It seemed like I managed to reach Canterlot just in time. I was quite astonished, seeing Sombra's army fighting with a bunch of feral creatures, right in front of the city entrance. While circling above the battlefield, I spotted my sister facing two ponies and a group of Manticores next to the white wall of Canterlot. Between those ponies and her, a steaming crater covered the ground. I had no doubt, that it was her who had caused that crater in the first place. While quickly flying near, I noticed the two ponies being Fluttershy and that random guard, Cadence had put her trust into. Did he do all this? Did he gather all those beasts to aid him in battle? Maybe I've underestimated his abilities? However, I had no time to pursue those thoughts, since Tia had already lowered her head, to deliver the final blow.

I stopped in midair, right above her and shouted in my Royal Equestria Voice:

"That is enough, sister!"

She slowly turned up, looking at me annoyed. Then a bright smile covered her face.

"Luna my dear, I was wondering where you've been all day long. So you didn't hide in your room like a coward, did you?"

She was going to confuse or enrage me, but I psyched her mind game and stayed calm. I descended further down, until my hooves touched the ground. After landing and folding my wings, I just stood there staring at my sister. She looked the same as always, but that wasn't my sister anymore. At least not the one I thought I'd know. Her face was covered with that sadistic mocking smile, I have seen before she executed the brave General.

"Tia, why are you doing this? Why are you following Sombra?" I asked her then, trying to reason with her.

"Because it's fun, you should try it, too, - oh wait, I forgot, you already did this once," she snickered before bursting into a short laughter.

Of course she was using my past against me, to confuse me, gaining an advantage, but I was already expecting that. She couldn't throw me out of balance with this old matter.

"Yes, I was a horrible pony once, but I got banished, I regretted and apologized and our subjects were kind enough to forgive me. I made my atonement for all the bad things I did, but I would have never expected you to fall for him, too."

"Why not? Is the always gentle and wise Celestia not allowed to do so, too?" she spit on the ground despising.

"That's not what I meant.. I know how persuasive Sombra's whispering can be. Those thousand years ago, he kept whispering to me, too. He knew exactly what he had to say, to fuel my doubt and anger. I began to think that he was right with everything he was telling me. Tia, I have learned it the hard way, to not trust him. I don't want you to experience the same, what I have been through."

"You have no idea how I feel. You were always the younger one. Every mistake you made got waved aside, while mine couldn't be so easily dismissed. All those centuries, it has always been me, bearing the responsibility, not you! It has always been me, being blamed for everything wrong in this world," my once so proud sister yelled, with furious eyes.

I have to admit that she was right. She always had the pressure of leading our subjects. She always was the one being responsible and she was also the one to take the blame for every mistake she made. However I would have never expected her being so tired. I should have seen it myself earlier, so I could have supported my sister better, but I didn't. Why couldn't I see the sadness beneath the always smiling mask, she had used for so many years?

"You know, it is so much more fun and so much easier, doing what I desire, without having any regards. I am so sick and tired of 'our subjects', my dear. Those ungrateful bunch of horse turd. I sacrificed my youth to show them the way to the light, yet they kept fighting each other over nonsense. I constantly stepped back, to let them have their way, I tried my best to be a gentle and understanding ruler, but all they were doing through all of those centuries, were complaining. I am so sick of their accuses, for every small mistake I am making. I am sick of their ignorance and shortsightedness. I am so sick of not being loved for all the hard work I have done for them. I don't mind, if they all get enslaved or killed, I am so tired of constantly saving their flanks from their own stupidity."

I would have never expected, my sister feeling that way. She had never talked about her feelings, not even with me. However I noticed, the bitterness in her voice. I once felt like that before. I once thought, that my work is not appreciated and that nopony loved me. I knew exactly how she felt that moment, but sadly I have been too blind to see her suffering before.

"No Tia, they love you, they truly do! I saw it in their dreams, they love you from the bottom of their hearts, but they tend to forget it now and then. For every complaint you have heard, there are countless others that appreciate what you are doing for them. Our subjects love you, Celestia and so do I. Please abandon Sombra's evil path and come back to us," I pleaded her.

