The Alicorn of the Sun watched the men before her as they went through the last of their mission preparations. They took turns inspecting the tightness of their partner's armors, made sure the horns on their heads were plenty sharp, and for the first time in many years, inspected the sharpness of the heels and fores of the pointed hoofshoes. They hadn't actually needed such weapons for thousands of years, training and keeping up with them based solely on tradition. In a way Celestia was glad they'd kept it up.

Over fifty guards had volunteered for the mission. While a missing pony was definitely considered high-priority, it took second to the suspicious activity happening all over Equestria. It was supposed to have a base of ten, with a volunteer option. Over forty had turned up, many of them being familiar with Twilight, having guarded her over the span of her stay in Canterlot. It warmed Celestia to see so many were concerned with her safety.

Hero approached Celestia from a side door, and bowed briefly before speaking. "Princess, all pre-mission inspections have been made. We are ready to sweep for Twilight Sparkle and Rainbow Dash. We just need your order to begin the flight." Celestia nodded, and Hero stood in front of his men.

What few knew was that Hero did not join the mission solely to find Sparkle. He had an inkling that finding her would lead them closer to cracking the mystery of this whole ordeal. The more he thought about it, the less it made sense to himself, but his gut was absolutely sure that going to Sparkle would reveal everything he needed to know. When his gut was as knotted as it was now, he knew better than to question it. It had never steered him wrong before.

Celestia had taken her place at the top of her throne while Hero thought to himself. If Sparkle was truly the key to all of this, then perhaps she could guide him to finding the invaders and punishing them. She may have learned something… "Men, I understand this is not something we're accustomed to." Celestia started, eyes opening again to look over the many soldiers under her. "The idea of invaders, of violence, of warfare and pony napping has long felt far away and impossible. We've grown used to the peace, and the citizens have long held you as symbols of honor, but relics of days gone by."

The men stood at attention as Celestia slowly paced in front of her throne. "I have honestly wished that I could disband the royal guard, as I never wanted to feel there was a possible attack ever aimed at Equestria, but through my many years and my exploration as a younger Princess I have seen not all are as peaceful as us. I've always hoped that the potential for war was just a distant nightmare, but we are being forced to play our hoof in this matter."

She sat again, her chin raised high as she stared down at her men, unaware her speech was being heard in secrecy. "You have been trained in combat and tactics for this purpose. You have been worked into peak form and master fliers for this purpose. You are to find the young ponies taken by the invaders, and to put a stop to the ponies making themselves our enemies. My trust in you is full. Know that though I cannot watch you, you have my blessings. Go, in good faith and Equestria's name, may you find our enemies."

A hundred and twelve wings spread in unison, and they turned to face the open door and balcony leading towards the rising sun. Their wings beat rapidly as one as Hero walked down the middle of the many rows of soldiers and took charge up front. He lifted into the sky and flew outwards, followed closely by his men. Celestia watched them go with sadness in her face, wondering if they were truly prepared for potential combat.

She watched the black specks disappear into the distance and shut her eyes, hoping this war could be stopped before it started. In the absence of her vision, she did not notice another black speck make its way towards the sun.

She did not see Luna with a most determined look on her face.

---

The pillows, though obviously old and unused, not broken in by weight and softened by bodies, were comfortable enough. Tanat had insisted that before he begin his speech, Dash and Twilight were to get comfortable. There was much he had to do, he had to explain, before he could begin. As far as Dash could see, that involved standing behind the crystal ball on the stand with his eyes shut and not move a muscle.

Twilight was softly chewing on what looked like a fruit and a slug at the same time. The big octopus-headed thing had pulled all of these out of seemingly no where, setting a bowl of flesh-colored "Pony Food" as he'd called it before them. Honestly, they looked disgusting, and Twilight's face didn't really inspire any confidence.

"It tastes like…" Twilight stared at the fruit. "Like an orange and an apple soaked in sea water…" She mumbled, sniffing the bite she took. It was crunchy at least and had a layer of fuzz on its hull, and the inside looked like it had layers.

