10:30 pm...

It has been 7 hours and 55 minutes since Twilight went about her business during the day, and she hasn't seen Spike at all. This has been the longest that Spike wasn't here.

Twilight was in her chair with a blanket wrapped around her, and a cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows and a pepperminty flavor, next to a warm fireplace.

She brings down a certain picture. It was of her and her five friends, but it was also her personal students, Starlight Glimmer and Sunset Shimmer.

She smiled warmly at the picture that her friends and she decided to take one day as an entire team. However, she couldn't help but get the feeling that she forgot about something for this picture. That is until she remembered something Spike wrote in the letter...

2:40 - Earlier Today...

"I'm sorry that I have to leave you, but I'm not going to be your slave anymore. Ever since we came to Ponyville, you just seem to spend more time with your friends and forget about me."

Present...

"Oh... Spike's missing in this picture," Twilight though sadly. Then, she pulls down another picture far older than the one she currently held with her magic. It was her and just her five friends.

"And there's not much of him in this portrait, either."

DAY 3...

Starlight was up bright and early, packing some things for the Crystal Empire to visit Sunburst.

"Twilight, I'm on my way to the Crystal Empire. I'll be back in a few days," The Princess of Friendship's pupil calls out. However, she did not receive an answer from her mentor.

"Twilight?" Still no answer. Starlight decided to check around the castle, and she found Twilight in the Throne Room after a while.

"Hey, Twilight. I was calling you, but you didn't answer me," Starlight says. However, Twilight still doesn't talk.

"Twilight, is something wrong?" Still no answer. Starlight looks down to see a picture frame in Twilight's magic. It was of her and her 7 other friends. "I don't know what's going on, Twilight. But I'm going to get the rest of our friends," Says Starlight, she rushes towards the door and looks back at her mentor. "I'll be right back." And then, she exits.

Seashore...

Not far from the Changeling Kingdom, a young dragon sits on the edge of a cliff, staring out into the horizon. It seemed like there would be a snowstorm, but the sun is what made the horizon more reassuring. Snow gently fell from the skies and softly brushed through the wind.

Spike was wondering what he was going to do from hereon-out with his life. He still cared about his friends and he loved them, but he couldn't bare taking all of the abuse and negligence they put on him. What he did know was that he needed to find a new home where there would not be anypony or anyone else to invade or claim it as their own. But of course that would be impossible as there are many dangerous creatures out there, and not to mention other teenage dragons that could try to beat him out of the place he would call home.

Spike was in a loop, and he needed to out.

He decided to get up and go search for a home. He saw a cave, but he saw a dragon inside before he actually entered, so he snuck by and moved on. He saw another cave, but inside lived vampire fruit buts and Electromytes. He saw a fairly strong and perfectly built tree, but there was already a Phoenix Nest atop the branches.

He was just about to move on, but he thought it was pretty lonely in his surroundings, so...

The two parental phoenixes were simply chirping at one another, until they felt a small knock on the tree below. They looked down to see a small dragon looking up at them with a warm smile.

"Hey, uh... you both mind if I ask you a question? I promise it's a quick one. A long quick one, but I promise you won't have to see me again," Spike said to them.

The phoenixes were a little curios why the dragon would say that they wouldn't see them again, but answering a question wouldn't hurt. The female phoenix came to the ground and waited for the dragon's question.

"Do you know of any places where there's absolutely nothing living inside, and isn't taken by any dangerous plant-life, or any other elemental life?" Spike asked.

The mother phoenix thought long and hard. Remembering a place that was hopefully abandoned and carried no dangerous lifeforms, or any lifeforms for that matter, and pointed north of the tree.

"Somewhere in the north, you said?" The phoenix simply nodded.

"Okay, thank you, Mrs. Phoenix," Spike said as he started walking. The phoenix then returned to her husband and started talking with him again.

Canterlot Castle...

Celestia sat on her throne, with Luna beside her.

"Sister, these dreams I have of this seemingly forgotten evil worries me. What if it is true that it is still alive, but... dead?" Says Luna.

"In truth, sister dearest, I too have been having these nightmares of this shadow, but we cannot let these dreams take hold of us, and I will not believe in such theories that this darkness is still living," Says Celestia.

Luna simply nods, but the word 'nightmares' is what keeps her thinking. On that fateful night that she turned into what her dark side wanted her to be. But then again... was it really her own dark side, or was it this shadow that made her dark thoughts much stronger?

