Prologue: The Rise of Shadows and the Return of Light.

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Celestia let out a tense breath that misted the air before her in the growing chill. Equestria had grown colder these last few weeks as the lack of sunlight started to tell. Despite the darkness the Alicorn seemed to glow from within, casting a pale light around her. The princess was dressed in her full war apparel and it was something Celestia had hoped never to have to wear again, but the times demanded it.

She stood on a crumbled section of wall that had once been the outer bulwark of the royal pony sister’s castle and home. Days of fighting and massive spell blasts had left the castle's defences in a tattered state and Celestia now looked out over the scene of devastation with tears in her eyes.

Dead ponies and other.....'creatures' littered the clearing before her. The latest wave of attackers had only been driven back at a terribly high price and not for the first time Celestia asked herself how it had come to this? Luna, oh sweet, shy and clever Luna. Celestia closed her eyes to hide the vision before her and felt the crack in her heart drive deeper to its core.

The bitter rift that was in no small way Celestia's fault had given rise to this unhappy scene. Why had she not listened, not just to Luna but to others who had warned her of the coming troubles? Celestia feared that her little sister was forever lost to her now, consumed by an enmity of anger, envy and hate. It was hard enough to think that her own sister was waging a war against their kingdom, but the events here were far worse than Celestia could have feared.

Luna had become Nightmare Moon and she hadn't fallen to darkness alone. Celestia's younger sister had dragged others down with her into madness. Ponies that had been loyal, true and brave; Nightmare Moon (Celestia couldn't bring herself to consider that the Luna she knew and loved had any part in this) had taken those ponies that followed her and using dark magic, filled them with her own anger and hate. Nightmare Moon had turned them into something else.

No pony breed was spared from her insane touch. The agile former pegasi now swooped through the air on bat like wings, their eyes a mirror of their new mistress's. Fighting with their feathered cousins and taking a malicious delight in crippling but not killing their opponents outright, leaving them to fall from the sky to their deaths below.

The dependable Earth ponies that swore allegiance to Nightmare Moon in this war were now creatures of stone and cold malice. The defenders had taken to calling them Lithi as they held more in common with the rocks than the earth now.

The Unicorns which once used their natural affinity with the magic of Equestria to help and aid, now wove spells of confusion, despair and treachery. Celestia knew the final attack would come soon. She knew her ponies, no her soldiers had fought bravely and with determination to save their kingdom. Even when corrupted unicorn's who now called themselves 'Shadow casters' had used their magic to turn friend on friend.

It had been the first few waves of attackers that had nearly broken the resolve of the defenders. They hadn’t warriors, or monsters but the enchanted and enslaved average pony folk of Equestria. Their pitiless enslavers hadn't even given them weapons but made them charge the walls to provide access points with their mounds of dead bodies.

Her loyal guards had then been forced to hold the line as the 'lithi' (which were once earth ponies) had battered home with all the force of a relentless avalanche. No mercy or warmth was left in their stone hearts. The worst part were the wounded left behind, even the smallest scratch from lithi's sharp hooves or pointed teeth would begin to petrify their victims. Slowly and inevitably turning their victims to stone, but with none of the life the lithi had.

Nightmare Moon had not taken the field as of yet, Celestia didn't think this was out of fear of defeat, but rather to punish her, forcing Celestia to fight and kill the twisted ponies who fought under the Queen of Shadow's banner. With freely running tears Celestia had been forced to cut down bewitched fillies and colts, shatter lithi and obliterate Shadow casters with blasts of light leaving nothing but ash. Her heart was breaking and she knew that was what Nightmare Moon wanted.

The darkened sky rumbled with thunder and Celestia knew that Nightmare moon's final attack would come soon. She bowed her head and whispered something that none of those standing by her could make out. Even when this battle was at its darkest ebb the ponies loyal to Celestia knew they could look to the regent for comfort, but Celestia didn't know if she had any more to give. The light that had radiated from her and sustained those around her had never gone out, though it was now only a faint glimmer of the radiance it once held.

"Your majesty, we have them ready, please your highness we will not hold out against another attack. Please Celestia you must give the order," This plea came from Celestia's chief court wizard 'Temporal Balance' and as the unicorn trembled cry reached her, Celestia turned angry eyes upon him.

She knew it was what was needed, but Celestia was unable to give the command. She had hoped through this entire tragic event that they would not need the elements of harmony. Deep in her own private fears Celestia didn't know if they would even work in the way that was suggested by her council, or if they succeed would anything be left of Luna should Nightmare Moon be banished.

Swallowing her pain, Celestia's eyes softened before the shaking form of Temporal Balance, oh how she missed Star Swirl, but he was long gone. Those under her command all looked to her for guidance and protection and it was her royal duty to make the hard choices that had to be made. She had made herself their ‘figurehead’ and as such was bound to act in her role.

The hard work to earn the love of her subjects only offered a pale reward indeed. All it had done was cast such a shadow over her younger sister it had caused this war. How could she ever be forgiven for her mistakes, or ever forget the faces of those lost in this conflict? She should have acted sooner, but hope can be a two edged sword.

When it came down to it Celestia needed to save her ponies, she had held out for as long as possible in the hope that Luna was still in there somewhere to save. This choice had already cost too many lives and Celestia would risk no more. Even if that decision meant losing Luna. Celestia nodded slowly to Temporal Balance and giving the order that hurt so much she felt her heart split in two. Celestia was resolved now and hardened herself to what she was about to do.

The sounds of an army on the move could be heard beyond what was left of the walls to their home in the Ever Free Forest. Celestia looked out once more, her insides becoming as cold as the snow that was starting to fall. The sky rumbled and forks of lighting stabbed from the troubled heavens and Celestia caught sight of the black form of Nightmare Moon soaring over her minions below. Celestia's eyes narrowed; this was to be the final decider, either the kingdom would weather this dark time, or fall so far that it would never recover.

"Oh sweet sister did you miss me?" Came the mocking tones of Nightmare Moon over the rush of the wind and storm. The creature that had once been Luna grinned smugly as her slitted eyes watched her counterpart with caution. The battle below was in full swing and ponies on both sides were falling to each other's attacks at a horrendous rate. It seemed that Nightmare Moon didn't care if there was any pony left in Equestria by the end of this battle as long as Celestia fell.

"I have nothing to say to you monster," Celestia replied but her voice didn't carry the same feeling as the words spoken. She wanted to call out, to try to reason with the thing Luna had become and bring her true sister back, but all her hope was placed in what she planned to do and nothing would change that.

"Still think I am beneath your notice? Still just a second rate ruler? What do you think now sister? Am I not a force to be reckoned with?" Nightmare Moon continued her barbed words as the two fought in the sky. This was not the normal fighting of spear and spell, both creatures in this fight were titans of power. Celestia had more strength it was true, but Nightmare Moon was faster, more cunning, but worst of all the black alicorn didn't hold back.

Images of nightmare scenes taunted Celestia, of ponies all dead or dying with her being powerless to stop it. Her heart was racked with the anguished cries of foals watching their parents being cut down before their eyes. All the while Nightmare Moon had summoned a magical pair of knives that circled and darted like sharks with the scent of blood. Lightning from summoned storm clouds reached out to strike the Celestia with relentless fury..

Celestia wielded a long sword of golden light, doing her best to parry and block the strikes of the pair of hunting knives flying around her. All the while blocking out the mental assault the creature that had once been her sister was throwing at her. A faint globe of power surrounded Celestia deflecting the worst of the storm's attentions but Celestia, despite her resolution, was missing the opportunities to strike back.

Nightmare Moon was fanatical, but was far overreaching herself in her hate of Celestia. The white pony who ruled Equestria, still couldn't bring herself to bring harm to what could still be, somewhere, deep in all that madness her little sister.

"What's the matter Celestia? Can't stomach a true fight, or are you just the pretend figure head I always took you for? No real power but great at showing off?" Nightmare Moon didn't relent for one moment.

Celestia, felt the power building behind her in the castle, her court of mages were pouring their best and brightest into the spell that was meant to work in concert with the elements of harmony. The magical focal points were once used by Luna and Celestia, but since Luna was gone the elements she had been responsible for required others to power them.

Honesty and kindness had been Luna's realm while Celestia had governance of the other three as the older of the pair: Loyalty, Laughter and Generosity. The element of magic was shared and used by either alicorn before Luna's fall. Celestia had to keep Nightmare moon busy while the mages below did their work. As such she put some of her focus into replying to the monster's taunts.

"I have no need to try all that hard, Luna was weaker than I before you showed up, and you haven't improved on her one bit. I rather think you're a step backwards in fact." Celestia jibbed back, doing her best to hide the stab of guilt at what she had said.

Nightmare Moon, already deranged didn't need much pushing to let her fury come to the surface and the creature went into a blind frenzy at this simplest of retorts. "I am twice the mare that snivelling little foal ever was! I was her salvation from being stuck behind an arrogant and stuck up fool like you Celestia!"

Celestia was sweating as she struggled to fend off the flurry of stabs and slashes coming her way, but grinned never the less. "Oh please, at least Luna could make the sky pretty when I had finished with it during the day. You just cover it in clouds and hide one of the few things she was able to do well."

Nightmare Moon howled in rage and gave up all pretence of any strategy or rational thought. The monster roared in a way no pony should be able to and the speed and fury of the attacks increased even as their control and skill diminished. Celestia's defences couldn't cope with such an onslaught and her magical shield fractured before then shattering completely; the knives of blackness from Nightmare Moon cut deep gashes in Celestia's flank and side. They nicked her wings and caused searing pain to the her than no normal blade ever could.

Nightmare Moon's knives were slivers of pain and anguish given form and they tore at Celestia’s soul even as they cut her flesh. Celestia was no push over, she knew how to fight: If she had been in a mind to do so she could have placed several telling blows in return to Nightmare Moon, but still held back. The ruler of what was left of Equestria played her final gambit as she felt the spell below come together, it just needed her part in it to make it happen.

Celestia, the regent of the Sun and princess of Equestria let her magical blade shatter and dissipate, she left her self wide open for the attack she knew would be coming and felt the icy pain as the pair of dark blades stabbed into her. She felt the unbridled hate and jealousy of Nightmare moon course through the twin spikes piercing her sides, but there was also just the tiniest echo of horror at what the monster before her felt at what it had just done. Deep within the beast that was Nightmare Moon Celestia thought she heard the anguished cry of her sister Luna and Celestia knew that she had been right.

The Mad slitted eyes of Nightmare Moon looked at the wounded Celestia before her, the blows had been telling, but for some reason she hadn't struck to kill, only to cause as much pain as possible. Nightmare Moon shook her head as it felt the smallest spark of sadness within her but crushed it mercilessly.

"Good bye dear sister, I will enjoy remaking Equestria into a form more suiting to my night's glory, far better than anything you could have done," Nightmare Moon whispered into Celestia's ear. "Such a shame you won't be around to see it." The corrupted alicorn prepared to let the wounded former ruler of Equestria fall when she saw that Celestia's lips were moving.

"Oh some final words? They had better be good sister, or I won't let the world know what the last trembling excuses you have are," Nightmare Moon mocked once more before theatricality tilting her head to listen more closely. The last words Nightmare Moon heard from Celestia were a surprise to her.

"Oh Luna I’m sorry, I will see you again. Maybe next time I will get it right." The bloodied and battered princess whispered before her eyes glowed with a fantastic light. Before the astonished Nightmare Moon could react she was enveloped by a rainbow of colours and knew no more.

The storm clouds were blown away and up in the sky the moon began to shift from its position eclipsing the sun. The first few rays of light began to leak onto the carnage below and the night ponies shrunk back in fear. The lithi stiffened and truly became stone as the beams hit them and the bat ponies clutched their eyes in pain as they were dazzled. The Shadow casters used their powers to block the hated warmth, but they knew this meant: Defeat.

Nightmare Moon was gone and as the defenders looked up they saw a white form falling from the sky, it was not a controlled descent but the free fall of an unconscious equine. Those still able to; flew, galloped or teleported towards their princess. They were in time to slow but not fully stop her fall and Celestia crashed into the ground with such a force that it would have killed a normal pony.

The last defenders looked at the deep furrow carved by the regent of the day's landing. All were afraid that although the battle was won, it may have been at an even higher cost than they could have feared. To their relief Celestia tenderly and with more than a few winces slowly got to her hooves with a gasp of pain. The blood from her wounds slowed to a trickle as she drew on the lingering magic that the elements of harmony had granted her and began to heal herself.

Temporal Balance was the first pony to speak, "Your highness, is it over? Was she destroyed?"

Celestia would have glared at her mage if she had the strength, but instead she just looked at him with sad empty eyes. "You know that is not how the elements work, even if your little spell did manage to power them: They have granted us a respite, nothing more. Don't be so quick to wish for any destruction, it may come back to haunt you one day by giving you exactly what you asked for," Celestia replied with a voice so weary and full of hurt that the assembled ponies were not sure they had heard it from their princess but rather from a ghost.

Celestia's words were hollow and without feeling, "There will be no celebrations for this day do you hear me? I want no sound of cheering or congratulations. I want you all to realize that this day was won, but at a terrible price. Be thankful, be refreshed that the battle is done, but do not rejoice is that understood?"

The normal glow that came from Celestia was muted, she merely looked like a sad pony with her wings drooping with sorrow. Her mane usually shimmering with power had faded to a more natural static pink. The ring of ponies looked to one another in worry, but Celestia wasn't finished.

Temporal Balance spoke up once more, "Your majesty, the equines need you now more than ever. I know this is a dark day, but let them have some joy in that we lived and triumphed despite the cost, please your highness?"

The smaller pony looked up to Celestia's sad face and saw the emptiness in her. Of all the hurts and pains borne by the ponies that fought at her side it seemed none of them came close to knowing how she felt. The regent of the day nodded slowly and composed herself.

"Very well, but do not expect me to join in any festivities," Celestia said with an anguished tone. Her ponies needed her and she would have to put on a brave face for them all. There was so much to do and only a thousand years to do it in.

Celestia had heard the soothing tones of the world speaking, giving a promise and a warning as she channelled the magic of the elements of harmony. The ones banished would return, but as Luna or Nightmare Moon it was not certain, as both or neither it could not say. It was in the hooves of those who remained to discover.

Celestia and her followers gathered up all the corrupted ponies they could, the fallen dark pegasi littered the field of battle in confused groups that were easy to subdue. The lithi were a simple matter as the rays of the sun had turned them to true stone, although it was soon discovered that they reverted back to living stone once the light faded and were also very confused and at a complete loss; it seemed they had been under direct control and not acting of their own free will during the fight.

Hardest of all were the Shadow casters, their brand of magic made finding those who didn't wish to be found almost impossible as they could be standing in plain sight and not be seen. Their magic was all about cold and deceit, the dark unicorns Celestia's army did manage to round up were all too grief stricken to flee.

All the changed ponies were devastated; their mistress had failed them and they were now alone in a world that held very little love for their kind. Once Celestia was recovered enough from her ordeal she convened a council to decide what to do with these ponies after it became apparent that there were none among the victors with the power or knowledge to change the altered back to true pony forms.

There were valid arguments from all, some wanted them banished for their acts of treason, or even have them executed. Another called for them to work as a punishment to repair the damage and hurt caused by the short but devastating war that had swept the land. others seeing the sad and sorry state of those that remained called for a general amnesty.

Celestia would sanction no more killing, enough ponies had died for nothing already. Justice was needed for evils done it was true, but it soon became apparent that most of the ‘changed’ were not acting of their own volition. The Shadow caster's spells faded with the dark unicorn's absence or repentance. Sadly a number of the altered were unrepentant to the core and as such these would have to be dealt with appropriately.

In the end Celestia and the council gave a balanced verdict. Those who wanted nothing more with Nightmare Moon were allowed to live within Equestria's borders once more. They were to help the survivors and would be treated as fairly as could be as they adjusted to their new lives. Those who still wished to follow the now banished Nightmare Moon in her quest for vengeance and eternal night would be exiled with an oath to not come again to trouble the land. Most of the council objected to this last situation, insisting that it would only breed trouble later, but Celestia was firm on this point, there was to be no more bloodshed among those who remained.

The dark pegasi and shadow casters could still live among the other ponies with some adjustment. The lithi were a more complex problem, they feared the sunlight even more than the other altered. Almost anything more than complete night would turn them to true stone once more, plus their dark powers were much more dangerous and could not be controlled, a simple cut caused by a lithi, even by accident had fatal consequences.

Being from earth pony stock these ponies bore their trials with a firm back and determined mind. They would serve Equestria even if it was apart from the main population. Sadly the lithi would, who were loyal, mostly passed out of the official history books becoming myth and fable.

The details of this time were by and large forgotten, other perils and more recent events took their place. Though Equestria was changed and scarred by these events it mostly recovered and the ponies learnt to live under the rule of one princess. The outcasts mostly kept to their oath and as generations passed the truths behind the lithi, shadow casters (or 'Nightborn' as they now chose to be called) and night pegasus (who took to calling themselves 'Negasi') were lost.

Celestia thought it was for the best that the memories of her subjects of those dark and sad times had been replaced by happy and peaceful ones, dwelling on the future. She had time to recover, but knew in her heart that her sister would return. To what end that may be, only time would tell, Celestia grew more anxious as the prophesied hour of that second confrontation was nearing. She would not make the same mistakes again.

Signs and Portents.

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Six months 'B.N.R' (Before Nightmare's Return)

Outside the borders of Equestria lie lands that have different laws and ways. The peace and happiness enjoyed by Celestia's subjects is not a universal rule across the world. A small fortified mixed community found to the south of Equestria's boarders was one such place. The ponies and other creatures that lived there knew little of Celestia's realm other than what they had heard from passersby, which were few and far between.

It was a small town known simply as 'High Point' and from the outside seemed little more than a collection of stone homes built directly onto the mountain side. Supports comprising of stone cut pillars formed the foundations for most of High Points walkways and the whole place carried a cobbled together look. Most of the town was actually inside the mountain which was accessed by a fortified cave entrance. These divides were known as 'Up Town' and 'Down Town' no points for guessing which was named after what.

The place drew out casts, waifs and strays like a moth to a candle flame. Many got a little singed during their time there as it was a rough place, but most lived to tell about it assuming they didn't die in the wastes surrounding the fortified settlement.

Extract from My Journeys Southward by 'Curious Clopper'.

The new day’s sun illuminated the bedroom of 'Sky Strike'. The pegasus was a watch pony in High Point's militia (they didn't have an organised guard force, or much else organised for that matter.) The stallion was sleeping off his fifth coming of age party last night (Folks in High Point, celebrated every five years they have lived as every day still breathing was an achievement.) and grumbled as he turned over in his bed. A fancy name for a plank with some wool sheets on it. The sun was an unwelcome feeling and what made it worse was how his friend 'Gorgon' ripped the covers off him.

Sky Strike let out a moan before looking at the Gorgon with a pair of bloodshot brown eyes. The black griffon looked down with a smug look in his yellow eagle eyes before prodding Sky with a claw. Sky Strike stared at his 'roommate' and had to remind himself that they were friends: Well maybe not friends, but then again they weren't out to kill each other or get one over on their fellow so in High Point that was a good start.

"Come on Sky my turn for some rest. I've been keeping watch all night, time for your shift so shift."

Sky grumbled something before flopping out of bed and onto the floor. Gorgon chuckled to himself before he did his best to get comfy on the small cot, "Oh and I finished off the last of the rations, so you will need to grab some more while you're out, got it?" The griffon called out as Sky staggered his way out of the door.

Sky Strike stepped out of the door way and felt the warmth of the sun on his coat. The pegasus was a patchwork of colours, mostly cream with a few spots of black and white. Most ponies about here had a very mixed family trees resulting in some very strange combinations and Sky was no exception. He had gotten his cutie mark of (A yellow bolt of lightning striking the ground and causing a rock to split) just before his first coming of age. His mother had often joked with him that his aunt was a zebra and his uncle a buffalo. (She had mostly used that last point by telling him he had the thick skull of his uncle any way)

Sky began to loosen up his muscles, starting with his rear legs, working up his body and wings before finally finishing with his neck. A few joints clicked and Sky released a grunt of discomfort. That had been one crazy night. With his basic warm ups done Sky Strike dunked his head in a nearby barrel of water to get the last of the sleep out of his head.

Shaking himself dry, Sky then began dressing in his work gear: A simple white linen wrap that covered his head to kept out most of the dust when flying out in the wastes and a work harness harness including a survival pack and a few other tools. Last was a pair of sharpened wing blades. His primary means of hunting and defence. This was all topped off by a light set of woven armour made of scales and other protective skins taken from the local wildlife.

After giving a final check that all his equipment was in order, Sky Strike made his way to the watch station a couple of buildings along the walkway and reported in. the walkway was built into the town's wall and you could see the drop off to the wastes below if you looked over the guard rail. Upon entering the tower, Strike felt the air grow chilled as he came in out of the sun and not just because he was in the shade: 'Enigma' liked things cold and dark, being a nightborn after all. The guard post was darker than the normal absence of light would suggest.

Sky recalled the words his trainer had said; You didn't cross Enigma. She was a fully black mare, with dark purple mane and tail. Enigma's slitted eyes were a piercing blue and always held a condescending look. It always unnerved Sky the way Enigma practically vanished into the darkness she took everywhere with her and could fully believe that her sharp teeth were almost as dangerous as her temper. Enigma was in charge of security and protection in High Point and everyone in the militia: Even the biggest meanest diamond dog would treat her with respect.

"I see Gorgon found and woke you then?" Her voice was only just a whisper, but it hit you like a knife in the mind. Enigma didn't tend to use spoken words and placed her meanings right into your head. It had freaked out the pegasus the first time he had met one of the nightborn. Most felt it rude to use their magic in such a way, but everyone knew what happened to the last pony that complained about Enigma's methods: They hadn’t slept well for weeks.

"Yes mam, ready to sign out," Strike replied crisply before saluting. (It paid to keep on Enigma's good side)

Enigma nodded before handing a scrap of paper to the waiting pegasus who looked with his orders; It was further out than usual Sky noted but wisely kept his curiosity to himself, or at least thought he did as Enigma chuckled.

"Yes I'm sending you deeper into the wastes this time: We've had some news that the locals are getting restless again. I want you to check it out." The silken quiet voice of Enigma flowed into Sky Strike's Brain.

Strike saluted and trotted his way out, thankful to be out of the nightborn's cold aura. He trotted a little way to the edge of the tower, spread his wings and after a short pause dropped off the edge of the town wall. Sky watched the gangways and bridges of High Point teeming of buffalo, earth ponies and even a few zebra, no doubt on errands of their own pass him by at he dropped.

As the ground raced up to meet him, Sky angled his descent so that his fall took him out over the wastes and towards the rising sun. he flew for several minutes, leaving High Point in the swirling dust clouds behind and soon could see nothing for miles in any direction.

Hovering briefly, Sky checked the map he had been given and angled himself in the direction indicated. Sure he had his course correct he flew off to see what had gotten the 'locals' so spooked up. Sky chuckled to himself: When a High Pointer called something a 'local' they were talking about the normal wild life. This land had any number of unpleasant creatures ready to eat an incautious explorer.

Giant ‘rattle pythons’, ‘scorpani’ were just a few of the of land bound monsters that sprung to mind as Sky soared over the empty expanse. Then there were razor flocks and mist webs Sky recalled more lessons from his trainer: For your basic air rider they can strip you of meat in less than a minute. Sky felt his nerves twanging; if these beasts were getting restless then the inhabitants of High Point needed to know why.

Coming to the first watch post Sky Strike circled once to check things over. To his dismay the shutters were down and he could only see a small plume of smoke coming from the chimney. That was odd, you normally only hunkered down if there was a heavy dust storm coming in and the horizons looked clear to Strike. There hadn't been any in the last few days either and Sky cursed.

It wasn't the first time some pony on duty had taken the chance to have a little nap and Sky hoped it was just that, the alternative was not something he wanted to contemplate. Sky Strike had heard the stories; of watch posts found simply empty or worse, with only 'left overs' remaining.

feeling his skin prickle, Sky Strike flew down to the entrance and paused before working the lock. It was open, another bad sign. Heart thumping in chest, Sky slowly pried open the door and looked inside: The shaded room within was quiet and looked deserted. Still tense, Sky took a few step forward, keeping his eyes peeled for anything more out of place as his ear frantically swiveled. The dingy room before him was silent apart from the wrattling shutters and as Sky examined further he saw there was half eaten food on the table. Sniffing it cautiously, Sky decided it could only have been there a few hours at most.

He carefully made his way up the stairs inside to the only other floor in this wooden shack on tall stilts, inwardly cursing at the way his hooves made the wooden panel’s creek. Sky poked his head above the parapet of the staircase and he saw a shadowy form in the observation chair; It wasn't moving. Preparing himself for the worst, Strike sidled up to the chair and looked at the body contained within.

Sky was met by a smell of bad breath and hog swill, Literally. The sleeping boar had chosen that precise moment to belch into noisily into Sky Strike's face and he reared back, eyes stinging, coughing the whole while. The recumbent boar opened its eyes at the sound and gave a little squeal.

"Caw 'Hogstrot', that was disgusting," Strike said covering his muzzle with a hoof, "You know what Enigma would do to you if she caught you asleep on the job again."

The boar shook his head and yawned, "Now see here I wasn't asleep, I was just on a scheduled break that's all."

Sky Strike folded his fore hooves and lent against a support strut while raising an eye brow, "That's what you said last time too."

"Well it was true then as well, an old swine like me needs his rest, plus you know nothing ever happens out here Sky," Hogstrot said with a grumble.

Sky Strike pushed open the shutters and let the light from outside stream in. Hogstrot released a bemused squeal before Sky rounded on his fellow, "Yeah like the last supply caravan that came this way. It was eaten by a python? Or the time the razor flocks came early and someone forgot to tell anyone?"

The untidy boar had the good sense to at least look embarrassed, "Well almost nothing happens out here," Hogstrot said looking in a sorry way at Sky Strike. "I...... he began, before noticing a small flash in the distance. "Did you see that?" Hogstrot asked.

Sky Strike looked around to where the pig was now pointing: There about a mile, maybe two from the tower was another purple flash, "That was a magic discharge, I'd bet my bonus on it." Hogstrot commented.

"Yeah safe bet, we don't get a bonus Hogstrot, but I think you're right," Strike commented as they both watched as a number of further flashes followed one after another.

Hogstrot whistled to himself, "Well whoever they are they are throwin magic about like it was a pack of playin cards. Gonna have a swarm of scorpani on them in no time acting like that." It took him a few moments to realize that he was alone again and after shrugging he picked up a bottle hidden under his chair. "Leave the fighting and saving to the proper fighters," Hogstrot told himself as he settled down to watch the show.

Sky Strike was flying and could see the plume of dust rising from the fight that was happening up ahead: By the looks of things there were maybe two or three ponies trying to hold off an enraged rattle python. The huge snake was ploughing through the sands after its prey and Sky cursed even as his trainer's voice echoed in his mind: A rattle python is a massive creature that can grow to easily five times the size of a pony; they hunted by following the vibrations in the ground or air and the distinctive rumbling sound of a charging rattle python as they move through the earth was how they have earned their name.

Good old 'Tumble Horn', Sky Strike missed his trainer who'd met a sticky end in the maw of a Python a few years back. There wasn't a day that went by where Sky didn't use something the buffalo had taught him.

Shaking his head, Sky Strike dove closer only to see the snake catch the rearmost of the fleeing equines. With a crunch the animal chomped down on its prey; snapped the hapless pony's spine before tossing it into the air and catching it in its jaws. Strike winced but consoled himself that this had bought the others some time at least.

The pegasus flew past and calling out in frustration, "Stop running it can't see you! It tracks you by your hoof falls!". The two ponies were a pair of unicorns, no Sky corrected himself. One unicorn and one nightborn. The dark unicorn was less obvious because it wore a shaded cloak and hood which covered it. The pale green unicorn stallion called up for help, but kept running despite Sky's warning.

Sky could only watch as the rattle python, having finished its meal, shook its head left and right searching for its next meal. Either the nightborn was a better listener, or just too scared to move because it mercifully flopped down in a scared huddle and lay there. The fleeing unicorn just kept on going as he galloped at full speed, leaving the nightborn to their fate.

Sky Strike cursed and realising he wouldn't get there in time looked away; not wishing to see the previous event repeated. He headed back to the final pony, trying to ignore the grisly sounds of the python eating behind him.

The nightborn hadn't moved from where he had left them and Strike looped back around so that he was above the prone pony again, "Stay there and don't move," he shouted once again. The pony seemed to nod but it was hard for Sky to tell with their hood up.

Keeping an eye on the large snake Sky let himself drop a few feet, it was going to be close, but Sky reckoned he could carry one pony to safety. keeping one eye on the rattle python, who was now turning its head this way and that searching for a clue as to its next prey, Strike dropped a little closer and felt the cold air. The nightborn was holding it's cold night shield about it, that was bad.

"Listen I know you ain't gonna like this, but you're gonna have to drop your aura, it's gonna draw worse things to you." Sky called out as loudly as he dared and to his dismay the rattle python snapped it's head around like a wolf catching the scent.

"Are you crazy? I'll fry alive in this heat!" The nightborn who turned out to be a mare under all those dark robes shouted back even as the python hurled itself forward, picking up speed and shaking ground all around in its efforts to catch its prey.

"It's that or get eaten alive by our big friend over there; You will freeze me if I try to pick you up like that," Sky dared to drop lower, the python bearing down on them the whole while, "Even if you could outrun the rattler you would be chased and torn apart by scorpani, they just love magic users and can track you by your spells. Up to you but best be quick." Sky Strike called back in a matter of fact tone.

The pony below him seemed to way up her options and then with obvious hesitation let her cold barrier drop. The warmth of the wastes was a only slightly uncomfortable for Sky, but he was like stepping into an oven for the nightborn. He heard the mare gasp and saw the sweat pouring off her.

Sky Strike dived, the beast was only a few hoof steps away now and there was a good chance the stallion along with the mare could be its next meal. Sky grabbed the streaming mare and pounded his wings in an effort to get them both air borne. The python lunged catching the hem of the mare's robe; yanking her and Sky back down toward the ground.

The pony below him screamed as the hood was pulled away and her sensitive eyes caught a full burst of sunlight. She closed them tightly as tears fell down her cheeks. Sky grunted as the python, hearing its prey above, flipped about and snapped up in the air. It was rewarded with a number of dark blue tail hairs for its trouble and to Sky's further dismay his passenger instinctively began to raise her aura again.

Sky felt the frosty cold spreading up his hooves as the mare below him began to call on her magic, "No! Do that and were both dead! Just hang on and I’ll get us to the watch post." There was further sobbing from below, but mercifully the icy chill began to fall back again. Sky Strike released a relieved breath as the rattle python below began thrashing around trying to catch it's meal that was now thankfully out of its reach.

Sky flew as fast as he could, but it was clear that this was an agonizing few minutes for the nightborn. She was gasping trembling by the time Sky finally made it to the watch tower. With a final grunt of effort Sky dropped the overheating mare and felt his last night catching up with him as his fore legs burned: Shouldn't have tried to beat Gorgon in a hoof wrestle.

The nightborn with an effort now raised her aura of cold and took deep breaths that left clouds of steam in the air. Without further encouragement she made her way inside the tower and Sky watched as she savoured the blissful haven from the outside sun. The mare wrinkled her nose and Sky could easily guess why, the whole place smelt like a pig's sty.

"Fine flying there Strike, didn't think you would have pulled any of em out with that big old snake bearing down on yer," Hogstrot clambered down the stairs.

"Thanks Hogs but if I knew nightborn were so heavy I may have just left her there," Sky replied, a weary humour in his tone.

"What! I'll have you know I am very aesthetically built!" The pair of slitted green eyes glared at Sky who just laughed, quickly followed by Hogstort. The mare's eyes filled with tears, Star Blast says....Star Blast said so. She began to tremble and both the male occupants in the room stopped laughing at once.

"Now come on miss, it was only a joke," Hogstrot said in a consoling way.

Sky just shook his head, they were used to life being so fragile here, and this mare was evidently from somewhere else with different rules. The nightborn broke down fully, burying her head in her hooves and Sky Strike gave a big sigh, before going on:

"Listen, this is the wastes. Things are rough here and we have all lost some pony, but if we broke down and cried every time, we would never survive. Now I know you're new here, otherwise you wouldn't have had that beast on your tail or been flinging spells about like a foal's entertainer. You have got to toughen up or this place will gobble you up and spit your bones out for the razor flocks to finish," Sky Strike said in a level tone.

The mare looked up at the stallion in complete shock.”What a terrible thing to say to somepony who had just lost two friends and nearly been eaten herself. How dare you! You.....you feather brain!" To her surprise Sky Strike just grinned.

"That's better, keep up that way of talking and you might just last a few days out here," Sky Strike added. "Now what the hey were you doing out in the wastes anyhow?" Sky asked still keeping an impassive tone.

"First of all you are going to tell me your name; I can't just keep calling you pegasus, or ruffian." The mystery mare demanded.

Strike grinned again. "Well since you asked so nicely, my name is Sky Strike, Miss?

"My name is 'Foresight', my friends call me Foresight and you can call me...." Foresight began only to be cut off by Hogstrot.

"Lemme guess Foresight?" The hog kin said trying to keep a straight face.

Foresight glared at the boar and stuck her nose up in the air. with a 'hmph'. Now that her hood was down Sky Strike managed to get a good look at the pony before him. She was the typical jet black form of a dark unicorn. Her young eyes were slitted green, while her tail and mane were dark blue with a lighter blue stripe running its length.

"Okay Miss Foresight, what the hay were you doing wandering in the wastes?" Sky Strike pressed yet again.

"Look not to sound ungrateful but I don't see much of what business it is of yours," Foresight said with a slight tremble in her voice.

"Well you're in High Point territory now and that makes it our business, so unless you want us to toss you out with your former friends then I would start talking." Strike's hard gaze showed how serious he was and Foresight wilted under his piercing brown eyes.

She took a steadying breath and closed her eyes, "Have you heard of the Summer Sun Celebration?"

Both Hogstrot and Sky shook their heads, it was all news to them, "You're telling me you went for a walk in the most dangerous place we know to go to a party?" Strike asked in an incredulous voice.

"Of course not." Foresight snapped back. "It's the longest day of the year, a thousand years since Nightmare Moon was defeated. Don't you know anything?"

The two males looked at each other with confusion and annoyance, "Get to the point Foresight, my patience is wearing thin," Strike added.

Foresight let out an exasperated noise, "Look there is this big prophecy right, and Nightmare Moon is going to come back to Equestria and take over again."

"So what’s that got to do with us? We're not Equestrians. If some power mad alicorn monster wants Equestria that's not our problem," Hogstrot said with a snort.

"It will be when she covers the whole world in an eternal night: Once she has finished remaking Equestria into a realm of shadows and nightmares where do you think she will head next hmm?" Foresight asked as if she was talking to a pair of little foals.

"So you're running away from Equestria then? To get as far as possible from the threat?" Sky Strike asked, "Why would you be so bothered? I mean, aren't your kind descended from her loyal what ever's?" Hogstrot shook his head in confusion.

Foresight face hoofed. "Look most of the ponies she 'altered' were her slaves, I don't want to be that and I may be the only one that can stop her okay. Epic quest, lots of danger and so forth." The pair burst out laughing and Foresight fumed angrily.

There was a sudden chill in the air and to Sky's surprise it wasn't coming from Foresight. He felt the voice echo in his mind, "Strike bring her to me I want to talk to her."

Foresight looked around in shock, "Who in the hey was that?"

"Enigma, she's using the focus at the tower's peak to call us. I guess you have got permission to come into our lands then," Strike explained, eyeing Foresight in a suspicious manner, "Well that's it then, you're coming with me."

A little knowledge.

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Sky released a frustrated groan as he helped Foresight side step another sinkhole, the mare really had no concept of survival did she? In the brief time since they had left the watch post Sky had needed to use all his skills as scout to avoid the various denizens of the wastes, of which Foresight seemed to have a knack of stumbling into without effort.

As such the whole journey back had taken three times as long as the outward voyage and Sky felt the annoyance building within him, but couldn't find it within himself to be angry at Foresight. She had gone very quiet and withdrawn as they progressed and it wasn't hard to tell why: The loss of her friends must be really starting to sink in. It had been like that the first time Sky had lost some pony. It didn't get any easier, but you did get more hardened to the loss.

"So where you from then, sounds like up north to me, from Equestria maybe?" Sky asked to try and help draw the mare out of her shell.

Foresight just gave a little "mhm" only just audible above the wind.

"Look I know you lost some friends back there. We were harsh, but we needed to be. Don't take it as a sign we don't care about anything," Sky tried to explain, this pony obviously wasn't cut out for the rough life in the wastes.

Sky Strike realised that she had fallen behind again and looked back to see a couple of tears, frozen tears, fall from under the hood of Foresight. They 'plinked' on the dust where they quickly melted. Sky Strike had reluctantly allowed Foresight to raise her aura of cold and darkness again, knowing scorpani didn't normally range this close to High Point and had learnt the hard way what would happen if they did.

"Well missy, here we are," Sky announced with forced cheerfulness as the entrance to High Point loomed before them. Sky was proud of the main gate and couldn't help but be impressed every time he saw the cunningly devised lift system. Nothing fancy, but it did the job.

Leaving Foresight to her sniffles, Sky Strike trotted up to the signal box and pulled a few levers before waiting for the semaphore style communications to transfer up along a number of enclosed metal cables. He didn't have to wait too long before the confirmation message was returned and the gears and that made up the lift system cranked into life.

It took a full five minutes for the platform to come down and all that while Foresight just stared blankly at the ground, Sky Strike shaking his head sadly. Of course he could have just flown up but Enigma wanted this new comer in one piece and Sky wasn't going to risk the blame falling on him if she got hurt.

A boar and a buffalo were standing on the dusty metal lift when it finally came to rest. Both were armed with spears and wearing crudely made armour; looking like cast off junk that had been patched together. They nodded to Sky Strike before leading Foresight onto the lift, the metal platform rattled as it took the weight of two more passengers. He watched Foresight cringed in fear as looked about, no doubt fearing the giant snake had returned.

"Well isn't this little one jumpy?" The buffalo said with scorn.

"Shut it 'Stands', I had to pluck her up from a rattler's rampage. I'd like to see you be in better shape if two of your friends had just been eaten," Sky Strike snapped before 'He Stands Watchful' shrugged.

"Well I call it as I see it, if the little rake lasts more than an hour up there I may change my mind about her," Stands said in a bored voice. The Boar nodded in agreement, his snout twitching in agreement as Sky pulled the levers again, signalling those working the machine to take them all up.

As the platform climbed higher Foresight peeked out from under her hood, not convinced she was any safer here than out in the wastes if Foresight was honest with herself. Everything had become far less dependable and friendly once she had left Equestria's border and Foresight was discovering like many before her that the lands she was privileged to call home were a little bit of paradise compared to what was outside.

Even this Sky Strike who was the friendliest pony Foresight had met out here seemed only to be putting up with her because of his orders from this 'Enigma' pony. Foresight wasn't surprised by this, being no stranger to the powers of the nightborn; mind reading, thought sending and cold affinity all lead most ponies to fear them. This Enigma however seemed to have earned a reputation even in this rough place.

Foresight had never heard of one sending over such a distance, or in such a presuming way. If she had behaved like that back home then Foresight would have been in for a hefty fine at least, but it seemed common practice here at High Point. She felt so small and alone despite being surrounded by others.

The lift finished its climb up the mountain face and stopped at an armoured gatehouse. It like the rest of the constructed things here, seemed to be made out of whatever could be salvaged. Wood, metal plates and stone work were all mix-matched to form a barrier against those wanting entrance.

The gates groaned open to reveal 'Up Town' as Sky had called it and Foresight was greeted by thronging inhabitants of High Point as went about their business. Very few among the crowd gave her a second glance and this was strange to Foresight. She was used to being an oddity in Canterlot, her kind being a very small minority even in the capital of Equestria and almost unheard of once you went out into the Princess's lands proper. Here though she was just another face in the strange crowd.

Sky tilted his head to indicate for Foresight to follow him and the two guards remained at the lift's entrance their duty done. As Foresight attempted to keep up with Sky Strike she also found that her idea of personal space was also left behind in Equestria. Most of the folks here didn't seem to mind pushing through Foresight's aura of cold and shade, some even came within touching distance of her. Apart from a slight shiver from these creatures they gave no sign that they had even noticed Foresight.

