Her first daily glimpse of Canterlot Citadel always left a content smile on Celestia’s face. She awoke every morning before moonset to the scent of flowers, carried up on the breeze from the valley many fathoms below. Summer was in full bloom: a delightful array of golds, reds and greens littered the countryside as far as she could see.

She would wake from her slumber and take a moment to gaze at the stubborn moon, before heading for the North Tower. Oftentimes she would find her sister there, a morning greeting and hug passing between them. Lately, Celestia had taken to waking earlier than usual and meeting Luna for a brief exchange. Though she did what she could to aid and comfort her sister, Luna’s insomnia had only worsened.

Celestia ascended the spiral steps, hearing the gentle echo of each hoofstep reverberate up the passageway. One particularly dark morning, Luna had been so jumpy when Celestia landed next to her that she’d swung out a hoof on instinct. Celestia chuckled to herself as she reminisced on her narrowly avoided bruised face. At least this way, Luna would know of her approach.

Reaching the end of the staircase, Celestia passed through the candlelit room and stepped out onto the balcony. A quick glance around revealed something different about the area, which resulted in a slight furrow of the princess’ brow.

Luna was nowhere to be seen.

Celestia scanned the darkened citadel, her stare aided by the soft light of the moon. Where could she be? She focused her energies inward, calling upon Generosity, Honesty and Loyalty. The jewels attached to her forelegs and neck glowed with their pink, red and orange hue while her horn glowed a deep gold.

Luna. Where did you go? Are you all right?

Seconds passed in silence, with no response from the Elements. Celestia tried again, concentrating harder.

Please, Luna. If you are capable, answer me.

A faint ping passed through the tip of her horn, into her mind. There was Magic’s response… from somewhere south… Celestia aimed her horn and shot a narrow beam of bright golden light into the sky. She waited, still as stone, her breath bated…

A full minute passed before a precise, narrow beam of violet light collided with the tip of her horn. Celestia exhaled deeply and released her focus. After the Elements’ glows each faded, she leapt off the balcony and flew south, embracing the way the cool morning air nipped at her coat and feathers. Her eyes roved across the sky and the surrounding countryside as she soared like an albatross through the air.

Her flight lasted a full five minutes before she eventually caught sight of a small, glowing beacon. Even in the gloom of early morn, the Element of Magic could be seen atop Luna’s head, emitting its bright purple light. Celestia stared into the dark, firing another beam of light overhead to illuminate Luna’s approaching form. There she is. Wait, what is that…?

“Luna, are you all right?” she called into the twilight. “I was worried about you. Tell me the next time you decide to gallivant about Equestria, please. The time draws near to raise the sun.”

Luna continued to fly closer to Celestia, her blank expression betraying nothing. As she closed the distance between them, the glow of her tiara faded. After a few seconds, she pulled up before Celestia and flapped her wings in place, gently rising and falling. Without a word, she lit her horn and levitated a mysterious bundle off her back, her face remaining passive.

Celestia’s eyes widened as she suppressed a gasp of horror, missing a beat of her wings while a hoof touched her lips.

A mare of orange coat and dual-toned mane floated before her. Her fur was patchy with blackened scorch marks. Most of her mane was missing. An acrid smell reached Celestia’s nose as she looked over the mare, forcing her to recoil. Where her fur was missing, angry red welts glowed in the presence of Celestia’s golden hornlight. One of her rear legs was crushed, fragments of reddened bone poking out from where her femur and tibia should have been… were the limb not an unrecognisable mess.

Only one identifying trait remained of the mare: the spherical cutie mark of an orange fruit on her right flank.

“By our great Mother… What happened, Luna? What did this to Valencia?”

Luna remained silent. She returned the immobile pony to her back, making for the city.

Celestia shook her head, blinking away the angry tears leaving her eyes. She deactivated her magic and beat her own immense wings in pursuit of her sister. “Luna, tell me what has transpired. You shall not leave me in the dark about this!”

She flew harder, yet even with Luna’s load, Celestia lagged behind. “Luna!”