Celestia didn't want to talk about the dreams she has been having, but on the night Starlight had the nightmare of Nightmare Moon and Celestia's alter ego, Daybreaker, were literally trying to kill each other. The disgusting thought of herself turning over to the darkness was revolting... but concerning. She would hear words of Daybreaker and this darkness coming to her, she would always try to block the two, but the darkness' words were far more potent than Daybreaker's.

"If Luna can turn into Nightmare Moon, you can absolutely turn in to me, Daybreaker. The better, prettier, and more powerful version of you."

"As I said, I will never turn into you."

"It is inevitable..."

"He's right. And deep inside, you know how powerful you are. You don't need Luna."

"That's not true. Even when we were apart, I knew I needed her."

"And you believed in the lie. Your sister is a waste of your love for your power."

"My love for my sister will never deplete! Your lies will not make me turn."

"Oh no? When will you realize that you don't anypony, save for the ancient evil himself? You can have the power to do whatever you want. All you have to do is get rid of anypony in your way."

"You are not a part of me, Daybreaker. All you are is a simple nightmare and illusion standing in the way of what is true."

"What?" Asks a voice. Celestia turns over to see her sister looking at her with concern.

"Nothing, sister. I'm simply thinking to myself aloud," Celestia coes.

Luna simply nods as she smiles, looking froward into space.

"Look at how your sister mourns of your verbal slanders. You truly think of her as a nightmare and illusion."

"No I don't."

"And yet, you hide your dreams and thoughts from her. I see these shadows in your mind, but you hide them from your younger sibling. What sister would you be to hide the truth?"

"Get out... of my head."

"So be it, but you will both confess... sooner or later."

"Sister, are you alright?" Asks the younger princess.

"Of course, Luna. I'm fine," Celestia says.

Luna simply nods, but then suddenly, the room's torches and lanterns blew out, and the room darkened as if an eclipse had come.

The guards started to worry about the darkness.

"Mwa ha ha ha ha ha ha ha..."

"Who dares to intrude the castle?" Says Luna.

"Oh, are you serious? I thought you two would have recognized me by now," Says a dark and creaky voice.

"I do recognize that voice. Sister?"

"Yes Luna. I knew it, too."

"It?"

Then, a black and red orb giving off black electricity appeared in the middle of the throne room. Inside the orb, two pony hybrids began to form.

The first hybrid had ash-grey fur, and blood-red, scaly spots all around his eyes and nose-bridge. He had scarlet-red spines on his back and draconic tail. He had two long horns behind his ears. His mane was charcoal-black, and he had a charcoal-black beard. His eye pupils were very thin and slit, and his irises were crimson-red. He also had a pair of dragon wings with tattered, blood-red feathers. His hooves had apple-red crystal claws. And he wore a tattered, soot-black cloak over himself.

He seemed to be 11,000 years old, older than Celestia! And he was just as big as Luna.

The second hybrid had fossil-grey fur, ruby-red eye-shadow, and crimson-red spots all around her eyes and nose-bridge. She had red spines on her back and half draconic-pony tail. She had horns that were a little smaller behind her ears. Her mane and pony-half tail were berry-red and had very jagged, toothy, iron-grey stripes. Her eye pupils were very thin and slit, and her irises were rosy-red. She too had a pair dragon wings with tattered, scarlet-red feathers. Her hooves had red crystal claws. She wore a tattered, ebony-black cloak around her chest and over her back, darkly-metal boots with the symbols of blood-red demon skulls with their maws agape. Her cutie mark was a very demonic skull with very large horns and breathing onyx-black fire. She wore a crown with beads and a crest with a demonic dragon skull with a ruby-red crystal on its forehead and very large horns.

She seemed to be at lest 8,000 years old a little shorter than Luna.

The male hybrid simply laughed sinisterly, "How long we have waited to see you again, princesses."

"Arkumon! How dare thee show thine face in our sacred home!" Says Luna.

"How have you returned? You were banished over 6,000 years ago," Celestia gives the male hybrid known as Arkumon, a dreadful glare.

"Indeed you have, princesses. But it seems that not all spells keep the darkness away for long," Says Arkumon with a simple smirk.

Celestia and Luna charge their horns and prepare to fire.

The female hybrid charges her crown, and a very jagged and shadowy horn appears with glowing dark red cracks at the base, preparing to fire at the two. However, Arkumon softly pats her left shoulder.

"Settle down, Sylviura," He says softly to the female hybrid. She simply nods and dispels her horn.

"You both should know better than to just fire at the assumingly real us," Says Arkumon.