Sky Strike on the other hoof was given a wide birth, he seemed to effortlessly part the crowd with his mere presence and very soon Foresight was falling behind. Fearing to lose the one pony she had any sort of trust in she tried harder to push her way through the crowd, but only succeeded in causing a number of angered curses. Foresight soon found herself confronted by a very angry looking zebra who was built more like the buffalo guard she had left at the gate house.

"Mind your step little ice mare, or I'll give you a bucking and dirty that pretty hair," The striped equine said in a rhyming way. Even if the words were musical it still conveyed the same threat of a timber wolf's roar.

"I am sorry I just needed to get past," Foresight tried to explain, but this just earned a derisive snort from the zebra.

"So you say your time is more valued than mine? Such a rude and arrogant equine," The zebra had a dangerous look in his eyes now and Foresight backed away before stumbling. The only zebra Foresight had ever heard of was one called Zecora. It seemed the tales of the strange and scary ways of these folk were true.

The striped stallion now loomed over her and pounded his front hooves together. "I should teach you a lesson little mage, not to incite a zebra's rage," The Zebra announced as a small clearing formed about the pair.

"That enough 'Zaqdo', she's with me." Sky Strike was hovering behind the Zebra, his wing blades glinting in the sunlight.

The Zebra narrowed his eyes but made no move to step down, "Well Well pegasus boy, I didn't know this mare was your little toy? What you see in her I cannot guess, but if you don't show her how to behave, then her gentle face will become a mess."

Foresight was totally disgusted by that implication: The Zebra thought she was Sky's little bit on the side if she had understood him correctly. The cold blood in her veins began to fizzle as Foresight's temper flared and a small pall of frost began to spread from her hooves.

Sky Strike didn't seem to put out by this comment at all and went on calmly, "Listen Zaqdo, Enigma had me fetch her. If you want you can keep this up, or you can go about your day, not being turned into an icicle with the brain of a turnip. I know what I would choose."

The Zebra deflated from the angry snarl he was about to give, visibly cowed by the mention of the nightborn mare. "This young mare who is your prize, should not anger other ponies if she would be wise," Zaqdo trotted back into the crowd with a flick of his tail and the other watchers went back to their tasks the excitement over for now.

Foresight galloped up to Sky Strike and with a nervous breath of ice crystals, "I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't stepped in, thanks."

"Don't get mushy on me, if you get killed before Enigma sees you it's my hide on the line. I was keeping my skin intact as well as yours," Sky Strike told Foresight.

Foresight felt her anger flash again, "Well I wouldn't have needed any help if you hadn't wandered off like that."

"Gotta learn to survive out here on your own, can't keep babysitting you filly," He replied in an off hoof manner, but Foresight was sure she caught the hint of a smile on Sky's muzzle. When she looked again to confirm it his face was back to normal dour expression.

The Guard post was almost welcoming after all Foresight had been through. She felt the magic of Enigma long before she saw the mare who she owed her present predicament to. Lowering her hood Foresight looked at the other nightborn hoping to see some kind of kinship, but there was nothing. The dark unicorn just sat behind her desk and looked at Foresight with no expression at all. She may as well have been made out of ice as many creatures believed her kind were.

"I brought this one as requested Enigma, found her and a few others running around the wastes getting themselves killed. She was only one to make it through," Sky Strike told the nightborn commander in a very submissive tone, completely different from the normal manner Foresight had begun to associate with him. Enigma's blue eyes flashed and Foresight had the impression of magic being channeled before Sky Strike bowed, "Of course commander, I’ll be outside if you need me." Sky Strike bowed again before shuffling out of the room.

Enigma then turned to look at the trembling form of Foresight again, her expression as impassive as a glacier; but Foresight could feel the force of those slitted blue eyes drilling into her. After a tense moment Foresight could take it no longer and spoke up, "You wanted to see me?" She asked in a little whisper.

"Why bother with your mouth? Surely this is easier for one such as you and I?" Enigma's face had not moved and Foresight felt the impression slip into her own mind like a cold knife: She was startled, all nightborn were trained to block unwanted 'sendings', but Enigma's words had entered into her head as if Foresight had no barriers at all. Enigma's 'voice' was soft and gentle but carried an 'edged' feeling to it.

"For one thing it's rude," Foresight said with a touch of defiance, "Plus it can hurt other ponies if done wrong." She finished, trying but failing to meet the stare of those ice blue eyes.

There was a small chuckle that came from Enigma's seldom used mouth this time and Enigma actually smiled at that response. Foresight couldn't tell if it was scornful or genuine mirth.

"I See, our cousins back in Equestria have taken all that gentle living and being kind to heart then," Enigma sent once again. It had a little barb that stung Foresight's mind.

Gritting her teeth against what could be compared to a headache gained from having too much cold food to fast (Something a nightborn normally had no fear of) she forced a vocal reply once again.

"Why did you have me brought here if all you're going to do is put me down and cause me pain. Surely you have enough underlings to do that with. I have important things I need to be doing," It was the stubborn side of Foresight that had gotten her into trouble on more than one occasion that was coming out and Foresight gritted her sharp teeth with the effort of holding her thoughts together.

There was an actual smile this time from Enigma, the mask of indifference finally melted and she leaned forward to her elbows on the desk. She also for the first time spoke out loud.

"There we are, I knew your feisty side would be there, buried under all those manners and formality that's been filling your head since you could talk," Enigma's real voice was pretty much like her sent thoughts, "You also come to the heart of the matter; why did I bring you here you ask me? Well I think you know. One of the things they failed to teach you, it seems, is how to properly guard your mind," Enigma said with a touch of pity.

Taken aback, Foresight felt fear that her mission was in peril now, but just because this pony before her, said she knew what was going on, didn't mean she really did. She steadied herself and put on a brave face. "I have an important quest given to me by Celestia herself and......"

Enigma waved her fore hoof in a dismissive manner, "Yes, yes I know all about that: Nightmare Moon's return and so forth. Has it ever occurred to you filly, things might be better for our kind if that were to happen? No more hiding from the sun, no more being looked down upon with fear and hate? We could really be ourselves and not just try to fit in a world not made for us?" It still came as a whisper into Foresight's mind but with the power of a sword thrust.

The send was so strong that Foresight rocked back on her hooves and felt her vision blur. Struggling to regain her balance she glared at the mare before her. If that's what this enigma really believed then Foresight had to get away and stop whatever crazy plan Enigma was plotting. Foresight would fight to the death rather than let the mad alicorn come back and spoil what good there was in this world.

Foresight readied herself to fight before she saw Enigma was smiling again, The older pony arose from her seat and trotted about the desk in a easy going manner. for the first time Foresight saw her cutie mark which looked like some kind of puzzle box. "Be at peace, I don't want those day of slavery to return either. We nightborn can be free now, even in a land where we are feared. I want to help you Foresight, not out of any 'sisterly bonding' or anything like that. I have worked hard to get where I am today and I don't want that taken from me by some mad Goddess out for revenge.

This time Foresight sent back in reply, "Well how do you plan to help me then?"

Enigma smiled once again and this time it truly seemed to be genuine. "Well my dear I know where the orb is of course." Enigma grinned as Foresight's mouth hung open.

Foresight's eyes went wide, "Really where? the younger mare asked out loud.

Enigma 'tutted', "Careful my dear, keep flapping your mouth like that and you won't live long enough to find out." Enigma sent in a reprimanding, almost teasing tone. "Why I have it of course, I know when things of great value are found and took pains to find it."

Foresight knew she didn't want to know any of the details about how Enigma had gotten the orb, the inflection she had put on ‘pains’ gave her a good idea what it involved. "Could you let me have it then? If you know why I need it and your goals are the same as mine?" Foresight sent back.

"That's where it gets a little tricky you see." Enigma informed her younger distant cousin. Though I have it I can't get to it.......

Sky Strike waited outside. Enigma had been adamant that she was not to be disturbed. The day was getting on and Sky was getting bored; it was not in his nature to stand about. That was mostly why he was a scout rather than a full guard. Leave the standing still to the earth ponies or boars, they had the legs for it.

Resting up against the doorway leading to the commander's chambers Sky was in a perfect place to see the whole of Up Town spread out before him. It was his home and Sky Strike had a soft spot for it he didn't care to admit to. It was rough, dusty and full of some of the nastier creatures that had come into the world but it was his home.

The day time creatures were busy finishing up their tasks, soon it would be time for the nocturnal half of the town to be about their business. High Point really was the town that never slept. Sky Strike saw a couple of negasi and even one or two nightborn making their way out onto the streets.

There was a noise from the door and Sky turned to see Foresight come out closely followed by Enigma. He raised an eyebrow and before speaking, "So what’s the order now boss?" Sky thought he caught a brief grin on Enigma's lips before he felt her 'sending' slide into his brain.

"Sky Strike, you are to take this one to Down Town. She will be staying with us for a while and I have something for her to do. While she is here you will make sure she is safe. Do you understand?"

Sky Strike's shoulders slumped. He was worried it was going to be something like that when Enigma tasked him with bringing in this wondering pony. His job was normally to point newcomers in the direction of High Point; that and charge them a fee to enter the settlement's lands. Sky's orders to escort Foresight was now evolving into full blown foal sitting duty.

With a sigh he nodded and beckoned Foresight to follow him before a parting send from Enigma slipped across his mind, "Oh and Sky, if she dies or can't do what I need of her, don't come back. I will have no further use for you." She told him in a sweet whisper that was Enigma's trademark tone.

Enigma watched the pair go and felt a knot of unease in her core. If she doesn't succeed there won't be much to come back to she thought to herself and went back into the guard post with a silent prayer she was right.

"So what did ice queen want with you then?" Sky Strike asked as they wandered their way through the dusk traffic of High Point.

Foresight gritted her sharp teeth and shook her head, "She just gave me the low down of what to expect while I was here and told me to keep out of trouble," She lied.

"We are talking about the same mare right? Enigma?" Sky Strike chuckled nastily. After it became obvious that Foresight was not going to be more forthcoming, Sky Strike shrugged, "Fine probably safer if I don't know any how, but I guess it makes sense she would send you to down town." Foresight's green eyes contracted in panic, narrowing to thin slits, did he know?

"Most of the night time creatures choose to live down there anyway," Sky Strike carried on, missing Foresight's moment of fear and she relaxed.

"Yeah she said I would find things more comfortable inside than out," she affirmed with relief.

The pair made their way to the main entrance to Down town proper, which like the gate at the lift's summit, was blocked off by another barrier made from scavenged cast offs, the main difference was scale: The door was at least twice the size of the first and remained firmly shut this time; only a small access portal was open at its base allowing traffic through.

The guards of the door nodded to Sky Strike as he and Foresight joined the queue of waiting creatures. It wasn't too long before they were allowed entry and Sky was handed a pair of goggles as they stepped through.

"To see with," was all Sky Strike would say, but Foresight could instantly tell the enchantment placed upon the eye wear. Inside the cave was pitch black. Her eyes easily adjusted to the darkness, which seemed to be more than just the absence of light and this was confirmed as the temperature also dropped: Nightborn magic held sway here.

Sky breathed out a cloud of vapour as he led the way further into the darkness. Foresight looked about the new place she found herself in. It felt like, well, home. There were no torches, no lights other than the tiniest pinpoints sneaking in from the ceiling above. Foresight dropped her aura and felt completely welcomed by the darkness almost grinning as Sky Strike shivered: Your turn to feel out of place Mr. As Foresight turned back she saw a number of other dark unicorns maintaining a barrier of shadow across the massive door, blocking out even the fading light of dusk with their magic.

As above, there were all sorts in Down Town, only it was negasi and nightborn were the majority. There were other creatures that Foresight had never heard of, moving about in the total blackness that caused her no trouble. They all made their ways of business under the stone ceiling and around the pillars that supported it. The occasional daytime creature had a set of 'dark sight' goggles on too.

"Impressive ain't it?" Sky Strike commented as he looked to Foresight's expression of awe, "This all looks dull shades of grey to me, the goggles don't do much more than just let me see, but I think this will be a whole different experience for you." Sky was right, the darkness was alive to Foresight's night eyes, she saw the intricate workponyship covering the walls and pillars of this place in vivid detail, it took her breath away.

There was nothing like this in Canterlot and for a brief moment she wished she had been born somewhere her kind could live like this. Not as the strange descendants of cursed ponies from a thousand years ago, but to be in the majority for once. Foresight also knew what cost that would have come with; an eternal night and the rule of a demented alicorn, or to live here where life was held so cheaply.

"Do you need me to show you to the residential quarter?" Sky Strike asked with a little smile.

Foresight nodded distractedly, "Yes, but then I need to go to the 'Mosaic?'" She asked in questioning voice.

Sky Strike gave Foresight a strange look, this was only made more pronounced by the dark sight goggles he wore. "That old silly wall picture, why would you want to see that?"

Foresight smiled, for once she had the answers and Sky Strike didn't, "Well if I told you then I would have to kill you, Enigma made me promise I would keep my mouth shut about it."

"Yeah yeah whatever," Sky replied in a bored tone, evidently not wanting to play whatever mind game Foresight was trying to rope him into, "Come on then I have to show you to your room I guess."

The darkness has eyes

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Sky Strike left Foresight sleeping in her assigned room in Down Town and headed out into the perpetual darkness outside. The two ponies had been given standard lodgings inside the mountain and the inn in which they stayed comprised of a small rough stone building that had been built for such a purpose. Of course Sky had his own bed in Up Town, but he needed to make sure Foresight was safe and so was billeted next door. He was not comfortable spending so much time in total darkness and it was starting to tell.

Sky missed the free air and sky, but Enigma was definite in her instructions. Sky Strike was to keep a close eye on Foresight, why Enigma hadn't chosen a negasi or another nightborn was a mystery to him, but he had learnt long ago not to question the commander's orders.

As Sky settled in for the night he noticed there were decorations down here too, even in this little hovel the walls had pictures and freezes carved into them. Sky shouldn't have been surprised, Down Town was made out of some old ruin: The architecture was of an ancient design, all angular but carved with apparent care. Some pony had taken a great deal of time and skill to cover Down Town's walls in art work, even though no normal pony could see it in the total blackness.

Sky guessed the whole place must have once been an old altered temple or something, the nocturnal ponies would be able to see fine in the dark. Now Down Town was just home to the negasi, nightborn and other creatures of darkness. Putting the mystery aside, Strike removed his dark vision goggles and tried to get some rest.

After all the excitement of the day Sky Strike was well ready for sleep. This new nightborn Foresight was going to be trouble, he could feel it in his bones. With these uneasy thoughts in his mind the pegasus stallion slipped into a disturbed sleep: Bad dreams had been troubling the inhabitants of High Point for the last few weeks. Most couldn't remember their contents but all were left with a feeling of dread when they awoke. Sky could only hope it wasn't his turn for such.

Sky Strike was startled awake by a distant scream, it was a noise of pure terror and as it echoed its way into the room he felt his skin crawl. Instinctively Sky covered his ears, only to discover the sound was coming from inside his own head. He fumbled in the blackness for his dark sight goggles, knocking a number of items in the dark before he laid his hoof upon the leather bindings. The blackness resolved into a monochrome world of grays and blacks as the dark sight goggles did their work.

Overcoming his initial shock, Sky took a few moments to try to make out the screams; they were the outward sound of a mare in terror combined with a 'sending' of the same sound right into Sky's head. No matter what he tried Strike couldn't block it out it and the stallion ground his teeth in pain.

Still grimacing, Sky threw off his covers and strapped on his wing blades as fast as he could. Sky Strike recognised Foresight was the source of the screams and his blood ran chilled. Wasting no time, he threw open his own door and tore down the corridor, thankful that the mare was only a few doors away.

Skidding to a stop, Sky then cursed as he tried to open the door. Of course it would be locked. Pressing his ear to the carved wood, he could clearly hear the sounds of Foresight's terror mirroring the screams in his own head.

Seeing little else to do Sky swiveled about and put all his strength into a buck that cracked the door. Other tenants, no doubt awoken by the racket, poked their heads out of their rooms and looked at Sky Strike in a bleary way. Ignoring their stares, he heaved another kick into the door and this time the planks splintered and fell away to reveal the room within. Foresight was thrashing about in her bed at the far end of the dark space, but as far as Strike could tell there was no other threat inside.

He cautiously made his way through the broken doorway, Foresight's screams were still coming in such feeling that it turned even Sky's jaded blood to ice. She was clearly terrified and Sky instinctively approached the dark unicorn to help her but caught himself just in time. The frigid cold in the air told him that Foresight's aura was up in force and he saw ice crystals forming all around the distressed Foresight.

Sky understood that to reach a hoof into that kind of cold would mean the loss of a limb. Heading back out into the corridor Strike gave no heed to the confused looks the other patrons were giving him. Casting his eyes about he spotted a storage cupboard and wasting no time galloped over to it. Pausing only to Fumble with the handle, Sky finally wrenched the door open and rooted inside until he found something he could use.

Now clutching a broom in his teeth, Sky galloped back to Foresight who was still thrashing and screaming with no sign of stopping. Still not convinced this was a good plan, the pegasus adjusted the grip on the broom and poked it towards the scared mare. Frost formed on its tip as the broom contacted the dark unicorn's flank, but despite Sky's jabbing with the handle a few times, Foresight didn't wake.

Seeing nothing else for it he would have to go to plan 'B'. To the horror of those watching from outside Sky Strike brought the handle around in a sweeping arc and landed a heavy blow on one of Foresight's rear legs. The now brittle wood handle shattered with shrapnel flying across the room. It did however achieve the desired result as Foresight sat bolt upright in bed and wailed. Her terrified eyes opened, showing an inner light pouring from within. To Sky's relief the screaming in his head was suddenly muted, before mercifully falling completely silent once again.

The onlookers all let out shocked gasps at Sky Strike's actions, but he paid them no heed. Panting hard, Sky was looking into Foresight's monochrome eyes which were filled with pain and confusion. The glow had faded as Foresight regained consciousness and her wailing gave way to grumbling as she clutched at her bruised back leg in confusion.

"Wha, What happened?" Foresight asked as tears formed in her eyes. The aura of cold she had been projecting had vanished with her waking, allowing now liquid tears to fall down her cheeks.

"I could ask you the same question," Sky Strike asked in a daze, "You were screaming out and we couldn't wake you." Sky explained, eyeing Foresight suspiciously.

"No I mean my leg, feels like something hit me!" Foresight looked at the remains of the broom and her eyes narrowed. "You hit me?" her voice now filled with suspicious anger rather than fear.

"It was that or freeze my hooves off," Sky said defensively.

"It didn't occur to you to fetch another nightborn or negasi to help?" Foresight asked in a scolding way as she continued to rub her abused legs.

Sky Strike bristled at this talk, "You normally scream out in terror when you sleep then? You could have given me some sort of warning maybe!" His voice full of accusation.

Foresight finally took in what was being said, "I was screaming in my sleep?" She lifted a hoof to her face, which was now covered in slowly melting tears. Foresight turned to focus on Sky Strike with her eyes full of confusion.

"Out loud as well as in my head," Strike confirmed. "You woke up half the building with the racket you were making."

Foresight began to shake as the contents of her dream crept back into her mind and she gave Sky a pleading look, "Sorry Sky I haven't had one like that for years now." She scrunched up her muzzle in dismay.

"It was about Nightmare Moon. It's not the first of its kind, but it was certainly the clearest I have ever seen. The only time the nightmares had been that vivid was the time I got my cutie mark." foresight wore and embarrassed expression as she saw the other patrons watching the unfolding scene. "Just like that first time, the Mare in the moon was taunting me and mocking at how I had failed. How it was all my fault that Equestria was doomed."

Sky Strike looked Foresight, still trembling from her recent experiences, it was the first time he had seen her without her cloak and he realized just how young she was. He now saw her mark for the first time, a slitted eye in the centre of a grey storm cloud. Well he had to assume it was grey, he didn't see any colours with the dark vision goggles on.

Foresight looked so small, scared and Sky felt the filly didn't belong in a place like this. If she had been born in High Point she wouldn't have lasted to her first coming of age if he was any judge. She hugged herself before looking once again to Sky with tears still misting her eyes.

"Any other crazy things I need to know about? If I've got to keep you safe, it would be great to know of any other surprises in store." Sky Strike asked in a cold manner.

Foresight took a few moments before answering, "I don't think so, it's not been that bad in years."

"So these 'nightmares' happen fairly regularly then?" Sky asked in the same level way, the frown on his muzzle deepening .

"Don't look at me like that!" Foresight snapped back. "I didn't choose to have night terrors, it just happens. most ponies have bad dreams about snakes or whatever, I just happen to get ones that are more vivid." She visibly shuddered again and Sky frown worsened.

"Sometimes they can be useful, like warnings of the future," Foresight finished off in a defensive tone, "It's partly how I got caught up in the whole mess to begin with."

With the excitement over, the last of the onlookers went back to their rooms. Sky was sure that the owner of the establishment would be along shortly to find out how much it would cost to repair the door and replace the broom. Enigma had given Sky a few gold coins to cover foreseen expenses, but it wouldn't last long if they had to keep paying for damages like this.

He folded his fore legs and lent against the ruined door way, "Well I see this is going to be a problem. Don't suppose there is any way you can keep your screams to yourself? No offence filly but I need my sleep if I’m gonna keep you alive." There was no sympathy in Sky's tone.

"Do you actually care about anyone else but yourself?" Foresight asked in an incredulous voice.

Sky Strike sniffed and looked at what was left of the door, "Well since you put it so simply, no not really. I had ponies I did care about, but they’re gone and so I look out for myself. I told you from the start I was keeping an eye on you because Enigma will freeze me alive if you get hurt."

This wasn't totally true of course, Sky felt sorry for the filly, Foresight wasn't a bad sort. She's still very naive about the world but had a hope in her eyes, that same hope had burnt out in Sky Strike's heart a long time ago. It was a contagious hope that fed the last flickering embers in his chest. He would never admit to it but he liked Foresight. Not in a physical way, she was far too young for him and would freeze his 'bits' off if he ever tried anything, but she was fun company despite all the screaming.

"Well I guess that will have to do then." Foresight answered, "More than what most ponies around here seem to care." The dark unicorn said in a despondent way.

Sky Strike nodded. "Well I don't know about you but I don't think I could sleep after all that, nor would I want to if it means waking up to that again."

Foresight laughed a humourless laugh, "Welcome to my world."

With any ideas of sleep long since fled from them, Sky paid for the damages and the pair left to make their way to the 'Mosaic'. It was a well known landmark at High Point, there had even been a couple of academic types who had tried to decipher it when they had come to the town.

All agreed that Down Town was far older than the buildings of Up Town by many hundreds of years. Of the Mosaic itself almost nothing was understood, the mural showed the classic Celestia and Nightmare Moon depictions. There were other ponies shown, but as to what they were trying to achieve or what the story behind the Mosaic was, no pony could yet tell.

The Mosaic was hidden away in a sectioned off chamber which was guarded well as it had some value (a number of big gems being the least) and the High Point authorities wanted to preserve it. There were also tales of ponies left alone near the wall just disappearing, but with all the other dangers present in High Point these events were not given much credence. This meant that Sky Strike and Foresight were challenged by a pair of negasi and one nightborn as they came to the entrance.

"Halt, what’s your business here?" The nightborn demanded.

Sky Strike wasn't intimidated and met the glare with a calm look of his own, "Enigma wants me to take this one to see the Mosaic". Strike answered flatly.

The nightborn stallion glanced over Sky Strike's shoulder to look at Foresight, "This little one?" He asked with a sneer.

"That's her orders, you can take it up with her if you want," Sky confirmed in a matter of fact way, glaring at the black coated pony before him.

The nightborn stallion matched Sky Strike's stare with his own yellow eyes, but eventually the dark unicorn backed down, "Very well but I will be taking this up with Enigma." He assured Sky.

With that the two negasi lifted their crossed spears and allowed Sky and Foresight to pass, watching them intently until the pair were out of sight.

"What's with them?" Foresight asked, surprised at the hostility of the guards.

"There are some altered who see this place as a sacred place and don't take kindly to day time folk intruding. It's lead to some friction in the past," Sky explained in an easy going way.

Once through the door there were no further guards and soon the pair found themselves alone. The corridor was covered in the same strange murals; followed the established patterns on the buildings and walls found elsewhere in the caves. The carvings here were in a better state of repair however, the whole area around the mosaic had an untouched quality to it, as if no pony had disturbed it in years, despite the infrequent visits.

As the corridor ended the Mosaic suddenly loomed before them. The fresco was a huge image made up from all sorts of materials, gems, marble and other undefined stones. With no torch light to reflect off the gems it was only Foresight who could truly take in its beauty. There were pony shapes depicted on the Mosaic's surface. Some looked like they were fighting, others may have been dancing or praying. The whole piece was like a scene out of some mad dream, this was all overlooked by likenesses of Celestia and Nightmare Moon.

"Well here it is, I don't know why Enigma would want you to come to see this, probably just to get you out of her mane. I grant you it's impressive but..." Sky Strike noticed that Foresight had become very quiet and still. The mare was staring at the wall without so much as a twitch.

"What's up?" Sky asked as Foresight continued to stare.

"It's just like my dream," Her eyes were wide, "How can this be here? I....I" The mare was too amazed to speak.

"Okay so you have seen this before?" Sky was confused now but if this was what Enigma had planned then he was compelled to go along with it.

Foresight stomped her hoof in frustration. "I don't know what it means though! What did she want me to see, what's the point in showing me this?" She called out to the darkness.

"How the hay should I know Foresight! It's just a pretty wall to me, you're the magical mystery mare," Sky Strike replied in an annoyed tone.

What happened next took both equines by surprise, one of the stone ponies near the bottom of the wall turned its head to look right at them. It quickly became apparent that this pony was not just an image, revealing a fully formed other side as the pony detached itself from the wall. The stone creature left a perfect impression of an equine behind as it's hooves boomed onto the floor. The creature's slitted, black eyes looked from Sky to the Foresight before it spoke to them. It's voice sounded like boulders grinding together it called out.

"Thou art the one they call Foresight, the far seeing one?" To the flesh and blood ponies mounting fear they discovered the stone stallion was not alone, others creatures were coming to life before their eyes and climbing off the mosaic.

Five stone ponies finally removed themselves from the wall and now stood in a line before them. The gaps in the mosaic left behind now revealed a doorway leading to another chamber. These creatures were all earth pony in form, three stallions and two mares.

"If thou art here then the time of return is soon upon us," Another of the stone ponies said in a female voice. Even though it was feminine in tone it carried the same rock like quality. These five equines all had stone fangs and their eyes opened in a slitted fashion showing nothing but blackness within.

Yet another stone pony spoke, "This means the fallen ones will come here very soon, thou must hurry there is not much time," This stallion's granite like body was molded as if he was wearing armour.

Sky Strike dove in front of Foresight and spread his wings in a protective stance, "Foresight run, I’ll distract them."

He bunched his muscles, ready to dive at the closest pony but they made no threatening move to come towards Foresight or himself.

"No Sky, don't I.....!" Foresight began to call, but was suddenly cut off mid sentence.

Confused the pegasus turned his head to see Foresight being held by one of the negasi guards that had barred their way before, he was holding a knife pressed against her throat.

"We see the fallen are here already, time is shorter than feared. We will deal with this one, thou go and recover the orb," The first stone stallion spoke out once more.

The negasi's went wide eyed and he shuffled back, the grip on his knife trembled, making a shallow cut on Foresight's throat which began to bleed as she winced. The stone ponies advanced as one and Sky stared from them to the Foresight and back again, unsure what to do.

"Move aside unchanged, we have no quarrel with you." The armoured stone pony declared, "It would be foolish for thou to attempt to fight us anyhow," One of the stone mares announced.

The negasi's back legs contacted the wall behind him and fear blossomed in his eyes, "Now just hold it there you stone freaks, I'll kill the mare if you come a step closer."

Sky didn't seem to have any choice, he doubted his blades would have much effect on stone creatures and so he would have to trust them for now, but he couldn't just step aside either. Foresight needed him.

Sky Strike closed his eyes and listened with his ears, doing his best to feel the air being moved behind him and when he judged the time right he spun about. With a neat motion flung one of his wing blades. It was a trick he had trained himself to do after Gorgon had showed Sky something similar in griffon fighting styles.

It was a huge risk, he might hit Foresight, but he didn't trust the stone ponies not to hurt her either. There was a cry of pain as the wing blade buried itself in the negasi's shoulder, thankfully only taking a small nick from Foresight's cheek. That stunned the bat pony and to Sky's relief the knife was dropped to the floor with a clatter.

Foresight wasting no time lifted her hind leg and brought it up painfully between the stallion's legs. As the dark pegasus doubled over with a gasp and she made good her escape. Foresight was careful to avoid the stone ponies as she darted over to Sky Strike, turning back to watch the unfolding events.

The injured negasi looked up just in time to see the armoured stone pony reach him. The creature seemed to regard the bat pony for a moment, then in an almost casual way it lifted it's hoof and brought down sharply on it’s head. What followed was an unpleasant crunching sound that made even Sky feel ill..

Without even pausing to clean it's now dirty hoof the stone pony turned about to regard Foresight and Sky once more. "Thou must go, time is of the essence.” Sky Strike's eyes hadn't left the dead negasi; to his horror the dead pony was slowly turning to stone. The petrification was spreading along the body like rot across an apple.

"Why doest thou not heed our warnings? The time is at hoof, go thy way and take the orb, others of the fallen will not be far behind," The stone mare urged once more.

"They do not understand the full implications of events," The armoured pony said turning to address the other stone ponies. "They remember not the past."

The other four ponies nodded in understanding, before the armoured one turned back to the frightened pair of flesh and blood ponies.

"The time of Nightmare Moon's return is approaching. Thou need to assure that it will not herald an eternity of darkness. Know that the fallen ones, those who still follow the queen of darkness are yet found upon the land and will try to stop thee. My words will make more sense once the orb is in thy hooves. Now thou must go. We sense that all does not go well on the surface."

Sky Strike didn't need to hear any more and dragged Foresight through the now revealed doorway. He soon wished he hadn't as his hoof grew cold. In her panic Foresight had protectively raise her aura again. It may not have bothered the negasi but the pegasus cursed as he drew his hoof away now covered in a thin layer of frost. "We really have to find a better way of dealing with that," He mumbled.

"They were Lithi," Foresight said, "I read about them, but I was sure they were just an old pony tale. I mean I didn't think any lived now," The nightborn said in between shallow breaths. She was at risk of hyperventilating, it was all getting too much for Foresight.

"Lithawhat?" Sky Strike asked as he shook his numbed hoof, trying to get some warmth back into it.

"Lithi, stone ponies, they are what happened when Nightmare Moon altered earth ponies," She managed to say as they made their way up the now revealed corridor. The tunnel ended in a round, highly decorated room. Its fresco's mirroring those elsewhere in Down Town were also wreathed in cobwebs and dust. The pair didn't have further time to stop and wonder though.

On a plinth in the centre of the room was a small sphere coated in a layer of dust which failed to conceal the strange runes that glowed with a faint blue light. It took Sky a moment to fathom what he was seeing. In his monochrome world provided by his goggles the runes should have been almost white, but to his surprise they stood out in a cold blue colour, the orb must have held some terribly strong magic.

"That's what we came for?" Sky asked in shock.

Foresight nodded and removed the orb from the plinth in the center of the room, cradling it with her fore hooves. There was a bright flash from back the way they came, quickly followed by the sounds of smashing stone and shouted voices. As the orb left the plinth there was a rumble and a new door was revealed at the far end of the chamber. Foresight looked at Sky who nodded before heading for the freshly revealed exit.

Behind the fleeing ponies came a final shout of "For a free Equestria," closely followed by bright flash of bluish purple light which shook the tunnel and echoed with a resounding 'boom'. Not waiting to see what this meant Sky and Foresight dived through to another passageway, before they felt a bit of the floor sink into the ground.

With another rumble of stone moving the doorway closed behind them both. Panting, Foresight paused only to safely store the orb in the folds of her robe before turned her full attention to running after Sky Strike who was climbing a set of stairs to an uncertain fate beyond.

The Masks come off

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The initial shock and wonder Foresight experienced at having seen real Lithi soon faded from her mind, quickly replaced by the horror of what the stone ponies had done: The Lithi had killed another pony, without mercy or compunction. It wasn’t that Foresight was ungrateful, the aforementioned pony had a knife to her throat, but to see a pony killed in such a detached way by another sentient being shook Foresight to the core.

Sky Strike kept his thoughts on the matter to himself as he galloped up the stairs, pausing only to let Foresight catch him up. "What was that all about?" He called waiting for the panting Foresight to draw level with him. She took some time to answer, not being the fittest of ponies having spent more time reading than running.

"I....I think they were trying to help us, the Lithi I mean," Foresight replied trying to block out the memory. She knew that sickening crunching sound would stay with her to the grave, “They said something about the fallen ones, I think they meant the negasi that tried to kill me."

Sky Strike snorted at this, " I knew that stallion, he's been in the militia for years and only a crazy pony would go against Enigma's orders, why would they want to kill you specifically huh?" His voice was full of confusion and Sky snorted before setting off up the stairs again.

Foresight nodded as she struggled to keep pace with Sky Strike, "I think we are dealing with mad ponies that want Nightmare Moon back," She managed to say, her lungs burning from the exertion while her leg muscles screamed.

"Why, isn't she meant to be all the bad things you can think of?" Sky Strike slowed to keep pace with Foresight as they came to a right angled turn in the stairs.

"Look we don't have time for a history lesson; the point is there are ponies and other things trying to help the eternal night come back," Foresight managed to gasp as they rounded another corner.

The stairwell was leading up in a square fashion with regular landings at each turn, Foresight secretly thanked the builders for that as she was forced to pause again for breath. Sky was about to say something when another explosion of purple-blue light echoed up the passageway behind them, causing dust to rain down on the pair. Both ponies looked at each other with worry before Foresight forced herself up and forward once more.

"I think that was the big stone door that just gave way," Sky Strike commented and they both quickened their pace on the engraved stone stairs. Their frantic hooves finally brought them to a small round room with a depressing lack of exits. Sky Strike let loose another frustrated snort, cursing that they had come so far only to be blocked yet again.

As Sky turned around to await their pursuers while Foresight looked about the room in desperation; she examined the walls and embossed patterns more closely for any clue of a way out. This area hadn't seen any pony for centuries by the looks of it, but it was oddly familiar to Foresight nevertheless. After taking a calming breath and closing her eyes Foresight reached out with her magical senses, she had a thing for old ruins.

There was that familiar feeling in the walls: Foresight recognised the 'taste' of the background magic in the air, having the same ‘flavour’ from her dreams and just like the mosaic before, it seemed 'know' her. With a little flexing of her mind she drew the power in and Images of the past danced through her mind. Taking what the past could teach her, Foresight knew exactly what she needed to do. Sky Strike felt a tingle along his back and turned to watch Foresight in mounting confusion. She was moving forward in a dream like state, tracing her fore hooves along the wall's embossed surface like a blind pony looking for a handle.

Shrugging Sky Strike refocused on the door way, the sounds of hooves were getting louder. His attention snapped back to Foresight as a sudden rumble of stone resounded through the chamber. The small room trembled as little motes of dust trickled down and to Sky’s wonder the whole room began to rotate. He backed away from the shifting stone and watched as their entrance was swallowed by the moving walls.

Foresight smiled to herself and opened her eyes in time to see another doorway grind into view on the further edge of the room. The grating stopped and the pinpricks of stars could just be seen further along the rough stone cave that was now revealed. Foresight hissed and closed her sensitive eyes as a bright flash filtered from the world outside. The sounds of cries and magical discharges could be clearly heard from ahead.

Sky's heart soared as he saw open sky again and galloped ahead. He stepped around rocky out crops covered in moss and finally ducked under the low mantle at the end of the cave to find himself outside once more. Sky discovered they were on a rocky plateau some distance above High Point. His happy mood at escaping the tunnels below stuttered, only to be replaced by anxiety as he saw the unfolding scene below: High Point was under attack, the air before him filled with battling creatures and magical spells flew across the vista.

Lifting his goggles: Sky saw pegasi, griffons and negasi all tearing into each other with wing, claw and spear. He gritted his teeth witnessing the final moments of friends and fellows as they fell wounded to their deaths below, mercifully lost to Sky's view among the burning buildings. Foresight caught up to Sky and gave a gasp of horror. Paying her no mind Sky Looked further and saw the flightless members of the militia doing their best to hold off these airborne foes.

High Point was a rough place with rougher neighbours, so they had their share of defences. Cunningly wrought crossbows, placed at regular intervals on the walls flung bolts into the air to cripple the attackers. Armoured lookouts had been constructed from sheet metal and wood to protect those inside and allowed stones to be hurled onto enemies below. Even with these defences in place Sky saw the town was hard pressed to hold the invading army at bay.

Another flash of spell discharge dazzled Foresight and she shut her eyes to block out the pandemonium below her before further rumbles from the cave behind them told the pair they couldn't linger here, but there was no obvious pathway down. Foresight Looked pleadingly at Sky Strike who just stood there, the fires of his burning home reflecting in his eyes.

"Sky we have to move!" Foresight called out but he didn't respond. Foresight looked about in a panic. Not knowing what else to do she tried to 'send' into Sky's mind only to find there was a conversation already happening within.

" ......That’s an order Sky, these maniacs are without end. We can hold them for a time and I won't give up High Point without a fight, but you will do far more good by following my orders colt." Foresight recognised Enigma's voice, her normal cold calm was gone and Foresight could feel the rage in her words.

"Like Tatarus, I'm gonna do that!" Sky Strike’s thoughts came back, he couldn't project them like a nightborn, but he knew Enigma could hear them all the same.

There was a ‘feeling’ of frustration more than the sound of such, ‘sending’ could be very empathic, "Listen you featherbrain, coming down here and getting yourself killed won’t do us any favours. They are after Foresight and that orb,]" Enigma's thoughts were edged with dread that Foresight felt in turn, he was coming to understand what Enigma was planning to do.

Sky’s next reply caused Foresight to shiver in fear, "Then why don't we just give them Foresight and that silly trinket? After that they can trot off into whatever hole they crawled out of." Foresight could feel Sky's head hurting and it only got worse with Enigma's reply.

"Listen, you miserable little foal ‘when’ this town falls, and it will, make no mistake about that, I am gonna take as many of these crazy cult ponies with me. If you’re still in range of my mind blasts when that happens, I will reduce that blob you call a brain into a puddle of mush. Now take the filly with you and get out of here, do I make myself clear?" Sky Strike stumbled, his head feeling like it was going to split in two while Foresight, who was only eavesdropping, recoiled from the harsh stab of pain. The ice cold malice in Enigma’s ‘sending’ was almost unbearable, even when only experienced second hoof.

Even though Enigma wouldn't be able to see it, Sky Strike nodded and turned a pair of bloodshot eyes towards Foresight, his angry gaze glared at the small mare and for a moment Foresight thought he would strike out at her. The Sky mastered himself and after a moment he spoke in a sullen voice:

"Come on we’re getting out of here." The pain and sorrow in these six words could have weighed down a rattle python and upon seeing Sky’s distress Foresight lifted a hoof to try and comfort him. Sky looked to the hoof with an expression of disgust and snorted at the gesture before motioning for her to climb on. Having no other choice Foresight clambered onto Strike’s strong back. Sky spread his wings, accelerated into a gallop before launching himself off the edge of the plateau with a final kick that sent small chunks of rock tumbling down to the fighting below.

As they flew off into the night, Foresight and Sky Strike felt the lingering traces of Enigma's final words. In the brief time Foresight had known Enigma she come to see her as a tough a mare, but a pony with a heart nevertheless. This made it all the worse to feel the deep sense of sadness underling her last ‘sending’ to Sky and Foresight.

After traveling a fair distance, leaving the raging conflict behind, Sky Strike turned about and hovered with slow beats of his wings, as if taking taking one last look at his home.

Foresight peered over his shoulder and saw the wastes outside were covered in moving shapes, thousands of small pony like figures struggled, which in turn were dwarfed by the outlines of huge creatures lit by the fires of the burning town above. The smaller scurrying shapes darted about these behemoths who completely ignored them. Instead the monsters threw themselves directly at the supports of Up Town; battering the stonework with their serpentine bodies, or coiling around to crush the core pillars holding up Sky’s home.

