Wake up, young ones. There is something I wish for you to see.
Applejack's eyes slowly opened, and she glanced about - they had completely forgotten to get into their sleeping bag, and yet she didn't feel cold at all. Having Twilight Sparkle's wing over her helped somewhat, but it normally wouldn't have been enough to stop the cold. Something about this place made it unseasonably warm, and the earth pony wasn't sure if it was due to He Who Watches or if it was some other unseen force. She slipped out from underneath the unicorn's wing and gently nudged her companion. "Get up, Twi. He Who Watches wants ta show us somethin'."
"Mm... what is it, AJ?" The lavender mare glanced up at her friend, her eyes still half-shut. "Can't I sleep just a little longer?"
The golden specter rose up from the ground in front of them, floating once more. A very rare few have ever seen the Tree for themselves. There is something I wish for you both to see, and it loses much of its effect during the day. Come. Without a backwards glance, the figure turned and began to slowly fly away, leading them on. With Applejack's help, Twilight groggily got to her hooves, and the two mares began to follow the being.
"So, He Who Watches... You said that Celestia bound you here - did she make this place too? The fortress and the trials, I mean." Twilight has woken up a bit since she had begun to walk, but a yawn still slipped out here and there.
Applejack blinked and quickly looked over. "Wait, what? What's th' Princess got ta do with all this?"
"It's... a bit of a long story, Applejack. You were asleep for all of it." She grinned sheepishly and soon continued. "I'll tell it to you later."
Yes, Element of Magic. The one you refer to as 'Celestia' both bound me here and created this place, both with the intention of testing individuals who attempted to claim the fruit. You no doubt saw her banners on your way into the fortress.
"We... did, actually. How did you know that?"
I said I had been watching you, did I not? Twilight slowly nodded, and the figure laughed. Still, I find it humorous that it would be her own student that would pass the trials, as well as one of her friends.
"That is kinda odd, Twilight. Ya think Celestia planned all this?" Applejack looked over at the unicorn, hoping for an answer. The specter replied instead.
Celestia is indeed wise beyond her years. There are a great many things she has seen or predicted, and this may possibly be one of them. I cannot know for certain, however. I apologize for being unable to answer, Element of Honesty.
"S'alright. Where are we goin' anyways?"
The Tree itself.
The orange mare felt her heart leap with excitement. "Yer takin' us to th' Tree? Ya coulda just pointed us in th' right path an' stayed behind. Why are ya comin' with us?"
This is a rare honor, Child of Earth - you two shall be the first mortals to gaze upon the Tree since its discovery. I must admit, I have longed for the day when one would finally arrive and prove themselves worthy of the fruit. And at last, that time has come. I wish to witness the event myself.
Upon the horizon was faint glow, and from a distance, one might have mistaken it for the lights of a town. As they drew closer, however, they quickly realized that this was not a town at all, but instead was something much more. Twilight Sparkle audibly gasped as they drew closer and closer to it. "Is that... what I think it is?"
It is, Child of Magic - the Tree of Life.
Off in the distance was a tree of gargantuan proportions, much larger than either of them had anticipated. By Twilight's guesses, the tree itself must have been taller than some of the spires of Canterlot, and engraved upon every inch of its gnarled bark was a glowing golden rune of some sort. From the roots to the tips of its branches, every little piece seemed to glow with a light of its own, the light gently ebbing away before bursting back once more. The entire spectacle made it appear more as a colossal beacon rather than an actual tree, and both mares found themselves speechless. For the unicorn, she had never seen magic of that variety - runic magic was considered to be a lost art, and yet it had been perfectly preserved here. For the earth pony, she felt positively dwarfed by what lay before her. Applejack had no idea that something natural could grow to be so big, and a part of her wished her family could be here to view such a thing.
This... is what I wished to show you. Beautiful, is it not?
"I ain't seen nothin' like it..." Applejack found herself both entranced and excited to finally see the Tree itself. She didn't realize it would be so beautiful.
"He Who Watches?" The golden figure glanced down to see Twilight Sparkle looking up at it. "Is that... real runic magic etched into the tree? I've seen examples of it, but I didn't think I'd ever actually see it myself."
It is indeed. Runic magic is very potent and lasts an extraordinarily long time - those runes have been around since before she arrived.
She blinked at him. "Wait, you mean to tell me that the Tree and the runes have been here since before the Princesses ruled Equestria?"
