Twilight carefully clambered over another pile of rubble, her nerves singing as she listened to small bits of debris fall from the decaying buildings all around her. Looking up, she fearfully marveled at the fact they were still, somehow, standing. Most of the structures were severely damaged. Some of it was simply the ravages of time. But most was very clearly damage from an attack. If she allowed herself to dwell on it, it was probably the final attack that ended in the extinction of the world’s inhabitants.
Gently flapping her wings to steady herself as she descended the ruble back to solid ground, the alicorn turned her head several times to take in the scene before her. Dead… she guessed that it was the world’s equivalent of vegetation… was strewn all around the plaza she’d found herself in. Like everywhere else in the city’s ruins, the ground was littered with dozens of corpses. Some were mutilated, while others were mostly undamaged, the cause of their deaths unclear.
Twilight regarded them impassively as she began to trot through the plaza. She found herself wincing as she realized just how used to all of it she was becoming. For the first few hours of her trek through the blasted metropolis, she’d been utterly horrified by the level of devastation, and could barely look at the remains. Now, the horror was numbed, and she found that she hardly reacted when she came upon another knot of twisted bodies.
The whole thing sickened her.
Flinching as she heard another small shower of debris fall from one of the buildings to her right, she tried to focus her thoughts. There was a time to be unhappy, and there was a time to move forward and find what she needed to stop this from happening to another world. That thought alone gave her the conviction she needed to keep going.
Calling on the small fragment of her Element’s magic buried in her soul, she probed the aether for a sympathetic source of power. Discord had said that the power of the weapon was from the Sky. And that Harmony was allied to it. So, she reasoned, one would resonate with the other.
It was a theory that had borne fruit when she first began to explore the dead city. Now, she regularly used small bursts of her magic to play a game of blind mare’s bluff with the weapon, slowly triangulating the right direction from subtle nudges and pulls. Feeling a faint tug in the direction she was heading, she resumed her march. She just hoped that she wasn’t on a wild-pony-chase, but at this point, it was the only way she could think of finding what she needed.
*****
I really hope its not in there. Twilight thought as she regarded the structure before her.
Of all the buildings in the area, this one was possibly in the worst condition. Riddled with holes, its support structure barely holding together, the thing looked like it was a breath away from total collapse.
Even with all the damage, she could tell that the building had once been breathtakingly beautiful. Whatever material it had been constructed from resembled mother of pearl, and hints of its former glory were still visible through the dust and ash. Where the surrounding structures were utilitarian and plain, this one was elaborate and gilded, blue and green filigree etched across its surface in a swirling mosaic. The remnants of what must have been tall, spiraling columns lay crumbling along the edges of the building, with shattered statues of the former inhabitants interspersed between their crumbling ruins.
Looking at the decaying archway, Twilight regarded the building, the prospect of entering it filling her with dread. But, her magic was telling her that the one source of Harmony-like power in the region was inside.
Looking down, Twilight began to search for a medium sized stone. Finding one, she focused her magic and engraved a small rune on its surface, before pouring more into the carving. With one final push, the rune took on the same magenta glow as her magic. Now, the stone could act as a beacon if she needed to teleport out of the building.
Swallowing hard and steeling herself, Twilight trotted into the shattered edifice.
As she passed through the exterior archway, she chanced a look around the interior of the building. Murals, all made with the same blue and green engravings covered the walls, depicting the crab/snail people of the dead world in ways very similar to that of the stained-glass windows of Canterlot castle. Yet, one thing that always stood out among them was something distinct from the extinct populace. In every one, there was a massive, moon-like object, depicted with the same level of reverence as princess Celestia.
Twilight’s inner scholar forced her to stop and scrutinize the images. As she examined more and more of the frescos, she saw the pattern repeating. The massive sphere was always present as the centerpiece of every mural.
What is that thing? She thought as she continued to stare at one of the largest and most intact murals, one depicting the sphere hovering above what very well could have been the same building she was standing in before its destruction.
The sound of small bits of falling masonry brought her out of her revere and back to reality.
As much as Twilight wanted to stay and examine them, the precarious and obviously unstable nature of the building around her precluded such investigation. Trotting as carefully as possible, she began to make her way deeper into the building, using her magic to make her tread as light as possible while following the pull of her magic.
*****
With the gentlest application of her magic possible, Twilight grasped the rubble before her as she pulled a piece aside to allow her to pass. Once through, she returned the shattered column to its original position, once again taking the load of the almost collapsed ceiling. It was the fifth time she’d had to perform the delicate surgery of threading the needle to progress. As it stood, her nerves were practically singing in fear, but she kept it under control. She knew that the hundreds of tons of rubble above her head would make a single mistake her last.