There was another sound 'felt' in the soul rather than by the ears; it was an exaltation of triumph mixed with an insane laugh that no right thinking pony should ever be able to replicate. Foresight's eyes and magical senses were drawn to a ball of darkness, somehow managing to appear blacker than the shadows around it. Foresight could feel the power from here; it seemed there was a very strong mage leading the hoard.

By the feel of the magic the mage was a fellow nightborn and its 'sending' was whipping those about him into a frenzy of rage. It further dawned on Foresight that this pony was probably directing the monsters fury like a sheep dog drives its charges before it and shuddered to think of such power being brought against them.

Her attention was drawn to a particularly bright flash of blue light that briefly illuminated the masses below High Point. “That came from the guard house,” Sky Strike commented in a voice filled with emptiness, all the warmth drained from his manner by the tragedy unfolding before his brown eyes.

With deceptive slowness, the pillars sustaining Up Town crumbled: hurling stone, bodies and fire down onto the hoard below. Foresight thought it unlikely Enigma had directly caused the collapse; nightborn lacked even the basic telekinetic strength of a normal unicorn but their powers over minds were second to none. What she did feel was the grim satisfaction of the commander as she made sure as many of the attackers ‘couldn't’ choose to get out of the way of the falling mass.

There was final, "Good luck, by our true Luna, you are both going to nee..." that resonated in watching ponies’ minds before being cut off in sudden silence. Tears flowed down Foresight’s muzzle as Sky Strike turned about and flew away from High Point. Foresight had only known Enigma for a few days and in that time she had shown a kind of rough maternal side that Foresight had grown to admire.

Sky Strike was torn up inside, when he said that he only looked out for himself it had been a simple lie to sound far stronger in front of Foresight. Foresight realised she hadn't terminated her connection to Sky and was almost overwhelmed by his sense of loss, which poured off him like a noxious cloud. Foresight keenly understood that the only place he had really cared about had just crumbled before Sky Strike's eyes and he was hurting more profoundly that he could ever explain.

Sky Strike and Foresight spent a fraught few days avoiding the far ranging fliers of the ‘Fallen’ as the Lithi had called them. Once it became apparent that neither Foresight nor the orb was still at High Point the attacking horde had spread out into the wastes searching for stragglers.

Foresight gained a newfound respect for Sky as he carefully weaved his way between search parties and kept her hidden from those that sought Foresight. She thanked Celestia that this pegasus was on her side for now, sure that had Foresight been alone she would never have escaped.

Exhausted by their ordeal, the pair finally found a place to rest in an abandoned scorpani nest. Sky Strike had barely uttered a word since they had fled High Point and Foresight didn't blame him, she had only a tiny taste of the pain consuming his mind.

If she was honest, Foresight wasn't in the mood to try and talk much either, she still smarted from Sky's suggestion to turn her over to the Fallen. Foresight tried her best to see things from his point of view, but it still appalled her how willing he was to give her up. No pony could be that cold surely?

Sky seemed to be running in a strange detached manner now, having made sure the den was clear he went and stood watch at the mouth of the tunnel in silence, not speaking one word to Foresight the whole time. She had to admit he had chosen their hiding place well: Being concealed in a gathering of small rocky outcrops and thorny brush, any search party would have to practically be on top of the burrow before they noticed its entrance.

By far the worst part of their flight from High Point was during daylight hours, which managed to be both a blessing and curse: With the day’s light and warmth the number of searchers dropped off, the altered among their number unwilling to brave its light, but it left Foresight at the mercy of the celestial orb’s heat.

From fear of her magic drawing unwanted attention, Sky Strike strictly forbidden Foresight to use her protective aura. This had forced the pair down this small hole as Foresight neared collapse from the unrelenting heat. It wasn't much but felt like paradise to Foresight who took deep breaths of cooler air, blessed relief from the torture outside.

As Sky stood sentinel at the burrow’s mouth Foresight took time to examine the orb properly. There had been precious little time during their escape and with the noon day sun trapping them here, she distracted herself from the woes of the past few days with a closer inspection of the small trinket.

Foresight had already guessed at the common root of the inscriptions on the small sphere, which closely matched the writings under High Point. The main difference was these runes glowed blue from within and Foresight could easily feel a gentle flow of power contained there. Unlike that brief connection she had felt with the ambient magic in the tunnel, the power in the orb was protected from her. It resisted all Foresight’s attempts to call its substance to her and stubbornly gave her no clues as to its purpose.

Foresight was so engrossed in her study of the artifact that she failed to notice that Sky Strike had slipped away at some point from the burrow. When she finally did the sun was well past its zenith in the clear sky and after a brief moment of panic decided it was probably best to let him be off and clearing his head and went back to studying her hard won prize.

The sun was heading for the horizon by the time Sky did returned, carrying couple of withered looking reeds which he offered to Foresight. She absent mindedly took it in one hoof before chewing on it, her focus once again on the mystery before her. Her face soon changed from intense concentration to one of disgust. "Urgh what is this?" she asked out loud, Foresight’s voice sounding raspy, it had been hours since she last had a drink.

"Food," Sky simply informed her as he chewed on his reed. Without another word he went to lie down at the back of the dirt hole they found themselves in. He hadn't looked directly at Foresight the whole time and she suspected he was still withdrawn into himself.

Foresight hung her head sadly, she couldn't begin to understand what the stallion was going through, his home gone and any pony he knew probably dead. Foresight felt an inkling of his feelings from her powers: The gaping hole left in him as the one piece of security Sky Strike had ever known was destroyed. She was also angry with him, he would have sacrificed her in a heartbeat back at the battle, but even that anger was swallowed up in the sense of pity she felt for him now.

After a few minutes of closer study Sky Strike finally said something, "Well, was it worth it?" The despondent question came from behind her. "Can you even figure out that thing?" Sky's misery was heavy in every syllable and it was the first time he had given more than one word answers to Foresight in what felt like days. Foresight wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing, Sky blamed her for High Point’s destruction, she didn’t need to read minds or emotions to tell that.

Foresight gave a deep sigh, trying to block the suppressed anger coming off Sky. After all that had happened she didn't have the reserves to lie to him, "Honestly I have no idea what it's for, I was just tasked with getting it. I hoped it would be clear once I held it in my hooves, most things are when I turn my mind to them, but this....."

Sky Strike snorted and shuffled a bit further away from Foresight. Would Sky really have given her over to those ponies? She found herself wondering. She felt a surge of gratitude that Enigma had stood up for her when the chips were down. Foresight had only just met the mare and Enigma had done so much for her, which sounded at such odds with how Sky Strike described the ex commander of the militia. The pony he described was heartless and ruthless, but in the end she had helped them and Foresight fervently wished she knew why.

She found her attention wandering. Foresight hadn't gotten much rest recently and that was starting to catch up with her. Sitting on the hard dirt floor, Foresight felt all the stress of the horrible things well up within her. Sky had been distracting her from it, keeping Foresight angry and focused on other things, but now she had time to stop and think they came creeping back to trouble her.

So many dead, all for some stupid prophecy. She let her fore hooves droop, leaving the ball resting in her lap as z few tears began to trickle from her eyes. Why had she even thought she could do this quest? Yes she had seen things in her sleep and the mages of Celestia's court had told her that she had something great to do, but in the end she was just a scared filly barely out of foal hood. It had all seemed such a big adventure when they had first set out and now......

Foresight’s tears trickled down her muzzle and dripped onto the floor beneath her. A couple splashed on the orb and to her sudden surprise it began to shift. Two halves, that had not been visible before, rotated slowly in different directions and the orb opened, reminding Foresight of a coconut that she had brought from Zebra lands one time. There were shimmering letters and shapes picked out in blue light lining the inside of the hollow orb.

All of a sudden the mental barrier that had been blocking Foresight’s understanding began to fade and the message inside became painfully clear in their intensity. "Only the tears of one touched by darkness, but with light in their heart can open me, to show that the children of the queen of darkness may the better path choose and wish freedom for their creator," drifted into Foresight's mind like a melancholy song.

"Who was that?" Sky Strike asked in an annoyed voice, but Foresight ignored him, the orb finally giving up its secrets.

Foresight looked up to Sky excitement in her eyes, "I got it open! I think I can read it now!"

Sky looked at Foresight in complete incomprehension and she saw fear welling up in his shocked eyes. To her horror, Sky Strike readied his wings, the blades were still attached and Foresight shrank back in in fear.

She really didn't like the way Sky Strike was looking at her and Foresight spoke again before putting a hoof over her mouth. She then looked down at the now open orb and realisation dawned on her.

"Sorry Sky, It happens sometimes when I try to work out old writing and stuff, it kind of gets into my head" Foresight 'sent', she didn't like to use that method of communicating but found it necessary at times like this. Sky Strike didn't look relieved to hear Foresight in his head and looked skeptically at the trinket now held in her hooves

Foresight shook her head sadly, how could Sky be scared of this? In ways she couldn’t describe she knew everything would be alright. Ignoring the bemused Sky Strike, Foresight turned her attention back to the words inside the sphere which danced and flowed but were as clear as night to her now, she skimmed over what was written:

"On the longest day of the thousandth year, the stars will aid in her escape, and she will bring about night time eternal."

Foresight was not surprised, this phrase was written in a few books back in Canterlot. This was nothing new to her or others who studied history, but Foresight's pulse quickened as more words revealed themselves to her:

"The Stars number shall be four, three shall come from each of her children in darkness. Of the pegasi who will fly only by night that they may be the mare's spies, listening a way to undo her enemies. The earth ponies turned to cold stone that they may bar the path for all who would bar her return. Finally the unicorn folk, turned to darkness that they may bend the minds of Equestria to her will that she may be accepted upon her return."

Foresight's eyes went wide with shock. She had never heard any of this before. With mounting dread she read on:

That could only mean the altered Foresight surmised, but the orb was not done giving of its words:

"But from that same darkness shall the fourth star come with the hope of salvation. Though the three are compelled, the fourth light will come by choice and lend its heart to unlock her cage. That the mare banished and lost to the world may return."

Foresight felt the power of the orb dwindle and wink out, evidently its task complete. It was only then that she noticed how cold the den had become, her aura had flared up without Foresight noticing. Looking around she saw small ice crystals had formed on the floor about her and Sky Strike had pressed himself against the dirt wall, his brown eyes full of suspicion and fear.

Foresight dropped her aura and smiled to show everything was okay, she felt filled up now, the cares and woes of the last few days somehow lighter on her shoulders. Sky Strike shook himself, clearly hiding his fears behind a mask of anger.

"Have you done babbling nonsense? Only I have just lost my home and friends because of you! It would be nice to know it was at least worth something more than a bad poem!" Sky Strike glared at Foresight.

Foresight felt her anger return also, the sense of calm and support fading as mysteriously as it had come. It wasn't her fault that things had turned out the way they did. She hadn't asked to be chased through wastes by a huge snake that killed her companions, or to have a crazy army of Nightmare Moon worshipers come and attack the town. Foresight never asked to be born the way she was.

"It's not nonsense you lout! It's vital and important and could mean the end of the world as we know it if we don't figure out what it's talking about!" She shouted back, "I didn't cause all this! If you need somepony to blame then take it out on the ones who attacked your home not me!"

The ice was spreading from Foresight's hooves now and her horn glowed with a dangerous light. She had been through more than a filly her age should have been and was tired, scared and over all now very angry. Foresight felt that she stood a little taller than before, it wasn’t that she had outwardly grown, but she sensed a greater weight to her presence somehow and she used that feeling to meet the eyes of Sky who were now glaring at Foresight.

"Well maybe if we had just given them what they wanted then they wouldn't all be gone! I wish I had left you in the wastes to be eaten by that snake!" Foresight could 'feel' that Sky didn't really mean those words but his emotions were worn thin; even as a small voice called to Foresight to be calm she ignored it, at this moment not caring if they were found.

"You moron, they wanted the orb just as much as I needed it they would have attacked High Point without me being there, I didn't choose to make my home over a dangerous magical artifact!" This last outburst was sent right into Sky Strike's mind and it burned his emotions as much as it froze his brain.

Sky Strike roared in pain, dived forward and for a moment Foresight thought he was going to tackle her but he simply swooped past, then out of the den into the failing light outside. She just 'humped' and turned her attention back to the now dark and lifeless orb. Foresight’s tears had frozen on her cheeks but she paid that no mind.

Exhausted she sank down onto her knees and tried to cry tears that wouldn't come, her aura of cold freezing them before they could form. The stress and pain was overwhelming and the brief feeling of support quickly snuffed out with Sky Strike’s leaving.

With a frustrated snort Foresight turned over and lay there for a time, feeling sleep creeping over her even as she fought its embrace. As her exhausted mind wandered Foresight feared the nightmares would come again. They had been growing steadily worse since she left Equestria, but strangely this time, as sleep finally smothered her waking mind, the nightmares seemed muted and distant.

Instead she dreamed of Sky Strike, flying out into the falling dark, not caring where to. The sky was cool and welcoming, but he didn't feel any comfort from it. He hurt deep down, yeah his life had been rough, but it had been his life and he had made the most of it. Even Enigma had a kind of soft spot for him, but now even that had small mercy had been stolen from him. It wasn't Foresight's fault but things had really started going downhill just as she showed up.

It took a long time to burn off the anger Sky felt inside, but once it had Sky admitted just how foolish he had been. Shaking his head in shame Sky turned about and headed back to where he had left Foresight.

She was young and had no idea what this place held for her. He may be a ruffian, but he wasn't a monster and wouldn't leave her to fend for herself and most likely die out here alone. Not only that, but the last orders of Enigma had carried with them a sense of dread and fear he didn't know his commander could feel. Enigma wanted Foresight safe and Sky would do his best to live up to her last words.

Deep in his core he knew he had to take care of Foresight, for good or ill. She really was all he had now. Sky didn’t realise how far he had flown away and he only arrived back at the burrow as the sun had sunk halfway behind the horizon. He took a deep breath as he landed at the burrow's mouth, an apology forming on his lips. "Um Foresight, I... I'm really sorry. It just got to me there and I....." Sky Strike was just in time to see the hairy thorax of a gigantic multi legged creature disappear down a concealed tunnel in the wall of the burrow.

Cursing he rushed forward only to be met by an almost invisible barrier that clung to him and refused to let go. As Sky watched, the back legs of the creature tugged on a couple of 'threads' although this was a poor description of them. They looked more like ropes by their size and glinted in the fading light from outside. As these pulled taught they lifted up the fake dirt wall section and to Sky’s horror he briefly saw the cloaked bundle of Foresight was clasped in its front mandibles. All too late Sky Strike understood just why this burrow had been abandoned.

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Sky Strike cursed loudly, it seemed that the world was determined to take away anything of value from him. He struggled frantically trying to free himself, but the lengths of what ever held him simply stretched before snapping right back into place. Sky was suspended off the floor and had nothing to push against. He cursed loudly again as the more Sky thrashed the more entangled he became.

He knew he should have been more careful, he was a scout. It was his job to find and see oncoming danger, he had failed terribly this time. It was a rookie mistake to be caught out like this but he had been so distracted. Sky took a calming breath, making excuses wasn’t going to change the situation he found himself in.

Taking time to look around, Sky saw his wing blades only a little way off lent against the dirt wall of the burrow. His wings were ensnared as were his hooves, but there was a root dangling down just above his muzzle.

Sky strained trying to 'bounce' himself up and down, his movements caused the whole framework of cords to tremble and on the fifth try he just managed to grab the protruding root. Closing his eyes Sky heaved back with all his might. He could feel his binds resisting but he was slowly heaving his way upwards. Then with a crack and a snap the root broke off in his teeth.

Sky's frustration came to a boil once more and he snorted out an expletive before he spat out the failed root and growled in frustration. Sky Strike thrashed against his prison again, venting the boiling emotions the only way he knew how to, before finally giving up with a small whimper of self pity.

"A valiant effort my pony friend; such a shame that roots like that one break, not bend," It was a male voice with a whimsical quality to it. Sky couldn't turn his head and rolled his eyes in sudden panic, not knowing what to make of this newcomer.

"Wha? Who? What do you want?" Sky felt his stomach lurch. He was completely at the mercy of who ever this was and it wasn't a feeling he liked. He strained his neck, but was still unable to see the speaker..

"And those webs around you are strong, if you're so easily caught, then maybe my faith in your skills has been proven wrong?" The mysterious newcomer said, going on as if Sky hadn't asked a question at all.

Sky Strike felt a cold sweat forming: Whoever this was, he'd been tracking them. He could only think they must be part of the host that had attacked high point. Another little insult it seemed, he had failed to cover their trail as well seemed and his ego was already smarting.

"Look whoever you are, just come to the point; by the sounds of you you're a zebra, or at least been around them too long.“ Sky snarled through gritted teeth.

There was a sigh and the sound of hooves as whomever this mysterious creature was moved around, still keeping out of Sky's view at all times.

"Well in that you are correct, though not hard to deduce from my use of dialect." Sky tensed as he felt something press into his back, "A zebra is what I am, and as to what I want? Well, to help out of your jam." The confirmed zebra went on still in a sort of sing song voice that put Sky on edge. He hated dealing with zebras as you often had to stop and work out what they actually meant. Still, this one seemed to be offering help and he wasn't going to turn that down right now even if he was sceptical of the pony's motives.

"Okay, but what's in it for you? Gonna get a pretty bounty for our hides? Sky Strike asked in a deadpan manner.

There was a 'tutting' sound as Sky felt a tremble in the web binding him. With a hiss and a 'shunk' the sticky ropes began to lose their tension down one side of him, then with an unceremonious thud Sky swung sideways and hit the dirt floor. This left him able to finally turn to look at his rescuer.

The zebra had the normal striped pattern of their kind, what was unusual was this stallion was a much sharper white colour that contrasted sharply with his black strips. All the zebra Sky had met were a of much subtler grey shade. The zebra before him wore a number of fetishes and trinkets. His head was covered by a timber wolf's bark-like skull, showing only the stallion's amber eyes.

Sky was amazed at how quietly the zebra moved. With so much adornment the stallion should have jangled with every hoof fall, but this new comer moved with the practiced skill of a hunter stalking its prey. The other point that drew Strike's attention was the pole arm that the zebra clutched. It had a wicked looking blade that seemed to be carved out of a huge claw. Its length bore intricate carvings from pommel to tip and it also appeared to be made from bone.

"What's in this for me? I am surprised you have to ask such a thing, with regard to helping a fellow pony? This land must be harsh indeed, that a stallion such as you must live by such a creed," The zebra answered sadly as he shook his head. "To help those in need is its own prize. I was taught this in long time's past and the advice given has indeed proven wise."

Sky strike couldn't help but flinch as the bladed staff slid over his head cutting more of the binding cords. He was still not convinced of the zebra’s noble intentions, in his world creatures didn't do what they did out of the kindness of their hearts. He tried to covertly collect his wing blades once again but soon stumbled as his hooves were still caught in the now limp webbing.

"Best not to struggle or move so, these webs are tenacious and not prone to letting go," The zebra added helpfully, with a little chuckle.

"Thanks I noticed," Sky Strike grumbled back.

The zebra pulled out a small pouch and sprinkled a fine bluish powder onto the ropes still clinging to Sky Strike. To his surprise the webs began to dissolve with a bubbling hiss and Sky’s brief fear that this strange powder wouldn't stop at the webs was proven unfounded; soon he was able to move freely.

"Um thanks again," Sky said sheepishly as he looked up to the masked zebra before him. The stallion had shouldered his pole arm and was holding Strike's wing blades out to him. Sky still looked doubtful of the sincerity of this zebra's offer but took the weapons nevertheless.

After strapping on his wing blades Sky felt much better now he was armed again. He took a brief moment to study the zebra more closely. The white and black stallion was a little shorter than Strike and far more slender. The zebra's cutie mark displayed a very stylized paw mark, similar to a bear's. The brown eyes of Sky Strike stared deeply into the zebra’s amber ones glinting out from behind their mask as he tried to draw the truth from them.

"Now you are with blade, it is time progress we made," The newcomer stated and Sky couldn't help but agree, "The arachnus do not let their meals grow cold and we must chase them before your friend becomes like a withered husk, wrinkled and old." The zebra then stepped forward and slid the bone blade of his pole arm neatly around the concealed door way and cut the bindings. The fake wall toppled open and a waft of bad smelling air greeted both their noses.

"Hey you didn't tell me who you were!" Sky called after the zebra as he stepped delicately into the now revealed tunnel.

The zebra didn't even pause while he called back, "True my name I did not tell, maybe if we both live through this you will gain that knowledge as well," Sky strike cursed again, still the zebra had a point and with that Sky followed him into the web lined tunnel.

Foresight's head hurt, but it was a distant feeling. She knew there was something very important she was suppose to do, her thoughts were sluggish however. In the mind haze she found herself enveloped by Foresight drifted back to places of safety and comfort. She thought of home and her parents. Their home that was always kept dark and cool and she felt a bit like that now.

As her mind wandered further Foresight recalled her first day at magic kindergarten, how she had been the only nightborn there. Those days she had needed to wear eye guards, her magic not yet up to the task of shrouding her. The other foals had teased her about her looks and how she was always so cold. They had called her the 'ice filly' and took malicious delight in stealing her glasses and causing her to be dazzled by bright lights.

She'd had a few friends among the other students, other waifs and strays, but she had always been distant and stood apart even from the other outcasts, epically when the nightmares had started. It was too scary at first and in response Foresight fought sleep for days at a time. With some love and support from her mum and dad she had learnt to face her dreams and try to understand them better.

Yet again Foresight's mind lost focus and drifted to recall the day Celestia had visited an awards ceremony for her class's graduation. The Princess was painful for Foresight to look on directly, Celestia's inner glow uncomfortable even when looked through Foresight's goggles. The princess had come to meet all the students graduating that year and Foresight was among them.

Foresight found she had a love of old mysteries and history which had blossomed into a desire to know more about Equestria. She had a drive to go out and explore old sites of historical value and see what she could uncover and understand. Foresight had gained considerable renown as an archaeologist and it was often joked that she was like 'Daring do' exploring lost temples and overcoming ancient evils.

The truth of her title was far from the brave exploits found in the books, with far more dust and digging than running from wild animals and side stepping traps, but Foresight took great satisfaction in uncovering lost knowledge and it was that skill which had lead her to this point now. Foresight stood before Celestia and her prize student Twilight Sparkle.

Foresight couldn't remember all that the princess had said, the clearest part of the memory how beautiful and terrible Celestia had been. Even with her regal smile and friendly manner, it physically hurt Foresight to be near Celestia. If the Princess was aware of Foresight's discomfort she gave no outward sign.

Foresight had to fight not to lean back from the glowing aura of light that Celestia radiated as she presented her the award for academic excellence in the field of archaeology. The pendant felt much heavier than Foresight remembered and as she looked into Celestia's eyes Foresight was sure she saw a look of sadness, despite the wide smile the princess wore.

Her memories unwound further before reforming much closer to her life now. Foresight was standing in Celestia's office, presenting an amazing find to her from the Everfree forest. The ruined castle had been a wonder in its time and held so many secrets. It had taken months for Foresight to obtain a permit to examine the ruins and what she had found there was staggering!

Celestia wore a frown that day, one she didn't even attempt to hide while Foresight had chatted excitedly about what she had discovered. Foresight put her mood down to Celestia's lack of interest having seen the described events first hoof. This was proved wrong as the princess interrupted Foresight with a stern voice.

"Foresight, did you ever wonder why I had my old home in the Everfree forest abandoned? Or why you had such a hard time getting permission to explore it?" Celestia asked in an annoyed tone.

Foresight, having been cut off mid flow, was taken aback by the question. She would never have dreamed that Celestia would take such an objection to the ruin’s history being looked into. There wasn't any evidence Foresight had so far found that lead her to think that Celestia had anything to hide.

"Um, no your majesty, I never really thought about it if I am being honest," Foresight admitted, but now she reviewed the events leading up to her find she did get the impression that some pony didn't like her digging up the past. "I hope I have not done wrong your highness?"

Celestia's expression went from one of annoyance to one of sadness, "No my dear Foresight, forgive me I was remembering some hard times. Please, go on with your report."

Foresight gulped and with far less enthusiasm continued with her report, "Under the rubble and degradation of the palace ruins we were able to discover an unknown chamber. It hadn't featured on any of the old plans of the castle layout we could acquire." Foresight watched Celestia carefully, but her face remained impassive, "It had not just been hidden, but magically warded off as well," Foresight thought she caught a sharp intake of breath from the regent of the sun.

She paused as Celestia seemed to be about to say something, but when she failed to, Foresight began once again to explain. "Well um, the room contained what we believe to be the first hoof account of the final battle of the Nightmare Uprising...." Foresight took a step back from Celestia, who had now taken on a dangerous expression."

"I told you to continue, what did this account say?" The princess had a slight tremble about her and Foresight was never a good reader of ponies without using her own magic, and she didn't dare to try such with the princess. Clearly Celestia wasn't happy, but was she angry or maybe upset? Nevertheless Foresight did as she was commanded.

"Well your highness, it claims to be written by one 'Temporal Balance' and went into some depth of the battle. It sounded terrible; he speaks highly of your bravery and sacrifice princess," Foresight saw Celestia flinch as if struck and to her dismay Celestia began to cry, the tears sparkled as they fell from her regal face to splash on the paperwork below.

"Oh Balance, only you could have had anything good to say of that day," Celestia whispered quietly, it was low and barely audible but struck with a hammer feeling of heartache that, unbidden, it pierced Foresight to the core. Celestia closed her eyes seemingly lost in her own memories while Foresight just stood there not sure what to do.

"Do you wish me to read any of it to you your majesty?" Foresight asked as gently as she could manage.

Celestia looked up, and then gave a small shake of her head, "No, thank you Foresight, I know well enough the events of that day," Celestia gave a huge sigh, "I apologise Miss Foresight. I let my emotions get the better of me. You have done well in finding this, but it means we have much to do and not a lot of time left to do it in."

"What do you mean princess, is this not all old history, Nightmare moon was defeated and banished, what are you talking about?" Celestia stood and made her way over to her personal book collection on the far wall. Using her magic she pulled a book off the shelf and offered it to Foresight.

Looking to the proffered volume Foresight read the title, 'Legends of Equestria' and using her hooves placed it carefully on Celestia's desk. With some apprehension Foresight turned the pages over; they were covered in beautiful drawings and scrip.

"The section you want is the titled 'Mare in the Moon'." Celestia added with her back towards Foresight as she looked out the window down to the palace grounds below and Foresight began to read what was written in the chapter.

"Once upon a time in the magical land of Equestria....." After waiting for Foresight to finish reading the relevant section Celestia began speaking once more.

"She will return and my dear pony I need your help in preparing for that day. Even I do not have all the facts and I need your skills and talents to help me. I can't be everywhere at once; there is still a kingdom to run," Celestia said in a sad tone. The Princess made her way over to Foresight and looked deeply into her wide eyes, "Will you help me?" She finally asked.

Foresight felt her own ear press down against her skull, the Princess had just informed her that one of the terrors of the past would be returning to the world. That the monster responsible for her kind was coming back to finish the task of destroying Equestria as she knew it.

"I.....I will princess," Foresight tried her best to sound more confident, "Of course your highness I would be honoured to help, but may I ask something?" Celestia nodded and moved forward to hug Foresight with a wing:

"Anything my dear," Celestia assured, but as the feathers touched Foresight they seemed to burn. She screamed and tried to pull away but Celestia's embrace was smothering. Then Foresight saw it was not the princess at all but a huge fanged mouth with haired mandibles unfurling and screamed again as the world blurred once more.

The tunnel was dark, musty and littered with bones. There were pony, griffon and even a few scorponi carapaces scattered among the adhesive threads lining the passageway. It was also far too confined for Sky's liking. Webbing covered the walls and ceiling, but despite this the zebra ahead of him was making good headway; stepping with care, every so often pausing to bring his blade staff about to sever a thick strand that blocked the way.

Sky Strike had replaced his dark sight goggles, now seeing the world once again in monochrome. How the stallion ahead of him could see was any pony's guess, but the zebra moved forward without any trouble it would seem. There was however, no sign of their prey as they pressed deeper into its lair.

After a short time they came to a fork in the path and the zebra stopped. "The way breaks in two, it would make sense for me to take one way and for the other, you?" The white striped equine asked quietly. Looking back towards Sky, the pony saw that the timber wolf helm's eyes had a pale green glow to them. Zebra were not magical like unicorns and so forth, their magic being closer to earth ponies, but that didn't make it any less powerful.

Sky Strike nodded, that was as good a plan as any. He moved to take the left fork while the zebra the right. Sky was less than happy about trusting this zebra, but then again what choice did he have? After creeping his way further into the darkness the tunnel opened out somewhat and he felt his pace quicken: There were webbed bundles all about.

A few had withered hooves or claws sticking out of them. The arachnus had been living here for some time it seemed and savoured the many creatures this land had to offer. Sky Strike fervently hoped Foresight wouldn't be added to the list and looking about he cursed quietly under his breath; this seemed to be a dead end.

He was just turning about when he heard a terrified scream echo down the passage he had come from. A cold sweat ran down his back as Sky Strike feared he was too late having recognised that scream, being all to familiar with its tones. Throwing caution to the wind he began to gallop his way back to the fork.

There was another scream as he came to the junction, but this time it was followed by a roar and a battle cry, which echoed around the tunnels and shook the thick webbing lining the walls. It seemed the zebra had found the arachnus. In his frustration Sky missed placed his hoof and caught a length of spider web that stuck fast. This time he was ready for such and swept his wing blade about to cut himself free.

The sounds of battle and commotion could be heard up ahead now and Strike wasn't going to be found wanting this time. his faster pace quickly revealed the scene he'd been dreading and his heart trembled at the sight. The arachnus was massive; Sky had only gotten a brief glimpse at it before it carried off Foresight, but this time he had time to take in the repulsive size. It towered over the zebra before it.

The creature had its fore legs raised in challenge and was only held off by the quick parries and thrusts of the pole arm carried by the equine before it. A number of gashes and cuts dripped where the zebra's weapon had found it's mark. Sky could see Foresight, she had awoken from her venom induced stupor and was struggling in a semi cocoon which had been attached to the far wall. Sky judged there was enough room to slip past the embattled arachnus, but that would leave the brave zebra to fight the monster on his own.

Sky felt he owed the zebra something and so compromised, as he galloped past the arachnus Sky Strike swept out his wing to strike at one of the hind legs it was using to steady its bulk, which was rearing in preparation to stamp down on the zebra. Wing blades weren't meant for heavy impacts, more for slicing and so Sky Strike aimed as best he could for a leg joint, the only places the arachnus's wasn't covered in thick carapace and hair. As he passed Sky felt the impact and was rewarded by the thick limb crumpling, which left the arachnus unbalanced.

As the giant beast lost its footing the zebra took the chance to strike and galloped under the arachnus. It was a crazy move in Sky's opinion, but he could see the brave logic behind it. The other stallion planted the butt of the staff in the dirt floor just as the spider's bulk dropped. The creatures own mass drove the point deep into its centre and the arachnus roared once again as fluid spurted out and covered the brave zebra in a stinking ichor.

Sky Strike was already galloping past the stricken arachnus, his eyes set on Foresight. With a leap and a thrust of his wings Sky cut the webbing holding her in place and the parcel holding Foresight dropped to the floor and bounced once. This produced a muffled yelp from Foresight, but before she could comment Sky rolled her out of the way of the thundering legs of the arachnus.

The giant insect was hurt yes, but far from dead. Now curling in its injured limb, the monster shifted its weight onto the other five free legs while swiping at its tormentors with its other two. The zebra dived out from under the spider, but his pole arm was still buried deep in its hide. This left the equine only able to dodge the attacks coming his way and despite himself, Sky was impressed. The stallion was nimble, but the arachnus was determined.

Making sure Foresight was as safe as he could make her. Sky Strike turned around and leaped onto the arachnus's back. His hooves found little purchase and he needed his wings to steady himself as the spider bucked and reared under him like an enraged buffalo. With another bound Sky planted all four hooves into an equal number of the black eyes that ringed the arachnus's head and struck out with his wing blades, drawing shallow cuts that seemed to simply enraged the arachnus further.

The giant insect roared in pain, the blade strikes did little to its naturally armoured hide, but it's eyes were full of hoof and it didn't like that one bit. The beast turned its focus on the airborne foe and attempted to buck him off. Sky was thrown this way and that before only being saved from falling by leaping once again. The room wasn't big enough for true flight, but his wings did give Sky some edge in the fight and he pounded them to give him some distance from the beast below.

The now totally enraged arachnus began launching clouds of webbing to try and knock Sky Strike out of the air. There wasn't enough room to manoeuvre properly and soon he was clipped by one of the clouds of sticky fibres. His left wing now entangled, Sky commenced a rough landing that drove the air from his lungs. The arachnus reared up again, hissing in triumph at the now grounded pony.

The zebra tried bucking the monster's leg with all his might but barely budged the limb. Both ponies waited for the inevitable strike to hit home, but to Sky's surprise the arachnus had not lunged down to finish him off: In fact, it wasn't even moving, just trembling as if gripped by a palsy. The tingle of cold could be felt in the air and Sky followed the zebra's gaze to Foresight, whose eyes shone with a blue light.

"I can't hold it for long, if you have a plan I would do it now!" Foresight shouted; having gotten her own head together, was pressing her thoughts into the arachnus's mind as hard as she could. Filling it's mind with every painful and unpleasant thought she could imagine. Having read a large number of mythical tales, Foresight had plenty to draw on and Sky could feel the mental backlash from here.

The Zebra nodded before ducking under the bulk of the beast and retrieved his polearm. It took a huge effort to loosen the shaft, the spider's own weight having driven it in deeper than the zebra would have managed on his own. The twitches coming from the arachnus increased as a grunt of concentration came from Foresight. Sky Strike shook his now bruised head and looked up just in time to see the other stallion pull the blade free in a welter of foul fluids.

The arachnus gave another roar and broke free of Foresight's spell, but she had given Strike the time to get clear. So instead of pulping the pegasus the spiders’ fore legs left deep dents in the dirt floor and caused dust to tumble down from the ceiling. The spider shook it's abused head this way and that; being was half blinded, confused and in a great deal of pain.

The beast seemed to have an almost pitiful look in its remaining eyes as the mysterious zebra had taken its moment of confusion and leap onto its back, clamber up before driving his weapon down as hard as he could. The huge spider shuddered as it lost control of its many limbs which began to curl in protectively.

The death was not a fast one, lots of twitching movements and gurgling sounds, but after a minute or so there was only the noise of three equines breathing heavily. Then to the total astonishment of Sky Strike and Foresight watched as the zebra bowed to the dead beast and uttered a few words that they didn't understand.

"Am I glad to see you?" Foresight said with relief. "I thought I was bug chow, who's your friend?" She asked seeing the zebra in his strange attire; her voice had taken on a brittle quality, "Did he come from High Point?" Foresight's humorous tone faltered with eyes filling with tears she began to sob.

"Hush now, questions another time; best spoken when out of here and all its slime," The stranger said as he cut Foresight carefully free from the webbing. She looked into his amber eyes hidden by the slight green glow of his mask with a besotted expression on her tear streaked muzzle.

Sky strike could see her expression and snorted in annoyance. "Come on. I'm sick of being under ground," With that pronouncement he made his way out, not even waiting for their new friend to clear his wing of spider web.

Plans and Problems of Necessity

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The three equines were glad to put the dank and sticky tunnels behind them, the burrow had never felt as welcoming as it did just after that experience. Foresight shook herself down and did her best to work the last of the webbing out of her mane. Sky Strike slunk off to the far side of the burrow and did his best to do the same for his wing.

For the first time since either pony had met this zebra the stallion removed his timber wolf mask. The face underneath was young while his amber eyes were full of mischief. The zebra didn't have a scratch on him, unlike the other two who both had scrapes and cuts from their past trials.

"Thank you again Mr?" Foresight asked politely, Sky Strike couldn't help but catch the grateful look in her eyes along with a voice full of besotted wonder. Even if he didn't have romantic intentions for the filly, Sky still burned that this complete stranger had won her over so fast. Feeling an ugly cringe of jealousy envelope his heart that mixed with Sky's guilt at letting Foresight be captured by the giant spider in the first place.

Seemingly oblivious to these hostile feeling, the zebra bowed and finally told them his name. "Greetings to you both equines, 'Shakala' is the name that is mine." Sky couldn't help but snort at the display of manners, which came from such a savage looking creature: Trinkets, a bone necklace and other bone bangles rattling as the stallion bowed.

"Shakala huh? That's a nice name," Foresight said with a slight wistful sound in her voice and Sky Strike rolled his eyes. If Shakala noticed his displeasure he didn't show it. "I'm Foresight, my friends call me..."

"'Foresight,'" Sky finished off, looking to bring the mare down from whatever fantasy cloud she was resting on. Foresight glared as only a nightborn could, grinding her teeth petulantly.

"No need to be rude Sky, he helped save us. I thought you would be grateful?" Foresight chided.

"No no he is right, best not to trust new ponies at first sight," Shakala said in a calm way, "You have only just met me and though my actions were in your favour, it will take time for you both to learn what is my true flavour." That was a frustratingly sensible thing to say and Sky Strike knew it.

"Yeah well, you just happened to turn up in a cave where we are. Swooping in to save the day when you haven't really told us what you're doing here," Sky Strike muttered flicking his hoof trying to unstick some more fibres that had transferred from his wing without much success.

"Indeed I have not, I must remedy this before further bad feeling take root and cause rot." Shakala went on in his normal melodic way that always got on Sky's nerves. "My purpose for finding you I have never hid, I came seeking to aid as by my elders I was bid." The zebra's face took on a serious expression. "Great things of import are abound, I searched far and wide until it was you both I finally found."

"You know about the prophecy?" Foresight asked in amazement, "Your people are known to mostly keep to themselves, I never would have guessed that you were so clued up about the goings on in Equestria!"

"We know little of that beautiful far flung place, but yes our people are aware of events that now move on apace," Shakala replied. "The rise and fall of the moon and bright celestial sphere, that is why my elders would send me here. Should events of import go awry, it’s not only the pony folk that would surely die." Shakala looked impressed, "Followed your trial for three days I have done, by my mane you ponies can run."

"See Sky, Shakala is here to help us," Foresight smiled at the grumbling pegasus, "I personally think we could use all the help we can get after what we have been through."

Sky Strike just snorted again before muttering, "Yeah, well we will see."

Foresight shook her head and gave a sad smile to Shakala, "Sorry he's been out of sorts since his home was destroyed. I don't blame him, I would be too."

Shakala nodded sadly, "The fall of the mountain town, the loss of home will cause any pony to frown." There was a brief look of pain in the zebra's eyes.

"So now all we have to do is get what we have learnt back to Celestia. We have the orb and everything we need now, time to head back to civilisation," Foresight coughed before blushing as she realised what she had just said. Sky was giving her a dirty look now, the unintended insult had cut him deep.

"Sorry, sorry I know....." Foresight began but Sky just snorted.

"Yeah we're all just uncultured savages out here, none of your high learning and pretty laws: Little better than beasts, I know what you think," Sky Strike retorted with no small venom, "The sooner you can get back to your precious Equestria the better. Well if that's what you need we had best hop to it huh? I'll go and make sure the way is clear for your highness." Sky Strike got to his hooves and began to trot angrily towards the burrow's entrance.

"Sky wait! I'm sorry okay, I didn't mean it like that!" Foresight tried to explain but it fell on deaf ears.

"Let him go and cool his rage. Loss hurts and best not to lock in a cage." Shakala advised.

"But what if he doesn't come back? In the mood he is in who knows what he may do?" Foresight trembled with panic and embarrassment. She was hurting too with the loss of friends that had come with her and now were gone, but to lose her whole home and way of life like Sky had, she didn't even begin to understand what he was going through.

Night time was falling again and Sky Strike hadn't come back. Foresight had been fidgeting anxiously the whole time, unable to settle. She had paced back and forth muttering about this and that; blaming herself for things she couldn't possibly have planned for.

Shakala just sat with his bladed staff rested across his knees. He was with delicate care, carving further patterns into it's haft, only pausing when Foresight gave a curious look in his work.

"They are a sign of respect for those who have fallen to my blade. I remember them and the ultimate sacrifice they have made." Shakala explained, seeing her interest, "We are often forced to do that which is not fair, but it does not mean that we do not care."

