//------------------------------// // Chaos, Harmony, And Darkness // Story: Guilt of a Phantom // by Powerdrainer //------------------------------// This chapter is edited by Halusm, Clayton the Hunter, Clawder, and King of Kings. Special thanks to AnonymousMaterials for the use of his character, Mort. Chaos, Harmony, And Darkness. <<>><<>><<>> Celestia twisted and turned in her sleep. The stress of the day in regards to the ghost, or ghosts in Ponyville, and the worrying incident with her sister was making it all but possible for her to sleep peacefully as her worry translated into dreams.  A worry for her sister, herself, and everyone else going beyond the normal moments of stress and anxiety.   Something she had experienced only a few times before in her unnaturally long life. Back when Luna fell to the corruption, or when Sombra took over the Crystal Empire. Then there was the whole Discord debacle. She couldn't forget that even if she wanted to. But there was one moment, one point in time oh so long ago which was brought to the forefront of her mind, and which was now the cause of her fervent twisting and turning. A terrible occurrence in which she and Luna lost everything. Their home. Their village. Their parents. Their adopted brother. Even their lives were taken away. Taken as they became something neither one of them could have imagined. Something more than they were. And something less, as they lost the last remaining link to their former selves, save their memories. Their names. <<>><<>><<>> Many lifetimes ago. Night began to claim the land, and empty, desolate eyes watched what remained of their village; the flickering light of the fires eating away at the debris while uncontrolled sobbing and crying filled the air.  Emotionally detached from shock, Sunny Skies quietly looked around. Time appeared to move at a snail's pace while Starlight lay beside her, sobbing while gently nursing her broken leg. Something most of the few surviving ponies did, as none of them escaped without some injury. Whether it being physical, mental, or both.  The only reason that they were sitting at the edge of their former village and not running for their lives was because the beasts who had attacked had all left, taking with them the majority of the village's population. Not that they could have ran if the beasts did return, as they were mentally and physically exhausted after the ordeal. The sound of wood snapping, falling, and crashing onto the ground and other debris caused everypony to flinch and scream out in fright. But fortunately, it proved to be nothing more than the last remaining piece of the village's wall which finally gave in, and allowed gravity to take hold over it.  Minutes passed by in eerie silence, with only the sound of crackling fire to fill the air with sound. Minutes turned into hours, while the land grew darker and darker still. "So what do we do now?" Starlight asked with a tiny voice, the fur around her eyes wet from tears. Her voice, as small as it was, sounded like thunder breaking a heavy but fragile silence. Everypony flinched from her voice, before they all turned to look at Starlight; most of them unable to see her due to the darkness of the night, but aiming towards where the sound had come from.  "I don't know." Sunny Skies answered flatly, voice void of any emotions.  "Where do we go?" "I don't know." "What about mother... father?" "I don't know." "... Clockwork?" "I don't know." "Sunny, wha-" "I DON'T KNOW!" She yelled, before bursting out in tears and crying out to the sky. "I don't know. I don't know. I don't know," she wailed, dropping to the ground and covering her face with her hooves. "I just don't know." Starlight carefully moved closer to her sister's side, pulling her into a comforting hug as she finally allowed the emotional impact of today's tragedy to firmly take hold.  "We lost everything, Starlight." Sunny Skies sobbed, "I- I just don't know what to do." "Then we'll figure it out, together." Starlight said as she tightened her hold, all of them watching the smouldering remains of their village. Wondering just how to continue on. The glowing embers drifting up in the sky provided no answers. <<>><<>><<>> The night seemed to last forever, as minutes seemed to drag on for hours. But eventually, the first warming rays of the sun stretched out over the land, illuminating the charred remains of the village. The small group of survivors, still found near the edge of the village, all stiffly rose off the ground. All of them tired and bleary eyed, with only a sparse few who had managed to get some sleep; fitful as it may have been.  It wouldn't be for many more hours before the group would move; all of them watching with despair at their village as the light of the sun revealed the full extent of the destruction.  It would be still a while longer before they overcame their shock from the sight, but then came the task of finding anything salvageable, and put to rest anyone who had died… and hadn't been taken.  Of course they also had to help any who were injured. But with next to no supplies, this was easier said than done. Even so, eventually, by use of magic and a whole lot of improvisation, they managed… barely; before they began their long and difficult journey towards the nearest village. A journey which under normal circumstances would take a little over a day. Now though, they weren't sure how long it would take. Nor were they sure there was even a village left to go to, seeing it too bordered on the edge of this vast forest.  And as they moved (some being pulled by others as they lay on a salvaged cart which miraculously had survived the devastation) they all glanced back at their former home with sadness and sorrow.  Starlight too, as she sighed out; walking unsteadily on three legs while her broken leg was made immobile using a piece of charred wood and some rope. As she followed the rest of the group, she shot one mournful glance towards the forest. The forest where the unprovoked attack had come from. The forest she had seen the manticore run off to with Clockwork. A manticore unlike any she had ever seen before; black with green eyes… A manticore which was staring back at her, just beyond the trees' edge.  Starlight froze on the spot, eyes wide and fearful.  The beast slowly stepped back into the shadows of the forest, fading from sight while never breaking its gaze; the glow from its eyes was the last she could see, before it too vanished into the darkness.  "Starlight?" Sunny Skies quietly called out. "He's here," she murmured. "What, who's here?" Sunny Skies asked worriedly, glancing around for any sign of danger while the rest of the group moved further without stopping.  "The beast that took Clockwork," Starlight said with a hiss and a growl, taking a step towards the forest. "What do you think you're doing?!" Her sister called out in alarm, which made the other ponies stop and turn to look at them. "He's still in there," Starlight stated, "Clockwork." She took another step towards the forest. "I'm not leaving him behind," and with an unsteady gait, she moved towards the forest. "Starlight!" Sunny shouted, jumping in front of her younger sister to block her path.  Starlight looked at her sister, knowing exactly what she was about to say. "We already lost our parents. If Clockwork is st-" "Exactly!" Sunny shouted, distressed. "So why are you going back there, trying to get yourself killed?" "Because I wouldn't even be alive if it wasn't for him!" Starlight shouted back, teary eyed. She then seemed to deflate a bit. "He saved my life. So, if he is still out there, then shouldn't we save him? He would have done the same fo-..." she paused for a moment "He already did," she muttered as she looked down at the ground. Then, looking back up at Sunny with a determined frown, she took another step towards the forest. "We owe it to him. I owe it to him." "But Star-" "I know, Sunny. I know. Why risk my life? A life which Clockwork had to sacrifice his own life for?" She spoke, looking at the forest. "The answer is simple—" she looked over her shoulder at Sunny "— I choose to do so." And without another word, she slowly, wobbly, but confidently made her way towards the forest. Stuck in a dilemma of wanting to help her sister, and not wanting to abandon the relative safety of the group, Sunny Skies shifted her gaze between both continuously; not sure what she should do. She couldn't just leave her sister, obviously. But what about her friends?  She looked at the group of ponies, some of which looked back at her and Starlight with frowns and concern; yet also clearly showing their desire to move and leave this place as fast as possible.  She couldn't just leave them, could she? But Starlight was the only family she had left, and she was heading for the forest from where those monsters had come from, just so she could find Clockwork.  Sunny clenched her eyes shut while a single sob escaped her. Then, she too, took a step towards the forest. Starlight and Clockwork were her family, and she knew they would have gone through Tartarus and back for her if she was in danger.  'Starlight is right,' she thought, 'It is simple,' and she spread out her wings and took to the sky. 'And yet, this has to be the most difficult choice I have ever made.' <<>><<>><<>> Several years prior. Arctic wind howled over snow covered plains as Clockwork and Necky moved out of the portal. Clockwork immediately shielded his face from the biting cold wind, while Necky merely acknowledged the rapid drop in temperature with a minute rustle of his pages.  "Where are we?" Clockwork asked, voice slightly raised to be heard over the wind. "The Ghost Zone. To be more precise, the Far Frozen, as the locals call it for obvious reasons," Necronomicon answered, taking a moment to observe his surroundings. "And why are we here?" Clockwork asked as he, too, looked around.  "To meet someone important, whose ability is imperative for our plan to succeed." Necky calmly replied, then settled his sight upon a tall ice mountain. "Follow me," he instructed, and flew of.  Not wanting to be left behind and freeze to Purgatory, Clockwork was quick to follow. "So who is it we're meeting?" He asked, looking ahead to the mountain they were obviously heading for.  "You'll see soon enough," Necky answered vaguely. "But Clockwork," he added almost instantly. His tone of voice most serious, "Speak of this to no one. Not many know of her, and even fewer know where to find her. If you talk, if you reveal to others who she is, and where to find her, there isn't a plane of existence where you can hide from me." Taken aback, and even a bit shocked by what he was just told, Clockwork faltered and fell behind a bit as he looked at Necronomicon with large, worried, and even slightly fearful eyes.  Swallowing the large lump which had suddenly formed in his throat, he weakly nodded before resuming to follow after Necky. The rest of their flight was done in silence, while Clockwork kept going over and over what Necky had said. Wondering just who, or what they were going to meet. And as he contemplated all the possibilities, he took notice of a village near the mountain made from the snow and ice itself. Massive figures could also be seen moving through the streets, going about their day to day afterlives.  For a moment, Clockwork thought it was the village Necky was leading him to. However, Necronomicon continued instead on his path towards the mountain; angling down slightly as he moved towards what Clockwork now identified as a small house carved into the side of the mountain. And standing before it, looking towards them with orange glowing eyes, stood a hooded, cloak-covered giant wielding a staff constructed from the purest of ice; made of two rods twisted around each other in a spiral, the dim glow of arctic energy emanating from within. The bottom of the staff was tapered off, while the top was much wider, and contained a glowing gemstone which shone a vibrant red. Clockwork was about to ask who it was, and if this was the being they were meeting. But Necronomicon didn't allow him the chance as he dove down and towards the giant.  Not wanting to be left behind, Clockwork did the same. "Hello Necronomicon, Clockwork," the being greeted with an aged, but wisdom filled female voice. "Greetings, Elder," Necky greeted with a slight tilt forwards in means of a bow. "Hold on, you know me?" Clockwork asked, surprised. "Indeed I do, Sebastian." Clockwork reared back, and actually lost control over his levitation, resulting in him falling backwards into the snow; sinking deeply into the white layer. Scampering to get out of the shallow and cold hole he had dug for himself, he regarded the female giant with wide, shocked eyes.  "You know my name… My birth name?" "I know even more than that, young one. But this is neither the place nor time to discuss such matters," she told him. She then turned towards Necky. "You are here to see her, correct?" "Correct." "Then please, follow me," she instructed. "And stay close," she aimed at Clockwork. "The entrance will not stay open for long." Still shaken by the fact the giant knew who he was back when he was still alive, Clockwork was hesitant to follow. A quick glance from Necronomicon, however, proved to be enough for Clockwork to catch up with the two. Although he was uncharacteristically quiet as he regarded the cloaked giant with a mixture of distrust and fright. 'Who is she? And how does she know me?' He wondered, following after the Elder and Necky. Answers to those questions didn't come, however, as the three of them stopped before a massive, near vertical wall of ice. A side of the mountain which, to Clockwork, seemed indistinguishable from the rest of the frozen construct. However, the Elder and Necky moved towards it with purpose.  Then, coming to a stop within reaching distance of the mountain side, the Elder placed her staff against the cold surface. The jewel in the staff began to glow a bright red, which seeped into the ice wall. And Clockwork watched with large eyes as a portion of the ice wall faded away, revealing a passage deep inside the mountain. "Stay close," the Elder reminded Clockwork as they entered; Clockwork looked around in amazement as he hovered inside, the wall freezing shut behind him the instant he did so.  "Where are we? What is this place?" "The sanctum of Tree of Life," the Elder answered. "Our most cherished, and most protected secret," she then stopped abruptly, and shot Clockwork a glance. But before she could speak, Necronomicon cut in. "I have already warned him not to speak of this to anyone." "Very well," the Elder sighed out, and continued following the path leading deep inside the mountain.  As they moved deeper inside the mountain, Clockwork took notice of the fact the light didn't seem to dim. In fact, it seemed to become brighter and brighter the further they went; almost as if the light of a warm summer day was shining right inside the icy tunnel.  It was curious, and it intrigued Clockwork, who wondered what and who was hidden within the mountain. The answer, however, was something he could never have guessed. Deep within the mountain, standing in a massive cave was a tree larger and wider than Clockwork had ever seen. The tree's massive roots were dug deep in the ice, tapping into the energy of the Ghost Zone. Which, as Clockwork deduced, was also the reason for the ice surrounding the massive tree to glow. The Zone's energy flowed into the mountain, and from the mountain into the tree. An energy which nourished the tree, allowing it to grow to its impressive size. With a trunk several meters thick, and branches spreading out far and wide, covering the entire roof in leaves of faint glowing green. "Wow," was all Clockwork was able to say, absolutely amazed by the sight. "Hello, old friend," the Elder greeted as she stepped towards the tree, placing a large, white fur covered hand on the base of the trunk. "You have some visitors." "Wait, what?" Clockwork uttered, confused. "This tree is the one we're supposed to meet?" "This tree has a name," Necronomicon retorted, sounding strangely insulted. "She is Tree of Life. Remember it." He then hovered over to the giant tree, hovering next to the Elder as he looked up. "Hello, sis. I need your help." <<>><<>><<>> "Wait, what!?" Clockwork shouted, his voice echoing in the massive room. "Sis!?" Necky sighed out as he slowly turned around, looking at Clockwork. "Which is why you will not reveal any of this to others," he stated, then returned his attention back to his sister. "I need your help. Surely you know of the events transpiring; what has been set in motion. Yet, despite the abilities I possess, there is one thing I can not do. Unlike you, I can not create new life. I can return souls to a mortal shell, or strip them away. Even reshape life to some extent, should this be necessary. But for this, for what is to come, something else is needed. Something new. Something only you can create. Something that will aid those chosen in stopping our br-... Discord, and help them to protect a world disconnected and out of balance." No response came from Tree of Life, and after a few moments Clockwork was about to give voice to his own questions, only for the Elder to shush him.  "Do not speak when it is not required," she told him with a stern gaze. Clockwork weakly nodded in answer. Then, as if struck by a fierce wind, the leaves of Tree of Life began to rustle loudly. And Clockwork could swear he actually saw Tree of Life slightly shake herself as well.  The glow coming from the walls seemed to increase, while energy could be seen gathering down under the tree; seeping into the roots, then traveling up through the trunk and into the largest and highest of Tree of Life's branches.  A small dot of light formed halfway on the branch, faint at first, but rapidly increasing in size and luminosity. Eventually, the Elder and Clockwork had to shield their eyes from the bright glare being emitted, actually able to feel the warmth coming from it.  Then, with the light slowly dimming, Clockwork risked a glance through lidded eyes, wondering what had happened. "She has delivered," the Elder spoke, sounding awed and concerned. "Transpiring events must truly be out of control for mere mortals to solve." "They are," Necronomicon answered tensely, looking at his sister with a worried frown. Then his gaze shifted to the walls surrounding them, noticing the warm glow coming from them had dimmed considerably. "Had they not, I wouldn't have come here; making her use so much of her energy like this." "She is okay, right?" Clockwork asked, worried as he looked up at the many branches over head; noticing the leaves drooping down. "She is," the Elder confirmed. "But what she just did sapped away most of her strength. She will recover, but it will take time. She doesn't grow a new seed often, and never before has she given life to one with so much potential; nor so rapidly." "A new seed?" Clockwork asked, flummoxed. "Observe," the Elder pointed up at the branch the blinding light had come from. Hanging high above, still glowing faintly with contained energy, was a seed as large as Clockwork's head. It seemed to be made from a light blue crystal, with shades of dark blue and purple mixed in. Six bumps circled around it, each with their own distinct color: Orange, blue, purple, violet, red, and pink. It suddenly seemed to shake, and this time Clockwork saw Tree of Life move the branch to shake free her newborn seed.  It let go, and fell to the floor, only to be caught in a spectral glow from Necky; gently and carefully levitating it towards himself as he looked down upon it with an almost reverent smile.  "She's beautiful," he said, looking back up at his sister. "I'll make sure she is planted in the most fertile soil there is." The Elder chose that moment to step forwards, pulling a thick blanket out from underneath her cloak. "Allow me. The cold from the Far Frozen will be damaging for one so young," she said as she held the fabric in between both her hands. Necky, almost hesitantly, placed the seed in the warming fabric, and the Elder carefully wrapped it around the newborn seed. Then, with a moment's hesitance, she handed the seed over to Clockwork. "Protect her with your life, otherwise it will be yours you must fear for," she warned, and Clockwork could see Necronomicon glare at him from over her shoulders. Swallowing audibly, he reluctantly accepted the seed while making sure not to make any eye contact with Necky.  The branches of Tree of Life seemed to sag, and her exhaustion was evident.  "We should leave," the Elder motioned for them to follow. "She needs to rest, and you still have much to do." "We do," Necky confirmed. "Just, give me a moment, if you will?" Nodding, the Elder guided Clockwork back through the tunnel and towards the ice covered entrance, allowing Necronomicon a moment alone with his sister. "... I guess there is just too much to say," Necky spoke after a moment. "Too much to say, and not enough time to say it," he sighed out wearily. "But of all the things that I want to say, there is one thing I must: I'm sorry. You were right. I trusted Discord too much, despite being able to see it myself. But I chose to trust him, to believe in him to the point I blinded myself and didn't listen to you trying to warn me. And now I am trying to fix a mistake that can't be fixed." He sighed out once more, and slowly moved for the tunnel leading out of the mountain, before stopping just shy of the tunnel, sighing deeply "... Choice has always been the problem," and with those final words, he left the room. <<>><<>><<>> "I bid you farewell, Clockwork, Necronomicon," the Elder said after the three of them had reached the point of the Far Frozen Necky and Clockwork had first entered. "And till the next time our paths will cross." "Wait, hold on," Clockwork argued, clutching the large seed tightly against his chest. "There are still some things I wan-" "The answers you're due will come, eventually. Not here, not now; but soon. I can promise you that," the Elder told him, looking at him with piercing orange glowing eyes. "We shouldn't waste more time," Necky cut in, eyeing the covered seed with a worried eye. "It is far too cold for her, even insulated as she is." — He harrumphed — "If only I could open a portal closer to the mountain, then this wouldn't have been an issue." "You know why this isn't possible," the Elder told him. "I know, I know," Necky sighed out. "And I understand why she has closed off this portion of the Zone. But still…" "Your worry is understandable, so I won't hold you any longer," the Elder gave a small nod. Necronomicon nodded back, then turned around and used his powers to open a portal towards their next destination. "Let's go," he instructed Clockwork, and together the two vanished inside the swirling green of the portal. A frozen wind howled over the white plaines, kicking up a cloud of fine powder snow while the Elder continued to look at the spot Clockwork had hovered only a moment ago. "The path I saw before you; twisted and curved, and filled with hardships. Just what has Destiny planned for you?" <<>><<>><<>> Clockwork and Necky dropped out of the portal, and into the dense forest Clockwork recognized from near the village he had lived in as a pony.  He looked around, confused, while still holding the seed, "Hold on, we're back?" "We are," Necky confirmed, "Most of what needs to be done, must be done here. The previous tasks, concerning the Kadzite, as well as my… niece—" he paused a moment as he said that word with noticeable confusion "—there is only one more task which requires us to venture outside of this world." "The Kadzite," Clockwork said with shock. "I almost forgot about them. What will happen to them? And what did we even do to them in the first place?" "Those answers will come soon. First, though, we need to finish this task, in this time." "In this time?" Clockwork repeated, confused. "Hey, ugly. Remember me?" Clockwork could hear a familiar voice say, and his eyes widened as he saw Starlight, the filly he met after being attacked by a manticore. He saw her, as he watched her save him from that very manticore he had run from all those years ago.  He was observing his own past. "... Eehh. Should I?" Clockwork's younger, ponified self asked. "Not you," Starlight shot back, rolling her eyes. Then she refocused on the manticore, and lowered her stance; grinning as her horn glowed. "Sunny isn't here right now, so we can have all the fun we want." "What is the meaning of this?" Clockwork asked, wide eyed, watching Starlight slam the manticore's bulbous tip on its head using her magic. "I brought us here, at this point in time, because she—" Necky looked at his niece "—needs time to grow. But if we go back further in time, give her more time to grow, then Discord also has a greater chance of finding out, and the plan that has been made against him. It is also why I brought you here, at this point in time. Back then, and now. Several incursions in time at the same time is less noticeable than several incursions at different points in time. The ripples caused will interact with, and blur each other out, making it harder to detect each separate one." "Does it really work like that?" Clockwork asked, not entirely convinced. "Meh," Necky gave what passed as a shrug. "It's not like I'm the master of time, or anything. Besides, you're the clockmaker, not me. So what do you think?" "Me?... I would think that causing so many ripples at one point in time would be even more difficult to keep hidden than just a small incursion here and there. Each and every ripple would react, and increase the distortion caused to the timeline. Especially considering there are now two of both of us. The only way something like this would remain hidden is if someone would actively monitor and manipulate the fabric of time to keep all of this hidden." Clockwork surmised, eyes narrowed as he was partially lost in thought. His eyes shot open, however, as he recalled something else Necky had said, "And how do you know I'm a clockmaker? And for that matter, how did the Elder know my name?" "It's not my right to answer for the Elder," Necronomicon said as he looked at the fillies and colt as they headed for the village. "But as for me, and how I know about your profession when you were still alive… I'm the book of the dead, as so many have called me. But sparsely few actually know what this entails," he looked back at Clockwork, who looked at him expectantly. "I hold a vast amount of knowledge of the dead. How to raise them, or how to simply kill." "That much I know," Clockwork admitted. "And yet you remain unaware, like so many others," Necronomicon returned, bobbing on the spot. "Think, Clockwork. For me to have the knowledge to kill, to end a life, I also need to have knowledge of the living. I'm not merely 'The Book of the Dead'. I am the 'Book of Life and Death'. Or more precise: I am the Embodiment of Life and Death. I know all about death. I know all about life." —he looked out towards the village once more— " And I know all about those connected to it." His gaze returned to Clockwork, who looked at him with widened, shocked eyes, "And thus, I know all about you. Your birth, your life, your death, and your afterlife." —Necky sighed out tiredly— "It's the curse of us Embodiments. For us to have the powers we do, an equal negativity is required. Each one is different, though, and specified based on the abilities we possess. And this is mine. To know all about anyone's life, just by merely looking at them." "Tha- That is amazing," Clockwork gasped.  "No, it isn't," Necky shot back. "Knowing everything about everyone only makes it more difficult to interact with anyone, because you already know who is honest, and who isn't; who to trust, and who not, and still having to deal with them, pretending not to know… When you know who someone truly is without them knowing, you will only see just how fake they truly are," he let loose a throaty sigh. "We've wasted enough time as it is. We should go and plant my niece, allow her to become part of this world." And Necky flew off into the depths of the forest, leaving behind a completely dumbstruck Clockwork. <<>><<>><<>> Deeper and deeper they went, the light of the sun barely able to pierce through the thick canopy, and only their ghost vision allowed Necky and Clockwork to move through the forest without bumping into anything. Clockwork had protested at first, arguing they could just as easily go intangible and simply move through the trees and other obstacles, but Necronomicon had shot that idea down, harshly.  His niece, as he had said, is in a most delicate state; able to absorb the energy around her, and shape it for her own needs. And, as such, they needed to limit her exposure to any spectral energy as she was meant to harness this world's magical energy, not their spectral energy. And so, they, or more precisely Clockwork, weaved from tree to tree as he followed after Necky.  "Can you at least tell me where it is we're going?" Clockwork asked eventually, grimacing as yet another tree branch swatted in his face. "Remember that hallway you woke up in?" Necronomicon asked, not looking back. "Yes, what of it?" Clockwork replied. "It wasn't really there. It was merely a mental construct you yourself created, as it was what you expected it to be. After all, didn't you see it before, back when you first stood at that crossroad?" Clockwork gasped and came to an abrupt stop. "You don't mean…" Necky, too, stopped, and turned around to look at Clockwork. "Yes. The long tunnel with the bright light at the end. But you didn't choose to enter the light, you chose to go the other way, and to remain as you are today." "Purgatory," Clockwork gasped. "The choice." "Yes..." Necky nodded. "There is an area here, nearby. It's unusually connected to the afterlife, but still separated all the same. When I brought you there, wounded and in your mortal shell, you were 'pushed' through this thin barrier and interacted with your perception of Purgatory. However, my presence, and the fact you were already dead allowed you to leave without having to choose again. We are now returning to this location, because this stronger than usual connection with death's energy also has another strange effect on the surrounding area," Necky paused for a bit, bobbing in the air. "Magic is this world's life force, and as such it will react to an 'invader' it deems harmful. Like an antibody of sorts. Because of this, magic flows much stronger in this location than anywhere else. It will be the perfect place to plant my niece, and to set in motion the rest of this plan." "I see," Clockwork mumbled, milling over everything he learned up until this point. "And where do the Kadzite fit in with all of this?" "Ah, yes. I did promise I would explain. But we are on the clock, so let's continue towards our destination. I'll explain on the way." Nodding, Clockwork followed Necronomicon; the two flying just a bit slower to allow Clockwork to stay within hearing range while still dodging the trees and bushes. "As I told you before, the Kadzite are best compared with terrorist groups from your world. Individuals, or groups of individuals committing acts of terror out of misplaced and twisted ideals and beliefs. It was by their doing that Fenris fell to the corruption you have witnessed first hand. His story, however, is not important to you… yet," —Clockwork raised an eyebrow at that, but remained silent— "As for the Kadzite, and what we did to them specifically. I used a spell on them, a very complex, difficult, and dangerous spell. Something no one alone can pull off, as it requires the combined energy of at least two individuals. No matter how powerful one might be. A safety precaution," he added as he shot Clockwork a sideways glance. "Now, what this spell does is strip away the soul of those alive. Or, if they are already dead, as was the case with the Kadzite, it blocks them from Purgatory, and from moving on." Clockwork faltered, and nearly crashed into a tree. "Careful," Necky warned him. "Now, this is merely the first stage of this spell. The second stage binds the soul or souls affected to those who performed the spell. In this case, you and I" Another tree, another near miss "I know what you want to say," Necky quickly added before Clockwork could speak up, "but this was done for a good reason. The Kadzite are now bound to us, making us their master. They can't move on, unless we allow them."  "Of course, being the mere disembodied souls as they are now, they serve little purpose to us. But, if we count in the fact my ability to raise the dead, and my ability to remold life, we can make some good use of them while also punishing the Kadzite for their crimes and upsetting the balance of their world. Of course, their willingness to cooperate is still debatable. But I'm sure that between the two of us, we can figure something out." "You really want to 'play' with life like that?!" Clockwork asked, sounding appalled. "No!" Necky affirmed. "This most definitely is no game to me. What this is to me, however, is a necessity to stop an even greater disaster from unfolding. A disaster which was, and is made possible through the mistakes of many… including myself," he admitted shamefully. "And by some who still need to make their mistakes. Something that can't be prevented from happening. But something that can be stopped, if the pieces are all in the right place… and time." "Has this something to do with these Embodiments you mentioned earlier?" Clockwork asked cautiously. "What, or who are they?" Necronomicon sighed out. "I did, didn't I?... Yes, the Embodiments are involved, both for the better and the worse. Like I already revealed, I'm the Embodiment of Life and Death. The Elder is the Embodiment of Truth, which is why she knew what she did. There are others as well, of course, with abilities unique and strange, matching what they represent. There are different types of Embodiments as well. Three types, to be exact. Two of which already exist. The other still has to be formed… Although this third type does consist of two subtypes... But I'm afraid this is all I can reveal to you, Clockwork. The existence of the Embodiments is not widely spread. And although not a secret, per se. It is also something we do not reveal without a good reason." "And what reason do you have to reveal what you did, then?" Clockwork asked. "You'll discover that soon enough. I'm sure," Necky told him. "But for now, we should focus on my niece, and the Kadzite." And as he said that, the two of them found themselves near a ravine. A sudden drop in the terrain which could be easily missed as it was hidden by the many bushes and low trees growing near the edge. And at the far side of the death trap waiting to be, there was a relatively small stretch of land. An 'island' encircled by the ravine, and inaccessible to anyone who couldn't fly.  "Down here," Necronomicon pointed out, and guided Clockwork down on what appeared to be a natural and rough path down into the darkness below.  Eyes easily adjusting to the darkness, Clockwork looked around for a bit, spotting a large, but shallow cave just on his right. There was little plant life, with only a few small, vine-like plants growing up against the walls. There was also some moss covering the rocks and boulders closer to the edge of the cave, and where they were exposed to the weather. He could also hear the faint dripping of water falling down from somewhere nearby, revealing to him a close source of water as well.  "Is this the place?" Clockwork asked, slowly looking around. Necky didn't answer immediately. Instead, he flew inside the cave and lowered himself to the ground, scraping away some dirt with a corner of his cover.  "There is a strong sense of life within this soil," he shook the dirt off of him, and looked up. "And a stronger presence of magic as well. Not to mention this place being a shelter from the elements, while providing the natural requirements for most plant life… Except for sunlight." "Is that going to be a problem?" Clockwork queried.  "Hardly," Necky answered. "... Yes, this place will do just fine," and he returned his attention back to Clockwork. "Please, if you would uncover my niece and place her on top of the soil. She'll do the rest." Doing as instructed, Clockwork uncovered the large seed and placed it on the ground near where Necky had tested the soil. Taking a couple of steps back, they watched as she lay motionless on the ground. Seconds ticked by, turning into minutes without anything happening. For nearly thirty minutes they watched in silence. Then, the faintest of glows began to shine from the seed. The dripping Clockwork heard became louder and more frequent, speeding up until it sounded like the running water of a small stream; then a wild river. The ground started to shake, and large fissures spread out under the seed, which then sunk down into the ground.  A massive torrent of water flowed out of crevices found in the rocky cliffside, flooding the area and forcing Clockwork and Necronomicon to back off considerably. A beam of light shone up from the hole the seed had sunken into, and, accompanied by tremors, multiple roots shot out of the ground before diving back in and spreading out.  A small sapling rose up, quickly growing into the size of a tree several years old.  The water, now risen to nearly knee height, slowed its ascent, then came to a stop; having filled the lowered terrain surrounding the sapling, forming a crystal clear pond with only a single path of higher ground leading towards the small island that had now formed, and on which now stood a small but radiant tree. A tree seemingly made of pure, light blue crystal, and barren branches, but numerous closed buds growing to cover them. The sound of the cascading water now stopped entirely, save the gentle 'drip, drip, drip' with which it started; each drip sending a ripple over the mirror smooth surface of the pond. Silence. "Is she done?" Clockwork asked finally, watching in awe. "No," Necronomicon answered, pride strong in his voice. "She has only just begun." <<>><<>><<>> They hovered above the ridge of the ravine, looking down into the depths from where they had just watched the merger of Tree of Life's daughter with this world's magic.  