The changeling queen watched closely as Twilight and her friends made their way past the final trap. She continued to observe as the motley crew walked through the door and past the skeletal guard. At first she considered slipping in after them, but she knew the undead pony had a good chance of catching her in the act. As she ruminated over her options, she noticed that the door was closing, and thus her window of opportunity was as well. With little choice in the matter, the changeling gathered herself up and dashed forward, slipping through the narrow space in the nick of time.

The enchantments on her cloak must have been working overtime as the skeletal guard didn't even seem to notice her passing, its body remaining perfectly still and unmoving as Chrysalis dashed past. Slinking inside, the changeling ducked out of the way, and hid behind a nearby desk which was more or less intact. Around her she could hear the various beings speaking animatedly about what they would do next while a pair of hooves trotted this way and that.

Tightening the hood about her cloak, Chrysalis ran a hoof down the tattered, seemingly damaged piece of black clothing. Under her hoof the enchantments glowed faintly before dulling once more, revealing that although drained, they were still functioning as intended. With that worry now gone, Chrysalis peeked around the side of the desk and did a quick scan of the room.

Realizing that no one seemed to have noticed her presence yet, she glanced over to Twilight who had gotten the attention of another skeletal pony. While this was happening the rest of her friends had mostly fanned out, some looking at random items, while others remained close to the undead unicorn. Fluttershy seemed worried, and though the rest were also similarly concerned, they hid it better than the bunny did.

Pursing her lips, Chrysalis was tempted to continue watching the various beings as they went about their exploration of the room but a sudden shift in the shadows made her stop. Chrysalis dove back beneath her cover and held her breath, her entire being becoming perfectly still, and utterly silent. After a few seconds of silence, she peeked out around the corner once more, noticing that little had changed other than the fact no one was moving.

Twilight was touching the skeleton pony, and both seemed in a sort of trance as they stared at nothing, unblinking. Behind them, the rest of their companions seemed to be locked in a similar trance of some kind, each one standing stock still. Movement caught the changeling’s eye, and she noticed as a particularly dense blob of shadows made its way across the room and disappeared near a seemingly random wall.

Raising an eyebrow, Chrysalis was tempted to check on the ponies, or perhaps get closer, but she chose not to risk discovery. She knew the nightmare had done something to them, though what that was, she wasn't wholly certain. Without any information to go on, Chrysalis stuck to her mission and refused to come out quite yet, merely hanging back, studying the various creatures as they stood there.

After several minutes, Twilight gasped and looked around, followed by the skeleton wailing, “I’m so sorry, Twilight!” quite loudly.

The skeletal pony clutched Twilight’s hoof ever tighter. “I should have listened, I should have trusted you, but she convinced me. I was just a fool!”

For a second the unicorn seemed confused, only to mutter, “What’s going on, how did I?” faintly as she touched her amulet with a hoof.

Realization seemed to flicker across her face for a split second before confusion reigned once more and she stumbled for a moment. Emotions flickered through her eyes one after another. Rage, guilt, pity, elation and more all coursed through her, until suddenly there was only dull anger and pity left behind.

“Beaker,” Twilight whispered, “go stand with Sharp Eye while I deal with this.”

The skeleton sniffed.“Y-yes, I’ll get right to it.”

Head down and shoulders sagging, the undead trotted away, leaving Twilight oddly alone.

Shifting her weight around to the other side of the desk, Chrysalis kept her body pressed tight against the wood, not wishing to alert the room’s other inhabitants to her presence. Sure enough, the skeleton didn't seem to notice the changeling at all, and merely slipped through the door and left without sparing a glance in either direction. With that out of the way, Chrysalis peered over the top of the desk, her hood drawn and her eyes peeled.

Strange, they don't seem to have woken up when Twilight did, Chrysalis thought to herself, watching as the undead mare turned and gasped, only now realizing what the queen had figured out several minutes earlier.

“Rainbow Dash, wake up!” Twilight yelled, the unicorn running over to her friend and waving a frantic hoof in front of her face.

Grimacing, Chrysalis watched as Twilight grew more and more panicky and unhinged, going from the rainbow-maned thestral to the next closest being, who happened to be the persnickety arachne they had picked up in town. Yelling at her did little, and even telling Rarity it was not her fault and asking her to awaken were ineffective.

The queen’s heart went out to the unfortunate pony, only to become confused when she noticed Twilight suddenly lock up. A few seconds later and she stumbled backwards, clutching her head. “What have you seen?” whispered the unicorn.

Chrysalis’ frown grew deeper when she noticed a veritable flood of pity emerge from the undead pony, a flood which seemed directed at the arachne herself. This began a sort of chain reaction, with this unfortunate interaction playing out with each one of her companions one after another. Each time Twilight came back to her senses she seemed even sadder than before, her emotions flaring and shifting every few seconds. When finally it came to an end she seemed older in a way, as if what was left of her naivety had been dashed and replaced with a sort of grim sadness.

Her shoulders were stooped and her body language displayed what Chrysalis knew was obvious. A pit of sadness had opened within her and it was accompanied with a healthy dose of anger, pity, and strangely a bit of joy. The joy was perhaps the strangest of the various emotions, as Chrysalis had deduced that the mare had witnessed some manner of dark moment from each of her friend’s pasts which explained the other emotions she experienced. Tasting the emotion, Chrysalis rolled it around in her mouth, savoring it and trying to figure out more about it.

After a few seconds, she swallowed it down and grimaced, having come to a rather unfortunate conclusion. It was the joy of shared experience, of shared pain, and though it was in fact joy that Twilight was experiencing, it was also a bitter, uncomfortable thing. Though nutritious, Chrysalis only swallowed it with great reluctance, and only because expelling it would reveal her position.

Looking back over the table, Chrysalis watched as Twilight trotted over to the wall wherein the nightmare had disappeared, her body straight and her will evidently steeled. “I’ll save you. I swear,” she whispered to the unresponsive creatures before pressing her hoof against a seemingly random bit of wall.

Which prompted a good section of the stonework to lift up and reveal a hidden area just beyond. A few steps later, and Twilight was gone, the door having closed shut behind her, leaving Chrysalis in a strange situation. She empathized dearly with the poor beings trapped here, but she could do nothing but watch, as she didn't know if the nightmare would return and force her to join the statuary.

The queen herself feared neither death nor torture, but she couldn't bear the thought of leaving Cadance alone in this world, and thus refused to put herself in harm’s way, just in case. Yet she knew she might have to do just that, as these beings were important enough for her lover to bet everything on their success. Though Chrysalis wasn't even sure what they were supposed to be succeeding at, she knew better than to question the alicorn when she got this way.

