Original Title: Matters of Heart
This chapter is part of the older version of "Ein Sof Zealotry" and is to be considered non-canon in lieu of the pending rewrite. This along with the rest of the old story remain for the purpose of comparison.

Twilight’s hopes that the decision she had to make would be clearer in the morning turned out false. As did the ones concerning the first week and month. Now, almost two months since the wedding, Twilights was starting to doubt she would ever be able to choose her fate. Her mood reflected these glum expectations which couldn’t go unnoticed by her friends.

“Hold still, darling. I can’t work properly when you are squirming like that. I swear if I didn’t see your cutie mark minutes ago, I would say you were Rainbow!” Rarity scolded as she corrected Twilight’s pose for eighth time in last four minutes.

“I’m sorry Rarity. I’m just nervous because there is a big delivery for the library scheduled and I fear that I won’t be there to sign for it,” Twilight said, but despite her best effort cringed a little. Lying to her friend cost her a lot of self-control and couldn’t be counted to the most pleasant experiences of her life. Even worse, it had been slowly becoming a regular occurrence in her life. She really was awaiting an important package, but the true reason for her fidgeting lay elsewhere.

Ever since the wedding she could barely find any time for herself. Her friends, seeing her troubled state, drowned her in attention from sunrise to sundown. Were it Applejack inviting her to the tasting of this year’s young cider, Fluttershy showing her rare inhabitants of the Everfree or Rainbow taking her to the latest Wonderbolts derby, acquiring VIP tickets with backstage access, although Twilight doubted the last event was completely selfless from the pegasus.

For some time she enjoyed this new development, but too much of everything is hurtful and the line signifying ‘too much’ was crossed a long time ago. Twilight’s reluctance toward accepting the gifts grew even stronger as she slowly realized the true reason behind their actions. They weren’t apologizing for treating her badly; they were just doing what they could to improve her mood. I don’t need to feel good. I just want them to feel bad for what they did to me! The unwanted thought, so similar to many others that crossed her mind in the past weeks, shocked her not so much by its malice, but by the realization that she didn’t feel the slightest shame for thinking this. Her shock manifested in a bodily flinch. Only one thing could originate from that.

“For Celestia’s sake, Twilight! Don’t tell me those books are so important to you!” Rarity stepped back and threw her forehooves above her head in frustration. Dealing with Sweetie Belle on daily basis trained her to such an extent that a manticore could land next to her and she wouldn’t even recoil, but even the most stoic ponies have their limits. Her outburst, however, provided an excuse for Twilight to snap as well.

“Why do you even insist on making me a new dress for Grand Galloping Gala now? It isn’t due for another five months and with how badly the city was damaged they might as well cancel it completely!” She shrank into herself upon seeing the slightly hurt expression of Rarity’s face. “Not that I don’t appreciate what you are doing for me, of course.”

“I will let you know that the life of a famous fashion designer degenerates into an utter chaos once the Grand Galloping Gala is nigh,” Rarity said, pointing her muzzle up in disdain. “Also, cancel the Gala? Don’t be ridiculous, darling. The nobility would riot!” A mischievous smile made its way to her lips. “Although that might not be necessarily a bad thing. Imagine those fine stallions in exquisite armor, sun rays reflecting from their spears, as they charge into attack, fighting for a noble cause…” She quickly lost herself in her fantasy and Twilight feared she would stand on the dais until the day Equestria turned to ash.

“Oh, sorry Twilight, I got carried away. Anyway, let me help you take it off. We will continue some other day, we won’t get anywhere with your fidgeting.” Rarity trotted to Twilight’s side and lit her horn to untie the straps of the dress, but her concentration failed as the door slammed open and Spike rocketed inside, contributing to the unofficial competition in imitating Rainbow Dash’s antics.

“Spike! You should really knock before entering a house,” Rarity reprimanded.

A test? A test for what exactly? And she wants me to bring my friends along? What use could they possibly be for a test? Twilight pondered to herself. What does it matter! There is finally something to do! She squealed upon the realization which drew Rarity’s attention from cleaning up the supplies back to her.

“What is the matter, darling?” she asked with intrigue, expecting some juicy news akin to the one about Shining Armor and Cadance’s wedding.

“I…” Twilight started as she mentally slapped herself for her slip. I mustn’t let them know that I’m happy about this. That would definitely convince them that I’m crazy! “I don’t have enough time! This is horrible! How can I pass Princess’s test when I haven’t gone through my notes a single time yet?!” She marched on place, flicking her tail in mock-agitation and her panting would make a marathon runner proud.

“I don’t know; It doesn’t say! But I have to go prepare. Now! SPIKE!” She gripped her assistant in magical field and ran toward the door. Her poor involuntary passenger cringed as his head cleared the doorframe by an inch.

