//------------------------------// // Chapter 5 // Story: Daughter of the Night // by Word Wizard //------------------------------// Daughter of the Night Chapter Five New Arrival ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Crickets chirped. It was a quiet, lulling sound; one that nature produces to remind us of its presence. Some cultures refer to them as Birds of the Night, but their mating chirp serves a vastly different service than the birds’ calls. The soft, ambient melody wafted through valleys, across woodlands and throughout rivers. It seeped in through the cracks in the windows, causing a whole family to smile as they tucked their foals into bed. Some lie outside, basking in the milky glow of the moon, watching the fireflies dance out ballet to the music of the crickets. Fluttershy always liked crickets, their soft, distant chirp resembling her voice. She smiled as they struck up their wings in the evening, and let out her animals to play in the soft light of dusk. Now, Starlight heard them for the first time. “What are those?” she asked, sitting up in bed. Fluttershy stopped and turned around, smiling gently. “Those,” she told Starlight, “are crickets. They make the most beautiful noise, don’t you think?” “I do like it,” Starlight agreed, yawning. “It’s been a big day,” Fluttershy said, softly, “Twilight will be with you through the night, and we’ll take you out in the morning.” “Okay,” Starlight said, lying back down in the velvet sheets. “Goodnight.” The light died as Fluttershy blew the candle out in a whiff of smoke. Blackness descended on the room, and already she could hear the soft, even breathing of a sleeping foal. She smiled, and descended down the stairs. “Have you seen her?” Applejack asked, worriedly. Fluttershy gave a quizzical glance from behind her light pink, curling mane. “Who?” she asked, slightly bewildered. “Twilight!” Applejack exclaimed. “Honestly, either she’s been foalnapped or she’s gone wandering. It’s not like her to not tell anypony.” “We could ask Spike,” Fluttershy suggested. “Nah, he doesn’t know either!” Rainbow called from upstairs. “He’s been asleep since early this afternoon.” “Hwhat?” a small voice said. “Go back to bed,” Rainbow snapped. “What’s going on?” the voice said, gaining a bit of confidence. Rainbow sighed. “Twilight’s missing!” Pinkie cried happily as she bounced out of the kitchen. “Ooooh, I just LOVE hide and seek!” “I don’t think that’s-” Applejack began. “WHAT?” Spike’s voice, no longer small and confused, shouted. “Why didn’t you say so?” “We didn’t want to disturb-” Rarity started, but to no avail. “Oh geez! We gotta write a letter to the princess right away, and one to Shining Armor, and one to her parents… I don’t even know their addresses! Get me the yellow pages, will you?” “Calm down, upstart!” Applejack shouted, “Whoa nelly. You’re right, Spike, but the princess will be gettin’ her well-earned rest right now. I doubt she’d be able to do anything about it immediately! Besides, we aren’t even sure if Twi’s just out on errands or summit.” “I guess you’re right,” Spike sighed. “But if she’s not home by morning, I’m sounding the alarm.” “Sounds good to me,” Applejack said. She turned to Pinkie Pie, whose current gear was idle, or bounce up and down in place. “Pinkie, learn anything in the kitchen?” “Yup!” she reported, leaping a few inches into the air, but landing again with a serious, businesslike demeanor. “She’s been captured!” “How do you know that?” Rarity asked, remembering Pinkie’s past reputation with using and collecting evidence. “They broke the window!” “Okay,” Applejack said slowly, scratching her hat. Rainbow hovered overhead, scrunching her face up in concentration. Fluttershy quietly thought in the back of the room, and Rarity listened intently from the sofa. “But I still say that you need more than that to go on,” she said, finally. “How about… they left a shoe?” Pinkie said, hopefully. She held up a pristine leather dress shoe, the only tarnish on it a white scratch running along its length. “That looks very nice,” Rarity pondered, “I could have sworn I saw it somewhere…” “A clue!” Rainbow swooped down and grabbed it, lifting the shoe into the air; with Pinkie dangling off of it. “It’s a shoe, silly!” she giggled, looking down. “Hey, I can see everything at once from here!” “Right,” Rainbow said, sweating. “Why don’t I just let you down slowly?” “Okay!” Rainbow slowly