“And with that we conclude our ceremony and commemorate Twilight Velvet Sparkle. Who though not a member of our community in this life, will hopefully become so in the next,” exclaimed a female minotaur clad in a simple black dress, upon the collar of which sat a simple blue moon pendant. “Now, at the request of the daughter of the deceased, a small celebration of life will be held at the Apple estate. I thank you all for coming, and Twilight especially for choosing to inter her memory in our most hallowed of halls.”

The minotaur then bowed before turning and trotting out of the large, urn-filled room, disappearing around a bend. For a moment everything was silent, and the small gathering of beings simply observed their surroundings quietly. Some felt awkward and unsure of what to say, while others were simply giving Twilight the space she needed.

Twilight herself felt strangely blank now that she had finally buried her mother, even if there was no body. All that was left was a small silver urn with the words Velvet Sparkle, the best role model one could ever hope for, printed on it. Resting in a small cubby next to hundreds of others, the spiritual resting place of her mother was plain but fitting nonetheless.

After all, Twilight Velvet had never considered herself anything more than average, and had thus never requested that she be buried anywhere fancy. Though the pony in question likely would have been stunned by the location Twilight had chosen to serve as her final resting place. As despite it being rather mundane in most Ponyvillian’s minds the Hall of Memories was anything but such a thing to a pony who had never left Canterlot.

The large, circular area that housed all of the urns was easily five meters tall, and every door seemed built to accommodate even an adult dragon. Which made sense in Twilight’s mind as she could see several draconic-sounding names among the numerous burial urns. There were also changeling, arachne, thestral, and other even stranger cenotaphs that Twilight found herself committing to memory, though she knew not why.

Her eyes strayed to the enormous, stained glass dome overhead and the strange way that it seemed to refract a single beam of moonlight onto every pedestal. The undead unicorn remembered well the sermon that had been delivered, and how the minotaur had espoused a belief that the moon itself was a portal into the next life. The single beam of moonlight was meant to act as a tether or guide for the lost and wayward spirits housed here within the Hall of Echoes, or so the priest had claimed.

Twilight wasn't sure if that was true, but she hoped that wherever her mother was, that the mare was happy. As Twilight looked out over the room once again, she suddenly realized that the two hallways on either side of the room pointed east and west. They were really committed to the moon motif and Twilight couldn't help but wonder if there were some other small details she hadn't noticed about this place.

“Twilight, you alright?” Applejack asked hesitantly.

Twilight shook her head, dismissing her idle thoughts and actually looking at the other individuals who were with her. Standing front and center was Applejack herself, behind which were the rest of her friends waiting patiently a respectful distance away. In addition, Commander Dark Hallow was there, the stallion off by himself, a soft and knowing smile on his face.

“I’m fine. Just... thinking about stuff,” Twilight muttered.

Fluttershy stepped forward, her form shimmering vibrantly in the moonlight. “I hope you liked the ceremony. I know it probably wasn't what your mother ever had in mind…”

“She would have loved it,” Twilight quietly declared. “Truly you guys have done a fantastic job.”

Applejack snorted. “I wouldn't go that far. After all, I wasn't able to get ya to plant a headstone at the old family plot.”

Twilight shook her head. “She didn't know your family, and besides, after I found out that you have an entire crypt for those with nothing to bury, I knew she belonged here.”

“I didn't think it would be common enough to warrant such a building,” remarked Spike.

“Many give themselves to the forest in their final days, though it is rare that they hear the call,” Rainbow Dash explained.

“Well, I think it was a beautiful choice,” Dark Hallow added. “And I was honored to be invited.”

“Of course,” Twilight replied, smiling gently at the thestral. “You have been nothing but kind and helpful since I’ve gotten here.”

“Though I’m surprised you didn't take the opportunity to bring out your dashing husband we have all heard so much about,” teased Rarity.

Dark Hallow blushed. “Maybe on a nicer day I’ll introduce you. But for now I just want to say that you made the right choice.”

“You're leaving already, boss man?” Rainbow Dash questioned. “I thought you were going to come to the celebration of life.”

The thestral sighed. “I’m sorry, but I’m going to have to excuse myself early. I have something that needs my attention. Besides, it seems like it's going to be more of a girls’ night anyway.”

Spike blinked. “Hey!”

Dark Hallow snickered, while bowing to Twilight. “When you have a moment, come speak to me. I have put together a team to help you out, but it will be a while before they will be able to do much as it's been surprisingly difficult just gathering them together.”

“I’ll make sure to see you as soon as I can,” Twilight promised, bowing back.

“Hopefully by then Iron Will has managed to dig up a lead for you. Until then may your nights be peaceful and your days short,” Dark Hallow replied, giving the mare a smile before slipping silently out of the room.

“Does he mean literal days?” Spike questioned. “‘Cause it's not like he wishes Dusk would die, right?”

Rarity nodded. “The eyes of a thestral and many other beings are injured by direct sunlight, so it is common to wish that one’s days are short.”

“We had to train a whole bunch during the day to make sure we were not useless when the sun came up. Let me tell you, it was not fun,” Rainbow Dash added, shuddering.

“Even I find the sun to be rather blinding,” admitted Fluttershy.

“So are we going to keep standing around and waiting for it to come up or are we going to the farm?” Spike questioned.

Applejack chuckled and patted the eager dragon on the head. “Hold on, little guy, I think Twilight needs another minute.”

“Actually, I think this is as good a time as any to get moving,” countered the undead unicorn, smiling. “I’m rather looking forward to telling you all about her when we start the celebration.”

“Oh, oh you’re going to love it, Twilight!” Pinkie Pie proclaimed. “We all sit around, have snacks and cider while talking and telling stories. It's great!”

“It is a much needed change of pace after all this dour talk of death, I must admit,” remarked Rarity.

“True, well, what are we waiting for then?” Twilight offered, gesturing towards the exit.

Her friends all turned and began to file out of the building, the conversation quickly turning to the catering that Pinkie Pie had already provided. As the gaggle of creatures made their way to the exit, Twilight felt as though something was holding her back from leaving along with them. Her hoofsteps were heavy, and when she reached the edge of the room, she couldn't help but look back at the Hall of Memories.

