Forgotten Legacy

Chapters

Chapter 1. Just a Dream
Chapter 2. The Princess Council - Sunset
Chapter 3. Formal Invitation - Princess Twilight
Chapter 4. Preparation - Sunset
Chapter 5. Forbidden Magicks - Princess Twilight/Sunset
Chapter 6. Snowblind - Sunset
Chapter 7. Deadline - Sunshine
Chapter 8. Firebrand - Princess Twilight
Chapter 9. Flash Point - Sunset
Chapter 10. Reinforcements - Sunshine
Chapter 11. Arrival - Sunset
Chapter 13. War Council - Princess Twilight
Chapter 14. Tales of Air - The Dashes
Chapter 15. Tales of the Earth - The Applejacks
Chapter 16. Tales of Graces - The Raritys
Chapter 17. Tales of Innocence - The Fluttershys
Chapter 18. Tales of Rebirth - The Sirens/Pinkies
Chapter 19. Tales of the Abyss - Sunset And Sunshine
Chapter 20. Battle Dawn
Chapter 21. March - Sunset
Chapter 22. As Above - Twilight Sparkle/Sunshine
Chapter 23. So Below - Sunset
Chapter 24. Backlash - Applejack and Sunset
Chapter 25. Hallowing - Sunset
Epilog - Twilight
Chapter 12. Calm Before the Storm - Sunset
Chapter 26. Change in plans - Twilight Sparkle/ Sunset

Chapter 1. Just a Dream

I couldn’t see anything beyond the massive swirl of snow around me. I don’t remember how I got there.

I am coming, a voice said upon the wind that bit into my being.

I spun, tilting my head as I tried to spy the source of the voice, but all I could see was white. I walked around, trying to get some sort of vantage of where I was, hooves crunching into the snow. I bumped into a body in the blinding swirl and I saw a pony I didn’t recognize looking at the ground.

Suddenly I wasn’t in a blizzard, I was hovering above two young Unicorns standing over a large magical diagram drawn in chalk on a wooden floor. They looked at each other and nodded, pressing hooves to the circle and igniting their horns. The circle lit with an incredibly bright flash of blue and a cyclone of air, pulling at the two colts as they starting looking around in fear as the light turned red and ominous.

I am coming, the voice whispered again

I was suddenly back in the snowscape, but now dark stones had cropped up, jagged spires ripping the flesh of the land. I spun, trying to get a feel for the meaning of the transitions.

Another shift, showing me a dark cave, filled with luminescent quartz veins. I couldn’t place its location in my mind, and I had studied multiple maps of Equestria since my ascension.

All will be revealed, the voice called again as I found myself back in the snowscape, my mane blowing in the howling wind.

I tried to gallop away, but without landmarks, it seemed as though I was running in place, and the chilling wind soon stripped the air from my lungs. I slowed to a stop…

Inside a crystalline room, but not one I recognized. I saw a hooded pony lift a small chest from the back of a wagon and set it down, opening it to reveal a faint silver glow. I tried to see what was in the chest, but I was back in the snowscape, the jagged spires rising even larger into the sky.

I am coming, the voice said again.

“Who are you?” I whispered. The voice seemed familiar, as though a voice I had once heard in my youth, but I couldn’t place it.

Poor pony, it said. Blind, careless as the rest. It laughed, humorless and cold. You shall know soon enough.

I am coming, and I will restore the greatness that was destroyed.

The spires around me started to glow, and I realized they weren't made of rock.

They were crystal, black and jagged.

A form suddenly formed in front of me, clad in barding and helm. Eyes filled with venom glared out from the visor, and I felt a sudden flash of fear. I took a step back when I realized I was dwarfed by a Unicorn mare.

“Do you understand?” she snarled. “Can you comprehend my ire?” She reared to her full height, making me feel insignificant. “What I intend will return balance to the world, and if I must be more horrific than Nightmare Moon and more devastating than the Windigoes, I will be.”

I stumbled back, terror flaring in my being. The Unicorn was now hundreds of feet tall if I was any judge of scale. She took a step forward and the impact of her hoof shook the ground, causing me to fall.

She leered down at me, horn glowing red with wrath. “All of Equestria shall fall before the weight of my army, I shall cast down the Sisters and grind them beneath my hooves, then the other nations will follow. I will succeed where other’s failed.”

What chilled me was the fact that it was said so matter of fact. There were no delusions of grandeur, no megalomania, nothing displayed in novels or movies. Just a cold declaration, as though reading from a history book.

I was suddenly eye to eye with the gigantic Unicorn, her eyes blazing with wrath. “And you, little pony, will be the first to witness the return,” she said. I was suddenly flung higher into the air, now hovering between the crystal spires. I saw chains start to snake out and coil around my legs, tufts of fur being yanked out as they went.

Looking down, I could see Equestria spread out before me. Then, lightning struck the crystal spires and ran through the chains, ripping a scream from my mouth. As electrical energy ripped at my being, black crystal pillars began to erupt all over the land of my birth.

Soon, all this shall come to pass, the voice said as I was released from the chains and began to plummet toward the ground.

As the ground rushed up to greet me, I found I had trouble finding the energy to even worry about it. The swirling snow blinded me again, disguising how much time I had to impact. I closed my eyes, not wishing to see what awaited.

I rolled out of bed with a thump, waking me from the dream. I looked around taking in the sight of my room, the blankets twisted about my legs and wings, trapping me for a moment before I lit my horn and pulled them free. I heard the door open behind me and I heard Spike’s voice speak out.

“You ok, Twilight?” he asked. “I heard you scream.”

“I don’t know, Spike,” I whispered, wings still twitching in nervousness. “A nightmare like that should have had Luna stepping in to end it.” I jogged from the room, heading towards the library, passing a sleepy Starlight and Trixie in the hall.

“I don’t want to think it was a vision, but I can’t afford to be wrong,” I said as I pulled a rarely used seal from my desk. “Take a letter, Spike, copies to Cadence, Luna, and Sunset.”

And I proceeded to relay my dream experience to the dragon, seeing him gasp at points of the recollection, though his quill kept writing. He started to roll it up before I pulled it away and stamped it with my royal seal, marking it for royal eyes only.

Handing it back, he sent it in a burst of green fire. “Are you sure it’s not just a dream?” he asked.

“I hope so, Spike,” I said, wings still fluttering in my anxiousness.

“I hope so.”

Chapter 2. The Princess Council - Sunset

I walked toward the palace throne room, a look of concern on my face. When I had returned home the last time I thought I wouldn’t have to answer any calls of Equestrian duty. Imagine my surprise when a burst of green fire appeared in the middle of my living room as Twilight and I had been enjoying a special moment. Friendship with Twilight had been stronger than the pull of duty. My lips still felt the warmth of hers when she pulled me into a kiss before I crossed, another whispered promise.

Come back to me, Sunset.

I met Cadence as I walked, coming from an adjoining corridor. She lowered her head slightly with a small smile. “Princess Sunset,” she said.

I sighed. “I doubt I’ll ever get used to the title,” I said. “How long did it take you?”

“A while,” she said. “You forgot your crown.”

I touched the top of my head, being careful around my horn. Ever since the ascension, anytime it manifested it was unusually sensitive. “I’m working up to being used to wearing it.”

She nodded in understanding as we entered the throne room and saw Twilight already there with the Two Sisters.

“Now that we are all here,” Celestia said as we all sat at the conference table. “Please, Twilight, explain what you saw.”

She proceeded to explain in full detail what she had summed up in her letter. The fact that someone could invade an Alicorn’s dreams was especially troubling to me, given the recent events. Sunshine and I had just started sleeping soundly again, greatly in part of the support of our friends.

Luna looked visibly troubled, her eyes glowing slightly as she turned her thoughts inward. “I can find no trace of a presence in your dreamscape, Twilight Sparkle,” she said, the glow dying. “If this was an induced dream, it was not placed while you were in my demesnes.”

Cadence frowned. “How could somepony plant a dream and not leave a trace for the Princess of Dreams to find?”

Celestia shook her head. “One thing that many do not realize is that we are not infallible,” she said. “There are ways to hide such things from us.”

“A letter,” I said quietly. A story about someone being poisoned by a letter from one of Sunshine’s crime dramas slid to the fore. “Have you received any unusual mail lately?”

Twilight frowned. “Not that I can think of,” she said, thinking. “Why would that matter?”

I lifted a blank piece of parchment, quill, and ink from the nearby clerk’s table and scribed out a quick diagram, infusing it with magic and rolled it up before passing it to Twilight. “Open that and read it,” I said, sitting back down.

She unrolled the scroll, and when she put it down, a bright amber aura surrounded her. “What was that supposed to do?” she said before blinking. “Why is everything yellow all of a sudden?”

“Spells held in scrolls can be hidden by the writing contained in them,” I said. “It’s been a common practice in some of the more restricted texts I remember reading when I was less, well,” I fluttered my wings. “Reformed.”

Cadence tapped her chin. “Cursed texts would hide the curse in the tempo of the text,” she mused. “The aura almost undetectable unless you knew the nature of the curse. We destroyed close to thirty of that type of thing when we were clearing out the Crystal Palace.”

Twilight nodded. “And then there are things like the Alicorn Amulet,” she said. “Harmless until used. It's possible I received a letter with a vision embedded in it.”

“Research the possibility upon the closure of this measure,” Celestia said. “Now, we must determine who it was that sent such a letter and if there are any further hidden effects.”

Luna stood and lit her horn, a teal aura covering Twilight. “Sunset Shimmer, if you would cancel out your glamor upon her,” she said as she closed her eyes, her mane flowing a little faster.

I reached out and canceled my spell, barely able to sense it past Luna’s overpowering mantic presence. Even though all five of us were Alicorns, the sheer power of the Two Sisters built over millennia dwarfed the rest of us.

“Luna is searching for the traces of the spell,” Cadence whispered to me. “Anything that would manifest as a dream she would be able to sense, despite how it may have been hidden. She can then help us to trace the magic source.”

“I am familiar with mantic trace spells,” I said with a slight grin. “I spent my time in the SFGU too, you know.”

The aura faded, and Luna stepped back.

“I am unable to find any additional spells in effect on Twilight,” she said. “And the traces of the message spell are too weak to distinguish. It may have been cast many days ago for this amount of mantic degradation.”

“Active spells do have a degradation rate,” Twilight said, pulling the inkwell and quill I had pilfered over to herself and started dashing out calculations on the scroll still resting before her. “If we can determine the ratio of decay and factor in the amount of mana that would be required to place it upon a scroll or letter, we can trace it to where it was sent from.”

“And a caster?” I asked.

“Not quite as conclusive as catching them glowing-horned,” she said. “But it gives us a good lead.”

