//------------------------------//
// 15 Kindred spirits 
// Story: Knowledge Brings Change 
// by hydra30 
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Twilight lay on her bed in her old student quarters on the grounds of Canterlot castle, swirling a quill in an inkwell with her magic.

After she felt she had wetted it enough, she put the dripping tip to the bridge of the nose adorning the dark grey hood before her, hovering in her lavender telekinesis. While the Grey Cowl of Nocturnal had the power to hide the identity of any who wore it, it was only designed to shield against mortal eyes, it was not meant to hide one's self from a higher form of entity (such as a Daedra) like she and her friends were trying to avoid. But Hermaeus Mora proved his own cunning (and his self-interest in this endeavor) by providing them with the final tool they would need to make this quest as incognito as possible.

Which was currently the reason why her number one assistant was keeping as much distance from her as he could.

"Spike!" stated Twilight with slight irritation. "Will you just come over here already!?"

Said purple dragon looked up from his self appointed task of sweeping up the huge amounts of dust and cobwebs that had accumulated in their absence and flashed a nervous smile. "I would Twilight, but this really needs to be done."

Twilight rolled her eyes, if his excuse was any more transparent it could be used for a chameleon spell. With a startled yelp, Spike was hoisted in Twilight's telekinesis and dragged to the bed, dropping his broom as he flailed his claws in a desperate bid to free himself. But all he could do was clamp his claws over his nose as the smell from the inkwell's contents assaulted his senses.

Twilight was slightly annoyed, but grew a sympathetic look, for she could not blame Spike for his reaction.

"Spike, you're going to have to get used to this if you are going to accompany us to Nirn," she said gently, levitating the simple mask before him. "This thing is the only thing that can protect us from being noticed by the other Daedra, if you don't use it with us, you will have to stay here."

Twilight couldn't believe her own words.

Under normal circumstances she would insist Spike stay here in Equestria where he would be safe, but too much was at stake. She had read up on Nirn while in Apocrypha and even though it was only one item that was their goal, Morrowind wasn't a luxury vacation spot. It was a corrupt and dangerous land, and if Twilight and her entourage were to be successful, they would need every able bodied participant they could get.

And Spike had proved he could be a reliable ally.

Not only had he handled himself pretty well during the skirmish in the Badlands, but had proved invaluable during Pharynx's sneak attacks on Thorax and Cadance. Twilight actually thought it was quite clever how he used his small size to his advantage whilst using the Nirn magic he learned, combined with how deceitfully he could think. It reminded her of his attempt to frame Owlouious.

This also brought Twilight back to contemplating the full scope of their current situation.

She remembered the absolute terror she felt when she first researched the other Daedric Princes, and how that terror only grew when Hermaeus Mora found entry to her home. Just the thought of the kind of havoc the more malevolent of Mora's kin could wreak on Equestria was enough to send her to bed in a cold sweat every night, and her first thought since Hermaeus Mora struck Chrysalis down was she would do everything in her power to keep Equestria from coming into contact with Nirn at all costs, but things had not played out as she planned. Even more so, since she was going to be the one crossing over to that place.

Not that she was having second thoughts.

Celestia was right, they had to do this. Twilight still could not fathom how somepony had come down with corprus disease, but they had, and a very well known pony as well, but it also made Twilight reevaluate. However it happened, Equis and Nirn were interlocking at some level, and as fear inducing as the thought was, Twilight couldn't stop it.

 But that didn't mean she couldn't do anything.

Twilight and her friends had stopped evil in its tracks before, so how was this any different? She may not be able to stop the evils of Nirn from crossing over to Equestria, the point made clear when something like this happened when she wasn't even around, but she sure wasn't going to just lie down while it happened, and she could be confident her friends felt the same. Plus, they all had the power of the Thu'um on their side, and if that wasn't an advantage towards anything Nirn might have in store for them, what was?

So instead of doting on how she was going to keep Equestria and Nirn separate, Twilight decided she was going to be ready to defend Equestria from anything as she had always done, but including anything  malicious that might sneak over to their world from Nirn.

And it would seem she wasn't the only one convincing herself, for after the statement of being left behind, Spike steeled his nerves and took his claws off his nose. Smiling proudly, Twilight drew her baby dragon in for a hug. She couldn't blame him for being apprehensive.

For it was not ink inside the inkwell... it was dragon's blood. 

As said before, the Cowl of Nocturnal wasn't meant to hide someone from a divine being, but according to Hermaeus Mora, since the dragons of Nirn were all kin to Akatosh himself, some of his divine power was present in their blood, so in theory, the Cowl might be strengthened when combined with it. And it appeared to be working, for as Twilight traced it over the luminescent runes adorning the simple mask, their blue color was shifting to red. Once that was done, Twilight's part of the preparations would be completed, which meant all that was left would be for her friends to do their parts.

"How long will it take to be ready?" asked Spike.

"Not long," answered Twilight, applying more dragon blood to the runes, causing the color to shift some more.

"Do you suppose the others might be ready now?" Twilight replied to this with a raised eyebrow, and Spike faceclawed at his own overestimation.

This was Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Rarity.

---

"We don't need all this!"

"Oh yes we do!"

"Pinkie, we're supposed to be gathering rations, not preparing for a hoedown!"

"Oh, you're one to talk, Applejack. I know you plan to blend that cider with sujamma once we get to Nirn!"

"It helps sharpen a pony's focus in a fight."

Fluttershy looked back and forth between her two earth pony friends with a look of annoyance and impatience. 

After returning from Apocrypha, they had all dispersed to make preparations for their voyage. Celestia had charged herself with looking after the Elder ScrolI, having learned of its nature, and would entrust nopony else with its oversight. Twilight and Spike were preparing that strange mask, Rainbow and Rarity were out getting tools and equipment, and here Pinkie Pie and Applejack were tasked with provisions.

Each of the five mares from Ponyville had experience with their tasks to a degree, and under normal circumstances would have headed home to retrieve some of their own personal supplies. But time was of the essence,so they were limited to what could be procured in Canterlot, which in turn has led to the heated debate between two earth ponies with very different culinary pursuits.

