Light and Darkness

by MidnightConcerto

Dearly Beloved

This is the beginning of my private journal considering a creature I have come to call “The Heartless”. I first stumbled across one many moons ago in the late hours of dusk; the creature disappeared so quickly I first convinced myself I had overworked on my experiments once again and simply been exhausted. However, later that very week I saw it again, except this time in a small group of three such creatures.

At first they appeared to be foals, pure black in color from tail to mane. Except for their eyes, which were a bright, shining golden yellow. They scuttled around for several moments, and seemed to be observing the landscape around them, though for what I could not say. After spotting me they stared on for several moments, before seeming to melt into the very ground! Not knowing their intent or abilities, I quickly vacated myself from the area and back to the safety of my own laboratory to record these observations.

These creatures don't appear to be native to the surrounding environment. Indeed, my brother and I have lived in these parts for nearly three decades now and never seen such an odd being. None of the others in the area, either those that call this place their home or merchants passing through from lands far away, seem to know what this beast is. I start this journal in hopes that, in my investigation, I may bring light to a new and previously unknown species of creature.

The afternoon sun shone through the clear skies and down on the city of Canterlot, a gentle breeze flowing through the streets below. Ponies slowly spilled out of various buildings and out into the beautiful weather, the work day having just ended. Some headed straight home, some moved on to personal errands, and others merely took the time to enjoy the outdoors. One building that did not empty, however, was the concert hall of the Canterlot University. Home to performances and recordings alike, it and the school itself were two of the most prized locations in the entire town.

Currently, that hall was taken up by the primary chamber orchestra from the attached University, nearly thirty of the finest younger musicians that were enrolled. They had spent most of the day inside the largest room, running over various pieces of their upcoming concert taking place in a few days time. Hours of tuning and practice had left many of them feeling exhausted, yet they pressed on all the same. Among them stood an earth pony cellist, a rarity as magic or wings made stringed instruments much easier to play. Octavia was her name, and like the musicians around her, every note rang out with her love and passion for the craft. And at the head of the students was a unicorn stallion, gently weaving the baton in his magic, directing the music with every stroke.

As the final reverberations of the notes fell silent across the hall, the conductor showed a small smile. “Well done everypony, that concludes practice for today. Keep in mind that while the concert is in three days, tomorrow is going to be the official recording. Make sure you all double check the condition of your instruments, and get a good night's rest please. Until tomorrow then.” And with that, he and the entire orchestra began to pack up their things and head out for the afternoon.

Flopping down into the chair behind her, Octavia took a few moments to rest first. Years of playing the cello had built up her endurance to make it through most practices and performances without a hitch, but marathon practice sessions were an entirely different beast, so it was always a relief to get off her hooves after one. Taking a long drink from a nearby water bottle, her ears perked up as she heard a chair scrape closer to her.

“Wow, not even packed yet? Sure are taking your time, huh?”

Turning toward the familiar voice, Octavia let out a soft chuckle as the pair hugged briefly. “Not all of use have the luxury of packing away something as small and light as a lyre, Lyra dear.” Leaning over, she undid the clasps on her case and opened the lid. With practiced ease she lifted up her cello, gently placing the instrument onto the soft interior of the case, positioning the bow in its own little insert. Closing the lid with care, the mare struggled for several moments to close the clasps back into place on the case. Several times one would pop back open, and she would be forced to try and close it back up.

“You really do need a new case, Tavi. Pretty sure that thing is older than I am.” Lyra joked.

With a roll of her eyes, the earth pony finally managed to lock the lid. “It isn't that old, Lyra, though I can't deny it has seen better days.” Shifting the case a little closer to her chair, she gave it a gentle pat. “I do so hate parting with things that are still usable though, so until this breaks beyond use, I shall continue to carry it with me.” With a soft sigh, she watched as the other ponies continued to file out, the group quickly dwindling down to just the pair. “I know I need to check my strings and bow, as well as rest for our recording tomorrow, but I must confess I don't wish to get home just yet. You wouldn't happen to have a distraction on you, by chance.”

“Weeeeeeeeell,” Lyra drew the word out with a smile, “I figured you might not want to head right home after a long day of practice.” Her horn alighting with magic, she pulled out a small pair of colorful bags. “So I made us dinner!”

“Oh Lyra, you spoil me dear.” Octavia hugged her friend gently for a moment, before hoisting the cello case onto her back. “The usual spot then?”

“Of course! Best view in town, isn't it? And conveniently located on top of the building!” Slipping through a side door of the recording hall, they passed through another door across the hallway leading to the staircase. Octavia, quite used to lugging her cello around, had little trouble getting up a few flights of stairs even after the time practicing. Once at the top, and confronted by a locked door, Lyra's horn lit up with magic to pull a small metal key down from on top of the frame. Inserting it, the lock gave a satisfying click as it unlocked, giving them access to the roof. Replacing the key with a grin, the pair of mares headed out the building and into the daylight.

