Knowledge Brings Change

by hydra30

First published 11th of May, 2019

What will happen when the Elements of Harmony team up with an eldritch horror from another realm?

Three years have passed since Twilight Sparkle disappeared into Apochrypha, followed by her friends. Will Equestria have changed in their absence? Will Apochrypha have changed them?

An unknown future awaits, but whether it will be bright or dark is something known only to those who have the gall to claim they are a higher being, and even that might not be enough to foretell everything.

All the while, something from the distant past returns.

Cover art provided by https://www.fimfiction.net/user/866/Cold+in+Gardez

My little pony is owned by Hasbro

Elder scrolls is owned by Bethesda Softworks

1 Not calm before the storm

Princess Celestia stood on the balcony of the tallest tower in Canterlot, her attention divided between lowering the sun and focusing on the silhouette of the Golden Oaks Library dusk provided in the distance.

As a never aging alicorn, the passage of time had always been different for her, but the past three years had been both lingering and unusual. The changelings had invaded around this time three years ago, and not only was her own beloved student caught up in it, it also led to the most unprecedented event ever known in Equestrian history - the arrival of the eldritch horror, Hermaeus Mora.

The past three years, she had kept eyes and ears out for any malicious activity from that formless abomination, but so far nothing had happened. In fact, the more time that went by, the less numerous sightings of him became, and most of the time it was just a tiny portal in a random research area, or one of the creatures he called Seekers. Other than that, he was pretty much inconspicuous.

Though he had talked to her personally once.

A few days after Twilight and her friend left for his world of Apocrypha, Hermaeus Mora had appeared before her and insisted that they talk. At first she was reluctant to do so, but the memory of what he was capable of put her in a more reasonable mood. So she gave her consent.

First, he reassured her that Twilight and her friends were perfectly safe under his supervision, that they were in no danger of physical or mental harm. Though she didn't know why, she was comforted by the news. She personally assumed it was because despite what he was, Hermaeus Mora didn't strike her as a liar.

Unfortunately, his next order of business was to inform her that he intended to draw Equestrian followers soon.

At first she spoke against it outright, but he then told her he was not here to ask for permission. He was there to give her the chance to accept it willingly, and to offer her a boon if she did. She would have refused, but begrudgingly accepted when she realized how fruitless such a reaction would be.

It also helped to learn that nopony but a select few would be drawn into Apocrypha physically like her student and her friends, though she didn't understand fully what he meant.

But fortunately, his compensation for her was not worthless. Hermaeus Mora had pointed her in the direction of some very shady activity in her kingdom of which she had previously been unaware. Activity, that when brought to her attention, made her realize just how much damage her benevolence was causing.

The pony who ran a resort in Los Pegasus, GladMane, not only was he underpaying his employees to an incriminating degree, his resort was in total violation of every safety procedure imaginable. And not only that, but the land his resort was built on was purchased illegitimately, as to avoid the taxes he is liable for for owning such a resort.

And he was not the only one.

Flim and Flam, the notorious brothers who had tried to scam the Apple family out of Sweet Apple Acres, had started up a brand of cure-all tonic, one that they claimed could cure literally any ailment. But a little help from Zecora, the zebra who lives near Ponyville, had determined that the medicine was a phony. Needless to say, it didn't take much to shut the charlatans down after that.

But the real reason this information was so valuable was because these two acts of crime were damaging Equestria's economy.

So, with Hermaeus Mora's help, she was able to incriminate these characters for their schemes, plus she was also able to pin embezzlement on them. Under her previous methods, she would have been more lenient with them. However, Twilight had shown her there was a time and place for that, and if she was going to protect her kingdom properly from now on, she had to do it from all angles, including financial.

So she sentenced them to fifteen years of community service laying down railroad tracks. She hoped her student would approve.

Her student. It never failed to baffle her how much changed for her that day. Who knows how much longer she would have to stay in that wretched place, away from her home. How long would her friends have to be away from their own homes and families.

Not that she would let anything happen in their absence.

That group of ponies had such a future, she refused to let this get in the way. Fluttershy and Rainbow were easy to cover for, the Ponyville Weather Corp had plenty of stand-ins and Doctor Fauna was more than happy to hold the fort at Fluttershy's cottage for the foreseeable future. Applejack, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie had been more challenging in the long run, though.

But what good was ruling a kingdom if it didn’t get you a little influence?

Applejack was missed at Sweet Apple Acres, so Celestia had decided to get a substitute for her, and who better than another Apple. Every month, a volunteer from the Apple family would work at Sweet Apple Acres, in exchange for fair compensation from the royal treasury.

Replacing Rarity became pretty much a 'kill two birds with one stone' situation.

With Celestia not being as merciful with those that broke the law anymore, it became apparent how many ponies had been taking advantage of her kindness over the years. One such incident happened at Fashion Week in Manehattan. Celestia had volunteered to be a judge during the festivities and one such contestant, Suri Polomare, aroused her suspicion. An investigation discovered several other contestants had filed complaints of missing luggage, which led the Princess to learn that Suri had derived her whole line from entries stolen from the other contestants. Having learned what lack of repercussions can cause in such a scenario, Celestia not only disqualified her, but also revoked her rights to pursue fashion professionally for life.

Needless to say, Suri had to be forced from Manehattan by the guard, kicking and screaming.

Her assistant, Coco Pommel, had actually cooperated during the investigation, having claimed she was tired of assisting Suri earn her ill gotten title through stealing other ponies' hard work. But she was still an accomplice to Suri's actions, and that was an opportunity Celestia could not waste. So instead of a sentence, Coco now covered Carousel Boutique in Rarity's stead under the instructions that she was not to leave the vicinity of Ponyville until Rarity returned, though she would receive five percent of the profits she had earned for the boutique in that time.

Filling in for Pinkie had been a bit of a challenge too.

Maud eventually had to return to her rock studies, her school professor having finally come out of his shock induced coma, leaving Sugarcube Corner short hooved. At first she sent her own personal chef to fill the role, though he couldn't remain indefinitely, saying he would return to the castle as soon as possible. She couldn't fault him for that, he was an accomplished royal chef, after all.

Eventually, a solution presented itself right in Canterlot.

A father and daughter team of chefs, Coriander Cumin and Saffron Masala, were aspiring to open their own restaurant here in her capital, but were having trouble taking off because the famous food critic, Zesty Gourmand, gave them a bad review. Under normal circumstances, Princess Celestia would not have gotten so deeply involved in such a small situation, until Twilight had opened her eyes to how soft she was being.

Until now, she had always tolerated Zesty's methods out of pity, for the truth was she was only in her position because of her lineage. Last in a long line of food critics, Zesty was born with no sense of taste. She claimed that the blander the food is the better it is, but she actually knew no better.

Celestia let her inherit her family's title, so she might enjoy great foods from a different angle.

This was something she had never regretted until one day, when she was walking back to the castle after sharing tea with Cadance, she happened upon Zesty walking out of her latest rating. She had given it no horseshoes at all, and Celestia could see the distraught look of the owners through the window as Zesty walked away. Celestia now saw the truth of it all.

Zesty wore not a professional expression like she used to, she wore a cruel smirk as she watched the decorated building shrinking behind her. That was when Celestia realized Zesty didn't actually appreciate her title, she was using it to take her bitterness out on others. Such a disgraceful behavior, Celestia never knew how she could have missed it.

So Celestia had offered the two chefs a temporary place on her own staff, and to say it worked well for both would be an understatement. Celestia and her sister Luna enjoyed new exotic food, and Coriander and Saffron got at least part of their wish, to make food in Canterlot. This could not last forever, however, as her own chef was eager to return home.

But that was the solution.

She had proposed to Coriander and Saffron that they work at Sugarcube Corner for the foreseeable future, and they gracefully accepted. They wanted a break from all the stuck up behavior in Canterlot anyway, and Mr. and Mrs. Cake were more than thrilled. So it was set up that Coriander and Saffron would help at Sugarcube Corner, in return for not just pay but a division of the menu featuring their own foods.

Meanwhile, Celestia was using this situation to deal with Zesty.

She could not outright do anything to her, for she was doing nothing illegal, but one must not be allowed to abuse their power as such. So, regretfully, Celestia put a plan in motion that hopefully would eventually strip Zesty of her influence. Once a month, Celestia hosted a private cooking competition among the chefs of Canterlot, the winner being given an all expense paid trip around Equestria to sample foods from all over the kingdom.

It was Celestia's hope that over time the chefs here in Canterlot would realize how unjust Zesty was being, and eventually stop listening to her, and when that happened Coriander and Saffron could return to Canterlot to live out their dream.

The sun vanished under the horizon, and Celestia made her way back inside to exit out into the hall of the castle. Tonight was the night she would share with her sister, and she had not broken the cycle once so far. If any personal good came out of this situation, it was how well it improved her relationship with her sister.

She and Luna had never been so close, even before her banishment.

"Good evening, Sister," said the midnight blue alicorn happily, as she watched Celestia enter her chambers from her balcony.

"Sister," said Celestia in a partially scolding voice as she approached her, for she noticed Luna had yet to raise the moon despite the hour. "How many times must I tell you, you don't need to wait for me to raise the moon."

"I know," said Luna as her sister stepped up to her right. "But tonight is special."

"How so?" asked Celestia, lowering her wing over Luna's back.

Luna just smiled and pointed her horn to her sister. "Lend me your strength, sister."

Celestia did not question, only lowered her own opalescent horn to Luna's dark blue, her sunny aura mixing with the light blue. As expected, the moon peeked up over the horizon, slowly making its way to the spot in the sky were it would start its night time journey to the other horizon. Celestia noticed that Luna was utilizing a fair amount of her magic, and it only made her wonder more what her sister had in mind.

She was not disappointed.

As the moon reached the crest of its journey, the night literally exploded. Shower after shower of shooting stars lit up the night, streaking the dark blue expanse with their silvery tails in a brilliant display of cosmic beauty. Celestia felt tears of awe wetting her eyes as she took it all in.

"Pick one or all, Sister," said Luna as she separated their horns. "And wish for your student's steady return. This... is for her."

Celestia just nuzzled the mane of her little sister, wiping her tears in the sparkling locks.

"Nice work, Aunty Luna," said Cadance, as she and Shining Armour entered Luna's chambers behind them.

"I am sure Twily would appreciate it," said Shining, sitting in Luna's sitting room along with his fiance.

The two elderly Princesses joined them happily.

It had taken a while, and a little counseling, but Cadance had finally gotten past how she felt towards Shining for his role in Twilight's predicament. He had trod on eggshells for most of the time, but as of now, they were back to the loving newlyweds to be they had been. Though, they had yet to take the final step.

They still needed Twilight back before they could do that.

"So how was Ponyville?" asked Luna from the couch opposite where they were sitting, alongside her sister.

"Still sullen without their prized citizens, unfortunately," said Shining Armour, looking down sadly. "But the deal involving the Riches and the Spoons has gone through without any complications."

Earlier that morning Celestia had auctioned off Gladmane's resort for what it was worth, and the Rich family and Spoon family had partnered up and purchased it. The resort was not that expensive, due to all the corners Gladmane had cut, but that was precisely why they had partnered on it. The wealthiest families in Ponyville planned to pool their resources and skill to resurrect a pristine vacation resort from the cheated ashes of the original, one that would be unlike anything Equestria had ever seen.

Shining Armour was sent to Ponyville to deliver the deed, and both families departed from Ponyville to begin oversight on preparations immediately.

"Good," said Celestia, turning her attention to Cadance. "And that wayward Everfree cloud?"

Cadance turned her attention to Cloudsdale in the distance just on the boundaries of Canterlot, Luna's meteor shower illuminating it from above. Normally, Cloudsdale would not be in this area during this time of year, but a rain cloud from the Everfree had forced them to change the schedule a little. It was a necessary ordeal.

Sometimes, but not often, the unruly and uncontrollable storm clouds from the Everfree forest would wonder over a pony settlement, and when that happens, Cloudsdale is the only place equipped to deal with it. All that was needed was for trained professionals to move the cloud into Cloudsdale and deposit it into a special machine designed to cleanse the dark magic that made them dangerous. That had been the case today.

Such a cloud had wandered into Canterlot's airspace, and Cadance was tasked with handling it.

"No problems," said Cadance, giving a warm smile. "Everything went according to..."

"PRINCESS!"

The shout came out of nowhere, causing all four ponies to nearly jump out of their skin. Looking up, they saw a pegasus in a Wonderbolts suit making a beeline straight for the balcony at top speed. Celestia tried to catch her but even she had been caught too off guard to react in time.

The pegasus landed on the balcony railing with a painful crunch.

"Captain Spitfire!" said Celestia, grabbing the motionless pegasus in her magic and placing her on the couch she had just gotten up from.

The pegasus's eyes rolled behind her goggles for a second before she shook her head to clear it and took to the air before them, a serious but panicked expression on her face.

"Princess, we have a situation up in Cloudsdale," she said to Celestia hurriedly.

The look on Spitfire's face gave Celestia concern, this was not a pegasus that was easily scared. "What is the situation?"

"The Everfree cloud," explained Spitfire, her concern leaning slightly towards panic. "There's been a snafu. The pony who was covering Rainbow this time around put it down the wrong chute!"

There was a short pause.

"Uuhhh, which chute?" asked Shining Armour nervously.

"The rain cloud recycler," answered Spitfire, her eyes wide with horror.

There was a collection of gasps from all of the Princesses and the captain of the royal guard.

The rain cloud recycler was where weather ponies put empty rain clouds so they could be reused, as the name would imply. But if a cloud contaminated with Everfree magic was introduced it could be catastrophic, for no matter how small the cloud, Everfree magic is like a virus, contaminating and spreading to any compatible host it can. And in a chamber full of clouds...

"I... don't suppose the chamber was empty?" inquired Shining Armour, budding concern on his face.

"No such luck," explained Spitfire, looking at Cloudsdale with panic. "Before we got the Everfree cloud summons we had just given Fillydelphia their scheduled rain. The chamber was full."

"Then what is the status of the clouds?" asked Luna fearfully, her wings spreading in concern.

"All contaminated," answered Spitfire, her face switching between professional and panic. "They've gone from emptied rain clouds to dangerous thunderstorms, and the chamber isn't designed to handle such powerful clouds. They broke free and flooded the cloud machines."

" How has the weather team dealt with it so far?" asked Celestia seriously.

"With a little ingenuity, the cloud workers were able to devise a channeling system," explained Spitfire, still in a slight panic. "Right now it's diverting the contaminated clouds directly into the purification machine."

"I don't understand," said Shining, walking to stand under the floating pegasus. "That makes it sound like the situation is under control. Why did you come to us in such a desperate state?"

"It's not under control, Captain," said Spitfire hurriedly, her fear not lessened. "We were unable to stop some of the clouds from seeping into the cloud dispenser. Any second now they might..."

She was cut off when a great explosion echoed through the night.

Racing outside onto the balcony, they all saw the machine that Cloudsdale dispensed clouds out of suddenly spew a stream of tar black clouds with such force the funnel on the end was rent into smithereens. Great lightning arched from the black mass as it made its way right for them, ominously starting to block out the majestic meteor shower above. It grew closer with each passing second.

"WHAT DO WE DO, PRINCESS!?" screamed Spitfire, looking at the looming clouds as they approached. "SHOULD I GATHER MY TEAM!?

"No," answered Celestia, her voice level despite the situation as she studied the clouds. "One Everfree cloud is bad enough, no pegasus could handle this many."

"Then how do we stop it?" asked Spitfire, a little composure returning.

"You go back up to Cloudsdale and keep the purification of the other clouds going," explained Celestia, spreading her wings. "Leave this to us. Only alicorns would even have the slightest chance against such aggressive magic."

Spitfire didn't question it, taking off and skirting the deadly storm to return to Cloudsdale.

---

'Derpy, when this is over, if I survive, I'm going to dunk your head in the rainbow fountain.'

---

"Sister, Cadance, let's go," said Celestia, taking to the air, her fellow alicorn princesses following her lead. "We are the only hope for Canterlot against such a threat."

"What about me?" asked Shining Armour.

"Get the guard together and start moving the population to safety," said Luna strictly. "Even we may not be able to hold this off indefinitely."

Shining nodded, donning his helmet and moving out.

Celestia, Luna, and Cadance all flew up and faced the imposing clouds. It more resembled an angry monster than a formation of vapor, lightning arcing from place to place, illuminating grisly images that looked like snarling faces. Even the wind picked up as it grew closer, ever closer to Canterlot.

"Alright, all together," commanded Celestia, her golden aura joined by two blue ones of different shades.

Great pillars of magic struck the clouds, dispersing parts of them as they made contact. At first it seemed the princesses would have no trouble with the situation, but to their horror, the clouds just reformed like soap bubbles in churning water. Again, they threw their magic, again the clouds regenerated.

"What is going on, Sister?" Luna asked, gritting her teeth as she threw more of her power at the storm. "Why isn't this working? Our combined strength has been enough to repel Everfree clouds in the past."

"The Everfree magic," said Celestia in realization. "It must have been mutated by the cloud machine's energy."

"Then what do we do?" asked Cadance, her horn smoking as she threw another beam at the advancing storm.

"We have to get to Shining Armour," answered Celestia, looking worried as the clouds crept closer, despite their powerful beams of magic. "His shield is our only option now..."

She was cut off when a huge bolt of lightning struck through the air between them, scattering them like leaves in the wind. They landed one after the other on the outskirts of Canterlot's ledge, not hurting them much, but allowing the storm to loom closer. It was dark and foreboding, like the end of all things.

The princesses all looked to each other then to the cloud with determined glares, not willing to back down.

'Canterlot is my responsibility to protect,' thought Celestia as she struggled to stand up. 'I will not give in to defeat..I will...'

'LOK VAH KOOR'

The princesses gasped in shock at the sudden noise. They could only watch as a ripple of air impacted the cloud, dispersing parts of it, parts that didn't regenerate.

"Come on girls, again!" said the all too familiar voice of Spike.

'LOK VAH KOOR'

This time the princesses heard the conglomeration of several voices as another ripple struck the cloud.

Looking to the source, Celestia, Luna, and Cadance all gasped as Twilight and her friends stood just a few feet away, facing the dark storm. Seeing the long lost ponies was almost enough to make them forget about the current predicament, until another lightning strike illuminated them. The looks they wore were unsettling.

"Alright girls," said Twilight, pure murder in her eyes as she looked at the storm. "Again."

Before their eyes, Twilight, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Fluttershy, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Spike inhaled deeply and opened their mouths wide:

'LOK VAH KOOR'

Another ripple impacted the storm, demolishing a good deal of it this time. Now they could see the damaged cloud dispenser, shattered and rather pathetic looking. This must have been how much cloud made it through before the pegasi could divert the flow.

"Alright, one more time!" said Rainbow Dash excitedly.

'LOK VAH KOOR'

The last rippling wave rent the remaining clouds from existence, leaving the night clear and Luna's meteor shower once again unobstructed.

Slowly, the princesses stood all the way up. Twilight and her friends approached and bowed respectively. For a moment, Celestia stood stock still, unable to fathom the purple unicorn kneeling before her. After so long, could it really be true, was her student truly before her?

"Twilight?" inquired Celestia, lifting a purple chin with a hoof. "Is... that... is that you?"

Tears dripped from Twilight's eyes as all she did was nuzzle the hoof to her cheek.

In an instant Celestia threw herself over Twilight, wrapping her in both legs and wings, silent tears running down her white cheeks as she held the pony she had not seen for what felt like an eternity, a warm yet aching sensation in her heart.

2 Reprieve

A tiny ring of ripples spread throughout a dark pool of ink that rested at the Summit of Apocrypha.

It had been the first time in three years anything remotely stirred here, and it didn't stop at one small movement. Several bigger ripples followed the first, growing in size and speed as more seconds passed. This continued until the entire pool churned and sloshed like the surface of a hot spring, throwing thick globs all around the stone base of the pool...

Until a majestic arched gazebo sprung up from within the pool with a mighty splash.

[iIt housed a colossal book that rested on a massive book stand; its pages illuminating a faint blue glow beneath the surface of the closed cover, which then sprang open of its own accord, the pages within dancing with wiggling runes and glyphs. The pages then began to turn, slowly at first, but picking up speed until all that could be seen of them was a crackling blur. If one looked closely they would see the little sketches moving like the pictures in a zoetrope, growing bigger until they encompassed the flipping pages from one side of the book to the other.

Then a brilliant flash of light exploded from the book, illuminating the surrounding area before its solid beams of light became obstructed by the silhouette of six ponies and one dragon stepping forth.

Twilight and her friends exited the book, the illumination receding back inside the pages as all of them stepped from it. Something had changed in them. They still retained all of their original traits, physically and emotionally, but something new had been added. Something that gave their features and posture a slightly darker quality.

"I take back every book related insult I ever threw at you, Twilight," said Rainbow Dash as she took to the air, looking to her hooves as if seeing them for the first time. "Such power, all from just reading a book."

"Reading?" inquired Applejack, looking up at her airborne friend quizzically, "Sugarcube, we have been glazed in knowledge, like an apple fritter."

"Oooh, that sounds gooood," moaned Pinkie, drooling as she stared off into the distance with a look of longing. "I feel like I haven't had anything yummy in, like, forever."

"How long do you suppose we were in there?" asked Fluttershy, glancing back at the book with a mixture of puzzlement and weariness.

"Oh, I hope it wasn't another fifteen years!" said Rarity, her eyes wide.

The others let out a panicked gasp at her suggestion, Rainbow falling to the ground as her wings locked up.

"You need not worry about that, girls," said Twilight reassuringly, standing before her group of friends with a smile. "Like I explained before, I smoothed out the magic formulas. If my calculations were correct, we should not have been in there for more than a few years."

Her friends calmed down a little upon being reminded of that little detail. But a few years was still enough time for at least a little to have changed in their absence. They hoped there was at least something familiar waiting for them back home, or they didn't know what they would do.

Speaking of which...

" Well, I say we summon old scaly and get this over with," said Rainbow, flapping into the air again. "The sooner we help him give his notice to these 'Ideal Masters' idiots, the sooner we can leave this place."

"I agree," said Fluttershy, looking around in slight discomfort. "This place...it's just not right."

The rest all voiced their agreement... all except Twilight.

"I'm sorry girls, but we can't," said Twilight, flinching slightly at their expressions of shock and disappointment. "Not yet, anyway."

Twilight's friends could only stare, Rainbow losing the mental capacity to flap her wings and falling to the ground, again.

"What do ya mean, Twi?" asked Applejack, slightly scowling at what she had just been told. "You said that if we obtained the same fancy powers as you, and we all use them together, we could finish the job Hermaeus Mora tasked you with."

"That's right," said Rainbow, looking up from her belly flopped position.

"I'm sorry, girls, but you're not ready to use your new powers yet," explained Twilight, looking slightly worried as their scowls deepened.

"What do you mean, Twilight?" asked Spike, looking back to the book sitting behind them. "We practiced everything we learned inside there, and it seemed to work just fine."

"I placed a special enchantment on the book before we entered," explained Twilight, trying to keep a clear mind as her friends' disappointed looks gave her a guilty feeling. "Everything that happened was in there was just a trial run. Illusions that manifested what would happen if it was actually happening. That way nopony..." Twilight cast a glance at Spike, "or dragon, would be hurt."

Twilight's friends all gained a concerned look.

"What do you mean 'harmed'?" asked Rarity, her and the others sitting on their hunches.

Twilight heaved a little sigh. What she was about to tell them she knew she probably should have told them sooner, but she didn't want them distracted while they were working inside that book. Plus, she wanted them to enjoy the experience and not concern themselves with what was going to happen afterwards.

"You all know that unlike magic users on Nirn, a pony's magic comes from within..."

Yes, they all knew that was true.

A pony's magic; such as a unicorn's spell casting ability, the pegasus ability to walk on clouds, manipulate weather, and even fly, and an earth ponies strength, durability, and connection with plants, it all stems from a magic core that all ponies are born with.

"Do any of you remember when Hermaeus Mora explained how I could not start his lessons with him when I first met him because it would have drained me of my life force?" asked Twilight, getting a round of nods. "The reason for that is, although Equestrians can use the spells from Nirn to a degree no 'wizard' from Nirn could accomplish, they consume at least eight times as much magic as Equestrian spells do. You know what happens if a pony loses every trace of magic in their body, right?"

They all nodded, pale expressions on their faces.

"Twilight... why didn't you tell us about this sooner?" asked Fluttershy, giving Twilight a look of deep concern.

"And how come you can use the weirdo magic from Nirn?" said Pinkie, looking worried as well.

"Both questions have the same answer," said Twilight, her attention divided between worry and pushing forward. "In order for you to be able to cast spells from Nirn, you must do as I have done, established a connection with the external source of magic the mages of Nirn can utilize."

"You mean the stars and sun that were created when Magnus fled Mundus with his tail between his legs?" asked Pinkie, sounding just as goofy as usual but somehow mixing logic into her tone.

Twilight replied with a nod.

"But how can we?" asked Rarity, wearing an unnerved expression. "Do we have to travel to Nirn?"

"Nuh-uh, no way," exclaimed Rainbow, shaking her head with a small frown. "The other Daedra, they could find Equestria if we go to Nirn."

That got a round of extreme agreement.

They had all learned a great deal about more the other Daedric Princes inside the book, and if they were unnerved by Twilight's brief description, learning each one's whole history was completely terrifying.

"Do not fear, girls, that isn't how this works," continued Twilight, her friends giving her a confused look. "And it's not how I got connected to Nirn's magic."

"Then how?" asked Spike, looking slightly impatient.

"It was Hermaeus Mora, wasn't it?" guessed Fluttershy, looking to her unicorn friend worriedly.

"No, not him," replied Twilight," Durnehviir, he is the one who allows me access."

All gave her a blank stare.

"It would be easier if I show you," said Twilight, turning around and looking to the sky.

"DUR NEH VIIR'

They all jumped at the sudden noise, a great rippling purple light appearing above. Like a whale breaching the surface of the ocean, the dragon Durnehviir erupted from within the heart of the light, which vanished as he began to circle above. He let out a mighty roar as he brought his gaze over to them.

Most of them locked up in shock, except for Twilight and...

...Fluttershy let out a filly like shriek as the creature she feared more than any other materialized made a decent for their location. Everypony who knew her would expect her to make a beeline straight for the nearest hiding place, Fluttershy will be Fluttershy after all. Heck, more than once they had humored her by being the hiding place.

Except this time she didn't.

Instead of vanishing into the distance, leaving behind a pink and yellow dust trail, she turned Twilight around by her shoulders and buried her head under her chin and against her neck. Twilight felt both a soothing calm at her special somepony's closeness, and an overwhelming concern for her distress, stroking her mane with one hoof and gripping her tightly around the barrel with the other. It often baffled her how much her feelings for Fluttershy had changed, for even while within that book, something would spook the timid pegasus and she would often look to Twilight for comfort.

A deep 'aw' reached her ears, Twilight turning to find it was Pinkie, with Applejack and Rarity wearing approving smiles, Rainbow snickering behind a hoof, and Spike crossing his arms and shaking his head with smirk at the touching display.

Most ponies would have been embarrassed or angered at being witnessed like this, but Twilight felt neither. They had just been told they could not get right to work on the project whose completion would get them home, a dragon had appeared out of nowhere and was heading straight for them, and yet all they could focus on was the touching scene before them, all previous aggravation forgotten for the moment. It only increased her gratitude that they had joined her here in Apocrypha, even if they did it against her will.

Unfortunately, she was brought back to reality when a deep tremor echoed under them as Durnehviir landed, the wind scattering up dust and causing Fluttershy to tighten her grip around Twilight’s barrel so fast the air was squeezed from her lungs for a second.

"Drem yol lok Zey-mahzin," said the mighty reptile that towered over the group."It has been... some time since our last encounter."

"I apologise, Durnehviir," said Twilight remorsefully, Fluttershy peeking up from under her chin for but a second before she turned her terrified gaze away, Twilight tightening her grip gently. "But please know that I have devoted most of my time trying to devise a way to free you from the Ideal Masters' clutches."

Durnehviir brought his attention to the rest of the group behind Twilight and Fluttershy, all of them staring up at him with a mix of admiration and apprehension. "You have some companions, I see."

"Oh, yes," said Twilight, getting up to make introductions but Fluttershy still wouldn't let go so she opted to do it from where she stood. "These are my friends from Equestria, Fluttershy, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Spike."

Durnehviir brought his attention to the latter, bring his snout in close and inhaling deeply, Spike jumping back slightly in surprise.

"Interesting," said Durnehviir, "This one smells of Dovah."

Strangely, this one sentence seemed to break them all out of whatever spell Durnehviir's arrival had put over them.

"Hey, now just a minute buster," said Rarity irritably, actually trotting up to stand behind Spike, "We will have you know that Spikey Wikey is a bonafide dragon. Not a nova, or whatever you said."

"That puny mortal title," said Durnehviir, drawing his attention to the white unicorn, who only seemed to get whiter. "You insult everything a Dovah stands for by labeling us so."

"Rarity," whispered Spike frantically, said unicorn looking down to him. "Dovah means dragon in their language, remember. And not only that, they take being called the translation a serious insult."

Rarity blinked in fear as Spike reminded her of that. Her and her friends had just spent who knows how long studying so much, lots of it on the Thu'um. She needed to get a better grip on it, for how could she use it wisely if she could not keep it at the forefront of her mind?

It would appear that the rest of Twilight's friends thought the same thing, for each made a mental note not to make this mistake in the future.

"My humblest apologies, Mr. Durnehviir," said Rarity, bowing respectfully. "It had slipped my mind how much you dra... Dovah of Nirn detest such titles."

Durnehviir seemed just as willing to let the matter slide as he brought his attention back to Spike. "Interesting... I have never seen such color on a Dovah, or lack of wings...and extra claws... bigger Eldraag."

"Spike isn't a Dovah from Nirn," explained Twilight, glad she didn't have to intervene when it seemed Rarity had angered Durnehviir. "He is from our planet, which we call Equis. From the continent of Equestria."

Durnehviir brought his head down and tilted it to the side, regarding Spike with one of his yellow pupils. Through it they could all see the sharp intelligence that existed deep within the dragon's being, quite unlike any other dragon they had encountered.

"I sense potential in you, kiir," said Durnehviir to Spike, lifting his head back up to regard all of them, but mostly Twilight. "Why have you summoned me before so many of your kind, Zey-mahzin?"

"I have a new plan."

From here, Twilight explained her theory of how utilizing multiple people who are learned in the ways of the voice to keep the pull of the Soul Cairn at bay while she cast the liberation spell. She explained that they had just now left the enchanted book behind them, how much they had learned within, and how each of her friends had knowledge similar to her. Last, she explained the final element they would need to test her theory.

"Let me see if I understand you, Zey-mahzin," began Durnehviir, casting his gaze over to Twilight's friends, other than Fluttershy, who was still clinging to Twilight for all she was worth. "The Thu'um I formulated, per Lord Hermaeus Mora's request, that allows you to access the magic of the Mundus plane so the use of the Thu'um, plus other magic spells that originated from Nirn, would not drain what little magic that is stored inside you... you want me to use it on your Fahdon, so they too, can harness the same power?"

"It's the only solution I can think of that has the best chance," said Twilight,her voice carrying a slight pleading tone as she still stroked Fluttershy's mane. "The Soul Cairn pulls you back too soon for my spell to work, and I can't use it and the Thu'um at the same time. But if somepony else were to keep using the Thu'um while I cast the spell, I might be able to break its hold over you."

Surprisingly, Durnehviir didn't seem reassured by Twilight's statement. He kept staring at them with a look that sent an uneasy feeling through them. Even Rainbow Dash felt as if she was standing before a judge with the look the misshapen dragon was holding over her, and she didn't like it at all.

Eventually, he settled his sight solely on Twilight.

"Do you really have such faith in them, Zey-mahzin?" Asked the age-old Dragon. "Even the strongest of hearts can become corrupt in the face of such power."

Twilight was about to assure that she had complete faith her friends would not give in to temptation, but Rainbow suddenly zipped by her and into Durnehviir's face.

"You've got a lot of nerve accusing us being unable to resist temptation," she shouted, glaring into one of the dinner plate sized pupils. "This 'Thu'um' originally came from your kind, and me and my friends know all about what you all used it for."

"That's right," said Applejack, boring her sharp green eyes at Durnehviir. "Enslaved so many people. Started a war that eventually brought about your own extinction. Yeah, all that was really honorable."

"Not to mention what that meanie pants Alduin did," said Pinkie, Rarity nodding with a scowl next to her. "Trying to make a snack out of the whole world..."

Twilight watched in absolute horror as her friends threw hypocritical accusations at Durnehviir one after the other. It was bad enough ticking off that dragon that nested near Ponyville that one time, Durnehviir was so much more dangerous. She needed to do something before...

'GAAN LAH HAAS'

Twilight tried to move her friends out of the way, but only managed to get Fluttershy clear of the Shout as it washed over them in a violet wave of light.

Suddenly, an intense exhaustion wracked her being, as well as a mild pain. Twilight lost the strength to stand and landing on her stomach on the floor, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Spike joining her with the same half lidded expression of exhaustion. Fluttershy was the only one left on her hooves, gazing open mouthed as her friends and marefriend all collapsed on the floor around her.

Durnehviir extended his neck until he was directly over Pinkie Pie, his intense gaze making her tremble. "Never...say that name...

"How dare you... HOW DARE YOU!"

Durnehviir actually backpedaled a step as Fluttershy collided between his eyes.

"Listen here you...!" said Fluttershy sternly, all trace of timid behavior gone. "I don't care if every one of you dragons from Nirn can do all sorts of things with this decrepit voice, or if you all are descended from this 'Akatosh,' you do not hurt... my friends."

Durnehviir, who had been glaring in annoyance until now, suddenly looked to Twilight then back to Fluttershy, his expression contemplating. "You and Zey-mahzin...are companion?"

Fluttershy's eye twitched. "That's right, and I will not tolerate you hurting them, mister!"

Durnehviir stood still for a moment. At first it would appear that the situation could go either way. Durnehviir would either continue to lash out at them, or something else.

But he just bowed to Fluttershy in what could only be in embarrassment.

"Apologies," said Durnehviir, Fluttershy twitching her eye again at the word. "I had not intended to strike 'her' with my Thu'um."

Fluttershy was about to rebuttal with how he should not have struck any of them intentionally at all, but was suddenly yanked from Durnehviir wrapped in a purple aura.

Twilight stood on shaking legs, her horn illuminated by another gold star, similar to how she had healed herself after she set herself on fire. Slowly, the shaking in her legs stopped, Fluttershy noticing the others were beginning to stand up as well, the light washing over them as much as it was Twilight. Before long, Twilight stood without struggling, her friends all standing as well, though they looked at Durnehviir apprehensively.

Fluttershy smiled and hugged them all tightly.

"Are you okay?" she asked worriedly.

"we're fine," replied Twilight, stroking the light pink mane again. "Nothing of lasting harm occurred."

Fluttershy felt relieved at hearing that.

"I don't get it," said Spike, walking up closer to Durnehviir. " Why do you get your tail in a bunch over hearing Alduin's name? I thought he held the loyalty of all other Dovah?"

Twilight was about to yank Spike back as to avoid aggravating Durnehviir more, but stopped for multiple reasons.

Durnehviir seemed to not want to lash out at Spike and , plus she, and all her friends wanted to know the answer to that question as well. They had learned that it was practically unheard of for a Dovah to speak out against Alduin, let alone get so worked up at the mention of his name. Why had the mention of the notorious World Eater upset him so?

”Alduin is, without a doubt, the most powerful of all Dovah," said Durnehviir, his attention focused on all of them, not just Spike, as though he knew they all wanted answers as well. "But he has proven himself weak, in mind, will, and spirit."

The group all blinked in surprise and looked at each other in confusion.

"Starting a war with the people who wanted to be free of the tyranny of dragons," started Fluttershy, not affected by Durnehviir's scowl at the mortal title she used as she finally released Twilight. "Alduin planned to devour all life on Nirn, with the others backing him without question. If none of that caused you to turn on him, what did?"

There was nothing but silence, and at first it appeared Durnehviir wasn't going to answer.

"The Elder Scroll."

Twilight and her friends looked up at the mention of the sacred relic.

They had all learned a great deal about them while studying inside the book, ancient scrolls of unknown origin, whose power even surpasses even the divine Aedra and Daedra. Depicting the past in a way no other type of records can, magical or otherwise, the Elder Scrolls can also predict future events and any possible outcome through whatever circumstances that may happen during said event's occurrence. So great is their knowledge any who reads them without special training may lose their sight, or even their sanity.

And they all knew that during the time of the Dragon War, an Elder Scroll was used to blast him into the far future, where he eventually met his end at the hands of the Dragonborn, a mortal warrior who is miraculously born with the soul of a dragon, giving him the ability to use the Thu'um in a way only a Dovah could.

"Even among our kind, their power is insurmountable, and there was no way Alduin could not have known of its presence," continued Durnehviir, disdain and disappointment in his tone. "He had the audacity to believe that even an Elder Scroll was not a threat to him. Such impudence is unforgivable."

They all could only stare on in shock at Durnehviir's angry tone. Alduin was basically the Dovah version of Celestia to the dragons of Nirn. For him to have lost all the faith of his own kind like this spoke of the severity of the repercussions of his actions.

Even Twilight still cared for Celestia, despite her disappointment in the solar princess' childish behavior.

"And that is why I question whether you all can handle the power of the Thu'um," snapped Durnehviir, extending his neck out above them so he looked down at them with a piercing gaze. "Alduin, strongest and most respected offspring of the Divine of time Akatosh, let himself become so ruled by his own pride and self righteousness, he made a mistake no Dovah should have. How do I know the same won't apply to you?"

"Hey, I'll have you know..." Rainbow's rant was cut off when Twilight placed a hoof on her shoulder and gave a knowing smile.

"I have a better idea, girls," she said, tapping the Element of Magic on her head.

The others looked to their own elements and tapped them. They had worn them so long they had completely forgotten they were there, and how it was them that protected them from Apocrypha's adverse effects on the mind. They looked back to Twilight, uncertainty in their expressions, but when Twilight gave them a knowing smile they smiled back.

As one, the girls focused their will into their Elements and awakened their power.

Durnehviir watched as Twilight and her pony friends lifted off the ground to hover right before him, curious, for he had never seen this kind of magic before. His interest only increased as a rainbow stretched out of the crown Twilight wore and into the necklaces her companions wore one after the other, lighting each necklace with an aura of light that matched the large gems in the center. Then he sensed a great power begin to build.

"Kiir, what is happening?" Durnehviir asked Spike.

"No idea," answered the little purple dragon, looking at the hovering ponies with a smirk. "But you may want to hold onto something. When the Elements of Harmony are involved, things get flashy."

Before Durnehviir could inquire, a great multicolored orb of light sprang up around the girls, and Twilight opened her eyes to reveal glowing white pupils.

As the light poured through his eyes, Durnehviir felt a deep understanding seep into his soul. These girls had wielded great power in the past, the very power they were displaying now. And twice they only used it to defend their home and loved ones, no desires to use said power to forward their own ends afterwards.

Even now, Durnehviir could only feel their desires for the Thu'um solely so they could go home, no malicious intentions planned afterwards.

It was over as quickly as it started, the light fading as the girls levitated back to the ground. The group from Equestria could only look up at Durnehviir expectantly. It was his choice to make, first and foremost, no matter what argument they may have.

"Very well, Key-mahzin," said Durnehviir, towering over them with understanding in his piercing gaze. "You are correct... this is the best... if the not the only course of action to take."

Twilight and her friends cheered and looked up expectantly.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" said Rainbow excitedly, flapping into the air but not going far from the group. "Let's light this candle."

Without any further reason to delay, Durnehviir reared his head back and jabed it forward: 'LAH KOBIIL ENFAN'

A great cloud of mist that glowed a dark maroon color washed over all of them.

They were expecting anything, a rush of energy, a thrilling sensation, but nothing seemed to happen. They didn't feel any different from before Durnehviir Shouted over them. But when they looked up to question, they gasped to see that Durnehviir was vanishing into purple light that started from his tail and moved up.

"It is time for me to return to the Soul Cairn," he said as his neck began to vanish. "You all have the power of the Thu'um now... use it wisely.

And he was gone.

"What did he mean?" asked Rainbow, scowling as she looked at her hooves. "I don't feel any different."

"Don't worry Rainbow, I didn't either," said Twilight reassuringly, "but even now, your bodies are filling up with the magic of Nirn, and before too long, we will be able to fulfill Hermaeus Mora's wish once and for all."

"How long will it take?" Asked Fluttershy.

"In order for the spells we learned to draw from this magic, instead of our Equestrian magic," started Twilight, looking at them all with a smile. "A couple of days, maybe a week."

They groaned slightly at the waiting period, but at least things were moving forward.

"A week," said Pinkie, looking around at the foreboding landscape of Apocrypha. "I guess we could rough it here for that much longer."

"Yes," agreed Rarity, putting a comforting hoof around the pink earth pony. "At least home is in sight."

"Maybe closer than you realize... mortal."

With a gasp of surprise, they all looked up in time to see nine of Hermaeus Mora's tendriled vortexes appear above, three having eyes. It had been so long since they had seen him; it had almost slipped their minds that this was his realm.

"Lord Hermaeus Mora," said Twilight, bowing respectfully before the Daedric Prince of Knowledge.

One might expect Twilight's friends would scoff at the idea of Twilight bowing before anypony other than the princesses, but they bowed before him too. They had much more clarity of who and what he is now, emphasis on how important it was not to irritate him. And it also made them that much more grateful that he was the only Daedric Prince that had access to Equestria.

He was reasonable as long as nopony got between him and knowledge.

Twilight was the first to snap out of it, being more used to Hermaeus Mora's presence. "What do you mean?"

"Hmhmhmhmhhmmm," Hermaeus Mora chuckled sinisterly, "I have... a request of you... my champion."

"Request?" inquired Rarity, looking up with slight irritation. "No disrespect, Great Daedric Prince, but Twilight is already working on one of your requests."

"I am aware of this, mortal," said Hermaeus Mora, his tone surprisingly gentle. "But the request I have... requires not just my champion... but all of you to return to Equestria."

They all gasped in delight at that.

