The sudden drop in temperature was less of a shock than was the equally sudden fall into the water.
Fluttershy quickly got to the surface and swam to a nearby tree.
Her eyes tried to adjust to the darkness, but she found it hard to see or hear anything beyond the water dripping from her coat.
She took a cautious step forward and called out, “Pinkie, are you out here?”
She waited and spun around when she heard something fall into the water.
“Pinkie,” she cried and ran toward the noise.
When she arrived, Pinkie Pie was already on her hooves, shaking the water from her mane.
“Yuck,” she said, “Not the tastiest water.”
Pinkie looked around and smiled when she saw Fluttershy.
“Flutters,” she shouted as she grabbed the yellow pegasus, “I’m glad you’re here.”
Fluttershy hugged Pinkie back and said, “Me too. What’s going on? What did she do?”
Pinkie nuzzled Fluttershy, “I don’t know, but we can’t stay here. Let’s get out of this water and find everypony.”
Fluttershy nodded, and they began walking. They were careful to stay close to what sparse trees there were to avoid falling into the water.
This swamp they found themselves in seemed to have no end.
“Flutters,” Pinkie said, “Think you can fly up and see which way we should go?”
Fluttershy looked up at the sky and gasped.
“Pinkie,” she said, “Look.”
Pinkie looked up and asked, “Why’s the sky look so funny?”
She squinted, “Wait, is the sky made out of obsidian?”
Pinkie stomped her hooves, splashing the brackish water onto her coat.
“That unlucky stone isn’t gonna leave us alone!”
Fluttershy nuzzled Pinkie, “It’ll be okay. I’ll try and see how far this swamp goes.”
She flew up over the sparse trees and looked around. Wherever they were, it seemed to be nearing nighttime.
Panic began to gnaw at her as she scanned the horizon, but she felt relieved when she saw a building in the distance.
She flew down and said, “There’s a building over that way. We should go there.”
Pinkie hopped up and down, again splashing water on her coat.
“Let’s go, Flutters,” she said as they began to walk toward the building.
The water sloshed around their legs, but the pair made good progress. Every once in a while, Fluttershy flew over the trees to make sure they were still headed the right way.
“Pinkie,” Fluttershy asked after an hour or so of walking, “Have you heard any animals since we got here?”
“No,” Pinkie said, getting closer to Fluttershy, “Maybe they’re getting ready for bed?”
Fluttershy looked around and said, “I hope so.”
After another hour of walking, the trees ended, and before them was a lake, and in the center was the building Fluttershy saw.
The building appeared to be a temple similar to Princess Luna’s, the difference being that this temple had tiered layers ending in a point at the top.
Fluttershy could see a platform near the top of the building.
“Is this a lake,” Pinkie Pie asked, “I don’t wanna go swimming.”
Fluttershy studied the building and said, “I think I can fly us over there. There’s a place we can land. Maybe we can go inside from there.”
“Are you sure,” Pinkie asked, “I don’t want you getting tired.”
Fluttershy smiled, “It’ll be okay. I’ll be taking care of you.”
She nuzzled Pinkie, “We’ll be okay.”
Pinkie got onto her hind legs, and Fluttershy lifted her into the air.
She flew across the lake slowly, but it didn’t take long before they arrived at the building.
Pinkie hugged Fluttershy, “You did great. Let’s take a little breather.”
Fluttershy nodded and sat down as she tried to catch her breath.
While Fluttershy was resting, Pinkie looked around. The building seemed to be sunk into the lake, and where they were, a staircase headed down toward an open passage.
“Do you see anything,” Fluttershy asked.
Pinkie turned around, “We can go inside, but I don’t see anything.”
She walked back to Fluttershy and sat down.
Fluttershy rested her head on Pinkie’s shoulder and said, “I hope everypony else is okay.”
---
While Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie were in a swamp, Rarity and Twilight were lost in a forest.
“Twilight,” Rarity said, “We’ve been following this path for so long. We should have found something.”
“I know,” Twilight said, “But I think we might be trapped in an illusion.”
Rarity shook her head, “If that Yew character weren’t so nasty, I’d say that this forest is quite lovely.”
Twilight looked up at the sky, “Wherever we are, it’s either dusk or dawn.”
“Or time doesn’t matter in this place,” Rarity said.
They continued to walk along the path and stopped to take a break.
“Rarity,” Twilight said, “I have an idea.”
The white unicorn tilted her head and asked, “Oh, what is it?”
Twilight looked around, “I don’t know, but I can’t help but think about the possibility that this is an illusion.”
“It’s very likely,” Rarity said, “What are you thinking?”
“Okay,” Twilight said, “What if we leave a marker? Something that, if we’re walking in circles, we can make a better decision on where to go.”
Rarity smiled, “That sounds like a marvelous idea. Perhaps we’re supposed to take a specific path.”
Twilight nodded, “That’s what I’m thinking. Let’s try leaving a mark on one of these trees.”
She levitated a rock but dropped it when she heard a distant roar.
“What in the world,” Rarity asked.
Twilight picked the rock back up and got the rock close to the tree again. This time the roar was closer, and the trees seemed to groan in protest.
“There’s something with the trees,” Twilight said, “Let’s try something else.”
She gathered more rocks and left a pattern of six stones.
“That’s a good idea,” Rarity said, “Now, let’s continue and see if we stumble across these stones again.”
Twilight nodded, “We should set a different pattern every so often so we know for certain where we’re going.”