"NO!" she screamed. "They don't love me, not in the slightest. They are only glad that somepony else is doing the dirty work for them. I am so sick of resolving their problems over and over again. I am also tired of holding myself back all the damn time. This constant suppressing of my true power, it feels like I am living in a world made of cardboard, always taking constant care not to break something - or somepony! Losing control would cost countless lives. I've had enough, I don't want to continue like this! I just want to lose control for once, no matter the cost! I thought at least you could understand, Luna!"

"Oh I do understand, sister, I certainly do. I feel the same way, too. But it is worth the trouble, can't you see? Look at all the good stuff you have inspired. You faithful student was able to reach the level of a Princess under your guidance. You have forged precious alliances with the seaponies and the buffalos. Your niece became the ruler of a once forsaken Empire. Thanks to you we can all live in peace, Tia, why do you want to ruin your own work and destroy that peace you have put so much effort into?"

"-Because breaking stuff is much easier, than creating it," she interrupted me.
"I have punished that foolish General, that I have sent into office myself. It was so much fun, seeing him suffer. I remembered his constant objections, during council meetings and I just let my anger flow. You know what I am talking about, Luna, why don't you join me?"

"I won't join you, Tia, because I learned that the easy path is always the wrong one. The General was meant to give advice or offer criticism. It was his job after all, the job you gave him. I have seen the love and friendship our subjects send towards us. Just remember all those letters you get all the time, all those acknowledgments. I was forgiven, and they certainly will do it for you too, if you just stop now. Remember your true self Celestia, you are no mare of violence and destruction, rather than kindness and wisdom. I beseech you, Tia, turn towards the light again."

"I see there is no use in reasoning with you, sister. If you are not on my side, you are my enemy," Celestia muttered sadly, averting her gaze from me.

Her words hit me like a truck.
No other pony, or no other words could have hurt me more like that. My shame, my loneliness, being banished to the moon, the ignorance of our subjects... all those things just became meaningless, since they could have never hurt me more than my sister, choosing to abandon me. It felt like a jagged knife getting thrust into my heart and then turning around several times. Nopony could have ever understood the agony I felt just now. It took me a moment to regain my composure, before I was able to continue.

"I am sorry Tia, but I will do whatever necessary to save our subjects and deep down inside, you appreciate that. If I have to fight you to make you understand, I certainly will-" my voice trailed off.

She just stood there, with wide opened eyes. I think she was quite astonished hearing that from my mouth. It seemed like she assumed I would give in to her, or at least flee from her. Ever since my return from the moon, this has been the first time I offered opposition to her. While she was busy, regaining her composure, I continued to talk insistently.

"I recently learned about a loyal young guard-pony, who had painted a nice looking picture of you. All the templates he needed where buried inside of his heart. He really loved and respected you, Tia. One could easily tell how much effort he had put into that image of you. After he had finished his painting, he was told to present it to you. Some ponies even said, that it should be displayed in the Royal Art Collection. I have seen it in his dreams and I would have agreed. But you know what? He got killed today! He got killed by Sombra's crystal-ponies. You lost one of your most loyal admirers, because you refused to stop Sombra!"

"Stop lying!" Celestia suddenly screamed. However, I continued to talk some sense into her.

"You killed that guard in the northern tower, as well. It was you who blew it up, wasn't it? This guard here told me everything about it and I knew at once, that Sombra couldn't posses such raw power necessary to destroy a white tower, but you could - and you did."

Out of the tail of my eye, I could see the face expression of the guard stallion change. It pained me to let him know like this, but I had to press every button to stop Celestia.

"I said STOP IT!" she repeated screaming, while she jumped back, charging her horn with golden magic. She then shot a poorly aimed bolt of energy towards me, but I had no problem dodging it. Celestia then stood there shaking her head, while pressing her hooves on her ears, as if she tried to prevent her hearing the truth - hearing the horrible things she had caused. It was a good thing, I assumed, since her conscience wasn't completely gone. The bad thing was, that I now triggered her wrath.

"You- I am tired talking to you! You are just like them- Always telling me what is right and wrong. I am sick talking, Luna. I just want to be left alone! Let's settle this once and for all, so I can finally find my peace!"

