16th Candle
“Rarity, do you know about Starswirl’s theorem about the Sixteen Leylines?”
Rarity sipped from her tea and shook her head. “Twilight, darling, you know that I could not even begin to grasp at the basics of your fields of interest. I only know of the most rudimentary spells.”
“Oh.”
“But that does not mean I would not like to hear about it.”
Twilight’s face lit up. “Really? Okay, it’s kind of difficult to follow at first, but I’ll explain it the best I can.”
Rarity ‘mm-hm’ed and settled in for what she predicted to be a long-winded but intriguing conversation – talks with Twilight usually are.
Twilight cleared her throat. “So, you probably know already that sixteen is considered an unlucky number in Equestria.”
“I do.”
“It’s commonly seen as superstition, but there have been significant events throughout history, both before and after the conception of Equestria, that seem to bear some connection to the number. This can be coincidental, but certain scientific minds have been curious enough to delve further and try to prove there is a solid link. One of those minds was Starswirl the Bearded.”
Rarity nodded. “I’m following so far.”
“Starswirl worked to prove a connection for the longest time, mostly as a side hobby. He travelled to many parts of Equestria, conducted many experiments, sought the insight of various intellectuals.”
“He sounds like a thorough stallion.”
“Oh, he was! I admire him for that tenacity,” Twilight gave a little shrug. “Anyway, he continued this research well into his twilight years. At this point, everypony pretty much gave up on the idea of there being any correlation between the number sixteen and these events. Then, one day, Starswirl came before the court with his theorem.”
The passion was evident in Twilight’s eyes and tone; her body language gradually became jittery and restless with unspent energy. Rarity had to hold back an amused snort.
“Starswirl suggested that there sixteen anomalies in the universe called leylines, which show particularly strong presence in Equestria due to the land having a massive supply of magical energy. These leylines function on the principal of ‘sympathetic magic’. That’s-”
“The idea that ambient magic is subject to manipulation from a strong enough mental force whether it is conscious or unconscious.”
“Correct.”
Rarity preened. “I remember some things from school.”
“If these leylines existed and functioned on sympathetic magic, then it may lend credence to the belief that sixteen is unlucky. This is because if enough ponies believed sixteen is unlucky, then their collective wills would generate enough magical energy to tap into a leyline.”
“Er, so, in that case… clap your hooves if you believe?”
Twilight blinked. “… Basically.”
“Intriguing.”
“Starswirl had no means to prove the existence of these leylines, so his theory remained as that: a theory.”
Rarity levitated the tea pot and refilled her cup. “I see. What brought this topic up, may I ask?”
“Because I think I might be able to prove these leylines exist.”
Twilight had that restless look she often got talking about her research ideas. It was cute when you were familiar with her, otherwise it just looked creepy. Honestly, it still sent chills down Rarity’s spine.
“Well, if anypony could do it, then I would place my faith in you,” Rarity took a biscuit from the plate between them. “Hurry now – your beverage shall cool.”
Two weeks passed as Twilight threw herself into proving Starswirl’s theorem correct. She secluded herself in her basement longer than what could be considered healthy, but thanks to Spike and her friends insisting on daily outings, it never felt out of control or excessive.
Rarity could sympathise with Twilight; she herself tended to forgo frivolities such as eating and sleeping to make sure her project was just right.
But it was getting to be around that time for Rarity to remind Twilight to eat, so she went over to see if Spike had any luck convincing her to come back upstairs.
Spike was standing in front of the basement door when she arrived. He gave a sigh and glanced over his shoulder.
“The usual?” Rarity tittered.
“I could probably smear some jam on a book and she’d eat it without looking.” Spike grumbled as he left the door to her.
Rarity knocked. “Twilight, darling! I’m afraid you’re not allowed to waste away while I’m here.”
After a minute of no response, Rarity rolled her eyes and lit her horn. She closed her eyes and sent a tendril of magic into the keyhole. This was rather uncouth behaviour, but what was a little lockpicking between friends?
Tumblers defeated, Rarity descended into the basement and found Twilight fussing with her lab equipment.
“Darling?” When Twilight didn’t respond, Rarity sighed and walked over to a stack of books on a work desk.