Correct. I will answer more questions for you another time, if you would like. For now, however, I think your friend wishes to take that which you both have sought. Follow me. The specter turned and began to slowly fly away once more, and both Applejack and Twilight followed it. The closer they got, the more monstrous and intimidating the tree seemed to become - even before they reached the base of it, it loomed above them. They both felt woefully insignificant in its presence. As they neared it, the runes themselves seemed to acknowledge their presence, glowing brighter than before and faintly humming. Something about it seemed unsettling to the unicorn, however.
"He Who Watches... why is it so quiet? There's no birds, no breeze... nothing at all. It's just the runes, and it's like... they know we're here."
I do not know, Child of Magic. It is possible that the runic magic engraved upon the Tree drives all wildlife away, and disrupts the very air around it. I cannot say with any certainty.
Applejack was far too concerned with figuring out how to even get the fruit down - it was on a branch far above her, and certainly out of her reach. "Hey Twi, ya think you could pluck th' fruit down fer me? I can' reach it."
"Sure thing, AJ. Gimme just one mo-"
Stop.
The lavender mare turned to look at the golden specter. "...what? Why?"
You have aided the Child of Earth in her journey, that much is true. But the fruit is for her to claim, and her alone. She must do this on her own.
Twilight's ears flattened, and she looked towards Applejack, shaking her head. The earth pony sighed and nodded her head as she cautiously approached the Tree. The runes had flared up in her presence and were glowing more brightly with every passing second. The hum reached a fevered pitch. "Alrighty... Bucky McGillycutty an' Kicks McGee, you two know what ya gotta do. Let's do this." She turned and leaned on her forelegs, sending a powerful kick into the Tree's trunk - in response, the runes angrily flared up, and the humming slowly began to turn into ominous rumbling. The fruit refused to budge.
"C'mon, ya darn fruit!" Applejack gave the tree another kick, and the runes responded with a more intense reaction. Something about the magical reactions were making Twilight Sparkle feel increasingly more ill - she knew it was ancient magic, but the kind of magic they were giving off now simply felt 'wrong'. It felt twisted and corrupted. It felt impure. An overwhelming sense of dread began to overwhelm the young unicorn, and she couldn't ignore it any longer.
"Applejack, wait!"
One final kick sent every rune upon the tree shifting from yellow to red, and the magic lashed out against the earth pony, sending her flying through the air. As the fruit fell to the earth, so too did Applejack's unconscious form as it tumbled about before coming to a halt. Twilight Sparkle dashed off, and He Who Watches simply looked on with a mixture of pity and curiosity. The unicorn stared down at her friend's motionless body and leered back up at the specter, tears in her eyes. "You... why didn't you warn us?! Why didn't you warn her?! You did this! You... you and your damn trials!"
The golden being floated above the earth pony's form, eying it with curiosity. ...how odd.
She leaned down and placed an ear to the orange mare’s chest, shutting her eyes tight upon hearing no sound - no breathing, and no heartbeat. "Odd? Odd?! You got her killed!"
I did nothing, Element of Magic. I could not warn her of something I did not even know existed. Your friend is not dead - merely dreaming.
"B-but..." Twilight blinked at the specter, tears rolling down her cheeks. "You... you didn't know it would do that? And she's not dead?"
This Tree and the magic engraved upon it both existed before either myself or Celestia came to this area. None have ever been able to claim the fruit, and so I was not aware that an event such as this would occur. It appears whoever placed the Tree here had one final safeguard in place. The specter gestured downwards at the dreaming Applejack.
Twilight Sparkle collapsed beside Applejack and gazed up at the golden being. "So I... I can't do anything to help?"
Perhaps. Perhaps not. The runic magic appears to have initiated one last trial. From what I can see, your friend will either succeed, or she will never wake again.
The lavender mare nodded feebly and placed a wing over the slumbering earth pony once more. "I... I understand."
Over by the tree itself, the fruit had come to rest against one of the roots, and it seemed unimportant now compared to what had just happened.
None of it seemed to matter anymore.
-----
When she awoke, Applejack found herself in her bed back at Sweet Apple Acres. Groaning, she sat up and rubbed at her temples - she could have sworn she was with Twilight, and yet now she was back home. It seemed to be mid-day however, and it was quiet. Way too quiet, considering it was a farm. She rolled out of bed and grabbed her hat, taking a step out of her room before freezing in place. The entire house was covered in dust and cobwebs, and almost all of it was in disrepair. There was no sign at all of Granny Smith, Big Macintosh, or Apple Bloom. Nervous, she headed downstairs towards the kitchen, shattered plates and glasses awaiting her. How long they had been there, she didn't know. The earth pony rushed out the door, and the first thing that caught her attention was how still everything was - like with the Tree of Life, everything was eerily quiet. No wind, no birds, no sounds of applebucking or anything else.
