//------------------------------// // Twilight Sparkle 2 // Story: Stories of the Changeling War // by SparrowFae //------------------------------// "No. . .No. . .No," The pile of books surrounding Twilight was rapidly growing as she randomly pulled books from the shelves. If only Spike were here. He would have been able to find the book in a heartbeat. But, this late at night, he would probably be fast asleep at Pinkie's apartment. Besides, he had made it clear that his place was with Pumpkin and Pound Cake. He wasn't a Librarian's assistant anymore. "Uh, Twi? Any chance I could lend a hoof?" Twilight felt a moment of chagrin. She had completely forgotten that Applejack had followed her down to the library. "Oh, of course. I'm looking for a book called Unicorn Culture in the Pre-Classical Era. "Ain't that a history book?" Applejack asked. "Why yes, how did you know?" "Er . . . Spike might have mentioned something about it once." "Oh yeah. I gave him a copy for his birthday one year. But I thought he'd never read it." "Well he didn't. Mostly he was just sayin' how history . . . ain't exactly to his likin'. But anywho, how's a history book gonna tell us what kind of magic the changeling's are using?" "It's a fascinating story, actually," Twilight began, settling into her best lecturing voice, "Before the founding of Equestria, unicorns were separated into several houses of nobles, all vying for control over the others. Eventually, there was a duke who managed to unite the houses and declared himself king. If I remember correctly, he rose to power by creating some sort of artifact that converted his subjects' fear and suffering into raw energy. If the changelings somehow found that artifact, it could explain everything." "Is this the book you seek?" Twilight jumped as Luna spoke up directly behind her. "My apologies. I appear to have a habit of sneaking up on you." "It's okay," Twilight said, taking the book from the Princess's telekinetic grasp. "Yes, this is exactly what I was looking for." After flipping through a few chapters of the sizable tome, the scholarly pony exclaimed, "Aha! 'In the year 176 pre-Discord, the unicorn factions were briefly united by one Duke Ravenmane, patriarch of the Frostmoor clan. Although the Frostmoors lacked bloodlines strong in magic, Ravenmane seemed to develop a talent for enchanting. Several of his enchanted devices were used to achieve renown for the Frostmoors, but the clan could not assume full control. To that end, Ravenmane crafted the Stone of Anguish, a sinister artifact which fed off of pain and despair. The exact function of the Stone remains unknown, but Ravenmane was apparently able to absorb energy directly from it, increasing his magical ability well beyond that of any contemporary unicorns. What followed was an exceptionally brutal reign, during which the depraved monarch used the suffering of his own subjects to increase his power.'" Twilight looked up from the book with a wolfish grin. "This is it. The changelings must have found the Stone of Anguish." "But how will you find it?" Luna asked. "Um, it says in the book that Ravenmane was overthrown by Starswirl Featherhat. That's Starswirl the Bearded before . . . well, the beard. It must have been an incredible battle. It says here--" The Princess gave the unicorn an impatient glare, "Well, it says that Ravenmane fled into the Frozen North with the Stone." "Yes, that makes sense." Luna said with a pensive expression, "Every time a new swarm appears, it is in the northern region of the country. Chrysalis must have a spawning ground near the artifact." "Um, pardon the interruption, Princess," Applejack chimed in, "But the Frozen North ain't exactly a small area. There's about a million square miles o' nothin' up there, and the Stone could be anywhere." "A valid point. Twilight Sparkle?" Luna turned her gaze to the unicorn. Twilight thought for a moment. "Hmm. Well, such a powerful artifact would give off a lot of residual magic. In a place as barren as the Frozen North, it would be a beacon to anyone with magical talent." "And when you find it, are you confident that it can be destroyed?" "In theory, any unicorn could disassemble the enchantment given enough time. Or, with powerful enough magic they could just blast the enchantment apart." "Excellent work Twilight Sparkle. I will make the necessary preparations for your departure." "My what?" Twilight sputtered. Luna looked slightly taken aback. "You are the only available unicorn skilled enough for this undertaking. I would like you to see it through." Twilight fought back a string of excuses and forced herself to say, "Of course." "Good. The Flagship Sun Fire is in port. I will reassign them to this mission. Be ready to leave by noon tomorrow," Luna concluded, departing without another word. Applejack looked uncertainly at her friend. "Twi? You alright sugarcube?" "Yeah. That was just a little . . . sudden." "This'll be your first mission outside the palace huh?" Twilight nodded, her heart twisting at the pity in her friend's voice. "It won't be so bad once you get started. And there's nopony better for a job like this, ya hear?" "Thanks. I just . . . I just need some time to get used to it. Can we talk about something else? Let's go back to my room. I could really use some more tea." "O' course," Applejack said, and together they made their way back to Twilight's room. The sun had fallen behind the horizon by the time they arrived. Twilight lit a few candles to illuminate the rapidly dimming room. Then she went to heat more water, but Applejack stopped her, saying, "I got something that might work a little better." The blonde mare trotted over to her saddle bag, digging out a small, metal flask. She tossed it to Twilight. "What is it?" the unicorn asked, raising an eyebrow at her friend. "Just somethin' I picked up from Granny Smith." Twilight unscrewed the cap and took a cautious sip. The aroma was reminiscent of apple cider and there was certainly a distinct, apple flavor, but the bite that accompanied it was somewhat shocking. It burned a bit going down, but settled as a pleasant warmth in Twilight's belly. "I didn't know you made apple brandy," she said, taking another sip before passing the flask back. Applejack smiled. "Granny's the one who makes it. She keeps most of it for special occasions, but Filthy Rich used to buy a few for his fancy dinner parties sometimes. This is from the only bottle we managed to save." "Oh, you shouldn't go wasting it on me then," Twilight said. "Don'chu worry 'bout it. Y'all need it more than I do, 'asides, it's best to enjoy