//------------------------------// // Chapter Three - From This Nightmare // Story: Grossly Incandescent // by Crack Javelin //------------------------------// As Princess Luna predicted, the creature named Solaire had died moments later. Even before the spell had been cast, Applejack was certain that Solaire would not survive. The wound he suffered was too deep. Too severe. Fatal. Applejack shivered, but not from the cold. She had realized the harsh realities of life at a very young age, but something about Solaire’s passing had left her numb. There was no desperation in his actions, no anguish in his voice. In that small corner of Celestia’s garden, he had simply waited for death to take him as if he were stuck on a stalled train. Solaire, that unknown creature, had died without a single struggle or fear. Applejack couldn’t help but glance down at the unicorn asleep at her hooves. A thick blue cloak was draped across Rarity’s back, and like lines of shimmering silver, the swirling designs embroidered along the cloak’s hem glittered in the moonlight. Covered as she was, the cloak did nothing to disguise Rarity’s slow breaths—the fabric rose and fell in even rhythm, a telltale sign of a deep sleep. Applejack pulled tightly at her own cloak before turning her attention back to the commotion surrounding them. Not ten minutes ago, a small array of guards had entered the garden like sentient shadows. Four mares and two stallions by Applejack’s count, and they all moved with a silent purpose in their step. The stallions had left Applejack and the slumbering Rarity their cloaks before joining their compatriots at the edge of the garden. Applejack already had a guess as to why they were there, and when she saw that solitary corpse floating away on a bed of blue magic, she knew that her assumption was correct. The rest of the guards remained, pulling samples from the soil and talking in muted voices with Princess Luna about what had happened. They spoke little with Applejack, offering only quiet words of sympathy before carrying on with their duties. Applejack sighed as she looked once again upon Rarity’s curled form. Perhaps they thought it best not to wake her friend. Poor girl. She had taken Solaire’s death to heart, Applejack was sure of that. When he had stopped breathing, Rarity hadn’t moved for an entire minute until the shock of it all finally overcame her. Something squeezed inside Applejack’s chest. She cursed herself for not saying anything back then and she cursed herself for not knowing what to say now. Maybe there was nothing she could say. Her mind had simply ceased to work. For a second, the guards looked toward the garden’s entrance somewhere over Applejack’s shoulder. At once they all snapped a quick salute before returning to their separate tasks. Even in her dazed state, Applejack didn’t miss the small frown that appeared on Luna’s lips. The earth pony craned her neck to the side, her eyes instantly focusing on the tall white figure standing several yards away. With a quiet resolve, Princess Celestia started forward. Each step she took was slow and controlled, her expression one of stoic deliberation. As the two princesses met the other's gaze, Applejack could feel a sense of unease washing over her. There was no exchanging of pleasantries or even a calm nod. There was only silence, and in that moment, Applejack understood the severity of the situation. She thought back to the lecture, the strange lights atop the tower and Solaire’s sudden appearance—somehow, Applejack knew they were connected. Somehow, Applejack knew who was at the center of it all. And somehow, Applejack found the strength to speak first. Her words were deafening in the dark. “Where’s Twilight?” she whispered. “Where’s Twilight Sparkle?” Grossly Incandescent Chapter 3 - From This Nightmare By the time her friends had arrived, Twilight had already adjusted to the sanitary smell of the infirmary. The room was small, containing only four beds lined up in a neat row along the white-washed walls. Separating them were pale blue curtains, offering some level of privacy in an otherwise cramped space. Although privacy was the furthest thing from Twilight’s mind. At the foot of the bed stood Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash, regarding the unicorn with varying levels of concern. When Twilight told them what had happened, Pinkie’s smile fell away, Fluttershy’s frown deepened, and Rainbow Dash, the most impassioned of the three, threw her hooves up in exasperation. “Care to run that by us again?” Dash asked. “I know things can get pretty weird around you, but this is like ‘whoa’, you know? A whole ‘nother level if you catch my drift.” Dash let out a short chuckle. “Are you sure it wasn’t a bad dream or something?” “I’m sure,” said Twilight as she rubbed at the space between her eyes. “Something—a creature that we had never seen before—emerged from the fire and started mumbling like… like I don’t even know.” She looked to each of her friends. “He was hurt, I know that much.” Fluttershy took a small step forward, her eyebrows arched in concern. “Hurt?” she whispered. “A-and this is the same fire that… that put you in here? Maybe he fell because the poor dear was so blinded by the pain, I… I can’t even imagine it. It’s so awful.” Twilight took a deep breath. “He was bleeding, Fluttershy. A wound to his lower torso if I saw correctly. The fire was excruciating, yes, but only for a few seconds. If direct contact with the flame didn’t debilitate him, then I don’t think its effects could have sent him tumbling over the railing.” Twilight nodded slowly. “The wound was the culprit. Without a doubt.” “Okay, so let me get this straight,” Dash cut in. “The big guy falls, and you’re like ‘whoa, gotta get down there’, but Celestia’s like ‘no way, you’re going to the clinic because that fire kinda messed you up’. Not in a major way, you know, but like to make sure that you’re alright I guess.” “Right,” said Twilight. “So she basically carries you here and then takes off again, but not before waking me up in like the creepiest way possible.” “Whoa... hold on.” Twilight blinked. “What did the princess do?” Dash smirked. “I’m kidding, Twi. She just kind of poked her head into my room and was like ‘hey, you should probably go to the infirmary and check on your friend’. That’s it.” Dash’s wings flared out for a brief moment. “So now that you’re in here, when can you get out? Are you still feeling achy?” “No, I’m fine,” Twilight said, sparing a glance toward Pinkie. “The nurse said that the aches would be gone within the hour, so yeah, I’m fine. What about you, Pinkie? You’ve been, well… strangely quiet.” The earth pony gave a delicate smile. “You didn’t get a name, did’ya Twilight?” “Wha—” “Our mystery guest! A name, you didn’t get one…” “I-I’m sorry, Pinkie, it all happened so fast.” Twilight looked to her other two friends. “He was there, and then he wasn’t. The shock of it all, I… I hadn’t even thought of asking. I’m sorry.” “Hey,” Rainbow Dash said, stepping forward. “We can just ask him later, right? It’s no big deal, Pinks. Whatever you decide to put on his banner I’m sure he’ll like it! It’s not like he’ll think the party’s ruined because his name wasn’t on some giant ribbon.” She scoffed. “And if he does, then I’ll just have to kick his flank. It’s as simple as that.” Twilight was about to protest when two knocks at the door drew their attention. Before anyone could say ‘enter’, in walked Applejack, her hooves loud against the linoleum tiling. Immediately, Twilight knew that something was wrong. Applejack’s mane was disheveled and windswept and though she stood at far end of the room, it was apparent that there was something weighing heavy on her mind. She bent her head low, the brim of her hat hiding her face. “Applejack?” Fluttershy’s voice broke the silence. “Ain’t no need,” the earth pony whispered. “Ain’t no need for a party.” Applejack looked up, her gaze meeting Twilight’s. “Your critter, Twi, he’s dead. His name was Solaire, and he passed away about thirty minutes ago. Blood loss I reckon.” A pause. “Dead?” murmured Twilight. “Oh my gosh, h-how do you know?” “I was there,” said Applejack. “Waitin’ at the base of the tower. We were planning on talkin’ to ya about that crystal of yours when everything went, for lack of a better word, south.” Dash quirked an eyebrow. “We?” she said. “You mean Rarity, right?” “No, I mean the other white unicorn that ain’t in this room.” Applejack winced, continuing again with less venom in her voice. “She’s asleep. In her room now, hopefully. Last I saw, Princess Celestia was carryin’ her down the hall. Didn’t say much but told me to keep y’all here until she arrived.” Twilight stepped out of the bed, her eyes widening. “Applejack, what happened? Is Rarity okay?” The infirmary was quiet for a brief second. Applejack shook her head. “Not really, no. She’s takin’ this real hard, Twi. Known her all my life and this is the worst I’ve seen her shaken up.” Applejack sighed. “I know you never intended for this to happen, but... I think y’all two need to have a talk when she wakes up, and don’t get me wrong, not just about what’s happened here tonight, but the past two months. A real serious talk.” “I-I—” “No, listen to me, Twi. Me, Fluttershy, we… we ain’t unicorns, yeah? That whole lecture of yours flew over heads, but Rarity? I-I think she understood. Well enough anyway that you really put a fear into her.” Applejack paused. “She told me she couldn’t sleep, you know. That she was scared for ya. Only reason I asked her to come along with me to the tower was because I saw the lights under her door.” Twilight could just make out the bags underneath Applejack’s