Twilight flew over the vast expanse of the Everfree Forest, its green canopy stretching out for millions of acres ahead! It occurred to her that she had never really tried to map out or calculate the size of the enormous forest, having only focused on the local region close to Ponyville.
“There must be so many secrets to uncover!” she exclaimed with glee, throwing her arms wide, enjoying this new thrill of exploration. “I bet I could find so many beautiful wonders within, with so many fascinating properties to analyze! Hmm, but I should remember my current target!”
Shaking her head, Twilight tried to focus. She had long passed over the most distinctive landmark in her home territory: the ruins of the Sun & Moon sisters' old castle. Now she strived to seek the mysterious place which Luna spoke of: a wide rounded hill with distinct vegetation the color of midnight, surely of high contrast to the mostly greenish plant-life around it!
From the corner of Twilight's eye, a glimmering red light shone through the canopy, drawing her towards it curiously. “Well, its not midnight black, but this place certainly stands out!” she giggled with glee, admiring the brilliant bold red leaves, as though this part of the forest were experiencing an early autumn.
A sudden glob of blue acid shot out from between the branches, sizzling in midair as it aimed for Twilight's face! The princess had been having more practice with aerial maneuvers recently, darting out of the way, though not fast enough, as it still splattered against her outstretched right wing, singeing and dissolving her feathers. The pain was unbearable, causing her to scream as she plummeted down into the bright red trees, crashing into dark twisted branches with a heavy thud.
Wheezing for breath, she struggled to rise, as fear crept into her heart. Before her crouched a brilliantly red shining creature, moving closer, blue ooze spilling from its jaws. The beast resembled a monstrous spider coated in the leaves of the nearby vegetation, but to make matters worse, it carried a heavy coiled stinger up above its back, as ominous as any scorpion's.
Even in this moment of terror, Twilight found herself hypothesizing that the beast would attack passing birds and bats in much the same manner. Still, such birds must have been big, or the beast's appetite dainty, for it was easily three times the size of Twilight, about as big as the Cutie Map table in her castle!
Crawling forward, the beast's deadly stinger unfurled like a leaf, as it rose high overhead, dripping more of the painful blue acid, its eight legs reaching out to hold Twilight down, while its eyes gleamed with hungry intent.
“I'm tired of this forest trying to kill me!” yelled the princess of Magic, thoroughly pissed about the pain in her wing and this most unpleasant start to her journey. Gritting her teeth, eyes glowing green, she blasted powerful negative shadow energy at the creature's stinger, causing it to burst open, blue acid splattering onto the nearby branches, the plants apparently immune.
The arachnid shrieked in a horrible high pitch, the sound ringing in Twilight's ears, the deadly predator crawling backwards up into the dense vegetation, camouflaged by the dark red leaves.
Twilight panted heavily as she struggled to rise back to her feet and ignore the stinging acid, yelping in dismay as she fell over backwards instead, hitting her back against the next branch down, arching and crying out as her spine jolted with the shock.
To make matters worse, the creature had crawled back down towards her, snatching up a pile of dark leaves in its flexible legs,dipping its stinger down, and then wrapping the vegetation around its hideous wound. Twilight stared slack-jawed , amazed as the plant material almost immediately seemed to harden and fuse around the wounded stinger, reforming into a new one!
“Well that's just great!” Twilight ranted, trembling as she got shakily up onto her hooves, glad the branches were so thick and heavy. “I guess it really is literally the forest trying to kill me, again!” she snarled, suddenly remembering previous flora she'd had to fight.
“Fusions and symbiotic relationships! It'd be fascinating if you weren't so vicious!” she turned and kicked out a leg resentfully, trying to keep up the bravado as she calculated her options, feeling as though the beast hesitated to finish the job... or perhaps it just patiently waited for its healing process, just out of reach of the injured alicorn.
Twilight craned her head to the side for but a moment, looking down over the edge, a heavy gulp in her throat. She couldn't tell for sure, but she appeared to be far above the forest floor, and wasn't eager to break her back upon so many more branches. Nor could she possibly fly with her wing in such a dreadful condition. The forest arachnid was edging forwards again, a deep hiss emitting from its bubbling blue jaws, its patience at an end.
Twilight dips her head down, glaring as she aims her glowing horn again, this time right for the beast's maw. At the same moment, the creature belched out its acid, aiming for her own face. Both combatants aim true, their magic and acid missiles crashing together, partially negated, though enough still connects with the intended targets, both deadly creatures screaming in pain as they fell off the branch, their faces stinging as they tumbled down to the ground bellow.
The monstrous tree arachnid crashed with a dull thud, but Twilight felt soft cool magic catch her in mid-air, and moments later warm hooves and gentle wings enveloped her.
