History of Equestria - Chapter 3 - Part C: The Collapse of the Pillars

Under the protection of the united Pillars, Equestria became a mighty empire fending off threats and conquering territory, with notable exploits such as rescuing Queen Celestia and Princess Luna from the dark dimension after Umbral forces broke through one of Starswirls trans-dimensional mirrors and dragged them in. They all grew in fame and renown with stories of their deeds told across the world, except for one; Stygian.

Stygian had brought them together and had been there researching their enemies or suggesting strategies, however because he was neither a mighty warrior or powerful sorcerer he found himself increasingly overlooked, ignored and dismissed. Each of the pillars had an object associated with their power; Starswirls grimoire, Rockhoofs shovel, Mage Meadowbrook's mask, Mistmane's flower from the Royal Garden, Somnambula's Blindfold and Flash Magnus's shield Netitus. Stygian reasoned that if he could duplicate the objects then maybe he could access similar power and become a Pillar too able to fight at their side, but the others would not even hear out his plan and scoffed at the idea of handing their enchanted objects off to someone else for any reason.

Stygian decided if they would not listen, to prove them wrong. Sneaking into their rooms at the Castle of the Two Sisters he stole each of the objects and hurried to a locus of magical energy; the ancient stone circle of Ponehenge. However before Stygian was able to complete his ritual of duplication the other Pillars caught up with him, unwilling to even discuss the issue they declared him traitor and banished him from the Pillars before turning and leaving, their ears closed to his pleas.

Abandoned Stygian wandered filled with hurt and anger, lead by dreams to the shadowed town of Shady Hollow. Hidden below was the Well of Shade, an ancient subterranean temple for focusing the Umbral forces. In the dark the shadow entities infused him, transforming him into an Alicorn of darkness bent on destroying all light in Equestria. Stygian returned in his old flesh to the Castle of the Two Sisters before unleashing the dark magic in a surprise attack on the Pillars who were initially able to drive him back but incapable of destroying him.

So began the cat and mouse game of Stygian ambushing the Pillars before retreating to wells of dark magic to regenerate his power, each time growing stronger than the last, each fight becoming more desperate for the Pillars. Starswirl eventually conceded that they did not have the strength to defeated Stygian so began work on a desperate plan, to use their objects as keys for a binding rite that would seal them and Stygian in the limbo between worlds permanently. However the knew they could not leave the realm undefended so each Pillar imparted a piece of their energy into a crystal seed infusing it with the guiding virtues of their world; Sorcery, Healing, Bravery, Hope, Beauty and Strength. They planted it in a secret cave below The Castle of the Two Sisters in the hope that it would grow into a force for good to keep Equestria safe.

Journeying to Ponehenge the Pillars lured Stygian into attacking, then springing their trap transporting them all to where Stygain could do no more harm. In time their relics were scattered about the world and the facts lost to time, Stygian becoming a bogey man, the Pony of Shadows to scare misbehaving children and Pillars a fairy tale to all but the most cloistered scholars. Defence of the realm falling to the adolescent shoulders of Queen Celestia and her younger sister.