Midnight Armory
I squinted, then squinted harder. Before me stretched a tall, stained glass window, lit by the crimson hues of a setting sun. A black structure stood in the center, a jagged ziggurat of sorts. Through its porous edges, beams of light shot out and pierced the thick black void around it. On the furthest edges of the frame, thorns and the shadows of indistinguishable monsters loomed.
After blinking, I turned and gazed up at Princess Luna. "I give. What am I looking at?"
"The Midnight Armory, Rainbow Dash."
I winced heavily. "Right. I knew that."
"It's located on the very opposite side of the world from us, where only a circumnavigating trip could reach it," Luna explained. "It rests as the one bastion of harmony in the middle of the dark world."
"Uhhh..." I blinked at her. "Dark World?"
She gazed steadily at me. "Why, the opposite side of the earth, of course."
I did a double-take at that. I pointed incredulously at the window. "You... You mean to tell me that there's a side of the world..." I stammered, "Like b-beneath us? On the other side?"
She slowly nodded. "It was as this plane was discovered, Rainbow Dash. There were two sides, each capable of harboring life. When the pioneering alicorns realized this, they decided to plant the seed of prosperity on this landscape. Unfortunately, we only had enough resources to bring illumination to one side; the world was so vast. We chose the side of the earth that you were eventually born on."
"So the Sun and the Moon..."
"Only lights this edge of the realm," Luna said. "To do otherwise would mean overexhausting the reserves of our magic."
I whistled. "Crazy. Uhm..." I blushed slightly. "You know as well as I do that my schooling isn't all that great, Your Majesty. But... do all ponies know this?"
"Some do," she said quietly. "But most don't comprehend the true nature of the dark world, the sort of life it encompasses... as well as the dangers..."
"Is..." I ran a hoof nervously through my mane as I gazed forlornly at the stained glass window. "Is there life on the dark side?" I asked. "Are there ponies, Princess?"
"It is difficult to say," she murmured. A distant expression blanketed her royal features. "Chaos spawns chaos, and many beasts are known to roam the lengths of the Dark World. Discord himself came from a realm deep within the shadowed side of the earth. Without sunlight or moonlight, the surfaces of the realm are exposed ceaselessly to the essence of chaos. The dark world is a land of forsaken things, and most things that dwell there and dare to be cognizant are devoid of peace."
"And yet..." I raised an eyebrow. "You placed this... Midnight Armory thingy there." I turned and gawked at her. "What the hay for?"
"For many reasons," Luna said with a gentle breath. "Its presence there protects two things: the Harmonic Prism and the tranquil balance of the entire world."
"Just what is this Harmonic Prison you keep talking about?"
"'Prism,' Rainbow Dash. It is an object located deep within the dense bowels of the Midnight Armory," Luna explained. "Though it was not always situated there. It came from the Plains of Harmony, the birthplace of all alicorns."
"You don't say? Just where are these Plains?"
She turned calmly towards me. "Doth thou see the stars at night?"
"Yeah, of course."
"Beyond each and every one of them," she said.
I blinked. "Oh." I shifted nervously. "That's... uh... pretty far away."
"We came a long distance to discover places like this earth," Luna said, gazing back at the stained glass window. "And when we did, we found it our duty to plant harmony and aid the spread of life. The Harmonic Prism was our means of preserving our energy and focusing it on this landscape. It was what produced the Elements of Harmony, which have since bound themselves to the living populace of mortal kind."
I took a deep, shuddering breath. "Yeah..."
"The Prism is supremely powerful, Rainbow Dash. Even to this day, it has the ability to channel great light and energy. We built the Armory around it as a means of keeping it safe and secure. We left it in the Dark World so that its own luminescence would ward off any malevolent creatures wishing to seize and exploit it. After it was erected, most of the alicorns flocked to the opposite end of the world and used the harmony within us to illuminate the plane's surface with the sun and moon. A tenuous balance was formed: alicorn kind directly managed the blossoming of life on this side of the world while the Prism kept a modicum of harmony alive from its station within the Armory."
"I'm guessing you guys never thought you'd have to go back for the Prism."
"And we don't."
I glanced curiously at her.
She looked down at me. "Harmony maintains itself now, Rainbow Dash. Thou and thy friends were the first concrete instances of the physical manisfestation of the Elements among mortal kind. With the Elements destroyed, Equestrian civilization and ponydom beyond can still thrive, for they have been living off of harmony for so long. The Prism exists because it has to. The Prism is everlasting. Even a million eons from now, when most energy from the universe will have been diluted in this part of the universe, the Prism will still remain whole in one way or another. In such a time, it may serve a new form of life capable and willing to maintain Harmony just like we hath been. It was our place and remaineth our place to preserve Harmony at all costs, for the sake of life in general."
"Seems like the Prism is pretty untouchable, then," I said. "Why would it matter to me?"
"Because though the Elements in their corporeal form may no longer be needed, it does not change the fact that they can be restored, maybe even multiplied. Direct access to the Prism would allow a soul imbued with harmony to reconstitute the pendants that have served Equestria for so long."