eyes. “I’m sorry for worrying you all so much,” she whispered. “I got caught up in something silly this time, didn’t I? If there’s anything I can do...” “It’s fine,” said Fluttershy in that soft voice of hers. “I’m just glad you’re okay, Twilight.” “Hey, hold up.” Dash frowned, scratching at her foreleg. “I, uh, I know this is kind of a moment for you, Twi, but are we seriously gonna overlook the fact that some alien died like right outside those doors? I mean, from the way you told it with the crystal and all… call me crazy but it sort of sounds like you summoned him here.” Everyone turned toward the unicorn. “Rainbow Dash, that’s absurd. Weaving such a complex spell does not happen by accident. Formulas have to be followed. Strict, strict rules have to be adhered to! If even one component is misaligned, the whole spell would fizzle out!” Twilight shook her head. “There’s no way a summoning spell was formed. Accidental or not.” Before Dash could offer a rebuttal, Pinkie Pie let out a low hum. The earth pony stepped forward, her head tilted upward and a hoof held underneath her chin as if she were that famous statue in Manehattan Square. Pinkie looked to each of them in turn, a victorious smile growing on her lips. “I’ve got it,” she began. “An answer to this mystery—an end to your misery!” “Oh gosh,” said Applejack. “Misery?” whispered Fluttershy. “And she’s back,” Rainbow Dash finished. Pinkie ignored the comments, instead turning her attention toward a bewildered Twilight. “It’s like this, Miss Sparkle! Your crystal was like a bad batch of muffins! You poured your metaphorical heart and your literal soul into that pretty crystal but then you told us you didn’t want it anymore, right? So you threw it away!” Twilight frowned. “Really? Muffins?” “No, Twilight. Bad muffins—there’s a big difference. You throw away the bad ones and keep the good ones! You see, when a batch of muffins goes bad, Mister Cake tells me to toss them right out the window because they won’t play nice with the others!” “Pinkie, I… I don’t get it.” “No no, listen, Twilight. You didn’t throw your crystal out a window—” Pinkie’s smile widened, “—you threw it out a door, and forgot to lock up shop!” Silence once again fell upon the infirmary. Four ponies looked to each other in unison, all of them wearing wide-eyed expressions. Applejack’s brow furrowed, Rainbow Dash chewed her lip and Fluttershy quivered on the spot. Twilight nodded slowly. A door. “And something snuck in,” she whispered. Whatever her friends had said afterward, Twilight didn’t hear. A thousand questions were racing through her brain and the only pony who could provide a definitive answer was somewhere out in the halls. Twilight nodded again before starting for the exit, but was stopped by a blue hoof placed on her chest. Rainbow Dash frowned. “We could practically see the gears turning in that head of yours, Twi. Care to fill us in?” “It wasn’t a summoning spell,” Twilight said. “It was teleportation magic… and he cast the spell himself.” Applejack looked as if she had been struck. “What are you sayin’, Twilight?” “I’m saying that some unknown creature managed to warp within three yards of Princess Celestia! There’s wards—strong magical barriers—set up to prevent this kind of thing from happening. If that fire we made is acting as some sort of bypass gate, then I’ve got to tell her!” “Whoa whoa, wait.” Applejack held out a hoof. “What fire?” “Atop the tower, Celestia cast this… this—” Twilight groaned, “—this spell! I wish I could but I can’t really explain it right now!” Twilight sidestepped the pegasus but Applejack moved to block her way. “This sounds important, Twi, but I can’t let you go.” “What?” Applejack sighed. “Like I said, I gave my word to the princess that I’d keep y’all here until she arrived. Specific instructions... I ain’t goin’ back on ‘em.” Twilight took a deep breath. “Applejack, this is a matter of national security. Let’s say that this wasn’t an isolated incident, let’s say that there are more of these ‘Solaires’ out there—we could have a serious crisis on our hooves. You understand, right? I need to speak with Celestia as soon as possible.” “I can see that, but I’m sayin’ that she’s on her way right now. This castle’s big, Twi, and she could be anywhere. One wrong turn and you could finish a marathon before you’d ever find her.” Twilight’s pulse quickened. “You’ve really picked a wonderful time to put your hoof down on something, you know that Applejack?” “Earth pony,” she said. “Yeah,” said Twilight. “Tenacious, hard-working and stubborn. If you won’t budge then I’ll just teleport past you.” If she had been paying any less attention, Twilight would have missed the momentary hurt that flashed behind her friend’s eyes. “You see this, Twi? Maybe I’m stubborn, but this is you being too goshdarn impatient to realize that we want what’s best, too! And do you honestly think Celestia hasn’t thought of this either? I don’t—” Applejack gritted her teeth and took a deep breath. “If you’re leavin’, go ahead and do it. I might not look it but I’m at the very edge, so please—do not push me anymore.” Twilight could feel the combined gaze of her three other friends on the back of her head. She turned away. “I’m sorry,” Twilight whispered, and in a flash of purple magic the infirmary disappeared. A short jump by Twilight’s standards—she had simply warped into the large hallway on the other side of the clinic’s walls. Analyze. Visualize. Actualize. The three ‘I’s’ of teleportation. Twilight was certain that if she was given enough paper and ink, she could sketch out in amazing detail the layout of Canterlot Castle. As she had been taught, knowing the target location was half the teleport in and of itself. Twilight sighed. She could just make out the muffled voices of her friends through the closed door. With a quick swivel, Twilight turned to leave but the sight in front of her caused her to stop in her tracks. Not even four paces away in the center of the hall stood Princess Celestia, her eyes wide and a hoof hovering over the floor as if she were frozen mid-stride. “Twilight,” she said at the exact moment the infirmary door burst open. A flap of wings of accompanied by a raspy growl told her that Rainbow Dash had found her way into the hall. “Twilight! What the hay are you—” the pegasus took a startled breath. “Princess? How long have you been here?” “I’ve only just arrived,” Celestia said, her gaze flicking between the two ponies. “Is something the matter?” Twilight could feel something sink in her chest. She looked to the floor, unable to face her teacher or her friends. She heard Rainbow Dash’s hooves striking against the white tile, the loud taps screaming in her ears. Any second now, she’s going to tell Celestia everything. Drawing closer. My impatience. Twilight shut her eyes. My cowardice, my— “Well, golly! If it ain’t the princess!” No... Against every impulse telling her not to, Twilight craned her neck to the side. There, standing half-obscured in the infirmary doorway was Applejack, a wide smile on her freckled face. “How’s Rarity?” she asked the princess. “Get ‘er to her room safe?” “As safe as can be,” Celestia said, nodding. She looked to the growing number of ponies as Fluttershy and Pinkie crept out of the small clinic, both wearing looks of surprise. Celestia quirked an eyebrow. “Is there a reason why you’ve decided to meet me in the hall? I pray that it’s not on my behalf. Please, for my peace of mind, don’t put yourselves out because of the title that precedes my name.” Applejack let out a chuckle as natural as rain itself. “Don’t you worry about that none, Princess! To be honest, it didn’t even cross our minds. The thing is, that room can get awful stuffy and we all thought it best that we get some air... stretch out our legs some.” She shot Twilight a sidelong glance. “Ain’t that right, girls?” A pause. “Y-yeah,” Rainbow Dash said. “Stretch out our legs.” Celestia gave a wan smile. “Okay, my little ponies, on to business then.” She gestured for each of them to gather round. “As Twilight may have told you, a series of disturbing events has occurred here tonight, starting with a magical phenomenon and, well... ending with a death. I sorely wish that this is not the case but there is no downplaying what I am about to say...” Celestia breathed in deep. “In all my years I have never once observed a creature anything like this ‘Solaire’ before. Whatever he has said—either in the presence of Luna or myself—is all we know about him.” Twilight raised a hoof but Celestia shook her head. “As for his rather untimely and unexpected appearance,” Celestia continued, “I have explored almost all avenues. The conclusion I have come to is that a long-range teleportation spell was used, employing a strong magical eruption as both an anchor point and bypass gate.” Rainbow Dash let out a not-so-subtle ‘what’, and Pinkie quirked her head to the side. “Essentially a door,” Twilight said for her friends’ sakes. “A door that can only be opened with the right key… or spell, in this case.” “Precisely,” Celestia said. She looked to her student. “As for what you might be thinking, Twilight, I have dealt with the problem as soon as I was able. Nothing else can leak through without my knowing.” Twilight could feel Applejack’s gaze on the side of her head. “Hold up,” Rainbow Dash cut in. “You said ‘without your knowing’... that kind of implies that the door is still there, doesn’t it?” Celestia took a long blink. “Yes,” Celestia said. “Just to clarify, our ‘door’ is a small flame, and I was not able to extinguish it. I wish I could provide the answers as to why, but I lack the proper knowledge. As far as I am aware, there has never been a precedent of this ever happening. Moving forward, ladies, we are essentially blind.” Twilight nodded slowly. She had definitely heard the word, ‘we’. “The fire that we created… keeping us all in one place—” she looked up, “—You need the Elements to extinguish the flame.” “Perhaps down the line,” Celestia said without missing a beat. “But as of right now, usage of the Elements is a strict last resort.  