//------------------------------// // Eve of the Festival. Cometh the Hour // Story: Hour of Twilight // by -Brutus //------------------------------// //----------------------------- // Story: Hour of Twilight // Chapter: Chapter 12: Eve of the Festival. Cometh the Hour // Author: Darth Femto //----------------------------- ####################################################################### Chapter Twelve Eve of the Festival. Cometh the Hour ####################################################################### Rainbow Dash screamed out into the void, flapping her wings in a desperate attempt to stop her fall. In the moments after Twilight had left her alone on the field a giant chasm opened and swallowed her whole. Eventually she caught a speck of rapidly approaching light beneath her. The instant her body came into contact with the light the world vanished around her. She couldn't see, nor feel anything. She was trapped. "Twi'? W-where are y-you? I need help, please..." the cyan pegasus whimpered softly, frightened. The void around her twisted and warped, fading out into a familiar location; Ponyville's town square. Rainbow glanced around furiously, taking in the scene. Everything seemed to be normal. She could see Lyra and Bon Bon entering Sugarcube Corner, and her friend Applejack selling apple goods at her stand. Despite the seemingly normal town, the pegasus knew something was wrong. This place... it was too quiet. She got up and started pacing around the square, eying each character, looking for anomalies. Absorbed as she was in finding flaws in the world around her, she bumped into another pony and fell on her rump. "Oof, I'm sorry, I didn't... Rarity?" Rainbow gaped at the figure standing in front of her, however the white unicorn didn't seem to notice her. She was chatting lightly with Spike and Twilight Sparkle. The pegasus cringed when she noticed the fake smile on the lavender mare's face. She looked depressed. "I daresay Twilight, you are a bit gloomy lately, is something the matter?" Rarity asked her troubled friend. "N-not at all, Rarity, I'm fine. I just had a lot on my head recently and didn't get much rest. Spike helped me a lot these past days," she smiled, patting the small dragon on his head. "I sure did," he smirked. "Say Rarity, do you need any help with your orders? I'd like to, um, well... spend some more time with you!" Spike rapidly blurted out, blushing furiously. "Oh, darling,of course I do! I have so much to do at home, it's going to take ages to do it all by myself. Can you let him come over and stay for the night? He will be safe, I promise," the white unicorn smiled at her friend, batting her eye lashes. Twilight smiled and rolled her eyes. "Sure thing Rarity, just be sure to take care of him." Spike was grinning and jumping with glee. "Alright, see you tomorrow! Take care, okay?" The lavender mare nodded and patted him on the head. "Sure thing Spike," she spoke softly, frowning lightly. "Alright then, bye Twi-*bluuurp*," the small dragon belched out a letter. "Oh look, a letter from the Princess! What does it say?" Twilight picked the scroll and read the title, blushing slightly. "I'm sorry, but this is for me in particular. Don't worry, if it's anything worth sharing, I will. Now, I'm going home, see you later!" she waved and trotted away rapidly. Rarity glanced at Spike, who shrugged. Rainbow Dash sensed something odd about the letter and decided to pursue her friend. She flew ahead of her and entered the library, waiting patiently for Twilight to arrive. After roughly five minutes the unicorn entered the library and dropped her saddle bags on the table, picking out the parchment. "All right, what does the Princess want to tell me in particular..." she cleared her throat and began reading out loud. "My dearest faithful student, Twilight Sparkle. It is with a heavy heart that I bring you grim news. Earlier today, there was an incident in one of Canterlot's magical laboratories that resulted in the death of six ponies," she paused, grimacing. "Oh my, that is terrible. I deeply regret having to tell you this, but your parents were...were-" she stuttered, a lump forming in her throat. She tried to let out words, but only squeaks and hiccups came out painfully. "My...my parents. They...they cannot-NO, this is not possible, no no no! I must be reading in between lines," she tried to calm herself. However, the fact was black on white. Her parents had died in the incident. "No...no, this is all wrong, this can't be possible," she wheezed, each breath becoming