Now that the space was empty, save for the many urns and the shafts of light that illuminated them, Twilight had to admit that it was a serene picture. The dome which filtered the moonlight was in itself an incredible piece of artistry, as the stained glass was a perfect recreation of the grey celestial body which hung above them. Twilight was about to turn away when something caught her eye, and she glanced over to her mother’s urn.

Where a purplish shape stood gazing at the container which bore Twilight Velvet’s name, as if studying it. Though vaguely pony-shaped, Twilight wasn't able to notice any other distinct features about it before the shape vanished. Lighting her horn, the unicorn scanned the room, trying to find any lingering spiritual essence to confirm that she wasn't losing her mind.

When nothing came back, Twilight was about to start searching the area in greater detail when a clawed hand grabbed her shoulder.

“You comin’, Dusk?” Spike asked curiously.

Twilight glanced around the room one final time and with a sigh, turned to the dragon. “Yeah. Just thought I saw something, is all.”

“It's probably ‘cause of all that sleep you’ve been skipping out on,” Spike exclaimed.

Twilight sighed as she followed her assistant to the door. “I told you, Spike, I don't need to sleep that much. In fact-”

Sunset Shimmer shifted awkwardly outside the Apple family homestead, distracting herself by tugging at the cloak which hid her boney appearance. The clothing itself had padding attached to the inside in order to give her a more pony-like general shape, and it seemed to catch on everything. The deep hood which hid her face also made her appear suspicious and no matter how much padding was added to her scarlet robes, it was obvious that she wasn't a normal pony.

The fabric hung too close to her neck, and though she wore black boots to hide her skeletal hooves, they were too small to be normal. That wasn't what bothered the undead however, as Sunset had already gotten quite used to the fact that she was now little more than a skeleton. Rather it was the fact that she was about to show up to a funeral for someone she had killed, and the fact that Twilight specifically invited her only eased her worries slightly.

Despite the moon sitting in the same spot that it always did, Sunset Shimmer knew at a glance that the hour was growing late, or early, depending on how you looked at it. The actual celebration itself was likely over, meaning that it was about time to start discussing what their next moves would be. A thought which only alleviated Sunset Shimmer’s guilt the tiniest bit, allowing the pony to finally work up the courage to knock on the door.

Her booted hoof clonked twice against the living wood, and a second later the door opened to reveal a familiar creature. His eyes glowed a bright green, and though he was clearly an earth pony, he appeared to be more wolf than equine. He was also looking down at Sunset with a piercing, yet curious gaze, studying the unicorn closely.

“Uh hi. My name is Sunset Shimmer and Twilight had asked for me to come here,” muttered the undead pony. “Are they done with the whole celebration of life thing?”

Big Macintosh nodded slowly. “Eeyup.”

“May I come in then?”

There was a pause, and for a moment Sunset Shimmer thought that the stallion may tell her to go away, only for him to snort. “Eeyup. They are straight through in the back lounge. If you get lost, just holler for help, and I’ll come find ya,” Big Macintosh exclaimed, taking a step back.

Sunset Shimmer nodded slowly, silently thankful that she had apparently passed the stallion’s unspoken test. “T-thanks,” she stuttered.

Sunset Shimmer quickly trotted past the looming stallion, feeling his glowing green orbs on her back the entire time she did so. The message was clear, he was going to be watching her, and Sunset Shimmer was certain that the big stallion knew exactly what Sunset had done. The skeletal pony tried to put such worrying thoughts out of her mind and simply focus on finding her way to this back lounge area.

Which wasn't too hard, but that was only because she didn't stray from the central hallway and wander any of the many rooms or side passages. She saw staircases that went up and down, large bedrooms, living spaces, a back exit, and even a kitchen during her short walk. Though not quite a mansion, the place was massive and felt more like a large communal apartment complex rather than a simple home.

In the end it was the sound of Pinkie Pie’s laughter that confirmed that she was going the right way and with hurried hoofsteps Sunset Shimmer trotted in that direction. Glancing into the last space before a mud room and the other exit, Sunset Shimmer found herself looking into what must have been the rear lounge. The first thing she noticed was a large bay window that overlooked the backyard and contained several large fluffy pillows upon which rested Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash.

The spirit was in her equine form and had her much smaller mate tucked securely between her legs, a smile on both of their faces. The pleasant view wasn't the only disarming thing about the room though, as a large fireplace burned brightly in the far wall. How such a roaring fire managed to exist within a house made of living wood, Sunset Shimmer didn't know. What she did know was that Spike looked rather content sitting in front of it, his tail sticking into the flames.

Though only the size of a small dining room, the space was undeniably cozy and was made ever more relaxing by the addition of two large couches against the right wall. One of which was big enough to contain Rarity’s entire spider-like bulk with ease, the arachne’s many legs tucked beneath her. Pinkie Pie and Applejack sat upon the other couch, which somehow managed to hold up the rocky troll and the tree-backed earth pony without sagging.

Like all of the furniture in the room, the tall lounge chairs that stood on either side of the bay window appeared to be a century old despite having only existed for a month. Oak legs held up the main bulk which in turn had a deep earthy green trio of pillows resting upon it which perfectly supported Twilight’s long, gangly limbs. Left of the fireplace stood the only open seat, which happened to be another lounge chair identical to Twilight’s.

Sunset didn't move towards it, however, and clopped her hoof against the open door. “Pardon me. I hope I’m not interrupting anything,” she began.

“Nah, we were just talkin’ about all the food we plan on bakin’ for Twi,” Applejack replied.

Only to receive a rocky elbow to the gut from Pinkie. “Don't be rude, Jacky, she can't eat anymore,” hissed the troll.

“It's fine, really,” Sunset Shimmer stressed.

“Well, come in, darling, come in and make yourself comfortable,” Rarity offered, gesturing to the open chair.

Shooting a glance at Twilight, Sunset found that the mare was staring off into the distance, seemingly deep in thought. “Alright then,” muttered the skeletal pony.

Settling into her seat, Sunset let out a small sigh. “Oh wow. This is really comfy.”

