Prologue - The Chosen One

Prologue - The Chosen One

“Well what is this that I can’t see, with ice-cold hooves takin' hold of me.”

The unicorn paced nervously back and forth across his study, muttering to himself. His shaggy mane and tail were frazzled and unkempt, even more so than usual, and his short goatee had begun to transform into a full beard. Most telling of all, however, were his eyes, baggy and bloodshot, and filled with a terrible fear.

He turned to his writing desk, where his journal lay open. He glanced at the last entry, written in a special ink only his eyes could see:

It’s done,

I’ve sent the book to Starlight; the wretched thing should be safe in Princess Twilight’s library. Not even the Prophet would think to look for it there.

Still, I can’t help but feel a sense of terrible guilt, as if by giving her the book I am implicating her in some dreadful crime. Unfortunately, as much as it pains me to involve her, the book is no longer safe with me. It’s only a matter of time before the Prophet or one of his minions tracks me down.

I’ll be leaving for Ponyville in the morning. Starlight is my oldest and dearest friend, I know I can trust her to keep the book safe until my arrival. As long as she doesn’t read it she should be safe. In a few days, Celestia willing, we’ll be together; hopefully the two of us, along with Princess Twilight, can devise a way to end this awful business once and for all.

Closing the journal and setting it aside, he opened a drawer and brought out a fresh sheet of paper. He cleaned the last of the vanishing ink from his quill with a damp cloth, before dipping it in a vial of regular ink and beginning to write once more.

Dear Starlight,

If you’re reading this, then the worst has happened. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you earlier, I wanted to protect you, didn’t want to involve you in any of this, I thought I could handle it all on my own.

I realize now that I was wrong, and I should’ve trusted you from the start. I guess I’ve got a lot more to learn about friendship than I thought; perhaps if I’d learned my lesson sooner, things might’ve turned out differently.

By now you should’ve received the package I sent you. The book contained within has been the source of all my troubles as of late. Hopefully, you’ve done as I instructed in my letter and haven’t opened or read the book. If so, then I ask that you keep it locked away in the deepest depths of Princess Twilight’s castle; keep it secret, keep it safe, and tell nopony of its existence and perhaps its awful shadow will pass you by.

If, however, you have read the book--as part of me suspects--then it is imperative that you--

There was a sudden loud knock at the door. The haggard unicorn jumped, nearly falling off his stool. He placed a hoof on the desk to steady himself and tried to slow his frantic breathing. Glancing at the letter he saw that the tip of his quill had broken, a large blot of ink now stained the page.

After taking a moment to collect himself, the unicorn stood and exited the study. A knot of dread began to form in the pit of his stomach as he made his way through the sitting room towards the front door.

Steeling himself, he opened it.

Relief washed over him as he was greeted by a gaggle of fillies and colts. They were all in costume, suits decorated with crystal bones, skull-shaped crystal masks, even a few bedazzled sheets. Some of the more well-to-do foals appeared to have had their costumes enchanted, their crystals glowing with an eerie pale light.

“Sugar for the Spirits!” they shouted gleefully.

“What’s this?!” the unicorn said, feigning surprise; “Restless spirits, come to do mischief?”

The foals giggled.

“Good thing I have my warding charms!”

His horn glowed as he levitated a bowl off a nearby table. The bowl was filled with small skulls made of brightly colored rock-candy. He offered the bowl to the foals, who eagerly grabbed more than they probably should before galloping off to continue their nightly escapades.

“Happy Ghostglow!” he called after them as they disappeared down one of the many winding streets of the Crystal City. The sight of the young fillies and colts laughing and enjoying themselves helped to put his mind at ease, if only somewhat.

The Ghostglow Festival wasn’t exactly Nightmare Night, but the holiday traditions were similar enough that he couldn’t help but feel a twinge of nostalgia. He realized then how very lonely he felt and how much he had come to miss his friends during his self-imposed isolation these past few months. As the Royal Crystaller he knew he should be at the Palace, celebrating with Princess Cadence and her family, but he dared not risk their safety.

With a longing sigh he gazed up at the Aurora Tenebras, the “ghost-roads”, and watched as their glimmering strands seemed to stretch from all across Equestria to wind in a great spiral above the Imperial Palace. It was said that on this night the light and love of the Crystal Heart shone so bright that it acted like a beacon, allowing the spirits of the departed to find their way home. He wondered idly that if he were to follow one of those gleaming roads, perhaps it would lead him home as well…

His reverie ended abruptly as he glimpsed it, a shadowy figure silhouetted by a street lamp, watching him. Cold terror gripped him. The figure was too far away for him to glimpse its face, but he didn’t need to; he knew what it meant.

They had come for him at last.

He slammed the door shut, locking and bolting it. His horn lit up as he fired a beam of magic, tracing a mystical rune into the wood while muttering ancient words of power. When he was finished, a golden shimmer had enveloped the door, shielding it from attacks both physical and magical.

Quickly, the unicorn ran into his study, shutting the door and casting the shield spell again. He hurried over to the desk, where his unfinished letter sat waiting. He did his best to wipe away the spilled ink, then grabbed a fresh quill and hastily scrawled one final line before folding the paper and tucking it between the pages of his journal.

He felt a faint *pop* in his mind, signalling that the shield on his front door had been broken; he had to hurry.

Turning to one of his many bookcase, he pulled out several volumes and quickly rearranged them. With a barely audible *click* the bookcase slid aside to reveal a hidden compartment where he proceeded to place the journal.

No sooner had the bookcase slid back into place when the door to his study swung open. It made no sound as it collided with the wall, the popping of his shield spell was the only warning the unicorn received before a dark presence entered the room.

A cold, hollow voice spoke.

“We meet at last… O Chosen One”

The unicorn bowed his head and closed his eyes.

Starlight… I’m sorry.

Author's Note:

Title quote is from the song "O Death" by Lloyd Chandler.

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