Twilight continued to gallop after the silhouetted figure...unaware that she was being followed. A small form with several robotic limbs was secretly watching her every move.

Somewhere else, a monitor displayed what the probe was seeing. The surroundings of the creatures was a large room, screens and monitors littered the walls, displaying numbers, various colors, and a map in other instances. Standing in the middle, surrounded by several control consoles around it, one of the creatures raised its eye stalk up. It turned, rotating its dome to the side, facing another that looked similar to it, except it was free to move around as it desired. ‘

‘’Inform the Black Kaled that the Probe has detected Equine Lifeforms that are advancing towards the ruins!’’ It spoke. ‘’ I obey!’’ Was all the one it spoke to replied. It looked down towards its own set of controls, and gently turned its appendage.

*Ten minutes later*

A door moved in towards the wall. A form similar to them, moved up through a tunnel of sorts. It moved onto a small platform, and entered inside. The major difference between this one and the others, were that that its entire form was black, with blue hemispheres. It moved out onto a small base/platform, and looked down towards them. ‘’Report!?’’ It ordered.

''We have a visual on their leader, she seems to have abandoned her forces in favor of gaining information'' The one in the middle, between the two others, didn’t look away from its controls replied.

''Do we have visual on her forces?'' The new arrival asked. Gently, moving its eye stalk while it remained in place, overlooking the room.

''Negative, the visualizer of the unit has been destroyed'' The Kaled in the middle replied. The Black Kaled rotated its dome, looking away from the crew. It moved back, looking back down at them again. ‘’Was their meeting witnessed before they started to move towards the ruins!?’’ It asked.

‘’Affirmative!’’ The Kaled replied. ‘’They seem to not have discussed their identities. She will most likely stay close to him. Our profile of Twilight Sparkle shows that she will do anything to obtain knowledge.’’

One of the Kaleds connected to the controls, but still free to move, rotated its dome, its eye stalk looked up towards the Black Kaled. ‘’Shall I give the order to intercept them before they reach the ruins!?’’ It asked.

‘’Negative! They are of no consequence to us…But put all Kaleds on high alert. The ruins is vital to us, and they cannot be allowed to discover why!’’ The Black Kaled. It turned away, and started glide across the floor.

''I shall report our progress to the ACE!’’ The Black Kaled responded. It suddenly stopped, when it heard the voice of one of the crewmembers speak up. It stopped, rotating its dome to look back.

''We must be weary though, the figure she is chasing is leading her to one of our positions. If we are not cautious she will discover us!'' The operator said.

''Continue monitoring the position near the ruins for lifeforms, if any who are not Kaled approach it, inform me immediately!'' The Black Kaled instructed.

''I obey'' the operator responded. The Black Kaled rotated its dome back, and began moving towards the doors. The doors moved in towards the wall. It started to move again, vanishing out of the room.

The final door, once again, opened, moving in towards the wall, the Black Kaled entered inside the chamber. It was suddenly approached by two golden guards. Unlike it, they didn’t have the Manipulator Arm appendage, instead it was an exact replica of the weapon they had on the left side.

''APPROACH THE THRONE'' A massive white and golden shape in the center of the chamber spoke. Its voice boomed throughout the chamber. The black figure did as instructed, and approached it.

In the center of the room stood a small base platform. Atop the base stood a tall, large shape. On the shape’s lower section there were hemispheres – Just like the Kaleds. However, unlike the other Kaleds it was just, unable to move…Just rotate it’s dome at the top, looking down with its eye stalk

To an Equestrian, they might say that it resembled a lighthouse. At least, based purely on its form.

''ACE, one of our probes has detected a lifeform. It is following behind it, keeping a watchful eye on it. But based on its location, and the trajectory, it is most likely that it is heading straight towards location 1''' the black Kaled said.

''THEN IT WILL BE ELIMINATE. WE CANNOT AFFORD TO HAVE ANY INTERFERENCES WITH OUR PLANS!'' the ACE ordered.

''But she is one of the six...'' The black Kaled said. Backing slightly away at the mention of the six. The ACE noticed this, though, it didn’t say anything.

''DISPLAY...'' The ACE ordered, an image of the Probe’s life-feed appeared, floating in the air as a rectangular screen.

Looking down from the skies above, the screen displayed a lavender, Unicorn, Mare, galloping through the Everfree Forest ''INDEED SHE IS, SHE IS REQUIRED...I WILL ORDER INVIS-UNITS TO INTERCEPT HER!'' The ACE said.

''I think it would be ill-advised!’’ The Black Kaled said. The ACE’s dome rotated, looking its eye stalk down towards it.

