Twilight started to let her mind wander as she drew closer to Flash as he held her in his arms. She felt much warmer than she did last time she was this close, and the feeling of ‘butterflies in the tummy’ couldn’t stop. She took a big whiff of him. He smelled good. And yet the smell on him felt very familiar. It was like she had smelled it before. It was like a time that she had forgotten. She had never been this close to her timeline’s Flash, or any other version for that matter. She wondered if her timeline’s Flash smelled like this.

Finally, the two came to their stop and upon a giant door. Flash let Twilight down as she walked over to it. “What is this?” she noted ancient writing on it. The writing looked like it was in two different languages and yet some of the words looked vaguely familiar. “I can’t read it.”

“I think I can read some of it,” Flash said as he walked over. “Half of it is written in the language me and my mentor speak. The language of the light. The other I don’t recognize, however.”

Suddenly Radiant Hope spoke. “Oh I like this stallion, he knows what he’s reading, Twilight. The description on the door is written in light alicorn and dark alicorn. But I will give you the basic gist. It says only a former or current wielder of the Elements can enter.”

“Well, it looks like I’m the only one who can get in.” Twilight walked over to the door and tried pushing on it. Surprisingly it was as light as a feather. She figured that if somepony like Flash were to touch it, then it would weigh infinitely more.

Once in, the door closed behind her. Inside was a gigantic dome room with several cells with prisoners inside, a giant pit at the center and beyond that was a long hallway. “So Radiant Hope, what can I expect in here?”

“The most dangerous prisoners of all,” she answered. Suddenly the ground began to shake as Twilight noticed massive chains that led into the pit. “Uh oh, he's awake.” The ground began to shake even more, as the most evil voice could be heard.

“ALICORNS!!”

Twilight and the prisoners began to tremble as the pit began to glow a fiery red. “Who?” she asked.

Radiant Hope quickly got to typing as the orange stallion beside her tried offering her more tea. She turned it down as she finally found the file. Meanwhile, Twilight pulled out her katana and got ready for battle as she saw the chains began to move. It was clear whatever the chains were connected to was beginning to climb the pit.

“Well I’ve heard him scream for alicorns all the time, but I never looked up why,” she said as she opened the file. Her eyes widened, “Oh that why ” she said with the most ‘oh shit’ expression on her face ever.

“What’s why?”

“Well according to the file, this is the giant Emperor Demon Satyr Calavoss, the Devourer of alicorns.”

“WHAT?!?! I’m an alicorn.”

Suddenly the shaking stop, seconds later a giant hand rose forth and swiped at Twilight. She barely jumped out of the way. Twilight ran across the place, dodging the hand as the rest of him rose up.

“Let’s see, he was locked in here by the first Element Wielders at the end of the last Alicorn War. Apparently, he was summoned by Kray Marbh Depression as a last ditch effort to win the war. However, in exchange, it devoured him and laid siege to the rest the species. By the time they locked him up, he had devoured more than half of all the races of alicorns.”

Twilight continued to run as the rest of the demon satyr rose forth. It stood a height that dwarfed even Tirek. He screamed, “ALICORNS!!”

Twilight ran across the room, dodging him as he swung at her. She was doing well at dodging him until he crashed his hand in the wall in front of her. She turned around only to be stopped by the other hand. She was trapped. This was not good. Not good at all!

“ALICORN!!” he yelled as he moved closer. Twilight looked in horror for she could do nothing as it edged closer. She trembled even more but stood her ground. Suddenly large amounts of magic began to rise from the demon satyr’s mouth. Twilight knew this had to be a magical blast that he going to use. Knowing there was no way she could dodge it, she held up her katana and closed her eyes, ready for the end.

The last thing she heard was Radiant Hope screaming her name, “TWILIGHT!!” Seconds later silence as the blast shot forth. Twilight soon realize she wasn’t dead. She slowly opened her eyes to see the unthinkable. The blast was being funneled into the blade.

Soon Calavoss stopped the attack and his eyes widened at the fact she wasn’t dead. Twilight looked upon the blade as it glowed in her hands. Suddenly she heard a voice, an all-too-familiar voice speak, “Swing and say the words, Moonlight Strike.”

Calavoss got ready to send another attack. Twilight didn’t have time to question the voice and did just as it said. She swung and spoke the words, “Moonlight Strike.”

Suddenly the katana unleashed the magic it funneled into a wave of magic very similar to Rarity’s own attack, only much bigger. The attack hit Calavoss head on, knocking him back into the pit. But before he could fall in, he grabbed the edges and looked to up to the ceiling of the room. His eyes widened as did Twilight’s too as they saw somepony on the ceiling that was watching them.

