Chapter 1
Closer To The Truth
A Television flickered to life in a dark from, occupied by a couch and princess Luna. Behind her lay a tightly bandaged Twilight. It had been three days since Luna’s escape. A small remote, glowing in Luna’s light blue magic, flickered as the channels began to shift, until they settled on a channel titled Canterlot News. There, standing on the middle the royal courtyard, stood Princess Celestia. But something was different. Instead of their usual color, her eyes were a dark green, and she wore a grotesque grin on her face. Behind her, four hooded ponies knelt, ensnared in guillotine devices. Celestia smiled brightly for the television.
“Ah, my children,” she said, eyes flashing, “I'm sure many you have heard of the incident of last night. Some rumors have been flying about that the Changeling Queen, as well as Discord, have returned, and attacked the royal palace.” she smiled gently. “Well, I am here to reassure that those rumors, are simply rumors.” Luna’s ears perked. “Instead, the kingdom was attack by seven ponies. They attempted to assassinate me and take the throne by force! they are here now, ready to pay for their acts of treason with their lives. Guards!” Four royal guards in bright Golden armour strode forward. “Remove the captives hoods!”
Slowly the guards removed the dark hoods from the faces of the four ponies. Luna gasped in horror and surprise. There, knelt four of the wielders of the Elements of Harmony: Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie. They’re faces were beaten and bloodied, eyes and faces stained with tears, blood, and other fluids, showing signs that some stallions, “had a go,” at them. Celestia however, wasn’t done yet. “But," she continued, “Did I not say seven?” she moved away from the the camera to reveal Rainbow Dash, tied to a pole. She was the most disfigured, also showing signs of stallion brutality, as well as blood coursing down the left side of her face. Her left eye was shut tight, blood still seeping from the cracks, and a gag lay in her mouth. There were bruises and cuts traveling up and down her body as she glared at the camera. Her eye however, revealed her intense pain, sadness, and disgrace. Tears began to well in them as she looked at her friends on deaths row.
“These five are guilty of conspiring against the royal throne,” Celestia said commandingly, “and Equestria in a whole. They will now be sentenced to beheading by guillotine in a public execution. Do you have anything to say for yourselves, traitors?”
Rarity, somehow mustered enough courage and strength, lifted her head, and spat at Celestia, the glob missing by several feet. Celestia raised an eyebrow at looked at her quizzically, “And what was that supposed to accomplish?” she asked, motioning to one of her guards. Rarity screeched as a guard struck her flank hard with the flat of his spear.
“You-” she coughed, blood flowing from her mouth. ‘You will never get away with this!” she hissed. “Princess Luna and Twilight will return! They will save-” she was cut off as as the guard struck her in the flank once again, causing her to cry out in pain. Celestia turned back to the camera.
“As I said,” she spoke solemnly, “There were seven. My dear sister and...” her voice cracked, “And my dedicated student... they betrayed me.” Her eyes hardened as she looked back at the camera. “They are enemies of Equestria. They are to be stopped as soon as possible, before they can gather more traitors, and declare war upon us.” She turned back to Rainbow Dash. “My forces believe that this pony,” she kicked rainbow hard in the gut, causing her to cough through her gag,” knows where the they are hiding. So, for the time being, she shall live. These ones however,” she turned to the kneeling ponies, ”are to be killed immediately.” There was a click, and guillotine blades began to rise.
Fluttershy, trembling, looked over at Rarity. “I’m scared.” She whispered, tears streaming down her face. “What’s going to happen? Will we ever see each other again?” Apple Jack glanced at her, blinking blood and tears from her eyes.
“Now you hush now sugarcube.” she croaked. “Everythings gonna be alright. Right?”
Pinkie spoke up, hair low, and flat; deflated. “Don't give her false hopes Applejack.” Pinkie Pie said. “We’re all going to die, though I guess at least it could be painless.” Fluttershy trembled even more.
“So, we are gonna never see each other again, aren't we?” she said, beginning to cry. Rarity smiled sadly.
“Well now, that's not necessarily true!” she said, as the guillotine blades clicked higher. “We’re all going to the same place.” She reassured them, tears growing in her own eyes. ‘There’s no doubt about that. We will see each other again, on the other side. And we will be friends. Friends till the end, and beyond.”