"Ugh, can I pass?" Dash grumbled, her stomach growling heavily as she stared at what amounted to food.

"This is our first opportunity to eat in who knows how many hours. Look, it's not great but you might as-" Dash shoved one of pieces of fruit into Twilight's mouth, making her shut up and chew slowly in annoyance. Dash just smiled quietly.

The distraction was nice, it really way, knowing they were officially in a safe place despite the creature just feet away from them, but really, she was brimming with questions and demands. She had seen her brother everywhere here, so where was he? Was he just an illusion like the other tests? Her stomach on top of feeling hungry felt very low as she considered the possibility. To be tricked like this, thinking she'd see Teller again, it angered her…

But being back with Twilight was sort of worth it. The unicorn was trying to push one of the fruit into her hooves but Dash avoided it, even leaping off of her cushion to avoid it, making Twilight giggle as she chased with the fruit in her mouth. "Keep that nasty thing away from me Twilight! Don't make me pounce you!" She shouted.

No enemies. No danger. No constantly having to push forward or think her way out. Just had to play keep-away-from with Twilight. Yet her body wouldn't let her relax. This was the most comfort they'd had since this whole trial began yet her nerves were set on the edge, nearing the fraying point. She was expecting at any moment for Tanat to turn around and try to eat them, or to find herself in another mirror puzzle, or to find Twilight was fake…

She stared at Twilight as the pony took a pouncing stance, ready to spring in any direction that Dash chose. Dash watched her carefully. She looked very much like Twilight, and she'd certainly felt real, but somehow this place knew about her little brother too, knew about his words, his death, what really hurt her… Who knew what else it could do?

Rather than springing to the left or the right, or backing into the shelf behind her, Dash slowly crept forward, matching Twilight's stance. The two stared at each other for a long while, both getting ready to attack the other. Twilight was acting odd. She was rarely this playful or this aggressive. In a way it felt more… Real? The place was getting her all wrong, rather than trying to make her calmly reason with Dash, Twilight was acting like a happy little filly.

Well, she supposed she should be happy. She was out of prison, out of this place's tests, and was back with her friend. Dash felt a little more calm as she thought about it. This wasn't the Twilight she was used to, what Laputa would have made to give her a test.

Dash sprung forward and Twilight squeaked as she was tackled, dazing her long enough for Dash to grab the fruit and march away in triumph. Twilight had to blink her eyes rapidly before looking up to watch Dash eat. "Ugh…" Dash mumbled after swallowing and glancing to Twilight. "I think I'd prefer plain old bread…"

"It's not that bad…" Twilight insisted with a tiny smile as Dash finished the fruit and grabbed another. The two shared the bowl, eating each one and filling their bellies before returning to their cushions. Despite the taste, it had actually filled them up as promised. It felt good. To be full, that is, since the past few days she'd been living off old grain or wet straw.

Dash made sure they while they rested together that their sides would be touching. She needed the comfort, and she knew Twilight would want it too.

"My preparations are complete." Came Tanat's guttural voice in their head. Twilight had been the first to notice his tentacles never moved when he spoke. She had the feeling Tanat did not talk through his mouth. "And my thoughts have been collected. I am ready to tell you the history of Equestria." He lowered his arms, and with a wave of his finger, the two ponies and their cushions were pulled forward, as if on puppet strings.

They stared at him in slight shock, before Dash broke out of it, "Wait wait wait, what do you mean you're going to tell us the history of Equestria? We know the history, we learned it every year as kids and hear it every year from Canterlot's storytellers during Celestia's Sun Ceremony. It started when Princess Celestia and Princess Luna-"

"It did not start with Celestia or Luna, as the storytellers say. It did not even start with their birth. Rather, my story ends with their birth." Tanat interrupted, and the two glanced at each other before back to Tanat.

"You're not making much sense. What about Anemone's 'final request'? What does that have to do with us?" Twilight asked as Dash's ears flattened. Celestia was thousands of years old, right? As far as she knew, Celestia was the beginning of Equestria.

