The winds blew in a howling frenzy as multi coloured lightning bolts arced across the black sky in deafening explosions of light and power. The weather was wild, but everypony knew that this was only a prelude to the true maelstrom.
Princess Luna stood on the balcony of Golden Oaks, peering into Twilight's telescope. She swept her gaze out over the Everfree Forest, the alicorn's ethereal mane still magically billowed before her, defying the gale.
Ponyville was as prepared as they could be, the waystones were placed, the unicorns were positioned, yet the princess of the night was still uneasy. She had experience with Storms of Magic before, and knew no matter how well prepared they were, this was a primal force of magic they now faced.
She spared a glance at the town, everypony had either fled or hunkered down in their homes. A few unicorns were creating shields, but they would be no help. The Storm would either take the magic for itself or wash it away entirely.
There was a thud on the decking and she looked up to see Rainbow Dash standing ready. The veteran flyer was clad in an insulated bodysuit, typically used for extreme weather, a set of flying goggles were pulled over her eyes.
"Are the pegasai in position?!" Luna bellowed, attempting to be heard over the storm.
"Yeah, everypony's ready!" shouted Rainbow Dash. "Winds are making things hard but we've got this!"
"Very well, brave Rainbow Dash, return to thy post!"
Saluting the princess, the Element of Loyalty launched herself upwards and made for the clouds.
Returning to the telescope, Luna's breath caught in her throat.
There it was, a multicoloured maelstrom of pure chaos and power. A swirling, shimmering tornado ripping right through the heart of the Everfree Forest and straight towards them. She watched as anything in it's way was destroyed or altered by its power, trees burst into flame, rocks liquefied, creatures were sucked into its body and were never seen again or spat out in chaotic new forms.
She recalled that a Zebra lived in the forest, a friend of Twilight. She didn't see her at the town meeting, the alicorn could only hope she found a place to hide, because this was the raw power of their world, and Ponyville was right in its path.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Nurse Redheart silently waited in the hospital laboratory. The pony on duty, a blue unicorn stallion with a DNA helix for a cutie mark, was running a final test on the samples she had given him. The nurse was irritated, as what happened here could affect everything for Reiver, it was also taking longer than she would have liked, a rumble from outside reminding her why.
The machine that held the samples emitted a sharp beeping noise before reams of paper began spilling from the printer. The stallion lifted the end in his hooves and rapidly scanned down the paper, his experience telling him where the key data points were.
"Well, Double Helix?" she asked sharply.
"I'm sorry to say that the results are a positive match," replied the stallion. "Scott is the colt's father."
"...I see," curtly replied the nursemare, expression neutral.
Double Helix lit his horn and magically arranged the information into both files before floating them over to Redheart, who slipped them into her saddlebags.
"When are you going to tell them?" he enquired.
A sudden roar of thunder from outside made them freeze.
"After the storm," she stated. "Right now, we have to get to the patients."
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
The storm had caught Reiver and Apple Bloom off guard at the end of the farm's southernmost field. They had been watching the Canterlot unicorns place the last waystones when the weather quickly deteriorated, the sky rumbling as clouds rapidly blotted out the setting sun.
As they galloped through Sweet Apple Acres, the two foals passed the other waystone formations. They surrounded essential buildings, such as the house and barn, as well as much of the orchards and other fields, each of them flaring with arcane power, dotting the fields with light.
Another rumble lent speed to their hooves as the near exhausted foals rounded the barn and sped towards the farmhouse, where Granny Smith held open the trapdoor to the cellar.
"Get inside it young uns!" she yelled. "Things are about to get nastier than a hog with a bucket of hogswallop!"
"What does that even mean?" huffed Reiver.
"It means move your caboose!" gasped Apple Bloom.
As they passed a waystone by the farmhouse, a sudden gust of wind caught Reiver by surprise. The colt yelped as his hooves were literally blown out from under him, his body smacking into the rock.
Skidding to a halt, Apple Bloom turned to help the colt as he slid down the stone and onto shaky hooves.
"You alright?" she asked.
"Nope," he groaned, rubbing his head.
"There's a first aid kit in the cellar, come on!"
Grabbing his hoof, the filly led him quickly into the cellar, where Applejack and Big Macintosh were already waiting. With everypony safe, Granny climbed inside and pulled the doors shut, securing them for the storm.