descended, straining her wings to prevent a short, and rather unpleasant trip to the ground. All eyes were one the airborne duo as Pinkie dangled her feet in the air, giggling. “There,” Rainbow said, depositing Pinkie on the ground. She ascended into the air again, examining the shoe with ecstatic curiosity. Her face burst into a wide, expanding grin, and she looked down. “It’s like a Daring Doo novel!” Rainbow said, looking at the shoe; her eyes bulged as if trying to intimidate the shoe into revealing its secrets. “Somepony’s foalnapped Twilight, and we’ve gotta find out who it is!” “Uh, you may be right on that one, sugarcube,” Applejack said, cautiously. “Maybe there’s some kind of secret organization!” Rainbow continued, her eyes growing wider every second. Everypony in the room took a step back… never knowing what might happen next. “Oh! I’ll bet that there’s an evil mastermind, and all his little servants,” Rainbow marveled at the thought. “I bet there’s some right here in Ponyville! They could even,” she looked around suspiciously, “be in this room.” “Spies!” Pinkie cried. Applejack threw her a leveling glare, but the pink mare continued to look around desperately. “Oh, I know what they’re playing at!” she drew herself up, an air of seriousness surrounding her otherwise cheerful figure. It was all Applejack could do to keep from laughing. “They wanna spy on us with their spyey spies? Well, I can out spy their spyey spies with my little spyey eyes!” “Hey, maybe we should ALL be spies!” Rainbow suggested. “Sounds dangerous,” Fluttershy mumbled. Rainbow threw up her hooves in exasperation, letting out a huff of defeat. “Of COURSE it’s dangerous!” she cried, “What fun would it be if it wasn’t dangerous?” “Very,” Fluttershy whispered timidly. “NONE!” Rainbow corrected her, “That’s how much fun it would be! None! Where’s the fun in just sitting around and being all protected? I, for one, would rather be out uncovering a secret orginization!” “I still think that sounds-” “Whatever,” Rainbow sighed and turned to the others. “Are YOU at least interested in this?” “I think it sounds like a very… dirty affair,” Rarity huffed. Applejack threw her a cold stare, causing her mind to backpedal at a terrific rate. “Of course,” she said, sweating, “I am working on a new line of galoshes…” “I think we should do anything, if it means gettin’ Twilight back,” Applejack said, eyeing Rarity. “Pinkie?” Rainbow turned; and quickly turned back again. Pinkie was dressed in a stretchy black suit, wearing gigantic goggles, and twirling a rope with a hook on it in one hoof. “Let’s out-spy some spies!” she shouted, and charged towards the door. Everyone cringed, preparing for the imminent crash, but it never came. There was a screech as Pinkie’s hooves slid to a halt, and she stared quizzacally at the door. “I mean,” she said, throwing the door open with a crash. “Let’s open some doors!” “...Right,” Rainbow managed to say, after Pinkie charged into the gloom. “I suppose… we better… help her then?” ------- Spike dipped a quill in ink and unrolled a scroll of yellowed parchment onto Twilight’s writing desk. The pen paused over the paper for a few moments as he thought of what to write; the ink dropped unceremoniously onto the paper,creating a black splotch in the upper right hoof corner. Eventually, a letter formed in Spike’s head, and he began to write. The sound of a quill scratching away on parchment filled the library, accompanying the crickets’ perpetual melody. A melody of sadness, but also one of hope: hope that what one wished, when expressed through proper and polite manners, would be granted. As Spike wrote, all he could think about was Twilight; the mare who had raised him from an egg, who had hatched him, who had been the closest thing to a mother he had ever had. And everyone knows how protective dragons get of their kin. ---------- “Crystal Prism!” Shining Armor called, looking up from the letter. The blasted letter. Every time he got used to this place, it was pack your bags and back to the guard. Crystal’s shimmering face popped into the doorway. “Yes sir?” he said, advancing into the room. Crystal Prism was a tall, slender unicorn. His light blue coat sparkled in the dancing light of the Crystal Palace, as his dark white mane refracted the light. It was strange, but Crystal Prism’s mane always had this… talent. It could turn incoming light into rainbows, dancing off walls and