I’m a firm believer that knowledge is the best preventative to calamity. Until we have properly studied the flame and ascertained where our Solaire might have come from, the flame will continue to burn—under heavy supervision of course.” Celestia looked to each of them. “Is this acceptable to everyone?” A long silence filled the hall. One by one, the ponies nodded until only Fluttershy remained. “Um,” the pegasus began, “the body, I’d… if it’s okay, I’d like to see it. H-he passed away lonely and confused and I don’t think that’s fair. He shouldn’t be buried the same way.” Twilight didn’t miss Applejack’s frown. “What do you intend?” asked Celestia. A focus burned behind Fluttershy’s eyes. “If you let me, Princess… just a small ceremony. A few words to ease his soul.” Celestia nodded slowly. “You have a kind heart, Fluttershy, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. I will allow your request but not tonight. There is much to be done in a very short window of time.” Princess Celestia met all five of their gazes, her brow lowering. “I trust that you each understand that you are not to speak of this to anyone. Not the palace staff. Not the Royal Guard. Not anypony. What has been discussed here tonight is on a strict need-to-know basis, and those who need to know—I assure you—already know.” “I mean nothin’ by it, Princess, but why all the sneakin’ around?” Applejack asked. “Because,” Celestia began, “if even the barest hint of a hostile presence were to be leaked to the public, Canterlot would face a mass panic. Despite my assurances, the changeling threat is still fresh on the populace’s mind. One spark is all it would take to reignite this city’s fear.” Twilight stepped forward, mouth open, but the princess shook her head. A sigh escaped Celestia’s lips. “I hope you understand,” she whispered, “But I am reluctant. Reluctant to share shards of fact when I myself do not know the whole truth.” Applejack gave a strong nod. “You have our word,” she said. “We ain’t gonna blab, babble or gossip about this to no one. It don’t matter how much a certain pink pony may or may not want to, we ain’t gonna do it.” That earned a gasp from Pinkie Pie. She made a comically-large frown before pantomiming her trademark swear. As Celestia watched, It was as if a weight had been lifted off her back. She gave each of them a small smile. “Very good,” she said. “We will meet again in two hours at a location that has yet to be decided upon. However, I ask that you remain on the palace grounds or my message will not be able to reach you.” “Uh, Princess?” Rainbow Dash scratched her head. “It’s like, four in the morning—where would we go?” “To bed,” Applejack groused. She turned to leave. “I don’t know about y’all, but I’m plum tuckered out. Don’t ya worry none, Princess, I’ll make yer meetin’. I’ll be good for it after a little shut-eye I reckon.” “Sleep?” Dash said in a flat tone. “Sleep. You’re gonna go to sleep. After everything we’ve heard, you’re gonna go to sleep.” “Yup,” was all she said. Applejack was already several paces away when she glanced back over her shoulder, the slight frown on her lips still visible. She locked eyes with Twilight, and just like that she was gone, disappeared around the corner. Rainbow Dash shook her head, breathing out a puff of air. “Sheesh, because aliens aren’t exciting, right? I swear, if AJ keeps this ‘grandma’ thing up, she’s gonna be knitting us sweaters in the next few years, I guarantee it.” Dash gave the remaining ponies a nod before starting a trot in the other direction. “I’ll see you girls in a couple hours, yeah? I’m gonna see if I can catch the guards at their morning exercises—you with me, Pinks?” Twilight watched as Pinkie gave a swift nod. “You bet’cher blue flank I’m in!” And with that said, the two set off, their hushed voices fading in the distance. Twilight and Celestia both turned to the last of their group. “Um,” Fluttershy began. “I-I think I’ll check in on Rarity if that’s okay. And if she’s awake, I’ll… I’ll tell her everything that we’ve discussed. She’ll want to know I think.” “Good idea,” said Twilight. “I know you’ll be gentle with her, so I… I guess there’s nothing else to say really. I’ll see you in two hours, Fluttershy.” The pegasus nodded and smiled toward Celestia before shuffling off in the same direction as Applejack. Princess and student watched her go, the silence of the castle filling the void left by her friends. They both stared straight ahead, neither of them moving. “I guess I should go too,” Twilight began but before she could take a single step, Celestia halted her with a wing. “Wait,” said the princess. “There’s actually something you may be able to help me with.” Twilight’s eyes widened. “Are you talking about the body? I-I’m not sure I can, Princess. If all you need is an extra pair of hooves, Fluttershy, she—” “She’s a kind mare, I know, but it’s not compassion that I need right now.” Celestia looked down at her with a neutral mask of a face. “Twilight, what I need is a sharp, analytical mind that has seen the creature alive firsthoof. Can I trust you with this?” “I…” Twilight gulped. “Yeah. You can.” Celestia nodded slowly. “Okay,” she said. “Follow me.” **** They had been walking in silence, the only sound was their hooves striking an odd rhythm in the dim glow of the castle corridors. Currently on the second floor of the guest wing, two minutes of brisk walk down their current hall would have brought the pair to the main foyer, and most importantly, to the large segment of castle that connected the rest of the wings. It appeared their destination was closer than anticipated. Twilight made no mention when they took a left down a servant’s hall, but the urge to speak became too great when Celestia took another left into an even smaller passage. Walking side by side was no longer possible. “What is this place?” Twilight asked. She noticed that the brickwork here was different somehow. Newer, her mind told her. Celestia slowed her pace. “My sister’s idea,” she said. “In the outside chance that an event like this this were to happen, Luna had this corridor built in secret. An ideal location and easily disguised considering that the palace rarely receives guests.” Twilight nodded. It was true, a guest staying at Canterlot Castle occurred at the same rate as solar eclipses—hugely infrequent and only for short stretches of time. She smiled. Ever aware, Celestia took notice. “And what is it that you find so funny, my student? Have I said something humorous again?” “It’s nothing, I just… I think it’s wonderful that you have a little sister—someone who can browbeat you until she gets her way.” Twilight gave a small giggle. “Stars know I’m guilty of that. I bullied my brother something fierce, always pestering Shiny to take me to the library, I… I miss him.” Celestia continued on, her hoofsteps echoing off the narrow walls. Her voice came out soft and muted. “Twilight, may I give some friendly advice?” “O-of course!” “Trust your friends more. They may not be family but the bonds you share with those girls is just as strong.” The words almost stunned the unicorn. She stopped mid-step, swallowing away the lump that had formed in her throat. “Back at the clinic, you… you heard.” “You weren’t running away, Twilight, and make no mistake, you were not distrusting of Applejack either… you had simply trusted yourself more. Don’t get me wrong, I believe that self-sufficiency is important, but you have to realize, my student—” Celestia paused, “—your friends, they expect you to lean on them when you need it most. Your bonds won’t break if you apply a little pressure, believe me, but I guarantee you that they will rot away from disuse.” “I-I—” “I’m sure you’ve heard this phrase many times before, Twilight, but allow me to say it just this once. Friendship is a give and take relationship, but all you’ve been doing is giving. Learn to be selfish and accept their help—you’ll be glad you did I think.” At this, Twilight remained silent. She focused only on moving her hooves. “I just want to protect them,” Twilight whispered. “After the Crystal Empire, I...” “I know,” Celestia said. “They aren’t glass dolls, I realize that, but—” “But nothing, Twilight. You said it yourself, they aren’t made of glass… and neither are you.” Celestia glanced back at her. “You’re going through a rough time, duelling with unpleasant thoughts. I feel that in the wake of your research, you have been left especially vulnerable to emotions such as this. An ailing soul desires healing, so give your soul what it wants. After we’re done here, I want you to speak with your friends. It will do you a world of good.” Twilight nodded but before she could say anything, Celestia came to a sudden stop. “We’re here,” the princess said. Just ahead was a plain wooden door, nondescript in its appearance except for the two metal bars that ran across its vertical planks. The door appeared as if from thin air, and only when Twilight took a glance behind her did she realize the strangeness of the situation. A single door at the end of a long, ominous hall—even if she hadn’t been told prior, it was readily apparent which of the two royal sisters had commissioned this corridor to be built. Twilight couldn’t help but clench her teeth when a golden light enveloped