Unfortunately, this meant she didn't see the waystone Reiver impacted flicker and spark, moments before it died utterly.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Princess Luna launched herself skywards, horn flaring with power as she rocketed upwards, roaring a defiant battle cry at the howling storm. The Princess of the Night spread her wings wide, her eyes glowing with pure arcane power.
"HEAR ME STORM!” boomed the Royal Canterlot voice. “I AM THE MISTRESS OF THE NIGHT, I ALONE CONTROL THE POWER OF THE MOON AND STARS! I AM LUNA EQUESTRA, AND YOU WILL NOT HAVE THIS TOWN!"
Magic erupted from her horn and pierced the oppressive cloud cover above the library, the grey sky parting above her to reveal a clear, star filled sky. As Luna's power took hold, the stars shimmered in recognition of their mistress and slowly they began to move.
The pegasai among the remaining clouds briefly paused at the display of power, even Rainbow Dash was momentarily in awe, before she snapped her pegasai into action.
“Alright ponies! You know your jobs, I’ve got faith in all of you!” she barked, pulling down her goggles. “Now fly like you mean it!”
Formations of pegasai burst from the clouds and began flying through them at breakneck speed. Much like with an Everfree storm, the aim was to break up as many as possible to stop it from creating lightning, something the magic could use to strike anything nearby.
A contrail of colour behind her, Rainbow Dash led Thunderlane and Flitter through a thick bank before swooping around to find more. The wind wasn't making things easy as it buffeted and blew the pegasus ponies like leaves. Several had collided with one another already and she saw Open Skies tumble towards the window of Sugar Cube Corner, only for it to open for him. (The confused pegasus emerged a minute later in a burst of confetti with a cupcake in his hoof).
Thankfully, she had deployed them in teams of three so they could support one another, some were already returning to the fight, but this was far from over. Steeling herself, she signalled for the next part of their plan to begin.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Ponyville General trembled as the storm raged outside, eliciting a few nervous whinnies from its remaining occupants.
Those who could, had been evacuated. Those who couldn't were now crammed into a windowless ward on the ground floor, the remaining staff doing their best to keep them calm. Beds were laid out side by side and a makeshift pharmacy occupied one corner, along with a triage centre. The doors had also been secured to prevent the wind from blowing them open, should the storm reach the hospital.
Scott watched in frustration as the lights flickered. He wasn't used to being this vulnerable, he was always the one in control, the one with people to keep in informed and the one giving orders. Instead he was lying in bed like an invalid and having to rely on some uncooperative hospital ponies. A few had tried to talk to him, but a quick scowl sent them away.
"You aren't making yourself popular around here."
He sighed in exasperation.
"What do you want?"
Nurse Redheart raised an eyebrow at the question.
"I think that's obvious, I'm checking on my patient."
"I'm fine, thanks for asking," he replied through gritted teeth.
"You are most certainly not fine," she stated, reading his chart. "While your recovery thus far has been impressive, you are far from being released."
She flipped over the paper and hummed to herself, which only increased Scott's frustration. Looking for a distraction, his eyes settled on her saddlebags.
"What's in there?" he asked, pointing at them.
"Paperwork I couldn't secure before the storm," she responded. Lifting an eye, she studied the stallion. His emaciated features made the comparison difficult, but now she knew who he was, the nurse mare could identify the similarities between his and Reivers muzzle.
She signed mentally, for now she would keep Reivers existence a secret from his father. She would have to tell him eventually, but not before the Apples had time to prepare.
"Do you feel any thirst, weakness, headaches?"
"Only the one this conversation is giving me," he huffed.
"I see,” she stated, flatly. “I'd like to keep you off painkillers until you gain more mass, but if it gets worse then say so, I'll be checking in with you later."
"Can't wait," he groaned, flopping back onto his pillow.
The nurse replaced his chart and trotted over to the next bed.
Scott grumbled as he rubbed his forehead and eyelids as best he could. Even if he had figured out hooves he still found them difficult. Reluctantly deciding his best way out of this mess was to sleep it off, Scott closed his eyes and tried to relax.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Unknown to everypony, something was stirring.
It needed magic, it could feel magic, but it couldn't get magic. The creature that held it had little magic, but the hunger that gnawed at it demanded more.
It reached out, twisting in discomfort, there was magic close by.
It slipped through gaps, shadows, the spaces between spaces until it found the magic, then it began to feed.
