Wilted

When Omen woke up, the first thing she did was go straight to the castle. She let herself in without a word. She knew Luna and the Elements were going to be expecting her. She also knew one of them would be gone.

Entering a large, cavernous space, she stopped when her sixth sense whispered that she was in the throne room. Sitting, she stared straight ahead, knowing the five Elements and Princess Luna were here. "Has Luna told you?" she asked, breaking the silence after several minutes of silence.

Rainbow flew over to her and got in her face. "Told us what?! That she was torturing herself for something that wasn't her fault?! That she thought she was so bad she had to die every night to remind herself not to make the same mistake?! That she didn't realize just how much power her emotions gave the Tantabus?! That we weren't there to remind her that her past mistakes didn't matter anymore?!"

The outburst from Rainbow was unexpected, even to her friends. Omen took a moment to digest what she was feeling from the pegasus, and figured that Rainbow must feel as guilty as Luna. She was Luna's friend and the Element of Loyalty. She wasn't supposed to let her friends down. But she had, and now it was going to cost them. At least, that was only her assumption, considering she still couldn't hear a thing in the waking world.

That wasn't the most important matter though. There was still something none of them seemed to have taken note of. Perhaps it was their shock, or the fact that they normally didn't notice in the first place.

Peering around Rainbow, she set her eyes in the general direction of Luna. "So, I take it you haven't told them about her? I don't think they'd even be here if you did."

Rainbow turned her gaze from Omen to Luna, and all the other Elements, who had been watching the display, also turned to look at Luna. "What is she talking about?" Twilight asked. Luna bit her lip and sighed. She opened her mouth to respond, but then shut it. Going completely rigid, the tension in the room went up as Luna muttered, "Oh, Celestia, no...."

Omen knew something must be happening to the other princess. It would only make sense that the night would go right for Celestia. But they still hadn't broken the news to them. How long before they noticed? How had any of them not noticed by now anyway? It had to be shock, like she previously assumed.

Twilight was obviously the first to leap to action. "Come on, girls, it's time to go to Canterlot!" She began to charge her horn for teleportation when Omen spoke again.

"You'll never be able to stop the Tantabus. Not when it possesses one of you."

It was like lightning had struck each Element. They went stock still, and Twilight's horn died out as she took a slow look around the throne room. Then all eyes were on the empty chair. "No....Fluttershy...."

A dam broke at Rarity's words. Twilight was suddenly charging her horn again, Rainbow was flying out of the throne room faster than she'd ever flown before, threatening to tear the castle apart with a Sonic Rainboom. Rarity had her fainting couch out, and was swooning as she fell into it. Luna was weeping once more, blaming herself for all this. Applejack seemed about ready to tear her throne out of the floor and throw it at some imaginary Tantabus she was staring at with smoldering eyes. Pinkie Pie was gone. Just gone. She had disappeared even faster than Rainbow Dash.

Meanwhile, Omen stepped forward to speak again, though was cut off as Twilight's horn flashed, enveloping the entire room in purple light. Before anypony could even blink, they were in Canterlot, directly in the courtyard of the castle.

Twilight wasted no words. Neither did the other Elements, at least the ones who had stayed in the throne room with Twilight. Though Rainbow and Pinkie appeared as the three who had teleported ran across the courtyard, joining their friends in their race to the throne room.

Omen and Luna, however, went much slower. The power of the Tantabus...it was something that the Elements could not comprehend. Except maybe Fluttershy. But that wasn't by choice. Due to the fact the Tantabus needed a host with which to spread its nightmares, it must have viewed Fluttershy as the most logical choice. She was weak-willed, but still possessed strength unknown within her. She may not be the fastest flyer, but she was good enough for the Tantabus to be able to spread the nightmares faster. Besides, it would have been a lot harder to take over Rainbow Dash or any of the others.

Not that she needed to explain this to herself. Omen just felt like mulling it over might make the blow easier. Once they arrived, she could feel Luna stiffen next to her, and from the emotions flowing around, Celestia was either dead or extremely injured. Omen would guess dead. If the Tantabus was going to take over the princessdom, it would need to stop the day- permanently.

Omen could feel something blast everything around her, but for some reason, she didn't go flying back like the Elements and Luna did. She could feel the floor vibrate as each of them hit either a wall or the floor. From there, the very air trembled with power, as if the Tantabus was gathering power for another, final blow against the Elements. Though probably not Luna. It may want to keep her around, considering.

