“Greetings, King Sombra,” called Twilight Sparkle to the Alpha as he began to approach.

The dog looked shocked for a moment and then his face changed to a cruel smile, “If there is any pony alive who could have worked out my identity, I should have known it would be you, Twilight Sparkle."

“Thank you, Your Majesty,” said Twilight, who absently noted that the bridle on her had not begun to shock her. “Please forgive me for not kneeling in respect, but I seem to be a little tied up at the moment.”

“Your disrespect is not by intention, little princess,” said the dog, ignoring the quip. “Have you worked out the rest of it?”

“I believe so, Your Majesty,” said Twilight. “You're spirit has taken possession of a diamond dog, probably during an excavation of his. After which, you unearthed caches of crystals from the war, that you knew of, and used them to accomplish several things.”

“And those would be?” prompted Sombra.

“You used them to spread your influence on the minds of the dogs in general,” said Twilight. “Those dogs who gained the most from the crystals are also the most vulnerable to your influence. Which is why as Alpha, you had them promoted. And after nearly two years of your influence, they have gone from professionals to predators by reducing their natural inhibitions and occasionally, direct influence.”

“Raarg,” Rarity thought to herself. “He is as much a victim as I am. At least I knew what I was fighting. He never had a chance to keep his mind, his own. And Long Strider, he must have realized what had been done to him on some level, and felt shame not only at his actions toward Side Slip, but that he hadn’t been able to stop himself. No wonder he was so determined to make amends.”

“But all that power needed to come from somewhere,” said Twilight. “So the crystals pulled it in from the land around them and from weaker dogs. Which is what causes the Blight. There never was any need to raise funds as the crisis is a manufactured one. Manufactured by you.”

“Well done, Princess Twilight,” said Sombra haughtily. “Once again you prove that you are worthy of respect.”

“Thank you, O King,” said Twilight diplomatically. “The one question I cannot answer is ‘why?’ What is the purpose behind all this? You have obviously put much planning and thought into this, but I cannot see its greater purpose.” Twilight had also noticed that while the diamond dogs were gathered around them - nearly two thousand strong - none of them seemed to be reacting with shock or astonishment at Twilight’s words. “Either they are fully under his control or have nothing left to pull them back from the brink of servitude,” thought Twilight to herself.

“In due time, Princess,” said Sombra. “Other events approach. But as they do, let me make you an offer. Join me.”

“That is a kind offer, Your Majesty,” said Twilight. “But why would I want to renounce my mentor and my friend?”

“You would become my apprentice,” Sombra said. “You would learn magics undreamed of, even by alicorns. Your power would only be second to my own. In time, I would perhaps even deign to make you my Queen.”

“Your...Queen,” Twilight said. “What you offer is interesting. The knowledge you offer is tempting. But not at the cost of my friend, and I certainly would not make such a decision while we were your bound captives.”

Sombra waved a paw and both harnesses suddenly released both Twilight and Rarity. Rarity landed gracefully. Twilight fell heavily, but got up to a three legged stance with her cast, broken leg at an awkward angle.

“Now then, Twilight Sparkle,” said Sombra. “I make you the offer again, as King to Princess. Bow to me, swear your allegiance to me, and in return I shall release your friend from her bridle and make you my apprentice, my heir to power and my Queen. What say you?”

~~~~~+++++~~~~~

The ponies of Equestria were known for their use of magic. Unicorns and their spells, Pegasi and their flight, Earth ponies and their command of the soil and crops. But all of these are generally either passive effects or off the cuff uses. The only exceptions were the few, rare unicorns that created and cast specific spells.

But Equestria had another kind of magic. A rarely used magic of great power and potency yet uniquely suited to them. Ritual magic.

Ritual magic required ponies to operate together in Harmony. In Equestrian ritual sorcery, the magic number was four. There were four species of pony, four classical elements and four legs on a pony. When four ponies worked together the results could be be spectacular. But for the High Magics, only a full square of ponies would suffice. Four to the power of four. Two hundred and fifty-six ponies.

This was the number that assembled in the formation of power. Sixty-four ponies each funneling their power into Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy and Applejack respectively. In turn, they fed that combined power, channeled through their connection with Twilight, into Starlight Glimmer and Shining Armor. Who added their own considerable power and focus to Celestia. Celestia, using the portion of her faithful student within Side Slip, funneled all of that combined might into the mystic circle in the center of the room.

The circle that willingly bound the Princess of the Night within its confines, as she prepared herself to be hurled to the side of her sister's student, the side of her fellow princess, the side of her friend.

Silver power began to coat the Lunar Alicorn. Lines of power glowing their way along her medians. Her eyes shifted to pure white as she began to channel the power that was given to her. Her own chant began.

“Artume,” Luna drove the first word of the ritual spell into the air, shoving a portion of the magic pouring into her through it. Her horn started to burn with its cobalt blue magic. “Artemis,” the second word drove hard into the fabric of reality. Then came more words, more Names of Power, each building on the next, each shaping the power into intent, will and determination. The words driving deep into the mechanics of reality and bending them to accept the purpose of the Mistress of the Night.

With a final cry of “Nocte," night suddenly came into being directly over Canterlot Castle. Luna leaped straight upwards toward it, then froze, trapped in the suddenly solid shaft of silver moonlight that poured down from above. The mare and the light then disappeared together as the shaft leaped upwards in a continuance of Luna’s leap, like an arrow launched from a bow.

“Ad Astra, my sister,” said Celestia into the sudden silence. “Light, watch over my sister and my friend until I can be at their sides.”

