Chapter One
The Everfree Forest
I sat before a bonfire, staring at the coiled sword planted into the ground betwixt a pile of white ash and phoenix bones. I could see the beak sticking out amongst other bits of remains. Calm stable flames, warm but not scorching, snaked from the phoenix remains and licked at the coils of the sword’s peculiar “blade”. It eluded me just why the sword planted within bonfire was coiled or how the bonfire worked at all for that matter. It served a curiosity, but I cared rather little about the functions of it all. All that mattered to me was three things: the bonfire is warm, it fills my phoenix flask, and the restorative magic of its flames is better than any potion or medicine in all of Equestria.
I gazed ahead at the edge of the Everfree Forest. I’d heard stories of it. Ponies say it’s unnatural, that it doesn’t work quite like the rest of Eqeustria, and everypony who’s has ever entered the Everfree has never come out. However, the Everfree Forest is the only real direction any sunseeker is given in their search for the Elements of Harmony. If the stories were true, then I'd just have to be the first pony to ever leave the Everfree alive. Though, I figured it couldn’t have been any worse than the abyss tainted ruins I’d trekked before.
I slowly stood up from the bonfire, taking one last long look at it’s comforting flames before reluctantly trotting away. It’s always difficult leaving the warmth of the bonfire, especially when faced with the dreary shadows of Equestria, but a pony can’t accomplish anything if they only stay within the warmth of their bonfire.
I cautiously trotted through the dense woods and brush of the Everfree Forest. I carried and wore little. A basic longsword was sheathed at my side. My phoenix flask hung from my neck off a small link chain like a necklace. I wore a ragged coat, a hooded cloak, and simple metal horseshoes. I wore the coat and cloak not for protection from any blades or points, but rather for protection from the chills. The sunless stretches of Equestria are not kind to one’s body heat. The last piece of equipment I wore was a simple hoof mounted device known as a “clutch”, designed to allow ponies to hold swords or other weapons on their hoof rather than in their mouth. Being an earth pony, it was an essential piece of equipment to keep my head out of attacking range.
I don’t know if I can necessarily call the Everfree unnatural, but it certainly is unsettling. The sound of rustling brush and wind blowing through the cluttered leaves is constant. Various animals and critters can be heard scrambling through the forest, but you never know just what kind of creatures they are. All I could do was put my fears aside and proceed with caution on the sparsely cut path through the brush.
clip, clop, clip, clop, clip, clop, creeeaaaak…
I stop in place at the sound of harsh squeaking wood, something akin to an old door. The forest grew uncomfortably silent, save for the constant rustling of leaves. I gazed about the brush: nothing in sight. I eased my tensions, trotting forward until I heard it again. Wooden creaking, and it came from more than one direction this time. I pushed the handle of my sword into the clutch and drew with a slick metallic noise. shing. I entered a sturdy three hooved combat stance and sharply gazed about the brush. Three pairs of bright green eyes stared back, scattered around me in the undergrowth.
That was when they struck. Three timberwolves pounced at me, exploding forth in a barrage of wooden creaking and clacking. I rolled away in a panic, narrowly avoiding the wooden beasts’ ambush. I swung my sword at the nearest one, smashing its head into a pile of sticks and splints. The rest of it’s body reduced to a pile of wood. One wolf pounced and pinned me to the ground. It bit my shoulder and slashed its claws through my side before I smashed my hoof into its jaw and threw it off with all my strength. I stood up just in time to see the other timberwolf howling for the rest of its kin. I took that as my prompt run. I quickly downed a fifth of my phoenix flask before taking the handle of the longsword into my mouth and scrambling away.
More timberwolves joined the chase. There were at least five now, all easily capable of keeping up with my pace. Two took to covering both my sides while the other three kept chasing behind. The wolf to my right grew uncomfortably close, so I slashed in its direction as I ran. That only let the one to my left creep closer. The wolves behind me were cautious to keep some distance; they were smarter than to approach a pony’s hind hooves too close. Two timberwolves joined the ones already at my sides, though they both kept a bit of distance form me. Something about their passiveness in the chase me struck me as wrong.