She knew what this was all too well. She had this nightmare before, and it was the same one she had confessed to Twilight Sparkle, except this one was far more vivid than normal. The earth pony galloped off towards Ponyville, her heart racing and mind reeling. Twilight. She needed to find Twilight. She last remembered being with her, and if anypony knew what was going on, it would be her. Upon arriving in Ponyville, the entire town was absolutely deserted - it was hardly surprising, given how her nightmares had played out, but it was still unnerving. Desperate, she raced off towards the library and knocked upon the door, and was pleasantly surprised when Spike actually opened the door.
"Spike, I'm so glad ta see ya. Where's Twi? I need ta talk ta her right away."
The little dragon looked at her, worried. "...AJ? Are you alright?"
"I'm fine, Spike." She glanced about nervously. "I jus' need ta see Twilight. Where is she?"
"...Applejack, her funeral was just last week. You were there. I know it's... difficult, but you seemed to handle it so well."
The orange mare's eyes went wide, and she felt her heart drop. "F-f-funeral? No... no no no... I need ta get outta here. I need ta get away from here." She already felt the tears welling up in her eyes as she took off, setting out for a place she was reluctant to even visit - the Ponyville Cemetery. Applejack was growing more hopeless by the second, and as she raced past the headstones, she hoped and prayed she would be proven wrong. Something caught her eye, and she stopped to investigate.
She soon regretted it.
In a neat little row, side by side, were three headstones - Granny Smith, Big Macintosh, and even Apple Bloom. She felt her legs give out from under her, and she felt physically ill as she lay on the ground. "No, it... it ain't true. It can't be true."
"And why not?"
Applejack glanced over her shoulder, surprised to see Princess Celestia herself standing there. "P-Princess? Oh, of all th' ponies I could hope ta see... yer a sight fer sore eyes. Princess Cele-"
"You failed them, Applejack."
The earth pony blinked, shocked. "...w-what?"
"You failed them all, you miserable cur. You got them and my prized pupil killed, and for what?" The alicorn's voice trembled with rage, and Applejack found herself at a complete loss for words. "So you could save yourself? Be thankful that I'm as merciful as I am, or I'd be tempted to strike you down where you are. They deserved better."
Slowly, the earth pony shook her head. "I... n-no! I wouldn' do that! I wouldn' leave mah family or Twilight behind! That's not like me!"
"Oh really? Why don't you go look at her grave, then!" The Princess glared and spat upon her face, taking off and leaving her in stunned silence. Why? Why her? Why was this happening? She slowly got to her hooves, her body shaking the entire time, and walked over to the grave that had been pointed out by the Princess. Upon it, in plain lettering, was the news Applejack didn't want to see.
HERE LIES TWILIGHT SPARKLE
BELOVED DAUGHTER AND PRIZED STUDENT
MAY YOU LIVE ON IN OUR MEMORIES FOREVERMORE
She desperately wanted to wake up, to know that none of this was real and that none of this had passed. She simply wanted to wake up so she could see her family and friends once more.
And yet she couldn't. Try as she might, she couldn't. There was no escape.
No hope.
-----
"She's in pain!" Twilight glanced down at Applejack's body, a worried expression upon her face. Her friend was trembling and gasping for breath, and it was driving the unicorn mad that there was nothing she could do to help.
I know, Child of Magic. Your friend is losing her fight. Even now, the magic contained within those runes is beginning to eat away at her. If she does not turn things around soon, she will be lost.
"No... no, there has to be a way for me to help. There has to be something!" Desperate, she looked up at the golden specter. "I'll do anything. I just want to help her."
Anything? There is but one spell I can think of, but it is not without its own risks. There is a chance that you would perish. Would you still attempt it?
She nodded. "I said I would be willing to give my life for her or any of my friends. I'm willing to risk it. I just... I can't see her like this. This isn't a fight she can handle alone."
Your words ring true, Element of Magic. Strong as she may be, her inner-demons are far too much for her. Without aid, she will fail, and so shall you. Are you ready?
"Do it."