the door’s metal grip. On silent hinges the door swung towards them, revealing a shallow, red-brick room completely stocked with brooms and buckets. A solitary shelf was pressed up against the wall, holding a single toolbox placed in the middle of the centermost rack. “Storage,” Twilight said. “Of course.” “Not quite,” Celestia replied. She moved first, entering the small room before gesturing for Twilight to join her. The unicorn observed the cramped conditions. “I, uh… are you sure about this?” “Trust me,” Celestia said, “I feel just as silly as I look, but yes. This has to be done.” No less wary than before, Twilight stepped inside, taking note of the pristine conditions within. The bristles on the brooms held not a spot of dust and the buckets carried a gleam as if they were just polished yesterday. Twilight frowned. “What’s going on, Princess? First the hallway and now this? Something’s clearly not right here.” “Measures taken by my sister,” Celestia said. “She’s always had a fascination with designing these sort of things. Now if you would, Twilight, please shut the door—we’ve kept them waiting long enough already.” Twilight’s brow furrowed. Them? She did as she was told, nudging the door shut with a burst of magic. Immediately, darkness fell over the pair, the dim glow from Twilight’s horn the only illumination in the small room. Twilight could hear Celestia step forward, and like a cannon in the night, a resounding thump filled the air, the sound of Celestia’s hoof knocking against the storage door. A second passed. And then five. And then ten. Twilight’s ears perked but the only noise she could hear was the quickening beat of her heart. She bit her lip, looking up at the shadowy silhouette of her teacher barely a hair’s breadth away. “Princess, is this…” “Peace, Twilight—we’ve arrived.” Before she could comprehend what Celestia had said, a blue glow enveloped the door. Twilight stepped back as the door slowly slid open, and there, standing in the threshold was a tall figure with a starry mane, the bright light behind her shading her features. “Is it acceptable that she’s here?” Princess Luna asked, glancing in Twilight’s direction. “Of course,” Celestia said. “Who else is inside?” Luna gave a nonchalant flap of her wings. “Captain Rook, but only because he insisted.” Twilight took Celestia’s silence as a moment to observe the chamber just ahead. When her eyes finally adjusted, she realized that the dim hallway was gone, replaced by a windowless slate-colored room. Twilight grinned, a familiar giddiness welling up inside her chest. A spatial warp! “Sister... we both agreed that we were to build a team of experts,” Celestia murmured, “ponies we can trust on this.” “And so I’ve brought Captain Rook,” Luna said. Celestia was quiet for a brief second. “And what expertise does the good captain bring to the table?” “Almost nothing,” Luna admitted, “but I appreciate his candidness. He rarely speaks and he’s often blunt about things, but I value his opinion just as much as you value Twilight Sparkle’s. Besides, I know he won’t faint at a grisly sight.” Luna smiled, stepping to the side. “I hope it’s not a common occurrence that you go around showing corpses to your student, dear sister.” Celestia said nothing as she exited the storage cabinet. She shared a private nod with Luna and as both princesses turned toward Twilight, the unicorn felt a bloom of heat creep into her cheeks when she realized that she hadn’t budged from her place amongst the brooms and buckets. “You’re welcome to stay in there,” Luna said, her smile widening. “It’s quite cozy, isn’t it?” “I guess so,” was all Twilight said.  She joined the princesses and as she took in the sight in front of her, a cold shiver crept down her spine. There in the center of the chamber was a long slab of solid stone, built into the floor like some sort of archaic table. A still form lay atop the slab, and with the help of the exceedingly bright  light shining down from the ceilling, Twilight had no problem identifying who it was. Not still, Twilight thought, but lifeless. She found herself walking forward, her limbs moving of its accord. This mysterious creature was alive not even an hour ago, and now he was dead. A simple concept, but as Twilight drew closer, the further from her grasp it seemed to slip. Only when she was four paces away did she realize that there was a grey-coated unicorn stallion standing at the foot of the slab. “You’re Captain Rook,” Twilight said in a daze. He nodded slowly, the golds of his armor glinting in the white light. “And you are Twilight Sparkle,” he said in a deep baritone of a voice. “I hear you are a mare of unmatched wit and intellect. I look forward to working with you, Miss Twilight.” “I… yeah, you too.” “Very good,” Luna announced from a distance to Twilight’s left. “Now that we’re all here, we can truly begin investigating the circumstances surrounding this creature’s sudden appearance.” “It seems you’ve already started,” Celestia said from the opposite side of the slab. She looked down at the corpse, her eyes narrowing. “You’ve removed his vestments.” “Only those there,” Luna said, pointing her horn to the pile of ruined gear on a table in the back of room. “I needed to see his wound.” Twilight bit her lip, her gaze coming into focus. Hesitantly, she perched her forehooves up on the edge of the slab, and there, she caught her first glimpse of what the creature looked like without his armor. Twilight’s breath caught in her throat. Bronzed skin stretched itself taut over packed muscles. A chest—large and bulking—dominated her view. As her gaze wandered over his body, she could only wonder how such a creature looked like in motion. She was just finishing observations on the creature’s arm when her gaze wandered upward, finally seeing the gaping hole that had ripped into Solaire’s abdomen. The wound had already been wiped clean, no doubt by Luna herself, but that did nothing to disguise the severity and brutal nature of the injury itself. Jagged and a hoof’s diameter across, Twilight could only wonder how Solaire had still been standing—let alone conscious—after sustaining such damage. She turned away, a tightness gripping at her chest. “Twilight?” Celestia’s voice. “I-I’m okay,” the unicorn whispered. “Just a little shocked is all.” One deep breath later, Twilight looked again with a keener eye, taking notice of the series of pale lines that criss-crossed his body. “Scars,” Celestia said. “You can tell which are fresh and which are old.” “I’ve seen this before,” Rook said. “Creatures that live and die by claw and teeth are more often than not covered with scars. The price you pay for fighting your whole life.” Celestia’s lips formed a tight line. She turned to Twilight for a brief moment before glancing down at Solaire’s face. “Look,” she said, “and tell me what you see.” Twilight gave a stiff nod. She sidled over and once again propped up her hooves, her gaze taking in Solaire’s features. Immediately, she recognized the familiar aspects: a strong, angular nose, two eyes thankfully shut, and a mouth—a mouth seemingly curled into a small smile. She looked to Celestia, blinking, before she continued with her observations. A shock of unruly, sandy brown hair covered the top of Solaire’s head. She furrowed her brow as she leaned in closer, taking note of the thick stubble that covered his defined jaw. Almost unwittingly, Twilight found herself once again drawn to that smile as if he were just having a pleasant dream. “He looks happy,” Twilight murmured. “He does, doesn’t he?” agreed Celestia in a low tone. She turned toward Luna, who was watching the proceedings with a calm aloofness. “Sister, do you know anything about this? Did he say something—reveal anything that might tell us his purpose for being here?” “Nothing that stands out,” Luna said with a shake of her head. “Rarity was on the verge of tears. Emotions were running high. If our Solaire had a message to impart, it was drowned out by his need to comfort the unicorn. Strange, considering he was the one doomed to die.” Celestia shut her eyes, breathing in deep. “We’re missing something,” she said. “A crucial piece, a fact overlooked. We’ve already surmised that he teleported here, but… but how?” In that second, Luna appeared stunned. “What did you say...” “He teleported here,” Celestia repeated, “using the flame atop my tower as an anchor point.” Luna was silent as she looked from Celestia, to Twilight, before finally settling on Rook. “Captain,” she began, “are you familiar with the lecture Twilight Sparkle gave fifteen hours ago?” Rook nodded. “Word travels fast in this city—Miss Twilight proved the existence of the soul.” “Then there’s no longer a need for me to hold this back any longer.” Luna said. “Over one thousand years ago, I made that same discovery. I developed the art of soul magic, founded a school in my name, but a series of events led to that work being lost. However, I hold no grudges. In fact I consider it a blessing that my research had remained buried for so long.” Luna’s ears twitched atop her head. “Buried, until it was unearthed by one Twilight Sparkle and then presented for all the world to see. I immediately confronted my sister about the risks her student ran, and later still as I listened from a distance, I considered the dangers averted—the lessons that needed to be taught, learned.” “And then our guest appears,” Rook said as he glanced down at Solaire’s corpse. “A coincidence?” Luna’s horn took light, conjuring a small metal tray high above her head. She stepped forward and with a scowl she slammed the metal tray onto the slab in a heavy telekinetic grip. “I do not believe in coincidences, Captain.” She