Twilight groaned groggily, her hooves flailing weakly in the air as her eyelids flickered at random. Consciousness returned slowly to the dead mare, with her brain, or whatever part of her that was in charge of making thoughts happen, struggling to keep up with the sensory information her body was feeding it. Eventually Twilight managed to awaken completely, the mare relaxing when she noticed she was back in the dark, dusty room beneath the ancient Everfree castle.

The unicorn lit her horn and conjured a small mirror that allowed her to look back into her own odd visage in order to further ascertain where, or perhaps when, she was. Thankfully whatever power enabled her to see well in the dark, also enabled her to see her own reflection well, and what she saw made her pause.

The swirling mass of energy that seemed to emit from the tip of her horn was as odd as ever, the weird unlight almost obscuring the what little specks of magenta still swirled within her magic. The sight made her pause and smile, the unicorn happy that at least some of her old color was still in her magic, small thought it was. The horn itself was intimidating as always, something not improved by the fact that she had gone too long without a filing. A thought that made her blink, her mind trying to go back in order to figure out if her horn had continued to grow after her death, and if such a thing was possible. With a shake of her head the unicorn dismissed the thought, realizing that her horn had been a little unkempt before her death, but she couldn't be completely certain of that fact.

“I’ll have to file you and see what happens after that,” she muttered to her horn.

Turning her attention down, she noted that her dark, nearly black purple fur seemed to have gained a slight shimmer to it, though she wasn't sure if this was an effect of her new night vision, or if her coat had somehow been rejuvenated by her death and the adventure that happened after that. She snorted mirthlessly, wondering what her mother would say to the fact that after years of being told she needed to take better care of her fur, Twilight had only done so after she died.

The unicorn quickly pushed thoughts of her mother from her mind and dismissed the temporary mirror after noting that the rest of her seemed as normal as ever. Or at least as normal as my life now is, she thought to herself.

She looked around the room and quickly found that despite the circumstances, she couldn't muster the needed negative energy to be sad or even angry. She just felt nervous, partly because what was coming, and partly because of the many, many questions she had yet to answer.

Twilight shook her head and rolled over, looking around the room once more and really allowing her eyes to take things in this time. A smile bloomed across her face and she waved a hoof towards the yawning tree-bound earth pony who was now smacking her lips as she struggled to wake up. “Good morning,” Twilight greeted.

Applejack blinked in shock. “Well I’ll be,” she muttered. “What are you doing up so early?”

Twilight shrugged. “Had a weird dream.”

“Really, darling?” Rarity asked, peeking out of her curtained off area and lifting an eyebrow. “I don't think I heard you move the entire night.”

“How would you know?” Twilight asked back, rather confused.

The arachne shrugged. “It's a talent of my race. The faintest of tremors feel like tiny earthquakes. It's one reason I usually sleep on such a soft bed as it's the only thing that can absorb the vibrations well enough to sleep.”

“Huh,” Twilight muttered.

“Neat,” Applejack added as she began to do a series of stretches that mainly focused on her back and legs before gulping down several buckets of water.

Rarity had opened wide the flap to her private abode, and was busy doing her makeup, right now in the middle of applying a liberal application of lipstick. Twilight shook her head at the sight, amazed that the arachne would try to keep up her appearances even while in such a place.

“So,” Applejack began, only to stop and belch loudly. “What was this dream about?”

“It's rude to pry, you know,” Rarity replied without looking down.

The farmer shrugged. “I’m just asking. Granny always used to say the moon can give you visions in your dreams. If’n it has a grand purpose in mind for ya.”

The arachne raised an eyebrow. “Really now? My grandmother had a similar tale, only the way she told it was the nightmare and she gave all the evil boys and girls terrible dreams.”

“Well I don't know about a nightmare, but it was certainly odd,” Twilight began, tapping her chin as she tried to recall the details of the strangely realistic dream. “It was just so… real.”

“Now you gotta tell us,” Applejack implored.

“Well alright,” Twilight began with a shrug. “A little while ago I had another weird dream like this, and this one seemed to pick up where that one left off. In this dream I woke up, and was in a sort of old timey apothecary and there was a different version of Applejack and Rainbow Dash there.”

“Whoa,” Applejack muttered. “What did I look like?”

“Kinda like you are now, only you were taller, bigger, and had different colors. Also you wore a big straw hat,” Twilight replied.

The apple farmer hummed thoughtfully to herself, imagining what that might look like and considering the possibility of changing up her style.

“And Rainbow Dash?” Rarity asked, having stepped closer and abandoned her routine.

“She was older, gruffer, and in some sort of military and had plenty of scars.”

“That certainly is believable,” Rarity responded. “Did you meet any other alternative versions of us?”

“Not really, but I heard some names that kinda sounded like you guys. Like Shutter and Sterling.” Twilight pursed her lips and tapped her chin. “Though I can't remember a different version of Pinkie Pie.”

“That's kinda spooky,” Applejack muttered. “What happened next?”

“Luna and a dragon named Spike, who was apparently my son, were there too and they were worried about me.”

“Luna? You mean the Night Mistress was in your dream?” Applejack asked, her eyes growing wide as she stepped closer to the unicorn. “What was she like?”

“Wait just a moment, darling, you had a dragon for a child?” Rarity asked, scratching her cheek with a hoof. “How exactly does that work anyway?”

“It felt like he was adopted at a young age,” Twilight replied with a shrug. “But that wasn't explicitly spelt out, so I am not sure. As for Luna, she was an alicorn with deep blue fur and stark teal eyes. Her mane and tail flowed behind her in a wavy mass of stars that swirled within . It was almost ethereal.”

Twilight stopped a moment, noticing that the two beings were staring intently at her, having edged their way within several feet. “What did her cutie mark look like?” Applejack asked.

“Or did she even have one?” Rarity added with a gasp.

“She did,” Twilight began, pausing to think back and really focus on the image of the mare’s flank, only to realize that in the dream she had actually spent a lot of time looking there, even when the situation did not warrant such a gaze. “It was of a crescent moon on a dark background of a cloudless night sky.”

Both creatures nodded slowly, with Applejack sporting a wide, knowing grin. “Ha. I always told Granny it would be a crescent moon, but she always said it was a full moon.”

“Twilight’s vision is interesting, but I doubt we can quite take it as gospel yet,” Rarity admonished.

“I don't even know if it was a vision anyway.” Twilight shrugged. “Maybe the dead just have weird dreams.”

“Or haply, thy is just weird,” Trixie added, groggily glaring down the end of her nose at the unicorn with an irritated look on her face.

Rather than be insulted Twilight merely shrugged. “I mean you're not wrong. How many dead ponies do you know?”

“Too many,” Trixie replied with a snort.

Applejack’s excitement was so palpable at this point that Twilight could hear her leaves trembling as she nearly shook with barely contained energy. “What happened next?” she asked eagerly.

“I uh, think I came here, to the undertower.” Twilight gestured all around her. “This room was apparently my home away from the library and this blue torch was created by me, I mean, the other Twilight.”

“What did she say it was used for?” Rarity suddenly inquired. “I don't think I’ve heard of the reason for its creation before.”

“The other Twilight was trying to make a bunch of them to create a sort of wall around a forest settlement in order to keep out monsters and such,” Twilight replied. “I’m not sure how it was all made, but I feel like I might be able to figure it out now that I saw some of her notes.” The unicorn blushed, scratching the back of her neck. “I mean, if this dream wasn't nonsense, of course.”

Trixie snorted in irritation but said nothing.

Twilight shook off the blush that colored her cheeks. “At least with that I’ll be able to test if it was real, right?”

Rarity and Applejack nodded while Trixie groaned and rolled onto her back, looking at the unicorn from upside down. “Poppycock.”

Applejack shushed her. “Let the girl speak.”

“Yes, do go on, darling,” Rarity added.

Twilight looked at each of her companions in turn before slapping a hoof to her head. “I forgot to mention that we walked back to this big library in a tree where-”

“You saw the Tree of Knowledge?” Applejack muttered, her jaw hanging open.

“I mean it was a tree with books in it, so uh, yes?” Twilight replied weakly.

“Wow,” Applejack whispered.

“That is quite fascinating,” Rarity replied in a slightly less shocked tone of voice. “Tell me, did anyone tell you the legend of the Tree of Knowledge before tonight?”

The dead unicorn shrugged. “I didn't even know it was a thing that existed until thirty seconds ago.”

“Curious and curiouser,” Rarity mused.

“So where is it then?” Trixie inquired, pointing an accusatory hoof at the other unicorn. “If it be true that thee truly did see the tree, then thy should know where it lies.”

Twilight sighed. “I mean I could try, but the dream really didn't focus on that. Plus even if I did I would only know how to get there from an apothecary that may or may not exist anymore. And that's ignoring the fact that all the landmarks are different.”

Trixie rolled back over and frowned. “Fair enough.”

“So what happened next, darling?” Rarity asked.

