The Mane Six discover that they are the new guardians of the Pillars of Equestria: the other half of the Pillars of Nosgoth
A Legacy of Kain crossover
Ever wonder why Canterlot was built into the side of a mountain? Well, after Nightmare Moon's birth, Celestia had it built to be closer to Equestria's greatest secret. Now, a millennium later, new guardians are born and Celestia must train them while Luna recovered.
The Mane Six discover that the Elements of Harmony were not their only mantles they had to bear. Upon Celestia's words, they learn of Equestria's secret: The Pillars of Equestria.
Now, the Mane Six are under the tutelage of a vampire-turned-pony named Medusa to understand their powers and their roles as Pillar Guardians. Yet as the teachings begin, a dark omen arises from the other side of the world. In Equestria's sister-land: Nosgoth.
Long ago, in the land of Equestria, a figure jolted from her bed as she felt a tremor. Getting a bad feeling of this tremor, she looked out to the night sky.
“Oh no! Please don’t tell me…”
Her voice trailed off as she left her bedchambers and made her way down the twisting corridors of a recently-built castle. The torchlight revealed a tall snowy-white pony with a horn on her forehead and angelic feathery wings. Her mane flowed in the colors of the morning dawn: blue, pink, and green.
An alicorn.
The alicorn tugged her heavy gray cloak against her body with golden magic emanating from her horn, lifting the cloak enough so that she could run down the corridors. Many twists and turns she took until she came face-to-face with a large, bog oak door sealed with locks of various forms from physical to magic. Pulling out from her cloak, the alicorn inserted a key into the main lock. With a single twist, every physical chain and lock came undone. Once the metal chains were down, the alicorn used her magic to remove the remaining locks before opening the door.
Inside was the entrance to a secret passage that was carved into the mountain. The mare used her magic to light the trail before her. She had been through this corridor many times in the past, usually with eight others.
But it was only her tonight.
After what seemed to be an hour of darkness, the alicorn saw moonlight at the tunnel head of her. Bracing her eyes, the mare stepped out of the shadows and into the light. Once her eyes adjusted, she marveled at her destination. No pony knew that the mountain was hollow nor did they know of the secret inside said mountain.
In the hollowed mountain was a hidden valley filled with rare and exotic plants. A secret garden, if you would care to think. Like the passage she came from, there were multiple entrances around the walls of the mountain. She had been into these passages before; each one leading to specific chambers or were used as windows to the outside at both sides of the chambers. At the center of the garden was what she was looking for: a stone dais inscribed with writing long dead. On the stone dais where nine pristine white pillars that toward to the heavens. So high that not even pegasi could find an end to the towering edifices. Toward the bottom of the pillars were nine different colored bands, each with a unique symbol on them.
At the center of the stone dais was a stone scrying basin that sat on a stone pedestal. At the four “corners” of the basin where candles that were unlit. The alicorn rectified that and gained more light in the area. Cautiously, she approached the basin. Swallowing her nerves, she spoke to the basin.
“Show me…the Pillars of Nosgoth.”
The alicorn waited patiently as her reflection rippled violently in the basin’s waters. Aided by candlelight, she was able to see the image of what she was looking for presented itself to her. What she saw horrified her, for in the pool was the image of pillars that looked exactly like the ones before her. However, there were differences, each more twisted than the last.
The colors of the pillars in the scrying basin were mirrored compared the towering edifices before her. She watched in horror as the pristine pillars turned grey and cracked as a shrill, agonizing scream echoed in her mind. The sudden sound made the mare jump and made her heart fill with dread.
"Show me...Ariel."
The water in the pool rippled, changing the scene before her. In place of the pillars, there was a pale, bipedal creature with blond hair lying on the ground in a pool of blood. The mare gasped as she recognized the figure in the pool.
"Oh, no..."
The water returned to normal as she backed away, horrified at what she had just seen. Her mind raced as she struggled to figure out what had happened. Who could have done such a thing? Why? Would the ones responsible come for this place as well?
The sound of hooves brought the mare out of her worries and forced her to break her gaze of the scrying pool to the door behind her. A unicorn stallion with a starry-night blue coat and a long, silver mane and tail approached her. His cutie mark was hidden by a robe that resembled a starry night. His aquamarine eyes held a pain look as he spoke to the alicorn.
"You felt it, too?"
The mare nodded sadly, looking to the basin.
"I am sorry, Antares. Ariel has been slain and the Pillars of Nosgoth became corrupted. Unless her successor manages to perform their task, I fear it is up to us, now."
The stallion, Antares, frowned sadly as he looked to the pillars.
“So. We are to uphold the Balance between annihilation and salvation, now. So that our world may live while Nosgoth is given a chance to right itself.”
The alicorn sighed as she walked back from the pillars, keeping her eyes on them as she placed a hoof on her chest.
"Indeed. Yet I cannot help but dread the future."
Antares placed a comforting hoof on the mare's shoulder.
"The barrier's still in place. They can't get here."
Silence greeted him as a storm began to overcast the mountain. The alicorn and the stallion looked up to the moon, seeing it disappear behind the clouds. Because of how their land worked, they knew this wasn't an ordinary storm.
This was a dark omen.
1000 Years after...
The alicorn mare wept at the pillars. This was a dark night. She had just fought her own sister, a fellow Guardian herself, and banished her to the moon so that the world would remained balanced. Yet, it was not a victory to the mare, but a defeat.
She had not seen the growing jealousy in her sister's eyes. She did not try to comfort her or help her. And as a result, she rebelled against the mare, becoming a vicious alicorn that sought eternal night in Equestria. Her fellow guardians tried to either reason with her or fight her. All but the weeping alicorn did not survive the younger sibling's wrath. Even Antares, who loved the corrupted mare, had not been spared.
Now, she was truly alone. No pony in all of Equestria could understand the pain she was going through. And it all came from the pillars before her. She wanted to die, but knew that if that happened, no pony would help the next generation. And with the corruption in Nosgoth remaining due to the ruthless, vile, selfish successor of the slain Ariel, who knew when the new guardians would be born. And one of the pillars here, the Pillar of Death, had become corrupted like its Nosgothic twin.
Yet, there was still hope.
While there was nothing she could do for Nosgoth, she would be waiting. Biding her time until the spell she had cast on her sister had worn off. She would come after her, yes, but there was a chance. A chance that if the new guardians were born in time, they could purify her sister of her corruption. They could alleviate the burdens that were now weighing her down. They could...
With renewed hope and determination, the alicorn stood up and placed a hoof on her chest, making a vow.
“I swear by the Pillars of Equestria, I will remain vigilant. I will watch over the Pillars as the sole Guardian until the other seven are born. I will watch as I wait for the return of my sister, the Guardian of the Pillar of Death. And when that day comes, I pray that I’ll be ready.”
Equestria: 989 Years Later…
The alicorn mare yawned as she went over the day’s paperwork. Ever since that fateful night, her work had increased six-fold. With her other half imprisoned, only she was left to tend to her duties, both known and secret. She wrote her name on a piece of parchment regarding the proposed settlement of Appleoosa towards the southernmost region of Equestria. Her name and title, “Princess Celestia,” had become more of a ritual and a label, seeming to hold little meaning these days. At least she had her “other” title to think about.
“Sometimes, I would rather be just the Guardian of the Pillar of Energy rather than the Princess of Equestria. It is hard enough shifting the sun and moon into their designated positions every dawn and dusk. But Starswirl approached the two of us to be the ones to rule Equestria together and to manage the sun and moon.”
Celestia sighed as she left her desk, marching her way to a parlor adjacent to her study. It was a secret parlor that she had built for when the ones she was waiting for make themselves known. Thinking of times long passed, Celestia approached a bookcase and pulled on a single book. The sound of a latch clicking compelled the princess to back away, careful not to trip the cloak she wore every day since the day she found out what she was born to be. However, she had placed a spell on the cloak, so that only she could see it.
