After an accident, Rarity and Twilight are thrown in a race against time to stop their transformation into changelings before they become part of Chrysalis' swarm forever.

Darkness holds dominion over the world. Cinders of Sun and Moon gathered from a long-forgotten catastrophe are all that remain to shelter the village from the consuming void. But their power wanes. Lanterns of Sun and Moon held close against his chest, a stallion takes up the mantle of light bearer and forges into the abyss to return light to a world that has all but forgotten it.

Beyond the safety of the village gates, he will meet a voice of shadows and starlight, and many are the revelations it has of the world he thought he knew so well.

7/10/19 update: This story has been completely remastered to meet my 2019 writing standards! Enjoy!
Love this story? It's available in hardback and paperback!

[Cover art by Ventious]

Twilight's day hasn't gone well. Her night is about to get a WHOLE lot worse. Starting with being banished to the Moon...

After a series of unfortunate events conspire to trap Twilight within her own nightmares, Twilight's friends - along with the with aid of Princess Luna - become Twilight's only hope of rescue. Time and Twilight's fears are already against them, but they must also come to terms with how Twilight got there in the first place...

Carried over from EqD

Deep in the Everfree Forest, something has awakened. Something ancient. Something monstrous. Something hungry. What could this mysterious figure be who walks among the trees on legs far longer than any other pony? Where did it come from? And what does it want with Twilight Sparkle?

Love is the most sacred of magics, possessed by all but commanded by few. It is the driving force behind life in Equestria, the lifeblood of pony civilization.

But when a new kind of magic arrives in Equestria, it is up to its bearer, Twilight Sparkle, to decide its fate...
or perhaps it's up to the magic to decide hers.

Featured on Equestria Confidential: 8/30/2013

Special Thanks to iOctavia for being an awesome bro and prereading for me! He also does writing of his own, so go check him out!~
<New Coverart provided by: Link>
<Old Coverart found here: Link>

Sequel to my fic “Sombra’s Crucible, Twilight’s Corruption.” Reading it may be helpful (and appreciated!). Do note, however, that the styles and themes are quite different.

After being brainwashed into serving King Sombra, Twilight Sparkle was able to break free with the help of her friends and family. She then dueled Sombra himself in a world of nightmares to buy her friends time to activate the Crystal Heart. Though her gambit succeeded, Sombra cursed her by implanting a fragment of himself in her mind.

Now she has the voice of the Black King himself in her head, able to listen to her innermost thoughts and pierce all her mental defenses. But something seems different about this voice in her mind... as time grows on, his mind becomes more entangled with Twilight’s, and he starts to feel everything she feels… including some feelings he may have never felt as the Black King…

Special thanks to the wonderful Wolframclaws on deviantART for drawing this cover image for me.

What Spike saw in the doorway of King Sombra's crystal palace hasn't left his mind. The fear of Twilight abandoning him haunts him through recurrent nightmares. Anxiety taunts him when he's at his most vulnerable, reminding him of all his failures, all his inadequacies, all his wounds.

One night, this fear and anxiety manifests itself in a full-blown nightmare, dragging Spike face-to-face with his greatest fear. What if Twilight never needed Spike in the first place?

Takes place right after the Season Three opener (before Episode Three).

Thanks to RGLloyd for editing.

Now Featured on Equestria Daily!

Now Featured by The Royal Canterlot Library!

Check out the YouTube reading by the awesome Chinchillax!

Check out another YouTube reading by DJ Tazzlez from Hive Radio!

Rated Teen for some dark elements.

This story is a sequel to Into The Depths

The horrors of the catacombs have turned to distant memories for Celestia, Twilight, and Luna. Discord’s change of heart and Twilight’s coronation have helped to ease and erase the mental scars from that harrowing night. The three princesses can even smile and laugh as Nightmare Night moves into full swing.

Yet, it should never be forgotten that those who have been touched by Tirek are forever within his grasp.

Set only a week after the banishment of Princess Luna to the moon, the realm of Equestria is in a state of upheaval. Celestia's royal guard attempt to regain control over the vast empire once ruled by dual monarchs, and the young alicorn's actions as a ruler have become a subject of scrutiny after her sister's attempted coup. Two factions have risen in the turmoil: The Knights of the Sun and The Bright Moon.

Far away from the political infighting and sword rattling exists a small mining town on the outskirts of Equestrian territory. Where once the royal guard would have no trouble fending off raids from bandits or other criminals, the panic of the capitol has caused a withdrawal of military forces to more essential cities and trading ports. Completely undefended and without a spell or sword amongst them, this town was soon overrun by a band of bi-pedal canines calling themselves the Diamond Dogs. As brutal as they are lazy, the Diamond Dogs have forced the local population to work until collapse to collect gems from the town mine.

Outraged by his inability to fend off these bandits and thieves, a young unicorn named Bone Marrow tries with all of his might to find his purpose in life - his cutie mark - and hopes that it will be enough to drive off the invaders of his home. He will soon discover that his special talent is far more than he bargained for.

((A Sequel will begin for this story as soon as I finish I Am a Pet Changeling. Stay tuned on Discord! https://discord.gg/nDXd3AB ))

Shining Armor and Cadence's spell reveals something completely unexpected as it expels Chrysalis and her changelings out of Canterlot: A secret kept from everypony for several years...

Now with a TV Tropes page! Warning: Will Contain spoilers.