//------------------------------// // Hunting For Answers // Story: Pathfinder: An Equestrian Tale // by Mossbender //------------------------------// This world shall burn... and it will be recreated in my own image... Willow's eyes slowly opened and he immediately discovered that he was lying down on the ground. The sun was shining brightly in the sky above and not a cloud was to be seen. A soft breeze ruffled his mane and he felt very relaxed, a feeling that he didn't experience very often. What was really strange though was the fact that he no longer felt any pain coming from within his chest, even though he thought he had broken a rib. Where... where am I? What is this place? Willow thought. It most certainly isn't the train... He rolled over and quickly stood up so he could get a better look at his surroundings. He looked to be in a field of bright green grass that gently swayed in the breeze. Ahead of him was a hill and a lone tree that stood tall on top of it. A hill... I can get a better view on higher ground. Willow trotted over to the hill and climbed it with ease. Having travelled the rough terrain of the forest over the years had definitely improved his endurance. At the top of the hill he was surprised to see what laid before him. The town of Ponyville, the place that he had just left in order to escape its residents as well as to search for answers in Canterlot... but why was he here? "Yes... gaze upon the village pony, for it'll be your last..." a familiar voice said behind him. Willow turned around, only to come face to face with the creature. Its hood was up, but Willow sensed that it had a wicked smile hidden within the shadows. "Your attempts to learn about me are futile pony, for I, Volgnash, have come from another world. You only rush to your doom..." Willow planted his hooves firmly on the ground and snorted. "I've seen your plans you monster and I swear that you won't take this world without a fight!" he shouted and leapt at Volgnash, only to be grabbed by the throat and held up in the air. Volgnash was stronger than he looked and he laughed at Willow who struggled to break free of his grip. "You are a fool... a fool to challenge me! You are nothing but weak! Powerless to stop me! Too pathetic to even try! Let me show you real power..." Volgnash hissed. He spun Willow around and forced him to look at the quiet town below them. Volgnash swirled his staff in his other hand, generating a small purple orb and launching it at the center of Ponyville, straight towards townhall. Willow watched in horror as the orb connected with the roof and exploded, causing the very ground to erupt and engulfing the town in a fiery inferno. "You... you monster!" Willow managed to say, only to have Volgnash grip his throat even tighter. It was becoming harder and harder for him to breathe and he felt light-headed. "The world... will fight you... you won't... stand a chance..." Volgnash threw his head back and laughed. "No... it will not be I who won't stand a chance fool. I look forward to the domination of this world... and all who oppose me will be showered in the blood of the innocents!" he roared. Crimson clouds formed in the sky above and began to unleash a downpour of what looked to be blood. Willow felt the first few drops splatter onto his face before Volgnash suddenly threw him down the hill. He slammed into the ground below and slid to a stop, now covered in a mixture of mud, ash, and blood. "How... how can I stop him? I can't do it on my own... not like this..." Willow wheezed, struggling to breathe. "I need to stop this nightmare... before it begins..." He suddenly heard a gentle humming sound and watched as his surroundings faded before him, turning into a bright and cloudy white. Willow watched as the clouds before him slowly began to swirl and they formed a familiar face. "Willow... wake up... wake up!" the head yelled. "We're here!" Willow awoke with a start to find Volt Cloud standing in front of him with a concerned look on his face. "Are you alright Willow?" You look like you've seen a ghost!" he exclaimed. "That must have been some crazy dream you were having huh?" "Yeah... I'm fine... just help me up please," Willow replied. Volt Cloud reached forward and pulled Willow off of his seat, but as soon as Willow stood up, pain once again shot through his chest and he gasped because of it. "Willow! Are you sure you are alright?" Volt asked. "Do you need to see a doctor? We did have a rather nasty landing when we jumped out of that hay cart." "Yes I'm... no... no I'm not," Willow replied and sighed. "I think I broke a rib back in Ponyville Volt. Could you help me to the hospital? I don't really want to get anypony else involved." "Of course! Magic should be able to fix that easily, although we might want to hurry. The longer we wait here the more patients the hospital will receive, but I don't think we'll have to wait long for them to mend a broken rib. I am willing to get our way if it's required though..." "I don't think that'll be necessary Volt. Let's get off this train." Willow put his left foreleg over Volt's shoulders and whistled for Swiftwing who had just woken up from her own nap. She lazily glided down and landed on his back as he and Volt made their way off of the train. They fortunately made it off just as the doors hissed shut behind them and the train began to pull way, its next stop being the Crystal Empire. "Alright... nice and easy now Volt, do you know where the hospital is in this city?" Willow asked and Volt nodded. "Yes I do Willow, we just have to make a right onto Mane Street up ahead and I think it will be on our left just a little further down," Volt replied. "Although it has been a while since I've been here..." "Well... perhaps we can ask the locals for assistance if it ever comes to that," Willow suggested, which caused Volt to stop and stare at him in disbelief. "Ask the locals? Are you kidding? This isn't Ponyville Willow, which is why I remember I never come here often." Volt looked ahead again and they continued down the street. "Most of these upper class ponies aren't very... eh... let's just say that recognition and popularity go a long way here. It's best if