-EQUUS, THE UNDERGROUND HALLOW BIOME, HARMONY’S CASTLE-

As Harmony traverses through the halls of her home and the clopping of her steps echoes throughout the structure, along with the pink fairy: Pinkstrix, historical events could be seen etched onto every window they passed. Most notably was the fact that these images depicted events from Equus’s history, and Terraria’s. This fashion was very similar to the windows that depicted historical events in Canterlot Castle.

One image in particular causes her to pause momentarily as Harmony’s features become saddened. Pinkstrix takes notice of this and says:

“Empress… are you feeling ok? I know that this-”

“I’m fine, Pinkstrix. Just feeling a lot of regret right now… I was so stupid...” Harmony responds as she stares at the image and soaks in the events that were depicted:

The image on the window showed a large bipedal entity that seemed to resemble a fairy. However, what was most unsettling was the fact that the entity seemed to stare down upon smaller lifeforms with a condescending expression. Terrarians could be seen laying dead on the ground while others fled for their lives. In addition, various Utopians were either chasing down those who fled or finishing off those that barely held onto life. All of this chaos and bloodshed governed by the large entity who had a striking resemblance to Harmony herself. Fitting, considering it was her.

“To be truthful… I was hesitant to have this window constructed.”

“But then, why build it?” Pinkstrix questions.

“To remind me to never repeat my own sins,” Harmony then forms a smile, “And to keep my promise to an old friend.” She takes a few steps forward and now gazed upon the mirror that was next on her ‘tour’.

This window depicted what seemed to be a dark-furred Utopian that was laid peacefully upon a bed of flowers and various funeral arrangements. In addition, she herself was now in her current pony form and overlooked the stallion with a saddened expression. However, she wasn’t alone as standing by her side was a pegasus mare pony and a small foal.

“Ooh! I remember this image. This is your friend’s death, isn’t it? And that’s his wife and foal!” Pinkstrix exclaims gleefully.

“It sure is,” Harmony responds with a bright smile, “My all time best friend and the one who truly made me see the error of my ways: Shadow Water, Shadow Thunder’s ancestor...” The Empress hesitates to go on any further.

“Empress… It’s not your fault for what happened a long time ago. Abaddon betrayed your trust and that’s what killed Shadow Water. Don’t blame yourself for that.”

Harmony lowers her head in response and says:

“But I did fail to protect him,” The Empress then sighs sadly and continues on as she passed by various other windows with even more historical events.

Suddenly, her cheeks reddened and she beams a vibrant smile upon seeing a very special window in particular as she drew ever closer.

“Ooh! There’s the former King Oblivion.” Pinkstrix comments.

“Oblivion… I remember when you and I first met, and when we fell in love,” After looking at the image for a moment, her blush seemed to vanish and her expression once again morphs into sadness, “Until you betrayed me for… Cosmos.” Suddenly, Harmony’s eyes widened and she gasps in shock as she momentarily thought to see movement in the image.

“Oblivion?!” The Empress calls out.

“Ooh! The King is here?!” Pinkstrix inquires as the fairy starts to fly around and shout: “Your majesty! Where are you?!”

Harmony recovers from her momentary hallucination as tears began to form in her eyes. She falls onto her flank and begins to wail with sobs as she stutters:

“W-why? Why… why did you do that to me?! I loved you!”

……….

Suddenly, a multicolored portal manifests as a loud ‘WHOOOOOOAAAA!’ can be heard from it. Almost immediately afterward, a very particular demon eye shoots out, slamming into Pinkstrix, and falling to the ground. The fairy squeaks, flipping backward into a wall and bouncing off of it.

“I’m okay!” Says Derpy, waving an eyestalk from the impact crater.

“Derpy! It’s me, Pinkstrix!” The pink fairy shouts gleefully after recovering from the collision, all while the commotion catches Harmony’s attention.

“Oh, hi Pinkstrix! I hope I didn’t hurt you too badly.” The demon eye said.

“D-Derpy?” Harmony questions in disbelief, “How are you even here?”

“The one and only, Queen Harmony! Also wormhole portals. Lots of them.” The eye says, excavating herself from the crater and floating upwards.

“Of course, but why are you here?” Harmony inquires.

“Oh! Well, Lord Oblivion wanted me to deliver a message to you!”

