Author's Note

I have absolutely no excuse for the long wait....
http://i.imgur.com/CyKTTN6.gif I hope the long chapter makes up for it.

I have been nearly completely immersed in WoW, the new content is fun and I am also pumped for the upcoming expansion, my excitement has been distracting. And I'm getting ready to move too so I've been busy.

By the way, Kal'dorei is the elven term for the Night Elves, I can't believe I forgot to use that. And I changed the Trolls into Zebra.

A reader asked if I was having Horde and Alliance in the battle...I hope this answers your question.

Now you read!

Plunge, Part 1

Chapter 14: The Plunge, Part 1

It was hectic, to say the least. That's the only way Twilight could describe it. In filly's stories it was implied that battles were easy to orchestrate. However, in the real world, it was anything but. Soldiers scurried about and distributed armor, weaponry, and rations. Tyrande and Haro were constantly arguing over strategy, the former using her experience to override the latter's suggestions. Thankfully, General Oakwood was a rather logical mare, and she often settled the arguments as quickly as they arose. All in all, Twilight found herself respecting her quite easily.

The poor blacksmith of Cenarion Hold was gradually overwhelmed, as there was much to repair or sharpen. Applejack had offered her help in that department, as she had also studied blacksmithing alongside archeology. And Pinkie helped as well, seeing that her father was a blacksmith and her mother a jewelcrafter. Together they made a drastic impact on the preparations, cutting the usual time needed to sharpen an army's worth of weapons in half.

Shining, being a captain of the guard in Nijel's Point, had been summoned to speak with Tyrande, Haro, and Oakwood, giving his input on the battle plans. Tyrande also gave him a small portion of the army to command, as he would need more than his small group of friends to infiltrate C'Thun's lair. Twilight had been somewhat distressed at that, fearing both for the soldier's lives and for her secret.

So far she had only told Tyrande and Rainbow of her destiny, and she irrationally feared letting everypony else know. Twilight supposed she was paranoid, and she often tried to shake it, but old habits die hard. And as she watched preparations down below her room, she felt wave after wave of anxiety pressing upon her mind. What if Luna was wrong? What if she wasn't this "Liberator"? What if C'Thun defeated them? And worst of all, what if countless ponies of her race were galloping to their slaughter in less than a week?

The calmer, more rational part of her brain gently reminded her that she was overreacting, but Twilight shook it off. She could be overreacting, she told herself, because C'Thun was powerful, very powerful. She would be a fool to believe that this would be easy, wouldn't cost lives, and wouldn't damage her relationship with her newfound brother and friends. Whether or not they succeeded was still a matter Fate had yet to reveal. Though Twilight was certain he had chosen the worst, as Fate usually did. She supposed he could be directly involved with Chaos, as she usually followed in his footsteps, perhaps the two myths were mates? Twilight smiled briefly, perhaps indeed.

It came as a major surprise to everypony when Thrall, Warchief of the Horde, appeared on their figurative doorstep with an army of Orcish, Tauren, Undead, and Darkspear Zebras in his wake. Tyrande was obviously appalled, and both she and the Warchief met at the base of Cenarion Hold to "talk".

"What are the Horde doing here? Who sent for you?" Tyrande asked Thrall, who was surprisingly calm and collected for an Orc.

The Warchief smiled in amusement, the High Priestess was even less hospitable than the last time he had met her, "Now, now, Tyrande, this world belongs to more than the Elves, we have come to defend our home. As is our right. Where are the Knights of Stormwind? Ironforge? Gnomeragan? Have you come alone simply for the pride and glory that would come with slaying an Old God?" he chastised.

Tyrande's purple cheeks deepened in color and she tensed, gritting her teeth at his chiding. "Of course not! Granted we Elves may be arrogant in some respects, but we are not so arrogant as to hoard glory or pride! Have you not considered that our reinforcements have simply not arrived? Or that our messenger owls are late in their work?" she spat back.

Thrall chuckled, reaching a hoof up to signal for calm, "Ah, Tyrande, so easily riled, if I did not know better I'd say you'd make a better Orc than I." Tyrande stilled and glared at him, in obvious resentment of his statement. "Now, the Horde are here to defend our world. Was it really so long ago that we stood together against the Burning Legion? We shall stand together again. Put your prejudice and resentment aside for the time being, there is always time to wrestle over petty things later. For now, let us focus on the raid of Ahn'Qiraj."

Tyrande glared a moment longer before she relented and sighed, "Yes, of course...we shall stay our blades and fight alongside you in the coming battle. You are right when you say this world belongs to more than the Elves, and besides, we could use the soldiers."

Thrall put his hoof forward and Tyrande hesitantly shook it, acting sheepish and thoroughly chastised when she pulled her hoof back. "Now, what's the plan?" Thrall asked.

Tyrande had sorted out the strategy with Thrall, Haro, and Oakwood, and as such had called Twilight and her friends to meet in the watchtower. And as everypony stood around the table, they couldn't help but notice the tension in the air, so thick a knife could slice through it. Tyrande was hesitant to begin, as she noticed how Twilight glared at the still-calm Warchief with pure hatred in her eyes. "Twilight, is something wrong?"

Twilight glanced at Tyrande in irritation, "Why are they here?" she gestured to Thrall, who smiled and rolled his eyes playfully. Ahh, another prejudiced Alliance member, Azeroth never failed to supply him with them.