As the book moved, a glass case was revealed on the other side. In the glass case were six items of unusual make. In the case was a blue comb with three feathers decorating it, a pocket watch with an hourglass shape on the cover, a helmet of pure silver, a golden set of scales, a medallion with the image of a blood-red eye on it, and a crimson orb that was mounted on a receptacle made of a single skull of unknown origin.
It was the orb the Celestia took from the case. Using her magic, she gingerly levitated the orb from its resting place and placed it into her own hooves. Once her magic faded, Celestia allowed her tears to fall as she cradled the orb like a newborn foal. Her sorrow emerged once again. A sorrow that no pony knew about or even cared for.
“Oh, Luna…”
Suddenly, a loud boom filled the air, causing Celestia to nearly drop the orb. Noticing a flash of rainbow-colored light, Celestia held her breath as she raced to her study’s balcony. Sure enough, a rainbow ring spread out in Equestria’s skies. The Princess of the Sun knew what it was that created such a marvel.
A Sonic Rainboom.
The appearance of the Rainboom sent a wave of energies into Celestia. Energies she had not sensed in 989 years. Her eyes widened as she recognized the energies. New tears formed in her eyes. This time, tears of joy.
“They were born.”
The sounds of screams caught the princess’ attention to the city of Canterlot below. What she saw caught her interest. A dazed dragon’s head pierced through the roof of the evaluation tower where young unicorns were tested. Tested to see if they held the capabilities to attend her school for gifted unicorns.
And one of the energies she felt was coming from that tower.
Spreading her wings, Celestia flew from her balcony and made her way to the tower. Evading the fleeing ponies, she made her way to the examination room where the energy was coming from. Much to her amazement and surprise, the energy came from a young lavender unicorn with an indigo-blue mane and tail that bore two pink stripes, one fainter than the other. From the look of her, she bore no Cutie Mark.
And from the look of her, she was having a magic overload.
A gentle smile gracing her lips, Celestia approached the overpowered filly and placed a gentle hoof on her shoulder. This brought the filly’s attention to Celestia. With a kindly nod, Celestia was able to help the filly cease her magic ability. This caused the magic around her to dissipate, including returning two plants into the filly’s parents and restoring the dragon to its infant stage. Now that Celestia got a good look at the filly, she saw amethyst eyes looking around in shock and worry. Celestia knew the young filly’s name from an application she read and spoke.
“Twilight Sparkle.”
The filly cowered at her name.
“I-I’m so sorr-!”
But Celestia interrupted her. “You have a very special gift. I don’t think I’ve ever come across with your raw abilities.”
The filly gasped in confusion as Celestia continued.
“But you need to learn to tame these abilities through focused study.”
It was then that Celestia made a decision that would change everything.
“Twilight Sparkle. I would like to make you my own personal protégé here at the school.”
Once again, the filly gasped in surprise as Celestia waited for an answer. The filly looked to her parents, where were nodding their heads eagerly. Much to Celestia’s amusement, the filly jumped into the air happily.
“YES!!!”
Noticing something, Celestia held up her hoof. “One other thing, Twilight.”
This caused the filly to pause as she landed on her stomach. It was then that Celestia pointed to the filly’s recently-acquired Cutie Mark. It consisted of a large 6-point magenta star, surrounded by five smaller white stars.
Seeing this, the filly jumped around happily, overjoyed at all the good that had come out of this little mishap.
Of course, Celestia saw more than magical potential in the young Twilight Sparkle. With a happy smile, she thought to herself as she gazed at the filly. She was not ready to learn of the role ahead of her, but that did not stop Celestia from mentally giving her the title she was destined with.
“It is a great joy to finally meet you, Twilight Sparkle: Guardian of the Pillar of Balance.”
1000 Years after the banishment of Nightmare Moon…
In the following years, Princess Celestia had taught her new protégé, Twilight Sparkle, the ins and outs of Equestrian Magic. And like most students, Twilight wanted to make her teacher proud. Shortly after the Entrance Exam, Twilight was given the baby dragon she hatched to raise. She and her family named him "Spike." As Twilight grew, so did Spike. And it wasn't long before he was learning to talk, read, and write. He would eventually take on the job as Twilight's #1 assistant.
There was a hindrance, however. Despite Celestia's subtle urgings, Twilight refused to make any friends. She viewed the very concept of making friends as a waste of time when she could devote herself to her studies. This, however, greatly displeased Celestia. Twilight needed to learn the magic of Friendship, especially with the roles she was destined to take on.
Surprisingly, Celestia's answer came when she noticed the signs. The signs that told of her sister's return. Having tracked down the remaining members of her "group," Celestia arranged the Summer Sun Celebration to be hosted in the hamlet of Ponyville that year. As expected, Twilight met with those who would become her friends and with the Elements of Harmony, they stopped Nightmare Moon from creating an Eternal Night in Equestria. And much to Celestia's joy, the Elements purified Nightmare Moon, restoring her as Princess Luna.
After the celebration the morning after, Celestia brought Luna to their new castle. After Nightmare Moon destroyed their old home in the Everfree Forest, Celestia had commissioned the new castle to be as close to the mountain in Equestria's center as possible. While observing the landscape, Luna was able to interpret what mountain the castle was built into.
After introducing Luna to the whole of Canterlot, the two sisters entered the castle and Celestia brought Luna to her secret parlor. Upon seeing the case of items after Celestia revealed their location, the pang of guilt struck Luna once again. This time, it was even stronger. After locking the study and removing the invisibility spell on her cloak, Celestia opened the case and used her magic to pick up the orb.
"I believe this is yours, Luna?"
Luna nodded sadly as she held out her hooves to receive the orb. Gazing sadly at the crimson orb, Luna sighed sorrowfully.
"I really did it, didn't I? I…I killed them…"
Celestia sadly remained silent. She led her sister to a sofa while taking the sofa across from her. She tugged instinctively at her cloak as she sat down. An old habit she had ever since she received the cloak so very long ago. Celestia finally spoke once she and Luna settled on the sofas.
"If it makes you feel better, you did not use your other powers. They knew you weren't being yourself and were willing to do whatever they could to stop you. To save you."
This did not make Luna feel any better. Her gaze refusing to leave the orb, she responded glumly.
"But I am responsible for their deaths. If I had not lost myself, they would still be here. Including…"
Luna's words broke as she started to choke on her sobs. Without speaking, Celestia stood up and embraced her sister, doing all she could to comfort her. She knew the pony whom Luna wanted to say. A pony she cared greatly for.
"He was the one who wanted to help you the most, Luna. I don't think anypony was as devoted to you as he was. He was the one told me to never give up on you."
Clutching her sister and the orb tightly, the Princess of the Night spilled out all the sorrow that she had built up over a millennium. And the Princess of the Sun released the comforting feeling she had saved just for her sister ever since that terrible night.
Four months later...
Celestia waited for Luna. Luna had chosen to partake in the Nightmare Night festival in Ponyville and Celestia was worried that she would be so upset, she would permanently cancel Nightmare Night. She was relieved when Twilight Sparkle sent her friendship report hours after Luna left, explaining what had happened and how she was able to help the out-of-place princess. Now, Celestia was waiting to hear the results of Luna's secret secondary task.
It was a few minutes to midnight that Luna entered the castle, looking happier than she had been since her return.
"So? How did it go, Luna?" Celestia asked, her heart thumping in her chest in anticipation.
Much to her relief, Luna's smile did not falter.
"It was delightful, sister. Though I must admit, it was difficult at first."
Celestia nodded, holding up Twilight's letter.
"I know. Twilight told me in her letter."