these things with friends when ya get the chance." Applejack took a generous swig of the liqueur and trotted over to her cushion. Twilight pulled her own cushion over so she could sit within reach of the apple brandy. "Now there's a letter for the princess," she said with a wry grin. "I just wish i'd learned that while everyone was still around." Applejack grunted in agreement, proffering the flask once more. For a while, the two ponies sat in silence, gradually depleting the alcohol. At length Applejack spoke. "I don't suppose there's been any word on Fluttershy?" Twilight shook her head. "Nothing. It's possible she's still alive, but it's been so long . . ." She trailed off, not wanting to say the words. "Her cottage was right on the edge o' town. I always thought she could o' made it into the forest with all her little animal friends." "Yeah," Twilight smiled and decided not to point out the fact that they should have heard something from their timid friend by now if she had escaped Ponyville. "Does it ever seem like there are too many ponies just disappearin'?" Applejack continued. There was a discernible slur to her voice now. "Applebloom told me one o' her friends never showed up after Ponyville either. Scootaloo." "It's bound to happen I guess," Twilight replied flatly, shaking the flask to see how much brandy was left. There was enough to make her think she might regret finishing it, but the apple aroma was too tempting. The fact that her inhibitions were long since deadened by the alcohol may have also been a factor. She took another sip and handed to her friend . "It just don't seem right, ya know?" The farm pony's slurred southern accent would have been humorous if not for her tone. "Ah mean, how can a pony just disappear like they never existed, an' their family just never know what happened to 'em?" Applejack gestured wildly as she spoke, sloshing some of the sweet liqueur down her neck and chest. "Pony feathers," she muttered, mopping at the stain in her coat. She gave up after managing to spread the spilled liquid over her foreleg as well. "Here, I've got a spell for that," Twilight said, wobbling a little as she stood up. "Hold still." She closed her eyes, gathering power for the simple cleansing spell. It took only a few seconds to shape the energy and release it, sending it out to vaporize the sticky splotch on Applejack's coat. Applejack chuckled. “Ah’d forgotten just how slick you are with magic. It’s no wonder the Princess wants ya out in the field.” Despite her best efforts, Twilight’s expression must have shown her anxiety. “Ah’m sorry,” Applejack added hastily, “Ah’ve spent so much time fightin’ that I forget there’re some ponies who ain’t used to it.” “It’s okay,” Twilight said, unable to meet her friend’s eyes. “I should have been in the fight a long time ago. I owe it to everypony.” Alcohol was apparently a very bad cure for harsh emotions. If anything, it blunted her ability to bury her fear. And, as always, with the fear came guilt. “Whadda ya mean?” Applejack said, genuinely confused. “I failed at Ponyville,” Twilight said. Her voice wavered on the words and she suddenly felt the sting of tears in her eyes. The brandy’s effects seemed to be more pronounced than Twilight had anticipated. She found herself putting into words all that she’d felt since the war began. “Everypony lost their homes because I wasn’t strong enough. And what have I done to make up for it? Nothing! I’ve spent the entire war safe in the palace while the ponies I should have protected are dying. I feel like a coward, but I just couldn’t . . . I couldn’t--" “Twi,” Applejack said, gently placing a hoof on the unicorn’s shoulder, “Now ya know that ain’t true.” “Yes it is. I wouldn’t even be going to find the Stone of Anguish if anypony else was able to. I should have protected Ponyville but I couldn’t! I should be out stopping the changelings from burning other towns, but I’m not! I should have been there for you, but now--” Twilight glanced at Applejack's prosthetic leg and a choking sob cut off the end of her sentence. “Woah there, take a breath sugar cube.” Twilight leaned her head on her friend’s orange coat, clenching her eyes shut against the emotional pain that was threatening to overwhelm her. It took a few minutes, but she finally got her breathing back under control. “I used to think I was a leader. But the truth is I’m just a coward.” “Listen Twi,” Applejack said, “You ain’t no coward. Ah don’t think anypony was really thinkin’ about what they were gettin’ into when they signed up. Ah know I wasn’t. Hay, if Ah’d stopped to consider it, Ah prob’ly wouldn’t o’ joined up either." With a sniff, Twilight lifted her head. For some reason she smiled. Applejack's statement was so unbelievably absurd that it was funny. It was completely illogical, but her heart seemed to be determined to ignore any advice her brain had to offer. "There now, ain't as bad as ya thought, is it?" the orange mare said, apparently thinking she had re-instilled Twilight's self worth. The guilt was still there, but the lavender unicorn had to admit that she was feeling a bit better. Or maybe it was just that she was so tired that she was beginning to ignore the pain. After a few seconds of further consideration, Twilight decided that the only thing she knew for sure was that she was too tired to keep thinking about it. So she rested her head on her forelegs and closed her eyes. "Thanks," she said quietly, snuggling up next to her friend. Twilight wasn't entirely sure what she was thanking her for, but, again, she was too weary to give it any thought. The unicorn was asleep before she even heard Applejack say, "Anytime, sugar cube." * * * Twilight slowly awoke as bright, mid-morning light crept across her face. She opened her eyes to a tangle of flaxen hair. Waking up alone had become the norm for her since moving back to Canterlot, and the presence of her sleeping companion was a pleasant novelty. She rolled over with a yawn, intending to fall back asleep, but a sudden knock at her chamber door startled her back to full consciousness. Beside her, Applejack inhaled a sharp breath as she jolted awake. "Just the door," Twilight said. "Right," Applejack exhaled, pushing herself up and shaking out her mechanical leg. Twilight also rose and hastily levitated the empty brandy flask back into Applejack's saddlebag before answering the door. An impatient Marigold stood outside the chamber. From her teeth hung a sizeable package, which she placed at Twilight’s feet. “For you. From the Princess.” “What is it?” “She also requests that you meet her