turned toward Celestia. “Your missing piece.” Twilight’s heart stopped. There in the center of the tray were several small fragments of blue crystal, still marred by Solaire’s blood. “Soul magic,” Luna said, “crystallized into a weapon and impaled into this creature’s gut as if he were pig to be hunted. But you see, that’s not why I withheld it, no—these aren’t fragments, Celestia, these are residue particles—what remains after the Rule of Dissipation.” A second passed. “No…” Celestia whispered. “It is true,” Luna replied. “Your Majesties,” Rook began. “Please forgive me, but I do not understand.” Twilight caught the captain’s attention with a sidelong glance. “When magic dissipates, it turns into microscopic particles of energy, we all know this. Strangely enough, the same holds true for crystals—they just require extra incentive to break down into its particulates.” Twilight gazed down at the small blue stones. “If these are the ‘microscopic particles’ that remained, I… I can’t even imagine the raw power of the spell they were part of.” Luna nodded. “And for our Solaire to have survived it… do you see now, Captain Rook? What we are facing is something that we have never encountered before, either magically or biologically. Somewhere, somehow, there exists a murderous creature capable of wielding soul magic that I could never achieve. And now that I’ve only just discovered that Solaire is capable of teleportation, well… who’s to say his assailant won’t—” Celestia raised a hoof. “Everypony.” Her voice was stern and level. “We will learn what we can, as quickly as we can. I have decided: in two hours time, we will assemble the Elements of Harmony and extinguish the flame that has allowed him access to Equestria. If we let it burn any longer than necessary, the threat of another creature leaking through could rise to catastrophic levels. I will not take that risk.” “The right decision,” Luna said. “As for now, how should we proceed?” Celestia gave a slow nod, looking to the three other ponies in the room. “Twilight, Captain Rook… I need you two to look through Solaire’s possessions once more. His gear—the bags, the pouches, the sword—anything that might help us understand his origins, search it.” She turned toward Luna. “As for you and me, sister, we will focus our efforts on the corpse itself. We all have our assignments everypony, now go.” Wordlessly, Rook set out for the table pressed against the back wall, pausing long enough for Twilight catch up. She spared a backward glance toward the two princesses only to see their heads close together as they whispered in low tones. All too soon, Twilight arrived at the long table. An assortment of large cloth bags and leather pouches were arranged by size on the far right side. Rook, taking that end, left Twilight with the shredded chainmail and bloodstained cloth that once covered Solaire’s chest. His helmet had been placed near the table’s edge, and the sword—extremely sharp—lay parallel to its large leather sheath. She reached out with her magic and took the ruined tunic in her grip, levitating it high enough to reveal the image that had been stitched into its surface. The sun with its red rays and strange face stared back her and as she looked to the large crimson stain that dominated its lower half, she couldn’t help but grimace. Twilight set the tunic down with a sigh but before she could move onto the next object, a whisper of words breathed past her ear. “—do you mean?” Celestia’s voice. Barely audible. Twilight slowly swivelled her head. “—can sense it…” Luna this time. “Only just, but it’s there.” Rook had turned to look as well. Celestia took a step back. “Luna you cannot mean—” “I can feel it,” the dark pony whispered, “the barest hint of a thought.” Luna slowly looked down at Solaire’s corpse. “A dream.” **** The woman hadn’t said a thing for the past ten minutes. She sat completely still, her head bent low and cradled in her thin hands. The bonfire between them only served to illuminate her hollowed form—she was a corpse in every sense of the word, long since dried out as if she were a mummy left out in the afternoon sun. Her shoulders trembled ever so slightly and if she were capable, Solaire was sure that she’d have been weeping. “W-why?” she whispered. “Why is this happening…?” Solaire adjusted his seat in the grass, a frown forming on his lips. “You’ve been killed,” he said, “but the curse inside you is prolonging your existence. I am sorry—you will never know true peace." At this, the woman remained quiet. She crossed her arms, pulling tight at the sleeves of her threadbare jacket. “Come a little closer,” Solaire said. “The fire will keep you warm.” For the first time she looked up, revealing the twin pits of black that occupied the space where her eyes should have been. She pulled herself forward without saying a word. “What’s your name?” Solaire asked her. The woman hugged her knees close to her chest. “I can’t remember,” she murmured. “I don’t know anymore.” “You know your name,” Solaire said. “You’ve just misplaced it.” “Like a book?” “Like a book.” “What if I can’t find it?” she asked him. “Then you will go insane,” Solaire said. “You will become a monster.” She looked away. “I don’t want that.” “Then remember your name,” Solaire said. “It is not lost or gone or destroyed—it is misplaced, and misplaced things can be found.” “It hurts,” she whispered. “It hurts to remember.” “Then I will help you.” “How?” Solaire held up his hand, palm facing outward. “How many fingers am I raising?” A long pause. “Three,” she said. “And now?” “Four.” “Good,” Solaire said. “Now count to ten in your head, and I promise you… before you are finished you will remember your name.” She looked at him, a pained look crossing her face. “I-I can’t,” she said. “I fear what I might discover.” “Then you will go hollow.” Solaire shook his head. “Is that what you desire—to become one of them?” “No!” “Then what is it that you want?” The sounds of a dead world filled the silence between them. She clenched her fists. “I want to wake up from this nightmare.” **** Solaire breathed in deep. His limbs felt heavy and his mind was a blurred mess of black smoke and smog. He lay still, the seconds ticking by as his memories returned to him one by one. A frown formed on his lips. “Ah yes,” he slurred. Still dazed, Solaire placed his hand upon his stomach, fingers tracing for that mortal wound that so recently killed him. He found the patch of tender scar tissue just below his lower left rib, grimacing when he realized the hole had been the size of his palm. With a groan, he slapped his hands over his face and began arching his back upward, eliciting a series of loud cracks from his spine. “Bothersome,” he said as he swung his legs over the side of the slab he had been lain upon. For a few moments he remained seated there, taking in the sights of the empty room. Directly in front of him and not even ten strides away was a closed wooden door, placed there as if daring him to leave. Solaire sighed, looking down at his current state. His chainmail and tunic were missing, and his sword was nowhere to be seen. He patted at his waist to find that his sheath, pouches and bags were gone as well. Only after he ran a hand through his hair did he realize that his helmet was not where it should have been. “Robbed blind,” he said, rising to his feet. “At least they had the decency to leave my pants in place.” Solaire paused. There was a feeling in the air, a sense of unease clawing at the back of his mind. He centered his mass and did a slow turn, his gaze instantly meeting those of the four ponies in the back of the room. They stood in a tight cluster, the largest of the group taking the front in an obvious protective gesture. She spread her white wings wide, a scowl on her face. The dark blue pony stood just to the white one’s left and as Solaire met her widening eyes, he couldn’t help but feel that he had forgotten something important. Solaire shook his head before focusing again. Behind the two winged ponies was a grey-coated, thickset stallion clad in gleaming gold armor. The furrow in his brow and the frown on his lips bespoke plenty of the lengths he would go to to protect the trembling purple pony pressed against his side. “Solaire?” said the blue pony. Her voice was fragile. Uncertain. Familiar. “I feel like I should know you,” Solaire said. “I’m sorry… everything is a haze.” He looked to his feet, concentrating on his memories. After a moment Solaire smiled softly to himself. “I remember now—you’re one of the two that tried to save me. Your name is Luna and the other was named Rarity, but… she is not here.” He looked up. “She wept for me, didn’t she?” Luna gave a stiff nod. “I’m sorry,” Solaire said. “My circumstances, if I had tried to myself explain right then and there, I’m afraid I would have never finished. The most I give was—” “A promise,” Luna said, “that you would speak with her again.” “And here I am. A knight never goes back on his word.” A strange silence filled the room. He raised a hand in front of his face, his gaze taking in the dried flesh and desiccated skin. With a sigh, he let his arm fall to his side. “Does my appearance frighten you?” Solaire asked them. “Oh, how I must look to you all—you must think me a monster and rightfully so! I’m ashamed that I have allowed myself to be seen in such a state.” The ponies said nothing. “A travesty,” Solaire finished, walking around the slab’s length before sitting down on as if it were a bench. He rested his elbows on his knees before letting out another sigh. “You must have a lot of questions,” he said, “a lot of fears. I can see it in all your eyes, you’ve never encountered anything