It was a shadowy astral projection, he was too far to see his face, but the form looked exactly as they all had described. It was Father. Twilight trembled, “Father. Right here. Right now.”

Soon Calavoss screamed something that made things even worse. “DARK ALICORN!”

Twilight’s jaw dropped, every description now made sense. Earth pony, pegasus, unicorn. He was a dark alicorn. He spoke, “It's good to see you again daughter. I see you wield Mtr Alddam well.”

“Mtr Alddam?”

“It’s the katana’s name.”

She looked upon the katana. “It's name?”

“Yes, that is it's name.”

“So you are the one who created it?”

“Yes, I gave it to my most trusted ally.”

Twilight’s eyes widened. “Me? Wait, that means that in my timeline, Nightflare was the one you trusted the most.”

He chuckled. Soon Calavoss roared again. Father looked upon the demon satyr. “Silence beast.” He aimed his hand at the beast and shot forth a large, dark magic blast, knocking it back into the pit.

Father looked back at Twilight. He saw the anger in her face and continued to smile, “You're just like your mother.” He looked around and realized where she was at. “Oh, you have gone to rescue her. My only failure. Nightmare was so determined to keep her hidden.” He turned back to Twilight and continued. “While you’re there, say hello to her neighbor, Emerald Teal’s wife. If you want some truth, talk to her first.”

Twilight looked in confusion but then yelled to him, “Wait. What is the truth of ‘F’?”

“You want to know the truth? ‘F’ made a deal with an old enemy of mine. An enemy I thought was long sealed in stone. A parasite of pure corruption. This parasite knows no love, no kindness, no laughter, no honesty, no loyalty, no generosity and no friendship, only hatred. ‘F’ wanted the ability to protect Celestia for eternity. The parasite gave him that power. In exchange, he played host to it, but it deceived and corrupted him. He saw any threat to Celestia as evil - even the one I love Luna.”

“Twilight’s eyes widened, “So you and Luna were?”

“He tried to kill Luna, and if I hadn’t been there to save her, she would have been dead now.”

“Yeah, now she's under the control of your ally Nightmare -- ”

Suddenly dark magic wrapped around Twilight and lifted her into the air. “Do not think for a second that I willing work with Nightmare! I serve her to protect the one I love.”

Twilight struggled in his grasp. Finally, after a moment he put her down. “I am sorry.” He finished as he disappeared in a puff of smoke. After he was gone, she walked over to the long hallway. It was clear by simply glancing at the other cells that this Radiant Hope wasn’t in them. Most the prisoners were changelings, most likely survivors of the Alicorn Wars.

She made her way down the hallway and soon found it fork. “Which way Radiant Hope?”

“Mine's on the left.”

“Okay.” Twilight started to take that way then she was stopped by curiosity. “What did Father mean?” she questioned.

“What are you talking about?”

“He said the truth. I know ‘F’ has been hiding stuff from me nonstop. I need to know the truth.”

“Well, what do you know about this Emerald Teal?”

“I know that he was one of the original Element Wielders and that his wife Chrystal Laylis was another.”

She had made up her mind and Radiant Hope wasn’t going to argue. Twilight took the path on the right. Soon she came upon a cell covered in darkness.

“Are you Emerald Teal's wife, Chrystal Laylis?”

“Those names I have not heard in over three thousand years,” she said. Twilight instantly jumped back as it was a voice that she knew too well.

“That voice?! It can’t be you!” Soon the mare stepped out the shadows to reveal Queen Chrysalis. “Queen Chrysalis you were an Element Wielder?”

Chrysalis smiled. “Yes, I was.”

“What happen then? Tell me?”

Chrysalis looked down. “Look, it’s not a memory I like going back to.”

“Well, I’m not going anywhere. Now talk.”

“Fine, it started nearly five thousand years ago, a thousand years after the Last Alicorn War had ended.”

******

A weaken and mutated light alicorn had just escaped from her father’s laboratory. She did not remember much, only that she had been gone two months. The last thing she had remembered before being kidnapped was news that King Heavonos Nighsky had been attacked.

Now she was free from her captors. They had changed her completely but did not matter. She had to get back to her beloved. The words being spoken about him, she had to find out if they were true. Did he do such evils?

She stole an airship and flew it to the north, not noticing that somepony had followed her. Soon she landed the ship in the middle of a blizzard and looked outside to see her beloved standing in front of something. She exited the ship and ran to him. The turquoise light alicorn stallion turned as his eyes widened and he held out his arms.

