Twilight, Pinkie, Rarity, and the other ones are brought together by Princess Celestia, the level 99 alicorn specializing in holy magic, who gives them a very special quest. They are to travel to the shadow lands beyond Equestrian borders and re-awaken their elements by facing their greatest fears. After this they will unlock the power to defeat the mysterious black stallion once defeated by Luna and Celestia. Along the way they will discover truths about love, loss, and the spirit of adventure. To help them on their way the Princess has given them a special black key and an orb of elementia each to unlock their RPG class. All in all, it's a funny tale that envisions Equestria as a great big video game, although you needn't be a gamer to enjoy the humor.