in the courtyard at your earliest convenience,” the warrior pony said, ignoring Twilight’s question. Then she turned and trotted away without a backward glance. Mildly annoyed, the unicorn looked down at the package. It was a simple, black box tied shut with twine. “What’s that?” Applejack asked. In answer, Twilight levitated the box into the room and opened it with a quick severing charm. At first she wasn’t sure what she was looking at, but when she lifted the contents of the package out, they unfolded, revealing a set of jet black plates bound to a black jacket and cape. Left in the box was a black jumpsuit. “That’s some fancy armor. Ya’ll gonna try it on?” “Not right now, I think,” Twilight said, folding the plates back into the box. Her friend raised an eyebrow at her blank tone. “I should probably go see what the Princess wants,” she offered by way of excuse. The truth was that she found the gift unsettling. In fact, she was beginning to feel a bit sick. Even up to the last minute, she’d allowed herself to believe she might still escape having to fight during the mission. Luna seemed to think that was unlikely. “Okay,” the other mare said knowingly, “Ah’ll meet ya at the docks.” Twilight nodded as her friend hefted her saddlebag and departed. After taking a few minutes to freshen up, Twilight left as well. She took a few, slow steps, but then stopped, feeling a bit disgusted with herself. No point in drawing it out, she thought, gathering power for a teleportation spell. A flash of light, and she was standing at the edge of the practice fields. The silence was a bit shocking. The courtyard, normally filled with training soldiers, was empty save for the midnight-blue alicorn who stood, still as a statue, in the middle of the field. “Twilight Sparkle. Thank you for coming. I trust Marigold delivered your other gift?” “Yes Princess,” Twilight said, then, after a pause, “My other gift?” “Yes. I felt it was more appropriate to deliver this one in person,” the alicorn said, indicating a square, wooden box at her feet. With a wave of her horn, Luna opened the box and out of it she levitated something Twilight had only ever seen as sketches in the oldest of history texts. It was a weapon with four, straight blades radiating out from a circular handle. “Do you recognize this weapon?” Luna asked. “It’s a star-kinfe,” Twilight breathed. The Princess nodded. “This weapon was crafted for me by Clover the Clever, nearly two thousand years ago, when I first came to this world with my sister. It served me well in our struggle against Discord and in countless battles thereafter.” The blue glow of the alicorn’s telekinesis intensified as the star-knife began to twirl, dancing around her in a flurry of sparkling metal. “Any unicorn can wield such a weapon, but it is most deadly in the hooves of a pony that is clever and creative.” With a final flourish, Luna brought the blade to a stop, hovering in front of Twilight. The unicorn’s mind reflexively searched for any way in which she could refuse the offering, but quickly gave it up for a futile effort. So she reached out with her magic to take hold of the star-knife, feeling the princess’s spell recede. For a moment, she stood awkwardly, unsure how to react to the Princess’s expectant stare. This was clearly a type of ceremony to which Luna was accustomed. It made sense, Twilight supposed. The previous millennia were a stark and violent contrast to the current, peaceful era. Formerly peaceful, whispered the unicorn’s ever-observant subconscious. With a small sigh, Twilight hefted the star-knife. It felt strangely comfortable in her telekinetic grasp, as if it were a natural part of her body. The weight and balance of the blades almost spoke to her, revealing the most elegant and efficient ways in which it could fly. The ease with which Twilight could will the weapon to dart about was surprising, and, for a moment, she forgot that this was a tool of bloodshed. Faster and faster it flew, arcing out in a quick strike then flowing into series of spinning cuts as it circled the motionless unicorn. It was not until she brought the star-knife to rest that she noticed the Princess’s fiery expression. “It likes you,” she said with thrumming enthusiasm. “It’s enchanted,” Twilight said as she noticed the subtle magic woven through the weapon’s substance. “Indeed. And it has been known to be rather particular in its selection of wielders. I was a bit concerned at first, but I see now that it will serve you faithfully.” As she spoke, the Princess drew from the box a leather sheath of a shape with the star-knife and proffered it to her student. It took only a second for Twilight to work out how to rotate the weapon into the sheath. Once the blades were safely bound inside the leather, Luna approached and secured the straps around Twilight’s waist and shoulders so that the sheath clung naturally to her side. Then she stepped back to regard the young unicorn with an affectionate smile. “I know you have had doubts about your place in this war, my friend,” she said, “But know that I would not ask this of you if I did not think you were capable.” Twilight’s mouth was dry, so she simply nodded. Just once, she wished she could take some words of comfort without the nagging skepticism; without thinking that another’s confidence in her was perhaps misplaced. “Gather what other supplies you might need,” Luna continued, apparently oblivious to Twilight’s bitter reverie. “The airship departs in thirty minutes.” * * * Twilight stood before her mirror, regarding a reflection that was completely at odds with any image she’d ever had of herself. Before her stood a warrior mare, clad in the black armor of a Starless Knight and girded with an ancient and powerful weapon. She searched her own eyes for any trace of the knowledge-loving bookworm, but found only a broken, defeated pony resigned to an unloved fate. It was not long before even that image was obscured by a film of tears. A gentle knock at her door forced Twilight out of her pool of self-pity. “Come in,” she said, hastily dabbing at her damp eyes. Her heart nearly froze as Celestia stepped into her chamber. The Princess’s duties often kept her busy, so it was rare for Twilight to see her former mentor, much less speak with her. The alicorn’s sudden appearance was jarring to say the least. Even more unsettling was the Princess’s physical state. Her mane was dull and its usual, flowing motions was much reduced. Her coat, once a pure, alabaster white, now had a greyish tint. Fatigue showed plainly in her face and she moved with too much care. “Princess!” Twilight