The early morning sunlight catches Rage's eyes causing him to wake up. He groaned having a restless night due to his injuries. He sat up and sighed. He looked at his front legs, they were fine.
"Seems like I am mostly healed up…" he says to himself "Glad to see I heal as fast as before…" he mutters. He laid back and sighed. He thought back to what had happened. He knew he had cast a protective barrier. However, it broke through and he had to take the strike himself. He rolled his left shoulder some and sighed.
Something seriously bothered him about his encounter with that Sombra. He knew there was no way it was real and there was this Dark Magic that felt all too familiar there as well. He closed his eyes and meditated on it for a minute. Dark Magic, where else had he felt that kind of power? Finally it came to him. His eyes shoot open and he exclaims "The Everfree Forest!"
It was poor timing because Twilight had just opened the door to his room to check on him. He looked at her. She stared back with a confused look. "What about the Everfree Forest?" She asks him. "You aren't planning something stupid are you?"
"No!" Rage exclaims as she walks over and he gets out of the bed. She looked at him with curiosity.
"You're…all better?" She asks, a bit surprised considering the condition he was in just the evening prior. He nods in response to the question. "Putting the obvious question about that aside, what are you talking about?" She questions him.
Rage walked out of the room and Twilight followed "I thought you had to go see Celestia for some big meeting." Rage states as he sat at the table in the main room.
"After what happened yesterday I put it off until today. With her blessing of course." Twilight says sitting across from him. "Now then…what were you talking about earlier?"
Rage nods his head remembering what he was going to say. "Right, so yesterday…" he started "That whole deal with Sombra?"
"Yeah, I remember." Twilight says with a confused glare. "What about it?"
"It wasn't really him." Rage says.
"Well duh!" Twilight scoffed. "Anypony could have figured that one out!"
"Hold on, there's more." Rage says. "He used some Dark Magic that was very unique…"
"I am not sure I follow." Twilight says, tilting her head in confusion. "He uses Dark Magic, yes?"
"Well, I thought it felt familiar and I figured it out! It's the very same energy I felt that time near the Everfree Forest!" He exclaims.
"Meaning…" Twilight rubs her chin "You think something is going on in the Everfree Forest?" To this Rage nods.
"Perhaps…" Rage nods "I am not one hundred percent but it's worth investing."
"It's dangerous…" Twilight says "The Everfree Forest is not safe…"
"I understand that and I am willing to take the risk." Rage says "I can't just ignore this…If it could lead to taking down Sombra…"
Twilight thought for a minute and finally sighed "Alright…you can go but be careful and record your findings for me. Spike will be back soon so talk to him, he'll help you with what you'll need." She finally agrees.
"Thank you." Rage bows his head "I won't let you down."
"I am sure you won't." She chuckles walking to the stairs.
"Hey Twilight?" Rage asks her as he walks up to the glass case that held the Elements of Harmony. "I've been meaning to ask about these?" He points to the necklaces and the one tiara.
"Oh?!" She hops back down the stairs "They're the Elements of Harmony!" She happily proclaims. "You…do know about them right?"
"Sort of." He says "I know they are powerful and tied to specific attributes. Beyond that though? Not really a whole lot."
"Alone not so much." Twilight says "But together the Elements of Harmony are the greatest power in Equestria!"
Rage nods as Spike opens the door. "There's Spike!" She smiles watching the young dragon walk in.
"I got everything you needed Twilight!" He says from behind a pile of books, sacks and papers.
"Rage, will you help him put everything away?" Twilight asks and the red unicorn nods. "Thank you." She smiled in relief that was one less thing she had to worry about.
Rage walked over and helped Spike sort out the books as Twilight went to her room and gathered her things. "Are you doing alright?" Spike ends up asking Rage as he moved some papers over to make room for the books.
"Yeah." He says "I've taken harder hits than that." He chuckled with a confident grin. Spike eyed him and nodded going back to the papers as Twilight came down.
"I'm off!" She announced as she went to the door. "You'll be fine without me right Spike?"
"Of course!" Spike chuckles with a dismissive wave of his hand.
