Once the grogginess from the bright light began to wear off, the group seemed to be able to reclaim their sight. For it was Eira who spoke up. ''Where are we now?'' she asked, looking around as another wave of unfamarity swarm past the group. From further inspection it appeared they were standing in a bright and colorful room. One that was heavily covered in books and various magical looking artifacts. It was unlike anything they had ever seen before. However for Starlight, it reminded her of Twilight's secret study in the basement of the castle. How she'd only be able to visit a few times. But that was only late at night when Twilight had been too tired to recheck to make sure the door was locked. At that time, Starlight had only wanted to see what her mentor was up too. She hadn't meant any harm. ''Well hello there, my little ponies.'' Suddenly, from behind a thick curtain came the voice of none other than Princess Celestia herself, whose eyes were wide in surprise, as she had not been expecting the five ponies. ''How did you all get here?'' she asked, sounding slightly taken aback. The group enchanted nervous glances before Starlight stepped up. ''We're not really sure, princess. We were brought here by the crystal Nexus? We were told it sensed our desire and grief and wanted to help us. Celestia's expression seemed to shift slightly, as she seemed to recognize Starlight, letting out a small sigh as her expression shifted to one of relaxation.

''I see. Well, it seems that the crystal Nexus was right to have you brought you to this place. There is something here I must show you all.'' With that, Princess Celestia gestured for them all to follow her as she made her way towards a large bookshelf located in the corner of the large, and colorful room. She then ignited her horn, illuminating the room with a gold hue, as a dusty, old - looking tome began floating down next to her. Lightly, she allowed it to fall, then she began slowly sifting through the ancient pages, until she found what it was she'd been looking for. ''If you don't mind me asking, princess. Is this going to help us find out what is lurking in the EverFree Forest? Will it help us uncover what happened to Twilight? Our friend, Cervus, was able to give us some valid information, but it seems he had to leave.'' Starlight said as she'd noticed Cervus's disappearance long ago.

''Well, I do hope so, Starlight Glimmer. You see, this book here contains ancient spells and knowledge that has been passed down for generations. It even contains stories about how things were before Equestria was founded. And with that, it holds the darkest of secrets. Secrets no pony has yet discovered.'' Celestia responded before she began reciting something, something even Starlight Glimmer was unfamiliar with. Suddenly, a bright light exploded from the pages of the old book, causing the group to shield their eyes with their hooves, as to not go blind. ''Inside these very pages, there is the story of the lost princess of Equestria,'' she said, her voice soft as she began to read. ''A long time ago, before I or Luna began ruling, before Equestria was founded as Equestria, there was a small kingdom, where two alicorn sisters ruled. Together they ruled as eldest and younger. The eldest was known for her cruelty and love for punishment. While the younger sister was known for her kindness, and generosity. At the time, magic worked differently than it does now. There was no such thing as unicorn magic, or earth pony strength, nor did the pegasi control the weather. So the princess's were deemed special, for not only were they of all three types of pony, they also possessed magical abilities. The eldest held the power over the arts, as the younger sister, held the power of creation. During the harsh winter, the younger sister worked tirelessly to create homes and shelter for the ponies, which made her deeply loved by the town ponies. However, the eldest sister began to become jealous of her younger sister's popularity among the ponies, and became obsessed with gaining their love, that she turned to dark, ancient magic, to achieve her goal. She could not bring herself to end the life of her sister, instead she banished her sister to a remote spot, where no pony would ever find her. There, it's said she made a forest. One where she was able to thrive, with the love in her heart, and the company of the small woodlands creatures that lived there.'' Starlight Glimmer listened to Celestia's story with bated breath. her mind racing to picture the events as they unfolded in her mind. She had never heard of the lost princess of Equestria before, and the idea filled her with excitement and wonder, however with all stories such as these, she knew it wouldn't end well.

''What happened to the younger sister? Did she ever return?'' Fluttershy whispered.

''No pony knows. It is said the last pony to ever see her, was her eldest sister. Driven bad by all that dark magic, there are stories of their great battle, that the younger sister was able to absorb and store all of the dark magic away. However it is unknown to what happened to her. Alas, ponies believe that the magic from both sides was so powerful, it lingers in that forest. For centuries, ponies have reported hearing strange voices when they've ventured too deep inside. Those who have ventured to far inside, have felt a cold breeze that seems to come from nowhere, and seen trees move on their own. Even the animals act differently. For centuries, her disappearance remained a mystery. But what few ponies believe is that she sacrificed herself to the darkness, and was banished to the shadow realm, where she was forced to live out her days in darkness. As for the eldest sister, one can never know.'' Once the princess seemed to have finished her story, the group exchanged shocked expressions, completely taken aback by this new wave of information. ''But princess, why wasn't this information ever documented to the public?' Straight asked, her voice laced with confusion as she never took her eyes away from the book, lying motionless now, in front of the princess. Celestia let out a small sigh as she slowly allowed air back into her lungs. ''I guess the truth was much too painful to bear. The ponies at the time chose to forget their lost princess, to avoid thinking about the darkness surrounding her disappearance.''

As Celestia exhaled out a deep, burdened sight, Starlight could sense the overwhelming sadness that instantly enveloped the white alicorn. The weight of the past events was palpable, leaving its mark on the once majestic princess. Yet, amidst the sorrow, a glimmer of hope through her captivating eyes. It was as if Celestia possessed a knowledge, a secret that eluded the others, one Starlight felt herself being drawn into its enigmatic grasp. Summoning her inner resolve, she seized the moment and let the words that would unravel everything fly. ''I hold a belief, and a very strong one at that. I believe the forest still stands, I believe it is intertwined with us. That it has always been there, although no pony knew what they were looking at till now. I believe it stands as the EverFree Forest, and the spirt of the lost princess resides within its very core. Where's she's been trapped, try as she may to reach out to whoever is brave enough to venture inside.