Celestia tossed and turned in bed, beads of sweat running down her face. The moonlight shined through the window, casting its glow on her mane, now drenched in sweat.

Inside her dream, she was standing on a road in downtown Canterlot. Buildings stood tall all around her. Ponies were going about their daily lives. Then, the scene in front of her eyes shattered into pieces.

The buildings collapsed around her, leaving nothing in their wake. The ponies that were going about their daily business a moment ago began running around in panic, before they burst into a thin cloud of dust. Foals watched their parents disappear, shocked and scared before become the same fate befell them. The concrete sidewalks beneath her crumbled into pieces, leaving nothing but a muddy path. Within a matter of seconds, nothing was left except for a barren, lifeless landscape. It was as if nothing had ever existed there in the first place.

Celestia looked around herself in horror. Her castle, her city, the ponies she ruled over. All gone. All had become nothing.

Then, the entire scene disappeared completely.

Celestia was alone. Everything around her was dark. No light, no sound, except for a low, menacing voice that began whispering inside her head.

“The end is near, little princess. Time is running out.”

The darkness behind her eyelids was complete, with the sole exception of a pair glowing eyes that manifested from the darkness, staring her down. She tried to look into them, tried to identify where they were coming from, who they belonged to.

“Who are you?”

“I am the beginning, I am the end. I always have been and I always will be.”

“What do you mean? What are you saying?”

“The life you know is coming to a close.”

"What do you want?”

“I will be your end.”

Celestia’s eyes shot open and her head flew off her pillow. “Ahh!”

She darted her eyes around the room, taking huge gulps of air, trying to keep up with the pounding heart inside her chest.

“H-Hello? Where are you? I know you’re there!” She looked around her room, expecting the eyes to meet with hers once again. The hum of chirping crickets and the whistling of the wind through the window was her only response.

She slammed her hoof on the bed frowned. She looked at her bedside clock. “Three o’clock in the morning?”

She slumped her head back into her pillows. The nightmare kept replaying through her head. The voice wouldn’t leave her ears. Those haunting eyes. Everytime she closed her eyes, they were the only thing she saw.

“I need my coffee.”

Celestia crawled out from her covers and threw on a bathrobe to cover up her messy appearance as much as possible. She wasn’t in the most professional appearance at the moment.

She made her way down to the kitchens where a server pony was dancing in place, humming a tune out loud...

“Hello, there,” Celestia said with a smile.

The pony leapt up in surprise and stood to attention.”Princess! I apologize! I wasn’t aware of your presence. I was, um, just wiping down these counters!”

Celestia chuckled. “It’s alright. The graveyard shifts don’t provide much entertainment, do they?”

“Um, no ma’am.” The pony looked around awkwardly, trying to think of the correct protocol in this situation. “Oh! Would you like me to get you anything? Early breakfast? Late dinner?”

“Coffee. Black, if you will. I can’t really sleep at the moment, so I may as well stay awake at this point.”

“Yes, ma’am. Right away.” The pony dashed off to obey the command.

Celestia strode off to the dining area and sat down. Three nightmares in the same week. She was going to get to the bottom of this.

“Does it really take thirty minutes to make a cup of coffee?” Celestia shook her head and got up from her seat. It would appear she was just going to have to make it herself.

Celestia walked into the kitchens once again in search of her coffee. Sure enough, there was the server pony, humming her tune.

“Oh, um, Princess! I apologize, I was just, um, wiping down these counters!” The pony sunk back and quickly bowed.

Celestia shook her head and brought her hoof to her face. “Yes, I understand. But did you make my coffee I asked for?”

The pony gave her a puzzled look. “I apologize, Princess, but did you request me to make you coffee? I wasn’t aware—”

“Yes, the coffee I asked for thirty minutes ago when I stumbled down here at three o’clock in the morning!” Celestia pointed to the clock on the wall and her eyes widened in shock. “Wait. It says it’s only two-thirty.”

“Um, yes, ma’am. It’s two-thirty right now. Is something wrong? Did I do something wrong?”

Celestia’s eyes were glued to the clock. “Go ahead and get the coffee going. And make enough for two ponies. I have to go get my sister.”

Something was very wrong, indeed.

Luna sat down at the table and took a sip of her coffee.

“My sister, I understand that you believe the situation is dire, but could it not have waited until morning? You know how I value my personal time at night.”

“I’m sorry, Luna, but it can’t wait. The situation is serious.”

Luna nodded and took another sip of her coffee. “Alright, tell me what is on your mind.”

“I’ll get right to the point. I’ve had another vision. You remember what I’ve told you, correct?”

“Yes. Is it the same as before?”

“Yes. The same eyes and voice. Except this time, he’s made good on his threat.”

Luna paused her hoof as it brought her drink to her mouth. “Explain.”

“Tell me sister, you spend a lot of time in the libraries. You know a lot about the past and theoretical possibilities, do you not?”

“I do.”

“What can you tell me about temporal incursions?”

Author's Notes:

It starts...