exclaimed, and, before she could stop herself, “Are you alright?” Celestia smiled at her pupil’s blunt question. “Frankly, no, my most faithful student.” Even her voice lacked strength. “It has been a long time since Equestria was ravaged by such violence, and I am afraid I am more . . . sensitive to it than I have been before.” “The war is making you sick?” Twilight said, full of concern for her beloved teacher. “It is more than that, I think,” Celestia said. Her eyes went distant. “Both my sister and I gained a strong connection to this land and its people when we took it as ours to guard and to guide. But during Luna’s exile, my link . . . evolved. I began to resonate with the ponies under my rule and my love for them was reflected in their love for one another. But, in their fear, many ponies are turning to hatred. It is poisoning their spirits, and through them, it is poisoning mine.” The alicorn sucked in a ragged breath, her eyes focusing back onto Twilight. “But I did not come here to burden you with bleak news. I wished to tell you something before you go.” Twilight’s curiosity tugged at its mental leash, begging for further information about the Princess’s startling revelation. But the unicorn resisted the urge pepper Celestia with questions, instead forcing the quietly interested expression that she used to take before the Princess lectured her on some point of magic, history, or philosophy. In a few strides, Celestia’s long legs brought her near enough to Twilight that the unicorn could feel the familiar warmth of her aura. Then the Princess kneeled, gingerly lowering herself to the ground so her eyes were on level with Twilight’s. “I can feel the conflict inside you, Twilight,” She spoke fixing the younger pony with a steady gaze. “I fear that this task my sister has set for you is tearing you apart. This is one of your greatest tests, my faithful student. So I offer you this guidance.” The alicorn leaned forward, her breath tickling Twilight’s ear as she whispered, “Remember who you are.” A strange giddiness washed over the lavender mare as the Princess spoke. When she considered them, the words sounded plain and rather unhelpful, not to mention clichéd. But they echoed in her head, ringing with a significance that Twilight couldn’t pin down. Celestia stood and took Twilight into a short embrace. “Good luck, child,” she said, then strode from the chamber, leaving the unicorn with a hopeful feeling, as if she’d found a missing piece to an arduous and frustrating puzzle. * * * The Sun Fire loomed menacingly, casting a shadow over the smaller airships that were moored near the Canterlot cliffs. Luna, Applejack, Marigold, and an unfamiliar mare waited at the end of one of the piers that clung to the city’s main wall. Two pegasi guards harnessed to a chariot also stood nearby. “Twilight Sparkle,” Luna greeted her as she approached, “This is Captain Lightfeather.” The grey mare, whom Twilight had taken for an earth pony extended her single wing in a classic, pegasus solute, saying, “A pleasure to meet you Lady Sparkle.” “Likewise, Captain,” Twilight said. “I have also decided to send Marigold with you;” Luna said “She will act as your body guard, allowing you to focus on the main objective.” Marigold came around to stand beside the unicorn. “I am needed once again in Cloudsdale, so I will make this brief,” Luna continued, “You all know the importance of this mission. Success could very well mean victory in this war. Know that you go with my blessings and those of all Equestria. Good luck everypony.” And with that, the Princess winked out with a blue flash. Without a word, Marigold and Lightfeather stepped over to their waiting chariot. “I’ll just be a moment,” Twilight said. She turned to Applejack, searching for some significant way to say farewell. Nothing that came to mind seemed appropriate. After a few seconds of floundering, she finally settled on, “I’ll miss you.” Applejack leaned forward to nuzzle her friend. “I’ll miss you too, sugarcube . . . Stay safe out there, Twi.” “You too,” Twilight said, wrapping her foreleg around the other mare’s neck and giving a quick squeeze. Then she let go and boarded the chariot to be ferried out to the waiting airship. * * * Twilight gazed out over the frozen landscape, shivering, even under her armor’s thick cape. The deck of the Sun Fire had become more and more inhospitable the further into the Frozen North they traveled. Marigold stood beside her, clenching her jaw to keep her teeth from chattering. “You don’t have to wait out here with me,” Twilight said, “There’s no sense in both of us freezing while I do this.” “We’re in enemy territory,” was the only response given by the Starless Knight. Twilight shrugged. In the two weeks they had been traveling, she’d learned that it was pointless to try arguing with the steely mare. Instead, she turned her attention to her spell, reaching for her reservoir of magic to draw out a small portion of power. Her horn glowed scarlet as she collected the mystical energy, shaping it and giving it purpose. The spell pressed eagerly against her willpower until she released it, letting it rush out in all directions. The pulse of magic swept over the icy wasteland and Twilight waited, straining to feel the tingling echo of her spell colliding with residual magical energies. She had been out on the deck for nearly an hour today, casting spell after spell. There was the definite shiver of some magical energy snaking through the jagged, snowcapped rocks, but still nothing to indicate that the Stone was nearby. Her spell slowly diminished as it spread out, losing coherence. But, just before it faded, Twilight’s horn buzzed lightly in response to a significant echo. The unicorn’s heart leapt and she immediately drew more power for another spell, this time tightening its focus to cover a more specific area. The pulse arced out and Twilight waited for a heartbeat. . .two. . .three. Her horn buzzed again, this time with an intensity that was almost uncomfortable. “That’s it,” she breathed. Marigold’s ears perked and she raised a quizzical eyebrow. “Let’s find the Captain. We have a new heading.” Together, the two mares descended back into the interior of the airship, making their way to the bridge near the bow. “Any luck?” called Swiftfeather as they entered the bridge, shaking the cold from their capes. “Yes,” Twilight said with a smile, “There’s definitely a strong concentration of magic about fourty kilometers to the northeast.” The unicorn trotted over the large map that dominated the center of the bridge. “Here,” she