A strange stallion with an even stranger past wanders into Ponyville. Who is he? Here is he from? And what is his connection to the royal sisters?
Ever since Princess Luna’s visit one year prior, Ponyville has become the Nightmare Night capital of Equestria. Ponies from all over come to join in the frightful revelry and to perchance catch a glimpse of their reclusive princess of the night. But when a strange stallion makes his appearance, will the night’s harmless fun take on a more sinister tone?
May need to up the rating for gore and blood in later chapters, we shall see.
"Wow girls, there sure are a lot more ponies round these parts this year." states Applejack as she looks around the town center.
"W-who knew Ponyville would be this crowded at this time of night, and this *meep* dark..." answers Fluttershy, her voice as usual, barely above a whisper. "Well of course it is!" yells Pinkie Pie barely containing her joy as she hops around her five friends, "Tomorrow is Nightmare Night, the biggest and most scare-tastic prank-tacular night of the year!"
"And why wouldn't it be darling, ever since Princess Luna attended last year’s festivities everypony who's anypony is going to be here," chimes in Rarity; clearly barely keeping up her usual air of lady-like demeanor. "I mean, the elegant costumes, the fabulous decorations; it will be to die for!" barely holding back a *squee of excitement.
"Yeah yeah, all I care about is that the Wonderbolts are going to be here!" interrupts Rainbow dash as she soars up in front of her friends. "Once I find them they'll have no choice but to see how awesome I am. Once I show them my moves they'll be begging to spend time with me."
"Slow down there sugar cube,"Applejack cutting her fan girl moment short, "I hate to be the one to burst your bubble, but how in the hay will ya even know who they are if everypony is wearin costumes?"
Her premature victory ending as quickly as it began, Rainbow Dash lands and continues to walk beside her friends dejectedly. "Oh yeah, heh heh, forgot about that..."
"Don't worry Dashie, it's Nightmare Night! Free candy, performances, free candy, and pranks! You love pranks! And did I mention FREE CANDY!!”
" Yeah I guess, at least we'll all be together tomorrow night right?" Asks Rainbow Dash hopefully.
"You know it sugar cube." states Applejack without missing a beat.
"I'm going to have to cut our chat short girls, Princess Luna asked me to meet with the mayor to begin organizing all of the events this year," states Twilight; a clipboard magically suspended in front of her face. "After all, there are a lot more acts this year than last."
"So I see darling, look at all the shops and stalls set up already."says Rarity.
Scanning the town center, stands of all sorts where either being erected or already were in their respective places being prepared for the next night. Nearby, a few ponies are assembling what appears to be an apple-bobbing game, as well as a dunking booth. Beside those, a large area is cordoned off for what appears to be a game involving a catapult with a tub of plastic spiders next to it. Many areas for the amusements though are still vacant awaiting their proprietors to set up their stations.
At the center of town, next to the town hall, a large stage had been erected. Long, flowing black curtains were hung on either side decorated with blue and grey fringes. From top to bottom, they were adorned with all manner of Nightmare Night decorations ranging from plastic pony skulls to spiders and even a bat or two.
Twilight sounds off to herself as she looks over her clipboard, “Decorations: Check, Marketplace: Check, Games: Not check. Those ponies better move their flanks. And the last on my list is the main entertainment.” Beside the stage, mayor Mare, whom was soon joined by Twilight, sat behind a desk. A small line of ponies stood on the other side, seemingly waiting to sign up to perform. As usual, Ponyville’s two musical mares Vinyl Scratch and Octavia were there, as well as everyone's favorite fillies from the school house, the Cutie Mark Crusaders, accompanied by the Everfree Forests own mare of mystery Zecora. Other ponies in attendance seemed to be of the Canterlot variety judging by their attire.
“No doubt trying to be noticed by the princesses,” chuckled Twilight to herself.
The last pony in line none of the girls could place. Judging by the size, standing a few inches taller than anypony else in line, they assumed it was a stallion, but the black cloak and hooded cowl shrouded most of his other features, his long black cloak extending along his back stopping just above his flank and tail.
As Twilight and mayor mare finished registering Vinyl Scratch and Octavia, the ever excited Cutie Mark Crusaders bounded up with Zecora close behind.
"Hey Twilight! Hey mayor Mare!" the three shouted, as enthusiastic as always.
"Why hello Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo. And hello to you too Zecora."
"Good evening good Mayor and fair Twilight, these fillies and I wish to perform together on Nightmare Night. A creepy spectacle of fright and fear, which will surely surpass my own from last year."
"That is quite a bold statement miss Zecora, after all, your performance last year rivaled even the appearance of Nightmare Moon herself." Said mayor Mare as she wrote their names of the roster.
"You flatter me with your words so kind you do, but to me they feel to be untrue. Your praise of me I mean not to impugn, but the star that night was Princess Luna as Nightmare Moon."
"Well in any case we all look forward to see what you and your assistants will perform for us."
"Goodbye Twilight and mayor Mare, we'll see you tomorrow," the three fillies said in unison as they left.
After several more minutes attending to the rest of the ponies in line the mayor sat back and stretched, obviously pleased that her job that night was coming to a close.
"Well Twilight, it appears that we only have one pony left," the relief evident in the mayors voice. That is until the cloaked stallion approached the two mares.
Peering up at him, they noticed that his features were almost completely hidden within his dark cloak, with the exception of his piercing green eyes, The edges of which almost appearing to flow outward with a faint green, cloudy smoke. The stallion’s eyes staring not at, but through both of the mares at the table. Their gazes locked to them for what felt like a lifetime, but luckily for them, was truly only a few awkward seconds.Twilight quickly snapping herself out of her trance managed to break the silence between them. "Umm....h-hello sir, are you here to put your name on the roster to perform tomorrow..."
"Yes, that is what this stand is for is it not?" Questioned the strange stallion.
The mayor finally breaking her uncomfortably long stare with the stranger spoke up, " Indeed it is, what is your name sir?"
"My name is Albus Noctis, but you may call me Nox" said the hooded pony as he gave a smile to Twilight and the mayor. His bone white, almost sharp looking teeth, casting an uneasy smirk at the two.
"A-alright Mr. Nox, you'll be our final act for the night so be ready and at the stage just before midnight," said a still shaken Twilight.
"Then until tomorrow, have a pleasant evening ladies," and with a slight nod of his head he turned to leave, his black cloak trailing behind him.
Twilight quickly craned her neck to see if she could spot this strangers cutie mark. What she saw begat more questions than answers. It appeared to be two purple circles, one laying inside the other, with an odd eight pointed star which extended out from the middle of the inner most circle just past the outer most. This all in a glaring contrast to his snow-white coat at his flank. Twilight thinking to herself, "I know I've seen that symbol somewhere before, but where?" She made a mental note to look into this later.
With the last perspective performer added to the list, Twilight quickly trotted to back to her friends who were currently engaged in dealing with the three excited fillies of the Cutie Mark Cusaders.
"I can't wait ta show you our act sis." said Applebloom, bouncing beside her big sister Applejack.
Right on her heals, Sweetie Belle says with an air of excitement, her voice squeaking with delight, "Wait until you see the costumes I made for the show Rarity, you’re going to be so proud of me." *squee
Rarity, recalling her little sisters last foray into the costuming arts gave an uneasy assurance, "I..I'm sure they will be fabulous Sweetie Belle."
Seeing Twilight's return, the girls quickly walk up to their purple friend.
"Hey Twilight," says Rainbow Dash flying up beside her friend," who was that weirdo in the back of the line?"
Twilight responds, while uneasily scuffing her hoof uneasily in the dirt in front of her, “His name is Albus Noctis, and I don't know Dash. I've never seen him before."
Pinkie, seemingly appearing out of nothing right behind Twilight, "Oh-my-gosh-is-he-a-new-pony?! He-must-be-because-I've-never-seen-him-before-and-I-know-every-pony-in-Ponyville-and-if-he's-new-to-Ponyville-that-means-I-get-to-throw-him-a-par...mmmhfff." Applejack quickly silencing her Pink friend by placing a hoof in her mouth.
A small voice barely above a whisper comes from the edge of the group of friends, " I...I don't know Pinkie." Says Fluttershy, her voice seemingly more uneasy than usual. "He seemed really *meep scary...."
"There is something strange about that feller, I mean, who has their costume on a whole dern day before Nightmare Night." adds Applejack.
"Now girls, remember what we learned about judging a pony before getting to know them.” states Twilight with an air of motherly authority, "but I agree that there is something a bit....off about him."
"Now is not the time to be, how does one say it, willy nilly about this.” Rarity doing her best to bring this conversation to a close. “We all need to get back and prepare our costumes for tomorrow. After all, both of the Princess's will be in attendance this year and I will not stand for my ensemble to be anything but perfection."
Saying their goodbyes, the six ponies each departed toward their respective homes.
For the entirety of her sojourn home, Twilight could not shake the feeling that she has seen that strange stallions cutie mark somewhere before. As she crosses the threshold into her library home, she calls for her ever present dragon assistant.
"Spike," yells Twilight, "I need you to pull out a few books for me." Scampering out as fast as his little purple legs could carry him, he responds with a mock salute to his surrogate mother. "Yes ma'am."
*Three long hours later*
Twilight, still confounded by the stallions strange cutie mark, is quite literally immersed in her large stacks of research materials surrounded on all sides by books piled twice as high as she is. Thinking to herself, "Where did I see that mark before? I know it has to be somewhere."
Pulling the last book from a once large pile of tomes on her desk, she finally sees the symbol she's been searching for; fully emblazoned upon its cover none the less.
Her heart rises in her throat as she reads the cover out loud.
"Necromancy? But that hasn't been practiced in Equestria for thousands of years!" stammers Twilight, sweat quickly beading on her brow, her breath coming in short gasps.
"Spike! Spike come here quick!" Twilight hollers for her assistant. Spike, looking as though he has just been roused from a restful sleep, still clutching his blanket and favorite stuffed dragon toy, slowly trudges in.
"What is it Twilight? I was just having the greatest dream; Rarity was there and.."
"No time for that now Spike," interrupting the small dragons tangent. "I need to send an urgent letter to Princess Celestia! Time is of the utmost importance!"
Groggily Spike moves to grab a piece of parchment from the desk drawer along with a quill and inkwell.
"Dear Princess Celestia,
While registering everypony for the roster to perform tomorrow on Nightmare Night, a strange stallion came by to sign up. His features were all concealed within a black cloak and cowl with the exception of his eyes. I have never seen eyes like that; they seemed to almost radiate magical energies of an unknown origin. That is, until I caught a short glimpse of his cutie mark when he turned to leave. I knew that I had seen this symbol before; it looked like two circles, one within the other, with a large eight-pointed star. I returned home to look into this and through extensive research; I believe it to be a necromantic summoning circle. I was under the impression that necromancy died out with the rest of black magic after the banishment of Nightmare Moon. Please advise me as soon as possible, a pony of the dark arts could be a threat to not only Ponyville, but all of Equestria!
Your faithful student,
Twilight Sparkle"
With a puff of green smoke, Spike sent the letter via dragon mail directly to the princess.
"Necromancy? What is that Twilight?" asks the curious purple dragon.
"Well Spike, in the time before harmony came to Equestria, many more magics were practiced than are today. Legends say none were as dark or evil as Necromancy. Through this black art, it is said that a pony can steal the life from others, can afflict a pony with diseases or other afflictions, or even raise ponies from the dead."
"You mean...like Zomponies?!" said Spike, his stubby legs quaking at the knees. "I always thought that Zomponies were just an old mare’s tale."
"Spike, everypony thought that Nightmare Moon was just an old mare’s tale too and look how that turned out; and besides, we won't know anything for sure until we receive a letter back from the princess."
As if on cue, a letter bound with a red wax seal appears out of a green belch of smoke emanating from Spike.
"That sure was fast," says Spike after regaining his composure.
Twilight quickly levitates the scroll up and unfurls it with her magic.
"My faithful student,
It appears to me that the holiday spirit has gotten the better of you. Necromancy, as well as other the other black arts, has been all but abandoned for over a thousand years. The last practitioners passed on even before the Nightmare claimed my dear sister. I suggest that you take a reprieve from your studies to enjoy the holiday. My sister and I shall see you and your friends tomorrow to enjoy the festivities.
Your teacher,
Princess Celestia"
"Well there it is no zomponies here. Now we can all go back to sleep and forget all about any of this necro-whatever." Spike says with obvious relief as he makes his way back to his sleeping basket.
Twilight, with a look of abject outrage on her face, shouts, "But....but I know what I saw! How can the princess just write it off so easily?"
"You heard her Twilight, *yawn* there's no such thing as those ponies anymore." Says Spike as he pulls himself under his covers.
"No, I know what I saw Spike, and I am going to prove it to the princess no matter what." Pausing, looking down at a now fast asleep Spike, "even if I have to do it alone."
After gathering up a small amount of emergency supplies in her saddle bags, Twilight headed out on her self-imposed quest. "I'll prove to Princess Celestia that I know what I saw," she thought to herself; those words repeating like a mantra in her head.
Stepping out of her home, she spy's the position of the moon overhead. Judging by its position just before its zenith, it is around eleven o'clock at night there by leaving plenty of time to find this pony and get to the bottom of things. Looking at the still evident hustle and bustle of the town though, one may have easily waved off that fact that it was so late. Many ponies were still moving about the town center, all the while still setting up decorations and shopping stalls.
Through the crowd, Twilight spots the zebra shaman Zecora. Her black and white striped coat a sharp contrast compared to the other multi-colored ponies that scurried about.
"Zecora!" Twilight shouts to her friend. "Did you by any chance see where that hooded pony from earlier went off to?"
"If you mean that cloaked pony of mystery, I saw him head toward the forest Everfree. But if you look to track him down, beware that one from out of town. For I sense a magic not of this place, so I beg you give pause before you give chase." responds Zecora with her usual rhythmic rhyming.
"Don't worry Zecora I can handle myself. I need to figure out who that pony is." With that, Twilight headed undauntedly along the all too familiar path toward the Everfree Forrest.
The change in scenery was powerfully evident when she crossed the border of the Everfree. The once calming light of Princess Luna's moon high in the sky was quickly blotted out by the thick canopy of trees. The further she trekked in, the darker it got until she was forced to produce a magically induced light from the end of her horn. Twilight was undaunted by the darkness, she has been here before so this did not come as a shock to her. What did make her uneasy was the deathly silence of the forest. Every other time she has been here, the sound of small creatures or howls of timberwolves in the distance were clearly evident. Now however, the silence was pervasive. For an hour she walked alone, the eerie quiet surrounding her like a hungry wolf pack cornering their prey.
Constantly scanning the foliage at her sides, Twilight failed to notice a thick, green object lying along the ground in the middle of her path. Her front hoof caught it, sending her into a tumble. With a loud "Ouch" she comes to a stop with her back against a tree. Rubbing her head with her forehoof, she looks up to see what she tripped over. She spies the object of her misfortune, still outstretched across the path.
With undaunted resolve, Twilight stands up to brush herself off and continue. Just as she collects herself, the once sedentary strand of foliage is quickly pulled into a nearby bush.
Beginning to collect her magic, Twilight quickly readies herself for whatever threat that should present herself, although too little too late. From out of the bush rose a beast with a white feathered head adorned with a red comb and razor sharp beak, all of which attached to the long, lithe body of a green serpent.
With a gasp, she uttered one last fearful word... "C-cockatrice."
With that, her world began to grow dark, her limbs unmoving as they turned stiff and solid. Doomed as she was, Twilight resigned herself to her inevitable fate.
As the petrification began to rapidly envelope her body and mind, a bright flash of emerald green appeared; a blinding light in her ever dwindling vision. The last sound she hears is the loud high-pitched shriek of the cockatrice.
