Chapter Eleven

Misty Moonrise shivered as the crescent moon above began to shine as only a full moon ought to shine. The pale gleam fell upon Canterlot, beckoning. They were running out of time.

“How much farther, Nightingale?” asked Misty.

“Just past the next bend.”

Their path had finally leveled out, but it was now a narrow, serpentine road that clung to the mountainside with the delicate temerity of an eyelash. On the ponies’ right rose the face of a cliff, and on their left was a sheer drop into oblivion. They walked in single file now, forgoing speed for safety. Nightingale led the way, followed by Misty, then Lilypad, Juniper Berry, and Cloudy Day, with Steel Shield bringing up the rear. Thankfully, they had not yet encountered any more obstacles.

“There aren’t any more bridges, are there?” asked Lilypad. “I doubt my hair will survive the affections of a second troll.”

“Yeah, because your hair is what’s really important right now, Lilypad,” Steel said, voice thick with sarcasm.

Lilypad sniffed primly. “I wouldn’t expect a stallion to understand. We ladies have an image to uphold, even if we are charging headlong into the thick of battle.”

Nightingale giggled at their banter. “Naw, no more bridges. ’Round the corner, an’ then it’s a straight shot into the city.”

“Good,” Misty sighed. Hold on just a little longer, Princess Luna. We’re almost there.

Suddenly, the mountain trembled. It lasted only a moment, but it was enough to dislodge loose bits of earth and rock from the cliff above and the precarious path beneath their hooves.

“What,” whispered Cloudy Day fearfully, “was that?”

Steel Shield hopped off the path and into flight, craning his neck to get a better look up the mountain. The shadows were so deep that he could make nothing out of the gloom. “Misty, can you give me some light?”

Misty nodded, summoning her magic. She gathered a small teardrop of soft blue light and sent it where Steel indicated—up the cliffside to illumine the darkness.

Steel’s eyes widened in shock. High above them, the ten changelings that had sabotaged the train were heaving against great boulders. The huge rocks teetered upon the very edge, ready to fall at any moment.

“Changelings!” Steel shouted. “Run!”

The other five ponies wasted no time, but they could only run so fast on the narrow, winding path without plunging over the side. The bend, however, was not far. They just needed a little more time.

To buy his friends that time, Steel Shield shot up to meet the changelings. Two abandoned their posts on buzzing wings, hissing taunts and spitting beams of changeling battle magic from their horns. Steel Shield dodged the attacks and fell upon the pair in a flurry of striking hooves and beating wings.

As their comrades distracted Steel Shield, the other eight changelings continued shoving with all their might against the boulders. Finally, one swayed… and plummeted.

In a flash, Misty grabbed Nightingale by her braided tail and yanked her back just as the boulder crashed onto the path where the little mare had been. Misty Moonrise felt one of her hind hooves slip off the side of the path, but Lilypad quickly steadied her before she fell.

The path was blocked at the very bend that had so recently symbolized the end of their long climb, and now they could not afford to go back.

We aren’t going to make it, Misty realized with horror. She looked back at Lilypad, Juniper, and Cloudy behind her, and then at Nightingale before her. Fear shone in their eyes as they anxiously looked to her for leadership, waiting for a plan to get them out of here. Misty Moonrise could not give up—for them. After a tense moment of thought, Misty instructed, “Lilypad, take us one at a time over the boulder. Quickly!”

Lilypad did not hesitate. She wrapped her forelegs around Juniper Berry first and spread her wings. She struggled with the vertical take-off for a breath, but was soon aloft. Lilypad carried Juniper up and over the boulder.

High above them, Steel Shield finally managed to dispatch his two opponents. But they had stalled him long enough for the other changelings to succeed. Eight huge rocks tumbled downward, freeing more and more shards of rock and earth as they bounced off the cliff, unleashing a deadly avalanche. Heart pounding like thunder, Steel darted down and scooped up Cloudy Day and Nightingale with ease, as Lilypad rushed to gather Misty.

