Words can bring joy. Words can bring pain. Words can bring knowledge.
In the hands of the right pony, they can bring all of these things at once.
In the lands outside the fledgeling Equestria, one such pony has tracked a newfound fable back to its source, and she has a few choice words of her own prepared, because words... words have power.

WARNING: Comments may contain spoilers.

Dramatic reading by AShadowOfCygnus.
Also read by DRWolf
Cover art by CyanAeolin.
Edited by Pascoite.
Additional help from Chris, AugieDog, and NorsePony.

In a freak accident from the Cloudsdale weather control team, Twilight is struck down by an errant lightning bolt. But the veil of death is relatively thin...

I don't see what all the fuss about death is. Our princesses have been dodging it for over a thousand years. Who's to say Sweetie and I can't experiment a little? No, don't be ridiculous, zombies don't exist. Not yet, anyway.

[As seen on Equestria Daily.]

Equestria has survived horrible disasters and overcome cruel tyrants over the course of thousands of years. No matter the danger, it persevered through the magic of friendship. It is a bright, colorful world, and its pillars are kindness, loyalty, generosity, honesty, laughter and magic.

If so, why is it so empty, bleak and abandoned?

Why do horrid visions plague his mind, pouring through into reality?

And why can't he remember his own name?

Approved by Twilight's Library.

---

Proofread by BookMarkofCanterlot. Without his assistance, this story would most likely have taken a few more... years to come out. Realistically speaking.

Most editing and Google Doc conversion by BLACK M3SA.

Cover art by Squji.

This is a cross-over with the Amnesia game series. Do mind, however, that if you are not familiar with the universe, it is not an issue - the most you will be missing out on is going to be a few references and the realization that the plot of the story is less original than it might seem. In case you feel utterly confused, then don't be hasty in blaming it on the crossover - it probably means that I did what I intended to do. Venturing into spoiler territory, this story does not contain any characters from the Amnesia game series, or Amnesia-related media for that matter. By TVTropes' standarts (I sincerely apologize for the mention, but take no responsibility for the countless hours you are likely to spend browsing it), it is an Elsewhere Fic for Amnesia. Yes, I am aware that links shine through spoilers. Bummer.

In another important detail that counts as a spoiler, the "Gore" tag does not stand for "Torture Porn". This story has significantly less body horror than any of the Amnesia titles. Granted, there are going to be a few squicky parts, but nothing horribly outrageous. Cupcakes veterans will be disappointed.

The dialogue formating has been reported to cause readers severe nausea, anxiety and an occasional death. Unfortunately, dashes ended up being the most optimal choice in the long run. Inner monologue uses quotation marks and spoken lines use em-dashes.

The story is going to be updated a chapter per week, as long as I have access to something that has a semblance of an Internet connection.

For as long as we can remember, I have lived in my sister's shadow.

We strive to escape this impossible world within which we survive. Since I was naught but a filly, my dear sister has done nothing but eclipse us and force us to remain reclusive. We dream one day to find a pony who sees the same beauty in my night that we do, but the dreams we find are ever filled with her accursed sun.

This is not how we imagined our life. It is our wish to become the light. The only light.

(First-person Luna mental trip. Hope you guys like it! Courtesy to Cyb3rdr4g0nGR for cover art.)

2+2=5
Celestia knew, Celestia always knew the truth, so it had to be true.
Twilight trusted her, didn't she?
And fillies always grasp to truths, to their heroes, and drink in everything life throws at them.
So two and two make five.

It's acceptable for fillies to have imaginary friends.
But ponies grow tired of your stories as you grow older.
Fluttershy wishes she was lying.

Story idea by my friend Madison.
Thanks to Noble Thought