"Are you going to talk as if I am not here among you?" Thrall asked, somewhat secretly delighting in her raised fur and pinprick eyes.

Twilight snarled, "I wasn't talking to you. And even as such I wouldn't want to, the Horde are not to be trusted."

"Why is that?" Thrall looked at his hammer in mock boredom, admiring the decorative carvings.

Twilight was livid, "I didn't originally wish to be so blunt, Warchief, but your people are destructive and bloodthirsty. Along with the circumstances of your first contact with our world, you are simply not to be trusted."

Thrall was less amused now, and stared at her in contemplation, "What would you know of the circumstances of our first contact?"

Twilight stood taller, "The Archmage Medivh taught me everything about the Orcs and their homeworld." she declared with pride.

Thrall scowled, "Did he tell you that he was responsible for opening the Dark Portal? That he was the one who unleashed our enslaved brothers and sisters upon this world? Or did he only tell you what you wanted to hear?"

Twilight wilted, her ears flattening, "I-"

"You think you know us, but you are building your knowledge of my race upon prejudice and lies. Therefore, what do you truly know of my kind?" Thrall asked, still painfully calm.

Twilight scowled and looked at the ground, "The Orcs killed my parents..." she muttered.

"Your Alliance killed mine." Thrall shot back, albeit gently, and Twilight looked at him in surprise. "We are both basing our opinions of one another upon the actions of our predecessors or unrelated individuals. The actions of a few do not dictate the behavior of a whole, despite the fact that the warriors of Blackmoore were responsible for my parent's deaths, I did not hold prejudice against the ponies of this world. In the end, my lenience saved me as I befriended Taretha and she helped me escape slavery." Twilight nodded, looking even more chastised than Tyrande. "Now, young one, shall we put aside our differences and focus on the battle ahead?"

Twilight reached her hoof forward to shake his, and as she did smirked, "I'm older than you."

Thrall threw his head back and laughed heartily, nodding in agreement, "Perhaps, perhaps you are." he chuckled, "But one's age may not directly affect their wisdom or knowledge would it?"

Twilight chuckled slightly, "No I suppose not, I apologize for my shrewdness." she bowed her head in respect and turned back to the table.

"Ahem, now, the Warchief is here to help with the raid, as Warden Haro was thoughtful enough to inform him of these events." Tyrande gestured to Haro, who nodded, his shoulders relaxed after so much tension in the room. "Ahn'Qiraj itself is not important-" Tyrande began as she pointed to the map laid across the table, "-the ruins there may be inhabited by Qirajians, but they are, for the most part, completely separate from the Old Gods's forces." she tapped the depiction of the ruins on the table and looked up briefly before continuing.

"Of course, we will have to be careful if we don't wish to be flanked by them while we infiltrate the Temple itself. That is why Warden Haro and the Cenarion Circle will attack the ruins, as a distraction." Tyrande explained.

"A distraction? Might as well be cannon fodder!" Rainbow exclaimed. Silence fell and Haro glanced awkwardly between Tyrande and Rainbow, Tyrande's expression being one of surprise, as if unsure what to say next.

Oakwood raised an elegant hoof and gave Rainbow a patient glare, "Not so, young Pegasus. The Qirajians may be ancient, but that is both their strength and their downfall. They have been isolated from society for nearly an eon, and the average Qirajian lives no more than a few thousand years. As such, they may be wise, but they will not be tested in combat, therefore, as capable as Haro and his Druids are, they shall have no problem keeping them at bay." she explained. "I know the military may seem barbaric at times to a mercenary, but we do value the lives of our soldiers."

Rainbow scowled at being called a mercenary, despite the fact that it was true. "I see." she mumbled, feeling somewhat chastised.

Tyrande sighed when the tension left the air yet again, "As I was saying, Haro and his Druids will keep the Qirajians at bay while Thrall and I combine our forces and take this path-" she traced along the map with her hoof, following a trail that led into the ruins and towards a depiction of a building, "-it will be well guarded so we shall have to fight hard to breach it. No doubt. However, once we are inside, we should easily be able to dispatch the Temple's keepers. The Old God should be inside the Temple."

Thrall nodded, "It shan't be hard to find him, but he will not be easy to slay. I only wonder what our plan is...how we are going to fare against a creature with god-like powers?"

The room fell silent once more, Tyrande and Rainbow's eyes falling discreetly upon Twilight, who unconsciously attempted to shrink out of sight. Oakwood noticed the combined gazes of the High Priestess and the rogue, quiet contemplation filling her thoughts. Obviously, the young Elven mare they were staring at was the answer to this problem, but it seemed to be a secret. No doubt somepony with the...suspected...potential to destroy an Old God - whose powers rivaled that of a Titan - would need protection. Silence was, no doubt, the best protection she could have.

"You did say Twilight and her company had been sent personally by the daughter of Therazane, didn't you, Tyrande?" she asked the Priestess, who looked at her in surprise, then relaxed at her silent acknowledgment of the secret, conveyed with a gentle nod.

"Y-yes I did?" Tyrande looked at her in confusion, "What does that have to do with our present conversation?"

"Well, obviously, this group has something to do with it. Theradras must have given them something to aid in the fight against him, has she not?" Oakwood turned to Twilight expectantly.

