The ship pitched into a hard turn over a clearing in the trees. Several of the crew, unprepared for the motion, slid a little across the deck. Bernie looked over the side and whistled.
“That's some crater,” she said, shading her eyes with a hoof.
I couldn’t disagree. I was familiar with the cave the Tree of Harmony was housed in and could see its approximate location. Surrounding it was a large series of cracks, ravines, and sinkholes. Several ponies in the colors of the Queen’s Guard milled about the entrance to the caverns.
“Can we put down here?” Twilight called up to the bridge.
“I don’t have the clearance,” Tempest replied. “If I get too low, we could get snared in the canopy. We can send out a lifeboat, though.”
“Better than hopping out from here,” I said, my gut feeling tight looking at the destruction that lay before us. “If ever I missed my wings…”
The lifeboat was eased over the side, several soldiers joining Twilight, Bernie, and myself. As soon as it had reached the limits of its line, I hopped out. The fall jarred me a little but didn’t stop me from dashing to the opening of the cavern, finding Gleaming Shield there directing soldiers.
“What’s going on?” Twilight asked as she came up behind me.
“Cave-in,” Gleaming said. “Something caused the roof to come down between us and the vanguard. We’re trying to dig it out, but there’s a lot of rubble.”
I saw a Unicorn come out, horn glowing and face strained. He tossed his head and his horn went out before he returned to the cavern.
“Uh,” I began, pointing as another Unicorn staggered out with the same routine. “What are they doing?”
Gleaming glanced over and frowned. “Bringing rubble out from the collapse. What does it look like?”
“She’s right,” Bernie said. “They’re just coming out empty-hooved. Are they just starting with the dust before moving the stones?”
“There is a bloody great pile of rocks right over there,” Gleaming exclaimed, pointing to an empty spot on the floor of the cavern. “And I don’t appreciate your smart-mouthed comments.”
Twilight frowned, looking back and forth before her horn blazed, raspberry light coating all the soldiers milling about. They all looked around, confused, but none more so than Gleaming Shield.
“What in…”
Twilight stepped up. “Someone put a geas on you to make you think you were clearing the tunnels. And if there isn’t actually a collapse, then that means they didn’t want to be bothered with an increased contingent of guards.”
“Where’s Luna?” I asked as I caught up to Twilight’s train of thought.
“She led the vanguard in herself,” Gleaming replied, still blinking as she stared at what had been - to her - a large pile of rubble. “Maybe two hours ago?”
“We’re going in,” I said. “There are Umbrum involved.”
Gleaming Shield muttered a curse and slammed her hoof onto the stone floor. “Form ranks!” she bellowed.
I took a glance at the tree and it’s battered remains before dashing forwards, followed by my friends.
We didn’t have time to wait for the guard to form up.
Luna felt the lunge more than anything. She kicked back, colliding with the body of a Pegasus with a wicked knife in its hooves. The force of the Alicorn’s attack flung him back into the wall of the tunnel, knife clattering off into the shadows.
“How dare you?” she snarled, wings spreading.
The Pegasus chuckled throatily, clambering back to his hooves.
“Now, now,” he taunted. “Temper, temper. Isn’t that how your sister got to where she is now?”
A blast from Luna’s horn sheared off a section of rock right next to the Pegasus’ head.
“You will not speak of my sister in that way,” she said, voice lowered to a dangerous growl. “Who are you, and who are your masters?”
The violet glow around the Pegasus’ eyes flared into being, along with a slightly fanged grin.
“I think you know us quite well, Moonsister. We are the wronged tribe of the air. The tribe that you warped to make your Thestrals.” He spread his wings, shadow forming multiple heads and leering eyes. “We are the Umbrum.”
Luna took an involuntary step backward and turned to call for a guard, but they were all milling about at the collapse, trying to dig their way out.
“They won’t hear you, Your Majesty,” the Pegasus continued. “They’re under a handy little spell that will make sure you and I have time for our chat.”
“I have nothing to say to you,” Luna spat.
“Oh?” The possessed pony folded his wings again, but the creeping shadows remained. “Not even if it’s about the missing Elements?”
Luna spun, staring.
“You should learn to conceal your reactions, Your Majesty. You give away far too much.”
“Tell me where they are and I won’t order your execution.”
The Pegasus laughed. “Order it anyway,” he drawled. “It won’t do anything to me. But you will kill this poor little corporal that I’m borrowing. However, if that doesn’t bother you…”
Luna gnashed her teeth. Spirits ahead, bewitched guards behind, and no way to incapacitate this treacherous little monster without harming one of her own citizens.
“I can see the doubt in your eyes, you know,” the Pegasus continued, stalking around. “How do you deal with me and the spectres without getting anypony hurt? Maybe it is as simple as ordering a few of those brave ponies to die.”