Celestia and Luna soften their glares and dispel their horns. "So, you are simply an illusion, then?" Says Luna.

"No. But we're not really here, either. This is merely a visionary spell to communicate with you two. You should remember it like the rest of the dark spells we use."

"Yes, but that's beside the point. How have returned, and with this new ally of yours?" Asks Celestia.

"Well first, this 'ally' you have insulted is my partner and friend, Sylviura. Second, my return is quite a story, but I only assume you both just ask me out of kindness."

"Tell us now," Luna demands.

"If you truly wish... After my defeat, I had to rest due to my weak condition. But then I thought, "I can't possibly face the two of you alone, so I will seek for help. I found Sylviura, and we both come to an acceptable agreement of teamwork. Now I have returned with her, and Equestria will soon belong to the master. Mwa ha ha ha ha ha..."

"I'm quite surprised that you've learned not to laugh to hard," Says Celestia.

"Well, as one learns, when you're very old, it simply isn't your best. But no matter, our message has been delivered," Then, a map of the entire Equestrian world appears in front of the two princesses.

"Here is a map that will grant you access to my location."

The two study the map and see a dark spot on the continent of the world. Luna noticed however, that Arkumon only said his location. "Is your partner not with you?"

"You will have to discover that on your own." Arkumon and the female hybrid known as Sylviura, notice that they begin to fade. "It appears the spell is fading, Sylviura. Perhaps we should save the rest to defeat these Slavedrivers," Arkumon says with a smirk at the princesses. Sylviura nods and she dispels the spell, disappearing into nothingness.

"I would keep this one going, but we will need all the magic we can muster to defeat you two," Arkumon then yawns with a hoof to his mouth. "Well, ta ta, princesses... We'll be waiting... Mwa ha ha ha ha ha haa..." And with that, Arkumon disappears and the room returns to normal lighting as the torches and lanterns light up.

The princesses and the guards just stand there in shock.

"Luna?"

"Yes, sister?"

"Send word to Princess Cadence and Dragon Lord Ember. I will send a letter to Twilight Sparkle and her friends."

"Of course, sister," Then Luna teleports away. Celestia makes a quill and paper appear in front of her, and she starts writing.

My faithful student...

Castle of Friendship...

"And she hasn't talked to me no matter I do," Says Starlight. She gathered all of Twilight's other friends.

"Did you try waving a book in front of her?" Asks Rarity.

"I didn't think that would've worked on her like this," Starlight responds.

Applejack waved a book in front of Twilight, but that didn't snap her out. "She's right, doesn't work."

Pinkie came up to Twilight and started looking at her. "Boy, she seems really out of it."

"Yeah, she really does," Says Rainbow Dash.

"And I don't know what else to do," Says Starlight.

Fluttershy looked around and noticed something. "Um, does anypony know where Spike is?" She asks.

Suddenly, Twilight shot up right when she heard that name. She turned to Fluttershy, charged, and tackled her to the ground.

"You saw Spike!? Where is he, TELL ME!!" Twilight demanded.

"I-I-I-I-I um..." Fluttershy kept stuttering as she stared at Twilight's shocked yet demanding eyes.

"Okay, okay, Calm down, Twilight. Just take a breathe and then tell us what's going on," Says Applejack.

Twilight realized that she scared Fluttershy and got off of her. Then she inhaled, and exhaled deeply.

"Okay, now can you tell us what's going that you didn't hear us trying to get you out of whatever trance you were in?" Asks Starlight.

Twilight simply nodded and then started telling her friends what happened last night.

"And then when I got home, he wasn't here. I looked at this picture and realized what he said was true," Twilight says as she holds the picture of her and her 7 friends. She started breathing shakily.

"And I... I also noticed that... there wasn't much of him in this portrait of us as well," Twilight says between breathes, on the verge of tears.

"A-And, and he... wr-wrote a letter before he... l-left," Twilight said before she started sobbing.

Starlight came up to Twilight and put a hoof on her shoulder. She and the others were concerned on why Spike would write a letter to Twilight before he left.

"W-What did it say?" Starlight asked concerningly.

Twilight looked up with very teary eyes. "He left... and he's... not... coming back."

The others' eyes grew wide.