They continued down their path for almost an hour, setting stone patterns of their cutie marks, when they stopped.
“It seems that we have come full circle,” Rarity said.
She glanced around and asked, “Might I make a possibly silly suggestion?”
“That we go back the way we were going,” Twilight asked.
Rarity nodded.
“I think that might be a good idea,” Twilight said, “For all we know, the intended path is the other way.”
They returned and, within minutes, found themselves in a clearing similar to the ruins of Princess Luna’s temple. The main difference is that the building at the center was not a squat temple but a tall tower made of obsidian with moss hanging from various openings.
“If I wasn’t so tired,” Rarity said, “I would be quite annoyed.”
She glanced at Twilight and said, “Oh, to heck with it. I am officially annoyed.”
Twilight smiled, “Me too, Rarity. Me too.”
They walked toward the tower’s door and tried to spot anything at the top. The only thing of note was a dull green glow.
“Could that be the emerald,” Rarity asked, “While we aren’t in a courtyard, we are in a clearing.”
“Maybe,” Twilight said, “Let’s get inside and see what’s at the top.”
---
Applejack was falling, and the blinding sun didn’t help. She had no way of knowing how far she was from the ground.
Eventually, she managed to stop her spin and got her orientation. The sky was wrong. It looked just like the obsidian from that courtyard, but there was a sight that brought her hope.
Rainbow Dash flew toward her in a desperate attempt to catch her. She strained and pushed herself as fast as she could, but she could see the snowy floor quickly approaching.
Applejack tried to reach her friend, and they almost made contact.
Then the wind was suddenly knocked out of her, and she was out.
Rainbow Dash watched her friend limply roll down a slope, and she quickly dove to the bottom.
“AJ,” she shouted as she caught the unconscious pony.
She breathed a sigh of relief as she could see Applejack breathing. The orange pony was covered with snow, and Rainbow couldn’t see any injuries. Still, she felt relieved that she couldn’t see any red in the snow.
“We got to get out of here,” she said as she gently tried to roll Applejack over.
Rainbow finally looked around and tried to figure out where they were. She made sure that Applejack was stable before she took flight.
The first thing she noticed was the biting cold wind. Thankfully, the slope where Applejack lay provided shelter.
Visibility was poor, but Rainbow could see something in the distance. She couldn’t tell if the building led anywhere, but they needed to get moving.
She landed and smiled as Applejack began to stir. Her smile was immediately lost when her friend tried to get to her hooves and let out a scream before falling to her side.
“Applejack,” Rainbow shouted, “Where are you hurt?”
Applejack groaned and gave Rainbow a weak smile.
“I think I hit the ground a might harder than I should have.”
“This isn’t a time for jokes,” Rainbow said, “Where are you hurt?”
“I know, Sugarcube,” Applejack said, “I think I banged up my shoulder pretty bad when I hit the ground. Give me a hoof.”
Rainbow helped her up and tried to get a better look at her friend’s leg.
Applejack favored her right foreleg and winced anytime she tried to put pressure on it.
“That leg doesn’t look good,” Rainbow said.
“Well,” Applejack said, “It doesn’t feel much better. You got any idea where we are?”
Rainbow shook her head, “No clue, but I saw a building in the distance. Normally, it wouldn’t be a big deal.”
“But,” Applejack said, “You got a wounded pony on your hooves.”
She picked up her discarded hat and placed it on her head, “Let’s get going. We have to figure out what to do, and we’re not gonna do that sitting here.”
Rainbow nodded, “Yeah, you’re right. I’ll see if I can find a safe path to the building.”
Applejack nodded, “Okay, but don’t take too long. I don’t like this cold.”
“Got it,” Rainbow said and took to the sky.
Again she felt the sting of the wind. As far as she could see, this slope was the only shelter from the cold. The tree line to her right would provide some protection, but if they went that way, they would take too long. To her left was a massive gorge. She could quickly fly to the building but couldn’t bring herself to leave Applejack behind.
She felt herself grow heavy from the cold, and she began to lower herself down.
“So,” Applejack asked, “How bad is it?”
“Pretty bad,” Rainbow said, “We can follow a tree line, but that takes us the long way around.”
“That’s one option,” Applejack said, “Any others?”
Rainbow nodded, “We can go straight to it, but the wind is way too cold and strong. I don’t think we’d make it very far before we start freezing.”
She sighed, “Other than that. There’s a gorge. It’s the shortest path, but...”
“Only you can use it,” Applejack said.
“I could try and carry you,” Rainbow Dash said, “But I don’t want to mess up your leg.”
Applejack got to a seated position, “Okay, so we can either go straight and freeze or take the trees and take a long time.”
Rainbow Dash nodded, “I don’t like either of them with your leg the way it is.”
She shook as much of the cold she could from her coat and said, “Let’s take the trees. It’ll be the safest bet.”
Applejack lifted a hoof and said, “Or you could fly over to that building and see if there’s anything there.”
“No way,” Rainbow said, “I’m not leaving you here.”
Applejack stood, being careful of her injury, and said, “We don’t know why we’re here, but there’s got to be a reason. If you can figure it out, we can get out of here.”
Rainbow Dash shook her head, “I can’t leave you here, AJ. I just can’t.”
“I’ll tell you what,” Applejack said, “I’ll head to the trees and try to make my way to that building. If you find something, that’s where you’ll find me. No point in me just sitting around.”