more painful. The emotional collapse she was experiencing started to affect her body as she began heaving in enormous pain, feeling as if her body would crush itself from the inside. Slowly but surely, the lavender unicorn began weeping, leaning on her side and burying her head beneath her hooves. She felt abandoned, betrayed, furious, demoralized... Empty. Deep in her heart the hole that was formed by Rainbow's brutal rejection grew, adding to the pain. The cyan pegasus looked away from Twilight, grasping at her chest with her hooves. She knew that feeling of loss, but not in such a manner. Her train of thoughts was interrupted by loud wails and cries, as the lavender unicorn began pounding herself with her hooves. "Why did I come here to p-Ponyville,"she hiccuped. "I'd rather have Nightmare Moon as Queen of Equestria than my family-" she paused, refraining from saying it out loud. It was too painful. Glancing around, she glared angrily at the shelves filled with books. "P-Princess... Y-your f-fault... It's only your fault!" she cried out, her horn surging with magic. Her eyes became two orbs of purest white, glowing furiously. Rainbow Dash gasped in fright and rushed to her friend's side, trying to stop her, but it was too late. The peaceful mood of Ponyville at sunset was broken by a loud explosion and cries of pain. Ponies that were in the vicinity to the site, laying their eyes on the burning shape of the Library. Burning books and destroyed furniture were splayed everywhere, splinters and glass shards embedded into everything nearby. Several ponies that were near the library at the moment of the explosion had been injured, their bodies pierced with shrapnel. Despite being in the middle of the conflagration, the cyan pegasus was untouched, save for being violently thrown away from the library. She slowly opened her eyes and glanced fearfully around her. Several firefighters had arrived at the scene, along with doctors and many, many other figures she couldn't recognize at the time, still being in shock. She only heard about the incident, some claiming that it was an accident, and no pony is to blame for the chaos. Now she knew the truth. The cyan pegasus rose groggily from her spot and trotted slowly towards the burning frame of the library, concerned for the safety of her friend. Twilight was probably still inside. As she walked, she took notice of some of her friends that started to gather at the scene. Pinkie Pie had an expression of pure shock and disbelief, while the orange cowpony galloped quickly towards a reddish figure splayed on the ground. It was her big brother, Macintosh. He appeared to have been pulling a cart of apples towards the edge of Ponyville, to the new market square. She flinched when Applejack cried out in shock, staring in disbelief at the state of her brother. On the other side of the remains of the library, a small purple dragon accompanied by a purple maned unicorn mare stared in shock at his burning home, tears forming at the edges of his small dragon eyes. Rarity motioned to him and they both started searching through the scattered debris for their friend. That snapped Rainbow out of her trance, reminding her of what she was looking for. Just as she was about to shot into the air, she tripped on something large. She rubbed her forehead and growled in frustration. As she picked herself up off the ground she noticed something. A small piece of lavender fur was jutting out from under the piece of wood. She picked it up and rolled it on the other side, revealing a gruesome image. A badly injured unicorn mare, lying face down on the grass, her coat was now a dull black as it had been scorched by flames. Rainbow let out a blood curdling screech, as she realized who this was. Twilight laid unconscious, barely breathing. She had a very large gash across her forehead, her horn completely shattered, only a bloody stub remaining. Blood oozed freely from the wound, coating her already disfigured face a dark crimson. Her front legs had been bent at awkward angles. "Twilight! Wake up, come on, wake up! Please, wake up Twi'!" the cyan pegasus desperately tried to awaken the unconscious mare to no avail. She was limp in her arms, her breathing ragged and painful. No doubt she had several broken ribs as well. Rainbow stared at the injured mare in disbelief, refusing to believe she was capable of causing such a thing. She felt her salty tears starting to gently make their way down her cheeks, falling onto Twilight's face. Rainbow sobbed out loud, holding her injured