Galloping through the hallway as fast as she could, Twilight jumped over the railing and unfurled her wings, soaring down to the grand foyer. Stopping just shy of the door, she gave herself a moment to become better composed. Once her breathing slowed back to normal, she used her magic to open the door.
There were no chariots, no sounding of trumpets, and no crowds gathered to watch. Just ten royal guards and the two rulers of Equestria; Princess Celestia and Princess Luna.
“You’re here!” Twilight said with both excitement and slight confusion.
“Please forgive our sudden arrival Twilight,” Celestia apologized, walking up the steps with her little sister. “Luna and I thought it best to keep this visit more confidential than originally planned.”
Twilight nodded her head. “Of course, please, come inside.”
The three princesses entered the door, followed by the ten guards, who closed it behind them. They wasted no time with formalities, and walked into the throne room, where everypony else sat in wait for them, having gathered quickly at hearing of the sudden arrival. All of the thrones became occupied as Twilight took her seat, Starlight to her right and Starfall to her left.
“Thank you all for agreeing to meet with us.” Celestia said, withholding her concern. “I wish we had more cheerful news.”
“Several disturbing events have occurred in the last week that have begun an uproar all across the lands.” Luna followed up, her expression darkening. “The consistency of these events is no coincidence, and their effects have already begun to take hold.”
“I have heard word of the dragon raids near Baltimare,” Twilight replied, holding a hoof to her chest. “I believe this crisis can be put to rest quickly if we consult Dragon Lord Ember.”
Celestia shook her head. “As I have feared, you do not fully understand the gravity of what has happened.”
Twilight looked to her former teacher with a tilted head. “What do you mean?”
“Twilight, we are not the only ones who have been attacked.” Celestia continued. “The newly crowned ruler of the griffons, King Gale, has been attacked by an unknown unicorn, supposedly in our name.”
“W-what!?” Twilight gasped. Rainbow opened her mouth to speak, but closed it fast, thinking it would be best to stay quiet. “When did-”
“What’s more,” Luna interrupted her. “A wave of griffons executed an incursion into the Dragon Lands, attempting to conquer it from Dragon Lord Ember’s control.”
Shock filled the room, but Spike, Rainbow, and Rarity all lowered their heads, peering over at one another. After the initial panic calmed down, the meeting really began.
“Why would the griffons attack the dragons?” Applejack asked first. “That doesn’t make any sense.”
“And why would the d-dragons raid Equestria?” Fluttershy asked shakily.
“A unicorn?” Starlight said, still in shock. “What reason could a unicorn have for attacking the griffons?”
“We are not sure why these attacks have happened,” Celestia stated, silencing the group. “Their motives remain a mystery to us, but at the moment we must put aside discovering why they happened and focus on how best to handle it. Because of these attacks, Equestria, the Griffon Kingdom, and the Dragon Lands are now at risk for a serious conflict. We must find a way to stop it before it escalates beyond our ability to control.”
Twilight, taking in a deep breath, centered herself. “What should we do Celestia?”
“Princess Luna, Cadence, and I have called for a Grand Summit to be held in five days’ time.” The white alicorn replied, using her magic to make the Cutie Map focus on a specific corner of Equestria. “All of the nations’ leaders will convene here, at the peninsula of Horseshoe Bay, where we shall negotiate a peaceful solution to these unfortunate events.”
“Horseshoe Bay?” Rainbow asked. “Why not Canterlot? Or the Crystal Empire?”
“The griffons believe that we ordered the attack on their king,” Luna answered her. “Therefore, we cannot appoint the summit to our capitol; King Gale would never agree to meet with us there. As for the Crystal Empire, we do not think it wise for the dragons to cross over Equestria to reach the summit; it would most definitely cause a panic. Horseshoe Bay lies in between our three nations, and the parade grounds on the peninsula will provide the perfect space for these negotiations to play out.”
Twilight felt as if something was off, and so she asked, “Who all will be attending the summit?”
“We have sent the invitations to Griffonstone and Fireglow; King Gale and Dragon Lord Ember arriving is most important.” Celestia said, the Cutie Map zooming back out. “Cadence and Shining Armor will attend, and we have also invited Thorax of the Changeling Kingdom.”