"Okay, that's kind of cool," I muttered with a nod. "But, like, I thought your whole point is that the world doesn't need the Elements of Harmony anymore."
"I am not concerned with the world, Rainbow Dash." She turned and gazed directly at me. "I am thinking of thee."
I leaned back, my lips parting.
Luna's wings flexed as she boldly declared, "In restoring the Elements, the Prism may be able to extend the power of that which you wear around your neck." She bowed her head. "In turn, it would extend the life you have to live."
I gazed at her, at the window, then at her again. "For how long?"
"As long as thou wisheth to exist," Luna said. "Thy life no longer functions like that of a given mortal, Rainbow Dash. Thou art bound to both chaos and harmony, two completely contradictory forces. Because thou hast only the one element of loyalty to defend thyself against Discord's essence, the energy at thy disposal is buckling constantly to that which empowered him. In a matter of months, thou wilt be dead, as thou knowest. But if thou manageth to make such an arduous journey to the ends of the world, to the Dark World beyond, and to the Midnight Armory itself—"
"I could get the Harmonic juice I need to keep Discord's evil away forever," I murmured. "I'd be free of the curse..."
"Indeed."
"But..." I seethed through wincing teeth, battling a dizzy sensation. "You paint such a bad picture of the Dark World! It sounds most uncool, not to mention friggin' far! I mean... I'd have to cross the entire world, get to the other side, and fly my way through the forces of chaos just to get to a place that... that..." I grimaced and squinted up at her. "Can I even get inside the stupid Armory?! Me?! A mortal pegasus?!"
Luna exhaled slowly. "There is no guarantee of that, Rainbow Dash. The alicorns built the holding place of the Harmonic Prism to be impregnable."
"Then... you pretty much told me all of this for nothing..." I sat on my haunches, gazing blankly at the stained glass window. "Cuz it's a lost cause. Even if I flew as fast as I could, I'd likely die before I got there. What kind of hope is that?"
"The only hope, Rainbow Dash," Luna said. "We are sorry, but there is no greater light we can provide for thy path. It simply came to our attention that if thou wouldst endeavor to make such an epic journey, there may indeed be a goal for thee."
"A long, cross-world flight," I murmured. "Incalculable odds. Unknowable dangers. The edge of the world. A land that sees no light. Chaos and monsters. A giant black pyramid guarding an untouchable relic." I took a deep breath, then exhaled in a burst of chuckles.
Luna raised an eyebrow at me.
I turned and smiled up at her. "Sounds like fun..."
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Aaaaand there's the Rainbow Dash Bravado.
More answers!
"We're on a mission from God"...ess.
And that is why Rainbow Dash is the best pony.
And here I thought Rainbow wanted to go to the armory because she thought it would bring her friends back. Maybe she does still think that, but it's unclear at this point. Anyway, I suppose within one or two chapters we should be right back on track with Austraeoh's beginning.
On a misson from God...
To become God.
i.qkme.me/36ild7.jpg
I used to have absolutely no love for Rainbow Dash. I think she's now joint best pony.
Don't forget Keening, Sunder, and Wraithguard when you go to steal power from the heart of the world.
At The End Of The Rainbow - HammerFall
Cue
Dramatic
Music
GO FORTH, Rainbow Dash! Fly to the east! Fly, and meet your destiny!!
i hope she succeeds, oh, how I hope she succeeds . . .
Wait a minute!
Wasn't Dash all shocked when Whitemane pulled the "This world was not made, it was discovered" card?
So why would she be shocked if Luna had already mentioned this?
1729396
OH SNAP.
I'll bet that ImpCol is retconning that whenever it's convenient...
Subject: Rainbow Dash
Suffix Title obtained: "The Insane"
Preview: "Rainbow Dash, the Insane"
-Minty
1729396 Either RD was only half listening to Luna or just writer error
Or it could be that she just forgot.
So unless I'm reading this wrong Luna didn't mention anything about Dash saving her friends; just their pendants. Unless by reconstituting the pendants she does the same for the others.
1729547
It'd be interesting if Dashie got sucked INTO the pendant as it was redelivered to the Sisters, along with the other elements that also have THEIR bearers sucked into them via soul transmutation.
Sentient weaponry, go!
Wait a minute. 268 chapters completed and SHE'S NOT EVEN HALFWAY THERE!?
That's the spirit!
1729547
Maybe.
1729636
This is why I'm pretty sure this will be a trilogy. Probably. *crosses fingers*
Anyway, here's hoping the Harmony Prism pretty much is a magic fix-it-all thing. It would really be nice if the other Elements get revived and become immortal too, because otherwise Dash is probably going to end up really depressed for all eternity (or whenever she chooses to end it).
Prism = Harmony ex machina!
1729396 Yeah I was wondering about that too. But hey, if she's still sane, now Belle knows about Dashie's mission.
I know its already been said by others, but i'm saying it again. Why was RD surprised when Whitemane said this when Luna already told her?
Also it wasnt that she forgot because when she mentioned it to Luna in Silvadel, Luna was surprised Rainbow knew it. 