“Could Chrysalis be behind this?” Cadence asked. “She’s still at large since the incident a year ago.”

“It does not feel like Changeling magic,” Luna said. “And she had sworn vengeance on Starlight Glimmer, so she would be the target, not Twilight.”

“How do you know?” Twilight asked. “I could have read the scroll by mistake if it was misfiled.”

I smiled. “Twilight, you have a poor grasp of villainy,” I said, earning a nod from Luna. “If she vowed vengeance on Starlight, then she wouldn’t change targets unless it would affect her as well. We tend to be single-minded that way.”

The princess nodded, realizing the logic behind it. “So what do we do now?” she asked.

Celestia looked at Cadence. “Return to the Crystal Empire, and confirm the defenses. The snowscape she described sounds much like the blizzard held back by the Crystal Heart.”

Cadence nodded and flew through one of the open skylights. The Princess of the Sun turned to her sister.

“I will begin to monitor the dreamers for any trace of this mantic signature,” she said without waiting for Celestia to speak. Her sister smiled with a nod.

“And you, Twilight Sparkle, Sunset Shimmer,” she said. “Trace the letter to its destination. That will be the key.”

Chapter 3. Formal Invitation - Princess Twilight

"It shouldn’t take too long to find the letter in question,” I said as we winged our way to Ponyville. I looked over at Sunset and smiled. “After all, how many mantically charged pieces of paper could I have laying around?”

She gave me a flat look. “You have a library larger than the homes of some ponies,” she said. “And you have a magical prodigy studying friendship under you. I expect there to be a few.”

I puffed my cheeks in annoyance, which got a distant smile from her. I puzzled about that when I remembered that Sunshine, my counterpart that she had been romantically involved with reacted much the same way as I did to such glib remarks. Her thoughts were on her.

I smiled internally. I wish I had somepony to think of me like that.

We came in to land on the balcony of my castle only to find the doors locked. I tested it with my magic and couldn’t find a way through.

“That's odd, I never lock this door,” I said, giving it another nudge.

“Maybe some over-eager guard, not realizing you come and go more from here than the front gate?” Sunset offered.

“Possibly,” I said, lifting off and lighting at the main gate, the amber-coated pony next to me. “I’ll just alert each of them at the next…”

Spike came bursting through the doors at that moment, running as fast as he could. He ran into me and tumbled over and I looked at him as he realized what had happened.

“Twilight, Sunset!” he said. “Come quick, its Starlight! Something’s got her!”

Starlight, I thought and burst forward in a full gallop, still not trusting my flight skills in the corridors of my castle, Sunset taking a moment to grab Spike before following.

The doors to the secondary library, where Starlight tended to study and we did our minor research on things like the communication books was just up ahead.

And a flickering blue and red light kept blazing forth from the cracked doors.

I bucked the doors open and stopped in horror as I saw Starlight suspended in the air, writhing as arcs of blue and red energy leaping to and from her, fed by a glowing set of mystic symbols within a ring on the floor.

I heard Sunset approach behind me and I threw a wing out to stop her from blundering into the room.

“Goddess,” she breathed as she took in the sight. “That’s a thaumaturgic transmutation circle.”

I nodded. Thaumaturgy focused on transferring power from one medium to another, generally used for ensorcelling items such as barding or scrolls. I flapped my wings, rising to observe the glyphs in the glowing ring. “It’s been mixed with Haycarte’s Equation for Mana conservation, too,” I said, returning to the ground.

Sunset copied my movement, landing and shaking her head. “That shouldn’t be possible,” she said. “You can’t combine a thaumaturgical spell and a Æther manipulation spell, the matrices don't mesh."

Starlight shuddered and screamed suddenly, the light of the mystic circle flaring red and she was lowered to the ground. The energy flowing from the circle centered on her horn, giving it a red sheen as her eyes shifted to red glowing holes. She started moving forward, jerkily, reminding me of puppets controlled by amateur show ponies.

“So this is my welcoming entourage,” she said, and I immediately felt anger flare through me. The voice coming from her was not Starlight, it was the Mare from the dream I had. “I suppose it shall do since it is two Alicorns, though not the two I hoped for.” She regarded Sunset for a moment. “Though you are unfamiliar to me. What do you call yourself?”

Please don’t be glib, I thought to myself.

“I usually call myself me, but my friends call me Sunset,” she said. “You’re neither.”

Like that, I thought wryly.

“Sunset, Sunset,” the pony controlling my friend tilted Starlight's head in thought, and the red glow dimmed for a second and the mare’s face contorted in pain. “Ah, there it is. Sunset Shimmer, late of Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns,” the voice seemed to be reading from a list. “Though according to this vessel’s memories, you’ve only recently become an Alicorn, so your power is negligible comparatively.”

I glanced at Sunset and saw her grin smugly. I knew the source of that grin, it was one she wore when she knew a secret. I stepped forward to take the focus off my fellow princess.

“What have you done to Starlight?” I demanded. “Release her!”

“Oh, is that this one’s name?” the mockery that was my friend said. “I assure you, once the spell reaches duration she’ll be released with little more than mana exhaustion.”

The red glow bore into my eyes. “Truth be told, Princess, this was meant to be tripped by your magic level,” she said, inspecting a hoof as the control over Starlight’s body got more fine-tuned. “For this one to have triggered the communication spell, she must be truly powerful.”

“For me?” I said, confused.

“It’s a communion spell, Twilight,” Sunset said. “That’s why it mixed the two spells, to make sure the mana of those caught in it fueled the spell. If you had triggered it, this would all be taking place inside your head right now.”

I recognized the theory, and when I probed the spell, I felt the magic inside me throb. It felt like the spell tried momentarily to latch onto my mana as well. Our intruder, on the other hand, continued on as though nothing had happened.

“Oh, you must have been top of your class,” she purred before returning her focus to me. “So, Princess Twilight, I have precious little time. This method takes so much mana, much more than the communion would have.”

She waved a leg, and the circle behind her flared again, bringing into being a precipice covered in snow that I also recognized from my dream.

“This is Goraumn’s Overlook,” she said, the image wavering slightly. The circle was waning. “You will be there in one moon’s time. You and the Princess of Love both.”

“And if they don’t?” Sunset asked, her wings partially extended.

“Then I shall come for them,” the mare said. “And I won’t be alone. And I won’t be gentle.”

“Why do you want us there?” I asked is the image faded away and the thaumaturgic circle began to fade away.

“To discuss the surrender of the Crystal Empire, of course,” she said simply. The red glow flickered.

“One moon, Princess,” the voice said, fading slightly. “Don’t be late.”

The mystic circle burst apart, and Sunset dashed forward and caught Starlight as her eyes rolled back in her head and she passed out. She shot me a look as she laid the pink Unicorn on one of the couches.

“You realize that’s a trap, right?” she asked rhetorically.

“But we also can’t ignore it,” I said. “The risk is too great.”

Sunset looked around the room, making me do so as well. Scorch marks covered the floor where the spell had flared to life, and the arcing energy that had snared Starlight had ripped books from shelves and singed them and furniture alike.

“We have to tell Celestia,” Sunset said. “This is beyond us.”

I looked at Starlight. Her face was covered in sweat and the tip of her horn was blackened.

“Twilight,” I heard my friend say, making me look up. “We have to let her know."

“Spike,” I said, my mouth very dry. “Take a letter. Top Priority delivery.”

A few moments later, with a burst of blue flame, the note was on it’s way to both Celestia and Cadence.

Sunset walked over to me. “We’ll get through this,” she said.

I nodded, but as I thought on the images and events from my dream, I felt a cold chill run up my spine.

Chapter 4. Preparation - Sunset

I pulled out the small hope chest that we kept hidden in a small false wall in our closet, tracing the lines of the fire protection spells carved into it before opening it. Inside were copies of the lease, birth certificates, passports, and other important documents. It also held our Element necklaces. Our geodes had never separated from the collars, remaining fused parts of what had been gold bands across the mirror.

I looked at the sunburst that adorned mine for a moment before pulling them both out and replacing the hope chest. I turned to find Twilight still staring at me, arms crossed.

“I don’t agree with this, you know,” she said, taking her necklace from me. “There should be more research done on how the magic was able to take over Starlight like it was.”

“We have a moon to do all that, Sunshine,” I said, sending some love through the bond. “But right now we need to trace every bit of mantic residue that might be in the castle, and it’s starting to look like it may be a bigger task than we initially thought.”

I smiled at her. “Which is why we’re calling in you,” I said with all the syrupy sweetness I could muster. Twilight huffed and rolled her eyes.

“The fact that I’m holding my Element and have already arranged for Dash and AJ to watch the apartment and Spike should be clue enough I was going,” she said, posting a hand on her hip. “I just don't think that going off to the Crystal Empire without a handful of guards or perhaps the Bearer’s as backup.”

I stood, dusting my slacks free of the small but of hair that had clung to them. “I said as much myself at the council,” I said. “They’re already issuing orders to the Wonderbolts to deviate from show detail and engage in maneuvers near the southern border of the Empire.”

“Just the Wonderbolts?” Twilight seemed confused. “That’s all they’re mustering for two of their princesses?”

I grabbed my keys from the table beside the door as we shut off the lights on our way out. “That’s just what they’re ‘officially’ dispatched,” I said as we walked to the car. “You really think the girls would let Princess Twilight go off on her own?” I gave her a smirk. “She’d have about as much luck keeping them put as I did with you last fall.”

She smiled and blushed.

“And, just because she torqued me off by hurting a friend,” I said. “I’m going myself, too.”

“You aren’t serious,” Twilight said, looking at me. I kept my eyes on the road.

“I don't really have a whole lot of choice,” I said. “One of those tricky responsibilities that came with the wings. In a state of emergency, all princesses are required to be available in the event of war.”

“That is ridiculous,” she said. “They can’t hold you to that requirement, you’re assigned to this world.”

As we idled at a stoplight, I relaxed my hold on the bond, the concern and worry leaking through as I looked her in the eye. “I’m not happy about it either, but if we can keep them trapped in the frozen wastes, we keep them that much farther from Ponyville and the mirror.”

The rest of the ride to the school, we rode in silence. Applejack and Rainbow met us there, AJ leaning against the rebuilt front fender of her old pickup.

“Thanks for keeping an eye on the place, Dash,” I said as I lofted her the keys to my car. “No wild parties, now.”

“Heh, that’s more of Pinkie’s thing,” she said. “I’m more likely to just rock out and veg out.”

“Which is why Applejack is going to be staying too,” Twilight said, smiling at the farmer. “Making sure the plants get watered, the mail making it to the desk, and riding herd on you.”

Rainbow raised an eyebrow. “Oh, really?” she said, glancing at her girlfriend.