“So my vision was true,” muttered a familiar voice, as Twilight reeled with agony, tears blurring her sight, the acid eating at her soft fur, and suddenly it was all better, shuddering as a dark coldness enveloped her face, a soft glow of moonlight tickling over her skin, a peaceful feeling of deep healing magic. “I am so sorry! I should've warned you. How could I have forgotten this place would lie directly in your flight path?” the voice shook with bitterness and self resentment.
Twilight heard the tinge of sadness and anxiety in that voice, her heart calming as her vision began to clear up, looking up into the deep green eyes she confided in not so many moons ago, the starry expanse of night twinkling before her, engulfed in that beautiful mane.
“Luna!” Twilight exclaimed with relief, “The moon is capable of healing magic too?” she questioned, Luna's worry mixed with apparent offence at that. “S-sorry!” Twilight apologized, squirming in Luna's grasp, before rambling on, “How did you find me? I thought we were meeting at the -”
“NO!” Luna blurted, kicking Twilight roughly aside, causing her to cry out in confusion. Luna screamed in agony, the horrible sound urging Twilight to rise to her feet, bearing witness to the huge tree arachnid impaling Luna's side with its completely healed stinger, venom coursing into her veins.
Several of the beast's eyes remained splattered apart by the magic Twilight inflicted upon it moments ago, but a few still glowed balefully as it reached out with several slender legs, pushing down upon Luna, choosing to have her as its meal instead.
“LUNA!” Twilight cried out, tears pouring anew from her eyes. “It's me you want, you disgusting monster!” she shouted angrily, blasting the side of the tree arachnid with her magic, scarring its heavy bloated abdomen. Releasing Luna, the monster turned and hissed with renewed intent at Twilight, judging her a more dangerous adversary still, skittering up towards Twilight with its stinger raised and its fangs exposed, intent on ending her once and for all.
Dark green flooded the eyes of the princess of Magic, her mouth etched in a savage snarl, energy glowing all around her body, wind picking up around her hooves as she unfurled her wings, levitating slightly off the ground, and as the monster's stinger plunged down for her chest, she released her pent up negative energy!
Crackling dark matter enshrouded the enormous arachnid, streaks of lightning and clouds of shadow blighting its body, shrieking for but a moment before its entire face and upper body exploded, the blue acidic bile turning to ash as it hit the air, along with its tail becoming utterly incinerated at the focal point of the magical onslaught.
The back half of the mighty arachnid slumped down onto the ground, its legs twitching erratically, the red leaves covering its body withering and falling away, breaking up like old dead leaves of autumn, revealing the sleek shiny blue skin beneath.
Luna bore witness to this display of raw power, tears in her eyes from the pain and the sudden emotion, breathing heavily as she fought against the acid coursing through her veins, swallowing and panting. “Twilight Sparkle... you must control yourself... don't resort so readily to such power!” she gasped heavily, reaching out with a wavering hoof.
“WHAT!” Twilight shouted, eyes still glowing with dark power. “HOW DARE YOU! I JUST SAVED YOUR LIFE!” she raged, levitating above the wounded night goddess now.
Luna laughed brokenly, coughing up blue bile, a shudder coursing through her body, smiling weakly up at the terrifying princess of Magic. “And now will you end it?” she questioned, fear and scorn in her voice.
The wretched condition of her beloved friend shook Twilight, trembling as she faded out of her passionate aura of negative energy, collapsing onto her rump. “Luna! Please, just stay calm! Don't worry, you're safe now!” she promised with a sniffle, leaning over and gently touching her horn to Luna's ribs, horn aglow as she slowly stitched up the wound, positive love coursing through her heart as she focused to knit together the torn flesh.
Still, the princess of the Night looked pale and weak. “Thank you, Twilight, but the venom still courses through my veins,” Luna coughed. “A pity that it should come to this.”
Twilight pouted, trying not to cry again. “D-don't be over-dramatic, you're not going to die,” she insisted, more for her own sake, reaching out to help Luna to her feet.
Luna nodded at that, smiling. “No, I believe I can recover. I have endured physical agonies far worse, I assure you. It's just, this is such a terrible way for us to meet,” she laughed, more blue bile spilling from her mouth. “Now I shall be in a bad state for awhile,” she confessed with a shudder.
Twilight shook her head resolutely. “Not if we find a healer! I know of a wise and powerful medicine zebra in these woods: Zecora! She can fix you up, I'm sure of it!”
Luna spook softly, eyes closed. “Perhaps so. But you've still made a grave mistake, Twilight Sparkle,” she warned. “You've killed one of the sacred Guardians of the forest.”
Twilight blinked twice, looking over at the horrifically ruptured corpse of the relentless tree arachnid. “Guardian? Guardian of what? I thought that was just another overly eager apex predator! You're telling me I've ruined the local ecosystem or something?” she raved in frustration.
“You must learn restraint, Twilight. We could've fled without your resorting to such violence,” Luna scolded quietly, breathing softly as she defended the creature that caused her such suffering. “Not only will these beautiful red trees wither and die, but the deadly flying monsters of this region will roam free, unchecked and uneaten by this ancient sentry. The magic of this region will be out of flux, for this guardian will no longer contain the wild energies surrounding it.”