It then occurred to me: the timberwolves aren’t just chasing me; they’re corralling me! Ahead of us lied the edge of a cliff. With the wolves covering both my sides fairly well, I had no choice but either run off the cliff or attempt fighting them all. I tried my best to form a plan, but my options were slim: it truly was either fight or fall. The timberwolves ran me to the edge of the cliff. I stopped and turned to face them, taking my longsword into clutch and entering the same three hooved stance as before. The timberwolves surrounded me at the cliff, slowly and cautiously closing in. I looked over the edge. It sloped at an angle before reaching a sudden drop off. The wolves cornered me at the very edge of the cliff. They were nearly about to strike when, without any obvious reason or cause, the ground crumbled beneath us. We all went rolling and sliding down the side of the cliff, quickly approaching the drop off. I was quick to plant my sword into the slope, stopping me from falling any further. The timberwolves, meanwhile, slid over the drop off as a pack, just as they had been chasing me.
I slowly and carefully, very carefully, scaled up the slope using my sword. The blade ground and scraped through dirt and rock as I steadily ascended. I crested the top of the cliff, lying on my back and heaving for breath. I was covered in dirt. My coat was torn and bloody after getting bit and scratched. I was tired, but I was alive and more than capable of proceeding. For that matter, my phoenix flask was almost full; a scratch and a bite aren’t that bad in the grand scheme of things. I stood up from the ground, shaking the dust off me before sheathing my sword and moving forward.
Following the path led me to the bottom of the cliff. The trip down was a lengthy walk, and peering up at the top from the bottom sent a cold shiver down my spine. I nearly fell off that. The cliff dropped down into a valley. It was more open. There were less trees and the brush wasn’t quite nearly as dense. The path was wider and smoother. I no longer feared taking a surprise ambush.
I was near the exit of the valley when I heard deep guttural growling. I immediately looked to the source. A great beast leaped from out from the trees. It approached me with heavy creeping steps. I must admit, it intimidated me rather fierce. I would've ran if it seemed viable, but the beast was much too fast. It was a manticore: part lion and part winged beast (I’m not sure which one) with a scorpion’s stinger fixed on the back end. I drew my sword in clutch. Rather than hearing a slick shing, I listened to the blade scrape and grate through the sheath. I looked over the blade in horror. Using it to climb through the cliff did quite a number on the once sharp blade.
The manticore gave a mighty roar upon reaching mid distance. It scraped its large lion claws through the dirt a few times before jumping at me. I rolled out of the way, slashing at its side with the blade. It bounced off the thick hide without leaving hardly a mark. The beast roared shortly and snapped at me with it’s teeth. I back stepped, smashing my sword against its nose as hard as I possibly could. It reeled back, grabbing at its nose with a paw while lunging its tail at me. I rolled towards its side, though the beast was quick to catch me with a set of fierce claws. I tumbled out of the roll with burning pain and wet blood coming off my back. I cried in agony and backed away while drinking from my phoenix flask, leaving it just over half full. The creature took to flying in the air and dived at me, claws and tail forward. I rolled beneath and slashed with all my might at its softer belly. I could’ve caused some serious damage to the beast had my blade been sharp.
The manticore landed, and I stood behind it. It smacked me away with its powerful tail. I flew back and landed flat on my side. The impact of its hard scorpion tail cracked a good few of my ribs. I climbed to a stand while desperately gasping for air. I took a sip from my flask, leaving it just under half full. The manticore leaped at me with claws out front, and I quickly rolled out of the way. It swung its sharp claws at me repeatedly in a flurry. I continuously back stepped away before smacking my blade atop its skull. The beast snapped its head away in pain and lunged its stinger at me. I narrowly sidestepped the attack and hugged the tail with my front legs. The manticore lifted me into the air with its stinger, and I dropped onto its back. I grabbed the beast’s mane in my teeth and hugged its body while it flailed about, trying desperately to buck me off. I clung on for dear life and smashed my sword on its head repeatedly. My cloak wildly whipped about through the air until the beast grabbed it in its teeth. The manticore jerked me off its back hard as it could. I flew a short distance through the air before landing on my back in a daze.
The manticore pounced atop me. The beast’s claws shredded through my body while snapping its teeth at my face. I pushed the edge of my blade into its maw, barely keeping the manticore’s head away as I wound up my hoof and punched its eyeball as hard as I could. The manticore let out a mighty roar of pain, and I took the opportunity to shove my leg, hoof, sword and all down its gullet. I twisted and shoved my hoof inside the beast as it tried desperately to bite my leg off. It managed to do some good damage before losing strength and collapsing atop me. I immediately downed the rest of my phoenix flask before rolling the large corpse off of me.
