For what could have been a mere moment or perhaps an eternity, time abandoned me. It threw me into an indescribably horrendous sea of angles that existed long before history. No, the angles existed outside of history—adjacent to it.
The things that time forgot or would not touch existed through these angles and, for I did not—could not know how long, I was just another object lost in that bizarre and mind-bending sea. The angles. They were a prison from which there could be no escape. Yes, there was no escape from the angles that existed outside of time but I did not despair. There were creatures that moved through angles, unspeakable monstrosities by conventional standards—unfathomable beasts that navigated this twisted angular realm not meant to be seen by any save for perhaps the Blind Idiot God itself.
No, I did not despair at my predicament nor did I fear those beasts which prowled this place that was not a place beyond time. Fear was beneath me, and madness was far behind me, for I saw them.
It was only for an infinitely brief moment and I was only allowed the barest of glances, but I saw them. I suffered the unbearable existential pain of living countless lives since time immemorial. I lost my sense of self so that I could find the truth, and I had! And by some cosmic miracle, I remember it all! Ubbo-Sathla, the Demiurge. Ubbo-Sathla, the Source and the End. I bore witness to the Unbegotten Source as it was when the world was yet in its infancy. Within its hideous protoplasmic bulk, it held many monumental tablets upon which was transcribed the sacred knowledge of the Elder Gods.
And I—an insignificant, infinitesimal speck of nothing in the greater expanse of the cosmos—was given the honor of casting my unworthy eyes upon those tablets. I absorbed what little eldritch knowledge I could glean, inherited it, made it my own. What those tablets contained should have been incomprehensible to a creature like me and in a sense, I suppose it was—that is until I found myself lost within the angles out of time. It was in this place—and only in this place—that a being like me could ever hope to comprehend the knowledge of an Elder God without fear of madness or cosmic retribution.
I know not how I came to be here, but what once was an existential fear unlike anything I'd ever known gradually became gratitude for the gracious opportunity I'd been given. My grasp of the unknowable had tightened considerably but remained yet incomplete. Still, it was enough to keep those beasts, those dreaded Hounds, at bay. Without the knowledge I'd obtained, I knew for certain that they would pick up my scent and come to hunt me down. As it stood, however, I'd obtained the know-how to avoid such a fate and I allowed that same understanding to guide my enlightened mind slowly but inexorably out of the inescapable prison of angles and back into the tumultuous throes of time...
It was the music that assaulted my senses first.
It was everywhere, it was everything, it wrapped around me and revitalized my body and soul. Within its unearthly melody, I felt a sense of pleasant connectedness analogous to that of a lazy afternoon spent with a treasured book. My eyes had yet to fully open, but even without sight, I knew it was up there and that it was coming closer. I knew that it was close enough now to be seen by the masses—inconsequential creatures who would soon fall to the darkness and chaos brought about by Zulchequon's awakening. Even without the use of conventional sight, I could see the Harbinger clear as day, belting its otherworldly music of the spheres across the sky.
It certainly was music fit to wake any of the Great Old Ones from their deathlike slumber, but it would not be enough, not this time. As I was now, I understood that Ghroth and his melody alone would not be enough to fully rouse the likes of the Old Night from its deep sleep beneath the earth. The Bells were needed along with someone to ring them. I was the one chosen to take up this task by the Crawling Chaos, that wily Servant which came to me and guided me in the guise of a wandering stallion calling itself Sound Mind.
The Outer Gods, the most powerful of the Eldritch Beings, called for Zulchequon's awakening and so it fell to me to carry out their will. I did not know their reasons, nor did I believe I was meant to, but I would do what I must all the same. Who was I—what was I to go against the word of such beings? I was nothing compared to their presence. But somehow I felt that the truth of that fact would soon change if I could but accomplish the one task given to me. If I could bring the Dark Silent One to open its eyes, I had faith that the final gate at the end of the path I chose to walk would open to me—a gate that, when opened, would lead me to the knowledge I failed to obtain back then.
And when I finally passed through that gate, when I finally gained the truth I so desperately desired, I believed that I would become something that could exist alongside those unfathomable beings rather than beneath them.
I would not suffer the same fate as Barzai the Wise of Ulthar. In my pursuit of the truth, I learned of a man from a distant world that lay in a dimension separate from my own. This man, in his hubris and arrogance, claimed himself to be greater than the earthbound Great Ones. Thinking himself safe from retribution, he invaded their forbidden sanctuary and proclaimed them weaker than he because of the meager knowledge he'd obtained. While it was true that he had learned enough to stand among the Great Ones, he did not know enough to stand above them.