"And in return, after you have completed my request... you have my permission to witness the matrimonial ceremony of Princess Cadance and Captain Shining Armour... before you return to Apocrypha."

~~~

Twilight and her friends sat in Princess Celestia's personal study. Celestia, Luna, Cadance, and Shining Armour sat across from them with open mouthed shock.

After dispersing the radical storm clouds, Twilight had had a tearful reunion with Celestia, Luna, and her brother, her and Cadance doing their friendship dance as soon as they were reunited. She and her friends had spent the last few hours retelling what had happened while they were in Apocrypha, from the discussion of the Aedra and Daedra, to how they had spent the, now known, three years inside a book. They finished with their encounter with Durnehviir and Hermaeus Mora upon existing the book.

And how after they were finished with whatever Hermaeus Mora sent them to do, they were not expected back in Apocrypha until after Princess Cadance and Shining Armour were married.

"Twily," gasped Shining Armour, tears streaming his face. "Does this mean...?"

"Yes, Shining," replied Twilight, her brother unable to finish. "Although my friends and I are still indebted to Hermaeus Mora, we do not have to resume until after you two are married."

There was the sound of a stallion and a mare crying out in joy as Twilight was scooped into a huge hug with her future family.

3 Love and murder

Many joyful tears were shared between Twilight and the betrothed, her friends and the princesses all feeling happy as the beloved ceremony that was interrupted by so many out of control forces could finally be rebuilt upon again. There was planning to do, invitations to send, and a party to set up. With, of course, a wedding planner who would hopefully not have such a problematic scenario to deal with, and would get the credit she deserves.

But all that was for later, business had to come before pleasure. So, reluctantly, Twilight, Cadance, and Shining Armour had to break up their hug and return to their seats.

"What is it that Hermaeus Mora requires of you?" asked Celestia, her tone changing to serious and a slight bit of unease. "I do not care much for the 'Daedra,' as he is called, but he sent you back to us, though temporarily it would seem. I would like to help in any way I can."

Cadance, Luna, and Shining Armour all said the same.

Twilight and her friends shared an uneasy look. What Hermaeus Mora had told them before sending them home one of the most disturbing subjects they had ever had the misfortune of learning about, especially since it actually originated here in Equestria, right here in Canterlot even. Twilight especially knew the princesses would not like what they were about to hear.

But they needed their help, and regarding the situation, they weren't the only ones.

"The Changelings," said Twilight, the princesses and Shining Armour gasping in surprise at the mention of the horrible bug monsters that had not only ruined the wedding, but forced Twilight to make a pact with an interdimensional being that had now had free reign of their world. "Hermaeus Mora wants us my friends and I to offer them servitude to him."

The four royal ponies could only stare in bewilderment.

They had expected a number of things, demand of forbidden tomes, information of Equestrian's structural system, Luna and Celestia even had a brief suspicion Hermaeus Mora might want them to relinquish their magic and titles to him. The last thing they expected would be brought up were those heartless monsters.

"Why, Twily?" asked Shining Armour, a slight scowl on his face. "The survivors of the storm you summoned to Canterlot's defense have not been seen since you let them go. Not only that, but Hermaeus Mora killed their leader himself, what further use could he have for them?"

"We thought the same thing, Captain," said Rainbow, looking at Shining Armour with an uneasy look. "Until he told us what they really are."

"What do you mean?" asked Cadance, looking at Twilight and her friends and noting the repulsed look they all had. "Aren't they just a parasitic race of sub-Equestrians that feed off love?"

"That is the basic description of what they are," stated Twilight, closing her eyes in what appeared to be pitty. "But... the truth is, they didn't start out like that."

Celestia, Luna, Cadance, and Shining Armour grew uneasy looks of their own.

"And...what was their beginning, my student?" asked Celestia, knowing she was probably going to regret it when she heard the answer.

Twilight cast a look to her friends sitting on either side of her, who gestured in the princesses' direction with their heads reassuringly.

"Do you remember the homicide case involving the entomologist, Pheromone Signal?" asked Twilight, practically forcing the question out as the details bouncing around in her mind nearly made her lock up.

Luna cast Cadance, Shining Armour, and her sister a look of confusion as they all gasped in shock.

"Twily, why would you bring up a subject like that?" asked Shining Armour, a disapproving scowl on his face.

"And what could it possibly have to do with this?" asked Celestia with a disturbed expression.

"I don't understand, sister," said Luna, drawing the taller alicorn's attention. "Who is 'Pheromone Signal'?"

It occurred to Celestia that Luna would not know what they were talking about, since the circumstances involved happened within her millennium of banishment. The details were monstrous and to this day they gave her the chills. The protective older sister in her wished to keep Luna free of them.

But instead, she gave Twilight a questioning look.

"It's best if you tell her," she said with a supportive smile, "She needs to know."

Celestia did not argue.

"Luna, around fifty years ago there was a unicorn entomologist that lived right here in Canterlot," began Celestia, Luna hanging on to her every word. "Her name was Pheromone Signal, and she was probably the most accomplished pony of her practice, even to this day. It was her that discovered that bees communicate with certain pheromones."

"Yes, I remember learning about that during my rehabilitation," said Luna, "Truly fascinating, that such small simple insects could utilize such a complex system."

"And Aunty Celestia here even awarded her a noble prize for the discovery," said Cadance, Celestia nodding in confirmation, "For since then, artificial bee pheromone have become a valuable commodity for beekeepers and for bee repellent."

"This is all very fascinating, but it doesn't explain your reactions," said Luna, slight confusion and irritation in her tone. "Homicide, does not that mean...murder?"

Celestia gave a sad nod before continuing. "After she made her pheromone discovery, I gave Pheromone Signal a very generous grant to forward her research. With it, she traveled Equestria far and wide, studying the different species of bees, and what the difference between them was.

"During her traveling, she met a young stallion named Quizzical, and at first she only hired him as an intern. But after a few years working together, their relationship became something else. Upon her return to Canterlot, she announced that she and Quizzical were engaged."

Luna froze up.

This sounded like a happy story. A scientist makes the discovery of the millennium, and finds love along the way. But she had not forgotten the morbidity of this subject.

"You wondering how murder could fit into a story like this," said Celestia sadly, reading her sister's look. "Its because a week after Pheromone Signal made the announcement, her younger sister Lily Bloom, and her fiance Quizzical... were found in Quizzical's hotel room...with their throats cut..."

Luna actually looked like she might faint.

Crime had its occurrences in any civilization, even a peaceful one like Equestria, but murder, especially such graphic murders, were unheard of. It was one of the few crimes whose punishment had not been reduced over the years. Execution.

Twilight and her friends looked on in sympathy at Luna's look, having felt like that when they learned this grueling detail.

"Who would do something like that?" asked Luna in a mortified whisper.

"Pheromone was, and still is, the prime suspect," said Shining Armour, Celestia nodding to him with approval that he should be the one to continue.

Luna grew even more mortified. "How do you know it was her?"

"The investigation was before my time, but I studied the old files very thoroughly," replied Shining. "From what the reports say, Pheromone Signal introduced Quizzical to her little sister when she arrived home in Canterlot, and together they were going to plan the wedding. But in doing so, Quizzical and Lily Bloom... began sneaking around behind Pheromone Signal's back."

"How revolting!" exclaimed Luna, an angry sneer on her face. "She loved him, and he repays her with adultery? I know its no excuse for murder, but I can see how that makes sense."

"It wasn't just that," continued Shining Armour, "It was later discovered that the murder weapon was a scalpel, identical to what entomologists use to dissect specimens."

Luna's mouth dropped open at that. If the perfect motive wasn't proof enough, that definitely was.

"What happened?" asked Luna eagerly. "Did they catch that murderous demon?"

Luna was surprised again when the three sitting with her only shook their heads.

"I sent the authorities after her once I learned of the murders, but by then she had already had a three day head start," said Celestia, disappointed in herself. "Eventually, her trail went cold near the borders of the Badlands, where we found a bloody scalpel and lab coat lying in the sand. I continued an investigation for years afterwards, but no trace of Pheromone Signal was ever found or seen again."

"Not entirely true, your majesty, she was seen three years ago here in Canterlot," said Rainbow Dash, reminding the royal ponies of their guests, as well as shocking them. "You see, bug pony Chrysalis, and bug pony Pheromone Signal were one in the same."

Again, they met this with a look of disbelief.

"How could that be true?" asked Cadance, trembling slightly. "As despicable as her crimes were, Pheromone Signal was still a pony. How could she and Queen Chrysalis be the same person? Chrysalis was a changeling."

Twilight's friends nudged her slightly forward, the purple unicorn nodding and began regaling them what Hermaeus Mora had told them.

---

Pheromone Signal threw the blood soaked labcoat to the ground, followed by a bloody scalpel.

It had been several days since she found Quizzical spooning with her own sister and the immense rage she had felt was only now starting to fade, after three days of nonstop running. Now that she could think clearer, the image of the scalpel levitated in her unicorn magic slashing across the sleeping throats of her traitorous loved ones was foremost in her mind, them thrashing in pain for a only a second before going still. It had felt so relieving...

...until now.

Now she could not suppress the love she had always held for those two before now, and it sent a spike of pain straight to her heart. What had she done? Her own sister... her own fiance... both had lost their lives by her own hooves.

A great wail echoed through the empty landscape.

Pheromone Signal fell to the ground as guilt, shame, and regret spread throughout her heart. Pain the likes of which she had never experienced (and she had been stung by every bee known) erupted in her chest and ate through her conscience like acid. It was too much... she could not live with it.

Instinctively, her unicorn magic flared to life, illuminating the surrounding area with all her emotions.

And then she felt the source of all her emotional distress become entangled in her magic. She pulled without hesitation, every fiber of her being dedicated to pulling the horrible sensation from her being. She could feel it, it was almost to the surface.

She let out a gasp as her magic pulled something from her body, panting in exertion and relief.

Until a deep burning sensation whipped through her whole body. Looking down, she saw her Cutie Mark depicting a bumblebee following a trail 'melt' into a black spot on her flank. She watched in horror as it spread over her like water, moving up her coat.

Holes appeared in her legs as it the black spread over them. Insect like wings sprouted from her back. Her horn grew long and crooked atop her head.

Then everything she knew became an intense hunger that appeared inside her body.

She looked to the pink orb floating before her in her green magic. She cared not where it came from, or that it had once been a critical part of her. She looked at the slightly glowing orb, pink light reflecting in her eyes as her pupils became snake like, licking her new fangs with a barbed tongue.

This ball of light... it smelled delicious.

---

Cadance looked like she might be sick. "She... she must have torn out her own love."

"Yes," confirmed Twilight, a look of pity on her face. "And as you all know, when a unicorn uses their magic for something so extreme that isn't compatible with their special talent, the results can be disastrous."

Of course the princesses and Shining Armour knew that.

It was called unstable magic feedback. When a unicorn has this problem, it floods the body with unstable magic, with unfortunately painful results. Swelling horn, severe pain and several other symptoms had been documented, though nothing like this.

But there had never been a documented case of unstable magic feedback occuring during such a powerful spell. Only extremely high level spells can interfere with emotions to the extent Pheromone Signal's did and for her to have cast it instinctively like that was almost unheard of. The result, her Cutie Mark must have (for lack of a better term) ruptured, her passion for insects mutating her body.

"Wait," said Celestia, a look of pure horror on her face. "If Chrysalis herself was originally a pony... then... her minions..."

Twilight gave a sad nod. "The disappearing ponies."

Celestia, Luna, Cadance, and Shining Armour all locked up in horror.

Over the course of the last few decades, small settlements throughout Equestria were turning up deserted. Settlements even smaller than Ponyville, one day relatives of the townsfolk would come to visit, but find it abandoned. No ponies whatsoever.

It had been happening so few and far between though that it was usually dismissed as timberwolf attacks or some other creature, despite the fact no bodies were ever discovered.

"How was she doing it?" Asked Shining Armour shakily.

"She may have been mutated beyond recognition, but Chrysalis still had Pheromone Signal's instincts as a scientist," explained Twilight. "At first she just fed on the random travelers she happened across, but over time, she began to experiment with her new ability. Before long she not only figured out how to rip out another pony's love, but to also replicate the process that made her who she was."

That would explain a great deal for Cadance. She had been the Princess of Love all her life, and so she made it her responsibility to learn everything about the changelings. And she could never find any references to them existing for any further back than the last few decades.

This explained why.

"How can we trust this is true?" asked Shining Armour, a horrified expression on his muzzle. "Hermaeus Mora has only been here for three years, how does he know any of this?"

"Don't you remember, Shining Armour?" inquired Pinkie, smiling as she pulled a squishy black ball covered in little tendrils from her mane. "I am Hermaeus Mora, Daedric Prince of Knowledge, and I have come to read your books," said Pinkie in a low pitched voice, waving the ball around as she pulled up another doll in her other hoof, the little figure bearing a resemblance to Chrysalis. "Hey, I was here first," squeaked Pinkie, squeezing the Chrysalis doll, whose horn shot forward like a dart and bounced off the wiggly ball.

"HO, you'll pay for that," said Pinkie in the overly deep voice, flicking the ball so one of the tendrils scraped on Chrysalis's head. "Ahahahah, pbbbt," said Pinkie, making the Chrysalis doll fall backward.

Everypony just gave Pinkie a flabbergasted look.

"Ugh, despite her colorful description, Pinkie is right," said Twilight, arching an eyebrow as Pinkie put the toys back in her mane. "Hermaeus Mora drained Chrysalis of her knowledge. Her wisdom, her memories, everything."

Though the memory gave them the chills, they did recall that.

"Twilight?" asked Celestia, her face awash with tears on hearing what had become of those missing ponies. "Is there any way to reverse what has been done to the ponies who are now changelings? Can... can we bring them back?"

"I am sorry," said Twilight, deep sadness in her eyes. "It is irreversible. The ponies who became changelings are lost, forever.

Celestia clenched her eyes shut as more tears spilled from them, Luna stroking her back comfortingly.

"But that is why I believe letting Hermaeus Mora take them into his care is the best thing that we can do for them," said Twilight, getting surprised looks from the princesses and her brother. "They may not be the ponies they once were, but they are still living creatures. And without their queen, they are dying."

That made Cadance, Luna, Shining Armour, and Celestia snap out of their distress at hearing what had happened to so many ponies.

"What do you mean?" asked Luna.

"When Chrysalis turned them into her minions... she left out the ability to feed," explained Rarity, taking up the spotlight as Twilight seemed in need of a break. "That is how she ensured their loyalty, unless she fed them love herself, they would starve."

Cadance gasped, " So... now that she's dead...?"

"They have been starving," confirmed Twilight. "For three years."

4 Settlement or dispute

Shakily, Thorax ran his hole riddled hoof over the cold face of the prone changeling before him, gently closing her eyes as silent sobs wracked his body.

This tiny female had not been with the hive for even a week before the disastrous assault on Canterlot, and she was by no means the first. Slowly and agonizingly, changelings had been dropping to the ground, too weak to go on, and Thorax could do nothing to stop it, for he was dwindling just as much as the rest. Slowly, he felt what little love was left inside him diminishing, hunger growing in its place.

And he knew if things didn't change soon, all the few remaining changelings will die out.

"Alright, do it," said Thorax, his fellow changelings that were in the chamber with him giving him a nod.

If any... anything that came out of what happened in Canterlot could be counted as even slightly good, it was the fact that the other changelings stayed true to Twilight's demands and followed him. It wasn't an official changeling decree for them to obey the one who took down their leader, but it worked nonetheless. It might be because there was no point in doing otherwise, it would not make their situation any better.

Tears of mourning, regret, and self loathing streamed down Thorax's cheeks as the four other changelings lowered the lifeless body into a hole in the ground, one of the many in the hive that open and close spontaneously as is the norm for changelings nest. Just as they pulled their hooves away, the hole closed like a pulsating artery, opening up again to reveal its empty depth. This was the equivalent of a changeling funeral, any recently deceased changeling place in a changeling hive hole simply vanished.

It was believed the went to a place where love flows through the ground like rivers.

But Thorax had no time to dwell on his people's religious beliefs, gesturing for his company to follow him as he buzzed deeper into the hive. With that little one’s death, the hive’s numbers were down to about three dozen. After Twilight released them from the clutches of the hideous mass of tendrils that calls itself 'Hermaeus Mora', the first thing Thorax did was recall all the changelings back to the hive, even the reconnaissance party that Chrysalis had sent deep into Equestria's infrastructure.

Thorax bore no grudge against Equestria for Chrysalis, they had every right to destroy her for what she tried to do.

But the moment he saw her struck down Thorax knew that they were in really deep trouble. Changelings had always been fed love energy by the queen herself. She never told them why this was, but after every successful raid on any source of love, Chrysalis would channel some to all of them through the changelings' hivemind.

So with her death, their only source of sustenance was gone, as well as the cruel voice they had all heard their whole lives.

It was Thorax's hope that they could find a solution if all the remaining changelings were to work together, but all attempts failed. Twilight was right, Chrysalis was the only one of them that had even an iota of higher intelligence, the rest (Thorax included) only had rudimentary intelligence. Even their magic was limited to levitation and that spell that turns them into living green comets.

But Thorax had one idea left.

They needed to reach out to the ponies of Equestria. Their magical knowhow and intelligence was matched by no other creature on Equis, so if anyone could pull them from the brink, it was them. This fact Thorax was most positive about after remembering Twilight’s battle with Chrysalis, Twilight’s hunger for knowledge was too strong for Chrysalis' hunger for love to stand up to.

But there was an obstacle against this last ditch effort.

Thorax dared not approach the Equestrian rulers. They had no right to just ask for their help, not after what happened at the wedding. And as weak as they were now, if Equestria decided to seek retribution, it would ensure their end for good.

The only solution Thorax could come up with to at least minimize the possibility of that outcome would be to bring Equestria a peace offering.

But they had only one thing of value left. One thing that Equestria might be remotely interested in so as not to either kill them on the spot, or lock them in a dungeon and let their own starvation finish them off. One thing that was constantly guarded by the one changeling that would not do as Twilight said and listen to him.

Thorax and his company landed in their late queen's throne room, the abominable black chair made of made of magic sucking stone sitting in front of them.

A changeling with a red frill stood within, green changeling goop anchoring him as it stretched all over the room.

With a hiss, Pharynx growled, "Come any closer and I will bite your faces off!"

Thorax sighed, ever since he had proposed they hoof over Chrysalis's throne to Equestria, Pharynx had strapped himself to it with his own goop. That was over a year in a half ago.

"We lost another, Pharynx," he said, one last tear rolling down his face.

Pharynx only hissed again. "Another worthy sacrifice in the name of our mighty queen."

"Why do you praise her?" asked Thorax, a small scowl on his face. "Don't you realize... all this... all our suffering, it's all her fault."

"We would not be suffering if our beloved queen had accomplished her goal," snarled Pharynx. "If those despicable ponies had not interfered, we would me more powerful then ever before."

"Interfered?!" snapped Thorax, stomping his hoof. "All the ponies did was defend themselves. Don't you realize what we did was wrong!"

"We are changelings," answered Pharynx aggressively. "We feed on love, we have every right to take it by whatever means."

"By attacking the capital of a country that not only has a lot of love, but gives it freely," said Thorax. "Haven't you ever wondered why Chrysalis didn't at least try to negotiate with Equestria?"

Pharynx just turned away with a hmph.

"It's because she didn't do it solely for Equestria's love," explained Thorax, probably for the hundredth time to this particular changeling. "She relished in the suffering, from both the ponies and us. She was nothing but a cruel tyrant."

"DON'T YOU TALK ABOUT OUR MIGHTY QUEEN LIKE THAT," yelled Pharynx, veins throbbing on his neck. "She was a true leader, a title you insult by ordering our kind around in her absence. If not for that murderous demon unicorn, she would still be here, leading us on the path of glory."

'Like she was just supposed to lie down and let Chrysalis turn her loved ones against her,' thought Thorax bitterly.

"I will ask one more time, Pharynx," said Thorax, a great regret in his voice as he levitated a small jagged rock. "Will you allow us to take Chrysalis's throne so we can present it to Equestria as a peace offering?"

"NEVER," yelled Pharynx, his tongue wiggling as he hissed while he spoke. "This throne is the legacy of our queen, and it is the only thing that protects us from our enemies."

"It does not protect us from our true enemy, Pharynx," continued Thorax, taking aim at Pharynx's head as he spoke. "Day by day, our hunger grows, approaching our demise along the way. We are facing extinction, if we don't get help the few of us left will perish."

"Then we will perish as the mighty Changelings of Chrysalis," stated Pharynx with a steely voice.

This was not the first time this conversation had come to this dead end. Thorax didn't want to do it, but if Pharynx was going to cling to this idealism so stubbornly what choice did he have? One more changeling or them all, it was not an easy choice, but it was an obvious one.

"So you refuse to allow me to pursue the one path that could save us?" asked Thorax, deep regret in his voice.

"I would rather die."

'So be it,' thought Thorax, letting out a small whimper as he readied his improvised projectile. 'Forgive me, brother.'

"THORAX!"

The small, feminine shout threw Thorax's aim off, sending the stone sailing past Pharynx and missing his head by an inch. He had not the slightest change in expression as a small section of throne next to him cracked slightly. Though he did draw his attention to the small changeling that sprinted into the room, just like his brother.

"Ocellus?" inquired Thorax worriedly, his last train of thought forgotten as he took in the young changeling's terrified expression. "What's wrong?"

"HOW MANY TIMES HAVE I TOLD YOU NOT TO LEAVE THE BADLANDS TO MAKE THOSE RIDICULOUS FLOWER NECKLACES!" screamed Pharynx from above, taking in the blue plants around the young changeling's neck.

Thorax flashed Pharynx a small sneer, but soon brought his attention to the small changeling that had just arrived.

If ever there was a changeling more meek than him, it would be Ocellus. Always so shy, always sneaking out to the border to make necklaces out of the blue flower that grows among the trees there, for along with absorbing magic, Chrysalis's throne also sucks the life out of smaller lifeforms, such as bugs or plants. It was the reason the Badlands were completely barren.

As well as the reason Ocellus had to travel so far to indulge in her favorite hobby, which she obviously continued even with their current dire situation.

"What is wrong, Ocellus?" asked Thorax, slightly worried.

Ocellus took a while to answer, still trying to catch her breath. "Ponies... in the Badlands. And they are heading for the hive!"

Thorax's breath caught in his throat. He and other the changelings had been worried that ponies would come here seeking retribution. Twilight may have 'let them off with a warning' but they weren't delusional, they knew that not everypony would be so eager to forgive.

"And that's not all," continued Ocellus, slight tears budding in the corners of her eyes, fear evident in her voice. "Three are alicorns, that must mean they are the princesses. And they have brought a dragon too."

That piece of the message got Thorax thinking.

"How many more ponies are with them?" he asked, hoping he was right.

"Seven, two from each pony tribe, all mares, and one other unicorn who is a stallion."

With that Thorax's theory was confirmed, it had to be Twilight Sparkle. And in a second, Thorax formulated a plan. Twilight had been merciful enough to let them go, despite having the means and motivation to eradicate them as a species all together.

Maybe... just maybe, they could be convinced to help.

In fact, that might be why they were here to begin with, judging by what the intel on each of them said.

"Round up all the changelings that are left," Thorax said to the four changelings that had entered the chamber with him. "We will all go out and meet these ponies."

"Thorax, these are the princesses," stated one of the changelings, his shoulders shaking. "They were formidable to us before the invasion, as we are now they will slaughter us."

"I don't intend to fight," said Thorax, his tone serious. "I am going to beg... no, plead for their aid."

"YOU ARE A DAMN FOOL!" shouted Pharynx, his outburst drawing all their attention. "Don't you see, this is a golden opportunity. Those miserable ponies have wandered into our territory, where thanks to this magic throne of our beloved queen, only our magic can reign."

"I will hear no more of this, Pharynx," said Thorax, turning away from the changeling self bound to that magic sucking monstrosity. "This is our only chance, if we squander it trying something aggressive, it will surly mean our doom."

"If you would use this situation right, the only ones doomed would be the ponies!" replied Pharynx aggressively, "How can you not take advantage of their presence here, with the princesses no less."

" You saw what Twilight did in Canterlot," stated Thorax, a worried frown on his muzzle. "And now she has the princesses with her, what chance would we have?"

"Even those feathered nuisances would be powerless here," snapped Pharynx.

"And do you think they would be obviously heading our way if that was the case? continued Thorax as suspicion after suspicion rattled in his mind. "If Ocellus saw them right on the border they have to have entered into the throne's barrier by now. If it was affecting them, they would have noticed."

"Preposterous!" grunted Pharynx, gritting his teeth, wincing as the fang he damaged biting Shining Armours barrier twinged. "How would they be unaffected by the throne's coveted powers?"

"Hermaeus Mora," was all Thorax replied with, all changelings present gasping than shaking with fear. Even Pharynx flinched. "Do you honestly think that if that monstrous entity is involved with this, the throne would stop him?"

Pharynx just sat there, only blinking, but Thorax had had enough.

"Leave him," he said to Ocellus and the others. "We will head out and greet our visitors."

---

Pharynx snapped back to reality just in time to see Thorax and the others buzzing away into holes in the distance.

He would sooner be tortured and die before admitting it, but he feared Hermaeus Mora. Not for what he saw him do in Canterlot, but for what he genuinely is. All his years of head of Chrysalis' patrol, Pharynx had only ever faced one type of enemies.

The kind that had only one solitary body.

Seeing something that can manifest in multiple locations like that was a concept even Pharynx found terrifying. But Hermaeus Mora or no Hermaeus Mora, Pharynx wasn't going to let this opportunity slip by. No matter what that goody four hooves Thorax had to say.

'Thorax,' Pharynx sneered in his mind, a devious grin in his muzzle.

He may just be able to use this situation to kill multiple birds with one stone. With a flash of green magic, Pharynx sliced through his bonds and slinked into the shadows.

---
(A few hours earlier)

Three covered chariots inlaid with gold and precious gemstone landed in the trees at the border of the Badlands, the pegasus guards pulling them neighing as they slid to a stop.

"Thank you, sirs," said Princess Celestia as she exited her chariot, Luna, Cadance, and Shining Armour in tow.

Rainbow fluttered out of the next chariot, Spike and Pinkie following. Applejack and Rarity stepped out of the last chariot, Rarity batting her lashes in thanks to the stallions who pulled them, much to Spike's annoyance. But it wasn't long before they noticed some were missing.

"Excuse me girls," Princess Celestia said to Applejack and Rarity, " Where are Fluttershy and my student?"

"Fluttershy still needs a little more time, your majesty," answered Applejack, bowing respectfully.

"Poor dear," said Rarity, looking back into the interior of the wagon. "Even after everything she's been through, she still is as delicate as only she can be."

"You can say that again," said Rainbow, rolling her eyes.

"But she has Twilight in there to help her through it," said Pinkie happily.

Celestia, Luna, Cadance, and Shining Armour agreed, though they weren't sure why Rarity swooned.

---

Fluttershy trembled slightly as her mulberry friend stroked her mane. It had not surprised Twilight in the slightest that Fluttershy had clung to her once the barren landscape came into view from their airborne point of view, that foreboding dark structure off in the distance could only be the changeling hive, their unfortunate destination. It would seem that even three years of studying destructive magic and cold logic could not make Fluttershy change, though that thought was a tremendous relief to Twilight.

"I... I don't know if I can... go through with this," said Fluttershy shakily, slight tears leaking from her eyes. "What if... the changelings attack us?"

"I won't lie and say that it isn't a possibility," said Twilight, her heart trembling in her breast when Fluttershy's trembling increased. "If you would like, you could stay here with the carriages. I'm sure you would have nothing to worry about this far from the Badlands, and I might even convince Rainbow to stay with you."

Fluttershy peeked up, slight run marks on her cheeks.

Twilight wore a look that told the whole story of what she was feeling. She was worried for her own and her friends' safety, as well as Fluttershy's mental well being. She could also see Twilight's desire to be doing this solo, so her friends would not be in danger.

And Fluttershy was not going to have it.

Last time Twilight faced a situation alone, it lead to an eldritch interdimensional being crawling into Equestria. No, Fluttershy would not let herself be left here just so she could be out of danger. Plus, Twilight didn't deserve to be going it alone anymore.

And that was the reason Twilight got a gentle smile.

"I am with you, Twilight," said Fluttershy, wiping away her fearful tears before they could be present any longer. "Even if it will be dangerous at times."

Twilight threw her head back slightly in surprise.

"Fluttershy, I... I appreciate that..." Twilight started, looking into her friend's teal eyes with a spike of regret. "But I shouldn't just let you follow me into a dangerous situation, not if there is a chance for you to avoid it."

Twilight did not like the look Fluttershy cast down to her flank.

" I... I don't think that is an option anymore, Twilight," said Fluttershy shakily,"You, me, Spike, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Rarity... we... we are bound to Hermaeus Mora. If there is something that I noticed while studying the Daedric Prince's... their followers... while they don't always meet with disaster and tragedy... almost never live lives that don't involve danger and adventure."

Fifteen years of studying, fifteen years of knowledge on Daedric Princes, and Twilight never made that connection.

What was going to happen now? Fluttershy was right, those in service to the Daedra had a habit of living very unique lives. Even if they did meet Hermaeus Mora's demands someday, she doubted the mark of Hermaeus Mora upon their flanks would disappear.

How would her life turn out... her friends... all of Equestria?

"And that is why I shouldn't try to hide from it," said Fluttershy, snapping Twilight out of her mulling. "Whatever will happen, this is the direction our lives are going. I will do myself and my friends no favors by hiding away."

Twilight watched as her friend slipped from the carriage to join the group. What Fluttershy had said was still on her mind,
about what was going to happen to them afterwards. But the conviction in Fluttershy's tone after she said it also gave her hope. No matter what was to come, they were in this together and she herself knew they will face it head on, no matter what.

With a smile that was part confidence and part relief, Twilight leaped down from the carriages, all of them leaving the stationary pegasus guards to stand sentinel as they made their way to the border of the Badlands.

---

"Finally, we're here," said Rainbow as the mobile party arrived at a cliff that dropped down into the barren landscape of grey below.

They had arrived at the border about an hour ago, but Twilight had seen this cliff some distance off to the left and decided it would be a better starting point then the spot they first found. Why? A sizable boulder sat at the end of the ledge, making it the perfect spot to test the information Hermaeus Mora had shared with them about the Changeling kingdom.

"Alright, Applejack, you're up," said Twilight, looking to her earth pony friend and pointing to the boulder with a hoof.

Applejack nodded and trotted forward, arriving at the huge rock in a second. She spit on both hooves, rubbing them together, and placing them on the boulders. While it was a rock of impressive size, Applejack was a seasoned earth pony, so it should be well within her ability to at least budge it slightly.

With a deep inhale, Applejack threw all her strength into her hooves, pushing for as much as she was worth.

The boulder never even trembled.

"I guess that proves it," said Applejack, looking behind her to her approaching company. "Equestrian magic doesn't work here."

Rainbow (who had uncharacteristically walked up with the rest of them) flapped her wings as hard as she could, but her hooves stayed planted in the dirt. She huffed through her nostrils and pouted.

Celestia lit her horn, but her bright aura vanished from her horn into a puff of mist and was pulled out towards the foreboding structure in the distance. "It is as we feared, Sister."

Luna nodded in understanding, her own horn's aura flowing off into the distance.

When Twilight and the others explained that Hermaeus Mora had learned that the Badlands was host to a magic throne that sucked up all magic, they weren't only surprised, they also grew suspicious. This was not the first time they had encountered this type of phenomenon.

"It would ge safe to assume we were correct, sister," said Luna, looking at the faraway structure with a sneer. "Chrysalis's throne is made of mananite."

The rest of them looked at each other nervously.

After Twilight had explained how the throne worked, the royal sisters told them of a substance they came across a thousand years ago. It was shortly after they vanquished Discord, and while Equestria was recovering, the first encounter with mananite occurred. It was a horrible black stone that sucked the energy out of whatever was nearby, plant, pony, animal, didn't matter.

Since the stuff had not been present until after Discord screwed up the land it was safe to assume it was somehow formed because of him, but they wondered why it had remained even after the elements purified the land.

It was later discovered that the soon to be named mananite's magic absorption capabilities were so potent it must have even absorbed the magic of the elements. Everywhere it was found ponies could not use their inherent magic, crops would not grow, even in lands that had once been so fertile. Even the princesses' alicorn magic was susceptible to it.

A solution had to be found, before the black rock reduced Equestria to a barren wasteland.

So Celestia and Luna found a section of their kingdom that was barren on its own, no mananite around for miles. Pooling their immense alicorn magic, the cut a huge hole in the ground about an acre wide, cutting all the way down into the molten interior of the planet. It was going to be a hard and daunting task, but it was the only plan they could come up with that was sure to work.

Over the course of the next two years, Celestia and Luna, as well as as many volunteers as the could round up, scoured the land for mananite, collecting every miniscule gram so it could be deposited into the hole and absorbed by the lava below. It was exhausting, for ponies could only rely on their wits and whatever strength their bodies possess when magic is not involved to find the evil mineral. Eventually, their efforts paid off, life returned to the land and once no more mananite was turning up even in the smallest of quantity, Celestia and Luna closed up the huge deposit hole.

But it would seem that some had been missed.

"Of all ponies, why did it have to be Pheromone Signal who found the only piece of mananite that we missed," complained Celestia with an annoyed frown.

"I would like to know how she was unaffected," said Luna, still staring into the distance. "We never found a way to keep it from absorbing any and all kinds of magic."

"This complicates our situation," said Shining Armour, looking at the princesses, plus his fiance worriedly. "If we go out there, we will be defenseless."

"Not necessarily, big brother," said Twilight, looking to Pinkie Pie and nodding.

Before their eyes, Pinkie bounced on her poofy tail and into the open air over the cliff. Celestia opened her mouth to protest, but stopped as she saw Pinkie make circular gestures with her hooves, a trail of purple sparks following in their wake. With a strange noise, Pinkie halted right before disappearing under the ledge, her grinning face sinking slowly beneath the edge.

Looking over, they all saw Pinkie descending slowly to the ground, her hooves resting on pink ripples that spread beneath her, though only the royalty were surprised.

"I'm glad my suspicion was correct," said Twilight, waving to Pinkie as she waved from below. "Mananite can't absorb magicka, so the spells the girls, Spike, and I have brought from Apocrypha will work here."

"I have never seen a levitation spell like that," said Luna interestingly.

"It's called a Slow Fall spell, your majesty," explained Rarity, "It's only meant to gracefully guide someone in free fall to the ground safely."

Luna nodded, her attention on the pink earth pony below.

"Princess Celestia," said Twilight worriedly, approaching her tall alabaster teacher. "Are you sure you want to follow us past this point? My friends and I still have access to our magic from Nirn, but you and the others will be defenseless."

"I am sure, Twilight," said Celestia, her tone compassionate but serious. "With or without my magic, I need to be present, to show the changelings that I myself want peace." She smiled at Twilight's worried look. "And if it comes down to it, I have every faith that you and your friends will prevent me or my sister from being harmed."

Twilight nodded, of course they would defend their princesses.

"Well, let's get this cattle train moving," said Applejack, gesturing with those same pink sparks and leaping off the ledge.

The rest followed, also using the same spell to gently float down on pink ripples.

"Hey wait," said Shining Armour when only he, the princesses, and Spike remained. "How are we going to get down?"

"Oh, don't worry, I got this," said Spike smugly.

The four ponies could only stare as Spike gestured with his claws, them too trailing pink sparks. Never before had a dragon used magic like this, and the sight surprised them slightly. But rather than shower over himself like the others, the sparks condensed between his claws as he held them before him. A purple gyroscope formed in Spike's claws, spinning as it illuminated pink light.

Then it flew at them, showering them all in pink sparks.

"Well, let's catch up with the others, shall we?" said Spike, casting another spell on himself and casually walking off the ledge, pink ripples under his feet.

Not wanting to waste any time, the four royal ponies followed suit. They had used magic all their lives, but this was different. The pink ripples under them had a somewhat tranquil effect as if guided them gently to the ground to land safely on their hooves.

As they made their way into the sand strewn land ahead, they didn't see the changeling eyes that opened on the boulder Applejack had tried to move, watching them head to the hive above the broken flower stems beneath.

5 Dispute it is

"Twilight."

Twilight, whose attention had been centered on her friends, jumped slightly at being addressed.

Though she was doing her best to hide it, the studious purple unicorn was internally shaking with anticipation and nervousness. She was, by no means, actually scared, but the last time she confronted the changelings, everything went wrong in every possible way. Her brother's wedding was ruined, she spent fifteen years studying deadly, otherworldly magic which her friends later joined her, and Hermaeus Mora, an entity of malice and empathy, was introduced to her home, and one does not go through all that without it leaving an impression.

She was aware that this wasn't the same as the first time, the changelings were weakening and dwindling in numbers rapidly, but they were by no means the brightest stars in the sky. And they were approaching their hive with the most influential and detrimental pony royalty in tow, only an idiot would not be aware that the possibility of an ambush was more than a possibility. The changelings didn't know that the mananite throne didn't affect the magic from Nirn either, so they would most likely under the delusion of having the home field advantage as well.

This was, by no means, actually making her consider turning back, she still felt intense pity for the changelings' plight; one that was by no means, actually their own fault. They hadn't asked to be abducted by that murderous demon Chrysalis to be converted into her subservient drones, but their were still so many possibilities that could lead this whole operation to disaster. For both parties.

Twilight shook her head violently to rid herself of these thoughts.

Now was not the time, plus, she had just been addressed by somepony who obviously wanted her attention. Said pony was Princess Celestia, who approached her on her left, while Cadance, Luna, and Shining Armour were on her right. Celestia had a look of regret in her eyes.

"I apologize, my student," she said, looking down at Twilight with her magenta eyes. "I didn't mean to startle you."

Twilight simply smiled up at her. "It's okay, your majesty. I need to focus."

"It's okay to be nervous, Twily," said Shining Armour, flashing his little sis a supportive smile. "This is kinda a delicate and serious situation."

She wanted to form a rebuttal, to say she was not afraid, but reined it in. She was an emissary of Hermaeus Mora, Daedric Prince of knowledge and truth. Lies are unbecoming of those who serve under such an entity as him.

So she only replied with a grateful nod, then turned her attention back to the princess. "Is there something I can help with, your majesty?"

Celestia had a look that was equal parts regret and nervousness.

"Twilight, the others and I had a discussion on the way here," started the sun princess, Cadance, Shining, and her sister nodding in confirmation. "We didn't want to bring it up until there was time, and seeing as, well..." She brought her attention to the looming black mass in the distance that was growing ever closer. "There is something we must ask you."

Twilight gave Princess Celestia her undivided attention, waiting patiently.

Celestia had to compose herself for a second. "You are certain the other Daedra can't invade Equestria, like Hermaeus Mora has?"

Twilight flashed them all a reassuring smile. After she had informed them of the changelings Twilight and her friends had spent a good bit of time regaling them about what she had learned in Apocrypha, including the other Daedra. After all, they needed to know Hermaeus Mora wasn't the only one, and he was by no means the most dangerous.

She had been expecting such a question to turn up eventually.

"You needn't worry, Princess Celestia," said Twilight, her smile supportive and comforting. "The other Daedra have no presence here in Equis."

"How can you be so certain, young Twilight?" Asked Luna, uncharacteristic unease in her voice. "Hermaeus Mora infiltrated our world, and if the others are just as powerful as him, they could pull it off to."

"Very few of the other Daedric Princes can match Hermaeus Mora in terms of raw power," explained Twilight, all four royal ponies hanging on her every word. "And even then, Hermaeus Mora succeeded in coming to Equestria with more than just power."

"How do you mean?" Asked Cadance worriedly.

"As you all already know, a powerful interdimensional barrier exists between Equis and Nirn," explained Twilight, the others nodding in understanding. "It took nearly all of Hermaeus Mora's strength to breach it, and even then, he was only able to do so long enough to slip one of his Black Books through."

"Yes, I remember that dreadful object," said Cadance, shivering at the memory of that sinister book and the sensation that passed through her when that black tendril touched her.

"To get it here, Hermaeus Mora utilized his intelligence, as well his strength, and in the beginning it only provided him extremely limited access," explained Twilight, looking up at the sky as she remembered all that Hermaeus explained how he came to be in Equestria. "It wasn't until Chrysalis destroyed that amulet containing a fraction of his essence that he was able to completely manifest here physically."

"And what is preventing the other Daedra from doing the same?" asked Luna with slight worry.

"As far as I know, the only way for a Daedric Prince to enter our world is the same way Hermaeus Mora did," explained Twilight, giving the lunar princess a calming smile. "That is to pierce the ether, slip a magic artifact related to them through, wait until someone they can influence comes into contact with said artifact, then have them carry an object containing their essence back to Equestria and release it."

"It does not sound all that improbable, Twilight," said Celestia nervously. "Especially for something as powerful as the Daedric Princes you described."

" As I explained before, Hermaeus Mora used his intelligence as well as his power," repeated Twilight. "He actually showed me the formula he used once, and the mathematics were beyond even me. The other Daedra are powerful, but did they strike you as the intellectual type?"

The four regal ponies looked to each other.

From what Twilight had told them, that was the last thing the other Daedra would be. They sounded like self centered, egotistical psychopaths that played with mortal lives like a child would toys. If any of them had any higher intelligence, like Twilight was describing that was needed, they didn't utilize it all that often.

"Is it truly beyond their comprehension?" asked Cadance, looking to Twilight for confirmation for the first time in her life.

"Like I keep saying, it takes a higher form of intellect to penetrate the ether the way Hermaeus Mora did," said Twilight, though with no trace of annoyance at being asked multiple times. "And all I can say is that the other Daedra don't even come close to fitting the bill."

Their fears were by no means eased completely, but somehow Twilight's words relieved some of them. They had learned that her word was worth listening to, so if she said something, it was the closest thing they could get to completely believable.

"We're sorry for pressuring you, Twilight, we had to be sure," said Celestia, inclining her head respectfully.

"I don't blame you," replied Twilight, her look supportive. "I felt the same way when I first learned of the other Daedra."

"It's still so incomprehensible," said Luna, wrinkling her brow in revulsion. "Disease, murder, treachery, thievery, destruction, these things are actions of only the most despicable of natures. To think, not only are there creatures that not only instigate them, but are as close to their physical embodiment as one can get."

"You were right, Twily," said Shining, looking to his sister with a grateful look. "Hermaeus Mora was one of the better choices to find Equestria, compared to his ilk."

"We should not let our guard down," said Twilight, conviction in her voice. "Hermaeus Mora may not be as malevolent as the other Daedra, but he is just as crafty. If doing harm to Equestria will benefit him in any way, he will not hesitate for even a second."

They had no reason to argue with her.

"Twilight, princesses!" They all looked on at Rainbow's voice, seeing her and the rest backpedaling to meet them. "I think we got a welcoming committee!"

Up ahead, about a yard or so away from the looming changeling fortress, a sizable group of changelings were approaching their location slowly, on foot.

---

Thorax and his small cluster of fellow changelings met the group of traveling Equestrians in the final stretch of their trek, the imposing changeling hive a dark blade protruding from the earth, close enough that the afternoon sun cast its shadow directly over the two groups standing opposite to each other.

"Why have you come here?" he asked, walking up a few meters to where she stood, ahead of the other changelings.

"Thorax," greeted Twilight, walking ahead of her group to stand further forward, she and Thorax only about twenty five feet from each other. "I'm glad you survived."

"It hasn't been easy."

"We know," said Princess Celestia, taking a step up to where she stood next to her pupil. "And that is why we are here. We may have a solution to the intense hunger that is causing you to decline."

Thorax's honeycombed eyes glistened with a thin layer of tears as he heard this, a great relief that aid had come, against all odds. "How?"

"We would like to tell all of the changelings at once," said Princess Luna, walking up next to her sister. "If you can bring the rest out here we can begin immediately."

They all grew uneasy when Thorax looked down and finally shed a tear.

"These are all of the changelings," he explained, gesturing behind him with his holed hoof to the small group of changelings only about three dozen strong behind him.

All the Equestrian visitors gasped in shock...

All except Spike, whose attention was off slightly to the right.

---

Spike heard a slight crackling noise as Twilight approached the lead changeling they knew as Thorax and expressed her relief to find him alive. He wasn't sure why he was drawn to it, it sounded no different than when a rock falls, but something in his gut told him something wasn't right. He slowly scoured the distant landscape, but found nothing but rocks and dust.

His unease didn't lessen.

'Something isn't right here.'

The little purple dragon delved into his own mind.

At one point in his life Spike had been an intelligent, but irrational individual. The only thing that used to occupy his mind was food, comic books, and more often than most other things, a certain attractive white unicorn. But after spending so much time in Apocrypha (a realm of pure knowledge and wisdom) he found his wit sharpened to the point of Rarity's best sewing needle.

And now his logic infused mind was telling him something sinister was approaching, even if he somehow wasn't able to see it.

'I have other ways of seeing now.'

Digging through the swirling well of knowledge in his mind, Spike picked out what he was looking for: 'LAAS YAH NIR'

His vision flashed red for a second then returned to normal.

He saw nothing. The land before him was devoid of anything but dust and rocks. He looked to his friends again, finding that each of them had a pulsating red aura over them.

His Thu'um had worked as it was meant to, but he saw no life anywhere but in the groups around him. But then the same cackling noise reached his ears, and when he followed the source, he saw Thorax gesturing behind him with his hoof, whatever he said made his friends gasp. But that was not what Spike was focusing on.

He was focusing on a sizable rock that sat a distance off to Thorax's right, the pulsating crimson silhouette of an equine shape overlapping it.

It didn't take Spike long to deduce what was going on, a changeling was disguised as a rock for some reason. His first thought (naturally) was that they had set a trap for them... until he noticed that the changeling in the form of a rock wasn't facing them. It was facing Thorax.

In the millisecond that all this was going through his mind, Spike realized what was happening.

"THORAX, LOOK OUT!" Shouted Spike, his outburst startling all present.

Unfortunately, it didn't startle them soon enough.

A changeling with a red frill flashed into existence where the rock had been. Thorax could only stare wide eyed as it slammed into him with enough force to send them barreling across the land, pony and changeling alike stunned still at the event that was transpiring. Thorax felt himself forced on his back as the other changeling buzzed his wings to increase his momentum, flashing his crooked fangs with a hiss.

Spike and his pony friends gasped in horror as the other changeling plunged his fangs into the side of Thorax's neck, green changeling blood gushing around his mouth as Thorax howled with pain.

---

Twilight and company could only watch as Thorax thrashed underneath the other changeling, his movement slowing as time dragged on. Of all the outcomes they considered, this was not one of them, they had no incline to believe a changeling would attack another changeling. Their horror mixed with revulsion as the red frilled changeling released his hold on Thorax, standing up and turning to them all, green blood dripping from his mouth as he stood over Thorax, whose only movement was his shallow breathing.

"YOU MONSTER!" screamed Shining Armour, aiming his horn.

"Shining no!" Snapped Twilight, moving to intervene but it was too late.

A pink aura flared around her brother's horn... which soon flashed into a puff of smoke and was drawn to the changeling hive in the distance.

Pharynx watched it go with a sadistic, blood soaked grin. His plan had worked.

"Do you see that, my fellow changelings?" he said, pointing to the wisp of magic being siphoned away. "Thorax was wrong, they are affected by our majesty's mighty throne. This is our chance, we can subjugate these miserable ponies to us once and for all."

"To what end Pharynx?" asked a random changeling, Twilight’s group watching with dread. "He may have been wrong about the throne, but what would conquering them now accomplish? We can't feed on love without our queen."

"You will do as I command," said Pharynx viciously, a nervous tick in his eye. "You all obeyed Thorax because the pony who destroyed our queen told you to. Well I have defeated him, I claim leadership of the hive. And I say we will capture these trespassing ponies like we should have a long time ago."

Pharynx hissed when they still didn't comply, but grinned when a thought occurred to him.

"Fine, you want a legitimate excuse, then how about this," he said, looking at Twilight’s group with a hungry stare. "If Thorax was right, and they can devise a way for us to feed ourselves, this is our chance to 'force' them to help us. With the princesses in our clutches, Equestria will do whatever we want."

"Don't listen to him," said Luna, a scowl on her muzzle. "We have come here to lend aid freely. There is no need for conflict."

Unfortunately, her pleas fell on deaf ears.

At Pharynx's last words the changelings all brought their attention to the small Equestrian group, their wings buzzing to lift them into the air. It was clear that this solution struck a chord with them, and their interest was piqued. Twilight and her friends looked to one another, nodding with sad frowns. It seems a peaceful solution was not going to be an option this time either. Slowly, they moved into an even line in front of Celestia, Luna, Cadance, and Shining Armour.

"Please stay back," requested Twilight to the four ponies behind her. "We will handle this."

Normally they would argue, or join in the fight, but with their magic nullified all they could do was give a nod.

"Alright," said Twilight, looking forward with a steely look along with the others. "Ready girls?"

"Darn tootin' I am."

"Yes indeedy, time to show these meanies how hard a pony can party."

"Ha, I was born ready. Ready to show these bug wimps how awesome I am."

"Normally a lady doesn't stoop to violence, but never should you underestimate a proper lady, either."

Twilight nodded and turned to Fluttershy next to her. Her scowl was just as deep as the others, but a noticeable shaking was present in her hooves. She hated seeing her timid friend so distressed, maybe it would be best if she hung back with the princesses and her...

"I will not stay behind," said Fluttershy, looking at Twilight out of the corner of her eye. “I have sat idly by while you all faced danger for too long. If these meanies are gonna threaten everything I care about up to the end, then it's high time I stand up and join in the defense."

They all stared at her with open mouthed shock.

"Wow, Flutters," said Rainbow, nudging her fellow pegasus with a wing. "Quite bold. Are you sure though? What we are about to do to these guys will most likely not be kind."

"Depends on how you look at it, Dashie," replied Fluttershy, smiling to her oldest friend. "We are the only chance they have for survival, but they won't take it peacefully. That only leaves us with one option, tough love."

"Ha, hope they find it appetizing," said Rainbow with amusement.

"DESTROY THE BODYGUARDS FIRST!" shouted Pharynx, eyeing Twilight hungerly. "WITHOUT PROTECTION THEY WILL BE DEFENSELESS, THEY WILL DO WHATEVER WE WANT!"

"Spike," inquired Twilight to the baby dragon that was next to her. "I know you are just as skilled at magicka as us, but I think best you stay here with the princesses. You're so small you could..."

But when Twilight looked down, she saw the spot where Spike had been empty. Following his footprints in the dust she saw more being made by seemingly nothing as they headed off into the distance. She deduced he had cast an invisibility spell, and was intending to be sneaky. At his current movement...

...He would flank Thorax and Pharynx.

'Good boy, Spike,' thought Twilight proudly, 'I will have to raise your allowance.'

With a hiss, the changelings lunged forward, Twilight and her friends neighing in response, steam billowing from their noses as they charged.

Breaking up the swarm evenly, each of the girls would face at least five changelings apiece.

6 Trial run of the Mane six(plus Spike)

"NO, DON'T!" screamed Ocellus to her fellow changelings desperately as they buzzed past her. "IT'S NOT TRUE, THEY CAN USE MAGIC. I HAVE SEEN IT!"

But none appeared to have heard her, buzzing off to meet the charging ponies. Ocellus trembled with fear, the odds of this turning into a full blown slaughter were increasing exponentially. What was she going to do? She had no desire to fight, not even in the heyday of the changelings' strength.

With fearful tears, Ocellus transformed into an ant and scurried into a fissure in the ground, blue flowers falling to the ground outside.

---

Rainbow Dash galloped towards the five changelings that had broken off from the group to challenge her, fire in her eyes at the thought of the fight that was soon to follow. Swiftly, she leaped over the first changeling that reached her, spending him skidding across the dirt on his belly as he slid to a stop. The next she dodged by standing on her hind legs and spinning on her hooves, his gossamer wings grazing her stomach as he passed.

The next two lunged at the same time, one striking from above, another from below. Rainbow only smirked at their attempt to overpower her and braced her legs in preparation. At the last second, Rainbow leapt ever so slightly into the air and angled her body horizontally.

She fit in the space between her lunging foes easily, both going wide eyed as they missed their quarry completely and their momentum carried them to where they collided with each other and slammed into the dirt.

"Ha," snarked Rainbow, turning her attention from the four sprawled changelings to the final one who buzzed before her. "You are going to have to get up far earlier than that to take down Equestria's fastest pegasus with such mediocre moves."

"A pegasus that can't fly," remarked the changeling, a cruel smirk on his face. "As long as you are in our domain the inherent magic of your kind is rendered inert." Rainbow looked over her shoulder in time to see the other changelings climb to their hooves and move in to circle around her. "And while you still retain your agile nature, our greater numbers will eventually overwhelm you, Rainbow Flash."

"It's Rainbow Dash, bug!" snapped Rainbow, pawing the ground with a challenging smile on her lips. "And you're wrong if you think I will be an easy opponent just because I can't fly out here in this barren dump."

"Always so confident, its so annoying," hissed one of the other changelings. "I say we silence that cocky tongue once and for all."

No sooner did he finish this sentence did they lunge forward to dogpile the lone Rainbow:

'TIID KLO UL'

Rainbow flashed a violent smirk as all her attackers froze in their tracks, their hissing mouths letting out air like slow leaks. "And to think, even I thought I couldn't be any faster," said Rainbow smugly, ducking under the changelings in front of her and walking a good ten feet away. Twiddling her hooves, she faced her lunging foes and waited.

Slowly, like someone restarting a paused video, the changelings sped back up to normal speed, colliding with each other at the spot on the ground she had once occupied.

She grinned with the thrill of the fight, waiting for them to notice her... and waited... and waited some more.

She sat on her haunches, her aggressive grin being replaced by a look of confusion. The changelings kept squirming and crawling all over each other, wrestling with the space beneath them with a fiery passion, despite the fact that their supposed target wasn't there. Hoof met face as it became obvious that they weren't going to notice her absence under their own power.

"AHEM?!" she snapped.

"Not now," said the changeling on top of the pile, full blown looking at her and talking, "We're busy."

Rainbow dropped her jaw at the immeasurable obliviousness, even Pinkie Pie wouldn't be this distracted on the worst of days.

"AAAAAAHHHHHHEEEEEEEM!!!!!!!??????" she shouted at the top of her lungs.

" I said..." This time they did notice her, looking from her to the ground beneath them. "Wait, how did you..."

Okay, Rainbow felt it was time to stop playing around:

'VEN GAAR NOS'

A small cyclone billowed from Rainbow's mouth, sweeping the changelings into the air and carrying them off into the distance, their screaming, flailing bodies twirling rapidly all the way.

'WULD NAH KEST'

Rainbow streaked across the dust of the Badlands so fast her hooves left a trail of glass in their wake, allowing her to overtake the cyclone and arrive in front of it. As it vanished she twirled on her forelegs and tucked her hind legs under her rear and threw them out in a powerful buck. She caught two of the changelings in the guts as they dropped from her cyclone, propelling them backward...

...directly into two of their fellows, who in turn, collided with the last of their group.

They hit the ground in a heap a good distance away from where the cyclone deposited them, groaning in pain as every nerve in their bodies cried out in agony. One looked up in time to see Rainbow steadily striding up to them. The look on her face said they were in a lot of trouble.

"How is this possible?" moaned the changeling on top. " Only changelings can use magic out here... but you're a pegasus... a pegasus using actual spells...? Impossible!"

"Buddy," snarked Rainbow, standing up on her hind legs and gesturing her forelegs around in complicated movements, the changelings gasping in dread as electricity arced along her hooves. "I have always overcome the impossible."

The changelings screamed and scattered, their wings and tails twinging as a stream of lightning streamed through the air between them.

---

"Fella, ya don't wanna do that."

A single changeling stood ahead of his four companions that had joined in ganging up on this single earth pony. She surmised that without her earth pony strength they all thought a single changeling would be enough to subdue her. The gall of it left Applejack with a slightly irritated pride.

'Boy howdy, they are in for a nasty surprise.'

As expected, the changeling lunged, his forelegs outstretched as his buzzing wings carried him swiftly to his quarry.

Applejack just stood there, waiting for him to get closer.

'MUL QAH DIIV'

The changeling had expected his momentum to be enough to knock Applejack straight on her rump, but when he slammed into her, his whole body stopped dead like he had flown into a pony statue. Cringing in pain, he slowly tilted his head up, his whole neck cracking like breaking twigs, and looked up. All he could do was gulp nervously.

Applejack was covered head to tail in luminescent orange and blue scales, transparent orange horns protruding from under her Stetson.

With a swiftness deceptive to her size, Applejack twirled around fast enough that the changeling dislodged from her chest and hung in the air, bringing her legendary hind legs out to buck him in the chest as he descended to the ground. He went flying backwards... straight towards his fellows, who were too dumbstruck to react. He slammed into the four of them, scattering them all with sound resembling a bowling ball knocking down bowling pins echoing through the air.

STRIKE.

Groaning with pain, they climbed steadily up, their legs shaking slightly as they fought to regain their composure.

"Had enough?" asked Applejack. The changelings turned to her as she approached, still garbed in her Dragon Aspect.

Unfortunately for them, they hadn't. Applejack rolled her eyes as they all took to the air on their gossamer wings, fangs bared. And they decided to kick it up a notch, as all of them became shrouded in green magic, giving them the appearance of green meteors, just like in Canterlot.

Steadying her legs in a fighting stance, Applejack grew a challenging smirk as they all lunged at her one by one.

The first one slammed into her chest, same as before, his destructive changeling magic dispersing around her shielded body. Before he could even comprehend his attack had failed, Applejack quickly flipped over, hanging in the air on her back, and threw her left foreleg out. The changeling was sent skyward as a fireball struck him in the stomach, flames dancing across his form as he flew a good fifty feet in the air, crashing down in a smoldering heap as gravity yanked him back down.

Applejack planted her hindlegs on the ground after launching the changeling, leaning her upper body back just in time to dodge a glimmering green meteor.

'IIZ SLEN NUZ'

A blue mist struck the meteor's side as it passed, knocking off the green flames and encasing the changeling beneath in a thin layer of ice, the vicious snarl it wore frozen solid. Applejack quickly pulled out her lasso as the velocity of her Thu'um carried the changeling off, quickly taking aim and lashing it forward to loop it around its frozen neck. Swiftly and quickly, she yanked her tail, sending the frozen changeling in the opposite direction...

...To land smack dab on top of a smoking changeling in the distance, who had just now managed to climb to his hooves.

Applejack wasn't able to dodge the next changeling, who finally managed to knock her off her hooves when a second changeling slammed into her right after he did. She squirmed under her restrainers, but two against one, even with her Dragon Aspect, meant her struggling only slightly stirred them. They both hissed in her face, spittle landing on the aspects covering her face.

A deep impact echoed somewhere behind her, and when Applejack tilted her head back the final changeling stood over her, blaring its fangs.

It became clear what their intention was, but Applejack only arched an eyebrow in annoyance. One of her pinned forelegs twitched, and pulsating electricity covered her. The two changelings pinning her howled in pain, leaping off their quarry as lightning arced over their chitin.

'FUS RO DAH'

A luminescent blue wave of mist struck the twitching changelings, carrying them into the air and depositing them right on top of the two other changelings, knocking them to the ground once again.

Smiling, Applejack turned to the changeling that was about to bite her throat. "Fella, ya look like you could use a hug."

Gasping in fright, the changeling galloped off, an Applejack shrouded in pulsating electricity and glimmering Dragon Aspect hot on his heels.

---

"You uncouth ruffians," said Rarity angrily as five changelings circled her like ravenous sharks. "This is no way to treat a lady."

"Ha, a lady, huh?" inquired one of the changelings. "Well, that should make this even easier." He turned to the two behind him, "Pin her, we'll take care of the rest."

Rarity scowled as two of the changelings took flight and lunged. "If you think I will let you soil my pristine mane and coat by pressing it to the icky dirt, you are sadly mistaken."

As they closed in, Rarity took a deep breath and exhaled.

'GOL HAH DOV'

A cloud of luminescent orange, blue, and yellow washed over the changelings just as they were a foot from Rarity, dropping to the ground and standing before her, unmoving.

" What are you doing?" snarled the changeling that ordered them to attack, "Destroy her!"

They didn't move.

"Are you deaf, I told you to attack the enemy!"

Rarity smirked as she turned her attention from the bickering changeling to the two before her. "You heard him, gentlecolts, attack the enemy."

"Yes mistress," they droned, turning about face and lunging.

The mouthy changeling could only watch as two of his cohorts tackled the two next to him. They rolled across the ground, the two Rarity had transfixed snapping, snarling, holding nothing back, while the other two seemed unsure if they should fight back or not. They tumbled and rolled so far, it was not long before only one changeling stood in the vicinity of Rarity.

"Ahem."

The gentle hum was enough to make the changeling spin around on his heels, coming face to face with a smiling, but obviously perturbed, Rarity.

"Somepony needs to teach you some manners," said the elegant unicorn in a voice that would send a hydra packing.

---

"SURPRISE!" shouted Pinkie, Icarian Flight taking her far past the changelings circling her and into the wide open blue. They could only stare as a pony known for defying the laws of physics pulled a stunt even they didn't see coming. And as expected, it only took a second for her to start plummeting back to them with extreme force.

They narrowed their group's circle in on the spot she would land, hissing aggressively as their quarry closed in. They pawed the ground as she grew bigger, her velocity leaving a stream of tears as she closed in. But then she suddenly stopped a good twenty feet above, held aloft by purple ripples that were streaming from her hooves as they stood upon open air.

So dumbstruck were they, they didn't not react when Pinkie stood on her hind legs, a ball of fire appearing in her left hoof, a ball of lightning in her right.

"DOUBLE SURPRISE!" Pinkie started laughing hysterically, pelting the ground beneath her with lightning and fire that streamed from her hooves that spun like propellers, her eyes losing focus.

The changelings broke formation as pure destruction rained down on them, each path they took soon blocked by a random spell. When her levitation spell wore off, Pinkie landed among the product of her bedlam. Small craters and scorch marks littered the land for about forty feet in all directions, five battered changelings lay before her groaning in pain as their bodies throbbed sorely.

"Come on boys," said Pinkie, picking up the nearest changeling and yanking his muzzle. "Why the long faces?"

The changeling lying prone on his back behind her shook his head to clear up his spinning vision, looking up in time to see Pinkie drawing smiles on his comrade's cheeks, the crayons held in strands of her unruly pink hair. Slowly, he crept up behind her on his belly, watching the back of her head with interest. One quickly timed strike and it would be over.

Snarling, he lunged... only to be struck in the face multiple times a second as Pinkie twitched aggressively.

With an uncharacteristic look of annoyance, Pinkie turned to the changeling caught in the path of her tail. "Come on, now you're just being a party pooper."

With a flash of green, the changeling fell over, stiff as a board.

---

"I won't let you hurt my friends," snapped Fluttershy, leaping over a changeling and landing a kick to the back of his head.

At one point in her life, even such a small group of hostile enemies would have made her stiffen up and fall on her back. But now even greater priorities registered to her now. Twilight had cast aside her own well being to face an enemy they were blind to, a great entity, though it wasn't hostile to them, still had a dark and sinister air about him that made her hair stand on end, they had spent three years learning how to do magic no non-unicorn could ever do before.

While the last one wasn't entirely unpleasant, it, plus all the other occurrences, could have been avoided if they had only been stronger.It was time she cast off her nerves of mush and grow some more worthy of somepony who had the power of a whole other dimension at her disposal.

'Twilight...girls... I am here... and I always will be... for you...for all of you.'

The changeling she dropkicked doubled back to the rest of them, all five hissing and buzzing their wings. Fluttershy met their challenge with a threatening paw at the ground, her nostrils billowing as she crouched down. Unamused, the changelings lunged forward, aiming to overpower the lone pegasus with numbers.

'GAAN LA HAAS'

The changelings fell short of reaching their target, crashing to the dirt as they felt their bodies' energy reserves drain, while Fluttershy felt a rush of energy adding to her own barely tapped potential.

---

"This is your last warning!" said Twilight with a scowl. "Surrender, we will provide you with aid if you cease this senseless violence."

"NEVER," yelled one of the changelings, his four allies hissing with agreement. "You are powerless out here. You have no defense while we have our queen's throne... our queen who you murdered in cold blood."

"Cold blood?" inquired Twilight threateningly. "Your precious queen caused me unfathomable amounts of suffering. She turned my friends against me, impersonated my brother's fiance at their own wedding, and hurt Cadance, my first friend. And need I remind you, it was Hermaeus Mora who actually killed her... not me."

"It was because of you that he was able to come here, pony," snarled one of the other changelings.

"I may share some of that responsibility," started Twilight, shaking her head with shame. "But Chrysalis shares the rest. When she destroyed that amulet is when Hermaeus Mora really entered our world."

But it seemed the changelings were done talking.

They lunged forward, fangs bared as their buzzing wings increased their dash towards the purple unicorn who only facehoofed. It would seem Fluttershy was right... tough love.

Neighing and rearing up on her hindlegs, Twilight unleashed a stream of lightning from both her forelegs and her horn. They had learned in Apocrypha that Nirn magic can be channeled through hooves and horn alike for a unicorn, which only increased its potency. She and Rarity were a force to be reckoned with.

Her streams struck the ground in front of the changelings, erupting into a pulsating wall of impassable energy that arced and eddied with such movement that it almost looked like something alive. They covered their eyes as their close vicinity to the electric barrier made every nerve twinge. They dared not move closer.

Which, it would seem, Twilight was counting on. She rose into their line of vision, astride purple ripples that carried her over the wall of lightning she had conjured. Blinking in surprise at the use of magic, despite how deep they were in the changeling territory, and well within the range of the magic absorption, they barely dodged in time when Twilight cast a dark red orb of light from the foreleg she threw out. It flew over their heads, flying in a slight angle into the distance before hitting the ground about a yard away.

'WULD NAH KEST'

A purple blur flashed past them, solidifying into Twilight, who began galloping away.

Thinking that their quarry was fleeing, the changelings hissed and gave chase, carried in the air by their gossamer wings. Twilight looked behind her and saw the changelings closing in hot on her. They were going to catch up in a few minutes at their current speed.

But that was okay... she had run the distance necessary for her plan.

With a flash, Twilight cast a recall spell, winking out of existence and reappearing where her mark spell had landed a moment ago. A few feet ahead, the five changelings who had been pursuing her looked about in confusion at her absence. To them, she had been there one second and gone the next.

Suited her just fine.

'VEN MUL RIIK'

A pocket of mist flew from Twilight's mouth, erupting into a full blown cloud as it impacted the changelings, completely enveloping them.

Twilight gave a mischievous smirk.

'FIIK LO SAH'

Beside Twilight, a form shimmered into existence, identical to Twilight, other than being transparent and blue.

"Ready?" she asked her bizarre doppelganger, who nodded.

Smirking, Twilight charged into the mist.

'LAAS YAH NIR'

Outside, Twilight’s spectral clone opened its mouth and spoke.

'ZUL MEY GUT'

"Hey, cheese brain."

Lightning went off inside the fog, followed by a scream and a thud.

"What's going on?" asked a changeling frantically.

'ZUL MEY GUT'

"Hey, slug breath."

"How did you know–" The changeling was interrupted by a flash of red, a slight crimson stream flowing from him into an unseen section of the fog.

'ZUL MEY GUT'

"Hey, melon nose."

A blast of fire flashed and a changeling flew out of the cloud, trailing smoke.

'ZUL MEY GUT'

"Hey, skeever butt."

"I am not, wait what's a–" The sound of ice creaking solid sounded.

'ZUL MEY GUT'

"Hey, ugly."

"No... no I won't fall for–" The final changeling was silenced by the sound of a skull impacting another skull, the sensation of a horn pressed to his forehead registering before he blacked out.

---

Princesses Celestia, Luna, and Cadance, and Shining Armour watched with terrified fascination as Twilight and her friends lit into the changelings with wild abandon. It was hard enough to see them blow apart a storm contaminated with Everfree magic with but a word, but to see the non-unicorns use magic like this was something beyond the realm of possibility.

Just what kind of magic did this Nirn place actually have at its disposal?

Celestia watched as her student conjured a wall of lightning with rapt attention. She was both proud and scared of what she was seeing. The actual magic was nothing for her to be impressed at, she had seen several like it during her long life, but the actual use of it in such close proximity to such a large chunk of mananite was unsettling.

She felt the magic destitution in her very being, a sensation she had not felt for over a thousand years, and a sensation all ponies should be susceptible to. But Twilight was using magic completely unimpeded. It terrified her that Twilight now had all this unknown power at her disposal... plus, how could she measure up to it... what could she have to offer her pupil now that she had such power?

She knew nothing that could measure up to the Thu'um.

"When this is over... I want to resume my studies with you."

The last words Twilight spoke to her before she left for Apocrypha all those years ago echoed in Celestia's mind, and it brought calm to the maelstrom of emotions in her heart. That was not how a wise teacher should think. Twilight was waiting for her at the end of this stretch, did she have nothing to offer but self doubt when that time came?

No... she had over a millennium of knowledge... she could think of something.

'And maybe she can teach me something,' thought the princess, watching earth ponies and pegasi wield magic similar to a unicorn's for the first time in history before her. 'If they can learn this magic, it stands to reason others can too.'

"They... they have grown so powerful!" moaned Luna, her eyes wide as saucers as Twilight conjured a cloud of mist, and Applejack flung a frozen changeling with her lasso, clad in a luminescent dragon image.

"I... I can hardly believe that is Twilight and her friends," commented Cadance, shaking slightly as two changelings who were challenging Rarity suddenly turned on the others.

"What has happened to my little sis?" asked Shining Armour sadly.

"Do not despair," said Celestia with a motherly smile. "They are still the loving ponies we all care about, deep down."

They all jumped as Pinkie let loose a barrage of attacks at her group of changelings from above, Luna, Cadance, and Shining Armour giving Celestia a nervous look.

"Mostly," she said with a nervous look. "But let us not forget how much we love them. I have a feeling they will need it, so as to not completely lose themselves while they are on this path."

They all looked to the ponies who were wailing on the changelings, making a silent promise to each other to do as Celestia suggested, not allow this group of stalwart friends to forget themselves.

---

Pharynx looked on in complete horror as the changelings stood no chance.

And they were using magic... all of them... even the non-unicorns.

His whole world was crashing down in front of him. The invasion of Canterlot had failed, Chrysalis was dead, and now ponies could use magic here, despite being so close to the throne. That was the only thing he believed to be a complete absolute, that the throne would always render invaders powerless.

Now even it had failed.

A thread snapped in Pharynx... his eyes became different sizes as a psychotic look took hold.

"YOU!" He snarled, spittle flying from his mouth as he looked to the bleeding Thorax behind him. "This is all your fault! If you hadn't helped that wretched unicorn in Canterlot we would have conquered that insufficient kingdom of Equestria. Our queen would have fed on enough love to feed us all indefinitely... you... you..."

Thorax could only stare in resignation as Pharynx loomed over him, his own blood still clinging to his mouth. But he didn't care. He was ready for it to end... he had suffered so much all his life, he just wanted it to end... here and now... even like this.

Maybe then his loneliness would end.

'WULD NAH KEST'

A hard, scale clad foot impacted the side of Pharynx's face before he could attack Thorax again, his crooked fangs actually popping from his gums as his face deformed to the foot for a second before full blown flying out in the direction the foot kicked him. He tumbled to a stop on his belly, spitting out green blood as it flowed from his empty gums. A section of his chitin cracked and fell from his cheek, revealing red muscle.

"I would stay down if I were you."

Pharynx looked up to see the little purple dragon that had ventured here with the ponies standing over him. He had his arms crossed, a scowl on his face that made even his pudgy appearance look intimidating. But Pharynx wasn't easily intimidated.

He hissed up threateningly... only to get stuck mid hiss as Spike struck him in the chest with a green glowing claw.

"Loser," commented Spike, not giving a single glance back as he turned around and sprinted to the prone form of Thorax.

He knelt down next to him, not hesitating to cradle the bleeding changeling's head in a claw as he brought the other to his chest. He stared at him with a worried look as Thorax only gave him a look of complete resignation, somehow knowing the changeling believed he was going to die. No, Spike would not let that happen.

A golden star twinkled in the claw held to Thorax's chest.

He took in a great gasp of air as the puncture wounds in his neck slowly closed. The pain eased as his blood flowed back into his body, his chitin sealing shut in mere seconds as the last of the green fluid reentered his body. By all accounts, he appeared fine.

But Thorax knew he wasn't.

"Please... don't," he moaned to the purple dragon above him. "You are wasting your effort... I can't be saved."

"Don't say that," snapped Spike defiantly. "The wound has almost closed."

"You don't... understand," moaned Thorax, batting Spike's claw away, the baby dragon gasping to see green lines following along with the changelings neck veins. "I... am poisoned."

"But how?" Asked Spike frantically, looking to Pharynx, who was still as a statue. "That jerk is a changeling, like you."

"Changelings aren't immune to our own venom, in fact, it's more lethal to us than it is anypony else," explained Thorax, Spike gasping in dread. "It's... it's one of the methods Chrysalis used to instill our loyalty. Obey, or be bitten and die."

Spike was not going to give in.

Maybe if he used both claws... no, the poison was totally unaffected by his magic. He had to do something though, this changeling was different from the others, so different. He risked his life for Twilight, for all of them, in Canterlot. He could not die like this.

And... Spike knew his people needed him.

"HERMAEUS MORA!" shouted Spike to the open air. "I KNOW YOU CAN HEAR ME. THIS CHANGELING IS DYING, AND HE HAS THE MOST POTENTIAL OUT OF ALL OF THEM, HE WON'T BE OF ANY USE TO YOU DEAD." Tears brimmed in his eyes as he brought his attention from above to Thorax, who's breathing was still slowing. "YOU WANT THEM AS YOUR NEW MINIONS... SHOW YOU CAN LOOK AFTER THEM. IF YOU ARE SO POWERFUL... SAVE THIS ONE'S LIFE."

In the back of Thorax's fading consciousness he heard this. 'Hermaeus Mora... wants us?'

The last of Spikes words echoed across the land, no response.

He clenched his eyes shut in despair. He could think of nothing else, his healing spell was ineffective, Hermaeus Mora was obviously content with letting him die. How could it end like this?

A great sadness bloomed in Spike... for the first time... he would watch a good soul die in front of him. He never once imagined he would witness...

Wait.

Something else was stirring in Spike, a tingling sensation he could not place, nor fully locate. But it screamed one thing if he focused on it, 'solution'! Without hesitation, Spike clamped onto the sensation, unable to comprehend how he did it, but when he did... he could 'feel' Apocrypha's presence within him.

A black tendril popped out of the ground next to him, a golden chain dangling from it.

A chain from which hung a flat, teardrop shaped gold amulet, a clump of jade cut to resemble multiple serpents fitted onto it, the snakes' eyes a multitude of precious gemstones.

7 Patience isn't a virtue

Heaving slightly under the effort, Fluttershy plopped the last changeling on top of the four others, the force of his impact making them all cringe in pain and exhale what little air was left in their lungs.

She looked down at them, watching as they struggled to so much as breathe. It was so pathetic, they thought that they would be beaten so easily that five apiece would be enough to defeat her and her friends. The absurdity of it all almost made her want to puke.

Here they were, here to lend aid, and still they chose to try to conquer.

Not that it was entirely unexpected, of course. Twilight had the foresight to know this outcome was more than a possibility. But it still was so ridiculous that the changelings would be so stupid as to challenge them, and with such weakened numbers and physical strength, no less. How thick could you be to...?

'Wait... what is this?!'

Fluttershy suddenly took in this situation in with new clarity.

She had just beaten these changelings senseless... piled them onto each other without effort... and was internally mocking them for their stupidity...

...And she felt nothing for it but apathy.

She suddenly realized that something was wrong, she was not reacting the way she should. She had been all about the fight when it first broke out to protect all those here close to her, but she had been expecting to feel such remorse when it was over... but it was over... and she felt nothing like she thought she would. She was not even sorry for their pain, pain she herself had inflicted.

And in the face of such realization... a fraction of the original Fluttershy stirred in Fluttershy's heart.

The Fluttershy who existed before Apocrypha... before that wedding... before she gave into selfishness for the first time in her life, leaving a dear friend with nowhere else to turn to but a tentacled monstrosity from another world...

A world of strife and suffering.

'Oh, what have I done?' Fluttershy moaned to herself, slowly walking towards the pile of changelings. 'I didn't have to be so rough...'

Her train of thought was broken when her hoof struck something hard that tinkled. Looking down, Fluttershy saw a small disk of glass that wasn't lying on the ground, but looked to have been burned into it. Somepony's first thought would be to wonder where it had come from.

But not Fluttershy, at the moment.

Her attention was drawn to her reflection in its surface. Her eyes...she didn't know what it was, but her eyes seemed wrong. Something was there, something that had not been there before...

Looking up, Fluttershy brought her attention to the individual brawls her friends were currently engaged in. They all fought with gusto, and while she could expect that from Rainbow Dash and Applejack (and Twilight, now) she saw the same look in their eyes that she had just seen in herself. She didn't know how she knew, but she knew they wouldn't usually have been this aggressive, especially with how outmatched the changelings were against them.

A single tear trickled from the meek pegasus' eye.

'What's happening to us?'

---

The moment Spike slapped the amulet around Thorax's neck, the stone's snakes immediately sprang to life, slithering over each other in a tiny ball of jade coils. Spike suppressed a shudder, the flesh under his scales crawling at the sight. He had no problems with snakes, for the most part, but seeing something so small move in such a way...

He was glad Twilight wasn't here to see this, she would jump out of her skin so hard they would be wiping what's left off of Luna's moon.

Thorax suddenly sat up from where he lay in Spike's arms, taking in great gulps of air as the green patterns on his neck receded.

"Calm down," said Spike, easing the recovering changeling back into his arms. "You're going to be fine."

Thorax settled back into Spike's support, too exhausted to resist, but was able to display a confused look.

"How is this possible?" he asked. "No changeling has ever survived the bite of another changeling before."

Spike simply nodded to the amulet, Thorax jumping slightly at the multiple moving serpents. "That amulet is imbued with the power to neutralize poison."

"But... Chrysalis assured us that no force in the world could save us from our own venom!"

"Good thing it's not of this world," replied Spike, but the flabbergasted look on Thorax's face made him roll his eyes. "Haven't you figured it out? This amulet, my and the girls' new powers, Hermaeus Mora himself, it all hails from an entirely different world."

That had not actually occurred to Thorax, not at all. Who would consider such outrageousness?

But in a way, it all made sense, it actually would explain everything that had happened so far, and how even something as absolute as their venom's potency could be undermined so quickly. The insanity registered for Thorax now... they had been driven from Equestria by something not of this world. An entity that had its sights set on them, if he was to believe what he had heard before.

But, despite all of that, something forced its way to the forefront of Thorax's mind, something that by all accounts should be insufficient compared to an all powerful entity from another world, but refused to be irrelevant.

" Why go to such lengths to save me?" Thorax asked Spike, the feeling slowly returning to his body. "And I mean you specifically. For whatever reason why all this is happening, why did you just get between Pharynx and me? My death could not have been that detrimental."

Spike actually had to do a little bit of soul searching to find the answer. Aside from the fact that what Pharynx did was atrocious, why had he just intervened, and invoked Hermaeus Mora himself for aid, no less?

"You have been different from the start, Thorax," explained Spike, "During the Canterlot invasion, you took a great risk to distract your brethren from Twilight, so she might put a stop to Chrysalis. And here, now, you were willing to accept our proposal for aid, even though the others would rather be violent and force what they want from us."

Thorax had never truly contemplated his own actions up to this point. Yes, he turned on his changeling kin in Canterlot because he didn't believe what they were doing was right. When all seemed lost, and aid came, he had been willing to accept, even if it came at the hooves of the enemy. Everything he had done had been, for lack of a better term, un-changeling.

And here was the result of such actions. Someone had come and saved his life, when he had been moments away from certain death. And with no small amount of danger to himself, if Spike hadn't gotten the drop on Pharynx he wouldn't have been laid low so easily.

A smile and tear brought Spike's attention.

"Hey, don't worry," he said reassuringly. "The poison won't stand a chance against this amulet's magic, you're going to be fine."

"It's not that," said Thorax in a slightly choked voice. "I just... I wonder if this is what it's like...to have a friend."

"Who says you have to wonder?" said Spike with a slightly coy smile.

Thorax looked up in disbelief.

"Anypony who would stick up for Twilight is a friend of mine."

---

Pharynx fell to the ground as the paralysis wore off, blood gushing from his mouth, from his gums that housed his fangs until just a moment ago.

Hissing in pain as he lightly touched the section of his face missing its chitin, he brought his attention to the annoying infant reptile that had kicked him, only to gasp in surprise, splattering the ground in front of him with globs of green blood. The baby dragon was cradling Thorax (that doormat of a changeling with absolutely no ambition) who, even now, was unmistakably recovering from the venom he had delivered.

That should have been completely impossible.

Finally, a tiny flicker of fear sparked in Pharynx's soul. Now the little baby dragon was using magic that was completely unprecedented. What was this madness?

Unicorns, able to use magic so close in proximity to the magic absorption power of their mighty queen's throne. Pegasi, earth ponies, and dragons using magic they weren't supposed to. And now, a changeling bitten by another changeling was making a full recovery. It was bedlam, if absurdity was a painting, it would depict this situation right here. The princesses themselves were here, so close, yet...

His attention was brought to the four ponies in the distance who had yet to join the fray, noticing a significant difference between them.

Where as all the ponies fighting had the tendrils and eye added to their cutie marks, the flanks of the four ponies at the back still resembled what the intel from their previous infiltration described. Even Pharynx, with his aggressive warrior mind, could see the significance. The conclusion.

'Hermaeus Mora... it has to be... he's meddling."

That had to be why the princess' student and her allies could use magic in their territory. That eldritch monstrosity must have given them something that works against them. And his actions left a mark.

A mark the princesses and their little pet didn't bear.

"This is my last shot," mumbled Pharynx, blood trickling from his lips as he spoke.

His horn lit up in a dim green.

---

"I... think I'm okay now," moaned Thorax, while Spike helped him to his hooves.

"That's a relief," commented Spike happily.

Thorax brought his attention to the amulet around his neck, poking at the face as the serpents ceased to move. "Incredible, I've never seen anything–"

He was cut off when a flash of green went off next to them. Thorax and Spike turned to find Pharynx was gone.

---

Twilight and the others met in between their respective brawls, panting slightly but looking none the worse for wear.

"That... was... awesome," said Rainbow, regaining energy at a faster pace than the others due to her lifestyle. "I didn't know I could kick so much tail with this new power."

"YEEHAW," cried Applejack, rearing up on her hind legs. "You'll get no argument out of me Dash, I can't wait to try my Dragon Aspect on my trees when I applebuck."

"Whoa nelly," said Pinkie, throwing a lasso around Applejack that was made of frilly tassel. "You were hard enough on those poor wood buddies originally, I don't think that they would survive getting kickity kicked by earth pony legs infused with the power of a dragon. I bet even Alduin himself would be hard pressed to survive that."

"You're one to talk about restraint, Pinkie," said Rarity irritably, pointing to her pockmarked battlefield with the charbroiled changelings lying prone in the center. Pinkie only squeed and rubbed the back of her neck in embarrassment. "But I do concur, it actually felt good to be able to deal with those ruffians with a little something to even the playing field."

"Just try not to lose yourselves, girls," stated Twilight, wearing a proud but cautious look. "These powers are useful, no doubt about that, but they don't make you infallible. There will always be something that can render even the most useful of skills pointless, and it can come in any shape or form."

"Hey, one hundred and twenty percent on board with you on that, egghead," said Rainbow, while most of the group give her a baffled look. "I know what you're thinking," she continued with a smirk of cruel humor. "'It wasn't something you'd expect from the brash Rainbow Dash, these powers should have inflated her ego like a dirigible. While normally that would be true, even I recognize the potential of Hermaeus Mora and his kind. If we ever have to face him, or something on par with him, I know these new powers would be less than useless."

"Oh... oh my," said Rarity, walking up to Rainbow and putting a hoof to her chest. "That was quite insightful, Rainbow, darling."

"It would seem that Apocrypha is even having an effect on your adrenaline fueled brain!" said Pinkie, appearing on Rainbow's back and giving her a noogie on her multicolored scalp.

"Yeah yeah, enough," said Rainbow, blushing as she bowed her upper body down and let gravity slide Pinkie over her withers and to the ground with a thud. "Don't remind me, it will take all my willpower just to go back to that wretched place."

Twilight smiled happily at the scene. It would seem that her friends were adapting to their new powers just fine... well, except for one. Fluttershy had a look about her she didn't like.

"Fluttershy?" said Twilight, approaching her marefriend with a concerned look. "What's wrong?"

Fluttershy jumped out of her depressed stupor at Twilight’s words."Oh... it's nothing, Twilight."

"Come now, darling," started Rarity, her and the others having noticed the conversation. "If something is bothering you, you can tell us."

"Yeah Fluttershy," said Pinkie, her chipper voice laced with concern. "The last thing we need to do is bottle up something. If something comes along and shakes that bottle, we will all get splashed with icky repression soda."

Everypony gave Pinkie a look for her analogy, but with a shrug soon returned to Fluttershy with supportive smiles all around. It warmed Fluttershy's heart to see herself surrounded by support, her friends knew exactly what to say to help her ease out of her shell. The sight of Twilight and the others support put her at ease.

Ever since Apocrypha, Fluttershy had felt an overwhelming desire to stick with them, wherever that might be. Whether that be an expansive realm of books ruled by a tentacled monstrosity with no stationary body, or a barren wasteland littered with dust, Fluttershy knew she would be there. And right now, Fluttershy was reminded that Twilight and the others felt the same.

"TWILIGHT!"

The shout made all the ponies jump in alarm, turning around to see Spike speeding towards them... astride the back of a changeling with a sizable gold amulet around its neck.

"Spike? What's going–"

"TWILIGHT, THE PRINCESSES!" Spike continued, cutting Twilight off and bringing all their attention to behind them.

"PRINCESSES!" they all shouted in worry when they saw what was going on.

---

The four regal ponies' attention was snapped from the group of mares in the distance when a flash of green magic illuminated behind them.

They turned to find Pharynx behind them and he was a sight that gave even the two wizened alicorn sisters the chills. The whole side of his face was swelling, a jagged triangle missing from his chitin that exposed grotesque pulsating muscle. His mouth was open in a half pant, half hiss, so much changeling blood cascading down his lips that nothing could be seen but a miniature waterfall of green viscoelastic liquid.

"Stay back, you fiend," said Shining Armour, placing himself between Pharynx and the princesses, pawing the ground.

In a flash, Pharynx pounced on Shining Armour, knocking him between the princesses and onto his back... immediately slamming his slimy mouth over his neck.

---

"SHINING ARMOUR!" screamed Twilight in despair as she watched the rabid changeling clamp his mouth over her brother 's neck.

They had been carried quite a distance away from the four royals during the skirmishes, and it was taking a while to close the gap on hoof. They had originally tried to use Thu'um to come to the aid, but had used too much during the fight and it would take a bit before they could use them again. Even Twilight had been drained.

So she could only watch helplessly as her brother was bitten by a poisonous pony/bug.

"THORAX, GIVE ME THE DRACONIAN MADSTONE!" demanded Twilight, turning to said changeling buzzing above. "IT CURED YOU, IT HAS TO WORK FOR MY BROTHER TOO."

"Don't panic, Twi," said Spike from Thorax's back, worry still in his eyes but self assurance as well. "That won't be necessary,I believe his attack failed."

"Don't be stupid, Spike," snapped Rainbow, flapping her wings out of habit but forced to gallop to the downed captain, same as the rest.

"Yeah," said Fluttershy, her heart hammering as the three alicorns started to try prying Pharynx off Shining by hoof, their magic inaccessible. "He clearly got his mouth on Shining Armour, and his fangs are venomous."

"Not anymore," said Spike, flashing them a smug grin when they looked at him in confusion. "I kicked his fangs out when I knocked him off Thorax."

A slight pause took place for a second as they sprinted, then a little mirth began to form in their hearts at what Spike said. Rainbow even let out a slight chuckle.

---

" Get... off... my... fiance!" groaned Cadance, giving a final heave as she and the other princesses finally pried Pharynx loose and tossed him aside, flashing the prone Shining a look of deep concern. "Are you alright, my love?"

Shining brought a hoof to his neck and felt around.

He felt no pain and saw no blood...but he did feel intense disgust at the thick green goo on his neck and shoulders.

Groaning in disgust, he stood up and pulled his hoof away, his eyes cringing at the green rope that connected his hoof to his neck.

---

Pharynx cursed to himself as he lay on the ground. 'Damn that pint sized dragon, why did he have to knock out my teeth?'

"BUDDY!" the shout made Pharynx look up from his spreadeagle position, noticing that it came from the very dragon who defanged him, riding on Thorax's back. "You are so in for it."

"Yeah, you wait till we get a hold of you," said the rainbow maned pegasus. She and the other ponies were galloping towards his location, ugly scowls on their faces. "You're in for a world of hurt."

Pharynx knew she wasn't exaggerating.

After all that had happened, he knew they weren't going to go easy on him if they got their hooves on him. He had to do something to save himself, he had to win... in honor of his beloved queen. He didn't have his fangs anymore, but he still had one weapon natural to changeling kind.

Bracing his forehooves to the ground, Pharynx launched himself away from the approaching foes and towards the four in the other direction, hoping to catch one of them off guard. And it seemed Cadance drew the short straw, for as she was trying to help Shining Armour wipe the slime off his neck, Pharynx plowed into her and knocked her to the ground.

Twilight and her friends halted just in time to stand among the princesses and the terrified Shining Armour, watching as a huge cobra coiled around Cadance, spreading its hood as its head was poised at her neck.

"Nopony move," the snake hissed threateningly, the terrified Cadance cringing in pain as the coils that bound her tightened. "NOPONY MOVE!"

Twilight felt every nerve in her body twinge at the sight of such a large snake, but her concern for Cadance greatly overrode it. "Don't you dare hurt her."

"Oh, I won't," said Pharynx viciously, eyeing Celestia and Luna hungrily, "As long as they comply with my demands."

"Pharynx, this is madness," said Thorax, Spike hopping down from his back as he approached.

"Stay away, you treacherous tick!"

"Why are you so obsessed with this?" Thorax asked pleadingly. "What few changelings you could rally against Twilight and the others have fallen, what do we hope to gain by continuing this pointless struggle?"

"Finally fulfilling our queen's prodigious dream!" replied Pharynx proudly.

---

'Ain't putting up with this any longer,' thought Spike, sneaking behind Celestia's flamboyant tail, a flash of white going unnoticed as all had attention only for the present hostage situation. 'Looks like it's round two.

A trail of clawed footprints began making its way from Celestia's tail to the snake ahead.

---

"I will never let my queen's ambition die," said Pharynx, his lidless eyes twitching.

"Pharynx, stop this," begged Thorax with budding tears. "If you don't, the ponies will be forced to..."

A dull crunch echoed through the land for a second, and if one looked they would see Pharynx's snake tail crimp slightly with a fanged pattern. Thorax backed up to the rest of the flabbergasted ponies as Pharynx howled in pain, their surprise growing as whatever was going on made Pharynx lose focus and turn back into a changeling.

Now he just lay there, restraining Cadance with his hooves around her neck and hind legs around her waist.

Cadance sensed her chance, thrusting her wings out and pushing Pharynx off her slightly. He still clung to her like a vice, but her actions opened a space between her back and his chest. A space she quickly felt filled with something small and scaly.

Looking back, she saw Spike positioned between her wings, looking at Pharynx with a look of pure irritation.

'FO KRAH DIIN'

Pharynx was immediately blown off Cadance, coated head to tail in ice, landing stiff in the distance. Spike steadily helped Cadance stand and escorted her to the others.

"Sweetheart, are you okay?" asked Shining Armour frantically, nuzzling his fiance.

"Yes, I'm fine," confirmed Cadance, hugging Shining comfortingly. "Thanks to Spike."

"Tell me about it," snarked Rainbow, nudging Spike with an elbow so hard she almost knocked him to the ground. "You're on fire today, shrimp."

"Good thing dragons are fireproof," said Pinkie, lifting Spike up by his underarms and smiling at him, a blush on his face.

"Thorax," Celestia's strict voice brought all their attention. "We don't want to do it, but if that changeling won't comply with us... we will have to kill him."

Thorax looked at the stiff Pharynx with slight pity. He didn't want to do it either, because throughout everything, Pharynx was special to him in a way only he understood. But if he was going to be defiant to the last, what more could they do? Time was running out for the changelings, this was their last...

Twilight and her friends suddenly doubled over, groaning in discomfort.

"Twily!" gasped Shining Armour, rushing to his sister's side. "What is wrong?"

"I don't know," replied Twilight, massaging her abdomen. "I... feel something..."

"Girls, your cutie marks," gasped luna.

Looking, Twilight and her friends were shocked to find that the tentacles marking their bodies were twisting and undulating, moving across their coats like living snakes, all of them feeling their hearts stop as the eyes in the center of the masses blinked.

"Girls," said Spike, also clutching his abdominal area. "I have felt this before."

"You have?" Inquired Twilight through her own sensation. "When?"

"When I got the Madstone," replied Spike, pointing to said amulet around Thorax's neck. "When all seemed lost and it seemed Thorax was doomed, I called out to Hermaeus Mora. I felt this sensation, and the madstone appeared along with one of Hermaeus Mora's tendrils. I... think it means we are connected to him."

"Connected?" Inquired Celestia, unease in her voice. "I don't like the sound of that, what does it mean?"

"Well, we have spent a good bit of time in his realm," said Pinkie nervously.

"And on Nirn, it's not unheard of for the followers of Daedra to develop a telepathic link to them," explained Twilight.

This did not relieve Celestia's fears at all. "And what is this feeling telling you?"

"Just try to focus on it," explained Spike to the girls. "It'll come to you."

They did as he suggested, focusing all their will in analyzing the foreign sensation in their bodies. And when they did, all color drained from their faces.

"Run," whispered Twilight in a panic stricken tone.

"Twily what's..."

"EVERYPONY RUN, NOW!"

Suddenly, the ground began to shake violently, moving so frantically that it was a challenge to stay on one's hooves.

"What's going on!?" said Shining Armour, "There aren't any fault lines in the Badlands, how can there be an earthquake? "

"This isn't an earthquake," explained Celestia, examining the sensation through her hooves. "I have experienced all manner of earthquakes and this is nothing like them. It's almost like..." she looked up, pale faced, "like something really big is moving underground!"

Now that got a reaction.

"You heard Twilight, run," said Shining Armour seriously.

"What about the changelings?" inquired Thorax, everypony looking up to see he was carrying the frozen Pharynx in his hooves. "The condition they are in, they won't make it."

'WULD NAH KEST'

They all turned just in time to see Fluttershy zip over to the changelings they had pummeled earlier in a yellow blur.

'VOKRII'

At that one simple word, the changelings all sprang up and took off on their wings.

'WULD NAH KEST'

And Fluttershy was back in front of them, wearing a grin."I think they will be fine, even they know it's a good idea to flee an earthquake."

"Fine, fine, let's go already," said Spike frantically.

A great fissure started opening up in the distance, and that was all the motivation they needed to get moving.

Except for Spike. He saw something out of the corner of his eye that made him stop. He contemplated what to do for a second, then forced his fear down and sprinted in the direction of the fissure.

"SPIKE!" screamed Twilight in horror, stopping to throw him a worried look, while everyone else stopped in response to her scream. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?"

"No time to explain!" Spike called back. "Just go, I won't be long!"

Twilight wanted to argue, but if she tried to intervene neither she nor Spike would outrun the fissure. All she could do was hope Spike knew what he was doing. And hope he had a damn good reason for doing something so foolish.

"Come on," said Twilight, resuming the escape along with the others.

---

Spike ran as fast as his pudgy feet would carry him. It was difficult on the jerky ground, but he had to do something, fast. As he approached the edge of the fissure, his dread grew as the widening crevice's boundaries approached his destination at an alarming rate.

He wasn't going to make it at this rate:

'WULD NAH KEST'

Leaping forward as soon as he was free of his sprint, Spike flung his claw out at the moment the ground in front of the spot he landed crumbled and fell into the fissure. He knew he had failed, his claw clenched only little bits of ground. Cringing, he opened his eyes...

And was surprised to see the transparent silhouette of a changeling centered around his claw.

His detect life Thu'um was still active, and when the tremor started it showed him the unmoving form of a changeling in the distance. He didn't know why it was stationary, despite the trembling earth, but he could not just leave it. He had lunged for the figure just as the crumbling earth reached it, expecting to grab a holey hoof as it fell.

But somehow he held the whole changeling in his fist.

But now was not the time to dwell on this bizarre turn of events. The fissure had ceased growing for a few seconds, but that was changing. Even now the ground under Spike's arms was fracturing, crumbling and falling into the new ravine, blue flowers getting blown away as they were suddenly airborne.

With a panicked grunt, Spike used his tail to spring himself back to his feet, cradling his clenched claw with his other claw as he bolted out in the direction of Twilight and the others.

---

"What is the meaning of this, Twilight?" asked Celestia, running next to her student.

"I can't fully tell," said Twilight in a philosophical tone as she sprinted. "All I can say is that Hermaeus Mora has grown impatient."

"Yeah," said Pinkie, bouncing on her hooves but still keeping up. "He's all party pooped out on the changelings putting up this pitiful resistance, so he is going to intervene."

"How is splitting the earth going to help?" asked Luna.

"Turn around, you'll find out."

"Spike, you're okay, don't ever..."

Twilight was cut off when her thoughts ground to a halt, along with all the others, even the changelings, who where coincidentally resting atop the steep incline the ponies and dragon had finished sprinting up.

From this vantage point they could see right down the fissure, which now stretched in front of the foreboding changeling hive. But what drew all the attention was that out of the fissure, four huge black tendrils rose up, two on each side, each the size of skyscrapers. Then they fell flat, two on each side of the changeling hive, falling opposite to each other over the fissure.

With a mighty groaning sound, the tendrils pushed the earth apart like the bread of a sandwich. The changeling hive staggered, its foundation crumbling as the damaged ground around it submitted to gravity and plunged into the earth. All watched as the pointed structure toppled forward like a felled tree, the top breaking off as it impacted the other side of the fissure, before both pieces tumbled into the earth, twirling like two halves of a dropped broken pencil towards a tiny dot of glowing orange below.

It wasn't long before Celestia and Luna's manes and tails resumed flowing in a nonexistent breeze.

8 At first honeycomb sight

Princess Celestia and Princess Luna watched as Hermaeus Mora's tendrils receded into the ravine they had pried open to destroy the foreboding changeling hive, intensely aware of the return of their magic.

"Aw hay yeah," said Rainbow triumphantly, taking to the air on her beloved cyan wings. "It felt like forever since I last used my wings. We're back in business."

"I concur, darling," said Rarity, picking up a nearby stone in her magic and smiling as its light blue color danced in her pupils. "While the magic of Nirn has its uses, nothing can compare with the grace and beauty of our natural Equestrian magic."

'Natural Equestrian magic!'

"Sister," started Celestia, gaining her navy blue siblings attention. "I believe the time has come to put our contingency plan into effect."

Luna gasped slightly, but quickly grew a bold look of determination and nodded. Before departing Canterlot, the royal pony sisters had devised a plan to dissuade the changelings from hostile intent, but it had been proven useless with the discovery of the changelings' possession of mananite. But now that mananite was gone, consumed by the molten rock blood of the earth, same as the rest of it.

Which meant that they had a card to play themselves once again.

"I hope our actions today don't start a panic in our kingdom," stated Luna with slight worry.

"I informed Raven that this might happen," explained Celestia, looking to the sky and spreading her wings. "I informed her that should it come to this, deliver a message to all pony settlements that it is nothing to be concerned about."

Nodding one more time, Luna faced the sky and spread her wings, same as her sister.

All present, pony, changeling, dragon alike were drawn from the new crevice in the Badlands when a gust of wind swept past. All saw the two millennium old alicorns ascending into the sky about sixty feet before slowly flapping their wings and hovering in place, side by side.

"I think I know what comes next," stated Fluttershy.

"Can't really blame em," said Applejack, looking to the changelings with slight pity. "They did kinda bring it upon themselves."

Suddenly, yellow mixed with blue, everyone looking up to see great pillars of magic being expelled from the princesses' horns. The sun halted its evening decent in the distance, everyone squinting as it floated up into position behind Celestia, bathing her silhouette in its radiant glow. The moon lifted up over the opposite horizon, coming to rest behind Luna, and despite the close proximity of the sun, it shrouded Luna in its silvery glow, making her whole body twinkle as much as her mane and tail.

"CHANGELINGS OF THE BADLANDS!" The two voices echoed across the land, amplified by the Royal Canterlot Voice, powerful enough to send more debris into the crevice that swallowed the changeling hive. "THIS... IS YOUR FINAL... WARNING!"

Their eyes shone with the intensity of a lighthouse at night. "CEASE YOUR HOSTILITY AND SURRENDER. YOU THOUGHT YOU HAD THE ADVANTAGE, WHAT WITH THE MANANITE ARTIFACT YOU POSSESSED, BUT NOW IT IS GONE." They spoke as if they had studied from a script, but few could understand the bond between two millennium old alicorn sisters. "AND WITH ITS DESTRUCTION, WE HAVE REGAINED OUR MAGICAL ABILITY... IF YOU DO NOT SURRENDER NOW, YOU WILL HAVE TO CONTEND WITH THE STALWART FRIENDS WHO YOU STOOD NO CHANCE AGAINST, AND WE PRINCESSES FROM EQUESTRIA."

"Yeah, you hear that chumps!" shouted Rainbow, her smug tone making her friends arch an eyebrow, so much for the wisdom from a moment ago. "Now you are hopelessly outgunned. If you're still deluded enough..."

"ALRIGHT... ALRIGHT!" screamed a random changeling from the front of the group. "Enough already... enough. we surrender."

All the changelings bowed in the dirt and said in unison,"WE SURRENDER, WE SURRENDER, WE SURRENDER!"

Relief, sweet sensational relief flooded Twilight and all her friends. It was finally over, after three years, starting out as a full on invasion to a skirmish fueled by delusion, the changelings no longer were enemies to ponies. After a long time, they can place that aspect of the story to rest.

Thorax was equally relieved.

It would seem, after leading a declining race (who, deep down, he felt brought extinction upon itself) for three years and watching them die off one by one while he was powerless to stop it, aid had finally come. And not only that, now he had a real friend, like he had always wanted. His attention shifted to the necklace around his neck, then to the small dragon that stood beside Twilight, a burning gratitude in his heart.

Then his attention centered on Twilight alone.

"Excuse me... Twilight," Twilight looked to see Thorax approach timidly. "What is it... Hermaeus Mora wants with us?"

Twilight and her friends gasped in surprise. "How did you know?"

"When Spike called to Hermaeus Mora for aid, he said so."

---

The other changelings felt their hearts drop at hearing that. Hermaeus Mora, that tentacled monstrosity that murdered their queen, was the one who sent these ponies out here? Horrible dread found its way into their minds, this will not end well for any of...

Celestia landed before them, her sister fluttering over with Cadance and Shining Armour. They cowered at first, but the expression she wore... it spoke of compassion, caring, kindness... her smile was all types of supportive they never knew existed. They certainly never got it from Chrysalis.

And just like that the terror was gone. Slight unease still existed, but it was tolerable.

---

Twilight looked at Spike, who only smiled nervously at her.

It was not the revelation to the changelings she wanted, but what was done was done. But her attention was drawn to the clenched claw he cradled, and she remembered the terror she felt when she saw her baby dragon leap at an opening crevice. What was he thinking?

What was that all about?

"Please hold that thought," requested Twilight. "I need to deal with something."

Thorax didn't argue as Twilight turned to Spike, he had waited for three years, he could wait a few more minutes.

"Spike," snapped Twilight sternly, earning a sweatdrop from the nervous dragon before her. "What was with that stunt you pulled back there?"

"Yeah," butted in Pinkie, appearing next to Twilight. "Why did you run towards a crumbling canyon?" You scared the bejeezus out of us."

They all voiced their agreements.

Spike looked to his clenched claw, still not fully understanding how he was holding a full changeling in the palm of his hand. But he knew he had to be gentle, or he might hurt it. The only way for it to even be in his grasp like this was if it was extremely tiny.

Carefully, Spike extended his claw and spread his fingers, his pony friends gathering around as he blew on the small pile of dust that was revealed.

"An ant?" inquired Rarity, shuddering slightly at the tiny insect resting in Spike's claw. "You risked your adorable scales for an ant?"

"Hey Rarity," said Fluttershy, slightly irritated. "All creatures are special."

"But there aren't any ants out in the Badlands, there's no sustenance out here for them," said Twilight, confused as she stared at the little black carpenter ant. "Besides, it's not acting at all like any ant I have ever seen."

Taking a closer look, they realized that she was right.

At one time or another, each of them had handled an ant before, and what usually happens when they are picked up is that they scurry all over the place to try and escape. This one was lying on its side in Spikes claw, curled in on itself and trembling like a scared puppy. None of them had ever seen an ant act like that before.

"Is it me, or is it behaving like a filly with her hoof caught in the cookie jar?" asked Pinkie, with an arched eyebrow.

"An ant," said Spike seemingly to himself. "That explains it."

The others gave him a confused look as he took the tip of his index claw and began tapping the ant on its abdomen. "Come on little fella, you're going to be fine."

---

Ocellus had never been more scared in her life.

After the sounds of combat receded she had contemplated coming out to see if any of her fellow changelings were still alive, only for the very earth she took refuge in to shake like a leaf in a hurricane. Her tiny ant body locked up and she curled in on herself, too scared to move. Then the ground beneath her rose up around her and buried her under a mound of dust, the sensation of moving reaching her senses.

She must have fallen down into...

"Come on little fella, you're going to be fine."

The soothing gentle voice, coupled with the gentle stroking of her abdomen was enough to snap Ocellus out of her state with equal parts surprise and reassurance. She uncurled her six legs and stood up, taking in her surroundings. Six pony faces gazed down at her, slightly flabbergasted, but that wasn't what drew her attention.

The seventh face did.

She recognized him from before, he had appeared along with the ponies and approached their home. She didn't know what transpired after she transformed and hid, but she did comprehend something. This dragon, whoever he was, was holding her in his claw.

She knew the ground was collapsing around her and that she herself had not gotten herself to safety, being petrified with fear. So that lead to one possible conclusion, this dragon, whoever he was, had saved her life. Intense gratitude overrode Ocellus's skittish demeanor, allowing her to stare up at the face of purple scales above.

And that brief boldness allowed her to see things she never thought possible.

He wore a smile that told her she had nothing to fear from him, that he wasn't going to hurt her. From her vantage point, the silver moon shined behind him (she had no idea why both the sun and the moon were present, but that was of secondary concern) casting a brilliant luminescence over his shiny purple scales. His eyes were the most brilliant of green, welcoming her into them like the world's most alluring ocean, promising happiness and compassion if she were to just dive in.

She didn't know how long she stared into the face above, but she knew it wasn't long enough.

---

Spike smiled at the ant for a second longer before bending down and depositing it on the ground.

"Please change back," requested Spike gently, his hands on his knees as he squatted. "It's rather embarrassing to have my friends believing that I risked my tail for an ant."

Twilight and her friends tilted their heads in confusion, their mouths forming incomprending O's.

The ant seemed to look itself over miraculously, and before their eyes, a weak pillar of green flames flashed for a moment, then a changeling stood in the ant's place. The ponies dropped their mouths open at this turn of events. This changeling was obviously female, they could see it in the soft features of her face, despite her sharing similar traits with the rest of her kind.

She was much smaller compared to the othes to, her chin barely level with Spike's head spines, despite his hunched posture. Her size became more apparent as Spike stood up, his chest level with her horn. His look grew slightly uneasy as she stared at him.

"Hey," he said putting a claw on her shoulder, snapping her out of her daze. "Are you alright? I didn't handle you too rough, did I?"

Ocellus blushed at being asked if she was okay. "I'm fine," she whispered almost too quietly for Spike to hear. "You didn't hurt me... not at all."

"OCELLUS!"

The frantic shout brought their attention to Thorax, who came skidding to a halt before the stunned female changeling.

"You..." Thorax cast a horrified look to the distant ravine. "You were back there?"

All Ocellus could do was nod in confirmation, her earlier infatuation forgotten for the moment.

Thorax approached Spike, the baby dragon tensing as he towered over him. Thorax's stance was rigid and jerky, as if a flick would make him explode, literally. His eyes had a glazed look about them, a look that wasn't something anyone sane would be comfortable meeting. But Spike didn't disrespect him by looking away, he and Thorax had formed something between them.

"Spike," said Thorax, his demeanor stabilizing as he bowed respectfully, "First you save me, now Ocellus. While gratitude isn't a known trait of changelings, I will never forget what transpired here today." His eyes glistened with slight tears as he looked down at Spike. "What could I ever do to repay you?"

Spike cast a look of worry to Twilight and the others, but they just smiled reassuringly and Twilight gestured with a hoof for him to go on. Somehow grasping what Twilight meant, he turned tp Thorax with a smile.

"You can start by accepting Hermaeus Mora's offer, thereby saving your race from extinction."

Thorax's look became incomprehensible.

He would have fully accepted right then and there, but something at the back of his mind demanded for answers. Answers he knew he could not proceed without.

"Why does Hermaeus Mora want us?" he asked worriedly. "We don't know much about this... creature... but we do know he is all about wisdom and knowledge. Changelings have solely existed for the purpose of collecting love for our queen to feed on, and therefore to feed us. What possible value could we have to Hermaeus Mora?"

"Careful with the creature comments," warned Pinkie Pie, putting on a black helmet with rubber eyes on springs attached all over it. "Hermmy has eyes all over. You say something he no likey, he'll suck up your brains like a milkshake."

"Pinkie! How vulgar," snapped Rarity, snatching Pinkie's helmet and sticking her tongue out as she looked at it. "Both your analogy and your accessories."

"You may not be intellectual," explained Twilight, unconcerned with Rarity and Pinkie as she walked up to Thorax. "But there is something about you that will be valuable to Hermaeus Mora, that will help him get better results as he gathers knowledge of our world."

Thorax watched with anticipation, hope, and dread swirling inside him.

"Your metamorphosis."

"Our what?" asked Thorax at the incomprehensible word.

Yeah, changelings were definitely not intellectual all right.

"Your ability to shape shift."

"I... don't understand," said Thorax, looking to Twilight with hopeless confusion. "How would our changing abilities have any value to Hermaeus Mora?"

"You remember the Lurkers and the Seekers?" Applejack asked Thorax, sighing slightly when he looked confused. "The big muscular monsters that held you all captive in Canterlot, plus the hovering creatures that came out of one of his tentacles."

Thorax froze in terror at the memory of being squeezed in one of those things' tentacles, plus seeing the sky fill with lanky creatures. But he nodded in confirmation.

"Those are his normal associates," explained Rarity, "And while they have their uses gathering books and such, they are insufficient in the other phase of Hermaeus Mora's plan."

Thorax was starting to become more unsure. "What else could Hermaeus Mora want? If his minions 'are' gathering knowledge, what use could he have for us."

"Oh, Hermmy doesn't want to just gather information for his private study," said Pinkie excitedly, "He wants to start a Hermaeus Mora, Daedric Prince of knowledge and foresight fan club in Equestria."

"Wait what?" inquired Thorax, his eyes going wide.

"What Pinkie means is that Hermaeus Mora wants to draw Equestrian followers," explained Twilight gently, casting Pinkie a look. "And to do that he needs to approach people subtly. Can you imagine what a pony would do if one of those creatures, or a vortex of tendrils suddenly appeared and asked if they wanted to join a group dedicated to research and study? No, he needs minions who can extend the invitation without instilling fear... at least to begin with."

Now it made sense.

Hermaeus Mora wants them so he can use them to approach people, wearing a guise that would ensure that they didn't panic. While most would be a bit skeptical about being used in such a way, it was hardly different from the purpose Chrysalis used them for. And if it would save them...

Wait, how would this save them?

"How does this ensure our survival?" asked Thorax worriedly, seeing holes in this logic. "Even if we did agree to this, how would it save us? Hermaeus Mora, as influential as he seems, is not our queen. How could he save us if the only one who can provide us nourishment is dead?"

"You underestimate the power of a Daedra," said Rainbow, hovering above with a cocky smile. "Hermaeus Mora isn't just influential, his powers are endless."

"Unless you need him to create a world, then he would turn into a giant planet up in the sky, same as the Aedra..." Pinkie was silenced when Applejack shoved a hoof in her mouth, looking annoyed.

" You mean... he can feed us love?" asked Thorax, a note of hope in his voice.

"He can do better than that," said Fluttershy, "He can change your source of food, and give you the ability to feed yourselves independently."

If Thorax was interested before, he was full on captivated now. Feeding on something that wasn't love, and the ability to eat it without aid? He could not have hoped for a better solution to the growing dilemma that the changelings had suffered through for the past three years.

But before he could accept, something occurred to him. Something that should have been obvious before now.

"Why are you all here, telling us this?" Thorax asked, "if it is Hermaeus Mora who is involved, surely he could have come here and approached us." He looked at the ravine that had been made by said deity. "And with less messy results."

Twilight knew the answer and was about to reply, but had a better idea. "Princess Celestia, I think you should be the one to tell him. It will make the reason all the more understandable."

Celestia smiled proudly to her pupil.

"Hermaeus Mora is a cunning and reclusive individual," she explained. "But he has a wisdom about him. He is aware that those of you may harbor ill feelings towards him for Chrysalis's death, so he sent us instead." Thorax looked unsettled. "But not for intimidation, no we royal ponies and Twilight and her friends are here to deliver this proposal as a sign that we hold no ill will for what happened in Canterlot, and that we also don't wish death upon you."

"And he wants your loyalty and respect," said Luna. "He doesn't want to rule you with fear, like Chrysalis."

"And with you out gathering followers for Hermaeus Mora, you will interact with ponies often," explained Cadance, Shining Armour next to her as they both gave Thorax supportive smiles. "It would be best if your people and ours saw eye to eye."

"So what do you say?" asked Spike, bouncing on his legs excitedly. "Will you accept?"

After hearing about all this, how could he not.

"Of course," Thorax said, so excited he buzzed into the air. "Where do we sign up?"

"Oh you won't have to sign anything," said Pinkie reaching a hoof into her mane. "This isn't going to be like signing a contract for life insurance, total snore-fest. No, you just need to have a drink."

Pinkie pulled a table out of her mane, plastic cups and a punch bowl resting on top.

Author's Notes:

I know you guys judge shipping as viciously as a movie critic, but its high time Spike had a proper love interest that will return the feelings. Him and Rarity's relationship is cute, but she uses him, and will never give him any more affection then she would a plushie.

And don't get me started on her bad taste in men...and obliviousnes

And before anyone gets the wrong idea, Pinkie's punch bowl was inspired by the episode of Hercules the legendary journeys, were during the first ever Olympics, some warrior's of Ares drank from a shrine and transformed, not anything in our history.

9 Evolution

For the longest time, Thorax was completely baffled that this simple pink earth pony had pulled a whole twenty percent of a party out of her mane.

'Who... is this mare?'

But then the world caught up to him as what she said finally computed in his mind. He had expected needing to shake hooves with a tentacled vortex, he had expected a binding oath, he had even expected to sign his name in blood. The last thing he expected was simply drinking punch out of a bowl.

Not that the punch bowl was all that ordinary or inviting.

While the cups and table were just ordinary disposable plastic cups and a foldout table, the bowl was a sight to behold; both elegant yet terrifying. Jet black curved protrusions ribbed the frame, ending in points as a lime green transparent membrane arched inward between them, giving the bowl a lopsided look. The liquid within was a red color and so clear that you could see the bottom of the bowl.

But yet Thorax was captivated by the sight.

"Thorax, darling," Rarity's gentle voice snapped him out of his trance, looking as she approached his left and put a hoof on his shoulder. "Is everything okay?"

"We understand if you are nervous, partner," said Applejack, approaching Thorax's right. "This will be a big change."

"Oh, we are no stranger to change. Changelings, remember," replied Thorax, Rarity and Applejack kinda embarrassed for walking into that one. "I'm just... a little underwhelmed. I was expecting this to be more complicated than simply drinking punch."

"Oh, believe me, this is anything but simple punch," explained Twilight, "This elixir was brewed by Hermaeus Mora himself, and does it contain magical ingredients leveled out in portions that no mortal can comprehend, it even contains a small portion of his essence."

"HUH?" gasped Thorax, slightly worried. "You mean this stuff...?"

"Yes indeedy," said Pinkie, grinning ear to ear as if what was being explained wasn't creepy at all. "This magic potion contains a small portion of old Hermmy's soul."

"And when it becomes part of you, Hermaeus Mora will be able to adapt your bodies into something that can survive independently," explained Fluttershy with a compassionate tone.

Thorax was immediately perturbed.

This was beginning to sound like a bad idea. Doing this would mean ingesting a piece of the creature that killed their queen, and while there was no love lost between them as far as Thorax was concerned, it was an unsettling concept. Not to mention, completely disgusting.

"Isn't there another option?" asked Thorax shakily, casting a single eyed stare at the bowl. "Maybe something Equestrian...?

"I am sorry, Thorax," Celestia interrupted gently. "Nothing from Equestria can help."

"My sister speaks the truth," added Luna, "What would be required to help is simply not available to us. Even the Elements of Harmony would be useless."

That actually should have been obvious before. Twilight and her friends had on said magic jewelry, and it wasn't until now that Thorax noticed them. Though he did not know why they had them, they had not used them in the fight a few minutes ago, they would have used them to help the changelings instead of offer this foreboding liquid, Thorax was sure. Though, now that he thought about it, why hadn't they used them to...

"Oh, come on you," Thorax suddenly found himself airborne, Rainbow having seized him around the middle and was carrying him to the table. "Don't go getting cold hooves," she smirked at herself as she looked at the hole riddled things. "They would probably fall off."

"Wait, but...!" Rainbow deposited Thorax so close to the bowl, his terrified reflection stared up at him from the transparent red fluid. "You know that the only alternative is death, so mare up. Or stallion, whatever. Twilight put you in charge of your hive after Hermaeus Mora knocked Chrysalis on her tail, so it's up to you to be strong and take the plunge for your people."

Rainbow spoke like a drill sergeant, her words reawakening Thorax to the severity of the situation. He needed to be strong for his people. They needed to see him doing this, even now they were watching, looking to him for guidance like they had been for the last three years, until Pharynx opened his big mouth and baited them with the presence of the Equestrian princesses.

They needed to see him proving this was legitimate.

Not that it made the task any easier, the point made clear when Rainbow returned to her friends. When she took off, she passed over the sun (and the moon) and her shadow cast over the bowl and, for the briefest of moments, Thorax saw long black tendrils wiggling through the liquid in the bowl like leeches. It was gone the moment Rainbow's shadow let the light shine fully, and the liquid was once again a light red.

But it proved what Twilight said was true, and it made Thorax that much more nervous.

But he surely didn't have a choice, for at that moment the adrenaline from all the excitement awhile ago wore off and his hunger slammed into him like a falling piano. His whole midsection erupted in fire and he almost collapsed over the table, but caught himself just in time, cringing with one eye open. Suddenly it mattered not how revolting the stuff in the bowl looked.

If it meant he would be rid of this hunger, it could be overripe spinach for all it mattered.

Not fast enough, Thorax grabbed a cup in his green magic, plunged it into the bowl, and downed it, the liquid carrying the taste of red wine down his throat.

---

"Kinda harsh there, Rainbow," said Applejack, giving said pegasus an arched eyebrow. "We kinda need them to gently coast the changeling into this."

"Nopony said it had to be subtle, AJ," said Rainbow, "And look at these guys. At this point, hesitation might get them killed."

They all agreed with that, after three years, who knows how much longer the changelings would hold out.

"Uh guys?" inquired Pinkie, grabbing her company's attention. "He just took a drink."

Looking forward with eagerness, the ponies observed the changeling standing a few feet ahead, who was looking himself over, a cup floating next to him in his magic. Nothing seemed to happen, Thorax giving them all a confused shrug. They were expecting some grand transformation, but did the elixir only change a changeling on the insi...

The cup in Thorax's magic suddenly crumpled as his eyes went wide.

He doubled over, falling on his side, the ponies and Spike watching with both fascination and slight worry as Thorax began to change right before their eyes. The holes in his hooves sealed, becoming unblemished appendages of flawless black chitin that gleamed like polished onix. His horn elongated, becoming a glistening black lance that curved at the tip, looking elegant yet deadly, then the beetle shell beneath his wings receded into his body, leaving polished black chitin.

His tail also became longer, extending out in a black rope that resembled one of Hermaeus Mora's tendrils.

Thorax then began to make noises of discomfort and the reason why was obvious. His body was growing in size, his legs becoming at least three times longer, his body growing in equal proportion. His wings shimmered like rays of sunlight, changing in size and shape, and when they were visible again, Thorax now supported a pair of scaled wings of gigantic size, colored and shaped like the wings of a swallow-tail butterfly.

Oh, they were so beautiful, shimmering black with swirling yellow and blue, Fluttershy squeeing at the sight.

That was when the tranquil mood was broken. Thorax's moaning started sounding slurry and obscured, and when they looked, they were greeted with a grotesque sight. Ropes of gleaming black flesh were connecting Thorax's upper and lower lips together, straining as if to pull them closed.

When they managed to seal the lips together the seam of Thorax's mouth vanished, leaving only nostrils and an elongated muzzle.

Then Thorax unfurled from his fetal position and lay on his back, gasping through his nostrils and exposing the blinking eye of Hermaeus Mora that was situated on his chest, the Draconian Madstone shining above it.

They all watched with horrified fascination as Thorax regained enough composure to stand, his new height on par with Celestia. He felt the new length of his horn, his eyes wide in wonder and horror. Looked to his tail and gave it a few test twitches, until something else seemed to grab his attention.

He brought a hoof up and waved it in front of his chest, the large eye blinking involuntarily.

"Amazing," Thorax's voice sounded whispy and had an echoing quality, seemingly resonating from his entire being. "I... I can see out of my chest!"

"Dude, that's creepy," said Spike as he looked at the blinking eye.

“Oh how marvelous," said Rarity, her and the others surrounding the reborn changeling. "Darling, making an appearance like this look fabulous is a fashionista's greatest challenge, but you pull it off effortlessly."

"I ain't one to care about color, but you look awesome," said Rainbow, tapping Thorax's horn with a hoof, only to shout in pain and shake said hoof. "Super sharp, got it."

"We need to mark today," said a thrilled Pinkie as she ran in a circle around Thorax. "Such a transformation, you have to have been reborn. TODAY IS YOUR NEW BIRTHDAY."

"Boy howdy," said Applejack excitedly, grabbing Thorax's tail to examine it. "Now ya got your own built in lasso."

Thorax sent her an uncomfortable look and she put the tail down with a nervous grin.

"Oh, how beautiful" said Fluttershy, eyes tearing up as she looked at the iridescent wings. "My butterfly friends would be so jealous."

"I was expecting a lot but not this," said Shining Armour, his seriousness slightly diminishing. "He actually doesn't look half bad."

"Would you like me to dye my coat black, dear?" joked Cadance, Shining showing her a look of shock and dread.

"Quite the transformation, huh sis?" inquired Luna to Celestia.

"Indeed," agreed Celestia with equal parts fascination and unease. "Hermaeus Mora... his power must be great.

It was time for Twilight to say something, but she hadn't praise to voice.

"Thorax?" inquired Twilight, walking up and looking up into his lime green eyes. "How do you feel? Is everything okay?"

Thorax brought up a hoof to his mouth(or where his mouth used to be) and felt the flawless skin, no trace of lips or teeth remaining. Anypony else would have been freaked out by the loss, but after all the pain and suffering he had endured, even such a loss would be tolerable. If only that were so.

The hunger still burned in his soul like an uncontrolled forest fire.

"It didn't work," Thorax echoed in despair. "The hunger... it’s still..."

A flash of purple magic interrupted the distraught changeling, a book floating in Twilight's magic appearing before him.

The book was a plain red, and most people would have been put off by the word 'algebra' stamped on the cover. But Thorax looked at it like a foal would their birthday cake, and the look in his eyes told them that if he still had a mouth, he would be drooling. Spike wasn't the only surprised to see someone where a look like that who wasn't Twilight.