“Well, after we teleported from the library to the castle, we went down to the bottom of the undertower where the other me was running all these experiments,” Twilight continued, suddenly remembering tidbits of information she thought she forgot. “There was this enormous door at the bottom, and a mare named Sharp Eye that guarded it. Once inside the other me checked up on all her experiments that were kept running by a queer stallion named Beaker who was apparently not the best at his job.”

Rarity giggled to herself. “Oh, that is too cute.”

“Shh,” Applejack whispered harshly. “She's telling us about her vision.”

“That's quite alright, Applejack,” Twilight admonished.

“Sorry, this is just really fascinatin’.”

“As I was saying,” Twilight continued, clearing her throat. “I went from table to table, checking up on all of the experiments before going to the back and finding the one experiment I cared about most which was a test to figure out what was animating the timberwolves as apparently that hadn't been figured out back then.

“It was necromancy, obviously, but from the way they talked about it made it seem like this was the first time anypony had studied a timberwolf before. After that I, er the other Twilight, scanned her leg where she was bitten by a timberwolf and found out that she had necromantic energy inside her. Information she hid from Luna, who I felt like was one of her closest friends.” Twilight sighed. “After that, I woke up.”

Her friends were silent, with Applejack sitting there and slowly shaking her head in shock. Rarity was distant, her gaze lingering on something unseen as she pondered an unspoken question. Trixie on the other hoof had the strangest reaction, her gaze piercing, her eyes glued to Twilight’s face as she seemed to scan the other unicorn for something only she could see.

All that came to a close when Rainbow Dash suddenly sat bolt upright and yawned loudly, stretching her limbs to the heavens, her forelegs cracking and popping. The mare shook her head vigorously, only to realize that everyone in the room was staring at Twilight with mixed expressions. “What did I miss?” the guard asked, her voice several octaves lower than normal.

“Twilight just got a vision of the past where she saw the Tree of Knowledge, was friends with the night mistress, traversed all the way to the bottom of the undertower after teleporting here where she found out that her former self was infected with necromantic energy,” Applejack blurted out.

“Huh,” Rainbow Dash muttered.

“It was a dream,” Twilight elaborated.

“‘Kay,” the thestral muttered before winding up and smacking herself across the face. “Well would you look at that, this is a not a dream.”

Trixie chuckled. “Thee should tryeth it again, this just might beeth another dream.”

“Right,” Rainbow Dash muttered, lifting her hoof only to have it forcefully placed back at her side by a glaring Twilight and her magic.

“This is not a dream, Rainbow Dash,” she stated.

The thestral eyed her friend carefully. “Are you sure about that?” The room was quiet for a few seconds before Rainbow Dash frowned. “You know it could very well be a vision. We should find a way to prove it.”

Twilight crossed her hooves over her chest. “Don't tell me dream visions are a normal thing around here.”

“I mean, did you learn anything you didn't already know?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“She didn't know how to make this blue torch ‘till now!” Applejack pointed out.

“I would still need to do a lot of gathering to verify some things, nevermind a lot of research before I could even do that much,” Twilight replied with a frown.

“Hmmm.” Rainbow Dash got up and trotted over to a small table they had erected in the corner of the room, wherein a small map had been placed. “You said you made it all the way to the bottom of the undertower, right?”

“Uh yeah. Why do you ask?” Twilight responded.

“There are ten floors, almost all of which are being watched over by a group of golems. Do you know how to get past them?” Rainbow asked.

Twilight frowned. “There weren't any golems in my dream.”

“What about the layout of the tower? Do you remember that?” Rarity offered, stepping up beside her friends.

Again, Twilight frowned, this time even deeper. “We went through it so quick I couldn't commit it to memory.”

“I toldeth thee,” Trixie interrupted. “‘Tis a fool’s errand.”

Rainbow Dash pointed to the floor immediately below them, which was helpfully labeled as nine, beside which there was a single skull out of a possible five, the rest being greyed out. “The golems only come up here every few days, so it shouldn't be too dangerous. But it also means going through a gas filled chamber that would require us to don masks. Do you know of any way around it?”

Twilight peered down at the map, noting that there used to be a straight hallway through the center with two large oval rooms on either side, one of which was broken up into two smaller halves. Now however, things were different and the entire layout had changed as the center part of the floor had collapsed, necessitating any travelers to go through the right-most room in order to reach the stairs down. The furthest room to the left had no obvious method of entrance either, making Twilight stop and wonder if it had simply been left out of the drawing or if there was some secret in the other half of the room.

“How do you get into this room?” Twilight asked, pointing to the one that looked blocked off from one side, but was accessible from the other side due to a collapsed wall.

“We don't know. Current thoughts are that it was either a secret room, or the door is simply buried under the rubble,” Rainbow Dash replied.

“That's strange,” Rarity muttered, peering down at the map. “It's too obvious and large to be a secret room. What used to be in it?”

The lone thestral shrugged. “I’m not sure to be honest. It was empty when we first found it, and other than some residual magical energy there really weren't any clues to its origin or purpose.”

Trixie snorted. “Or the golems did geteth there first.”

“That is a possibility,” Twilight concluded. “Regardless, nothing is coming to mind. Maybe a visual inspection will help me remember.”

Rainbow Dash stared into her friend’s eyes, searching for some sign of duplicity, only to shrug after she could find nothing to insinuate such a thing. “You really are committed to this vision thing, aren't you?”

Twilight sighed. “I’m going to be honest, I don't know what to believe. A few months ago I didn't think anyone lived here, or that ponies could come back from the dead, or even that Celestia had a sister. Impossible is the new normal, maybe this is possible too?”

“‘Sides, plenty of weird stuff happens down here,” Applejack added.

Rainbow Dash pursed her lips and sighed. “I suppose the manual did mention that the nightmare does sometimes send people weird dreams.”

Rarity shuddered. “Well let's just hope we don't run into that… nightmare thing.”

“I agree,” Trixie added.

“Wait, I thought you two were staying up here to work on your weaving?” Rainbow Dash asked.

Trixie shrugged nonchalantly. “I gaveth some thought and I cannot in valorous conscience alloweth a day walker to traipse around her majesty’s castle without an escort.”

“I was going to mention this later, but I feel like it would be safer beside you girls than up here, especially if I was going to stay up here alone,” Rarity added, shivering at the mere thought.

Rainbow Dash ground her teeth together, glaring at each of the beings in turn. “Fine, but remember, follow my rules and do as I say or you may be dead before you can even whine about being bossed around. Got it?”

Both beings nodded dutifully, though Trixie seemed to do so only reluctantly.

“What about Fluttershy?” Twilight asked.

Rainbow Dash shrugged nonchalantly. “I wouldn't worry about her, she knows the dangers and the golems for the first few levels largely ignore animals.”

Applejack righted her hat and nodded. “Alright, we ready to go?”

“Err just give me a second,” Twilight muttered, turning and packing up her miniscule amount of supplies.

Just about everyone else was doing something similar, save for Applejack, who seemed to only be bringing water, a bunch of apples, and her hat. Rainbow Dash was all ready to go and was standing next to the door, staring off into the distance as if looking for something. Twilight tucked away the last of her belongings before closing her eyes and checking her internal energy supply.

She had only done it a few times, but it seemed to come naturally to her, allowing the dead unicorn to figure out that she had plenty of energy left inside her. She smiled as she thought about it, reasoning that her friends’ closeness was giving her the power she needed without having to actively feed on anything. The mare shuddered at the thought, making a note to come up with a better way to express that thought, as feed made it sound strangely visceral, as if she was some sort of vampire or monster.

When Twilight opened her eyes, everyone seemed ready to go, with Rarity being the last to join, as she had finally been convinced by a stern Rainbow Dash that she could not, in fact, bring her makeup bag deeper into the undertower. Though this did earn her a generous amount of pouting, something the guard was quite easily ignoring.

“Okay, marching order is me, Twilight, Applejack, Trixie, and then Rarity,” Rainbow Dash announced.

Twilight and Applejack nodded, while Trixie was busy staring at her hoof, which she was filing absently, while Rarity seemed nervous, and raised a hoof. “Why must I stay in the back?”

“You are taller, and you’d break line of sight if you were in the middle,” Rainbow Dash pointed out. “Plus your night vision is one of the best so it makes sense to leave you to watch our rear.”

Rarity crossed her hooves over her chest and pouted. “I suppose I can't argue with you on that.”

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. “Alright everyone, fall in.”

The beings all assembled into the line Rainbow Dash had devised, with Twilight nervously looking down at the thestral as they began to trot out into the hall. “Um, why did you put me second?”

“Your knowledge of magic is going to be important.” Rainbow Dash shrugged. “Plus I am kinda curious if this vision thing of yours is real or not.”

“I suppose…” Twilight muttered, only for a hoof against her shoulder to bring her attention down to a smiling Applejack.