“Emerald Teal!” she screamed as she ran to him.

“Chrystal Laylis?” He took her into his embrace. “What has happened to you?”

“It was followers of my father. With him now dead, they wanted me to lead the changelings.” She pushed herself into him deeper, letting tears flow.

“Now that you are by my side again, nothing will stop my rise to power.”

She lifted her head to these words. “What do you mean? You're father, King Heavonos rules the land.”

He placed his hand on her chin and frowned. “King Heavonos is dead. Dracos killed him.”

“No! Dracos was the one he trusted the most,” she argued. She couldn’t believe it!

“Redsting told me what happened. And now the dark will pay for their transgressions in full.”

Her eyes widened at the horror. The rumors were true. She trembled as she finally saw what lay dead beside him. “An umbra? What have you done?”

The blizzard began to clear as he held his arms. She trembled as she saw that they were standing in the center of one of the cities that belong to the umbras, and it was in flames. The umbras were the holy of the darkness, and he was hunting them down. He smiled in triumph. “Yes, they suffered in agony. And soon all the dark will suffer.”

Tears of sorrow filled her eyes as she continued to back away from him. “What have you become?”

“Better. And what you become?” He frowned at her. “What happen to my beautiful gem?”

“I was kidnapped!” she yelled. “They did experiments on me and my brother.”

He turned in anger. “So that’s where that selfish Morpheus has been.”

“Did you not hear me?! Do you not care what happened?!” she yelled.

He turned back to her saddened. “Do not worry, my love. We will have your flawless flesh back in no time.” He walked forward and placed his hand under her face. “Redsting will turn you back into the beautiful mare I once loved.”

Her jaw dropped ‘once’. “What has happened to you? You have become a monster! The stallion I love would never say such things, he would never do such things. Killing the umbras, sure you feared the prophecy, but, but.” It finally sank in, the stallion she knew was gone. Suddenly he grabbed her by the throat. He began to lift her up into a choke hold. She looked down to see what looked like transparent strings attached to him. The strings were emanating unusual magic.

Her body weakened. Suddenly she heard a voice scream, “Chrystal!!”

Emerald Teal turned and looked past her to see her brother Morpheus. It seemed he had followed her. Emerald Teal threw her to the ground. He looked to Morpheus, “Well if it isn’t the King of Dreams. Are you here to save your sister?”

“Yes and I’m here to stop the evil you brought on this world.”

Emerald Teal walked away from his wife. “Take her, I do not care for her anymore.”

Chrystal looked weakly to her husband, her eyes trying their best to stay open. Morpheus walked over to her. He kneeled down. “Do not worry sister. I know the truth.” He stood back up and turned to his brother-in-law. “Redsting is a deceiver. He lies to you.”

“He has shown me and Helios the truth. That the dark can never be trusted.”

“That is a lie and you know it.”

“Oh, what do I expect? You still believe that your beloved insane Cassandra can be saved.”

Chrystal’s sight began to worsen as her eyes got heavier. She saw her brother grew in anger at how Emerald Teal carelessly mocked Morpheus’s dead wife. “How dare you insult her name!”

“Oh that's right, you don’t call her Cassandra no more, you call her -- ”

Chrystal could not hear the rest as she lost consciousness. The last thing she saw was her brother charging at her husband, ready for battle.

******

“I remember then waking up after the battle.” She looked up to Twilight. “I never once believed that Dracos killed Celestia’s grandfather, but convincing the ponies of this land was impossible. That is until thousands of years later, a rumor went out that Redsting had been defeated and sealed away. I along with several changelings by my side, went forth to free the land Emerald Teal had conquered, and honor the umbras that he had brought to extinction.” Chrysalis looked right at Twilight. “We had made an alliance with the one you called Father, but in the end, he betrayed us and threw my husband’s head at my feet.” She walked closer and continued. “Since then I have declared vengeance on this land, him and against all of his allies.”

She raised her head up shooting forth magic that went across the cells. Soon the changelings in the cells rose forth in attention. They began hitting against their cells, trying to escape.

Twilight turned to see them slowly escaping and making their way to her. She quickly ran over to the cell next door. The cell of Radiant Hope. It was covered in an iron bolt door.

“Radiant Hope I can’t get in. The changelings are breaking loose.”

Radiant Hope looked at her cameras. “Shit, shit!” She quickly ran to her control systems and began typing at lightning speed. “Don’t worry I’ve got an idea. Just hold on.”

“I can’t!” she yelled as she leaned against the door. They were getting closer by the second. She had to do something quickly or she would be dead.

