Twilight was trotting through the Everfree Forest, her destination, Zecora's hut. It might've been the fact that she had grown stronger in her use of magic over the years, but she wasn't as scared as she normally was when going into the mysterious woods. Still, that didn't mean she let her guard down when she was trotting along.

Soon Zecora's hut came into view, nothing had changed, at least from what Twilight could tell from the outside. The strange tribal masks still adorned the front of her hut, along with the sweet aroma of whatever concoction the zebra was brewing. Twilight trotted up to the front door of the hut and gave it a few knocks with her hoof. It wasn't long before the door opened and the monochrome zebra was revealed.

"Hi Zecora," Twilight gave the zebra mare a hug, to which Zecora returned, "I was wondering if-if I could speak with you about something?"

Zecora noticed the concerned look on the lavender unicorn's face, which made her curious. "But of course oh enchanter, please enter."

Twilight walked into the hut, it was the same as she remembered it. Various jars and bottles containing different potions lined the shelves around her home, the familiar black cauldron was bubbling in the center of the room, while the candles lit up the inside.

Zecora ushered Twilight to the table where she sat down, with Zecora sitting across from her. "Now Twilight Sparkle, what seems to be your boggle," she asked.

Twilight rubbed the back of her head with her forehoof, "Oh my, where should I even start…?" In the end Twilight decided to regale Zecora of events passed from the beginning. Starting with the incidents taking place around Equestria, leading up to Bright Blade's apparent episode at Canterlot, all the while the wise shaman listened intently, carefully. "So I was wondering, if you've ever heard anything about a Red Ghost that makes ponies want to kill each other, really any information you could give me would help." Zecora's eyes narrowed at the mention of the Red Ghost, and it didn't help that she had remained silent for a while now. "Zecora…?"

Zecora still didn't say a word; she rose from her sitting position and began trotting to a room with a curtain for a door. She reappeared a minute later carrying, what appeared to be, a book upon her back. When Zecora walked up to the table she slid the book onto the table and eyed it critically. "This tome that I lay before you holds the answers to your woe. But take heed Twilight, for once it is done you may get more then you need."

Twilight stared at the book before her; it was leather bound and black in color, with metal edges. There was a circle seal upon the cover, a symbol that not even she had seen before, but something told her that whatever it was wasn't anything good. Zecora just waited for Twilight to make the choice, she said nothing, but waited. With a gulp, Twilight opened the book and read the first page:

"And low I beheld, that there were days of peace, filled with happiness and free from strife. Songs would be sung, and dreams shall be made real, this, to me, was nothing short of paradise."

– Dalithian 8:11

Twilight turned the next few pages, pictures of non-pony beings having fun and playing games. Beside the pictures were sentences giving descriptions of what was going on, mostly done by somepony called Dalithian. "Zecora what is all this, the place that this book is describing doesn't appear to be Equestria?" Zecora didn't answer; she merely motioned with her hoof for Twilight to keep reading on. Twilight came up to another passage, by a different writer:

"And so I saw, that the days of peace were slowly coming to an end, neighbor would soon turn against neighbor, and even the mighty shall fall and succumb, becoming equal to a beast of baser instinct…"

- Alalenthe 5:6

At this passage Twilight became worried, it sounded just like what Bright Blade had described to her after the Trottingham Incident. After that passage more pictures were shown depicting just that, the non-pony beings slaughtering each other like rabid animals. Twilight winced as the pictures became more gruesome, showing large armies fighting savagely. But there was something that made Twilight look at them more intently, in the background was an ephemeral apparition that seemed to wander the illustrated battlefield. It was red as blood, with yellow eyes, and nopony seemed to notice, at least from what she could tell. If anything it seemed to be the instigator of it all.

"Zecora this is it! This is the Red Ghost! Now if only this thing would –!" Twilight gasped, the rest of the pages were blank, no more words, no more illustrations. "What-what is this, that can't be all!? Zecora what is this book!?"

