The Journey Begins

The Journey Begins cover

## Synopsis

*Alex Blackwood and Cassie Springfield's world is about to change.*

*When the girls find a strange book in the creek behind their houses, they have no idea they’re about to enter a land beyond all imagining: the world of Fantasia, where fantasy is real. But as Alex and Cassie soon discover, the stories they know so well haven’t ended in this magical land—Jake from Twilight is a wanted fugitive, Drachenfels is a kingdom of dragons, and Kiara is about to become a mother! The girls want to get back home. But with the legendary Nightmare hot on their tails, will they ever find the way?*

## Prologue: The Princess's Visit

The story begins with a mysterious alicorn in a long cloak walking down the stairs of a prison, who turns out to be Princess Luna. Now that she's back in Equestria, she's visiting her counterpart, Nightmare Moon, in the dungeons. Luna wants to find the real reason behind Nightmare Moon's actions, disbelieving somepony could be that evil at the drop of a hat. Nightmare Moon refuses to tell Luna anything at first, and doesn't want sympathy. As the young princess insists, Nightmare Moon agrees to tell Luna her story.

## Chapter 1: The Book From the Creek

Alex and Cassie are introduced as they walk home from school. They then find a book called The World of Fantasia floating in their creek. They take it to their treehouse, and once they open it, vines shoot out to pull Alex and Cassie into the book.

## Chapter 2: From the Mouth of a Dragon

Alex and Cassie fall into an alternate dimension, and find themselves on a dirt path surrounded by trees, in the Forbidden Forest. They are unaware of where the heck they are, and start arguing about how the heck they got there and how they could get back home. Alex notices a poster attached to a nearby tree. The wanted fugitive's name is Nightmare Moon.
This clue helps them to make the stunning realization that they're inside the World of Fantasia. They are startled by a dragon—whose name is Nikko when Cassie asks if dragons have names—who asks if they need help. At first, Alex and Cassie are very scared, but the sound of wolves howling and Nikko's promise that he has no interest of harming them and convinces them to follow him to his home in the forest. Once they get there, Nikko tells them that they are currently in the Forbidden Forest. Nikko tells them his story, and shows them a map of all the kingdoms of Fantasia.
He tells the girls about the Fantasy Assembly and when he finds out Alex and Cassie are from a different world, he tells them about the Mystic Spell, a spell that could transport them back to their own world. He then gives them a journal written by a griffin who managed to collect all the items needed for the spell. Alex and Cassie spend the night at Nikko's home as his guests, deciding to begin their journey to collect the items the next day.

## Chapter 3: The Forbidden Forest

The girls try to get out of the dangerous Forbidden Forest but unfortunately run into the Hyena Pack, and two wolves named Snow and Jake on their way out. They aid Jake and Snow in fighting the hyenas, and save their lives. Snow gives them a fire amulet to use to take care and protect themselves.

## Chapter 4: The Mysterious Tower

Alex and Cassie read the journal to find out how to start collecting items for the Mystic Spell, and they turn out to be a stone from Pride Rock, the pearl from Aquastria, a bone from the Elephant Graveyard, a lock of elf hair, the scale of Fafnir, a piece of bark from the Tree of Life, one of Princess Celestia's golden shoes, and tears from a kitsune. They find the first item with little difficulty: a lock of a fire elf's hair.

## Chapter 5: The Castle of the Two Sisters

Nightmare Moon meets with Dakrix and his son, Akres, and commands them to retrieve the Mystic Spell items so she can use it before Alex and Cassie do, since the Spell can only be activated one last time. The Mirror of Fortune warns her that the spell can only be used twice and had already been used once before.

## Chapter 6: The Pridelands

Alex and Cassie run into Zazu, meet Vitani, and leave without taking a stone from Pride Rock, which is what they came for. They soon discover a stone in their backpack.

## Chapter 7: Drachenfels

The girls meet Celebrant, Naifia, and their daughter, Ruby, and manage to get a piece of Sigurd's sword for the Spell. Arkes retrieves a small piece of the sword for Nightmare Moon as well.