Twilight awoke in a flash, her mind flashing back to her fateful encounter with the cockatrice. She quickly checked herself over. "But how?" she thought. "I should be a frozen in stone." Sitting up, she begins to examine her surroundings. She finds herself in a small cabin consisting of a single room in which she now resided. A small fireplace directly across from her crackled with the life giving warmth of a recently tended fire. Above it, a small cooking pot hung from a cooking rack with a delicious smell emanating from its confines. The bed on which she laid upon was plain at best but not completely uncomfortable. A cloth mattress stuffed with what felt like hay, and a blanket made of what appeared to be linen laid over her. As she examines further, she sees that she is currently alone in this unfamiliar place. Lying back down, she did her best to recount the previous events. "What happened?" she thought. Just then the door to the cabin slowly opened and in walked the object of her quest. She quickly closed her eyes in an attempt to feign sleep. She laid there for a couple of awkward seconds before she mustered the courage to crack one eyes open a sliver. The strange stallion walked over to the hearth and began to tend to the fire. With a small burst of magic emanating from the dark confines of his hood, he willed the fire to grow, enough to ever so slightly lick the bottom of the cooking pot. Simultaneously, he pulled a spoon from the side of the small fire and began to stir the food within. "You must be quite hungry Miss Sparkle, come have a seat" the stallion said without even a glance over his shoulder. In a single movement, Twilights eyes shot open as she bounded up from the bed and began charging a spell through her horn. "I know who you are necromancer, tell me where we are and why you've brought me here!" demands Twilight in a tone as confident as she could muster. Still without a single glance, the stallion again speaks, "I asked you if you would like to come and share my dinner Miss Sparkle. It has been a while since I’ve entertained company. Calm down and have a seat, I insist.” “I’ll not have you perform any foul magics on me necromancer. I know what you are and I will not allow you to bring harm to Equestria!” Without a second thought Twilight released the spell she had prepared. A bright purple beam fires from the tip of her horn directly at the seated stallion. The effects however, were not as predicted. The energy Twilight released impacted a bright green shield around the hooded pony, seemingly drawn into the shield and eventually fade into nothing. A look of terror came immediately to Twilights face as the stallion stood up and turned to face the shocked unicorn. His bright green, emerald eyes shattering her previous resolve. “I poured every bit of myself into that spell, and he had defeated it without as much as a wave of his hoof.” "The least one can do when they are a guest in one’s home is to, in the very least, be personable Miss Sparkle." In a split second, Twilight found herself enveloped in an aura of familiar green light. She tried her best to summon up enough magic to break the stallions hold on her, but try as she might; every ounce of magic she managed to call forth was immediately sapped away. Defeated and helpless, Twilight closed her eyes and awaited her inevitable fate, a fate that never came. When she managed the courage to open her eyes, she found herself seat by the fire with a bowl of stew. Across from her, the hooded stallion sat calmly and too ate from a similar bowl. “Who is this pony, and how did he manage to take away my magic like that?” Her mind roiled with countless questions with not an answer to be found no matter how long she pondered them. Twilight’s stomach rumbled loudly. She was hungry and had no idea how long she's been in the forest. Staring into the bowl in front of her, she had to admit, the stew looked as good as it smelled. "You will have plenty of time to interrogate me after you've eaten. Cockatrice petrification has a tendency to wear one out," the stallion answering her subconscious thoughts as he takes another spoonful of the stew. Tentatively, Twilight took a spoonful. Inspecting her meal, she saw freshly chopped turnips, potatoes, and daisies along with a hay broth. Slowly she braved the first spoonful, her eyes lighting up after tasting the delicious concoction. She then began to eagerly devour the remainder bowls contents. "I am actually quite surprised that you were able to muster up that amount of magic in your weakened condition Miss Sparkle, but then again, one would expect as much from the Element of Magic and Celestias prized pupil. The stallion continued, a sharp smile evident on his face evident even through the darkness of his cowl. With a look of shock, Twilight looked up from her empty bowl to regard her much lamented dinner partner. "Wh...who or what are you. Hh..how do you know about me?” Twilight asked, her voice barely above a shaky whisper. “I have much knowledge of this world and most is not veiled beyond my knowing Miss Sparkle, you and the rest of the Elements of Harmony amongst it. As I told you in our first meeting, my name is Albus Noctis, or Nox if you prefer, and from what I gather, you already know what I am." The stallion responds, his gaze never leaving his soup. "And I suppose you wish to know how you came to be in my humble dwellings?” After giving a slight nod to the stranger across form her, he continues to speak. “Well, that was my doing as well."
*Several hours earlier....
Nox was walking alone, as usual, through the perpetual darkness that is the Everfree forest. His nightly ritual to forage for food was more bountiful this evening than most, filling up not one but two saddle bags, with all manner of vegetables and plants. The normal sounds of life were quiet tonight, although not unusual for him on most nights. Most if not all of the denizens of the forest gave the pony a wide berth. This night however, things were different. Pulling power into his hooves, he stretched his magical senses throughout the forest floor and canopy. Normally, the forest would be full of activity, the creatures’ life forces emanating visible auras that he could see and interact with. Tonight though, save for a few insects and arachnids, there were no animals to be seen, nor any magical creatures. As he trudged on farther, his senses picked up a familiar, strong purple aura moving along the path away from Ponyville. "Hmm, I wonder what the Element of Magic is doing wandering these parts at night?" he thought to himself. With a chuckle, "No doubt on one of Celestia’s little missions or some such." Keeping hidden from the purple unicorn was easy enough, the glow from her purple magelight making her stand out for miles. Continuing on his own mission he spies something that gives him pause. On the same path that the purple unicorn was resolutely trudging on, a pulsing grey glow of a magical creature emanated from a nearby bush. Moving as fast as he could toward the path, he managed to make out the outline of the creature, a cockatrice. Barely fifty feet away from them, Nox watched as the unicorns aura tumbled and rolled along the path, as well as the shifting glow of the cockatrice rising from the bush. A rapid discharge of magical energy told him all he needed to know. Bounding onto the path just as the cockatrice was about to finish its work, Nox charged and released a spell. From beneath the cockatrice, a bony five clawed talon rose and grabbed the creature impaling it with each of its razor shard claws. As it grasped it, a flash of emerald green surrounded the cockatrice and flooded into him like smoke being drawn into a stove pipe. The blood from the impaled creature flowed with abandon out of the gaping wounds made by the claws, being drawn down the talons and too into the emerald smoke. With a final shriek, the cockatrice dissipated into a pile of ash. With the treat dealt with, Nox braced himself as a familiar feeling poured over him. The very life force of the creature began flooding into him; bolstering him, strengthening him. This feeling to him is as natural as breathing, yet when a magical beast is absorbed, it always comes with an indeterminable amount of additional energy with it. As he feels the creature fade into him, the added magical energy makes itself known. All throughout the forest, every creature that was held petrified by the cockatrices magic was released, along with the nearby purple unicorn, as the recently released magics rushed into him. With the torrent of magical and life energies subsiding, Nox peered down at the purple form lying motionless beside a tree. She was quite dead, the once vibrant purple color of her fur quickly fading to a whitewashed version of her previous hue. Beginning a ritual practiced more times than he would care to remember, he moved his muzzle close to hers and breathed out a slight wisp of blood red smoke. Coiling and coalescing in front of her face, it was almost instantly pulled into her nose and mouth. Slowly her breathing slowly returned and the distinctive purple of her coat gradually began to fade back. He then reached out with his magical energies and gently lifted her body and placed her on his back. "Guess I'll be having a guest for dinner tonight," he chuckled as he slowly makes his way back to his solitary cabin.
*back in the present
"...and that's the whole story Miss Sparkle." Nox says, finishing his tale. Twilight sat there quiet. "This strange pony risked his life to save you, and to thank him, you attack him without thinking." she thought to herself sullenly. "I...I'm so sorry Mr. Nox..." said Twilight, barely holding back tears. “I reacted on impulse without thinking things through." "Just Nox... Please," he responds. "And all is forgiven Miss Sparkle." "You can just call me Twilight." she says, a smile slowly forming on her face. Responding with a slight smile of his own, "ok Twilight, would you care for a second helping of stew?" "Yes please."
After a few awkward minutes of quiet while Twilight finished her second helping of food and Nox staring distantly into the fire, she finally breaks the silence.
"Nox....why did you save me?" asks Twilight.
Averting his gaze from the hearth, he moves his cowled head to look towards Twilight, "Would you not do the same as I did for another pony?"
"But you’re a necromancer, a practitioner of the dark arts. Doesn't that make you, well....evil?"
With a slight laugh, Nox fully turns his body to regard Twilight. "As the Element of Magic and a practitioner of the sciences, I would think you of all people would realize the answer to that question."
Cocking an eyebrow, Twilight waits for him to continue.
As he begins to talk, Nox raises his right forehoof and begins to gather magical energy. Thee floating balls of emerald fire, the same color as his eyes, began to dance and swirl around each other in a synchronized fashion. Suddenly, the three magical flames merged and the outline of a small pony began to form. No larger than his hoof, pony began to take a solid shape, but there was something strange about it. Its form was devoid of not only a coat but also of any semblance of flesh, consisting of only a pony skeleton. The small pony looked over toward Twilight, the dark recesses of its empty sockets examining her. With a whinny of delight the small creature hopped down and trotted happily to Twilight and nuzzled itself against her side causing her to let out a giggle as the small creature made itself comfortable "In both science and the magical arts, nothing is inherently evil. It is how one applies it that determines its morality. That is a fact that is sadly lost on most ponies in this day and age."
With that said the horse nuzzled a goodbye to Twilight, reforming itself into the balls of green flame and returns to its master’s hoof. Nox than rises from his bench beside the now dying fire and adjusts his cloak. "Come, let us go. I am sure your friends are quite worried about you by now." With that, Twilight too stands up and the two make their way to the cabin door. The sun was low in the sky, at least what sky they could see through the forest canopy, telling them that it could not be much later than seven in the morning.
For over an hour, the two ponies walked silently through the Everfree forest, Twilight never straying too far from the necromancers side still obviously shaken by the nights events. Eventually, they reach the edge of the forest just outside of Twilights friend Fluttershys cabin.
"This is where we part ways for now Twilight, though I do hope that you will attend my performance later tonight." said Nox as he turns around to make his way back home.
"I will, and Nox....thank you again for saving me. I don't know how I can ever repay you."
"Repayment is unnecessary Twilight," he began, and with a sly smirk on his face he continued, "anypony would have done the same." With that said, he slowly disappeared into the darkness of the Everfree.
Twilight, glad to be back to the relative safety of Ponyville begins to trot along the path toward town. "Twilight!" A yell echoes from a group of five multi colored ponies fast approaching her. Suddenly the telltale blue bur of Rainbow Dash shoots from the crowd to embrace the purple unicorn, fast accompanied by the rest of the group followed suit.
"Darling where have you been?" asks Rarity. "We've been worried sick sugar cube!" Applejack shouts.
"Girls, calm down. I'm fine." says Twilight trying to calm her worried friends. "I just got lost walking in the Everfree forest last night."
"The Everfree forest! Are you loco in the coco Twilight?!" Pinkie says, popping up in the middle of the group.
"What were you doing in the Everfree forest last night Twilight? That is, if you don't mind telling us..." Fluttershy asks as timidly as always.
"Well I went to find that strange pony that we saw in town last night, throne in the black cloak, and.."
"What did he do to you Twilight?" Rainbow Dash interrupts while soaring up to Twilight, clearly agitated. "Did he pony nap you? Let me at him, I'll beat his flank!"
Applejack, quickly grabbing Rainbow Dash by the tail, pulls her down back next to the group. "Now slow yer role Rainbow, let’s let her finish."
So Twilight began to recount the entire story of her trek since meeting Nox in town with the exception of telling about his particular abilities, she owed him at least that request for saving her life.
Rainbow Dash was the first to speak after her story was concluded. "Wow, so that weird pony lives in the Everfree forest, saved your life from a cockatrice all by himself, and brought you back home safe? He sounds like a real bad-flank."
"He sounds like a true gentlecolt, the mysterious stallion charging in to save the damsel in distress." Rarity says swooning over the mysterious stallion.
Applejack , interrupting her daydreaming friend, retorts, “Just like one a yer sappy romance books huh Rarity?" getting a chuckle out of all her friends except Rarity, who blushes a deep red with embarrassment.
"So now not only do I get to throw him a Welcome to Ponyville party but I get to throw him a Thank You So Much For Saving Our Friend Twilight party too! I can't wait!!!" Pinkie yells, all the while bouncing up and down throughout the group of friends.
"I appreciate the concern girls, but I've had a long night and could really use some sleep after everything that has happened." says Twilight, her fatigue evident in her voice.
"Oh you poor dear." Fluttershy shouts with tone of urgency. "We need to get you home to rest right away."
With that the six girls begin their walk and in no time at all arrive at the door to Twilights home.
"Now you go on in and get some rest before tonight Sugarcube. We'll all be by later to meet up before the shindig starts ya hear?"
"Ok Applejack, I'll see you girls later."
With that Twilight closes her door and walks up to her room in the library's loft, barely making it to her bed. Her last thoughts before her exhaustion claimed her were on the mysterious stallion who had saved her, and with a smile on her face she falls into a restful slumber. At that very same time, a certain hooded stallion arrived at his home deep in the Everfree forest.
Opening the door to his home, Nox walked inside still with a happy grin on his face.
“Excluding the part where she died, this went surprisingly well.’ Nox thought to himself. Removing his black cloak, he hangs it on a hook next to the door. Walking over to the fire that the ponies had left, which was now just barely burning embers amide a pile of ash, he picks up a fresh log and kindling to begin to bring it back to life.
“Judging by the grin on your face I gather things went well master?” speaks a voice from an unnaturally shadowed corner of the cabin.
“That it did Lilith; it has been so long since I have had a guest, one with a pulse that is.”
“Well I’m sorry if un-life has been so boring for you these past few years with me master Nox.” states Lilith as she walks into the light of the now burning hearth, a grin prevalent on her face.
“You know what I mean Lilith, and jealousy doesn't suit you.” Nox says as he regards the approaching mare.
Standing almost eye level with Nox, she was tall for a mare, her long black mane accentuated by a strand of red cascading over her face obscuring it from sight. As her lithe form gracefully enters into the firelight, one could now see the pegasus mare for what she truly was. Large gaping wounds and decayed flesh cover her once elegant body, her bones and remains of tissue and sinew showing through where her muscle and skin had long ago rotted away. Her left wing now nothing more than bone with a scant amount of decaying muscle still attached to the joints, her right wing nothing more than a stump where her appendage had decayed and fallen away over the centuries.
“Did you prepare the items I requested?”
“Yes master, but I still don’t understand why you are even bothering with these ponies. They do not seem worth the effort. You saw how the purple one reacted when she met you; nothing is different even after all of these years.”
“That is what I hope to change Lilith. It has been so long since I have been amongst the living. You saw how her outlook on me changed when we sat and talked. Now come, I need to prepare for tonight.” Moving toward the corner of the room that Lilith had appeared from Nox rests his right hoof on the corner where the walls meet, and with a small burst of magic the darkness begins to coalesce into an oval portal of shimmering black light.
Removing his hoof, Nox and Lilith step through the portal.
On the other side, the ponies enter a large two floored circular room that one could only describe as resembling an operating theatre. Overlooking the first floor are shelves consisting of thousands of books lining the walls with two spiral staircases on opposite sides of the room ostensibly leading down to the floor below. The floor below them is dominated by a large circle lined with candles used in an assortment of summoning magic. Flanking the seal are tables upon tables of scientific implements ranging for scalpels to test tubes and beakers. The true marvel of the room though is a large shimmering dome of green magical glass. Throughout the glass were spheres and engraved pathways which one could gather at one point tracked the patterns of the celestial bodies.
Descending down to the first floor, with Lilith close behind, Nox makes his way to a large wooden table. There laid out are a large assortment of potions and reagents as well as many different powders of varying colors and textures, beside those laid a quill and inkwell as well as a large book with the picture of a bubbling red potion on the cover. Opening the book to a page marked previously by Lilith, Nox began his work.
“Thank you Lilith, leave me to my work please.” And with that, Lilith retreated to the second floor and through a passage previously hidden by a false bookcase.
“I’ll make sure to give those ponies a show that they will not soon forget.”
Slowly awakening from her restful afternoon nap, Twilight set about preparing herself for the night ahead. Ever the organized pony, Twilight already had her checklist out and began to go over her preparations. “Make bed; check.” Twilight says aloud while checking that item off of her list. Making her way to her closet, Twilight magically removes a hanger and her subsequent costume for the night out of her closet. After her costume last year met with less than enthusiastic response, she decided to go as Clover the Clever this year, consisting of a simple green tunic and a brown patchwork cloak.
“After all, we do that play every Hearths Warming Eve, everypony will know who I’m dressed as this year” she thought to herself. “Costume; check” now to make sure spike is ready.
“Spike! Are you all ready to go?”
“Almost ready Twilight.”
As Twilight marks that item off of her list, she dons her costume and goes downstairs. Waiting downstairs is Spike, his costume choice this year was a plain white mask covering all of his facial features, as well as a full black suit and red tie. From his back sprouted fake tentacles the same color of his suit
“Wow Spike great costume, Slenderpony?”
“Yeah thanks Twilight, yours is good too, you’re a good um, Trottin Hood?”
“Clover the Clever…”
“Yeah that’s it.”
“Ugh!! Let’s go Spike.”
With that the two leave the library and out into town where the festivities have already started.
Ponyville was in full swing for the holiday. Ponies of all ages clad in costumes moved about the town. Groups of fillies and colts moved about in groups door to door in the traditional quest for candy, while older ponies were gathered in the town center. As they made their way to the town center, Spike and Twilight spied Applejack, clad in a costume resembling a Canterlot royal guard, leading a familiar group of little fillies.
“Hi Applejack hi girls, happy Nightmare night.” says Twilight calling out to the group.
“Well howdy there Twilight, Spike, ready to get the night a rollin?” asks Applejack. “We sure are, I’m so excited to welcome the princesses to Ponyville!” squees Twilight as she bounces up and down on all four of her hooves.
“Well I’m just a waitin fer Zecora to meet me. She’s takin the girls here out fer the night before the show. Speak of the pony, hello there Zecora.”
“Hello dear ponies my good friends, and as for your costumes I do commend. Applejack a knight so brave and Twilight comes dressed as Trottin Hood or some other type of knave?”
“It’s Clover the Clever! Why does no pony ever get my costumes?!”