The pair crossed the roof and sat down by the edge, looking out over the city of Canterlot as the late afternoon sun bathed the town in a warm, orange glow. Even though it was by no means the tallest building, the fact it sat on a hill gave them a near-uninterrupted view of the entire city around them. Setting her cello case gently to the side, she gladly accepted a bag of food from Lyra's magic. “Thank you.” A thermos full of water was placed by her side, in easy reach of her hoof.

Octavia smiled as she look at the contents: grilled cheese, a daisy salad, and a caramel apple for dessert. Truly Lyra had gone all out for their meal tonight, and she couldn't be happier. Unwrapping the sandwich, she dug in with gusto.

Lyra gave a soft laugh, gently taking a nibble out of her own. “Slow down girl, we've got plenty of time to eat.”

Glancing over sheepishly, the cellist shifted slightly. “The food you cook is delicious, and practicing on the cello for hours leaves me particularly famished.” Even so, she ate more slowly, savoring the taste and the time with her friend. Glancing out over the town, her eyes traced the familiar hazy sheen of a magic barrier that completely surrounded the city. Nothing could be seen beyond it, the shimmering effect creating a blur of browns and greens. Octavia liked to pretend there was a forest just on the other side of the magical effect, just out of hoof's reach. It made her world feel a little less small, imagining a variety of trees and animals so close to home. Of course she had no way of knowing, but dreaming never hurt anypony.

“Tell me.” Octavia said quietly, her eyes darting over to the town's train station. “Tell me about the trains.”

Lyra chuckled, leaning back. “I've told you a dozen times, don't you ever get bored?”

Shaking her head, the cellist continued to stare out at the tracks. “No, in fact every time you talk about it I become even more intrigued. I love the city dearly, but it feels too small. My heart knows there's so much I'm missing, and hearing your story makes it feel a little less alone.”

“I understand what you mean. All right then.” She said with a small smile, before she once again told the story her friend longed to hear.

“Well, they say Canterlot isn't the only place out there, there are tons of other towns! The legend is that we all used to be able to go from one to the other, that we were just one giant world. Ponies could ride trains, walk, fly, or even take blimps and see an entire world! But at some point, the Princesses of old had to split us apart, to keep us safe from a dark force, and we got separated into our own little city.”

“Well that was a big shock, and you can imagine the worries ponies had about suddenly being alone. Canterlot isn't exactly the place to grow food, right? And what about wood, stone, and other building supplies? Well the very next day a train rolled into town, with these really adorable little creatures we call Breezies! The very first Operator named Harp Strings, my great-great-great-grandfather, went out and talked with them. Turns out they're traders by nature, and they had been employed by the Princesses to help keep the towns thriving after the split! The Breezies would bring us necessities like food and supplies to repair our buildings, and in return we'd trade them things like garments, music and even instruments to take back to the other towns. It never mattered how much, or how little, we've had to trade over the decades, the Breezies have always brought us enough food and goods to thrive.”

“But only Breezies could use the train, correct? No pony was ever able successfully ride out of town.” Octavia knew the story by heart, but she always enjoyed playing along as if it were her first time.

“Exactly,” Lyra responded. “The barrier just magically teleports them inside the train station. Not that no pony has ever crossed over, mind you. Even today, the Elements of Harmony are able to go from city to city with the magic of the artifacts, and Princess Twilight Sparkle visits every couple of months. They help keep the peace, remind us that we aren't alone even if we can't exactly visit each other."

The conversation lulled, and both mares drank deeply from their thermoses. Finally, the cellist spoke up again. “You actually made a friend outside of Canterlot though, didn't you? What was his name again?”

“Midnight Dusk.” She stared off into the distance, a soft smile on her muzzle. “I was exploring the train one day, curious little filly I was, and hidden away I found an envelope with a letter inside! They said their name was Midnight Dusk, that they were a unicorn colt studying at a school of some kind. Think he said it was called Starswirl Academy? But I wrote a note back, and put it in the exact same hiding place. A few trips later, he had written back!”

“We got letters back and forth every few weeks, I guess the train doesn't stop there too often. We wrote each other for years, talking about ourselves and the worlds we lived in. He said he was being trained for something, but wouldn't say what. He did hint that it was a way to maybe visit me one day, and that if he managed it he'd show me all the different worlds Equestria and been broken into.” Her smile faded, and she pawed at the ground sadly. “About a year ago, the letters just... stopped. I never heard from him again, and my letter was never even taken from the hiding spot. It's still there, actually, just... just in case, you know?”

“I'm very sorry, Lyra.” She rubbed her friend's shoulder gently. “I do hope that, wherever he may be, that he is okay.”