friend. Twilight opened her eyes all of a sudden, staring dead into Rainbow's shocked magenta ones. Her purple eyes were bloodshot, her sclera filled with crimson liquid, giving her a frightening look. She shifted slightly, moaning in pain and smiled briefly. "Like what you see?" she asked in a low, shaky voice. "I know you wished to see me like this..." The cyan pegasus gaped in shock, her pupils shrinking to the size of tiny dots. Something was off about her friend. There was hatred behind those sad eyes. "I take it you noticed something..." the burnt lavender mare grinned, coughing up. "Where...where were you when I was like this!?" she screeched as the world turned black, a choking mist engulfing them. Rainbow tried to scream but found herself breathless. She started writhing and flailing around, losing grip on the unicorn. She gasped for air, feeling her consciousness slip. Just as she was about to let herself succumb to the void, the world was bathed in light. Rainbow closed her eyes slightly, slowly adjusting to the new light. She found herself able to breathe again, coughing painfully. She glanced around uneasily, taking in the new environment. A white, empty room save for a bed, a nightstand and some medical equipment. She was in a hospital, again. The cyan pegasus approached the bed in which a figure laid seemingly unconscious. Covered in bloody gauzes, a mare slept uneasily, her chest rising slowly with each breath. A loud wheezing breathing machine was aligned to the bed, occasionally beeping loudly. Several IV drips hung empty on poles, waiting to be replaced by others. Her whole head was covered in bandages, the place where her horn should have protruded from her head was badly stained. Rainbow wanted to address the unicorn, to talk to her. She stopped as she heard a few voices outside the room. Her ears perked up and she listened intently, trying to see if it's anything related to her unconscious friend. 'Her condition is bad; the internal bleeding won't stop, and her broken horn keeps sending weak magical impulses through her spine, aggravating her condition. Her right lung has been punctured by bone splinters from the broken ribs, and her entire body is covered in first and second degree burns. We are doing everything we can to drain it and minimize the bleeding, but the situation is grim. I am very sorry to tell you this, Princess Celestia, but... she won't make it. She will live maybe for a few more days, but we are only delaying the inevitable. I am truly sorry, your Highness,' a soft, concerned voice spoke. 'I... I understand, doctor Bright Hooves. Thank you,' the other voice replied shakily, sniffling. Soft hoof steps were heard, and the door opened, revealing a tall white alicorn, adorned in her regal attire entering the room. Her face showed traces of tears and exhaustion. She looked like she hadn't slept in a while. Her wobbly steps only further proved that statement. She slowly made her way to the side of the bed, oblivious to the cyan pegasus that was eying her with an estranged expression. Celestia took a deep breath and exhaled shakily, running her hoof through the tangled and burnt mane of her student, gazing sadly upon her mutilated body. "Why, Twilight... Why did you do such a thing? I-I should have been there for you. It's all my fault," she sighed, glancing at the bloody gauzes. The sleeping mare twitched. The sleeping unicorn stirred in her sleep, moaning painfully. Celestia gasped silently and tried to help the disoriented mare adjust her position in bed. Twilight tried to speak, but her throat was sore, and her voice raspy. The white alicorn immediately brought her a glass of fresh water, using her magic to gently lift the unicorn and let her have a sip, to sooth her sense. After a few more sips, she was laid back in bed, whimpering in pain. Celestia was heartbroken, seeing her student in such a deprecated state. It was painful. The lavender mare wheezed and coughed loudly, spraying a small quantity of blood on the Princess' pristine white coat, however Celestia paid no heed. She gently rubbed the side of the small mare's neck, nuzzling her cheek gently. A shaky hoof pushed her away slowly. Celestia complied and allowed the unicorn some breathing room. Twilight opened her right eye and stared directly at the white alicorn. "Y-you..." she muttered, her throat still aching. The white alicorn looked with concern upon her student and grasped her hoof. "Yes, Twilight? Is there anything you need?" The lavender unicorn winced slightly. "Alone... leave me alone," she whispered, her voice faltering. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes as fresh tears started to pour down her gauze covered cheeks. "It's... your fault. Y-you...you took me away...from my family," she hiccuped, "Who do you think you are?!" she snapped. Celestia flinched, gaping in disbelief. She backed up from the bed as the unicorn rose, crying out in pain, glaring spitefully at her mentor. Celestia was shocked, merely staring at the troubled mare. "Twilight, what are you saying?! I-I did not take you away-" "Liar! It's only your fault. What were you hoping to accomplish, taking me away from my unimportant life?!" the lavender mare seethed, grabbing a pillow with her damaged arms and attempted to throw it at the alicorn. As the object slipped off her hooves, she slipped and fell on the cold hospital floor, eliciting a yelp of pain. Celestia rushed to her side and gently picked her up with magic, gently placing the crying mare back in bed. She never felt such emotional distress as she had now. "Mommy, daddy... why... why did you take them away," Twilight wept softly. "There, there... Everything will be fine, shhh," she soothed the broken mare, gently caressing her neck and mane. After about twenty minutes, Twilight finally fell back to sleep. Celestia sighed and picked up the blanket, gently tucking in her student. Before she left, she planted a soft kiss on her cheek. She couldn't have been sadder. "Good bye... Twilight Sparkle," she whispered, fresh tears streaming her regal cheeks. The door closed behind the white alicorn, leaving Twilight to herself and her dreams. The cyan pegasus stood still the entire time, shaking. A soft moan startled her, bringing her back to reality. She blinked rapidly a few times and approached the bed. The mare laying on it writhed and flailed around in her sleep. Rainbow placed her hooves and gently shook the unicorn to snap her out of her dream. Twilight stood upwards all of a sudden, sweating and panting. She looked like she had seen a ghost. Rainbow grasped her into a hug and buried her muzzle in the unicorn's partially singed mane, only to get pushed violently on the cold floor. She fell with a loud thud. Rubbing the back of her head, she glanced uneasily at a completely different Twilight, calm and hating. The lavender mare shot the cyan pegasus a glare and got up from bed, trotting to the window. "I can't really remember what happened next, everything is hazy. All I can remember is that I left the hospital and went straight for the old castle ruins," she turned to face Rainbow. "I am pretty sure Discord had something to do with it. Anyway, in order to finally end all of this, head down to the old castle in the Everfree Forest. It is there that I became Crimson Dawn." The awkward silence of the room was pierced by a loud crack of thunder, the flash illuminating the dimly lit room. "Oh, you might want to hurry before this world crumbles," she finished with a grin as the room around her started to rot and burn. Rainbow didn't need to be told twice. She trotted up to the window and opened, shooting off into the skies, heading straight towards the Everfree Forest. The Moon was completely covered by swirling storm clouds, flashes of lighting streaking across the sky, giving it an ominous aura. Dash flapped her wings faster as rain started to fall, soaking her cyan coat. She gritted her teeth and repositioned herself to boost aerodynamics. 'I'm coming Twilight! Don't lose hope, not now!' ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Back in the real world, a new day was starting. The Sun's warm rays shined through the broken windows of the old throne room, illuminating the two figures that sat inside. A black unicorn mare coated in crimson snoozed peacefully on the stone floor, still under the effect of her rejuvenation spell. Another figure sat on the throne, tapping his hands lightly. He shot a quick glance towards the rising Sun and sighed. He rose from his seat and floated towards the mare. He leaned in and whispered in her ear. "Wake up, Twilight Sparkle. It is time..." he cooed. The dark mare stirred and groaned, opening her eyes slightly. "W-what is it...can't you see I'm busy?" she hissed, closing her eyes back. The draconequus sighed and patted her on the neck. "Celestia is approaching Canterlot. We are running out of time. Now, wake up already!" he growled. Dawn flinched and huffed, rising from her spot. "How much have I been out?" "Exactly three days. You sleep like a rock when you're tired," he grinned at her, scratching her between