The power tasted glorious. Like a dying pony in a desert it gulped down the arcane energy as fast as it could, not stopping until it was all gone.
It was stated, this magic was good, but not pure, no, that magic was coming.
As the creature withdrew, one of the hospital waystones guttered and died.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
The weather team were like a well oiled machine, as soon as the Storm crossed the edge of Ponyville, Rainbow Dash signalled the squadron and they flew right into the path of the storm, against the howling winds they circled around it in a cyclone of their own, aiming to disrupt, or force the storm apart.
This wasn't without significant risk as they ducked and dodged debris whipped up through the air, tiles were pulled from homes and span towards them in a cloud, clipping wings and shattering on their bodies. Likewise thick beams and rocks were tossed towards them like playthings, forcing the formation to break up in places to avoid being hit.
Even worse was the wild magic that it unpredictably spat towards them.
Rainbow swerved to avoid a multicoloured bolt, glancing back in time to see it turn a stone wall into bubbles. Another pegasus wasn't so lucky and took a bolt to their chest, his suit diffusing most of the power but his coat still morphed through several shades of tartan. Another suddenly found his wings turned to stone and plummeted downwards, saved moments later by his wingmates.
Rainbow tried to get an eye on Princess Luna, spotting the Alicorn as her spiralled horn flared again, a beam of white energy soaring into the heavens. The Princess of the Night grit her teeth as she pulled at the stars, but something was pulling back. She fought to move them out of alignment, but it was like trying to move a mountain. They recognised her as their mistress but the magic of the storm held them in its grip.
Pegasi continued to streak around the magical storm, their own tornado taking shape. The magical vortex seemed to rage and fight back, flashed of magic and lightning striking out at the pegasai.
Suddenly there was a cry from high above. Rainbow Dash snapped her gaze up at Princess Luna, only to see her magic backfire in a blinding explosion, the force scattering the pegasi like ninepins.
Without the ponies to sustain it, their tornado broke apart, and the Storm continued onward into Ponyville proper.
All over the town, waystones flared as the magic struck them. Magical runes glowed bright as each drew the storms power away from the buildings they protected.
Then it struck the hospital, and the waystone that should have saved it did nothing.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Scott cried out as something struck him in the chest, his nerves burning as electricity raced through his system. The stallion's body convulsed and shook, limbs sticking out at odd angles as his withered muscles were forced to bend into unnatural shapes. He tried to scream, but no sound came from his throat as his mind was set aflame.
Images flashed before him, his wedding, the birth of his son, their house, his job, the divorce, hospital, morgue, funeral. They raced past like a slideshow, each one bringing his usually controlled emotions rushing upwards like a tide. A final sequence flashed before his mind's eye, his son attacking him in the car, the strike that spun them off the road, a raging rainbow of colour.
And throughout it, he felt nothing but pure, unadulterated rage.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
As the pegasi crashed to the ground, the unicorns of the Canterlot Guard responded. Working to catch the falling ponies, they plucked them out of the sky with expertly aimed spells, while the rest scrambled to find those whom their comrades missed, digging through rubble or pulling injured pegasai out of impact craters.
A group galloped as fast as they could towards Ponyville General, their horns lighting with power as they rapidly dug the staff and patients out of the rubble.
"Captain, look at that."
One of the Canterlot Guards indicated the dead waystone to his commander, whose eyes widened at the sight.
"The storm didn't do that, somepony drained its power."
"Any idea whom?"
"We worry about that later soldier, get these ponies to safety first."
Snapping a salute to his superior, the guard resumed digging, while the commander took a moment longer to study the waystone before he went back to help.
The remaining Unicorns ran to Princess Luna, who was already pulling herself out of an impressive crater.
"Are you alright Princess?" one asked, as the alicorn steadied herself.
"I am tougher than I look," she replied, spitting out a clod of earth. "This is not the first time I have 'eaten dirt' as they say."
With a shake of her head, the Luna Princess took to the skies once again.
"Assist those in need, we shall yet defeat this!"
Soaring upwards once more, the princess of the night called on the power of the stars once more, her magic pushing through the clouds and breaking them open once again to reveal a glittering night sky.
The sight of her aglow with power once more rallies the fallen pegasi. Those who can still fly regroup and once again whip up a tornado. Their combined efforts disrupted the Storm's intended path and forced it away from the Hospital.
