//------------------------------//
// ...Oft Go Awry 
// Story: Per Speculum in Aenigmate 
// by Shrouded Lunes 
//------------------------------//

For the first time in months, my hooves touched Equestrian soil. Alas, I didn't have the time I would have liked to allow that thought to process though, as alarm bells were already ringing in my head. The last time I came here, the mirror had been in some kind of Crystal Palace. Now, however, it appeared to once again be in the dark stone walls of Canterlot Castle. That would at least do me a bit of good, seeing as how growing up here meant I at least had an idea of where I was going.

And that little fact would help with the second major issue that was starting to occur to me... those alarm bells weren't just in my head. For whatever reason, an intruder ward had been placed on the room. I could already hear a distinctive double-clop of two guard ponies running down the nearby hallway.

"I wasn't expecting a welcoming committee..." I mumbled to myself as I prepared a quick teleport spell... which promptly fizzled out in my horn. A cold panic started to flare up inside me for a moment as I slunk into the shadows near the door to try again. The hoof falls were getting closer, and my magic was apparently on the fritz.

"They're in the restricted section!" 

Just like my first attempt, I felt the teleport spell fizzle out again. Which only meant one thing... an anti-teleport ward was placed on the castle. When had that happened? I distinctly remembered teleporting back to my room on multiple occasions while under Princess Celestia's tutelage. At least, I hoped it was only an anti-teleport ward, and not an entire anti-magic ward.

"I want a stun spell ready as soon as we open the door, Tart!" 

Well, that answered that question somewhat, though it was possible only the guards could use magic. I took a second to calm myself, making a quick test of an old illumination spell I used as a filly to test out my magic reserves. Finding no issues in casting a small cone of light in front of me, I killed the spell. It sounded to me like the guards were just outside the door. I would only have one chance at this...

"In the name of Princess Luna and the Night Guard," I heard the first voice, Tart I was guessing, call out. "Lay down and surrender yourself!"

'Yeah right. Like I'm going to do that.'

I rocked back a bit on my hind legs, ready to leap through the door and bolt after I heard it open. At the same time, I closed my eyes and conjured flare spell, this one a flash that Celestia had taught me when I was young. If it was bright enough to be seen as a signal in the middle of her day, it should be downright debilitating to ponies whose eyes had adjusted to the dark, candlelit halls of Canterlot Castle at night.

"Bring the door down, Sugarcoat!"

I didn't have time to think, hearing the second mare rattle off another name. I had only heard two ponies approach, so how did-

My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the wooden door shattering into hundreds of pieces and falling to the floor.

"Tart!"

Without giving them the chance, I finished casting my flare spell. Even with my eyes closed, I could still see the light clearly through my eyelids. Tart's spell either fizzled from the shock, or shot off in a random direction. It didn't matter to me, all I was concerned with was that I wasn't hit by it as I opened my eyes a sprung forward...

"Celestia-cursed Bright Light!"

... right into a hovering bat pony, desperately trying to blink vision back into her sensitive eyes. Well, at least now I knew how there were three ponies here when I only heard two approach. We both tumbled to the ground behind a dazed unicorn and earth pony. I was scrambling hard, my hooves struggling for a moment in an attempt to gain traction against the stone floor. Soon, though, I found myself at a full gallop, running down the halls of my old home, the cool night air carrying an ominous call from the downed bat pony.

"Indigo Zap to all units, possible Knight of the Sun terrorist in the castle's restricted section!"





The hallways twisted and turned in front of me as I ran for the old side exit I use to use when sneaking out of the castle some nights. It was in a more rarely used corner of the castle, so there shouldn't be too many guards. At least, as far as I remembered that would be the case. 

'Two more corners and I should be in the old storeroom.'

It was close now, I couldn't help but think to myself. I just had to make it to the storeroom, then I was home free. I could worry about how to get back to the mirror later. I certainly couldn't make it back through the portal if I had to spend my time in a dungeon. I felt my magic grab onto the door handle, doing my best to keep my breathing steady and the door quiet while still being expedient. 

"And what have we here?"

Dread started to settle in as I heard a deep, powerful voice fill the room. The sound of multiple hoof falls sounded just down the corridor, so my option for retreating was taken from me. But, where the hooves sounded like an encroaching noose, that infernal laughter that seemed to be coming from every wall was a crazed executioner.

"Oh my no. I'm afraid you'll find that escape route was closed years ago, my little pony."

For a mere fraction of a second, I thought I saw a dragon's tail snake behind one of the boxes in the room. But, that couldn't be... dragons were generally too prideful to live in pony society. But, whatever I had seen at first, it paled in comparison to the shock of being picked up by a giant lion's claw and lifted up to stare at the most amalgamated face I had ever seen.

"Oh joy! It would seem Daybreaker's prodigal daughter has finally come home..."