Speaking of Twilight, said unicorn had to dive out of the way as the much larger than her now changeling pounced on the book like a wolf for meat.

They all watched as he ripped the pages open, his eyes glued to the paper as the book levitated in his green magic. He turned the pages within his magic, slowly at first, but as the seconds rolled by his turning got faster, complicated equations and numbers dancing in his pupiless eyes. By the time he reached the end, the pages were moving so fast the book had started smoking.

'Drip

A single tear landed in the dry dust beneath Thorax.

'Drip 'Drip 'Drip

'Drip 'Drip 'Drip

'Drip 'Drip 'Drip

Followed by several others.

"It's gone," the echoing quality of his voice only added to the emotional euphoria experience Thorax was having. "THE HUNGER IS GONE!"

He flapped his new wings to get airborne, turning to face his fellow changelings.

"Do you hear that, my changeling brethren!" Thorax half shouted, in too much of an emotional state to shout fully. "The elixir works...The elixir works, my hunger is gone! The Equestrians came through for us. We no longer have to..."

The rest of his words were drowned out when the changelings stampeded towards the bowl on the table, surrounding the whole thing and knocking Pinkie's cups everywhere.

"Told you the cups were pointless," said Pinkie to Rarity, watching as the cups were carried towards the distant trench on the wind.

"Hey, I believe in having tact wherever you go," rebutted Rarity win a smug huff.

After a few minutes of fussing and dog piling, the changelings finally backed away from the table, which was seemingly completely undisturbed, despite the brutal treatment.

And same as Thorax, they began to transform, growing whip like tails, losing the beetle shell and holes in their legs, sprouting swallowtail wings, and having their mouths disappear. The difference was that they all grew long tendrils from their muzzles, dangling like beards. They also didn't have eyes on their chests.

As with Thorax, they all still supported looks of deep hunger.

"Fret not, y'all," said Applejack, turning to the Princesses, "We know what ya need."

All three alicorns nodded in approval, lighting their horns. In a flash, a book shelf materialized before all. The changelings pounced on it with such force that it was knocked over, Celestia having to rip the books from the falling end. But they too, were swarmed by changelings.

"Ah say," said Applejack, tilting her head. "School colts and fillies could learn a thing or two from these guys."

"Mmhmm," said Pinkie.

"You said it," agreed Rarity.

"I don't know how to thank you for this," they all turned to see Thorax approach, his gait so much more graceful with his new height. "If you hadn't..."

His gratitude was cut off when he seemed to notice something in the distance, and when Twilight and the others looked they could only face hoof (or claw).

Pharynx lay a short distance away, unchanged and still a normal changeling, watching the others gorge themselves on literature. His scowl was menacing, but the tears flowing from his eyes lessened its bite. And it was even more unsettling for Thorax.

He had never seen people cry before.

"Pharynx?" said Thorax calmly, his new form allowing him to tower over the other changeling as he approached cautiously. "I know you didn't want this, but..."

"Kill me," the whisper was barely audible, but had an arctic air to it. "Just kill me."

Thorax jumped back as if struck, but a strength blossomed in his eyes, so new to his character that it almost illuminated out his shiny chitin. "No."

"You were going to," snapped Pharynx, much to the tall changelings surprise. "Did you really believe I didn't notice that rock aimed at my head?"

"That was different," said Thorax strongly, something inside boosting his confidence and the little meek he had always been vanished for good. "I felt that it was you or the hive, and don't think I would not have regretted it."

"Than regret it," snapped Pharynx, looking to the reading changelings with disgust. "I will never become like them.

---

"This is getting tiresome," said Twilight, all her friends nodding in agreement.

"What is his problem?" commented Pinkie, blowing her poofy mane in annoyance. "I have met all types of party poopers in my day, but this guy takes the cake."

"And all the candles too," added Spike, rolling up a non-existent sleeve. "I have half a mind to..."

A sensation that they were slowly getting used to erupted in them again, the ponies' Cutie Marks acting up again.

"Oh no!" gasped Luna worriedly.

"What on Earth is he going to do now?" asked Celestia, almost on the verge of fear.

"Don't panic," said Spike reassuringly, "He isn't as aggravated this time."

That seemed to be enough to calm the royals, but something was about to happen.

"PHARYNX!" shouted Applejack, Thorax and Pharynx giving her their attention, though Pharynx scowled at her. "PARTNER, YOU ARE MAKING HERMAEUS MORA KINDA ANGRY!"

"WHAT?!" Screamed Thorax in terror.

"Good," said Pharynx with a submissive tone, "Maybe he will finish what you can't."

"PHARYNX, please..." started Thorax, but was interrupted by the arrival of Twilight.

"Pharynx, you don't understand," said Twilight, her tone panicky. "Hermaeus Mora wants all remaining changelings under his command, including you."

"NEVER!" hissed Pharynx, not even bothering to stand. "I serve no one but our queen, least of all the murdering demon who took her from us."

"Like I said, you don't understand," said Twilight, her pupils shrinking and sweat forming on her head. "You can't just say no to a Daedric Prince..."

But it would seem like Hermaeus Mora was through waiting.

Multiple whirlpools materialized around Pharynx, multiple tendrils wrapping up his limbs and hoisting him into the air.

"Pharynx!" said Thorax as he watched a tendril wrap around Pharynx's mouth.

"Come on, get back," Twilight teleported herself and Thorax back to the group were she and all her friends had to restrain him with a pony pile.

"Let me go!" huffed the tall changeling under the ponies. "I can't let him die!"

"He won't, partner," said Applejack, restraining Thorax around the middle. "Hermaeus Mora isn't going to let any more of your kind die."

"Yeah, he wants all of you," explained Pinkie from atop Thorax's head. "But I can say that he can be a little pushy."

It became clear what she was talking about when another tendril extruded from one of the portals, and they all saw Pharynx face it with an accepting look on his bound muzzle. But the appendage didn't attack him. No, it pick up a plastic cup from the ground.

Pharynx suddenly became afraid and renewed his struggling once the tendril dipped the cup in the punch bowl (whose contents had not been depleted, despite all who drank from it already) and began extending to him.

"NO!" screamed Pharynx as a tendril began forcing his jaw apart. "I will not..."

And the cup emptied its red liquid into his mouth before it was sealed shut by a tentacle, the other changelings who were now watching could not help but feel a slight glee at the one who had refused to help them get force fed like a baby.

But Pharynx wasn't giving up without a fight. His cheeks bulged as he refused to swallow the elixir. Twilight watched from the pile on Thorax as little tendrils extended, cringing in revolution and pity as the stuck themselves up Pharynx's nostrils with a crunch.

But he still wouldn't swallow, his face turning blue from lack of air.

"GGGGGRRRRRAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!"

The growl of aggravation echoed through the Badlands, one of Hermaeus Mora's tendrils striking out and whipping across Pharynx's flank. It did the trick. The sharp pain was enough for Pharynx to swallow involuntarily.

And to say his transformation was different would be an understatement.

A sheen of rippling air surrounded Pharynx while he twitched and moaned on the ground, making it appear as if they were looking at his reflection in a body of water that was being hounded by wind and rain. Parts sprouted on him as he squirmed, his form growing longer as time crawled by. The sight would be intolerable to someone with a weak constitution.

As well as the result.

Fluttershy let out a bloodcurdling scream and went as stiff as a statue.

The conglomeration of insect parts before them was a truely gruesome sight to behold.

10 The beauty within

The only definitive feature that betrayed Pharynx's changeling heritage now was his head... well, parts of it.

He now sported two long wiggling antennae next to his red fin on top of his head, which had grown more prominent and armored, stretching down the back of his neck. His honeycombed eyes now completely jutted from their sockets, shiny blue ovals that met their pointed ends at least an inch outward. Pharynx still retained his mouth, unlike the rest of them, but it looked like the last thing that could be used to talk with, judging by the four mandibles that now jutted from the lips, two above and two below.

Pharynx's torso had completely transformed, multiple plates of tough chitin armor lining every surface, looking dense enough to deflect a speeding arrow.

Four gossamer dragonfly wings sprouted from his back, huge and powerful, easily capable of lifting the new body they were attached to into the sky. The chest now had six insectoid legs, two tiny, barely noticeable legs only a few inches long extruding from below the neck (most likely used to stabilize the creature when it clung to a surface) two huge legs were present beneath these, over five feet in length and resembling the vicious hunting claws of a praying mantis, and below these, two massive arched hind legs were attached, resembling a grasshopper's legs tipped with two clawed toes apiece.

Instead of a hindquarters, Pharynx now had an abdomen.

It was lined with the same chitin armor that guarded the torso, ridges covering its impressive length that ended in the arched pincers of an earwig. For the longest time, pony, changeling, and dragon alike were equally stunned and captivated by the sight, but at the same time fearful of this strange creature that had appeared before them.

"Twilight?" whispered Spike, creeping up next to said unicorn as she lay on the ground, a trembling Fluttershy clinging to her like a drowning pony would a lifesaver. "What happened? Why... why was his transformation so different?"

Twilight didn't have an answer.

Despite now having a gleaming black carapace and sprouting Hermaeus Mora's tendrils, all the other changelings still retained a significant resemblance to their previous form. The more she stared at Pharynx, the more confused she became. Why did he look so grotesque now... and why was a slight feeling of déjà vu settling over...

Suddenly something sprang to the forefront of Twilight's mind... something she had stumbled upon completely at random during her exploits in Apocrypha.

"He's... he's become a chaurus hunter!"

"A what's whaty what?" asked Pinkie, looking over Twilight and turning her head a full one eighty so as to look into her face right side up. "What did you say he turned in to?"

"I believe we all would like to know that," they all turned to see Princess Celestia approach, Luna, Cadance, Shining, and Thorax in tow. "So my student, have you seen something like that before?"

Twilight gathered her thoughts.

"They are called chaurus," explained Twilight, "and what Pharynx has become is called a chaurus hunter, the final and most powerful stage of their life cycle."

"A chaurus?" inquired Thorax, looking over at the still stationary Pharynx.

"I have never seen or heard of them before," stated Luna, also casting a look at Pharynx.

"You wouldn't have, your majesty," said Twilight. "They come from Nirn."

There was a collection of surprised gasps.

"I should have known," said Celestia, slightly worried as she looked at Pharynx again. How much more of that place was going to leak into their world?

"WAIT WAIT WAIT," Spike's outburst brought all eyes to him. "You mean to tell us that thing... is an actual species on Nirn."

Twilight answer with a nod.

"Oh my, and I thought changelings were intimidating," Rarity slapped a hoof over her mouth when she remembered the company they had. "No offense," she said to Thorax hurriedly.

"None taken, we really deserve most of it," replied Thorax, looking to Pharynx and producing an impressive look of bewilderment despite the fact that he didn't have a mouth anymore. "Spike told me Hermaeus Mora doesn't come from our world, I guess this Nirn place is where he comes from."

"More or less," answered Applejack.

"And Pharynx is now a chaurus hunter, something that comes from there?"

"From what I know, they are Nirn's equivalent of you," explained Twilight, "they are viscous consumers native to the continent of Skyrim, and they are notorious for being the reason many travelers have gone missing, and even at a young age, they are very aggressive and dangerous."

"But I thought Hermaeus Mora wants us to be his recruitment agency?" inquired Thorax, his demeanor falling. "Pharynx won't be very effective in such a task if he looks like this."

"I think I know what Hermaeus Mora has in mind," stated Twilight, looking at Pharynx's more prominent red frill.

At first she could not understand it, chaurus hunters didn't have frills in that spot. Her first conclusion was that it was remnants from his changeling form, same as his face, but something about it was vaguely familiar. As in, 'Apocrypha' familiar.

"The creatures that held you prisoner in Canterlot," began Twilight, Thorax once again flinching at the mention of those monstrosities. "They are Hermaeus Mora's guardians, they protect Apocrypha from intruders. I think that's what this is, you and the rest of the changelings are going to be Equestrian Seekers, Pharynx is going to be an Equestrian Lurker."

"Really?" inquired Applejack, looking slightly confused. " Why didn't he become all fishy-like like the Lurkers?"

"The changelings are insectoid," said Twilight, her friends giving her their undivided attention. "And who better to protect Apocrypha than the most powerful and dangerous insect known on Nirn?"

"Oh, that makes sense," said Pinkie, apparently the only one on the same page as Twilight. "If somepony comes in with an overdue book, splat, face full of poison."

"How did you know they can spit poison?" asked Twilight, aghast.

"Just a hunch," replied Pinkie happily.

"Wait, chaurus's spit poison?" asked Rarity, her coat somehow going whiter.

For the next few hours, Twilight had to smooth things out with the others, gently getting the less intellectual ones on the same page with her theory of Pharynx. It was a relief to Thorax especially that all the remaining changelings had their place. But it soon became apparent that they didn't know what was supposed to happen now; Hermaeus Mora told them Twilight and her friends things would proceed after all the changelings were brought to his cause, but nothing had happened after Pharynx was force fed the elixir.

But the answer became obvious to Spike when he finally noticed his little admirer who stood a short distance away.

"Guys."

"I say we call Hermaeus," said Rainbow impatiently. "We brought the potion to the changelings and they all drank it. We should be allowed to go home."

"Guys."

"I concur," said Rarity gently, flipping her mane and producing a cloud of dust that was lodged in the strands. "I haven't seen my favorite mane brush in who knows how long, and the first thing I had to do once I got back to Equestria was venture out into this miserable wasteland."

"Guys."

"That is not a good idea," said Celestia with authority. "Hermaeus Mora was aware of the situation with Pharynx, he has to know of our progress."

"Then we missed something," said Twilight, tapping her chin. "Maybe some last details or some instructions."

"What else could there be?" asked Thorax worriedly, "We are under his thrall, now that we drank the..."

He was interrupted when an ice spike impacted the ground in front of him.

They all were, one by one, all the ponies had an ice spike embeded in the ground before them, not close enough to hit them but enough to draw their attention. Said attention being drawn to a very vexed looking dragon, his misting claws crossed under his scowl. It was amazing how intimidating he could look now.

"Spike, what is the matter with you?" scolded Twilight, walking up to said dragon with a scowl of her own. "How many times have I told not to use destruction spells haphazardly?"

"I agree, that was uncalled for," said Celestia angrily. "What is so important that you would throw ice around to get our attention?"

Without much flare, Spike pointed over his shoulder. "You missed one."

Following his thumb, all present gasped at what they saw. A tiny changeling stood a few feet away, holes in hooves, beetle shell, fly wings, it hadn't drank the elixir. And her shorter than normal stature 'and' that the word 'her' was needed to address her made it all too obvious to who it was.

"Ocellus?!" inquired Thorax worriedly, approaching said changeling who made no indication that she was even aware of his presence. "Ocellus?"

He waved a hoof in front of her face to try and get her attention, but she kept staring forward. Her mouth was shaped into a goofy wiggly smile, her eyes glazed and only blinking once every few seconds. Thorax new this look (given his former life) and when he turned to see her attention was focused solely on Spike, he could only facehoof.

'Of all the... well... I guess it shouldn't be a surprise, with how gallantly he saved her.'

Placing a hoof on her shoulder, Thorax gave Ocellus a gentle but firm nudge. "OCELLUS!"

---

Twilight was looking between the meek changeling next to Thorax and her little dragon assistant.

"Is... is she?"

"Twitterpated with a capital T," said Pinkie with high amusement in her voice.

"Oh, isn't that sweet," said Rarity femininely. "Somepon... creature has a crush on our little Spikey Wikey.

"Yeah," said Rainbow, shaking her head with slight pity. "To bad she isn't his type."

"Oh come now Rainbow, don't say that," said Rarity with a scowl," Sure she is a chitin covered bug pony who used to serve a love sucking queen, but that's all in the past." She cast Ocellus an approving look, "and besides, she is kind of adorable for a changeling."

"She really is oblivious, isn't she," Applejack whispered to Rainbow, who replied with a smirk.

But then Pinkie flashed them a warning look of pure fire, indicating her head first to Rarity then to Spike, who was watching the scene between Ocellus and Thorax with interest, and the two athletes shut up before a certain fashionista began asking questions that might uncover a crush that a certain purple dragon wanted to keep secret. A secret protected by a Pinkie Promise. And nopony breaks a Pinkie Promise.

Ever.

---

After the initial shock of the situation she found herself in after returning to her natural form, Ocellus only focused on the little dragon who had saved her again, her vision full blown tunneled in on him. Her infatuation wasn't just the fact that he had saved her life either, it was his looks as well. She had never seen such an alluring color combination as green and purple, and the scales glimmering in the light gave his features a most handsome quality for her.

All of her surroundings became insufficient to Ocellus at that moment, her heart fluttering as she remembered the gentle words he had spoken to her not long ago, words of comfort and compassion. She would remember them for the rest of her life. Little heart bubbles formed and popped in her eyes, a blush forming, though hidden by her black chitin.

'Is... this what it feels like to...'

"OCELLUS!"

The familiar voice, coupled with the gentle shaking of her shoulder was enough to snap Ocellus out of her infatuated state, the world falling in around Spike. She turned, expecting to see Thorax standing next to her, but instead, her eyes met four long slender legs that stretched up past her vision. Following their shiny length in shock, Ocellus stared into the face of the equine shape with the sickly yellow eye on its chest along with a strange pendant, large colorful wings blocking most of the sky out for her, as well as a face completely lacking a mouth.

It was enough to instill slight panic in Ocellus, the small changeling backing up slowly with her mouth open in a silent scream.

"Ocellus!" exclaimed Thorax worriedly, afraid of her reaction. "Ocellus it's alright, it's me."

At the familiar voice echoing from the mouthless creature, Ocellus's fear turned to bafflement.

"Thorax?" she moaned, cautiously approaching and touching one of his legs. "Thorax... is that you?"

Relieved that he had managed to calm her down, Thorax gently nodded.

"What...what happened to you?"

"So... you haven't been aware of what happened in the last few minutes?" asked Thorax, Ocellus blushing in embarrassment.

Thorax put a hoof to his temple and sighed through his nostrils.

Over the course of the next half hour Thorax explained what had happened so far. Hermaeus Mora's interest in them, his promise to save them from starvation, and that they had all been cured except her. At first she was thrilled, but after taking a look at Pharynx and the others, it seemed less appealing to her.

"I know it's a scary concept, but it's our only hope," said Thorax, gesturing to the bowl a few feet away, its contents rippling in the wind and still not looking the slightest bit depleted.

Ocellus trembled, she didn't want to die but something inside her was making her lock up. She didn't know what, she didn't really have a problem with what the potion did, but still, she refused to move. It was starting to make Thorax nervous.

He didn't want what happened to Pharynx to happen to Ocellus...he definitely knew she could not take that.

---

"Hey Spike?"

Cadance's soft voice brought Spike's attention away from the conversation between changelings and to the pink alicorn. "Yeah Cadance?"

"That poor dear seems to be having trouble," explained Cadance, Spike missing the slight mischief in her eyes. "Why don't you go coax her a little."

"Huh? Why me," asked Spike, looking to the other princesses and then his friends, all who seemed like better candidates for a situation like this.

"You saved her life just a few moments ago," explained Cadance gently. "If that didn't instill some trust for you in her, I don't know what would."

Spike smiled smugly, he did kinda save her life, didn't he. Puffing out his chest, Spike marched forward with responsibility.

"Cadance," said Celestia in a scolding voice. "Thats playing dirty."

"Yeah, it's not nice using her new infatuation with Spike like this," agreed Luna with a scowl.

"Hey, don't judge me, aunties," said Cadance, "I'm a little impatient." She gave Shining Armour a lidded expression. "I have waited for three years, I don't want to wait much longer."

"I can agree there," said Shining, nuzzling his fiance.

"Besides, it's not just about that," said Cadance, watching as Spike arrived next to Thorax and Ocellus. "I was always hoping to see who little Spike could end up with. He doesn't live with the rest of his kind, so I took it upon myself long ago to try and find him someone he can be close to."

"Typical Cadance, as always," stated Luna.

"What did you expect, she is the alicorn of love," said Celestia.

---

"So what's the hold up?"

While Thorax just cast Spike a look, Ocellus almost jumped out of her chitin.

"Oh... I... its you," she stammered, Spike stopping a few feet away.

"Hey wait?" inquired Spike, looking at Ocellus as if seeing her for the first time. "You're a girl?"

"Ugh... yeah," said Ocellus, shakily extending a hoof. "My name is... Ocellus."

Spike took her hoof and kissed it, causing Ocellus to produce a massive blush. But her shy demeanor was no impediment for him, he had known Fluttershy for years, after all. "Nice to meet you Ocellus, my name's Spike."

'Spike, huh? Cute, yet somehow noble,' thought Ocellus, giving a shy grin.

"So... I guess Thorax told you what's going on?" asked Spike, Ocellus only nodded as she stared at the dragon. "So why haven't you joined the other changelings and drank Hermaeus Mora's elixir?"

Ocellus didn't answer right away. "I'm... not sure. Something inside me is telling me that this isn't right."

Spike recognized her hesitant tone immediately. Twilight adopted the same tone and the same stiff sitting on her haunches position when she hit a snag while contemplating a new equation. While he himself could not begin to understand the mismatch of swirling lines and numbers that got so numerous Twilight once filled the entire library with chalkboards covered in them, he knew Twilight, and what always helped her get back on track.

Ocellus was too busy focusing on her current plight to notice Spike moving behind her.

So she was taken completely off guard when she felt spindly claws grip her shoulders and begin kneading her muscles. She cast a side glance behind her to see Spike smiling at her, his claws massaging her where her neck met her shoulders. She blushed like mad, her mind struggling to contemplate the sensation of his touch.

And the up and down motions made her putty in his claws.

"What... what are you doing?" she barley managed to ask.

"I've dealt with lodged thought processes for years," said Spike, shifting spots. "Having trouble figuring out what's wrong, stop trying to 'find' the reason. Focus solely on my claws and nothing else; something will float to the surface, trust me."

Ocellus wanted to protest.

Not only was this the first message she had ever received in her life, Spike's touch was causing her heart to beat to an almost painful rhythm. But she could not bring herself to tell him to stop. His touch was slowly making her worry over this situation melt away, and the more it continued the more her heart seemed to settle down.

---

Thorax watched from beside them, slightly confused, yet grateful for Spike lending a claw again. How many times was he going to rescue the changelings today? And how can he not notice the look on Ocellus's face?

Was he oblivious... could he not see how she reacted to him touching her?

---

Twilight had dropped her flabbergasted expression in exchange for a warm motherly look.

It was all too clear Spike was oblivious to Ocellus's emotions, but the fact that a girl was interested in him was a sign that he was growing up, in her eyes. She could only imagine how long it would be before her little drake started seeking romance that wasn't a secret puppy love crush. Finding a soulmate was a big yet difficult step to take in life, but when it did, nothing could compare to it.

It was a lesson she learned not long ago. Fluttershy leaned into her shoulder, cooing at the adorable scene of Spike massaging the meek female changeling before him.

---

"Who is this...'Hermaeus Mora'?" asked Ocellus, her settled mind finally finding the root of her hesitation.

"You don't know who Hermaeus Mora is?" inquired Spike, freezing mid massage.

Ocellus shook her head.

Spike and Thorax exchanged looks, before diving into a lengthy explanation into who and what the Daedric Prince of knowledge and truth was. To say Spike had to resume massaging her was an understatement. It was probably the only thing that kept her from bolting off into the wastes in panic.

"The day Equestria's sky turned red?" gasped Ocellus, shaking so bad that Spike had to implant his tail into the ground so the trembling went through him and dispersed. "Hermaeus Mora... was the cause?"

"How do you not know this?" Thorax asked, his echoing voice carrying a slight worried tone. "Hermaeus Mora announced who he was that day... to all of Equestria."

Ocellus looked bashful.

And Thorax grew a look of annoyance. "You transformed into something and hid, didn't you?"

Ocellus didn't need to confirm, her embarrassment was enough, but she did have one more question. "What... does he look like?"

"Like the image on my friends' cutie marks," answered Spike, pointing to the six mares off to the side.

Ocellus trembled as she saw the multiple wavy tendrils and single eye.

“I know he looks intimidating, and I won't lie, he is dangerous," explained Spike, giving her a reassuring look. "But you can trust him to take care of you."

"How can you be so sure?" asked Ocellus in a frightened voice.

"Look around, Ocellus," said Thorax, gesturing to the transformed changelings. "All but you have been liberated from our hunger, thanks to Hermaeus Mora. We may look different now, but we will survive under his supervision."

"And he is more than fair to his subordinates," said Spike walking forward and staring into Ocellus's eyes, her blush returning. "My friends and I spent three years under his supervision, Twilight even longer than that, and he made no move to harm us."

Thorax and Spike's words seemed to be calming Ocellus's hesitation. The trek between her and the bowl a few feet away didn't seem like stepping towards the gallows anymore, in fact, it was almost inviting. And it became even more inviting when she felt her hunger again; staggering to her side to be caught by Spike, who put her foreleg over his shoulder to support her.

"Man, they weren't kidding," he said sympathetically as he helped the lopsided changeling to the bowl. "You guys were on your last legs."

---

Thorax just watched as Spike picked up a cup from the ground, scooped some elixir into it and offered it to Ocellus, actually holding it up to her lips for her. She hesitated one more time, but Spike gave her a reassuring look again and it wasn't long before she put her lips to the cup and started drinking. Thorax knew he could never repay Spike for this... nor any of the other Equestrians.

---

"See, that wasn't so bad, was it?" asked Spike as Ocellus drained the cup.

"No actually," said Ocellus, licking her lips. "It was... actually pretty refreshing. So what happens now?"

"Just a short transformation," said Spike, "Maybe a few extra limbs..."

He was interrupted by a neon flash of yellow light.

---

"Oh isn't that just the sweetest thing?" said Rarity as Spike gently held up the cup for Ocellus to drink from.

The other ponies could only agree, even the tough ones... until Ocellus suddenly lifted into the air, surrounded by a nimbus of glowing yellow light, her shocked expression disappearing behind a luminescent veil of blue light that condensed into a cocoon of sorts.

"What is happening?" gasped Celestia in worry, she and the other ponies ready to intervene.

"Nopony move," said Twilight, her expression just as concerned but with a trace of trust. "Hermaeus Mora promised none of the changelings would be hurt, we have to take his word for it."

"How can you be so sure, Twily?" asked Shining Armour, shielding his eyes as pillars of light streamed from the cocoon at all angles.

"Hermaeus Mora is the Daedra of truth, partner," explained Applejack, "He has lots of things in his nature, but lying ain't one of 'em."

Nopony had time to say more, for Ocellus reemerged from her cocoon at that moment, astride the air on new wings. Her form was as different from the other changelings as was her transformation. All the ponies could do was gawk in stunned wonder at the sight. Even the millennium old Celestia was speechless in the presence of such beauty.

"Sweet Celestia!" gasped Rarity, pulling on her mane with an excited grin. "She... she's absolutely gorgeous!"

---

And Rarity wasn't the only one who thought so.

Spike's mouth hung open like a window shutter that had lost one of its hinges, his slitted pupils so wide they almost appeared round. Ocellus still possessed a mouth, but that was the least definitive trait about her now, for her chitin had turned a shimmering white; equivalent to the surface of a pearl, as well as possessing a bodily figure of a most desirable shape.

She looked like a miniature version of a model; like Fleur or Cadance.

Long lashes adorned the lids of shimmering blue honeycombed eyes as deep as blue diamonds, looking over the new body with just as much intrigue as the audience. Her horn was a graceful spiral, elegantly ending in a point about half a foot from her forehead. Bright blue spines started at the base of her horn and extended down to her hindquarters, delicate as flower petals despite their scythe shape.

Her wings were nothing like the other changelings.

They were a light yellow in color and nowhere near as massive. One sizable white spot was present on the scales of the lower portion of the wings, while several black spots where present on the upper wings. If Spike remembered Twilight’s biology class, they resembled the wings of the Pyrisitia lisa butterfly.

And finally, her tail was a long appendage that extended a good three feet and ended in a cute little tuft of dark blue fur, wagging back and forth as if its new owner wasn't quite used to it yet.

And all Spike could do was gawk at this dazzling beauty, completely captivated by her shimmering chitin and glimmering wings as the light refracted off them and into his eyes.

11 The ugly truth

"SKETCHPAD!"

The sudden shout from Rarity snapped the ponies from their dazzled state, but before much else could be comprehended Rarity threw herself before Twilight and wrapped her forelegs around her fetlocks, looking up at her with pleading eyes.

"Please, darling," she pleaded, her hair going slightly deranged in her suddenly frazzled state, "I need a sketchpad."

"You... didn't bring one?" inquired Twilight, slightly surprised that her fashion forward friend (who usually overpacked for even a trip down to Ponyville's post office) had gone anywhere without bringing something. Then again, she hadn't brought anything to Apocrypha, and they had left Canterlot in such a hurry even Rarity hadn't had enough time to grab anything.

"There wasn't time," explained Rarity, her eye pupils becoming different sizes in her hysterical state. "And I never thought we would find anything so inspiring in the Badlands. Please don't let this opportunity slip me by... Ocellus has inspired so many ideas for me now!"

"Okay, okay. Calm down Rarity," obliged Twilight, scooping up a sizable mound of the barren soil of the Badlands that quickly became the requested sketchpad and coal stick after a swift but powerful transmutation spell.

With a hurried thank you, Rarity seized the supplies from Twilight’s mulberry magic with her sapphire magic and immediately began scratching away at its surface. Rainbow snickered above at the antics of her friend; not everything had changed in Apocrypha, it would seem.

"I don't get it," said Thorax as he looked at Ocellus, who now stood a head taller than Spike, said dragon still beside her. "Why... is she so different from the rest of us now?"

"Good question, pardner," said Applejack, also bringing her attention back to said changeling but not stunned silent anymore. "I understand you and the others, but why is Ocellus... so graceful looking. "

"It could be because she is a girl," said Fluttershy, everyone except Rarity (who was completely sunk into her task) giving her a look. "She is the only female changeling I have seen so far."

That was actually a pretty good theory, and one they could understand... except for Pinkie. "Or it could be that Hermaeus Mora was impressed with Spike's actions today and is grateful that he saved Thorax, the changeling with the most potential and has the will to follow him without question, so he is rewarding Spike by shipping him with a slightly modified background character, giving her a look that he will find appealing, but will leave Spike to develop feelings for her on his own, for his puppy love for Rarity is slightly blocking their signals, which in turn will require something drastic on Ocellus's part to make Spike realize he has a crush on her too, even though he doesn't know she had a crush on him in the first place."

Everyone dropped their mouths open at the end of Pinkie's rant, Rainbow throwing a nervous look at Rarity, sighing in relief to discover she was too engrossed in the dress steadily taking shape on her sketchpad to pay attention to anything around her.

"What?" asked Pinkie when everyone threw her an annoyed look. "It's just a hunch."

---

Spike was completely captivated by the glistening white creature before him. He never thought he could be as taken with a sight as when he first laid eyes on Rarity back at that Summer Sun Celebration in Ponyville, all those years ago, but here it was. Little hearts floated in Spike's vision the longer he stared at the changeling before him, his heart thumping like the piston of a train...

'Whoa, whoa whoa,' Spike thought to himself, flapping his claws around to pop the hearts dancing around his head like bubbles. 'What am I doing?'

He knew exactly what he was doing, of course, but he still couldn't believe it. How could this happen, he only had eyes for one? A quick look at Rarity and the familiar sensations returned; the way she focused on that sketchpad made her look most appealing.

'I am a one mare dragon, I can't look at another,' thought Spike, though somehow the words felt empty and forced.

"Ugh!"

The moan of pain was enough to snap Spike out of his torn state, looking up just in time to see Ocellus toppling over. Acting fast, Spike caught her on his shoulder, her weight surprisingly bearable despite her new size. Her face became heated and her eyes half lidded, giving her a sickly appearance.

"The hunger... is still... there," she moaned out of her elegant, fangless mouth.

Spike knew what she needed, and as luck would have it, a book lay not far away (History of the Pegasi) knocked there when the other changelings plowed into the bookshelf Celestia had summoned. Unable to bend down while still supporting Ocellus, Spike flipped the book into the air with his foot and caught it in his free claw. It was an awkward process, but eventually Spike was able to open the book and hold it before Ocellus's muzzle.

"Read," he said reassuringly as she threw him a confused look. "That's all you have to do now."

Still slightly confused, but willing to take his word for it, Ocellus brought her attention to the page before her and scanned the first few words. It was instantaneous. Her weakened body began to feel alive again the moment she began comprehending the text.

She suddenly leapt off of Spike and grabbed the book, landing on her hindquarters none too gracefully as she lit her horn seemingly involuntarily. The pages sped by, Ocellus's eyes opening wider as more literature was absorbed by her brain. The pages ended with a snap as Ocellus hit the other side of the cover... a tear that glistened like a diamond splashing on the final page.

Spike was suddenly scooped into a bone crushing embrace, tears of gratitude dripping over his spines as Ocellus rested her chin over his head. "Thank you... thank you..."

"It's okay... but it wasn't just me," said Spike, pointing to the side, where Twilight, her friends, the princesses, and Thorax made their way closer.

"Are you all right, Ocellus?" Thorax asked worriedly.

Ocellus nodded, setting Spike to the ground.

And not a moment after did a puddle of thin black liquid suddenly seep up from the ground not ten feet away. Once it was about twenty feet around a mighty gazebo rose up from its unknown depth, a book the size of a wagon resting on a pedestal housed within. After a moment, the book opened of its own accord...

...A huge sphere of darkness projected above the book, an eerie green aura surrounding it.

"What... is that?" whimpered Ocellus, crouching behind Thorax and trembling.

"There's no need to be afraid," said Twilight reassuringly, approaching the timid changeling with a reassuring smile. "Its the door to your new home."

"Heck of a way to invite someone," Luna whispered to her sister, "Dramatic much?"

Celestia could only nod with a slight chuckle.

"It's a gate," explained Twilight when Thorax did not understand. "A portal to Hermaeus Mora's realm, and I'm guessing that's where he wants you to go."

Thorax's eyes grew wide at the explanation and looked to the dark sphere with new clarity. "So... beyond that...?"

"Lies your new home," said Fluttershy, hovering right next to the portal and gesturing to it as to invite them inside. "Beyond this point, your new lives begin."

Thorax looked to the portal and took in its features and appearance. It was foreboding but he was undeterred from stepping through. If stepping through it meant finally leaving the horrible past of the changelings behind for good, he would gladly go through.

He didn't know how, but he knew he was the leader of the changelings legitimately now, not acting leader like when they had agreed to follow him, when Hermaeus Mora vanquished Chrysalis and Twilight had placed him in charge. Now he really was responsible for his people's well being... and this time a solution was in reach for their survival. And he needed to be the one to assure them all that everything was going to move forward to a positive future.

"This is it," he announced to the other changelings who were assembled behind him, having gathered there after finishing their books. "Our new lives start now. I know that a lot of you might find stepping through something that looks so scary unsettling... but if doing so means putting our suffering to an end, so be it."

"I get the feeling that this is the first time he has actually felt like the leader of the changelings," Applejack whispered to Pinkie, who nodded and passed the comment to Rarity, who had been snapped out of her sketching by the arrival of the gazebo.

All the changelings voiced their agreement for their leader's words with cheers of confirmation... all except for one.

Thorax spied Pharynx off a short distance from the group of assembled changelings, unmoved from the spot Hermaeus Mora had dropped him after force feeding him his elixir. He stood stock still; if he had a pin stuck through him he would resemble a specimen in an insectorium. Pity welled up inside Thorax. Stepping past the other changelings, the group split to allow him through.

"Pharynx," began Thorax, standing before the chaurus changeling, towering at least a head in a half taller than him now. "My brother."

The visiting party from Equestria gasped in shock at hearing this piece of news.

"Huh... brother?" gasped Spike. Applejack turned pale in revulsion next to him.

"Didn't see that one coming," she gasped.

"You said it," said Rainbow, actually landing in shock.

"Pharynx, I know this is not what you wanted," continued Thorax, kneeling down to put himself as level with the still changeling as possible. "I know you believe that the path Chrysalis had laid out for us was our only path... but now we have a new destiny... with a new leader, a strong powerful leader." Thorax seemed to be slightly pleading now. "And I want you to join us in this new life we have. Can't you see there is nothing left for us here now?"

For the first time ever a chaurus hunter looked up with emotions in its protruding eyes... submission... regret... sadness.

"You are right, for once," said Pharynx viciously, his voice echoing and originating from nowhere just like Thorax. "Nothing is left... nothing is left of our beloved queen... even me... her most loyal soldier... I can't even keep her legacy alive like this." His eyes glistened with slight tears, heartache blossoming in Thorax as his now proclaimed brother got emotional for the second time that day and in Thorax's life. "I would rather have died bearing our queen's visage... rather than become the warrior of that tentacled monstrosity that murdered our queen, but you had to pull me along with you in this madness. You couldn't even let me die the way I desired... you... have left me with nothing."

Pity swelled inside Thorax.

Never had he seen Pharynx express loss to such a degree. Even while the changelings were struggling, Pharynx had remained strong in his own way. He may have been against them abandoning the way of Chrysalis from the start, but he had not expressed the fear of death that he and the others had, and despite it all, Thorax respected that resolve.

And it brought forth a question to the forefront of Thorax's mind, something he had wondered about since he and Pharynx had been tiny changeling nymphs.

"Pharynx... why have you always been so dedicated to Chrysalis?" he asked, "She has always been cruel to us as much as she was any other creature. You were her best warrior, and head of border patrol, but she didn't treat you any better than the rest of us... in fact, she was even more cruel to you. Why do you still dedicate yourself to her and her cause, both are dead?"

"I don't have to tell you anything," said Pharynx, his lidless eyes somehow narrowing.

"What point is there to keep it in?" Thorax countered. "Please brother, just tell me what made you so loyal to her. She did nothing to earn it."

"You wanna know why?" growled Pharynx, his gossamer wings twitching in aggravation. "Her cause was just... our queen was so powerful and strong, it was her right to conquer her enemy... AAAAAAGGHH!"

Thorax spread his wings and took to the air, flapping as hard as a terrified monarch butterfly fleeing from a filly with a net.

He watched from above with horror as gelatinous black tendrils erupted from every portion of Pharynx's body, whipping through the air as they protruded from his chitin. The chaurus thrashed for a few seconds before falling to the ground, the pain too intense for movement, green changeling blood seeping from the wounds, coloring the colorless ground with glistening emerald. If Thorax still had a mouth, he would have been sick.

"What is happening?" Celestia's voice brought Thorax's attention to the ground below him to see her, Twilight, Spike, and the rest assembling before his agonizing brother... the movement on the non-alicorns' flanks giving him a suspicion.

"I would like to know as well," he said, fluttering down to stand among the ponies and throwing Twilight a glare. "I thought Hermaeus Mora wants to liberate us from our pain, why is he torturing my brother?"

"What makes you think we would know?" inquired Rainbow, slightly insulted by the accusation.

Thorax pointed to her wiggling cutie mark.

"I am never going to get used to that," commented Applejack, tilting her hindquarters up so as to get a better look at the weaving tendrils on her flank.

"It is truly revolting," said Rarity as she covered her flank with her tail.

Princess Celestia was the first one to have something serious to say about the situation. "Do you feel anything from Hermaeus Mora? Is there a reason why he is doing this?"

Twilight and the others focused on the sensations in their bodies, but nothing foreign was felt immediately. It was like this time, Hermaeus Mora wasn't feeling as irritated or as intense of an emotion as before. But after focusing some more, a slight irritation was felt.

And since Applejack had an affinity for honestly, she was the first to decipher it.

"Pharynx!" she suddenly blurted, bolting over to the thrashing changeling and crouching before him. "Partner, you need to tell Thorax the truth."

"What do you mean?" asked Thorax worriedly, Twilight and the others paying rapt attention to the orange earth pony's actions.

"What Pharynx told you about Chrysalis just now wasn't true," answered Applejack, her eyes still focused on Pharynx as he writhed in agony. "That isn't the reason he was loyal to your late queen."

"Of course," said Twilight, adopting the grin she wore when she was educating somepony. "Hermaeus Mora is the Daedra of truth. He won't tolerate lies, least of all from his own subordinates."

Celestia, Luna, and Cadance looked to each other in slight shock before turning their attention to Pharynx's gruesome predicament. Now that was a whole new level of strict.

"Pharynx!" shouted Thorax, kneeling next to Applejack before his brother. "You need to tell me the real reason why you were so dedicated to Chrysalis!"

Pharynx looked up, a look of defiance on his new features.

"I did..." he was cut off when the tendrils extending out of him grew outward in length, their thickness increasing.

"Please Pharynx. Can't you see how dangerous Hermaeus is now? Defiance won't..."

"SHE WAS OUR MOTHER!"

As soon as those words, heavy with emotion, left Pharynx, the tendrils receded into his body, his chitin sealing up as if never ruptured. He was left panting in his own blood, Thorax standing over him. Thorax himself was stunned silent by what his brother had said.

"You said you don't understand my loyalty," continued Pharynx, looking up at his taller brother. "Well I don't understand your disloyalty. Chrysalis was our mother, all changelings' mother. We would not exist without her. Yes, she was strict with us, but it only made us stronger... into a power force that had no rival... until Equestria took her from us."

---

"Mo... mother of the changelings?" Inquired Fluttershy in horror, Twilight letting her lean on her.

"What does he mean?" asked Pinkie, Spike and the others looked just as confused with the situation, Applejack having rejoined her friends to give Thorax some alone time with his brother. "Doesn't he know that all changelings were ponies at one point until that meanie monster Chrysalis abducted them and converted them into her own personal slaves?"

"It doesn't appear so," said Celestia, her voice carrying nowhere near as much surprise as the others felt. "I was afraid of this."

"Sister, how could you have known?" Asked Luna.

"In my long life I have seen and learned much that magic has to offer," explained Celestia, everyone paying attention, not just Luna. "It can create, it can destroy, and it can alter, but in the latter category there are limitations when it comes to a being's soul."

"What do you mean, your majesty?" asked Twilight, who despite the seriousness of what was happening couldn't help but feel like a magic student in this moment, before her teacher.

"After you told me the truth regarding Chrysalis and her minions, I knew something had to be at play," continued the solar princess. "You can alter a pony's body, you can erase all their memories, but what is truly impossible to completely change is a pony's nature. And just as we are appalled by Chrysalis's actions, the same would apply to her minions, who were ponies at one time. It was improbable that they all would be loyal to her if they all knew the truth, for surely some would have retained the nature they possessed as ponies and would have either retaliated or deserted her altogether."

"So what, she told them that she was the mother of all of them?" inquired Rainbow with a scowl. "Who would fall for that? If Chrysalis got her army by abducting ponies and mutating them, wouldn't they notice that new adult changelings were coming out of nowhere?"

"Maybe we should just ask them," suggested Shining Armour. "Chrysalis had to have told them somethin–"

"Hey Thorax... where do baby changelings come from?"

Everyone facehoofed when they heard that.

Only one pony would ask that question with all the subtlety of a flying mallet.

---

Thorax was startled when the bubbly earth pony appeared beside him, and was even more surprised at her question.

"Pinkie Pie, right?" asked Thorax, said pony nodding. "Why ask me such a question now? What could it possibly have to do with this?"

"More than you realize," said Cadance, as she and the rest of their group assembled behind Pinkie. "Just indulge her, it may help us to understand, and help Pharynx move on."

Thorax had his doubts, especially at Pharynx's hiss. But so far the ponies hadn't led him astray, and Spike had pulled him from the brink of death. If telling them how changelings were born would help, then it was worth a try.

"Chrysalis was more than just our queen in the ruling sense, she laid eggs."

They all visibly cringed.

"And you saw her do this?" asked Celestia doubtfully.

"No... no changelings did," explained Thorax, "every once in a while, Chrysalis would announce she was ready to lay eggs. When she did, she would go out into the wastes to give birth, telling us that she didn't want us to see her so vulnerable like she was when she gave birth. When she would return she would be accompanied by whole new changelings of all ages, letting the first few broods mature so they can protect the queen and escort her back to the hive."

"And you bought that load of horseapples?" inquired Rainbow aggressively. "I've read more believable bedtime stories."

"Rainbow, don't be rude," said Fluttershy strictly. "Remember how much dark magic is involved here. Chrysalis probably made them more gullible on purpose."

Rainbow rubbed her neck in embarrassment.

"Made us gullible?" inquired Thorax, Pharynx behind him still recovering from his ordeal.

Celestia and Luna exchanged one last look before motioning to the other changelings to gather around them.

"It is well past time you all knew the truth," said Luna, sitting next to her sister and giving her a supportive look. "Go ahead, Celly."

Celestia blushed.

Luna had taken to calling her that after Twilight and her friends departed. She had long abandoned the practice even before the Nightmare incident, but Celestia could not help but find solace in hearing her sister call her by her childhood nickname. Especially during this unpleasant revelation.

Taking a deep breath, Celestia began to tell the changelings the truth of their origin.

The entomologist Pheromone Signal, who was spurned by her lover and beloved younger sister, and retaliated with murder. How she could not live with the betrayal and loss, so used her magic to remove her own love, and that the action had destabilized her cutie mark and caused her to mutate into the monster known as Queen Chrysalis. How ever since then Chrysalis had hunted ponies and fed on their love, eventually learning how to duplicate the process...

And how they had all been ponies at one point, until Chrysalis abducted them from their homes and turned them into her puppets.

"And that is the sole reason I have come out here myself," said Celestia, deep emotional pain in her eyes as she looked at the circle of changelings around her. "As princess of Equestria... it was my duty to protect you all. But I was blind... blind to a threat that should have been obvious. I failed you... and it's my hope that Hermaeus Mora won't. I have lost the right to look after you, which is why I willingly pass your well being to another."

The rest of the party from Equestria felt their hearts clench at the pain and regret in Celestia's voice. They could never imagine how ashamed she must feel, as well as the pain of having to share this story with the remaining numbers of Chrysalis's tragic victims. Those of which could not believe their own ears at hearing just how evil Chrysalis was.

The entire changeling hord was frozen stiff with horror, revulsion, and other such emotion.

"By the sun and moon," moaned Ocellus, her knees shaking as she fought down a sob. "She... really was a monster."

The poor changeling maiden was soon to lose her balance and topple over in her despair... until a small scaly shoulder caught her, Spike trying his best to console her with a supportive smile. Though he was slightly bewildered that he had arrived at her side so quickly.

Thorax had plopped down on his belly and stared at the dirt beneath him since Celestia had concluded her explanations, unmoving.

"Are you alright, Thorax?" asked Twilight, placing a supportive hoof on his shoulder. "I know this news comes as a surprise..."

"I am not surprised," stated Thorax, much to the ponies' surprise. "I have dealt with Chrysalis's cruelty all my life, nothing was beneath her. But I never imagined that I... that all changelings had a life as ponies. If it wasn't for Chrysalis, we would not have had to suffer in the way we have."

The pain in Thorax's voice was beyond even tears, and it tugged at Twilight’s heart. There was nothing anyone could say to better the situation, so she and her friends just surrounded the tall changeling and embraced him on all sides. It seemed to calm him a little.

"You always were gullible, Thorax."

The growling voice brought them back to Pharynx.

"Are you so quick to believe such slanderous lies?" snapped the bulking changeling. "These ponies were our queen's mortal enemies from the start. They would say anything to paint her in a villainous light... to turn us against her."

"Oh, come on!" shouted Rainbow, gritting her teeth. "What do we have to do to get through to this guy?"

---

Spike's cheeks suddenly puffed out and he made a retching noise.

"Spike, are you okay?" asked Ocellus, climbing off Spike to release him from his burden.

It was a good thing too, for soon Spike let out a huge dragonish belch, expelling a pillar of green flames. The flames swirled in on each other until they were focused on one small spot, then popped in a cloud of black smoke into a huge folder filled with papers. A folder that was soon caught in a yellow aura of magic.

"Do you do that often?" asked Ocellus, watching the paper float towards Celestia with slight puzzlement.

"More than you would expect," answered the purple hatchling with a blush.

---

"What is this, Princess?" asked Twilight, eyeing the envelope with intrigue.

"Exactly what Miss Dash asked for," replied Celestia, Rainbow snickering at the praise but also looking annoyed by the 'Miss' part. "I had my doubts that every single one of the changelings would be willing to accept the truth about Chrysalis, so before we left Canterlot, I put Raven to work on a backup plan."

"Oh oh, I know," chirped Pinkie. "You were gonna force the defiant changelings to read this file, which would be so boring that even the changelings' new affinity for books would be overridden, making them fall asleep, and then all we have to do is drag their unconscious bodies through the portal."

Celestia threw Twilight a confused look, which she responded to with a sheepish grin. It would appear that Apocrypha had not altered her friend's persona in the slightest.

"These are the missing pony files over the last fifty years."

All present gasped and looked at the papers Celestia held with new clarity.

"All the ponies who were abducted!" gasped Rarity.

"Correct," said Celestia.

"Old Pharynx didn't believe us the first time," stated Applejack, eyeing the bulging document doubtfully. "I don't think showing him these will do any good."

"My idea isn't just to show him this," said Celestia, her voice carrying a somewhat regretful tone.

"Sister, I don't like the look about you when you said that," said Luna worriedly. "What do you have in mind?"

Celestia sighed in what could only be submission.

"I had hoped not to use this method, but I should be glad it will only be one," said Celestia sadly. "I know a spell that can restore lost memories. Even memories forcefully erased."

It didn't take a Starswirl to figure out what Princess Celestia had in mind.

"But that doesn't explain the file, your majesty," stated Rarity, who then let out a delicate gasp as she remembered who she was talking to. "If you don't mind me saying."

"Your confusion is understandable, Rarity," replied Celestia with a motherly smile. "My spell requires a physical representation to work, that being evidence of the memory I wish to revive."

That made sense.

If you needed to magically restore memories (especially memories of a lost pony) there was little better than a file on said pony.

"It may take a while," said Pinkie, measuring the thickness of the file with a hoof and letting out an exasperated whistle. "This is a lot of documentation to sift through if we are looking for a sole pony."

"Not necessarily," said Celestia, looking to Thorax, who had been observing them quietly. "Could you please come here, Thorax?"

Thorax obliged without hesitation, and Celestia handed him the folder which he held in his hooves with slight confusion. Celestia's horn glowed a bright light that then engulfed Thorax and the papers, rings of runes circling both of them. And a second later, a small photograph phased through the top of the folder.

"Kinship locator spell," explained Celestia to her flabbergasted audience. "Since Thorax believes Pharynx is his brother, it's possible they were brothers as ponies too. That spell hopefully found something linked to both of them."

Gathering behind the princesses' shoulders, they all looked to the photo hovering in Celestia's magic.

It was in black and white so things like coat and mane color were indecipherable, but the unmistakable pony family stood in the photo, smiling at the camera. They appeared to be on a boat dock of some kind, a huge body of water stretching out behind the stallion and mare with two tiny colts under their hooves, one having pinned the other and giving his obvious brother a noogie. It was a classic family moment... until they looked up at Thorax and realized what all this meant, what had befallen the family in the photo.

"Is this really the only way?" mumbled Fluttershy sadly, looking over to the prone form of Pharynx, who was still recuperating from Hermaeus Mora's discipline. "After all that has happened, is it really right to make him remember a life that was ripped from him?"

"I can think of no other way," said Celestia sadly. "Pharynx is being too stubborn to be persuaded gently. The only true way to get him to join the other changelings is to show him how much of a fraud Chrysalis was."

"I agree with Fluttershy," said Rarity, looking at Pharynx and shaking her head with pity. "To put him through this is so cruel. Especially since he will be going through it alone. The other changelings were more than willing to put Chrysalis behind them, we do not need to do this with the rest of them."

"For that I am kinda glad," said Applejack, looking at the picture again and shivering as she imagined what it would be like if this had happened to her. Some things were better left forgotten.

"He won't be alone," said Thorax, his voice and stature full of resolve. "I will remember with him."

Twilight gasped. "Thorax, you don't have to. You already embraced your new role, you don't have to carry this burden."

"Yes, I do," replied Thorax, his posture growing stronger as he willed his resolve more. "If I am to be a leader, especially one more worthy than Chrysalis ever could be, I must share in my people's burdens. My family's burdens." He looked to Pharynx and his view softened somewhat. "Besides, I can't leave him behind. He's my brother."

"A brother who sunk his fangs into your throat, then rallied the changelings against you and us," said Spike, crossing his claws and wearing a scowl that made Ocellus back away a little.

"I don't blame him for that," said Thorax, much to the ponies' surprise. "This situation was making all of us more desperate than we ever had been. In fact, I was willing to kill him just moments before you all arrived, and I will regret that forever."

"I still don't understand why you are so lenient with him," said Rainbow.

"You wouldn't understand, Rainbow, you don't have a brother," said Applejack, giving Thorax a supportive smile. "It's a complicated thing."

Twilight and Shining Armour exchanged a look, understanding where Applejack was coming from.

"And I do owe him," continued Thorax. "When we were little, the other changelings wanted to pick on me, but Pharynx was always there to dissuade them. So I can't just let him carry this heavy burden alone."

Twilight and her friends looked at each other then to Celestia, who nodded and gave Thorax a small smile that was both admiring and apologetic. If Thorax wanted to share in the burden that Pharynx was about to be dealt, they had no right to stop him. With a nod in Pharynx's direction, the regal creatures, new and old, approached the chaurus lying in his own blood.

"Nothing you two can say will make me believe your lies," said Pharynx angrily, apparently having not been aware of what they had been talking about next to him. "Our queen was..."

He was interrupted when a brilliant yellow aura seized both him and Thorax in its strong grip, levitating them both into the air with the photograph hovering before them.

"What is this?" he hissed, revulsion crossing his features as he stared at the emotional family moment recorded in ink. "Is this supposed to..."

He was cut off again.

This time when a long undulating rope of yellow light sprang from the photo and into his and Thorax's foreheads. They both locked up, their eyes widening. Nothing could have prepared them for what was flowing into their minds and awakening things that had been buried, like a long forgotten dream.

The smell of a lake in the summer... the taste of a crisp seaweed salad, something that their village was famous for... the voices and touch of two ponies, promising love and affection...

...If fate hadn't been so cruel.

12 Welcome home (Past, Present, and future)

The tiny pegasus colt Anchor steadily crawled across the ceiling, his dark grey coat allowing him to blend into the shadows with relative ease. He was on a mission, a mission he was determined to complete if it was the last thing he did. Not only was it important, it could be the single defining moment in his life.

Slowly, his quarry came into view, back turned and completely unaware of the shadow that had fallen on its back. A little more creeping and all would be complete. A few more feet and nothing would stop him from doing what he was born to do.

All he had to do was drop and...

'SLAM.'

"AAAAAAGGHH, ANCHOR!!!!"

Meek groaned as his twin brother landed on his back.

The two colts were practically identical except Anchor was a pegasus and he was an earth pony, which suited Anchor just fine in his never ending quest to roughhouse. Their cutie marks also differed, Anchor having, well, an anchor, while Meek had a group of numbers adorning his flank. Their special talents were a perfect fit for the life in which these two were born.

They were born and raised in the seashore village of Kelptown, a small but highly profitable establishment along the shore of the South Luna Ocean. As the name implies, the village is known for its kelp, but no ordinary kelp. In this area, the water-bound plant is sought by chefs from everywhere. Its taste puts ordinary kelp to shame, so delicious that it was known to often tempt even ponies who actually hate seaweed salad.

And Anchor and Meek belonged to one of the many kelp harvesting families that made Kelptown their home.

Their earth pony father Astrolabe and pegasus mother Swift Wind owned one of the largest kelp harvesting vessels in the vicinity, the proud parents having broken their two colts into the family business as soon as they were old enough to understand it. And it was with great pride on both their parents when the boys discovered their special talents. Anchor could lift their ship's anchor not only by hoof and with relative ease, he had precision with the heavy instrument the likes of which nopony had seen.

He could land the anchor at the bottom of the coast in the exact spot he wanted, and he could even predict current interference and weight restrictions in the anchors decent; he had even used it to pull up an ancient anchor from the bottom, which Astrolabe's great grandparents had lost and were never able to retrieve.

Meek was at the opposite end of the business. He had a knack for numbers that nopony in the family ever had, easily increasing their profits and sales by at least thirty percent. It was a bit of a disappointment on Astrolabe's part, but in the end it made the family business complete all the same.

But every pro has a con, and in this case, it was the boys' interests in recreational activities.

"Stop hitting yourself, stop hitting yourself, stop hitting yourself," repeated Anchor, grabbing his younger (by twenty seconds) brother's forelegs and smacking him in the face with them.

"Anchor, stop it," groaned Meek, the little plushies he had been playing with rolling away as he squirmed under his brother.

"How ya gonna make me?" taunted Anchor, not letting up his assault at all.

Meek did nothing but repeat his request for it to stop more, and Anchor eventually grew bored.

"You need to toughen up," he commented, Meek climbing to his hooves to retrieve his dolls. "The sea play's rougher than that... a lot rougher."

"And that relates to me how?" inquired Meek, irritated as he pointed to the numbers decorating his flank. "How many times must you be reminded that my skills aren't based in field work?"

"You should still learn the physical part of our parents' job," replied Anchor.

Meek already knew all about what his family did, and it wasn't like he never went out on the water. But this was a song he had heard from his brother more than once, so it was pointless to argue. Besides, there was something out of place in this situation.

"Where are mom and dad?" asked Meek, looking around the living room for said ponies. They often left him home when they went out to the market for groceries or to sell their own goods. Because he was so good with numbers, he did more for the family with profits and sales than with grunt work, instead they would take his brother out with them. But they never came home separately.

"That's why I am here," replied Anchor, flashing a mean grin. "Mom and dad sent me to get you and take you to the market."

"What!?" gasped Meek in slight panic, having never been fetched for the marketplace before. "Is something wrong? What happened?"

"Oh brother, the best of all things happened," replied Anchor, the enthusiastic tone making Meek nervous. "Princess Celestia herself is in town."

"WHAT?!" Yelled Meek, excitement taking over his voice as well. "The Princess Celestia... ruler of all Equestria, is in Kelptown?"

"You bet your skimpy tail," replied Anchor, the comment making some of Meek's enthusiasm deflate as he tucked his tail, not that it looked any different than his brother's. "In all her regal glory."

"Why is she here?" asked Meek, his overwhelming enthusiasm returning.

"Same as everypony else, our kelp," explained Anchor, also extremely excited. "Apparently our kelp is such a boon to Equestria, Princess Celestia herself has come to thank the whole town for their role in its distribution."

"Oh how wonderful," said Meek, heading to the door, "This I gotta see."

"My thoughts exactly!"

Before Meek had gone two steps outside, two powerful forelegs wrapped around his barrel and the next thing he knew he was airborne. He flashed one annoyed look to his sibling before turning to take in the view. He loved his home of Kelptown; with the long multiple docks, sizable but not overbearing buildings, long stretch of beach, and most importantly the many ships moored here and there, the elegant sails looking like bound clouds secured by rope.

"Penelope took her family's ship out again," he said, noticing the empty spot where their neighbor's ship should have been moored at that time of day.

Anchor looked over his brother's shoulder, confirming he was right and letting out an uncharacteristic sigh of irritation. "That filly, doesn't she know there is such a thing as too ambitious?"

"Like we should talk," said Meek, looking out to sea to see if he could spot the wayward unicorn filly navigating her family's ship solo (as she did often) but saw only the moon rising above the water, the image of the Mare in the Moon reflecting on the churning surface. "Though some boundaries should remain uncrossed."

"Gotta say, as much as I find having a math wiz for a brother disappointing, I am relieved that you didn't turn out like her," commented Anchor casually.

"Thanks, I think."

Town Square came into view a second later and Anchor began to descend towards town hall where a huge gathering of ponies had assembled. The grizzled mayor Telescope stood at a podium before the crowd, and behind him stood the tallest, most elegant mare Anchor and Meek had ever seen. Her opalescent coat, her billowing multicolored mane, her elegant gold jewelry all painted her in a regal light.

If this wasn't Princess Celestia, Anchor was a seagull.

"Ah, there are my boys," said Astrolabe in his masculine voice, his brown coat like several other people in the crowd.

"You two should count yourselves lucky," said Swift Wind, her blue mane draping over the hot pink of her coat. "Last time Princess Celestia visited Kelptown, your great grandpa was half your age."

They all fell silent as said pony approached the podium. "Citizens of Kelptown, I Princess Celestia, wish to extend my thanks to you. First, for the supply of delicious kelp you provide my beautiful kingdom, and second..." Only the ponies in front of the crowd saw the wicked smile. "For being a community so filled with love."

A great pillar of green flames blinded the crowd for a second, and the citizens of Kelptown saw the lanky bug monstrosity for only a second before a flash of light exploded from the podium...

...And the population of Kelptown ceased to exist.

---

It would be weeks before the lack of activity would draw attention, and the royal guard would find Kelptown as a ghost town. Investigation would ensue, but nothing was ever finalized. The people who lived in Kelptown simply vanished.

Eventually the estates would pass to the next of kin or be sold and Kelptown would resume as it had, but the original inhabitants' whereabouts would forever remain a mystery.

---

Until brief memories from who they used to be surfaced in Pharynx and Thorax's minds.

They were fleeting, like dreams that had been halfway forgotten, but they were there nonetheless. Celestia gently set the two on the ground, watching them intensely along with the others as they turned their attention to the floating photo. Their expressions were unreadable, like looking into the face of emptiness itself, if emptiness had a face.

Even Pharynx had all but dropped the colorless expression he wore, same as his brother.

"Mom? Dad?" he moaned, reaching a scythe to the paper as it hovered in Celestia's magic. There was no denying it now; the memories he had been subjected to were too integrally part of him to be a facade of some kind, and that left only one conclusion that had been presented long ago but he was to blind to see.

"Brother?" mumbled Pharynx, turning to said changeling as he lay next to him. "What... what have we become?"

"Something we never should have been," explained Thorax gently, laying a hoof on Pharynx's shoulder." You and me, we were meant to live our lives with our pony family... until Chrysalis entered our lives, and stripped them from us."

Pharynx looked down at his new claws as they sat arched in the dust. "I spent what I thought was my life doting on that... that impersonator, wanting nothing more than to make her dream into reality, but... what she really was, what we all really were to her... what was the point of it all? What was the meaning of me devoting myself to that phony. WHAT IS THE POINT OF MY LIFE?!"

Thorax winced as his brother's voice morphed from low mumbling to out right hysterical. He had wanted his brother to accept the truth, but now a new obstacle had presented itself. If Pharynx didn't believe in his existence anymore, what could he say to him to help him push past this barrier?

"You proved your worth, that's what it means," Pharynx and Thorax looked up as the elegant form of Celestia approached, Twilight and the others keeping a slight distance. "The very fact that you 'were' so devoted to her, even after her death proves the strength of your resolve, Pharynx. Pheromone Signal was a pony with a weak resolve, and that didn't change even after her broken heart transformed her into the abomination that was Chrysalis." She put a hoof on Pharynx's chin and lifted his head so she met his honeycombed eyes with her motherly gaze."And Thorax needs that resolve, all the changelings do. The dawn of a new beginning has begun, Pharynx, and your brother is going to need you."

"How can I accept such responsibility after all I have done?" asked Pharynx, instinctively trying to cringe, but lacking the facial structure to do so, and the weight of what happened between the failed invasion and the arrival of the Equestrians on their land finally registered. "He knew that this was wrong, but I..."

"Had nothing to do with it," said Thorax as he stood, the eye on his chest glaring down at his brother. "All that has happened to us up to this point is on her head as far as I am concerned, even in death. And now that we are free of her and her wretched hunger, it is time the changelings forgot their sick origin and moved forward." He extended a hoof to Pharynx, determination burning in his eyes. "The road ahead is sure to be full of trials, and we will need strength to get us through it."

Pharynx looked up at the offered hoof.

A cascade of emotions was slamming into his psyche in the last few moments alone. Regret for all he had done in Chrysalis' name, nostalgia for the life she had stolen from him, and his real parents who he barely remembered now. But something in Thorax's words was pulling Pharynx's resolve back out.

And redirected it in a new direction.

Slowly, Pharynx placed his claw on Thorax's offered hoof, who smiled...

"OOF."

...Just before his own hoof was thrown into his face. "Quit hitting yourself."

"Hey, not cool," said Rainbow, accelerating forward.

"Wait," said Thorax, lifting a hoof to stop Rainbow. "That's the brother I know."

Celestia and her company watched the whole ordeal with a slight smile. Everything fell into place at last, and after some coaxing, and some time to get used to his new body, Pharynx and the others crawled one by one into the black orb in space. Ready to begin down this road, wherever it may lead.

"Thank you, all of you," said Thorax tearfully.

"Hey, it's what we do," said Rainbow with only slight smugness.

"Spike?" questioned Ocellus, as she and Thorax were the only changelings yet to depart. "Will I ever see you again?"

"Oh, you can count on it," said Spike, much to Ocellus's shock. "My pony pals and I have a sort of thing going on with 'big, blinky, and wiggly' and we have to return to Apocrypha soon ourselves. You can guarantee we will meet again then."

"Really?" said Ocellus excitedly.

“Something tells me we ain't through with each other just yet."

Much to his surprise, Spike felt soft lips on his cheek. Ocellus blushed at him before she dived into the portal, her log dexterous tail the last thing to be seen. He placed a claw to said cheek and blushed himself.

Back with Thorax, he was receiving best of luck wishes from all present.

"Rule your people the way all good leaders should," said Celestia as the tall changeling turned to the portal with a wave.

"Yeah, with lots of cupcakes!" said Pinkie.

The portal closed at that point, the bowl of elixir disappearing with it.

"That's it, then?" asked Applejack.

"Mission accomplished," said Rainbow smugly.

"And we know what that means," said Twilight, throwing a look at Shining Armour and Cadance, while Pinkie Pie hummed 'here comes the bride' beside her.

The couple looked to each other and gave tearful smiles.

"Well if there is going to be a wedding it can't very well be out here," said Luna, throwing a revolted look to the barren landscape.

"Quite right, sister," agreed Celestia, eager to put this nasty stuff behind her.

Though she threw one last look to the fissure, regret for the loss of life pouring over her, both for the ones who starved, and the ones struck down by Twilight's Thu'um all those years ago. She will always carry that burden. And she would do so willingly and she would remind herself of that burden with a visual representation.

With a quick flash of magic, Celestia teleported at least a ton of the ash from the Badlands to Canterlot, an idea forming in the back of her mind.

"Come on, everyone," said Pinkie, bouncing in place. "We have a wedding to throw."

"Darn tootin'."

"Yay."

"I got the Bachelor party."

"And I have fabulous ideas for the gowns now."

"And I need to work on my Sonic Rainboom. Hey, I wonder if I can do a shout at the same time."

Twilight rolled her eyes as she began to trek back to the carriages with the others. Seeing them like this warmed her heart, a little excitement for the wedding made the walk all the less boring, and she even giggled along with the others when they arrived and saw that the pegasus guards had not moved a muscle. She hoped they didn't have to go to the bathroom.

"Huh. Sis, we forgot something," said Luna, pointing up at the sky, where both the sun and moon were present.

"Quiet right," said Celestia, rather embarrassed. "But let me lower the sun first, it's well past the time for dusk now.

---

Deep in the reaches of Apocrypha, the remaining changelings bowed before their new master.

"Keep the Draconian Madstone," was all Hermaeus Mora said, Thorax looking up at the multiple moving tendrils. "It has served you well, and therefore I decree..."

A cluster of ponnequins appeared, all supporting a black robe with the image of the Madstone stitched beneath the collars.

"...That the Draconian Madstone shall be the symbol of the Changeling Order of Hermaeus Mora, the crown jewel of your people... your crest."

Thorax held the pendant before his eyes, grateful that he got to keep it and awed by its new meaning.

---

"Alright, we're off," hollered Rainbow, flying beside the chariots now that Chrysalis' throne was now more. "And no force in the world is going to stop us from throwing the best wedding of the millennium!"

Pinkie leaned off the side of the chariot. "Shh! Don't say things like that Dashie! They'll hear you!" she hissed.---

---

"Well, my dear, that was quite the spectacle," said Fancy Pants as he watched the sun set, leaving the moon alone in the sky.

"It sure was," said his wife, Fleur De Lis, as he held her and they leaned against the concrete railing that guarded the edge of Canterlot.

Raven had done her best to let the kingdom know the princesses might utilize their powers today, and it was a relief that it worked. No panic had been reported here or anywhere else; a crisis finally averted for once. And some residents had taken advantage of the situation.

How often do you see the sun and moon in the sky at the same time?

"I need to head back to the manor, dear," yawned Fancy Pants, settling down on all four hooves and making his way back into the city, now that the spectacular event was over. "The Canterlot elite are throwing a banquet tomorrow. Want me to call you a cab as well?"

"You go ahead, honey," said Fleur, waving her husband off. "I want to look at the stars for a while."

Fancy smiled and kissed his wife goodbye, waving down a taxi that happened to be passing by. But as she turned from waving, Fleur noticed something glistening in the moonlight in a nearby bush. Curious, she lit her horn and dragged the object out into the open.

She gasped.

An obsidian sphere hung suspended in her magic. She was never one for black (that was Inkheart) but this orb had a beauty she couldn't place... or resist. Slowly, Fleur extended a hoof out and ran it along the smooth surface with a captivated smile.

A crimson aura flared around the orb.

Fleur shrieked in surprise and instinctively dropped the orb, gasping as it fell off the ledge. She tried to grab it in her magic again, but it had already fallen beyond her reach. All she could do was watch it fall out of sight until its red glow wasn't visible.

"Such a shame, would have made a lovely bauble for the dining room," said Fleur sadly, looking to her hoof and frowning at the patch of red dust on her leg.

Blowing it away without a thought, Fleur followed her husband's example and headed for home.

---

Little did she know what had happened. Sigil Stones are always connected to Nirn, due to their primary function of opening their infamous gates. While it wasn't possible to do so in Equestria, it had managed to send the little patch of skin Fleur had made contact with to Nirn for a split second. Not enough to send it into the present, but strong enough to send it into the past... the distant past.

To the region of a dormant volcano... surrounded by a fence of magic... shrouded in a red sandstorm.

Author's Notes:

Rainbow really needs to shut up. If there is anything more meddlesome than Discord or Hermaeus Mora, it's Murphy.

Alright everyone, things are about to heat up on the adventure stove, hope your ready.

Not many comment anymore, if you would like to say something please do. I enjoy feedback and could always use suggestions for anything, especially if anyone has an idea on what they should face from nirn.

A lot of you have spoken out against shipping, but I am begging you to be patient. All the ships I was going to introduce have been introduced, and now they won't even be mentioned for a while, plus I am basing it off the fact that in Skyrim Hearthfire you can get married and have a family, plus its needed for what I have mind in the end.

If you haven't already guessed getting to Cadances and Shinings wedding is going to be full of trials. I hope that doesn't bother you.

13 Disease of the past, body, and heart

It was well past midnight when two chariots were seen silhouetted against the starry night, descending gracefully as the pegasus guards landed them with practiced ease on the Canterlot landing patio outside the castle.

"Thank you sirs," said Celestia after they had all disembarked, the stallions she addressed unhitching and heading for the barracks. With a smirk, the princess of the sun turned to her sister and the assembly of her subjects that had been absent from Equestria for many months. Now that the diplomacy had passed she could fully appreciate how good it felt to see them standing in her kingdom again.

Especially her student, who had grown strong under a different teacher... that wound still stung.

"I am sure that you are all eager to begin your preparations for Shining Armour and Cadance's long overdue wedding," she said, getting eager smiles from all. But years of watching her subjects had granted her the ability to see beyond the surface of excitement, especially if said excitement was causing fatigue. "But I insist you all get some sleep for now."

"Aw come on, your majesty," stated Rainbow, irradiated as she hovered as she always did. "We just kicked serious flank; tackling some wedding preparations will be a snap."

"That is precisely my point, Rainbow Dash," replied Celestia gently, no irritation at being rebutted. "You all have had a very tiring day, and I know from looking at them that these new powers of yours are very draining. I insist you all get some rest."

"Besides, darling, don't you see what time it is?" Rarity pointed out. "Even if you don't need the rest, what of the bride and groom? They have to oversee our preparation, how can they do that if they haven't gotten any sleep?"

Rainbow looked over to said couple and rubbed her neck in embarrassment at seeing the clear exhaustion. "Huh, sorry."

"Not a problem, Rainbow," said Cadance kindly. "The fact that you would say such is only more proof that you and the others weren't changed by that Apocrypha place."

"And that is such a relief," said Shining, looking to his sister with a grateful look.

"Hey, it takes more than a world of books to change this farmgirl," said Applejack, also tapping the Element of Honesty. "Besides, we had these to protect us."

"Speaking of which," said Twilight. Her horn flared to life and took the Elements of Harmony off them, then presented them to the princesses. "We had best not leave these out in the open. They are the only things that shield my friends from the negative effects of Apocrypha, we will need them when it comes time for us to return."

Wincing internally at being reminded of the 'temporary' reprieve Twilight and her friends had been granted, Celestia looked to her sister, who nodded in understanding. Luna teleported away, the elements vanishing along with her, no doubt to be taken to the vault they had occupied before all this started.

After a few good nights and a hug between Celestia and Twilight, the group split off for bed, Shining and Cadance heading to their shared regal room and Twilight leading her friends to the castle's guest suites. Celestia stood on the spot to watch them as they departed, not only contemplating each of their plights, but her own as well. Return of her beloved student or not, she was a princess, and tomorrow would have all the responsibility as the others, despite the major events that had concluded tonight.

"The Elements are secure, sister," said Luna, teleporting beside her sibling who didn't react to her arrival.

"Thank you, Lulu," said Celestia, Luna sighing happily at the nickname of the past and the childhood memories it connected her to. "Are you fit to watch the night?"

"Heh, it was not I who delivered the wallopping today," stated Luna, Celestia picking up on her irritation.

"I know you enjoy a good brawl Lulu, but mananite was involved," said Celestia, a hint of mischief entering her voice. "Need I remind you what happened the last time you picked a fight while that substance was nearby and that huge stallion got a hold of your tail?"

Luna both blushed and shuddered at the memory, the smell and feel of apple cider in her face coming to mind. "I hope this time we've seen the last of that evil mineral."

"Me too, sister," said Celestia, looking up to the starry sky and wondering if somewhere up there was a vortex extruding multiple tendrils and an eye. “I resent Hermaeus Mora in many regards, but I can't help but feel slightly grateful for the role he played in its destruction today."

"I know the feeling, sister," said Luna, looking up to her precious constellations with pride. "I could scarcely believe it when I first laid eyes on him, and I am even more stumped that he represents knowledge." A look of slight fear worked its way onto her face." And for the first time, I felt relief for it being him that found Equis. His kin are so much worse."

Celestia agreed, the very thought of Molag Bal and Mehrunes Dagon giving her shivers. But as terrifying as the subject of Daedra is, its relevance now was minimal. She had other responsibilities to attend to, so she made her way into the castle.

"Good night, Luna, be stalwart as you guard the night."

"Always," said Luna, though a thought occurred before her sister vanished fully. "What do you intend to use that ash from the Badlands for, if you don't mind me asking?"

Celestia winced internally as she was stabbed with a blade of guilt. "Memory of my failure."
---
The next morning rode forward with well the Mane Six meeting the princesses in the throne room with unshakable fortitude present in their eyes. Not long after, Shining Armour and Cadance joined them, Shining being summoned off his duties by Princess Celestia, and Cadance having been retrieved from her love duties by a guard sent to fetch her by Shining.

"Is everypony ready for the most FABTASTIC wedding in the history of weddings?" said Pinkie excitedly, bouncing up as she said 'FABTASTIC' white streamers and a bride and groom cake topper statue flew out of her mane and into Twilight's face.

"Fabtastic?" asked Applejack.

"Fabulous and fantastic," explained Pinkie, "With us thrown in the mix, this wedding will be the envy of every newly weds of the future. We needed a word to describe it all in one thing."

While most had their doubts that such a word would become a thing, everyone definitely felt Pinkie's excitement.

"Pinks is right about one thing," said Rainbow eagerly, ignoring Pinkie's echoing 'one thing' with irritation. "With us in the mix, it's certainly going to be an event to remember."

"That I have no doubt," said Cadance, looking at Twilight with affection, others in the room doing the same.

"And speaking of mixing, you can't have a wedding without a cake," said Applejack, turning to Celestia. "Alright if I head to the kitchen?"

"Of course, Applejack," replied the solar princess, turning to the others as a question occurred to her; one that was blazingly obvious, and it baffled her that she only now realized it. "Though I must confess, as exciting as the concept of Cadance and Shining Armour finally being wed is, I am surprised you all don't wish to return to Ponyville first. Most of you haven't seen your families for three years, would you not rather visit them first?"

"More than you realize, your majesty," stated Applejack, her, Rainbow, and Rarity exchanging a look and thinking of a certain trio of mischievous fillies. "But I am afraid that isn't how things work."

"Hermaeus Mora sent us back to do a job for him, in return, we get to throw Cadance her wedding," said Twilight, looking to her friends with deep regret. She got to reunite with her beloved brother and old foalsitter. "And as I said, he didn't set a specific deadline other then the wedding's conclusion, but if we intentionally put it off we might try his patience."

"And believe me, that is the last thing we want," said Applejack, discomfort in her voice. "As said before, Hermaeus Mora is a Daedric Prince, and they have a habit of not just extremely shallow behavior, but are well known for aiming their wrath at the family of those who cross them."

What they were getting at hit Celestia hard. If they dawdle on this task, it might draw his ire, and that was a concept none wanted to fathom. Still, one did not rule for a millennium and not gain a sharp wit.

Plus, family was important.

"Then how about this? I will extend the guest list to include all your families."

A collection of gasps filled the throne room.

"You would do that for us?" asked Fluttershy, awe in her voice.

"If Cadance and Shining have no objections," replied Celestia.

"Of course not," said Cadance, her voice sympathetic.

"The more the merrier," said Shining.

"Though we will have to find another location," said Luna, remembering how many family members that the mane six had in addition to the other guests and the size of the ceremony room.

"We can have it on the Canterlot overwatch," said Celestia, referring to the grand stone ledge that overlooked all of Equestria from the capital.

Everyone thought that was a swell idea.

"Oh thank you Princess," said Pinkie, throwing her hooves around the tall regal pony, despite some objections from her friends. "It will be so great to see Maud again, and Limestone and Marble haven't been to a wedding ever!"

"Speaking of which darling, we had better proceed," said Rarity, prying her enthusiastic friend off of the princess with her magic gently. "We had best begin. Wedding preparations are no picnic, after all."

"Boy howdy, don't I know it," said Applejack, going over recipes for the banquet in her mind as she made her way to the door, her friends not far behind. But they all stopped when her look of concentration turned into a look of confusion, and she held up a hoof and signaled them to stay back.

"What is the matter, darling?" Asked Rarity worriedly.

"Don't know, but somepony is definitely upset," replied Applejack, putting her ear to the closed doors and hearing the muffled voices of the castle guards arguing with a pony with a thick Canterlot accent. "Yeah, they don't sound happy."

"Stand aside please, I will handle it," said Celestia, approaching from the throne. "I am sure it's nothing to worry about."

But Applejack had begun backing away from the door a second before Celestia had started speaking. The muffled voice of whoever was pestering the guard had been replaced by the frantic clopping of hooves that grew steadily louder. Louder like they were...

Applejack gasped and made to spring out of the way...

A second too late.

"YOUR MAJESTY!!!" screamed Fancy Pants as he burst through the door, striking poor Applejack so hard her Steston was left stationary in the air where her head once was for a moment before dropping to the ground, an orange hoof left twitching behind a door flung into the wall.

"APPLEJACK!!!" screamed six voices, a mulberry light pulling said door shut to let a squashed earth pony drop to the ground and be immediately surrounded by those in the room who cared for her.

Celestia wore a slack jawed look of surprise before she threw an irritated look at the well dressed stallion who had just barged in, just in time to see him tackled to the ground by royal guards. Applejack had thankfully been moved away by her friends by then, though her eyes still spun.

"What is the meaning of this, Mr. Pants?" asked Celestia, her tone both venomous and disappointed. "Not only did you just barge into my throne room unannounced, you also just smashed one of my guests with the door. This behavior is unbecoming of one such as you, so why?"

"We apologize for the interruption, Princess Celestia," said one of the pegasus guards pinning Fancy. "He just came into the castle, screaming about..."

He was cut off when he and his companion were thrown off Fancy with a burst of pale mustard yellow magic, Fancy springing up instantly.

Now everyone could see his frazzled state. His elegant dress suit was wrinkled, like he had slept in it, his trademark mustache was uneven and frayed as if chewed, and worst of all, his eyes were badly bloodshot and swollen, dried tears sticking to the fur on his cheeks.

"FANCY PANTS!!!" screamed Rarity as she and the others noticed the state of the often elegant stallion. "What happened to you?"

"Miss Rarity?" asked Fancy Pants when he turned to face her and saw Rarity and the others gathered around Applejack. "You and your compatriots... have returned?"

Celestia hadn't exactly kept the whereabouts of Twilight and her friends discreet. With Hermaeus Mora's grand entrance followed by the disappearance of such a well known group, it would not take much to put two and two together. She decided that the truth would be more acceptable than any conspiracy theory that some overactive imagination could cook up.

"Yes, as it were," said Rarity, "But what has gotten you in such a state, you look dreadful!"

What color had returned to Fancy Pants drained immediately as he brought his attention to Princess Celestia again and threw himself at her hooves, wrinkling his tuxedo even more. "Your Majesty, forgive me for defiling your throne room with my uncouth entrance, but I desperately need your help."

Celestia seemed to recover from her recent irritation once she saw that Applejack was relatively unharmed, along with her guards. She held up a wing to stop them from tackling the frantic stallion again.

"What is the matter?" she asked, now realizing that the change in Fancy's behavior was actually a sign of how dire the situation must be.

"It's my wife," moaned Fancy, looking up with renewed tears flowing down the vertical fissures under his eyes. "She has fallen ill."

"Fleur is sick?" probed Cadance worriedly. "What happened, is she alright?"

Luna stepped in before more could be said."I am sorry to learn about your spouse contracting an illness, but it hardly seems worth my sister's attention. Ponies get sick sometimes..."

"THIS ISN'T SOME HAY FEVER OR HORSEY HIVES!" shouted Fancy, making Luna jump slightly. "The doctors have never seen anything like what is ailing her. Last night she came home not feeling well, and in only an hour her entire body became sickly and she started screaming in pain."

"An hour, and she was perfectly healthy the previous day?" asked Celestia, Fancy nodding in response.

That didn't bode well. Only extremely rare diseases work so fast, and if this was something new, it could not be ignored. And it had started out as such a promising day, too.

"Sorry Cadance but I must..."

"Lets go!" said Cadance, rushing to the door. "If Fleur is in danger I have to be there for her."

Shining rolled his eyes as he followed his fiance. It wasn't the first time something between those two spurred Cadance on in a way that usually only involved him.

"We should go too," said Twilight, heading to the door and motioning for her friends to follow. "With our new power we might be able to help."

"Excellent point, egghead," said Rainbow Dash, taking the lead from Twilight (who flashed her a scowl) and sped down the castle corridor. "Heck, with our new abilities, the sky's the limit."

"You say that like it's new for you, Dash," commented Applejack as she galloped bellow the airborne pony. "Or are you finally agreeing with what I have always said, all along you have just had your head in the clouds."

Despite the bickering, the group made good time to Canterlot General Hospital where Fancy Pants said he had taken his wife after she keeled over in pain. To his horror, he learned that in the short time he had been gone her condition had taken a turn for the worst, and now she was in the intensive care unit. Normally visitation was prohibited, but with all three alicorns present the front desk attendant could not argue.

So it was that an orderly found himself leading the most powerful ponies in Equestria down the ICU corridor, trying to remain professional despite the fact that all he wanted to do was admire the beautiful beings he had in tow.

Celestia knew this part of the hospital, having signed the royal donation that gave the hospital the final push it needed to finance it herself. It was equipped with everything a hospital ICU could need from MRI to bedpans; if a pony had a serious condition of any kind, here was the place to get the best treatment. And the fact that their guide hadn't slowed his pace like they had reached their destination yet worried her greatly.

All these rooms were located near the best diagnosis equipment imaginable, but if they continued past them, it could only mean one thing. At the end of this corridor was the most extensive breakthrough in isolation treatment of the century.
It was a room designed to produce a magic health bubble, a spell designed to protect the user from all known illnesses.
But it could work in reverse, if a pony inflicted with a disease was placed within, it would isolate them and protect others from coming down with it.

And to make her anxiety worse, Celestia had dealt things like this since medical practice began advancing and ponies with wealth began to see a runny nose as incurable, but it had always cleared up after she got to the hospital, though she had to admit, Fancy was never like that. That was the reason she hadn't pushed back too much, and after hearing the receptionist say Fleur was in the ICU, her hope that her condition would be identified before she got involved diminished.

No... there was no hope now.

The double doors at the end of the hall not only had an intense blue light shining through the rectangular windows, signifying that the health bubble as not only on but at full strength, the doctors were all wearing hazmat suits, despite the barrier. One saw them approach and immediately leapt through the doors to bar their path, a cone in his helmet flashing a simple white light and projecting a flat barrier wall to wall. They stopped short of plowing into this.

"What is the meaning of this?" Said Luna angrily. "Get out of our way."

"Not happening, ma'am," said the doctor, his voice distorted by his helmet.

"Like Tarturus it isn't," sneered Rainbow, pushing up to the barrier even with the doctor and staring into his hidden face. "These are the princesses, buddy. Let us through, or it's your rump."

"Calm yourself, Rainbow," said Celestia gently, while Twilight pulled said pegasus back and put a calming hoof around her.

Celestia then slowly approached the barrier and addressed the stallion herself. "May I ask your name?"

"You may," replied the stallion, his magic gripping the helmet and detaching it from the suit, revealing his grey coat and brown mane. "Dr. Barn, Gregory Barn."

Celestia almost gasped in shock but held her professionalism. She had heard of this pony, he was the best of the best, having earned several degrees in many medical departments. If a pony was sick, he was the pony to go to.

He was also not supposed to be here.

"It's an honor to meet you Dr. Barn, but why are you in Canterlot?" asked Celestia. "Aren't you based in Manhattan?"

"Yes, usually I am," replied Dr. Barn with annoyance. "But when the wife of Canterlot General's best donor falls ill with an unknown disease, it tends to motivate ponies to go above and beyond."

Luna tilted her head in confusion."How did you get here so fast? Fleur was only admitted last night."

"Multiple unicorn teleports sure clear the sinuses," stated Dr. Barn, rubbing his head.

Nothing more need be said, if multiple unicorns cast a teleport spell, nowhere in Equestria is out of reach.

"So why can't you let us in?" asked Applejack, walking in to stand under Celestia.

"We can't risk this becoming an epidemic," said Dr. Barn, looking to Rainbow as she opened her mouth to argue. "And the fact that they are the princesses makes it all the more important that they stay outside. What would happen if they all suddenly became infected? Who would organize the hospital charity?"

"Thanks for your opinion," said Shining, not liking this stallion's attitude.

"Now Shining, he does have a point," said Cadance gently. "We can't let our personal feelings let us think irrationally. We rushed over when we should have been smart."

"Well we all are here and me and my crew have all new sorts of tricks," said Pinkie, looking at Dr. Barn with a goofy smile. "Just fit us with a couple of those nifty suits and we will have Fleur all better before you can say 'healing hands'."

Dr. Barn gave her a sour look."Are you receiving medication for this condition?"

No one thought that was funny.

"Enough of this!" snapped Fancy Pants, forcing his way to the front of the group. "How is my wife?"

There was an uncomfortable silence.

"Not good," answered the doctor, causing Fancy Pants to lose even more of its color.

"How is that possible?" he said, more tears leaking from his eyes. "This hospital has the best equipment and staff bits can buy. Are you saying she isn't getting better with all this at your disposal?"

"No, she's getting worse," Dr. Barn said simply, all present gasping in horror.

"Then let us in," said Fluttershy, her compassion finally overriding her timid nature in the presence of new ponies. "We do have ways to help her. You are in there and seem fine, just get us some suits."

"We can't take the risk," said Dr. Barn, his voice slightly apathetic. "The other doctors and I are attempting to treat the patient, but there is no guarantee that the health bubble or the hazmat suits will be sufficient protection."

"What are you talking about? You're decked out in enough gear to go deep sea diving," said Applejack.

"This aliment is completely unknown, and so far nothing has even slowed its progression."

Now Celestia was really worried. If a practiced doctor like Dr. Barn wasn't making progress, our even able to identify the disease, what were they dealing with? But she was a princess, she had to do something.

"Can you at least tell me what the symptoms are?" she asked, hopeful that maybe she could get some form of lead out of it.

Dr. Barn seemed to contemplate for a minute.

"In all my years of medical practice I have never seen anything like it," he said. "Miss Lis... she is covered head to hoof in cancerous cysts."

"CANCEROUS!?" shouted Fancy Pants, slamming hard enough into the doctor's barrier to shift it. "That wasn't known when I left to get the princess!"

"We did a biopsy in your absence," said Dr. Barn, not even flinching at the stallion's actions. "You must be her husband, Rich Pants."

"Fancy Pants, my good doctor," said Rarity, looking rather peeved. "And what do you mean cancer?"

"Yeah, as unfun as it can be, cancer is not unheard of," said Pinkie, her mane deflating as she thought about it. "My poor great grandpa Jackcorners Pie had it, but luckily he beat it."

"What is unheard of is the rate of its progression," answered Dr. Barn. "Overnight Miss Lis' cancer has progressed in a manner that I have only seen in patients with cancer that had gone untreated for years. And not just that, new cysts have begun to form."

"Just like that?" inquired Luna, her voice turning baffled, everyone growing the ever more surprised.

"Yes, and to make matters worse, whatever it is 'is' contagious," said Dr. Barn, all of them gasping again.

"That's not possible," said Celestia, the first sign of terror creeping into her voice. "Cancer is not contagious."

"We thought that as well," said Dr. Barn. "But when we first discovered the cancerous cells we gave her a skin transplant. The new tissue immediately grew more cysts."

This was beginning to make even Rainbow sweat. Awesomeness cannot beat disease, and if this was somehow a contagious cancer... well everyone knew how serious that was. Twilight was feeling a sense of familiarity to the description, but was too worried about poor Fleur to put much thought to it.

"Is there any way to see her?" asked Celestia, holding up her hoof to silence Dr. Barn's rebuttal. "Doesn't have to be in person, I just want to see her condition."

"Have you ever heard of this before?" asked Dr. Barn.

"Unfortunately no," said Celestia sadly. "But I still want to see this."

"Your majesty, you're my last hope," said Fancy desperately. "If you can't help, I..."

"We will do everything in our power to help her," said Cadance, her gentle voice slightly soothing Fancy.

Dr. Barn seemed to be against the idea, but nothing they had done seemed to be helping. Celestia was the princess of Equestria, and had over a millennium of experience. It would not hurt to at least have her look.

"Follow me," he said, his stride carrying a slight limp as he strode forward.

Dr. Barn led them to a room with a massive mirror on the far wall, but reflected on the surface wasn't them or the room, but a downwards view of another room. Celestia knew it as a reflection sharing mirror, an enchanted mirror that reflects another mirrors refraction. An impressive piece of magic.

But what they saw on the surface was something they never could have imagined, ever.

Fleur lay on a hospital bed, surrounded by doctors and hooked up to a heart monitor, IV, and other such medical equipment. Her coat and mane had lost none of her beauty... but the rest of her... Fancy had to turn away, unable to look at the state of his wife.

She was thrashing as medical assistants held her still, her body covered in large fleshy bulges that pulsated and throbbed with what appeared to be her heart. They were an angry red color and seemed to be painful. Cadance could not tear her eyes away from the gruesome sight.

Seemingly of their own accord, Cadance's hooves carried her forward, and before she knew it, she stood before the wall sized mirror and put a hoof to the grisly sight. She was with Shining Armour now, her heart was his, but for some people, there is no love like your first.

She and Fleur were young while they were together and after awhile they both realized it was puppy love, but they had separated on good terms. They actually would not have met their true loves without each other, for she had bought Fleur those Wonderbolt tickets were she met Fancy and Fleur had persuaded her to take up babysitting. Ever since then they had remained friends, often doing what 'girl' friends did when they were together.

To see her in such a state... she could almost feel what those horrible cysts were doing to her herself.
---
Shining looked to Twilight and her friends nervously as Cadance walked forward.

"She and Cadance are very close friends," he slightly stammered.

"Don't sweat it, big guy," said Rainbow, slapping Shining Armour on the back. "There is nothing wrong with being the second choice."

Shining broke out in a cold sweat. "I... don't know what you are talking about."

"What Rainbow means is you don't have to hide it, darling," said Rarity, glaring at said Pegasus. "We all know Fleur and Cadance were together before she was with you."

"What, but how..." He shot Spike an irradiated look, who only waved nervously. "Still think it's a goodnight kiss, huh?"
---
Twilight felt her blood run cold.

The sense of familiarity was now strong enough for her to notice and it wasn't something she could even have ignored. Those swollen spots, the thrashing in pain, cancerous cysts that 'were' contagious. She had heard of something similar, and if it was what she thought, it wasn't good.

'Calm down,' thought Twilight, shaking herself. 'That epidemic ended long ago, and it didn't even happen in Equestria...or on Equis.'
---
Celestia felt her heart both drop and race at the sight.

She had never seen this before, and she had seen every disease known.

"Why does she look like she is in such pain?" Said Fancy frantically. "I requested narcotics!"

"None are working," explained Dr. Barn, that bit of news taking them by surprise for the upteenth time that morning. "We have given her every pain killer known, yet she still acts like she is in pain."

"What do we do then?" said Spike, reminding others of his presence and realizing that this might not be something he should see. Though he had kicked a changeling's teeth out with a fair amount of blood, so he was tougher than they thought.

"I am afraid there is little we can do," said Celestia in answer to Spike. She turned to the distraught looking Fancy Pants with a single tear in her eye. "I am sorry, I have never seen anything like this before, but I will do something, you have my word."

"I still say you let us..."

Rainbow was suddenly cut off when the reflection of Fleur suddenly threw off the ones restraining her and sat up, but as they moved to restrain her again they realized she was as still as a statue.

"What is going on?" Dr. Barn asked, "She should not have been able to get loose."

"Hold on," said Luna, her horn flaring with magic as she adjusted the enchantment of the mirror.

Sounds of the operation room filled the room, the beeping of the heart monitor, the creaking of metal equipment...

And the voice of Fleur De Lis.

"All is silence. The road is straight, without turning, in darkness. Now let there be an end to all things."

She kept repeating this over and over, even as the doctors eased her down, no longer fighting and repeating the phrase over and over.

Hearing her say that sentence sent chills down all their spines. It sounded like Fleur, yet not her. It sounded like something from outside was reaching inside Fleur De Lis and using her voice.

Twilight was the most affected, gasping as she leaned a hoof on a wall and put a hoof to her heart.

"Darling, what is wrong?" asked Rarity (from her fainting couch).

Twilight looked up at the image of the suffering pony again. There was no denying it now, she was familiar with this. After fifteen years studying books in another dimension, she had come across a document about a disease that inflicted the flesh and mind, it even had crude sketches of the symptoms.

"I know what this is," she said in a barely audible whisper.

A collection of gasps came from all other occupants in the room.

"How is that possible?" Snapped Dr. Barn, slightly angry. "I have seen every illness known to ponykind and have never seen this. Even the princess admitted to this being an unknown."

"You wouldn't have heard of it, nopony would have," said Twilight, turning to her friends, her brother, and the doctor. "This disease is called corprus disease. And it once swept as a great epidemic through Morrowind... a continent on the world of Nirn."

The questions came from every direction.

Author's Notes:

Here we go, the beginning. If you are unfamiliar with the events of Elder Scrolls 3 I recommend doing some research before to many chapters are posted. Like I said before I hope you don't mind a rugged path leading up to the wedding.

Thanks for reading my story.

Please leave a comment.

14 Answers

At first Celestia believed it was Hermaeus Mora's doing once Twilight informed them corprus was from Nirn, but Twilight then told her it was unlikely Hermaeus Mora was involved not only because it wasn't in his nature, but because corprus wasn't just an ordinary disease. It was an artificial disease intentionally created for a specific purpose.

Over the course of the next half hour, Twilight explained the circumstances around the third era of Nirn to the princesses, her brother, Fancy Pants and Dr. Barn. She explained how Dagoth Ur gained divine power using the Tools of Kagrenac and the Heart of Lorkhan, and used this power to conquer his birth continent Morrowind by creating the Blight Storm, a humongous red sandstorm that inflicted anyone caught in it with blight disease. The news was a lot for them to take in, and not just the fact that this disease was spread intentionally, but the fact that such power to create something so horrible was actually attainable on Nirn.

Next she explained that the people of Morrowind were not exactly helpless during this time. A prophecy was told of these circumstances, and they said that if Dagoth Ur were to ever return, then the Chimer general who originally defeated him would return as well, reincarnated as the Nerevarine. Though as the explanation grew on Fancy became more and more frantic.

"This tale is very fascinating, miss Twilight, but I fail to see the relevance," he said, his eyes constantly being drawn to the image of his wife prone on the hospital bed. "Does all this mean this 'Dagoth Ur' fiend is controlling my wife?"

"I don't believe so," said Twilight, examining the reflection herself. "If Dagoth Ur was directly involved, Fleur would not be repeating that phrase over and over."

"How do you know?" asked Fancy worriedly.

"Because according to the accounts I have studied, those who were inflicted with corprus were notorious for ranting on about how glorious Dagoth Ur and his ambitions were," explained Twilight, "They didn't start mumbling about silence until after his death."

"His death?" Inquired Celestia. "You mean he's...?"

"Yes, Dagoth Ur is not around anymore," explained Twilight, "In fact, he's been dead for over two hundred years."

All who currently didn't know this story collectively gasped.

"How is that possible?" asked Dr. Barn with slight confusion. "You said he attained immortality, so how is he not around anymore?"

"isn't it obvious?" inquired Rainbow, her voice taking on the quality it usually did when a Daring Do book was involved. "The Nerevarine kicked his tail."

From that point, Rainbow Dash took the lead in the explanation, going into a surprisingly quick recount of how Dagoth Ur was struck down by the Nerevarine by severing his connection with the Heart of Lorkhan, making him mortal once again, and when he was defeated, the blight was destroyed as well.

"Then why does my wife have it?" shouted Fancy, growing impatient with this talk about history from another world. "If Dagoth Ur does not exist anymore, why is my wife inflicted with this disease he created, right here for all of us to see?"

Twilight didn't know exactly how Fleur became infected, but she knew not all of Fancy's statement was true, and she had a feeling it was somehow the cause of all this.

"Fancy," started Twilight with a heavy heart, wishing she didn't have to say what she was about to. "Dagoth Ur and the Blight Storm were destroyed... but corprus itself continued to exist afterwards. Those inflicted were never cured of it."

"NEVER CURED?!" yelled Celestia, gazing at the decrepit Fleur (a well respected and beloved member of her society) within the mirror, her body covered in diseased growths. "Then... what happened to them?"

Twilight didn't look like she wanted to continue, but she could not keep it to herself. They had the right to know. "Even without the Blight Storm, corprus could still be spread; for you see, those afflicted were carriers. So eventually, to contain the disease, those afflicted had to be isolated from all other living beings; kept in the Corprusarium, a sort of hospital that was built for them. Eventually, all those afflicted were safely contained and the spread of the blight halted for good."

They could all see by the expression on Fancy's face that the bottom dropped out of his heart. He said nothing as he turned away from them and moved as close to the mirror as possible and put a hoof to the surface. All the others felt great sympathy for the poor stallion.

" So it's incurable?" asked Fancy, not needing an answer, even though none came. "How long does she have?"

Everyone turned their attention to Twilight, who appeared to be hesitant.

"Please, miss Twilight," said Fancy, turning back to Twilight with great tears flowing from his eyes. "I need to know. How long does my wife have to live?"

Twilight looked to her friends for support, which they gladly provided. They knew this story too, having studied it somewhat while in Apocrypha with her. They knew what came next.

"Fancy Pants... your wife..." Twilight started, stammering a little at what she was about to say. "She... she can't die anymore."

A collection of gasps filled the small room again.

"What do you mean?" asked Dr. Barn, looking to the reflection of Fleur with immense doubt. "This disease may originate from another world, but you can't possibly tell me a pony with such a high amount of cancerous tissue is going to survive."

"Corprus disease is an artificial disease, doctor," explained Twilight, "Dagoth Ur created it to turn the citizens of Morrowind into his slaves, not kill them. So when he created corprus, he made it so anyone who comes down with it becomes immunized against all other illnesses...and the aging process."

There was a very pregnant pause as they all digested this information, Fancy himself looking like someone who had just seen a situation he thought could not be any worse become so. "So... she is going to suffer like this forever?"

"Yes," confirmed Twilight, looking away as if ashamed. " Unless... she is forcibly put out of her misery."

None of them need to be told what she meant, and it only made the atmosphere in the room so much more intolerable.

Twilight herself was in as much emotional turmoil as them. It had started out as such a promising day; with a long overdue wedding finally getting underway, but this... not only was a well respected member of the Canterlot elite ill with a disease nopony would wish upon anyone, it had inflicted Cadance's first ever love interest, a pony Cadance still had a place in her heart for. How could things have gone so wrong?

"How did this happen?" Celestia asked herself. "First those children able to summon creatures from another realm, now this? How is it even possible, if the citizens of Nirn were at least able to contain the disease in the end?"

"Maybe it hasn't been contained from where we are at," suggested Shining, only to get looks of from the others. "This Nirn place exists in another dimension, right? Maybe what is present there isn't present in Equestria. Maybe our present Equestria is lined up during the time when this disease was rampant, and some followed Hermaeus Mora when he opened up a portal between our world and his."

Everyone looked slightly surprised at the suggestion and turned to Twilight for confirmation. But said unicorn only facehoofed. "Shiny, are you reading science fiction magazines again?"

Shining Armour could only smile sheepishly.

"It is not a bad theory, but it's not how our situation works," said Twilight, "Equis and Nirn are parallel to each other, what was two hundred years ago there was two hundred years ago here. So the blight has been gone for us too."

"You are sure about this, my student?" asked Celestia.

"It was the first subject Hermaeus Mora taught me."

"Enough talk about timelines," whispered Fancy, looking completely distressed but apparently lacking the mental fortitude to shout. "What are we going to do about my wife? I refuse to let her suffer like this, so we have to do something."

There was only one possible solution to Twilight, and she could hardly believe it had come to that, and it one again reminded her of how today had taken such a turn.

How could this happen? And on the day Cadance was finally getting her wish. Now things appeared horrible when she thought of it. Right as Cadance was going to take that final step in her own love, she now had to watch this happen to her first lover.

"We have to put Fleur out of her misery," she said in a croaking voice.

Celestia stood still as varying reactions spread throughout the room. Of course, Dr. Barn was the least affected, he was a doctor after all, but Twilight and her friends weren't as hardened by their occupations. Twilight herself had sat on her haunches, finally losing her composure when she took one final look at the pony reflected in the mirror and breaking down with silent tears. Fluttershy was the only one to approach her and pull her into a soft embrace, while also shedding tears herself.

Rarity had grown close to Fleur during her brief stay in Canterlot during that time with Twilight's birthday, so it was no surprise said fashionista was currently dabbing her misty eyes with a handkerchief she had pulled from nowhere. Rainbow and Applejack weren't sobbing like the others, but Applejack had taken off her hat in respect and shared the same sullen look as the multicolored pegasus hovering beside her. Pinkie had currently 'deflated' (for lack of a better term,) two fountains of tears pouring from her eyes as Spike stroked her mane, he himself looking between Fleur then Rarity then Fancy Pants with a look of sympathy, Celestia realizing he was visualizing how he would feel if this was his romance.

Fancy was the most heart wrenching.

He slowly approached the reflection of his wife again and placed a hoof to the glass, clenching his eyes shut as tears slid down his cheeks and his clenched jaws. It broke Celestia's heart to see him like this, but what could she do? From what she had been told, nothing could save Fleur from this disease, except for the release of death.

'NO... this can't happen.'

If Fleur passed it would break Fancy Pants, and she refused to just accept it.

"Twilight?" pleaded the sun princess, said unicorn looking up from Fluttershy's shoulder and to her mentor. "Is there anything, anything at all that could possibly help us with this?"

"I don't believe so, your majesty," moaned Twilight, fighting to bring her emotions under control so her speech wasn't so shaky. "This disease is incurable, as I said before."

"Then what about Hermaeus Mora?" suggested Celestia desperately. "He is a being of such power, surely he might be able to do something."

Twilight didn't want to get Hermaeus Mora involved in this. He had been helpful to them so far, but Twilight knew it was not wise to rely on the aid of a Daedric Prince. All of them were completely apathetic to the plight of mortals and only assist when it's convenient for them, or if they had something to gain. Even their role in the Nerevarine's defeat of Dagoth Ur was done solely for spite. To punish Dagoth Ur for daring to set foot in their realm.

Dagoth Ur and the Nerevarine...

'Dagoth Ur and the Nerevarine...'

"Wait, I think I got it!" shouted Twilight, her outburst frightening Fluttershy off her. "I think I know how we can help Fleur!"

This immediately drew Fancy away from the mirror, zipping up to Twilight with a desperate look.

"WELL WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR!" screamed Fancy, grabbing hold of Twilight and shaking her. "WHAT IS IT?!"

Twilight had to teleport out of the frantic Fancy's hooves to get a word in. "While I was studying the history of Morrowind I read about a certain potion that was designed to combat corprus disease."

"WHAT? But you said the disease was incurable!" complained Dr. Barn, sharing the same confused look as Fancy.

"The potion I mentioned..." started Twilight, rubbing her hooves nervously. "It's not a cure."

Everyone looked crestfallen at that, even Twilight's friends, who had reached the end of their knowledge of corprus, leaving Twilight with a full audience of oblivious ponies.

"While its true that the potion didn't cure corprus, it did the next best thing," continued Twilight, " It negated the negative effects, like the loss of one's mind, and the painful infected tissue."

Everyone looked slightly surprised at this, but Fancy looked extremely annoyed. "Why didn't you mention this from the start?"

"I didn't remember until now," said Twilight. "Plus the potion wasn't widely used, in fact, it was only used once."

"Why wasn't this potion used?" asked Luna, "You told us that all those afflicted with corprus were separated from others to keep the disease from spreading, but if this potion that removed the adverse effects existed, why wasn't it given to them?"

"Because the potion itself was dangerous," explained Twilight, "It was only ever successfully used once, the other times it proved fatal to anyone who ingested it."

"Then we have again gotten nowhere," said Dr. Barn with an annoyed look.

"Not necessarily," said Twilight, a determined look crossing her features. "The potion was made several centuries ago, and a lot has changed in that time. Plus, we may have something here in Equestria that may help us make a version of it that is more reliable."

"It sounds like a long shot," said Luna worriedly. "But it also appears to be our only hope."

"Yes," said Celestia, looking to her sister then to Twilight. "Do you know what ingredients were used to create this potion you spoke of?"

"Unfortunately no, but I think I know someone who would know," said Twilight, a hint of mischief entering her voice. "Princess, do you still have that Black Book?"

Celestia understood what her pupil was implying immediately and headed to the door. "I keep it in my study. Come everypony, it is time we talked to a certain tendril creature."

Everyone headed out one by one, until only Twilight, Dr. Barn, and Fancy were left in the room.

"Wait, miss Twilight," said Fancy to Twilight before she could leave. "You said this potion, which seems to be my wife's only hope, you mentioned that it only removes the adverse effects?"

Twilight said nothing from where she stood on the threshold of the door, only nodding in response.

"Then... the other effects... the immunity to aging," said Fancy quietly. "It will remain... if we are successful in administering this potion?"

"Yes," confirmed Twilight, looking back at him sadly. "If the potion is successful, she will still remain immunized against aging. And I don't think I need to tell you what that means, Fancy."

"I will leave her," confirmed Fancy, " While I will grow old and die eventually, she will remain frozen in time, never changing."

"She will also be stronger than any unicorn is supposed to be," said Twilight, still unmoved from her spot. "Corprus also increases one's physical strength, it's how she was able to throw those doctors off her." Twilight had a certain thought that had to be addressed. "We don't have to do this if you don't want Fleur to go through this."

"No," replied Fancy, smiling for the first time, though it was a sad smile. "My time with her may be limited now, but I would not trade it for anything. Plus, she still has so much to live for, so I still support this plan."

Twilight nodded in understanding and went to catch up with the others, leaving Fancy Pants and Dr. Barn to look after Fleur, as powerless as they still were to help her.

---

It was not long before a glistening black tendril extended out of the pages of a certain book, coiling around a group that consisted of three unicorns, two earth ponies, two pegasi, three alicorns, and one baby dragon, all around them going black. The sickly yellow sky of Apocrypha became visible, the ever-present tendrils extending out of vortexes more then noticeable as they scraped at the surface of the sea of ink. Twilight noticed that they were on the island she had found herself on during her first incursion to this place.

"Greetings, my champion," said the echoing voice of Hermaeus Mora, eight of his vortexes opening above, three with eyes. You and your compatriots have returned... earlier than expected, though I suspect that this is a temporary visit, otherwise you would be wearing those divine relics."

They all gasped, in their haste they had forgotten about the Elements of Harmony, and that meant they only had a short amount of time to do this or Twilight’s friends would begin to succumb to the wretched effects of this place.

"Lord Hermaeus Mora," said Celestia, her voice full of respect, albeit bitter respect. "You are correct in your assumption that Twilight and the others are not here to stay. They, my sister, and myself have come to your domain in search of your aid."

The three eyes of Hermaeus Mora blinked simultaneously in what appeared to be puzzlement.

"Intriguing... over the course of the last few years, you princesses have gone to great lengths to avoid me... now you arrive at my threshold seeking my assistance... how... unforeseen."

"Wait a minute, why are you acting like you don't know what we came for?" asked Pinkie, her mane still straight and darkened.

"Your early return is a complete mystery to me, mortal," replied Hermaeus Mora, no hint of deception in his voice. "I had not expected your return until after the the matrimonial ceremony between these two."

Shining Armour and Cadance were slightly surprised at being addressed personally. Hermaeus Mora had never focused solely on them before and it was slightly unnerving. He was still a foreboding creature, no matter the situation.

"How is that possible?" asked Spike, "You're Hermaeus Mora, your sphere is divining past present and future events."

"Through observation of the stars, young dragon," said Hermaeus Mora calmly. "And since I have found presence in your world... I have found that it is much more difficult here than on my home world. I can divine much from your world's unique stars and heavens, but not all."

"Great!" Luna hmmfed, crossing her forelegs. "Now we have to waste time explaining to the giant squid."

"If we must, we must," stated Celestia sternly, walking forward so only she stood before Hermaeus Mora and bowed her head. "Lord Hermaeus Mora, I beseech your aid. One of my subjects has been stricken with a disease from your world, known as corprus disease."

Even though he had no face, they could all tell Hermaeus Mora was legitimately surprised by this detail. Then before their eyes, he receded back into his vortexes and disappeared. He was only absent for a moment before reappearing though.

"You speak the truth, Princess," he said, his voice slightly different with an interested tone. "Against all odds, one of your subjects has contracted corprus; the first case in over two centuries."

"Tell us something we don't know," snapped Rainbow impatiently.

"Rainbow, don't," said Twilight, pulling said pegasus by the tail with her magic, much to her annoyance. "Yes, and that is why we have come to you, Lord Hermaeus Mora. We hope to use the same potion that the Nerevarine used to remove the adverse effects when he was stricken with the disease."

"Wait, it was this Nerevarine guy who used this potion?" asked Princess Luna, sharing the same confused look as most of the others.

"Oh, yeah it was," explained Twilight, having not noticed this detail during this situation. "During his conflict with Dagoth Ur, he came down with the disease, so needed something to prevent himself from becoming Dagoth Ur's pawn."

"That actually explains some things," said Celestia, "It was peculiar why someone would take such a risk with this potion if the results could be more than unfavorable. Since this Nerevarine was the only person who could face Dagoth Ur, it makes sense it was worth the risk." But she realized that they were drifting off topic and addressed Hermaeus again. "I am willing to give you whatever you desire, Hermaeus Mora, if you just let us have the ingredients for this potion."

Twilight felt her blood pressure skyrocket.

It was a bad idea to make such an offer to a Daedric Prince. It wasn't outside the realm of possibility that they might just ask for your life in exchange for their service. But she worried for nothing, for it seemed that in this instance, Hermaeus Mora wasn't in any position to accept her payment.

"Your offer is a most alluring one, your majesty, but I can not accept it. For what you seek... is not here in my realm...

"WHAT?!" They all chorused.

"It is unfortunate... but the knowledge that you seek... is currently not held within my library."

"Are you kidding me?" shouted Rainbow angrily, looking to the huge stacks of books off in the horizon. "All these books and you don't have what we need? How is that possible, you collect books like a crazy cat lady collects cats."

---

Goldie Delicious sneezed, causing her precious collection of Apple artifacts to fall on her.

"Peasy, how many times have I told you not to shed on my things," an elderly voice complained from under the debris.

---

"I was indisposed during the happenings of Dagoth Ur and the Nerevarine."

Celestia felt ice cold despair enter her being. This potion Twilight had mentioned sounded like their last hope, and now they had come all the way to Apocrypha to discover that what they sought wasn't here. She didn't know what else she could do now.

She felt like she had let Fancy Pants down. How could she tell him that she had come up short, her, the ruler of Equestria, the one responsible for her subjects' well being. Now it looks like Fancy was going to have his heart broken after all.

'Broken heart.'

No, she could not let that happen...not again.

"Hermaeus Mora," she said, walking up so close that she stood before one of Hermaeus Mora's eyes, seeing her reflection in its wretched pupil. "I request passage to your world. If you do not have the ingredients here, I will travel to Nirn and get them myself."

"PRINCESS CELESTIA, NO!" screamed Twilight as she threw herself to the ground and wrapped her forelegs around Celestia's hind legs. "You can't. If you set foot in Nirn, the other Daedra will surely notice you."

"And then they will learn about all of Equestria," said Rarity worriedly. "Equestria can barely handle the existence of Hermaeus Mora, if the rest of those brutes find out about our world, you can guarantee that they will take interest in it and stop at nothing to claim a presence here."

All the rest agreed with Twilight and Rarity, from what was known of the other Daedric Princes, if they learned about Equestria, it would mean trouble. But Celestia just smiled sympathetically, lifted Twilight up and placed her back on her hooves.

"I am aware of the danger presented by these other beings," said the princess. "But I cannot just leave Fleur to such a terrible fate... and I certainly can't just abandon Fancy Pants to such heartache."

"But you would put all of Equestria... no, our whole world in danger," rebutted Rainbow, her hot headed mind thinking about Ponyville and all the friends they had yet to be reunited with. "What happened to Fleur and Fancy is tragic, but to put everything in danger over it?"

"I agree with Rainbow," said Twilight, "How can we put all of Equestria in danger for something like this, as horrible as it is?"

Celestia only gave Twilight a motherly smile, like she always used to when she was stressed.

"Twilight... three years ago you showed me how blind I was to threats to my kingdom," said Celestia. Twilight closed her eyes in shame, which Celestia replied to with a wing over her withers. "No, don't feel guilty about it, my student. I needed to hear what you said to me that day, for it has allowed me to uncover truths that have done Equestria good since then. And now, I am certain that we must help Fleur get better, by any means."

"Even if that means putting Equestria in the sights of the Daedra?" inquired Fluttershy nervously.

"Yes, but Equestria would be at risk either way," said Celestia, gaining a few looks. "It would break Fancy Pants if his wife passed away, and we must not let that happen."

"That would be a threat to Equestria?" asked Spike.

Celestia gave a sad look. "Remember Pheromone Signal?"

They all gasped at that comparison.

Pheromone Signal had been a well respected member of the Canterlot elite before she had her heart broken by the one she loved. It led to the cold blooded murder of two innocent ponies, the corruption of a well known pony, and the abduction of countless townspeople, who later would become changelings. And worst of all, it was how the Canterlot invasion began in the first place, which in turn led to the begining to Hermaeus Mora coming to their world.

So if another well respected pony suffered an incredible heartbreak, and became another threat to Equestria like Queen Chrysalis... could it mean the end of Equestria...?

...or worse still, could another Daedra become involved?

"Fancy is such a gentlestalion though, he would never become like queen Chrysalis," said Rarity.

"Pheromone Signal was a lot like him," said Celestia sadly. "She was the nicest, most elegant mare of her time, yet still, her broken heart turned her into what she was in the end... our enemy. If we do not do everything in our power to help Fancy, he may become like her."

There was a huge rebuttal from the other ponies, all saying how dangerous it was...until one spoke up.

"I agree with the princess, we must go to Morrowind and find this potion," said Twilight, everyone gasping at her throwing off her fear of the other Daedra so easily. "I know I have always been against anything that might cause the other Daedra to notice us, but Hermaeus Mora did actually find us on his own in the beginning. And if he can do it, so can the others, so in hind sight, maybe by doing this we might not only find the potion that Fleur needs, we might just find something we can use against the other Daedra."

It took some coaxing, but in the end they were all convinced that they had to at least try, even if it meant going to Nirn.

But before more could be said...

"As admirable as your self-imposed mission to travel to my realm to seek this potion is, it is impossible."

"What do you mean, Hermmy?" asked Pinkie, "We just have to hop into the portal you use."

"First of all, if all of you have assumed I travel to your world through a portal, you are mistaken," stated Hermaeus Mora, gaining confused looks from everyone. "You all remember that I gained access to your world through the piece of my essence that Chrysalis inadvertently released when she destroyed my amulet... it is through that little piece of my being that I have access to your world. Technically... I am the portal between worlds."

It was quite a bit surprising for them to learn this, they had always assumed Hermaeus Mora used some type of portal. But still, they all agreed that they needed to retrieve that potion for Fleur.

"Well then, we just have to literally go through you then, Hermmy," said Pinkie. "Hay, I have already done it once."

Her friends all recalled how Pinkie had annoyed Hermaeus so much that the eldritch Daedric Prince had ripped her through one of his portals and deposited her at their hooves.

"Traveling to Nirn now would not assist in your endeavor..." continued the master of knowledge. "Morrowind... the kingdom where the potion you seek originated... is gone..."

Everyone gasped in horror.

"What do you mean gone?" asked Luna.

"In the time between now and the events involving the Heart of Lorkhan, Red Mountain has had a major eruption," explained Hermaeus Mora, everyone covering their mouths with a hoof(or claw)for Twilight had explained the infamous super volcano that dominated Morrowind to all of them. "Vivec, Ald'ruhn, Tel Fyr... Every location the Nerevarine traversed on his quest... it's all buried under ash..."

Now real despair settled over them now. It wasn't just the tragedy of Morrowind, but everything they had tried so far had led to a dead end. Every option that they had considered was being met with obstacles. But out of all of them, Twilight was the one to snap out of it first. She had been exposed to Hermaeus Mora for fifteen years, and in that time she had learned things she never thought possible.

...one of them being 'knowledge is power'.

And they were in Apocrypha, the grandest reservoir of knowledge in existence. There had to be a solution, there had to be.

"Lord Hermaeus Mora?" said Twilight, her tone slightly pleading, the first time it had been towards Hermaeus Mora since she first learned of his despicable nature. "Is there anything... anything at all we can do? I doesn't matter how perilous, how heavy the toll... can we do anything to right this tragedy that has befallen Fleur and Fancy Pants before it's too late?"

It actually did not take long for Hermaeus Mora to reply.

"Your only hope is indeed the potion that was designed to negate the morbid symptoms of corprus... and I know how you can obtain it."

"Well what are you waiting for?" asked Luna impatiently. "Tell us."

"Please tell us," said Celestia respectively, shooting her sister a glare.

"Your earlier assumption was correct, Celestia," replied Hermaeus Mora. "You need to travel to Nirn and journey to Morrowind... but at a point where not only is everything still intact, but a point centered around the very potion that you seek."

It didn't take long for them to understand.

"We need to travel to Morrowind's past, back in time to the point where this Nereverine was seeking the same potion we are," said Celestia.

"Can you do that?" asked Cadance eagerly. "Can you send someone to the past?"

"No, he can't."

Everybody looked at Twilight, her sudden outburst making them slightly uneasy.

"Hermaeus Mora doesn't have the ability to manipulate time anywhere but in Apocrypha," she explained, reading their looks.

"That is true... but I do have access to something that can manipulate time."

Before anyone could question a great geyser of ink erupted from the ground between the group, a long narrow chest made of glistening black metal appearing when it receded.

"My former champion left this in my care before laying down her arms to be with her family," explained Hermaeus Mora, the chest opening of its own accord.

Inside was an unassuming object to most, but Twilight let out a terrified gasp and surprised everyone by grabbing them in her magic and dragging them all the way to the edge of the small island farthest away from the chest. "Get back, everypony get back!"

"Twilight, I demand you put us down," scolded Rarity.

Twilight obligated, but put up a force field around them, trapping them in a purple bubble.

"What has gotten into you, egghead?" said Rainbow Dash, pounding on Twilights barrier.

"Yeah Twilight, you're... kinda scaring me," said Fluttershy worriedly, Shining Armour and Cadance stating that they felt the same way.

Twilight brought her bloodshot eyes to the object sitting in the chest and shivered. It was a long, cylindrical object, crafted from gold and covered in elegant runes and encrusted with violet amethyst stones. To the others it was pretty but not something to freak out so much about.

But Twilight recognized it immediately:

"What is troubling you, my student?" asked Celestia worriedly. She had seen Twilight freak over little things before, but this time something told her it was justified. "Is that object dangerous?"

"Yes... more than you could ever imagine," answered Twilight, bringing her attention to the six other souls who had shared in her stay here in Apocrypha. "Girls... Spike... that is an Elder Scroll."

In no time flat, Twilight's friends all dropped their annoyed look for one just as panicked as Twilight's.

"No kidding?" said Rainbow, flapping herself to the back of the force field. "That's what that is?"

"KEEP IT AWAY!" screamed Rarity, also backing up to the other side of their enclosure, Fluttershy coincidentally falling into her hooves, stiff as a board.

Applejack was obviously trying to hide her unease, but her shaking knees and sweaty face were an obvious giveaway. Spike actually hid behind Twilight, peeking around her leg nervously. All of this only made the royal ponies that much more confused.

Until Pinkie stepped in with her usual nonsense.

"So this is an Elder Scroll?" said Pinkie, suddenly appearing outside of Twilight's barrier and picking up the shiny cylinder from the chest. "Ooh, sparkly!" she said, her mane and tail returning to their normal poof as she gripped a small handle at the base of the cylinder with a hoof.

"PINKIE, NOOOO!!" screamed all six of her friends. Twilight vanished in her teleport, reappeared in front of the pink earth pony, and pulled the object away from her.

"Are you out of your mind, Pinkie?" scolded Twilight. "You know what these things are capable of."

"You silly filly," said Pinkie happily. "They're only dangerous if you open them."

"But you were..."

"I only did that to get us moving, I wasn't actually going to open it," said Pinkie. "And we need to get moving past this scene, the adventure genre tag will become irrelevant if we don't."

Twilight didn't even bother to comment on the last part, but she did realize Pinkie was right, they needed to move forward with this. Plus, she was holding the Elder Scroll and was fine.

"Twily, what was that all about?" asked Shining Armour, he and the others approaching.

So Twilight explained to Shining Armour, Cadance, Luna, and Celestia the basic concept of an Elder Scroll.

They were the most mysterious objects found in Nirn and they were the written documentation for events throughout all of Nirn's history. That in itself wasn't impressive to the royal ponies, that is basically what all scrolls are. But then she explained their magical nature.

They held knowledge of the past 'and' future, and were written in a language that few could speak. They were said to be fragments of Creation from outside Time itself. Twilight also explained how it took special training just to decipher their text and even when that was achieved, the risk was great. For the knowledge contained inside an Elder Scroll is so potent that most mortal minds can't stand the strain of reading them.

Even those who study the scrolls all their lives are unable to escape the price of reading them... most going blind... even going mad.

"By the stars!" said Cadance, looking at the object in Twilight's magic and wishing she would put it down.

"And that's not all," said Twilight, also looking at the object with unease. "According to lore, the Elder Scrolls' powers surpass even the Daedric Princes'."