She set the letter aside and motioned her sister to the parlor. Since the castle staff knew better than to enter that particular parlor without Celestia's supervision, it would be one of the most private places in the castle. A perfect place to speak of "important business."
Luna followed her sister down the castle halls to the parlor, knowing what she wanted to talk about. It took her weeks to mentally map the castle and a little longer to remember where the parlor and the bog oak door was. Celestia had given Luna her own key to that door upon her return after learning where it led to.
Upon entering the parlor and locking the door, Celestia's face became a little more serious.
"So? Can you tell now that you were near them a second time?"
Realizing what she was talking about, Luna became serious and opened the secret shelf.
"It is as you have said, sister. All six of them are like us. Born into an existence we did not know about at first, but must bear it and the responsibilities that come with it."
She looked at Celestia sadly.
"We are missing one. But I have a feeling we will find them eventually."
Celestia nodded as she approached the case, fixated on the scales. Of the items that were present, it was the scales that was without a known owner. The intensity of her stare broke as Luna asked a question she had asked herself hundreds of times.
"When are we to tell them?" Luna asked with uncertainty.
Turning her gaze back to Luna, Celestia answered her.
"I have a date set. I just hope when we tell them, it all goes well."
First Weekend of Spring…
Twilight Sparkle kept her gaze on Canterlot Castle as she rode the Friendship Express with her friends. An hour ago, Spike burped up a letter from Princess Celestia, telling her to come to Canterlot with her friends immediately. Immediately, her first question was "did I do something wrong?" While it was normal for her to get letters from Celestia, it is only on rare and urgent occasions that she was summoned on urgent business.
She couldn't help but wonder what happened. Did Discord escape from his stone prison again? Did Luna have a relapse? A new threat to Equestria? Or worse…a test she didn't study for?!
After Spike got her to stop hyperventilating, he and Twilight split up to gather their friends. Upon hearing that Princess Celestia required their assistance, every pony dropped what they were doing (or in Pinkie Pie's case, eating it,) and made their way to the train. Now, they were nearing the Canterlot station and every pony was antsy about what was going on.
Strangely, Rarity had picked up a new habit. Once an hour, she pulled out a small mirror and used it to examine her horn. If something was wrong with it, she let out a hushed terrified gasp and powdered it. Rainbow Dash and Applejack figured it was a fashion tip she learned in a magazine while Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie just left it alone.
But for Twilight, this was disconcerting. A unicorn's horn was a conduit for their magic. If it were to be damaged or worse, broken, the unicorn could lose their magic forever. So when Rarity began her habit, Twilight became worried. But no matter how much she tried, she couldn't get through the unicorn. Sometimes, she would be thinking of something and Rarity would blurt out an answer as if she were reading her mind. Sometimes with helpful tips, sometimes in anger. And then there were the headaches she had been getting lately.
Rarity was powdering her horn again when the train stopped at the station. After one final check, she placed the compact back into her saddle bag and stood up from her seat. As she moved, Applejack placed a hoof on her head. Like Rarity, she had been prone to headaches lately. Though these headaches had an added effect.
From what Twilight was able to find out, Applejack had been experiencing visions of unknown origin. Each vision was of events of either the near future or the distant past. In the previous week alone, Applejack foresaw a painter falling from his ladder at the Town Hall, Apple Bloom coming home with an A+ test in her mouth despite her not studying, and a surprise visit from her cousin, Apple Crisp, and her family. She also saw the Battle of Hinnysberg, the Fall of the Griffin Empire, and the ascension of Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. What's more, she hadn't remembered or even heard of these events.
Only Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie seemed normal. Well, relatively whenever Pinkie was involved. But there were also subtle changes in their lives as well. Fluttershy's garden looked like a god had landed in her garden and just stood there. Fluttershy told her all she did was give her plants the usual Tender Loving Care and they exceeded what she had grown in the past. She also swore that some of them moved while she was watching them.
Rainbow Dash ended up in a fight with Dumbbell, one of her old bullies at the Weather Factory. A fight that nearly cost her job. Dumbbell was making fun of Rainbow as usual and something caused her to snap. She lunged at Dumbbell with moves she admitted to never learning. According to the report, Rainbow was fighting with a mixture of Martial Arts and early Equestrian warfare. And history bored Rainbow!
Clearly, something was going on with her friends and Twilight ended up sending a letter to Princess Celestia after the Weather Factory Fight incident about what has been going on. She wasn't sure if Celestia could help with Rainbow's fighting abilities or Rarity's horn, but it was something Twilight felt she had to include.
As they got off, Twilight approached Applejack. She placed a hoof on her shoulder as the citrus-colored mare rubbed the space between her eyes.
"Are you ok, AJ?"
Applejack groaned as she tried to repress the new vision. But every time she resisted, the worse her headache got. Placing her hoof back on the ground, Applejack spoke.
"Ah'm fine, Twilight. Just a little headache. That's all."
Twilight frowned at Applejack's response.
"No vision?"
Applejack bit her lip. Even though she was the Element of Honesty, there was no way she was going to tell her friends what she was seeing. Her inner debate on whether or not to tell Twilight was solved when Rainbow Dash spoke in her usual impatient manner.
"Come on! Princess Celestia wants to see us now!"
Despite wanting to continue the conversation with Applejack, Twilight had to admit that this urgent meeting with the princess came first. Instead of continuing the conversation, she gave Applejack some pain killers she kept in her saddle bag for emergencies. Applejack happily took the pain killers and took them with a bottle of water from the trolley. As soon as she was done, she and Twilight joined their friends as they made their way to the castle.
The Castle, 15 minutes later…
As the Mane Six entered the castle, they were greeted by Princess Luna. Expecting a threat, Rainbow Dash immediate surveyed the castle's foyer from above.
"So where's the bad guy? If he's looking to take over Equestria, he'd better think again!"
Twilight face-hoofed as Rarity hissed.
"Rainbow Dash! Really! Remember your manners!"
Despite the scolding, Rainbow remained alert as Princess Luna cleared her throat to gain their attention.
"I apologize on behalf of my sister. When she told me that she had sent you a message summoning you, she did not state that it is not as severe as another threat. Regardless, it is none the less important."
Disappointment was not hidden from Rainbow Dash's face. Her friends knew she had been itching for a fight lately. But with no threat to Equestria present, she had become more competitive, with only Pinkie Pie and Applejack barely able to take her on. Luna frowned as she gave a glance at Rainbow. Now was the time to tell them what she and Celestia knew. But not here.
"Please. Follow me. What we are going to discuss is top secret and must be spoken in a place that is safe for us to speak."
The Mane Six kept silent as they followed the Night Princess through the castle's corridors. Each one looking antsy or in pain with only Pinkie Pie having a smile on her face. Then again, she was the Element of Laughter, after all. What wouldn't she smile to? Well, aside from broken Pinkie Promises and poisoned cupcakes.
With each step they took, anticipation grew. Of course, none of them knew that Luna was just as nervous as they were. Maybe even more. Keeping her face forward, she allowed a look of sadness to escape as they pressed on.
"I pity these mares. Once they've learned what their true destinies are, everything they know will become distorted with uncertainty and insecurity. And it is my fault. If I hadn't killed… If THEY were here, these youths would not have this fate."
Unbeknownst to the rest of the ponies, Rarity was able to hear Luna's thoughts. She wanted to voice her confusion, but the last time she voiced another pony's thoughts, she ended up having to deliver several crossed words with Spoiled Rich, the most conceited mare in all of Ponyville. Maybe even Equestria. Well, maybe not the latter as there was still the matter of a certain unicorn prince she had met at the Grand Galloping Gala.
Regardless, until she had a proper answer as to how and why she was able to read pony's minds every now and then (not to mention her current issue with her horn), Rarity had to keep silent so as not to embarrass herself or give her friends reason to think she was crazy. Not to mention that the thoughts she had just read were of royalty, for Celestia's sake!
