Book One of the Accedence Cycle. Inspired by the Inheritance Cycle.

Once upon a time, in the magical land of Equestria, the peace of the land was maintained by a trio of magical beings called Alicorns. As beings of immense power - exemplifying the best traits of the three pony races: Unicorns, Pegasi and Earth Ponies - the three of them could keep at bay the beasts from beyond the Equestrian borders. There was a lasting peace.

Until one fell to darkness. He lost his beauty, his sanity and his conscience.

Nopony knew why it happened. The other two fought to subdue their warped, corrupted comrade, but in his insanity, he had broken the rules set in place by the three. By doing so, he had gained power over reality itself. So they fled, living to fight another day.

A thousand years passed, and many forgot the fall from grace. All they know is the tyrannical, insane rule of the King of Chaos, Discord.

And now, on the eve of the Thousandth Year, a young unicorn mare named Twilight Sparkle makes a discovery that will change the fate of Equestria forever.

Twilight Sparkle learns something impossible after an experiment of hers goes bad. Before she knows it, she is visited by someone thought long-dead and is exposed to a secret war. The question that still has yet to be answered... What is the Prize?

A hidden war is waged between the lines of history's greatest tomes, hidden until now by a web of lies spanning centuries. Now, Twilight must do the unthinkable and wade into battle to save Equestria from evil beings unknown.

For many years has Princess Celestia ruled peacefully over Equestria, whether it was with Luna at her side or sitting alone upon the throne. She ushered in a golden age for the land of the ponies, alone, but few know at what costs. Fewer still know of the burden she bears: The Immortal's Curse. The Alicorn's Burden.

Doomed to live forever, witnessing the rise and fall of dear friends and associates, knowing they, in time, will fall by the wayside and perish by the sword, illness or age.

A thousand years ago, Princess Celestia was forced to strike down a beast that would not listen to reason. Nightmare Moon wasn't her beloved Luna anymore, and so was banished to the Moon.

Now, on the Longest Day of the Thousandth Year, Nightmare Moon returns and, with the Elements of Harmony lost centuries ago and unable to stop the Lunar Alicorn, Celestia is cast into the unforgiving tides of time to relive her greatest failures as punishment for sealing her in the Moon.

Little did she know that Nightmare Moon was doing Princess Celestia both a cruelty and a kindness.

She was giving Celestia a second chance to get things right.

Note: This Alternate Universe is not consistent with the one of Herald of the Night, but is the second of four thematic stories I intend to write in Alternate Universes, centralized around the troubles of Alicorns.

Once upon a time, in the magical land of Equestria, there were two regal sisters who ruled together, and created harmony for all the land.
Unfortunately, such a peace could not last forever. A feud arose between the two rulers and the kingdom was divided by more than just boundaries built in soil and on paper.

When Luna became jealous of her sister's glory in the eyes of ponies, she saw what it might lead to, coming to her sister for help. But, when scorned and pushed aside, Luna's jealousy became anger. In a fit of rage, she spirited herself and all of those under her rule, those that would follow, to her domain: The Moon.

A thousand years is a long time, though, to be holding a grudge. And now the means to mend an immortal's bond to her sibling rest in the hooves of one of Luna's subjects: Twilight Sparkle, who must descend from Luna's moon unto Solar Equestria to right a thousand-year-old wrong.

Rating subject to change pending future content.

In the time before the Return of the Lunar Princess, before the re-discovery of the Elements of Harmony, things proceeded as usual for the majority of Equestrians. Pegasi controlled the weather, Unicorns manipulated the world with their magics and Earth Ponies were the strength and innovation that allowed the world to move forward.

Ponies laughed. Ponies cried.

And for two particular ponies, Rain Chaser and Sun Streak, an afternoon storm proved to be of more use than to just bring water to Equestria and dampen a day. It brought them together, showing them that what they had was not always what they needed to be happy.

Join these two ponies on their journey of discovery. Love, Crisis, Pain, Wonder and Trust are all just part of an average day in Manehatten. But in the end, what really matters is what lies in the heart.

A cutie mark is part of your destiny. But it does not always tell of all you are meant for. To know that, you have to look within.