey, welcome to the family. Stick with me. I've got plenty to teach you about being a pony.’ His eye softened. It was Peewee. All grown up. But how? Why? How was the phoenix suppressing the spell? How was he suppressing it?! Spike looked at his own massive claws, he had become self aware of his beastly self. He looked up at Peewee who spun around in the air happily with a faint cry. The phoenix had helped him. A single tear fell from his dragon-like eye. Dragon’s really can cry after all... Twilight, Fluttershy and Applejack awakened in the middle of the Canterlot western courtyard. Everypony crashed into the dirt with a wallop, each one landed on top of other. They had landed just outside the main gate of Canterlot. The gate had been burst down and broken, only haphazard pieces of spiked lumber remained. An exhausted Twilight Sparkle took a breather. Her horn itched even more now, it was getting worse and worse, almost to the point where it was unbearable. Twilight, Fluttershy and Applejack rushed inside to the devastated city. Everything had been laid siege to. Smoke hurled into the air, rubble littered the ground and the city seemed understandably deserted. Twilight suddenly blasted her magic up at another Hippalectryon that descended to them and crashed into the ground as its only form of attacked. The girls charged in through the royal palace. Inside, they were safe. The palace had also been laid waste to, broken vases littered the red royal carpets, windows had been smashed, ponies laid defeated in the hallways as the friends rushed to their aid. All their efforts are in vain however as they felt even more useless than before. “Roger-roger-roger-roger,” Twilight and her two friends turned to see an army of giant red ants headed straight for them. They only word they knew they repeated in their deep military-like voices, it was the only warning of their approach. “Go, hurry!” Twilight shouted. The royal chambers seemed like a maze at first, the many long corridors seemed to stretch on forever, and they all looked the same. They charged down the many lanes of corridors until they reached the unguarded Canterlot archives. It was a large room with many shelves filled with old scrolls and spells. There was a large ashen hourglass stood in the centre of the archives in which sand trickled downwards. “The book ain't here,” Applejack growled. The Myst Borealis watched hidden in the darkness of the shelves, the two arcane eyes imprinted on its front covered scowled. Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie and Rarity find themselves in a newly refurbished concert hall in the one of the highest towers of Canterlot. When everypony regained consciousness... Rarity heard a familiar voice– “Mrs. Nesbitt!” A boisterous voice cried out in delight. “Oh no, please tell me I’m dreaming.” Rarity groaned and reluctantly opened her eyes to see the colourful Vinyl Scratch stood beside a worried Octavia. Their sudden teleportation into the consort hall had interrupted Vinyl and Octavia’s spout. “DJ-Pon Three!” Pinkie Pie jumped on top of Rarity’s head. “We’re looking for something called ‘The Right Hoof of Heaven.’” “No, Pinkie Pie.” Rainbow Dash corrected her. “‘The Left Hand of Hades.’” “Aw, I know that! It’s uhhh... down in the museum.” Vinyl Scratch checked back with Octavia to see if she was right. Octavia silently pointed down to the floor. “Thankyouthankyouthankyou!” Pinkie Pie said with glee and bounced of Rarity and away with her friends who followed closely behind. Rainbow, Pinkie and Rarity descended down the many circular stairs, the sounds of explosions and fighting could be heard outside of the royal palace. The museum was just down two flights of stairs. The Canterlot museum, previously unseen by ponies eyes. A red laser security system had already been triggered and white smoke had filled the museum with a faint mist. Through the dust and bricks which littered the museum, they were many glass displays of artefacts, one was labelled: ‘The Krosis Stone’ but had nothing displayed on the plinth, another taller display was also empty and was labelled for ‘The Trident of the Ocean’. They searched the many plinths for the artefact. The Left Hand of Hades, stood unharmed inside an intact glass display case. “Alright, no funny business,” Rainbow Dash grabbed a nearby brick and used it to smash the display case to get the artefact. The Left Hand of Hades was made from hardened onyx, it had five fingers and acted as a metal gauntlet. It was a mysterious contraption considering ponies had hooves, not fingers. The three friends took the relic and galloped for the door. Upon an unnamed hillside just outside of Canterlot — close to the Canterlot labyrinth — the ponies pass all the required items to Twilight. “We need open space.” Twilight said. Twilight and Applejack headed to the end of the cliffside, the rest of the friends were about to follow but were stopped. An army of creatures approached from the Canterlot royal palace. Lead by none other than the Myst Borealis, the talking book