She gave one the very lightest of touches.
Twilight yelped and turned around, grabbing a strange tool with magic. “Who’s touching my…?! Oh, uh…” She sheepishly put down the tool. “Sorry.”
“If anything, I should be the one apologizing for picking your lock.”
“Did you use magic? Rarity, that’s incredible!”
“It’s nothing, really. But feel free to compliment me some more.”
“I’m glad you’re here. Hold this.”
“Hold-” Rarity narrowly caught a round, metal sphere that was heaved in her direction. “Dear me!”
Twilight had already gone back to her equipment, working at a pace both fanatic yet meticulous. “I think I’m close, Rarity! The reason Starswirl wasn’t able to find evidence of the leylines is because they operate on the principal of sympathetic magic.”
“You… If memory serves, then I believe you already said that.”
“I did?” Twilight came over with a set of long cables that sparked intimidatingly when she put their ends together. “Huh. Anyway, hold that sphere still, or you’ll get shocked.”
Rarity whimpered and held the sphere aloft with her magic. At the first touch of the cables, there was a blue flash.
“Perfect.”
“I’ll believe you,” Rarity blinked away the spots from her vision. “Now, about this sympathetic magic business…”
“Right. So, like I said, sympathetic magic is subject to manipulation by what ponies believe. Therefore, if enough ponies believe that the leylines don’t exist, then they don’t.”
“They… don’t exist?”
“They do,” Twilight gently took the sphere. “There are two accepted states of being: reality and fictitious, but there may also be a third state between those two.”
“Uh, hold on a moment-”
“This ‘quasi-existence’ may be rendered fully realized by using the Elements to tap into the unique magic of Equestria and connect with enough ponies to plant the suggestion that leylines exist.”
Rarity grabbed Twilight’s shoulder before she could run off. “Darling, please calm down.”
Twilight restlessly looked back at her equipment. “… Okay.”
“I have no idea what you just said. Could you please… well, I’m hesitant to say ‘dumb it down’, but…”
“Yes. Sorry. I want… I want to use the Elements of Harmony to reach out and connect with enough ponies to make them aware of Starswirl’s leyline theorem.”
“But then…” Rarity pursed her lips. “If that’s… if what you said is possible, then why just make them aware of the theorem? Why not just say that they exist?”
“What I’m suggesting is experimental, Rarity. I want to be as less intrusive as I can, so it’s enough to let them know of the possibility it might exist. I have confidence that the majority of ponies are willing to believe in such a thing,” Twilight licked her lips and took the sphere over to a metal plate. When she set it down, the sphere hovered over by a few inches. “Once enough ponies believe leylines exist, then they should manifest and become detectable by modern equipment.”
Rarity scratched her head. She was starting to feel out of her depth, but she was following so far. “Another question, if I may?”
“Go ahead.”
“You said the leylines don’t exist because ponies don’t believe they do-”
“Or are unaware of them in the first place.”
“Right. If that’s the case, then how could the leylines be responsible for any events involving the number sixteen?”
Twilight grinned. “That’s what I’m going to find out. The answers are just waiting to be uncovered, Rarity!”
Rarity sighed. “I’m sure you know what you’re doing. Now, please come and eat something before Spike worries himself sick.”
“Fine… I’ll come up, but I really have to get back to this. I’m so close to finishing my-
“Uh, egghead?”
Twilight blinked. “Yes?”
Rainbow Dash hummed and shared an awkward look with her friends. “What are you doing?”
“I’m telling my scary story.”
“But you’re not. I’m sure this is something that happened like, a year ago? You were doing some research on this leyline stuff and…”
Applejack continued. “Ya said ya couldn’t find any real proof an’ such.”
“This happened before Tirek blew up the library, right?” Trixie asked.
Rarity quietly watched.
“You’re right,” Twilight nodded. “I couldn’t find any proof. Not at first. But then I hit a breakthrough. You remember how I mentioned sympathetic magic? Well, I thought I could use the Elements, but when I tried, nothing happened – they don’t work like that.
“But things are different now. The Elements are gone, now their power is in us. I thought maybe things will be different this time, so I asked Rarity to help me out.”
