The Coming of the Alicorns
And it came to pass, that the tribes of ponykind had been scattered to the four winds by the war of Chaos and order. The unicorns, Pegasus, and earth ponies settled in the land of Argyte, making a home for themselves there. While the Crystal ponies migrated north and settled, building an empire amongst the ice and snow. The sea ponies and mermares adapted to their ocean home, losing the ability to live in fresh water. But the tribe of Snuzzle stubborn and proud as they were, stubbornly decided to remain in the now-devastated land of the Penna, and dwell therein.
Unlike the other tribes, the children of Snuzzle had taken on the attributes of three of the other types; some were unicorns, some were Pegasus, and some were earth ponies. Unbeknownst to the other tribes, the children of Snuzzle had long ago learned the alteration magics of the Penna, and jealously guarded the secret for themselves. But it soon came to pass, that these ponies had no way to provide for themselves. And it was decided they would dig deep into the mountains to gather gemstones, to trade to the other races for food and supplies.
But as Snuzzle's tribe dug into the mountain that would one day be called Canterlot, the unicorns led them deeper and deeper into the caverns, and all the children of Snuzzle became lost deep in an endless reflective maze. With no other way to survive, these poor ponies turned to black magics, to feed off of each others love to survive. They slowly used the alteration magics to change themselves to survive underground, but over time they forgot those spells along with nearly everything else. But that magic had become a part of them, and down in those dark depths the tribe of Snuzzle became something truly horrible over the generations. And one day they would return to plague the other tribes who had abandoned them.
And it came to pass, that the three remaining tribes of ponykind prospered in the land of Argyte. Here, in the first society the equines had established on their own, did they thrive under the wise rule of three royal houses, all born from the line on Sunsparkle. Earth ponies tilled the land, and freely they gave of their crops to their sister tribes without stinting. The unicorns raised and lowered the sun and moon for the benefit of all, while the Pegasus created weather and brought about the changing for the seasons. All of the ponies built shrines and altars to the horsemaster, singing the praises and glories of their benevolent creator.
But the Tirac was ever watchful, and soon saw his opportunity to bring misery and strife to the ponies once again. A tribe of griffins lived in the neighboring lands, and the spirit of evil stirred up enmity between both them and the ponies. A war was started between the two sides, and much blood was shed on both sides. While all ponies were drawn into that terrible conflict, it was the Pegasus who suffered the most. Their aerial battles with the griffins hardened them into the fiercest of warriors, making them even more warlike than their pony brethren. The ponies of all tribes cried out to the horsemaster to end the carnage, and so it was decided to send these ponies a miracle.
It was during the reign of Princess Twinkle Star, that pink earth pony with a pink mane of whom so many tales tell, that a young earth mare named Roesetta was born. Her parents slain in combat by the griffins, the foal grew up to become a retainer at court, like so many orphans before her had. As a white mare with a brown mane and quill and inkwell cutie mark, she wasn't very much to look at. So little attention was paid to the mare that day at court, when Princess Twinkle, soon to be ruler of the earth pony tribe, declared;
"This war with the griffins, it is against the nature of ponykind and friendship." She shook her mane wearily. "Is there no pony that can come forth, and end this troublesome conflict for us?"
But out of all of her retainers, only Rosetta had the courage to speak up.
"My princess, the tribes are too proud to choose a representative of another tribe to make peace for them." The astute earth pony declared. "It would take a pony of all three kinds to be able to make peace for all of ponykind."
And lo, even as the unawares Rosetta stood before her princess, B'zekre brought a change over the mare. She vanished from the eyes of the astonished court, only to be returned mere minutes later, in a great flash of light. To their amazement, the mare before them had both wings and a horn, where none had been mere moments before.
"Tis a miracle, ordained by the horsemaster!" Star Sparkle declared, as all of the ponies around her bowed to the newly fashioned alicorn. "A pony of all three types, who will bring peace to all of ponykind!"
And so, this mighty wondrous creature brought both the three tribes, and the proud warrior griffins to the negotiating table. And it was also that this powerful alicorn, at the orders of her queen, Twinkle Star, did carry out many feats and wonders that are written of elsewhere. And after a natural lifespan of years, when she was certain ponykind was happy and safe, Rosetta chose to give up her corporeal form and it's blessed longevity, and pass on to the horsemaster's stable as all ponies who follow the horsemaster are destined to do.
But as it always is, the Tirac saw a way to work his evil amongst ponykind. Into an unsuspecting pony's heart, he did plant an idea most blasphemous.
"Come, let us make a goddess of this brave and noble pony who helped us in our times of need." This stallion declared. "And let us cast aside this silly notion of a horsemaster we have never seen."
And it came to pass, that the followers of the alicorns increased their numbers among ponykind, telling themselves that the great alicorn had created ponykind. The altars and shrines of the horsemaster were cast down and forgotten, and whole generations of the three tribes grew up, not knowing of the horsemaster who had so lovingly created them. Only a scant few clung to the horsemasterist faith, and they were the victims of much maltreatment and abuse. In this new faith stallions achieved new status in ponykind, equal to mares in the eyes of all. Out of all the royal families, only the unicorn branch of Starsparkle's tribe did secretly keep the faith of the horsemaster.
At the sight of her children's folly, B'zekre wept bitterly. "Instead of glorifying their creator, these foolish ponies have decided to worship my messenger. Therefore, I shall come to them no more, and they may rely on the alicorns that will appear amongst them instead."
And so it was, that ponykind entered it's pre-classical era. But a great time of troubles was ahead of ponykind, and they would have only the alicorns to help them get through what was to follow.