Author's Notes:

This story went through, no kidding, TWELVE revisions. This chapter alone went through every perspective at least once. In the end, this was the only way for this chapter to play out.

Once upon a time, six little ponies woke up to a nightmare.

Before them stood a stallion who was not a stallion at all. His pitch black body shifted and congealed, his hooves became vicious talons and then became hooves again. He smiled at them with eyes that burned a flickering, fiery red. Hissing and coiling around his bald head was a violently green serpent with a pair of arms, it's scales a malevolent green that matched his master's on his scaled face.

He claimed to have many names, but advised them to call him Belial.

He told them that he was a being beyond their world, drawn there by the committing of a truly enormous sin. The purity of their world, of the souls of its denizens, made his mouth water.

If he wished, he could simply sweep them away and devour them as was his want.

But he was a fair cosmic being. He would give their heroes a chance to save them.

He proposed a game. Each of them would receive a vision of the possible future. Some would be truth, some would be lies. If all six little ponies guessed correctly, then the souls of the sinners would be the only cuisine Belial would have before moving on to the next world.

But if even one failed to see through their tests... then all Equestria would belong to the dark stallion.

It went without saying, he added, that upon waking they would remember nothing of their possible futures.

Were the terms acceptable?

They said nothing. How could they refuse?

He asked which would start the cycle.

The newly short-maned and sheepish Bearer of Kindness raised a trembling hoof.

In a flash, the grinning snake called Sin was about her shoulders.

His fangs plunged into her neck...

The game began.