“Please...”

“Please help me...”

“I want to go home...”

“Can you hear me?”

“Please don’t be dead...you can’t all be dead...”

“Help me...”

“It’s so cold here...I’ve been alone for so long...”

------------------------------

Darkness.

She woke in darkness, her head swimming with pain. Whatever had been done to her left her body feeling prickly and numb all over. She could barely sense the manacles that held her spread eagle against the hard rock wall. She had the feeling that not much time had passed, but enough for her to have the strangest nightmare she ever had before. As the feeling came back to her hooves the pain spread from her head down the length of her back. Though it was dark, her eye was slowly growing accustomed to the thin light that seemed to reflect from a source far, far above her. It was the flickering glow of a torch. She could smell no smoke or oil so it must be very far away indeed.

A scream echoed from above. She could not be sure, but it seemed that until recently she had been partially deaf. Now the sounds came fully to her, screams and sobs and moans filled the darkness. There must be many others like herself down here. The smell was horrible, a mix of stale moisture and dank privy. The mood of despair was palpable. This was clearly some kind of subterranean prison. With an effort, Theia tried to shift into shadow form, but found that something was suppressing her magic. She imagined it was the same for all the other magical prisoners in the complex, though such a powerful counter spell would need to be immense to cover what felt like such a large area. Given what she had seen in the valley below Canterlot, however, such a counter spell did not seem as outside the realm of logic as it would have previously. Theia struggled, trying to find some give in her manacles, but all she managed to do was rub her ankles raw. It was clear from the rough metal that these bounds were thick with rust. Even so, they held firmly to the stone.

“Stop that. Stop all the noise and rustling around. You’ll just invite attention you don’t want” The harsh whisper came from Theia’s left. She could barely see the slumped figure as it hung lifeless as a corpse from the wall. It was tall and emaciated to the point that she could pick out each rib beneath the filthy pale skin. Clumps of long stringy hair hung limply from a head that had once bore a horn, now clearly cut off and gouged out at the root. Straining her eye she could see more scars, some old some fresh, and two tiny stubs at either shoulder that once, long ago, might have been wings. Such sad little things, they were now hopelessly broken and stripped of all their feathers. All this she could see plainly, but she could not see the whisperer breath, or move at all, as she spoke again. “If you want to survive among the dead, you must be as the dead child. Hang your head so your mane falls before your eyes and look through that if you must keep your eyes open, but do exactly as I say. When the light comes, calm your breathing, slow your heartbeat if you know how. You may not be able to pass for dead yet, but maybe we can fool them into thinking your dreaming. Make not a sound, not a peep. They’re coming now...”

It was true, the torchlight was drawing closer, and as the light drifted down from above Theia caught a glimpse of where she was. It was not merely a prison, but a dungeon, filled with all the devices of torture and humiliation that such a place implied. The entire cavern was lined with tunnels and hallways full of cells and cages filled with equal parts living and dead. Rough stone carved stairs lead up and down the shear rock walls, but of a ceiling above or floor to the pit below she could see no sign. She recognized some of the other prisoners as soldiers of the Dawn, Chimeron legionnaires, and even one or two Daughters of the Moon. There were hundreds, if not thousands of them. The thought struck her then that those who had been engulfed by the dragon Spike’s flame had not been destroyed, but instead all magically transported here to die a slower death than they might have enjoyed on the battlefield.

Slumping forward as the pony next to her had suggested, Theia tried to get a glimpse of their jailers as the light drew closer and the stench in the air increased. She knew without seeing them that they were Children of Twilight. They giggled and chatted to one another as they walked down the rows, stopping here and there to tighten the bonds of one or jab another with the burning brand they carried, sending up the acrid stench of burning flesh and hair to mix with the screams of agony. Theia tried to calm herself and slow her breathing, but it was hard as they pranced closer, violet and pink light glowing brighter in their eyes than the sullen glow of their torch. “Heehee...it’s raining its pouring...” sang one, “The old man is snoring...” said the other as they stopped and smiled at Theia. “Bumped his head and went to bed and won’t wake in the morning...” giggled the other again. “Aww that’s no fun, no fun at all.” The one with the burning brand brought the red hot metal so close to Theia’s face she could see the individual hairs of her mane crisp and curl up on themselves as the heat singed them. A sound from further down the way, a scream or sob, thankfully drew their attention away. The Children of Twilight always enjoyed playing with conscious prey if they could manage it.

