After all the introductions were complete, and everypony had settled in with a drink of their choice (coffee for all of them, given that they would need to be able to focus), Starswirl began his explanation.
"The Pillars," he said, "were the greatest beings of their age. Each of them was a legendary hero in their own right, and they all brought power that together made them an unstoppable force for good. But then, they vanished into nothingness from Equestria, disappearing as if they had never existed at all. And yet, it would seem as though they live on here, for their artefacts have somehow ended up in our world. As the notes contained in this journal put it, 'At the Temple of Ponhenge, we kept going towards the base of Foal Mountain, where we will make our final Stand. However, there is every possibility that we may not make it back, and others will need to continue the struggle against the Evil One when we are expired from this Earth. To this end, these artefacts will carry a fragment of our power, for that will allow others to stand against the Darkness.' This would suggest that the objects and artefacts that belonged to them, when encountered by a human, would change them into that being and grant them their powers and memories- myself being one such example."
"That raises more questions than it answers," Starlight pointed out. "Firstly, how did the artefacts end up here, and how did the Pillars vanish?"
"Although the amount of knowledge contained here is staggering, I am but one stallion," Starswirl replied. "To this end, I am asking you for help to research this situation."
"Imagine it!" Sunburst said, a look of excitement on his face. "The research! The referencing! The note taking! The reading! The re- reading! The re- re- reading! The re- re re- re re- re re- re re- re- reading!"
"Somepony's excited," Starlight said, glancing to Starswirl. "Sorry, he gets excited whenever there's research and reading to be done, or anything scholarly for that matter."
"Enthusiasm!" Starswirl said. "I always approve of enthusiasm, especially in the academic arts. Well, what are we waiting for? Let's get to researching!"
Over the next few hours, texts were pulled apart, passages were analysed over and over again, ancient spells were checked and memorised, and even film footage and other data logs were checked. After resting for the night and waking up the next day to look at their evidence afresh, Sunburst brought up something interesting.
"The military sure has plenty to say on these circumstances," he said, pointing to something he had found. "Following what is dubbed 'Operation Sphynx', where a US Army tank column took out a giant purple cat creature with the help of a pink pegasus, the military formed a dedicated program to study this phenomena called Project 722, headed by a Colonel Peterson, previously attached to NORAD."
"Any other information on them?" asked Starswirl.
"They have several facilities across the United States, but the names and locations are all redacted out, so that's a non starter. However, there is this audio data that was sent to them after the National Transportation Safety Board recovered an iPad and this audio."
"Play it," Starswirl replied.
"This way, Jimmy! I'm over here!"
Starswirl jumped. "Meadowbrook?" he asked, confused. "What's she doing here?"
"And who's Jimmy?" asked Sunburst.
"Is he a Hook?" Starlight added. They looked at her confused.
The audio then continued, with the crackling of leaves and squelching boots, before a loud bang could be heard on the recording.
"Argh! What the hell?"
Starswirl listened intently. "Back the recording up," he said.
Sunburst rewound the recording and started from the bang.
"That was the bracelet," Starswirl said. "That was the artefact that Meadowbrook left behind. Three of the Pillars have returned to the world!"
"OW! MAKE IT STOP! PLEASE!!!"
A few minutes passed on the recording, with groans and cries of pain, all the while the voice rose in pitch as their accent changed.
"Well, Ah'll be! Ah can't go anywhere like this, can Ah?"
There was another pause, before the voice, a Cajun voice, spoke again.
"Well, this is better! Well, Ah'll suppose Ah'll head there!"
"That confirms it. Mage Meadowbrook is here somewhere in the world," Starswirl concluded. "Which leaves us to figure out where Mistmane, Flash Magnus, and Rockhoof are. And what caused them to be here in the first place."
"This passage ought to help," Starlight said, floating a book over to Starswirl. It was another part of his journal.
Starswirl began to read aloud. "The best elements within us can spread light and virtue, and I know ponies who represent them all– strength, bravery, healing, beauty, hope, and sorcery. Myself and these Pillars of Equestria were gathered together by another to maintain and share the light of these powerful ideals. But it wasn't long before another grew envious of our powers, and sought to rob the world of light and hope. This being, the Evil One, was vanquished to the world beyond dark space, but returned for revenge– to extinguish the Pillars' light and rob the world of hope. To stop him, the Pillars and I must make a grave sacrifice. But we shall leave behind a seed in hopes that one day it will grow into a force to stand against the darkness for all time. We must now face the fiend with the only plan we have..."
"Well, what do you make of that?" Sunburst asked.
"The world beyond dark space," Starswirl mused. "The Pillars intended to trap the Evil One between dimensions, which is the world beyond dark space. However, something went wrong and they were instead teleported to our world along with the artefacts. This would explain why the body found next to the flower was a unicorn and not a human! The Pillars lived out the rest of their lives on Earth and then died here, leaving the artefacts behind so others could finish what they started!"