As Twilight continues her pouting, Rarity; dressed as a vampony, Rainbow Dash; dressed as her favorite literary hero Daring Do, and Pinkie Pie; clad head to hoof as a werepony, come trotting over to twilight and Applejack.
“Girls, I do believe that we will be late for the Princesses arrival if we tarry too long.” Says Rarity as she enters the group of ponies.
“Oh my gosh she’s right! Come on girls we have to go. Sorry to have to run Zecora, we are looking forward to you and the girls’ performance later.”
“Until later ponies and Ms. Twilight, and have a fun filled Nightmare Night.”
"Twilight can I go with Zecora and the girls?" asks Spike "Ok Spike, you be good for Zecora and not too much candy.." says Twilight.
'You too girls.." says Applejack to the three fillies.
With that, the 5 mares began their walk to the town hall where they were to meet the Princesses.
“Hey girls, where is Fluttershy?” asks Twilight
“You know that scardy pony is home with her doors all locked up, she never comes out for Nightmare Night.” replies Rainbow Dash.
With a sigh, Twilight says, “Oh well, we should all hurry. We can’t be tardy for the princesses.”
Several miles away soaring high in the clouds, a tandem flying chariot carrying the two sister princesses Luna and Celestia was making its way to Ponyville as fast as its drivers could will it. Flanking both sides flies a contingent of no less than 10 Royal Guard pegasi fully clad for war as well as three carriages filled with an equal number of unicorn and earth pony guards.
“I do hope we get there soon sister, I am worried about what may befall my ponies otherwise.” says Celestia with a worried look upon her normally calm and collected face.
“I am still not clear why we did not simply teleport ourselves there.”
“As I told you before Luna, there is a strong force blocking our magic, that is why I could not send a letter warning Twilight and her friends ahead of our arrival never the less teleport all of the way to Ponyville.”
“Are you sure that this is the same pony from the historical records? He is no Alicorn, and this occurred over two thousand years ago. How could this be possible?”
“I am sure of it dear sister, he is a necromancer. For all we know he may be older than even we are.”
“Worry not sister, I am sure your student and her friends are safe.”
“I hope so Luna.” Replies Celestia with a heavy sigh. “If not, this is all my fault for ignoring her letter.”
The previous morning, princess Celestia was as usual attending to her day court. Usually, nothing more than a few nobles squabbling over how to better line their own pockets with bits or land at the expense of each other. This day though, she was having a rather unusual envoy visit her, a representative of the Cervid nation. The Cervidae are people to the south from the other side of Eternities Crossing, the southern ocean bordering Equestria. It is rare that a representative is seen in Equestria, and Celestia could scarcely remember the last time one was present in her court. As she quickly collected herself and made sure her mane was tidy, a letter materialized next to her in a coil of green fire.
“A letter from my faithful student, another friendship lesson I hope. I do always so enjoy hearing from her.” ……..
“It appears she’s reading those dusty history tomes too much again.” Celestia thought to herself
“Ms. Money Penny, may you please fetch me a quill and parchment please.”
“Right away Princess.” responds Money Penny, Celestia’s court attendant. Returning quickly with her requested items, Money Penny sets them on a small writing table next to the princess.
“Is there anything else I can do for you Princess?” asks Money Penny
“Just please ask the guards to send the Cervid envoy in please, thank you Ms. Money Penny.”
“Of course Princess, at once.”
As Money Penny exits the throne room, Celestia magically grasps the quill and begins to write a response to her student.
“Necromancy, what tales has Twilight been reading now.” Celestia muses with a chuckle. “I thought she would have learned by now after her time spent in Ponyville.” With that, Celestia rolls up her letter and sends it off with a burst of magic.
Not a moment later, the Cervid envoy walks through the large golden doors of the throne room. Dwarfing her two unicorn guards stood an enormous elk as tall as she, clad in a long red robe fringed with gold accents; beneath which was a suit of golden plate armor. She knew right away that this was no simple ambassador, whom were usually dressed in clothing similar to that of the Canterlot nobility. This elk was something more, one of the Cervid council’s magical inquisitors, and judging by the accents on his robe and his armor, he was no mere spell sword.
Stepping forward, one of the courts unicorn guards shouts, “Presenting Grand Inquisitor Tulimus of Cervidas, right hand of the Ires of Eternity’s Council.”
“Greetings Princess Celestia.” says Tulimus as he bows at the foot of the throne.
“Greetings Inquisitor, as always it is a pleasure to welcome our neighbors and allies to Equestria.”
“Indeed Princess, though I do wish it were on less tumultuous circumstances. I bring a pressing message from my lord Aschere of Eternity’s Council.”
“What circumstances do you speak of Inquisitor?” asks Celestia.
“Perhaps it would be best if I let my lord explain to you.”
From the prongs of the great elks horns beams of magic coalesce into a glowing blue sphere. The sphere then moves to eye level with the princess as a form appears within its depths. The figure of an elder elk appears; his horns aglow with pulsing veins of blue and his body adorned in a matching blue robe.
“Hello Celestia, it has been a while.”
“Aschere, my old friend, that it has. How long has it been, eight hundred years?”
“Eight hundred and two by my count.” States Aschere as he and the Princess share a laugh.
Aschere begins speaking again, “I do wish we could see each other under better circumstances, but I fear something of grave importance is transpiring in your lands. The World Tree has spoken; it has shown us visions, visions of Equestria.”
“What were these visions? I have felt nothing of ill intent as of yet my old friend.”
“I expected as much, for this is why I was unable to visit you in person. There is a force blocking myself and the rest of Eternity’s Council from entering your lands by magical means. We also fear that if we were to enter your lands by other means, this energy could cut off our connection to the World Tree. This must also be effecting your as well as your sisters’ magical connections too.”
Taking a breath, Aschere continues, “As for these visions, they are vague at best. The World Tree has shown us dark things. A shadow sweeping over your city of Manehatten, your pegasus city of the clouds falling from the sky, and a stranger, cloaked in shadow, sitting upon your throne. We know not when this is foretold to come to pass or whether or not this is inevitability or simply one of many eventualities. The World Tree knows not of time as we do or of one universe as we are, but be warned. The last time we were shown visions of shadow was…”
“Sombra.” interrupts Celestia. “But he was banished forever, his essence scattered by the Elements of Harmony for all eternity.”
“These visions were similar, not one in the same. Yet he was believed to be defeated once before as I recall.”
“What else can you tell me Aschere? Is there any way to know when this point will come about?”
“I am afraid not. The World Tree grants us visions only when it deems necessary and even those are cryptic, even to our minds. We are sure of two things though. This entity, this shadow; it is ancient perhaps older than we are. Also, The World Tree conveyed a sense of knowing about this shadow. Never before has it shown a pony to us, not as clearly as it did this pony on your throne.”
“Well I thank you all the same my old friend, if you receive any more information please be in touch.” said Celestia with a look of concern upon her face.
“The council wishes we could do more for you, but we have pressing matters in our land as well. Cerberus has left his post at our kingdoms entrance to Tartarus, creatures have been escaping and it is taking all of our magic to keep the creatures of the deeper reaches sealed away. Our Inquisitors are having problems as well containing the outpouring of the smaller denizens as well.”
“I hope for the safety of you and your people Aschere.” says Celestia. “And thank you again.”
"Farewell Celestia, and be safe.” With that, the orb turns in upon itself and disappears in a burst of magical sparks.
“With your permission Princess, I request to take my leave. I must return to aid my people.” says Tulimus.
“Of course Inquisitor, peace to your people and may you and your soldiers triumph over the evil that plagues your land.”
The Inquisitor then bows and exits the court room followed by his escort of unicorn royal guards.
Left alone with her thoughts, Celestia begins to ponder. “What could all of this mean? I haven’t felt a lapse in my magic nor has Luna told me of any with her.”
“Ms. Money Penny, come in here please.” calls out Celestia.
“Yes Princess?”
“Cancel the rest of my appointments for the day; I need to attend to something.”
“Of course Princess, though your nephew will surely be sore about it.”
“Tell Blueblood I am busy and will deal with his concerns at a later date.”
“Right away Princess.” says Money Penny as she exits the large double doors.
“I need to find out what Aschere’s visions mean, whatever they are I will not let them come to pass and endanger my ponies or my lands.” thought Celestia as she exits through a set of doors at the rear of the throne room. “The Canterlot Archives are the best bet for deciphering what those mean.”
Celestia continues to walk down the hall and begins a descent down a spiral staircase toward the Archives. She then stops as a thought pops into her head. “Could this have something to do with the letter Twilight sent me?”
She had lost track of time. Minutes, hours; time had no meaning in the dark recesses of the Canterlot Archives. All around Celestia were tomes upon tomes of ancient knowledge, each one read and discarded by the princess.
“Nothing….nothing…ugh!” shouts the princess in frustration. “The worlds knowledge at my hooves and nothing!” she yells as she telekinetically hurls a particularly large tome of “Starswirl the Bearded’s Annotations on The Path of Transcendence” across the room hitting against a bookcase.
With a sigh Celestia stands up and stretches, her joints popping from hours of little to no movement. “There has to be something I have missed, something I overlooked. Maybe a little fresh air will help me collect my thoughts.” With a flash of light Celestia teleports herself to the heart of the Canterlot gardens.
The first thing she noticed was that the sun was up, it was around ten o’clock. “I must have been down there longer than I thought if Luna had to raise the sun for me.” Almost as if summoned by her name, Princess Luna flew down to Celestias side.
“Sister where have you been?” asked Luna. “When you failed to raise the sun this morning I was worried.”
“Don’t fret my little sister, I have just been preoccupied with some events that have, or have yet to, transpire.”
“Whatever do you mean sister? What is troubling you?”
Celestia began to relay the events of the previous day; the meetings with the envoy and Aschere, and the visions that he relayed to her. She also recounted her attempts to decipher the meanings of the visions in the Canterlot Archives.
“That is…most troubling sister. You have not yet come to any conclusion on this?” asks Luna.
“As of yet no, but the letter from Twilight still has me worried. I am unable to contact her through magical means . I am worried Lulu.”
“Fear not sister, I am sure Twilight Sparkle and her friends can handle most anything that may occur. They have proved most capable in the past.
“I must get to the bottom of this Luna. I will not fail my subjects again. Not after the debacle with the changelings.”
“I will tend to your duties today sister, I can see that this is most troubling to you.
“Thank you Lulu.” Says Celestia nuzzling the neck of her younger sister.
“Please keep me informed on your progress Cele, I too worry for the safety of our subjects.” With that, Luna disappears in a flash of blue light. “Of course little sister….of course.
Princess Celestia continued on her lonely sojourn through the gardens of Canterlot, her mind running in circles unable to come to any semblance of an answer to her ponderings. After several hours, she found herself in the heart of the great Canterlot hedge maze.
“There must be something…anything….” Says Celestia thinking aloud to herself.
“My my my…what has the vaunted goddess so troubled…” a hypnotic voice resounds inside her head.
“I have no time for your games Discord.” Says Celestia as she glares daggers at the statue before her.
Standing as tall as she is a statue of what one could only call an abomination. A creature know as a draconequus or as ancient texts refer to him, a chimera. With head of a pony, a pair of mismatched horns; the left from a goat and the right from a deer. His four mismatched legs each coming from a different animal of the realm, his front legs from a lion and an eagle, his hind legs from a goat and lizard. His back was adorned with an equally mismatched pair of wings; one from a pegasus the other from a bat. Even encased in stone as he was, his presence was imposing even for the sun princess.
“Now now Celestia, I am merely trying to strike up a little conversation. Being frozen in stone tends to be a bit boring after all.” Replies Discord. “And from what I can tell, little Cele has a problem stewing about in that lock box of a mind of hers. Now what could it be….”
“I told you to leave me alone fiend. Your machinations are of no interest to me, not now nor ever.” Answers Celestia defiantly to the draconequus as she trots away.
“Hmm perhaps her little ponies are in trouble again, or…could it have to do with the disturbances in magic recently…” says Discord with a grin of satisfaction evident in his disembodied voice.
This froze Celestia in her tracks, causing her to turn around and gallop up to the statue with a hate-filled look upon her fate.
“Of what would you know of this Discord.”
“Oh Celestia, so ancient and yet so naïve. Do you really this that my current predicament cuts me off completely to your little….bleh* harmonious world. Even from here I can feel it, stifling even my magics. No more can I travel about, enticing your little ponies to commit acts of chaos, or even to watch events not of my doings cause your Elements of Harmony to spiral into discord; that little Sombra event was oh so much fun to watch, the look on your nieces face was hilarious.”
“Enough Discord, tell me what I want to know or else.”
“Or else what Celestia? You’ll banish me to the moon? Asks Discord as he breaks into laughter. “No Celestia, if I choose to help you or not is my choice. But lucky for you, I am in a bad mood today, this disruption is not only effecting me, but this amount of chaos should be my doing and nopony elses!” shouts Discord angrily.
At the foot of the statue, a bright green smoke begins to materialize. Through the swirling vortex a large leather bound tome appears. As Celestia lifts the tome with her magic, she makes a startling discovery. This book is bound and wrapped in no ordinary leather, it is pony skin. The face of some poor soul skinned from their body to adorn the cover, the stitching of the bindings made of bone and sinew binding together the etched bone tablets that made ip the pages.
“This is the Book of Necrotempus, the book of the dead times. Read it well and quickly Celestia. It holds the answers you seek.”
“Why quickly Discord?
“Well I want it back, duh.” And with a guttural laugh, Discord returned to the confines of his stone prison.
“The Dead Times, I recall hearing this several times in my youth.” Thinks Celestia to herself. “But should I trust Discord?” looking down again at the macabre book. “I guess I have nothing to lose.”
After several hours back in the Archives of translation the tome through a combination of spells and her own knowledge, Celestia had gone through much of the flesh-bound tome. From what she could tell, the book was written in the ancient nation of Heliopolis far to the north, closer to the roof of the world than any other known civilization. This tome more specifically is a story of the great necropolises of Steebs, a city that died out one thousand years before the leader Alexmaneder the Great conquerored much of the known world and spread pony kind and culture throughout the continents, three thousand years before her birth and two thousand years before Discord ruled Equestria.
The book read…
Within the halls of Varna, our great city of the dead, we live and we work since time immemorial. To know death is to know life, just as all life returns to the Ether. The weakness and death of others gives us strength, every foe that falls before us is another soul to the ether. Death is order, death is harmony, death is justice. So says Tvath, sixth daughter of the Creator and shepherd of the dead.
From that point, the book delved into summoning rituals, most of which incomprehensible to even Celestia with the aid of her magic aside from the pictures of ponies each article was attributed too. One though caught Celestias eye.
The Bio-magical Physiology and Summoning of Flesh Golems
A picture is engraved into the bone tablet, one of a bulbous mass of flesh and bone with the barely recognizable head of a pony. Misshaped tentacles and claws grafted upon either side of the monstrosity. In its mouth were rows of razor sharp teeth, like those of a carnivore but much sharper than those of even a manticore. Sprouting from the tentacles were long razor sharp spines dripping a purple bile like substance or so she surmised. Next to the creature stood a pale grey earth pony.
To the right of the picture was more intelligible text which Celestia deduces are some sort of instructions on how to summon or create this monstrosity, below that though was a line she could read,
“All golem research attributed to head Summoner brother Albus Noctis, see codicil 3707:8 for other work."
Almost dropping the book with a gasp, Celestia looked at the note that her student had given her.
“It can’t be.” Turning to the books addendum she looked at what she could only explain as a biography of the research accomplishments of various necromancers as well as pictures of them and their cutiemarks. Turning uneasily to the page listed, she drops the book and immediately teleports to the throne room where Princess Luna is finishing up Day Court.
“Luna we must get to Ponyville now!” Yells an exasperated Celestia.
“What is wrong sister?” asks Luna
“There is no time, I will explain on the carriage ride.”
And so the two sisters left immediately for Ponyville, with little to no idea what awaited them, or their little ponies. But now, they had a name...
“Lilith!” yells Nox. “Lilith could you come here please?”
“I’m coming master. What is it?”
“It’s that damnable chaos user again, always trying to get past my wards. Could you be a dear and deal with it for me?”
“As you wish master.” Says Lilith as she walks to the middle of the magic circle. As she draws a series of characters in a long forgotten language, the circle glows bright purple. As quickly as it beings, the circle’s bright light dies down until it fades back to inactivity. With her task complete, Lilith than lithely trots to Nox’s side with her usual feminine gait.
“Are you almost finished with your project Master? We have less than an hour before the events that you’re ever so fixated on participating in are to begin.”
“I would have been finished earlier if that thrice damned chaos spirit would cease his pitiful attempts. What was his name again?”
“It’s Discord I believe master, a chimera if I recall correctly.”
“I thought that those six ponies sealed him away again a year or so back.”
“They did master, seems that they were only as effective as the princesses were at dealing with him.”
“That is depressing to say the least. I had thought them to be a more able bunch.”
“Which is why I keep telling you master, why go back to them after everything? They are weak, naive, and untrustworthy. You know it, even better than I.”
“Enough Lilith, I will hear no more of this! We are going and you will enjoy yourself. That is an order.” Shouts Nox, and then with a heavy sigh. “Please….for me. Do this.”