quite like me before, have you?” The white one with the pretty hair slowly shook her head. Solaire let out a quiet chuckle. “And I suppose it’s only natural that you know nothing of my curse, either.” He looked to each of them in turn. “It seems I have quite the story to tell.” **** Twilight could hear her friends shifting uncomfortably in their seats. If they had taken Solaire’s story any better than she had, she couldn’t tell. Fluttershy shrunk behind her bangs, Pinkie Pie’s usual pep was gone, and Rainbow Dash just looked confused. And then there was Rarity, who hadn’t said a word since their meeting started. She had simply sat there, nodding along with wide eyes and giving a frayed smile whenever someone looked her way. “Twilight?” Applejack’s voice. Princess Celestia had chosen to assist with the debriefing of her friends, only adding small details when something had slipped the unicorn’s mind. She stood tall in the back of the room, the conference hall’s silent sentinel. Twilight sighed. The mug of hot cocoa between her hooves had long since congealed into a lukewarm mess of brown water and granulated chocolate. She pushed the mug across the table, a vacant expression on her face. “Hey,” Applejack said. “Is there anything else?” Her voice seemed unnaturally loud. “No,” Twilight said. “That’s… that’s it. That’s all he told us.” Rainbow Dash scratched her head. “So let me get this straight,” she said. “This Solaire guy, he’s a zombie, right? But he kills other zombies. I know that’s like a small part of it, Twi, but if I’m gonna be super-honest, that’s… that’s all I really got from your thing.” Applejack scoffed. “Girl, were you not payin’ any sort of attention? If you had made the tiniest bit of effort, I am absolutely sure that you’d have understood too.” “Oh, and you get it then, AJ? Go ahead and tell us—in your own words—what Twilight just said.” Dash shrugged her shoulders, a frown on her face. “Only if you can, I guess. Don’t wanna strain your head too much, you know?” Applejack sighed. “I ain’t gonna go through the whole thing, you featherbrain, but I understood the gist.” She took a deep breath. “Okay, so… so this Solaire fella. His world is dyin’—dyin’ not by like pollution or nothin’ but actual honest-to-goodness dyin’. The magic is gone, disappeared like a puddle in the middle of summer.” She looked to Twilight and received a single nod. “To make matters worse,” she continued, “some awful, awful curse started to spread somethin’ fierce. These folks realized that they could be killed… but they couldn’t die. And it got me thinkin’ some things. Endless cycle of pain and sufferin’ will drive anyone mad, and well, that’s the curse’s goal, isn’t it? Hate breeds hate, pain breeds pain—you see folks goin’ insane all around you, it... it takes a mighty strong mind not to join ‘em.” Applejack turned to each of her friends. “Solaire is one of these cursed folks, livin’ then dyin’, then livin’ again.” “An undead,” Twilight finished. “And before that he was what he called ‘human’, but… but I guess that’s neither here nor there.” Celestia cleared her throat. “You bring up an interesting point, Applejack, something that I’ve actually been mulling over myself.” The princess nodded. “As I surmised from Solaire’s tale, the mortal mind of humans was not meant to endure eternity—he had seen the destruction firsthoof, that the crumbling of his civilization was the only outcome that could be met after the curse’s introduction into his society. But it’s just as you said… it seems the strong-willed individuals were able to endure. They survived, and that is what has disturbed me so.” Celestia frowned. “Like smelting iron... the weakness must be burned away before a tool can be forged.” Twilight’s brow lowered. “His quest,” she murmured. “Are you saying that this curse is… is some sort of sick selective process? A methodic weeding out of the weak until only the strongest remain?” “I’m not saying that for certain,” Celestia said. “This is merely speculation on my part, but it’s something to keep in mind.” “Rotten,” Applejack said. “That’s a rotten, rotten situation. Rotten to the very core, but if there’s nothin’ we can do, there’s nothin’ we can do.” Before anyone else could comment, Rainbow Dash rapped her hoof against the table. She took a slow survey of her friends, a determination burning behind her eyes. “Who the hay are we?” she began. “We’re the Element Bearers, so why don’t we just zap the curse right out of him? He’ll be cured and he can just live right here in the castle.” Twilight shook her head. “We can’t and… and he won’t. The curse isn’t something that can just be removed. It’s like a battery, Dash—if you take it out, then the toy stops working. If the Elements even succeed in removing the curse, then we’ll have essentially murdered somebody, I… I can’t do that.” Twilight breathed in deep. “We actually talked with Solaire about this and he immediately refused. Cursed or not, he... he chooses not to stay.” Silence fell over the conference hall. Fluttershy sniffed. “I don’t get it,” she whispered. “Why does he choose to suffer? Why choose that over… over this?” “He tried to explain it to us,” Celestia said. “It’s the nature of his curse—he believes that his quest has become such an integral part of who he is, that if he were to give up on it right now, he would also be giving up on his very being. He would lose his mind in a matter of days.” “It’s a process he called ‘hollowing’,” Twilight intoned. “A complete and utter emptiness of self. All that would remain is a walking husk, a… a monster.” Rainbow Dash nodded slowly. “So he has to fight,” she said. “Fight or go insane.” “Rotten,” Applejack repeated. Fluttershy laid her head down upon the table with a whimper, to which Pinkie quietly left her seat to scoop the pegasus up into a small hug. Rainbow Dash gritted her teeth as if that was all she could do, and Applejack simply shook her head. Twilight bit her lip. She wasn’t sure how long her friends would have remained like that had a small voice not broken the silence. “His quest,” Rarity whispered, “is there truly nothing we can do?” Everyone turned toward the white unicorn but Twilight spoke first. “I-I don’t know, Rarity. All we know is what Solaire told us, and well... I’m still having trouble wrapping my head around it myself.” Rarity shut her eyes for a brief moment. “Twilight, please, there must be something. Can you explain it again?” “Okay, well, let… let me see.” Twilight bit her lip. “Around the time things started getting bad, a prophecy of some sort began to circulate through the kingdoms. It stated that if an undead were to… make pilgrimage to this land of the ancient lords—” “Lordran,” Rarity said. “Y-yeah.” Twilight cleared her throat. “If he were to make that pilgrimage, then he’d understand his purpose... or something. He wasn’t really forthcoming on that front.” No one noticed Celestia’s wings tightening. “Maybe he still doesn’t know,” Fluttershy said. “All he does know is that he can’t stay here,” Rarity murmured. Applejack breathed out a heavy sigh. “Now this Lordran place,” she began. “What exactly is it? A land could be a small forest, an island, or an entire country, Twi. And who are these ‘lords’ anyway and why on earth do these undead fellas feel compelled to go to their land?” Twilight furrowed her brow, frowning. “Well,” she said, “He described Lordran as a far, faraway city, and its walls are so high and the surrounding terrain so treacherous that an uncursed individual would never survive the journey. Now these lords—from what I could tell—were essentially gods. They ruled over the humans for thousands of years until, well…” “The curse,” said Applejack. Twilight nodded. “As for why they’re making the pilgrimage… I-I’m sorry, Applejack, I can’t really say. If I knew, I’d tell you, but… but I think it’s about hope, really. If there was a prophecy—if there was even the smallest chance that you could set things right—wouldn’t you take it?” Twilight paused. “As for what this prophecy entails, as said before, he wasn’t exactly clear.” In that moment, Celestia stepped forward, a blank expression on her face. “He was clear enough.” Celestia’s horn took light and from beneath her golden torque she levitated out a darkened leather pouch. She placed it at the head of the table for all to see. “That’s Solaire’s,” Twilight said. “He gave it to you?” Celestia nodded slowly. Twilight swallowed. “What is it?” “I dare not open it again,” Celestia said. “All it took for me to understand was one peek, I… I dare not open it again.” All eyes were on the pouch. “Inside is something he called a Lordsoul,” the princess continued, “and it’s exactly as the name implies. There’s a reason Solaire was not forthcoming with his information. This prophecy, it is the path he walks—it is the fate he has chosen, and it is sole reason why I agreed with his decision to not remain here in our world.” Celestia tapped her hoof against the floor. “At its very heart, his quest involves the systematic killing of his gods, and he will go insane if he does not follow through. I cannot allow a potentially dangerous individual free reign in Equestria. In two days time, Solaire will depart the way he came, taking with him all his belongings and gear. Afterward, using the Elements of Harmony, we will extinguish the flame that has allowed him access, effectively severing our world from his.” Celestia nodded again, slowly, softly. “I hope you understand, but the security of us all takes precedent over his individual needs. Aside from granting him a few days of peace, there is very little we can do to help him.” She breathed in deep. “As for now, this meeting is adjourned.” **** Solaire