Falling behind the desks, the changeling chewed on her hoof as she considered her options. She could try and wake them. After all, the queen’s knowledge of anatomy, pony physiology and potions was vast, but she dare not break from cover quite yet. It was a mere fluke that the nightmare had not been able to sense her, as the enchantments she wore were strong, but not strong enough to hide her from an alicorn’s shade.

How long would her luck hold out? Chrysalis wondered.

Unsure of what to do, the changeling sighed, and tucked herself tightly beneath the desk, covering herself with her cloak and ensuring what meagre supplies she had brought with her were hidden as well. With those worries dashed, the changeling breathed deeply and began to go through the motions necessary to immerse herself in the hive mind. After being alone with only her own consciousness for so long, it took several minutes for this process to complete, lest Chrysalis suffer the potential ill effects of diving too deep too quickly.

Her breathing slowed, as did her pulse, and as she carefully guided her mind into a sort of self-induced trance, with her mindscape opening and her senses falling away. Eventually even her body disappeared and the queen was awash in her thoughts, as well as the thoughts of all the changelings nearest her. Their minds were small when compared to hers, but glowed a bright green in the vastness of the mental landscape, each one lighting up briefly as they felt their queen’s consciousness brush against their own.

Ignoring the myriad of thoughts that came from them, and what few changelings she could sense in Ponyville, Chrysalis focused on a distant mote of light. Pushing her mind in that direction, she was able to connect herself with the veritable ocean of thoughts that came from the city on the mountain. Once that was established, it didn't take long for her to filter down to the point that she was able to locate what she sought.

A pale pink light could be seen flickering in a room, alerting the queen to the fact that her target was most likely alone. With that in mind, she sought out the nearest changeling, who happened to be standing outside that very same room.

Child, I have need of you, may I borrow your vessel for a moment? Chrysalis asked.

The changeling jerked upward and looked around, only to realize what was going on. Err, yes of course, Mother, what's going on?

I will leave Cadence to inform you of any relevant information, but suffice it to say something has come up, replied the queen.

R-right. I’m all yours, Mother, replied the drone.

Pushing her mind into the smaller changeling’s, the queen was dimly aware of her senses returning all at once and being consumed by a flood of green fire flowing over her new body. After a brief shake of her head, Chrysalis looked down and found that she was indeed in the young female changeling’s body.

With a nod, she dropped the folder she had been holding and trotted over to the metal door of Cadence's office. With a heave of her magic, she threw open the portal and stepped inside, instantly turning to the confused minotaur who had been mid-report when she walked in. “Out,” she commanded simply, pointing to the door.

Raising an eyebrow, the elderly bull looked down at Cadence, who nodded slowly. “You heard the queen. We’ll pick this back up in a few minutes,” replied the alicorn in her normal, gravely tone of voice.

The bull shrugged and closed the book he had been holding, gathered up his papers and walked out, giving the queen a brief glare as he passed her by. With a snort, he closed the door behind him and vanished, leaving the queen and alicorn alone.

Cadence herself seemed tired, but no different than usual, Chrysalis realized as the mare seemed predictably haggard but not overly exhausted. Her sole remaining wing was tucked against her side, her eye gazing down on the queen with worry and a sort of nervous excitement. “What news do you have?” she hastily asked, sparing no time for the usual banter.

Chrysalis nodded and looked up at the mare, ignoring the eyepatch that covered one eye. “Something’s happened.”

“Oh? Well don't leave me in the dark,” Cadence replied.

“The nightmare has done… something, and forced all but Twilight into a deep, horror-filled sleep,” Chrysalis explained, the changeling pacing in front of the alicorn’s desk. “It seemed like it had taken Twilight as well but she was avoided for some reason, but I believe that she will likely succumb to the same fate in mere moments.”

“Why is that?” Cadence asked, her gaze narrowing as her sole forehoof pressed against her chin.

“She sought out the location of the nightmare’s roost, no doubt seeking the other half of her amulet and hoping to save her friends,” Chrysalis continued. “It is likely that the previous missed attempt by the nightmare was a mere fluke, as Twilight was caught in another unrelated memory and was thus not affected.”

“Which would explain quite a bit,” Cadence remarked.

“Indeed,” Chrysalis concluded as she stopped just before the alicorn’s desk. “I am unsure of how to continue. I may be able to continue watching them for several days but I doubt they will survive long if this curse cannot be broken.”

Cadence shook her head. “This is an important piece to bringing back Luna, Twilight needs to do this herself. We cannot interfere.”

“But if she fails for whatever reason we will lose not only this circle breaker of yours, but her associates as well,” Chrysalis retorted. “They may not be important in the grand scheme of things, but we cannot just leave them to their fate.”

“And we won't,” Cadence exclaimed, laying her forehoof on Chrysalis’. “Twilight might yet succeed, we cannot give up hope while there is still a chance.”

Chrysalis sighed, and placed a hoof over Cadance’s own, squeezing it slightly. “I’m sorry, dear heart. I’m merely concerned about this entire situation we seem to be embroiled in, as we apparently have much riding on her success.”

“I know, my love, I know,” Cadence whispered back. “The tower will help keep them alive, but they will need additional assistance. How long do you think you could keep them healthy?”

“A week, possibly two provided I am able to go back and get supplies soon. The bunny however won't last more than a day or two.” Chrysalis remarked sadly.

“Though sad, the loss of Fluttershy’s pet wouldn't be the end of the world,” Cadence murmured, only to shake her head. “Remain in position, watch them for a couple more hours and if the situation doesn't change, then go back for supplies and do what you can to keep them alive.”

“What if they are never able to break this curse?” Chrysalis asked as she retrieved her hoof.

“We will cross that bridge when we get there,” murmured Cadence, who shook her head and dismissed the sudden bout of melancholy that threatened to overwhelm her. “But we don't have to worry about that quite yet, until then you know what to do.”

The changeling sighed. “I suppose, but it doesn't make me feel any better about this whole thing.”

The alicorn smirked, revealing far too much of her teeth. “I know, but as it stands right now it is neither a success nor a failure, and with your help we may be able to ensure it becomes the former rather than the latter.”

Chrysalis nodded confidently and rose from the chair. “I suppose I should leave you to it then. I’ll contact you if anything changes, and report in when I have news.”

“Wait,” Cadence interrupted, the alicorn awkwardly stepping out of her chair and stumbling to the other side of the desk.

Where a concerned changeling quickly caught her and held her up. “You know you shouldn't be walking around like this without your brace,” Chrysalis remarked.

“I know, I just couldn't bear the thought of you leaving without getting a chance to hold you again,” Cadence whispered, her stump leg reaching around the changeling and squeezing her.

Chrysalis rolled her eyes and smiled. “I’m not going anywhere, you know.”

“I-I know that,” Cadence whispered, squeezing the changeling as much as her lone foreleg could manage. “I just… I just…” She sighed. “Just stay safe, please.”