ceilings, and that was the very magic Prism specialized in. Light magic; the art of manipulating the finest and most powerful energy to create anything. His cutie mark was a triangular piece of crystal, casting a rainbow. Shining Armor clicked his tongue as he threw down the letter. His powder blue mane was well groomed, and his eyes set in the most irritated glare Prism had ever seen. “I need you to look after things while I’m gone,” Shining said, levitating his Royal Guard uniform out of the closet. “I’ve got business in Canterlot.” “Yes sir!” Crystal said, beaming. “You can count on me, sir!” “I should hope so,” Shining said, slipping the last of the brass buttons through its proper hole. “Don’t let anything get out of control here, you understand?” “What do you mean, sir?” Crystal inquired, walking out into the hallway with the captain. “It seems peaceful enough, these days.” “There’s been some trouble with the royal family, and Canterlot’s got riots,” Shining said, pushing a glistening crystal door open and stepping into the plaza. “That’s why I’m leaving. Celestia needs some help.” “Oh dear,” Crystal Prism said worriedly, “that won’t happen here, sir!” “Glad to hear it,” Shining said, walking towards the towering smoke of the train station. “But there’s something up, keep an eye out, will you?” “Yes sir!” Crystal Prism saluted as the prince walked out of sight, towards the brick and glass structure of the train station. He turned and trotted back inside, a grin upon his face. He had been lying through his teeth for the whole conversation. Something’s up indeed! If anything was up, it was him. The Grand Clock struck three, its booming chimes echoing through the palace. Crystal stopped, glancing at the clock. “I’d better get moving,” he muttered, setting off at a fast trot into the palace, “she’ll be here any second now.” ------------ Canterlot was in tatters. Riots by the nobles besieged the castle, smoldering guard houses billowed smoke. It had turned violent, and pretty was not a word anypony sane would use to describe it. Celestia watched it from her balcony, shaking her head as shouts from the streets found their way to her ears. It was only a matter of time until it died down, of course, but the lasting unrest would bear a scar on the city for years to come. Shining Armor is on his way, she thought, turning away from the gruesome sight and walking indoors, he can help. Two days it had been; two days without Luna. Without the loving wing of a sister to hide under. Without the joy of mentoring a younger sibling. Without Luna, the world was dark and foreboding, all corners were eerie. The night sky was blood of her sister, a sight Celestia could not bear to see at a time like this. Cadence raised the moon while Celestia raised the sun. Slowly she was healing, but the hole in her heart where Luna had been would never repair; not until her sister’s return. The Vuxian wood could not be replaced, as Vux was destroyed long ago, so the balcony was repaired with the dark fibre of ebony wood. It was smooth and beautiful, blending with the remaining Vuxian wood like a chameleon, but skilled eyes could note the difference. “Celestia!” the door of the princess’s throne room was thrown open, revealing a shocked guard. “The portal!” “What?” Celestia raised an eyebrow. “The portal in Cadence’s domain, we have reason to believe it has opened off schedule!” “Don’t worry, there are far more serious things going on,” Celestia assured the harried guard. “I’m sure whoever Shining left in charge will deal with whatever happens. Come, Sergeant Polish, have a look at the city.” She motioned the the balcony, beckoning Polish to join her as she walked towards it. He followed reverently, although slightly bewildered. Sergeant Polish looked out over the city, the breathtaking view tarnished by shouts from the streets. “Beautiful?” Celestia asked. Polish nodded silently, examining a nearby cloud. Clouds weren’t supposed to be this close, were they? “Now imagine,” Celestia continued, “it consumed in flame. Imagine the streets filled with pitchforks and torches, imagine the castle burning. The billowing smoke breaking the night air as mobs murder your friends and family for bearing any relation to the crown. “Now imagine that not happening. Imagine your regiment valiantly beating order back into the city, not demoralized or angry like the citizens. Imagine the passion you would feel, protecting