When you think of a story where a world falls to ruin, what would you assume that the cause would be?
There are many stories in the vast expanse of the multiverse when the peace of Equestria was shattered prematurely. Some outcomes were because Nightmare Moon was triumphant over her sister or because of a successful invasion from a changeling, while others were because chaos, destruction and the fires of industry ravaged the fields and made them unrecognizable.
Yet, the story that we’re about to speak about is far worse. For Equestria fell to ruin before any such things could happen. The lands uprooted and those who couldn’t were twisted and changed. Many equestrians lost their lives and very few of the survivors either stayed together or resorted to cutthroat savagery for survival.
Now, you might be thinking… How could something so tragic happen to a place that’s supposed to be so peaceful? Equestria is a realm of magic and friendship. Was this an attack from another nation? Was there a war?
None of those things happened. In fact, what we’re describing to you are the results of a wound that Equestria inflicted upon itself. Where one pony’s curiosity was driven by the pursuit of trying to understand something beyond their comprehension.
To try and learn about worlds outside of their own, only to unleash a threat that puts all worlds in danger.
To set the stage a bit per se, let’s move to the year of 960 CE (Celestial Era). While on standard perimeter patrol through the Everfree forest, a group of guards make a discovery in a ruined castle that once belonged to the Royal Sisters.
The discovery in question was, to put it bluntly, a rock. Like, a literal rock. But the stonework was colored red, floating in the air and grafted with glyphs and runes of unknown origin. When scholars were brought in to examine it for themselves, they quickly realized that the runes didn’t originate from any known historical text on magic or language.
By all accounts, this thing was alien. Mysterious. Unknown. A floating anomaly that defied all rational thought. There were theories as to what it was, of course. Still, at the time, nothing was quite concrete and any attempts to try and make sense of the rock lacked any sufficient proof as to what it could be.
It was a rock that pretty much defied all logic and reason.
Then, one day, the pony that was in charge of researching this rock did what some would call a gamble.
Normally, if dealing with magical anomalies, the protocol was to put a perimeter around it and watch it. Keep it under observation and record any notable changes. No one was to get too close or interact with it in any shape or form.
However, this researcher instead did the opposite. And this is where the seeds of curiosity were planted.
From a single touch, the head researcher learned many things from a mysterious benefactor on the other side. One such thing included the ability to decipher the runes on the rock and understand more of what it actually was.
With this newfound knowledge in hand, months of research was completed in the span of two weeks. By that time, he and his team learned that the rock was actually a powerful object known as a World Stone. In addition, with the runes that were deciphered, they also discovered what exactly could the World Stone do.
Theoretically, this stone could allow them to attempt something that even the most well known magical scholars were unable to do. Travel to other worlds.
In order for this to work though, something was required. A catalyst that was to form a connection with the World Stone and what was beyond it. However, the requirements for such a catalyst were something very specific. No ordinary thing could suffice when they were on the verge of such a magical breakthrough.
The catalysts had to be living beings, who were able to connect their consciousness to the World Stone. It was with that discovery that the dreamer project began.
The research on the World Stone grew and other similar stones were found in other areas across Equestria. The Equestrian Military set up different facilities called ‘Forts’ to contain the stones as well as any knowledge of what was going on from the public. However, the more candidates that they brought in and the longer they continued to research it, the more problems that arose.
As it turned out, trying to connect a consciousness into the far unknown had dangerous repercussions. Not just in the methods the researchers did, but in the loss of life as well. Incidents within the forts, creatures going insane, and casualty counts were far too common. Many who worked there had numerous concerns and some even wanted to have the project shut down.
Yet, the researcher that initally made the discovery (who was now the head researcher) did not budge. In their eyes, they saw this as a chance to collectively help the species of Equestria grow.
If they were to succeed, they would not have to worry about sickness, conflict or suffering. They didn’t even question if their path was specifically ‘the right one’. They believed that since they were the only creature that was able to read the runes and understand the instructions that were embedded, they were on the right path. They just needed more time.
In reality though, every decision they made and everything they were doing to see this through was driving them to the brink of madness. So much so that they were blind to the final tragedy that sealed Equestria’s fate.
Remember the benefactor we mentioned before? Well, they are of an invasive plague-like force called The Root. An invasive species hellbound on wiping out any signs of life. With the help of the head researcher and their experiments, the dreamers were used as a gate to invade Equestria.
In a matter of days, the Equestria that we all knew fell in the year 968 CE.
Cities burned and many were slaughtered as the invasive roots of this force took hold in everything and every corner of not just Equestria. Some of the Forts where the Root first emerged fell within days. Towns and kingdoms that have lasted centuries fell within mere weeks.
There was no harmony… no magic… and no amount of friendship that could prepare any creature for this.
And now, only a remnant of life remained.
But that didn’t mean that all hope was lost.
For you see, unknown to even the dreamers, there was somepony that watched over them. A dreamwalker who saw what was happening to her home and refused to see it slowly wither like this from her place on the moon.
So, she descended into what remained.
It is important to note that many have tried to fight back against the Root before. Self proclaimed heroes who ventured on a journey to sever the Root’s connection from Equestria.
All have failed. They have either died or worse fates beyond death have happened to them.
However, the dreamwalker knows that she has to try. Her sister would not give up on her subjects or their neighbors. So, she shouldn’t either. For so long, she had watched the dreamers suffer under what they were forced to go through, helpless and not being able to do anything.
Now it was time. For she was Luna, dreamwalker, sister of Celestia, Princess of the Night and a vestige of hope.
And it will be through her power and determination that the remnant of Equestria that remained will rise from the ashes and break the Root. By any means necessary.