Chapter 0: Prologue
There is a nation that lay in grim darkness, but all nations have humble beginnings. The story begins in Equestria though it isn't one that you may be familiar with.
The story begins shortly after Twilight Sparkle defeats Tirek. Tirek's strong persuasion about the power being hers and hers alone catches her off-guard, but her immediate agreement in turn catches him off-guard. Twilight accidentally overshoots her power and decapitates Tirek. Mulling over his words, she decides to keep the power for herself. In an attempt to reverse the death of Tirek, she unintentionally erases the memories of everycreature in Equestria. Unbeknownst to her, alicorns are immune to the megaspell, the physical protection of their bodies serving as a shell, able to save others in case of a worst case scenario such as this. In clairvoyance, the powerless alicorns wrapped themselves around the ponies that had found them in the nick of time.
Celestia had saved Applejack, Cadance with Spike, and Luna attempted to break the distance with herself and Rarity. Discord, late to the commotion, attempted to save his precious Fluttershy but the time window proceeded what he had. Instead of her, he had found himself promptly blinking to the Chaos Dimension with Trixie in tow. Luna had managed to wrap herself around Rarity, but seconds late.
What followed was indeed disorderly. As Discord reappeared, the alicorns commanded that those they were protecting to flee and hide somewhere they'd never be found. Those who remained with their memories took flight, knowing to trust in the princesses. Discord tried to communicate with Fluttershy, but she just didn't know who he was and there was no way to return her memories of him. In fact, all of the ponies were frightened by Discord, all except those that remembered the past. Upon exiting the throne room, Trixie collapsed. Applejack fell behind to carry Trixie out, her friends too far out of earshot to hear her calls.
What followed was indeed disorderly. As Discord reappeared, the alicorns commanded that those they were protecting to flee and hide somewhere they'd never be found. Those who remained with their memories took flight, knowing to trust in the princesses. Discord tried to communicate with Fluttershy, but she just didn't know who he was and there was no way to return her memories of him. In fact, all of the ponies were frightened by Discord, all except those that remembered the past. Upon exiting the throne room, Trixie collapsed. Applejack fell behind to carry Trixie out, her friends too far out of earshot to hear her calls.
Rarity did not follow the escapees, remaining in the throne room with the lack of memories that fought to take hold of her and memories that fought to keep her whole. Despite the desperate pleas of the princesses, she refused. Unable to sway her, they turned their attention toward Discord. He was told to watch over the ponies and stay out of sight, even to the ponies that kept their memories-- not to reveal himself unless absolutely necessary.
Twilight Sparkle returned to restore order, introducing herself as "The Princess". She sent the three alicorn princesses and her new friends to rally all of Equestria's population to be named and told what they did before they lost their memories. The Princess asked where Applejack and Spike were, and Celestia spoke up to mention that some creatures were wiped from existence, rather than have only their memories destroyed. This was and wasn't a lie. The trio hadn't met their end, but it was still a possibility that ponies ceased to exist.
One year later, Equinesteria, formerly known as Equestria, is ruined. Many ponies remain impoverished. Famine, pestilence, war, and death loom around every corner. Unable to function, the population dwindles, living off of corn and wild edibles. Food is rationed and many of The Princess' former friends do their own things, isolated from the rest of society.