"Many a night I would pray, to never see this day. But it would appear the die have been cast, this peace was not to last," said Zecora forlornly.

"What do you mean 'this peace was not to last,' you can't possibly be saying –!"

The book's blank pages shined brightly, making both mares jump back a few feet. When the light died out Twilight and Zecora gingerly walked back to the table. There, where there once were blank pages, a new passage had appeared:

"It would come to pass, the First Sign, as everything before me was reduced to constant destruction and fighting! All the while I cried out 'Why, why has all this madness been wrought upon us!?' In a blaze of crimson light my question had been answered! The specter that hath haunted the fields of bloody death did make itself known! I asked of it 'What are you!?' It only answered 'I am an Envoy…'"

– Silia 22:1

There were a few pictures depicting what the passage had said, but whoever or whatever drew them was only able to sketch out just a little of the "Envoy," unfortunately it was not enough. Twilight's heart was racing, her pupils reduced to the size of pinpricks. This book of unknown origin was telling the story of a world that had ended, and, possibly, foretelling the end of Equestria.

"This…This can't be true…ten years of peace…ten years of happiness and harmony…what was the purpose of fighting in the War of Darkness if only to delay the inevitable!? Is there even a chance for us to stop these prophecies from coming to pass?" Twilight asked.

Before Zecora could finish her sentence a series of explosions rumbled through the air. Twilight and Zecora rushed out of the hut and frantically looked around for the source of the explosion. There seemed to be nothing around them, no signs of destruction. It wasn't until Twilight looked up into the air and saw smoke rising in the general direction of Ponyville. All manner of horrifying scenarios played through her mind, and it didn't help that she just read the "Book of Doom."

With that Twilight galloped away through the woods, a few seconds later Zecora saw a purple flash of light shine through the shadows of the trees, along with a popping sound. The zebra mare just stood there and sighed.

{There was nothing we could do to prevent this.} Zecora turned her head and saw the ghostly white stag trotting towards her, his eyes full of sympathy for what she was feeling.

***1 Hour Earlier***

Bright Blade had awoken from his slumber; the first thing he noticed was the lack of warmth by his side. The next thing that roused him was the absence of a distinctive lavender smell. When Bright had fully opened his eyes he wondered why Twilight was not beside him. The alicorn stallion, against his better judgment, left the comfortable warmth of the blankets.

The air inside was cool, not too bad, but that still didn't stop his body from letting out a few shivers. His nose then caught the scent of something sweet coming from downstairs. Bright Blade descended the stairs and saw an azure unicorn mare placing breakfast on the table. Curious, Bright Blade approached the table. On it was a pitcher full of ice cold orange juice, a plate with a stick of butter, a container of maple syrup, and a stack or two of steaming hot pancakes.

The unicorn mare was just coming out of the kitchen when she saw him eyeing the breakfast. "If you're wondering if I poisoned the food, don't be, it's perfectly safe." Bright Blade's head shot up, surprised by the unicorn's words. "You can even choose which stack I eat first to test it if you'd like?"

"No, no, that's not necessary," said Bright Blade, suddenly feeling a bit guilty.

"Relax Bright Blade, come, sit, you're a growing stallion and I've made enough for the both of us," said Trixie.

Still feeling a little guilty, Bright Blade sat on one of the cushions. Using his telekinesis, he levitated a plate of pancakes over to himself. Trixie sat across from him and did the same, and after pouring some syrup and layering some butter on them, the two ponies began to eat.

The fork stopped about halfway to Bright's mouth. "Oh, it's um, good – you're both good!"

Bright Blade sighed, "Forgive me if my first impression of you was that of a crazed psycho sorceress."

"I'll admit I wasn't in my right state of mind. My pride consumed me, but a small part of me still had some…sanity left. Which was why I had…I had…" Trixie sighed heavily and put her fork and knife down. She sat up and began walking to Bright's side of the table.

