Dear Moon Dancer,

When I was studying under Princess Celestia, she tended to hand me off to different tutors when she had royal duties to tend to. My favorite was easily Mr. Wrinkled Page. Mr. Page shared my love of reading and introduced me to some of his favorite books… that then became my favorite books in turn. He also introduced me to the wonders of the oldest game in existence.

The game of chess.

I devoted every analytical bit of my mind to learning all I could about the game solely for the purpose of beating my old teacher only once. But no matter how hard I tried, no matter how carefully I practiced and calculated each and every move, he would always beat me. One day I broke down and demanded to know how he always beat me. How was he always three steps ahead?

The old stallion just laughed and revealed that it was simple faith; faith in an old good luck charm his teacher had once taught him.

He said “Luck lies with them that sets the board.”

As the hours countdown to my imminent death, that quote keeps rattling around my skull. “Luck lies with them that sets the board.” Such a simple concept. And such a simple sentence. Just eight words. But in those eight words rested more power than in any magic spell I’ve ever learned. I set the board for my next twelve games with Mr. Page, and I won every single time. He may have let me win the first two or three, but he was visibly upset by game ten.

He’s dead now.

Luna ordered his library burned and he refused to leave. His ashes are now mixed together with those books for all time.

Now I have set the board again.

Applejack and Rarity must never know that their coup was always destined to fail. I didn’t plan on their capture nor their convictions, but their plan had far too many holes to succeed. I needed something to scare Luna, something that would force her to move my own execution up.

I was the only one supposed to die today. The only one who needed to die today.

Luna suspects nothing. In her zeal to force us all to worship her night, she has overlooked one simple fact… and it will be her undoing. And it all starts tonight.

I need you to accompany this letter to the Crystal Empire… and take the book with you. I know you’ve kept it secret and safe. Get it to Cadance. And give her this message; “the gods may only be undone by their truest selves.”

Moon Dancer, I’m sorry to ask you for so huge a favor. I was never the best friend to you in the old days. I didn’t understand how important friendship was. Friendship can move mountains, it can boil oceans, it can do wonders…

…and it can topple a tyrant.

Luck lies with them that sets the board.

I have set the board. The pieces are moving.

The game has begun.

Your friend,

Twilight Sparkle