"What's the holdup?" asked a sudden voice, making Fluttershy squeal in surprise and jump and cling to one of the grocery store's ceiling lights.

Princess Luna arched an impatient eye and yanked the timid pegasus back to earth with her magic. She herself would be accompanying them on this quest, so she was spearheading the preparations, teleporting to and fro to check on their progress. And she hasn't been disappointed... until now.

"Your majesty," squeaked Fluttershy, bowing as soon as her hooves touched the floor.

"Please dispense with the formalities, fair maiden, there is no time for it," said Luna sternly, looking up to the two arguing ponies that had yet to notice her. "Why are your comrades squabbling like roosters in a hen house?"

"Oh, yes, sorry Princess," stammered the timid pegasus, recovering from her shock. "Applejack and Pinkie Pie can't agree on which type of food would be more beneficial for the trip."

Luna looked like somepony just told her a hat goes on your head. "Ugh, explain please."

Fluttershy seemed kinda relieved her and the princess were in the same boat regarding this. "Applejack believes we should take food that will us energized and healthy," she explained, pointing to the sizable stacks sitting behind Applejack, which consisted of fruit, vegetables, canteens of water, and plastic jugs of amber liquid. "And Pinkie Pie feels we should bring food for recreational purposes, for after a long, tiring day," she pointed to Pinkie, who had a proverbial mountain of treats behind her, ranging from candy, all kinds of pastries, as well as hay burgers and carrot dogs.

Luna facehoofed, this was a setback that they could not afford.

"What are your thoughts, fair Fluttershy?" requested the moon princess, seeking to resolve this as quickly as possible. "You have cared for living things all your life. So what is more important, health or recreation?"

"Oh, well..." Fluttershy tapped her temple with a wing. "I guess I can see how both would be important. I take special care to see that alI my animal friends get allI healthy foods they need, but I also know how gratifying it is for them when they get to eat their favorite foods, even if it isn't the healthiest thing for them."

Luna nodded and strode forward with her regal gait towards the bickering earth ponies.

"BE STILL!"

Luna's Royal Canterlot Voice echoed throughout the entire store, all the pickle jars in the pickle isle shattering under the sonic blast and showering Jet Set and Upper Crust with their contents as they walked by, prompting both upper class unicorns to gasp in shock and glare in the direction of the offensive voice, broken glass and crinkle cut pickles dangling from their manes.

Applejack and Pinkie Pie finally took notice of their royal company, shrieking like little fillies at her livid features, augmented by her eyes, which were glowing a fierce white. They dropped to the ground in submission, Luna towering over them like a mother would over her misbehaving children.

"We have no time for petty arguing," she hissed, her teal pupils reemerging once the pools of light receded from her eyes. "Not only is an innocent pony's life at stake, but we are to embark on a journey through time and space, and if what young Twilight said is true, this 'Morrowind' is a place filled with danger. You all need to be readying yourselves for what could possibly be the fight of your lives, not squabbling over what supplies are better suited for the journey!"

"We're..." Pinkie took a second to gulp nervously as she looked up at the irate princess. "We're super sorry, Princess."

"We just wanna be sure we do this right," said Applejack regretfully. "Like you said, this is going to be dangerous, most likely, so we just wanna be prepared for anything."

Luna's expression softened. "And you both have made valid points. Food that will keep you healthy is important, but it's equally as important to have something you look forward to so as to keep your spirits up."

Pinkie and Applejack looked to their respective choice piles then back to their princess.

"So...which do we go with?" asked Applejack, her and Pinkie sharing a confused and nervous look.

"You both have only over complicated it," said Luna, "We can simply do both."

"WHAT!" shouted Applejack, looking at her and Pinkie's stacks with growing dread. "But princess, how are we supposed to carry all this?" 

"Don't worry Applejack, I'm just the mare for the job," said Pinkie happily.

Applejack, Fluttershy, and Princess Luna all shared a look of shock and disgust as Pinkie began shoving her stack into her mane one at a time, a hayburger leaving a ring of ketchup and mustard as it was shoved between the poofy pink locks.

"Ugh...as much as we appreciate your efforts, your methods won't be necessary, Miss Pie," said Luna, stopping Pinkie from stuffing s bowl of steaming hot tomato soup into her mane with her magic. "I have a better solution."

In a flash of blue magic, everypony was awed at what Luna now held in her magic.

A small velvet pouch dangling from a small gold chain, its bark blue color complemented by white wind patterns. Luna then slid open the thread that sealed the mouth while also levitating both stacks of food in her magic. All the two earth ponies and single pegasus could do was watch in shock as both vanished into the confines of a bag small enough to sit in the middle of their hoof, no change in size no expansion of the bag's mouth, it was the kind of thing thing you just saw but you didn't actually 'see' what happened.

"You all should head back to the castle," said Luna, unceremoniously sealing her bag shut. "Twilight said she's almost finished with that mask thing, once she is we all need to be ready to leave."

She vanished in a flash of blue, and after a minute of shocked silence Applejack and Fluttershy headed back to the castle,  trying not to be disturbed by Pinkie Pie, who was munching on a carrot dog from her mane, pink hair poking out from between her teeth.

After a minute the clerk emerged from behind her counter, scowling at the pickle juice flowing down the isles."The crown better keep that promise of reimbursement."

---

Luna next went to check on Rainbow Dash and Rarity at a camping store, but face hoofed when she saw the unicorn and pegasus scowling at each other with their foreheads locked. She immediately pulled the two apart with her magic, turning them to face her, their expressions turning fearful when they saw who stood before them. Did none of Twilight's friends grasp how serious this situation was?

"I just finished settling a dispute between Applejack and Pinkie Pie, WHAT is holding up you two?"

Rainbow and Rarity were equally surprised to learn this. It was exceedingly rare for Pinkie to argue with anypony, let alone her friends.

"My apologies, your majesty," started Rarity in as graceful of a voice as she could muster. "We have procured all the necessary tools for this venture, but Miss Dash and I can't seem to come to a conclusion on what kind of portable shelter we should bring."

"Because the last time she went camping with us she brought a literal inflatable palace!" complained Rainbow, turning a venomous glare toward the fashionable pony. "Twilight said we need to be discreet, and a giant balloon home would be just the opposite."