Twilight returned the gaze carefully, studying her features, the tan mare blinked gently, her emerald eyes conveying suspicion, and yet also respect and understanding. And Twilight saw that Oakwood was smart, she knew Twilight was powerful, yet she also perceived that it needed to be secret and respected that. "I have this amulet, Theradras said it would help." she held up one of the three amulets around her neck, allowing everypony to study it.

Thrall leaned forward, inspecting the gem with interest, "I see, and I suppose she would be vague as to how it would help?" he guessed, and Twilight nodded. "Typical. No disrespect to the Earth Mother, of course." he added on quickly, remembering that Theradras was her daughter after all, and Warden Haro was in the room.

Haro huffed and nodded, not exactly overlooking his comment. But he was an Orc, and he had often heard they let their tongues get away from them.

Tyrande smiled, "Back to the plan?" she suggested, trying to move on with the meeting.

Oakwood nodded, "Go ahead, Priestess." she said, returning to her still, observing demeanor.

Tyrande leaned against the table again and began the rest of her instructions, knowing from the look in Oakwood's eye that she was silently requesting an explanation after this. She was the most perceptive pony she had ever known, and she had been her Commander-in-Chief since the Sundering. They were such close friends that they could communicate with mere looks, of course she could decipher any secret Tyrande wanted to keep. Perhaps there is such a thing as being too close...she mused.

Tyrande had explained everything Twilight told her to Oakwood, and despite her skeptic view of the situation, the general agreed to keep Twilight's identity a secret. She was glad, to say the least, that they had some reassurance in coming out of this siege alive. Beforehand Oakwood had been hoping they weren't blindly running to their deaths. Of course she trusted Tyrande with her life, but sometimes it was healthy to question somepony.

Nonetheless, she was still unsure whether or not most of these willing soldiers would make it out alive. Would it be victory without loss? Or an empty victory, where they will have barely made it? She hoped it was the former, but she was certain they'd likely end up with the latter. Either way, she and her troops were sworn to serve Tyrande, and would follow her into the Twisting Nether itself if she asked them.

Oakwood was not the overly religious type, unlike most of the Elven race, but she still took some time that night to pray for guidance from Elune. She asked that the moon aspect spared her soldiers if she could, and that she would strengthen them as well. She also prayed that Twilight would be successful, and that she would be peaceful until the end, whether she made it out of this fight was up to Fate. And as Oakwood knew, Fate was far more powerful than the Aspects.

It was strange and dark, but not the pitch black she remembered of her old nightmares. The air was thick and constricting, and the aura she felt was tense, causing her to be wisely cautious. Twilight looked around and took a hesitant step forward, and another, and then another. She soon found herself walking along at a steady pace, the air never changed. But, the dark of the dreamscape was beginning to lighten.

Twilight trotted faster, eager to find the source, and stopped short when a bright light flashed in front of her. Blinking to clear the stars in her eyes, she shook her head to regain her bearings and looked about. She was in a large room, made of stone, and filled with the leftovers of carnage and destruction. She stumbled as she began to walk forward, tripping over a piece of rubble. Carefully picking up her hooves, Twilight began to peruse the room, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was somehow involved in what had happened here. She looked up at the sky as she walked and gasped silently, the White Lady, usually so majestic, was stained red and partially shattered.

She stumbled again and looked down, but she couldn't quite register what she was looking at. It was fleshy, white, and smothered in blood. Twilight looked it over for a few minutes before she caught sight of the violet mane. She gasped and recoiled from the body, it had been maimed and gutted. Twilight - despite the fact that she knew it was a dream - doubled over and gagged at the realization.

After she recovered, the realization hit her emotionally, "R-Rarity?!" she exclaimed, her voice breaking. Rushing over to the corpse, she ignored the messy gore of the situation and scooped the limp form into her forelegs. Rarity's eyes were dull and lifeless, and Twilight felt as if her heart had ripped in two just by looking at them. She let out a wail and hugged the body, rocking her back and forth in effort to comfort herself.

She sat there for a time, crying until she could cry no more, before she finally closed the dead mare's eyes and stood to investigate the rest of the room. Twilight tried not to burst into tears once again when a flash of pink flesh met her eyes. One glance told her it was too late for Pinkie, and she moved on, trying to find the source of the death. She wanted to blame it on C'Thun, but she knew, somehow, that it wasn't him.

Applejack's still form came into view, and Twilight inhaled to steel herself before she rounded a rather large pile of rubble. With a strangled cry her hoof flew to her mouth, and she collapsed to her knees. Rainbow's crumpled, wingless form had been cruelly tossed aside, and the source of their deaths stood mere feet away. It was towering over Shining, who was still alive, struggling under it's hoof as it raised a blade with it's horn.

Twilight recovered from her shock and leapt to her hooves, running at the monster and screaming for it to stop. The creature turned to face her, and she slid to a stop, eyes wide in horror. "No....no..." she breathed, stepping back just once. The monster smiled and plunged the blade into her brother's heart. "NO!!" Twilight screamed once more, rushing to the dying figure without a thought for her own safety and cradling him in her hooves. Shining didn't seem to see her, and simply stared at the monster in disbelief as the life faded from his eyes.