“I hope so. Maybe he got caught writing notes and they got upset? Or maybe they took him somewhere the train doesn't go?” The unicorn shook her head. “I've thought about it a million times, but I'm not going to find an answer. Not here, at least.” The pair sat silent for a moment. “Why do you think we ended up in Canterlot anyway? We could have just as easily been in any of the other dozens of cities, right?”

“I suppose because our parents were born here?” She responded with a smile.

With a playful shove, Lyra laughed. “You know what I mean, Tavi. The Breezies say there are tons of other cities and towns out there, so why didn't we end up in one of those? How come all the towns are cut off, and we can't visit each other? What happened to the Princesses before Twilight Sparkle? Are the Elements the only way to travel between worlds?” She leaned back, staring up at the late afternoon hues of the sky. “The answers are out there, and I want 'em.”

“Still planning to get out then?” Octavia inquired.

She nodded slowly. “I still don't know how, but I'm going to find a way through that shield. I love Canterlot, I really do, but there's so much more just out of reach. I want to see it. I need to see it.” She threw a foreleg around Octavia, pulling her close with a giggle. “I'll even take you with me, and we can be the first ever traveling two-mare band!”

With a quiet chuckle, Octavia returned her gaze to the train in the distance as it left the station, disappearing through the gate it had come from. “One day Lyra, one day.”

The sun was sitting low in the sky as the pair finished their meal, the dark of evening already quickly crawling overhead. Descending from the roof and onto the streets below, they walked together for a block in silence. Giving each other a firm hug and well wishes, Lyra waved goodbye as she headed off down a different road to get to her house. Hoisting her cello back off the ground, Octavia turned to make her own way home.

As she continued traveling down the street, a sound echoed out of the alley to her left. Pausing and lifting up an ear, she held her breath and listened carefully. A moment later she caught a gentle whimper, what sounded like a pony in pain. Turning to trot between the buildings she squinted slightly, trying to pick out any shapes or forms in the shadows. Her eyes caught a flash of red, so quick she thought she must have imagined it.“Hello? Is somepony there?” She called out, taking a few steps further in. Just past a side door on the wall ahead, she saw a small shape slowly creep into the light.

At first she thought it was a foal, but the more she looked the less sure she became. It was the proper shape and size, but it was entirely black, the only hint of color the piercing yellow eyes. The creature swayed from side to side, staring at her intently without ever blinking. Something deep down told her to run, and she slowly began to back up. Another creature appeared beside the first, and then another beside it, all refusing to look away from her. The swaying stopped, the trio standing perfectly still, before melting against the ground below, the puddles of dark suddenly rushing toward the mare. Stumbling backwards in surprise, Octavia tripped and fell onto her side heavily with a yelp. The strap for her case snapped causing it to fall on the ground, flying open and spilling the contents onto the pavement. Scrambling back to her hooves, she steadied herself as the forms congealed back into shape, swaying as they finished closing in.

As the first one jumped at her, she swung wildly with a forehoof, managing to smack the creature back into the wall. Turning her head to the left, she managed to kick the second form firmly with her hindlegs out into the street. Before she could move again the third creature slammed into her side, sending her sprawling back to the ground. Looking up, she saw the two forms still with her were already back on their legs, stalking ever closer. Panicked, Octavia reached out in desperation for anything, her hoof finding the bow of her cello. Gripping it firmly she closed her eyes and,with a cry of fear, she swung with all her might.

Clang! Wshhh... A sudden added weight caused her to stumble to her right, the bow oddly much heavier and wider than she remembered. Opening her eyes, she saw wisps of black smoke dissipate into nothingness, and only one of the creatures remaining. It backed away a single step, waving from side to side quickly, almost as if it was unsure, or even afraid. Her eyes traveling down to her right hoof, she was shocked at what had replaced her bow. “W-what in Tartarus...”

What she held now very much appeared to be the handle to a weapon, a rectangular guard surrounding the part she currently gripped in her hoof. The length attached to it looked strikingly like the bow for her cello, but it had grown both longer and wider. Despite still having a wooden appearance it felt metallic in her grasp, and the former hair of it now had a small shine to it. Even with its size it felt incredibly lighter than she expected in her grasp, almost as simple and natural as when she held her bow before.

Shaking her head to clear the confusion, she dove at the remaining monster without another thought. Despite how wild her flurry of slashes were, she felt her weapon connect with the creature, flinging it back out of the alley. She watched as its form seemingly melted into a puddle, then evaporated away with a gentle hiss. Curiously, what looked like a ruby crystal heart seemed to float from the form, before also disappearing before her eyes. Breathing heavily she galloped out of the alley and into the road, the sky suddenly much darker than it was a moment ago. Looking up, her muzzle fell open as she struggled to fathom what she was seeing.