Rainbow Dash groaned and took flight. Again, she scanned the area.
“Don’t waste your time,” Applejack shouted, “Nothing’s changing. Now get going. I’ll try and keep up.”
Rainbow tried to find something, anything that could help Applejack make the journey easier, but Applejack was right. Nothing changed. They had to do something.
She returned to the ground and said, “Okay, I’ll fly to the building, but...”
“I’ll be okay,” Applejack said, “I’ve worked hurt before, so I know what not to do. Get going, and come let me know what you find.”
She didn’t wait for Rainbow to respond and walked toward the direction of the trees.
The wind bit at her skin, but Applejack kept her head down and pressed forward.
The ground was steady, and she made progress until she slipped.
Her hoof caught onto a loose stone in the snow, and she fell over, right onto her injured shoulder. She cried out in pain and sighed when she felt a set of hooves help her back up.
“Shouldn’t you be headed to that building,” Applejack asked.
“And I would be,” Rainbow said, “If somepony would stop falling.”
“Funny,” Applejack said as she steadied herself.
She took a cautious step forward and nearly fell over.
Rainbow held her steady, “It’s gotten worse, hasn’t it?”
Applejack nodded, “Whatever number I did to my shoulder, I just made it that much worse. I can make it. Just help me get to the trees.”
“Absolutely not,” Rainbow shouted, “You’re way too hurt to even walk.”
“Look at our options,” Applejack shouted over the wind, “Either we get to that building, or we start digging a couple of holes. I can’t stay here, and you can’t carry me.”
She placed a hoof on Rainbow’s cheek, “Listen, Sugarcube, once I get to the trees, I should be able to use them to steady myself. At the very least, I can get some cover from the cold.”
Applejack turned toward the trees and hobbled again.
Rainbow ran up to her and helped keep her steady.
“Why don’t you listen,” Applejack asked.
“I am listening,” Rainbow said, “Don’t forget that I’m the fastest flier in Equestria. Once I know you’re good, I’ll fly to that building.”
Applejack nodded, “Okay. That I can work with.”
They walked toward the trees, the biting wind caused them to slow down a few times, but they eventually arrived.
Applejack rested against a tree and smiled, “Thanks for the hoof. I’ll head this way, so you can get going.”
Rainbow nodded and readied herself to take off, but she turned around.
Applejack smiled warmly at her, and Rainbow Dash ran and embraced her best friend.
“You better be careful,” Rainbow said.
Applejack hugged her back as best she could and said, “I’ll be as careful as I can. You focus on getting us out of here.”
They broke away from the embrace and smiled warmly at each other.
“Good to see the genuine article,” Applejack said, “Now we have to get going.”
Rainbow nodded and took off.
Applejack smiled and began to walk along the path. Every few yards, she had to rest against a tree.
“These are good trees,” Applejack said.
She patted the latest one she rested against and said, “Thanks for the comfort, I rightly appreciate it.”
She felt a curious energy as she ran a hoof across the bark.
The pain in her leg faded a bit. She still couldn’t place pressure on it, but the pain was lessened.
“Was that you,” she asked, “Cause if it was, I thank you.”
She tipped her hat and continued to walk.
In the distance, she saw Rainbow Dash fly toward the building. She smiled at her friend’s speed, but her smile vanished when Rainbow suddenly stopped and began to fall.
---
Fluttershy smiled at Pinkie. Even with the dark water of the swamp splattered on her coat, Pinkie Pie was beautiful.
“Any ideas, Flutters,” Pinkie asked.
Fluttershy stood and stretched her wings.
“Should we go inside,” she asked.
Pinkie nodded, “That’s a good idea. Let’s see what’s up.”
They walked to the open passageway and tried to look inside.
The dim light from the swamp provided the ponies with a clear view of the stairs that headed down into the building.
“It’s pretty dark down there,” Pinkie said, “I wouldn’t blame you if you didn’t want to go in.”
Fluttershy leaned against Pinkie and said, “I’m scared, but I have you with me. We’ll be okay.”
They walked down the stairs and soon found themselves in a square room. The room only had a bit of light from the stairs, so the ponies didn’t risk moving forward.
Pinkie turned around and spotted a lever near the entrance.
“I wonder what this does,” she said as she pulled the lever.
She smiled as torches around the room sprang to life. The room had a rectangular stone table in the center and a door in the center of each wall.
Each door, except for the entrance, went deeper into the building.
The ponies stepped to the table and tried to study it.
“What kind of stone is it,” Fluttershy asked.
Pinkie placed an ear on the altar and gave it a careful tap.
She tapped again and smiled, “Good and reliable granite.”
“Oh,” Fluttershy said, “That’s good. I was worried it would be a bad stone.”
She looked around and said, “I wonder why this table is here.”
“Altar,” a voice said.
The ponies looked up and gasped when they saw who entered the room.
“Who are you,” Fluttershy asked.
“Names don’t matter here,” the newcomer said.
“Okay,” Pinkie said, “Then are you a pony like us?”
Their new companion smiled and shook her head.
She walked to the altar and said, “Again, with a silly need for names. I am no pony, but I am surprised you don’t know who we are.”
Fluttershy took a step forward, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be rude.”
“There’s no need for apologies,” the unnamed companion said, “But, for your comfort, you may refer to me as Cypress.”
Pinkie hopped up and down, “Like the tree?”
Cypress nodded, “Yes, we share an affinity to the woods.”