said, tapping the location that she had calculated from the timing and direction of the echo. “Hmm. The Sun Fire can’t approach without being spotted. We can lower our altitude to get closer, but you’ll have to make the last, I’d say, eight kilometers on hoof.” Twilight resisted the dismay that arose at the thought of walking that far over the treacherous terrain in subzero temperatures. She gave the captain a curt nod. “Ensign, take us down to fifty meters and adjust heading to thirty-six degrees. Lady Sparkle, I suggest you gather any supplies you will need. Meet at the launch bay in thirty minutes.” “Right,” Twilight said, departing with Marigold. They worked their way through the maze of tight corridors to their shared quarters. Though the room was larger than most of the crew’s, it was no simple task for them to move about without getting in each other’s way. Luckily, there wasn’t much to pack. They were already in their armor and snow gear. They each stuffed a few packs of plain rations into their saddlebags along with some rope, canteens, first aid kits, and a compass. Marigold strapped on her combat saddle and fit it with an impressive collection of throwing knives and a small saddle pistol. The warrior pony also equipped herself with hoof blades on each foot. Twilight buckled Luna’s star-knife to her hip and led the way to the launch bay in the belly of the ship. While they waited, Twilight fell into her newly-acquired habit of examining the star-knife’s enchantment. Whenever the artifact was nearby, it tugged at the unicorn’s attention like an itch. It called to her like a masterwork concerto calls to a musician, begging to be studied, understood, and implemented. At its core, the enchantment formed a link with the wielder of the star-knife, but Twilight felt there was something more to it. The magical weave incorporated hundreds of threads of simple magic. By now, the unicorn knew each thread by heart, but the interactions between them were so complex that the whole of the enchantment couldn’t be described as merely a sum of its parts. It was almost as if the ancient weapon had a consciousness unto itself. “Are you ready?” Twilight’s eyes flew open (she hadn’t even realized she had closed them). Captain Lightfeather stood before her, flanked by two pegasi in combat armor. “I think so—I mean, yes. We’re ready.” The captain nodded and moved to flip a nearby lever. Freezing wind gusted into the bay as its large shutters lowered. Apparently a small blizzard had developed while they were waiting. The pegasi hefted themselves into the air and hovered over to lift Twilight and Marigold. “Good luck!” Lightfeather shouted as the pegasi glided out of the launch bay, circling down to deposit the armored mares on an outcropping of snow-covered rocks. Twilight watched as the winged ponies shot back up into the warmth and safety of the Sun Fire. She pulled her cape a bit closer, and then sent out another pulse of magic to get her bearings. The echo came back strong. They were closer than she had expected. The flying snow must be providing some extra cover. “This way,” she said and they started off at a brisk trot. The rocks weren’t as slippery as Twilight had feared, but it was still treacherous enough that she needed to walk with care lest she break an ankle. Twilight sent out her homing spell a few more times as they walked, and, after about two hours it became clear that the source of the returning echoes was at the base of a small hill in the distance. As they approached, Twilight saw that what she had taken for a hill was in fact a wrecked airship. It was difficult to tell for sure at a distance, but Twilight thought she could make out the name Ravenmane on the ship's side. "We're definitely in the right place," she said. “Wait,” Marigold said softly. Twilight halted. “We don’t know what kind of security they have. Stay here while I check it out.” Twilight was about to protest, but the Starless Knight didn’t give her the chance. Before now, Twilight would have said that it was impossible for anypony in a full black outfit to blend in with a blizzard, but somehow Marigold found a way, leaving a perplexed and nervous unicorn waiting in the snow. Several minutes passed. Twilight watched for any sign of movement around the wreck, but the blizzard was brewing up and, before long she could hardly see three feet in front of her. The cold was swiftly leaking through the heavy cape, but even worse was the sour fear growing in the unicorn's belly. She didn't know the first thing about infiltration, but how long could it take to check for sentries? Finally, Twilight resorted to modifying her homing spell, altering it to reflect off of life energy rather than magic. Once she was fairly certain that the spell would work, she gathered power and cast it. To her immense relief, she received a small echo almost immediately. An instant later, nearly all of the spell's energy came crashing back into her in a wave that set her horn vibrating with a painful intensity. She gasped, holding a hoof up to her head. Even after the vibrations subsided, it took a great deal of concentration to remain upright against the ache in her skull. "It's clear." Twilight had trouble making out Marigold's voice through the wind and the pounding in her ears. "Are you alright?" "I'm okay," Twilight said, forcing her eyes to focus. She took a few cautious steps as the pain receded. "But I think we have a problem. There's something. . . A lot of somethings alive in that ship." There was a momentary pause before Marigold said, "Changelings?" "That would be my guess. Tens of thousands at least." The warrior mare frowned. "There's a huge hole on the far side and I got close enough for a look inside. It was empty as far as I could tell." "That doesn't make any sense. According to my spell there should be enough changelings in there to completely fill the ship . . . Come to think of it, I'm not sure that ship could hold as many changelings as I sensed." "But you're sure this is where the Stone is?" "Absolutely." "Then we don't have any choice," Marigold stated, abruptly turning back in the direction she'd come. Twilight had to canter to avoid losing her in the swirling blizzard as she made her way back to the airship. The massive ship was astonishingly well preserved for having endured a couple millenniums' worth of weather. Under other circumstances, Twilight would have been ecstatic at the opportunity to explore such an ancient structure. The army of hostile, insectoid changelings, of course, diminished the unicorn's archaeological interests. "There should be