Luna turned her head as she flew on. “I will explain back at the tower. You must not let this interrupt your solar duty.”

Celestia closed her eyes and breathed in as deep as she could. She held her breath for three seconds before releasing it. “As you wish, sister. But you will not leave my sight until I know everything you do.”

Ahead of her, Luna nodded and lowered her speed, allowing Celestia to draw level. “The situation is grave, Celestia. We will need to protect our little ponies once again.”

They flew together in silence, many thoughts racing through Celestia’s mind. What could have done this? Why? Is she the only casualty? Why would Luna not wake me? How did she even know?

Two minutes later, the pair landed atop the north tower’s balcony. Taking great care, Luna placed her bundle on the floor at Celestia’s hooves. She rose her head and lit her horn, the whites of her eyes eclipsing her irises. Gently, the moon completed its descent below the horizon.

Celestia did not raise the sun in kind. She continued to stare at the crystal corpse. After ten full seconds, she rose her head from the morbid sight.

“Explain.”

Luna finally met her gaze in the gloom. Her mask cracked, crumbled and shattered before Celestia as tears began to pour down her face. “I could have stopped this, sister! All this time, everything that Magic tried to warn me about. Every migraine, every pang I have felt these past nights… every one of them was a life lost that I could have prevented!”

“Luna, there is no way you could have kn—”

“No, Celestia, I should have known. I should have investigated when it first started happening, instead of trying to brush it off. Magic was warning me of this; it knew something was horribly wrong all this time, yet I remained inactive!”

Luna leapt toward Celestia and wrapped her forelegs around the latter’s neck, sobbing violently into her mane. “Wh-what good are our Elements if we-we do not use them?”

Celestia wrapped her wings around her blubbering sister, gently stroking her back. “Shhh, Luna. This wasn’t your fault. You are not the one behind this tragedy. Indeed, had you still not acted, who knows how long this… whatever this is could have persisted.” She squeezed Luna firmly, then released her. “Now tell me what happened. I’m not raising the sun until you do.”

“But, Celestia—”

“The night can last forever for all I care. You need to tell me everything, Luna. What happened?”

Luna released her grip from around Celestia’s throat and leaned back, still shaking slightly. “Two nights ago, I decided that enough was enough. I was not simply suffering with migraines and pangs anymore. Nightmares had begun to accompany them whenever I did manage to sleep: nightmares of our old home, of the horrible creatures that now inhabit it. Often I would find myself running from one or many, screaming at the top of my lungs. I was hornless, wingless, never fast enough.”

She took in a deep breath and let it out. “Yesterday, I summoned our nephew, Starshine. Among the talk of our subjects, I have heard that he possessed a most curious special talent. I brought him here to try it out on me… and what he found horrified him. I asked him to tell me…”

Luna closed her eyes as the tears began anew. Her voice trembled with a sudden, unbridled fury.

“He’s back, Celestia—more malicious and devastating than ever before.”

Celestia felt her blood run cold. “The chaotic one? Did we not silence him forever many years ago?”

“I…” Luna looked to the blackened body of Valencia. “I am not sure. My memories of that event are still… clouded.” She shook her head. “That is not the most pressing issue here! Vorjhan has returned. This time, he commands an army. An army… of dragons.”

“Dragons? Are you absolutely sure?” Gazing once more at Valencia’s body, Celestia had to admit that the mare’s injuries seemed to back Luna’s statement.

“Six of them, Celestia. Different sizes, different colours, different temperaments… but all of them vicious. It is they who have been terrorising Equestria, uncontested! The Whitetail Woods, the desert to the south, the far southeastern swamps… the Earth pony farms… Magic was trying to show me everything. And I didn’t listen.”

Celestia closed her eyes and held them shut, envisioning the serpentine creature who had returned to make existence his plaything; his mannerisms, his many different body parts, his apathetic laugh— “What of the others? What happened to the farmsteads? Did anypony else…”

Luna bowed her head, her mane falling flat. “As far as I could tell from the state of the scene… there were no survivors. The land is scorched, the houses burning. You could probably see the lingering smoke cloud from here if the sun were up. Our Earthen brethren would have stood no chance against six flame-spewing, winged behemoths.”