“Don't worry about it, Twi. RD may not be the smartest bat around, but if there is one thing she does know, it's dangerous stuff like this,” Applejack announced.

“Thanks for the vote of confidence,” Rainbow Dash replied, rolling her eyes.

The troop fell into a sort of comfortable silence, with Rainbow Dash occasionally stopping them while she listened or checked on something. In no time at all they were back in front of the chained off door, which Rainbow Dash quickly discarded after pulling out an aged key from one of her many pockets. With the chain and lock now resting on the ground next to the door, the thestral pulled the door open wide, allowing a strange surge of dank, musty air to rush out.

The company shuddered in unison, the gust carrying a waft of dust and something far fouler into the surprised beings’ faces. Twilight’s entire face crinkled in disgust and she recoiled, holding her nose shut, only for the smell to have already invaded her nostrils.

“Ugh, what is that dreadful aroma?” Rarity whined.

“Get used to it, the first three floors reek of this stuff,” Rainbow Dash replied, while trotting through the door and the hallway beyond.

Applejack shrugged. “It ain't as bad as a timberwolf.”

“True,” Twilight agreed, the comparison having robbed the stench of some of its power.

The thestral strode forward confidently, trotting down the hall, and into a large spiral staircase wide enough for three ponies to walk abreast with ease. The thestral paused after a few steps, raising her hoof and signalling that her troop should stop. Once the order was followed, the mare’s ears rotated forward, straining to hear something from deeper in.

After several silent moments she nodded. “I don't hear the golems, it should be clear.”

“Oh, thank goodness.” Rarity sighed.

Trixie shrugged. “How tough can they be?”

Rainbow Dash stopped and turned around, facing the unicorn, a grim expression on her face. “Were you not there when I explained this?” Trixie shook her head, prompting Rainbow Dash to sigh. “They are eight feet tall, weigh over a ton, are resistant to almost all forms of damage and worse yet they can rebuild themselves using nearby rock.”

Trixie frowned. “That is most distressing.”

The thestral snorted and turned around, taking her place back at the front of the pack. “They are fast on top of being capable fighters. The only reason we've explored at all is due to their programming weaknesses, and the fact that they don't seem to recognize the new layout of the tower.”

“Interesting,” Twilight mused.

Applejack, however, frowned. “Well I for one find it a might bit offensive. We should do something about these damnable things.”

“I agree with you, but you have to realize that we don't even know what's in the bottom of the undertower. The golems might very well be the only thing keeping the nightmare restrained,” Rainbow Dash replied.

The five friends continued the rest of the way in silence, descending the long, winding staircase. The stone walls, floor and ceiling were dirty, dusty and in some spots even had roots poking out from between the cracks. Though that was thankfully an uncommon occurrence, the fact that it was happening at all was distressing to Twilight. She knew little of masonry, but she didn't need to be an expert to know that having roots poking out of the sides of the stairwell was not a good sign. The floor was also covered in a thin layer of dust, dirt and debris. The troop occasionally passed by some discarded item left behind by a past group.

Broken swords were heaped in a small pile near the third turn, discarded flasks, bottles, and other minor items were dropped sporadically throughout the winding staircase. Making Twilight’s inner OCD begin to flare up and make her want to stop and pick up the trash, or at least put it in one central pile. The unicorn dismissed such a silly thought quickly however, reminding herself to keep her eyes open and her magic ready.

Thankfully they reached the bottom without incident or even having to stop, something they only did when they all assembled near the bottom of the staircase. “Wait a second,” Rainbow Dash whispered, holding up a hoof.

“What is it?” Twilight whispered back, looking around the room, noting that the area appeared to be just as Rainbow Dash’s maps had indicated.

To the left was a small library, or at least what had been a library many centuries ago, the books having rotted or burnt away, as had the couches and even the shelves. The only thing that seemed to indicate that it had been a library at all was the way the piles of ash and rot were spaced, indicating that at one time the outermost circle had been dominated by a large piece of furniture. In front of them was a short hall, that went for all of fifteen feet before ending abruptly, a pile of rubble from the ceiling having fallen in. To the right was the gas filled room that Rainbow Dash had mentioned, the entrance to which was a shimmering wall of blue force that held back the swirling mass of green smoke that lay just beyond.

Twilight didn't know what the gas did, but in every Daring Do book ever written, green smoke was never a good thing.

Rainbow Dash relaxed and gestured to the small library to the left. “We should be safe up here if you want to check out the library, or what's left of it.”

“Right,” Twilight muttered, looking down at the piles of ash and rotted wood that had once been a small, but respectful library. “I’ll get right on that.”

“The rest of you feel free to wander around, just do not, under any circumstances, go beyond this door without first getting the safety equipment from me,” Rainbow Dash announced sternly, meeting the gaze of each of her party member’s in turn. “Got it?”

A chorus of acknowledgements, or murmurs of agreement met the mare, who nodded. “I’ll be readying the equipment just in case.”

Applejack took a step forward. “Need any help?”

Rainbow Dash nodded, unslinging a pack from her armor. “Sure, if you don't mind holding some stuff for me.”

Trixie and Rarity quickly involved themselves in their own conversation that mainly centered around the weaving of more complicated webs, with the unicorn offering the arachne some rather pointed criticisms. Rarity seemed to take this in stride however, and Twilight watched the pair for several more seconds before shaking her head and turning to the remains of the library.

“Now how in the heck am I going to do this?” she muttered to herself, gazing at the piles of debris in irritation.

She had expected more than this, though now that she thought about it, it made sense that there was nothing left, as it had been several hundred years since this place had been properly maintained. Add to that the fact that there was apparently deadly gas, powerful golems, and a powerful magical creature still stalking the halls and Twilight reasoned she should be happy there was anything left behind at all.

With a frown she walked up and down the rows, looking down at the piles and trying to find something, anything for her memory to go off. Her magic sifted through the piles at random, hoping to find something that had survived the destruction. It took several long minutes, and in the end though Twilight had not come up empty hooved though she may as well have, considering the fact that she now held only several paper clips, half a stapler, and what looked like the rings of a binder.

With a growl of irritation she tossed the junk into a nearby pile of ash, her thoughts returning to the idea that this entire thing may very well have been a fool’s errand. No, there has to be something. The dream was too real to just be made up, right? She frowned, glancing down at the piles and trying to imagine what they once held.

Across the room she could hear that her companions had relaxed, and were chatting animatedly about several topics. A fact that Twilight pushed from her mind, trying and failing to focus on the task at hoof.

With a frown now plastered firmly to her face, Twilight plunked down in the middle of what must have been a row of books, the mare crossing her hooves over her chest. “Come on, brain, think of something,” she muttered to herself.

Closing her eyes, Twilight wondered what spell might help her, only to come up with nothing, having realized that she could no longer use the one school of magic that may assist her here. Divination had never been her strong suit, but she would have gladly given just about anything to use even a simple detection magic spell. She sighed, her shoulders slumping, and her spell fizzling, the relatively simple cantrip falling apart after only a few seconds of concentration, her magic no longer flowing like it once did.

The unicorn frowned, and simply stared at the piles of detritus that littered the floor, imagining what they must have looked like in their hay day. Sure the area itself wasn't terrible large, but it seemed to be structured with love, and careful attention, the rows narrow, but not so close as to become claustrophobic. The reading areas were small, tucked away between the rows and primarily being made up of what must have been simple cushions, as the small mounds of ash and dust were surprisingly small, meaning they likely weren't chairs or couches.

She imaged the tall, proud rows of cedar built shelves holding numerous books on a variety of topics ranging from the mundane, like cooking and carpentry, to more esoteric, though still base level things like rudimentary magic, or astrology. Twilight stood up suddenly, walking down the row and extending a hoof, imagining that she was running the limb across the many spines of the books, caressing their aged exteriors lovingly, a smile crossing her face.

It felt good to touch the books, the simple tactile feel reminding the unicorn of her younger days which were spent under the moon or sun, being trained by the two sisters for the vaunted position of vizier. They had been demanding back then, buying her books on what felt like hundreds of topics and expecting her to master each in turn. Sure it had been hard, but it had also been worth it and in the end Twilight had become the advisor they so needed. Successfully managing to bridge the divide not only between each other, but between them and the public they had become so alienated from.

She breathed deep of the scent of the books that had come from those first years of study and testing. The creation of this small library was not as big a deal as her other contributions like the various labs below her, or the small museum she had established across from the library, but it meant a lot to her. In a way this very library was a museum, one to herself, and the studies and interests she held in her younger years.

Still, her inner librarian couldn't help but want to share these books with the world, even though only castle staff could check them out, it was still nice that she could at least do that much. Her hooves trotted down the well-maintained isles of her semi-private library, her eyes drawn to the small section of wall devoid of all poster or shelf.