looked down at the tattered remains of his equipment. His tunic, his chainmail and underlying jerkin; they had all been sliced down the very center with a startling amount of precision. He sighed, plucking up a small metal link that had fallen loose from his armor. Destroyed. His helmet and sword lay on the far end of the table, thankfully in one piece. He was about to continue his inspection when a voice rang clear through the chamber. “I must apologize for your gear,” Luna said. “In my excitement, perhaps I was a little too hasty in their removal.” Solaire turned around, letting the small link fall to the floor. Luna stood in the far corner of the room, her face a stone mask. “You never left,” Solaire murmured. “Did you not want to join your sister and Miss Sparkle in their, ah… debriefing?” Luna shook her head. “I would not be wanted there,” she said quietly. “Besides, I thought you might have liked someone to speak with.” “We have been for the last two hours.” “No,” Luna said, “that wasn’t a conversation. That was a cold recital of fact, a painful reopening of your past. I’ve remained behind so that you might feel, ah... human again.” “I’ve never stopped,” Solaire said. “You wear a brave face,” she said, frowning. “Is that how it must always be for you undead? Do you fear that even the smallest amount of weakness will rob you of your sanity?” Solaire sighed. “I am intimately aware of the fragility surrounding my situation.” He focused his gaze. “Why are you really here, Princess Luna?” She took a moment to respond. “Because you are alone,” Luna said. “Alone in this room, alone in your mind. Alone in undeath. I know well enough what you must be going through.” Solaire studied her face. “How could you possibly understand?” he whispered. “Because,” Luna said, “I’ve been watching you for the past thirty minutes, at how you have been gawking at that table as if you were stricken by a never-ending series of profound thoughts.” Luna scoffed, her brows lowering. “Do not assume that just because I am princess, I have never once experienced suffering. I have seen that vacant stare you wear, it’s a look I’m very much acquainted with.” She started forward on silent hooves. “Just as you do… just as that woman from your dream, I understand a thing or two about nightmares.” Solaire stiffened. “You saw that, did you?” “Perhaps I shouldn’t call it a dream,” Luna said, smiling. “I’ve traversed enough minds to know the difference between dreams and memories—they taste different.” She was at the slab now, poking at its surface with an errant hoof. “Did that woman ever find her name?” Solaire couldn’t bring himself to lie. “That was Adria.” Luna looked up, the realization dawning on her face. She opened her mouth, closed it, and tried once more. “Oh,” was all she got out. Solaire sighed, turning around to busy himself with the remnants of his gear. He could hear Luna making her approach. “You needn’t pretend that her betrayal isn’t affecting you, Solaire.” A pause. “What she did was unforgivable and you should treat it as such.” The knight looked to his sword but he had not the will to pick it up. “You cleaned the blade,” Solaire stated. “Not I,” Luna said. “‘Twas Twilight Sparkle who wiped it clean. Is that a problem for you?” Solaire shook his head. “There’s not a trace of her blood... Adria’s, I mean. Even though I knew she would awaken, I could still feel a small part of myself die along with her.” He inhaled for the sake of breathing. “She didn’t make a sound when I ran her through.” “From the way you told it, she’d have killed you otherwise,” Luna said. “She did kill me,” Solaire said, “but only after I escaped into a completely different world.” He chuckled. “It’s rather strange how things turn out in the end.” Luna approached, stopping just to Solaire’s right. Through the corner of his vision, he silently measured her up, judging that the top of her head barely met his chest. Solaire looked away. Luna levitated his helmet from the table. “I’d imagined that you would have a corpsey stench considering that your skin turned into a lovely shade of rot after you revived.” She leaned forward, peering into the helmet’s bottom. “Surprisingly, you smell of nothing.” “A testament to my unnatural state,” Solaire said. “The curse has robbed me of many things, it seems, and now I can include ‘smell’ on that list.” Luna raised the helmet above her head and for a moment Solaire thought she was going to attempt to wear it. At the last second, she frowned and gently placed it back onto the table. “Like your eyes,” she said offhandedly, shooting him a glance. “How do you see, might I ask? I’m quite curious—is there a difference in how you perceive things now that you have nothing to see with?” Solaire shrugged his shoulders. “No different than before. My lack of eyes hasn’t altered my vision in any way.” He reached toward his face and padded at the empty sockets with a thumb. “To be honest, Princess, I haven’t given it much thought. Does it frighten you?” “Earlier, yes,” Luna said. “I thought you an abomination that had clawed its way into our world.” “And now?” Solaire watched as Luna turned away from the table and started a slow canter toward the center of the chamber. “What I think about you now?” She looked back at him, smiling. “I think you have a guest.” Before Solaire could open his mouth, two swift knocks rang out from the wooden door on the opposite end of the room. Luna’s smile widened as her horn took light, and with a burst of magic she pulled the door open, revealing a familiar purple shape. Twilight Sparkle stood just beyond the doorway, a hoof held up to her face as if to shield her eyes from the sudden brightness. Squinting, she crossed the boundary, her gaze flicking about until it finally settled on the princess standing in the center of the room. “Twilight,” Luna said. “Princess Luna, I… I wasn’t expecting you to be here.” Twilight continued her slow approach. “Were you with Solaire the entire time?” “In a manner of speaking, yes.” “Oh,” Twilight said, finally looking in the knight’s direction. Solaire nodded, his hands coming together to form a loose clasp in front his waist. He had learned quickly to not make any sudden, suspicious movements around the smaller ponies. “It’s wonderful to see you again so soon, Miss Sparkle,” Solaire said. “Is there anything I can help you with?” “O-oh, nothing at all!” Twilight stammered. “Princess Celestia asked me to return something of yours, and to, well… assist you with your request.” Only when Solaire looked closer did he notice the familiar darkened leather pouch laced around Twilight’s neck. Horn glowing, she undid the knot and laid it down upon the slab. “She says ‘thanks’ for letting her look at it.” “And I will have to thank her for returning it to me so promptly,” Solaire said. He turned toward Luna. “Will you be staying here? As you know, my request, it’s—” Luna shook her head. “Sadly, I have duties elsewhere,” she said, already starting towards the door. “If you ever desire another chat, come find me.” Luna entered the storage cabinet, turning around to face Solaire one final time. “I’m never far, and thusly you’re never alone. For your sake, Sir Knight, do not forget that.” The door closed shut and just like that, Luna was gone, leaving behind only silence in her wake. Solaire watched as Twilight shifted on her hooves, looking to the floor as if she had no idea where to place her eyes. Solaire cleared his throat. Twilight bit her lip. “The princess,” he began, if only to break the silence. “She’s not close with you, is she?” “W-why do you say that?” “Because she’s not close with anybody,” Solaire said. He leaned back against the table behind him, half-seated as he crossed his arms. “Perhaps her sister, but that was not always the case, was it?” Twilight’s eyes widened. “She told you?” “Nothing definite,” Solaire said with a shrug. “Only after we spoke did I realize the walls she wears when she is around either of you—watching her words and dancing around topics as if they might burn her if she were to draw too close.” Solaire sighed, pulling away from the table and started toward the slab in the center of the chamber. In three strides he closed the distance, plucking the pouch by its strings and quickly knotting it to the back of his belt. He turned toward Twilight who was standing at the head of the slab, a nervous air surrounding her. “Your friends know of my quest then,” Solaire affirmed. “Know of the Lordsoul, of my curse, and why I cannot stay here.” “Yes,” Twilight said. “You six are considered heroes who wield an immense power. Did one amongst you offer to use this strength against me, to destroy the curse that keeps me shackled to the mortal world?” “Of course,” Twilight said. Solaire chuckled. “Any other undead would have accepted your offer.” Twilight opened her mouth but no sound came out. She glanced to the back of the room several times, eyes widening slightly before she started toward the table placed there. There came a familiar hum of magic, and Solaire—unable to deny his curiosity any longer—turned around. Twilight Sparkle, horn alight, levitated his tunic and chainmail up against the wall, the armor shining and wholesome as she glanced back at him over her shoulder. The unicorn smiled. “You never told us you know repair magic,” Twilight said. Solaire, shaking his head, couldn’t help but smile as well. “‘Twasn’t me who fixed them.” Somewhere, Princess Luna was walking with a slight bounce in her step. **** Solaire, Twilight quickly realized, was by no means a quiet traveller. His heavy footfalls had boomed through the castle halls and like a walking windchime, his chainmail was an endless source of