She rose her head, her cheeks glistening and her eyes bloodshot. “Celestia… I doubt even we could stand against them. If Vorjhan chooses to attack Canterlot, we might have a slim chance to repel him with everypony’s magic. But the pegasi in Cloudsdale, or the others in the Crystal Empire—”

“Aura!” Celestia’s face drained of colour as she sat back on her haunches. “The Crystal Fair starts today! We have to warn them of the danger!”

Celestia stood again immediately, so fast that Luna almost overbalanced with her recoil. She caught herself in time to hear the whoosh of Celestia’s wings and witness her sister lift off the balcony. Thinking fast, she activated her magic and enveloped Celestia in her aura.

“Just… wait… Celestia! We cannot simply rush off and leave Canterlot defenceless. Just… hold still for a while and… think!”

With much grunting and straining, Luna slowly forced Celestia back to the balcony floor, the elder resisting the entire time. “Let us pool our thoughts… ungh… and devise a plan. Remember how much difficulty we had with Mantissia? A single… changeling queen? What makes you think we have the power to stop not one but six dragons and our old nemesis?”

Celestia ceased her struggling and succumbed to Luna’s force. As the aura around her dissipated, she sighed and brought a wing to her face. “Of course. You are right, Luna. I just… could not bear to see anything happen to Aura or her new Empire. They will not know what is coming—the very real danger we all now face.”

“Your heart is in the right place, Celestia.” Luna walked back over to her and lightly nuzzled her chin. “But we know not the extent of his power, nor the limitations of our own. I think we should watch and wait, at least for the duration of the crystal fair. Let the princess and her people have their celebration, then inform her of the danger. The last thing we need is the entire populace running rampant in panic.

“Besides,” she continued, “speaking of changelings: you do remember that Aura has her own private army now? Every changeling in the land, including their queen, is at her immediate command. I should think that they could provide their own defensive stand, at the very least until we’ve formed some idea of a plan.”

“When did you become the wiser of us, Luna?” Celestia chuckled. “I should be the one with the level head here. If I am to continue leading our ponies toward a prosperous age, to be their beacon of light, I must be strong. I must be the master of my emotions.”

“To be their beacon, you must also raise the sun.”

“Ah. Yes, that too.”

Celestia stood. She walked a short way from Luna and rose above the balcony. Higher and higher she flapped, her eyes whitening and her horn shining with a brilliant golden hue. The darkness lifted as the sun crested over the eastern treetops. Seconds later, it had completed its journey into the sky. Already, Celestia could see a slow trickle of ponies emerging from their houses. She descended to the balcony and met with Luna. It was only in the new light of the sun that her sister’s fatigue became truly evident.

“Lulu, you should go to sleep. Hopefully you can catch a decent rest, now that we know the truth of the matter.”

Luna shook her head and held up a hoof. “There will be a time for sleep later. My first action this morning must be to plan a funeral. So many have died already…” She cast a glance of remorse in Valencia’s direction. “Her coat still shines with your early sunbeams. Beneath the devastation, even in death, she retains her gleaming light.”

“Valencia Orange will be given the proper respects, Luna. For now, we can only preserve her body until all who knew her can be present to see her farewelled. I will take care of the situation personally. You should get to bed,” Celestia urged. “Our country must have its leaders at full strength and attention if it is to stand a chance against this threat.”

“We will see if Magic permits me.” Luna’s mouth opened wide, expelling a long, drawn-out yawn. “Do take care of yourself today, Celestia. For now, I retire.”

She made her way across the balcony, back toward her chambers. She paused at the door and turned back. “But do not dare hesitate to awaken me if anything happens. Harmony cannot work at peak power without both of us present.”

“You will be the first to know. I will inform the Duke and Duchess of the situation. The Royal Guard must be mobilised.” With her final words, Celestia watched Luna depart. Once the door had closed, she turned back over the balcony and stared to the south, noticing the thinnest of dark, skyward trails heading up into the atmosphere. Her eyebrows converged as she pulled her lips into a snarl.

