“The one immune to darkness, save us from this mess!”

Suddenly, colors appeared around her, figures and shapes taking form. The smell of incense was strong, and a source of great heat was nearby. Fluttershy blinked a few times, and found herself in an old shack. It felt real to her... The bed was soft and fluffy, the incense had a strong smell, and the sound of ponies talking on the other side of the wall was almost surreal.

Fluttershy lifted herself out of the bed she was lying in. She looked around, wondering not only where she was, but also if any of that had been real. A small bamboo door flew open just as she hopped out of the bed and onto her hooves. The unexpected door nearly made her jump back into the bed.

“Fluttershy!” A purple-maned, purple coat mare darted across the hut and gave Fluttershy an incredibly tight bear-hug. The hug was so tight that it knocked the breath out of her.

“Twilight Sparkle your enthusiasm needs taming. Your friend there is not ripe for the naming…” A zebra followed Twilight through the door, wrapped in an orange cloak.

“Twilight…Zecora…You two are okay?” Fluttershy’s eyes began to tear up, and her knees gave out on her. She collapsed to the floor in a fit of comfort and happiness. At least two of her friends were okay.

Zecora spoke up, “Perhaps I was wrong, you friend’s will is strong.”

Twilight and Zecora sat down beside Fluttershy, and they started talking about what was happening all over the world. Fluttershy explained everything she had seen and done, while the other two recounted tales of the events that transpired over the last hour or two. It turned out that everything was wrecked. There were hardly any normal ponies left in Ponyville. Twilight was the only one left. Her and Zecora, anyway.

“You are brave, dear pony. But we must be alert for a phony…” Zecora looked out of her window. She didn’t want to let her guard down at all.

Twilight thought about everything Fluttershy told her. “So…Celestia, Luna, and Cadence are all…gone? But then, how can we stop this mad-” In mid-sentence, the door to the hut slammed open, and a stallion trotted right on in. “Big Macintosh!” Twilight exclaimed.

Big Mac approached Twilight, a sinister grin on his face. Fluttershy recognized that evil grin, and leaped into action. Taking a small handful of crushed herbs and peppers, she tossed them onto Big Mac’s face, stopping him dead in his tracks. He let out a loud, ear-piercing yell. Both Twilight and Zecora looked at Fluttershy as if she were insane.

Twilight screamed, “What did you do that for?!”

Fluttershy stamped her hoof, “He’s one of them… The Shadows that Feilbach made…” She pointed at his faded irises as he grasped his face.

He calmed himself down, and chuckled; “Now Fluttershy, ya shouldn’t ta done that. Eeyup…” Big Mac charged at her, tackling her against the wall of the shack.

Twilight didn’t hesitate as she placed a magical grip over Big Mac, throwing him across the room and back through the door. Zecora watched as Twilight took initiative. Fluttershy got back on her hooves, wincing at the pain in her side.

“Twilight…Zecora…you two need to run, now!” She screamed as loud as the pain would let her.

Twilight scoffed, “And leave you here alone, are you crazy?” Fluttershy shot her a menacing glare, and Twilight realized she was serious. Zecora abandoned her cauldron, took Twilight by the mane, and off she went, deeper into the Everfree Forest.

Fluttershy limped out of the shack, the pain bringing tears to her eyes. She felt comforted by the fact that Twilight and Zecora escaped. Before she could revel in it, smoke wafted past her nose, and she started choking…

It wasn’t Feilbach’s smoke. It was real smoke- fire smoke! Fluttershy turned around to see the trees behind her burst into flames. The fire spread to all the surrounding trees, and a few embers reached Zecora’s shack. Suddenly, Fluttershy realized that the only way to get out of here…would be to go through the fire. Up, out, or over, she would have to touch the flames. The thought made her side sting even worse.

Taking a deep breath, she opened her wings, ignoring her pain, and shot up into the air, doing so in a spiral motion so as not to catch fire herself. With minimal effort and damage, she was above the forest, looking down on the yellow-orange glow of the flames that were killing so many of the woodland creatures she loved so much. She thought to herself that this was all Feilbach’s fault. He did this.

She quickly flew over the forest and into Ponyville, hoping to find just one hidden pony. Any pony that wasn’t possessed. Just one… After surveying the area for a few minutes, she decided it was a lost cause. She thought about Twilight and Zecora, and realized they were inside the Everfree Forest. She darted back toward the forest, heading in the direction the duo had ran off in…

Before she made it very far, a large tree went flying towards her as super-high speed, and she took the blow full force… It knocked her unconscious, and she fell right out of the sky into the fountain that sits in the center of Ponyville…

A cloud of black smoke formed in front of the fountain. Feilbach took shape as Luna, and began speaking to Fluttershy. “This was fun, little pony. Your imagination is definitely something to behold. Very well then, it is apparent that, even left unattended, you are unable to stop me. Come back to your own world, and rejoice in the chaos that is the Shadows…”

Feilbach’s voice faded out slowly, repeating that last word over and over again…

When Fluttershy opened her eyes, she was back in Celestia’s chambers, still stuck in the black gunk that held her in place before her journey into the orb. “What…is this…?” She asked softly, her mind still affixed to the fantasy she had just lived.

Feilbach grunted, “Your grave, my pony. Everypony’s grave. Just as I have done to Cadence and Celestia, so I shall do with everyone. And once this world is gone, I can return to my rest, and be happy again…” He turned to face her.

“All that was a dream…? But why?” Fluttershy struggled to get free.

Feilbach grinned, “Because, that realm is one of nightmares. Your worst fears come to life. And your worst fear is being abandoned by your friends. You fear being alone. Well, my little pony, that is one thing you most certainly are: Alone. Give up any misguided hopes that any other pony remains. You are alone here in this world. The only pony not controlled by my Shadows. Forgive me if I come off as rude, but you can kiss your hopes of saving everyone goodbye…” Feilbach trailed off here, his attention being diverted toward something moving behind him.

Fluttershy watched as small shining gemstone flew through the open window at the back of the chamber, piercing straight through Feilbach’s smoke and ooze, ridding the room of all the smoke. The blow the gemstone dealt to Feilbach made him collapse to the ground, paralyzed. The ooze holding Fluttershy evaporated, and she immediately fled the room. A deep, angry voice called after her.

“Run all you want, pony. You can’t save this world. No one, nothing, can…”

Next Chapter: Chapter 5: The Scar Left long Ago (Act I) Estimated time remaining: 1 Hour, 26 Minutes