"Oh!" Twilight perked up "I almost forgot!" She used some magic to pull a scroll out of her bag and handed it to Rage who took it with his own magic. He looked at her a bit confused. "Rage, if you need to get a hold of me there's a spell in that scroll." She directs.
"Right." He says putting it down and off to the side. "I'll let you know if I find anything."
"Are you going somewhere Rage?" Spike asks the crimson unicorn as Twilight walks out of the door.
"Yeah, I am going to investigate the Everfree Forest." Rage says.
"You're what?!" Spike exclaims "Rage that's dangerous! Do you have any idea what's in there?!"
"I am aware of the dangers, Spike." Rage sighs "Twilight approved it. I think it may hold a clue on how Sombra returned and how we can stop him."
"She's putting a lot of trust in you then…" Spike sighs "I should make sure you have what you'll need."
"Let's take it one step at a time, Spike." Rage says "Let's get this organized for Twilight first."
The two spent about another two hours organizing and putting away all of the materials Spike had gotten per Twilight's request.
With the last bit of stuff put away Rage looked to see it was noon. The midday sun was high in the skies. "Hey Spike, how long have you been friends with Twilight?"
"Since I was born..." Spike says "She hatched my egg..." he admits. This got a strange look from the red unicorn who was confused as to how that would work. "She used some magic or something. I don't know the whole story..."
"Interesting." Was all Rage says as he goes over to a brown linen satchel and puts the scroll Twilight had given him inside. Spike then brought some paper, quills and a book. Rage took the book and looked curiously at it and Spike. "What's this?"
"It's a book about The Everfree." Spike says "It was written by the great unicorn Star Swirl the Bearded. It should help you navigate it if you get lost."
"Thank you." Rage says putting the book in the bag. Following the book were some apples and a few sandwiches. "I hope to be back by dusk but if not don't worry. If I am not back by sundown tomorrow then yeah, you can probably worry about me."
"Be careful Rage." Spike says with a concerned voice. "I know Twilight is behind you but I don't think this is a good idea."
"Your concern is noted Spike." Rage says walking to the door. "I'll be fine. Trust me, I've been through worse."
"If you say so..." Spike says quietly as Rage exited the library leaving Spike more or less alone.
Rage walked the path back to the edge of the forest where he first felt the energy when he and Twilight were on their way to Fluttershy's cabin. He stood there for a moment and inhaled sharply. "Here goes nothing..." he says to himself as he crosses the threshold of the forest's edge.
He fought through some undergrowth until he found a path he could follow. It was spotty and well worn in spots. Almost as if it had once been a road once upon a time. He looked around as he walked. He wasn't sure what it was about this place but it made him feel uneasy, on edge even. Determined though he kept walking.
Hours seem to go by and Rage felt as if he had made no progress. The noises of the night within the forest had come alive. Cicadas sung their loud and rather annoying cascade of hissing and owls hooting. Rage made it to a small clearing. He had his horn illuminated for light and he looked tired. "The energy I felt before..." he sighs "I can't find it."
A howl then echoed through the clearing and Rage perked up on guard. He looked around with caution as he could hear undergrowth rustling. "Who's there?!" He shouts. He heard the creaking of wood as strange wolf-like creatures made of branches and leaves stalked out of the darkness. Green eyes glaring at Rage with a desperate hunger.
Rage crouched some in a defensive stance. "What are these things?" he wonders as the four creatures stalk around him in a circle. He watched each one, not sure which would attack, one? Two? All of them? He braced himself as he locked eyes with one and it leapt for him. With a sharp exhale of breath Rage leaps over the creature and covers his nose. "Yeesh these things stink!" he thinks as the four move closer to him.
They all crouched into a jumping position. Rage was backed against a tree. They were going to jump. Rage looked around and saw a branch above. It looked sturdy enough, he looked at the wolf creatures and shouted "Come on!" He challenges them. A snarling sound emanates from their mouths and all four leap at once. Rage leaps straight into the air and they slam into the tree as he lands on the branch high above. He struggled for a second to get his footing but was able to firmly plant himself on the branch. He looked down to a pile of branches. He let a sigh of relief out. "I don't know what those things were but I am glad that's over." he says leaning against the trunk of the tree. "I think I'll call it here. I'll continue when the sun is up...less I run into those things again." Rage positioned himself as best he could to sleep. It wasn't the most comfortable but it would do. He closed his eyes and slowly fell asleep.