High above the city of Canterlot, a giant swirling ball of energy seemed to be slowly growing each passing moment, a collage of dark reds and purples with the outer edges darker than any night Octavia had seen in her life. Fear gripped her heart and she took a step backward, as if the confines of the alley might somehow offer safety from whatever had taken hold over the skies of her home. As she gripped the weapon to her chest, a soft warmth began to seep into her body, slowly overtaking the fear and despair with calm and serenity. Taking a few long, deep breaths, Octavia adjusted her grip on the thing in her hoof and once more struck out into the street with determination. “I need to find Lyra.” She set off at a gallop, hoping the mare hadn't gotten too far away.

Not wanting to lose time, she sprinted by the various shadow creatures that wandered the street, weaving around them with reckless abandon. A few seemed to lurch forward or leap toward her, but the majority of them seemed quite wary of whatever she was wielding. Ducking under one as it leapt at her, she took a quick slap at another to clear her path. Rounding the next corner, she saw several of those monsters being thrown about by a very familiar shade of yellow magic.

“Get away!” Lyra yelled, panting as she tossed away another. “I will send all of you straight back to the shadow realm!”

Ducking around another creature in her path, Octavia let out a loud roar as she raced to her friend's defense. “Get away from her!” Leaping forward, she let out three quick slashes, felling the creatures between them. Grabbing her friend by the hoof, “Run!”, they took off back down the road, dodging around the endless creatures. Ducking down another alley, this one very much empty for the moment, the pair stopped to catch their breath, collapsing against the wall on their flanks.

The unicorn looked over at her friend, her breathing still ragged. “What are those things in the street? What is that dark ball in the sky? What is that thing you have in your hoof? Is there a spare, and does it come in lime green? Not being lime is a deal breaker for me.”

Octavia looked at her friend incredulously. “JOKES!? You're really telling jokes with all...” she gestured wildly with her spare hoof, before brushing several errant strands of mane from her face.

Lyra stared at her for a moment. “There's small black shadow monsters, the sky is getting darker than nighttime, there's a giant ball of dark in the sky, your holding a giant... thing, that looks a lot like your cello bow, and it's getting colder by the moment. What am I supposed to do?” A moment of silence, before she gestured at her hoof. “Seriously though, what exactly is that thing?”

“To be quite honest, I haven't the foggiest.” The cellist answered, rotating it slowly in her hoof as she looked at it. “It appeared suddenly when I got cornered by those... whatever they are, and it seems rather effective at dealing with them.” She glanced out of the alley toward the parade of creatures slowly trotting by. “But we need to get somewhere safe, any ideas?”

Staring at the wall for a moment, her friend nodded slowly. “The uh... the warehouses by the train station. They're pretty sturdy, and we can lock the doors to maybe help keep them out.” Glancing at the nearby buildings, she pointed down the opposite side of the alley. “Fastest way would be to slip two streets down, take that up a couple blocks, then take that road all the way to the station.”

Octavia nodded, standing up and stretching slightly. “We'll have to be quick, and not stop for anything. Ready?” Taking a deep breath, the pair took off once more at breakneck pace.

Diving from alley to alley, the pair were able to avoid the creatures for the first leg of their journey. Weaving between the buildings effortlessly, they finally stumbled out onto the second street, trying to maintain their speed even as they were forced into the growing mass of creatures. Using her magic, Lyra was able to push many of the shadows in their path out of the way; the rest were either ducked around, jumped over, or slashed to vapor by the leading mare.

“Almost there!” Lyra called, her breath heaving. “Two corners, take a right, and it'll be right ahead!” With a nod Octavia pushed to her limit, giving everything she had to bring them to safety. Rounding the corner she saw the stone archway denoting the station they were seeking.

Unfortunately, what lay beyond that caused them both to skid to a halt.

While the creatures they had seen so far were about as large as a foal, this one towered over the pair.

It looked like the minotaurs she had seen in mythology books in the library, only this creature stood several times taller than that. Despite being pure black like the shadows from earlier, she could still make out what had to be the curves of muscle within the monster, and it looked powerful. Large arms hung by its side, and a pair horns adorned the head, with black and purple lightning occasionally arcing between them. At the moment, it didn't seem to notice the pair of friends now hiding behind the stone arch leading into the station area.

Glancing around the corner at the monstrosity, Octavia audibly gulped. “This one is... slightly larger, than the others.” Glancing around, she couldn't see any way to get to their destination but through the lumbering beast. “If we move fast enough, do you think we could get around it?”

Lyra shook her head. “Even if we did, it's big enough to crush the warehouse to dust, even with the reinforced walls.” They waited in silence, watching the monster sway slowly as it towered high above them. “You uh... you think that weapon could take care of it?”