The fool—ignorant of the Other Gods who existed above and protected the Gods of Earth—paid for his folly when those Other Gods came for him at the summit of Hatheg-Kla, but I would not make the same kind of mistakes as he did. Unlike Barzai, I knew my place in the cosmos. I knew that without earning the favor of those Other Gods, the greatness that Barzai spoke of could never be possible. I was fully aware that the knowledge I had gained was incomplete and I would work to rectify the issue.
With these thoughts and convictions in mind, I finally opened my eyes and acknowledged my surroundings. Like Chrysalis before me, I found myself imprisoned—suspended within a sort of stasis field borne of dark magic powerful enough to keep me contained even with my relatively newfound potential. While the chains that bound the Mad Queen were far more powerful, this field, imperfect as it was, was much more appropriate for holding the kind of creatures that Chrysalis and I had become. I could not move, nor could I speak through normal means. All that was left to me was my sight and awareness.
Rather than lament my current predicament, I was impressed with how thorough the caster had been in utilizing the magical tools at their disposal.
Neither Stygian nor Moon Dancer or the other hooded ponies were present from what I could see. Instead, what greeted my eyes were the grim features of none other than the Lunar Princess. Behind her, standing a slight distance away were a number of familiar faces, the remnants of a life I had abandoned what seemed like forever ago. Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Princess Celestia herself all stood alongside one another with faces twisted in sadness, fear, anger, and all manner of other unpleasant emotions.
With them stood the original Pillars of Equestria, or those that remained. Among the crowd, it was their eyes that held the most understanding of what they were dealing with, but only insofar as what Star Swirl had deigned to disclose to them. Just by looking, I could tell Luna had some idea, but her insight fell woefully short of what I now knew. The rest were laughably out of their depth, and that was true even for Celestia. What's more, I could see the radiant form of the Tree of Harmony standing tall behind them all. To me, it was like a monument to their collective ignorance regarding the true nature of 'harmony' and the world we lived in.
They had brought me to the very place I was meant to be.
They came together in an attempt to pull me away from the path I had traveled, not even realizing that I was already at the gates at the end of that path. Still, I could certainly understand their sentiments even if I could not and would not accept them. They watched me with eyes clouded by ingrained preconceptions and earthly attachments. Those with weaker constitutions shied away from my monstrous appearance in abject horror, but none ran from what they thought was their duty as Guardians of Equestria.
The Pillars had even gone so far as to collect the same relics and artifacts that were once used to seal Stygian away. I was certain they would attempt to bring me back to my senses—to redeem me as it were. There was no chance that the other Elements would accept anything less as long as they were convinced I could be 'saved' so there was no doubt that the artifacts were meant as a precaution should the worst come to pass. I once stood among them, so I could understand their desire to return me to who I was before the incident within that very cavern.
Princess Luna and the Pillars were of a different mindset than Celestia and the ones who still called me a friend. I could see in their eyes that I was a lost cause—a monster who had fallen too far to be saved, and they were right in a sense. I surmised that were it not for the intervention of the others, there would be no negotiation. They would seal me away in 'Limbo' without hesitation or regret. All I could really feel at the notion was a deeper sense of pity.
Limbo would not hold me, nor would it do anything to stop the coming of the Harbinger or the machinations of the Servant. Even if I somehow failed in my task, I was sure Sound Mind would find another to take my place. I may have been chosen to bear this burden, but even at this stage, I was still expendable in 'his' eyes. That was the truth of the matter, but not one of the creatures standing before me was willing to accept it.
Once upon a time their courage and dedication would have moved me—it would have moved mountains. Unfortunately, I knew better and had realized that they were simply misguided, as was I. And so it was with eyes full of detached pity that I returned their emotional gazes. I briefly entertained the idea of educating them all in what I had learned, but ultimately chose instead to sate my idle curiosity with a question.
What have you done with Stygian and the others?
The barrier in which I was trapped had prevented me from speaking aloud and so I was forced to take an alternative and will my words directly into their minds—an unexpected feat that caused every creature present to flinch in shock and horror. Their eyes widened and their faces paled and this too was a reaction that I could wholeheartedly understand. It was nothing more than simple telekinesis, a skill that any unicorn could master with enough training.