AJ tipped her hat back a bit before jerking a thumb at the lasso thrown over the headrest of the passenger seat of her truck. “Even iffen Ah’ve got to tie ya down to get ya under control.”

“Kinky,” Rainbow said. “I’m in.”

I facepalmed and groaned before moving over and hugging the other two goodbye. Twilight followed and we fastened out elements on before ducking through the portal.

“I’m still not used to seeing wings on you full time, Sunny,” Sunshine said as we trotted to the map room of the Castle of Friendship.

“How do you think I feel?” I asked as we entered, finding Spike about to dump a basket of scrolls and opened mail onto the table.

“Hey, no!” I said, grabbing the basket in my aura and lifting it up. The dragon hung from the basket for a moment in the suddenness of my grab.

“Heya, Sunset, Sunshine,” he said, dropping down. “What gives?”

“Sorry, Spike,” I said, lowering the basket to the ground. “It’s probably not a good idea to dump something with complex magic woven into it onto a powerful magical artifact. We don’t exactly have a pair of sacrificial halflings around to go drop it in a volcano if it turns malevolent.”

Spike frowned at that, confused.

“I get that reference,” Princess Twilight said as she came into the throne room. “Though the table does seem to be more solidly attached to the castle than a gold ring.”

We exchanged hugs, Sunshine eyeballing the difference in height as though she had never noticed it before. Twilight and I were both taller when standing next to her, and our longer horns did nothing to diminish our vertical differences.

“How did I not notice this last time?” she whispered. Twilight looked at her and frowned.

“Well, Sunset's taller, that’s for sure and evident because of her ascendance,” she said. “But I thought I would have been just a little shorter than her or you, but I’m nearly the same height.”

Twilight glanced at her, measuring mentally. “You are a little taller,” she said, looking at her closely. “And your horn is longer as well. Maybe it’s a result of the Midnight Sparkle manifestation?”

I looked at my marefriend closely, noticing the changes now that Twilight had pointed them out. “You don’t think she ascended too, do you?”

“Well, I don’t think she could fully ascend like you or I did,” she said. “Alicorns are part of the world you and I come from, but she’s fully human. Even infused with Equestrian magic as she is, I doubt a full physical change like that could be manifested.” She closed her eyes and lit her horn, pointing it at Sunshine. “That’s interesting,” she said after a moment.

I lit my own horn and saw a similar aura surrounding her as I saw from her counterpart, indicating high-level mana reserves.

“Well," I said, nuzzling my love. “Looks like you're still full of surprises.”

She blushed before turning to Twilight. “So, is that one basket all the suspect mail?” she asked.

“Unfortunately, no,” she said, pushing some doors open to reveal a hallway lined down both sides with similar baskets.

“Twilight,” I said with a slight edge of annoyance in my voice. “How many baskets are out there?”

“Two hundred thirty of random mail,” she said with a sheepish grin. “Two hundred of notes and scrolls I’ve gathered exploring the Castle of the Two Sisters.” She levitated two more baskets into the throne room. “I’ve sent for food from Sugar Cube Corner for later.”

“You’ve got to be joking,” I said as I started pulling scrolls out and scanning for mana traces. “There’s no way you get that much fan mail.”

“Maybe they’re love letters,” Sunshine said. “She is one of the more eligible mares in Equestria, after all.”

Sunshine and I giggled as Twilight puffed up her cheeks in frustration.

Chapter 5. Forbidden Magicks - Princess Twilight/Sunset

I glanced back and forth at the design in the spell book and what I had etched out in chalk on the floor of an empty lab in the back side of my castle. The large, round room allowed space for plenty of magic experiments without the clutter of space.

I finished the third concentric circle and then drew a hexagon between the middle and innermost circles. A downward pointing triangle went into the hexagon, and then I connected all the angles of the hexagon with their opposite.

I looked at my reference again, then at the intersection of the lines and the triangle I drew circles and filled them with three arcane symbols, the symbols of Mana, Will, and Life. I walked along the circle and filled the outer circle with the formulae required for this spell.

“This is not a good idea,” Sunset said behind me. “Actually, on the scale of one to ten, this is around a twenty.”

“It’s the only way to trace the emanations,” I said. “Not one of the letters and scrolls showed any trace of mantic signature, and the remnants of the spell impetus that took over Starlight are little more than ash.”

Sunset yanked the book from my grasp while I was distracted. “But Neighlin’s Principles?” she said, setting the book on a reading stand. “Her theories about mantic threads were never proven, and all the family had left at the funeral was her horn and a foreleg. Do you realize how dangerous this ritual is? Where did you even get a copy of her work?”

“In the restricted section,” I said, looking at the conjury circle. “I read all of the text.”

“Reading a text doesn’t always mean you’re knowledgeable in the principles,” Sunshine said, entering the room with a still pale Starlight in tow. “Theory is often different in practice, I should know.”

“There has to be another way to trace this,” Starlight said. Her voice was so soft and hoarse it was painful to listen to. “Scan me. Maybe there’s enough residual magic to figure out what was done.”

I couldn’t look at her. The scorch mark on the end of her horn pained me just as much as it probably had her.

“Don’t blame yourself,” Sunset said, resting a hoof on my shoulder. “You couldn’t have known.”

I looked at the circle I had drawn and had a flash of memory, the two brothers trying to activate this themselves, the terror as it started to backfire.

I was better than that.

"How is she?" Sunshine asked as she braided her mane for sleep.

"She's finally asleep," I said as I walked into the room Sunshine and I had decided to stay in. "It took Spike slipping something into her tea, but she's asleep. Starlight is erasing the circle and hiding the book before she heads to bed."

“This is bad,” Sunshine said to me as we laid down. “Twilight is really taking this hard.”

I nodded, my fiery mane swirling slightly. “She never would have turned to something like that if she were thinking straight. I'm glad we were here to stop it though.” I stretched my wings and settled down, one draped over the Unicorn.

“What exactly is it?” Sunshine asked.

“Neighlin theorized that all mana leaves a trail, like strings in a tapestry,” I said. “The thaumaturgic circle Twilight drew is what was supposed to reveal the weave.”

“What is thaumaturgy exactly? I don’t have the structured learning you do.”

“To make it simple, thaumaturgy deals with the transference of mana from point to point,” I said, trying to remember back to my schooling. “As above, so below, and all that sort of thing. It’s usually used to enchant things or empower things. Similar to how our Elements empower us. Sometimes it’s also called enchantment”

“How many different types of magic are there?”

I thought hard. “Well, thaumaturgy, evocation, transmutation, divination, abjuration and illusion are the standard ones taught. I tend to lean more towards abjuration - which can block or deter magic and banish minor effects - and evocation. Usually, all Unicorns get some measure of evocative magic, being able to fire bolts of offensive force and telekinesis.”

“You used fire against Acerak,” she said. “I take it you lean more towards that?”

“Anger can tint evocation,” I said. “All emotions can color your magic. Mana is just a part of your life force, in all actuality. It’s not really understood how it was discovered or how it replenishes, and most modern theorists have given up trying to understand it.”

“You said those were the standard ones,” Sunshine said. “There are others?”

“Yes, but they’re generally considered forbidden talents,” I said. “Conjuration, the summoning of creatures from other locations or planes and enslaved to do your bidding is considered a violation of free will and safety of everypony. Domination magics, for obvious reasons. And Necromancy.”

“Magic of the Dead,” Sunshine said, whispering.

“Yeah,” I said. “It’s particularly abhorrent. Wraiths, ghosts, all manner of creatures, wrenched from their rightful rest.”

She stared at her pillow for a moment. “Where does what Twilight tried fall?”

“Borderline,” I muttered. “Neighlin’s theories come dangerously close to conjury and from what I understood of the symbols she wrote, they would have tapped not just her mana but her life force itself. It was dangerous and foolish.”

Sunshine turned toward me. “What if you were to put crystal matrices in the calculations?”

“Wouldn’t work,” I said. “Living mana always overrides dormant. It’s just the way it is.” I kissed her on the cheek. “It’s best not to think on it too much. These practices have been banned for a reason, Sunshine.

“We’ll get some rest, and come at it with fresh eyes in the morning.”

Chapter 6. Snowblind - Sunset

“Spike,” I said, poking the snoring Alicorn with a hoof. “Just how much did you put in her tea?”

“I poured a spoonful in,” the dragon said. “That’s how much she usually takes for medicine.”

I floated the bottle the dragon held to me and read the label. “Spike,” I said. “The label says to use a single drop.” I poked the Alicorn again, who rolled over and mumbled something about scones in her sleep.

I sighed. “Let her sleep it off,” I said. “We might as well see what we can get done without her working up into another tizzy.”

Sunshine was in the main library with Starlight and Trixie. I sat down and sighed.

“Still out?” Starlight asked. Her voice was stronger, as was her color. I nodded.

“Spike gave her a bit more than the recommended dose of sleepsand,” I said. “So it’s just us four for now.”

“Starlight and I have read through most of the notes taken at the council and what the two of you could remember about the domination,” Sunshine said. “There isn’t much to go on, but she did manage to remember what triggered the spell.”

“It was a letter with no return address and a Crystal Empire postmark,” she said. “I opened it to see who it was intended for since it was just addressed for the castle. It wouldn’t be the first time Sunburst got a little careless about addressing his letters. I opened the letter and saw the circle. I had enough time to cry out when the spell triggered.”

“Do we still have the envelope?” I asked.

Starlight nodded and floated it over. I lit my horn and studied it for a moment.

Trixie cleared her throat. “What the Great and Powerful Trixie doesn’t understand is why we’re so concerned about it now. I thought we had a moon before the meet-up was supposed to happen.”

I set the envelope down and looked at the show pony. “I don’t like the fact that someone that can tap into an Alicorn’s dreams and trigger dangerous spells at long distance is dictating plans.” I eyed her closely. “And considering who got hurt, I thought you’d want to know as well.”

I saw the low simmering anger in Trixie’s eyes, the same that I had felt when Acerak had kidnapped Sunshine. I slid the envelope away. “There’s barely any trace on the envelope. There’s only one thing we can do then.”

Sunshine looked at me. “You’re not thinking what I think you’re thinking, are you?”

I smiled a lopsided grin. “Hey, it’s me.”

“That’s what I’m worried about,” she said.

“So this is the Crystal Empire?” Sunshine said as we climbed off the train. She shivered. “It’s awful cold.”

“It’s warmer inside the city,” Starlight said, trotting quickly for the gates. “The Crystal Heart keeps the eternal winter away.” Trixie was right beside her, hat and cloak missing for once.

I tugged the edges of my greatcoat over me a little more as we walked.

“Don’t you want to be recognized, Sunny?” Sunshine asked when she saw me trying to keep my wings under wrap.

“Not particularly,” I said. “I’m still getting used to the fact myself, and while I’m not widely known, I don’t want it getting out that an Alicorn is poking about in the Crystal Empire. It might get back to whoever is behind this.”

