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.