Forcing himself away, Necky hovered over towards the treeline, looking at the dead branches, twigs, and leaves covering the ground. "Clockwork, please come here," he called out to the ghost. "There is still more for us to do," and he levitated a couple of branches up to eye level, slowly rotating them as he inspected the decaying wood. "What is it?" Clockwork asked. "It's time for the Kadzite to receive their punishment." "... I expected as much. You did say this 'barrier' between life and death was unusually thin here. It makes sense any punishment given to the Kadzite would be done here." Necky turned slightly to look at Clockwork. "I see you are connecting the pieces with a level head again." Clockwork inhaled deeply, before exhaling slowly. "More or less, yes. There are still many questions I have. Most of which I doubt you will ever answer, wholly. But the 'shock', I guess you could say, of everything you put me through… everything I've gotten myself into; it had put me in a spot I was uncomfortable at best, and forced me to reevaluate my choices and decisions up until this point." "And?" "And, I still don't like what you and the Observants have done; are still doing. But I can't deny my own involvement in these events either." Sighing out, Clockwork ran a hand through his wind-blown hair. "Nor can I deny that I'm here merely because I was curious about what could be… Does that make me a bad person?" "... It makes you human," Necky answered. "That doesn't really answer my question, though." "And yet it does," Necky countered. "Clockwork, let me tell you something. There isn't really such a thing as good or bad. They are merely a concept, a name given to any situation by those who observed or experienced them. For example. If you were to push someone in front of an oncoming train, what would others say about you?" "That I'm a bad person, evil probably. Why?" "Hmhmm… And what if this person you pushed would have killed many others if you hadn't, then what?" "... They would have praised me as a hero." "Indeed. Good and evil are just labels given to a situation, which can also change if new details of a certain situation become known. What is good now, could be vile and horrid tomorrow. As for you, and the choices you've made, and which brought you here… No, they don't make you a bad person, per se. They do, however, make you a stupid person." "Hey!" Clockwork protested. "But this is alright. We all make choices we come to regret one day, or the other. And stupidity is only a bad thing if you don't work to change this. Stupidity, ignorance, they are life's best, and harshest teachers. They make you want to sink through the ground; do everything you can trying to undo the mistakes you've made because of them. And, in the end, they will teach you to never make such a mistake again… Which brings us back to the Kadzite, and teaching them a strict and harsh lesson."  "Which will be… what, exactly?" "Irony in its truest form," Necronomicon answered, grinning just a bit evilly. "Eternal life is what they sought after, so it shall be. They shall not be able to die, but neither will they be among the living. They will remain trapped between the two planes of existence, while maintaining the balance they themselves sought to upset."  Clockwork looked at Necronomicon in unease, slightly backing off. "Remind me not to get on your bad side." Necronomicon didn't answer, choosing instead to turn his back cover to Clockwork. "Before we begin, there are a few things you should know. First, I will be the one performing the summoning spell to gather the Kadzite's souls, as well as the spell to trap them. However, they do not know about me as an intelligent being posing as a book. That is something I want to keep. You will do the talking. Don't worry, though. I will tell you what to say, and when you need to say it. But as I have explained before, this spell requires the combined power of at least two individuals to work, so you must transfer your energy into that of myself while I perform the spell." Clockwork nodded, then realized Necronomicon wasn't looking at him. "I understand." "Good," Necky said, hovering over to Clockwork and lowering himself into a waiting hand; flipping open at the centerfold. "Oh, and one more thing," he quickly added. "Don't worry about them not understanding. The spell that I'll use to summon the Kadzite will automatically translate our speech for them to understand." Then, after he fell silent, runic words and symbols of an unknown origin appeared on the blank pages, aglow with the energy they summoned. Necky then spoke in a language Clockwork hadn't heard before, and the glow increased exponentially. So much so, Clockwork had to squint his eyes while he channeled his own energy into the hand with which he was holding Necronomicon. The sky above them darkened as an unnatural wind suddenly blew through the trees, ripping off many leaves and branches, which then proceeded to fall down in a wide area around the two. Lightning flashed through the sky, and for a split second Clockwork wondered how he didn't hear or see anything of this back when he posed as a colt. Long to dwell on this matter he didn't have, as with a rumble of the earth, a waver in the air, and a static charge which made his hair stand on end, reality before him seemed to shift. Yet as he tried to focus on the warping structure before him, he found that he couldn't.  Pained howls and barks suddenly filled the air, and many shapeless forms of energy passed through the distorted reality; all coming to a stop surrounding Clockwork and Necronomicon.  A flash coming from Necky's pages drew Clockwork's attention back to the book in his hold, seeing new words appearing as if they were written by an invisible pen. Words which, this time, he could read.  Clockwork's eyes widened just a bit, before a determined frown settled on his features, and he looked up at the shapeless forms around him; stretching out his free arm before him with an open hand in a dramatic pose. "Those lost to the void. Those fallen to darkness. Those I summoned from eternal nothingness beyond, hear my calling." —his eyes flicked down to the pages for a brief moment— "By my power, I bind you. By my words, I command you. By my will, I punish you… Those who have violated the sanctity of life, those who have killed and maimed for reasons selfish and unholy, feel my wrath. " A new, pulsating glow shone from Necronomicon, surrounding the many branches, twigs, and leaves littering the ground. "It was eternity you sought, and it shall be eternity you shall get." The dead and broken foliage rose up from the ground and began twisting around the numerous souls; slow at first, but picking up in speed as Clockwork continued. "It was life you betrayed, so it shall be life you protect. You are bound, you are trapped, you are cursed by my will. You shall no longer be able to eat, to breathe, to sleep, or to die." Clockwork took a deep breath, then continued. "Now rise before me, reshaped as you are now. Creatures made of the decaying wood this forest discarded. Rise, and face your cursed destiny." Lightning struck once more, and the forms of the wooden wolves were illuminated for Clockwork to see.  Then everything went dark again, save for the many glowing green eyes now staring at him. <<>><<>><<>> Barks, growls, and yelps filled the eerie air, and Clockwork nervously watched the wolves as they inspected their new bodies in a mixture of anger, fear, disgust, and numerous other emotions Clockwork had difficulty placing due to his own predicament. Mainly, finding himself right in the middle of a pack of murderous wolves who believe Clockwork to be responsible for their unwanted transformation. Not to mention their banishment to nothingness before that, and their summoning through an unstable veil of reality.  To say the Kadzite weren't happy would be a severe understatement. And thus Clockwork kept his movement to an absolute minimum. Of course he hadn't forgotten about himself being a ghost, and his own abilities to keep himself safe. But he did not know exactly what it was Necronomicon had done to the Kadzite, save for what he could see with his own eyes, and he wasn't going to take any unnecessary risks provoking the wolves to find out. An insistent flashing coming from his hand brought his attention back to Necky, who he was still holding, and made him realize there was still more to do. Swallowing his nervousness down, Clockwork lifted Necky back up and allowed him to open back at the centerfold where new instructions were written. Quickly scanning the pages, Clockwork's eyes widened when he learned what it was he had to do. Breathing in deeply, he looked up from the pages and at the murderous wolves glowering at him. And, at that exact moment as he stared into the green glowing eyes of one of the wolves, he remembered all he saw them do; remembered all he was told about what they had done. And with those memories came conviction.  A deep frown etched his forehead while his eyes hardened, and he lowered Necronomicon a bit as he stared down onto the wolves.  "It is by my words that you are here!" he proclaimed with an authoritative voice. "And it is by my words, the fate that has befallen you. You violated the sanctity of life; killed and maimed in a misguided quest for immortality. Hear me!" His voice boomed through the forest, asserting a dominating pressure which the Kadzite couldn't ignore. "It is eternity you sought, so eternity shall be your punishment. As you are, you are neither alive nor dead. Trapped between the two planes of existence, exiled from both. You shall not be allowed to cross over, but neither are you permitted to continue your wicked ways in your new forms." Necronomicon then started to glow all around; soon followed by Clockwork, as the two of them lifted higher and higher in the air. "Hear my words, my commands! This forest, filled with dangerous beasts and peril, will be your home. Your eternal task is to protect the Embodiment of Harmony of this world, and to maintain the balance of the constants." Clockwork then slowly turned his head, glaring at each and everyone of the Kadzite "This is your task. One which you will carry out until such time when this world is whole again. Do this, and your souls might yet be redeemed. Return to your old ways, and judgement will strike you down." Necronomicon then slammed shut with a thunderous slap, and the glow surrounding both of them vanished, submerging the forest in a seemingly unnatural darkness and silence. A silence only to be broken by a final, ominous warning from Clockwork. "We will be watching!" Then he and Necronomicon turned invisible and flew away, leaving behind the Kadzite; leaving behind… the cursed. <<>><<>><<>> "That went well. Better than I expected, to be honest," Necky complimented as he and Clockwork had retreated down in the ravine, and near Tree of Harmony.  "I suppose," Clockwork mumbled. "But what was that all about, that what you made me say? I understood some of it, but wasn't it a bit much?" "Not in the slightest," Necky countered. "You know how those wolves are, how they act based on their misguided beliefs. Merely saying they are punished and leaving would not have served a purpose, as they would merely shrug it off as a nuisance while reverting back to their old ways. By doing this, binding their souls with dead or dying parts of the forest, of this world, they can't escape the very reality of the curse we placed upon them. It will remind them every day of every year that is to come. And by forcing the tasks upon them like we did, the threat of disobedience, and the added warning that we will be watching will only serve to keep them in line… for the most part, at least." "So, you realize it too," Clockwork sighed. "They will not take to their punishment fully. They will rebel against it, trying to find the borders of what can be done, and what can't." "... Yes, this much is expected. And I can't say they won't bring harm to others either. Which is precisely why I bound them to this forest to begin with. Sure, they can venture out of it, but, as they are a part of the forest now, they would find themselves severely hindered should they do so. Combine this with the fact that all living on this world know of the dangers these forests possess, and know to stay clear of them if they wish to avoid a most painful death, and we can say that there is at least some measure of control of this situation." "Are you certain about this?" "Certain, no," Necky admitted. "But neither do we have many options either. Discord will unleash his madness on this world shortly, so a pack of wooden killer wolves will be the least of the populace's worries. But, tell me this. During your time as a pony, living with the others, did you see or hear of anything that could hint towards the Kadzite?" Clockwork was silent for several long minutes as he thought back through the years. "No, I did not," he finally admitted, slightly surprised. "Which means that, at least for your part of the world, the Kadzite kept to themselves. Most likely trying to assert their territory, while dealing with any conflict that would have arisen with the local wildlife as they did so." Clockwork turned around and looked at the young tree growing on the small island in the pond; the gentle dripping sounds from the water helping him think. "I suppose I understand. But to say I understand the reasoning behind capturing the souls of deranged murderers and putting them in a new, if not cursed body, before setting them loose on a young and developing world to help protect a balance your brother is going to upset would be a lie." Necronomicon nearly fell to the ground, and was only barely able to keep himself from doing so. "Don't act surprised," said Clockwork. "I heard you, back with your sister. I caught that slip of the tongue, but didn't say anything until now," he then turned to look at Necky, even going so far as to pick him up and bring him to eye level. "Now, although I have already figured out I won't get the answers to most of my questions, I will get an answer to this. What the fuck is going on!?" He demanded. And although not one to swear, Clockwork knew that, right now, it was more than appropriate. Necronomicon shifted around uncomfortably; his front cover opening and closing ever so slightly while his pages rustled quietly. Then, eventually, he released a long, drawn out, tired sigh. "I suppose it is only fair," he relented. "But I must warn you, it is a long story. A story that has been unfolding for thousands of years." "And we still have years to catch back up with current events," Clockwork replied, crossing his arms while Necky hovered before him. "I'd say we have the time." "...That much is true. Very well," Necky admitted. Then he spoke, telling a tale of trust and betrayal, and how pieces were put in place oh so long ago, leading up to this very moment as Clockwork listened with eyes widened in disbelief and amazement. <<>><<>><<>> Several years into the future, and back at the point in time where Clockwork had died… for a second time. "So, here we are again," Necronomicon declared, the two of them hovering before the cave Tree of Harmony was growing. And grown she has. "She certainly grew big," Clockwork remarked, looking up at the wide spread top; leaves covering almost the entire ceiling.  "That she did," Necky replied proudly, "And that's not even all of it," he added as he redirected Clockwork's attention to the five large buds growing at different places on Tree of Harmony. "Are those-" "Seeds… yes," Necky finished. "Seeds of Harmony. One seed for one of the Embodiments which are linked to Harmony." "And we're supposed to plant these too?" "Of course not," Necky countered. "These seeds are not meant to be planted like Tree of Harmony was. No. These are the virtues, the Embodiments belonging to several special individuals. But before them, there are two others who will use them. Not to the fullest of their abilities, though, as they are not chosen for these Embodiments." "Two others?… You don't mean…" "Starlight and Sunny Skies, yes." "Hold on!" Clockwork protested. "I thought you said you were going to bestow this power upon them. Not this." "True, and I didn't lie," Necronomicon answered simply. "But I am not going to do everything myself. Sunny Skies and Starlight are the guardians who were chosen by us. Not because we want to change them, or find enjoyment in doing so, but out of sheer necessity. The six who represent Harmony's Embodiments have yet to be born. Which will not happen for thousands of years more. But if we waited, or planted Tree of Harmony in their time, then Discord will have wreaked havoc on this world, and everything would have fallen apart." He sighed out. "Of course, giving Sunny Skies and Starlight these powers of which we spoke will only help them so much. Discord has more years, more experience, and an ever increasingly twisted mind which, on their own, they would never be able to defeat." "So… they'll use the Seeds of Harmony to aid them," Clockwork deduced. "Exactly." "But if they aren't chosen as the representatives of these Embodiments, then how are they going to use them?" "I did mention they wouldn't be able to use them to the fullest of their abilities," Necky answered. "But they will be able to use them, merely because they themselves are Embodiments. Or, more precisely, they are going to be… The third type of Embodiment. A forced Embodiment… A Spectral." "Spectral?" Clockwork asked. Necky didn't answer. Instead, he turned around and motioned Clockwork to follow. "Come, Clockwork. It's time to see the fruits of your labor." <<>><<>><<>> It had been many hours since Clockwork and Necronomicon had returned to the point in time where the animals' attack had occurred, and during the hours since passed, Clockwork had watched with pain at the destruction and misery it had caused. Of course he wanted to go over there to help his friends and adoptive family. But Necronomicon was very insistent he mustn't interact with the ponies. Clockwork knew this, of course, but he also couldn't just ignore the cries for help he could hear coming from the survivors as they had gathered near the destroyed remains of their village. Because of this, Necronomicon had no other choice but to reassert his control over Clockwork again, and keep him from acting out his natural desire to help those close to him. "Everything will work out in the end," Necky had assured him, before flying away and leaving Clockwork hidden through invisibility near Tree of Harmony.  'I'll rip those pages from his spine!' Clockwork thought threateningly, which, under current circumstances, was all he could do. Meanwhile, Necronomicon flew through the forest with blurring speed. Not stopping for anything, and simply phasing through anything that stood in his path. Then, as he neared the edge of the forest, he came to an abrupt stop.  Peeking through the foliage, he watched as a small and injured group of ponies was about to move away from their destroyed village. 'Damn, almost too late,' he scolded himself, and quickly enveloped himself with his spectral energy; transforming his body from that of a book into a black manticore. 'And now to get their attention.' Stepping out of the shadows, and into the bright light of the early morning sun, Necky stood and watched as the group moved further and further away. Most of the ponies gave one last sorrowful glance back at where they once lived. So did Starlight. But her gaze ventured further than just the smouldering, charred remains; quickly locking on to the sight of Necronomicon. The manticore she remembered seeing grabbing Clockwork. She froze on the spot. 'And now for the difficult part,' Necky thought bitterly, retreating back into the forest; Starlight and Sunny Skies chasing after him. 'Clockwork, I hope your time with them was not for nothing.' <<>><<>><<>> They moved as fast as they could, chasing after the manticore they had seen. Yet their speed was hindered by Starlight's injury, and Sunny Skies' unwillingness to run ahead and leave behind her younger sister. But despite this handicap, the two of them managed to make considerable progress, fueled on by adrenaline and sheer stubbornness. Not to mention anger and irritation towards the manticore who they could see several large strides ahead of them, but never allowing them to fall far behind.  