"Was that what you were saying when we had to kill that arachnus then?" Foresight asked and Shakala nodded.

"So that we never forget, and cause yet more unneeded regret," Shakala concluded as he went on carving of a large spider on his staff.

"That's a lot of markings. Does everyone represent something that you had to.....?" Foresight trailed off, but Shakala smiled a little sad smile.

"That they do mean, the marks of honoured dead, for to help keep my hooves clean," The zebra confirmed.

Foresight studied her hooves not sure what else to say to that. There was another few minutes of quiet thought before Shakala piped up again.

"You know names are special right? Yours being one of Foresight?" She looked up again to Shakala not sure what to expect with this line of questions.

"Um yes," Was all Foresight replied cautiously.

"It means to see far ahead, I do not envy you, it must be said. To see what is to come can be such a strain, I would not want to bear that kind of pain," Shakala looked down at his cutie mark; a bear paw's impression.

"My name is 'Hunting' in your speak, but it was never a talent that I for one would seek. Life has a way of giving us what is required, but seldom blessing us with what we desired."

Foresight was struggling to understand what the zebra was getting at, She looked into his melancholy eyes and tried to understand the meaning the zebra was really trying to convey.

Shakala blew gently on his weapon, pushing the shavings away to reveal the arachnus' image, "All this I tell to you young mare here, is so that when the time comes for hard choices, you can make them without fear. Though they may be hard and grey, but if done well may lead to a better day."

Foresight thought for awhile on that; it was such an odd thing to tell her and she could little know what was going on in the zebra's mind. If she understood it right then he was saying Foresight would have to make hard choices in the future, but with the potential to make something wonderful happen. She asked his such, but Shakala just smiled sadly once more in reply.

They both sat for a while longer in silence as the sun slipped behind the horizon and dusk fell properly and with it, much to Foresight's relief, Sky Strike aw well. He looked a little worse for wear but at least he didn't glower at Foresight as waved a hoof in greeting.

"They’re all over the place from what I can see, going to be a rough time getting out of here," Sky stated as he fluttered into the burrow's entrance. He looked to Foresight before raising a hoof to Shakala. "I'm sorry. I never really thanked you for all you did for us back there. Doesn't mean I trust you mind, but you have at least earned the right to the benefit of the doubt."

After a moment Shakala accepted the hoof shake and nodded, "I understand my winged friend, you cannot tell the full story of one's tale until you reach its end." Sky nodded, not fully understanding the words but hearing the meaning behind them.

That done he turned to Foresight, "So what's the plan now? Still want to head to Equestria with all these crazy cult ponies, monsters and who knows what else in our way?"

Foresight took a few moments to consider, maybe she could just run away? Just leave this all too some pony older and better? Celestia was an alicorn, surely she could sort this whole mess out! Foresight chuckled, yeah Celestia's plan had been to send her to deal with it.

Taking a deep breath Foresight gave a little nod, "There wasn't a place far enough away I can run to get away from Nightmare Moon even if I wanted to," Foresight finally reasoned, "I have ponies counting on me and I can't let them down."

Foresight felt that odd sense of comfort from before, like a friend patting her on the metaphorical back and stood a little taller as confidence returned. She glanced at Sky who was watching her with an expression of curiosity, he opened his mouth to ask something before thinking better of and finally nodded in agreement, "The only way I'm going to get back at those crazy ponies who attacked High Point is by helping you I guess."

She smiled at Shakala who had made his intentions known and after a brief moment the three snuck out into the deepening night

It didn't take long to see the signs they were being hunted: The skies were criss-crossed with bat ponies and other creatures spying out the night, the three fugitives often had to stop and hide so as not to be seen. They even had to take a wide detour around the ruins of High Point which was now between them and their goal which added time to the journey.

The dangers of the wastes were not helping either the pursuers or the fleeing equines. A couple of times they spotted the signs of pony bones having been stripped clean and one fight between a rattle python and some unicorns. Whatever control these ponies had used to force the native creatures of the wastes to attack High Point wasn't complete, or maybe leaders just didn't care. Whatever the reason Foresight, Sky Strike and Shakala were grateful they weren't chasing them too.

The trio's destination was the gap in the mountain range south east of the Macintosh hills. Equestrians knew this area as the badlands and it was the most northern point of the wastes. The trouble was that the Nightmare cult seemed to have predicted that move, so as Foresight and her friends pressed forward they were confronted with ever greater numbers of creatures looking for them.

"How are we ever going to get around them? There must be hundreds of ponies not to mention other things," Foresight whispered despondently; The night sky was alive with fliers, the normally empty expanse was crawling with searching ponies.

"Well you're a nightborn, can't you dull their minds or something so they can't see us? I know Enigma could pretty much go where she wanted in High Point with no pony knowing," Sky Strike asked with a doubtful tone.

Foresight shook her head, "No way, I haven't the first idea of how to do anything like that. We were never taught how to do stuff like that at school."

There was a moment before Shakala added his insight, "They have ponies searching for us no? Then why don't we just walk and go?" The other two equines looked at Shakala as if he had gone mad before he explained further, "What are three more ponies, among all these searching cronies?"

Foresight looked to Sky, that actually wasn't a bad idea. It was bold and crazily dangerous but without a better plan it was better than hiding here waiting to be caught. After a little further discussion the three resolved to strike out in an indirect route and make their way around.

For some time the plan seemed to be working: As the three did their best to look like they were scouring the ground for clues, none of the airborne searches gave them a second glance. Foresight had left her cloak and robes in their last hiding place, she had changed her mane style and rubbed earth into the blue strands to try and alter their colour.

Things only began to unravel when they came across the first ground based search party: It was a group consisting of a couple of earth ponies, one mare and a nightborn stallion. The two earth ponies were armed with spears and as they came closer the horned equine raised a hoof to stop them.

"All praise the night sister, how goes the search?" It was uttered in an accent that was unfamiliar to Foresight and came out as a gritty whisper despite the volume.

"All hail the night, no sign of them." Foresight replied and instantly knew that something was wrong as the nightborn's grey eyes took on a hard look. Too late she realised that her opposite had 'sent' rather than spoken while Foresight had replied verbally.

"You speak with your mouth, despite being in the company of other unenlightened?" The nightborn asked and Foresight saw the earth ponies had a slightly vacant looks in their eyes. She felt the panic begin to rise as a sneer appeared on the stallion's mouth, "You're not one of us, get them!"

The two earth ponies started forward, spears lowered and Sky Strike along with Shakala interposed themselves in front of Foresight. The nightborn stallion raised his aura and Foresight felt him trying to get into her mind. She was reminded how Enigma had read Foresight like an open book, but it was different this time. For some reason she could feel his mental probes sliding off her senses like water running around a glass globe, leaving her mind untouched.

For Sky it was worse, he felt impressions and desires filling his mind which were not his own. It was all he could do to keep his focus as the earth mare came at him thrusting forward with the spear. Bringing his wing about, he parried the attack and watched as Shakala easily fended off the other attacking pony. Despite their situation Sky was gaining a grudging respect for the zebra.

Snorting in frustration the dark unicorn 'sent' once again, "Well you are a strong one, I have never met a mental block of such skill apart from the master. You must be the one we're looking for," The cultist grinned wickedly. "But your friends are not so lucky it seems.”

Nothing happened for a moment, but then Shakala put up his pole arm and nodded to the earth pony he had at his mercy only a second ago. Before Foresight could call out a warning he had turned about and brought the butt of his weapon around in a precise way that connected with the back of Sky Strike's head.

Sky had just managed to disarm his opponent after catching the spear head in 'V' formed by his wing blades and yanked it out of her hooves when the traitorous blow from Shakala connected. He was just had time to congratulate himself on a job well done before he felt a sharp pain in the back of his skull.

Foresight felt fear paralysing her as the two earth ponies, Shakala and the nightborn stallion stepped over the recumbent Sky Strike and surrounded her.

It was cold, that was the first thing Sky noticed. The second was that his head hurt and that was much more pressing. As he brought his hoof up to the back of his skull he heard a clink, and upon opening his eyes saw nothing. Where ever he was it was totally black and Sky couldn't see his hooves in front of his face. As he stretched out fore legs, Sky found they were bound together, while further investigation led him to a heavy ring set into what felt like a stone wall.

The reality of Sky's situation sunk in and he let out a groan. To his shock there was an answering sound of misery and his ears pricked up as he did his best to listen over the pounding in his head: It sounded like a stallion crying. With nothing else for it Sky risked a cautious, "Who's there?" but all he got was an answering sob.

Sky tried feeling about himself to see what else he could discover: the walls felt like they formed into bricks and further probing revealed a space about two pony lengths squared with what felt like metal bars forming the fourth wall. The crying sound was coming from the other side of those bars.

"Hello?" Was all Sky could think to say again.

The crying stopped and was replaced by a sad voice that Sky recognised, "I see you have overcome the blow, the one I gave that laid you low." That was Shakala, "It pains me terribly to see that the very reason we are trapped is because of me."

Sky Strike gritted his teeth in anger and pain, "By Tartarus you're right there, I had that other pony unarmed you back stabbing...." His anger was coming out again and that only made his head pound more. The sobs returned and Strike felt his anger cool. It didn't take a genius to figure out what had happened.

"Dear pony friend, I chose not to do what I did to offend," Shakala sounded beside himself and to Sky's surprise he felt sorry for him.

Sky Strike had been on the receiving end of a nightborn's powers of persuasion. He had helped High Point's guards hunt down more than one dark unicorn in his time. Their brand of spells were all about trickery and deception and Sky had been given some training by Enigma in how to resist such attacks, but it seemed that Shakala had not been so fortunate.

"Never fought a nightborn before huh? They get in your head no mistake and I guess we should have warned you about that," Sky said in a conciliatory fashion. He wanted to help Shakala get over the horror of being 'puppeted' by such magic but he had more pressing matters to deal with.

Sky hesitantly asked, "Is Foresight here?"

Shakala gave another moan of sorrow before replying, "Where they have taken her is not known to me, but in this place she does not seem to be."

"Oh she is in very good company my little foals," Echoed in the minds of both stallions. "She is with Catalyst and he will show her the 'truth' as he has shown so many others." Sky Strike shuddered, he knew that 'voice' all too well and it chilled him to the bone.

"Enigma? Is that you?" Sky asked quietly.

"Is it? I think it is, but I can't be sure," Came back the echo of the once proud whisper that Sky knew. It sounded like Enigma, but all of the confidence and control that was present last time was gone. "I didn't listen to him you know, but it was so very hard. I used to think I was one of the best at what I did. playing with pony's minds and knowing how they thought, but I forgot one of the first lessons," This was given in an almost song like way as Enigma rambled on.

"And what's that Enigma?" Sky asked knowing he wouldn't like the answer.

"Why there is always a bigger fish in the sea of course, if Catalyst has Foresight then we are all pretty much doomed. If I couldn't block him out she will have no chance." Enigma 'sent' in a hopeless way. Sky Shuddered to think what the ex-head of security at High Point must have gone through to end up so thoroughly beaten and downhearted.

"What happened to you Enigma? What happened after High Point fell?" Strike asked with a tremble in his voice.

"To answer that, you need to know a bit more history about where you called home..." Came the cold whisper of a mare who had been through more than any pony should have had to.

Echoes in the Darkness

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Foresight was scared; there was no two ways about it. After she had seen Shakala turn on Sky and knock him out she soon found herself at the mercy of the cult ponies. Foresight had been bound, gagged and some kind of lodestone hung around her neck: This last item made her magic feel limp and weak, not that she knew any spells which could get her out of this mess any way.

She found herself being led by her captors towards the mountains that loomed off to the west. Sky Strike was bound hoof and wing and Shakala following behind, the same vacant look in his eyes as the earth ponies. As they approached the gathering of cult members increased, there were thousands of them.

Foresight saw unicorns, pegasi and earth ponies all being lorded over by the altered breeds, but this wasn't all: There were also griffons, boars and other races among the throng. Foresight thought she caught sight of other stranger creatures also, some were driven forward by sharp spears and barbs from negasi, but most seemed docile and under the sway of nightborn enchantments. Few turned to look at her and her friends, they were just another set of captors in the crowd.

Foresight whimpered as Sky Strike was carried off in a different direction, quickly followed by the mesmerised Shakala. She wanted to cry out, to do something but Foresight was utterly powerless to help them as they were led into the milling crowds, leaving her utterly without friends in this strange place.

"Don't worry, they will be well taken 'care' of," came the insidious sound of the sender that had taunted her all the way here: The dark unicorn that was responsible for their capture had gloated and mocked almost nonstop since Foresight and her friends had been subdued.

Foresight glared at the stallion who just laughed at her in a condescending way, "As for you little one, Catalyst will reward me well for bringing you in. Is that not right my 'faithful' minions." The nightborn was enjoying his role of slave master it seemed, forcing the two earth ponies carrying Foresight to nod in agreement.

They were soon making their way through a cave entrance and once inside it became clear this was no simple hollowed out rock face. There was another barrier of darkness here and as they passed through it Foresight left the cool night outside to be replaced by disturbing architecture of massive proportions. It looked like the same kind of style as the ruins in 'Down Town' at High Point, but in a much better state of repair and on a far grander scale.

Everywhere loomed statues showing Nightmare Moon and her followers ruling over the other ponies and creatures of the world. It was all decked out in finery that would have been lost on any who didn't have true night vision and though it would have moved Foresight's heart to see such examples of skill and craftponyship, it was all subtly wrong.

The level of skill put into it had been turned to domination and darkness, too many sharp edges and gloating art works. The whole effect sickened Foresight, the decorations calling out to her soul in some deep way that made her feel very uneasy and tainted just by looking at them.

Foresight was carried along broad paths that had all sorts of creatures going about their business: Reminded her yet again of Down Town, but the feeling in the air was different here. High Point gave off a dirty feeling of freedom, it was harsh and gritty, with the inhabitants just doing their best to live in a hostile land.

The world within the mountain was more like an oppressive slave market with nightborn at the top. There were signs that every other race present were considered just a commodity. Even the negasi seemed to be treated with badly hidden scorn as a role of needed servants, but servants nevertheless. Those unfortunate day time creatures entrapped here were all in chains and forced to ware darksight goggles as they plodded their hopeless way along.

"Is it not magnificent! Seeing things done the way they were meant to be. Nightmare Moon gave us 'shadow weavers' such a grand task and the skills to do it." Her captor who’s name turned out to be 'Dark Star', 'sent' with a dramatic whisper and all the assurance of the truly indoctrinated.

Foresight was unable to give any reply other than a muffled snort and as the party progressed further into the underground she saw they were heading towards what looked like a temple to Nightmare Moon. Dark Star halted them before a massive set of embossed doors, which depicted a battle scene in which Nightmare Moon had cast down Celestia and stood triumphant over her still cooling corpse.

To her surprise, Foresight's hooves were freed and the gag removed. A couple of negasi guards stood to attention holding spears watched her with a cold malice but otherwise made no move. She was just starting to wonder what these cultist were up to when a completely new voice entered her mind:

"Allow her to enter, I would speak with the mare myself." This one was a far removed from the likes of Dark Star's insidious tones, it was like finding a tropical fern in the middle of frozen tundra. Where the others had been quiet and scornful, this one was rich and pleasant and reminded Foresight of a caring father figure trying to teach a wayward foal.

The two negasi nodded and pushed open the doors to reveal an opulent chamber beyond. Though still in total darkness the room was alive to Foresight's night vision. Fine furniture and art works were everywhere, little trinkets that would have taken profound skills to make covered intricately the carved dark wood tables.

At the far end of the room was a dark unicorn, lounging easily on a couch like a panther in his lair. His eyes were a vibrant purple, his well kept mane and tail the shade of dark green leaves. About his neck was a talisman of silver with a blue gem crafted to appear as a slitted eye. The stallion wore a high collar along with other rich dark clothes which would not have looked out of place at the grand galloping gala.

"So you are the young mare who is the cause of so much trouble? I would have expected you to be older if I am honest, but then again, we all know that it's not what's on the outside that counts, but the inside no?" The dark pony seemed to reside in a patch of greater darkness more than just the simple absence of light.

Foresight, seeing she had little choice but to go forward cautiously stepped over the threshhold. She felt the temperature drop even further than the normal in the stronger darkness of this place. This pony before her was a powerhouse of magic if she was any judge and to Foresight's dismay, the richly dressed nightborn held the small sphere she had recovered from under High Point in one well cared for hoof. Thankfully the small ball was just as dead and lifeless as Foresight remembered.

"It pains me to see that this little bauble has given up its secrets already. I had so very much wanted its insight into things which were to come, but it seems that you beat me to it little filly." The stallion went on in a bored manner. Foresight didn't respond and just stood there watching the other pony as if he was a snake ready to pounce.

"That leaves me with the more 'interesting' way of getting the information I want. Less pretty but I must admit far more pleasing." Foresight had mentally braced herself for what she guessed was coming, but to her surprise the mental probe when it did come felt little more than a caress on her mind. Like some pony gently rubbing the tender spots of her mental framework.

The stallion's face changed from one of smug knowing to one of genuine respect: Foresight could see the stallion’s horn glow with effort but to her amazement she felt almost nothing. With the magical suppressor on she had no hope of stopping this stallion’s attempt, but for some reason his probes were not working on her.

The other dark unicorn gritted his sharp teeth and poured more power into his attempts, but to his mounting anger and Foresight's dark delight, all she felt was a slight tingle about her temples. After a few moments of strained focus the stallion before her gave a snort and the mental attack stopped.

"Well well, this is a surprise, Enigma said you were like an open door to her. Yet here I am unable to get the simplest of thoughts from your pretty little head. I wonder what could have caused such a change in you?" The disembodied voice of her interrogator floated into Foresight's thoughts.

"As you are far more skilled in shadow casting than I first took you for, I will speak to you with my own mouth as a mark of respect Miss Foresight. I will also tell you my name, which I do not doubt you have heard already.” The dark stallion paused for dramatic effect before announcing; “I am 'Catalyst'," he spoke out loud, in a voice that carried the same confidence and assurance as his sending had. Foresight got the impression that this pony seldom used his own voice by the slightly dry quality to it.

She started upon the mention of Enigma, Foresight had thought her dead in the collapse of High Point. It was not an action that this dark unicorn failed to notice and he grinned in an unpleasant way, "Ah yes Enigma, you met her briefly at our true home. What a clever little mage she was. Enigma was cooperative in the end, every pony is when confronted by the truths we bear."

"What have you done with my friends?" Foresight demanded.

Catalyst waved a hoof in a vague way as if Foresight's question was of no consequence, "We will come to their fates soon enough. That, however is not your concern now. What you need to worry about is giving me what I want. Seeing I can’t break the information out of your mind with my normal means, I will have to use other methods."

The stallion flashed Foresight a winning smile and though she was loath to admit it, he was very handsome. She imagined paintings of princes royal having a face like that. This Catalyst seemed to have all the right marks for a pony of good breeding and class.

Foresight's heart screamed at her that this pony, despite his appearance was rotten to the core. She didn't know why she felt this so deeply, it wasn’t just the evidence that this pony was a first class Tyrant, the disgust for him seemed to run deeper than that.

"So as such, I ask you nicely and with the respect from one powerful mage to another that you share your insights into our blessed creators return. If you do this of your own free will we can give you much here fellow shadow caster. All you have to do is open your mind to me and I will show you such wonders," Catalyst asked in doting tone.

Foresight could feel the pony in front of her trying to use very subtle mind magic on her once again, it was so skilful that Foresight was astonished she recognised it so easily. This latest attempt was like a burglar trying to rob a house it during a busy day with the owner watching his every move. It seemed far beneath the skill she would have expected from a pony of such reputation before her.

Foresight wasn’t the only pony shocked by this as Catalyst leaned back in confusion. For the tiniest of moments she thought she saw beyond the mask of self assurance and class of Catalyst to the hungry wolf beneath. Foresight had just not only blocked but reflected the magical attack, with absolutely no idea how she had managed it.

The mask was back instantly and Catalyst thought for a moment before looking down once more at the small sphere. A large grin formed on his face and he let out a small chuckle, "Ah I see now, very clever of you, very clever indeed." Foresight was confused, Catalyst seemed to be directing the comment to the globe before him.

He arose slowly from his seat and Foresight caught a glance of his cutie mark which was a number of black chess pieces trapping the white king. Catalyst trotted lightly around Foresight, studying her in more detail than before, like a cat that has found a particularly interesting mouse.

"Yes, there is nothing special in your skills, you have no real talent," he almost looked disappointed, I have missjudged you once again it seems." Catalyst was sending again, his 'voice' resumed that condescending tone, "I will therefore have to use more 'direct' methods to get what I want."

With that announcement made the two negasi guards opened the doors and Foresight found herself being led away to an uncertain fate, Catalyst's predatory stare lingering upon her right up until the doors were shut behind with an ominous thud.

Sky Strike listened to Enigma's explanation with a mix of dread and amazement He'd never heard the story of High Point told that way. To be honest Sky had never thought that deeply about it. His home was more than just the refuge it seemed; Enigma telling him of how when it was first founded the town was known as 'Moon's Citadel'.

The mountain had been the chosen home of those ponies who had been banished from Equestria nearly a thousand years ago because they had chosen to follow Nightmare Moon's rebellion: Even when she was defeated they would not renounce her cause. As with all such places based on dark ideas of domination and control, revolution had not been far behind.

The other pony breeds and enslaved creatures that had been forced to work under the shadow casters, along with forward thinking descendants of those first settlers helped drive out the oppressive dark unicorns. It had been a bitter fought battle, a micro example of the first Nightmare war. Enigma knew all of these legends of High Point as a story passed down by her family line. Now it seemed the outcasts had returned to reclaim their second home once more.

"So what you're basically saying is that Down Town was what was left of Moon's Citadel?" Sky Strike reasoned out loud. With the darkness being complete there was little else to do but talk and think. Shakala had calmed down during the tale as Enigma struggled to tell it.

She sounded in a bad way and Sky could only guess what methods this Catalyst had used to break Enigma. There had been rules in High Point about what a nigth born could get away with, but Sky doubted there was anything like them here.

"Then what is it we are to be doing now? Surely we are to escape somehow?" It was the first thing Shakala had said since they had discovered Enigma was being held in the prison with them.

"I have tried, but there are too many of them, and what would be the point? As I said if Catalyst has gotten hold of Foresight then were doomed any way. I hoped the fall of High Point would have allowed you to escape, but now even that has failed.]" Enigma moaned in their minds.

"It's only over when we give up," It sounded weak to Sky Strike even as he uttered the words, but it was better than rolling over and surrendering.

There was the sound of a metal door opening somewhere in the blackness and Sky heard Enigma whimper in her cell. Still unable to see anything all Sky strained to hear the sounds hoof falls until there was a cry of a mare that he recognised.

"Sky, Shakala! You're both here! I was so worried they had done something terrible to you both!" Foresight called out, no doubt seeing her two companions easily in the blackness. Sky heard the sounds of a metal gate being opened and scuffling followed by a thud and a further gasp from Foresight.

Sky sat in his cell, as the hoof falls of the guards receded once more. After a few moments silence Foresight gasped, "Oh Enigma, what have they done to you? Don't worry I didn't tell them anything." Sky felt his own heart falter as Enigma let out a defeated sigh, not even bothering to respond.

"Yeah right, the filly who couldn't keep out the simplest mind probe. I bet Catalyst could read what you thought when you were only three days old Foresight." Enigma finally responded mockingly.

"No really he couldn't get in my head, I don't know how but he couldn't get in. Come to think of it, that other nightborn who turned Shakala on Sky Strike said something like that too," Foresight said excitedly and Sky heard Shakala groan as his part in their capture was brought up again.

Enigma snorted, "Even 'if' you do have some kind of special way to resist Catalyst, which I still don't believe you do, then he will just find some other way to get what he wants. We're not going anywhere now and he has all the time he needs to break you."

"Well I don't plan to spend the rest of my days rotting in a cell like this. We will think of something." Sky said again, not sure who he was really trying to convince, himself or the others. "If Foresight is still okay in the head then all is not lost yet," Strike said with more conviction this time.

"Thanks for trying Sky, but Enigma's right: I don't see how we're going to get out of this one," Foresight called out sleepily and Sky Strike finally admitted to himself that things were pretty hopeless. Without attempting further encouragement he lay his head down on the cold floor and slowly slipped into a troubled sleep.

The dreams were back and they were becoming more vivid: Foresight prepared herself for another round of screams, pain and terrors, but this time she found herself standing on the parapet of a castle that she didn't know. From what she could tell it was approaching dawn.

Foresight instinctively wanted to raise her aura of cold and darkness to shield herself but to her dismay she felt nothing happen. The dark unicorn shrunk back just as the first sun's rays came over the surrounding mountains in the distance. As they struck her she expected to feel a hot burning, but to her delight it just felt gently warm and comfortable on her body.

She slowly uncovered her eyes and for the first time she had ever been able, looked towards the sun. It was beautiful here, not the harsh blow torch Foresight had come to know it as. Looking around she saw other ponies down below, they were still in shadow behind the castle wall, but their happy faces looked up to welcome the morning’s rays.

A movement caught Foresight's attention and she looked up to see princess Celestia standing on a balcony with a smile on her face. The crowds below were cheering and celebrating. They were all showering praises on the princess of the sun and Foresight didn't blame them. She knew the wise and graceful ruler of Equestria and felt she deserved their praise.

"Is she not wondrous? Is she not such a sight to move ponies to joy?" Foresight started as she found another pony at her shoulder. Turning she saw a dark blue alicorn looking up to Celestia with a frown on her face. "My dear sister, earning the praise of her subjects."

Foresight took a little time to recognise the pony before her, she had seen many examples of her likeness, but to see the princess in the flesh. They didn't do her justice: Most of the history books showed Luna a bitter and twisted mad mare, any good she may have done being overwritten by the Nightmare she would become.

"Are we not so deserving of such praise?" A dark phase echoed in Foresight's mind. It was a whisper that carried ice, darkness and sorrow in it. Luna had not said it out loud but the thought was as clear in Foresight's mind.

"Of course your majesty, why would you say otherwise?" Foresight said, but to her astonishment the voice was not her own. Looking down she saw that she was not herself in this place. Instead of the black fur and blue mane, she looked about herself to see a yellow body with a pale brown tail.

"We said not any words to that effect, thy ears must be in need of checking my dear Star Glow. One was merely commenting on our older sibling basking in the love of our ponies," Foresight didn't feel so strange being called Star Glow, on some level it felt right to her.

Star Glow looked up into Luna's eyes and felt another twinge of unease. There was a dangerous look in the princess' stare. A hardness about the cheekbones and muzzle that spoke of a hidden hurt so deeply buried that not even its owner fully understood it was there. The princess of the night turned away from the crowds and headed back into the castle.

Star Glow mused on how strange it had been to think she didn't know this place. This was the palace of the royal pony sisters. Things were just as they should be, but she could tell her mistress was under a cloud of unhappiness. There was nothing so crass as angered rants or cross words, but deep in Star Glow's heart she felt something was amiss, plus Star knew she had heard that echo in her mind, despite Luna's assurances.

"I am sure you are just tired your highness, it was a long night and you have been working so hard," Star Glow tried to lighten the mood as best she could. Star Glow didn't talk like the ponies in Equestria's capital, despite the best efforts of the head maid servant trying to drum posh speech into her, Star Glow’s accent was from a small village far west of the realm called River Gate and it won out over any amount of teaching.

It had been one of the strangest things about her employment, it seemed princess Luna had discovered Star Glow’s hobby for star gazing and had sought her out. She’d liked of free spoken manner as well as Star Glow’s obvious love for her stars

"Not that any pony bothers to see it, unlike the sun and fluffy clouds my sister puts out," Luna replied with the following: "Of course thou are right my faithful servant. One has been working themselves too hard," Star Glow shook her head, there was a kind of double take there as if two voices were both trying to be heard at once.

There was what Luna had said out loud, but overlaid was a dark whisper that seemed to say something opposite. Star Glow was nervous that she herself was going crazy, but dared not say anything about it.

Luna was kind, gentle and always put on such beautiful displays every night. The Princess would never think such things surely? Star Glow assumed it must have been something the unicorn was doing wrong. The nagging doubt that something was very amiss would not leave her though.

"Shall I leave you to your rest then your majesty?" Star Glow asked quietly. Luna nodded and bid her servant good day and closed the door behind her with a flash of magic. It was perhaps a little harder than normal and Star Glow could have sworn there was an angry glint in Luna's eyes just before the it closed. Shaking her head Star Glow began to trot back to her own room.

"She thinks she's going mad, but it's really you." Star Glow froze, she definitely heard something that time. Looking around Star Glow saw she was alone, but the malice and confusion in that last phrase was really frightening. Star Glow Resolved to talk to some pony about this. There was only one pony she would trust other than Luna to voice her worries to, that was Temporal Balance the head court wizard.

Yes that's what Star Glow would do, Balance was wise and knew lots of things that other ponies didn't. He would be able to help her. Star Glow Was about to head off to the library when she heard a knocking coming from Luna's door. The unicorn thinking she must have forgotten something rushed back and tried to open the door, but it was stuck.

"Your Highness, do you need me? Did I forget something?" Star Glow tried the door once more but it still wouldn't budge. The knocking came louder from within and there were the sounds of grating stone. "Princess Luna? What’s going on?"

Star Glow was starting to panic now, she couldn't get the door open and Star felt it was vital that she did. The knocking became a banging and the door shuddered. Tears were forming in Star Glow's eyes now and she was really scared. "Princess what’s wrong?! Please let me in Luna I want to help!" Star Glow was shouting now, trying to make herself heard over the pounding on the princess' door.

All of a sudden the wood splintered and caved outwards, forcing Star Glow to raise a hoof in protection. What she saw within, once she plucked up the courage to look, was a tall dark alicorn, but it was not Luna. Sharp teeth and wicked looking slitted eyes bored into hers......

Foresight awoke with another scream. The cell was dark and cool and it took she a few moments to remember where she was and who she was. Taking a deep breath and wiping the sweat from her face Foresight looked around her, the other inmates were still asleep. This last nightmare couldn't have been as bad as the last one, if it was then surely Foresight would have awoken every otherpony in the dungeon.

Foresight pressed her hooves against her head and realised that the pounding hadn't stopped. Looking about she tried to pinpoint where it was coming from. After a few minutes of listening carefully Foresight discovered it was coming from the back wall of her cell.

Pressing her head against the stone work Foresight was sure of it. There was the rhythmic sound of something striking stone with a clang and it was coming closer. With little else to do and not sure what this meant Foresight dared not cry out again, all she could do was press her back into the bars that closed off her cell and wait.

Foresight stared in a mixture of fear and wonder as the stones lining her cell began to buckle and soon a hole appeared as one after another they fell away from the wall. She saw shapes moving in beyond and a pair of slitted eyes filled with blackness looked at her through the hole.

"She is here and we are not too late," The Lithi said in its grating voice.

Many paths lead to a free Equestria

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Foresight trembled, as the 'Lithi' watched her with impassive eyes and what unsettled her was how young this pony looked. Foresight would have guessed the young stallion's age to be about the same as hers, but those eyes bore an ageless darkness about them. She was in no mind to trust this stone pony, but it seemed unlikely that it meant her harm considering it was breaking into her cell.

"Um hello, what is it you want?" She asked after a tense pause.

The Lithi studied Foresight with an utterly blank expression, its face giving away no hints to its purpose before it finally replied, "Thou art the one they call Farsighted?" She shuddered as the pony spoke in heavy grating tones completely at odds with its young appearance.

"What if I am?" Foresight asked cautiously, pressing herself further against the bars to her cell.

"Thou bear the mark of one who hast opened the orb of history. Come, there is no time to delay, the fallen will be aware of our intrusion soon," The Lithi didn't speak with haste or with feeling, even if the words implied urgency.

"How do I know I can trust you?" Foresight asked, fighting to keep the tremble out of her words.

The Lithi didn't blink; it just stared at her without any change of expression as it replied, "Thou doest not know that thou can, but if thou stay here thou wilt die, either by thine captors hooves or by our own: We cannot allow what thou carries to fall into the clutches of the fallen, better that thou perish than allow such." The Lithi watched Foresight coldly, "This is thy choice."

Foresight shuddered remembering how the other lithi had killed with hardly a word and didn't want to put that statement to the test, but she couldn't leave the others trapped here either.

"Okay I'll come, but not without my friends," She decided.

The Lithi shook it's head, "There is no time we must leave now."

Foresight would not be moved on this point, and despite her fear she stood her ground, "Then make time! I would have been dead twice over if it wasn't for these ponies and I will not leave without them," She felt her anger rising.

The Lithi stayed motionless for what felt like forever while Foresight trembled, fearing it would make good its threat from before. After the drawn out moment passed stone pony pushed its way out of the hole causing more stone to tumble upon the floor. Foresight pressed herself further into the bars and closed her eyes.

"Thou shalt stand aside," The dead response of the Lithi came coldly.

Shaking, Foresight opened her eyes and shuffled against the unbroken wall before, to her amazement, the Lithi walked straight at the cell's bars. Without noticeable effort, the Lithi shouldered iron rods apart with a scraping and grinding sound, the now bent bars clanged to the floor and caused the others to awake fitfully from their sleep.

"This course of action is foolish, but thou art of greater use to Equestria alive," The Lithi commented as it moved over to Enigma's cell and using its fore hooves, pushed the metal barrier aside as easily as a normal pony would open a curtain.

The sound of metal under stress caused Foresight to wince, but that wasn't the only noises: There was the sounds of muffled shouts coming beyond the door leading to the prison. It seemed there was fighting occurring beyond. Not stopping the Lithi moved forwards repeated the same treatment on Shakala's cell.

He gabbled in his own language and Foresight couldn't help but feel sorry for him: Shakala visibly trembled with terror as their saviour moved almost mechanically onto Enigma's prison before Foresight quickly rushed up to him.

"It's okay, he's here to help. Just take my hoof and follow me," Foresight assured Shakala, who almost leaped forward at her call and clung to Foresight with relief.

The Lithi had just finished removing the iron work from Enigma's cell when Foresight emerged from Shakala's and called over to her, "Can you take care of Sky? I think there will only be space for one at a time down the tunnel." To Foresight's relief Enigma nodded slowly and Foresight thought she caught a brief flash of fire return to Enigma's eyes.

The Lithi made short work of the last cell and soon Sky Strike was freed as well. Enigma quickly moved other to lead him out of the cramped space. Their rescuer then lead the way down the hewn tunnel without another word and after a short pause Foresight and the others followed.

As they squeezed through the broken wall, Foresight's realised the tunnel was cut right from the stone of the mountain. She saw no tools or mining equipment, just their Lithi escort. A further shock came when, pressing further in the darkness Foresight saw that more lithi of all ages and sizes were supporting the ceiling, using their own stone bodies to hold up the rock above. She even saw a pair of stone foals standing on one another's backs and the wonder mixed with sadness as they watched Foresight with their dead eyes.

"The tunnel shall collapse after us; the fallen will not be able to follow," The first Lithi explained as he led deeper into the tunnel and Foresight's muzzle scrunched up in confusion:

"What about those still fighting? You're not just going to leave them?" She asked in horror.

"They are already dead, even though they fight on. Thou demanded time and thou hast been given it," The Lithi said without anger or sorrow and the truth of what he said caused Foresight to stop before she raise a hoof to her mouth in shock.

"They created a distraction so we could escape, but couldn't they have come with us?" She said in a pleading voice as the first set of lithi holding the ceiling behind them stepped away from their position and rock above began to groan while little trails of dust spiraled downwards.

The Lithi leading them explained, "It was deemed the method that would give the greatest chance of our escape. Had thou done as we first instructed their loss would not have been necessary," Foresight's eyes were filling with tears at this: This stone pony had basically just told her she had caused the death of its fellows.

It made her feel sick with guilt and worst of all the Lithi didn't even raise its voice or sound accusatory: That made Foresight feel even worse, had their guide been angry with her that would have been easier to bear, instead it showed nothing, "Don't you care at all?!" Foresight pulled Shakala along as she caught up with the stone pony, and glared at him.

The Lithi didn't meet Foresight's pained eyes, simply staring forward and replying in the same deadpan manner, "We cannot, it is one of the curses the queen of darkness laid upon us when she placed us in her service." The other lithi were abandoning their posts and forming up behind the rescued equines.

Foresight felt the ground shake as the first part of the abandoned tunnel began to collapse behind them, the rock now free to answer gravity's summons. The lithi keeping just ahead of the falling stone

Foresight was stunned to silence and her heart fell into her hooves as she followed the Lithi, she wasn't that her rescuers were any safer than the cult ponies they were leaving behind, but as this stone pony had said Foresight had little choice but to trust them and so clutching the stumbling Shakala's hoof in her own she followed the Lithi deeper into the mountain.

It was a long journey following the tunnel, which was cut straight as an arrow and held no turnings or variation. For a long time there had been no talking, just the sound of hooves on stone as they passed dozens of Lithi who one after the other fell in line with the party in sombre silence as they passed. The lithi still took great cares to keep their distance from flesh and blood equines, no easy feat in such a confined space and Foresight found herself almost curios as no lithi dared to come within a few paces of them.

Further rumbling from behind caused Foresight to shudder, she feared that at any moment the falling rock would catch up with them and crush their little band, but the lithi seemed to know their art and the tunnel held only as long as needed, keeping those ahead safe.

"Enigma what's going on? I can’t see a thing," Sky whined and Foresight didn't blame him, not being able to see anything while the world trembled must have been terrifying.

"They’re leading us along a tunnel, there isn't much more to tell," Came the 'sent' reply from Enigma.

"Where are they taking us?" Sky pressed, his tone not any reassured.

"To Stone Haven," Came a rocky voice from behind the party, bearing a mare's tone under all that grinding sound.

"Where and what in the hey is that then?" Sky replied tetchily

"It is where the last of the lithi are: The caves of our vigilance," That was only slightly less cryptic than the last answer Foresight frowned in annoyance.

"What happened to the other lithi?" Enigma asked.

"We destroyed them," Echoed the flat reply.

"You killed them?! Why?" Foresight couldn't keep the slight note of panic from his voice.

"They were not killed, they were destroyed. A creature needs to be alive to be killed. The lithi are already dead and it was deemed in the best interests of Equestria that they be destroyed: Therefore those that would not renounce the queen of darkness were destroyed," This statement caused Foresight to shake in dismay.

"But would not a life under Nightmare Moon, be for your kind, a greater boon?" Shakala had finally gotten some composure to his voice.

"Under the Queen of Shadow's rule all would wither: Sun and life would fail. The land and its ponies would be gone and without them there would be no Equestria. Those that thought otherwise were destroyed. We do not have life, so what is best for us is of little recourse," That seemed to be the final word on that point and Shakala didn't push it any further even as Foresight felt her own stomach twist in repulsion.

"How can you even think like that? You move and talk and...." Foresight began but trailed off as understanding hit her like a hoof between the eyes.

"Now you begin to see: We have no feelings and we have no breath; all we have is our strength and our thoughts. We would ache for what we have lost, but even that is beyond us now. We do not grow, we do not love and as such we are not alive." The Lithi paused for a moment before continuing, "But we work for those who are: Equestria ‘is’ the living ponies in it and what we do have is faith in Equestria."

Tears were forming in the eyes of the listening flesh and blood ponies. The whole idea was so miserable, but the Lithi may as well have been reading a boring text book for all the emotion it showed. Foresight stifled a little sob and Shakala hearing her discomfort did his best to lay a comforting hoof on her shoulder.

"That these things have been taken from us is enough reason to fight those who would bring her back," The Lithi concluded as the tunnel before them began to widen. Looking past their guide, Foresight could make out a naturally formed cave up ahead.

There were a number of rock formations; both on the cave ceiling and further lining the floor below. In the centre of the space a circular area had been cleared, here a great number of lithi were standing in ordered ranks.

Foresight's breath caught as she took in the detail, what was first thought to be piles of rocks strewn about the cavern were in fact stone creatures. There were diamond dogs, timber wolves and other beasts all petrified with expressions of fear on their faces. Foresight hugged Shakala and drew back with a whimper.

"What troubles Foresight so, to make such sounds of fear I must know?" Shakala's voice trembled again as he felt the cold form of Foresight grasp him in distress.

"There are petrified creatures all around us and it would be a good guess the Lithi are responsible," Enigma sent, unable to keep the horror out of her thoughts also. "I would have said anywhere was better than those cells, but I admit to second thoughts now." The others found themselves nodding in agreement.