He was woken up by the light of the sun kissing his face. The warmth was pleasant and he opened his eyes. He nearly fell off of the branch and he quickly came to realize and remember where he was. He looked down, the pile of branches was gone. He looked around and then pulled the book that Spike had given him out. He flips the pages to find creatures. "Let's see...basilisk...cockatrice..." he mutters to himself before flipping to a page that had the creatures that had attacked him last night. "Ah! Timber Wolves!" He exclaims "Literal name..." he reads about their features and how they break down into branches when knocked out but little else was known. He focused and cast a spell, surprisingly without any backlash this time, a detect life spell, he looked around after casting it. Nothing. He sighed in relief and leapt down from his perch.
Once more he looks around. This time he was hit with some energy he recognized. "That's it..." he says looking to the north. That was the energy he had felt that day with Twilight and the day he fought that Sombra shade. Knowing there was little time to waste he made for the direction where he could sense the Dark Magic.
He ran and ran before coming across some broken ruins. He slowed down, the source of the Dark Magic was close. He looked around and tapped his chin. It almost looked like this was once a town or city. Was it overrun by the forest? He walked with caution and looked around. The trees had grown and made it difficult to tell much of what the lay out had been. However Rage eventually found his way to a larger clearing. He looked upon a derelict castle in ruins yet still standing tall. Defiant even. As if it stood to defy the encasing plants the area on which it stood.
"In there." Rage says as he walks to the castle. That Dark Magic he was sensing was coming from there. He could feel it. Once inside he looked around upon the broken tapestry and flags. One of the wall banners looked a lot like Celestia's cutie mark. "It's weird..." he says to himself "It's as if I can feel all of the pain and sorrow of those who once resided here." he looks to the ground. "Something tragic happened here."
He continued farther inside and found a throne room. Mostly destroyed but one throne stood to the right side of the room. In the center was a large dark crystal. Rage took a few steps back looking in awe at it. That was the source of the magic. This large crystal was radiating with Dark Magic. "What IS this?" he asks himself.
He walked around it but kept a distance. He didn't know what to do. It needed to be destroyed but how? Out of options he pulls the scroll Twilight had given him out. "Let's see..." he mutters, looking it over as his horn glows. "With our bond I cast a line. So I may hear your voice and you mine?" he asks. "What?"
Meanwhile, Twilight was inside Fluttershy's house. She had just finished fixing the cutie mark mixup between her and Rainbow Dash she had accidentally caused unknowingly last night. This was when she heard Rage's voice in her head, the 'What' echoed in her mind. Her ears perked up and she looked at Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy "Excuse me a minute girls!" she says walking outside. Her horn glows and she replies "Rage? Is that you?"
"It worked!" he replies happily "Hey Twilight how are things going for you?"
Twilight looked back to the cabin then to the patchy rain clouds. "They've been better." she sighs "What's up?"
"So I found the source of the Dark Magic in the Everfree Forest okay?" Rage replies. "In some old castle."
"The Castle of the Two Sisters." Twilight replies to him. "I know of it. What did you find though?"
"That's the thing, I am not quite sure what it is or how to get rid of it." Rage answers. "It's just this giant dark crystal...I've never seen anything like it!"
"Dark crystal...?" Twilight wonders. "That's strange. What have you tried?"
"Nothing yet." Rage replies. "I don't want to do something stupid."
"Okay hold on just a second." Twilight says, closing her eyes.
"Okay but-" Rage started to say when he felt really weird. Suddenly his eyes glow with a bright white light. Twilight had used a magic spell to see through his own eyes.
"Oh my..." Twilight says in shock looking at the crystal. "What in Equestria is that?" She closed her eyes and so did Rage.
"Warn me next time." He jeers. "That was weird."
"Sorry." she says "I guess try to break it? The crystal doesn't look like there's any failsafes put around it. Since it's so deep in the Everfree Forest, whoever put it there didn't want it to be found. They went through great lengths to make sure of it too."