It was all so much for them to take in. This artifact sounded like something nopony should mess with.

But Celestia remembered why they were here.

"Hermaeus Mora," said the sun princess to the tendrils who had yet to say anything since bringing forth the chest. "This... Elder Scroll... could it accomplish what we need? Can it open a path to this Morrowind place... in the set point in the past that we need?"

Her statement reminded all the others about what was going on, and the Elder Scroll became of secondary concern. Besides, it wasn't causing harm yet, so if it stayed in Twilight's magic, it would do no harm.

"As my champion has explained... its power even exceeds my own... nothing is beyond the capability of an Elder Scroll."

"Then how do we use it?" asked Celestia, "As Twilight has explained, their power is beyond what most can comprehend, so how do we use it for what we need?"

"Rarity... come forward."

Slightly shocked at being addressed, the fashion pony slowly walked up next to Celestia. "Yes, Mr. Mora?"

"The gown you made from material here in Apocrypha... I take it you took it home?"

"Yes, of course. It is my best..."

"The stone you used to make the brooch is a sigil stone."

"WHAT!?" gasped Twilight, grabbing Rarity by the shoulders and shaking her, "YOU BROUGHT A SIGIL STONE TO EQUESTRIA?"

"I swear I didn't know what it was, darling!" defended Rarity quickly.

"What is a sigil stone?" asked Luna.

"Magic artifacts meant to open portals from the realms of Oblivion to Nirn," explained Twilight, releasing Rarity and apologizing for her reaction.

"And if you combine it with the Elder Scroll while visualizing the time period you desire, a path will open in time and allow you the chance to travel to Morrowind before its destruction," explained Hermaeus Mora.

Celestia's vision tunneled on to the Elder Scroll. If what Hermaeus Mora said was true, all that was needed was to combine this scroll with this magic stone, and they would have a way to retrieve the potion they need. It was going to be dangerous, that much she was certain, but this was her duty as princess.

It may seem like an awfully big risk to save the life of a single pony, but ignorance was what allowed Queen Chrysalis to grow so strong.

"Very well," said Celestia, turning to the others. "When we return to Canterlot I will make preparations for this voyage..."

"We can't let you do that, princess," said Twilight, she and her friends breaking up from what appeared to be a conversation started when Celestia was musing.

"Twilight we already agreed we need to retrieve that potion by any means necessary," said Celestia.

"And you're right," said Rainbow with a tough grin. "Which is why we are going instead."

The four royal ponies gasped in shock.

"Twily, you can't, you just got back," said Shining Armour pleadingly.

"I know big brother, but what if Princess Celestia doesn't come back?" said Twilight, the point she brought up making all of them see a detail they had not seen, despite how obvious. "Nirn is a dangerous place, and not only that but if where we need to go is when I think it is... Dagoth Ur himself will be there."

That was something that stopped them all in their tracks. None had them had considered traveling to this time period would put them in line with the very evil that had caused this. And it was a sound argument, for Dagoth Ur had been active during the time of the blight, so it would stand to reason he would be there when they arrived for the potion.

"All the more reason I should undertake this task," said Celestia, "I am not only a princess but an alicorn, my magic is far stronger than the average pony. If this Dagoth Ur proves problematic, I believe I am the best suited to deal with him."

"Princess Celestia, please," pleaded Twilight, taking her mentor by the hoof with a desperate look. "Dagoth Ur, he was powered by the Heart of Lorkhan, it made him virtually a god. If you travel to Morrowind and he finds you, he will not hesitate to subjugate you to him."

Celestia knew Twilight had a point. While she did throw the fight with Chrysalis, they were evenly matched when they faced each other, and Hermaeus Mora had laid her out without effort. If Dagoth Ur was even remotely as powerful...

"But why you and your friends?" she asked.

"With all due respect, are you kidding, your majesty!?" said Rainbow Dash smugly. "Did you forget what we dished out in the Badlands?"

Yes, she had, but now she remembered.

"And you believe these powers give you an edge over this Dagoth Ur?" asked Celestia.

"The Thu'um was granted to the dragons of Nirn by Akatosh, they basically come from the Aedra," said Twilight.

Celestia wanted to argue, but after learning it might involve them running into Dagoth Ur she knew they were right. And if something were to happen to her, what would become of her kingdom? Equestria had never been without her, so what would happen if she wasn't around anymore?

Plus, they all had determination in their eyes, even Fluttershy. And this group of friends had pulled through before, against all odds, how was now any different? She had originally planned to go to Nirn herself, but her place was here, and as much as it hurt, this was a task for her pupil, as dangerous as it was.

"Yes, this is the better choice," agreed Celestia, Twilight and her friends cheering.

"I don't like this one bit Twily," said Shining. "Will you at least consider bringing a few royal guards with you?"

"That won't be necessary, captain," said Luna, "I shall accompany them."

"WHAT!?" shouted multiple voices.

"But sister..."

"Don't start, Celie," said the moon princess, "Unlike you, I have not had a thousand years to mellow out of how violent Equestria was in olden times, I still have my fighting spirit. Plus, they need a royal escort. Even though we will need to be discreet and avoid contact with the locals, there is a very real possibility that that will be inevitable. If they do encounter something diplomatic, it's best to have somepony experienced handle it."

Again, Celestia could not argue, but as a big sister...

"But what if something happens to you?" she pleaded.

"You know from experience how hard I am to overcome," said Luna mischievously. "And besides, if I don't come back, you are no stranger to looking over both the sun and moon."

Celestia didn't find that amusing, but knew she was beat, so she settled for nuzzling over the back of her little sibling in worry.

"But princess..." Twilight was cut off when Luna flashed her a look that was akin to Nightmare Moon, and after that, nopony had an argument about the lunar princess joining them.

"Twily... are you sure about this?" asked Shining.

"It's the only way, big brother."

No more was said, but Cadance and Shining Armour had an uneasy feeling.

"Hermaeus Mora?" inquired Twilight, "Do you think you can provide us with a map of Morrowind?"

"I can do better than that, and since you are so concerned about being noticed on Nirn I can help with that as well."

Another fountain of ink shot up and there were two more artifacts.

One was, unsurprisingly, a book.

It was fairly large and thick, its cover a patchwork of different material, some of it clearly flesh:

The next was a very mysterious looking grey hood, glowing blue runes decorating the bridge of the nose between the eye holes:

Twilight recognized these artifacts and gave Hermaeus Mora a suspicious look. "You are being too helpful. What would we owe you for such assistance?"

"You know me so well... my champion," chuckled the Daedra. "I merely want what you want. If you are successful in finding this potion, bring the medical journals of the individual who created it to me. If you mention me, it should not be too hard to persuade him to part with them."

Another though occurred to Twilight as she pondered Hermaeus Mora's demands. "You do realize that this will divert us from the wedding, thereby extending the time before me and my friends return to your task, right?"

"As I have said before...my champion...the deadline is the completion of this matrimonial ceremony you so desire...It matters not to me how much trial and error happens now and then in between...besides...its been centuries since I have had the pleasure to experience unforeseen circumstances...it promises to be interesting."

Author's Notes:

I feel that not enough happens between chapters so I am extending the word count of each chapter, which probably means it will take longer to update.

The hiatus is almost over, I hope you guys will still read my fic after season 9 airs its final episode.

Thank you.

15 Kindred spirits

Twilight lay on her bed in her old student quarters on the grounds of Canterlot castle, swirling a quill in an inkwell with her magic.

After she felt she had wetted it enough, she put the dripping tip to the bridge of the nose adorning the dark grey hood before her, hovering in her lavender telekinesis. While the Grey Cowl of Nocturnal had the power to hide the identity of any who wore it, it was only designed to shield against mortal eyes, it was not meant to hide one's self from a higher form of entity (such as a Daedra) like she and her friends were trying to avoid. But Hermaeus Mora proved his own cunning (and his self-interest in this endeavor) by providing them with the final tool they would need to make this quest as incognito as possible.

Which was currently the reason why her number one assistant was keeping as much distance from her as he could.

"Spike!" stated Twilight with slight irritation. "Will you just come over here already!?"

Said purple dragon looked up from his self appointed task of sweeping up the huge amounts of dust and cobwebs that had accumulated in their absence and flashed a nervous smile. "I would Twilight, but this really needs to be done."

Twilight rolled her eyes, if his excuse was any more transparent it could be used for a chameleon spell. With a startled yelp, Spike was hoisted in Twilight's telekinesis and dragged to the bed, dropping his broom as he flailed his claws in a desperate bid to free himself. But all he could do was clamp his claws over his nose as the smell from the inkwell's contents assaulted his senses.

Twilight was slightly annoyed, but grew a sympathetic look, for she could not blame Spike for his reaction.

"Spike, you're going to have to get used to this if you are going to accompany us to Nirn," she said gently, levitating the simple mask before him. "This thing is the only thing that can protect us from being noticed by the other Daedra, if you don't use it with us, you will have to stay here."

Twilight couldn't believe her own words.

Under normal circumstances she would insist Spike stay here in Equestria where he would be safe, but too much was at stake. She had read up on Nirn while in Apocrypha and even though it was only one item that was their goal, Morrowind wasn't a luxury vacation spot. It was a corrupt and dangerous land, and if Twilight and her entourage were to be successful, they would need every able bodied participant they could get.

And Spike had proved he could be a reliable ally.

Not only had he handled himself pretty well during the skirmish in the Badlands, but had proved invaluable during Pharynx's sneak attacks on Thorax and Cadance. Twilight actually thought it was quite clever how he used his small size to his advantage whilst using the Nirn magic he learned, combined with how deceitfully he could think. It reminded her of his attempt to frame Owlouious.

This also brought Twilight back to contemplating the full scope of their current situation.

She remembered the absolute terror she felt when she first researched the other Daedric Princes, and how that terror only grew when Hermaeus Mora found entry to her home. Just the thought of the kind of havoc the more malevolent of Mora's kin could wreak on Equestria was enough to send her to bed in a cold sweat every night, and her first thought since Hermaeus Mora struck Chrysalis down was she would do everything in her power to keep Equestria from coming into contact with Nirn at all costs, but things had not played out as she planned. Even more so, since she was going to be the one crossing over to that place.

Not that she was having second thoughts.

Celestia was right, they had to do this. Twilight still could not fathom how somepony had come down with corprus disease, but they had, and a very well known pony as well, but it also made Twilight reevaluate. However it happened, Equis and Nirn were interlocking at some level, and as fear inducing as the thought was, Twilight couldn't stop it.

But that didn't mean she couldn't do anything.

Twilight and her friends had stopped evil in its tracks before, so how was this any different? She may not be able to stop the evils of Nirn from crossing over to Equestria, the point made clear when something like this happened when she wasn't even around, but she sure wasn't going to just lie down while it happened, and she could be confident her friends felt the same. Plus, they all had the power of the Thu'um on their side, and if that wasn't an advantage towards anything Nirn might have in store for them, what was?

So instead of doting on how she was going to keep Equestria and Nirn separate, Twilight decided she was going to be ready to defend Equestria from anything as she had always done, but including anything malicious that might sneak over to their world from Nirn.

And it would seem she wasn't the only one convincing herself, for after the statement of being left behind, Spike steeled his nerves and took his claws off his nose. Smiling proudly, Twilight drew her baby dragon in for a hug. She couldn't blame him for being apprehensive.

For it was not ink inside the inkwell... it was dragon's blood.

As said before, the Cowl of Nocturnal wasn't meant to hide someone from a divine being, but according to Hermaeus Mora, since the dragons of Nirn were all kin to Akatosh himself, some of his divine power was present in their blood, so in theory, the Cowl might be strengthened when combined with it. And it appeared to be working, for as Twilight traced it over the luminescent runes adorning the simple mask, their blue color was shifting to red. Once that was done, Twilight's part of the preparations would be completed, which meant all that was left would be for her friends to do their parts.

"How long will it take to be ready?" asked Spike.

"Not long," answered Twilight, applying more dragon blood to the runes, causing the color to shift some more.

"Do you suppose the others might be ready now?" Twilight replied to this with a raised eyebrow, and Spike faceclawed at his own overestimation.

This was Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Rarity.

---

"We don't need all this!"

"Oh yes we do!"

"Pinkie, we're supposed to be gathering rations, not preparing for a hoedown!"

"Oh, you're one to talk, Applejack. I know you plan to blend that cider with sujamma once we get to Nirn!"

"It helps sharpen a pony's focus in a fight."

Fluttershy looked back and forth between her two earth pony friends with a look of annoyance and impatience.

After returning from Apocrypha, they had all dispersed to make preparations for their voyage. Celestia had charged herself with looking after the Elder ScrolI, having learned of its nature, and would entrust nopony else with its oversight. Twilight and Spike were preparing that strange mask, Rainbow and Rarity were out getting tools and equipment, and here Pinkie Pie and Applejack were tasked with provisions.

Each of the five mares from Ponyville had experience with their tasks to a degree, and under normal circumstances would have headed home to retrieve some of their own personal supplies. But time was of the essence,so they were limited to what could be procured in Canterlot, which in turn has led to the heated debate between two earth ponies with very different culinary pursuits.

"What's the holdup?" asked a sudden voice, making Fluttershy squeal in surprise and jump and cling to one of the grocery store's ceiling lights.

Princess Luna arched an impatient eye and yanked the timid pegasus back to earth with her magic. She herself would be accompanying them on this quest, so she was spearheading the preparations, teleporting to and fro to check on their progress. And she hasn't been disappointed... until now.

"Your majesty," squeaked Fluttershy, bowing as soon as her hooves touched the floor.

"Please dispense with the formalities, fair maiden, there is no time for it," said Luna sternly, looking up to the two arguing ponies that had yet to notice her. "Why are your comrades squabbling like roosters in a hen house?"

"Oh, yes, sorry Princess," stammered the timid pegasus, recovering from her shock. "Applejack and Pinkie Pie can't agree on which type of food would be more beneficial for the trip."

Luna looked like somepony just told her a hat goes on your head. "Ugh, explain please."

Fluttershy seemed kinda relieved her and the princess were in the same boat regarding this. "Applejack believes we should take food that will us energized and healthy," she explained, pointing to the sizable stacks sitting behind Applejack, which consisted of fruit, vegetables, canteens of water, and plastic jugs of amber liquid. "And Pinkie Pie feels we should bring food for recreational purposes, for after a long, tiring day," she pointed to Pinkie, who had a proverbial mountain of treats behind her, ranging from candy, all kinds of pastries, as well as hay burgers and carrot dogs.

Luna facehoofed, this was a setback that they could not afford.

"What are your thoughts, fair Fluttershy?" requested the moon princess, seeking to resolve this as quickly as possible. "You have cared for living things all your life. So what is more important, health or recreation?"

"Oh, well..." Fluttershy tapped her temple with a wing. "I guess I can see how both would be important. I take special care to see that alI my animal friends get allI healthy foods they need, but I also know how gratifying it is for them when they get to eat their favorite foods, even if it isn't the healthiest thing for them."

Luna nodded and strode forward with her regal gait towards the bickering earth ponies.

"BE STILL!"

Luna's Royal Canterlot Voice echoed throughout the entire store, all the pickle jars in the pickle isle shattering under the sonic blast and showering Jet Set and Upper Crust with their contents as they walked by, prompting both upper class unicorns to gasp in shock and glare in the direction of the offensive voice, broken glass and crinkle cut pickles dangling from their manes.

Applejack and Pinkie Pie finally took notice of their royal company, shrieking like little fillies at her livid features, augmented by her eyes, which were glowing a fierce white. They dropped to the ground in submission, Luna towering over them like a mother would over her misbehaving children.

"We have no time for petty arguing," she hissed, her teal pupils reemerging once the pools of light receded from her eyes. "Not only is an innocent pony's life at stake, but we are to embark on a journey through time and space, and if what young Twilight said is true, this 'Morrowind' is a place filled with danger. You all need to be readying yourselves for what could possibly be the fight of your lives, not squabbling over what supplies are better suited for the journey!"

"We're..." Pinkie took a second to gulp nervously as she looked up at the irate princess. "We're super sorry, Princess."

"We just wanna be sure we do this right," said Applejack regretfully. "Like you said, this is going to be dangerous, most likely, so we just wanna be prepared for anything."

Luna's expression softened. "And you both have made valid points. Food that will keep you healthy is important, but it's equally as important to have something you look forward to so as to keep your spirits up."

Pinkie and Applejack looked to their respective choice piles then back to their princess.

"So...which do we go with?" asked Applejack, her and Pinkie sharing a confused and nervous look.

"You both have only over complicated it," said Luna, "We can simply do both."

"WHAT!" shouted Applejack, looking at her and Pinkie's stacks with growing dread. "But princess, how are we supposed to carry all this?"

"Don't worry Applejack, I'm just the mare for the job," said Pinkie happily.

Applejack, Fluttershy, and Princess Luna all shared a look of shock and disgust as Pinkie began shoving her stack into her mane one at a time, a hayburger leaving a ring of ketchup and mustard as it was shoved between the poofy pink locks.

"Ugh...as much as we appreciate your efforts, your methods won't be necessary, Miss Pie," said Luna, stopping Pinkie from stuffing s bowl of steaming hot tomato soup into her mane with her magic. "I have a better solution."

In a flash of blue magic, everypony was awed at what Luna now held in her magic.

A small velvet pouch dangling from a small gold chain, its bark blue color complemented by white wind patterns. Luna then slid open the thread that sealed the mouth while also levitating both stacks of food in her magic. All the two earth ponies and single pegasus could do was watch in shock as both vanished into the confines of a bag small enough to sit in the middle of their hoof, no change in size no expansion of the bag's mouth, it was the kind of thing thing you just saw but you didn't actually 'see' what happened.

"You all should head back to the castle," said Luna, unceremoniously sealing her bag shut. "Twilight said she's almost finished with that mask thing, once she is we all need to be ready to leave."

She vanished in a flash of blue, and after a minute of shocked silence Applejack and Fluttershy headed back to the castle, trying not to be disturbed by Pinkie Pie, who was munching on a carrot dog from her mane, pink hair poking out from between her teeth.

After a minute the clerk emerged from behind her counter, scowling at the pickle juice flowing down the isles."The crown better keep that promise of reimbursement."

---

Luna next went to check on Rainbow Dash and Rarity at a camping store, but face hoofed when she saw the unicorn and pegasus scowling at each other with their foreheads locked. She immediately pulled the two apart with her magic, turning them to face her, their expressions turning fearful when they saw who stood before them. Did none of Twilight's friends grasp how serious this situation was?

"I just finished settling a dispute between Applejack and Pinkie Pie, WHAT is holding up you two?"

Rainbow and Rarity were equally surprised to learn this. It was exceedingly rare for Pinkie to argue with anypony, let alone her friends.

"My apologies, your majesty," started Rarity in as graceful of a voice as she could muster. "We have procured all the necessary tools for this venture, but Miss Dash and I can't seem to come to a conclusion on what kind of portable shelter we should bring."

"Because the last time she went camping with us she brought a literal inflatable palace!" complained Rainbow, turning a venomous glare toward the fashionable pony. "Twilight said we need to be discreet, and a giant balloon home would be just the opposite."

"Twilight also said we would be travelling to 'Nirn,' Rainbow," rebutted Rarity. "I don't know about you, but I haven't forgotten all that I have learned about that place, and refuse to go there without the necessary equipment."

"How is a giant castle tent necessary?" complained Rainbow, taking wing and pressing her muzzle to Rarity's. "Normal tents work just as well."

"Oh, I protest, darling," snarled Rarity,"They do practically nothing to shield you from the elements, and leave you horribly exposed. And if what Twilight said is to be believed, it is going to be a tiring endeavor; with possibly some wretched combat involved. I for one am dead set on making sure that I get as much rest as possible whenever I can."

Rainbow's cyan cheeks turned red as she readied an argument, but blue magic sealed her lips before she could speak.

"My apologies, Miss Dash," said Luna, turning her attention to Rarity as Rainbow mumbled her displeasure. "Miss Rarity, is this 'luxury' tent big enough to house our whole party?"

"Oh most definitely, your majesty," answered Rarity enthusiastically. "Why, the latest model is most likely capable of housing the entirety of the Apple family."

Luna nodded and tuned to Rainbow Dash. "I am sorry Rainbow, but I have to agree with Rarity on this one."

"WHATI!" gasped Rainbow once Luna released her. "But princess..."

"I understand where you are coming from, Rainbow, and under normal circumstances I would agree with you," said Luna, placing a hoof on the disgruntled pegasus. "But this isn't a journey across Equestria, we are headed to an entirely new world. A world filled with perils, if I am to understand."

"We will need an exceptional place for recouping, now is not the time to 'rough it' as they say."

Rainbow just crossed her forelegs and huffed.

"And another thing, this tent might be just the thing needed to protect us from the most dangerous part of this journey," continued Luna, gaining Rainbow's attention with how serious she sounded. "Because, from what I have gathered from all this, we will be heading to Nirn when this 'Blight storm' is active... spreading the wretched disease that now inflicts Miss De Lis."

That actually forced Rarity and Rainbow onto the same page.

All that had happened, it had never actually registered to them that they were about to travel to the place where that wretched disease originally came from until then, and during a time when it was apparently the most rampant. The thought of those painful fleshy welts on Fleur sent chills under their skin. And it only grew worse when they imagined themselves inflicted with it.

"Ugh, Princess?" asked Rainbow, trying her hardest not to sound scared. "What does a tent have to do with us and this disease?"

"I must agree with Rainbow," chimed in Rarity. "As thrilled as I am that you took my side, I fail to see the significance when it involves that horrid Blight."

Luna gave a smug look. "I know a spell that can modify the material of a tent to shield those taking refuge within against ailments. And the more ponies can fit, the more can be protected."

Now it all made sense.

Instead of having multiple little tents that could shield from the wind at most, they needed a big shelter they could take refuge in should they encounter this Blight storm.

"Now I understand, sorry for putting up such a fuss Rares," said Rainbow apologetically.

"No harm done dear," said Rarity, giving the speedster a loving hug.

"But that still doesn't explain how we are going to go about unnoticed," said Rainbow nervously. "It may be the best choice, but that tent is going to be too noticeable if somebody from Nirn stumbles onto it."

"Rainbow, dear, have you forgotten?" inquired Rarity mischievously.

Before Rainbow or Luna could ask Rarity stood up on her hind legs and pointed a hoof to a shelf displaying canteens.

A strange conglomeration of light condensed in her outstretched hoof, launching forward and impacting the shelf in a shower of sparks, before the whole thing vanished. It stayed that way for about a second, another customer who had been behind the shelf at the time giving them a confused look, before the shelf reappeared. Rainbow facehooved.

"I really need to get used to this," she said bitterly, conjuring a similar spell in her own hoof and giving it an annoyed look.

"Invisiblity, most interesting," stated Luna as she examined the spell in Rainbow Dash's hoof. "Only exceptional unicorns can achieve this in Equestria."

"Believe it Princess, this was not easy to achieve," said Rainbow.

It was not long before they purchased one fancy tent, Luna sinking it into her bizarre pouch, much to the shock of Rarity and Rainbow Dash, followed by the other gear they had found here. Food was obtained, as well as equipment, and by now Twilight should be finished with that mask, so it was just a matter of returning to the castle. But Luna had one more task for these two before they returned.

"I need you two to do one thing for me," she said, passing her bizarre bag to Rarity. "Head to the outskirts of town and pick up as many clouds as you can and put them in here with the rest of our equipment. Pegasi will most likely not be capable of interacting with clouds from Nirn."

---

Luna reappeared in Celestia's study and found her sister right where she left her.

The lean alabaster alicorn was standing before her desk, eyes glued down onto the Elder Scroll as it sat in a beam of sunlight that filtered in through a window, its gold and amethyst glittering almost 'innocently'. Luna could not blame her sister for her transfixed state, for after returning to Equestria they both had ample opportunity to examine the decorative cylinder, and what they perceived was something they would never forget. Great power was housed in this tiny object the likes of which they had never before seen.

And it was even more apparent to Celestia and Luna, with them being millennia old.

Just being in its presence made them both feel as though they were able to see the past, present, and future with their entire bodies, instead of just their eyes.

"How go the preparations, sister?" asked Celestia, proving that she did notice her sister enter.

"All appears ready," answered Luna, ripping her eyes from the Elder Scroll. "All parties just need to return to the castle and we'll be underway."

Celestia only gave a nod of confirmation, scooping the Elder Scroll in her magic and heading to the door with a downtrodden look.

"I know you're worried, sister," said Luna comfortingly as she hastened to catch up to her sibling, slipping under her white primary feathers and nuzzling onto her soft side. "But I can handle myself in battle quite fluently, and your student and her friends now have quite the skill set themselves now."

"It's not that, sister," said Celestia, sighing in content as her little sister's body heat warmed her side. "I am actually quite convinced that 'you' can definitely handle yourself if something should threaten you and the others."

Now Luna was worried.

She had been basically the cliche overprotective older sister ever since she fowled up her relationship with Twilight, and even though it did sort of annoy Luna, it did make her feel loved. But now Luna noticed that that one spark of concern that had been present in Celestia's eyes since she returned from her banishment wasn't there anymore, and if nothing up till now could dispel it, what had? It definitely wasn't her persuasion, that had never worked, not since they were fillies.

"Tia, what is wrong?" she asked sternly. "You may have relented when I first made my intentions to accompany young Twilight to this other world, but I expected you to be weighed down with worry right up until my return. Not that I am not relieved you are showing such faith in my abilities, but it is most unlike you to change your mind so abruptly."

Celestia's smile didn't fade with Luna's strict tone, in fact it seemed to be relieving her even more. "I mulled over what you said to me in Apocrypha, sister, and realized you are right. If anypony can handle themselves on this endeavor as fluently as Twilight and her friends are capable of now, it's you."

Luna wasn't buying this simple explanation, there was more to it. "And that made you change your mind?"

"Not entirely," explained Celestia, her worry from before returning. "I... had a little 'assistance' remembering how talented a warrior you were during the time of your banishment."

'Assistance?'

What did Celestia mean by that?

Something in the way her sister said that word struck a chord with Luna, telling her she was hinting at something. It could not be simply her sifting through her memory of what kind of life they lived when they first ascended the throne. No, Celestia's memory of that time had been dampened by a millennium of peace and prosperity... unless...

Luna looked up to the gold cylinder hovering in her sister's cheerful yellow aura with a look of dread. "SISTER!? Please tell me you didn't..."

"Not intentionally," answered Celestia with slight regret. "Just after you left to check on the others, this... Elder Scroll... sprang open on its own, and I looked into the parchment before I could turn away."

Luna gasped in worry.

She remembered Twilight's description and warning regarding these mysterious artifacts. "Are you unharmed, sister?"

"So far I have felt none of the side effects Twilight warned of," Celestia reassured her sister, giving her body a look over. "Most likely due to the nature of being a timeless alicorn."

Luna felt relieved that there was no harm done to Celestia's well being, but now she was curious. She had examined the Elder Scroll as well, and she knew it housed a great power that was beyond comprehension. Not even an alicorn could be exposed to it without consequences.

"So what became of this brief glimpse, sister?" asked Luna, "What does this thing look like unfurled anyway?"

"I didn't have long to look, but what I do remember of its features is what appeared to be some runes that weren't even close to legible, interlocking each other with luminescent line's that weaved like a spider's web," described Celestia, looking to the Elder Scroll with slight apprehension. "After that everything went dark for a moment... then I relived my past."

"You mean you remembered?" asked Luna.

"No, my sister, it was more than just that," continued Celestia with a choking voice. "It was like... I was relieving every trial we faced in the old days. The minotaur incursion that sought to conquer us, but were thwarted because they were unaware the pony tribes had unified , the griffin warlords who intended to capture earth ponies to use as slaves of war, and the dragons' invasion of the newly formed Equestria when they discovered how rich in gemstones the land was, Discord with his twisted sense of humor... I relived all of it... right up until that horrible day...when I had to banish you to the moon, my sister."

Luna halted their trek to the throne room and placed a hoof to her sister's chest.

She remembered those incidents very clearly, and new how taxing they were on Celestia. It was a time when bloodshed was a daily occurrence for them, without a day going by were they didn't have to rush to the aid of some settlers being tormented by one of the aforementioned enemies, or diving out of the path of a thrown dagger as an assassin stepped out of a nearby shadow. It was one of the few things Luna was glad to find lost to time when she returned.

"I am sorry, sister," she said sympathetically.

"Don't be, Lulu," cooed Celestia as she gripped her sister's hoof in her own, casting a glance, that wasn't nervous for once, at the Elder Scroll. " In a way, I am grateful, for this has allowed me to reclaim what I never should have lost."

"What would that be?"

"My indomitable fighting spirit," said Celestia, much to Luna's confusion. "Even though everything I experienced after I looked into the Elder Scroll was my own memories... it 'felt' like it was actually the first time I experienced them." Her expression became serious, "All the fighting, all the conflict we experienced in the defense of our subjects and home... where once they had been buried under a millennium of experiences of the opposite nature, I now remember them as vividly as if they only happened yesterday... as well as how it felt to charge into battle with the desire to protect what is precious to you."

Now Luna finally recognized the look in her sister's eyes.

It was the look she always had in the old days, something that confused Luna when she returned to find her without it. The tough older sister was back, and Luna knew that now she really could believe that her sister was through hiding from violence and was ready to show the next villain that threatened them what Equestria was protected by. It brought her no small amount of joy.

"Welcome back, my sister in arms."

"It's good to be back."

Celestia looked to the Elder Scroll again, her look of worry she wore when Luna found her at her desk returning. "But while I am grateful for this thing and the role it has played in rekindling my nerve, it also brought something worrying to my attention."

Now Luna remembered the start of their conversation, how Celestia was looking worried about something. And if Celestia once again held the fighting spirit she had a millennium ago, it must be dire.

"So what is troubling you now sister?" she asked, both resuming the walk to the throne room.

"This thing...I think it has some degree of sentience," explained Celestia.

"What makes you say that?" asked Luna, eyeing the Elder Scroll curiously.

"I don't think it just spontaneously sprang open by accident," continued Celestia, "When it did I was contemplating what you said about not being mellowed by a millennium of peace and was trying my hardest to find the fighting spirit inside me I once had. I was about to give up when I found I was unable to... but this thing..." Celestia apparently had to compose herself for a second. "Like I said, I am grateful, but I have never seen magic like this.

"Even memory recall spells can't reconstitute things to that degree, and more disturbingly they take time depending on how many memories they are used on. I relived almost a decade of my life, but when it was all over, not even a heartbeat had passed. And to say nothing about what it could mean if this thing is truly alive."

"And if it is?" inquired Luna.

"Then it means that this Nirn is home to magic I can't even fathom."

Luna tilted her head in confusion. "It's not like we don't have experience with this sort of thing, sister. The Tree of Harmony houses the most potent magic in Equestria and it is alive."

"That's different, Lulu, the Tree of Harmony is alive because it resembles something that 'can' be alive," explained Celestia, waving the Elder Scroll. "Scrolls are inanimate objects, enchanted or not. If it is alive, it defies everything I have believed regarding the limitations of magic, and worse, it means we might very well be faced with a conundrum we have no defense against."

"Sister... what is it you fear?" asked Luna, growing concern at her sister's nervousness.

"What else might exist on Nirn that could threaten us?" finished Celestia, "Especially if it is home to such unruly magic as this Elder Scroll."

Now Luna understood were her sister was coming from.

She wasn't worried about the current endeavor she and the others were to disembark on, she was worried about what else from Nirn could be a threat. And it was a valid concern, they knew close to nothing of Nirn, or what might be advantageous should something happen. But Luna did remember one thing.

"According to Twilight, the Elder Scrolls are the most powerful artifacts that exist on Nirn," she said reassuringly. "We have one right here and are handling it just fine, what else could Nirn throw at us?"

Celestia smiled at Luna's attempt to console her, but it was forced at best. "If the bar is set this high in regards to magical prowess, there is plenty of room in the space between for all powerful threats to exist."

---

"There you are, slowpokes," commented Rainbow Dash as Celestia and Luna entered the throne room.

"Rainbow Dash, what a way to talk to the princesses," scolded Rarity angrily.

"No, she's right," Celestia said as she sat in her throne, Luna going the group of assembled mares and baby dragon. "We shouldn't have taken so long."

Twilight and her friends had reassembled in the throne room as planned, but Celestia had expected them to be laden with all the necessary equipment to undertake this task. Not one of them had even a saddle bag.

"Where is everything?" she asked, "Surely you had ample time to gather supplies."

"Oh, they did, don't worry your majesty," said Twilight, levitating the blue bag decorated with white swirls. "It's all in this bag."

"And I have to say, it's quite the nifty accessory," said Rarity, eyeing said bag with envy. "Who would have thought such a tremendous amount of goods could be transported in such a convenient, lightweight package."

Celestia looked to the bag with shock, before it shifted to a look of annoyance as she looked at Luna. "Sister, is that what I think it is?"

"If you're thinking its an infinite dimension depth pouch, then you would be correct," replied Luna smugly.

Celestia grew such a foreboding scowl that Fluttershy stiffened up and fell over with a frightened squeak, some pigeons that had been perched on a nearby windowsill taking off with frightened cawing.

"Whoahohohooo, if looks could kill," said Pinkie, plopping down on her back with a tulip clutched in her hooves.

"Luna, how could you hide one from me?" snarled Celestia, but if Luna was intimidated she didn't show it.

"What's the problem, princess?" spoke up Applejack, "It's only a magic bag that can hold a lot."

"The problem is that none of them should exist anymore," explained Celestia, "When Equestria first started, infinite dimension depth pouches were all the rage for unicorn pilgrims to transport their belongings to their new home, but I soon discovered that they were an ideal way for smugglers and thieves to commit crimes without getting caught. Since then I have decreed them illegal and had any that have turned up destroyed."

There was a collection of stares directed at Luna's bag as it hovered in Twilight's magic.

"How could you even have one, Luna?" asked Celestia, her temper cooling somewhat. "The last time one of these wretched things turned up was at least five years before your transformation into Nightmare Moon. I believed them all gone."

"I had this one long before you passed the law against them, sister," said Luna with a self proud look. "I could not let you destroy it, so I hid it in my room. It remained there for a thousand years."

But why?" asked Celestia, "Don't you remember the havoc they caused?"

"Yes, but I couldn't let you destroy this one," said Luna, a little sorrow creeping into her voice. "It was a birthday present from Starswirl, the last thing he ever gave me."

Celestia's irritation morphed into confusion. "I don't remember Starswirl ever giving you this."

"You missed most of my birthdays back then, sister," said Luna bitterly.

Celestia's regret and guilt resurfaced upon hearing that. It was yet another reminder of how neglectful she had been to her sister in ages past, and how much she still had to answer for. She didn't agree with this being kept a secret, but if she looked past all the negativity in her mind she could see the tactical value of it.

"Good thinking, Lulu," said Celestia, adopting a supportive look. "This will make your journey much simpler."

Luna smiled at her sister's support. "Thank you, Celie."

Nodding, Celestia took a deep breath and turned her attention to her student (relieved that Twilight still saw her as her teacher despite all that had happened) and signaled her to come closer. Hoofing the bag over to Luna, Twilight approached the throne, a smile adorning her face, despite all that was about to begin. Celestia knew her student felt the same nervousness and anticipation that was gnawing at her own gut at the moment.

"Is it ready, Twilight?" asked the solar monarch when the purple unicorn stood before the dais that led up to her royal chair.

"It is, your majesty. Rainbow," replied Twilight, gesturing to her airborne friend, who held the Grey Cowl of Nocturnal in her hooves.

While they were waiting on the princesses, Twilight and the others had taken to 'playing' with the formidable looking mask, getting well acquainted with its magical properties.

And Rainbow demonstrated these properties by slipping the mask over her head. Celestia had never felt anything like the sensation that fell over her; she knew Twilight had a headstrong, athletic pegasus in her group of friends, but suddenly, everything about her faded from her mind. She knew the pegasus hovering before her was a pony she knew personally, but her mind only perceived a complete stranger.

And from the look on Luna's face, she was experiencing something similar.

"Okay, okay, please take it off now," said Celestia, fighting to remember why she needed the pony before her to remove her mask. "It's most unsettling."

"Believe me, you're not the only one who thinks so, princess," said Rarity, sighing with relief once Rainbow removed the cowl. "While it cannot be denied that the thing does have a kind of fashionable appeal, the magic it casts over its wearer is most creepy."

"But it would really bring down the house during Nightmare Night," commented Pinkie cheerfully.

"Yeah, yeah, it's awesome," said Rainbow, eagerness and impatience in her voice as she turned to Celestia. "When can we get underway? I'm itching to see this Nirn place for myself."

"Rainbow!" scolded Applejack, "This is not some action packed adventure from Daring Do."

"Yeah, Rainbow, an innocent pony's life is at stake," said Fluttershy, though there was fear behind her words.

Rainbow rubbed her foreleg in shame.

"But nevertheless, we do need to move forward," said Celestia, her regal tone drawing all their attention. "And I believe that the next step is to devise a way all of you to be able to use the enchantment of this 'Grey Cowl of Nocturnal' so you all can avoid detection of these other Daedra while venturing through their world."

"You said you knew a spell that could help, Princess?" asked Twilight, remembering how after they returned to the castle they realized that there was only one Cowl, and that eight of them were headed to Nirn.

"Yes," answered Celestia, bringing the spell in question to the forefront of her mind. "But it has never been used on something like this before, so I would rather wait until Cadance and Shining Armour arrive, in case I need assistance."

"Where is my brother? It's not like him to leave his post..."

"Somepony request our presence?" Cadance interrupted, as she and Shining entered the throne room, carrying several things in their magic.

Twilight took one look at their load and scowled in annoyance, "You're joking, right?"

"So that's why you took our measurements," said Rarity, giving Cadance a look of mock disappointment. "And here I thought you were planning to take up a career in fashion."

Cadance answered with a mischievous smile.

She and Shining Armour carried eight suits of armor aloft in their magic. Six of them were identical to what Celestia's royal guard wore while on duty, two having holes punched in the sides of the breast plate for pegasus wings, another two having holes in the helmets for unicorn horns. One of the sets was tiny compared to the others, obviously designed for Spike's short stature.

The final set of armor...

"Celie, is that...?" stammered Luna as she stared at the familiar dark blue metal.

"It's not the original, unfortunately," said Celestia, "But it is a perfect replica."

Luna smiled gratefully.

"Shining, I know what you're doing," said Twilight, approaching her brother and giving him a brief hug. "But my friends and I aren't looking for a fight, so we will have no need to defend ourselves if all goes according to plan."

"Twily, remember what just occurred in the Badlands?" rebutted Shining, worry clear in his voice. "We weren't looking for a fight then either, but the changelings left you no choice."

"This is different," said Twilight, "We plan to avoid notice while on Nirn."

"Twilight, you said it yourself that there is a chance something could come across you," said Cadance worriedly.

"Do you think a suit of armor would be any help if that happens?" asked Twilight with an arched eyebrow.

"Oh come on, egghead, they're offering us free awesome armor," said Rainbow, slipping on a helmet, her multi-colored mane becoming the crest.

"Please Twily, if anything, do it for our peace of mind at least," pleaded Shining Armour.

Twilight still felt wearing armor was unnecessary, but relented, and soon all members of the team wore a suit of armor (though Twilight had to gently coax Fluttershy into hers, the combat gear making their destination all the more apparent to the timid pegasus.)

"Only one thing left on our part then," said Celestia, her horn alight with magic. "Luna, Cadance, be ready should I need assistance."

With a nod from both of them, Celestia unleashed a beam of yellow magic from her horn, gently colliding with the Grey Cowl of Nocturnal. Duplication spells exist in Equestria, but only worked on unenchanted items, so the Cowl couldn't be duplicated, but Celestia had a spell that could do the next best thing.

It was called the 'Divide and conquer spell'.

Way back in the strife before Equestria existed, several techniques were developed so that if war broke out, each of the three pony tribes had some form of advantage. This spell was one such technique; what it did was divide up the physical form of an object and then transmute the pieces into something else. This way, things like weapons, armor, or supplies could be transported without suspicion or traceability, and be reassembled later.

It could even be used to turn an enchanted object into multiple enchanted objects; for unlike the duplication spell (which cannot recreate other enchantments) the Divide and conquer spell can 'divide' the enchantment on the object it's being used on and distribute it among the objects being created from the original.

It was Celestia's hope that the same rule applied for the Cowl of Nocturnal, but she was having difficulty. The mask stood there, hovering in her magic when it should have dispersed by now.

"Luna, Cadance..." said Celestia through the strained expression on her face.

Nodding in understanding, the Alicorn of Love and the Alicorn of the Moon added different shaded blue magic to the Alicorn of the Sun's yellow, and it did not take them long to figure out why she was having difficulty. The magic contained within this simple article of clothing was unlike anything they had ever come across. It was like trying to break apart a rock with a toothpick.

"By the elements," moaned Cadance, "This magic..., so unruly."

She wasn't the only one who thought as such, Celestia and Luna were both sweating bullets as the sensation of this magic washed over them. But finally things took a positive turn, with all three Alicorn princesses pooling their magic, the Cowl of Nocturnal dispersed into a cloud of black smoke. It swirled and flowed through the air, separating into eight different clouds that settled to the floor.

Then before all of them, the clouds dispersed, revealing eight dark grey wristbands, the red runes that once decorated the Cowl's nose now circling around each of their surfaces.

For a while everyone just stared at the little cloth circles resting on the floor.

"It can be restored after this, right?" asked Twilight with a twinge of regret. "I know that it's a sinister object, but the Cowl of Nocturnal is an ancient artifact with a rich history."

Celestia smile at her student's sentiment, if Twilight could appreciate the history of something so foreboding like the Cowl of Nocturnal, more of her original psyche survived her ordeal in Apocrypha than she could have ever hoped for, "Rest assured Twilight, once we are done with it, I can more than restore it."

Twilight smiled gratefully.

"It's disturbing though," said Cadance, walking up to Twilight. "Twilight... is that the nature of a Daedric artifact?"

Twilight only nodded.

"What is wrong with it, Cadance?" asked Shining Armour as he approached his fianceé worriedly.

"It was...just so potent," explained Cadance, leaning into Shining. "I have never felt such unruly and incomprehensible magic."

Shining cast a look at the bands on the floor. He had always had a foreboding feeling about unknown magic, and ever since Hermaeus Mora arrived, he got a creepy feeling whenever that abominable creature was involved. He still didn't like the fact that Twilight and the others had to rely on such unsavoury magic.

But this was Fleur's only hope, so next Celestia requested Rarity bring forth the Sigil stone.

"I still can't believe I didn't recognize it," complain Twilight as she stared at the tiny black orb surrounded by a red aura hovering in Rarity's magic. "How did you even do this to an artifact notorious for being so powerful?"

"Please darling, give me some credit," said Rarity with pride. "It may be an all powerful object capable of punching holes in the universe, but it's still a gemstone." She pointed to her cutie mark. "And working with gemstones is what I do best."

Unfortunately, this small distraction had to come to an end when Celestia placed the Elder Scroll before them.

"Ready?" she asked, Rarity throwing a nervous glance at the elegantly decorated cylinder before nodding.

"Remember," said Celestia sternly to all of them. "Do not look into it once I open it. Twilight has warned all of us to the effects these things have on the mind."

Not even Pinkie dared defy Celestia's warning at this point.

Everyone prepared themselves by covering their eyes with a hoof, and not a second late heard the sound of crumpling parchment as Celestia unfurled the scroll. A faint chiming noise filled the air, and everyone saw a faint glimmer of light from behind their clenched eyelids. Something about it caused a sudden temptation to peek in all of them.

"NOW, RARITY!" shouted Celestia.

There was the pitter-patter of a small object being dropped, then the crumpling of paper again as Celestia rolled the scroll back up.

Everyone looked up to see the Elder Scroll lying on the floor, looking all innocent as it gleamed in the throne room's cheerfully lit atmosphere.

"Is that it?" asked Applejack, tilting her head in confusion.

"AWWW! I was expecting something more universe-barrier-explodey," complained Pinkie.

"You and me both, Pinks," said Rainbow Dash, hover over and waving her hooves in the air above the Elder Scroll, glaring in frustration when nothing happened. "Hey, what gives? Mr. Tentacle said a portal would open to this Morrowind place..."

She yelped in pain when something yanked her back by her tail, turning to find Applejack gripping her tail hair with her teeth.

"Applejack, how many times a week must you do that?" asked Rainbow in annoyance, yanking her hindquarters forward to free her tail from Applejack.

But she soon noticed everyone was focusing a few feet ahead of her, and when she looked, she joined them in their shock. Little trickles of what appeared to be molten gold was flowing from the Elder Scroll, though it was losing none of its mass as more of this liquid flowed from it. It spread out in opposite directions, forming a gleaming line, with the Elder Scroll at its center.

Then they all gasped in surprise as two thin shafts of gold extended up and flowed towards the ceiling, arching inwards and meeting when they reached a good twenty feet up. Then a spark of light spread throughout the new arch, forming a curtain of dark green light marked with whirlpools of lighter green. This was obviously a gate of some kind.

"Now that is more like it!" said Pinkie excitedly.

Everyone else took unsurprisingly more time to recover from the sudden appearance of this doorway, but once they did, they knew it was time for the final step forward. Twilight scooped up the bands made from the Cowl of Nocturnal and distributed them to all who would follow her on this venture, but before the moment to come, she approached her brother and Cadance.

She needed to say one thing before she left.

"Cadance, I'm sorry," she said with regret to her old foalsitter. "We were so close to finally getting around to your wedding, then this..."

"Hey, Twilight, it's not your fault," said Cadance reassuringly, pulling Twilight into a strong embrace. "And besides, Fleur would never forgive herself if she wasn't there for me at my wedding." Twilight gave her a confused look. "When we broke up, we promised each other that we would increase our chances of finding our true love by supporting each other at our respective weddings. I held up my end, hay, I was the one who married her and Fancy Pants. Disease or not, Fleur would never forgive herself if she let me down."

Twilight smiled and dried her eyes. "You always were so strong, Cadance. Your wedding has been disrupted twice, by extremely dangerous and world altering circumstances no less, and yet you still have faith that it will happen."

"I am the Princess of Love, Twilight," said Cadance reassuringly, and with a bare hint of pride. "I know better than anypony that love isn't all kissing and hugs; sometimes you have to be strong and tough for what you love, especially when things look bleak. Besides, I believe in you, Twilight. And once this mess is behind us, nothing will stop me from marrying your brother... with you as the best mare."

Twilight felt a warming sensation when she thought of the role she was to play at this most special occasion.

"Though Twily, can you answer one thing before you go?" asked Shining Armour, his little sister giving him her undivided attention. "How long do you think it will take you to retrieve this potion?"

"For me and my friends, as long as it takes," answered Twilight, much to Shining's disappointment at the vague response, but Twilight wasn't done. "But for you and pretty much everypony else in Equestria, we shouldn't be gone for even a second."

"What are you talking about, Twilight?" asked Cadance, Shining Armour sharing her confusion. "From what you have said, Morrowind is large, it will take days to travel it by hoof."

"We're not just traveling to another world, we are traveling back in time," explained Twilight, pointing a hoof to the portal. "Once we enter that doorway, we will simply exit back out as if we never left."

"You're sure about that, Twilight?" asked Shining.

"The potion we're after existed two hundred years ago, the only way our journey would take more than a second here in the present is if our quest took longer than that, and time caught up to us."

That seemed to both calm and worry them. The thought of Twilight being gone for two hundred years was a disturbing image.

"Twilight...," muttered Cadance with a sad but reassuring smile, crouching on her forelegs.

Twilight realized what she wanted and mimicked the pose:

"SUNSHINE, SUNSHINE...
LADYBUGS AWAKE...
CLAP YOUR HOOVES AND...
DO A LITTLE SHAKE..."

After their timeless greeting dance, Twilight shared one last hug with Shining Armour and Cadance before approaching her friends at the base of the portal.

"Everyone ready?"

"Behind you all the way, Twilight," said Spike, tightening his new gauntlets.

"Darn tootin, Twilight" said Applejack, "No way am I backing down."

"And I for one, won't let Applesmack here show me up," said Rainbow Dash, as she looked at Applejack, sharing their look of friendly competition, though they all knew she was eager for the adventure.

"As barbaric as these two can be, I wholeheartedly agree," said Rarity, posing elegantly. "I won't sit idly by with all that has happened, not if I can do something about it."

"And how often do you get to visit another world?" stated Pinkie excitedly. "And hey, if it's as dangerous as it sounds like it's going to be, laughter is going to be necessary for group morale, and I am just the mare for the job."

Fluttershy didn't speak up right away. She was more susceptible to the anticipation that all of them were feeling, and every one of her overactive survival instincts that had haunted her her whole life were telling her to go find a bed to hide under. But her friends all gave a look that told her they were all there for her, for each other, and that gave her courage.

And besides, what kind of marefriend would she be if she stayed behind while Twilight thrust herself into danger?

"I'm not backing down either," said Fluttershy with as much determination as she could.

The six mares and one dragon cheered as the stacked their hooves and claw between themselves as they formed a huddle..

"Let's get moving then," said Luna, decked out in her midnight battle gear.

"Wait, sister, there is one more thing," said Celestia.

Luna rolled her eyes in slight annoyance, she suspected her sister had some sort of 'be careful' speech for them. But no, Celestia said nothing, she just summoned a familiar jewel encrusted chest and offered it to a surprised Luna.

"Princess..." mumbled Twilight when she recognized the box, "Isn't that...?

"The Elements of Harmony," confirmed the princess. "I want you to take them with you."

Twilight gasped in shock and fear, her friends looking just as flabbergasted.

"Princess, we can't," she said in a slight panic "The Elements of Harmony are the only defense against great threats to Equestria."

"I agree with her, sister," said Luna, backing away from the offered box. "Us going is one thing, but the elements have to stay here in case the need should arise."

"Luna, how do you expect them to be used?" stated Celestia, "Have you forgotten that Twilight and her friends are the only ponies that can wield them?"

No, she hadn't, but she was still reluctant to take the most powerful relics of their world into another. "But, sister..."

"Luna, you know that the elements would be better suited accompanying you on this venture," said Celestia, "You know as well as I do that the chances of you meeting tragedy, while not overly so, still is a possibility. If you or even one of Twilight's friends don't make it back, Equestria will suffer. If you have the Elements of Harmony, at least the threat from the creatures on Nirn could pose will be diminished."

Nopony had anything that could argue with that.

It was true that they could run across grave peril while on Nirn, so with great reluctance, Luna took the chest and slipped it into her unique bag. She prayed that they never had to use them.

After one last farewell, and the placing of the bands on their wrists, it was time... to leap through.

---

They had expected a multitude of things upon their arrival...

But none of them were expecting water.

After traveling through a twisting, spiraling tunnel of green, the Equestrian group found themselves suspended in dark, cold water. Luna was the first to snap out of her shock, lighting her horn to find her company all floundering around in the dark, unable to gain any sense of buoyancy do to their armor weighing them, dragging them deeper into the darkness below.

Bringing her mighty alicorn magic to bear, Luna formed the largest barrier she could, pushing out the water in the process, and soon all of them were sputtering and coughing upon the round surfaces of a midnight blue bubble.

"What the hay was that all about!?" complained Rainbow, looking through the barrier to the green glow in the water, obscured by the ripples.

They had all assumed that the portal would exist somewhere unexpected, but this was a legitimate surprise that not even Pinkie saw coming.

But at least with the portal here, the odds of someone coming across it was practically nonexistent.

It wasn't long before a midnight blue bubble pierced the surface of the water, seven ponies and one dragon from Equestria being the first of their homeworld to lay eyes on the sky of Mundus in history. A chorus of oohs and ah's came from all of them as they beheld a sight they had only seen in artistic drawings, and in Luna's case, vague description. But even with all she had seen in her life, she could not fully grasp what stood suspended above.

A long, muli-colored streak of light stretched from one horizon to another, weaving gracefully in a beautiful display of color and movement. One would think this was an aurora borealis, but Twilight had explained to them all that the colorful pattern that decorated the night sky of Nirn was actually the trail of blood the Heart of Lorkhan left in its wake while descending into the planet it had created not moments before. The sight and thought brought a mixture of admiration and slight disturbance in the Equestrians.

But eventually, their attention fell away from the colorful light in favour of the next distinct feature that this sky had over theirs.

Ten orbs of different sizes and color, two of them clearly moons but the others less distinct, drifted in the heavens among the stars above. Luna felt tears glistening in her eyes as they reflected against the night , swallowing a lump in her throat as multiple orbs danced in her vision from the skies above. She felt... she felt... she didn't know what she felt.

"Well Princess, is it everything you hoped for?" asked Twilight, her tone reassuring.

Luna snapped out of her emotional state, trying to resist the urge to blink so her tears would not slide down her face and be noticed. "'Hoped for?' I don't know what you are talking about."

"You don't have to hide it, your majesty," said Spike gently as he walked up to the moon princess, decked in his armor. "Applejack told us everything."

"Told you what?" Luna inquired, looking at the orange pony. "I didn't tell her anything."

"You didn't have to princess, I figured it out," explained the apple farmer, much to Luna's confusion. "I am the Element of Honesty, and more then that, I am the older sister of somepony myself. Celestia is out of practice when it comes to a younger sibling's behavior, but I noticed the ulterior motive in your eyes when you volunteered to accompany us."

"And it wasn't hard for us to figure out the rest," said Pinkie, "We all noticed you trying to hide your intrigue while Twilight was explained the legend of the Aedra."

Luna knew she had been found out and lowered her head in shame.

"Oh now, don't be upset Princess," said Flutershy, fluttering over and putting a hoof on the princess's shoulder. "We understand."

"You do?" said Luna in a choked voice.

"Of course, darling," said Rarity reassuringly, looking back up to the heavens. "If there are any creatures that can sympathize with what you went through during your banishment, it would be them."

Luna looked up again as well, her tears spawned from relief at finding she was not the only living being that ever was cursed into the sky, and pity, for she knew that unlike her, the Aedra had no hope of ever breaking free of their curse.

"So that is really them?" she whispered through her tears. "The Aedra?"

"You betcha, Princess," said Rainbow. "The beings who were awesome enough to give their own power to create everything in this new world we have traveled to."

They let Luna gaze at the sky for a little while longer, letting her take this moment into her memory where she will treasure it forever. It was a feeling she never thought she would have, a feeling of kinship through a unique suffering that few had the misfortune to experience.

16 Mud can be dry?!

Author's Notes:

Sorry for the long wait, been having some set backs. Well here we go, what kind of surprises could Morrowind have for Twilight and her friends?

Stars twinkled over a calm, rocky shoreline, where the lapping waves were interrupted only by tightly packed sandbars and tiny offshore islands.

The assortment of sand, boulders, and hardy plants stretched for miles along the shore to the west, before being forced to yield to the only artificial structures built in the vicinity for hundreds of years. The buildings looked as if they had been forced up from beneath the ground, rather then built atop it, the towering metal structures rusted from countless eons of relentless moisture that slammed into them from the foreboding sea beyond. But despite all the torments of nature, this place (known to some as Mzahnch) still retained enough of its former grandeur to be recognized as a remnant of the mighty empire it once represented.

The only changes ever to occur in a place like this were when the occasional wayward traveler would pass by, which was not often.

However, on this night, the most unprecedented group of travelers ever to walk this world were about to make landfall. Across the ocean to the south, a twinkling dot of blue light appears on the horizon, twinkling like the many stars that dot the inky expanse above.

Steadily, it grows in size as it approaches the distant shore, floating across the lapping waves towards a network of jutting sandbars and towering rock spires that dot the water, giving way to an actual landmass that stretches off into the northern horizon. Eventually, the sphere of blue light approaches one of the small islands...

...lifting up and settling over one of the rocky outcrops that dot the small spit of land.

Seven equine figures toppled onto the sturdy land beneath then, one carrying a squat, scaled creature on its back. Twilight and her friends have finally arrived at what is no doubt the start of their latest adventure, and despite how brief and spontaneous it had been thrust at them, here they are, the first ever Equestrians to grace the shores of Morrowind.

And one had a few choice words about the landscape visible from the rock formation they stood upon, the multiple planets above providing enough illumination to at least see the start of the shore.

"Ooh... Eck..." moaned Rarity, so shaken with disgust that her armor rattled. "This... This is Morrowind? It's so... gaudy... and the terrain is atrocious."

"I hear ya, Rares," said Rainbow, lifting up on her wings to get a better view of the desolate landscape beyond.

A light scraping noise echoed slightly through the air, and they all noticed that Applejack had leaped down to a patch of soil below and was kneading it with a hoof.

"This land is completely dead," she commented, lifting up her hoof and giving the mud clinging to her armored fetlock a look of deep disgust. "It's completely devoid of any proper nutrients. How does anything grow here?"

"Not every part of Morrowind is like this," explained Twilight as she and the rest joined Applejack on the more level ground. "Everything I ever studied says that while some areas are devoid of life, most of the Morrowind province is habitable." She gave gave Applejack a slightly smug, slightly reassuring smile. "In fact, there are flora and fauna in Morrowind that can be found nowhere else on Nirn. And it is for that reason that sujamma can only be made and sold in Morrowind."

They all noticed the dreamy expression that crossed Applejack's eyes at the mention of the coveted drink that she had guiltily become fond of.

"Province?" stated Princess Luna as she approached Twilight. "So Morrowind exists as part of an even bigger country?"

"That is correct, your majesty," answered Twilight, bowing respectfully. "It, along with Black Marsh, Cyrodiil, Elsweyr, Hammerfell, High Rock, Skyrim, the Summerset Isles, and Valenwood make up the continent of Tamriel. And while they all have their own customs, ruling governments, and history, they all answer to a higher governing force called the Empire."

Twilight didn't have much time to explain, but she decieded to make the more unpleasant facts known to Princess Luna, seeing as how learning through experience might result in the princess reacting in a manner that might compromise them. Namely how Morrowind veiwed other races, especially the Argonians.

Luna wandered to the edge of the small island and gazed at the rocky horizon before her.

"You know, young Twilight," Luna seemed to be contemplating hard. "I think... I understand your hesitation to get Equestria directly involved with Nirn. If such... discrimination were to become commonplace in Equestria..."

"It's not just that, your Majesty," said Rarity worriedly, "these ruffians hate others for physical difference. The Khajiit and Argonians at least walk upright like the people of the Morrowind, if they ever learn of our world, where not everyone walks on just two legs..."

'Yes, no doubt such difference would spur a response from the small minded people of this realm,' thought Luna, looking to her foreleg. 'Still, it does not always take much to topple an unjust empire.'

Twilight spoke up, interrupting her thoughts. "Princess," Luna looked up as the purple unicorn put a hoof around her. "I know what you're thinking, but we can't get involved."

"Yeah, your Majesty," interjected Applejack, "As much as such a thing disgusts me, we are here for a reason of our own."

"Poor Fleur is really sicky sick," said Pinkie.

Luna had not forgotten about poor Fancy Pants' wife, but she had a certain... disdain for tyrannical rulers who allow slavery to occur...

"Is there nothing we can do?"

Twilight gave a reassuring smile, "Princess, we don't have to do anything."

Luna's expression grew confused.

"Have you forgotten, darling, the events we have been discussing technically happened two hundred years ago," said Rarity, though she then adopted a confused look. "Although, I guess that isn't the case for us at the moment."

"Well, time travel or not," started Rainbow smugly, "from Equestria's point of view, the events involving the Nerevarine, Dagoth Ur, and the Tribunal all happened a super long time ago."

"You told me some of the history of the Tribunal before we left Equestria," stated Luna. "I know they gained power from this 'Heart of Lorkhan', same as Dagoth Ur, then Dagoth Ur was vanquished by the Nerevarine. But even with him gone, wouldn't the Tribunal still have reign over Morrowind?"

"No," explained Twilight. "You see, your majesty, in order for the Nerevarine to stop Dagoth Ur, he had to sever his bond with the Heart, and the only way to do that was to sever the Heart from the physical world. And when that happened, anyone who had gained power from it lost their powers for good."

"And without their all high and mightiness, they didn't rule Morrowind much longer," continued Rainbow, "Yep, without all their huge power the people told them to take a hike."

"Well, that's not quite what happened, but without their power, the Tribunal could not maintain their rule," said Twilight, looking up at Luna reassuringly. "But our point is that it's not necessary for us to get involved with the crisis of the Tribunal. There are already events in motion that will put an end to it, in fact, from what I know, it's happening now, judging from the point in time in which we have arrived."

"Besides, it's like Twilight explained before we left," said Pinkie, "due to Hermaeus Mora sticking his nosy tentacles into Equestria, if we mess up something in the future here, it might affect us to."

Yes, despite the suffering that was no doubt occurring at this moment, it was not worth the risk to intervene, under any circumstances, Luna realized that now.

Still, now that they had reached that conclusion, Luna now took notice that one member of their party had not taken part in the conversations. Fluttershy had apparently been leaning over the side of the shore staring into the water, and now that she noticed, it was rather strange. She appeared to be talking to her reflection.

"Maiden Fluttershy," said Luna, approaching said pegasus and tapping her. "Is something amiss?"

Three years of interdimensional tentacle monsters, dragons even more terrifying than normal, and magic even non-unicorns can use...

And Fluttershy was still Fluttershy.

"EEP!" Fluttershy leapt up with a startled yelp and clung to the first thing she came in contact with. Unfortunately, with no tree limbs nearby, that meant Rainbow was the only thing up above for Fluttershy to cling to... her light yellow hooves locking her sky blue wings behind her.

"FLUTTERSHYYYY!!!"

Both pegasi took a dip right in the nearby sea water, and while it was nowhere near deep with the close proximity of land, it did leave them both covered in mud, their once glistening Royal Armor caked with wet earth. Sputtering, Rainbow pulled her muzzle from the mud, glaring at her fellow winged pony, who could only grin sheepishly. "Ugh.. sorry Rainbow."

Rainbow opened her mouth to no doubt give a stern lecture about how un-awesome that was when both ponies became surrounded in a violet aura that lifted them out of the drink.

"You two alright?" asked Twilight as she deposited her two feathered companions back among the group.

"Yeah, I'm okay," said Rainbow begrudgingly as she threw Fluttershy another glare.

"Oh, I beg to differ, darlings," said Rarity seriously, a handkerchief popping into existence with a flash of blue. "Just look at the state of your armor. That is no way for a lady to present herself."

"Rarity, don't start fussing," said Rainbow, trying to fly out of range of Rarity's assault of swiping, but Rarity grabbed her multi-hued tail with her magic.

"Hold still," she huffed.

"I don't..."

"Need I remind you who owns the 'overly large' tent we all have to share?" snapped Rarity as she dragged Rainbow back to earth and began polishing her armor. "Unless you want to sleep outside like the ruffian you're acting like, you will behave and let me do what needs to be done."

Rainbow huffed with indignity and crossed her arms.

"Good," said Rarity, returning to her work while turning to Fluttershy, "and don't you go anywhere, dear, I will do you next."

Fluttershy just scraped the ground guiltily.

"Don't worry, sugarcube," said Applejack, putting a hoof around her muddy shoulder, being more than used to mud herself. "We all know how jumpy you can be."

"Thanks Applejack," said Fluttershy, perking up a little with the close proximity of her friend. "I just... I hope I don't slow us down."

"Don't worry Fluttershy," said Twilight reassuringly, "you've proven yourself to be an invaluable traveling companion before. You can do so now."

"Yepperooni," agreed Pinkie, "Nirn or Equestria, we know we can count on you to have our flanks."

"I hope so," said Fluttershy with obvious doubt.

"Nonsense, timid one," said Luna supportively, "was it not you who found us a guide when it became obvious we were lost out there in the sea?"

"Oh right!" said Fluttershy as she remembered what she had been doing before the princess startled her. "That's actually what I was doing before. Our 'guide' would like a little compensation for his assistance."

"Compensation?" inquired Rarity as she started scrubbing Fluttershy's armor, Rainbow glistening behind her. "He doesn't strike me as the type to have much need for money."

"Oh, he doesn't want money," explained Fluttershy as Rarity wiped off her face. "He says he smells something tasty from our bag and would like to try it."

"Oh, so he wants a snack?" asked Pinkie, Fluttershy confirming with a nod. "Well why didn't he say so?"

"PINKIE!!!" shouted Rarity in frustration as Pinkie grabbed the infinite dimension pouch from Princess Luna and pressed Fluttershy by the hindquarters back over to the edge of the rocky platform.

"Hey, you should have started with her," teased Rainbow smugly as Rarity desperatly tried to wipe the last of the muck from Fluttershy before she was dragged out of range, then her look grew serious. "Still, that sea monster wants some of our food? Didn't see that coming."

Twilight gave her a worried look. "How is your wing, by the way? Any lingering pain?"

"Oh, don't worry about me, egghead," reassured Rainbow Dash, flapping the aforementioned wing without difficulty. "I've had worse, besides, you healed me with that fancy restoration magic." But she did bring the limb up trembling slightly as the felt the phantom pain of the wound she had sustained. "Still, those slayfish..."

"Slaughterfish," corrected Twilight.

"Whatever, I can't believe how aggressive they were," Rainbow kinda shivered as she remembered how the fanged fish had suddenly burst through Luna's magic shortly after they arrived and struck out at Rarity, only for Rainbow to push her out of the way just in the nick of time, but taking the fish's teeth in her wing. It wasn't long before a whole school showed up, drawn by the scent of her blood.

"I can't believe Fluttershy's stare had no effect on them myself," commented Rarity, shivering as she remembered Fluttershy actually springing into action before the rest of them, pulling the fish off her friend and attempting to scold the whole group for attacking unprovoked, only for one of the things to rear up and almost snap her muzzle off.

"Slaughterfish are nothing but raw aggression," explained Twilight, looking over to Fluttershy with slight worry. "And they aren't the only ones, several members of Morrowind's wildlife are very aggressive by nature. We might not have any choice but to do what we had to do with the Slaughterfish if we encounter anything else unaffected by her stare."

They tried to drive the slaughterfish off peacefully at first, but when it became obvious that they were never going to back down, they had to resort to more... 'drastic' measures. They could all still remember Fluttershy sobbing into all of them as scaly bodies floated limply around them.

"At least the next sea fella we encountered wasn't so bad," commented Applejack. "He may have attacked at first, but at least Fluttershy could calm him with her stare. And it was fortunate he knew the way to Morrowind."

"I wonder why Fluttershy's stare did work on him?" pondered Spike.

"His kind are several times more intelligent than slaughterfish," explained Twilight. "Fluttershy's stare, I believe, can only affect creatures that don't rely on raw instinct alone."

"What is that fascinating creature called again, young Twilight?" asked Luna.

---

"Is it this?" asked Pinkie Pie, holding out a carrotdog.

Fluttershy looked into the water, then shook her head.

Pinkie reached into the pouch and produced a grilled cheese sandwich, "How about this?"

Fluttershy shook her head again.

This time Pinkie pulled out a jug of cider, "This one?"

Fluttershy arched an eye.

"Oh, right," said Pinkie, shoving the jug back in the pouch that wasn't even a quarter of its size, "Applejack would have my tail if I gave her cider away."

Fluttershy rolled her eyes, that wasn't even remotely the reason their friend couldn't have cider.

Hello, he lives under water.

"Oh, I know, how about...!"

Not a second after Pinkie pulled out a large, triple decker cake (with lit candle sticks) did a long crimson arm extend from the water, snatch the pastry in a large crab claw, and yank it into the water, a swirl of red tentacles heralding the departure of the creature that had helped them find land.

"Bye, friend," said Fluttershy, her and Pinkie waving farewell, "thanks for the help."

---

"They're called dreughs."

---

PFOOOOOSH!

"I still can't believe they make these things," said Applejack as she watched Rarity's inflatable tent extend towards the sky.

"Hey, let's face it," said Rainbow as she nudged Applejack in the side. "Anything can exist in Equestria, even tents for drama queens."

They both giggled at that.

"Applejack, Rainbow Dash," said Twilight, pulling the two athletes from their laugh at Rarity's expense. "We all need to participate if we want to get a decent night's rest without the danger of being discovered."

"Oh, right," said Rainbow, flying over to stand with the rest.

"Sorry Twi," said Applejack, also taking her place among her friends.

Luna stood on the sidelines while Twilight and the others formed a circle around Rarity's massive tent. She would like nothing more than to assist, but since she did not have magicka from Nirn coursing through her body like them, she was more than certain she would only get in the way. Besides, she wanted to see this in action.

"Everypony ...er," Twilight paused and looked to Spike. "Everyone ready?"

"Darn tootin."

"Hay yeah."

"Absolutely tootly."

"Woohoo."

"Ready when you are, darling."

"Always here for you, sister."

Twilight smirked at all their confirmations and got herself in a ready stance... but stopped at the last second. "WAIT."

"Aw, what's the holdup now?" asked Rainbow, reluctantly putting her forelegs back to the ground.

With a flare of her magic, Twilight drew an X before the entrance flap of the tent. "We can't get in if we don't know where the door is."

They were all glad she thought of that before it was too late.

"Alright, now," a pulsating orb of purple and orange light shot from Rarity and Twilight's horns, Spike's claws, and Rainbow's, Applejack's, Pinkie's, and Fluttershy's forehooves, and in a blink the tent vanished from view, the only indication being the indentation in the soft earth.

They had all decided that it was best to bed down here where they first landed for the night rather then venture into Morrowind immediately. It was dark out and it wasn't a good idea to journey through unfamiliar terrain even in broad daylight. Plus, now more than ever, they needed to plan their next move.

As well as get more info on what it was they sought here in this place.

But as they all entered the tent (using Twilight's mark for orientation) Spike suddenly pulled Twilight to the side before she could enter with the rest.

"You'll probably need someone to check the perimeter," he said, giving a salute that no doubt was meant to be serious, but with his short stature and armor it just made him look cute. "And your number one assistant humbly volunteers."

Twilight arched an eye and looked around the deserted landscape around them. "I don't think that will be necessary, Spike."

"Oh, you never know," said Spike, crouching low and readying his claws as he looked back and forth for possible threats. "Anything dangerous could sneak up on us at any minute."

"Spike, anything that could be dangerous in a remote area of Morrowind like this wouldn't have the capacity to sneak up on anything," said Twilight with slight irritation. "The creatures of Morrowind are fierce, from what I know, but few are bright."

"Few is still a few to many," argued Spike. "And if we aren't careful, you lovely ladies might get hurt.

'So that's what this was about,'

Twilight realized that this was another attempt to woo Rarity with his respectable, but regrettably pointless gallant protection.

"Alright Spike, you do a perimeter check, " she said with a supportive smile, but quickly adopted a serious look. "But don't stray too far, and only do so for about half an hour. Then join the rest of us, okay?"

"Aye aye mine captain," said Spike with another salute.

Twilight giggled and gave him a hug and entered the tent, vanishing as she fell under the invisible tent. Once she was out of sight, the baby dragon turned towards the direction of the sea, rubbing his claws together with what could only be a sinister grin. Quickly, Spike removed his armor so as to make as little noise as possible and went to trail the shoreline of the tiny island.

"Where are you?" he whispered, crawling on all fours and sniffing the air like a dog, blinking with vertical eyelids. "You can't hide from me."

---

When Twilight entered the tent, she found her friends all setting up sleeping bags in a circle on the ground floor of Rarity's two story tent; with the exception of Rainbow, who was pulling clouds out of Princess Luna's infinite dimension pouch and compacting them into a kind of hovering mattress, that she then sprawled on.

"Can you believe Princess Celestia outlawed these?" she commented, holding the decorated pouch before her.

"I admit, they are quite useful," said Princess Luna, her horn wrapped in her midnight blue magic. "But they caused much calamity before my sister outlawed them. If that one didn't hold significant sentimental value for me, I would not have hesitated to destroy it." Her horn puffed out and she sighed with slight exhaustion. "That is the most I can do, hopefully it will be enough to allow this tent to shield us from that frightful disease."

After Twilight joined them, they all had dinner (Applejack and Pinkie Pie all dishing out equal portions of food that were healthy and/or delicious) then lay in a circle on the floor, their armor lying a short distance away so they could get comfortable.

"Oh, brave Spikey Wikey," cooed Rarity once Twilight told them where her number one assistant was. "Volunteering to do perimeter to protect us."

"Yeah," whispered Rainbow, nudging Twilight in the ribs, "Protect 'us'."

"Alright!" the stern voice of Princess Luna brought all attention to her as she lay on a sleeping bag of royal silk, her expression serious. "Now that we have established shelter for the night and have been nourished, I believe now is the time to plan our next move."

"What's to plan?" asked Rainbow brashly, "we find the potion that can cure Fancy's wife then high tail it back to Equestria without being seen."

"That is the basis of our mission, young miss Dash," said Luna, slightly irritated at Rainbow's lack of ability to fully grasp everything about this situation they were in. "But where is this potion? How do we find it? And when we do find it, will we be able to procure it peacefully?"

Everypony looked to Rainbow, who rubbed her neck nervously. "Huh...?"

"Really, Rainbow," said Rarity with a disappointed shake of her head. "When are you going to learn that there are times when a pony must use their head?"

"And now is such a time," said Luna, turning her attention to Twilight, "Twilight, it was you who thought of this potion, so what can you tell us about it?"

Twilight tapped her chin in thought. "I studied several things in Apocrypha, and I am pretty sure I came across it during that time." She smiled and levitated Luna's pouch over, "But rather then waste time waiting for me to recollect what I can remember, what say we find the information straight from a more reliable source?"

They all gasped slightly

"What dost thou..." Luna shook her head to snap herself out of her archaic speech. "I mean, what do you mean, young Twilight?"

With a smirk, and a flourish of magic, Twilight pulled something from the small bag, "what I mean is this."

They all stared.

"Hey I recognise that," said Pinkie, "that's the book Hermmy gave you."

"Yeah," said Rainbow as she stared at the patchwork cover of the book hovering in Twilight's magic, "that's what he gave you when you asked for a map."

"How is it going to help, Twi?" Asked Applejack, "It's just maps and directions, isn't it?"

"Oh, it is more than that, Applejack," said Twilight, looking at the book with a dreamy expression."You see, girls, this is Hermaeus Mora's personal Daedric artifact, the Oghma Infinium."

They all exchanged looks of confusion and intrigue.

"His... personal artifact?" inquired Rarity. "What does that mean?"

"Let me explain," began Twilight, clearing her throat as she slipped into lecture mode. Applejack and Rainbow snickered. "All the Daedric lords have a specific artifact that they either created or procured, each one possessing magical attributes pertaining to the Daedra that owns it."

Luna blinked as she stared at the book floating between all of them, "Then if this book belongs to Hermaeus Mora, the Daedra of Knowledge..."

"Yes, your Majesty," confirmed Twilight, "its title 'Oghma Infinium' translates to 'Infinite Knowledge'. And its not a metaphor, this book literally contains all the knowledge of all existence."

They all stared in awe as they gazed at the Oghma Infinium with new clarity. Could it be true, could this tiny book contain such knowledge? While it was by no means the most ordinary book they had seen, to think it could contain such power.

"Whoa whoa whoa," said Rainbow hurriedly. "If big mister tentacles has this magic book containing all the knowledge of existence, why does he bother with that big book realm of his?"

"And for that matter, why seek knowledge from outside sources at all?" asked Applejack.

"Also," Princess Luna looked at the Oghma Infinium with slight hope. "Why didn't we just use this book to discern a cure for miss Fleur, rather than go on this quest through a land filled with peril?"

The others nodded in support for this plan, if it could be as simple as just going through that book, it was obviously what they should do.

"I know its sounds simple Princess, but believe me when I say it's not," answered Twilight, hating to deflate Luna's idea. "Because if were to try to get such information from the Oghma Infinium, traipsing through Morrowind is the safer option."

They all stared at her, flabbergasted.

"Huh.. define 'safer', darling," whispered Rarity. "Please."

Twilight sighed, "I have read up on the Oghma Infinium while studying in Apocrypha, though I never once thought I would see it myself." She looked to the book again before continuing, " But what I have learned is, if you use it for mundane things, like directions or historic facts, it's pretty harmless. However... for more complicated things, like ingredients for rare potions, complicated calculation formulae, and the like, using the Oghma Infinium could be fatal."

They all gasped again and looked to the Oghma Infinium with newfound fear.

"You can't be serious, egghead," said Rainbow, eyeing the book with caution. "How can a book kill you?"

"Simple, Rainbow," answered Twilight, "it simply contains such a mass of knowledge, it overwhelms the mind, causing it to shut down."

"Oh, so it's like the side effect Hermmy's realm has on minds who aren't all big and knowy like you Twilight," said Pinkie hurriedly.

"Even worse than that, Pinkie," said Twilight, much to the others' shock. "The Oghma Infinium's knowledge is so immense that even the most intellectual of minds break under it. In fact, this book has left a trail of dead scholars, scientists, and other knowledge seekers throughout the entire history of its existence."

If they weren't wary of the Oghma Infinium before, they sure were now.

"I... is it safe for us to use?" asked Luna shakily.

Twilight smiled reassuringly, "like I said, princess, it's perfectly harmless for mundane knowledge. It should make 'finding' that potion easy."

"I still don't understand why Hermaeus doesn't use it," said Rainbow, annoyed that her question went unanswered, despite what had been said before and how terrifying it was. "From what we know, these Daedra guys cant die, so he wouldn't be stopped by whatever makes it impossible for us 'mortals' to use it."

"It's simple Rainbow, Hermaeus Mora doesn't want to gain new knowledge that way," explained Twilight happily. "He enjoys the hunt and the challenge just as much as he does knowledge itself. Where would the sport be if he just got whatever he wants so easily?"

Rainbow blinked, "I... actually have to respect that. Half the fun of doing difficult things is in the challenge."

"Enough small talk," said Luna with gentle authority. "If we can't get the cure from the Oghma Infinium then we are back to the original plan. Twilight, please proceed."

Twilight nodded her head and with a flourish of magic, opened the Oghma Infinium. They had all held their breath without even realizing it, so when nothing happened once the book opened they all breathed a sigh of relief.

"So what's it say, Twilight?" Asked Rainbow, fluttering off her cloud to look over her shoulder:

"Ooookaaay?"

"Hold on Rainbow," said Twilight, shooing her Pegasus friend away. "One more thing needs to be done." Taking a deep breath, Twilight held the Oghma Infinium before her, "Oghma Infinium," she said, her voice commanding, "who created the potion to cure Corprus Disease?"

They all watch in anticipation as the book began to glow a deep green, Rainbow fluttering back up to her cloud bed so as to give her room to study the legible words appearing on the pages of the Oghma Infinium. With impressive speed, Twilight's eyes raced the lines of the pages as she read.

The surprised gasp she let out took them by surprise.

"How could I have not seen this before?" she gasped, her eyes sparkling as she restudied the pages. "It makes so much sense... it could only have been him."

"What's wrong, darling?" asked Rarity, the others sharing her concern.

Twilight lowered the Oghma Infinium and revealed her beaming grin, "The one who invented the Corprus cure... was the Dunmer sorcerer, Divayth Fyr!"

They all gained confused looks, and Twilight could only facehoof.

"Oh, come on girls. I expected that from Princess Luna, no offense your Majesty." Luna just shrugged, "But you all spent three years with me in Apocrypha, learning about the magic from Nirn."

"Twilight, it was your magical ingenuity that allowed us to gain such knowledge," said Fluttershy, "without the modifications you made to that spellbook it wouldn't have been possible for us to obtain the magic powers you learned."

"Besides, I don't even remember all the complicated stuff," said Rainbow.

"Yeah," agreed Applejack, "it's like... all that we learned is just a part of us now."

Twilight sighed again.

"Well, Divayth Fyr is only one of the most well accomplished sorcerers in all of Tamriel," explained Twilight. "Every magic caste I studied has at least some major breakthroughs in their development thanks to him. Restoration, Destruction, Illusion, Alchemy, you name it."

"Oh, my," said Luna impressively, "I know Equestrian magic and Nirn magicka aren't the same, but such accomplishments must have taken decades."

"Millennia, actually," stated Twilight, much to their surprise. "From what I can remember, Divayth Fyr is over four thousand years old. In fact, he's one of the few Dunmer remaining that still remembers what it was like to be a Chimer."

"Oh, how tragic," said Rarity, remembering the lost beauty of the once fair Dark Elves.

"So where can we find this 'Divayth Fyr'?" asked Luna, steering the conversation back to the main event.

"Let me see," said Twilight, consulting the Oghma Infinium again and began to read out loud, "It says during Third Era, Divayth Fyr lives in the highest tower of Tel Fyr, where he and his four daughters watch over Corprusarium, trying to find a cure for Corprus."

A genuine smile broke over Luna's muzzle. "So now we finally have a destination. How far is Tel Fyr from here?"

"Hold on," said Twilight, looking down to the book again, "Oghma Infinium, how far is Tel Fyr from our current location?" Twilight grew a puzzled look when she read what appeared on the pages."Huh, that's convenient. According to this Tel Fyr is only a few miles northeast of here. In fact, it says if we follow the mainland, we will reach Tel Fyr in less than three days."

They all celebrated in their own way on hearing the short trek it would take. Upon tomorrow, they would head out to the mainland to find Tel Fyr, and hopefully be able to persuade Divayth Fyr to assist them. But as of now, with a laid out plan for the journey ahead, it was time to get some rest.

But first, Rarity was curious about something.

"Twilight, darling," she said, Twilight looking to her, "you said Divayth Fyr has daughters?"

"Yes," replied the mulberry unicorn, looking back at the entry in the Oghma Infinium. "This says he has four."

"Oh, that's so sweet," Rarity cooed dreamily. "Such a well accomplished sorcerer, and yet he's still a gentlecolt and a family stallion."

"Yeah, never mind the fact that he has expanded the development of magic more than anyone," sneered Applejack.

"Oh hush, you," snipped Rarity, sticking her tongue out at the apple farmer. "He probably did all that for his children, in fact," Rarity scooped the Oghma Infinium from Twilight in her magic, "Twilight, would it be alright if I read some more about these daughters of Divayth Fyr? I would like to know more about them."

"Sure, Rarity," agreed Twilight, fluffing her pillow, but her heart dropped out of her stomach when she remembered a... small detail. "Wait..."

"Oghma Infinium," started Rarity in her elegant voice, "please tell me about Divayth Fyr's children."

"Rarity NO, it's not what it..." but it was to late, Rarity was already trailing the page with her eyes.

"Divayth Fyr's daughter's are Alfe, Beyte, Delte, and Uupse Fyr..." read Rarity, her eyes lighting up as she pronounced each name, "oh, their names are so graceful..."

"Oh no!" Said Twilight nervously, throwing her hooves up before falling back on her sleeping bag, covering her face with her hooves.

"What's the matter, Twi?" Asked Applejack worriedly.

"Yeah Twilight," said Rainbow with a slightly annoyed tone, "Rarity has always been a sap for mushy family stuff."

"Believe me, girls," replied Twilight, lifting one of her legs to reveal the nervous look in her eye. "Divayth Fyr's relationship with his daughters is anything but sappy or mushy."

Before anypony could question, Rarity stopped squeeing about how beautiful the names sounded and continued.

"Divayth Fyr..." Rarity suddenly stopped, her intrigued expression melting away for one of shock as her eyes continued to trace the sentences on the page. She suddenly gasped, putting a hoof over her mouth as her coat somehow grew even more white.

"Oh my gosh, Rare Bear, you okay?" Gasped Pinkie with concern.

"You look as if you've seen a ghost," said Luna, also with concern.

"A GHOST!?" Fluttershy almost screamed.

"It's an expression, Flutters," said Rainbow, "But seriously Rares, what's the deal?"

"Yeah, what's wrong, sugarcube?" said Applejack.

Rarity trembled as she looked up at her friends, "It... it says... that...

"Divayth Fyr 'grew' his daughter's from his own flesh..."

Things got so quiet in the tent a pin dropping would sound like a Sonic Rainboom.

"Lady Rarity, I think I heard you wrong," said Princess Luna, getting to her hooves along with everypony, unease making it uncomfortable to stay laying down for them. "Did you say that he 'grew' his daughters?"

"That's what it says," replied Rarity with a shaky voice. "It says he utilized his advanced skills with alchemy to produce his daughters from his own body."

"But... but that would make them..."

"Clones, your Majesty," Twilight finished for Princess Luna. "Divayth Fyr's daughter's are basically female clones of himself. The one magical practice you and Celestia outlawed above all others back in Equestria when the unification of the pony tribes began to accelorate the development of Equestrian magic. I am sorry to say, such moral has no place in Nirn, and not only that, it is considered one of Divayth Fyr's most spectacular breakthroughs."

"But...to create beings artificially like that?" said Luna with a shiver of disgust. "It's an affront to nature."

"So let me get this straight," said Rainbow as she sank down to the floor from her cloud. "This guy... actually grew his kids magically from pieces of himself?"

"You mean... like how I would grow a new apple tree from seeds of another?" asked Applejack, her jaw hanging open.

"That's simplifying it a bit, but basically yes," confirmed Twilight. "Divayth Fyr was so skilled in alchemy, he could produce offspring from his own body."

"Ewwww," echoed five voices throughout the tent.

"How ...how horrible... if... if I had learned that Pound and Pumpkin were born like that..." Pinkie trembled at the thought.

"And...to think four people must live with how unnatural their own birth was...?" Fluttershy also trembled with revulsion. She had helped deliver a baby more than once with her occupation as an animal caretaker, and to hear that the beautiful natural process of bringing a newborn into the world and hearing that it had been twisted in such a manner...

"What possible reason could he have for doing such a thing?" asked Rarity, looking back to the Oghma Infinium. "I... can't believe he would 'create' his children just because he wanted children. Were they just an experiment to him, or...?"

Twilight let out a worried gasp, "Rarity wait, don't read further..."

Too late again.

The patchwork book fell to the floor as Rarity's magic winked out, her mouth hanging open in a silent scream.

"Rarity, what is it?" asked Applejack, her and the three others surrounding the book that had fallen open on its spine.

Twilight could only cringe with guilt as one by one they all gained a look identical to Rarity. Then, much to Twilight's shock, they all simultaneously plopped to the floor in a dead faint. Even Applejack and Rainbow Dash had been overwhelmed by the drama queen instinct that usually only Rarity was susceptible to.

"I... have never seen all of them faint at once," stated Twilight, deadpan.

"What happened?" asked Luna, scooping up the Oghma Infinium in her magic and skimming the page, dropping it a second later, her face turning so white she could be mistaken for her sister for a second. "By the stars and the moon..."

"Princess, I know it's a disturbing thought, but we still have a mission to accomplish," said Twilight, stowing the Oghma Infinium back into Luna's pouch.

"We...," Luna stammered as she looked to Twilight with a horrified expression. "Twilight Sparkle... we have to ask this... lecherous pig for help?"

"I know the thought is repulsive, your Majesty," said Twilight, sharing her matriarch's nausea, but also trying to get a message across. "But that doesn't change the fact that Divayth Fyr, despite his crooked morality, is our only hope to help Fleur from suffering a fate worse than death."

Luna snapped back to a professional attitude at being reminded of their situation. "Understood Twilight, though it will be most tempting to shatter this Divayth Fyr's eardrums with my Royal Canterlot Voice once I meet him."

"I wouldn't blame you, as great a feat of magic it is, some lines should never be crossed," Twilight looked to all her comatose friends. "We should get them into bed."

"Agreed," said Luna, "though I must confess, I am glad your young assistant was absent from this."

"I should bring him in too," said Twilight, looking to the tent flap. "He hadn't eaten yet himself, though I must admit, I am impressed with how long he..."

"AAAAAHAHAHAAAH!"

The sudden shout was enough to wake all the passed out mares, but there was no mistaking that voice.

"SPIKE!!!" they all shouted in unison, running from the tent as fast as their legs or wings can carry them.

---

-SEVERAL MINUTES EARLIER-

Spike reached his claw into the shallow water of the shoreline, rummaging through the muddy bottom.

"Ohoho, I'm close, I can feel it," Spike mumbled to himself.

He had picked up a scent the moment they landed on this small island and at first he thought he was imagining it, but once he realized the scent had yet to diminish with time, it could only mean it was genuine. Of course, he dared not make a move while his friends were present, for they would not approve of what he was about to do.

Finally, Spike's claw scraped against something hard.

"Aha, knew I could find you," said Spike gleefully, pulling something up with a splash of mud and water, but once he scraped the slime that was obscuring his find from view, his jaw dropped. "Oh, oh wow!"

Spike sat cross legged on the muddy shore, cradling in his claws the largest oyster he had ever seen in his life.

The light pink mollusk was at least half the size of his head, its polished pink shell gleaming in the starlight. Spike licked his lips, drooling as his eyes widened with hunger. His keen dragon senses were telling him this oyster had something precious inside.

He loved to eat gemstones, gold, silver, and other precious material, it was his nature as a dragon. But if there was one thing among jewelry that he longed for the most, it was among the rarest in all of Equestria. Do to the herbivorous nature of ponies, it was practically unheard of for them to slaughter any form of creature, let alone for something as mundane as something one would just wear instead of eat.

Spike respected that about ponies, but even though he was raised by them, his predatory nature only allowed his sympathy to stretch so far, let alone to a mussel.

"Sorry, little guy," he said with slight regret, reaching his claw out to grasp the top of the oysters shell.

But to his immense surprise, his claws slipped through the shell. "What the...?" he sunk his claws through the shell a few more times, his digits sinking through without making contact. "Huh, okay...?"

Arching his eye in slight confusion, Spike plunged his claw back inside the oyster and felt around, "this is weird."

But he soon lost interest in this bizarre circumstance, as in the next second he felt something inside the oyster and pulled it out.The sound of a surprised gasp, followed by the splash of an oyster dropping into the ocean echoed through the night. Spike's widened even more, drool dripping from has gaping mouth.

He cradled in his claws the largest pearl he had ever seen.

The little white sphere was easily the size of a starter marble, its gleaming surface reflecting starlight as it rested in Spike's claws. He could count the times he had had the luxury of tasting pearl virtually on one claw, and even then, those weren't anywhere near as big as this one. 'This place...' thought Spike, looking to the distant land that stretched out beyond. 'I have only been here for a few hours, and I have already found such a treasure? What else can be found here?'

Turning back to the pearl, Spike licked his lips and extended his long, dexterous tongue, wrapping up the pearl and dragging it into his mouth. Immediately, a familiar but savory taste flooded his mouth, dancing on his tongue and cheeks with blissful delight. His eyes rolling back in his head with bliss, Spike reclined on a small rock behind him, rolling the smooth round texture of the pearl through his mouth like a jawbreaker.

Normally, Spike would crunch and chew gemstones with his powerful dragon teeth, but since he rarely got to savor pearl, he decided to just let it melt in his mouth.

'Grumble'

Until the rock he was reclined against suddenly shifted slightly...

"Gulp."

...Startling Spike so badly he involuntarily swallowed the pearl.

"Aw nuts!" he said, standing up and throwing a dirty look to the annoying rock...

...only to replace it with a look of surprise as he trailed his vision upwards.

"Squeak."

The rock lifted a good four feet from the mud it was settled in, and much to Spike's shock, it now stood on six thick but spindly legs.

"SQUEAK!!!"

The front end suddenly lifted and Spike found himself staring into very small blue eyes above two sharp mandibles.

"AAAAAHAHAHAAAH!" Spike screamed in shock and panic, falling back and crawling away from the bizarre creature.

"SPIKE!!!"

His scream had apparently been loud enough to draw the attention of the ponies taking refuge in the invisible tent a short distance away. Twilight and the others appeared out of thin air and froze in shock at seeing the creature bearing down on him.

"What in Equestria is that?" said Rarity, horrified as her eyes trailed the horror from top to bottom.

"MUDCRAB!!!" Twilight lit up her horn, grabbing Spike in her telekinesis and pulling him to her chest protectively. "Everypony be on guard, mudcrabs aren't overly dangerous but they are aggressive and will attack anything that gets close to them."

All of the others readied some form of magical assault, Luna bringing her powerful alicorn magic to bear, while the others chose a destruction spell of some kind... except one.

"Wait," said Fluttershy, standing to face them.

"Fluttershy, I know you have a problem with harming any kind of living creature," argued Twilight hurriedly, stroking Spike's spines to try and calm him. "But mudcrabs can't be reasoned with. They're just as vicious as slaughterfish.

"And you remember what happened when we encountered those slimy little ruffians, don't you darling?" asked Rarity. Rainbow Dash subconsciously rubbed her wing.

"I know, girls, but," Fluttershy turned back to the mudcrab. "Why isn't it attacking?"

Fluttershy was right.

The mudcrab had yet to move from the spot where they had first noticed it, the only thing different now was that it had turned to face them, wiggling its mandibles silently.

"I don't understand," said Twilight, she and the others looking on in confusion. "Mudcrabs are one of the most aggressive animals on all of Nirn. Its history is ripe with tales of how travelers would be cautious of them every step of their journey."

"That book on animals described them the same," stated Fluttershy.

"Then why is it just standing there like a lump on a log?" asked Applejack.

Fluttershy looked to them again, "Maybe... this one is gentler than the norm for its kind?"

Rainbow gave her a deadpan look. "Then why did it attack Spike?"

"I don't think it meant to," Fluttershy looked over her shoulder at the mudcrab again. "Maybe.. while Spike was guarding the perimeter, he accidentally woke it up?" She turned to it with a friendly smile. "I'll just go apologize."

"Fluttershy, are you loco?" gasped Pinkie.

"We do not know the exact reason it hasn't attacked us," said Twilight worriedly. "For all we know, it's just waiting for us to get closer."

Fluttershy grew an annoyed look, "Twilight, you know as well as I do that that is the last thing a mudcrab would do, they're not intelligent enough. Please, let me try to reason with it."

Twilight did not like the idea of her meek friend getting too close to one of the most ferocious creatures on this world, but she knew she had a point. The mudcrab wasn't attacking and that was unheard of for a mudcrab from what she had read. Something peculiar was going on here, and despite her misgivings, Twilight wanted to figure it out. Still, this was a mudcrab...

"I'm coming with you," she said, lifting her forehoof to halt Fluttershy's rebuttal. "I promise, I only intend to teleport you away if it turns violent when we get close."

Fluttershy nodded, smiling in gratitude and understanding as they both turned to the bulbous creature.

"Twilight," said Princess Luna, "be careful." The others said the same.

Nodding, Twilight and Fluttershy turned forward and began to approach the mudcrab cautiously. It took little time to arrive before it, but it still had yet to do anything but twitter its mandibles.

"Ex... excuse me sir..." began Fluttershy timidly, smiling pleasantly. "If we woke you, we are terribly sorry. We were just trying to find a safe place to sleep..."

A high pitched, squeaky voice cut her off. "'How dry I am... how dry I am... nobody knows... how dry I am....' SHAY! Hi. There. Lesh make a deal. I got... stuff. Lots. Here. See?"

17 Suit up

Fluttershy gaped in surprise at the completely understandable voice that sounded from the creature before her. While talking to animals was indeed her specialty, it was very rare for them to speak with such clarity, even if his monologue was a bit strange. Still, it at least made one thing clear for Fluttershy, resulting in a wide grin spreading across her face as she turned to all the others behind her.

"It's okay everypony," she said, "He does talk. Now all I need to do is reason with...."

She paused as she took notice of their expressions.

Twilight was standing directly behind her as they approached the mudcrab, and from this close, Fluttershy could see that her pupils had constricted to a quarter of their usual size, her mouth dropped open in shock. The others wore similar expressions behind her, their slack jaws hanging open as far as they could. It was actually starting to make Fluttershy uneasy.

"What's wrong, everypony?" she asked nervously, trailing her worried eyes over each member of their party.

"Fluttershy..." whispered Twilight shakily, "I... I heard him... I... UNDERSTOOD him."

Fluttershy threw a hoof over her mouth. "You mean... you understood what he said just now?"

"We all did, Maiden Fluttershy," said Princess Luna, she and the others walking forward to get a better look at the mudcrab. "He... spoke quite clearly."

Fluttershy turned to look at the creature behind her, her eyes wide with shock. "But... how is that possible? I'm the only pony I know of that can actually communicate with animals. If all of you can understand him, it can only mean..."

"He's some kind of bizarre 'talking' mudcrab!" said Pinkie, still wearing the same shocked expression as the rest of them.

They all exchanged a look with Pinkie before giving the mudcrab some more flabbergasted looks, Twilight and Fluttershy more than the others. They both knew quite a bit more about this animal than the others, and to hear it 'actually speak' was something they hadn't expected. Especially considering that not even animals from Equestria could talk.

Finally shaking off her shock, Twilight walked forward to stand next to Fluttershy before the dark grey crustacean, having decided that their next course of action was the simplest one.

"Is it true?" she asked the mudcrab directly. "Are you some kind of talking mudcrab?"

"Whaddaya think?" it replied sharply, its squeaky voice causing them all to involuntarily jump in surprise again. "Sheesh. I'm a mudcarb... crab. Shure. A mudcrab. Thas me. Pretty sure. I LOOK like a mudcrab, right? Mush be. Thish IS me talking, right? So? I mush be... A talking mudcrab. And I sells stuff, right? So? I mush be a talking mudcrab merchant. Stands to reason, don't it?"

That final statement was what finally wiped the surprise from all their faces, to be replaced with a tilted expression of confusion.

"Did..." began Rainbow Dash, turning to Rarity who was standing next to her. "Did it just say... mudcrab merchant?"

"Sure. Thash what I said?" replied the mudcrab. "Did I stutter or shomethin? Talking. Mudcrab. Merchant. Read my lips. Ehr. Mouthparts? Read my mouthparts? Shomethin ain't right. But never mind. Jush one-a life's little myshteries."

Rainbow grew an annoyed look, taking wing and hovering over the mudcrab, staring into its beady eyes, "Buddy, mystery doesn't even begin to describe you."

If the mudcrab was offended by this it didn't show it."So. You gonna buy shomethin? Or sit here jawin' all day."

Rainbow grew another confused look. "You... actually have merchandise that you sell?"

"What, you hard of hearing, or shomethin?" replied the mudcrab."I say 'm a merchant. And 'm a mudcrab. Mudcrab. And merchant. Sells thingsh. Yesh I do."

"Who are you calling hard of hearing, you shelled chump," said Rainbow, scowling as she struck her hooves together threateningly.

"Rainbow," said Fluttershy scoldingly, pushing Rainbow back with a hoof to her chest. "Don't be rude. We... have been asking him the same thing over and over."

"Well, can you blame us?" asked Pinkie, "he's a flipping talking mudcrab."

"Ahem."

The gentle clearing of a throat brought their attention to Princess Luna, who strolled forward and stood before the mudcrab.

"Excuse me, sir?" she said in a calm but regal voice. "But it is my understanding that you do not want to attack us?"

"Attack? I?" Inquired the mudcrab. "Course no. Be real bad for bushiness if began attacking clients. Beshides, mudcrab not best at fight. Have hard shell, but mouth parts not do much damage."

Luna smiled and bowed her head respectively. "Then we apologize for disturbing you." She turned to the rest of the group. "It's best we get back to bed. We will likely have a long day tomorrow."

The words from their princess finally brought them all back a sense of normalcy. Yes, this turn of events was quite unexpected, but they had other things to worry about. Very important things.

With a nod of confirmation to Princess Luna, they all turned in the direction of the unseen tent and began to head off to prepare for a good night's rest.

"Hey, come now," said the Mudcrab Merchant, skittering forward slightly. "Shurly there is shome deal we can make."

Luna sighed and turned towards their unusual new associate, the others halting to wait for her. "Look, we appreciate the offer, but we did not come here to shop for trinkets."

"I not merchant of trinkets," said the Mudcrab Merchant. "No...my merchandise useful, very useful."

"I am sorry, but we have no time," said Luna, "we have important business that can't be put off."

"I knows," said the Mudcrab Merchant. "You on quest. Really important quest. Lives hang in balance. Many lives."

Again, their mouths dropped open in shock.

"How...how do you know about that?" Asked Rarity.

"Good merchant mush know client," said the Mudcrab Merchant. "And I has jush the thing that can aid you on you're journey through dangerous Morrowind."

They all exchanged looks. This mudcrab knew an awful lot about what was going on, despite them not having told it anything. With slight anticipation, they all looked to Princess Luna, for one of the reasons she had accompanied them was to offer her insight. She rolled her eyes and once again approached the mudcrab.

"Very well," she said sternly as she stood before the chittering creature. "You claim to have something that can aid us on our journey, so what is it?"

"Armor," said the Mudcrab Merchant. "Yes, you need fine armor. Many dangers on the journey ahead, need good, reliable armor to protect oneself."

"We already have armor," said Princess Luna with a glare.

"I see your arrival to island," said the Mudcrab Merchant. "What you wear no armor, that merely toys. Not protect from even Nix hound bite."

"Hey!" said Luna, slight irritation in her voice. "That armor was forged by the best armourers in our entire kingdom."

"It still inferior to armor I know," said the Mudcrab Merchant.

Luna's scowl could melt steel. "What makes you such an expert?"

"Take not my word for it," said the Mudcrab Merchant, "ask purple companion, she know it true as much me."

Luna arched an eye and turned to Twilight. "What is... 'he'... talking about?"

Twilight tapped her chin in thought. She didn't actually know what the mudcrab was referring to, for she had yet to see this armor, none of them had. Yet, while in Apocrypha, she had studied the different unique minerals that could be harvested from the earth in Nirn, and the many types of material that could be sown from...

"Wait," gasped Twilight, walking up to the Mudcrab Merchant, "are you referring to Ebony, or Daedric?"

"I has many types of armor," replies the huge crustacean.

"Princess," Twilight turned to Luna with a look of intrigue. "I am sorry to say, but if he actually is referring to the armor that I think he is, than it is indeed vastly superior to our own."

Luna arched an eye. "You know this to be true?"

"Yes, your Majesty," replied Twilight, "from what I have learned, the armor from this world has been known to protect its wearer from even the most brutal of attacks. Some of them can even take extensive amounts of damage without the need for repairs for long periods of time."

Luna blinked and contemplated what she was being told. She had extensive experience in matters involving armor. As said before, during the beginning phases of Equestria's budding history, she and her sister were constantly needed to protect their kingdom from multiple threats, especially during the time before the discovery of the Elements of Harmony.

She remembered servants and squires wheeling cart loads of battered and broken armor from their different brigades after a battle, many of which had only been forged less than a week prior. It wasn't lost to her that Equestrian armor had changed very little in that time, and one of her worries so far was that the armor Shining had given Twilight and her friends wouldn't last long enough to protect them throughout the entire journey. If this was indeed a better option...

"Mudcrab," she said, looking forward and locking her eyes with the foreboding creature. "Do you have enough of this armor to suit all my companions?"

"I always prepared," said the Mudcrab Merchant. "Never know when potential client shows up, so mush be ready to meet unexpected needs at all tines."

"Uh, Princess?" inquired Twilight, tapping her flank to get her attention. "I can't say the thought of utilizing the armor I have heard so much about isn't intriguing, but remember the physical differences between us and the inhabitants of this realm. We won't be able to wear any of it."

Luna smiled almost coyly. "I actually have a solution for that, young Twilight."

Twilight tilted her head. "Really, how?"

Luna smirked in the direction of their invisible tent, "The armor Shining Armor gave you might still be of some use to us." She turned back to the Mudcrab Merchant. "Alright, let's talk business."

"Music to mine ears... Uh...antennas."

---

With a slight heave, Applejack and Rainbow Dash set the last pieces of armor along with their respective sets.

"Gotta admit, this is some hardcore looking coverage," commented Rainbow as she hovered above to admire the seven sets of helmets, greaves, boots, gauntlets, and cuirasses.

"It had better be after what we just spent on them," said Princess Luna with a slightly sour look, shaking her little blue pouch pouch next to her ear. "I brought those bits from the royal treasury in case of emergencies, but I never imagined I would spend this many in one go. I don't know how I'm going to explain this to Celly."

"Yeah," said Pinkie, Luna arching an eye as she pushed her aside so she could put her ear to the shaking pouch too. "For a mudcrab, he sure drove a hard bargain."

"I must admit," said Rarity as she trotted around each set of armor and examined each piece. "Despite the barbaric purpose it was made to serve, they are elegant in their own way." But then she grew a look of worry as she scooped up a gauntlet in her magic and flexed its fingers.

"But... I have to agree with what Twilight said earlier. This obviously wasn't forged with pony physiques in mind, so how are we supposed to use them?"

Everyone else agreed with her, and Luna flashed them a smirk. "Everypony, please put on your pony armor."

"Hey," moaned Spike, crossing his arms.

"You too, of course, Spike."

They all did as instructed, and soon they all bore the armor of Equestrian royal guard, standing before their princess. "Now, please, each of you stand before the set of armor you respectively chose."

When the Mudcrab Merchant had shown them his wares (though they knew not from where, but it amused Pinkie to no end to see so much stuff appear out of thin air) it was revealed that they had multiple types of armor to choose from. Even though they had to work around the fit, they had all picked armor that looked and felt right. Said armor was laid out in assorted piles before them.

"Alright," said Luna as they each stood in place before different piles. "For what I have in mind, you all need to remain perfectly still."

That, of course, spiked a little unease among them, but before any could question it, Luna's horn lit up. Her magic started out her normal blue, but soon morphed into a solid sheen of white light that wrapped around her horn. A second later, the armor before each of them was coated in a similar light, and before their eyes, the individual parts began to flatten and recede, like they were melting into pools of liquid light.

Twilight's friends couldn't help but gasp in fascination, but Twilight herself gawked with recognition. "Starwswirl's spell of conglomeration, why didn't I think of that?"

Then the individual pools of light suddenly leaped up off the floor and formed glowing, hovering orbs that then flew up in an arc and impacted the person in front of them, wrapping them in a similar light. Luna ceased her spell, for she had done her part, and then watched the shining silhouettes of her friends, and the shapes of the armor they wore flexing, extending, or receding. It only lasted for a second, then they were all revealed in a shower of sparkling particles of white light.

...Which showed the new and improved armor that now covered their bodies.

Applejack lifted her left foreleg up to examine it closely, then lifted a hind leg and kicked it in and out experimentally.

Being a muscular earth pony, and being even stronger than was the norm for her kind, Applejack had chosen the strongest, but heaviest of the armor available. The greaves stretched up her hind legs, jet black with red highlights, ending at her thighs in three thick ridges that jutted out in wicked spikes. The cuirass and gauntlets covered her upper body in sinister black, red runes seeming to glow at the seams. Three long tassels of crimson hair extended from the top of the helm and down the back of Applejack's neck, the black metal shielding her cranium, but left her face exposed.

Applejack continued to flex in her full Daedric, a smile forming on her muzzle when she discovered that she could still move quite easily, despite the added weight.

Rarity was, of course, the most elegant of them.

The helm framed her face with glittering gold adorned with fine crafted patterns, the back of her head guarded by tough, but beautiful purple fabric. The gauntlets more resembled decorative bracers at the base of her forelegs, golden and with patterns of their own. The cuirass too was gold and adorned with patterns, the shoulder pads extending out in a wavy up and down form, the base crafted to resemble a skirt.

Rarity had to fight to keep from swooning as she examined herself, admiring the elegance of her Golden armor that now covered her hindquarters.

Rainbow hovered up and tested her mobility, thankful that her modified armor still retained the holes for pegasus wings.

Rainbow had actually chosen her armor for familiarity rather than anything else, for she had already come across some of it in Apocrypha.

It was a kind of a rusted bronze color, thick and heavy as the open faced helm ended in a cone shape.

The greaves were thick and bulky, guarding Rainbow's fetlocks with metal that she moved with ease, despite the weight, punching the air as she practiced moving in her new armor. The thighs of the cuirass had arched pipes at the hips, thick metal forming the greaves below.

Full Dwemer was indeed a heavy armor, but Rainbow appeared to be having no trouble, mostly due to her athletic experience.

Pinkie Pie trotted in place excitedly as she admired her own new armor.

Hers had to be the strangest of all, with her poofy mane poking out from under a glistening green crown like helm with a single larger spike extending up from the center. Several similar smaller spikes adorned the rest of the armor, interwoven with a dark colored metal as it covered Pinkie from head to hoof.

This full Glass had better be prepared for a long relationship with Pinkie.

Fluttershy had a deep blush on her face as she looked herself over.

She had not wanted to participate particularly, but knew it was pointless if it was to be believed that they were going to need superior protection. Still, it was slightly embarrassing that hers was so... tight. But it was the only one she could wear that was light enough to still allow her to fly.

Fluttershy appeared to be wrapped in nothing but a skin tight jumpsuit, jet black as it covered her frame. A tight hood guarded Fluttershy's head, leather straps wrapping around her temples and stretching over her skull a little to the right, connecting to some type of eye wear that guarded her eyes, the right eye covered by a tiny lens, while the left was covered by a lens at least eight times the size. It didn't appear to be able to protect from much, but Luna had tested it herself and found it to be more durable than it first appeared.

What made it more uncomfortable for the timid pegasus is what the armor represented. Twilight had told her what it was, having decided keeping it a secret wasn't a good idea. Who would have thought that Fluttershy would one day come to rely on the armor of the infamous Dark Brotherhood?

But comfort was soon to come as Fluttershy felt a supportive hoof on her shoulder, looking up to see Twilight giving her a smile that said everything is alright.

Twilight had found great difficulty choosing armor that felt right, being as everyone else had at least partially chosen in regards to their personality. But in the midst of her frustration at finding nothing that felt right, Twilight had for some reason thought about the tale Hearth's Warming is built around, and it immediately reminded her of the set of armor she had seen while ruffling through all the different types of armor available. And it was the only one not made from metal, or some other type of materials pulled from the earth.

Pure ice adorned Twilight all over, glistening light blue in the light of the tent. It was a shock to all of them that this ice never melted, and was so durable that only a process known to a very select few knew how to shape it to make this armor. Twilight wondered if maybe some type of parallel version of windigo was behind the creation of Stalhrim.

Even Spike had the privilege to pick new armor. Of course, with his never ending struggle to win the heart of a certain fashionista, he had gone with the most dashing armor he could find. He was now decked out in smooth, black armor, trimmed with gold.

Maybe with full Ebony, he would finally pull off some heroic deed that would sweep Rarity off her hooves.

"We look awesome," said Rainbow, mimicking more fighting stances as she hovered above.

"I must admit, while I will never have a fondness for violence," said Rarity, admiring herself from all angles. "This armor has a charm of its own that even I can't deny."

"Boy howdy, don't I know it," said Applejack. "And to steal Rainbow's signature word, I gotta say, I find the colors of mine awesome."

"Hey..." Rainbow started, but relented when she took in how Applejack looked in her full Daedric. "Alright, I admit it. You do look awesome, AJ."

Applejack grinned with slight smugness.

"I, for one, am glad they retained the free faces of the Equestrian helms," stated Luna as she approached them. "Several of those helms covered the face entirely, and it would not be prudent to have something obscuring your vision."

"While I wholeheartedly agree, your Majesty," said Rarity with a slight pout, "I must admit, I did find the mask of my armor to be quite attractive."

"Only you, Rarity," said Applejack with an eye roll.

"Though I don't understand why you didn't want a new set yourself, Princess," said Rainbow.

Luna looked to her own midnight blue armor with a slight smirk. "Mine has no need, Rainbow."

Fluttershy looked up with slight concern.

"Are you sure, your Majesty?" She asked. "You said yourself that this armor is vastly superior to anything you had seen before."

"Yes, but my armor is different," explained Luna, "it was forged by alicorn magic. Not even a mountain collapsing on it could damage it."

"How come you didn't bring more of it?" asked Twilight.

"Not enough time," said Luna, "My sister had to have been working on it even before I returned from exile for her to have had it finished in time to embark on this quest."

They admired the armor for a little while longer before finally bedding down for the night, having no more interruptions. However, Twilight lay awake for a few more minutes as one by one the sounds of her sleeping company filled the tent. She was still contemplating the fact that she was on Nirn, during the Third Era, in Morrowind.

A part of her felt guilty about this, after all, this had all been set into motion the moment she stumbled upon that Black Book beneath Canterlot.

But she had decided to not dwell on it too hard. What's done is done, and no amount of sulking or self pity would change it. But, it was intrigue that truly kept her up.

This was the Third Era...

The time when mortals obtained the power of the gods. Twilight had read up on several matters of magic, from both Equestria and Mundus, and even though the feats of beings like the Daedra were horrifying and disturbing, it could not be said that they were not incredible. And this was the one point in the History of Nirn that magical limitations were pushed to the ultimate brink.

'Vivec, Dagoth Ur, The Tools of Kagrenac. I have read so much about them, but here and now, they actually exist,' thought Twilight. 'What it would be like to study them.'

Of course, Twilight was only fantasizing. She was intrigued by such powerful magic, but she knew the calamity and suffering such things had already caused. Still, she could not help but be intrigued.

"Twilight?" She felt a gentle caressing on her shoulder and turned to barely make out Fluttershy's unique mane style in the pitch darkness of their tent.

She yawned a little, but wasn't irritated in any way. How could anypony be annoyed at such a gentle, loving soul. Especially if you were kind of expecting this reaction from her, given the current circumstances.

"What's wrong, Fluttershy?" Twilight whispered into the dark.

Fluttershy fidgeted a little. "I... I hope I didn't wake you..."

"I was still awake anyway," said Twilight. "Is something wrong?"

"Oh, well... its just..." Twilight heard scraping in the dark and knew Fluttershy was rubbing her foreleg nervously.

Twilight put on a gentle smile, illuminating her horn just enough to shroud herself with enough purple light to reveal her lifting the hem of her sleeping bag, patting the floor next to her welcomingly. Fluttershy shed a single tear of relief as she gently slipped in next to Twilight, the light fading as she was pulled towards a warm chest. It only took a second for Twilight's breathing to lull her to sleep.

Twilight herself stayed awake for just a few minutes longer, feeling the gentle rhythm of Fluttershy's heart.

Her last thought before giving into the embrace of slumber was how relieved she was that Fluttershy had decided to come join her before she herself was asleep...it wasn't entirely unexpected that she would show up eventually.

---

Being the early bird she was, Applejack was the first to stir awake, even long before the sun had even risen outside.

Her grandmother had always told her the 'the early bird gets the worm', and so far she caught every worm she had worm she had been charged to get. With a slight yawn, she rose from her sleeping bag and stretched out the kinks, surveying her dark surroundings.

Normally, on the farm, she would grab a lantern to help her see and start her chores, but seeing as the current circumstances had left her in a position that had quite removed her from what was normal, that wasn't really an option. For starters, her friends still needed their rest, so lighting a lantern wasn't an option, it would surely disturb them. But be that as it may, she did have a 'certain' self appointed chore she wanted to start and with her new abilities a lantern was no longer necessary.

With a flourish of her hoof, Applejack cast one of the spells she was able to cast now.

The room around her came into focus, the shadows receding from her vision as Nighteye made seeing in the dark much simpler. A touched smile spread across her muzzle as she saw the purple and yellow figures bundled in Twilight's sleeping bag. She herself, wasn't the least bit surprised that Fluttershy wanted somepony to cling to during this time, it would be scary for even the most tough of ponies.

Even she felt uneasy.

Scooping her hat up and plopping it over her blonde mane, Applejack made her way over to Princess Luna's infinite dimension pouch and began rummaging around inside, scooping out different foods for their breakfast. It had always been her duty on the farm to make breakfast, and since she was up, she might as well carry that responsibility here. She made sure to bring out a few of Pinkie's selection just to appease the party pony when she woke, but made sure most of it was food that would maintain health and energies.

You don't fool around with breakfast, after all.

A bitter scowl crossed Applejack's muzzle as she pulled out a jug of her family's apple cider.

'I wish I had some of that sujamma,' she mused to herself, 'I hate to admit it, but the stuff has sure can give a pony a kick. It's just the thing we need to give us an energy rush in the morning.'

She looked up as Rainbow floated by on her cloud, snoring like a dragon as she passed. She definitely needed something to jumpstart that power napper in the morning. Unfortunately, there had been no time to get more sujamma from Apocrypha before they left, and with the incognito nature of their mission, it was unlikely that they could just walk into a store and buy some.

*CLINK*

With a slight jingle, one of the bags of bits the princess was using to haggle with the Mudcrab Merchant tumbled out. Applejack looked to see if anyone had been disturbed by the noise, and was relieved to see none were. She picked up the bag of bits to return it back to were it belonged, but suddenly had a thought as she looked to the entrance of the tent.

That mudcrab claimed to sell all types of wares.

---

Morning sunlight filtered in through the entrance flap of the tent and Princess Luna was the first to rise, also waking the others with a flash of magic.

"Good, you're all up," they turned to see Applejack laying out food for them across the room, pouring cider into cups as well. "We had best eat something, we will need our strength."

They all agreed, sitting in a circle and started to casually fill their stomachs.

Twilight noticed the uneasy looks Princess Luna kept throwing out the tent flap as she munched on some toast, "Is something the matter, Princess?"

Luna turned to Twilight with a reassuring smile. "Nothing to worry about, just old habits. Usually, I would be turning in at this time, after guarding the dream realm for the night."

"Oh, we understand, your Majesty," said Rarity, wiping her mouth with a handkerchief as she enjoyed some eggs. "It isn't pleasant to have to change one's routine."

"I almost lowered the moon this morning out of habit."

Twilight blinked and threw Luna a worried look. "I would advise against that, Princess. Remember, Nirn has its own guardian of day and night, Azura, and if one were to try manipulating the heavenly bodies of this world, she would surely notice."

"But I thought these things would protect us from being noticed by the big Daedra meanies," said Pinkie, snapping the dark gray band on her wrist.

"It's best not to try our luck, especially here in Morrowind." She turned to Princess Luna. "Princess, it would be best if you try to suppress your habit of controlling the moon, it is more than likely Azura would notice us."

"Have no fear, young Twilight," said Luna, "I fully intend to reel in my instinct, the moon of this world is not mine to manipulate, after all."

"Especially considering the moons here are technically the semi-dead bodies of the powerful beings that created this world," said Pinkie with a grin.

They all gave her a look.

"Still," said Luna as she brought her attention to Twilight, "what you said has troubled me, young Twilight. Why is it more likely I would draw this 'Azura's' attention here in Morrowind?"

"Because she, along with Boethiah and Mephala, are worshipped above all others here in Morrowind," explained Twilight. "She has more influence here than anywhere else on Nirn."

Luna grew a look of concern, "Twilight, I think it might be best if you tell me more about Azura, since it is her that will take notice of us if I use my control of the moon for whatever reason. You gave me and my sister a brief description of the Daedra, but I feel it is important to know more about Azura."

They all gave her their undivided attention.

"Well," began Twilight, tapping her chin. "Azura is the Daedric Prince of Dusk and Dawn, but she is far more than that. Her Sphere of Influence is over change, any change... though she uses the transition from dusk to dawn as the primary example of her power."

"You once told us she has a reputation as being one of the more benevolent Daedra," said Rarity. "Would it really be such a problem if it was her that found us out?"

"Azura is still a Daedric Prince, Rarity," said Twilight. "She may not have such a sinister reputation as the others, but her people have incurred her wrath in the past, remember what happened when the Tribunal obtained godhood."

"But we aren't here to steal her thunder," said Rainbow.

"Perhaps not," said Twilight, looking back to Princess Luna. "But the fact is, Princess, your very presence might be seen as blasphemous to her. You have powers no one else in our world possesses, and that only one here in Nirn possesses. It's also entirely possible she would see you as a challenge to her rule."

"She would be so petty?" inquired Luna. "She with the reputation as being the more benign of these Daedra!"

"Like I said, she is still a Daedric Prince," replied Twilight. "It's not the fact that they are good or evil, they simply don't have the same sense of morality that we do. Their idea of right and wrong is just not the same as ours."

Pinkie shivered. "If ma and pa caught me doing the kinds of things these Daedra get up to, I would never leave the timeout corner."

They all gave her a confused look.

"Hey Twilight," said Spike, "has anyone ever questioned the power of the Daedra?"

Luna looked up at that, "That is actually a good question. I find it doubtful that every single person in history would blindly follow such petty beings, no matter the power they possess."

Twilight smiled. "It's funny you should ask, there is an old story I came across that tells of a time when someone actually decided to test the powers of the Daedra, and ironically, it was Azura who they tested."

They all paused in eating so as to give her their undivided attention. "The story is that long ago, a Dwemer scholar decided to test the limits of the upper levels of magic, so he gathered his students to witness as he and an old friend of his, who was a high ranking Chimer priest, summoned Azura and asked her to prove that she was all knowing. Willing to prove her divine power, Azura agreed to his challenge, and the old dwarf placed an unassuming box at her feet and asked her to tell him what was inside. Outraged at such a trivial test of her powers, Azura begrudgingly told him that the box held a single red speckled flower."

"That's it?" asked Rainbow, with a tilt of her head.

"They summon an all powerful deity, and ask her to simply tell them what's in a box?" inquired Applejack.

"Seems an awful waste of time," said Pinkie. "She wouldn't even have to use her power to know what was in the box if she could smell the flower."

Luna grew a worried look. "I get the feeling that guessing what was in the box wasn't the actual test of Azura's might."

"You would be correct," continued Twilight. "For when the Dwemer opened the box, it was empty."

They all gasped.

"So she did guess wrong," said Fluttershy.

"Ha, some all powerful deity," commented Rainbow smugly.

"I bet she didn't like that," said Rarity.

"You would be right Rarity," said Twilight, continuing. "When the dwarf looked up, Azura had vanished, and it was then that he laughed giddily, because his theory had been proven true. Though the gods had unrivalled magical power, they were not all knowing, they could be fooled.

"But not all were overcome with joy about this breakthrough, the Chimer priest who had participated had fallen to his knees, absolute horror and fear coursing through his soul. Only he had seen Azura before she departed and her expression had turned his knees to water, for he had just slighted one of the Deadra lords his people worshiped above all, and the look on her face haunted him for the rest of his life. But as he lay kneeling the dwarf's students carted their still laughing teacher to his chamber; and as they did, a single red flower petal fell from his robes."

Hooves flew to muzzles.

"He... he pocketed the flower," said Rainbow in a quiet tone.

"When he removed the lid," finished Applejack.

"I figured as much," said Luna. "The true test wasn't whether Azura could divine what was in the box, but whether or not a mortal was capable of fooling her."

"But... isn't that dangerous?" Asked Fluttershy.

"Yeah, these guys don't sound like the kind of people who can take a joke," said Pinkie, then remembered Sheogorath. "At least not when it's directed at them."

"Yes, Pinkie," said Twilight. "It was not long after that that the events leading to the Dwemer's demise took place."

"I thought they winked themselves out of existence?" Inquired Spike.

"Yes, but think about it, Spike," explained Twilight, "after thousands of years of shining brilliance, the most accomplished people in all of Nirn suddenly decide to dabble in things never meant to be dabbled in, after slighting a Daedra."

"Twilight raises a good point," said Rarity, "It wouldn't be the only time she punished a whole species for the actions of a few."

"You speak of how she robbed the people who share the same race as the Tribunal of their beauty?" asked Princess Luna.

"Yes, Princess," said Twilight, "and imagine what could happen if something from Equestria drew her wrath?"

Yes, if what Twilight said was true, it was more than possible for Luna's existence alone to draw her ire. Luna had raised the moon in Equestria for a long time, so it was going to be a hard habit to break, but if she slipped up once and sent her alicorn magic to raise the moon of Nirn it could spell disaster for them all. She had no doubt she could do this though, she had volunteered to accompany them.

They finished breakfast in relative silence, though they got a surprise when their cider suddenly gave them an almost uncontrollable energy rush, while Applejack just smiled smugly.

---

They exited the tent just as the invisibility spell wore off, and they collapsed the thing as quickly as possible, stowing it back in Luna's unique pouch. The island they were on looked even smaller in the day, but the surrounding land had a more appealing quality than the previous night, now that all was clear in the morning light. It was almost too similar to a morning in Equestria...

...Until Rainbow pointed out something a few kilometers away from them.

"Hey, check it out," said Rainbow, the others following her hoof to the decrepit metal towers, some billowing steam. "Is that what I think it is, Twilight?"

"Yep, it's a Dwemer ruin," replied Twilight, "according to the map, it's called Mzahnch."

"mmmmmmffff."

Fluttershy hid behind Twilight and trembled. Twilight knew the last time she had experienced a Dwemer ruin was less than enjoyable, so couldn't fault her for her unease. But all she could do was pat her reassuringly.

"It's so... repulsive," said Rarity as she took in the rusted towers of distinct sizes and shapes.

"Its caretakers have been gone a while, Rarity," said Twilight.

"All the better chances for there to be treasure," said Rainbow, taking flight and dashing in the direction of the ruins.

"RAINBOW!" shouted Twilight, dragging the pegasus back by her tail in her magic.

"Oh, come on, egghead," she said with a pout.

"We are here for a reason," Twilight scolded. "And it isn't to plunder ancient ruins."

"Besides, young Rainbow, we mustn't meddle," said Luna, "need I remind you we are in the deep past?"

Rainbow scowled a little, but ultimately relented. "Can I at least explore those towers from the outside? We're headed that way anyway."

Twilight rolled her eyes. "Fine, but try to stay where we can see you. It's best we not get separated."