Unknown Time - Unknown Place…

Valunight was looking from his castle and out at the darkness, feeling the magic within his kingdom and himself getting stronger. He then decided to go back inside and walk up to the tallest balcony on the castle. It stood to be tens of thousands of feet high, it was donned with what appeared to be a double helm made of rotten, burnt wood, and the same black rock with garnet-red crystals for handles. On the left side of the balcony was a communication orb device

The glass of the orb surface was blood-red, there were very large, demonic horns, under them were demon skulls with demonic horns and black rock chains underneath, holding the device to the ground. The device had the same design as the execution altar in the courtyard, except there were currant-red crystal shards on the corners surrounding the orb surface. the glass was decorated with very fine details and depictions of skeletal dragon demons circling around the center.

There was another one with the same design on the right side of the balcony, but it was projecting glitching red holograms of the Great Dark Beyond, the Twisting Nether, Equestria, and a few octogintillion others. The device was chained to the ground as well.

Around what appeared to be a planet, there were many Leviathans, but they didn’t look normal at all.

They were many demonic constructs inside of the Leviathans, and they were armed with very massive cannons outside. They had many wine-red bulges in the back, they wore very black armor, their eyes were blood-red, their teeth were made of cherry-red crystals, and they had long necks for their grotesque heads. They had tentacles that were armed with cherry-red crystal spikes all over them and had spikes at the end of their tentacles that were also armed with spikes, that curved backwards. They had 4 ruby-red crystal tusks at the base of their heads in the shape of ribs, and they had long spines on their backs that were also rib-shaped, but curved upward as well.

There were various-sized portions of the leviathans that were missing, their skins were all charred and burnt by this dark maroon and black fire with streaming shadow-grey mist.

About 10 of these leviathans patrolled around other leviathans.

The other leviathans were 6 times bigger and had more defenses. They had 3 heads on the body, which were much longer and had greater and tentacles. There were more demonic construct buildings and much more cannons and devastators. There were also 4 slender arms with tattered sails on the forearms. They also had a very unique tail design with many spikes and spines, and armor with sides spikes for better cutlery.

The Alpha Leviathan had 2 tails, more demonic constructs, more cannons and also devastators, 6 arms, and the spines on its body were much bigger.

There were trillions of each of these leviathans that patrolled around a very massive planet.

The planet that these leviathans were patrolling looked even worse than a planet that missed only one large portion of itself.

The shadows if this planet were the portions of the planet that were black with massive mahogany-red crystals sprouting out of the top and the bottom, roughly near the very core. There were garnet-red solar flares from the core that were being absorbed by the crystals under the portions of the planet. The crystals on the top let off blood-red auras with black mist and shadow-grey solar smoke. There were onyxian-black clouds that surrounded the top of the planet, mahogany-red crystals sprouted out of the clouds, and black lightning was attracted to all of them. Built under the portions were cannon-like structures that shot out beams of jet-black and mahogany-red sparks of charcoal-black fire trailing off of them as they struck at the core of the planet, but they weren’t destroying the core, they were sustaining it.

There were 6 more planets, but they were a little smaller than the planet in the middle, however they looked very different. They all had variously sized portions missing, but they didn't look as bad as the planet they were patrolling. Built around the core of each planet were massive cannons that reached out of the missing portions and pointed away from the planet, but there were 5 smaller ones built on top of them that pointed toward the planet, prepared for any intruders, and more of them for any ships coming toward them. They were heavily armored planets transformed into stations.

But what was truly strange was that under the center of the storm clouds on the largest planet, was that there appeared to be a dark platform, made entirely out of this strange rock with a very dark grey sandy aura, mahogany flecks and onyxian black crust. Parts of the platform also appeared to be armored by variously-sized scraps of a very dark metal that had jet-black sand around it, mahogany-red flecks, and some charcoal-grey astral veins as well. The platform also had enormous, garnet-red crystals growing out of the sides, and more on the bottom as a set of millions of razor, serrated teeth. The platform also appeared to carry an enormous kingdom, roughly a little bigger than Utah, actually, and its tallest tower was 27 times taller than Jeddah Tower. The kingdom was floating in the sky, just under the clouds.

