Somedays Twilight wondered why she even bothered getting out of bed in the morning. Today was fast becoming one of those days.
When she had awoken, the sky had been split in two between night and day. Just as her and Spike's worries began to climb, news had come in that Celestia and Luna were missing.
This was not the kind of stress she needed before the Summer Sun Celebration. Maybe it was too much to ask for a normal, carefree celebration unlike the year before.
Her friends hadn't been able to help either as they had returned to Ponyville the day before. Something about that had concerned her at the time, but she had pushed it aside for the moment.
News had soon come in that Ponyville was under attack from the Everfree Forest. She and Spike had left that instant by wing power to get back home.
What a trip that had been, seeing as Twilight was still not used to flying long distances yet. Having crashed through the upstairs window of the Golden Oaks Library, she had found her friends going through most of the books in the library. Normally this would've had her spirits high.
But something about it had set alarm bells off in her head. For the moment though she had ignored them as Zecora had arrived with all her possessions and a possible way to find out what was going on.
Honestly, the potion had been disgusting to taste, but it had been informative in so many ways. Not only had she seen what had really happened that night a thousand years ago between Princess Celestia and Nightmare Moon, and the defeat of Discord, but she had also seen where the Elements of Harmony had come from The Tree of Harmony.
Maybe, just maybe, there they could find some answers, so the Mane 6 had set off while Crystal, Emerald, Celestial, Orchid, and Water Lilly had stayed behind to help as much as they could. This had left Twilight conflicted as they had left Ponyville behind them, for she was sure they had every right to come too. Why she didn't know, but it felt right all the same.
And now she had walked onto the back of a Cragadile who was now eyeing her hungrily. Her wings were pinned to her side in fear even as she heard her friends call her name in alarm. She could only watch as the jaws opened wide to swallow her whole.
Her last wish was that it would be a quick death and that maybe her friends could get away safely.
...
...
But the searing pain and release of death never came. After a moment she opened her eyes and was shocked at what she saw. The Cragadile was now looking at her in shock and, fear? No, not fear she realized a moment later.
It was looking at her in horror. She could feel its body shaking in terror at something she couldn't see, but looking around there was nothing there to make it so afraid. Her friends were giving her a confused look as well, one she could only shrug too.
Still surprised at what was happening, she felt the best lower itself to the opposite bank of the river, giving her a bridge to cross. The girls were somewhat reluctant to cross at first but soon began to cross as well. During all this, the Cragadile kept its eyes on Twilight, as if looking for permission to leave. When Fluttershy had been the last to cross, it vanished below the water faster than Rainbow Dash could blink.
Applejack gave Twilight a look. "Okay, what the hay just happened? What did you do?"
Twilight shook her head. "I didn't do anything. I've never heard of a Cragadile ever acting like this before. Have you?" She asked Fluttershy.
Fluttershy shook her head. "No. I've never seen an animal react like that before."
"Well whatever it was, we're still on the right path at least. Hopefully, that will be our last distraction." Rarity said.
Twilight could only nod and put what had just happened to the back of her mind for the time. As she turned back to the path ahead, she didn't notice the looks her friends shared.
In all that had just happened, the Cragadile had never once looked at them. Its eyes had always been on Twilight. Whatever had terrified it so much, it had something to do with Twilight. But what?
***
Sometime later the girls stood at the bottom of a familiar cliff. Above them stood the ruins of the Castle of the Two Sisters. More of the vines lay all around them and watched from the shadows. But like the Cragadile they kept their distance. Something was keeping them from coming closer, and Twilight knew that she was that reason somehow. Why she had no idea, but right now all her focus was on the Tree of Harmony.
It looked sick was the only way to describe it. "I think it's dying," Fluttershy said.
"But what are we supposed to do?" Pinkie asked.
Twilight thought for a moment, before remembering something from her vision, something Celestia had said. But it was a huge risk. "I think I know how we can save the Tree. We have to give it the Elements of Harmony."
The girls gave her shocked looks. "And how is that supposed to help? What if we need them again?" Applejack asked.
Twilight shook her head. "The Elements came from the Tree Applejack. I think them being removed is killing it." She paused a moment before smiling. "We'll find a way. We always have."
Applejack wasn't completely sold on the idea, but Twilight had never led them wrong before, and she trusted her not to now. "Alright, Twilight. You've never led us wrong before."
Twilight smiled as she ignited her horn, reaching out to each Element. She had no idea what removing them from their holders would do. "Ready?" She asked.
"Ready." Everyone replied. With a gentle pull, Twilight removed all five easily with no backlash. Releasing a breath she focused on the Element of Magic and tried the same.