Bright Blade got up and looked at Trixie's face, he couldn't read her. "Trixie…?"

The silver maned mare began rubbing the back of her head, "Listen Bright Blade, I know you haven't made an attempt to hide that the only reason you're trusting me is because of Twilight."

"I've spent the last few years trying to reestablish the trust of this town, and those who dwell within it. I wanted to live up to the trust that Twilight placed in me, which was why I didn't hesitate when she asked me to take the position of librarian." Trixie trotted closer to Bright Blade and gently placed her left hoof on his shoulder. She felt as he flinched under her touch, but he didn't back away. "But I know that I have yet to make things right by you…"

"Yes I do! Out of all the ponies I hurt, both you and Twilight are the ones I've hurt the most. That's why I'd like to start over with you, I know you cannot forget the past, but I'd like to start something new."

Trixie backed up from Bright Blade and held out her right hoof, Bright could see it in her eyes, she was genuinely trying to make amends, if only to start trying to at least. With a gentle smile, Bright Blade clasped Trixie's right hoof with his own and the two shook. "Okay, we'll start over, clean slate?"

Bright Blade let that one slide, he was about to take a sip of orange juice when something hit him. The glass he was holding in his telekinetic grip shattered to pieces. Bright's vision was once again becoming tinted with shades of red, his heart beating faster, his breathing becoming heavy.

Trixie watched the alicorn stallion as he shook his head violently, as if trying to get something out his mind. "Bright Blade what's wrong!?"

Just then a scream erupted from outside. Both Trixie and Bright galloped to the front door and burst through it, they then scanned the area the best they could. It seemed quiet enough, but the other townsponies were on edge, some shaking, as if suppressing some unknown feeling. It didn't take them long before they saw the cause of the scream.

A stallion had just beaten another stallion to death, his forehooves stained with the blood of his victim. The one left standing was just as beat up, but his breathing was labored and he was growling like a beast. Before either of them could do anything a mare randomly came out of nowhere and cracked the stallion over the head with a thick piece of two-by-four. Then another mare came punched out the mare with the two-by-four.

It soon cascaded from there, one mare punching out another, a stallion tossing a table into a brawling crowd, after a while the streets were becoming one big smack down.

Bright Blade was recalling what Broadside had told him happened before Coltton dissolved into the chaotic mess it had become, and now he was witnessing it right before his eyes. But what made it harder to watch was the overwhelming urge to join in and take them all down, he knew he could do it, for him it would a simple task, like stretching his wings.

"Bright Blade…Bright Blade…BRIGHT BLADE!!!" The alicorn stallion snapped out his trance like state and saw that Trixie was shaking him with her hooves. "This isn't the time, I need you here Bright, we need to keep everypony from hurting themselves and I can't do it alone!"

Bright Blade looked to the brawling masses and back to Trixie. "Y-y-you're right, we have to stop this, don't worry Trixie I've got your back!"

"Glad to hear it!" Trixie stepped back a few feet, "Now allow me to slip into something more appropriate for the situation!"

Trixie's horn began to glow as she wrapped herself in a bubble made of magenta colored mana. Suddenly strands of violet and dark blue started to snake their way into the bubble, swirling about faster and faster, till the entire thing burst apart. Bright Blade stared in amazement at what he saw. She wore a violet hat and suit, with dark blue bindings on her hooves, a cowl with sky blue eyes, and long cape that flapped from the wind generated by the bubble disappearing. It was her, the masked super heroine, the Mysterious Mare-Do-Well!

"Well Bright Blade," Trixie's voice was augmented, it was still feminine, but had a gruff tone to it, "shall we get to work!?"

With that said the two of them dashed forth into the crowd, Bright Blade used his telekinesis to divide the crowd into two halves. Mare-Do-Well's horn shined with power as she prepared to unleash a spell! "Déste tous, na tous kratí̱sei akóma!" All around the ponies' bodies glowing chains were wrapped around them, they couldn't move as they struggled in vain to get free and rampage.