Lifting a hoof, the mare gently touched the wall, noting that the wards lit up properly, scanning her mana signature and allowing her access to the reserved section of the castle library. She stayed there a moment, wondering if she should go inside and look around as it had been a while since she had checked the stacks. Never mind the fact that the restacking golem she had designed to maintain the library had already shown that its programming was not perfect, making her wonder if the reserved room was as messed up as the rest of the library had been last she checked.

Smiling faintly to herself, the mare trailed her hoof lower until she reached the spot where the matrices overlapped, allowing the magic to scan her hoof and allow her to push open the less than secret door. As she did she smiled faintly, remembering all the times Celestia and Luna had teased her about her hidden library which was contained in the very design documents of the library, and was plainly obvious to any outside observer. She had been resolute in her design however, as Twilight had always wanted to make a secret fake wall, and this seemed like the perfect excuse.

The stone wall ground a little harder than usual, something having gotten stuck between it and the floor, a fact that made Twilight pause. Only for a strange and foreign voice to startle her out of contemplation.

“What in the hay?” Applejack muttered.

“Look! Twilight found the door!” Rarity announced excitedly, her many legs carrying her closer to the dead mare.

Twilight paused, looking forward into the neat, short rows of books beyond the door, only to blink and realize they weren't there at all. In fact there was nothing there but rubble and ash, everything within her beloved ‘secret’ library having long since been turned to dust.

By the time the mare returned to reality she was surrounded by her friends, all of whom were asking her a variety of questions. “Hold on a second, what just happened?” Twilight exclaimed, raising a hoof and silencing her companions.

“You just walked over to the wall and suddenly pushed it open,” Rainbow Dash explained, cocking her head. “What did you think happened?”

“I thought I was in a library, and was going into the less than well hidden secret area,” Twilight muttered, gazing down at her hoof in disbelief. “I was going to check on the golem I placed in charge of maintaining the stacks then all of a sudden I was back here.”

“Hmm, most interesting,” Trixie murmured, staring up and down the mare, eyebrow raised.

“Is something the matter, darling?” Rarity asked, placing the back of her hoof on Twilight’s forehead, a concerned expression crossing her face. “You are oddly warm, all of a sudden.”

“I am?” Twilight brushed off her friend’s hoof and placed the back of her own limb where Rarity’s had been, only to find that she was indeed far warmer than she had been since her death. “Odd.”

Applejack shrugged. “So you are not quite so cold, what's the big deal?”

“I don't know,” Twilight murmured, letting her hoof return to the floor.

“Regardless, the way is cleareth, shouldst we not conintueth?” Trixie offered, gesturing to the now open door.

Rainbow Dash grumbled silently, stuffing back all the enchanted face masks she had pulled out of her bag. “Just gimme a second.”

Twilight looked down at her hoof, then back to the library behind her, only to find that it was all little more than ash and dust once more. As the seconds ticked by, reality seemed to assert itself completely, and the strange alien feeling of displacement vanished as the unicorn seemed to settle back into her own body.

Shaking her head once more, Twilight noticed that Rainbow Dash had stowed her gear once more, and was now just beyond the door, peering within, her ears standing up and at the ready. After several more seconds, she nodded and stepped through the portal. “I think we should be good,” she mentioned.

“How disappointing to loseth so many over such foolishness,” Trixie remarked sadly.

“Indeed,” Rarity agreed.

Applejack shrugged, and followed after. “Maybe they managed to get all the books out before the fire?”

Twilight shook her head. “There is a sadness that hangs over this room like a fog. I don't think they did.”

Rainbow Dash stepped forward, hefting her bag onto her shoulder and taking point. “The stairs down are broken in certain spots, do not fall down. The golems may not be able to hear, but they can see just fine and if they so much as catch a glimpse of you, run and don't look back.”

Twilight gulped. “Is there a point that they stop chasing?”

“They usually only go so far as the first floor, but sometimes they will go all the way outside the castle.”

Applejack gulped, looking down the stairs with newfound apprehension. “Well I don't know about y'all, but I say we take this nice and slow like.”

The rest of the companions all nodded, with Rainbow Dash taking the first step down the stairs before them. Following the lead set by the thestral, everyone else resumed the same marching order as before, with Twilight taking a nervous second place behind the guard pony.

Sure enough, the ground was as uneven as the mare had mentioned, with entire stairs missing, and chunks of the wall having vanished entirely. Leaving behind holes that sometimes went so deep that dirt would trickle out and onto the staircase. With Rainbow Dash’s guidance it didn't take them long to reach the next flight of stairs with no one even so much as tripping. The next floor was much different, and seemed to have suffered much more damage than the first. Rubble was strewn everywhere across the area. The sight made Twilight wonder, not for the first time, how this entire place was still standing at this point.

Rainbow Dash kneeled down next to a pile of rocks and motioned for everyone to come in close. “Now I need you guys to do exactly as I tell you, when I tell you. There is a golem just beyond the first pile of rocks.” The thestral raised a hoof, silencing Rarity’s concerned comment before it could even be spoken. “This one is easy, it just walks back and forth in a straight line and all we have to do is move while its back is turned.”

“We going one by one or what?” Applejack whispered, glancing out from behind the pile and trying to catch a glimpse of the thing, only for Rainbow Dash to pull her back.

“Did I tell you to reveal yourself?” she hissed, her face pressed nearly against the farmer’s.

“Err, no ma’am,” Applejack muttered weakly.

“That's what I thought.” Rainbow Dash relaxed slightly and pulled back, revealing that she held a simple mirror on a stick. “For some reason the golems can't see reflections. I don't know why, but it will help us get around them.” She pointed at herself and then Twilight. “We will be going first, after that I want Applejack and Trixie to come together. Rarity, you will be going last, by yourself.”

Applejack and Trixie nodded resolutely, while Rarity seemed on the verge of a nervous breakdown before suddenly pressing a hoof against her chest and breathing deeply. “Okay, darling. I’ll trust you.”

Rainbow Dash nodded. “Good. Ready?”

Everyone nodded, prompting Rainbow Dash to lean a little closer to the mound of rocks and peek the mirror around the side. Twilight had taken up position just behind the thestral, allowing her a good view of the golem stomping down the hall. Its head nearly scraped the ceiling, and its shoulders nearly brushed the walls, though the strangest part by far was the fact that it had two arms that stuck out from the front of its body as well as a mere two legs.

It's bipedal? Twilight thought to herself, shocked to see such a strange golem. Was it even made by ponies?

The mare shook off the questions running around in her head for now, and merely watched as the bipedal golem walked closer and closer. Its footsteps, which had been distant at first, now thundered ever closer. Its huge granite body was made up of hundreds of smaller rocks and boulders, all held together by glowing lines of golden light. The strange thing had no face or distinguishing features whatsoever, with only a single golden sunburst emblazoned on its chest, allowing Twilight to differentiate it from just another pile of rocks.

Twilight glanced to the side, noticing that at about the midway point of the golem’s path there was a relatively large section of wall that was still partially standing, the base of which was surrounded by loose rocks. Whatever had been in the rooms had been lost to history, and there existed nothing but piles of loose stones and small sections of walls to even differentiate between where one room started and the other ended.

The golem’s heavy footsteps boomed in the mare’s ears, the inanimate creature drawing closer and closer. The rest of the group looked nervously at Rainbow Dash, who had not moved an inch the entire time. Noticing that their leader had not so much as flinched, Twilight relaxed and waited a few more seconds.

Sure enough, the golem stopped a few steps from the pile of rubble they hid behind, paused, looked around, and then turned right back around, beginning its slow, ponderous pace back towards the other side of the room. Rarity and Applejack breathed a sigh of relief, while Trixie remained strangely nonplussed by the entire encounter, her gaze lingering on the golem’s backside.

Rainbow Dash placed the mirror stick on the floor before pointing to Applejack. “Use it, but leave it for Rarity who will be bringing it with her.”

Applejack quickly snatched up the stick and nodded, with Rarity mirroring the movement a second later.

The thestral glanced one last time at Twilight before breathing deeply and dashing around the corner, sprinting towards the pile of rubble at the centre of the hall. Twilight scrambled to keep up a second later, the lanky unicorn nearly tripping over a loose rock. The sprint was short, but terrifying, with Twilight’s eyes firmly latched onto the golem’s back as it made its way back down the hall. A hoof gripped the mare’s leg and pulled her in behind the pile of rubble, where Rainbow Dash was waiting with a glare.

“Eyes on your goal,” she hissed, pointing from Twilight’s face to the pile of rubble they were now using as cover.

Twilight gulped awkwardly and nodded. “S-sorry.”

“Don't apologize to me, it would have been your funeral and something tells me you wouldn't exactly hop back up after being pounded into paste,” Rainbow Dash whispered.

Twilight tried not to image what she would look like after being pounded into the dirt by a massive pile of semi-sentient rocks only to fail and shudder at the thought.

