Twilight Daylight: Dawn of Equus

by thedarktome

Chapter 19 - To Pursue Darkness...

Author's Note:

Sorry for the wait. I've been a little busy trying to find other sources of income. Regardless, here is the next chapter.

Enjoy.

One could hear the breathing of the guards keeping watch over the airspace of Canterlot Castle. Their shock and awe linked to the impossible existence of a pony made of magic. By all ethics, requirements, and common sense, it shouldn't be possible, yet...

"You're a living form of magic," Sunset muttered. "You're actually real."

First Light bit her lip and rubbed the back of her head. "Yes, I suppose that's what I am. As far as I know, I'm just a pony."

Celestia sighed and decided to push this thing forward. "I know many of you have questions regarding Fresh Dawn and First Light's joined existence. However, now is not the time for those answers. First Light. We have questions regarding the whereabouts of the Diary of Narmeelah."

"I heard you all before. You're trying to enter Vendulla, and yes, I can retrieve it." Yes! Finally! Celestia breathed a sigh of relief. "But..."

But? Princess Cadance leaned forward from her seat. "What's wrong?"

"There is a small catch. The location I put the Diary of Narmeelah is a challenge. I put it there to make it nearly impossible to get to for any other creature but me."

"So even if some other pony had access to Vendulla," Maheera assumed. "They would have a hard time getting to the Diary itself. A challenge inside of a challenge."

"Yes."

"We'll worry about that when we step into Vendulla," Secretary Manny replied. "Is there anything else we should know?"

"Yes, there is one thing." First Light raised both of her hooves. With practiced ease, she sailed one hoof through the other. "You can't exist. You can't be solid."

"Well, you could've mentioned that before anything else, Princess First Light."

She was a Princess? First Light smiled sheepishly. "Sorry. But if you're solid, you'll break apart the moment you set hoof inside."

Snap Seed interjected, "In other words, you're the only pony who can go into Vendulla."

"Without losing their mind and soul? Yes."

"How long will it take for you to retrieve the Diary?" Luna asked.

First Light walked back over to Dawn's seat. Oh wow, that's high. She jumped up and was only able to get her front hooves on the cushion, leaving the rest of her hanging over the edge. Oh, how embarrassing. She crawled her way up and flapped her wings.

Dirt, rock, and stone flew from the table to the floor. "Sorry, sorry! I've never used my wings. It would take me about an hour once I enter. I have to garner the magic before though, so a total of two hours for this whole operation."

"Great!" Cadance decreed. "In that case, we're ready to move."

First Light raised her hoof before anyone could move. "Why are you looking for the Diary?"

Movement stopped.

"Why?" Shining repeated.

"Yes. What are we going to do with it? I've been assigned to protect it. Having it inside of Vendulla is as safe as it can be, and having it outside presents a massive safety risk. Unless we have a plan for what to do with that Diary as fast as possible, I'd rather it stay within Vendulla."

"She's right," Maheera agreed. She rose once again and approached the table. "Unless we know exactly where to look in that book of hers, having it out for any ample amount of time around Narmeelah is a massive problem."

"For once in my life..." Odega sneered to Maheera. "I concur with Maheera. Just came in to report the perimeter's clear and weapons armed. Psera is resting between Ponyville and Canterlot, Canterlot and Manehattan, Appleloosa, and what remains of the Everfree Forest.

"Also, how do you expect to open it? I'm not sure if Fresh Dawn can."

"The only pony," General Bold Shoulder inputted. "To ever open the Diary of Narmeelah before was Arcadia Nova."

"I have a proposition," Nova answered. "First Light. In Vendulla, is the Diary of Narmeelah intact, or will it have to be put together?"

"It is intact," First Light answered.

"Is it possible to open it then?"

First Light shrugged. "I'm not sure. When I enter Vendulla, I take on this form." First light jumped from her seat and into the air. She burst into magic, shadows that snaked through the air then gathered back at her seat. "I'm not really physical. It would be dangerous for me to. I could lose myself if I go solid."