Unfortunately it wasn't stopping there as more and more pony citizens were succumbing to the madness with each passing second. Mare-Do-Well and Bright Blade continued their tactic, one would divide, and the other would conquer. The duo had made it halfway down town when they came upon Sugar Cube Corner. The windows had been shattered and the door had been busted open. They both felt a twinge of fear as they galloped like the wind towards the bakery!

At that moment both a stallion and mare were sent flying out of the shop, landing hard on their backs. Both ponies' faces were covered with cake and appeared to be knocked out. Bright Blade and Mare-Do-Well stared at the ponies curiously, but it wasn't long before five more ponies flew out of the shop, all their faces covered in a variety of different colored cakes.

A pink earth pony mare stepped out of the shop, wielding a rather large cake in her right hoof. "Who else wants some!!!?"

She snorted and growled, her crystal blue eyes searching for a new target, Bright and Mare-Do-Well were ready, just in case their friend was about to go mad. "Pinkie Pie…?" Bright Blade asked.

Pinkie Pie stared at the heroic duo and her angered expression turned to one of joy. "Bright Blade, Mare-Do-Well, boy am I glad to see you two!"

"These ponies just broke into Sugar Cube Corner and started to tear the place apart, luckily I had a few cakes in the back, so I began assaulting them with cakes!" Proving her point, another crazed pony started galloping towards the pink party pony, Pinkie Pie launched the confectionary treat right at the charging stallion hitting home. The stallion's head was thrown back from the impact and sent him tumbling about till he landed in a heap on the ground, unmoving.

"I went heavy on the flour, anyway, what in the name of Celestia is going on!!!?"

"It would be wise if you and your family head to Sweet Apple Acres, it should be far enough away from what's happening! We'll escort you there," said Mare-Do-Well.

"No, you two need to stay and help everypony! We'll be fine – PUMPKIN, POUND, TWIST, WE'RE LEAVING, NOW!!!" Pinkie Pie's shouting almost deafened Bright and Mare-Do-Well.

Soon Pumpkin and Pound Cake came running outside, both siblings carrying their mother's Party Cannon. The next to run out was a white earth pony mare; her red mane was beautifully curled, with stylish glasses adorning her face. Bright Blade almost didn't recognize this mare, if it wasn't for the candy cane cutie mark, and Pinkie Pie shouting the name, he wouldn't have believed it.

"Well of course it's me silly, who else would it be," said Twist, her lisp completely gone.

The group of four then rushed off as fast as they could, leaving the heroic duo to finish up their work around town.

Ponyville was starting to look like it was under siege again. Unfortunately the two of them alone were only delaying a full blown breakout. They had decided to split up and in order keep the whole town from killing itself. Bright Blade saw that a few of the pegasi were flying around and taking themselves out and decided to restrain them, at the same time Mare-Do-Well was taking care of the ground-bound ponies, the unicorns and earth ponies.

Mare-Do-Well felt like she was getting a handle on the situation, that was, until, the explosion. A giant blast erupted a few yards away from Mare-Do-Well as a building completely crumbled down. The masked heroine teleported herself to the spot where the explosion occurred and saw Bright Blade standing before the burning building, completely still.

The alicorn stallion slowly turned around, his wings flared outwards; a wicked grin adorned his lips, and the final piece, his eyes. Bright's eyes were completely red, no irises, no pupils, just glowing orbs of crimson. Mare-Do-Well gasped at the sight, Bright Blade had succumbed to the madness.

Bright Blade didn't answer her. His horn began to erupt with golden mana as he pointed it straight at Mare-Do-Well. Bright's horn fired a beam of energy, the force of it tearing the ground apart as it sailed towards the mysterious mare.

"Archaía téchni̱:̱ Aspída Tou Karkínou!" The symbol for Cancer appeared around Mare-Do-Well in the form of a magic circle. The circle glowed light blue as it surrounded her in a protective shield, completely nullifying Bright Blade's attack. "Bright Blade you must stop this, think about Twilight!"