Moving to Nox’s left side; Lilith nuzzles her master’s neck. “You know that I would do anything for you master, I’m just worried about you.”
“I know Lilith, but this is something that I need to do, something that we need to do.” Says Nox as he collects the fruits of his labors from the laboratory table.
“Master, I have followed you from beyond the veil of the Ether. Compared to that, a few ponies will be like a simple walk in the park.”
Nox then walks with Lilith to the center of the room’s magic circle and begins to gather a small amount of his energy, causing the circle to flare a bright green color.
“One last thing before we begin our adventure Lilith.”
“Yes master?”
“From now on, please call me Nox. I wish to no longer be your master.” Says Nox as he looks to his female counterpart and with a smile he says, “Just your friend.”
“Of course Mas…I mean, Nox.” Says Lilith responding with a smile of her own.
With everything ready, the two disappear in a flash of emerald light. Their destination: Ponyville.
“Lookie lookie look Twilight!” shouted Pinkie Pie pointing her hoof to the sky. “It’s the Princess and she brought some friends!”
All five of the mares looked awestruck as the royal guards began their descent with the Princess. The quickly set up a perimeter and began to assemble awaiting the Princess’ orders.
“Umm Twilight…What in the hay is going on?” Asks Applejack.
“I don’t know Applejack, but I guess we’ll soon find out.’ Says Twilight as Celestia and Luna stepped off of their sky chariots and began a swift gallop to the 5 mares.
“Princess Celestia, Princess Luna.” Says Twilight as she and her friends bow before the princesses.
“There will be time for that later Twilight.’ Says Celestia impatiently. “Right now, Ponyville is in grave danger. Where is the necromancer? Where is Albus Noctis!?”
Visibly shocked by her mentors aggressiveness, Twilight stutters “B-but Princess, Nox isn’t a danger. He saved me when I got lost in the Everfree Forest.”
“That’s right, he saved our friend after you just blew her off with that note!” shouts Rainbow dash as she flies between the Princess and Twilight,
“THAT IS ENOUGH!” bellowed Celestia in the Royal Canterlot Voice. “Twilight you will tell me where you saw this pony at once!”
All of the ponies stood there in stunned silence, even her accompaniment of guards, as all eyes turned to the focus of Celestia’s attention.
“Y-yes Princess.” Answered Twilight.
After telling Celestia the general location of Nox’s shack, she began to bark orders to her guards.
“Captain, assemble your forces to move with me into the forest. Leave a squad of your best mages to watch over the town in our absence. Luna…”
Anticipating her sister’s request, “Of course dear sister, I will stay and keep our little ponies safe.”
“Thank you Lulu. Captain let’s move out.”
“At once Princess. Guards let’s move!” called out the captain as they marched into the darkness that is the Everfree Forrest.
“So Twilight Sparkle,” began Princess Luna in an attempt to break the awkward silence. “let us return to Ponyville and perhaps, you can tell me about this AlbusNoctis as we walk.”
In a dark alley behind the bakery known as Sugarcube Corner a bright green light flashes and then quickly dissipates. From the darkness emerge the figures of AlbusNoctis and Lilith, the former laden with a saddlebag containing his items for his performance this night.
"Lilith, I’m going to head to the stage to prepare. Do your best to bond with the locals Ok?
“Sure Nox, but won’t I appear a bit conspicuous?
“I’d say you have the best costume in the entire village.” Says Nox with a smile evident through the darkness of his cloak.
Responding with a giggle, “Ok Nox, I’ll be sure to be there for your performance.” walking away with an evident swaggering of her hips, Lilith smiles back to Nox and disappears into the crowd of ponies.
Exiting to the opposite side of the alley, Nox too enters the crowd of ponies making his way to the center of town.
There were so many ponies out and about. He hadn’t seen this many ponies celebrating since the days of his youth. The little fillies and colts running about in costumes of all types, it was the same in his home city all those years ago, though it was long before any of this Nightmare Moon nonsense. His people always celebrated the festival of Samhain. On the night before the New Year; the culmination of the ending of the twelfth cycle of the moon, the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred. It was when the ghosts of the dead returned to earth. He recalled his fond memories, tales told by the fires, watching as his elder mages performed the Sortilege where they would commune with the Ether, but his fondest memories were when the spirits would join them in the revelry. The spirits of those who passed on into the Ether, his friends lost much too early, his family…
“My family…”
Lost in thought, Nox almost bumped into a group of three fillies whom were lost in thought and in actuality.
“Where are Zecora and Spike?” asks Sweetie Belle
“How should I know? I’m as lost as you are.” Responds Scootaloo
“Maybe we should stop ‘n ask somepony where they’re -Umph!” says Applebloom as she bumps into a hooded pony.
“A’hm so sorry mister, I didn’t see ya there.”
“Don’t worry little one no harm done, and not to pry, but are you three lost?” asks Nox.
“Umm...yeah. We’re supposed to be at the stage to perform, but we can’t find our friends Zecora or Spike anywhere.” Says Sweetie Belle nervously.
“Well, it just so happens that I am on my way there too, perhaps they’re there waiting for you.”
“I guess that would make sense. Would you walk with us Mr….?” asks Sweetie belle.
“Nox, and I would be happy to.”
“But, it’s not like we need your help or anything. It’s just that since I don’t recognize you and all probably means that you’re not from here and I figure that maybe we could get our cutiemarks by showing you around.” quickly retorts Scootaloo
“Cutiemark Crusaders Tour Guides!” Shouted the three fillies in unison.
With a chuckle Nox says, “Well thank you little ones; lead the way.”
When they finally reached the stage, a small purple dragon dressed as a knight ran up to the three fillies. “Girls where have you been? Zecora had to go on without you.”
“We’re sorry Spike. We started walking n the next thing we knew, you ‘n Zecora were gone.” Says a despondent Applebloom.
“Well I guess it can’t be helped, she’s almost done anyway…and who is this?” says Spike looking up nervously at the hooded stallion.
“A pleasure to meet you Spike, my name is Nox.”
At the mention of his name Spikes knees began to visibly shake and his voice became unsteady.
“Nnnnox…as in Albus Noctis?”
“Why yes, how do you know me dragon?
“I’m Twilight’s number one assistant, she told me what you did…and who you are. Thank you for saving her Mr. Nox.”
Smiling, Nox says, “It was no problem at all Spike. I just did what any other pony would.”
From behind Spike a sudden large burst of sparkling green smoke culminated what one would surmise was the end of Zecora’s performance.
“Well it was nice to meet you all, but it appears that it is my turn on stage.”
“Wow, you’re going to do an act Mr. Nox?” asks Sweetie Belle.
“Indeed little one, you all should come and watch, I am sure that it will be a show that you will never forget.”
“Let’s go and get a good seat, girls!” Yells Applebloom
“Good luck Mr. Nox!” yelled the three fillies and Spike.
Mayor Mare walks out onto the stage and to a podium slightly off to the right side.
“And now welcome to the stage, Mr. Albus Noctis!”
In the back of the crowd, Twilight and her friends, as well as Princess Luna and her squad of guards hear the mayor announce Nox. As if acting of one mind, they all rush to the stage just as the pony in question began to gather an eerie green magical energy around his body. From out of his bag, Nox lifts a glowing yellow potion and begins to empty its contents, creating a circle around his body.
“And now fillies and gentlecolts, gather around while I work my craft. I am Albus Noctis, diviner and summoner extraordinaire.” Started Nox. “Long before this evening was..” suddenly Nox was interrupted by a yell from the crowd as five unicorn guards jumped up on the stage.
“Halt necromancer! By the orders of the Princesses of Equestria we hereby place you under arrest. Do not resist or we will be required to use force.” Commands the unicorn squad leader.
“What is the meaning of this? I have done nothing wrong!” shouts Nox causing all the assembled ponies to hold their breath in fear.
Recovering quickly, the unicorn leader shouts to his squad, “Squad, restrain the necromancer!”
The five unicorns’ horns then began to glow with magic as shackles appeared around the hooves and neck of Nox as he is lifted into the air. Nox simply smiles from the darkness of his cloak.
“Now it’s my turn.” Nox’s eyes than began to glow green as the shackles restraining him opened with a loud crack. Instead of dissipating though the shackles flew through the air toward their respective unicorn guards, each swiftly wrapping around each of the guards horn and enveloping them in a glowing emerald sheath. One by one the guards began to emit a bloodcurdling scream as their own magic continuously cycles back into their horns off of the magical sheath.
Next was Princess Luna’s turn. Speaking in the Royal Canterlot Voice, “ALBUS NOCTIS CEASE THIS AT ONCE!”
Leaving even his ears ringing, Nox dispels the magical shackles of the now unconscious unicorns.
Turning to the crowd of fear-stricken ponies still in attendance he spoke, “Please be calm my little ponies, there is nothing to fear.”
Spinning back around to face Nox, “Twilight has told me of the events in the Everfree Forrest, and the strange magic you use. I thank you for saving her, and I wish to see this magic. But should you harm any of my ponies…”
“Worry not Princess, for I believe that you and your ponies will enjoy this.” Noticing the six mares, one of which he remembers, “Miss Twilight, good to see you again. I take it that these fillies are your friends?”
“Yes Nox, this is Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity. Girls, this is Nox.”
“A pleasure to officially meet friends of Twilight not to mention the Elements of Harmony, but I believe there are six of you are there not”
“Umm yeah, our friend Fluttershy is always too scared a’ Nightmare Night ta ever come out.” Answers Applejack.
“Ah I see, well with the Princess’ permission, I require your aid for a moment Miss Applejack.”
Motioning with her hoof, Luna directs Applejack to the stage.
Turning toward the crowd of still fearful ponies, Nox resumes his ritual. “Pardon for the interruption ponies, now where did I leave off…Oh yes. Long before this evening was known as Nightmare Night, It was celebrated and feared as the time when the world of the living and the world of the dead overlap. A night when those who have passed may return.." Then turning toward Applejack, "if you know how to call them.”
Listening to his words, Applejack became uneasy.
“I know much of this world, as well as of you and your friends Miss Applejack, and I know of your parents.”
The skies above the Everfree sat still and quiet, deep in the throes of night; many of the denizens asleep awaiting for the coming day. High above the canopy though, a platoon of royal guards headed by Princess Celestia tore through the dark clouds.
“Princess, we are approaching the area that Miss Sparkle described.” Shouted a gold adorned pegasi guard.
“Very good captain.” Responds Celestia as she comes to a stop. Hovering in place she turns back to the pegasus.
“Captain Air Raid, take your pegasi and assume an over watch over the area, I will lead the remaining guards on foot myself.”
“Are you sure that’s wise Princess? I am sure that captain Quake would be more than capable to…”
Turning to Air Raid and casting a glare that could turn anypony to stone, “You have your orders captain, now follow them.”
Visibly shaken Air Raid responds “Yyyyess mam.”
Turning back to the assembled guards, “You heard her troops. Pegasi, form up and assume over watch; the rest of you form up with the princess. Remember this is the Everfree, so stay alert!
The assembled guards reply in unison, “Yes Sir!”
As Celestia and her contingent of guards move through the forest, her mind wanders back to the one that she is hunting. Recalling stories told to her when she was just a filly, of the days when her father and mother reigned over the kingdom, of when the necromancers roamed free throughout not only Equestria but the entire world. Until this day she had chocked them up to simple bedtime stories or cautionary tales told to her by her father or at most, solitary unicorns that had made deals with demons in Tartarus like Sombra did. Now though, those stories that she had been told had made sense. From what Twilight Sparkle had told her he effortlessly diverted a magic blast, not just blocking it, but absorbing it. No small feat considering that her student was the most gifted unicorn that she had seen since Starswirl the Bearded. Not only that, but if what she said was true, this stallion had even reversed death itself, breathing life back into her student.
A thought flashed within the princess’ mind, “He saved Twilight, what if those stories I have heard are wrong?”
Just as fast though, the picture from discords tome moved to the forethought of her mind. That stallion standing with that abomination, a smile plastered on his face proud of his vile creation of misshapen flesh and bone. This dispelled any notion of second thoughts for this Albus Noctis.
Appearing in the darkness in front of the group, a small cabin began to take shape.
“This must be the place Princess; there is not another dwelling for miles with the exception of the zebra shaman.”
“Very good. Captain Quake, take the earth squad and surround the cabin. Unicorns with me.” Orders the Princess.
As the earth pony guards encircle the cabin, Celestia and her line of unicorn guards approached the door to the cabin, only to walk face first into a shimmering green dome protecting the cabin. Flaring up her magic, Celestia’s horn begins to grow her distinctive gold color. Unleashing her spell, the barrier shimmers, ripples, and remains in place.
“Lieutenant Cantrip front and center.” shouts the Princess. From her left a unicorn wearing silver armor with gold accents hurries to her side.
“Yes Princess!” responds the lieutenant.
“Analyze this magical barrier.”
Cantrip closes his eyes while his horn glows an orange hue as he touches it to the green dome. An orange wave emanates outward from the tip of his horn across the surface of the shield, presumably scanning the shield for the type of spell used in its creation and what can be used to dispel it. Opening his eyes, the lieutenant turns toward the princess.
“Princess, the type of magic used in this is unlike anything I have ever seen before. The encoding is multilayered and more sophisticated than anything I have even read about never the less even seen.”
Visibly irritated at the answer that the lieutenant provided, Celestia glares daggers at Cantrip, “How do we dispel it Lieutenant...”
“Umm…the pattern seems to rewrite itself as a spell is cast upon it making any counter spells useless. No matter what dispelling method we use, the spell will adapt itself before any antimagic spell takes effect.”
“Back up guards.” Says Celestia as she takes to the air and begins to charge her horn.
“But Princess...” calls Cantrip to no avail.
Seeing what their princess is about to do, all of the assembled guards scramble away from the cabin. With a blinding flash of gold, a powerful beam of pure energy shoots from Celestia’s horn and impacts the shield. The two magic’s battling for supremacy, the gold from Celestia and the emerald green of the necromancer. At the point where Celestias magical beam continues to assault the barrier, a gathering sphere of silver begins to grow and grow as the princess continues to pour more and more magic into her attack. In a flash of silver, the gathered magic’s exploded in a large expulsion of magical overload throwing the gathered guards several yards into the dark of the forest and forcing the princess to hastily erect her most powerful shield as she too was sent tumbling several feet into the sky.
Returning to the clearing, the guards stare slack jawed at the sight before them. As the dust settles they can clearly see the effect that their princess’ spell had. The entire area around the cabin was now a three foot deep circular crater, the dirt and rocks blasted to nothing by the power of their princess’ spell. What further awed them was that the cabin and shield were still standing unscathed by the attack.
With a look that could send any demon back to Tartarus with its tail between its legs Celestia lands and trots back up to the edge of the shield.
“Princess, there is one more thing.” Says Cantrip as he rejoins Celestia by the shield. “The magic seems to have been cast from outside the shield.”
“Meaning what lieutenant.” Says Celestia, the same glare descending on the guard.
“Well Princess, it means that whoever cast the spell was outside the barrier, and most likely still is.”
With a sense of haste, Celestia calls out, “Guards quickly, form up. We must return to Ponyville with haste. The necromancer must be there!”
With practiced form, the guards quickly gather and set out back to Ponyville.
“Hold on my little ponies, I am coming.”
“Ma…ma parents?” stammered Applejack
“Yes fair Applejack.” Responds Nox. Turning toward the crowd, “A show of hooves, which among you fair fillies and gentlecolts know what a necromancer is?”
The crowd began to murmur, each talking quietly to the pony next to them. As Nox watched and waited for a few seconds. Not one among them coming to a conclusion, some remembering old fairy tales and others having no idea whatsoever.
The little white filly Sweetiebelle that he had met earlier raises a hoof. “Yes Sweetiebelle?” says Nox as he points a hoof to the filly.
“A necromancer is a pony with powers relating to death. Most prominently are divining the future or knowing of hidden knowledge, and….*gulp*… control of spirits and the undead.”
“You were right Applebloom, she is a dictionary.” Says Scootaloo looking over to her red-maned friend.
“Umm….Applebloom?”
Applebloom remained silent as if she didn’t hear her friend talking to her. Only two words escaping her mouth as she stared up towards Nox.
"Ma parents..."
“Close Sweetiebelle, that is the most known definition, but I am a little different. I simply ask those who have passed if they would like to come back. If they refuse, which most do, than they may rest. Some though have a desire to come back for a short time, and tonight is the only night that they can return without certain restrictions or requirements; at least for a short while.”
Snapping out of her stupor, Applejack says in a hushed voice, “You mean…I can see them?”
“More than that young mare, you can talk to them if you wish. It is up to you.”
“Please Mr. Nox,” says Applejack with a crackle in her voice trying to keep her tears from welling up. “Please, I miss them so much, we miss them so much.” Says Applejack turning to look at Applebloom whose tears silently fell from her watering eyes.
“As you wish, and you may join your sister on stage little Applebloom.” Says Nox as he silently levitates Applebloom onto the stage, the filly trying her best and failing to keep her tears stifled.