“H-he has a message for… me?” The Empress questions in shock, but then looks away with a sad expression, “I... I don’t think I want to receive it…”

“Um… oh…” The eye looks saddened, floating towards the portal slowly, “I guess I’ll leave then…”

“Have pity for the adorable eye!” Pinkstrix exclaims as she flies forth and stops before Harmony’s face, “You’d better do it! Don’t you dare make Derpy sad! I love you, Empress, but this time I’m putting my… wings down?”

Harmony couldn’t resist the begging fairy as she chuckles in response, turns towards Derpy, and calls out:

“Derpy! Wait.”

“Huh?” The demon eye says, stalks waving in confusion as she turns around.

“I’ll take your message, sweetie. I’m so sorry for saying that. Despite everything that’s happened between Oblivion and I… I still care a lot about him.”

The eye seems to brighten up as if smiling, as she swirls in a spiral.

“Okay! Just sign here, please!” She says, extending a miniature clipboard with another stalk.

Harmony fires up her horn as a golden aura covers the clipboard and floats it towards her while asking:

“Would you happen to have a pen, sweetie?”

“Riiiiiight here!” She says, holding out a pen in the same stalk that held the clipboard.

“Thank you, sweetie,” Harmony signs the appropriate paperwork before she then conjures forth a generous mound of rocks, “If I recall, sweetie, you were quite fond of rocks. Am I correct?” Harmony questions with a smirk.

The demon eyes’ pupil widens as she makes a sound similar to a squee using two eyestalks that grab the rocks. She also takes the clipboard as well, storing it in her inventory and doing a cute little spin.

“Yay, extra rocks! Thank you, Harmony!” She says, but due to her spinning, she accidentally summons a seraph as a result; thanks to her unique prowess.

“Wh… what just happened?! Where am I?! I was just about to get me some kenku tail feather!” The seraph exclaims in disappointment as it’s revealed to be none other than, Brynhilda.

“Oops… Sorry Brynhilda,” says Derpy, stopping her spinning and producing an envelope with a single stamp keeping it closed, a bronze eye engraved on it.

Harmony instantly recognizes the seraph, of whom was absolutely dumbfounded by these current events, as The Empress clears her throat and says:

“Hello, Brynhilda. How’s Queen Athena doing these days?”

“L-Lady Harmony?!” Brynhilda exclaims in shock as the seraph falls onto her knees and says: “Please forgive my ignorance, Empress of Light. I am so relieved to see that you managed to execute your ‘Ark Plan’ to fruition.”

With a dismissive forehoof and embarrassed features, Harmony responds:

“Please rise, dear seraph. Formalities are not needed.”

Heeding to Harmony’s request, Brynhilda rises to her full stature but notices a worried expression on The Empress’s face. The seraphs chuckles and says:

“Pinkie Pie, Mena, and the others are doing well, Lady Harmony,” Brynhilda becomes nervous, “However... that’s not entirely true either. Especially when it comes to Pinkamena...”

”Wh-what do you mean by that? What happened to my baby girls? Twilight and her friends? Please, you must tell me!” Harmony demands with absolute worry.

Brynhilda was about to give into Harmony’s demand, but a nearby duo exclaims in unison:

”Objection!”

“Queen Harmony! Everything you want to know is in this letter from Lord Oblivion.” Derpy said.

“Seraph, I respectfully ask that you refrain from speaking any further,” Pinkstrix comments as she then turns towards Harmony, “And Derpy is right, Empress. It would be rude to send her all the way here with that letter just for you to not read its contents. Besides, who knows what else King Oblivion might have to say to you.”

Harmony ponders on this with her worried expression still present. In truth, she was seconds away from stomping into the portal and attempting to aid those in Terraria. However, doing so would not only break a certain law in regards to The Ancients, but also undo everything she had planned and created.

..........

As this goes on, Brynhilda turns towards Derpy and questions:

“Soooo, can you send me back to my boy toy?” The seraph takes on a suggestive expression, “We were just getting to the good part~”

“I’ll try my best!” Says the demon eye, sending the seraph through the portal again.