Rainbow saluted and flew up to zip around the towers of Mzahnch, weaving through them, landing on the roofs, or flying into the steam streams to be carried up before flying out of them. Twilight shook her head with an amused smile at Rainbow's childish indulgence before turning to the rest of the group. They were all looking at the mainland a short distance away, Rarity scrunching her muzzle in disgust at all the water that still stood between them.

"Ugh... we have to cross this?" She moaned.

"Hey, it's only a bit of Inner sea water," said Pinkie, diving off the small island and doing backstrokes in a circle. "A little swim never hurt anypony."

"While that may be true, Pinkie, there is no reason for us to get wet," said Twilight, her horn shooting out a shower of blue sparks that then cascaded over her body. She herself leaped off the island, but unlike Pinkie, she stood on the shifting surface as if it were solid ground.

"Amazing!" said Princess Luna, taking flight and examining Twilight as she stood upon the water.

"Oh, I really need to get better at this," said Rarity, her horn casting the same spell.

The others followed, casting a walk on water spell and beginning the trek to shore, though Pinkie only decided to do so because walking on water looked fun.

"GUYS!!!"

The sudden shout from above found them all looking up in time to lock eyes with Rainbow Dash as she zoomed in from above. Her expression was uncharacteristically shaken, her face as white as a sheet. It immediately brought worry to all of them.

"Rainbow, darling, what is the matter?" asked Rarity nervously, knowing Rainbow wasn't easily frightened, let alone to this degree.

"COME QUICK!!!" She sped off back in the direction of the Dwemer ruins, the others trailing after, skirting around it to the opposite side.

When they rounded the bend, they all stopped in their tracks, white invading their complexion as well.

Limp bipedal figures lay strewn about all over, at least a dozen in number, floating in the water, or lying limp on one of the nearby tiny islands. The ones on land leaked little crimson streams that flowed from deep lacerations that adorned their bodies, flowing into the sea to mingle with the crimson halos that surrounded the bodies floating in the water. They were all scaly from head to toe, their reptilian complexion still and lifeless.

Fluttershy burst into tears at such horror, the others surrounding her protectively, but looking no less disturbed than her to see such carnage. Luna flapped her wings slowly as she took in the scene, though she was handling it better due to her extensive experience with warfare. But Spike had to look away, joining the pony huddle as he trembled from his spines to his tail; never in his young life had he borne witness to such a massacre.

Eventually, they all composed themselves enough to dare getting closer, deciding it would be best to try and figure out what happened, despite every inch of them telling them to flee from here as quickly as possible.

"What... what in Equestria is this?" whimpered Rarity. "These... these poor things... what... what happened?"

Twilight, having spent so long in the company of so many of Hermaeus Mora's servants, and often practicing her destruction on them, was the first to recover from the mortifying scene enough to begin deductions. She recognized these people as Argonian, she knew that for sure, and something on one of the nearby islands drew her attention. Trending on the surface of the water, she made her way over.

"Girls, over here!"

Following her lead, the others arrived beside Twilight, and found she had discovered a corpse that wasn't like the others. It had smooth hide, rather then scaly like the others, dark gray skin and black hair made up its face. Unlike the others, it didn't appear to have died from stab wounds. Its skull had been caved in in multiple places, its dark red eyes sitting limply in their cracked sockets.

But the most notable difference between the Argonians and this Dunmer was the extravagant clothing it wore, while the others were completely bare.

"I..." Twilight couldn't suppress a shiver before she continued, "I think we've stumbled across where some Dunmer caught up with runaway slaves."

They all gasped.

"Are you sure, Twilight Sparkle?" asked Princess Luna.

Twilight forced down some bile as she began rummaging through the Dunmer corpse's pockets with her magic, a key suddenly lifting from the hem of its extravagant tunic. She walked over to a nearby Argonian, fitting the key into a glittering silver gauntlet on its right hand, fitting it into a keyhole built into the metal. With a subtle clink, the gauntlet snapped off, and Twilight presented it to the others.

"This is a slave bracer," she explained sadly, "Morrowind slave markets used these to hinder an Argonians strength during the Third Era. They have an enchantment on them that weakens the wearer."

They all looked at the hovering bracer with revulsion.

"How barbaric," commented Rarity.

"These Argonians must have fled their captors," hypothesized Twilight, "only to be intercepted, and rather than be taken, they chose to fight, even though they were outnumbered and had no weapons." She looked down at the Argonian and noticed the rock it had in its hand, then to the bludgeon wounds on the Dunmer. "And from the looks of things, this Argonian managed to take down the Dunmer slaver in charge, before being struck down."

"How horrible," whimpered Fluttershy, her kind soul howling in agony at seeing such suffering. "To think they would rather die this way... then go back to a life of captivity."

Spike had completely lost his composure at this point. He ran from the rest of them over to the nearest land, falling to his knees and clutching his head, shaking as tears flowed from his eyes. Never in his young life had he seen such an atrocity... or so much blood.

He had never known such evil existed.

All coherent thought left him as fear invaded every corner of his mind...

"Spike." Hooves enveloped the baby dragon and pulled him to a purple chest. "Spike... I never wanted you to see something like this. Listen... We aren't far from the portal. If you would rather go back..."

It was tempting, Spike had never wanted to go home so badly in his life. But then he recalled Twilight wrapped in changeling goo, willingly dousing herself in his dragonfire to get free. He never wanted to see that again.

Shaking his head vigorously, he gently pushed off Twilight and stood up straight, "I don't need to go home. I can take it."

Twilight looked at him worriedly. "Are you certain, Spike? If you need to..."

"You brought me along because you need help," said Spike, "I have just as much firepower as you and the girls do, thanks to my time in Apocrypha. It's right for me to be here with you."

Twilight smiled with pride and gratitude she hugged her number one assistant.

And when they separated, Spike noticed something out of the corner of his eye, and turned to look.

"Hey Twilight, check this out," he said, pointing to the ground.

Twilight followed his claw and saw footprints in the mud... leading up to the round double doors of Mzahnch.

"Those footprints match these poor people's feet," said Fluttershy as she suddenly appeared.

"Then... one of these Argonian guys must have escaped into the ruins," said Rainbow.

"And I don't see any other footprints," stated Applejack. "I don't think anyone else, friend or foe, went in there."

"Yeah, no one else went inside the big scary place," said Pinkie.

Twilight suddenly leaped in front of them with a desperate look. "Girls, I know what you're thinking... but there is nothing we can do."

They all collectively gasped.

"Twilight, what are you saying?" Asked a distraught Rarity.

Twilight hated the looks they were giving her, but she knew it would come to this eventually. Even if they did agree with her at the start, it was entirely different when in a situation like this.

"Girls, remember what we talked about last night," she said. "If we alter something here, it could have dire consequences, for both Nirn and Equestria."

They all exchanged looks.

"Twilight, you can't be serious," said Applejack almost hysterically, gesturing behind her at the senseless bloodshed. "After what you see before you, you wanna just look away?"

"How can you not want to help what could be the only survivor of a party of slaves that escaped the chains of their cruel masters?" asked Fluttershy, tears leaking from her eyes.

"Please don't say that, Fluttershy," said Twilight desperately, reaching out to her, but had her hoof shrugged off. "Of course I want to help, but what about the risk? What if this action changes things?"

"Uh, I don't have your crazy book smarts,Twi" said Rainbow, "but... from what I see here... only one of these unfortunate guys is left. You told us before that hundreds of Argonians were forced into slavery here in Morrowind, and every day hundreds escaped or were smuggled out. How is us helping 'one' to freedom that big of a deal?"

"Don't underestimate time, Rainbow," said Twilight. "One small alteration in the past could snowball into a giant cascade of disaster." She looked over her shoulder at Mzahnch nervously. "And even if it were otherwise, you all know what dwells within a Dwemer ruin. Even if they did make it inside, it's unlikely they are still alive."

Fluttershy shivered again, but suddenly grew a look of resolve and approached Twilight. "Twilight, I know it's not likely... but there is a chance that whoever went in there is still alive."

"Even if the place is full of bad robots," said Pinkie.

Twilight went to argue, but Rarity cut her off, "Darling, we understand your reason, we know that there is a risk we could alter history... and we have agreed." Her lips trembled as she looked to the massacre behind them, "but... is this the cost?"

Twilight stopped in her tracks."Wha... what cost?"

"I think I know what Rare is trying to say," said Applejack, "who knows how long we could be here to retrieve this potion to cure Fleur's disease... and... if in all that time, we ignore every person who is in trouble that we can help with, how long until we become numb to it? If we try so hard to preserve the future by ignoring every little life in need... what would happen if we become so used to it, we just ignore whatever problems arise in the future? Our future?"

"And it's not just that, Twilight," said Rarity, taking the Infinite Dimension Pouch from Princess Luna and pulling out the Elements of Harmony. "What about these? How can I be the Element of Generosity if I just ignore every person in need I come across? Past, present, other world, or otherwise?"

"Rare bear is right," said Pinkie, "how can I be the Element of Laughter if I ignore everyone who needs a laugh? Whoever is in there is definitely not happy now."

"How can I be the Element of Honesty, if I just believe anything that might not be true?" said Applejack. "It's not definitively true that aiding whoever is in there would result in... what do you call it... time paradox?"

"How can I be the Element of Kindness if I do something as cruel as turning my back on a poor creature in need?" whimpered Fluttershy.

"And how can I be the Element of Loyalty if I leave someone hanging for such a lame excuse like a time paradox?" said Rainbow.

There was nothing lame about paradoxes.

But Twilight wasn't focused on that. In all her planning, she never once considered not turning a blind eye to everything but the mission to collect this potion. She had tried so hard to remain herself under Hermaeus Mora's teaching, and she had pressed the same into her friends, but what if just ignoring situations like this did change them?

Despite all that had happened, they were still the protectors of their kingdom, and what her friends had said struck a chord. How could they exemplify their elements if they changed too much to represent them?

Just like how Discord had wanted long ago.

She caught her reflection in the Element of Magic. Would they still remain themselves if they continued to ignore innocent people in distress? Her heart told her unequivocally no.

Slowly, her resolve to remain adamant here was dwindling.

But it was not just what her friends had said. No, her resolve to not meddle had begun dwindling the moment she decided to try and keep Equestria and Nirn separate had lessened the moment she even contemplated the notion, and to this day, she knew not why. But she needed to make a decision.

She saw Princess Luna off to the side in the reflection of her Element.

"Luna?" inquired Twilight, deciding to ask the one pony who had not yet added her piece. "What should we do?"

The Princess had obviously been expecting to be addressed. "I agree on all fronts, but I believe this is an opportunity we can't pass up." She lifted a hoof to show her wrist band. "This would be a perfect chance to test these."

They all looked at their wrist bands.

"Our magic glowing things that hide us from the big bad meanies?" asked Pinkie.

"What do you mean test them?" asked Applejack.

"From what I understand, there is only one survivor of this atrocity," said Luna. "It would be the perfect time to test if they truly hide our identity from the people of this realm, for if by any chance they don't, it's doubtful that a runaway slave would tell anyone about us."

"But they worked when we used them back in Equestria," said Twilight.

"Young Twilight, you above anyone should understand the necessity to test unknown magic," said Luna. "The Cowl of Nocturnal has never been used to guard 'pony' identities, and therefore may very well not hide us if we come across people who dwell in this realm."

Twilight knew she was right, never assume magic has no limit, no matter how powerful. Yes, this was an ideal time to see if they could indeed be hidden if they encounter someone here. As well as help someone in need.

But there was one thing she felt was best.

"If we are to do this I have one condition," she said, "not all of us should go in."

"WHAT?!"

"Why not?" said Rainbow.

"Twi, it could be dangerous in there," said Applejack worriedly.

"Princess Luna brings up a valid point," explained Twilight. "If it turns out that we are indeed not hidden from people who live here, it would be best they not know how many we are in number. Then we will retain some form of advantage."

"Twilight is right," said Luna, "it's best we not risk exposing our strength of numbers."

They all seemed to admit she had a point.

"Alright, so who gets to go with you?" asked Rainbow.

"I believe you, Applejack and Princess Luna will suffice," replied Twilight.

Rainbow and Applejack smirked at each other while Rarity, Pinkie, Fluttershy, and Spike actually looked relieved, having been staring at the foreboding structure with unease.

"And I know what we should do while they are in there," said Fluttershy, looking back behind her then giving the three who would be staying outside with her a guilty look. "I'm sorry to have to ask... but... they deserve a proper place to rest."

Rarity looked behind her and her eyes welled with pity. "We understand, it's the least we can do for them."

"Fluttershy," Twilight levitated the slave bracer key to them. "Remove the shackles while you're laying them to rest. I think they would have wanted that."

With a nod of understanding, Fluttershy and her group made their way back towards the tragic bodies of the Argonians, while Twilight's group approached the doors to Mzahnch.

"Why do you wish me to accompany you, young Twilight?" asked Princess Luna.

"If they have survived the ruins, they will most likely be terrified out of their mind," explained Twilight as they were pulling their armor out of Luna's bag. "You help soothe the nightmares of people, so I figured you would be best suited to calm them if they are too scared to be reasonable."

Luna had to credit Twilight for her quick thinking.

When they all had dressed in their armor Twilight gripped the doors of Mzahnch in her magic and they opened with a groaning screech, rusted metal stairs sinking into darkness only to reveal a dim yellowish light below.

18 To carry you home

"Wha... what is this?" inquired Princess Luna as the door closed behind her and her three compatriots. She had noticed it the night before, and had chalked it up to her mind playing tricks on her, but here in this dark stairwell, there was no denying the nimbus of sparkling purple light that surrounded all members of this little rescue operation.

"What is it, your Majesty?" asked Applejack worriedly.

Luna explained the bizarre cloud of light surrounding all of them and asked if any of them knew what it was about; which, of course, invited Twilight to step forward with a simple explanation.

"No need to worry, Princess," she said, lifting her fetlock and sliding down her Stalhrim greaves to reveal her grey band, "it's only the Grey Cowl of Nocturnal's detect life enchantment."

Luna looked to her own band wrapped around her fetlock. "It has two enchantments?"

"Four actually, if you count its ability to hide its wearer's identity," explained Twilight. "The detect life enchantment that allows you to see the life energy for a set distance, the ability to sneak more efficiently, and an increase in what you can carry." She looked herself over. "I'm enjoying that one the most. It makes it simple for a non-athletic pony like me to wear such heavy armor."

Luna continued to look at her fetlock, marveled and baffled at the same time. "Such a peculiar selection of magical fortifications."

"Well, it was made by this world's queen of thieves," stated Rainbow. "All of that would come in handy when pulling off a robbery."

They descended the rusted metal stairs and discovered the source of light from before was a luminescent device that was affixed to a metal wall that branched in two directions. Luna stepped forward to examine the glass cylinder with the bright ring of light at its core.

"Oh my..." she said, running a hoof along the glass." I... I have barley become accustomed to the flameless lanterns that ponies developed during my exile... and yet these...!" Not only was the light even more sophisticated then the magic lights ponies put in their homes, but with how old this one looked, and was still functional. And not just that, the entire interior of the building echoed with the grinding of cogs and the clunking of pipes.

Machinery still performing its task.

"You told me about the people who built places like this, young Twilight," said Luna in awe. "But... I never imagined such... sophisticated machinery for such an ancient dwelling."

"Yeah," said Rainbow, crossing her hooves as she hovered in mid air. "And in less than a second they all were gone."

"Got a little to big for their britches," said Applejack as she looked up and down the rune inscribed walls with a slight glare.

They went right then made another left, a grill built into the floor revealing a red glow beneath them. The hall ended in a room with pipes stretching across the ceiling, ending in a dead end with metal kegs strewn about.

"I don't see anybody," said Rainbow as she peered down a drop in the middle of the room surrounded by four thick pillars. "I think I see a door down there."

"The left turn back there led to stairs that head down," said Applejack as she too peeked into the room below. "It must eventually lead down there."

"Well, come on," said Rainbow, beginning to descend down on her wings.

"Uh, Rainbow," started Twilight, "I think it would be best if we took the 'scenic' route," she pointed back down the hall behind them.

"Why?" Rainbow responded with slight irritation. "It won't be a problem for us to just hop down here. Me and the princess have wings, and you can teleport yourself and Applejack down here."

"Rainbow," said Twilight with sight irrigation of her own. "We don't know where in here the Argonian even is. We need to search everywhere."

Before anything else could be said, a new noise joined the dull background noises of the ancient machinery. Turning on a dime and with Rainbow fluttering away from the drop to join them, they all noticed a slight shifting in a corner of the room that was obscured by shadow. The noise sounded again, a combination of scraping and squeaking.

"I think I know what it is," said Rainbow as she lifted her forelegs. "Everypony get ready for a fight."

Applejack and Twilight followed her lead, but Luna looked on in confusion, "I don't understand. You all said the people who built this place disappeared long..."

A huge round object rolled out from the corner of the room, the top popping off like a lid as something rose from within. The metallic figure held the rounded top of its casing like a shield in its left hand, the right blooming like a flower and producing a brass double edged blade. Its torso was narrow and mechanical looking, and a cone shaped head stared at them with a singular left eye resembling a blue jewel.

It rolled forward and lunged at the intruders of its ancient domicile, brandishing its sword hand in a horizontal swipe.

With a cry of surprise, the pony group scattered, Rainbow taking to the air, Applejack jumping to the left, and Twilight teleporting herself and the stunned Luna back just in time to avoid the blade.

"TWILIGHT! What is that thing!?" gasped Luna.

"A Dwemer Sphere..." There was no time to explain more, for at that moment the mobile contraption decided to pursue them, rolling towards them at surprisingly fast speeds.

A ball of fire impacted it from the left and a bolt of lightning struck down from above, staggering the machine.

"Leave them alone, partner," said Applejack, charging another fireball.

"Or you'll have to deal with us," threatened Rainbow from above, electricity dancing on her forehooves.

Twilight smiled at her friends gratefully but then she saw something from her vantage point. "APPLEJACK, RAINBOW, BEHIND YOU!"

Applejack twirled around just in time to see a glistening blade descending towards her, lifting her armored fetlocks up in an X formation to block the attack with a resounding metal clang. Her spell petered out as her concentration was broken, dodging another swipe as a second Dwemer Sphere rolled down upon her, attacking with its sword arm. Reverting back to her earth pony origins, Applejack turned around and bucked the homicidal machine hard in its spherical base, sending it rolling back a little, but it soon recovered, bearing down on her again.

Rainbow had a moment of doubt for a second after Twilight's warning. She had faced Dwemer Spheres before in Apocrypha, so she knew she was well beyond the range of their close quarter style of attack. But at the last second, she decided to heed the warning, and it was lucky she did, for she turned her head just in time to miss the fireball spell that had been aimed at her.

Rainbow could only stare in confusion and slight horror.

Floating before her was a transparent, bipedal figure, sporting a beard and mustache, and garbed in extravagant robes. It hissed a ghostly screech and raised its arms, a sparkling orange ball orbiting its body before flying at Rainbow as it thrust its arms forward. Rainbow dipped and thrust her hoof out, striking the figure with a lighting spell, but hadn't the time to charge a powerful one, so it only staggered the hovering abomination for a second before it launched another ball at Rainbow, which she nimbly yet narrowly dodged.

"Twilight!" shouted Luna as she took a defensive stance before the mobile metal construct looming before them, "leave this one to me. Go assist your friends."

"No, princess!" rebutted Twilight. "I can only assist one at a time, they are going to need both our aid."

"We have to get past this one first..."

'FUS RO DAH'

Princess Luna could only watch as the monstrosity before them was swept up in a luminous gust of blue wind, sending it toppling over the drop in the center of the room and striking something below that resulted in a thick sounding splash.

"You help Rainbow, I got AJ," said, Twilight, luminescent mist dripping from her mouth.

Luna knew this was no time to be stiff with awe, spreading her Alicorn wings and taking to the air.

Twilight teleported behind the Dwemer Sphere assaulting Applejack, an ugly scowl on her muzzle. Forming a plan in her mind, she brought forth her telekinesis, seizing the six foot machine and holding it still. Her skin crawled; the feeling of her magic against the enchantment that animated this metal monster the equivalent of walking into a swimming pool filled with live worms.

"APPLEJACK!" she shouted, fighting to keep her voice even as her stomach hopped around within her with disgust. "Do something quick, I can't hold it for long!"

Applejack only needed a moment to come up with a plan.

'MUL QAH DIIV'

She may have all the same powers Twilight obtained from Hermaeus Mora now, but Applejack will always be an earth pony to the core. She will always be better, and feel more comfortable doing things by hoof. Even combat.

As the ethereal Dragon Aspect draped over her like a second armor, Applejack pounced on the Dwemer Sphere like a lion on a gazelle, her bolstered strength carrying them over Twilight's head in a blur of blue and orange. Twilight cancelled her telekinesis just in time to duck, watching as AJ and the Dwemer Sphere rolled down the hall into the dim red light. The sound of rending metal echoed in Twilight's ears as she watched, the glow from AJ's Dragon Aspect allowing her to see Applejack dodge a sword thrust, only to grip it in her teeth and yank it clean off, then twist her neck and thrust it into the mechanical chest of its owner.

A blue beam struck the Dwarven Specter in the back as it loomed before Rainbow Dash, sending its most recent attack into a set of pipes that began to jet steam as the wayward spell ruptured them. The apparition turned to its new opponent, more spells orbiting its body. While it was focusing on Princess Luna, Rainbow began rolling her hooves together, charging one of her more powerful lightning spells.

"Try and keep it still, Princess," she said, adrenaline pumping through her body in the excitement of combat. "If I can land this one he'll be finished."

Luna nodded and lit her magic to seize her opponent in telekinesis, but to her horror, her magic slipped off its body like water on glass, unable to get a solid grip. But she had no time to contemplate, as another spell was aimed at her, and with no time to dive left or right, Luna ceased flapping her wings, the orange ball barely clipping her horn as it sailed over her, and for an instant her will to fight declined. Spreading her wings once more, Luna dove under her ghostly enemy, its feet clipping the small of her back.

Luna felt the pointed toes of its transparent shoes scrape lightly between her wings and a plan formed in her mind in an instant.

This thing couldn't be gripped in her magic, but it was at least partly corporeal. She swooped up behind it and as it turned to face her another spell circled its body in preparation for another attack, just as Luna wanted. As it lifted its arms to direct its spell, Luna teleported behind and grabbed its wrists in her hooves, holding them over its head with her enhanced strength granted to her due to her kinship with the earth ponies, and sending its spell into the ceiling.

"RAINBOW!" she shouted as the spirit hissed and thrashed, its ice cold flesh making Luna shiver. "DO IT, DO IT NOW."

"But Princess," said Rainbow worriedly, a ball of undulating electricity in her hooves, "I'll hit you!"

"NO TIME TO ARGUE!" rebutted Luna. She momentarily lost her grip on one of the arms, but managed to recapture it.

Knowing Luna couldn't hold it still for much longer, Rainbow grit her teeth and pointed her hooves forward, an undulating stream of lightning racing forward. Rainbow almost closed her eyes in horror as her spell was about to strike one of the benevolent rulers of her kingdom, but Luna suddenly vanished in a flash of blue, a similar flash going off over her shoulder. With her ally out of harm's way, Rainbow's Lightning Storm spell hit home.

The Dwemer Specter howled in a wispy voice as lightning coated it from head to toe. Rainbow felt her magicka draining as she kept her spell up, but her foe was now closing in on them, despite the relentless assault she was striking it with, so she scowled with determination and redoubled her efforts. The apparition was almost face to face with her and she was sweating nervously, for she could not keep this up much longer. It suddenly turned away from her and fell forward, dissolving into dust and scattering to the floor below, Rainbow's spell halting as her foe disappeared.

Panting, both winged ponies returned to the floor, Twilight and Applejack coming up to check if they were okay.

"Twilight..." said Rainbow, looking at the pile of dust on the floor, her eye's wide. Now that the initial danger was over and she was no longer in combat mode, the image of the creature she just faced was clear in her mind, and she didn't like what she remembered."What... ``what was that?"

Twilight looked to the pile as well, though after spending so much time with Seekers, she wasn't as unnerved. Still, she put a reassuring hoof on Rainbow's shoulder. "I have come across references about them in Hermaeus Mora's library. They are Dwemer Specters, the lingering spirits of the Dwemer that used to call these ancient dwellings home."

Applejack went partly pale. "I thought... ghosts were only an old mare's tale."

"Maybe they are in Equestria, maybe not," said Twilight, "I'm not as closed minded to the possibility as I used to be, but here in Nirn they are definitely real." She stared at the pile some more. "The Dwemer even more so. They were so vain in life that many of them still guard their scientific and magical achievements even after death."

Rainbow shook her head to clear it. "Could... there be more of them?"

"It's more than likely," said Twilight truthfully.

Rainbow and Applejack looked at each other nervously. They were tough ponies, no doubt about it, but facing ghosts was a far cry from facing mechanical monstrosities or Timberwolves.

"Hey, don't give in to despair, girls," said Twilight supportively, pointing to the pile of dust. "They may be spirits, but they can be defeated. And as long as we are together, nothing in here should too much of a threat."

Rainbow now realized she did defeat the thing, even if it had been a ghost, so Twilight's words brought her some comfort. As long as she stuck with her friends, they shouldn't run into anything too dangerous. She and Applejack exchanged a calming look then nodded to Twilight.

"Hey?" inquired Applejack as she looked around, "where's the princess?"

Looking around for a second found Princess Luna down the hall, standing before the Dwemer Sphere that Applejack had mutilated with a slight look of horror.

"Princess," said Twilight, her and the other two striding up to join her. "Is something the matter?"

"Young Twilight," said Luna as she turned to the ponies next to her, "what... what is this...?" she pointed to the twitching and sparking machine that lay pitifully before them.

"An invention of those old Dwemer guys," Rainbow said before Twilight could respond with some intellectual response.

"I... I didn't..." Luna gestured to her wristband, "they didn't have a nimbus of light when they attacked us."

"They wouldn't have," said Twilight, also looking down at the wrecked Dwemer machine. "Dwarven Automatons are purely mechanical. There is nothing alive about them."

"But they...moved so independently..." Luna looked around at the many mechanical lights and other machinery. "Just... how vast was this 'Dwemer' people's mechanical knowledge?"

"No one knows, Princess," said Twilight, "all the secrets of the Dwemer vanished along with them, and what answers they did leave behind, their mechanical guardians still protect, even though their Dwemer masters are long gone."

They let Luna absorb all this for a couple of seconds, for she often had trouble adapting to modern Equestria. But still, who knew how many more ghostly or mechanical guardians were about, and they needed to find that poor Argonian before he fell prey to one of the horrors of this place... If he hadn't already.

They backtracked to the split at the entrance and headed down the stairs to the right, their hooves clanking against the metal surface. The stairs split in two different directions at the bottom, so they tried the left first and found a room with an assortment of huge pipes in the center, as well as chairs, tables, a cabinet, and shelves containing huge machine gears. Rainbow wanted to search the chest that sat in the far corner but Twilight pulled her away.

The Argonian wasn't here, plus Twilight warned her that the Dwemer often booby trapped their valuables with either electrical shocks or poison.

They got their next surprise when another Dwemer Spectre blocked their way, but Applejack reacted quickly, turning around and bucking it in the chest with all her might, and with her Dragon Aspect still active, the thing was dust before it landed.

Heading back up and turning right this time found them in the lower room they had seen from above, the Dwemer Sphere Twilight had blasted lying limp in a vat of bubbling green goo that sat in the center of the room. Nothing was here other then the well of foul looking liquid, some kegs and a door that no doubt led deeper into the ruins.They had yet to see signs of any other living beings.

"Still no sign of anybody," said Rainbow as she hovered about the room.

"Then they must be beyond that door," concluded Twilight, Luna nodding in agreement.

"How the hey did they make it past all the monsters?" asked Applejack. "Let alone unarmed..."

AAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!

The scream was loud, but muffled by the thick metal door, and with worry for whoever it was that screamed, the Equestrian rescue party sprinted across the room and descended lower into the ancient place, the metal door screeching shut behind them.

---

They scampered down more stairs and turned left into another hallway lit up by a dim orange glow that lead to a large room full of chairs...

...as a hulking bipedal creature with a pipe billowing steam stuck off center in its back struck the huge spiked mace it had for an arm across the chest of the figure standing before it, sending them careening backwards into an ancient set of shelves that collapsed into a heap of metal scrap with a limp scaly body lying motionless on top.

It resembled the corpses they had seen strewn about outside, so Twilight and knew this could only be the lone Argonian survivor from the tragic party of escaped slaves, and things were not looking good. But before any of them could even react, another metal abomination scurried out of the shadows and blocked their way. Its six metal legs produced sparks as it scampered towards them, a sickly green orb orbiting its body.

Rainbow reacted fast, levitating into the air and delivering a powerful drop kick to the mechanism's dome shaped body hard enough to make it stumble back, its spell misfiring in a puff of smoke.

"Leave this little nuisance to me," she said, landing between her friends and the metallic spider that was struggling to right itself and scraping her hooves. "That guy looks like he is in real trouble."

They nodded in understanding and gratitude and turned to the far end of the room, where the Steam Centurion was bearing down on the motionless Argonian. "Be careful, sugarcube," said Applejack in a worried voice. "There's no telling what that little varmint could have up its metal sleeves."

Rainbow saluted and took to zipping around the Spider Centurion, dodging its green spheres and striking it at random with perfect precision.

"Twilight," said Luna, "teleport yourself and Applejack into the path of that thing and prevent it from getting any closer to its fallen prey." She charged her horn. "I shall strike from behind with all my strength. It is sure to subdue this mechanical abomination."

With no time to argue, Twilight and Applejack disappeared in a flash of lavender, reappearing in the path of the Steam Centurion who stopped to study them for only a second before rearing up its mace hand and swinging forward. Applejack turned around and bucked the incoming metal ball as hard as she could, her Dragon Aspect leaving indents in the ancient metal. But apparently that was its last trick, for as soon as Applejack's hind legs hit the ground again her transparent dragon armor vanished, leaving only her Daedric armor covering her.

"Well shoot," she gasped in distress at her expired Thu'um.

But not a second later a violet bubble formed around her, Twilight, and the fallen Argonian, then everything became bathed in a bright blue light. Luna fired her alicorn magic in a beam of blue light that struck the Steam Centurion in the back and engulfed it head to foot in her power. She strained under the severe amount of magic needed to make a beam this powerful, but was determined to keep this abomination from hurting anyone else, and with Twilight's barrier more than strong enough to handle something like this, she knew now was the time to end it in one fell swoop.

Her magic had felled dragons, surely this metal behemoth would be scrap metal in seconds.

A large spiked mace suddenly emerged from Luna's torrent of magic, striking her on the temple, but the damage was minimal thanks to her alicorn helm. It did send her careening to the side through, her regal body going spreadeagle as she rolled to a stop. When her vision cleared, the hulking monstrous machine warrior was limping towards her, charred and with a ruptured knee that spat sparks, but mostly intact.

"It... it's not possible!" stammered Luna, flabbergasted that this thing had taken such an onslaught of her magic and was still able to move. She realized too late that it would be upon her in mere seconds, and before she knew it, a metal ball with the spikes melted off was sailing towards her.

"PRINCESS!" Rainbow suddenly dashed in between Luna and her assaulter, the Spider Centurion a sputtering mess across the room, and intercepted the ball with her body, her hard Dwemer Armor clanging as it prevented its wearer from coming to harm. She held the arm in place, her wings flapping to generate force against the immense strength trying to push past her to get at her princess.

'IIZ SLEN NUS'

Rainbow let go just in the nick of time as a blue orb of mist exited Applejack's mouth and impacted the Steam Centurion in the back, its metal joints going stiff as ice encased every portion of its body.

'YOL TOOR SHUL'

Luna encased herself and Rainbow Dash in a blue forcefield as a Twilight sent a ball of flame at the frozen Steam Centurion, which exploded in a shower of metal strips that tinkled and clanged as they scattered across the floor.

All was still, with the only noise being the clanking of the Dwemer dwelling's ancient machinery.

Then all attention turned to the limp Argonian lying among the wreckage of the shelf.

"Easy partner," cooed Applejack comfortingly as Twilight gently levitated the limp figure to an open spot on the floor. "We're here to help."

No reply came, and as Twilight gently lay the Argonian to the floor a dribble of blood slid down from its mouth.

"This is bad!" said Twilight frantically, "AJ, Rainbow, hurry!"

The two nodded in response, all three of them surrounding the wounded soul and bathing it in a twinkling gold aura, Applejack and Rainbow projecting it from their hooves while Twilight used her horn.

All Luna could do to assist was produce a pillow from her pouch (possessing no restoration magic of her own), as well as watch over the proceedings. Slowly, the Argonian's wounds closed, the large scrapes on his back from impacting the ancient shelf closing, as well as the slashes on its torso from the spiked mace. Luna had to note that the inhabitants of this realm appeared strange to her, the only creature in her experience sharing even a slight resemblance to the Argonian being young dragons like Spike.

With a slightly stronger breath, two amber eyes opened on the scaly face of the bipedal figure lying among the quartet of ponies, head jerking from side to side as slitted pupils took in the strange creatures surrounding on all sides.

"Easy partner," Applejack repeated, now that consciousness had returned to the one she was addressing. "You're safe now."

A brief glimpse of horror flashed through the Argonian at the tangible voice that sounded from the creature that held stubby hooves over its figure.

"Take it easy, buddy," insisted Rainbow, "we're here to help."

"Sssithisss!"

The voice was masculine and carried heavy pronouncing of S's, resulting in a hissing like accent. The ponies looked at each other as the Argonian spoke, but if it could still speak maybe that was a good sign.

"Hasss...," the Argonian paused to take a few labored breaths. "Hasss Sssithisss...sssent you here for me?"

Rainbow Dash and Applejack looked at each other in confusion.

"Sithis?" inquired Rainbow.

"What in the hay is he going on about?" said Applejack.

"I got this, girls," said Twilight, laying a hoof over the Argonian's slowly rising and falling chest. "No. We haven't been sent by Sithis to return you to the Hist."

The Argonian looked at all of them in confusion, his eyes settling on Princess Luna, and quickly becoming transfixed by her ethereal mane that twinkled like the night sky. "But... never before have I... ssseen such majestic beingsss. How... could you not be emisssariesss... of Lord Sssithiss?"

"Majestic, huh?" snickered Rainbow, "Shame Rarity isn't here."

Twilight ignored the snide comment and merely continued. "We are simply travelers. We were on our way to Morrowind when we came across your slain comrades and began searching for survivors," she smiled calmly. "It would appear we got here just in time."

The Argonian looked to each of them, confused, as if he could not contemplate what he just heard. But his expression softened as he lay back against the pillow. His expression wasn't of relief or gratification... it was of acceptance.

"If it isss true... I thank you kind creaturesss... for coming to my aid..." He was interrupted by a light coughing fit. "However... I fear your valiant effortsss are in vain."

"What are you saying, dude?" asked Rainbow, "we'll have you patched up in no time."

"You got three ponies giving you high quality restoration magic," said Applejack, "you'll be back on your feet in a minute."

"Makesss no difference how powerful of sssorcery you wield...," the Argonian coughed again. "I can hear the Hissst...it callsss my sssoul, telling me it isss time for me to return."

Applejack, Twilight, and Rainbow exchange frantic expressions and moved to redouble their efforts, but suddenly a midnight blue aura suddenly pulled them away from the limp figure on the floor.

"Girls...," said Princess Luna remorsefully, "don't. At this point you would just be wasting your strength."

"What are you talking about, Princess?!" said Rainbow frantically.

"We can't just stop, the poor fella will die!" said Applejack.

"Nothing... can stop that now," said Princess Luna, closing her eyes with sadness.

All three of them gasped in shock.

"What... what do you mean, your Majesty?" asked Twilight with as much respect as she could muster, but her voice carried mostly sadness and worry.

Luna blinked sadly. "Eternal rest will fall upon this soul very soon."

"How can you know that?" asked Applejack, barely containing her voice. "How can you possibly know that?"

"Do not forget, young Applejack," started Luna, spreading her wings majestically, "I am the Princess of Slumber. That includes eternal slumber; I can sense when one's time to rest eternally is nigh." She gazed at the Argonian and her wings dropped, the twinkling violet aura of detect life was dissipating. "And I tell you now, the time for this soul to rest eternally has come."

They all looked on with horrified expressions.

"How can this happen?" said Rainbow, looking at her hooves remorsefully. "We've seen restoration magic perform miracles, how can it not save this guy?"

"Everything has limitations," said Twilight sadly. "His injuries must be too severe even for Restoration to restore."

"Is there nothing we can do, sugarcube?" asked Applejack with moist eyes.

Twilight and Luna could only shake their heads sadly.

Applejack swallowed and walked up to the Argonian and sat near his head.

"We're sorry partner," she hiccuped, placing a hoof on his scaly brow, the violet aura surrounding him dissipating down to a thin mist. "If... if we had only gotten here a mite sooner."

The Argonian held no bitterness or fear on his face, he just stared at Applejack with that same peaceful expression.

"You... tried to sssave me...," he managed, his voice growing steadily weaker. "Faced... dreaded Dwemer abomination for me. Sssuch kindnessss... Jeelus-Shei not know for long time..."

"So your name is Jeelus-Shei," said Applejack, slightly gratified. The Argonians outside would never again get the chance to share their names with a kind soul again, and the fact Jeelus-Shei had shared his name with her brought a slight sense of comfort.

"Yesss...Jeelus-Shei isss I..." He closed his eyes peacefully. "Now Jeelus-Shei go... rejoin Hist."

"I just wish we could do something for you," said Applejack, swallowing another lump in her throat. "You were the sole survivor of your poor comrades."

"That not entirely true..." said Jeelus-Shei, the ponies looking down at him in shock. "Jeelus-Shei... not enter ancient place alone."

"You mean another made it here with you?" Asked Twilight.

"Yesss... Jeelus-Shei... not alone... bring with him... last survivor... of Yet-to-be-named..." With that, Jeelus-Shei fell limp and his head slumped to the side against the pillow, his last breath echoing in the rusted confines of the ancient room. They all could only watch as the aura surrounding him dissipated, leaving his body as lifeless as the ancient furniture across the room.

"Is he...?" Rainbow moaned, her hooves over her mouth.

Applejack nodded, a tear rolling down her eye as she closed Jeelus-Shei's eyes with a hoof.

"But... isn't there anything we can do?" asked Rainbow, her tough girl attitude having vanished.

"He's gone, Rainbow," said Twilight sadly. "It's terrible, but there's nothing we can do."

"Well... what about those Ideal Master guys? They can raise the..." Twilight sealed Rainbows mouth with magic but wasn't angry at her. They were all upset, and ponies can think irrationally when upset.

After a second Rainbow seemed to realize what it was she had suggested and waved Twilight's magic away then hovered over Jeelus-Shei remorsefully. "We're sorry dude."

They spent the next few minutes paying their respects to Jeelus-Shei before heading in search of this other survivor he had spoken of... and the entire search consisted of turning around.

"Sweet Celestia!" said Rainbow with wide eyes.

"It's... it's so tiny," said Applejack, mirroring her airborne friend's expression.

One of the steel kegs in the room twinkled with the light of a living being within, but it didn't even extend to a quarter of the container. Five limbs consisting of legs, arms, and a tail made up the luminous outline seeping through the barrel, crouched in an effort to make itself appear small, but it was unmistakably an Argonian like Jeelus-Shei, only much smaller.

"It's not much bigger than Apple Bloom," said Applejack. "I don't think the little fella is very old."

"I agree," said Twilight, "Jeelus-Shei said Yet-to-be-named, and only really young Argonians are referred to as such."

"So small," said Princess Luna, eyeing the luminescent shadow in the keg. "Who would be so cruel as to remove such a young creature from its home?"

"It's worse than that," said Twilight with great concern. "It's probably not old enough to be away from the Hist yet."

"The what?" asked Applejack and Rainbow Dash, Luna looking on expectantly.

Twilight had to fight not to facehoof. They had spent three years immersed in the knowledge of Nirn, same as her, were they incapable of retaining details that didn't involve boosting their athletic fortitude? Still, at least it was more signs that her friends hadn't been altered by Apocrypha, at least mentally.

"Argonians lay their eggs en masse among Hist trees, a type of tree native to the Argonians' home, Black Marsh," explained Twilight. "After they hatch, the hatchlings lick the sap of these trees for nourishment; just like a baby pony nursing milk from its mother. They do this until they mature, but they can't survive without Hist sap before this time."

A look of concern crossed all their faces.

"Then what are we waiting for?" said Rainbow, taking to the air in the direction of the steel kegs, only to be yanked back to earth by Applejack.

"Uh, girls... how we gonna deal with this?" she asked all of them.

"Whaddaya mean?!" Rainbow said, "we just have to get the little guy out of that barrel..."

"And then what?" countered Applejack. "Twilight says the little fella can't survive without a certain tree sap from its homeland. How do you propose we get it back there? We can't divert from our own quest to such a degree, not without serious risk. The longer we spend in this world, the more chances there are we run into something that could be seriously dangerous, or risk altering some fancy spancy future thingy. This... may be more than we bargained for."

They all looked at Applejack with disbelief and realization.

They had agreed to investigate for the reason of aiding someone in peril, but it hadn't even been considered how they would proceed if it was someone who couldn't fend for itself once they were out of harm's way. And Applejack was right, they couldn't put their own quest on hold to escort someone back to Black Marsh. But one among them had a fast wit, it was kinda a job requirement.

"Then we must force our own quest to coincide with the dilemma of this poor misplaced soul," said Luna.

They all gawked at her.

"How do we do that, your Majesty?" Asked Twilight.

Luna almost grew a smug look, having already formed a cunning plan. "Divayth Fyr! Twilight, you said he is a wealthy, well respected individual, surely he has access to resources that can get this little one home."

Applejack and Rainbow seemed to see the reasoning behind this plan and looked to Twilight expectantly.

Twilight could see the logic herself. In all her studying, it became clear to her that Divayth Fyr was probably the wealthiest, most powerful individual ever to be confined in the 'mortal' category for Nirn. He could easily send the young Argonian via contacts, or even going so far as being able to just teleport magically to Black Marsh.

But Twilight knew something about Divayth Fyr that was far more apparent than his status and power.

"Divayth Fyr could easily have the means to do what you are suggesting, Princess," began Twilight, slightly saddened and sickened by what she knew. "But he is still a Dunmer. It's his people who enslaved the Argonians during this era, and even if he himself was never involved, it's more than likely he would be just apathetic."

"I know," said Luna, still with that slightly mischievous look.

"What do you mean?" inquired Applejack, all three of the non-Alicorns shocked.

"You saying you knew this guy might be unwilling to help us with this baby lizard?" asked Rainbow, looking to the luminous spot of the barrel that had yet to move.

"Oh, I know full well that Divayth Fyr might just turn a blind eye to the peril this little one is in," said Luna, flaring her brow as she also looked to the tiny projected shadow. "But I don't intend to take no for an answer. When we arrive in this Tel Fyr, we will have this little soul with us, and if Divayth Fyr refuses to assist I have an ultimatum for him."

Twilight, Applejack, and Rainbow exchanged slightly worried looks, the princess's tone slightly scaring them.

"And... if he says no?" Asked Applejack nervously.

"Then I will offer him a deal. He sends this little one home..." Luna turned to them with a dangerous glint in her eyes, "and I won't drop him from his tower."

Three sets of jaws periodically hit the floor.

"Princess, you can't," said Twilight, "Divayth Fyr is the only person who knows how to make the potion we need, and not only that, his accomplishments spread throughout his life, far beyond this point in time. If he dies, it could have serious repercussions for all of us!"

"I am aware of that," said Luna, still smirking, "but Divayth Fyr doesn't. He doesn't have to know how important he is to our cause when we first meet him, and he doesn't need to know until after he agrees to help us with returning a helpless child home."

Rainbow tilted her head. "You think that will work?"

"From what I know about Divayth Fyr, I have no doubt it will," said Luna. "Such a long life of wealth and success has no doubt bred quite a large ego, and if there is anything I have learned about narcissistic people is that they place quite a bit of value on their own lives. Threaten them the right way and you can make them dance like puppets."

They all had agape expressions.

"So... you intend to bluff him?" Asked Applejack.

"Yes," answered Luna,"did you all believe I would deliberately murder someone in cold blood?"

They all rubbed their necks nervously.

But in the end, they all agreed it was their only option (and Rainbow was actually impressed by the shrewd plan) for them to return the little Argonian home without diverting from their path.

"Listen," said Luna, holding the others back with her wings. "Leave collecting the little one to me. You three take Jeelus-Shei back to the surface, he deserves a proper burial."

The trio of ponies exchanged looks.

"You sure, Princess?" Asked Applejack.

"Twilight had me accompany you so I could use my experience relieving the fears of others," replied Luna, "not only are we dealing with a frightened individual, but also a child. I am not only well experienced in abating the fears of a young mind, but I suspect meeting so many strange beings at once would be quite counterproductive in such regards. It's best just one of us approach at first, and it is also best it be the only one of us with experience with this sort of thing."

Twilight and the other two found Luna's reasoning to be sound and with a nod of approval, they approached Jeelus-Shei's lifeless body, giving him an apologetic look. It was best Twilight just teleport them outside, rather than haul him through the ruins, so the mulberry unicorn began channeling her magic."Princess... good luck."

Luna replied with a nod as her cohorts vanished in a flash.

---

Gently, Pinkie Pie and Rarity set the last corpse alongside its fellows, a line of slain Argonians dotting the Morrowind shoreline.

"I must say, darling," said Rarity as she used her magic to lay the Argonian's arms in a peaceful manner over its chest. "You're handling this a lot better than I expected."

Pinkie, for her part, while far from happy, wasn't deflated or dulled like she usually was when really upset, signifying she wasn't as upset as she had been in the past. "This isn't the first time I have ever seen somepony die."

"Oh really, darling?" said Rarity as she placed a comforting hoof around her bubbly friend.

"Yeah," said Pinkie in a mournful tone. "The rock farm where I grew up has been in the Pie family for generations, and... it's too far from any other pony settlements to have access to a cemetery."

Rarity put a hoof to her mouth. "Who...?"

"I was just old enough to remember my great grandparents before they passed," explained Pinkie solemnly. "I helped Ma and Pa with Grandma and Grandpa."

"Oh my dear, I am so sorry," weeped Rarity.

"It's ok Rares," smiled Pinkie, giving Rarity a hug. "They lived long, happy lives, and if anything it taught me to make sure life is as full of happiness and fun as much as possible."

Rarity and Pinkie smiled at each other as they broke the hug. But Rarity soon adopted a scowl as she looked over a short distance from them to where Spike and Fluttershy where. "If only this situation were the same."

Fluttershy had insisted on burying the Dunmer as well; so, using his tail as a spade, Spike was filling up a shallow grave while Fluttershy planted a steel dagger at its head as a makeshift marker, no doubt used to end some of the poor lives of these innocent Argonians.

"That brute doesn't deserve Fluttershy's kindness."

"Now don't get all sour Rarity," scolded Pinkie, "the poor guy is deady dead, that's punishment enough for whatever mean things he's done."

Having finished with their task, Fluttershy and Spike rejoined Rarity and Pinkie Pie, and together they threw looks of worry towards Mzahnch.

"How much longer do you think they'll be?" asked Fluttershy worriedly.

"Who knows," said Spike. "From what I can remember, Dwemer where known for building huge complexes that could stretch underground for miles."

"Maybe we should go check on them," suggested Rarity.

Before any of them could agree with or argue the suggestion, a purple flash went off some thirty feet to their right, and Twilight, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash appeared out of thin air on the shore. Some relieved squees and a group hug later and the six friends and their baby dragon companion were back together.

"Thank goodness," said Fluttershy as she released Twilight. "We were so worried."

"No need for that, Fluttershy," said Rainbow, striking a tough looking pose, "we were already a super awesome pony force to be reckoned with, and now that we have magic from another world at our disposal I'd to see anyone try to mess with us."

Rarity rolled her eyes at the pompous behavior of her friend, but was no less grateful that they had made it out in one piece. "So did you find..." Rarity noticed the limp figure that had appeared with her friends lying behind them and her hooves flew to her mouth with a distressed gasp.

Fluttershy, Spike, and Pinkie Pie followed her line of sight and gasped at seeing Jeelus-Shei's lifeless body lying on the shore.

"Oh no," whimpered Fluttershy, her eyes glistening.

"So... we were too late?" Moaned Rarity.

"Yeah," said Applejack solemnly, removing her hat and helmet in respect.

"If we had only gotten there a little sooner, we would have saved him," said Rainbow regretfully.

They all hung their heads in remorse.

"I... guess there was just nothing we could do..." whispered Pinkie.

"Well...I guess that means we will have to find another way to test these," said Spike, snapping his wrist band. He felt really bad for these poor people who had perished, but his upbringing with Twilight allowed him to see the logic of a situation more fluently than most.

Twilight had actually partially forgotten about that. "Not quite. There is one survivor we managed to get out of harm's way."

"Really?" said Fluttershy, "oh, thank goodness."

"So where is this survivor?" asked Rarity, looking around expectantly.

"Still in there," explained Applejack, pointing at Mzahnch. "Little guy is probably scared to death, so Princess Luna decided to stay to console him."

"Hey, that's right, the princess didn't pop up with you," said Pinkie.

"Sure she will be okay in that place all alone?" asked Fluttershy worriedly.

"Absolutely," said Rainbow, "we already thrashed all the bad guys that place could throw at us."

"And the Princess thought it would be a good idea for us to assist you all with burying these poor people while she deals with consoling the survivor," said Twilight, though she now took notice that none of the Argonians were buried yet. Not that it upset her, it wasn't exactly an easy task.

"About that, darling," said Rarity, "it... would not be a good idea to bury these poor things in this area."

Twilight grew confused, "why?"

"We found something on the guy that had the key to their shackles," explained Fluttershy.

"Something you need to see," said Spike, handing Twilight a scroll.

---

A metallic, disk shaped lid was set before the steel keg it had covered a second ago.

Carefully and patiently, Luna dipped her head over the rim, her luminescent horn flooding the interior.

"Hiiiiissssd!"

The first thing Luna noticed other than that threatening sound was a pair of glistening, reptilian eyes scurrying into the shadow of the keg's interior before the light of her horn seeped into every corner, leaving nothing to conceal the little life form within. Princess Luna was staring at a crouched, scaly figure that was barely longer than the length of her forehoof to her knee, green and red scales glistening in the light of her magic. Unlike Jeelus-Shei, this Argonian's head lacked fins, instead two tiny horns poked from the crown and extended about an inch. The little figure hissed threateningly again, but Luna could see immense fear in those beady eyes as they blinked up at her and she felt it was best she do what she did best.

Try and relieve that fear.

"Easy, little one," she said in as motherly a tone as she could muster. She wasn't entirely sure this little young Argonian could understand her, but maybe she could get it to respond to her voice positively if she used a tone that wasn't threatening and was soothing. "There's no need to be afraid, I will not hurt..."

"Ssstay back!!!"

The tiny voice sent Luna reeling back with surprise. It wasn't the fact that the little Argonian could talk, baby ponies were known to be able to speak soon after birth, what surprised her was the fact that the speech was understandable. Foals usually spoke random words for the first several months of their lives.

"I sssmall, but have clawsss!" The scraping of claws scraping on metal echoed within the keg. "Come clossse and I go for eyesss!"

Luna eyed said claws, and though they were small, they looked like they could inflict sufficient damage if needed. Still, Luna didn't scare easily, and it would do no good to leave this little one to its own devices.

"Have no fear," she said in what she hoped was a soothing voice. "I have no intention to harm you."

"I don't believe you," hissed the small Argonian. "You want to take me back to cage. Wanna sssell me... like I sssome tool... I won't go back... won't go back to cage!"

Yes, this was definitely slavery.

Nothing else could instill such fear as Luna saw in this young ones eyes. Briefly, the memory of countless ponies whose coats usually shone like the world's most coveted jewel, marching in a line, bound by chains, their coats as dull as the sinister sky above. She recalled as they had only a second of freedom before the dark tyrant that held them under his hoof dragged them into the shadowy purgatory she and her sister cast him into, so they might never be free from his black heart.

It only made her already clenching heart contract further.

"You need not be afraid, little one," said Luna, fighting to keep the desperation out of her voice. "I haven't come to take you back to the cruel people who wish to enslave you. In fact, it's my intention to see you returned safely home."

Briefly, Luna saw hope echo through the hard snarl the little Argonian was facing her with, but distrust and apprehension soon drowned it out.

"Liesss...no one in Morrowind friend of Argoniansss. Only want ssslave to till field."

Luna knew she had to stop this child's decline into its current mental state and fast, or it was unlikely she would ever earn its trust. She would rather not just scoop it up and drag it out of this place without convincing it she wasn't a threat, or it could end very badly, especially since it seemed that the only way to assure this little one's survival was to take it with them on their journey. Years of patrolling the dream realm of Equestria, countless nightmares she had chased from the minds of her subjects, young and old, what was best likely to ease the frantic mind of one so young.

A simple change in topic... and maybe a little frolicsomeness.

"Tell me little one," she began in her motherly voice, "do you like magic?"

The Argonian had a brief flash of confusion phase through its eyes at her words.

"Would you like me to show some?"

A violent hiss sounded from the keg.

"Have no fear," said Luna, her horn lighting up. "I will not harm you, in fact, I believe you will enjoy this."

A blue sphere sprang into existence at the tip of her horn and expanded to about the size of a cantaloupe, slowly lowering into the steel keg and hovering before the tiny, scaly figure crouched in the corner. Luna hoped her suspicion was correct and that her idea would work.

Channeling her magic, Luna activated the next spell she had poured into the small sphere of magic.

Instantly, a kaleidoscopic display of colors flashed from the interior of the orb, bathing the interior with an array of colors from every spectrum. It wasn't overpowering to see, but it would be difficult for anyone to see such a thing and not be instantly enthralled. Such as the fear plagued mind of one so young.

Slowly, the small Argonian's eyes began to fill with wonder and awe as its eyes remained transfixed on the floating blue sphere, containing several twinkling lights in every color imaginable. Luna saw the tension drain from its claws and an almost involuntary twitch took its place. Luna knew what that meant.

"Go ahead, touch it," cooed Luna, the Argonian hatchling jumping slightly, as if it had forgotten she was there. "It won't hurt you. Go ahead and touch it, little one."

Some of the apprehension from before resurfaced in those small eyes, but as multiple colors continued to dance in them, a budding curiosity soon overtook everything else. Slowly, the small Argonian's limbs stretched out under it and it slowly approached Luna's sphere of magic. It wasn't hard to reach in the confining space of the keg and soon a clawed digit gently tapped a luminous surface. It rippled like water.

The Argonian backpedaled in slight shock, but as the little waves ceased, leaving a smooth, round surface again, the unmistakable look of intrigue soon took over took its face. Luna smiled as the little child continued to poke at her magic, and began to put the next phase of her plan in motion, hoping it would not backfire. The Argonian moved to touch the sphere for about the eighth time, when it suddenly drifted out of reach to the opposite side of the steel keg.

The Argonian surprisingly didn't react in fear of the sudden movement, just tilted its head.

"Oh my," said Luna in feigned shock as the Argonian looked up at her. "Looks like you will have to chase it now."

The orb moved again and the Argonian looked to it again. It appeared unsure of what to do, but Luna began to direct the sphere closer, but moved it away before the Argonian could touch it... almost mockingly. Eventually, a spark flared within the Argonian's eyes, and with a twitch of its tail, it lunged forward, missing the orb by a meter.

Luna smiled as the Argonian began to chase her sphere like a playful kitten. No matter the species a child was a child. And all children loved to play.

After about the fifteenth lunge, Luna finally let the frolicking lizard catch its quarry. And she had a little surprise in store as well. This time when little claws came into contact with the sphere, something spectacular happened.

About a dozen smaller spheres sprang into existence and gracefully positioned themselves at different various positions within the keg, orbiting at gradual speed and bathing the interior with even more color. For the first time, the Argonian stood to all fours, now more resembling Jeelus-Shei than previously, eyes wide with even more wonder. Luna looked into those eyes, and saw something she was very familiar with.

She had seen that look before, in the dreams of certain individuals back in Equestria.

Often times certain ponies will dream of a pegasus that they know, being either their friends, siblings, or even their spouse. But the dreams in which Luna would usually see this look was when said dreamer wasn't a pegasus themselves. Often they would be sitting on the ground, at the porch of their house, or sometimes up on tall trees, watching a pony dear to them soar through the air, envying how simple it looks.

Wishing you could fly wasn't an uncommon dream, after all.

And Luna could see the same desire reflected in the eyes of this little soul as she watched her spheres circle about effortlessly, standing up in the air with no restrictions. It brought a new idea for how she could coax this little one out gently.

"Tell me," she cooed softly, the little eyes below just barely focusing up at her, unwilling to break contact with the enticing display around her. "How would you like to fly?"

Now that brought Luna the full attention of the young Argonian, "What?"

Luna could not help but blink in surprise. There was no threatening hiss or fearful drawl in that single word spoken her way, and without it it was unmistakable. Though still carrying an abundance of hissing in the accent, it was undoubtedly the voice of a female.

"What did you say?" she asked, her voice carrying a hopeful tone that no doubt had wiggled it's way in involuntarily.

Luna could not help but squee a little inside on how cute she now sounded. "You would like to fly? If you come with me, I might just take you flying with me."

The Argonian's look became slightly doubtful. "You lie, no creature who ssspeakss fly unlessss by magic, and that not sssame thing."

Luna looked back and twitched her wings, "I speak the truth, little one. It's well within my ability to fly, unaided by magic."

The Argonian blinked. "How?"

"With my wings, of course, silly," replied Luna.

"You hasss wingsss?"

"Mhmm, and if you come out of there I'll show you."

The Argonian appeared reluctant at first, but something within her was making it impossible for her to be as apprehensive. Slowly, she approached the side of the keg and began scraping at the metal as if scurrying up the wall. Of course, she only made it up about an inch or so before sliding back to the floor.

Luna could not help but giggle. "Here, let me little one."

She gently seized the little Argonian in her telekinesis, producing a startled shriek out of the reptile, but she put up no resistance otherwise. Slowly, Luna lifted her up and past the rim, giving the Moon Princess an unobstructed view of her for the first time. And the sparkling slave bracer on her right wrist.

Her slitted eyes shrank to thin lines as she adjusted to the brightness of the room, but when her vision returned she got her first look at Princess Luna, and her mouth dropped open in what could only be awe.

"You..." she stammered, tripping over her words like they were made of ice, "you not Dunmer!"

Luna arched her eyebrow in confusion that this wasn't obvious from the start, but maybe she wasn't too visible to the small thing from within that metal container. "That's right, I'm not," said Luna as she lay the Argonian on her feet on the floor. "And that is proof that I am not here to hurt you..."

As soon as the Argonian was free of Luna's telekinesis, she immediately scurried up to her and grabbed a lock of her free flowing mane, clawing at the little twinkling lights as if trying to grasp them. Luna could only arch her eyebrow again at the odd behavior, but couldn't find fault in her actions. She and her sister often found themselves in such situations, especially when the nobles brought their newborn foals to court.

The Argonian looked up at her with unbelieving eyes. "How you talk? Horsssesss don't talk."

Luna could not help but snort. "Technically, I am a pony, little one. As for how... well how come you talk?"

The question seemed to baffle the young Argonian.

"You just can, it's as simple as that."

For a few minutes, Luna watched as the little scaly figure circled her, examining every square inch of her body. It was so cute, she thought, as well as a far cry better than the apprehensive behavior from before. She stopped in front of Luna after another minute or so of observation, and stared at her in confusion.

"I thought you said you had wings?" she said disappointedly, "but horses don't have wings."

Luna blinked in confusion.

How has she not noticed the feathery appendages folded at Luna's sides after thoroughly orbiting her for so long? Then again, it was fairly dark in here, and maybe the little ones eyesight wasn't keen enough to see her wings, if they were blending with her coat. But that was easily remedied.

Standing tall and proud in front of the small Argonian, Luna spread her wings to their fullest.

Tiny, reptilian eyes widened to almost twice their size as Luna's already regal posture was amplified by her spread wings. Her legs wobbled, clearly losing the fortitude to support their owner's weight, so Luna steadied her with her magic.

"So what do you say, little one?" said Luna, lowering her head to level their eyes, "Would you like to go outside and fly with me?"

There was another reluctant pause, but finally, the tiny reptilian individual nodded her head.

That was all the answer Princess Luna needed, increasing the magic she was using to steady the Argonian child into full levitation, hovering on to her back. "Let's get out of this spooky place."

Luna's passenger looked around expectantly. "Isss Jeelus-Shei coming?"

Luna's heart clenched in sadness, "I am sorry, little one. Your friend... did not make it."

The little Argonian let out a sad sigh and rested her head into Luna's back. "Then... I am the only one left."

Luna knew exactly what she meant, and could not help but respect how easily she accepted it with grace. Not many could handle the fact that you were the only remaining member of a traveling party that once numbered in the dozens, let alone a young child. Deciding to forgo the scenic route, Luna lit up her horn and in a flash of blue magic, the Dwemer ruins of Mzahnch were empty once again.

---

Kyldar

I have tracked down the one responsible for the Argonian slaves' escape and weedled the truth from him. A ship bound for Black Marsh is set to rendezvous with them on the southern shore of Vvardenfell , near the Dwemer ruins of Mzahnch, Mundas Twelfth of the Sun's Height at 8P.M. Take an appropriate number of guards and intercept them before they can flee Vvardenfell, and if you can't detain them, slay them all. But if it comes to that, you will only receive half the promised commission, plus a bonus if you retrieve the bracers, which I shall include the key to with this note.

Savile Imayn

–-

Twilight looked up from the small note to the Oghma Infinium. According to the all powerful tome, today was the day mentioned in which this supposed ship to Black Marsh was to land in Vvardenfell, in this exact location. Which meant in just a few hours time, a proper method of returning the tiny Argonian slave home would be within reach, no violence necessary.

A huge relief.

"You're right, girls," Twilight said to her gathering of friends as she looked to the line of slain Argonians. "It's best we just let them be taken home. They would have wanted that."

"I agree," said Rainbow.

"Yes, home is where the heart is," said Applejack, taking off her hat respectfully, "even beyond death."

They all nodded in agreement.

"So," said Rarity, "you all actually found a child in that place?"

"Yeah, poor little fella," replied Applejack.

"And... Princess Luna stayed to try and calm the little thing?" Asked Fluttershy.

"Yes," replied Twilight, "there's no telling what it's been through and I figured from the start that Princess Luna's experience with trauma would come in handy."

"How long do you think it will take?" Asked Spike, looking at Mzahnch nervously.

"Hard to tell," said Twilight. "As I said, there's no telling what has happened..."

A flash of blue light revealed the Lunar Matriarch in her regal armor, standing a short distance from them.

"Princess Luna!" choursed seven voices.

"Are you okay, darling?" asked Rarity.

"Did you..." Applejack... in fact, they all fell silent at noticing the petite figure on Luna's back, blinking at the sudden brightness of the outside world, as well as the multiple colored faces staring at her.

"Awww, so cute," said Fluttershy, practically squeeing.

"OH, WOW!!!" Luna sagged under Pinkie Pie's sudden weight as she appeared on the back of her head, staring down at the now flabbergasted Argonian child as she stared down at her. "MY FIRST TIME MEETING AN ARGONIAN... WELL, A LIVING ARGONIAN. WHAT'S YOUR NAME, MY NAME IS PINKIE PIE...!"

"PINKIE!" scolded Rarity, yanking her friend off the staggering Princess Luna. "Must you?" She gestured to the line of scaly bodies. "Hasn't the poor dear been through enough?"

Pinkie blushed in embarrassment and shame, looking at the small Argonian, who she now noticed was shaking. "I'm super sorry, I was just excited to meet you."

"Really, Miss Pie," said Luna irritated, "do try to curb your enthusiasm with one so traumatized." She looked back to the one riding her. "Do not be afraid, little one. These are my associates, and I guarantee they mean you no harm."

Beady, reptilian eyes blinked at all the multicolored ponies in astonishment, having never seen such graceful creatures. "Ssso... beautiful..."

"Oh, it's a girl," said Rarity gently, "so adorable."

The little Argonian looked at them for a while, then back to Princess Luna. "Can we... fly?"

"Absolutely, little one," said Luna before turning to the others. "I promised her I would fly with her, best be ready to make for Tel Fyr as soon as we are done."

"Actually Princess, it may no longer be necessary for this little one to come with us after all," said Applejack, turning to Rainbow, "would you mind accompanying the princess up there so you can fill her in?"

"Easy peasy," said Rainbow with a salute.

With slight confusion with what may have developed while she remained in the ruins, Luna looked to the little one on her back while she tensed her muscles. "Get ready, little one."

Feeling little claws grab some strands of her mane, Luna spread her wings and took to the air. A delighted gasp left the scaly lips of her passenger as Twilight and the others fell away beneath them, the rippling water of the sea growing in size and the horizon glowing in the afternoon sun. Rainbow effortlessly soared next to her, for the Princess wasn't about to do anything overly dangerous.

"So tell me, Rainbow Dash, what has transpired since you returned to the surface?"

---

Excited laughter echoed in the blood red hue of the evening sun as Princess Luna graduated from simple flying to full on aerial acrobatics, Twilight and the others watching below.

Almost too soon, Luna saw something in the distance, and there beheld the unmistakable silhouette of a ship's mast.

"Look, little one," said Luna, halting in mid air. "That has come to take you home."

Flying down to an outcrop, Luna dropped the the little Argonian where it would easily be spotted by the approaching sea vessel, grateful and slightly disappointed that she didn't fuss, looking extremely forward to the escort home.

The Equestrian party hid among the shore line under any coverage that they could find, as a gangplank was lowered and several larger Argonians surrounded the young one and escorted her aboard, a small search party soon discovering the slain bodies of the others, and after some version of a mournful procession, the bodies were respectfully moved aboard as well. Before long, they weighed anchor and headed into the setting sun.

"Rainbow, do you know what to do?" asked Twilight.

"Gotcha," said Rainbow, vanishing in a flash of blue and orange, followed by the sound of flapping wings.

---

"Little one?" asked a kind Argonian sailor that held the Yet-to-be-named in his arms. "How was it that you sssurvived?"

"Sssome kind travellersss found me," answered a petite little voice. "They chased the metal monssstersss away, and took me flying."

"Flying huh?" A hearty laughter echoed in the evening. "Who were they?"

A little face blinked. "I... don't know..."

"Did they tell you their names?"

"I... don't remember..."

"What were they? Where they fellow Shadowscales?"

"I... don't know... I can't even remember their faces."

No more questions were asked, such a traumatic experience would be hard even for someone fully grown, let alone one so young.

A gust of wind disguised the flapping of pegasus wings, fading into the distance in the direction of Morrowind.

---

“Hey girls." Spike waddled up, having finished the task he had been given while Luna flew with the little Argonian.

All the Slave Bracers sat bundled together with vines from the surrounding foliage in Spike’s claws.

“Thank you, Spike," said Twilight, levitating the bundle in her magic and presenting it to Applejack. “Care to do the honors?"

“With pleasure, Twi," said Applejack, balancing the bundle on her back and flexing her hind legs. “Alright Bucky McGillicuddy 'n Kicks McGee, do your thing."

Bouncing the bundle from her hindquarters, Applejack bucked her hind legs out with all her might, and with a metallic clang, the Slave Bracers went sailing over the ocean so far that they cleared the horizon before even remotely beginning to descend. Applejack crooked her leg in pride."That is what I call getting her done."

Twilight rolled her eyes with a smile and presented the Slave Bracer key to Pinkie. “Know what to do, Pinkie?"

"Yepperoonnie!" Pinkie hooked the key with her forelock and spun it till it resembled a propeller, then let go, the key flying into the darkening sky. “Bye bye, don't come back!"

"Nothing," Rainbow told her friends as she returned. "She can't even recall that we were ponies."

They all breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thanks girls," Twilight said to her friends. "Not only have we confirmed that we are in fact hidden from recognition, but we saved an innocent life."

"Don't sweat it, sugarcube," said Applejack as Luna stashed their armor. "It's awfully hard to keep track of what is right in situations like this."

"I, for one, am glad we didn't need to leave the well-being of that little one in the hands of that brute," said Rarity.

"Gotta admit, it would have been amusing to see the Princess put him in his place," stated Rainbow, looking at Luna with a respectful smile. "I admire your grit, Princess."

Luna nodded in thanks and looked to the vanishing ship, silently wishing the little liberated passenger a good life away from enslavement. Their task of testing their identity complete, and having aided someone in peril, they resumed their journey. Since Tel Fyr was situated on an offshore island, it was decided that they had best follow the shore, as to avoid any more run-ins like this again.

"I only wish we could have learned the cute little thing's name," said Pinkie as she looked over her shoulder at the barely visible ship. "She may not remember us, but we sure will remember her."

"She is a Yet-to-be-named, Pinkie," said Twilight, "she doesn't even have a name yet." She looked to the horizon and smiled. "But she will someday."

Author's Notes:

I dedicate this chapter to my kitty who passed away Nov29

HONEY

2006-2019

I miss you girl.

19 Oh, bite me

Author's Notes:

It's a little shorter than recently but I guess it sounded longer in my head.

Prepair

Crimson winds pelted the expanse of Azura's Coast.

It had sprung up in the early hours of the evening and persisted through the night, and through the following day, finally clearing up enough to reveal the setting sun... at which time a regal tent flashed into existence. Twilight and the others exited their shelter and looked around, not a trace of the red storm remaining. There wasn't even a trace of the oddly colored dust being swept around in its current.

"It would appear that the enchantment you put on the tent worked, Princess," Twilight said to Luna beside her. "The Blight storm passed right over us and nothing happened."

"I am relieved," said Luna, squinting to see the distant clouds of red dust being swept away. "Such malevolent magic permeates those clouds...I feared even my magic would not be enough to protect us."

They all agreed to stretch their legs for a while before turning in again. They had a late start yesterday because of that business with the Argonian child, and the Blight storm fell upon them shortly after they had resumed their journey, so with night falling again, it was best to rest now and hope to be able to resume tomorrow. Eight figures rested as the sky above Mundus revolved.

One stirred in her sleeping bag before the others, gradually sitting up and rubbing her eyes... and a frilly sleeping mask fell to her lap.

Rarity yawned and looked to the entrance flap to her tent, noting that the lack of sunlight meant it wasn't even dawn yet, and sighed softly in frustration. Trying to slip back into the realm of sleep, Rarity put her mask back on, and rolled onto her side, wondering how she had woken so early, for it wasn't like her to be up at least without a hint of the sun beginning its journey over the horizon.

The answer was what prevented her from going back to sleep.

Her horn started strobing lightly, a tingling sensation spreading from the tip to the edges of her forehead. Quirking an eye under her mask, Rarity pulled her mask off again and looked up at her horn in confusion. This light tingling her magic was sending through her was nowhere near new.

It was how she got her Cutie Mark after all.

Her magic was telling her that there was a gemstone nearby, and judging by how excited her magic was it was very near. Under normal circumstances, Rarity would be thrilled, but now it was slightly irritating. They all needed sleep for the following day and she was no exception.

"Hmph!" Rarity rolled back into her sleeping bag, trying to ignore the pulsing that strobed in her head.

It wasn't long before she lost her patience and looked up at her own horn with a scowl. Try as she might, she could not get her horn under control, it kept nagging her to seek out whatever was in the vicinity it was detecting. It was the most intolerable thing her horn had done since it had slammed her into that huge boulder when she was a little filly.

And that should not be possible.

It had taken years, but after finding her calling in fashion, Rarity had gotten herself accustomed to every manner of gemstone Equestria had to offer, and since then she has never had her horn go overly finicky again. She worked with them practically every day, so it was only natural to get used to them. Emerald, ruby, amethyst, sapphire, diamond, she knew them all.

But not this one.

Now she realized why her magic was so frantic. She hadn't come across a gemstone like the one she was sensing before, it was completely alien to her other experiences.

A familiar excitement chased away any lingering lethargic feelings at the prospect of finding a new gem...

... but then she remembered the current situation.

They had not come here to treasure hunt, a pony's life hung in the balance. She should be focusing on the more important things, instead of personal indulgence. With disappointment, Rarity moved to set up her sleeping bag again and get some sleep.

But as she did so, she caught Twilight's sleeping figure, lying not too far from her.

She didn't know what caused it, she didn't know what stirred these feelings, but Rarity stopped what she was doing and looked down at the sleeping studious purple unicorn as her chest rose and fell with her breathing. Throughout all of this, Twilight had urged them, begged them even, to not let whatever encounters that were bleeding over from Nirn change them in any way. The poor dear was obviously very worried for all of them, worried that they might be altered by what they had been exposed to, same as her.

The Twilight that Rarity met in Ponyville town hall would never have struck down countless lives, with a violent lightning storm she deliberately conjured.

If she just blatantly ignores every unique gem she comes across, even in these dire situations, how long till it becomes second nature? When she finally gets to return home, how can she resume her passion for fashion if gemstones cease to sparkle for her? How can she still be Twilight's generous fashionista friend if she can easily disregard it?

She could, and that is precisely what Twilight does not want.

Rarity stood up, determined to follow through with her instincts of fashion, just like the good old days. The gemstone wasn't far even, less than a yard away. But if this was going to be like the good old days she needed one more thing.

"Spike," whispered Rarity, shaking the slumbering baby dragon by the shoulder. "Spikey Wikey."

The little purple dragon's first response was to yawn involuntarily in his sleep, pulling his tail up and suckling on the spike at the tip.

Rarity couldn't help but giggle slightly. "Come on, Spikey Wikey, I need your help."

"Huh, what?" Finally, Spike's green, reptilian eyes opened and he looked up to see Rarity's smiling face. At first he thought he was still dreaming, and his first hope was... well it was Spike's dream after all.

Luckily, he managed to realize that he was awake before he could pucker up.

"Rarity?" moaned Spike, rubbing his eyes. "What... what time is it?"

"Some time before dawn. Quick, I need your help."

Spike sprung to his feet and put a claw to his forehead before her. "At your service, my lady."

That never got old for Rarity. "I sense a gemstone nearby, a unique one that I have never come across before."

Spike's enthusiasm was dampened by a slightly confused look. "Rarity... is now really appropriate?" He cast a look to the others.

"I thought so too, Spike. But it's not far, it's practically outside of our tent." She batted her baby blue eyes at him. "Please, for me?"

Anypony who says dragons are fireproof has never taken emotional fires into the equation. Spike melted like butter as his cheeks became redder than the Blight storm they had taken shelter from the previous day. "Very well, my lady, Spike at your service."

Squeeing, and trotting in place with excitement, Rarity led her young cohort out of the tent quietly. Putting her head to the ground, she let her horn do it's thing and as she predicted, she wasn't even led halfway around the bend of a nearby hill before grabbing a stick in her telekinesis and scratching an X on the ground.

"Right here, Spikey Wikey."

"Gotcha."

Balancing on his tail with practiced skill, Spike began undulating like a jackhammer, sending a fountain of dirt up into the air. His spines vanished beneath the surface as he sunk all the way under the ground, Rarity looking on worriedly. She hadn't counted on it being so deeply buried.

Then the digging stopped, the only noise through the early morning being the echoing squawk of birds.

Slightly apprehensive, Rarity peeked over the edge just as a dirt covered claw grabbed hold and Spike pulled himself up, dirt clinging to his scales. He was clutching something in his claws. "This it?"

Rarity tilted her head and lit her horn. The object levitated before her, and she scrutinized it with her skill and experience. "Odd...I have never come across an emerald like this."

The crystal was light green in color, the edges extending to frizzy points.

"Let me see it," said Spike, Rarity levitating it before his face.

He squinted at it with one eye, sniffed it, then ran his tongue over it. "Oh, this is not an emerald, Rarity."

"Really?" Inquired Rarity, trying to remember what other kinds of gemstone could have the color green.

"Huh uh," replied Spike, tapping the crystal as it hovered before him, "this is glass."

Rarity gave him a dumbfounded expression.

"Not the kind of glass that windows or drinking glasses are made of. Glass that is found here in Tamriel," explained Spike, "or Malachite. It's what Pinkie's armor is made of."

"Ooh," swooned Rarity, as she examined the chunk of Malachite closer. She had been enthralled by the crystalline set since she saw it and might as well have picked it if the Golden Armor had not 'spoken' to her in a certain way.

The bit of glass twirled in the air as Rarity examined every inch of it with keen eyesight, noticing how different it felt from other crystal she was experienced with. She began to wonder what shape she could mold it into. Rarity had everything necessary to be a standalone fashion designer, including a spell that shaped crystal into any attractive shape to offset any outfit she could concoct.

Said spell had different effects on gems, depending on their makeup or integrity.

And what an effect it had on Malachite. Before Spike and Rarity's eyes, the green stone went from solid to liquid in appearance, molding and flowing in Rarity's magic.

"Oh my!" she said in surprise, "my gem molding spell has never reacted like this! How come Pinkie's armor didn't react while w we're testing it with our magic?"

"This chunk of Malachite must still be unrefined," said Spike, "it's still 'raw' one could say."

Still baffle, Rarity looked to the wad of flowing crystal in her magic. Experimentally, she lifted her forehoof and stuck her hoof in the green substance, molding it around her fetlock. Her magic dissipated, and when Rarity tapped the object now on her hoof it was as solid as a rock.

Rarity grinned with excitement.

"Oh, superb," she said, her magic surrounding the Malachite bracelet, which then spiraled up her leg in an elegant spring pattern. "Never before have I encountered a crystal so flexible." Her magic then molded green bracelets that resembled a growth of vines, complete with tiny, but highly detailed leaves. "I wonder if there is more around here?"

"Wouldn't count on it Rarity," said Spike, sorry to disappoint her. "Malachite is usually only found in certain regions, usually mines."

"Then where did this piece come from?"

"Hard to say, it was probably stolen..."

'SQUAWK'

Rarity and Spike looked up just in time to dodge the barbed tail of a huge avian creature as it was thrust between them.

"WHAT THE...?!"

"RARITY, LOOK OUT...!"

'SQUAWK'

A large bird-like creature with leathery wings and fins extending from its chest and back was thrusting its barbed tail at them, producing a threatening squawk as it attacked.

"Ooh!" grumbled Rarity as she stumbled while trying to dodge the next strike. "You knock that off, you..."

Her voice halted as she saw a glistening spike sailing for her throat.

"RARITY!" Spike reacted without thinking.

'WULD NAH KEST'

A purple blur intercepted the sharp tail and Spike emerged between Rarity and the Cliff Racer in time to take a boney Spike to the chest. It wasn't enough to penetrate his hard dragon scales, but it did send him flying. "SPIKEY WIKEY," screamed Rarity as her little gent landed a good distance away with a scraping thud.

She gave the Cliff Racer a murderous scowl. "You'll pay for that, you ruffian." She took a deep breath and exhaled:

'FUS RO DAH'

A blast of blue mist sent the Cliff Racer boomeranging into the sky.

"Spike, are you okay darling?" asked Rarity as she frantically struggled to get up.

Spike had already picked himself up and was dusting off his scales, "I'm fine, are you okay Rarity...?"

The rest of his words were drowned out as his vision was obscured by the itchy material of a burlap sack, which then hoisted him off the ground.

"SPIKE!" Rarity screamed as a shadowy figure sped from around the bend of one of the surrounding hills, scooped Spike up into a bag and went off into the shadows of the dying night, a red outline bleeding over the horizon. "Unhand him you brute..."

'SQUAWK'

Rarity turned in time to dodge another thrust from the Cliff Racer, having recovered from the Thu'um Rarity had blasted it with.

---

"LET ME OUT!" screamed Spike as he struggled against the confines of the sack he was forced into. "LET ME OUT OF HERE, RIGHT NOW!"

"Silence."

Spike saw stars as something hard struck him in the temple, and he fell limp in a daze. The next thing he knew he was hurled to the floor, still within the sack, blinking as he tried to clear his thoughts. He finally became coherent enough to understand what was being said by whoever it was who abducted him.

"My Lord, I have returned with fresh prey."

"What is it you have brought? It must be miniscule if it can be carried so."

"I believe it to be an Argonian infant, my Lord."

"Ah, that explains it, and how fortunate." The bag sealed in around Spike as it was once again picked up. "It has been many centuries since I have tasted such unique, young blood."

That last sentence was enough for Spike's eyes to open fully in panic as what little lingering drowsiness drowned out by primordial fear. But before he could fully react, the mouth of the bag opened and something reached in and pulled him out by the scruff of his neck.

"Hey put me..." Spike felt something close around the left side of his neck, two sharp objects pressing to his scales.

Reaction came in the form of instinct. Spike spewed his green dragon fire out of his mouth, scraping the dark hair adorning the head that was pressing it's mouth to Spike's neck, catching it ablaze. Whoever it was so engrossed in trying to pierce Spike's scales that it took a full minute before he noticed his hair was on fire.

"Guagh!"

Spike was tossed across the room, landing in a stone basin that was filled with some foul smelling liquid. "Aaaaghaah," Spike scurried to remove himself from the pool as he noticed the bones floating along with him. Breathing heavily, Spike felt his neck.

Two tiny holes had been punctured into his scales, but no blood was drawn. Scowling, Spike looked up to the one who bit him, still struggling with his blazing hair. "What's the big idea?"

The bipedal figure clad in armor finally managed to put out his hair, looking at Spike with a dumbfounded expression.

"What in the Nine Divines is that thing?" he asked the four people in the room that contained multiple giant urns with him, all sharing his figure and build. "I could not bite through its scales."

"How did an Argonian cast fire from its mouth?" asked one of the others.

"Argonian?!" inquired Spike, "I'll have you know sir, I am a dragon." He looked up at the individual who bit him again. "You're stupid if you think you can just bite through a dragon's scales. They're as hard as iron."

"What's a dragon?" asked one of them.

"Who cares!" said the one who bit Spike, obviously the leader, and obviously not pleased with being called stupid. He turned to the one standing next to him. "Peel the scales from its neck!"

Spike's heart seized up in fear as he heard that then was instantly towered over by someone who was holding a dagger. He had no room to flee, and the door was blocked by four others. That left one option.

Diamond dogs, fellow dragons, changelings, now this? He was too young for this.

"You don't scare me!" said Spike, remembering what he had learned in Apocrypha and conjuring a sword made of blue flame in his claws.

His use of magic seemed to surprise his opponent for a second, but then they were both staring each other down, brandishing their weapons.

---

"KNOCK IT OFF, YOU RUFFIAN!" shouted Rarity, jumping up to dodge a slash to her legs. "THIS IS NO WAY TO TREAT A LADY!"

She had been pinned down by this flying abomination for who knows how long, long enough for the sun to finally bathe the morning landscape with its morning rays. Poor Spike was Celestia knows where now, and it didn't take Starswirl the Bearded to know he needed help now. But Rarity wasn't a violent pony, and even still, this creature was so evasive it had dodged whatever she had thrown at it.

Her Thu'um was still recharging after her Unrelenting Force, and she lacked Twilight's skill to recover it faster. She needed to come up with something, or her and Spike would be in an awful lot of trouble. Fortunately, this is where friendship comes in, when no other answers seem available.

"HEY, FEATHERBRAIN!" Rarity looked up just in time to see a rainbow blur crash into the Cliff Racer and send it skidding across the ground. "PICK ON SOMEPONY YOUR OWN SIZE!"

The Cliff Racer took to the air and faced Rainbow Dash with a threatening squawk.

"Ha, you'll never catch me, slowpoke," Rainbow sped off into the distance, her avian enemy hot on her heels.

"RARITY!" Rarity turned just in time for a face full of pink bubbliness as Pinkie plowed into her, "ARE YOU OKAY!?"

"We heard the screeching of that horrible creature all the way from our tent," said Fluttershy worriedly, as she Applejack, Twilight, and Princess Luna arrived on the scene.

"Oh girls!" Rarity moaned as she fell into as many of them as possible. "Thank you, thank you for coming to save me."

"Of course we did, sugarcube," said Applejack comfortingly. "We would never leave..."

"YOU CALL THAT FLYING!" shouted Rainbow as she sped by, the Cliff Racer right behind her. "I'VE MET HOUSEFLIES MORE SKILLED THAN YOU!"

Despite her bravado, it was clear Rainbow could not keep this up forever, her stamina slowly but surely waning. The Cliff Racer, on the other hand, seemed to be capable of prolonging this fight until Rainbow tired out. A creature that possessed wings, but no other limbs whatsoever, had to spend its entire life airborne, and such, was evolutionarily equipped for an aerial relay.

"What the hay is that thing?" asked Luna with disgust.

"A Cliff Racer," answered Twilight. "Another traveling pest from Morrowind. And there is only one way to deal with them. Applejack," she pulled her farmer friend close and whispered in her ear.

Applejack backpedaled, "Twi, are you sure?"

"It's the only way."

"But..." Applejack looked to Fluttershy uncomfortably.

"Ow!"

They looked forward to see Rainbow hovering in place...a thin stream of blood flowing from a cut on her left shoulder.

"RAINBOW!" they all shouted worriedly.

A red spark formed in Applejack's pupils as she stared at the Cliff Racer that was climbing higher and preparing to dive bomb. "Let's do it, Twilight."

Twilight nodded in determination, but stole a quick glance at Fluttershy. Then regretfully turned in the direction of Rainbow Dash. "RAINBOW, LEAD IT THIS WAY!"

Rainbow stopped cringing and turned to look at them, "HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND, EGGHEAD?"

"JUST DO IT!" shouted Twilight and Applejack together.

The Cliff Racer was closing in, leaving no time to argue. Deciding to trust her dear friends, Rainbow made a beeline for them, the Cliff Racer close behind her. Closer and closer she closed in on them, the color of their nervous eyes growing larger with each passing second.

The others did not know what Twilight told Applejack, but trusted her as well. Still, that didn't stop a nervous bead of sweat from appearing on their necks as Rainbow and her vicious pursuer closed in on them.

"Twilight?" asked Fluttershy, unable to remain quiet. "What exactly are you...?"

Rainbow had to dive up, or she would plow into them.

"NOW APPLEJACK!"

Applejack thrust her hoof out...

Twilight, pointed her horn...

The Cliff Racer was struck in the chest by dual ice spikes. With a splash of bodily fluids it flew backwards, rolled on the ground three times, and lay still in the dirt. For a few seconds, nothing happened.

Rainbow hovered to the ground next to her friends, looking wide eyed at the grisly scene, Pinkie noticed her slashed shoulder and immediately bathed it in her golden Restoration.

"Aaaaaaaggggghhhhh!"

The screaming Fluttershy made to rush to the fallen animal's side.

"Fluttershy, no!" Twilight flashed into the yellow pony's path and grabbed her around the shoulders, trying to subdue her frantic friend. "You can't do anything for it now."

"No... it can't be... we shouldn't have... to...!"

"I am sorry, Fluttershy, there wasn't anything else we could have done," said Twilight gently.

Eventually, Fluttershy broke down in Twilight's arms, a purple hoof stroking through the pink locks of her mane.

SLAP

Until a yellow hoof collide with her muzzle.

"FLUTTERSHY?!" said the others.

"HOW COULD YOU, TWILIGHT?!" said Fluttershy frantically. "HOW COULD YOU DELIBERATELY PLAN THE EXECUTION OF A LIVING CREATURE?!"

"You saw what it did to Dash," defended Applejack, "and it was prepared to do worse to us all."

"But you could have let me talk to it," blubbered Fluttershy angrily. "Equestria or Nirn, animals are my specialty."

Twilight fought to keep the hurt from her voice. Fluttershy wasn't going to be proud of herself when she calmed down. "Not this time, Fluttershy."

"Oh don't you start!" snapped Fluttershy. "I know what you are going to say, Cliff Racers are aggressive and dangerous, I read up on them too. But Dreugh are just as dangerous and I tamed the one we encountered. I could have done the same with this Cliff Racer."

"Yes, if it had been a healthy one, Fluttershy."

They all blinked in confusion.

"What do you mean 'healthy one'?" asked Fluttershy.

Twilight gestured to the corpse. "Look."

Fluttershy did and her breath left her.

Rather than normal blood, the Cliff Racer was sucreeting a green sludge from its wounds and mouth.

"What... what's wrong with it?" She asked.

"It's diseased, Fluttershy," explained Twilight sadly. "Infected with Blight."

Fluttershy teared up. "It... it was..."

"Already worse than dead," said Twilight, "I noticed the symptoms when it attacked Rainbow."

"Oh my gosh!" said Rainbow, frantically looking at her shoulder.

"Have no fear, Miss Dash," said Luna, "you haven't been outside the tent long enough to be susceptible again."

They all breathed easier.

Fluttershy looked at the Cliff Racer regretfully. "I'm sorry, Twilight."

"It's okay Fluttershy, your caring for all things living is part of the reason I love you," said Twilight, Fluttershy smiling gratefully. She should have known her friend wouldn't deliberately take a life without good reason.

"SPIKE!"

The sudden outburst from Rarity almost made even Princess Luna jump out of her skin.

"Something grabbed Spike when that... thing attacked me!"

"WHAT!" screamed Twilight, grabbing Rarity by the shoulders. "What happened, where is he?"

"No time to go into detail," said Rarity, taking off. "They went this way."

They followed her, finding footprints in the dirt in the early morning light.

---

Spike should have been terrified.

Somebody was bearing down on him with a knife, while his only exit was blocked by four others, and what they all had in common was that they wanted to eat him. But Spike felt no fear, just unparalleled excitement as he ducked under a thrusting blade, retaliating by jumping up and making a horizontal slash at his opponent. It was dodged, but Spike's enthusiasm for the moment didn't diminish.

He didn't know how he was moving, or reacting. Maybe it was Rainbow Dash and Applejack's influence, or maybe he had just read to many Power Pony comic books, but he was doing fairly well, considering his lack of experience. Not that he was completely oblivious to the severity of the situation.

If he had any hope of making it out of here, he knew he would need some diversion or help.

"I love it when food fights back," said the one who had bitten Spike as he sadistically watched his henchman bring his blade that much closer to Spike’s neck as if it was quality entertainment.

"Oh, hungry, huh?!"

Before anyone could react, the door wasn't just opened, something hit it so hard it disintegrated into splinters.

To the denizens of this ancient place it appeared like two equine figures stood in the doorway, orange and blue, the orange one having obviously struck the door. To Spike, he saw his beloved friends coming to his aid, to his great relief. How he loved his pony crew.

Rainbow popped open Luna's Infinite Dimension pouch and pulled out hooffull after hooffull of puffy clouds from Equestria, and soon the whole room was filled with thick fluffy mist.

"What is this madness?" shouted one of the creatures that had abducted Spike.

"Then eat lightning," said Rainbow, spitting on her hooves, rubbing them together, and slapping them against the nearest wad of cloud.

Spike barely had enough time to cast a barrier spell.

'BBBBZZZZTTTT'

"AAAAAAGGGHHH!!!"

Bright blue bolts of electricity arced through and streaked from the clouds, multiple bipedal figures flailing around in pain as lightning coursed through them, their skeletons visible in-between flashes. A purple aura scooped Spike and his oval shaped bubble up and dragged him out the door. He landed on a petite purple pony back, that then carried him towards a long flight of stairs.

"Come on, Pinkie," said Twilight as she passed her pink friend who had been charged with ‘subduing’ the guard.

"BOINGY BOINGY BOINGY," said Pinkie as she bounced on the stomach of a Khajiit who had long since lost the ability to grunt in pain. "Oh, okay Twilight. Thanks for playing with me J'ari."

J'ari could only gesture weakly between pants.

---

"SPIKE!" squealed Rarity happily as Twilight, Pinkie, Applejack, Rainbow Dash and Spike exited out the door surrounded by a huge stone double arch. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Rarity," said Spike, wiggling out of her embrace.

"What did those ruffians even want from you?" asked Rarity.

"Oh, they wanted to eat him," said Pinkie nonchalantly.

Rarity went even whiter and fell back on a couch that was suddenly there.

"It came from Raviro Ancestral Tomb."

"How could those monsters conjure such powerful lightning?"

"We've tolerated them long enough, it's time we put them in their place."

The voices in the distance were growing louder. Their skirmish had obviously drawn the attention of someone, and from the sound of things it wasn't just an investigation headed their wayThey all turned to Princess Luna.

They obviously were hoping she had a solution.

She blinked,"RUN!"

They didn't argue, taking off up the steep hill off to the side, Spike absentmindedly rubbing the two pinpricks on his neck as he ran, his scales tickling slightly.

No one in Molag Mar ever knew where the couch fit for the Septim came from, but Dilami Androm was always grateful for being allowed to keep it, since she found it first. Being a Silt Strider caravanner was a stressful job.

20 Futility

"Omnipotent. Omniscient. Sovereign. Immutable. How sweet it is to be a god!"

Those who are afraid of the dark are often told that there's nothing to be afraid of...

How untrue.

The darkness holds secrets.

Powerful, deadly secrets.

Secrets of an eternally beating heart.

In an ancient Dwemer ruin whose name had long since been lost through the ages (now bearing the same name as the sadist that calls it home) three ominous, glowing red eyes peered out of an extravagant gold mask, watching as Divine magic danced in the palm of an ashen gray hand. Dagoth Ur's plans were coming to fruition just as he predicted. Soon, the Nerevarine would come, and whether as friend or foe, the Tools of Kagrenac will soon be in his possession.

Then he would have everything he needed to bring his dreams to light.

Morrowind would be purged of all the non-Dunmer imperfection that had plagued its beauty for far too long. The false gods would be overthrown in favor of the true powers who would rightfully rule Morrowind. The Empire would be punished for its audacity in believing that Morrowind should be subjugated to their rule.

And, most importantly, the mighty Sixth House of Dagoth will rise from the ashes of the deep past and take its rightful place among the Great Houses, who will submit or be destroyed.

'Yes... Yes, come to me, my companion of old. Come bask in my greatness and share in the fruits of my labors, as we should have done from the start.'

Dagoth Ur felt something pulse from Akulakhan's chamber, his connection to the Heart of Lorkhan giving him insight into the most recent development of his plan.

"Ah!" he said smoothly, lowering his hand and staring out into the corner of his featureless cavern as if he could see something. "Another has been inaugurated. Who has had the honor of joining the Sixth House?"

His Blight had claimed another soul, and since the Heart of Lorkhan had alerted him personally, it wasn't a run of the mill peasant or wandering traveller.

Extending his will out, Dagoth Ur began examining his latest recruit in order to judge how it may serve his cause. Yes, not a bad mind. Not much physical fortitude, but plenty of experience in politics.

"Wait!"

Something was missing from this one's mind and soul. There was no trace of a Birth sign. Even people who never knew what sign they were born under their entire lives had one, yet this individual could best be described as a blank slate. And what was even stranger was, Dagoth Ur felt no devotions.

Whoever this was had no reverence for either the Divines or the Daedric Princes, and that was something that Dagoth Ur had never come across in all his years of existence.

For the first time in a long time... Dagoth Ur's curiosity had been piqued. He had to know why this individual had no connection to Idols of worship and lacked a Birth Sign. Drawing on more of his Divine power than he would normally spend on something so mundane, Dagoth Ur delved into the memory of the small soul that had recently been drawn into his fold.

And for the second time in the last hour, something happened that day that hadn't happened in centuries.

Dagoth Ur was speechless.

He delved into a phenomena of sights and sounds that he could never have imagined even Azura's Plane of Oblivion, Moonshadow, would be hard pressed to compete with the world he was witnessing. A world... a world of sentient, talking equines of varying shapes and colors. Some flew with wings, others carried loads that Orcs would find troublesome, a select few cast bizarre spells through bony appendages on their heads.

Dagoth Ur stood dumbstruck as these equine people molded the land they called home with practiced ease. The ones possessing wings (Pegasi, according to the mind he was examining) sculpted weather like pieces of art, constructing rain, snow, and other weather, while at the same time deconstructing unwanted weather patterns so as to avoid destruction or damage to farms and dwellings. The regular looking equines (Earth Ponies) tilled land and brought in bountiful harvests that would have taken the best farmers of his time years to cultivate in less than a month.

And as for the horned ones (Unicorns)...

Dagoth Ur was well acquainted with powerful magic, but these ponies used magic for such mundane things, and in greater numbers than any cult or guild. Then he found memories that fully baffled him. Several times the memory of this weak individual met in council with some being that was obviously the leader of this strange kingdom, possessing both wings and a horn (an Alicorn.)

Over time, the meetings with the owner of the memories changed from meeting with this tall, white creature, whose bizarre, multi-colored mane and tail constantly fluttered in a non-existent breeze, to meeting another creature of similar build, though slightly shorter and being midnight blue, whose flowing dark mane was adorned with twinkling stars, both sitting on regal thrones. Queens maybe? Curious to learn more about this ruling class of pony, Dagoth Ur sifted through memory pertaining only to these two.

What he saw made the breath leave his lungs.

In the midst of a huge crowd of ponies, the owner of the memories stood beside another pony with a white coat, blue hair and mustache, and somehow wearing a monocle, his foreleg around her shoulder signifying him as her lover. The two ruling ponies stood tail to tail upon an ornate silver stage in the heart of a grand stone city, stars twinkling above. They twitched their regal necks, the taller ones horn lighting up in a golden yellow aura, while the smaller one possessed a deep blue aura.

The blue one slowly angled her neck until it stood horizontally... the full moon that stood above following until it disappeared understand the mountainous horizon. The tall one made her move, angling her neck to point her horn horizontally, but lifted it back up vertically... the sun peeked over the horizon, the night being chased away by its burning brilliance...

Dagoth Ur could take no more...

He receded back into himself and fell to one knee, panting in exhaustion.

How could such a place exist, and elude him? He, Dagoth Ur... who had lived for centuries, possessed power to rival the false idols who had kept him under their boots for so long. How had he not known?

But that wasn't what he was thinking about.

Such skill cultivating the land...

Mastery of the clouds and weather...

Magic that rivaled Mundus, and in far greater quantity than anything he had ever seen...

Individuals who controlled the sun and moon... beings of flesh... and blood.

Yes, he could make great use of such individuals. With an infinite supply of resources, and an abundance of cooperative weather, Morrowind could accumulate power that no other kingdoms could rival. Not to mention that creatures of such unnatural strength and magic would make invaluable guardians for the Sixth House.

And those two alicorns...

Only Azura has been known to possess the power to control the cycle of day and night, but these two somehow possessed the same power. And according to the memory, other than longevity, these ponies were flesh and blood like the others.

Flesh and blood that had already been proven susceptible to his Corprus disease.

They just need... more of his greatness.

"Hehehehehe, hahahahahaHAHAHA!"

With maniacal laughter, Dagoth Ur sprang to his feet and with a mighty bellow, spread more of his influence out to the source of the memories.

Fleur De Lis.

---

Back at Canterlot General.

"All is silence. The road is straight, without turning, in darkness. Now let there be an end to all things."

"All is silence. The road is straight, without turning, in darkness. Now let there be an end to all things."

Fleur De Lis had not stopped her absent minded chanting since she began. Doctors surrounded her on all sides of the emergency room, but with limited knowledge on her ailments, the most they could do was make sure she didn't hurt herself. Not that she had tried.

Fancy Pants sat in the observation room on a chair brought up from the front desk, his haunches sore from the hard plastic, but he persisted. He may not be able to be by his wife's side physically, but he was going to remain in this room and watch over her in anyway he could, and if the limitation was a room with an enchanted mirror then so be it. He wanted the first thing she saw once she was well was his loving familiar face.

But just when was that going to be?

Celestia had arrived at the hospital to explain to him that in order for them to help his wife, an expedition to this other world was required, and one that Miss Rarity and her Ponyville companions would be undertaking. Fancy could not even begin to wrap his head around the matters Twilight and her friends were dealing with on his behalf, but he did understand that it should not take long for them to retrieve the potion that would make his wife well again. Search for something in the past, winding up in the present in an instant when done, he didn't know. Maybe he should contact his friend in Ponyville, Doctor Whooves, he was always talking about wibbly wobbly, timey wimey stuff.

But the fact was it had to at least been a few hours since the princess and the others had departed, and if it wasn't supposed to take long, where were they? Fleur relentlessly repeating that phrase over and over was a constant reminder of what was happening, and it was weighing down on his heart.

"All is silence. The road is straight, without turning, in darkness. Now..."

It took a second for Fancy to notice the silence.

"FLEUR?!!" He sprang to his hooves in a second and pressed to the glass of the mirror. "Fluer, honey are you alright?"

He should have known it was pointless to try talking to her. Not only was she incoherent, but the enchantment Luna added to the mirror only let you hear into the operation room. It would not bode well for the doctor to be distracted by the screams of a patient's worried loved ones.

"All hail Dagoth Ur..."

It took a second for the small sound to register for Fancy Pants.

He reared back from the mirror, surprised and overjoyed to hear his wife say something that wasn't a mindless drawl. But the relief was short lived. Fleur's featureless expression was molding on the surface of the mirror, a wicked, ambitious smirk blooming on her muzzle.

And her eyes... her eyes had a dangerous glint in them. A twisted, sinister glint that Fancy knew his beloved wife would never have. He... didn't know where it came from, but something clicked in Fancy's mind.

This wasn't his wife.

---

Doctor Barn stood clad in his hazmat suit along with the rest of the medical staff as Fleur's words sounded quietly through the room. He turned just as Fleur suddenly sat up upon the operation table with relative ease, her eyes looking them all up and down, apparently unimpeded by her bulbous, irritated sores. The doctors all looked at each other, this being the first voluntary movement they had gotten out of her.

Maybe it was a good sign.

"Take it easy, Miss Lis," said one of the doctors steadily approaching her, "you should lay back..."

He was the one who would be laying down.

Without warning, a spiraling ball of orange light orbited Fleur's body and she stuck her horn out, striking the doctor in the chest. It held there, the only thing apparent for the next second was the smell of burning. Then the doctor's back exploded in flames, seared flesh and charred bone scattering on the floor behind him.

The doctor made a few incomprehensible murmurs around the fresh hole in his torso, before falling limply to the sterilized tile floor, motionless.

"REJOICE, MY FELLOW PONIES OF EQUESTRIA!"

The horrific, sinister voice brought the mortified doctors' attention away from their comrade that had been brutally slain right in front of them, to the disfigured mare that stood upon the operation table, her eyes gleaming sinisterly as she glared down at them with a boastful smirk.

"THE GREAT DAGOTH UR HAS CHOSEN EQUESTRIA AS THE VESSEL OF HIS GRAND CONQUEST!"

Doctor Barn didn't know what was going on, but he needed no other motivation for his next decision. "CLEAR THE OPERATION ROOM! EVERYPONY OUT NOW!"

They need not be told twice. They all scurried for the exit as fast as their hooves could carry them, slamming into the hallway frantically. Doctor Barn took up the rear.

"It's futile to resist," said Fleur with a smug tone, leaping from the table and giving chase. "Dagoth Ur's will is absolute, none shall defy..."

She ran headlong into the magic healing bubble, backpedaling while shaking her head. Snarling, Fleur's body became encased in electricity, throwing a thick stream into the transparent wall blocking her path. Doctor Barn stood behind the room's double doors, reenforcing the forcefield with his own magic.

"Quarantine this section of the hospital," he said through his concentration to a nearby orderly. "And activate the emergency protocol, we must contain whatever this is."

"But sir, if we activate the emergency protocol you'll be trapped in here with that mad mare," said the orderly.

"Are you blind or just plain stupid?" Doctor Barn pointed to a red line on the ground just in front of him. The line indicated the limit of the containment field the emergency protocol would put up, a field even more durable than Shining Armor's. The orderly nodded and sped down the hall.

A second later an unbreakable field relieved Doctor Barn of his burden, leaving him free to regroup with the rest of the hospital staff to plan their next move.

---

Fancy Pants fell to the floor, his wide eyes leaking fat tears as he watched his wife bombard the shield keeping her contained within the operating room with a variety of offensive spells he had never seen her use... the smoldering body of the doctor lying right behind her.

"No..." he mumbled as he clenched his eyes, a torrent of agony swirling within him. "NO!" He seized the chair in his telekinesis and hurled it at the mirror with all his might.

It shattered into countless pieces, scattering twinkling shards everywhere. Fancy sat up, panting with exertion, gazing forlornly at the image of his frantic wife, still reflected in the multiple shards scattered about. How had such evil befallen her?

What had caused this change in behavior?

Fancy didn't know, but what he did know was that one way or another, the situation had taken a turn for the worst. Only one option was apparent to him, and while it already seemed like they were already going above and beyond, only one thing could help now. They needed that potion more than ever.

Grabbing the largest shard of the mirror in his magic, Fancy sprinted from the hospital towards the castle.

---

Twilight and her friends, their preparations complete, stepped through the ominous glowing green portal that had opened within the throne room.

Celestia, Cadance, and Shining Armor stood with bated breath.

Then nothing happened.

They shared a look of intense worry between themselves. According to Twilight, this trip should be instantaneous, at least from their point of view. But Twilight and the others did not reappear as soon as they vanished as predicted.

"Something is wrong!" said Shining Armor, slight panic creeping into his voice. "Twilight should be back by now."

"Calm down, Captain," said Princess Celestia regally, but was unable to keep the worry out of her voice as well. "Maybe Twilight miscalculated."

"Aunty, this is Twilight we're talking about here!" rebutted Cadance, her voice quivering.

Celestia knew her niece had a point, having sculpted that brilliant mind herself (though, regrettably not as much as the Woodland Man, but let's not open up that wound).

"Where's the Black Book?" said Shining Armor determinedly. "That monster, Hermaeus Mora, is going to tell us were my sister is."

"Shining!" whimpered Cadance, her voice emotional, "Twilight said if she didn't automatically reappear, it means the journey took longer than the amount of time that separates our time... or..."

"She isn't dead," said Shining Armor in a barely restrained voice. "Twilight has been through perilous situations before and come out triumphant. And she is even stronger than she was while facing Nightmare Moon, and Discord, they all are."

It sounded like her fiance was trying to convince himself that Twilight hadn't met an ill fate. But she couldn't bring herself to believe the worst just yet. Twilight was resourceful, and had her friends, and Princess Luna by her side. Whatever had happened, Twilight could deal with it, she knew she could.

She had faith in the grown mare her little charge of old had grown into.

Celestia herself, had an unexplainable spark of hope in her soul too. Despite having witnessed first hoof how thoroughly one can be consumed by the passage of time, she knew Twilight had not been overcome by whatever trials this Morrowind place might have in store. Something had to have happened other than Twilight and her expedition having met with tragedy.

"PRINCESS!"

They all practically jumped out of their skin as the throne room doors burst open, revealing an even more frantic Fancy Pants than last time. Shining Armor face hoofed, at this rate they would have a permanent dent in the wall behind the doors.

"How long until Miss Rarity and her cohorts are ready to embark?" asked the panting Canterlot elite, his voice carrying the tone of someone who wants to scream, but had no breath to do so. The frantic sprint over had left him exerted and exhausted.

"Fancy, what is wrong?" asked Cadance, her gift with love telling her that Fancy's worry for his wife had increased drastically.

"No time to explain," he panted, his body recovering as he took in more gulps of air. "How much longer until the expedition gets underway?"

Celestia looked at Cadance and Shining Armor worriedly before trotting closer to Fancy Pants. "It has already begun, Mister Pants. My student and her friends departed not too long ago, along with my sister."

Fancy finally took notice of the pulsating green portal framed in gold. It would have baffled or awed a normal person but all Fancy noticed was the lack of returned explores. "Then where are they?" I was told they would be returning the instant they left."

"We are debating that ourselves," said Princess Celestia, Fancy's expression becoming mortified. "But we will..."

'THUMP THUMP'

Celestia's hoof flew to her breast, thinking that all the stress was getting to her.

'THUMP THUMP'

This time it was loud enough for Celestia to realize that this thumping, this obvious heartbeat, wasn't originating from her body.

'THUMP THUMP'

That one originated from outside.

"Do any of you...?" Celestia's question caught in her throat when she looked up and saw that Cadance had a hoof over her heart too, but had now realized that if hadn't originated from her body either.

"Cadance, honey, what's wrong?" asked Shining Armor worriedly.

"Please, princess, what has become of the expedition for my wife's cure?" asked Fancy Pants historically.

'They can't hear it,' realized Celestia.

Twilight and her friends hadn't returned, Fancy showing up again, more frantic than ever, now a disembodied heart beat.

'THUMP THUMP'

Something told her this was all connected.

"Fancy," she addressed him regally. "Why have you returned? Has something happened to Fleur?"

"Rejoice, my brothers and sisters. We have been chosen to join the Sixth House. We will all stand tall beside the mighty Dagoth Ur, in all his glory."

The voice was distorted, like being emitted from a cheap walkie talkie, but it was unmistakable as Fleur's.

"What... what is that?" gasped Cadance, looking for the source of the voice. "I thought Fleur was to ill to even speak?"

Fancy gulped and levitated the fragment of enchanted mirror he had grabbed. He needed to show them what had transpired, but oh what his wife had done.

Celestia, Cadance, and Shining Armor all beheld the reflected image of Fleur as she sat restrained in the operation room, casting random spells in random directions that then exploded against the forcefield that bound her...and the motionless equine figure that lay in the middle of the room with her. The seared hole in his back indicated he was no longer with them. The three looked horrified.

"What... what happened to Doctor Stethoscope?" asked Celestia.

Fancy could not answer, though he didn't need to.

'THUMP THUMP'

The loudest beat of all almost knocked Cadance and Celestia off their hooves. They knew that they could not ignore it anymore, so galloped to the nearest window.

'THUMP THUMP'

Just in time to see the clear blue sky ripple like a lake with a stone thrown into it with that pulse.

"By the moon..." Cadance gasped, trembling.

"What is happening?" inquired Celestia.

"Cadance, what is wrong?" Shining Armor asked again.

"What has become of my wife?" asked Fancy, though he knew not to who. "Why has her condition changed?"

'THUMP THUMP'

Another ripple fluctuated across the sky.

"Can...can neither of you see or hear this?" asked Cadance to Shining and Fancy.

"Hear what?" responded Shining Armor.

"I..." Fancy was obviously trying hard to take his mind off his wife enough to respond. "I hear nothing."

'THUMP THUMP'

"Do not resist, my brothers and sisters, it is a glorious future that awaits us all."

Celestia and Cadance shared a glance.

"Did you hear that, Cadance?"

"Yes, Fleur's words co-responded to that heartbeat?"

"Heartbeat?" inquired Shining Armor, feeling his chest.

'THUMP THUMP'

“Dagoth Ur, my Lord, we are all at your command..."

"GGLLAAAAAAGH!"

That wasn't Fleur's voice.

"Ggggllarshhhh."

But that animalistic snarl was.

They all surrounded the mirror fragment in Fancy's telekinesis and we're horrified by what they saw. Oily black tendrils were extending from black vortexes that surrounded Fleur from all sides, her hissing at them like a cornered animal. Before she could defend herself, tendrils attached themselves to Fleur's limbs, hosting her into the air.

She screamed in agony as she was suddenly bathed in a sinister yellow-green light.

"FLEUR, NO!" Fancy dropped the shard, and Shining frantically dove to catch it.

"Hold on, Fancy, I don't think Hermaeus Mora's intent is to harm your wife," said Celestia as she grabbed Fancy Pants in her magic.

"LET ME GO AT ONCE!" screamed Fancy as he struggled within the princess's magic, "THAT MONSTER..."

"All is silence. The road is straight, without turning, in darkness. Now let there be an end to all things."

Fancy stopped struggling as they all stared at the reflection. Fleur's limp body lay suspended in Hermaeus Mora's grip, monologuing her phrase once more.

'THUMP THUMP'

Celestia and Cadance looked up at the barely rippling sky.

"What is happening?" asked Cadance.

---
Dagoth Ur doubled over, clutching his right arm. Looking down at it...he smiled under his gold mask. Tiny black tendrils weaved across his dark flesh.

Hermaeus Mora, so you finally grasp how dire a threat I am to you and your wretched kind...

Not to be outdone by this... this pretender who dares call himself a God, Dagoth Ur threw even more of his will out, sending it crashing into the new obstacle that barred his path like a tidal wave.

---

"Treachery, Princess of Love. This is treachery."

They all turned to the center of the room and four of Hermaeus Mora's vortexes appeared, their eyes blinking.

"WHAT IN TARTARUS HAVE YOU DONE TO MY WIFE, YOU MONSTER?" screamed Fancy from within Celestia's magic.

"Calm yourself, Fancy," said Celestia gently. "Hermaeus Mora is aiding us in this endeavor, and I believe that hasn't changed."

"Correct, Celestia," said Hermaeus Mora, his attention drawing to Fancy, who couldn't help but tremble in his presence. "I am shielding your spouse from the one who seeks to manipulate her..."

"Manipulate!?" responded Fancy and Cadance.

'THUMP THUMP'

Celestia looked outside at the rippling sky worriedly.

"Hermaeus Mora," began Celestia, looking to the tendriled monstrosity. "Please, tell us what has happened, what is with these pulses? What has happened to Twilight, her friends, my sister?"

"My champion and her compatriots have met with nothing they could not handle."

"Then why haven't they returned?" asked Cadance, everypony in attendance wanting that answer to.

"I have... miscalculated," answered Hermaeus Mora without the slightest change in tone.

'THUMP THUMP'

"Do you wish me to tell you what is pulsating through this world?"

Celestia felt dread in her soul, but managed a nod.

"Heartbeats... heartbeats from the Heart of Lorkhan itself."

Fancy didn't understand what those words meant, but Cadance, Shining Armor, and Celestia all dropped their jaws. It didn't take much to connect the dots.

"Then that means..." Cadance could not finish.

"Dagoth Ur, the orchestrater of the Blight... has set his sights on Equestria."

If they weren't scared before they were now.

"How can this be?" asked Shining Armor in a small, worried voice, "according to Twily, he's been dead for centuries."

"As I said before... I miscalculated..."

"And what, pray tell, did you miscalculate?" asked Celestia in a stern tone.

"Dagoth Ur... his power...I have underestimated him..." explained Hermaeus Mora. "Somehow, against all odds, he is reaching across time and filling her with his will and purpose."

Celestia set Fancy to the ground, but his hooves could not support him. He fell to his belly, recollections of Twilight's explanation of this divine villian playing through his mind. A villian that now had its claws in his beloved wife.

It was too much.

He fainted.

Though it would seem no one noticed. Celestia, Cadance and Shining Armor were too focused on this news to notice the passed out stallion.

"How is he doing it?" asked Celestia.

"Dagoth Ur has the power of a Divine, little is beyond him. Even the passage of time."

"But how can he be doing this when the time he was in power was two hundred years ago?" asked Cadance. "Even you are unable to manipulate time like this."

Hermaeus Mora seemed to hesitate for a moment."It is with great effort that I admit this...but Lorkhan always has been and always will be... the strongest of et'Ada... his power... surpasses mine."

That came as a blow to the ponies. "And you didn't mention this before?!" rebutted Celestia angrily.

"I believed Dagoth Ur dead... and as I said... even I failed to predict that the Heart of Lorkhan contained enough of Lorkhan's power to reach through time and space."

"Wait, he is stronger than you," said Shining Armor in realisation. "If you are shielding Fleur from his influence, then eventually..."

"Yes, Captain, even I can not hold him off indefinitely."

Celestia and Cadance looked at each other with wide eyes.

'THUMP THUMP'

The sky rippled again.

"How come only we can see this?" asked Cadance worriedly.

"You two are alicorns," explained Hermaeus Mora, "You are more attuned to this realm than others... therefore, you can see what influence Dagoth Ur is having on this world."

"'THIS WORLD'?" All three ponies still awake caught that.

"What do you mean? Dagoth Ur is able to channel his will to Fleur's body now, but how could he be influencing the entire world?" Cadance looked out of breath. "What does he even want with her?"

"It's not just her she wants... Dagoth Ur has set his sights on all of Equestria."

Everything... felt so cold for Celestia, Cadance, and Shining Armor now.

"Wh... what?" mumbled Celestia, sounding more scared than she has in years.

"Dagoth Ur has learned about Equestria through his link with Fleur. He has seen the inherent abilities of you ponies and it intrigues him. Now he intends to subjugate you all to his will...to aid him in his conquest of Morrowind. And it is this influence that is responsible for my champion's and her friends' absence.

"The influence of the Heart of Lorkhan is warping the flow of our two worlds' timelines. Equis's present is being ripped from Nirns present, slowly being dragged to the Third Era of Nirn."

Throughout this explanation Hermaeus Mora retained his normal tone, but as of now the ponies where white (or whiter) with horror.

"And... what will happen when our time and the Third Era link up?" asked Celestia.

"Dagoth Ur will have enough influence through Fleur that he can manifest a Blight storm in Equestria. The same corruption that has infected Fleur will be spread to all denizens of this realm, subjugating them to Dagoth Ur for all eternity."

This was it.

This had gotten out of hoof. Despite what had happened to Fleur, the risk had grown too great. This had to stop.

"I'm going after them," said Celestia, approaching the portal. "I will retrieve my sister and the others. Once we return we close the portal, if it ceases to exist, Dagoth Ur won't be able to spread his influence to Fleur."

"Aunty, wait!" said Cadance, torn between Fleur's condition and Equestria's newest threat.

"Stop, Princess." a tendril threw itself around Celestia's withers.

"Don't try to stop me, Daedra," said Celestia dangerously. "I can't allow such a threat to my kingdom to continue."

"Have you forgotten? My champion and her compatriots are protected by the Gray Cowl of Nocturnal's identity hiding magic. If you step into my realm, make no mistake, my brethren will notice you."

"That doesn't matter now," rebutted Celestia, "whatever they can do can't be worse than what this Dagoth Ur is planning."

"Don't be so sure, plus, you seem to be under the false conclusion that Dagoth Ur is channeling his will here through the portal."

"How can he not be, this started as soon as we conjured it!" said Celestia.

"Coincidence."

Celestia blinked. "What?"

"The portal isn't how Dagoth Ur is channeling his presence into Fleur's body... in fact... it's your only chance now."

Celestia stopped resisting the tendril around her but it still held her. "Explain, NOW!"

"Corprus, in essence, is an extension of Dagoth Ur's will... the same as the small chunk of my essence that has taken root in this world... Fleur's condition of Corprus is acting as a bridge for Dagoth Ur to find presence in your world, same as me."

Cadance and Shining Armor blinked at each other. Shining Armor said,"Then that means..."

"This would happen regardless, portal or no portal."

"Then we need Twilight and the others to be quick," said Cadance hurriedly. "If Fleur is cured, then Dagoth Ur has no means of..."

"Have you forgotten?" interrupted Hermaeus Mora. "The potion my champion sought after isn't a cure for Corprus in essence... it only negates the negative effects. Even if Fleur received it, her body is permanently riddled with Corprus, therefore, she will still act as a bridge for Dagoth Ur."

Celestia was doing a pretty good impression of one of her student's test freak out fits. What could they do now?

"Hermaeus Mora, please," pleaded Celestia. "How can we stop him?"

"There's but one solution," he sounded almost intrigued. "My Champion... her friends... your sister... must confront Dagoth Ur, and destroy him before he destroys all of you."

Celestia stopped fidgeting in worry, her mane drooping. Suddenly a hollow laughter left her.

"Aunty, what is wrong?" Asked Cadance.

Celestia looked at her with glistening eyes. "Twilight and the others chose to undertake this endeavor because of the risk Dagoth Ur posed, and this new Thu'um ability was the best chance if that became the case. In a way... maybe it was fate."

"But Twily..."

"Look after Fancy, you two," Celestia turned to the end of the room with the throne, "RAVEN!"

"Yes Prin.... AAAAAAAGGGGGHHHHH..." Celestia's secretary ran into Hermaeus Mora's tendrils in her haste, but passed through them like they were incorporeal.

"Prepare a letter to Spike..."

"Make haste, if Dagoth Ur succeeds in incorporating ponies to his cause, not even the Nerevarine will be able to stop him. History for both worlds might be altered."

'THUMP THUMP'

'THUMP THUMP'

'THUMP THUMP'

---

Morrowind, Mount Assarnibibi...

Seven equine figures sat panting in the dust of a small mountain foot alongside a small scaly figure.

"I... don't think they saw us..." panted Applejack, fanning herself with her Stetson.

"Don't think... matters," panted Rainbow, pointing at her band.

"Well, we know that they don't prevent confrontation, so it was best we flee," said Rarity.

"Spike, are you okay?" asked Twilight.

"Don't fuss over me, Twilight," said Spike, holding a gold twinkling claw to his neck. "Those rubes ain't never tangled with a dragon before."

"But did they hurt you?" asked Fluttershy worriedly. "Pinkie said that they wanted to eat you."

"Yeah, and their leader even got a bite," said Spike, lowering his claw but his friends looked at him in worry and shock. "Nothing to worry about, the moron didn't know how tough dragon scales are, I have been poked deeper by Rarity when I'm a pincushion for her."

Rarity blushed.

"Hey guys, look at this."

Pinkie was standing before a great stone obelisk, grey and brown in color and built at the foot of the mountain. They gathered around it, taking notice of the mural of a feminine figure sitting cross-legged, two other figures standing behind her. Writing was etched beneath.

To Luna it was illegible, but for Twilight and the others it stood out clear as day and all seven read at the same time:

Assarnibibi shrine.

This is were Malog Bal oversaw the 99 lovers of Boethiah and gave birth to Amalexia, mother of Morrowind.

"Ninety nine?" Inquired Rainbow with a smirk. "Man he got busy!"

"RAINBOW," scolded Rarity, "such profanity in front of the princess."

But Luna didn't appear to have heard. She stared at the shrine with a look of deep disgust.

"Mother of Morrowind," she mouthed. "Why do the people of Morrowind revere her so? Was it not her and the other Tribunal members that defied Azura, daring to become gods and bringing her wrath upon them, robbing them of their beautiful golden complexion? And didn't she turn on her fellow Tribunal members when that ill-gotten power waned?"

"Technically, that has yet to happen, Princess Luna," said Twilight, "but you're right, she doesn't deserve any of this. It's mostly just that the people's reverence of her power grants her their respect, I assume."

Spike opened his mouth to add his piece when his cheeks suddenly bloated up like he was about to be sick.

"Spike!" said Rarity worriedly. "Are you okay, darling? You didn't catch anything when that foul creature put his filthy mouth on you, did you?"

His response came in the form of a belch. A stream of green flames exited his mouth, which solidified into a scroll with a gentle pop. They all blinked as it fell to the ground between them.

"Huh, maybe it's just junk mail," said Pinkie nervously.

They scowled at her.

They all knew it had to be a letter from Princess Celestia, nopony else sent letters via dragonbreath. But Equestria was separated from them by two hundred years, nopony in their time should have even blinked yet. Let alone write a letter.

Nervously, Twilight scooped up the scroll, broke the royal seal, unfurled it and traced it with her eyes. Her eyes grew bigger by the second and when she staggered to the left to be caught by Fluttershy, they really started to worry. Twilight was known to freak out but never like this.

"Twilight, what the hay is wrong?" asked Rainbow worriedly.

"Yeah partner, what is up?" asked Applejack.

"Does my sister have pressing tidings to report?" asked Luna.

"I got it," Spike snatched the scroll, cleared his throat and read:

My dearest student.

I regret to inform you that the situation has grown ever more dire. We have discovered on our end that Fleur's condition is acting in similar respects to Hermaeus Mora's fragment of essence that allows him passage to our world, and has regretfully led Dagoth Ur to our door. Even now he endeavors to spread a Blight storm through Equestria, making us his minions in his quest to conquer Morrowind for his own. And to make matters worse, according to Hermaeus Mora, this is having the side effect of yanking the time streams of the two worlds out of sync, dragging Equestria's present to Morrowind's past.

When the two meet, nothing will stop Dagoth Ur from spreading his toxins through our home, and not only that, but Hermaeus Mora theorizes that with Equestrian magic on his side, not even the Nerevarine will be able to stop Dagoth Ur. Hermaeus Mora is blocking Dagoth Ur's connection to Fleur, but he won't be able to do it indefinitely, so I am sorry Twilight, but as of now time is of the essence. Hermaeus Mora says the only way to stop this is to destroy Dagoth Ur before his Blight sweeps through Equestria, so that now takes precedence over finding the potion, that will have to be after.

I am sorry Twilight, but you, your friends, and my sister must face Dagoth Ur, for the fate of both Equis and Nirn.

Be safe, all of you.

Sincerely, Celestia.

A steady breeze carried away a scrap of paper that originated from Equestria, depositing it into a lava pit miles away from its point of origin.

Eight figures stood stock still as they digested this horrendous news.

"No, it can't be," moaned Applejack.

"The Blight storm, in Equestria?" In her mind's eye, Rainbow saw Cloudsdale swallowed up by an ominous red cloud.

Fluttershy was too terrified to speak. She imagined Angel bunny flopping around in pain before keeling over, green goo flowing from his mouth just like that Cliffracer under his still, lifeless eyes. She trembled. The rest of her animal friends lay next to him.

Pinkie saw her family's rock farm...a red sandstorm engulfing it... five equine outlines lying motionless in the quarry... one clinging to the fallen Holder's Boulder.

Rarity saw Sweetie Belle, sitting with Apple Bloom in a red wagon being pulled behind Scootaloo and her trademark scooter as the Crusaders tried desperately to outrun the red miasma that had already engulfed Ponyville. It was a futile effort as red dust soon swallowed up the tiny vehicle. Three youthful screams called out the names of their big sisters before going silent.

"What are we doing?!" snapped Luna, her face a twist of a serious scowl and burning desire to fight. "We have just received word from my sister that this heathen from which the Blight has originated from has set his sights on our home, and unless we act, he will spread his plague to others as he has done to Fleur. We have no time to waste, we will hunt this 'Dagoth Ur' down and make him rue the day he ever threatened our home!"

They sat transfixed for a moment longer before Luna's words sunk in.

"You're right Princess, now isn't the time to tremble in fear," said Rainbow, punching the air. "Now is the time for action!"

"Darn right," said Applejack, stomping a hoof, "Dagoth Ur, that varmint's going to wish he never crossed this Apple."

"Violence is something that I find appalling, but this time I will make an exception," said Rarity, her baby blue eyes morphed into a formidable glare. "Poor Fleur De Lis is a good pony who never deserved what has happened to her, I will not stand idly by while others suffer from the same fate."

"If everyone turned into a flesh zombie to fuel a genocidal mad god's twisted ambition, they won't be able to party ever again," said Pinkie Pie, pulling her party cannon from nowhere. "Well Equestria's number one party planner will not let that happen." She fired her party cannon into the air, confetti in the shape of hearts (real organ shaped hearts) raining down, tiny hammers and miniscule daggers falling with them. "Watch out, Dagoth Ur, we're coming to spoil your party."

"Mmhmm," was all Fluttershy could say. She was scared out of her wits, but all she had to do was remember what was going to happen in Equestria if they didn't do something.

"Guys, hold it!"

Spike stood between all of them, flailing his claws. "Guys... we can't do this..."

"Spike, don't be stupid," said Rainbow, "you read what Princess Celestia said, that no good wanna be God is threatening Equestria."

"We gotta do something," said Applejack.

"But what will happen if we do this?" said the baby dragon frantically. "If we destroy Dagoth Ur, what will happen? The conflict between Dagoth Ur and the Nerevarine is one of the most phenomenal events in the history of Nirn. If we alter it what will happen? Because of the incident with Hermaeus Mora and Queen Chrysalis, Equis and Nirn are now connected." He may be a lout sometimes, but Spike's upbringing with Twilight was poking through his youthful demeanor again. He could see things most his age would fail to grasp.

"What if we change something that alters the event to the wedding... what if, instead of Hermaeus Mora...we get one of the other Daedric Princes... just like Twilight fears."

Some of the others' resolve diminished when remembering that possibility.