we just keep our heads down for now, probably forever." "I'm not too concerned about what other ponies think of me Volt," Willow replied. "Besides, I'm pretty sure I would be able to handle a few rich snobs. Now... where is everypony? The only ones we've seen so far were the ones from the train." "I don't know Willow, let's just get you to the hospital, that's what is important right now." The two continued down the street in silence until they at last reached Mane Street. To their left was a path and a set of stairs leading to the castle and to their right was a sight that they did not expect. Ponies of various types were everywhere, making their way between pavilions or watching performances that other ponies were performing. The smell of food and smoke wafted through the area, causing Willow's stomach to growl. "Crap, it looks like some sort of festival is going on," Volt said. "It's going to take us forever to get through this crowd, but the food does smell good..." "Stay focused Volt, I'm still in a lot of pain you know," Willow said just as pain once again shot through him, causing him to clench his teeth. "Let's... let's pick up the pace, try to clear a way for us Volt." "Don't worry, I got this," Volt replied and puffed out his chest. "Out of the way! Injured pony coming through! He needs to get to the hospital!" His shouting had drawn the attention of some of the ponies and once their eyes fell upon Willow, they began to slowly move out of the way. "G- good, keep that up Volt as we go along, we'll be able to make it to the hospital in no time," Willow said and Volt nodded in agreement. They continued to make their way through the crowd, Volt shouting for the ponies to move whenever they came across a cluster of them blocking their path. This went for about ten minutes until at last, Willow was able to see the hospital on their left by noticing the large red cross on the front. "Would you look at that Volt, it looks like you're memory was right after all," Willow said and coughed because of the smoky air, causing pain in his chest once again. "I- I believe I can handle it from here. Thank you for your help." "Ah don't mention it Willow, you did save my life after all," Volt replied. "Are you sure you-" He was interrupted as trumpets began to blare behind them, causing Swiftwing to screech in annoyance. After the trumpets faded away, it was quickly followed by a drum roll and they turned around to see what was going on. A stage was located in front of one of the buildings and white smoke was drifting across it. A crowd of ponies had gathered and Willow and Volt were at the very back when spotlights suddenly shone on the stage. "Now... ponies of all genders and ages! Prepare yourself... for it is time for the show to begin!" a voice shouted, causing the crowd to stamp their hooves in excitement. "Behold! It is I! The one... the only... the Great and Powerful Trixie!" The smoke was suddenly blasted outwards and there on the stage stood a Unicorn wearing what looked to be a purple hat and cape sprinkled with stars. Her coat was a brilliant azure and her eyes were the colour of dark violet. Willow had to take a closer look at her mane and discovered it to be a very pale light blue, with a slightly darker shade of blue for the stripes. "Thank you all for appearing, for it is a wonderful evening to perform a magic show, don't you agree everypony?" Trixie asked and most of the crowd nodded in agreement. "Then without further ado, let me show all of you how a real Unicorn magician performs her magic!" As she began to perform her first trick, Willow looked over at Volt to find him staring at Trixie in awe. "Uh... Volt? Who exactly is she?" Willow asked. "I don't believe I've heard about this particular pony before. Is she as powerful as she says she is?" Volt looked at Willow, but it was obvious that he wanted to resume watching Trixie. "How do you not know of Trixie Willow? From what I've heard, she was bested in a magic competition against Princess Twilight herself, but that didn't stop her from doing what she loved!" Volt exclaimed." She became known as the Great and Apologetic Trixie for a time, but I prefer the Great and Powerful. Isn't she just wonderful?" He turned away from Willow and watched as Trixie was successfully able to make three ponies disappear and then reappear, much to the audience's enjoyment. "I see... well I'm going to head inside the hospital now Volt, thank you for your help," Willow said. "Perhaps our paths will cross again in the future." Volt didn't reply as he was too busy watching Trixie. Willow began to limp over to the hospital entrance when he noticed a cloaked pony standing some distance away from the crowd, but it was obvious that whoever the pony was, he or she was watching Trixie as well. "Great and Powerful... sure she might be somewhat talented, but she is far from being the best, far from it!" Willow heard the cloaked pony angrily whisper. "Some ponies never change... but I'll show her... it is finally time for some payback for what she did to me at Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns!" Willow was able to tell that it was a mare and decided quickly whether or not he should intervene, but the pain was becoming too much to bear. Sure he was tough, but even the toughest ponies had their limits for pain. The glass doors slid open and he stumbled inside the hospital all the way to the counter where a nurse was busy filling out all types of forms. "Excuse me? Nurse? I have an injury that needs to be attended to," Willow said. The nurse quickly glanced up at Willow before returning to her papers. "Name?" she asked. "Willow Seeker, I come from White Tail Village," Willow quickly replied. "Uh huh, so why are you here today Willow?" she asked. "What is your emergency?" "I think I may have broken a rib miss, the pain has been getting steadily worse for quite some time now." "Do you have any Equestrian Health Insurance Mr. Seeker?" "No, I do not," Willow replied, wishing that she could go a bit faster. "Very well then Mr. Seeker, please take a seat in one of the chairs and a doctor will be here to attend to your injury shortly," the nurse said. "You'll be feeling like