I climbed to a stand on shaking legs. Despite drinking nearly half my phoenix flask, many of my deeper injuries failed to fully recover. A number of cuts still lined my body and my sword leg definitely didn’t feel all too great. Though, I was alive, and I could continue forward. For now.
I exited the valley, limping on my bad leg as a bit of blood continued to leak through my shredded clothes.
I found myself feeling more than a little vulnerable as I crept through the forest. I was left without my phoenix flask, a good blade, or even serviceable clothing. I was still injured from my encounter with the manticore, leaving me limping through the forest. The chills crept in through the tears in my coat, though I’m sure some of that resonated from blood loss. Things that shouldn’t have scared me suddenly had me shouting. Every mouse scurrying through the bushes, every bird flapping through the trees, every stick falling from the trees; they all had me shivering, jumping, and screaming in fear.
I was walking through the forest in this state of abject terror until something about the sparse moonlight seemed to shift. I suddenly noticed several twisted beasts standing about me! They bore wide gaping mouths filled with fearsome pointed teeth and carried twisted limbs with snaking tendrils. They were large too, towering above me. What dastardly demons had the Everfree spawned in the abyss!? I screamed in terror and drew my sword in my mouth, lunging at the nearest one. The abyss be damned, if I’m going to die then I’d die fighting! I smacked the twisted abyss spawn with my dull sword as hard as I could, but it simply bounced off without hardly any effect. The creature stood still, ever sturdy as a…
…as a tree. I had attacked a tree. I looked around at the “dastardly demons”. They were all just twisted malformed trees. I let out a sigh of relief and sheathed my sword before growing to laugh at my own paranoid foolishness. I continued down the path, hoping to Celestia that I’d soon near the castle.
Following the path led me to a small river. It appeared shallow enough to cross on hoof, and I could’ve handled a bit of swimming if it was truly necessary. I did not kill a manticore and nearly fall a cliff for nothing. I had barely stepped a hoof into water when a large violet sea serpent sprung from the river. He kept a gorgeously groomed orange mane and moustache, though part of the left side of his facial hair was violet rather than orange. This creature had to be civilized. He stared down at me with his intimidating height before rearing back to strike with his sharp fangs.
I shouted, “Wait, don’t bite! I am not a hollow!”
The sea serpent looked back at me, tilting his head before responding. “Oh… I apologize, traveler. I mistook you for a hollow, what with wearing those disgustingly dirty rags and carrying about that toothpick of a sword.”
“It’s an honest mistake…”
“I don’t think I'd even want to see your mane!” He added. “There’s probably a good reason it’s under a hood, isn’t there?”
I gave him deadpanned stare. “I get cold easily.”
“It’s okay if your mane is uncouth and all. I understand it’s difficult to find a good stylist in these times.”
“It is a little more than difficult.”
“Oh, but you could always learn to style it yourself like I have. For a matter of fact, I could style your mane right now if you wanted!”
“I couldn’t care less of my mane!” I shouted.
The serpent crossed his arms and looked away with a pout. “Right… well, what is it that brings you to my river?”
“I’m merely seeking to cross,” I answered. “This path here leads right through it.”
“I’m afraid I can’t let you do that,” he said. “No one is allowed in this section of the Everfree.”
I narrowed my eyes up at him. “I did not just travel all this way, risk death TWICE, and slay a manticore just to be stopped by an oversized water snake!”
“Well, what did you do all that for?”
“I’m trying to find the Castle of the Two Sisters so I may acquire the Elements of Harmony!”
“Oh? You mean to tell me that you’re a sunseeker?”
“Yes!”
A wide toothy grin spread across his face. “Shame on you, why didn’t you tell me earlier!?”
“You-“
He continued. “Whatever the reason, I would be more than glad to let you cross. In fact, I’ll even let you cross on my back if you wish to avoid getting wet. Though, you could use a bath…”
“I would appreciate it.”
“The bath?”
“Crossing! On your back!”
“Right right…”
The serpent formed a makeshift bridge over the river with his long scaly body. I took to treading on his back ask offered.
“Thank you,” I said as I hopped off his tail.
“Oh please, I didn’t have to slay a manticore to get here.”
I turned around and saluted with a hoof before continuing down the path.
He called, “Good luck to you, sunseeker!”