Twilight hiccuped on a sob and looked up at the creature as it approached, "Why?" she cried, inhaling shakily, and just bordering on hyperventilation.

The creature gave her a mock pout, "Blaming me are you? Isn't that the way of the world? Always blaming somepony else for your own misdeeds. It was never my fault...no, Twilight, it was always yours..."

Twilight sat up with a gasp, and ended up choking on a sob, she had been crying in her sleep. Shining was already at her side, eyes wide with worry. "Are you ok?" he asked, sitting on the bed and letting her cling to him.

"By all the stars...you're alive!!" Twilight cried, beginning to murmur to herself again and again that he was alive and well, comforting her just as he always did. Despite knowing it was just a dream, she couldn't believe her eyes at seeing him in front of her.

"Nightmare? It's been more than a moon since your last." Shining whispered, "What happened?" he asked, thinking over her words, it must have been tragic, and she kept saying he was still alive. "Did something happen to me?"

Twilight clutched at him tighter and nodded, "But not just you...everypony." she whispered.

"I thought you told me the amulet kept his nightmares away?" Shining glared accusingly at the gem around her neck.

Twilight sat back and wiped at her eyes with the back of her hoof, looking down at the gem. "I..." she trailed off, biting her lip. She knew it wasn't C'Thun, but Luna was protecting her dreams. What else could it be besides a nightmare? she asked herself in her mind.

"A vision." both Twilight and Shining gasped and looked towards the source of the noise. The glow of her mane lit up the room, drowning out the candle's light and encasing everything around in a comforting, blue aura.

"Princess Luna!" Twilight exclaimed, throwing off her remaining covers and scrambling from the bed. "Why did I see those things? They were horrible! What does it mean? You said you'd protect my dreams, so what in all of Azeroth was that?" she demanded, tears resurfacing and her voice breaking slightly at her last word.

Luna appeared calm, but her brow was furrowed with worry, "I already said, dear Twilight. It was a vision, nothing I could stop, and nothing He nor I could send." she explained, turning towards the window, "Have you ever heard of seers?"

Twilight nodded, "They are related to the magus in a way."

Luna nodded, turning about, and noticing Shining's shocked expression, let out a small chuckle, "Close your mouth, young one, lest you catch flies." she laughed more when Shining turned red with embarrassment. "You are right, Twilight, but seers are not only related to magi, they are magi. In fact, all mages have a strain of Sight in them, some are just more adept at honing it. You had a vision, simply because the seer in you is trying to tell you something. Heed it's warning, and be cautious." Luna said to Twilight, her form beginning to shimmer.

"Wait! Where are you going?" Twilight exclaimed, reaching for her, but Luna held up a hoof.

"I cannot linger, I have duties. And I have only come to assure you that I have not abandoned you, nor has your amulet begun to wane in power." Luna put her hoof down with a reassuring smile, "Good luck, and may the Titans watch over you tomorrow." she said as her form dissipated.

Shining looked at Twilight, who was biting her lip and staring at the spot Luna had been standing. "Are you alright?" he asked again.

Twilight sighed, nodding, "Better...yes. I suppose, as good as I can be."

"Good...but...that was Princess Luna...Elune, the Moon herself! What have you not told me?" Shining came up to her with a somewhat accusatory expression.

Twilight looked at him out of the corner of her eye and turned away, "Shining, I'm doing this for your own good." she said.

"Twilight-"

"You know I love you, right? And that no matter what you do, or where you go, I always will, right?" Twilight asked without turning around.

Shining sighed, "Yes, and I feel the same."

Twilight nodded, "Then just trust me when I say, I do what I do because I love you. It's not for you to understand, but to accept." she said as she turned around and hugged him briefly. "Now, tomorrow is a big day...and possibly our last, stay with me tonight?"

Shining chuckled, "Of course..." he settled himself with beside her on the bed and laid his head on her shoulder, casting a worried glance to her already sleeping form. What did she mean: '...and possibly our last.'?

Twilight ducked and rolled behind a piece of rubble, a spell barely missing her and crashing into the ground mere seconds later. The battle had been going on for only twenty minutes at most, but breaking into the Temple was proving to be harder than they anticipated. The ruined walls were crawling with Qirajians of many different forms. From the silithid to the scorpids, and even strange, pony-like creatures, yet more like a bug than a pony, winged and deadly, they cut through the attackers like a knife through butter.

Twilight and her friends, along with the forces of both Thrall and Tyrande combined, were trying to sneak in through the side gate, but it would seem the Qirajians were expecting that. And they were slowly being pushed back, inch by inch. Twilight wished the rest of the Alliance had come, but they needed to move out and attack as soon as possible, as they could only provide for the soldiers in one place for so long. Despite the many magi, there would simply be too little food and water for the thousands of soldiers, and as such, they could not wait any longer to attack. Despite their differences, Tyrande and Thrall communicated and fought very well beside one another, and Twilight supposed this could be the start of a new peace between the Horde and the Alliance if all went well.

At the moment, only Rainbow Dash was in Twilight's sight, cringing as a spell smashed into the rock behind her. They met eyes and both nodded, signaling a particular tactic they had refined together. Rainbow smirked and shimmered, the only indication she was there being the reflection of sunlight off her form.