The skill in and of itself was nothing impressive, but as I had come to expect, even my inner voice—like the rest of me—was far removed from what it once was. I imagined it was this fact that caused such a stir among my captors. I took no delight in frightening them and found their reactions rather tiresome, so—wanting my answer—I asked again. The initial shock had worn off, but the silence was still my only response. I looked to each one of them and saw that the majority would not look me in the eye at my question. Grief was prevalent among Celestia and the Elements, but interestingly enough, I could see more than one hostile glare pointed in Luna's direction.
Luna, perhaps sensing their gaze, stepped forward. If she was bothered by the stares, she did not let it show. Instead, her eyes remained locked on mine and her expression grew hard as steel—a look that was reflected on a few of the Pillars as well. When the Lunar Princess spoke, it was with a voice laden with ice and full of conviction.
"Those that had allied themselves with Stygian are currently being held within Canterlot Castle's most secure dungeon until further notice. as for Stygian himself... We attempted to reason with the stallion, but he did not give us the chance to bring him back with us and so we were... I was left with no choice... I did what I had to do."
And so Stygian's life had come to an end by Luna's hoof.
All that meant to me was that the stallion had fulfilled his role, and I was sure that had he been present, he would have agreed. With his task complete, he likely felt no need to resist the call of death, and in death, he was likely granted a new existence. Death, after all, is a concept that can be easily overcome if you've made the proper sacrifices. I mused on the matter for another moment or two before Luna continued.
"And now that I've answered your question, I have a question of my own. Where is Star Swirl? What have you done with him?"
It was a question I should have expected, but in all honesty, I had forgotten about the old stallion. Now that I remembered, I couldn't help but mentally chuckle as I recalled his features just before he was taken from this realm into horrors unknown. In my stasis, I managed a smile that must have been the stuff of nightmares to those that saw it and gave my reply in the form of my own question.
Are you sure you want to know? I can tell you the answer, but you, Luna, and the rest of the Pillars—you know that once I reveal the truth to the others, there will be no turning back. Are you willing to let your sister and the rest of the Elements shoulder that burden, Luna?
I could tell them what I knew and the majority of them would be horrified yes, but the knowledge could be just as tempting as it was horrifying. There was always the chance that one of them would find the same path I did and it would be so easy to follow it. Once you began walking it was easy to keep going. Would Luna be willing to allow such dangerous knowledge to be heard? Had she already told them?
No.
Their stricken faces and horrified silence said all I needed to know about the answer. If she had told them anything, it was not nearly enough for them to fully comprehend what they were getting themselves into. It was also clear to me that not a single pony desired to know the truth of what I had done to Star Swirl, not even Luna. I watched her struggle, waiting to see what would come to pass in the battle between her desire to know what happened to her old mentor and her desire to keep what she knew of the truth hidden.
In the intermittent silence, I looked to the Pillars and saw them in very much the same predicament. The Elements were just as conflicted, if not more so, though with their uncertainty came more than a little confusion. Celestia, who had apparently decided that she had stayed quiet long enough, turned to speak to her sister—no doubt to inquire as to what it all meant—but before she could, another, smaller creature suddenly made itself known. Pushing his way past those that towered over him was Spike, the assistant I had once relied on more than any other creature.
I had wanted to leave the drakeling to his own devices, to let him decide for himself what he wanted to do but yet there he was. He raced past the surprised Lunar Princess and towards me as fast as his little feet would carry him. He stopped right at the edge of the barrier before looking up at my suspended form with eyes wide and desperate for an answer. I expected him to berate for my actions, to plead with me to return to the way I was, but the drakeling surprised me with his words.
"Why? Why didn't you let me help you, Twilight? What was so horrible that you couldn't even tell your number one assistant?"
With tears spilling down his scaly face he begged me for an answer. He begged me for the truth. It was he and he alone who wished for the knowledge that I had to offer. As he stared unreservedly into my monstrous eyes he did not see a monster. No, what he saw was a mother who had abandoned him, and what I saw at that moment was a child who did not want to be left behind. He wanted to be by my side so badly that he was willing to risk his very sanity to help me. It was then that I realized that I might have been too quick to write him off when we last met. It made me wonder what could have been if I had taken him with me.
Would he have followed after me on this dark and twisted path if I had revealed my true form back then and told him to join me?
Seeing him now, I was less sure than I had been when I last returned to my home. I was now, in fact, almost certain that he would have at least considered it. As I pondered on what to make of the situation and what my response was to be, the other Elements and Celestia finally took the opportunity to speak their own minds. Suddenly it was as if Spike's earnest plea for answers had opened the floodgates. I was assaulted with a veritable torrent of questions and criticisms and entreaties and support, but none of that mattered to me.