"Anemone's wishes tie in with the history of the world as you know it. Before I can ask, you have to understand. It is relevant to the present as well, and it will tell you much about the mysteries left behind by old times. Now, the story begins with-"

"Hey!" Dash jumped up suddenly, making Tanat open his eyes. "What about my brother? What about Anathema? I came this way to find Anathema since he had my brother, and I've been seeing Teller all over during those 'tests'. He was in all those mirrors!"

"As I said, all the mysteries will be revealed in the story. Now, my story begins long ago, well before the birth of-"

"You had mirrors?" Twilight whispered, but Tanat stopped anyways and opened his eyes again.

"Uh, yeah, why?"

"My tests were in a library. Do you think it might have some symbolic meaning? Some physical representation of ourselves? Like mine was a library and yours were mirrors, so maybe-"

"-mine was a test of like… How I see myself?" Dash continued.

"Probably! And mine was a library so maybe it was a test of intelligence? Or it was a lot of mazes to, so confusion? No, maybe my wandering in my mind… Perhaps mental clutter?"

"A maze of bookshelves? That is so you, egghead."

"Wow, an ancient magical spell cast on an entire castle to test the inner qualities of a pony… That is some intense magic. If only I could read some of the books here, I bet the knowledge is fantastic." The two smiled at each other briefly before turning to Tanat. "Oh, sorry, did we interrupt?"

"It is no worry, Mistress, tests of the mind and soul often send the participants to a realm beyond discomfort. Settling back in is often an," He blinked, and squeezed his hands together, "interruptive process."

"Okay, well, we should be done. Please go ahead." Twilight nodded.

Tanat nodded and rose himself up, raising his arms above his head, "My story begins thousands of years-"

"Hey!" His arms fell and his face scrunched up as Dash pawed the food bowl. "You got anymore of this fruit?"

"NO. Thousands of years ago long before the birth of your Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, the predecessors of the land, the great Alicorns who created the soil beneath your feet, the sky above your head, and the oceans and rivers providing the soil and the inhabitants with nourishment, had finished perfecting the world we live in." Tanat opened his yellow eyes wide and stared at the two ponies, as if daring them to interrupt, but the two remained quiet. He untensed slowly, and continued to speak.

The two ponies sat uneasily as he started up again, "It was a prosperous time, as the Alicorns were viewed favorably and loved by all. Terraria, the uncompromising gargantuan Alicorn of the Earth and his mighty castle among the canyons of the east, Atmos, the swift and proud Alicorn of the sky with his mighty flying home Laputa," Twilight's and Dash's ears perked, and they glanced around the room curiously, "And helpful, peaceful Anemone, who rested at the bottom of the ocean rather than live in finery."

"The three had powerful magic that they used to carve the planet with, and seeing that their subjects would need the magic themselves to carve out their homes and help gather the things they needed to live, dug out the leylines of the world. The three Alicorn brothers spread their powerful magic around the planet to grant all who inhabit their world power. Those of the Earth could master the soil like none other, those of the sky could find peace and rest at all times among the clouds while transporting heavy good with ease, and those of the ocean, those who had horns, were granted the greatest magical power of all: manipulation of the world around them, to make up for their frail bodies."

"The leylines were not spread equally though, as the brothers felt there needed to be a core, a center of the world's magic where the three brothers may stay and continue to keep the lines healthy. They chose the spot where all the leylines crossed, where the most magical power was held; they chose Equestria." He raised his hands and the crystal ball began to glow, and a full map of the world and its lands showed above them as a magical hologram, with lines stretched across the lands in patterns, at times crossing each other, but there was one spot where they all crossed: the land they knew best.

"Each brother chose to make their home in Equestria. Terraria in the canyons of the east, Atmos in the skies to the west, and Anemone, in the oceans to the south. It was peaceful for several years, until the debates began. Terraria was powerful, stubborn, and liked to be acknowledged for the effort he put into everything he did. Atmos was proud, arrogant, and basked in the admiration of his many subjects, but withered without them. Anemone was quiet, and shy, and disliked attention, so rather than make himself visible to his followers, he hid. This proved to be a wise choice."