“Now girls please stand outside this circle, and fillies and gentlecolts of the audience; I require complete silence if you please."
Both the Apple sisters and the assembled crowd complied at once, their attention fully directed toward the hooded stallion.
Moving to the back of the circle, Nox begins to draw invisible characters in the air above the yellow liquid. Nox then begins to recite words in a strange language while gathering his distinct green magic around his body,
“In Jux Mani Xen… In Agle Corp Ylem… Rel Xen Um… Uus Corp… Uus Corp… In Jux Mani Xen.”
After saying the last phrase, Nox concentrates his gathered magic into his right hood forming a small glowing green blade. Moving the magical knife to his left foreleg he made a small cut, causing a small amount of what the ponies assumed was blood to drip onto the circle.
At first nothing seemed to happen as Nox continued to that there with his eyes closed, unmoving. Soon though, small wisps of glowing white light began to come from all directions moving into the circle. As more and more came, they moved together. At first, just a mass of many small lights, they soon split into two formless shaped, and then into two distinct shaped of ponies; one a stallion with a Stetson hat, the other a mare with her mane tied up in bun.
Applejack and Applebloom stood mouths tight, eyes wide with tears brimming on their edges.
Holding her little sister close, Applejack spoke softly…”Ma…Pa..?
Opening their eyes, the spectral stallion and mare looked and smiled; their eyes too filled with what appeared to be tears the color of moonlight. The mare was the first to speak in an echoing but calmingly soft voice.
“My daughters…”
From high above, a beam of magical light shot down towards Nox, missing him barely but still knocking him back several feet. Close behind shouted a voice that bellowed like a thunderstorm.
“Away from my ponies you monstrosity!” shouted Celestia as she tore through the sky flanked by her contingent of guards toward the downed necromancer.
The magical circle began to dim and the two forms within started to rapidly fade away. Applejack began to shout at the two fading specters, “No MA! PA! Come back, Come back!”
With a sniffle and a voice of pain, the fading stallion softly spoke out, “We’re sorry Applejack….Applebloom….we love you.” With that, the two forms faded into nothingness just as Celestia landed in the same spot that they had just occupied.
Striding towards the downed necromancer, Celestia began to speak with venom evident in her voice.
“Foul denizen of Tartarus, you shall not desecrate the dead of my little ponies, you will pay for this.” Celestia then begins to charge her horn and finish off the stunned necromancer.
From out of the crowed, a grey pegasus in a zombie costume flew with haste toward the stage and into Celestia's side knocking her several feel away onto the floor of the stage. With an exasperated voice she yells to Nox, “Quickly master, we need to get out of here.”
Regaining his senses, Nox stands up as the guards rush the stage. In a flash of unfocused magical energy, Nox and the pegasus disappear.
When the spell subsides, Nox finds himself not where he intended to be. Shaking his head he surveys the surroundings. His spell should have transported himself and Lilith back home; instead he has found himself on the outskirts of Ponyville near the same cabin that he and Twilight had passed earlier on her exit from the Everfree forest.
Still in a daze, Nox had to collect himself. Between the cabin and the tree line there laid a small lake. Sensing no pursuit from the princess; who to his knowledge was still a few miles toward the other end of town, Nox removed his cloak and dunked his head into the water attempting to clear his head but to no avail. Using so much magic after a complicated summoning ritual had drained him.
His last thoughts before passing out were of his ever faithful companion Lilith.
The crowd of ponies stood awestruck at their princess. Never before had they seen such fury or such hatred in her eyes. Luna though was the most shocked; in all the centuries that she had known her, Luna had never seen such anger in her sister. She battled Discord with her, defeated Sombra, and even fought against her as Nightmare moon and she had not seen such hate in her as she does right now.
“Unicorns, scan for his magic. I want him found!” shouts Celestia as the guards scamper about attempting to trace is magical aura; Celestia herself attempting the same as she trots around the stage with her horn aglow with magical light.
Luna takes to the air and lands next to her sister. “Sister calm yourself, please.”
“No Luna, we cannot allow that foul creature to escape!”
“But sister, he was doing nothing wrong, he is no threat to us.’
“No threat to us Luna? Did you not see the foul specters that he summoned? Had I not arrived they would have harmed our ponies!”
“Sister…” says Luna in a depressed tone as she motions toward a pair of crying Apple sisters.
Celestia calmly trots up to the pair, the youngest crying in the hooves of her elder sister.
“Are you well Applejack? Did the necromancer harm you?
With tear filled eyes Applejack looks up to Celestia. “Why Princess? Why did you do it? My Ma…my Pa…” sobs Applejack as she begins to cry again with her little sister in her forelegs.
“What do you mean Applejack?” asks Celestia.
The two Apple sisters either not hearing her, or unwilling to hear her as they continued to sob do not answer the princess back. Luna trots next to her sister and leads her away,
“This necromancer, Albus Noctis, attempted to bring our ponies’ parents back, at least for a time, to see their daughters. Do you not recall ten years ago when they were lost?”
Celestia does recall the events in her mind. The first unnatural deaths in the small village’s history. The names of her subjects she could not recall, but the news was unforgettable. They had saved a small filly from a bridge collapse over Ghastly Gorge. The mare holding the bridge long enough for her husband to get across and save the little filly, but met their end when the bridge finally gave out.
“But he is a necromancer Luna. Do you not remember the stories father told us when we were young? The foul things that those ponies had done and what he had to do to keep harmony in our land?” Luna too remembered the stories that their father had told them every night as he tucked them into bed all those centuries ago….
“Bedtime little ones.” Calls a golden alicorn stallion down the halls of his castle. Walking into a large playroom he saw his pride and joy, his two adorable little fillies playing knight and dragon together. His oldest Celestia always seemed to play the knight, or more than likely, always made his youngest Luna play the dragon.
“But father, just five more minutes? We were just getting to the good part.” Pleads a pink maned filly wielding a wooden sword and matching shield.”
“Besides father, we aren’t even…*yawn*… tired. “says a younger filly with a midnight blue mane dressed head to hoof in a dragon costume.
“No buts, off to bed with you two and I will be in shortly to tuck you both in.” says the stallion as he leaves the room.
Rounding a corner, he walks into a large empty kitchen. The staff had gone home for the night leaving the entirety of the castle empty with the exception of a few honor guards. Walking over to a water pump, he grasps two empty glasses with his magic and fills them for his two girls. Returning down the previous passage but stopping a room earlier than the fillies’ playroom, he enters to see his girls cozied up in their matching twin beds. Walking between the two he places the two glasses on the shared nightstand.
Leaning over to his children he kisses them both goodnight on their cheeks.
“Goodnight Celestia, Sweet dreams Luna.” As he moves to douse the candle, Celestia coos out.
“Father, can you tell us a story…please?”
Looking up at him were two adorable purple eyes of his eldest daughter.
From behind him, the soft voice of his youngest chimed in, “Please father?”
Luna too had her teal eyes full and longing for a story from him. How could he say no to his girls?
“*sigh*...Ok just one story and its straight to bed.” This causing his two daughters to squee with excitement.
Sitting down on Celestias bed soon joined by Luna, he began to tell his story.
“Have I ever told you the story of the Necromancers of Heliopolis?”
Both Celestia and Luna shook their heads no.
“Well a long time ago when I was a young stallion, I traveled to a place far away called Heliopolis far to the North. This kingdom was in trouble from evil mages called necromancers...
“What is a necromancer father?” asks Celestia
“A necromancer is a foul mage who uses his magic to enslave ponies and make bargains with demons. Their magic is black as night and most evil.” Celestia and Luna both audibly eeped at this and snuggled closer to their father.
“When I arrived, all of the ponies and other creatures were scared of these necromancers. Their black magic making them scared to leave their towns and villages during the day or night. The people begged me to help them, to save them from the evil of the necromancers and that was what I was going to do. I gathered my best knights and under the cover of your mothers’ night, we discovered their lair. With a shout we stormed the entrance; many fell before us as did their foul creatures. The battle was fierce and lasted till the early morning and eventually it was just I and one remaining necromancer. I remember staring into his eyes, the glowing emerald eyes of that foul mage. We fought for what seemed like hours, neither of us gaining any advantage. I fired a spell and he responded in kind until eventually I was almost out of magic.”
His two fillies moving closer to their father as his tone became more and more enthralling and the story reached its crescendo.
“The foul mage began to charge his magic and all seemed lost. I gathered all of my remaining magic in one last attempt. Launching my spell I created a portal, but not just any portal; but a portal to the Aether. You two remember what the Aether is right?”
Luna responds, “That’s where all the dark magic is from right?”
“That’s right Luna. So with my magic, I cast the foul necromancer in, where he will never be able to harm anypony; especially my two little fillies,” he says while nuzzling Luna and Celestia, “ever again.”
“That was a great story father.” Said Celestia as she laid down sleepily into her pillow.
Carrying Luna’s now sleeping for to her bed, the stallion doused the candle.
“Goodnight my angels.”
Those nights were the few memories that the princess’ still had of her father before he joined their mother in the heavens. Their mother, the ever watchful moon at night, their father the life giving sun, they have never truly left; or at least their spirits haven’t.
“I do remember sister, but this one seemed different. I sensed no malice from him, and he tried to do something for two of our ponies who have suffered more than most.”
Celestia couldn’t second guess herself; a ruler must be firm and unyielding. A true ruler needed to be a beacon of order for her subjects. But what if she is wrong? Worse even, what if father was wrong?
“I can’t let our ponies come to harm. Father said…”
“Father is long gone Celestia, you have ruled this nation for a millennium without father, much of it without me. All I ask is that we show prudence. I have told you that he seems different than fathers’ stories. Does not everypony have a chance to redeem themselves?”
Mulling this over in her mind, Celestia sighs in defeat, “I shall trust your judgment sister, I pray that it does not come back to haunt me, or my ponies.”
Celestia than turns back to see the Apple sisters surrounded by their friends in a tight embrace; the two seemed to have calmed down as Celestia begins to trot over to them.
“Applejack, young Applebloom. I am sorry; I did not know what grief my actions would bring. I was worried for you…and all of my ponies. I humbly ask for your forgiveness.”
Looking at the downtrodden face of her princess, Applejack responded with a simple nod of acceptance.
“Guards, sister, I believe we should return to Canterlot. The time grows late and we must return to our duties.” As Celestia and Luna take flight along with their guards, they quickly pass over a small cabin near the edge of the Everfree forest.
Fluttershy dislikes Nightmare Night with every fiber of her being. The scary costumes, the pranks, and most of all the dark, but she had slept through it without incident. Up early as always to feed her animals, Fluttershy has a rare moment to relax before the rest of the animals wake. Sitting in the candle lit living room of her modest house reading a romance novel that Rarity had insisted on her reading, she was in her own world. That was until she felt a thumping on her back leg.
“One moment Angel bunny just let me finish this chapter and then I’ll feed you ok?” says Fluttershy barely taking her eyes off of the page.
Angel was not a rabbit to be ignored in the least. With an indignant huff, he jumps up on the couch that Fluttershy was lounging on. With a single quick kick of his hind legs, Angel sends the book to the floor.
“Oh…ok Angel ill feed you.” says Fluttershy as she slowly trots toward the kitchen.
Shaking his head, Angel tries to convey a message to Fluttershy in a charades like manner. Pointing his paw toward the window overlooking the lake near her cabin and then dizzily spinning around to fall flat on his back, Fluttershy still did not get the message. In a huff, Angel tried his best to push Fluttershy toward the window, no easy task considering his size, but he finally manages to get her to look out the window.
Peering out the window, Fluttershy sees the form of a pony that seems to have passed of next to her lake.
“Oh no Angel somepony is hurt outside. Why didn’t you tell me!” says Fluttershy as she rushes out of the door.
Face-pawing, Angel brings his paw to his mouth and lets out a loud whistle. From out of a back room comes Harry the bear. Angel then points a finger toward the door where Fluttershy ran out of. With a salute to the bunny, Harry goes out to help Fluttershy.
Fluttershy quickly closes the distance to the downed stallion and checks up on him. Putting a hoof to the side of his neck, she checks for a pulse while looking him over for any broken bones or cuts. “Pulse is strong,” Fluttershy says to herself, “no broken bones or injuries.”
Hearing Harry come up behind her didn’t startle the buttercream colored mare on bit, not when there was sompony who was injured.
“Harry, can you help me bring him inside, if you don’t mind that is….”
With a salute to his loving caregiver, Harry gently picks up the strange stallion and brings him inside to rest on the living room couch. Flying quickly to the kitchen, Fluttershy grabs a cool washcloth and places it on the stallion’s forehead while checking for any kind of concussion. Finding no signs of trauma of any kind, she sighs a breath of relief as the room settled to a deathly quiet, aside from the slight snored of her patient. Satisfied that he was alright to the best of her knowledge she allowed herself a calming breath.
Looking at the sleeping form on her couch, she finally could get a good look at her patient aside from examining him for injuries. He was a handsome stallion, about as tall as Applejacks big brother though skinnier. His coat was a pale light grey while his mane was charcoal black with streaks of grey throughout. Fluttershy found this strange; one would only see this type of greying of a main in older ponies. This stallion in particular didn’t appear to me more than a couple of years older than her. His coat too was not grey, or to say was not originally. A layer of dark black could easily be seen in his undercoat. It was almost as though this stallions color had prematurely aged. Of all her knowledge on beauty and her countless trips with Rarity to the spa, she had never heard of anything like this.
Suddenly, Angel bounded up the couch landing squarely on the chest of the stranger and waking him from his slumber. Slowly opening his eyes, the stallion awoke with an agitated bunny rabbit staring him down with his arms crossed in impatience.
“Well hello there little one.” Says Nox with a smile “I don’t suppose that you could tell me where I am?” turning his head he saw that he was in a cozy cabin. He surmised that it was the one near the lake. Turning back to the bunny, he sees the rabbit point his hoof toward a mound of pink hair and shaking butter yellow hooves poorly concealed behind a hoofchair.
Sitting up off of the couch, Nox softly calls out. “Excuse me miss, I mean you no harm. Could you please come out?”
Looking back at the bunny, the creature lets out an exasperated sigh as he bounds over to the hiding mare and pushes her into view of Nox.
“Hello Miss Fluttershy. I am Albus Nox. I just wished to thank you for aiding me.”
Stammering heavily Fluttershy manages to respond. “It was no problem…”
“Fear not, I am a pretty nice pony once you get to know me.” Says Nox with a toothy smile
Fluttershy was scared. His teeth... they were sharp…almost like a Timber wolf, but just then, a moment of recollection popped into her head.
“Albus Noctis? You were the one who saved Twilight weren’t you?”
“You are correct Miss Fluttershy, and I must say, it is a pleasure to finally meet you.”
Calming herself, she sat down in her hoofchair. “This stallion can’t be that bad” she thought. “After all he did save Twilights life from that cockatrice. “
“Miss Fluttershy, would you by chance know what the hour is?”
“Umm…it’s about ten minutes to sunrise.”
Hearing this, the stallions face visibly paling. Standing to his hooves in a heartbeat, the stallion frantically began to look around for something.
“My cloak, where is my cloak!” shouts Nox frantically.
“It may still be by the lake where I found you.” Says Fluttershy as she worryingly sinks into her chair.
Moving with the haste of a pony possessed, he quickly runs to the edge of the lake and puts on his cloak just as the sun peaks itself over the horizon. Without stopping, Nox makes a beeline for the edge of the forest. Over the sound of the birds chirping and waking for the day, she hears him call back to her.
“Thank you again Miss Fluttershy!”
With a slight blush, Fluttershy turns back to her cabin and closes the door behind her.
Suddenly, a realization hit her like a ton of bricks.
“How can he be the same as the one Twilight told us about? That was an earth pony.”
The next day in Ponyville was a somber one, last night’s events still fresh in the minds of its residents. One pony in particular was cut more deeply by what had transpired than anypony else. Applejack, usually up well before Celestia’s sun could shine upon her family’s orchard, was still shut away in her room. The farmer’s slumber that night was anything but restful, her pillow still stained with the tears over what occurred. Thoughts of her parents had dominated what little sleep she had gotten. Lying in her bed with her back to her bedroom door Applejack stared out her window, the rolling hills of Sweet Apple Acres only exacerbating her already broken heart.
“If only you both could see it now” says Applejack speaking aloud to herself. “Ah hope you’d be proud of us.”
A knocking on her door brought her mind back to the here and now, if ever so slightly.
“Applejack, can Ah come in?” asks Big Macintosh, having nothing but silence to meet his ears.
With a sigh Big Mac opens the door to his sister’s room. Looking to his left he sees his younger sister with her back to him, the sound of sniffles coming from his sister trying to stifle the tears that she had been crying. Walking to his sister, Big Mac sat down next to her at the edge of her bed.
“Sis, Ah know what happened” says Big Mac. “If it really was them than...”
Rolling onto her other side to face her brother, “It WAS them Big Mac! That pony brought em back!” shouts Applejack interrupting her brother.
Big Macintosh could now see his sisters face as she stared indignantly at him. The bags under her eyes were only accentuated by the tears that now flowed freely.
“Ah wasn’t there sis, but would you want em seein you like this? Look out that window and tell me what ya see.”