Rarity's inner debate was enough to keep her distracted from the twists and turns Luna had led them down, passing nobles and guards alike. Fifteen minutes had passed before Twilight's voice snapped her out of her thoughts.
"Um…Princess Luna?"
Not turning her head, Luna answered the unicorn.
"Yes, Twilight Sparkle?"
Twilight gulped as she froze in place.
"We're heading in the direction of the Forbidden Wing."
The mares from Ponyville looked to Twilight in confusion. Luna, however, kept her gaze forward to keep her saddened look away from the ponies.
"Indeed, Twilight Sparkle. And the reason for your summoning concerns what is contained in the 'Forbidden Wing' as you call it. I cannot say until we meet with my sister."
"But what about…?"
"You have permission thanks to the summons. Do not fret about punishment."
As Luna continued to lead them down the corridor, Applejack took the initiative and whispered to Twilight.
"Uh…Twilight? What's 'The Forbidden Wing?'"
Stiffly walking behind Luna, Twilight answered her friends while trying to ignore the rolling pit in her stomach.
"The Forbidden Wing is the one place in the entire castle that no pony aside from the princesses is allowed to go into. Not even the guards are allowed in this wing and cleaning staff have to be supervised sharply by Celestia herself! To enter the Forbidden Wing without permission is punishable by a fate not even I know!"
Rainbow Dash cocked her head in confusion.
"You don't know? Then how do you know you can get punished for going in the Forbidden Wing?"
Twilight gulped as she spoke the words her brother told her when he first entered the guard and learned of the Forbidden Wing.
"Because whoever goes into the Forbidden Wing is never seen or heard from ever again!"
Now the ponies were worried. If Twilight was this scared about a part of the castle and what she said was true, then the reason for their summoning must be serious to be allowed in what may be the most restricted part of Equestria. They remained silent, listening to their own heartbeats as they followed Luna down the corridors of the Forbidden Wing. Light rarely showed through the thick, dark, velvet curtains and the light of candles and unicorn magic provided the only means of light for them to follow.
Fluttershy's joints were beginning to lock up as her fear grew. Rainbow puffed up her chest and kept a brave look, but her mind began to spout second-thoughts. For the first time in a while, Rarity forgot about her horn and her compact remained untouched, her thoughts silencing the voices in her mind.
With the painkillers dealing with her headache, Applejack kept her focus on what may or may not come out of the wall. Unlike her friends, Applejack welcomed the darkness as it assisted in healing her headache. Pinkie Pie, though still smiling, felt her heart race in fear with each step they took.
And Twilight? Well, her brain was overloading itself with the new questions and conundrums concocted by her tendency to overreact to the simplest things. It was enough to keep Twilight distracted until she felt a tug on her tail. Breaking out of her thoughts, Twilight turned to find Applejack holding her tail by her mouth. Twilight was about to ask when she looked ahead and found Luna standing in front of a large ornate bog oak door.
The ponies watched as the Princess of the Night's horn glowed, the sound of various locks clicking ringing in their ears. They half-expected to hear chains fall when the door opened, the hinges creaking as they despaired for oil. Peering inside, they saw nothing but darkness. As the doors ceased opening, Luna illuminated the darkness before them with her horn. With the aid of magic, the walls of what seems to be some sort of tunnel lit with the fire of two rows of torches. But even with the aid of the torches, Luna still kept her light.
"This way," she instructed as she walked down the tunnel first.
Out of impulse, Rarity and Twilight ignited their own horns, despite the former's constant attentiveness of her own horn. Applejack and Rainbow kept their gazes to the shadows, anticipating any sort of threat that may come to harm them. Fluttershy, meanwhile, froze in terror as Pinkie Pie worked to get her friend moving. Still, even Pinkie was uncertain about the tunnel before her. She jumped as Fluttershy let out a slight scream as the door closed behind them. Seeing the Pegasus beginning to hyperventilate, Luna turned around and placed a hoof on the quivering mare's shoulder.
"Do not fear. There is nothing in this tunnel that can harm you."
Despite her reassurance, Luna thought bitterly to herself as she led the six ponies down the corridor.
"Nothing save for the beast that took the ones who once ruled where we are going."
Thankfully, this thought was kept silent from one who could read them lately, for she was too concerned for what would lay beyond the darkness to hear it. As they walked, the six ponies felt a sensation like never before. Not one of malice or hunger, but rather one as if they were being welcomed home after a long journey that lasted many years.
With each step, the newcomers felt their pulses race with fear and anticipation. Many questions wanted to scream out of their throats and into the darkness so as the Princess of the Night could hear. Each step became more and more difficult to take despite their trust in the princess. They were ordinary mares from Ponyville. The only thing that was special about them was the courage they wielded when Nightmare Moon plunged the world into an eternal night and the Elements of Harmony needed to be found in order to stop her. Whether it was general courage, foolishness, or adrenaline-fueled madness remained a debatable subject.
Their hooves were beginning to feel sore when Luna finally stopped. "We are here." Biting their lips, the six mares watched as Luna opened a similar door. What laid behind was something they were never expecting. Instead of a deadly creature or some haunted caverns, they were greeted with something glorious.
Stone walls protected a massive crater with the only sources of light were torchlight, lightning insects, and an opening far enough for protection, but close enough to illuminate the crater. Instead of ash or pure stone, a garden filled with various rare and beautiful plants filled the crater with color. Several trees dotted the landscape, though they were able to see the various holes that appeared to be carved into the stone according to the detailed décor the arched entryways held. But what took them away were the nine white pillars that stood in the center of the crater on a stone dais. And on that dais stood Princess Celestia and a table covered with a white cloth, concealing objects underneath.
Seeing her sister, Luna spoke.
"We have arrived, sister."
Celestia nodded as Luna led the ponies to the dais. The Princess of the Sun couldn't help but smile as her little ponies took in the marvel of this sanctuary hidden from pony eyes. She did not need to read their thoughts to know they were heavily impressed with this place.
"Welcome, my little ponies, to the most secretive location in all of Equestria. Maybe even the world."
As they stepped onto the dais, Twilight finally managed to voice out a question even when her eyes kept marveling at the sight of this mysterious place.
"Princess Celestia? What exactly is this place?"
"And why did you summon us here?" Rarity asked, taking in the stunning beauty that was currently giving her inspiration for new ensembles and accessories.
Knowing these questions were among those that she would be asked, Celestia lifted a hoof to the sky.
"This is the Sanctuary of the Circle. A haven for the most fragile part of our land."
She let her hoof fall as she gestured to the pillars behind her.
"These are The Pillars of Equestria. The most vital monument in regards the health and safety of the land of Equestria and its neighbors."
As she shifted her gaze to the pillars, Applejack's eyes widened with surprise and familiarity.
"Ah…Ah've seen this place."
The ponies turned to the apple farmer in surprise, save for the princesses.
"Really?! When Applejack?!" Twilight practically demanded.
Rubbing her head, Applejack explained as she approached a pillar that had a rusted orange/gold band with an hourglass-like symbol engraved on it.
"Ah…Ah've been having dreams of this place lately. And every time, Ah had a feeling that…that there is something important here. Something…meant for me."
She then touched the pillar.
"This pillar here. Ah may be callin' 'horse apples,' but Ah think this pillar was calling me."
Celestia's smile fell not of sorrow, but understanding.
"That is because you were chosen, Applejack."
She then looked to the rest of the Mane 6.
"All of you were chosen by these very pillars."
Twilight raised an eyebrow in confusion.
"Chosen? What do you mean by that? Is it like the Elements of Harmony?"
As Celestia pondered the question, but it was Luna who provided the answer as she stood at her sister's side.