The path ended at a rope bridge crossing a deep, deep gorge. I could see the ruins of the castle at the other end. I didn’t exactly feel safe crossing on such an unsteady structure, but it seemed the only way across. My hoof tested the condition of the bridge before the rest of my body followed. I slowly made my way across the bridge. The rope squeaked and stretched under my weight. It was unnerving, but I crossed safely. Right as I approached the end of the bridge, a heavy fog rolled in seemingly out of nowhere. The chills crept through my core as humid air cloaked my body. I finished crossing to be met with Nightmare Moon herself. Shadowy smoke rolled off her frame as her ethereal mane waved through the fog. She stood a great deal taller than me, staring down with her serpentine blue eyes. I drew my sword in clutch, ready to strike at the cursed mare herself.
She spoke. “My my, would you just stop for a moment, Daydreamer?”
My mouth gaped as I was taken aback. I didn’t expect Nightmare Moon to know or use my name.
She continued, “Just look at yourself, covered in cuts, holding a foal’s butter knife and wearing a bunch of torn bloody rags… here, why don’t I help you with that?”
Nightmare Moon waved her hoof through the fog in front of me. It appeared to shimmer and refract in the moonlight before showing my reflection. I was filthy, covered in dirt and dried blood. My clothes were heavily torn and shredded. It would take some serious work to return them to decent condition. My sword was dulled to Tartarus and back. I’m not sure it even qualified as a blade at this point. I looked back at Nightmare Moon, keeping silent as I pointed the tip of my “blade” at her. She laughed at the display.
“Ohoho! You can’t be serious, can you?”
“You betrayed the ponies of your land! Again!” I screamed angrily.
“You are.” She sighed. “Yes, from what I’ve seen, you’re quite fixed on stopping the nightmare, aren’t you?”
“I’ll do whatever it takes…”
“Oh, I know. Trust me, I know.” Nightmare Moon stepped closer, taking a more relaxed and inviting posture than her previous tall intimidating stare. “Not many ponies could kill a manticore with little other than spit, grit, and a big metal stick. Even less would be willing to continue on after that. You’re so young too! What are you, twenty-two years old? Eighteen? Sixteen?”
I didn’t answer.
“You don’t know, do you?”
I didn’t answer.
“I know my child, I know. It’s hard to keep track of the days when there are only endless nights. The flow of time grows convoluted and you eventually just stop caring…”
I didn’t respond.
She asked, “You would do anything to get into that castle, wouldn’t you?”
I affirmed, “Yes, I would.”
“Tell me, what do you think will happen once you enter those old ruins?”
I didn’t answer.
“Oh? You don’t know?” Her brow arched. “What, did you think that you would trot in there, find the Elements of Harmony, and strike me down with some big beautiful rainbow?”
I didn’t answer.
She laughed. “Oh, that’s rich! If it were that easy, I would’ve just taken the elements myself! For that matter, don’t you think some other ‘sunseeker’ would’ve done it by now if it were really that simple?”
“You’re not steering me from my mission,” I asserted.
Nightmare Moon walked around me, stopping at my side. “Come now. I know you’re a smart kid, Daydreamer. You’re always thinking of ways to improve your position and gain an advantage. You’re just young, and you have stupid ambitions. Why, I’m willing to bet the moon that you’re thinking of ways to kill me right now.”
She wasn’t wrong.
Nightmare Moon leaned down, speaking into my ear. “I hate to break it to you, Daydreamer, but this thing, this crusade that you’re on is a bad position; it’s a disadvantage really. Equestria has fallen, and the Elements of Harmony are lost. You’re going to find that out as soon as you enter those useless ruins. Give up this foolish ‘mission’ of yours before you get hurt or killed.”
I stepped away from her before shouting, “I will never stop fighting!”
She stepped in beside me again. “Of course not! I’m not asking you to stop fighting, my child. No, I’m asking you to fight on the right side, the smart side.”
I blanched at her. I was about to respond when she spoke.
“I know what you’re thinking. ‘I don’t want to go hollow! I don’t want to lose my equinity! Well… you won’t. Turning you into a hollow would be a waste of you. It’d be a waste of your drive and your cunning.” Nightmare Moon placed a cold hoof over my shoulder, pulling me in closer. “Daydreamer, I am asking you to be so much more than a hollow. I’m asking you to be more than just a pony, for that matter. I want you to become my apprentice. I want to show you the power of the darkness, to make you stronger than anything you ever dreamed of becoming. I want you to join me. Stop being a foolish Daydreamer already and become a Night Terror.”
I screamed in unfettered rage, “I’LL NEVER JOIN YOU!”