Vorjhan… for your blatant wanton destruction, you will be punished. We will find you and your foul creations. And we will stop you.

Cirrus fumed as he flew casually through the crystal streets to catch up with Aura and the camels. That Rend… How dare he even joke about harming the princess. I swear I’m gonna knock him down a few royal pegs. Preferably in front of everypony. He cast a glance back over his shoulder, eyeing the griffon pryde still visible over the far side of the lake. Why are you so arrogant? Your father seems friendly enough.

Cirrus huffed and turned his attention forward—

“Whoa!” He came to an abrupt halt in midair before he could collide with a pair of unicorns. “Please excuse me, Your Highnesses.”

Cirrus folded in his wings and dropped to the ground, bowing before the former monarchs. “I have got to stop bumping into others today. It’s going to get me into trouble.” Pfft, like it hasn’t already.

“Have no fear, young pegasus. There was no harm done in the end.” Star Swirl smiled down at Cirrus, then held a hoof next to his wife. “Portia and I have been seeing the sights of the fair. I have to say, this city has quite impressed us with its unique atmosphere.”

“It is truly a wonderful city, Cirrus,” Portia added. “You were one of its founders, were you not?”

Cirrus rubbed the back of his head with a hoof. “Well, I suppose you could say that. I mean, all our trio did was discover the Crystal Heart. It was completely unexpected and accidental. Really, the city kind of… unfolded around us of its own accord. Where we stand right now? This used to be a huge mountain—” he spread his forelegs and wings out, moving them in a circular motion “—until Aura—I mean, the princess—touched the Heart.”

“Aura has told us the story. It is truly remarkable, to be sure. I can only begin to imagine what life could have been like for our own people, had our city had been so easily created.”

Star Swirl ran a hoof through his lengthy silver beard, twirling it absent-mindedly. “Of course, the labour of love put into its creation over many years is a testament to the unity of our people. Especially now, with Celestia and Luna spearheading the rebuild and restoration, aided by ponies of all races.”

“Dear, do you remember what we were doing just before?” Portia nudged Star Swirl’s shoulder.

“Oh, yes, right.” Star Swirl shook his head and looked from his wife to Cirrus. “We were searching for our daughter. Perhaps you know where she is?”

Cirrus nodded and leapt into the air once more. “Sure thing, Your Highnesses, I was actually on my own way to rejoin her. She’s headed off to the south side with her camel entourage. Have you met them yet?”

Star Swirl and Portia looked at each other. “Why no, I cannot say we have,” Star Swirl said. “Would these be the same camels that Free Spirit mentioned earlier?”

“Yup. Come on, follow me.” Cirrus made to fly forward, but was halted by the sound of Star Swirl clearing his throat. He turned around. “Er, is there a problem?”

“Oh, no problem, per se. I only wish to tell you that you no longer need to address either of us as ‘Your Highness’ anymore. We willingly stepped down from the throne, remember?”

Cirrus opened his mouth, then paused, a hoof to his chin and his eyes skyward. “Well, if you insist… I was only saying it out of reverence, though, rather than necessity.”

Portia stepped forward. “Your manners are respectable, young one. Though you must realise that you have earned our admiration many times over as well. You accompanied our daughter in her most dangerous hours. You fought for her life when all seemed lost. Despite this, you never once asked for or demanded any form of compensation from anypony.”

She laid a hoof upon his airborne shoulder. “She owes you her life, whether you acknowledge that or not.”

Cirrus shrugged. “With all due respect, Your… Lady Portia, we all helped each other, really. If we didn’t work as a team, none of us would have survived. Besides, Valencia was far more like a guardian to her than I was. Honestly, I was just swept up along for the ride. She’s far more deserving of your gratitude.”

Portia lowered her hoof and stepped back as Star Swirl spoke again.