The kingdom consisted of 3 outer walls that were very gothic with very large, long and thick spikes and very demonic skulls, and. There were sections of the walls that reached out, they had large Legion Barracks that had the spires of woe above them. The city also consisted of inner walls that looked the exact same as the outer walls, but there were a few more of them and they were surrounded by moats of this dark matter liquefied under mahogany-red mist and black smoke, followed by black fiery sparks rising from the mist. There were catacombs within the state-sized platform, but they were underground cemeteries, graveyards, and temples. The graves were statues of demons and undead dragons, others had demon skulls engulfed in flames, and they also consisted of dark, evil tombs. There were many demonic structures and constructs within the outer walls that were also surrounded by the same moats. Within the inner walls were very large demonic fortresses with walls that each had 8 towers around them, and 4 larger towers that surrounded a much larger one in the middle. On the sides of the largest tower were statues of demonic dragons holding chalices and very gothic axes that spewed black and red fire. Surrounding these fortresses were small floating isles with demonic citadel towers surrounded by floating, demonic spires with massive, currant-red crystals above them that glowed very darkly, and each one had 3 small tower-sized, blood-red crystals chained to them, and they floated above the towers. Within those was an enormous mountain-sized fortress with many of these spires, small and large demonic castles, larger fortresses, floating demonic citadels, very dark portals, and other demonic fortresses. At the very top was an enormous mahogany-red crystal floating above, chained to a massive citadel tower with more chains attached to other large floating isles with the towers. There were also banners to this great kingdom ruin. They were maroon red with black symbols of a demon with four tusks and four massive sickle-shaped horns. But, the entire city was in ruins and was haunted with indescribable monstrosities.

All of these things were taken by this evil mahogany-red, shadow-grey, and jet black magic that didn't seem like magic at all. Around the outer walls and separated by a path to steps that led up to the outer wall gates was a massive city like any other and surrounded by two outer walls of the same design as the others.

The entire kingdom was protected by an army of up to 500 million demonic dragons in the same condition as the master figure of this kingdom, but they had more missing parts and different armor and with very gothic and deathly appearances and forged with the same armor material as the island carrying the kingdom. The same metals occurred to all of their gothic, deathly and magical weapons. Their weapons were similar to Death Knight, Demon Hunter, and Warlock artifact weapons but they were much more gothic and scary.

The skulls on all of them were demonic, the pommels on the swords were demon skulls, the wrapping on the handles of the swords and the scythes were blood-red, the misty magic and the blades were blood-red with misty black magic, the axes had the same designs along with the bladed-batons.

There were also tanks.

The tanks had 8 gyroscopic wheels that took the relative form in treads, all with bullet proof synthetic fibers and alloy composite and all equipped with spikes, and all capable of spinning 360 degrees and mounted on hydraulic arms. They had hybrid power cells with kinetic energy recovery systems, a bhp of 1500, a top speed of 342 mph, 0-80 in 1.3 seconds, and as for transmission, they had continuously variable planetary transmission and hub-mounted atomic motors for highly adaptable power deliveries and maneuverability. The tanks were also equipped with one large and two medium afterburners, with nitromethane fuel, raising maximum speed threshold of 55%, and all together with a temperature of 7700 *C. The cockpits were equipped with an electromagnetic ejector seat, ultra-enhanced intel and recon capabilities, along with AI and remote guidance systems. Their arms were equipped with immobilizer missiles and 2 vulcan guns each on each arm with 360 rotation. The main cannons were larger than an average cannon of a regular tank and were wider mounted with 4 retractable electromagnetic guns, and four large riot suppressor cannons smaller than the main cannons, which were capable of a 360 rotation. They were also mounted with an electroshock defense, and triple-winches at the front with multipurpose grappling claws, each capable of supporting 6.6 tons, along with a range of 140mm. They each also has 2 passenger compartments in the back above the afterburners.

These tanks were bigger than average tanks.

The symbols were the same as the banners of the kingdom.

The platform carrying the kingdom also consisted of large fortresses, great strongholds and armored battle towers, all of which contained these demonic dragon hybrids and heavy assaulting war cannons, tanks, and devastators as well.

There were also these strange ships that float through the vast darkness.

About ⅔ of front of the ship was a triangular nose split in half with a massive cannon down the middle with four smaller ones, on the two separated surfaces were two rows of 14 turrets that curved toward the center, there were four imprints of the same symbol from the ghost castle banners. The rest of the ship was a top and bottom saucer dome which were joined together but 50 stories apart from each other there were 3 Maroon Ion Cannons on each side. There were 4 airplane-shaped wings, two on the top dome at a 35 degree angle, and two on the bottom dome in the same angle downward, all four wings with laser turrets and large laser cannons. Also on the top of the dome were the five sections on top of each other, and there were 3 towers in the back of each section. The ships all had four hangars on each side for other smaller ships.

Inside the halls…

Valunight was walking through very gothic and demonic halls, there were very demonic dragon skulls, the lanterns had skulls around the top and bottom, the tiles had a lot of skull designs with their jaws facing the path, and the fire in the lanterns was black and garnet-red.

Valunight then passed a circle between the halls with 8 guards that blended into the walls.