The golem stopped, and after a second turned and began its arduous trek back up the hall. The two creatures pushed themselves against the pile of rubble, not trusting their safety to the meagre pile of stone. Thunderous, monotonous footsteps came closer and closer until they passed them by completely, allowing Rainbow Dash the opening she needed to dash out from behind the rocks and towards the end of the room which lead to a staircase which in turn led down to the floor below.

This time Twilight had no distractions to get in her way and she followed close behind the thestral as she sprinted across the room and ducked into the stairwell. For the next few minutes the two would remain there, pressed against the wall as they listened and waited. A little while later two terrified creatures all but leapt into the stairwell, landing in a panting heap of tangled limbs. The sight of two of her friends unharmed helped to alleviate a bit of Twilight’s worry, but that didn't help the fact that the one party member she worried about the most had yet to arrive.

Conjuring a magical mirror of her own, Twilight peered around the corner, and what she saw nearly made her heart stop again. Rarity was larger than the rest of her friends, easily towering over even Twilight, meaning the pile of rocks and debris that easily hid them, could barely obscure the arachne’s larger form. The fashionista was awkwardly bent behind the cover, her eyes wide with fear.

The golem was fast approaching, its footsteps thumping in the distance, growing ever closer to the cowering form of the spider pony. Then, just when Twilight was convinced she was going to see something terrible happen, the golem passed Rarity by without pause. The arachne looked up, noticed she was still alive, and sprinted with all haste towards the stairwell at the end of the room.

Noticing that her friend was terrified and not slowing down, Twilight took several hastey steps back and lit her horn, allowing her to catch the terrified arachne as she ran screeching into the stairwell. Muffled cries of panic of surprise could be heard in all directions as the larger creature came barrelling into the awaiting group, Twilight’s magic keeping her upright but not stopping her momentum. Limbs slammed against stone and each other equally, metal clanged metal, and after several short, painful seconds the group landed in a heap at the bottom of the stairwell, all save for a certain arachne who was wincing and looking down at the moaning pile of ponies now lying on the floor.

“Sorry,” she muttered weakly, extending a hoof to Twilight who eagerly accepted the assistance, allowing the creature to hoist her into a standing position.

“Don't worry about it, Rarity,” Twilight replied, dusting herself off.

Applejack groaned, righting her hat and stumbling awkwardly into a standing position. “Well, that certainly could have gone better,” she muttered.

Trixie grumbled curses under her breath, gripping either side of her head to stop her eyeballs from rolling around in their sockets. “Agreed.”

Rainbow Dash was the only one unharmed, the thestral having somehow managed to twist out of the way and dodge the ball of flailing spider pony limbs. She walked calmly down the last of the stairs, a sigh on her lips. “I knew this was a bad idea.”

The arachne rubbed her hooves together nervously. “I really am sorry, darling. I just saw the golem right there and I-”

The thestral reached up and placed a calming hoof on the arachne’s side. “It's alright, really. It just means you are in it for real. There's no going back now.”

“Fiddlesticks,” Rarity cursed.

“This floor is the safe one, right?” Twilight asked, looking around the small room they now found themselves in. The walls were painted to resemble wood and two large doors barely hung onto their hinges, barring access to what lay beyond.

“There are no golems, but there are plenty of traps,” Rainbow Dash replied with a shrug. “So don't touch anything.”

“Got it.” Applejack saluted, tucking the last of their scattered supplies back into her bags.

“Good. Now, we are going to have to go even slower than we did before if we are going to make it out of here. The first trap is going to be a simple sound detecting spell attached to a mana bolt spell matrix, so we have to-” Rainbow Dash began, only for Twilight to take a step forward and light her horn.

“I don't mean to interrupt you, Rainbow Dash, but do you mind if I ask you a quick question?” Twilight inquired.

The thestral shrugged. “Sure, fire away.”

“Are all of the traps magical?”

“More or less, if they aren't completely magical, they are triggered by magic. It's how they are able to keep operating after all this time. The golems simply walk through them, or are unharmed by them, and the traps reset themselves shortly after,” Rainbow Dash explained.

“Why haven't they been dispelled?” Twilight asked as she gently pushed one of the more intact doors open.

“No one knows how to,” Rainbow Dash replied with a shrug. “Most creatures don't have the magical capacity necessary to take them down, and the few we could destroy haven't changed things much.”

“I’m gonna give it a shot,” Twilight announced suddenly, her jaw set, and a look of determination crossing her face.

“Are you sure that's wise, darling?” Rarity interjected, stepping forward and placing a hoof on Twilight’s shoulder. “I know you are a powerful mare, but these traps were made by someone very, very powerful.”

“I have a good feeling,” Twilight replied confidently, placing a hoof on Rarity’s.

“Wonderful,” Trixie muttered, before turning and finding a corner to sit in while she read a large black tome she had pulled from one of her saddlebags.

Applejack merely shrugged, and looked over at Rainbow Dash, whose lips were pursed, her gaze distant as she stared at the glowing hallway just beyond. “What do you think, boss?” Applejack asked.

The thestral shook her head and sighed. “I don't like it. But it would make it safer and quicker.” She stood suddenly, and trotted over to the dead unicorn. “You can try, but the second I see things starting to go south you pull out ASAP. Got it?”

Twilight nodded. “Thank you, for trusting me.”

Rainbow Dash shrugged nonchalantly, hiding a small blush by turning and pushing Rarity away. “That's enough chatter, you guys sit back and give the mare some room to work, I’ll keep eyes on the hall.”

Rarity smiled faintly. “Do be careful, darling.”

“I will, Rarity,” Twilight replied, before turning to the hall just beyond.

It was long, unnaturally so, to the point that Twilight realized it was probably an illusion, which would explain how it was able to twist her perceptions. Closing her eyes, Twilight tried to reach down inside herself, calming her muscles and allowing her mind to flow down towards the strange paths that had allowed her to glimpse at the library that was no longer there.

She was hesitant to do this, but the dream had breezed through this floor so quickly that she had no real memory of it. Luna’s smile, and conversation they had were the only things she remembered from this area other than simply walking down a single short passage.

Breathing deeply, the mare tried to ignore the logical part of her mind that reminded her that the act of doing so was largely pointless, and instead focused on the feelings she had experienced when she had fallen into this sort of state back in the library. When she opened her eyes once more, the dust, debris and detritus that clung to every surface was gone, and the long expanse was gone, replaced by a short tunnel that twisted to the right.

Twilight smiled as she lit her horn, happy that her complicated series of illusion spells was working correctly. A quick scan told her that her defences were also working correctly, though she still did not like their existence in the first place, she had been convinced by a rather persistent Celestia, whose words suddenly came to mind.

“Just because no one in the their right mind would steal from you, doesn't mean no one will. Living beings are nothing if not irrational,” she whispered into the mare’s ear as they looked down on the outline for Twilight’s initial drawings for the undertower.

The mare pursed her lips and sighed. “And let me guess, the illusion that will ultimately turn them right back around won't be enough.”

Celestia sighed, and placed a hoof on the young mare’s back. “Like a child reaching for the cookie jar, you must reprimand the attempt or they won't stop trying.”

The unicorn frowned and began scratching down a primitive outline of what she assumed would be enough to appease Celestia while also holding back any would be invader with minimal lethality. Pushing herself back from her desk, she motioned for the alicorn to look. “What about this? It should gradually become more lethal, offering up plenty of chances for the individual to realize their folly.”

Celestia nodded slowly. “I approve,” she announced, smiling down at the mare. “Your kindness is, as always, a breath of fresh air, my dear.”

Twilight beamed under the praise, a slight blush coming to her cheeks. “T-thank you, Celestia.”

The real Twilight breathed heavily, a hoof pressed against her temple. That was stronger than last time, she thought to herself, wondering the implications thereof.

Shaking off the thought, Twilight looked up, and instantly noticed that the illusion had been shattered completely. The long hall replaced by the one in her vision, with the hall turning sharply to the right. The dust and detritus had returned, and the familiar scent of ruin and rubble filled the mare’s senses, reaffirming that she was once again in the present. Lighting her horn, Twilight extended her magical senses and got to work on the wards and matrices that filled the hall.

After seeing their initial versions written out in plain Equish, picking them apart now was surprisingly easy, and the unicorn worked through the first patch of the hall in no time at all. Turning to the right, Twilight continued to pick apart the magic holding together the defences, tugging at loose strands of mana here and overloading certain defences there, all while going deeper down the winding hall.

By the end of it Twilight had gone right, left, then left again, with finally one last right revealing the exit, and a small simple sitting room that was somehow still intact.

Her companions slowly emerged from behind her, looking on in wonder at the simple benches still left standing after all this time. Sure, the rest of the room was more or less destroyed, but seeing that anything was left standing was a surprise to be sure, but a welcome one at that.

“I didn't think you had it in you, Twi,” Rainbow Dash muttered, looking back at the hall in naked wonder. “Good job.”

Twilight smiled faintly, the lingering exhaustion she had been fighting the last several minutes returning with a vengeance. “Thank you, Rainbow Dash, but I think I may need to sit for a few minutes.”