She just stood there, straddle-legged with her head lowered but her eyes glued to mine. Her horn glowed intensely and her nostrils steamed with every heavy breath she took. Her formerly beautiful multicolored mane that usually floated around her head, now seemed dull and toneless, hanging straight down her head. The condemnation in her eyes was almost breathtaking.

"Very well," I replied calmly. "-But not here."

If she would unleash her full powers right next to Canterlot, it was very likely that she destroys the whole city in her tantrum.

"Follow me and I promise that I will fight you, sister."

"Very well, but choose the location wisely, since it will be your grave-site, sister!"
She turned her head away and spit on the ground once more.

The hatred in her words felt almost graspable. Both of us ascended, but before turning my back to the city, I gave that young guard-pony a wave to continue his quest. The whole time he and Fluttershy just stood there motionless, watching our debate. The expression on his face was the only thing of his body, that changed constantly. Now he seemed to awake from a nightmare, shook his head and nodded towards me.

'Be careful', he formed with his lips, so that Tia couldn't understand it and I delivered a slight nod towards him. Then Celestia and I flew off, towards the more deserted areas of Equestria. Some minutes of silent flying passed before I found a large grassy plain next to a swamp that might be an advantage for me. The area seemed to be rather far away from society, too. I landed and so did my sister. Now the two of us stood there, staring at each other. After quite a long moment, she sighted:

"Such a pity... Why do you resist? You know exactly that I am stronger than you. I'd rather have you by my side, than turn you into dust, Luna."

I chuckled a little, what obviously confused her.

"All of our subjects reckon you as a wise and smart pony. Everypony respects your cleverness and far-sight, but when it comes to me, you are so old-fashioned and blind. You still treat me like a little foal. Isn't that funny? Of all those ponies you know your own sister the least."

"I have always been the stronger one of us, Luna!" she yelled enraged.

"Yes, you have been, in our youth, but I am not a filly anymore. I am a grown mare now, but you are too blind to recognize me as the one I am now. You still underestimate my true potential, Tia."

"Nonsense, I am still much stronger than you! You'll see! When I am done with you, nopony could ever find your remains! I am the dawn, I am life… but I am also fire... and DEATH!" Her wrath now had reached an unforeseen level.

Her formerly multicolored elegant mane ignited, setting itself ablaze. Slowly those bright yellow colored flames spread out, replacing her whole mane and tail. She was calling upon her solar power, I realized. Even her eyes seemed to be aflame, now. I haven't seen her doing that in quite a long time. Fueled by her rage, the flames blazed more intensely, now sometimes streaking around her whole body. The gentle golden aura that normally surrounded her horn, now got replaced by a burning firestorm and her hooves torched the grassy ground, they were standing on.

Even though it was already nighttime, her sun rose above the horizon once again, ready to aid her in her battle.

"Ahhhhh yes! It feels so good!" she yelled wickedly, while bathing in her own solar fire.

I had no doubt that she had summoned all the hidden power, she had stored away in her body for such a long time. It was clear to the eye, that she was indeed going for a kill.

"Moon, my old friend, please aid me in this battle. Stars, your Princess demand your loyalty, now!" I whispered to myself, so my friends could come to assist me.

Like her sun, my moon rose above the horizon as well, so that both luminaries faced each other at the same level, now covering the land below with an eerie light. It would have been a rather beautiful sight, since around her sun, the sky was bright as daylight, while around my moon, stars sparkled on the blue blanket that covered half of the sky. Bathing in the pale light of my moon, the energy built up inside of me, multiplied and it helped me to be able to break the seals that had suppressed my maximum power for such a long time.

Now it was my turn calling upon my hidden power, unleashing my true potential. Celestia always underestimated me, she always treated me like a weak foal. I was going to show her how much I have matured, since then. My body got surrounded by a silvery aura and I could feel the energy streaming through my body, reaching every far corner and even the smallest capillary, letting them tremble with excitement. My own eyes brightened up now glowing in an unnatural white color, as sparks of pure electricity streaked around my body.

She was right, it did feel good to unleash your energy like this, however while in this form, the tiniest carelessness could easily destroy whole Canterlot, that's why we never summoned our powers in the city, not even during Chrysalis's Invasion.
Our powers were too dangerous, too uncontrollable, that we decided to keep them hidden no matter the cost. The fear of accidentally hurting innocent ponies was much too tactile. Back in the days of my revolution, I didn’t summon all of my power, because I underestimated my sister and maybe my subconsciousness held me back somehow. This time however, I won’t do that mistake again.