-TERRARIA, ANUBIS’S PYRAMID-

Having been tossed back into Terraria and within a hallway of Anubis’s Pyramid, Brynhilda looked down to where Tori was once beneath the seraph as she had him pinned under her before Derpy’s ‘intervention’. With a frustrated grunt, the seraph shouts:

“You will not escape my love, Tori!”

“You’ll never catch me, you horny overgrown chicken nugget!” Tori exclaims in Crabulon’s voice as he flees from the predatory bird.

-EQUUS, THE UNDERGROUND HALLOW BIOME, HARMONY’S CASTLE-

“I’m sure they’ll be alright. Anyway, here you go, Miss Harmony!” Says Derpy, looking away from the portal and extending the eyestalk.

Harmony takes the letter as she goes on to comment with reddened features:

“That seraph... sh-she reminds me of Oblivion. They’re both, um, straightforward.” The Empress chuckles and turns her gaze away from the portal and back to Derpy, “Thank you very much for delivering this, Derpy. You know, I’d really like for you to meet this world’s Derpy one day.”

“...Does she like rocks?” Asks the eye.

“She’s more of a muffin type of pony, but you both make fine messengers.” Harmony says with a beaming smile.

“Thank you… I should get going now! Bye Miss Harmony! Bye Pinkstrix!” She says, zooming back through the portal as it closes behind her.

“Bye Derpy!” The two exclaim in unison as they watch the demon eye enter the anomaly. Harmony then turns towards Pinkstrix and says:

“You are dismissed for now, my dear. I must admit that I’m very curious about this letter.” The Empress fires up her horn and disappears within a multicolored beam of light.

-EQUUS, THE CRYSTAL EMPIRE, CASTLE DUNGEON-

After being beaten by Princess Luna and the former ruler of the changelings, Chrysalis, Blueblood still remained chained up against the wall of his cell. His horn was still missing and various wounds, and bruises, never healed completely. The cell itself was positioned in the absolute darkest depths of the dungeons. In addition, a platoon of nearly ten guards from various species were always on alert and were even given permission by Princess Luna herself to kill Blueblood on sight should the traitor try anything.

“Peasants! All of you! I will see to it that none of you get to even breath in my new kingdom’s air!”

The guards outside of the cell simply start to laugh in unison as the dragon among them comments:

“You guys hear that? Oh no, we’d totally better start running for our lives.”

“Yeah, I wouldn’t want this thing to somehow capture any of us and drag us into The Corruption.” A pegasus stallion responds as the group of guards all begin to laugh in unison.

“You’re going to be beheaded you traitorous sack of meat!” A female griffon exclaims as she scratches the bars of Blueblood’s cell with her talons, “What can you even do when you’ll be dead tomorrow?” She then growls angrily and bares her teeth, “I lost some very good friends of mine because of The Corruption and its monsters... I’ll be there to watch your head roll on their behalf, traitor!”

Blueblood lifts his head and with a devilish expression, he replies:

“And that means what to me? Good riddance to non-pony filth!”

“I’ll fucking kill you right here and now!” The griffon roars out as she was about to unlock the cell door, but was stopped by her fellow guards as a yak shoves itself between her and the containment.

“Yak think you should not waste time on monster. Yak know griffon’s pain, but traitor pony pay tomorrow with execution.”

“Indeed. We all want nothing more but to see this vermin be dealt with, but we must also remember that the entire empire is filled with those who wish to see him pay for themselves.” A female hippogriff comments.

“I get it! I get it! Let me go, will ya?! I’ll go cool off,” The enraged griffon roars out. The yak, hippogriff, dragon, and the other nearby guards nod in response as those who were restraining her loosened their grips. The female griffon simply glares into the cell as she then turns with a ‘hmmph’ and an eagle-like grunt leaves her beak.

..........

Within the cell, Blueblood continues to growl angrily towards the guards outside but is surprised by an all too familiar voice that speaks within his mind.

-Blueblood, we are in position. Your work with the Corrupt Seeds have born fruit and we shall assist you when the appropriate time arises.-

-Ah, good to hear, my Lord- Blueblood responds internally as a maniacal grin stretches to either side of his face’s absolute limit. Having heard Ocram’s plans, the white stallion shouts:

”I look forward to making you all squeal!”

“Shut up already! You delusional maniac.”

Things are about to get crazy, for these next chapters are the start of Equus's great battle.