//------------------------------// // Prologue: Power Failure // Story: Harmony Through the Shifting Rock // by Julian the Dreamer //------------------------------// Ponykind as a whole had faced many challenges and disasters. Some where lost time; others immortalized in myth and legend. But it left many with the feeling they could overcome anything. Magic itself failing was a new one, though. Books, furniture and socks rained from Cloudsdale as the city dissipated, the alarmed inhabitants having to alternate between falling and gliding to get to the ground as flight and cloudwalking suddely seemed to be out of their grasp. Farmers and gardeners freaked out across the entire country as they no longer could hear the wordless whispers of animals, nor the simpler vocabulary of plants. An annoyed cockatrice tried to petrify the oblivious rooster that kept singing nonstop, interrupting the chimeric creature's nap. The lack of success only made it crankier as it gave up and simply chased the annoyance away from its home. Screams of terror filled most cities as unicorns found themselves incapable of levitating even the smallest object. Judges, police officers, thieves, teachers, students, nobles, chefs, librarians and more cried in fear of having to use their hooves and mouths to interact with objects. Pegasi, Earth and Crystal pony alike rolled their eyes at that. Dragons gathered in confusion and agitation as they felt their magic fires die down, leaving behind only their normal blaze. Changelings ran from mobs carrying pitchforks and torches, their disguises shorting out entirely. Chrysalis especially was alarmed when she turned back to normal in the middle of Shining Armor and Cadence's picnic, falling from the tree she'd been spying them from as a cat. Right over their food. Back in Canterlot, the Royal Sisters were calmly freaking out at the realization that, try as they might, whatever magic they could muster couldn't reach the sun. Reaching out to the moon proved the same. Los Pegasus just suffered a slight malfunction in the casinos. A pegasus didn't complain as the glitch allowed him to win the big prize. The Griffins and Yaks were too busy competing in Griffinstone's stadium to notice the disaster at first, but it was only a matter of time. The Everfree shuddered, the entire forest feeling its protection against the arcane forces of other magics slowly becoming inert. Both the deers and the less sapient inhabitants were unnerved at the current development. The Tree of Harmony found itself growing tired, feeling for the first time the need to sleep. It didn't like that one bit. All across the world, similar things happened. The planet had been filled with magic for countless eons, and it had thrived with it. If the problem grew... well, life as everyone knew it would be over. And a dark age would befall them all. A few hours later, the situation had only grown worse. Reports from all of Equestria and beyond -whatever managed to arrive in sudden bursts of arcane power as the spells struggled to work, anyway- showed this was happening everywhere. Every country, every kingdom, every nation that used magic told the same. 'Magic is failing.' "This is worse than we feared, sister," Celestia said. The alicorn was becoming frantic at the current situation, something a small part of Luna found nostalgic as the rest of her tried not to panic with her sister. The royal sisters were in their private study, going over both their private collection of tomes about the magical arts and the slowly growing pile of messages informing them of the chaos outside, and begging for help or guide. Luna slammed a book in her desk as she grabbed a small note that had just formed in front of her, the spell transporting it stubbornly pushing forward in spite of the current disaster. "I know. I have all of the librarians, mages and scholars searching every single book and tome in the city for a cause, or even a lead to the source. So far, they got nothing." Celestia opened a scroll and quickly read through it- before stopping and rereading a crucial part. "... I think we just found one. Look at this this." Luna took the scroll in her hooves, not for the first time wishing her telekinesis worked. "Los Pegasus is still standing?! I thought it would have dissolved as every other cloud construct has." "And spells seem to be mostly functional in the city so far," Celestia pointed out. Her mind recalled something, and she dove for the growing pile of scrolls and letters, looking for something in particular. "I know that look. What is it?" Luna asked as the white alicorn jumped out of the pile with a letter between her teeth. She wasted no time opening it and going through the content at a speed that would have made Twilight jealous. "The report of the Garrison on the shores of the South Lunar Ocean." Luna's expression soured, anger growing on the alicorn. "Discord," She muttered. "I should have known." "There's nothing new to report about him, but they do mention a small accident or two when spells lose strength for a second." Clearing her desk of papers, Luna grabbed a map and unfolded it, going over it with her sister. Los Pegasus was on the southwest of Equestria; the princess' hoof passed over the city and towards the west, stopping at the point where the garrison was stationed. A couple of miles to the northwest was one of the biggest headaches she had known in her life. "So, the closer to his castle- the closer to him-, the lesser this... arcane failure?" The princess of the night conjectured. Celestia hesitated. "It's too early to assume that, and we know too little... but it's the only lead we have so far." "Then we know what to do." Four Days Later Nerves rattled, bodies exhausted at so many days of travel at hoof (the western winds not letting them use the balloon), discussions and screams directed at each other due to their current mission, the utterly alien feeling of their magic not responding... The Bearers were not in a good mood. But they had done it; near the coast a red castle rose from the ground, the towers dancing in the wind like flowers under a gentle breeze. Undeterred, Twilight advanced, the others following behind as their Elements began to lose their dullness, the gems glittering back to life. The six ponies were relieved at that, some expressing it more than others. As the group walked towards it with Rainbow flying over them for the first time in half a week and Pinkie finding the strength to bounce, a board quickly floated towards them. WELCOME TO THE SHIFTING ROCK! HOME OF THE ONE AND ONLY DISCORD! Blue and white alicorns not welcome. The owner and inhabitants don't make themselves responsible for any physical and/or psychological damage suffered inside the castle's premises. It was your choice to enter :P