"It is irrelevant," said Luna sternly. "Celly said that if Dagoth Ur gains control of Equestria, not even this 'Nerevarine' can stop him. If we don't intervene, Equestria is doomed."

Spike made to argue the point Twilight made at the start of this, but a purple aura sealed his mouth.

Twilight had rejoined them, but her face was expressionless.

"I know you agree with Spike, sugarcube, but we have no choice," said Applejack. "We must stamp this vermin out if he is threatening our home."

"No one messes with Equestria while I'm around," said Rainbow.

"It's futile," said Twilight in a voice so small it could barely be heard.

"I know it seems so, darling, but we can't stand idly by," said Rarity.

Twilight didn't appear to have heard her.

"Ever since I learned about the evils of this place, I was determined to prevent anything from coming through to Equestria," said Twilight meekly. "But... it is futile..."

They looked at each other worriedly.

"Twilight, what are you talking about?" Asked Spike.

"First Hermaeus Mora, then children summoning creatures from the depths of Oblivion, Fleur's condition of Corprus, now Dagoth Ur himself," Twilight looked to the ground and trembled. "No matter what I do, monstrosity after monstrosity from Nirn finds its way to Equestria. It can only mean it's too late to stop Equestria from experiencing the horrors of Nirn, in fact, I bet it's been too late ever since Hermaeus Mora sent his accursed book to our world..."

Fluttershy whimpered. "Twilight... oh my dear."

But when Twilight sprang up her eyes burned above a smirk. "And if that is the case, so be it. Let them come. But we will not stand idly by and just let the horrors of Nirn run rampant in Equestria." Twilight turned to each of them as she spoke. "Very well, let's do it. Let's find Dagoth Ur and teach him a lesson, courtesy of Equestria's strongest group of friends!"

They stood shocked for a second at her sudden turn, but the ponies smiled proudly.

"Now you're speaking my language, egghead," said Rainbow Dash, grabbing Twilight's withers and noogieing her, much to her annoyance. "Admit it, I am rubbing off on you."

"But Twilight, what about all the time stuff?" said Spike, not quite convinced yet. "What happens if we change things for the worse?"

"It's futile, as I said Spike," said Twilight as she waved Rainbow Dash off of her, proud of her number one assistant for his grasp of what was happening. "You can't stop two speeding trains on a collision course." Applejack and Rainbow laughed at the analogy. "But your argument has merit, Spike. We can't just go up and confront Dagoth Ur."

"But Twilight..."

"Rainbow, Dagoth Ur is a God, remember," said Twilight, "only one thing has the power to destroy him."

The eyes of all of them grew wide.

"The Tools of Kagrenac!" whispered Applejack.

"Right," said Twilight, "only they have the power to sever Dagoth Ur from the Heart of Lorkhan."

"Than we simply must find these 'Tools of Kagrenac.'" said Luna.

"We may not need to, your Majesty," said Twilight, looking to Applejack, "AJ, you give good advice."

"Me, what did I say?"

"At the Nightmare Night festival you said Princess Luna should go with the flow," said Twilight determinedly, "that is what we will do, we will go with the flow of history. Another is already seeking the Tools of Kagrenac, for the express purpose of destroying Dagoth Ur, same as us."

They all gasped as what Twilight was saying became clear.

"The Nerevarine," said Spike.

"That's right," said Twilight, "no need to alter history when it's already on our side. We will find and join forces with the Nerevarine, and together we will hasten the demise of Dagoth Ur, as stated in the history books."

"OH MY GOSH, OH MY GOSH, OH MY GOSH," said Rainbow excitedly hovering above and covering her mouth with her hooves. "Not only are we going to meet the Nerevarine, but we're going to take part in the epic battle between him and Dagoth Ur!"

"BEST WORLD THREAT ADVENTURE EVER!" said Pinkie, tackling her airborne friend in a bear hug.

"If we have a plan, we must make haste," said Luna, turning to Twilight and offering the Infinite Dimension pouch. "Twilight..."

"Gotcha," Twilight said, pulling the Oghma Infinium from the depths. "Oghma Infinium, where is the one known as the Nerevarine located currently?"

Author's Notes:

Merry Christmas everyone, this is my gift to all of you.

Now things are really getting started.

Hey, reaching out to the few people who still like my story, need some insight. I already have a name and weapon in mind for the Nerevarine, but what other equipment should be included, like the type of armor?

21 Ghostgate, trek through the Ash Storm

"RAINBOW, GET IT!" shouted Applejack.

"I'M DOING THE BEST I CAN, AJ!" Rainbow shouted back, launching a streak of lightning at their foe, but the attack seemed to only provoke it further.

The abomination had swooped down from the peak of a nearby hill and attacked them on sight. Its bipedal body was a light purplish blue in color, with lethal taloned feet, large webbed wings, and piercing red eyes beneath a head of dark purple hair done up in a long ponytail. Its appearance had taken the expedition from Equestria completely off guard, and worse...

"Easy, Pinkie darling," said Rarity soothingly. She, Fluttershy, and Spike were grouped around Pinkie’s crouched form, bathing her in golden light. Luna stood watch as Twilight, Applejack, and Rainbow held off their attacker.

"It... it hurts so much..." gasped Pinkie, tears of intense pain flowing from her blue eyes.

"It's alright, Pinkie," said Fluttershy reassuringly, cringing as she saw the three claw marks marring Pinkie's chest from shoulder to shoulder, leaking crimson blood, her experience telling her that they weren't deep enough to be life threatening, but they were undoubtedly painful. "The claws didn't penetrate very deep, our Restoration should have you patched up in a second.

Pinkie's eyes were still full of pain, but a stalwart trust in her friends still remained beneath her agony, pushing her to have faith in them.

"What in tarnation is wrong with this varmint?" asked Applejack with frustration, her fireball only managing to garner the winged abomination’s attention.

Twilight tackled her out of the way just as clawed fingers rent the air where she once stood. "Winged Twilights have great immunity against magic," she explained quickly from atop her friend.

Applejack and Rainbow blinked.

"WINGED WHAT?" they both asked.

"Nevermind the similarity," said Twilight hurriedly, while the three of them regrouped. "Normal Destruction isn't working, we will have to take drastic measures."

"Drastic?" inquired Applejack.

"What's that mean?" asked Rainbow.

But the Winged Twilight was already bearing down on them again, sprinting for them on it's two foreboding legs.

"Everypony, choose a Shout!"

They had no time to argue even if they wanted to.

'GAAN LAH HAAS'

Applejack's Thu'um struck the Winged Twilight in the form of a luminous purple cloud, staggering it and sapping its strength.

'KRII LUN AUS'

Twilight's Thu'um was purple in color too, the Winged Twilight screeching in pain as more of its strength ebbed away.

'VEN GAAR NOS'

Weakened by being struck by two shouts that destroyed strength and health, the Winged Twilight was too weak to resist being swept up in Rainbow's cyclone. It twirled in the air as the cylinder of wind carried it away, thrashing futilely, its wings of no help. At last, its trip came to an end when the cyclone dissipated... and deposited it's passenger in a puddle of molten lava a few yards away.

Applejack, Rainbow, and Twilight covered their ears as a high-pitched squealing assaulted them, but kept their eyes trained on the thrashing figure in the glowing orange puddle. Eventually, the orange rippling ceased, and the Winged Twilight's lifeless body lay floating in the lava.

"PINKIE!"

All three quickly joined their other friends behind Princess Luna, adding their Restoration to her recovery. Finally, the gouges in her pink flesh rippled and knitted together, Pinkie's tears stopping as she breathed a sigh of relief.

"Pinkie darling, are you alright?" Rarity asked worriedly.

Pinkie felt her chest, giving the reformed skin a firm pat before adopting her trademark grin. "Right as rain."

They all breathed a sigh of relief.

"Think you can continue, sugarcube?" asked Applejack.

"Psst, please Applejack, it takes more than a scratch to make the Pinkinator quit," said Pinkie with bravo completely contradictory to how she was a second ago.

"But, you seemed so miserable," said Fluttershy. "It's understandable considering how excruciating a wound like that can be."

"Bat lady didn't play fair," said Pinkie, scowling in the direction of the lifeless monster and punching her hooves out threateningly. "Now I know to look out for big meanie pants that rely on sucker punches."

"Despite her goofy demeanor," said Luna, ("What do you mean 'goofy' I have never been more serious.") "Madam Pie is correct, we must be more vigilant from now on."

With that they resumed.

"Twilight?" said Fluttershy as she walked abreast with her marefriend. "What... what was that anyway?"

"It was a Winged Twilight," answered Twilight.

"WINGED TWILIGHT?" inquired seven other voices.

"Yeah yeah, don't rub it in," said Twilight irritatedly, "Winged Twilights are lesser Daedra, who serve the Daedric Prince Azura."

There was a collection of gasps, with Fluttershy surprising them all by throwing a nasty look at the dead Winged Twilight as they strode past the lava puddle.

"I should have known," she mumbled, "who else would command such an abominable creature."

The others looked to one another.

"It doesn't bother you that we killed it, Fluttershy?" asked Twilight

"Yeah, you came unglued when we killed the Cliff Racer," said Applejack.

"This thing isn't a sweet woodland animal," said Fluttershy. "I sensed nothing but contempt from this thing, contempt for everything not affiliated with the one it serves."

Once again, Fluttershy's abilities of communication were revealed to have new depths. She discerned that from just being near the Winged Twilight.

This kind of thing had been occurring ever since Princess Celestia had alerted them to the danger Equestria was facing two days ago. Giant, one eyed worms that flopped towards you and tried to spray green gas in your face, huge shiny beetles that breathed fire, and huge hulking green bipedal monsters, Morrowind was infested with beasts that they had never imagined. And to make matters worse, Fluttershy was unable to pacify them, just like the Slaughterfish, resulting in a trail of dead creatures behind them.

If there was any good news, it was that their current location was surrounded by rocks and hills, making it relatively easy to mask their presence from any people that might be in the area. The only time they came across sentient locals was two nights ago, with them hearing a distinct pattern of impacts behind them. Despite the need for celerity, they took refuge in the shadow of a nearby ledge...

...Just as a dark brown pillar impacted the road where they had once stood.

Trailing it up with their eyes, the ponies and baby dragon beheld that it wasn't a pillar, it was a leg... one of six.

A huge, hulking creature was striding down the road the Equestrian travelers had decided to follow, despite the danger of encounters. Its body was highly shelled, its six legs easily supporting it's intense weight, two arms held out in a praying mantis-like fashion aiding in keeping the creature balanced. A tarp canopy was strung over an indention in the shell of its back, and six figures sat comfortably in the shade as a seventh stood before a collection of flesh grooves in the shell.

He touched one (like a train conductor manipulating controls) and the Silt Strider let out a low-pitched call before leaving the path, stepping over the small, surrounding hills like they were just small rocks in the path. Eventually, the behemoth was swallowed up in the foggy distance, its steps growing distant. After a good minute of silence, Twilight and her friends resumed.

But in a way, the encounter with the Silt Strider rejuvenated them; there was something about the majestic beast that made them calm, despite the situation. Maybe it was the fact that something so big could be so gentle.

Unfortunately, the day after the encounter with the Winged Twilight brought on the first real stress of this venture.

In the dead of night, a rustling awoke the inhabitants of an invisible tent, and an investigation revealed the culprit... culprits.

What Twilight identified as a Nix-hound, Guar, Alit, and Kagouti were brawling with each other outside their tent. The tent’s invisibility vanished as soon as the flap moved, and it became apparent what the fight was about. A fight over food.

The Nix-hound noticed the equine figures poking their heads out of their shelter of fabric and pounced, only for the Guar to clamp its jaws over its hind legs, the Nix-hound pinching its pincers in pain. The Alit tried to make a move, but met a head butt from the Kagouti, the shelled sail on its head meaning it had an advantage. The ponies became increasingly worried.

Not only were these some of Morrowind's fiercest predators, it was more than likely that the sound of their brawl would attract more attention.

But before anything could be decided, the creatures tripped over each other... tumbling into the tent.

It was pandemonium. The creatures could not decide whether to attack each other, or claim their prey. But before anything overly concerning happened:

'KAAN DREM OV'

The Thu'um washed over the beasts in a wave of glowing blue mist, and just like that, all became still. The ponies and baby dragon watched as one by one, the intruders untangled themselves, stood up, and like canine contestants in a dog show, walked single file out of the tent and out into the night. Flabbergasted, they all turned to the source of the Shout.

Fluttershy sat trembling.

But before anyone could praise her, she doubled over and sobbed uncomfortably. All this time, she had forgotten about Kyne's Peace, all those creatures they had had no choice but to slay, when she could have pacified them all with but a word.

It took several minutes of consoling from her friends to get Fluttershy to calm down, after all, they hadn't thought to use that Shout either.

The next day saw the rocky terrain flowing by them as they followed the instructions the Oghma Infinium had provided. They had contacted Princess Celestia the night before for an update on Equestria's situation, but she said she only sent the first letter half an hour earlier. Time, it would seem, was still flowing differently between the two worlds and their timelines, but it would not last forever. Eventually the gap between them would shrink... until Equestria's time flowed evenly with the Third Era of Nirn.

The next hurtle came in the form of another Ash Storm, but after a day and a half and no sign of letting up, Twilight had to consult the Oghma Infinium. The answer was both a good sign and a fact that unsettled them to their cores.

The only time an Ash Storm continually blew was near the very heart of it all, in the region of Red Mountain.

That could only mean the Nerevarine was already somewhere near his foe, Dagoth Ur, but for what reason, they didn't know. Maybe the Nerevarine had already located the Tools of Kagrenac, and was on his way to finish the job. Whatever the reason, the Equestrian party still felt it was best to track the Nerevarine down.

But the Blight was barring their path.

Thankfully, Twilight, ever the bright one, came up with a solution. The Oghma Infinium had informed her of an enchantment that the people of Morrowind developed that could protect against Corprus, and how to apply it to objects. While normally applying enchantments to something in the Nirn way of doing things required a soul gem, Luna was able to use her alicorn magic as a substitute, and soon one piece of each set of armor had a resist Corprus spell attached, and after letting Luna recuperate, they could finally resume.

But Blight or no Blight, a sandstorm was a sandstorm.

"Ooh, this is killing me," whined Rarity for the umpteenth time, holding a hoof before her face in a futile effort to shield herself from the crimson winds.

"Twilight already cast a spell to keep the sand out of our eyes," rebutted Applejack in annoyance. "What more do you need?"

"While I do appreciate our friends’ effort so far, this dreadful wind is sure to chap my glorious lips," moaned Rarity, while Applejack rolled her eyes in annoyance. "And despite how gloriously fashionable it is, this helmet is sure to ruin my mane."

"You think you got problems?" snapped Rainbow, "at least the wind hasn't grounded your wings."

"Rarity doesn't have wings, Dashie, you do," Pinkie remarked.

Rainbow scowled. "Uh, that was my point."

"Enough," said Luna sternly, "none of us find joy in this, but it's what must be endured." She turned to Rarity, "I am most regretful to your majestic mane, Miss Rarity, but remember, our armor is the only thing that protects us from Dagoth Ur's vile disease. Without it, we would surely wind up like poor Miss Lis."

Rarity shuddered, unable to stop herself from picturing herself with those cancerous welts.

"Yeah, there wouldn't be enough makeup in all of Equestria to cover that up," snarked Rainbow, reading Rarity's expression.

"And Miss Dash, while the weather conditions being unfit for flying is unfortunate, it's for the best you remain close to the group," Luna said to Rainbow next. "You are immune to the Blight as long as you wear your armor, but the obscuring gales could cause you to get lost. And it is very possible that you could wind up in a settlement of the people of this world by the time you found your way out."

"Yeah, yeah, I get it, Princess," said Rainbow, instinctively crossing her hooves in irritation, but forgot she wasn't flying and without her forehooves to support her she took a face plant right into the ash covered ground, a fact that Applejack found most amusing.

But the third hurdle came to be both a hindrance, but at the same time fascinating.

"Ugh, girls..." said Fluttershy in her timid voice, pointing ahead to something that was glistening in the distance. "What is that?"

They cautiously moved towards it as whatever it was was revealed to be huge, trekking over hills for a better vantage point, and what they saw was like nothing that they had ever seen.

Giant towers dotted the landscape as far as the eye could see in either direction, giant cables connecting them. And filling the space between each tower was a translucent wall of rippling blue light, its glow carrying through the red wind quite far before finally being swallowed up in the distance. Mouths open in awe, the ponies and baby dragon slowly approached the magnificent structure.

Luna lit her horn, and her expression became even more transfixed. "Such power... what is this?"

"I've read about this," said Twilight, craning her neck to look up at the looming wall of light. "This must be The Great Ghost Fence!"

"The what?" They all asked.

Twilight smiled, it was bothering her less and less to have to explain things to them.

"When the Tribunal returned to the Heart of Lorkhan to recharge their Divine power, they found Dagoth Ur barring their path, more intimately attuned to the Heart than even they dared to be in the beginning." Twilight turned to the Ghostfence, almost like she could see its history reflected in its shiny surface. "Knowing that they were no match for this mad god, the Tribunal pooled their remaining Divine energy and coupled it with the spirits of the deceased (her audience collectively gasped) to erect the Ghostfence, a powerful magical structure to contain both Dagoth Ur and the Blight within the borders of Red Mountain."

"Hey, I remember now," said Rainbow excitedly, "without the Ghostfence, Dagoth Ur's Blight would have spread all across Vvardenfell long ago, but the longer Dagoth Ur remains connected to the Heart, the more his power grows and the Ghostfence weakens. Soon it won't be able to contain anything."

Twilight stared at Rainbow, proud that she remembered that.

"Ooh, sparkly!" Everyone turned to see Pinkie proding the Ghostfence giddily.

"Wuh oh!" said Applejack worriedly, trotting closer and poking the Ghostfence herself. "Now how do we get past this confounded contraption?"

"Duh," said Rainbow, twitching her wings. "The Princess, Fluttershy, and I will just fly you all over."

"Not a wise course of action, Miss Rainbow," said Luna, "the Blight storm has yet to recede."

"According to egghead here, it's never going to," rebutted Rainbow, "and it's not far to fly."

"We still shouldn't take the risk," said Luna, "and besides, who knows what may come along while you are transferring us over."

As if to prove a point, almost a dozen Cliffracers flew overhead, but luckily they remained oblivious to the Equestrian party below.

"Well... what do we do then?" asked Rainbow.

Luna tapped her chin in contemplation, staring at the nearby Ghostfence. Her horn lit up and she vanished in a teleport.

"Princess, wait...!" said Twilight in a futile attempt to stop her.

A blue orb suddenly appeared against the wall of the Ghostfence, ripples spreading across its luminous surface. Suddenly, the ripples reversed, receding back into the blue orb of light. Then Princess Luna was violently ejected from the orb and sent sprawling across the ground.

"PRINCESS!" Twilight and the others screamed, rushing to her side as she picked herself up.

"Don't fret, my friends, I am unharmed," said Luna, rustling her feathers. "I had a feeling that wouldn't work, but I thought it best to test it."

"Twilight?" began Spike, now that they knew that their Princess was unharmed. "What do we do? We can't fly over, we can't teleport past it. What else can we do?"

Twilight tapped her chin. There was a solution, she could feel it. Then it came to her.

"I got it," she said determinedly, "The Ghostfence, in simplistic terms, is still a fence. There's a gate, the Ghostgate."

"Really?" said Fluttershy.

"Yes, and judging from our location, I'm pretty sure it's this way, and not too far," replied Twilight, pointing her hoof.

They followed Twilight's intuition, and sure enough, after a slight detour that thankfully had no encounters, they arrived at what appeared to be the epicenter of the Ghostfence. The Ghostgate was a grand structure consisting of two towers and two bulbous round buildings on either side of a huge, extravagant arch, an iron fence situated in the center. A triangle switch stood upon a small pillar before it all.

They cloaked themselves with invisibility and approached the switch, predicting such a place had to have lookouts. Gently, Twilight flicked the switch with her magic, and the Ghostfence opened, grating as it lifted up into the ceiling of the grand arch. Another switch opened another gate at the opposite side, but closed the direction from where they came.

It was obviously meant to be a one way trip.

---

Tunipy Shamirbasou looked down from her camp as Ghostfence opened.

She could have sworn she could see horseshoe prints heading off in the distance, but the Blight storm was so thick it was impossible to tell.

---

With a flash, seven equine figures and a small reptilian appeared in the rocky terrain that made up the area around Red Mountain.

"Oh, come on!" said Twilight as she held the Oghma Infinium in her magic.

The wind was so strong that even in Twilight's telekinesis, the Oghma Infinium's pages fluttered haphazardly, so badly that it made it impossible for Twilight to get her bearings. "I have no idea how to proceed. We must find a calm spot, so I can gather information on where we go from here."

"Why don't we just ask that guy for directions?" asked Pinkie, heading off in a seemingly random direction.

"Please Pinkie, who would be out in this? Besides we aren't supposed to..." Twilight paused her speech as she saw there was indeed a figure in the distance. "PINKIE, WAIT!"

"Excuse me, sir, but so you know where...?" Pinkie was yanked back over to the group by a pink aura.

"Pinkie, that is a..."

Twilight was cut off by an aggressive groan.

They all looked up to see the ash colored bipedal figure bearing down upon them, a stream of multicolored light orbiting its body.

"SCATTER!" screamed Twilight.

They heeded her warning, diving in opposite directions, just in time to dodge a colorful orb that impacted the ground where they were. A cloud of red luminescence rose up, followed by streaking electricity.

"Twilight?" inquired Applejack, who lay closest to the purple unicorn. "What in the hay is this varmint?"

"An Ash Slave," explained Twilight as she scrambled to her hooves. "Deranged abominations brought to life by Dagoth Ur's dark power."

"He can do that?" Asked Luna.

"Explain later," said Twilight as the Ash Slave singled out Rarity and Pinkie Pie, casting another of its twisted spells which the pony duo barely dodged.

"EVERYONE, CHOOSE A SPELL?"

Reacting more than acting, Rainbow channeled a lightning spell, Applejack a fireball spell, Rarity a reflect spell, Pinkie Pie a poison spell, Fluttershy a weakness to fire spell, Spike an ice spear spell, and Princess Luna stuck with her trademark alicorn beam. By chance, the Ash Slave chose Rarity as its target and with a brilliant twinkling, the multiple layered spell bounced off the petite unicorn and struck its caster.

Stunned by its own attack, the Ash Slave was helpless to stop Twilight's next move.

Rather then use her own destruction spell, Twilight strained her original Equestrian magic and teleported her friends in a circle around the Ash Slave. Whether through coincidence, or team work through their bond of friendship, they all let loose their spells at once. They covered their heads as an explosion of destruction consumed their foe, a pained grunt being the only retaliation it could afford.

When all was clear, the Ash Slave lay motionless.

Panting from exertion and adrenaline, they all struggled to get back in an even state of mind.

"Everypony..." gasped Twilight, "we have to be careful. This close to the source of the Blight, the only thing we will encounter, most likely, are creatures infested with Corprus, or Dagoth Ur's minions."

"Like a towering pile of rotten flesh?" asked Pinkie.

"Exactly, Pinkie..." Twilight blinked frantically at her then followed her line of sight.

A huge, hulking, humanoid creature with the entire left side of its body swelled up and covered in red sores staggered towards them, groaning wetly as it closed in.

Most of them widened their eyes in terror, but Rarity...

"AAAAAAAAHHH!!!" She grabbed Applejack and almost choked her to death as she clung to her.

And Pinkie Pie...

"ICKY ICKY, EW EW EW EW EW, STAY AWAY FROM US, MISTER NASTY!" Pinkie took a deep breath and exhaled:

'FUS RO DAH'

Maybe it was because Pinkie was 'royally freaked out', for lack of a better term, but when the Lame Corprus was struck with her Thu'um, it was not only blown back, its rotting carcass disintegrated before it hit the ground. But none took notice, for it didn't escape them how 'similar' those growths were.

"By the stars!" mumbled Princess Luna. "That's going to be Miss Lis?"

It wasn't really a question, they all knew it to be true...as well as the fact that all of Equestria was in this kind of danger, too.

"There's no more time to waste!" said Rainbow, "we gotta get moving."

"Forget following directions," said Twilight, glaring at the illegible passage of the Oghma Infinium. Biting her lower lip, Twilight strained her horn, and a light from the Oghma Infinium flew from the pages to its tip and hung there. Sweating in consideration, Twilight cast a spell she had learned in Apocrypha.

The orb of light at her horn spread out and jutted off into the distance, forming a stream of luminous mist that sped off out of sight.

After regaining control of her breathing, Twilight noticed that the others were looking from her to the stream of light she had conjured. "Clairvoyance spell from Nirn, with a little bit of Equestria thrown in."

Deciding not to question, they followed the luminous trail as it zigzagged into the distance.

---

‘THUMP THUMP’

‘THUMP THUMP’

‘THUMP THUMP’

Back in Equestria, things were not looking good.

“The thrumming is increasing in tempo,” remarked Cadance nervously.

Celestia nodded and turned her attention to the sky as it continued to ripple along with the beat of the heart of a long dead deity.

“Twily, hurry please!” said Shining Armor as he embraced his fearful bride to be.

---

"You're uglier than Flim and Flam's apple cider!' Applejack shouted at the latest monster that crossed their path:

'KRII LUN AUS'

A purple shroud engulfed the Ascended Sleeper, and after being bombarded by this powerful group it could take no more. Its extravagant robe dissolved, and a head once adorned by tendrils became a desolate skull resting atop a pile of ash.

"Another one down for the count!" snarked Rainbow. "Awesome finishing blow, AJ."

Nodding her head in thanks, Applejack, along with the others turned to the destination the clairvoyance spell had led them to. It was another Dwemer ruin, built into the side of a mountain. This one was even more foreboding than Mzahnch, its steam shooting towers groaning, and decrepit metal walls darkened with age.

"Oh poo," moaned Rarity, "I was so relieved to be spared entry to the last of these dreadful places we stumbled upon. Should have known better than to think I was in the clear."

"Have no fear, Rarity," said Applejack reassuringly. "Me and Rainbow trounced the last place, this will be no different. And you can count on me and Rainbow to cover your hindquarters if things get ugly."

"Aw yeah!" said Rainbow.

"And you can count on me as well, Rarity," said Spike.

"While I appreciate the support, I didn't come on this venture to be dead weight," said Rarity, flipping her golden helm. "I intend to do my part, no matter what we encounter in this dreadful place."

GROAN

Twilight had opened the ancient doors, and looked up at the structure one last time, before giving her friends a look of worry, one they returned. Despite Applejack and Rainbow Dash's bravado, they all knew full well how perilous this situation was. They were bound to encounter something in here that was going to be less than friendly.

But this is where everything was to come to a focal point. The Nerevarine was in this building, according to the Oghma Infinium, and if they had any hope of keeping Equestria out of the mad god’s clutches, they needed his assistance. And as far as they knew, he needed theirs.

With a deep breath to combat the foreboding feeling festering in their souls, Twilight and her friends delved into the dark depths of the ancient Dwemer ruins...

... into the heart of Vemynal.

---

Inside, their anticipation and dread only increased when Twilight's clairvoyance spell petered out and died.

"What happened, egghead?" asked Rainbow nervously.

Twilight tried to cast the spell again, but her horn only trickled little sparks. "Something nearby is interfering with my magic." She gave them all a worried look. "Something of unparalleled magical power."

Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie gulped.

Vemynal wasn't much different than Mzahnch in appearance on the inside, with metal hallways and glass cylinders along the walls to provide luminescence. The major difference was despite the mechanical background noise, not a single mess of pipes or cluster of grinding cogs were visible. The rooms they stumbled upon were home to only basic furniture.

"Oh, how drab," moaned Rarity as she dusted off a desk with her armored fetlock, "didn't these Dwemer people have any sense of fashion or beauty?"

"They were a people of industry and scientific advancement, Rarity," explained Twilight. "And Morrowind was the heart of their scientific empire. Though I have heard that Dwemer dwellings in other parts of Nirn have at least some elegance worked into their design."

"Still..." Rarity looked around the unassuming room with disdain. "Would it have been too much to add a colorful curtain or other elegant tapestries? A little elegance to the environment can do wonders for the mind, especially the overwhelmed, anxious mind like a scientist."

"You know this how, Rarity?" asked Applejack, her left eyebrow arching up until it disappeared under the edge of her Daedric helm.

Rarity put on a smug smirk. "Applejack, darling, I will have you know that my clientele consists of more than just fashion enthusiasts. Why I have designed decorations for almost every education facility in Equestria; visually soothing so as to ease an overworked mind."

"Ugh, this is all very impressive, you two," said Rainbow, finally able to get airborne now that they were out of the ash storm, not that it made much of a difference inside. "But we do have more pressing concerns other than the dull taste the Dwemer had in decorations."

That was true, so with one last disgusted look, Rarity trekked with her friends deeper into the ancient place. Without Twilight's Clairvoyance, they would have to search one room at a time. And what they found was death.

An Ash Slave, a hollow faced creature that Twilight identified as an Ash Zombie, and another creature she called Ash Ghoul, the Equestrian party came across all these creatures, lying motionless on the floor.

It wasn't pretty, especially for Fluttershy.

"What happened here?" inquired Applejack as she kicked over the corpse of another Ash Slave, revealing the horizontal slash on its chest.

"It looks like someone, or something rampaged through here," said Luna, her war experience giving her insight on how things had transpired.

"We all faced these Ash bullies before, and it took all we had to beat them," said Pinkie, looking at a slain Ash Ghoul and shying away. "What could have done this to so many?"

"Especially in a closed space with so many," said Rarity.

"Come on, it's obvious who could be this bad-flank," said Rainbow giddily, looking at the carnage with slight unease, but also greatly impressed.

The others looked at each other in confusion, but Spike picked up on what Rainbow was suggesting.

"You mean the Nerevarine?" he asked, scratching his head beneath his Ebony helmet.

"Of course," replied Rainbow, "who else could be awesome enough but the legendary hero of the Third Era of Nirn?"

"Is it possible?" asked Luna as they continued down the hall. "Could this Nerevarine be skilled enough to slay so many vile monsters on his lonesome?"

"Well, Nerevarine was the most phenomenal warrior for his time," said Twilight as they arrived at the next door and opened it with her magic. "And the Nerevarine was said to be even more powerful, due to the enhancing capabilities of Corprus..."

Twilight immediately slammed the door shut again as soon as she looked inside, propping her back against it with a frightened look.

"Twilight, darling, what is the matter?" asked Rarity, her and the others sharing a look of concern.

Twilight blinked at them nervously, "uh, whoever it was missed one..."

The door exploded open with a blast of green, sending Twilight flying into the opposite wall were she smacked her head hard, falling to the floor with a pained groan.

"TWILIGHT!" shouted Fluttershy and Spike, rushing to the fallen unicorn's side.

Rainbow and Applejack dropped their looks of worry for a look of rage, gazing into the room looking for whatever dare attack their friend. An Ascended Sleeper stared back at them, its tentacles twitching threateningly. But Rainbow and Applejack only had one thing on their minds.

"Oh no you didn't," said Rainbow, shaking with rage. "OH NO YOU DIDN'T!"

"You're going to pay for that, you little sidewinder!" shouted Applejack.

The Ascended Sleeper grunted, a ball of electricity orbiting its body. It never got a chance to cast the spell as something hard and pointy impacted its abdomen, Rainbow Dash having sped in and rammed the pointed top of her Dwemer helmet right into its body. The beast's great strength prevented it from being pushed back, but it was enough to break its concentration on the spell, which faltered.

But Applejack had yet to add her piece.

The farm pony galloped at their foe just after Rainbow Dash rammed into its abdomen, twirling on her foreleg and jutting out her hind legs just as Rainbow pulled away. She delivered a powerful buck that sent the Ascended Sleeper through an ancient Dwemer table and into a wall. It slumped motionless to the floor.

"Hah, that'll teach you to mess with our friends..." Applejack was interrupted as a fireball impacted her face and sent her flying across the room.

"APPLEJACK!" said Rainbow...and another voice.

"You'll pay for that, you brute," Rarity came bounding into the room, a transparent sword of blue flame appearing before her. Mimicking Applejack's move, but performing it with elegant grace, Rarity twirled on her hooves and bucked her sword. Rainbow Dash was shocked at the sudden grit of her fashion designer friend, but saw her chance when Rarity's sword impacted the Ascended Sleeper in the chest just as it finished righting itself.

It caught the blade in its hand before it hilted, but it still staggered in pain as the sword tip sunk into its body.

"CHEW ON THIS, CREEP!" Rainbow sped forward, thrusting out her hind legs and impacting the pommel of the sword with all her might. The ethereal blade was forced all the way in and with a bellow of pain the Ascended Sleeper dissolved into dust, its bleached skull falling to the ground.

All was still.

"APPLEJACK!" shouted Rainbow and Rarity frantically, rushing to their friend's side.

Applejack waved them off as she stood. "Don't y'all fret none, I'm alright. Takes more than that to keep me down." She looked out the door worriedly. " I'm more concerned about Twilight. She ain't built as sturdily as me."

All three exited out into the hallway to see Spike, Pinkie, Luna, and Fluttershy gently guiding her to her hooves. She looked shaken, but relatively unharmed. Her Stalhrim helmet had saved her life.

"Anypony else notice the similarity between these things and Hermaeus Mora's Seekers?" commented Spike nervously as he remembered the appearance of the Ascended Sleeper.

The others blinked, the creatures were similar in appearance.

"It's not what you think, girls," said Twilight, "Hermaeus Mora is more than untrustworthy, but he would never be affiliated with a false deity like Dagoth Ur."

After a little more doting, the group eventually found their way down to a deeper part of the ruins, before a door that no doubt led further into the earth. They had found nothing but that Ascended Sleeper so far, so it could only mean the Nerevarine was further in.

Along with whatever other horrors were contained in this place.

---

In Vemynal, Hall of Torque, another pile of dust along with a bleached skull greeted them. They shook a little, but at least this one was already dead.

"Alright, girls," Twilight turned to her friends, "I think it best we stay here for a second and scan with our Detect Life. After the run-in with the Ascended Sleeper, it's best not to take risks."

"What about Dwemer creatures?" asked Rainbow, "they don't show up under detection."

"I don't think that's going to be an issue, Rainbow," said Twilight, "from what I can tell, Dagoth Ur has made this place into some kind of base. He would have had to have cleared out the Dwemer automatons so all these minions of his could inhabitant this place."

That made sense to all of them.

Craning their necks, they all looked around for any sign of purple twinkling in their vision. Nothing appeared for awhile until they all looked ahead at the one place they thought would have been too simple. Straight ahead.

"There," said Applejack, pointing to the door across the room.

"We all see it, darling," said Rarity.

Indeed, a single bipedal figure glowed from beyond the door, and judging by the angle, slightly beneath them. No other lifeforms registered, and according to the Oghma Infinium, the Nerevarine was here.

Could it be?

Cautiously, they opened the round door and found their way into a room with other doors branching off. Four pillars stood in the center, surrounding a drop to the floor below. A luminous red steam floated up.

They slowly approached and looked down. The steam came from a huge bed of hot coals, with some kind of suit of armor standing in the middle. It looked like some sort of shrine, a foreboding, twisted shrine.

Movement from the shadows brought their attention, and the owner of the twinkling cloud they were following stepped into the light. They gasped. This creature was almost identical to the creature they saw on the beach with the dead Argonian's.

"Twilight," said Princess Luna, looking to her sisters pupil. "You said Nerevar was a Dunmer, right?"

"He was, yes," said Twilight. "But several accounts of the Nerevarine were lost. There's no record of who or what he was."

"Come on, Twilight, this has got to be him," said Rainbow excitedly, hovering over the drop, much to the others' distress. "Hey Nerevarine, we have come to..."

A fireball missed her by a hair.

"WHOA, HEY?" gasped Rainbow, gazing down in irritation. "Take it easy buddy. We're here to..."

"Rainbow, get back!" Twilight seized her friends in her magic and pulled them away, "Everypony get back."

"Twilight, whatever is the matter?" asked Rarity worriedly.

"That isn't the Nerevarine!" said Twilight, much to their shock. "That is an Ash Vampire!"

Rainbow gasped. "For real?"

"What is an Ash Vampire?" asked Princess Luna, the others wanting to know as well.

"Dagoth Ur's most powerful minions," said Rainbow, beating Twilight to the explanation. "Unlike the other creatures he commands, these bad guys are his actual relatives, ancient members of the House of Dagoth that he resurrected with his power."

"Land sakes," gasped Applejack, the idea of resurrecting dead family members shaking her more than the others.

"But... but where is the Nerevarine?" asked Rarity frantically.

"Yeah, these things aren't pointing anything else out to us," said Spike, showing his wrist band.

"Never mind that now," said Applejack with a scowl. "If that varmint down there is in league with Dagoth Ur, and one of his more powerful buddies, we need to deal with him lickity split."

"AJ is right, we can't leave this guy alone," said Rainbow.

Despite how important it was for them to find the Nerevarine, Twilight agreed with them.

"Alright girls," said Twilight as she joined them and the others followed suit. "Ash Vampires are second only to Dagoth Ur himself, so we need to finish this quickly. Forget normal spells, they most likely won't do any damage. We need to use the Thu'um."

They agreed, each picking a Shout in their heads.

"Princess Luna, please try to block anything he might throw at us with a powerful force field," said Twilight to the Princess, who nodded. "We should probably hit him one after the other. We can do more damage that way."

"I'll go first," said Applejack. "Nothing is more important than family, no one uses it like this. Not even a God."

"Hey, I wanted to go first," said Rainbow, but was immediately scolded by the others.

They arrived at the ledge again and the Ash Vampire readied another spell.

"Your going down, freak," said Applejack:

'GAAN LAH HAAS"

A purple mist washed over the Ash Vampire as Applejack's Thu'um struck it from above. It staggered and almost fell, but wasn't down yet.

"My turn," said Rainbow, rubbing her hooves together.

But Rainbow would never get the chance.

With a resounding thud, the ponies and dragon above watched as the Ash Vampire froze in place, a green mist accompanied by a rushing noise washing over it. A figure suddenly appeared before the Ash Vampire, clad in a light tan suit of armor covered in spikes. It held what they first thought was a bow, but then noticed it had no string and the points were tapered to the point of lethality.

They watched as the figure raised the silver, crescent shaped weapon again and struck, wincing as it gouged a slash into the Ash Vampire's chest. Whatever power was holding it still expired at that point, and now that it was free, it lashed at its armored foe. The attack was dodged as the armored figure rolled across the floor, the wall the Ash Vampire hit instead crumbling under its strength.

A slash from the crescent weapon cracked the Ash Vampires knee at the joint, and the ponies and baby dragon above winced as it fell out over on its back, but it made no noise other than a low pitched moan. That left the armored figure with the opening they needed. Springing up to its feet quickly, the armored figure raised its weapon and plunged one of its tips down.

Into the Ash Vampire's chest.

The Equestrians gasped in horror as the gray monster reached for the ceiling pitifully, before going limp. They were speechless. They had intended to slay this thing themselves, true, but this...

And not only that, whoever this armored figure was, they were skilled. Speaking of which, they saw it remove its weapon from the Ash Vampire's chest and sling it over its back. It then knelt down and began rummaging through what little clothing it wore, removing something from the waist of its rags.

"Oh, that ruffian!" moaned Rarity. "It was a horrid abomination, but who robs the dead?"

"Yeah, that's mean," said Pinkie, shaking her head at what she had witnessed.

"Mmhmm," whispered Fluttershy, not as recovered, but still appalled by such an act.

A flabbergasted gasp from Twilight drew their attention.

"Young Twilight, what is the matter?" Asked Princess Luna.

"Yeah Twilight," said Applejack, watching as Twilight's pupils almost shrank to nothing. "You look like you've seen a ghost!"

Twilight watched as the armored figure rose up, clutching something in its hand. It was a small bronze hammer will a rounding head, a luminous rune adorning either side. The gauntlet it was clenched in didn't match the one on the other side, being a dark brown, made of some kind of metal, unlike the rest of the suit, and twinkling with a magic aura.

"Equest... Nirn to Twilight?" A blue hoof waving in her face snapped her out of it.

"Twilight, you're scaring us," said Fluttershy.

"Yeah Twilight, what has freaked your frizz?" asked Pinkie.

Twilight gave all her friends a look of intrigue. "Girls, that hammer..." She pointed to the figure below, the others looking to the hammer it held. "That's Sunder, one of the Tools of Kagrenac." They all gasped,"And that gauntlet is Wraithguard, the instrument designed to protect against the lethal side effects of the other two Tools."

They looked at Twilight, then slowly looked below, Rainbow practically trembling.

"Twilight, does that mean...?"

"It's very rude to linger in doorways," said a wise but gravelly voice. The Equestrians jumped in surprise when the figure below looked up at them. "On second thought, I'll come to you, my work here is done anyway."

They watched as an armored figure rose from the drop astride purple ripples. It settled before them, and gazed down at them. It was unsettling to be under its gaze, especially after what they had just witnessed, but something held them in place.

"I really must thank you," the gravelly voice said from under the helmet. "That bastard has had me pinned down for days, if you hadn't come along I am unsure if I could have overcome him." Sunder was presented to them. "And you have helped me retrieve Sunder. Your efforts may have just saved Morrowind."

Luna was able to throw off her silence first, walking up to the figure who was at least a good head taller than her, to say nothing of the others. "Are you the one known as the Nerevarine?"

The figure looked at her.

"I thought I heard speech from you all before, but wasn't sure till now." It looked to the rest of them. "How interesting, horses that can speak."

That gave them a reason to drop their shock and unease.

"Hey, we're not horses, we're ponies!" said Pinkie.

The figure seemed taken aback. "My apologies, ponies."

"And I am a dragon," said Spike.

"You're not an Argonian?" asked the figure with genuine curiosity.

Spike face-clawed. "Why does everyone think that?"

"Please, answer my question," said Luna sternly but patiently.

The figure paused, before taking a breath. "A prisoner born on a certain day to uncertain parents would be sent to battle Dagoth Ur. The supposed reincarnation of General Nerevar."

The figure removed its helmet, a cascade of raven hair fell to shoulder length, the ominous red eyes of a Dunmer peering out of a dark, youthful, feminine face.

"Some call me the Nerevarine, but I prefer my true name. Sarian."

Author's Notes:

I know some were hoping for a male Nereverine and I am sorry.

This is a tribute to my good friend zeusdemigod131who has helped for so long with Elder Scrolls lore.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

22 Keen interests

"OH MY GOSH, OH MY GOSH, OH MY GOSH!" Sarian backpedaled slightly as she suddenly had a rambling armored pegasus clinging to her pauldron. "You're the Nerevarine, the genuine Nerevarine! Man, I can't tell you how awesome it is to get to meet you! I've read all about your exploits. And you're a girl? That makes you even more awesome, and I gotta say... you... are...so... awesome..."

Sarian looked to the other members of the bizarre party this 'pony' had arrived with and arched her eyebrow. "Is... she always like this?"
The others seemed to cringe in embarrassment.

"Only when she meets people she admires," said Rarity as Twilight plucked Rainbow Dash from her armored perch and placed her back amongst them, much to her protest.

"Look Rainbow, I know you have had a thing for the Nerevarine Prophecies ever since you stumbled upon them in Apocrypha," Twilight whispered to her in a scolding tone, but then adopted a slightly desperate tone. "But now isn't the time. Equestria is in danger, and we are the only hope."

Rainbow seemed to snap out of whatever fangirl haze had settled over her. "Right, sorry Twilight."

Twilight smiled reassuringly and put a hoof on her shoulder, then she and the others turned their attention back to Sarian.

"I have to admit," Sarian said as she slipped Sunder into her belt. "When I set out for Ghostgate, the last thing I expected was to have company." She looked at all of them, her eyes sparkling with intrigue. "Especially such 'unique' company."

"Well, allow me to explain Miss Nerevarine..." said Pinkie, but Sarian cut her off.

"My name is Sarian, and I would greatly appreciate your referring me by my proper name, if you don't mind," she said as she slipped her helmet back on, her tone non-threatening, but brooking no argument. "And as for explanations, they will have to wait. I did my best to clear this place of enemies, but it's more than likely there are still dangers about."

"We know," said Applejack with slight irritation, "we ran into some shortly after we entered this place."

Rather then waste time on unnecessary chit chat, they all departed the ruins, Sarian leading the way. It would seem, despite it all, Equestria had made its first contact with a denizen of Nirn, not counting a sentient Mudcrab that sells things, and an Argonian on the brink of death, and an infant Argonian that would remember nothing of their encounter. Whatever bizarre twist of fate was responsible for this encounter, it was a set of circumstances that could only lead to unpredictability.

---

Back in Equestria, Canterlot General, an hour after Celestia sent word to Twilight.

"All is silence. The road is straight, without turning, in darkness. Now let there be an end to all things."
"All is silence. The road is straight, without turning, in darkness. Now let there be an end to all things."

"All is silence. The road is straight, without turning, in darkness. Now...hhhrrrrn."

Fleur grit her teeth as if in frustration as the tendrils that held her in place tightened, her aura of yellow-green light faltering slightly.

"Get... get your filthy coils off me, you wretched false god!" she moaned, glaring up at the multiple black whirlpools. "You shall not interfere with our glorious Master's quest to take his rightful place as the God of Morrowind."

---

Morrowind, Red Mountain Region, Dagoth Ur Facility Cavern.

"Hahaha!"

Dagoth Ur sneered as he felt the barrier blocking his path to this new realm weaken. It wasn't by much, but enough to prove that it wasn't going to hold indefinitely. A little more effort and he would break through.

And then these poor, misguided souls would know the joy of worshipping a proper god for the first time in their miserable existence.

"You will not stand in my way,"

Dagoth Ur growled to the inky black tendrils encompassing his arm. "And when the time comes for me to conquer the pitiful beings that dare call themselves gods, you will be the first to feel my wrath."

With another sinister chuckle, Dagoth Ur poured more effort into breaching the barrier Hermaeus Mora had thrown in his path.

---

Canterlot Castle, throne room.

‘THUMP THUMP’

‘THUMP THUMP’

‘THUMP THUMP’

‘THUMP THUMP’

Shining Armor could tell by the look on his Princess and his fiance's faces that the heartbeat he was unable to hear had increased in tempo again. In a way, it was worse for him, because other than the reactions of the others, he had no way of keeping track of this situation himself, and how was he supposed to do his duty as Captain of the Royal Guard if the imposing threat was completely invisible to him?

"It's happened again, hasn't it?" he asked, but more for the reason of doing something, rather than actually needing the answer.

"Yes, Captain," replied Celestia, turning from the window to the hovering mass of eyes and tendrils. "Hermaeus Mora, how much longer can you hold Dagoth Ur's influence at bay?"

"Not for much longer," replied the Daedra Lord. "The more time that passes, the closer the Third Era becomes, and the stronger Dagoth Ur's will can project towards this world. If he isn't stopped soon, Equestria has no chance."

Celestia suppressed the urge to gulp. If being stalwart during this crisis was all she managed to do she was going to do it, the fact that it may be in vain be damned. Still, she could not help but look out at the pulsating sky and pray that her student, her friends, and her beloved Lulu make haste.

---

Sarian carried all the characteristics of a true warrior.

The very grace of her stride carried with it the image of someone who had seen combat, fought countless battles, and had brushed within a hair's length of death multiple times, and yet persevered. It only made her new company that much more respectful of her than they already were. It was impossible to be in the presence of such a person and not be enthralled by the sheer magnitude of resolve that they sensed in this unique individual.

But Luna could sense something other than a warrior on a mission.

Her war experience had gifted her with the foresight to see through the mask of any warrior, no matter how tough they appear. And beneath Sarian's mask, she sensed exhaustion, hunger, and mental overexertion. And despite the need for urgency, it would be a terrible idea to charge into battle overcome by fatigue.

With great reluctance, Luna suggested that they rest for a while.
There were protests all around, but Luna would not let them skirt the need for rest. And not just for Sarian, Twilight and the others were showing signs of exhaustion as well.

Spike was already passed out on Twilight's back.

It was an annoyance, but as they all became overcome with yawns while they were halted and arguing, it became clear that Princess Luna was right. To say Sarian was surprised by their portable shelter would be an understatement. She was shocked enough when the ponies pulled a huge cobalt box out of a pouch so small it could fit in the palm of her hand, but when some type of string was pulled and a huge canvas spire extended skyward, accompanied by a gust of wind almost as powerful as the surrounding Blight storm, she was so startled she actually drew her crescent shaped weapon and took up a defensive stance.

"No need to be afraid, darling," said Rarity ('the white one' to Sarian, for they had yet to have proper introductions) as she entered the tent. "It's just a tent."

"A yurt to you," explained Twilight when Sarian failed to drop her stance.

But one by one, these strange equines entered the sudden structure, not appearing to be in any danger. Reluctantly, Sarian relaxed and followed her company into the shelter of the canvas building. She wasn't sure why, but something compelled her to trust these bizarre creatures.

It was like they just radiated kindness and trust.

It also might be that they were just too adorable to be thought of as any kind of threat.

Inside they all shed their armor, Sarian placing her Armun-An Bonemold along with the others, though Fluttershy gave it a wide girth. Free of her cumbersome armor, Sarian found it easier to relax in the bizarre, overly elegant interior of this tent, wearing only her undergarments, which of course, showed every portion of her body beneath. In Equestria, clothing was purely optional, so seeing someone just shy of their birthday suit was nothing new or bothersome, but with the alien appearance of the people of this world the Equestrians could not help but take at least one glance.

Sarian had, indeed, the grace that came with femininity, but carried something else as well. Her muscles were well toned, but not overly so, like Bulk Biceps for instance. No, her muscles were lean enough to no doubt be able to dish out quite the punishment, but retained a nimble appearance that would allow her to dodge attacks with ease. If it was possible to translate Tamriel and Equestrian standards, Sarian looked hardy like Applejack, yet nimble like Rainbow Dash.

And at the moment, they were learning just how much fuel such a body requires.

Being gracious hosts, the Equestrians had offered Sarian some food when they decided to have dinner. And she was giving Pinkie a run for her money. After obliterating a carrot dog, a bowl of tomato soup, a cheese sandwich, and a plate of broccoli (per a strong request from Applejack) Sarian was now currently demolishing a...

"Wow... it's like she's never had chocolate cake before!" said Pinkie with shock.

A triple layered chocolate cake lay on a cake dish next to Sarian as she sat across from them, already more than half devoured. She at least had the decency to put her next piece on a plate provided for her, as well as using a fork, but that was where her grace in eating ended. Chocolate frosting covered her mouth and bits of cake flew in all directions as she ravenously shoveled mouthful after mouthful between her lips.

Even Rainbow Dash had a hard time not being appalled by such grotesque table manners.

Surprising yet also not, the elegant glass cake plate was devoid of any remaining trace of the chocolatey dessert it once supported, Sarian had even licked it clean.

Sarian sat, clutching her stomach contently, giving her hosts a grateful smile. "I appreciate the food. I haven't had anything to eat in several days."

"Don't... don't mention it darling," said Rarity, cringing as Sarian let out a loud belch that earned applause from Applejack and Rainbow.
Sarian then reached for a gallon jug next to her and downed what remained of the amber liquid within.

"And this sujamma... sujamma is delicious enough, but something about this is different, yet familiar."

"Oh, that's just because I blended it with my family's best apple cider," commented Applejack with slight pride, "I think it improved the flavor quite a lot, myself."

"Apples?" said Sarian, looking at her now empty jug almost forlornly. "That explains it. I haven't had apples since the Emperor sent me to Morrowind."

Deciding it might be best to start a conversation, Applejack decided to broach a subject, "You know, Miss Sarian, it's not good to go several days with rest or eating."

The accent of this orange equine was interesting to Sarian. In all her traveling, no one spoke with a twang like this, not even Argonians or Khajiit. It was almost more interesting then the fact that some of these equines had wings, others horns, and one even had both, plus the most bizarre yet elegant horse mane she had ever seen, flowing non-stop through the air.

"It couldn't be helped," she said to the orange equine. "Dagoth Vemyn was more powerful than I had anticipated, I had been locked in combat with him for several days before you arrived. During that time, my rations ran out."

"Couldn't you have just retreated and gone to get more?" Rainbow Dash asked. "I don't like retreating any more than the next daredevil, but if a situation seems unwinnable, regrouping might be the best course of action."

"I could have, for sure," said Sarian, "but doing so would have given Dagoth Ur an opening to send reinforcements to Vemynal. I could not leave without Sunder, or I more than likely would never get the chance again."

That did make sense. To those that knew the story (Twilight and Rainbow mostly) Dagoth Ur wasn't about to yield Sunder and Keening easily, especially after it took such effort to secure them from the Tribunal during their attempt to reclaim the Heart of Lorkhan during the Second Era. If they hadn't arrived when they did...

"How did you evade him for so long?" asked Twilight, "Ash Vampires are Dagoth Ur's most powerful minions, resurrected members of the original House of Dagoth."

Sarian smirked. "Stealth and evasion are my strong suits. My birth sign is The Shadow, after all."

That explains how Sarian appeared out of thin air after they stunned the now named Dagoth Vemynal. It was also a point of interest for Twilight. Descriptions like the birth sign of the Nerevarine had been lost to history... even the fact that the Nerevarine was a woman had been lost to history.

"Well, Miss Sarian..."

"Please, no need to be formal," said Sarian, cutting Rarity (the white one) off. "Sarian is fine."

"Oh, well... very well, Sarian," said Rarity. "I just wanted to say that I greatly respect a woman who can hold their own in a dire situation, yet carries grace, such as you do."

Sarian actually blushed.

"You guys aren't so bad yourself," she said, looking over to the impressive assembly of armor that sat with hers. Though she lingered on the set the yellow pony had wore, and gave her a look of confusion.

"Though, I have to admit, you don't strike me as Dark Brotherhood material."

Fluttershy literally paled at the mention of the fabled group of assassins.

"Oh, ughmm..." Her stammering intrigued Sarian, for how could someone so timid make it so deep into the Red Mountain Region. "I'm not a member of the Dark Brotherhood."

"Oh most certainly not," said Rarity, appalled, "it was the only set of armor we could buy for poor Fluttershy that was light enough for her."

'Fluttershy?'

"Who in their right mind would sell a set of Dark Brotherhood armor?" inquired Sarian.

"Oh, Mister Muddycrab Merchant had a wide selection of armor," said Pinkie Pie excitedly.

Sarian's look became one of recognition as she looked back to the ponies' armor. "The Mudcrab Merchant. I should have known."

"You know the Mudcrab Merchant?" asked Twilight.

"Oh, quite well," said Sarian, "he and I have made many transactions in the past." She looked over the armor sets again then looked to them. "And from the looks of things, you have purchased a lot of what I have sold him and reforged it for your needs. That's most impressive."

So that's how the Mudcrab Merchant had such an extensive stock. The ponies all looked to their armor with new clarification, realizing that they never would have gotten it if it wasn't for Sarian. It would seem that they were meant to cross paths with the Nerevarine from the very start.

But in Princess Luna's mind it also sparked a sense of doubt.

From what she had been told, this armor was coveted, and expensive. And something else told her that whoever owned it before Sarian sold it to the Mudcrab Merchant wouldn't have parted with it willingly. She hated to do it, but she needed to judge Sarian's character.

To see if they could trust her.

"Sarian," said Luna with authority. Sarian gave her her full attention, but jumped a little, the voice bringing the image of a proud figure that hovered in the air, his skin two different colors. "Forgive me, but I must ask you something."

Sarian said nothing, just sat expectantly.

"From my experience, this armor, which you claim to have sold to the Mudcrab Merchant, from which we then bought, is highly precious," Luna rationalized.

"That is right," said Sarian, her voice calm, yet sturdy.

"How is it you came upon them?" asked Luna.

Sarian tilted her head.

"In my travels," she said simply

"Did you just chance upon them?" asked Luna, "it seems clear to me that that ancient place where we crossed paths isn't the first time you have explored such a place. Did you come across this armor, and perhaps other treasures in such a place?"

Sarian looked as if she was reluctant to answer. "Why do you ask such of me? I am grateful for your hospitality so far, but we have only just met. Why should I divulge my past to you?"

"Your hesitation is understandable," said Luna, Twilight and the others looking on nervously as the air around them grew thick, but none wanted to speak out against their Princess. "But if there is one thing you must understand, it's that our meeting was not by chance." Sarian seemed surprised. "We... have need of your aid."

"Me?" Inquired Sarian, "why would you need my help?"

"That is our business," said Luna, her expression serious. "Please, we must ask you how you procured those sets of armor."

Sarian looked slightly insulted. The of tone this equine was almost impudent. Why should it matter why they had sought her out, as strange as that seemed. Was it worth telling them anything?

Something... was actually telling her that it was.

"Not all of them," said Sarian, "some are from those who attempted to stand in my way, like the Dark Brotherhood assassin that owned that armor."

Fluttershy squeaked in terror.

"So you pilfered them from fallen enemies, same as with Sunder, as I suspected," said Luna, though her voice was still even. "While I can understand the necessity of that act, why did you do so with other foes, whose possessions, while valuable, were not necessary to your journey?"

Sarian seemed to be having trouble keeping her face straight. She didn't appear angry, per se, but seemed to be struggling with something deep inside.

"The path I have traveled hasn't been an easy one," said Sarian, her equine hosts giving her their undivided attention. "The path of the Nerevarine has led me from one side of Vvardenfell to another, and throughout all this, I have seen many things."

She stared at her lap, and to the Equestrians surprise, a single tear slid down her black cheek, standing out like a diamond before disappearing underneath her chin. "The Blight has spread death and suffering to every corner of this land, and everywhere I have been so far has shown me that if something doesn't change soon, innocent people will suffer greatly.

"And as my journey went on, there were several who sought to stop me. Dagoth Ur's minions, or people who believed that the existence of the Nerevarine was an affront to the Tribunal. I had to slay most. But over time, I began to realize that the gear of these people was valuable, and therefore, could be used to advance the progress of the Nerevarine."

Luna was relieved to hear that explanation. "So it was to fund your journey so it went by swiftly."

"If such a thing sickens you, I deeply apologize," said Sarian with remorse. "I am not proud of it, but every day that goes by is another day some innocent people get caught up in the Blight, and it takes less time to take a Silt Strider, or other such transportation, to one's destination than on one's own feet. And they cost money."

Luna's expression softened, for she knew that Sarian was being sincere. "Nothing of the sort, Sarian. The fact that you show remorse for stealing from those who you have battled speaks of what kind of person you are. My apologies for being so abrupt, I am usually a much gentler pony."

"You're not the first," said Sarian, her tone suggesting she was letting the uncomfortable atmosphere drop as well. She reached over and pulled up her crescent shaped weapon and began tending to it with a type of hammer. "And I haven't just been collecting spoils for funds. I have come across powerful weapons that have proven invaluable in battle."

Now that the seriousness had been dropped, the other ponies started to relax, and Rainbow could not keep her eyes off of Sarian's unique blade.

"I swear I have seen a lot of stuff in my life," she said, almost drooling. "But I just gotta say, that is one smoking sexy weapon."

"While I, for one, am not known to appreciate such things, I have to admit that it carries a type of beauty of its own," said Rarity, as she too watched Sarian tend to her weapon.

"Yeah, if we had another one we could challenge each other to Bat'leth dueling," said Pinkie.

"I don't think that there is another, Pinkie," said Twilight, though she only understood part of what Pinkie meant. She stood up to get a better look at the curved blade. "Sarian, is this a Daedric Crescent?"

Sarian gave her a look of fascination. "You know of them?"

"Oh yes," said Twilight, "this weapon here is not only powerful, it's also practically a piece of Nirn's history."

Twilight's friends looked at her amazed for a second before turning their attention back to the Daedric Crescent.

"It already looks awesome," said Rainbow. "Does it have some sort of incredible background story? Oh, I bet it's a coveted magic weapon that countless treasure hunters search their lives for."

Twilight blinked at Rainbow.
"Well, that is relatively close to the actual facts," she said as she began her explanation. "According to Nirn history, the Daedric Crescent was used by Mehrunes Dagon's forces during one of his many attempts to conquer Nirn."

"Mehrunes Dagon?" inquired Luna with an involuntary shudder. "That's the Daedra Lord of destruction, correct?"

"Indeed, your Majesty," said Rarity, also shuttering, "the vile brute with four arms."

"And very narrow minded as well," said Pinkie, with an annoyed frown. "Why waste your time with destruction, change and ambition, when with four arms, you could become the best juggler in all the multiverse?"

Sarian looked on in confusion and turned to Twilight, who just shrugged, giggling at her friends antics, along with the rest of the ponies.

"Okay, where was I?" she said, tapping her chin. "Oh yeah. After the Empire drove Mehrunes Dagon back into Oblivion, they deemed the Daedric Crescents too dangerous to exist, and so therefore, had them all rounded up and destroyed."

"Not all of them, it would seem," said Applejack, looking to a Daedric Crescent that sat not ten feet from them all.

"And that is why this is so incredible," said Twilight as she moved to get a closer look at the Crescents arched blade. "Where ever did you find this, Sarian? Not only did the Empire destroy a great deal of them, they also passed a law banning their ownership to prevent any stragglers from falling into the wrong hands."

Sarian looked as they all turned to her for an explanation, sighing, but not in an irritated way.

"This Daedric Crescent escaped destruction because it was in the possession of the Dremora Lord Dregas Volar," she explained, looking upon the Daedric Crescent and recalling the events that led to it falling into her possession. "His fortress, Magas Volar, existed on a plane separate from Nirn, Oblivion, or any other plane of existence, and that placed this Daedric Crescent well beyond the reach of the Empire."

The ponies were awed at such a fabulous tale.

"How did you come by it then?" asked Applejack.

"There was one way to reach Magas Volar," continued Sarian. "The Daedric Sanctuary Amulet, an amulet designed to send its wearer to Magas Volar."

"Oh, now that is interesting," said Rarity, "if there is one thing I like more than an accessory, it's a functional accessory."

"So where did you find this amulet?" asked Luna. "If the Empire was so bent on destroying these weapons down to the last, I'm certain they would hunt this amulet to the ends of the world."

"A Dunmer wizard named Divayth Fyr had it in his possession," said Sarian. "One of his most vigorous passions is collecting Daedric and Dwemer artifacts."

Just the mention of his name reminded them of the seriousness of their quest and what had yet to be done. Once Dagoth Ur was no longer a threat, they still needed to pay Divayth Fyr a visit, his potion was still Fleur's only hope. But as of now, another question made itself known to Princess Luna.

A suspicious question.

"And Divayth Fyr just gave you this unique amulet?" she asked with a tilt of her head.

Sarian appeared sheepish. "Uh... not exactly."

That produced a gasp from Twilight and her friends, and a scowl from Princess Luna.

"You stole it?" gasped Applejack.

"How could you?" qsked Rarity with a disappointed look. "While what I know about Mister Fyr is... most unsettling, how could you steal from him, especially after all he did for you?"

"Because he encouraged me to," said Sarian nonchalantly, though she seemed surprised that the white one knew Divayth had done something for her.

The ponies tilted their heads.

"Say what?" asked Applejack.

"While it's true Divayth is a passionate collector of ancient artifacts, he also has another hobby," explained Sarian. "He invites potential thieves to steal his treasures."

"Why in tarnation would he do that?" asked Applejack, the others sharing her confusion.

"It's his idea of a sport," Sarian explained further. "He doesn't just leave his treasures lying around. No, they are protected by magical locks and traps. And worse, his more valuable stuff is down in his Corprusarium. Traveling down there runs the risk of coming into contact with a Corprus victim, making it more than likely that you will contract it."

A picture was forming in the ponies' minds. Though morbid, it now seemed plausible why someone would knowingly invite a thief to steal your treasures. Obstacles such as those Divayth put up were... unsettling.

"When Divayth challenged me to try stealing something, I saw it as an opportunity to test my skill, it wasn't for profit," explained Sarian further. "Truth be told, I didn't even know what I had stolen. But when I found myself facing a Dremora Lord wielding one of the most coveted weapons in the world, I knew it was an opportunity I couldn't pass up."

She looked down to the Daedric Crescent, having finished tending to it. "After all, what better weapon for the Nerevarine to wield against a god than a weapon that was designed by a god."

Luna caught a tone to Sarian's voice as she said Nerevarine. She had noticed it first when she asked if she was the Nerevarine, and again when she insisted Pinkie call her by her name. It almost sounded like doubt.
How... did Sarian feel about being the Nerevarine herself?

"Sarian," Sarian looked up as the regal pony addressed her. "When you call yourself the Nerevarine, I sense not even a hint of pride. The Nerevarine is the prophesied hero of all of Morrowind, rumoured to be the only one that can destroy the villain Dagoth Ur once and for all. Yet, I sense no enthusiasm from you regarding these facts. Why?"

Sarian seemed baffled, but by the insight of the questions rather than anything else.

"I never asked to be the Nerevarine," she said dully, "and if I am truthful, even now I have doubts that the legend is legitimate."

The ponies gasped.

"But how?" asked Twilight in distress. "You fulfilled the Trials of the Nerevarine, didn't you?"

"All they prove is that I meet the expectations of the Nerevarine Prophecies," said Sarian. "There is no actual proof that I am Nerevar reborn."

The ponies looked at each other nervously.

"So... you don't believe you are the Nerevarine?" asked Rainbow, deflated.

Sarian looked at her with slight pity, knowing this pony had a certain respect for the Nerevarine.

"I am not 'completely' against the idea," she said supportively. "I may be Nerevar reincarnated, maybe not."

That seemed to calm them down, but still left them all slightly distressed.
"
So, if you don't believe fully in this prophecy, why are you following its path?" asked Luna.

"As I said before, I have seen much suffering in my travels to be the supposed Nerevarine," said Sarian. "I will not sit idly by while the Devil Dagoth Ur spreads his Blight just to fuel his twisted ambitions, and it is believed only the Nerevarine can stop him. If that means I have to become the Nerevarine at least in character, so be it."

That, was actually respectable to the Equestrians. Despite not being one hundred percent sure if she was the Nerevarine, Sarian was willing to do anything to stop Dagoth Ur. Just like they were, despite knowing Dagoth Ur is a God.

"So how about all of you?" asked Sarian, all the ponies looking up at her. "We've discussed me, so how about you? A group of talking ponies stumbling around Red Mountain, armored like soldiers, I doubt you're here by accident. And for that matter, where are you even from, for I have never seen your kind before? Did you travel to Morrowind from Akavir? I hear its inhabitants can't be found anywhere else on Nirn."

Twilight and Princess Luna shared a worried glance. In all that had transpired, it never occurred to them what they would say to the Nerevarine if asked about their origins. Sure, Sarian seemed like a respectable person, but was it worth telling her about Equestria?

While it was unlikely she would ever remember their role in what was surely to transpire in the future, due to the potent magic of the Gray Cowl of Nocturnal, they were not just meeting Sarian briefly. The Gray Cowl of Nocturnal will clear them from her memory once they went their separate ways, but as long as they were in each other's company, she would retain all memories of her encounter with them for as long as she was with them. Could they afford to let her retain knowledge of Equestria for that long?

It was most likely not worth the risk.

And what if the Gray Cowl of Nocturnal only masks the identity of an individual person, not locations?

"Oh, well you see, Sarian, we have embarked on a super important quest to..." Twilight managed to seal Pinkie Pie's rambling mouth with her magic.

She threw her gagged friend an irritated look before throwing them all a look that she hoped would alert them to the need for secrecy.
They at least knew they should be quiet.

"We have reasons to bring Dagoth Ur down, same as you," said Twilight. "That is why we sought you out, to join forces with you and take him down."

Sarian looked at them in surprise, she had not expected this. "I don't know if the Nerevarine can be aided in the final confrontation with the Mad God. It isn't mentioned in the prophecy."

"Oh, to Tartarus with prophecy," said Rainbow, "too much is at stake for us to rely on a bedtime story, even one as awesome as The Nerevarine Prophecies."

That took Sarian aback. This pony had had nothing but respect for the Nerevarine Prophecies until now. Whatever threat Dagoth Ur posed for them must be great.

"Dagoth Ur is a threat to all who dwell in this world, but until now, no one has had the means to at least have a chance against him until now," commented Sarian. "What would possess you all to seek out and confront the living embodiment of a Divine when all those who came before failed?"

"As I have said before, we have our reasons," said Twilight.

Sarian looked less than thrilled at the repeat answer. "You came here seeking my aid, to assist me in destroying Dagoth Ur. But how do I know that the opposite isn't true? How do I know you are not in league with Dagoth Ur."

"Oh, why I never!" said Rarity, tilting her nose up in aggrievance. "Us in league with that vile brute? Never!"

"Why would you ever think we were working for that evil lame-o?" asked Rainbow.

"Because Dagoth Ur has been trying to entice me to his side," said Sarian, the ponies gasping in shock. "He wishes for me to rekindle the bond he and Nerevar had in the past, and for me to bring him the Tools of Kagrenac as a sign of faith. How do I know you are not just another of his attempts to persuade me into joining him?"

It was a shock to learn the fact that Dagoth Ur had offered the Nerevarine a place at his side, and normally it would spark doubt. But the events surrounding the Nerevarine said Dagoth Ur was defeated by the Nerevarine, and that could not have happened if they became allies. And from Sarian's tone, the idea of joining Dagoth Ur was repulsive to her.
Still, it wasn't enough for them to believe that they should risk telling Sarian anything.

"You just gotta believe us when we say that we aren't in league with that varmint," said Applejack.

Something in this pony's voice made doubting what she said very difficult, and it made it very hard for Sarian to convince herself otherwise. But Dagoth Ur was a god, and few things, if anything, couldn't be done with his power. Sarian needed to know what motivated these strange talking ponies into venturing across her path, no matter what. She needed to convince them into revealing who they are.

And she had just the thing to help her.

Pretending to stretch her arms behind her back, Sarian slipped a silver ring adorned with a silver crescent moon, and a large golden five point star with a small blue stone in the center, onto her finger, magic glistening into her being.

"I am sure you have your reasons for secrecy," she said as she brought her arms around again. "But if we are to go into battle together, against Dagoth Ur, we need to show a level of trust. Even the slightest bit of doubt in each other could make this mission fail."

The ponies stared at Sarian.
Her tone hadn't changed at all, but somehow, her words were hitting home more so than they were a second ago. And something in her voice told them that it would not do any harm in trusting her with their secrets. All of them felt their reluctance to tell Sarian their story melting away.

"What do you think, Princess?" asked Twilight.

"Sarian is right," answered the Lunar Matriarch. "If we are to fight side by side, we have to trust each other implicitly."

So with reluctance, but not nearly as much as before, the Mane Six and Princess Luna told Sarian their story.
First they introduced themselves, then they described their Homeland of Equestria, giving a brief explanation of its history, and describing how ponies, much like them, lived their lives day by day. They told her they were ruled by Princess Celestia and Luna, one of them sitting right next to them, and how they used their alicorn magic to bring about day and night. They also told her that Equestria, along with their world wasn't part of the world of Nirn.

Needless to say, Sarian was skeptical. Who wouldn't be?
"From the sounds of things, you are from a different plane," she said, "but I have never heard of a Plane of Oblivion called Equestria."

"Oh, Equestria isn't part of one of the Daedra dude's homes," said Pinkie with a grin. "Our home is a lot farther away."

Sarian's skepticism grew, "I am finding your tale harder and harder to believe."

"Well, we assure you, darling, we are being quite truthful," said Rarity.
"Darn tootin' we are," said Applejack.

Sarian didn't look convinced.

"I think I know how to resolve this," said Luna, wanting to dispel Sarian's disbelief quickly.

She reached into her Infinite Dimension pouch with her magic and levitated out an ornate, jewel encrusted case. She opened it before Sarian, whose eyes lit up like the glistening contents.

"What... what is this?" she said in a voice of pure awe.

"Touch the one with the apple shaped jewel," said Luna.

Sarian did not have a chance to be hesitant. Her hand was clutching the one of five dazzling necklaces with a large, orange, apple shaped jewel, as if the necklace itself had beckoned her to touch it, and somehow conveyed that no harm would come to her. She felt as if a fire had lit inside and was using her doubt as kindling.

Somehow, she knew that these ponies were being completely honest when they told her about their home.

"What... are these?" she asked, looking at the other necklaces in awe. "I have never seen such magic."

"The Elements of Harmony," said Twilight, "the most powerful magic of our world."

Luna stowed the box away again. "And we are hoping to never have to use them."

Sarian watched as the box disappeared into the confines of the pouch, her awe yet to recede. She had seen several magic artifacts, Daedric or otherwise, but never had she seen artifacts that radiated such unbridled magic. The only time she had experienced magic remotely similar was in the presence of a deity.

"So, you're all from a plane farther than even Oblivion," she said, getting back to the subject. "How did you come to be in Morrowind?"

Twilight began the story of how Hermaeus Mora, in his never ending quest for knowledge, sent one of his vile Black Books to their world, and after an unprecedented amount of time, Twilight stumbled upon it. She, being of an intellectual mind, was compatible with The Gardener of Men, and given the opportunity to one day follow him. And unfortunately, that day came on a day were Twilight was extremely vulnerable, in desperate need of aid, and at the time, she didn't care from who.

Even from a Daedric Prince.

Twilight's friends grew ashamed looks as Twilight told the tale of how Hermaeus Mora had drawn Twilight into his realm of Apocrypha, tutoring her in the Thu'um, to confront a threat far more menacing than a supposed bride with pre-wedding jitters. She also told that in the end, Queen Chrysalis gained the upper hoof, and to avoid her and her surviving hoard conquering Equestria, they needed to take drastic measures.

Summon a Daedra.

"Hermaeus Mora squashed Chrysalis like... well, like a bug," said Twilight, shaking slightly at the memory.

"I have to admit, I have never heard of a Daedra acting like this," said Sarian in amazement. "Though, I have never met the Daedric Prince of Knowledge myself."

"Oh, believe me, he didn't save us for our benefit," said Rainbow bitterly.

"Yeah, we have all had to pay quite the toll for his service," said Applejack.

"Would not surprise me," said Sarian calmly, though still enraptured by the story. "As the supposed Nerevarine, I have met some of the Daedra, and they all pretty self-centered. Though, like I said, I have never had the pleasure of meeting Hermaeus Mora."

"He said he was indisposed during this period," said Fluttershy.

"'This period?'" inquired Sarian.

Twilight explained that technically, Hermaeus Mora would not find passage to Equestria until the Fourth Era.

"I see," said Sarian, the sensation the Element of Honesty had given her telling her everything they said is true. "And... in the Fourth Era, Dagoth Ur is...?"

"He is no more," said Pinkie excitedly

"So my quest succeeds," said Sarian with excitement.

"That isn't for certain anymore," said Luna.

Sarian looked confused. "What are you talking about?"

And finally, they told Sarian how, somehow, some of Dagoth Ur's vile disease had followed Hermaeus Mora, infecting a well respected member of their society. Twilight explained how, at first, they had traveled back to this time, via an Elder Scroll and assistance from Hermaeus Mora, to retrieve the potion Divayth Fyr developed for Corprus, but along the line, Dagoth Ur found out about their world through the connection Corprus gives him with the inflicted's mind, how he became enamored with the abilities of ponies, and intends to add them to his arsenal in his conquest of Morrowind.
And if he does, nothing can stop him.

Sarian looked really nervous for the first time since the Equestrians had met her. "From what I understand, there are different classes of ponies, each with their own inherit abilities?"
They nodded.

"Applejack?" she inquired to the orange earth pony, "Earth ponies are physically stronger than other ponies, as well as being magically in tune with the land, which enables them to grow crops more rapidly?"

"That's right," said Applejack, "been growing apples all my life, myself."

"How about giving her a demo, AJ?" said Pinkie, plopping a large steel spear into Applejack's hooves. "Show her what a well seasoned earth pony can do."

"Pinkie, where did you get this thing?" asked Applejack nervously.

"Oh, around," said Pinkie as if that explained everything.

Applejack rolled her eyes, but complied with Pinkie's suggestion. She held the spear out before her, and before Sarian's eyes, bent it into a swirling pattern. Sarian could only watch as Applejack performed the feat effortlessly.

Still awed, Sarian turned to Rainbow Dash.

Applejack, Twilight Sparkle, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Luna. If Sarian hadn't met quite a few Argonians already, she would find the names of these creatures strange.

"Rainbow, pegasi have the ability to control weather, right?" she asked the constantly airborne pony.

"You bet, and I am one of the best," Rainbow grabbed Luna's Infinite Dimension pouch and, much to Sarian's shock, pulled a tuft of cloud from the depths. "AJ gave you a demonstration, now allow me."

Rainbow positioned the cloud above Sarian's head, who looked up at it curiously.

"RAINBOW, wait..." Twilight could only watched as Rainbow bounced up and down upon the cloud, sending a short, but thick, torrent of rain upon their guest.

Sarian didn't overly react to being drenched with a raincloud right out of nowhere, but she did look down from the cloud at them with a flabbergasted look, her piercing red eyes blinking dumbly behind her soaked black bangs.

"Rainbow, that was uncalled for!" said Rarity, the others agreeing.

"What, AJ got to demonstrate her strength," Rainbow scrunched her muzzle. "And not to be rude, but after being in that armor for so long, Sarian needed a shower."

Twilight facehoofed. "We apologise for her behavior, Rainbow Dash is prone to not thinking before she acts." Lighting her horn, Twilight draped Sarian in her magic, and with the sound of rushing wind, all the water soaking Sarian, as well as the inside of the tent, evaporated.

And Sarian's hair poofed up fluffier than the cloud Rainbow was forcing back into the pouch.

Twilight gasped and giggled sheepishly, rubbing the back of her neck in embarrassment.

"Oh, honestly," said Rarity, standing up to walk behind Sarian, who was fingering her new do in confusion. "If I hadn't come along..."

Producing a brush, Rarity began evening out Sarian's raven locks. "My dearest apologies for my compatriots' mistreatment of your wonderful hair, darling."

Sarian could only watch as the brush moved around her head, bringing her hair back to its original appearance. "I think this answers my question about unicorns and their magic."

She turned to Luna after Rarity had finished."And your species, the alicorn, is the ruling class of ponies?"

"Yes, but we've done so at our peoples' insistence," said Luna seriously. "We do not force our rule, ponies have always looked to us for guidance."

"And I see why, your very presence radiates authority," said Sarian, though it obviously didn't please the Moon Princess. "But what I am more interested in is your power. You and your sister control the moon and sun respectively?"

"Yes, but I will not demonstrate here," said Luna sternly, "doing so would most certainly reveal us to the Daedra you know as Azura. We have gone through great lengths to keep Equestria from the sights of the other Daedra, we will not needlessly jeopardize that endeavor."

"But now do you see why it's imperative that we work together to stop Dagoth Ur?" said Twilight almost desperately. "You have seen what this small team of ponies is capable of, imagine if Dagoth Ur got an entire army under his control. He would become unstoppable."

Sarian was contemplating.

She was still baffled by the fact that she was standing among creatures not from this world, and also their proposal to aid her. But Sarian was still skeptical, for it was unprecedented in the Nerevarine Prophecies. Was she even allowed to accept help in confronting Dagoth Ur?

But this had never been about the Prophecy to her.

No, Sarian was out to stop Dagoth Ur and his vile schemes and the suffering that they caused, no matter what, and if she had such capable allies, how much easier could taking on Dagoth Ur be? Plus, if Dagoth Ur gained control of such powerful beings before she could confront him...?

"I understand your reasoning for seeking me out now," said Sarian, "as I have told you, I have seen the suffering of the Blight first hand, and can understand your desire to spare your people of such a fate."

The Equestrians held their breath.

"Does... that mean you'll help us?" asked Fluttershy.

"How could I deny such gallant defenders the chance to defend their home?" said Sarian with a smile.

"WOOHOO!"

Everypony else was feeling ecstatic, but one wasn't as good at keeping it inside.

"You won't regret it, Sarian!" said Pinkie as she dangled from Sarian's shoulders. "Well be the best 'lets go kill a god' companions ever!"

"Well, first things first though," said Rarity as she plucked her friend from the tall Dunmer woman. "First I suggest we follow Spikey Wikey's example."

They all looked over to the slumbering baby dragon, suckling on his tail like an infant.

---

A few hours later, all the residents of Rarity's tent were asleep.

Awaking from her slumber, Twilight found herself in her sleeping bag cuddling with a sleeping Fluttershy, the poor dear had been to terrified to sleep on her own again. All the others were sleeping as well, Sarian propped up in a chair with the Daedric Crescent in her arms. The woman was as high strung in her sleep as she was awake. But one other wasn't sleeping, standing in the corner of the tent.

Twilight gently wiggled out of Fluttershy's grip and quietly trotted up to Princess Luna.

The midnight blue alicorn stood before a table that was miraculously inside the tent whenever it inflated, and on it rested the metal gauntlet Wraithguard, beside the small hammer Sunder. The Princess eyed the two Tools of Kagrenac warily, her expression troubled. She didn't even notice when Twilight stood next to her.

"You should get some sleep, Princess," she said worriedly.

Luna didn't respond, and Twilight frowned.

"I know what you are thinking, Princess," said Twilight, also looking at the Tools of Kagrenac they had retrieved. "There is something... sinister about them."

"I have never felt such unbridled magic," said Luna, finally turning to Twilight with a look of dread. "Now I understand why the Tribunal and Dagoth Ur lost all sense of reason; no one could tap into such power and not be consumed by it."

Twilight agreed with her wholeheartedly, and with some coaxing, managed to get Luna back to her sleeping bag and away from the enticing presence of the fabled artifacts now in the tent with them.
---
Canterlot.

'THUMP THUMP'

'THUMP THUMP'

'THUMP THUMP'

The drum beats continued to hammer Equestria, the imposing noise rocking Celestia and Cadance to the core.

'Time is running out, my student,' thought Celestia. 'You have yet to let me down, but still, I implore you to make haste in your quest. Stop this maniacal being, before he destroys us all.'

'THUMP THUMP'

Shining Armor gasped.

"Shining, honey, what is it?" asked Cadance worriedly.

Shining looked to his fiance, his features twisted with fear. "I... heard that one!"

A barely noticeable red tint darkened the wind of Canterlot as the citizens looked around, seeking the phantom thumping they could all hear in the background.

--

Nirn.

The next morning, in the Citadel of Odrosal, a figure in full Bonemold armor opened the trapdoor to the tallest tower and grew wide eyed at what was within.

"I have to say, Pinkie Pie, I didn't know what to expect when you told me your Pinkie sense was telling you something," she said, moving out of the way to make room for said pink pony. "In fact, I thought you were pulling my leg."

"My Pinkie sense has never let me down," said Pinkie as she scurried up into the tower. "And when my back is itchy, it means it's my lucky day. And what could be luckier than finding a door that leads to the final Tool of Kagrenac without having to wander through a monster filled dungeon."

"Never doubt Pinkie Pie's Pinkie sense," said Twilight as she, Princess Luna, Rarity, Fluttershy, Spike, and Applejack followed Sarian and Pinkie

"I'm just glad Sarian knows how to pick locks," said Rarity.

Rainbow was the last up.

"Alright, where is the big bad guy guarding the treasure," she said, punching at the air. "I'm going to reach down his throat and..."

But she stopped once she and the others looked to the opposite end of the tower.

Between two sinister looking black shelves on which sat multiple little red statues was a pentagon shaped platform, surrounded by red candles. Luminous red runes produced steam as they led to the center of the platform to a round pedestal. And it was what this pedestal housed that had captured their attention.

A dagger with a glistening blade lay embedded in the stone, its bronze cross guard covered in spikes with a crescent moon shape at the pommel of the handle.

It radiated an aura similar to Wraithguard and Sunder, so there was no mistake.

This was the dagger Keening, the final Tool of Kagrenac.

"Okay, not as cool as a boss monster, but I'm digging this set up," said Rainbow as she looked at the sinister decorations surrounding Keening.

Rarity didn't share her idea, and she wasn't the only one.

"Enough," said Sarian calmly, walking forward and drawing Keening from the stone pedestal, clutching it in Wraithguard. "With this we have the final piece to the puzzle, all that is left is to confront Dagoth Ur at his fortress."

The ponies and baby dragon all felt exhilaration and fear pulse down their spines.

It was now time to confront a living god.

23 A familiar place

Yes...

Yes, he could feel it.

Slowly but surely, Dagoth Ur felt his influence seep past Hermaeus Mora's interference and into this magnificent new world that would soon be his to command. It was only a slight trickle that was making it through, but as even the most powerful of rainstorms start with but a drizzle, so shall the strength of Dagoth Ur's presence in this world, until it builds into a mighty storm. But even through this meager presence, Dagoth Ur felt Hermaeus Mora's vile influence rooting through this world like a cancerous disease.

That explains why he was interfering in the first place.

Somehow, that vile Daedra had beaten Dagoth Ur to this new world. The mere fact made his fury towards those wretched false gods increase tenfold. They would dare deprive him of such a boon?

Such transgressions will be punished.

He would drive Hermaeus Mora from this new world like medicine drives sickness from a body. All that was left was to gain a strong enough presence to manifest his Blight storm, then not only would he have more than enough resources to secure Morrowind, but these equine people will know for the first time the joy of worshipping a true deity, and not some pretender. The process would be slow, but Dagoth Ur had learned the value of patience.

A pulse from the Heart alerted Dagoth Ur to something 'very' familiar closing in on the entrance of his stronghold.

Maybe he would not have to wait as long as he originally believed. If there was one thing that would take second to discovering a whole new world of new potential followers, it was seeing a well thought out plan, centuries in the making, finally come to fruition. And the reunion of the Era.

The Tools of Kagrenac, all three of them, were close. The Heart, and through it Dagoth Ur, could feel it. Not only was it the final step to completing the artificial god Akulakhan and advancing his Divine plan to drive the mongrel dogs of the Empire from his beloved Morrowind, but if anything could speed up the process of making this new world his it would be having access to more of the Heart of Lorkhan's power. The final stage had finally been set.

And with it, the beginning of the end of the Age of False Gods.

"Come Nerevar... come and stand before your old brother in arms...."

---

"So those images on your bodies, they aren't tattoos?"

The tension in the group had grown to almost unbearable levels when the first sign of Dwemer spires became visible through the dense red dust of the neverending Blight storm, so as to ease the tension, even just a little, Twilight had suggested that they make small talk. Guided by Twilight's clairvoyance, the group split off into different discussions, resulting in her and Sarian engaging in a conversation about Cutie Marks.

"Nope," she replied simply to the question. "A pony's Cutie Mark appears on their flank once they have discovered their special talent."

Sarian gave her an arched eye, though it couldn't be seen through her helmet. "And what would be their special talent?"

"Oh, there is an unlimited number of special talents a pony can pursue," said Twilight almost smugly. "They can range and vary almost infinitely. But an example I believe you can understand is Applejack. Her apple Cutie Mark signifies her skill in running her family's apple farm.

Sarian looked back on the night she had seen them all without their armor. "I remember seeing more than apples on her flank, more on all of you for that matter."

Twilight contemplated on what she meant before she remembered.

"Oh, well..." began Twilight, though she was slightly hesitant. "My friends and I were the first ponies to have contact with a Daedric Prince. I don't understand it, but I believe our interactions with Hermaeus Mora and his Plane of Oblivion, Apocrypha, has reacted to our Equestrian magic that inherently gives a pony their Cutie Mark."

'Equestrian magic'.

It was somewhat difficult for Sarian to imagine a source of magic that didn't originate from Mundus. But she didn't have time to dwell on it, for at that moment they ran into Spike and Fluttershy, who had halted their own shared conversation to stop unexpectedly.

"Oof!" said Twilight as she ricocheted off of Fluttershy's armored hindquarters, a look of worry appearing on her face at her friend's sudden stop. "Fluttershy, Spike, what's wrong?"

The rest of the party stopped to give the two in front worried looks as well. Fluttershy and Spike, looking back at them, trembling slightly, stepped to the side to give the others a glimpse of what lay before them. The ponies' eyes widened with shock, while Sarian's narrowed beneath her Bonemold Helm.

The path sloped downwards ahead, leading into an entire network of Dwemer towers, rusted and teetering, several having toppled over through the ages. A gigantic pillar of smoke rose up from the center of it all, and when Twilight and the others dared to have a closer look, they found it originated from a large lake of molten lava that sat at the bottom of the steep drop. How such a place had been built near lava and not been destroyed long ago was a complete mystery.

"This is it," said Sarian, her voice miraculously calm. "This has to be Dagoth Ur's base." She looked towards a tower in the distance that Twilight's still active clairvoyance spell was leading to, some sort of round entryway adorning the front. "Where Akulakhan, and the Heart of Lorkhan are kept."

The ponies and baby dragon looked at one another nervously. Even Rainbow Dash was left without a witty remark, and though she was tempted, Pinkie Pie kept any humorous statement to herself. After all, how can you giggle at the ghosties when said ghosties they were about to face work for a deranged God whose sole purpose was to give everyone a nasty disease?

But they persevered, marching forward beside Sarian as she led them through the buildings. What stood before them could best be described as a vertical dome, solid and round, but with no visible means of entry.

"The gate should have a control mechanism," said Sarian, laying a hand on the corroded surface before turning to her Equestrian company. "It should not be too far from the gate itself. Let's spread out, it will look like a lever or a crank."

Doing as directed, Twilight and the others separated and searched the area for any sign of the device that would open the path for them. The entire area was littered with ancient Dwemer devices, so finding the one they were looking for wasn't going to be easy, and judging by the state of everything, it seemed unlikely that they would find it in working order. But they didn't give up, prodding and examining every metal protrusion that looked remotely important.

Suddenly, the rounded gate spiraled open with a foreboding groan, a door visible on the other side as it split down the middle. But the bizarre contraption was more than it seemed, for rather than just opening normally, it was closing itself from the opposite direction. As the rounded gate opened, a round indentation shaped one was closing.

They all noticed it at the same time and rushed to try to keep it open, but the seams sealed with a thud right as Rainbow's hoof made contact.

"Aw nuts!" she said, irritated that even she had been too slow.

"Who found the opening mechanism?" asked Sarian hurriedly.

"Wasn't me," said Rarity.

"Nope," said Applejack.

"Hmm-mmm," said Fluttershy.

"I didn't find it," said Rainbow Dash.

"Me neither," said Spike.

"Neither did I," said Twilight.

But then she blinked, one hadn't answered.

"Ooh, twirly!"

They all followed the bubbly voice.

Pinkie Pie was standing near a ruptured pipe, twirling a half-circle shaped device. Again, the gate creaked open, the door visible behind it just for a second before it closed, returning to its bulbous, rounded shape. Twilight and Rainbow shared an eye roll.

But at least they found it.

They each examined the Dwemer crank, timing how long it left the door accessible. "Geez, thing doesn't stay open for long," said Applejack, looking slightly irritated. "Who would design a door like this?"

"Beats me," said Spike, "how are we even going to get inside this creepy place?"

"Leave it to me, guys!" said Rainbow enthusiastically. " I've got the perfect idea."

Twilight and the others looked at each other.

"Rainbow, darling, what is it that you intend to do?" asked Rarity nervously.

Rainbow smirked. "You all stand as close to the gate as you can." She fluttered over to the Dwemer crank and grasped it in the crook of her hoof. "When I pull this thing, you all hightail it inside before it closes again."

All of Rainbow's friends gasped, and even Sarian looked worried.

"Rainbow, if you do that, you'll be trapped out here," said Twilight worriedly.

"And I bet we will need your help in this place, partner," said Applejack, also worried.

"Come on guys, I'd never leave you hanging," said Rainbow, her voice sincere. "Once I pull the lever, I'll hightail it through myself and make it inside before the gate even comes close to closing."

"You sure you can pull that off?" asked Applejack, just as nervous about this as the others. "The thing almost crushed your hoof the first time."

"Oh please, AJ, that was only because I was the furthest away," said Rainbow smugly. "I can easily clear the distance between the door and the crank in ten seconds flat."

"Couldn't Twilight or Princess Luna just teleport us inside?" asked Fluttershy.

"Too chancy," said Twilight with a shake of her head.

"We don't know what is in there," said Luna," if we materialize near a solid object we could get seriously hurt. Not to mention the number of enemies that must plague this place. If we just pop up, it could give them an opportunity to blindside us."

It still left them on edge, but the others had to admit that it was the best plan that they could come up with. They just hoped Rainbow's claims didn't fall short of what she was physically capable of. The gate didn't look light.

Standing at the ready, Rainbow threw the switch for the others.

The gate creaked open, shifting from its bulbous shape to its round indentation shape. Twilight threw the double doors open with her magic, and they all piled in, entering before the window of opportunity closed. And it was closing fast.

Rainbow Dash kicked off the pipe and made a beeline for the shrinking gap. It was closing much faster than she anticipated, and she beat her wings to pick up speed, a feat not easily accomplished do to the weight of her Dwemer Armor. Almost there, the gap between her and the door was closing.

And so was the gap between the two sides of the gate.

Two feet between Rainbow and the door.

One-in-a-half feet between the two ends of the gate.

Time slowed around Rainbow as she straightened her hind legs, hugged her forelegs to her sides, and turned on her side, sucking in her gut to make herself as skinny as possible.

Her armored back and underbelly scraped against the sides of the Dwemer gate.

'SLAM'

"YAOW!'

Three multicolored pony tail hairs remained lodged in the seams of the closed gate.

---

Dagoth Ur Outer Facility.

The others looked on in concern as Rainbow hopped around the corridor, shaking her hindquarters.

"Rainbow, are you alright!?" asked Twilight worriedly.

After a few moments of frantic hopping, Rainbow finally managed to calm down, panting slightly as she sat on the floor.

"Yeah, I'm alright," she said, reaching back and stroking the base of her dock. "But you could say I just made it by a hair."

Giving their friend a second to recuperate, the others took in their surroundings. This ancient Dwemer dwelling started with stairs that led down into the bowels of the earth, same as the others, turning right at the first landing a few feet down. It was lit by the cylinder shaped wall lights, giving this place as foreboding an atmosphere as the nature of the Dwemer themselves.

And it only became worse when Twilight's clairvoyance petered out.

"Oh come on, not again!" said Rarity in a dramatic voice.

"I thought you fixed that, Twilight?" asked Pinkie.

"It was difficult enough to adjust the spell with the Tools of Kagrenac so close," said Twilight, having learned a few nights ago that the Divine power of the tools was what was interfering with the tracking abilities of her spell. "It's not surprising that it can't handle how close we are to the Heart of Lorkhan. It looks like we are on our own in here."

Rainbow managed to catch her breath a few seconds later, so before long they were descending down the stairs into the darkness, and whatever it might conceal.

'Come, Nerevar. Friend or traitor, come. Come and look upon the Heart, and Akulakhan. And bring Wraithguard... I have need of it.'

Sarian staggered and clutched her head with her right hand, bracing herself against the wall with her left.

"Sarian, what's wrong?" asked Fluttershy in concern.

Sarian righted herself and gave them all a serious look from under her helmet. "Dagoth Ur knows I'm here."

They all gasped in surprise, and some in fear also.

"Are you sure?" asked Twilight.

"Yes," answered Sarian, putting her hand to her head again. "I just heard his voice in my mind."

Twilight and Princess Luna exchanged worried looks.

"Are you sure it's him?" asked Luna.

"Definitely, it's the same voice that has been haunting me in my dreams," answered Sarian, "the same voice that has been trying to sway me to Dagoth Ur's side."

"Then you must drown him out!" said Pinkie frantically, appearing on Sarian's shoulders and attempting to shove her hooves into her ears, an impossible feat, not solely due to her helmet. "Don't listen to anything that big meanie tells you. Besides, it's not a good idea to listen to the voices in your head, ever. Take my word for it."

Sarian gently reached behind her, grabbed Pinkie Pie by her sides and lifted her over her head and held her before her. "I haven't listened to anything that tyrant has said to me so far, and I never intend to." She gently set Pinkie back amongst her friends.

They all breathed a sigh of relief, but it was unnerving that Dagoth Ur was communicating with Sarian through her mind.

"What is it he's saying?" asked Spike, surprisingly together for all that was going on around him. Maybe he was slowly getting used to dangerous situations.

He absent mindedly rubbed his neck.

"He is beckoning me," answered Sarian, "he wishes for me to bring Wraithguard, and he wishes for me to see the Heart of Lorkhan, and Akulakhan."

"Well, from what must be done, it looks like we are all going to get a look at this thing, one way or another," said Applejack, trying to contain her nervousness.

"Yeah, and we will put a stop to it," said Princess Luna, stomping her hoof.

All continued to descend the stairs.

"You had best let me take the lead," said Sarian, marching to the head of the group. "If Dagoth Ur is expecting me, it's best he remain focused on me."

None could dispute Sarian's claim, but it did raise a question with Princess Luna.

"Young Twilight?" she whispered, pulling Twilight to the side. "Do you think he is aware of our presence as well?"

"If he is, we will surely hear about it soon," said Twilight, her voice shaking, but then she looked at her bracelet, and it seemed to comfort her. "But I have faith that he doesn't. These things are meant to mask our presence from everyone, even Divine beings. If the Daedra are unaware of our presence, I doubt Dagoth Ur is; he isn't an actual god, despite his claims."

Being reminded of the magic that shielded their identity seemed to comfort the more nervous members of the party as well.

Though it was short lived.

"GET DOWN!"

The Equestrians heeded Sarian's warning, ducking to the stairs just as a pulsating multicolored spell sailed over, impacting the wall behind them with a flash of electricity coupled with a barrage of other spells. They looked up to see Sarian sprinting down the rest of the stairs for the landing below, skirting another spell and drawing the Daedric Crescent. An Ash Ghoul stepped out of the shadow of the landing and Sarian took up a defensive stance before it.

A third spell orbited its body and sailed forward as it struck its arms out towards its foe, sending the wad of multiple offensive spells out. Sarian ducked the attack and rolled forward, and once she was right side up again, she struck out with one of the Daedric Crescent's arched blades. Her weapon struck the Ash Ghoul in the leg.

A roar of pain echoed through the corridor as grey blood seeped through the Ash Ghoul's light grey robe, staggering to one knee as its injured leg gave out. Then the Daedric Crescent's paralyzing effect took hold, freezing the Ash Ghoul in place, and Sarain bolted to her feet and struck with a quick downward slash, aiming for her foe's neck. There was a wet squelch before sparks flew through the air as the Daedric Crescent impacted the ancient metal floor.

'THUD'

'THUD'

'THUD'

The Equestrians looked up just in time to see the Ash Ghoul's decapitated head roll to a stop at the foot of the stairs on its side, its long snout wobbling being its last movement before going still for good.

Luna wasn't as disturbed by the gruesome sight as the others, having defended Equestria from many threats in her time, but the others, even Twilight, shuddered. It had been one violent thing after another since coming to this world, and it was beginning to weigh on them. For a moment, they couldn't suppress a shudder that was part horror and revulsion at how this individual, evil though he was, had his life snuffed out so quickly and brutally. But it seems that adaptation was part of life, for it didn't take them nearly as long for them to recover as it did compared to when they came across that horrible scene near the beach.

But then again, an Ash Ghoul wasn't a poor, helpless runaway Argonian.

"I thought the miscreant was expecting you?" asked Rarity irritatedly as she finished descending the stairs. "Why are his brutes attacking you?

"Yeah, one heck of a way to greet you," agreed Rainbow.

"Don't try to try and find reason in what Dagoth Ur does," said Sarian as she walked up to the huge, round double doors. "He may have the power of the gods, but he's still mad. And a mad person's rationality can't be compared to a sane person's. "

"I concur," said Luna, remembering the sinister feel of the Tools of Kagrenac. "Dagoth Ur was driven insane with power long ago. It's unlikely anything he does is going to make sense to us."

The doors that the Ash Ghoul was apparently guarding led into a room that housed a pool of actual lava with a great pillar extending up to the ceiling. Several corridors were connected to this room, no doubt leading to other sections of the facility. That and some pipes made up the majority of the room.

The room did have one occupant, though.

"Aw man, not another one!" complained Rainbow.

Another Ash Ghoul was bearing down upon them, its lethal spell at the ready. Twilight thought fast, and teleported them all just a couple of feet to the right, leaving the ball of magic from the Ash Ghoul to hit nothing but the wall. And that left the opening the others needed.

"My turn, big nose," taunted Rainbow, firing an Icy Spear from her foreleg.

"Let me show you how it's really done, partner," said Applejack, firing the same spell.

The two spells hit the Ash Ghoul in the side, causing it to groan in pain, and stagger in their direction.

"A lady should never resort to violence," said Rarity calmly, but her expression then morphed into a vicious scowl aimed at the Ash Ghoul. "But not only are you incredibly rude, but you dare wear such an atrocious attire in my presence? Unacceptable!"

Rarity fired her own Icy Spear from her horn, nailing the Ash Ghoul between the eyes. It staggered for a second more, before finally teetering back, directly into the pool of lava. Rarity only scoffed.

Sarian watched the whole thing unfold. At first she wasn't sure she had seen what she had; these ponies seemed so gentle and peaceful. But yet, they had just taken down one of Dagoth Ur's best servants, and without much difficulty.

She had accepted their aid because she could sympathize with them regarding the threat Dagoth Ur posed, but until now, she hadn't known what kind of assistance they could be. Now she knew they would be valuable assets. However, one fact baffled her more than the others.

She turned to Applejack, Rainbow and Twilight and inquired, "Atrocious attire?"

The three smiled.

"Never underestimate Rarity's passion for fashion," said Rainbow.

"Yeah, she would move mountains in pursuit of the perfect wardrobe, and she just can't tolerate anything distasteful," said Applejack, Twilight nodding in agreement.

After checking to confirm there were no more unpleasant surprises, they all took in the room around them.

"I don't like this," said Applejack worriedly. "This place looks bigger than any of the other Dwemer places we've explored, and we don't have time to wander aimlessly like a blind pony in a corn maze."

"We go this way."

The voice came from Sarian, who immediately made for the corridor on the right, the ponies and baby dragon scrambled to catch up.

"You... sure this is the way?" asked Fluttershy upon seeing the ominous corridor before them.

Sarian made to reply, but stopped suddenly and staggered again, clutching her head.

'Come to the Heart Chamber. I wait for you there, where we last met, countless ages ago.'

They all grew concerned at seeing Sarian halt in place.

"What's the matter, Sarian?" asked Princess Luna, steadying their bipedal companion with her shoulder.

"I'm alright," she said, leaning on the dark blue alicorn for a second before resuming. "He spoke to me again."

"Oh, that creepy deepy dude," said Pinkie with a shudder. "What kind of twisted person just pops into someone's brain without knocking?"

The others were just as concerned.

"Has he said anything about us?" asked Princess Luna.

"No," said Sarian simply, "he's still just telling me to come." But Sarian made no indication that she wanted to know why the ponies were concerned about whether or not Dagoth Ur was aware of their presence.

Up ahead the corridor branched to the left, or kept going forward, and Sarian said they should keep taking the forward corridor. Descending more stairs then turning right, they came across another Ash Ghoul, which was fortunately taken by surprise at their sudden appearance, so it was easily dispatched with a blow from Sarian's Daedric Crescent. Afterwards, they noticed the room contained some kegs, a Dwemer machine, and down a short flight of stairs was another set of round double doors that no doubt led deeper into the facility.

'Come to me, through fire and war. I welcome you."

---

Dagoth Ur Outer Facility.

'Welcome, Moon-and-Star. I have prepared a place for you.'

Sarian shook her head to bring her attention away from the voice invading her mind and back to the current situation.

As soon as they entered this part of the facility, an Ascended Sleeper was waiting to greet them. Luckily, they managed to avoid its first attack, and at the moment, Rainbow Dash was playing decoy, spiraling so swiftly around its tentacled head that the green spells it fired missed by miles. Sticking out her tongue arrogantly, Rainbow sidestepped the last spell, making sure to increase the Ascended Sleepers rage by sliding her tail hairs over its face.

Sarian took this as an opportunity to strike, charging forward and brandishing the Daedric Crescent. Unfortunately, the Ascended Sleeper saw her coming, and backed away from her slash, avoiding mortal harm. Not that it was entirely successful in dodging, for Sarian did manage to clip a few of the tendrils, severing them at the base.

The Ascended Sleeper howled in pain, it's severed limbs wiggling on the floor like wounded serpents before dissolving into dust.

It stood still a moment too long, as Twilight took the time it spent writhing in pain to freeze it in place with her magic. Sarian wasn't going to waste the opening her new ally had created, charging forward again for a second strike, and this time her aim hit home. The blade pierced one of the Ascended Sleeper's eyes, impaling all the way through and out the back of the head.

All was still for a millisecond, then the Ascended Sleeper crumbled into dust, same as its tendrils before, leaving only its skull.

Sarian only gave the unassuming pile of the vanquished foe a small glance before looking at Twilight and Rainbow with gratitude. "Thank you for your assistance."

"No problem," said Rainbow Dash with a smirk, but then scowled at the crumbled pile with disdain. "Ugly buffoon obviously didn't know who he was dealing with."

Fluttershy didn't share Rainbow's point of view.

She approached the pile that was once the Ascended Sleeper and lifted the strange eye guard of her Dark Brotherhood helmet and gave it a mournful look.

"Fluttershy, darling, what is wrong?" asked Rarity worriedly.

"I... can't help but feel a little sorry for them," said the butter colored Pegasus in a trembling voice, looking up to her friends with misty eyes. "From what I understand, they were once Dark Elves like Sarian. They didn't ask for this, they didn't ask to be brought back to life as these... horrible monsters. "

Fluttershy, always so kind. But it was one of her most lovable traits as far as her Ponyville friends were concerned.

"I wouldn't waste your sympathy on the likes of them, Fluttershy," said Sarian suddenly. "There is a reason that the Sixth House is also known as the Tribe Unmourned. They were guilty of crimes just as evil as Dagoth Ur in their previous lives."

Being reminded of that didn't seem to calm Fluttershy much, but some positive reassurance from her friends did get her moving with them again. The next flight of stairs took them into a landing that housed three doors that no doubt led to different areas of the facility. It would have been imperative to search them all, since they had no way of knowing which way to go, and splitting up wasn't a good idea with the number of hostile creatures they had already come across already, but Sarian headed through the door on the right before anybody could suggest where to start.

---

"Come. Bring Wraithguard to the Heart Chamber. Together let us free the cursed false gods.'

Another Ascended Sleeper fell from their combined efforts, and surprisingly, more swiftly. They appeared to be getting more coordinated when it came to the tentacled abominations, and regarding Sarian, she was adapting their contributions to her combat style. It seemed teaming up was a wise decision.

Sarian led them past another three way split, through the right door, and they found themselves in another winding stairwell. This one was occupied by another creature of rotting flesh, but was far bulkier than any Ash Ghoul or Ash Slave. Sarian identified it as a Bonewalker, a basic summoning creature that anyone who practiced Necromancy could summon. It gave the ponies a fright, but Sarian struck it down easily enough.

"Honestly!" said Rarity, sidestepping the still carcass along with the others, "reanimating some poor deceased person to forward some self-appointed goal. I have never heard of anything so revolting."

"I hear you, Rarity," agreed Applejack, "the dead should be left alone to rest in peace."

The stairs led to a single door.

Welcome, Nerevar. Together we shall speak for the Law and the Land, and shall drive the mongrel dogs of the Empire from Morrowind."

The Equestrians held back as Sarian staggered again.

"What's he saying this time?" asked Princess Luna. "Has he said anything about me, Twilight, or the others?"

"No," answered Sarian simply again, straightening herself upon her feet. "But he seems... rather eager to have me in his presence."

That wasn't a comforting thought for the others, and it was with increased apprehension that they moved through the next door, delving even deeper into this evil place.

---

Dagoth Ur Lower Facility

After battling another Ash Ghoul and some bizarre four armed skeleton in a robe that almost gave Rarity and Fluttershy a heart attack, they continued through two conjoined rooms identical to each other, both having drops to the corridor below. But to play it safe, they decided to take the stairs in the far room. But first...

"Look out, Rainbow!"

"No, you look out AJ!"

The airborne pegasus tackled her earth pony friend just as a spell impacted the ground, sending multicolored sparks in all directions.

The Ash Vampire Dagoth Gilvoth lunged forward, readying another spell. Rainbow and Applejack would have had no time to recover, and would surely have met their end at the reanimated hands of this undead monstrosity had it not been for the Glass clad hooves that appeared out of nowhere and held Dagoth Gilvoth by the wrists.

"Leave my friends alone, you big meanie!" shouted Pinkie Pie as she straddled the Ash Vampire's shoulders.

Dagoth Gilvoth roared in anger, flailing haphazardly to shake the annoying equine loose, but a strike from the back froze him in place, giving Pinkie the opportunity to jump down and regroup with the others.

"NOW!" shouted Sarian as the paralyzing effect of the Daedric Crescent took hold.

Miraculously, they all chose the same, even Fluttershy, and seven voices echoed through the ruins:

'YOL TOOR SHUL'

Seven massive fireballs impacted Dagoth Gilvoth point blank, the undead screaming I'm rage and pain as his body was incinerated in a column of flames.

Sarian looked on, dumbstruck at the display, despite this being her plan. This was the power of the Thu'um? She had heard tell of the language of the Dragons, and its affiliation with the Nords of Skyrim, but never thought she would get to see it herself.

After all, little knowledge remained of the lore of the Dragons. If these ponies mastered such power, it spoke of the volume of their kind's potential, and the danger they could pose if Dagoth Ur coerced them to his side.

"So..." Rainbow's sudden words snapped Sarian out of her thoughts, bringing her attention back to the ponies and baby dragon who were regarding Dagoth Gilvoth's charred remains with suspicion. "Now that this guy is pushing up daisies, Dagoth Ur's power is weaker?"

Sarian looked to the body herself, scowling under her helmet. "Correct. Dagoth Gilvoth was Dagoth Ur's actual blood brother according to Vivec, and housed a portion of his Divine power. Now that he's dead, Dagoth Ur won't be at his full power."

"Can we really trust anything that two faced varmint says?" asked Applejack with a scowl.

'Two faced?' Sarian thought with slight amusement, 'is she even aware of the double meaning?'

"You all don't seem to have any respect for the Tribunal," said Sarian, wanting to get to the bottom of something before answering Applejack's question. "You are aware that they have done more for Morrowind than any other Deadra, yes?"

"Gifts with strings attached are lousy gifts," said Pinkie angrily. "They gained favor with people through exploiting power that wasn't theirs to claim, not to mention ticking off a lot of the real Daedra guys in the process. That, and Dagoth Ur gaining power was their boo boo, and that has caused a whole heap of trouble."

The others agreed with her.

"I know it's hard for you to understand," said Luna, "but in Equestria, it takes more than unrivaled power to gain respect."

Sarian smiled. "Not as hard as you may believe. I am not blind to the Tribunal's role in all this calamity, and to be honest, I wasn't sure if I should trust Vivec myself." She turned to Applejack. "But I believe he is sincere in his aid to destroy Dagoth Ur. If anything, he has selfish reasons to stop the Mad God."

They weren't one hundred percent convicted, but seeing as it had nothing to do with the current situation at the moment, they decided to abandon their suspicion of Vivec's motives and instead proceed.

The last stairwell led to an unassuming room with only a few kegs. But the far wall had been torn open, like someone had wished to tunnel into it, a roughly cut tunnel that led to a plain wooden door. It was the only path forward, so it was obviously the next step of the journey into the heart of Red Mountain.

But Luna halted them with her wings.

"Is something wrong, Princess?" asked Twilight.

"We must move with all haste, your Majesty," said Sarian.

"Sarian, you asked us to drop the formalities, so I request you do the same and call me Luna," she looked to her fellow ponies and noticed that they wore certain looks. "At least for this conversation, we need to be honest with each other for what I have to say."

Sarian tilted her head. "You're a suspicious person, your Majes... Luna."

"Forgive me, but Equestria can't afford for me to take any chances," said Luna, a tiny bit of regret in her eyes at casting suspicion at Sarian once again. "I have realized something in the last few minutes that needs addressing."

"Oh, what now?" asked Rainbow, crossing her hooves.

"Rainbow, Princess Luna is right," said Rarity. "This is a very serious situation, so we need to cover all the bases that we can, and if Princess Luna has thought of something that requires closer investigation, then we must investigate."

Luna nodded in thanks to Rarity, and turned to Sarian. "During my first exploration of these 'Dwemer ruins' I found them to be complex and difficult to navigate, yet we didn't ever have to back track because of a dead end, nor did we run into a corridor that only led in circles even once." Her expression became hard. "You navigated this place like it wasn't something new for you, like you have been here, to this spot, before."

Rainbow gasped. "Princess, you're not suggesting Sarian is in league with Dagoth Ur."

"She admitted that Dagoth Ur has been trying to persuade her to his side," said Luna sternly, casting a suspicious look to the metal gauntlet covering Sarian's left hand, the small bronze hammer on the right side of her belt, and the shimmering dagger on the left. "And from what I understand, along with being the only thing that can destroy Dagoth Ur, these Tools of Kagrenac are also the only thing he needs to complete his power and become invincible."

The other members of the Equestrian team knew what Luna was implying, and most could actually see the reason behind it. All but one.

"But that doesn't mean..."

"Calm yourself, Rainbow," said Sarian calmly, "I can actually understand Luna's viewpoint, and her suspicion." She turned to face the Princess. "Believe it or not, this is the first time I have ever been to these ruins, same as you."

Luna grew skeptical. "Then how did you navigate the corridors of this place so fluently?"

"I have actually been wondering about that myself, for I can not explain it," replied Sarian, looking around the ancient facility with wondering eyes. "This place is... familiar to me, somehow."

This time all the Equestrians looked at each other with suspicion, such an explanation was hard to understand.

"Applejack?" inquired Luna, looking to the orange earth pony clad in Daedric armor.

"She's being honest," said Applejack, knowing what the Princess wanted from her.

"But how could Sarian know her way around this place?" asked Rarity, sticking her tongue out in revolution as she looked around at the painfully plain room. "The first time I had the displeasure of exploring one of these miserable places I couldn't tell one room from another."

Rainbow Dash came up with a theory. Despite her muscle headed personality, she actually had a potential head on her shoulders.

"Well, maybe Sarian hasn't been here before," she said, gaining all their attention. "But isn't this the place were Nerevar and Dagoth Ur thwarted the Dwemer in their pursuit of becoming immortal, and also where Nerevar had his last battle with Dagoth Ur after his betrayal? Sarian is the Nerevarine, after all."

They all looked at it from this angle, and it was actually plausible from the point of view of the Nerevarine Prophecies. If Sarian was Nerevar reborn, could she be channeling some of his past knowledge?

"I said before, I wasn't doing this because of the Nerevarine Prophecies," said Sarian, looking up the stairs behind them and feeling the same familiarity as before. "But put that way, it would seem that it's being proven true. This place is so familiar to me, yet as I have said, I have never been here before."

"If that is the case, I apologise for my suspicious behavior once again," said Luna regretfully.

"I bear you no grudge," said Sarian, "I understand your need to cover all viewpoints. None of us can afford to make unnecessary risks at this point."

With mounting apprehension, the jumbled group of adventurers faced the door. Beyond it lay the most powerful evil of this time, a mighty foe the likes of which none of them had ever faced, Morrowind or Equestria. This could very well end in their deaths, they were all aware.

One much more than the others.

Fluttershy's legs buckled, her body overcome by tremors of fear as she collapsed to the ground.

"Fluttershy! Darling, are you okay?" Rarity was by her friend's side in a second, followed by the rest.

Sarian seemed to be losing patience with these delays, but would let them have a minute. They all needed to be ready, and since meeting these bizarre equines and their Draconian companion, she knew they were the type that would never never leave one of their own behind, no matter what. But she hoped it wouldn't take long for them to coax their friend into moving forward.

"Easy Flutters," said Rainbow Dash to her oldest friend. "I know this is scary but everything is going to be okay."

"You... you can't know that," said Fluttershy, almost on the verge of hysterics. "Fleur's condition, the red storms, that poor Cliffracer, and all these horrible creatures... Dagoth Ur... is in the center of all of it. Such cruelty... I never imagined ANYTHING could be so cruel." She looked up at them with shivering eyes. "I... don't know if I can face such evil."

They all looked at each other, racking their brains to try and figure out how to lift Fluttershy up. They could not leave her out of the fight, Dagoth Ur was too powerful, and Magicka from another world or not, this group of friends dealt with bad guys best when they were when united. But poor, sensitive Fluttershy needed something to go forth with.

"You're not alone in being afraid."

They all looked at Rainbow in surprise, unable to believe their ears.

"What?" she said to all of them with annoyance. "I know what you're thinking. Giant ego Rainbow Dash is the last pony one would expect to admit she's afraid." She looked to the door, and to their surprise, gulped. "But this is Dagoth Ur we're going up against. Even I have to admit, he isn't an enemy you can scoff at."

The confession was still shocking to them, but also relieving. Seeing her fearless friend admit she was afraid made Fluttershy's trembling slow a little. All they needed to do was add a little more fuel, and hopefully Fluttershy would pull through.

"Rainbow is right, dear," said Rarity soothingly, "anypony would be scared of such a terrible monster like this Dagoth Ur."

"Not just ponies, I'm shaking in my Ebony here," said Spike, his black and gold armor rattling.

"Yepperooni," said Pinkie, curling up into a green and pink ball. "Even I feel like running off and hiding." She 'unfolded' into her pony shape and grew a serious look. "But I won't stand for such a party pooper like Dagoth Ur. He's going down, baby."

"Indeed," said Applejack, putting a reassuring hoof on Fluttershy's back. "We all feel the same as you about facing that no good varmint, but we can't do nothing while others suffer from his actions."

"And besides," said Twilight, leaning down and stroking her nervous friend on the cheek. "No matter what, we are in this together, till the end of time."

Fluttershy stopped trembling at all their support and reassurance. Being surrounded by her friends always bolstered her courage, and just as they would do anything for her, she felt the same about them. She would walk through fire for them, she knew this.

"Maiden Fluttershy," said Luna elegantly as she strode up. "Don't allow what you fear to hold you back, allow it to motivate you." She placed her armored hoof to the petite pegasus's chin and lifted her face up so their eyes could meet. "All the pain and suffering we've seen at the hands of this Dagoth Ur, remember, he plans to spread it to everyone. And we nine are all that stands in his way."

Once again, Fluttershy was bombarded by horrible visions of all her friends, pony or cuddly woodland creature alike overcome with pain due to the vile Corprus Disease. If putting a stop to Dagoth Ur was what was truly necessary to prevent such a terrible tragedy, she knew it was up to her and the others. With a deep breath, Fluttershy rose, much to the relief of the others.

But Luna had one more thing to say.

"Before we go any further, I believe it best that we all shroud ourselves with invisibility," she said, turning to Rarity and Rainbow Dash, who were confused just like the rest of them at her statement. "I saw you turn that isle at the grocery store invisibile, can one of you cast the spell on me?"

Rarity looked even more confused."Of course, Princess, but why do we have to be invisible?"

Luna walked up next to Sarian and looked to the wooden door.

"Dagoth Ur may or may not know of our presence, his power is too unpredictable," she said, turning to them all. "But since we have no way of telling whether he is oblivious to us or not, I feel we should play towards the notion that he doesn't and hide our presence. At the very least, we will have the element of surprise."

They all looked at her in realisation.

"You want us to surprise attack him!" said Rainbow.

"If he is ignorant of us it is unlikely he could fathom our presence," said Luna. "Access to this Divine power or not, Dagoth Ur has shown himself to be arrogant, overconfident, and above all else, is only expecting Sarian to approach him." She cast a look at the mentioned Dark Elf. "He won't even suspect that the world he has currently stumbled upon has already mounted a counter defence against him, he will most likely believe that not enough time has passed for Equestria to even realize something is happening."

"Do we really have to do it like this?" asked Rainbow, rubbing her shoulder. "I'm all for a tactical advantage, but this seems like we aren't playing fair."

"Now ain't no time to be thinking about playing fair, Rainbow," said Applejack.

"I, for one, support your Princess's decision," said Sarian. "And not just for an advantage, I wish to test something."

Twilight knew the value of testing better than most, but was now really the time? "Test what?"

Sarian looked at all of them one by one as she spoke, "the Nerevarine Prophecies state the Nerevarine will face Dagoth Ur. While it doesn't say anything about aid of any kind for the final confrontation, I feel it's best to let me confront Dagoth Ur solo, at least at first."

They looked ready to argue but Sarian continued. "If it comes to pass that I am unable to best Dagoth Ur on my own, then by all means, assist however you see fit, but I implore that you let me try to face Dagoth Ur alone at first."

They didn't like the idea of waiting on the side lines to begin with, but if Sarian could bring Dagoth Ur down without their aid, it would be for the best. They had already assisted in getting her this far, and now all that was left was to confront Dagoth Ur in person, and everything pointed to the fact that Dagoth Ur and the Nerevarine faced off one on one. And the whole timeline thing was still in the Equestrians' thoughts, and while they weren't pussyfooting around it anymore, it was best not to push their luck.

But if Dagoth Ur provided to much for Sarian to handle, nothing will stop a group of multicolored ponies and a tiny dragon from joining the fray.

'Is this how you honor the Sixth House, and the tribe unmourned? Come to me openly, and not by stealth.'

A single armored figure walked through the wooden frame of an ancient wooden door, and into the shadow that lay beyond.

---
Dagoth Ur Facility Caven.


"Welcome, Moon-and-Star, to this place where destiny is made."

The Equestrian team didn't need for Sarian to tell them what Dagoth Ur was saying this time; his voice reverberated off the walls of the stone cavern that the wooden door had led into, its baritone echo radiating such power that they could not help but tremble. Sarian was unaffected by whatever power the voice carried, trotting forward towards the far end of the chamber that was illuminated by multiple stone fire pits. The invisible party trudged after her, noticing a shrine identical to the one they had seen when they met Sarian to the right. And next to it stood a tall, bipedal figure that put hands with overly long, spindly fingers to its hips, and chuckled as Sarian moved closer.

So this was Dagoth Ur.

He was almost entirely naked other than a loincloth and an extravagant gold mask that supported three glowing eyes upon the foreboding, yet elegant face. But as clothing was completely optional in Equestria, Twilight and the others were not affected by the amount of skin that was visible, at least where decency was concerned, but it was providing them with an unobstructed view of what they were about to face, and it only made their apprehension grow. Dagoth Ur, while lanky, sported a heavy muscle tone that one could say put Bulk Biceps to shame, and as they came closer, they noticed he was several heads taller than Sarian, meaning he would probably tower over Celestia if he desired.

And given the circumstances, he most likely did.

"So this is Dagoth Ur?" said the voice of the unseen Princess Luna.

"Yes, Princess," replied Twilight, fighting to keep her voice down.

"I, for one, am not impressed," said Rainbow, her voice could be quieter. "He doesn't look so tough."

"And he certainly wasn't what I was expecting," said Rarity, though her teeth chattered with every so word, suggesting she was only speaking to try and calm herself. "For all his power and boastfulness one would think he would have a wardrobe that was fit for a god."

"Don't underestimate him, girls," said Twilight worriedly, "he has access to power that literally shaped this whole world."

"Everypony keep it down," whispered Applejack, her tone carrying worry and anticipation. "It won't be good if he hears us."

They all became quiet.

Applejack was right, if they gave their position away it wouldn't be good, and it became apparent that Princess Luna had been corrected when she suggested that the best course of action would be to remain unseen until some opportunity presents itself that would give them an advantage. The closer they moved to Dagoth Ur, the more they could actually physically feel the power radiating off him like heat waves from the sun.

His power had not been exaggerated or embellished in any way.

Finally, Sarian arrived before the fated adversary of the Nerevarine, though she had no reaction of any kind. She merely stood before the overly tall Dunmer whose ambitions had carried him to new heights, her posture as steady as a rock.

"It began here. It will end here." came the same powerful voice from under the golden mask. "Have you any parting words? Or would you prefer to skip the speeches, and get to our business. You are the challenger here, after all. So to you goes the courtesy of the first blow."

Parting words? First blow?

Twilight didn't like how things were starting out, and her friends had the same reaction, unseen with her.

"Parting words?" inquired Sarian, though the curiosity I'm her voice, though present, wasn't strong. "Have you not said everything there is to say between us?"

"Yes, but I have had long to consider since the circumstances that have led to our meeting began," said Dagoth Ur, just as unmoving as Sarian as they stared each other down. "Now that you have come to me here, there can be but one result. Many times I have considered offering to share this place with you. I considered offering to accept your oath of service. You might try to buy my trust by giving me Wraithguard, Keening, and Sunder. I thought we might once again be friends... comrades... brothers in arms. But I have won this place and power by right of conquest. By right of daring and enterprise. I will not risk it to cunning and deceit. I offer you no deals. If you are my enemy, I cannot trust you. And even if you are not my enemy, I cannot let you live."

Twilight felt pure revulsion plunge over her soul.

She had expected Dagoth Ur to attempt to tempt Sarian to his side, like she said he had been attempting, so it came as a surprise when he went the complete opposite direction, but more than that, the blatant disregard for friendship made her physically ill. Her friendships were the most precious things in her life, and she cherished them more than her own breath. For someone to cast it aside so quickly, even a monster like Dagoth Ur, made her blood boil.

"That... that monster," said the voice of Rainbow, her tone full of rage.

None of the others reprimanded her speaking, and judging from the seething breathing, they all felt the same way for what Dagoth Ur said.

"It will all be decided here," continued Dagoth Ur, apparently having not heard Rainbow's words, and apparently oblivious to the uninvited guests Sarian had brought. "I believe I will prevail. But I cannot be sure, and I am vain enough that, should I fall, I would wish to be remembered in my own words. So, if you have final questions you would ask, ask them now. I have final questions I would ask you, if you would answer."

"Questions?" said Sarian, her tone somewhat mocking. "I thought Gods were above asking lowly mortals of anything?"

Dagoth Ur said nothing, just stood expectantly.

"Very well," said Sarian, her tone once again serious. "I will listen to what you have to say."

Dagoth Ur's response was to nod once in slight gratitude.

"My first question is: Are you really Nerevar reborn?"

Sarian deemed to contemplate for a second. "Throughout this entire country, I have encountered multiple people who claim I am the Nerevarine, in fact, the Emperor himself seems to believe so as well." She thrusted out her hand protected by Wraithguard. "It may be true, but I didn't embark on this quest for the sake of the Nerevarine Prophecies. I have ventured down this path under my own volition."

You are bold. I honor your independence," said Dagoth Ur with amusement. "You are one to teach the gods their limits. I hope the bards will praise the glory of your death in song."

Even Fluttershy scowled in anger under her invisibility. Circumstances aside, like they were going to allow harm to come to Sarian, who, despite how recently they had met her, was unquestionably their ally.

"My second question is: if you win, what do you plan to do with the power from the Heart? Will you make yourself a god, and establish a thearchy? Or will you complete Akulakhan, and dispute control of Tamriel with the Septims? Or will you share the Heart with your followers, as I have, and breed a new race of divine immortals?"

"The power of the Heart is something that should never have been trifled with," said Sarian without hesitation. "It has sown nothing but chaos since the Dwemer discovered it, so if I come out triumphant, I will make sure it is never used again."

This response seemed to preplex Dagoth Ur. "You would turn away from the power of a Divine?"

"I have no desire for it, and in the end, has anything favorable become of it?" said Sarian.

Dagoth Ur paused for a brief moment then chuckled with amusement. "Well. Perhaps there may be surprises in store for me yet. Or perhaps you obscure your plans on principle. Or perhaps you are an instinctive bluffer. No matter.

"My final question is: If I had offered to let you join me, would you have surrendered Wraithguard, Sunder, and Keening to me to seal your oath?"

"I would never join you," said Sarian plainly. "Even if I had any interest in your self serving schemes, you have proven time and again to be untrustworthy, even to your closest allies."

"Thank you for the forthright response," said Dagoth Ur, apparently unfazed by Sarian's jibe. "And now, if you have any questions, ask them. Otherwise, you are the challenger. I await your first blow."