She turned her attention to Fluttershy and asked, “Now, what brings you to this temple?”
“We don’t know,” Fluttershy said, “Somepony named Yew brought us here.”
Cypress glanced down to the alter and asked, “What do you know of her?”
Fluttershy shook her head, “We don’t know anything about her. Only that she’s very powerful and that she captured three ponies.”
Cypress closed her eyes and sighed, “So this is my task.”
She opened her eyes and smiled warmly at the ponies.
She pointed to the doors to the left and right of the altar.
“Through each of these doors are an item. You are to gather them and bring them back to this altar.”
Pinkie placed her hooves on the altar and asked, “This some kind of test?”
Cypress nodded, “Yes, and please remove your hooves from the altar.”
After Pinkie took her hooves from the altar, Cypress turned to Fluttershy and said, “I can understand your frustration, but this is your only means of escaping this illusion.”
Fluttershy took a step back and asked, “Are you real?”
“As real as I can be,” Cypress said.
She laughed and added, “I know how that sounds. I am a reflection of one that lived long ago. She took care of this temple.”
“What does Yew want,” Pinkie asked Cypress.
“I believe she wishes for you to understand,” Cypress said, “Her intentions are far from noble but understand that there is a reason for her actions.”
Fluttershy sighed and looked at the door to the left. There was a lit torch just inside, and she could see that it led downward.
“But why would she take three ponies,” she asked.
“I can’t provide you with all of the answers,” Cypress said, “Just know that it might be a sense of justice. From her point of view, of course.”
Pinkie glanced around and asked, “Okay then, which way do we go first?”
Cypress shook her head, “I’m sorry, but you must proceed alone. This is tradition and vital that you honor it.”
Pinkie shook her head, “No way, I am not leaving Flutters alone. We’re in this together.”
“In this case,” Cypress said, “You have no choice. That it unless your faith in your love is that weak.”
Fluttershy glared at Cypress, “Don’t say things like that. I love Pinkie, and I know that she loves me. Her being concerned for my safety doesn’t make our love weak.”
“But,” Cypress asked, “Does she trust that you are able to take care of yourself?”
“Oh, that’s just silly talk,” Pinkie said, “She’s been living by herself for years. I know that she’ll be fine. I just don’t want her to go down a scary place alone.”
Cypress smiled, “This may be true, but I suspect that your love may feel differently.”
“Tell her, Flutters,” Pinkie said, “Tell her that we don’t need to do their silly test.”
Fluttershy dropped her gaze and stayed silent.
Pinkie turned to her and placed a hoof on her shoulder.
“Fluttershy,” Pinkie asked.
“Don’t take her silence for lack of love,” Cypress said, “I can sense that your love is pure. The truth is that she is afraid.”
“Scared of what,” Pinkie asked.
She nudged Fluttershy and asked, “What’s got you spooked?”
Fluttershy looked into her girlfriend’s eyes and said, “We have to do this. I can’t be so weak.”
She hugged Pinkie and said, “I know you will always be there for me, but I need to be able to stand on my own. I’m scared.”
“Yeah,” Pinkie said, “But what’re you scared of?”
“She fears that she’s correct,” Cypress said.
“Enough riddle-talk,” Pinkie said, “Just tell us.”
“Remember when we talked in your room,” Fluttershy asked.
Pinkie nodded, “Yeah, you said you were afraid of...”
She stared and said, “Oh.”
Pinkie hugged Fluttershy and said, “I get it now. I can say that you’ll always be good enough, but you gotta feel it for yourself, right?”
Fluttershy nuzzled Pinkie, “Yes, I have to prove to myself that I’m good enough to be your girlfriend.”
“In that case,” Pinkie said, “Let’s get going.”
She turned to Cypress, “I don’t like this, but we’re in.”
Cypress smiled, “Good. Please proceed. The journey should be a short one but do keep in mind that this is a reflection of what it used to be. There is no telling what changes Yew made.”
The two ponies gave each other a quick nuzzle and a comforting kiss on the cheek and set down their respective staircase.
---
Twilight and Rarity marveled at the tower’s interior. Just like the ruins they came from, this structure was built entirely from obsidian.
“If this illusionary stone shares the same properties as the real obsidian,” Twilight said, “We should avoid using magic.”
“That might be for the best,” Rarity said, “We should hurry to the top and see if we can discover the light source atop this tower.”
“Why climb when one can simply ask,” a new voice said.
They spun around, and a door they failed to notice opened.
A figure emerged and smiled at the unicorns.
“You appear similar to Yew,” Twilight said, “Are you part of the same race?”
The newcomer’s smile faltered momentarily, and she said, “We don’t bother with names, though we often take on such labels whenever we deal with our pony neighbors.”
Twilight smiled, “In that case, please allow us to introduce ourselves.”
She nodded to Rarity and said, “This is my friend Rarity, and my name is Twilight Sparkle.”
“In that case,” the newcomer said, “I welcome you to my home. You may refer to me as Tulip.”
“Named after a flower,” Rarity said, “That’s quite lovely.”
Twilight tapped at the ground for a moment and said, “Or rather, the tree.”
Tulip smiled, “That is quite astute of you. Yes, I share the name with the tree.”
“Do you live alone,” Twilight asked.
Tulip smiled, “I am the only one of my kind here, but I am far from alone. Please, follow me. You wish to inquire about the tower.”
She turned and entered the door from which she first emerged. When Rarity and Twilight got closer, they noticed the door was an entrance to a spiral staircase.
