The Everfree Forest, 3 hours until Sunrise
All was silent for a short time in the forest, the creatures of it having mostly retreated to their dens and places of safety. The dark power that now suffused the forest surrounding the palace had driven all of them away - and those few who had dared oppose the power had not survived the act of defiance. So silence reigned over the forest for a short time at least.
The pounding of hooves broke that silence. A pair of cobras stared in astonishment at the six ponies who thundered past. An Owl, sensitive to the currents of magic stared too, but he was watching a far different sight. A violet wedge moved before them, interspersed by waves of the colors of the rainbow emanating out in a wave from the five wearing amulets. The crystals upon the Elements of harmony had gained a subtle glow, pulling from the magic around them and within their bearers to clear the way. The center of them, their friend, the element of Magic was in danger, and the Elements were preparing to do battle to save her.
Their hooves struck upon the dirt ground as they flew past the watching creatures, many of them wondering in their own simple ways if the time had come to get very, very far away from this place.
~~
Shining Armor had a singular talent in his magic. Where other unicorns' talents tended to focus on the commercial or the impractical, focusing on magical study and theoretical concepts. Some unicorns, like his sister, were simply incredibly gifted in all of the arts of magic, and such ponies tended to carve their names into the annals of history for good, or for ill. Star Swirl the bearded, Clover the Clever, Sombra the Shadow King. Yet even amongst that elite company, there were some unicorn's whose singular talent at one thing would make their names live forever. White Knight, Thunder Bolt, Cumulus Nimbus, and in the modern age, Shining Armor.
No unicorn in Equestria could match Shining Armor's talent in the realm of shields and defenses against powers good and evil. Not even Celestia was his equal when it came to the projection of shields over any space larger than a single pony. The violet wedge shield was designed to destroy spells upon impact, and he projected it ahead of him like a plow which raced ahead of them, shredding the magical spells that had been laid over the road. It had taken the barest glance to see that some dark force had laid a cavalcade of nuisance and keep-away spells over the road, some of them very strong indeed. Yet the violet blade that moved before him cut through them, one and all, the shield pushing away the dark energies from them.
He spared only a glance over his shoulder and nearly lost his footing at what he saw. His magic was melding with that of the Elements of Harmony, responding to a threat to one of its own. Their magic’s each in their own color, was adding to his and granting his spells even greater strength. For the first time that evening, his face split into a courageous grin. Twilight might be in danger, but whatever force held her captive against her will was in for a rude awakening if it thought it could keep the Elements at bay for long.
Every minute was vital, and yet even Rarity, the one least suited amongst them to this kind of charge was gamely keeping up. Applejack and Rainbow dash seemed to be holding down the flanks, their own considerable strength pulling the others along, the magic infusing them with strength even as they ran themselves harder than any had done before. Shining Armor could only hope the Elements could keep this up for a while.
The Old Road, Everfree Forest, 2 hours before Sunrise.
The group of ponies came to a screeching, panting halt behind Shining Armor, who could not believe what he was seeing. When five other ponies poked their heads out from behind him, they too found jaws slackening and eyes widening at the sight.
Heavy flagstones in variegated colors creating the symbol of a sun-in-glory set into the ground sat before them in the center of a wide circle of similar stones. At each cardinal point of the sun, as though spawned from some unseen army of masons and workers, was spun a wide highway of stones, each stretching and curving off into the forest. Above the roads, the foliage had shrunk - or been cut back - by some massive force that allowed the shining moon still somewhat overhead and the twinkling light of the stars to illuminate the path, each looking as fresh built as though it had been completed yesterday
"This...what...This isn't possible." That was Shining armor, tapping his hoof cautiously to the stone, and getting only the solid rap of hoof on stone in response. His eyes set suspiciously and with a battle cry, leapt into the center of the circle and threw up a massive shield covering himself and the five ponies behind him - The purple crystalline structure, formed into honeycomb shapes pulsed with deep rooted power...opposing nothing. No attack came, no trap fell upon them. The shield slowly melted away as Shining Armor shifted his eyes down each starlit path and then waved his hoof to the other five to follow him.
Rarity eyeballed the symbol in the center as she daintily, and tiredly it must be admitted, across the picture laid into stone, she frowned for a moment at it and then slowed..."Shining, dear...I recognize this symbol." She picked about it for a moment, nodding to herself. "Yes, I've seen this on one of Twilight's books...a very old book of pony history. It's the symbol Celestia used for her personal banners over a thousand years ago.." her voice trailed off into an awed whisper, even as Shining Armor's eyes went wide at the implications.
Suddenly, as if from nowhere, a set of torches burst into life down one of the pathways, slowly moving in a wave away from them down the path and deeper into the Everfree forest. The six ponies stared at the lights which flickered with a pale violet light, bright enough to illuminate the path without telling much about the forest beyond it. Shining Armor took a deep breath and nodded. "I think we're being invited in."