a hatch somewhere up top," Marigold said, "It looks like I can scale it. Then I'll lower a rope down for you." "Oh, that won't be necessary," Twilight said, already focusing her teleportation spell. A quick scarlet flash and the two mares were standing on the edge of the Ravenmane's deck. "Oof. A little warning next time, Sparky," Marigold said, adjusting her balance to the slight incline of the ship's deck. "Sorry . . . Sparky?" The Starless Knight shrugged. "It's what I call you in my head. Thought I might as well say it out loud too. Hope you don't mind." Her tone suggested that she didn't care much whether Twilight minded or not, but it was nice to see some personality from the other mare for once. "I've had worse nicknames," the unicorn said, "But we should probably keep moving. I think I see a hatch over there." The ancient trapdoor of the deck hatch was frozen shut, but Twilight made quick work of opening it with a simple heating spell. She also removed the hinges of the door to avoid any squeaking as she lifted it open. The inside of the ship was pitch black. "I don't suppose you have some sort of night-vision spell?" Marigold asked. Twilight shook her head. "I suppose I could invent one, but that could take hours." "Not an option. I don't think we'd survive the walk back after nightfall. Unless you think you could teleport us again." "I'm afraid not. If my calculations are just a little bit off, we could wind up miles away from the Sun Fire without any landmarks to guide us back." Marigold looked down into the darkness and armed her saddle pistol. "Guess we'd better hurry then," she said, and in a flurry of brown hair she disappeared through the hatch. Twilight stared after her, a bit stunned by her brashness. Her voice echoed back up through the opening, "Hey, I know you can make light with that horn of yours. Mind giving me a hoof?" "Aren't you worried that we'll be detected or something?" "If the changelings were gonna attack they'd have done it when we opened the hatch. Seriously, come on. I can't see my hoof in front of my face." From the sound of her voice, it wasn't a long drop. With a deep breath, the unicorn hopped down into the darkness. The howling of the wind abruptly cut out as she passed through the hatch. The fall wasn't as far as she expected and she nearly slammed her face into the floor before she could catch herself. Once she regained her balance, she reached for her magic, illuminating the chilly corridor with a scarlet glow. "Ahh!" Twilight screamed as she found herself eye to eye with another pony. She must have been about the same age as Twilight and would have been quite pretty if her features hadn't been twisted into a visage of sheer terror. She was encased in a green-tinged transparent cocoon, and completely still except for a slight quivering of her contracted pupils. It was as if she had been frozen in a moment of panic. "Woah," Marigold breathed. "I think she's alive," Twilight said, trying to convince her own ragged breathing and hammering heart that she was in no immediate danger. "How about them?" Twilight tore her gaze from the tortured mare to look down the corridor. More cocoons clung to the walls and ceiling, each containing another pony, suspended in a state of fear. "Could these be the life signs you sensed?" "I'm sure they're part of it, but they're too spread out," Twilight said. Reluctantly, she finished her thought aloud, "Something else is alive in here." Marigold adjusted her pistol and loosened a few knives in their sheaths, saying, "Well, I guess we know what that something is now. These are the same cocoons the changelings used at Canterlot. Is there anything we can do for them?" Twilight thought furiously, examining every scenario she could come up with, but to little avail. "I don't know what kind of magic is keeping them in stasis like this. If we try to break them out, it could cause irreparable harm. We should find the Stone. Maybe Luna can organize a rescue effort after the mission." "Okay," Marigold said after a short silence. "Guess we should start moving then. Which way is the Stone?" Twilight closed her eyes to cast the homing spell once more. The echo came back almost immediately. "It's close. Below us." "I'll go first," the warrior pony declared, stalking down the corridor with her weapon at the ready. "You watch our back." Twilight followed, resisting the urge to stay right on her companion's tail. Cocoons jutted out from every angle, making it difficult to squeeze down the narrow hallway. The ship was silent but for the faint creaking and groaning as it settled on the ever-changing ice. Twilight's breath sounded too loud and she found herself getting slightly dizzy as she tried to hold it in for as long as possible. Every now and then, they would come to a stairway or trapdoor, allowing them to descend ever deeper into the belly of the skeletal ship. It was hard to judge the passage of time in the darkness, but Twilight was sure they should be getting close to the bottom. "Do you feel that?" Marigold asked, stopping suddenly. "What?" "There's a breeze." Twilight moved up beside the green mare and, after a moment, felt the gentle touch of a cold current of air. "You're right," she said, "I think it's coming from the end of the corridor. A few more steps brought the source of the breeze into the range of Twilight's light. It was a gaping hole in the bulkhead, but it didn't lead to the outside. Instead, it formed the mouth of a cave that bored down into the ground. "Ten bits says that the changelings you sensed are down there," Marigold said. "And the Stone," Twilight added. Marigold aimed her pistol at the opening and slowly crept forward. Just before she stepped onto the rocky floor of the cave, the metal beneath her buckled, sending her crashing down through the deck. "Are you alright?!" Twilight called. "Yeah," came the reply, "It wasn't very far. Lemme just-- Woah!" Two gunshots split the silence. Twilight jumped, then rushed to the edge of the breach, gathering power for a spell as she ran. "It's okay," came Marigolds voice again, "Just got spooked by a shadow." A green hoof emerged from the hole, followed by a mane of brown hair and finally the rest of the Starless Knight. Twilight reached down to help her up. "Thanks, Twilight." "What happened to Sparky?" the unicorn asked. She hoped Marigold hadn't decided to stop using the nickname in favor of her previous, icy formality. For a moment, the other mare stared at her. "I don't know," she said, "I thought she was behind you." "What?" Twilight said, confused by her companion's strange