Also RD can basically become a godess if she reaches the armory. 
That actually explains a lot. Thats all from me for now. Keep up the good work IC and try not to create another plot hole like this one kay. 
1729994
"Harmony from a machine"?
It fits perfectly!
Well, that seems like too big of a plot hole to be gracefully retconned. I wouldn't be surprised if this chapter ends up scrapped. It's a shame, though. Luna's exposition was a good lead-up to Dash's journey, and the information about the Prism's nature was most welcome.
Oorah, Dash!
1729396
I'm thinking either writer error, or perhaps, since we're looking at this though Belle's POV, perhaps Whitemane is twisting the information a little, and letting Belle know the rest of the story.
Or something like that.
Yay! Epic Dash is back.
1728878
I'm glad I wasn't the only one thinking that Dash was channeling Gimli, there. And no previous love for Dash? Pfft. She has always been and will always be best pony
I gotta say, though, I thought Dash would be a little less psyched about spending eternity without her friends (if she did indeed make it to the Armory). I'm just assuming that she's assuming that she'll die in the endeavor, but'll have a hell of a time trying anyway. And really, what else does she have to do with her last months? She can't stay with Spike or Scoots in Ponyville, and she has no other family. And now apparently she has the whole world saving thing to do, too. Quite fortuitous that she made it this far already, really.
As always, I'm still holding out for a happy ending where her friends all miraculously get zapped back to life after Dash saves the world, but I wouldn't mind a Dash saves the world and ends up passing on to be with her bffs afterwards ending, either. There'd be something very bittersweetly tragic about that. Either way there should be a happy Appledash epilogue. Because lets be serious, it'd be adorable.
As to the whole Luna explaining about the world thing - c'mon, its Dash. She probably just heard about the chance for epic adventure and tuned everything else out. Or it was a writing error... nope, definitely that first one
Either way, awesome chapter. Until tomorrow!
This adds such a cool flavor to the whole thing...
GOOD SHOW I SAY, GOOD SHOW
1730021
I agree with this. I will leave it to IC having a slip. I can see how it would happen with multiple storynlines and flashbacks.
1729777
Trilogy? Are you kidding? There's going to be six parts to this damn thing. 3 or 4 to get there, and the rest to get back.
IIIIIt's Dashie's evaluation time!
So we get an explanation from Luna about the Midnight Armory in this chapter, which is good, although for us, it's nothing new. We already knew from Austraeoh that the Armory contained the Prism which would restore the Elements. However, we did not know it would make Dash immortal. Although I guess it makes sense that Luna would say that Dash's life isn't dictated through mortal means anymore. I wonder how the rest of her friends would take that if they do get brought back to life...Also, that last scene is just great, with Dash being all cocky in front of impossible odds. I loved it. These are my thoughts so far.
-MASH
i am going to be reading this for the next 4 months arnt i?
Sounds like a Daring Do/Indiana Jones novel.
1729396 Well, it was a considerable amount of time since then, and she had been through a lot, and it is Rainbow Dash...
After 268 chapters, we finally get to know why Rainbow Dash is taking this journey. I can't wait for the rest of the story.
Fuck Yeah Rainbow Dash!
But seriously, with season 4 coming up, we will finally get to see the origins of the Elements of Harmony, and tragically I doubt they will be even 20% as bodacious as they are in this story!
Minecraft advice: don't dig straight down!
3133454
Best Answer.
So now we know why Dash is going to the Midnight Armoury.
She could even become immortal. Live longer than the alicorns. Literally forever. 
And she could do the same for her friends... 
Well, what do you know? We finally got the full details of why Dash is on this journey. Only took 268 chapters. Of course, we still don't know her current condition... or what's happening to her and Belle... or how Belle broke her horn... or how Pilate lost his eyesight... or what O.A.S.I.S. stands for... or what, exactly, those words and symbols mean... we're going to have unsolved mysteries all the way until the final chapter of the final story, aren't we?
What about the whole, bring it to an alicorn to use it, thing? Is that only for the Elements being restored?(and possibly the bearers)
This, guys, is really what the story is all about. It's about the journey, it's about living, even if your goal serves as nothing except an excuse to go out and see what is out there waiting for you.
The journey begins.
wow, i already knew that she would dodge death if she made it to the armory. but i didn't know that she'd become immortal
that's like, kind of important. wow. wow.
4763110 Immortal Rainbow dash...scaweeeeeeeeeee!!!!!
1729396 I understand im late to this, but Luna didn't say that the world was a machine at any point in this chapter (unless I missed something) She simply has said that the world is a pancake with a light fluffy top side and a dry brittle bottom with a slab of butter (the Midnight Armory [this is what I get for reading/writing before breakfast])
You've changed Rainbow, but not that much.
No way that Rainbow Danger Professionalism Dash wouldn't be all over that, especially with nothing left tying her to Ponyville and Equestria.
This sounds so much like the Legend of Zelda Link to the Past it's not even funny. An ultimate power stored in a pyramid in the dark world, left there by goddesses to keep it safe. Not only that, but prism makes it sound like a shiny triangle. Maybe three of them.