new in no time." Willow simply nodded in return and went to take a seat in a rather surprisingly empty waiting room. Swiftwing flew up and landed on his head as he chose a random chair and did his best to make himself as comfortable as he could, but no matter what position he was in his chest would always hurt. He was able to hear cheering and the stamping of hooves coming from outside which didn't really bother him, but then his thoughts drifted to the mysterious pony he saw and wondered what she was planning to do. "Hey Swiftwing... you don't think that cloaked pony will actually do something... do you?" he asked. Swiftwing stayed silent and began to clean her feathers and Willow shrugged. "Hopefully not..." "Ugh... I'm trying to work here but I can't concentrate with all of that noise outside!" the nurse angrily exclaimed. "I know that it is the Festival of Magic, but that Unicorn outside could have chosen to perform her act away from the patients!" Festival of Magic? Since when was that created? Willow thought and shrugged. Ah well, at least it sounds like everypony is having a good time, I wonder if Twilight or the other princesses will make an appearance... His thoughts were interrupted when a pony rushed in carrying another pony on his back. "Nurse! Nurse! We need a hospital bedroom stat!" the stallion shouted and the mare on his back groaned. "What seems to be the problem?" the nurse asked and the stallion shook his head. "There isn't a problem at all! My wife has gone into labour!" At the end of his sentence the nurse's eyes widened and she immediately pressed a button before speaking into a nearby microphone. "Attention staff, we have a couple with a new foal on the way. I need an available obstetrician and another nurse immediately. We will be in room thirty-four." She pressed the button again and turned to face the couple. "If you would just follow me please, and congratulations." "Thank you! Thank you so much!" the stallion exclaimed and he followed the nurse and disappeared down one of the halls. No sooner had they left when another pony appeared in a white lab coat holding a clip board. He was a male Unicorn with a pair of glasses and he had a natural dark red coat. His eyes were a light blue and his mane was a curly chocolate brown. "Ahem, I am looking for a Mr. Seeker. Is he present?" the Unicorn asked and Willow slowly got out of his chair and stood up. "Th- that's me sir," Willow replied and he began to limp over to the Unicorn. "Ah, very good then, but please, let me come over to you, I don't want you putting yourself in more pain," he said and quickly walked over to Willow. "I am Dr. Cranberry. The report here says you have fractured a rib, is that correct?" "Yes, that is correct Doctor, do we need to go to a room to perform an examination?" "I don't think that'll be necessary Mr. Seeker, just relax and let my magic do its work. Nice bird by the way, she's very beautiful." Dr. Cranberry's horn began to glow a light blue and Willow watched as his chest was enveloped by the glow. He clenched his teeth in pain when he felt his rib begin to move back into place, but suddenly the pain was gone. "That should do it Mr. Seeker, do you feel better?" Dr. Cranberry asked and Willow nodded. "Yes Doctor, thank you for your help," Willow replied and sighed, glad that he was able to breathe comfortably again. The doctor's glow surrounding his chest began to fade away when it suddenly turned purple. "Wh- what the hay!? What's going on... gah!" Dr. Cranberry cried as the purple glow suddenly manifested into an image of Volgnash. Swiftwing flew off of Willow's head and landed on his back, not wanting to witness what was about to happen next. "The darkness within you... will be your undoing..." the image whispered and it suddenly dissipated as quick as it had appeared. Willow shook his head and checked himself for any damage, but fortunately nothing had happened to him. Dr. Cranberry however was in a much worse state. He had collapsed onto the floor and Willow saw that his eyes had turned completely white. He was mumbling gibberish, which Willow knew was definitely not a good sign. He lowered himself to the floor and gently began to nudge the poor doctor. "Dr. Cranberry... if you can hear me, turn your head towards my voice," Willow said, but it was of no use. Whatever Volgnash's magic had done was obviously having a devastating effect on the doctor's mind. The Council was right... whatever Volgnash did to me... my soul... it is harming those who use their magic on me. I have to be more careful about being injured in the future, Willow thought. Having no other options, Willow left thirty bits on the floor and pressed the emergency button on the wall before leaving the hospital, only to be met with the strangest sight. Volt had somehow managed to be a part of one of Trixie's acts and was standing on the stage showing signs of excitement and nervousness. Volt... what are you doing... "And now, for the Great and Powerful Trixie's final trick, I shall make this Pegasus' wings vanish before your very eyes!" Trixie shouted which caused the crowd to gasp. Surely it couldn't be done? Only an Alicorn could have such power! Trixie's horn began to glow a pale pinkish colour when Willow saw the cloaked pony from before suddenly drop from the top of the stage on the other side of Volt. "This magic show of yours is finished Trixie! You even know that you can't make a Pegasus' wings disappear just like that!" she shouted, which caused the large crowd to mutter amongst themselves. Trixie looked at the stranger trying to ruin her show and then at the crowd. "Do not listen to this stranger's words everypony, for I, the Great and Powerful Trixie can accomplish such a task!" she shouted and looked back at the stranger, her eyes burning with anger. "Get. Off. My. Stage." "Oh, I'll get off the stage alright, right after I'm done with you!" the cloaked pony yelled and threw her hood back. Trixie, the crowd and even Willow gasped in surprise as they looked at the pony, who turned out to be a Unicorn. Her coat was a pale orange and her eyes the colour of light azure. The back of her mane was braided into a single braid and was the