The procession lead the four companions to the edge of the assembled lithi. There must have been hundreds of them, all standing as still as the petrified examples of their unfortunate victims. The lithi who had rescued the prisoners made their way back to the others, falling in line as the whole formation adjusted for the recent losses.

Foresight, taking time to study the stone ponies around her, saw they were all different. It was easy to think they would all be uniform, but that was tragically far from the truth. Here a young mare stood next to an aged stallion and there, a well dressed pony beside a worn and moss covered beggar. Some had armour carved onto them, others had dresses of a bye gone age, the curse leveled on them making them all equal now.

Foresight cried to see the foals present, standing to attention with the same cold stillness of all the lithi. Even children had been turned to living stone and sent to war by Nightmare Moon’s madness.

One of their number, shaped as an elderly stallion came slowly forward and placed two pairs of dark sight goggles on the ground. Foresight gathered them up before passing them onto Sky who whispered a stunned, "Thank you,"

Not waiting for him to fit them Foresight passed before handing them to a grateful Shakala. Both blinked in wonder and repulsion at the sight revealed before, Ignoring their unease, the elderly lithi began to speak. The stone stallion sounded grim even by Lithi standards.

"Far seeing one, those left of the Lithi will ensure thy safe passage to our former home of Equestria. We understand that there is much that has been forgotten as we have stood watch here in the darkness and would give thee a chance to understand what is needed," Despite his frail appearance, the stallion carried himself like a pony half the age his carved form depicted.

"Know that we do this not to satisfy thy curiosity, or to make thee understand us more. We need to know that thou will be prepared to do what will be needed once thou leave this place. Should we deem that thou will fail then it is better thy life ends here," The words carried a certainty that left Foresight and the others in no doubt they meant every word.

"Ask of us what you will, we have been cursed for almost a thousand years and have seen much in that time. If we can answer we will," The notion of what the old lithi was saying began to sink in.

"You...you were there at the time of Nightmare Moon?" Foresight asked in muted awe.

The old looking Lithi nodded, "All that you see here is and hopefully ever will be the lithi. All here were cursed during the first war of Nightmare and these same ponies still endure."

Foresight's mind reeled. The lithi had been around all this time, these were the same lithi that she had read about in the account of Focal Balance. The idea was terrifying and fascinating at the same time; the things she could learn from these stone ponies, but the warning the old lithi had given reminded Foresight that this wasn't an archaeological dig. If the she couldn't convince the lithi that she could do what they wanted none of them would ever leave this place.

"What is the orb and what is it for?" Foresight asked after taking a moment to think.

"The orb was used to store the prophecy, but that was not it's only purpose: It was to provide a chance. There was a great mage who lived long ago, a pony asked for his help when she saw her mistress was falling to darkness. The rise of Nightmare Moon was foreseen by those who had the wisdom to look," The lithi's spokespony replied.

"Do you mean Star Swirl the bearded?" Foresight asked but the lithi shook his head.

"No the unicorn we speak of was called 'Focal Balance'. He lived during the time of Luna's fall and he aided a pony mare named 'Star Glow'," He corrected and Foresight's insides shook at the name: That was the pony from her last dream! Foresight had long given up trying to understand the nightmares she had been subjected to since being a little filly and as such, had paid little heed to this latest one. Now here was a pony that had lived in times past who was telling Foresight this filly was real.

The Lithi continued, "She was a maid to princess Luna and saw what was becoming of the regent of the Moon, but alas, she didn't fully understand the implications.” Foresight felt a shiver run down her spine, if Star Glow was real then Foresight had been seeing into the past.

“By the time events were brought to the attention of Focal Balance it was too late to stop what was happening. Celestia’s chief wizard tried to warn the princess of the day but she would not listen. Celestia simply refused to believe it possible that her sister was going mad with jealousy and envy," The wizened lithi explained slowly.

The four ponies listened as the tale was told by one who had been there, "Things came to a head and Nightmare Moon was unleashed upon Equestria, born of Luna's troubled state the 'Queen of Darkness' attempted to plunge the world into an eternal night. Nightmare Moon wanted followers, those that would be her army to help overthrow her sister: We, yourself and all altered are the result."

"I know about the history, you were telling me about the orb," Foresight interrupted impatiently, despite her fears.

"Very well, the orb. Not all the altered had been changed willingly. Many saw what was happening and fled to warn Celestia. One such pony was Star Glow, Luna's faith servant. Nightmare Moon out of some misguided idea of friendship transformed the unicorn to become the first altered. Despite being cursed, this brave mare wanted to do all she could to help Luna be returned to her former self."

The echoing voice filled the cavern with its monotone sound, as if the very earth was telling the story, "Nightmare Moon was defeated and banished to the moon for a thousand years. Equestria slowly recovered after the war and Celestia took on the duties of both Sun and Moon.”

“As for Focal Balance, he was charged with finding a way to allow Luna to be restored. He was convinced the answer laid in the elements of harmony and the magic of friendship. 'Balance' was sure Star Glow now played a key role in that magic. With her consent Star Glow’s spirit was placed within the orb along with the prophecy, to create the means to bring the true Princess of the Night back."

Despite the fact the Lithi claimed to feel nothing, the story teller’s face seemed to harden, "But they were not the only ones working toward the return of a princess: The fallen, those cast out who still wanted an eternal night, a ruler of darkness and shadow.”

“They worked their schemes well, they murdered Focal Balance, stole the orb and brought it to their new stronghold," Foresight could almost hear the echos of pride in the story teller's words now, "However, Focal Balance was Celestia's head mage for good reason and placed powerful protections upon the orb."

The words Foresight had read when she had accidentally opened the orb with her tears were starting to make more sense. That small jewel had also held the spirit of Star Glow! How was that even possible? What had happened to Star Glow when the orb was opened? The cold answer began to form in her mind and Foresight didn't dare think it to be true.

The lithi nodded, watching understanding form on Foresight's face. "Now thou start to realise far seeing one; why thou must never fall into the hooves of the fallen ones. With what thou hast inside thee they could bring forth another age of darkness and pain. Turning our last hope into a weapon of darkness to shatter Luna once and for all.”

"Was that why once I had opened the sphere the other nightborn couldn't get into my head? Was that part of the magic protections?" The Foresight asked.

The stone pony nodded once again, "Focal Balance made sure that she would be well taken care of, this was also how we knew where to find you. Powerful spells of confusion and misleading surrounded the fallen’s lair, but thy mind shone like a beacon through such."

"So what am I supposed to do now?" Foresight asked in a hesitant voice. Her mind jangling with all possible things they may require of her. She had a gut feeling that it wasn't going to be simple and would probably be very dangerous. Before the lithi could respond to this, the memory came unbidden into Foresight's mind once again:

"The darkness that went forth shall return to she who sent it and break her prison. In so doing the Princess of the Night will be lost to her nightmares and the land shall forever mourn the sun's passing, but from that same darkness shall the fourth star come with the hope of salvation. Though the three are compelled, the fourth light will come by choice and lend its heart to unlock her cage. That the mare banished and lost to the world may return."

The old stone pony paused as if listening to the very same words forming in Foresight's mind and only continued once they had finished. "The fallen do not know of this plan, they know nothing of the 'fourth star' from the prophecy within thee and so there is still hope to save Luna, but this would not be without risk. We would be required to interrupt the ritual to free Nightmare Moon and turn it to our advantage."

"Hang on you're not seriously suggesting we allow these crazy cult ponies to allow Nightmare Moon to return! Can't we just stop them? I thought you stone ponies were all about destroying Nightmare Moon!" Sky Strike shouted aghast, "Why risk this insane plan failing, leaving us stuck with a corrupted mad alicorn?"

Foresight looked to Sky Strike with tears in her eyes, "Now who’s being heartless? Princess Luna needs our help and we're the only ones who can give her a chance."

Sky Strike snorted in anger and Foresight could feel his emotions keenly: This was just plain stupid in his mind. Why risk everything so that Equestria might be able to have a second ruler again. The world had been turning just fine without her for a thousand years. The price of failing was too great!

"That we give the lost a chance to return I agree. The world was not meant to be without it's balance or it's harmony," Shakala said in support.

"I am with them on this one Sky, so many have given so much to allow Luna a chance to come back and I for one want the chance for a normal life. Maybe if Luna is returned to normal then maybe there is a chance for us altered too," Enigma put in her thoughts on the matter.

"No! Too Tartarus with your 'Princess of the Night', she caused all these problems in the first place, let her rot on the Moon!" Sky shouted angrily.

The Lithi, as one, turned to regard the pegasus and Sky shrunk back in sudden fear. The elderly lithi took a dangerous step forward, even though they felt no emotion the threat of his body language was plain to see.

"Thou does not understand what thou wishes for. The Queen of Darkness will return, whether it be now or later there is no changing that fact. Celestia saw this truth as did many others and the lithi intend to follow the Regent of the Sun’s will in this matter.” Sky Strike quailed before the looming lithi, “Following the prophecy is the surest way to preserve Equestria, far better than having Nightmare Moon return without any idea of how to stop her. The world needs the balance of the night and the day and their regents, what it does not need is one more foolish pegasus," The stone stallion stated, not with threat, but with cold reason.

Foresight's mind was racing, even in their cursed state the lithi had managed to hold onto hope it seemed; hope that their lot could be improved. She couldn't condemn them to a certain half life. Plus Enigma's view was not one she had ever considered before: If they could save Luna, then maybe there was hope for her to be just like other ponies too?

Either way she had to stop Sky Strike from getting himself killed. Foresight interposed herself between the stone pony and her friends. Sky had gone very pale and though he was putting on a brave face it was clear he was unnerved. The sight of a couple of hundred stone cold killers focusing on you could do that to a pony.

"So what can we do to make this happen the right way?" Foresight said, feeling certainty that this was the right choice welling up in her.

Old stone pony, relented a little and explained further, "The plan is to force their hoof. If we can make them desperate enough then the fallen will try to free Nightmare Moon in haste, without the proper preparations: This will be our best chance to stop them."

"But how will the ponies of stone force the dark cult to act? They are many we are few, surely no amount of valour will change that fact?" Shakala asked, his voice growing more confident with every word.

"By doing what we lithi do best, we fight and kill them until they break or we are destroyed ourselves," The lithi saluted as one and even though it seemed to be the only course of action, Foresight fervently wished there was another way.

Time to stop Running

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Sky was furious, how could they all be so blind? This was madness and would never work. He paced back and forth as the ithi organised themselves for the coming battle. Part of him did feel for the sad state the altered found themselves in, but that didn't mean they had to risk every other pony surely?

Enigma was becoming more like her old self as she slipped into the role of directing the lithi and making plans. Shakala had trotted off and seemed to be meditating and Foresight, well the young nightborn was doing her best to convince Sky Strike that they were doing the right thing.

"Sky, come on, they want to take down the ponies that destroyed your home. They want to do the right thing surely you can see that?" Foresight pleaded.

Sky glared at Foresight, she did have a point but he was too admit that. Of course he wanted payback for what the cult ponies had done, but Sky had the nagging feeling in the back of his mind that this plan was going to cost them much more than they expected.

"Do you even know what you will need to do if this even works? The lithi weren't very forthcoming on your role in this plan. Do you just need to stand there while some occult spell is cast and everything will be okay?" Sky snapped at Foresight, "Can we really trust these stone ponies? Only a little while ago they were planning to kill you Foresight."

Foresight looked at Sky Strike with her green slitted eyes and Sky wondered at how quickly their roles seemed to have changed. He was being hesitant and doubtful and now she was the one advocating conflict. Sky Strike was keenly reminded at how much Foresight had changed in the short time he'd know her. The fire of hurt still burned in Sky's heart, but.....

"Sky I know you're angry, we have all lost so much already, but if we don't do something we all stand to lose more," Foresight tried again and he had to restrain his urge to snort in annoyance.

"Sure kill them all or turn em to stone or whatever, but why this plan of letting them release Nightmare Moon as well? If she’s bad as you all say, why are you even considering it?" Sky knew he was singing the same old tune, but he was deeply troubled at the sort of manic obsession that had overcome his companion and ward.

The change had been one Sky had fostered if he was honest. He had done his best to toughen Foresight up, to help her survive and part of the his heart dearly wished she was that scared innocent filly again. It had been a refreshing change from the jaded life he had led before she came.

Sky hated the idea that they were all just pieces in a game being played by other creatures. He really hated the idea that his destiny was being mapped out regardless of his own feelings and all this talk of prophecy and fates was just plain getting on his nerves. Surely a pony could make their own choices.

"I think that orb has messed with your head Foresight. A few weeks ago you would never have said anything like this," Sky Strike said quietly, "Or maybe I don't know you as well as I thought I did." He said to himself more than to Foresight.

Foresight blinked, "Oh Sky, you've been looking out for me since I met you. You're brave and strong, but sometimes you’re a real feather brain you know that?" Foresight grinned even as Sky Strike rolled his eyes..

Sky looked to Foresight and no longer recognised the scared filly he had found in the wastes all those weeks ago. She seemed to stand a little taller than before and there was a resolve in her eyes which was as solid as the ground under his hooves. Why did the world have to take the sweet and innocent and try to turn them into heroes?

Sky had once heard that tough times brought out the best and worst in ponies. With Foresight the change was profound to say the least. Here she was giving Sky Strike, a pony far older than her advice and support. The pegasus would have laughed at the idea only a few weeks ago.

"Sky I want to show you something, it would mean a little ‘head poking’, but I really think you need to see it," Foresight asked in a gentle way which put Sky Strike instantly on guard: Young as she was, Foresight was a nightborn and head magic was their specialty. If the orb and whatever 'voodoo' was in it had been playing with the mare's head then who knows what she might try.

Foresight went on, "Sky I know you're scared, but this is really important. You need to know what is at stake here." There was an element of pleading in her voice and when he looked her in the eye Sky saw tears there. Foresight was crying and the water solidified as it ran down her cheeks before finally tinkling onto the floor in little frozen drops. Sky felt the chill of her cold aura flaring in time with her emotions, "Please let us show you," Foresight pleaded.

Confused but feeling his heart moved by such an honest plea Sky finally nodded and Foresight's magic enveloped him. Sky stumbled as for a short while it felt like he was falling. When he felt solid ground under his hooves once more, the cave and its pervasive darkness were gone: Sky now stood in a grand castle hallway with rich drapes and ornate carvings much in evidence.

Sun light streamed in from the stain glass windows lining passageway and Sky thought he could hear the sounds of birds singing far off. The sounds however were all distorted in a strange ‘tinny’ way. The world also looked slightly blurred, like a lens which was out of focus.

"What's this then?" The scepticism in Sky's tone was clear and to his relief the stallion’s voice didn’t share the odd quality of the world around him.

"This is what Star Glow showed me," Foresight's voice drifted into Sky's mind.

"That doesn't answer my question," Sky replied, his annoyance flooding back again..

"Just watch and if at the end of this you don't want any part in the coming fight then I won't force you to come," Foresight's whispered answer floated into Sky's head..

Sky Strike looked around to see Foresight standing besides him and both watched as a unicorn walked slowly into view from around a distant turning in the well furnished corridor. As this new pony came closer the sounds and the sight’s became more distinct, as if the unicorn’s very presence pulled the scene into sharp clarity.

The yellow mare made her way quietly along before coming to a stop in front of a set of tall doors. After looking both ways to make sure she was alone, the pony flicked her tan coloured mane aside and pressed her ear against the doors to listen carefully. Sky noted the young mare's flank bore a cutie mark of a telescope observing a beautiful constellation.

He pricked up his ears as the unknown voices beyond the portal also came into focus. One was confident, playful and made Sky feel like he was hearing an aunt who loved him dearly and only wanted the best for him.

Of the other voice, it was subdued and fragile and held none of the presence of the first: Whoever this voice belonged to it lacked the strength and resolve of the first. Sky had a pretty good idea of who the speakers were, even though he had never met them himself.

"Well done Luna that was a wonderful effect with the shooting stars last night, Star Glow speaks highly of thy efforts whenever one sees her." Confident voice commented.

"Thank you Tia, we put a lot of work into that one; the colour blending alone was....." The other's reply was cut off abruptly.

"It put them all in the mood for the one's sunrise again seeing all those colours and sparkles. We think one will try taking some of thy ideas and incorporate them into the sunset: That will really awe them all," The first voice commented, clearly only half listening to what the second said.

"Of course Tai, we are glad that thou liked it and we would be honoured that thou would want to use some of our techniques. If you like we could present them at the next council mee...." Again the more timid of the two was cut off mid sentence.

"Yes we think that would be best, One’s subjects shall all see the sunset with a new renewed wonder. Oh we could use it as a transition for the aura borealis, thank you Luna for giving us the idea. We shall get to work right away, the next dusk is only a day away," The first voice mused.

There was a short pause before the first voice spoke again with a reprimanding tone, "Oh don't give us that face sister; we think thy work is great. Thou should really stop being so self critical, the stars tonight were wonderful and may even be a match for my displays someday if you keep at it."

Star Glow heard the sounds of approaching hoof falls and shifted aside from the doors just in time for them to dramatically thrown open and a white alicorn that could be none other than Celestia herself stepped through. Sky had never seen a princess of Equestria before; but this creature fitted his imagined idea of an alicorn. Sweeping wings and long horn along with the greater stature fitting his mental image. He also caught the angered look of the dark alicorn that could only have been Luna gave her departing sister.

Sky Strike began to panic as the Celestia headed right for them, but she stepped right through Foresight and Sky as if they weren't there.

"We’re only watching a memory of Star Glow, none of this is happening now. Don't worry you're in no danger," Foresight sent upon seeing his discomfort.

"Thanks for the heads up," Sky grumbled.

Foresight motioned for him to watch what happened next: Star Glow made her way around the door that she'd been trapped behind in the wake of Celestia’s passage. "Well your highness, it seems Celestia recognised the efforts you put in tonight; She said your work was wonderful," Star Glow called with a forced cheerfulness.

"Only showing that Celestia thinks she’s better than us, our sister will steal your ideas and leave you in the background 'again'" The icy thought dripping with resentment slithered into Sky’s mind and he shivered. It was clear Star Glow had heard it also as her kind face formed an expression of confused fear. The mysterious voice caused Sky’s ears to flatten and he looked about wearily.

"What was that?" He asked in a nervous voice.

"The echoes of what was to come," Foresight placed into his head with a sad tone. "Luna was always eager to please, to help and support her sister. She found herself being pushed to the side at every turn as Celestia always seemed to 'out shine' Luna on every level. Though she tried to be kind to Luna, she failed to see how unhappy her younger sister was becoming. Being the centre of attention can do that to a pony. The lime light dazzles you so much all you can see is your own reflection."

"Well that white one did seem to have her head stuck right up her own....." Sky began.

"She was young and foalish, even alicorns need to grow up and learn," Foresight sent in reply, "The Celestia I know, is wise and gentle; she's learnt a lot since those days past. Losing Luna shook her terribly, enough to make Celestia curb her prideful ways and fly straight once again."

"If you say so," Sky Strike still didn't trust all he was being shown. Foresight was talking in such a wise 'I know everything' kind of way. A far cry from the scared mare he'd had saved from a giant snake, Foresight didn't seem completely like Foresight any more and Sky didn't know if that was a good thing.

The scene unfolding before them was still going on and Sky forced himself back to what he was seeing. Luna, now alone with her maid, lost all sense of composure and broke down. She wept uncontrollably as she lay forlorn on a richly decorated chair, her mane all tangled and her eyes screwed tightly shut.

"One tries so hard Star, we really do. It took us weeks to gather all the colour plans and 'she' took it all and will use it for her own gain," Luna sobbed. "She thinks she is better than you, she's wrong and you know you're better than her. Half of the things she does you came up with in the first place." The dark undertone had a slight delay to it as it overlaid Luna’s words.

Sky now understood what Foresight was getting at, two voices but only one pony. The first a sad pony pouring out her heart to a friend, while the other a dangerous undercurrent of hate mixed with spite that echoed in the mind and caused Star Glow to grimace.

"One's work is being overlooked at every turn, all the ponies love Celestia and her day: They care not for us or our night," Luna buried her head in the cushions of the chair, tears running freely. "I will make them love me, I'll show the whole world what I can do." followed closely behind, but the delay shorter than before.

Star Glow went pale and her eyes went wide in fear, "Your highness, please don't do anything rash. I can go get Temporal Balance he will know what to do: Please Luna you're overly tired and making yourself ill," Star pleaded, backing away slowly.

The Princess' eyes looked up into Star Glows and for the tiniest moment they weren’t the gentle pupils of Luna, they were those of a dragon's. "We do not need your help!" This time there was no echo, the words were Luna's own and they blended with the dark whisper, becoming one and the same. The moment passed and Luna's rounded pupils were back, but that one glimpse terrified Star Glow and with tears of her own she turned and fled.

"Nay wait! Star Glow we are sorry, we didn't mean anything of the kind!" Luna called out but it was too late. Star Glow galloped away, tears of her own lining her cheeks and showed no sign of stopping. "See even she leaves you in the end. So much for her 'friendship'." Came the thought. Luna with her lip trembling cried out in anguish, "Silence thou cur, one will not listen to you!"

As Star Glow galloped away the scene began to dissolve once more, but Sky caught the impression of furniture being lifted in a magical glow and hurled about the room to shatter against the walls. The tinny sounds of splintering wood chased Star Glow all the way up the distorting passageway.

Sky felt the world lurch as the image changed. The sun seemed to fly across the sky, the shadows following their normal progression, but at a far greater speed. Soon the castle was in the grip of night and the moon rose into the sky before falling again. The simple cycle of night to day danced for a time before slowing and finally coming to rest upon a night time vista of the corridor.

Once again Star Glow was outside the doors to Luna’s apartments, hoof raised to knock. She hesitated with fear in her eyes which now had dark circles under them, evidently Star Glow hadn’t slept well for some time. After taking a moment to muster her courage she rapped on the wood.

There was a tense moment before Luna's voice replied with a simple, "Enter." Star Glow carefully pulled the door open and stepped inside. Sky and Foresight found themselves being drawn into the room also as Star's memories moved them with her. Luna was sitting in darkness looking out the window to the stars beyond.

"Your highness, I came to apologize, I..I should not have run from you so," Star Glow bowed submissively before looking up in apprehension at the silhouetted figure of Luna.

"It is alright my faithful servant, one was not behaving like one's self. As thou has said before we have been working ourselves too hard, but we have resolved the problem and are much calmer now." Luna didn’t turn to look at Star Glow, the moon light from outside casting her in a silhouette.

"What is your command Luna? I am eager to serve," There was a look of hope on Star Glow's face now. Sky could almost feel Star's earnest joy that Luna had indeed improved. Luna's voice was her own and there was no sign of the distressing echo from before.

"Do you trust me Star Glow?" Luna asked.

Star was taken aback by this, "Why of course your highness."

"Will you follow my orders, even if you don't fully understand them?" Luna asked again, now there was the tiniest hint of a tremble there.

"I will do all I can to serve the crowns my princess," Star Glow replied uncertainly.

Luna was silent for a moment before going on. "I have a plan that should make everything better my dear Star Glow and I want your help with it," Luna hadn't moved as she studied the night sky beyond the window.

"If it is in my power my princess I will aid you," Star Glow said with conviction.

"Very good Star Glow, you can be of great help to me. Now just stand still, sadly this may hurt just a little," Luna's voice had taken on a cold quality and before Star Glow could reply she became wrapped in Luna's magic. She tried to struggle but the was far beyond Star Glow’s power to break, "You will be my first, dearest friend, an example for others to follow. A new breed of pony, perfectly suited to the new Equestria."

Star Glow tried to cry out for Luna to stop, but her mouth only let out a little sound of terror as she felt the magic force it's way into her. In that moment she knew and felt all the pain along with the resentment that Luna felt. Star Glow was forced to share the madding need to prove herself in the eyes of a sister and people who failed to appreciate the Princess of the Night. She felt it drive through her body and left it changed, smothering what had gone before and replacing it with something darker.

Star Glow would have screamed with fear and pain, but her body was not under her control. All she could do was burrow back to what she knew was right, her love for her home, her friends , her family and despite what was happening to Star Glow her feelings for Luna. She was Star Glow’s dearest friend and the darkness sweeping her body couldn't fight past that barrier no matter how hard it tried.

Just when Star Glow felt she could take no more the power released it's clawed grip and Star fell to the floor panting. As the pain had washed through her, she'd been forced to screw her eyes tightly shut, but when she finally got the courage up to open them the world around her had changed. Sky looked on in dismay, where there had been only darkness, the room was now alive with hundreds of shades of shadow, he could see the beauty in the darkness and the room was as clear as day to now.

Sky Strike shared Star Glow's horror as she saw the spreading ring of frost spread out from under her, the ice crystals sparkling coldly in the moon light. Star Glow rose unsteadily to her hooves and looked at Luna, fearing what she would see. She sat there with her head tilted back and her eyes shut, a little smile on her lips.

Star Glow tried to ask Luna what had happened, but it came out strangely, "My princess what.....?"

"You were the first to hear me Star, to 'truly' hear me. You listened to me when all others didn't and as a reward I call upon you to stand by me once more as I begin a time of justice, where I am seen in the 'light' I was meant to be. My dear friend this will be the beginning of a new age." Luna's voice echoed in Star Glow's head, but it had lost all the gentleness and warmth Star was use to.

Luna finally opened her eyes and looked to Star Glow, her eyes were her own, but there was a darkness that lingered there that had not been present before. Star Glow looked down to ponder the words the princess had spoken and was shocked to see her normally yellow coat was now jet black. In panic she looked about and saw a mirror on the wall. the mare looking back at her was not Star Glow, it was somepony else....

Sky Strike reeled at the emotions that went through his head, it was as if he had a direct link to both Luna and the terrified Star Glow. He wanted it to cease, to stop the pain and hurt but it just kept coming. He felt a gentle hoof on his shoulder and looked around to see Foresight giving him a hug.

"Why show me that? By the heavens that was terrible," Sky gasped.

"I needed to show you that Luna was not always Nightmare Moon. That hidden deeply within the monster is a good pony that Equestria needs," Foresight sent in a comforting tone, "But there is more you need to see," She explained.

A cloudy image of six fillies confronting Nightmare moon floated before Sky’s vision: Sky saw them, battered, hurt and bleeding from deep wounds. “They will pass through terrible trials to this final confrontation. These six friends will overcome horrors they should never needed to face. Without Luna’s influence to hold Nightmare Moon in check the future element bearer’s will be exposed to the full wrath of darkness.”

Sky watched as the purple unicorn leading the group stood up bravely to the Nightmare Queen in a ruined throne room. A blinding flash lit up the area and to Sky’s surprise Nightmare Moon flinched. Hope rose in his heart as the six ponies were lifted into the air and powerful light healed their wounds.

“They will win this time, but their victory will be a hollow one,” Foresight cautioned.

The glowing aura surrounding the six ponies merged to form a glittering rainbow that enveloped the screaming figure of Nightmare Moon before the brightness grew too intense to watch. Sky covered his eyes but heard the last terrible curses from Nightmare Moon before the light winked out.

Once he could see again Sky looked to see that Nightmare Moon had gone and there was just a haze of smoke left behind. The six fillies picked themselves up and began to hug each other in warmth and affection. Beyond the broken castle windows Sky saw that the image of the Mare in the Moon was still present.

The image danced and another scene greeted Sky Strike. He recognised Celestia from before, but as he looked closer he saw how worn and old the princess now looked. Her feathered wings were a mess and then there were her eyes: They were so tired, so weary. Celestia looked like she had aged centuries, but from what Sky knew of the royal princesses they were nigh immortal, barring death in battle they would effectively live forever, but the Celestia before Sky looked ancient and decrepit.

She let out a deep sigh and watched as a dark cloud drifted down to settle on the ground. The seething mist rose up and into the vague image of an alicorn, over time it became more distinct and formed a pony who could only be Nightmare Moon. Her black coat was pristine and those same slitted dragon eyes that had scared Star Glow all those years ago watched Celestia with contempt. The sharp canine teeth present in her mouth were revealed as the corrupted alicorn sneered.

Celestia looked to the revealed Nightmare Moon and began to beg, "Queen of Shadows I cannot cage you any longer, I have borne the weight of the sun and the moon for too long now. You know that I am sorrier than I can ever say for what I did to Luna, that if I could change the past I would do." Celestia's voice trembled, its frailty heart breaking, "But please, all I can ask is that you will please spare the ponies that are left."

Celestia sounded so thoroughly beaten that it brought tears to Sky's eyes, whatever she had done in the past surely this pony deserved some mercy, if not for her then for the innocent ponies she had cared for, they were all but blameless for the feud between these two powers.

Gone was the proud mare who had talked to Luna in such a dismissive way, Celestia didn't look like she could even hold up her own weight any more, let alone move the sun. The creature that had been Luna just kept on sneering in derision.

"To think that you once thought yourself the greatest alicorn that ever lived. That you thought me just a puny side note in your history sister. Well now you see that I can out last you, even when banished to the moon for time uncounted. You wanted all the power and responsibility well, now you can see where all that ambition got you," Nightmare Moon laughed at that cruel irony.

"They have done nothing to you, I am the one to blame for this, please don't take their sun away. Neither Equestria nor the world will survive without the warmth and light it brings," Celestia pleaded, tears running down her sunken cheeks from her bloodshot eyes..

"Ah but that's where you’re wrong sister I have made it so that those left can survive. You know I was always the clever one, I have made those who will embrace the eternal night." Nightmare Moon studied a hoof absently, "The others, well they will be gone soon enough if they don’t want to move with the times." She said with no pity in her heart.

"But what of food? what of life, flowers and fruit?" Without the sun the world will become a ball of ice and barren wastes?" Celestia was putting up one final argument to try and appease Nightmare Moon. Repentance had come too late however and her words fell on deaf ears. It was Nightmare Moons turn not to listen.

"I am in charge now and it is no longer your concern Celestia. I can make the world how I want and there is nothing you can do to stop me. You can just fade away like a good little mortal and leave everything to me now," Nightmare Moon said in feigning kindness. "Everything you held dear will be gone and only my world will be left. I want you to know that sister as you go to your grave, but don't worry I won’t have to do things alone: I'm not going to burn myself out as you did."

The sun sank, it's rim just touching the horizon now and Celestia turned in confusion at Nightmare Moons words. She saw the image of another pony standing by Nightmare Moon, She was Nightmare Moon doppelganger save without wings and a pair of purple slitted eyes that drew Celestia’s attention and broke her heart for what felt the hundredth time.

Celestia had watched those eyes; once round and full of love, grow in wisdom and learning as the filly aged too. They used to look to her with wonder and awe, but now watched Celestia with unmasked hatred in them. "You are not the only one who saw potential in your 'faithful' student. Once I showed her who you really were Celestia, Twilight was only too happy to aid me in fixing your mistakes."

The princess of the day's heart, already broken in pieces, felt the last fragments ground to dust by Nightmare Moon’s final mockery. Twilight, the unicorn had such potential and now was a slave to darkness too. Celestia's plans were all in ruins, the Elements of Harmony no longer heeded her. She had broken their trust too often and squandered the chances to make things right once again. The most powerful magic she knew of was silent and dead.

Sky didn't know this other unicorn, but Foresight stared at her with wonder and anguish in equal measure. "These are events that will happen if we do not allow the prophecy to follow it's correct course. Celestia will try to bear the weight of the world by herself, something no pony, not even a royal alicorn can do. She will tire herself to the point where the prison of the moon will no longer hold Nightmare Moon and further wars and horrors will fall on the world."

Foresight looked sadly into Sky Strike's eyes before going on, "I don't want to see the world die or everything I hold dear to crumble away. That's why I am doing this, not because some strange orb has messed with my head. It is my curse and duty to bear sight and knowledge of things that have been and some things which are to come. I have seen the testimonials of Star Glow, Temporal Balance and Celestia as to what will happen should we fail here."

Sky saw Foresight's eyes full of pleading again, now looking small and timid, "Sky we have this one chance to save Luna, so that when other stronger ponies come there will still be a true Princess of the Night to save. I don't want to do this alone.... I can't do this alone and I trust you. Please help me."

Sky Strike now understood what was driving this all forward and what was really at stake. When cast in the light of revelation the choices made were the only sane ones to make. After a long moment he nodded slowly, "Okay Foresight you have convinced me, time to stand up and save the world just as you said huh?" There was some forced levity in his words and Sky hoped Foresight appreciated them never the less.

The visions of past and future faded and the ponies found themselves back in the caves of Stone Haven. Foresight moved forward and hugged Sky, her cold body sent a shiver through him, but he didn’t break the embrace.

“Thank you Sky, I knew I could count on you.”

The Fight for Freedom.

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Sky Strike watched as the assembled ponies began to make their way out of Stone Haven. His heart felt heavy as he thought of what would have to be done, but there was also a sense of vindication. They were finally going to bring justice upon those who had taken his home and caused so much sorrow.

The attacks began with the collapsing of a number of lower chambers. The lithi had gotten very good at tunneling and digging. They made methodical use of this knowledge by undermining vital access ways along with choke points. This left the cultist's forces cut off and isolated. Even as the confusion caused by this was unfolding the main thrusts of the assault came from two points.

The mountain's halls and layout were based on the moon above, following the pattern placed on the moon since Nightmare Moon's banishment. The stronghold's layout was built as circular rooms and the first attack began at the southernmost point. The lithi began their assault by breaking into the storerooms and sleeping areas at the base of the 'neck'.

The second force came in just behind where the 'ears' would have been and drove into the workshops and craft rooms. The lithi were implacable and driven as Nightmare Moon had made them to be: They fought without weapons or armour as they didn't need them, their sharp hooves and teeth being dangerous weapons in their own right and quite sufficient to kill. The already impressive strength of an earth pony added upon by the mass of stone.

This was not to say that the cult ponies were caught unawares. They had a significant number of tricks of their own, the negasi among them could hear the digging and tunnel works and moved forces ready to counter and defend where needed. The shadow casters also bent their wills to discovering the plans of their attackers.

One of the many failings of the Mare in the Moon was that she trusted no pony. As such made the lithi, she made them to obey and follow her will and her's alone. This left them guarded from the dark unicorn's searching and beyond their power to influence. Enigma though beaten and abused by Catalyst had recovered somewhat, lending her mental skills to the fight as well. Most of all she did her best to shield Shakala, who more than any of them, feared being manipulated once more.

Foresight had her own protections from the precious cargo she bore, where Sky Strike had enough practice to keep the worst of the mental attacks out too. These were not foolproof but Enigma was good at her job and with a viscous spite that scared Foresight she fooled the defenders into trying to defend locations planned for collapse.

The initial fighting went well for the lithi and their allies, but as the element of surprise waned the cult ponies began to fight back. Bewitched unicorns tossed lithi with their magic, sending them shattering against walls. Earth ponies with vacant eyes fought alongside buffalo, griffins and other creatures: Throwing themselves into the struggle without care for their own safety, armed with hammers spears and even bits of furniture.

The lithi took special care to target dark unicorns in the fight for just this reason. When one of them went down the mind controlled defenders would be confused for a time, some even turning on their former slave masters. Yet again this wasn't out of emotion or desire to be just, but followed the cold logic the lithi lived by.

The flesh and blood attackers stuck together as best they could. Sky Strike, Shakala and Enigma holding back to safeguard Foresight. The tunnel fighting was close, brutal and unforgiving. The rooms were soon full of the smashed remains of lithi along with the dead as fatally wounded defenders slipped painfully into the next world.

The worst part were those left to be petrified and Foresight did her best not to think about that aspect of the fighting. If they laid there with just a vacant stare as they turned to stone or if their last moments were filled with panicked cries, Foresight knew these events would haunt her forever.

The tactics used by the lithi were effective as they were merciless. The 'Heralds' couldn't bring their larger numbers to bear in the confines of their own stronghold and the attackers ground forward through one room after another, all the while the number of casualties increased on both sides. Their steady advance lasted until the encroaching forces came across the first real organised resistance: Catalyst.

The cult leader was cunning and willing to throw any puppet in the path of the lithi to stall them and Foresight only caught sight of the dark unicorn as they entered a huge meeting hall where the defenders had now gathered. Here Catalyst had assembled his own personal menagerie of monsters.

Scorpni, wrattle pythons and other beasts from the waste lands roared and fought and Foresight noted; only nominally under the control of the shadow casters. The lithi finally paused as with a laugh Catalyst let the creatures off the leash and instantly the battle took on a very different aspect. The Giant snakes smashed their way into the ranks of the lithi, crushing attacker and defender alike in their efforts to vent their anger.

The stone ponies were hurled back for a time, the giant snake's thick scales proving too strong for them to pierce, but the lithi were not daunted and continued to fight even as they were ground to powder by this latest foe. Nor was this the only trick Catalyst had.

'Razor flocks' which looked like birds of prey made from crystal swooped down, their sharp deceptively beautiful bodies sparking as they struck the lithi, their normal method of attack doing little more than distract as the granite flesh of the attackers withstood them in turn. The cloud of 'mist webs' were used in a similar role by Catalyst, their wire like forms entangling the lithi even as they turned to stone from the wounds caused to them and leaving the attackers easy prey for the scorpni

The scorpni, now they were another aspect of horror again. Easily three times the size of a pony, Foresight had heard Sky describe the beasts but had never seen them herself. The bestial hunters were multi-limbed creatures, sported a pair of tails arching up from their backs, each tipped with stingers that dripped hissing venom. Foresight had cringed back as the monsters thrust themselves into the attacker's ranks, tails stabbing and tri-fingered claws crushing lithi with every strike.

The scorpni's yellow carapace was the same shade as the sands of the wastes and looked out of place here in the dark halls of the mountain. It did however make them easy to spot among the combatants as they broke and shattered the lithi. Their venom so potent that it began to eat away at the stone ponies as it unbound their cursed forms.

What terrified Foresight about them was the determined manner in which they closed upon Enigma and herself: These creatures fed on magical prey and they homed in the pair like a dragon on a gem hoard; battering a frenzied path through the defending lithi.

Foresight's protectors did their best to block the passage of the scorpni, throwing themselves bodily in the way and sacrificing themselves so that others could bring down the vile creatures, but despite this the giant insects made steady progress through the throng. Shakala looked on with anticipation as a particularly scarred looking scorpni tore through the last layer of lithi forming a defensive ring about the living ponies. He'd had lost his own pole arm during their capture and had now clutched a long metal spear recovered from Stone Haven, "Leave this beast to me, I shall fight to set it free."

Without another word Shakala leaped forward ducking under a swipe from it's clawed forearms before rolling aside as the scorpni brought down its one of it's tail barbs, missing him by only inches. Shakala twisted the spear around and jabbed it into a gap in the beast's armoured hide before wrenching it free and circling around for another strike from the side.

This desperate fight was lost to view as a fresh wave of cultists followed in the wake of the monsters, Sky Strike found himself grounded with all the razor flocks and mist webs, not daring to take wing in case he attracted unwanted attention. This and he had resolved to stay close to Foresight.

His focus was drawn to a darting blur above and Sky had to spread his wings defensively as a bat pony with dark red eyes and mane dove down in a surprise attack. He frantically parried and duelled with the negasi stallion who; seeing his dive had been thwarted took a few steps back.

Sky saw the bat pony had wing blades of his own and to his amazement bowed in mock salute before leaping forward to engage Sky Strike once more. This was no slack jawed puppet, this was one of the altered ponies who chose to side with the cult and he glared at him with unmasked arrogance.

All this time Enigma, with her horn glowing redirected any foe that came at her. She used her mind bending powers often forcing them to turn on one another or simply stand there with a distant look in their eyes as lithi crashed into them. Foresight watched in mounting unease at the relish Enigma took in causing harm, she didn't blame her for wanting to take vengeance but the triumph in Enigma's eyes reminded Foresight that Enigma was a very different pony from her, despite their shared heritage.

Foresight was the only creature not fighting in all this swirling violence. As she did her best not to be noticed Foresight began to wonder why she was even here. She didn't know any fighting magic and was no match for any of these fighters one on one, why hadn't she stayed behind and let those more suited to war fight on her behalf?

Foresight cringed as a unicorn mare stumbled before her, a deep gash in her side that should have flowed with blood, but instead just presented another example of the relentless spread of the lithi's curse. The 'greying' flesh steadily working it's way from the wound. The poor pony's eyes showed no fear or emotion as it lay there, remaining bereft of feeling even as the last of the life was consumed by the stone. Foresight turned away as she wiped the tears from her eyes.