“You certainly have earned that much,” Rarity remarked with a smile.

“Yeah no kidding,” Applejack muttered, taking a seat on one of the remaining benches.

“Thanks.” Twilight yawned suddenly. “I am feeling kinda sleepy all of a sudden though.”

Rainbow Dash nodded and unslung her bag. “Take a few minutes. We shouldn't have to move for a little while at least.”

“We shall keep watch, darling,” Rarity commented, giving Twilight a confident nod.

“Speak for thyself,” Trixie added, sitting back down, her nose having never left her book.

Twilight chuckled, and lay down on the empty bench across from them, smiling faintly as she settled down and began to relax. For a few minutes it seemed like a pleasant nap would evade her, only for the siren song of sleep overtaking her out of nowhere, the mare falling into a deep slumber before she had a chance to even consider otherwise.

Twilight shook her head suddenly, an odd thought having suddenly entered her mind. The mare paused and rested a hoof against the side of her head, silently wondering why she had just imagined destroying all the wards she had placed in her tower.

“Are you alright, Twilight?” a calm, yet strained feminine voice inquired.

“I’m fine, Celestia, really. Just had an odd day dream I suppose,” Twilight replied, shaking her head and smiling up at the concerned alicorn.

The other mare was tall, her face strained with worry and stress, the weight of the forest and Twilight’s ill health weighing visibly on the mare. She had shed her usual regalia, and wore only a simple sundress that allowed the evening air to gently caress her fur without allowing it to cool her too much. Though the dress was simple, and light, and Twilight had seen it a dozen or so times, the mare still felt her gaze drawn down the length of the flowing golden clothing and the perfect fur just beneath.

“I see you are doing well enough to have an appetite again,” Celestia quipped, smirking down at the now blushing unicorn.

“I didn't- that's not what I-” The mare stopped herself, her cheeks puffing out as she tried to glare at the alicorn. “I like your dress.”

“Why, thank you,” Celestia replied, ignoring the bitterness in Twilight’s tone.

Twilight slowly smiled, the faint feeling of tension that had hung over them having been dismissed in an instant, replaced by a calm, accepting aura that washed over her. “Thank you, Celestia,” she whispered, trotting deeper into the garden and looking out over the many flowers that filled the quiet courtyard.

“For what?” Celestia asked, quickly taking her place to the left of the unicorn.

“For taking time to visit with me.” Twilight sighed. “It feels like forever that we've found the time to simply take a stroll through the gardens.”

“Yes, you two have been busy, haven't you,” Celestia stated, a hint of resentment seeping into her tone.

“We all have,” Twilight corrected. “But that isn't an excuse to come together more often, is it?”

“You are right, Twilight.” Celestia sighed, looking up at the sun that was just peeking over the wall of the castle, its fading rays illuminating the courtyard in an elegant golden light. “Do you think…” The alicorn bit her lip, before pushing herself to speak the words that burned on her lips. “Do you think I am wrong to resist the forest?”

Twilight sighed as well, turning down a side path and making her way over to a large weeping willow, beneath which there was a bench large enough for both of them. “I’m going to be honest. I don't know.”

Celestia frowned and took a seat beside her friend, her gaze lingering on the long branches that came down like a curtain, obscuring them from passing observers. “Why do you say that? Luna is quite against my approach and she seems to insinuate that you are taking her side on this matter.”

“Celestia, please. There are no sides to be taken.” Twilight placed her hoof on the mare’s shoulder, forcing their eyes to meet. “There is only us, and the problem.”

The alicorn’s frown weakened, softening into a small, reluctant smile. “You are right as usual, Twilight. I just wish my sister and I saw it as you do.”

“Don't think I’m letting you off the hook though,” Twilight began, her tone containing an edge of humour to it. “Luna’s position may not be perfect, and neither are her ideas, but it is becoming more and more clear that this forest situation will not be easily remedied through force.”

The alicorn shrugged off her friend’s shoulder and stared down into the younger mare’s eyes. “How can you say that? You killed Discord itself. Your friends have done the impossible, compared to that what are a few weeds?”

The unicorn’s brow creased with worry and for a moment she considered holding back the words she felt building in her throat, but she couldn't, Celestia needed to know. “I’m not sure if we should have. What if this all started because of Discord’s death?”

“Nonsense!” Celestia stated, pounding her hoof into the bench. “He threatened the lives of our little ponies. He drove them to madness, slaughter and unspeakable acts the likes of which no one should experience. His death was nothing short of a blessing.”

Twilight sighed, her gaze falling to the well-manicured grass just beneath her hooves. “I know what he did was wrong, but I’m not sure if death was the right answer. I mean all of this-” Twilight extended a hoof towards the wall in the distance, gesturing in the direction of the encroaching forest. “-started only after he died.”

“This is madness,” Celestia muttered. “The spirit is dead, his essence dissolved utterly. There is no way he could have an affect on anything, much less something quite on this scale.”

“I want to believe you. Truly I do. But these tests don't lie. The forest only began to change after his death, and worse still the forest has grown stranger. Creatures I’ve never heard of have been spotted in the twisted boughs of the chaotic forest.” Twilight leaned closer, a worried look crossing her face. “Worse yet I’ve heard reports of something truly terrifying, a great beast with eyes the same color as his was seen walking-

Twilight jerked upwards, Applejack’s strong hooves gripping her shoulders and shaking her gently. “Whoa there, sugarcube. Nothing’s wrong, Rainbow just wants us up and moving so we can get to the next safe area before we have to bed down for the day.”

“R-right,” Twilight stuttered, stumbling to a stand only to find that she felt strangely invigorated.

Looking down, she noticed that there was something new about her neck, namely the fact that there was now a simple spider silk scarf around it. Looking up, she found a hesitant Rarity shuffling nervously before her. “I hope you like it. I couldn't make it as thick as I’d like, but I wanted to make you something as thanks. For what you did.”

Twilight ran her hoof across the fine silk scarf, amazed by just how soft it was. “Thanks, Rarity. I love it.”

“No, thank you, Twilight,” the arachne replied with a smile.

The unicorn perked up suddenly, remembering the odd way she had fallen asleep. “Hey, Rainbow Dash, does the undertower have a sleep aura placed on it?”

The soldier shook her head. “None that I’m aware of, why?”

Twilight frowned. “It's just, odd. I wasn't really tired but then all of a sudden I felt as though I was being forced to sleep.”

Applejack’s eyes lit up and she ran up to the unicorn. “Did you receive another vision?”

“I don't know, maybe?” Twilight muttered, rubbing the back of her neck. “In it I was just talking to her.”

“I wouldn't worry about it too much,” Rainbow Dash began. “The nightmare has been known to usher some to the realm of dreams in order to show them something. Though why it does this is unknown. That being said, some beings think it's just the lingering essence of a powerful sleep spell that was cast somewhere in the undertower, so your guess is as good as mine.”

Twilight frowned, her mind replaying the odd events she felt as though she had just experienced. It was becoming more and more clear that this was not a mere dream as Twilight doubted even her unconscious mind would imagine being polite to the mare who had taken everything from her. Reluctantly the unicorn shook her head and sighed, letting the question fade from her thoughts and be reluctantly added to the veritable mountain of unanswered questions.

The group began their descent once more, climbing down the stairs and proceeding deeper into the undertower. Together they faced down more strange traps, snuck by over a dozen golems and emerged unscathed into a minor resting area several hours later. Throughout it all Twilight couldn't help but think about the vision she had, and if something like it would come again.

Looking around the room, Twilight noted that her companions were all in varied states of exhaustion, with Rarity being the worst off, the arachne flopped out on the floor, her ten limbs all pointing in different directions as she lay there panting. Trixie and Applejack seemed to be a little winded, but were more or less fine, the two beings both eying one another with a newfound respect. Rainbow Dash was the only one other than Twilight who was completely nonplussed by the entire event, and was sitting at a ruined desk while flipping through her field guide.

The room they were in now seemed to have been a storage room of some kind, which would explain how it had escaped the fighting, the fire, and the golems. Piles of desks, chairs and other furniture were piled here and there in various states of disrepair. A small area in the centre had been cleared for the same purpose the group was now using it: rest.

Twilight considered trying to get more sleep, curious if she was going to be shown something new and hopefully useful.

“Alright, everybody, we will rest here for about an hour so grab some food, water and a short break because after this it's going to be a slow crawl to the next rest area where we’ll bed down for the day,” Rainbow Dash announced. “Also, great work distracting that last golem, Trixie, you really saved our butts back there.”

The unicorn stood tall before bowing low. “‘Twas nothing.”

Applejack smiled and gently punched the mare across the shoulder. “That was not nothin’, that was brilliant.”

Twilight watched her friends go back and forth complimenting Trixie, and eventually peeling Rarity off the floor in order to make sure she was alive, and that she got some much needed water. Alone, and away from her friends, Twilight felt her gaze lingering over Trixie who had quietly excused herself from the group after she had milked them for all the compliments they could reasonably give.