"Alright." Rage says "I'll see what I can do. I'll be back tonight regardless. If I can't figure it out maybe we could come back together and figure it out."
Twilight nods "Sounds like a plan. Be careful." she says as Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash walk out of the cabin.
"Who were you talking to?" Fluttershy asks.
"Oh, sorry!" Twilight exclaims "I was talking with Rage."
"Oh? Where's he at?" Rainbow Dash asks "I figured he'd be in bed still after what happened the other day."
"He's running an errand for me." Twilight lies.
"Why not send Spike?" Fluttershy asks.
"Spike knows the Library a whole lot better than Rage does." Twilight chuckles, "I'd rather have Spike watching over it than him."
"Good point." Rainbow Dash says as they walk together.
Rage sighs and looks at the large crystal. "Alright..." he says as his horn glows with a fiery red energy. "Here goes nothing!" he shouts as he launches a red burst of energy at it. It strikes the crystal and throws up a large amount of dust from the surrounding area making Rage cough violently.
He finally got a hold of himself to see where he had struck the crystal a crack had formed. He smirked. He knew what to do. "Seems like Chaos energy works fine!" he said aloud as his horn glowed with a golden energy. He charged it for a few seconds to the point he was surrounded in a yellow aura. Finally he fires a beam that engulfed the crystal. It persisted for about ten seconds before it faded. Rage pants looking at where the crystal had stood. It was no more. It lay in rubble.
"Alright!" he cheers. He gathered his things and then the castle shook as if there was an earthquake. "Uh-oh!" he exclaims as he jumps forward to avoid some falling debris. He heard a loud hissing sound. He knew then it was time to go. "Chaos, protect me!" he says as he forms a dark purple aura around his horn and a sparkling trail of cyan formed where he had been. He quickly began to run following the trail.
He made it out of the castle with the ground still rumbling and he looked to his right, he could see the body of a large basilisk slithering through the treeline. When he looked forward he could see the head of the snake. He stopped in his tracks as it looked at him. "This isn't my day." he comments as it lunges for him.
Rage leaps into the air and fires a blast of freezing ice magic. It strikes the mouth of the beast, freezing it closed. Rage used a burst of magic to fling himself over the body of the beast to the bridge over a large ravine. The beast struggled for a minute before smashing its head into the ground to shatter the ice. It raised its head followed by a furious roar.
Rage was halfway across the bridge when he looked back to see the basilisk giving chase. "Seriously?!" he scoffs "Cut me a break will ya?!" he turns and fires another beam of icy magic. This time it struck the back of the beast and it slithered on.
Rage knew it wasn't worth trying to fight the monster. He turns and starts to run faster. "Come on..." he mutters to himself. He was putting all he had into running. He then felt as if he wasn't even touching the ground and a loud roar echoed from behind. He skidded to a stop to see the bridge was gone. The basilisk was falling into the ravine roaring on the way down. Rage pantes and lets out a sigh of relief. "That was too close." he says. He then turned and continued to follow the trail back.
As he continued the sun continued to sink and the moon was up by the time he had made it to where he first entered the forest. He had met with some other creatures and they served as either no threat or nothing compared to the large basilisk.
He sighed in relief, finally being home free. "I don't think I want to go back…" he says to himself, plucking a thorn out of his back right hoof. He turns to the path and starts slowly walking.
Finally he made it back to the Library. He looked at his reflection in a puddle. He was a mess. His mane had twigs and leaves strewn within it and it was all ruffled up. "Oh boy…" he mutters to himself looking at the state he was in "I am in for it." He says opening the door to the Library.
Inside was Twilight shivering slightly trying to put some books back on a shelf, her friends all there too as he came in she looked at him and a pair of wings extended in surprise "Rage! You're back!" She says.
"Oh sugarcube what happened?" Applejack asks.
"What did I miss?" Rage asks, looking at Twilight.
"A lot." Rainbow Dash states. "What happened to you?"
"I knew I shouldn't have let you go to the Everfree Forest alone." Twilight says.
"Trust me Twilight it's all just my mane. I am fine." Rage says with a heavy sigh "I didn't notice until I was almost back." He says as Rarity walked up to him with a brush.