It was one thing to talk brave words and stand up for what seemed right back at Stone Haven, but now here, in the middle of a battle with tragic ends all around her Foresight was trembling. She was not cut out for this, but as her mind threatened to break down a dark shape above drew her attention. Foresight looked up in time to see another negasi diving at her a spear in it's hooves.

There was no one else who could get to the night born in time and Foresight cringed backwards, doing the first thing that came to mind she flared her aura of cold and darkness. The negasi's glare turned to one of horror as it contacted with the magical barrier and the winged pony froze solid as he passed through before crashing to the ground, shattered on contact and Foresight gasped at what she had done.

It seemed that Temporal Balance's protections were more than just guarding Foresight's mind, or maybe it was the aid lent by Star Glow. Either way Foresight's magic had never been that strong before and she looked down in mounting confusion as a circle of frost spread out from her. Wincing and staggering back, Foresight dropped her spell with a cry and wept openly as she curled up into a ball.

"Well my dear if I had known you had that kind of power in you I would have spoken with a bit more respect," Enigma's sending thoughts came into Foresight's and the filly looked up through streaming eyes to see the older mare looking at her with an approving expression. Foresight shook her head, "I didn't mean to do it I.....I."

In the middle of a battle where death was being given freely, Foresight trembled, shedding frozen tears with no sign of stopping as Enigma moved in close to the distraught pony. If any inhabitant from the now destroyed High Point saw what happened next they would have not believed it as the older mare took Foresight in her hooves and gave her a motherly hug.

"I know, I know. It's hard the first time you have to kill: We wouldn't be alive if we didn't feel horror at such an act. It is not how the world was meant to be, but here we are and we must do what is needed," Enigma assured Foresight who continued to weep, her head buried in Enigma's chest.

"I just want to go home, I don't want to be here doing this," Foresight managed to get out between sobs.

"Well if you want a home to go back to, then you need to stand and fight for it," Enigma told Foresight with a stern tone. The brief show of a softer side was quickly covered by her normal manner, “Now get up and do what is needed of you Foresight, or by Luna I'll freeze you myself."

Foresight looked up into Enigma's blue eyes and saw the sadness there. No pony wants to have to fight, but sometimes there is no other way. Wiping away her tears, Foresight got back to her hooves and took a deep breath even as she still trembled from head to tail.

Enigma nodded and satisfied before turned her magic on another earth pony slave who was charging at them through the fight. He slowed, stopped and then turned about to charged back at the shadow caster who had directed the initial attack.

The altered mare just had time for her face to form an expression of surprise before the blade punched through her chest and the cultist toppled over. The earth pony just stood there blinking and looked around as if he had just awoken from a nightmare before dropping the now bloody sword to the ground with a clatter that was lost among the sounds of battle.

Foresight should be able to take care of herself now, but a small part of Enigma was sad that such a young pony was forced to do such things. The world was cruel like that, she had not been much older when she had needed to kill another. It was self defence, like Foresight's situation and it brought back memories of a hard life.

Shaking her head Enigma pressed down on the memories threatening to come to the surface and got back to the matters at hoof. One day there will be an end to all this fighting, a day that Enigma fervently hoped would be quick in it's coming.

As the numbers of Shadow caster's began to dwindle so did their collective control of the masses. More and more ponies and other creatures switched sides as they were freed from the control of the cult leaders. Very soon the monsters were totally uncontrollable and freely attacked ponies from either side indiscriminately. This left them far easier prey for the disciplined lithi as they lost all coordination and even the biggest of the wrattle pythons had finally been brought down by a calculated ploy from the stone soldiers.

The best opened it's huge fanged maw and drove its head down to crush a stone pony in its jaws. The target, a young looking lithi foal, waited until the last moment before reacting and as the beast's head closed round it. The foal struck at it's unprotected inner mouth. The wrattle python's bulk and jaws crushed the little pony to powder, but the damage was done.

The best reared up to strike again, only discovering it's lower jaw was slowly turning to stone. The death of the snake was slow and painful and it roared in confusion right up until the petrification reached its brain. Then like a tree being felled the monster toppled sideways to crush a number of combatants beneath it's 'greying' bulk. This defeat was the last straw for the cultists and they began to flee. Most of their leaders had fallen and though there were far less lithi than had started the attack there was still sufficient to carry the battle home..

Sky Strike had fought blade to blade with the bat pony for what felt like an age. The frantic slash and parry had been so intense that even though the fight had only lasted minutes he'd quickly broken into an exhausted sweat. Sky realised the bat pony was toying with him, breaking him completely before putting in a killing blow. It was only the fall of the giant snake that prevented this Negasi's play from reaching its conclusion. Sky's opponent having been so focused on the sword play that he didn't notice the falling bulk of the snake until it impacted just behind him.

This left the bat pony wrong hoofed and dazed, leading to an opening that Sky would have been fool to pass up. He winced as Sky's blade drew a cut across his neck and gasping for air the dark stallion slumped to the ground with a shocked expression in his slitted eyes. Sky panted with exertion, the sweat pouring off him as he took stock of the battle around him.

Sky saw Shakala finishing off the first scorpni. This gnarled creature was probably the leader of the brood and would keep on fighting even when the shadow caster's control broke down. Even as they tried desperately to give it mental commands, this just warred with the creature's natural drives. Every so often the monster would try to break away from the fight with Shakala to chase a magic user, which left an opening for him to strike.

Crippled and wounded from a number of telling hits the best finally stumbled and Shakala with great solemnity punched the spear head through its multi-eyed head. Having ended it's misery and servitude, the zebra bowed his head in respect for a creature whose will had not been its own. The scorpni had fought the control right until the end and Shakala saluted such a determined creature. He looked up from the finished scorpni just in time to see the defenders resolve finally break and they began to flee: The meeting hall was lost.

Catalyst, still riding on the back of his personal wrattle python, sent curses and threats at the wavering cult ponies but it was to no avail. With murder in his purple eyes the cult leader fell back with his followers as the last of the 'fallen' dying were given a quick release by their lithi attackers. He was not beaten yet; he still had one more trick to play: It was far sooner than he would have liked but this setback forced his hoof.

To Tartarus with the Prophesy, if he didn't do something to salvage the situation all would be lost; Catalyst cursed once again causing those nearby to wince at the mental lash. How had the lithi found them? There should have been spells of confusion woven by his own hoof around the stronghold of the 'Heralds of the eternal night'. That this 'Foresight' had been brought here only to be rescued soon after by the lithi and the orb's secrets lost to him could not be a coincidence. Events were slipping out of his grasp despite all of his careful planning.

Still these events were not without saving graces. If the lithi had attacked with such numbers then the borders of Equestria's underground would be stripped of their defenders. The way to bring back their Queen would now be open to them. Cooling his anger and grinning to himself in the perpetual darkness Catalyst called his most faithful followers to him.

"Black Star, Crimson Blade, attend me," Catalyst sent.

"Crimson is dead my lord, he died trying to capture the far seeing one," came the whispered reply, Black Star was Catalyst's second in command and a dark unicorn of impressive skills. There was no small hint of triumph in the reply. Rivalry for Catalyst's favour was encouraged within the order. It kept the leaders sharp and secretly Catalyst was happy that his underlings were too busy squabbling with each other to pose a threat to his authority.

With the bat pony Crimson Blade dead it left Dark Star with one less obstacle. They followed the ways that Nightmare Moon had shown them here in the 'Heralds'. The Mare in the Moon taught them that if they wanted something they were to take it. The strong survived and the weak died. Misplaced sentiment such as displayed by Celestia was to show weakness.

If Catalyst had been Celestia back then, he would have just killed Nightmare Moon, not left her banished to the moon, but that's what being kind got you. Now he could release the Queen of Shadows from her prison and the folly of such mercy would soon be for all to see, but these were matters for later, first things first.

"Indeed, gather the remaining followers Black Star and be sure to bring our special prisoner along too. we will have need of him," catalyst sent. The other 'shadow caster' failed to hide his confusion.

"But Lord, it is too soon for the ritual. What of the Prophesy? What of the long journey we will need to make? We have not supplies for such a trip now, not with the stores in the hooves of the lithi," Black Star sent back.

"The lithi's attack was badly timed, they have left the borders of Equestria unguarded by the numbers they threw at us this day. We can break through the cordon and summon her highness before anypony can stop us. Now follow my commands or Crimson Blade will not be the 'only' leader the Heralds will lose this day," Catalyst announced. His wrattle python emitting a low hiss in response to it's master's displeasure. Dark Star couldn't miss the threat and without another word bowed to Catalyst before galloping off to fulfill his instructions.

The clean up after the fight was almost as terrible as the battle itself. The liberators found evidence of torture and mistreatment everywhere. Those ponies who had been under the mind magic of the shadow casters were confused, hurt and half starved. Many were little more than automaton, their minds blasted and were merely bodies with nothing driving them other than the most basic impulses.

The lithi were still busy, their tasks not complete. The stone ponies moved through the rooms and halls, killing any remaining cult ponies that were found and leaving the freed creatures in confusion. They stopped not for thanks or heeding cries for help, they did what they were made to do and nothing more.

Foresight had become very withdrawn in the aftermath of the battle. The death of the negasi from her magic aura had affected her deeply. Sky Strike looking battered, bruised and covered in small nicks tried his best to comfort Foresight despite being exhausted himself.

Shakala managed to coax Foresight out of her withdrawn state by getting the filly to aid those ponies that could be saved. The slaves were confused and many didn't know where they were or how they got there. Others were so far gone they didn't even know 'who' they were and Shakala made it his work to explain plus comfort where he could.

Foresight winced at their reaction upon seeing her and she didn't blame them. Foresight certainly wasn't surprised after the previous examples of her kind, but it was still painful to see ponies so scared of her. It was only with Shakala's encouragement and some simple acts of kindness they began to come around.

The lithi finally concluded their hunt and gathered again in the main hall where the climatic battle had taken place. Enigma found Foresight tending to an injured buffalo, informing her that the lithi wanting to speak with her again. The filly, trembling with adrenaline along with memories of the conflict, finished binding the wounds of the emaciated bull. As Foresight approached the gathered lithi she staggered to see the losses the stone ponies had suffered in the battle. Only about one third of them remained and of the survivors all bore cracks and chips from the combat.

A new lithi addressed Foresight this time, it seemed the previous one having been destroyed when the monsters attacked. This pony had the form of a middle aged mare and she studied Foresight with her black eyes; Its face impassive even with the horrendous casualties they had suffered.

"The battle is won for now. Catalyst and the last of his followers have been routed as planned. Our watchers tell us that he flees to Equestria," Foresight shuddered as the pony's voice sounded out. As part of the trust earned by her, the lithi had opened their minds to both Foresight and Enigma to better be able to direct their forces.

Foresight looked into this lithi's mind and saw what was left: She had been a singer before Nightmare Moon's coming the recalled, but now her voice was dull and gritty with all the feeling of iceberg. The new leader of the lithi didn't even remember her own name, all that was left to her was duty. Foresight caught these faint echoes of her thoughts as she addressed her felt nothing but loss, "The fallen have taken the bait and make their way to the palace of the Royal Pony Sisters"

Foresight felt her heart almost skip a beat, "They’re going to Canterlot?" The fear was evident in her voice.

The lithi mare shook her head. "The current capital of Equestria was never Luna's home. We speak of the castle in the Everfree Forest. They need to enact the ritual where Nightmare Moon was first banished. That is where Catalyst is leading them now. Our forces will delay them, but they will not stop them. If we are to reach the old palace in time we must leave soon." The words were spoken without haste and were typical of the lithi.

Foresight was tired, not just in body but in mind and spirit too. There was one more giant hurdle to climb and then this would all be over. She looked to her friends and saw the same weary feeling in their eyes too: The end game was coming close it seemed. One last push, one last struggle and then this whole nightmare would be over. Gathering reserves she didn't know she had, Foresight slowly nodded and asked what the plan was to get to Equestria.

"We will take the under way, it has been guarded by the lithi for a thousand years and we know it's ways better than Catalyst: By travelling it we should be able to get ahead of him and make ready for his arrival, but we must leave within the hour. We know that you will be in need of rest and so we will carry you." She informed the four living ponies.

Conscious that even the smallest accident could kill when involving the lithi, Foresight looked more than a little afraid at the idea of even touching one of them. Her fears were unfounded though as the pony moved aside to reveal a couple of sturdy looking carts ‘liberated’ from the Herald’s store rooms. They also presented the four ponies with armour and equipment taken from them upon their capture. Shakala's face especially lit up as the lithi presented him with his carved pole arm and bowed in thanks.

With the four now prepared the lithi hitched themselves up to the carts as the grateful freed creatures loaded supplies for their saviours. They were only too happy to assist their rescuers after it became clear that the rule of the Heralds had been ended by these lithi and their friends.

Once loading was completed Enigma searched among the survivors and found some from High Point that she felt she could trust. She organised them into groups and instructed them to leave as soon as they could, taking what supplies they could carry. It was decided they would strike out above ground and head north to Equestria once sufficiently recovered. The now freed ponies and others were more than willing to follow this plan, none wanted to spend any more time than was needed in this forsaken place.

Foresight took a moment to write a special letter for these refugees to present to the border guards of Equestria. It was only a small thing, but if it could make their passage a bit smoother then Foresight was willing to try. She felt that as a nightborn Foresight needed to do something to make up for the failings of her race to these poor folk.

With this last task done, she mounted up with her friends and bid the sad sight and memories of this dark place good bye, hoping to never have to return. Foresight crawled under a scavenged blanket as she tried to push the memories of the battle from her mind and the lithi arrayed the carts ready to start the long ride to Equestria.

Troubled sleep overcame Foresight once more and she was glad it was deep enough to avoid any dreams of what was to come, or reliving the sworded events of the past.

Journey to your Destney

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The journey in the darkness was frustratingly dull, the stone passageway held nothing of interest to take their minds off the coming trials. These tunnels all looked the same to Sky Strike and he quickly found himself disoriented with all the twists and turns the lithi took.

The living ponies tried to rest, but most found their dreams disturbed by the events of the last few weeks and their sleep didn't so much refresh as draw out their tiredness. The lithi, not needing to say anything simply didn't but just pulled the carts and focused on the path way ahead. The only pony who seemed to be able to get any rest was ironically Foresight.

She and Enigma were riding in the cart ahead of Sky and Shakala, Foresight sleeping quietly next to the older nightborn who watched over her with protective manner. Enigma’s mane was still a mess despite her efforts and though there was no outward sign of harm on her Sky felt like something vital had gone from the mare.

Sky watched Foresight with worry and a kind of brotherly affection, seeing her chest rise and fall gently as she slept. He didn't want any harm to come to Foresight who had surprised him on more than one occasion. She had performed feats of courage that even a hardened warrior like himself or Shakala would balk at and most of all, the pony seemed to radiate hope like a beacon. Hope that things could be better than they were now.

Sky wasn’t sure if it was the effect of the soul she carried, or the protection that Focal Balance had blessed Foresight with, but she really did lift Sky’s heart when he was around her. May be it was just Foresight’s boundless determination that reminded Sky of his younger self.

looking across to Shakala, Sky smiled, seeing him in some sort of meditative trance again. Shakala had been overjoyed to get his carved pole arm back and had spent the first couple of days of travel adding more decoration to it. With little better to do, Sky asked him what he was doing and had gotten the same explanation as Foresight had.

Unlike Foresight however, Sky picked up on the underlying sadness that Shakala tried to hide; seeing in him another equine that had lost something important to them. His curiosity roused, Strike reasoned he probably wouldn't get another chance to ask Sky and so probed Shakala for more details about himself.

"There is more to your story than you have told us isn't there? If you don't want to tell me I understand, but well you know where we are heading, best to know you fellows better if we're going to be watching each other’s backs huh?" That was true of most of the fights if Sky was being honest, but this next coming struggle filled him with a deep sense of foreboding.

Shakala didn't answer right away, finishing the carving the likeness of a scorpni with immense care onto the haft of his weapon. Once he was satisfied, Shakala looked up with his own eyes full of sadness and Sky thought about how different the zebra looked without his wolf mask.

When Sky had first met the newcomer he had radiated mystery and a feral danger; though these were still true Shakala seemed to have a kind face, one that if circumstances had been different Sky could imagine laughing a great deal. He fixed his amber eyes on Sky and began his answer:

"For most pony folk getting a cutie mark is a joyful time, but sadly it is not so, when it came to mine," Shakala released a weary sigh before going on, "I was out finding food and berry, to make my sister's birthday sweet and merry, but sadly upon my return to my home so dear, a beast had attacked and slain all as was my great fear."

Tears began to well up in Shakala's eyes as he recounted the story and Sky was moved to see this normally cryptic zegra open up. He'd never given Sky a straight answer since they had first met and Sky hoped it was a sign of trust forming between them. Shakala’s voice took a sad musical tone, telling the story like a lament.

"Filled with rage and sadness was I you see, so I took up spear and tracked the beast that had taken so much from me. I followed it for days on end, over hill and past each river bend," Sky found a mental picture of the quest forming in his mind's eye, this younger Shakala following signs left by his quarry.

"Until after a great hunt and long trial, I met the monster I thought so vile. With a cry we struggled and we fought, but despite a hard fight its efforts were all for nought," There was no triumph in the zebra's eyes as he said these words, only a melancholy tone.

"Too late I found the creature had only its brood tried to feed and that I had forfeited their lives also by my angered deed." The next words came almost as a whisper, "That my cutie mark came that day no joy it gave me, I had become a killer and a hunter for all to see," Shakala motioned to the pole arm he bore as a weapon.

"A killer I have been born to be. It is my special talent, but in my heart, this is not me. That is why I wore the wood wolf mask of a beast more fearful. So that I become another on the hunt and my heart will not be so tearful," Sky struggled to understand this logic, there was obviously more differences to ponies and zebra than just looks it seemed. He felt he was missing something fundamental in their culture.

"So you wore the mask as what; a war face? so you could go back to being just 'you' after what?" Sky was trying to understand as best he could, but it just sounded like a scary case of split personality to him.

Shakala mulled this idea over for a moment and then nodded, "That is what you may call this way, though it is by different words you say." He explained further, "So I took the bone of the creature I had slain, as a reminder to be careful not to cloud my thoughts with anger, and cause yet more pain. I place the marks for those I must fell, to remember them as noble beasts with their own stories with which to tell."

Sky waited while he worked out that last bit and Shakala's motives became clearer. There was a kind of nobility mixed in there somewhere he guessed and he could look up to that.

"So what tale would you share? I have told of me, now it's your turn and fair is fair." Shakala asked Sky Strike.

Sky strike nodded, but now that it came to it he struggled to come up with a good story about himself, especially after Shakala’s honest and tragic story. He took a few moments to think before he began a tale of his own:

"I grew up in High Point, I don't know if you have heard of it? No? It’s gone now any way the cult ponies destroyed it, but that's not what I was talking about. High Point was a rough place as Foresight may have told you, she bumped into a zebra that was bad news there...."

"Your words are all of a place, not of the pony who bears your face," Shakala pointed out and Sky nodded; he was getting off the subject. His thoughts had gone to home again, as if by remembering High Point he could bring it back again, but heeding his fellow's prompt he began anew.

Sky cleared his throat, "It was my first outing with the town's militia and I was just short of my second coming of age party. I was so excited to finally get outside the town's walls and go foraging. It’s a really big event when a pony gets to finally start doing a job, we start contributing to the community rather just taking from it. You need to prove you are of use in High Point if you wanted to stay.”

Sky despite agreeing to tell some history of his life, still found it hard to open up. Such confessions felt like a sign of weakness to him, but if he was going to trust any pony then he may as well start here. His previous words reminding him that he may not get another chance.

“Both my parents had gone by that point, I never knew my dad and mum caught an incurable case of dust phage. I won’t tell you the details of it, but not a nice way to go. That left me fending for myself. I thought I was tough and took to the life of street pony. I stole what I needed to get by, not a rare thing in High Point, but I prided myself on being one of the best street ponies out there,” Sky smiled ruefully, “But then Enigma caught me.”

Sky’s mind drifted back to that scary day of revelation. It had been a simple task of lifting food from a fruit traders cart that had lead to Sky’s first meeting of Enigma. Sky could still remember that first confrontation with the nightborn mare like it was yesterday. His eyes drifted over to the ex-commander of High Point sitting in the cart ahead of them. A lot of Enigma’s former poise and haughty manner had gone, to be replaced by a cold determination. Sky still didn’t know what Catalyst had put her through, but it had obviously shaken her to the core.

Coming back to his tale, Sky Strike explained that day in more detail: “Lived on the streets for years and never got caught, oh some came close, but I just laughed that off. I got cocky, that was my mistake. I stopped to taunt a shop keeper who had tried to catch me after I made off with a bushel of his apples. That’s when I felt her in my head. It seemed my little crime spree had finally caught the attention of the ‘boss’.”

Shakala didn’t say anything during Sky’s telling of his story, just listening with a blank face and watching impassively as Sky told him of his criminal past.

“I tried to run, but at every turn Enigma was ahead of me. It was as if she knew what I was planning before I did,” Sky chuckled, “Which turns out that was exactly the case with nightborn. Enigma knew I couldn’t run far enough from her and so let me wear myself out trying. Eventually she found me in a crate in an abandoned dark alley way.”

“So you’re the young miscreant that has been giving us the slip for the last few months," Enigma’s voice echoed in Sky’s head and he shivered at its touch. Sky was too tired to run any more and Looking up the colt saw the pair of ice blue eyes looking down on him, but instead of the expected anger there was approval in them.

“’You have some skills my little fugitive, I believe we could put them to good use’" She had said and I was too exhausted to say otherwise. That’s how I ended up in the militia anyhow, sorry got off topic again didn’t I?” Sky grinned in a sheepish way; he wasn’t good at telling stories.

“No, this is your tale my friend, it is for you to weave, and bring it to its end,” Shakala encouraged Sky Strike.

Sky was emboldened by this and tried for the last time to tell the story he meant to. “Well Enigma was leading this outing and she had me as her lead scout. The nightborn had sort of taken me in, well as far as work went anyhow. The militia kind of became my family after that.”

Sky tried to go on with his tale, but found his mind had gone blank, “Now that I come to think of it, this was a far better story about myself than the first one I was going to tell. I was going to say how I got my cutie mark. That turned up later when I showed a good talent for diving and hitting fast before being off once again, a bit like a lightning strike,” Sky mumbled in an apologetic way.

“Don’t worry pony Sky, words and their telling are not talent for all that try,” Shakala said in an understanding tone, “That you shared how you came to know your friends, the trials you went through is more important than how the tales ends,” Shakala finished with a grin.

Unknown to both of Sky and Shakala, Enigma’s mouth formed a little smile as she recalled her first meeting with Sky Strike too. Of course she’d listened in on the stallion’s conversation, old habits die hard after all. A seldom shed tear formed on her black face as a feeling of pride filled her heart, Sky had turned out to be a very good pony and Enigma was happy she’d played a part in that.

These equines had formed a bond through their shared adversity: They may not be related in any direct way, but together these four had grown to rely on each other. Enigma thought back to her foal hood and all the things her mother had taught her, the love and hope of the stories of old.

It had been the only thing Enigma had been able to hold on to when the mental assaults of Catalyst had gotten too much for her. When it felt like her world was being shattered and rebuilt just for his amusement. Enigma would never admit it of course, but that pony scared her, the others mercifully had not been subjected to his methods.

Catalyst had used every mental trick to try and break Enigma, posing as friend, ally, and at times torturer. He had hurt Enigma deeply, making her question her own sanity at times. She shuddered and blocked out some of the worst parts as they threatened to seep out and hurt her again.

Catalyst had been desperate to know of the orb’s secrets, that Enigma didn’t know them had been the only thing that kept the secret safe. She felt terrible that what little knowledge she did have, of Foresight and her importance had been stolen from her mind, despite her best efforts.

Enigma whispered in her seldom used voice to the sleeping Foresight, “I am so sorry Foresight, I should have been stronger.” That core of ice within Enigma was all that drove her now; she would not let Catalyst win, if nothing else Enigma would make him suffer for all he had done. It was not a happy thought, but it drove her now and once he was defeated Enigma would let herself deal with the trauma she had gone through.

Foresight slept through all this talk and thoughts. She was getting one of the best rests she had ever had, kept safe by magic beyond her skill. Enigma hoped her dreams were peaceful, spending time in safe places as others took the burden from her. Enigma wondered as the skill of Focal Balance, the mental barriers and protection used were far beyond anything she was capable of and a good thing too. Enigma knew Foresight would need her rest for the coming days if they were going to confront Catalyst once more.

The destination came upon the ponies after what felt like days in the tunnels, with no way to tell the passage of time it was hard to know how long they had traveled. As the group made their way along the rough byways of the underway they had passed evidence of further fighting, Shattered Lithi were mixed in with dead and stone bodies: Catalyst was driving his followers hard also it seemed.

Not all the dead were from battle either; they came across bodies that seemed to have died from exhaustion, trodden down and left where they lay. Foresight looked away at these sad scenes not wanting to deal with the tragedy being played out before her.

It wasn’t long before they came across the first ambush. Catalyst was no fool and evidently knew he was being pursued. Crazed ponies and other creatures were thrown in the way of the lithi, not a sane being among them. Whatever horrors Catalyst or his underlings had thrust into their minds had broken them completely. All this cost the pursuers time and both forces were being bled dry by the attrition.

Enigma was first to tell something was amiss when they came across what seemed to be another scene of battle. The nightborn's connection to their sleeping minds discovering their unconscious forms before them, just before they awoke screaming.

The frenzied creatures threw themselves at the lithi without thought for themselves, in fact to Enigma’s disgust they were barely capable of thinking at all. The insane babble coming from the attackers was best left unheard and the lithi with their typical stoic way just dove into the fight, crushing and slashing about themselves in methodical motions.

These poor emaciated foes were no match for the calculated destruction wrought by the lithi, but it did slow them down. Some of the attackers even made it to the carts where Sky Strike and Shakala dispatched them with wing blade and polearm.

Enigma and Foresight fared far worse. Enigma couldn’t influence the attackers in any way, their minds being far too gone and risked madness herself if she were to try. Foresight did the only thing she knew how and raised her aura of cold. The few mad attackers that did reach her were frozen before being smashed by the lithi, causing Foresight to wince painfully at each one that was brought down in this way.

It wasn’t just equines that made up the ambush. Catalyst had driven and enraged all sorts of native life too, giant mole like creatures along with other troglodyte beasts, burst through the walls to grind their fangs against the lithi’s stone forms.

All these battles were short lived, fierce but bloody and as the last of attackers were slain the lithi simply reform their lines renew their march. In each fight a few more lithi were lost lost: mostly those who had thrown themselves bodily in the way of attacks aimed for the four living equines.

Slowly their numbers were being worn down and the threat of further such ambushes along their path caused the small army to slow, giving up valuable time in the name of safety. No doubt that was Catalyst's plan all along. There were two further surprise attacks fought off by the travellers before the lithi finally informed their charges that their destination nearing. Their journey through the tunnels concluding as the last path taken by the lithi lead upwards.

They came to the surface into an area that Foresight recognised instantly as the Everfree Forest. The moon was high in the sky, full and round in all its cold splendour. She looked to the image of the Mare in the moon on its surface, now knowing who it represented and shivered.

There was a charge in the air that Foresight could almost taste. She looked to Enigma who nodded in understanding, “They have already begun, we have to act soon or all will be lost.” The feeling of magical power being manipulated was filling the air with its touch.

It was not hard to track the source of the power; the roaring of huge beasts echoed between the trees around them and swirling lights could be glimpsed in the distance. As Foresight watched and tried to take in all that was happening, Enigma directed the lithi to form up into ordered groups, where they stood waiting for the order to attack to be given.

Sky Strike’s ears flattened as he looked about this dark place which was full of threat. “So this is Equestria? It sounded much nicer the way you described it Foresight,” he commented in a low voice.

“This isn’t Equestria at its best, the Everfree forest was always a wild place,” Foresight replied softly, glad to have her attention drawn from the scary events unfolding. The dark and ominous trees looming all around them like a jagged mountain range, all sharp angles and oppressive creaking.

“I feel much sadness and pain here, a land that has seen much sorrow and fear,” Shakala added his views on the forest, “You can feel it in the air, a land born down by a weight of care.”

Foresight nodded at this point, “We're near the sight of the last battle where Celestia banished Nightmare Moon. I read about it in some old scrolls we found here.”

“A fitting place to force Nightmare’s return, and where ‘true’ followers, her favour hope to earn.” Shakala continued, his rhyming voice filled with dread.

“That’s not going to happen, not on my watch. I’ll die before I let that smug ‘shadow caster’ get away with everything he has done!” The venom in Enigma’s words shocked the other three, more so that it was spoken out loud rather than in her normal manner.

“Care oh pony full of ire, words spoken in such anger, often lead to something dire,” Shakala cautioned.

Sky looked to Enigma who seemed to have a cold fire burning in her eyes now, “Whatever boss just don’t kill him before we do what is needed huh, remember we need to get Foresight into the ritual?”

Enigma snorted in anger before nodding, “Fine but then he's mine.”

The small army marched into the forest ahead of them and Sky took a chance to talk with Foresight before they reached Catalyst. “You sure you’re up to this and what of Celestia, if she’s so powerful as you say then why isn’t she here trying to stop this madness?” Foresight looked into Sky’s brown eyes and wished she could tell him, but the truth was that she still didn’t know the answer herself.

Why had Celestia chosen her of all ponies to do this, and why hadn’t she sent her more help? If Foresight made it through this ordeal then she was going to ask the ruler of Equestria some very pointed questions, but tight now she couldn’t let Sky Strike down now by showing doubt.

“Celestia said she trusted me to handle this, that she was doing her part as I did mine,” It had been so much easier to believe that when Foresight had first set out on this adventure, now she was starting to doubt her princess’s wisdom, but that was something to deal with at another time, now was a time for action and not questions.

As they drew closer the Everfree forest suddenly became ominously quiet and none barred the small armies' approach to the former home of the royal pony sisters. It wasn’t hard to guess at the cause of such a disturbance: In the distance strange lights continued to swirl over the ruined castle. The shapes and outlines Catalyst’s followers were swarming everywhere.

Even if their numbers were far smaller than the hoard that had attacked High Point they still outnumbered the lithi and friends buy hundreds it seemed. To Foresight's dismay she caught sight of a massive wrattle python towering over the throng..

“You ready for this Foresight?” Sky Strike whispered with concern.

“As I am ever going to be,” She replied back.

Looking to Enigma and Shakala, Foresight saw the determination in their eyes: No need to ask if they were ready. The lithi had spread out into ranks, mingling with the moss covered trees and tall ferns that all seemed to hold a slight sickly air to them. Catalyst must know they were coming and they made little effort to hide themselves among the vegitation. Tense moment drew out with no pony making a move and Foresight could almost 'feel' the expectant hush from the ruins ahead.

The air grew frigid and the moment was broken by the sound of hundreds of lithi advancing towards the ruins, with the little bang of living ponies doing their best not to draw attention as they alone, among all the obvious attackers, did their best to sneak forwards.

"With no where left to run Catalyst will be even more dangerous than before." Enigma warned the others. "Don't worry about his minions, I’ve got them covered. Shakala, Sky, focus on getting Foresight into the place safely: Nothing else matters." The two stallions nodded in understanding standing either side of their charge.

Foresight felt the ever present fear welling up in her heart before looking deeper and feeling the assuring presence of Star Glow wishing Foresight silent encouragement. Taking a deep breath she followed the others and unknown to her the world held its breath, awaiting the outcome of this fight.

The Price of Freedom

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Catalyst breathed deeply as he focused his magical power, the swirling energy was twisting and turning around him in an agitated way, as if fighting to be free of his clutches. He smiled as the flow of spell was trying it's best to break free from the restraints the Catalyst was putting upon it, feeling the dark delight of domination. He was fighting against the natural order of the world, trying to undo the enchantments done by Celestia all those years ago and revelled in the act. He had done so much to ensure Nightmare Moon could be free once again and wasn’t going to be stopped now.

The cult leader along with his most trusted followers were all channelling their power and souls into the ritual circle, a number having already withered away as the spell drew upon their life force along with their magical strength. The invocation was marked out in powdered crystals and dark patches that could have only been vital fluids.

The lines of eldritch force mapped out a scene of the moon above, bearing the likeness of the mare in the moon. At specific points within the pattern were bound captives; A bat pony's unconscious form was placed equal distance from a Broken lithi and a dark unicorn, around what could be described as the ‘eye’ of the mare on the moon.

The ruins of the castle towered above the whole scene and further up still the moon hung high in the sky, mirroring the magical arrangement below. Catalyst's wrattle python lurked close to its master and snapped at any who threatened to intrude on his final masterpiece. So intent on his work that it was no surprise the python was first to feel the threat, the tremors of the approaching army causing the snake to uncoil and roar a warning.

Catalyst noted the snake’s unease and without stopping his spell, motioned with a hoof. What was left of the Heralds moved to secure the outer walls, knowing that if they could hold the lithi off for just a little longer then the intruder’s efforts would be for naught. The collection of beasts, soldiers and the last few cult ponies formed a protective ring about the ruins with its contained ritual. Catalyst grinned to himself as yet another of his coven fell lifeless to the ground from exertion, almost there Catalyst told himself, just a little longer......

The lithi charge impacted on the line outside the ruins with the sound of splintering stone and broken bone. Though tough as rock and far stronger than any normal pony the lithi were still hard pressed. The monsters from the Everfree forest had heeded the call of Catalyst and his cabal of shadow casters, meaning that far more foes than simple pony folk barred the way.

Timber wolves darted and snapped, grappling and raking their wood claws across cold stone. Manticores dived down to land like comets among the lithi's regiments; smashing the stone creatures with their powerful bulk. Looming over all these were Hydras, only two in number, but massive enough to wade into the lithi formations without a second thought, their many heads striking out to smash and crush with their powerful jaws.

Foresight found herself huddled away from the fighting; all those present keenly knowing how vital it was she made it through to Catalyst. As the main force of the lithi clashed and fought with the monsters surrounding the ruins, a far smaller number escorted the living ponies through the battle.

Enigma was using her magic to shield Sky Strike and Shakala from the enemy, though she would openly admit to lack the skill to confront Catalyst in a battle of wills, Enigma had skill enough to conceal the little band from the minds of his minions.

The small group picked their way as carefully as they could through the fight. Every so often Enigma would nod to herself, listening to reports coming in. Sky didn't understand fully how it worked but Enigma was communicating with the Lithi's leaders with her mind. From what she'd explained earlier, the lithi were all linked by a magical connection allowing them to act as one force together.

Foresight had suspected as much after the escape from the Cult's dungeons and voiced her theory to Sky during their journey here. Enigma had confirmed this and explained how they had given her access to those same lines of power, as such none of the ponies present questioned Enigma when she suddenly took cover or diverted their course, seemingly at random.

Every time some unseen threat would be bypassed as the lithi relayed their warning to the band of infiltrators. This didn't allow the small group to avoid all the fighting however and both Sky and Shakala had blood on their blades; having quickly dealt with any who came to close to Foresight.

All the while the pull of magic was felt being drawn in across the field, sucked up into a flashing vortex seen above the largest of the ruins. Every equine could feel the power's flow and the sense of dread grew with every moment. After a tense half an hour the party finally reached the outer walls to the main keep of the Royal Pony Sister's old home.

The vine covered stone resonated in Foresight's mind, trying to tell her of the sad history they had borne witness of. Memories that were not her own tried to flood Foresight's physic taking the mare by surprise. When she had been here before the castle had slept quietly, but the massive magical event within had disturbed the ghosts of the past that lingered here and they were desperate to make themselves known.

What ever Catalyst was up to within the walls of the keep was causing the world to writhe in discomfort and Foresight was feeling it with greater clarity than ever before.

"We need to stop this, I can't take it," Foresight cringed, covering her ears as she tried to block out the pain thudding in her skull.

Sky reached out a hoof and gently laid it on Foresight’s shoulder, ignoring the cold shivers it caused, "Come on Foresight, don't get cold hooves now, we're nearly done and then we can go back to what is left of our lives." Sky assured her before cracking a little smile. Foresight gave a little grin in return at his attempt to lighten the mood.

Foresight had never been touched by a normal pony in all her life, even when she was younger and couldn't create her own aura of cold and darkness. The other foals had kept their distance even as they taunted her. She had been hugged by her mum and dad of course who loved her dearly, but this was the first time a warm-blooded pony had ever reached out to her in such a manner

It was a kind gesture despite the uncomfortable heat she felt and Foresight was grateful for the support. Steadying herself, she turned her green cat's eyes to look in Sky's brown ones before whispering a simple “thank you”. Sky nodded before he spread his wings with a determined expression on his face.

"Wait here, I’ll find us a way in," With that Sky Strike launched into the tortured air.

Catalyst felt the lithi's cold essence flow into the spell and sneered as the crippled stone pony crumbled to dust. "Well you wanted freedom from your curse, you should thank me," Catalyst mocked his fallen foe. That just left the final part of the spell to complete. The dark unicorn turned his fanatical eyes on the last altered in the circle.

"Thank you for all your 'help' Black Star, without your contribution this would not have been possible," Catalyst informed the slack jawed shadow caster. His second in command continued the stare blankly up at the sky, his normally crimson eyes unfocused and a small trail of spittle hanging from his muzzle.

"You really were the best of my inner circle and I knew you would go far in the coven," Catalyst mused before sneering once again, "In fact your ambition may take you all the way to the moon. Don’t worry I'll be sure to let our Queen know of your contributions to the cause," Black Star failed to see the humour (or anything else for that matter) as the last vestiges of his soul were swallowed by the incantation.

Catalyst's smile faltered and his exultant mood was dampened as another’s magical presence began to intrude on his thoughts. Beyond the battle raging outside the ritual he felt a familiar aura. He knew that power. Casting his gaze about Catalyst spotted the small group of infiltrators behind a crumbled statue on the edge of the magic circle.

"I was starting to wonder if you would make it here at all,” He sent out before his confident smile returned, “No matter the spell has been cast and there is nothing you can do to stop it. You may as well come out and die with some dignity rather than skulking in the shadows," Catalyst's sending was full of mocking scorn.

Detecting his master's ire, the giant snake that served as Catalyst's personal mount reared its huge head and hissed at the intruders. He smiled indulgently as the beast moved about the spell's circumference to interpose itself between Catalyst and the small group of equines.

The three ponies and one zebra stepped out of their hiding place, not sure if this act was out of bravado, or at Catalyst's urging. They were tiny compared to the monster before them, its sand coloured scales with patches of brown mottling glistened in the reflected light of the spell behind it. The reptile opened its fanged mouth wide to let out another challenging hiss.

"This ends today Catalyst, your army is falling as we speak and your plans have failed you. I am going to make you pay for every death and vile act you have wrought, do you hear me?" Enigma was the first to reply to Catalyst's taunts.

"Brave words for a failed commander, unless you have gained some skills or amazing powers since we last met Enigma dear, I doubt your threats will come to anything," Catalyst informed Enigma in a dismissive way as he shook his head slowly. His pet monster seemed to share his contempt, Foresight could have sworn it was grinning too.

"Why, why do this at all, can you really want Nightmare Moon back?" Foresight called out from the back of the group, her fear momentarily overcome by a sense of anger that wasn't entirely her own. She could feel Star Glow's emotions forcing their way to the surface.

As Sky Strike planted his hooves defiantly in front of Foresight, Shakala attempted to circle around the monstrous guardian of Catalyst, but the beast knew its role in this meeting and moved its body around to shield the taunting cult leader who payed these actions little heed before addressing Foresight.

"Why you ask me, well that is very simple my dear. I want power; power and freedom for me along with control over this world, never again will I need to hide who I am," Catalyst explained as if to a slow foal, "I don't pretend to be more than our true Queen of course, but I want to be free to go where I will without the threat of the sun. Let Nightmare Moon cover the world in darkness, I will revel in it and under her rule I will be rewarded for my faithful support."

"And what of Luna, you would doom her forever? What of the lands that would turn to ice and death would soon follow? The world will be ruined without the life giving light of the sun," Foresight's eyes had taken on a blue glow now and there was a distinct echo to her words as if two ponies were trying to speak the same words at once.