“Whoa, nelly.” Applejack said slowly. “That’s a whole lot of powerful leaders.”
Celestia nodded. “Indeed. Twilight, you and your friends must be there for the summit; if we fail to calm Gale and Ember, I fear this will result in catastrophe.”
“You can count on us, princess!” Rainbow shouted, slamming her hoof onto the table.
“We will be there,” Twilight promised her. “And we will put a stop to this whole ordeal.”
Rarity inched forward in her throne. “Princess, you said the summit is to meet in five days. What should we do until then?”
“I want you girls ready for anything,” Celestia told them, looking around at the whole group. “This summit may last a week, or maybe just a day, so you all need to be well rested. Luna and I will do all we can to make sure everyone attends the summit.”
Shadow peered into the room, trying to stay out of sight. His eyes focused on Celestia and Luna. Taking in a deep breath, he began contemplating how best to enter the room.
“Shadow!” Pinkie Pie shouted, oblivious to his plight.
In the blink of an eye, everypony turned their heads and locked eyes with the shadow pony, who felt his heart practically jump out from his chest. Swallowing his fears, he slowly walked into the room, his head lowering gradually as he approached the Cutie Map.
“H-hello again Princess Celestia….Princess Luna.” He said shakily, doing very well despite his extremely heightened anxiety.
Luna somewhat shied away from him, having not seen him since the night she entered his dreams and experienced the nightmare. It wasn’t that she was afraid of him, but she didn’t want to even think about what had happened.
Taking notice to her sister’s reaction, Celestia looked to everypony else. “Could Shadow, Twilight, and I have the room to ourselves for a moment everyone?”
The request, although not asked in a threatening way, made everypony else nervous for Shadow. Twilight made a slight gesture for them to obey her, and they did, clearing out from the room. Fluttershy was the only one who looked back at Shadow, silently telling him to be brave. The door closed behind her and the three were now alone in the throne room. Celestia turned to Shadow, whose resolve crumbled a bit under the weight of her gaze.
Twilight began to sweat as she tried at ending the silence. “What is it, princess?” she asked, gaining the other alicorn’s attention. “Is something wrong?”
“Yes, something is.” Celestia replied, turning back to Shadow. He swallowed nervously again, looking up at her while trying to hold fast to his head being raised high. The princess’ gaze turned soft as she spoke. “The last time we met, I treated you poorly because I did not understand you, and it frightened me. It was behavior unbecoming of a Princess of Equestria, and so I ask you for your forgiveness.”
Feeling as though he had heard her wrong, Shadow leaned his head forward a bit. After a few moments, he realized that he wasn’t mistaken. “Ummm….well, there is nothing to forgive, princess.” He answered her truthfully. “Not knowing what I am scares me sometimes too.”
Feeling as though a mountain of stress lifted from off her shoulders, Twilight was finally able to let out her held breath. Where in Equestria did that come from? What made Celestia all of a sudden become so sympathetic to Shadow? She was lost in questions, but ultimately didn’t care why.
“I was naïve to assume you were evil, and I have since discovered that I couldn’t have possibly been more wrong.” Celestia continued. “Thank you for coming so I could apologize personally.”
Shadow saw the sincerity in her eyes and felt all of the anxiety fade away at the sight. Not knowing what else to say, he granted her what she wanted. “Apology accepted, princess. And, umm, thank you. For letting me stay here.”
Celestia nodded and smiled warmly down at him. He nodded in return and walked to the door, leaving the room to the princesses.
Twilight looked to Celestia, more proud than ever to know that she was her mentor. Her look asked the question she needed answered, and Celestia understood it immediately.
“Your friendship with him is important Twilight,” she said, looking back at the door he walked out from. “Don’t ever give up on it.” There were a few moments of silence in between them, but just as Twilight was about to ask further questions, Celestia spoke. “Would you show me to the Alicorn Amulet now?”
Realizing that her questions could come later, Twilight nodded. “Of course, right this way.”
Twilight’s Castle was still quite empty despite the princess and her friends’ efforts to decorate it. Bare walls and open floors were becoming more and rarer, but there were stills corners of the massive structure that lie empty and quiet. Luna had never gotten the chance to just walk around the castle before; she and Celestia only ever arrived, discussed with Twilight what they needed to, and left.
