Echoing hoofsteps rang through the quiet halls. The gentle gurgling of a stream greeted the new comer as he passed over the small arching pathway that went over it. The dancing lights of the torches made the darker patches of the corridor dance to and fro, making the shadows of ponies into hideous shadowy forms of monsters, ready to devour whoever came to close.
A pony dressed in fine clothes wound his way around the twisting corridors until he finally reached the huge double wooden doors. He stood waiting in front of them, the two pegasus guards standing stock still as a unicorn guard came out from his small crook in the stony halls. The well dressed pony removed a piece of paper from his blazer and presented it calmly to the approaching unicorn. The unicorn lit his horn and touched the small piece of paper with his yellow aura, causing a symbol to appear briefly. The unicorn turned back towards his post and nodded to the two pegasi who nodded back and pushed the door in, allowing the pony to enter as he stowed his paper back into his blazer’s pocket.
Inside were numerous ponies who sat in small groups, chatting about this and that in a low murmur. The new arrival made his way over to one group in particular, where three there ponies sat discussing some matter or another. As he approached the group fell into silence, letting the pony to sit down before speaking again.
“Magistrate, how are things?” One pony asked as she stroked her pet rabbit gently, who, despite being a rabbit, seemed to purr in delight.
“They are well, Advisor. Is the council all here?” Magistrate asked in curiosity, eyeing the room for any of his closer comrades.
“You’re the last one of them to arrive actually. The others are in the back room discussing some thing or another.” Advisor replied letting her rabbit down, whom quickly scurried off to the small stream that ran through the edge of the room and began drinking. “I believe they’re waiting for you now.” She finished, keeping an eye on her precious pet at all times.
“Thank you, Advisor. I’ll be seeing you when the meeting is in full order.” Magistrate replied before standing up and walking towards the door leading to the council’s meeting place where a lone earth pony guard stood in silence. Magistrate nodded to the guard as he pushed the door open.
The room was the same stony walled room with a thin curtain of smoke lining the ceiling from the candles, giving a yellowish tinge to the whole room. Several other well dressed ponies stood on either side of the table as Magistrate entered and took his place on one of the side in front of a cushion.
“Magistrate, it is good to see you again. We had almost given up hope of you coming at all.” The pony at the head of the table commented.
“I’m sorry, Sire, but there were things that came up as I was about to leave that would’ve made our secrecy disappear if I had attempted to leave without attending to them.” Magistrate replied.
“I suppose the reporters were quite happy to get on your heels after your success in the court.” Another pony replied.
“Aye, they were quite fervent in getting any information on it. They flocked around me like little puppies around a bowl of kibble, and were quite willing to eat me up in the same way.” Magistrate replied. “But let us set that aside for another time. We have important matters to discuss, do we not, Sire?” He finished, taking his seat along with the rest of the ponies.
“Indeed we do. Members of the council, we all know the secrecy on which this group is founded and sustained.” A general murmur of agreement wafted over the room. “The secrets are so deep we do not even know the other’s real name, only knowing one another through this group and by the names we give ourselves. But I tell you now that this veil of secrecy is being lifted slowly as our cause comes closer and closer to our grasp. Our armed forces are growing, several ponies from the Royal and Equestrian Guard joining us in our cause. Soon, my brothers and sisters, we shall have our goal and the due prizes for achieving it. Soon we shall see through the other side of the wall and gaze at the wonder of the hidden.” Several of the ponies nodded with smiles across their muzzles.
“When do we advance to the next step?” Magistrate asked, echoing the thoughts of many of the other ponies around the table. Sire smiled lightly as he stood.
“Our plans are so far along, I believe we can announce our intentions tonight and be fully ready by tomorrow night.” Sire stated as he walked around the side of the table with the surprised looks of his council pegged on him. “Shall we?” The ponies looked at each other, and then at their leader.
“If you believe we are far along enough to begin, Sire, than I trust your judgment wholeheartedly.” Magistrate stated. “Let us let the others know that they begin to play the final notes of their parts in this mighty orchestra.” Sire nodded with a smile as he exited, followed by his council members.
Sire stepped onto the platform set up and the far wall from the main doors, his council members standing behind him in a single, curving row. The room suddenly became quiet as the ponies that were scattered about the room migrated to sit in one mass in front of the stage.
“Ponies of the Alliance,” Sire began, “This meeting is called to announce something that shall change us and Equestria forever.” Sire stopped, the air crackling with tension, making his smile grow larger. “We are drawing ever closer to our goal, so very close in fact.” Sire scanned the room slowly, his eyes going over each pony, their given names ringing in his mind. “Tonight, it is my pleasure to announce,” He continued, his smile growing larger and larger, “That we are now in the midst of completing our task.” A low whisper passed through the room, causing even the council members to look at each other in confusion. “Even as I speak, our guards are bringing in our greatest prize that will grant us sight into the unknown.” He stopped, his smile now going from ear to ear, his eyes wide in anticipation as his lips finally parted, revealing his perfectly white teeth.