Turning back to the window, “Ah see the orchard.”
“That’s right, not just our hooves helped make this what it is. Ma, Pa, and everypony before them made this here farm what it is today. That’s them out there AJ; in the trees, in the apples that we harvest every applebuck season. They’ve never left us as long as we’re here workin this here land.”
“Ah suppose you’re right big brother” says Applejack, her mood perking up slightly.
“They’re always here sis; we don’t need some fancy magics to try and bring em back here again to know that.”
Applejacks eyes opened wide with a realization. “That’s it! If Ah can find that Mr. Nox, he did it once than Ah bet he can do it again!”
Jumping out of bed and bounding towards the door, Applejack calls back to her big brother, “Thanks Big Mac, you’re a genius!”
Dumbfounded by his sisters quick reaction he calls out, “That’s not what Ah meant!”
Face hoofing, Big Mac leaves his sisters room and returned to his work around the farm.
Though she went about finishing her normal routine, Fluttershy’s thoughts were still on her visitor that morning.
“Twilight said that he used magic to save her, but that pony wasn’t a unicorn” thought Fluttershy to herself.
Looking up from her task of spreading seed for Elizabeak and her other chickens, Fluttershy saw an orange blur running down the path toward town.
“That looked like Applejack. I wonder where she’s off to in such a hurry.”
Returning to her task and her thoughts, “He seemed the same as Twilight said; tall with a grey coat and dark grey mane, green eyes.”
Those eyes, Fluttershy could not force the thought from her mind. His emerald green eyes seemed to pierce her being, but something seemed off about them. Deep in his eyes, he seemed to be in pain, hurting. She needed to see Twilight, to ask her about the stranger who called himself Nox. Returning the burlap sack of corn seed to her shed, Fluttershy walked back into her house.
Calling out softly to her pet, “Angel, I need to go into town for a little bit. If you don’t mind, could you watch the house while I’m gone?”
With crossed arms and a huff of annoyance, the rabbit reluctantly nodded in agreement.
“Thank you so much Angel” says Fluttershy as she scoops up Angel in a soft hug, which the rabbit accepted begrudgingly. Placing the rabbit back down, “I’ll be home in a little while Angel” says Fluttershy as she exits her home.
Closing the door behind her, Fluttershy begins the short walk to Ponyville.
Walking through town Fluttershy could see that most of the decorations and stalls from Nightmare Night were taken down; much to her delight, she relished seeing such creepy things if she could avoid it. On the path ahead of her laid her destination, Golden Oaks Library. Walking up to the door and preparing to knock Fluttershy can hear voices inside yelling; one sounding like Applejack, the other Twilight.
“What could they be arguing about?” she thought to herself.
Forgoing knocking, Fluttershy opened the door and walked in to see a heated argument between her two friends. Seeing Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash sitting together in the corner watching the events unfold, she quietly makes her way to sit between Rarity and Rainbow as they watch the argument unfold.
“If he did it once than he can do it again Twilight!” yells Applejack
“Even if it was them Applejack, who knows if it is safe? I’ve never seen magic like that before and have read little to nothing about it. The ramifications of performing something like that are beyond anything I could even think of!” shouts back Twilight with equal volume.
“What are they fighting about?” whispers Fluttershy as quietly as she can to Rarity.
“It’s about that strange pony Nox, he did something last night” whispers back Rarity.
Rainbow hearing her friends’ hushed conversation, “He brought Applejacks parents back from the dead.” Rainbow Dash filled Fluttershy in on the events of the previous night.
Fluttershy was awestruck. She remembered that day when she was a foal. At that time she was new to Ponyville, but attended the funerals with the rest of the small town that day.
“It was them Twilight! Don’t you think that I would know my own parents?”
“My point still stands Applejack, that kind of magic could be dangerous. The amount of magic that a unicorn would need to do something like that is hard to even fathom.”
Through the heated exchange, a small whisper of a voice speaks up.
“Umm…Twilight…” says Fluttershy, her voice unheard by either of her arguing friends.
“Excuse me…umm…would you please…” continued Fluttershy still unheeded.
Taking action, Pinkie Pie reached into the recesses of her pink mane and retrieved a rather large party popper. With a pull of its string accompanied by a large bang, Pinkie Pie spoke up.
“Fluttershy has something to say!”
Shaking timidly from the sudden explosion as well as the abrupt attention given to her by her five friends, Fluttershy manages to speak.
“Oh, umm… thanks Pinkie.”
With a rather large smile and a squee of satisfaction, Pinkie sat back to listen to her buttercream colored friend.
“Twilight, you said that Nox is a unicorn…but umm… I saw him earlier and he isn’t, he’s an Earth pony.”
“Wait, you saw him today Fluttershy? When?” asks Twilight.
Fluttershy recounts the events of earlier that morning to her friends whom all listened with rapt attention, especially Twilight and Applejack.
“And then he asked me what time it was. When I told him it was almost dawn he seemed worried. Then he ran back to the Everfree forest.” Says Fluttershy as she finishes her story.
“Well that explains where he teleported to, that poor stallion” says Rarity with concern in her voice.
“But who was the pegasus who saved him from princess Celestia?” asks Twilight
“The only way that we’re gonna know anything is if we find him! I need to do this Twilight…” says Applejack.
With a defeated sigh, “We’ll find him and ask him about it Applejack but please; we need to find out more about this pony and his magic BEFORE we do anything else, ok?” says Twilight. “And with what Fluttershy said, I have a few more things to ask him. There’s something strange going on.”
“YAY IT’S ADVENTURE TIME!” shouts Pinkie Pie hopping around with excitement.
“Let’s do it ponies!” says Rainbow flying a circle around her friends heads.
After an hour or so of walking, Nox finally reaches his cabin in the Everfree just as the sun is rising fully into the thick forest canopy. Under a tree awaiting his arrival was Lilith and from her scowl, none too pleased to see him.
“It took you long enough!” yells Lilith.
“I was delayed Lilith. Please don’t yell I am not fully recovered from last night’s events.”
“Don’t yell?! I told you what would happen Nox! I told you what those ponies would do, but did you listen to me? Nooo…the wise seer didn’t see what was right in front of his face!”
“ENOUGH!” boomed Nox, his voice shaking the very forest around them. “If you were not so blind my dear, you would have seen that almost all of the ponies acted well enough!” Then continuing in a much softer tone, “It was just that foal Celestia, still too many tales about necromancers milling their ways around that thick skull of hers i suspect.”
Walking to see the devastation around his cabin, “As you can plainly see…” sighing, Nox flared his magic causing the displaced earth around his cabin to bend and mold to refill the crater. Approaching the door with Lilith at his side, Nox touches the glowing barrier, dispersing it, and walking inside. Hanging up his black cloak, Nox takes a seat by the room’s unlit hearth.
“This was not unforeseen, but occurred at a most inopportune time.”
“I need to know, why all of this effort for that one particular filly Nox?”
“The two; Burgundy and Honeycrisp, when they passed…it wasn’t their time.” Nox said casting his eyes downward in shame.
“There was a time when we could rectify this, but it has been too long. Their spirits have yet to find rest…” looking up through the dark and meeting Lilith’s eyes, “I must do this Lilith. We have been gone far too long from this world.”
Moving over to the unlit hearth, Lilith began to attempt to coax a flame. Her magic, while paltry compared to an average unicorn, is more than any other pegasus can boast. With a quiet breath, Lilith exhales a small spark igniting the coals that previously lay dormant in the base of the fireplace. Now looking up from the hearth at her master turned friend through the newly rekindled flame she saw something that she had never seen in all of her years with him, sadness. The eyes that have always shown so much strength now began to water with sorrow and regret.
Not far from the necromancer’s cabin, six ponies were trudging carefully down a path through the Everfree forest. Leading them is Twilight, Applejack behind her; behind them walks Fluttershy, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and bouncing along at the end of the pack is Pinkie Pie.
“Are….are we almost there Twilight? It’s getting….*eep*….really dark” stammers Fluttershy
“Yeah Twilight, this is taking foreverrr” says Rainbow, dragging her hooves down her face to accentuate her impatience.
“Calm down girls, we’re almost there” says Twilight.
“We have been walking for quite a while Twilight, all of this…bleh…nature will take several spa treatments to get off of my coat, not to mention my poor hooves”
“Quit yer belly-aching Rarity, Twilight said we’ll be there soon so worry about yer bein prissy some other time.” Says Applejack back to her friend.
At the rear of the pack, Pinkie Pie was uncharacteristically quiet as she bounced with her usual boundless energy. Tied to her tail were a bunch of balloons of assorted colors; on her face rested a pair of Groucho Marx glasses, accentuated by a fake “arrow-through-head” prop.
“Uhh Pinkie, why did you need all of that stuff?” asks rainbow Dash.
“Well Dashy my Pinkie senses were tingling; I had a twitchy tail, floppy ear, and itchy hoof super-duper combo and you know what that means!” “Oh yeah, of course…he he, but I don’t think Fluttershy does…” answers Rainbow Dash awkwardly as she rubs the back of her head.
Bouncing up to Fluttershy, “Well Ms. Forgetty-forgetty pants that means that there’s a really sad pony somewhere and that he needs a really good super-duper ultra-fantastic cheering up!”
“Where, out here of all places, would a pony need cheering up Pinkie?” asks Rarity.
“I don’t know yet silly, my Pinkie sense hasn’t... Wohhhhh!!!” says Pinkie as she begins to vibrate up and down as if she was in the middle of an earthquake. “Pinkie sense says that way!” says Pinkie as she gallops off into a thicket of bushes along the side of the dirt path.
“Pinkie wait!” yells out Twilight as her friend disappears into the forest. Turning back to the rest of her friends, “We better follow her.” The girls than carefully follow the path that Pinkie had taken.
After a few short seconds of walking, the girls come upon an open field with a small cabin situated in the center.
“Looks like we’ve the place girls.” Says Twilight.
“Excuse me for one moment Twilight but are you sure that this umm…quaint…house belongs to Nox? It doesn’t seem to fit a stallion of his stature.”
“I’m sure Rarity.”
“Well perhaps the inside has a tad more flair to it.”
“We’re wastin our time out here. Let’s find him.” Says Applejack impatiently to her friends.
The five friends move towards the front door of the cabin where their pink friend was sitting on her haunches, mouth opened wide in awe.
“Pinkie… are you ok?” asks Fluttershy.
Reaching a hoof out Pinkie presses it to the surface of a previously invisible dome of sparkling green magic.
“Sparkly….” Says Pinkie with awestruck wonderment in her eyes.
“What is it Twilight?” asks Applejack
“I don’t know. It looks like some kind of shield. The only pony that I’ve ever seen use a spell like this is my brother. I need to study it.” Says Twilight with a determined look upon her face.
Walking up to then shield Twilight lightly touches her horn to it. A wave of her purple magic courses over the shield, leaving her dumbfounded.
“This is one of the most advanced shielding spell I have ever seen! The ramifications of the propagation of this could change our understanding of magic entirely!”
As Twilight continues to ramble on, Rainbow hovers over to the rest of her friends. “Well, looks like we’ve lost her. Anypony have any ideas?”
All of her friends shrug their shoulders on by one until she reaches Pinkie Pie. “Oh Oh Rainbow pick me I have an idea!”
“*Sigh…what is it Pinkie?”
“We could just ring the doorbell silly filly.” Says Pinkie as she again places her hoof on the shield. This time though, a pegasus opens the door to the darkened cabin.
“Can I help you?” asks the pegasus.
“Hay you’re the pegasus that was with Nox aren’t you?”
“That I am, and judging by your choice of hairstyle you must be Rainbow Dash?”
“That’s me, fastest pony in Equestria! I guess you’ve heard of me?”
Responding with a deadpan look, “Not in the slightest, though my master speaks of you six. Is your purple friend ok?”
The five friends turn around to look at Twilight. “Uh yeah, she gets a might obsessive at times.”
Twilight hearing hear friends’ conversation turned to them with a squee of embarrassment and blood red cheeks.
“Hello my name is Twilight Sparkle, and these are my friends...”
“I know of you from my master; Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie.” Says the pegasus. “I am Lilith; assistant, confidant, and friend to Albus Noctis. If you would follow me please.” Lilith then turns around and walks inside the cabin.
Twilight, trying to get the pegasus’ attention, “But Lilith, the shield is…”
“Dispelled, Nox is expecting you.”
The six friends looked at each other and then carefully follow Lilith into the dark cabin.
“I assume Nox hasn’t told you who or what I am?” asks Lilith
“What you are? What do you mean?” asks Twilight.
With a sigh, Lilith turns back to the ponies following her. “I suppose the best way would be to show you.”
This causes Fluttershy to curl up against the perpetually happy Pinkie Pie in fear.
Lilith walks over to the fire pit and turns to the ponies so they could see here in the light.
“Yeah so? You’re still in your Nightmare Night costume.” Says Rainbow with a dismissive wave of her hoof.
Face hoofing, “I am a revenant you ignorant foal!” shouts Lilith to Rainbow whom responds with a look of ignorance on her face as she turns to Twilight for an answer to her unspoken question.
“In folklore a revenant is said to be a visible ghost or animated corpse that was believed to return from the grave to terrorize the living.” Says Twilight as she slowly backs away toward the door with the rest of her friends, excluding Pinkie who still stood there smiling through her Groucho glasses.
“Bah…all concoctions dreamt up by the ignorant. A true revenant is simply a pony who is raised with the same soul and body that they had during life.” Correcting her to attempt to ease their fear, unsuccessfully.
Rubbing the bridge of her nose with frustration, “Didn’t Nox have a chat with you about a similar topic Twilight Sparkle? Now follow me, Nox is waiting.”
Lilith walks toward an unnaturally dark corner of the rooms and opens what appears to be a portal of glowing black light. Walking through, followed by a bouncing Pinkie pie, the rest of the girls follow suit.
One by one as the girls entered, their mouths hung open with amazement at what this “room” held.
Twilight became awestruck with the sheer amount of knowledge upon the shelves and even the very walls; thousands upon thousands of tomes holding who knows how much knowledge. The Royal Library of Canterlot had many books holding the knowledge of Equestria and the history of all of Equis, but this; many of the books looked older than Canterlot itself judging by the languages writing on their spines. Ib’xian, Cameluian, and even Cervid books on a vast shelf on their left next to the portal; on the right, countless books in a multitude languages that she could not understand. Below her sat a medical and scientific laboratory straight out of her dreams; beakers, burners, test tubes, as well as piles and piles of papers sat neatly organized on each and every table.
Rarity looked as though she was having a meltdown. High upon the walls above the room’s bookcases were tapestries and paintings the likes of which she had never seen. The colors and symbols on the tapestries were as varied as the fabrics and materials used to make them. Some were made of a deep midnight purple velvet, others were a scarlet red satin with gold woven accents, others were of materials that even the fashion diva could not discern; the symbols upon each were for the most part unknown aside from a scant few representing many sentient creatures of the planet Equis. The paintings closest to her though held even more wonder. Each one was a fine work of art in themselves but all with one common similarity. They collectively seemed to be a mural of some event, whether real or fantasized, of some sort of event. On one piece, there were seven black cloaked ponies practicing magic of some sort or another. On the next appeared to be a vast number of white ponies dressed in some kind of ancient armor charging toward the seven magic ponies. On the third there was a pony similar to one of the ones from the first slide; though he was surrounded by the warrior ponies from the previous picture as well as a golden alicorn. The final panting showed that same hooded pony plummeting into a swirling purple vortex.
Rainbow was far from entranced by books or paintings, for there were over a dozen pony manikins standing about in pairs around the top floors that were equipped head to hoof in armor and weapons that she had never seen before. Herself being an avid practitioner of karate, she was always interested in many fighting styles from all around Equis, samurai regalia from the country of Neighpon, Landsknecht sword and uniform from Germaneigh, even tribal warriors from the plains of Zebrica and the Outback of Hosstralia. She was in awe; how could one pony have ever amassed such a collection? Many around here haven’t been used in centuries!
Fluttershy though was distracted by the flora held in planters around the library. Living so close to the Everfree forest as well as having to make many medicines for her animal friends. A few she recognized from the surrounding forest, but many were unknown to her. Flowers and plants of every imaginable shape and color surrounded the perimeter of the large room.
Even though they were controlled by Celestia and Luna, knowing the movements of the sun and moon were still part of every farmer’s life and Applejack is no different. Knowing where the sun would pass over and for how long is all important for where to plant certain crops and when to plant them. The placement of plants and trees so that each receives the proper amount is crucial. The moon was no different as the rays of each night’s moon help to ripen many crops grown at their farm; most prominently the tomato patch in the farm’s eastern fields. Looking up, she could see what appeared to be a glass dome with many etched circles and pathways which Applejack guessed tracks the two heavenly bodies. Something like this on her farm would be invaluable for her family, but as she examined it she noticed that it didn’t seem to line up with the current position of the sun. What would anypony have it if it didn’t even work right?
Pinkie Pie however had other ideas than her friends. Looking over the railing and down to the floor below, Pinkie Pie got a running start and jumped over the railing. Instead of plunging down to the hard marble floor though, she floated down and softly landed thanks to the party balloons still tied to her tail. Galloping as fast as her four hooves would allow, Pinkie lets out a yell pure joy.