Chrysalis’ features softened and she hugged the alicorn a little tighter. “I will. After all, I have a promise to keep.”

Smiling softly, Cadence gently pushed the changeling away. “You better give one of your daughters their body back and get to it then.”

Nodding, Chrysalis took a step back, gently lowering the alicorn’s leg, only to stop midway and give her knee a small kiss. “I will see you soon, my little love bug.”

“And I will be waiting,” Cadence replied as she leaned against the desk for support.

The changeling turned and slipped away, exiting the door and putting the host drone back into the same spot she had found her in. After taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and began to retract her consciousness back into her body, dimly aware of the confused gasp of the drone she had been utilizing. “Why am I so full?” she muttered, a second before Chrysalis disappeared into the hive mind.

Emerging into her own body once more, Chrysalis snickered as she imagined the changeling returning to her body only to find her belly was full of love. Shaking off the lingering joy of seeing her alicorn lover, Chrysalis put her metaphorical game face on, after all she had a mission to complete.

Slowly uncurling, Chrysalis shook her body as much as she dared, dismissing the strange sensations that came with returning to a vessel that had been previously ‘empty’. After she felt at home in her own chitin once more, she made a mental note of getting ahold of her contact in Ponyville again. She would need more supplies, and soon, in addition to the meeting she would have to set up between herself, the commander of the guard, and Twilight.

If the undead unicorn survived this latest trial, of course.

Glancing around the side of the desk, Chrysalis took stock of the various creatures and noticed that the bunny was looking a little woozy. Growing worried, the changeling began to crawl forward, slipping around debris and furniture while working her way closer. Upon reaching a better, closer vantage point, she peeked out once more, just in time to see the bunny fall over.

Cursing, Chrysalis quickly scanned the room, and after finding no trace of the nightmare, bolted out of cover, scooped up the bunny, and proceeded to wind her way back across the room. Now as far away from the spot the nightmare and Twilight had disappeared into, Chrysalis gently laid Angel down. Though his breathing was hoarse, he didn't seem to be suffering any ill effects, other than a bout of weakness.

It's been a while since I’ve spoken bunny, I hope I don't still have that squirrel accent, Chrysalis thought to herself.

Noticing that the bunny was coming around and was beginning to look up at the queen with wide, terrified eyes, the changeling cleared her throat. “Squeak squeaker, squeaking,” she whispered.

The bunny blinked several times, before making a series of squeaking noises back at the queen.

“You can understand common? Thank goodness, my bunny is atrocious,” murmured the queen.

Angel rolled his eyes and muttered something under his breath.

“Oh come, it's not that bad,” Chrysalis shot back, only to cover her mouth with a hoof. “Look, your owner, friend or whatever, isn't going to wake up anytime soon, and we gotta get you outta here.”

The small forest animal crossed his arms over his chest and shook his head, whispering a series of angry squeaking noises.

“You're exhausted from standing there as long as you have and you are going to need rest,” Chrysalis remarked pointedly. “What would Fluttershy think if the first thing she woke up to was your lifeless body, huh?”

The bunny wilted, but kept his arms over his chest, whispering back a slightly more reserved response of his own.

“I know you could probably make it past the golems and the traps, but what about the spiders? Do you think they would let a delicious little morsel like you pass through their territory unhindered?” Chrysalis countered, poking the bunny in the chest for emphasis.

Angel’s arms fell to his sides and he sighed deeply, his own response much quieter than the last time he had spoken.

“That's what I thought,” Chrysalis declared. “Don't worry, you can stick with me, and help make sure Fluttershy and her friends stay safe, we already have a plan.”

Angel’s eyes widened and he looked up at the queen with a mixture of hope and a healthy dose of cynicism, his response short and clipped.

“I’m afraid I can't tell you why we are helping them, as you will no doubt tell Fluttershy, and they can't know. Yet,” Chrysalis explained.

Angel’s eyes narrowed, and the two beings stared at one another for several tense moments before finally the bunny harrumphed and turned up his nose.

Chrysalis rolled her eyes. “Whatever, just hide in my bag while I try and sneak past the guard.”

Angel grumbled, but did as he was told, climbing into Chrysalis’ bag and disappearing from sight.

Pulling the hood up on her cloak, the changeling scanned the room, and after finding that no new threats had emerged, she began the slow crawl towards the door. Though she was tempted to simply break cover, the changeling didn't want to tempt fate and chose to remain in the shadows the entire way over.

Upon reaching the door, Chrysalis realized there wasn't a readily obvious way to get past the enormous portal without alerting the guards in some small way. She had to open the door after all and without magic that was something she could only do with her own two hooves. The queen looked around, her mind scrambling to figure out how to get past this barrier, only for the door to open on its own.

“You may leave, if you desire,” spoke a calm, slightly ethereal female voice.

Glancing through the crack in the door, Chrysalis realized the female sounding voice came from the skeletal guard she had seen earlier. “Uh, hello?”

The skeleton pushed the door open a little wider and motioned for the changeling to step through. “You need not fear me, my friend. I can sense your intentions are pure and you may pass uninhibited. Though be aware I will be watching you.”

Chrysalis raised a non existent eyebrow, and slowly pulled down the hood of her cloak. “You saw me enter, didn't you?”

The guard nodded slowly as Chrysalis walked through the door and stood before the skeletal guard, and the nervous undead lab assistant. “Your enchantments are strong, but not strong enough to hide you from my sight. You know for a changeling you sure wear your heart on your proverbial sleeve.”

Chrysalis was temporarily caught between being annoyed, insulted and genuinely surprised and she stood there for a moment, unable to muster a word before frowning suddenly. “Let me guess, the armor is enchanted.”

The guard nodded. “It is indeed. The late Twilight Sparkle gave me many gifts to help ensure I would be able to continue my duty long after my flesh expired.”

“So you knew that wasn't the same Twilight then?” Chrysalis pressed, pulling back her cloak and allowing the bunny to pop out of her bag and look around.

“Of course, though I could do little to oppose her if I truly wanted to as Beaker and I remain bound to her,” the guard replied solemnly.

“Interesting,” Chrysalis murmured, tapping her chin with a hoof. “Would you mind not telling her of my presence here? Cadence and I wish to keep our involvement secret for now.”

The guard nodded slowly, eyeing up both the changeling and the bunny. “I can, though if she asks directly if you were here I will be obliged to speak honestly.”

“I suppose that's acceptable,” Chrysalis replied with a shrug. “We go now to acquire the supplies necessary to keep the room’s occupants alive, you will allow us free passage from here on out, correct?”

“I will and Beaker here will assist in anyway possible,” the guard intoned, speaking half to Chrysalis and half to the undead assistant who stood awkwardly next to her.

“I-I will?” he whispered.

“You will indeed,” the guard answered. “The mistress requires our assistance and you will give it.”