Suddenly the changelings fell to the ground as a blast of magic filled the room. Twilight didn’t feel anything but still looked on in confusion at what she saw.

“Yahoo!! I did it. I can’t believe it worked.” Radiant Hope praised her victory.

Twilight got up and looked at them as they slowly got back up and went back to their cells. “What did you do?”

“The changelings, they have a hive mind connection with Chrysalis.”

“Yeah, of course, they do. I read about it one time,” Twilight confirmed.

“Well, I hacked into it and did a master delete on all things alicorn.”

Twilight’s eyes widened. “You made them forget me? That’s impossible!”

Radiant Hope continued to type as Twilight stood there confused. “And now the door. Come on in and meet the mare who can do the impossible.”

Twilight looked to see the door open up, revealing a massive library. The still mysterious mare looked from her window to see her. “Oh, you’re right outside, come on in. I’m not scary.”

Twilight put up her katana and then spoke, “Radiant Hope, that’s not your real name is it?”

“No I actually don’t remember my real name,” she answered quickly as her eyes began to twitch.

Twilight then asked another question as she stepped closer to a door on the other end of the library. “Where did you get the name from?”

“I remember old stories my dad use to tell me. They were of a radiant mare with endless hope.”

Soon Twilight got to the door and opened it. Her eyes widened in horror. She spoke with tears in her face. “We have a problem.”

She looked at Twilight in confusion. “No, we don’t. Don’t even say that.”

“Does it look real?”

The mare question as she stared at her through the window. “What do you mean?”

“All of it. The room, the stallion friend you keep talking to.”

She looked around questioning Twilight’s words, “Of course it’s real. This cushion. The tea,” Suddenly her eyes widened. “That I never drink.” It slowly began sinking in. “No, this has to be real.” She turned to the orange stallion. “This is real, right Sunburst?”

Outside Twilight screamed, “No none of it is real. You made it up because the truth was too terrifying…...Starlight!!”

Twilight looked with tears of anger and sorrow at what was in front of her. Starlight Glimmer. This timeline’s Starlight Glimmer. She was hooked up to the very wall itself. She was covered in life support systems. There was wires everywhere. They covered her entire body and connected her completely to the wall systems.

“What do you mean? Starlight? Is that my real name?”

“Yes, it is. The ones you know as mom and dad. There are only two those could be - my enemies, Mother and Father.” Everything was now making perfect sense to Twilight. “They adopted several powerful ponies. Of course, they would have chosen you too.”

“But what did they do to me?”

“They chose you because you're brilliant. The most powerful unicorn mare I ever faced. But when they adopted you, they didn’t make you into a weapon. They made you into a shield. You are what powers the shield. That's how you have been able to spy on me. You're connected to the entire system.”

It sank in completely as the mare fell to her knees in the illusion she lived in. All of it fake, every single bit of it.

Twilight stood there as tears refused to stop. “Starlight, I am sorry, but it’s not real. None of it is real. I can’t set you free. Not without possibly killing you.” Soon anger began to rise from the mare. It continued to rise as Twilight sensed a lot of magic.

Suddenly an astral projection shot forth from Starlight. It charged right at Twilight. She was caught so off guard by this, that she fell to the ground.

Twilight tried to get her to stop, but she wouldn’t listen. The projection backed her to the door and then stopped. Soon tears could be heard. Starlight screamed aloud as she finally accepted the truth.

After letting out all her sadness, she finally spoke. “Why do you fight Mother so much? Why?”

“Because I can’t let this world be consumed by her evil. She must be stopped….Even if it costs the host.”

“You can’t give up hope.”

Twilight looked at her in confusion. “What did you say?”

Starlight ran to her console and began to deactivate the shield. “I’m turning off the shield. And I’m blowing up the wall.”

“WHAT?!”

“No time to explain. Get your friends out of here. Run!” Tears fell from Twilight’s eyes even more upon hearing those words, but Starlight continued. “I am Starlight Glimmer. I lied to myself because I never gave up hope. I will choose my own death. Remember me. Run!”

Twilight turned and ran out of there as fast as she could as the library began to crumble around her. She quickly ran outside of there. She made her way past the pit as Queen Chrysalis watched her. Suddenly the queen’s eyes widened in horror upon seeing an unbeknownst truth. Soon Twilight made her way to Flash.

Meanwhile, the rest waited at the teleport. Rarity was in Spike’s arms. She looked at him and spoke. “How long do we wait?”

He looked and smiled. “If be, for the rest of eternity.”