Originally the Elements of Harmony where only two large jewels, which then got bordered into both of our crowns, after their creation. However, after my banishment, Celestia couldn't use them anymore, so she needed to find other ponies to wield them. That was the reason, why she decided to split the Elements of Harmony into six gems, since two inexperienced ponies could hardly grasp and control its whole might.

Standing in my moon’s light with my horn glowing in a pale white color, I called upon the sky's wrath. Several stars left their normal position, now falling down from the sky, like a swarm of shooting-stars, charging at my still ablaze sister. She, however noticed my attack and quickly jumped aside, dodging each cosmic projectile, that impacted on the grassy ground around my sister.

"Ha pathetic, is this all you can do, sister? Throwing rocks at me? After your braggadocios announcement, I'd expected some more from you!" she mocked me arrogantly.

I, however, had expected her to dodge my cosmic assault and was already lunging out, rolling my head from the back towards the front, while focusing on an enormous burst of energy in my horn, that broke loose as soon as my horn reached its position, facing my sister. Caught by surprise, her eyes widened, seeing my white magic missile flying towards her. She managed to deflect it just in time and it exploded a couple of steps next to her, leaving a steaming crater in the muddy ground. She used her wings to protect herself, from the stones and mud, now flying through the air, caused by the explosion.

After lowering her wing again, she looked at me and smiled.

"Very good, sister. It was true, I underestimated you. This may get more interesting that I had thought. Finally I can face a worthy opponent, to test my skills. After your defeat, I will set your beloved moon ablaze, making it a second sun!"

"No, you won't! I will prevent you from doing that, even by force, if I must. You will thank me for it, if you ever come back to your senses," I replied in a serious tone. I had no doubt, that she would actually do as she said, in her current dazed status.

"I thought, we agreed we were already over this talking nonsense, Luna. Come, show me what else you have learned-" the fire-pony said, stomping one hoof into the ground challenging.

Her body emitted a fiery aura, that scorched the surrounding grass. She then shook her head wildly, and two fiery tendrils emerged from her horn, flailing around like burning whips, trying to hit me. I dodged her flailing whips, one after another several times, but failed to notice the enormous fireball she had called from her sun down on me. I noticed it in the very last second and was able to shield myself with a quickly summoned force-field. The shield I had summoned, protected me from the impact of the certain doom, but the surrounding area was set aflame by the explosion. Fortunately I had been smart enough to shift our intense battle to a deserted wilderness, since her fireball would have vaporized the whole capital. Now there was no more grass left and the both of us now stood in ankle-high ashes.

I quickly got back onto my hooves, noticing that my sister had ascended into the air. Without a doubt, she was planning her next attack, but I wouldn't let her finish what ever she was up to. Spreading my wings I caught a slight gust of wind with them. Amplified by my magic the wind gust got stronger and faster under my wings, taking shape and solidifying into two razor-sharp shivs of focused wind. With a flap of both of my wings I sent my blades towards my sister, who was still hovering in mid-air. Like a frisbee both wind blades flew towards my sister in an upward curve. Celestia veered to the right, dodging my first shiv and dived downwards in a spiral angle to dodge the second one as well.

While descending her horn ignited and a moment later a series of smaller fireballs got fired, while she strafed towards me. I jumped back doing some sidesteps to avoid the first few bullets of the barrage, then I lifted my left wing and created a strong wind gust that just extinguished the last few fireballs in mid-air. Meanwhile my sister had rushed over my head, stopped and by flapping her wings, swiftly turned around. Again her horn blazed while she channeled her solar fire into a quickly growing ball of destruction.

"Now I'll turn you to ash!" she screamed.

While I mitigated her barrage with my wind gust, the ball grew to enormous size just before she sent it towards me with a nod of her head. Knowing that I couldn't dodge this massive fireball in time, I just teleported away. The massive fire orb hit the spot where I have been a second ago and the following explosion caused a temperature of unbelievable heat that managed to smelt the stony ground, turning it into a boiling hot pool of magma.