which rode on the back of a armoured Hippalectryon.The Myst Spell contained within it's pages was lit up with ancient yellow magic, it seemed burnt out, no more creatures came from the parchment. “You know... I would give anything for this day to just end.” Rarity complained as she, Pinkie, Rainbow and Fluttershy stood at arms. Together the two grounds charged towards each other as the friends tried to hold back the increasingly hostile creatures, including the Hippalectryon in the air, the Treants, Roger Red Ants and the Kobalos Goblins. All the creatures eye shone yellow. Borealis was controlling them... that much was for sure. The two groups exploded into a pit of dust and smoke as the brawl raged on. In the tumbled mess of the battle, Pinkie Pie grabbed the Myst Borealis, it hissed at her with a pure rage. "Twilight!" Pinkie Pie shouted while riding the back of a Treant, she arched her hoof back. "Catch!" The Myst Borealis flung through the air and she tried to catch it with her magic. Tzzz! Twilight's horn suddenly sparked and fizzed painfully on her skull. Applejack dived up into the air to grab the book. “Alrighty, here’s everythin' ye need,” Applejack placed the objects down for Twilight. Applejack kept her hooves pressed against the book so it couldn't wiggle it's way to escape. The Myst Borealis hissed like a snake. “The Left Hand of Hades,” Twilight glared at the strange onyx artefact. The onyx artefact had fingers and served as a gauntlet, but Twilight had hooves, she couldn't wear it. She had no idea what to do. “I read once that The Left Hand of Hades is used to control the creatures of Tartarus, but Tartarus was lost.” Twilight wondered if the spider daemon had lied to her and led her on a treasure hunt of death. Applejack watched from the cliffside with great concern for the whole world; Equestria couldn’t take any more of this chaos. “It’s now or never Twi’” Applejack pined and looked back to see her friends were losing the fight to hold back the army of beasts. “One thing's for sure... the Left Hand of Hades is useless to us.” “The Twi’ I know would never give up that easily,” Applejack encouraged her friend. “I can’t do it...” Twilight replied sorrowfully. “W-whut?” Applejack stammered. “Look around you!” The Friendship Express was now nothing more than a burnt disaster, Ponyville stood in flames, the Canterlot royal palace crumbled apart. The Kobalos Goblins ran around everywhere, looting and causing havoc, they had even stolen the Elements of Harmony. The Hippalectryon fly around owning the skies, troops of ants and Treants attack everypony. "Tell them how you stole me from the Canterlot vault, tell them how it's all your fault." The Myst Borealis chuckled in it's snake-like voice. "Can it, you!" Applejack planted her rump on the book. “He's right. It’s my fault.” Twilight finally admitted. “What’s that now sugarcube?” “I did this! I messed around with a spell out of my control, I cast the Myst Spell!” Twilight shouted. “You mean all this... is 'cause of you?” Applejack nudges the spell with her orange hoof as Twilight sulks on the hilltop, what more is there to do? “I’m so sorry,” Twilight filled with regret. She wished she would’ve admitted to her mistake earlier. She wished she could say sorry to a small pink dragon who gave her all the happiness in the world. “I first cast the spell at midnight. That means... we have until midnight tonight to reverse all of this somehow!” Boom! Everypony ducked as a missile flew overhead and exploded the nearby arch bridge. “Or else what sugarcube?” Applejack replied. Twilight then said with a gulp. “Or else the spells effect will last forever.” Twilight’s horn then itched beyond belief. She scratched at it like a feral animal. “I... huh?” Twilight suddenly realised. She had the answer all along. “My horn!” She gleamed with pride and hope. “Of course! Bone can’t itch, but it’s not the bone that’s itching, it’s all the magic of the Myst Spell still trapped inside my horn!” “Are ya’ sure ya’ can handle it?” Applejack inquired. “Yes, this time I’m sure of it.” Twilight was ready this time, she just knew it. Applejack took a few steps back. Twilight lifted up the spell and was about to touch her horn with the parchment... Rrroooaaarrr! A thunderous roar caused everypony to fall back off their hooves. Slam! A huge purple paw with long claws smashed on top of the cliffside. Everypony looked up. “Ursa... Major?!” Twilight gasped in utter shock... she slowly stepped backwards making sure to keep her eye on the beast. Ursa Major climbed up the cliffside and rose up into view putting everypony in its own shadow infront of the burning sunset. Its eyes shone with yellow magic as they scowled. It smashed its paw down again and indented it in the rock. The tremor the collision caused Twilight Sparkle and the Myst Borealis to roll and hang precariously on the edge of the cliffside. “Twilight!” Applejack dived to save her friend, grabbing both of Twilight’s hooves. “No! Get the book! Get the spell!” Twilight shouted, “the sun is setting... the