The room sighed in frustration. First Light could grab that tome, but if Narmeelah was watching, she could grab it the second it was out.

"We'll need security and assurance that the tome can be opened once it's out," Celestia said. "I hate to propose this, but... Before we obtain the Diary, we need to converse with Arcadia. We need Twilight Sparkle."

The room muttered their agreements.

"She said she would say no," Luna stated. "After everything that's happened..."

"The fate of Equus rests in all of our hooves, including her own. We need her, she needs us. We have to find Arcadia Nova."

"She hasn't been answering any of our calls," First Light informed them solemnly. "We try, but we cannot reach her. It is as if she is shut off."

Arcadia's shutting down shop? Puh, as if. Celestia knew her student well. She was doing something and wished not to be interrupted. There had to be another way to reach her.

"You—well, Dawn—told us you can feel her empathically."

"Umm... Do you want to take this one? I do not know what that means."

First Light morphed back into Fresh Dawn who tapped at the table. "I'm able to feel and uncover her emotions. My theory is that since my magic is a direct linked copy of hers from the event prior my birth, most of what happens to her I can feel as well."

"I have an idea." Attention swiveled to Flurry. She turned on Fresh Dawn. "Remember earlier, before Psera reached Equestria, you showed up in my bedroom? You said you were able to push your consciousness out of your body."

"Ah yes," Luna agreed. "Your spirit, as it were."

"I get what you're saying," Dawn agreed. "But I also need to know where I'm going. I have no idea where mom is."

"I have an idea." Odega pointed out the door towards Canterlot. "The oceans are my domain. Maybe two hundred miles out at sea, southwest of here, there is a strange patch of magic, something I've never felt before. Maybe that's where you need to go."

Southwest. Dawn had never gone that far in terms of travelling. Especially away from her body. Stars above, she's only been as far as Equestria in terms of the world until recently. Then again, this is magic they were talking about. She could probably travel anywhere as long as magic existed.

Wherever mom was hiding, magic was certainly abundant.

Dawn sighed and replied, "I suppose it's worth a shot. I can begin as soon as I can."

"After you rest up." Gardeen and Hot Stop flanked Dawn's sides. "After everything that has happened, Dawn needs her rest, as does the rest of us, I'm certain."

"Yes," Consort Snow agreed. "The magical recession was quite a wake up call."

"And Equestria is protected with a shield," Luna agreed. "While we have this moment. We all must rest."

"Then we will reconvene when the sun is at its apex." Queen Novo banged her gavel twice, ending the meeting with a plan at the head:

Dawn had to find her mother.

---

Arcadia, you sly filly. You won't even give your grandmother a fighting chance, would you? That shield hindered Narmeelah's sight, but not enough to block her fully. She could still make out Fresh Dawn, the Princesses of Equestria, the rest of the International House of Trade, and multitudes of Military Personnel.

Wouldn't matter. The reset would commence soon, with or without the diary. The spell could be figured out from scratch again.

In the center of the rune, surrounded by the mindless Pserateps watching the desolate landscape, Narmeelah closed her eyes and straightened her body. Her form illuminated brightly. Reaching out, she connected to where she needed to be.

"Ferilia?"

"Yes, mother?"

"Have you seen your sister yet? She should be there somewhere."

"I have. I see her now. She's walking out of the castle with the rulers of Equus."

"Communicate with her. See what she knows."

"Of course."

Narmeelah cut the connection and rose back to her hooves. Surely, she would report back soon.

"This isn't the way to go, mother."

Narmeelah sighed deeply and closed her eyes. Out of all of her children, why did the oldest have to be the most foolish?

"In my position, this is the only way to go," she replied.

She turned around and faced Saemool, stargazing at what remained of Psera. "I know none of this makes sense, but it's for the best interest of Equus."

"The acts of a few do not sum the outcomes of many."