The beam stopped firing, for a moment Mare-Do-Well thought that she had gotten through to the stallion. That notion was quickly shot down as the golden alicorn let loose a volley of magic bolts at the shield once again. "DIE, DIE, DIE, BURN AWAY AND DIE!!!"

"You need to cool off! Archaía téchni̱:̱ Ydrochóos Palirroïkó Kýma!" The symbol for Aquarius burned in the air above the shield, droplets of water and mana started to gather at the symbol, condensing, becoming more and more powerful. The combined power of water and mana released themselves in a great deluge as the giant torrent roared right at Bright Blade.

The tidal wave engulfed Bright Blade, but from within the torrent, a golden light shined. Bright Blade had erected a barrier around himself. "IS THAT THE BEST YOU GOT!!!?"

"Not even close! Archaía téchni̱:̱ Kriós Aspída Diakópti̱!" The symbol for Aries appeared in front of the Mare-Do-Well's barrier, glowing red. The symbol fired a concentrated beam of mana through the tidal blast, the beam slammed against Bright's barrier smashing it to pieces. The beam eventually hit Bright Blade and sent him flying through one building after the next. "Sorry Bright Blade, but it was for your own good."

Bright Blade was not down long, he shot up from the ruined buildings, as the alicorn stallion hovered in the air. He zeroed in on the masked mare, his crimson eyes still blazing with bloodlust. Bright Blade gathered his energy and surrounded himself in a sphere of golden mana. The sphere then zoomed straight for Mare-Do-Well, streaking like a comet!

"Oh buck…!" Mare-Do-Well also created a sphere of magenta colored mana, the two orbs clashed against each other, sending sparks flying in every direction. At first it was a stalemate, and then, little by little, Mare-Do-Well's sphere was being pushed back. Her sphere dug into the ground with every inch.

Bright Blade, with insane laughter, infused more power into his sphere. Causing it to grow three times larger than it already was, transforming it into an enormous fireball of golden mana! Mare-Do-Well tried to match the alicorn's power, but was finding it more difficult given the multiple spells she had cast previously. The gold sphere soon found enough leverage to push the sphere along. The two of them sailed through the air, only mere inches from the ground, as the golden orb plowed against the magenta sphere.

Mare-Do-Well's sphere was breaking apart; she could feel the strain on as her mind worked to keep it together. Finally, no longer able to take the attack, Mare-Do-Well dispelled the orb and barrel rolled to the left, allowing Bright Blade's attack to go through unmolested. Mare-Do-Well was panting hard as she took in the sight of their new location. Their little tug of war had sent them all the way into the center of town.

What in Equestria do I have to do in order to get through to him, thought Mare-Do-Well.

Bright Blade broke out from his sphere, the particles of energy danced in the air around Bright. The stallion's horn glowed and the particles changed into dozens of individual orbs. He then launched all of them at blinding speeds; Mare-Do-Well had to do some fancy hoofwork in order to dodge most of them. Five of them struck Mare-Do-Well, three hit her body, the fourth at her right hind leg, and the fifth hit her face. All five orbs exploded on impact, creating a cloud of dust all around her.

The dust finally settled and Mare-Do-Well, or rather Trixie was damaged. The cape was tattered and worn, parts of her costume were ripped and burned, the hat had been blasted off, and most of the cowl was gone revealing half of Trixie's face and most of her horn. Trixie tried to move but her right hind leg ached with pain, as did the rest of her body.

"I'M GOING TO TEAR YOU APART TRIXIE! I'LL RIP YOUR LEGS OFF ONE BY ONE, SLOWLY – OH SO SLOWLY!!"

"Listen to yourself, this isn't you!!! Bright Blade don't make me have to…!" Mare-Do-Well summoned her power once again, waiting for just the right moment to attack.