daylight is fading, we don’t have the time.” The Ursa Major roared in anger, it swung its huge ethereal paw at Applejack. The orange pony ducked underneath the swing, but the sheer momentum of it nearly caused her to fall from the cliffside... “Applejack... remember in the Everfree Forest, when we first met... you told me to let go... remember?! You told me to trust you. Now, you have to trust me.” Twilight looked up and deep into her friend’s eyes. Applejack couldn’t argue, she made the decision... she winced when let go of Twilight. Applejack turned around and dived to the other end of the cliff to grab the spell. It missed her hoof by mere inches and rolled from the cliffside just before she could grab it. Applejack turned back just as Twilight’s hooves slipped. “Twwwiiilliiigghhhtttt!” Applejack shouted as her friend fell backwards. Regret instantly filled Applejack’s heart. Twilight screamed and twirled backwards several times through the air, her eyes closed. She hoped it would be quick... Her limp body suddenly landed on something... and pink. Twilight cocked an eyebrow. She opened her eyes to see Spike had caught her in the palm his huge claw. “Spike! You’re back... y-you saved me.” Twilight looked astonished. Spike seemed to be able to control his own actions now but was still as godzilla sized as ever. He still seemed unable to speak but his kind eyes told everything. Peewee the phoenix flew past and spun around Spike. Peewee then dived downwards and used her claws to grab the Myst Spell and fly around to drop it next to Applejack. Applejack took off her hat, relieved beyond belief. Spike reached over the cliffside to gently placed Twilight back down and patted her on the head with a beastly grin. Then suddenly Ursa Major smashed it’s paw brutally across Spike’s face. The pink dragon fell from the cliffside and into the ground with an almighty crash. Spike retaliated quickly and swung his giant tail under the taller beast, causing the purple bear to smash into the ground also. Huge plumes of dust rose up into the air as they fell. Both titans arose and locked their claws in battle, both pushed against each other in a battle of strength until the burning orange sky. The sun was setting. Time had run out. Peewee flew in a circle above them, hoping to help but the phoenix only seemed like an ant compared to them. Spike twisted his paws to the right and dragged the Ursa into the dust. On its decent the Ursa’s claws slashed across Spike’s face drawing green blood and caused him to roar out in both pain and anger. Applejack quickly handed Twilight the book as it wiggled in her hooves. “Cast it!” Applejack ordered. "Haha-Haaa. This is the end for ponydom no doubt. It looks like your time has run out!" The Myst Borealis mumbled as Applejack struggled to keep it under control. She held the book still as she could. The sun was already halfway below the horizon and was about to disappear completely. But this time... Twilight knew exactly what to do. She pointed her horn down and stabbed the Myst Borealis piercing both the front cover and the Myst Spell within it's parchment. As Twilight's horn and the book mixed, ancient yellow magic flashed around her horn and then her entire body. All the trapped magic sparked out and glowed with bright light. Such powerful magic made her eyes water with tears. She felt the energies in her very body as she cast the Myst Spell... “Noooooooooooooo!” The Myst Borealis berated. As a wave magic pulsed through it's pages all the pages inside it were ripped and torn outwards before they scattered. Lifelessly the cover of the book slammed against the grass and steamed with black smoke. The sun set. The ground shook. Time was up. Everypony felt the vibration and the rumbling under their hooves, they braced themselves. Buildings trembled under the power of the shaking torrent of the tremors. Twilight gleamed with magic, there is a huge neon coloured ray of magic shot from her horn and into the sky, causing the entire world to shake and rumble, everypony looked in dismay, before an explosion of white magic shoots out across the Equestria, the wave of magic ripples across the daylight sky, from Fillydelphia to Las Pegasus... Applejack held onto her hat as the shock wave passed overhead both her and that of every creature. At first nothing happened, but then, all the mythical creatures turned to stone from the bottom up. The goblins protested by waving their arms as their bodies stiffened up and turn to stone where they stand. The Treants life faded from them and they turned back into regular trees where they stood, their roots magically curling back underground to rest. All the Hippalectryon fell out of the sky as they turn to stone, impacting upon the ground like meteors... The shock wave passed overhead. Everything flashed with yellow, but it was far from over. “No,” Twilight watched in shock. Spike stood up, his height reached above the edge of the cliffside. But Spike also turned to stone. Peewee landed on Spike’s head and curled up into a tight ball, she