Flashes of fire illuminate the halls of Ammolite. Loose bits of stone fall from the ceiling and bodies strung to the ceiling hang as earth shaking rumbles sweep through with no signs of stopping. A beast roars in pain after another flash, and broken pillars collapse with a portion of the stone ceiling, spilling crumbled rock and dust into a large hall with stripped corpses stacked by the wall.

Apple Bloom scurries over a broken pillar, coughing and blinking dust out of her eyes. Her body is covered in gray, and the taste of rotted flesh clings to her tongue. She coughs and gags, trying to puke out the taste, but it seeps into her tongue.

There is another flash of fire and a roar, and Apple Bloom dives to the floor, covering her head as a set of massive claws shred the stone. She can feel the air squishing around her as the stones fall, and her stomach knots from the coming pain. However, the stones suddenly shatter with the muffled sounds of crackling. She cracks an eye open and sees a rose colored shield around her with chunks of stone rolling around her and Shining Armor not too far off with his horn and hand glowing.

“Get her out of here!” orders Shining Armor.

The shield dissolves, and Pinkie Pie lands flat on her face next to the Banished Prince. She is quick to get up, her eyes bright like blue flame and her mane hanging flat, and she throws her hammer to Spike.

“Hold my hammer!” says Pinkie Pie, not even bothering to blink away the stream of blood flowing from a gash on her forehead.

Spike yelps painfully when the hammer hits his arm, causing him to drop his sword, but everybody else is too busy fighting to notice. Pinkie Pie then draws a pair of large blades from the back of her belt and charges the Beast. What happens next Apple Bloom does not see because Applejack picks her up and holds her under her arm -being sure to keep her eyes away from the fight- and runs towards a spacious hall decorated with towering statues. When they reach the statues, Applejack slides to the ground behind a faceless warrior holding an ax and she holds Apple Bloom close to her. The armor is cold against her cheek, and her attempts to wiggle out are proving to be futile.

“Let me see! I need to find my friends!” says Apple Bloom, tears now bubbling in her eyes.

“Your friends are coming,” says Applejack, keeping a hold on the Foaling and failing to keep her breathing and shaking in check. She looks around the corner, swallowing, and ducking back when the Beast roars again in response to a barrage of spells that burn and shock the rancid air. “They're fine, I promise.”

Apple Bloom presses her palms against Applejack and tries to push herself up, but the earth pony strength is too much for her small Foaling body. She collapses and looks into her jaded eyes, teeth grinding and eyes red and wet.

“How can they be fine!? They're fighting that thing!” says Apple Bloom.

“They're fighting a Nightmare,” says the Shadow Foaling. Her pitch black fingers grip the statue base just above Applejack's head, and her bright teeth and purple eyes creep in, hovering above the slave. “I warned you of this. I warned you of the shadows.”

Apple Bloom's heart stops and with a sharp gasp she presses herself against Applejack, squeezing her eyes shut and shivering. She whimpers when the cold fingers run through her mane, leaving trails of frost.

“Oh, don't fear me, Apple Bloom,” coos the Shadow Foaling. “Fear the Undying Nightmare.”

Something slides next to Apple Bloom, and she opens her eyes and sighs with relief when she sees it is Rarity with Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo by her side. Next, Davenport and Fluttershy appear with Pipsqueak, Button Mash and Twist.

Twist runs next to Apple Bloom, and Applejack reluctantly lets her go so the two can hug.

“Come on, let me fight!” says Scootaloo.

“Me too! I wanna fight, too!” says Button Mash.

Fluttershy holds the two by their arms, shaking her head. “No, you can't. You'll get hurt!”

Scootaloo glares at Fluttershy. “You're a pegasus! Start acting like one!”

Fluttershy stiffens and her eyes widen, and her grip loosens just a bit, but Scootaloo does not move, nor does she make eye contact with Apple Bloom and the rest of the group. The group then flinches when the ground shakes and dust and stone fall from the ceiling, breaking statues and pillars. The roar of the Beast and the war cry of the fighters is just beyond the group's hiding spot, and a swish shatters the statue's body, leaving just feet and forcing the group to cower and accept the stench of burnt air.

Davenport swallows. “We have to run.”

“Where are we going to run to? This whole place is a tomb!” says Rarity.

“Anywhere but here.”

There is a brilliant flash of light, followed by an earth shaking howl and thud. Bits of stone fall from the ceiling and dust coated in rotten stench covers the hiding group. Apple Bloom and the others cough and wheeze for air as the cloud lingers. Very quickly silence moves in like a cold, heavy fog, and the group keeps their weapons close to their chest, each shaking, each sweating, and each burdened with an unsteady heart.

“Applejack, go check,” orders Davenport in a whisper.

Applejack looks at Davenport with drooped ears, her green eyes beady and glowing, and Rarity balks at him. Apple Bloom and the rest of the foalings also give him dirty looks.

“She's a mare. You go check,” says Rarity.