colour of dark orange with streaks of pale yellow running through it. The last thing about her features was the fact that she had exactly six freckles. Three on one side of her face and three on the other. "Well well well, this most certainly is a surprise. I didn't expect to see you ever again around these parts Summer Burst, especially after what happened back at the school..." Trixie said and giggled at the memory. "You very well know as much as I do that I was not responsible for the graduation prank Trixie! Do you know how long I had to stay to clean up the mess? I almost had my diploma revoked because of you! But today... today I'll make you feel the same embarrassment that I did!" "Uh... is it okay if I leave now?" Volt asked but he was ignored by the both of them. "I'll take that as a yes then." He flew off of the stage just as Summer's horn began to glow orange and she fired a spell at Trixie. Trixie was quick to react though and she unleashed a spell of her own, causing the two spells to collide and explode, showering whatever was in range with magical residue. "Ha! You'll have to do better than that Summer, I'm not called the Great and Powerful for nothing!" Trixie exclaimed. "I'm just getting started!" Summer shouted back. The magical residue was beginning to have effects on whatever it had touched, causing things such as apples to sprout wings and fly away. The ponies themselves were experiencing weird effects, such as having their manes and tails stand on end or either enlarging or shrinking their heads. Volt suddenly landed next to Willow and he whistled at the sight before them. "I always love a good fight, although I prefer more physical contact, I guess magic will have to do for now," he said and Willow rolled his eyes. He watched as Summer and Trixie fired a spell at the exact same time and they collided, except this time both of them were channelling beams and were trying to overpower the other. "I... will... beat you!" Summer shouted, but she knew deep in her heart that she wouldn't. She had barely passed in Celestia's school and wasn't the best at spells at all. However, even with the training she had done since then, she knew right then that she wasn't yet strong enough to overpower her rival. Willow watched as Trixie's beam slowly began to inch closer and closer to Summer and knew that he had to stop this before something happened that they would all regret. He easily pushed his way through the panicked and confused crowd and climbed up onto the stage. "Both of you! Stop this at once! you are risking everypony's safety!" Willow shouted, but he wasn't heard due to the roar of the conflicting magical energies. "You might want to hang on tightly Swiftwing, I'm about to do something... and I don't like it, but it has to be done!" He backed up an was about to charge at Trixie when the amount of energy both Unicorns were using reached unstable levels, causing everypony to stumble about. "Just give up Summer! You know I'll win like I always do!" Trixie shouted and Summer clenched her teeth. Suddenly she felt something move under her and was suddenly lifted up and carried away, breaking the connection and causing a small explosion. The explosion was powerful enough to knock the crowd over and it blasted Summer and whoever was with her through the building behind the stage, while Trixie was knocked unconscious. Summer somehow continued to remain conscious, even though she and whoever was with her were partially buried beneath some rubble. She suddenly felt the rubble shift above her and squinted her eyes to see the shadowy outline of a pony. "Who... what... how..." she whispered, but the pony didn't reply. Instead he lifted her up onto his back and made his way back through the hole they had made and they disappeared into a nearby alley. "Why... why did you do this? Who are you?" "Quiet, it's best we get far away from here before the authorities arrive. Don't worry though, we have eyes in the sky to watch our backs," the stranger quietly said. Summer craned her neck upwards and was able to catch a brief glimpse of a Pegasus leaping over the rooftops. "To be honest, he's just following us for some reason, but he doesn't mean any harm." Willow turned down another alley and stopped to catch his breath. Summer took advantage of this and slid off of his back before using her magic to levitate him and pinned him against the wall. "W-wait! Stop! You can't use your magic on me or else it will reveal him!" Willow shouted but Summer just ignored him. She continued to hold him against the wall, waiting for something to reveal itself but nothing did. "Wh- what the hay? Why hasn't he appeared..." "You don't scare me stranger, so I'll ask again. Who are you, and why did you-" Summer was interrupted when she heard a screech come from above and looked up to find a bird. Swiftwing flew in front of Summer and pecked her forehead, causing her to break her concentration and allowing Willow to break free of her spell. "Ow! Ow! Hey! Cut it out!" Summer yelled and swatted at Swiftwing who dodged her swing with ease. "Stop! Please!" "Swiftwing, hold your talons," Willow said and Swiftwing flew over to him and landed on his back, although she still felt threatened by the Unicorn in front of them. "Please, allow me to explain myself Miss. My name is Willow Seeker. The reason I interfered was because the amount of magic both of you were using would have injured a lot of ponies. What were you thinking?" "I... I wanted to have my revenge on her for what she did to me years ago. I-" Summer stopped talking when Willow held up a hoof and sighed. "There is always a time and place for everything Miss Burst, but when your acts begin to threaten the lives of others, you have to stop and think what you are doing. So let me ask you this. Do you think what you did today was the best choice?" "I... no..." Summer whispered and looked down at the ground. "You're right Willow... but I was just so angry! You have no idea what she did to me back at Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns... no idea at all..." "That's true Summer, I do not, but perhaps we can come to a solution involving less violence," Willow replied. "Do