"THIS...is the Everfree Forest?" Twilight asked timidly. The group of seven, including Spike, were in front of a dank and dark forest covered in mist, dewdrops, weird plants, and large vines. Not to mention strangely shaped trees. "This is a little spooky."
"Are you SURE you're going in there?!" Rainbow dash exclaimed pointing in the woods. "I'm positive that you'll get eaten by something in like two seconds once you walk in." At that moment, a squirrel came running out of the woods and stopped in front of the group.
"Hello, Mr. Squirrel," Fluttershy said softly, approaching the freaked out mammal. "Are you ok?" The squirrel started talking and pointing into the darkened area. "A strange light?" The creature nodded before it took off back towards town, leaving the group standing there confused.
"Okay, if there's a strange light in there, then that's where we're headed," Twilight said. "C'mon, guys. We're moving in." Rainbow groaned catching her attention. "Hey, you offered!"
"And I'm already regretting it. Let's just get this over with." She slowly flew into the woods following Twilight. The others followed after her. The woods were becoming more strange by the second. Each step was careful, each breath quiet. They continued on into the woods as it gradually got darker, causing Rarity and Twilight to light their horns.
"So what does this 'remnant' look like anyway," Applejack asked, looking around the lit up area. "Because that's a pretty vague description."
"Princess Celestia said we just need to see them and then send a message to her," Twilight whispered, pointing her horn upwards. "And that it was very important and life changing...for her and us. I concluded it's a bunch of artifacts, or.....a pony."
"Pony?" Rarity asked, turning her head and pointing her light in Twilight's face.
"Rarity, watch the light!"
"Oh, Sorry," she apologized, facing forward and walking again. "But why would there be a pony here?"
"I read in a book once, back in Canterlot. It was about a fierce battle between the pony siblings. It said they all fought for power and that the loser got banished for sixteen years. So I think we're supposed to find them, the artifacts, or both. Either way, we're already in these woods." The rest of the walk was quiet as they all came to a ledge.
"How do we get down from here,"Pinkie asked. "If we jump off this thing, we are literally gone!"
"Me and Twilight will levitate ourselves down, while Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy will get Applejack and Pinkie," Rarity suggested. Twilight nodded, seeing it a good idea. Then she grabbed hold of Rarity in her magic and vice versa. They levitated themselves over to the edge and slowly lowered down. Fluttershy grabbed Pinkie in her hooves while Rainbow Dash grabbed Applejack and flew over the ledge. They landed softly on the bottom floor, the six of them landed quietly before they began walking again.
"HEY!"
Twilight looked back up towards the ledge to see Spike standing there with his hands on his hips, looking down at the six of them unamaused. "I know I'm small, but c'mon. You CANNOT miss the small purple dragon."
"Oh, yes, I forgot Spike was following us." Rarity lit her horn and grabbed Spike in her magic, levitating him down to the edge. Once he was on the ground he ran over and gave Rarity a hug.
"Oh, I knew you'd save me!" Rarity just looked down at him before glancing at Twilight who was just sporting a sly grin.
"I don't know," she said before focusing on her assistant. "Spike! Stop crushing on Rarity!" The purple dragon quickly backed away from the pearly white coat of the mare before clearing his throat.
"Yes...well, let's continue shall we?" He walked past everyone with courage, ignoring the smirks and giggles he was definitely receiving from Rainbow. Twilight rolled her eyes at her assistant before following along after him, along with everyone else.
During the walk, Twilight thought something was up. Especially with the glowing rainbow light from under their hooves popping up every now and then. "Hold on, guys. Something's here."
"What are you talking about?" Rainbow asked, looking around. "I don't see anything but a bunch of trees."
"Look down." Everyone looked at the ground to see the strands of rainbow light coming from cracks that was getting gradually brighter. Fluttershy squeaked and jumped in the air while Rainbow Dash jumped up and began hovering. Spike jumped on Twilight's back. "Run!" Twilight yelled before she took off, running deeper into the forest with the others right behind her. It got darker until Twilight spotted a bright light up ahead, positioned way above the ground.
"Guys, there's something up there," She huffed, motioning towards the area ahead with her hoof. The others looked up to see the light getting brighter. "I'm guessing that's the castle! We're almost there!" The other ponies began gasping for air before they skidded to a stop.
"Oh no." Right in front of them there was a trench with a broken bridge attached to their side. Rainbow peeked down into it to see skeletons and armor. Royal guards.
"There must've been a huge battle here," she said before turning to the others. "There's skeletons and armor down there. I'm guessing Royal Guards."
"I agree. Look." AJ pointed across from them towards the broken down castle. The entire front wall of it was gone, shattered to pieces by who knows what. The trees that were probably green and lively were now just dead branches and trunks. And there were more skeletons.
"I wonder what in Equestria happened...." Twilight just shook her head before getting back to the task at hand
"We need to cross. This bridge needs to be tied to the other side. Rainbow, think you can do it?" The cerulean pegasus nodded before she flew down into the trench and grabbed the loose bottom of the bridge, pulling it up with her to the other side. She landed on the opposite ledge and tied the bridge as tight as she could to the posts there, making sure it was sturdy enough to hold multiple ponies at the same time.
"Ok!" She yelled back to the other side. "Cross over!" The other ponies and dragon began to trot and walk across the bridge. Soon they walked past Rainbow, making their way towards the castle with her taking up the rear.
They slowly walked past the destruction of the front of the castle, dodging bricks and skeletons of the fallen guards. Upon closer inspection, Twilight discovered something odd about the nature.