‘’EXPLAIN!’’

‘’If she is brought before you she will most likely resist questioning. I advise that we wait and study her movements!'' The Black Kaled replied.

''XENOL...! YOU ARE A BLACK COMMANDER YOU MORE THAN ANYONE SHOULD KNOW THAT MY WORD IS LAW IN THESE DARK TIMES-‘’ It said. The Black Kaled lowered its eye stalk, looking down towards the floor. ‘’REGARDLESS YOU MAY BE RIGHT, WE SHALL WAIT…BUT HAVE THE PROBES CONTINUE MONITORING FOR FOREIGN LIFE'' the ACE ordered.

''I obey'' The Black Kaled replied. It turned itself around, gliding across the floor as it moved towards the door. The door slid open, and it exited the chamber.

''NOW THE KALEDS SHALL BECOME THE DOMINANT SPECIES...AND WITH THIS MEMBER OF POWER WITHIN OUR GRASP WE WILL BECOME UNSTOPPABLE'' The ACE said to himself within his chamber.

Panting heavily to herself Twilight found that she couldn't gallop any further...but she quickly found she didn't need too. She found herself standing outside at the ruins of the Everfree castle.

''Hmh...Odd, it leads into the Everfree ruins...but why of all places would somepony go here?'' she asked herself. She slapped herself as the thought finally came to her. ''Of course! Oh me and my mind. Of course, the ruins are the perfect place because there's rarely anypony out here...Oh-! That is brilliant'' she said to herself. She trotted across the bridge, and entered into the castle ruins.

Up above, a blue eye looked down. Spotting Twilight, as she made her way across the drawbridge towards the other side.

''Commander, the creature has entered into the ruins. Shall I destroy her!?'' A hidden figure reported.

''Negative, the ACE want her to remain alive…For now. However, do not lose sight of her!'' It replied from the other end of the Communication’s Channel.

''I obey!'' The figure replied.

Slowly, it started to levitate, floating up off the ground.

Deep within the castle ruins, several creatures began forming, their armor covered with gold and white colors.

''The ACE does not want us to assist the Invisi-unit, but I feel that he will require reinforcements if his cover is broken. She must not be killed, but paralyzed!’’ A black domed Kaled ordered, as it moved in a line in front of the others.

''I/we obey!!'' The other Kaleds chanted in unison, raising their Manipulator arms up into the air. ‘’Then spread out! Find her…Find her!’’ It ordered. The group turned, facing a door, as they moved towards it. ‘’Seek! Locate! Paralyze! Seek! Locate! Paralyze!’’ They chanted as they moved out of the doorway, and entering out into the hallways.

Twilight continued to trot through the castle ruins undisturbed, however she had begun to grow a slight suspicion…The creature she had encountered at the edge of the forest had been invisible, not only to her but to all of them. If it was possible that a creature could develop invisibility through other means then magic, then surely they would also be using invisible-units at their main base as well.

She suddenly froze in place, gently turning her head back to the side to see behind her.

(The Kaled speaking now, is through the Communications Channel. Not openly, so Twilight can’t hear it)

''Commander, she seems to know that she is being followed. Do I have permission to carry out my mission objective!?'' the Invisi-Kaled reported. Floating motionlessly in the air. Keeping its eye stalk focused on her.

''Affirmative. She must not be allowed to report back to her superiors. If she becomes a Duplicate, then we can use her to lead her own away from Position 1!'' The speaker from earlier instructed.

The Invisi-unit adjusted its weapon towards her, its aim focusing on her. Its eye stalk narrowed itself, as to get a better lock on her face.

''Duck...'' A voice whispered into Twilight's ear, she turned around to try and see whoever or whatever it was that had spoken to her. Instead, she bore witness, as the creature lowered its invisible cover. They both looked up at each other, starring silently towards each other…For a single second. This one, like the first one, adorned bronze golden colors.

‘’HALT!'' It shouted. Twilight’s attention was drawn back up towards it. ‘’You are my prisoner! Do not move!’’ It shouted.

Twilight, render immoveable, due to the fear that now filled her, gazed up at the creature in front of her.

‘’Duck!’’ That foreign voice, once again, spoke into her ear.

‘’Oh!’’ She exclaimed, all of a sudden, attracting the attention of the Kaled.

‘’What!?’’ It asked, confused. ‘’Explain!’’ It shouted.

Twilight, immediately, ducked down, before she could muster up anything to say to this creature. Behind her, a beam of purple energy shot up towards the creature. Hitting its ‘’neck’’, the creature fell down on the floor – Crashing with a loud *THUD*

Seeing that she needed to move, Twilight didn’t hesitate to begin galloping down the ruined corridors, and hallways.