Rainbow Dash's eyes narrowed at the path. "I don't like it." She half growled. "Feels like a trap to me." her wings fluttered, eyeballing the sky above the trail. "If it's like this all the way in, maybe I'd be able to fly there faster." without another word of warning, her wings launched her into the air above them, pivoting in mid-rise and preparing to rocket off along the trail...when a dark tendril of magical energy reached up from the forest itself and swatted at her.
Dash gave off a surprised yell and dodged around the first one, which quickly split into a dozen smaller appendages and streaked after her, grabbing at her hooves even as her wings pulled her away with a burst of speed from its reaching grasp. She pin wheeled and dove, trying to escape yet another massive tentacle that had appeared from nowhere, even as the ground inhabitants watched in disbelief, Shining Armor throwing up a thick shield of light between the forest and the other ponies still on the ground. Dash had a look of supreme annoyance on her face, unable to get any further into the forest with all those damn things in her way. She rolled a shoulder even as she backed up, the six looming energy tentacles undulating in the night.
With a raspberry of frustration she winged her way to the ground and landed next to the group, rapping her hoof on the shield. "Let it go, Shiny. They only care if we try to get there through the air." Shining looked dubious, but dropped the shield anyway. "C'mon, Looks like we gotta play by its rules for now." she groused, plodding along the lit stone path before them, and soon followed by the rest of their tiny band. Fluttershy was still riding high on the magic from her Element, and only squeaked in terror occasionally at the forest all around them.
The group trotted down the lit path, passing tall columns of stone being held together at the cracks by some kind of unseen force. Vast pavilions of stone would suddenly spread out before them, depicting ancient symbols and pictograms lovingly restored into the roads and ground. Soon enough, they came upon what looked like a vast, ancient city of stone buildings, temples and streets. Though there was no sign of furnishings, doors, even windows amidst the ruins, it was clear some force was beginning to make the place ready for residents once again.
"What in Equestria has the power to do all of this?" Whispered Rarity, her eyes taking in every aspect of the ancient designs long lost to Equestrian history. The city was beautiful in a stark, minimalist sort of way. Her eye for fashions and styles could identify those from long ago, so similar to many modern fashions. She suppressed an unladylike snort of derision at it, vowing quietly to ensure that Fashion was taken in a new direction in the years to come, not simply repeating the old styles.
"T'aint natural, that's fer sure." opined Applejack shortly after. "Some kinda magic. 'cept we ain't seen a magic that could build stuff like this before, have we?" she wondered at that, passing what was clearly some kind of market square, empty stone troughs just waiting for produce to fill them up, and ponies to tend and shop from them.
Fluttershy simply shook her head, the incredible surrealism of it had seemingly spirited away her usual nervousness. There was something about the old homes, bare of anything save their stone shells, which seemed both sad and strangely uplifting to her. Whatever was doing this, it was doing the seemingly impossible. No monsters moved about, no dark creatures lurked in these places; the Everfree Forest was being beaten back by this power. Tamed. The very thought of such a power terrified Fluttershy....but Twilight was in trouble, and she would not stop now just because it was scary.
Pinkie Pie, of course, was bouncing along as ever. She was unconcerned with what was going on around them - what would happen would happen. Twilight would be alright, Pinkie was sure of that. Twilight was just too good of a friend to go all dark and scary and evil, and even if she did, Pinkie knew there was a party in her that was perfect to snap her out of such a grumpy phase. So Pinkie Pie kept on being Pinkie Pie. When the time came to fight, she'd be there right in the thick of it, party cannon ready.
Rainbow Dash didn't have the courage for words. She wanted to yell, to scream, to raise Celestia levels of hell over what was happening. She wanted Twilight safe, and sound back in Ponyville. She wanted to apologize for taking her eyes off her, for letting this thing spirit her away while she looked the other way. Guilt had always been a problem Rainbow Dash was not good at solving - Even less so when it surrounded that magical unicorn that somehow seemed to bind them all together with a friendship Dash had never known the likes of before she'd come to Ponyville.
Without Twilight, she'd never have known what a cool girl Rarity could be when she let her hair down, or she'd never have seen the deep courage within her old friend Fluttershy. She'd never have experienced the rivalry that Applejack had given her, driven her to be an even better athlete than she ever had before. Rainbow dash was as quiet as Shining Armor, and just as stoic as they passed the bare stone town, and came to a ravine each and every one of them was familiar with. Dash snapped out of her reverie and stared at the broad, beautifully crafted stone bridge that crossed it now and mouthed out "Um....This is new."