her ears. "Ugh, I am tired right now. Oversleeping effects," she stared at the floor and summoned her magic. Her horn shimmered lightly, picking up a nearby boulder. She then flung it rapidly at the decaying walls, completely shattering it. "Seems like I have recovered my powers. Good, I will need them when I face Celestia," she turned to leave. "Wait." Dawn turned and shot the Draconequus a weird look. "What is it?" "Do you happen to know what's today, hmm?" he asked, rubbing his hands together. Dawn pondered for a moment before replying flatly. "It's the sixth of august. Today there will be a natural eclipse. Is that what you're referring to?" Discord nodded. "Indeed. However it is not natural. Oh no, it is magical. For you see, it is the eve of the Festival." Dawn growled and spat out. "What bucking festival?! I keep hearing that all the time! What is it?" she snapped. The draconequus snapped his fingers and teleported on top of the throne, laying gently on it. "It is the ceremony of appointing a new apostle of the Hand of God. It is a rare occasion; it is by destiny that things came out like this. You can become an apostle too, and earn new powers. All it takes, is for you to-" "Drop it," Dawn said with disinterest. Discord gaped. "I am not interested in the slightest to serve anypony. I only live for myself and none other. I only have one purpose, and that is to kill Celestia and all of her subjects." "Then why didn't you do it?" Dawn was caught off guard by this question. "You had the chance. No, you had multiple chances of killing her, yet you hesitated. Why? Is it because of her power? Your power? What is the reason behind your weakness?" Discord continued questioning the dark mare. The Crimson Dawn sighed and grimaced. "It's because I still have a heart which keeps me from doing what I want. I wouldn't worry too much about it though. It's about to disappear... I can feel it. I can and will kill Celestia, Discord. You do well to remember that," she finished, starting to cast a teleportation spell. "Wait, one more thing..." the Draconequus stopped her. Dawn turned to face him and approached him. Discord snapped his fingers, popping something in his hands. "Here, take this," he passed it on to the mare. It was a crimson painted replica of a pony head; a symbol of the Cult. It had its eyes closed and mouth slightly opened. "I already told you, I don't-" "Just keep it. You never know when you might need it. Consider it as a parting gift, my dear Twilight. For now, I must go and make preparations for the Festival. Good luck on the battlefield... You will need it," he grinned and chuckled as he slowly faded out, leaving the dark mare to herself. Dawn stared at the amulet with interest. It had a strange, ominous feeling about it, as if the devil himself resided in it. She dismissed the thought and tied it around her right hoof and started casting the teleportation spell once again, leaving the old castle. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The glorious Sun was steadily rising, sending its bright rays across the skies of Equestria, gently caressing the coats of the soldiers of the Kingdom, as they marched alongside their Princesses towards Canterlot. They had been marching for three days straight, having crossed the border between Equestria and the gryphon lands a few hours ago. Celestia trotted in front of the troops, followed by her sister Luna, who carried the sleeping form of her apprentice. Apparently she hadn't fully recovered from the ordeal of having her soul sucked out, and needed to rest. Celestia maintained her gaze towards the horizon, making out the shining shape of the Palace of Canterlot, residing on the edge of Stormcloud Mountains. They still had quite some distance to cross, but she had to keep in mind that the troops were exhausted and needed to rest before they could engage into combat. She frowned and slowed down the pace, coming to a stop. Every pony stopped dead in their tracks, glancing questioningly at their leader. "We rest here for now. You must gather your strength before we march on the castle. Me and Luna will help the process with a special rejuvenating spell, so please, relax and rest easy," Celestia finished, lighting up her horn. Luna followed her sister and began casting the large scale rejuvenating spell. A bright flash of light and it was done. The troops all sat down and closed their eyes, falling into a deep sleep. Celestia glanced at Luna and smiled. "You should rest too, sister. You've been carrying your student for two days