“Don't bethink I didn't notice that little trick with the conjured mirror in the laser room. That was inspired,” Trixie whispered, leaning closer to the other unicorn.

Twilight smiled. “Thank you, Trixie. Say, do you mind if I ask you a few questions?”

The illusionist smiled, sitting a little straighter. “A showmare is at each moment ready for an interview.”

“Why do you talk like that?” Twilight blurted out. “The real reason, I mean.”

Trixie shot the dead unicorn a scowl, placing a hoof against her chest and raising her nose. “I shall have thee knoweth that every entertainer worth their salt spoke in such a manner.”

“No, but really,” Twilight pressed. “Why do you talk like that?”

The other mare’s scowl intensified. “It may not beest in style anymore, but Trixie is a purist and the lady refuses to changeth to fit these times.”

The dead unicorn sighed. “Let's forget that a moment and get to my next question. You said you were a showmare, where did you perform?”

“In Trixie’s day the lady traveled to many places. From Ponyville to even the far-off lands of the changeling badlands and the minotaur plains.” Trixie swept a dramatic hoof before her. “The lady performed for everyone from royalty to the common being. All were equal to the most wondrous and powerful Trixie. In fact the lady even performed for the elements of harmony after they did free the land from the dreaded Dis- oh you fell asleep.”

Trixie scowled at the slumbering Twilight who lay sprawled out on the ground next to her, the dead unicorn having toppled from her position without even waking up. “Fi,” Trixie cursed, crossing her hooves over her chest.

Twilight sighed and ran a hoof through her mane, unable to look her former mentor in the eye. “Look, I’m just asking if there is any information at all left on necromancy. I do not wish to raise the dead, curse anyone, or even speak with the deceased. I just want to know if there is any information left. That's it!” Twilight exclaimed.

Celestia’s frown deepened, her entire body growing tight as her muscles tensed. “And I am telling you there is nothing left. It's all gone, Twilight.”

The younger mare sighed and looked down at her hooves, absentmindedly noticing that the fur was much darker than usual, becoming nearly black in appearance, though it still had the slight tinge of purple left within. This change had been relatively new, and though it had been disconcerting to say the least, it was the smallest of Twilight’s recent changes and was the least of her worries.

“When you say destroyed, do you mean all known texts are lost, or do you believe there is a chance that there is more information out there somewhere?” Twilight asked, looking across the table to an increasingly irritated Celestia who had long since abandoned any pretense of enjoying a relaxing cup of tea with a friend.

“I personally destroyed the last trace of necromancy and scattered the ashes to the six winds,” Celestia announced, her gaze firm and her tone strict.

“Why though? We need that information. What if another necromancer pops up? How are we going to know how to fight them?” Twilight implored, reaching across the table and attempting to grip Celestia’s hoof.

The alicorn was far too angry for such a thing however and she brushed aside the unicorn’s advance with a dismissive hoof. “We know enough. We know that they can be killed through conventional means and the powers of restoration magic destroy their minions and bring harm to them. That is all we need to know.”

Twilight paused, the strange reverberating tenor that had wormed into Celestia’s voice near the end of her statement making Twilight stop. “What was that?” Twilight inquired, worry creasing her brow. “For a second there your voice changed and-”

“It did not!” Celestia yelled, only to realize the tone of her voice and stop, sitting down. “It was nothing. You must be hearing things.”

“Look, Celestia. I know things are strained right now, but please. If you have information at all about necromancy I need to know. Luna and I’s investigation is bearing fruit, but it's also revealing the troubling possibility that there may be something out there that is saturating the forest in necromantic energy,” Twilight implored.

The alicorn sighed. “I may have something left after the last purge. I will go down to the vaults and check again. Just please promise me you will not walk this path.” Celestia reached across the table and gripped her friend’s hoof in two of her own. “Please, Twilight, stay safe. I- we need you. Equestria needs you.”

Twilight reluctantly clutched Celestia’s hoof in her own, squeezing it tightly. “I know.” She smirked. “Where would you two be without your vizier anyway?”

“I don't even want to think about that,” Celestia replied, gaining a smirk of her own. “Though I have a feeling there would be a lot less overworked research staff in the castle.”

“I will have you know that Beaker and my team are not overworked, and are in fact simply motivated,” Twilight replied, pulling her hoof back.

A knock on the door turned the pair away from each other’s eyes and towards the door. “Enter,” Celestia commanded, the alicorn’s body becoming rigid, as she once more donned the mask of the immortal ruler.

“Your grace,” the young, white coated unicorn stallion greeted, bowing low. “The report from the fringes is back, and I was informed to deliver it to you as soon as it had arrived.”

“Thank you, guard,” Celestia replied before turning to Twilight. “Do you mind if we pick this up at a later date?”

Twilight nodded, and pushed herself into a standing position after nearly tripping over her longer, more clumsy legs. “Absolutely.”

Celestia nodded one last time before turning to the guard and saying something.

What that was, Twilight didn't really care, as she was already headed to the door, her mind consumed by what had happened minutes earlier. It had been small, but noticeable, and the way Celestia seemed to deny her voice changing only made Twilight even more concerned. The vizier’s mind began turning through potential solutions and causes, beginning with a potential sickness and ending with demonic possession, all of which she dismissed out of hoof.

Now standing in the halls of Everfree castle, the unicorn pondered her next destination carefully, and quickly realized that there was only one party that could potentially offer a solution to this newest question.

Luna.

The mare turned and made a beeline for the other princess’ section in the southern area of the castle, knowing full well that she was likely in her private residence at such a time of day. The long slanting light of the evening sun illuminated the unicorn as she hastily made her way through the castle, ignoring the pointed stares of the day guard all the while. Though it was true her affliction had changed her appearance, she refused to listen to their whispers of conspiracy, pushing the murmurs of her lessers to the back of her mind.

In short order the vizier made her way to Luna’s residences, the guards’ atitudes going from naked disdain to more passive, neutral expressions. The change of pace was a pleasant one, as even though Twilight had learned to ignore the stares of the more diurnal individuals, their disgust still irritated her. Now in the realm of Luna, Twilight quickly found her hooves slowing their frantic pace, allowing her to take in the scenery a little more.

The lunar half of the castle was easily the most well decorated, with the plain banners and paintings that dotted Celestia’s half being replaced by lavish drapes, coats of arms and busts of the many individuals important to Luna. Generals, friends, and painters all shared the same space together, the darker alicorn viewing them all as equals in her eyes.

Spotting another set of guards ahead, Twilight spared them a small nod and smile, noticing that this pair was some of the few beings Luna trusted to guard her personal room. “Is Luna available?” Twilight asked, stopping just before the pair of bat ponies.

The twin mares smiled and nodded in unison, gesturing to the door at the same time. “She is inside working on something,” one began.

“But she gave us orders to allow you entry,” the other finished.

“Thank you, Filigree and Sterling,” Twilight replied, reaching forward and pushing open the doors.

She strode confidently into the large room, knowing before she entered that this was one of Luna’s studios. Even if she didn't know the purpose of such a room, she would have realized the answer the second she stepped inside. Heavy drapes covered the walls and windows, several half-finished paintings of ponies, landscapes and fruit bowls littered one corner of the room while the other was dominated by a massive desk. A desk that had a hunched over Luna sitting and working away at, various minerals, jewels and other precious metals littering its surface, a large maneuverable magnifying glass positioned just in front of the alicorn’s face.

“Luna?” Twilight asked, startling the alicorn from whatever she was concentrating on.

Luna swept whatever she was working on into a box, clamping the wooden container shut and locking it firmly. Twilight only caught a glimpse of whatever she had been working on, noticing that it looked like a necklace with a silver chain, though any additional details were lost on the unicorn.

Spinning around in her chair, Luna smiled widely and walked over to her friend. “Twilight! How wonderful it is to see you. What brings you to my humble studio today?”

“I was just going to…” Twilight leaned to the right, trying to catch a glimpse of the drawings clipped to the edge of the desk. “What were you working on?”

“Nothing,” Luna muttered, turning back and glaring at the spider crawling out from beneath a pile of gold leaves. “Nebula, hide the drawings,” Luna commanded.

The tiny blue-eyed spider saluted and quickly scampered over to the pile of paper, collecting it and stuffing it in a bag out of view. Twilight smiled at the sight of the dutiful pet following Luna’s orders. “D’aww and you brought Nebby with you.”

The spider stopped and glared at the unicorn, pointing from her own eyes to Twilight’s, signalling that she was being watched. Which did little to stop Twilight from wanting to go over there and cuddle the cute little arachnid.

“Her name is Nebula,” Luna corrected, standing between the unicorn and the spider. “And she would appreciate if you called her as such.”

Twilight pouted. “Oh fine.”