“Oh, I certainly hope this staircase is more welcoming than the last,” Rarity said.
---
Applejack moved as quickly as she dared. Each step was agony, but she had to get to Rainbow Dash.
Whatever the trees did to ease her pain had since faded, but fear carried her forward.
The wind tore at her coat, but her hat protected her eyes. She could still see where she was going.
“Come on,” she whispered, “Keep going.”
She slipped on a loose patch of snow and tumbled to her side. She screamed as she felt the muscle in her shoulder tear.
She tried to roll over and get back up, but the pain was too severe.
Despair began to creep into her heart, and she saw the sky darken.
“No,” she hissed, “I’ll know when it’s my time and ain’t gonna be like this.”
She groaned and rolled onto her belly. Despite her injury, she began to crawl toward the direction she saw Rainbow Dash fall.
Her wounded shoulder was dragged through the snow, with the only silver lining being that the bitter chill numbed the pain.
After an eternity, she reached the crest of the hill. Applejack looked around and saw the blue pony curled up by a rock.
“Hopefully, she’s taking cover,” Applejack whispered.
She dragged herself over the crest, but the hill gave way. Applejack tumbled down, and it seemed every time she made contact with the slope, it was directly on her wounded shoulder.
There she lay. She could see her best friend, not ten yards away, but it might as well have been miles, given the state of her injury.
Again, the famous Apple Family stubbornness reared its head, and she began to crawl toward Rainbow Dash. She dragged her body and inched closer and closer. Eventually, she was within a few feet of the pegasus, but the fight was out of her. The cold finally won the battle.
“I’m sorry, Sugarcube,” she whispered, “I wasn’t strong enough.”
She glared at the obsidian sky and said defiantly, “Oh, the heck with it.”
With a scream of determination, and agony, she lifted herself by her forelegs and threw herself the final distance toward her friend.
She collapsed on top of Rainbow Dash, and Applejack saw that Rainbow’s head wound had been reopened.
All the earth pony could do was hold her friend and cry at the hopelessness of their situation.
The sudden warmth of the earth pony woke Rainbow Dash, and she groaned as she felt the top of her head.
“What happened,” she mumbled.
“You took a spill,” Applejack said, “And it looks like things are getting much worse.”
Rainbow nodded for a moment, and then her eyes snapped open.
“AJ,” she said, trying to get up, “What’re you doing here? What about your shoulder?”
Applejack shook her head and nodded to her wounded leg.
“It’s worse, but I couldn’t stay put knowing you were out here,” she said.
Applejack glanced back at the trees and wished that they were back there. The curious energy she felt near the trees would be useful now.
She shook her head and pawed at the snow. The snow was not thick, and she revealed the ground beneath.
Acting on instinct, Applejack placed a hoof onto the bare patch of earth and tried to get the trees’ attention.
She could feel the curious energy, but this time, the energy felt too distant. It couldn’t reach them.
Applejack almost gave up when she heard the sound of snow crunching under hoofsteps.
“I would ask if you two need assistance, but that would almost be insulting,” a voice said.
Applejack looked up and saw a figure very similar to Yew, though difficult to see more from the heavy coat they wore.
“If you can help,” Applejack said, “We’d rightly appreciate it.”
The figure tilted their head, “A curious mode of speech, but we can discuss more at my shelter. It’s not far.”
Applejack nodded and tried to get to her hooves. The moment she stood, the pain from her injured shoulder came back to her in a wave. She fell over and nearly passed out.
Rainbow was at her side in an instant.
“What do we do,” she asked.
The figure looked behind and said, “Given the situation, I would suggest haste. We can carry her, and we must not delay.”
Rainbow Dash nodded, and they half carried, half dragged Applejack past the hill and inside a small cave.
---
Tulip led the two unicorns down the stairs and into a study. The room was dimly lit with candles, and the bookshelves lined the walls.
Twilight walked to one of the bookshelves and tried to read the spine of the books. They were all blank.
“May I,” Twilight asked.
Tulip smiled, “Go ahead. These were gifts from ponies that visited this tower so long ago.”
Twilight reached out to grab the book, but Tulip stopped her.
“Does your horn not work,” she asked.
“I would rather not use my magic,” Twilight said, “This obsidian might cause an issue.”
Tulip nodded, “I see. Please, don’t worry about that. The tower is safe. It draws energy from the ground.”
Twilight nodded thoughtfully, “And does the excess energy dissipate into the atmosphere?”
“There is no excess nor waste,” Tulip said, “The surrounding environment uses any energy that radiates from the tower.”
“That’s incredible,” Twilight said, “I wish I had time to study all of this.”
She levitated the book and opened it, her inquisitive smile faded as the book was blank.
“This is an illusion, isn’t it,” she asked Tulip.
Tulip nodded, “Please don’t be cross with me. My intentions were never to anger either of you.”
Rarity shook her head, “You have done nothing but be a gracious host. All you did was confirm what we already suspected.”
“Okay,” Twilight said, “Let’s get things straight. We know that we’re in an illusion. We also haven’t seen any of the others anywhere, so they are probably in illusions as well.”
She turned to Tulip, “Is this some test? Is there something here that Yew wants us to see or understand?”
Tulip glanced at Rarity and smiled, “She is quite clever, isn’t she?”
“She’s brilliant,” Rarity said, smiling, “And, given your response, I take it that she is correct?”