your loved ones by subduing the mobs. “Ponies are free to express themselves, Polish,” Celestia finished, “but mobs kill. Mobs lose control. Mobs must be stopped.” Polish stood still for a few moments, tears welling up in his eyes. His glistening brass helmet shone in the sunlight as he stared straight ahead, fighting back the tears. “Yes… Yes, your highness,” he eventually stuttered, “That won’t happen.” “Good,” Celestia said cooley, walking back inside. Polish followed her, determination overtaking sadness on his face. “I won’t let that happen, your highness, it won’t,” he said firmly. Resolutely, he straightened his helmet and saluted to the princess. She flashed a quick smile, before returning to her calm, placid demeanor. “I’m very glad to hear it,” she said, “now get out there and stop it!” “Yes ma’am!” Polish marched out of the room with confidence. The scared stallion that entered left firm, with determination and dignity. Celestia grinned as she heard the timed stomp of regimented hooves break into a gallop as soon as Polish was out of sight. “Off you go, Polish,” she said quietly, “save your family.” --------- Cadence trotted down the hallway, her mane gleaming in the torchlight as she headed to open court. Celestia would be joining her, she hoped, but the ponies expected opening times to stay the same, so she filled in. She stopped once she reached the gilded door, her jaw dropping in surprise as she viewed the court. Ponies were everywhere, lined up beyond her sight, and they didn’t look happy. She surveyed the scene, her eyes worriedly darting from disgruntled citizen to disgruntled citizen. A guard sidled up to her, holding a bugle in one hoof. “Ready, your highness?” he asked, raising his horn to his lips. A second guard did the same, billowing his cheeks full of air to prepare for the blowing. “Yes- I think so,” Cadence managed, wildly grabbing at any passing emotion that wasn’t pure terror. “Go ahead.” She smoothed her mane and lifted her chin, and, as the bugles sounded, walked out into the seething mass of citizens. Quickly, she got on the throne, and watched as the guards pulled together one last shred of effort and corralled the ponies into a line. Cadence sat with a firm face, her crown’s pure blue crystal casting a triangle of tinted light before her. She looked quite imperial, but inside she wanted to scream. “Come forth,” she said in a regal tone of voice, “and voice your concerns.” A nervous gray stallion in a farm hat walked forward; Cadence bore down on him with a steely glare. “W- Well,” he stuttered, “I was a little concerned and befuddled by all this princess Luna talk. I mean, my family runs a produce shop, and I was just wonderin’ how it might affect me?” “Ah,” Cadence said. And so it begins, she thought to herself. “I can see where you might worry, mister Apple,” continued Cadence, “but I shouldn’t worry about Luna. Her issue will most certainly not affect you, unless others choose to make it do so.” She threw a acidic glare to the ponies in the back holding signs. They quickly turned the signs the other direction and lowered them, turning a bright shade of red in process. “Thanks, princess,” mister Apple said, turning around and trotting back along the line. A yellow mare stepped forward, her exquisite lipstick and refined monocle, at first glance, making Cadence positively want to gag. “Yes?” she raised an eyebrow and tried to look interested. “Princess Cadence,” the mare droned in a slow and meticulous voice. Here we go, Cadence thought. “I would like to know if you intend to keep that… serpent, Luna, on, after her, shall we say, disturbing incident, for which she should be punished and discredited for?” “The bitch,” the mare breathed, too low for anypony to hear, except Cadence. She pricked her ear up and caught it, just in time, before it vanished into the air. Cadence was boiling inside. Serpent? Bitch?! Luna was like an aunt to her! She was Celestia’s sister, and a damn good one at that if we want to get into it, but how dare this mare insult her like a streetpony? “What leads you to believe princess Luna is that?” Cadence said, the anger draining slowly through the tiny hole in her self restraint. “Luna is what?” the mare droned. “A bitch.” The whole court went silent, until the mare spoke up. “I said no such-” “You DID!” Cadence stood up, glaring at the impertinent aristocrat with fiery eyes. “I did not-” “STOP IT!” a