The earth pony looked between her hoof and the creature. “I... suppose it might? I can't imagine it would go down as easily as the smaller ones have, and I'm not doing much more than swinging wildly. But I don't exactly see many options.” Adjusting her grip, she shifted her weight slightly to her other side. “Lyra, the moment I get its attention, you should run past and hide in the warehouse. I believe I can lose it in the alleyways and circle back. Keep your head down until I arrive, or someone can come save you.”

“Not a chance am I leaving you!” She responded, stomping her hoof angrily. “I can help with the smaller things, in case they try to get in the way! I'm not about to hide while my friend does something crazy.”

Knowing that arguing with the stubborn unicorn was going to be pointless, she let out a sigh and nodded. “Very well. I'll give it a whack or two to ensure it has its focus on us, then you lead us away.” Her friend nodded in agreement and the two hugged briefly, terrified of what might happen to them, before tearing out from behind cover.

The creature noticed them instantly, straightening up to its full height on cloven hooves. The lightning between the horns crackled louder, slowly building up a dark ball of energy between them. With a loud cry Octavia swung hard with all her might, her blade whacking hard against the beast's leg.

The creature stared down at her, unimpressed, unflinching, and thoroughly unfazed.

“... Shit” Lyra said.

The creature unleashed the built-up magic.

The giant ball of energy hurled downward and exploded on the ground beside them, throwing the mares several meters through the air. They landed roughly, bouncing several times along the ground. Octavia's impromptu flight was cut painfully short by a pile of rocks and rubble, while Lyra was spared the extra pain and merely tumbled to a stop a little further away. Shaking her head to try and stop the spinning, the unicorn hopped up and ran towards her friend. “Octavia!”

The earth pony groaned, her entire body coursing with pain from the attack and her trip through the air. Thankfully nothing felt like it was broken, but a gash left on her forehead was bleeding down along the side of her muzzle, and her vision was slightly blurred. “Lyra, I... I think we're in trouble.” She mumbled, trying to force her body to move. Looking upward at the lumbering behemoth, they both took a sharp breath of fear, Lyra pulling her friend close.

The pair of petrified ponies huddled together, holding each other tight as the monstrosity towered high above their forms. Raising one of its enormous hands, a swirling mass of dark purple and black energy began to glow and circle around it, getting larger by the moment. Wiping the trail of blood from her eyes, Octavia squeezed her companion tightly. Please, somepony... anypony... she wished desperately.

The creature swung it's mighty fist.

Lyra closed her eyes.

Octavia stared on, the last ray of hope dimming.

A sudden flash of white sparkled high above them, diving from a rooftop nearby. Bounding along several different pieces of falling rubble, she sent a great ball of fire into the thing's face as she skidded to the ground. The creature let out a loud growl, its fist swinging wide and missing the pair of mares by inches. Shielding her eyes briefly from the shower of stones and dirt, she then turned her gaze back to the sight before her.

From nowhere a bright white unicorn had appeared, standing between the two mares and their giant foe. Adorning a very unkempt two-tone blue mane and tail, a weapon rested on her back as she stood tall and stared at a creature several times her size, seemingly unfazed by their difference in height. Through slightly blurry vision Octavia couldn't make out the exact details, but she could tell it was vastly different than what she held. Despite the clear difference, the cellist's gut told her it was a very similar object. Wielding it with a graceful twirl, she swung it around until it pointed at her foe.

“I am not in the mood for your shit right now, Darkside. Get the Tartarus outta here!”

As the creature went to pull its fist back up, the mare spun around quickly and her horn flared an icy blue. A bright white ball of frost smashed against the appendage, covering it in ice. The hand now frozen to the ground, the unicorn sprinted forward with shocking speed and jumped onto the limb. Hurling her weapon through the air in an arc, she ran up the arm with ease towards the head. Her weapon smacked into it with a loud clink, rebounding back the way it came from as the monster reared back from the impact, shattering the ice as its arm raised back up. Leaping forward and catching it in her hoof, she spun around with a loud roar of anger and landed a powerful slash across the face, her momentum carrying her up and over the creature as she placed several more swings along the way.

Landing on the ground she skidded a few meters, breathing a bit faster as she stared up at her opponent. A fist swung down at her and she held her weapon sideways, deflecting the attack to the side. Her horn lit up, this time fiery red, launching a succession of flames straight into the creature's unprotected face. It reeled back several steps from the onslaught, seeming to struggle to find its balance against a mare so much smaller than it. Regaining composure, it stood still and stared down at its opponent with giant golden eyes.

“I said get the buck out!” Another flourish, and the tip of her weapon began to glow faintly, seeming to draw in energy from the air around it.