Tulip nodded, “Yes, this is a trial of sorts. I am little more than a reflection, but I can still assist.”
“Thank you,” Twilight said, “I have a question.”
Tulip nodded and waited.
“What is so special about a blackened emerald in a courtyard,” Twilight asked.
Tulip took a step back and glared at her.
“And what do you know of that,” she asked.
Twilight took a step back, but Tulip closed the distance in an instant.
“Answer me,” she hissed, “What do you know about that cursed place?”
“Nothing,” Twilight stammered, “I swear. Yew captured three ponies, and one of them kept talking about a blackened emerald in a courtyard. Please, I didn’t mean to upset you.”
Tulip turned to Rarity, “Is this true? You know nothing of that place?”
“Absolutely nothing,” Rarity said, “It must be an awful place.”
Tulip sat down in a nearby chair, “It’s beyond horrible, but the less you are aware of its evil, the safer you will be.”
“May we sit down,” Twilight asked.
“Please,” Tulips said, “Go right ahead.”
They sat down, and Twilight asked, “This illusion that we’re in, it’s based on a real place?”
“Yes,” Tulip said, “Though I will not discuss the place you spoke of before, this forest was once important for my kind.”
Rarity smiled warmly, “I think the forest is quite lovely, I wish circumstances were more favorable, however.”
“Me too,” Twilight said, “I think we need to get to the top of the tower, but if you don’t mind, we would like some information.”
Tulip smiled, “Of course, I can see that your inquisitive mind will not cease exploring.”
“Oh,” Twilight said, “I don’t mean any offense.”
“Neither do I,” Tulip replied, “You have a thirst for knowledge just as a green sapling thirsts for water and sun. Please, ask your questions.”
Twilight glanced at Rarity and asked, “Do you have any questions?”
Rarity sighed, “Several, but they don’t pertain to our particular situation. Though, I may think of some.”
“Okay,” Twilight said, “Let’s start with the obvious. Is this illusion based on a place in the past?”
“Past,” Tulip asked, “You will have to be more specific.”
“Good point,” Twilight said, “I don’t know how to best put this. Are you aware of Equestria?”
Tulip shook her head, “No, this would be the first I hear of it.”
“Then,” Twilight asked, “How about the Three Kingdoms.”
Again, Tulip shook her head, “I am unaware of these kingdoms. My memories are from a single empire. One that promised happiness but only delivered suffering.”
“Then,” Rarity said, “We have narrowed our inquiry. Perhaps Yew wished for us to learn more about this empire. Maybe so we can understand her motives?”
“That’s a good idea,” Twilight said.
She turned to Tulip and asked, “This empire, do you recall its name?”
Tulip shook her head, “Sadly, I do not. As I said, we didn’t have much use for names. We only humored our pony neighbors with personal names.”
“I see,” Twilight said, “And what can you tell me about the ponies that visited your tower that came from this empire?”
Tulip rose from her chair and walked to a bookcase.
“Aren’t those blank,” Rarity asked.
“Blank to you, perhaps,” Tulip said, “But since I am accessing a memory, the information will be in the proper book.”
She pulled a small journal from the shelf and carried it back to the table. She laid it down and undid the string binding.
“Is this a personal journal,” Rarity asked.
Tulip nodded, “It is. It was a gift from one of the ponies that came from that accursed place. This was his attempt at penance. For forgiveness.”
Twilight reached over and turned the journal, but the pages were blank.
She sighed, “I see what you mean. The pages are blank to us, but you can read them since the words are within your memories.”
Tulip smiled, “Yes, but don’t despair. I will still read the information to you.”
She flipped the pages, stopped at a passage, and began to read.
“It has been nearly three years, and the Director has shown no signs of stopping her research. The local Dryad population is becoming anxious as they find our answers regarding their missing comrade too evasive.”
Rarity was about to ask who the Dryads were, but Twilight stopped her. She nodded, and they remained silent as Tulip continued to read.
“We don’t even have the full story regarding this Dryad. How did she find this lab? How did she know how to access it? The one question that still gives me nightmares over what we’re doing to her. Why did she trust us?”
Tulip paused and looked up, and Twilight and Rarity took the opportunity to ask their questions.
“If I may,” Rarity said, “Would you be one of the Dryads?”
Tulip nodded, “The ponies referred to us as such because of our relationship with the woods.”
“This lab,” Twilight asked, “Did they capture a Dryad and kept it hidden from the rest?”
“Yes,” Tulip said, “This is the place that I would rather not speak of, but it appears that you are required to know more.”
“Does the journal go into detail,” Twilight asked, “If the place was a lab, then perhaps they were doing experiments? The question is, why were they doing them?”
Tulip shook her head, “Sadly, it does not. The author felt too ashamed for his part to include a detailed description of his crimes, but his gift of this journal should be of use to you.”
Twilight tapped her chin with a hoof and asked, “This journal is a collection of events that he felt important to document, but did he provide any information about the layout or structure of the lab?”
“Sadly, no,” Tulip said, closing the journal, “It seemed that his focus was on proclaiming his guilt than actually providing an accurate account of the crimes themselves.”
Rarity got to her hooves, “That is certainly disappointing, but still, we have more information than we started.”
“Yeah,” Twilight said, “Now we know that wherever this empire was, it was long before the founding of Equestria. I think it might have predated the Three Kingdoms.”
Tulip got to her hooves and said, “There is something I would know. What are your intentions? What do you plan to do with this information?”