voice boomed. Cadence and the mare turned to face the offender. Celestia stood in the doorway, a steely look in her face. “What exactly is going on here?” “This mare just insulted your sister!” Cadence said accusingly. “I did not!” the mare insisted, turning up her nose away from the princess. “Cadence,” Celestia said softly, putting a wing around the young princess. “She is wrong and you are right, but this isn’t kindergarten. This is politics. In politics you insult people in much more subtle and devious ways. But right now it is time to exercise patience.” “I just got so angry, I-” Cadence started. Celestia put a hoof to her lips and smiled. “I am happy that you feel so strongly about protecting my sister, but we must learn to let some of it go,” Celestia said, smiling. “Now. Shall we return to court? Perhaps you should watch me for a little while.” Cadence nodded. Celestia retracted her wing and the duo returned to the regal thrones, Cadence sitting in Luna’s usual seat. The next assailant stepped forward, cautiously. It was a posh, aristocratic pony, who obviously had a piece of her mind out and ready to hurl at the princesses. “Princess Celestia,” she began in a pompous manner. Celestia looked Cadence, and then tried to look as attentive as possible to the subject. “Yes, my little pony?” she said warmly. “I-” the pony began, but was cut off by a commotion in the line. “s’xuse me, comin’ through!” “What are you-” “AAA!” “This is simply-” “Where are your manners?” Celestia jerked her head away from the subject in front of her and looked at the line. Ponies were flying out left and right, slamming against the walls, landing on the ground, complaining vigorously as they did so. Celestia raised an eyebrow and hardened her face as a white stallion in shining golden armor raced to the front of the throne room. He did a quick kneel, jerking out of it before Celestia could say a word. He stood, rigidly, fear pulsing out of his eyes. “Captain Armor wished me to tell you, your highness,” he said in a firm monotone. “Twilight Sparkle has been abducted.” There was a murderous silence. Celestia’s mind raced. This can’t be happening, she thought, her eyes wildly darting around the crowded court. No! We must act fast… But the court… cancel… “Open court is officially canceled for today!” she shouted, “Please leave.” There was some general mumbles of protest, but the crowd slowly drained out the main entrance. Celestia turned back to the guard, ignoring the surprised Cadence. “When did this occur?” she asked cooly. Inside, panic welled up like a filling volcano. Don’t let it get to your head. Don’t let it get to your head. Don’t let… she thought, over and over again. “Last night, your highness,” the guard said promptly. “They could be anywhere,” she muttered. “Quick. We haven’t much time, I need an item that belonged to Twilight. Anything.” “Her possessions have mostly been transferred to Ponyville,” the guard mused, “but there may be something in the library.” “The park!” Cadence cried. Celestia and the guard turned to stare at her, wondering if she’d snapped. “When she was a filly, we buried a time capsule in the park,” Cadence explained quickly. “It’s probably still there. We can dig it up!” Celestia turned to the guard. “I want a team of twenty guards with shovels ready at the park in five minutes. Cadence will guide them,” she added, fire blazing in her eyes. “Yes, your highness!” the guard saluted and charged out of the room, slamming the doors behind him. Celestia turned to Cadence, her eyes ablaze with anger. “We had better get going,” she said, her horn shining bright. The light enveloped the two, until, and, with a flash of blue magic, the throne room was empty. As Celestia cast the teleportation spell, one thought ran through her mind. They will pay. --------- The Fellowship operated in darkness. It was their home. Celestia’s radiance was their bane, when they worked, that is. Restless Vigil quite enjoyed a bit of legal activity in the sunshine. Right now, however, he sat in his study with the blinds tightly drawn. Tightly he sat at his desk in the darkness, hunched over glowing runes on rotting parchment. Occasionally he flipped a page, and then flipped it back. Every sign pulsed with magical energy. This was a true spellbook, the kind that casted spells themselves. Glowing Night would know more about it than I, Restless thought as he furrowed his brows over the