“She's my slave and actually has armor. She's checking,” counters Davenport.

“Hey, where did whatsherface go?” asks Scootaloo.

Apple Bloom looks to where Fluttershy was prior, but sees a blank spot, and so she looks around the corner and sees her creeping into the frosty fog, towards the fallen beast. Her spear and shield are up, her steps are slow and soft, and her ears are pressed against her head. Apple Bloom is actually surprised that she did not hear the pegasus leave, especially since she is wearing armor, and Rarity scoffs and shakes her head.

“Unbelievable. Her, of all ponies, is going before us,” she says.

“Then why don't you go?” says Sweetie Belle.

Rarity's sharp glare cuts Sweetie Belle down to a cowering kneel, and after some seconds she huffs and gets up.

“Fine. I will go.” Rarity gets up and not so stealthily goes after Fluttershy, grumbling: “I'm not even supposed to be here.”

Davenport then pushes Applejack out of the statue's cover. Her armor clanks and rattles as she fumbles and scrambles to get up, and when she is on her feet she looks at Davenport again, shaking and gripping her ax tightly.

“I'm protecting the Bearer. Go investigate,” says Davenport.

Applejack swallows and reluctantly travels into the mist. Very soon she disappears from view and Apple Bloom strains her eyes for any signs of life. All she can really see is the silhouette of the large beast, which is bleeding fog and spreading ice on the floor. Seeing such a bizarre sight brings a line of piercing tingles up her spine, and shudders and shakes her head.

“Do you see them?” asks Twist.

“No,” says Apple Bloom.

A puff of frozen air glides in front of her face and she looks further down the hall, seeing nothing still. Then her ears perk when she hears distant voices echo in the darkness. The language is archaic. Something she has never heard before, but before she can ask Davenport about it, Twilight and the rest of the group runs back, eyes wide, bodies battered and bloodied and covered in sweat. Twilight is also back to her original form.

“Everypony down,” whispers Twilight hastily.

The Foalings and Davenport do not argue and the rest of the Fellowship rushes to cover behind the neighboring statue. When the group hunkers down Apple Bloom risks peeking out again, despite Twist pulling on her arm, and she bites her hand to stifle a gasp when she sees a creature in the mist. It is tall and thin, and its pale blue eyes glow bright. Jagged crystals sprout from its elbows and around its skull, and its armor is made of sheets of metal with eyes and swirls painted in red and green. Around its neck is a necklace made of teeth, ribs are sewn into its pauldrons and curiass, and jaw bones woven together make its belt. In its clawed hand is a fat, serrated sword with tally marks etched into it.

The creature stops walking and looks around, growling. Its ears swivel with the turn of its head and Apple Bloom ducks back into cover, trying not to breath. Tears build in her eyes, and she looks at the other statue and sees Braeburn keeping his finger on his crossbow's trigger and the rest of the Fellowship is positioning themselves for another fight.

Apple Bloom's heart beats like a slow drum. Each beat is heavy, each beat pushes the air out of her lungs. She closes her eyes and slides to the ground, holding back a whimper and fighting the tears.

“It is my turn for fun. Let me protect you,” says the Shadow Foaling.

A cold oil covers Apple Bloom's hands and she cracks her eyes open to see what it is, only for them to bulge when she sees pitch black tendrils snacking around her palm and fingers, leaving frost in their wake.

“You can't find me if you're dead,” continues the Shadow Foaling.

Apple Bloom opens her mouth, but nothing comes out. Not even air flows into her. Her heart races and sweat coats her face as she claws at the frost. Her fingers do nothing and out of the corner of her eye she sees Twilight clutching her head and slouching against the statue's base. Twilight's teeth grind and tears flood her cheeks, and a solid orb forms in Apple Bloom's throat and her heart thumps loudly in her ears. The creature shouts something in its archaic language, causing the Fellowship to shrink themselves lower in their spots. For Spike, he puts his hand on Twilight's shoulder and gently forces her to the ground, where he proceeds to quietly unscrew a potion and give it to Twilight.

Voices of other foreign speakers appear with the dozens of clacks of metal boots on stone, and Apple Bloom hunches over biting her lip and clutching her hand, watching helplessly as it is covered in a hard, sharp crystal shell. Her vision pulsates from the deep black of the mines to green tint. Back and forth. Black to green. Over and over again. All in tune with her chaotic heart. And with every pulse of green, the Shadow Foaling steps closer from the abyss, her teeth shinning in the dark and her tattered dress flowing freely.

“Let me out, Apple Bloom,” says the Shadow Foaling. “Let me save us.”

The Shadow Foaling skips towards Apple Bloom, sits in front of her and cups her sweaty face and forces her to look into her violet eyes. Her heart slows and her breathing becomes heavy, as do her eyes.

“Free us,” says the Shadow Foaling.

Apple Bloom's eyes roll to the back of her head, and she falls into the darkness.