The creature held its ground, gaze unwavering from the weapon. A moment later it rumbled softly before slowly floating upward off the ground and into the sky, eventually disappearing into the giant black orb that hung above the town. Staring up for a long moment, the unicorn gave a firm nod and in a flash of light her weapon disappeared. Turning toward the two mares propped up against the wall, she trotted over quickly, hopping across rubble and craters caused by the fight. As she drew closer, Octavia realized the mare was wearing a set of purple sunglasses across her muzzle, hiding her eyes from them.

“Looks like your lucky day.” The unicorn said, kneeling down as the glow of her horn flared green. “Hold still.” A flash of magic washed over Octavia, the pain in her head growing and causing her to let out a groan of discomfort. Slowly it began to dull to a subtler, but still very apparent, throbbing sensation on her forehead. Reaching up with a hoof to gently rub the spot, she was surprised to find that the bleeding had stopped, and the wound had scabbed over. “I'm Vinyl by the way, call me Vi.”

“H-how...”

“Sorry,” Vinyl cut her off, “don't have time for playin' twenty questions. Can y' stand?” Octavia nodded, her and Lyra both slowly getting to their hooves as the wind began to howl around them. “We gotta get moving!” Their savior raised her voice above the wind. “Follow me, stay close, we'll be fine.” Without waiting for a response, the unicorn spun in place and took off running. The pair of friends exchanged a very brief, confused look, before sprinting after her.

The trio of mares tore through the city at breakneck pace, Vinyl leading the way. Any of the shadow creatures that ended up in their path were either hit by magic or smashed away by the mare's quick hooves. The ground began to rumble consistently as the wind blew more fiercely, forcing Lyra and Octavia to squint against the onslaught of dust and debris thrown around. For a few long minutes they battled down the streets, the number of creatures somehow continuing to grow by the moment.

They skidded around another corner, the leading mare nodding her head at a park they were fast approaching. “Almost there!” Despite wondering how the open space of a park would help them, the earth pony didn't have the breath to question their leader and simply drew a little closer as they finished closing the distance. As they cleared the outer ring of trees that surrounded the space, they came face-to-face with a bizarre sight.

It looked like something out of a science fiction comic, one of those imaginary vessels used to travel through outer space. Large colorful blocks were the bulk of its construction, a glass dome sitting on the very top. Two large cylinders sat on either side of the ship, large openings at the very back of them, and a pair of white wings just below them. The colors made it look a bit comical, and if it weren't such a serious situation, Octavia might have found herself laughing at the absurdity of its appearance. Vinyl's horn flared magenta, and a small ramp was released from the object with a hiss, lowering itself down to the ground as a path inside. “Alright girls, get in and buckle up we need t' leave.” She said, hopping up onto the ramp.

“H-hang on!” Octavia exclaimed. “Leaving!? What about the other ponies in Canterlot? We can't just abandon them.”

Looking over her shoulder, Vinyl raised an eyebrow. “Sorry t' say, but the ship only carries three ponies. I'm taking you, and if y' want your marefriend to come along 'm pretty sure that adds up to three.”

“Hey! We aren't marefriends!” Lyra protested. “We're just really good pals!”

“Whatever. You two plus me still adds up t' three.” She looked up at the sky, grimacing slightly. “Also we're out of time, we wouldn't be able t' save anypony else anyway. Ship leaves in sixty seconds, I'd suggest getting on board.”

Without hesitation, Lyra sprinted up the ramp and onto the ship, disappearing inside. Octavia turned to look at the town slowly crumbling behind her as the dark creatures swarmed over it. In the distance, she saw the peak of Canterlot University, and her heart broke as she watched it collapse out of sight. She looked back over her shoulder at the unicorn. “Please, there... there must be something we can do. Anything.” She asked softly, already knowing the answer she would receive.

With a heavy sigh, Vinyl turned around inside the ship and looked down the ramp at her, lifting up her purple shades and revealing a pair of ruby red eyes. Her voice suddenly softened as she looked on. “I know this 's a lot to take in, I've been there. And I know that... running off isn't easy, and I promise to explain everything when we're safe. But if we don't leave now, we won't be able to.” She held out her hoof, looking the cellist in the eyes. “Do you trust me?”

Glancing back one final time at the flood of shadows slowly covering the city, and the giant pulsing orb of black in the sky, she met the unicorn's gaze and nodded, grasping the hoof with her own. “I do.” She said softly, taking the last few steps onto the ship. The ground beneath them began to shake and heave, causing Vinyl to dive into the front chair.

“Hang on girls, gonna be a tad bumpy.” The ramp sealing shut with a hiss, Vinyl's hooves flew over the control panel to bring her vessel to life, sunglasses already back over her eyes. “Come on Wubs, don't let me down now!” She yelled, the various buttons and readouts lighting up in various shades and colors as the device powered up, a soft hum and vibration coursing through the frame. Grasping the stick and yanking back firmly, Octavia and Lyra held on to their seats tightly as the ship was thrust upward into the air, taking only a moment before clearing the tops of the buildings. Angling the ship upward, Vinyl's horn lit up and she stood on her seat, and in a flash of light summoned her weapon before her.