She nodded, and suddenly a bright light swept through the area and we all took on a crystalline glow and a bit of transparency.

“Looks like we just missed crystalling,” Starlight said. “Wonder who it was.”

“How long does this last? Are we really crystal now? What if we were to fall down, would we bruise or crack?” Sunshine asked, the eager sound in her voice indicating that she had more questions in store. I leaned over and kissed her on the cheek, surprised by the change in texture.

“Don’t get carried away, sweetheart,” I said.

“The Great and Powerful Trixie…” Trixie began before Starlight reached over and put her hoof under her chin. “I mean, I like the way it looks.”

“So,” Starlight said. “What’s first?”

“We get a local map,” I said. “And go check out Goraumn’s Overlook to see just what’s going on.”

“No, you’re not,” a voice said behind us.

We turned and I saw a crystal version of the crown prince of the Crystal Empire and husband of Princess Cadence, Shining Armor.

“Not that it’s a displeasure to see you,” I said, sighing. “How?”

“Train’s fast, but not faster than Dragon fire,” he said, coming over and giving Sunshine a friendly hug. “Twiley’s upset, but she understands. She’ll wait to see what you find out before letting loose for drugging her.”

“Did she tell you we drugged her to keep her from trying a Neighlin spell theory?” Starlight said conversationally.

“No, she failed to mention that,” he said. “But I know when she’s not being forthcoming. Cadence has already given you access to any supplies you’ll need and a guide.”

“A guide,” I said.

Shining Armor smiled. “Yup,” he said. “Me.”

“Isn’t this supposed to be the spring?” Trixie called out.

“This is spring,” Shining Armor said, his goggles giving him a strange look. “You should see when it gets really cold!” He had a manic grin on his face. “This is only a little cold snap.”

I ducked down as the wind managed to blow some snow past my visor and into my eyes. “How much farther is it?” I asked.

“Not far,” he called back. “It’s just a little beyond this rise.”

We crested the rise and stopped short. The entire valley was covered with a spell dome that shimmered under the falling snow. We couldn’t see what was inside, but we could see shapes moving back and forth within and multiple sets of tents.

“This isn’t good,” Sunshine said. “A campsite this close to the Empire?”

Shining Armor shook his head. “We’ve received no reports of this,” he said. “We’ve got to go back and get a proper force out here to recon the area.”

Another blast of snow whipped up, and as I turned my head to avoid the swirl, I saw something moving in the distance. “Over there!” I called just in time to see horns light up.

Shining Armor spun and threw up a shield, blocking the blasts. I frowned. Why were they black?

“Quick,” he said. “Start moving down the ridge.”

“I can teleport us out of here if we can get a few minutes of concentration,” I said, lighting my horn.

Starlight came over and crossed hers with mine, Sunshine following suit.

“More mana, easier casting,” Starlight said. Trixie tossed some of her flares out to distract the troops coming after us.

I started to power up the spell when something collided with me, throwing me to the side.

“Sunset!” I heard Sunshine shriek.

“GO!" I shouted, rearing back to blast the Pegasus that had slammed into me only to freeze for a moment.

The Pegasus in front of me had exposed bits of his rib cage showing, and his face was sunken around his skull, eyes nothing more than glowing pits of red light. It turned to me and tried to spread its wings again, but the collision had broken one.

I heard Sunshine calling for me and felt the building of mana for the teleport, but shock rooted me in place. I scrambled back numbly, not even spreading my wings or firing my magic. I felt magic wrap around me and yank me over to the group.

“Now!” Trixie shouted, and the entire area around me vanished in a flash of white light and we appeared in the throne room of the Crystal Empire.

I was shivering, and it had nothing to do with the chill of the area we had just left. I felt Sunshine wrap her forelegs around me, but it was as if it was from far away.

“Sunset, are you ok?”

I couldn’t form coherent words. The sight of the Pegasus still hovered in front of my eyes, and the chill it had sunk straight into my heart.

This was bad, very bad.

Chapter 7. Deadline - Sunshine

“She’s in shock,” the doctor said. “Physically, she’s fine, and she’ll come out of it, but right now, her mind is trying to reconcile with whatever it was she saw.”

I nodded at the doctor as he picked up his bag and left. Starlight and Trixie had left to find food and Shining Armor was directing the guard forces to mobilize. I don’t know what it was Sunset had seen out there, but she had been near catatonic ever since we got back, her eyes frozen in shock and fear.

I nuzzled into her, sliding my head under her jaw in a show of support. “Don’t worry, Sunset,” I said. “I’m here.”

I don’t know how long we had been there when I heard hoofsteps behind me. “Sunshine,” I heard Starlight say. “How is she?”

“Same,” I said, hearing her heart beating rapidly in her chest. “Could you see what hit her?”

“I was focusing on the teleport spell,” she said. “But from the angle of impact, I’d guess it was a Pegasus.”

“No,” Sunset said, softly. “It wasn’t.”

I sat up, looking at her. Her face was still a little pale, but it was starting to regain color. She blinked slowly. “It wasn’t a Pegasus,” she said.

I listened to the reports filing in from the recon scouts next to Sunset. She kept her face neutral, but I could feel the turmoil inside. She couldn’t even dampen the feelings flowing through the bond.

Are you ok? I asked.

I will be, she returned. But this obviously means we can’t just casually let Twilight and Cadence march out to the Overlook like it’s for a picnic lunch.

I nodded, a shiver running through my mind as I caught a glimpse of memory from her. Sunken face, exposed ribs, and the unearthly red eyes.

Cadence turned to Sunburst as the scouts finished reporting. “Do we know anything about how to combat this?” she asked.

The orange Unicorn shook his head. “These practices have been outlawed since before the Sisters took up their crowns,” he said. “I’ve started scouring the library for texts that deal with Necromancy or the combating of the same, but I haven’t been able to find anything definitive.”

I swallowed. From what Sunset had told me in my drive for more knowledge of her home, Celestia had ruled for over a thousand years. For practices to have been lost for a thousand years, it would make the perfect weapon that nopony would be able to defend against.

Not just that, Sunset thought. Anypony that went down in the fight could be raised to fight against their friends the next day. The worst kind of attrition, one that only benefits the enemy.

How do we deal with something like that? I thought, hearing the question echoed by Cadence.

“Fire,” Sunset said. “Long range bombardment.”

“You have reasoning to support that, Princess Sunset?”

I saw the embarrassed flush on my fiancé’s face as she was called by her title. “It’s been my experience that nothing can survive a few thousand degrees of fire,” she said. “I say we turn the Overlook into a sheet of melted snow and rock and keep an eye on the perimeter for escapees.”

“That’s rather…extreme, Princess,” said one of Cadence’s courtiers.

“The use of raised dead was banned millennia ago and is still outlawed, by threat of banishment,” she said, her voice starting to thrum with the Royal Voice, spreading her wings slightly. “And nopony should have to suffer the sight of one of their loved ones ripped from their grave to fight against them.”

“We don’t have the Unicorns in the EUP or Crystal Guard versed enough in fire spells to make it a worthwhile endeavor, Sunset,” Shining Armor spoke up.

I stood. “I believe I may know a way around that,” I said. I was about to continue when one of the glass windows shattered and a metallic clinking sounded as something skittered across the floor among the glass shards.

I frowned, seeing a small knife with a paper tag tied to it. As the knife came to rest, the paper settled, moving to lie flat on the floor. There was a design on it, one that looked familiar somehow…

“Get away from it!” Starlight shouted, horn flaring to cast a spell.

The paper hit flat, and the circle drawn upon it flared with blue light, arcs of energy flying out and revealing a hazy image of a Unicorn mare standing in archaic looking barding and armor gazing out.

“Greetings, Princess Cadence,” the mare spoke. “From the fact that a number of scouting parties have been spotted near the Overlook, I can assume you aren’t going to be coming for a visit. I am left with no option than to come to you with a suitable retinue to accept your surrender.” The image flickered. “I will allow three days to allow for you to get your affairs in order.” She settled a helmet upon her head and gazed forward. “Farewell.” The paper burst into flame and crumbled to ash.

Cadence looked at me.

“It might be prudent to start going over your plan, Sunshine,” she said with a tense face.

Chapter 8. Firebrand - Princess Twilight

I found Sunshine sitting in one of the libraries of the Crystal Castle, a quill scribing across some parchment. Sunset sat next to her, her horn occasionally lighting up and a small lump of crystal lighting with light before fading.

“Nope,” she said, crumpling a sheet of parchment and tossing it over her shoulder. I noticed that the wastebasket had long since overflowed.

“Which one of you two had the bright idea to dose my tea?” I said into the silence, getting a little satisfaction from seeing them jump.

Sunset rose, coming over to greet me. “To be fair,” she said. “You were considering an incredibly stupid idea.” She nodded at the dragon beside me. “Plus, he was the one that misread the label.”

I looked down at the dragon. “You neglected to mention that, Spike,”

The dragon tried to slide behind Sunset, who edged to the side.

“Oh, no,” she said, pushing him away with a wing. “Gotta own up to this one, kid.”

I let him fiddle his claws for a moment before turning back to the research project. “What are you working on?” I asked.

“Thaumaturgic refocus matrices,” Sunshine said, laying her quill down again. “We’re trying to find a matrix that will convert general magic output to fire based spells.”

“Why fire?” I asked.

“It’s the only thing we could find that would work against these things,” Sunset said, glancing over the formula Sunshine had just jotted down. “So far, no luck. It might hold for a single spell, but we can’t figure out how to make it a lasting enchantment.”

I fluffed out my wings before settling down at the table with them.

“Maybe you need two different enchantments,” I said, glancing over her formula. “One to shift the mantic output, one to lock it in the crystal.”

Sunshine lifted some paper over to me. “Have at it, Princess,” she said. “I’m going to see about getting us some food.”

“So, what are you asking us to do?” Starlight asked.

“Cast a fire spell at the target,” I said, levitating a poniquin down the length of the field.

“Twilight, I don’t even know any fire spells,” she said. “Elementally speaking, I’m better at ice spells.”

“I know,” I said, hovering one of the prototype crystals over to her. “Cast it through that.”

“A spell catalyst?” the pink pony asked. She lit up her horn to take the crystal.

I put a hoof on her shoulder and pointed her towards the target. “That way,” I said.

She frowned and then cast a spell on the crystal, frost beginning to cover the surface before a large gout of fire lanced out and struck the mock up of a pony. It began to melt under the fury of fire.

Starlight let up on her spell, the fire trailing off.

“Whoa,” she said, surveying the damage.

“One successful test,” I said, lifting my clipboard up to make some notes. “A full elemental reversal, no less.”

