This is a side story to my tale, Meta Gamer in Equestria Link to most closely linked book.

Quintessence: The element beyond elements, sometimes called divine or infernal energy depending on the disposition of the wielder. Its first known presence was when it was used in ancient times by the followers gods that were foreign to Equis. These foreign gods came with promises of peace and prosperity, but only brought war, turmoil and strife. It was only by the united efforts of the servants of the Animus Mundi(nature), the wizards of that age and a select few former followers of the old gods—scorned by their masters for questioning them—that the influence of these gods was banished from Equis.

Knowledge of Quintessence itself today is highly classified, known by those that sit on the thrones of sufficiently powerful nations, have acquired the knowledge in servitude of the Animus Mundi or by decades of study as royal wizards. Besides that, the only other people that know of it are the members of a secret order dedicated to preserving the methods of the turncoat priests that aided Equis to make sure knowlege of Quintessence was still available for the defense of Equis, should the old gods ever return.

So what happens when the keepers of this energy, the Servants of the Animus Mundi and modern Wizards all feel a disturbance at the same time, wreaking with the taint of one of these old gods? Can the children of Equis meet this potential threat before it escalates? Or will this disturbance mark the return of the old gods?