Twilight woke up a few hours later to the splashing of water on her face. As she came to she gradually became aware of the concerned looks of her friends and the Princesses. She closed and reopened her eyes to make sure they were really there. Once she was sure she saw them she burst into tears and launched herself into Celestia who was the closest of the two, and drew Luna into a near rib crushing embrace, “I’m so sorry! I thought killed you. You were there, but like ghosts, if there was such a thing as ghosts, then you disappeared and I thought I killed you. Please forgive me.” After that she broke down sobbing that she was sorry as Celestia and Luna returned the embrace trying to get her calm enough that they could talk to her.

When Twilight’s sobs subsided into a gradual shudder as she stopped speaking and was greatful that she didn’t accidentally kill them via spell mishap. Seeing this as a good enough time as any to get a word in it was Luna who spoke first, “It’s ok Twilight Sparkle. We are ok. I’ll admit it was unnerving, since we were aware of the Castle where we awaited your summons and this place as well. But we’ve deduced that this place has protections to prevent anyone from accessing this place other than through certain location. The doors in the room we took you from are the only way into this place, although it doesn’t seem to prevent things from leaving.”

“So you aren’t mad at me?”

“Twilight, it was a simple mistake and we are just glad that no real danger came from it. Now that we are here why don’t we see what you and your friends have learned. Then we can explain some background into what this place is and whom Almareda was.” Celestia said comfortingly to Twilight as she wrapped her in a wing hug. Twilight released Luna and shifted her weight into Celestia so she could see her friends while staying within the warm embrace of Celestia’s wing. Giving a nod it was Pinkie Pie who started.

**************************

After Twilight cast the memory spell upon Pinkie Pie, she went exploring to see if she could find anyone else. After all what’s a party without guests. Using her ability to ignore the laws of reality popped into each rooms ready to surprise and befriend anyone she met. Unfortunately all the rooms in the place were bare.

Going to the communal garden and mead hall. She went there to see if they had any food and upon arrival was once made speechless. The Garden was actually a small ecosystem of diverse trees, plants, animals, and other things whose raw size dwarfed both Appleoosa and Ponyville put together. As she sped along the various orchards, and trails vaguely following the signs that cropped up here and there showing the various selections of fruits and herbs. As she approached the mead hall, she noticed that the sky above her wasn’t a night time sky as she had originally thought, but a swirling mass of stars both those she was familiar with and those she had never seen before.

Pinkie Pie sat looking at the sky above her until Luna appeared and told her that something happened to Twilight. Popping into Twilight’s Location to watch over her. It turned out to be unnecessary since Celestia was already there and told her to help Rarity find the others. “By the time I found Apple Jack, and I brought them with me, Rarity had already found Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash and were headed to where you were. I made a stretcher and carried you over to one of the many rooms they have set up here. Then we woke you up.” Pinkie Pie finished with a smile.

****************************

Rarity continued next. The Princesses letting her know that Twilight did better with dealing with stress when she had lots of information to process on a totally different topic than the one that was bugging her saw it as an opportunity to help her friend. After all it was Rarity who was the one who normally fainted, and she couldn’t imagine the fright that thinking that you killed those you were closest to could feel like. So she started her story when she left under Twilight’s suggestion to explore.

As Rarity left she was amazed at how dust free the place was. Other than the odd room here and there that sported an odd assortment of clutter, there was no cobwebs, dust, nor mold anywhere to be found inside the place. From what she could gather from Pinkie, all that mess was in it’s proper place, far away from her.

She eventually made it to a room that had gems of every kind and rarity. As more wealth and treasure than any dragon’s horde. She practically exploded twice from the sight of it all. But being a lady she didn’t take it, although she did admit that she was tempted to ‘borrow’ some of it. It was in this room that she sat spell bound by the sight before her, and if it wasn’t for Princess Celestia coming to get her she would probably still be rooted to the place.

She went to get Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash, whom she found in the Gardens. She didn’t know how Luna and Pinkie didn’t find them first, but they eventually left and ran into Pinkie who was looking for them. “Well it was shortly after that, that Pinkie pulled a stretcher with a lead and bit on one end. Then she pulled you into this room, I swear she was so resolute carrying you that she looked like a totally different pony for a while. I’ve never seen her like it. But regardless, while she was doing that I got some water and came here to wake you up.”