I really need to learn to control myself. Good thing that I get so many chances to practice. She smirked at her thoughts as she galloped the streets of Ponyville.

“Hey Twi? Why are we in such a hurry?” Spike finally broke from his shock, although he may have prefered to wait with it until he was safely on the ground.

“I need you to help me pack some stuff. Princess Celestia didn’t specify what test she will give me, so we need to pack everything.”

Six different kinds of dainty snoring echoed through the coach. After thoroughly discussing their upcoming task, bringing up mostly wild theories about it since they lacked any closer specifications, the travelers decided to get some rest, preparing for any struggles and passing time effectively at the same time.

In the end, it must be you and you alone who ultimately assists Princess Cadance and Shining Armor in doing what needs to be done. Do you understand? “I wish I did,” Twilight said aloud.

She was lying in her bed trying to think. She learned few hours ago that her mind was racing too much to get any sleep, which she would rather attend to.

‘Help Cadance and Shining Armor to protect Crystal Empire.’ But in which way? If the ancient city needs protection, wouldn’t it make more sense to send Royal Guards? She groaned in frustration and turned to lie on her other side.

‘Luna and I defeated him with Elements of Harmony, but they only locked him in the ice.’ Then how are we to defeat him, without the Elements of Harmony no less? The quiet noises coming from her companions crept to her painfully conscious mind and their rhythmic repetitions drove her slowly crazy.

Just perfect. They are all snoring as if nothing was wrong. And according to Princess’s instruction that’s all they are supposed to do during this task! She plopped on her back and brought her pillow over her head, blocking the offending noises to an extend. Why is it so important that I am the one who ultimately assists them? What’s the difference? This whole task just doesn’t make any sense!

Come to think of it, this isn’t the only time the Princess has done something like this. Before she sent me to Ponyville, I tried to warn her about Nightmare Moon. What did she say? “You really need to stop reading those old pony tales.” She just blew me off! She didn’t tell me anything about Nightmare Moon being her sister either. And what about the tickets to the Grand Galloping Gala? Even though I just made five new friends, she only sends two tickets. I guess she was just assuming only Spike and I to go, but she could have saved me a major headache. Then there was the time she sent us to get rid of the dragon in the mountain. She could have sent specially trained ponies for the job, but no! She sends six ponies with no prior experience and they’re the Elements of Harmony for pete sake!

The mare got up and checked the time. Throwing her blankets aside she left the cozy warmth of her bed, and lying her hooves slowly one in front of another both to not wake her friends and to avoid tripping in the darkness, made her way to the end of the coach. Years of stressing over assignments taught her that sometimes she needed to wake up more before she could fall asleep. And what better way to do so than to get a drink and cool her face?

Then there was the whole Gala ordeal. My friends made a complete mess out of everything and when the Princess catches up with us, she APPLAUDS it. According to her, it livened things up. Oh so now property damage is FUN? Nevermind the fact that it’s her castle that was wrecked.

After a quick wash, she made her way to one of the other empty cars, one with seats as she considered lying down in her frustrated state still nigh impossible. She took a seat and gazed out the window.

And now there’s this “task”. She wants me to defend an empire from a mad pony monarch as part of some “test”. What if I fail? We are basically putting the lives of those ponies in the hooves of seven mares, a stallion, and a baby dragon. We have no backup, no information, and no real plan. And Celestia expects us to succeed?!

For awhile, she stared at the starry night sky as she tried harder and harder, in vain, to clear her head. She wanted to believe her mentor was wise and knew what she was doing, but too many events have made her doubt. Maybe the Princess meant well, but was she going about it the right way?

What if Scintillant is right? She sighed and hung her head low. These thoughts were too difficult for her tortured mind at the moment and she refused to venture any further. She returned her gaze to the stars. If only I could get some sleep!

Meanwhile, the Princess in question stood quietly on the balcony of her bedchamber, gazing at the same stars as Twilight. She set the sun several hours ago, but didn’t feel like going to bed just yet. The peace of the night wasn’t disturbed by anything physical, but she still sensed the tension. Trusting her student with this task was one thing, being calm about it completely different one.

There were many times like this in the past. Days when she entrusted somepony with an important mission and couldn’t do anything but wait then.

“You should have told her the truth.” Upon hearing the quiet and collected voice Celestia jumped as if a meteor singed the towers of her castle in front of her eyes. Regaining her composure she turned to her left and met the eyes of her sister.

“She needs to find out about the Crystal Heart and how to make it work alone. That is the essence of her test.”

“I meant the whole truth. About how big a threat she is facing. About why she is taking the test in the first place. About what consequences fulfilling the test will have.” Luna slowly stepped closer to Celestia and even though she was shorter, she managed to tower over her.

“How would that be helpful? She would just be more nervous and she wouldn’t act like herself.”