"Twilight also said we would be travelling to 'Nirn,' Rainbow," rebutted Rarity. "I don't know about you, but I haven't forgotten all that I have learned about that place, and refuse to go there without the necessary equipment."

"How is a giant castle tent necessary?" complained Rainbow, taking wing and pressing her muzzle to Rarity's. "Normal tents work just as well."

"Oh, I protest, darling," snarled Rarity,"They do practically nothing to shield you from the elements, and leave you horribly exposed. And if what Twilight said is to be believed, it is going to be a tiring endeavor; with possibly some wretched combat involved. I for one am dead set on making sure that I get as much rest as possible whenever I can."

Rainbow's cyan cheeks turned red as she readied an argument, but blue magic sealed her lips before she could speak.

"My apologies, Miss Dash," said Luna, turning her attention to Rarity as Rainbow mumbled her displeasure. "Miss Rarity, is this 'luxury' tent big enough to house our whole party?"

"Oh most definitely, your majesty," answered Rarity enthusiastically. "Why, the latest model is most likely capable of housing the entirety of the Apple family."

Luna nodded and tuned to Rainbow Dash. "I am sorry Rainbow, but I have to agree with Rarity on this one."

"WHATI!" gasped Rainbow once Luna released her. "But princess..."

"I understand where you are coming from, Rainbow, and under normal circumstances I would agree with you," said Luna, placing a hoof on the disgruntled pegasus. "But this isn't a journey across Equestria, we are headed to an entirely new world. A world filled with perils, if I am to understand."

"We will need an exceptional place for recouping, now is not the time to 'rough it' as they say."

Rainbow just crossed her forelegs and huffed.

"And another thing, this tent might be just the thing needed to protect us from the most dangerous part of this journey," continued Luna, gaining Rainbow's attention with how serious she sounded. "Because, from what I have gathered from all this, we will be heading to Nirn when this 'Blight storm' is active... spreading the wretched disease that now inflicts Miss De Lis."

That actually forced Rarity and Rainbow onto the same page.

All that had happened, it had never actually registered to them that they were about to travel to the place where that wretched disease originally came from until then, and during a time when it was apparently the most rampant. The thought of those painful fleshy welts on Fleur sent chills under their skin. And it only grew worse when they imagined themselves inflicted with it.

"Ugh, Princess?" asked Rainbow, trying her hardest not to sound scared. "What does a tent have to do with us and this disease?"

"I must agree with Rainbow," chimed in Rarity. "As thrilled as I am that you took my side, I fail to see the significance when it involves that horrid Blight."

Luna gave a smug look. "I know a spell that can modify the material of a tent to shield those taking refuge within against ailments. And the more ponies can fit, the more can be protected."

Now it all made sense.

Instead of having multiple little tents that could shield from the wind at most, they needed a big shelter they could take refuge in should they encounter this Blight storm. 

"Now I understand, sorry for putting up such a fuss Rares," said Rainbow apologetically.

"No harm done dear," said Rarity, giving the speedster a loving hug.

"But that still doesn't explain how we are going to go about unnoticed," said Rainbow nervously. "It may be the best choice, but that tent is going to be too noticeable if somebody from Nirn stumbles onto it."

"Rainbow, dear, have you forgotten?" inquired Rarity mischievously.

Before Rainbow or Luna could ask Rarity stood up on her hind legs and pointed a hoof to a shelf displaying canteens.



A strange conglomeration of light condensed in her outstretched hoof, launching forward and impacting the shelf in a shower of sparks, before the whole thing vanished. It stayed that way for about a second, another customer who had been behind the shelf at the time giving them a confused look, before the shelf reappeared. Rainbow facehooved.

"I really need to get used to this," she said bitterly, conjuring a similar spell in her own hoof and giving it an annoyed look.

"Invisiblity, most interesting," stated Luna as she examined the spell in Rainbow Dash's hoof. "Only exceptional unicorns can achieve this in Equestria."

"Believe it Princess, this was not easy to achieve," said Rainbow.

It was not long before they purchased one fancy tent, Luna sinking it into her bizarre pouch, much to the shock of Rarity and Rainbow Dash, followed by the other gear they had found here. Food was obtained, as well as equipment, and by now Twilight should be finished with that mask, so it was just a matter of returning to the castle. But Luna had one more task for these two before they returned.

"I need you two to do one thing for me," she said, passing her bizarre bag to Rarity. "Head to the outskirts of town and pick up as many clouds as you can and put them in here with the rest of our equipment. Pegasi will most likely not be capable of interacting with clouds from Nirn."

---

Luna reappeared in Celestia's study and found her sister right where she left her.

The lean alabaster alicorn was standing before her desk, eyes glued down onto the Elder Scroll as it sat in a beam of sunlight that filtered in through a window, its gold and amethyst glittering almost 'innocently'. Luna could not blame her sister for her transfixed state, for after returning to Equestria they both had ample opportunity to examine the decorative cylinder, and what they perceived was something they would never forget. Great power was housed in this tiny object the likes of which they had never before seen.

And it was even more apparent to Celestia and Luna, with them being millennia old.

Just being in its presence made them both feel as though they were able to see the past, present, and future with their entire bodies, instead of just their eyes.

"How go the preparations, sister?" asked Celestia, proving that she did notice her sister enter.

"All appears ready," answered Luna, ripping her eyes from the Elder Scroll. "All parties just need to return to the castle and we'll be underway."

Celestia only gave a nod of confirmation, scooping the Elder Scroll in her magic and heading to the door with a downtrodden look.

"I know you're worried, sister," said Luna comfortingly as she hastened to catch up to her sibling, slipping under her white primary feathers and nuzzling onto her soft side. "But I can handle myself in battle quite fluently, and your student and her friends now have quite the skill set themselves now."

"It's not that, sister," said Celestia, sighing in content as her little sister's body heat warmed her side. "I am actually quite convinced that 'you' can definitely handle yourself if something should threaten you and the others."

Now Luna was worried.