response. Automatically, her mind went over various reasons for the disjointed answer. Did she hit her head? No, she's to lucid. Maybe she didn't hear what I said. But why would she be referring to somepony being behind me? It's almost as if she forgot that we were the only ones down here. Or maybe-- Her eyes widened as she realized what had happened. Her horn flared as she launched a spell at the mare in front of her. As the magic impacted, Marigold gave a high pitched screech and her appearance contorted then resolved into the form of a stunned changeling. "Take her!" shouted a warbling voice from the hole and another changeling shot out, carrying an unconscious Marigold. The creature zipped down the cave and disappeared in the gloom. Twilight started after it, but two more changelings came buzzing out of the pitfall to intercept her. The unicorn had to duck as one of them hurtled over her head, snapping at her mane. Then it spun in the air, coming to land behind her. The two others fanned out in front of her. She was surrounded. As they sprang at her, something clicked in Twilight's head and the long hours of training kicked into full gear. In a flash of scarlet, she telelported back down the corridor, avoiding the creatures' attack. They reacted quickly, reeling about to charge, but time was on Twilight's side. She needed to attack. Something pressed at her consciousness. A sort of mental itch that demanded her attention. Twilight realized it was coming from the star-knife that rested at her hip. She barely had to reach for the weapon before she felt her magic bind with it. Without moving a muscle, the unicorn freed the blade from its sheath and sent it darting forward three times. The changelings stumbled as sprays of green blood erupted from their throats. For just a moment, she was paralyzed, looking down at the chitinous corpses. But something tugged at her, an eagerness that wasn't her own. The star-knife swayed back and forth before her like an antsy foal. When she realized that it was actually her own telekinesis moving the weapon, it stopped, but still, she could sense a vibrating energy that urged her onward. She suddenly couldn't stop herself from taking off down the cave at a dead sprint. The incline of the ground gave her even more speed as she sped deeper into the chasm. Twilight knew she was running straight into the jaws of a dangerous enemy, but she couldn't abandon Marigold to the same fate as the cocooned ponies. The further she went, the steeper the slope in the floor became, and soon it was all she could do to keep from stumbling as the momentum of her body threatened to outpace her legs. For the last stretch of the cave, Twilight had to shift all her weight to her hind legs and slide. The ground vanished from beneath her as the cave opened up into a larger chamber. After a few seconds of being airborne, the unicorn crashed into the ground. Her forward momentum and her armor helped absorb some of the shock from the impact, but she still took a few solid knocks as she went sprawling across the stone floor. Twilight picked herself up and looked around. The chamber she was in appeared to be a dome judging by the curve of the wall behind her. The degree of the curvature also suggested that the chamber was massive. The ceiling and opposite wall were both invisible in the darkness. The only illumination other than her spell came from two large braziers that flanked what looked like a stone throne in the center of the room. A motionless form lay at the foot of the throne. It was difficult to tell in the dim firelight, but Twilight was fairly certain the figure was a still unconscious Marigold. Twilight took a few cautions steps toward the throne. The star-knife hovered at her side, ready to shoot forward at any instant. "Twilight Sparkle." The lavender mare froze as the silky voice rang out through the chamber. Two pale green eyes appeared, hovering above the throne. All around the chamber blue-green eyes materialized from the darkness. Twilight was surrounded. The first verdant orbs descended until the light from the braziers illuminated their owner. She was taller than Twilight remembered. A mane of blue-green hair framed her grinning face. Her black chitin was shiny in the firelight. "Welcome to my new home," she purred. "Chrysalis," Twilight whispered. "It's been far too long," the changeling queen said, "How is dear Shining Armor?" Anger flared in Twilight. "Don't say his name," she snarled. An ugly sneer twisted Chrysalis's face. "Not interested in formalities I see. Here on business then?" "Where's the Stone?" Twilight demanded. "Ahhhh. So you finally discovered our little secret. I'm rather surprised it took you so long, what with your . . . eye for detail." She sauntered around her throne, trailing a hoof across it's carved surface. "It's really quite ironic how you ponies claim to be devoted to love and harmony, and yet your species is capable of creating such . . . interesting artifacts." "That was a long time ago. And I'm here to fix that mistake. Now where is it!" Chrysalis let out a velvet laugh and stepped lithely over to Marigolds prostrate form. "Even with all your cleverness you still can't see what's right in front of you." As she spoke, her horn began to pulse with a green light. At her feet, Marigold began to groan. "What are you doing to her!" Twilight shouted. She ran forward, brandishing Luna's star-knife, but just as she was about to spring at the changeling, a burst of energy flared out from the throne, buffeting her magical senses. Chrysalis inhaled a hissing breath and lifted into the air with a buzzing of gossamer wings. She wore an expression of pure euphoria. The entire chamber was suddenly alive with sound as the changelings soaked in the energy given off by the throne. Twilight's eyes widened as the realization dawned. "That's the Stone of Anguish?" "Yes!" Chrysalis cried, "And with the power it provides, my children shall rise by the millions. We will blot out your precious sun and turn your lands to ash! Your people will provide fuel for countless generations. None will be able to stand against us and soon, Changelings will dominate the world!" Her final declaration was accompanied by a storm of clicks and hisses from the drones. Twilight didn't even bother with a response. While the changeling had been talking, she had begun drawing energy for a spell that should break the enchantment on the stone. She wasn't sure how strong the enchantment was, so she was diverting nearly her entire reservoir of magic to this one attack, leaving only enough for two, maybe three