paper. But this just doesn’t seem… right. There was perfect silence in his room, and that silence was shattered by the clock striking noon. Its gong sounded twelve times before fading into the world. Restless grumbled, snapping the script shut. His hoof glowed and the shades flew open, revealing the blinding brightness of outdoors. The book jumped. Restless picked it up in two hooves, holding the menacing little jaws shut as he moved towards its usual shackles. It wiggled and resisted, but Restless had done this hundreds of times. *KNOCK* Restless jumped in surprise, letting the book leap from his grasp. It scurried around the room on haunches made of its binding, and retreated into a corner. Restless was boiling inside. “Come in,” he growled. Virgil stepped in. “Sir, your friend has arrived,” Virgil said, looking at the book with the same sort of glare one might use on a turd. “I can see to the capture of that… thing.” “Thank you, Virgil,” Restless said, walking towards the door. Virgil caught him with a hoof before he could leave, pulling him close. “I fixed the guest bedroom,” he said, “your friend is intending to stay a long while.” “How did you figure that?” Restless asked, surprised himself. “The luggage, sir, quite a bit of luggage,” Virgil said. “The trunk could fit a pony, sir.” Restless smiled. So they’d done it, had they? “Very good, Virgil, but I scarcely think it will be needed.” “As you say, sir,” Virgil said, returning to the room and eyeing the squeaking piece of literature in the corner. “I will see to this.” “Thank you,” Restless walked out of his carpeted study and on to the hardwood floor that composed much of the house. They did it, he thought with elation, they bloody damn well did it! “Aurora!” Restless cried, walking into the sitting room. Aurora Burst sat on the couch, next to a large brown trunk. The trunk was vertical, standing about the height of a pony on their hind legs. “I can’t believe you actually managed it!” “It was a pleasure, sir,” Aurora said, smiling. “Mister Spoon and mister Rich were more than happy to help.” “Lovely,” Restless tapped on the trunk. “Our prize, eh?” “Indeed,” Aurora said, grinning. “She put up quite a fight, I daresay.” “Just as anticipated,” Restless nodded. “You overcame that though?” “Easy,” Aurora said, unhooking one of the latches. “Still under, I trust?” Restless said as Aurora snapped the next brass latch open. “Oh yes,” Aurora said, his eyes glinting in the lamplight with insane pleasure. “Enchantment on the box.” “I expected no less,” Restless smiled. Aurora may be slightly unhinged, but when you set him on a job, he got it done. He finished tasks threefold. That was why he was in the Fellowship. There was an ominous click as the last brass latch snapped unlocked. With a creak, the trunk opened, and a purple body fell out of it. Twilight Sparkle sprawled out on the ground, shrouded in the blissful ignorance of unconsciousness. Restless just about screamed for joy. Instead, Restless converted his joy to commanding elation. He nodded to Aurora. “Take her to the Place,” Restless said. “Glowing Night and I can take it from there. You just… detain her.” “My honor,” Aurora Burst said, his horn glowing. Two balls of orange magic lifted Twilight off the ground and suspended her back in the chest, her body hanging down limply. Another rope of magic slammed the trunk shut and did the latches. There was a thump as Twilight’s body crumpled to the bottom of the container. “I hear your sister arrives today,” Restless said, conversationally. “You must be excited.” Aurora nodded. “We have not seen each over for so long,” he said, dreamily, “it will be a pleasure.” “But there is work to be done!” Restless stated. Aurora jerked out of his nostalgic haze. “Off with you!” “Aye,” Aurora trotted out the door, the trunk following close behind. “See you at sundown of the First Moon.” “Three days,” Restless muttered to himself, shutting the door with a hoof. “I must summon Glowing Night; he must know it is time.” He walked out onto the balcony, looking at the setting sun with a beady glare. “Time to murder the sun with her own prized treasure.” ----------- Crystal Prism waited. And waited. And waited some more. The guards had been dismissed for the day, the room was clear and the stage was set… but no actor came forth. Crystal sat on the floor, listlessly staring at the glistening portal. Its swirling depths danced in the