"The majority will influence the few." Saemool transitioned her sights to Narmeelah, approaching from afar. "Do not be foolish, Saemool. Do not let them sway your decision."

Oh, if only it were that easy. Equus' current path has lead its inhabitants down a tunnel with an unfinished ending. Narmeelah sees nothing but disaster, herself recognizes potential. The planet was still young. They needed time to grow.

Narmeelah was willing to cut their time short before the timer even began.

---

The last time Dawn had this much security was when dad allowed her to go to a concert by herself. Her birthday, the thirteenth. The fact that dad even let her go by herself was a clear indication that things were changing.

"So, you have another pony in you?"

Flurry approached Dawn from behind, staring at what remained of the world from the same vantage point and angle as her own. Where ponies of all kinds and breeds watched the sun rise and fall, waiting for a change of any kind.

"Yes," Dawn answered. "She likes to force her way out sometimes and—"

Dawn suddenly changed to First Light and zipped up to Flurry's face.

"You must be the one called Flurry Heart!"

"Gah!" Flurry fell back on her back and stared up to the hoof offered down to her.

"I am First Light. A pleasure to meet you."

Strange. Could she even really touch her? Flurry thought she understood magic down to its basic core, but clearly, she still had much to learn.

She reached out and made contact with First Light 's hoof. "Hello. I'm Flurry."

"Nice to meet you." She eyed the distance where Psera lied in ruins. What they saw, the damage of her home... Her mood dropped and a sigh as deep as any valley escaped her throat. "It's unbelievable, you know."

"What is?"

First Light gestured to the horizon. "This. All of this. History has depicted that Psera isn't linked to other countries. Who knew that we would all come together to save each other."

Flurry smiled slightly and looked to the dirt they treaded. "Well, that's the power of friendship. It's something that your mother taught all of us."

"Yeah. Mother." Flurry glanced back to Dawn. Wow, they switch bodies so seamlessly. Dawn was brooding to the horizon. "She's going to help us, even if I have to grab her by the horn. It's time we all took a stand against Narmeelah and come out of hiding. A shame we're all related."

Whoa, what? "Related?"

"Yeah." Dawn continued her journey to her chariot with her guards. "Narmeelah is our grandmother, generations old. I'll see you later, Flurry. I have some resting to do, and a mom to talk to."

They... They were all related?! Did mom know about this?! She turned around and came face to face with Princess Cadance.

"Did you—"

Cadance silenced Flurry Heart by pressing her hoof to her mouth. "Yes, I already knew. Twilight told us many moons ago. It makes sense, almost."

"How? How does any of this make sense?!" She pointed out to the wasteland that was Equestria. To the ponies kicking aside the stones of what was once their homes.

Cadance looked up to the sky. "I wish I could give you a direct answer, Flurry. But the truth is our family has always been known to get ahead of themselves. To always have the answer when they didn't do much of the research. I'm sure your aunt and Narmeelah are alike in some ways. Come, we have to sleep."

---

"Focus on the sun. Focus on its warmth, Celleel. But do not break your concentration."

Arcadia walked around her subject, her student. She's progressed well. From a cute foal into a full grown mare within a matter of hours. Her wings were no longer primarily orange. Her feathers changed to a deep violet and a bright green. Eyes as gold as the setting sun. Her horn alight, she remained afloat, depending on the magical energies to keep her above the ground.

Around them, in this garden born of magic dust flowed through the air, constantly morphing itself into different items pulled from memory.

"Yes, good. What are the laws?"

Celleel's voice flowed with a steady, calm tone. "Magic is life, life is magic. Respect life, respect magic. But happiness is greater."

"What else?"

"All are connected by the magic within them. You cannot create without a loss. At the essence of everything is magic. Dark magic is a faulty spell."

"Good work. Now, bring it all in."

The dust swirling around gathered together to create a small butterfly. It fluttered into the blue sky, leaving them behind. Celleel unfolded herself, lowering her wings and herself to the ground. She opened her eyes and took a deep breath.