‘’Ac-Tiv-ate!!!’’ The creature spoke. ‘’Activating Phase Shift!’’ It vanished, and then re-appeared in the same place, but now, it was standing up right again. Its dome rotated, looking down the corridor where Twilight had escaped. ‘’Scan in-progress!’’ It looked its eye stalk down towards the floor. Going back the way she had come, were Twilight’s tracks.

‘’Elevate!’’ It said, it started to hover up into the air. Then, with slow movement, it started to move down the corridor through the air.

Twilight galloped down the corridors as fast as she could. She was panting, but how tired she was didn’t matter. What now mattered was escaping from the ruins, and returning home to tell her friends, and more importantly Princess Celestia about this.

Down through the corridor, the Kaled flew as fast as it could to try and catch up to Twilight.

‘’Alert! All Kaleds in the area will spread out! The target Twilight Sparkle must be apprehended, immediately!’’ It spoke.

The Kaleds that had ignored their superior’s orders, were moving up through the corridors. They didn’t respond, however, as it would give away that they had dis-obeyed the orders of the ACE, and the Black Kaled.

Twilight rounded the corner, galloping down as fast as she could. She turned her head, looking back behind her. Rounding the corner, and now floating in the air, was the shape of another one of those creatures.

‘’Halt! You will surrender to me!’’ It shouted, as its eye stalk spotted her moving down the corridor. When she ignored it, looking back in front of her, it resumed the chase, and shot after her.

She turned right, rounding another corner, causing the Kaled to slow its speed for as to not hit the wall.

Rounding this corner, she continued galloping…But as soon as she thought she might lose it. She came to a halt herself. In front of her, blocking her path were several more of those odd creatures, though, these ones however had white and golden colors, instead of just golden bronze.

She turned back, and was about to begin fleeing back the way she had come. When she saw the bronze golden one, floating behind her. It, like the others behind her, stood there. Starring, blankly, at her.

She turned to look back at the white ones – Then back at the bronze one again.

''Apprehend her!’’ The bronze one ordered. Adjusting its weapon towards her. She looked behind her and saw all the others behind her, this creature wouldn't dare attack her if she was amongst them in case it might end killing one of its own. It wasn’t the best plan she had, but it was the ONLY plan she had.

She closed her eyes, exhaling in, taking a deep breath…and letting it all out.

‘’Apprehe-‘’ suddenly, she turned herself around, and galloped down towards the group of identical creatures.

‘’Stop her!’’ The bronze shouted. The Kaleds at the other end, started to move down through the corridor towards her. They’re arms raised, ready to grab her. It, continued moving. Flying down the corridor through the air after her.

‘Darn! I can’t fire my weapon with them at the other end. I could risk hitting him.’

Down at the other end, Twilight saw that her plan, so far, had worked. Now she just had to escape from them.

‘’Halt! Stay where you are!’’ One of the front Kaleds ordered, raising its Manipulator arm in an attempt to stop her. ‘’You cannot escape!’’

Suddenly. She leaped up, off the ground. The Kaleds raised their eye stalks, following her. She floated through the air. Gently, opening her eye, she looked out in front of her. ‘Oh my.’ She thought to herself, closing her eyes.

She then felt herself land against something.

Gently, opening her eye, she saw that she had managed to land on top of the creature’s head. It eye stalk was looking up, trying to see her.

It started spinning around, flailing it’s appendages around franticly. ‘’Where is she!? Find her! Find her!’’ It screamed panicked.

‘’Whoa…! Whoa!’’ She shouted, as she tried to keep herself on top of it.

‘I can’t stay here anymore. Now’s my chance!’ She spotted the others approaching her, and they’re companion. ‘Now there’s an idea.’

She jumped from the top of the creature’s head. Her horn was enveloped in a lavender, magical, glow. She teleported – Re-emerging atop another one of the creature’s heads. Before they got the chance to counter her plan, she teleported onto another of their heads.

She re-emerged on the floor, and without a moment’s hesitation, she started to gallop down the corridor.

''You fools!'' The bronze shouted, as it flew up towards them. It passed by them, and resumed its chase of her, again. It shot past them, picking up the pursuit again.

It quickly rounded the corner, hoping that it could catch up to her, considering the head-start she had just gotten.

Deeper within the ruins, an Earth Pony was returning to a strange cylindrical shape. He trotted up towards it, placing his hoof against its surface.

‘’Twilight Sparkle.’’ He said, clicking his tongue. ‘’What a girl-...’’ Disappointed, he lowered his head. ‘’It’s a shame she wasn’t the future incarnation. I had expected her to be much more…Adventurous, and thirsty for knowledge.’’ He gently dunked his head against the side of the object.