"I have only one question for the likes of you," said Sarian, reaching behind her back and drawing the Daedric Crescent. "How do you justify your crimes? Death and suffering have consumed Morrowind from one coast to another because of your actions, how can you cause such calamity?"

"If by my 'crimes,' you mean the inevitable suffering and destruction caused by war," replied Dagoth Ur in a casual voice, "then I accept the burden of leadership. The Sixth House cannot be restored without war. Enlightenment cannot grow back without the risk of upsetting the tradition-bound and complacent herd. And the Mongrel armies of the Empire cannot be expelled from Morrowind without bloodshed. As I have charity and compassion, I grieve. But our mission is just and noble."

'Leadership?' Princess Luna was pretty sure this cretin didn't know the meaning of the word.

"I suspected as such," said Sarian with a voice of disgust, readying her weapon.

"Very well," said Dagoth Ur, readying himself for combat as well. "If you are impatient to begin. Go ahead. You are the challenger. To you goes the first blow."

Author's Notes:

This is it, the time to confront a living God. I hope you all are ready.

24 Heart of the issue

The Equestrians held their breath.

This was it, the battle that would decide the fates of both worlds was about to begin.

All that was left now was for Sarian to take the first shot... a spell consisting of several varieties of destruction came sailing at Sarian. She dove to the side to avoid the deadly projectile, leaving the invisible group behind her to dodge the pulsating orb of electricity and fire themselves. Dagoth Ur then readied another spell.

Thinking fast, Sarian reached into her armor and withdrew a steel, four pointed star, took aim, and threw it. It hit Dagoth Ur in the center of the chest, erupting into a wave of electricity that coursed through every inch of the Mad God's body. Dagoth Ur screamed in pain, his voice sounding almost beastial, his latest spell petering out as his concentration was broken.

Sarian acted fast, springing to her feet with lightning speed and charging forward with her weapon held high. With a downwards thrust, the wet sound of a blade piercing flesh echoed through the room. All was silent, Dagoth Ur and Sarian stood still, mere feet from each other.

Then Dagoth Ur struggled to turn his head to his right to the arched blade that bit into his flesh were his shoulder met his neck. Then he was gone, the Daedric Crescent now piercing nothing but air. Bringing her arms to her side, Sarian just stood there, staring at the spot where Morrowind's most feared enemy once stood.

"That no good varmint," said Applejack as she and the girls appeared in the cavern. "He said he was going to let you have the first blow."

"What a meanie," said Pinkie, shaking her head. "With an attitude like that it's no wonder his only friends are disease ridden zombies."

"Is that it?" asked Rainbow, looking around the room like she was expecting something else to happen. "Is that all it took to take the chump down? How pathetic. We had much tougher times with villains from Equestria."

"Do not let how swiftly this battle went lull you into dropping your guard Rainbow," said Sarian, her tone growing more serious. "This is far from over."

"But how?" asked Rarity, her voice carrying a tone that said she had been more than hoping it was over. "You struck such a devastating blow to him, and he just vanished."

"I merely drove him off," said Sarian, "he most likely fled to the Heart chamber to gain more power. Now that he knows he isn't a match for my skills with a blade, he will most likely try to overwhelm me with sheer power." She turned to all of them. "The only way this is going to end is if we sever Dagoth Ur's connection to the Heart of Lorkhan, because until we do, he's just as immortal as the Gods themselves."

The Equestrian party looked to each other and after a second to steel themselves, turned to Sarian with a determined look.

"We are with you," said Luna, walking to the head of the group. "Where is this Heart Chamber?"

Nodding in understanding and gratitude, Sarian pointed to the left of the room. There another dome gate identical to the one outside was slowly opening to reveal a door. But this one didn't simultaneously open and close. It revolved just enough to expose the door, then stood frozen in place.

It was like it was beckoning them to enter.

Sticking with the original strategy, the Equestrians shrouded themselves in invisibility again and followed Sarian through the ancient doors, and to whatever lay beyond.

---

Akulakhan's Chamber

The Equestrians just managed to hold in their gasps of shock.

They now stood upon a steel plateau that overlooked an expansive smoldering chamber that dropped into a huge lake of lava. Standing in this molten pool stood the largest bipedal figure they had ever seen. From their vantage point upon the plateau they saw its chest, shoulders, and sinister face whose open mouth produced an endless stream of smoke, revealing its height to be at least several stories.

This... was the artificial god Akulakhan.

Though they didn't see the artificial part. Though obviously incomplete, with several pulleys and conveyors lifting and placing new parts, each piece looked fleshy and bone could be seen upon parts of the huge behemoth that were still exposed. But its appearance aside, the sheer size of Akulakhan was enough to prove to the Equestrians that if this monstrous being were ever to be completed, it would spell doom for all.

"What a fool you are," the voice of Dagoth Ur brought their attention away from Akulakhan to the said Mad God, who was standing at the opposite end of the plateau, now sporting a transparent, orange force field. "I'm a god. How can you kill a god? What a grand and intoxicating innocence. How could you be so naive? There is no escape. No Recall or Intervention can work in this place. Come. Lay down your weapons. It is not too late for my mercy."

"Sweet Celestia, this no good snake in the grass likes to toot his own horn," said Applejack.

"Mercy?" said Sarian, seemingly unfazed by the incomplete god across the room. "What mercy could you possibly have for me? You didn't show Nerevar mercy the last time you met, in this very place, why would you show me, Nerevar supposedly reborn, mercy now?"

Dagoth Ur lifted up his hand, a spiral of orange light appearing in his grip. "You always were astute, my old friend."

The spiral of light expanded over the whole plateau, and once it faded, Sarian found it was no longer just the two of them. Over a dozen Ash Creatures now took up the entire plateau, Ascended Sleepers, Ash Ghouls, Ash Slaves, Corprus Stalkers, Lame Corpruses and even Ash Vampires now stood alongside Dagoth Ur, their eyes fixed on Sarian. Sarian didn't back down though, holding the Daedric Crescent up in defense.

"I have come too far, am too close to achieving my noble goals to risk it all on sentiment," said Dagoth Ur, "and though it greatly pains me that we will not be engaging in one on one combat, like in times of old, I will not allow things to end the way they did so long ago. No, Moon-and-Star, one way or another, I will succeed in liberating Morrowind."

The small army of Ash Creatures began to close in on their target, several of them readying spells.

"No good varmint," said Applejack, "how low can you get?"

"Girls," Twilight's voice was full of determination. "I believe now is the time. Dagoth Ur hopes to overwhelm Sarian by outnumbering her, let's show him she isn't alone."

There was a brief pause, one where the more sensitive of Twilight's friends did their best to beat down their nervousness now that the time for them to join the fray had come, but they all became just as determined as her. Now was the time to defend their home and families from this monster.

"RIGHT," all seven of Twilight's friends said at once.

Still under the cover of invisibility, the seven equines and baby dragon took up positions beside Sarian.

"Good luck everyone," said the Dark Elf maiden, regretful that they were going to have to get involved, but thankful for their support.

"All together, girls," said Twilight, scraping the ground. "Unrelenting Force!"

Dagoth Ur watched as his minions moved in on their foe. He was legitimately regretful to have to resort to such tactics, but he could not allow the Nerevarine to live any longer. And even one so skilled would be overwhelmed against the number of opponents he had summoned forth.

'FUS RO DAH'

A great cloud of blue light suddenly erupted from the plateau, and every Ash Creature Dagoth Ur summoned but a moment ago were thrown over the edge and into the bubbling lava below. Staggering, Dagoth Ur watched as all of his aid suddenly vanished into the glow of Red Mountain crater, looking up just in time to see that his adversary no longer stood alone. Eight figures clad in different sets of armor suddenly flashed onto the plateau, seven of them equine, while one was small and reptilian.

"What is the meaning of this Moon-and-star?" demanded the Mad God, only for realization to come over him a second later. "You! You are all denizens of that other world."

"That's right, Dagoth Ur," said Twilight, blowing steam from her nostrils.

"And we have come to put a stop to your vile schemes," said Rarity, her elegant face twisted into a hateful scowl.

"It's not possible!" Said Dagoth Ur, disbelief in his voice. "You have no knowledge of the existence of me or my world. I know this!"

"That's where you're wrong, buddy," said Rainbow Dash, a determined smirk on her face as she faced down Dagoth Ur. "We know all about you and your plans for our home, and we aren't going to let you get away with it."

"Like we would let a meanie like you turn everypony we love into mindless zombies," said Pinkie.

Dagoth Ur clenched his fists, his bafflement at their sudden appearance overtaken by anger. "You would defy your new God?"

"You are no god," said Fluttershy, surprising everyone, even herself, when she spoke up.

"I have the power to shape the world as I see fit, you should be wary of inspiring my wrath," said Dagoth Ur, the disrespectful attitude of these creatures really starting to annoy him. "Yet you would side with the Nerevarine against me?"

"Sarian is a way better ally than you are, you maniac," said Spike.

The insult actually seemed to have an effect on Dagoth Ur. "You dare insult me? You should hold a being of my abilities in reverence."

"It takes more than sheer power to gain the reverence of the ponies of Equestria," said Luna, "it takes more than might to rule, and that is why we will never bow to a being such as you. We would never follow something that believes only in themselves."

Dagoth Ur seemed to have had enough of this defiance. "You will pay for this treachery."

With a wave of his hand, Dagoth Ur once again summoned his hoard of Ash Creatures.

"Oh, like that's going to work," said Rainbow:

'FUS RO DAH'

Her lone Shout did not have the desired effect. The Ash Creatures only staggered briefly, just as Dagoth Ur had, but nothing more. Concerned, they all tried at the same time again, only to get the same result.

"Ugh, Twilight," said Rarity nervously, backing away from the advancing monsters. "Why isn't it working?"

Looking closer, Twilight discovered to her horror that the Ash Creatures now possessed a shield just like their Masters. That was why he didn't go over the first time. Whatever that shield was, it could even guard against the Thu'um.

"We're in trouble girls," said Twilight, looking at all them worriedly, "that shield, it would seem, is protecting them."

This unexpected turn was more than unsettling.

But they didn't have time to dwell on it, for at that moment an Ash Ghoul closed in on them, readying a spell. Rainbow acted fast, flying to meet the monster, and while the shield prevented her from touching the thing physically, she struck the shield itself hard enough to send it and the one wearing it back amongst the hoard.

"Twilight, what do we do?" asked Rainbow as she rejoined them, trying hard to keep up her tough demeanor. "Those shields prevent us from being able to do any real damage."

Twilight began racking her mind for a solution, but didn't have time to get even close to coming up with something. The surrounding Ash Creatures sent a barrage of deadly spells toward them, impacting the group in a cloud of explosions and dust. All was silent, the Ash Creatures waiting to see if their combined attacks had succeeded.

The smoke cleared, and Dagoth Ur groaned in annoyance to see a dome of magic projected over those who would dare challenge him.

"Smash through their defenses!" He ordered his minions, "you all are empowered by my Divine essence, whatever they have thrown against you is no match!"

At the will of their master, the Ash Creatures began bombarding the shield with a relentless stream of destruction magic.

Luna and Twilight cringed as their combined shield was assaulted from all sides.

"Twilight, what do we do?" asked Rarity frantically. "We are the only ones who can stop that brute from reducing Equestria to a wasteland, but everything we have tried so far hasn't had an effect on him, or his ruffian friends."

Twilight was splitting her focus between maintaining the shield with Princess Luna and trying to come up with a plan to get them out of this. They were Equestria's only hope, but it would seem even their power over the Thu'um was no match for the power of the Heart of Lorkhan, despite her original theory to the contrary. Try as she might, Twilight could not come up with anything that could get them around Dagoth Ur's Divine power.

So that just meant one thing.

"We have to sever Dagoth Ur from the Heart," Twilight strained to say. "It's the only way."

"But Twi, he has us pinned," said Applejack, "and as Rainbow said, those shields protecting Dagoth Ur's lackies prevent us from doing anything against them."

Twilight looked up at the army bombarding the shield. They could not fight them while they had those shields, but maybe they could get past them somehow. Beyond the spell blasts Twilight could make out a path that spiraled along the wall of the chamber, dropping down and out of sight. She then looked up at Princess Luna, who was showing signs of strain.

With her fast wit, Twilight formulated a plan. It was risky, but it was the best she could come up with, and with time against them, she was doubtful she could come up with something else, let alone something less risky.

"I have an idea," said Twilight, all of them giving her their undivided attention. "It will be risky, but I believe it's our only option."

"Do not doubt yourself, Twilight," said Sarian supportingly. "If you have a solution you believe can work, it's the best we can hope for."

The others agreed.

Grateful that they had such faith in her, Twilight began to explain to them what she had come up with. With each part of the plan explained they all became more and more nervous, but continued to listen. They all agreed that despite the risk it was, in fact, the only apparent option.

The shield around them fractured just as Twilight finished, making them all jump for a second.

"You weren't kidding, Twilight," said Applejack, eyes wide with concern. "If we follow this plan, an awful lot can go wrong."

"There isn't anything that doesn't involve risk at this point," said Rainbow, flexing her muscles in preparation before adopting her trademark daredevil smirk. "Plus, this sounds challenging, and I love a challenge."

"I don't like it," said Luna, gritting her teeth. "I came on this voyage to protect you all, I can't do that if I follow through with this plan of Twilight's."

But nobody had a chance to either argue or agree with her, for multiple fractures then spread across their only protection against the constant wave of magic.

"As much as I hate to admit it, I feel we have no choice," said Rarity, trembling in fear, "the barrier won't hold for much longer, so if we are going through with Twilight's plan, we need to do it now."

Luna's expression became strained that was more than her trying to keep up the shield, but she couldn't argue anymore. It was obvious that time was up, and if they were going to act, it had to be now. With a regretful scowl, Luna nodded, agreeing to go through with what Twilight had in mind.

Twilight walked up next to her, nodding in turn, and the two channeled a new spell.

The forcefield expanded out in a wave of magic seconds before it shattered, impacting the shields of Dagoth Ur and his Ash Creatures and staggering them slightly as the two magic barriers collided and produced effect similar when two glasses are banged into each other. With the hoard of monsters disoriented, the nine companions charged forward, into the fray and dispersing into its numbers.

It was pandemonium.

They could not damage the Ash Creatures because of the shields, so they settled for weaving and dodging, becoming targets that were impossible to hit. The Ash Creatures had a more difficult time using spells at such close range, and those that were able to get a bead found their aim altered at the last second by one of the winged ponies, who would spring out of nowhere and impact their shield. So far, none had been able to score a hit on the strange group from Equestria and their Dunmer ally.

But Dagoth Ur wasn't concerned as he watched from the sidelines.

All mortals had limited strength, and eventually it would wane. All he had to do was wait for his minions to outlast the Nerevarine and her allies.

"NOW, PRINCESS," came the voice of that violet colored equine.

A spark of blue light went off in the distance, and Dagoth Ur saw that dark pony with both wings and a horn appear a great distance away from the scuffle and head down the path along the chamber wall.

"IMPOSSIBLE, NO FORM OF TELEPORTATION CAN WORK IN THIS PLACE!" he shouted in frustration, sprinting along the edge of the plateau to pursue, but soon found his path blocked by a purple unicorn.

"You wanna get to them, you gotta go through me first," she said with a scowl.

---

Twilight had been right.

Same with the mananite being unable to absorb magicka from Mundus back in the Equestrian Badlands, whatever hinders teleportation in this place could not interfere with Equestrian teleportation. Free of obstacles, Princess Luna and Sarian sprinted down the spiraling path.

"We must hurry," said the Princess as she sped beside Sarian. "Twilight said that Dagoth Ur intends to use the Heart of Lorkhan to power Akulakhan, so it must be inside the thing somewhere. This path must lead to something that allows access to that unfinished monster until it is complete."

She could have teleported them directly over to Akulakhan, but with how all this Divine power had been interfering with their magic, like with Twilight's clairvoyance, it wasn't worth the risk. Flying was out of the question due to the misfired spells that filled the air from the Ash Creatures' continued assault on their allies, so that left them with following this path in the hopes that they found a way to cross over to Akulakhan. And they had better find it soon.

For the others sake.

---

"This is getting tiresome," said Dagoth Ur as he held Twilight up by her throat. "Did you honestly think you could challenge a God?"

Twilight's only response was to blast him in the face with her magic.

"Persistent, aren't you."

Effortlessly, Dagoth Ur tossed Twilight back into the fray with her friends, deciding that the disposal of such a lowly creature was better left to his subordinates.

He had more pressing concerns.

"TWILIGHT!"

Rainbow snatched her unicorn friend out of the air before she could hit the ground.

"I'm okay, Rainbow," reassured Twilight as Rainbow settled her to her hooves, bringing her attention to how far Princess Luna and Sarian had made it. "I hope I bought them enough time."

The answer came in the form of Dagoth Ur's next move.

With seemingly no effort, he leaped off the plateau and sailed over the chamber, landing down on the spiral path about a yard away from Sarian and Luna's location.

"OH NO!" shouted Twilight.

"NOT GOOD, THAT IS SO NOT GOOD!" shouted Rainbow.

The whole strategy was to allow Luna to get Sarian to the Heart as quickly as possible, and if Dagoth Ur caught up with them the chances of them even getting to the Heart were slim. They too set off in pursuit, but they were forced to rejoin the battle when more Ash Creatures intercepted them, same as the rest of their friends. They all were stuck in this one sided brawl.

Except for one.

Spike watched Dagoth Ur bound across the chamber like it was nothing, coming very close to the location of the allies they had allowed a window of opportunity. He knew himself that if those two didn't find the Heart of Lorkhan, they would stand no chance against Dagoth Ur, and with said villain in pursuit, the chances were becoming slimmer by the second. Someone had to do something.

Do to his short stature the Ash Creatures barely took notice of him, stumbling around like they were unaware of his existence. If he was able to give them the slip, he might be able to break free of the battle and try to intercept Dagoth Ur before he caught up to Sarian and Princess Luna. But what could he do?

He was small, no denying that, so what could he hope to accomplish against something like Dagoth Ur?

But then he saw all his friends trying desperately to battle the hoard of monsters, trying to keep their attention solely on them instead of the two who were their only chance to come out of this. A chance that was now in jeopardy. He had to do something. Not just for his friends, but for everything that was at stake because of Dagoth Ur.

Weaving through a sea of legs, Spike managed to wiggle past all the Ash Creatures unnoticed and sprinted down the spiral path, dropping onto all fours to increase his speed.

Twilight had been throwing worried looks across the chamber at the shrinking distance between Dagoth Ur and her cohorts, and that is when she saw Spike sprint off in pursuit.

"SPIKE!" She made to teleport after him, but an Ash Ghoul almost struck her with a spell, leaving her with no choice but to defend herself.

---

"You're beaten!"

The Dark Elf that was obviously in league with Dagoth Ur fired a spell at Sarian and Princess Luna. They dodged and Princess Luna blasted him into one of the stalagmites that dotted the path, while Sarian sprinted forward and dispatched him with a slash to the chest. Not wasting any time, they continued down the path.

They saw below a rope bridge that connected to Akulakhan's belly, and it was there that they spotted their goal.

A gigantic object in the shape of a heart was attached to Akulakhan by means of a network of pipes, a pulsating aura of color identical to Dagoth Ur's shield surrounding it. That had to be the Heart of Lorkhan, and after everything that happened, getting to it was their only chance. There were still too many random spells going off for flight so that left hoofing it as still the only available option.

"You are a stubborn thing, Nerevar."

A multicolored spell impacted the wall they had just passed, and turning to its source, Luna and Sarian were horrified to see Dagoth Ur closing in on them fast.

"How did he catch up with us so fast?" asked Sarian.

"No time to dwell on it, run!" was Luna's response.

---

Spike was sprinting after Sarian and Luna and their pursuer as fast as his little legs could carry him. He was surprisingly swift, despite his pudge, and was actually closing in on them. He still had no clue how he was going to hold back Dagoth Ur, but he was determined to do something.

"Aaaagh!" Said a pained voice.

Turning to the right, Spike saw a Dark Elf with a profoundly bleeding gash across his chest launch a lightning bolt at him before keeling over and lying motionless on the ground.

Spike screamed in terror, for the spell was too quick for him to dodge:

'MUL QAH DIIV'

He had acted on pure instinct, and was now covered in the luminous dragon armor of his Nirn counterparts. The spell struck home, but Spike wasn't even slowed, his endurance increased by the power of Dragon Aspect. Undaunted, he continued his pursuit of the three up ahead, now clad in Ebony armor and magic Draconian armor.

But Dagoth Ur was closing the distance between himself and his quarry faster then Spike was his and at this rate wouldn't reach them first. He had just used a Thu'um, so could not increase his speed with Whirlwind Sprint, and his legs were carrying him as fast as they could already.

'I have to do something, I can't let him reach the Princess and Sarian.'

Spike grit his teeth in frustration, trying to will himself to go faster by any means. Suddenly his next bound didn't land him on any ground to spring from again, and when he looked down, the ground was speeding under him, just out of reach of his claws. Perplexed, Spike looked around for an explanation, and what he saw baffled him.

His Dragon Aspect now sported a pair of translucent wings, his speed increasing as their flapping grew in strength. He felt pure euphoria wash over him. For all his encounters with other dragons, he had always been disappointed at his lack of wings.

Even though these were obviously just some extension of the Dragon Aspect, Spike felt like a true dragon for the first time in his life.

Grinning with newfound resolve, Spike thrusted his claws forward and willed himself to go faster. The Dragon Aspect obeyed, and soon Spike was streaking down the spiral path. Before long he actually had Dagoth Ur in his sights up ahead. This time Spike was the one closing in on his quarry at a faster rate.

He still did not know what he was going to do to stall the maniac so he decided to go with the first thing that came to mind, his sights honing in on Dagoth Ur's feet, not even aware of the slight tingling sensation the scales of his neck were producing in response to such danger.

---

Hah-hah-hah-hah. Oh, dear me. Forgive me, but I am enjoying this."

The taunting voice was growing unsteadily closer.

Turning around, Sarian and Princess Luna were regretful to find out that Dagoth Ur was not twenty feet from them, swerving to run along the outer edge of the path so as to cut them off when they came within range.

"He's going to overtake us before we even get close to that bridge," said Luna, looking up at Sarian next to her. "We have no choice but to split up. You continue to make for the Heart, I'll try and stall him."

"Your courage is admirable, Princess, but you know as well as I do that such an effort would be in vain," replied Sarian, her voice steady, despite the situation. "With Dagoth Ur's power, you most likely won't be able to buy enough time for it to make a difference."

"Then I will buy you as much time as I can," said Luna, flaring her wings in a battle stance. "At this point, even a little more time might just be enough."

"Farewell, sweet Nerevar. Better luck on your next incarnation." Dagoth Ur readied his next attack, and with how much closer he was now, there was a good chance that his aim would be true.

But suddenly his legs locked up, his forward momentum so strong it sent him along for quite a bit of distance. Sarian and Princess Luna watched from their vantage point a small orange blur came streaking down the path and latched onto Dagoth Ur's feet. The Mad God stumbled, sailing through the air, towards the ledge of the path.

Growling in aggravation, Dagoth Ur looked down to see why his feet had locked up, only to come face to face with the tiny reptilian creature the Nerevarine had arrived with clinging to his ankles, said face was twisted into a mocking grin.

Spike wasn't one to be corny, but he just could not help himself this time. "Buckle up pal, you and me are going on a 'trip'."

Dagoth Ur could do nothing as he and the little lizard plunged over the side and into the lava below.

"SPIKE!" shouted Luna frantically as she watched Twilight's baby dragon cohort plunge off the platform and into the lava pit below.

"He was so brave," said Sarian respectfully as her and Luna looked over the side to see no trace of either of them, her voice laced with pity. "To throw himself into fire to aid us. To confront Dagoth Ur on his own like that."

"Then it is even more imperative we get to the Heart of Lorkhan and put an end to this madness," said Luna determinedly, once again heading to the rope bridge.

"Yes, your comrade shall not have given his life in vain," said Sarian as she caught up.

"Spike is not dead!"

Sarian looked at Princess Luna sceptically, "I am all for optimism, but if the fall didn't kill him, then the lava..."

"Dragons are fireproof," explained Luna quickly, "but now he is trapped down there with that monster. If he is to have a chance, we must strip Dagoth Ur of his power source now!"

---

"Spike!"

Twilight could do nothing but watch from above as her number one assistant tumbled over the ledge into the lava, interlocked in Dagoth Ur's legs. But, to her immense relief, the detect life ability of the Grey Cowl of Nocturnal revealed to her that he was still alive below, and not only that, but her analysing mind had noticed something. Spike had passed through Dagoth Ur's shield.

"GIRLS!" she shouted to her friends, who were still struggling to fight off the Ash Creatures. "USE DRAGON ASPECT!"

Most were too preoccupied to respond, but one pony skilled in multitasking managed it.

"But we've already found out even Shouts don't do squat," said Rainbow as she pushed an Ascended Sleeper off herself and Rarity.

"No time to explain, just trust me."

They didn't understand, but Twilight had their trust, so they complied.

'MUL QAH DIIV'

The effect was instantaneous.

The ponies' attacks now passed through the Ash Creatures' shields with no effort, physically or magically. Now, one by one, the Ash Creatures numbers were thinning. It would seem Twilight and the others finally got the edge they were hoping for.

---

A gleaming gold mask breached the surface of the bubbling lava, followed by the rest of the thing that wore it as it sat up.

Dagoth Ur looked up and realized he had fallen clear to the bottom of Red Mountain crater, the massive form of Akulakhan looming above. He was unharmed, thanks to his godhood, but it was no less irritating to be stuck at the bottom of a hole for him then it would be for anyone else. That lizard who had tripped him was lucky to already be dead.

"Ha," the small reptilian erupted from the lava with a tiny splash and hovered up on it's transparent wings. "Bet you didn't see that coming, did you."

Dagoth Ur felt rage burn through him at the creatures complete lack of respect, and to make matters worse, the youth in its voice signified that it was nothing more than a child. He had just been sent tumbling into the heart of Red Mountain by a child. It was enraging and humiliating.

"You wretched Argonian spawn of Black Marsh," seethed Dagoth Ur, pointing a spindly finger at Spike. "You and your people will pay for the indignity you have brought upon the great Dagoth Ur of the Great Sixth House."

"Yeah, yeah, monologue, monologue," said Spike, rubbing his temple in irritation. "As I have told countless people, I am not an Argonian. I am a dragon."

Dagoth Ur seemed taken aback, "Impossible, dragons no longer exist!"

"Yeah, so I heard," said Spike, crossing his arms. He didn't know what he was doing per se, but if he kept Dagoth Ur distracted long enough, maybe Sarian and the Princess could find the Heart of Lorkhan. "But there are a lot of things in Equestria you ain't got a clue about, buddy. Dragons may not exist here anymore, but Equestria is full of them." He stared down Dagoth Ur with a glare. "And you can bet your pretty mask that they will be no more inclined to bow down to you than my friends are willing to. And neither will I."

Spike may feel no connection to his dragon kin back home, but he was fairly certain that they would not submit to Dagoth Ur, as he said.

Dagoth Ur was about to say something, but looked off into the distance, seemingly distracted by something only he could see.

"The Heart of Lorkhan speaks to me," he said, turning his attention to Spike once more. "The power you and your comrades wield is the power of Akotosh, the Thu'um."

Spike was slightly surprised that Dagoth Ur had surmised such so soon, but Twilight had forewarned them that the power of the Divine was limitless, so to expect anything.

"That's right," said Spike, steeling his nerves and actually fluttering up into Dagoth Ur's mask. "It would seem that you aren't the only one who can utilize the power of the Divine..."

A multi-colored spell passed by Spike's face, missing his scales by mere inches.

"Blasphemy!" shouted Dagoth Ur, his voice dangerous. "Only I am worthy to wield the power of the Gods. You and your friends will pay dearly for this impudence."

It would seem that the time of distraction through talking was over, so Spike was going to have to change tactics. Carried by his new, luminescent wings, Spike swerved and twirled in the air, the magical attacks passing by him, blowing holes in the nearby walls, but never getting anywhere near the airborne baby dragon. It was surprisingly easy to dodge Dagoth Ur's attacks.

"Is this the best you can do?" taunted Spike, though he knew it was a bad idea. But he was going to do whatever it takes to keep Dagoth Ur distracted as long as he could. "If your skills are so mediocre, it's no wonder that the Sixth House fell."

He might have taken it a bit too far.

Dagoth Ur paused his assault, his body going rigid. His three luminous eyes increased in intensity until it was like three miniature suns stood suspended above the lava, a low growl emanating from between them. An inexplicable wind began to blow.

Suddenly, a wave of red light spread throughout the entire lava pit. Spike lifted his claws up to shield his eyes from the intense light, and when it finally passed he found himself once again susceptible to gravity, falling towards the lava. All he had time to do was scream briefly, before face planting into the molten rock, lingering on the surface for a second before sinking beneath the surface.

A hand plunged into the lava, grabbing a small scaly neck and lifting it up.

Spike sputtered to clear his mouth of lava, and when he looked up, he found himself face to face with a three eyed nightmare. He gasped and thrusted his claws up to try and cast one of the spells he learned in Apocrypha, but for the first time since he left Twilight's enchanted book his claws produced nothing. He gasped in shock and tried another Thu'um, but once again produced no results.

"Your magic has been silenced, Dragonling," hissed Dagoth Ur. "Even your mastery of the Thu'um is now nullified."

Spike gasped.

He knew about silencing spells, and that until they wore off no magic can be used. But it should not have an effect on the ability to use the Thu'um.

"How?" was all Spike managed to say passed his fear.

"The Thu'um may have originated from the Gods, but my power is derived from the Gods themselves," explained Dagoth Ur, his voice full of barely restrained rage. "Nothing is beyond my power."

Without another word, Dagoth Ur tossed Spike into the far wall. He scampered for purchase, and when he managed to cling to a couple of protruding stones he turned towards Dagoth Ur... just in time to see a huge ball of magic sailing towards him. He had no chance of getting out of the way.

Dagoth Ur watched as the annoying dragon was engulfed in an explosion powerful enough to blow a sizable hole in the wall, which was then filled in with collapsing rock. But he spared this slight distraction no further thought, looking up to the looming chamber above. He had more pressing matters to attend to.

---

After subduing another Dreamer, Luna and Sarian finally made it to the final stretch of the winding path.

The rope bridge was just up ahead, the Heart of Lorkhan glistening under its barrier on the other side. But just before Sarian and Princess Luna could set foot (or hoof) upon the first plank, the entire thing exploded in flames, the force of the blast knocking them to the stone floor, wooden shrapnel raining down around them. Shaken, but otherwise unharmed, Sarian and Luna staggered up and looked themselves over for damage.

"You okay, your Majesty?" asked Sarian.

"I'm fine, but there's a more pressing matter," said Luna, looking to the destroyed bridge.

"Princess Luna."

Taking up fighting stances, Luna and Sarian turned to see Dagoth Ur walking out of the curtain of flames that had once been the only access to the Heart of Lorkhan.

"Don't be alarmed that I know who you are," said the tall humanoid as he stood before them. "I am a God."

"Don't flatter yourself!" shouted Princess Luna. "You only know about me because of your presence in the mind of one of my subjects."

Dagoth Ur didn't seem affected by her rebuttal, he just gave a brief glance over to Sarian before bringing his attention to Princess Luna again.

"I may have no choice but to destroy the Nerevarine, but you," he began, his voice full of intrigue. "You and your sister fascinate me. I feel in the very near future we will consider each other valuable allies."

"If you think my sister and I would ever join you, you are even more delusional than I was led to believe," was Luna's response.

"It's foolish to resist the will of a God," said Dagoth Ur calmly, as if Princess Luna's claim was of no consequence. "And why would you deny yourselves such an opportunity? Morrowind and Equestria united would be a formidable force, and with my Divine power, we could shape our kingdoms however we see fit."

"Even if we were inclined to accept such an offer, it is an empty promise coming from the likes of you," said Luna, projecting a force field around her and Sarian for protection, as futile as it may be. "I have seen what you have done with this 'divine power', and the only thing you intend to use it for is your own selfish ambitions."

"How peculiar," said Dagoth Ur as he continued to move closer to the two. "From all the knowledge that I have gathered from your world, I was certain that you would be the easiest to persuade."

Princess Luna didn't like the way he said that. "What do you mean?"

She was trying to come up with a solution to get to the Heart while they were carrying on this conversation, racking her brain for anything that might help.

"You and I are not so different," said Dagoth Ur. Princess Luna actually gasped in shock and disgust.

"I am nothing like you!" she rebutted with a snarl.

"Do you think so?" said Dagoth Ur as he began circling Sarian and Luna from outside the magic force field, the two rotating to keep him in their sights. "We are both timeless beyond measure, have abilities unparalleled when compared to those of our peers, and unlike any other individual, you share my kinship with dreams, an ability even your sister doesn't have. And more importantly, you and I have the same ambitions."

"NEVER!" denied Luna, her anger flaring up with every one of Dagoth Ur's comparisons.

"Like me, you were presented with the opportunity to make your world better," said Dagoth Ur with a slight chuckle. "And like me, rather then being thanked for your devotion and dedication, your closest allies rebelled against you, your own sister banishing you for a thousand years. And when you finally return from you unwarranted imprisonment, your people once again resist you, until finally, they strip you of the power that is rightfully yours.

"I to was betrayed by my allies, but unlike you, they failed in stripping me of my power. Join me, Princess Luna, and the power you once wielded can be yours again."

Luna was trembling.

She could not deny that there were similarities between her and Dagoth Ur. Her actions as Nightmare Moon were self serving and apathetic, and to this day the guilt was almost unbearable, and being reminded like this was only twisting the knife. But she knew something Dagoth Ur didn't.

"You're right," she said, trying to focus on her breath to calm her nerves. "There are undeniable similarities between us." She scowled right into the three eyed gold mask upon Dagoth Ur's face. "But unlike you, I have come to accept the fact that what I did was wrong, that I had no right to try to dominate all of Equestria! And my allies didn't rebel against me, it was me who betrayed them. My sister had no choice but to do what she did."

She spread her wings. "And when I returned from my imprisonment I wasn't stripped of my power, I was restored to my proper place. I am Princess Luna. Equestrian Monarch of the Moon, and guardian of dreams. It is my sacred duty to defend Equestria from danger and..."

She squinted her eyes at Dagoth Ur. "From nightmares like you."

Dagoth Ur put his hands to his hips and shook his head in what appeared to be pity. "So misguided, so foolish to think you could ever deny a God." He walked up to the force field and stared at the Lunar Matriarch beyond. "Let me show you how vastly superior my abilities over dreams are as compared to yours."

Without another word, and seemingly without effort, Dagoth Ur reached through Luna's force field as if it wasn't there and grasped the base of her horn. Luna immediately went as stiff as a statue, her force field fading away as her magic died.

---

Princess Luna suddenly found herself sitting on a throne of dark midnight blue, the throne room itself decorated with tapestries of the same color, all depicting different landscapes silhouetted against an expansive night sky. But despite the beauty of the room Luna had only one thought. How did she get here?

She remembered that she was in Akulakhan's Chamber, facing down an ancient evil that was threatening both her kingdom and another world. She tried to move, but she found her body unresponsive, she was unable to even turn her head.

'This has to be Dagoth Ur's doing."

"SISTER!"

Suddenly, the doors of the throne room burst open, and Princess Celestia hurried inside, and following her was Twilight and her friends.

'Sister, thank goodness you're here,' thought Luna, her body miraculously turning its neck slightly downwards so as to get a better look at her opalescent sibling. 'We have confronted the being responsible for all the calamity...'

Her thoughts derailed as the new position of her neck allowed her a slight glimpse of her own body.

Her chest was adorned with a midnight breastplate sporting a crescent moon insignia, and her fur was a jet black, rather than her normal dark blue. She also appeared to be a great deal taller. It didn't take long for Luna to realize what was going on.

'NO!'

"I welcomed you back with open wings, sister," said Celestia, Luna now noticing the dangerous scowl she wore. "I trusted you. Yet you betrayed that trust to once again pursue this dark path of treachery."

'No, sister, I would never betray you again."

"Did you honestly think I would settle for ruling half a kingdom that should be mine to rule alone?" Luna felt the body she was in say, its voice all too familiar. "Equestria should be ruled by a single Princess. Not shared with a spineless coward unfit to rule."

"Princess Celestia is not a coward," said Rainbow angrily. "She stood up to you before and won."

"Yeah, a meanie like you is the coward," said Pinkie with a frown.

"You miserable ponies are just as pathetic as your precious Princess," Luna heard herself say. "And foolish if you think you can defeat me."

"Equestria cannot linger in eternal night," said Twilight. "We have to stop you."

'No, no,' thought Luna frantically, 'I no longer desire eternal night. I have changed, I have.'

"As if mere ponies could deny my whims," said Nightmare Moon, standing from her throne so that she towered above them all. "I am Equestria's sole ruler, and I decree that from this day forward... the night... shall last… FOREVER!"

A sinister laugh echoed through the throne room, Nightmare Moon's wavy, star riddled mane and tail shooting up into a massive spiraling cloud that produced arcs of lightning.

"Then you leave me no choice, sister," Luna heard Celestia say.

Celestia's horn glowed, and suddenly the Elements of Harmony appeared on Twilight and the others. They then rose into the air, multicolored electricity pulsing through their bodies. A ribbon of rainbow coiled out of Twilight's element, and slithered to the others one by one, an aura of colors growing around the six mares.

'No, no please... not again.'

Once the ribbon formed a full circle back to the Element of Magic Twilight's eyes flew open to reveal two luminous pools of white light. Two much larger ribbons of rainbow shot up and spiraled around each other, meeting in mid air to form a single ribbon that arched forward. Straight for a tall, black alicorn.

'NNNOOO!'

Luna could do nothing as the power of the Elements of Harmony washed over her in a great luminous wave.

---

"PRINCESS!" shouted Sarian as she thrusted the Daedric Crescent at Dagoth Ur, only for his shield to deflect her attack.

Dagoth Ur held a limp Princess Luna up by her horn, her blank stare and shallow breathing her only signs of life.

"Pitiful," he mumbled, looking the limp alicorn up and down. "But still, you're too valuable to outright slay, for once I begin my conquest of your world, I will need a mighty steed to carry me into battle."

As easily as if she weighed nothing, Dagoth Ur tossed Princess Luna into a cluster of stalagmites in the distance, the stone protrusions crumbling under the force of the impact. Scraping his hands against each other, Dagoth Ur then turned to Sarian, who held up the Daedric Crescent in preparation.

"I believe you have something that belongs to me, Moon-and-Star."

---

Princess Luna struggled out of the rubble of the stalagmites, gasping for breath as she shook her head to clear her thoughts. Her heart beat intensely in her chest, the emotional pain of the vision she had been forced to endure just as excruciating as the physical pain of being tossed like a rag doll, if not more so. Looking up, she saw Dagoth Ur and Sarian engaged in one on one combat, Dagoth Ur using his magic, Sarian her weapon.

Sarian was too swift for Dagoth Ur to land a hit so far, and Dagoth Ur's force field prevented Sarian from even touching him, thus, so far, the duel was a draw.

But that wasn't going to last.

Eventually Sarian would tire.

But despite the dire situation, Luna could not help but chuckle. For all his boasting, for all his claims of superiority, Luna had been more impressed by the fact that Dagoth Ur had breached her force field so easily, rather then the vision he subjected her to. As emotionally and physically painful as it had been, Dagoth Ur's performance with that dream was amateurish.

She had dealt with nightmares all her life, and what Dagoth Ur had concocted was little more than a bad dream compared to her experience.

"I am... not impressed," she moaned, trying to rise to her hooves but failing. Her body had apparently taken quite the beating, the pain so intense that it was an effort just to lift her head. If she hadn't been wearing her alicorn armor she most likely wouldn't have survived.

She had to do something, she couldn't just sit here and watch.

But she was too wounded to even move, and even if she wasn't, it was obvious she was more than powerless against Dagoth Ur, for nothing she had thrown forth had even fazed him. Her alicorn magic was useless. But she had to do something.

And on a personal note, she was determined not to yield to this dream lord pretender.

But she needed to be stronger.

Luna's eyes widened as an idea came to her. She had been stronger, at one point in her life. Even her beloved older sister hadn't been able to defeat her then, having to resort to the Elements of Harmony themselves just to have a chance. Just like in Dagoth Ur's vision.

If she could access the power she had once wielded as Nightmare Moon, she may just have a chance to accomplish something, anything, against Dagoth Ur. She had been cleansed if the dark magic by the Elements for good, but maybe, just maybe, she could recall it to herself temporarily. Even though the thought repulsed her to her core, it was her only choice.

Focusing all the will she could muster, a section of her mane began to flow differently than the rest of it. With a flourish, the section of mane morphed into the shape of a double edged sword and plunged forward, sliding into the open space before Luna and vanishing from sight as if it became embedded in something. Luna winced, the action sending a wave of pain through her temple, even though the slice wasn't even on her body.

Pushing past the pain, Luna willed her mane to move, dragging the ethereal blade through the punctured space and leaving a glowing crevice. Withdrawing the blade, which then morphed back into a normal part of her mane, Luna focused on the rift in the physical realm she had created, hoping what lay beyond would help. But she also realized that it was entirely possible that it might become an enemy just as well.

But it was still her best option.

Channeling her magic, Luna scraped through her own body, gathering every trace of guilt and shame brought on by Dagoth Ur's vision and focused it to the tip of her horn in the form of a pulsating red orb. It was going to take bait for her plan to work, and with what she had laid out, what she sought was sure to come. Even though it was greatly risky.

The crevice pulsed, and Princess Luna felt something coming, like a great white shark closing in on its prey.

Suddenly, a tuft of pulsating smoke identical in appearance to Luna's mane and tail erupted from the crevice and surrounded the star above Luna's horn and began feeding on the raw suffering and misery. Her task complete, Luna sealed the tear in reality, hoping against hope that it wouldn't be needed to cast what she had just summoned back to whence it came should it prove to be uncooperative. But a second after the rift closed the strange being drifted off her horn and floated before her, similar in appearance to a candle's flame, flexing in one direction or another as if looking around.

"It is true, Tantabus," said Luna to her creation. "You have left the dream realm and entered the real world."

The being called Tantabus drifted closer to Princess Luna's muzzle and floated directly between her eyes. This creature was a magical construction of Princess Luna designed as a means of self punishment for all she did as Nightmare Moon. Built with an unquenchable hunger for pain, fear, and other such emotion, the Tantabus had the ability to make any dream into a dreadful nightmare to satisfy its appetite, and now that it was in the physical world it could make those nightmares reality.

Though for what Luna had in mind, she had to persuade it to fight by her side, and not go forth and turn the entire world into a living nightmare.

Like it was currently trying to do by fleeing into the distance.

"No!" Said Luna, calling the little cluster of wispy magic back with her telekinesis. "You will listen to what I have to say."

The Tantabus was designed specifically to antagonize her, so it was unlikely that she could persuade it to cooperate by asking nicely, but she had used her own ego in constructing it, so if she appealed to that part of it she might just succeed.

"You see him, the one wearing the golden mask?" asked Luna, pointing to Dagoth Ur and Sarian engaged in combat. "He has claimed to be the master of dreams."

Whether or not the Tantabus was listening before Luna said that wasn't entirely clear, but once she said 'master of dreams' it immediately stopped struggling in Luna's magic and focused purely on what she had pointed at.

"I see that has got your attention," said Luna, some of her apprehension from her resorting to this diminishing. "That creature, Dagoth Ur, claims to be the master of dreams. He believes that his abilities with dreams are unmatched by anyone."

Two holes opened upon the Tantabus's body to resemble eyes, gazing at Princess Luna in what could only be outrage. It would appear her earlier suspicion was correct, the Tantabus didn't take learning that someone else was staking claim on dreams lightly. Her ego was part of it after all, and she was the Princess of Dreams.

"I say he's wrong," said Luna with a smirk. "I say he doesn't understand the first thing about what it means to walk through dreams, to bend them to your will." Luna leaned closer to the Tantabus and smirked, "what do you say we teach him a lesson. How about you and I show him who the real master of dreams is." She leaned back and spread her wings, despite the great effort it took.

"Let us show him a nightmare."

Luna released the Tantabus from her magic, praying under her bravado that she had succeeded. The cloud of glistening blue hung in the air for a second longer before suddenly circling Luna's body so fast it became an indistinctive blur. Luna smiled and laid her head on the stone as the mass circling her grew in size until it encompassed her.

"Thank you, Tantabus," was the only thing Princess Luna said, her eyes becoming teal, with slitted pupils, and her teeth becoming as sharp as a dragon's.

---

Sarian's next assault bounced as ineffectively off of Dagoth Ur's shield as any other, her reaction to his counter attacks growing more sluggish.

"You can not defeat me Moon-and-Star," said Dagoth Ur, weaving his arms in preparation of another spell. "Admit defeat."

"NEVER!" hissed Sarian through her panting breaths. "I will not allow this world to be subjugated to your evil will."

"My goals are for the good of all of Morrowind, Moon-and-Star," said Dagoth Ur, launching his spell, which Sarian barely managed to dodge. "Surely you must see that."

"All I see are the delusions of a mad man," said Sarian.

Dagoth Ur just sighed, readying his next spell.

But before he could launch it a powerful gust of wind slammed into both of them, staggering them almost off their feet.

25 Harmony, a friendshp betrayed

Looking to the source of the sudden wind, both Dagoth Ur and Sarian were shocked to behold a great whirling cyclone of dark mist, sparkling with miniature stars, spiraling in the distance and stretching a good eight stories up, while flashing arcs of lightning. For a second they both stared at this unprecedented phenomenon.

"Hahaha... HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!"

Until the sinister feminine cackling echoed through the chamber.

The twinkling vortex split open like a curtain to reveal a jet black alicorn, cackling at the top of her lungs, her mane and tail the source of the cyclone as it continued to rotate above, a sinister cloud of night. Finally ceasing her maniacal laughter, the black alicorn suddenly leaped into the air and lunged at Sarian and Dagoth Ur, landing with a powerful impact before them and regarding them with her teal, slitted eyes beneath the armored helm she wore. Her focus settled on Dagoth Ur, who actually took an involuntary step back now that her new stature put them at even eye levels, and spread her great, raven black wings.

"Dagoth Ur!" she said, her voice just as foreboding as her laughter. "You claim to be the master of dreams, that they are your domain. I am here to tell you that not only are you wrong, but your skills are nothing compared to mine!"

Whatever had compelled Dagoth Ur to even show a thread of caution vanished immediately after hearing that.

"Princess Luna, you test my patience," he said, his voice carrying a tone of intolerance. "You would dare claim that your abilities are greater than mine?"

"Luna?!" inquired the black alicorn. "She is merely a part of me. I am Nightmare Moon." She smirked and pawed at the ground in a challenging manner. "And when it comes to comparisons, you are a whelp compared to me."

"AAAAAAAGGGGGHHHHH!"

That was apparently the last straw.

Dagoth Ur fired his next spell at the self named Nightmare Moon, aiming right for her heart. But not only to Dagoth Ur's surprise, but Sarian's as well, Nightmare Moon's mane intercepted the spell and swatted it away like a fly, seemingly without effort. All they could do was stare at the smirking alicorn, dumbstruck.

"IMPOSSIBLE!" screamed Dagoth Ur in pure rage.

"My turn," said Nightmare Moon.

Spreading her wings, Nightmare Moon took to the air and fired a pillar of blue magic straight at Dagoth Ur. He retaliated by firing his own spell, but was once again surprised when Nightmare Moon's attack shattered it like a porcelain cup and continued for him. He was even more surprised when the spell actually passed through his shield and barrelled right into his chest.

"Rrrraaaahhhh!" He tried to resist the constant flow of energy by digging in his heels, but his feet merely scraped along the ground, and before long, he left the ground entirely.

The force of Nightmare Moon's magic pushed Dagoth Ur across the chamber to the opposite side, were he impacted the wall just above the spiral path hard enough to leave a crater. Nightmare Moon turned to Sarian and smiled sinisterly with a mouth full of sharp teeth, the Dark Elf warrior actually bringing the Daedric Crescent to bear in preparation for defence.

"Calm yourself, Sarian," said Nightmare Moon, her voice calm but still sinister. "We are still allies, working towards the same goal."

Sarian lowered her weapon, but only slightly, "Princess Luna?"

"In a manner of speaking," said Nightmare Moon.

"What... happened to you?" asked Sarian

"There's no time to explain," said Nightmare Moon, gazing to where she had launched Dagoth Ur and lowering head in preparation for battle. "I will hold off Dagoth Ur, you find a way to reach the Heart of Lorkhan."

"We already discussed this, Princess," said Sarian, also looking to where Dagoth Ur lay. "You won't be able to..."

"I feel this time will be different," interrupted Nightmare Moon, "My attack appeared to have more of an effect on him than he suspected."

"You most likely just took him by surprise with your transformation," said Sarian.

"If that is the case, we must take advantage of it for as long as we can," said Nightmare Moon, shooting Sarian with a steely glance. "GO! Find the Heart. I will buy you as much time as I can, but even in my newly empowered state, I won't be able to hold him off indefinitely."

Without another word, Nightmare Moon took to the air and sped off across the chamber.

---

Up above, the battle between the Ash Creatures and the Mane Six halted as both parties saw Dagoth Ur suddenly go flying and impact the far wall. For a full minute none of them moved, too shocked by what had just taken place.

"What... just sent Mister Big Bad Guy flying?" asked Pinkie, frozen in a wrestling match with an Ash Ghoul. "For that matter, who could send Mister Big Bad Guy flying?"

They got their answer as a very familiar black alicorn took flight across the chamber, six voices gasping in shock as they saw her take off in hot pursuit of the Mad God she herself had obviously launched.

"No... it can't be..." moaned Rarity, trembling.

"It's Nightmare Moon," gasped Rainbow, in the middle of dropping a Corprus Stalker from a two story drop.

They all remained locked up at the sight of their old foe, unable to comprehend how it had even happened.

"Do you... do you think she could be on our side this time?" asked Fluttershy worriedly.

They had no time to figure out if Fluttershy was right, for the Ash Creatures broke out of their shock at seeing their master go flying and resumed their assault on the ponies, and the Mane Six having no choice but to defend themselves.

---

Sarian knew the Princess was right, their situation hadn't changed. Their only hope was still to get to the Heart of Lorkhan before it was too late. Looking to the smoldering ruins of the bridge Sarian made up her mind and took off sprinting into the cackling fire.

Her Dark Elf heritage granted her great immunity to flames, so they did no damage, but the real problem was the several story drop that now separated the two sides of the destroyed bridge. But with nothing else in mind, Sarian built up as much momentum as she could, and when she felt her feet at the edge of the last smoldering plank, she pushed off with all her might and sent herself hurtling through the empty space that separated her from the other end of the bridge.

The lake of lava passed by beneath her.

To her horror, she felt gravity reassert itself and begin to yank her down just shy of the other side, the wooden plank just beyond her reach. Time slowed as Sarian thought fast, bringing about the Daedric Crescent and lifting it up vertically. The other side of the ridge came closer, and Sarian angled the farthest arched blade of her weapon just right.

The sound of metal striking wood rang out.

---

Dagoth Ur impacted the wall and lay embedded in it.

He was in complete shock more than he was actual pain. His spell had been completely overwhelmed not once but twice in less than a minute, and then his shield was breached, and all by some equine that he had overwhelmed with relative ease not a minute before hand. Never before had he expected such a turn of events would be possible, not with his Divine power.

"Where did this come from....all of a sudden?" he flabbergastedly asked himself.

But that was all the comprehension he could afford, for in the distance an airborne black alicorn was making a beeline straight for him.

Growling in frustration and rage, Dagoth Ur dug himself out of the wall and launched another spell at the speeding menace. But as the spell closed in Nightmare Moon's mane and tail engulfed her, then the ball of fire and lightning passed straight through the ominous twinkling cloud as if it were but liquid. Liquid that then split up into multiple segments and flowed right around Dagoth Ur as they passed.

Dagoth Ur swiped with his long fingers at the twinkling wisps but could find no purchase, and when he turned around he saw that one by one they were flowing into the splintered wall behind him. When the last cloud seeped into a crevice it was not a second later before a great rumbling echoed over Dagoth Ur, the ground beneath his feet shaking as if it had come to life. The fractures in the wall grew in size, and it didn't take long for Dagoth Ur to figure out what was about to happen.

Aaaaaaaggggghhhhh!" he barely had time to throw his arms up in a futile attempt to protect himself.

The wall of the chamber crumbled apart like a vertical jigsaw puzzle, great boulders raining down like wrath from heaven. They encompassed Dagoth Ur and his shield, a pile of stone forming around him as he could do nothing but stumble about in a futile attempt to avoid the tumbling debris. At last, a boulder of the perfect size fell into place over Dagoth Ur's gold mask, completely burying the Mad God in a mountain of rubble.

From this pile of misshapen stone, the twinkling wisps of smoke reemerged and solidified into Nightmare Moon once again, who stood upon the like a sentinel.

Snarling, her horn shone intensely, like a great midnight blue beacon, and the side of the pile of stone exploded out, revealing a floundering masked figure encompassed by a magical aura of the same color. Nightmare Moon brought Dagoth Ur before her, smirking into his three eyed gaze, before releasing her pent up wrath. She thrust him into the ground with enough force to crack the stone, lifting him up several feet afterwards, then throwing him to the ground again.

"Hahahahaha... Haahaahaahaahaaa... HAhAHAHAHAHA."

Her euphoric laughter echoed through the chamber, growing in volume with each Dagoth Ur shaped crater she made in the ground. After the next impact, she lifted her humanoid play thing and threw it across the spiral path, sending it rolling to a stop across the ground. Smirking, Nightmare Moon leaped from the pile of rubble and casually strolled over to the still form upon the ground on its back.

"Is this the extent of this high and mighty God's power?" she taunted. "You aren't living up to your reputation, oh great Dagoth Ur."

Dagoth Ur fixed his masked gaze upon her, and without the slightest difficulty, sprang up to his feet. They stared each other down, Nightmare Moon with her slitted eyes and Dagoth Ur with his luminous three red orbs that actually seemed to be pulsing. Then, Dagoth Ur put his hands on his hips and chuckled, Nightmare Moon arching her eyebrow in confusion and irritation.

"Most impressive, Princess," he said, lifting his hand and producing a stream of smoke from his palm. "Never before have I seen such power that didn't originate from the Divine." He tightened his hand into a fist and straightened his stance in preparation to continue the battle, the red glow of his eyes intensifying. "But no one disrespects a God in such a manner as you have, and for this transgression you will be punished."

Nightmare Moon merely glared. "You are no god!"

Without another word Dagoth launched his signature spell, but this one was several times larger than any of the others. But Nightmare Moon dispersed into multiple twinkling clouds again, flowing around the pulsating ball and encircling Dagoth Ur in a great vortex of darkness. Before he could contemplate a counter attack, a bolt of lightning struck through his shield and impacted his arm.

More bolts followed, striking different parts of Dagoth Ur's body at multiple angles and before long, he was being bombarded from all sides by lightning, the combined attacks eventually causing him to stagger.

"HAHAHAHA... HAHA HAHA!"

Nightmare Moon's condescending, mocking laughter echoed along with the deafening thunder that accompanied each lightning bolt. Eventually though, Dagoth Ur regained enough mental capacity to retaliate, and with a frustrated bellow, a wave of power spread out from his body, shattering the cyclone like a wave against a cliff side. Nightmare Moon resolidified in the distance, tumbling end over end before finally coming to a stop on her back.

She vanished in a teleport just as a ball of magic impacted the ground where she once was, exploding in a wave of dust. She reappeared opposite Dagoth Ur, her horn strobing with different shades of blue. She fired a pillar of blue magic even bigger than the first one, the ground being torn asunder in its wake.

This time Dagoth Ur retaliated with a pillar of his own, a bright orange beam similar in appearance to his force field meeting Nightmare Moon's halfway, impacting each other with a rippling wave of the two colors. Nightmare Moon gritted her teeth as sweat dripped from beneath her helmet, but she could gain no further ground. Dagoth Ur wasn't able to push any further either. It had come to a complete stalemate, with both combatants throwing their all into this latest assault.

Now it would seem that all that was left was to see who could hold out the longest.

---

The Daedric Crescent's curved blade lay embedded in the wooden plank of a shattered bridge, Sarian clinging to its handle for dear life as a pit of lava bubbled below.

For the umpteenth time she swung her body in an attempt to thrust her arm up and grasp the plank her weapon was embedded in, and at last her fingers finally got a strong enough grip for her to heave herself up upon steady footing, rolling on her back and struggling to catch her breath. She didn't know how long she had been at it, but it was an immense relief to finally be on solid ground again.

But she knew that time was short.

With great effort, Sarian climbed to her feet and attempted to dislodge the Daedric Crescent, but the blade was lodged too deep into the wood to even budge. Realizing it would take too long to retrieve her weapon at this rate, Sarian left her arched weapon where it was and began to trek down the remains of the bridge, the open torso of Akulakhan looming above. Finally, Sarian stepped off the wooden bridge to the fleshy ground within the artificial God's belly.

The Heart of Lorkhan stood before her, interwoven with pipes and other machinery that Sarian could not even begin to understand.

'THUMP THUMP'

The gigantic organ pulsed, beating like the heart that it was, and Sarian could not help but shudder in revulsion but pressed forward, coming right up to a mere breath's length away.

'Strike once with Sunder, then more than once with Keening,' she recalled, plucking the runed hammer from her belt with the hand guarded by Wraithguard.

Without another word or though, she lifted the miniscule hammer up and brought it down with all her might.

'THUD'

---

Dagoth Ur felt a pulse ripple through him and for a brief moment his stream of magic that was dueling with Nightmare Moon's wavered. Looking down, he saw Sarian withdraw the hammer Sunder from the Heart of Lorkhan then draw what could only be Keening and lift it in preparation to strike.

"What are you doing?" he said with worry.

But his distraction allowed Nightmare Moon to gain some ground and he had to reassert his focus on his attack.

---

Sarian drew Keening and slashed it across the Heart.

'SHLICK'

---

Dagoth Ur's shield and barrage of magic suddenly changed colors from orange to white, their power fading. Dagoth Ur threw a genuine look of panic down to the Heart and the individual assaulting it. It was obvious to him now what the Nerevarine intended to do.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"

---

'THUMP THUMP THUMP THUMP'

The heartbeat was becoming more rapid as Sarian struck the heart a second time.

'SHLICK'

---

"FOOL... STOP!"

It never occurred to Dagoth Ur that the Nerevarine, that anyone, would dare undo the ancient Dwemer enchantments that bound the Heart and made its Divine power accessible to mortals. But Sarian was ruthlessly assaulting the Heart with the Tools of Kagrenac, and slowly, he could feel his divinity drain from him like lifeblood from a fatal wound. At this rate the power of the Heart of Lorkhan would be gone forever, and no one would ever be able to achieve godhood ever again.

How could anyone deny themselves the chance to be a god?

---

'SHLICK'

Sarian struck a third time.

---

"AAAAARRRGH!"

Dagoth Ur wasn't going to let this happen.

He had come too far, accomplished too much only to lose like this. Suddenly, his beam overwhelmed Nightmare Moon's in less than a second, leaving the dark alicorn with no chance to retaliate or change tactics. She was struck in the chest with floundering, but still Divine, energy, screaming in pain as it coursed through her body.

She tried to ignite her horn once more, but found it unresponsive, and when she looked she saw that Dagoth Ur had run up to her the moment his beam cancelled out hers and grabbed her horn. But before she could comprehend more, she found herself dragged to the edge of the path and with incredible strength, was hurled right into the mouth of the crater towards the lava below. Her scream only lasted a second before going silent.

With that out of the way, Dagoth Ur brought his attention to the Heart of Lorkhan below, determined to put a stop to this foolishness once and for all.

---

Nightmare Moon impacted one of the pillars of hardened lava that jutted up from the molten rock below.

She tried to stand, but the movement sent unbearable agony throughout her entire body and she collapsed to the stone, her eyes rolling up in her head before she went limp. Arcs of electricity pulsed around her body until they solidified into a full aura of light that encompassed her entire form, which slowly began to shrink. When the aura faded Princess Luna lay on the stone, back to normal, unmoving except for shallow breathing.

The remainder of the aura solidified above Luna into the Tantabus, which let out a pitiful squeak before vanishing in a puff of smoke.

---

'SHLICK'

Sarian struck a fourth time and raised Keening for a fifth.

'SHLICK'

'One more should do it, thought Sarian, raising Keening for supposedly the final time.

"NOOO!"

Startled, Sarian turned around just in time to see Dagoth Ur land on the destroyed bridge, wrench the Daedric Crescent from the wood, and hurl it straight at her, the glistening weapon twirling so fast that it resembled a disc. Sarian dove to avoid her own weapon but had not reacted fast enough, a sharp pain rippling through her whole body as the curved blade clipped her in the side deeply, Keening flying from her hand as her whole body went limp. Landing on her stomach at the ledge of Akulakhan, Sarian cringed in intense pain, watching as the Daedric Crescent plunged into the lava below.

Even though she was racked with unbearable agony she still felt a sense of loss over the destruction of her weapon.

Footsteps echoed behind her, and Sarian turned over and watch as Dagoth Ur stepped up and reached down with his left hand, plucking Keening up from where it had become embedded blade first in the ground, his divine power protecting him from its lethal effect.

"Keening," he said, examining every inch of the glistening blade. "I had almost forgotten what you looked like, it's been so long."

He looked to Sarian, who tried to stand, but was overwhelmed with too much pain.

Looking down to address her injury Sarian was horrified to find that her armor was rapidly disintegrating, revealing the profoundly bleeding gash in her side as her Bonemold cuirass melted away. The armor disintegrating effects of the Daedric Crescent were taking effect, and soon even Sarian's helmet melted away, leaving her with no coverage other then her undergarments and Wraithguard, which apparently was immune to the effect. Dagoth Ur brought his attention to the practically nude Dark Elf woman and actually hummed with fascination.

"Interesting, how very interesting," he said, "I almost regret not allowing you to join me. Such beauty is a rarity, even amongst the Dunmer."

Sarian didn't care for the flattery, just reached down and plucked Sunder from the ground next to her, seeing as it was her only remaining weapon.

She held it before her as Dagoth Ur closed in, brandishing Keening.

---

"SARIAN!" screamed the Mane Six as they watched from above.

Rainbow tried to fly down to her aid, but fireball spells impeded her before she could take off. They had thinned down the hoard of Ash Creatures immensely, in fact, only the seven Ash Vampires remained. But they were proving why they were second only to Dagoth Ur himself, fighting Twilight and her friends to a standstill.

Even with Dragon Aspect enhancing their ability, the force field Dagoth Ur had granted the Ash Vampires made them too formidable for the Mane Six to overcome. In fact, they had boxed them in against the ledge that fell into the depths of Red Mountain crater, only held at bay by Twilight's shield. But at the moment, they were more concerned with their comrade below.

"We were so close," said Rainbow, scowling at the Ash Vampires that had them pinned. "A few more strikes and this would have been over."

"We gotta do something," said Applejack, looking down as Dagoth Ur moved closer to Sarian. "Sarian is in a bad spot, she needs help."

"But what can we do?" asked Rarity frantically. "These brutes are shrugging off everything we can throw at them."

Twilight looked between everything, trying to discern what to do.

"This won't end without a final blow from Keening, and Dagoth Ur has managed to get his filthy hands on it," said Twilight, scowling at the foreboding monstrosity below. "We have to get it back."

"But it's impossible," said Fluttershy, trembling as she pointed to the multiple bipeds bombarding Twilight's shield.

But Twilight wasn't the only one contemplating a plan.

Rainbow was looking to between the Ash Vampires and the side situation below, her mind going a mile a minute. It was too risky to try and make a break for Sarian while dealing with the Ash Vampires. Every attempt they had made to sidestep them had been thwarted, so they had no choice but to deal with them first.

If they could take them out at once like at first, it would be a snap to go to Sarian's aid, but the force fields rendered the ability they had used to accomplish that useless. But if they could find an alternative, maybe even one even more powerful, they could pull it off. Rainbow gasped and brought her attention above to the gigantic volcanic crater above.

She had a plan, and if it worked, they would not only be free of the Ash Vampires, but they would be by Sarian's side in a second.

"Twilight?" She inquired to her purple friend, "do you think you can lower a section of the shield long enough for me to slip out?"

Twilight gasped in shock, looking to the relentless assault going on just outside of her protection. "Rainbow, are crazy?!"

"Yeah sugarcube, those varmints will fry you like a flapjack," said Applejack, the rest sharing her concerns.

But Rainbow wasn't going to back down.

"Listen girls, I have a plan."

Rainbow regaled to them what she had cooked up quickly, for time was of the essence. It was gutsy and dangerous, but seeing how few other options were readily available, they decided to go with it. The crazy plans were on a roll that day it would seem.

Taking a deep breath, Twilight willed a hole just large enough for a pony to squeeze through into existence at the very top of her dome. "NOW, RAINBOW!"

Rainbow shot out of the hole like a bullet, which immediately closed behind her to protect the ponies left behind. She weaved and swerved, dodging the magic blasts from the Ash Vampires attempting to shoot her down, but she was too agile for them to get a hit. She held her breath as she plunged into the cloud of smoke above, flapping her wings harder to pick up speed now that the smoke provided her with cover from the Ash Vampires' attacks, and reemerging above all of Red Mountain and into the Blight Storm outside. Higher she flew, gritting her teeth as she battled the intense wind.

When she felt she had reached a sufficient height she changed course and plunged back the way she came, the aid of gravity increasing her speed to even greater than before. Tears streaked from Rainbow's eyes, her lips flapping relentlessly in the wind, but she didn't slow. She felt a familiar sensation rise within her.

A cone of air was forming around her.

'Come on, come on, more speed," thought Rainbow frantically as she plunged back down into the crater of Red Mountain and through the clouds of smoke, her friends still trapped under a lavender dome below. 'I need more speed!'

Multicolored electricity began to pulse around her body.

Ash Vampire and pony alike stopped and looked up at the high pitched whine that echoed above, seeing a speeding rainbow blur headed right for them.

"Everypony get in position," said Twilight, her four friends scrambling to stand were she directed them to.

"Get ready, Twilight," said Applejack as Rainbow closed in.

Twilight didn't need to be told.

She watched with rapt attention as her speeding friend grew closer and closer, the cyclone of color surrounding her almost blinding.

'NOW!'

Just as Rainbow was about to crash among the Ash Vampires Twilight reached out with her magic and teleported her out of her trajectory and back beside them, a great explosion of color rippling through the Chamber of Akulakhan not a second after.

---

"Surrender the remaining Tools to me, Nerevar, and your death will be swift," said Dagoth Ur to the prone Sarian on the floor.

"Never," she said, holding up Sunder in an effort to defend herself, as futile as that seemed.

Dagoth Ur chuckled, "I admire your stubbornness and courage, but we have been carrying on long enough."

He began to walk forward, raising Keening high.

KABOOM!

A great explosion suddenly rocked the chamber and Dagoth Ur looked up just in time to see his Ash Vampires get blown off the plateau above and into the lava below once again, only this time an explosion of multiple colors was the cause, which then flooded the entire chamber.

"PONY PILE!" came a high pitched, feminine voice that Dagoth Ur didn't recognize, but Sarian identified as belonging to Pinkie Pie.

Suddenly, six armored equines plummeted out of the multicolored Sonic Rainboom, one by one landing on different sections of Dagoth Ur and clinging to his body with their hooves, their Dragon Aspects still active and therefore allowing them to bypass his shield.

"WHAT IS THIS MADNESS?!" he bellowed in rage, thrashing and flailing to try and dislodge his unwanted passengers.

"YEEHAW! Get along little dogie!" said Applejack as she clung to Dagoth Ur's neck from his left shoulder.

"RELEASE ME AT ONCE!" bellowed Dagoth Ur as he continued to thrash.

"In your dreams, you brute," said Rarity, clinging to Dagoth Ur's neck from his right shoulder, opposite of Applejack.

"We aren't going to let you hurt our friend," said Pinkie as she clung to Dagoth Ur's left leg with all her might, Fluttershy on the right, surprisingly keeping just as strong a grip.

Sarian could only watch in shock while she held a hand to her wound to try and staunch the bleeding. These ponies were once again throwing themselves in harm's way to aid her, and from what Pinkie just said it was because they consider her a friend. They had only just met and were already taking such to risk on her behalf

The fact sent a warm feeling through her heart.

"You're going down, buddy," said Rainbow as she clung to Dagoth Ur's left arm, reaching for Keening with her hoof.

"Rainbow no!" said Twilight frantically as she clung to Dagoth Ur's right arm. "Don't touch Keening! It will kill you!"

Rainbow retracted her hoof immediately.

That was right, without Wraithguard Keening and Sunder have a lethal effect on those who touch them. But she had to get Keening away from Dagoth ur, it was their only chance. And it was obvious that with his constant thrashing, Dagoth Ur was going to dislodge them eventually.

Rainbow stared at the glistening dagger that was just beyond her reach. She had no choice but to try to get Dagoth Ur to drop it, but his grip was so tight that Rainbow could see the tension in Dagoth Ur's wrist. Then her gaze settled on his wrist, her muzzle screwing up with disgust.

She knew how she could get him to let go, but it wasn't going to be pleasant.

Swirling her tongue around her teeth, Rainbow steeled her resolve for what she was about to do. Opening her jaws as wide as she could, Rainbow thrust her mouth forward and sank her teeth into Dagoth Ur's wrist with all her might, fighting the urge to vomit as the feeling of soft flesh being clenched between her teeth invaded her mouth, along with an intensely salty flavor.

"Aaaaghhh!"

Dagoth Ur's scream of pain and his redoubled thrashing brought the other ponies attention to their friend who was clinging to Dagoth Ur's arm and they were horrified to see her sink her teeth into his flesh.

"Rainbow, what in Tartarus are you doing?" gasped Applejack.

"That's the way to do it, Rainbow," said Pinkie excitedly, "bite that meanie, show him what happens when you mess with us."

Rainbow paid her friends no mind, for her teeth had punctured the skin and now a metallic tasting fluid assaulted her mouth. She knew what it was, and tried to remain focused on the dagger still clenched in the fist below the wrist she was biting into. When Dagoth Ur thrashed, his blood sloshed from the open wounds in his wrist, and regrettably all over Rainbow Dash's face. She was briefly aware of the fact that rather then being crimson, Dagoth Ur's blood was a glistening gold color.

But despite the horrible taste in her mouth, despite the gold blood splashing in her face, even in her eyes, Rainbow noticed that Dagoth Ur showed no sign of relinquishing his hold on Keening, so calling upon all her strength, she increased the pressure of her jaws. This time she actually felt the ulna and radius under her teeth, and going off a hunch, Rainbow twisted her mouth almost to the point of breaking her jaw. Her plan worked and Dagoth Ur's hand went slack.

Keening dropped to the ground.

"Rainbow, you did it," said Twilight proudly as Rainbow finally let go of Dagoth Ur's wrist, shaking her head to try and flick off the glistening gold blood from her chin.

"Animals," Dagoth Ur ceased his thrashing to regard the damage Rainbow had done to his wrist. "YOU FILTHY ANIMALS!"

Without warning a great wave of light exploded out from Dagoth Ur.

Sarian covered her eyes to shield herself from the bright light, and when here vision returned she was horrified to see Dagoth Ur standing unimpeded by any of the ponies that had been restricting him. Sarian looked around, but there was no sign of Twilight and the others, only Dagoth Ur, who fell to his knees, cradling his bitten wrist that still gushed gold blood. It would appear that they had not survived. Clenching her fist in rage, Sarian crawled on her stomach to the edge of the platform, bracing herself on the massive ribs of Akulakhan and using them to assist her in climbing to her feet.

So much had been lost now, this ends now.

"They are unworthy," said Dagoth Ur as his wrist finally stopped bleeding and he stood back up. "These pitiful creatures... these ponies...are unworthy of my Divine gifts." He began to stomp in Sarian's direction. "Hand over Sunder and Wraithguard. Once I have them this Equestria will know the wrath of a true God."

Sarian only gave him a scowl and thrust her arm out, launching some kind of weapon at her enemy.

Dagoth Ur just dodged the projectile by leaning out of the way.

"Fool," he grunted in immense pitty. "That trick won't work this time..."

Everything stopped, his blood ran cold.

Dagoth Ur felt his Divine power slip away like sand between his fingers, his precious shield dispersing into a shower of twinkling sparks.

"WHAT?" Turning around, Dagoth Ur discovered that it wasn't a mere throwing star or dart that Sarian had thrown, but Keening itself, and it was now embedded inside the Heart of Lorkhan, which had been directly behind him. "NOOO!"

A miniature explosion separated the Heart from the bizarre pipework that connected it to Akulakhan, rotating as if on an axle and decreasing in size. With a brief flash, the Heart of Lorkhan vanished, disappearing from the world forever, Keening dropping to the ground where it once stood.

Dagoth Ur stood there, trembling, his three luminous eyes going out like blown out candles.

His godhood was gone, the only thing that could power Akulakhan was lost forever. Slowly, he brought his attention back to Sarian, who was struggling to breathe, a puddle of blood forming underneath her. Steadily he approached her.

"Do you have any idea what you have done?" he said, gripping her chin.

Sarian just flashed him a smirk before her eyes closed with a soft breath, falling limply to the ground. Her wound was taking its toll, and with how much blood she had lost it was impossible for her to remain awake. But Dagoth Ur was unaffected by how helpless she was now.

Slowly, he lifted a hand, a spell of destruction aimed at Sarian's chest.

---

Down below in the lava pit, six figures struggled to their hooves within a sizable hole that had just recently been blown in the wall, battered and bruised, but otherwise unharmed.

"Everypony alright?" asked Applejack.

"I think my bottom is on backwards," moaned Rarity, her eyes twirling.

Twilight flashed her an annoyed look."Other than miss drama queen and her misplaced tail, I think we're okay.

Rainbow would disagree.

She was in the corner getting violently sick and desperately trying to rid her face of the sparkling blood. Fluttershy was stroking her back comfortingly, a look of worry on her face. Despite her oldest friend's tough demeanor, what she had just did couldn't have been easy.

"Get it all out, Rainbow," she said gently.

"I'm fine Flutters," said Rainbow as she stood up, though she still had flecks of gold on her face. "Not that I'm complaining, but why are we alive?"

"It must have been our armor," explained Twilight, "Nirn material is known for being resistant to magical attacks as well as physical."

If that was the case then they owe the Mudcrab Merchant even more now.

"Guys, come quick!"

Twilight and the others scrambled to join Pinkie at the mouth of the hole, looking up just in time to see the Heart of Lorkhan vanish. They all gasped, that meant it was over. Without the Heart, Dagoth Ur could not manifest the Blight storm.

"YES! WE DID IT!" shouted Rainbow victoriously, the rest cheering as well.

But it was short lived, for Dagoth Ur was still there and now he was closing in on Sarian where she lay leaning on Akulakhan's ribs.

"Hey, you stay away from her!" said Rainbow threateningly, flapping her wings, but to her horror, she remained stationary on the ground. "What the...?"

They all tried something, but no matter what, none of their powers would work, be they pony abilities or stuff they learned in Apocrypha.

"We've been silenced," said Twilight frantically.

They all knew what that means, it means that their magic was inaccessible until the silence wore off. Dagoth Ur must have done it when he blasted them off him. The fact that it was affecting all of their magic was a shock, but it had been the power of a God at the time.

"Oh no, Sarian's in trouble," said Fluttershy as they saw Sarian tumble motionless to the ground, Dagoth Ur readying some kind of spell.

"HANG ON SARIAN, AUNTY PINKIE PIE IS COMING!" screamed Pinkie, diving out of the hole and towards the lava below.

"PINKIE!" screamed the others, rushing to the ledge, but as they looked over something sped up past them with such force the wind rustled their tails.

Looking up, they could only stare as Pinkie soared up, piloting that bizarre pedal powered helicopter of hers.

"When... did she bring that?" asked Rainbow Dash.

The others could not answer.

---

Dagoth Ur was just about to cast his spell when a powerful gust of wind bombarded him, followed by a flash of light.

"Dagoth Ur, put your hands up and surrender!"

Looking up, Dagoth Ur saw that that pink pony with full glass armor was circling him while riding some kind of flying vehicle, talking into a cone shaped object, while the light was projected from a large flower that was attached to the vehicle's front. Fed up with how things had gone so wrong, Dagoth Ur wasn't even curious about the bizarre machine, he just bellowed in rage. He aimed his spell at Pinkie instead and fired.

"Whoa!" Pinkie angled her crazy contraption to the left, dodging the spell. "Missed me, missed me, now you gotta kiss me."

Lifting her helmet, Pinkie rummaged around in her mane for her secret weapon. Who needs Equestrian or Nirn magic when you have access to the most evil thing ever created. Finding what she was looking for, Pinkie pulled her hoof from her mane.

She bounced a cupcake in her hoof.

Circling and dodging more of Dagoth Ur's spells, Pinkie took aim and launched the pastry. "I Hope you like cinnamon strawberry swirl."

The cupcake miraculously bounced off the ground without splatting, ricocheting up and slamming into Dagoth Ur's chin, sending frosting and batter directly under his mask.

"AAAAH!"

Dagoth Ur screamed in absolute agony as a vile taste invaded his mouth, cinnamon frosting squeezing out the eyeholes in his mask while also effectively blinding him with an intense burning sensation.

"What's wrong," taunted Pinkie Pie as she continued to circle. "Not enjoying your just dessert..."

Suddenly, Dagoth Ur fired a spell in a random direction, and it happened to clip the propeller of Pinkie's crazy contraption. She lost control and began to lose altitude, spiraling towards the lava below. She tried pedaling faster but it would seem that the damage was too great.

"MAYDAY MAYDAY!"

Unaware, or uncaring to the fact he had succeeded in shooting down the flying pink menace Dagoth Ur began to remove the vile substance that had invaded his mask.

---

"AAAAAAAGGGGGHHHHH!" screamed Pinkie Pie, flailing her hooves around in panic.

"Pinkie Pie!" shouted the voice of Applejack.

"It's alright darling, we've got you," came Rarity's majestic voice.

Pinkie finally stopped screaming and opened her eyes.

Looking down, she saw the candy cane patterned nose of her crazy contraption sink into the bubbling surface of the lava at least thirty feet below. Looking around, she noticed that all her friends were hoisting her up towards the hole they were taking refuge in by Applejack's lasso around her waist, all of them pulling at once to account for the lack of magic to bolster their strength. They must have grabbed her at the last minute, and it brought tears of joy to her eyes that she had such trustworthy, capable friends.

When she was once again safely among them she wasted no time in pulling them all into one massive group hug.

"Thank you," she mumbled in relief. "Thank you so much, girls."

"We should be the ones thinking you, darling," said Rarity as the group hug broke up. "What you did was so brave."

"I second that," said Rainbow, punching Pinkie's shoulder.

Pinkie appeared appreciative of all the praise but had none for herself. "For all the good it did. The big meanie is still up there."

"You at least managed to buy more time," said Twilight, looking up to Dagoth Ur who was trying frantically to clear his mask of cupcake.

"Why is that varmint still so powerful?" asked Applejack with a scowl, "he ain't connected to the Heart no more ain't he?"

"Dagoth Ur was a powerful individual before he ever encountered the Heart of Lorkhan," said Twilight, still glaring up at him. "He has lost his Divine power, but he is still a potential threat."

They all looked between each other worriedly.

"Then what do we do?" asked Fluttershy, her pupils dilating as she too gazed up at Dagoth Ur. "We still can't use our powers, we're helpless."

Twilight saw something out of the corner of her eye, and when she turned to look she gasped.

"Girls, look!" she said, pointing out into the lake of lava with a hoof.

They followed her hoof and gasped when they saw Princess Luna situated out on a rock among the bubbling molten rock.

"Princess!" shouted Applejack.

"Oh my gosh, is she alright?" asked Fluttershy worriedly.

"I believe so, she's breathing at least," said Rainbow, her hawklike pegasus vision allowing her to see the rising and falling of the alicorn's chest.

"What do we do?" asked Pinkie. "We can't leave her out there."

"EVERYPONY QUIET!" shouted Twilight, focusing solely on Applejack once they all quieted down. "Applejack, do you think you can reach that distance with your lasso?"

"No problem, Twi," replied Applejack. "But you can't be suggesting that I lasso the Princess. Getting the lasso out that far would be easy, but getting the Princess over to us without dropping her into the lava..."

"I know, I know," said Twilight, "that is too dangerous, we will have to find another way to get to her. But look closely near Luna."

Twilight pointed, and they all saw the Infinite Dimension pouch laying by the stationary Princess, obviously having rolled out when she fell down there. "Think you can reach that?"

---

Dagoth Ur finally managed to clear his mask of the foul pastry, standing up straight with as much dignity as he could muster. His plans were in ruins, his godhood gone, and Akulakhan had no power source. And it was all because of the unconscious woman that lay at his feet.

Destroying her while she was like this was too good for her, he wanted to see her suffer.

A star of gold light emanated from Dagoth Ur's hand, closing Sarian's wound, but only enough so she regained consciousness. Sarian opened her eyes, and Dagoth Ur reached down, grabbing her by the throat and lifting her up. She didn't have the strength to fight back so she didn't even try.

She had fulfilled her task, so if this is how it ended for her she could accept that, and she would stare defiantly into Dagoth Ur's face the whole time.

But both had something else to stare at a moment later.

A bright, pulsating light shot up from below, and when Dagoth Ur and Sarian turned to look, what could only be described as a small, multicolored sun rose up from below. Twilight and her friends floated suspended at its heart, Twilight wearing an elegant gold crown, the others each sporting a necklace with a gem of differing shapes and colors. For a second that seemed to last forever neither of them did anything.

Then Dagoth Ur dropped Sarian to the ground, firing one of his spells at the floating ponies, only for it to bounce off and fly back, Dagoth Ur barely having time to dodge his own attack.

"IMPOSSIBLE!" he shouted up at them in defiance. "I silenced you with Divine power, you should have no magic."

"You're wrong, Dagoth Ur," said Twilight, fixing him with a glare as her Element of Magic glowed. "You may have stripped us of our own individual magic, but in Equestria that isn't the only magic we believe in."

"And it is a magic you will never understand," said Applejack, her Element of Honesty glowing. "For you turned your back on it ages ago, Voryn Dagoth."

Dagoth Ur full blown twitched at hearing what Applejack said.

"Got a problem with hearing your old name, huh?" snapped Applejack.

"Does it remind you of how unkind you were?" asked Fluttershy, her Element of Kindness glowing.

"Does it remind you how so long ago that you betrayed Nerevar?" asked Rainbow, her Element of Loyalty glowing. "Someone who trusted you, who believed your loyalty was genuine, that you would always pull through for him."

"And not only did you betray that trust, you killed your own friend when he tried to stop you when you made a grab for a power he knew was dangerous, " said Pinkie, her Element of Laughter glowing. "And when he returns as Sarian here, you pull the same nasty stunt as before."

Dagoth Ur bellowed in rage in response to their belittling and let loose more spells that did practically nothing to the ponies who were now empowered by the most powerful magic of all.

"You can never succeed, Dagoth Ur, because you have only ever believed in yourself," said Twilight, her eyes shining with pity. "And those who stand alone will never be a match for those who are united by trust, respect, and love." She closed her eyes and when she reopened them they shown with an intense white light. "They will never be a match for the Magic of Friendship."

Two rainbow ribbons shot up from the six ponies, spiraling around each other before uniting into one and arching straight for Dagoth Ur. Sarian lay at his feet, uncaring that she was in its path. If they destroyed her along with Dagoth Ur she could accept that.

Dagoth Ur could do nothing but scream and throw up his arms as the rainbow washed over him like a luminous tidal wave. He put his arm before his head to try and resist whatever this was, but it was futile. He was being bombarded on all sides, and he could feel it in his body and soul.

Sarian flinched when the power of the Elements washed over her, but was pleasantly surprised when absolutely nothing happened. She looked up and discovered that the same was not the case for Dagoth Ur. Fissures were spreading all up and down his body, white pillars of light shining through as he screamed in agony. Time seemed to slow for Sarian, like a single breath took an eternity.

"This is the end. The bitter, bitter end."

Those words echoed through Sarian's mind, the last words of Dagoth Ur to ever be heard by anyone again.

Dagoth Ur's mask shattered, and for a brief moment Sarian caught a glimpse of his Dark Elf features before an intense white light consumed him, and when it faded, there was not a trace of him left.

Sarian let out a relieved breath, it was really over.

"Sarian!" said Twilight as her and the others drifted down, their multicolored aura vanishing.

"Darling, are you alright?" asked Rarity, as they all rushed to their Dunmer companion and helped her to her feet.

"I am fine," she said with a grateful smile, "thanks to all of you."

They returned her smile, but unfortunately they didn't have much time for anything else. An explosion ripped through the chest of Akulakhan above, sending fleshy chunks everywhere. The ponies and Sarian looked up in worry as another explosion ripped off Akulakhan's right arm.

"WHAT'S HAPPENING?" screamed Rarity, her eyes just as wide as the others.

"Without Dagoth Ur and the Heart, Akulakhan has nothing to sustain it," explained Sarian.

"Ohh, he was a load-bearing boss, got it," commented Pinkie.

"And that is our cue to leave," said Rainbow, flying towards the destroyed bridge.

"Rainbow... you can fly again!" said Fluttershy.

"Then this is up to me," said Twilight.

They all vanished in a flash of purple, reappearing on the opposite side of the bridge, Princess Luna among them, still unconscious. They watched as Akulakhan crumbled apart like a cheaply made toy, falling into the lava below, its lifeless eyes staring at them as its head fell from its neck and tumbled out of sight. Then absolutely nothing was left but the chamber and the lava, it was as if Akulakhan had never existed.

They all took a moment to catch their breath in the now eerie silence, addressing their wounds, and seeing to Sarian and Princess Luna.

"How long until she wakes?" asked Applejack nervously.

"I don't know, she looks like she took quite a beating," said Rainbow.

"How about we use this?" asked Pinkie, placing a ring of sorts over the Princess's horn.

The bizarre accessory glowed and Princess Luna began to stir.

"Uh, Pinkie, where'd you get that?" asked Applejack, the others sharing her curiosity and slight unease.

"Oh, just from Mister Gilvoth," replied Pinkie, flexing her eyebrows. "After what we did to him I don't think he needs it anymore."

That... was technically true, if a little morbid.

After Luna awoke, they reassured her that Dagoth Ur was vanquished.

"Good," she said as she stood proud. "Then he can no longer threaten Equestria, or anything else, ever again."

It seemed that all was fine until Twilight realized something, that one member of their party was unaccounted for.

"SPIKE!" She called down into the pit where she had seen him fall. "SPIKE, WHERE ARE YOU!"

Tears of worry began to flow down her cheeks.

"Come Rainbow," Princess Luna almost demanded of Rainbow. "You and I will lay out a grid search."

"Right," she replied, taking to the air.

"I will help too," said a determined Fluttershy.

"Me three..." But before Pinkie could finish, the ground she was sitting on rose up slightly.

"Now what?" said Applejack, her and the others getting ready for another threat.

The slight bulge in the dirt kept rising higher and higher until something popped out...

"Finally, fresh air," said an Ebony clad baby dragon.

"SPIKE!"

Spike felt himself being hoisted out of the ground and into a group hug by the seven equines that were so relieved to see him unharmed. It would seem his armor had saved his scales just like the girls had been. The armor of Nirn was truly something.

"And check this out," said Spike, pulling a scroll out from his armor. "I received this from Princess Celestia while I was trying to dig myself out."

The ponies examined the scroll and almost broke down in tears of relief when it told them that Dagoth Ur's influence had withdrawn from Equestria, and that Fleur no longer seemed to be under his control. Now, they needed to find her that cure. But seeing as their work here was done, they decided it was time to move out.

Until Spike noticed something about Twilight.

"Uh, Twilight?" He said in slight worry, pointing up to the Element of Magic.

They all looked to the elegant crown and froze. The Tools of Kagrenac, Wraithguard, Keening, and Sunder, were somehow entangled in the massive amethyst star, wavy currents of energy flowing between them. How had they not noticed that until now?

"Easy Twi, don't let them touch you," said Applejack.

Twilight cringed, and with great care, shook her head, leaping back as the Tools of Kagrenac fell to the ground before her. They just lay on the floor, gleaming almost innocently.Twilight and her friends shared an uneasy look.

Whatever had just happened, something told them it was only the beginning.

26 Azura

Tink tink

"Come on!"

Tink tink tink

"I know you are in there!"

Tink tink tink tink

"Come out and face me!"

Pinkie's voice echoed through Akulakhan's chamber as she tapped her hoof against the Element of Laughter.

After Dagoth Ur's defeat and Akulakhan's destruction, the party of weary travelers had settled down to try and solve the mystery of how and why the Tools of Kagrenac had just appeared upon the Element of Magic. Sarian, Spike, and Princess Luna watched from the sidelines. Do to the synergistic nature of the Elements of Harmony, it was obvious that whatever effects the Tools of Kagrenac had on the Element of Magic was channeled into the rest of the Elements too, so each pony had taken up the task of examining their respective Elements too see if anything has changed. So far, the Elements hadn't appeared to be altered in any way.

Heck, even Pinkie Pie's behavior was no stretch away from the norm.

"Pinkie, darling?" inquired Rarity, looking up from the Element of Generosity. "Exactly who is it that you are talking to?"

"Whoever it was that jumped out of the Toys of Kagrenac and into our Elements," said Pinkie, her left eye jutting out of her head and splatting against the Element of Laughter's balloon shaped gem like it was a peephole. "I know it's in there, and it's just too scared to come out."

Rarity shared a worried look with Twilight, who just huffed in annoyance. Why did she always have to pull Pinkie back on track with the rest of them when the pink pony began to stray from normality?

"Pinkie," she said, the pink party planner sucking her eye back into her skull to look at her studious purple friend. "We aren't looking for some sort of parasite or trespasser. What happened between the Elements and the Tools was some kind of magical exchange, and we are trying to figure out what it is that the Tools passed on to the Elements."

"But what if something creepy crawly did slip into the Elements?" rebutted Pinkie Pie, shaking her Element like a foal would shake a Hearth's Warming present. "These bizarre doohickeys are unlike anything we have ever seen, who's to say they don't have some kind of contagious magical flu?"

"That's not how it works, Pinkie," Twilight shot back, "as powerful as they are, the Tools of Kagrenac are still just artifacts. They aren't alive."

"At least Pinkie Pie is coming up with something," said Rainbow Dash irritatedly, "You and Princess Luna spent hours scanning the Elements with your horns and found nothing."

"But that don't mean that nothing ain't there," said Applejack, "as Twilight said, the Tools of Kagrenac ain't like nothing anypony ever encountered before. Who knows what they did to the Elements?"

"And it's not just that," said the delicate voice of Fluttershy, who looked as if she had just realized something really important. "Remember, the Elements of Harmony are the only things that protects us from Apocrypha's effect on the mind. If... this has rendered them unable to do so...?"

"We can't help Twilight repay her debt to Hermmy!" finished Pinkie Pie frantically.

That was something that hadn't occurred to them until Fluttershy brought it up. Twilight was unable to perform the task Hermaeus Mora had set before her on her own, and only those who shared in her abilities could assist her. Twilight's friends had gone above and beyond to make themselves that assistance, but if their protection against that wretched place Hermaeus Mora calls home was now nullified...

"There, I believe, lies the solution," said Luna, her sudden appearance snapping them out of their panic. "Hermaeus Mora, he might know what has occurred here."

They exchanged looks with each other.

Hermaeus Mora, if there was someone who could shed light on this mystery, it would be him. After all, he is the Daedric Prince of Knowledge. But to put even more faith in him then they already have, was it worth the risk?

"Do you really think that varmint would help us?" asked Applejack.

"It is very risky to involve a Daedra with anything, as I have said before," said Twilight.

"I agree," said Rarity, "from what we know of these Daedra, they only look after their own selfish interest."

"That is what I am counting on," said Luna. "Hermaeus Mora has something to gain from all of this, just as you all are to gain your freedom from him when all this is done. If something threatens to interfere with that, I am almost positive that he will intervene himself."

"I still don't like this," said Twilight, something in her gut telling her this could backfire. "The Daedra are unpredictable, and although Hermaeus Mora has cooperated with Equestria so far, he can still be a dangerous threat, if we somehow invoke his wrath."

"That may be true, but I don't see what choice we have," said Luna, turning to Sarian who was standing not too far away, the Tools of Kagrenac in her possession. "I believe we are unable to find any alterations within the Elements because the Tools of Kagrenac are indeed unlike anything we have ever encountered, and their power is beyond our comprehension. But from what I know, that may be true for anyone but a Daedric Prince."

The Mane Six exchanged looks again.

"Why do you say that, Princess?" asked Pinkie.

"The Tools of Kagrenac, from what I understand, were designed to channel and/or mimic the powers of the Daedra," explained Luna with a look of deep contemplation. "And from everything we have experienced, only the Daedra themselves understand such power, and can make sense of how it functions. The Tribunal and Dagoth Ur are prime examples of what happens when someone other than a Daedric Prince taps into this power and I don't think I need to tell you what kind of risk that could pose for all of you."

They were beginning to see the logic in Princess Luna's conclusions. The Tribunal and Dagoth Ur had been utterly consumed by the power of the Divine when exposed to it, unable to grasp how much of a risk dabbling in it was, and that, in turn, brought another concern to the Mane Six. If the Tools of Kagrenac transferred some of this addictive power to the Elements of Harmony, and they have to use them again...

"You're right, your Majesty," said Twilight, gathering up the Elements in her magic and slipping them into Luna's Infinite Dimension pouch. "If Hermaeus Mora can discern what has happened to the Elements, then we must ask him, even if it means relying on him more than we already have."

"Then let's not dawdle here any longer," said Luna, turning up the winding path before them. "We have unfinished business here as well."

They still needed to find that medicine for Fleur, and now that the threat to their home world had been vanquished, they needed to resume that journey. Gathering up the party, plus shedding their armor and stowing it, no longer seeing a reason to wear it now that the danger of Dagoth Ur's minions and his Blight storm had passed, the nine of them began ascending up to the door that led them to this place. Though, while Sarian seemed to be solely focused on leaving the place, the Equestrian party occasionally looked down into the heart of the crater to the frothing lava below.

It was hard to fathom that such powerful forces once occupied this place, and now there was little to nothing left, nothing but ruin.

The trek back up to the platform was mellow compared to when they first arrived, the lack of attacking Ash Creatures providing a welcome stillness to the volcanic chamber. The door was barred by another bizarre gate, but the lever that opened it was easy enough to track down, being attached to the only network of pipes in the vicinity, and before long the revolving doors opened. Sarian stepped out first, having not reacted too much since the demise of Dagoth Ur, but Twilight and the others stayed a second longer to survey the battlefield they were leaving behind.

In the distance, they could see the destruction left by the duel between Dagoth Ur and Nightmare Moon, some of the craters where Nightmare Moon pile-drived Dagoth Ur multiple times into the ground still smoldering. Piles of Ascended Sleepers' ashes and corpses of Ash Ghouls, Ash Slaves, and Corprus Stalkers littered the platform they stood upon, frail and as lifeless as the ambitions they once stood for. It was an unexplainable feeling for them, to see something that was so horrible, and practically unstoppable now reduced to nothing at their hooves.

Twilight and her friends defeated Nightmare Moon and Discord, Spike was involved with the incident with the Diamond Dogs, and Princess Luna had defended Equestria to the best of her abilities for centuries, but none of these past experiences compared to the grand scale that this recent threat that now was only a memory for them had posed. They had succeeded, but now something so powerful no longer exists because of them, and while they in no way felt sympathy for their fallen foe, they were contemplating what would have happened if they had failed. It was a concept that they would have to become accustomed to, if they were to move past this.

"Come, let us leave this place," said Luna, coming out of her musings first.

They left Akulakhan's chamber in Sarian's wake, all of them hoping that they would never face a threat of this magnitude ever again.

---

Dagoth Ur Facility Cavern.

The room where they first bore witness to the terror that had been Dagoth Ur was still a long stretch of jagged stone walls, and that creepy steam producing shrine. Sarian was already halfway to the exit when the Equestrians finally stepped through the ancient Dwemer door, shivering slightly, since this place was technically were the confrontation had begun. They were about to try to catch up with Sarian, when the Dark Elf suddenly looked over her shoulder and gestured for them to stay back.

They were about to question, but then noticed that the air before the exit was rippling with what appeared to be heat waves.

"Oh, now what?" asked Rainbow, taking up a defensive stance.

Suddenly, the silhouette of a humanoid figure emerged from the rippling air, another Dark Elf materializing before Sarian, clad in an elegant blue gown.

"Hey, who is that?" asked Rarity, tilting her head. "Someone Sarian knows? A friend maybe?"

"If she is, she's kinda late to..." Rainbow Dash was cut off when violet magic sealed her mouth shut.

Suddenly, all members of the Equestrian team found themselves dragged back towards the ancient Dwemer door and pressed back up against the stone wall before it. They all looked to Twilight, who was undoubtedly the culprit responsible for them being pressed into the wall, and found her expression to be one pure of horror. Their irritation was quickly replaced with worry as color drained from Twilight's face until she was white as a sheet, clutching a hoof to her chest in what was no doubt an attempt to still her rapidly beating heart.

"Young Twilight, what...?" Princess Luna fell silent when Twilight frantically gestured with her hooves for them all to not make a sound, which they complied, but with growing confusion. Not that Twilight needed to tell her to be silent, for at the same time, an unexplainable sensation awakened within Princess Luna, so overpowering she almost fell off her hooves.

"You no longer bear the burden of prophecy. You have achieved your destiny. You are free."

They all stiffened up when those words resonated through the chamber.

"The doomed Dwemer's folly, Lord Dagoth's temptation, the Tribunal's seduction, the god's heart freed, the prophecy fulfilled."

Involuntary trembling overtook the seven ponies and baby dragon, the words carrying such power that the air was practically palpable with it.

"If you have pity, mourn the loss, but let the weeping cease."

One by one, they leaned around the corner of the wall to see that Sarian was kneeling before the elegantly dressed Dark Elf, one of her hands on her bare shoulder honorably, before slipping back behind the obstruction of the wall again.

"I think Sarian knows her," commented Pinkie.

"Twilight..." Luna actually whimpered, the presence of this new woman making this new feeling within her almost unbearable. "Who... is this?" She deduced Twilight knew something, otherwise she wouldn't have reacted to the appearance of this Dunmer like she had, and while just as intimidated by the voice as the rest of them, she had a hint of recognition in her eyes.

"The Blight is gone, and the sun's golden honey gilds the land. Hail savior, Hortator, and Nerevarine. Your people look to you for protection."

Twilight could only nod in response to Luna's question.

"Come on now, Twi," said Applejack in as quiet of a whisper as possible, keenly aware that Twilight felt they need to be quiet,"if you know who that is, please tell us. Is she dangerous?"

Twilight could only nod again, having no air in her lungs to speak with.

"Monsters and villains great and small still threaten the people of Vvardenfell."

"She seems to just be congratulating Sarian for defeating the villain," observed Rarity, her voice steadily climbing higher as annoyance at being forced to hide from something that didn't appear to be dangerous began to override her unease at the sheer force behind this woman's words. In fact, all of Twilight's friends were beginning to feel slightly irritated at being held in this position. After all, whoever this person was hadn't done anything even remotely threatening, so why were they hiding from her?

They all felt this way other than Princess Luna, who, for some reason, was shaking to her very core the longer she remained so close to this newcomer.

"Then we should introduce ourselves," said Rainbow Dash smugly, her voice almost normal, much to Twilight's terror. "We helped after all..."

She was gagged by purple magic, they all were, much to their ever mounting irritation.

"Girls, please keep quiet," said Twilight finally, her voice croaky do to being deprived of air for so long. "That's no Dunmer. Girls... that is Azura!"

The looks of irritation became just as panicked as Twilight's upon hearing her say that. They took another look around the bend at the individual who stood before Sarian and now contemplated her in a new light. They immediately hugged the wall just as tightly as Twilight, their fear now escalating as well.

"Enemies and evils abound, yet indomitable will might rid Morrowind of all its ills."

So this is Azura.

The Daedric Prince of Dusk and Dawn. The Mother of the Rose and Queen of the Night Sky. Her sphere is the period of transition and change, her realm of Oblivion being Moonshadow, a realm of constant change. Known to be the most benign of the Daedra, but with a wrath, that when roused, was matched by none.

They should have known.

The only other person they knew of that of that spoke with such power was Hermaeus Mora, and Azura was of the same power, the power of a Daedra. They stiffened up like statues, hoping against hope that their presence remained unnoticed. One of the greatest risks of this endeavor was contact with another Daedra, and therefore alerting them to their existence and the existence of their home.

They had the wristbands made from the Gray Cowl of Nocturnal, and they were modified to mask their presence even from the Daedra, surely if they just remained discreet, they would escape notice.

"And you little ones...

Or perhaps not.

"Why do you attempt to conceal yourselves? This triumph over Dagoth Ur is just as much yours as it is the Nerevarine's... come, receive the glory you so richly deserve."

Every single one of their pupils shrank to the size of pinpricks when the Divine voice became directed at them.

"She... she's talking to us!" gasped Rarity, trembling so much that several strands of her elegant mane, that had stayed straight and even throughout the entire battle, came loose.

Fluttershy became so scared that she went as stiff as a board and fell over with her legs jutting out towards the ceiling.

The rest of the party were keeping themselves together much more successfully, but it might just be the fact that they knew panicking would do no good at this point.

"Twilight, what do we do?" asked Applejack, her country accent cracked by her trembling.

"Do not be shy. Come, stand in the grace of God."

"I don't understand," said Twilight, looking at the wristband on her hoof. "Hermaeus Mora said that these would mask our identity from everyone, even his fellow Daedra."

"Well, he was obviously wrong," said Rainbow, trying her hardest to act tough, but her wings trembled with the urge to flee. "These Daedra guys aren't unfoolable, just like you explained to us. Maybe Azura fooled Hermaeus Mora somehow."

That was true, if Azura could be fooled by a slight of hand trick it was possible Hermaeus Mora could have miscalculated, for whatever reason.

"Twilight," everypony (plus Spike) turned to Princess Luna, who despite always being the most unphasable person they knew, was obviously trying really hard to keep herself together like the rest of them. "I...I think we had better go out there."

All seven of them gasped.

"But Princess, what about preventing other mean Daedra from finding Equestria?" pleaded Pinkie. "Twilight might have said it is inevitable to stop them eventually, but we have to try."

"As she also said, it's too late for that," said Luna, closing her eyes in resignation. "This 'Azura' knows we are here. If she doesn't know about Equestria already, she will most likely divine the truth from us shortly."

"We would never tell her anything about Equestria!" said Spike with a scowl.

"I have a feeling Azura won't need us to talk," said Luna, opening her eyes and giving them all a regretful look, "just by being in her presence is most likely enough for her to know everything about us. She is a Divine being after all, reading minds or even souls could very well be one of her abilities."

They all knew that was more than likely to be the case, they had all studied the Daedric Princes after all. It would seem that they had no choice but to go introduce themselves to yet another Daedra, something they dreaded more than anything.

"There is still a chance these things will conceal our identities," reassured Twilight as she gestured to her wrist band, though it was obvious that she was only trying to convince herself. "Same with Sarian and that Argonian child, maybe once we leave her presence, she will forget."

It was a flimsy hope, but it was their only hope.

"We had best get it over with," said Spike, taking a deep breath and solemnly stepped away from the wall. "If we have no choice but to go meet Azura, we best not keep her waiting. You know what she is capable of doing to those who annoy her."

Indeed, they did.

One by one, the ponies dropped to all fours, their backs dusty after being pressed so forcefully to the cavern wall. They took a moment to try and slow their breath, what was about to transpire was without a doubt going to be stressful, so they tried to calm themselves as best they could. Afterwards, Rarity took it upon herself to deal with the only remaining problem that needed to be addressed before they went out there.

"Fluttershy," she bent over her still friends petrified face. "Fluttershy, my dear, I know that this is truly terrifying, but you need to pull yourself together. If we have to bring you before Azura in this state she might consider it an insult."

Fluttershy only blinked.

"Come on, Flutters, please," said Rainbow Dash worriedly, joining Rarity at her oldest friend's side, strangely not resorting to just telling Fluttershy to suck it up like usual. "We can't afford to upset Azura. You remember what happened to the Dwemer and Dunmer when they rubbed her the wrong way? If she directs that wrath towards Equestria..."

Slowly, Fluttershy became limp again and Rarity and Rainbow Dash helped her to her hooves, though they remained by her side with supportive hooves over her shoulders. After all, with as sensitive as Fluttershy is she is going to need extra support.

With a steady shared breath, the Equestrian party stepped out from behind the false safety of the wall and began to walk forward, though they somehow managed to walk with a strong, respectable gait.

Azura stood before them, Sarian having stood up from her bow and moved to the side to let them through, but regarded them with a look that told them not to be afraid and to be strong. Azura stood tall, towering over even Princess Luna, her Dark Elf features becoming clearer as they approached, her every air rippling with unfathomable power. Her expression was surprisingly soft, carrying no hint of unfathomable magic or wrath, and betraying not even a hint of the malevolence they all knew her to be capable of.

For what felt like an eternity to them, but was only a few seconds, the Equestrians finally arrived at Azura's intimidating presence and stood before her, slightly huddled together.

"Greetings, little ones," she said in her resounding voice, regarding them all with piercing crimson eyes, but while wearing a gentle smile. "And salutations for your efforts in aiding the Nerevarine in the vanquishing of Dagoth Ur."

They all involuntarily swallowed.

Somehow, being in Azura's presence could only be described as heavy. She had an air about her that demanded respect, and also projected the feeling that the lack of that respect will only lead to disaster. It was nothing like being in the presence of one such as Celestia or Luna, who had an air of power about them, but at the same time provided a feeling of comfort and protection.

Luna herself was growing more and more anxious the longer she stood before Azura, something about her causing something deep within her being to stir again, though she knew not what.

"Oh, uh," mumbled Applejack, giggling uncomfortably as she rubbed the back of her neck. "It was nothing, Miss... Miss Azura."

Azura giggled softly (though her voice carried no less power) and spread her arms out, levitating off her feet before them as ribbons of ethereal light began to dance around her body. They could only stare at the sudden display in awe, involuntarily huddling closer against each other for protection. All in all, it could not be denied anymore that Azura did indeed deserve her title as one of the all powerful Daedric Princes.

"It was most certainly not nothing...," she said as she levitated one or two feet off the ground before them, "... Applejack..."

Whatever resolve they had managed to scrounge up crumbled in an instant as they all gasped in shock.

"You... you know my name?" asked Applejack in a barely audible whisper.

"I know far more than that." answered Azura, looking down at the trembling form of Spike. "Spike...The Dragon."

Spike jumped back so hard he collided with Twilight's chest, who immediately draped her hoof over him protectively.

"Twilight Sparkle..."

Twilight almost choked Spike upon hearing her name next.

"Fluttershy..."

"EPP!" Fluttershy looked about ready to take off in fear, if it wasn't for the fact that Rainbow Dash and Rarity were by her side in an instant to offer support once again.

"Rarity..."

Rarity instinctively brought her magic to bear, but reined it in before she fired a shot, though she still trembled.

"Rainbow Dash..."

Rainbow Dash was, as expected, less affected by the sound of Azura addressing her by name, but was unable to prevent her eyes from flinching for a second.

"Pinkie Pie..."

If the balloons on Pinkie's flank had been real, they most certainly would have burst inside the grip of the images of Hermaeus Mora's tendrils as a jolt a fear passed through her.

"And Princess Luna..." finished Azura, looking the dark blue alicorn up and down, then regarding her with what appeared to be fascination. "Equestria's Princess of the Night, and Steward of its Moon."

They couldn't suppress a gasp of surprise at hearing Azura speak the name of their home.

"So you know of our home," stated Luna, trying to build up the royal demeanor that a Princess of Equestria should show when meeting someone important, but felt her unease increase even more.

"I know of your world," said Azura, smiling as they became even more unnerved. "You all hail from a realm that is completely separated from Mundas. You have come here because a fraction of Dagoth Ur's influence had infiltrated your world, and if you didn't stop him, he would have subjugated you all to his will."

It would seem that their worst fears had been realized.

'It would seem that Princess Luna predicted true, Azura was able to surmise everything about us just by being in our presence,' thought Twilight, flashing a nervous look to the band on her foreleg. 'I just hope that these things work when we get out of here, and are no longer in proximity of her.'

"Your assumptions, though wise, are incorrect, little one."

Twilight felt her breath catch in her throat as Azura regarded her with her red eyes, "I... I don't know what you are talking about, Azura..." Twilight gulped and decided to bow her head respectfully. "Mistress of Changes."

If Azura was flattered by Twilight's attempt at humility, she didn't show it."You assume that I am aware of your presence because I have read your minds and have only learned about Equestria here and now, and you hope that memory of you will leave me when we part ways." Twilight gulped along with the rest of her friends. "This is untrue. I have been aware of your presence in Morrowind since your arrival here several days ago."

She looked to each of Twilight's friends and their horrified faces, regarding each image and Hermaeus Mora that was part of their Cutie Marks, "Though it is regretful that it was due to the aid of Hermaeus Mora, who no doubt, now has a strong presence in your realm."

Twilight and the others didn't hear her say this.

Once Azura told them that she has been observing them from the very beginning it could only mean one thing. The wrist bands had failed. They hadn't shielded them from the Daedra like they were supposed to, and if Azura knew of their existence, it was likely that the others did too.

"WHAT DO WE DO?!" panicked Pinkie Pie, trotting in place with shaky hooves, her mane corkscrewing. "WHAT DO WE DO? We have invited the other big powerful baddies right to our door! If they get to Equestria..."

Twilight and the others were in no shape to console her or reprimanded her for spazzing out.

They were just as panicked about that fact as her. If the other Deadric Princes infiltrated Equestria, it would spell disaster, maybe even doom for them all. Multiple beings that match Hermaeus Mora in terms of raw power, and several of them extremely maniacal, they had no defence against something like that.

"Calm yourself, little ones."

Azura's words actually managed to curb the panic that had spread throughout the group, though it was more akin to someone following orders given from a superior, rather than consolation.

"I mean no disrespect, Mistress of Dawn and Dusk," said Princess Luna respectfully. "But this is a very serious matter for us. If you are aware of our existence, the others of your kind surely are as well. Equestria can barely accept the existence of Hermaeus Mora, if Molag Bal, or Mehrunes Dagon find their way to Equestria..."

"Very legitimate concerns, I agree," interrupted Azura, her voice actually carrying genuine compassion. "But you are jumping to conclusions. My awareness of your existence isn't due to the precaution you took before coming here failing."

Twilight's breathing slowed slightly as she held up her foreleg to examine the grey band. "You mean... these work?"

"Correct," said Azura reassuringly. "They have indeed shielded you from the other Princes, only I have taken notice of your presence."

Relief... sweet relief passed through the ponies and their baby dragon companion.

It had never been completely confirmed until now, but if what Azura said is true, the other Daedra were still oblivious to their presence and the existence of Equestria. It was gratifying to finally be relieved of the worry that they might have put Equestria at risk for the sake of one pony, despite how tragic what had befallen Fleur was. Now they could continue with a clear conscience.

But for one of them, something didn't add up.

"I don't understand," said Spike, walking slightly closer to Azura. "If these magic bands are keeping the other Daedra from noticing us, how come you weren't affected? How did you notice us?"

"Spike, don't!" gasped Twilight, horrified that her number one assistant had just casually walked up to Azura, Daedric Princess of Dawn and Dusk, and asked such an abrupt question. "Get back..."

But Spike suddenly gasped as he began to levitate off the ground, making his way up the length of Azura's body.

"SPIKE!" shouted all seven ponies in unison.

"Be still," said Sarian, suddenly reminding them she was there.

"Don't tell us to be still!" said Rainbow Dash, spreading her wings, "she's about to hurt Spike."

"Maybe, maybe not," said Sarian, "but do you really want to risk instilling Azura's wrath by provoking her?"

They all fell still at that, it might be possible Azura didn't intend to hurt Spike, but who knows what she might do if they attack. But they remained vigilant in case Azura did threaten to harm Spike.

Azura was apparently oblivious to this exchange between the ponies of Equestria and the Nerevarine, her attention solely on Spike as he arrived at eye level with her and she regarded him with her intimidating gaze.

"Hehehe..." Spike giggled nervously and waved his claw at her in timid greeting. "Hello..."

Azura's only response was to continue to smile gently and to bring her arm up before her and gesture slightly with her hand. Spike's own arm came up and judging by his expression, he hadn't commanded it to do so. The ponies were about to retaliate, but soon realized that Azura had only done so to get a better look at the band upon Spike's scaly wrist.

"The Gray Cowl of Nocturnal," she said, running her fingers along each luminous red rune upon Spike's wrist. "Divided among each of you, its power to render its wearer incognito amplified by the essence of Akotosh himself." She lowered her arm and Spike levitated back down to his friends, who embraced him protectively.

"A valiant effort, and it has successfully masked you from the other Daedra. However, while concocting this strategy, you were unaware of one simple fact, which allowed me to be aware of your existence, once you entered my world."

Twilight swallowed nervously.

"And what is that?" She asked, though she didn't know if she really wanted to know the answer.

"That I have a relationship with Nocturnal more unique than any of the other Daedric Princes," replied Azura, her smile gaining an edge of smugness. "She and I are sisters."

Surprise appeared in the eyes of all the Equestrians.

"You... you and the Queen of Thieves are related?" asked Pinkie, tilting her head.

For the first time since she appeared before them, Azura actually appeared surprised, but then great amusement flowed into her expression. "I have never heard my sister described like so, but it is surprisingly fitting. I may have to try that one on her and see how she reacts."

"Amazing!" gasped Twilight, approaching Azura and looking up to her with awe. "It has been hypothesized by Nirn historians for several millennia whether you and Nocturnal are sisters or not, but there's never been any legitimate proof. It is true, then?"

"Indeed it is," said Azura to the estatic purple unicorn, "Nocturnal is indeed my younger sister."

An excited grin split Twilight's face as she giddily jumped in place.

"I hate to break up this touching moment of discovering the answer to one of this world's greatest mysteries," said Rainbow Dash, her voice snapping Twilight out of her excitement and reminding her of who she stood before. With a nervous laugh, Twilight backed up amongst her friends, Rainbow taking her place. "But I don't understand why you being the sister of this creepy mask's creator makes you immune to its magic while everyone else is still affected."

Twilight wished Rainbow would rein in her hotheaded attitude. Azura could just blink and they would be gone if she wants, and if they make her mad...

But Azura was showing a surprising amount of patience, despite her reputation.

"It's not so much that Nocturnal is my sister..." began Azura, her expression unchanged. "It's more due to my relationship with her. Nocturnal and I have been at odds with each other for longer than recorded history, and as such, we have both taken precautions against each other. I made myself immune to her ability to shield identity long ago."

The Equestrians' jaws dropped in shock. They had failed to hoodwink Azura because she had been immune to Nocturnal's power? How could they have ever seen that coming?

"What... what will you do know that you know of us?" asked Fluttershy, trembling greatly. "Will you... tell the other Daedra?"

That was something all of them wished to know.

"You need not fear, little ones," said Azura in an almost motherly voice. "I have no intention of sharing your existence with others of my kind." She looked down at their flanks again. "It is already regretful that Hermaeus Mora has found you."

They didn't know how or why, but they knew Azura was being sincere about not telling others of her kind about them. Maybe it was because they knew that the Daedric Princes had a less than stellar relationship with each other.

"But I don't understand something," said Applejack suddenly to Azura, something about what she had learned so far stirring up something within her nature she needed to address. "If you went so far to protect yourself from Nocturnal that even her most powerful artifact doesn't affect you, it seems you don't get along with your sister."

Azura didn't appear to be phased by Applejack's almost accusatory tone, "Indeed little one, she and I are no less than rivals."

Applejack was taken aback at Azura just blatantly admitting this. Family meant more to her than anything, and the thought of showing hostility between siblings was a foreign concept to her. If her relationship with Apple Bloom or Big Mac ever became like that, she didn't know what she would do.

"But family shouldn't be like that," said Applejack, sitting on her haunches and looking at the ground. "Family members should value each other above anything else."

"Yeah," said Pinkie, pulling a portrait of the Pie family out of her tail and looking at it with glistening eyes. "I know I would be super miserable if I didn't have a good relationship with my family."

"Girls, don't!" warned Twilight. "Remember, the Daedra have a completely different view of morality then we do. They have a different view of life in general."

Applejack still appeared to be disturbed by what she had heard. "But... family should matter to everyone. Even the Daedra."

"That fact is more true than you realize, little mortal," said Azura, smiling as she focused her attention solely on Princess Luna. "You..."

Princess Luna flinched when Azura stretched her arm up and beckoned her to approach.

"Approach me, little one, so I can get a better look at you."

Again the sensation that had stirred within Luna since Azura's arrival fluxed within her body. She didn't know what it was, for it wasn't fear or apprehension, it was unlike anything she had ever felt in her life, and it wasn't entirely unpleasant either. And now that she focused on it, she now realized that she had had a feeling similar to this since Twilight first told her of the Daedric Prince of Dawn and Dusk, but had never realized or noticed it until she saw Azura and it became amplified.

She could not deny she felt a connection to this strange entity, maybe due to their almost identical roles that they play in the balance of their respective realms.

But it was not wise to test the patience of a Daedra, so with a deep breath, Princess Luna began to trot forward. The closer she got to Azura, the more the feeling within her increased. When she was but a few feet away, it felt like whatever was within might come to life.

"WHOA WHOA WHOA!"

Rainbow Dash was suddenly between Azura and Luna, scowling up at the Mother of the Rose. "Now wait just a minute!"

"RAINBOW, NO!" said all her friends, as well as Sarian.

"Rainbow, are you out of your mind?!" said Twilight, her look of horror mirrored by the others. "You know who you are talking to!"

"Yeah yeah, Daedric Prince of Change, and all that jazz," said Rainbow, her blasé tone making the others tremble. "But I also know who else I am talking to."

"Oh? Do tell little one," said Azura, Rainbow Dash having to fight from trembling at being personally addressed by her powerful voice.

"An egotist who is easy to rile up," said Rainbow as she stood in front of Princess Luna protectively, Twilight and the others gasping in terror at the insult, Rarity going limp and falling to the ground in a dead faint. "We know all about you, Azura, and while your reputation isn't as bad as the other Daedra, you aren't exactly innocent of doing bad things to people if they annoy you."

Azura just smiled through Rainbow's rant, she almost appeared amused.

"And my friends and I know it's more than likely that you might see Luna's existence as an insult because she moves the moon in our world, like you move the moon...er moons here," continued Rainbow Dash, blowing steam out her nostrils threateningly. "And I don't care if you are an all powerful Daedric Prince, you do anything to harm the Princess..."

Azura suddenly gestured with her arm and Rainbow Dash was levitated off the ground like Spike had been.

"HEY! HEY CUT THAT OUT!" she shouted as she futilely flailed about in protest.

Azura continued to smile, and with a wave of her hand, sent Rainbow back over to the others, who piled on her to hold her still.

"Girls, let go," she said, trying to shake them off.

"Dashie, please stop," begged Pinkie.

"But we can't let her hurt Princess Luna," rebutted Rainbow.

"I agree with you," said Twilight, regret in her eyes. "But this will only incur Azura's wrath."

"And besides, darling," said Rarity, stroking Rainbow's mane to try and calm her. "If Azura wanted to hurt the Princess, don't you think she would have done so by now?"

Rainbow shooed her hoof away, but took her point and stopped struggling. But she didn't drop the threatening scowl she was aiming towards Azura. In fact, they all watched her with trepidation.

It seemed to only amuse her further.

"Your loyalty to your Princess is commendable, mortal," she said, her voice still carrying no anger, despite Rainbow's defiance. "I find myself wishing some of my own faithful had such resolve, especially here in Morrowind."

She brought her attention to Luna, who now stood not a foot from her, unphased by the incident with Rainbow Dash as well.

Luna was so transfixed by the sensation in her body that her entire being had become centered around her standing before Azura. The elegant Dark Elf woman towered over her in a way that only her sister could, and despite the fact that her eyes were as red as freshly spilled blood, Azura's gaze somehow instilled tranquility in Luna. She would not have been surprised if this turned out to be her life from now on, nor would she care.

Suddenly, Azura reached down and laid her hand on the side of Luna's face. It was the first time in her life someone other than her sister had touched her cheek, and the sensation was almost electrical. Her eyes closed involuntarily, and she released a calm breath as the five digits on the dark palm traced her facial features, the sensation in her body seemed to almost purr.

Even though Luna didn't even know this creature, her touch was so soothing to her she almost felt like she could melt.

"As for your accusations," said Azura as she looked up at the other Equestrians, who were watching her stroking their Princess's face with disbelief, then back at the relaxing alicorn. "Why would I abhor my own daughter?"

Just like that, Luna's tranquil feeling shattered like glass, her eyes flying open and her pupils shrinking to pinpricks.

A bolt of lightning passed through her mind, that then transferred to Twilight and her friends as those words echoed through their very beings.

27 Divine Revelations

Silence...

Other then the sound of the ancient, yet functional, Dwemer machinery, whose humming and grinding reverberated over the still corpses of the recently slain Ash Creatures, Dagoth Ur Facility was as quiet as the grave.

The only living souls that occupied the ancient structure, deep in its innards, were as stiff as statues, the only movement being the ethereal waving of Princess Luna's mane and tail, and the Divine fingers caressing through her flowing locks. Azura still stood before them all, the only one that wasn't wearing a look of overwhelming shock, but considering what they had all just heard, anyone would take awhile to process it. After all, how would anyone react to being told that they were the offspring of a Daedra?

"I never thought I would see you again, little one," said the Mother of the Rose, her crimson eyes trailing Luna's figure up and down. "And I must say, you are beautiful. Your elegance is rivaled only by your prowess over the night."

Luna stood stock still, paralyzed in place.

"Have you nothing to say, little one?" inquired Azura without any change in expression,"aren't you at least going to greet your mother?"

That finally got a reaction.

Whatever was halting Princess Luna's thought process finally got the final piece to allow the jumbled puzzle within her mind to come together. Finally, she fully grasped what had been told to her just recently. And what it implied.

And to say she was willing to accept it would be a lie.

"No..."

"No...!"

Luna batted the hand caressing her mane away and shot the being hovering before her a nasty scowl, her eye twitching.

"NO, IT'S NOT TRUE!"

Azura didn't react to Luna's sudden outburst, she just withdrew her hand and continued to hover before them.

"You...!" Luna's eye continued to twitch as her frustration and denial increased. "You aren't my mother..."

Luna's distressed tone snapped the others out of their stupefied states and drew them to their Night Princess's defense.

"HEY!" shouted Applejack, trotting up next to Luna, who did not seem to notice the farm mare's presence or words, just continuing to stare up at Azura with a trembling scowl. "Who do you think you are? Just casually saying that you are her mother?"

"Yeah?" said Rarity, also trotting up next to Luna. "How uncouth. Among other things, you only just met us all a few minutes ago."

Azura regarded Rarity with her piercing red eyes, and the fashionista couldn't suppress a shudder at the amount of power she exuded just from her simple gaze. "Everything is not as it seems, little one."

"Even still," said Pinkie, her usually chipper attitude absent after Azura's implausible statement. "How can you just say you are Princess Luna's mom? Besides the fact that we are all from different dimensions, you're not even a pony! Your a...a... whatever species you Deadric Princes are."

"Mmhmm," mumbled Fluttershy in agreement, though it was obvious she was dredging up all her courage just to make that simple sound.

But Pinkie's brash statement didn't seem to affect Azura negatively, in fact, she seemed amused.

Suddenly, before all their eyes, the elegant blue gown Azura wore crumpled to the floor, empty. The Equestrians and Sarian gasped in unison with shock and awe. In the blink of an eye, Azura had transmuted from a tall, elegant Dunmer woman, to a shapeless mass of waving ribbons of light, emitting every color of the visual spectrum.

The ribbons swirled and weaved through each other for a second, before focusing into a single point and melding into a gigantic orb of multicolored light. Then the orb began to flex and mold, taking on a more definitive shape. The Equestrians could only watch as a very familiar form began to emerge.

A flowing mane and tail...

Long, slender forelegs and hind legs...

A muscular, yet feminine body...

Long, powerful wings folded at the sides of broad flanks...

An elongated, equine muzzle...

A spiral horn...

The sheen of multicolored light that was obscuring their vision dispersed from the new figure's body in a shower of twinkling sparks, and everyone present gasped as they beheld the new beauty before them.

Azura now bore the unmistakable resemblance of an alicorn, her new stature allowing her to tower over all of them in a way even Princess Celestia could never achieve. Her grace was unrivaled, possessing physical prowess that emitted both beauty and brute strength all in one. To say nothing of her physical characteristics.

Azura possessed details on her body that represented her title in a way similar to Celestia and Luna, but made both Equestrian Matriarchs look like pale imitations in comparison.

Her mane and tail seemed to perform a similar function as Luna's, being that they represented the night sky. But where as Luna's mane and tail were just her midnight hair flowing freely in a non-existent breeze, and with magical twinkling dots that resemble stars, Azura's mane and tail, for lack of better term, appeared as if someone had torn fractions of the night itself away and attached them to her body, the stars so real that one would think they could dive into them. Before their eyes, a miniscule crescent moon appeared at the tip of Azura's tail, moved up through the many constellations and clusters to her dock and vanished, only to reappear in her mane, trailing up until vanishing at the wispy edge, reappearing on the tail again to repeat the process, passing shooting stars occasionally as it mimicked the cycle of night.

Azura's body was similar in build to Celestia, but taller and with more grandeur. Whereas Celestia's coat was pale white in color, Azura's was sky blue, but that in itself would be a gross understatement of her description. Azura's coat, like her mane and tail, appeared like someone had scooped up a large portion of the daytime sky and molded her out of it like clay. There were even tiny tufts of clouds gliding across her figure, forever changing shape and splitting off from each other like actual clouds.

Azura spread her majestic wings, that while unfolding, looked like they might take up the entire cavern and form an actual sky of their own. They all could only watch as a miniature sun appeared along the feathers of the elegant right appendage. It moved up the wing before gliding across the muscular equine chest, resting in the very center for a total of half a second, but resembling some kind of Divine brooch in that small amount of time, then continuing on to the next wing, to vanish out of sight and repeat the process again.