~~~~~+++++~~~~~

“Your Majesty, while I am greatly flattered by your offer, I must refuse,” said Twilight, with more confidence than she felt.

“I see,” said Sombra. “I suppose it was too much to expect that you would accept my offer. No matter, you and your friend were just the incentive for-”

Whatever Sombra was about to say next was cut off as, in the middle of the day, a shaft of solid moonlight appeared between Twilight and Sombra. As all present blinked at the light, the form of Luna, Princess of the Night could be seen within the silver shaft. As the light faded, Luna’s form grew more distinct. When the light faded completely, Luna’s form fully filled out. Looking directly at the Alpha/Sombra she pronounced,

“SHE SAID THEE ‘NAY.' VILLAIN!”

“Ah, Princess Luna, so good of you to come,” said Sombra with a large smile on his face. “I had indeed hoped it would be you and not your sister who would come here.”

“You knew I was coming?” said Luna, slightly taken aback that Sombra had been expecting her.

“Indeed,” Sombra confirmed. “I knew that the more I put your ponies in peril, the sooner Celestia would send her right hoof in to deal with things.”

“What do you mean?” said Luna, slightly playing for time and backing up to take a guard position with Twilight on one side and Rarity on the other. She cast a quick delve spell toward her friends. Twilight was fine mentally, despite the obvious wounds to her body, and the bridle she wore was a simple suppression device. Rarity on the other hoof. "Oh, Rarity," Luna thought as she took in the wounds to mind and soul that the white unicorn had suffered. Her mind and soul had been split in two but both halves fought against the dark presence of the bridle Rarity wore. The horror of it nearly made Luna miss what Sombra had to say next

“I mean that nearly every crisis Equestria has faced over the past five years has the hoofprints of one mare on it,” sneered Sombra. “Twilight Sparkle. I knew that Celestia would send her in first. All I needed to do was to create a crisis. Then bring down her and her friends. The arrival of yourself or your sister would be a foregone conclusion. That Twilight's friend fell into my clutches first was a bonus."

"And why would we not blast you to ashes from afar?” said Luna.

“For the reason you didn’t do so now, because I made it impossible for you,” said Sombra. “You would never unleash your power with ponies so near and dear to you being in the path of destruction. You see, I know you.”

“Well, Sombra, this has been interesting,” said Luna as she began to wrap Twilight and Rarity in her magic. “But it is time for us to go. I will speak with you again, later.”

“I don’t think so, Your Highness,” said Sombra, who took a crystal from a pocket and snapped it in half. Immediately, a green dome of force appeared over the encampment, roughly four stories in the air. “For the next two hours nothing larger than a hoof can pass either in or out of this camp. No magic can be drawn in from outside either. You asked what was the purpose of all this, Princess Twilight,” said Sombra. “This is the purpose. Surrender, Luna. Yield. I have nearly two thousand dogs here. You are cut off from support. Teleportation and flight will avail you naught. Your magic is limited. You are mine.”

“What shall be the fate of myself and my friends should we surrender ourselves to you?” asked Luna. Her voice and bearing were as tempered as the steel she wore at her side.

