//------------------------------// // Twilight - Prologue // Story: Dawn of Crystal Empire // by TopWanted //------------------------------// Twilight took a quick look at the clock in the castle library. It was close to one in the morning. It seemed like Cadance had just gone to bed a few minutes ago. “Ugh, I guess I should really wrap up here. I’m so glad Cadance let me borrow the Crystal Castle’s library while we were here.” She turned to see the nonspeaking recipient of her conversation snoring soundly on an ataman. Spike had spent most of the day out in the festival unlike Twilight. Candy and bits of gems were still stuck around his cheeks. Twilight smiled to herself. “Looks like you’ve got the right idea” she let out a long yawn “We should probably get to bed before I pick up another book.” Twilight proceeded to lift the tiny dragon with a purple luminescent miasma and place him on her back. On another look at the ataman she noticed a small bit of candy on top. Better clean this up. Don’t want the castle staff thinking I’m some kind of slob. With her magic once more she grabbed a small broom and swept the crumbs off the ataman and into a dustpan. However just then a small breeze blew through the window and picked up the bits before they could land. Twilight frowned and followed the detritus through the air until it landed by a stone pillar. She looked up at the imposing piece of architecture. Funny, I don’t remember seeing that before. She looked around the empty library and came to a rather peculiar conclusion. This pillar was not supposed to be here. It’s not even standing in the middle of the room and it’s not touching any walls. Plus there’s not others around like it on the other side of the room so it’s not some form of symmetrical architecture. Twilight put her hoof to her chin and stared at the pillar puzzled. She took a step closer to the candy bits and the force of her step blew the bits even further. What surprised her though was that the rubbish seemed to blow underneath the pillar, out of sight. Now fully engrossed in this mystery, Twilight set Spike down once again on one of the library couches. She crouched her head to the ground and turned it sideways to get as good a view of under the pillar as she could. As suspected, the pillar was slightly off the ground. Not only that but there appeared to be some kind of hole. Twilight pulled herself up once again. Maybe some kind of secret door? Well if it is a secret door it’s got to have a secret key or secret switch. She began circling the pillar looking for anything that might be significantly out of place. She locked her eyes onto a small hole in the side facing the wall. It was perfectly circular and appeared to have a sort of cone shaped depression. Twilight scrunched her eyes in frustration feeling as if she’d hit a dead end. Then she noticed her shadows cast by the flickering torchlights. A long ethereal shadow moved silently on the pillar before her. The horn on her head pointing like an arrow to the hole. Can it really be that simple? Hesitantly she lowered her head and pushed her horn into the shallow depression. A soft click could be heard above. Twilight shot her head out when the sounds gave birth movement. The pillar was rising into the ceiling. In a few short seconds it was like there had never been pillar at all and in its place, a hole with no light at the bottom. Twilight shined a light from her horn and peered into the abyss. Luckily enough the bottom seemed to be merely a few feet down. She took one last look back at Spike and spread her wings. She slowly hovered down into the pit and soon reached bottom. Dust billowed out in all directions and Twilight silently coughed. She shined her light again and this time noticed a passage way. She began to follow through the tight corridor. Is this one of Sombra’s old tunnels? Maybe an emergency escape in case of trouble? After taking a small turn in the tunnel Twilight noticed a light coming from the room at the end. The only place this strange corridor lead. She approached with caution. Through the open doorway she could make out a candle sitting on a desk. Twilight nervously entered the small room and found no one there. The room was small with only a desk, a bed, and a chest. No windows, the only source of light being the flickering candle. Twilight examined the candle. The wax did not drip or melt from the flame. Amazing! This must be some kind of spell. If Cadance or Shining Armor haven’t discovered this place then that could mean that this candle has been burning for centuries. Finally Twilight noticed the only other item on the desk. A book. Yellowed with age. Wrapped in a fine green leather that had refused to be weathered by time. Twilight sat in front of the desk and ran a hoof over the cover. It felt familiar. Scaly. Dragon Skin! For a brief moment Twilight’s mind went to Spike. She had never heard of dragon hide or anything being used in such a manner. Most books she knew were made from fake leather. Only the oldest she knew of contained real leather. For someone to skin a dragon just for a book meant it must be extremely important. Twilight slowly opened the tome and stared at the words written on the first page. “The Journal of Bedim Haze. Last of the Shadow Ponies. May they rest in peace.” Last? But Sombra was the last Shadow Pony. Twilight turned the page… A dark mist obscured the murky water as a boat silently slipped through the waves. A tall figure wearing a tattered brown cloak stood at the prow, an oar in its mouth. In the distance a young black pegasus filly with a light and dark blue mane waited by the shore, a pensive look upon her face. Her cutie mark was rolled up scroll embossed with a musical note. The boat finally reached shore and the tall figure let go of his oar, turning to stare at the Pegasus. “You told me to wait on the shore so here I am,” she said with a slight grin. “You know I could have just flown over to you on the boat.” “No wings,” the cloaked figure said, its voice heavy and cracked. “No magic.” “No magic, right. Are you sure about this?” “It’s too late to stop the devastation. If you do not take the burden then it will reappear somewhere else. Somewhere we cannot find it.” “I understand, but here? It’s a country still crawling out of the mud. The founders nearly bickered themselves to extinction. There is still so much tension between the races here. To introduce something like this into such world will be-“ “Did you not say you were capable?” The black Pegasus looked away with a morose expression. “Yes, I am.” The hooded figure reached a hoof down and touched the filly’s face. “Then do not worry. You will be a wonderful mother.” The filly looked up into the eyes of pony before her, his cloak and hood now hanging loosely from his horned head. He reciprocated her by giving her the biggest smile under his long trailing beard and sparkling blue eyes. She couldn’t help but smile back. The bearded unicorn reached into the boat and pulled out a small basket and blanket with his teeth. The Pegasus grabbed it in turn and placed it on the sand. She pulled the blanket back to reveal a small dark baby pony sleeping soundly, a tiny red horn protruding from its head. She turned back to the other pony. He reached down and took her in his hooves holding her close. “Be safe, Lullaby,” he whispered into her ear. Lullaby pulled back hesitantly and picked up the basket strapping it to her back and saddle bag. “Where should I go?” “To the north, that is where he will find his destiny.” Lullaby nodded resolutely and began to walk away. At twenty yards she turned around. “I won’t let you down, Starswirl!” “I know you won’t,” he whispered. “I know.” When the baby and Pegasus were finally out of sight, Starswirl returned to the boat and pushed off. Those two had a story that was just beginning and while he wished to the stars that their’s was the only one, he knew it wasn’t true. He still had one last mission to accomplish. He checked the second basket in his boat. An earth pony baby of pristine white slept soundly.