"That was intense," she said. "How do you do it?"

Arcadia wrapped Celleel in a wing and nuzzled behind her ear. "Years upon years of experience. You will have the opportunity as well to learn these in the field. But for now, we eat. We need our strength."

They made their way back towards the pyramid. Their hoofsteps stepped in unison, gazes locked on what was surely the biggest structure compared to whatever lied beyond the mountains. What else was out there, Celleel wondered. How big was the world?

She stopped walking with Arcadia and gazed beyond the mountains. Her mind filled with realities and different versions of life. Food that was anything but fruits. Entertainment beyond that of the book.

Arcadia stopped walking and sighed deeply. "I know what you're thinking."

"What else is out there?" Celleel asked.

"Right now?" Arcadia peered back. "Disaster. Tragedy. The reason for your existence. You will learn more of it soon, I promise. But, for now, it is best to stay on task. There is more training for you to go through before I have our visitor."

"Visitor?" Celleel caught up with Arcadia and walked with her back into the Steel Pyramid. "Who would visit us here?"

"Those who need me the most." The colossal doors leading into the pyramid slowly opened for the two of them. "One of them being my daughters."

---

Finally. The Aquata was no longer moving. Dawn could finally sleep. Under the comfort of her comforters, she closed her eyes and took a moment to herself to finally reflect. Last night she couldn't sleep. Not with the end of the world at their doorstep banging impatiently for entry. Now, they were all stranded, protected by mother's magic in the country of Equestria. If it was up to her, Dawn would have chosen any other location. Unfortunately, Equestria was the nearest one. Where most of her family lived. What would life have been like if she met them before all of the madness? Would it have been better? Would it have been worse?

In the back of her mind, she missed Grandma Velvet. Grandpa too. Uncle Shining? Interactions with him were highly limited, but he seemed cool. Flurry? Almost like a big sister who moved out the castle. Aunt Cadance? Still too early to decide. Were Luna and Celestia considered family? They seemed to know hers on a first name basis; that had to mean something.

Odega was part of her family too, right? If she and the rest of the Legends of Psera were created by Narmeelah, then... Narmeelah. That sneaky, evil, conniving...

"You can't sleep like this, you know."

Dawn sighed and cracked her eyes open. They darted to the clock hanging above the door. Two in the afternoon.

"I can't sleep at all," she muttered. "Not with the fate of the world and my own family on the line. How the princesses can sleep through this I'll never understand."

The covers were thrown aside. She positioned herself on the edge of the bed and stroked her face into her hooves. With dark magic, she levitated her crown onto her head.

"Well, what can we do now? We need to speak to mom."

"And possibly interrupt IHT's sleep? I don't know about that, Light." Dawn slipped out the bed and let loose a mighty yawn.

"Are you sure you don't want to sleep?"

"I'm fine, Light." She opened the door and walked back out onto Aquata Zero. "A little sleep can't keep me down."

"Ah, but perhaps I can?"

Dawn gasped and whirled around to face the voice. Only to find that no one was there. Only Arcadian, Elite, and Aqua Guards lining the hall. None of them were mares. That was a mare's voice she heard. It sounded so close to her ear.

One peered down to her. "Are you alright, your highness?"

Dawn cast one last look down the hall. What in the stars...

A hoof grabbed onto her shoulder. Tightly. Too tight. She flailed open her wing and slashed behind her. Only to come into contact with air. Great, now all the guards were looking at her. Her faced tinged with embarrassment.

"Excuse me," she pardoned herself. Then walked back into her room and shut the door.

She took a deep breath and leaned against the door. "That... That was weird. You felt that too, right?"

"Yeah." First Light sounded just as freaked. "Maybe we should ask for an escort?"

That seemed to be a bit much. A little foalish almost. She was the Queen of Psera, she didn't need someone guiding her up the stairs to a location she's already been at.

"There is no need for an escort."

