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// Chapter 3 The Future….? 
// Story: Forgotten Time 
// by Drattaarcana 
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In the town of Ponyville Twilight Sparkle a pony with a Lavender coat with A dark Indigo Mane and Tail with a purple stripe, with a unicorn horn and wings is sitting at her throne in her old castle.  Twilight was making trips frequently to Ponyville and her old castle even though she was now living in Canterlot castle as ruler of Equestria. It had been two years after the battle against Tirek, Cozy Glow, and Queen Chrysalis.  Twilight had been mystified by the constant activation of the Cutie Map in the throne room which was showing her cutie mark over a remote region in the Unicorn Range.  


Twilight was sitting in her throne next to spike who was also sitting in his throne.  In front of them was at least fifteen different books with several scrolls and various reports finally after a long moment twilight spoke with worry in her eyes “Spike it still bothers me, two years ago Celestia and Luna felt the effects of magic across the land it was like a massive discharge of magic, and worst most unicorns became unconscious all at once; I fear something big is going to happen; and since the map has had my cutie mark active on it for the last two years which means that we yet to resolve the friendship problem.” Twilight sighs then starts talking again “Celestia and Luna assisted with our trip to the section of the unicorn range but found nothing; it was just another clearing of trees; however we were able to detect a faint trace of temporal magic or time magic even Starlight was unable to figure out this time magic.”  


Twilight Sighs again, then Continues “we contacted Star Swirl and even he is not familiar with this spell and if Star swirl doesn’t know this type of Magic that means we aren’t dealing with old ponish magic. We are dealing with Lost magic also known as Ancient Magic same as the Wendigos.” Twilight seemed even more worried than normal for if this was ancient magic it would be far more powerful than anything Equestria has known.

 

Spike a young purple dragon with green spikes seeing Twilight in uncertainty and having a confident demeaner to help calm his sister and best friend and reply’s to her worries with “Twilight I think that your over thinking this, there has to be a reason the cutie mark map is behaving this way, after all it is never wrong and its connected to the elements of harmony, plus you’re the element of magic so you will figure out, after all there is no pony better with magic.”

 

While twilight and spike were talking Starlight Glimmer walked in a pony with a lilac coat and a purple and teal mane and tail with a unicorn Horn. Starlight was fairly tired, and decided to speak up for it seemed Twilight and Spike did not notice she was standing right in front of them “Twilight I have been searching for the last couple days for any spell that could leave that level of magic, I think I may have found something, but I am worried what it means”  Twilight and spike now with worry in their eyes stayed silent but were anxiously awaiting Starlight’s finding. Starlight looked worried and said “after researching I found only one spell that could cause a time rift like that, I couldn’t find the spell in any book; outside of a very old tome that sunburst had, he said that it belonged to Gusty the Great which means its older than Star swirl the Bearded” the shock in twilights face was apparent. 


Starlight continued with “the tome is a list of spells known as Ancient Magic through I am sure you already knew that. it was nearly impossible to decipher, but we were able to have a breakthrough learning A language older the Old Ponish.”

 

Twilight still shocked by this finding asked “a spell tome from an era older than Star Swirl that means this tome existed before the pillars of Equestria that means it has to be older than a thousand years. There aren’t any ponies who can use such magic.  This means the spell require ancient magic which has not existed since the appearance of the Wendigos which are ancient magic.”  Twilight was now freaking out and panting very heavy for such magic could bring the world to ruin. However, it was now clear why time was fractured in that location.

 

Starlight sensing what twilight was thinking and stated “the spell I am referring to is called Time Seal, it apparently freezes time, but it is a very complicated spell and requires a lot of energy.  No ordinary unicorn could cast it, in fact I highly doubt I could perform it. I am certain that even Alicorn magic cannot perform the spell.”  Starlight face turned dead serious and continued “the risk of casting such a spell would take its toll on any pony and would have terrible consequences for the caster. With that in mind the spell would not explode like that unless the magic used in the spell was pulled from over thousands of unicorns.”  Twilight face grew dark she looked like she was about to cry for if the spell used took the lives of actual ponies then the castor must be evil and that means they could be dealing with a threat even more powerful than Grogar.  Starlight seeing her friends face continued with “we are dealing with magic power that exceeds our understanding.”