“The one called Valiente will become my concubine,” said Sombra. “She is comely and has skills worthy of the position. Twilight will again be offered a position as my apprentice. Should she refuse, I can always use another broodmare in my herd.”

“And myself?” asked Luna”

“You shall become chief broodmare of my herd,” Sombra said, the lust for possession and conquest clear in his voice. “I shall get a foal on you, and when that foal is born I shall transfer my spirit from this body into that one.”

“All of this,” Twilight interjected. “All of this has been so you could take possession of the body of a foal?”

“Not just any foal, Twilight Sparkle,” said Luna. “The foal of an alicorn has the potential to become something truly special, as we have seen with little Flurry Heart. Sombra wants a new body. One that will increase his magic ten fold and have the potential for immortality. Sombra has always been ever ruthless in seeking his goals.”

While the words passed between the three, Rarity simply stood there, numb. She was an ant among titans. Insignificant. Her failed run, seeing so many friends give their lives or freedom for her, and it all failing had broken her spirit. Even now, her friend and her Princess were about to lose their own freedom because she had been the bait in a trap.

“I should just surrender to the bridle now,” Rarity thought to herself. “It will be easier, less painful.”

“Since when have you EVER surrendered to anything?” asked Valiente, from within. “Was it when you created a boutique in the middle of nowhere? Maybe it was when you built up a fashion empire with your own skill and determination? Or what about all the times you fashionably strode into situations with all of Equestria in the balance?”

“I never surrendered then-” said Rarity.

“Then don’t now,” said Valiente. “Fight. Fight for yourself, fight for me, for our friends. For your Princess. Just fight on. Be the Rarity I know and love. Fight, my soul sister.” Rarity took a breath, deeply. Something seemed to flow back into her from Valiente. Fire, passion, determination.

“We need to find a way to change the situation,” she thought, her mind invigorated by Valiente's support. “Some way to remind the dogs who worshiped Luna of their reverence. A way to remind them of the duty they pledged to her. Some way.” Suddenly, Rarity’s mind shifted to the memory of a campfire, horrible coffee and a song.

“Princess, I’m going to try something,” she hissed under her breath to Luna as she finished speaking to Sombra. “I need you make it so that all the dogs can hear my voice.”

“Go ahead,” whispered Luna, using a small trickle of power.

“You are outnumbered hundreds to one, you have no allies and no hope. Surrender, Princess,” ordered Sombra.

Rarity’s soprano singing voice rose in response.

If I see her again, I must die or kill
In the bleak, dark woods or the stone-ringed hills

Dogs on all sides pricked up their ears. As if hearing a strange sound that suddenly caught their attention.

When the year wears down and the trees are bare
In the form of an up-right, white-fanged mare,

There was motion in the crowd of dogs. They gathered closer, seemingly entranced by the song.

For where she appears death is on the air
And someone in sight must die.

Yowl-E emerged from the crowd. He whipped out a pair of twin swords, and in a flourish, lay them at Luna’s hooves. Kneeling before her as he did so.

Do you see her again, in the dark and cold
The blue black mare, with her grim eyed foals

A second dog emerged from the crowd. He followed Yowl-E’s example, laying his weapons at Luna’s hooves.

With her high roan staff and her white skull globe
With her ebon crown and her storm cloud robe

Now, an entire pack emerged from the crowd. In unison, they too drew their weapons and kneeling, lay them before the Lunar Diarch.

With her dead white eyes that no light can probe
And more than a few must die...

Even more dogs came forth. By ones and twos, by packs and by the dozen. As Rarity continued the song of bloody lunar triumph, nearly three hundred dogs came forth and supplicated themselves before their Princess of the Night.

“Shouldn’t we stop this?” asked Howl to his Alpha.

“No. I want them to have hope. It will make their defeat all the sweeter. Besides, I have one more card left to play,” answered Sombra.

“Princess,” said Yowl-E, “we ask that we be allowed to serve you. For Aegis Moon, for Silent Path, for-”

“-for Dark Shield,” said another dog.

“For Star Arrow”, said a third. “For Shifting Shadow,” said a fourth. “For High Step,” finished a fifth.

Yowl-E nodded, “For the six who fell. We offer our hearts and our bodies in their stead.”

“You remember them,” said Luna, emotion and memory both strong in her voice.