you know a place you would like to go? I'm pretty sure the authorities will be looking for you." Summer looked up at Willow in disbelief. Here was an Earth pony that she barely knew, and already he was trying to help her once more. She wanted to say no, but for some reason she couldn't bring herself to do so. There was something strange about him... as if somehow this encounter was supposed to happen. "Fine. I'll accept your help Willow," Summer said. "We'll go to the Canterlot Library though, I go there whenever I feel stressed or just want to get away from everypony else, plus nopony should be there since the Festival of Magic is going on." Willow nodded and he held out a hoof towards the exit out of the alley. "After you Miss Summer. This is my first time in Canterlot so I'll need you to lead the way if you are willing to do so." "Of course, the library is just before the castle so it shouldn't take too long to get there," Summer replied and Willow watched her walk out of the alley. "I know you're there Volt, you don't need to hide yourself," Willow said out loud and Volt suddenly dropped down beside him from above. "Wow you're good," Volt said and he yawned. "So you are heading to the library with that crazy Unicorn then?" "She's not crazy Volt, she just... needs somepony to talk to," Willow replied and Volt shrugged. "Well, she's your problem now Willow, but one thing for sure is that she is quite the stunner. Magic is not my type, but you can definitely try to score with her." Willow could feel the tips of his ears burn as he blushed. "That- that's not what I had in mind at all Volt!" he shouted and Volt laughed. "Ah come on Willow, I was just teasing," Volt said. "I think I'll hang out here for a bit longer though. Libraries aren't really my thing either, but I'll be sure to stop by later if I haven't fallen asleep on a cloud by then." "Alright, see you around Volt. Have fun at the Festival of Magic." Willow watched Volt fly away and he quickly left the alley so he could catch up to Summer. It didn't take him long to reach her and the two walked side by side towards the castle in silence. After a few minutes had passed, Willow decided to break the ice once more. "So Summer, uh, what do you think about the Festival of Magic?" Willow asked. "It sure is popular, but I've never heard of it before." "The Festival of Magic was founded recently, today actually, by Princess Celestia herself Willow, which is probably why you've never heard of it," Summer replied. "It's strange though, she announced it this morning and preparations began immediately. She says that it was in honour of those who dedicated themselves to the advancement and study of magic, such as Star Swirl." She suddenly stopped and pulled Willow near her. "But I think it's just a distraction," she whispered. "I think something is happening at the castle, and Celestia and Luna don't want any interference by us." She pushed Willow away and the two continued their walk. "That's crazy! I know that all of us have our own secrets Summer, but why would Celestia create an event just to keep her citizens distracted?" Willow asked and Summer rolled her eyes. "Because if they are up to something, then obviously it's something big, why else would they have an event like this created and prepared on the same day? Ah! We're already at the stairs. That was rather quick." They began to climb the steps until they reached a fork in the stairs. One set led to the castle and the other led to the library, which was the set they took. At last they reached the front entrance to the library and they didn't hesitate to go inside. Willow had expected to find a bunch of books immediately, but instead was greeted to a long hallway that extended to the left and to the right. "Eh... this is the library right?" Willow asked and Summer nodded. "Of course it is Willow, didn't you see the sign out front? If you would just follow me we can get to one of my most favourite sections of the library," Summer said and she turned left and began to make her way down the hall. Willow followed behind her when Swiftwing began to gently squeeze his back. "What is it that you need Swiftwing?" Willow asked. "Are you hungry again? By the way, thank you for not pecking me this time around." Swiftwing screeched in return and flew over to the doors where she waited for Willow to open them. "Hang on Summer, I just need to let Swiftwing outside." Summer stopped and watched as Willow trotted over to the library doors and opened them, allowing Swiftwing to fly outside. "You talk... to your bird?" Summer asked and Willow nodded. "Of course, why wouldn't I talk to her? She isn't dumb you know, she is able to understand our language," Willow replied. "It's just that I've never really seen a pony communicate with another animal like that before is all. I didn't mean to offend you Willow, I'm actually now more curious about your relationship with her." "Well... it is quite a long story Summer, how about I tell you when we get to this section that you mentioned a couple of minutes ago." "Ah yes, the Star Swirl section!" Summer excitedly exclaimed. "It's on our right just a little further down this hall Willow. Come on! We're wasting time." Their hooves echoed with each step they made down the hallway until at last Summer stopped in front of a closed gate. "This is the place Willow, the Star Swirl section..." "It, uh, appears to be closed Summer, can we get in at all?" Willow asked and Summer laughed at his question. "What's so funny? I'm not really the breaking and entering type, although I can be if I wanted to I think." Summer let her laughter subside and pushed on the gate, causing it to creak open slowly. "Yeah, it's definitely closed Willow, nopony has locked this old thing in years!" she exclaimed and went inside. Willow hesitated for a second before cautiously following Summer inside afterwards. A musty smell filled his nostrils as he observed the room that they were in. A large hourglass was located in the center of the room, with corridors leading down to shelves that were filled with all types of scrolls and books. Willow had a good feeling that out of all these books, he would definitely be able to