“Twilight,” the Unicorn said. “This is dangerous.”

“It’s just a precaution,” I said. “Cadence wanted a way to supplement the defenses in case the city is attacked.”

The door to the courtyard swung open, a Crystal pony standing in his armor.

“Princess,” he said. “They’re here.”

“So where are these guys?” Dash asked immediately upon seeing me. “I got to see this.”

“I’m not sure that’s a good idea, Rainbow,” Fluttershy said. “They sound really scary.”

“You have no idea,” Sunset said, walking up and hugging the girls as they came in. Sunshine and I repeated the process before we all sat down to go over the events that had transpired.

When we had finished, Applejack slammed her hooves down on the table.

“This here’s just plain wrong!” she said. “Pullin’ folk from their rest ’n forcin’ em to fight. It ain’t natural.”

“It’s abhorrent,” Rarity said, her face belying the outrage in her voice. “There is simply no reason for it.”

“Where do we sign up?” Rainbow said. “This kinda thing is what we do!”

“You may get your chance sooner than you think, Dash,” I said. “According to the information, the emissary meeting is tomorrow, and she’s not likely to come unprotected. I want you all to help protect Cadence in case things go south.”

“What about you?” Fluttershy asked.

“Sunset and I will be in the wings, preparing containment spells,” I said. “Sunshine will be watching Flurry Heart with Starlight and Trixie just to be safe.” I chewed on my bottom lip. “Fluttershy, would you mind helping there?”

She nodded, the look in her eyes showing me determination.

“Rarity,” Sunset spoke up. “We’d like your help in fashioning some collars for our backup plan.”

She raised a curious eyebrow but nodded, following the amber Alicorn out.

“Back up plan?” Pinkie said. “What’s that all about?”

“Just in case we can’t talk this one down,” I said. “We’ve managed to create a crystal matrix to convert magic spells into fire based spells.”

“Why’d ya do that?” AJ asked.

“Fire is the only way we’ve found data on to prevent the raised from continuing on, but fire spells are difficult to cast, so not many Unicorns have it.” I sighed. “It’s been centuries since we’ve needed battle spells, and I hope we don’t wind up needing them again.”

“D’ya think it’ll go that far?” AJ asked.

“I don’t know, AJ,” I said. “I don’t know.”

Cold wind swept through my mane and ruffled my feathers. I was standing on a mesa, overlooking the Crystal Empire.

“What am I doing here?” I asked the wind.

“Sharing,” a voice came from behind me. I turned and saw Princess Luna standing behind me.

“What do you mean?”

“For this task, my sister and I have tried to see the outcome, but it is dark with clouds of war,” she looked out over the vision before us. “We fear that this may be more difficult than anything you have faced before.”

I nodded. “What do we do?”

“I do not know, Twilight Sparkle,” she said, spreading her wings slightly. “But I sense that this may soon cover Equestria if not stopped in the Crystal Empire. I have tried to see the dreams of those behind this, but they either do not dream or are shielded from me. It is somewhat…disturbing.”

“I agree,” I said. “And this report of resurgence of Neighlin style thaumaturgic circles is maddening. It took me hours to find the book I had and even I couldn’t have replicated this many different uses for them this soon.”

“You may need more resources to combat this,” Luna said. “My sister and I will be commanding the EUP forces, but we will be focusing on our borders in case you fail.”

“I don't like that thought,” I said.

I woke up, something niggling on my mind. I got up and went to Sunset’s room.

“Twilight,” she said, rubbing sleep from her eye. “It’s the middle of the night.”

“We need to get ahold of the girls,” I said.

“So you wake me up?” she grumbled. “AJ is right next door.”

“Not them,” I said, looking behind her to the sleepy Sunshine.

Realization dawned on her face, and she turned to her fiancé.

“How soon?” the Unicorn asked.

“Now.”

Chapter 9. Flash Point - Sunset

I stood to the side of the platform where Cadence and Shining Armor’s thrones sat. Twilight flanked the other side with Starlight beside her. Applejack stood by my side. Sunshine had left early in the morning for Ponyville to retrieve our friends from across the mirror based on some as yet to be received explanation from Twilight.

My wings ruffled a bit as we waited. The envoy from this mysterious army had been spotted some moments ago by our gate guards. I tried to stand still and regal, but I didn’t have near the practice as the other two Alicorns in the room. I shifted my weight slowly, trying to be inconspicuous. As I did so, AJ leaned in and whispered.

“You’re as nervous as a long tail cat inna room o’ rockin’ chairs, Sunset,” she said. “Are ya all right?”

I nodded. “I’m just not used to the 'hurry up and wait' part of this job,” I said. I rolled my shoulders a bit, trying to work some of the tension out. “I don’t know how you’re handling it.”

“Ah’m more used to these things than Ah’d like to admit,” she said. “Between the Gala’s and Twilight’s Coronation, Flurry Heart’s Crystalling, all the like, I’ve been to a few stand around parties.” She eyed me for a moment. “Yer worried about Sunshine, ain’t ya?”

I nodded. “Always,” I said. “She’s got the curiosity of your Twilight but none of the learning experiences when it comes to magic.”

The doors at the end of the hall swung open, revealing a number of Crystal Guard surrounding a pair of ponies, one clad in armor, one shrouded in a hooded robe. I frowned at the robed one. Something was off about the gait. Not quite a limp, but not quite a full stride, either.

“Watch the robe,” I whispered before matching Twilight and Cadence in the spreading of our wings. It was a show of power, all bluster but important to the bargaining process.

The pony in armor stepped forward as the guard spread to reveal them, her horn lighting and removing the helm. She had a coal black mane and tail on a drab brown coat. Her green eyes shone with intelligence, but her face showed no emotion. Her companion kept the hood up.

“Princess Cadence, Princess Twilight,” she said in a strong voice, nodding to each in turn, then turning to nod at me. “Princess Sunset. An impressive welcoming committee. It seems a little empty in here for a ceremony of surrender.” She said, glancing around at the empty audience chamber.

“We are not here to discuss surrender,” Cadence said. “But to discuss a way to perhaps come to a peaceful resolution to the issue you have.”

The Unicorn smiled. “And what do you propose?” she asked. “I would be most interested in hearing your offer.”

“We would be willing to listen to any grievance you have and do our best to accommodate your requests,” Cadence began. “We would also offer a conditional pardon for the raising of undead in violation of the rules set down fifteen hundred years ago by the Council of Verneigh.”

The Unicorn smiled, then started to laugh a deep, hearty belly laugh that echoed in the near empty room. It unnerved me, bringing up dim memories of my laugh as the she-demon and Twilight’s as Midnight Sparkle. It was a laugh with no humor, only malice.

“Very well, Princess,” she said as her laugh died down. “I will express my grievance to you, Mi Amore Cadenza, appointed empress of the Crystal Empire, usurper of my father’s realm.” She stepped forward.

I saw Twilight’s mouth drop open in shock, Cadence’s mouth forming into a tight frown. The Unicorn continued.

“I call upon the fact that you sit in what was once my father’s seat, and next to you is the one that took him from me forever after an intolerable banishment in the frozen wastes. I call you hypocrites and usurpers and tyrants all.” Her eyes started to blaze with anger, the first true emotion she had shown.

“I will avenge myself for the death of Sombra, my father,” she said. “And I, Sorla, will take his place in the line of succession.”

Her horn lit and Cadence conjured a shield, deflecting the blast she sent forward. Guards made to arrest her only to be stopped as the robed pony reared up and slammed their hooves down, causing a mantic circle to blaze to life and create a domed shield around them. The crackling energy flung the robes from the pony and I gasped in shock.

The pony that stood there had a jagged crystal were the horn of a Unicorn should have been, and the left foreleg was replaced with a jointed metal prosthesis. All across the mare’s coat were various thaumaturgic circles, drawn in what appeared to be dried blood. She reared up again, holding her hooves to either side and the dome expanded, shoving the guards bodily into the walls. I heard a few sickening crunches in the mix of mail striking walls.

Twilight leaped forward, horn blazing as she tried to blast through the defenses. Her lance of magic struck the shield and spread slightly, making the entirety of the dome flicker. Starlight and I stepped forward and added our own magic to the assault.

The Unicorn’s eyes blazed as her horn flared, and suddenly there were fifteen more ponies in the room.

If you could call them that. Gaunt frames, red eyes, jerky motions, the raised ponies were met by the guards, holding them back semi-successfully. AJ and I leaped forward to aid them, flame lancing forth from my horn as AJ bucked them down. Just as I turned to resume my assault on Sorla, I saw four hazy shapes start to take form, two in front of me and two before AJ. I heard Applejack gasp in shock and I turned to find her gazing at two orange ponies before her, apple related marks on their flanks.

“Mom? Dad?” she whispered, her voice shaking.

“Sunset?” a voice whispered behind me, freezing my blood. “It that you?”

I turned and found myself staring at my parents, hazy and indistinct but very evident.

“Mom…” I stuttered, feeling my wings spread slightly in front of me in a defensive motion I had seen Fluttershy use in the past. “No, you can’t be here.”

“We can be together again, sweetie,” she said, my father’s specter putting his foreleg over her shoulders. I dimly heard similar words being spoken by a pair of Apples to my side. My parents came forward, and a blast of arctic wind accompanied them. My senses snapped back into focus and tears started to flow down my face.

“You aren’t my parents,” I said, stepping back. “My parents are gone, and they would never allow somepony to use them against me.” I lit my horn. “Begone,” I whispered as I tried to remember the banishment charm.

My mother’s foreleg brushed my shoulder, and numbness flooded the limb, causing me to stumble. “It’s ok, little filly,” the ghost said.

“Begone,” I said, pouring mana into my horn. “Return from whence begot you.”

My father leaned forward, his horn angling for mine.

Fear swept through me and anger followed soon after. “Begone!” I screamed, raw magic ripping from my horn and shredding the image of my sire. I sobbed as his image faded like a puff of smoke and turned toward my mother, who was still approaching.

“I’m so sorry, Mom,” I said, charging my horn. “I love you.”

The specter stopped, and for a moment I recognized her warm smile. “Always,” she said just before my magic ripped through her.

I heard sobbing next to me and saw AJ wrapped in embraces by the two ghosts of her parents. Her gaze was going glassy and she was paling visibly as I charged my horn again.

“Forgive me,” I whispered before banishing the forms of her parents. Her eyes shot open as they dissipated and turned towards me. “NO!” she shouted, charging me.

I caught her in an embrace as she reached me, magic dampening the rush and I held her in my forelegs and wings as she collapsed and cried like a young filly. Here was one of the strongest ponies I had ever known, and she was broken completely.