“Someone reminded us of their example with her own,” said Yowl-E, looking directly at Rarity.

“Yes,” said Luna, her voice firming, “YES, I accept your service. Rise. Rise, my Moon Dogs.” As the dogs rose to the bidding of their mistress, Luna’s horn glowed and every dog who had just sworn themselves to her, found themselves adorned with a blue-black collar emblazoned with a white crescent moon.

Luna turned to face Sombra and said, “It seems I am not so outnumbered. What do you have to say now?”

“Only this, Princess,” he said. “Seek.”

At his command, a ball of dark blue energy appeared behind him and leapt straight at Luna’s head. She put a force field to stop the ball but it passed right through, revealing that the ball contained a bridle. Specifically, the bridle “Chained Moon," whose purpose was the instant and complete transformation of Luna into a willing broodmare for Sombra. It flew onward, it’s straps fanning out as it flew forward to wrap itself around it’s prey. Luna.

Only one other pony was able to act. In the fractions of a second that remained, Twilight Sparkle powered her horn to its maximum. The inhibitor ring in the bridle she wore shattered trying to contain the uncontainable power of the magic of Friendship. She had time for one spell. One impossible spell, yet the only one she would even consider casting. Because when a friend was threatened, Twilight Sparkle would never hesitate to chose that friend over herself.

The enchanted bridle, meant to permanently enslave Luna to Sombra’s will, was mere inches away from Luna’s muzzle when suddenly Luna was no longer there. In the bridle’s path there was Twilight Sparkle instead. Whose spell hadn’t so much teleported Luna as it had swapped her position with that of Twilight. The bridle hit and wrapped itself around Twilight’s head, straps looping, tightening and sealing themselves together as the bridle decided that while Twilight might not be Luna, any alicorn would do. The bridle’s enchantment discharged in a single, massive pulse of power aimed squarely at Twilight’s mind. In doing so, the bridle changed from midnight blue to a deep lavender. The magic adapting to its new target.

“A pity,” Sombra said. “Oh well, one alicorn broodmare is as good as another.”

“You FIEND!” Luna screamed, as she launched a spear of destruction at Sombra. Sombra saw the blast coming and had expected it. He summoned a tall crystal in front of him which bent the beam in its facets away from its target. Directly through Howl’s chest. Howl had a moment to realize what had happened before slumping to the ground, staring blankly at the hoof sized hole in his chest.

“Kill the dogs, capture the ponies,” ordered Sombra and battle broke out between the two sides.

As dogs on both sides leaped forward, Luna moved over to shield Twilight, who had collapsed to the ground.

“Twilight,” Luna asked, even as she began blasting targets with her magic, “are you still with us?” For a long moment Twilight said nothing. The new bridle on her head had changed even more now. The name on it had changed to “Tabula Rasa” and the gems were now red-yellow citrines.

“I am still here, Princess,” said Twilight in an emotionless voice, getting back to a three legged stance. “The bridle is overpowering my mind, but as I am not you, I am able to resist it by keeping its power away from my emotions. However, I estimate I have no more than twenty-six minutes before it’s enchantment makes me into Sombra’s willing slavemare. I should be combat effective until all but the last minute.” Twilight created a pair of hammers made of pure magical force and began striking out with them as she spoke.

“Is there anything I can do to help, Twilight?” asked Luna, who found herself forced into a defensive position guarding Twilight’s rear, as the swirl of battle began to come at the duo from all sides.

“Yes,” said Twilight in that same flat voice, even as she crushed a war dog’s armor with a hammer blow. “Kill Sombra or force him to flee within the time limit. Then, manifest dark energy and claim me as your own.”

“No,” said Luna, “surely there is another way.” Luna watched Rarity charge into the fray. Yowl-E at her side.

“The fortress of my mind is falling,” said Twilight. “When it falls - and fall it will - I would far rather be your slave than Sombra’s. To accomplish that, Sombra cannot be here when my will fails. Now, let’s fight.”

Rarity and Yowl-E had plunged into the battle, each guarding the others flank. For long minutes the two of them battled together. Rarity continually stepping inside sword arcs, landing blows and then stepping outside. Finally, she was a beat too slow. The sword of an armored dog swept towards her.

Only to be stopped by an iron studded club. The sword still bit in and the club wielder used that, deftly twisting his weapon and spinning his opponents sword away. Rarity struck either side of the enemy dog’s head, caving in sensitive eardrums and sending him to the ground. She turned to thank the dog who had save her life. It was Raarg.