Suddenly, a loud, blaring, sound filled the air. He turned his head, and looked behind him. A voice he both had, and didn’t expect to hear in this location spoke.

‘’Alert! All Kaleds will mobilize! Position 1 is now in lock-down! All Kaleds will spread out, and locate the Equestrian, Twilight Sparkle!’’

‘’Well, I’ve been wrong before.’’ He exhaled, slightly nervous. ‘’But I guess this time it’s in a good way.’’ His look of concern was replaced with a smile.

‘’Allons-y!’’

Excitedly, he galloped down the nearest corridor. Hopefully, he could find Twilight before they found her.

All throughout the ruins of the castle, they chased her.

The flying creatures constantly opened fire upon her with the bronze one in the lead. Although she could deflect their attacks by raising a shield, such time-consuming magic drained her for energy, plus it’s not very easy to do if you’re running away from something.

Their chase finally ended up on the battlement ruins. Twilight, desperately, hoped that by hurrying up onto the battlements would lose her pursuers. But the bronze one had already proven itself to be fully capable of flight. At least, at the worst, she would only have to deal with one now.

She panted to heavily as she arrived at a destroyed bridge portion of the battlements.

‘’Curses! I’ll have to go around!’’ She said to herself.

She turned back, hoping that she could try and go around find another path. But as her head turned, she saw her path was blocked by her pursuers. More of those white-golden ones had begun to come forth, but the golden bronze one was nowhere to be seen.

She turned, looking in another direction. But wherever she looked, they were there. Either hovering, or occupying the only possible space where she could have escaped from them.

Surprisingly, to both the Kaleds, and even to Twilight, herself. She stepped forward towards them. Casting a blank, stern gaze back at them.

''So what, now? Are you going to kill me?'' She asked. Trying to maintain her new courage. Not wanting it to fade away.

‘’You are incorrect!’’ A voice spoke behind her. She turned her head, and looked behind her, again. Moving up from behind the sides of a large drop, she saw the bronze one emerge. Its eye stalk meeting her eyes.

‘’Then what will you do with me?’’ She asked the bronze one. It waited silently for a seconds before answering.

‘’You will be converted! You will become like us!’’ It spoke. For the second time, when it was speaking to her, she heard it’s loud, shoty, voice. There was literally no other way she could describe it.

She turned, looking to both sides. At every corner there seemed to be almost three of those creatures, each of them looking at her, waiting for her to do something stupid.

‘’Do you surrender yourself onto us!?’’ The bronze asked.

Twilight turned her head, looking back at it.

She sighed, lowering her head, and looking down towards the ground. With a tone of despair, she said ‘’Yes. I will come quietly.’’

‘’Excelle-‘’ suddenly, her head shot up, staring back at the bronze one, pointing her hoof at it.

‘’However-!’’ She exclaimed. ‘’I have some conditions for you to make.’’ Some of the creatures present, turned and looked at each other. Due to their appearance, she couldn’t tell if they were confused, or just thought her request was stupid.

‘’Name them!’’ The bronze instructed. She grinned. Now, she had them in her trap…All they had to do, was spring it.

‘’Who, and what are you?’’ She asked intrigued. If this worked, then she just might be able to fool these barbaric, wild, creatures.

‘’We are the Kaleds! The Supreme Beings of this planet, and is its dominant species!’’ It replied. ‘’ALL HAIL THE KALEDS!’’ It shouted, raising its right arm up.

‘ALL HAIL THE KALEDS!!!’’ The others chanted, as loud as possible, in unison. Turning her head, she looked out towards every Kaled she could spot. They were everywhere, now.

‘Oh no!’ She mentally exclaimed. ‘They must have arrived while I was taking with this…Kaled.’ She looked left, right, behind her. Basically, everywhere. But everywhere she looked, there was just another Kaled where there wasn’t one a few minutes ago.

She trotted up towards the edge. She looked down into the dark gap that awaited her, underneath. Her head looked up, staring back at the bronze Kaled. Her eyes looked down.

Behind her, four Kaleds were starting to glide across the stone floor towards her. She turned, spotting them. Looking back, she gazed up at the bronze. ‘’No! I’m not ready, yet. I demand to get some time to think. If I’m going to be converted, I deserve to at least clear my thoughts.’’ She said.

The bronze looked away from her, instead directing its attention towards the ones approaching her. It raised its right arm. They stopped in their tracks.

