> My Little Pony: Journey to Midnight Castle
>  by heavens-champion
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> Prologue
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PROLOGUE

Millennia ago, the three pony tribes of Equestria lived divided, viewing each other with fear and distrust. Only with an uneasy truce did they avoid war: The Earth Pony Tribe would provide the other tribes with food, and in return, the Pegasus Tribe would provide weather, and the Unicorn Tribe would provide the light of the sun and moon. However, the truce was threatened when a series of mysterious events began to occur. A mysterious famine struck the Earth pony territories, terrible storms devastated the cloud cities of the Pegasi, and the Unicorns failed to raise the sun, causing a long night. The three tribes blamed each other for their predicament, and it seemed that war was on the horizon. There is little to no information of what caused what was now known as the Age of Turmoil, save for it being a being of pure darkness. 

When it seemed like the three pony tribes would be overwhelmed by this wicked force, hope came to them in the form of a group of mysterious, pony-like beings: the Alicorns. There are many myths and legends of what the alicorns truly were. Some say they were the children of Harmonia herself, others that they were ponies from the three tribes who discovered a new magic that gave them extraordinary powers. What is known, however, is that when they came, they united the pony tribes, whom learned that their own hatred fueled their mysterious foe. With their newfound harmony, and the alicorns leading them, they battled the darkness, casting it into the abyss, but at the cost of all but three alicorns. Their names were Solaris, Oceanus and Majesty, young alicorns with great magical power. After the battle ended, the ponies founded Equestria, and Solaris and Majesty were made their king and queen, for as alicorns, they represented all three of the tribes. Oceanus, however, married the queen of the Seaponies, and became the king of Aquastria.

Years after the Age of Turmoil passed, and King Solaris and Queen Majesty ruled Equestria with fairness and justice, with Starswirl the Bearded, a powerful unicorn sorcerer, as their advisor, and the leaders of the three pony tribes as their council. One day, Queen Majesty gave birth to two alicorn fillies: Celestia and Luna. Celestia was the eldest, and she was given dominion over the sun. Luna was the youngest, and she was given dominion over the moon. With control over the sun and moon given to the two sisters, the king and queen had more time to perform their other duties. It was also during this time when the kobold sage known as the Moochick became a member of the Royal Court, and Celestia's closest friend. Peace reigned throughout Equestria. But it was not to last. Years later, the kingdom was attacked by Grogar, the cunning and cold-blooded emperor of Tambelon. He sought Equestria for its power and resources, as well as to enslave the ponies. Soon, the First War between Light and Darkness began. Not much is known about the war, save for the forging of the Elements of Harmony, the imprisonment of Discord, the disappearance of Starswirl and the Pillars, the death of King Solaris and Queen Majesty as they protected Celestia and Luna from Grogar, Celestia using dark magic for the first time, and many myths and legends.

With the end of the First War, Celestia and Luna became the new rulers of Equestria, ruling with fairness and justice, just as their parents did. Throughout this time, the sisters made peace with the outlying kingdoms, and the other equine races in Equestria would gain representatives in the royal council. Thus, the League of Kingdoms was formed. Also during this time, a significant number of unicorns began to show great magical potential, rivalling that of Starswirl the Bearded. Princess Celestia sought one of these unicorns, a mare named Twilight Radiance, who became the founder of the Celestial Order of Mages, and helped Celestia found the School for Gifted Unicorns, a place where unicorn ponies with great magical talent would come and hone their arcane abilities. Elsewhere, the Apple Clan, a vast family of Earth Ponies, would found the village of Ponyville, and become Equestria's major source of apple production. In response to griffon and diamond dog raids, the brave Pegasus pony, Firefly, would found the Wonderbolts, a military force comprised of the best Pegasus fliers in Equestria. Peace reigned in the kingdoms. But like before, the peace ended in conflict. From the realm of Tragora, Tirek, a cruel and ruthless centaur sorcerer, and his brother Scorpan, a powerful gargoyle warrior, came to Equestria, with a vast army following them, hoping to conquer the realm, and doom the world to eternal darkness. Tirek conquered much of Equestria and its neighbors, bringing death and destruction in his wake. However, Celestia and Luna gathered the ponies and their allies, forming a great host, and marched against the forces of darkness. The Second War between Light and Darkness was long and terrible, but with the power of the Elements of Harmony, the Moochick, and Celestia, Tirek and his servants were defeated, but at the cost of Princess Luna, who was corrupted by Tirek into Nightmare Moon in the final stages of the war. In the final battle, channeling the anger she had felt throughout the war, Celestia unleashed her full magical power, combined with the Elements and the Moochick's magic, and banished Tirek and his forces to the Midnight Realms, her sister joining him before she could finish her spell. 

The Second War between Light and Darkness was won, and peace was restored, but Celestia was heartbroken with the loss of Luna, the only family she had left after the death of their mother and father. Since that day, she took it upon herself to raise both the sun and moon. But she knew that it would not be long until Equestria would be threatened again, for Tirek himself vowed that he would return in a thousand years, and Nightmare Moon would be with him. Thus, Celestia and the Moochick would make preparations for the day when Tirek would return. A thousand years later, and Equestria was at peace. But soon, darkness would encroach upon it once more, innocents, both pony-kind and other creatures will be threatened, friendships will be forged and tested, the past will meet the present, loyalties will be questioned, and new heroes will rise to oppose it. And these heroes would not be of royal blood, but the most simple souls in the most unlikely places.