"Here, allow me." She says using the brush to comb his mane.
"So did you have any luck?" Twilight asks.
"Surprisingly-ow." He stopped and looked at Rarity as she combs through a knot in his mane.
"Sorry Darling. I didn't mean to hurt you. Your mane is just all messy!" She apologized.
"Anyway, yeah I did." Rage answers "The crystal is no more. I had a run in with a basilisk on the way back…hence the mess."
"Well I am glad you're okay." Twilight sighs finally retracting her wings.
"So…when did you get the wings?" Rage asks.
"It's a…long story." Twilight chuckles awkwardly "They're new."
"So you're an Alicorn then?" Rage asks tilting his head so Rarity could finish combing through it. "By extension a princess?"
"Yeah…uh surprise?" Twilight chuckles.
"Princess Twilight Sparkle…" Rage says with a thoughtful voice. "I think it has a nice ring to it." He says with a smile.
"See I told you!" Rarity says crossing her front hooves. Twilight looked away with an embarrassed blush.
"I don't know this is all so sudden…" she says "Not to mention we still have Sombra to worry about." Twilight looks at Rage "So you can get home."
Rage frowns "Don't worry about me, Twilight." He says "I am more than comfortable with taking our time. Besides, you have your friends here to support you. You're not alone."
The lavender alicorn looks at him and smiles. "I think you mean OUR friends." She said, Rage tilted his head not quite sure what she meant.
"Awe Sugarcube we're your friends too!" Applejack says putting an arm around Rage.
Rage smiled and rubbed his shoulder. "Thanks Applejack." He sighs "Truth be told…part of me doesn't want to go back."
"What?!" The six gasp in unison.
"Why wouldn't you want to go home?" Rarity asks.
"Don't you have people waiting for you?" Pinkie shouts.
"Besides, we can't just ignore Sombra." Rainbow Dash grumps.
"No we can't and I still plan to help you all out…" Rage says looking down.
"So what's wrong?" Fluttershy asks.
"I know our time together has been short but…I have enjoyed it…you all accept me for who I am…as a pony. Not what I am or what I do. I can be myself." Rage sighs "Back home? I couldn't do that…"
"Why not?" Pinkie Pie asks, rolling her head.
Rage chortled as he sat down. "Back home I have a special role that everyone has expectations for and in order to meet them I had to shut myself off… I couldn't be myself." He says "Day in and day out it was all about what I was and not who…"
"So you're saying…your role was shaping who you had to be but it wasn't who you were?" Rarity asks.
"It's…a bit more complicated than that." Rage sighs "My point is, I want to be known for who I am. Not what I am. Yes my role, what I am tasked to do is important but I am more than that…I just wish people back home could see that…" he tries to better explain to them what he meant. Though he was unsure if they'd understand.
"I think I understand." Twilight says "Back on Mobius you're seen as a Chaos Guardian and that's it. They don't see you for you. So you have to put on a strong face and be who they want you to be."
"Yeah…" Rage nodded. "Anyways…what did I miss?" He asks.
"A lot." Rainbow Dash grumps.
"Twilight accidentally used some super old spell that swapped our cutie marks around therefore swapping what we were destined to do! Then she went around and helped show each of us what we are supposed to be, then she wrote in some spellbook and then the Elements of Harmony went all weird and zapped her and next thing we knew she popped up as an Alicorn!" Pinkie cries happily. "Isn't that awesome?!" She asks with a shout as her head extends all the way over to Rage from across the room.
"Y-yeah?" Rage says putting a hoof up and moving her away. It was after that Princess Celestia came through the front door.
"Princess!" Twilight exclaims as they all bow.
"Sorry I know it's late but I nearly forgot something." She chuckled, she looked at the seven "Twilight can you come with me?" She requests.
"Of course." Twilight nods following the Princess back outside.
"Wonder what's going on." Fluttershy says softly.
Celestia stopped with Twilight a few steps away from the library. "What do you need to talk to me about Princess?" Twilight asks.
"I know you already have more than enough on your mind but…it's returned." Celestia says "I didn't want to say this in front of the others. The Crystal Empire is back."