was prepared to share the same fate of one who had saved her life. The dragon could only watch in horror and confusion as his own body slowly stiffened. It wasn't painful, more like the body sleeping but slowly from the bottom up. Spike turned to Twilight, the pony who had looked after him after all these years... who had cared for him and given him a home. “Twilight?” Spike said in a deep but confused beast voice before his face covered in stone. “Spike!” Twilight shouted... “Spiikkeeeee! I’m sorrryyy!” It was too late. Spike had spoke his last. No longer could the pink dragon hear the cries of those who loved him. The effects of the Myst Spell were reversed; all the beasts that had emerged from the spell had turned to stone and any destruction magically repaired itself. Canterlot was no longer ruined and Ponyville was safe. It was all like a forlorn and bad memory. The stone statues of all the creatures were collected together and put into a large museum. All three species of pony: Unicorns, Pegasus and Earth, worked together to lift the museum into Cloudsdale were it would forever rest on a grey cloud of mourning. The museum was dedicated to the extinct creatures of Equestria and served as storage but also as the final rest place for all the mythological beasts. Spike’s statue was too big to adjust and thus the godzilla statue was an epoch of art, another statue next to the Canterlot Labyrinth to remain where time is forever. Here, this special place kept him safe. Indeed, all the creatures had turned to stone... except for one... Drip... Drip... “The Myst Spell has been reversed. Ponies hurt have being restored, towns destroyed have being repaired.” The spider daemon explained. “Nevermind that... you told me The Left Hand of Hades will be used for good! But it was useless today! You lied to me.” Twilight's angry voiced echoed in the cavern and up at the spider daemon. It crawled up to her with an intelligent chortle. “Amah! I did tell you it would be used for bad and then great good, but I neglected to mention when or where. One thing you should know about me, young pony: in the days of old I was forbidden to lie. It is true, I cannot utter a single word a lie. The Left Hand of Hades seen this hour will be used, soon young pony, the day draws near.” “And what of Spike?! How can we help him?” “I’m afraid it stands to be impossible.” The daemon replied. Twilight hung her head low... the itching from her horn had stopped but now she felt a new pain: the pain of loss. Twilight had the courage to think of another deeper question: “Why didn’t you turn to stone with all the others?” Twilight sat and changed the subject; somehow she had become accustom to this mythical creature, almost as if she trusted it. “Because I am not from the Myst Spell. I escaped that fate by being sealed in this opposable obscurity one thousand years ago. Only by the twisting fate of irony did you find me this hour.” The spider paused, it had become quite accustom to Twilight. “What of Zecora, why is she feeding you?” She wondered so much... “Because she knows who I really am.” The daemon said grievously. They were still secrets he wasn’t telling her. “Now, what would you do with me? Would you tell your princesses that I reside here?” the spider daemon spoke deeply and wisely. “I suppose... if you do not harm to any pony, you can stay here, for now.” She replied, twilight wouldn’t release the daemon for fear that it may cause rampage across the world. “Amah! Wise decision pony... I am ridiculed to remain here for a time more.” The daemons red eyes raged in the shadows with sarcasm. On the outside he looked horrifying, but on the inside it seemed harmless, the creature was certainly an oxymoron Twilight could not understand... “Unfortunately, there is a much darker day coming for Equestria. Then we shall meet again young pony, no qualm when you desperately seek the knowledge I keep. Consider me as a living library. I will be here to answer your questions, not as a foe, or as a friend, but as an asset.” It paused before skimping backwards, its black-coloured fur and body disappearing in the darkness. Thus so the fairy-tale of the Myst Spell came to pass. But did Twilight Sparkle live happily ever after? Twilight Sparkle sat in the Library, her home that had moved to a new location in Ponyville because of the Treant. The Library was ruined and damage, the walls cracked and the books ruined, it would take a lot of a cleaning up... it was then she thought of Spike. Normally Spike would be here sweeping with the broom made from the oak of the Everfree Forest with a smile on his face. She wanted to say ‘I missed you so much, I’m sorry.’ But now there was only an empty library. “Now then!” A commanding voice unexpectedly interrupted her thought. “P-Princess Celestia,” Twilight stood in shock as there stood Princess Celestia with a stern look, both ponies bowed to each other. The Princess seemed to have been waiting in the Library this whole time. “Twilight, I am very disappointed with you, stealing from the archives, putting everypony in danger like that. How could you think to cast such a spell beyond your own capability?!” “I’m sorry... I know it’s entirely my fault... I just wanted to impress you...” Twilight paused and regretted her actions even more... “I’ll go pack my things...” Twilight hung her head low, but she was stopped by the raised hoof of the princess... “I am impressed,” Princess Celestia said with a smile. “W-what?” “The Myst Borealis. In olden times — near two thousands years ago — ponies fought over the book entire legions went to war to gain it’s power. Ponies wanted to rewrite their memories and in extreme cases, rewrite and tailor Equestria’s history for their own selfish needs. Whatever the book had written inside it, governed the world. Thankfully the book was not written in history or law, it was a bestiary filled with fairy-tales. It’s ancient magic caused the ancestral creatures to roam Equestria again. The fact the book was written in rhyme meant it could only speak in rhyme. But the Myst Borealis' magic came with a price. It made ponies’ horn's itch from all the remnants of it’s magic. Indulged with the books power, that same itching has driven many ponies insane.” Celestia paused to sigh. “The Myst Borealis has being drained of it’s life and locked away to keep it from harming anypony ever again. The Myst Spell has also being returned to it’s inner cover. Everypony and everything effected by the book has been reversed. Eventually you did cast the Myst Spell proper in reverse. But it wasn’t study and knowledge which made you cast it, it was the care for your friends, in particular your friendship for Spike.” “But Spike turned to stone...” Twilight pined with regret. “All the others creatures of Equestria were fine, even the Ursa Major was fine. Why did he turn to stone?” “Spike is a very special and rare dragon... the sight of Peewee made the whole experience more lucid for Spike and I believe part of him was linked to the magic because he became self-aware. He must of cared deeply for Peewee for that connection to have been made.” Celestia said. Twilight picked up a picture of Spike, it was taken when Peewee the phoenix first hatched. The phoenix had not moved from Spike’s head since he froze in stone. Perhaps that was Peewee’s way of mourning the loss of his owner... “I promise you that I will do everything in my power to help him.” Celestia said wisely. “He’s only sleeping. He can be saved with time. And it appears through your own foolishness that they are still lessons that you can learn here in Ponyville.” “You’ll let me stay?” Twilight’s face lit up. “...For now, yes. But not for much longer I’m afraid,” Celestia finished. “The time is still coming when you must leave. Soon. Very soon. When the darkness is at its zenith.” Twilight squinted in thought, was there something coming that everyone — the princesses, the fear spider and even Doctor Whooves — all knew? “Thank you,” Twilight eventually replied, “then allow me to deliver my latest report on friendship... personally.” “Dear Princess Celestia. We all make mistakes, have struggles, and regret things in our past. It’s inevitable, but you should always admit to your mistakes before they escalate. The Myst Spell is useless now, burnt to ashes... but just as a phoenix rises from its own ashes, so shall we learn from our mistakes. Mistakes will always be in the past... but sometimes others still face the brunt of our folly —the folly of our friendship. For that reason you shouldn’t try things that are completely beyond your own control, especially if you know some pony could get hurt. Your faithful retired princess, ~ Twilight Sparkle." And they all lived happily ever after... almost. To Be Continued... My Little Pony: Time is Forever™ will return... Soon... 'The big old storm of chaos makes an encore...' Notes: This was a special fairy-tale episode, there will be two more. Spike is indeed stone, this is now canon in the alternate universe of this fic and he will remain stone for future episodes. Peewee is hardly ever seen in any fic anywhere, so I had him in this chapter to make it unique. Spike became lucid when he saw Peewee because of all the emotions it brought back in him. As revealed in Just for Sidekicks, Peewee was never seen again after Dragon Quest because Spike returned Peewee to his parents. Most of the creatures featured in this episode are part of obscure Greek Mythology: Kobalos Goblins, Hippalectryon etc. Roger Red Ants were named after a villain of a certain video game. The Spider Daemon sung a modified version of 'Incy Wincy Spider', a common fairy-tale which is relevant to his backstory. This episode was originally called: ‘Dragon Hiccups’ and featured Spike with a rare dragon ailment which made him sneeze fire all over Ponyville. Then the episode was renamed: ‘The Folly of Friendship’ and had only the Hippalectryon and didn’t feature any ponies. It was finally renamed: ‘The Fairy-Tale of Mythology’. It still had Spike in a role destroying Ponyville and it still had a role for the Hippalectryon.