Twilight took a deep breath and leapt out from her hiding place, providing a distraction so that Rainbow could fly around the nearest Qirajian without being seen. Twilight yelped as the strange creature landed a spell close to her dancing hooves. This particular Qirajian was tall, bipedal, and had the head of a jackal. Twilight grit her teeth as she maneuvered around it's attacks, dancing dangerously close to the spells it was launching at her.

It snarled and reached for its weapon, only to have its head burst into dust and fall to the ground, lifeless. Rainbow landed next to Twilight and glanced back at the creature, "It was a statue..." she guessed, judging by the fact that it was made of sand.

Twilight nodded, "Makes our job all the more easy." she said sarcastically. For the most part, animated enemies were far harder to kill than the living, and there were many of the jackal-like statues.

Rainbow chuckled, "Where's the fun without challenge?" she asked, flapping her wings and gracefully leaping into the sky, shimmering to become invisible yet again.

Twilight shook her head at the sentiment, yet she couldn't help but smile. "Classic Rainbow Dash." she muttered, slamming the butt end of her spellsword into an encroaching silithid's face. The overgrown bug collapsed under the impact and died where it lay, leaving Twilight to continue in her fight towards the temple.

Tyrande and her nightsaber met up with Twilight at this point, both fighting ferociously against the enemy. The High Priestess fired an arrow straight into the eye socket of yet another silithid approaching Twilight, and the Mage nodded her head in thanks. They gravitated towards one another until they were side-by-side. "I wasn't expecting this much resistance." Twilight called, despite the fact that they were beside one another, the battle was loud.

"Are you kidding?" Tyrande laughed, slicing at a wasp flying over her head, "Don't forget, Twilight, I fought off hundreds of demons single-hoofed during the Sundering. This is foals-play!"

Twilight chuckled and charged up her horn, firing arcane missiles at the swarms of tiny arachnids coming their way. Shining Armor came up beside her and bashed a silithid with his shield, "We might have a problem." he called, swiping ferociously at the bugs with his sword.

"And what might that be?" Twilight called back, promptly crying out as a scorpid clamped it's pincer over her foreleg.

Shining cut the bug in half and glanced over her leg, "You okay?" he asked, Twilight nodded and continued to channel spells at the Qirajians. "A...rather massive Qirajian was just spotted emerging from the Temple." he said.

Twilight inhaled deeply, "How...grah! Massive?" she asked, wrenching a Silithid off of her robes in annoyance.

Shining opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted when the wall they had been fighting towards was smashed to pieces. All present had to cease fighting in order to stay on their hooves. A massive Qirajian had broken the wall and now towered at least three stories above the ponies. It was supported by many large, furry, and powerful legs, almost like those of a tarantula. From there it's circular body towered, dressed in many fine, ancient silks, to be adorned at the top with a insectoid head. Large, solid carapaces cascaded down the sides of the creature, and two antennae protruded from its head.

Twilight growled, she had hoped for a simpler fight, but it seemed the Qirajians were not as vulnerable as they had imagined. The creature immediately looked at her and even though she couldn't see it's mouth, she could swear it was wearing a wicked grin. A maniacal, deep, earth-rumbling chuckle emanate from it, gaining the attention of every creature around, "Are you so eager to die?" he asked in a mocking voice, "I shall be happy to accommodate you." A glowing orb of light hissed into existence at the base of his jaw. The orb continued to screech louder and grow in size and Twilight grit her teeth as she summoned a mana shield, nearly depleting her reservoirs.

The orb shot out towards her and Twilight nearly buckled under the impact, but stood her ground with a fierce yell. Shining was there in the blink of an eye, ready to block the next attack. He handed her a flask of moonberry juice and she drank it readily, knowing it went a long way towards replenishing mama stores. "Keep behind me, my shields are stronger." he spoke just loud enough for her to hear.

Twilight had to agree with him there, after all, that was his special talent. After she had downed half of the flask she reattached it to his belt, hunkering down behind his shield and letting her magic charge in her horn. Tyrande was busy firing arrows into the beast's face, yelling at her archers to do the same. So Twilight gathered the magic particles in the air around her and sucked them into her horn.

The overcharge would be dangerous if held for more than a few seconds, so she leapt out from behind her brother and fired an arcane blast at the beast. He looked towards her as magic was commanded to gather beside it's face and implode upon itself. The implosion was brief, and exploded outwards in a powerful blast that singed his barrier of magic and managed to char his face.

The Qirajian screeched in fury, the sound piercing many ponies' ears. Twilight hid behind her brother's body again while she focused. She needed to summon the same amount of magic again without depleting her mana pool. She closed her eyes and envisioned the particles of pure, magical energy surrounding her. She gently encouraged them to gather, and they obeyed willingly. Twilight opened her eyes with a smile and stood, feeling the magic crackle and snap in the air around.

She leapt out from behind her brother once more and fired, this time a channeled stream of arcane energy. She constantly pulled nearby magic particles into her horn and concentrated her fire on the Qirajian's head. Any casters around followed her lead, and soon hundreds of warlocks, mages, and priests were channeling deadly magic at the beast. The creature himself screeched and roared, twisting about in his attempts to avoid their attacks.