“All we want,” Twilight said, “Is to rescue the ponies that are trapped. As far as Yew goes, we haven’t decided, so I can’t tell you.”
“I see,” Tulip said, “Then I hope whatever answers you find, they will give you the insight needed to make a wise decision.”
She looked up at the ceiling, “Go. The answers you seek will be at the top, but be careful. You will be tested along the way.”
The unicorns nodded and began to leave the room.
“Please,” Tulip said.
Rarity and Twilight turned around.
Tulip gave them a weak smile, “Please don’t think ill of me because of my outburst.”
Rarity smiled, “It’s already been forgiven. If you are a reflection, I suspect the real you must’ve been wonderful.”
Tulip smiled, “Thank you. I would have the memory of my kind be better than the lies spread about us.”
Twilight began to ask, but Rarity nudged her.
They climbed the stairs, and Twilight asked, “Why did you stop me?”
“Because,” Rarity said, “Whatever happened between her kind and ponies must have left a horrible mark. I didn’t wish to trouble her.”
Twilight nodded, “It would have been nice to know more.”
“In that case,” Rarity said, “We can drag it out of Yew.”
They continued to walk up the stairs and quickly arrived at the ground floor.
“This looks like the door,” Twilight said and opened it.
The staircase spiraled along the tower wall, and both ponies began the slow climb toward their first challenge.
---
Rainbow Dash shivered in the cave but kept a close watch on her friend.
Applejack fell unconscious the moment they deposited her onto the cave floor.
Rainbow and their rescuer placed Applejack’s injured leg in a sling. Rainbow Dash couldn’t help but feel hurt at the sight of her friend’s shoulder.
“I didn’t know this cave was here,” she said.
Their rescuer shook their head, “I wouldn’t expect you to. It’s quite hidden. May I ask what you were doing? Did you not know about the barrier?”
Rainbow tilted her head, “You mean that wall I hit while flying to that building?”
“Exactly,” their rescuer said, “I’m assuming you did not know. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be in this situation.”
“We should have stuck with the trees,” Rainbow said.
She gently stroked Applejack’s mane, “Is she going to be okay?”
Their rescuer sighed, “Her injuries are quite severe. There is something that we can do, but it comes with a rather high cost.”
“Cost,” Rainbow asked, “Like bits?”
“I’m not familiar with that word, but it’s not currency I speak of. How important is your companion to you?”
Rainbow glared as their rescuer removed their coat, and while appearing similar to Yew, she bore an icy blue coat.
“Who are you,” Rainbow asked.
“I don’t have a name,” she said, “None of my kind have proper names, but the ponies of the lowlands often call us by names whenever we meet. If you wish, you may call me Alder.”
“Okay, Alder,” Rainbow said, “This is my best friend, so yeah, she’s very important to me.”
Alder looked into Rainbow’s eyes and sighed, “Very well. I believe you, but this is not going to be easy. Are you well enough to move around?”
Rainbow nodded slowly, “Yeah, my head hurts, but I can still walk and fly.”
“Good,” Alder said, “Because I will need you to gather some ingredients.”
“Is this for medicine,” Rainbow asked.
“Yes,” Alder said, “This will aid your friend’s injury.”
Rainbow nodded, “Okay, let me know what I need to get, but can we warm this place up a bit? Let’s light a fire or something.”
Alder stepped forward, “You are in no position to demand such things from me. I am willing to assist you and your friend, but I will not harm the woods just for your convenience.”
“It’s not convenience,” Rainbow shouted, “It’s for her. She’s cold, and she needs to stay warm.”
“If her warmth is all you are worried about,” Alder said, “I have blankets that will insulate her. Now, would you like to know what I require?”
Rainbow sighed, “Yeah, what are they?”
Alder began to draw shapes on the cave floor, two appeared to be shrubs or bushes, and the last was a tree.
“From the small ones,” Alder said, “You will gather the fruit, and from the tree, you will gather the cones that grow on them.”
“Okay,” Rainbow said, “What are they called?”
Alder smiled, “Are you planning on having a conversation with them?”
“No,” Rainbow said with mounting annoyance, “I kind of need to know what I’m looking for.”
“You are looking for these three,” Alder said, “Name or no, these three will remain the same. Now go, I too, have to prepare my part.”
She walked to the back of the cave and dragged a heavy blanket to Applejack. Alder then handed Rainbow Dash a pouch to place the ingredients.
Rainbow Dash helped cover the earth pony, and after studying the drawings again, she left the cave.
Her first goal was the shrubs, she took to the sky and began to scan the area.
Nearby, she found a shrub that matched one of the drawings. She flew over and began to gather the berries. Once she felt she had enough, she again took flight.
The next shrub was harder to spot, but thankfully, it was near the tree line. Rainbow flew to it and, again, gathered the berries.
Looking up, she saw the cones of the tree. These were smaller than the pine cones she was used to back home, but they had to be what Alder needed.
She took a few cones into her pouch and returned to the cave.
When she arrived, she placed the pouch next to Applejack.
“Okay,” she said, “I got everything.”
“Good job,” Alder said.
She walked toward Applejack and carried a small bowl.
Rainbow noticed that Alder was limping, and her leg was bandaged.
“You okay,” Rainbow asked, “You didn’t have that bandage before.”
Alder smiled, “I will be fine. It is only my blood.”
Rainbow Dash jumped back almost out of the cave.
“Your what,” she shouted, “Why are you using your blood?”