Her aura had risen in concert with the anger Foresight felt and ice was starting to coat the floor about her and wisps of frozen fog coiled where the warmer air met the chill. Sky was forced to take a few steps back and Catalyst raised an eyebrow at the display. "Oh 'very' impressive Foresight, what you can manage with all your 'borrowed' power. Stop playing with forces you don't even begin to understand little filly, let me show you what a true altered mage can do," Catalyst 'sent' in mocking tone.

The spell was fuelled by the stolen life force of his acolytes, even with so much power behind it this was no brutish display of lights and fire, but a spear of malice aimed right for the heart of a foe. The beam of darkness lanced out, but to Foresight's horror it headed right for Shakala.

The zebra didn't have time to register the threat before it struck him square in the chest, or at least would have if Enigma had not raised her own magic to deflect the spell, her effort of blocking the arcane force drove the mare to Enigma knees, blood running from her muzzle and ears.

The Rattle python also struck out doing its best to sink its sword like fangs into Shakala, guided by Catalyst to overcome its blindness. Shakala, having been speared a blow that would have reduced his mind to a blasted ruin, made the most of the time Enigma had given him.

Diving to one side in a skilled roll he brought his weapon around in a slashing counter strike that left a deep groove in the snake's cheek which instantly began to weep blood. The Monster roared in anger as Sky Strike took to the air, darting past and around the rattle python as his wing blades flashed out. The gigantic snake didn't even seem to notice his attacks however, keeping its focus on the darting Shakala on the ground.

"Your protection is formidable orb bearer, but fortunately I don't need to break it. I can break your friends, one by one and enjoy every moment of it. I can leave you with nothing of value and that would be a far sweeter compensation for me, seeing as you denied me the orb." Catalyst's sharp teeth glinted in the reflected light of the moon. "You're beaten, you just don't know it yet", Catalyst's beratement continued even as he worked to summon another bolt of darkness.

Even without being able to use magic to get into Foresight's mind, the doubts he was sowing began to take root. Foresight looked to Enigma, bloodied and trembling from her efforts, Sky and Shakala for all their courage could not hope to prevail against such a beast under Catalyst’s command. Yet again Foresight felt like a speck of dust being blown in the wind of events.

Fresh words came into Foresight's mind: "You have strength beyond your years, don't let this evil pony make you doubt yourself Foresight. He's scared, I can feel it in him. Remember Foresight that Celestia gave ‘you’ this quest, the magical orb opened for ‘you’. You can do this," Enigma 'sent'. Her words were full of pain from the magical lance she had deflected. She was staring at Foresight with one eye, the other closed in sympathetic pain and her gritted teeth lined with blood.

Foresight attempted to banish the doubts forming in her mind, looking deep into herself she tried to figure out what she must do. When it came down to it what could Foresight do? She was no fighter nor a battle mage. Foresight didn't have the first clue as to how to use Catalyst's spell to free Luna. Foresight wanted so badly to run away, to leave all this behind and just go home.

As Foresight agonised in indecision Catalyst was not idle, once again his horn glowed with a dark green aura and another bolt of energy struck out at Sky strike this time. It only clipped his wing, but he gave out a mournful cry as Sky tried to voice the utter despair filling his mind before he plummeted to the stone floor with a crash, carving a furrow in the soft earth and laid there unmoving.

Shakala was caught in delicate dance for survival. The rattle python had already come close to swatting the zebra or goring him with its fangs. Enigma was fighting to raise herself, but blood was still trickling down her chin, showing that something vital within her was badly hurt. All the while Catalyst's condescending stare bored into Foresight, telling her she was worthless, no, less than worthless and would suffer endlessly for intruding on his plans. A single tear rolled down Foresight's cheek as the hopelessness of the situation threatened to overwhelm her.

It was only then, when Foresight felt all was lost that a small light began to build in her mind. A simple voice that she had come to know well whispered words only she could here. "You have a good heart Foresight and that holds a power few understand. Of all the ponies who could have carried me safely here, it was you and I am so grateful it was. Thank you for letting me share your mind and body. Now it's time to pay you back for all you have been through. I only ask one more thing first; please come with me, I’m scared and don't want to go alone."

A ghostly image of Star Glow materialised before Foresight, looking as she had been before Nightmare moon had changed her into an altered pony. Star had a faint smile on her yellow face and a sparkle in her brown eyes. Slowly the apparition held out her fore hoof to Foresight. "Come with me and I'll do the rest" The spectral pony asked in a soft voice. Foresight hesitated, but swallowing her fear she held out her own hoof.

Star Glow nodded with encouragement and as their hooves met Foresight felt nothing but a gentle tingle that warmed her in a strangely pleasant way. It was a feeling of light and friendship, the love of ponies and their desire to bring happiness to others. It was all the things Foresight had missed about being in Equestria and with a new sense of courage in her heart she followed Star Glow forwards.

Enigma saw Catalyst's eyes grow wide with fear as Foresight, her own eyes closed held out her hoof to thin air. She saw a smile appear on the filly's face and even though Enigma couldn't hear it, the black and blue pony spoke words to a pony who wasn't there. Still keeping her eyes shut Foresight stepped into the ritual circle that Catalyst had summoned and there was a bright flash of white light.

Enigma was horrified, she could feel the power of the barrier that Catalyst had erected. It should have flayed Foresight's soul to a withered husk from the briefest contact, but the young pony stepped through the warding line as if it wasn’t there. The magical force seemed to bend around her like a bubble forming in water, leaving Foresight completely unharmed.

Catalyst was trembling now, and in a panic threw another bolt of darkness right at Foresight, but the power behind it evaporated until only a tiny breeze wafted Foresight's mane as it passed. The rattle python, feeling it's masters fear turned it's attention upon Foresight its gargantuan mouth opened letting out an ear splitting roar, but it had troubles of it's own.

Shakala, taking advantage of the monster's distraction, leaped onto its scaled body and deftly began to climb. Every so often thrusting his spear into gaps between the snake's scales and used it to haul himself further up. The rattle python found itself torn between targets. Catalyst was compelling it to kill Foresight, but the stabbing pain of Shakala's climb was a problem it just couldn’t ignore.

Enigma felt the beast's thoughts as it thrashed back and forth; caught in the grip of instinct and the imperatives from its master. In the end Catalyst's will won out as it had done so many times before and the snake reared up before thrusting down to crush the oblivious Foresight. As the monster closed on the tiny filly, she paused, opened her eyes and looked right at the giant snake. She caught sight of the blue glow within Foresight’s eyes and to the Enigma amazement the rattle python veered aside.

The snake was confused, in pain as yet another consciousness made its way inside its mind, but this one was different: Unlike the sharp forceful nature of Catalyst, the reassuring and gentle presence here was a totally new experience. This new comer offered the snake what had been denied it for so long: Freedom from the constant goading and pain used to control the rattle python, all it had to do was one simple thing and it could be free.

As her sight darkened, Enigma heard the cry of horror from Catalyst. She watched the cult leader as he dived to one side, the massive form of his ‘protector’ had suddenly turned on it’s former master, “What are you doing beast! You dare defy me? I’ll blast your ungrateful mind into withered dust!.”

Catalyst summoned his power again and threw another bolt of darkness at the wrattle python. Just before it contacted the creature Enigma threw the last of her strength into a final shield. The gigantic snake found itself enveloped by a great feeling of warmth it had not known for many, many years. It beheld the source of all the python’s woes trembling before it, so small and without power to hurt it again. All it took was another gentle nudge from the new friend in its head and the wrattle python knew just what it needed to do.

With a final cry of anger and fury Catalyst disappeared into the maw of the snake, the following sounds of grinding teeth and crunching bones sounded like music to Enigma’s ears.

Triumph filled her heart even as Enigma felt the last vestiges of strength leave her. That last barrier had been more than she could have hoped for and satisfied that she had done her part in Catalyst’s demise Enigma let herself drift into oblivion.

Enigma therefore failed to see Shakala sliding off the python’s back with wonder in his eyes. He looked to Foresight who was still standing amid the flowing power of Catalyst's spell, her form distorted as if by a heat haze and the blue glow still lighting her eyes from within.

"Thanks for everything Shakala, please keep an eye on the others, I could be gone a long time and they may need you before then," Foresight sent into his mind.

Shakala looked worried at this pronouncement, "Where are you going oh mare so brave, is it to your princess, who it’s your goal to save?"

"I don't know how far I will have to go, but only as far as Star Glow needs me. Please take care of them both," Foresight's voice sounded distant as if she was speaking while half asleep.

Before Shakala could ask who Star Glow was there another bright flash emanating from the magical circle and he was forced to shield his eyes from the glare. When he could finally see once again he saw Foresight lying on her side, all traces of the magical ritual had disappeared apart from the withered remains of those whose life force had been spent powering it. The giant snake was now sound asleep, leaving him alone with only the continued sounds of fighting echoing from outside.

He shook his head, not understanding most of what had just occurred. As he looked over to the other two ponies in the room Shakala’s chest tightened in worry before galloping over to Sky Strike. He was out cold and wouldn’t awake, despite Shakala’s shaking. Deciding that whatever had happened to Sky was beyond his skill to heal, Shakala bowed his head in defeat before looking to Enigma.

Enigma was in a bad way, the blood had dried on her muzzle, ears and even around her eyes. With trepidation he lowered his head to her chest and to Shakala’s relief detected a faint heartbeat. The stallion knew Enigma had done something to save him from Catalyst's dark magic, something beyond his understanding and he ached to do something in return.

Not knowing what else to do, Shakala did what he could to make Enigma comfortable before sitting down for his lone vigil of his friends with only the sleeping snake for company. He stared up into the night’s sky, the immediate world around him calm and still despite the fighting going on outside, “May the stars guide you safely Foresight, that your endeavours may save us all from an eternal night.”

Walking in Dreams

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Time was irrelevant, It could have been weeks or minutes as they travelled, Foresight just couldn't tell. All she could do was follow the flow of magic as it carried her along with Star Glow. The phantom pony seemed more real here, in contrast Foresight seemed more pale and less solid when she looked down at herself.

They didn't trot or gallop but they didn't quite float along either, It was a strange combination of both and neither. Like trying to run in a nightmare but never travelling at the speed you should. To Foresight's surprise it didn't trouble her now, with Star Glow leading the way, sure hoofed and showing a radiating presence of calm assurance.

The impression of vast distances being crossed was felt as the pair made their way and before long Foresight began to have the inklings that this journey would never end. Suddenly they found themselves touching down on a grey dusty vista. The stars twinkled overhead and the place felt utterly empty. Foresight had the impression that this place was incredibly cold, but she didn't feel cold. In fact she didn't feel warm, or anything at all, she just was.

Turning her searching eyes around the cold landscape, Foresight felt loneliness and a void of the soul that pulled at her heart. It was so empty, no colours, no sound, no breeze, Just the cold and still. The grey dust stretched out before the pair as far as the ponies could see and the whole scene was cast in long shadows. The hints of sunlight peeking out just over the distant horizon the only source of light. Foresight turned to look at Star Glow with a question forming on her lips, but the yellow mare simply held up a hoof for silence before raising it to her ear almost theatrically.

Foresight Listened carefully, her own ears moving around to focus more closely. It was only then she caught the tiniest of sounds, the faintest sound of a pony wailing. The sound was a vocal expression of this barren place and it turned Foresight's heart to ice. How could any pony give voice to such a sound of utter hopelessness?

Star Glow nodded, her calm smile was gone and replaced with one of concern and worry. Without saying a word, she motioned for Foresight to follow and they both began to trot towards the source of the wailing. As Foresight kept pace with Star she noticed something else odd:

Neither of the ponies disturbed the ground at their passage, they left no hoof prints in the grey dust, not any sign they had been there at all. Star Glow lead her around high mounds and deep craters of grey as the ponies headed towards the only sound in this barren place.

The sounds of crying became more distinct as Foresight and Star glow followed the noise to a deep crater where the feeble light had yet to reach. They carefully crossed over the lip of the massive impression and began to stumble their way down the steep surface. This crater larger than any they had passed and Foresight finally saw the source of the wailing, there was a pony huddled at the base of the crater, it's wings and horn marking it out as an alicorn.

The distraught filly, wings limp at her sides looked completely pitiful, its muzzle buried deeply in its cyan mane. The pony didn't look much larger than Star Glow or Foresight, its mane and tail were limp and solid. The pale blues and purples of her coat, mane and tail all confirmed Foresight's suspicions:

"Princess Luna?" She asked Star Glow who nodded in reply, "But she looks so young, isn't she over a thousand years old?" The pony before them didn't look much past foalhood.

"What is 'old' when dealing with ponies who are timeless?" Star said levelly, "But yes she is young here," She finished cryptically.

"Where is 'here' then?" Foresight asked, confusion lacing her words. Star Glow's young face held eyes heavy with knowledge and she smiled sadly still looking down at Luna's huddled form.

"Well that's a little harder to explain, we're inside Nightmare Moon's prison which covers a lot of different places, but this is the part of that prison where Luna hides," Star Glow said in a reserved tone.

"We're on the moon!" Foresight gasped in shock, the sense of dislocation nearly caused her to lose her footing and she slid a little further down the steep incline.

"Yes and no, the 'when' is also a little bit complicated, but the important part is we are here and Luna needs our help," Foresight recognised the same determination she had felt burn within Star Glow's eyes now.

"What do we do then?" Foresight asked, not taking her focus off the sad filly alicorn still sobbing at the base of the crater.

Star Glow didn't answer right away, but turned her head upwards and focused on a distant dark shape that was just cresting the horizon, "We stand by her," Star Glow announced in a level voice. Storm clouds and an even deeper darkness which blotted out the stars followed behind the approaching form of Nightmare Moon.

The majestic but terrible form of the corrupted alicorn circled once before landing, her four hooves casting up grey dust that hung in the air. The creature glared at the assembled ponies as lightning danced about the sky, causing the already scared Luna to curl up into an even tighter ball. Nightmare Moon sneered at the trembling filly before turning her condescending gaze upon the two intruders.

"What is this now? A pair of new comers join us in our imprisonment, my my Celestia has been busy," Her voice was full of scorn and implied threat as she cast her gaze over Foresight before her eyes became cold as ice as they focused on Star Glow. "It seems that the prodigal servant returns to my side after all this time. Oh little 'Star Glow' I see you didn't keep the new powers and looks I bestowed upon you, such a pity. I really did have a soft spot for you."

Star Glow glared up at Nightmare Moon without fear and met her mocking stare with an angry one of her own. "You're not my princess and never will be."

Nightmare Moon snorted at this defiance. Her eyes glowed with power as more lightning smashed down around the group, kicking up explosions of powder where they struck. Even as Foresight shrunk back from this display of magical might she couldn't help but marvel at Star Glow's courage, who stood her ground unwavering before the storm.

"I see you have grown a backbone since we last met little filly, I remember how you squirmed and trembled when you first saw my true form. Has that meddling wizard been filling your head with foalish ideas?" Nightmare Moon asked in the same condescending tone.

Nightmare Moon finally turned her piercing eyes onto Foresight, who quickly found she couldn't hold the gaze of the Queen of Shadows: The hate and loathing radiating from the dark creature made Foresight feel physically ill, "Now there is a pony who knows her place Star Glow, see her beautiful form and how she shows me proper respect." The mad creature's turquoise eyes may have mirrored Foresight's green ones, but they held nothing but utter contempt for all they saw.

"You're not welcome here Star, leave at once before I squash you like the insect you are," Nightmare Moon announced and her eyes glowed once again, causing the storm clouds above to tremble ominously. Foresight's whimper of fear caused a smile to spread across Nightmare Moon's dark face, "This one however may remain as she amuses me, but you missed your chance to be part of something greater Star Glow," She sneered at Foresight who covered her head with her hooves and tried not vomit.

Foresight spared a glance at Star Glow, who to Foresight's amazement simply smiled, "Still the same old story Nightmare? I am not going anywhere and Foresight is free to leave when she decides to do so and not before."

"Oh is that so?" Nightmare Moon mocked once again. She summoned her power and sent a bolt of lightning arcing towards Star Glow. Foresight hid her face again, not wanting to witness the inevitable outcome.

A quiet but determined "Yes" whispered: Despite its softness it pierced the rumbling thunder from the gathered storm clouds. Mustering her courage, Foresight dared to look up and see what was left of Star Glow. To her amazement the still translucent unicorn was unharmed despite the ground around being scorched and blackened by the force of the Nightmare Moon's attack.

Behind Nightmare Moon Foresight saw another silhouette, it's eyes also glowed with power as a blue shimmer encased her horn, mirroring the shield that now surrounded Star Glow. Nightmare hissed out a curse that caused Foresight's ears to burn before swinging around at the newcomer's voice.

"I thought I taught you to stay down the last time, I see I will have to reteach you that lesson once again," Nightmare Moon called in a furious tone.

With all her focus on Nightmare Moon, Foresight had failed to notice that Luna had stopped wailing in the crater and had watched the whole event from below. She saw how Nightmare Moon was treating her friend, the one who had stood by her when all else did and forgot her own worries before leaping to her aid.

"Thou darkness, we will not let thee hurt one's friend," Luna shouted out, tears still dripping from her muzzle, "Thou may have driven all others to hate us, but thou will not take Star from us again!" The challenge rang out louder this time and Nightmare Snorted in derision.

"This is my mind and body now, you little wretch. I was the one who gained us followers, I was the one who brought Equestria to its knees in a few short weeks. You? All you did was whine about how unfair the world is and how our dear sister got all the praise for our hard work," Nightmare Moon taunted Luna.

"All that may be true, but that does not change what we have said. We will not allow thee hurt dear Star Glow, or her dark companion," Luna's younger voice was trembling, but her gaze never wavered for even a second from Nightmare Moon.

Foresight remembered a lesson her magic teachers had taught her once; "Courage isn't the lack of fear or doubt, but doing what is needed despite it's presence." Foresight recalled, remembering her first field trip to a burial site and being scared of the tails of ghosts. Her tutor had reassured Foresight that day and the black mare could see a prime example of that lesson here.

Luna was clearly terrified of Nightmare Moon, her whole frame shook as if with palsy, her voice showed how close she was to curling back into a ball of scared fear, but the princess of the night stood her ground nevertheless. It was inspiring to witness and Foresight took courage from Luna's example.

Nightmare sneered and lashed out with Lightning once again, seeking to blast Luna back down into the crater, this time with such force that she would never rise again. She didn't have time to doge the attack and it struck her with a terrible hissing sound.

Foresight's fragile courage failed as Luna was engulfed by white light, but instead of falling, burnt to ashes, Luna remained unharmed and more than a little shocked. The wonder in her eyes plain to see and Luna wasn't the only pony to be astounded. Nightmare Moon's mouth hung open as she drifted back away from Luna in sudden fear.

"You forget who's mind you're in Nightmare Moon, Luna has faith in her friends with feelings deeper and stronger than you could ever know. Now it's your turn to leave, you have no more power here," Star Glow's form glowed brighter than Foresight had ever seen it.

Luna's faith in her friend, her faith and friendship was more powerful in this place than Luna's darker alter ego could ever be. It was so strong that it caused Star Glow to shine and forced Foresight to shield her eyes from the glare.

Nightmare Moon called out more defiance and hurled more lightning, but every bolt simply fizzled to nothing before it could strike home. Star's faith and friendship reciprocated with Luna's: The magical power charging both ponies and causing them to glow from within.

Nightmare Moon glared at the three ponies before snarling. She wrapped the storm clouds about herself and fled, not looking back while cursing all the way until her dark form was well beyond the horizon. Star Glow and Foresight looked to Luna who was still hovering with soft wing beats above the crater she had hidden in for so long.

Foresight couldn't believe it, Nightmare Moon had run away! Not only this, but now she stood before the real Princess Luna. "Wha....how?" was all Foresight could stammer out before Star Glow collapsed to the ground and Luna dived down to catch her.

"That was a brave thing thou did my dear Star Glow, how art thou art even here?" Luna cradled Star Glow's head in her fore hooves as Foresight looked on in wonder as the yellow pony lay on her back. The unicorn's glow diminished and she looked pale from the effort of confronting Nightmare Moon.

"I couldn't leave you to face her alone princess, I just couldn't," Star Glow mumbled in a daze.

Luna's face was awash with conflicting emotions, one moment she was happy, sad and then scared. All these sought to show the turmoil inside her heart at this turn of events. Luna's eyes took on a stern expression, "Thou should not have come here Star, thou could have been hurt."

To Foresight's dismay she realised that Luna was avoiding looking directly at her. The few times Foresight caught Luna's eyes dart her way they were full of pain and guilt. It wasn't hard to guess why and Foresight, not wanting to make things more awkward she began to back away.

"Don't go Foresight, it's okay and I want to introduce princess Luna to you," Star Glow called out, her voice growing in strength even as she spoke.

Foresight hesitated before coming back as Luna looked to Star Glow who nodded with encouragement, "Princess Luna, this is my good friend Foresight, she's the one who brought me here," Star said with a touch of emotion in her voice.

Luna finally looked straight up at Foresight, who bowed at once. Luna winced at the action before speaking, "Thou shalt not bow to us, we who have failed thee so badly," Luna's eyes were full of grief once again, "Thou brought our friend and servant back to us, we cannot thank thee enough for such an act, but how can thou have done this thing?"

"I can explain that," Star Glow said as she raised herself into a sitting position and began to tell Luna of all the events leading to this point. Luna looked to Foresight with wonder in her eyes as Star told her of Foresight’s part in the tale, Foresight blushed with embarrassment with the praise being placed upon her.

By the end of the story Luna's eyes were filled with tears as she spoke, "So much death and sadness. What hast one unleashed upon Equestria and how can we ever set things right again?"

For once it seemed that Star Glow didn't know the answer to that, she looked to Foresight who was just at a loss, "I do not know princess, but I know that your sister Celestia has a plan of some kind. That's why she sent me out to find the orb and, well everything....." Foresight said in a hopeful tone before her eyes took on a distant look as she began to speak once again, "I think......I think we are here to make sure that there is still a princess to be saved: Nightmare Moon shall return to Equestria and it will be up to others to finish what we have begun here Luna."

Luna looked at Foresight in a confused way before she continued, "I think that Star Glow is here to keep you safe Luna, until the time you can be set free again. While she remains in your mind Nightmare Moon can't touch you," Foresight said, not knowing exactly how she knew these things. Princess Luna looked to Star Glow who was beaming with joy and nodding with enthusiasm.

"Thou would stay with us until then? We would be honoured to have such a good friend to watch over us," Luna's eyes were in full flow now and the salty tears dripped down to form little craters of their own in the dust of the moon, "But what then? Will we have to go back and face all those we have wronged and Star Glow, what will become of you?" Luna's lip trembled.

"Oh Luna, don't worry I will be fine," There was a brittle tone to that sentence and Foresight looked to Star Glow. She may not have seen the mare in the flesh as it were, but sharing a head with Star Glow had given Foresight some insight into the unicorn.

She felt the hesitancy in Star’s voice. In that moment Foresight realised that Star Glow didn't know what would become of her when Luna was freed. She'd known there would be risks to herself and had come despite that threat.

Star Glow gave Foresight a look that told her not to press the point any further. After looking into the hope now filling Luna's eyes Foresight knew she didn't have the heart to trouble Luna with her own worries, "She will be fine Luna, and we can talk with the other ponies when I get back, speaking of which I should really be getting back". Foresight forced a smile and looked expectantly at Star Glow.

Star's face took on a guilty look, "I... I don't know how to send you back Foresight".

The words hit Foresight like a hammer, "What do you mean? I did my part, now send me back. You told Nightmare Moon I could go whenever I wanted." Her voice was edged with panic. "Why didn't you tell me that? You mean I am stuck here too!" It was Foresight's turn to start tearing up.

Star Glow look wretched, "I was scared Foresight and I-I just couldn't do it alone, the same as Luna needed a pony to help her. I am so sorry, I just assumed that when everything was done you would get back."

"That's just not good enough, you find a way to get me back. Didn't Focal Balance tell you anything?" Foresight was shouting now.

"He just said the orb bearer would be protected, I didn't ask any more than that," Star Glow said with mounting shame. Luna watched the two ponies with mounting sorrow again. "We beg thou not to be angry with Star, she didn't mean to cause this," Luna's voice took on a quiet quality once again, "It was our foolish pride and envy that brought this about, if thou art angry dear friend Foresight then let it be at us."

Foresight snorted in disbelief at this. She felt the weight of that pronouncement and her heart quailed at the thought. She could be stuck here for a thousand years! Foresight looked sadly at Luna and then with no small resignation at Star Glow. Would Foresight have acted much differently than Star in her situation? She just didn’t know the answer to that.

“I.....” Foresight began before there was another feeling of total dislocation and she felt as though a lasso had been tied about her middle and yanked backwards. Foresight's vision swam and blurred as the stars seemed to fall from their places in the heavens before she fell into darkness.

Foresight had a sudden feeling of weight about herself and light dazzled her eyes. She tried to lift her hooves but they felt so heavy. Screwing her eyes tightly shut against the encroaching brightness, Foresight felt pain for the first time since she had stepped into the magic circle conjured by Catalyst. She felt every muscle in her body aching and despite the unpleasant sensation, Foresight was reassured: Pain meant she was alive.

With a groan Foresight turned over, trying to hide her face from the light forcing it's way through her eyelids. As she did so the young mare felt the rustle of cloth, it was smooth and slid around her in a frictionless manner.

Foresight reckoned she heard birds nearby, but their song was distorted and hazy. These weren't the only sounds, Foresight was sure she could make out voices too. Rubbing the side of her head Foresight did her best to make out what was being said:

"Your highness she is still sleeping, however an hour ago we noticed she was breathing normally again. You did say that you wanted to be told as soon as anything changed with her and we sent for you when the patient began to mumble things in her sleep," This was voiced in a nervous tone, as if the the owner fought to stay calm.

"Indeed, do not worry, you have done as instructed 'Bedside Manner', thank you for informing me of her progress. I will sit with her awhile," Foresight knew that voice, she had heard it many times before and every time it made her heart jump with reverence.

This time however it made her feel angry, there were burning questions she needed to ask the owner that voice. It had been that voice which had sent Foresight off on a hard and dangerous journey, where she had lost friends and gone through horrors she would never be able to forget. That regal and well toned voice had a lot of questions to answer in Foresight's opinion and the fore most of them was "Why?"

As the sound of a door closing clicked quietly before Foresight detected measured hoof falls approaching on a hard floor. She summoned up her courage and forced open her eyes before turning back over and pushing herself up right. As suspected, there stood princess Celestia, her flowing multi-coloured mane catching the rays of sunlight from a window off to her left.

The princess smiled gently and drew the curtains closed, bringing blessed shadows back. Now able to see clearly Foresight discovered white sheets covering her. She was sitting in a hospital bed in a room picked out in pale green. It was a basic layout, a small table with a flower pot on it and a chair containing the regal form of Celestia. Foresight looked about to see where the bird's were, only to realise she was hooked up to a monitor which was beeping regularly.

Even with the curtains drawn Celestia emanated a pale glow, dampened from its normal intensity for Foresight's benefit it seemed, "I am glad to see you are awake Foresight, we were starting to worry about you." She looked up at the ruler of Equestria and her eyes narrowed.

"Why?" Was all Foresight whispered, her throat felt tight and dry, she obviously hadn't spoken for some time it seemed. Foresight wasn't sure if she was angry or relieved to see Celestia again. Her impression of the princess had changed greatly since she had last seen the monarch.

Celestia didn't seem taken aback by the abrupt question, but did pause a moment before answering, "Well that covers a lot and it will take some time to explain."

"Well I am not going anywhere it seems," Foresight pressed on, her voice gaining in strength.

Celestia nodded before continuing, "Which 'why' would you like first?"

Foresight stared at Celestia with a hurt expression, "Why didn't you do something to help Luna? She needed you all those years ago and you let her down!"

Reverlations and Reserluiotions

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Celestia watched Foresight carefully as she glared at her, feeling Foresight had a right to do so in Celestia’s mind. The princess had asked a lot of the young pony in such a short time. While Celestia had grown used to keeping her true feelings closed off, this time she believed Foresight was owed the truth. She seldom opened up to another pony since Luna had gone and even then never completely, even with Twilight her most trusted student.

Foresight had without complaint, until now, gone and followed Celestia's commands without question and the princess felt she owed her some answers, she'd had earned that much at least. The accusing eyes of Foresight locked with Celestia's and the alicorn reached a decision. Taking a deep breath Celestia broke contact first and began her side of the story:

"I was foalish, Dear sweet Luna please forgive me," Celestia's voice was full of guilt and pain, "I wish I could tell you that it was for some great and important reason that all this happened, but in the end it comes down to pride, my pride," Foresight was taken aback by the confession, but that didn't cool the anger burning in her heart.

"Fame, love and praise these can all be very seductive for a pony and I fell for them. It is often the ponies that do the hard work behind the scenes, out of sight of others who are the ones given the least credit." Celestia's eyes filled with tears, she had never told this to another pony, the ruler of Equestria had kept this pain bottled up inside for so long and now it was finally finding release.

"I was prideful my dear Foresight, I saw how the ponies loved my day. They laid their praises on me for being such a beneficent ruler, all the while Luna works and talents, her diligent stewardship of the night was given far less respect than it should have had. Oh how beautiful are the stars, now that I have taken the time to watch them properly."

The regent of the day looked up to the sun, its warm glow falling on her mane and face which caused it to sparkle with a regal light. Celestia looked the ideal model of what a pony should be and the effect of her tears only added to her form. Foresight could see why it was so easy to follow and obey such a ruler: Why she had followed so easily.

"I could have stepped in of course, I could have done more to remind the ponies of Luna's hard work...... but I didn't. It wasn't that I didn't realise what was happening, I...I chose not to," This last phrase was spoken so quietly that Foresight had to strain to hear it.

As Celestia turned back to Foresight, eyes were full of pleading, seeking forgiveness for what she had done. Foresight was in no mood to offer such. Through the eyes of Star Glow she had seen what Celestia had been like and wasn't sure if Celestia should be forgiven.

"Luna's malice and jealousy would never have taken root if I had been supportive and understanding as I should have been. She is such an honest and open soul and I never gave her the credit she rightly deserved. Yes Nightmare Moon was born of Luna, but I did nothing to stop it until it was too late, if anypony is to blame, its me," The trembling in Celestia's voice was enough to finally break through Foresight's own anger.

She looked at Celestia with new understanding, she had always seen the alicorns as some distant power in the world, who were so far above normal ponies they weren't affected by the normal emotions that drove the common folk of Equestria. Only now was she seeing just how wrong she was, for all their status and power the sisters were still ponies at heart. They were still open to all the drives and wants of any living creature.

It took seeing the normally unflappable Celestia breaking down like this to remove the veil of ignorance about the royal pony sisters and this truth shook Foresight to the core. They had more in common with the ponies they ruled over than she would ever have believed. Foresight felt the fire of her anger dim slightly with Celestia's honest confession.

The monarch just sat there at Foresight's bedside and wept, letting out the sorrow and loneliness which had been a thousand years in the making. Foresight didn't press Celestia further until she had gathered some semblance of composure. It took a good few uncomfortable minutes but eventually Celestia was able to look Foresight in the eye once more.

"If Luna means so much to you, then why didn't you take a more active hoof in all this? Good ponies have died, deaths that could have been avoided surely?" Foresight was amazed at her boldness, she would never have dared ask such a direct and painful question before she had headed off into the wastes all those months ago.

Celestia winced at the accusation before replying, "I would have Foresight, I really would have, but I was trapped in a prison of my own making. Equestria is only defended by constant vigilance and you've seen what the world is like outside our borders. I have other 'duties' that need my time," That excuse sounded hollow even to Celestia and she knew it wasn't the whole reason. Foresight wasn't fooled either and gave Celestia another hard look.

The princess shook her head, unable to meet the young pony’s eyes once again, "Sorry, I owe you the truth Foresight, but it's hard to admit to one's faults. That isn't the only reason of course. I was afraid to see Luna again and I felt any direct action on my part would only make Nightmare Moon stronger. That monster hates me and I was afraid it would drive what was left of my sister away. I needed a pony who she could trust, one who had stood by her when I didn't. She didn't need me, she needed a friend," Celestia managed to confess, just keeping her trembling voice under control.

"You don't know how that hurt, the one thing I wanted more to do was to be there for Luna for once. Desperate to make up for my mistakes, but prevented by them too. So I had to send others into danger for her sake and my own," Celestia let out a grim chuckle, "The mighty Celestia, ruler of the sun who is adored by her subjects and is so perfect, needs the common pony folk to save her sister," Celestia mocked herself.

"I had to swallow my pride, grind it deep and let others take the burden for me for a time. I am so sorry that you were forced to do this for me Foresight, but I needed help," Celestia explained. "I may be able to move the sun, but its the sun that gives life to the world, I remembered too late that I wasn't the centre of the universe, but only a cog in the way it ran."

Celestia looked up once again with pleading, "Please Foresight, don't hold this against me, I couldn't see another way."

It was such an odd moment, this powerful and majestic creature asking for understanding and forgiveness from a small black coated pony from a cursed lineage. The absurdity of it would have made Foresight laugh if it hadn't cost her so much. She remembered all the trials she had needed to go through, not just in this journey but as a descendant of those first cursed ponies.

Her life had been shaped by the actions of this alicorn and her sister, even before Foresight was born. Celestia was admitting that she was behind a large amount of the pains and struggles that Foresight had needed to go through. Countless lives had been darkened because these two powerful creatures had fallen out. It made Foresight's head spin to think that Celestia was asking Foresight to forgive her, as if that simple act would make it up to all those who had suffered.

Foresight could clearly see how the dream warning she had shared with Sky back in the lithi's cave could come true. Celestia was tearing herself apart inside over what happened with Luna and Nightmare Moon. If left uncorrected Celestia would pound herself on the anvil of guilt until she destroyed herself.

It didn't take long for Foresight to decide this wasn't her responsibility and let Celestia know it, "Your 'highness', I can't speak for every pony, it wouldn't be right of me. I can't speak for all those who you need to ask forgiveness from," Celestia's face fell from one of hope to despair once again, but Foresight wasn't finished.

"I 'can' speak for myself though. I honestly don't know how I would have acted in your place, but I can see how much Luna means to you. I can't say that I am happy to have gone through all I have for your sake, but if it brings balance and harmony back to Equestria then you have my support. If it brings Luna back then you can ask her for the forgiveness you crave, but I can't be the one to give you it."

Celestia sat as still as stone for a short while, her expression one of hurt and outrage. The room began to fill with heat, but then Celestia saw the truth in Foresight's words and slowly nodded. The building inferno receded and the free flow of emotion was barred once more as Celestia closed the gate on her heart. The princess that spoke this time was the regal ruler Foresight had come to know, "Thank you for your honesty Foresight, was there anything else you would ask of me before this talk concludes?"

Foresight thought for a time before asking in a level tone, "How did I get back from the moon?" It was a safer topic and to Foresight's relief Celestia answered at once.

"I may not have been able to go to see Luna myself, but I could bring you back. I wasn't ignorant of the spell being cast in the Everfree forest and soon arrived with my soldiers to aid the lithi. I found the zebra along with your other companions in the ruins of my old home and once he explained what had occurred I was able to return you," Celestia explained in an even tone.

Foresight nodded at this, it made sense. A sudden worry gripped Foresight and her voice took on a panicked tone, "What about my friends are they safe?"

Celestia's face was impassive, "The mare Enigma is in critical condition in Canterlot hospital, she suffered much internal damage and the zebra Shakala hasn't left her side since we brought her in. As for Sky Strike, well I fear I may need to call on your help again," Foresight's ears flattened against her head.

"What's wrong with him?" She asked with a deepening sense of dread.

"You had best see for yourself" Celestia replied.

Sky Strike was asleep a few rooms down. Now that Foresight was up and about she took in more of her surroundings. Foresight had been kept in the private wing of Canterlot hospital under Celestia's instructions. As the pair trotted down the white marble corridors Foresight looked anxiously to Celestia, but she had done giving answers it seemed. Celestia and Foresight advanced up the corridor to Sky Strike's room in an uncomfortable silence.

Upon reaching their destination Celestia gently pushed open the door and Foresight entered the pegasus' room, trembling with nervous anticipation. The sight that greeted her far was better than she had been imagining, Sky Strike resting in a comfy bed much like the one Foresight had just left. The sun was high in the sky and its warmth seeped in through the window and shone on the sleeping pony's face.

It was then that Foresight saw what was wrong. Even though his body was at rest, the expression on Sky's face was one of utter anguish. He looked like he was experiencing a nightmare, one that tormented him, but he couldn't awake from. Foresight glared at Celestia, annoyed that she was still keeping her in the dark.

"His body is fine, but we can't rouse him," Celestia told Foresight in a solemn tone. "Mind magic was never my talent, Luna was more into that kind of thing, but here we are fortunate in that regard," She announced in meaningful way. Foresight moved to the side of the sleeping Sky Strike, feeling the abyssal despair pouring off him; whatever he was seeing, it was tearing him apart.

"I will leave you two alone," Celestia said in a quiet way, but as she turned to go Foresight had one more question to ask her:

"Did it work, is Luna free?" Foresight asked in a flat voice, she'd been so wrapped up in her own troubles that Foresight didn't think to ask if this had all gone to plan.

The princess stopped at the doors to Sky's room but didn't turn to look at Foresight, "We will have to see, I have others who are about that task. It will be soon, the summer sun celebration is only a few hours away and I have things to attend to," Celestia was cold in her final response. Foresight had never felt easy around Celestia, now all she felt was passive hostility from the monarch.

Shaking her head to focus herself, Foresight turned her magic on the Sleeping Sky Strike who still wore a mask of turmoil, Foresight had no formal training in these problems, Catalyst had been right about that, all the power and tricks used to overcome him had not come from Foresight at all, she just happened to be in the right place at the right time.

Now she was on her own again and wasn't sure what to do, still she had to try. Foresight tried to remember some of the advice Enigma had given her about working in a pony's mind and so Foresight started off gently. She carefully brushed her thoughts against Sky's and experienced a shocking jolt. His mind was tormented and flailing in desperation, if Foresight was to have any chance of being helpful then she would need all her concentration.

Foresight closed her eyes and took a number of deep breaths, "Sky, it's me Foresight, I want to help." She called to the pony before her in a gentle manner, "Please let me in, I just want to talk to you." There was the tiniest pause in the roiling pain in Sky Strike's mind and for a moment Foresight dared to hope she had gotten through. Foresight had and in a terrible flood of pain Sky's mind reached out and dragged Foresight into his own personal nightmare.

The clean white walls crumbled around Foresight only to be replaced by fire blackened rough stone. The pleasant sunshine turned from a golden yellow to a blood like red and Foresight heard the sad cries of ponies in distress. It all hit her in an instant and she struggled to keep her mind from breaking away and fleeing in horror.

Foresight first thought she had been banished to Tartarus, but then the scene before her took on a familiar cast. As she looked about she found herself upon a raised plateau, overlooking a burning town. Sky Strike just sat there, his back to Foresight as the buildings and lands below burned.

The details were hazy but the image of High Point in its final moments was laid before Foresight. The death screams of the ponies falling in the rubble and the mad laughter of Catalyst ringing in the her ears. The fall of the city seemed to go on forever, far longer than the true town had taken to topple down and to Foresight's realisation she knew that this scene had been being replayed in Sky's head for days on end now.

Foresight listened more closely she could hear that every cry was blaming Sky Strike, as if this whole event was his fault. If he had been stronger, faster or cleverer then he could have stopped this tragedy, the very air was pointing scorn at him as a final parting gift from Catalyst. Even with the tyrant dead, he still found a way of causing pain.

Foresight took a few hesitant steps towards Sky and went to raise a hoof to his shoulder. The filly was surprised to feel coldness as her hoof touched Sky, the stallion was like ice. That scared Foresight more than anything else in the hellish landscape she had seen. The Pegasus was freezing cold to the touch and for the first time in her life Foresight felt some pony colder than her.

"Sky, can you hear me?" She asked in a quiet way.

Sky mumbled something Foresight struggled to make out over the sounds of fire and terror from below. She leaned in closer and asked again, "What Sky, what did you say?"

"Leave me alone, you have done enough harm already," Sky Strike whispered in a voice full of hate.

Foresight blinked and fear welled up in her heart, not for herself, but for Sky. "You don't really mean that Sky, this is all just a bad dream, Catalyst....."