“She would have a choice in the matter. She would be allowed to say no. And you would be sure she is the right one!”

“I was taking apprentices for more than thousand years! I think I have more experience in the matter than you, Luna!” Celestia spread her wings in agitation and glared at her sister with anger. “And I AM sure she is the right one!”

“And just how many times were you sure in the past?! You bet the fate of Equestria on your good feeling!” Luna now matched her sister’s stance, returning the gaze with passion. “And you are lying to yourself. The meaning of the test is to teach her to put others above herself. With how selfishly you rule her life, you aren’t the best role model, Celestia!” With that Luna flapped her wings powerfully and took to the night sky.

Celestia’s wings dropped limply to her sides as the full meaning of Luna’s accusations settled in her mind. A tear rolled down her cheek as she whispered barely louder than a breath. “Once. I was this sure once before.”

Things were not going according to plan. While Twilight and her friends managed to kick off the faire for the crystal ponies, they found out they were missing one crucial piece: the Crystal Heart. Without it, lifting the spirits of the crystal ponies would’ve been a pointless effort. With the rest of the girls stalling for time, Twilight began the search for the relic, reluctantly letting Spike tag along with her; she had told him that since she alone must accomplish this task, he can’t lift a claw to help.

Damnnit Shining Armor! Couldn’t you have thought the defenses through a bit more? What made you think it was a good idea to go look for a murderous demigod? Now your magic is sealed and you can’t help your wife keep that thing out.

As she paced through the palace they came across the throne room. She glanced at the throne and saw one of the crystals on top of it. Then an idea dawned on her.

If the empire is filled with hope and love, those things are reflected across all of Equestria. But if hatred and fear take hold…

Twilight closed her eyes and focused her magic into her horn. She clenched and gritted her teeth as she tried to replicate the spell she saw her mentor do. It took a few seconds to activate, but she eventually shot out an inky blast at the highest most crystal of the throne. Upon doing this, a shadow was casted over the floor before them, revealing a spiral staircase leading a long way down.

As the dragon gulped, Twilight lit her horn and started her descent. “You stay here,” she said to Spike before continuing.

She used her magic to break off a piece of stone from the nearby wall and dropped it off the stairs. By listening to the noise it made upon hitting the ground, she could determine how far down the stairs went.

After a long silence, the stone hit the ground and Twilight couldn’t but fret the amount of time it would take her to make her way down.

“Can you see outside?” As she waited for her assistant to return with the news, she trailed the staircase with her eyes. Near the bottom she suddenly spotted a small point of light. Wasn’t it completely dark down there just seconds ago?

“It’s no good! Cadance’s magic must be fading faster than before!” the dragon shrieked as he saw Sombra’s influence on the city.

Hearing that, Twilight broke into a mad sprint. With how dark the pit was and how badly the stairs weathered over the time, such action could result in only one way, which she learned the hardest way. Tumbling down and bruising her body on more places than she cared to count, Twilight realized that she would meet the same fate as the stone at the bottom, being shattered to pieces. She clenched her eyes shut as she reached the bottom of the stairwell, expecting a violent impact. When she felt herself stop however, opening her eyes, she saw a magic aura around her body.

“Scintillant? What are you doing down here of all places?” Twilight said as she regained her balance.

“To make a point. Do you see that door there?” One of the angel’s ribbon like wings pointed to a door behind the mare. “Your goal lies just behind that door. The goal Celestia didn’t bother to mention to you.”

“Then I have to hurry!” Twilight started running to the door, but stopped after just a few steps. “Wait. Are you telling me that Princess Celestia knew what I need to do and didn’t tell me?”

“Correct. Your so-called mentor knows more information than she cares to give. You of all ponies should know that all too well.” The contentment in Scintillant’s voice was growing steadily.

“But… she has still taught me so much!” Despite her earlier conclusions regarding Celestia, Twilight was still reluctant to turn her back to her mentor fully.

“Go ahead and open the door then. Use what you have learned from her and see her true nature for yourself.”

Twilight proceeded to open the door using her magic, but as she did, the door moved to another spot on the wall. She tried again, only for the process to repeat itself. This went on a few more times before the lavender mare got frustrated.

Fed up with it, she replicated Sombra’s dark magic again to stop the door in its tracks and finally opened it.

“Spike! I think it’s here!” she said with a hint of glee. She galloped into the light the door emitted, but the room on the other side was not what she was expecting: the throne room of Canterlot. “Huh?” the mare said confused.

“What are you doing here?!” a familiar voice said in a very cold tone. Twilight turned around to see it was Princess Celestia. She wasn’t even looking at her as she wrote parchments.

Scintillant watched as Twilight’s expression turned to one of terror and the color vanished from it. When she heard Twilight’s mumbling about a failed test, she nodded silently to herself.