find something about that Volgnash creature. Summer inhaled deeply and sighed, feeling rather content to be in a library again. It was her favourite place to be after all. "So Willow... want to tell me that story about Swiftwing?" she asked, but Willow wasn't paying attention since he had already started to look through books in one of the corridors. "What are you doing Willow? We are here for me remember?" "Volgnash... Volgnash..." Willow mumbled as he flipped through the pages of a book before moving onto the next one. "Volgnash? What in the hay is a Volgnash?" Summer asked. "It's not what Summer, it's who," Willow replied without looking up at her. "I promise I'll help you shortly, but this is more important right now." "Well, one thing for sure is that you'll never find anything about this... Volgnash character Willow by looking through these books. I spent a lot of my life growing up here and reading these books. Not once have I come across anything that mentioned Volgnash." "So there is absolutely nothing known about this creature then is what you are saying, correct?" Summer shook her head. "That's not what I'm saying at all Willow, but... I think I do know a better way of finding what you are looking for, but first you have to help me," she said. "Summer... the fate of Equestria is at stake here!" Willow shouted. "Besides, the only solution I was able to come up with for you is just to forgive and forget. There is absolutely no point in keeping a grudge over something ridiculous that happened many years ago." "That's only because you don't know what Trixie did to me!" Summer angrily yelled. "I was forced to take the blame for something I didn't do! Trixie had gone and prepared traps that hung above those in attendance at the graduation ceremony. I was in the wrong place at the wrong time when the traps were activated and a downpour of paint and feathers appeared. Trixie immediately pinned the blame on me, and was somehow able to create fake pictures of me setting up the traps! I almost had my diploma revoked because of her Willow, something that I worked my butt off for!" "And that'll mean nothing if I don't stop this threat," Willow calmly replied. "Summer... please... if there is anything that you can do to help... anything at all, I would be truly grateful." Summer was still shaking with anger, but when she was able to clearly look at Willow again, she realized how selfish she was being. Here was an Earth pony, no doubt a long way from his home and family, trying to give her advice while also looking for some sort of creature that is able to doom Equestria forever. She slowly began to relax and sighed, trying to replace her negative emotions and energy with that of positive ones. "Then... I guess I have no other choice," Summer said. "Come over here to the hourglass and place a hoof on it Willow." "Uh... okay? Why?" Willow asked. "Just do it please." Willow put away the book he was holding and did as he was told. The hourglass was cool to the touch and he watched as the sand trickled from the upper half to the lower half. "Alright, now what Summer?" "I want you to think about whatever it is you are looking for Willow, just close your eyes and relax. Think of nothing else," she said. Willow closed his eyes and was easily able to envision Volgnash, although it was the form that he saw in the cave. He saw the necklace that was in the cave dangle in Volgnash's grasp. Whatever it is you are planning Summer, I hope it works, Willow thought. Otherwise this is just a waste of time. Volgnash is coming closer and closer to destroying the world the longer we stay here. Summer's horn began to glow and she aimed herself at the hourglass. I hope the legends about the hourglass are true... she thought. Otherwise I won't be able to help him after all... She took a deep breath and concentrated on the hourglass. "Okay Willow, this might sting a bit, just stay calm... Hourglassius temporalis infinitos!" She used the spell on the hourglass and the hourglass absorbed it. Both ponies waited patiently, but Summer's heart was racing, hoping that it worked. "Did it work Summer? What's supposed to happen?" Willow asked. "You can open your eyes now Willow... I don't think it worked," Summer sadly replied. "Ugh! Maybe I should have failed school... because that's all I am, a failure!" "Don't say things like that Summer, so what if it didn't work? You are unique, just like me, just like Trixie, even Volt," Willow said. "We're all here for a reason. Sure, sometimes things don't go as planned, but we look at what happened and we try again." Willow tried to go over to comfort her, but he couldn't remove his hoof from the hourglass. "Uh... Summer? I'm stuck." The hourglass suddenly began to pulse a bright yellow and the sand within it began to swirl. The brightness forced Willow and Summer to look away and they tried to shield their eyes as best as they could. When at last the hourglass stopped pulsing, Summer looked at it again to find that Willow had disappeared. "I don't believe it... it worked! the spell actually worked!" she exclaimed with glee. "Good luck Willow, wherever you are. I'll be waiting patiently for your return. Oh no... what if he can't return? No... I'm sure he'll be fine, just have to stay calm... stay... calm..." "Finally we're here! That train ride took much longer than usual," Spike said as he and Twilight stepped off of the train. "Er... Twilight? Can you help me with this suitcase please? It's rather heavy." "Hm? Oh, yes, of course Spike," Twilight replied. Her horn glowed and Spike felt the weight be lifted off his back. "There we go. Come on Spike, Celestia and Luna are waiting for us!" "Yeah I know, just let me stretch for just a second." Spike slowly stood upright and stretched his back, feeling all types of cracks and pops. "Aw yeah... that's much better, much better!" Spike quickly hopped up onto Twilight's back and they quickly began to make their way towards the castle. "Hey Twilight, I have a question." "What is it Spike?" "Where the heck is everypony?" Spike asked. "Is there an event going on or something?" "Yes Spike, Canterlot is hosting the first ever Festival of Magic on Mane Street," Twilight