Using her magic to light her way, Twilight continued through the passage. Unlike the above ground portion of the cathedral, the lower catacombs were more spartan, having none of the elaborate murals decorating the walls. What it lacked in murals, it more than made up for in corpses. Hundreds of them lined the side rooms off the main passageways. The worst part wasn’t the number. No, the worst part was the variety of sizes. There weren’t just the full-sized individuals, but hundreds of smaller ones. Children, if such a term could be applied to these creatures. Many of them were huddled together where they died, and like the adults, most of them showed signs of violent death.
As numb as she was to the sight of death by this point, this added a whole new level of revulsion to Twilight’s heart.
But, she was close now. The source of power she was following was growing stronger. It wouldn’t be long now.
*****
With one final heave, Twilight pulled the stone block aside and slipped through the crevice it had occupied and into the next chamber, before replacing the stone and allowing it to take the weight of the material above. No longer focused on the task of entering, Twilight took a moment to catch her breath as she took in the room.
It was massive.
Perfectly circular with a tall domed ceiling, the chamber was somehow still illuminated with a soft, warm, comforting light, making the alicorn feel safe and protected. Across the walls, hundreds of the elegant etchings she’d seen in the above ground portion of the temple swirled across the pearly surface. Yet, unlike the ones above ground, all of the imagery of the room was dedicated to a single, massive fresco. Near the floor, a sprawling, thriving civilization was engraved, its inhabitants gazing up towards the apex of the dome, where, as with all of the frescos in the building, there was a depiction of the same massive moon-like object, light shining down from its surface to touch and bless the inhabitants of the civilization below.
Pulling her eyes away from the murals, Twilight’s gaze drifted to the middle of the room. Gathered in a circle were the bodies of nine snail-crabs, all facing inwardly to a small pillar of the same pearly substance that made up the rest of the room. And, floating above the top of the pillar, in a column of soft light, was quite possibly the most beautiful things she’d ever seen.
It looked somewhat like a shield in shape, though it was square rather than round, and was made of a brassy, metallic substance that shimmered kaleidoscopically in the light of the column. Four long spines emerged from its corners; a field of soft blue energy filled the gap between their tips. At the center of the metallic plate, there was a slightly raised boss, which bore a single, slivery-blue gem that shone with the light of infinite possibility.
Twilight could only stare in awe at it. Was this the weapon she sought? How could it be? Nothing this beautiful should be sullied by such a vulgar and base description.
Slowly, as if drawn in, Twilight began to approach the magnificent shield. Passing through the circle of bodies, she found herself standing before the pillar, staring up at it. As though still possessed, she rose to her hind legs and reached up towards the shield with a hoof.
As soon her hoof brushed against the shield’s metallic surface, the world vanished. Staggering back, Twilight found herself standing in an endless sea of white light. In some ways, it was similar to the realm she had entered when she ascended. But, it felt different in other, indefinable ways.
Who are you, child of Harmony?
Twilight wasn’t sure where the voice had come from. Turning around quickly, she tried to find the source, but couldn’t. Instead, the voice had somehow come from all around her. The voice itself was soft, feminine and soothing, yet somehow echoed as though made of thousands of smaller voices all speaking as one. As disturbing as it should have been, Twilight instead found only warmth and comfort in its words.
“My name is Twilight Sparkle.” Twilight replied into the sea of light.
Welcome, Twilight Sparkle. The voices said with a warm, maternal tone. I am The Aegis. Please, why have you come for me, child of Harmony?
Twilight froze, her mind racing as she tried to come up with an answer.
“A friend of mine… her name is Sunset Shimmer… was taken by the Deep. The world she has been unleashed on, they have no magic, no way of defeating her. I was told that you were a weapon. That you could help me stop her. Is it true?”
Silence filled the light as Twilight waited for The Aegis to reply.
What you ask, it is not a simple thing. While it is true I possess the power to unmake the spawn of the Deep, such power is not free. I can only lend my power to those who are pure of purpose. Tell me, child of Harmony, are you pure of purpose?
“I… I don’t know.” Twilight replied. “I need to save my friends. To stop Sunset from doing to their world what the Deep did to this one. But another part of me… doesn’t want to fight Sunset. Doesn’t want to give up on her. I…I don’t know if I can…”
Twilight felt a warm sensation fill her heart. In some ways, it reminded her of the safe, comforting feeling that she had as a filly when her mother would hold her after having a nightmare. When The Aegis spoke, its voice was calm, and gentle.
You are a kind soul, are you not, child of Harmony? Yet, I sense that there is more to this, yes? Something else weighs down on you.
Twilight’s throat constricted painfully. Taking a deep breath, she looked up into the light.
“Its… my friends. They… they hurt Sunset. And… and I’m afraid that I hurt her too. Before she was taken, she was framed, and they turned on her. She needed me, and I wasn’t there for her. I’m angry with them for not believing in her. I’m angry with myself for not being there. I'm angry at whoever framed her. And I'm angry at the world that could spawn creatures so vindictive that they couldn't find enough forgiveness in their hearts to give her a second chance. I know that she has to be stopped, but… how can I fight her when I’ve already failed her? When I might have been able to prevent all of this… keep her from being taken?”
