Princess Luna arrived in Canterlot a few short hours after she received Celestia's message. She read Celestia's message as she headed toward the throne room.

"Sister, I must call on you to run the royal court for a short time while I go into the Everfree Forest. Our research team seems to have found a way to unlock what we have been trying to for years. Certainly you understand that I must investigate this immediately. I'm sorry to leave you with such a great responsibility so suddenly, but I'm afraid I have no choice. I trust completely that you will do everything momentously well. I hope all goes well.

Signed,

Celestia."

The dark blue alicorn smiled a bit nervously. She hadn't had to deal with anything this major in well over a thousand years. Luna was exhausted after the engagement with the Hydra. Her mind seemed to linger on the fight - there was something odd about the hydra, it seemed different than other hydras she had encountered. She pushed her concerns to the back of her mind for now; she had to focus on the royal court.

When the princess finally came to the throne room doors, she pushed them open with her magic. It was nearly time to lower the moon and raise the sun, she had to make quick work if she wanted any time to relax before court began. She entered the massive room to find Eastern spark waiting alone.

"Oh, Eastern," Luna said surprised," I didn't know you would be here, especially so early." It was only a little past five in the morning, Luna wasn't expecting anypony to be in the throne room.

"Ah, my apologies if I startled you princess, but I heard you were to be holding royal court today, and I wanted to see if you needed any assistance," Spark replied calmly.

"Oh, well thank you for the concern, to be honest, I am actually a bit nervous about doing court for the first time in a thousand years," the moon princess said. "Celestia has asked me to lower the moon and raise the sun today, so I may be a minute. It is good to see you Spark," the princess turned to the window and began to reach out to the moon.

"The feeling is mutual, princess," Spark said with a wry smile as he took a step towards Luna.

= = = = = = = = = = = =

Golden Gates and Leo entered the barracks, throwing their armor to the side. It had been a long few hours. Leo was thrown for a loop by the hydra. It didn't make sense why it was even near Manehattan. He tried to explain it to the of the team.

"It seemed a lot stronger than other ones I've faced off against too," Leo explained. "Rookie, what do you think?"

"To be honest I have no clue, I have no frame of reference, being that I've never faced a hydra," Gates replied leaning back into a chair.

"The thing that confuses me is that there hasn't been a hydra in Manehattan any time I can remember," Firefly added.

"It's all really strange," Leo nodded," when I get some free time I'm gonna have to look into it." Everypony in the room gave some kind of acknowledgment, all except for Dauphin, who stood staring out the window. Firefly and Leo both noticed, giving each other a small nod as the white pegasus stood staring intently out the window.

"Everything okay D'?" Firefly asked. Crack-ooom! The ground began shaking with the booming noise.

"What the flank was that?" Briggs yelled.

"Everypony outside, NOW!" Dauphin ordered as the Elite Guard ran out of the barracks.

= = = = = = = = = = = =

Twilight woke up to what she suspected was the sound of thunder. She tiptoed past Rarity and Fluttershy; the three had fallen asleep on the floor last night. The sun had just barely come up above the eastern horizon, she could just see the thick clouds, colored pink and orange in the light of the sunrise. She noticed that it wasn't raining, there wasn't any lightning either. Twilight saw a flash and only gaped, speechless, at what she saw.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Princess Celestia looked on at the large, magically sealed gate. There was no doubt this is where it was, if it was anywhere, it was here. Celestia and her magical research team had been working to open the seal on the door for years. It was a place that had guarded a source of a very powerful dark magic for thousands of years. However, the seal had been growing weak lately, and Celestia wanted to make sure it was taken care of before the seal broke on it's own, or worse, another pony had gotten hold of it. The last thing Celestia had wanted was for a pony with bad intentions to get a hold of a dark magic source that strong.

Things in Equestria had been nearly perfect for a long time now, she didn't want to let that slip away, from the citizens of Equestria or herself for that matter. She had just gotten her beloved sister back, she had a loyal pupil she truly cared for in Twilight Sparkle, and her kingdom was living in perfect harmony. She couldn't live with herself if she let that be taken away from Equestria again.

"We believe we have the spell ready, but it will require a great deal of magic," Celestia's chief researcher said,"we think you are the only one of us that could possibly do it."

"Well then, I suggest we begin. I don't want to waste any time in doing this," Celestia said solemnly," you may want to get back, I do not know how much magic this will take, the discharge could be a bit bumpy." Moon had just begun its' decent on the horizon, sinking slowly. There was hardly any light at all shining through the thick clouds above. The most light in the forest was coming from Celestia's and the two other unicorn's horns. Celestia stood in front of the massive, runic gate. Her horn began glowing brilliantly and her mane began to flow with even more magical energy. She cast the spell, the doors began to open, slowly; the magical chains and locks that tethered it closed seemed to break with relative ease.

Suddenly, the great door opened wide. The princess braced herself for what might come out. After a few moments, nothing. Celestia walked in warily, the sun had just broken over the horizon, shining some dim light into the chamber. The solemn look on Celestia's face changed to one of pure anguish.

It was gone, she was already too late.

Next Chapter: Chapter Four - The Storm Estimated time remaining: 3 Hours, 19 Minutes