“R-right. Twilight Sparkle needs us. Of course, I’ll help in anyway I can,” Beaker replied a little more confidently.

Chrysalis nodded and turned to her animal companion. “It seems as though this will be easier than anticipated.” The changeling donned her hood and turned back to the skeleton. “Meet me as high up the tower as possible. You will ferry supplies down here.”

Beaker nodded and gave the changeling a quick salute. “You can count on me.”

“Well, my little friend, it seems as though we may very well make this work,” Chrysalis replied, turning to the bunny.

Who chittered knowingly.

Chrysalis snorted and rolled her eyes. “Yeah, you keep telling yourself that, buddy.”

Chuckling to herself, the changeling queen slunk away into the darkness, confident in her plan and glad to finally be doing something other than lurking in the shadows.

“I’m sorry,” Sunset Shimmer whispered.

For a moment the mare sat there, confused by the strangely out of body experience that had just come over her. The simple, rudimentary camp she had established looked the same as it had when the mare had fallen asleep and a barely noticeable shield shimmered all around her. Her fire had long since died and little was illuminated by the still rising sun, yet something still felt off. She could hardly see, but that wasn't only due to the poor lighting. The pony reached up and touched her wet cheek.

The mare looked down at her hoof, only now realizing that she had been crying, no not crying, weeping. Her entire face seemed coated with tears, her fur matted and her eyes no doubt bloodshot. “What happened?” she whispered.

Conjuring a magical mirror, the mare gazed into her reflection and found that her eyes were even worse than anticipated. It appeared as though she had been crying for quite a while, and some of that time had evidently been spent face down if her messy fur was any indicator.

Dabbing her face with her blanket, Sunset Shimmer quickly tried to brush aside the strange, almost foreign emotions that welled inside her. Images of her most recent ‘successful mission’ still whirled in her mind, and she couldn't shake the sight of a young Twilight Sparkle’s scared face. Sure it had bothered her before, and had plagued many of her dreams, but this was new and different from those other times.

“Come on, butcher, we got work to do,” she whispered to herself.

Rising from her small cot, the unicorn turned and quickly dismantled her campsite, tucking everything she had into a pocket dimension before dismissing the enchantments one by one. First came down the shield, then the illusion spells that hid her from sight, and finally the many defensive wards she had erected. With that done, she retrieved an apple and began to eat as she let the spells within her point her in the right direction.

By the time they seemed to locate her target, her breakfast was gone, her face was clear and Sunset Shimmer was ready to set out. Her features were stern, but her mind wandered despite her attempts to reign in her errant thoughts. Regret, guilt, and pain swirled within her, clinging to her and coloring her perception of the forest itself.

The branches of the many tall, and imposing trees seemed to reach down towards her, ready to grab the unicorn and squeeze the life out of her if she didn't give them a wide berth. The usually quiet forest was alive with movement and sound, though every noise seemed sinister for some reason. Crickets made her jump, bird calls made her wary, and the snap of branches and twigs made her imagine an enormous predator in every shadow.

Despite that, she continued onwards, marching deeper into the forest, driven ever onwards by a desire not her own.

Her ears stood nearly straight up on her head, her eyes flashed this way and that and even her nose twitched near constantly. She knew not where these emotions came from, but they had made her their thrall, fully and completely. Her only hope was that eventually these feelings would fade and she could relax a little, something easier said than done in the Everfree Forest.

Sighing to herself, the mare continued to stomp deeper into the winding wood, temporarily following what looked like a deer trail. “Let's get this over with,” she muttered.

The pony tramped around a tree before hopping over a fallen log, her eyes forward, and her head raised. “This is strange,” she muttered to no one in particular.

Normally she wouldn't speak aloud in such a manner, but weeks of being alone, constantly battling against the denizens of the forest had done a number on her both physically and mentally. Supplies were dangerously low and though there were plenty of foraging opportunities, Sunset Shimmer had no training in that regard and had no idea if it was safe to eat half the things she assumed were edible. For once, her food situation wasn't her primary concern as something much stranger had captured her attention.

Or rather, it was the absence of something that was strange.

The forest, which had so far assaulted her with everything from carnivorous plants, to swarms of insects, to even the occasional large predator, had not thrown anything at her for several hours. In fact, Sunset Shimmer was fairly certain nothing bad had happened all day, for once. Curious, the pony shielded her gaze and looked up at the noon sky, noting that the sun was almost perfectly overhead.

“Almost six hours and nothing has happened, this is weird,” Sunset Shimmer murmured to herself, having stopped in order to scratch her chin and ponder this odd development.

She wasn't opposed to this change, but was rather simply baffled by it because if this shift was heralded by something she didn't know what it was. The only real difference had been a particularly nasty nightmare, but that couldn't be the reason, she thought to herself. There was no way the forest itself was sentient, and if it was, it wouldn't take pity on her just because she had one exceptionally unpleasant night. Right?

Shrugging that off, the pony shouldered her small pack and continued deeper into the forest, wary of danger. One part of her wanted to revel in the quiet, to enjoy the fact that she no longer constantly feared for her life, but the more dominant part of her demanded that she stay at the ready. After all, this may all be a ruse to make her drop her guard.

Sure enough her suspicions seemed to be proved correct when she heard the telltale sound of rustling leaves, signalling that all was not as well as she would have liked. Spinning around, the pony summoned her magic, and began to channel a mana bolt only to stop dead in her tracks.

The creature was back.

Sitting between a rose bush and a tall cherry blossom tree was the strange creature she had first seen several weeks ago. Its strangeness still struck the pony and she found her spell sputtering out of control as her gaze was all but forced onto its bizarre body. All three of its heads stared at her silently, as if judging the pony, studying her in a manner that no mere beast should be capable of. Its massive bulk made Sunset Shimmer wonder how it had snuck up on her, as it was easily over seven meters tall, and looked to be about as wide.

Its steps should be thunderous, its path should be littered with destroyed foliage, yet it was as silent as death itself. Its sabre-toothed tiger head had orange and black stripes, and watched her a little closer than the other two heads did. The other forward facing head was that of a ram, albeit one with large fangs, and a pair of spiral horns that sprouted from either side of its head. The last head was that of a great cobra that had even larger fangs protruding from its reptilian lips.

Its eyes still stuck with Sunset Shimmer to this day, and she found her gaze nailed to them, unable to look from the bright yellow sclera and blood red pupils which lacked irises entirely. Its forelegs were a mismatch of padded foot and clawed hand, while its back limbs were a hoofed leg like that of a pony, and a scaled foot like that of a dragon. The bizarrely mismatched nature of the creature made something deep inside the pony twist and writhe in disgust and hatred.

She didn't know what that feeling was, or where it came from, but she didn't like it. Where normally the compulsion within her would drive her to attack whatever danger that presented itself, now it did something completely different and demanded she run. For once she wholly agreed with what it wanted her to do, and in a flash of light she was gone, having teleported as far as she could from the beast.