“I know, right? Even the floor is comfortable enough to sleep on,” Spike exclaimed, patting the seemingly ancient floor boards.

“It's pretty cool that the house just straight up grew a bunch of pillows,” Rainbow Dash added. “Kinda makes me wonder what's in them though, like how are they so soft?”

“I think you’re even more huggable than the pillows,” whispered Fluttershy, the spirit resting her head atop Rainbow Dash’s.

The surprisingly unarmored thestral blushed and swatted her girlfriend’s hoof. “Not in front of the others,” she hissed.

Rarity took that as her cue and cleared her throat. “Regardless, I’m glad you could join us. Twilight had briefly mentioned you were going to be coming down after the celebration was over in order to discuss something important,” Rarity exclaimed, raising her voice slightly at the end in order to grab Twilight’s attention.

The other undead shook her head. “Oh, uh yeah,” she murmured, looking over to Sunset Shimmer. “What have you been told about Luna?”

“Uh, not much, I’m afraid,” Sunset Shimmer admitted, shrugging her skeletal shoulders. “I’ve been able to infer some things from Celestia’s various episodes though.”

“Episodes?” Twilight questioned, the lean unicorn leaning forward in her chair.

“Are you sure you want to talk about that?” questioned Fluttershy kindly.

“It's fine, really,” Sunset Shimmer assured.

“Well, if you’re certain…” Fluttershy murmured.

“I am,” Sunset Shimmer declared, turning to Twilight, “and to answer your question, I can recall two times where the topic of sisters was brought up. Each time it sparked a rather unpleasant reaction from her.”

“I’ll say. One shouldn't be able to commit sororicide without having some kinda guilt,” Applejack remarked.

“I’m not even sure it was guilt though,” Sunset Shimmer explained. “The first time she started talking about how wonderful her sister was, only to suddenly get this weird, distant look in her eye and stop talking. After that she just kinda left without saying anything, almost like she was sleepwalking.”

“That is… weird,” Rarity admitted.

“Quite,” Twilight added. “She always seemed sane, if immeasurably cruel.”

“So what was this other time?” prompted Rainbow Dash, the thestral’s sharp, batlike ears perking up.

Sunset Shimmer’s strange, aetherial voice lowered slightly. “That time she had an entire conversation with herself. Kept trying to convince someone that it was necessary and had evidently forgotten that I was even there.”

“Explain,” Twilight demanded.

The skeletal unicorn shrugged. “That's basically it. She just talked to herself about it being necessary, but never explaining what it is. I didn't know what she was talking about at the time, as knowledge of Luna has always been harshly suppressed.”

“But what about the moon?” Applejack questioned. “I mean, if that demon is associated with the sun, then wouldn't people wonder about the other celestial body?”

Twilight cleared her throat. “It is taught in school that when the gods left, they refused to move the moon any further. Only when ponykind rules over all will they return and make it move once more.”

“That's really messed up,” muttered Pinkie Pie.

“You’re telling me,” Sunset Shimmer remarked. “It's hard to think that I actually believed that for most of my life. Only for it to turn out that the moon is the way it is because Celestia killed her own sister and that the old gods were never real in the first place.”

“They might have been,” Twilight corrected. “Though the last alicorns most likely did not leave because ponies refused to try and take over the world, but rather due to low numbers. The mythology around them is a little muddy, I’m afraid, and my research has brought up many conflicting pieces of evidence.”

“In general, we who live in the moon’s light believe that such a question is irrelevant,” Rarity explained. “They are gone, and our goddess is dead.”

“It's so weird that you guys call her that, though I suppose Celestia only pretends to dissuade ponies from referring to her as a god,” Sunset Shimmer added.

“Regardless,” Twilight interrupted, “I have a reason to believe that resurrecting her is indeed possible.”

“She's an alicorn though. I thought you would need like, near infinite power?” Sunset Shimmer questioned.

“Yeah, Twi, you never really explained that part,” Pinkie Pie added.

Twilight sighed and scratched the back of her neck. “There is one part that is missing from my calculations, but I have a feeling that I will be able to figure that out in time. Right now we need to focus on finding her body, that tablet Sunset Shimmer saw, and any other information on necromancy.”

“Are you sure that's going to be enough though?” Rainbow Dash pressed. “‘Cause it seems to me like only a god has the power to resurrect another god.”

“That may be the only way, but…” Twilight frowned. “I know it's possible, only I can't explain why I feel so strongly about that fact.”

“Is it another vision from the past?” Fluttershy asked.

“Or maybe a vision from the future!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed, raising a hoof into the air.

Twilight rolled her eyes. “I don't think that second one is even possible.”

“Why not? Do you know how time travel works?” Pinkie Pie retorted.

“I…” Twilight’s mouth closed and the mare sat in silence for several seconds. “I admit I have no idea how this works. It just doesn't feel like going forward should be possible.”

“Well, if you are getting visions from the past doesn't that mean that some other version of you could be receiving the same kinda visions from you?” Applejack interjected.

“I suppose,” Twilight shook her head. “Either way, that part doesn't matter. What matters is that we focus on what we can do to bring Luna back.”

“Preferably before Celestia goes to war with us,” Rainbow Dash remarked with a snort.

“She wouldn't do that, would she?” Fluttershy whispered, squeezing the thestral a little tighter.

“Absolutely. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if she was already making plans to do just that,” Sunset Shimmer replied.

“Do you think she’d try to kill Twilight again, or go straight to the whole war thing?” Pinkie Pie questioned.

Sunset Shimmer tapped the hoofrest of her chair. “Probably the second one. I feel like she’d likely send one more assassin and if they failed, she would probably try launching a full scale invasion of some kind.”

“The forest will protect us though, right?” Rarity asked, glancing nervously from Twilight to Rainbow Dash. “I mean, it has in the past, so why wouldn't it do so now?”

“She’s had to have figured out some way to counter the forest’s effects by now though. Or at least she has an idea or two,” Twilight concluded. “I mean, she’s been vying for control of the Everfree for almost a thousand years at this point.”

“I really hope Dark Hallow has something planned, because this can't end well,” Rainbow Dash murmured.