Then it suddenly stopped. Everything went completely still. Until she felt the dark aura curl around her, and she could feel Fluttershy in front of her.

Omen felt her magic writhing around inside her, wanting to rise to the surface and defend her. She knew that would be a useless endeavor, if even Celestia was not powerful enough to stop Fluttershy, she certainly couldn't.

Omen could feel Fluttershy circling her, and she had a sneaking suspicion that she was talking, probably about what Omen already knew, perhaps even gloating about the fact that she was the reason the Tantabus escaped. Omen did not care. She knew she was to blame for this mess, and she was not going to feel guilty about it. That would only give the Tantabus more power.

Then something happened. Fluttershy got closer. Incredibly close. Closer than she should be. It activated something in Omen. It wasn't her magic, no. It was something far more powerful. She had no idea where it came from. She had no idea what it might do. All she knew is that Fluttershy and the Tantabus were way too deep into her personal space, and she needed them out. Now.

For those watching, what happened next was a shocking sight. Omen suddenly went from her defensive stance to being stiff as a board, then her horn started to glow. Most thought she was simply going to perform a spell, until her entire body began to do the same. Oh, and she started to rise into the air. The unicorn's mouth opened up in a soundless wail, followed by words pouring out. Words no one, not even Luna or Twilight, understood.

Finally, there was an explosion that rocked the entire mountain to its core. After that, darkness descended.

Omen stood on the edge of what had once been a balcony of the royal castle, but now was nothing more than a ledge that led down into the abyss below. There was no longer a Canterlot. The entire city had been blown off the face of the mountain. And it was all Omen's fault. Like usual it seemed, these days.

Staring grimly at a horizon which should have been lighting up with the first rays of dawn, she began to wonder about herself. Why had she been born? What had been the purpose of her powers? Why even show her the future and guide her through life if, by the end of it all, everything would be destroyed? Why have her save all those ponies if they were all gonna die anyway?

Omen could not find the answers. She could not even understand why everything had changed. She now had all of her senses, and yet, the sixth sense was still there. If it could have granted all her senses to her this entire time, why block them all out? Why make it so she could not hear? See? Taste? Smell? It made no sense. Unless this was another dream. Another reminder that the moment she woke up, this is what she would see. This was the future she had brought. So what did it matter if she awoke? There wouldn't be anything worth waking to.

As if hearing her thoughts, the force which had cursed her seemed to invade her dreams, and then images of ponies from Ponyville began to flash around her. Oh. That's right. Maybe they were still alive. Unlikely though. For only one of three things could have happened: she had destroyed the castle, she had destroyed Canterlot, or she had destroyed Equestria. In any case, the truth wouldn't matter. If she had only blasted Canterlot or the castle to smithereens, it was highly likely Fluttershy and the Tantabus had survived and gone out to end Equestria anyway. If she had actually decimated Equestria herself...well, Fluttershy would likely be dead then, but so would everypony else. Again, it didn't matter what the true outcome had been. Equestria was doomed. Because of her.

She really needed to stop repeating that. She got it. This was her fault. Reminding herself every few seconds wasn't going to change anything. This was her masterpiece, and she was going to have to face and get used to it. So she closed her eyes, and woke up.

Omen awoke with a ringing in her ears. That was only one of the oddities to greet her when consciousness greeted her once more. Then she noticed how images were forming in her mind. It was not like when she got visions, no, this was entirely different. She could see, in a sense. It was like her brain was looking through a second pair of eyes at the world. It was kinda creepy, actually.

Around her, the castle was nothing but a smoldering hole in the side of the mountain. The burning Canterlot surrounded her, but she did not pay attention to that fact. No, her focus was on the Six, Luna, and Celestia.

Oh Celestia. The Tantabus had had no mercy on the leader of light and love. It was clear Celestia had put up a fight, considering that Fluttershy had a couple scars on her, too, but nothing as bad as what the Princess had gotten. There were deep gashes everywhere, on her side, on her feet, on her face. On some of them, you could see the bone showing through, and blood pooled around her still form. The ruler's magenta eyes were still open, milky and staring at nothing. Though for as bad as those were, it was her broken front right leg, twisted neck, and the giant piece of glass shoved through one end of Celestia's neck and out the other that told of what had really killed her.