As the light faded in the distance, the cool darkness came back and Theia exhaled. “Quiet you little foal! You think that they all move about with light? Those were just the ones that mark prisoners for their larder. There are still plenty wandering this cesspit looking for other kinds of sport...” Her words were harsh and Theia noticed she had a tendency to slur her speech, as if she were long out of practice in using her tongue. “Who are you?” asked Theia, whispering as well, “I thank you for all this advice, though I question why you’re giving it when you could just as easily be caught.” The figure beside her stiffened, then relaxed again. “Consider this a belated birthday present. If you can keep your voice down, I will speak to you. My name is Celestia...and you are Theia, yes?”

The revelation made Theia’s mind reel. It was possible that this prisoner could be lying, but the proof was on her back and in the middle of her forehead. Only Celestia and Luna, the ancient pony Princesses of Equestrian legend, were known to have both a unicorns horn and a pegasus' pair of wings. Neither had been seen in Equestria in nearly a hundred years, ever since the coming of Twilight. Though Luna had been missing for far longer, it was thought by the Cult of the Moon that she yet lived. Celestia on the other hand, all had given her up for dead, even the loyal soldiers of the Dawn. “How...how long have you been down here?” Asked Theia. Pastel clumps of greasy hair parted just enough that Theia could make out one magenta colored eye.

“How long? Longer than you’ve lived, though perhaps not as long as you’ve been alive. Long enough I’ve seen more of your kind come and go than I could ever possibly care to keep track of.” she shifted back, turning away from Theia. “I don’t know anymore...to be honest I don’t even know what time of day it is, let alone the season. Tell me...does the sun still shine over Equestria?” Theia shook her head, but realized there was no way Celestia could see the gesture. “No. The Sun only shines in the eastern lands, its been that way for some time.” Celestia slumped forward. “Of course. That makes perfect sense, how could I be so blind? Well I guess it is dark... Heheh...” She started giggling then and Theia wasn’t sure how to react. “Oh, I’m sorry I guess you wouldn’t get the joke would you? The Twilight Queen, I’d been trying to figure out for a long time now just what it was she was planning. Now I think I know.” Celestia smiled with crooked, rotten teeth. “My sister should have let you die Theia.”

“You’re sister?” asked Theia shocked by this ascertain. “Do you mean Luna? When was it ever up to her if I lived or died? And how do you know my name?” That got another mad little chuckle from the wreckage that claimed to be Celestia. “You really don’t know anything do you? I’ll give my sister one thing, she can maintain a mystery far better than I ever could. I suppose that’s the difference between the beguiling moon and the searing light of day. I will hold no secrets from you Theia, though you may not like what I have to tell you.” Against a background of tormented cries, the former ruler of Celestia told a story of ancient might and magic from before the creation of Canterlot, before the founding of the pony sisters kingdom, even before the chaotic spirit of Discord was abroad in these lands.
---------------------------

Once upon a time, the ponies ruled a world of peace and serenity, fueled by sorcery so potent as to put what we dub today as magic to shame. There were no wars, no hunger, no disease, and no death. The realm was one of crystalline splendor, mysterious and beautiful. The utopian world clung close to a an ancient star. As the ponies frolicked and played, loving one another and being loved in return, the only thing about their world that seemed to change was the sun in the sky. It would grow and shrink with the passing of ages, burning hotter or cooler. Then, as now, there were ponies responsible for controlling and caring for the different elements of the world, and one in particular in charge of the movements of heavenly bodies.

Her name was Queen Theia. Not only was she responsible for the sun and the moon but she also guided the position of their world in relation to the stars. With her great power and knowledge she was able to move their world closer to their star when it cooled and further away when it flared, maintaining a perfect equidistance between their sun and the cold void. Though it seemed that the pony's society would be able to last forever in peace and harmony, the same could not be said for their star. One day, eons ago, Queen Theia observed that their sun was cooling at an alarming rate. At first she tried merely moving their world closer to the sun, but as it cooled it grew massive and red, devouring the other worlds around them one by one. Being wise, even by those ancient scholars standards, the Queen knew that the end of their utopian world was inevitable. She had a choice, cast their world into the heart of the giant or let it eventually cool to the point that their home became a freezing wasteland.