teleportation spells for use in their escape. Chrysalis noticed the glowing of Twilight's horn a moment too late. The scarlet beam of energy roared forth like a tidal wave, crashing into the Stone with a clap of thunder. Twilight had to shield her eyes against the flash of the spell. It was over in an instant. Already, the unicorn was formulating the teleportation spell, but as she looked over to where Marigold lay, she saw that the Stone stood untarnished. Even worse, she could sense the subtle currents of the still-intact enchantment that ran through the ancient object. Twilight's ears drooped and her knees buckled. She'd failed. Again. And this time, she wouldn't get the chance to fix her mistake. It's all over. Remember who you are. Celestia's words suddenly rang out within the unicorn's mind, as clear as if the Princess had just spoken them aloud. And with them, came a recollection of every time Twilight had solved a problem posed by her mentor; every time she had risen to a challenge, academic or practical. Twilight realized then that Celestia's words must have carried a subtle memory spell. What she was seeing was from the Princess's point of view. She was seeing who she really was: a pony who finds an answer. Everything suddenly snapped into a clean focus that had eluded Twilight since the events at Ponyville. Suddenly, the fact that she didn't know what to do wasn't important, because she knew that there would be a way if she but looked. So, while Chrysalis was cackling her triumph, Twilight cut her mind loose. First she focused on the Stone, running her magical senses over it's enchantment to feel for any weakness. There were none, but she noted it's construction. It was a weave of several, simple enchantments that, through a complex series of interactions, formed an emergent whole. Just like the star-knife. That seed of information rapidly blossomed into an idea. She knew the star-knife's enchantment down to the thread. She could unravel it with but a tug. The resulting chain reaction would release a massive amount of energy and it would also propagate though any nearby enchantments. If placed in the correct spot, that would be enough to dismantle the Stone. The sensation of consent and acceptance washed through her. She looked down at the semi-sentient weapon, attempting to convey her gratitude. She wasn't sure if it could understand, but it was unthinkable not to at least attempt to acknowledge the sacrifice. Twilight's entire thought process occurred over the space of a few seconds. The instant it was complete, she implemented her plan, interrupting another one of Chrysalis's monologues by sending the star-knife streaking past her face. With a muffled thunk, the weapon embedded itself in the hard stone. "I'm surprised, Twilight," Chrysalis crooned, "That was a most underhanded assassination attempt." "I've seen worse." Twilight declared. Then she reached out with her magic to grasp a single thread of the star-knife's enchantment and pulled. The blue light that flared forth from Luna's weapon was intense enough that Twilight could see thousands of changelings as they cringed away from the brightness. A moment later, an orange light began emanating from the Stone, quickly spreading across its entire surface. "No!" Chrysalis screamed as the Stone glowed with more and more intensity until it finally detonated, "No! NO! RAAAAAAHHHHHGGGGGHHHH!" The explosion left Twilight's ears ringing, but she couldn't waste any time. She sprinted forward to where Marigold still lay and with a flash of scarlet, they disappeared from the chamber. She overestimated the distance to the surface, and the two mares re-materialized nearly ten feet in the air and landed in a heap on the snowy ground. Ignoring the aching that permeated nearly every part of her body, Twilight pushed herself to her hooves and limped over to cast a simple healing spell on her companion. Marigold's eyes flew open and she was on her feet and brandishing her pistol in the blink of an eye. "Easy!" Twilight said, "We got away." "And the stone?" The warrior pony's mind was sharp for having just been revived. "Destroyed. But I don't think we should stay here. Chrysalis is still--" Twilight was cut off by a blood-curdling scream that almost seemed to shake the bulkheads of the wrecked airship. "Right," Marigold said weakly. "Running then." Twilight couldn't have agreed more and the two mares took off back toward the Sun Fire. Behind them, Chrysalis's voice thundered through the blizzard. "YOU WILL PAY TWILIGHT SPARKLE! WE ARE STILL MANY AND WE WILL RAZE EQUESTRIA TO THE GROUND FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE!" You can try, Twilight thought as she ran, leaving the hive far behind. * * * Luna met them as they made port back in Canterlot ten days later. "Twilight Sparkle!" she called in greeting as the unicorn stepped out of the chariot that had ferried her from the ship. "Walk with me a moment. We have an important matter to discuss." Twilight felt a moment of disappointment. She had been looking forward to having a chance to relax and recuperate. But now that she had resolved her inner turmoil, she was less anxious about the possible tasks Luna would set for her. So she nodded her farewell to Marigold and followed the Princess back up the dock. "First, I must offer my most sincere thanks and congratulations," Luna began, "This was no small task my friend." Twilight wondered at how Luna could believe she could think destroying a powerful and ancient evil artifact was a small task, but said nothing as the Princess continued. "Not only have you eliminated the changeling's ability to produce unlimited drones, but you have also discovered the location of their hive. We now have the perfect opportunity to strike." Twilight stopped in her tracks. "Are you sure that's wise, Princess? There were hundreds of thousands of drones at that hive, not to mention the ones that are already in Equestria." "It will not be easy, but we do have the means to destroy them. However there is a problem that I require your aid in resolving first." The alicorn fixed Twilight with a gaze full of fire, "I believe it is time to use the Elements of Harmony. However, in order for them to work, they require their corresponding wielders: you and your friends." Twilight looked away. "I'm sorry, Princess. We're . . . short one Element." "No. We are not." Twilight's ears perked at Luna's words. She turned to face her again. There was a light in Luna's face, an eagerness that reminded Twilight of the star-knife. "Your friend Fluttershy is alive. And I need you to find her."