I slashed at Nightmare Moon with my sword. She disappeared in a cloud of black smoke, quickly dissipating. The fog followed suit, rolling away just as sudden as it appeared. It took me a moment to realize that I was shaking with tears rolling down my cheeks. I pressed forward to the castle in an upset hurry, wiping tears off my face away as I walked.
I’d calmed down before finally reaching the front doors of the castle. To my knowledge, it had been 1000 years since anypony lived inside. It really showed. The roof had caved in. The stone walls were crumbling to pieces. Moss and the like had taken to growing up the walls and over the piles of rubble. The only standing structures were two dark towers on both sides of the castle. I stared upon the doors in uneasy anticipation. What if Nightmare Moon was right? What if there was nothing inside, and I fought for nothing? What if it really were nothing but a pile of millennia old ruins...
I pushed my hooves against the large castle door. They slowly spread apart as my heart beat heavy in my chest. I pushed them aside and entered. I gazed about the castle, seeing two ponies and a bonfire. The bonfire was first to catch my attention. It looked like any other bonfire, what with the coiled sword and the phoenix remains, but rather than an orange glowing flame, it was purple. A pony shrouded in black hooded robes sat before the bonfire.
The other pony was a white unicorn stallion with blue eyes matching a blue bitoned mane and tail. He wore a dark red coat with a blue sash, silver buttons, and gold collar and cuffs. His cutie mark bore a shield with a six-pointed star in the center. A royal great sword was sheathed at his side. He turned to me with a somber expression.
“Oh dear, another dogged contender,” he spoke in morose baritone. “Welcome, sunseeker, pursuer of harmony.”
I stared at the sullen stallion where he sat, gazing at the ground disinterestedly with dark rings about his blue eyes. The pony at the bonfire stood up and faced the stallion.
A mare spoke from beneath the robes. “Don’t be so grim, Shining. It’s nice to meet new friends.”
The stallion shook his head and looked away. The robed mare pulled down her hood, revealing the face of a lavender unicorn with a deep purple mane and magenta highlights.
"Don't mind my brother, he is just tired."
I didn't have a word to respond.
“Welcome to Castle of the Two Sisters, loyal sunseeker. I am the harmony keeper, but you may call me Twilight Sparkle.” She smiled warmly. “It is good to see another ambitious pony like you, but I am afraid the Elements of Harmony aren’t here.”
My body, head, shoulders, and all visibly dropped. A look of utter disappointment and sorrow possessed my face. Nightmare Moon… she was right. The Elements of Harmony were a lost cause…
“Oh, don’t you go getting upset like Shining now. Yes, the Elements of Harmony are lost, but they are not gone. All lost objects can be found. That’s what I’m here to help you with.”
My head perked up. “You know the location of the Elements of Harmony?”
“Well… not exactly.” Twilight gestured over the violet bonfire with a hoof. “You look torn and tired. Come now, sit at the bonfire and rest your aching body. We have much to speak about, sunseeker. Would you mind if I asked your name?”
I followed the purple mare’s instruction, sitting before the bonfire. Its healing magic briskly healed my wounds away and slowly filled my phoenix flask.
“My name is Daydreamer,” I said. “I wish to see the sun rise again.”
She smiled warmly. “Daydreamer… I like it.”
I gave her a kindred smile.
"It looks like your equipment needs just as much fixing as you do..." Twilight observed.
I drew my damaged sword and placed it in front of her. "It does."
"Lucky for you, Shining knows a thing or two about stitching and smithing." Twilight called to her brother. "Shining, would you mind fixing up Daydreamer's stuff?"
The alabaster unicorn looked over my gear disgust.
"Really, Twilight, would there be any point? He's carrying a basic longsword and wearing peasant rags."
"Would you like to give him that chainmail set you've been working on?" Twilight asked.
Shining scoffed. "What for? To have him go out there and die so I could waste another sixty hours making another chain set for the next one to go waste? Not likely!" He looked to me. "Give me your gear. This won't take as long as you think it would."
I struggled for a bit with unbuckling and unbuttoning the coat. Shining quickly grew impatient.
"For the love of..."
The stallion removed my coat using his magic before trotting away to work in seclusion. I sat bare before the bonfire with an expression of embarrassment on my face.
Twilight sighed. "Poor Shining... I worry about him sometimes."
I sat silently, staring into the bonfire. Quite frankly, I was unsure how to respond to that.
“Now…” she started, “why don’t you go ahead and tell me how you got so torn up?”
I thought a moment before speaking. “Well, it began when I entered the Everfree Forest…”