As Sotnas led Twilight deeper into the alleyway, something bright can be seen. Twilight couldn't see what it is until she saw magic all around her in different varieties of colors. Twilight is seeing the paradise that the Darkness is showing. Beautiful, bold, majestic, vibrant. Everything that she remembers when living in Equestria could not compare to what Twilight is seeing. Some earth ponies are floating in the air, playing a game with the pegasi. Unicorns are clearing the way as they created a new waterfall for the plants below. Twilight is seeing how everypony interacts with each other. It's quite similar except everypony she sees doesn't have a Cutie Mark. Sotnas continued to show Twilight around the area before reaching his home.
Twilight went inside of Sotnas home. She saw books that she doesn't recognize at all. Not even at the Castle of the Two Sisters. Twilight wanted to read the new books so badly. Her excitement grew. She looked at the shelves of books. There were a lot of black magic, dark magic witchcraft books. Forbidden spells, charms, rituals and so much more. She used her magic to grab one book but accidentally grabbed all the books at once even those from a different room. When she realized that she just used a simple levitation spell, she quickly stopped and all the books fell on the floor.
"I see somepony exploring a bit too much." Sotnas said, smiling a bit.
Twilight slightly blushed. "Sorry, I'll clean this up."
"No need for that." He touched one book with his hoof. "Chain Possession," All of the books glowed white. "Restore." The books went back into place within moments. The exact way when Twilight used her magic. "There. Now things are back to the way there were. Come Twilight, there is a lot to discuss."
Twilight followed Sotnas to a different room. She was quite amazed at the magic he used. She could have done it but to organize and relocate would have taken her a lot of time. Twilight peeked out the window. She saw paradise once more. Everything about the landscape was unreal to her. It had to be a fantasy and yet, she's an Alicorn Princess who know somepony who breaks the laws of physics. She continued to look at the wonders and came up with a lot of questions to ask. Now she has her mindset. She used her magic to lift the quill and paper so she can write notes as Sotnas would be answering a lot.
"Sontas, are you ready for the number of questions I have in my mind?"
"Yes."
"Alright, let's begin. What do you normally call light and dark when those terms are used for good and evil?"
"Well, there are two sides of light and dark. Light represents Disharmony. Also, we use light to see in a dark area. Dark represents Harmony. Also, the word means for can't see. It is best not to get confused so we normally say lit to see and pitched to see nothing."
"Ok, thanks for clearing that up. Now, why haven't you stopped Celestia from completing her goal?"
"We've been planning for an attack on Celestia for a long time actually but unknown to you or everypony else with a Cutie Mark, invaders have come to colonize our world. We've been fighting off the invaders for millenniums now. They come because we have all the resources they need. We tried asking them nicely about their approach but they wanted to fight rather than to discuss. We've been protecting everypony in Equestria from them. For a while now, we have seen no invaders coming any time soon so we're preparing ourselves to take back what is ours."
Twilight refused to believe that invaders from other planets would come to an attack on her world. Our world. This had to be the most jacked up story she ever heard of but she seen some unbelievable events occur in her life so she's in the middle of what's real and what's fake.
"Have you tried talking to Celestia about splitting up the lands equally?"
"No. She's not that type of pony worth communicating with."
"Then perhaps I should talk things through to her since I'm her most faithful student."
"You can try but that won't help you. You made a solemn promise not to speak of this to anypony."
"Well, maybe I can stretch the truth a little?"
"Still won't do any good. Believe me, she's not worth the trouble."
"There has to be some other way than fighting."
"I wish there was."
"What if you come in your disguise and tell Celestia about a hidden lost art within magic. She'll have to listen to you."
"Nice idea. I doubt it'll work."
"Are you willing to try the least?"
"Yes. I will try out your idea but if all goes wrong, then you'll see the type of pony Celestia really is."
"Then here's my next question for you, how many ponies are here with you that don't have Cutie Marks?"
"10,000 and counting to be precise. Our numbers may be outmatched by Celestia's army but we are more powerful than all those numbers combined. It'll be unimaginable war if it was to take place."
"How old are you?"
"Old enough to see King Alpha and Queen Omega. The first ponies to bring life into our world."
"How many years was that?" Twilight shockingly asked while her body twitched a bit.
"If I had to guess since I lost track of time with everything that I witnessed, I'll say like around 25 hundred thousand years ago. I perfected an immortality spell when I was 23 years old. I remain the image throughout all of the time. Never to age or to look different. Just be the same. I liked it. Not wanting to die. Others here in paradise are immortal as well. It's a choice here. Nopony forcing others to do what they don't want to do."
Twilight dropped her notes. She couldn't believe how old Sotnas really is. Older than Celestia.
"How old was Celestia when she took control of everything?"
"She was 27 years old. When she took everything away, it was 48 thousand years ago. Time moved forward and more followed her. The magic she used, she manipulated our planet's magic in her favor. Her Equestrian lifestyle may look like heaven but in reality, Equestria as we see it is nothing more than a wasteland. Here is the real paradise. The only one in existence until we take everything back."
"Then, if my idea goes wrong then what you think will happen?"