Towards Sweet Apple Acres.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
The pain left Scott almost as suddenly as it had come, the stallion lying still and he tried to make sense of what just happened. His limbs burned and his head was pounding like a jackhammer.
In an effort to focus the stallion closed his eyes and went through each of his senses.
What could he feel? The rain and wind, the cold floor under his body. He must have been thrown from the bed. Something slick on the back of his head, he was bleeding.
What could he smell? Water from the rain, blood, other ponies, dust.
What could he taste? Copper, he must have bit his tongue or the inside of his mouth.
What could he hear? The wind, the cry of voices and barking of orders.
What could he see?
Opening his eyes, the stallion saw the ruin before him. The ward ceiling had completely collapsed and buried most of the room, the patients who had been at its edge were largely unaffected, but several beds, including his own, were overturned and their occupants sprawled on the floor. He looked quickly for the doctors but saw only a few covered in cuts and dirt, the rest were likely buried under the rubble and he could see some pony limbs sticking out through gaps, waving for rescue. Golden armoured ponies were working to dig them out of the collapse, one with a plume directing the rest to free the trapped staff and patients.
He heard someone cry out and turned towards the voice, it was the nurse. She was trapped under part of the roof, her usually pristine white coat matted with grime and blood from a cut over her eye. Her mane likewise caked in plaster as she struggled to pull herself free, her hooves gaining no grip on the tiled floor.
He attempted to stand, knees trembling as his aching bones protested. However, the stallion grit his teeth in determination and forced himself up, he had been through hell with that forest, and he was damned if he was going to die like an invalid. Taking a shaky step, he found himself gaining strength with each one, his burning lungs eased and the pain in his limbs faded, allowing him to reach Redheart quickly.
The nurse huffed and panted as her strength rapidly failed, barely noticing he was at her side until he was already trying to lift the ceiling fragment.
As soon as it shifted, she looked up. Scott had set his stance and dug in his rear hooves as best he could. His muzzle twisted into a determined snarl as his emaciated forelegs attempted to lift the fragment of ceiling.
"You can't lift this," she coughed, inhaling a lungful of dust.
"I'm not going to die like this," he spat through gritted teeth. "I will lift this bloody thing then you will keep me alive until this is over."
Scott ground his teeth together, lifting again he pushed as hard as he could, his tired muscles tensing and flexing as he shifted and heaved the ceiling fragment, until it finally moved.
Frothing at his mouth the stallion slowly but surely lifted the rubble up and off the stunned Nurse Redheart. He should not have been able to do that in his condition.
"Move!" he snapped, and Redheart scrambled forwards moments before his strength failed and the fragment crashed to the floor.
She managed to stand, her legs were sore but steady, a quick check revealed nothing was broken, a stroke of luck given the chaos raging around the collapsed building. However her saddle bags had been caught on the rubble, and with a loud rip the fabric split open spilling the patient files over the floor.
Scott, his strength spent, collapsed, vision swimming as darkness rushed to claim him. Before passing out he caught a glimpse of the files, including the image of a foal.
Was he delusional, or did it look like Reiver?
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"That one sounded close," Apple Bloom nervously muttered as the storm loudly rumbled outside.
"Don't worry we're safe down here," reassured Granny Smith. "Your great grandpa built this cellar to be sturdy. It's survived worse."
The cellar was usually used for storage, but the Apples had moved some comforts and supplies down in preparation for the storm. It was a single, large room with bare stone floors and walls, held up by wooden supports and beams. Boxes of food and bottles of water were stacked against one wall while five sleeping bags were unrolled by a lantern and camping stove.
Reiver sat quietly with Big Macintosh as the stallion bandaged an ice pack to the colt's head.
"How's that?" he asked, securing the final bandage.
Reiver grimaced as a bolt of pain shot through his skull, but the ache he had been feeling since hitting the waystone had been dulled.
"A little better," he replied, smiling weakly. "Thanks."
"Just speak up if you need anything, that was a real knock you took."
The colt tried to get to his hooves but only managed a few staggering steps before he was caught by Big Mac.
His vision blurring, he looked up at the red stallion.
"I think I have a concussion," he weakly stated.
Big Macintosh glanced up at his sister, who had been watching.
"There should be some painkillers in the kit," she stated, taking Revier from her brother. "I'll keep an eye on him."
The farm mare gently set him down on a sleeping bag as Big Macintosh began rummaging through the first aid kit.
"How's he doing?" enquired a concerned Apple Bloom.