I looked around as I comforted AJ and realized that the pair of Unicorns was gone, a slowly fading thaumaturgic circle where they had stood. Cadence had a nasty looking scorch along her flank. A dazed Twilight was being supported by Starlight while Shining Armor was issuing orders to the guards, cradling his right foreleg against his barrel.

I felt my anger simmer slowly inside. They tried to use my parents against me, made me banish their specters. AJ had fared worse than I, taken in completely by the ghost’s beguilement. I continued to cradle her in my embrace, remembering being held in similar ways by both my mother and Celestia.

“It’s ok, AJ,” I whispered. “We’ll get them. We’ll get them.”

I looked at the scorched floor before the throne. “I’ll get them for both of us.”

Chapter 10. Reinforcements - Sunshine

“Let me get this straight,” Rainbow said. “You want us to go back with you through the mirror?”

I nodded. “Princess Twilight had a bad feeling and wanted to have as much magical backup as possible.”

“Well, what are we waiting for?” the athlete shouted, leaping to her feet.

“Us, I suspect,” a silky deep voice cooed from the doorway. I turned to find Adagio and her sisters entering, Aria moving over to sit next to Pinkie. I was still kind of surprised at that development, having been willing to lay even money on Pinkie ending up with Sonata.

“They’re coming too?” Rarity asked. “I thought they were banished from Equestria.

“Well, there’s no guarantee that they’ll be able to cross,” I said. “But if they can, their newfound healing powers would be great to have handy.”

“And if we can’t,” Aria said. “We can at least keep an eye on the place till you get back.”

“So, again,” Rainbow said. “What’re we waiting for?”

“This is, ah,” Fluttershy said. “Odd.”

I nodded, looking at the five ponies that had crossed through behind me, surprised at the appearances. Just as I had, they had all appeared different and with new cutie marks. The Sirens looked just as they had when the had lived here, which presented a problem that I had mentioned to Twilight before leaving. She had referenced a book to use when we got back.

Rainbow, looked at herself in the mirror, her dark blue coat darker than her counterparts’ hue, though still lighter than mine. Her mane colors were reversed, and instead of a rainbow lightning bolt, she had a soccer ball inside a rainbow set of victory laurels. She was already standing up and attempting to get a feel for her new wings.

Rarity was a photo reverse of her counterpart, a white mane on her purple coat. The triple gem cutie mark I was familiar with was now enclosed in a shield of white. She was giving her mane a few flicks, trying to recover from the disorientation I no longer felt.

Applejack was already standing and walking around, awestruck by the castle. Her coat evoked memories of the juicy golden delicious apples she grew on her farm and her mane, still as long as her pony version, was a coppery red, complementing the apple tree cutie mark she now bore.

Fluttershy, like Rarity, had her mane and coat reversed and her cutie mark looked like a pet bed with food and water dishes next to them. She was still adjusting to the feeling of wings and hooves, but it seemed like she just didn’t want to move just yet.

I looked at Pinkie and was shocked. The only thing that looked different was her cutie mark, a heart with a chef’s hat in it. Maybe the colors were a touch different, but she was obviously Pinkie Pie.

“It’s so good to be home,” Adagio said, using her hooves to pull herself forward, her aquatic tail dragging behind her. “But I suppose you might a plan for that?”

I nodded. “Spike,” I called. After a moment I followed it up. “Spiiiike!”

The dragon trotted out, carrying a book with him. “Do you have any idea how long it takes to find books in this place sometimes?” he huffed, catching his breath.

I levitated the book away, opening it to the index.

“What’re you about t’do, sugar cube?” AJ asked.

“There’s a spell that will allow the Sirens to move about as easily as we can,” I glanced up to watch as Rarity stumbled onto her hooves only to slide back into a seated position. “Relatively speaking.”

“Oh, I remember this one!” Sonata cried. “It tickles.”

I blinked. “It may take me a bit to find it and then figure out if I can even cast it,” I said nervously. “I haven’t had a lot of practice when you think about it. While I’m looking it up, figure out nicknames we can use to keep you separate when we meet up.”

“Already got that done,” AJ said. “The other AJ and Ah decided to call me Jackie.”

I nodded, flipping through the book while the others started murmuring. I found it and read it several times before turning to the Sirens.

“Who’s first?” I asked.

“I am,” Adagio said.

I started charging my horn just as Sunset and Twilight had shown me in the past year. I imagined the image and intent of the spell just as it was written and released my magic, striking Adagio full with it. She was covered by a glowing nimbus and when it faded, an equine form stood there, cloven hooves instead of solid like regular ponies. Her coat held an iridescent sheen to it, almost like fish scales. A set of small fins were hidden in her voluminous mane, almost like vestigial wings. On her flank was a Treble clef and a gem. She shook her mane and looked herself over.

“Well, this is different,” she said as she stepped aside.

I panted, exhausted. It had taken more mana than I had expected and I needed a moment.

“Ah, yeah!” Rainbow shouted as she managed to take off and hover. “Nailed it.”

“Good job, Dashie,” AJ - no, Jackie - said.

The dark blue Pegasus tried to fly over and stand by her marefriend but crashed into the ground and skidded a few inches. “Ow,” she groaned.

“Maybe we should call you Crash, RD,” Sonata giggled.

“Seems appropriate,” the Pegasus groaned as she regained her feet.

“Are you alright, darling?” Rarity asked me, supported by a remarkably steady Fluttershy.

I nodded. “Just winded,” I said. “That spell took a lot of mana.” I looked at the dragon. “Have you got that letter written and sent like Twilight asked you?”

He nodded. “They should be sending a reply any time now,” he said.

I turned to the two remaining Sirens, taking a deep breath. “Two to go, then we have a train to catch.”

I looked out at the fields of green as the train rushed along the tracks. It had been specially commissioned by Cadence, non-stop to and from the Crystal Empire for this express purpose. I glanced back at the girls, mentally reminding myself to use their nicknames. I now had an idea how hard it was for Sunset sometimes when my counterpart and I were present at the same time.

Rainbow had latched onto Hot Shot, after a jest by Jackie on her second crash landing. Jackie wouldn’t be too difficult, considering it was close to her actual name. Rarity had chosen to go with Elegance, stating that it “Matched her coloration perfectly.”

Fluttershy had blushed fiercely when Rarity had suggested Caren, given that she was a big bundle of care. I thought it cute, and fitting, though it would take a bit to remember. Pinkie, simply enough, asked to use her middle name for simplicity.

Spike belched next to me, a gout of green flame dissipating into a scroll. He opened it and skimmed it before handing it to me.

I read it and felt glum. “They won't come unless it gets dire,” I said. “Great.”

“I told Twilight I don’t have that much pull,” he said apologetically. “Even being friends with Ember only goes so far.”

I nodded, shifting in my seat. My element sat around my neck, along with the other girls, the heavy gold collars a reassuring weight. But I also felt a strange weight on my back, somewhat familiar and yet strange all the same. If I had to put a finger on the sensation, I would only have one that would fit.

It itched.

Chapter 11. Arrival - Sunset

“Are ya sure about this, Sunset?” Applejack asked as she slid the boots on.

I shurgged. “New territory for me, AJ,” I said as I made a few more scores into the metal of the final boot. “I've never known a lot about artifice. Worst case, they don’t shut off after contact, but that’s why we designed them the be slip on instead of buckled.” I levitated the last one over to her.

She slid it on and fidgeted. She was still a little pale from the draining effect the ghosts had had on her, and she was still struggling with the memories. I could see it in her eyes.

I walked over and slid a wing over her withers. “If you need to take some more time, I can’t blame you,” I said. “I’m still a little shook up myself.”

She spun and stared at me. “No way,” she said. “They got the gumption ta bring mah Mom and Dad back and make me lose ‘em again? Ah’ll stomp my way through however many Ah got to t'return the favor!”

I smiled at the fire in her eyes. “You and me both,” I said, levitating in another poniquin. “Let's see what those can do.”

AJ charged the test dummy, and with each pounding step sparks flew from the boots. She reared up and connected with a left hook which burst into a fireball on contact. She spun around and bucked back into the barrel of the target and both rear shoes flared brightly, setting the target ablaze. She took a few hopping steps back, Shaking one rear foot as the fire flickered a little longer.

“A might bit warm,” she said, kicking the shoe off. “That’ll be an issue.”

I shrugged. “At least we’ll be in the snow if it happens every time,” I used a bit of mana to extinguish the burning target. “They are just prototypes, after all.”

She walked back over, kicking each boot off in turn, picking them up and setting them on the workbench. “And ya gotta make a pair for every soldier?” she asked.

I shook my head. “Just the Pegasi and Earth Ponies,” I said. “The Unicorns will be getting a collar that shifts their mana output over a certain amount to fire spells.” I looked out the window at the slowly shimmering shield that Cadence had thrown up over the borders of the city.

“I’m worried, AJ,” I said. “This is magic that isn’t supposed to exist anymore, and they’re using it as easy as breathing. And if we lose a single soldier, we’ll be facing them across the battle lines next time.”

She nodded. “Not t’mention that they can tap into our memories and haunt us,” she whispered, a tear slipping free.

“It’s less effective on Unicorns,” I said. “We have a slight advantage against domination enchantments like what ghosts use.” I shivered, remembering the arctic chill that had accompanied the appearance of my parent’s specters.

“Doesn’t make it any easier, though,” she said. “Does it?”

I shook my head. “AJ,” I started. “I’m sorry…”

“Don’t,” she said suddenly. “Ya did what ya had to to save mah flank, and Ah can’t fault ya fer it.” She nodded at the boots. “Just make sure Ah don’t scorch mah hooves when we go after the witch.”

“So, what do we know?” Cadence asked. She was already showing strain from holding the shield up for two days.

Starlight stepped forward, sliding a set of papers over to the Empress. “From what we were able to tell from the remains,” she said. “The mantic energy that animated them is flawed.”

Twilight frowned. “Flawed how?” she asked.

“Near as I can tell,” the pink Unicorn said. “It has a proximal distance and a time limit. If the…” she swallowed, an uncomfortable look on her face. “If the risen dead wander too far from the caster, they’ll disincorporate. They also might only last a handful of hours at best.

“What keeps them from raising them again?” I asked.

“Information on this kind of magic is sketchy at best,” Sunburst said. “But they are vessels for magic that moves them and gives them commands. but, like any vessel, they can only contain so much energy. Each time they get raised, it stretches them. And eventually, like a balloon that gets too much air, they’ll burst.”

“How much would it take to overload them?” Shining Armor asked.

Starlight smiled ruefully. “A lot,” she said. “We’d have to channel a lot of mana in a constant stream to override the caster’s control. We’d get overwhelmed before we could take down the first rank.”

“Would the Elements be useful?” I asked.

“The Elements were returned to the Tree years ago,” Twilight said. “Even if we could get them returned, I’m not sure if they’d help any.”