A soft breeze passed above the battlements, passing by her captors. As it brushed against her ear, her eyes narrowed. She looked up, again. Opening her mouth, silently, mouthing something inaudible by the Kaleds to herself.

She looked down into the black abyss below her, then back up at the bronze Kaled. She gently nodded her head, smiling back at it. ‘’You know, it’s funny…I never imagined that today would be the one where I perish. But the question isn’t, when should you do…it is how.’’

Her horn sprouted a familiar, lavender, aura, around it. ‘’Goodbye…Kaled. I will be sure to tell Princess Celestia about you, she might you as pleasant as I do.’’ And with that, she leaped out from behind the walls. The Kaleds’s eye stalks following her as she fell.

‘’Exterminate her! Exterminate! Exterminate!’’ The speaker, whom the bronze Kaled had been in contact with throughout this whole ordeal, shouted. ‘’She cannot be allowed to give away the location of Position 1!’’

‘’Exterminate! Exterminate!’’ The bronze shouted. The other Kaleds, flying or not, raised their left appendage. Those atop, on the battlements started to hover in the air. The ones already in the air, lowered their appendages, aiming it towards Twilight as she fell.

‘’Maximum extermination!’’ It added.

It flew down, chasing her after her. It wasn’t going to fail in its mission. It would do this task to redeem itself.

It raised its left appendage. It’s eye stalk, narrowing the chances of missing her. ‘’I have you now!’’ It shouted. Twilight was still free-falling, but she could still hear exceptionally well. She turned herself around, looking up, and seeing the leader attempting to finish her off.

‘’Exterminate!’’ It shouted. A beam fired from its left appendage.

‘’Whoa!’’ She exclaimed. Acting on instinct, she teleported out of the way.

When she re-emerged she was still falling, but at best she had dodged its attack. Turning herself up right again, she saw the Kaled still following after her from above.

‘’You will not escape! You will be exterminated!’’ It shouted enraged. Her eyes looked to the side…Before returning towards it. She grinned widely.

‘’I don’t think so! Look!’’ She shouted, pointing her hoof up. The Kaled swiveled its eye stalk up. Up above, it noticed that none of the other Kaleds had followed after her.

‘’Alert! Alert! Mareifreyan technology detected!’’ Many of them were shouting, as they moved franticly in place. Moving their arms up and down in panicked fashion.

‘’Impossible!’’ It said to itself. It stopping chasing after Twilight. Instead, hovering motionless in the air.

‘’Calling all Kaleds! Prepare to defend! Defend! Defend!’’ The bronze instructed. Many of the panicking Kaleds stopped their panicking. Becoming motionless in the air.

‘’Locate the technology position!’’ It ordered.

Twilight, noticing that her pursuer was temporarily distracted by the up-roar above, raised her horn, and pointed it…towards the Kaled.

‘’I’ve got to concentrate!’’ She strained to herself. Her eyes closed, and she tried to focus.

Suddenly, a swift, night breeze came up from the blackness. Once it came into contact with her fur, it was just too cold for her to ignore.

‘’GAH!’’ She shouted. The magical energy that had been building in her horn, shot out, flying upwards.

The blast flew up past the Kaled, zipping past it at a rather fast speed. Hearing the hum of her blast, though, it turned to see what it was.

Twilight opened her eye, looking out in front of her.

‘’Oh no!’’ She exclaimed. ‘That was my only chance to cast a teleportation spell…’ She turned her head, looking down towards the darkness that awaited her. ‘And it’s too late to conjure up another spell. I guess this is the end, after all.’ She thought, as she watched the ground getting closer, and closer.

‘’Oh, come now! Surely you’re not giving up now!’’ A voice said out of the blue. She thrust her eyes open. Turning her head to look around, and see where the source of the voice had come from. The Kaleds above, were doing the same. But they couldn’t see anything, or anyone.

‘’Hang on! Just give me a second, and I’ll be with you shortly!’’ It said again. It sounded like a male voice. B-but surely that couldn’t be.

‘’Alert! Alert! Mareifreyan technology approaching! Estimated arrival is…nine rels!’’ One of the white Kaleds shouted.

‘’N-nine seconds!?’’ Twilight wondered, confused. ‘Where exactly is this coming from?’ She asked herself.

Out of nowhere, she suddenly saw lights beginning to move up…from underneath her?

‘’What the-?’’ She asked herself. Before she could continue wondering what was happening, she found herself landing onto a floor.

‘’All right then! Allons-y!’’ A voice spoke from behind her. She looked up from the floor, she saw two blue doors in front of her. The doors suddenly closed shut, and Twilight heard a ‘’Welcome Twilight…Welcome.’’ Before losing consciousness, and fainting on the floor.