Bright Blade called forth even more of his power, his horn flaring with mana energy. At that moment about two dozen orbs of golden energy floated around him, each orb then took the form of a sword pointed downwards. "BLADES OF LIGHT!"

Trixie watched as the blades all pointed towards her, she waited, ready to counterattack.

Both Trixie and Bright Blade watched as Twilight teleported herself right to them, putting herself between the two. Bright's red eyes narrowed, glaring at his marefriend.

"I know Trixie," Twilight turned her gaze to the sky, where Bright Blade was hovering prepared to attack. "I know exactly what's wrong."

"Twilight…?" Trixie didn't understand what she was talking about, did she truly know what was going on.

Twilight, now knowing the plight of her coltfriend, tried to reason with him, to bring him back. "Bright Blade I know about the Red Ghost, I know it's controlling you! You're stronger then this thing, don't let it win!"

Bright Blade cocked his head to the right, as if wondering what her words meant. He then smiled a wicked smile as he fired a mana blast straight for Twilight, the beam struck the lavender mare's horn sending her flying backwards. Trixie quickly caught Twilight in her telekinetic aura and set her safely down on all fours. "Twilight are you alright!?"

"Y-yeah I'm fine…" Twilight touched her horn where Bright Blade had hit her; the moment she brought her hoof to it she was zapped. "OUCH!"

Twilight felt Trixie push her to the right as a Blade of Light sailed right for them, slicing Trixie's left shoulder. The azure mare hissed as the pain surged through her left foreleg. Both mares landed on top of each other in a heap, Twilight groaned then gasped upon seeing Trixie's injury. The lavender mare looked upwards and watched as Bright Blade maneuvered the remaining Blades of Light in their direction.

The alicorn stallion let out a savage roar and let loose the Blades of Light. Trixie was down, and Twilight's horn was incapacitated, all that was left was to watch. Or so the two mares thought.

A light pink, octagon shaped, energy shield appeared in front of Twilight and Trixie. The shield emitted a lovely musical tune as the Blades of Light bounced off and disintegrated upon impact. Both magicians stared at the shield, wondering where it came from.

Bright Blade, however, was not amused by this intervention. His horn was ablaze with mana, prepared to fire a powerful magic bolt at the shield.

Bright Blade immediately cancelled his spell when he saw dozens of gold tipped fire arrows whizzing straight for him. The golden alicorn stallion flew upwards, but the arrows followed him. He banked right, then left, and then swooped low, Bright took a look behind and was frustrated, nothing could shake them.

Bright Blade heard the voice and quickly looked forward, only to see an energy wave fissuring the ground as it snaked towards him on an intercept course. Bright stopped and created an energy shield around himself at the last minute, the arrows and energy wave collided on his position, exploding rather spectacularly.

Twilight rose up on all fours, giving Trixie a shoulder to lean on as she shakily got to her hooves. At that moment three mares landed before them, garbed in golden armor. The center mare had an apple red mane, a twin tailed pink scarf, a hammer holstered on her left, and two octagon shaped shoulder pads that floated just mere inches near her actual shoulders.

The mare to her right was a pegasus with flaming wings, she had a more streamed lined build. Her front leg horseshoes had two boxes with a spike protruding from them.

The mare on the left had see-through lace capes that draped, stopping at her knees. Her hoof plate bracers had various music notes molded into them, along with a choker that had a bell hanging from it.

Twilight recognized these mares, and was overjoyed that they had arrived in the nick of time. "GIRLS!"

Twilight has learned the grim truth behind the apparition that haunts her coltfriend on the battlefield and now fears an even greater threat to their world! Meanwhile, Bright Blade has succumbed to the rage of the Red Ghost, along with the rest of Ponyville! Can the arrival of the Valkyries turn the tide and prevent a tragedy!?

Find out next time in Part 8 of the First Sign Arc of Equestrian Epoch: Final Hope!

Equestrian Epoch: Final Hope

by Michael_Ravencroft

First Sign: Part 7