I knew that the magic of my sister was strong, but I never imagined her being that powerful, while I stared at the lake of molten lava. Turning my attention back to my sister, I noticed how she descended slowly, landing with a smile on her face.

Then she just stood there, arrogantly staring at me, possibly awaiting my next move. Attacking her directly wouldn’t be of any use, I figured, but I already had another plan in mind.

“Why can’t you just give in, sister? We don’t really have to fight, you know?” she told me. While she taunted me yet again, I used this break to summon a thundercloud high in the sky above me without moving. Luckily my sister didn’t seem to notice it and just continued to mock me.

“You know that I could end you any time.”

“Didn’t we agree on skipping the talk?” I replied scornfully. He facial expression changed from amusement to anger again. That was my cue.

While the thundercloud was finished I channels magic into my horn to fire another magic missile at her. She just did a sidestep and my bolt shot right past her and exploded in the distance. As an answer, she fired her own bolt at me, but I expected something like that. I kicked off the ground and spread my wings, not only avoiding her magic, but also flying towards the cloud I had summoned before. With a nimble motion I grabbed it with my fore hooves, tilted it to the side and used both my hind legs to kick it. A bolt of lightning emerged from the cloud aiming right at my sister. Her eyes grew wide in surprise, but it didn’t take her long to react. She firmly planted all four hooves on the ground and lifted her head as if she was welcoming the approaching bolt of lightning. At first I thought that she was too surprised to move, but instead she used her horn as an lightning arrester. The energy blast perfectly hit her horn and she used her magic to absorb its force. Now her horn was streaking with furious electricity. I’ve never seen something like that before.

“Don’t you dare to use Star Swirl’s magic against me. He was MY pupil after all! Let me show you what I have learned during your absence...”
With that said, she lowered her head and pointed her horn towards me. A moment later she released the stored up energy she had absorbed before. She even managed to amplify it with her own magic forming it into a ball lightning, rather than an uncontrollable bolt. Now it was my turn to be surprised. Lightning was a wild and unpredictable force of nature. To let it strike you body willingly and even absorb it was mere craziness, but using it as an counterattack by redirect it back to me amazed me. Who would ever come up with that?
There was no way I could redirect it like she just did, so my only option was to dodge. Being still in mid air I folded my wings, let my body fall to the ground and turned my face away. Even though I managed to get out of the way just in time, I could feel her projectile graze and char parts of my mane. Almost hitting the ground, I spread my wings again to dampen my fall, performing a rough landing on all four hooves.

"Very good sister. I must say that I admire your agility. But dodging and avoiding won't take you anywhere."

"You have seen nothing yet, sister!"
I replied in a freezing tone, defiantly raising my head again.
Having that said, it was finally time to use my ultimate spell. I didn’t want to, but she forced me to do it. She had to go down, she just had to! There was no other way.

I had developed this kind of magic during my banishment to the moon. A thousand years are a long time and sooner or later you think of crazy ways to entertain yourself. I used the star beam to engrave my likeness to the moon's surface, so I won't be forgotten by my subjects during my absence. But it seemed like over the generations its true meaning faded and whenever the ponies gazed at my moon, all they remembered was the "mare in the moon" not their banished Princess. Back then I used my creation recklessly and didn't notice that many of my friends died because of exhaustion. By the time I noticed that the energy necessary was siphoned off my stars, several of them had vanished for good. I haven't used it ever since, not wanting to harm any more of my friends, but there are times when you have to make a decision and Celestia divested that decision of me.

"Stars.... lend me your strength-" I whispered, while my sister once again mocked me with a challenging stance.
If my sister had looked up to the sky, she would have noticed that all stars were moving towards each other. They gathered and aligned forming a gigantic new star sign on the night sky - No rather an gigantic circle with arcane runes in its centre and with several smaller circles crossing its outline. The circle was now overflowing with starlight, a very powerful source of energy if you know how to use it, but it comes at a cost. Each star will give its energy for me and if you use too much of their strength, some, most of them may die because they give more than they have.

My sister hadn't noticed my plan yet and soon my arcane constellation was finished. I slowly raised my head and tensed my body.

"There is still time to give up, Celestia. If you do, I may spare your life..."

"Give up? Are you insane?! My next attack will burn you to a crisp."