It was so sudden that Foresight didn't have time to move, one moment she was upright, the next she was pinned to the gritty floor, a wing blade at her throat and Sky's eyes glaring down at her in utter contempt. They were not the normal brown eyes Foresight had come to know, but two pits of blackness with dark smoke drifting up from them. Foresight had seen that kind of emptiness, but only in the eyes of the lithi.

"Oh Sky, what has he done to you?" Was all Foresight could gasp, the sharp blade drew a small trickle of blood from her throat and she winced in pain.

"What has 'he' done?" Sky laughed at that, there was no humour to it though, "You and all your dark ways, the lithi, negasi, nightborn, you're a dark stain on this world. Fear death and horror is all you’re good for. Worst of all I trusted you, making me think things could be better, but it was all a lie, everything is gone and we Failed!" Sky was screaming at Foresight by the end of sentence, spittle flying from his mouth to pepper Foresight face.

The blade sunk a little deeper and Foresight cried out in pain, "Sky, this isn't you!" Foresight dared not swallow, dared not move at all, Sky's wing blade was moments from opening her throat. Even if this was just a nightmare Foresight didn't dare think what would happen if she died here. Frantically she thrust out a sending, trying to break through the black madness that had claimed Sky Strike; "Catalyst is gone, we've freed Luna, and it will all be alright!["

"You call 'this' alright, my home is gone and a mad Goddess is coming to cover the land in eternal night! I should have never believed in you, I should have never let you talk me into this!" Sky raged at Foresight and with a final cry of despair drove his other blade down towards Foresight's forehead..

Foresight cried out in horror and screwed her eyes tightly shut. She didn't want the last thing she saw to be of Sky's face so full of hate for her. She braced herself for the pain, but to Foresight's confusion it never came. She opened one eye slowly and saw the second blade buried deeply in the dirt next to her head and to her utter amazement its twin was in the same state.

In confusion Foresight looked up to see Sky's eyes still full of the blackness as before, but his face mirrored the same puzzlement as hers. Only then did Foresight see the shimmering yellow barrier that had deflected the killing blows.

"I told you I was sorry Foresight and that I would make it up to you," A voice that just couldn't have been there carried across the scene, which Foresight realised had gone deathly quiet. The wind had gone, along with the cries of sadness and pain. Sky looked up and his eyes went wide with amazement.

"And who are you, some trick to save her worthless hide?" Sky snarled. Not believing her own ears Foresight craned her now free head to look up and behind her. Star Glow was there horn aglow. The still translucent pony gave Foresight a little smile.

"Star.....how, what about Luna?" Foresight asked in dumbfounded awe.

"She will be alright now, others have her in good hooves. You carried me and kept me safe, now it's my turn to repay the favour," Star Glow replied in a determined voice.

With another flick of her horn the pair of wing blades detached from Sky's wings and flew over the edge of the rocky outcrop. Sky Still snarled in anger and this time lunged at Star Glow as if to strangle her with his bare hooves. The unicorn's horn glowed once again and Sky found himself pinned to the ground his face pressed against the dirt. His teeth gnashing in a frenzy.

"Where did you learn to do all that?" Foresight asked in amazement.

"Lots....and....lots of practice, keeping an alicorn company for nearly a thousand years has its plus sides." Star Glow said in a confident way even as sweat poured from her translucent form.

"But how can you be here?" Foresight was still confused at this astonishing turn of events.

"Foresight, you carried me and held me safe in your heart, oh I could find you anywhere," Star Glow explained, it was all too mythic for Foresight to understand, but right now she was only too pleased for the help. Foresight looked down at the struggling Sky who was still fighting to stand again while uttering every curse he could think of.

"How do we snap him out of this?" Foresight asked.

"By showing him you care, the only cure for darkness in one's soul is the healing balm of another, Luna taught me that Now go to him," Star Glow told foresight..

She nodded and cautiously approached Sky Strike who glared up at her, "Oh Sky, I am so sorry, please forgive me. I never wanted any hurt to come to you," Foresight muzzled the pinned pegasus and soon tears were falling from her eyes to splash on his face, "I'm so sorry," Foresight repeated and the memory of Celestia's face full of misery floated back to her, oh how poetic the world was sometimes.

"We have all done things we wished we hadn't and if we don't forgive each other the cycle of hate and hurt will never end, it has to stop somewhere and the best place is within our own hearts," Foresight said in an almost dream like way as the tears continued to fall. Her sobs came out freely now and she hugged Sky tightly, burying her muzzle in his shoulder despite his angered struggles.

Slowly Sky's muscles began to relax as he was forced to blink away the water falling on his eye. The tears of Foresight continued to wash into them and after opening and closing them a few times the darkness dissolved and the natural brown colour could be seen once again.

Sky had stopped struggling now and lay there listening to the sounds of Foresight crying above him. He could now see how much hurt he had been holding onto, burying it deep in his core until Catalyst had released it and given the pain free reign over his soul. Whoever was to blame for all that had gone wrong in the world, Sky knew that Foresight wasn't them.

"Foresight, I’m sorry too, can you ever forgive me?" Sky asked in a quiet voice. Foresight nodded still unable to raise her head from his shoulder and squeezed him even tighter than before.

Foresight finally looked up through streaming eyes to Star Glow who was smiling at the pair. She had grown fainter and continued to dwindle even as Foresight watched with mounting concern, "Thank you Star, you really are an amazing pony." Foresight called out, but Star Glow simply smiled and shook her head at this praise.

"I was just trying to do what's right and to be a good pony. We all have such potential if we would be but kind to each other and any pony can be a great pony if they just do their best along with forgiving each other," Star's voice was waning along with her form and Foresight had the terrible impression this was going to be the last time she saw the brave unicorn.

"Wait, will we see you again?" She called out. Star Glow could barely be seen any more, but a whisper carried straight to Foresight's heart, "Not for a time yet, but you will again, remember to forgive and forget and don't carry the burdens of hate or revenge. The only pony they weigh down is their bearer." Star Glow was almost entirely gone now, but the spectral pony's horn glowed once more before Star Glow’s magic stuck Foresight in the chest and she felt a strange warmth spread throughout her body.

“What was that?” was all she could ask before the form of Star Glow vanished with a whisper:

“Find out next sunrise,” floated through the air before the last traces of Star Glow vanished completely.

Foresight felt Sky staring at her, the hug still pinning him to the floor. She reached out and felt the hurt and rage begin to cool and though it would be hard to forget it, with time and help Sky believed it would fade completely.

"Come on Sky, let’s get out of here, I have had enough of other pony's head's for a lifetime," Foresight said before Sky nodded in agreement. "Plus I have a very angry alicorn to apologise to," She finished up. Sky looked at Foresight in a worried way before the world flashed brightly and they went back to the real world.

Enigma laid painfully in the bed, thankful that the room was darkened so that only the minimal amount of light crept in. Shakala was the only other occupant here and had been Enigma’s constant companion since the band had left the ruins. The he’d taken great cares to make sure Enigma was treated with all respect and glared at any pony he thought wasn't giving her the best of care.

Shakala looked up ready to defend his charge as the door opened softly until seeing who entered. Foresight motioned for a very timid looking Sky Strike enter first and Enigma's face broke into a smile. Enigma would have laughed to see Sky so humbled if she didn’t hurt so much.

“I see she snapped you out of it then?, I felt your hot head from over here you stupid colt,” Enigma sent as the smile broadened on her muzzle.

“You don’t look so good yourself you know,” Sky whispered, grinning back at his fellow refugee. Foresight joined in quickly followed by Shakala before a thoughtful quiet fell on the room.

“You would think the princesses would want to give us a reward for all we went through,” Sky added, nodding his head.

“That’s why we’re here, Celestia and Luna want us to attend them soon,” Foresight explained in a tone that didn’t sound all that confident.

“You do not wish to be rewarded for a task well done? Surely there are great honours that we have all won?” Shakala had picked up on Foresight’s hesitance.

Foresight looked troubled before glancing over to Enigma who was studying her with curious eyes, “You don’t want to see her do you?” The sending came into Foresight’s mind with a questioning tone.

“I may have said some things I shouldn’t have,” Foresight admitted without speech so that only Enigma heard the words of confession.

“Well I for one want to have a word with Luna about things and no amount of ‘needing to rest and recuperate’ is going to stop me,” Enigma announced in a quiet voice that shocked the three onlookers as she stared at Shakala, “Well don’t just stand there, help me up, I have royalty to talk to,” Shakala felt himself moving to assist the battered mare without question.

“The healers insisted you do not leave your bed, you need time to heal and not rush ahead,” Shakala pleaded, but it was no use. Enigma just glared at him who visibly wilted before her gaze softened before she spoke again, “Your concern is touching, but I am going and that’s that.”

Sky was frantically shaking his head trying to indicate to Shakala not to argue and this brought a small smile to Foresight’s face as Enigma staggered upright, stumbled and was finally forced to lean heavily on Shakala.

“Well then let me carry you there, if nothing else I can show that I care,” Shakala responded and Foresight was sure she caught the look of fondness in his eyes. Foresight turned, raising an eyebrow at Sky who in turn nodded, having seen that look before. After all that had happened Foresight thought anything was possible, so why not Shakala and Enigma?

“Remember I know what you’re thinking” Enigma jibed at Foresight’s mind and the filly coughed before leading the way to the Sister’s audience chambers.

The news was all over Equestria, after a thousand years Nightmare Moon had returned to Equestria, Celestia was nowhere to be found and darkness had covered the land. Many ponies quailed in fear, but these tidings were soon overshadowed by much happier news.

Nightmare Moon had been vanquished by six brave ponies that had used the Elements of Harmony to bring Luna back! Celebrations flooded the streets and parties held in every inn or hotel to commemorate the happy event. It was a great and time and all wondered how such a fantastic event had occurred in their lifetime.

Unknown to the cheering crowds and celebrating ponies, the last few threads which had been a thousand years in the weaving were being drawn together. Foresight and the other adventurers stood before Celestia and the recently freed Luna as the princess of the Day watched the four equines with a guarded manner.

Sky Strike was fidgeting unsure what to do with himself, Shakala stood tall and was doing his best to support Enigma who was trembling with effort. Celestia's manner was impossible to read having many years to perfect her poker face. Nevertheless the tension was felt in the air as the guards lining the walls shuffled uneasily.

Celestia finally broke the silence, "We owe you our thanks, because of your actions along with many other ponies I have my sister back," Luna's eyes were rimmed with tears as her older sister spoke. Celestia was far from finished though, "But I fear that things are not well between us still and I would have all bad feelings out and resolved on this happy day," Foresight's ears were pressed back in fear at this announcement.

Celestia's voice had a coldness and was only matched by the rise in temperature in the room and Foresight worried that what she may do next.

Celestia continued on, "I have let you ask any questions you desired before Foresight, but after talking things over with Luna we feel you have earned more reward than this I think," Celestia's eyes never wavered from Foresight's, while Luna wept openly as she finished up Celestia's explanation, "Ask what thou would of us and we will do our best to accommodate thee," Foresight stared at the Royal Pony Sisters and knew what she had to ask for. It may not be what she wanted, but it was what was needed to be said.

"Princess I have but one request, though I cannot speak for every pony," She looked to Luna as she said the next sentence, "But all I ask is that you will let me forgive you, both of you," Both royal sisters looked blank for a moment and the guards muttered in confusion before Foresight explained further.

"I more than most ponies have a right to be angry with the pair of you, my whole life has been turned upside down because of your history," Foresight continued to stare at Luna, "I have a curse of blood and body from your madness, a darkness of form that you say you cannot change?"

Luna shook her head, "It was never we who cursed you to a life of darkness, that power was Nightmare Moon's alone. If we could restore thee we would, but it has settled too deep in thy blood line now. Were we to undo the altering now, thy very being would be destroyed," Luna told Foresight sadly, hanging her head in shame. Enigma seemed to deflate a little at this reply, her hopes of a normal life dashed.

Foresight turned to address Celestia, who still held the outward shell of calm over a raging heat of hurt pride, "Your highness, you freely admit that Luna's fall was in no small part your own. I have seen how badly you treated Luna and forced her down the path of madness she fell too. You tried to hide this truth from your subjects and have caused me sore trials to help fix your past mistakes."

Celestia looked for a moment like she might explode and the room felt like an oven for a brief instant, before she turned to Luna and nodded her head sadly. However Foresight wasn’t finished, "Might I suggest we all take a lesson from a pony who gave her all to forgive and help us all. Star Glow was caught up in this whole event and stayed true to the basics of Harmony throughout. In her memory I want to forgive you both for all that has happened and may we all come closer together as a result. Her sacrifices and many others made this happy ending possible."

Foresight struggled to keep her voice even as emotion sought to unbalance her and she finished what she needed to say, "So if I can forgive, forget and look to the future with hope then surely we all can?" Foresight looked to Enigma whose face had been full of anger only a moment before. Closing her eyes, Enigma took a deep breath before nodding, but failed to hide the disappointment on her face.

"Well spoken Foresight," Celestia's words laced with a good kind of pride.

"To see such noble sentiments from the altered gives us all hope indeed," Luna agreed wholeheartedly.

Celestia continued on, "In that spirit of unity, Equestria will once again open its borders to any who have been displaced by wars or conflicts in this regard. All those altered who wish for another chance to live in Equestria are free to do so once again and not just that; Many creatures of all kinds have already fled far from High Point and other settlements ruined by Catalyst and his followers. We decree that if any seek safety in our lands and are willing to live in peace we shall grant it."

Sky Strike, Enigma and Skakala made to kneel, only to have the Princess of the Day raise a hoof instantly. "You have earned the right to stand tall and though not of my....our kingdom I would be glad to welcome you all to stay in Equestria as long as you will." Celestia smiled as she looked to Luna once more.

The first to speak was Shakala, "Oh royal sister's fare, thank you for the offer, but I will stay wherever is to be found this beautiful mare."

Shakala looked in a rapt way at Enigma, who rolled her eyes, “If I had known saving him from Catalyst would cause this much trouble I think I would have been better off leaving it,” Enigma joked with Foresight whose smiled only widened.

Enigma took the time to speak her mind. "Thank you your highness, I would be honoured to stay here and learn of 'civilisation' from Foresight and others. I have had my fill of the dark lands outside your borders," The pony said this all in a quiet way, all the time using her own mouth in respect even as she winked to Foresight.

Foresight now turned to Sky Strike who had not raised his gaze from the floor despite Celestia's encouragement. She looked at her sad and beaten friend, his mottled coat and brown mane were a mess. He looked so lost and alone and was a far cry from the confident outspoken pony Foresight had first met.

"Come now brave warrior of High Point, let not thy countenance be so full of gloom, we owe thee much that cannot be repaid. Without thy help our sister's envoy would never have completed her task," Luna announced in a determined way.

Sky Strike finally looked up he gave a huge sigh, "I just want to go home." It was heartfelt and a simple desire, all the more painful for being beyond the power of any pony there to grant.

Shakala shook his head in sympathetic way, "Come now Sky, this land is open and free, a perfect place for you to fly".

Foresight stepped towards Sky Strike and gave him a hug, "You ‘have’ a home, 'here' with us. I won't let you wander off into the wastes alone again," She told the stallion in a no-nonsense tone.

Sky's face showed just the hint of hope once again, "Even after all I said and tried to do to you, you would take an old stallion like me in?"

Foresight smiled as she reassured him, "Of course Sky."

The happy mood in the room lifted the spirits of all those present. Hard times had been overcome and old wounds, though not fully healed were well on the way to being cured. Celestia smiled a genuine smile for what felt like centuries as the four ponies chatted happily as they were lead from the council chamber in the palace.

Soon the two sisters were alone apart from their guards and soon even these were dismissed by a simple command of Celestia who wanted some time alone with her estranged sibling. As the guards filed out Luna looked to Celestia with apprehension. This would be the first time they had truly been alone together in over a thousand years. There was so much to say, so much to catch up on and so much to do.

"Sister I..." Luna began, but Celestia held up a hoof to forstall any comment.

"Please Luna, let me say this first. I have been a terrible sister and I deserve anything you think I should be punished with. I am sorry, I shouldn't have been so proud and ignored your plight. These last thousand years have been a torture for me and......" Celestia said in a brittle voice. Old habits die hard it seemed, Celestia had cut her younger sibling off once again, "Sorry Luna I did it again didn't I?"

Luna smiled weakly before responding, "Yes thou did, but thou noticed it and tried to fix it. We hold thee no grudge." The younger princess' stature was still far from returned, her mane and tail were limp and blue, but her eyes carried an age and wisdom born from living far longer than her frame would suggest, "We hope things can be like they were before we...no I turned against you my sister, I missed you so much".

Celestia shook her head and Luna looked ashamed before she spoke again, "We knew that would be too much to ask of thee. We will be thy servant, we will make up to thee and the ponies of our lands for all that we took from them. It is all we deserve."

To Luna's surprise and confusion Celestia raised her chin with a hoof and smiled warmly once again, "Oh Luna things can never again be as they once were, nor would I have it as such. No they are to be better and much improved! We have so much to catch up on and I would not have you even one step behind me, we were meant to rule together."

Celestia gave her younger sister a huge hug using both her massive wings along with her fore hooves and Luna muzzled in close to Celestia's chest as she looked up at her. "It will all be okay won't it Tia?" Celestia nodded but in the back of her mind she knew that it was only half true. So much hurt didn't disappear overnight, "Of course Lulu, it will all be fine, in the end."

Foresight and Sky Strike were just leaving Enigma at the hospital, her brave show had cost Enigma and she had needed to submit once more the medical forces of Canterlot hospital once more. With this visit concluded Foresight decided to take a gentle walk through Canterlot with Sky Strike by her side, confident her other friends were in the best care Celestia’s personal doctors could provide.

Sky Looked about the high towers and wide roadways of Canterlot and his jaw dropped open in wonder, There were so many ponies and every one of them was smiling. They chatted by stalls in the market, sat on benches in parks and none of them seemed to have a care in the world.

The occasional guard treated the pair with a polite nod of respect and some ponies even saluted them. Even if Canterlot as a whole didn't know of the roles they had played in Luna's return it seemed the guards did and were keen to show it. Sky saw foals playing in the streets, simple games of chase or looptie hoop. He stared as a random stranger galloped up to him and placed a wreath of flowers over his neck and Foresight chuckled to see his unease.

"They are all excited that's all, princess Luna is back and the Elements of Harmony are in use once again after so long in hiding. You're safe here and you finally have a chance to be happy Sky. No more running from giant snakes or spiders that would eat you as soon as look at you," Foresight chatted away in a nonstop tirade about how good things were here.

Sky couldn't blame her either, this land was paradise compared to High Point. Every pony looked so genuine and friendly. He soon found himself very jealous of Foresight and all she had been given. This was such an easy life compared to the one he knew and what was more startling to him was she wanted to share it.

Sky Strike couldn't help but feel there was some big catch to this whole place. Things just seemed too good to be true, but no matter how hard Sky looked he could find no evidence to support that idea. This land really did seem to be a place of love, tolerance and harmony.

He suddenly felt terribly out of place and it must have shown on his face as he found Foresight looking at him in a concerned way from under a delicate parasol, which she acquired before they had headed out into the streets and sunshine.

Foresight didn't mind the light so much now and Sky recalled the parting words of Star Glow; “Find out next sunrise.” and she had. Sky waited up for dawn with Foresight and as the light from the sun crept over the horizon Foresight squealed with joy as for the first time in her life she didn't have to shade her eyes from the daylight. They soon discovered that even with this boon the heat of the day was still troubling for Foresight and hence the parasol, but nevertheless her newfound tolerance was a happy marvel.

Sky realised Foresight was still watching him in a worried way, "Sky what's the matter?" She asked in a disbelieving tone, probably wondering how could any pony not be happy on a day like this?

He looked up and down the street seeing all the smiling faces, not sure how to phrase what was troubling him. "I guess it all just looks 'too' perfect, I keep waiting for the catch."

Foresight looked about herself as if seeing Canterlot for the first time and Sky could see it dawning on his young friend. Now she had been out of the 'bubble' and seen the world outside, the filly could understand what Sky Strike meant. "I know it all seems too good to be true, but this is what all the hard work of ponies that protect us goes towards. This is a land where we can walk freely, knowing that Celestia and now Luna and her soldiers will keep the bad things at bay."

"Bad things like the folk of High Point you mean?" Sky asked in a sullen manner.

"Of course not Sky," Foresight said in a horrified way. "There are decent folk wherever you go, well not counting that first zebra I bumped into.”

Foresight tapped Sky Strike playfully on his shoulder."You lived there didn't you along with, Enigma and you’re both good ponies deep down?"

Sky Strike nodded vaguely at the compliment. He couldn't help but focus on the 'deep down' comment, as if Foresight was saying he was bad on the outside somehow. He wondered if Enigma or any of the other refugees were feeling like he was at the idyllic place they found themselves in?

Foresight hooked her hoof around his arm and walked Sky quickly forward, "We're in sight of my house now. Mum and Dad are going to be so pleased to see us," There was a looming sense of dread in Sky's stomach at this pronouncement.

All the buildings here looked like something out of a fairy tale to Sky, but he would later find out that this part of Canterlot was actually considered modest by the cities standards. Foresight knocked on the door and waited with barely contained excitement.

As the door opened after a brief pause Sky felt the wash of cold flow over him and darkness completely at odds with the bright day beyond the entrance. Sky was met by two pairs of slitted eyes which watched him with distrust, but this soon turned to joy as they recognised Foresight.

A stallion's voice called from the shadows within, "Foresight you're home and my, my, who is your guest?"

"Father this is Sky Strike he is a very good friend of mine and I have so much to tell you!" Foresight replied happily.

Sky followed Foresight as she led him into vaguely familiar world of darkness and strange manners, not to far from the home he had lost before and far less alien than the busy happy streets outside. Since coming to Equestria Sky felt more at home here than anywhere else in Canterlot and mused that maybe it was because these nightborn were just as out of place in the cheery land?

He later came to understand it was the good feeling that came when a home was full of love, no matter what shade of coat or breed of a pony within. Sky may have lost his former home, but in time and to his delight he had found a new one to replace that here in Equestria.

Epilouge

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The darkness under Canterlot was all pervasive, it had always been such. The shadowy caverns had been home to crystal miners in the past, but even their short stay only shared this place with the darkness, their lamps never able to chase the shadows away completely.

As such the crystal caves below the city were the perfect place for the appointed meeting; far from the eyes and ears of the normal ponies of Equestria. This meeting wasn't a 'secret', but neither was it openly announced either to the general populous and therefore Celestia along with Luna found themselves both standing alone in the centre of a large cave.

There were troubles that needed to be resolved before the truths were told to Equestria as a whole. Though it troubled Celestia and Luna greatly, it was deemed to be in the best interests to keep this all quiet.

The sisters took care not to disturb the darkness, their horns were dimmed and even Celestia's ever present glow had been quenched for this meeting. They were here to make up for wrongs that had been done long ago and Luna was scared at what they may be forced to do.

Celestia covered her younger sister with a wing and whispered reassurances into her ear as the first of their guests came. They approached timidly at first, but had more confidence as their numbers grew. Soon the cavern was thronged with ponies, which were all shades of darkness, greys, blacks and dark blues.

Gradually thousands of slitted eyes gathered about the two ponies and watched them with caution. Luna stood a little taller than when she had last been seen by Equestria, having grown somewhat as the nightmare powers striped from her were replaced by her own natural magic. Luna's mane and tail was starting to take on it's starred pattern and swirling shape once again, but despite these improvements Luna was still dwarfed by Celestia. Luna visibly trembled as ever greater numbers surrounded the pair, and had to fight the urge to hide behind her sister.

"I don't think I can do this Tia, what do I say to them? Sorry just doesn't seem enough," Luna's voice was deeper than when Foresight or the others had last heard it, her increased size giving her a far more adult tone.

Celestia hugged Luna again, "I understand Luna but this has to be done, we owe it to them all,"

Luna looked to her older sister with pleading, but her was firm, "This is part of setting things right Lulu and we must do it or you can never be whole again, nor them."

"But there is nothing more I can do for them, I don't have the powers I once did, and I can't undo what Nightmare Moon did to them," Luna pleaded, aching to be away from this place of darkness which reminded her too much of her prison on the moon with all the reflected eyes around them looking like stars in the firmament.

Celestia's face softened, "Be brave Lulu, I know you can do this, you bore the elements of kindness and honesty, and you can make this right."

Luna shook her head, "But how? What can I do now for them?" Celestia was about to say something else when a voice echoed in their minds.

"Celestia we agreed to come here at your request, you told us of a general amnesty and time for a restitution for the wrongs we have suffered," There was a whispered murmur that drifted around the cavern accompanying this quiet 'sending'.

Celestia stood tall and proud before the many watching eyes before them, she was not cowed or nervous by the accusing stares and Luna was amazed her older sister could be so, knowing what they did and what was to be said here.

"I did and that promise is still in effect I Celestia pro....." She was cut off by a large number of hisses and a few growls of protest.

"Let the 'Dark Queen' speak, it is her we have come to hear from not ‘you’ regent of the sun," The send was laced with anger and enmity.

Luna shrank back, but there was nowhere to hide from the ring of eyes all around her. The action was followed with mocking laughter and Celestia snorted angrily, but the watchers in the dark didn't relent.

"Is this really the cause of all our woes?" Such a scared pony, who must hide behind her big sister from those she has wronged?" These words were spoken in a harsh bark, not a whisper in the mind.

"That is not how you will address my sister, we came here to make peace and to set things right, not to be mocked," Celestia called out in anger. She was well within her power to shatter this place if she had a mind to, but that didn't subdue the hostility the pair felt emanating from the darkness beyond.

"Still you stand up for her, still you try to play the 'noble' protector you claim to be Celestia. We who watch from the shadows know the truth, you're a vain and selfish creature." The same voice echoed from the shadows once again. "We know you did nothing while this one corrupted our ancestors and led us to this point."

Luna winced at the accusations, all the worse for knowing they were true. She looked up to Celestia who had tears of her own now and a tremble in her voice also as she bowed her head in defeat.

"I do not deny it, I know I was wrong before and take full responsibility for my part in this tragedy that befell you all, I could have stopped it, but I didn't and I am sorry," Celestia replied in a pained voice. She looked to Luna and her sibling knew that her sister meant every word. She would have taken the entire burden for Luna if she could, but Celestia understood Luna needed to fix this.

"Sorry? SORRY? is that all this is, you came to say 'sorry' to us?" The scorn raked at the minds of both the royal sisters, it wasn't anything like enough to wound them on its own, but picked at the scarring already there and both princesses felt it was justified.

"Enough, I will face you and tell you what we have to offer," Luna could take no more of this, if she was going to put things right then she would need to stand for herself, backing down and hiding away was what had lead to this point. She would not make those same mistakes again.

Luna closed her eyes in concentration as her horn glowed with power. The pervasive shadows retreated for a time to be replaced by a pale glow as a complex pattern formed in the air her. It mirrored the flowing star mane of the princess and spun slowly as more points of light were added to it. This lattice work expanded to fill the whole cavern, briefly illuminating the assembled ponies in its pale light as it past revealing there were thousands of them. The spell completed and Luna opened her eyes once more.

For the first time the cavern was quite, an expectant silence settled as Luna stood tall and regal despite her trembling legs. "Know this all gathered here, I have now placed the seal of truth upon this gathering. We cannot lie while within its effect, our true intentions and desires must be voiced here. I have done this that you may all know the words we speak are honest and from the heart. I would have you all know that sorry is but the start, you hope that we will undo what Nightmare Moon did to you.”

Luna closed her eyes and the tears ran down the cheeks of her face, “Though I wish I could say that we could, it is beyond even our power. We have no means to restore you to what you want."

The silence held even greater threat, but Luna pressed on; "The curse is in your very essence now, too deep in your shared heritage, we could not remove its taint without removing your very lives, too many generations have borne the curse of darkness and we cannot change that. So yes we are sorry, more than we can express but we offer more than apologies. We have plans for new laws and amendments that will grant you all a better quality of life and rights."

The silence lasted for only a few more moments before there was another chorus of angry shouts and mocking laughter, "You really mean that don't you, as if that will make everything all better?" The same proud voice was heard calling out and this time the pony came forward to be recognised. It was a bat pony and his slitted yellow eyes glared at the pair with unreserved hatred.

He sneered at them, "You really think a few changes in laws and protocol will make up for generations of suffering? I have foals that have never seen the sun, too afraid of being out and about with 'normal' pony folk. My people are forced to live in caves and holes lest we be blinded! The nightborn have it better I guess, they can take their darkness with them, but at the cost of being isolated from every other pony breed! Don't even get me started on the lithi, where are they by the way? They were probably killed in some distant underground war trying to earn back their lives that were never yours to take!"

Luna retreated as each point raised cut her to the core. The tears in her eyes free flowing as regret gnawed at her heart. Her trembling worsened and it looked like she was on the verge of breaking down. Seeing her pain Celestia grew angry and an unconscious flicker of her horn sent a bright flash through the darkness.

The altered all covered their eyes with pained hisses before the bat pony spoke again, "Oh that's the way is it? If we don't like what you have to offer you will just blast us apart? Kill us all as an inconvenient trouble of the past you wish would just go away. How very 'good' of you both, 'worthy' of the rulers of Equestria.

The negasi snorted and to his credit he didn't back down in the face of Celestia's anger. She took a heaving breath and let the light dim once again, "We have patience, but only so much and I can assure you that there will not be a better offer. We are trying to make things as right as best we can."

"Well to Tartaurs with your worthless promises and platitudes. I am half a mind to think that Catalyst had the right idea, Nightmare Moon may have been a tyrant, but at least she was honest about it. You knew where you stood with her in command," The bat pony's words were greeted with a number of affirming noises from round about.

Luna's heart sank into her hooves, was she such a failure that these ponies would rather have Nightmare Moon back than her? She lost all semblance of control and fell sobbing to the floor. Celestia moved to comfort her sister and glared at the bat pony with fire in her eyes. She was about to launch into another angered tirade when another voice spoke up from the darkness.

"Thou hast no concept of what thou ask," Echoed, grating and cold as it spoke out from behind the negasi. "We were there when the 'Queen of Darkness' sought to rule the land, she held no of love thy kind, my kind or any other."

The princesses looked up to see a small cohort of lithi march into the cavern. Every one of them was battered and chipped from fighting. One even had to limp where its leg had broken off part way and struggled to keep its pace with the rest. There were less than twenty of them, but they all marched on wards with surety and purpose.

The bat pony sneered at this, "Ever the faithful ‘peons’ of the sisters, you don't know anything."

"Thy anger clouds thy judgment winged one, Do not utter words and oaths thou wilt come to regret," the lithi cautioned.

Celestia could feel the tension mounting in the cave once again and sought to defuse it, "This was not meant to be a time of harsh words," but it was no use. The debate was degenerating into a shouting match as all those present voiced their opinions.

It was Luna who finally brought those present to order. Her voice rang out, causing the crystals lining the walls to tremble and all the ponies present bar the lithi and Celestia to cover their ears in pain, "Enough, Thou-shalt-all-be-still!" The whole cavern shook with the sound and for a moment some feared the ceiling would collapse.

Luna's eyes had taken on a glowing light and she rose off the floor with steady beats of her wings, "We shall not compel any to remain here that do not wish to. However this bitterness ends here and now, we shall have no ill feeling left to rot and fester as before. Thou all hast three choices:"

The ponies all around cowered at the display of magical might, it took a lot to get Luna angered but when she was it was best not to trifle with her.

"One; thou will submit to our laws to live in peace, freedom and happiness in Equestria as equal citizens. Two thou depart with a solemn oath never to raise arms against the kingdom of Equestria, neither thee nor thy kin and thou will teach thy descendants such," The Princess of the Night's face then became as hard as the lithi's, "Or three, thou shalt fall this night so that the cause of freedom may be maintained, these are thy choices and we pray thou choosest well."

Celestia slowly closed her eyes in sadness, she had so hoped it wouldn't come to this, but the altered situation had come to the boil once again with the return of Luna. The bat ponies and nightborn had always had it hard in Equestria, there was always blame and resentment from the day time ponies even after all these years. Though it was rare that it would show itself in action, it had occurred in the past.

Many of those within the cave were once followers of Catalyst and his band. They had been offered a chance for peace, despite what crimes they may have committed, but sadly it seemed that history was now again repeating itself.

Luna touched down lightly on the floor and her eyes took on their normal hue. She was panting hard and her lip trembled, but the choice had been given. It was now down to the ponies watching her to decide their own fate. The lithi as always bowed to Celestia and were the first to accept the new terms, on a purely mental level the choice offered was logical. The Royal sisters wanted to offer sanctuary, but they could not endanger the fragile peace of their land for it.

One by one, ponies formed into groups to either leave Equestria or to live by the lands laws. The royal sisters were pleased that most of them chose to comply with their offer. Thankfully the smallest group remained unrepentant and was unsurprisingly headed by the irate bat pony and a few of his closest followers. Celestia was sure he was one of those who fought on the side of Catalyst during the battle in the Everfree Forest. They glared at Celestia and Luna with angry eyes, but didn't move.

"You wouldn't dare, it would go against all you stand for to kill us now and we will take no such promise not to avenge ourselves on the wrongs you’ve done us," Celestia was pained by their stubbornness, here and now they must voice what they believed, even if they were wrong. The Princesses had to do whatever it took to keep their ponies safe. They had been given a choice, a chance for freedom and happiness, but they had rejected it and chosen the path of hate. The rulers of Equestria needed to be mares of their word.

"This is your final choice then?" Celestia asked sadly. The bat pony sneered and spat upon Celestia’s hooves before turning to lead his small band out of the cave.

"The seal of truth has shown the darkness in your hearts and not just your bodies. All must speak their real intent while here, their whole and inevitable intent," Luna whispered before lightning flashed out and struck the negasi, it was a short but tremendously powerful blast that filled the cave with light. The bat pony collapsed in as a charred husk and those by him scattered while staring in horror at the dead pony. Luna's eyes were full of tears as her horn dimmed and the magical light diminished.

The rest of the condemned ponies tried to flee, all rightly fearing for their lives but not one made it out of the cave. Luna's heart crumbled as she was forced to enact judgment, but freedom had its prices.

Celestia rested her head against Luna’s “We have to be firm, just and must be the rulers Equestria needs, Oh how I wish it could be otherwise.”

The ponies who remained looked at Celestia and Luna with new understanding. Yes they were ponies like them, but in so many ways they were so far apart. None of them envied the hard choices these monarchs had to make, but respected them for their integrity nevertheless.

Luna wailed openly and Celestia embraced her sister as Luna cried into her shoulder, "Why? Why couldn't they have just left in peace, they didn't even have to ever come back."

Celestia bowed her head and nuzzled Luna to comfort her, "They couldn't let go of their hate and anger. They would not offer forgiveness nor ask for it. We have to stand strong sister, we have to be a shield and a sword to our ponies. If any threaten them then we must do what is needed."

One of the Lithi nodded and repeated words he had heard so long ago, "Don't be so quick to wish for any destruction, it may come back to haunt you one day by giving you exactly what you asked for," Celestia remembered that advice only too clearly and winced to hear it again.

Luna continued to cry, “He said he had foals sister, what of them?” Celestia winced and squeezed Luna even tighter.

“There is no good answer to that question Luna. We will to do what we can to care for those who have lost, but far too often the innocent bear the consequences of the guilty. If we had not done this thing then whole future generations would pay the price.” Celestia couldn’t hide the tremor in her voice and they were both weeping freely now.

A young negasi colt, no more than two years old by the looks of him dared to trot forward. The bat pony was far too young to fully understand the complexities of this whole event. He was scared but what he could see and understand was there were ponies in distress.

He cautiously came forward and laid a small flower at the hooves of Luna before looking up at her with his green slitted eyes. The plant was a 'White Star', a simple but magical blossom that only bloomed in the moon light.

"Mum said it was so sad with what you had to do, so I wanted to cheer you up princess," He gave a little wave of his hoof before galloping back to his mother with a "Did I do good mum?" as he was enfolded by her loving embrace.

Luna looked at the flower and couldn't help but form a little smile. Celestia hugged her even tighter and whispered in her ear, "That's why we must do what is needed, for the likes of them."

The lithi all saluted as the rest of the ponies departed, all having made their choices. Celestia looked at the battered and damaged stone ponies who had given their all for Equestria and her heart felt like lead in her chest.

"Thank you all, I know we can never repay you for....." She began, but the stone pony shook it's head

"It is us who must thank thee princess, even though we are monsters in almost every sense of the word; thou hast stood by us all this time." The lithi spoke in its granite voice, before it turned to look right at Luna.

"We deduce that thou have no way of turning us back then? From the choices offered before we heard no offer of return to our former selves," It was not said in an accusatory fashion, but the implied inflection of being let down was there never the less.

Luna couldn't meet the black and hollow eyes of the stone pony as she shook her head. The lithi stood there for a moment longer before the stone stallion spoke again, "What would thou have us do now?"

Even after all this the lithi were loyal and awaiting command, even with their last hope of being made whole again being denied them, they chose to serve faithfully.

Celestia and Luna both felt 'their' burdens were heavy, but it took their breath away to see these stoic ponies carry their curse with such courage. Celestia suspected that not all emotion had been purged from them, that somewhere deep down they chose to do what was best. They did it because they felt it was the right thing to do and did it with hope.

Luna however was struck by a sudden thought, "Thou said thou were present when Nightmare Moon was correct?" The lithi nodded at this. "We mean thou were there when Celestia gave that advice to Focal Balance correct, during the closing stages of the Nightmare War?” There was a glimmer of hope in Luna's heart now. The lithi nodded once again.

Celestia couldn't help but catch what Luna was getting at, "There have been no lithi 'born' have there; you are all that is left from a thousand years ago."

"That is correct my princess, that is why we still serve," The Stone pony said.

"They are the first generation; there may still be hope for them to be changed back. There could be something left to save even now," Celestia announced with triumph. She went on in a much happier tone than before. "Go about your duties with a new order: keep yourselves safe. I want all your sacrifices to mean something and be more than just a noble memory. When we find a way to return you to your true forms then I would be overjoyed to be there."

With this the lithi saluted and began to march out of the cave once again. Luna gently released a breath she didn't know she was holding before she looked to Celestia once more, "Is that it then?" She asked in a hopeful tone. Celestia tilted her head to the still waiting crowds of bat ponies and dark pegasi.

Luna nodded and visibly shook herself down before addressing the remaining altered who watched the night princess with anxiety. “We will see that those who choose to remain in Equestria will be well homed and all due support given to begin their new lives here. We thank you for your forgiveness and welcome you to our lands.”

She then turned her attention on those who had chosen exile. “As for your selves we are ponies of our word, no harm will befall you. Go with our blessing. We will ensure you are given supplies support along with all we can offer to aid you in setting up a new home for yourselves outside our borders.”

Luna’s voice was controlled and strong and Celestia was proud of how her sister was now taking charge of things. “Though it pains me to think you would not accept our offer to live here, I wish you all the best in the future and should your kind require our aid then let us know and we will do what we can.”

The ponies all looked to each other and a hopeful murmur began. Celestia gave Luna another gentle hug of support before whispering into her ear, “Well done Lulu, I know that wasn’t easy.”

Luna looked up into Celestia’s proud face and felt the weight of the past lift, if only just a little, from her heart. “Thank you Tia, for getting me to face up my responsibilities. Will it all be alright in the end?”

Celestia gave a little smile as another tear trickled down her face, “I really believe it will be Luna, together I have no doubt we can fix everything in time.”

The ponies began to file out of the crystal caverns with a new sense of direction and purpose. It took some time, a lot can happen in a thousand years Luna thought to herself as she felt the faint glimmer of hope in her heart. Maybe enough time to soften hearts and have all be ready for a fresh start.

The restored princess closed her eyes once again and nuzzled into Celestia's chest, finding simple comfort in the warmth and love found there. She looked up into her sister's gentle eyes and whispered a simple; "Thank you Tia, thank you for standing by me this time."

The End.

The Fourth Star.

by Golden Paw

Prologue: The Rise of Shadows and the Return of Light.

Signs and Portents.

A little knowledge.

The darkness has eyes

The Masks come off

Help unlooked for

Plans and Problems of Necessity

Echoes in the Darkness

Many paths lead to a free Equestria

Time to stop Running

The Fight for Freedom.

Journey to your Destney

The Price of Freedom

Walking in Dreams

Reverlations and Reserluiotions

Epilouge