A looming shadow looked over the crystal bowl in front of it. The bowl was filled with water, and as the shadow phased into a more tangible form it gently hovered its hoof over the water. The water shimmered, revealing the world. The pony focused and the image began to change, now showing a small town, on the outskirts of town a large crystal castle stood, towering over the buildings.
The pony sighed. His armor clanked as it shifted over his red coat. His sword lay in its sheath across his back, matching his cutie mark.
"What is it?" another pony said from the other side of the room. "What do you see, War?"
War turned to look at the other pony. She was disgustingly thin, she wore a dress that had been reduced to rags, her skeleton could easily be distinguished through her black fur, her cutie mark was a set of scales.
"Famine," He addressed her. "I have seen the one the others have spoken about. The mortal known as Twilight Sparkle."
"We need to do something about her. She will disrupt the order of things to come." A third pony said, entering the room. He was white and had a bow across his back along with a quiver full of arrows. He coughed a few times, and his skins rippled with diseased boils.
"What can we do, Pestilence?" War said. "She has the backing of harmony itself. We can't control the natural forces of the universe."
"No..." A final voice said, the others all turned and watched as the final pony entered the room. She was ash grey, with tired eyes. Her head hung low. She carried nothing but her cutie mark was covered by her long black cloak. "We may not control them, but in time they will allow us to do what needs to be done. Harmony and Chaos know what must happen to keep the balance. We will have out chance."
"But Death, when will we know the right time?"
Death approached the bowl and gazed into it. "I do not know, but I do know that the time is coming soon." She looked to the others. "Things have been lining up in the universe. Only a few more pieces need to fall into place, and the time will be soon."
-----
Back on earth, Twilight and her friends explored the castle, unaware they were being watched.