Twilight felt beads of sweat running down her face, this spell, while not draining her mana, was most certainly draining her strength. The creature suddenly raised his legs up and smashed them into the ground, a shockwave emanating from the impact. All around, ponies and Qirajians alike were thrown back, Twilight in particular managed to land atop Rainbow and get her clothing tangled in the prismatic mare's legs.

"Enough!" the creature screamed, and a faint shimmer began to surround it, "Let's see how well you handle this..." he concluded as a second Qirajian, exactly like him, appeared beside him, then a second, and a third.

"What the hell?" Rainbow exclaimed, still trying to free herself from Twilight's clothing. "Damnit Twilight! I told you not to wear these!" she scolded, more out of desperation than actual anger.

"I don't remember anything of the like!" Twilight yelled back, grunting as she struggle to pull her clothing off of Rainbow's leg.

Applejack leapt over to them, determination painted across her features. Without warning, she pulled Rainbow's daggers from her tangled hooves and sliced through the offending fabric. "Don't try ta' save the damn clothing when yer life's at stake!" she scolded harshly, not caring that her Mage friend was now scowling in disapproval at her tattered outfit.

Twilight glared at Applejack as she whipped her axe back out from its place on her back and smashed the butt end into an attacker's skull, easily moving onto the next. "That was specially crafted and enchanted mageweave..." Twilight grumbled.

Rainbow snickered, sinking her daggers into a spider's face, "I'll buy you new ones." she called.

"You're so sweet!" Twilight yelled back, her impending smirk vanishing just as soon as it appeared. There were 4 copies of that impenetrable beast, which was the real one? Thankfully, the Qirajian, er-Qirajians...were not focused on her, but rather the newfound forces of Thrall's army. Most of which consisted of orcs, Tauren, and Darkspear Zebra, whom Twilight had to admit were very skilled fighters.

Twilight made her way over to Thrall, despite the fact that he was an Orc, he was both wise and powerful, and a shaman atop of that. She could honestly say he managed to relieve her of her prejudices fairly quickly, and she respected him for that. She jumped alongside him and stabbed an impending scorpid, surprising the Warchief, as he hadn't been prepared for her sudden appearance.

"I can see the plan has gone to shit." he laughed, bashing his legendary warhammer into another bug's body.

Twilight laughed as well, despite being in the middle of a battle, "Don't get your hopes up! It's not the plan we're having trouble with." she called back.

Thrall understood her reference, "Where did the others come from? We only saw one emerge from the temple."

"It's an illusion, I recognize the magic, but it's an ancient variety. I'll have some difficulty deciphering who's the real beast." Twilight explained, yelling over the sounds of the battle.

"What do you need me for?" Thrall asked, her impending question quite obvious.

"I need somepony to distract them while I get close enough to perform the spell." Twilight replied, killing yet another Qirajian.

"Great, now I'm canon fodder." Thrall muttered, but a grin still spread across his features at the thought of such intense battle. "I'm going in now, pray to your deities I'll make it out alive." he called, running towards the nearest of the giant beast's copies.

Twilight scoffed, following closely behind, Thrall caught the beast's attention and called down a bolt of lightning upon it's head. He then began showering the creature in insults, the likes of which Twilight didn't understand, as he was chortling and taunting in Orcish. But, obviously, the copy (or was he the true beast?) understood him and roared in fury and frustration.

Twilight slid underneath the creature and thrust her horn upwards, casting a counterspell against illusions. To her surprise, the beast sensed her immediately and threw her out from underneath him. She flew a good few yards before she crashed into a solid wall, the impact knocking the wind out of her and ripping a cry of pain from her throat. The beast, however, began to shimmer blue and dissipated before her eyes. At least, that's what she thought happened, her vision was too blurry to be trusted.

Thrall was at her side a few seconds later, helping her stumble to her feet, "It was a copy, I can't believe that worked!" he exclaimed, "You look like hell, don't you know any ranged counterspells?" he asked after he noticed her condition.

Twilight blinked and held her head with a hoof, "Augh...I didn't think he'd sense me so soon. Where's Rarity when I need her?" she mumbled.

Thrall chuckled, throwing the mare over his shoulder and galloping towards the nearest healer. Twilight squeaked in surprise, not having expected to be carried. She was placed on the ground and she groaned as her head throbbed two times harder from the jostling. "...she hit the wall hard, just help her back onto her feet, mare! We need her abilities." she suddenly realized Thrall was scolding somepony, but Twilight couldn't see who.

"S-sorry!" a timid voice replied, and soon Twilight's head began to cease it's pounding. She sighed in relief and opened her eyes, blinking her healer into focus.

"Thank y-Fluttershy?!" Twilight cried, sitting up suddenly and regretting it an instant later as her head throbbed again.

"Oh Elune! Twilight? I didn't recognize you!" Fluttershy exclaimed, reaching her hooves back over the dazed mare's head and letting a second wave of her healing magic wash over her.

Twilight sighed again, resolving not to move too quickly, "What are you doing here?"

Fluttershy looked at her with a deadpan expression, "I'm a healer, Twilight." she said monotonously.

Twilight chuckled, "Right, sorry. What the diagnosis, ma'am?" she asked.

"Concussion, you shouldn't jostle your head for a few hours." Fluttershy explained. Twilight looked at her in surprise, noticing her change in demeanor from the last time she saw her. When was that? Already at least a month or so before. Perhaps it was simply the fact that she was being a professional, there was no room for meekness on the battlefront.