“Noxy!!!” she shouts to the hooded pony that stood hard at work over an alembic crafting a potion.
Startled, Nox lost his magical grip on a test tube and dropped it to the floor, shattering it into a million pieces. The fluid inside too splattered in a small gelatinous pile where it fell and began to rapidly eat its way through the floor until it had fallen out of sight. Turning around to see the source of the shouting, Nox sees the outrageously dressed party pony waving as she galloped toward him.
“Wowie Noxy, that green stuff sure was hungry” says Pinkie with a laugh.
Unable to suppress the laughter at seeing the get up that the eccentric pony was wearing, he too gave a chuckle and says, “That it was Ms. Pinkie. I’m glad to see you, as well as your friends.”
Calling up to the first floor, “Lilith, please show our guests the less...direct…way down here please.”
Complying without an answer, Lilith gathered the five ponies still on the top floor and led them down a staircase where Nox and their pink friend were waiting.
“Ladies, welcome to our home. It is both a pleasure and an honor to have you.” Says Nox with a bow.
“Nox, this place is amazing!” shouts Twilight, “Where or for that matter how did you amass such a collection?! The ancient books, this laboratory; it would take a lifetime to collect all of this.”
“Several of them actually Twilight, but we’ll return to that later. I assume you six came to me for a reason in particular? Or multiple ones perhaps?”
Stepping forward with an as of yet unseen amount of bravery from her, Fluttershy speaks up, “Umm well Mr. Nox, I told Twilight and my friends about when I found you and well… we were wondering, if you don’t mind me asking that is…if you’re really just an earth pony.”
“Well I suppose the “cat is out of the bag” as they say.”
Pulling back the hood of his cloak, the ponies could see that he was indeed an earth pony.
“But how!? Only unicorns can use magic. This shouldn’t be scientifically possible! You aren’t scientifically possible!” says Twilight.
“And how pray tell did you come to such an astute conclusion Ms. Twilight? Is it because none have ever seen an earth pony use magic? Was there a consensus reached so as to take a lack of evidence as a fact? I would remind you to notice where the claim of consensus is invoked Twilight. Consensus is invoked only in situations where the science is not solid enough. Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence my unicorn friend.”
“Wow Twilight, he’s an even bigger egghead than you are” says Rainbow teasingly to her friend.
“All ponies have the spark of magic within them girls, be it earth pony, or pegasi, or unicorn. Did you not see my dear Lilith perform magic before?”
“Yes, but we figured that it was because or her, well… how would one say…condition.” Answers Rarity
“It is in part, but not fully.” Chimes in Lilith as she moves close to Nox. “When Nox brought me back, it simply unlocked the latent magic within me.”
“What’s it like being a zompony? Do you like it? Does it hurt? Oh oh! It would be so much fun to be a zompony! I’d go around and eat brains and scare all sorts of ponies, but not if it hurts. It wouldn’t be any fun at all if it hurts.” says Pinkie Pie, slightly unnerving her friends.
With a deadpan look toward Pinkie, “You read too many comic books young foal. I for one have never been happier these two hundred years with Nox.” She says as she strokes Nox’s chin with the tip of her wing.
“So it would seem…”says Rarity picking up a vibe from Lilith, though Nox appearing oblivious to it. “Wait...did you say two hundred years?!”
“Yes, seventy three thousand two hundred and sixty one days by my count Ms. Rarity.” Says Nox.
“Just how old are you Nox?” asks Twilight.
“Well now, I suppose based on your Equestrian calendar, I would technically be… eighteen hundred years old or so.”
At hearing that, each of the girls mouths dropped agape with astonishment.
“But enough of that for now, I gather that you have something more specific to ask of me…Ms. Applejack?”
Quiet up until this point Applejack spoke up timidly, “Uhh…Mr. Nox, if ya don’t mind me askin but…ummm…”
“You wish me to…? Come now Applejack, no need to be coy, all you need to do is ask.”
“Could ya bring em back again…please?”
With a newfound smile adorning his face, “I knew that you and your friends would come Applejack and I have begun preparations, but it will be much more difficult.”
‘What do ya mean more difficult?”
“Well fair Applejack, the veil separating our world and theirs has closed again. Last night it was a simple matter of asking them; to do it again, I will need one more day of preparation to tear the veil slightly to allow them to pass over for a time.”
“So what does that mean than Nox?” asks Twilight.
“It means that I will need one more day of preparations. You may either return home and come back again tomorrow, or you six are more than welcome to spend the evening rather than trek through the forest.”
Looking at her friends, with each nodding their approval, Applejack responds, “Thank ya kindly Mr. Nox, we don’t really wanna have ta go walkin through the forest at night.”
“Lilith, please show them to the western wing and before you retire, please feel free to look around but I must ask you to please refrain from the northern wing. Have a good night girls.”
Lilith, followed by the girls, walked back upstairs toward the other side of the room opposite of where they had entered; there another portal much like the first waited. Once they had walked through the swirling vortex, they appeared in a long hallway. One both sides, there are three large oak doors presumably leading to their bedrooms; down the center of the hallway was a long carpet made of an emerald green silk interwoven with a strange electroluminescent threading that slowly pulsed from black to white. Needless to say, Rarity was enthralled by this though the rest of the ponies listen closely to Lilith as she speaks.
“To the right are your rooms for tonight. The closest door to our left is the kitchen, feel free to help yourselves. The middle door is the wash facilities, anything you require in that aspect has been made available by Nox. Behind the final door is a lounge should you desire. I trust you six can manage from here?”
“Yes and thank you Ms. Lilith” answers Twilight with a nod.
“Then I bid you adieu. Remember this though, you are the first people to set hoof here in many years and Nox has given you free range. Do not abuse his trust.” With that, Lilith returns through the portal and trots back down to Nox’s side.
“Are you sure that it is wise to allow those foals to wander Nox?”
“Oh Lilith, do you have so little faith in me? I plan on keeping a watchful eye on them.”
At the southern tip of Equestria along the Bridle Shores, the expanse of beaches along Equestria’s Eastern border with Eternity’s Crossing stands the small port town of Stableside. After the reign of Discord, Stableside was a thriving city, it being Equestria’s anchor to the magical construction once known as Eternity’s Bridge. This bridge was once the most advanced travel method in all of Equis; its enchanted rails allowing movement to and from the Cervid city of Seaddle in under an hour’s time. After the rise of Nightmare moon though, the large tidal shifts caused by the Long Night caused the bridge to collapse and with it the thriving city soon fell into poverty and abandonment; many of its population migrating inland toward Equestria’s heart of toward the western frontier. Remaining though were still a few hearty ponies living off of the miniscule bounties reluctantly provided by the unforgiving sea, or operating the seldom used docks that allow oceanic transportation across Eternity’s Crossing to Cervidas. Standing at one of these docks awaiting a ship was a red-robed elk impatiently tapping his hoof.
“How much longer until we depart pony?” asks Tulimus. “I have pressing matters to attend to and have little patience for idleness.”
“Just a few more minutes Inquisitor, we’re just finishing loading our cargo and should be able to shove off momentarily.” Says the captain.
Already an hour behind schedule, Tulimus walks away from the captain all the while complaining about the pony’s tardiness under his breath, “These thrice damned ponies, no respect for their superiors… ”
Suddenly from between his horns a familiar ball of blue magic appears and floats to eye level with him.
“My lord Aschere, I apologize for my tardiness. These ponies are less than punctual and I should be back within...”
“Silence Tulimus, that is no longer of concern. I have a new mission for you.”
Bowing low to the speaking elder, “As you command mu Lord, what is your bidding?”
“It seems Celestia behaved as we have predicted; she failed to eliminate the heretic. I am sending the rest of your circle to meet you in the city known as Hoofington. From there, you are to purge the heretic and any who aid him from the lands.”
“At once my lord.”
“And Inquisitor, this is to be a stealth operation. No ponies are to be privy of this especially Celestia; we are not ready to reveal our plans just yet. Am I clear Tulimus?
“Crystal my Lord. I shall travel there at once.”
“We cannot hide our machinations from this necromancer forever. Do not fail us Tulimus.” says Aschere as the orb fades away.
“My life for the Circle my Lord. “
Walking into each of their rooms; Twilight and Applejack in the first, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie in the second, and Rarity and Fluttershy in the third, each group had a similar reaction. Each of the rooms were designed as if each of them were made for the pairs of ponies in particular. The beds and cushions each matched their particular pony in not only color and type, but also had each of their cutiemarks emblazoned upon them. After they finished inspecting their sleeping, the pairs of ponies all met in the lounge.
“Do any of you girls find this a little weird?” asks Rainbow.
“Yeah, it is a might strange that all this was here fer us.” Says Applejack
“Lilith did say that he was expecting us.” Answers Twilight
“That too, how in the hay did he know we were even coming? I think that pony is spying on us!”
“Calm down Rainbow, he has seemed to be more than forthcoming with information up to this point. Perhaps we should just ask him?” says Rarity
“He did say that we could look around.” Says Twilight
“Yay lets go exploring!” shouts Pinkie as she begins to charge out of the door, only to be stopped by Twilight who uses her teeth to grab hold of the tuft of her tail.
“Hold on Pinkie!” says Twilight through the pink tail clenched in her teeth. Letting go of her now calm friend, “We can’t get lost here. I’ve noticed that these doors aren’t regular doors, they’re all portals to different parts of whatever this place is, and it could be huge. We should travel in pairs; each of us stays with our respective roommate. Let’s meet back here in an hour.” With that, the six friends all exit the lounge and walk through the portal that Lilith had led them through not 20 minutes before. When they each the other side they notice that the other two pairs of their friends are missing, each group ending up in another part of the strange place that was Nox’s home.
Rarity and Fluttershy materialized outside of a dark oak door.
“Where are we Rarity, and where did the rest of our friends go?”
“I’m not sure dear, though it appears that our destination has been chosen for us. Shall we?” says Rarity motioning to the door before them.
“Helloooo, is anypony home?” calls Rarity melodically.
“Oh well, nopony home. Guess we can get going now…” says Fluttershy. Just as she turns away to walk back toward the portal, the oak door creaks and slowly open to the darkness within.
“Hello?” calls Rarity into the room. Taking a cautious step over the threshold, candles within the room come alight.
“Would you look at this room Fluttershy….its breath taking…”
The room in which the two stood is one of the most exquisite sights the two girls had ever seen. Black velvet carpet and walls spanned the entirety of the room, accentuated by a purple bed set and couch which were both inlaid into the floor. Along the right side of the room sat several full length mirrors much like the ones Rarity had in her shop so customers could examine themselves in the cloths that she painstakingly crafted for them. On the wall adjoining it sat a large portrait of a beautiful violet pegasus mare with a black and red highlighted mane. Below the picture are numerous pictures and memorabilia most likely owned by the pegasus in the picture. Walking over to the said portrait, Rarity let out a gasp of realization at who the picture was of.
“Fluttershy, do you know who this is?! This is Lily Nightshade! The most famous debutante in Equestrian history! She led the great awakening of fashion and art in the latter part of the Prench Renaissance in fourteenth century!”
“Wow Rarity…you sure know a lot about her.” Says Fluttershy.
“Well of course I do, she basically invented the classical fashion haute couture that is still used in Canterlot today!”
“Umm Rarity…doesn’t she look an awful lot like Lilith?”
In response Rarity turns to her with her mouth agape and eyes full of shock.
“It can’t be Fluttershy; Lily Nightshade disappeared when her air yacht was lost over the Tramplevanian mountains.”
“What are you two doing in my room!” yells Lilith as she walks through the door. “And stay away from that!”
“Lilith was this… is this you?” asks Rarity, her eyes sparkling with wonder.
Walking over to the picture, “Lily Nightshade, daughter of the count Hemlock of Stalliongrad and countess Oleander of Canterbury; the definition of couth and elegance and in her time lorded after by noblepony and commoner alike. That mare is long dead, lost to the world when her yacht exploded over the deserts of I’bxia.”
“But umm Lilith, Rarity said that the ship was lost over the Tramplvanian mountains…”
“No we lost power over the mountains, turned out that it was a fuel leak. Once the crew found out the cause of the problem….it was too late. The last things I remember was the screaming…the fire…and then nothing, until I opened my eyes and saw Nox’s emerald green orbs staring back at me…they were so calming, telling me that everything was going to be ok…” Lilith looked to be miles away as she recounted her tale.
“Are you and Nox well….an item…if you don’t mind me asking that is….you don’t have to answer if you don’t want to that is…” Snapping out of her stupor to glare daggers at the buttercream pegasus, “That is none of your business foal,” her eyes then falling to the floor, “but no, we aren’t.”
“I see…, never the less, it is such an honor to meet you Ms. Nightshade. I have personally based my entire life on your accomplishments. I dare say you have been quite a role model for me. Oh my I’m so sorry, I don’t mean to gush… as they say.” Says Rarity ending with an awkward laugh.
“Well Rarity, I have to say that I am quite honored. I had thought that I was all but forgotten over the years.”
“My heavens no, your styles are still the mainstay of the Canterlot elite! You’re a legend in the circles of fashion and elegance from Prance to Gildedale! Ever Princess Celestia still wears the same style of ornamented sabatons that you pioneered.”
Blushing with pride, “Thank you Rarity, it does an old mare good to hear that she’s been remembered, though I must cut this talk short. I have a few things to attend to, but I would love to talk with you two again sometime.”
“Of course, and it has been an honor Ms. Lily. Let’s go Fluttershy, I can barely wait to tell the others about this!” says Rarity as she moves toward the portal.
“Umm, I’ll catch up to you in a little bit Rarity.” Says Fluttershy as she moves back into Lilith’s room.
“Lily…umm…Lily?”
“It’s Lilith Fluttershy, that pony Lily is gone.”
“Oh ok…Lilith, can I ask you a few questions…about Nox?”
“I suppose I can spare a few moments. What is it you wish to ask young one?”
“Well…who is he really? Where is he from?”
“Well little one that is quite a long story…”
After coming through the portal, the first thing that Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie noticed was that their friends were gone.
“Well Dashie, looks like we’re on our own.” Says Pinkie Pie
“Yeah, but where are we?”
Taking in their surroundings, the two ponies see what was in the large room before them. The room itself looked like it was a ballroom straight out of a Las Pegasus casino. In the middle was the largest fountain that they had ever seen. Standing at least three stories tall, the obelisk that formed the center was a sight to behold. Made of what seemed to be pure crystal the obelisk refracted the lights within the chamber giving the water the same appearance as the rainbow fountains that flowed from the weather factory at Cloudsdale.
On the far side of the room sat something that Rainbow thought she’d never see in a place like this, “Look Pinkie, he has a bar let’s go!”
Rainbow Dash and Pinkie pie move like lightning over to two of the twenty padded bar stools that sat at the bar.
“So do we help ourselves or…” started Dash only to be interrupted by a figure appearing behind the bar.
“What’ll ya wee colleens be havin?” says a faded green spirit dressed in a Mild West style bartenders outfit.
“Gahh!!” yells a surprised Rainbows Dash.
“Hey there Mister, what’s your name?” asks a chipper Pinkie.
“Lash Bogtrotter, at ya service me fair lass.”
“My name is Pinkie Pie, and that silly filly’s name is Rainbow Dash.”
“Aye, Nox said ta be expectin guests. Didn’t know it ‘ad be such grand birds such as you.” Says Lash with a wink. “Now what can a ol bogger be gettin for ya two?”
Righting herself back on her stool Rainbow asks, “Do you have any cider?”
“Sorry lass, none o that bog water here. Never touched tha stuff maself.”
Depressingly sinking into her seat, “I never get any cider; not here or back in Ponyville.”
“Did ya say that ya come from Ponyville lass? I maself had a plot a land there, ran maself a wee boozer there back in ma more…grand days.”
“What’s a boozer?” asks Rainbow.
“A pub lass… a bar.”
“You speak all silly Mr. Lash. You don’t sound like you’d be from Ponyville” Says Pinkie.
“Aye Miss Pie, before me n ma kin moved there we all came or from small city of Gallopway on the Coltic Isle.”
“Wowie, that sure is a longggg ways away mister. “
“That it is ma fair lass, now how about I take a wee liberty n pick ya somethin?”
“I guess.” Sighs Rainbow
Reaching behind the bar Lash grabs two oddly shaped pint glasses and begins to fill them with a thick black liquid with thick brown bubbles forming fast at the top. After waiting for the foam to subside, Lash places the drinks in front of the two mares.
“What is this stuff?” asks Rainbow.
“It’s just a pint a tha black stuff wee mare. It’s called beer, try it.”
Taking a cautious sip, Rainbow Dash’s eyes light up with delight, “This is one of the most delicious things I’ve ever tasted! This is way better than even Sweet Apple Acres Cider!” says Rainbow as she downs the last of the pint. Pinkie Pie though seemed less than enthusiastic after her first sip.
“I don’t mean to be rude Lashy, but this is icky. Do you have anything else?”