Spike suddenly stood up. “You can't be serious about all this. Celestia being evil now I can understand, even Luna passing away, but another big war? That's crazy!”

“She’s started at least nine wars during the time I’ve been alive,” Sunset Shimmer countered.

“No way…” Spike murmured.

“I’m sorry, Spike, but it's true,” Twilight replied.

The dragon sighed and slowly sunk back into his spot in front of the fireplace. “I hoped that by now you guys would reveal it's all a big joke or something, you know? This all feels so unreal.”

“The Everfree hasn't seen a big fight in centuries. We should probably warn the other towns and cities,” Applejack remarked, glancing to Rainbow Dash expectantly.

“Already done,” declared the thestral. “Though not all of them are heeding the warning, mind you. That being said, the big cities are raising armies as we speak.”

“Hopefully they are ready in time for whatever is coming,” Sunset Shimmer murmured.

“And in the meantime, I’ll be working with the nightmare to try and locate Luna’s body,” Twilight began. “Once we have it and the tablet, then there is a good chance I can start researching a way to bring her back.”

“I assume you have an idea as to where to start,” Rarity offered.

Twilight opened her mouth, only for her shadow to suddenly rise up, form a hoof, and point east.

“Well, that answers that,” concluded Pinkie Pie.

“Pretty much,” added Twilight, the shadow falling back into its natural position. “Now that it and I are connected, I’ve been able to understand it better. In time I feel like I’ll be able to find out exactly where Luna’s final resting place is.”

“So, what do we do in the meantime then?” questioned Spike. “‘Cause I admit I feel a little useless sitting on my hands while you guys go off on these big adventures.”

“Oh, Spike, you’re just a kid. You should just focus on making friends and enjoying yourself,” Rarity replied.

“But then I feel guilty for not doing anything,” countered the dragon.

“Why don't you take some classes in fighting?” offered Fluttershy, who blinked when everyone looked at her. “What? Is there something on my face?”

Rainbow Dash grabbed the spirit’s hoof just as she was about to start searching for anything that may be amiss. “I think they are just surprised that you were the one to suggest such a thing,” explained the thestral.

“Err, yeah, Flutters. You are like the least violent creature I know!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed. “And I know a lot of people.”

“It's not like I’m suggesting he go out and fight or anything,” Fluttershy murmured.

“I actually agree with her,” Twilight added. “If you want to feel like you’re helping, then you should start taking some lessons from a competent instructor. If nothing else, it would be some good exercise.”

Spike sighed. “Damn, Dusk. You really know how to sap all the fun out of learning how to fight.”

“Half of fightin’ is just bein’ tougher than the other guy,” Applejack countered.

“Yeah, and you can't be tough if you don't work out,” exclaimed Rainbow Dash.

Spike crossed his arms over his chest. “Whatever, so what are the rest of you going to do then?”

“I’ll be continuing my training as a shaman!” Pinkie Pie proclaimed.

“I’m going to spend some time with my family and maybe learn how this body works better,” Applejack replied.

Fluttershy nodded. “Me too.”

“I’ll be receiving some extra training myself. Boss man said something about trying to teach me shadow magic,” replied Rainbow Dash.

“I wanted to study more necromancy,” offered Sunset Shimmer hopefully.

“Don't worry, I was planning on teaching you as much as you have the aptitude to learn, while also hunting down some more information,” added Twilight.

“And I will continue to learn more of weaving,” declared Rarity. “Perhaps by the time things go south, I will be able to outfit you with the most resplendent silk steel armor.”

Rainbow Dash groaned and planted a hoof against her forehead. “You don't need the armor to look good, Rarity.”

“Au contraire!” Rarity exclaimed. “A dashing knight must be adorned with armor that fits their bravery.”

Twilight chuckled. “Either way, I’d just be happy to not be wandering around without any defences.”

Big Macintosh suddenly poked his head into the room. “I’m hitting the hay, it's getting early.”

Applejack cursed and glanced out the window, the farm pony noticing that a bit of orange light was beginning to creep into the orchard. “Shoot. We’ve been talkin’ so long I forgot all about my chores,” Applejack remarked bitterly.

“I did ‘em!” Big Macintosh shouted, the stallion having disappeared around the bend.

“Well, that's a relief,” Applejack murmured, relaxing in her seat.

“I probably should return home before Sweetie Belle begins to worry,” Rarity offered, rising from her seat.

“This does seem like a good time to end things for the night. Unless Twilight has anything to add…” Fluttershy stated expectantly.

The necromancer shook her head. “No. I’ve said all I wanted to.”

“I’ll see you girls soon!” Pinkie Pie declared, leaping out of her seat.

Goodbyes were said, thanks were given to the host, and soon enough the various beings were going their separate ways. All save for Twilight, Sunset, and Spike, who all went in the same direction and had thus taken the same path back to town. A path which wound silently through the orchard and around a small stream which popped up out of seemingly nowhere.

Twilight stopped, and glanced towards the burbling brook. “You two go on ahead, I just remembered I had to talk to someone,” Twilight remarked.

Spike raised an eyebrow and turned to the mare. “But I thought you discussed all you wanted with the girls,” he replied.

Sunset Shimmer stepped forward and grabbed the dragon by his shoulder. “Come on, Spike. Let her have some privacy.”

The teenager seemed ready to argue, only to shrug. “Alright, then. Keep your secrets.”

Twilight rolled her eyes. “Thank you, Sunset. I’ll be home shortly, don't worry.”

The skeletal pony nodded. “Take your time.”

The necromancer watched her two companions round another bend before walking over to a tree at the edge of the water. “We need to talk,” she stated simply.

A second later a black hole-ridden shape fell from above, landing deftly on all four hooves. “Impressive. Let me guess, you’ve been practicing your life detection ability ever since Sunset Shimmer happened?” Chrysalis offered, pulling back her tattered hood.

Twilight nodded. “It made me realize just how many of my problems could have been avoided if I had simply gotten better at it.”

Chrysalis shook her hoof at the pony. “Don't rely on it too much. If I had access to my magic, I could have easily hidden myself from this new ability of yours.”