"Not good sis," replied Applejack. "Keep an eye on him while I get some water."
Apple Bloom nodded and sat by the colts, gently taking his forehoof in hers.
"Reiver?" she tentatively spoke.
The colt stirred a little, eyelids fluttering, his hoof tightening.
"A...Apple Bloom?" he stuttered.
"I'm here," she quietly affirmed. "How's your head?"
"N...not great, it's like a...thousand tiny needles in my brain. My hearing is...I think it's broken...and there's this...pressure...at the back of my mind...i...it's getting worse."
There was another crack of thunder from outside as Applejack returned with Bic Mac and the medicine.
"Try these, it might help."
With Granny Smith supporting his head, the colt managed to swallow the tablets with some water. The Apples stayed near him, each worrying about the fate of the colt they had taken into their home.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
The pegasai had failed, Luna wasn't working fast enough and the unicorns could do nothing as the Storm hit the farm. Rumbling and roaring, its magic struck, Waystones flared, but one by the farmhouse was dead, leaving it wide open for what happened next.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Reiver had slipped into a restless slumber, tossing and turning as his fur matted from a cold sweat. The Apples' concern rose as he began muttering and flailing his hooves, like he was in the throes of a nightmare.
Then an explosion of magical power blasted open the cellar doors and threw them in all directions, each pony thudding into the walls of the cellar. Ears ringing, they struggled to rise, Apple Bloom frantically looking towards Reiver.
The colt was writhing and jerking on the ground, a bolt of multicoloured magic driven into his chest, connecting him to storm like a siphon. His eyes were wide, glowing white with ethereal energy and his mouth open in a silent scream.
She tried to get to him, managing a few steps before she fell. But the Crusader wasn't going to give up and forced herself up again, taking slow, but determined steps towards her friend.
Then there was a scream and a shadow manifested on the walls of the cellar.
It was Bedlam.
The entity was shifting and shaking, his shape changing colour, size, and even species. Limbs and eyes formed and disappeared in an instant, while his mouth shot fire, ice, anything that it could, as he cried out in agony.
"Apple Bloom!"
Her head snapped towards the shout and she was scooped onto Applejacks back as the mare galloped to where the remaining Apples had managed to regroup by the stairs, the fear in their features illuminated by the magical bolt.
"W...What's going on?" the filly stuttered in surprise.
"I don't know," replied Applejack quickly. "But we need to hightail it to Twilight or Luna or somepony with magic!"
They were up the stairs and out the cellar before the filly managed to scramble off her sister and tried to run back to the cellar, only to be stopped by Big Macintosh's leg.
"We can't leave!" she cried.
"Apple Bloom, this is beyond anypony here!" firmly stated Applejack. "I don't want to leave, but I know when we need help!"
"But we have to try!"
"I will not-"
They were interrupted as the Storm of Magic suddenly detonated, the shockwave throwing them from their hooves and scattering the pegasai. Princess Luna again fell from the skies as she was blown into Golden Oaks, crashing through windows and into a stack of book shelves.
There was silence for a moment, the wind died and the rain stopped, all was peaceful.
Then the laughing started.
It echoed from the blasted farmhouse and over the land, worming its way into the minds of every pony in Ponyville.
Apple Bloom staggered to her hooves, shaking her head and blinking away her blurred vision. The farm filly's mind snapped into gear as the laugh reverberated around her skull and she galloped back to the farmhouse as fast as she could, the building had lost a wall and the cellar was wide open, the grass around it burnt to cinders.
Her breath caught in her throat as a familiar brown hoof appeared over the lip of the entrance, followed by another and then a head as the colt pulled himself up and out of the cellar, before collapsing in a heap.
A shadow coalesced by his body, it was a formless mass at first but soon it shuddered and took Reivers shape.
"Bedlam?" she tentatively questioned.
The creature was no longer a shadow, but his body was rippling like water in rain, his coat shifting through several colours, styles and textures while his hooves changed to talons, and then paws, while his tail morphed into a snake, a lion's tail and even a curled squirrel brush.
His head snapped up and she recoiled in horror.
His mouth was split wide into a rictus grin, it was almost comically wide as the laugh echoing from his throat filled the air, but it was his eyes that frightened her the most.
They were yellow with red pupils, and they didn’t have a glimmer of sanity.
"Hi there Bloomy," cackled Bedlam. “Why so serious?”