"So you have decided... I will now show you the might of the stars!"

I broke the seal that held the power back and from the center of that cosmic rune, a mighty beam of white light erupted aiming right at my sister. Finally realizing that I was up to something, she lifted her head and noticed my celestial cannon. The celestial rune I summoned at the sky acted like a magnifying glass, pooling and multiplying the stars power so it could be channeled into a beam of concentrated starlight.

Her eyes widened as she saw the white beam shooting at her. I must say, she reacted quicker than I had imagined. At first it appeared like she got hit by my stars might but at second glance she was able to jump aside just far enough to fully avoid the massive pillar of light. She then stood right next to it, almost touching the beam with her snout, but being just outside of its radius. Of course I quickly adjusted the angle and the beam went after my sister, slowly following her and cutting a deep ditch in its path. Celestia jumped back further to avoid getting hit by the white light with the beam following her relentlessly. She spread her wings, kicked off the ground and flew sharp curves to shake the deadly beam off. I could see her widened eyes staring at the swath of destruction the beam left behind. The beam had almost outrun her and I knew a few moments more would solve this issue for good, but then I heard the silence screaming of my stars wailing in agony. I knew that I could finish her off, if I just ignored their screams and keep the focus up for a moment longer, but doing so I would sacrifice my friends. The beam stopped moving as I allowed it to get thinner before it faded out entirely. I didn't want to sacrifice more of my friends. I didn't want to abuse their loyalty and killing them off for my own goals. Even if we fail to stop Sombra and my sister, at least my stars would survive, I thought to myself.

She used my moment of distraction to prepare a counterattack. I was barely able to avoid the massive ball of molten magma she had thrown at me.

"Impressive little trick, sister. You almost got me there and you are still able to avoid my attacks. Maybe I should draw on the bigger weapons?"

She tilted her head, glancing at the moon which was hanging in the sky next to her sun. I followed her gaze and trembled.

“No.. you wouldn’t dare…” I exclaimed.

“Oh are you sure? Wouldn’t it be brilliantly hilarious if you’d get crushed by your own beloved moon?” Her grin widened.

“Altering the moon’s position by only a few inches will dramatically change the balance of nature, sister!” I cried bewildered.

“Exactly!”
With her horn aglow, she made a motion of her head and the moon began moving towards us. Never in my life had I seen something more terrifying than my moon literally falling from the sky. He quickly grew bigger as he approached our position. Grinding my teeth I used my own magic to push against his giant mass to keep him from falling.

It wasn’t a duel of magic actually, rather than a test of will and dominance. My moon had followed her command for a millenium, but he was my moon and my best friend. He was given to me to be his warden by our parents. I could feel my moon’s confusion as he continued his fall.

“Please, no! Stop! You don’t have to follow her commands anymore! I am your true Princess, remember?” I cried as I pushed even harder. I commanded my moon to stop. Snapping out of his confusion, he was very willing to follow my orders, yet Celestia’s magic forced him further down. My moon did his best to slow down, but he was in full motion now, so I wasn’t only pushing against Celestia’s pressure, but also against the momentum of the fall. It felt like you were going to stop a train at full speed with your bare hooves.

I could feel the nature around me trembling. The seas were in an uproar, since the moon balanced their tides. I could feel the invisible arcane ley lines around me shifting and twisting, beginning to break into chaos. My own body shivered. Not even Discord would have been that crazy.

“No sister! Stop! Half of Equestria will shatter if the moon hits the ground!”

“Ask me if I care…” was her only reply.

No! this had to stop. I won’t allow her to destroy not only me, my moon and everything around, I thought. I pushed even harder and my moon did his best to help me. Finally our combined efforts were enough to slow the moon down ever so slightly.

Noticing what was going on, my sister increased her pressure on the moon, but it was already too late. My moon was not willing to follow her orders anymore and I had a much better connection to him than anypony else. I knew him inside out, I knew how and where I had to push him to make him move. He was MY moon after all. It didn’t take me long to gain the upper hoof and bring his fall to a stop before I reversed the movement. Even though she tried her best, Celestia’s influence was beaten. A moment later I returned the moon to his previous position. By doing so, I could feel the nature around me breathe easy, while the seas calmed down again.
I allowed myself to exhale in relief. Fortunately she wasn’t crazy enough throwing her sun at me, or maybe it didn’t occur to her. I wouldn’t have been able to stop it in the slightest.