“That may be true, but you cannot deny that your role in those events was significant. In any case, Aura seemed to speak most highly of you in particular when recounting her adventure to us.” Star Swirl gave a wink to Cirrus, whose face flushed the palest shade of pink.

“W-well, naturally, when ponies are thrust into life-and-death situations, surely a… bond of sorts forming between them is inevitable?” He zipped back through the air. “Now, weren’t we on a quest to locate your missing heir?”

Star Swirl and Portia chuckled to each other. “Of course,” the mare said. “Lead on, gallant knight!”

Aura giggled and frolicked around with the lambs in the pen, watched on by Bindii and crew. “They’re so cute!” she squeaked as the tiny, fluffy creatures chased after her. She sat down and allowed them to bombard her, licking her face and bleating in their high voices. “Oooo, I want to keep one! I’ll give it love and attention and feed it our crystal berries and call it “Fluffles!”

Bindii, Harold and Drome looked at each other, laughing. “They’re just the beginning of our exhibit, Princess,” Harold said. “Wait’ll you get a load of our other goodies!”

He wandered over to their traveling wagon and grasped the handle of another cage in his mouth. “E’ve got fom’ rare fpec’mens in ’ere you n’t never gon’ fee ’nywhere elf.”

He returned and placed the cage on the ground outside the makeshift lamb enclosure. Aura fluttered over the guardrail and landed lightly on her hooves before the cage, leaving the lambs to bleat among themselves. She lowered her head to see its contents, letting out a short “Awww.” A tiny creature with a long snout, fluffy ears and beady eyes sniffed at her from within. “What is it?”

“That, Missy, is a very rare creature called a bilby. It’s incredibly difficult to find and more so to catch. This little bugger—” Drome pointed a padded foot at the cage “—took us the greater part of twelve hours to snare. We ended up baiting it into the cage with some bush apples.” He gave a nod to Harold, who returned it and wandered with him over to the wagon. “Bindii, would you kindly introduce this one?”

The cow grinned and lowered her head to Aura, who gaped in awe at the captive bilby. “You’re gonna fan over this big boy too, Princess. He’s a might slower than these other fuzzballs, but he’s built like a sandstone fortress.”

She rose her head again as Harold and Drome, straining, dropped another cage at her feet. “Come and check him out, but—” she started to whisper “—be very quiet. He’s rather timid and shy. Last thing we need is him gettin’ all rustled up.”

Aura nodded, sealing her lips. Bindii placed a foot down on top of the cage, allowing the released door to swing outward. Inside, a dense-looking bundle of fur stirred, moving its stubby legs ever-so-slightly. Its face was turned toward the back of the cage. Aura crouched down and reached out a slightly shaking hoof, brushing the creature’s fur. Far from the woolly texture of the lamb, it was coarse and spiky. Surprised, Aura withdrew her hoof as it gave a small start. She looked to Bindii. “What is this thing called?” she whispered.

“It’s a beast we call the wombat,” Bindii said. “He might be slow, heavy and shy but if he gets running, you don’t wanna be in his way; he’ll bowl you head over hoof and you’ll roll before you stop. Probably with a broken leg or couple of ribs, to add injury to insult. But if you treat him nice, he’ll be a gentle, low-maintenance companion.”

“Wow.” Aura rose from her crouch and allowed the cage to click shut.

“Aura! There you are!”

Aura’s ears perked up as Cirrus’ voice reached her from behind. She trotted over to him, rustling her wings. “Hi, Cirrus! Oh, hello, Mother and Father. How are you finding the city?”

“It’s absolutely gorgeous, darling.” Portia appeared next to Aura and wrapped a hoof around her. She turned and—with her other forehoof—pointed at Cirrus. “Cirrus here has been telling us about it. He’s quite the tour guide. Among other things.” She gave a cheeky smile to her daughter.

“Um… yeah, he is. Say, come and have a look at these, will you?” Aura ducked out from her mother’s embrace and flapped back over to the enclosure. “They’re so cute!”

She giggled as she was swarmed by the baby ewes. “Come and pat them, all of you! They love the attention and they’re so fluffy! I want to keep one so much, you don’t even know.”