“Look out!” Steel yelled as the rocks plunged straight for his friends.

Misty Moonrise scrambled back just before a boulder would have crushed her. She pressed herself as flat against the cliff as she could in an attempt to escape the avalanche.

Lilypad only just evaded another rock, nearly clipping one of her wings. She raised her voice over the roar: “Misty, I can’t get in there. You need to jump!”

Misty shook her head firmly. “Are you crazy?!”

“You’ll be safe!” Lilypad promised.

Everything inside Misty screamed against it. “No, I won’t!”

“Yes, you will!” urged Lilypad. “Trust me, Misty! Why would I lie about this?”

If Misty waited much longer, she would be buried alive. But if she jumped, she was certain to fall. ‘Why would I lie…?’ Lilypad had said. Squeezing her eyes shut, Misty Moonrise pushed herself off the cliff in a desperate leap. Air whistled by as gravity pulled her inexorably downward. She thought she heard somepony screaming—probably herself—but the wind and the avalanche drowned out all else.

And then a pair of hooves caught hold of her. Misty opened her eyes to see that Lilypad held her aloft out of reach of the avalanche.

“See?” said Lilypad as she flew them over to join the others. “An honest promise, yes?” She carefully set Misty down on solid ground, and then also alighted.

“Yes,” agreed Misty, still reeling from the adrenaline rush. “Thank you, Lilypad.”

Folding her wings, Lilypad responded with a smile.

Then Misty Moonrise turned to the others. “Is everypony okay?”

They all nodded.

“Good.” Misty faced the towers and spires of Canterlot, now only a short gallop away. She could see the cobblestone streets and the flitting shadows of changelings running amok. The flashes of magic were fiercer and brighter now—Princess Twilight and her friends must have arrived. It was an intimidating sight, to say the least. “You don’t have to come with me, you know,” Misty said quietly. “You can still back out.”

Juniper Berry laughed. Nightingale joined her.

“Face it,” said Steel. “You’re stuck with us.”

“Absolutely,” agreed Lilypad at the same time that Cloudy Day said, “Like glue.”

Misty smiled to herself. How could she think that, after all they had been through, these ponies would leave her now? “Then let’s go!” And with her friends beside her, Misty Moonrise galloped into Canterlot.

The city was overrun. Everywhere, changelings flitted and buzzed and hissed. But they were so consumed with searching the empty city that most of them barely noticed the six new arrivals. The few who did attack were quickly blown back by one of Misty’s magic orbs. Their pounding hooves rang loud against the cobblestones as the six ponies galloped up the main thoroughfare. Soon, the sounds of battle filled the air and mad peals of laughter resounded.

In a burst of desperate magic, Misty Moonrise transported them the rest of the way in the blink of an eye and a shimmer of stardust. They reappeared amidst a scene of pure chaos.

Rainbow Dash was a blur in the dark sky, tackling changelings midair. On the ground, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie stood back-to-back as they fought off a circle of changeling soldiers. A changeling attempted to best Applejack by latching onto her back, but the rodeo pony immediately bucked it off and swung her hind hooves at another changeling in the same motion. Rarity was pitted against a changeling in a battle of wills as much as strength, their horns locked and glowing with ready battle magic. Princess Twilight was airborne, sending shafts of sparkling magenta magic hurtling for the changeling soldiers as much as for Queen Chrysalis herself. The Changeling Queen was dodging more than just Twilight’s attacks, however—Princess Celestia and Princess Luna were hurling their own magical volleys.

Then the Queen of the Changelings summoned glaring, jagged bolts of lightning. The forked claws of green fire stretched forth for each of the alicorn princesses. Twilight Sparkle evaded the attack easily, and Celestia raised a golden shield that absorbed the lightning altogether. But Luna was distracted: she had spotted Misty Moonrise and her friends, and she felt the elation of new hope; was blind to the danger.

“Princess Luna!” Misty screamed.