Suddenly, I felt a tingling sensation, and glancing back I saw my cutie mark flashing. I looked over and saw Twilight’s was as well.

“What in…now?” she gritted in exasperation.

I trotted out of the war room to the anteroom, spying the rest of the Bearer’s sitting inside, all of the cutie marks flashing. Twilight came behind me, looking on in confusion.

“I don’t understand,” she said. “How could there be…”

She never got the chance to finish as my Element sparked and shot out a rubicund light that began to pulse quickly. I stared in amazement and suddenly I felt an echo of the worry I was feeling, and an undercurrent of determination.

Twilight? I thought.

Just entering the palace, came the answer. I turned and raced to the entrance, Twilight shouting in confusion.

I burst through the doors to the entranceway, seeing my love trotting forward with eight other ponies, each with their cutie marks flashing and Elements glowing with red light. The Sirens' gems were also glowing.

I swept Sunshine up in a hug when I noticed that her horn was slightly different, the spirals deeper. “What happened to your horn?”

She smiled nervously and suddenly a pair of spectral wings spread from behind her back, the same deep purple that they had been as Midnight Sparkle, becoming solid as they reached full spread.

“Surprise,” she said, giggling embarrassedly as the wings furled and vanished.

Chapter 13. War Council - Princess Twilight

We all stood in the throne room. It hurt to see the bandage on my sister-in-law’s flank, but I knew she wouldn’t step down. A large contingent of the risen ponies was mustering near the eastern gates and the shield she held up was the only thing barring their entry.

For now.

“I’m still working out the kinks,” Sunset said, finishing her report on her research into using artifice as a method for the non-Unicorn troops to utilize fire magics. “But these boots are the best for front line combat for Earth ponies. I’d prefer some more time to develop some sort of alternative for the Pegasi soldiers, but needs must.”

Cadence nodded. “I’ll have my armorers begin replicating your prototype immediately,” she said, turning to my counterpart and our friends from across the mirror. While we had interacted with them mere weeks ago at their graduation, seeing each of them as ponies was a bit of a mind bender. I was still struggling to associate the nicknames with the pony.

The Sirens were also a tough sight, their iridescent coats almost begging to be stared at. I knew their song now healed, but I was still uneasy being around beings that had been your enemy at one point in time. It had been that way when I first went back through the portal after the Fall Formal, beginning to trust Sunset and even consider her a close friend.

Cadence smiled softly at them. “I understand that each of you have come through to help in the defense of my kingdom,” she said. “On the word of my sister-in-law alone. You are not beholden to us nor subject to the orders of Equestrian royalty, and still you stand here, and I thank you.”

The six ponies, Sunshine included, beamed with pride, blushed or set their faces in determination. I saw my counterpart glance over at Sunset, and moments later a smile flashed across my friend’s face.

Their bond allows communication now, I thought automatically. They’re closer to each other than anypony else in this room. I frowned as a small flicker filtered through my consciousness. I’m jealous. Not of them, but of the closeness they share.

Don’t get me wrong, I had no desires on either of them. Sunset was a good friend and that was it, and Sunshine, well…that raised questions I didn’t like thinking on. But seeing them together was like looking into the mirror, the image darkly reflecting a possible future missed.

“Twilight,” Cadence said gently, bringing me back to the present.

“Sorry,” I said. “What did you say?”

“I asked if you have objections to confirming Luna’s declaration of Sunshine as a Duchess and allowing her the same command Sunset and you hold while here.”

I blinked. “No,” I stammered. “Not at all.” When had that happened?

“In that case,” the Empress of the Crystal Empire said, shaking her mane out. “Sunshine, I proclaim you in conjunction with the title presented to you by Her Royal Highness, the Princess Luna and give agreement, witnessed by fellow Princess Twilight Sparkle.”

Sunshine ducked her head, blushing fiercely.

“Now,” she said. “Outside of rushing headlong into the opposing army, does anypony have any ideas?”

“We should first get Flurry Heart and non-essential personnel out of the kingdom and behind the lines of the Equestrian royal guard,” I said. “We’ve all but declared a state of emergency, so we might as well make it official.”

Cadence nodded, and I saw the maternal concern in her eyes.

“We should also find somepony to relieve you in holding the shield,” Starlight said. “Twilight, Sunset, and I would be the wisest choices.”

“I’m going to be out on the front lines,” Sunset said, glancing at Applejack. “I made a promise, and your troops should see that an Alicorn is willing to lead.”

“And she’s not going out there alone!” shouted Rainbow Dash and Hot Shot almost simultaneously, the two pegasi hovering and crossing their forelegs. Mirrored by each other, the five ponies on both sides stepped forward. The Elements on the human girls’ necks gleamed with barely controlled power, and I smiled at the show of unity it created.

“I would suggest we pair up with our counterparts,” Sunshine said. “We would be able to coordinate with them easier than we could with anypony else.”

“I think I would be best served here, strategizing and spelling Cadence,” I said. “Plus, you and Sunset would work together much closer than you and I would.”

Sunset’s Element gleamed as she stepped forth. Her’s was the only one that had originated in Equestria, and from what she had told me it had rejuvenated the fledgling Tree in their world. She chewed on her bottom lip for a moment before voicing the question we had been avoiding since the attack by Sorla.

“Am I crazy,” she said. “Or was that unicorn with her Neighlin?”

“She did match the general description,” Starlight said. “But Neighlin was killed decades ago.”

“They never found a body,” I said. “All they could find was the end of her horn and her left foreleg. Which were conspicuously absent of our sorcerous friend.”

“Not to mention she was coated in Thaumaturgical symbols,” Sunshine said. “Drawn in blood from what I’ve been told. Granted, I’m not a magical expert or anything, but between the spells she had on her and the blood used to etch them, wouldn’t that make them more potent under Necromantic rules?”

I winced. The thought that a once respected magical genius would turn to forbidden magicks for unknown reasons bothered the logical part of my brain, the part that didn’t consider emotions into its calculations.

“Possible” Starlight said. “Sunburst and I did manage to find a single remaining text on Necromancy, and many of the spells within call for a sacrifice of blood. Usually a few drops from the caster, but some the spell can be enhanced by the amount offered up.”

Silence fell on the room.

“I will not ask any of you ponies to stand for this kingdom,” Cadence said. “We are clearly against a powerful foe, and the coming days are going to be fraught with danger.”

Jackie stepped forth, AJ stepping forward with her. They glanced at each other and nodded.

“All due respect, Princess,” AJ said. “But we wouldn’t leave now fer nothin’!”

Jackie nodded. “Aint like us to abandon a friend in need.”

Mixed assents and agreements murmured from ten ponies and three Sirens.

“Then it is decided,” Cadence said with a grim tone.

“We are officially at war.”

Chapter 14. Tales of Air - The Dashes

I couldn’t believe how awesome this felt, the wind rushing around me. I could actually feel every feather being ruffled by the air current around me, and the feel of my coat being brushed also was a new but exhilarating feeling. Given the rocky start I had after passing through the mirror, once I had figured out just how to balance the new body weight distribution I was flying even better than back home. It seemed like it was almost easier with this body.

“Hey!” I heard a voice shout over. “Pay attention, rookie.”

I was yanked back to the present, glancing over at another Pegasus flying near me wearing almost identical looks as myself. We were almost mirror images, which had surprised me and my friends. Everyone…everypony? I didn’t know which term to use at the moment.

All of my friends when they had passed through had come out looking different from their pony counterparts with the exception of myself and Pinkie. For whatever reason, we looked practically identical to our twins with minor differences.

“Sorry,” I called out, turning my gaze back to the ground as we flew a circuit over the border of the capital city of the Crystal Empire. I scanned the ground, finding it amazing I could even make out the details I could from as far up as we were.

Pony-Dash shook her head. “You’re trying too hard, Hot Shot,” she said, using the nickname I had chosen to help differentiate between us. “Patrols like this are something that you should be able to do while flying much faster.” She pulled to a stop, hovering in midair. “Tell me what you see.”

I also pulled to a stop and glanced down quickly.

“Besides the troops doing a patrol of the shield wall? Not a whole lot,” I said. “Seems pretty quiet.”

“How many troops were there?”

“How should I know?”

“Twenty,” she said, crossing her forelegs. “Twenty troops, and there was another squad of twenty approaching from the east, the way we came.”

“How do you know?”

“Because, as awesome as it is to have someone that even approaches my level of cool,” she said. “I’ve been doing this my whole life almost, and you learn to keep an eye on everything when you fly: Potential threats, obstacles, cloud formations, updrafts, downdrafts, and safe landing sites in case you have to make a quick landing.”

“Wow,” I said. “That’s a lot to take in.”

“Like I said,” Pony-Dash said. “I’ve been doing this a long time, so its second nature to me. But if you’re going to be trying to fly like us regularly, you’ve got a lot of catch-up work to do.”

I smirked. “I got a rad teacher, at least,” I said, knowing compliments would work.

The smirk was mirrored back to me.

“Yeah,” she said, head suddenly whipping to the side. I thought I had heard something myself and followed the look. I could barely make it out.

“Skirmish,” my counterpart said, taking off quickly, a rainbow-colored streak in her wake. I took off, catching up to her.

“What do we do?” I asked.

She angled slightly upward before rolling into a dive, the changes in direction hard to keep up with.

“Go in and start swinging after the strafe,” she said.

To her credit, the rookie wasn’t too bad, all things equal. Sure, she wasn’t the most attentive of Pegasi, but she had a leg or two over Muffins. Probably three. If she had gone through flight camp at the same time I had, I probably would have been evenly matched.

It's a shame we were at war, I would have loved to see how she would hold up in a race, along with Sunset and Sunshine. Those ghostly wings were actually pretty cool looking.

The ground raced up to meet me, flashes of fire leaping into clarity as we got closer. I altered the angle of my dive slightly and sensed Hot Shot do the same. Her reaction time was improving, possibly even becoming instinctive on her part.

I tucked my wings in a little tighter, picking up speed before flaring them out again just as we approached the ground, the angle I held them at making me skim the ground, my rear hooves held slightly forward to crack into the skull of a Unicorn zombie, shattering it with the impact. I heard the body collapse but was already pumping my wings for altitude as a steel spear tip was thrust my way, twisting around it.

I arrested my forward momentum and saw Hot Shot buck backward before shooting straight up. The kick didn’t have a lot of force to it since she didn't have anything solid to brace against, but it did force the corpse back into a gout of fire sent out by the troops.

She came over to my side as I surveyed the fight. They seemed to have it contained now, but it wouldn’t hurt to do a few more strafes.

It was over in five minutes. I stood on the ground, stretching my right wing from a glancing blow I had taken in the last run. My double came over, a frown on her face.

“You ok?” she asked.