sound. Twilight breathed out a sigh of relief when they had finally made it outdoors. In the sky, the moon was almost complete with its circuit and the barest hint of a pale pink could just be seen on the opposite end of the horizon. “Are you not afraid that someone might see me?” Solaire whispered in a muffled voice. He had insisted on wearing his helmet if only to disguise his rotted state. “Only guards should be out here at this time,” Twilight said, “and very few at that. If one of them did stumble across us, however, it’s not like I’d let them slap you in cuffs and cart you away to some dungeon. They know who I am—they trust me, and that means they should trust you too.” Twilight glanced back at him. “You’re a guest here… they just haven’t been informed of your arrival, so to speak.” “Reassuring,” Solaire said. Twilight turned her attention back to the cobblestone path. So much had happened—it seemed so long ago the last time she had made this walk. In the distance, behind a wall of white stone loomed Celestia’s tower, a pillar in the night. Twilight sighed, slowing her steps until they were walking side by side. The human matched her pace without a word, the seconds dragging into an uncomfortable silence. “You’ve really taken all this in stride,” Twilight said, “being flung into a new world.” “I tend to not let things bother me, Miss Sparkle.” Twilight’s lips formed a grin line. “Even still,” she whispered. “Your situation, your curse, I… I can’t even begin to imagine what you’ve been through.” When Solaire said nothing in return, Twilight feared that she might have offended the knight. She could feel his gaze boring into the side of her head but in the following moment, his chuckle—a laugh like peach soda—rang through the garden. He stymied his laugh with a soft ‘Oh’. “Miss Sparkle, when you have seen the things I’ve seen, you’ll realize that nothing will ever shock, frighten, or scare you ever again. Trust me, talking ponies is a welcome reprieve.” Twilight smiled, partly at the words, partly at the gentle tone he always seemed to speak in. “What about me?” Solaire asked her. “Surely I’m not the strangest thing you’ve encountered.” Twilight paused. “Top three,” she said. She didn’t have the heart to tell him that he had just bumped ‘monster caterpillar invasion’ from the top spot. They continued on in silence and it wasn’t long after that the pair arrived at the twin filigree gates outside of Celestia’s tower. Twilight peered past the swirling cast iron bars, nodding to herself before she pushed the gate open with a bloom of magic. As the pair entered the garden, Twilight found herself looking to the left where a small smattering of guards milled about underneath a large, familiar tree, picking up stray branches and packing them into cloth sacks. Twilight paused when one of the soldiers looked their way. The stallion dropped his bag into the grass and trotted over on heavy hooves, his identity becoming more apparent the closer he drew. Captain Rook came to a stop a few paces away, glancing up at Solaire before looking to Twilight once more. “No one’s harassed you on the way here, I gather? I had this quadrant cleared of nonessentials an hour ago as instructed.” “Not a pony in sight,” Twilight said, nodding. She looked over Rook’s shoulder to where the two remaining guards continued their work. Rook frowned, raising a hoof. “They’re with me,” he said, “and don’t worry—they realize that when a superior asks them to do a job that a servant or gardener could easily do, they know not to ask too many questions. Follow me.” The captain stepped onto the path and started forward, guiding the pair close to the base of the tower. The path curved to the right, following the structure’s curvature until the strange group of guard, student and knight reached the tower entrance on the opposite end of the garden. Rook produced a large key and inserted it into the door’s frame, giving it a twist. There came a series of mechanized clicks, a few seconds passing before the door creaked open of its own volition, allowing entry into the tower. Twilight could already see the wall-mounted sconces within burning with a warm glow. “Impressive,” Solaire said. “Is this where Princess Celestia lives?” Twilight shook her head. “Not exactly.” Rook stepped to the side. “Princess Celestia’s personal office is on the top floor. She receives all her private correspondence there, often asking not to be bothered as she looks through the letters that had accumulated over the week.” Captain Rook cleared his throat. “As for your question, Solaire, it is as Miss Twilight says—there is a small parlor in the tower but the princess chooses not to sleep there most nights. That is where you will be staying.” Twilight found herself nodding along with the human. “Thank you for your help, Captain. You must be busy with everything that’s happened. I’m sure we can find our way from here.” “Of course,” Rook said, snapping a smart salute. “I live to serve.” The pair watched him leave, the captain following the same path back to the front of the garden. He rounded a far-off corner and disappeared from sight. Twilight turned to Solaire, a smile on her face. “To the top then!” Sunlight Straight Sword "This standard longsword, belonging to Solaire of Astora, is of high quality, is well-forged, and has been kept in good repair. Easy-to-use and dependable, but unlikely to live up to its grandiose name." The woman awoke with a pained gasp, her hands a blur as they padded at her chest. She found the puncture in her armor immediately, a thin vertical slit just below the sternum, the surrounding area still caked with blood. After a few breathless moments, she sighed, raising her arms high above her prone form. As the sleeves of her jacket rolled back, the corpserot that was her skin was slowly revealed. “You’re lucky that I’m the one that found you,” said a voice. The woman sat up immediately, body tensing as her gaze found the figure standing in the cellar’s dark corner. Her hand was already gripping the sword strapped to her waist. “Calm yourself, lady,” came the voice once more. He sounded as if his throat were crammed with razorblades. “As you might have noticed, you still have all your belongings. If I wanted to do you harm, I would have stripped your corpse of everything you owned and left you as naked as the day you were born.” The black mass shifted as a harsh grating of a laugh rumbled through the room. “Now if you still wish to fight me,” he said, “I’m not opposed to that either. It has truly been a while since I’ve murdered someone.” The woman nodded slowly. “You have thirty seconds. What is it that you want?” “To extend to you an offer,” said the dark figure. “I’ve been following you for weeks, waiting, biding my time for the right moment to strike. But have no fear, it’s not you who I was after, no… but rather the man you travelled with.” “Solaire,” she whispered. “Indeed,” said the figure. “When I saw you slain in that tomb, I knew that he had betrayed you as well. That man prattles on and on about being a righteous beam of light in this black hellscape of a land, but he’s no different than the rest of us. He’s a hunter, a killer, a wolf dressed in sheep’s clothing and he will stop at nothing until he gets his way.” A pause. “He’s even killed you.” Silence filled the cellar. “What are you proposing?” said the woman. The figure took a single step forward, a ray of dusty light illuminating the rusted bands of metal that covered his leg. “A union of sorts,” he said. “We both share similar interests, don’t we? Solaire has something you want, and I want Solaire’s head on a plate—it would be foolish if we didn’t combine our strength.” “Strength means nothing if we don’t know where he is,” the woman said, “and besides that, he’s capable, defiant and absolutely believes in the cause he fights for. Solaire is not one to hollow easily.” Another step. The figure’s black armor appeared to be covered by row upon row of sharp thistles. “Just who do you think I am, lady? Knight Solaire fights for abstract concepts and philosophical stupidities. But me? I fight for something real, something tangible, something that I place above all else—” he jabbed a thumb into his chestplate, “—I fight for myself, and whether you know this already or not, we’re all monsters on the inside. The only difference between you and me is that I’ve willingly embraced the beast.” Another step. Enormous pauldrons covered in massive spikes were mounted on his shoulders, and a full helm carpeted with those selfsame barbs concealed his face. “Let me share with you a little secret of mine,” he said. “I can kill Solaire. I can kill him permanently.” The woman could only sit and watch as the figure made his approach, her gaze wandering over the rusted blacks and browns of his plate armor. He stopped just out of reach and squatted down, his elbows resting on the tops of his knees. “You’re a darkwraith,” she whispered. “Yes,” he replied, “and as a darkwraith, I’m offering you this.” Palm facing up, an armored gauntlet reached out. In one seamless motion, he made a fist and slowly unclenched, revealing a tiny sprite of black energy that floated in the center of his hand. The woman stared at the soul, her lips forming a grim line. “Why?” she asked. “I Have plenty and it look like you need it more than I do.” He edged his hand closer. “If we’re to be working together, Miss, we should at least know each other’s names.” For a long moment she stared into his helmet, her brow furrowing. “Adria,” she finally said. The darkwraith smiled a smile that no one else would ever see. “And my name is Kirk, Knight of Thorns. Let’s take back what rightfully belongs to us, shall we?”