The outskirts of the Everfree Forest.
The light here was even dimmer than in Ponyville.
Towering trees blotted out the starry sky, and the air was thick with the scent of damp earth and decaying leaves.
The chirping of unknown insects and the occasional bizarre cries echoing from the distance made Fluttershy, who was supporting Ye Ziji, instinctively shrink closer to him.
Ye Ziji found a relatively flat rock covered in moon moss.
Releasing his hold on Fluttershy, he sat down with difficulty.
He looked at the Pegasus beside him, who was trembling slightly with fear.
Her pink mane seemed somewhat dull in the darkness, and her cyan eyes scanned every shadow in the surroundings like a startled fawn.
Before entering his meditation, Ye Ziji turned his head and spoke to her in a calm, solemn tone:
“Don’t worry. I’m here.”
His voice wasn’t loud, but it was like a pebble tossed into the lake of fear inside Fluttershy’s heart, sending ripples of reassurance through her.
“You just need to help me watch our surroundings.
Wake me immediately if you notice anything unusual.” He looked into her eyes and continued, “After all, you are my most trusted sentinel!”
“Sentinel…” Fluttershy murmured the word.
The word was so foreign to her, yet it carried a heavy sense of responsibility and a deep trust.
She was no longer just the timid Fluttershy who needed protection.
She was now a reliable, trustworthy companion entrusted with an important mission.
These words acted like magic, instantly dispelling most of the fear in her heart.
Her back straightened slightly, and the panic in her eyes was replaced by an unprecedented determination.
She nodded firmly and replied in the clearest, loudest voice she could muster, “Yes! Leave it to me!”
Receiving her promise, Ye Ziji closed his eyes in satisfaction.
He immediately entered a state of deep meditation.
His nearly depleted mental energy, like a parched plant, greedily extended its roots into the various elements contained within this primeval forest.
Soon, a marvelous sight unfolded.
The invisible elemental particles in the surrounding air began to stir.
Multi-colored specks of light slowly emerged from the soil, between the leaves, and out of the air currents.
As if drawn by an invisible magnet, they gradually converged toward Ye Ziji.
These specks of light merged into tiny streams, eventually forming a slowly spinning vortex around him.
Like birds returning to their nest, the specks of light merged one by one into the seven-pointed star Cutie Mark on his flank.
With each speck of light that merged, the colors of the seven-pointed star restored a fraction of their luster.
Ye Ziji’s tense mind, strained from overexertion, gradually became relaxed and peaceful as the elements replenished him, like a parched riverbed finally welcoming its first rainfall.
Just then, a breeze blew through the forest.
This wind was not naturally formed.
Carrying a distinct will, it gently brushed past the treetops, bypassed the rocks, and continuously gathered toward the area where Ye Ziji sat.
The wind element was the power Ye Ziji was most familiar with and controlled with the greatest ease.
At this moment, it actively and affectionately converged upon him.
A massive amount of cyan light specks precipitated from the wind.
No longer a trickling stream, they flowed like joyous little rivers, scrambling to pour into Ye Ziji’s body.
These wind elements actively helped him soothe the chaotic magic circuits inside his body, accelerating his recovery.
Fluttershy watched this scene in astonishment.
She saw Ye Ziji’s body enveloped in a faint cyan glow, his breathing steady and deep.
The surrounding leaves rustled without any wind, as if singing an ancient song.
Time flowed silently for a long while, slowly brewing the fine wine of strength.
When Ye Ziji slowly opened his eyes again, the weakness that had almost extinguished his flame was completely gone.
Although he was still far from his peak, the restored twenty percent of his power was enough for him to stand tall again and handle most troubles.
A deep, profound gaze once again gathered in his dark eyes.
The elemental specks of light surrounding him gradually settled down, merging back into the background of the forest.
The last few wisps of affectionate wind elements, like mischievous children who had finally found a treasure, circled his horn a few times before reluctantly dispersing.
Ye Ziji gave a barely perceptible nod in the direction they vanished, offering his thanks.
Before Fluttershy even had a chance to ask about this series of events, Ye Ziji casually waved his hoof.
Before Fluttershy could react, a gentle yet powerful whirlwind instantly enveloped her, lifting her off the ground along with her short gasp. This story is hosted at g.com.
“Ah—!”
Fluttershy only felt her body go weightless as the scenery before her rapidly receded.
The dark forest, distorted branches, and jagged rocks all fell away beneath her.
She instinctively closed her eyes, but the barrier of wind was exceptionally stable, without the slightest bump.
A few seconds later, when she felt the speed slow down, she dared to carefully peek through a slit.
They had already left that unsettling forest and arrived at an open meadow.
Although the stars in the night sky were still dim, they were much brighter than they had been inside the forest.
Ye Ziji gently set the bewildered Fluttershy on the ground.
Without explaining, he tapped his hoof against the earth.
The powers of the earth and wood elements were invoked simultaneously.
The green grass beneath their feet grew rapidly at a visible rate, weaving and tangling together.
Within just a few breaths, it formed a massive, thick, emerald-green cushion.
The cushion emitted the fresh scent of grass, looking soft and springy.
Fluttershy was completely dazed by this succession of magical sights.
Her mouth hung open, unsure of what to say, as she stared blankly at Ye Ziji.
However, Ye Ziji did not explain.
After doing all this, he raised his head and looked up at the deep night sky.
Another force of the wind element began to gather in front of him.
Instead of forming offensive wind blades, they constructed an invisible, upward-flowing net of air currents—a massive, invisible aerial airbag.
Fluttershy followed his gaze into the sky.
At first, she saw nothing.
But soon, her Pegasus vision caught something unusual.
In that starry sky ruled by Nightmare Moon, five small objects, dragging chaotic trails, were falling toward them at extreme speeds!