"So…we don't have any time to celebrate?" Twilight asks.
"Unfortunately, no." Celestia shook her head. "At dawn you and your friends must go. We have to take our chance while we have it."
"I understand Princess." Twilight says, looking back through the window to see her friends and Rage all joking around. Even seeing Rage laugh as Pinkie Pie made a face.
"Is something the matter, Twilight?" Celestia asks concerned.
"Princess…I wanted to know why you want Rage to accompany us on this mission so badly." Twilight sighs "I know he wants to get home and all but…it's dangerous. Especially with how little control he has over his magic."
Celestia sighs looking at the crimson unicorn "If you think it's best to leave him behind then I will let you make that call." She says looking at him. "Maybe I was wrong…" she muttered to herself.
"Is something wrong Princess?" Twilight asks, snapping her out of her thoughts.
Celestia looked back at Twilight and sighs "It's nothing." She answers. "Go be with your friends and rest. It's an important day tomorrow."
"Alright." Twilight says as they go their separate ways. As Twilight reaches the door to the Library she inhales deeply and opens it.
The six ponies inside and Spike were all just talking. "Everything alright Twi?" Applejack asks "You look awfully worried."
"Listen everyone…The Crystal Empire is back…the storm has withdrawn…Celestia wants us to go in the morning."
The other six look in surprise. "This is a bit sudden isn't it?" Rarity asks.
"I know it is." Twilight sighs "But we can't miss our chance. Cadence and Shining Armor are depending on us! Sonare all of the Crystal Ponies!"
"If that's the case we should probably rest." Rainbow Dash suggests. "No point in going there exhausted. We'll crash and burn."
"I need to get home and put the animals to bed anyway." Fluttershy says. One by one the others say their good nights and leave. Shortly after the other five had left Twilight looked at Rage.
"Twilight." Rage speaks up before she could turn around and go up the stairs to her room. "I need to talk to you…please?" He requests. Something was bothering him. She could tell whatever it was had been weighing on him.
She turns to him and nods showing she was listening. "I don't know how to best explain it so I'll just be blunt." He sighs "A few nights ago I had a vision…about what happens in The Crystal Empire."
"A vision?" Twilight asks, cocking her head intrigued. "What kind?"
"Not a pretty one." He sighs "I know I should have probably come forward sooner but I honestly didn't know how to say it…Twilight my vision was if you and your friends went alone."
"Alone as in…like without you?" Twilight asks and Rage nods. She could tell by his attitude that whatever the outcome of his vision was, it wasn't good.
"You failed." Rage sighs. "Sombra encased you all in Crystal making you statues..," he explains.
"So you think that having you there will make a difference?" Twilight asks. She wasn't sure she could believe him. It was a bit too convenient for her liking. "Like you could take down Sombra?
"I don't know." Rage answers "I know you've been considering if I would be better off staying here. I get this is probably a bad time but I am being honest here. I just didn't know how to tell you and well…now that Celestia wants you going in the morning…I am kinda forced to say something…"
Twilight looked at the worry that was plastered all over the crimson unicorn. It was far too much for him to be making something up for the sake of being able to go. Whatever he saw was something that shook him.
Twilight thought hard. Yeah he had issues with his magic and he put his life in danger when he protected them against that Shade of Sombra. However, he also went to the Everfree Forest and dealt with that strange crystal on his own. Something that she thought may have had something to do with the storm dying down. Not to mention how well he got along with everypony.
"Twi?" Rage asks since she had been silent for a while.
"You promise you'll be careful?" Twilight asks him and he nods. She then nods back "Alright we leave at Dawn. I'll wake you up when it's time."
"Thank you Princess Twilight." Rage says with a respectful bow. "I won't let you down."
"I know you won't." Twilight says. "Rest up."
"You too." He says with a smile as she walks up the stairs to her room. As for Rage he retired to the guest room. He smiled looking over it.
"Almost feels like a home away from home at this point." He jokes to himself thinking of the few nights he has spent here. He crawled into the bed and looked out the window to the starry moonlit sky. "No matter what…" he whispers to himself "I will do everything in my power to make sure my vision does not come to pass. I will protect my friends!"