“I know. Which is why I’ll be starting stealth training with Rainbow Dash in a few days in order to get better at finding hidden enemies,” Twilight replied.

The changeling queen smiled. “It's like our little Twilight has finally grown up.”

“No thanks to someone,” Twilight retorted pointedly.

Chrysalis raised her hooves. “I admit that Sunset Shimmer did manage to best me briefly, but it was only just barely. Besides, if I had dealt with her, she would not come back, and you would not have another powerful ally in your fight against Celestia.”

“Yeah, about that…” Twilight muttered.

“What's this? Did your desire for revenge finally burn itself out?” Chrysalis sniffed the air. “Because I still smell a lingering anger on you.”

“I do still want revenge. This entire thing has been so exhausting though, and I feel like I hardly know what I’m doing,” Twilight exclaimed in an exasperated tone.

“Well, you’ve done a fantastic job so far,” Chrysalis countered, flashing the necromancer a smile. “And don't sound too defeated, you have plenty of friends to help you now.”

Twilight wilted even more. “That makes it worse. I don't think I could bring myself to put them into harm's way. Even Sunset Shimmer for that matter.”

The changeling hummed thoughtfully. “That will be a question you have to deal with, but know this. If you do not find the answer to that question on your own, Celestia may very well force you to.”

Twilight nodded slowly. “I suppose it's just something I’ll have to face soon enough. I have a question of my own though.”

“Shoot.”

“Do we even have a chance?” Twilight inquired, wincing slightly and rubbing the back of her neck. “I know you’ve been undermining her for a long time, but she has so many ponies under her command and so much power. Even if we brought back Luna, would that be enough?”

“Yes and no,” Chrysalis cautioned, the changeling kneeling down and building a small pyramid out of loose twigs. “Celestia has ensured that every single facet of government relies on her and her alone. Which makes bringing it down relatively easy, as killing her would topple the entire regime, but if we did so, there would be other problems. Plus that's assuming that it's even possible to kill her in the first place.”

“Like what kind of problems?” Twilight prompted.

“Well, for one, the entire Equestrian government would collapse inward on itself,” Chrysalis explained, plucking a seemingly random stick from her pile and causing the entire thing to fall apart. “It would be chaos, and without the fear that Celestia projects on most of the known world, just about every other nation would declare war.”

The changeling stomped on the pile of sticks. “The dragons would wish to retake their ancestral burial grounds stolen from them by Celestia’s aggression. The minotaurs would demand the return of their holy relics stolen by Celestia’s assassins and used as leverage against them. The griffons would want their provinces back, and there would be no easy way of removing the half a million colonists that have since moved in.”

Each time she finished a sentence, the changeling stepped on the pile of sticks until there was nothing left. “And that's only some of the outside threats, nevermind the damage done by rebellions, potential Celestial loyalists, and general anarchy,” Chrysalis finished, brushing aside the pile of destroyed twigs.

Twilight let out a slow breath. “That is… a lot to deal with.”

“And remember that's assuming we can even kill her in the first place,” Chrysalis stated. “She is an immensely powerful alicorn that has spent well over a thousand years building up said power. I wouldn't be surprised if she has dozens of failsafes, hideouts, back-up plans, and other surprises in store for us.”

“I’m assuming you are working on figuring those things out though… right?” Twilight questioned.

The changeling shrugged. “As best as we can, obviously. It isn't an easy job and will only become harder the more Celestia devotes her country’s resources towards war.”

“I never really thought of it like that,” Twilight admitted, rubbing the back of her neck. “I always assumed that as soon as we got rid of Celestia that things would, I don't know… go back to normal?”

Chrysalis chuckled and patted the younger being on the back. “You’re young and haven't toppled your first regime yet. That will change.”

Twilight sighed. “So are you going to stay in Ponyville and keep watching over me?”

The changeling took a step back. “No, you seem to have gathered more than enough allies to make my assistance more or less redundant. At this point I’m pretty sure I’d just get in the way.”

“So you’ll be going back to Canterlot then, right?” Twilight pressed.

Chrysalis nodded. “I will, and though I still feel a little bad I wasn't able to help more than I did, at least you don't have to worry about that dragon or those flesh-mad parasprites.”

“Wait, what dragon and what's a flesh-mad parasprite?” Twilight asked.

Chrysalis chuckled. “Don't worry about it. Just focus on your studies of necromancy and trying to find Luna’s body.”

Twilight ground her teeth together and reluctantly sighed. “Fine, but can you at least tell me everything you know about my past self? You seem to hint that you knew her or at least knew of her.”

The changeling smirked and took a step back, raising her hood. “You don't need to know that right now. All you do need to know is that someone dangerous has been sent after you.”

“Wait, who is coming after me?” Twilight shouted, scrambling after the changeling as she began to fade into the darkness.

“Commander Tempest Shadow, and if Celestia’s reports are to be believed, she personally led a battalion of battle mages in the conquest of the Storm Lands,” Chrysalis whispered from somewhere nearby. “She did not come out unscathed however, and now she seeks to prove her value to Celestia in order to get her horn back after the Storm King himself took it from her.”

“Wait, Storm King? Storm Lands? What are you talking--and she's gone.” Twilight frowned.

Twilight grumbled as she made her way back towards town, annoyed that she was left wondering about something she should have known. The only thing that saved her from a foul mood was the fact that she had finally reached the point where this didn't happen everyday. Trotting through the woods, Twilight eventually emerged back into Ponyville, only to find that the early hour had driven away most other people.

Looking around, the necromancer hoped she could find a guard in order to find out about this Storm Lands place, lest she be unable to rest due to her curiosity getting the better of her. Winding her way through the streets, Twilight found that although there were a few people still out and about, they hardly even noticed her. The denizens of Ponyville avoided the light of the sun as much as possible, and today was no different.

She was about to give up and go back to the library in order to do a little research on her own when she noticed something strange. A surprisingly stocky thestral as well as a tall, thin troll and what looked like a bipedal cat were standing on a street corner chatting about something. Pushing down her still lingering social anxiety, Twilight made her way towards the trio, studying them curiously as she did so.