It had soon become obvious the beast was leading them somewhere… Luring them. Yet this did not deter Starlight, who continued to press on while bumping sides with her sister every now and then as she stepped over a large tree root, or some other obstacle and lost her hoofing.  Pressing forwards with an almost feral-like growl, Starlight pushed past some dense, thorn riddled bushes which left several shallow cuts in her skin; unseen through her fur, with the exception of the small drops of blood that slowly welled up. Sunny Skies, however, chose to fly over the obstacle, leaving her unscathed, and soon dropped down besides her sister as they continued following after the manticore, moving deeper and deeper into the forest, which in turn grew darker and darker.  Relentlessly they pushed forwards, not allowing the manticore the satisfaction of getting away after having led them this far into the forest. Yet the more they pressed on, the wilder and wilder the forest seemed to become… But only the forest. And if they hadn't been focused on catching up with the beast that had taken one of their family, Sunny and Starlight would have noticed the lack of birdsong, or that, in a forest known for the many wild and dangerous beasts, there wasn't any sign of any, save the manticore they were now chasing.  Finally, with a shout with equal parts frustration, triumph, and fear, Starlight jumped out of the thick of the forest; picking up speed now that she was free to do so… and ran right over the edge of a naturally hidden ravine. She screamed for her life as she plummeted, legs flailing wildly while her mane whipped wildly in the rushing air, and the ground rapidly approaching.  "STARLIGHT!" Sunny Skies screamed as she dove down after her sister, her voice echoing off the cliff walls.  Her wings were a blur, beating faster than they had ever done before. And not even the aches from her frantic flight the previous day could stop her from willing her wings to move even faster, to the point where it felt they would tear off from the sheer force alone.  With tears streaming from her eyes as a result from the biting wind, she reached out with a hoof to her sister who looked back up at her with terrified eyes; her hoof reaching out to Sunny’s. Faster and faster she went, rapidly closing the gap to her sister while the pounding of her heart blocked out the sound of the wind blowing past her. Her eyes narrowed, partly in single minded focus, and to clear her tear-blurred vision. Forcing her wings to push her forwards even faster.  *SNAP* For a split second Sunny Skies started down at Starlight with wide, confused eyes. Then she screamed. Loudly. Painfully.  The muscles of her wings, unable to cope with the enormous stress, had torn. And the limbs were now flailing limply in the jetstream as the two plummeted to their deaths.  Sunny and Starlight both closed their eyes, awaiting the inevitable. <<>><<>><<>> Clockwork watched in horror as he saw Sunny Skies and Starlight plummet to their deaths; unable to act as his body was still under Necronomicon's control. Yet, as he watched the two fall, he also noticed Necronomicon, back in his book form, hovering directly below the two. looking up at them as a vibrant spectral glow surrounded him.  Reality seemed to distort around Necky, which then spread out to encompass the two plummeting ponies as well; and for a moment Clockwork thought he saw a massive pasture of fresh, green grass swaying gently in a light breeze. In a blinding flash, all three of them vanished within the distortion. <<>><<>><<>> She felt a slight breeze ruffle her mane, and the scent of sun dried earth and fresh grass filled her lungs. She also felt somepony else, lying beside her; the pony's calm breathing barely noticeable over the sound of the grass rustling in the wind. Yet despite the seemingly calm nature of her surroundings, something nagged at her in the back of her mind. Something which told her that this shouldn't be; couldn't be. And the more she dwelled on this feeling of suspicion, the more she started to become aware of other misplaced sensations.  She felt strangely rested, yet for reasons she couldn't quite grasp she knew that she had been tired, exhausted even. She felt a strange sensation of serenity, but deep down she felt a sickly feeling of panic and fear. She felt a strange itch on her back, at the base of her wings. Not an annoying itch, but a slight, tingling sensation which seemed to be almost comforting. But this couldn't be, right? She was almost certain that her wings were supposed to hurt. But why? The pony next to her shifted slightly, and she began to wonder who it could be. Somepony she knew? It had to be. She wouldn't lie side by side with a stranger, she was certain of that. But then, who?  She searched her groggily, slow working brain for any possible answers.  She shifted slightly when the somewhat hazy image of an older pegasus mare showed itself, a trio of raindrops displayed on her flank. 'Mom?' She thought, unsure. Feeling a strange sense of sadness and loss. Then the image changed, turning into a well built unicorn stallion. 'Dad?' She droned with the same feeling of confusion and sadness. Then the image changed once more, taking the form of a young unicorn mare with midnight blue fur and a light blue mane. Starlight. Sunny's eyes snapped open as a maelstrom of memories came rushing back.  The village. The beasts' attack. Clockwork. Her parents. The manticore. Starlight falling down, and her diving after her. The near blinding pain as the muscles of her wing tore. With a shout in panic, she jumped up; flexing her wings in reflex and discovering they didn't hurt. Yet this discovery was quickly ignored as she found her sister lying on the ground next to her. Unharmed, still alive. Just as she was. "What… What is going on?" She asked aloud, receiving no answer. "Starlight!" She called out, nudging her sister with a hoof. "Starlight, wake up!" "Mwhuu… Five more minutes," Starlight slurred, flexing her legs. It was then that Sunny realized the splint and ropes they had used to immobilize the broken leg had vanished, and that Starlight was able to move her leg without any pain. Just like she could do with her wings. "STARLIGHT, WAKE UP!" Sunny Skies all but shouted, and, with a cry, Starlight woke up. "Ghaa! Wha-... Sunny, what-... Wait, what is going on?" She asked as she looked around in confusion. "Where are we?... And why doesn't my leg hurt?"  Confusion was evident with both mares, yet neither of them had any answer to give as they looked around the seemingly endless plain of lush green grass. "Do you recognize this place?" Starlight asked, worried. "I'm not seeing the forest anywhere." "No, I do not. I'm not seeing any landmarks at all. Just an endless grass plain.What worries me more however, is how were our injuries healed?" What do you me-" Starlight asked, but fell silent as she became aware of her previously broken leg, now seemingly fully healed and in perfect condition. "What in the world is going on!?" "Maybe I can provide some answers?" A somewhat meek male voice replied in answer, and both mares spun around to face the pony that had snuck up on them. Both mares' pupils shrunk to pinpricks as they saw who, or what was standing behind them. A pony covered in a cloak blacker than black, which seemed to turn into smoke, or fog where it covered the pony's hooves, as wisps of the blackness flowed away into thin air. Yet this was not what drew their attention. Nor was it the scythe that hovered next to him in a pale white glow, coming from the slightly curved, bone white horn sticking out of his forehead. No, it was his face. His entire head even, visible to them as he had his hood pulled down. It was a skull. A skull with glowing red pupils in the otherwise empty sockets. "Please don't scre-" ""AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"" Starlight and Sunny Skies screamed for their lives as they ran away as fast as they could. "Oh dear," the skeletal pony muttered, shaking his head sadly before folding out his bone wings and taking to the sky. "The young are always the most difficult." Sighing out with heavy weighing sadness, he quickly caught up with the two retreating ponies; coming to fly besides them. "Please, stop. I can explai-" "RUUUUUUNNNN!!!" Starlight screamed in absolute panic, she and her sister making a sharp turn to get away from the animated skeleton. "Oh, Thanasia," he groaned as he overshot and quickly circled back and continued his pursuit. "Please, I'm not going to hurt you!" He shouted after them while holding up his scythe, and taking several seconds too long to realize it. ""AAAAAAHHHHHH!!!"" "Ohhh… My bad," he sputtered as he quickly put away his scythe. "Please stop running. I promise I won't hurt you." Another scream was their answer, and he sighed out tiredly as he continued chasing after the two ponies. 'This is going to take a while.' <<>><<>><<>> They ran for what seemed like hours, yet neither Starlight nor Sunny found that they grew tired. Stranger still, they noticed it didn't grow dark as time progressed. But as they took a moment to look up at the sun and get some idea of the time, both mares came to a screeching stop; eyes wide in disbelief.  "Starlight… Are you seeing what I'm seeing?" "Uhu," she answered dumbly, unable to find any words. High up in the sky, standing side by side, were both the sun and the moon. Silence. "What is this place?" Starlight whispered, afraid. "The Elysian Fields," the skeletal pony's meek voice answered, and both mares turned around sharply with a cry. "Please, don't be afraid," he said once more, having covered his head with his cloak's hood to, hopefully, keep the two mares from panicking immediately at the sight of him. "Stay away!" Sunny demanded, trying to sound brave, but the quaver in her voice betrayed her true feelings. Starlight remained silent, but did press closer to her sister, legs shaking. Choosing to err on the safe side, the skeletal pony slowly sat down. "Okay," he replied. "But please stop running away like that. It really serves no purpose, seeing you can't leave." "What do you mean?" Sunny demanded to know, yet both of them took an involuntary step back. The pony tilted his head slightly as he regarded Sunny; his piercing red pupils making both mares gulp.  "I mean that you can't leave this place," he answered simply. "This place—" he continued, slowly gesturing with a hoof "—is Purgatory. Although it is slowly becoming known as the Elysian Fields. It's a place between existence. A place where those who find themselves here need to make a choice." "What kind of choice?" Starlight squeaked. The skeletal pony looked at the midnight blue mare, who quickly shrunk into herself. "The choice to move on, or to remain." "Move on, to where?" Sunny asked, quavering.  "The afterlife." "WHAT!?" Starlight screamed, backing away. "We're dead!?" "Technically, no. Not yet, but you two got close. Really close. And you would have died, falling down from such a height, if it wasn't for another force at work." "Another force? What force?" Sunny Skies asked uneasily. "Destiny, as it is most commonly called," he answered. Then the tone of his voice changed slightly; still meek, but more severe, more serious. "Sunny Skies, Starlight. You two have been chosen. Chosen for a second try, and to receive the power to protect your fellow ponies." ""Wh- what?!"" Both mares sputtered, stepping away. "What do you mean? How do you know who we are?" Starlight squeaked. "What is going on?" The skeletal pony seemed to deflate slightly as he noticed the frightened reaction of the two.  "Allow me to explain," he said. "For starters, my name is Mort. I'm the ponies' reaper. Meaning, I gather the souls of those who died, and guide them here," he gestured with a hoof, indicating the endless grassy plain they were. "I know your names, as I know the names of all who I reap. Although, you two are an exception. It wasn't by my doing you two ended up here, nor did you actually die. I'm just the middle guy, to be honest," he shrugged. "Yet, as fate would have wanted it, there is still a choice you have to make." "What kind of choice are you talking about?" Starlight asked hesitantly, curious. Mort once more turned to look at the mare, his red pupils boring into Starlight's eyes as he answered in a most serious tone. "To give up the last remaining link to your lives, and set hoof on a new path. Doing this will grant you powers unimaginable. Powers which will help you defend your fellow ponies from the dangers of your world. But, should you decide otherwise, then you will find yourselves on the bottom of the ravine you fell down into. Alive, you have my word, but not unharmed. The injuries you have sustained the past few days will still be present." "Wh- what!?" Sunny balked, stepping back while, to her mild shock, Starlight remained standing where she stood, frowning pensively.  "What do you mean, giving up the last remaining link of our lives?" She asked, surprising both herself and her sister with how calm her voice was. Mort blinked. "Equivalent exchange. In order to gain something, something of equal value has to be sacrificed. So, in order to acquire these powers I spoke of, you must sacrifice everything you are, what you were going to be, the years you might have lived, and even your names. You will lose all that you once were, but in return you are given new powers, a new life, abilities previously thought impossible by either of you, and the names you make for yourselves as you reshape the world… If you choose for this." "ARE YOU INSANE!?" Sunny Skies shouted, staring with wide eyes of disbelief at Mort. "WHY WOULD WE EVER DO SUCH A TH-" She stopped mid sentence as her sister cut her off. "Starlight, wha-" "Could we have prevented the attack on our village?" She asked with a unnatural calm, giving Mort a nerve wracking glare. "No," Mort answered truthfully. "Not as you are. And neither as you could be. As horrible and tragic as the loss of all those lives is, it is already in the past, and can not be changed," he added in a half lie. "But you will be able to fend off any future disasters. Not all of them, I'm afraid, but more than both of you could do as you are now." "... I see," Starlight murmured, thinking. "Also, you said you were the reaper of us ponies; guiding those who died to this place?" —Mort nodded— "Then how about our parents? Our friends and family… Clockwork?" Mort was silent for several long seconds as he thought, head slightly tilted to the side. "All have passed through here," he answered, and both mares suddenly fell to their knees, heads held down. "Equivilant exchange you said?" Starlight murmured as she looked with a heated glare through her mane at Mort, "We have already lost everything. Our village, our parents, Clockwork. It isn't even certain the few survivors will even make it to the next village," she seethed, eyes and horn glowing with rage. "YOU WANT MY LIFE, MY NAME! THEN TAKE IT! TAKE IT, AND GIVE ME THE POWER TO PROTECT WHAT LITTLE REMAINS OF MY FORMER LIFE!" "Star…" Sunny Skies gasped, teary eyed, 'I was wrong. This is the hardest choice I have ever made. Yet it is also the simplest,'  <<>><<>><<>> 'Have you ever wondered what could be? I mean, say that you had some kind of unimaginable superpower, and how it would change everything depending on how you were to use it? You could be the protector of this world, or its greatest villain. But in order to gain these powers, you do need to sacrifice something. Something valuable to you. Would you still do it?'  Clockwork's question rang through her mind over and over again; a voice in her head which acted as the voice of reason as she questioned everything she knew. 'Is it worth it?' Sunny Skies wondered, looking at her sister's determined glare, then at Mort, who was waiting patiently for her to answer. 'And the way Clockwork said it… It's almost as if he knew something,' she shook her head to clear those thoughts. 'No, that's impossible. He couldn't have known," she concluded, then focused on the question she was trying to avoid. 'Am I really willing to make such a sacrifice, to give up everything like that for some powers of which I don't even know what they will do?' She closed her eyes shut tightly, weeping as she thought back to everypony she'd lost. Her friends, her family.  She opened her eyes again and looked at her sister, who hadn't looked away from Mort, and was still staring at him with a heated glare. 'Starlight is right. We've already lost everything dear to us, with only a few of our friends still alive. But, maybe, this is what we must do. A chance to protect what little we have left. The last few of the villagers… Each other,' she looked back up at Mort, and, with a cracking voice, she agreed to the choice. <<>><<>><<>> Upon receiving consent from both mares, Mort couldn't help but close his none existent eyes and sigh out deeply.  "Very well. Please, follow me," he instructed as he stood up himself, then moved towards what, to Sunny and Starlight, seemed to be just another part of the endless plain of grassland. "What?" Starlight blinked in surprise. "You can't give us these powers here?" "No, nor am I able to give you powers of any kind at all. Like I said, I'm the middle guy; a messenger. And, like I said, I'm the one who guides ponies here, as I am doing now." "Then… where are you guiding us to?" Starlight asked, voice thick with suspicion.  "There," Mort pointed towards a large shrine which hadn't been there a second before. "Come, he's waiting," and with that somewhat ominous sounding command, he guided the two mares towards the entrance of the ancient looking construct. "This is where we part ways," he told them. "The place you are about to set hoof into, I can not follow." "Why not?" Starlight inquired. "I'm a reaper. A shepherd of those departed. I can guide the dead from the mortal world, through the Elysium Fields, and towards the afterlife. But the place you're about to enter is neither of these." "Any idea what we can expect?" Starlight asked further. "No," Mort answered. "Except hardship." Accepting this foreboding answer, both Starlight and Sunny Skies stood side by side before the entrance; taking a deep breath before stepping forwards simultaneously, eyes clenched shut. Yet, when nothing seemed to happen, they dared to look and hesitantly continued moving until they found themselves standing in front of a large marble wall decorated with an intricate artwork.  One one side, there was a picture of a strange, tall pony which appeared to have both wings and a horn, and a blazing sun, made of a fire ruby, hung high above the figure as it appeared to use its magic on the sun. On the other side, a pony similar in design, but slightly smaller, was depicted flying through the air; illuminated by the light of the moon, which was made of a brilliantly cut diamond, with smaller gems sparkling around it signifying the stars.  And in the center the sun and the moon were joined together, with both ponies circling around them. "What… what is this?!" Starlight wondered aloud, slowly stepping towards the image of the flying pony while Sunny did the same towards the magic using pony; both reaching out with a hoof towards the gemstone depicted with either pony as if in a trance.  Their hooves connected, and both gems began to glow brightly. The diamond a midnight blue, while the sun shone a golden yellow.  "Starlight, Sunny Skies," Mort called out at them as they found themselves blinded by the light. "For what it is worth, I'm sorry," and both mares vanished in a flash of brilliant bright light.