She had been basically the cliche overprotective older sister ever since she fowled up her relationship with Twilight, and even though it did sort of annoy Luna, it did make her feel loved. But now Luna noticed that that one spark of concern that had been present in Celestia's eyes since she returned from her banishment wasn't there anymore, and if nothing up till now could dispel it, what had? It definitely wasn't her persuasion, that had never worked, not since they were fillies.

"Tia, what is wrong?" she asked sternly. "You may have relented when I first made my intentions to accompany young Twilight to this other world, but I expected you to be weighed down with worry right up until my return. Not that I am not relieved you are showing such faith in my abilities, but it is most unlike you to change your mind so abruptly."

Celestia's smile didn't fade with Luna's strict tone, in fact it seemed to be relieving her even more. "I mulled over what you said to me in Apocrypha, sister, and realized you are right. If anypony can handle themselves on this endeavor as fluently as Twilight and her friends are capable of now, it's you."

Luna wasn't buying this simple explanation, there was more to it. "And that made you change your mind?"

"Not entirely," explained Celestia, her worry from before returning. "I... had a little 'assistance' remembering how talented a warrior you were during the time of your banishment."

'Assistance?'

What did Celestia mean by that?

Something in the way her sister said that word struck a chord with Luna, telling her she was hinting at something. It could not be simply her sifting through her memory of what kind of life they lived when they first ascended the throne. No, Celestia's memory of that time had been dampened by a millennium of peace and prosperity... unless...

Luna looked up to the gold cylinder hovering in her sister's cheerful yellow aura with a look of dread. "SISTER!? Please tell me you didn't..."

"Not intentionally," answered Celestia with slight regret. "Just after you left to check on the others, this... Elder Scroll... sprang open on its own, and I looked into the parchment before I could turn away."

Luna gasped in worry.

She remembered Twilight's description and warning regarding these mysterious artifacts. "Are you unharmed, sister?" 

"So far I have felt none of the side effects Twilight warned of," Celestia reassured her sister, giving her body a look over. "Most likely due to the nature of being a timeless alicorn."

Luna felt relieved that there was no harm done to Celestia's well being, but now she was curious. She had examined the Elder Scroll as well, and she knew it housed a great power that was beyond comprehension. Not even an alicorn could be exposed to it without consequences.

"So what became of this brief glimpse, sister?" asked Luna, "What does this thing look like unfurled anyway?"

"I didn't have long to look, but what I do remember of its features is what appeared to be some runes that weren't even close to legible, interlocking each other with luminescent line's that weaved like a spider's web," described Celestia, looking to the Elder Scroll with slight apprehension. "After that everything went dark for a moment... then I relived my past."

"You mean you remembered?" asked Luna.

"No, my sister, it was more than just that," continued Celestia with a choking voice. "It was like... I was relieving every trial we faced in the old days. The minotaur incursion that sought to conquer us, but were thwarted because they were unaware the pony tribes had unified , the griffin warlords who intended to capture earth ponies to use as slaves of war, and the dragons' invasion of the newly formed Equestria when they discovered how rich in gemstones the land was, Discord with his twisted sense of humor... I relived all of it... right up until that horrible day...when I had to banish you to the moon, my sister."

Luna halted their trek to the throne room and placed a hoof to her sister's chest.

She remembered those incidents very clearly, and new how taxing they were on Celestia. It was a time when bloodshed was a daily occurrence for them, without a day going by were they didn't have to rush to the aid of some settlers being tormented by one of the aforementioned enemies, or diving out of the path of a thrown dagger as an assassin stepped out of a nearby shadow. It was one of the few things Luna was glad to find lost to time when she returned.

"I am sorry, sister," she said sympathetically.

"Don't be, Lulu," cooed Celestia as she gripped her sister's hoof in her own, casting a glance, that wasn't nervous for once, at the Elder Scroll. " In a way, I am grateful, for this has allowed me to reclaim what I never should have lost."

"What would that be?"

"My indomitable fighting spirit," said Celestia, much to Luna's confusion. "Even though everything I experienced after I looked into the Elder Scroll was my own memories... it 'felt' like it was actually the first time I experienced them." Her expression became serious, "All the fighting, all the conflict we experienced in the defense of our subjects and home... where once they had been buried under a millennium of experiences of the opposite nature, I now remember them as vividly as if they only happened yesterday... as well as how it felt to charge into battle with the desire to protect what is precious to you."

Now Luna finally recognized the look in her sister's eyes.

It was the look she always had in the old days, something that confused Luna when she returned to find her without it. The tough older sister was back, and Luna knew that now she really could believe that her sister was through hiding from violence and was ready to show the next villain that threatened them what Equestria was protected by. It brought her no small amount of joy.

"Welcome back, my sister in arms."

"It's good to be back."

Celestia looked to the Elder Scroll again, her look of worry she wore when Luna found her at her desk returning. "But while I am grateful for this thing and the role it has played in rekindling my nerve, it also brought something worrying to my attention."

Now Luna remembered the start of their conversation, how Celestia was looking worried about something. And if Celestia once again held the fighting spirit she had a millennium ago, it must be dire.

"So what is troubling you now sister?" she asked, both resuming the walk to the throne room.

"This thing...I think it has some degree of sentience," explained Celestia.

"What makes you say that?" asked Luna, eyeing the Elder Scroll curiously.

"I don't think it just spontaneously sprang open by accident," continued Celestia, "When it did I was contemplating what you said about not being mellowed by a millennium of peace and was trying my hardest to find the fighting spirit inside me I once had. I was about to give up when I found I was unable to... but this thing..." Celestia apparently had to compose herself for a second. "Like I said, I am grateful, but I have never seen magic like this.

"Even memory recall spells can't reconstitute things to that degree, and more disturbingly they take time depending on how many memories they are used on. I relived almost a decade of my life, but when it was all over, not even a heartbeat had passed. And to say nothing about what it could mean if this thing is truly alive."

"And if it is?" inquired Luna.

"Then it means that this Nirn is home to magic I can't even fathom."

Luna tilted her head in confusion. "It's not like we don't have experience with this sort of thing, sister. The Tree of Harmony houses the most potent magic in Equestria and it is alive."