Reappearing in a flash, the pony hit the ground already running, hooves pumping, and heart pounding. Whatever that thing was, it was more than a match for her, even with the extra dose of alicorn magic that lingered in her system. A worrying thought considering the creature’s strange relationship with the forest and the bizarre manner in which it managed to get around so quietly.

Shaking off such thoughts for now, the pony focused wholy on getting away from it, no matter the cost.

To that effect she cast a quickening spell on her hooves, increasing her speed and enabling her to move even faster. With speed on her side, the forest now more open and with fewer trees and shrubs to obscure her line of sight, she looked around. The area seemed relatively normal and a glance over her shoulder told her that the creature had not managed to catch up to her. She also couldn't hear it coming, and she briefly wondered if it could even sprint while remaining silent.

The thought turned her blood to ice, and she quickly looked forward once more, not wanting to even imagine how terrifying the creature would be if it could move that fast without making a sound. Noticing a small ravine coming up, the pony poured on the speed and leaped over it, hitting the ground and continuing deeper into the forest without slowing for a moment.

Dashing around trees, bushes, and around the occasional cliff that liked to sprout from nowhere, Sunset Shimmer kept alert. Her pace slowed after a few minutes, and she very nearly dismissed the enchantment placed on her hooves before she came careening around a particularly thick knot of trees and come face to face with the creature once more.

It was closer this time, sitting only a dozen or so metres away, looking down at her with what could only be described as disappointment on its face.

Without thinking, Sunset Shimmer cast a blind teleport straight up.

Now high above the forest, she had to think fast, as the wind was already whistling around her ears, and her fur was similarly buffeted. Thinking quickly, she cast a featherfall spell on herself, and after her speed dissipated to almost nothing, looked down. After finding a suitable clearing far, far from the creature, she channeled a greater amount of mana into her horn and disappeared once again.

In a flash, she appeared in the clearing she had seen previously, landing on all four hooves. She just barely had enough time to brace herself for the ensuing impact before hitting the ground and taking off running once more. This time her compulsion did not guide her as it had previously, allowing Sunset Shimmer to take off in a seemingly random direction.

Hopefully this will help, Sunset Shimmer thought as she rapidly switched from right, to left and snapped off another quick succession of teleports. Reappearing a good distance away, she switched which way she ran slightly, heading back and away from where she had first seen the creature. Hoping this would throw her pursuer off her scent, the pony repeated this action several times, until she was certain there was no way it could follow her using any traditional means.

Only then did she begin to slow, her breathing coming in deep and raspy breaths and her horn still glowing slightly from the sheer expenditure of mana. She knew better than to stop completely though, and even while her legs began to burn, she ran on, gathering speed before leaping a ravine and landing on the other side. Upon landing, she nearly stopped, a sense of deja vu coming over and drawing her attention down.

Where she noticed an identical set of hoof prints already leading forwards and away from the muddy bank of the ravine. “What the hell,” she muttered, stumbling to a stop.

Placing a hoof within the track revealed that they were indeed hers. “How is that possible? I made sure not to get myself turned around,” she murmured.

Spinning around, the pony expected the chimera to hop out of nowhere and strike her down, only for the attack not to come. Gulping down her fear, Sunset Shimmer turned and ran in another direction, purposefully keeping an eye on her tracks for as long as possible. After making sure she wasn’t getting mixed up again, she turned around and began to sprint once more. Only this time she kept a bit of magic in her horn, ready to snap teleport away at a moment’s notice.

The technique was difficult and put a strain on both her mana and her body, but she had to be ready for the unexpected.

And sure enough, it wasn't long before she stumbled into a small clearing, saw her own muddy tracks, and looked up to find a familiar rose bush, cherry blossom tree and chimera, which looked down at her impatiently, tapping its pawed foot, a bored expression on its face.

In an instant, her magic fizzled, and her legs threatened to give out. She hadn't even been running for more than an hour, but already Sunset was exhausted and could even feel her expansive reserves of mana beginning to dwindle. Weeks with little sleep, getting assaulted every waking hour and generally being miserable from the moment she woke up to the moment she fell asleep hit her all at once. This was it, she would need to fight or die, and given that she couldn't disobey her programming and just let it happen, no matter how much she wanted to, Sunset Shimmer readied an offensive spell.

Rather than be intimidated, annoyed, or even concerned in the slightest, the creature yawned and turned around, taking a few ponderous steps away before stopping and turning to her. The demand was clear, and it was obvious that it intended on making her follow it, to where exactly, she didn't know.

With a deep sigh, she let her magic dissipate once more, her mind at war with Celestia’s spells. In the end, the pony won out and she was allowed to follow the creature, her compulsion dying down and finally falling silent after nearly an hour of it roaring inside her.

Its absence was pleasant, but ultimately left the pony confused, as it all but confirmed that both it and her agreed that this was the only way they had a chance of surviving.

Brushing aside the strangeness of it all, Sunset Shimmer trotted a little faster, ensuring she didn't lose the chimera in the thick bush, as it left no sign of its passing. No footsteps could be seen in the forest floor, even after they passed over a now familiar ravine, the mud apparently refusing to cling to the beast’s body. Sunset Shimmer considered just slowing down and losing the beast, but she knew that wouldn't end well, if it was even possible in the first place.

It had powers, abilities, and a strange amount of control over the very forest itself, and she had no doubt that it could find her again if it wanted. Not wanting to push her luck, she kept her gaze glued on the chimera’s backside and the snake head that was carefully observing her. She had not noticed it before, but the snake’s gaze unnerved her slightly, the piercing reptilian eyes making her shiver.

Thankfully their little jaunt through the woods didn't last long and after only a few minutes and a hooful of twists and turns, the creature stopped and sat. Trotting up next to the creature, while still giving it a good berth, Sunset Shimmer followed its gaze and found herself at a treeline.

Before her was a large open field, at the center of which was a small hill, with a relatively short stone tower on top. Even a glance told her that the tower was old, as the entire thing was covered completely in vines and moss, yet she could see something glowing in the windows.

Looking back at the chimera, Sunset noticed that it was eyeing her carefully and after a few more seconds it nodded and turned away, vanishing into the woods after only a few steps. Now alone, Sunset Shimmer considered her options, and took stock of her surroundings.

The field was nearly perfectly circular, with only short, stumpy grass growing between the tower and the forest. She wondered if this was the result of some sort of ward, or field, but brushed that thought aside for now, as speculation would do her little now. More importantly, she was hungry, thirsty, tired, but above all curious, and hopeful, as where there was fire, there were ponies.

The creature wanted her to be here, wanted her to see the tower, did that mean it also wanted her to go inside of it? Would that also mean that she had to do so, lest they repeat the same dance that had caused her to be lead here in the first place?