************************************

Apple Jack was next, saying that she had the least memorable experience of the five especially since Twilight knew how the story basically ended. Apple Jack looking at the map decided to go to the arcade to see what stores she could find. After all if there was a chance that there was anyone pony or otherwise who was still here then she might be able to rustle up some business for her farm.

She passed Rarity looking around and told her where she’d be getting an noncommittal grunt from her as she was lost in thought about something or rather. When she arrived at the arcade she saw that not a single soul was in sight, but the stores were still stocked as if anyone that was there suddenly left without warning. The whole thing gave her the heebie-jeebies, but she walked on seeing what she could see. She was impressed that even the food stuffs had not one sign of rot as if they were just picked yesterday.

She finally got to inspecting a store with a bunch of paintings in it when Pinkie Pie popped out of a picture of a dragon playing cards with a griffon, and her having a miniature heart attack. She asked Pinkie what in tarnations she was thinking before Pinkie Pie told her what happened between her and the Princesses, and Princess Luna coming to tell her that she needed to round everypony up and go to Twilight. “And that’s basically all that happened. I swear Twilight the more I’m in this place the more I feel we should leave. Just take what we need and be gone from here, it’s just not natural. That strange mare you said didn’t exist, the secret entrance with in a secret entrance that lead to here. The fact that no one is here, but it looks as if they just left yesterday, but I can’t see how with how old everything is here. There’s not a single thing I saw that was recent. Then with the whole Princesses going poof when you tried to bring them here ... I just think it’d be best if we got out of here lickety split.”

“I can see why you’d say that Apple Jack I do, but we can’t just leave. We were brought here for a reason.”

“Yeah a scary no good reason. Listen Twilight, ah trust ya, and ah’m here for ya. But usually when your led to a strange place, and there’s a bunch of signs pointin’ out that it’s bad mojo it’s usually a good sign that it’s a trap.”

“But how can it be a trap, as when you all said no one is here. There must be a logical explanation for all this, and how do we know that what ever led us here didn’t have benign intentions? Although I do admit it’s a bit spooky, and with the Princesses that was my fault. I didn’t think things through enough to think there might be things here to prevent me from summoning something here.”

“Well if somethin’ happens I’m gonna tell ya I told ya so. But just be careful Twi’.”

“I will.” She said as she wiggled closer to Celestia, her warmth and closeness was a mixture of nostalgic for Twilight and helped calm her from her ordeal. With this calmness came celerity and she was beginning to suspect what this place was. If she was correct she might even have a slight suspicion as to why no one was here anymore.

************************************

Both Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash started their tale together. They told Twilight how they left together since Rainbow Dash didn’t want her scared of whatever they would run into. And seeing a garden and a meed hall in the same location decided to go there while the others were doing there thing.

When they got to the Gardens they noticed not just the plants but the insects and animals. They took some time to communicate with them, a skill that Rainbow Dash still retained even after the healing, although to a slightly lesser degree. Seeing that Flutttershy was happy she told her that she was going to the meed hall. When she got there she saw a large oaken room with a varnish so shiny she could see her reflection on both the floors, walls and ceiling. She called out to see if anyone was there and got no reply.

Looking around she spotted several kegs of various fluids marked with the same ancient unicorn dialect that everything else had on it. She saw a keg of butter beer and thinking that she might as well have something to drink poured herself a mug. She had heard of this drink before, and decided that she might as well give it a try. Sipping it she relished in it’s flavor, a unique blend of buttery goodness with an equal mixture of caramel. The taste was like drinking candy, and once she had one mug she had to have more. It was after coming out of the restroom after her fifth mug that she saw Rarity standing with Fluttershy. She told her that Twilight fainted after a spell mishap and they needed to round everyone up to get them for her.

While walking she listened to Fluttershy talk about her experience. From what she had gathered from the animals they had been alone for as long as they could remember. It was just them and the garden where they lived. When she asked about seasons they seemed to not know what she was talking about stating that the garden was always the same and always had food for them to eat. So they didn’t know about such things as day and night, or the four seasons. It was strange.

“And well you heard enough to know what happened next. We caught up with Pinkie and AJ got you here then you woke up. That’s all there really is to tell you.” Rainbow Dash said wrapping up the tale.