 

Twilight still looking dark and with lots of sadness responds with “a spell that freezes time at the cost of lives? I did not think such a spell existed; I had investigated the whole star swirl the bearded section for a spell like this.  I need to send a scroll to star swirl and the princesses to notify them, while I am thinking of it, how is the school doing starlight?”

 

Starlight feeling happy “the school is doing great, the teachers we have are teaching friendship to all creatures and many of the students are excited that you’re in Ponyville.”  That seemed to cheer twilight up a little and she was looking at Starlight with the ok what do you want from me look. Starlight knowing that look continued with “I like for you to come by and teach a magic class if its ok with you.” Starlight knew the answer would be no but felt she should ask anyway; it was important they solved this mystery as soon as possible.  Then there was a sunder chill in the air.  Starlight was reacting with fear and it wasn’t just her twilight seemed to notice it to. Starlight started to ask “how could it be cold insid..? then an image of Twilight appeared over the cutie map.

 

Then twilight and starlight as well as spike heard twilights voice it felt odd and spoke from nowhere, it seemed to be in their minds and yet out loud, it was cold yet friendly “I am the tree of Harmony I have a warning for Equestria. He who brings about eternal light will soon be found, the darkness gathers, evil has returned and with it comes that which can pave a future of light, all shall fall before all can be saved”

 

Twilight asked with fear in her heart “Great tree what does that mean? what is it you’re trying to tell us.”

 

The voice spoke again “search for the kingdom of Alicornia, for only there can the answers you seek be unraveled” then the trees voice went silent. As sudden as the voice left the room the room became warm again.

 

Starlight trying to puzzle out what the tree of harmony just said finally asked “What is Alicornia, a kingdom, I have never heard of it.  I did not know there was such a place it’s not on any maps what could this mean.” Twilight looking at her friend with a kind expression while suppressing her own fears. To try and comfort her

 

Twilight replied to Starlight’s worry “I am not sure, but obviously something bad is about to happen, I need to send a letter to the Princess Celestia and Princess Luna and another to Star Swirl maybe they will have an answer.” Twilight paused a moment with a terrible thought in her mind “I thought all evil was dealt with when we defeated Cozy Glow, Tirek and Queen Chrysalis. Also, who is this light the voice spoke of, is it a pony, maybe another alicorn I am not sure.”

 

Starlight came to a realization and decided to share her thought with her friend “it makes sense now”,  looking through the tome again “what if an Alicorn harnessed the power of every pony in a city to use the spell Time Seal the residual magic could theoretically cause an explosion of magical power which in turn would cause a rift in time. “ Twilight looking at Starlight in confusion and wondering why she had the tome but wasn’t giving it to her to look at. Starlight continued “Think about it we found evidence of a time rift in the unicorn range. What would happen if a pony maybe an alicorn sealed themselves in time and was set free by an explosion of magic? The residual energy would cause an explosive that would disrupt any who use magic themselves over a large distance; but if this is true for what reason was such an intricate combination used for.  What was this individual hoping to accomplish?”

 

Just then Star Swirl the breaded entered the room via teleport with fear in his voice “Princess Twilight I came as soon as the voice spoke, Equestria could be in danger, Alicornia is a lost city of legend, I did not believe it actually existed as most books that reference the city have long since been destroyed and only fragments of the Civilization remains, the only tomes to have survived existed in the crystal empire.”  The whole room went silent with mouths agape, star Swirl continued “I know it may sound shocking, but the crystal empire was actually a very small kingdom at one point and one year every pony disappeared which left the city abandoned until the first crystal princess rediscover the city and made it her home but some of the tomes did survive.  I suggested to princess Luna and princess Celestia go to see Princess Cadence about this, they agreed to leave silver shores to follow the story more closely and they told me to tell you twilight that you should return to your duties in Canterlot and leave this investigation to them.”  Starswirl Continue by explaining Princess Celestia and Princess Luna plan to return to the Unicorn range to seek Alicornia.

 

Twilight nodded accepting that she had duties to uphold replied “I shall return to Canterlot at once, I shall leave this to Celestia and Luna, thank you star swirl I shall return to my duties after I give a magic lesson at the school of friendship.”  Turning to starlight who seemed super excited “ Starlight, I am honored to give a magic lesson to the students lets prepare the notes together maybe we can discuss temporal Magic.”  With that twilight sparkle left the castle with Starlight glimmer toward the school of friendship.