Omen did not know whether she should throw up or be fascinated by the grotesque display. She was also now worried about the thought she was thinking of being fascinated with this twisted scene.

Meanwhile, Luna was also sitting up and looking at the same sight. It was like she could not stop looking at her sister. She seemed frozen, and in a state of complete disbelief. To her, Celestia dying was impossible. Inconceivable. Something that happened only in her darkest of nightmares. Then again, considering the being who had done it...

Omen shifted her 'gaze' to Fluttershy. She was exactly like the pegasus she'd seen in her visions. Tall, imposing, dark. Though there was a surprise addition to her appearance that even Omen had not seen. It was her Element necklace. Though instead of being a light pink, like her cutie mark, the Element had also taken on a darker color. One quick glance at her flank confirmed it. The butterflies were also a dark pink now.

Omen was slightly impressed by what the Tantabus had done, though could still not help wondering exactly what had given her this odd new sight in the first place. Probably the assholes who were running the sixth sense that she acquired at birth. They decide that now, of all times, was the perfect time to allow her sight. At least, none that came from visions of the future. It was like the biggest kick in the head. It almost made Omen laugh out loud.

But no. She knew now wasn't the time to sulk. There was something to be done in these moments of shock and confusion. Even the Tantabus seemed to be recovering. It wouldn't take long though. Fluttershy would be back on her hooves to at any time, and Omen had already wasted enough time.

Getting up, Omen trotted calmly over to Fluttershy. The yellow pegasus was simply laying there on the ground, staring ahead at nothing as the Tantabus regained its strength.

Seeing shards of glass from what had no doubt been a picture of the Elements defeating an enemy before its imminent destruction, Omen chose a fairly large piece out and held it in her hoof. Staring at it for a moment, she then looked up at Fluttershy. She could end it here. If they killed Fluttershy, the Tantabus would be forced to vacate, and they had a chance to catch it before it escaped again. Could she do it, though? Could she become the evil many a pony had thought she was before?

Heh, they would think of her as a monster anyway, whatever she chose. Kill the innocent Element of Kindness, or let the world descend to eternal nightmare. Any way you look at it, Omen would be the main catalyst for the events that would come after this.

Fluttershy twitched, signaling the Tantabus was ready to strike again. It was now or never. Looking at the shard of glass in her hoof, Omen took a deep breath, which then hitched in her throat. She could see it. The true answer. They would never be free of the Tantabus. Even if they did get it out of Fluttershy, it would still exist. There was only one way to end this. She could see it in this single shard of stained glass. The future stretching out in two different directions. True, each one had many smaller paths that could lead to different outcomes for some, but in the end, each fate would close in the way she saw in the glass.

And so she put down the shard, letting out a sigh. She couldn't go the other path. She was too much of a coward.

"You made the right choice."

Omen looked over her shoulder. She could still not hear, but she had felt Fluttershy walking up behind her. "Whatever you said, I highly doubt it," she told the pegasus wearily before walking past her and out of the ruins of Canterlot. The Tantabus was free to do with the Elements and Luna what it wanted. She didn't want to play a part in this anymore. She just wanted to spend the end of the world in peace.

The minute Omen entered Ponyville, ponies surrounded her. They bombarded her with questions she could not hear, pleaded for things she could not respond to, and yelled out insults she had no other choice but to ignore.

Omen didn't care. She just kept on walking towards her home. Eventually, everypony else seemed to get the gist. That, and they remembered she was deaf.

Reaching her field, Omen made her way into her house at a leisurely pace, not bothering to acknowledge the storm that was beginning to cover the sky above. The storm which would likely bring the end of peace forever.

Heading to her incense, she lit it once more with her horn. And then another surprising thing happened. Words suddenly appeared on her tabletop. Reading them, or trying to, Omen tilted her head. This didn't like normal Equestrian. She'd seen signs in dreams and visions, and never had she come across such odd lettering.

Not sure what to make of it, she shrugged, backed away from the table, and went to her recliner. Getting on it, she reclined it, stretching out and letting out a sigh. It wasn't a content one, but it wasn't sad either. It was just a sigh. Then she closed her eyes. Not to sleep. No, simply to fall into her thoughts. She doubted she would ever sleep right again, considering the Tantabus was free. Nightmares would be the only thing this land ever had any more.

And you know what? Omen really didn't give a shit anymore. The world was ending, and there was not a damn thing anypony could do about it at this point.