Before Dawn could turn around a darkness shrouded her sight before she could even scream. She was shadow teleported. She new the feeling well.

Before the situation fully started, it was over. The carpet of darkness was washed away, leaving Dawn in what appeared to be the sky. She was standing on an endless landscape of clouds, above them was the blue of the sky.

"Whoa," Dawn muttered. She whirled around in a circle. She seemed to be alone. Then who teleported them?

"Hello, Queen Dawn and Princess Light."

She whipped back around to face their speaker. A mare Pseratep with eyes the color of blood. A coat as dark as First Light's with red stripes, almost like a Zebra. She sat regally on the clouds, a stark contrast to her true nature.

Dawn poised herself, ready for a fight.

"Who are you?" She asked. "Are you with the Zebras?"

Their visitor remained nonplussed. "I am Ferilia, second oldest daughter to Narmeelah. Perhaps you know why I am here?"

Dawn sneered in her direction. "Let me guess: to gain information regarding the Diary of Narmeelah?"

"Correct. No doubt Odega has recognized my sudden arrival, so I will make this quick." Ferilia stood and walked around the clouds. Dawn kept her gaze locked on her. "Mother is quite adamant about that book of hers and the secrets held within. If you value the lives of your subjects and the land of Psera, you will hand over the diary. You cannot fight the inevitable. It will happen."

"It doesn't have to happen so soon."

"No, but it's happening anyway, you can either allow it to happen peacefully, or ruthlessly." She stopped walking next to Dawn. "As of this moment, the entire fate of Equus lies on your wings. Do not be a fool. It's been quite some time since I've feasted on pony blood."

She leaned in close to Dawn's ear and whispered. "I'd hate for it to be Flurry's."

That did it. Dawn rolled away and aimed her horn to where Ferilia stood before, only to find the space vacant. A quick glance around revealed she was alone, once more.

"Dawn!" Odega. It seems her time was up. She, Leacrope, the princesses, and a thick number of Arcadian Elite Royal Guard and soldiers from other regions burst from beneath the clouds and quickly surrounded Dawn.

"What happened? Is everything alright?" Odega pointed to the guard captain. "Secure the Queen back at the castle!"

"I was confronted by one of Narmeelah's daughters," Dawn replied. She was firmly surrounded and soon dipping beneath the clouds back towards Equestria. Somehow she ended up outside the shield.

Odega joined her on the way down. "What did she look like?"

"Tall, black coat—"

"Did she have stripes?"

"Yeah, red."

Odega snorted through her nose. "Ferilia. She's a little more extreme in terms of strength. I guess she tried to intimidate you."

They soared over the Aquatas outside of the shield and continued their journey back to Canterlot. Beneath them, she could make out restless ponies. The next milestone step they took would have to be briefed to them as well. So they, too, knew they were counteracting the problem.

They soon landed back at the castle. Once the Queen was secured within the walls, Dawn whirled on Odega and pointed at her.

"I want to be knowledgeable about all of Narmeelah's daughters. If you, or any of the Legends for that matter know anything about them, we need to know as well."

"Of course."

Dawn turned around and walked into the castle. "Now, I'm going to find and speak to mom. It's time she gave us more intel on who we're fighting against."

Comments

[Mop_Hop]

Great to see a new chapter.
Sorry to hear your having financial issues and I pray that it resolves itself for you soon.

Was always wondering if you had ever considered Patreon, Fansly or some other donations platform. Because love your work and I think me and may others would love to support you even partly for all the great stories you have provided. I think I've read over the Arcadia Nova stories 4 or 5 times each now and loving them every time.

Looking forward to the next chapter and again I pray for you and hope life treats you well.

[thedarktome]

11192481
Thank you very much. I hope you enjoy the rest of the series. The next story will be optional, although still included in the timeline. I have also been thinking about creating a Kofi.

[Dieadmirer]

This story never cease to amaze me. And it's getting very VERY interesting! Pls continue the series and hope you well