Their Otherworldly Grace

by MonoGlyph

Lodestar

[This letter was received in Canterlot shortly after the chronic earthquakes first began.]

Princess Celestia,

I apologize for contacting you once again. I heard that you were injured in the assault on the royal carriage some days ago. I hope my letter finds you better than you were. Is it true that the shield over Canterlot has been reestablished? I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised after all that’s happened. Once more, I am writing to you about your student and my friend, Twilight Sparkle. It is increasingly difficult to ignore the radical changes in Twilight’s demeanor, especially in light of recent events. She’s been getting more and more reclusive as of late. When I asked her about the strange happenings around town, she was suspiciously defensive. It saddens me that I have to blame Twilight for the misfortunes that have befallen Ponyville, but I have lost a friend today and I need a scapegoat, unladylike as that may be.

Applejack, Fluttershy and I approached Twilight’s abode earlier. The clouds were hanging low over Ponyville and the bitter winds buffeted the streets and buildings. Normally I would not set hoof outside in such disagreeable weather, but Applejack insisted that I come with her. We were drawn to the hollow tree by the persistent pillar of light that seemed to originate from within it. The beam was of a striking violet and Applejack was quick to point out that the shade was very similar to that of the afflicted corn on the farm. A few other ponies had also noticed the light, and were lingering uneasily by the library. Our knocks at Twilight’s door went unanswered and we exchanged glances laden with concern. Before we could decide on an alternate course of action, we were addressed by a sinister-looking stallion that must’ve approached us while we were distracted.

He was of relatively average size and build, and was outfitted in a stunning white suit and hat. His mane was wild and seemed to move independently of the wind. He wore tiny black glasses and carried a white cane. Although this appeared to indicate that he was blind, he moved with a confidence that made me question whether he was truly crippled. He spoke in a bizarre mixture of intonations which made it difficult to understand what he was saying. I wondered if he was a travelling singer. He told us that Twilight was very busy and not in any shape to see to visitors. Our inquiries into his identity were rudely ignored. He told us to disregard “young Twilight’s shenanigans” and to go home.

As we watched the stallion walk away, Applejack suggested that we follow him. Although Fluttershy voiced some reservations about the idea, she ultimately agreed with our plan. Looking back now, I feel guilty for pressuring her to come along. Responsible.

We trailed the stallion as he left Ponyville. We had trouble keeping up with him, even though he never bothered to break his brisk trot. He appeared to blink from one location to the next as he moved. He couldn’t have been teleporting because he wasn’t a unicorn. And yet he was, somehow.

The ground vibrated as we neared the foot of a massive cliff. The stallion halted and turned to face us. He chided us for following him, saying that “a well-behaved mare knows to mind her own business”. He melted into the ground before we had a chance to react. In the next moment a hideous mammoth of a creature exited a cavern higher up on the cliff, shaking the earth beneath us. As a designer and seamstress, I’ve been living with a certain paradigm regarding beauty and lack thereof. The monster’s appearance was just… offensive. It had four gigantic claws and a number of tentacles. Its eyes were bulging and wild. It was followed by a host of smaller but similarly awful beasts. They poured from the mines like a mighty stream.

The faceless monstrosities that had attacked you and circled Ponyville thereafter broke their formation around our town and flew towards the organic menace and its ilk. I wondered if the two factions were related, but the flying ghouls fell upon the mountain-dwelling beasts with a ferocity that made me cringe. As the two groups tore at each other, the great beast howled at the sky. Its horrific roar seemed to carry for hundreds of miles and was met with other evil-sounding cries. Although I wasn’t certain about what had happened, I could guess. The great beast was calling for reinforcements.

We recoiled from the scene, being unaccustomed to a sight of such bloodletting. Unfortunately, we were not ignored. A number of the flying ghouls had focused on us. The barbarians had grabbed hold of Fluttershy before we could make our escape. Thinking back I have to remind myself that we couldn’t help her. As we hopelessly called her name, she was taken into their dark swarm.

I didn’t want to believe it, but in the thick of things, we had to face the facts. Applejack and I lacked wings. There was nothing we could do to save her. After seeing the wraiths claw at their foes, we feared the worst, but were forced to retreat. No. Retreat implies a degree of dignity. We fled screaming from the hordes, our tears blinding us to the chaos that unfolded around us. If Twilight turns out to be behind all this, I’m no longer certain that I can forgive her. I can only pray that I’m wrong, and that Fluttershy’s okay. I did not leave home with the intention of watching a friend die. Sometimes life is cruel. Your Highness, I hope you intend to speak to Twilight soon. I suspect that things will only get worse from here on out. I cannot, will not risk losing more to the loathsome forces that threaten us.

Yours,
Rarity

[Twilight’s Journal]

After learning of the Tellurian threat, I searched the Volumes of Vehement Vengeance for an answer. With some guidance from Solitaire, I managed to find a method of fighting off the impending disaster. As I thought, we are unable to do so alone. Repelling the Tellurians necessitates bringing the Other Gods to Equestria. I would’ve objected to such a drastic course of action once. I now understand, however, that there is no choice. Furthermore, the Gods’ coming to our realm may prove beneficial to us. Perhaps, if they deem us worthy, we may become as they are. Powerful. Eternal.

I flipped through the pages of the first Volume until I found the “[Revive] the dead” spell I refused to cast some time ago. After a few failed attempts, I was able to reanimate the fossil of the creature I’d found in the underground city. This is interesting as it implies that the body retains the element integral to motion potentially for hundreds of years. Perhaps this is only because of the fossilization, however. The creature proved to be as hostile as everything else I’d found in the mines. Thankfully, being petrified tends to inhibit one’s movement quite a bit. Frankly, I was surprised the creature managed to stay alive at all. Perhaps that was the spell at work.

I siphoned off some of the creature’s restored life force to use in the apparatus I’d assembled from the specifications listed in the fourth changeling book. The device was small and built from an assortment of tubes and balances. I suspended it over a Bunsen burner in the basement. The centerpiece was a fairly large diamond that would likely leave Rarity green with envy. Along with the aforementioned life force, I had to acquire a rat’s kidney, a powerful acid and a specific breed of fungus that emitted light when heated. I used a mortar and pestle to reduce the fungus to a fine powder and mixed it with the acid and kidney in a tube on my instrument. The energy I’d gotten from the Tellurian slave was fused with the diamond to augment its light-bending properties. When the mixture began to glow softly, its light was amplified by the prism-like diamond. The resulting pillar of light appeared to pierce the ceiling and everything above it. This was to be the beacon that would draw the Other Gods to our world. I would align myself to the proper magical frequency and act as the gate. The extraterrestrial deities would flood into this world, so full of light and warmth. Once they were here, getting them back out would likely be difficult, if at all possible. Despite all this, my decision was not labored. How could it be? I finally had the chance to change things. I wouldn’t throw it away.

The tremors coming from the mountains intensified. I imagined Gun Quidwreth emerging from the labyrinth that led to his resting place. A terrifying howl pierced the midday air and my legs folded involuntarily. I lay on the floor clutching my ears until the noise abated. Regaining my composure, I mounted the stairs and took a peek out of the nearest window. The harbingers were abandoning their formation around town and setting off for the cliffs in the distance. There wasn’t a doubt in my mind. The skirmishes between the Other Gods and the Tellurian Few would begin here.

Comments

[blue_star]

Another engaging chapter, thank you and keep up the good work.

[Encyclone]

I like how you change the speaker. It adds a nice touch, and makes it less boring.