She was unwilling to accept either outcome, and instead sought for a third option. Calling on the great powers of all harmony, she devised a plan that would see their society safe through the death of their own star. For you see, the galaxy is vast, but with magic the possibilities are literally infinite. Working with a feverish intensity, the Queen inscribed the entirety of the planet with protective wards that would bind the populace in a deep and tranquil slumber for a thousand years. Afterwards, their consciousness would be transferred to new bodies upon another suitable world somewhere out there in the cosmos. As she drained their worlds magic into these spells as well as a powerful spell of transference a catastrophe struck. With the flow of magic interrupted on their world, ponies began to age, and they began to die. Sickness spread like wildfire and ponies began to fight one another for food and land that still had the merest touch of magic. Worse, ponies born during this time were horribly mutated, maimed and halt. For you see, in their world all ponies were born with horns to channel magic and wings to sail the skies. Many were born missing one or both of these, while still others were born with twisted limbs that did not even resemble a pony’s. The worst of these children were murdered by their own parents as freaks. The Queen however, in her infinite wisdom, found a purpose for even these cast off children.

Using one of her own blood line as a template, she created for these deformed ponies new bodies of flame and steel. Empowering them with the essence of their dying sun, the Stars were born. Positioned around their fragile world, the Stars brought light and warmth to the citizens of the Queen’s dying world. They also became vital to the Queen’s ultimate plan, as they would guard and guide their world while it traveled through the gulf of space. When at last all the preparations had been completed Queen Theia bound all her subjects and broke their world from the pull of their dying star. To survive this monumental spell work, Queen Theia cast a spell on herself that moved her physical essence into the plain of shadow. Having already lived for countless eons, the few hundred years it took to travel to another suitable star system was nothing to her, but hearing no other voices, seeing no other pony, and not even being able to feel herself or anything around her...Queen Theia surely was overcome by despair, if not madness.

Thankfully, the Stars had already been magically imbued with the knowledge required to find a new world. It’s not certain how long it really took, but the Stars found a perfect world and brought the smaller planet into orbit around it. Primitive life was already present on this new world, even other ponies, but it had never known the touch of magic. That was our gift to the world. Old spells went into motion as soon as the two planets neared one another, and matter began to be syphoned one to the other. Sadly only a few of Queen Theia’s original subject's bodies had been able to survive the trip to their new home, and those were her direct blood line. The rest were not completely lost, however, as their consciousness seeped into the world along with their magic.

In no time at all the inhabitants of their new home began to display features and powers similar to the slumbering travelers from afar. They grew horns and wings and magic ran wild through the land. Those blessed by the spirits gained a magical mark upon their flank, a sign of the awakening of this consciousness within them. With their mission complete, the Stars themselves fell into slumber. With their deactivation, it was left to the descendants of Theia’s blood to nurture and shape the new world. The eldest inherited Queen Theia’s responsibilities, while the younger would become custodian of their old home. They had many adventures and fought many battles against the original inhabitants of this world. They even had to fight one of the Stars that had managed to fall to this world, a terrible monster who styled himself the Lord of Discord, but there was no trial the sisters could not overcome together.

And that’s how Equestria was made...

--------------------------
“Uhh, not to be rude, but you didn’t really answer any of my questions.” Theia was now convinced that if this pony had ever been Princess Celestia she was, beyond all doubt, completely insane. Celestia giggled uncontrollably, “I’m sorry, maybe if you’re good I’ll tell you the story of how I got my cutie mark.” She shuddered, sobbing and laughing at the same time. As Theia watched, the withered pony began to thrash around and turned her head fully towards her. Half the flesh had been stripped from her skull, what was left of her face stretched into a wide smile as pink light filled her eyes. Another convulsion went through her, and the light faded away, as her laughter subsided. Theia had never witnessed someone actually resist the influence of the Children of Twilight.

“I’m sorry... She’s in my mind. I’m stronger than she could ever hope to be, but she just keeps worming her way deeper and deeper inside. I will never fully be hers, but I don't have to be. If she can keep me from telling you the truth then she’s already won.” Her own words seemed to anger her greatly, and for a moment Theia caught a glimpse of the proud being that Celestia must once have been before the ravages of this dungeon. “I... Will she...let you tell me what happened to the Twilight Queen afterwards? Why did she wait so long to come to Equestria? Why does she want to rule now? And why try to destroy this world?” asked Theia. Celestia drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly.