Cirrus breezed over to the other cages. “Wow, these are cute little critters you guys have. Are they native to your country only?” He looked up at the tall, brown trio.

“Sure are, young’un.” Bindii looked from Cirrus to Aura’s parents and made her way over. “G’day, my fine ponies. You must be the former King Levitatus and Lady Portia. Ever so pleased to meet’cha.”

She offered a foot, which Star Swirl and Portia took one by one. “Harold and Drome, the rest of my crew. Anyway, we hope you enjoy the exhibit. We managed to snag a few native fauna and bring them here for everypony’s enjoyment. Why not come say g’day?”

While the elder unicorns strode over to examine the exotic animals, Aura flapped over to Cirrus. “This fair is going so well; everypony’s happy, the critters are so cute—” she clapped her forehooves together and beamed “—and it’s a beautiful day. This might be my best birthday ever!”

“Y-yeah…” Cirrus replied, brushing the ground with a hoof.

Aura’s smile fell. “What’s wrong, Cir?”

Cirrus looked into the concerned eyes of the Crystal Princess. Should I tell her? Does she need to know? “Uhhh…”

“Cirrus, spit it out. You can tell me.”

He looked into her eyes, feeling oddly transparent beneath her gaze. “Well, you know how you asked me to find a jousting partner?”

She nodded. “Don’t tell me you’re not going to go through with it? I really want to see your skills put to the test.”

“Oh, don’t worry, it’s not that I won’t do it. In fact, I already found an opponent.”

Aura frowned and placed a hoof on his shoulder. “Is there a… problem with them at all?”

Cirrus closed his eyes. He breathed in deeply, then expelled his words with his breath: “It’s Prince Rend of the Griffon Kingdom and he seems to think I’ve insulted him and he wants to tear me limb from limb and he threatened to do the same to you while I watched—”

“Shhh, shhh, shhh…” Aura placed her other hoof over his lips. “The prince—you mean the son of King Sunder?—wants to rip you apart? Over an ‘insult’?”

Cirrus reached up a hoof and used it to lower hers from his muzzle. “Yes. All I did was run into him in midair about an hour ago—I had no idea he was there—and now he wants to more than repay the favour. He kept talking about his honour and how he must reclaim it.”

Aura stared into those crystalline, silver eyes. He’s actually frightened. I had no idea such a thing was possible…

“Cirrus, you don’t have to go through with this if you don’t wish to. I promise I’ll not think any less of you.”

With vehemence, he shook his head and released her hoof. “Aura, if he threatens you, I swear to Lady Dimiourgia he will not outlive the sunset.”

“No, Cirrus. I would die before I see you descend to that level of behaviour.” Aura reached out to him again, finding only empty air as he took flight. With a frown, she flapped her own wings and leveled with him. “Hey, don’t you worry about me, or anypony else. Surely the king would not permit anything to happen to either of us? It’s just a friendly competition, with friendly, non-lethal weapons, in the nature and presence of friendship. No matter who wins and loses, wouldn’t the fact that you both compete at all be enough to display your valiance?”

Cirrus sagged a few inches in hesitation. “...I suppose I could always throw the joust and let him win—” He found himself with Aura’s hoof at his lips once again.

“Cirrus, don’t you dare give that competition any less than your all. Even if you do go down, I will still respect you for trying your best. You hear me?” She dropped her own hoof this time and descended to the ground.

Cirrus slowly followed her lead. “You know what? You’re right, Princess.” He clucked his tongue at her huff and raised his right hoof, lifting it to his chest. “I will face Prince Rend. I, the undefeated pegasi lancer, Cirrus Spectrum, accept his challenge. I shall smite him to the ground… and offer my hoof in friendship afterward.” He chortled to himself at Aura’s small cheer.

“Thank you for reviving my courage, Princess.”

The Crystal Pendant flashed blue. Next Chapter: Act One Chapter Five: Royal Challenges Estimated time remaining: 1 Hour, 8 Minutes