Pony Princess Azura even possessed a Cutie Mark. A perfect image of Azura's stone effigy that her followers often reconstructed in her honor lay visible on her sky coat, her arms stretched to the horizons, her right hand grasping a crescent moon will her left grasped the sun. Garbed in a magnificent rode of veils, the image of the statue sat against the fur that resembled the sky, as though it were floating through the very heavens themselves.

It was all quite a sight to see, and even despite how slighted the Equestrians had been before by Azura's bold claim, they all couldn't help but be transfixed by the beautiful being that now stood before them for all to see.

But that didn't mean that they didn't eventually come to their senses.

"This... this doesn't prove anything," said Spike, shaking his head to clear his thoughts then walking up to stand with Luna, Rarity, and Applejack before Azura, pointing a claw at her accusingly. "We've read about you Daedra, we know you can transform your appearance at will. You could make yourself an alicorn even if you weren't Princess Celestia and Luna's mother."

Twilight and her friends gasped in realization. If Azura was claiming to be Luna's mother, then by extension, she was claiming to be Celestia's mother as well. No, this would not do at all.

"Listen, lady," sneered Rainbow Dash, flying up to hover above Luna, Applejack, Rarity, and Spike. "Whoever you think you are, there's no way you are the mother of our princess. Besides, Celestia and Luna have real...HEY!"

Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Applejack, and Spike were suddenly shrouded in a dark blue aura, which then pushed them behind Luna, and back among Twilight, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Sarian, much to the former group's annoyance and the latter's confusion.

"Hay, what's the big idea!?" complained Rainbow Dash.

"Yeah, Princess, what's the..." Applejack fell silent at the sight of Princess Luna, the same as her friends. Luna stood before the imposing figure, who still regarded her with a gentle expression, her crimson eyes the only part of her unchanged by her transformation, no longer wearing a defiant scowl, but a look of pure vulnerability. She was trembling, trembling so much that she reminded Applejack of that rickety old cider barrel stand that could no longer handle the burden it had held for years, finally succumbing to the weight at the last cider season she had attended before her immersion into Apocrypha.

Luna herself was struggling with an intense internal conflict.

She didn't want to believe that the egocentric being she had heard so many disturbing tales about was indeed her mother, yet the sensation that had emerged as soon as the Daedra appeared had only grown in intensity since Azura had said who she was, pulsating through her body like a second blood. It was intense and indescribable, but with this new information Luna had a suspicion of what it was. For the first time in her life, Luna was feeling a maternal attraction.

And though her heart was leaping in her chest at the sensation she had always been denied, her head was telling her not to accept it.

"I... I can't..." she mumbled, lowering her eyes away from Azura to stare at the floor. "No... it can't be true..."

Suddenly, an encompassing warmth shrouded over her back, and Luna looked up to see that Azura had bent down and covered her with her left wing, the miniature sun leaving a trail of warmth when it glided over her coat.Twilight and the others gasped. There was no denying that the scene before them looked exactly like a mother and her child.

Luna didn't resist the embrace, but neither did she attempt to return it.

"Why do you deny your lineage, my child?" asked Azura gently.

Luna involuntarily shuddered at 'my child', but pressed forward with her denial. "Twilight has told me all about you. You... me... we're nothing alike..."

"Oh...is that so?" replied Azura to Luna's rebuttal.

"You are vain," accused Luna, her scowl returning to her face. "You are selfish. You punish many for the actions of a few, you abuse the devotion of those who worship you... you... are cruel..."

Luna's rant could not continue as she broke down into a fit of hyperventilation.

But Azura's gentle expression did not change.

"I don't deny any of that, my child," she said, Luna involuntarily shuddering at the sound of those words again. "But can you honestly say you are any different?"

For a fraction of a second the universe froze from that statement.

"How... How dare you!" shouted Rarity.

"You no good varmint!" said Applejack.

"There's absolutely nothing remotely similar between you and the princess!" said Rainbow.

"Yeah!" agreed Pinkie. "Princess Luna isn't a meanie pants who curses multiple people for no good reason. She is a kind pony who raises the moon for all Equestria, and she gives EVERYPONY sweet dreams at night!"

The others hurling accusations didn't seem to be affecting the exchange between the Lunar Matriarch of Equestria and the Daedra of Dusk and Dawn of Nirn, who continued to stare at each other, Luna from under Azura's wing.

"No..." Luna mumbled, "we... we are not the same..."

Is that so, my child?" said Azura, tightening her wing over Luna. "Were not you the one who rebelled against your older sibling, my oldest daughter, and threatened to shroud the land in eternal night? Was it not you that threatened to deprive your own people of the sun's life giving rays, apathetic to the suffering it would undoubtedly cause? All because of your envy towards the way your people admired your sister and her sun in a way they didn't show towards you and your moon?"

Luna felt as if a rock had been lodged in her throat.

"No..." she choked, "that... may be true... but neither I... nor Celestia, are like..."

"And as for my oldest daughter," continued Azura as if Luna hadn't spoken. "Celestia, is that her name? As benevolent and nurturing as she is, didn't she revel in the adoration of your subjects, completely oblivious to your bitterness and loneliness? And when she had no choice but to banish you, did she not neglect her duty as protector of your kingdom, too overcome by her own regret and self loathing to notice that her refusal to take up the sword against her enemies was allowing harm to come to her subjects?

"And above all, don't your subjects worship you, much like how my disciples worship me?"

Luna no longer had the will to provide an argument. The similarities, now that they were pointed out, were too convincing to just be dismissed. Luna could not help but let the possibility that Azura might be telling the truth take root...

"OKAY, that is enough!" shouted Rainbow Dash, her outcry making Luna jump under Azura's wing, and causing Azura herself to actually focus on her as she approached Luna from behind. "Your Majesty, don't listen to her. Sure, the similarities are there, but there is one thing Miss High and Mighty here has forgotten that makes her claim not true." She shot Azura one of her signature smug smirks. "You and Celestia had real parents back in Equestria!"

After all that is known about Azura, and how swiftly she can smite you, one would think this would be the final straw for Rainbow Dash and her attitude thus far. But her amusement only grew as she leaned her neck slightly closer to tower over Rainbow Dash, who moved up next to Luna, still under the encompassing wing, like she was suspicious she might attack her princess. But her focus was only for the prismatic pegasus right now.

"Is that so, little one?" she said, her tone sounding like she was barely restraining her laughter. Then enlighten me...who are their parents?"

Rainbow Dash opened her mouth to reply smugly, but the words never left her lips and her expression dropped into a look of confusion.

"Well... go on," urged Azura, actually giggling at Rainbow drawing up a blank. "Tell me, what ponies have been historically famed for siring the legendary Royal Pony Sisters? Surely the parents of such offspring that can move the sun and moon respectively are sung throughout history, forever remembered for bringing the ponies who would one day become the first alicorns into the world... over a millennium ago."

Rainbow Dash... could not answer.

All of her life, it had never occurred to her who the parents of the princesses might be. In fact, until a few years ago, she didn't even know Celestia had a younger sister. Celestia had just always been there.

"Uh... girls?" said Rainbow, turning to the five other ponies present. "Do... any of you know who the princesses' parents might be? I'd be the last pony to say she paid attention in history class, but from what I do remember, I don't think I ever came across anything that mentioned the Princesses' parents."

"Me neither, sugarcube," admitted Applejack regretfully. "Though I admit, I only ever paid close attention to economics and the history of farming when I was but a wee little school filly, I don't remember anything about the princesses' parents either."

"I am afraid I am coming up short too, darling," said Rarity with slight shame. "Though I doubt I am any more fluent in history than you or Applejack."

"I got nothin," said Pinkie Pie, knocking on her head with a hoof and producing a hollow sound. "I'm knocking on my brain for an answer, but no one is there."

Fluttershy only shook her head, signifying she didn't know either.

Frustrated, Rainbow turned to the one pony who might have an answer to this conundrum.

"Hey Twilight," said Rainbow, turning to her studious friend. "Help us out her. You are the most well read of us, do you know who the Princesses' parents are? Maybe Princess Celestia told you herself, you are her personal..."

Rainbow Dash stopped when she noticed Twilight's unresponsive expression.

In fact, they all realized that, other then gasping in shock at Azura's transformation, Twilight hadn't said a word, or even moved since Azura announced that she was Luna's mother. She was just standing there, staring at Luna and Azura, like she was lost in thought.

"TWILIGHT?!" they all said in unison, Luna finally coming out from under Azura's wing to check on her friend.

"Twilight, darling what is the matter?" asked Rarity, her worry mirrored by all the others.

Twilight just continued to stare into space.

Out of nowhere, Pinkie lifted her left hoof and held it out, putting her right to her muzzle and blowing into it with puffed up cheeks. One by one, four stubby little finger popped out of her hoof. Normally, such a thing would be considered strange, but hey, that's Pinkie Pie.

"Yoo-hoo!" said Pinkie, snapping her new appendages in Twilight's face. "Nirn to Twilight, anypony home?"

Twilight snapped out of her daze with a surprised gasp, looking at her concerned friends surrounding her.

"Oh, sorry girls," she said, giving them all an apologetic look. "I guess I spaced out."

There didn't appear to be cause for alarm, Twilight appeared fine now that she was aware of her surroundings again.

"No problem, darling, it was quite unexpected, what Miss Azura said," said Rarity, not forgetting her manners, even if she held no higher regards for the Daedra than the rest. "But we really could use your help, as it were."

"What, what's wrong?" asked Twilight.

"We need your help proving that she is full of hot air," said Rainbow, pointing a hoof at Azura behind them.

"RAINBOW!" gasped Twilight at her friends disregard to one of the most powerful beings to ever exist.

"Don't start with that," said Rainbow in response. "I know already, but no one makes such a claim towards our princess when we know they are wrong."

Twilight didn't like where this was going. "Wrong?"

"There is no way this snooty lady is the mother of our Princesses," said Applejack angrily. "Not only are the princesses from Equestria, they had real parents back in Equestria."

"Yeah, Twilight," added Rainbow, "and since you and Princess Celestia are so close she had to have told you about her parents at some point."

Before their eyes, Twilight actually deflated in typical Pinkie style. Her face fell as she sat down on her haunches.

"Twilight?" asked Fluttershy worriedly. "What's wrong?"

"Oh darling, what has gotten you so upset?" said Rarity, putting a supportive hoof on her fellow unicorn's shoulder.

"Was it something we said?" asked Pinkie worriedly.

"She is distressed because she knows I speak the truth," said Azura, drawing all attention to her once again. "For she has suspected it herself for some time now."

The still silence returned.

"That's not true!" said Rainbow definitely.

"Twi would never suspect our beloved princesses could ever share blood with the likes of..." Applejack was halted by a lavender hoof on her shoulder.

"Stop Applejack, it's true," said Twilight, much to all their shock.

For the next few seconds the air was filled with overlapping retorts from Twilight's friends, asking if she had lost her mind, or how she could think such a thing, until Luna silenced them with a single command with her Canterlot voice.

"SILENCE!"

The ponies and baby dragon all fell silent at the Lunar Matriarch's reverberating order, who regarded Twilight with a stern gaze that she shrank under.

"Is it true, young Twilight? asked Luna simply, but with no less authority expected of a princess. "Have you had these suspicions of our origins?"

"Yes, Princess," said Twilight immediately, not holding the truth back.

Luna appeared distressed at the fact that Azura was right, Twilight was suspecting she was telling the truth. "How? How could you believe that we could have originated from such a creature as petty as the Daedra?"

"It..." stammered Twilight, trying to force the explanation out. "The behavior of the Daedra are some of the most vile acts I have ever had the misfortune of researching. But... while I was researching the Daedra... I could not help but notice the similarities between you, your sister, and the Daedric Prince Azura."

Luna's scowl deepened. "Similarities?"

"Yes, but not the acts you committed as Nightmare Moon," said Twilight hurriedly, Luna's expression telling her to explain. "While I was researching Azura, I noticed something about her title over Dawn and Dusk that didn't fit. Unlike Equis's sun, this world's sun is actually the hole the et'Ada Magnus tore in Mundus to escape the power drain Mundus's creation was having on the other et'Ada, and the moons Masser and Secunda are the sundered halves of Lorkhan."

"Great, a history lesson," moaned Rainbow in annoyance.

"Let her continue," said Luna sternly.

"Well, I was wondering how Azura could be Lord of the cycles of day and night, when she had nothing to do with the creation of the sun or moon, most Daedra created the object of their rule themselves," Twilight went on, looking past Luna to the graceful alicorn that sat on her belly a short distance away. "Then I remembered how our days and nights work in Equestria, and I thought, what if Azura didn't create the sun or moon, but has the power to manipulate them, just like the Princesses."

"Congratulations, little one, you have solved the great mystery regarding my involvement with the celestial bodies of my world," said Azura, bowing her head respectfully. "Most heretic critics claim I actually have no involvement with the night or day at all. I can see why my daughter took you under her wing as her personal student."

Twilight had to involuntarily swallow.

It was a rare occurrence for a Daedra to praise anything.

"But once I comprehended that," continued Twilight, looking back at Luna with regret for what she was about to say. "I also realized something peculiar about you and your sister. You can both move the sun and moon without effort, where every unicorn before and after you could only accomplish it at the cost of all their magic, rendering them unable to cast spells for the rest of their lives."

Luna could see where this was going. In fact, it was just as much a mystery to her and Celestia that they could prevail were nopony else could. Even before they earned their alicorn wings so long ago, their magic was without equal.

"And then you both were the first ponies to ascend," said Twilight, following the Princess's mindset. "Your skills in magic, your longevity, I couldn't just believe that it was all a bizarre coincidence. Azura reassembles you in a way no pony in history ever has... I couldn't help but suspect you were related somehow."

Luna was actually starting to see the logic in what Twilight was saying, but her reluctance to accept it was still strong.

"None of this proves what Azura says is true," she said defiantly.

"I thought that too, your Majesty," said Twilight, a regretful tear trickling down her face. "But then, I remembered what Celestia told me about your origins."

"Finally!" said Rainbow smugly. "So who were their real parents?"

"Rainbow," said Applejack, putting her hoof on the pegasus's back. "I don't think this story is going to pan out that way anymore, sugarcube."

Rainbow blinked and looked at Twilight and Luna along with the rest of them.

"So she told you, then?" asked Luna.

Twilight nodded. "Just after your return."

"Me too," said Spike.

"Told you what?" asked Applejack, "Twilight, do you know something about the princesses you haven't told us?"

Twilight looked to Luna, who nodded.

"Go ahead, Twilight," she said. "They are our closest friends, I am sure we can trust them."

"Of course you can trust us," said Pinkie, bouncing in place. "If this is some kind of national secret, our lips are sealed."

And Pinkie full blown 'zipped' her mouth shut, and even Azura arched her eye at the ridiculous antics of this bizarre mortal.

Twilight's friends stood before her expectantly, but rather than start, she looked down at Spike.

"Spike, you know this story as well as I do," she said, putting a hoof on her number one assistant's head. "Do you think you can inform the girls?"

Spike looked shocked. "Really Twilight?"

Twilight nodded. "After all that has happened, I don't think I can handle dropping another bomb on our friends. I hate to ask, but I would appreciate it if you could share this burden with me."

Spike almost never got asked to assist with something as important as this, so sprang to a salute.

"Aye aye, mine captain."

Twilight rolled her eyes and laid down, letting Spike take the floor.

"Well come on, little scaly buddy," said Pinkie, just as eager, if more so, than the rest. "The suspense is killing us."

Pinkie fell limply on her side, C's over her eyes.

"Alright already," said Spike, looking at them all and steeling himself. "Girls, Princess Celestia and Luna are pretty much orphans."

Multiple gasps filled the air.

"REALLY?"

"OH MY WORD!"

"That's so sad!"

"TARNATION... that... that's..."

"Oh, the poor dears!"

"It's true," continued Spike. "According to Celestia, after the founding of Equestria, when the windigos were vanquished, Star Swirl the Bearded... just... stumbled across her while she was an infant."

There was a moment of silence, were the ponies all stared in awe at how simple yet extravagant that fact was.

"Just... just like that?" Asked Rarity. "Star Swirl just...'found' Princess Celestia while she was still a baby?"

"Uh huh," confirmed Spike. "And not two years later, he came across Luna in a similar fashion, and he raised them both himself."

"But... but didn't he try to find their real parents?" asked Applejack, not accepting Azura was the princesses' mom yet, so to her it sounded like a stallion, Star Swirl or not, just decided to keep two lost foals he stumbled upon.

"According to Celestia, he never stopped," said Spike. "She even said he created a spell that can track a pony's blood relatives specifically for them, but other than confirm that the two were indeed related, the spell found no other ponies connected to Celestia and Luna by blood."

This bit of information seemed to strike a chord with Twilight's friends, and they all have Princess Luna a sympathetic look.

"We're so sorry to hear that, your Majesty," said Rarity, the others mimicking her sympathy. "It must have been so hard, to not know who your parents were."

"Do not trouble yourselves over it," said Luna with a supportive smile. "My sister and I made peace with that long ago." She brought her attention back to Azura and her expression became accusatory again. "But all this proves nothing."

She approached the great alicorn that symbolizes both day and night and stood before her once again, Azura's only response was to stand to her full, impressive height and continue to smile gently.

"All the facts that you and even young Twilight have drought forth may be plausible, but they aren't substantial proof you are mine and Celestia's mother, and until I am see anything of the sort..." Luna stopped when she felt something on her fetlock.

Looking down, she noticed she had trodden on Azura's discarded dress, and a veil had suddenly drifted up by its own accord and brushed against her skin. Her breath left her in a silent gasp, and she looked up to see Azura's gentle smile gaining a semblance of support. Trembling once more, Luna sat on her haunches and lifted her forelegs, allowing the elegant blue dress of veils (wasn't it just a simple gown when Azura first appeared?) identical to the one she wore in her stone effigy to hover before Luna at chest level.

Overcome by shivers, Luna ran a hoof up and down the smooth fabric of the divine garment, getting a good feel of its texture. Something inside Luna broke. The proverbial dam had burst and Luna could no longer hold back the glistening tears that now streamed down her face, still caressing the fabric of the dress almost subconsciously.

"PRINCESS!" said all the others in worry, surrounding their Matriarch as soon as the first tear was shed.

"Darling, what is wrong?" asked Rarity worriedly.

Luna didn't answer, only clenched her eyes and gritted her teeth, sniffling pitifully.

Rainbow shot a look of accusation at Azura, but joined the others as they surrounded Luna in a supportive group hug, which finally convinced her to stop touching the dress just so she could melt into it. Scorn could come later, now a friend was in need. For the next few minutes, the only sound was Luna's sniffling, though she never openly sobbed.

After a while, Twilight decided to investigate, to see what had caused her princess such distress, taking a hoof of her midnight blue coat and laying down on the still hovering dress. She instantly knew what had upset Luna so.

"It can't be," she said, letting go of the princess completely to feel Azura's gown with both forehooves. "No... no way..."

"What is it, Twilight?" asked Spike, running up to feel the dress himself, gasping in surprise at the feel of the fabric. "No way!"

"What are you guys on about?" asked Rainbow Dash, feeling the dress herself, but she didn't react nearly as dramatically. "Yeah, it feels... soothing...? But right now I think we should look after the princess."

"I am afraid that I agree with Rainbow," said Rarity, stroking Luna's mane. "As a fashionista, it is indeed the most fetching garment, but Luna is distressed."

"And it's understandable why," said Twilight with a submissive tone as she turned towards them. "Girls, this dress proves it, Azura is Celestia and Luna's mother."

It couldn't have been said, it just couldn't have...

"Twilight, like we all have been saying, that is ridiculous," said Applejack.

"How could a dress prove that Azura is our Princesses' momma?" asked Pinkie.

Twilight faced the dress again and gestured for them to come stand beside her, which they did, but they were reluctant to let go of the grief stricken Luna, though she made no move to try and stop them.

"EVERYPONY touch the dress," said Twilight, not commandingly, but with a tone that brooked no argument.

They all caressed the dress with a degree of confusion, but all noticed that it was a light, durable, and flexible material.

"It's a divine material, Twilight," stated Rarity, but she looked to the silently weeping Luna with worry. "But I don't see how this proves anything."

Twilight looked at each of them. "Have any of you ever seen a fabric like this before?"

They all exchanged a look between the fabric and themselves.

"Can't say that I have," said Applejack.

"Me neither," said Rainbow.

"Noperoonie," said Pinkie Pie.

Fluttershy only shook her head.

"The only thing remotely close I have seen is that Ayleid fabric," said Rarity, looking at the dress and admiring how extravagant the texture of the fabric was. "But this puts even that to shame."

"I still don't understand," said Rainbow impatiently, "Even I have to admit it's a beautiful gown, but what does it have to do with Azura being the mother of our princesses?"

Twilight and Spike exchanged a look one last time.

"The only clue remotely related to Princess Celestia and Luna's origins is the blankets they were bundled in when Star Swirl found them," explained Spike, plucking up a pinch of the dress. "And this is a perfect match. It's the same material."

The blankets Celestia and Luna were bundled in?

That was a depressing image, to picture an infantile Celestia and Luna laying somewhere in the wilderness with nothing but a blanket for company. They gasped and looked at the dress again, knowing where this was leading.

"That don't prove nothing," said Applejack, though nervously. "There are countless dresses, countless material throughout all of Equestria. Those blankets could have come from anywhere."

"That would be true, Applejack," started Twilight with a forlorn look. "Except, other than those two baby blankets, no trace of the material they are made of can be found in all of Equestria."

They blinked in surprise.

"What... what do you mean?" asked Fluttershy.

"What she means is the blankets Star Swirl found the princesses in are the only ones of their kind," said Spike.

"The... only ones?" inquired Rarity. "Nothing else like them has ever been found?"

"No, and believe me, they tried," said Twilight, entering lecture mode again. "Celestia told me that Star Swirl believed that the blankets he found her and Luna in were at least the first step in finding out where they came from, so he spent a good amount of time searching for their point of origin. He scoured not only Equestria, but other surrounding Kingdoms, and found nothing. Not a trace to where this unique fabric came from.

"And when Celestia and Luna grew up and became the Rulers of Equestria, they invested time of their own into solving the mystery, but they decided to analyze the material to see if they could find out what it was made of and then track it to its source. But whatever made up the material remains unidentified to this day, and whenever Equestria's forensic science has an advancement in technology Celestia sends the blankets to be analyzed, but the results have always been the same, unidentified. And yet, here it is."

Twilight's friends and looked at the dress once more.

"And... this dress?" stammered Rainbow Dash.

"There is no mistake, it's the same material," said Twilight, though far from happy about it. "I have seen the blankets myself, they're a perfect match."

It could still be untrue. There was still a possibility that the dress may be the same material as the baby blankets Princess Celestia and Luna were found in, but wasn't where they came from. But they knew it was pointless to try and convince themselves otherwise, when the truth was staring them in the face.

They had no choice, it had to be true.

"So... so it's true?" Stammered Fluttershy.

Twilight only nodded in response.

"I... I can't believe it..." gasped a distraught Rarity.

"Our beloved princesses..." moaned Pinkie.

"They... they came from..." Applejack was interrupted when Twilight spoke up.

"NOW, HOLD ON," she shouted. "Girls, I am just as disturbed by this as you, but what does it change for us actually? We know where the princesses came from now, but does it make them any less the princesses we have always been loyal to?"

That actually seemed to snap them out of their horrible realization.

"Why, of course not," said Rarity determinedly. "Even after this, they are still our princesses."

"Tarnation, what was I thinking," said Applejack, striking the air with a hoof. "Granny always taught me to value family, but she also taught me to never judge someone for the actions of another. It's not the princesses' fault where they came from."

"Even if they did come from a meanie mean pants, who curses people who never did anything wrong, Celestia and Luna are two of the nicest ponies I know," said Pinkie with her goofy grin. "Nothing is going to change that."

"What was I thinking," said Rainbow ashamedly. "Celestia and Luna are awesome. Just as awesome now as they always have been."

"And we should tell her that," said Fluttershy, influenced by her kind nature to speak up. "Luna is obviously very upset about this. We need to tell her that this doesn't change how we feel about her. She is still our princess, and more importantly, our friend."

They all agreed, but when they turned to their distressed Lunar Matriarch they found to their surprise that someone had already taken up the task of comforting her. Azura had apparently moved in while they were all in shock, and draped her imposing form over her daughter and was shrouding her in her wings. Luna didn't resist this time and buried her face into Azura's chest, the representation of the sun making her tears glisten like liquid diamond whenever it passed by her face.

Twilight and the others decided they would reassure their princess later. However this went down, an exchange between a mother and daughter should never be interrupted, now matter who it is. Even if it was between an all powerful entity of the sun and moon, and a Royal Princess of the Night, a mother and child relationship is sacred.

"Why?" asked Luna when she finally had no tears to shed. "If we are your children, why did you abandon us?"

My child, I didn't abandon you," answered Azura.

"Horseapples!" cursed Luna, pushing off Azura and staring up at her with a fierce scowl. "If you are our mother, then it means my sister and I don't even come from Equestria! We... are outcasts from this place!"

"Outcasts?" inquired Azura. "You have got it wrong, my child. I didn't send you away, I sent you where you and your sister belong."

A spark of confusion mixed with Luna's aggressive expression. "Belong?"

"You and your sister have always wondered why only the two of you have been able to move the celestial bodies of your world without great cost," explained Azura, withdrawing her wings and standing over Luna with her imposing height, but carrying no less a gentle expression. "The answer is simple. It's why you exist."

"WHAT?!" gasped not only Luna, but the others as well.

Azura turned her gaze to all present. "I created Celestia and Luna precisely so they could govern the moon and sun of your world, this 'Equestria'."

The news was a complete and total shock.

On some levels it was an astounding feat, but on others, it was completely immoral.

"How... how could you?" asked Applejack, trembling with disgust. "How could you bring two ponies into the world to perform a specific task? We aren't machines."

Azura regarded the apple farmer with an arched eyebrow. "The things you mortals frown upon is a mystery to me. But if you must know, if I hadn't created your precious princesses, your world would not have survived."

That was too much for the most studious of them, whose curiosity had grown strong enough to overcome the surprise of this revelation and demanded to be addressed.

"Celestia and Luna were born for the purpose of controlling the sun and moon of our world?" She asked, slightly uncomfortable talking about her mentor in such a way, but she couldn't think of any better way to say it. "Why would you care about our world, we have had nothing to do with yours until recently? And how did Celestia and Luna even get to Equestria, if you are indeed their mother?

"Our worlds are separated from each other by an aether that even Daedric Princes can't break through. And in that case, how do you know about Equestria, period?"

Azura looked to Twilight, and for the first time, her expression changed. Her eyes became serious and warning, and the Equestrians could not help but back away a little in fear.

"You are entering dangerous territory, little pony," she said, her tone just as warning as her expression. "For you to understand you have to understand more than you do."

"What do you mean?" asked Spike.

"What I mean, little dragon," answered Azura, Spike shying away behind Twilight as she brought her attention to him. "Is that the origin of your princesses is tied to more than just the origin of two ponies. They are tied to the beginning of your entire world."

The sentence was simple, but the meaning was clear, and they all could only stare in surprise.

"If you are to understand the origin of your princesses, you must understand how your world came to be!"

It was an overwhelming concept.

The beginning of the world?

They knew how the world that they were standing in was created by the Aedra long ago, but what of the world they call home? What was responsible for their very existence? It was a concept that was both alluring and terrifying at once.

"Princess?" inquired Twilight.

Luna knew what her friend was getting at. Was it worth finding out why she and her sister were born if it meant finding out where they all came from? Luna was at a loss, this was big even for her.

"So be it," she said decisively.

The others gulp nervously and sat down around the imposing form of Azura, knowing it was mostly likely going to be a lengthy tale. After all, what could create a world that can be described casually?

"As you wish, my child," said Azura, apparently not even going to bother trying to dissuade them from this, turning to Twilight. "You wanted to know how I know of your world, despite the ether that separates us?"

Twilight nodded.

"It's because I caught a glimpse of your world, back when the ether had a hole that I could look through."

Twilight blinked. "You mean the ether wasn't always completely impenetrable?"

"Not at first, at one time there was a breach in it that anyone could enter through," answered Azura.

"But... but if you saw us, the other Daedra must have," said Rarity worriedly.

"As I have said before, my brethren have no inkling of your existence," said Azura with slight impatience at the white unicorn.

"But how?" asked Applejack.

"Because I was the only one looking correctly when the hole was made," explained Azura. "To the other Daedra, it appeared as nothing more than another star in the sky."

They really needed to take Azura's word for it. If she said that the other Daedra were not aware of Equestria, she meant it.

"But I still don't understand what this has to do with the creation of our world," said Luna.

"Patience, my child," said Azura calmly. "I assume you are all familiar with the War of the First Council?"

The Equestrians blinked in surprise, exchanged looks, before nodding their confirmation.

"Yes, we know of it," said Twilight. "The religious conflict between the Dwemer and the Chimer. When the Dwemer tried to ascend to godhood using the artificial god, Numidium."

Rainbow laughed and looked behind them at the door that led to Akulakhan's Chamber. "And we kinda smoked Numidium Mark 2."

"During this conflict between the Dwemer and Chimer is when I stumbled across a star in the heavens that wasn't there before, and that led it to your world," explained Azura further. "When I investigated further I discovered that Kagrenac had changed his tactics in the war."

What did that have to do with Equestria?

"Kagrenac?" inquired Pinkie. "The screw loose scientist who was messing with Lorkhan's ticker?"

"Yes," continued Azura. "History claims that he followed his delusional dream to raise himself and his people to godhood and take the Daedra's place ruling Nirn till the end... it is untrue."

While most of them simply found the fact slightly amusing, Twilight, who had a weakness for history of any kind, was floored."You mean he no longer wished to transcend the physical plane, along with the rest of his people?"

"No, that part of his plan never changed," answered Azura. "But when General Nerevar took command of the Chimer forces and began gaining ground against the Dwemer, Kagrenac realized that defeat was becoming probable. And not just that, he also realized that if the other races of Nirn were resisting them so strongly, that even if they succeeded in ascending, the people of Nirn would continue to resist. After all, the Dwemer themselves were defying the current Gods, so it was more than likely that others would do the same in regards to them.

"So rather than become the Gods of Nirn, Kagrenac decided to use the Heart of Lorkhan to create a brand new plane of existence, one that he and his people could rule from the very beginning."

The revelation hit them all like a ton of bricks.

"No..." said Twilight, her heart racing.

"It can't be..." said Rarity, trembling down to her hooves.

Luna looked up at her mother, trembling as the others,"You're... you're saying that...?"

"I am afraid so," confirmed Azura. "Your Kingdom, your world, your entire plane... Kagrenac used the Heart of Lorkhan to create it all...so his people would have a realm to rule over."

It was too much.

Equestria, the other kingdoms, they were all created... by a maniac?

"That is why you should not feel different, my child," Azura said to Luna. "While it's true you and Celestia originally came from Nirn, the same can be said about everything else in your world. It all originally came from this world."

"But it can't be..." said Twilight, not willing to believe it.

"You yourself have noticed the parallels of our worlds, little one," said Azura. "The dragons, the minotaurs, and other such creatures. All modeled by Kagrenac after creatures he was familiar with, and even some new ones like the Zebras and griffons, who would act as the Dwemers doctors and warriors respectfully, once the Dwemer had established dominans over this new world they had created."

So that was the origin of their world. The Dwemer, at the height of their power, created them, the same as the Aedra created this world, for them to rule over.

"I guess... now we know what happened to the Dwemer," said Twilight shakily, overwhelmed. "According to the Battle of Red Mountain, Kagrenac used his tools on the Heart of Lorkhan and all Dwemer disappeared. So all along, they have been ruling our world as all powerful entities."

"Not entirely true, little one," said Azura.

"But you said..."

"If the Dwemer truly are the Gods of your world, do you really believe such beings would have gone unnoticed?" inquired Azura. "I can sense it, you have never come across Divine beings until you crossed paths with Hermaeus Mora and myself."

They looked between each other.

"So... these Dwemer guys didn't become deities?"

"After all their defiance and atrocity, do you truly think I would allow them to succeed in such an act?" said Azura. "As soon as I learned of what Kagrenac planned to do, I immediately intervened."

"One of the theories of the Battle of Red Mountain is that you influenced Kagrenac into using the Tools on the Heart of Lorkhan, resulting in the Dwemer's disappearance," stated Twilight. "It's true?"

"Yes." Azura's expression became smug. "While General Nerevar stormed this very Dwemer stronghold, I did indeed influence Kagrenac into forwarding his plans; he used the Heart and the Dwemer achieved the Divine form they so desired."

"I thought you said that you interfered and stopped them from becoming Gods?" said Rainbow, just as confused as the others.

"I stopped them from becoming the Gods of your world," said Azura, "to do so, I only had to let them follow through with the plan."

The ponies and Spike... looked very confused.

"How did letting these guys get away with what they wanted to do solve the problem?" asked Pinkie.

"Because I knew something about it that they didn't," explained Azura gently. Kagrenac put all of his effort into perfecting the process that would transcend his people, but he overlooked one important variable."

The Equestrians waited eagerly.

"That, despite all their accomplishments, the Dwemer were still physical beings." Azura looked over at the entrance to Akulakhan's Chamber, where all this went down. "Once the Dwemer ascended, and fled to this new world through the hole Kagrenac left in the ether he himself created to assure us Daedra would never trouble them again, they soon realized that their minds could not cope with their new forms. I watched as, one by one, they dispersed among your realms cosmos, as scattered bits of lifeless energy."

The air became still as the Equestrians contemplated.

So that was the fate of the mighty Dwemer. They had created an entirely different world for them to rule over as Gods, but never got a chance to instill dominance because they were destroyed by the very power they wanted to achieve. And as a result, their whole world came to be.

"That's it then?" asked a shaken Applejack. "Our whole existence was originally to be subservient to a bunch of egotistical Dwemer, who in the end, destroyed themselves?"

It was a lot to take in.

But Azura had one thing left to say."That is not the case for you ponies."

"What do you mean?" Asked Twilight.

"It's true, the Dwemer created your world and most of the creatures that live on it to rule over, but in actuality, they didn't create you ponies," Azura explained.

"But... then were did we come from?" Asked Fluttershy.

"While the Dwemer were being destroyed by their new power, Kagrenac noticed what was happening," said Azura. "Despite being an egotist and a madman, he realized that at this rate, his people would disappear forever, so he did the one thing he could do. He gathered what few Dwemer remained and reestablished them in physical form.

"But not the form they originally had."

"They became some other creature?" Asked Fluttershy.

"Oh, I bet they became Timberwolves," said Rainbow, laughing at the thought. "What those Dwemer guys tried to pull really stank, and that would explain why Timberwolves' breath stinks so bad."

"If you want to know what form the Dwemer took, look no further than yourselves."

Azura's words reverberated in their pony skulls, and they all slowly looked up at her with great shock. Had... they heard that right?

"It's true, little ponies," she assured them,"the first ponies to walk your world, started out as the Dwemer."

"It... it can't be..." said Pinkie, reaching out of everyone's view and dragging over a full blown copper statue of a Dwemer. "Look at us, we're nothing alike."

Azura quirked an eye at Pinkie again and looked to the others, but they seemed to have been flabbergasted into silence.

"You share more with the Dwemer other than physical appearance, your lack of respect for Daedra for one," explained Azura, looking at Twilight.

"You, little one, your kind excel at magic, and you yourself have mastered even the most complex and difficult magic from Nirn. The Dwemer were no different, they were fluent in magic in a way no other race can boast."

She looked at Applejack. "And you, your kind have a kinship with the earth that allows you to sow crops like no other. The Dwemer were likewise attuned with the earth, it is what allowed them to create these extravagant subterranean cities that only they are known for."

Lastly, she turned to Rainbow. "And, though they lacked the ability to fly, the Dwemer had learned how to harness the weather to their will."

"Now I know that isn't true," said Rainbow. "I ain't no egghead, but I did do a little research on these Dwemer guys, and I never came across anything that said they could control weather."

"Actually... it is true, Rainbow," said Twilight, Rainbow throwing her a look of disbelief. "Shortly before their disappearance, the Dwemer invented a machine called the Karstanghz-Beharn, which translates to Weather Witch. It... is a machine that functions similar to the Cloudsdale weather factory, but according to legend, it could produce multiple weather patterns in the blink of an eye."

Rainbow Dash had no comeback to this, her expression just became more shocked.

"But I don't understand," said Twilight as she approached Azura to look directly up at her. "If what you are saying is true, why didn't I find any references to the Aedra, the Daedra, or Nirn in general when I first met Hermaeus Mora? Ponykind has recorded its history since we could read and write, if we have such an origin as originally being the Dwemer, surely there would be some kind of record about it."

"Kagrenac managed to save himself and a few other Dwemer from dispersing among the stars, like all the others, but not without consequence," explained Azura. "By the time they could reconstitute physical form, all knowledge and memory had been destroyed. It's why they appeared on the very world they created as equines instead of the Dwemer they once were, because they had no recollection of who they were before. Even I do not know why they reappeared as equines, and it's doubtful anyone ever will."

It was a lot to absorb.

The origin of Equestria...

The origin of the pony race...

For a while the Equestrians just sat there, contemplating. They had no reason to believe what Azura said was true, but what did she have to gain from fabricating such a tale? And the stuff she knows about their world, despite the fact of what separates Equis and Nirn from each other.

Could it be possible?

Twilight was taking it the hardest. As a seeker of knowledge and truth, she often fantasized about learning what happened to the Dwemer, a prosperous, highly advanced race of people who just suddenly vanished, but she never imagined this. Never contemplated the answer would hit so close to home.

"You are troubled to learn things?" Azura asked, and Twilight took a second to realize the Daedra was speaking to her.

"Troubled?" she repeated, with a scowl. "I just learned that ponykind originated from the Dwemer! A race of people who, despite their many accomplishments, were known for being petty, greedy, inconsiderate of others, and, oh yeah, almost destroyed the world to obtain godhood!" She scowled behind her at the heart chamber. "All of this was their fault in fact. They messed with that Heart!

"If ponies are like the Dwemer..."

"NO..."

Twilight fell silent and turned back to Azura," what?"

"You and your kind are not the Dwemer."

"But you said..."

"The Dwemer may be your origin, you may even call them your genesis, but the Dwemer as a people are gone." Azura gave them all a gentle smile that somehow eased their stress. "You retain none of their memories or their culture, you are your own people. The Dwemer are in the past and they will never rise again, through you or otherwise."

Azura's words made them realize that she was right.

What did it matter if they originally came from the Dwemer? They were who they are now, and through their own actions. They weren't like the Dwemer and no one said they had to be.

"How do my sister and I come into this?" asked Luna. "You said you created me and Celestia, I want to know why."

Azura looked to her daughter with what appeared to be pride. "Because this new world of equines needed you in order to survive. As you may have guessed from what I have told you, the Dwemer created the sun and moon of your world similar to Mundus, but when they couldn't maintain their Divine power, they lost the ability to move them without great cost."

Luna tilted her head. "According to you, Equestria was created by the Dwemer, a race that was, without a doubt, you and your kind's mortal enemies. Why would you care what became of the world they created?"

"As I have told you, your kind are not the Dwemer, and it was just as true when you first came into being," explained Azura. "After the Dwemer destroyed themselves, like I always knew they would, I watched the world they created through the hole they fled through for a while, curious to see how they would develop and grow.
During that time, I realized that without someone who could move the sun and moon indefinitely, the chance of the people of this world surviving was grim. I had to act fast, the hole in the ether I could see through was closing like a healing wound, and when that happen Nirn would be seperated from this world forever."

Luna gasped in shock, as well as the others.

"You...sent the princesses because you knew Equestria wouldn't survive without them?" asked Fluttershy.

"That's... that's actually pretty considerate," commented Pinkie. "To send your own daughters to another world so that they could save it."

Luna approached Azura again and looked up at her when she was level with her chest.

"Is this true?" she asked. "Did you create Celestia and myself solely because Equestria needed us?"

"You make it sound like you thought I created you for something nefarious," said Azura simply. "Your world needed one more component to thrive, so I provided it."

It was strangely comforting.

Even though she and her sister were 'created' to perform a specific purpose, the fact that it was done out of benevolence put her mind at ease. And now that the initial shock had worn off, Luna felt less burdened with the mystery of her and Celestia's origins solved. Though what was she going to tell her sister?

"Mother?" asked Luna, the other Equestrians gasping, and Azura's expression softening. "Who is our father?"

"Interesting question," said Azura. "Search your feelings, my child. You received something from your father that Celestia regretfully didn't."

Luna was at a loss, but Twilight gasped in realization.

"Vaermina the Dreamweaver!" she said in surprise. "The Daedric Prince of Dreams and Nightmares."

28 Might as well jump Go ahead an' jump

Author's Notes:

This chapter is for those who play Morrowind and just can't help but cheat when it comes to long distance travel

For you, our thanks and blessings; our gift and token given. Come; take this thing from the hand of god." Azura, now returned to her Dunmer form, garbed in an elegant blue gown, stretched out her closed fist to Sarian's open palm, depositing a glistening ring into her hand.

Sarian lifted her left hand, adorned with the Moon-and-Star ring, and compared the two bands. 'One ring a testament to me being the Nerevarine, the other a symbol of my Divine quest's conclusion.' She had been preparing to confront Dagoth Ur since her fated (if forceful) arrival in the besieged land. Now that she had laid her relentless foe low, Sarian was overwhelmed by multiple sensations: relief at finally being relieved of the burden of having the entire world's fate on her shoulders, gratitude that the people of Morrowind no longer had to suffer under the tyranny that was the Sixth House, but most of all, she felt a sense of loss.

Dagoth Ur's demise had been her goal for so long, now that that endeavor, as tedious as it had been, was concluded, she didn't know what to do next.

"Excuse me, Miss Azura?" Rarity's chiming voice brought Sarian out of her musings as the light grey pony approached the hovering Daedric Prince. The little equine appeared to be dredging up all her confidence just to speak to Azura. "I am sure you are a very busy wom... er... Daedra and have other obligations, but before you go, may I ask you something?"

It came to a great surprise to Rarity that Azura didn't appear to be vexed, she just continued to stare with an almost motherly smile. "Through the gallant efforts of you and your friends, you have at least earned that much."

Rarity smiled with gratitude. "I simply must know what your dress is made from. If I can duplicate it, I would be the envy of the entire Equestrian fashion market once I get my career going again."

Hearing Azura laughing for the first time since her appearance was a unique experience. It sounded like a laugh, but carried such melodic sounds it could lull even the most savage of beasts into a tranquil stillness.

"That may prove to be quite problematic for you, little mortal," said the divine being, "I weaved this garment from the sky itself."

Before Rarity could inquire further on how a dress could be made from something so incorporeal, Azura suddenly vanished, leaving not a trace of her presence.

"Oh. Well, that's disappointing," said Rarity.

But now that her flare for fashion no longer had a lifeline to hold her up, Rarity sunk back into the heavy shroud of emotional pain that had settled over her and her friends since they learned what they had.

Sarian pushed aside her inner thoughts on what she would do now that her quest was at an end, slipping Azura's ring on, and brought her attention to her Equestrian allies. A sullen atmosphere had settled over the group as they sat in close proximity to each other, occasionally nuzzling. No words were spoken, and Sarian could not blame them.

Nor could she contemplate what they were going through.

If anything could amount to an existential crisis, it was learning that the very world you call home was 'crafted' by malicious beings bent on ruling the world they created with tyranny and cruelty, not to mention the fact that if not for the tiny miscalculation on Kagrenac's part, ponykind as a whole would never have come to be. To learn that your origin was born from malice, especially for creatures who value peace, love, and friendship above all else, was probably almost too much to bear. Especially for Princess Luna, who had received the most shocking and burdening facts of all.

The people of Nirn always knew it was the Aedra that crafted Nirn, but from what Sarian understood, ponies had never known what had brought their world into existence, and to have it all dumped on to you in one sitting could only be overwhelming. It was harrowing for Sarian to see her friends, who were usually so chipper and outgoing, reduced to sullen wrecks.

But she knew she could not do anything but wait for them to assimilate what they had learned and accept it. Azura had assured them that their origin didn't affect who they are, and Sarian believed that. She also believed her friends were strong enough to come to terms with even something as staggering as this.

She took a seat on the floor before them, sitting on her legs as the ponies and their baby dragon cohort continued to nuzzle and cuddle with each other, pulling strength from their bond in the hopes that everything would become clear again.

Surprisingly, yet unsurprisingly, it was Princess Luna who was able to come to her senses first. With one last shake of her head to clear her muddled thoughts, she stood up to her full regal height and faced her companions.

"Alright everypony, it's time we resume our journey," she said, but in a gentle, reassuring tone.

The rest of them seemed to come up from their stupor, but only enough to regard their Princess with varying reactions.

"Princess... how can we continue?" asked Fluttershy in a voice more demure than usual (and that is saying something).

"Yeah," said Pinkie, her usually grinning features overcome with a disgruntled scowl. "We just learned that our whole world was made by a bunch of egotistical meanie pants, and not only that, but we are the descendants of those meanies!"

"Who even does what they did?" asked Rainbow. "I admit that I sometimes have a problem reeling in my ego, but what these Dwemer guys did really crossed the line."

"Not to mention all the suffering that they caused before they decided to create our world," said Applejack, remembering how warped the Dwemer became before their legendary disappearance.

"I know it's a lot to bear, I now find myself with a burden I could never have imagined, and quite frankly, if I'm being honest, could have gone without," began Luna sympathetically. "But what my... mother... says is the truth. It matters not where we came from, we are who we are because of the choices we've made throughout our lives."

Though the burden wasn't his to bear, not being a pony, Spike had been affected by what he had learned as well. "But the Dwemer created our world, and they technically created it so they could play with it like a toy." He clenched his claws and scowled at the ground. "And creatures like me were created to act out a specific job. How do we get over that?"

"By remembering that we have shaped our own path, regardless of what the intentions of those before us were," said Luna. "The Dwemer ultimately failed in their nefarious plot to create a world that they could hold under their boot. Our world is just that, ours."

The ponies and dragon exchanged a look.

"We hear you, Princess, but... we still don't know..." stammered Rarity.

But Luna did.

It may be considered taking a shortcut, but now was not the time to leave them to 'fend for themselves'. Channeling her unique alicorn magic, a flare of blue light filled the chamber, and when it passed the ponies and Spike could only stare in confusion. Their coats, which had become dull in their distressed state, were now as prismatic as ever, and their eyes had regained their shine.

They were still encumbered by what they had learned from Azura, but now it was much easier to accept it. Not that that was a bad thing, but how had it happened?

"What... what was that?" asked Pinkie, her mane back to its normal flamboyant poofiness.

"I have relieved your woes," said Luna, continuing when she was met with confusion. "It is my duty as Princess of the Night to relieve the strain nightmares have on a pony's mind, doing so in the waking world is within my capabilities as well." She turned to face the door. "Now, come. Our subject, Fleur, needs that medicine post haste."

That's right.

They were here to retrieve medicine that will treat poor Fleur's condition. They were her only hope, and they couldn't do anything more from here. Existential revelation or not, an innocent pony was depending on them.

And Luna's soothing spell helped them regain focus.

"Right," declared Rainbow, taking wing and punching one hoof into the other. "Destroy the bad guy, learning the reason you exist after-break over. Time for us to get on the move."

"Yeah, let's get this cattle drive back on track," said Applejack, whipping her trademark Stetson back onto her head with a look of determination.

Everyone got ready to move forward, Sarian joining them, for she had her reasons to leave this place too. But before they could leave she noticed something.

"Wait," said Sarian, the others looking to her as she glanced behind them, "I think we have forgotten something, or someone, to be more accurate."

The followed her line of vision, and were shocked to find Twilight hadn't moved from her spot. She just sat there, her face a blank mask, as if her mind were million miles away. It was concerning.

One pony reached her before the others.

"Twilight?" asked Pinkie worriedly as she popped up next to her studious friend. "Twilight, are you okay?"

Twilight didn't respond, she just stared ahead, not even registering Pinkie in front of her.

Pinkie's frown deepened as her worry grew. Extending her right hoof, she brought her left hoof up to her muzzle and violently blew into it. Once by one, four little, stubby fingers popped out from her hoof.

SNAP SNAP SNAP!

"Nirn to Twilight!" said Pinkie, snapping her new digits in her friend's face.

Twilight gasped as if coming up for air after a long dive, blinking profoundly as a relieved Pinkie put her hoof back to the ground (now devoid of digits.) "Huh, what happened?"

"You alright there, sugarcube?" asked Applejack worriedly. "You kinda zoned out on us there."

"Oh..." Twilight blushed deeply. "Sorry, I was kinda lost in thought."

"No sweat, egghead," said Rainbow Dash. "We all know how you get when it comes to learning."

"I can attest to that," said Spike, "I lost count on how many times I had to re-sort the library after one of her study binges, both in Canterlot and in Ponyville."

"If we have 'all' regained our bearings, it's really time for us to get moving," said Luna rather impatiently, forcing the door open and ushering them out.

"Oh, right," said Twilight, her and all the others following in the Princess's wake. "Sorry... it was just... too much to take all at once."

"No need to apologise, darling," said Rarity reassuringly over her shoulder as Twilight brought up the rear. "It was a lot for all of us."

"Yeah, not only did we learn that our Princesses are the daughters of an all powerful god-like entity from another realm, but our realm itself was crafted by a bunch of megalomaniacs, who in the end destroyed themselves," said Pinkie in her hyperactive, rushed voice. "Not to mention that the first ponies to ever walk Equis were once those same megalomaniacs."

"Yeah, I definitely didn't see that coming," said Applejack.

"I was... surprised at how gentle Azura was to us," said Fluttershy. "After everything I heard about the Daedra, and experiencing how cold and apathetic Hermaeus Mora can be, I didn't think they were capable of compassion in any sense."

"She does have the reputation for being the most reasonable of the Daedra," stated Spike, remembering all he had read about Azura while in Apocrypha.

Twilight smiled as that absorbing conversation she found herself participating in as the party continued through the ancient facilities of Dagoth Ur. Without all the mutation and resurrected minions, it was eerily quiet. Especially when considering they now knew they were traipsing through the halls of their predecessors.

"It's not just that," said Twilight, taking an opportunity to get what was bothering her off her chest as well. "Things that I have been wondering about since Hermaeus Mora took me under his wing... er... tendril, make so much more sense now."

"Oh?" said Rarity, looking at Twilight expectantly, as were the others. "What had you stumped before?"

"Well, the ether for starters," explained Twilight. "I never understood how a being as powerful as Hermaeus Mora had to expend so much time, energy, and effort to reach our plane, when he and his kind jump back and forth between the other Planes of Oblivion at will, and completely effortlessly. Now it all makes sense, the ether was erected to specifically keep the Daedra out."

The others could only agree.

"It ultimately failed in the end," said Applejack. "Old Mister Tentacles found a way in eventually."

"Well it comes as no surprise, really," said Twilight, "like I said before, the Daedra are the most powerful beings in existence; even more powerful than Discord."

"Hey, that raises another question," said Rarity, "if the Dwemer created everything in our world for a specific purpose, what were they thinking creating that abomination?"

"Hey, that's a good question," agreed Rainbow Dash. "The only thing that guy was good for was being a colossal pain in the flank."

They... actually could not come up with a logical reason why a creature like Discord was brought into existence. But it was Discord. Origin of the Universe (at least theirs) explained or not, trying to explain anything involving Discord was like trying to mix oil and water.

It can't be done.

Though they did find amusement in coming up with outlandish theories on how the draconequus came to be during the trek to the surface, ranging from him being a botched experiment of Kagrenac, being the psychotic scientist he was, to his existence being a complete and total accident in general. Discord had several laughs at their expense, it was only fair they had a couple at his. They were amusing themselves with the notion that if Discord was created intentionally by Kagrenac for some reason or another, he would serve a better purpose as a bookend for the long gone dwarves' expansive library nowadays, when they finally reached the entrance to this subterranean terror and exited into daylight.

All was clear.

Were there had once been violent, blood red clouds and whipping winds strong enough to rend flesh off your bones, there was a clear blue sky. Even in a barren landscape like the Red Mountain region, such a sight had a tranquil effect on the weary travelers, for it was a testament that the Blight was gone. As well as the malicious entity that had conjured it.

Luna looked up at the sky, more specifically to the sun, and felt an unfamiliar sensation in her chest. Not only was the mystery of her parentage finally concluded, she never imagined it would connect to a being that commands the heavens of another world. It was reassuring in a way. She now longer felt so different from other members of her kind.

Yes, she was technically different, her sister too, but having it solidly confirmed brought a sense of closure, for she was different for a very good reason. After all, if anything would set you apart from your peers, being the child of a god definitely qualifies.

But she once again reminded herself that there was a more pressing matter.

And one other thing needed to be done first.

Nodding her head in dedication for what must be done, though it pained her greatly, Princess Luna turned to her Dark Elf companion... no... friend. "Sarian?"

Sarian, who had been admiring the daytime sky herself, turned to the Princess of the Night. "Yes, your Majesty?"

"No, none of that," said Princess Luna humbly, bowing her head in respect so far that her nose touched the volcanic soil beneath her hooves. "As far as I am concerned, you and I are equals. I can not thank you enough for assisting in our kingdom's... neigh... our world's plight.

"Without your aid, Equestria would have fallen to Dagoth Ur's mad subjugation. You have my eternal gratitude. Equestria's eternal gratitude."

Twilight and her friends all voiced their agreement, they would not have vanquished Dagoth Ur without her help.

Sarian felt honored by their praise. Yes, since she had retrieved the Moon-and-Star ring, she had received similar praise from just about anyone she came across, but this was different. The people of these lands had been taught pretty much since birth to respect and revere the Nerevarine Prophecies. These ponies showed her a respect that wasn't born from expectations of a centuries old prophecy, they appreciated her involvement in their quest.

"You all show too much respect," said Sarian with a respectful bow, albeit a short one to not undermine Luna's respect for her. "You had just as much reason to destroy Dagoth Ur as I did, it would have been foolish to not combine forces against such an adversary."

"Oh, most definitely, Dagoth Ur was definitely a bad guy we couldn't face on our own," said Pinkie goofily, slightly alleviating some of the seriousness of the conversation. "I have never met anyone who could stomach my cinnamon strawberry swirl cupcakes and not hurl, myself included."

That got a few raised eyebrows.

But Luna just rolled her eyes and bowed to Sarian again. "We thank you for your assistance Sarian... Nerevarine... we shall always remember how much you helped us in our hour of need."

Sarian was humbled by her words, even for the title that she never asked for, but could feel a deeper meaning as she spoke. "It seems to me that you believe that our time together has come to a close, your maj... Luna."

Luna turned her head away with a sad nod. "Our joint forces have been successful, our mutual foe laid low. I believe this is were our journeys diverge."

"Awww," said Pinkie with a sad pout. "But I never got a chance to throw a 'We Killed A God Together' party!"

It was strange to have heard that come from the party planner, and it left Twi and the others speechless.

"We knew that this was going to happen, Pinkie," said Twilight, also sad, but also understood that their and Sarian's paths went in separate directions from this point on.

"You really believe that it's time for us to part ways?" repeated Sarian.

"It's unfortunate but it's true," said Rainbow, flapping up to be level with Sarian. "Believe me, I would like nothing more than to hang out with a hardcore woman like you, maybe even have a little friendly competition, but we have other obligations in Equestria that can't be put off."

And the Equestrians were also regretful deep down. Once they parted ways, Sarian would fall under the influence of the Gray Cowl of Nocturnal, and forget them forever. They hadn't known her for long, but it was like saying goodbye to a long time friend forever.

Sarian frowned at them.

It seemed that they all believed they had indeed come to the crossroads where they would part, judging from their saddened looks, Fluttershy and Rarity even shed tears, but Sarian knew there was one thing that could keep them together at least for a little bit longer. She was loath to admit it, but she had grown strangely attached to this group of misfits in a way she had never thought possible. What was it she heard Twilight say to Dagoth Ur... the magic of friendship?

Besides, there was one last thing she could do for them.

"I understand that your ultimate goal is to find a cure for Corprus, correct?" They all nodded in confirmation. "I believe I can help you."

They all gasped in shock.

"What?" asked a flabbergasted Spike.

"How?" asked Twilight.

Sarian smiled as she answered. "I too had to seek out the remedy you are here for. I too came down with Corprus."

"Oh yeah, that's right," said Twilight, innerly berating herself for forgetting that little details. "You have met Divayth Fyr?"

"Regretfully," said Sarian in slight disgust, remembering the ancient Dunmer. "And I believe I can get you to him fast, faster than you would be capable of on foot."

The Equestrian party exchanged looks.

"How could you do that?" Asked Rarity.

"Do you have a Mark spell placed at Tel Fyr?" asked Twilight hopefully.

"Unfortunately, nothing that convenient," answered Sarian regretfully, "but I believe I can do the next best thing."

The prospect of not having to trek for so long was an alluring proposal, but Luna, being of sound thoughts, had an objection.

"Sarian," she began, standing on her hind legs to place a hoof on her friend's shoulder. "It is appreciated, but you are under no obligation to aid us now. This is our task, and our task alone, you don't need to help."

"Don't I?" replied Sarian. "I would not have succeeded in my quest without you, it would be only right for me to assist yours."

"But if you do that, who will stop Almalex..." Rainbow was silenced by lavender magic and dragged to Twilight.

"That hasn't happened yet, remember?" she hissed in her athletic friend's ear.

"You really don't need to, darling," protested Rarity to the Dark Elf woman. "Surely there are other tasks that require your utmost attention."

"My quest is at an end," stated Sarian, "I see no reason not to donate a little of my time to your cause."

They all looked to each other.

They were reluctant to accept Sarian's help because they knew this was not the end of her adventure; more trials were to come over the course of her life, and diverting from it might result in a change to the future. But they all could see what direction Sarian was coming from.

As far as she was concerned, she had fulfilled her role in the prophecy, and saw no reason not to assist them, friends she had fought along with through harsh trials. It was only logical she would want to help them, they would do the same. If they keep denying her offer to aid them she would no doubt become suspicious.

Divert her journey by a couple of days, or less, judging by what Sarian was offering, or tell her about all she had yet to accomplish in order to justify why they were reluctant to accept much needed help.

Very well...

They may have decided not to dwell on what Nirn would send their way, but they were far from stupid enough to risk causing a time paradox.

"I... don't know what to say, Sarian..." said Luna with genuine gratitude. It was not lost on her or any of them how beneficial a speedy way to their destination would be.

Sarian only smiled as she looked to the Infinite Dimension pouch tucked under Luna's wing. "That carrying device, it can store things well past its own size, correct?" Luna nodded. "How about yourselves? Can you yourself enter it?"

They all shared a look again.

"That is well within its capabilities," said Luna, much to her company's shock. "If I teleport us inside, we would be safely secure within its depths, but why do you ask?"

Sarian smiled, "If you all were inside, I could carry you to Tel Fyr."

Now confusion really took the group.

"And how is that any different than us just walking ourselves?" ssked Spike.

Sarian gave the small reptile a mischievous look. "Over the course of my journey, I found myself traveling to isolated locations across Morrowind that Silt Striders and boats don't go anywhere near. I knew the Blight would continue to claim lives the longer my journey dragged on, so I had some of my connections at the Mages Guild come up with something that would hopefully speed up my progress."

---

The inside of the Infinite Dimension pouch was an experience in itself.

They, and all the equipment they had brought along, floated in an endless expanse of what could best be described as fog that luminesced like Aurora Borealis. It was a tranquil, beautiful sight, one that anyone would find extravagant to behold. If it weren't for the fact that the Equestrian audience had other things on their minds.

"WHOA!!!"

Seven ponies and Spike bounced around inside Luna's powerful force field she had erected around them as they were flung around the small dimension, rations and other supplies bouncing off the protective spell's round surface.

"LOOK OUT, INCOMING SUITS OF ARMOR!" shouted Applejack.

They all turned, and sure enough, all seven suits of their armor were on a collision course with their barrier. With one last collective gasp, they all braced themselves as best they could, suspended in a protective bubble. All the hard coverings impacted the shield, propelling it in the opposite direction.

"THIS IS INTOLERABLE!" shouted Rarity, her hair haggard because Fluttershy had just passed through it.

"You're... telling... me..." said Rainbow as she twirled through the air like an airborne spinning top.

The shield passed through a field of Pinkie Pie's comfort food.

"Ooh, funnel cake!" said Pinkie, her hoof passing 'through' Luna's force field, grabbing the twisting, powdered sugar treat and shoving it into her mouth.

Applejack arched her eyebrow at her fellow earth pony. Not only was it unethical to eat something while going through what they're going through, she didn't recall funnel cake in Pinkie's stack when they were arguing over what food to bring. But she stopped thinking about that when something knocked the hat from her head.

"Hey, give me back my hat!" she protested.

"I don't want it," said Spike, his stubby legs and tail sticking out from the hat's head hole.

Another jolt changed the direction of the hat, sending it into Applejack's hooves as she tried to pursue her favorite article.

"You okay there, partner?" asked Applejack as she pulled Spike from her hat.

"Peachy!" he replied, before his cheeks puffed up and turned slightly green. It was a good thing Applejack pulled him from her hat when she did.

"What in Equestria is Sarian doing?" asked Twilight as she sailed past.

Spike looked at what he held in one claw.

Infinite Dimension or not, it was still a pouch, and therefore, had an opening that led in and out of its insides. When Luna had teleported them inside, she tasked Spike, being the only one of them with gripping digits, with holding onto it so they wouldn't have to search this place for it when it was time for them to get out. And with what they were going through, that time could not come sooner

Holding the little fabric slit in space in his claws, Spike peeled it open, revealing a little hole to the outside world, and stuck his slitted eye up to it.

---

Sarian looked down as the little pouch in her hand opened to reveal a green eye and smiled. Clouds sailed overhead, and when Spike looked down, he realized they were so high up that he could not see the ground. Great stony mountain tops sailed by beneath them as Sarian's feet struck open air.

Suddenly a great descent came over them, and Spike watched as the ground approached beneath them, coming up fast. Spike wanted to tear his eye away, knowing what would happen if Sarian struck the ground at this speed, but he just could not look away. At the last second, purple ripples appeared beneath Sarian's feet, and she gently drifted the last few feet to the ground as if she weighed nothing.

A shower of blue, twinkling stars suddenly cascaded down Sarian's body, and Spike looked up in time to see Sarian take a running start. She jumped after a few feet, but rather than a normal jump, they left the ground and kept climbing until it was once again obscured by clouds, and suddenly they were in the sky again. This explained the violent shifting they were experiencing from inside.

Sarian was somehow leaping across all of Vvardenfell.

---

Spike pulled away from the opening of the pouch and gingerly closed it, his posture stiff, his eyes wide. He looked up at the others, who were looking at him expectantly.

"Ever heard the phrase leap of faith?" was the first thing he said to them.

Before they could inquire further, another jolt sent them careening into Rarity's inflatable tent, which inflated on impact, the rush of air blowing them in the direction of Applejack's jug's of modified sujamma.

---

A boat dock that seemed to have been made from the roots of a great tree...

A wiggling, root-like bridge connecting two small islands...

The island with the dock dominating its part of the bridge with a grand wooden archway...

The other island housed a great spiraling tower...

But it was hewn not from brick, stone or rock...

The structures that made up the tower appeared as some form of mushroom...

Tel Fyr was one of the few settlements in Vvardenfell that was constructed with this architecture. It was the Great Dunmer House Telvanni that used this method of constructing their place of residence, only few others knew how to harness and manipulate the great towering fungi only found in Morrowind in such a manner. And it was here that Divayth Fyr had his base of operations for his extravagant research.

Sarian dropped from the slightly reddening sky as evening approached, landing on the root bridge between the islands with practiced precision. Having moved from place to place using this Far Jump spell for several months, she had become quite fluent in how to make a safe landing, Slowfall or not. It never ceased to amaze her how much more tolerable a journey could be if you have some form of advantage over the distance between you and your destination.

Stretching out her arms and back to relieve the strain of constant leaping, landing, reapplying the spell, and leaping again for hours on end, Sarian turned and looked up at the extravagant height of Tel Fyr.

"Hasn't changed at all," she said as she took in the fungus building that housed the most accomplished Dunmer wizard to ever live. Bringing up the Infinite Dimension pouch, Sarian spoke softly into its open mouth, "We have arrived."

---

Inside the Infinite Dimension pouch, the living occupants should be thrilled at the prospect of reaching their original goal at last, but the only response was for multiple eyes to be spinning in their sockets and a weak, "Oh wonderful, now the world can stop spinning," from Rarity as she lay at the bottom of a pile which consisted of her friends within Luna's barrier.

---

Sarian took that as the best response she could expect at the moment. She had explained to them the implications of what using her ideal method of travel could result in this, but they had agreed it was worth it if they could finally get their hooves on the medicine that they had come here for. Besides, they would recover, it was only motion sickness.

Seeing no point to be standing around here, Sarian walked up to the other end of the bridge and entered the rounded doors into The Onyx Hall of Tel Fyr.

---

Inside were round tunnels that acted as hallways to different parts of the building, and across the entrance Sarian spotted a Dunmer woman standing in a small den.

"You are a fool to walk around like that," said the woman in disgust when she noticed Sarian and her practical nudity.

"Nice to see you too, Beyte," replied Sarian, seemingly indifferent to the fact that she was practically without any form of attire. "Is Divayth around? I must speak to him."

"He's in the tower, as usual," said Beyte with annoyance and impatience, as she went over to a nearby bookshelf and began cataloguing its contents.

Unaffected by the brash greeting, Sarian made her way down the corridor in the direction she remembered that the tower was to be located. After formulating this plan, Luna had asked Sarian if she would retrieve the potion for them. In light of recent events, she and her cohorts could attract much unwanted and definitely unneeded attention.

Sarian was not only a Dunmer, and therefore, a local, but she had met Divayth before, so it wouldn't arouse too much suspicion.

The only thing eventful that occurred on Sarian's trek was how winding it was to have to climb slanted ground at an upward angle, but that was no different than last time.

The Hall of Fyr had not changed in the slightest either. A long hall leading to multiple rooms... and a great, vertical tunnel in the ceiling, leading up up up into the higher rooms of Tel Fyr. Sarian rolled her eyes.

Power wizards like Divayth like to levitate to higher places, so they opted for these ridiculous tunnels in the ceiling when they built their compounds. It had been such a headache the first time around where Sarian had to go all the way back to the nearest potion shop for a Rising Force Potion.

"If anything, that experience left me prepared." Extending her hands, Sarian cast a levitation spell on herself, and soon she was rising through the tunnel and found herself on even ground above.

"Divayth Fyr," said Sarian to a figure standing in an extravagant room at the end of a long corridor connected to several others. "Just as I left you, I see."

A tall figure sporting a full set of Daedric Armor turned from a gigantic nine foot, opalescent, clump of Rose Quartz, and watched as Sarian entered his study. He was a Dunmer, just like her, but his ashen grey face carried a number of years that were insurmountable by most standards, his crimson eyes virtual windows to the well of knowledge no doubt contained within his mind. His face was stoicism personified, as if emotion had become unnecessary to this person long ago.

"Hello, Nerevarine Sarian," he said, his voice heavy, carrying a type of wisdom only someone of great age is capable of. "How are you doing? Bit of bad news, I'm afraid. The potion doesn't seem to work on others. Tried it on two hopeless cases. Killed them outright. Deader than a garlic snail. But is there anything I can help you with?"

Sarian processed this, though she had already heard from Twilight that they knew that the potion had lethal effects on most, but believed they could make it work for them with the resources from their world. They need this potion.

"I am doing fine Divayth," said Sarian, trying to strike up conversation before making her request. Divayth wasn't the type to offer service without compensation, last time she had been given a rare Dwemer artifact by Vivec to get on his good side. She lacked anything of the sort now, but maybe she could figure something out if she talked to him for a while.

"And I would like to extend my thanks for your assistance with my Corprus. Without the potion you developed, I would not have been able to triumph over Dagoth Ur."

"I see, so at last the false God has fallen," said Divayth.

Sarian didn't like the gleam in his eyes as he began to circle her, like a predator stalking prey. Every nerve in her body was telling her something wasn't as it seems. She couldn't tell if it was good or bad, but Divayth was acting like he knew something she didn't.

"All for the best, I'm sure," he said as he rounded her front side again slowly. "I have more than enough subjects in my Corprusarium to study the Divine Disease to continue my research for quite some time, and I can rest easy to know that no more patients will interrupt my work by knocking on my door." He rounded Sarian's front again, and this time, he stopped and looked into her eyes.

"But what I can't figure out is why you would return for another dose of the potion, when you have been cured of the disease already."

Sarian could almost hear collective gasps coming from somewhere around her waist.

"My reasons for needing more of the potion are my own," said Sarian, trying to hide her unease, but she really shouldn't be surprised. Divayth was a wizard without rival in this world, it should be no stretch that he would discern what she was here for. "And since you already know why I am here, we can come to some sort of arrangement. The sooner we do, the sooner I will leave you to your studies."

"Indeed," replied Divayth with that same glint in his eyes. "However..."

For the first time since she lost her armor, Sarian felt self-conscious about her partial nudity when Divayth knelt down to one knee near her navel. It would have been conceived as lewd, but Sarian somehow knew he was focused on the pouch at her waist. "Of course it would help if those that actually seek my potion would come out and talk face to face."

---

Twilight and her friends let out yet another gasp within the depths of the Infinite Dimension pouch, Spike dropping the detached entrance to the pouch.

"Oh my gosh!" said Applejack, trembling. "He... he knows..."

"Calm down girls," said Twilight reassuringly, "he most likely just thinks Sarian has been sent by someone else in Morrowind. With all the victims of Corprus, several of them would no doubt seek even the barest chance at a cure."

"Do not take me for a fool, Twilight Sparkle," said a masculine voice from the pouch entrance at their hooves, the undeniable sound of Twilight's actual name echoing through their ears.

Fear began to envelop them, even Princess Luna. They all knew this guy's reputation and how powerful he was, and now that he was aware of their presence, who knows what he had in mind for them.

"Don't be shy, only one of you is known for such behavior," said Divayth's voice. "And you have no need to be afraid. Come on out of that fascinating carrying device, let us talk like civilized beings."

A panicked stillness settled over the group. They had already revealed themselves too much, first to Sarian, then to Dagoth Ur. One was dead, the other would forget, but how had Divayth known Twilight's name?

"Twilight... What do we do?" asked Fluttershy, looking as if she wanted nothing more than to just disappear on the spot right then and there and not have to deal with this.

Twilight herself was at a loss. Even at this point in the deep past, she knew Divayth was several times older than even Celestia. She had read of his power, and knew they would be next to powerless to stop him from doing whatever he pleased in regards to them.

With no recourse, Twilight did the one thing left she could think of, she turned to Princess Luna.

Luna knew what to do."We had best do as he says."

"What?" gasped Applejack.

"But Princess..." Luna silenced Rarity's rebuttal with a raised hoof.

"If Divayth wanted to do something nefarious to us, he could have simply grabbed the Infinite Dimension pouch from Sarian and teleported away before she could stop him," said Luna, though you could tell by her tone she was hoping that was correct. "He has politely welcomed us to greet him, and this is his house, that we are technically trespassing into.

"If we even have a chance of gaining his assistance, we had best, at the very least, show him some humble behavior."

---

Sarian could only watch as Twilight and the others materialized in a flash of blue light.

"I am sorry, my friends," she said regretfully, "I was unable to shield your presence from him."

"It isn't your fault, Sarian," said Luna reassuringly.

"Magnificent, simply magnificent!"

Even as he regarded them with undeniable intrigue, there was little emotion to Divayth's reaction as he scrutinized the Equestrians that suddenly appeared before him. The look in his eyes gave them an uneasy feeling, and Twilight recognized that look on herself whenever the Princesses assigned her to a new subject to study for the first time, back when she was a filly. It was unnerving to be examined by someone as though you are a subject on a slide under a microscope.

"Most intriguing," said Divayth deeply, suddenly teaching out and stroking the flapping wing of the always airborne Rainbow Dash.

"HEY, PAWS OFF BUDDY!" shouted Rainbow, flapping out of his reach.

Divayth actually blinked at her outburst, but that was the extent of his reaction. "My apologies madam, I am finding it hard to remember that you are indeed sentient."

"Hey, what is that supposed to mean?" reprimanded Pinkie.

Rather then reply, Divayth turned to Sarian once more. "If you will forgive me, Nerevarine Sarian, I would like a private word with my unique guests."

Sarian didn't like the look in his eyes either. "With all due respect, Divayth, I would rather not leave their side."

"Your loyalty and concern for your comrades is commendable," replied Divayth, bringing up his hand and pinching his thumb and middle finger. "However, it wasn't a request."

A snap of his fingers, and Sarian vanished in a flash of blue light.

"SARIAN!" the others screamed as their friend disappeared.

"YOU MONSTER!" shouted Rarity, all of them rounding on the Daedric clad Dark Elf before them.

"What have you done to her?" demanded Luna.

Divayth responded as if he was a school teacher being asked a humble question by a beloved student. "Fret not, I have not harmed her. A simple time displacement spell that slightly altered her existence in the flow of time."

"Bring her back this instant!" demanded Twilight while the others looked slightly stumped at Divayth's description.

"She will return in due time," said Divayth casually, taking a seat at a table that sat before the large clump of crystal. "But only after we have concluded our business."

"You will return our friend, or there will be no business to be had," said Applejack abruptly.

Divayth didn't appear convinced.

"I find it hard to believe that you would jeopardize all you have gone through now, especially considering that I have in no way harmed the Nerevarine, at least physically," he said, the barest hint of a smile on the left side of his mouth. "And besides, isn't it for the best? If she had stayed, she would have discovered that as soon as you part ways with her, the Nerevarine will lose memory regarding her friends."

Twilight and the others looked at each other guiltily.

"Surely you do not wish for the little time you have left together to be burdened by her resentment at being deceived in such by those she has come to call her allies."

It left them with a bad taste in their mouths, but they knew Divayth was right, it was for Sarian's own good that she was not aware of the fact that they were shrouded in the magic of the Gray Cowl of Nocturnal.

And on that note, the subject of the matter needed to be brought up, and it was best Sarian not be in the room during the discussion, they all agreed on that silently.

Luna approached the seated Divayth, holding up the foreleg adorned with her band. "How did you even know we were here?"

"You mean, why was I not affected by Nocturnal's most coveted artifact?" Luna could only nod in confirmation bitterly. "I have lived a long time, Princess Luna, and I have devoted that time to the study of many subjects, the Daedric Princes included."

He shot a brief glance at Luna's wrist band, and for a split second, a look of admiration, but at the same time triumph, crossed his features. "And as extraordinary as the feats of the Daedra are, even they have weak points in even their most powerful of magic. I have learned to exploit these weak points long ago."

"Don't let Azura hear you say that," said Pinkie momentarily forgetting the heavy situation, "She already took your gold skin, who knows what else she would do."

"Ah, you refer to the Chimer's punishment," said Divayth off handedly, "Didn't care much about it when it happened. It didn't affect my research any."

"That doesn't explain how you know mine and Princess Luna's names," said Twilight, trying to steer them back on track. "Even if you somehow know how to counter the power of the Daedra; and given your reputation with magic, that is no surprise, but how did you know my and Luna's names?

"Applejack." Applejack almost dropped her hat when Divayth pointed to her.

"Spike." Spike hid under Twilight when his name was called.

"Rarity, and I must say, your name suits you to a T." Rarity didn't know whether to be flattered at the praise, or terrified that he knew her name too.

"Rainbow Dash, and I once again apologize for laying my hands on you without your consent." Rainbow was too freaked out to even be aware of his apology.

"And Pinkie Pie, and I must say, you have piqued my curiosity in a way that hasn't happened in several millennia."

"Aw shucks, I bet you say that to all the fillies," said Pinkie with a blush.

The others' reactions were a lot less subtle.

"How do you know this?" gasped Luna, the others mirroring (except Pinkie, who was still blushing behind her mane) her shock at this person who they had just met called them all by name perfectly.

"Well, to be frank, you lot haven't exactly been discreet," said Divayth calmly. "Leaving your plane of existence in search of medicine for a disease that your realm has no experience with, regardless of the fact that you are risking everything dear to you in the process for the sake of a single individual, and along the lines, you discover that the most powerful force of evil this world has ever known has now set its sights on your world, and without hesitation, you team up with the only one who can vanquish this evil, these aren't exactly small feats you have accomplished. But if you're wondering how I know so much about you individually..."

The flabbergasted Equestrians could only watch as Divayth lifted his hand at the giant Rose Quartz and suddenly a ball of blue light shot from his hand.

They gasped as arcs of blue electricity danced over the crystal, its light purple surface becoming pitch black. Other colors began to blossom over the surface of the crystal, and before long a cornucopia of color almost unbearable to witness was flowing across the smooth surface. Then, almost instantly, it all solidified and became clear, several images refracting in the facets of the dark crystal.

The ponies and Spike became unable to resist walking up to the tall crystal growth and stood not a foot before it, Divayth watching them with intrigue.

"Rare bear is right, how can I be the Element of Laughter if I ignore everyone who needs a laugh? Whoever is in there is definitely not happy now."

"Tell me. How would you like to fly?"

"And if that is the case, so be it. Let them come. But we will not stand idly by and just let the horrors of Nirn run rampant in Equestria. Very well, let's do it. Let's find Dagoth Ur and teach him a lesson, courtesy of Equestria's strongest group of friends!"

'You're wrong, Dagoth Ur. You may have stripped us of our own individual magic, but in Equestria that isn't the only magic we believe in."

The moving images upon the crystal came complete with sound as each facet reflected a different league of their journey, from their endeavor in Mzahnch to rescue that poor baby Argonian, to their defeat of Dagoth Ur. Trembling, while the others were still lost among their own journey being replayed before their eyes, Twilight and Luna turned back to Divayth.

"How... how..." Luna was at a complete loss for words.

"As I have said before, I am old, your highness," said Divayth, seeming to have no need for Luna to finish her question. "And with each passing century it becomes increasingly difficult for me to find meaning in my existence. My experimentations have always been my main focus, but with each new triumph I make in my research, is one less thing to keep me occupied, so long ago, I set up certain methods that will alert me when something interesting is happening and show it to me, such as the crystal you see before you."

"You... have been watching us all this time?" asked Twilight, overwhelmed.

"You used an Elder Scroll to get here, it was pretty easy to detect you," stated Divayth, but then looked down at Twilight's cutie mark and smiled at the intertwining tendrils. "And once I had my sights on you, I was not only shocked at the new creatures I now bore witness to, I was delighted to realize that they were affiliated with an old acquaintance of mine."

Twilight looked from Divayth to her cutie mark and back. "Hermaeus Mora? You know Hermaeus Mora?"

"Young Twilight, I am Divayth Fyr," replied Divayth with almost smugness. "You are familiar with my work, and from what I understand, even more so than me myself at the moment. Did you honestly think that the Daedric Prince of Knowledge and Memory would not invite me into his fold?"

That... was obviously a good point.

"Oh, I haven't seen the old Woodland Man in centuries," said Divayth, seemingly distracted now. "When this business is concluded I should dust off my Black Book and visit old Apocrypha. A nice nostalgic vacation might be just what I need, to walk my old study ground."

Twilight thought he sounded like an old college grad remembering his old campus.

Luna, on the other hoof, was drawn in by something else.

"And what business is that?" she asked almost nervously. "If you have watched us since our arrival, then you know why we are here."

"Ah, yes, my cure for Corprus potion," said Divayth, finally standing up. "When I first learned of what it was you sought I had been racking my brain for what I could ask you in return. It was only after your incredible conversation with Azura that I realized what I would want."

"And... that would be...?" asked Twilight with an involuntary gulp.

"I wish to study you," was Divayth's answer.

Twilight and Luna's eyes grew wide.

"I beg your pardon?" Asked Luna.

"I can't describe it any simpler," replied Divayth, "I wish to study you academically, for I have waited centuries for this moment."

"But you only learned about us when we got here," argued Twilight.

"Have you forgotten, Twilight?" said Divayth. "You and your kind are the product, no, the Progeny of the long lost Dwemer. I have studied their disappearance since the very day of the faithful event, and lo and behold, the answer is plopped into my lap like a present."

They... didn't like how this sounded.

From what they could understand, Divayth wanted to make them into lab rats.

"I have no idea what you mean by lab rats," said Divayth suddenly. "But judging by what you are imagining, it would be quite unpleasant."

"Hey, stay out of our heads," said Luna angrily.

"How do you intend to stop me? But let me relieve you of your fears," said Divayth, Twilight and Luna unsure of what he meant. "Dissection, months of intense study, painful experiments? Please, those are the practices for an amateur."

As great as a relief as that was, Luna and Twilight could only share a confused look.

"Wall I will require from you all is a couple of samples of say, your hair, feathers, and maybe some blood; to cross reference with some samples of your Dwemer predecessors, as well as to cast a spell of my own design on you," explained Divayth. "Comply, and I will provide you with the medicine you desire."

It was quite the acceptable exchange from the start, but Twilight had one last thing to cover. As a pursuer of knowledge herself, she knew the kind of potential such rudimentary things can hold. And in the hands of someone like Divayth Fyr...

"If we comply with your requests, and give you some samples to experiment with. What would you do with anything you discover?" she asked, regardless of whether or not this is what they had come here for, she had to be sure of potential risks that might be involved.

"You are worried about what I might find and what it could mean for the future," said Divayth, seeing what Twilight was getting at. "This is not the first time I have dealt with things that involve time travel and future events. Nothing I discover from my research of this will leave my tower, nor will it be known by anyone but me. Nor will I tell anyone about my encounter with you here today."

"Then... why go through with this at all?" asked Luna, confused as to why someone would put so much time and effort into something and not share it with anyone.

"It proves to be quite the interesting endeavor," said Divayth. "I relish the thought of the challenge."

Twilight turned to Princess Luna. "What do you think, Princess?"

"Sounds like the best scenario we could have hoped for," replied Luna. "I say we had best take Divayth up on his offer."

Twilight could only agree. If her and her friends...

That was when Twilight and Luna noticed they were the only ones participating in the conversation with Divayth, and turned to find the others still watching Divayth's enchanted crystal replay their journey, the looks on their faces of entertainment, instead of shock.

"Aw yeah, watch me kick major robot butt!" said Rainbow as she watched herself battle those Dwemer Sphere's.

"Dagoth never saw me coming," said Spike excitedly as he watched himself trip Dagoth Ur into Red Mountain crater.

"Is that really what my rump looks like in my armor?" asked Rarity, tilting her head. "Maybe I should rework it."

All of them were at different parts of the crystal, and from the looks of things they were deeply enthralled by what they were seeing. Twilight rolled her eyes, she loved her friends, but they sure had some quirks. She could have just shouted, but she took a different approach.

Telekinetically grabbing their tails, Twilight whacked them all with their own tails.

They all eeped simultaneously.

"Twilight, what the hay?" said Rainbow Dash, but her and the others' eyes grew wide when they saw Divayth bring out some sort of scalpel. "Huh, did we miss something?"

29 Healing

To say that the next few hours were a harrowing experience would be a matter of opinion. If you were the kind of person who didn't mind going to the 'doctor', it could be described as tolerable, but for those who have a sort of phobia for such...

...Rainbow Dash, for instance...

"Easy sugarcube," said Applejack, fanning her pegasus friend with her hat. "It's over..."

Rainbow just continued to hyperventilate from where she sat in Divayth's study, her cyan features as pale as chalk as her friends surrounded her comfortingly.

"Take it easy, Rainbow," said Twilight from among the supportive circle, flashing Divayth a dirty look.

The Dunmer scholar took no notice of her scowl, leaning over his spoils that he had laid out evenly on the table before him. His demands had been acceptable for the most part, but it still didn't set well with her that it had caused her friend such distress. Even if she did understand the basic principles of his actions, being a pursuer of knowledge herself, she still didn't like it.

Not that she didn't find the whole experience intriguing, especially the first part.

Divayth had said that, other than the tissue samples, he also wanted to cast a spell of his own design on them. They were hesitant at first, especially when Luna advised them that it was unwise to allow a spell which you have no idea what it's designed to do to drape over you, but Divayth had assured them that the spell would cause no harm, and Applejack (the living lie detector) could find no deception in his claim. So they had allowed Divayth to bathe their beings in a gentle blue light.

And it had quite the effect.

After Divayth was finished, the large clump of crystal, which seemed to act as some form of hub for Divayth's observational research, began depicting their bodies in various anatomy charts. Twilight, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Applejack, Princess Luna, and Spike, they were all displayed upon the crystal's smooth surface, each depicted in multiple different types of graphs, each one labeled with a perfect 3D image of the pony (and dragon) they represented. There were charts with high details of muscle structure, organ placement, blood vessel mapping, skeletal structure, even a thermal graph depicting their body heat.

For most of them, seeing their bodies display inside out like that was nauseating, but Twilight could not help but admire the ingenuity of it all. After all, how often does a pony get to witness parts of their body that they would never get to see? And not just that, Divayth's method was absolutely fascinating.

While it was nothing new to peek into a pony's body in Equestria through means of a spell, the methods Twilight was familiar with required magic to be combined with some kind of complex machinery, like an MRI or X-ray. Divayth had done the same thing that those machines could do, and not only better, but with but a wave of his hand, with no technological assistance whatsoever. It was a testament to the fact that he really was the most accomplished wizard of his time.

Unfortunately, the rest of Divayth's requirements were a lot less enjoyable.

It was the standard research practice when collecting samples for study, with hair and tissue samples, and the skin Divayth took was easily replenished with a Restoration spell, there were some unusual samples taken too. Spike had to let Divayth take some scales, Luna, Fluttershy and Rainbow, of course, were requested to donate a few feathers, but the unicorns and alicorn also had to surrender samples from their horns. While it was no risk for a unicorn horn to be filed, it was even required to keep the horn healthy, same as a pony's hooves, Rarity flat out refused to let Divayth approach her precious magic appendage, claiming that it would not do to defile such elegance with such a 'crude tool' wielded by such a 'clumsy appendage', her words.

But Divayth would not be denied, so eventually they agreed to Rarity removing a sample from her horn herself, but as delicately as possible.

And that, unfortunately, involved her sitting in the corner levitating a hand mirror before her while she gently scraped at her horn over a petri dish with an Emery board, her tongue poking out between her teeth in her concentration. Needless to say, it took more time than necessary for Rarity to fill the petri dish with an acceptable amount for Divayth to work with. Not that he minded, in fact, he found her tenacity quite amusing.

"She has such precision," he admired, "a few of my daughters could learn a thing or two from her."

The others could only roll their eyes at the mention of Divayth's daughters, if they could even be called that.

But as uncomfortable as these procedures had been, the last two requirements Divayth had set forth were by far the most unpleasant.

While Divayth had already collected hair samples from their manes and coats, once Twilight explained the functionality of cutie marks he insisted on collecting a secondary sample from that area of their bodies as well. And it was even worse for Twilight and her friends. It wasn't exactly difficult for Divayth to notice that Luna's cutie mark lacked Hermaeus Mora's visage, and when Twilight explained the circumstances regarding their relationship with the tendriled Daedra, he insisted on a second sample from the area where Hermaeus Mora's eye was situated.

Needless to say, having such a tender area scraped at with a tiny scalpel was less than enjoyable, let alone twice.

But the most unpleasant business of all was what has left Rainbow in such a traumatized state.

It was only a matter of time before Divayth requested a blood sample; and to achieve their goal, the Equestrians reluctantly agreed, but when he approached them with a scalpel, that was when Twilight put her hoof down. It hadn't occurred to her Divayth would use such crude methods to acquire fluid tissue samples, but with all that has transpired, it had slipped her mind that Nirn wasn't anywhere near on par with Equis in regards to medical technology, but needless to say, she wasn't about to let someone stab her friends with a scalpel. But Divayth wouldn't be dissuaded from acquiring a blood sample, so Twilight had to find a way to meet him in the middle.

Thank Celestia for... well... Celestia's teachings.

With a single spell, Twilight transmuted the scalpel in Divayth's hand into a proper syringe.

She explained to Divayth what the functionality of this bizzare device was, and to say that he was intrigued by its capabilities was an understatement. In fact, he insisted Twilight transmute some more objects he had lying around into syringes for future use. They would make his research a lot less sloppy.

Twilight, Luna, Rarity, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and Spike all surrendered a sample of their life blood once the ancient Dark Elf had the proper equipment, albeit uncomfortably. Once he got to Rainbow, who had been portraying a steadfast visage up to that point, she completely crumbled as soon as the needle approached her. Twilight and the others could only watch as the sturdy pegasus that was known to be tough as nails became paler in color than the time she had been affected by Discord as soon as she saw her own blood within the vial. So they all took to surrounding her supportively as she caught her breath.

"Easy darling," cooed Rarity, stroking Rainbow's mane as it slowly regained its color. "We have fulfilled our end of his barbaric bargain, and have accomplished our goal at last."

It was true.

Suspended in Luna's blue aura, was a gray-green glass bottle, filled to the brim with a semi-transparent liquid, the coveted medicine needed to cure the ill-fated Fleur, saving both her and her husband Fancy Pants from much undeserved heartache.

"I still don't know what you hope to accomplish with it," said Divayth as he was categorizing his latest samples. "As I told Nerevarine Sarian, it hasn't worked on any others who are afflicted. It killed them outright in fact."

"We are aware of that, Mister Fyr," said Luna as she stashed the bottle in her Infinite Dimension pouch. "But we are hoping that we can refine this cure of yours with some of the resources we have available in Equestria."

Divayth arched an eyebrow. "Do you believe that you can modify such a complex formula?"

"What we believe is irrelevant," said Princess Luna. "This is our one chance to save a beloved member of our society, so we have to try."

"Very well," said Divayth with a respectful nod, "and I must say, your dedication is admirable."

Luna nodded back, then turned to her cohorts who had just managed to get Rainbow Dash back on her hooves. "I believe our work here is concluded."

"Does that mean we get to go home now?" asked Pinkie Pie excitedly.

Luna gave a thin smile and nodded.

"YAHOO!!!" shouted the Pinkie party pony, the others sharing her enthusiasm, though not as flamboyantly.

"Oh I can't wait to get back to Equestria, and kiss this dreadful place goodbye," said Rarity, but paused when she remembered whose presence they were in. "No offense, Divayth."

"None taken," said Divayth, "Morrowind is, most certainly, a harsh place to live. The faint of heart would, no doubt, find it less than desirable."

Rarity didn't know whether to be relieved that he understood, or insulted that he thought she was faint of heart.

Regardless, they had accomplished their goal. After traveling to an parallel world to find a cure for a disease, finding that the same disease had led its Divine instigator to their door with intentions of conquest, leaving them as the only hope of stopping such a disaster, teaming up with a Prophesied hero to take down a malicious three eyed entity, till finally arriving at the door of the most accomplished magic user of this world's era with the only known cure of the disease, at last they were on the trek home. But as they were about to make their exit from Tel Fyr, Twilight realised that they were forgetting something.

"Divayth." The Daedric armored Dark Elf didn't give Twilight much acknowledgement other than to turn his eyes up slightly. "I know that you have already provided much for us, but I am afraid we require one more thing from you."

Divayth didn't appear to be pleased. "And what might that be, pray tell?"

Twilight looked a little sheepish. "Well, if you haven't guessed by now, Hermaeus Mora provided us with the Elder Scroll we used to open a path from our world to yours, and as a Daedra, he expects compensation for his assistance."

"Most expected of the old Woodland Man," said Divayth. "So what is he expecting for his services?"

Twilight gulped. "He wants to add your research on Corprus to Apocrypha."

Divayth didn't appear surprised at this, but he didn't appear pleased either.

"I understand what you mean," he said somberly. "Your request is no meager toll, but I should expect no less from a Daedra."

"Are you saying you won't give us what we need to pay that nasty dude back?" asked Rainbow nervously, having found her voice.

"Please, kind sir, you have no idea what kind of pressure we're under," pleaded Rarity.

"I understand that you want to go through with your agreement with the Daedra of Knowledge," replied Divayth. "It is a very grave mistake to draw the ire of a Daedric Prince, but you must understand my plight as well. You are asking for me to surrender years of dedicated research."

Once again, Twilight was grateful for being taught so much by Celestia.

"That will not be necessary," she said.

Divayth looked legitimately puzzled at Twilight's statement, "Explain."

Twilight smiled, "May I see your research?"

Divayth paused for a second, then pointed to a nearby bookshelf. "All the books bound in red on the second shelf."

Twilight smiled in thanks and approached the shelf, letting out an impressed whistle when she saw the books. There had to be at least ten volumes bound in red covering, and at least several hundred chapters thick apiece. Now, such dedication to research she respected.

Taking a deep breath, Twilight delved into her stores of Equestrian spells, selecting just the one she needed. Her tongue poking out of her lips in her concentration, Twilight's horn glowed lavender, followed by the tomes. At first, it appeared as if she was pulling them from the shelves, for they appeared to be sliding forward, but on a second look, it became clear that while the books remained on the shelf, at the same time, identical, yet transparent versions were bleeding out from their solid brethren.

Before long, two versions of the ten volumes were seen, one set sitting stationary on the shelf, the others hovering in the air, as transparent as stained glass.

Twilight opened one eye in her concentration, smiling at her progress, then shut her eyes again and cast one more pulse of magic through her horn. In a lavender flash, the transparent books gained solid color, then two versions of the books existed.

"There, perfect duplication," she said, proud of herself.

"Extravagant," said Divayth as Twilight stashed the new books into Luna's Infinite Dimension pouch. "I can see much potential in such a spell, to be able to duplicate at will."

"Oh, don't give her too much credit," said Spike, jabbing Divayth in the leg with his elbow. "Twilight had to learn that spell as a form of punishment. She kept destroying Princess Celestia's priceless ancient spell books with her rigorous studying."

With their final task completed, the ponies and baby dragon bade Divayth farewell at last, not that the old Dark Elf had much to say in return. He immediately became obsessed with the samples he had collected from them, so he hardly noticed when Luna draped them in her magic and levitated them down to the entrance chamber below, though it took a minute to figure that out, having ridden inside the Infinite Dimension pouch, they had not seen the necessity of levitating up and down the building, rather than using stairs.

"I'm... sorry about earlier, girls," said Rainbow as they traversed the fungus chambers of Tel Fyr. "I'm not too proud of my reaction you saw regarding that needle."

"Don't sweat it, sugarcube," said Applejack supportively. "We all have our little phobias."

"At least yours aren't extremely humiliatin... WAAH," Fluttershy suddenly leaped into Princess Luna's hooves, the Moon Princess arching her eyebrow, looking down to see nothing but the meek pegasus's shadow upon the floor.

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes at her oldest friend's antics, but did feel better for her own weakness.

"Oh, who cares about what scares little Dashie!" said Pinkie excitedly, bouncing at the head of the group. "Come on girls, mission accomplished, Equestria awaits..."

Pinkie froze in midair as she was about to turn the corner.

"What ever is the matter, darling?" asked Rarity as she and the others rounded the bend as well, only to freeze themselves.

As said before, they had ridden inside the Infinite Dimension pouch on the way inside and were unaware of what would lay before them on the way out. Divayth's daughter Beyte Fyr still sat in the study opposite the main entrance, and the Equestrian party had walked right into her field of vision. No invisibility, or camouflage of any kind, they stood there for her to see, plain as day.

It was their priority to remain seen by as few people as possible, and now that they had gotten what they had come for they had let their guard down and slipped up. Now they had been noticed by another person from Nirn, who would no doubt realize that they weren't normal creatures of this world. And Twilight knew Divayth's daughters were loyal to a fault, if she discovered Divayth's notes or the elixir in their possession...

"I thought you were leaving?"

The sudden sentence from Beyte Fyr left them befuddled.

"I beg your pardon...?" Rarity was silenced by a lavender aura.

"Yes, indeed we are," said Twilight, ushering her company to the round door.

"Wait, I just have to ask," said Pinkie Pie, bouncing over to Beyte Fyr and getting right up in her face, much to the horror of the others.

"What's it like to be cloned, Betty?" asked Pinkie, completely butchering the artificial Dark Elf woman's name. "Did it hurt? Did old Divy get you right the first time? Does it ever bother you that you were born in a test tube? How do you feel about not having a mommy?"

Pinkie seemed oblivious to how venomous Beyte's expression was becoming.

Luckily, Rarity was well practiced in social society.

"Now that is enough, Pinkie dear," said the fashionista, grabbing her talkative friend in her blue telekinesis and dragging her to the door. "Please pardon our friend's antics, she doesn't mean anything by it," she said to Beyte.

Her expression didn't soften. "I thought... you were... Leaving."

The acidic tone sent them all into nervous giggles, slowly trotting out the door backwards, Twilight opening it with her magic.

"Miserable beasts of burden," grumbled Beyte with a scowl. "It's going to take months for me to get the smell of pony out of my father's study."

She opened a book and began reading. 'Did they were honestly think hiding inside that ridiculous enchanted bag could conceal them from me?'

---

Untold time spent inside a bottomless pouch being bounced around while their escort leaped across the countryside, then spending hours being prodded by a Dunmer researcher, seeing the sun again felt like a slice of heaven.

After the shivering from Beyte Fyr's cold attitude passed, Twilight and the others could not help but let the warm rays of the midday sun wash over their bodies, soothing the day's stress away. They also could not help but feel a sense of accomplishment sweep through them again. After almost a week of braving the harshness of the Dunmer continent Morrowind, they had the cure Fluer needed to get better.

Well, at least the first step...they still need to find a way to bypass the whole 'worked only once, killed anyone else' thing.

A bright flash of light brought them back to the present.

"What in Oblivion happened?"

"SARIAN!" Pinkie tackled the Dunmer woman to the ground into a bone crushing hug. "WE WERE SO WORRIED ABOUT YOU! WE THOUGHT MEAN OLD DIVY HAD MADE YOU GO POOF FOR GOOD!"

Anypony... any creature on the receiving end of one of Pinkie Pie's legendary tackle hugs would be blue in the face and begging for oxygen by now, but Sarian weathered it like it was nothing but a light breeze.

"I'm fine, Pinkie," she said reassuringly. "But what in Azura's name happened?"

"Divayth made you disappear," explained Luna. "Like he said, he wanted a private word with us."

They all expected a rebuttal or a demand for an explanation, bilut Sarian only looked up at Tel Fyr with an unamused expression.

"I am not surprised," she said as Pinkie Pie let her stand. "Divayth For is a very reclusive and secretive individual."

They all tilted their heads in bemusement, but gave a faint smile. Sarian was a merciless and ruthless warrior on the field of battle, but off it, she was one of the most laid back, even tempered people they had ever met. It was the kind of personality separation that could be admired.

Touching reunion and respectful behavior aside, it was time to address the giant Bull Netch in the Tel Fyr mushroom room.

"I guess this is were we must part ways," said Sarian with slight bitterness.

"I'm afraid so," said Princess Luna with a sad smile. "We appreciate you going out of your way to bring us to this place with all haste, but with both our goals achieved, we really must be heading back to Equestria."

"We have a responsibility there, and not just Fleur," said Applejack.

"Plus, it's our home," said Rarity.

Sarian smiled lightly. "And I have put off my duties long enough as well. I must return to Lord Vivec and inform him of Dagoth Ur's demise."

It was a heartfelt goodbye, with respectful hand shaking, and some light hugs. It was tough to say goodbye, but as they all had said, it was time they went forward with their missions.

"I recommend you find some replacement armor," said Rainbow.

"Why?" asked Sarian, taking in her company's own lack of clothes. " You don't seem uncomfortable with nudity."

"Oh, it's not that," said Rainbow with a smirk. "You look absolutely awesome in armor. Total badflank."

Sarian smiled at the multicolored pegasus, then looked to the others and lifted her hands. "Farewell, my friends."

With a shower of light purple stars, Sarian vanished.

The ponies and Spike exchanged a sad look, already missing the company of their tough friend. By now the Gray Cowl of Nocturnal's magic had swept her mind of them. It was like they had never met.

"Shall we get our rumps moving as well?" asked Applejack, eyes trailing the coastline of the distant mainland. "If memory serves, we have quite the trip back to the portal home."

"No need, Applejack," said Twilight, the others looking at her curiously. "After I learned what we were about to embark on this perilous quest, I began contemplating on how we would spend as little time as possible on the return journey." She grinned mischievously as her horn glowed. "Mark and Recall spells are really convenient."

With a flash of magic, eight individuals from Equestria vanished from the small collection of islands Tel Fyr was situated on.

---

"Well well, if it isn't my fine customers from Equestria!"

Twilight's friends blinked at their surroundings.

The Mudcrab Merchant was standing a few feet from them, the small island they stood upon now obviously the one they landed on when they first came ashore.

"Twilight, you truly are amazing," said Rarity in awe.

"I've said it before and I'll say it again, nopony outdoes you in magic, Twilight," said Spike proudly

"You all have these powers too," said Twilight, walking by them with a flick of her tail. "You just gotta make them work for you."

"That's easy to say for an egghead who eats, drinks, and sleeps books," said Rainbow smugly.

"Don't know if that tease is going to work anymore, sugarcube," said Applejack. "After all, we all spent three years virtually distilling in knowledge like good, hard apple cider."

"My point exactly," said Twilight.

"Huh...I don't want to interrupt," said Fluttershy quietly. "But could we please hurry."

"Yeah, we have to get this medicine to Fleur, stat!" said Pinkie, putting her hooves to Twilight's hindquarters and pushing her towards the water, Twilight arching her eyebrow.

But despite her hyperactive antics, they did Indeed need to get to the portal back to Equestria. Being underwater though, they needed to project a forcefield to traverse the depths, and only two of them had the skill.

"Twilight," said Princess Luna, gaining the young unicorn's attention. "Do you think you could take your friends on ahead?"

Twilight looked worried. "Something wrong, your majesty?"

Luna looked up to the clear blue sky, "I just... need to contemplate one last time. After all, I came to this place hoping to find beings who I could find kinship with. Needless to say, I succeeded in ways I never thought possible."

It was true, for all of them.

"Just don't stay behind too long, Princess," said Twilight, grabbing her friends in a bubble of lavender and slipping into the calm sea.

Luna continued to stare at the sky, more specifically, the sun.

'The Aedra are trapped in a semi-existential state that renders them as planets that orbit this world,' she mused, almost able to see said planetary bodies through the veil of day. 'I thought because of that, I would feel a sense of connection to them, but that was only the beginning. They are kin to me and my sister, because we are the offspring of Azura, Daedric Prince of the cycles.' She looked behind her to the shores of Morrowind. 'All of pony kind, all of Equestria, began with this world, created by the Dwemer as a world for them to reign over, but when that failed, Azura sent her children to provide the final piece of the puzzle so this new world could thrive.'

All her life, Luna questioned her existence, what made her and Celestia so unique among ponies, and at last she had her answers.

And the burden was almost heavier than the questions had been.

'I wonder how Celie will react to this?'

"You're just going to leave without even greeting your father?"

The voice had come from nowhere.

It was feminine, but carried an air of anxiety and fear that was so palpable it almost seemed to shroud the air itself. Luna turned to the source, and found a swirling liquid vortex of neon greens of multiple shades spiraling into existence in mid air, growing larger by the second. Something within Luna stirred, similar to her reaction to when Azura appeared, but carried with it a sense of dread so overpowering that Luna's whole being froze, from every fiber of her hair, to the depths of her very soul.

Once the vortex reached a size of about ten feet in diameter, a figure emerged from the swirling depths as casually as someone walking through a simple doorway. It was composed of the same liquid light as the vortex, which closed behind it, revealing it was bipedal in stature. Luna could make out extravagant robes garbing its body, obscuring most of its physical features, the head shrouded in the silhouette of a heavy looking mask possessing two horns. It held a staff topped with a Ram's Head in its arms, obscured by the glowing green aura as well.

The only thing not obscured by this green light were the twin serpents that had followed the figure, semi-transparent, and slithering around the open air around their master's arms.

Luna had no trouble devising who her new company was.

"Ve...Ve...Vaermina..." whimpered the Lunar Matriarch.

The Daedric Prince of Dreams and Nightmares.

Ruler of the Realm of Oblivion, Quagmire, a realm of ever shifting terror.

Whose sphere of influence includes nightmares, psychological terror, torment, dreams, bringing evil omens, and stealing memories.

And the biological father of Princess Celestia and Princess Luna.

---

The Mudcrab Merchant looked to his left as a soaking wet figure scampered up to his island.

"Is it too late, did M'aiq miss it?"

Nay, old friend, you are just in time," replied the sentient crustacean.

"Oh, huzzah!" cried M'aiq, known as 'the Liar,' wringing out his extravagant hat. "M'aiq so loves it when gods interact with mortals." He seemed to notice Princess Luna for the first time. "Ooh, tasty horse! Got any cream sauce?"

"Afraid it's out of stock."
---

"I must admit, Sarian was indeed charming... in her own way," said Rarity as she and the others floated before the bright green portal drifting in the current. "But other than that, there is not a single thing about this dreadful place that I will miss."

"I can't argue with that," said Fluttershy, shaking slightly. "That Winged Twilight was truly terrible."

"Does that mean you have forgiven us for slaying it?" asked Applejack.

"I... don't sanction the taking of a life, but I realized it was it or us," said Fluttershy with despair. "Then all of Equestria would be in danger."

Not wanting the somber mood to escalate, Spike decided to speak up. "What do you think is keeping the Princess?"

"Give her time, Spike," said Twilight. "What we have learned here in Morrowind has affected us all, I'd imagine it's even more difficult for Princess Luna."

"I assure you, I am fine Twilight," said Luna as she arrived in their forcefield, riding her own.

With the return of their Princess, eight individuals that had stumbled upon Nirn, finding great secrets regarding the origin of their entire world, finally entered the door between worlds, returning to whence they came.

---

In Tel Fyr, Divayth's crystal reflected Twilight and her friends entering the portal back to Equestria, which then faded into the tide.

"Such a shame I will be unavailable to bear witness to the events that are sure to unfold," said Divayth as he watched these unique subjects vanish as if they had never been. "But it matters little. I have garnered great spoils from this encounter as it is. Isn't that right, Upsilon Fyr, my dear."

"Most definitely, father," said the youthful voice of Divayth's newest daughter, Upsilon Fyr; an Alicorn filly with dark red eyes, tar black fur, grey mane and tail, and Hermaeus Mora's signature eye and tendrils for a Cutie Mark.

---

"All is silence. The road is straight, without turning, in darkness. Now let there be an end to all things."

"All is silence. The road is straight, without turning, in darkness. Now let there be an end to all things."

The echo of a mare debilitated in both mind and body continued to be produced from the shard of the enchanted mirror that reflected the pitiful image of Fleur as she lay prone on the hospital bed, Hermaeus Mora having long vanished with Dagoth Ur no longer influencing the poor mare through her affliction.

Celestia, Cadance, and Shining Armor continued to wait before the portal projected by the Elder Scroll anxiously. The message they received from Twilight confirming that Dagoth Ur had indeed been vanquished had only come half an hour ago (yet that small amount of time without the sinister heartbeat was a half an hour in paradise) but it was of little comfort with their loved ones still on the other side of this sinister door in space, in a world filled with beings of such power an pettiness. So it was no small relief when the portal to Nirn rippled and eight figures stepped out, returning to the world of their birth.

"LULU!" shouted Celestia, wrapping her younger sibling in her magic and yanking her over, at the same time sprinting across the throne room to engulf her in an embrace.

"OOF!" grunted Luna as her skeletal structure was challenged by the only force that ever strained it, regardless of how many battles she had participated in, recently in Morrowind, or back in the infancy of Equestria. "I'm fine Celie, really."

"I have no doubt, Lulu," squeaked Celestia, tears streaming her cheeks. "But let me have this, please."

Luna rolled her eyes and returned her sister's hug.

"TWILIGHT!"

"TWILY!"

Cadance and Shining Armor rushed into the arms of their little sister, hugging her from all sides. Her friends could not help but feel a sense of tranquility upon the reunion. Rarity looked behind her to see the portal receding into the Elder Scroll, and the tiny Sigil Stone popping out.

Looking left and right to see if anypony was looking, Rarity scooped the dark stone up and pocketed it.

Dangerous, sinister object or not, it really pulled the ensemble she made in Apocrypha together.

For ten minutes, nothing but graceful reunions existed inside the Canterlot throne room, loved ones reunited after great peril and heart wrenching worry.

"We were successful," said Princess Luna, producing the bottle she received from Divayth Fyr from her Infinite Dimension pouch.

Celestia, Cadance, and Shining Armor gazed at the bottle hovering in Luna's aura. So within this glass vessel was what everypony had risked their hides to get, the only hope for Fleur's recovery. It was a relief, and in a way, hard to believe so much rested on something so small.

It was a double impact for Cadance and Shining Armor.

Throughout all this, they had been picturing if had been them instead of Fleur and Fancy. Shining could not blame Fancy for his behavior. He would react the same if it had been Cadance.

Cadance was another matter all together.

Her helplessness in all this had plagued her since Fancy Pants came storming into the throne room which felt like so long ago. Fleur was one of her oldest friends, her first love, and the reason she had found the love of her life. To see her stricken with a fate most ponies would consider worse than death had been intolerable. With this it would hopefully end.

But there was one last hurdle to overcome.

"You said this elixir was lethal to anyone afflicted with Corprus other than the Nerevarine, Twilight?" asked Celestia.

"That's correct," answered Twilight.

"And we heard it right from the horse's mouth himself," said Rainbow. "Grumpy old Divayth wasn't exactly subtle about it."

"Then we had better figure out what to do next," said Applejack. "We need to get this stuff to a lab or something so Fleur doesn't croak when we give it to her."

"I believe I already have a basis for a solution," said Celestia, the returning adventurers giving her a confused look.

"What is up, Princess?" Asked Spike.

"While Dagoth Ur was attempting to infiltrate Equestria, I decided to utilize the time his interfering was causing between your departure and return, when you should have been gone and back instantly for us," explained the Solar Princess. "I was helpless with the situation with Dagoth Ur, so I decided to point my attention to something I could assist with, like how to modify this Corprus antidote when you returned."

Twilight looked impressed. "And you believe that we can do something to make the cure work for us, Princess?"

Celestia looked slightly smug.

"Not 'us' per say, my faithful student," she said, Twilight growing confused. "As I was going over options on what we should do when you returned with the cure, I seemed to recall that you had a rather unique associate that lives near Ponyville that has an unprecedented knack for medicine, remedies, and magical potions."

Before anypony could comment a royal guard came bursting into the throne room with a salute.

"Your majesty," he said to Princess Celestia. "The royal chariot you sent to Ponyville has returned with the essential guest you requested."

He was suddenly shoved aside by a black and white hoof. "Forgive my rudeness, but we must make haste, from what I understand, there is no time to waste."

"ZECORA!!!" shouted the seven wayward residents of Ponyville gleefully.

The zebra shamen looked up at the multiple voices addressing her, smiling at the group of ponies and baby dragon that would often visit her in her hut, but they had since been scarce recently due to unforeseen circumstances.

"Ah, I see my friends have indeed returned," she said gleefully herself. "When I had learned of your plight three years ago, I was most concerned."

If she had more to say, she never got a chance to get it out, for she found herself buried under multiple equine bodies tackling her in a group hug, Spike landing at the top of the pile as the proverbial cherry on top. She was stunned at first, but soon returned the embrace with equal vigor. It was nice to see her friends again.

To see the first ponies that overcame their wariness of her in this foreign land.

"It is good to see you all, I must admit," said Zecora, reluctantly wiggling out of the pile up. "But regretfully, I wasn't summoned by the Princess for a social visit." She approached Princess Celestia. "I have just visited the patient in your hospital, and I must say, her condition fully terrified me. Never before have I seen such an ailment, it almost made me scream like a banshee."

"That is why I have summoned you my good zebra," said Celestia, taking the bottle from Luna and presenting it to Zecora. "This elixir is the only known cure for this disease, but other than one case, it has proven fatal to any other who has taken it. We were hoping you could help."

Without a word, Zecora dropped her saddlebag to the floor, and before their eyes, it unfolded into a small table, complete with beakers, apparatuses, test tubes, anything that could be used for practicing chemistry.

"May I see this concoction please?" said Zecora while the others stared at her instant lab in fascination. "We must not be slow if we're to smite this disease."

Celestia hoofed over the bottle, but still stared at Zecora's equipment in awe like the rest of them.

The zebra took the bottle in her hoof, and with practiced skill, immediately uncorked it and sniffed at the contents.

"Careful, Zecora," warned Applejack apprehensively. "That foul stuff is bad for your health."

"Fret not my friend, I shall be cautious," said Zecora, setting the open bottle on the table with the rest of her equipment, and pulling out a small pipette. "To do otherwise would be quite thoughtless."

Taking the pipette, Zecora extracted a tiny drop from the bottle, then pulled up a beaker and squeezed the drop into its clear contents. For a few seconds Zecora just started at the clear liquid in the beaker, as if waiting for something to happen. Suddenly, whatever the beaker contained went from clear to purple, the new color spreading from the point of contact of the drop from the potion.

Zecora's expression became shocked, as if she wasn't expecting that.

But it wasn't over yet.

Just as the purple had overtaken the clear, a new color began to dominate the contents of the beaker, a deep, dark green spreading over the purple. This, in turn, was followed by a dark red, so dark that the beaker appeared to be full of blood. Rarity almost fainted at the sight. But luckily, the color wasn't done shifting, immediately changing from its bloody color.

Next came a stark white color, but it had such a pearlescent sheen it might as well be liquid rainbow. Next came black, but not just regular black. This black was so deep that the beaker might as well contain a hole in space and time, rather than liquid.

They all watched the beaker for a while longer, but it would appear that this bizarre spectacle had finally come to an end.

"Zecora?" asked Twilight shiveringly. "Wh... what exactly does that mean?"

"Never in my wildest dreams..." moaned the zebra, looking up to her friends with pupils the size of pinheads. "All has taken an unforeseen turn, it seems."

"What has gotten your panties in a twist, Zecora?" asked Pinkie, the others equally curious, though nopony knew what 'panties' were.

"The potion in this beaker is sensitive to reaction, reactions that can determine cause," said Zecora, holding up the beaker with its now black contents. "I have seen every remedy known tested with it, to weedle out the flaws. But never have I seen such a combination of color. Whoever brewed this potion must be a very extravagant scholar."

"Yes, Divayth is an egghead," said Rainbow nonchalantly.

"But even Divayth, with his vast intelligence, could not negate the lethal effects of his own creation," said Twilight, apprehension growing inside her. "Can you, Zecora? Can you make this potion work?"

Zecora slumped, tapping her head to her temple. You could tell that gears were turning within her mind, probably faster than they ever had before.

"I am sorry to say, the makeup and functions of this potion are beyond me," she said sadly. "I could not even begin to understand what causes the fatal reaction, you see."

Despair spread throughout the returned adventures like a disease itself. They had gone through hell and high water to retrieve this potion, was it all in vain? Did they traipse across the inhospitable landscape for nothing?

Zecora's medical knowledge was beyond even what most doctors were capable of, if she did not have a solution, it was doubtful anyone else did.

"But fret not my friends, this is not where it ends," said Zecora.

They all did a double take.

"But you just said that this concoction was beyond even you," said Applejack, the others agreeing.

"While it's true, that I know not the functionality of this brew," said Zecora with a supportive smile. "I can draw on what I do know, mind you."

"What does that mean?" asked Spike.

Zecora looked at him.

"It means, scaly one, that I have not yet been outdone," explained Zecora, holding up the beaker, the black contents not even shimmering, no matter what angle light struck it. "While it's true I have not seen this reaction before, it did show me something I have seen, this I know for sure."

"What...what is it?" asked Fluttershy, with a surprisingly louder voice than usual (not that that amounts to much).

"Looking at this liquid, take in its aspect," said Zecora, offering them a closer look at the beaker. "Do you see a glimmer, a reflection, anything to that effect?"

They all looked, and saw nothing to what Zecora was describing.

"I see nothing like that," said Rainbow, tilting her head to look at the potion through one eye.

"It's... actually rather unnerving," said Rarity, shivering. "If it didn't slosh when the beaker moves, I would not even be able to tell it was a liquid."

"What exactly does this mean, Zecora?" asked Shining Armor, trying not to sound pushy, but considering the situation, he felt he was doing a good job keeping his eagerness in check.

"It means, my great sire," said Zecora, bowing to the Captain of the Royal Guard. "That the lack of gleam means the potion can be modified with Heart's Desire."

"You mean if we all put our hearts desire into the potion, it will work?" asked Pinkie with wide eyes. "That might be tricky, especially in Rarity's case. If we chop up a Prince Charming into potion ingredients, wouldn't that be murder? Where would we even find a Prince Charming? The only Prince we know is Blue Blood, and he has his head so far up his...mmmmmmfffff!!!"

Rarity had stuffed her hoof in her babbling pink friend's mouth, her cheeks puffed up and scarlet in her indignation.

"You misunderstand, Pinkie Pie," Zecora said to the muffled pony. "That isn't the method we must try."

"Obviously," said Rainbow Dash, rolling her eyes.

Zecora walked over to a section of her lab that had some drawers, reaching into one and pulling out a flower in full bloom. "Heart's Desire is a plant, you see, and one you have encountered before, if memory serves me."

Twilight and the others looked at the flower Zecora held. It was violet in color, with petals shaped like hearts. It was pretty, but hardly familiar.

"You sure about that, Zecora?" asked Twilight. "I'm sure I have never seen this plant before."

"The plant itself is not what I meant, but I believe its effects you have seen, surely you assent?" said Zecora, raising an eye.

Twilight and the others still looked confused.

Zecora sighed. "Surely you recall when young Apple Bloom tried to attain her cutie mark prematurely. The results were most unruly."

Recollect hit Twilight and her friends from Ponyville like a ton of apple cider.

"You mean this is the plant that gave Apple Bloom cutie pox?" asked Applejack, wide eyed.

"Oh great, how does giving Fleur another disease help at all?" said Rainbow with a scowl.

The others likewise agreed.

"You fail to see my meaning," said Zecora hurriedly. "What Apple Bloom used Heart's Desire for that day, in regards to the plant, was most demeaning. She received her heart's desire, but the consequences were most dire. Because, as Twilight will attest, a cutie mark must be earned, not forced, it is best."

"Well... that is true," said Twilight, "a cutie mark must be earned, nothing, not even the most powerful of magics, can change that."

"But what does it mean?" asked Spike, impatiently.

"What it means is that the success of this potion is your heart's desire, this plant can light your fire," said Zecora, presenting the sprig of Heart's Desire to them.

It was clear to all of them now.

If they wanted this potion to work, if that was their hearts' desire, the Heart's Desire could make it happen.

"What must we do, miss Zecora?" asked Celestia calmly.

"Pour your desire for this to succeed into your heart," said the Zebra shaman, her expression turning serious. "Then all of you breathe lightly upon the petals, that is how we will start."

The ponies and Spike did as they were told, allowing their desire for the success of this potion to fill their very beings, then breathing lightly upon the delicate plant's petals. Zecora went to work right away, mashing the Heart's Desire with a pestle and mortar until it was a fine paste. Running it through some of her equipment, Zecora extracted as much liquid from the paste as possible, storing it in a test tube.

Now came the moment of truth.

Taking the pipette from before, Zecora extracted a drop of Divayth's potion again, next drawing the same amount from the liquid Heart's Desire into the same pipette, mixing the two. There was no sense in mixing it up at once, they still didn't know if this would work, so best not to waste their only sample of the potion. Now they just need to test it.

From another section of her lab, Zecora produced two potted plants, daisies.

Taking a separate pipette, Zecora dribbled a little of the potion on one of the plants as it was. It fell over and blackened in the blink of an eye. They could only stare at the sad deceased plant, frozen stiff at how quick the life had been sapped from it.

"By the stars in the sky, do my eyes lie?" said Zecora, looking up to the others with wide, horrified eyes. "You didn't exaggerate, to take this potion as is, that would lead to a horrible fate."

Looking to the final plant, Zecora took the other pipette and squeezed the contents over the stem. They watched... and watched, every now and then the plant almost seemed to shiver, and they were sure it was about to keel over, dead. But nothing happened.

"Did... did it work?" asked Fluttershy.

"The plant is still alive, so I assume so," said Applejack, but doubt was present in her voice.

"How do we know for sure?" asked Spike.

"I'll tell you how, or better yet, show you." Before anyone could stop her, Rainbow Dash gripped the head of the Daisy in her teeth and violently drew it from its pot, slurping up the roots and vigorously chewing.

"RAINBOW!!!" they all shouted in worry.

Rainbow swallowed, belched loudly, and patted her chest as if nothing happened.

"Tasted like any other daisy to me," she said smugly.

"RAINBOW, that was the most rock headed stunt I have ever seen you pull!" said Applejack angrily, the others mirroring her reaction.

"Do you have any idea how dangerous that was?" asked Twilight.

"Hey, it worked, didn't it," said Rainbow in her defence. "I didn't kick the bucket, that means the potion works now."

"Be that as it may, you should not have put yourself in unnecessary danger, Rainbow," scolded Princess Celestia. "I realize it's in your nature to take risks, but think about how your friends would have reacted if you had died here and now."

Rainbow's ears folded back.

"Uh, guys?" inquired Spike, gaining the others attention. "Where is Zecora?"

They looked around, and sure enough, their zebra companion was nowhere to be seen... neither was the potion, or the Heart's Desire.

It didn't take a genius to figure out where Zecora was heading, so they set out for Canterlot General. They didn't catch up to the zebra even remotely along the way, it was if she simply vanished, no doubt to reappear in the hospital instantly. Who did that first, Zecora or Pinkie? They arrived at the ICU in record time, to be greeted by Doctor Gregory Barn.

"Ah, the wayward pupil and her cohorts have returned from their journey," he said, apparently the only greeting they were going to get from him. "I take it you are here because of that?" he said, pointing through the still active health bubble.

Following his hoof, they found Zecora in the operation room with Fleur, the sight making them fall to their flanks in shock.

The once afflicted unicorn sat atop her hospital bed, her coat shiny and smooth, no sign of the cancerous welts at all. She apparently was having a conversation with Zecora, meaning she had her vocabulary back, and wasn't limited to the one rant anymore. All in all, she looked at the peak of health.

Cadance snapped them out of their shock she stepped through the force field, the others struggling to catch up.

Fleur looked up at her new guests, noticing Cadance first.

"Caddy?" She inquired, her voice full of her Prancy accent as usual. "Caddy, is that you?"

Cadance was trembling so much that she could not answer at first.

"Ye... yes, it's me Lis," said Cadence, using the nickname she had for Fleur since they were little, just as Fleur was using hers.

Fleur smiled. "You've grown."

"So have..." Cadance lost what little composure she had, diving forward and scooping Fleur up into her hooves, tears streaming her cheeks "Oh Lis... I was so terrified... I... thought I was going to lose you."

"Easy Caddy, Miss Zecora here says I'm fine," said Fleur, stroking Cadance's mane.

"Indeed, it is true," said Zecora as she joined Twilight and the others watching the reunion. "As soon as the elixir touched her lips, she was as good as new."

They let Cadance and Fleur embrace for a while, but Princess Celestia realized something.

"I believe somepony else might be needing the good news as well," she said to the embracing mares, though she felt no small sense of relief and gratefulness that this whole mess was finally resolved. "After all, he has rarely left your side, Fleur."