I'm sorry for the late release for this installment, everypony. I'm in a point of rapidly shifting interests and aspirations at the moment, but at sixteen, aren't we all?

I'd like to talk a little bit about the upcoming installments, including this one.

I've analyzed my own writing and compared it to some famous works, and I'm hoping to work out some of the not-so-smooth parts of my writing. You might notice a few changes in my writing style. Even if the rest of 'Battle: Ponyville' makes you ecstatic, I still need your input. It is what shapes later installments.

Here's a mathematical expression to help you understand:

Reading my story + Thinking about it + Responding with comments = Happy you during your later readings.

That sounds fair to me. :)

I'd also like to give out some special thanks to some of my readers who took the time to talk to me about my work, and to dedicate every piece of literature I'm ever involved in to the following people:

Robcakeran53 - The author of 'My Little Dashie,' the best tale ever written, and a story that changed my life for the better... Forever.

Forest Rain - A user who has given me invaluable feedback on my writing.

Thyrai - Author of 'Decay.' It is a disgustingly sad story, but don't let the tags fool you; It is beautiful. I cried many manly tears over it. (Who am I kidding? I cried like a little bitch.)

Comments, comments, comments! Thank you.

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Chapter 1: Calm before the Storm (Part 4)

Twilight's home was uncomfortably dim, lit only by a bright blue spark that hung at the tip of Trixie's horn. The only sounds were the turning of pages in the Tome and Twilight's troubled sleep; She had been that way since she cast the Backflash Canti, which appalled Trixie. One would think such an advanced scholar would have been more careful in casting such a powerful thing.

Trixie returned to the Tome and was making progress in reversing Twilight's nightmare. It pained her each time she glanced up to Twilight on her bed, her face contorted with fear.

Trixie read aloud: "...one of the less troublesome Canti's, the Promptus Canti, has a considerably wide range of uses, but can only be cast by Earth Ponies and Alicorns. The effects range from accelerating floral growth and decomposition to waking a creature from sleep, both naturally and magically induced. The Promptus Canti has even been known to raise the dead, although it is unclear whether or not a resurrection can be performed successfully without one of a handful of rare and precious reagents.

"The only side effect involved with the Promptus Canti is that it tends to be physically taxing for the one who casts it. The burden on the caster can be partially or entirely redirected to any number of willing assistants."

The showmare was intrigued; The Promptus Canti was beginning to sound promising, but she wasn't fully prepared to use it yet. She might succumb to the same fate as Twilight... Or worse. She read on.

"Any willing creature can help to spread the burden of the Promptus, but Earth Ponies are never to be used as an assistant. While an Earth Pony will guarantee and maximize the effects of the Promptus, his or her participation always results in death."

See! Two sentences may have already saved lives, and Trixie's disgust for Twilight grew ever stronger. Still, she read on.

"Like all Canti's, the results can be augmented and even altered by the consumption of material objects. There seems to be no means of determining the reagents involved with a Canti, which is why all the known reagents were discovered through trial and error over a period of centuries. See the chart below for-"

The blue spark flickered and Trixie flinched as the door behind her was flung open for the millionth time that night. In through the doorway came a figure clad in a brown hooded cloak, sporting a series of golden bangles on her right foreleg. On either side of Equestria's favorite zebra were two excessively packed saddle bags.

Trixie bent the corner of the page and hastily closed the Tome, turning to assist Zecora with her bags. Surprisingly, she had already come through the door very quickly, which confused Trixie. The bags were much wider than the doorway, and Zecora had never taken them off. She was a strange one.

Zecora's voice was unusually high-pitched. "Trixie! We must warn the Princess of-"

"Zecora, Celestia is already well informed, and has passed her knowledge of the situation on to us. Cloudsdale and Ponyville will be on full alert within a matter of minutes, but we're still in a bind. You see..." Trixie didn't bother to finish the thought, for the Herbalist was making her way to Twilight with a flask of what appeared to be milk.

"Zecora, Trixie would like to know what it is you're doing."

"Powerful are the consequences of an arcane allure, but your friend is safe; I have a cure." Trixie watched with skepticism as a cork was popped and Zecora dispensed several droplets of the substance beneath Twilight's nostrils. The "cure" then started steaming.

"The Backflash Canti is supposed to have her out for another thirty days... Will that cure of yours really work?" Again, Trixie was confused. Zecora couldn't have known what Twilight had done only minutes before she had arrived.

"Yes, it will, and she will be awake soon. Your purple friend will be alert long before the next full moon."