"'Terraria, the mighty Alicorn of the Earth gave us the ground we walk on, the soil we plant in, the plants we eat and the trees that provide us fruit. He of all the Alicorns deserves the most of our prayer and offerings.' A majority of the Earth ponies would argue. 'How can you say it is Terraria who deserves all that? Atmos provided us with the sky, the light, the coming and going of seasons and the wonderful weather we bask in, without Atmos there would be no fertile soil or plants to grow, he deserves the most of our prayers and offerings.' Many of the Pegasi argued. The Unicorns did not have Anemone to argue for, and their kind were typically split among the two sides."

"There was much heat from both sides, threatening to grow into a raging firestorm to consume all. It was only when Anemone had heard wanderers on his shores that he would appear to provide a solution: 'You talk about praise and gifts for my brothers without asking their opinions, you should ask them who should be praised.' Anemone trusted his brothers, Anemone thought he knew his brothers, and Anemone, in his belief that his brothers were above such trivialities, thought they would settle the arguments as brothers rather than lords."

"As I had stated, Terraria was stubborn and wanted acknowledgement, and Atmos was proud and wanted admiration. When asked who should be praised and given to, the brothers, rather than settle the dispute as foolish talk of wealth, became involved in it. Terraria and Atmos both felt they deserved more than the other, refusing to acknowledge they could not do without the other, and soon seeds of bitter hatred were planted within both as they left the other in disgust. The debate had not been settled, in fact only worsened by the Alicorns' hot-headedness, and fueled by the brothers' resentment of the other the two sides, claiming the names Earth under Terraria, and Sky under Atmos, began to openly feud across Equestria."

"Earth took on the symbol of the deep canyons, Sky had chosen the clouds as their symbols, and they openly displayed them on their persons and objects to show their allegiances so their allies would know who they were. Unfortunately, it also identified the other as enemies. It started as arguments, scuffles, provoked attacks on the roads and in towns. It soon turned into ambushes, raids, mercenary bands crossing the hills and skies, seeking out their 'enemies'. Then it became war. Armor was hammered out, weapons smelted, and hearts filled with anger and hatred towards those who may have formerly been neighbors or even family, and soon they marched towards open fields to fight, wanting blood to settle their differences."

"It had been almost… Honorable, at first. They fought in the fields, and kept themselves separated afterwards, not touching the innocent villages, but as the fighting became more furious and emotions ran high, they struck at each other where they were most weak, where they got their supplies. Villages were destroyed in furious retribution, innocents slaughtered for showing the wrong symbols, and all the fineries were gathered and sent to their chosen deity as gifts. Terraria and Atmos saw this happen, and rather than look at the terror and bloodshed committed caused by their pettiness, they saw the potential for power, wealth, and praise. Using their mighty magic they fueled their subjects with power that could crack the Earth and bring the skies to fall, giving them weapons and armor and tools they had meditated on that proved to be so strong that a single usage could wipe out entire platoons of their enemies. The rampaging war soon consumed what little peace there was, and the only safe havens were the personal homes of each lord."

"In this time, many died. Hundreds of soldiers and innocents spilled across the land, their bodies wrecked by anger and hatred. There were no graves wide or deep enough, so rather than give them to the land, they were taken to the ocean, and tossed to Anemone. It became practice to beg Anemone to commit their soldiers to an afterlife where they could live peacefully, and still provide wisdom from beyond, but they twisted it just as quickly, and begged for a place to send their enemies, a torturous place where they would not taint their own beyond.

"Anemone, kind and compromising, created an afterlife where the souls would rest, and hesitantly complied in creating a hell. He knew he could not banish the subjects he'd made the world for to such a terrible place himself, so he crafted Anathema, the Mouth of Hell to do so for him. He condemned nobody at first, feeling they all deserved a place of peace and kindness in death, but as the prayers became less about honoring the dead and more about condemning their enemies, he became bitter. Rather than give their allies paradise and their enemies torture, he did the opposite. He condemned the beggars to hell and put their enemies in paradise for being so cruel-hearted, but as more bodies were tossed to his domain, he became enraged."