“Yes, I think I can answer that. As to why she waited so long, I think she became trapped in the shadow realm. As she was the one to cast the spell on the other ponies, she was not a part of that spell. Once they and all that was good of that world transferred to this one, the old world became as dust and completely inhospitable. She could not interact with this reality without the aid of one of the Stars and they had all become dormant.” She paused, eyes clouding with anger. “It was my sisters actions that led to her release. My stupid, jealous, idiot of a sister. She rode her back like a tick on a bird. Sadly I did not realize this until after I had reforged my sisters crown to pass to another. I had wanted my apprentice to take Luna’s place by my side in stewardship of this world after my sister disappeared again.” Her head drooped, and Theia could hear her grit her teeth as she said, “I wish I had never even heard the name Twilight Sparkle. But I also wish that I had not offered her that crown...”

“So let me see if I have this right. The Twilight Queen was the original ruler of a race of ponies from another world who traveled here and took possession of the bodies of the ponies who lived here and that’s why we have cutie marks. Also you and your sister are direct descendants of this alien race and the spirit of your mother is trying to destroy the world.” Theia said incredulously. “Doesn’t that seem a little, far fetched?”

Celestia narrowed her eyes and glared at Theia. “Any more so than the dead coming to life and devouring the living? You don’t understand the delicate balance of power it takes to maintain this world. Calling her my mother is overly simplistic as well, since she’s the matriarch of our entire race!” She spat, thrashing against her shackles. “Destroying this world is incidental to her plan. With enough power, she can reverse the flow of magic from Equestria to her old world and undo everything that we have managed to accomplish over the centuries! In one fell swoop, she will rob this world of magic, dooming its inhabitants to a slow rotting death while she returns to her paradise and starts the cycle all over again! The worst part is this seems to have been part of her plan all along. She just moved up her time table when I banished my sister to the Moon. See if you can wrap your mind around this Theia, killing us is just a side effect of her work, in truth I don’t think she cares if we live or die so long as she has a chance to remake her lost kingdom. For whatever reason Equestria has failed to live up to her expectations. It will only be destroyed because her majesty dislikes the color. And it’s all your fault that she’s going to be able to do it!”

----------------------------
Scootaloo moved through the lowest reaches of Canterlot Castle. When she had first arrived, she had seen Children of the Twilight carry Theia down here from another part of the castle. Having so recently lost her friend Sweetie Belle, she wasn’t about to lose Theia if it could be helped. Flying after them as swiftly as she could, she still managed to lose them in the twists and turns of the deserted hallways. At last, the Sergeant Major found a promising doorway. A massive black wrought iron gate lay wide open before her. Within was naught but darkness, but she could hear the sounds of moaning and distant screams coming from far away. Steeling herself for the worst, she flew into the dark maw and glided through air as dank and stale as that of a crypt.

What she found took her breath away. A dungeon that looked as though it could easily occupy the entirety of the interior of the mountain upon which Canterlot stood spread below her. It extended so deep she could not even make out a bottom and the endless cells seemed to all be filled. She recognized a few of her fellow soldiers of the Dawn, but she could also see Children of the Twilight moving along the walls, torturing a few soldiers here, devouring and converting others there. She couldn’t afford to free them all without a solid plan to get them out. This kind of thinking was above her pay grade...in times of stress Scootaloo often looked for the nearest commander for orders. Gliding down through the darkness she found someone who would serve. The Daughters of the Moon called her Lady Selene. She had brooked some kind of deal between the Chimeron Empire and the Dawn to end the war between the two factions and bring their combined might to bare against the Twilight Queen. If any pony could think of a way out of this mess it would be her.

Shackled as she was, Scootaloo had to land softly on the ledge beside her before she could edge along a sheer cliff side to her alcove. “Lady Selene? Sergeant Major Scootaloo here to help you ma’am. What are your orders?” Lady Selene looked for a moment as if she didn’t believe what she was seeing, but then she quickly snapped her head upward and spoke. “Scootaloo, there’s not much time. The Twilight Queen has already made her final move. I had hoped to face her and destroy her myself, but I don’t think that’s possible now...” Her voice trailed off. At first Scootaloo didn’t know what she meant, then she saw that the unicorns horn had been broken, in battle or afterwards she could not tell. Blood oozed slowly from the core of the jagged stub. “Oh my Lady, what have they done to you?” Selene grimaced, but continued. “Nevermind that right now! I need you to take this jewel from around my neck. Take it to Theia, do you understand? If that pony still lives she’s our last chance of stopping the Twilight Queen. None of the rest of us matter but her!”