Luna stopped suddenly, the smile falling from her face. “Is everything alright, Twilight?” The alicorn lowered herself to her friend’s height and eyed her cautiously. “You seem concerned by something.”

“It's about Celestia,” Twilight muttered.

The alicorn sighed and rolled her eyes. “What did she do this time?”

“Oh, stop it, you,” Twilight shot back, lightly slapping the alicorn’s shoulder. “Don't just assume she did something wrong.”

Luna winced. “You are right. My apologies, Twilight.”

The unicorn nodded. “I’m concerned that she may be stressed or… something.”

“Or something?” Luna asked, raising an eyebrow.

“She was angry with me, and for a moment it sounded like her voice changed.” Twilight sighed. “It was probably nothing, but I can't stop thinking about it for some reason as it just felt…”

“Wrong?” Luna concluded.

“Yeah,” Twilight muttered, shaking her head. “Do you know what that might mean?”

Luna’s features darkened and she turned to the window, drawing tight the blinds that obscured her from the outside world before lighting her horn and completing a complex series of spells and incantations that hid the room from magical and conventional sight. Throughout it all Twilight grew increasingly nervous, her mind constructing a thousand scenarios wherein such privacy would be necessary, each more terrible than the last.

When the alicorn’s horn dimmed for the first time in minutes, Twilight couldn't resist touching Luna’s shoulder. “Is that really necessary?”

The alicorn nodded, gripping her friend’s hoof and giving it a gentle squeeze. “It is not hyperbolic to say that what I will tell you has the chance to change your view on magic, and of my sister and I.”

Twilight gulped nervously, taking an awkward step back. “Should I really be trusted with this information?”

“You are the only pony I would ever trust with this information,” Luna replied with a gentle smile, which slowly slipped away. “Though I would ask that you swear to never reveal this information under any circumstances. You are just going to have to trust me on this, as I know you will understand after you hear it.”

Twilight stared intently into the other mare’s eyes for several long seconds before nodding resolutely. “I trust you, Luna.” With that being said the unicorn lit her horn, placed her hoof over her heart and spoke calmly and evenly, “I, Twilight Sindara Sparkle do hereby swear to never utter a word of what was spoken here today.”

Luna’s frown slowly lifted as the magic around Twilight’s horn died. “Thank you, Twilight. I would not ask this of you unless I believed it to be truly necessary.”

“So what is it anyway?” Twilight asked, shifting nervously from hoof to hoof, her curiosity already burning brightly, the unicorn barely holding back the urge to ask one of the many questions swirling in her mind.

“As you know, we alicorns are powerful, and though some may believe we are infallible or that our longevity is without downsides, that is not true,” Luna explained, pressing a hoof to her chest. “We are not truly immortal, and though we can be killed, it just takes a lot, and our spirit lingers in this realm for many centuries after our death.”

Twilight gasped. “How did you-” She clapped a hoof over her muzzle, her eyes going even wider. “Does that mean your mother…?”

Luna sighed and nodded. “She and the other alicorns either moved on or perished. Those who are no longer alive in this or any other reality stayed on Equestria for centuries and sometimes millennia, watching, waiting and subtly influencing the world as little more than spirits.”

“Which would explain the tree and the elements,” Twilight muttered weakly, tears budding at the edge of her vision. “Oh Luna, I’m so sorry.”

The alicorn gritted her teeth and looked away from her friend, unable to bear the weight of sadness that bore down upon Twilight. “It's fine. Celestia and I have had time to cope with this loss. But that's not what I am speaking of now.”

She sighed deeply, clearing her throat and forcing down the urge to sob uncontrollably. “This leads me into my next point, which is the fact that magic is strange and not always cooperative. Do you know of the most prominent theories for its origin?”

Twilight wiped the last of her tears and nodded. “I-I remember being taught that it was force a lot like gravity, but my mother believed that it was a gift from an alicorn more ancient than even the old gods while my father believes it comes from the stars themselves.”

“All of those theories may be true,” Luna exclaimed. “Magic is odd, and one thing that we can count on it to do, is react badly when stored in one place.”

“Which is why mana batteries need to be stored apart from one another,” Twilight continued.

“Exactly,” Luna commended. “The bound magic can explode, spontaneously vanish or cast spells the likes of which no sentient mind could concoct.” Her features darkened once more, and she looked down at Twilight with a disturbingly grim expression. “Which is why we ask unicorns of your power level to frequently keep their reserves of mana low, as this may present complications if it is allowed to remain inside you for extended periods of time. That being said, as you know an alicorn has power levels that do not allow such simple measures of control.”

Twilight’s wide eyes grew wider still and her hooves shot up to her mouth. “Oh my gosh.”

“However, unlike in other scenarios, the magic within an alicorn always seeks to harmonize with itself, necessitating the creation of an entity to control that power,” Luna explained, pointing to her chest. “This entity is not truly intelligent, and exists within us, and our magic.”

“Does that mean Celestia’s entity is controlling her somehow?” Twilight asked.

“I know not if that is true, only that she denies its existence, and also the darkness in her heart.” Luna shook her head and sighed. “We are mortal, we are fallible, and even alicorns carry the weight of sin. The only difference is where Celestia denies this facet of her being, I embrace it.”

Twilight eyed the alicorn in a new, strange light, a hint of worry building in the back of her mind. “What does this mean, Luna? That you have something inside you making you do things?”

“No,” Luna stated, grabbing her friend’s face and forcing their eyes to meet. “Look at me, Twilight. I am the same mare you have known your entire life. No matter what, I will always be me. My will is my own, as is my life. You know this to be true.”

Twilight gulped and nodded. “S-sorry,” she stuttered. “Just the way you said it…”

“It's fine, Twilight.” Luna pulled back, releasing her friend. “It is a strange circumstance to find oneself in, but I have found solace in speaking to her, learning from her, and ultimately coming to realize that she is not a true darkness, nor a pale reflection of our darker self. She is instead, a simple reflection, neither good nor bad, a version of myself that merely lacks the higher thought processes one would assume from another sentient being.”

“That is quite fascinating,” Twilight muttered, tapping her chin. “Does she have an identity of her own? Hopes, dreams, and wishes outside of yours?”

“Yes and no.” Luna shook her head. “I would elaborate, but I feel it would be easier if I merely facilitated your meeting, if that's alright with you?”

Twilight nodded without hesitation, a single glance into Luna’s confident face being all the assurance she needed to trust in the alicorn. “Okay.”

Luna smiled from ear to ear. “Thank you for your calm reaction, Twilight, I just know you two are going to be fast friends, though you must forgive her inability to communicate in the traditional sense. I trust that you two will concoct a system in no time.”

The alicorn’s smile fell away and she closed her eyes, her horn glowing with a slightly darker version of her normal magic. The light given to the room by the plethora of candles burning on just about every surface seemed to dull as the shadows lengthened. The glow around the alicorn’s horn became so dark as to nearly become invisible against the background.

Twilight’s heart quickened and she looked around the room with a growing sense of dread, a thought that she buried deep down inside herself. Trust in Luna, she is our friend, Twilight reminded herself, steeling her resolve and fighting back the wave of worry that threatened to overcome her better judgement.

The lengthening shadows receded once more, retreating closer and closer to the alicorn until they pooled around the shadow that now stretched out before her. So dark was this mass of shadow that Twilight could no longer see the deep blue rug mere inches in front of her. Just as the mare was about to ask what they were waiting for, the mass shifted, as if something inside of it was alive with its own will and intent.

A hoof emerged from the center, gripping the floor and using the leverage to hoist itself up and out of the pool of shadow that was its body. A head emerged, one that Twilight instantly recognized as a dark imitation of Luna’s, its form perfectly mirroring the dark alicorn. Its eyes flickered open a moment later, revealing not the white sclera of a living being, but rather a pitch blackness punctuated by deep blue iris, that in turn surrounded an even darker pupil.

Twilight barely resisted the urge to flee in terror of the strange creature, only the faint sparkle of intelligence and curiosity that shimmered within the creature’s dark orbs staying that frantic urge. With great determination Twilight stayed that instinctive urge, keeping her butt rooted firmly in place while the creature continued to pull more and more of its form from the central mass of pooled shadow.

Wings, hooves, torso and tail emerged in rapid succession, the entire entity’s body pulling itself from the ground and standing firmly after only a moment of weakness. The slight stumble of the creature’s hooves made Twilight’s heart flutter and despite her initial misgivings, she found herself reaching forward, prepared to catch the creature if it should require her assistance. An act that earned it a faint smile from the entity, who had managed to catch itself at the last moment.

Only then did the light of the alicorn’s horn darken once more, a small, nervous smile crossing her lips. “Twilight, I would like you to meet Nightmare, my other half.”

The creature ducked into a low bow, one wing coming forward and sweeping the ground as if it were the cape of a cloaked gentlecolt, the stars within the creature’s wings moving to create what looked like words, which spelt out…

Greetings, Twilight.

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