-----
Applejack couldn't bring herself to move. She didn't even want to move. After all, if they were all gone, what point was there? The orange mare silently stared at the headstone, unsure of what to even think anymore - she knew it had been a dream at first, but if she couldn't wake up... what if it wasn't? What if this was actually reality, and everything she did with Twilight and the fruit had been the dream?
There was a gust of wind behind her, sending her hat sailing away, and her ears twitched ever so slightly as she heard the sound of hoofsteps behind her.
"Applejack?"
"Heh... Spike's right, I probably ain't right in the head. I mean, I've got Twi talkin' in mah head, an' her grave is right here."
"Applejack, I'm not dead. I'm right here." Twilight cocked her head as she watched the earth pony. "Just turn around."
She glanced over her shoulder, smirking as she saw the unicorn. "Well look at ya, yer even an angel now! With yer wings an' all, looks like ya did well enough."
"AJ, what's gotten into you? I'm not an angel, I'm still me! None of this is re-"
"Well I know that. I mean, I'm hallucinatin' ya right now."
Twilight growled with frustration. "Okay, do you want me to prove to you that I'm real, and that the rest of this isn't?"
Applejack idly shrugged, still feeling a bit numb from everything else. "I don' care. It ain't worth it anymore. None of it is."
"Fine. We're going for a flight then." The unicorn grabbed the earth pony from behind and took off, sailing skywards as she gradually pulled Applejack closer and closer to herself. As the two of them spiraled towards the heavens, Twilight leaned in towards her friend and whispered into her ear. "Don't give up like this, Applejack... Don't give up, and don't give in. Please."
"Why? Why should I keep fightin'? It's pointless, ain't it?"
"It's only pointless if you give up! Your family needs you, AJ! Your friends need you!" Her wings began to ache as she steadily soared upwards, but she still held her grip on her friend. "I need you, Applejack - I can't do this without you. Just... trust me. You need to trust me. And if you don't, I'll tell the girls about how much you bawled in front of me."
That last sentence caused the earth pony to blink. That was something only Twilight knew about, but... that had been in the dream. If this Twilight knew about it as well, maybe it hadn't been a dream at all. "I... but... it really is you, ain't it?"
"Glad you saw reason, Applejack." She smiled as the two of them broke through the clouds, and for once, they were actually in sunlight once more. "We need to get out of here, but we can only do that once you conquer... whatever this is. Looks like a nightmare."
"It is, Twi. It's mah worst nightmare, where I'm all alone. You an' all the others are dead or gone, an' it's all my fault." The earth pony looked positively hurt to admit such a thing in Twilight's presence, no matter how comforting it was to be around her.
"Applejack, it's only a nightmare if you let it become one. This is your dream, and dreams can end however you want them to. You just need to take control and show yourself that you're not afraid anymore."
She blinked and looked over at Twilight. "But... how?"
The unicorn giggled and grinned, leaning over to whisper in her ear once more. "I'll show you". She promptly let go of Applejack, sending her plummeting to the earth, and the orange mare screamed the entire way down. She knew not why Twilight had done it, but she resented her for it and part of her felt as if she had been abandoned. From above her, a lavender streak rocketed towards the ground, grabbing the earth pony in midair and holding tight onto her as they sailed just a few feet above the ground. Applejack was understandably upset with the 'lesson'.
"What in th' hay was that 'spose ta teach me?! How ta scream?!"
"No, Applejack. It was supposed to teach you that, whenever you feel alone and abandoned, you never truly are. There will always be somepony there for you." Twilight blinked at her own words, then raised an eyebrow. "Wow, that didn't sound nearly as deep in my head."
Applejack was nearly as surprised as she was. "Yeah, that was... I dunno, really. I've never thought about it like that... I guess you an' th' girls never really have abandoned me, have ya? Ya'll have always been there fer me, no matter what."
"Mhm. We'd never abandon you, AJ. None of us would."
"...us?" Her hooves touched the earth once more as Twilight set her down, and the unicorn soon landed as well. "What do ya mean by 'us'?"
"Let's just say that I found a few things within your dreams." The lavender mare smiled mischievously, and from behind her, more figures began to materialize - they were slightly translucent, but appeared real nonetheless. Fluttershy stepped forth, as did Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity. Then came Big Macintosh, Apple Bloom, Granny Smith... and the entirety of the Apple family. Aunt and Uncle Orange were also there, and even Princesses Celestia and Luna were present. There were two other figures that caught her eye, however, and she already felt her legs begin to tremble at the sight of them.