Alder stared at Rainbow for a moment before asking, “Is that a serious question?”
Rainbow returned the stare and said, “Yeah, I’m serious. Why are you using your blood? That’s not normal.”
Alder placed the bowl on the floor, “You are correct that it’s not exactly normal. Blood is precious, so it does not benefit us to use it recklessly. There is a purpose, though.”
She waved Rainbow Dash over and pointed at the bowl.
“Does that appear like blood to you,” she asked.
Rainbow carefully peered into the bowl and became even more confused when she saw the contents.
The liquid in the bowl was clear, not the bright red that Rainbow Dash was used to.
“What kind of blood do you have,” she asked.
“Blood that some viewed to be quite valuable,” Alder said, “I heard stories, but I never bothered to listen.”
She then took the pouch and studied the contents.
“You did well,” she said, “Perhaps a bit greedy, but that’s understandable given the state of your friend.”
Alder added a few of each ingredient to the bowl, and with a nearby mortar and pestle, she began to break down the ingredients with her blood.
After a few minutes, she looked around and asked, “May I have that bottle?”
Rainbow looked around and saw the bottle Alder was talking about.
She handed it over, and Alder said, “Thank you. When I am finished, I will need you to take this and bury it in the snow.”
Rainbow nodded and waited.
After carefully pouring the concoction into the bottle, Alder passed the bottle to Rainbow Dash.
Rainbow took the bottle and ran outside. She dug a small hole in the snow and buried the bottle. She returned to Alder and asked, “Okay, so how long do we wait for the medicine to be ready?”
Alder smiled, “It won’t take long. While we wait, let us talk.”
Rainbow sat down and kept her eyes on Applejack.
“Do you live out here,” she asked Alder.
“This area is my home, but I don’t have a single residence. As you can imagine, I have to go where the food is. If I stay in one place for too long, I run out of food. I also risk harming the plants that provide me with what I need.”
“You look like somepony we know,” Rainbow said, “Do you know the name, Yew?”
Alder looked at Applejack, “I would rather not think about that poor soul. She’s suffered enough. I would rather have a more pleasant conversation.”
“She captured three ponies,” Rainbow said, “And sent us to this place. I’m not about to start feeling sorry for her.”
“Perhaps,” Alder said, “It’s not my place to tell you how to feel. May I ask a question?”
Rainbow nodded.
“Why were you flying across the gorge?”
“It was the fastest way to that building,” Rainbow said, “I didn’t know that there’d be a barrier blocking me.”
Alder placed a hoof on Applejack’s cheek and nodded, “She’s doing well. Quite resilient, isn’t she?”
Rainbow smiled, “She’s tough. Do you know what’s up with that place?”
Alder sighed, “It’s not a good place. What little I know is enough to keep me away.”
“Okay, what do you know?”
“It was an old building used for storing and disposing,” Alder said.
“Storing and disposing of what,” Rainbow asked.
Alder quickly got to her hooves and said, “The tonic should be ready. Go and fetch it for me.”
“Yeah,” Rainbow said, “But what did that store in that place?”
“Do you want answers,” Alder asked, “Or do you want your friend to get better?”
Rainbow left the cave and dug up the bottle.
The formally cloudy liquid now had a vibrant blue hue.
She returned the bottle and tried handing it to Alder.
“This is your task,” Alder said, “I shall hold her mouth open, and you will give her the medicine.”
Rainbow nodded, “Okay, let’s do this.”
She was about to pour the medicine into Applejack’s mouth but stopped.
“Is this stuff bitter,” she asked.
“What,” Alder asked, “Why would that matter?”
“Bitter medicine sucks,” Rainbow said, “If it’s bitter, can’t we make it taste better?”
Alder stared at Rainbow and asked, ”What? You want me to improve the flavor of the medicine we created to help your friend? Medicine that you have not tasted?”
“Okay,” Rainbow said, “You win. Let’s deliver this medicine.”
The cold concoction slowly poured into Applejack’s mouth, and the pony struggled to swallow it.
“Its added thickness is from the cold,” Alder said, “Don’t worry. Her body will warm it up.”
Before long, Applejack began to sleep soundly.
Rainbow Dash returned the bottle to Alder, “Thanks. I appreciate it.”
“You are welcome,” Alder said, “But I must be honest, I only did this because of this one’s appreciation for the trees.”
Rainbow smiled, “Well, she lives on an apple orchard, so she knows all about caring for trees.”
Alder smiled, “That is certainly good to hear.”
She got to her hooves and dragged another heavy blanket.
“Here,” she said, “Get some rest.”
“I’d rather keep an eye on her,” Rainbow said.
“And you will,” Alder said, “The blanket is for the both of you. Medicine is the first step. The second is warmth. These blankets will not be enough. She will need your warmth as well.”
Rainbow felt her face become quite warm at what Alder told her.
“Just like that,” Alder said, “But it won’t do any good out here. Get under the blanket and keep her warm.”
Rainbow Dash got under the covers and carefully draped a wing over Applejack.
Her friend felt too cold, but she knew she would warm up soon.
She looked up and asked, “If you don’t want to tell me, it’s okay. We’re going to that building anyway, but what did they store and dispose of in that place?”
Alder shook her head, “You will find out either way, but I can tell you have a good heart.”
She walked to the mouth of the cave and glared at the building in the distance.
“What did they store and dispose of in that place,” Alder asked.
Alder turned back to Rainbow Dash and said, “Us.”