"That's different, Lulu, the Tree of Harmony is alive because it resembles something that 'can' be alive," explained Celestia, waving the Elder Scroll. "Scrolls are inanimate objects, enchanted or not. If it is alive, it defies everything I have believed regarding the limitations of magic, and worse, it means we might very well be faced with a conundrum we have no defense against."

"Sister... what is it you fear?" asked Luna, growing concern at her sister's nervousness.

"What else might exist on Nirn that could threaten us?" finished Celestia, "Especially if it is home to such unruly magic as this Elder Scroll."

Now Luna understood were her sister was coming from.

She wasn't worried about the current endeavor she and the others were to disembark on, she was worried about what else from Nirn could be a threat. And it was a valid concern, they knew close to nothing of Nirn, or what might be advantageous should something happen. But Luna did remember one thing.

"According to Twilight, the Elder Scrolls are the most powerful artifacts that exist on Nirn," she said reassuringly. "We have one right here and are handling it just fine, what else could Nirn throw at us?"

Celestia smiled at Luna's attempt to console her, but it was forced at best. "If the bar is set this high in regards to magical prowess, there is plenty of room in the space between for all powerful threats to exist."

---

"There you are, slowpokes," commented Rainbow Dash as Celestia and Luna entered the throne room.

"Rainbow Dash, what a way to talk to the princesses," scolded Rarity angrily.

"No, she's right," Celestia said as she sat in her throne, Luna going the group of assembled mares and baby dragon. "We shouldn't have taken so long."

Twilight and her friends had reassembled in the throne room as planned, but Celestia had expected them to be laden with all the necessary equipment to undertake this task. Not one of them had even a saddle bag.

"Where is everything?" she asked, "Surely you had ample time to gather supplies."

"Oh, they did, don't worry your majesty," said Twilight, levitating the blue bag decorated with white swirls. "It's all in this bag."

"And I have to say, it's quite the nifty accessory," said Rarity, eyeing said bag with envy. "Who would have thought such a tremendous amount of goods could be transported in such a convenient, lightweight package."

Celestia looked to the bag with shock, before it shifted to a look of annoyance as she looked at Luna. "Sister, is that what I think it is?"

"If you're thinking its an infinite dimension depth pouch, then you would be correct," replied Luna smugly.

Celestia grew such a foreboding scowl that Fluttershy stiffened up and fell over with a frightened squeak, some pigeons that had been perched on a nearby windowsill taking off with frightened cawing.

"Whoahohohooo, if looks could kill," said Pinkie, plopping down on her back with a tulip clutched in her hooves.

"Luna, how could you hide one from me?" snarled Celestia, but if Luna was intimidated she didn't show it.

"What's the problem, princess?" spoke up Applejack, "It's only a magic bag that can hold a lot."

"The problem is that none of them should exist anymore," explained Celestia, "When Equestria first started, infinite dimension depth pouches were all the rage for unicorn pilgrims to transport their belongings to their new home, but I soon discovered that they were an ideal way for smugglers and thieves to commit crimes without getting caught. Since then I have decreed them illegal and had any that have turned up destroyed."

There was a collection of stares directed at Luna's bag as it hovered in Twilight's magic.

"How could you even have one, Luna?" asked Celestia, her temper cooling somewhat. "The last time one of these wretched things turned up was at least five years before your transformation into Nightmare Moon. I believed them all gone."

"I had this one long before you passed the law against them, sister," said Luna with a self proud look. "I could not let you destroy it, so I hid it in my room. It remained there for a thousand years."

But why?" asked Celestia, "Don't you remember the havoc they caused?"

"Yes, but I couldn't let you destroy this one," said Luna, a little sorrow creeping into her voice. "It was a birthday present from Starswirl, the last thing he ever gave me."

Celestia's irritation morphed into confusion. "I don't remember Starswirl ever giving you this."

"You missed most of my birthdays back then, sister," said Luna bitterly.

Celestia's regret and guilt resurfaced upon hearing that. It was yet another reminder of how neglectful she had been to her sister in ages past, and how much she still had to answer for. She didn't agree with this being kept a secret, but if she looked past all the negativity in her mind she could see the tactical value of it.

"Good thinking, Lulu," said Celestia, adopting a supportive look. "This will make your journey much simpler."

Luna smiled at her sister's support. "Thank you, Celie."

Nodding, Celestia took a deep breath and turned her attention to her student (relieved that Twilight still saw her as her teacher despite all that had happened) and signaled her to come closer. Hoofing the bag over to Luna, Twilight approached the throne, a smile adorning her face, despite all that was about to begin. Celestia knew her student felt the same nervousness and anticipation that was gnawing at her own gut at the moment.
  
"Is it ready, Twilight?" asked the solar monarch when the purple unicorn stood before the dais that led up to her royal chair.

"It is, your majesty. Rainbow," replied Twilight, gesturing to her airborne friend, who held the Grey Cowl of Nocturnal in her hooves.

While they were waiting on the princesses, Twilight and the others had taken to 'playing' with the formidable looking mask, getting well acquainted with its magical properties.

And Rainbow demonstrated these properties by slipping the mask over her head. Celestia had never felt anything like the sensation that fell over her; she knew Twilight had a headstrong, athletic pegasus in her group of friends, but suddenly, everything about her faded from her mind. She knew the pegasus hovering before her was a pony she knew personally, but her mind only perceived a complete stranger.

And from the look on Luna's face, she was experiencing something similar.

"Okay, okay, please take it off now," said Celestia, fighting to remember why she needed the pony before her to remove her mask. "It's most unsettling."

"Believe me, you're not the only one who thinks so, princess," said Rarity, sighing with relief once Rainbow removed the cowl. "While it cannot be denied that the thing does have a kind of fashionable appeal, the magic it casts over its wearer is most creepy."

"But it would really bring down the house during Nightmare Night," commented Pinkie cheerfully.

"Yeah, yeah, it's awesome," said Rainbow, eagerness and impatience in her voice as she turned to Celestia. "When can we get underway? I'm itching to see this Nirn place for myself."

"Rainbow!" scolded Applejack, "This is not some action packed adventure from Daring Do."