## Chapter 8: The Elephant Graveyard

Alex and Cassie are caught and enslaved by two hyenas but manage to escape with the help of a hyena named Jasiri and find one of the items for the spell (a bone from the Graveyard).

## Chapter 9: The Kitsune Kingdom

In order to get ahead Nightmare Moon with the spell, the girls find a worried kitsune named Majikku and collect one of her tears for the Mystic Spell. They then help her at her trial before the Kitsune Council and clear her name.

## Chapter 10: The Hyena League

Nightmare Moon and the leader of the Hyena Pack, Zakiya, make a deal to exchange the girls for Princess Ruby.

## Chapter 11: The Tree of Life

Alex and Cassie meet Queen Rani. She allows them to get a piece of bark from the Tree of Life for the Mystic Spell.

## Chapter 12: Equestria

The girls find the Princess' castle. After almost drowning in the river to get there, they find out that one of Luna's coffin is kept in the Outlands.

## Chapter 13: Through the Outlands

After a close call with Zakiya and her clan in the Outlands, Alex and Cassie are held captive by hyenas again.

## Chapter 14: The Seapony's Message

Now that they're underwater, the girls meet Queen Novo of the Seaponies who reveals the last item they need—her pearl. It's in the Pit of No Return. She gives them magical necklaces for protection from the vines, since they pull anyone who gets close to them into the pit.

## Chapter 15: The Pit of No Return

Alex and Cassie find the pearl in the pit, but nearly die as Cassie's magic necklace is lost. Nikko saves them and tells them Yinlong the Chinese Dragon is looking for them. Snow and Jake come and are captured by Arkes. The Hyena Pack then captures the girls and Snow and Jake. Nikko manages to escape and goes to seek help.

## Chapter 16: The Helmet of Darkness

The Hyena Pack brings their captives to Nightmare Moon, who tells her life story to Alex and Cassie. Alex becomes emotional from hearing Nightmare Moon's sad story. She cries and Nightmare Moon collects her tears, and as Alex is part kitsune and since kitsune tears were the last needed item for the Mystic spell, the spell is activated.

## Chapter 17: The Moon

Nightmare Moon performs the Mystic Spell. She wishes for Celestia to be imprisoned in the moon. Her wish is granted, but Celestia is instead transported to the Castle of the Two Sisters. Then the castle is attacked by the Equestrian army, led by Nikko and Drago. After the battle, Ruby, Snow, and Jake are free. Alex sends Nightmare Moon back to the moon with the help of her magic moonstone amulet. Dakrix dies, and his son is killed from falling off the castle's roof while in a duel with Jake.

## Chapter 18: Luna's Secret

Princess Luna confesses to freeing Nightmare Moon out of pity.

## Chapter 19: The Royal Request

Alex and Cassie are invited to celebrate the birth of Kiara's son and meet Yinlong the Chinese Dragon.

## Chapter 20: A Dragon's Tale

The girls learn from Yinlong about both their families' histories and find out Cassie can control fire like a dragon, and Alex can control white magic like a kitsune, which explains why Alex's tears activated the Mystic Spell for Nightmare Moon. Yinlong then sends them back to their world.

## Characters

### Main Characters

* Alex Blackwood
* Cassie Springfield

### Major Characters

* Princess Luna
* Nightmare Moon
* Nikko
* Jake
* Snow
* Zakiya
* Simba
* Nala
* Kiara
* Kovu
* Vitani
* Drago
* Celebrant
* Naifia
* Ruby
* Jasiri
* Haraka
* Majikku
* Rozu
* Hachi
* Kaen
* Kojo
* Mizu
* Baioretto
* Koraru
* Rani
* Kion
* Princess Celestia
* Princess Cadence
* Princess Twilight Sparkle
* Yinlong

### Supporting Characters

* Dakrix
* Akres
* Dhahabu
* Zazu
* Shining Armor
* Francis
* Azizi
* Kamari
* Felicity
* Makini
* Novo
* Chaka