"This was magic that killed them," she said, looking down. They all stopped and stared at her, waiting for an explanation. "Look at the branches of the trees. This one-" She pointed at the nearest one next to her. "-has branches that are way too sharp on the ends. And the trunk of it is bent to the point where it should've snapped off. Instead, it was able to bend like rubber all the way over and impale this guard." The others looked at the trunk to see that it was true. That trunk was bent impossibly far. "Someone made these trees attack these guards. And I bet they destroyed the castle as well. Well...most of it anyway."
Twilight began the walk back to the front of the castle, walking through the broken doors and into the main hall with the others right on her tail. The roof of the architecture was gone, exposing the insides to the elements of nature. Suddenly, the light got brighter, making them all look up. It was coming from a tower on the left side of the castle, on the top floor.
"C'mon!" Rainbow yelled, running past the others and turning down the left hall. The others ran after her as she turned a sudden right, bursting through a couple doors that led into a garden before running towards the entrance to the tower. The others caught up with her before she burst through the doors and into the stairwell. They all looked up at the flight of stairs before Rainbow groaned and flew up, leaving them to take the ascending walkway.
While they were taking the stairs, she landed in front of a pair of golden doors, with the Equestrian crest embossed on it. There was a bright light coming through the cracks, signalling that there was definitely something in there. She waited until all the others were behind her before pushing the doors open. They weren't heavy, pretty light enough to actually swing them too hard and make them hit the wall.
"Rainbow," AJ scolded quietly. "Why so hard?"
"I thought it was going to be heavy," she whispered over her shoulder. She turned back around to see Twilight and Spike walking forward, headed towards the light. The others followed, although tentatively, especially Fluttershy, who had to be pulled along by Rainbow Dash. Finally, they stopped in front of the mess of light, confused as to what to do.
"So...what now," Applejack asked. "We came this far, I think we should just see what it is."
"I don't know," Fluttershy said, finally speaking after nearly two hours of silence. "I think we should just leave the nice light alone, and head back to Ponyville...if that's ok with you guys."
"Can't do that," Pinkie said, shaking her head. "I am not walking back through that forest empty handed." While they were arguing, Twilight slowly reached out a hoof and touched the sphere, causing it to get brighter and brighter, blinding everyone to the point where they had to cover their eyes. Soon, after two minutes of the bright light, it gradually dimmed. They all opened their eyes and gasped at what they saw.
There was a dark blue alicorn there with a splotch of black and a crescent moon for a cutie mark on her flank with a broken horn. Surrounding her were five chest plates and a crown with gems on it. Twilight walked forward carefully, the others following her, towards the unconscious alicorn.
"What are you doing?!" Rarity whispered. Twilight didn't answer. Instead she reached out and lightly touched the alicorn, having the desired effect.
The mare's eyes flew open and she moved her legs, nearly hitting Twilight if Rainbow hadn't grabbed her and pulled her back. "Fiend!" she yelled "Where art thou?!" They watched as she stood up and flared her wings and looked around the hall, finally spotting the group of equally frightened mares. She looked at each of them, assessing to see if they were any threat. Finding them harmless, she looked back up to see the destroyed remains of the tower.
"Where am I?" she asked. "What happened here?"
"You're in the old Everfree Castle," Twilight answered stepping forward, catching the Princess' attention. "You were in some ball of light that we got you out of. And I think there was some type of battle." The princess of the night slowly nodded before she looked down at the elements. She ignited her broken horn and lifted one up, the rainbow bolt one, staring at it.
"What is your names?" She asked without taking her eyes off of it.
"I'm Twilight Sparkle."
"Applejack."
"Rarity."
"Pinkie PIIIEEE!"
"Spike."
"Rainbow Dash." Princess Luna gave a gasp and dopped the element on the stone floor loudly before looking back down at the group.
"Who here is named Rainbow Dash?" she asked, approaching the group, hopefulness in her eyes. She scanned them all, finally spotting the rainbow colored mane of the cerulean mare. "Please step forward." The group looked towards Rainbow Dash as she calmly walked towards the Princess. She stopped in front of her, watching as the princess circled her, assessing her. She finally stopped back in front of the mare, tears glistening in her eyes. "So Celestia did it."
Before anyone could ask what she meant another bright light came from the right window, slowly lowering itself down into the hall. Soon, it dissipated, revealing Celestia in all her ethereal glory. "Luna," she said, tears in her eyes.
"Celestia." The two ran to each other and embraced, nuzzling each other.
"I am here, sister," Celestia cooed to her, making the others there look at each other in confusion. Sister?! Soon, their hug and cryfest ended, leaving them standing their admiring each other until Princess Luna became serious.
"She has grown up beautifully," Luna said, turning around to face the other mares standing there. Celestia raised an eyebrow and followed her gaze, making her mouth part slightly as she spotted Rainbow Dash standing there looking confused. The Princess of the Sun walked forward tentatively and knelt down in front of her, staring her in her eyes. Rainbow was getting all types of uncomfortable.
"Look, your highness, I'm not really comfortable to be looked at like this, it's kind of freaking me out," she stammered. Celestia chuckled and smiled.
"Hold still, Rainbow Dash," Celestia lit her horn and placed it on Rainbow's head, making the mare's eyes glow white for a second before turning into different colors dramtically. "It IS her." She stopped the spell and removed her horn before standing up again, tears beginning to brim her eyes as she turned to Luna before speaking again. "It is not time yet, sister. We will know when it is."
"It will show?" Luna asked. Celestia nodded before turning to the rest of the mares and the elements. "What do we do with the elements?"
"We shall hold onto them." She levitated the elements towards her before turning back to the mares watching. The princess walked towards Twilight and pulled the bookworm into a hug. "Thank you, Twilight. You have done a great service for me today. Not only have you brought back my sister. But also a very very very important somepony that I thought I'd never see again." She let go of her protege and stepped back. "I shall teleport us all back to Ponyville. Where you can rest and relax."
The area glowed a bright light before it disappeared, leaving nothing there.