The crystal halls and chambers were quite beautiful, but the sheer size of the castle and its lack of occupants made it feel so lonely. It was a feeling that Luna knew all too well, and so it bothered her.
Ever since her experience within Shadow’s dream, her sister had been much more nurturing and understanding of her, even more than usual. Luna had figured Discord would tell her what happened, but that didn’t explain why she had suddenly changed so enthusiastically.
Celestia had ordered back her royal guards who were searching for the dragon, she started spending more time with Luna, and she took on the full responsibility for the attacks that had occurred. All of these positive changes should have made Luna feel better, but instead, the lingering vision of Nightmare Moon haunted her, even though she knew it wasn’t real. The thought of the pitch-black alicorn glaring down at her was overwhelming.
“Princess Luna?” asked a voice from behind her. Luna turned her head to see Fluttershy, Rainbow, Applejack, Pinkie, and Rarity trotting over to her. “Are you alright?” Fluttershy asked. “You look awfully distressed.”
“It is nothing my friends.” Luna assured them, waiting for them to catch up before resuming her walk with them by her side. “These confrontations have me worried is all.”
The five mares were not convinced; they knew their princess of the night enough to know something was off.
“C’mon now,” Applejack said comfortingly. “What’s got you so pent up inside?”
The princess eyed her companions, knowing that they only wanted what was best for her. They were not only her subjects, but her close friends as well. She trusted them with her life, and so she had to ask that which plagued her mind so relentlessly.
“The five of you trust this Shadow Light, do you not?” she asked boldly.
The question struck the five of them in a curious way. They knew better than to think Luna believed Shadow was bad, and so it confused them a little. Rainbow answered for them as a slight hesitation in the group forced her hoof.
“Yeah, of course we do. Right girls?” she said proudly. The other four answered with hearty nods, wanting to hear more about this concern from Luna.
The princess nodded back, facing forward, her gaze turned more bold and determined. “Then I have nothing to be afraid of. If you, my friends, trust this shadow pony, then that is good enough for me.”
“And so, the amulet is kept under complete protection every moment of the day.” Twilight concluded, having gone through the entire process of the vault’s security. “Nopony can get in here without my magic.”
“I am very impressed Twilight.” Celestia replied, nodding her head.
Twilight smiled up at her fellow princess. “I learned from the best.” She stated happily.
Coming up upon the secret chamber, Twilight used her magic to open the door for them. They ascended the stairs to come upon the vault itself, still sealed shut. Inserting her horn into the slot, Twilight cast her spell and took a step back. The many locks and mechanism within became unlatched and the door slowly opened, having not down so in a few days since last she checked it.
The Alicorn Amulet sat alone in the dark upon the pedestal. Celestia squinted at it as she and her former student entered the vault.
“See?” Twilight said, well relaxed. “Safe and sound.”
Celestia approached the amulet and kept her gaze locked on the artifact, inspecting it as her own eyes glowed softly.
Twilight went on about her former idea. “I had planned on making a small failsafe trap for anyone who tried removing it from the pedestal, but I thought-”
“Twilight,” Celestia interrupted her. “This is not the Alicorn Amulet.”
Taking a moment to process what had just been said, Twilight froze for a moment or two. “What do you mean it’s not the amulet?” she asked in a half-panic.
Celestia used her magic to lift the amulet up and concentrated on the crystal at its center. Within moments, the crystal shattered from the pressure. “The real Alicorn Amulet’s crystal is indestructible. This is a fake.”
Now in full-on panic mode, Twilight shook her head. “How…how is this possible? This IS the amulet! I took it from the castle ruins myself!”
Celestia turned to Twilight, believing she knew what could have happened. “Who all have you let into this vault?”
“Just Starlight and…..” Twilight froze again, her eyes honing in on Celestia’s point. “No….no, she couldn’t have, why would she?”
Celestia stood up straight and closed her eyes, taking in a deep breath. “This is my fault; I should have taken it with me when I had the chance. Come, we must tell the others.”
As Celestia took off out from the vault, Twilight remained, still in disbelief. “Zecora?”
Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo were on the path to their clubhouse once again, the three of them lost in conversation.
“Do you think he’ll really be there again?” Sweetie asked them.