The attention shifted to Rarity, who just gave a knowing smile and a shrug.
“Uh, is this part of the story?” Pinkie asked with an unsure laugh. “I’m game, don’t get me wrong.”
Twilight chuckled and suddenly stood.
Rainbow Dash frowned. “Egghead?”
Twilight walked over to the mirror.
“Hey, you’re freaking me out. Quit being weird!”
“The Elements of Harmony connected us to one another, but that was it. With our new Rainbow powers, we can further that connection. You all felt it, didn’t you? The bonds we made throughout Equestria – that’s a form of sympathetic magic. In other words, the key component that I need to prove leylines exist…”
Twilight turned with an ecstatic grin.
“Is right here in this room.”
Everyone save Rarity turned to look at each other. The tension in the air was rising.
“With Rarity’s magic, I could get a glimpse of the leylines. I was right – there are sixteen of them.”
Fluttershy whimpered. “Twilight…”
“There’s still a lot about them I don’t understand. Like why there are sixteen, or why they cause strife, but with all of you here, I can figure that out.”
She gestured to the mirror.
“We came here to tell our tales. We shared in our fear, our excitement – we listened to these tales and thought, ‘what if they’re real’?”
“I-I didn’t think they were real!” Starlight cried. “I never-”
Twilight put her hoof up. “Sorry, Starlight, but we can talk later. You need to save your strength for taking control of the leylines.”
“Wh-what?”
“There’s only eight of us, so we’ll need to take two each. Rarity’s already taken her share and she’s perfectly fine.”
The attention shifted back to Rarity, who just gave a knowing smile-
-and twitched as a bloody crevice opened on her chest.
Everyone screamed and pulled away.
“Once the last kaidan has been told…” Twilight picked up the final candle and held it before her. The only source of light in the room cast eerie shadows on her face. “I’ll be able to invoke the power of the leylines. We’ll be part of something fantastic.”
“Twilight, this is…!” Applejack got up and looked to the doors. “What in tarnation have ya’ll done?!”
“Don’t worry, Applejack,” Twilight took a deep breath. “You’ll learn to like it.”
As Twilight’s cold breath snuffed out the flame, the room plunged into a chorus of screams.
And raucous laughter.
“Oh, your reactions were priceless!!”
With a snap, the lights in the room turned on, blessing the cowering occupants with visibility once more. Slowly, their cries faded as they looked around, terror giving to confusion.
Twilight and Rarity laughed heartily. “Thanks for your help,” Twilight said, wiping away a tear. “I couldn’t find a spell that could make that gash so convincing.”
The occupants had their second heart attack of the night as a colourful blob manifested in the middle of the room and expanded into a lithe and serpentine body.
“Discord?!”
Discord bowed grandly. “The one and only. Apologies, my dear Fluttershy, but the opportunity was simply too rich to pass up. I’m sure you understand.”
“U-uh, oh…” Fluttershy gave a shaky shrug. “That’s… fine?”
“Wait a second…” Rainbow Dash pointed accusingly at Rarity and Twilight. “You guys planned this?!”
Rarity smirked. “Well, it was supposed to be just Twilight and Discord, but I happened to overhear their plans, so they included me on it,” She looked down at her chest and grimaced. “Ugh, Discord?”
Discord snapped his fingers and the bloody gash sealed itself.
Applejack sighed and rubbed her face. “Shoot, ya’ll jes’ about shaved five years off my life.”
Pinkie exploded from the safety den she created from various sleeping bags. “That was amazing! I haven’t been that scared since I borrowed a book from the library and forgot to return it. Hee hee! Twilight was so mad.”
“I wasn’t that mad.”
“Your hair was on fire. Literally.”
“Well, Trixie was not afraid in the slightest.”
Starlight gave her an unimpressed look. “Uh-huh. Could you get off my back, then?”
“No, Trixie deserves to be carried like a queen.”
Thmp
After a bit, Rainbow Dash started chuckling. “Gotta admit – that was pretty good. So, was this sleepover idea just a front for the scare?”