The troll was slim, sleek and was almost completely coated in small, greyish stones, or at least every bit that wasn't covered by armor, that is. She was also tall enough to look even Twilight in the eye, provided her long, black hair wasn't covering her sharp, blue eyes. The only bit of clothing she wore was the thick breast plate which covered the majority of her barrel, leaving almost none of her white fur visible.

The thestral which stood next to the troll had a wide grin on his face and wore the standard black armor of the night guard, though his helm was strapped to his side. Visibly younger than his companions, the bat pony was surprisingly well-built, with large deep violet wings to match. Unlike the troll, the thestral was almost wider than they were tall, though they clearly worked out and packed a lot of muscle into their pinkish-red body.

Unlike the other two, the cat wore no armor, though they did wear a simple vest one may expect a merchant to have. A longsword was belted at their hip and both of their hands rested comfortably at their sides, clearly at ease with their companions. Twilight inevitably felt her gaze drawn up to the creature’s sharp green eyes and slitted pupils which peeked out from the void that was their pitch black fur.

“Hello. I hope I’m not interrupting anything, but I had a few questions, if you don't mind,” Twilight greeted.

The troll nodded slowly, her eyes inspecting Twilight closely. “Not at all, citizen, do you need assistance of some kind?”

“Citizen? This is Twilight Sparkle!” exclaimed the thestral in a shocked tone. “If she has a problem, then chances are we aren't going to be able to help her with it.”

“Oh, I wouldn't go that far,” Twilight replied sheepishly.

“But I would,” countered the cat in a strangely androgynous tone. “I have only been in town for a few hours and already I have heard tales of your exploits.”

“Really? I didn't think I’ve done anything that impressive,” Twilight murmured.

“You not only survived the undertower, but reached the bottom, bonded with the nightmare, and brought back the Tree of Knowledge!” exclaimed the thestral, throwing his forelegs up in the air. “Noone has managed to do any of those things before.”

“Plus you're a necromancer and you’ve spoken to the nightwatcher herself,” added the troll in a monotone voice.

“I haven't heard of that last one,” admitted the cat creature.

“You mean Nebula?” Twilight asked.

“She told you her real name?!” gasped the thestral.

“Err, yeah?” Twilight muttered.

“You’re scaring the poor girl,” admonished the troll, who extended a hoof. “My name is Granite Shield. You’ll have to excuse my partner Feather Song. He’s a bit excitable.”

“And I am Night Eyes. Abyssinian trader and traveler here on business,” offered the strangely androgynous cat, who bowed slightly to the necromancer.

Twilight clopped her hoof against the troll’s and then bowed to the Abyssinian. “I’d introduce myself, but it seems like you already know who I am.”

“So what did you need help with? You aren't fighting another monster, are you?” asked the thestral inquisitively.

“Cindy Bindy and Mindy are not a monster,” stated the troll.

Feather Song rolled his eyes. “You know what I mean.”

“Actually, I was just hoping to ask a few questions,” Twilight began. “I was under the impression that the Storm Lands were little more than myth, yet I have heard that they were conquered by Cel--I mean, her.”

All eyes turned to the Abyssinian, who sighed. “It is indeed true, and though the majority of my people have fled into the relative safety of the forest, some are still thrall to the sun tyrant’s governor.”

“You may wish to read ‘The Storm Lands, a Land of Myth and Mystery’ by Long Gaze for more context,” offered Granite Shield.

“Oh, uh, thank you. I’ll definitely do that,” Twilight replied.

“Is there anything else you wish to know?” added the Abyssinian.

“I just wanted to figure out how it happened and anything you may know about Tempest Shadow,” Twilight exclaimed.

“She is as cruel as she is mysterious,” remarked Feather Song, who shuddered. “As much as I want her brought to justice, I hope she never comes here.”

“Err yeah, me too,” Twilight murmured weakly.

“She led the final assault which killed our king, a gnoll chieftain who wielded the staff of storms which have safeguarded our island home for centuries,” explained Night Eyes. “She only appeared after the assassination of our queen, having claimed responsibility for the foul deed.”

“Wait, what race was the queen? Is it possible that Tempest Shadow is her, but has been tricked into believing she's someone else?” Twilight inquired.

The troll let out a snort. “Unlikely. The body of the queen was displayed for all to see, and not only that, but the queen was an earth pony named Storm Surge.”

“And yet she married a gnoll of all people, there must be a story in there,” Twilight muttered aloud.

“Indeed, there is. It was quite romantic,” deadpanned the troll.

“She managed to find her way through the storm’s eye twice in order to get the king his favorite drink from the mainland after hearing talk that he missed it,” explained Feather Song. “Not quite the stuff of ballads, but if a mare did that for me, I’d marry her on the spot.”

The Abyssinian chuckled. “Our king was always a down to earth man, and the world is a worse place with him gone.”

“All you need to know about the war is that Tempest Shadow managed to infiltrate our lands, kill our queen, assault the storm’s scourge, and then murder our king in cold blood,” hissed Night Eyes. “She is a twisted assassin every bit as cruel and underhanded as Celestia herself.”

“When did this all happen though?” Twilight questioned. “I thought I would have heard something about that when I was in Canterlot.”

“Oh, about eight or nine months ago? Not long,” answered Feather Song.

“That must have happened like immediately after I was… exiled, for lack of a better word,” Twilight muttered.

“Don't worry about it, my friend. Getting used to how time flows within the forest can be difficult at best,” offered Granite Shield.

“I admit it's something that I struggle with to this day,” added Night Eyes.

Feather Song shrugged. “I don't know what you two are talking about. Sometimes time goes fast, other times it's slow.”

Twilight shook her head. “Regardless. I was curious as to why Celestia would attack this place. The Storm King sounded like a good person.”

“Oh he was, he was,” remarked the Abyssinian mournfully. “But he was also cognizant of how Celestia’s enemies suffered and did what he could to ease their worries.”

“So Celestia had him killed in order to stop this assistance he was giving them?” Twilight concluded.

“I am afraid that is true. Though since the Storm King died, many have fled into the forest or otherwise joined the armies of any who would stand against Equestria,” stated Granite Shield.

