Equestria is slowly recovering from a war between its neighbors.

In this, it has come real close to be destroyed by a twisted secret that has laid at the heart of its Diarchy since before the time of Discord.

Twilight Sparkle, one of its greatest heroines, has had to come to the hard conclusion that the pony she loved as a second mother never existed.

That instead of a kind, benevolent princess, what she loved was instead a mask.

One that hid a truly selfish monster within.