Again, silence pervaded the light as Twilight waited for The Aegis’s reply. After a few painful minutes, The Aegis spoke.
I am afraid your purpose is only partially pure, child of Harmony. You are not yet pure, but, the spark is there. You might yet bear me, but only when you are without doubt. I will go with you, and if you find your purity of purpose, I shall appear.
Twilight was about to protest, but she was cut off as the light around her grew to blinding intensity. Lifting a hoof, she desperately shielded her eyes. When she finally lowered her limb, she found herself back in the chamber where she began. Frantically looking around trying to get her bearings, her eyes fell on the pedestal where The Aegis had been, only to find it empty.
Panicking, Twilight was about to begin searching for it, when she felt a strange weight on her right fore fetlock. Shifting her leg around, she could feel that it was subtly changed in some way, but couldn't see what had happened. Not without removing her armor.
Before she could question what had happened, a low moan filled the air. Her head snapping up and surveying the room, Twilight saw the air begin to fill with a ghostly haze.
Child of Harmony, you must flee! Twilight heard The Aegis say in her mind. They are coming!
Reaching out with her magic, Twilight latched onto her teleportation beacon, and in a flash of magenta light, vanished.
*Sweet Apple Acres*
Applejack listlessly lifted another pitchfork of hay off the truck bed and tossed it out to the horses. Normally she’d have found the process of feeding her animals meditative and relaxing. Instead, her mind was elsewhere, and, frankly, she felt both numb and sick to her stomach.
The body count was rising all around her. First the Wondercolts. Then principle Celestia and her husband Rey Sombra. Now vice-principle Luna. None of the news reports went into the detail of how they died, but deep in her heart, she knew who was responsible.
It was Sunset Shimmer.
The whole atmosphere around the Canterlot metropolitan area had become so tense since the killings started. The police said on the news that they were pursuing leads on the case, but Applejack knew that they wouldn’t find anything.
This was magic. And they weren’t ready to deal with magic.
To make matters worse, princess Twilight hadn’t come back yet. It had been nearly six days since she'd departed, and there still was no word from her. A part of Applejack’s mind knew that the princess wouldn’t just leave them. It wasn’t in her character to abandon her friends, even if she was mad at them. There could be any number of reasons why she hadn’t come back, but stress of waiting was killing her.
Tossing another pitchfork of hay off the truck, the farm-girl tried to settle her nerves. It was a futile task; the thought of Sunset kept creeping back into her mind. But, under all of it, there was a tinting of another emotion.
Guilt.
She should have seen it. The pain and despair in Sunset's eyes when she pleaded her innocence. But she’d let her own emotions at the time cloud her judgment, and she didn’t listen. Didn’t listen to the weeping girl who had already proven her change of heart, and begged them to believe she wasn’t Anon-a-Miss.
Her grip tightened dangerously on the pitchfork as she took another load of hay and tossed it to the horses.
She wanted to blame Anon-a-Miss. But, truthfully, as much as whoever was behind that MyStable page was to blame, she angrily acknowledged that she and the rest of her friends had played a part as well. Anon-a-Miss may have struck the match, but they had let the fire burn. And the flames had spread through the whole school, consuming and destroying the life of someone Applejack could no longer call her friend. She had burned that friendship away through her own suspicion and memories of past wrongs.
And now? People were dying. And they were dying at the hands of a monster that she probably helped create.
Tossing the last of the hay off the back, Applejack stowed the pitchfork and locked the tailgate before climbing into the cab and starting the truck. Putting the vehicle into gear, she barely registered the sound of country bluegrass coming from the radio as she made her way back to the barn.
Parking the truck, she trudged back to the main house and let herself in, pulling off her muddy boots as she entered. As she closed the door, her senses were assaulted by the delightful aroma of Granny’s pot-roast and mashed potatoes.
“Howdy, ‘Jackie.” Granny called from the kitchen. “Yah got done hayin’ the horses?”
“Ayup.” Applejack said.
“Good. Good. Why don’t ya go wash up an' give me and Bloom hand fixin’ up supper.”
Applejack smiled a little. “Sure.”
Applejack made her way towards to the kitchen, shedding her dirt-crusted jacket and tying on her apron before washing her hands. In the background, Granny had the television on, the sound of the local anchorwoman Keen Insight rattling off the news. Applejack barely paid it any mind as she began to help cut up string beans and garlic.
“…this time, we have no information on what started the blaze, but the Fire Marshal suspects that it was caused by an electrical discharge in one of the school labs. The bodies of several students and staff members, including Principle Cinch, were recovered from the wreckage. We will update the story as new information arises. This concludes the local news.