"Yeah? Well I don't have a few hours, we're trying to raid Ahn'Qiraj, and I'm practically leading the charge." Twilight said, standing carefully, "Just give me a painkiller and use the healing spell again, I need to go help with that monster over there." she pointed a hoof in the general direction of the massive Qirajian, but failed to realize it was being overwhelmed.

Fluttershy scowled, "They look like they are managing well without you. Sit down. Healer's orders." she commanded, and Twilight whirled to look at the beast, who was, as the Pegasus had said, down to one.

"Wha-how?" Twilight stuttered, her body automatically obeying the pressing hoof of Fluttershy on her hips, forcing her to sit.

"Simply following your example!" an unknown voice boasted, and Twilight turned to see a blue Kal'dorei mare salute her with a confident smirk. Twilight gaped, then lay down willingly, thoroughly humbled.

Fluttershy gave a smirk of her own, satisfied that her patient was listening. "Now, if you don't want to end up running into a wall, I suggest you stay here for at least an hour." she handed Twilight some nuts and Darnassian Bleu.

Twilight sighed, noticing how the beast had now fallen and was calling out in defiance one last time, his voice reaching her ears easily: "You only delay the inevitable.." She shivered at his tone and watched helplessly as the masses of ponies in their combined army pushed onward and downward, into the temple.

Looking down at her replenishments, she shrugged and began to eat, Better to go into this fight prepared. she reasoned.

Rainbow frowned, Where did Twilight go? She was here a second ago... she looked around cautiously, spotting Tyrande, she flew over her comrades and landed gracefully beside the High Priestess. "Have you seen Twilight?" she yelled over the sound of the charge, they had breached the temple after taking down the massive Qirajian.

Tyrande shook her head, "No I haven't, not for some time." she called back, drawing her bow and letting out a fierce yell as she released an arrow.

Rainbow's frown deepened, where was that mare? She took to the sky, leaving the charge behind and soaring above it, watching for Twilight's telltale mane. When she didn't see it she felt her chest tighten and she pulled back, searching through the battlefield. There were many corpses, more insectoid than pony, thank Luna, but she did not see Twilight among them. Her last resort was the tents that had hastily been set up as a healing center in the midst of the battle.

Rainbow flew towards them and landed in front of a lavender Kal'dorei mare, who looked up at her curiously from beside a patient who had been lacerated down his leg. "I'm looking for my friend, have you seen a Mage, purple hair, fur like yours?" she asked.

The mare tossed her silver locks and put a hoof to her mouth in thought, "I think one of my Sisters told us about that one. Check that tent over there." she pointed before returning to her patient and lathering his wound with a green, sparkly aura that seemed to take the shape of leaves.

Rainbow bowed her head, "Thank you." she said gratefully, galloping towards the tent she had been directed to. "Twilight?" she called out in worry as she opened the tent flap, her eyes went wide as she spotted the mare. "Oh thank any deities in the sky! I thought you were dead!"

Twilight lifted her head from her forelegs and smiled, "Are you insinuating there are no deities?" she chuckled, "Careful, you might insult somepony."

Rainbow blushed in embarrassment, moving to sit beside her and looking her over curiously, "What's wrong with you?" she didn't see any obvious wounds.

Twilight reached back and tapped the nape of her head, "I got thrown against a wall, let's just say I'm glad my skull wasn't split." she explained. "How's the advance?" she asked.

"After that big one went down we seemed to be able to continue perfectly fine. It was as if he was strengthening the Qirajians. There were only a few guarding the temple." Rainbow said, snatching a glob of Darnassian Bleu from her friend's plate. "I didn't actually go in though, I noticed you were missing..."

Twilight nodded, "I, apparently, am not allowed to jostle my head for a couple hours or so...I suppose it's for the better. I want to be at my full strength for the fight against Him. But I still don't want my friends and my kin to have to fight without me." she murmured.

"Don't forget Thrall and his army. Those are the toughest and most enthusiastic fighters I ever did see! When I go back to being a sell-sword I should take offers from them, or maybe even partnerships?" she pondered, her mind completely oblivious to the fact that Twilight was listening.

"So you're going back to that life? Did you really like it so much?" Twilight asked, looking away sadly.

Rainbow started, "Well...I, uh, suppose I don't have to go back to it. I mean, there's lots of stuff for me to do, I could apply for SI:7."

Twilight looked back at her with a forced smile, "That sounds good, perhaps you could get in, I know a rogue with your skills would be most welcome."

Rainbow furrowed her brow, "Twilight, you know I won't be able to stick by you forever, right? I do have my own life to live. You have to find a way to be happy without me, you've got your brother." she reasoned.

Twilight's lip trembled, "I know, it's just, I watched you grow up. I can't help but feel attached, you're like a daughter to me." she said, and Rainbow smiled.

"I know that, you've told me before. And as I said before, I'll say it again, you have always been like a mother to me. But, a bird always leaves the nest one day." she assured, patting the mare on the back. "I'll stay with you until you can go. I don't know what's going to happen tonight, I can only prepare myself. I want you to know that you aren't alone in this fight. Even if you are the Liberator, you need to remember we're here for you, and I'll always come when you call."