straight." The night alicorn sighed and lowered her head. "I won't even try to argue... I am quite tired," she panted lightly. Using her magic, she picked the snoozing silvery unicorn and placed her on the soft grass. Luna then laid beside her student and nuzzled her briefly. Celestia gave a light chuckle and sat on her haunches, rising her head towards the heavens. She closed her eyes and sighed, enjoying the light breeze and the smell of the fading summer. Even though the land suffered under the effects of the Eclipse, the reappearance of the warm Sun allowed the land to recover, slow but steady. The trees were gently bending under the soft wind, the sound of dancing leaves adding a sensation of freedom and internal peace. How long has it been since she felt like that? A thousand? Two thousand years? Even she could not tell. Her smile widened. She opened her eyes slightly and gazed into the bright cyan of the skies. Celestia narrowed her eyes when she noticed the form of an object free falling towards them at high speed. She gasped loudly and rose to her feet. She glanced at her sister and prepared to yell at her to flee, but it was too late. The black object crashed full force in the middle of the snoozing troops, sending them into the air. Many were gravely injured, having their bones broken from the shock of the impact. Even Celestia and Luna were sent flying by the sheer force of the landing. The white alicorn managed to stop herself from falling and flapped her wings, landing softly on the grass. She gasped in fright when she realized just how many of her troops had been killed or disabled. Gritting her teeth she started advancing towards the crater, ready to face whatever landed there. She summoned her blade and took on a battle stance, staring intently at the rising smoke. Several coughs drew her attention, as a figure stepped out of the smoke. The Crimson Dawn. Celestia growled menacingly and prepared to charge. The black unicorn facing her wiped the dust of her face and chuckled. "Drop it Celestia, you cannot defeat me in that form... You know that too well, don't you?" she grinned, stepping forward, her blade at her side. "Silence, you foal! I didn't come all the way back to Equestria to listen to your blabbering. I returned to kill you, and that's what I am going to do!" Celestia spat, digging her hooves into the ground and launching herself full force at the black unicorn. Dawn sighed and lowered herself. "Hot headed as always... You really do intend to kill me, just as my parents? Well, you can try!" she yelled, raising her blade and swinging down vertically, meeting the edge of Celestia's claymore, sending a surge of magic through it, binding the blades together. Celestia's eyes widened in shock when she realized she had been tricked. While her blade was bound together with a fake of Dawn's, the black mare summoned her real weapon and impaled her in the chest. "And now, for the finale..." Dawn smiled and closed her eyes, gathering her magic at the tip of her horn. "Let's see how well you can take a point blank magic implosion, Celestia..." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Luna rubbed her head and moaned painfully. She rose from the grass and glanced around. Silverghost was already awake, holding a cloth at her left arm. Luna's eyes widened when she realized her apprentice had been hurt. "Silverghost! Are you alright?" she rushed to her side. The silvery unicorn gave a weak smile and waved her injured hoof. "It's nothing ... stings a little, but nothing that I cannot manage. How is her Majesty?" she asked, locking eyes with her mentor. Luna sighed in relief and smiled. "I am all right, but the others are not. I can't see my sister, where can she-" Luna was interrupted by a very loud explosion and the violent shaking of the land. A bolt of darkness shot up in the sky, expanding rapidly, enshrouding the area. Luna grabbed Silverghost with her magic and shot up in the skies, running away from the void that seemingly consumed the area surrounding the explosion site. As the darkness began to fade away, the night alicorn could make up the shape of burnt trees and corpses of the fallen ponies. In the middle of the fading dark mist, there was a large figure, the size of an alicorn, standing face to face with another figure, about the same size, suspended in the air by magic. Luna's eyes widened when realization struck: the suspended creature was none other than Celestia, her pristine white coat a mass of burnt flesh and open wounds, crimson liquid staining the ash below