"In a way, yes. However, the Pillars of Equestria represent the nine principles their builders valued. The pillars serve as an observation system regarding the health of the land, physical, magical, and spiritual. As such, should anything happen to cause their destruction could render Equestria frail and hazardous for anypony to live in."
"Therefore, the pillars choose guardians to serve them and maintain them. These guardians are chosen at birth when a previous guardian dies. For example, should one guardian fall due to an incurable illness, the pillar the guardian once served selects a successor just as they are being born into this world."
Celestia added, trying to lighten the mood her sister's explanation was darkening.
"That is why we have called you here."
Using her magic, Celestia removed the cloth to reveal the comb, the pendant, the pocket watch, and the helmet. Luna held up her orb with her hooves and held it tightly like a child holding a doll.
"Celestia and I, until recently, were two of the remaining Guardians of the Pillars of Equestria. The last two members of our group: the Circle of Nine."
It was at this moment that Celestia ceased her illusion, revealing her insulated cloak as she and Luna walked to their respective pillars. Rarity bit her lip to contain a scream at the sight of the unsightly grey cloak that the Princess of the Sun was adorning.
"As Luna had stated, what the Pillars represent are nine principles that, although different, are a part of life in the world."
She motioned to Luna, who stood at the farthest left pillar.
"Luna was born to serve as the Guardian of the Pillar of Death. Aside from her duties as the Princess of the Night, Luna was gifted by her pillar with influence over spirits and the dead."
Luna held up her orb as she sat beneath her pillar.
"I can commune with those who have passed on and even raise the dead should I desire it to name a few of my abilities. My orb is my token given to me by the Pillar of Death."
She then gestured to Celestia.
"My sister, Celestia, was born to serve as the Guardian of the Pillar of Energy. As such, she is the master of harnessing and manipulating energy."
Celestia nodded as she tugged at her cloak.
"Being born as the Energy Guardian, I am capable of manipulating the various energies of the universe. From solar energy to kinetic energy, I can control them. I even use my powers connected to my pillar to move the sun. It provided me with great assistance during…" her words trailed off as she looked to Luna, saddened looks crossing their faces.
The ponies present didn't press her on to continue that sentence. Still, hoping to get some answers of her own, Rarity motioned to the cloak.
"Um…not to be rude, but why are you wearing that ghastly cloak? If you are in need, I can create a much more fashionable ensemble in a day or so."
Shifting her gaze to the unicorn, Celestia smiled softly.
"As much as I appreciate the gesture, Rarity, I am afraid I cannot part with my cloak."
Luna continued to frown as she approached the ponies.
"Celestia's insulated cloak is her token from the Pillar of Energy. The cloak serves her as a protective shield between Celestia and everypony else."
Noting the confusion, Celestia gave a proper answer.
"As the Energy Guardian, I can manipulate energy. However, the energy I had manipulated over the centuries has caused my body to seep deadly energies with or without my knowledge. Anypony who touches my bare body suffers from blistering skin and sterilized cells. Some ponies were even mutated just by a single touch of my skin."
Celestia tugged at her cloak again, her face sorrowful.
"That is why I wear this insulated cloak. To protect everypony from my secret power. And to keep it a secret, I cast an illusion spell to make my cloak invisible to all but myself."
The ponies' jaws dropped as they explained. Twilight was on the urge of having a squeal-fest. The pillars, Celestia and Luna's secret powers, there was so much for her to learn and who knows what she could discover. However, Rainbow Dash brought her back to reality.
"So…why did you call us here?"
As the ponies remembered that they were summoned, the royal sisters approached the items before them.
"The reason we called you here is because it is time for you to learn your true destinies. Destinies given to you by the Pillars of Equestria themselves." Luna spoke as Celestia lifted the helmet.
She explained as she took a few steps forward.
"I have been watching all of you for years not just for your potential as new bearers of the Elements of Harmony. Each one of you is a Guardian to a certain pillar. As Pillar Guardians ourselves, we brought you here because it is time for you to know all that you have been told and to be revealed as a Guardian."
Luna motioned Rainbow Dash to step forward as she spoke.
"Each one of you has been experiencing strange symptoms as of late. Symptoms we have been monitoring until the time was right."
Applejack blinked as she looked to the princesses.
"Ya mean ya'll know about mah visions?"
The princesses nodded as Rainbow Dash stopped a couple of feet away from the princesses.
"Indeed. And everypony else's conditions as well. Thus, the time has come for us to inform you that the symptoms you have been experiencing is a sign that you have come of age to become Guardians."
Celestia faced Rainbow as she held the helmet.
"Rainbow Dash. The bearer of the Element of Loyalty. You were born to serve the Pillar of Conflict. You were chosen to be a master of warfare and battle. You are also tasked to protect your fellow Guardians from those who wish to do them harm."
She then handed the helmet to Rainbow.
"This helmet appeared at the base of the Pillar of Conflict on the day you were born. This is your token."
Rainbow's jaw fell as she received her helmet before being led by Luna to a pillar with a crimson band on it. As soon as Rainbow was stationed at her pillar, she began to squeal.
"Oh-my-gosh! Oh-my-gosh! Oh-my-gosh!"
As Luna returned, she brought Applejack with her.
"The reason you have been seeing visions of the past and future, Applejack, is because that is your power from your pillar. You were born to serve as the Guardian of the Pillar of Time. Not only can you have the visions, but you are even capable to traversing the time stream, should you wish it. However, I would highly advise against it."
Applejack, who had begun to think of using this power to save her parents, gawked at Luna.
"Why?"
Luna frowned as she picked up the pocket watch.
"Time is a very fragile thing. Think of it as a fabric. If you pull one wrong thread, the entire fabric would unravel and chaos would reign."
Applejack bit her lip as she received her pocket watch. She didn't foresee this, but she had a feeling that tempering with Time would not be in her favor. Disheartened, she returned to her pillar.
Celestia held up the pendant next before looking towards the remainder of the ponies.
"Pinkie Pie? Please step forward."
Pinkie obeyed, but she happily bounced to her place in front of the princess, excited to find out what she was going to be the Guardian of. Her infectious smile made itself known on Celestia as she presented Pinkie with the pendant.
"I have a feeling you have already known that you would be the Guardian of the Pillar of Dimension. It is very clever of you to create pocket dimensions in the most unlikely places for any sort of emergency."
Pinkie's friends gaped once again. Now Pinkie's storage abilities made sense! In fact, some of them were almost envious of her. *cough-cough Twilight cough-cough* Luna, however, quickly spoke up.
"But don't go and abuse your powers to invite things from other dimensions. Like the time stream, the dimensional barriers are fragile. Not to mention there are things out in other dimensions who could harm ponies without a second thought."
Despite the harsh information, Pinkie happily bounced to where Luna indicated was her pillar, donning her pendant as she did.
Luna then lifted the comb and gave a soft smile to Fluttershy.
"You need not fear this, Fluttershy."
Despite her anxiety, Fluttershy stepped forward as Luna placed the comb in Fluttershy's mane.
"Even without your Pillar's blessing, you are easily suited to be the Guardian of the Pillar of Nature. Your compassion for animals exceeds everypony else's and you could commune with them on a deeper level. However, you hold more power than you realize. Such as mastery over plants and even the weather. In fact, were it not the fact that our roles as Guardians must be kept secret unless necessary, you could control all of Equestria's weather, should you wish it."
Fluttershy marveled at the information as she was being led to her pillar. In fact, she was very pleased. And to the others, it was not exactly a surprise that Fluttershy. In fact, they actually smirked at how accurate the Pillar of Nature had been when it chose Fluttershy as its new Guardian.
Seeing no more items, Rarity and Twilight looked to the princesses in confusion.
"If there are nine pillar tokens, then where are the others?" Twilight asked curiously.
Luna answered as she returned.