“Yeah, plus now the sun tyrant has to try and govern a dozen scattered islands out in the middle of nowhere,” added Feather Song.

“Is that all you wished to know?” inquired Night Eyes, who leaned forward, thumbs hooked into the arm holes of their jacket.

Twilight nodded. “It was. Sorry to bother you, I know it's early.”

“It was no problem,” exclaimed the troll.

“Any time!” added the thestral excitedly.

“I wish you well on your journeys, young seeker,” offered the Abyssinian, who bowed low, extending a hand, palm raised.

Twilight stepped back and began to trot away, her mind awhirl with questions and more than a little wild speculation.

“I can't believe the nightbringer spoke to me,” whispered Feather Song after Twilight had made it a few feet away.

“She has not earned that honorific quite yet,” corrected Granite Shield.

“But she might,” countered Night Eyes.

Twilight shook her head and turned towards the direction of home, trying to put the three strangers’ words out of her mind. Yet try as she might, Twilight could do no such thing and found herself wondering what she would do with her unlife. Revenge had always been at the back of her mind, yet now that urge seemed almost petty and small in the grand scheme of things.

The world was a big place, with even larger problems, and it was clear that simply killing Celestia was not going to cut it. She wouldn't be able to simply look away either, for if Twilight had the power to help, the necromancer knew she would try to do just that. One thing was certain, she would need to resurrect Luna and become much, much more powerful.

In for a penny, in for a pound, Twilight thought to herself as she reached the library, her mind already coming up with a list of experiments she wanted to do and books she wanted to read.

Tempest Shadow stood tall atop a toppled boulder, her back straight and her head held high as she looked out over her soldiers. They, like her, wore the armor of Celestia’s Chosen, their forms covered by a perfect shell of thick, golden armor. It did not weigh them down as several minor runes kept it light enough to move and cast in.

There were a select few who wore no protection, save for golden robes indicating that they were the most powerful spellcasters in Tempest Shadow’s cadre. Which numbered at exactly twenty-five, and that was without including their slightly heavier armored group of knights that surrounded them. With them, the total number of soldiers was only an one hundred strong, though even still Tempest Shadow was confident in her ponies.

After all, they had some of the finest war golems ever constructed, most of whom were clearing the forest all around them in preparation to set down their first camp of their journey. Their heavy, often bladed limbs made short work of even the largest of trees, deepest of bushes, or most impassable of vegetation. The ground was so littered with debris and destroyed plant life that it would have been an obstacle in its own right. That was if Tempest's soldiers had not utilized a large summoned disc of golden light to carry them deeper into the woods.

Now however, they stood on barren ground, using their magic to heft aside the fallen trees and clear a patch for them to set up their tents. It may have been a bit to soon to do so, given that it was only early evening, but Tempest Shadow knew that many of her ponies had not taken well to their sudden forced march. In the end the unicorn understood the importance of maintaining morale, and after their hastened training and extensive workload, they would need time to relax.

Humming thoughtfully to herself, the unicorn looked up at the evening sky, noting that the moon remained fixed in its usual place while thin wispy orange clouds hung above them. It was a beautiful sight, though the same couldn't be said to the trail of destruction nearly a kilometre long and twenty metres wide. Destroyed trees, toppled stones, and trampled vegetation covered the now desecrated forest.

Though a small part of the unicorn felt a little bad about causing so much devastation, she quickly dismissed that notion. The forest was the size of a small continent and could afford to lose a bit of mass, given its sheer enormity. Noting that her soldiers had begun to erect tents and her golems had completed a wide circle around them, Tempest Shadow was about to hop down from her post when she noticed something at the edge of the camp.

Trees shifted and parted like water, allowing one of the most enormous creatures she had ever seen to emerge from the forest. Towering over even the tallest of her golems, the monster stood nearly three stories tall and had three heads that peered out over the area with an inquisitiveness that a simple animal should be incapable of. Though on first glance it appeared to be a normal chimera that was different only due to its sheer size, Tempest Shadow quickly realized that such an assumption was incorrect.

For it had the regular number of heads of chimera, one tiger, one ram, and one snake, its eyes were all the same. Bright yellow sclera outlined three terrifying sets of blood red pupils which lacked irises entirely. Its limbs were also a mishmash of other creatures’, such as a tiger paw and a clawed hand that one may expect to find attached to a griffon. Its back legs were also different, as one ended in a hoof while the other sported scales and claws like that of a dragon.

Its eyes immediately landed on Tempest Shadow, and the unicorn couldn't help but feel a primal bolt of terror travel up her spine. Whatever this creature was, it knew that she was in charge around here, and it clearly didn't like what Tempest Shadow was up to. A second later the creature exploded into motion, leaping over the golems which had been awaiting orders, and made a beeline towards Tempest Shadow’s position.

“Knights to me, mages, recall your golems and prepare defensive matrix omega!” Tempest Shadow shouted, the unicorn leaping off her rock and sprinting towards her soldiers.

Who were already scrambling back into their assigned positions, with tents hastily thrown aside and a bubble springing up around them. Though the golden dome wasn't the thickest, it at least covered all of the pony soldiers, and was quickly reinforced as other unicorns quickly joined in. Just in time too, as the beast plowed into the wall with enough force to cause a shockwave to ripple across the ground.

A soldier next to Tempest crumpled to the ground, hooves going up to her sparking horn as a groan slipped past her lips.

“Focus, ponies! Remember your training, layers upon layers, not just one wall!” Tempest shouted.

A second later the dome gained definition, becoming a dome-shaped hexagon with dozens of overlapping sections, each at a different angle. This shift seemed to have the desired effect as the next time the creature slammed its shoulder into the barrier her mages didn't so much as flinch. Though that didn't mean her knights didn't stumble back a step, their horns glowing brightly as they gripped both swords and shields.

“Ma’am. The shield is holding. What are your orders?” shouted a pony Tempest Shadow recognized as Blazing Dawn.

“Recall three of the golems and get them to attack the beast. It's about time we found an opportunity to test their resilience and our mages’ ability to command them,” Tempest Shadow replied, watching as the great creature threw itself repeatedly at the shield wall, not gaining an inch.