“I will not waste lives in a frivolous manner!” she shouted. “Not if I can find a better solution. When the Archmage arrives -“
“The Archmage is a little indisposed at the moment. One of my compatriots introduced a little flaw to her divination ritual.” He chuckled. “I hear it was quite the explosion.”
He was still laughing when a bolt of crimson fire roared down the tunnel and flung him up against the wall.
“Shut up,” Sunset said as she stepped seemingly through the mountain of debris, shocking several soldiers. “Everything you say is a lie.”
“What is this?” Luna asked.
“A minor geas was placed on you and your soldiers, Your Majesty,” Twilight said as she stepped forward, magic already clearing away the illusions. “It also caused the delay of reinforcements. They should be coming up behind us shortly.”
“How do I know this isn’t another trick?” Luna asked, narrowing her eyes carefully.
“When we appeared before your court, Gleaming Shield mistook my Twilight here for her sister.” Sunset looked at the Queen. “You knew that she wasn’t and called for the Archmage to confirm.”
“How is she?”
“She’s fine,” Twilight said. “She’s just in a mantically induced state of shock. We have a friend back in the Empire keeping an eye on her.”
“Very well.” She looked at the Pegasus. “Is there any way to bind him so that the being inside can’t escape?”
Sunset looked at the prone pony with a hard look.
“It may hurt a little,” she said.
The forest was so unnatural. It wasn’t anything like the lush jungle in the Peaks of Peril. But something was drawing the Kirin forward, something that she couldn’t understand. And not in that ‘can’t put my hoof on it’ way, but more in the ‘whooo-ooo!’ way.
As she trotted along, she saw a pony up ahead, her green mane rather mussed.
“Hello!” she called out as she approached. “I wonder if you could tell me about where I am? I’ve never traveled this much before. Well, I have, but it was mostly both ways and back in my home.”
The pony looked at her, smiling shyly. “Hi,” she said. “Ah… we’re about a day or two from the Castle, near the middle of Equestria.”
“Wow!” the happy-go-lucky creature cooed. “I’ve never seen a castle before! Tell me, is it really big and spooky?”
“Um, not really?” the pony said. “It’s not spooky, I think.”
The Kirin bopped herself on the forehead just below her horn. “Where are my manners?” she exclaimed before sticking out a hoof. “I’m Autumn Blaze, nice ta meetcha!”
“Wallflower Blush.” the pony shook the proffered limb.
“So, what are you doing out here?” Autumn asked.
“Looking for somepony,” she replied. “I have a feeling that they're this way for some reason.”
“Well, you mind some company on the way? I’m tired of only having myself to talk to. I almost named my shadow!”
Wallflower smiled meekly . “Sure.”
“Enjoy your vacation, Junie,” Applejack said as Juniper climbed onto the train. “You earned it.”
“‘I’ll try my best, boss,” Juniper Montage said as she waved her off. “Don’t forget you have that appointment tomorrow with the Minister of the Interior.”
“How can Ah forget? Blueblood keeps trying to get me to have dinner before and after our meetings.”
“He’s a little obnoxious,” Juniper agreed. “Try not to break anything this time.”
“No promises.”
The whistle blew and the conductor called for all aboard, and Juniper went forward to take a seat. She wasn’t sure why she had decided on Ponyville of all places to go for her week’s vacation, but it had seemed nice and pastoral and perfect for a couple days of relaxation.
A small pony with a pale coat climbed up into the seat beside her, adjusting her ascot delicately as she got settled.
“Going to Ponyville?”Juniper asked.
“Yeah,” the pony replied. “I’m going to be entering a seminar with one of the most wonderful designers in all of Equestria. I’m Coco Pommel, by the way.”
“Juniper Montage.”
As the train pulled out of the station, Juniper sighed and leaned back. “So, are you going to make it in time for your seminar? The trip from here to Ponyville is a little over a day.”
“Oh, it’s not for another few weeks. I just felt like heading that way for some reason.”
“Weird. I was just feeling an urge to head to Ponyville on vacation myself.”
Coco giggled. “Maybe there is some force drawing us both. Wouldn’t that be exciting?”
Juniper laughed. “It would certainly be better than the desk job I have right now.”
“You asked to see me, Headmistress?”
Starlight Glimmer looked up. “Ah, yes.” She stood and went over to a small scrying mirror. “There is some sort of magical buildup near the Castle. I need you to go down and offer the Queen and Archmage assistance in solving it.”
The blue Unicorn studied the map on the scrying mirror for a moment. “That looks like something major. Are you sure I would be of any help?”
Starlight put a hoof on the Unicorn’s shoulder.
“If anypony could help, I’m sure you’d do fine, Trixie.”