Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Spike are fast asleep at their campsite, snuggling if they sleeping on their own beds.
Suddenly, a few feet away from Spike, a faint light begins to glow from Fluttershy's saddlebag. A spark floated into the air. Sparkling like fire, the light took the shape of a ghostly alicorn.
Spike woke up by the sounds of a strange wind. "Huh? What the—"
Spike becomes petrified as the alicorn stares at him. After a brief moment of silence, the alicorn leaves and Spike quickly follows suit.
"Hey wait!" Spike yelped.
Spike follows the alicorn deep through the woods until he finds the creature near a spring shining under the moonlight. Spike gulps, approaches closely, and attempts to speak to the sparkling creature.
"Umm… hello?"
"You needn't fear me, little one," said the glimmering alicorn. "You know who I am."
"T-Twilight?" gasped Spike
"You must find her," the alicorn warned. "Time is running out, and I fear both she and I are fading."
"What do you mean? What's wrong with Twilight?"
"There is no time," the alicorn answered. "You must move swiftly. Follow the light and you will find your friend. Hurry. Before it's too late."
With a quick flash, the alicorn disappears, leaving Spike alone. Quickly, he runs back to camp to tell the others.
"Girls! Hurry! Get up! We gotta move now!"
"What's going on?" asked Rainbow Dash, groggily.
"There's no time to explain!" Spike replied. "Twilight's in danger and we need to help her! Hurry, follow me!"
For some long seconds, the ponies shake their tiredness away. Quickly, the girls begin to gather their wits and follow after Spike through the darkness. After some time, Spike leads them to the same spring he was lead to earlier.
"Follow the light, follow the light!" said Spike, in a panic. "URGH! Where could she be?"
"Uh, girls," whispered Fluttershy, having stopped and her eyes gazing down. This caused Spike and the other ponies to stop running.
"What is it, Fluttershy?" asked Fluttershy.
"L-look!" Fluttershy gasped, pointing her hoof toward the ground.
Below the girls' hooves, a faint light begins to glow in the earth, creating a path for them to follow.
"Ooh! Look!" said Pinkie Pie, awe. "It's making a path!"
"It must lead to where Twilight is!" said Applejack. "Come on!"
The girls travel further into the forest, following the lights in the earth. Soon enough, the girls find their way to the end of the trail. Applejack stops at the end of it, shocked at what lays before her.
"What's the matter?" asked Rainbow Dash. "Why did we stop? What—"
Rainbow Dash turns to see the sight before her as do all the ponies. Before them, ruined buildings appear to be the remains of a once populated city. The ponies and Spike look on horrified.
"This is where Twilight is?" asked Spike.
"We won't know for sure until we find her," said Applejack. "Stay sharp, everypony. This place gives me the creeps."
"Don't you mean the heebie-jeebies?" asked Pinkie Pie. "Oh, no, wait the willies! No no the jibblies! Or what about the—"
"How about just all of the above!?" suggested Rainbow Dash.
The girls start walking into town. Various marionettes float through the city, lifeless and lacking of emotion. Pinkie hums giggle at the ghosties nervously.
"W-what… what do you suppose happened here?" Spike gulped.
"Could we please go home?" whispered Fluttershy, nervously.
"Not until we find Twilight," answered Applejack.
Just then, the girls hear the faint sounds of a strong crying. It echoes throughout the city, stopping the girls in their tracks.
"That sounds like… Twilight!" said Spike.
"She is here!" Rarity agreed.
"But where is that sound coming from?" asked Rainbow Dash.
They try to listen real closely. The crying sounded it was coming from everywhere and nowhere, sounding like it was more of a ghost crying in the wind.
"I hear it!" said Spike. "Over here!"
The ponies follow after Spike as they go towards a small house. And they open the door.