light, shining into a vortex of magical energy. Upstairs, Crystal heard the clock strike six. Three hours. Three hours he had waited for the new arrival, and three hours she had not shone her face. Crystal stood up and stretched, taking a break from staring at the portal to staring at the adjacent wall. “Is she ever coming, or was this some prank?” Crystal Prism pondered as he exaimened the glowing wall. Light refracting from his mane made rainbows dance along the crystal, lighting the room with specs of rainbow. He threw the glassy mane back and stared at the portal again. “She’s got six hours ‘till it’s too late,” he said, to no one in particular, “she better make it.” “Me?” a voice cut threw the silence. It was shrewd and commanding as it boomed about the room, malice slicing from it like a blade. There was a certain cunning, devious sound to the voice as well, one that made Crystal Prism shudder. The portal glowed, lighting the room with a brilliant white light as it shot blue sparks from its borders. Crystal raised a hoof to his eyes to shield the light, squinting into the blazing brightness. There was a thump, and then silence. “Who’s there?” Crystal asked, nervously. He lit his horn, unknowing of what he may find in the cloud of dust. “Me,” a voice stated, through the airborne grime. “What’s your name?” Crystal said, his eyes nervously darting around the room. He progressed into the cloud, turning his head from left to right with a glowing horn. “Back in kindergarten, are we?” the voice sneered. “State your name or I shall be forced to take forcful action!” Crystal shouted. The voice was quiet, but then began laughing. “Go on,” it said, “be ‘forceful’. I’ll just sit over here and watch.” Crystal growled. His horn glowed brighter and brighter, and slowly the dust cloud began to spin. It spun faster and faster, twirling its way into Crystal’s horn.. When the plume of dust was all collected, a searing beam of light shout out of Crystal Prism’s horn, etching a mark on the nearby wall. In the corner, Sunset Shimmer clapped sarcastically. “Light magic,” she said, listlessly. “Haven’t seen that in a long time. Although, it could be a bit more… interesting.” “Cut the games, will you?” Crystal Prism growled. “You came here to help The Fellowship and your brother, right?” “I suppose,” she said, thoughtfully. “There isn’t much else to do in this world. Lead the way, shiny.” “Don’t call me that!” Prism snapped. Light from his mane, danced across the walls as they walked down the crystalline passages. Sunset smiled smugly to herself as Prism plowed ahead in a huff. “Of course, shiny,” she said naughtily. Crystal Prism stopped. “Look,” he growled, without turning around. “I have no idea how anyone could dream of working with you, but I’m gonna be in hot water if I tell them you were so obnoxeous that I couldn’t even get you to the trainstation! “I thought you liked this cause!” he turned around, eyes blazing with anger. “I thought you hated the Sisters every second of your life! I thought you were supposed to be some kind of goddess of cunning malice! “All you’ve done so far to prove your self worthy of this is act like you’re still in magic kindergarten! Either you act like a proper mare, or you never see your brother, you never get a chance to gain revenge. You go back through that stupid portal right where you came from if you don’t want to gain co-leadership of the Equestrian Empire!” he grimaced, pointing a hoof threateningly at the portal. Sunset, for the first time he’d seen, flinched under his glare. Good god, Crystal thought to himself, this is more like dealing with preschool students than cunning geniuses. “Fine,” Sunset said, regaining composure. “I’ll at least see what they have to offer.” “Good,” Crystal Prism turned around, but stopped. “You,” he pointed to the ground in front of him, “in front of me.” “Fine,” Sunset said, nonchalauntly trotting in front of the crystal pony. “Now, trainstation,” Prism muttered, and turned back to the task at hand: foalsitting. ------ Glowing Night looked out over the site, scrutinizing every detail. Ponies walked back and forth, setting up glowing obelisks, scratching ancient runes into the glowing soil, or spreading powders. In front of him, shining in the light of his horn, a book struggled in its bonds. A diagram illustrated in the book showed the exact layout of the ‘field’; a layout that must be replicated perfectly for