"Not all of you are present. We are, as of now, unable to identify who the States Guardian is. It may be some time before we find him or her. When the time comes, we shall give them the scales the Pillar of States bequeathed to them."
She then motioned Rarity forward.
"You, Rarity, have long received your token."
Confused, Rarity tilted her head.
"Really? I would have recalled it if I actually possess such a gift." Luna motioned to Rarity's horn.
"You have been tending to it all day, actually." A
s if on cue, Celestia pulled out a damp washcloth from the basin and rubbed it on Rarity's horn. The unicorn was about to panic when she heard gasps. She bit her lip as she looked up at her horn. Twilight's eyes widened at the sight. Instead of the usual white velvet or bone as seen in Unicorn horns, Rarity's was pure crystal. A clear crystal horn shone in the sunlight like a prism. Rarity's eyes began to water as Luna spoke.
"You have discovered this recently, correct?"
Rarity nodded as she explained between sobs.
"hic… I…it is awful! I was tending to my horn…hic…when my velvet began to…peel! I know peeling velvet is…normal. But when I peeled it, this crystal…"
Now Twilight understood why Rarity was careful with her horn. What pony possesses a natural crystal horn? And what happened to the bone that made up her original horn? So many questions!
Luna spoke as she comforted Rarity as best as she could.
"You are among the few who were born with their tokens. Your skull was originally bone. But over the years, it became crystal. Your horn was the last bone needed to be crystallized. That is because you, Rarity, are the Guardian of the Pillar of the Mind. As such, you are gifted with powers of mental and psychic ability. Even though you are a unicorn, your being born the Mind Guardian has enhanced your mental abilities. Your crystal skull is your token."
Still, Rarity disliked her horn. How could she be seen in public with a crystal horn!? Seeing Rarity's distress, Fluttershy decided to speak up.
"Um…I think it's a lovely horn, Rarity. Maybe, I mean, if somepony askes, you could tell them…it's an accessory?"
Fluttershy's words made Rarity's tear-filled eyes widen with surprise. She had never thought of calling the horn an accessory! A lovely deformity, maybe, but never an accessory. Maybe she could work something with it after all.
As Rarity took her place at the base of the Pillar of the Mind, Celestia approached Twilight with a proud smile.
"As for you, Twilight. You were born with the most important role the Pillars could give."
Twilight raised an analytical eyebrow.
"Most important role?"
Celestia nodded as she led Twilight to the centermost pillar.
"When you had your magical outburst at your exam, not only did I sense that you had the potential to become the Bearer of the Element of Magic, but you were born as one of my fellow Guardians. Your role involves you maintaining the balance of the world regarding magic amongst many things. You are born to the leader of the Pillars. Your token given to you by your pillar is your very soul."
She then gestured to the pillar before them.
"You are Twilight Sparkle: Guardian of the Pillar of Balance."
Twilight froze. The overwhelming information, the many questions, the roles given to her and her friends, and the explanation of their symptoms as of late. All of this was too much information for Twilight to handle all at once.
Twilight Sparkle's world went black as she fainted.
A Week before the Revelation of the new Pillar Guardians…
Deep in a forest whose name has long been forgotten,a lone figure in a derelict cabin was in the process of grinding ingredients in a mortar and pestle. The darkness of the cabin made it hard for anypony to see what was going on. But this was no ordinary pony. She was about to finish with the mortar when the door to her cabin opened, letting in rare amounts of light. The pony didn’t turn around, just continued with her work. However, she knew who was at the door. With a smile creeping on her face, she spoke with a sultry, elegant voice.
“Princess Celestia. It has been a long time. To what do I owe this pleasure?”
Celestia kept a strong, serious face as she looked at the shadowed figure. Inside, however, she was nervous. She knew the mare she was speaking to was dangerous and if it weren’t for the protective spells on herself and the spells she had cast on the figure, chances were she would’ve been attacked. For this mare was not just a hermit.
She was a ruthless criminal whose crimes marked her for Equestria’s rarest punishment: execution.
Only the princess’ orders kept that from happening. Despite being a criminal, the mare had her uses. As long as she kept the metaphorical leash and collar, the mare wouldn’t dare take advantage of her being alone. Tugging on her insulated cloak, the princess proceeded to speak.
“I will not meander about with what I came here for. I am in need of your assistance.”
The figure raised an eyebrow as she poured the mortar’s contents into a nearby bottle, using dark golden magic to assist her.
“My assistance? Whatever for? Are you in need of a spy? My potions and poisons? A thief? Or an assassin? Potions, I can understand. The rest, however, would mean there is a threat from outside you cannot deal with on diplomatic terms, or you want a threat dealt with quietly and discreetly.”
Celestia shook her head, trying to keep her composure.
“None of those, exactly. I have come not only as Princess of Equestria, but as the Guardian of the Pillar of Energy.”
This caught the figure’s interest more as she grabbed a plant Celestia recognized as Deadly Nightshade and placed its berries into a glass bottle before placing the plant into the mortar. Celestia held an analytical eye as she thought to herself.
“She must be making a poison. But why? And who is it for?”
An amused sound brought Celestia out of her thoughts as the mare spoke.
“As both a princess and a Guardian? My, this is important. You always came to me as one or the other. Usually for spying and potions. But to come as both… I must ask, what is it that you ask of me? A lowly criminal who was supposed to be dead centuries ago.”
Celestia held her tongue for a minute. Speaking with this mare was like walking in a room full of broken glass. One wrong step and she will bleed. Still, this mare was the only one who could handle her request.
“I have come to ask you on behalf of the new Guardians of the Pillars of Equestria. Come to them and be their tutor.”
The figure froze as her magic continued to make the powder. Silence dominated them both for a good while. Then, the figure spoke again. This time, in a voice that was both amused and menacing.
“Me? A tutor to the fledgling Guardians? My, my, princess. Quite the witticism you came up with. Though I am afraid your joke fell quite short of humorous.”
Celestia stood firm.
“It is not a joke. It is the honest truth.”
A dark laugh escaped the figure as she poured the ground up nightshade into the first bottle.
“Honest? Since when are you honest? True, your kingdom is better off not knowing about the Pillars. Even calling the founders of your so-called Elements of Harmony ‘The Pillars.’
“But to deny them the harsh realities I had to face in my entire existence? To let them live a fabrication of peace when the world is currently divided between purity and corruption? Peace and War? Life and Death? Good versus Evil? And let us not forget that your kingdom up until a few months ago had all but forgotten Princess Luna and branded her with her Nightmare Moon persona.
“So tell me. What exactly do I acquire for assisting you in keeping this lie up? I suppose you cannot give me what I truly desire. So why exactly should I tutor mild-mannered brats on how to do their duty? And what compensation do I get in return?”
“No choice. I knew something like this was coming. I guess it is time to play my trump card.”
Present Day…
Twilight slowly stirred from her fainting spell, allowing the colors of the waking world to penetrate the darkness. She could hear the muffled sound of her friends’ voices becoming clearer as she stirred.
“Look! She’s waking up!” a muffled Applejack echoed in her head.
But as she stirred, two memories popped up in Twilight’s head. The first was when she and her friends fought Nightmare Moon. It was when she was trying to ignite the stones she thought were the Elements of Harmony that Nightmare Moon spoke in a soft whisper that Twilight was surprised that she had missed it.
“So history repeats itself. They came against me before. And just like with them, I'll destroy you!”
After that, the second memory appeared. It was a recent memory. Discord had won and all of the Element Bearers had turned against her element, their coats and manes becoming pale grey. Even Twilight was despondent when it appeared that their friendship was too far gone to be saved. It was when Discord tried to provoke her by telling her that Chaosville was her new home. When she made her way to the library, Discord laughed, but said something that she had completely forgotten.
“Hmm. Considering what you are, I thought I would be in for a tougher fight. But since I took care of six of you in one fell swoop, it seems that Balance can finally take a hike! Ha-ha!”
