Tears start to form in your eyes and you hold your head in pain. That blunt trauma, plus the loss of blood are probably what’s giving you a headache.

Probably.

You ask your friend Twist if she has a pair of binoculars, which she does as she developed a fondness for sightseeing some time ago. As she goes to fetch them, you let her know that she’s welcome to come with you, but that this is dangerous and you aren’t sure how things will end.

She replies to the affect that she’d never leave you to go alone, and would be delighted to help save your new friends. She begins to quickly pack a few things.

With that settled, and your nose no longer bleeding, the two of you set off back up the mountain. During your march, you and she make light conversation about things that have happened since last you spoke. Nothing vital, though.

You arrive and pass through the open gate at around 7 PM. It’s nighttime now and seeing is much harder than it was earlier. As you approach the hall where you left Princess and Amy, you hear them stir from inside and greet you by the doorway. Their greetings quickly change in tone when they see you aren’t alone. They talk rapidly and in a hushed tone between one another before asking why you brought somepony else. They both sound upset.

Twist seems put off and uncomfortable by all this, so you scold Princess and Amy for their behavior. They explain that they’ve pieced together a theory.

Whenever somepony passes that gate, another shadow appears, or the same one gains another form. Regardless of how it works, the larger the group, the greater the danger all of you are in.

This information is certainly startling, but if true, nothing can be done about it now. It’s already too late.