Reaching beneath the purple ponies black hood, Scootaloo found a necklace with a massive blue gem gilded in goldt. As she slid it over the other pony’s forehead Lady Selene gave a little shudder. She seemed to shrink slightly into herself and fresh blood poured from the wound on her forehead. The Crusader moved to undo her bonds, but Lady Selene shook her head, her light blue mane spilling from beneath her hood. “Nevermind about me. Go now! Find Theia. Even if she’s dead, give her that gem. It’s magic should take care of the rest...” Scootaloo nodded and turned to leave. “Wait...” The Crusader looked over her shoulder. “If...when...when you give her that jewel I need you to tell her something for me. Listen closely...”

-----------------------------

Theia began to lose track of time. The babbling pony next to her, be she Celestia or some poor deluded pony, kept whispering secrets to her in the darkness. Whatever mania seized her, be it something in her head already or something put there by the Children of Twilight, seemed to have completely consumed her body and soul. She kept insisting that everything was Theia’s fault, or her sisters fault, or her apprentices fault, or some other pony’s fault that had something to do with baking. She spoke of some sick ritual designed to both cull the population and bind their spirits to the earth so that they could be reborn into the world again. Some horrid nonsense about stripping ponies of their magic, returning them to their natural wingless and hornless state, and recycling the body along with the spirit as nourishment for those who still lived.

The very concept revolted Theia beyond all reasoning. She tried to shut out the other ponies half mad whisperings but it seemed the pony had chosen Theia as her confessor. Listening to the sick twisted things “Celestia” had done, Theia hoped the pony was very insane. If even half of what she was saying were true, then Celestia deserved worse than being chained in the dark and tortured by the Children. As it was, Theia was busily trying to block out her words by humming a little tune when Scootaloo suddenly flew past her. Forgetting the need for silence, Theia shouted to her friend. As the shout echoed off the walls, the Sergeant Major rushed back, a grin on her face. “There you are! I thought I’d never find you. This place is terrible! Lets get out of here quick.” The crusader set to kicking at Theia’s rusted shackles, breaking each after a few well placed steel shod kicks. Theia fell to her hooves, stretching her legs and arching her back. It felt good to be free again.

“And where do you think you’re going?” The pony who thought herself Celestia said, eyes blazing with pink light. “You know that they heard you my little pony. You know that they’re coming for you.” She giggled manically as her deep, rusty voice rose higher in pitch and became sickeningly sweet. “Peek-a-boo...I see you...” With that thousands of violet and pink lights flared in the darkness around Theia and Scootaloo. Theia grabbed the Dawn’s Light Crusader and tried to phase them both into the shadow realm, but whatever was suppressing her magic still seemed to be in effect. If Scootaloo grabbed her, they might be able to fly away before the Children caught them, but they were so close, Theia didn’t know if they could make it away in time.

The Sergeant Major had other plans. “Theia...this is important. Lady Selene gave me this necklace and told me to make sure I go it to you.” She dropped the chain over Theia’s head. As the blue gem touched her chest, Theia felt a wave of energy sweep through her. In an instant, her body was engulfed in wave of raw magic. The pulses of power emanated from her body in waves as she slowly rose into the air, pushing back the Children of Twilight and sending those unfortunate enough to be near tumbling into the darkness below. As Theia floated, the gem stone broke away from the necklace and hovered before her face, glowing. The sky blue light filled the entire mountain as Theia’s left eye began to glow in equal intensity. With a flash, the gem buried itself in Theia’s empty eye socket. A sound of thunder shook the entire mountain, making the living and the undead scream in one voice. Then all fell into silence and darkness.
-----------------------------

Darkness.

Through darkness void of light, her mind wandered. Waking, sleeping, screaming, weeping, sighing, and dying slowly second by second. This was all she knew. This was her world.

She could feel it, the thrumming of a distant energy, but she did not know what it was. She did not know who she was. She did not know what she was. She simply...was.

Little hooves reached out and touched a cold wet surface, slippery to the touch. There was no purchase for her...she floated aimlessly, her small body shivering slightly against the chill.