Twilight shrugged. “I wouldn’t call it a ‘front’. There’s no reason we can’t have both, right?”
“And now that I’m here, the party can truly get started!” Discord reached behind his back and pulled out a bowl that was wider than his body. “Now, who wants to share in a stranger’s candy?”
Twilight smiled as everyone clamoured around, for who could resist free candy? Before she could partake, Rarity touched her shoulder and nodded to the mirror.
“So, it seems we snuffed the final candle and nothing happened. Do you think it’s because the last tale wasn’t quite a tale?”
“Or, maybe some things really are just superstition,” Twilight put the candle on the table and looked into the mirror. “I got something out of this I wasn’t expecting, though.”
“Oh?”
“I used to think horror was just the typical ghosts and goblins jumping out of the shadows and shouting loudly, but it’s a broader category than I expected. Listening to your tales showed me that, and it also showed me that everyone has unique views on what ‘horror’ is.”
“Indeed. What is frightening to someone may be dull to another. I imagine this view may be even broader across different cultures.”
A sudden shriek made them jump.
“What is this travesty before Trixie’s eyes?! Why are they all black?”
“Black liquorice is the best type, of course.”
“Foul draconequus!”
Rarity shook her head with a light laugh. “Speaking of which…”
Twilight rolled her eyes. “Come on – we’ll miss out on the good candy if we hang back.”
“Good point.”
Sixteen unlit candles were left in front of the mirror, its surface reflecting the festivities in the room.
Fog clouded it for a short moment, though it went unnoticed.
Fortunately - or unfortunately - our world is rather bland, so no epic adventures with fantastical beasts, but also no horrific, mind-scarring trips into the Underworld with monsters from beyond the plane of existence.
Most myths are just that - myths.
But horror is whatever you can make it - we could all use a good scare sometimes 
Anyway, thank you for reading these tales, and I wish a Happy remainder of the Year to you all. It's been a wild ride, maybe not the best, but we shouldn't forget that it's one more year of this wonderful life 
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Amazing! I binged this the whole way through and I’m very happy with the way it ended! This was a lot of fun, you’re one of most skilled horror writers I’ve found online. A hearty thanks to you!
10508975
Seconded.
10508465
I'd be freaking out; WHY THE HAY DOES A SODA CAN HAVE ANTLERS?
When I "saw" the gash I was like: HOLY SH-
Then they revealed the truth: Discord...
That was the best ending I ever could have imagined. It was such a twist! Although, I want to imagine that there weren't demons behind that mirror, but rather it's an alternate universe where Cupcakes and other horror fanfics exist (with their own timelines, respectively, to keep continuity errors at a minimum.).
This was awesome! And I'm glad Discord made an appearance! Freaking love Discord!
I have not started reading yet, but the title of the story and the title of the chapters remind me of a Japanese tradition of telling horror stories in blowing out the candles one by one until an oni appears: Hyakumonogatari Kaidankai.
The ending was great, although I do have to disagree on our world being bland. Our world is amazing have you seen how many interesting animals are out there? Our biodiversity is literally more than the "fantasy" worlds biodiversity.
Very nicely written anthology, much enjoyed.
You can has review!
11078602
I feel guilty, admittedly. It's been so long since I've updated, mostly due to personal reasons, and yet there are still people reading and reviewing my stories. Thank you for the time and attention.
11080299
i'd love to know what that story's called.
11369693
Sorry for not replying to your earlier post, but I don't remember getting a notification for it. The short story is called I Am The Doorway, and can be found in the collection Night Shift.
suggestion: could this have an anthology tag? most of the fic is composed of short horror stories that don't relate much to one another.
11380788
Added - thank you for the suggestion
Well, that was quite the experience. I'm sad it took me so long to finally get around reading this story, but I loved ever second of it. Some entries may have been stronger than others, but all still had its strengths, and the way the encompassing narrative tied it all together prevented me from being able to set it down until I read through all sixteen stories.
This was a wonderful read, and I'm happy it exists. You should feel proud.
She wakes up, sometime later. There was a remembered voice, long forgotten.
"The crack in the sky lead us deeper into the wound. Didn't you understand how we found each other?"
(thank u for this fic)