replied. "Celestia told me in her letter that it was to keep the citizens of Canterlot occupied while we were at the castle." "Oh wow, this must be really important then," Spike said and Twilight nodded. "It most certainly is Spike. An artifact from the past, especially one we know very little about, can be very dangerous if the public were to gain knowledge of such an item. In my opinion, the Festival of Magic was a brilliant idea. Hold on Spike, we'll be flying the rest of the way." She felt Spike wrap his arms around her neck and with a few flaps of her wings she was in the air with the suitcase in tow. It didn't take them long to reach the castle and Twilight landed in front of the castle's entrance, which were a pair of heavy oak doors. She pushed the right one open and trotted inside. The door closed on its own behind them with a dull thud, leaving them in a familiar room they would always be able to recognize. In front of them was the staircase that split off into two directions, and there were doors on the opposite sides of the room as well. Twilight remembered the night of the gala and how she stood at the top of the stairs with Celestia and smiled. It wasn't the night they had envisioned at the time, but it was definitely one to remember. It seemed so long ago now. "What are you waiting for Twilight? Let's go!" Spike exclaimed and Twilight nodded in agreement. She quickly climbed the stairs and turned left. She knew where she was going since she had memorized the layout of the castle years ago. A few minutes went by until they finally reached the doors of the throne room. Already Twilight was able to hear voices just beyond the doors and she didn't hesitate to push them open and walked inside. She immediately saw Celestia and Luna, as well as a group of ponies which she was able to recognize as the archaeology team. The Griffon ambassador Celestia had spoken of in the letter was also there and they had gathered around a large box-like object that was covered in a white sheet. "I'm not late, am I?" Twilight asked, gaining their attention. "Twilight! I didn't notice that you walked in," Celestia said and she smiled warmly at her. "And you are right on time. Please, come and stand next to me, there is much we have to discuss." "Yes, I'm glad that we can finally begin discussing what should be done about the artifact," the Griffon said as Twilight walked over and stood next to Celestia. "Night is almost upon us, let's begin." What was interesting about Griffons was the fact that they had the head, wings, and front feet of an eagle while also having the body and tail of a lion. In this case, the Griffon's body was a dark brown and his feathers were the colour of charcoal. He had a scar that streaked across his right eye and his claws and beak were yellow with a hint of black. Celestia nodded in agreement and looked over at the archaeology team. "Since Twilight is now here, along with Spike, please explain again how you came across the artifact Ms. Do." A pony in a dark olive vest and a tanned pith helmet wrapped in a dark olive band stepped forward from the group. Her coat was the colour of arylide yellow and her eyes a raspberry red. Her mane was rather unique and looked like a grayscale rainbow, ranging from almost black to a light gray. "A.K- er, I mean Daring Do! I didn't know you were a part of the archaeology team!" Twilight exclaimed and Daring nodded. "I don't usually work with a team your highness, but Princess Celestia gave me an offer that I couldn't refuse, and it turned out to be one of my greatest adventures yet," Daring replied. "Although I won't go into too much detail Princess Twilight, we found the artifact in Griffon country, although where we found it... we found it deep underground in the ruins of a temple after following a trail of clues. The strangest thing though was that the ruins didn't belong to the Griffons of the past, but rather an unknown civilization!" "Unknown civilization? Strange... were you able to find anything that may have told us their history? Any tablets or documents?" Twilight asked and Daring shook her head. "Unfortunately we didn't have the time your highness, since the whole place began to collapse once we took the artifact. But even if we did look around some more, I doubt we would have found anything. The temple looked to be more like a place where the creatures would gather, not a library." "So this object in front of us... is it the artifact?" Twilight asked. "No, the artifact is safely protected within that crate your highness," Daring replied. "Well... part of it is anyway, due to some... how should I put this... difficult arrangements." She looked over at Luna and Luna cleared her throat and stepped forward. "Yes, the recovery of the artifact didn't go unnoticed Twilight," she said and looked at the Griffon ambassador. "The Griffon Kingdom is known for its many spies and it didn't take long for news of the discovery to reach King Proud Feather's ears." "With all due respect, Princess Luna, the Griffon Kingdom doesn't spy on its own people," the Griffon replied and Luna laughed. "Yet you spy on those of a different species. I don't have proof that you spy on your own people, but I have no doubt that you do. King Proud Feather has some trust issues, doesn't he?" "I did not come here to be insulted!" the Griffon screeched. "I am Pointbeak, the chosen representative of our glorious king! He would have your head if you were any other pony! Besides, your archaeology team did not have legal rights to go digging around in our territory, which is why we have claimed a piece of the artifact, even though it is already rightfully ours!" "That is enough!" Celestia yelled, the force of her yell shocking all of them that were present. A fiery golden glow had briefly appeared in her eyes and it faded away. "We are here to discuss the fate of the artifact, not begin a war. Luna, you should know better, and as for you Pointbeak, I deeply apologize for anything we have done to insult you, we did not mean it." "Of course... I accept your apology Princess Celestia," Pointbeak said. "But I'm afraid that the discussion is over. You will not be able to keep the artifact for this