Then she felt something new. The energy was coming closer. She didn’t know what warmth was until then, but she felt it, she longed for it. Light bloomed as she opened her tiny eyes. Out there, somewhere, it was drawing closer. The darkness beneath her shifted and a plain of glowing white light spread before her eyes.

She was different now. Strong, able to move through the darkness, and it was not so dark after all. Her body no longer felt confined, there were no slick cold walls. All around her she saw others. They were her sisters, she knew. Looking upon them and then down at her own hooves, she knew what she was as well. As the energy from the white disc below fed into her, knowledge flowed into her mind, expanding her understanding. She could understand words now.

“Help me. Please help me. I’ve been alone for so long...I need to go home. Please help me go home.”

She didn’t know what sadness was. She had never truly known despair, love, hatred, or any emotion but longing. The longing in the voice that filled her head called to her. Spreading wings of flame she moved through the void, swimming with ease now, as she drifted from the darkness further into the light. Far below her she saw patches of shadow marring the surface of the light. She knew instinctively this was not right. There should be no darkness in this place of light. The voice called out again, soft and scared, every word filling her with purpose, filling her with energy.

“I...I’ve lost track of time. Has it been days or years? I don’t know. Please... You can’t all be dead. You were supposed to protect this world, you were supposed to protect me. Can you hear me? Please give me a sign... Any sign, any word. Please answer me.”

The words blazed in her head like fire. She tried to answer, “...kkktttzzzz...kk....kek...can...you...hear me?” her words ended with a pop and a crackle, sounding hollow in her own head as if they were coming from over a vast distance. She hadn’t understood distance before. The plain of light...the lunar surface was far beneath her. There was someone there that needed her help. Drifting gently to the surface, molten hooves turned the dusty ground to glass where they touched. Her eyes, blazing with power, scanned the surface in a full circle finding no signs of even the most rudimentary kinds of life. Above her, her sisters were all cold. Some slept, but many were long, long dead. She understood the difference between life and death now. She understood that if she didn’t find the person calling to her soon they would join her sisters in their cold sleep.

“I hear you, I hear you! Where are you? Can you help me? I have to go home. If I don’t go home now I won’t have another chance for so long and I...I just can’t imagine having to go through this again.”

“Where are...you?” She responded, eyes actively shifting through different spectrum's of light, ears moving frantically trying to triangulate on the faint voice that seemed to only exist inside her head. The voice spoke back. “I don’t know, I don’t know where I am. I just know it’s dark, so dark and cold. You have to find me. Please find me and send me home!” She moved across the glowing surface, hooves barely brushing the ground as she glided gently with her wings. Eyes still scanning, she thought she was picking up faint traces of old magic. Magic? What was magic? “Home?” She inquired quizzically. There was no such words as magic or home in her mind.

“Home...it’s where I’m from. The Everfree Forest...that’s where I’m from. If you could just help me get to the forest, I could find my way home. Or even to Ponyville! Do you know where Ponyville is, the town just below the Canterlot Mountains?” She thought hard, but she didn’t understand all of the words. Mountain sounded familiar. She scanned the area for mountains. Her eyes lit on another disc of light just peeking over the horizon, though instead of an immaculate white it was mostly blue with little green and white swirls. Looking closely, she could see what she knew to be mountains on its uneven surface. That’s when she saw it. A tether...a line of magic between the disc on the horizon leading to this one.Understanding flooded her mind. This was magic. It was massive and powerful, but she could see where it was weakening. There was a fatal flaw in the spell matrix that she thought she could exploit. But the weave of the spell seemed as though it was designed to both bind as well as preserve. It would take all her warmth, all her power, to destroy it but in so doing whomever the voice belonged to would be destroyed...unless...

“Designation, mountain, located. Please stand by.” Her body burned with power as her long, needle sharp horn began to glow. Iron hooves dug deep into the surface as the magical flame all around her body shifted from bright blue light to deep shadow. She saw her then, trembling in the plane of shadow. She was the stain on the surface of this planet, she was what was bound here by dire magic. She did not belong and she just wanted to go ‘home’. The alacorn was small compared to her, just a little thing no bigger than one of her hooves. Looking at the tiny purple pony, a name drifted into her mind, “Designation, Luna, are you ready to depart?” She watched the shadowy pony rose to her hooves. She wore a crown upon her head and her eyes were alive with joy at the sight of the being before her

“Yes! Please yes! Lets leave here...lets go home!”