"Yeah, Rainbow, an innocent pony's life is at stake," said Fluttershy, though there was fear behind her words.

Rainbow rubbed her foreleg in shame.

"But nevertheless, we do need to move forward," said Celestia, her regal tone drawing all their attention. "And I believe that the next step is to devise a way all of you to be able to use the enchantment of this 'Grey Cowl of Nocturnal' so you all can avoid detection of these other Daedra while venturing through their world."

"You said you knew a spell that could help, Princess?" asked Twilight, remembering how after they returned to the castle they realized that there was only one Cowl, and that eight of them were headed to Nirn.

"Yes," answered Celestia, bringing the spell in question to the forefront of her mind. "But it has never been used on something like this before, so I would rather wait until Cadance and Shining Armour arrive, in case I need assistance."

"Where is my brother? It's not like him to leave his post..."

"Somepony request our presence?" Cadance interrupted, as she and Shining entered the throne room, carrying several things in their magic.

Twilight took one look at their load and scowled in annoyance, "You're joking, right?"

"So that's why you took our measurements," said Rarity, giving Cadance a look of mock disappointment. "And here I thought you were planning to take up a career in fashion."

Cadance answered with a mischievous smile.

She and Shining Armour carried eight suits of armor aloft in their magic. Six of them were identical to what Celestia's royal guard wore while on duty, two having holes punched in the sides of the breast plate for pegasus wings, another two having holes in the helmets for unicorn horns. One of the sets was tiny compared to the others, obviously designed for Spike's short stature.

The final set of armor...

"Celie, is that...?" stammered Luna as she stared at the familiar dark blue metal.

"It's not the original, unfortunately," said Celestia, "But it is a perfect replica."

Luna smiled gratefully.

"Shining, I know what you're doing," said Twilight, approaching her brother and giving him a brief hug. "But my friends and I aren't looking for a fight, so we will have no need to defend ourselves if all goes according to plan."

"Twily, remember what just occurred in the Badlands?" rebutted Shining, worry clear in his voice. "We weren't looking for a fight then either, but the changelings left you no choice."

"This is different," said Twilight, "We plan to avoid notice while on Nirn."

"Twilight, you said it yourself that there is a chance something could come across you," said Cadance worriedly.

"Do you think a suit of armor would be any help if that happens?" asked Twilight with an arched eyebrow.

"Oh come on, egghead, they're offering us free awesome armor," said Rainbow, slipping on a helmet, her multi-colored mane becoming the crest.

"Please Twily, if anything, do it for our peace of mind at least," pleaded Shining Armour.

Twilight still felt wearing armor was unnecessary, but relented, and soon all members of the team wore a suit of armor (though Twilight had to gently coax Fluttershy into hers, the combat gear making their destination all the more apparent to the timid pegasus.)

"Only one thing left on our part then," said Celestia, her horn alight with magic. "Luna, Cadance, be ready should I need assistance."

With a nod from both of them, Celestia unleashed a beam of yellow magic from her horn, gently colliding with the Grey Cowl of Nocturnal. Duplication spells exist in Equestria, but only worked on unenchanted items, so the Cowl couldn't be duplicated, but Celestia had a spell that could do the next best thing.

It was called the 'Divide and conquer spell'.

Way back in the strife before Equestria existed, several techniques were developed so that if war broke out, each of the three pony tribes had some form of advantage. This spell was one such technique; what it did was divide up the physical form of an object and then transmute the pieces into something else. This way, things like weapons, armor, or supplies could be transported without suspicion or traceability, and be reassembled later.

It could even be used to turn an enchanted object into multiple enchanted objects; for unlike the duplication spell (which cannot recreate other enchantments) the Divide and conquer spell can 'divide' the enchantment on the object it's being used on and distribute it among the objects being created from the original.

It was Celestia's hope that the same rule applied for the Cowl of Nocturnal, but she was having difficulty. The mask stood there, hovering in her magic when it should have dispersed by now.

"Luna, Cadance..." said Celestia through the strained expression on her face.

Nodding in understanding, the Alicorn of Love and the Alicorn of the Moon added different shaded blue magic to the Alicorn of the Sun's yellow, and it did not take them long to figure out why she was having difficulty. The magic contained within this simple article of clothing was unlike anything they had ever come across. It was like trying to break apart a rock with a toothpick.

"By the elements," moaned Cadance, "This magic..., so unruly."

She wasn't the only one who thought as such, Celestia and Luna were both sweating bullets as the sensation of this magic washed over them. But finally things took a positive turn, with all three Alicorn princesses pooling their magic, the Cowl of Nocturnal dispersed into a cloud of black smoke. It swirled and flowed through the air, separating into eight different clouds that settled to the floor.

Then before all of them, the clouds dispersed, revealing eight dark grey wristbands, the red runes that once decorated the Cowl's nose now circling around each of their surfaces.

For a while everyone just stared at the little cloth circles resting on the floor.

"It can be restored after this, right?" asked Twilight with a twinge of regret. "I know that it's a sinister object, but the Cowl of Nocturnal is an ancient artifact with a rich history."

Celestia smile at her student's sentiment, if Twilight could appreciate the history of something so foreboding like the Cowl of Nocturnal, more of her original psyche survived her ordeal in Apocrypha than she could have ever hoped for, "Rest assured Twilight, once we are done with it, I can more than restore it."

Twilight smiled gratefully.

"It's disturbing though," said Cadance, walking up to Twilight. "Twilight... is that the nature of a Daedric artifact?"

Twilight only nodded.

"What is wrong with it, Cadance?" asked Shining Armour as he approached his fianceé worriedly.

"It was...just so potent," explained Cadance, leaning into Shining. "I have never felt such unruly and incomprehensible magic."

Shining cast a look at the bands on the floor. He had always had a foreboding feeling about unknown magic, and ever since Hermaeus Mora arrived, he got a creepy feeling whenever that abominable creature was involved. He still didn't like the fact that Twilight and the others had to rely on such unsavoury magic.

But this was Fleur's only hope, so next Celestia requested Rarity bring forth the Sigil stone.