At that moment, I only had eyes for the baby dragon standing before me. The rest was only so much white noise. I ignored it entirely in favor of my renewed interest in Spike and to the drakeling alone I asked questions that I found myself eager to hear the answers to.
Asking me to mend my ways and return to who I once was is an exercise in futility. I cannot and will not stray from the path I have chosen. Knowing this, would you still assist me, Spike? Would you hear all of what I had to tell even if it means you may end up as I have? Would you join me in my endeavors and stand by my side as I undergo my Second Ascension?
Would you throw away everything you have ever known as I did and abet me, my number one assistant?
If he still chose to reject what I had become and what I had to do, then he would fall to the ensuing chaos and madness like the rest, but I made no mention of that. With my eldritch capabilities, I could have compelled him to follow me without question, but I made no move to do so. I wanted him to decide whether or not to join me of his own volition. For the briefest of moments he hesitated. Surprise gave way to doubt and indecision as he turned from me to look at the others.
Luna, who had been quietly observing our outwardly silent exchange, must have noticed something was wrong. As her eyes met Spike's, her face grew pale and when she looked from Spike to me, her wary expression turned to one of terrifying realization. She cried out to Spike, begging him not to do anything rash or foolish, but by then it was too late. Spike had returned his gaze to me, his features brimming with a newfound sense of both trepidation and determination. He nodded without another word and with the unexpected but not unwelcome aid of my assistant, I had almost no reason to be here.
Despite the Mad Queen's claims, there was nothing more to be gleaned from the Tree of Harmony—nothing that I had not already learned from both Star Swirl and the distant past. The Tree itself was simply another of Ubbo-Sathla's 'children'. Harmony in and of itself was exactly as Star Swirl described it but in planting the seed he obtained from Ubbo-Sathla, he eventually and unwittingly gave rise to an eldritch creature with a will of its own. Rather than the mindless catalyst that he intended, that seed instead grew into a being that could bend and twist 'harmony' to fit its own wants and needs.
I could only make my own assumptions about why the Tree had blessed me with the vision of Zulchequon's awakening that night, but whatever its reasons, it didn't matter now. What mattered now was that I collect the last piece I needed to finally finish this puzzle. Singling out the one who imprisoned me, I channeled one of the dark rites I had learned and spoke the words never to be spoken by mortal creatures.
Na'ah'ehye ya!
Luna stiffened at the unearthly command, her eyes glazing over and her face growing expressionless. In a show of absolute obedience, the Princess of the Night brought her magic to bear and undid the barrier she had cast upon me. There was a brief moment of stunned silence as I gently alighted upon the ground. As I touched down and refocused my attention on the enthrall mare, the rest of the group finally came to their sense as they realized their plight. Pandemonium ensued as the Pillars struggled to act before I could make another move.
They raised their artifacts in preparation to seal me away and bid Celestia do the same. In Star Swirl's absence, his role in the ritual had evidently been thrust upon the Solar Princess. A glance in her direction showed that she indeed held his journal. Unfortunately, like the Elements, she found herself caught in a situation she had no way of understanding. Not only that, but my words and her sister's strange behavior had thrown her and the other Elements off. It was too late to act now.
Ah mgephai!
The second of my commands put a stop to their panicked actions. The tables had turned, and now they were the ones standing immobile and unable to speak—all of them save for the Lunar Princess, who remained motionless and ready to obey my every whim. I cast a glance in Spike's direction and although he wore the same uncertain look from earlier, he made no move to stop me or make any protests. Satisfied, I made my way over to Luna and spoke my last command in that otherworldly tongue—the last words I would ever say to any of them.
Goka ya hnahr'luhnah.
I knew it either had to have been Luna or Stygian who took the amulet I needed from Star Swirl's vault. If it hadn't been Stygian, then that left the Princess of the Night to steal away the one thing I needed to pull the Bells from beneath that desert temple. I was proven correct in my assumptions when the amulet appeared between Luna and me in a flash of azure light. At my command, she had retrieved it from wherever she had stowed it away, and with it in hoof, I no longer had any reason to stay in that cave.
I wasted no time in invoking the same rite I had used to traverse the distance between Equestria and Zebrica. I had no more words to spare for the others and had no desire to hear what they had to say so I left them as they were when I first saw them—their faces all frozen in fear, despair, anger, all manner of other unpleasant emotions. Without any fanfare or even so much as a farewell, I vanished from the Cave of Harmony, taking Spike and the amulet with me to where I knew the Mad Queen would be waiting.
All the while, the Harbinger high above continued to emit its siren's song.