anything to work… properly. Glowing Night glanced down at the writhing piece of literature every so often, comparing its illustration to that of the field’s. So far, it went along smoothly. Only a few problems with local wildlife interrupted work, but that was to be expected. This was the Everfree Forest, after all. A magical barrier shimmered around the perimeter of the clearing, blurring the outside world in a haze of milky light. Glowing Night looked down at it, smiling. He threw back his hood and continued to examine the figure, constantly glancing up at the clearing. A gray streak was barely visible on the eastern horizon, but it grew larger by the second. In the hard light of noon it flew, shooting over the dark, foreboding forest. Closer it drew to the barrier, a black cape billowed out behind it, filled with air. Two guards, dressed in bright orange and red armor, stepped forward, their spears raised. Their coats were a uniform black; their eyes a threatening purple. Two curving horns rose from their helmets, the glowing bronze glinting in the sunlight. Their hooves held the spears, and their faces were set in grimaces. They were the Sentinels of the Fellowship. The gray streak grew closer, but as it did a fiery mark shot up in the air. It was a rune, a glistening, burning rune from ancient times. The Sentinels looked at it, and immidiatly powered up their horns. A hole was stretched in the fabric of the barrier, just enough to allow the streaking pegasus to fly in. Its wings were spread wide as it glided around the clearing, losing speed from its long, swift journey. A dark gray feather dropped from its wingtip, floating down towards the ground on a slow, drifting path. Glowing Night eyed it a little, but focused on his work. Flaming Gale, glided towards the wooden scaffolding, atop which Glowing Night worked. His wings tilted forward as he lost speed, alighting on the platform with practiced agility. “Glowing Night,” he said, looking out over the field. A hair from his mane poked out from under the hood, blazing in the afternoon sun. “I bring news from Restless Vigil.” “Go on,” Glowing Night prompted, not taking his eyes off his work. Flaming Gale continued. “She is ready. The ceremony must begin tomorrow morning,” Gale said, flatly. Glowing Night raised an eyebrow. “Very well,” he said, gazing over the clearing. “We will be ready.” Across the field, emerging from a rough, beaten, forest path, two ponies lumbered into the clearing. They held on their backs a pedestal; a grand, carved, pedestal. It glowed an eerie purple glow as the web of magic that surrounded Equestria bended and distorted due to its very presence. Glowing Night looked at it, and then at the figure in the struggling book in front of him. “The centerpiece,” he breathed. A pedestal from ages, millennia ago. It was said to have come from Vux, the Land Before Time; a magical world from which Equestria formed. Forged in the heart of the Vuxian caverns, the pedestal possessed incredible power to bend and concentrate magical fields. Years ago, Glowing Night was entrusted with its safety by princess Celestia. It had sat in a glass box, a vault of sorts, in the basement of the Canterlot Royal Archives; until now. Now it would be put to its original purpose; the purpose of centering ancient magic. It would be the antenna of the spell, focusing the energy produced on one thing… or pony. “Any news on the authorities?” Glowing Night asked the shuffling pegasus. Flaming Gale looked at him. “None,” he said, “I saw but one outpost on my way here. The guards seem all too occupied keeping Canterlot in one piece.” “Excellent,” Glowing Night turned to the field. Herbs were placed in pots, artifacts stuck in the glowing, pulsing ground. Already he could feel the magic rushing towards it, transpiring from the forest and feeding the Circle. “I hope you know what you’re doing,” Flaming Gale said, nervously. “Restless Vigil made it quite clear this is important.” “Oh yes,” Glowing Night said, almost offended. “I studied this for years. I am librarian of the Royal Archives Physical Magic section! Great Faust, you think I’m playing with sticks here?” “No, just checking,” Gale ruffled his feathers. Glowing Night sighed as he looked over the preparations, smiling slightly to himself. “We’ll be ready for her,” he said at last, staring straight at the fluctuating barrier with a steely glare. “Whether she likes it or not.”