The compulsion within her was strangely silent, not pushing in her in any one direction.

Deciding to take the reigns for herself in the absence of orders, Sunset Shimmer began to walk in the direction of the tower, intent on enjoying at least a small amount of security the tower would give her, if it turned out to be empty after all. With that thought firmly in mind, the pony began to trot towards the tower at a fair clip, hoping against hope that she may finally find some company inside the walls of the ancient structure.

Sure enough, she could see the glow of candle light inside both the small window on the third story, and around the cracks in the wooden door directly before her. Pausing for a moment, the pony looked around, only now realizing that she saw no tracks or signs of anyone passing through the area recently. The ground was relatively rocky, so it was unlikely that the tracks would be obvious, but Sunset Shimmer knew that if someone lived here, there would at least be a rough path beaten down from frequent use.

Yet there was none, in addition there was no cart left against the exterior of the tower, or any sign that someone was even inside, as it was dead silent. Realizing how weird that was, the pony looked around once more, noticing that no small animals flitted through the field and no birds flew overhead. Not even the relatively common sound of buzzing insects or annoying crickets could be heard, unnerving the pony even more.

Walking back around the front, the mare lifted a hoof to knock, only to stop herself. Thinking better of it, she put her hoof back down and scanned the door with a spell, only to stop and blink in confusion. There was a series of warding spells on the door, but they had been placed there by none other than Celestia herself.

The unicorn had enough experience to know it was Celestia from even the magical equivalent of a glance, as even the small spell casting flourishes Celestia used were all but ingrained in Sunset Shimmer’s memory. More than that she could also tell that the wards were meant to preserve everything within the tower, and let pass only someone who had the alicorn’s magic within them.

Sunset Shimmer very nearly laughed aloud when she realized that, as she couldn't help but imagine that this may very well be known to the beast as well. “Right, because a chimera figuring out the innermost workings of one of Celestia’s enchantments and discovering that I have a bit of her magic makes so much sense,” she exclaimed to no one.

Pressing a hoof against her forehead, Sunset Shimmer grumbled to herself, annoyed by just about everything that had happened over the last hour. This was too strange, even for her, and she very nearly turned around before her curiosity got the better of her. The compulsion had not returned, a small voice announced, reminding Sunset that she still had her free will. Perhaps there is something inside that will help, or at least serve as a better bed than that awful cot, the voice added.

Trapped between potentially facing the beast again and her own curiosity, Sunset Shimmer raised her hoof and knocked twice upon the door. “Hello! Is anyone in there?” yelled the pony.

After a few tense seconds, Sunset Shimmer leaned against the door and listened closely, only to find that it was as dead quiet inside as it was outside. Taking a step back, the unicorn reached for the door knob and with a twist, opened the door a sliver. Taken aback by the ease at which she had gained access, Sunset Shimmer pulled the wooden portal open, revealing a sight that she would have never guessed she would see.

An empty tower, devoid of dangers, pitfalls, enemies, or seemingly any kind of opposition whatsoever. Even the door seemed to open strangely easily, as if the thing had been greased, and recently at that. She tore her gaze from the relatively empty interior and reached out with a tentative hoof, prodding the space where the door had been a second earlier.

Other than a small pinching sensation and a dull golden glow that encompassed her hoof, she was unharmed and unopposed. Retracting her hoof, she looked down at the limb and found that it was indeed undamaged, something a quick magical scan reaffirmed for her. “Odd,” she murmured to herself.

Extending her hoof again, the pinch returned, only even smaller this time, revealing that it was little more than a scan, rather than some sort of abysmally ineffective defence. After taking another deep breath, the mare hopped through the doorway and landed solidly on the other side. Though it felt as though her entire body had been pinched in a way that she couldn't quite explain, she was inside and safe.

Looking around, the pony found herself in the middle of a strange situation. Bits of armor, weapons, and supplies were strewn about the room haphazardly, with small defensive positions half built near the entryway. Tables had been turned over and reinforced with sandbags, though whomever had started had evidently stopped in a hurry as they were only half complete. Looking closer revealed that there was no blood, scratches, or other signs of fighting on or around the defences.

“Very odd,” she whispered as she stepped around them.

Walking further inside revealed that whoever had occupied the tower had evidently took off in a hurry, as there was a large table in the center of the room which had evidently served as a sort of command post. A large map was half spread out in the center of the table, as if someone had tried to roll it back up only to give up after nearly completing their task.

Pushing it back open, Sunset Shimmer looked down and found that it was a map of the area, with markers for Cloudsdale, Ponyville, Everfree Castle, and more all over the place. Leaning closer, Sunset Shimmer tried to find some sort of equivalent to a ‘you are here’ marker, but after finding none, she grumbled silently. It was nice that she had a map, but without any point of reference it did little to help, beyond that, the map was also… off in some way that wasn't readily obvious to the mare.

After staring at it for a few seconds Sunset Shimmer groaned and slapped her hoof against her forehead, realization dawning on her. The forest was also labeled, but rather than encapsulating everything, it was small, and relegated only to the top left of the map. This map was not only grossly out of date, but was also now more or less useless as the woods themselves seemed to bend the laws of reality on a whim.

Despite the map’s apparent uselessness, the pony rolled it up and tucked it away into her extradimensional space anyway, just in case. The rest of the table had a few scattered notes and bits of random letters or pages from books, but none of it was very useful. Most letters seemed to be in code as were the notes, and though the book pages were written in common, they were completely random. One was from an enchanting book of some kind, another from a survival guide, and a third was from a child rearing guide, oddly enough.

Pushing them into a pile, the pony magicked them away as well, unsure if they would ever come in handy but grabbing them regardless. After all, she had more than enough space now that she had almost no supplies. With that done, she began to pick through the bits of armor and weapons that littered the floor seemingly at random. Though the majority of what she found was leg armor and the odd helmet or two, there were still a few swords and daggers scattered here and there.

“They must have had to leave midway through gearing up,” she remarked, tossing aside another dagger she found. “And quickly too. Wait, what's this?”

The pony grabbed a random chunk of armor that had rolled under the table and pulled it out to reveal what looked like an antiquated sun motif stamped on the side of it. What struck the pony first was just how old it was, as the design could hardly even be described as a sun. It was a simple circle with triangles jutting off of it, though the armor itself was a plain grey color unlike Celestia’s guards which wore all gold. Were they mere soldiers of some kind? If they weren’t, why would they be branded as members of Celestia’s army?

“Too weird,” Sunset murmured before tossing aside the shoulder plate and looking around once more.

The rest of the room was relatively plain. There was a set of stairs that clung to the exterior wall and went up to the next floor, as well as a few boxes and crates here there with candles burning atop some. Stopping for a moment, the pony leaned down and stared at the candle, noticing that it seemed to flicker occasionally without getting any lower. No wax dripped down the exterior of the candle, and as the minutes ticked by, that didn't seem to change.