“Ah don’t see why he wouldn’t.” Apple Bloom replied. “He said he needed our help yesterday, so I reckon he’s waitin’ for us.”
Sweetie looked down for a moment, and then back up at them. “Don’t you think we should tell someone about him? I mean, when’s the last time a random dragon came to Ponyville for our help?”
“Never and a half.” Scootaloo answered.
“We can’t just go around tell’n everypony that there’s another dragon in town,” Apple Bloom stated. “There could be a whole panic before they realize he’s actually pretty nice.”
Scootaloo looked deep in thought. “Maybe Sweetie Belle has a point. I’m not saying we should tell anypony, but we should at least have some kind of plan in case he’s not as good as he says he is.”
“What kinda plan?” Apple Bloom asked, her head tilted.
The filly pegasus shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know, but don’t you think we should?”
“Ah suppose you’re right….” The earth pony sighed. “Sorry girls, ah’m just real excited to finally meet another dragon who ain’t so bad, like Spike.”
“Yeah,” Scootaloo replied. “It is pretty awesome.”
Sweetie finally relaxed about it. “Well, if we really can help him, imagine what Princess Twilight and everypony else would think; we’d practically be heroes!”
“Ah know right!?” Apple Bloom said excitedly. “So come on crusaders; let’s go make a new friend!”
The three fillies cheered and galloped off towards the clubhouse, which had just come into sight. The black dragon rested on the roof with his arms tucked behind his head and his tail dangling over the side. A small bubble in his nostril grew larger and then shrank as he rested peacefully, awaiting the crusaders. The bubble popped and his eyes opened up when he heard their hoof steps heading his way.
“There they are,” he said cheerfully, rolling off the roof and gliding down to the ground. “I was afraid I may have scared you yesterday.”
“Not at all,” Sweetie answered him. “We were just a bit surprised at first; we don’t see many dragons around Ponyville.”
“No, I would imagine you don’t…” the dragon said, lowering his head and looking away as he rubbed his neck.
“So what is it you need our help with?” Scootaloo asked, full of energy.
“Well….” The dragon huffed, still rubbing his neck. He stopped after a few seconds and chuckled. “It’s kinda embarrassing….”
Apple Bloom gave him a confident smile. “You can tell us.”
He smiled at hearing that, seemingly getting a confidence boost. “Do you three know Princess Twilight and her friends? You know, the ones in the big castle?”
“Of course!” Sweetie said, now really excited. “I’m Rarity’s little sister!”
“And ah’m Applejack’s little sister!” Apple Bloom said similarly.
Scootaloo jumped up and down. “It’s not very official but….I’m Rainbow Dash’s little sister!”
“Whoa, really?” the dragon asked them. “That’s perfect! I…uh, met them all once. Well, not really, but they saved my life without really knowing it.”
“Seriously?” Scootaloo asked him.
“Yeah, so I wanted to meet them and thank them for what they did, but…” the dragon trailed off, lowering his head again. “I’m too nervous cause, you know….dragons aren’t used to being treated so nice by others, especially ponies.”
Apple Bloom nodded. “Ah can understand that.”
The dragon nodded too. “Yeah, so, could I give you these gifts I brought for them?” he reached into his satchel and pulled out five, different color crystals; blue, red, orange, pink, and purple.
“Whoa! Those are cool!” Scootaloo gasped.
“They are rare crystals I found not too long ago,” he said, looking like he had an attachment to them. “They mean a lot to me….but I feel like they are the perfect gifts for them.”
Sweetie didn’t know why she was so nervous before, this dragon seemed as nice as Spike. “So, you want us to deliver them saying that they were from you?”
The dragon looked tense for a second. “No, no, no….” he said quickly. “Please just tell them that they are gifts from an old friend, I’d rather they not know that you three met with a stranger dragon on the outskirts of town, you know?”
The three fillies looked at one another in a similar, worried way.
“Ooooh, yeah, I see what you mean.” Scootaloo replied. “That wouldn’t be a very awesome talk from them.”
“You can say that again.” Apple Bloom added. Counting the crystals, the earth pony tilted her head. “But there’s only five crystals, how do we decide who gets what?”
“Don’t worry about Princess Twilight,” the dragon told them with a smile. “I’d like to give her my gift personally one day, but I’ll need to find another crystal first…..aaaand the courage to meet her.” Giving them a hopeful expression, he asked, “Can I….ask this of you three?”