"Poor Anemone, always so kind and peaceful and compromising, was driven mad by the constant calls for damnation, for filling his once peaceful waters with death and blood. His madness began to show as the waters became dangerous with beasts of great power and greater hunger, and his magic became tainted with insanity and terror. It seeped across the land and began to give birth to monsters that knew no mercy or pleasure, just hunger, anger, and death. Behemoths, devourers, demons, and monsters roamed the land, interrupted wars, and tore apart anyone they found to be condemned to hell. The bodies honorably given to him were all sent to Anathema, Paradise closed off to everyone."

"Atmos and Terraria should have noticed, but they were too busy planning a final, destructive battle to establish dominance. They took it to the formerly peaceful neutral zone of the Oceanside, their thousands of followers suited for war, given artifacts and spells of the mightiest power that would surely sunder themselves, their enemies, and the land apart. Terraria lead the attack by land, and Atmos lead the attack by air on his flying castle Laputa. The followers of Sky came from the clouds, the followers of Earth waited on the beaches. Then, before the first blow could be struck, a great scream ripped through the air, driving all present to panic and fear."

"From the depths of the ocean rose the great serpent, the almighty, the all terrible, the unforgiving Anathema rose to the land, his mighty gaze condemning all he saw to a terrible fate as he began to devour them all one by one. His stare drove all to madness, and in the chaos and confusion Anemone rose as a great Alicorn made of seawater, allowing his shocked brothers to see his anger in its full as his magic penetrated Laputa's defenses. Atmos abandoned his home, watched as quiet, kind Anemone grabbed his great castle and forced it into the sea, killing and feeding all inside to Anathema. The great Alicorn of Death sent his mightiest creation onto the land to begin consuming the rest of the soldiers while his brothers fled back to the canyons of the east. Anathema, so terrible and judging, devastated the land in his search for Anemone's bitterest desire."

"Atmos and Terraria, seeing Anemone would not stop with just the soldiers or Equestria, drove Anathema back to the ocean together. They confronted their brother at the height of his madness, entering his realm themselves, for the first time as brothers, and found him raging in the depths. He tortured the souls themselves with visions of malice and destruction, turned the ocean into whirlpools of blades and death, poisoned the waters with the blood that had spilled, and screamed agonizing cries that made ears bleed. It took both of the older brothers' passions to calm him down and allow him to rest. In that time, the two emerged from the ocean, realizing what their greed had cost them, and caused to those around them."

"Together they reformed Equestria, wiping away the poison of death and restoring it to its whole, former beauty. They did this with heavy hearts, and when their subjects asked for orders, they ordered them all to weep for Anemone, and give him hope. Their many subjects went to the oceans, offering little but their tears and regrets, standing as one rather than two. Though asleep, Anemone felt the tears and heard their mourning, and the oceans calmed once again. The violent beasts he'd unleashed disappeared, and Anathema settled at the ocean floor to sleep alongside his master."

"Atmos and Terraria knew their owns faults, and knew that overcoming them would be a great task. More than that, they knew they needed a quick solution to never fall from grace again. They chose to, after curing the land of its violent scars, seal themselves away in their respective domains to monitor the land, but at peace. Though, even with the regret and the apologies, Atmos was proud, Terraria was stubborn. Terraria became the mountains to forever be an unmoving obstacle in the sky, and Atmos became one with the clouds, so he may at times fall to the Earth and invade the land."

"When Anemone awoke, he found the world his brothers had left, and their followers left in confusion. Who would change the seasons? Who would know when to change them? What should they plants and where? All the farmers had been soldiers, devoured by Anathema and leaving little more than children, the elderly, and the few adults that knew better than to get involved, or merely could not get involved. With only the weak and the sick to till the land, Anemone knew he must do something great."