She quickly leaned into a deep kiss. As they continued to kiss, Twilight and Flash raced up. She got ready to activate the teleport. "Hold on, wait." She ran over and quickly grabbed Trixie's head as Trixie roared at her. "We are not leaving you behind."

"What about Big Mac?" questioned Applejack with worry.

"He's too heavy to carry. We will come back for him,” answered Twilight as she fully activated the teleport.

Instantly they were gone. After they left, vines soon showed themselves and began pulling Big Macintosh away.

******.

Meanwhile, on a higher level of Tartarus, Sunset and ‘F’ continued their fight. They knew which side this battle would go. ‘F’ was more experienced in light magic. And yet he was clearly holding back.

“Why are you refusing to fight me at full power?” Sunset questioned.

“I do not wish to kill you,” he answered.

“Like you care. Neither one of you cared about me.”

“No, we both loved you greatly. The truth had to be kept a secret at all cost.”

“Why then? Why did you commit all those evils millenniums ago?”

“I thought I was serving the true god, but he was nothing but a liar. A devil.”

Sunset got angry with his words. “So you think just because you got free of him, that you could go back to the way things were before? You lied to me, you lied to her, you lied to everypony!”

“No!!” ‘F’ yelled in anger, He stopped the fight and lowered his head. “Yes I lied, but I am never completely free from the parasite. Even though he is gone, I still hear his voice everyday and every night. His voice echoes always. Always.”

She jumped back from him. “Then let me end his voice.” She took a stance and began to spin her trident. She began to chant a spell. “I call upon the fires of the pit. The eternal ash.”

Flames shot forth from her wings, as a ring of fire formed around her. A symbol of fire formed at the center as she finished in the language of the light, “An Dóiteán Mór.”

‘Fn's eyes widened as a great giant blue flame shot forth from the ring. He quickly moved as she followed him with the flame. He knew this flame would incinerate everything it touches. He ran as everything was being turned to ash.

As he ran, there was somepony else watching them. What looked like a simple, small-winged ant watched them. The ant looked at them with annoyance.

Suddenly the two heard a voice. “This has gone on long enough. Lagú agus deireadh.”

Sunset looked in shocked and confusion as her flames began to dissipate. Two stood in confusion as the ant flew between them. The ant turned and looked at Sunset, it spoke once more, “Codladh.”

Suddenly she fell to the ground as sleep came over her. ‘F’ eyes widened as he heard the voice again. At first, he thought it was Discord. Once he realized who it really was, he quickly bowed.

The ant turned to him and spoke. “That is not needed, Host of the Parasite.”

“What reason could you have for being here?” ‘F’ questioned.

“You know my reason.”

“What have you done to Sunset?”

“Just a simple dream spell. It shall remind her of the pains that she has caused. And what is truly good for this world.”

“So you plan now. Do you plan to face Nightmare? You have not faced her in ten thousand years. Do you think you can face her now?”

“You are mistaken. I will let time play as needed. I am not Realta and I wish not to disrupt what must happen.”

“Even if it means her possible death?”

The ant looked down in sadness. “She and I have lived long enough. If she dies, then I will die soon after.”

‘F’s face was filled with anger and sadness. “So be it ‘M’.”

******

Twilight and her group arrived outside of Tartarus, however, none of them expected to land back under the Castle of the Two Sisters. None of them except Twilight.

“Well we reached where I desired,” said Twilight.

Tirek shouted in anger. “What is the meaning of this?!?!”

She looked to Tirek and answered him. “I have found the remaining of the Element Wielders.”

“So do you plan to hand them over?” he questioned.

She smiled, “No, I plan to declare war.”

******

Author's Notes:

So did I shock you with the reveal? (And yes I was referencing Dalek Asylum.)

Well a lot happened in the chapter, ranging from Twilight learning the name of her blade, to a surprising look into the past of Queen Chrysalis. Note the a lot of these flashbacks that go back more than a thousand years will play roles in both timelines.

We also got to look at the actual languages of the light and dark(yes the blade name is in the languages of the dark). The languages may look familiar, since they are basically just english throw through google translate(Sorry I lazy), and turned into other languages. I'm going to be using two real world languages. One for the light, the other for the dark. Can you figure out what languages I'm using?

Final, we got a new mystery character named 'M'. Now don't worry this will easy to figure out, since his real name is actually in the same chapter.

Anyway, It looks like we are getting close to the final arc of this story. Just one chapter left until the break. Remember this break will last until the end of October.

Now this does not mean I will be quiet during this time, as I've got a few things that are trying to get through for October. No promise, but hopefully something.