Indeed, it was having some effect on the Element of Magic. Twilight seemed relatively relaxed by comparison to her earlier tossing and turning, a look of sanguine splayed across her visage. Although the sleeping mare wasn't near consciousness yet, she managed to mumble a bit: "...cora..."

"Your friend, though she sleeps, is trying to say my name! Perhaps the Backflash is to blame?" Trixie did not hear her, for she was turning page after page in the Tome of Umbri, murmuring something about the Curandus. Zecora joined her in her search beneath the azure beacon that hung in the air above their heads.

"Are you expecting some one else, my friend? It seems the visitation here will have no end."

A look of frustration clung to Trixie's face; She wasn't going to get anything done with so many interruptions. At the very least, this interruption was quite stunning. Fading into existence with a soft orange beside Trixie was Nuntius.

"Until Twilight Sparkle is in a condition to do her part, I am yours to command, great and powerful Trixie."

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A solid black Pegasus clad in a brown cloak sat in front of an even blacker orb of light. From the sphere came an eerie purple glow that illuminated the rest of the bare, featureless chamber he was in; It was a massive stone chamber whose ceiling rose up into the darkness of the rock and dirt above him toward the surface. Indeed, he was very far beneath the surface of Equestria. Nearly seven hundred feet of stone separated the Vigil Chamber from view of the purple moon.

No one had ever measured how tall the Chamber stood because it was irrelevant. What everypony who know about the place was interested in was the shimmering Eye of Umbri that levitated on its own in the middle of the chamber.

This Pegasus was not alone. For many yards behind him were several other mare and stallion Pegasi nearly identical to himself, all bowing their heads. Nopony moved, and there was absolutely no sound in the Vigil Chamber; The Eye of Umbri saw to it that all vibrations in the air were nullified. Not a whisper nor thunderclap could be heard.

The Pegasus did not flinch as the Eye suddenly flared a brilliant and terrible purple, emitting a violet miasma into the chamber. In unison with the others, he fell backward on his flanks and held his forehooves high.

In the bright purple light, one could see that the chamber was huge, so large in fact that nopony could see all the way across with the thin miasma present.

Gradually, the Eye began to fade out of existence as another ethereal form took its place. It was a tall creature with two arms and stood on two legs, holding a solid black rod whose length matched its height. The sickening din of legions of tortured souls long dead filled the room, slowly articulating itself into one voice. And that voice spoke:

"You can give up. All of you. You can claim unspeakable power if you will ally with the Umbri."

The black Pegasus lowered his hooves and looked at the illusion that manifested itself before him. He had only seen such a monstrosity once, and that was during his trials to become the Seer Curandus here in the Keep. It was called a human. No expression made it across the stallion's visage as he looked silently at the illusion.

"You do not have to be foolish!" The figure turned and looked at all of the other Curandus monks, all of which who were motionless. "You do not have to perish to gain our power. You can still live on... In a way..." A sickening laugh tore through the air from the figure as he turned back to the Curandus Seer. He spoke again with the voices of the dead:

"You do know who I am, Seer. I, Halaster, am the overmind of the Umbri. It was I who marched on Canterlot with untold legions of undead... It was I who was meant to rule... And it was I who was meant to slay that fool, Celestia. And it was your order who brought about my demise...

"The Void is not very pleasant, Seer, and if you're not willing to lend me your power willingly, I will pry it from your cold, dead carcass AND MAKE IT DANCE FOR ME!" His shout echoed for a long time before it ceased. The Seer continued to glare at Halaster, determination in his orange eyes.

Halaster bent down, his figure becoming more and more faint. "I will march on the Keep.. The Elements will be mine. You will be mine, as well as the rest of your foolish order. The Everfree Forest will be mine in a matter of days, and even now, my necromancy spills forth the graves of every creature ever to perish beneath those wretched branches... And they will be at your door step before the Eclipse. Prepare yourself." With that, Halaster vanished entirely, along with the light that lit the Vigil Chamber. The cavernous room was entirely black.

As if on cue, the whole of the Curandus began to chant in perfect unison as torches along the stone walls lit by themselves:

"Loving Goddess, heed our call, it is time.

Take to heart our desperate rhyme:  

The Dead One waits until the next full moon;

Now is time to call to arms,

to teach the weak to resist his charms.

Be ready, and be ready soon."

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I apologize: This installment was RUSHED like I've never rushed anything before... I hope to start regularly working on this story soon.

Remember: Comments, comments, comments!

Also, please take a look at my other story-in-progress. It's a Fluttershy romance story with my own OC... :)