"Using his magic and the remaining citizens, he had the artifacts, the scrolls of destructive spells, and the texts of war buried deep underground. Using his magic of manipulation he gave the Pegasi the power to shift the clouds and weather, and the Earth subjects the power to grow and plant wherever, whenever they needed. To measure the days, he created the sun, to give the world day and night, so they would know when to sleep and when to work, to measure the coming months and years as they saw fit."

"He knew he could not stay on the world, as his own magic had grown tainted with blood and anger, and staying among the mortal subjects could drive them mad or violent or sick. But he knew the world could not be left to fend for itself, it needed noble leaders who saw reason, who loved each other more than themselves, who wanted peace and cared for the land. The many subjects of the ground already saw the sun as a magnificent gift of warmth and courage, and the night as a time of peace and reflection, and he knew his answer."

"P-Princesses Celestia and Luna!" Twilight gasped, speaking for the first time since the story started. Tanat may have smiled, but as far as they could tell he merely bowed his head in a nod.

"The dualities of the Princesses, the warmth, the love, the courage of Celestia, and the aloof quietness, the understanding of loneliness, and the comforting presence of Luna were what Equestria needed. From the sun he brought Celestia to the world, and Equestria praised her as their leader. From the night when it came he presented them with Luna, whom they praised as their leader. With the two new Princesses, just babies at the time, left in the hands of a comforting, loving population, Anemone became one with the sea, joining his brothers in self-imposed, non-physical exile. Before he had left though, his final act was to release all but the most deserving from Anathema, and take them with him to a place of paradise, peace, and brotherhood."

"Years passed, Celestia and Luna growing slowly, Celestia proving to be adventurous and praise-worthy, yet humble and at times mischievous, and Luna being gentle and artistic, yet at times powerfully loving and envious. Anemone could see and hear his work, and felt good that he had done the right thing. But he was troubled, as he knew he'd forgotten much in his final years as a physical being. He scanned his past mistakes, and knew there was much he had not considered coming out of his madness."

"The world outside of Equestria had felt the deep upsetting of the land of the lords, and with Terraria and Atmos too focused on their petty squabble, the world outside Equestria became feral. Vegetation began to recede, animals became larger and predatory, and it soon became not a rich world of love and comfort, but a cycle of carefully managed life, and unplanned death. Wars began outside of Equestria, resources not regenerating like they used to becoming precious valuables to fight over."

"The ancient artifacts and spells he'd hoped to hide began to resurface ever so slowly thanks to Terraria's shiftings and quiet angers, and he knew with time they would be discovered again, and quite possibly used for violence again. He had not calmed his brothers down completely either, and knew they would begin to feel restricted, and hidden away, and forgotten. Atmos is proud, Terraria is stubborn, and they would grant power to any who asked if it meant being acknowledged."

"Worse still, he found that the souls of the many dead weren't all as peaceful as he hoped, and many still brimmed with magical power put in them by their Alicorn lords. Any who found a way to bring the power back had the chance to bring back the violent souls, and if the power was released to the world again, the dead would rampage in their lords' name."

"He was troubled, and knew that precautions had to be set up. Using an old temple that had been created to bring the dead, he connected it to a long series of tunnels where he set up his tests of character. He created a passage to his grave, to Laputa, and he made Laputa the final trial to weed out those who could protect the world, and those who would destroy it. He left me, one of his last servants born out of magic and madness, to watch for those who are deserving, and present them with the story of the world, and his final request."

Tanat opened his eyes, and watched the two slowly, reading their shock-stricken faces as they digested the information he gave them. He knew they were noble, he knew they were powerful, and he knew they had no idea what was going on, or what they would have to do, or the acts they may have to commit. But they were the ones Anemone trusted. "Anemone gives his final request to you, Twilight Sparkle and Rainbow Dash: takes the gifts of Anemone, take his wisdom and his knowledge, and settle Atmos and Terraria before they do anything foolish. Take his generosity and his love, and inspire peace through the world. And take his anger and his power, and destroy the last remaining pieces of magic that threaten the world again."