Positioning her hoof near the flame revealed that it was indeed hot, yet the wax didn't melt, all while not being magical in nature. Her horn dulling, Sunset Shimmer was tempted to cast another detection spell only to roll her eyes and step away, she had better things to do then figure out some dumb candle.

Namely, going upstairs and double checking if there was anyone else here. Something Sunset Shimmer was beginning to doubt more and more as time passed.

Travelling up a floor revealed what looked like barracks of some kind. Rows of neatly organized beds filled almost all the available space that wasn't occupied by a single bookshelf, and a pile of crates. The stairs she was standing on resumed their climb up and against the wall several feet in front of her.

Trotting around the beds, Sunset Shimmer noticed that some were made, others weren’t, and nearly all had a small trunk at the foot of each one. Tugging the containers open one by one revealed very little, as only a few pairs of clothes, a hat, and some socks had been left behind. The crates at the other end of the room had also been almost entirely emptied, though Sunset Shimmer did find one crate that was still packed full.

Prying it open revealed a plethora of dried goods ranging from simple fruit and nuts to even what looked like salted meat. Sunset Shimmer left the meat behind, but stowed everything else in her extradimensional space, happy to have some supplies, finally. As she was stowing them away, she gave each package a brief inspection, noting that the small bags were each stamped with the same sun logo as the armor had been.

“These must have been military rations,” she mused.

Feeling much better about her situation, she took a glance at the bookshelf and found that it was completely empty save for two books which seemed a little warped for some reason. Picking them up revealed that they had suffered some sort of water damage, and were completely unreadable. Brushing that aside, the pony trotted up the stairs, hopeful that she might find more supplies, or something else of value on her impromptu quest.

This time the stairs ended on a small landing with a door to her right, and a window to her left. The door was closed, but also unlocked, and after a quick scan, Sunset found it was also untrapped and had no manner of magic placed on it. Pushing the door open, the pony found herself in the middle of what looked like a crafting area of some kind, as several tables covered with various items filled the room.

This room, unlike the others, was a complete mess, and odds and ends were strewn about randomly. Books lay open on some tables, while broken glass covered several sections of the floor, making Sunset Shimmer take on a much slower pace when compared to the last two floors she had inspected. Her first instinct proved correct, as the pony was able to identify the familiar sight of a potion making station as well as a small area devoted to creating scrolls and other minor magical items.

Nothing of any real value was left behind however, only a few beakers, minor reagents, and a plethora of paper having been forgotten, or ignored during the hasty retreat. After checking through it all just in case, Sunset Shimmer found that it was as worthless as she had first thought and abandoned her search of the room.

Closing the door behind her, Sunset Shimmer climbed the stairs up to the top floor, which seemed identical to the one she had just came from. Save for the fact that the stairs going up even further ended with a wooden panel that presumably lead to the roof. Sunset Shimmer was about to scan the door before she realized it was open a crack, and that several candles burnt within.

“Hello? Is anyone in there?” she called, leaning close to the door.

After several seconds of no response, Sunset Shimmer shrugged and pushed open the door. Upon first glance the room seemed normal, and to be devoted to a commander or higher ranking officer as it was a single large room outfitted with all the amenities. Her train of thought quickly derailed when she noticed that there in the corner, hunched over a desk, was a pony who had a knife sticking out of her back.

She appeared young, probably only mid-twenties, with a long, two tone orange mane that flowed over her face on one side and around her neck on the other. Her fur was a deep crimson, and her cutie mark was that of a flaring star, which was partially covered by a thick padded shirt, the kind one might don before putting on plate mail. It had not stopped the dagger though, which was buried hilt deep in the mare’s spine.

Sprinting over to the pony, Sunset Shimmer lit her horn, and was ready to cast a healing spell only to realize something was off with the pony. Her horn was slightly longer, more curved, and that her body was deathly cold. Turning her healing spell into a scanning spell, Sunset Shimmer quickly discovered that the pony was dead, not only that but she had been dead for a very, very long time. There was little doubt that this unfortunate soul had been left behind during the evacuation, and had been preserved by whatever magic that kept the candles burning after multiple centuries had passed.

Frowning, Sunset Shimmer took a step back, and let the corpse slump back into the same position she had found it in. Was this one of Celestia’s soldiers? How long had she been here? Who killed her? All those questions and more ran rampant through the pony’s mind, and she was forced to brush them aside for now, as the dagger in her back was plain and unadorned by any symbol, giving her little idea of who had planted it there.

With a sigh, she picked up the pony in her magic, and carried her in front of her while proceeding down the stairs of the tower. Regardless of what side the pony had fought on, and what they had done, they deserved at least a semi decent burial. Sunset Shimmer knew she shouldn't bother, as she had limited time and was running low on magic, but she was bound and determined to do at least something kind before she no doubt met her end in Ponyville.

No matter how small that act of kindness was.

Pushing open the front door, Sunset Shimmer maneuvered the corpse through the door and laid her down next to the tower before searching for a proper spot to bury her. There wasn't much ground not covered in rocks, but after finding a small section that wasn't, the pony quickly got to work. Using a combination of her own muscles, and a healthy application of magic, Sunset Shimmer was able to dig a relatively deep grave in just under an hour.

Hauling herself out of the open grave, Sunset Shimmer turned and lowered the body down into it, and removing the knife from its back after she did so. She couldn't imagine being buried with the weapon that killed her after all, that was just cruel. With that done, she summoned up the last dregs of her magic, and pushed all the dirt back into the grave in a single heave.

Sunset Shimmer wiped the sweat from her brow, and was about to turn back only to stop, her gaze lingering on the fresh grave. “I should probably say something, shouldn't I?” she asked no one in particular.

Sighing, the pony lowered her head. “Though I did not know you, I hope you are at peace now. May you trot forever in the fields of Elysium,” she whispered reverently.

She stayed there for several seconds before opening her eyes and walking back inside, a feeling of peace having washed over her. The pony trotted back up to the commander’s room and began to look around, this time at a much more sedentary pace. The finding of the body made Sunset Shimmer’s curiosity dull and she finished her search robotically and more out of obligation than anything.

The large four poster bed was untouched, its satin sheets surprisingly low quality considering just how fancy they appeared to be on first glance. Pillows filled with feathers covered the top of the bed, though that seemed to be where the opulence ended. The trunk at the end of the bed had few clothes in it, and what was in it were well-loved and hole-ridden.

“Finally, a mare with her priorities in the right place,” Sunset Shimmer remarked with a dry chuckle.