Twilight chuckled mirthlessly, her eyes watering as she leaned against her adoptive daughter. "I know. Thank you, Rainbow. I don't know what will happen tonight either...but...I just have to place my trust in what Luna said. Everything will turn out fine in the end."

Or will it? she asked herself in her own mind.

Tyrande was surprised when they entered the temple, it was small, tiny even. Where did all those Qirajians come from? She turned to look at Thrall and Oakwood, noting their confusion was evident as well. With a determined toss of her mane, Tyrande trotted onward, wary yet confident as she turned to go around the sudden ledge. The temple wasn't very grand, there were the entrance stairs, which leveled out and then branched to the left and right. Afterwards the stones leveled out once again and continued on under the cover of the temple's roof, which sloped upwards in a four-sided-triangle. As one entered the actual temple, there was a ledge, and after going around there was a stairway down into it. The room at the bottom of the hole looked small and unimportant.

Tyrande's eye was caught by three ponies who were standing off to the side, hidden in an alcove in the wall. She paused in her attempt to descend the second set of stairs and turned to them, noting that they were most obviously dragons, despite the fact that they looked like ponies. After all, they were all scaly, had two long, elegant, horns that curved backwards, long dragon's tails, and each a pair of strong dragon wings. As she approached them they all turned to face her in surprise, as if they didn't realize she was there, their faces were painted in obvious relief.

There were two drakes, one of which was very short, obviously wearing the guise of a Gnomish pony. The taller being red, and the latter being blue. The only dragoness was green. Just by looking at them, Tyrande thought they somehow seemed familiar, as if she had perhaps read about them somewhere. "Praise the Titans! I knew we'd be free one day!" the dragoness-turned-mare exclaimed in joy, clapping her...uh...claws, together.

The two stallions smiled, not as enthusiastic as her, but still joyful nonetheless. "Indeed you did, Merithra, but let us thank our rescuers properly before we get overexcited." the red drake pat his companion on her shoulder.

Tyrande shook her head, "Wait, Merithra? I remember you! I mean, Malfurion spoke of you, he said that Fandral trapped you here unknowingly in his grief." she said to the green dragoness when she finally recalled where she had heard of these dragons.

The blue one sighed, "Ah, now I see. It has been a great many hundreds of years, I do wish somepony had come sooner." he lamented.

Tyrande ducked her head in apology, "If I had known the gates were open sooner I'd have come straight away, any friends of my husband's are friends of mine."

The red held up a hoof, "No need to apologize, to a dragon, a hundred years is but a blink of an eye. We are well equipped with patience....however, nearly an eon with Merithra and Arygos has gotten rather monotonous. I am far beyond relieved that this day has come."

The green dragon glared at him while the blue smirked, "Are you calling me boring, Caelstrasz?" she hissed.

"No, no, but the ten-thousandth game of count-your-scales was getting old." Caelstrasz joked.

Merithra scowled, "I only suggested it once." she muttered.

Tyrande cleared her throat, wanting to disperse the tension between the two. All 3 dragons looked at her, and by now she was surrounded by Thrall and both of their soldiers. "Pardon me, Caelstrasz, was it? But did you say you were going to 'repay us'? How so?"

Caelstrasz smiled, revealing rather sharp, carnivorous teeth, "Yes, I did. As you can probably see, we have been stuck here for centuries, and as much as we'd like to emerge, we should help our rescuers complete their task."

Tyrande shuffled in place, "You know of our purpose?" she asked.

Arygos stepped up, "It was written many eons ago, upon paper and upon the stars. There is one of immense power among you...or is she? Where is the young mare?" he looked around at the surrounding soldiers. "Surely she would be leading the fight?"

Tyrande blinked, "How do you know she is a mare?"

"Details..." Arygos waved his tiny hoof, "...but there are some things written that mortals don't tend to see." he explained vaguely.

"My guess is that it was written in the stars?" General Oakwood suggested to Tyrande when she rubbed her forehead in confusion.

Thrall chuckled and turned to follow the dragons, who had begun to trot towards the short flight of stairs that led to seemingly nowhere. "First thing is first, we are not hunting an Old God without her. But we can most certainly clear the way." Arygos continued.

"What way?" Tyrande asked, cantering softly to catch up.

Merithra pointed with her claws, "Down here of course! I swear, sometimes mortals annoy me with their blindness. I hardly ever open my eyes and I see more!" she ranted quietly, and it was true, after she had initially finished her banter with Caelstrasz her eyes had remained shut. A testament to her purpose as a member of the Green Dragonflight.

Tyrande looked where she was pointing after having descended the stairs, there was a tunnel. A dark, mysterious tunnel, that, despite the limited light, they could still see twisted deeply down into the earth. Tyrande approached the entrance and shuddered, this was the final stretch. Whatever they faced here would determine whether or not Azeroth was shrouded in darkness for the next few hundred eons. She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath before she reopened them and looked to her right and left.

Thrall was readying his warhammer, the dragons were baring their teeth and their claws, Twilight's friends, minus Rainbow Dash, were prepared, looking ahead with determination, the General have her a nod, and finally their soldiers behind them. Tyrande smiled at the unlikely - and certainly brief - union with the horde, they wouldn't have gotten so far without them. "Let's go." she commanded, proceeding down the tunnel, ready to face whatever came.

To be continued....