Those memories made the gears in Twilight’s head turn. Did Nightmare Moon and Discord knew that Twilight and her friends were these “guardians?” Well, Nightmare Moon, maybe. But Discord? So many questions ran through Twilight’s mind and not an answer in sight. It was making her head hurt even more.
Suddenly, something appeared in front of her nose. It smelled fine, but not delectable. Like a soda without its fizz.
“Drink this, Balance Guardian. It will clear your head.” A new voice spoke.
Though unsure about trusting this voice, the fact that the smell had not left meant that her friends were letting her have this “drink.” After being helped up by two pairs of hooves, Twilight took the drink and began to sip it.
She was right. It tasted just like fizz-less cherry cola. But it was still better than the cough medicine she had to take as a foal. With each sip, Twilight perked up even more until finally she completely woke up and her vision cleared. Her friends had gathered around her while the princesses looked over them at her. Seeing her conscious, Celestia sighed in relief.
“Thank goodness.”
She then beheld a sorrowful look.
“I apologize. I know the information I had just shared with all of you was a lot to take in. I had not anticipated that you of all ponies would succumb to being overwhelmed.”
Twilight blushed as she continued to drink the tonic.
“I-It’s alright, princess. I wasn’t prepared for this.”
Finishing her drink, Twilight stood up, her friends huddling close to make sure she didn’t fall again. Celestia sighed again as she turned to something behind her.
“Thank you for that tonic. This meeting could not take another moment to delay.”
Hearing Celestia speak, Twilight looked behind her mentor and the one who supposedly gave her the tonic.
She was a beautiful unicorn about a half-a-head shorter than Celestia but still taller than Luna. Her coat was a dark grey and her mane and tail were an inky black that flowed towards her hooves. She had only a pair of small, gold hoop earrings in her ears. However, her eyes conveyed a different story, as they were golden but bore slit pupils like a reptile’s.
Those eyes unnerved Twilight.
Using golden magic from her horn, the mysterious mare retrieved the bottle that Twilight had in her hooves and replaced it with a glass bottle filled with clean water.
“It was better than letting the Balance Guardian lie there unconscious. Especially since she caused a temporary magic drop due to the stress.” The dark-maned mare spoke with a velvety voice that could charm any creature.
Twilight tilted her head.
“Magic drop?”
The mare was quick to speak before either Celestia or Luna could.
“As the Balance Guardian, you have a strong connection to the magic of the world. At least…this half of it. When you collapsed, a bit of your untapped potential caused nearly every creature to lose their unique magic for more than two minutes. Thankfully, it was nothing serious as you have only tasted a sliver of that power.”
More questions ran through Twilight’s mind with a mixture of excitement and worry. Looking at her friends, she saw that they were not exactly bouncing around in enthusiasm. Then again, she did faint upon learning of her role. She looked to the mysterious mare.
“Well…thank you for the tonic, Miss…?”
With a knowing look in her eyes, Celestia made the motion to introduce the mare. Though her hood tried to hide her face, Twilight could see caution in her mentor’s eyes.
“Everypony. This is Medusa. She is to be your tutor in the ways of the Pillars.”
Before anypony could speak, Rarity gasped, her crystal horn glistening in the faint light.
“YOU’RE A VAMPIRE?!”
The other five ponies gawked at Rarity for her outburst while the princesses flinched. Medusa’s eyes widened before a slight velvety chuckle escaped her lips.
“Perhaps it would be best to first teach you how to block your telepathic abilities, Mind Guardian. An outburst like that would most likely draw unwanted attention.”
Hearing this, Rarity “meeped” as she covered her mouth in embarrassment. Seeing the growing agitation in the Conflict Guardian and the cowardice of the Nature Guardian, the dark mare proceeded to speak.
“Still, what she said is true. I am a vampire.”
She then gave a slight glare at Celestia and Luna.
“Or should I say ‘was?’”
Seeing the unnerving expressions on the Mane Six’s faces, Celestia was quick to speak.
“Do not worry, everypony. Medusa is under control.”
“In more ways than one.” Medusa muttered, gaining a glare from the princesses.
The younger ponies gulped at the glare-fest that was going on. None of them had ever met a pony who was willing to berate or be crass towards the rulers of Equestria. If fact, the ponies from Ponyville had a feeling that if anypony said anything bad about Princess Celestia, Twilight would go into an anxiety attack.
So to prevent that from happening, Rainbow Dash was quick to ask a question.
“Uh…princesses? Why exactly is a vampire our tutor? How does she know about the Pillars?”
Upon hearing the question, the glaring trio ended their glaring contest while Celestia took the reins on the conversation again.
“Well, Rainbow Dash. Medusa hails from Nosgoth, a kingdom on the other side of the world. It is the place where the Pillars and their architects originated. Her sire is also the last Guardian on that side of the Pillars.”
Her knowledge-seeking mindset on, Twilight was quick to ask “What do you mean ‘where the Pillars originated?’ And her sire?”
But instead of answering, Celestia turned to Medusa with a knowing smirk.
“I believe this is your question to answer, Instructor.”
Medusa narrowed her golden eyes at Celestia before facing her student. Sighing, she relaxed but kept a strict look on her face like that of a serious schoolmarm.
“Eons ago, the Pillars of Nosgoth, or the ‘Pillars of Equestria’ here, were built by the ancient vampires as a way to monitor the land, managing the magic and welfare of their location. But that is not the true purpose.”
“Th-then…what is the true purpose?” Fluttershy nervously asked.
The vampire mare froze for a moment. She contemplated telling them the true purpose of the Pillars, but considering the current state of the young Guardians, she held her tongue.
“I better hold on to that information for a later time. If they learn the truth too soon, it could have disastrous consequences.”
She then waved a hoof nonchalantly.
“It is nothing for you to worry about right now. What is important is that the Pillars have a great purpose. And as Guardians, you are chosen by your Pillars to serve them and maintain them. I will instruct you how as time goes by.”
“And…your sire?” Twilight urged.
Remembering the second question the young unicorn asked, Medusa answered, standing still.
“My sire is the last living member of Nosgoth’s Circle of Nine and the current Balance Guardian of the Pillars of Nosgoth.”
She motioned to Twilight.
“Your Nosgothic counterpart, Miss Sparkle.”
The way the grey mare spoke that statement made Twilight’s blood freeze. Medusa saw this. She saw the fear in her eyes. Shrugging her shoulders, she peeked into a brown saddlebag she had nearby.
“I would not worry. Only on absolutely rare occasions do Equestrian and Nosgothic Circles meet. So you have no need to fear a meeting with him in the near future. Besides. I doubt Kain knows of this side of the world.”
A shiver ran up Twilight’s spine. Kain. That was her counterpart’s name. The sire of her instructor. Something told her that if she were to ever meet him, Equestrian conduct would make her be seen as prey.
Rarity’s voice snapped Twilight out of her thoughts as the unicorn proceeded to ask her question.
“I hate to interrupt an interesting conversation, but how much do you know exactly about the Pillars, Miss…err…Lady Medusa?”
Much to everypony’s surprise, Medusa chuckled.
“No one has ever referred to me as ‘Lady’ in a long time. I had nearly forgotten how it felt like to have a title. As for your question, Mind, I have more knowledge of the Pillars than even Kain himself. Mostly thanks to my original mortal life. But I would rather not dive into that well. What is important is that I know enough to teach countless generations of Guardians. As long as I remain alive, that is.”
Wanting to move on, Celestia spoke up.
“I can assure all of you that Medusa is indeed qualified to teach you all about what it means to be Guardians. I would not have called on her if I did not trust her knowledge.”
She then fell silent as Medusa proceeded to speak again to the new Circle.