“Now, we take you live to the commencement of this year’s historic Winter Olympics!” Insight chirped. “In an amazing and unexpected turn of events, the nations of North and South Karera have opted to jointly host the competition. For the first time in decades, we see these two rival nations briefly set aside their hostility and come together in peace for this, the XXIII Olympic Winter Games.”
Applejack turned her attention to the television as the live feed of the commencement ceremony began playing in the background.
“Ain’t it amazin?” Granny said as they all stopped what they were doing to watch. “Them Kareran’s ‘ve been fightin’ for years, but look at ‘em. Makes ya’ almost forget them North Kareran commies ‘ve got a finger on ah bunch ah nukes, don’t it?”
Applejack simply nodded. She wasn’t in the mood to argue with Granny over politics, but instead chose to simply enjoy the moment. Soon, the ceremony began to settle down as South Karera’s president Uiji Uil-Oun took the podium to finish the commencement. The whole Apple clan listened as the translator began to interpret his speech.
“This is a historic day for us, and for our brothers and sisters to the North. For far too long, our nations have stood on the precipice, divided along ideological lines. But for this moment in time, this brief flicker of history, we stand united as one people, one Karera, and one nation in this, a time of peace and unity. Let this, these 23rd Winter Olympic games, mark what we hope will be the beginning of a new age, where Karera begins to mend the divide between our peoples. Let this be a new beginning, not just for Karera, but for the world. For to long, we’ve stood divided, but for this moment, this brief echo, let us have peace. Let us come together in the spirit of competition, and…”
Uil-Oun’s voice slowed and died down as a low, mournful moan drifted across the coliseum. Looking around, the Kareran president, and everyone else present, tried to find the source of the haunting sound. As the moan died down, there was murmur through the crowd as an oppressive fog began to settle across the entire field.
“Oh no…” Applejack gasped, her hands shooting up to her mouth. She might not have personally been there, but what she was seeing matched Rainbow’s description of the phenomenon that heralded…
“Krreeeeeeee-eeeeeee-aaaaaaaaauuuuuuuuunnnnnnnngh…thoomb!”
“Sharp! Look! Up there!” A voice screamed from the television. At that moment, the camera panned to the center of the arena, revealing a glowing, daemonic shape hovering thirty meters above the ground. The entire stadium was frozen; transfixed in place by the sight of the strange, otherworldly entity before them.
“Everyone, we’re not sure what’s happening,” The reporter cried, panic clearly in her voice, “But what you’re seeing is not a prank or a hoax. Right here, some sort of… thing… has just appeared out of thin air, and…”
The reporter’s voice died in her throat as the camera zoomed in on the floating entity. Before the stunned audience, the entity drew its hands up to its chest, before slowly tilting its head back and spreading its hands out, palms pointed up.
And began to sing.
Nobody in the stadium moved as the alien, haunting, and mournful melody filled the air. The sound itself was grating, almost painful to the listen to, and filled the hearts of everyone, both present and watching, with a sense of vast cosmic dread, like they were hearing the dying wail of a thousand stars whispering across the deep, black void of space.
“What’s it doing?” The reporter asked, professional conduct forgotten in the wake of the haunting phenomenon.
It was at that moment the first scream rang out. The camera swept across the field towards the sound, focusing on one of the athletes: Snow Drift from the United States of Equestria. The skater had fallen to his knees, clutching his chest in pain. Before their eyes, his flesh began to crumble like sand, falling from his body in a dry, powdery cascade.
His scream was followed by another.
And another.
In an instant, thousands of agonized shrieks filled he arena, the phantom’s song still audible over the chorus of death.
The spell broke, and the crowd began to panic. But the entity continued its song, which began to grow in crescendo. More and more people began to disintegrate.
“Aaaaargh!” The voice of the reporter wailed before the image tilted suddenly and violently, slamming into the ground as the reporter’s body collapsed before it. As the flesh on her face began to slough off, the feed suddenly and abruptly cut out.
There was a moment of silence in the room. Everyone was too shocked to move, let alone speak.
“Ladies and gentlemen…” Keen Insight’s shaken voice finally came back as the camera feed returned to the news room. “I’m… not sure what just happened… I’m…I’m at a loss to explain what you… what I… just saw. We’ll report back once we… have any information… I…”
The program cut out, leaving only the emergency broadcast symbol and sound.
All sounds of life in the kitchen had died down, with only the smell of burning green beans, potatoes and pot-roast beginning to fill the air. Every member of the Apple family stood in stunned horror, their eyes glued to the television, their minds trying to comprehend the magnitude of the impossible tragedy they’d just witnessed.
It was Applejack who finally broke the silence, her voice shaky and weak.
“Oh gawd… Sunset… what have yah done…” Applejack muttered in horror.