“Absolutely!” Apple Bloom said with enthusiasm, gently taking the crystals from the black dragon’s claws. “Right girls?”
“Sure we can!” Sweetie replied. “I can’t wait to see the look on Rarity’s face when she sees this one!” holding the purple crystal, the filly unicorn yipped in excitement. “It’s the same color as her Cutie Mark!”
“Hey, now that you mention it,” Scootaloo added. “All five of these have the same colors as our friends’ Cutie Marks!”
Apple Bloom inspected them and smirked. “Hey now, you’re right! That makes dividing them up easy! Rarity gets the purple one, Applejack gets the orange one, Rainbow Dash gets the red one, Fluttershy gets the pink one, and Pinkie Pie gets the blue one.”
The dragon nodded his head, impressed. “Sounds good to me. Why don’t you three run along now and deliver them for me?”
“YEAH!” all three fillies shouted at once. “CUTIE MARK CRUSADER DELIVERY GALS, GO!!!”
Like a flash of lightning, the adorable little fillies took off back towards town. The dragon crossed his arms and shook his head, a big smile on his face.
“Good kids….” He said to himself, his smile curving. “That was far too easy.”
Far to the south, beyond Appleloosa and the Macintosh Hills, stood the tall, silent peaks of what was known simply as the Arimaspi Territory. Solid stone mountains with near-vertical slopes and flat tops, this land was known for its mystery.
Named after the gargantuan beasts that once lived there, even the bravest of travelers hesitated at climbing its peaks. Although no one had seen an arimaspi in countless years, the fear of their existence remained, keeping most all outsiders at bay. The highest peak of these treacherous mountains was said to be the resting place of the last arimaspi, where its bones remain undisturbed by the world. Despite the folklore and tall tales of this desolate terrain, it made for the perfect hiding place.
Looking upon the final arimaspi, Queen Chrysalis could sympathize with the skeletal remains on a small degree; she too was the last of her kind, in her own way. All other changelings had transformed, becoming more radiant, peaceful creatures, but not her. Hunger and hatred filled her to the brim. Although once directed at all ponies of Equestria, now it fell down to one, single unicorn.
“Starlight Glimmer…” she whispered to herself. Starlight Glimmer, how could one name cause so much anger and resentment? How could one pony bring her flawless plans crumbling down into ruin? One unicorn…..just one.
Her fangs clenched tightly and her head lowered slightly. Her deep, green eyes strained and narrowed. Closing them abruptly, she took in a deep breath. Calm, remain calm; revenge requires patience.
Opening her eyes, the changeling queen turned from the massive skull to the opening of a cave at the mountain’s peak. Entering the dimly lit passage, she descended through a maze of tunnels, having the route memorized. After everything that had happened in terms of underestimation, she was not going to let her new hideout be so easily accessed.
After taking numerous turns, she came upon a well-lit chamber that hosted a bed, small pool of water, and a large, flat stone that was used as a makeshift table. Hardly worthy of a queen, but it would suffice, at least for now.
As she walked into the chamber, the torches on the walls dimmed down to bare embers. Chrysalis stopped, her green eyes glowing faintly in the dark.
“You are late.” A deep voice bellowed from the darkness.
She grimaced, already knowing where the figure was. “No, you’re just early.”
The shadow that encircled her had red and green eyes, with a slight trail of purple flowing out from their sides. She had tried growing accustomed to his cryptic nature, but it proved to be more trouble than it was worth.
“Where is the dragon?” it asked.
“Stormclaw has been keeping busy,” she replied, already tired of answering him like some voiceless servant. “Something that can’t be said for the likes of you.”
“Strong talk from a queen of nothing.” the shadow echoed into the chamber. “And just what has he been busy doing, may I ask?”
Chrysalis didn’t bother trying to make eye contact with him, he moved about like a flickering light, never staying in one place for very long.
“What he does when he is off on his own is none of our business.” she snapped. “Everything is playing out exactly as he said it would, so I could care less what he has been doing.”
“Can you honestly tell me that you are not suspicious of him?” it asked her, still swirling about. “Of the secrets he knows? Of the power he wields? I know that even you are not that naïve.”