"I still can't believe I didn't recognize it," complain Twilight as she stared at the tiny black orb surrounded by a red aura hovering in Rarity's magic. "How did you even do this to an artifact notorious for being so powerful?"

"Please darling, give me some credit," said Rarity with pride. "It may be an all powerful object capable of punching holes in the universe, but it's still a gemstone." She pointed to her cutie mark. "And working with gemstones is what I do best."

Unfortunately, this small distraction had to come to an end when Celestia placed the Elder Scroll before them.

"Ready?" she asked, Rarity throwing a nervous glance at the elegantly decorated cylinder before nodding.

"Remember," said Celestia sternly to all of them. "Do not look into it once I open it. Twilight has warned all of us to the effects these things have on the mind."

Not even Pinkie dared defy Celestia's warning at this point.

Everyone prepared themselves by covering their eyes with a hoof, and not a second late heard the sound of crumpling parchment as Celestia unfurled the scroll. A faint chiming noise filled the air, and everyone saw a faint glimmer of light from behind their clenched eyelids. Something about it caused a sudden temptation to peek in all of them.

"NOW, RARITY!" shouted Celestia.

There was the pitter-patter of a small object being dropped, then the crumpling of paper again as Celestia rolled the scroll back up.

Everyone looked up to see the Elder Scroll lying on the floor, looking all innocent as it gleamed in the throne room's cheerfully lit atmosphere.

"Is that it?" asked Applejack, tilting her head in confusion.

"AWWW! I was expecting something more universe-barrier-explodey," complained Pinkie.

"You and me both, Pinks," said Rainbow Dash, hover over and waving her hooves in the air above the Elder Scroll, glaring in frustration when nothing happened. "Hey, what gives? Mr. Tentacle said a portal would open to this Morrowind place..."

She yelped in pain when something yanked her back by her tail, turning to find Applejack gripping her tail hair with her teeth.

"Applejack, how many times a week must you do that?" asked Rainbow in annoyance, yanking her hindquarters forward to free her tail from Applejack.

But she soon noticed everyone was focusing a few feet ahead of her, and when she looked, she joined them in their shock. Little trickles of what appeared to be molten gold was flowing from the Elder Scroll, though it was losing none of its mass as more of this liquid flowed from it. It spread out in opposite directions, forming a gleaming line, with the Elder Scroll at its center.

Then they all gasped in surprise as two thin shafts of gold extended up and flowed towards the ceiling, arching inwards and meeting when they reached a good twenty feet up. Then a spark of light spread throughout the new arch, forming a curtain of dark green light marked with whirlpools of lighter green. This was obviously a gate of some kind.

"Now that is more like it!" said Pinkie excitedly.

Everyone else took unsurprisingly more time to recover from the sudden appearance of this doorway, but once they did, they knew it was time for the final step forward. Twilight scooped up the bands made from the Cowl of Nocturnal and distributed them to all who would follow her on this venture, but before the moment to come, she approached her brother and Cadance.

She needed to say one thing before she left.

"Cadance, I'm sorry," she said with regret to her old foalsitter. "We were so close to finally getting around to your wedding, then this..."

"Hey, Twilight, it's not your fault," said Cadance reassuringly, pulling Twilight into a strong embrace. "And besides, Fleur would never forgive herself if she wasn't there for me at my wedding." Twilight gave her a confused look. "When we broke up, we promised each other that we would increase our chances of finding our true love by supporting each other at our respective weddings. I held up my end, hay, I was the one who married her and Fancy Pants. Disease or not, Fleur would never forgive herself if she let me down."

Twilight smiled and dried her eyes. "You always were so strong, Cadance. Your wedding has been disrupted twice, by extremely dangerous and world altering circumstances no less, and yet you still have faith that it will happen."

"I am the Princess of Love, Twilight," said Cadance reassuringly, and with a bare hint of pride. "I know better than anypony that love isn't all kissing and hugs; sometimes you have to be strong and tough for what you love, especially when things look bleak. Besides, I believe in you, Twilight. And once this mess is behind us, nothing will stop me from marrying your brother... with you as the best mare."

Twilight felt a warming sensation when she thought of the role she was to play at this most special occasion.

"Though Twily, can you answer one thing before you go?" asked Shining Armour, his little sister giving him her undivided attention. "How long do you think it will take you to retrieve this potion?"

"For me and my friends, as long as it takes," answered Twilight, much to Shining's disappointment at the vague response, but Twilight wasn't done. "But for you and pretty much everypony else in Equestria, we shouldn't be gone for even a second."

"What are you talking about, Twilight?" asked Cadance, Shining Armour sharing her confusion. "From what you have said, Morrowind is large, it will take days to travel it by hoof."

"We're not just traveling to another world, we are traveling back in time," explained Twilight, pointing a hoof to the portal. "Once we enter that doorway, we will simply exit back out as if we never left."

"You're sure about that, Twilight?" asked Shining.

"The potion we're after existed two hundred years ago, the only way our journey would take more than a second here in the present is if our quest took longer than that, and time caught up to us."

That seemed to both calm and worry them. The thought of Twilight being gone for two hundred years was a disturbing image.

"Twilight...," muttered Cadance with a sad but reassuring smile, crouching on her forelegs.

Twilight realized what she wanted and mimicked the pose:

"SUNSHINE, SUNSHINE...
LADYBUGS AWAKE...
CLAP YOUR HOOVES AND...
DO A LITTLE SHAKE..."

After their timeless greeting dance, Twilight shared one last hug with Shining Armour and Cadance before approaching her friends at the base of the portal.

"Everyone ready?"

"Behind you all the way, Twilight," said Spike, tightening his new gauntlets.

"Darn tootin, Twilight" said Applejack, "No way am I backing down."

"And I for one, won't let Applesmack here show me up," said Rainbow Dash, as she looked at Applejack, sharing their look of friendly competition, though they all knew she was eager for the adventure.

"As barbaric as these two can be, I wholeheartedly agree," said Rarity, posing elegantly. "I won't sit idly by with all that has happened, not if I can do something about it."

"And how often do you get to visit another world?" stated Pinkie excitedly. "And hey, if it's as dangerous as it sounds like it's going to be, laughter is going to be necessary for group morale, and I am just the mare for the job."