It didn't budge. Creasing her brows she tried again, and again it didn't move, not even rattle. Annoyed now, Twilight put all of her magic into trying to remove the gem from the crown. Nothing happened. Not a shake, rattle, or jingle.
After a moment she cut off her magic, exhausted, and looked at her friends in shock. "I can't get it out. It won't budge."
Rainbow smirked. "Let me try." She said as Applejack nodded. Nodding herself, Twilight held out the crown to them.
As soon as they touched it, a jolt of electricity shot through them like one of Pinkie's joy buzzers. Like them, it didn't stop. not until they removed their hooves from it, both of them smoking slightly from the shock.
Twilight was aghast. "I didn't do that." She said as her horn ignited without her prompting. She looked at it in shock. "I can't control it."
Before anypony could say anything, the other five Elements joined in a circle around Magic as it began to float in the air, their faces turned toward the Tree. And then a voice spoke. It came from the Element of Magic itself.
"Usurper, pretender to the throne that was never yours, that you have no right to. You have lost sight of what Harmony is meant to be. Your time in this world is over."
The air filled with magic as the girls watched in mute shock and confusion at what was going on, whatever it was.
"By the power invested in my in the Silent Years before the Forging and the First Song, I sentence you to the Final Judgement. You, born of the shards of Dream Castle, will answer for all that could have been prevented."
With that, a beam of magic began to form in front of the Elements before firing a moment later. Twilight barely had time to raise a shield as the beam struck the Tree. And the Tree of Harmony exploded, shattering into millions of little slivers of crystal that went in every direction possible and out of the cave.
"It is done. Empress Cosmos will make right what it has done." Magic said as it again settled on Twilight's head while the other Elements returned to their necklaces while the girls only stared at the now empty space left by the Tree.
"Well, that was unexpected!" Pinkie finally said in her usual cheerful way.
"Um. Was that supposed to happen?" Fluttershy asked.
Twilight gave her Element a cross look. "No. None of that was supposed to happen! I don't know what went wrong. I didn't do any of that."
Applejack bore a look of confusion. "What I wanna know, what the hay was it talking about? Who the heck is Empress Cosmos?"
Twilight sighed. She'd meant to bring this up earlier but now was as good a time as any. "She is, was, the supreme ruler of all Equus a very long time ago."
"So how come we've never heard of her?" Rainbow Dash asked.
Twilight smiled slightly. "She vanished ten thousand years ago Rainbow. Very few know of her at all, so it's not a surprise you haven't."
"So how did you? Rarity asked.
"Because we told her." Came a voice they all knew. Turning around, they found Princess Celestia and Luna being released from the black vines, which themselves were vanishing. Twilight rushed over and pulled them both into a hug, one they both happily returned. "We heard what happened. "Celestia said after a moment. "What I don't understand is why?"
Luna shook her head. "Neither do I. I don't think any of us expected this."
Twilight stepped back. "Is it another sign? You said she was returning, and Magic said Cosmos's name."
Celestia and Luna shared a look. "This isn't one we have ever heard of," Celestia said.
"You would not have. Something has changed." Came the voice of Magic once more as it lifted off Twilight's head. Everypony watched it with apprehension after what had just happened. "Her rebirth fast approaches and a threat grows in the shadows. The Lord of Midnight once thought dead, will rise again."
"The who?" Pinkie asked.
Magic ignored her as it continued. "Equus once lived in terror of what he wrought." She seemed to look directly at Twilight. "She is this world's only hope now. The Rainbow of Light is Lost, the Rainbow Bridge shattered and the family who could have stood with her died long ago."
All could hear her sorrow at the end. For Twilight it hit harder for some reason as if mourning friends she hadn't seen in so long.
"The Era of the Two Sisters is ending. One seal remains. Only the Six standing together can open it and bring the light long lost back to this world." Magic continued.
Twilight took a step toward it. "Then tell us who she is! You know who she is. Tell us. Please." She whispered as she felt tears gather.
Magic smiled, they could all feel it. "You already know her, even if she does not know herself yet." She responded before floating back down to Twilight's head. Before the light in the gem went out, she spoke once more.
"When the final Betrayal comes, this era will end. Only she will tell if it will become a new golden age, or descend into a new age of darkness that will never end."
And with that, Magic said no more as it settled again on Twilight's head, leaving all to wonder what that last message meant, and to digest all they had just been told.
***
Later that day, once the Summer Sun Celebration had been put back on track, Celestia and Luna sat alone with their thoughts, but something was on Celestia's mind. "Luna. How did Twilight know how long it has been since the Empress vanished?" She asked.
