Trolls and dragons stalk the plain
Seek for mischief they may wreak
Hush now child, they seek in vain
We are gentle, but not weak

When the night seems cold and frightening
And you know not what to do
They will be there, fast as lightning
So no harm can come to you

Do not dread the sun descending
Know that they are always near
And their vigil never ending
And they face the things we fear

For they are our good protectors
They are strong, and kind, and brave
While the Lance does still protect us
Little children can sleep safe

- Crystal Empire nursery rhyme, author unknown

After a thousand years of absence, the Crystal Empire has been freed from Sombra's curse and returned to the world. The crystal ponies can finally live free from fear and slavery, but their once mighty nation has dwindled to a mere shadow of its former glory. Still, their tribe was never known for a lack of tenacity, and with their chains broken at long last, the crystal ponies are willing to face any challenges the world might throw at them.

I these difficult times, the young crystal pony Ruby Chip has risen to knighthood, and proven herself to be worthy of joining the legendary Order of the Crystal Lance. It seems like she has achieved everything she ever dreamed of, but then she starts being plagued by dark and frightening visions from the Empire's troubled past.
To make matters worse, Ruby fears that the Order might come into conflict with the Empire's new ruler. As a former officer of Equestria's military, Prince Shining Armor is not very fond of the way the Empire's armies are run and organized, and sees them in dire need of modernization. It remains to be seen if the traditional warrior caste of the Empire still has a place in the military force he seeks to create.

Very soon, Ruby and her brothers and sisters in arms will have to prove that they are more than a misplaced remnant of a long gone era, and show that the knights of the Empire can still fulfill their sworn duty as champions and protectors.

However, whether or not Ruby herself will be ready to be the pony others need her to be, that is another question altogether.

After the Changeling invasion, Celestia and Luna make the decision to have Twilight investigate the Elements of Harmony and solve the mystery of their power.

A thousand years later, Rainbow Dash awakens in a world she does not recognize. She has no idea how or why she came to be there. She does not know the language, the geography or any of the rules of this new time. She soon finds allies in Star Fall, a scholarly pegasus whose Talent is Magic, and Astrid, Star Fall's Griffin guardian. Together they set out to discover why Dash has been sent to the future, and how she might return to when she belongs.

War threatens the nations, a Nightmare stalks the shadows, and Rainbow Dash's arrival has turned her into a wild card in a deadly game that pits the law on both sides of a broken Equestria against a mysterious criminal figure, Max Cash. Yet the stakes are higher than anyone knows, for in her research Twilight Sparkle discovered a dark secret about the Elements, something that will shake the foundations of the world.

Cover image by SierraEx
Has a TvTropes page

When one strives for a goal, whether compelled by personal passion, a sense of atonement, or either with a touch of obsession, how easy is it to lose sight of what is truly important? When all is said and done, and a dream is accomplished, when does one take inventory of their actions and choices? Could it be that in the pursuit of the greatest kind of good, one could become the worst kind of monster? Fortunately, there can be those who stop us from taking the horrific life altering risks that could make even the brightest angel into the most abominable devil. What can last an eternity but be born in an instant, and can be both so very close but far away. What can bind both many and few, big or small, the young, the old, and the ancient together? The answer is the magic of friendship.

This is an appendix to A Journey Unthought Of, however it is not necessary to read the original work to enjoy this story, as it can stand on its own as a separate piece of fiction that enhances the established canon of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. This story was written before the Season 4 Premiere took place.

Necromancers. Sickly ponies bathed in cloaks of darkness, bringing ruin to all who fall under their shadow, terror to those who meet their gaze. Ripping the dead from the grave and conscripting them to their army of evil and conquest. Woe to the towns that dare draw their interest.

Such are the legends.

This is a story about one of the kindest ponies I know.

---

Now on Equestria Daily!

Now with a sequel, From Dusk to Night.

Beta Reader Special Thanks:

Blissey1
Clever Pun
Japanese Teeth
Pannic
Meta Four
Sereg
Connelly
Invidlord
Jezendar
TerribleTransit

Two decades after the banishment of Nightmare Moon, her shadow still lingers. Princess Celestia has been left to tend the Twin Thrones alone and protect us all from those who would see Equestria crumble. Our enemies take many forms: some would tear the world down with their claws, others with their smiles. They are monsters all the same.

I have had many names, and I have been many things. Today I am Swift Sweep, and I work for the Equestrian Bureau for State Security.

Special thanks:
NCMares (DeviantArt) for the gorgeous cover art.
Octavia Harmony: primary beta reader and editor throughout the many months of production.
PaulAsaran: for great help with and feedback on plot development and initial story drafting.
Kleora, Cerulean Voice, Nonagon: for further help with editing and story development.

To save her sister and her faithful student, Celestia herself must travel into the ancient tunnels beneath the ruined castle in the Everfree Forest. She, and the guards who accompany her, must face the dark, twisting corridors. Still, what was Luna and Twilight's purpose at the old castle? Why were they unable to return of their own accord?

And what watches Celestia from beyond the light's edge?