“You!” said Rarity as she raised a hoof to strike.

“Later,” said Raarg turning to engage another foe. “When this is done you may do as you wish with me. Besides, I found some friends to help.” Growf and Grarf came weaving in through the chaos of the battle, chains still dangling from where Raarg had freed them. Together the five of them formed a unit and became a rock upon which wave after wave of foe broke.

The alicorn princesses fought together as well. Luna refused to leave Twilight’s side, constantly shielding her from attacks she could not see coming. Packs of dogs repeatedly swarmed them, and Luna was bleeding from a dozen cuts, one of them serious. But her blood was well avenged. Every time dogs would swarm over the duo, Luna would hold them off long enough for Twilight’s conjured hammers to come down again. Bang. Bang. Bang. The hammers would strike down in a measured cadence. As if it was Applejack pounding nails into a board, rather than Twilight pounding dogs into the ground.

Dogs would come at the pair from one direction, then another. Luna recognized the tactics of the pack. The dogs were bleeding her and Twilight. Wearing them down until they could be overcome by a sudden rush. Already, Luna was being forced to rely more on steel than sorcery, having used much of her magical reserves. No matter, at least she didn't have to chase her foes.

Nor was Sombra idle. He sniped at either Luna or Twilight at every opportunity and manifested a shield of his own whenever they had a chance to strike back. Once, he managed to telekinetically drop a noose over Luna’s throat, while she was distracted by a group of dogs. She snapped the rope even as he jerked it tight, then flung another spear of power at him. He simply danced to one side and faded back into the battle chaos.

Luna, Twilight, Rarity and their companions were all far better warriors than those they faced. But quantity has a quality all it’s own and finally numbers began to tell. Rarity failed to see a dog coming from behind her with a leveled spear. Raarg did not. He shoved her aside and parried the incoming weapon. Or tried to. The spear caught him in the side, driving inches deep.

“Raarg!” exclaimed Rarity, spinning around. She crushed the throat of the dog stabbing Raarg with an economical throat strike.

“It’s not so bad, Valiente,” said Raarg. “Just help me up".

“Liar,” said Yowl-E. “You need medics, now. Valiente, get him to infirmary. We will cover for you.” With that Yowl-E, Growf and Grarf exploded outward in a flurry of violence, driving back their foes. Momentarily clear, Rarity half dragged, half carried Raarg out of the immediate combat area. Raarg guided her toward the infirmary while blood flowed from his wound. Even Rarity could tell the wound was severe as the dog's blood streaked her coat red.

More minutes passed and the Moon Dogs began to find themselves being forced back toward their mistress. They had been outnumbered nearly six to one at the beginning of the battle and not even the presence of a pair of alicorns had been enough to fully tip the odds back in their favor. Especially not when Sombra was wielding magics nearly as potent.

The enemy dogs closed in a ring around the surviving Moon Dogs and their princess. All their attention was focused inward, so none of them saw the white unicorn outside of the battle, who had suddenly realized that her guide had been lying to her.

“This is not the way to the infirmary, Raarg,” said Rarity as she let him drop to the ground. “What are you playing at?”

“I’m sorry, Valiente,” said Raarg weakly. “I had hoped to reach Howl’s office and release you, but...” He pointed to where Howl’s office and some other buildings were burning fiercely from the after effects of a magical strike.

“Never mind that, I need to get you to the medics,” protested Rarity.

“My apologies, fair one, but I’m afraid I have deceived you, yet again,” said Raarg as he propped himself against a post. “My wound is mortal. A dog always knows when his time has come and I wanted to free you, before my end.”

“Thank you, Raarg,” said Rarity. “I know what Sombra did to you, to all of you. I don’t blame you. Not anymore. It’s all the fault of that fie-” Rarity broke off. For there, with his back to them, some distance away, was Sombra. His shield was up and facing forward while he blocked attacks from the princesses and directed his War Dogs to close in.

“If only we had something to hit him with,” coughed Raarg, blood beginning to show in his phlegm.

“We do, Raarg,” said Rarity as she remembered something about the bridle she wore. “We have someone.”

“No! Rarity, no. There has to be some other way,” Valiente could see what Rarity had planned.