Fluttershy smiled. “Thank you Rarity.” she said closing her eyes as the clicking stopped. “I guess we will.” She smiled at all of her friends. “See you guys later.”
Luna turned her head as the guillotine fell, the image of the four ponies smiling, still friends on their deathbeds, burned into her mind. there were four “thunks”, signifying the death of four, noble, caring ponies, that had done everything, even given their lives for Equestria, harmony, and peace....
Or had they?
There was a scream of extreme pain, that drew Luna’s eyes back to the television screen. She stared in surprise, as the camera zoomed in on the now glowing body of rainbow dash. The gag, burned from her mouth, and the bods, shattering like glass. Around her, the beheaded bodies of the four ponies began to glow as well. They dissolved into bright balls of multicolored light, and shot into the sky. Rainbow Dash shone a brilliant bright blue, setting the pole around her ablaze.The guards stumbled back, blinded by the the light. Even Celestia had to cringed back as she shielded her dark green eyes. “What is this!?” she screeched, squeezing her eyes shut as the light flooded over her.
Then, a bright, blue, ball of multicolored light floated from Rainbows mouth. The light scalded the eyes of the gathered Ponies, and even Luna’s, who was forced to turn away. the light was pressing on from both sides. The blinding, painful... wait, both sides? Cringing, and shielding her eyes, Luna looked up towards the opposite side of the room, and gasped. Floating a few feet above the ground, was a glowing Twilight sparkle. Luna stumbled back, and crashed into the TV, which silenced the voice of Celestia, ordering guards to recapture a fleeing Rainbow Dash. Luna’s throat dried as she looked upon the floating specter, glowing bright in the dark room. Voice quivering, Luna asked, “Wh-what is it that thou requires from us, and who art thou?” The floating not-exactly-Twilight-thingy did not respond at once, but floated higher in the air.
“We are the Elements of Harmony.” said Twilight Sparkle, voice sounding like six Twilights, speaking at the same time, in different pitches. “And we are here to deliver you your destiny.” Luna shivered at Twilight’s ominous words.
“Our... destiny?” she asked hesitantly. Twilight nodded.
“Your destiny. To save Equestria from certain doom. To Lead the Next Generation of our welders. To do what's right for Equestria.”
Luna suddenly filled with angry, lashed out at the Element of harmony with barbed words. “Our destiny!? We were of the opinion that it was thy job to protect Equestria! Thou is the Elements of Harmony! And yet, thou did nothing to aid your followers and wielders!” she kicked the television on the ground, now featuring a Celestia using colorful words to describe Rainbow Dashes escape, towards Twilight. “Thou did nothing! And if it wasn’t for us, Then the one thou be possessing at the moment would have been killed because of your inability to be the guardian thou were meant to be!”
The Elements of Harmony floated closer to her, and Luna flinched back, squeezing her eyes shut, ready for any retribution the artifact would befall on her. However, much to her surprise, she did not receive an brutal scoldings, but rather a comforting hoof on the shoulder. She looked up to see a smiling twilight, eyes glowing bright.
"Ah, young Princess of the Night, We know you are confused, and lost, and feel as though you need someone other than yourself to blame," Luna flinched again, "but you cannot run from your destiny, for it will hunt you down somewhere along the way."
Luna cringed and looked away. Destiny. She thought. Was it really her destiny to fight against her sister again? "But," Luna said, "no one will help us! This will be the second time we have been forced to fight against our sister, and most do not trust us anymore!"
Twilight smiled again. "That comes to a good part of what we have to tell you." She said. "As there always must be wielders of the Elements of Harmony, when one of our hosts is killed, new ones shall take their place."
Luna's eyes widened. "Is thou implying that there are six new bearers of thy power?" Twilight nodded.
"Before you and your sister, there were also those before, and more before them. They are all recorded in our Sanctum of Harmony. There are six more to be found-" Twilight coughed and stumbled back." Luna took a step forwards.
"Is thou all right?" She asked hesitantly. Twilight looked up with a pained expression on her face.
"It is very strenuous for us to talk without a proper host. However, we can give you this last piece of advice; go to where it all began. The new wielders shall find you. Go to where you received your elements of harmony, and where countless generations before you received theirs. Go to Ponyville."