Then he stopped at a gate with 3 demon skulls. He then walked up to the gate and tapped on a specific spot, then a secret compartment opened, and a keypad came out. The only thing with this keypad, was that it was also added with a facial scanner, a hand scanner, and a voice authorizer.

The dragon-demon hybrid lord put in the number code, let his helmet get scanned, and said the code in the voice authorizer.

The gate opened and revealed a chamber.

The chamber had very demonic leviathan skulls, and the lights were maroon-red with paintings of demons writhing in black fire under Valunight as a shadow with all 4 of his arms raised.

Then Valunight walked up to an altar that held a weapon like no other. It was a sword that had never been seen from the likes of any regular one.

There were 4 warglaives.

All 8 blades had demon skulls with very massive horns, ruby-red eyes with blood-red mist pouring out. The blades on the hilts had crystal teeth around them, but the teeth were wine-red and glowing with coal-black mist, the handle was guarded with the demon skulls that had large, swirling horns, but there were blood-red crystal at the top with black mist as well, the skulls’ heads had a large blade that pointed out of their heads with the same teeth type, and finally they all had blood-red, jagged constellation lines across the blades.

The warglaives all made a black hole shape, and they were floating above an altar.

The altar had a bowl with four demon skulls facing the walls, making an X shape. The large bowl was filled with the same matter as the moats of the castle, and was held by 4 demon skulls with horns on a pillar with ancient demon symbols in blood red. Demon skulls surrounded the pillar and four more were in the matter facing the weapons, breathing out black demon souls that were screaming in agony faintly.

Valunight grabs the warglaives and looks at them.

“Do not fail me,” The symbols on all the warglaives glowed darkly. His voice sounded like it was changed because it was through the helmet. It was haunted, metallic, dark, disharmonic and it reverberated as well as it echoed.

Then he pulled out a black crystal and showed a projection of two alicorns, they were Arkumon and Sylviura. “Prepare the Nether Gate,” He said to the two.

“Yes, Lord Valunight,” The two said with dark voices. Then Valunight put away the crystal and walked out of the chamber, the gate closing behind him.

Castle of Friendship...

"And after I read the letter, I just thought it was a joke. But it was true... it was all true," Twilight said between sobs.

The others felt very guilty about what they've done to Spike, too.

"Gosh. I never knew Spike was so sensitive about these things," Applejack said as she put her hat to her heart.

"I knew he wasn't a lot of parties, but I didn't think it was because I forgot about him," Pinkie said with her head down.

"And we always forgot to bring him on our adventures," Rarity said very guilty.

"But whenever we do, he just gets abused and neglected even more," Fluttershy said as tears streamed down her face.

Starlight couldn't help but feel a little guilty herself. he always helped her just as much as Twilight, but she never thanked him for it.

Starlight walks up to Twilight and puts a hoof on her shoulder. "Don't worry Twilight, the girls and I will do everything we can to help you find him,"

Twilight sniffled and wiped her nose. "R-Really?"

"Of course, Darling. All of us need to apologize to him as well," Says Rarity.

"Yeah, we'll throw him a huge, "We're sorry for what we did to you" party!" Pinkie said.

"Yes, he deserves it very much," Says Fluttershy.

Twilight slowly got up and wiped the tears from her, smiling at her friends with confidence. "Thanks girls. Okay, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, you two search from the air to get some more distance. Applejack and Pinkie Pie, you girls go look around the Apple Farm and Sugarcube Corner. Rarity and I will go look around the Carousel Boutique. If we can't find him today, we'll look for him tomorrow. If that doesn't work, I'll have Owlowiscious send a letter to Princess Celestia and let her know what's going. Everypony clear?"

"Yes ma'am!" They all said.

"Okay, let's get searching." And with that, they began the search for Spike. But there was something dark brewing ahead of them...

Unknown Time - Unknown Place...

After a few moments, Arkumon finished his spell and walked out of a chamber which appeared to be an observation room. He entered another room and tapped on a black orb with dark red waves of light inside, being sucked into the center. The orb glowed and showed a projection of a pony-dragon hybrid.

It was Sylviura.

"How long until the portal is ready to unbound them?" He asked the female hybrid.

"It will not be long," Sylviura responded. Her voice was a little lighter than Luna's, but it had reverberation.

"Well done, Sylviura," Arkumon says kindly.

Sylviura nods, and the projection ends.

Author's Notes:

Hey everyone! I am so sorry for the long wait, it's been so busy and I just needed a break to think. Thanks everyone for your patience!