land no matter what." "And why is that?" Celestia asked. "Because your highness... I have not told you what King Proud Feather's demands were." Pointbeak grinned and looked at all of them before returning his gaze to Celestia. "The king has declared that the whole artifact will be returned to the Griffon Kingdom where it was found and where it rightfully belongs. It will be kept underneath his protection. Failure to comply will result in a declaration of war." As his final words left Pointbeak's mouth, all ponies except Twilight, as well as Spike, exploded in anger. "War!? That's simply outrageous!" Luna shouted. Her voice was beginning to crack as the Royal Canterlot voice had begun to kick in after not having been used for so long. "Is King Proud Feather insane!? We are still recovering from Tirek's attack and he wants to go to WAR over an artifact?" "It's a simple your choice your highnesses, either relinquish the artifact, or our kingdom's will go to war," Pointbeak calmly said. "Are you wanting to sacrifice your kingdom all because you wanted to keep an artifact that probably doesn't even work anymore?" "Sister, Tia, back me up on this, the Griffons can't have the artifact! You know it and so do I!" Celestia clenched her teeth and looked at Pointbeak. The Griffons were willing to let this become an all out war, willing to sacrifice their people over an artifact, but she knew better. She would have to comply with the Griffon's terms. It meant giving up the safety of the artifact, but as a ruler, sometimes she had to make choices that was best for her people and Equestria as a whole. "They... they can have the artifact Luna, I do not wish to sacrifice Equestria over something such as this," Celestia said. Twilight was able to sense the sadness in her words as the anger in the others slowly drained away. "Sister...? Surely you don't mean it?" Luna asked and Celestia sighed. "Yes Luna... I do. Pointbeak, you can go back and tell your king that the artifact... is his." "Excellent choice your highness," Pointbeak said and quickly rubbed his claws together. "Your archaeology team shall accompany me early tomorrow morning then back to the Griffon Kingdom, King Proud Feather will be pleased." "Yes of course... Daring Do, your team better go and get some rest, you'll have a long journey to make tomorrow," Celestia said and Daring nodded. "Of course your highness... as you wish. Come on team, let's move out," Daring said and she and the rest of her team left the throne room, the door closing behind them with a thud. "I believe I shall retire to my quarters and write up what has transpired here this evening," Pointbeak said and quickly bowed. "Good evening your highnesses." Pointbeak left the throne room as well just as another pony entered. Pointbeak suddenly felt a chill run up his spine but he thought nothing of it. "So... I guess that's that," Spike said and Celestia nodded in agreement. "Sister... why? How can you trust that beaked villain with the safety of the artifact?" Luna asked. "I had a choice Luna, it was either my people or the artifact, and I chose my people," Celestia replied. "Surely you must understand Luna, do not think I will forget about the artifact. I have a feeling that we'll be seeing it again soon enough." "Of course I understand Tia... I was wanting to act without thinking first, I'm sorry." "Well... I for one am glad that we are still on good terms with the Griffons," Twilight said. "However, I do want to know more about this civilization and how they were able to create such an artifact in the first place..." Twilight suddenly noticed that a pony was standing some distance away near the door and her eyes widened. "Oh! Hello there sir! I'm afraid you caught us at a bad time so I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to leave." Celestia and Luna turned to see who she was talking to and they too saw the strange pony, but the pony didn't budge from where he stood. "Excuse me, did you not hear her?" Celestia politely asked. "You'll have to come back at a better time, for we are discussing some personal business." She looked at the pony again, more carefully this time and she suddenly gasped when she felt a dark presence emanating from the pony. "No... I believe that this is the perfect time!" the pony roared. His eyes began to glow a bright red and there was an explosion, causing the princesses to reel back and stumble about. When they had regained their balance, a hooded creature was floating, slowly making its way towards them. The creature was holding a staff in one hand and had another hand holding onto a necklace that was around his neck. "I believe it's time that I introduced myself. I am Volgnash... and this kingdom... shall fall!" He pulled the necklace off from around his neck and held it out towards Celestia. "Fya no kree Volgnash!" The amulet's outer shell glowed and disintegrated, revealing what looked to be a centerpiece for something underneath. The object began to glow purple with power and it channelled a large beam towards Celestia, striking her chest. "Agh! Wh- agh!" she yelled in pain and she slowly fell to her knees. "Yes... give in... you will be mine soon... or you will die!" Volgnash shouted. Luna and Twilight had both charged up beams of their own and they launched them towards Volgnash, but he simply laughed as he spun his staff and reflected the beams towards the floor in front of them, creating a small explosion and causing them to be pushed back a bit. The connection between the amulet and Celestia broke since she was too far away and she was immediately helped up by Twilight and Luna. "You just made... a very... very... bad mistake," Celestia said, panting between words. She could still feel the pain that the amulet had inflicted, it had felt like she was losing her own mind to its power. "No... you are wrong," Volgnash replied and slammed the butt of his staff into the ground, creating shadowy fissures which spawned tiny flying creatures. "You stand no chance against three Alicorns you... you villain!" Twilight shouted and Volgnash laughed again. "Then come! Show me your might! Let me see how your power compares to that of the Runelord of Anarchy!"