“You heard the mare, get on it!” bellowed the short unicorn.

Immediately several golems, which had merely been standing around outside the shield, turned towards the monster and raised their weapons. Two were slimmer than most of the constructs and had two pairs of arms that each ended in blades that were nearly eight feet in length. The larger and bulkier golem stood a head taller than its fellows and wielded a shield in one hand as well as an enormous axe capable of felling a mature redwood in a single swipe in the other.

The very second her inanimate soldiers turned towards the beast, the monster stopped its attack and turned to face them. For a moment no one moved, and then after giving a nod to three of the mages, the golems exploded into motion. The slimmer ones flanked the three-headed creature from the sides, while the larger one banged its enchanted axehead against its shield, trying to grab the chimera’s attention.

Which didn't seem to work, as the monster quickly diverted its full attention to the rightmost golem, charging forward with its ram’s head lowered. Surprised by the strangely intelligent action, the golem’s operator was forced to raise all four limbs into a crossguard while also bracing itself. Horn met blade with a force that the unicorn controller had not been expecting, forcing the inanimate soldier to lean fully into the blow.

Which seemed to be exactly what the chimera wanted, as it hooked a horn beneath one of the golem’s arms and heaved the golem over its back. For a single horrified moment the gathered ponies watched on in shock as the enormous construct flew through the air and impacted its fellow. A resounding crash echoed through the clearing, the two golems landing in a heap and leaving their pony controllers struggling to untangle them.

In the span of seconds the creature had gone from cornered and about to fight three foes, to facing a single enemy with full range of motion. The larger golem’s operator had recovered from her shock by then and charged forward, axe raised and aimed at the ram head. Thousands of pounds of force slammed down into the horn which had been deftly maneuvered into position, the bony growth somehow holding out against enchanted steel.

Once more the golem’s controller found herself baffled by this move, leaving the construct open to the snake head striking at its elbow. Massive fangs sunk straight through stone like it was little more than butter, and for a moment Tempest Shadow wondered what the beast had hoped to accomplish. Only for her question to be answered when she saw the golem’s joint begin to turn from a resplendent white to an ugly greenish-grey color.

The golem’s controller tried to pull back on the arm, only to end up retrieving half of the thing, losing everything below the shoulder. The viper head then turned and spat out the crumbling stone limb, enchantments sparking briefly as they were destroyed. Now with just one hand and only a shield, the golem stumbled back, raising its sole arm in a desperate bid to protect itself.

“Everyone not on shield duty hop on a golem. I want this thing dead, now!” Tempest Shadow shouted.

While mages scrambled to cast the proper connection ritual, the chimera was busy batting aside the golem’s defences. It followed this up by scratching its chest with a tiger paw, the enormous claws somehow managing to slice through the magically enhanced stone with the same ease that its snake head had bit through it. The golem’s movements immediately became erratic, and the operator standing near Tempest struggled to stay standing as her horn grew increasingly bright.

Thankfully for her, the other two golems had managed to untangle themselves and were charging to assist, along with a dozen others who were approaching from the treeline. The creature noticed this, but didn't seem phased in the slightest, its horns glowing a strange miasma of rainbow colors before the ground erupted with green. Thick roots grappled at the golem’s feet, causing more than a few of the inanimate soldiers to trip and stumble as their operators struggled to realize what was happening.

Then, before anyone could free themselves, the creature punched straight through one of the already damaged golem’s front legs, toppling it forwards. It never hit the ground though, as the monster’s tiger head had opened its mouth wide before biting off the top section of the golem. Severing enchantments meant to stop ancient dragons with power to spare, the creature then spat out the offending hunk of rock and began to sprint towards the treeline.

“What are you doing? Free yourselves and don't let it get away!” Tempest bellowed, her horn sparking angrily.

Her subordinates struggled to react in time, and only one of thinner golems managed to slice through the roots gripping its legs. Meeting the creature with sword limbs raised, the beast didn't slow one bit, vaulting off the stone Tempest Shadow had been standing atop only a few minutes earlier. Even with its incredible strength, the unicorn soldier already knew that it wouldn't be able to leap right over it, and the golem raised its limbs, readying itself to strike.

Only for the creature to never come back down, as a pair of mismatched wings had burst from its back, each the length of its entire body. For a moment the sun was blotted out by the beast’s great wing span, and a titanic flap sent dust and debris flying into the air. The golem’s operator had been ready for a sudden shift in battle, however, and leapt straight up, blades swinging wildly, desperate to at least score a single hit on the monster.

And hit they did, though only just barely, drawing a tiny trickle of blood from the hooved back leg of the great monster. Who didn't even seem to notice the attack, flying straight over the gathered golems and landing back safely in the forest. As Tempest Shadow watched, the beast vanished in an instant and not a single bush was startled by its passing.

“Hold!” Tempest shouted, hoof raised.

Her soldiers finished freeing themselves, but otherwise remained in position, each one peering at the section of forest that their foe had vanished into. When it didn't return after several minutes, Tempest Shadow let out a sigh, nearly slumping to the ground once it was clear they wouldn't be fighting it again anytime soon.

“Hold shield, but divert power to backup crystals!” Tempest exclaimed, turning to her soldiers. “Salvage the damaged golem and fix it if possible. Otherwise I want as many unicorns as possible to be scanning the point where the creature injected that venom.”

Spinning on her heel, the commander ignored her soldiers scrambling to do what they were told and stomped right up to the lone golem operator who had managed to injure the beast. “I want you to instill a set of commands into your golem, have it run ahead of the main army and seek out our target. Before you do that, however, I want you to activate all of the remote scrying enchantments placed on it. I want to know exactly what we are dealing with before we run into it.”

The unicorn soldier nodded eagerly. “Right away, ma’am!”

“Good, because this little setback is going to push our timetable back considerably, and I will not suffer another one like it,” Tempest Shadow added.

“Understood, ma’am!” exclaimed the unicorn, whose horn began to glow ever brighter.

Grunting, Tempest Shadow turned from the operator, her gaze lingering in the direction she knew Ponyville to lie. “Let’s see how you deal with something that is neither alive nor dead, you filthy corpse lover.”

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