Octavia's ears perked as she heard the unicorn take a deep breath and whisper “May your heart...”, pointing her weapon out in front of them. Sharing a worried look with Lyra, the pair sat on the edge of their chairs waiting. A long moment passed, before slowly a bright white light began to shine from the tip of her weapon, growing brighter before shooting a beam out through the windshield and stopping several meters in front of the ship. With a gentle roar a swirling mass of green and white appeared, forming what looked like a tunnel of light. With a laugh of triumph Vinyl stowed her weapon against the side of her chair, flopping down onto the seat and grabbing the controls. “Alright! Here we go!”

Thrusting the controls forward, the hum of the engines echoed louder as they launched forward as they entered the pathway before them, before it sealed shut behind their vessel.

And Canterlot fell into darkness.

In the middle of a large library stood a round stone table, a dark black crystal sitting in the center, pulsing softly. A hooful of creatures sat around it in silence, keeping themselves occupied with a variety of books, parchments, scrolls, or even just leaning back with their eyes closed. Nothing but the sound of scribbling quills and turning pages filled the silence, until the double doors leading to the room were roughly shoved open, a turquoise pegasus entering between them.

Wearing a flightsuit of purple, black and yellow, she strode towards the table with a sauntering trot, a broad smirk across her muzzle as she took an empty chair among her comrades. All turned to look at her, and the silence lasted on for several long moments. She took a long, slow sip from a mug in front of her, kicking back in the seat. With a scoff, a blue unicorn tossed her scroll on the table.

“Well?” She demanded, annoyance coursing through her voice. “Did you succeed?”

Taking another long moment to enjoy her drink, the pegasus let out a short laugh. “Of course I did! Who do you think you're talking to?” Setting the mug down, she smirked across to the unicorn. “Some of us are actually able to do our jobs.”

Scoff. “In case you don't recall, Trixie's job was to be a distraction, something she notes seems to have gone well if you weren't bothered. Trixie believes she is owed your thanks, Dust.”

With a shrug, Lightning Dust used her hindlegs on the table to tilt her seat back. “What I recall, Tricksty is making this the third world I've dropped into the dark, not to mention the necklace I've collected. Face it, you're just here as a walking bullseye.”

A pair of pale olive unicorns set their books down to watch the two mares. “Seems like they're at it again, wouldn't you say brother of mine?”

Flam nodded with a smile. “Indeed they do, brother of mine. Are you thinking what I'm thinking?”

“I do believe so!” Flim replied.

The brothers hoofbumped, before proclaiming in unison “Fifty bits on the lunatic!”

A female griffon scoffed. “Jokes on you, both of these lamers are lunatics.”

“Can it Gilda!” Dust growled, swinging her hindlegs off the table, forehooves slamming down on the surface instead.

Twirling a random book around in her magic, Trixie waved at her. “You must forgive Lightning Dust, Trixie does not believe she has the intelligence or talent to understand the compliment to her personality.”

“Talent!? I have more talent in one wing than you do in your entire body. I'm getting things done, while you get to run around and pretend to be helpful.”

With a small shrug, the unicorn tipped her magic hat upward to fully clear her vision. “Interesting, and how has that talent held up against Rainbow Dash?”

Wings snapping open, yellow arcs of electricity flashed along their length as Lightning's amber irises glowed gently. “I'll show you just how much more power I have, miss stage show.” Trixie's horn began to glow brighter as the two stared each other down, daring the other to make the first move.”

“ENOUGH!” A voice bellowed across the room, shelves shuddering slightly under the weight of the volume. Ears splaying back, both mares sank deeper into their seats, their magic fading away quickly. An alicorn with a magenta coat strode into their midst, staring the pair down until neither mare could look back. “Enough foaling around, you're going to give me a migraine.” Taking her seat in a large chair along the table, she looked once more at Lightning Dust. “Tell me.”

Sitting up a little straighter, the pegasus took a deep breath. “Canterlot is gone, I stepped out just before it was cut off completely from the Realm of Light. There's no way they won't notice its disappearance, Opaline. At some point they'll be forced to try something.”

“Of course they will, Dust. Why do you think my plan involves dropping worlds so quickly, instead of harvesting them for more Hearts to feed the darkness?” Flicking her mane slightly, she sat silent for a moment. “Was anyone there? Were you noticed? I'd hate for someone to have tracked you back here."

“They sent that white unicorn, Vinyl? Don't worry, she was too busy with the world falling apart to ever catch a glimpse of me.”

Gilda raised an eyebrow. “Wait, no Sunset? Not even an Element? They sent the twerp to check it out?”