"...M-mom? Pop?"
Twilight Sparkle stepped forward and stood at Applejack's side, draping her wing over her in a comforting gesture. "They loved you, Applejack. They were so proud of you, and they never would have abandoned you. None of us would have."
The earth pony chewed on her lip and nodded knowingly, a faint smile on her face as tears rolled down her cheeks. "I... I think I get it now, Twi. I'm ready ta leave when you are."
"Right. We've got a fruit to collect." The unicorn nodded, and slowly, the figures vanished from view. Even as Applejack ended the dream and the world began to tear away around them, the earth pony turned to look at her.
"Thanks, Twi... fer keepin' mah head on straight an' all. Dunno what I'd do without you."
"That's what friends do, Applejack." Twilight giggled and smiled in return.
And then they both woke up.
-----
Good. You both still live. It seems you have succeeded.
She had a splitting headache from it all, and she groaned as she got to her hooves, but Applejack seemed to be in one piece. The fiery red runes of the Tree had ceased glowing entirely, and were simply runes now, the magic within them seemingly gone. Twilight Sparkle woke up not long after, and the golden specter nodded with approval.
It is good to see that the spell did not kill you, Element of Magic.
"No, it didn't." The unicorn smiled up at it, though her eyes still seemed to be a bit heavy. "Thank you for doing that for me."
Applejack blinked and glanced over at her friend. "Lemme guess, more stuff yer gonna tell me later?"
"Mhm... hey, look at the runes! They're not glowing anymore!"
Indeed. It seemed your companion unleashed whatever magic was present within them. Whether it will return again, I do not know. However, I believe it is time for the Element of Honesty to claim her prize. It awaits you upon the ground, young one. He Who Watches gestured over towards the Tree, and the earth pony looked over at it - upon the ground sat a single golden apple. She cautiously approached it and cocked her head as she inspected it. Applejack had been expecting a bit... more out of mythical fruit, but she could feel the power radiate from it by simply standing in its presence. Carefully, she bent down and grabbed it by the stem, carrying back over to the others. Twilight helped her place it within her saddlebags, and they both hopped up to hug one another - they finally had what they came for, and could now begin the trek towards home. "We did it, Twi! After everythin' we've been through, we finally got it. I couldn't 'ave done it without ya, sugarcube."
"And I couldn't have done it without you either, AJ. We did it together. Ready to head home?"
Applejack smiled and sighed. "You have no idea, Twilight. Let's get movin' as soon as we can. I uh... I guess we should be thankin' ya, He Who Watches."
The figure waved a limb dismissively. I simply did my duty. The two of you were the ones who truly put forth the effort. With your prize in your possession, it is time for you to depart - I will escort you back to your camp, and from there, you may do as you wish.
They both nodded and quietly followed the floating being away from the Tree, walking side-by-side as they made their way back to their camp. The two of them were more than ready to head back home after such an arduous journey, and so after returning to their camp they packed their things. With their morale boosted, they were escorted to the entrance of the fortress, where He Who Watches bid them farewell.
I cannot go with you any further, young ones. I am bound to this place, and so I cannot leave. However, I wish you the best of luck with your journey - it is rare to meet individuals such as yourselves. Be proud of all that you have accomplished.
Twilight Sparkle smiled and nodded. "We will. Thanks for everything you've done for us."
"Likewise. It was mighty interestin' meetin' a friendly spirit. 'preciate th' help." Applejack nodded as well, and the golden specter bowed to them before sinking into the ground and returning from whence he came. The most difficult part of their journey was behind them. Now it was a simple matter of returning home in order to cure Granny Smith. The two mares headed off towards the horizon. From within the fortress, the being watched on. Part of it felt... troubled by things.
Are you sure this is wise? I could have warned them of what is to come.
We'll have to wait and see.
You are honestly willing to sacrifice such innocence?
Don't talk to me as if this was an easy decision, spirit. You know how much they mean to me, especially after all they've done. I wish it hadn't come to this, but... I see no other way.
You seem troubled.
Because I am. I'm purposely sending them into a situation that could have been avoided if they knew.
Because you wish for her to overcome a fear? I fail to see how this will accomplish your goals, nor do I know what you hope to achieve in the end.
I know how she is. It'll work. And as horrific as it sounds, the ends justify the means. This will benefit all in the end. I refuse to discuss this any further - this is difficult enough as it is.
Reluctantly, the being nodded.
As you wish, Daughter of Sol.