"She would start a war. Us against them. She would fear that her time is up but with the magic, she manipulated in her favor, she'll believe that there is nothing that can stand in her way. She would have everypony by her side and to go to war against the few of us."
"Ok, dropping the subject for a bit. What can Earth Ponies, Unicorns and Pegasi do with unlimited magic?"
"Good question. Earth Ponies are able to fly and float in the air by using our world's magic that flows within us. They can create landscapes of their own. Fill it with life and to nourish the land without having any problems. Pegasi normally use the magic our world provides for defensive. If mother nature said a tornado will come to destroy what we have, the Pegasi will stop it. There basically the protectors of our land. Also, their wings are strong enough to tear fabrics of our world creating interdimensional gates to travel all around the planet. Unicorns are more powerful than the two. We use magic for a lot of things like you unicorns would but also, we use more powerful spells and rituals for battle. We also use the magic to create everything else our world desperately needs. We do things the right way. Never for any greed and value at the end."
"Then what's the difference between our society and yours?"
"Your society thrives on money, purpose, and surviving. The value of money turns to lust, greed, vengeful and regret. Your so-called bits is an economic problem. No bits, no housing, no food, no survival. Then you have the Cutie Marks. The essential in your lifestyle. Doing what must be done according to the Cutie Mark. Then you have the Princesses to worship. To thank them for everything they have done. Finally, you live in a fantasy that houses everything but limited magic. Our society doesn't rely on money. What everypony needs is already provided. No need to worry about taxes, no need to worry about losing anything. Here you have freedom. Here you can have all that is needed in an everyday life. No Cutie Marks here. Therefore you're free to do anything as you pleased. No Princesses or Gods to worship here. We all know who King Alpha and Queen Omega. The ones who granted us life. We never had to worship to them because they told us not to. Just enjoy everything that was given to us. Never to take things for granted. Finally knowing the exact truth to all things within our world. We know that what Celestia has brought nothing but shame into our lands. Our world is dying and we need to fix it."
Twilight stopped and theorize everything that Sotnas was speaking to her. The ways things are between the two societies. Things were uncertain for Twilight. She doesn't know what is real or fake anymore. All things seemed good to be true. She is stuck between the two bridges. Celestia's and Sotnas. Now she regretted coming here and finding this information but at the same time, happy that she discovered something new. She continued to ask her question.
"Is there a way that the unlimited magic can still flow through us with a Cutie Mark? Is there a way that you can create something to alter the magic around it?"
"No. Celestia's creation is meant to block all other magic from flowing. I've tried it recently with a young mare known as Moon Dancer. I used her Cutie Mark and tried to manipulate the spell Celestia used. It didn't work. Moon Dancer couldn't believe what she was witnessing. She wanted to learn more about us after finding our paradise by accident. Just like you Twilight."
"Moon Dancer is here?!" She shouted.
"Yes. Moon Dancer is the newest member of our family. She decided to join us after seeing what Darkness truly is about. She saw things within Equestria that weren't meant to be. She understood our society and wanted to live with us until the time was right to take back what Celestia stole."
Twilight couldn't believe that her friend Moon Dancer was living among them. She couldn't believe that a friend of her's found this place and now living here.
"So, when are you going to go forth with my idea?"
"We can go right now. I just need to get myself ready. Prepare for any outcome that lies ahead. Just know some things Twilight. Celestia will have her mind snapped, she will change a little once she hears me. You will have a choice to choose whose side you really believe. If it's my side of the story or her's. Whatever you choose, it's your will. No manipulations. No illusions. Only facts of reality. Once we leave this place, the spellbinding protection circle will break. Then your Cutie Mark will come back to you and change you back to the way you were when we first met."
Twilight didn't like the sound of changing back. She enjoyed being the pony she is now. It's too good to be true when having all this powerful magic flow through you. She didn't want to change but have to for the better of herself. Also, in her mind, she wants to say no to Sotnas for telling her a huge lie in front of her. Moon Dancer being there made no sense but still, there's plenty of evidence riding into the paradise Sotnas and the others were living in. She hopes what she saw was a fantasy and that she encountered a villain ready to strike once there's an opening.
"You ready?" Sotnas said as he put on his brown robe covering his entire body and face.
"Yes. I'm ready."
"Good. Follow me."
The two trotted out of the house, out of the paradise and back into the dark alleyway. From there, the spellbinding protection circle broke. Allowing Twilight's Cutie Mark to be placed right back to where it was. Twilight felt a cold chill as all but her magic was removed out of her body. She never felt anything so cold drained out of her body. She shrunk is size as well. Going back to her normal self. She felt completely different.
"What's the matter? Don't like being change back to the way you were?"
Twilight didn't want to admit it so she remained silent. She and Sotnas went out through the entrance. As they left, Sotnas used his magic to cover the entrance once more with sand. Twilight then escorted Sotnas to the train station. From there, they will be going to Canterlot to see Princess Celestia.
"Just know that I will be asking more questions on the train ride heading to Canterlot."
"I'm fine with that. Would be a great way to pass up the time."