her. Her wings had been both ripped off, and her horn was about to break. A thick, black blade was embedded into her chest, exiting through her back. The pony standing in front of her was the black mare of darkness, the Crimson Dawn, looking as lively as ever. Luna started panting in shock, sweating heavily. "C-Celly..." she whispered, barely able to breathe. Silverghost, still in the grasp of the flying alicorn, used her magic to close in to her mentor and embraced her tightly, trying to make her face the other way, to avoid seeing the brutal scene. With her last breath, Luna gritted her teeth and growled, feeling a surge of pure hatred emerge from the deepest part of her heart. "Twiiiiliiiiight!" she cried out, a black mass engulfing her. She felt a surge of power rock through her body, changing her appearance. Her coat became jet black, her eyes turquoise and dragon-slitted. Silverghost gasped loudly upon noticing the new form of her mentor. Dawn glanced questioningly at the black ball of surging power. She felt this strange aura before, in the past. She grinned in delight and dropped the white alicorn, recovering her blood soaked blade from her mentor's chest. "It's been a while ... Nightmare Moon." The black mist dissipated, revealing the Mare of the Night floating gently in the air. Using her magic, she lowered her student on the ground and shoved her away. "Run, Silverghost... It's time I put an end to this charade," she spoke in a venomous voice. Dawn took the hilt of Celestia's blade and threw it towards the black alicorn. Nightmare Moon picked it up using her magic and stared into the cold metal for a few moments. "Tis time... of reckoning," she cooed, her horn surging with power. Dawn readied herself and spread her spectral wings. "At long last... A worthy opponent." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Deep below the ruins of the Old Castle, Discord walked down a dark grand hall, occasionally kicking rocks and old bones lingering about. His foot steps rang faintly through the vast pillars of the expanse as he approached a round stone table on which four candles burned lightly. There were several other objects present, including several bowls filled with some strange liquid, a few blood stained daggers and the skull of an alicorn, a red mark etched on its forehead. He knocked twice on the table and cleared his throat, making his presence known. He glanced left and right, taking notice of three creatures approaching him. He smiled briefly and bowed before the three figures, addressing them by their names. "Lord Cerberus, Mistress Raaki... Lord Void," he chuckled, carefully analyzing each figure; they were all apostles, just like him, only in their released form, clad in black steel and each bearing a necklace similar to what he gave Twilight, as well as a burned mark in their coat, not unlike the one on the skull. They nodded in acknowledgement and sighed. "Welcome back, Master Discord. I take it you managed to persuade the young unicorn to participate in the Festival?" Cerberus asked in a low, thundering voice. The Draconequus waved him off and shook his head. "No, I can't say that I have convinced her to do such a thing... But," he paused, a wide grin spreading on his features. "She won't have a choice... After all, if she plays her cards correctly, she may end up facing the Fifth, am I right?" he chuckled, rubbing his chin. The other apostles exchanged glances and nodded. "Aye, ultimately she will face the Fifth. It's been some time since we last heard about her... Nightmare Moon. She needs to be reminded who she is and what her purpose is. The Holy Festival is coming... Her birth draws near," spoke Void, an apostle bearing the form of a hippogriff. He took out his necklace, sinking it in a bowl, staining it with blood, a gesture soon followed by the other apostles, including Discord. The small amulet shaped like a pony's head opened its eyes, the crimson liquid now streaming from them as if it were crying, its expression changing to one of horror. Discord smirked. "Soon, our destinies will be fulfilled. Abaddon... is returning to us!" Discord squealed in delight, barely able to contain his excitement. As the mephistophelian followers of Abaddon cherished the approaching of their evil goddess' rebirth, above in the skies of Equestria the Sun's power flickered and waned, as the Moon rose in an instant, blotting out the bright orb and spreading darkness over the land. The Fifth apostle entered the fray, bent on exacting vengeance upon the mare who dared harm her sister.