The rest of the room seemed untouched, like the soldiers had simply left without having even checked on their commander. Whatever the reason, there was a bag of gold, some rations, personal effects, and a full suit of armor, complete with gladius and a long dagger. The armor was far too small for her, but Sunset Shimmer spent a while looking at it anyway, intrigued by its relatively simple design.

The metal was tough, but also primitive, and not nearly as strong or as durable as modern plate mail. It was a step up from bronze, but not much more than that and Sunset Shimmer was certain it would do little against a modern weapon. In addition, it had the same sun symbol stamped on it, but it also had a second, smaller symbol next to it. This one was one more akin to the pony’s cutie mark, though it was slightly different and Sunset Shimmer assumed it was the symbol of the pony’s family, or perhaps a rank of some kind.

Either way it didn't matter anymore, and with that out of the way, Sunset Shimmer turned to the desk, which she had so far ignored due to the fact that it was where that other pony had died. Pushing past the unpleasant feeling festering in her gut, the unicorn slowly trotted over to the desk and gathered up the letters before lying down on the bed and splaying the notes out before her. Some were obviously personal and remained sealed, while others had yet to receive a wax stamp of their own, and one was only half complete.

Deciding to start there, Sunset Shimmer began to read.

To Captain Evening Twinkle.

Our forces are spread thin and the fighting has only become more intense now that the betrayer is out of the picture. Though they lack a standard hierarchy, the lunar guard fight like cornered animals, ripping and tearing with hoof and fang if necessary. Their barbarcy has given them an edge, and has begun to shake the morale of our troops to the point that only the direct intervention by Celestia herself is able to drive back their offensives. This is rare however, as they have gone aground for the most part, and have focused on hitting our supply chains and other vulnerable areas.

Even more embarrassing than a few lost wagons was the fact that we were forced to abandon the castle after mere hours of taking it for crying out loud! This is ridiculous, and I would complain that this was the fault of cowardice on the part of our soldiers, but I know better than that. Furthermore, my squad and I were only barely able to escape with the plunder Celestia told us to acquire. Only some miserable stone tablet and a pile of worthless books escaped that accursed tower.

We would have had more, but the tomes we had been told to get were cursed and Moldy Vine didn't end up making it after only touching one of them. I fear what Celestia will say when we return, as things have only gotten worse since then. Several of the books had some previously unknown defence mechanism, and after opening them, they shot water everywhere, ruining everything. To make matters worse, the last of our stone golems has suddenly stopped working as well, meaning we are unable to transport the stone tablet any further.

This is merely my opinion, but I’m glad for it, as that thing unnerved everyone.

Regardless, the tablet is in the basement of the tower, sealed away and waiting for the time when Celestia will reclaim it. Until then, I’ve activated one of the defensive ward scrolls the princess gave me in case of just such an event. In around forty minutes or so this entire tower will be fortified by the sun’s might, and our position will be unassailable. The spell nearly needs a little longer to work before we can safely retreat without having to worry about failing our mission.

I’d request reinforcements, what with lunar soldiers being spotted in the tree line, but with the nightspawn and the forest closing in I know you are drawn thin as is. Still, I hold the flame of hope tight in my chest, and my thoughts, as always, turn to you, my love.

I know you don't like terms of endearments in official reports, but with all the talk of desertions, and assassinations I feel like this may very well be the last chance I can say it.

Here's to hoping that after this we can finally settle down and start that vineyard that we always-

The ink trailed off at the end, the writer having evidently been killed before she could finish.

Sunset Shimmer sniffed and wiped away a tear, determined not to let the moisture ruin the delicate parchment. For a moment she considered opening the other letters, but decided against it, merely tucking them into her extradimensional space in hopes of delivering them some day. She knew the pony the letters were addressed to was dead by now, but Sunset Shimmer refused to just let them lie there.

Wiping away the last of her tears, Sunset Shimmer crawled off the bed and trotted over to the window which overlooked the field beyond.

“They must have left without having checked on her, or perhaps they had killed her in order to flee before the spell completed,” Sunset Shimmer mused grimly.

For several minutes she continued to stare out the window, before a gurgle from her stomach made her remember one of the main reasons she had wanted to enter the tower in the first place. Turning from the window, the pony trotted down the stairs, intent on making herself something more significant than her usual rations of apples and a bite or two of whatever else she had left.

Now though she had something filling and fresh to eat, and after gorging herself on as much of the dried rations as she dare to eat at once, she reclined in the chair. With a hoof on her stomach, she gazed out over the first floor of the tower, idly considering cleaning the place up, only to shrug off that impulse. With surprisingly good food in her belly, the pony found herself growing tired, but also curious once more, for there was no obvious method of entry to the aforementioned basement.

Getting off her chair, Sunset Shimmer kicked aside a helmet and made her way behind the stairs. Sure enough, her instincts were again correct and there was a very obvious section of stone work that was different from the rest. Figuring out what mechanism would open it would have been difficult for anyone other than her, as her talents for telekinesis were unmatched.

Lighting her horn, the pony concentrated and slipped her magical field between the cracks of the stone floor, slipping between the tiny spaces left behind after the tower’s hasty construction. After a few minutes of fishing around, the pony was able to locate something that felt important, and followed it back to its source under the main table. Where a small metal lever had been hidden away in one corner, nearly invisible amidst the regular bumps and grooves in the wood.

Tugging it caused a series of gears to begin to turn and grind audibly somewhere beneath the floor. A few seconds later and a six foot by two foot section of stone suddenly sunk into the ground and began to move to one side, revealing a staircase going down. Taking a peek into the basement revealed a deep room illuminated by what looked like a glowing golden field of some kind in the center.

Taking a few steps down, Sunset Shimmer peeked around the side of the staircase and was surprised to find that the lower level was a story and a half tall. Leaving plenty of space in the middle of the room for a large raised platform which was covered by a golden dome of force. Trotting down the stairs, Sunset Shimmer looked on in awe at the enormous field of magic.

The spell was obviously incredibly powerful, and after a few short scans, Sunset Shimmer quickly realized that even with a bit of alicorn magic inside her, she wasn't about to break through it anytime soon. Not like she wanted to, as a single glimpse at the strange stone tablet within made her gut start doing backflips. Fearing the loss of her supper so soon after having just eaten it, the pony looked away and took several deep, calming breaths.

With nausea no longer plaguing her, Sunset Shimmer walked the interior of the room, searching for clues, and after finding none, stood at the bottom of the stairs. The wards were perfect, the defences immaculate, leaving Sunset Shimmer with little doubt that no one short of an alicorn could break into it. Sure, there might be a way to make the field come down without breaking it, but with no clue as to what the phrase or spell might be, she was left with little to do.

Shrugging to herself, the pony trotted back up the stairs, and after a moment’s contemplation, shut the secret entrance once more.

“Whatever the hell that is, it's above my paygrade,” muttered the mare, while shaking her head. “Screw this, I’m going to bed.”

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