“I may have jus what ya lookin for lass.” Says Lash as he pulls out a bottle from a rack behind him. Pinkie couldn’t see the whole label but the first letter was K and the last was T. Pouring her a small glass, Lash places it in front of the pink mare and waits for her to taste it. Pinkies reaction was much like Rainbows, but more akin to a sugar high.
“That’s so sweet and tasty, what is it?”
“Well Pinkie, that’s a sweet whiskey. A mix o butterscotch, hazelnut, and honey. Used to call it tha Knot.”
Both mares look back at the bartender and say in unison, “More please!”
“Anythin for two fine colleens such as yourselves.” Says Lash with a lighthearted chuckle.
Coming out of the portal, Twilight and Applejack appeared in a long hallway much like the stained glass hallway in the castle of Canterlot. Like those windows that show their triumphs, these windows too showed stories but of events that were unknown to most of the creatures on Equis.
“What are these Twilight?” asks Applejack.
“They look like a set of stories but they don’t make any sense, and there’s some kind of strange magic coming from them.” Just as Twilight finished her explanation, the stained glass window before them began to shift and change, altering the pieces of glass and completely altering the picture.
“What’s happenin Twi?”
“It looks like all of these tell some kind of story, and the magic changes the pictures as the story progresses.”
“Quite astute Twilight,” says Nox as he approaches from the portal behind the girls, startling the two mares. “These windows tell the story of the creation of Equis.”
“Nox, ya scared us.”
“I am truly sorry girls.” Says Nox as he walks next to the first window. “It has been a while since I’ve stepped hoof in this room.”
“I’ve never seen magic like this before Nox, one that constantly shifts solid matter, did you make these?”
“Heh, no young Twilight this magic has been lost from the world for longer than I have trod its ground. I reclaimed these from the city of Marelantis just before your moon princess’ fall to darkness.”
“Ya had us goin there for a moment Nox. Everypony knows that Marelantis is just an old pony’s tale.”
“Much to the contrary Applejack. I am sure that you two along with your other friends know the tail of your princess Luna’s fall into darkness better than most. When she fell, the Long Night that she created when she refused to lower the moon caused many cataclysmic events to unfold; earthquakes, tidal anomalies, and storms of epic proportions wreaked havoc not only across Equestria but Equis as a whole. The once vibrant city of Marelantis was one of the many casualties of your princess’ selfishness.”
“Now hold on there sugarcube, it wasn’t entirely her fault. Princess Luna…”
“Princess Luna’s actions doomed thousands of ponies to die beneath the ever encroaching waves of the ocean and the relentless nature of the land itself! The story that you foals were told tells little of the suffering that happened all thanks to Luna’s pathetic inferiority complex!” shouts Nox. “The little utopia that you ponies have lived in thanks to the lies of your vaunted princess’ these past thousand years is an affront to the rest of the world!” Calming himself while looking up at the stained glass window, “I would gather that you ponies haven’t the faintest idea of this story do you?”
Both Applejack and Twilight shook their heads confirming Nox’s suspicions.
“Allow me to enlighten you ladies… countless millennia ago, a great elk walked amongst our world; the God King.” He says as he motions toward a window that mirrored his story with its depiction. The picture than began to change into a moving picture of creatures being molded out of the very clay of the earth. “Through his cloven hooves, he crafted the world and its first people in his own image; these people are what we call the Cervids.”
Moving to the next window, “The God King loved and cared for all of creation, and all of creation loved him. Over time crafted the various sentient races that walk the earth; the gryphons, the buffalo, all races that inhabit the lands outside Equestria.” The window began to change again. “Over time the God King joined with the Earth Mother Terra and sired a single son Hephaestus, the god of fire; the very destroyer and creator of life. After the birth of his son, the God King had a vision of what was to come of his young fawn, a rising shadow in his son that would lead to the destruction of all of creation. To protect the world the God King attempted to smite his son, but his vision became clouded by the very shadow he sought to squelch. Terra then took her fawn and fled to the sun where the darkened eyes of the God King could not see.”
Moving toward the next stained glass window, “Centuries later Hephaestus returned to Equis to face his father. A great battle ensued, with Hephaestus emerging victorious. In his last moments, the visions that the God King had centuries earlier were than imparted to his son.” The glass altering itself again, “Seeing his fate Hephaestus cast himself into the earth, sacrificing himself so that his visions would not come to fruition.”
The three ponies than moved to the last stained glass window, “From the magic of the God King, the earth of his wife Terra, and the life-giving fires of Hephaestus, a new steward was created by Hephaestus’ sacrifice to take their place as stewards of creation; the ponies.” The final window morphing into a picture of the three pony races, “The pegasi channeling the winds and falling of the rain to control the righteous fury of Hephaestus, the earth ponies to cultivate and propagate the life giving soil of the earth mother Terra, and the unicorns blessed with the natural affinity for the magic of the God King himself.”
‘That was a great story Nox.” Says Twilight.
“Indeed, back in my homeland we were told this story as foals. It made us proud in the dark ages of pony history.” Says Nox, a sad look on his face as he reminisces.
“But the hour grows late girls, I am sure that your friends are awaiting your return.”
“Thanks for tha story Nox; let’s go find tha girls Twilight.”
“Goodnight Nox.” Call back the girls as they walk back to the portal.
Appearing through the portal by herself, Rarity came upon quite the sight. Sitting at a bar in the most fabulous ballroom she had ever laid eyes on were here two friends Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie, both thoroughly ossified and talking to what looked like a ghost that was standing behind the bar.
“Rainbow Dash, Pinkie, what are you two doing?!”
“Oh hay, *hic* Rares, Pinkie and I were jus havin a drink wif our new bes frien Lash.” Says Rainbow slurring her speech horribly.
“Yeah Rarity, come join us!” chimes in Pinkie almost falling off her stool.
“How much have you two had to drink?!” says Rarity looking at all of the empty glasses on the bar.
“Ya need not worry ma fair mare, I’ve been keepin a eye on these two. Lash Bogtrotter at ya service.” Says Lash with a wink.
“A pleasure Mr. Lash, but I must decline. These two foals have had enough and we have quite a busy day tomorrow. Come come girls, the others must be waiting for us by now.”
“Yer always such a *hic* a spoil sport Rares.” Says Dash as she stumbles out of her seat.
With her friends leaning against either side of her for support, the three girls make their way through the portal.
“And that’s about all Fluttershy.” Says Lilith as she finishes her story.
“Oh…my…that sure explains a lot.” Says Fluttershy.
“Please do me this though Fluttershy. This is between us; can I trust you to keep this a secret? Nox would be…most displeased that I divulged this without his consent.”
“Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.” Says Fluttershy as she goes through a strange series of practiced moves with her hooves.
“Thank you Ms. Fluttershy, and it appears that your friends are waiting for you.”
“I…really appreciate it Lilith. Thank you.” Says Fluttershy as she trots through the portal to return to her friends.
The moderately sized city of Hoofington sits eerily dark as the tall robbed form of Tulimus strides down the central thoroughfare. Windows were shuttered, shops were closed, and all but a few candles were doused for the night. Soon, Tulimus sees his destination in sight, a small inn and tavern named the Hoof in Muzzle. Pushing through the Appleoosian style swinging doors, he surveys his surroundings. The tavern is mostly deserted aside from a few ponies, a mare and two stallions sitting at the bar and the taverns proprietor behind the bar. The ponies though sat deathly still as if frozen in time. Tulimus is well aware of what spell is at work, one often used by himself and his order when performing stealthy operations; used to freeze creatures for a limited amount of time and leaving them unaware of any effects once the enchantment is dispelled. Sitting in the back of the room were three robed figures that were unaffected by the spells effects, one in a yellow robe, one in a green, and the final in a blue robe.
Approaching the table, Tulimus is greeted by the figure in the green robe sitting in the center of the other two.
“Prompt as always brother Tulimus.” says the figure with a feminine voice.
“The masters spell has made magical travel… difficult at best sister Portavi.” Than while nodding to the figures in the yellow and green robes respectively, “Brother Secare, brother Mesus.”
“Now that the usual pleasantries are over, shall we go?” asks Secare in the yellow robe.
With a nod of his hooded head, Tulimus as well as the other three Inquisitors disappear in a flash of light; their destination: Ponyville, and the heretic necromancer.
In a flash of black magical light, the three groups of mares appear back in the hallway that led to their rooms.
“So girls, did any of you find….uhh…what happened to them?” motions Twilight toward Rarity and the two ossified ponies that she was supporting.
“It appears that our two adventurous friends here found a bar.”
“It was ...hic*… it was amazing Twilight.” Says Rainbow accompanied with a half-lidded look toward her purple friend.
“Yeah! It was the most super fantastic bar EVER!!!” yells Pinkie, who then proceeds to pass out against Rarity’s right shoulder.
“Perhaps one of you could lend a helping hoof?” pleads Rarity as the weight of her two friends begins to quickly overwhelm her.
Lifting Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash in her magic, Twilight trots them toward their room. “Let’s get these two to bed, then we can talk.” Rarity opens the door for her three friends and Twilight gently places them each on their own cutiemark emblazoned beds.
“Best…night….ever.” says Rainbow as she quickly falls asleep.
Rarity and Twilight than quietly exit the room and join Applejack and Fluttershy, who have assembled in the lounge and were already deep in conversation.
“What do ya mean ya can’t tell us?” asks Applejack of Fluttershy.
“I…umm… made a Pinkie Promise to Lilith not to…”
“But we’re yer friends, why can’t ya tell us of all ponies?”
“Nopony breaks a Pinkie Promise!” shouts Pinkie Pie from the other room, who then subsequently continues to snore loudly.
“What is she talking about dear?” asks Rarity.
“Well…Lilith told me some things about Nox…and umm…she asked me to keep it a secret. I’m so sorry girls…”
“Don’t worry Fluttershy, its ok I reckon. I of all ponies know not ta break a Pinkie Promise.” Says Applejack, remembering the one time she broke the rule.
“Did either of you find out anything else about him, or this place for that matter?” asks Twilight.
“Darling I thought that you would never ask! It turns out that our hostess Lilith is none other than Lily Nightshade! Oh the thing that everypony could learn from her; the sophistication, the glamor!” says Rarity as she drifted off in star struck ramblings.
“What about you Twilight…if you don’t mind me asking that is…” asks Fluttershy.
“Well, some of the things that that pony claims are hard to believe. Marelantis, the events of Nightmare Moon; either he’s lying or many things that everypony knows about history are wrong.”
“He wasn’t lyin Twi, I could tell.” Says Applejack assuredly. “I watched him the entire time and he was tellin the truth.”
“It’s just hard to believe Applejack. During my entire lifetime in Canterlot I was told that things like Marelantis were just old ponytales. What’s next; the Hoofmuda Triangle, Slenderpony? It’s just not scientifically possible!”
“Calm down Twilight. Perhaps a cup of tea will ease your nerves. Now where is the kettle.” Says Rarity as she moves towards the small counter that lay on the back wall of the lounge. Looking over it, Rarity finds a kettle, silverware, and flatware laid out neatly for their use, but nothing else. Searching the cabinets above the counter, she still couldn’t find anything resembling tea or anything else edible for that matter.
“Now why set this here if one cannot even brew their own tea?” asks Rarity of nobody in particular.
“Can I be of service madam?”
“Gahh!!” shouts Rarity as she stumbles backwards from the overhead cabinet. Looking toward the once empty space where the voice came from there now stood an elderly stallion, or at least what once was a stallion. In a state much like the bartending pony earlier, this ghostly pony stood rigidly straight, adorned in an elegant butler’s uniform and carrying what appeared to be a white linen cloth over his right foreleg.
“I do apologize for my abrupt entry madam. My name is Prim Courtly, butler to Master Albus Noctis. It is truly a pleasure.”
By this point, all eyes in the room were focused on Rarity and the specter standing next to her. “Ahh…yes…a pleasure.” Says Rarity still with a hoof over her heart dealing with the previous surprise.
“I have taken the liberty of preparing tea and daisy sandwiches for you…four? Am I mistaken or aren’t there supposed to be two more of you?”
“Ah yes, Mr. Courtly. Our other friends are…indisposed…at the moment.” Answers Rarity.
“Ah yes…well if there is nothing else that I may be of assistance to, than I shall take my leave. If you should need anything more ladies, simply ask.” Says Prim as he fades away.
“Well…that was…strange.” Says Twilight.
“Indeed, well shall we?” says Rarity motioning toward the platter that had appeared on the table that the three were sitting around.
The four friends began to enjoy the food and drink, all the while talking about what the next day will bring, yet Applejack was uncharacteristically quiet.
“What’s wrong Applejack?” asks Fluttershy as Twilight and Rarity too turn toward their cowpony friend.
“Well, I was just wondering about Nox letting me see my parents.”
“Well dear, he said that we need to wait till tomorrow.”
“It’s not that Rairs, it’s just…why? I’m just a simple farmpony, aint done nothing much worth writin’ bout.”
“Applejack, you’re the element of harmony. We’ve brought back Princess Luna, stopped an invasion of Changelings, and even defeated Discord. I would think that if he’d notice anypony it would be one of us.” Answers Twilight.
“Twilight, you’re the student of one of Equestria’s princesses, Rarity, you’re a famous designer all around Equis, and you Fluttershy, you were a famous model and had your pictures on every magazine cover from here to Hoofstralia. Me though…I haven’t done much of anythin to catch anyponies attention, none the less from some fancy necro-whatever.”
“Necromancer.” Corrects Rarity.
“Thank you Ms. Dictionary.” Snidely comments Applejack. “But still, why me…and why my parents?”
“Well Applejack, I guess the only way to find out would be to be patient and wait until tomorrow.”
“I just don’t know Twi, somethin just don’t feel right. Ya ever get that feelin that somepony is watchin ya?”
“Ha, she’s quite an astute one.” Says Nox to himself looking into his scrying orb. “The Elements of Harmony must have put a lot of thought into these mares.”
Waving a hoof over the floating purple orb the magic contained ceases and the orb turns transparent. Using his magic, Nox returns the orb to a stone pedestal in the corner of his inner sanctum.
Nox’s sanctum is his true home within his ethereal domain, separate from the rest of the areas that his servants and new friends occupy though accessible to those who know how. The room itself is quite large, about the size of his library and workshop but consists of only a single floor. The sanctum was a perfect sphere with a hovering platform in the center being the only area one is able to occupy within the room. On this platform are Nox’s most prized possessions, magical and sentimental items that he has collected throughout his many years on Equis.
Towards the back of the circular platform sits a glass display case containing three weapons, quite obviously imbued with magical properties based upon the varying colored glows emanating from each. The first is a scythe; the snath, stem, and grip of which appears to be made of pieces of the spinal column of a pony-sized creature, the tang made of the skull of a gryphon, and the glowing silver blade made of the talon of a dragon. The second is a strange sword, its grip and guard appearing to be made for something with digits more akin to a dragon or gryphon. Instead of a traditional pommel the blade has a strange spherical skull appearing to belong to some kind of ape-like creature. The blade was long; about the size of a pony’s foreleg, and has razor sharp serrations spanning the breadth of each of its cutting edges, its fuller pulses with an eerie black magic. The final weapon in the case is by far the most ghastly of the three. Standing upright in the case sits a staff; the top of which sits a horned skull that could only have come from a demon straight out of the deepest pits of Tartarus. Four eyes still sit within the skull, their rotting features accentuated by the glowing red magic coming from them. Its mouth is lined with two rows of razor sharp teeth forever frozen in a maniacal bloodthirsty smile. From its mouth and down the staffs’ length flows a red viscous liquid that could only be blood, which pools at its base only to be absorbed by a glowing green spear embedded at its end.
To the left of the display case sat an ornate onyx desk with papers and books strewn about it as well as numerous glass jars and vials filled with all manner of ghastly and grotesque pieces of creatures in varying states of decay; eyes, brains, and even hearts. On either side of the desk stand two stone statues dressed and styled much like Nox is, but with very distinguishing differences. The statue on the left is a unicorn mare with a scar over her closed left eye. In her right forehoof is the very same staff that Nox has in his display case. The statue on the right is much different. Much taller in stature than the mare is a strange bi-pedal creature. Instead of hooves this creature has digits on its hands much like a dragon or gryphon but lacking claws of any kind. Its face has no muzzle, but a strange flat nose with its eyes situated central to its head much like many a predator do. In the statues’ left hand was also one of the weapons in the previous display case, the serrated longsword.
Opposite the desk on the other side of the platform is an armoire, in the same style as the onyx desk, containing varying styles of robes but only in three colors; emerald green, charcoal gray, and black. The door of the cabinet is inlaid with a full-sized mirror. Strangely absent from this room is any semblance of a bed though this is far from strange for Nox; it has been a long time since he has required sleep.
Finished with his scrying, Nox walks over and takes a seat at his desk.
“Lilith, come here please.” Calls out Nox, but he receives no answer. “Lilith!” yells Nox louder, but still he receives no answer.
Needless to say this was strange, with the magical bonds created between him and his servants when he raised them he should be able to reach them wherever they may be, especially within his own home.
“Lash! Prim!” says Nox calling out to his other servants, but still no answer.
“What in the nine hells is going…”
Just then, the sound of a large explosion rocks Nox out of his thoughts.