Twilight fumed at this lecture, and prodded Luna heavily in the chest, making her wince. “That lousy monster almost killed you! How do you expect me to contain my emotions seeing it treat you like-”
“Do you want to become a Nightmare, Princess of Magic?” Luna snapped, glaring up at Twilight. “Do you want to kill and destroy as you please, anytime your emotions overwhelm you? You are usually more cautious and prudent, gathering intel and knowledge, not making such swift brutal choices!”
Twilight glared resentfully still, before finally averting her eyes, looking away with an angry huff. “I save your life, and this is how you thank me,” she muttered aloud. “By making me feel like a monster too!”
Luna sighed heavily, tempted to point out she rescued Twilight first, but she was tired of bickering, self-consciously realizing how lacking in gratitude she was. Reaching out tentatively, she brushed up with a wing to hug around Twilight.
“I'm sorry, Twilight,” she mumbled. “I am too harsh, too eager to discipline, too blind to the love of those around me,” she admitted, Twilight drawing in her breath at that confession, feeling a guilty kinship. “I am truly grateful for you,” she whispered, as Twilight helped her up, hugging close, their horns drawn together, glowing softly.
The two dark goddesses held close together, sharing in their warmth, comforting one another. “There is much Everfree Forest lore I must explain for you, Twilight Sparkle, knowledge of the wilds that are too far away for pony scholars to have enlightened you with their scrolls. These ancient woods hold great power and legend. But, you are a legend too,” she acknowledged with a nod, looking back at the ruined tree guardian. “Indeed, I am not surprised you were capable of destroying her, even though she has ruled this region for many eons.”
Twilight bit her lip apprehensively. “So, would there be any other immediate consequences of its.. her death?” she wondered aloud, staring at the grisly remains.
“Despite what I've told you, there may not even be any, at least not anymore,” Luna confessed with a sigh, a tinge of bitterness in her words. “The world has changed so much since I was here last. Perhaps she is no more than a fallen shell of her former self,” she frowned, looking down at her own fur, pale from the venom.
“Well, that certainly doesn't apply to you though,” Twilight countered with a gentle nudge, startling Luna out of her reverie. “So, you best not be thinking that!”
Luna shook her head and smiled. “No, that's certainly not the case anymore, not since you began to guide my new life,” she reached out to give the smaller alicorn a squeeze around her shoulders.
Twilight giggled and squirmed about, embarrassed by the attention. “Okay, I get it, but shouldn't we be trying to find a cure for your venom?” she questioned with sudden seriousness.
“In due time,” Luna responded, letting go and looking around the small clearing. “It is not urgent. I am a shape-shifter, so I can control and contain the venom's flow. If it were a beast any less than a guardian, I could probably ignore the effects completely.”
Luna paused for a moment, hesitating. “The Tree of Harmony is one of the ancient forest guardians too, Twilight Sparkle. You are its champion, and so perhaps that is why you were able to lay low this ancient arachnid.”
Twilight startled in surprise. “This creature is akin to the Tree of Harmony? Why would it even attack me then? Couldn't such an ancient and perceptive creature detect my affinity?”
“The guardians are not under any binding or contract with one another. They serve their own purposes and ends. Some are more passive and indirect in their ways, like the tree, while others are more isolated and... and... aggressive,” she swallowed, staring over Twilight's shoulder.
Twilight slowly turned, curious and unnerved by Luna's reaction.
“No, how is this even possible,” Twilight mumbled in horror. Before her eyes, the carapace of the great tree arachnid began to shudder, as leaves from the surrounding red trees fell down towards it, blown by an invisible wind, or perhaps drawn to the body, slowly wrapping the beast in a cocoon of plant matter. The blue skin of the arachnid was glowing softly, as though urging the living trees to come and renew their master, to continue its timeless vigil.
Luna breathed a sigh of relief, the initial shock of the strange magic passing over her. “Good, this is reassuring. I was afraid other ancient guardians may have been destroyed by now too. Now, I am more hopeful that this is not the case.”
Twilight looked back at the Night princess, then shook her head. “Well, I don't understand how this is even happening, but,” she frowned, discontent. “I've learned I can't ever understand everything, even if I'd like to. But um, shouldn't we get going?”
Luna stared at the creature that caused the powerful venomous suffering in her veins, gritting her teeth for a moment. “Yes. Let us leave this place. I may respect the ancient one, but I do not want to have another confrontation,” she grunted, and with that she turned, walking slowly out of the clearing.
Twilight looked behind once, staring in awe and revulsion as the cocoon already began to squirm, the Guardian beast becoming steadily whole again with the symbiotic touch of the trees it dwelt in... and then she turned, never wishing to return, with the strange sense that she had just finished another test, or perhaps a ritual. But had she failed, or passed?