*************************************

“So know Twilight are you better now?” Celestia asked.

Moving from the comfort of Celestia’s side she sat up and looked at everypony, she had long since stopped crying and was now back to her calm state. “Yes I’m better now thank you, so what is this place exactly and who is this Almareda?”

“Very well let us start. This place is a Demi-Plane. From what we’ve seen of the map, and the magical make up of this place we’d have to say that it doesn’t just double as what was once probably a city, but also a giant spell form. If we’d have to guess we’d say that the ritual room isn’t just for show but an integral part to what ever spell it was used for. As to why there is no one here but us, we have no clue. But we can’t find any malicious magics about, so it’s probably nothing to sinister. Although without more information we can’t say what happened for sure.” Luna said to every one present. “Although as for Almareda, my sister knew her better than us so we’ll let her finish up.”

“Well yes it is a Demi-Plane as my sister pointed out, as for Almareda. Well she wasn’t called ‘the Strange’ for nothing. She was a contemporary of Starswirl the Bearded’s way before Equestria was even considered. Back when the three races you all know of were still separate. She had Starswirl would have massive debates on the nature of destiny and the possibilities of other timelines. It was her in fact that moved his interest away from altering the physical world into time itself. Mostly to try and prove her wrong. Unfortunately they had a falling out and she simply disappeared, from what you mentioned of the mare, it was her. Although as you said it was probably a recording of some kind, probably tied to this plane. But I don’t see how since recordings aren’t solid and even then would still show heavy traces of magic, rather than a lack there of.

She was mostly called the Strange do to her philosophical debates, and her strange habits. She was obsessed with the thought of destiny and fate. but she never said why, nor did any one ever find out what her Cutie Mark meant. She was a secretive one. So Twilight, what did you find out in that journal of hers?”

Twilight was lost in thought for a moment processing all that she had learned and all that she had seen personally. Vaguely aware that someone had asked her a question she looked at Celestia and began her to tell what she had learned. “ Well it all began for her as a child. Her family and her were exploring an island that they learned was the starting point for an ancient civilization that had a hand in a great war before her time. I’m guessing it was the same war that you told me about Celestia, and don’t worry my friends know about it.

She didn’t say where it was located, nor what happened to her parents. But she did say that there were beings there that spoke to them, and implanted knowledge for a spell that would allow one to access and control ones destiny. But only through the Essence of Harmony, and the completion of the spell could one gain access into the vault. It was with a partial accidental casting of the spell that she earned her Cutie Mark. As from what she said she was able to tap into the destinies of others and use her magic on that.

It was after she wondered alone back to the Unicorn kingdom that she became obsessed with finding out how to finish the spell. While you called her and Starswirl contemporaries, from what she said it was more like a rivalry. That’s as far as I got when you arrived. Although there were alot of times in the journal were she would go on about philosophical musings that she thought might help her gain enough harmony to cast the spell properly. She wrote the constructs of the spell in the first twenty pages and I understand enough about it to cast it. Although it will take me some time to alter it for all of us to go. I think that it might be able to fix what I couldn’t, and possibly might even be what the Watcher was talking about when he said we weren’t ready to talk to him. What do you all think?”

They each after awhile of deliberation told her that they said they would stand by her till she saw this journey of hers through. Some were more enthusiastic than others, but with a general consensus out of the way, she told them the big thing about the spell that she had learned. “There is one thing to remember about this, that you all should think about before we start. It says to reach the light of ones core. The defining thing that all destiny’s share. One must pass through the darkness. Always remember that overcoming ones fears and past gives one strength to overcome all adversity, and when facing oneself the hardest thing to do is the act of true forgiveness and acceptance. Both of oneself and others, only through that can one accept the light. I don’t quite get that, but I think that everyone might have to be ready to face those things. Oh and it says that the place where all souls meet is a place were no secrets hide. Only when one is cleansed of shadows does oneself have the purity to control their destiny.”

With that said she left them to get started on studying the spell. She’d need all of her concentration to get this right. In the back of her mind she found it funny, she had started this whole mess to find her roots. But now she was drawn to this spell, this place, and she was going to see it through to the finish. No matter where it ended up leading too.