“Exactly as I expected. The poor filly is still bent on pleasing her mentor. Remarkable indeed.”

Her musings were interrupted by sounds of tiny feet running down the stairs. She quickly hid in the shadows and barely avoided Spike approaching Twilight’s trembling self.

“Twilight! I know you told me to stay up there, but you were down here for such a long time and you weren't answering and I got worried so I came down here and you were just staring at that wall and... I was calling your name, but I couldn't seem to get your attention, and... What were you looking at? I mean... it's just a wall.”

Twilight stepped out of the way as Spike approached the door. She witnessed the effects of the door on her number one assistant as his eyes turned green.

“Do you see now, how feebly your mentor prepared you?” Scintillant said walking out from her hiding spot. “Your reliance on following her every wish has made you blind to the fault of her ways and to obvious truths as well. What need is there for two locks when you can open both with the same key?”

“I see. But when I can’t open the door with my magic and Sombra’s spell doesn’t work either, what am I supposed to do? I have to get the Crystal Heart. Not for Celestia, but for the crystal ponies!” Twilight cried out, tears starting to brim in her eyes.

“Indeed, you have to. And since you now understand the correct motivation, I will be of assistance to you. The darkness is fought with light and there is no brighter light than Elysium. Taste the power of… angels as I channel it through you. The power you can wield if you choose to accept our offer.”

A small spark of hope ignited in Twilight. “What should I do?” she asked eagerly.

A shadow ran across Scintillant’s face upon hearing the enthusiasm in Twilight’s voice. Such recklessness. And blind obedience, another thing we will have to address. She returned to her stoic expression quickly, however, and lit her horn. “Imagine my halo and try sending a stream of magic against the door. But first, you might want to save your dragon friend from madness.”

With a shocked gasp Twilight turned her attention back to Spike, who was still staring at the open door, shrieking from time to time in despair. She quickly slammed the door shut, snapping him from his trance.

“We were home. You told me you didn’t need me anymore. You were sending me away.”

“A fear that will never come to pass. I’m never gonna send you away. And I’m not gonna fail my test!” Scintillant, once again hidden from the sight, feigned applause at Twilight’s decision not to let Spike know about the change of heart. The gesture, however, remained unseen.

With Spike safe, Twilight positioned herself in front of the door and went through the mental exercise Scintillant described. To her amazement the halo in front of her inner sight began to rotate on its own as she casted her spell against the spiteful entrance, hitting the emblem above it with a blast of bright magic, resembling her own, but different at the same time.

The door opened and she jumped through, quickly taking in her new glittering surroundings. Oh dear Celestia. So many stairs…

Scintillant watched as the duo started the arduous ascend. She took her time before she flew up, leaving them far underneath. However, she had to speed up when they slid past her on the underside of the staircase. As they emerged on the top of the spire, she was already waiting, flying high above.

How reckless again. However, we should be thankful for that this time, she thought as Twilight fell into Sombra’s trap. When Spike ran to the ridge of the plateau, she descended next to Twilight.

“Your rushed actions might have destroyed everything, Twilight Sparkle.” Hearing that, Twilight hung her head low. Scintillant, however continued her speech. “Thankfully, no negative consequences will arise from this. Without this, the Crystal Empire couldn’t even be saved. Even with the Heart, the crystal ponies have been weakened to the state where they cannot fully power it. Sombra has made sure of it by putting fear into them during the years of his reign. But you can help them. Angelic powers serve more purpose than just opening doors. Time it so that your charge is synchronized with theirs. They must not know of this power being channeled.”

“I understand.” Twilight nodded and bent her neck, so her horn was perpendicular to the floor, pointing directly at the intended position of the Crystal Heart. She went through the exercise and brought forth the picture of spinning halo, waiting for the correct moment to release the powers of Elysium.

The rate at which the intervals between the pulses from below shortened suddenly started to decrease. They won’t even be able to power the Heart. I need to act now! With that she sent the stream of magic, this time pure white, down through the floor. When it impacted the Heart, a massive pulse was emitted, throwing Twilight on her back.

Once the pain from the impact lessened, she crawled to the rim to check if everything went as planned. She could barely lift her head, the spell having drained most of her energy, leaving her on the threshold of utter exhaustion. She laid her head on her now sparkling hooves and sighed.

A sound of hoofsteps behind her rose her from her near asleep state. “And good job from you too, Twilight Sparkle.” Twilight only murmured in reply, so Scintillant continued. “Before I leave and before your friends find you, I must ask: after what happened today, do you accept our offer?”

Twilight lifted her head with great difficulties and looked over her shoulder at the angel, who couldn’t hide the look of expectation on her face anymore.

Ein Sof Zealotry

by ZhaoZoharEX

Chapter 1