Looking at the five approaching black figures in the distant night sky, Ye Ziji quietly breathed a sigh of relief.
*Fortunately,* he thought.
*Fortunately, when I was recovering just now, those new wind elements brought back a crucial piece of information.*
Just now, the gathering wind had not only replenished his magic, but had also brought all kinds of “news” they proudly carried, like countless tiny playmates presenting gifts.
In the direction of the distant abandoned castle, five ponies had been blasted out by a powerful, dark force, and were currently falling toward the area behind him.
It was this intelligence that allowed him to prepare in advance.
Otherwise, these future protagonists might have had to spend some time in the hospital before they even got a chance to shine.
As they drew closer, their screams, mixed with terror and despair, pierced the silence of the night sky, reaching the ground clearly.
“Ahhhhh—we’re gonna turn into pony pancakes!”
“My mane! My mane is getting ruined by the wind!”
“My. Wings! Can’t. Move!”
“Somebody save us!”
Hearing these familiar voices, Fluttershy finally saw who was falling.
Her eyes widened instantly, her pupils shrinking in shock.
Those five disheveled figures were actually Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie!
Their situation was much worse than a simple fall.
Every pony had visible wounds on her body, and their coats were stained with dirt and blood.
Even more deadly, their bodies were tightly bound by black briars that seemed alive, pinning their limbs and wings so that they couldn’t move at all, leaving them to tumble helplessly through the air.
“It’s Rainbow Dash and the others!”
Fluttershy’s heart instantly leaped into her throat.
Her instinct to save them made her subconsciously want to spread her wings and fly up to rescue them, regardless of the danger.
But she stopped halfway through the motion.
She glanced at the calm, dark-coated Unicorn beside her, and then at the massive grass cushion he had already prepared and the wind elements poised to strike.
A realization flashed through her mind like lightning—he already knew.
Everything he had done was for this very moment.
Fluttershy lowered her hooves, her anxious expression turning into one of expectant trust.
She was no longer in a panic.
Standing quietly beside Ye Ziji, her gaze shifted between him and her falling friends, her worry now mixed with a deep trust she hadn’t even realized she possessed.
Finally, the five figures entered Ye Ziji’s pre-arranged rescue range.
The tip of Ye Ziji’s horn lit up slightly, and the prepared wind element net immediately activated!
A massive, gentle updraft soared into the sky, precisely catching Rainbow Dash, who was falling first.
The Pegasus, who usually prided herself on her speed, was now gently supported like a feather, most of her downward momentum instantly neutralized.
Next came Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and finally Twilight Sparkle in the very center.
The five updrafts were like five invisible hands, steadily catching them one by one, slowing their lethal freefall into a leisurely drift.
Then, the wind elements gently guided them down, lowering them one by one onto the massive, grass-scented cushion.
Thud, thud, thud…
After five soft thuds, the five protagonists landed safely.
They sank into the soft grass cushion.
Though still bound by the briars, they were at least alive.
The dizziness and shock of surviving such a brush with death left them speechless for a moment.
Ye Ziji walked slowly to the grass cushion, looking at the disheveled five protagonists trapped inside.
They were covered in scratches and bruises, tightly bound by black briars, unable to move.
He sighed helplessly.
In a way, this was his fault.
If he hadn’t fought Nightmare Moon earlier, perhaps her anger and power wouldn’t have been this fierce.
He then waved his hoof, and several highly condensed cyan wind blades materialized out of thin air.
They flew up and down around the five ponies like scalpels with minds of their own.
After a series of swift swooshes, the tough black briars were sliced clean through.
The entire process was incredibly fast, yet did not harm a single hair of their coats.
With their bindings removed, the five ponies could finally move.
They struggled to sit up, but groaned from the pain of their wounds.
“My mane! Oh, goodness, it’s an absolute disaster.” Rarity looked at her dust-covered tail and nearly fainted.
“*Cough, cough*… That monster was too strong.” Rainbow Dash punched the cushion in frustration, but aggravated the wound on her wing, making her grimace in pain.
Ye Ziji ignored their complaints.
He summoned the elements again, this time the gentle water element.
A crystal-clear sphere of water condensed before his horn, then burst with a soft pop, turning into a hazy mist filled with life energy that completely enveloped the five ponies.
The mist seeped into their skin, cool and soothing.
Their minor wounds healed at a visible rate, and their bruises gradually faded.
Although it couldn’t instantly heal all of their injuries, it at least restored their basic ability to move.
Twilight Sparkle watched all of this in shock.
She could clearly perceive the exquisite precision and immense power of his spellcasting just now.
Such control and usage of elements was something she had never seen before.
Who exactly was this unfamiliar Unicorn?
Having done all this, Ye Ziji turned to Fluttershy, who had been pacing anxiously nearby.
“Fluttershy, comfort your friends,” he said flatly.
“We’re going back to Ponyville. Let’s head to… the library. We can talk about the rest there.”
Having received her orders, Fluttershy immediately trotted forward.
Her kind, gentle voice was the most effective sedative at this moment.
She first gave Rainbow Dash a reassuring hug, then helped Applejack dust off her hat, comforting each of her friends in a voice as quiet as a mosquito’s buzz.
With Fluttershy’s soothing, the five ponies who had just suffered a crushing defeat finally snapped out of their shock and dismay.
With complex gazes mixed with confusion, gratitude, and curiosity, they looked at the Unicorn who had remained calm from beginning to end.
Finally, led by Twilight Sparkle, they supported each other and followed Ye Ziji and Fluttershy, slowly walking toward the brightly lit Ponyville.
After experiencing the perils of the Everfree Forest and their utter helplessness upon facing Nightmare Moon, they now only wanted to return to Ponyville and get a good rest.