Luna looked over in confusion. "Maybe she got lucky and guessed? We gave her quite a bit back then." She responded.
Celestia gave her a look. "Luna, think about it. What all did we tell Twilight that morning?"
Luna thought about it for a moment, before it hit her. "We never told her how old we really are." She said as her eyes grew big. "But then..."
Celestia nodded. "There is no way Twilight should know how long it has been since Cosmos vanished. Magic did not tell them."
Luna was shocked. "But, what does this mean?"
Celestia sighed as she looked over at Twilight and all her friends. "I don't know. I just don't know."
***
Twilight was beside herself with joy at what she had just been told. "You're pregnant?!" She squued.
Her exclamation reverberated around the Golden Oaks Library and left Cadance's ears ringing. She smiled indulgently. Somethings about Twilight never changed it seemed.
Twilight stuck a hoof in her mouth a moment later in embarrassment. "Sorry." She said sheepishly. "But this is so exciting. I'm going to be an aunt!"
Cadance bopped her on the end of her nose, breaking her rant, giggling. "Easy there Twilight. She isn't due for another few months, and no we don't know what she'll be yet."
Twilight nodded. Very few parents wanted to know what kind of filly or colt they were having. "So where's Shinning?" Did he come with you?"
Cadance rolled her eyes. "He's in Canterlot right now telling your parents." She giggled. "That big doofus wanted to make this some kind of scavenger hunt before we told you, but I talked him out of it for this."
Twilight rolled her eyes. "That sounds like him alright, and just in time for the Starswirl the Bearded Traveling Museum too. Perfect!" She smiled widely.
Cadance returned the smile. "Well, you did invite me, remember? Where's Crystal though? I'd thought she'd be here?"
Twilight shrugged. "She's off with Spike and the CMC at the moment. After she stood up during the Twilight Time incident a few weeks ago, she's been hanging out with them a lot."
Cadance nodded. That was a letter that stood out to her. Her eyes though went to the Element of Magic on Twilight's nightstand, silent and inert now.
Twilight noticed the look and sighed. "I guess you've heard about what happened by now?"
Cadance nodded. She was still trying to digest it all herself. "Aunt Celestia told me. Do you think its all real?"
Twilight rubbed her snout with a hoof. "I don't know, it sounds too crazy for me. I've looked everywhere, but there's nothing on someone called the Lord of Midnight or any of what we heard."
"And this, Empress Cosmos?" Cadance asked.
Twilight sighed. "Nothing. "You already know her, even if she doesn't know herself yet'. What the hay is that supposed to mean?" She snorted. "We don't know anypony like that."
"Have you tried looking for someone who might be in disguise?" Cadance asked. "Who says she's not hiding at the moment?"
Twilight nodded. "Yes! I've looked at everypony I can. No one is someone else in disguise. Or at least no matches what Cosmos was supposedly like."
"Even you?" Cadance asked.
Twilight snorted. "Yes yes. I even looked at myself, just in case. Nothing!" She sat down in a huff. "Unless there's some magic I've never heard of going on, nopony is her!" She sniffed back tears. Why was she crying?
Cadance noticed them too. "Twilight, what's wrong?"
Twilight sniffed again. "I feel like there's something I'm not seeing, something I should be seeing." She looked up at her old foalsitter. "What if all this is just one huge lie? What if she never existed at all?"
Cadance stepped closer. "Twilight, you can't"
"I'm seeing faces Cadance. Faces, names, of things and people I've never heard of, let alone ever seen before." Twilight interrupted in a low voice. "But why does it feel like I should?" Her tears returned in full force as Cadance pulled her into a tight hug. "Why does it have to hurt so much?"
Cadance couldn't find an answer, so she only held Twilight close and let her cry out her feelings for as long as she needed.
***
The Element of Magic watched the scene before her with sorrow. No matter how much she wished it, there was nothing she could do now to help her master.
"She can't keep this up much longer. Her soul is fracturing, from who she was and who she is now. At this rate, there won't be anything left."
This wasn't good. Twilight and the Five had made the first bonds that would lead to more, but the final line remained, but if she succumbed to her memories, then it wouldn't matter.
Magic knew though that this could not be sped run. Though they did care about each other, that bond did not yet run deep enough, and no good would come from trying to force it. It had happened before, but those memories were some she tried to forget.
***
"This isn't right. We should be right there with her."
"What can we do though? We can't leave here."
"But then what can we do? Magic's the only one who knows what's happening to Twilight, but who's going to believe her?"
"There's nothing we can do. Her awakening is her only hope now."
"She won't last that long. She's. Shes's..."
"She's dying."