“There isn’t and you know it,” Rarity said to Valiente. “The bridle comes off if I surrender to it. Once it does, our magic returns and you will be able to blast Sombra.” Rarity could feel the unwillingness of her other self, “You asked me to fight, and I have. Now it is your turn. Do what I cannot, be the mare I can no longer be.” She felt Valiente’s wordless acknowledgment.

In the scant seconds that had passed, Raarg had also figured out Rarity’s plan. Unlike Valiente though, Raarg understood the necessity. He also had something he needed to do.

“Bring your head close to me pony,” said Raarg. As Rarity did so he grabbed the bridle, and holding Rarity’s head still he cut a small nick in her neck. As blood dripped over the bridle, Raarg once again combined that blood with his own.

“I, Raarg, transfer my bond with this pony, Valiente, to Luna, Princess of Equestria,” intoned Raarg as the bridle pulsed in recognition. “This will put you out of the reach of diamond dogs. Be well, Valiente." He coughed viciously, "Forgive me if you can. I would have liked to have seen you dance a-” He collapsed back down, sighed once, and Raarg, diamond dog, passed through into the Summer Lands.

Rarity looked down at the still form at her hooves. For some time she had dreamed of standing over his body. Now, she could only feel a terrible sadness. Raarg had tried to hold his honor through months of mind twisting magics he hadn’t even been aware of. Only toward the end had he fallen to the will of the Dread King. Rarity bent down and gently kissed Raarg’s forehead.

“I shall remember you,” she said.

“As will I,” echoed Valiente.

Then Rarity made one last attempt to pull in her magic. Straining against the limitations of the bridle, desperate to charge up and send off a spell. Any spell. Nothing came.

“V-Valiente…help me please...I can’t do this on my own,” Rarity begged in a soft voice, tears forming in her eyes. There was a sudden, gentle sensation, of hooves settling an unyielding circle around her throat. A collar. Rarity closed her eyes and surrendered to it, willingly.

“Only because there is no other way, only for you would I do this,” came Valiente’s mental voice. The click of the collar locking about her throat in her mind’s eye echoed the click of the bridle as it released. Its purpose, fulfilled. Rarity felt the attached leash begin to pull and drag her back into the depths of their mind. Then she felt Valiente “holding” her in place so she could see what happened next.

“Take the shot. Make me proud Valiente, I-I love you,” said Rarity.

Valiente reared up on her hooves. Driven by her passion, by her fury, by her sorrow, she pulled in more magic than Rarity had in her whole lifetime. Her horn, her body glowed with indigo blue power even as she began to rise off of the ground. Valiente was purely a creature of desires and passions. Limitations were for ponies who cared about such things. She did not. She was fury, unleashed. She was passion, unbridled.

“For wrath, for Ruin, For Raarg, FOR RARITY!” Valiente screamed as she unleashed a head thick shaft of pure hellfire across the intervening space between her and Sombra. The air exploded in a thunder crack, desperate to shear away from that pure, ravening destruction. Dogs who happened to look at it were blinded for days afterwards.

For his part, Sombra was turning as he heard Valiente’s scream of challenge and triumph. His eyes widened as he saw the thick beam of pure annihilation bearing down upon him. He tried to teleport, form a shield, but it was too late and his own trap kept him in place. Valiente’s distilled rage and fury struck home in that moment. Sombra's body was not killed. Killed is too mild a term. He was utterly destroyed. He was annihilated. He was completely rejected by reality.

Everything and everyone stopped in the echo of the twin thunder strikes of Valiente’s fury and Sombra’s destruction. The War Dogs shook their heads, as if clearing their heads from a fog and backed away from the fifty or so survivors of Luna’s Moon Dogs. Yowl-E stepped forward into the silence.

“All dog, stand down,” he commanded. “All put away weapon. All move away. Let there be peace.” They did. Without a leader, without someone pushing their thoughts and desires, the War Dogs were confused and uncertain. With a literal goddess nearby, frowning at them. They did the only sensible thing. They backed off and stood down.

“Luna, you have to do it now,” came a voice from beside the lunar diarch. Twilight Sparkle was to her knees, she had dozens of small wounds, and both the cast on her leg and the splint on her wing were red with blood. Much of it not her own. Her face was etched with strain as she looked up at Luna.

“Please, I can’t hold much longer,” begged Twilight. “If you don’t do it I will be Sombra’s still. Luna, you are my friend and my princess. Save me. Make me your slave.”