My sister, however didn’t like what had just happened. Once again, I had managed to stop her attempts, which made her even more furious. I didn’t knew that she could get more enraged than she already was, but she just did.
Standing on the ground, a small ring of flames surrounded Celestia blocking her legs from my sight.

"I hate you, Luna! Even the stupid moon loves you more than he loves me. Why must you make this so difficult, sister?"
The ring of fire around her intensified and reached the height of her body, so a blazing storm almost covered her entirely, leaving only her head visible to me.

“I hate you from the bottom of my heart! You hear me? Why can't you just stand still for a second, sister?!"

The flames slowly climbed higher up her neck until her whole head was surrounded by that inferno, as well. A giant wildfire that had once been my sister, blazed before me now. All I could see of her was the darker silhouette gleaming through the fiery tongues and her glowing eyes of course.

"When I am done roasting you, all pain and suffering will be gone! He will take away all emotions so we can finally be free. It will be a perfect paradise. This world shall be cleansed by fire and be reborn from its ashes!
"EVERYTHING SHALL BURN!"

Then she suddenly radiated a bright light of such an intensity, that it managed to blind me for a moment. A white veil blurred my vision.

"YOU WON'T DODGE THIS!" I heard her screaming like a maniac.

I should have known, that she would use some sort of blinding flash sooner or later. Once again I made a major mistake, that could have easily been my last. Knowing that she would do something to attack me, I summoned a magical barrier around me, since dodging or teleporting away wouldn't have been a good idea without me knowing what she was planning or where she was going to aim. I tensed my body expecting something strong and I hadn't had to wait for it very long. Soon I felt a wave of burning heat clashing onto my shield. The force was strong enough to push me back a couple of steps, before I was able to brace my hooves against that force and focusing my strength to adapt my ward to the pressure.

I channeled another big chunk of my magical reserves into my shielding spell, but still the pressure and the heat were intense. I have never felt something that strong before and I was barely able to keep my small sanctuary active. Slowly my vision recovered from that flash my sister had used to blind me and now I was able to see what she was actually doing. From what I could perceive between the waves of flame my chromatic ward repelled, my sister now was inside of a fiery vortex, her body emitting a giant burning tornado. She was levitating several feet above the ground inside the eye of the storm, her fore-legs lifted up high and her eyes glowing unlike anything I have ever seen before.

I knew that she was going all out now and that I just witnessed the peak of her might. I needed to lean more into my ward, to push the pressure back. I channeled even more of my own power into my barrier. More and more. Every last drop of magic. My body was screaming of pain being strained to such extremes. My muscles burned, my heart was racing and my magic energy got drained of all of my body. At this rate, I knew that I wouldn't stand up to her wrath much longer, since keeping the shield active wore out my magic reservoirs quickly. Feeling the last drips of my power being channeled into my horn, I felt a small burst of additional magic from an external source. Only for a second before my ward finally shattered, the inferno suddenly stopped as well.

It seemed that I was not the only one who went to her extremes and was now dried out. With the deadly tornado vanishing, she fell the few feet to the ground and collapsed being too exhausted to even stand straight.

My whole body hurt and I felt very exhausted, so I slumped to the ground as well.

Foolish Celestia, if she had focused all her might only on me instead of the whole area around her, she could have easily beaten me. So with her lavish effort to destroy me wherever I would teleport to, I countered a mere fraction of the full strength, but even this was almost enough to end my life. I slightly lifted my gaze towards the sky, seeing my lucky star shimmering brightly before the light died down. He had given everything he had to support my magic shell. I didn’t ordered him to give me his strength, I didn’t even want him to do it and yet he sacrificed himself to protect me. Tears streamed down my face knowing that I had lost him forever.

Author's Note

Disclaimer:
This chapter an all of the following were not proof-read, reviewed nor corrected by another person. I tried to do it on my own, but without help and with english not being my naitive tongue you'll likely encounter gammar mistakes, tense issues and such things. If you like this story and want to see it being polished, send me a PM. More info about this and other things is in the last chapters Notes.