Fluttershy didn't speak up right away. She was more susceptible to the anticipation that all of them were feeling, and every one of her overactive survival instincts that had haunted her her whole life were telling her to go find a bed to hide under. But her friends all gave a look that told her they were all there for her, for each other, and that gave her courage.

And besides, what kind of marefriend would she be if she stayed behind while Twilight thrust herself into danger?

"I'm not backing down either," said Fluttershy with as much determination as she could.

The six mares and one dragon cheered as the stacked their hooves and claw between themselves as they formed  a huddle..

"Let's get moving then," said Luna, decked out in her midnight battle gear.

"Wait, sister, there is one more thing," said Celestia.

Luna rolled her eyes in slight annoyance, she suspected her sister had some sort of 'be careful' speech for them. But no, Celestia said nothing, she just summoned a familiar jewel encrusted chest and offered it to a surprised Luna.

"Princess..." mumbled Twilight when she recognized the box, "Isn't that...?

"The Elements of Harmony," confirmed the princess. "I want you to take them with you."

Twilight gasped in shock and fear, her friends looking just as flabbergasted.

"Princess, we can't," she said in a slight panic "The Elements of Harmony are the only defense against great threats to Equestria."

"I agree with her, sister," said Luna, backing away from the offered box. "Us going is one thing, but the elements have to stay here in case the need should arise."

"Luna, how do you expect them to be used?" stated Celestia, "Have you forgotten that Twilight and her friends are the only ponies that can wield them?"

No, she hadn't, but she was still reluctant to take the most powerful relics of their world into another. "But, sister..."

"Luna, you know that the elements would be better suited accompanying you on this venture," said Celestia, "You know as well as I do that the chances of you meeting tragedy, while not overly so, still is a possibility. If you or even one of Twilight's friends don't make it back, Equestria will suffer. If you have the Elements of Harmony, at least the threat from the creatures on Nirn could pose will be diminished."

Nopony had anything that could argue with that.

It was true that they could run across grave peril while on Nirn, so with great reluctance, Luna took the chest and slipped it into her unique bag. She prayed that they never had to use them.

After one last farewell, and the placing of the bands on their wrists, it was time... to leap through.

---

They had expected a multitude of things upon their arrival...

But none of them were expecting water.

After traveling through a twisting, spiraling tunnel of green, the Equestrian group found themselves suspended in dark, cold water. Luna was the first to snap out of her shock, lighting her horn to find her company all floundering around in the dark, unable to gain any sense of buoyancy do to their armor weighing them, dragging them deeper into the darkness below.

Bringing her mighty alicorn magic to bear, Luna formed the largest barrier she could, pushing out the water in the process, and soon all of them were sputtering and coughing upon the round surfaces of a midnight blue bubble.

"What the hay was that all about!?" complained Rainbow, looking through the barrier to the green glow in the water, obscured by the ripples.

They had all assumed that the portal would exist somewhere unexpected, but this was a legitimate surprise that not even Pinkie saw coming. 

But at least with the portal here, the odds of someone coming across it was practically nonexistent.

It wasn't long before  a midnight blue bubble pierced the surface of the water, seven ponies and one dragon from Equestria being the first of their homeworld to lay eyes on the sky of Mundus in history. A chorus of oohs and ah's came from all of them as they beheld a sight they had only seen in artistic drawings, and in Luna's case, vague description. But even with all she had seen in her life, she could not fully grasp what stood suspended above.

A long, muli-colored streak of light stretched from one horizon to another, weaving gracefully in a beautiful display of color and movement. One would think this was an aurora borealis, but Twilight had explained to them all that the colorful pattern that decorated the night sky of Nirn was actually the trail of blood the Heart of Lorkhan left in its wake while descending into the planet it had created not moments before. The sight and thought brought a mixture of admiration and slight disturbance in the Equestrians.

But eventually, their attention fell away from the colorful light in favour of the next distinct feature that this sky had over theirs.

Ten orbs of different sizes and color, two of them clearly moons but the others less distinct, drifted in the heavens among the stars above. Luna felt tears glistening in her eyes as they reflected against the night , swallowing a lump in her throat as multiple orbs danced in her vision from the skies above. She felt... she felt... she didn't know what she felt.

"Well Princess, is it everything you hoped for?" asked Twilight, her tone reassuring.

Luna snapped out of her emotional state, trying to resist the urge to blink so her tears would not slide down her face and  be noticed. "'Hoped for?' I don't know what you are talking about."

"You don't have to hide it, your majesty," said Spike gently as he walked up to the moon princess, decked in his armor. "Applejack told us everything."

"Told you what?" Luna inquired, looking at the orange pony. "I didn't tell her anything."

"You didn't have to princess, I figured it out," explained the apple farmer, much to Luna's confusion. "I am the Element of Honesty, and more then that, I am the older sister of somepony myself. Celestia is out of practice when it comes to a younger sibling's behavior, but I noticed the ulterior motive in your eyes when you volunteered to accompany us."

"And it wasn't hard for us to figure out the rest," said Pinkie, "We all noticed you trying to hide your intrigue while Twilight was explained the legend of the Aedra."

Luna knew she had been found out and lowered her head in shame.

"Oh now, don't be upset Princess," said Flutershy, fluttering over and putting a hoof on the princess's shoulder. "We understand."

"You do?" said Luna in a choked voice.

"Of course, darling," said Rarity reassuringly, looking back up to the heavens. "If there are any creatures that can sympathize with what you went through during your banishment, it would be them."

Luna looked up again as well, her tears spawned from relief at finding she was not the only living being that ever was cursed into the sky, and pity, for she knew that unlike her, the Aedra had no hope of ever breaking free of their curse.

"So that is really them?" she whispered through her tears. "The Aedra?"

"You betcha, Princess," said Rainbow. "The beings who were awesome enough to give their own power to create everything in this new world we have traveled to."

They let Luna gaze at the sky for a little while longer, letting her take this moment into her memory where she will treasure it forever. It was a feeling she never thought she would have, a feeling of kinship through a unique suffering that few had the misfortune to experience.