Rolling her eyes, Trixie let out a sigh. “While she is new to Twilight's influence, Trixie must admit the unicorn you speak of has the ability to be quite an annoyance.”

“Indeed!” Flim exclaimed as he straightened out his bowtie. “Why you remember how she held her own against all three sirens!”

“You're quite right, dear brother. Those hooves of hers are no joke!”

Opaline shook her head. “That mare is just another body to work around, a piece on the board like all the others. I doubt she happened to go with the world into darkness?”

Lightning shook her head. “Nah, she got out on her gummiship with the other two right before I slipped away.”

Opaline's ears perked up, and she narrowed her eyes at the pegasus. “I'm sorry, I thought for a moment I heard you say 'other two'. But I must have been mistaken, because surely you would have LED WITH THAT.”

Now looking very nervous, Dust shifted in her seat uncomfortably as every eye at the table turned on her. “W-well... compared to her it didn't seem that important. I mean, at this point in our plan what's one more keyblade to...”

Seething, purple hooves slammed on the table. “YOU WATCHED HER ESCAPE WITH A NEW WIELDER!?”

“I don't see why it matters.” Gilda grumbled. “At this stage of the plan? We're so far ahead, there's no way it's going to matter.”

“Trixie must agree. Even with natural talent, she does not see how a fresh keyblade could stand against any of us.”

“As fascinating as this topic is,” Gilda cut in, “do we have any idea yet where we need to go? Once we have all the Elements, I mean. So far, that thing” she gestured to the dark, slowly pulsing crystal in the center of the table, “has been quiet about that part.”

With a sigh, Opaline stared at the adornment. “Not yet, whatever power it has within is still quite weak. I believe as we continue to gather the Elements to ourselves it will regain more of its strength, and guide us where to go. After all, the images it shows have become more clear after each of the necklaces we've taken from those foals.”

Lightning raised her voice. “Worst case, I'm sure we can narrow it down. There are only so many worlds that closely border the line between Light and Dark. What about that pegasus you got from the Academy, any chance to put her into play?”

Opaline let out a disgruntled huff. “While she's happy to play around exploring the Dark Corridors and the Realm of Darkness, I don't think she's been swayed enough to fully push back against the Light. That Academy training runs deep after all. And with Vinyl running around, I would hate for an old friendship to spark and take her away before we can utilize her.”

“Trixie is unsure how much use that mare will be anyway. At this rate, by the time we can use her, we'll already have our goal.”

“Perhaps, but there's no harm in an extra bench-warmer.” Opaline got up and stretched her wings, before turning and walking away from the table. “With Canterlot fallen, they'll begin to scramble and panic; we can use that to our advantage. Once we find out how they plan to react, we can misdirect them while we track down the rest of the necklaces.” Letting out a loud laugh, the others at the table merely grimaced and sat still, waiting for her to finish. Clearing her throat, she continued away from the table and out of the library. “Do not disappoint me.”

The door shut behind the Alicorn, but the rest of the table remained in their seats, the silence finally broken by Lightning Dust. “We have three of the necklaces so far, any luck on the others?”

Opening her scroll back up, Trixie gave a slow nod. “Clearly it was not in Canterlot, so Trixie believes the only place left is Ponyville itself.”

“After we failed to find one on Sweet Apple Acres, we all but wrote it off.” Flim explained. “We thought Twilight was protecting the town as a weak-spot from having lived there...”

“...but if not her childhood home, than where else but the place she made her first friends?” Flam finished.

“And if I know Dash, hers is in Cloudsdale.” Gilda chimed in. “Haven't figured out where, but she can't use the Wonderbolt's Stadium so Cloudsdale is where she'd shove it.”

“Ahuizotl took Blueblood, and they're combing the Everfree. It won't be long before they find the one hiding there.” With a stretch, Lightning turned from the table, rolling her stiff neck around. “I'm gonna catch some sleep, taking a Dark Corridor out of a falling world is always such a pain.” Ignoring the renewed conversation behind her, she stepped out into the hallway. Turning, she saw Opaline standing nearby, leaning against the wall. Pushing off, she approached the pegasus.

“Watch the Stadium for the next few days. If there is a new wielder, they will take them there.”

Digging her hooves into the stone beneath her, the pegasus snorted. “I'll do what I want.”

The Alicorn smiled down, her voice suddenly sickly sweet. “Oh come now Lightning, you haven't forgotten our little agreement after all these years, have you? Once Kingdom Hearts restores my full Alicorn powers, I will be generous enough to grant you enough pegasus magic to out-fly even Rainbow Dash.” Turning her back to the pegasus, she said over her shoulder “At least, if you can prove your worth.”

Growling for a moment, she gritted her teeth before letting out a sigh. “I'll start dropping by tomorrow.”

Trotting down the hall, Opaline let out a soft chuckle. “I thought you might.”