“I will instruct an hour per Guardian every day. And I mean every day. That includes that weekends. With your powers, we cannot afford breaks. Each one of you has powers that could both be a benefit and a detriment to yourselves and your people.”
She made a motion to Twilight, causing the unicorn to flinch slightly.
“Lady Twilight Sparkle here demonstrated one such consequence of untrained magic. I have comprised the following order for who I shall instruct.”
She pointed to the following ponies: Pinkie Pie, Twilight Sparkle, Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash.
“Dimension, Balance, Mind, Time, Nature, and Conflict.”
And just like that, Rainbow found her first complaint.
“What?! I’m last!? Why?!”
Medusa rolled her eyes as she answered her most volatile pupil.
“Because your abilities will be the easiest to control. Miss Pie and her Dimension powers, however, are the most dangerous.”
This surprised every pony, save for the princesses who watched. Pinkie blinked in surprised and horror.
“Me?! Dangerous?!”
Medusa nodded, proceeding with her very first lesson to the new Dimension Guardian.
“As the Dimension Guardian, you have the ability to peer into, and even cross, the Three Dimensions. The one we are in is known as the Material Realm. The other two are the Realm of the Dead: the Spectral Realm; and the Demon Realm.”
Fluttershy became extremely pale and shaking in fear.
“D-d-d-d-d-d-d-demons?”
Medusa nodded as she returned her attention to Pinkie Pie.
“The Spectral and Demon Realms are the reasons why Dimension is considered one of the more dangerous of the Pillars. Especially the Demon Realm. Princess Luna, as the Guardian of the Pillar of Death, can inform you of the Spectral Realm itself. I can teach you how to control your abilities on a certain condition.”
Pinkie gulped.
“And…that is?”
Medusa became even more serious, her gaze fixed on Pinkie.
“Never, under any circumstance, tamper with the veil that separates the three realms. Do not enter said realms, do not bring anything out. Especially the Demon Realm. Among the three planes, the Demon Realm is OFF LIMITS to all. To even peer into would risk the world to an army of bloodthirsty demons. Princess Celestia has informed me of you…preferred hobby. No festivities of any kind can appease them. When it comes to demons, it is kill or be killed.”
Twilight, while opposed to Medusa’s harshness to Pinkie, understood her reasoning. While this knowledge is, indeed, impressive, to misuse it could prove disastrous. If Pinkamena Diane Pie foolishly invited the demons of the Demon Realm to Equestria in the hopes to spread her cheer with a party, those hopes would be destroyed at an instant. Not even Twilight knew if they were capable of handling demons.
“Wh…what about creating pocket dimensions?” Pinkie suddenly asked.
Her question caught everypony, including Medusa, off guard.
“Pocket dimensions?”
Pinkie nodded, her hoof tracing a circle in the ground.
“I…I knew I had these powers ever since I was a filly. But I didn’t know what they were exactly. When I started becoming a Party Pony, I decided to use my power to create pocket dimensions that I can store things and take them out. I have many pocket dimensions in Ponyville for any case of emergency.”
The other members of the new Circle gawked at Pinkie’s confession.
“That…explains so much.” Rainbow spoke up.
The other members of the Mane Six found themselves agreeing with Rainbow Dash as Medusa thought for a moment about Pinkie’s pocket dimension question.
“I suppose if the pocket dimension does not tear into the Spectral and Demon Realms, pocket dimensions are allowed.”
That perked Pinkie up a bit as Princess Celestia approached them again, choosing to stand next to Medusa.
“As she has demonstrated, Medusa is more than qualified to teach you about your new abilities and how to harness them. As we speak, her cabin is relocating to the Everfree Forest, where she can be near Ponyville while still choosing isolation.”
Applejack was the one to speak as she and her friends found themselves confused at Medusa’s housing choice.
“The Everfree Forest? Why there?”
Medusa gave a smirk that was somewhere between playful and sadistic.
“With the way I hunt, the creatures of this forest shall not bother me.”
At that moment, Fluttershy and Rarity fainted while the others became disturbed at what Medusa had said. Luna was quick with her disapproval.
“Please do not terrorize our ponies, Medusa. The last thing any of us want is for you to spread fear amongst the populace.”
Ignoring Medusa’s words, Celestia cleared her throat, gaining the attention of the conscious ponies.
“Please forgive Medusa’s ‘sense of humor.’ Nosgoth is a dark land. And in Nosgoth, one must do what they can to survive.”
Medusa didn’t say anything, seemingly disappointed to not frighten the ponies anymore. Still, she had her work cut out for her.
“In any case, there is another reason why I am to live in your so-called forbidden forest. Your lessons will take place at my cabin. The less ponies see you practice your powers, the better. And as per the unwritten law of the Circle of Equestria, you cannot explain your roles or your abilities to others freely. If you wish for your families to know, then the eight of you must take part in a council, with Celestia and Luna as your seniors. Do you understand?”
The ponies nodded, looking to the princesses for support. Celestia and Luna looked at each other, nodded, and then returned their gaze to the younger members of the Circle.
“You may tell your families about what is going on. But they must swear an oath to not reveal the secrets, lest they fall to unwanted ears.”
The Mane Six (after Rarity and Fluttershy regained consciousness,) nodded in agreement. Sighing in relief, Celestia spoke again.
“Then let us retire for the day. Those of you who have tokens from the Pillars, please take them with you. They are yours for eternity.”
The Mane Six nodded and the ones that bore tokens went to retrieve them.
Applejack was quick to pick up the pocket watch the Pillar of Time gave her. As soon as she touched it, she could swear that she felt the River of Time flow with every tick.
Fluttershy took the comb and felt the warm embrace of Mother Nature and the Pillar of Nature. It was as if every aspect of nature was carved into the comb that sat in her hooves.
Rainbow Dash, like Applejack, was quick to retrieve her token. She admired the helmet and how cool it looked and was stoked that it was the Pillar of Conflict (the coolest Pillar in her opinion) that gave it to her.
Pinkie was the last to retrieve her token, the eye pendent. Upon touching it, she felt the warmth of the Material Realm, the cold of the Spectral Realm, and the terrifying hot power that emanated from the Demon Realm.
Every mare held her token tightly as they, along with Rarity and Twilight, left for their rooms, the knowledge they have recently gained weighing heavily on their minds. Once they left, Medusa looked to the princesses.
“I best take my leave, as well. Some of my herbs are very delicate and need my personal touch if they are to be transplanted properly.”
Celestia nodded, allowing Medusa to disintegrate into a flock of bats and flew out of the hollow mountain. As soon as they were alone, Luna looked to her sister, uneasy.
“Are you certain about her, sister? You do remember the Blood Year, correct?”
Celestia sighed at the mention of the date. The date that Medusa made her presence known in Equestria. Their kingdom’s darkest hour. And how the vampire was the cause of it.
“I know, Luna. I’ve never forgotten that terrible time. But without someone other than ourselves to teach the new generation of Guardians, I am afraid that Medusa of Nosgoth is our only choice of tutor.”
“And do you plan on keeping her crimes a secret from them, Celestia?” Luna questioned.
Celestia answered, stoically. “If she get out of hoof, I’ll tell Twilight of Medusa’s crimes. She will then inform her friends once she has processed the information.”
Luna frowned. She did not like the six Element Bearers being under the tutelage of such a creature, much less be in the same vicinity as her. But Celestia was right. While they could teach the six ponies themselves, their roles as princesses of Equestria were very important.
She sighed as she held up a hoof, revealing a silver locket with a sapphire crescent moon on it. She gazed at it sadly as she thought of the one who gave it to her. And her sorrowful wish.
“Oh, Antares. If only you were here. You would’ve been the one to teach them.”
Celestia noticed the tears forming in Luna’s eyes immediately and proceeded to embrace her. She knew Luna missed Antares greatly.
After all, one can never forget their greatest love.