“Is there no other way?” said Luna sadly as she nuzzled Twilight.

“None,” said Twilight. “I have set it up so that when the change comes many of my memories will be erased. I know too much about too many things to allow it to wander about in a mind that will yield to anyone. Call me Tabula Rasa, after this...” Suddenly Twilight grimaced, “Please...do it now. I can’t...can’t...”

Luna spread her wings wide and channeled dark magic to herself. It was like swimming in a lightning storm made of sewage. “Twilight Sparkle, by my right as your liege, I do claim you,” pronounced Luna in a great voice. “You are mine. Body, heart and soul. Thus is my claim made.” Bridle and magic seemed to pulse in sync. The strain poured off of Twilight’s face. To be replaced with a look of blissful happiness.

“Hello Mistress,” said the former Twilight. “My name is Tabula Rasa, if you wish. My only desire is to serve you in all things. Thank you for making me yours.” Tabula did an awkward three legged hobble to rub up against Luna’s side.

“Very well, Tabula,” said Luna. She tried to sound commanding even though her heart was breaking inside. “Stay near me and rest. Soon we will be home.”

“As you command, my Mistress,” said Tabula as she lay awkwardly back down. While she did so the figure of a white unicorn came merrily trotting up.

“Greetings Mistress!” called the unicorn. “Have I done well?”

“Oh no,” Luna whispered as she saw the unbridled form of Rarity. “Not you too.”

“Raarg has died,” Valiente informed Luna, weaving a little on her hooves. “Before he did though, he transferred my ownership to you. Then Rarity surrendered to the bridle in order to release our magic. She asked me to use it to stop the Dark King, so I did. Have I done well, Mistress?”

“Yes, you did very well. How should I call you?” asked Luna. It took every ounce of her strength not to break out in tears now.

“They have called me ‘Valiente’,” she answered. “It means Valiant.”

“Very well, Valiente,” said Luna. “Please, please tell me that something of Rarity is still inside of you.”

“Oh yes, Mistress,” assured Valiente. “All that Rarity was is a part of me. Even as I was a part of her. She is here, just locked away in the back of our mind. When things are calmer I might be able to bring her out for awhile. May I rest a bit, Mistress? I seem to be very tired.”

“Very well, just stay here with me,” said Luna. Luna knelt down herself, legs now longer able to support her as adrenaline faded. Valiente snuggled up on one side. Tabula, the other, as both slavemares tried to comfort their mistress. The tears came now. Luna wrapped a wing around what was left of two of her friends as she silently wept. Her Moon Dogs let her be as they arranged the peace and managed things in the aftermath. Tending to the wounded, putting out fires and covering the forms of the dead.

Three hours later, the first pegasi vanguard reached them and found the trio still huddled together.

Author's Note

First and foremost a massive, massive shoutout to Damaged, who proofread the story for me.

First, for those of you who like your fiction dark and grim, this is your stop. This is why the Dark tag has always been on the story.

The villain is defeated. The battle won. Sacrifices have been made and prices paid. Rarity has run the bridle path and being the generous mare she is, gave everything to save everyone. I would have expected no less from the embodiment of Generosity. Twilight, being taken by a different kind of bridle, had a different, but shorter and more brutal path to run. She sprinted through it with the courage and selflessness of a Princess. Fighting the good fight to the very last.

And Raarg. I've lived with that dog in my head for four months now. I'm not ashamed to say I shed real tears after writing his death scene. That he saw it coming and used that time to try do what he could for Rarity just made it worse.

All that is left now is to write the epilogue. There are still dozens, if not hundreds of capture and training bridles still out there and knowledge of their existence is spreading. Can Twilight and Rarity be restored? If so, how? The Diamond Dogs. Their territory is essentially poisoned. What will become of them? All these questions and more will be answered or at least touched on in the epilogue.

I know this ending will have saddened and disappointed some of my readers, but this is the tale I wanted to tell. The ending you desire does approach. And whether you like your fiction dark or light. Thank you for walking my own bridle path with me. This story has not just been a journey for Rarity, but my own journey into writing as well. Many horizons await.

Edit: Forgot to mention one thing. Once again, I need to acknowledge the source of Rarity's song. They are the modified lyrics of "Hymn to the Nightmare" by Leslie Fish.