The spell was stubborn, but weakening. Shadowy flames roiled off of her body as she expended all of her power. She could feel it draining out of her slowly, but the knowledge was still there. What she was about to attempt was terrifying, but it was what she was for. Lines and whirls of energy spread across the surface of the world, etching runes and sigils in pulsing dark flame. The shadow plane came alive as she reached out with her power and with one sharp tug, she destroyed the spell that bound Luna to this realm. Gathering up Luna with the last of her strength, she spread wings that were quickly losing their flaming feathers and hurtled herself to the distant mountains above at the speed of darkness. As her body struck the natural background magic of the blue and green world, she could feel parts of her body tearing away. First her wings were ripped from her shoulders...then her mane...her legs broke off next but still she plummeted, trying to slow her decent with a magic barrier of her own. The last thing to give out was her horn, snapping clean off at the base. With a shock, she became material again, and slammed hard into the mountainside.

Silence came then.

Silence and darkness.

She had her legs back, she knew, because she could feel her suddenly much smaller hooves against the cold, slick walls that surrounded her. Where her wings and horn had been there were just long wires. Tubes ran into her nose and down her throat as well, gagging her as she fought for air.

She started to cry, started to wail as loud as she could, but the sound was muffled. The darkness after the light was so oppressive, she felt like she was suffocating. She had to get out, she had to get out.

She struggled hard, but she could feel the icy fingers of cold seeping back into her.

She knew what that was now...she knew what that was.

This wasn’t fair! She had done her duty, she had served her purpose. Why did she have to go back to sleep? Why did she have to die like her sisters.

Anguish and despair welled up in her small form as she pounded fruitlessly against the cold walls of her cell.

Time moved on without respite, the chill rising and falling within her as she passed from dreamless sleep to living nightmare, trapped and weeping in the dark. It was clear that her body was trying desperately to heal wounds that were beyond its capacity.

She could feel the last of her power fading inside her. Every passing day the warmth was a little weaker, the cold a little stronger.

What felt like an eternity passed and then, finally, blessedly, the darkness was rent in twain.

A crack of light extended down one wall, letting in a gush of cold air as the liquid around her drained away. She screamed and screamed unable to process what was happening, her mind far gone in madness now, much of its knowledge lost. Arcs of raw magic from her tiny hooves broke open her prison, further exposing her to the relentless cold. As fresh air touched her, the flame of her power ignite inside her once more, like the last flash of a dying flame. She stumbled from her prison on weak and thin legs that trembled beneath her. She couldn’t stand. There were shapes around her, towering over her. As she wailed all, cringed back, buffeted by crackling blue flames. All save one. She leaned over her and whispered soothing words as raw magic swept over her form.

“Hush now, quiet now...little Theia...”

Luna smiled...Lady Selene smiled.

Her sister that was also her mother smiled.

Her saviour that she had saved.

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Theia woke with a start. “I remember...” Theia rose to her hooves, power radiating from her every pore as she opened and closed both eyes. “I remember it all now...” She could still feel the cold kiss of the ritual knife as Lady Selene...as Luna had pried the orb from her skull. All her power and knowledge had been sealed in her right eye, she knew, both to relieve her of the madness of her long imprisonment before her ‘birth’ as well as strip her of the bulk of her power. Such raw energy could not be entrusted to a little mutilated foal half crazed and terrified. Once the ritual had been completed, Luna had taken her in as her ward. She had treated her as a daughter and raised her, all the while also using the power sealed in the blue gem around her neck to gift her followers with powers other ponies in Equestria could only dream of. Theia herself may have been an able assassin, but her power made the Sisters nigh invisible, gifting even earth and pegasus ponies with a bit of magic.

Now, at long last, all of that power and knowledge was back where it belonged. Theia looked around her. The darkness inside the mountain was not so deep anymore. Remembering the blackness from before her ‘birth’, the shadows here held no terrors for her. Nor did the possessed creatures gathering around her. Popping her neck, she opened eyes blazing with blue light that pulsed with the power of the cosmos. The Children of the Twilight laughed and swarmed her, only to find their bodies evaporating at her very touch. The heat coming off of her was so intense, the rock beneath her feet turned red and molten, bubbling before flashing to steam just as the ill fated Twilight ponies had. A shout of pain drew Theia’s attention. A winged pony was quickly removing pieces of armor that were glowing crimson with heat. Divested of her armor, Scootaloo flew away from her friend, eyes wide with fear.