“Sire, the guards have arrived with the package.” A guard stated from the back, one of the massive doors opened slightly, revealing the magically augmented white coat, red mane, and dull silver helmet of the guard pony.
“Bring them in then, and let our ponies witness the turning of an age; the new age of unity for all Equestrians to enjoy.” Sire replied, his smile slowly growing a bit more sinister. “Ponies of the Alliance of the Two Halves please raise your cowls and greet our new guest.” At that the room was filled with the sound of the door opening, revealing four guards who walked side by side with their charge. The ponies quickly lifted their cowls of the official dress of the Alliance that for the most part was covered by some other piece of clothing.
The guards pushed the new arrival inside the room father, the tall alabaster pony stumbling a bit under the effect of some sort of spell or concoction. A collective gasp filled the room as the celestial princess was pushed to the front of the room in front of the stage.
Celestia lifted her head, only to have somepony slam something in between her shoulders, causing her knees to buckle, leading to her collapsing with a groan of pain. The magic sapping chain wrapped around her legs, neck, and body sapped her strength, her magic completely being ripped out of her.
“I give you all,” The hooded Sire continued, unhindered by the presence of the princess, “Our key to the other side. The one who all those years ago separated the truth from us will now be the tool to let us gain back what we’ve lost.” Sire finished, the ponies around him breaking into rabid cheers, hooves slamming into the ground, making the entire cavernous room shake. “Tonight we have gained our last piece, and tomorrow, we gain much, much more. Tomorrow in the evening, in the last rays of the sun we shall see the end of it all and be reunited with what she and her putrid sister tore from our hooves, but not from our hearts and minds.” Sire finished, the cheers becoming all the louder before he raised his hoof for silence. Celestia craned her neck to see the pony on stage, his visage hidden in the shadow of a dark cowl.
“What do you want? Why have you brought me here?” Celestia asked before falling into a coughing fit as her body began to fall apart at the lack of magic.
“We bring you here to bring an end to what you started all those years ago. Tonight you pay with weakness as your magic is stripped, but tomorrow you pay by removing the greatest blocking point in the world. You will remove the wall that separates us from the other half.” Sire replied, his teeth still glinting in the faint light that entered his cowl.
“That wall, which you speak of, separates you from naught but the edge of our world; you’ll find nothing beyond it except darkness!” Celestia retorted.
“Indeed it does separate us from the edge of our world, but it also lets into the next. Paths don’t lead to abyss, they always lead somewhere. And even if it is naught but darkness then it will be our darkness, and you have no right to take it from us.” Spire replied.
“You’ll fall off the edge! That wall is to protect ships from going over and tumbling into the abyss.” Celestia interjected. “Please don’t do this; you’ll all die if you go that far!” Celestia pleaded.
“No, we’ll gain something we’ve lost, something so terribly secretive that you can only hope to hide it. And even though you have tried, all trace has not been erased, and I have been granted a small glimpse of the other side and what it holds. The wall of water is but a barrier keeping us from the truth, keeping us from absolute balance and peace.” Sire replied. “We will connect with the other side, and we shall see the other side, as not an exact mirror, but as a mirror showing an image of reverse, an image that provides the balance we need. After all, every bit of darkness has a light, and every foal has an elder.” Sire looked down toward Celestia. “And you know exactly what the other side of that mirror holds, what type of reflection we shall see.”
“Sire, the ships are ready in the harbor for when we leave.” A guard stated from the entryway. Sire nodded before turning back to Celestia.
“We’ll soon be seeing through the looking glass.” Sire stated. “And you’ll be the one clearing the way for us.” Sire finished, his smile still going from ear to ear in mad glee. “Take her back to her cell; she’ll need to rest before tomorrow’s excursion.” With that the guards around her urged her to her hooves and ushered her forcefully towards the door. Sire finally gave a soft chuckle as his plans unfolded. Soon he’d have his goal met, and all of Equestria would see the truth of the matter, and balance would be achieved once again. Celestia looked back to him, her body quaking in weakness as she continued on, the guard shoving her in the correct direction.
“You’ll see that I was right.” Celestia stated, her voice cracking slightly. “You’ll all know how wrong you were in the end.” She finished as she was pushed out the door, the gigantic entrances slammed behind her with a mighty boom. Sire looked over the group, forcing his smile off of his face as he lowered his cowl.
“Ponies, today I call upon you to do your parts as they were assigned at the beginning. The final phase of our plan is coming to fruition, and soon we’ll see the whole of the other side. We set sail in the morning so we can reach the wall by night fall.” Sire said calmly. “Brothers and sisters, soon the day comes, will you seize it?” He asked, scanning over the ponies bellow.
“Yes!” The unanimous reply came back, followed with roaring applause and cheers. Sire’s smile returned slightly.
“Ponies of the Alliance, tomorrow we show the world the truth! Tomorrow we return Equestria to its true balance!” Sire shouted, his voice only breaking through the cheers briefly before the sound consumed the room once again.