They all stared for a moment and then, one by one began to cross the bridge, bright violet crystals singing to life with light and warmth, casting deep shadows across the end of the bridge, out of which stepped a sinister looking form of black coat and mane, who smiled a little toothily at them. Shining armor's hooves dug into the stone as the feeling in his gut came to a snapping end - and his eyes lay upon the dark force he had felt all this time. His horn glowed with readied battle magic, even as the dark male pony bowed to them, courteously. ~"I had not anticipated guests so very soon. Welcome, esteemed Elements of Harmony. Welcome, Guard Captain Shining Armor. Tonight, the world may very well change forever. Come and see the glorious future.”~
The dark stallion turned and began to walk slowly down the lit path In front of them, seemingly utterly unconcerned with the sea of anger behind him. His voice rolled again, a deep basso-tone that seemed to reverberate through their hooves from the ground itself. ~”Now now…There’s no need for violence, especially not when it will avail you little here and now. I am just going to take you to your beloved friend, after all. What reason have you to harm me until we get there?”~
He smiled, winningly over his shoulder and kept on walking, utterly unconcerned by their action or inaction. Shining let the magic die from his horn after a moment and glancing wordlessly at the other bearers of Harmony they nodded at one another. Getting to twilight was more important than all else right now. Once they knew where she was, Shining felt confident in their ability to bring her out of whatever spell or trap she might be held in. The six ponies followed the shadow, down the winding lit paths towards a place all of them knew, and yet did not know, the moon sinking ever closer to the horizon.
Manehatten, Unicorn Square. 1 Hour and 30 minutes until Sunrise
A soft golden glow lifted the thick sheet and tucked it over and under the slumbering, dark blue form o the Princess of the night. The very act placed a soft smile on the lips, and within the eyes of the stark white form that stood above her. Grasping the edge of the sheet with her teeth she tugged it up and over Luna’s shoulders and softly nuzzled her cheek to her sisters.
“Sleep well, Lulu.” Her voice whispered, reveling in the moment she so rarely got to enjoy – a moment she had not been able to enjoy in the chaotic events of recent history. So for a few moments, she stood like a sentinel over the sleeping form of her little sister, the soft wave of her hair undulating in the dim light of the hotel room where the party was beginning to die down and fade away as the sun-rising ceremony was preparing to take place.
This year, as with every year, her mind was cast to the searing orb of magic and hope that lay just behind the horizon, waiting for her to call it forth to bring light once again to the land. Though the ceremony had origins back in the days following the thankfully short reign of Nightmare Moon, Luna had tried very hard these past years to simply enjoy the excuse to get out and party with her subjects. Celestia giggled a little at the thought, remembering the sight of Luna demanding everyone’s ‘Most Passionate Love and Kisses’ in her very best Royal Canterlot Voice and the total dumbfounded reaction of the crowd.
Celestia stood a moment later, sighing deeply in her chest and picking her way across the detritus of the party, wondering if her faithful student would abide by her command to stop hiding in her library during parties, get out and enjoy herself for once. She worried though, that Luna’s warnings about dark dreams had a far more sinister mien to them. Perhaps she was simply experiencing some post-trauma from that fateful day four years ago. It had been a difficult enough thing to deal with for Celestia, but for Twilight sheltered as she was, it had to have been equal parts terrifying and exhilarating.
The fact that those events had led to one of the longest periods of chaos and danger in nearly a thousand years had likely not helped things. Celestia had worried at length that all of this was just a prequel to another Age of Strife, that the disturbing reports from the Equestrian Intelligence Service or the tales of ponies being kidnapped from their homes along the far borders of Equestria were just isolated incidents, the fact remained that things were on decidedly shaky ground.
Celestia was never without a plan however. She cast her mind to the dark blue notebook currently wrapped up with a very special letter, winging its way towards the Golden Oaks library. There, sixteen years of hard work, of manipulation of events from behind the scenes and four long years of secretly testing the mettle of one Twilight Sparkle against the worst threats that had challenged her rule were about to come to fruition. Celestia had no doubts in her mind that her student would rise to the challenge and ultimately complete her very own path to Ascension that Cadence had completed not all that long ago.
The thought of having no less than four sisters defending the land of Equestria, and who could forget the not inconsiderable talents of the Elements of Harmony, and Shining Armor, brought a fierce smile to her face. If there truly were vast threats out there, plotting to bring down her hard won peace, to harm her beloved little ponies, they would find Equestria to be as well defended as it had ever been in its history.
Her hoof steps gently led her to the balcony overlooking Unicorn Square, where high above on the central merchant’s tower, a vast ball of magical energy slowly descended towards the platform where she would soon undertake the Sun Raising ritual. She stifled a smile at the sight of the thing – obviously conjured into being by a large number of unicorns working overtime, and meant to resemble a shining full moon slowly drifting towards the Horizon, something that was difficult to see amongst the high-rise buildings of the city.
Celestia spread her wings and took flight, soaring across the square to the roaring cheers and stomps of the crowd below, basking in the attention and love of her many beloved little ponies. Behind her, in the dark and quiet hotel room, there was a wisp of magical flame and a sudden pop of a scroll appearing on the side table next to Luna’s bed, bearing Shining Armor’s personal seal. Luna simply turned over in her sleep, flaring her wings a bit and bringing them back down to cuddle up against her pillow, murmuring something indistinct into the night..