“Hold your tongue.” Chrysalis hissed, demanding silence. “He has agreed to help me become the Queen of Equestria, and you the King of the Crystal Empire. He asks for nothing in return but loyalty, and so that is what he deserves from us. From you.”
“Such passionate words you speak,” the shadow mused. “I never thought the Queen of the Changelings could be so humble and follow orders.”
Chrysalis had now had enough. “Says the so called powerful unicorn whose plans were thwarted by a one-foot tall, baby dragon.”
The already dim lights flickered, threatening the chamber with total darkness. “Careful changeling….do not forget to whom you are speaking.”
“Haven’t you two learned to play nice yet?” asked a voice from the entrance. With a snap of the dragon’s claw, the torches regained their strength, lighting up the chamber. The shadow shied away into the darker corner to avoid being completely seen, and Chrysalis chuckled at its retreat. “Be a shame to let beauty like yours be wasted in the dark.” The black dragon complemented her.
“Do you make it a habit of yours to attempt at flattery whenever we meet, Stormclaw?” the queen sighed, shaking her head.
Shrugging his shoulders, the dragon smirked. “Can you really blame me?”
“Enough.” The shadow bellowed. “What progress have we made?”
Stormclaw looked from the shadow over to Chrysalis. “Have the princesses decided yet?”
The changeling queen nodded. “A grand summit is to be held five days from now at the parade grounds of the Horseshoe Bay peninsula.”
“Perfect, just as I planned.” The dragon said, reveling momentarily in his prediction. “Oh, and by the way,” looking over at the shadow again. “Flawless job, well done.”
“So now we continue with the plan?” it asked, its gaze turning from the dragon to the changeling. “And return here when it has begun?”
Stormclaw nodded. “Exactly. You find your way to Horseshoe Bay.” Looking back over at the queen, he said, “So long as you feel you won’t be detected, continue spying on the princesses and meet me in Canterlot the day the summit begins.”
“Dragon.” The shadow boomed, grabbing his attention. “What do you intend to do until the summit begins?”
Pausing for a moment to consider giving him an answer, Stormclaw glanced over at Chrysalis. “Are you curious of my intentions as well?” She stayed silent in response, giving him her answer. Turning back to the shadow, Stormclaw began. “The spirits of the Elements of Harmony are our biggest threat. Queen Chrysalis is our eyes and ears, you are the spark to begin the conflict, and I am the one who makes sure that the Princess of Friendship and her friends don’t get in the way.”
The shadow was kept silenced by the black dragon, who stared him down through his fierce, scarlet eyes. Chrysalis looked to the figure with a smug grin, enjoying the sight of the dragon putting him in his place.
“You do your part, and I’ll do mine.” Stormclaw huffed. “That good enough for you?”
Without saying a word, the shadow vanished into the air, making the dramatic shade within the chamber disappear. Letting out a tempered breath, the black dragon turned to the changeling queen.
“He is much more moody than I thought he’d be.” He chuckled.
Chrysalis managed a small laugh. “Rough around the edges, but at least he’s holding up his end of the plan.”
Raising his chin a bit, Stormclaw took a few steps closer to her, asking, “Are you sure you will be alright spying on the princesses?”
Muffling a chuckle, Chrysalis batted her eyes at the dragon. “Concerned for my safety now, are you?” she asked.
“Equestria’s future queen must be kept safe, don’t you agree?” he asked, tilting his head.
A strange, flustered feeling came across the queen. The sight of the black dragon looking at her in such a way….it made her experience something, although she wasn’t sure what it was. She watched as he took another step closer to her, and felt her core quiver slightly. He was so close that she could feel the heat of his breath on her skin, and it felt oddly exhilarating.
“You truly are beautiful.” He said softly.
Hardly able to think of a response, Chrysalis was in shock of the feeling. She stood there, wide-eyed and slightly red in her face as he gave her his draconic smile.
“Take care of yourself.” He told her, turning and exiting the chamber.
What was that? What had just happened to her? It had pulsed through her body and rendered her speechless in seconds. Shaking her head a bit, she finally got a grip over the feeling. Taking in a shaky breath, Chrysalis felt her senses returning, now back in control.
All she knew was that something had come over her in those few moments, and after they were gone, she wasn’t as hungry anymore.