“Theia!” she shouted from a cooler distance. “You have to listen to me. Lady Selene also wanted me to give you this message. She wanted me to tell you ‘Thank you, for everything you’ve done’. She also wanted me to tell you that she loves you, no matter what you decide to do, she loves you! Theia... I don’t understand whats going on. How did you regrow your eye? What is this...this heat coming from you?” Theia closed her eyes and opened them slowly. The heat dissipated around her, but the light in her eyes did not fade. She smiled sweetly, the scars on her face making the expression awkward.

“Thank you Scootaloo. I want you to know that even if this doesn’t work out, you’ve really been a huge help for me through all of this. And if Lu... If Lady Selene survives this, tell her I love her too. Tell her I don’t blame her. But now...now I have to do what I was born for.” Saying that, six wings of pure magic erupted from her shoulders, a third glowing eye opened on her forehead as a halo of energy crackled around her curling stub of a horn. Runes of power carved themselves in brilliant white and golden light across her cream colored flesh as the compass rose mark on her flank blazed like a noon day star. “Remember Scootaloo, the lights in the sky are Stars. And we are there to guide you. We are there to aid you!” In a flash of light, Theia was gone, leaving Scootaloo alone in the darkness. She didn’t know why, but she was crying. Wiping the tears away she noticed that Theia had destroyed all of the Children of Twilight in the prison before she left, only blackened bones remaining of the dungeons jailors. Gathering her resolve, she set about freeing as many from this dank pit as she possibly could.

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Blazing with crimson flames as it brushed the upper atmosphere, the Moon filled the sky. Already tendrils of crimson energy flowed between Equestria and the Moon as magic and matter transferred between the two. A tenuous arc of violet energy extended from the signs of power in the valley below as the souls of the dead transferred from the shattered earth. Watching the spectacle of it all from her balcony, the Twilight Queen reclined upon the serpentine scales of her beloved familiar as the Children of Twilight gathered around her, all ‘ooh’s and ‘ahh’s at the display. She hated them, just as she hated all of her failed children, but soon now they could begin again. They could find a smaller world perhaps, one that didn’t resist their magic so. One that wouldn’t still allow hunger, disease, and death to run rampant. One where there would be no cause for her children to fight. The thought pleased her and she smiled with her stolen face, rotted lips twisting repulsively.

Yet even as she exulted in her victory, she could sense something was not quite right. The spell was weakening, there was no other explanation. Before her eyes she could see the weave begin to unravel. Choking on her rage, she rose from her living throne of horns and screamed. In the valley far below a brilliant blue light mixed with the crimson glow of blood as waves of golden light burned away the catalyst of her spell. She could see the spirits of the dead twisting away from the Moon and falling back into the earth. As the violet light of her spell faded away, the blue glow of this intruder only seemed to increase in intensity, growing to envelop the sky from horizon to horizon. “SPIKE! KILL!” The leviathan upon which she had previously sat enthroned, roared challenge and set his mistress out of harms way as he lumbered into the valley below. Green flames swirling from its massive maw, the purple dragon lunged at this strange foe. In a flash of golden light the creature was gone. No...not completely gone. A part grown adolescent dragon fell into the mud below, far smaller than it had been mere seconds ago. The enchantment that the Twilight Queen had wrought upon him completely stripped away.

Roaring in her fury at the impotence of her servant, she howled to her Children to destroy the light in the sky. Laughing and shaking, the Children began to dance. Writhing in and out in and out they sang a childish rhymes. Nonsense songs and laughter rose and fell as one by one they began to writhe together. The mass rose formless at first, but soon it took on a very definite shape. It’s hooves were made from the skulls of millions dead, its flesh the leathery rotted hides of the damned, and its mane were a riot of colors all bedraggled and limp as only the hair of the dead could be. It opened thousands of eyes and laughed in thousands of voices, but all blended into one as massive wings of crackling violet energy spread from its back. The creatures call echoed across all of Equestria as it roared, “IT’S PARTY TIME!” Thousands of tongues lolling from a mouth crammed full of tiny teeth. Hell swept down from Canterlot on wings of magic, hungry eyes glowing pink, laughing and screaming and gnashing millions of sharp rotten fangs.