“Yeah,” I said. “Probably going to have a bruise, but that’s about it.”

“So, what’d you think?”

“Not bad,” I said. “You wouldn’t make it into the Wonderbolts, but you’d probably beat your average Pegasus.”

I saw her puff up a bit and couldn’t help but give her a good natured rib.

“But you need to be about twenty percent cooler to beat me.”

Chapter 15. Tales of the Earth - The Applejacks

My hooves cracked against the chin of the Pegasus in front of me, the flare of fire familiar now. The body was engulfed quickly, collapsing, but there was another to take its place. I heard a grunt behind me as AJ bucked back, not just lighting the thing on fire but sending it flying back into another.

I was breathing heavily by the time we were clear, and I saw AJ sit, her posture showing something more than just fatigue weighing on her.

“Ya wanna talk about it?” I asked.

“Ya wouldn't understand,” she said, glancing away.

“Ah reckon’ Ah won’t unless ya tell what’s eatin’ at you,” I said. “But Ah ain’t seen ya smile once since we got here.”

“What’s ta smile about?” she said, whirling around. “Ponies gettin’ ripped from the ground ’n made to fight? Some mare determined t’break ancient rules just t’get back at someone for doing what needed bein’ done when she did it? Forcing friends t’destroy loved ones…” her breath choked up at those words.

“AJ," I said. “What happened?”

She sat silent for a few moments, her eyes not on the area around us before standing and starting to walk away.

“We should get movin’,” she said. “We’re wastin’ time.”

I frowned but followed her back to the Castle.

Twilight or Sunset would know what was up.

“She doesn’t want to talk about it?” Sunset said, frowning. “I think you’d likely be the best to talk to over it.”

I shook my head. “She wouldn’t say a word after goin’ on about the unfairness of the whole thing,” I said. “Ah could tell there was something else bothering her, but dang if Ah could get it out of her.”

Sunset glanced at Twilight, or Sunshine as she was called on this side of the portal. She nodded.

“Ya know Ah hate it when y’all do that,” I said.

They blushed. “We’ll tell you if you really want to know,” Sunset said. “But you should know that it’s not a pretty tale.”

I sat, quirking an eyebrow.

“Ya see me goin’ anywhere?”

I was in the room Cadence had given me for our stay. I couldn’t hold it in any longer, and tears slipped free.

Seeing Mom and Dad again had been heart-wrenching. I had felt like a filly again, felt the loss all over again. Sunset didn’t know, but I had seen the entirety of their deaths again, that same sense of guilt and sharp pain again.

Then, when they had wrapped me in their embrace, everything had faded away. All the pain, all the worries, just gone, replaced by numbness and an unnatural desire to just be held.

I hated that I had fell for it, and I hated Sorla and that witch of hers for conjuring them up. I didn’t know if they were actually my parent’s spirits or a mind trick, but I was going to get her back if I had to buck my way through every soul that sorcerer raised.

The door to my room opened as a sob escaped me. “Ah’d rather be alone right now,” I said to the darkness.

“Ah know,” came the voice.

Horseapples, just what Ah needed.

“Sunset told me what happened to ya,” she said. “Ah don’t know what that would feel like. But you know they weren’t Mom and Dad, right?”

“Maybe not yer folks, but Ah know what mine look like, what they smell like,” I couldn’t help but fight tears again. “Ah know,” I whispered.

“You think Ah don’t know that?” she asked. “Ever since coming through, Ah got to know just how much more sensitive mah sense of smell is.” She walked over to stand next to me. “Ah don’t doubt that they looked, smelt, felt, even sounded like yer folks.”

“But they weren’t,” I said. “It was just a cheap trick. And Ah fell for it.”

“There's no way you couldn’t have,” she said. “Sunset said that the spell draws from your memories to create the specters. They were designed to fool you.”

“But Ah knew it couldn’t be them,” I said. “Ah knew and Ah still fell for it.”

“Look, sugar cube,” she said. “We may be considered the strongest out of our friends, but we can’t be strong all the time.” She put a foreleg over my shoulders.

“That’s just it,” I said. “I don’t feel strong.”

“Maybe not now, but yer tryin’ to bear it alone,” she said. “Even Ah can see it’s weighin’ you down. Ya got to stop blaming yerself.”

I grimaced. “It kinda is,” I whispered.

“How?”

“Ah’m responsible for their deaths,” I whispered, finally letting the truth out.

Jackie just sat there, a confused look on her face.

“Are yer folks still alive, Jackie?” I asked.

She shook her head. “They died in a car wreck shortly after Apple Bloom was born.”

I nodded. “Not long after they brought the foal home, Ah was playing on one of the wagons on the farm,” I said. “The brake broke and it started rolling down the hill it had been parked on. Ah wasn’t scared until Ah saw the ravine.”

“The one just outside the east forty?” she asked.

I nodded, swallowing. “Dad saw it going, and he raced down, Mom just behind,” I squeezed my eyes shut. “Mom hopped into the wagon while Dad tried to slow it down and helped me up and out, but Dad couldn’t get out of the way before it pushed him over the edge.”

She rubbed my back.

“Mom died not long after from a broken heart,” I said. “Or so Granny said. I was too young to understand at the time. But it felt like it was my fault.”

“You couldn’t be held responsible, AJ,” I said.

“Ah know that now,” I said. “But back then? Ah felt horrible. And when they showed up again, all them feelings came rushing back.”

I pawed at the floor. “Ah mean to get em back, Jackie,” I said, feeling the fire of anger burning in my stomach. “Ya don’t mess with family.”

“Yer wrong,” she said.

I looked at her, seeing a familiar look on her face. Determination.

“We’ll get'em back,” she said, offering her hoof out. “We Apples got to stick together.”

I bumped it, smiling.

“Together.”

Chapter 16. Tales of Graces - The Raritys

“I must say, Ellie,” I said as I walked down the corridor with my counterpart, “Your coloration is rather striking! I believe I have some bolts at my boutique that would look marvelous against it”

Elegance tossed her snow-white mane over her shoulder. “I think it would be a wonderful relief once this ghastly business is done,” she said. “I, for one, would like to see what that spa you mentioned is like.”

I grinned. “I certain that Aloe would be happy to give you a complimentary massage,” I said. “She is always rather gracious with new clients.”

We walked in silence as a small group of soldiers passed us, the uncomfortable reminder of the state we were in no longer out of mind. She broke the silence first.

“You must tell me how you managed to garner the business to open a second boutique, my dear,” she said. “I managed to get the right to design the dresses for the weddings of Sunset, our Twilight, and our Cadence, but I’ve barely had much more than that.”

“I’ll admit, it is slow going,” I replied. “You have to struggle through. In the end, it comes down to giving every product the very best TLC you can, and letting it speak volumes for itself.”

She nodded. “It is rather difficult, though,” she sighed. “Balancing school with the orders I do get. And with my acceptance to the design school, I’m afraid I’ll be even more frazzled than ever!”

“Well darling, at least you have a school to learn tips and secrets from,” I smiled. “I had to learn it all by trial and error. And let me tell you, the number of times that Fluttershy, of all ponies, has caught mistakes in one of my creations had been a truly eye-opening experience.”

“Fluttershy?”

“Oh, yes,” I said. “Despite her appearance of timidity, she has an astounding abundance of talent in the sartorial arts. I daresay if she were to enter the industry, I would find myself sorely pressed.”

We shared a laugh at that, knowing our friend wouldn’t put us in that position. After a moment, she glanced at me.

“Remember what we talked about that day in my shop?”

I nodded. “You were having trouble properly attaching velvet to a heavy wool bodice,” I said. “Did you ever find a solution?”

She shook her head. “It has such a high shear ratio,” she said. “Unless I make the seam allowance overly thick, it just pulls free. I haven’t been able to come up with a solution. I was hoping that maybe you had an alternative.”

I shook my head. “It’s just as tricky here,” I said. “I generally use the velvet as a liner, because of the shear ratio. Maybe if you add a muslin sheath inside the sleeve to use for the seam?”

She mused for a moment. “Perhaps,” she said.

A horn call made us fall silent again.

“How are you so calm?” she asked suddenly.

“Beg pardon?”

She looked at me and I saw the fear tucked away behind her eyes. “I may have faced down several magical threats back home, but nothing near the magnitude of this. But you seem barely rattled.”

I grinned ruefully. “Sadly, darling,” I said. “When one has done this as often as I have, you tend to just get on with it. World ending threats seem to be much more prevalent than I realized before I was christened a Bearer of an Element.” I glanced at her collar, the gem slightly different than mine had been, a wistful smile drifting across my face. “I hope your time is much more peaceful than mine.”

She nodded.

We chatted idly for a while, and I gleaned a few tips that I hoped would translate well over to human shaped clothing. But in the back of my mind, the fact that we were at war, that at any moment the palace could be overrun, the fact that we were in danger never left it.

“You seem rather beside yourself, darling,” Rarity said.

“I can’t help but think about it,” I said. “I’m not sure what help I can be.”

She looked at me for a moment. “Show me your constructs,” she said suddenly.

“Pardon?”

“Show me your constructs,” she repeated. “It can’t hurt to practice, and perhaps I could devise my own version. We are going to be patrolling together tomorrow, after all.”

I swallowed and reached inside for the spark of light I had come to associate with my magic. I felt the curious sensation in the center of my forehead as my mana flowed into my horn, and when I had a firm grip on it I cast my thoughts out, projecting a diamond-faceted shield out. I turned, and as I opened my eyes I saw the flare of platinum white light emanating from my horn, more faceted panels extending to follow the path of my turn.

Rarity looked at them. “Marvelous,” she said, stepping forward and lighting her horn with its cornflower aura. “It’s simple in its elegance, yet likely as strong as anything the princesses could conjure.”

“I doubt it’s that strong,” I said, collapsing the wall. “I’ve heard what the princesses are responsible for, and what Twilight is capable of. If they wanted to, they could break my constructs with a thought.”

She sat down, horn still lit. She closed her eyes and concentrated. She managed to create a single shield construct, slightly less translucent but considerably thicker. We examined the construct for a minute before she released it, panting.

“I’m afraid I’m not used to that much mana drain,” she said. “I haven’t felt that much strain since the day I gained my cutie mark.”

"That is something that I have wondered about,” I said. “Your special talent is in fashion, and you are the Element of Generosity of this world. So whyever is your cutie mark a set of gems?”

She blinked. “You know, I never considered it before,” she said. “I do know that the day I got it, my gem finding spell had flared up and dragged me halfway across Equestria it seemed. It led me to this large rock and I thought it had been a dud until Rainbow’s Sonic Rainboom shattered it to reveal it was a geode. Ever since then, I’ve always worked gems into my designs.”

“Gems in the design,” I mused. I couldn’t get gemstones as easily as my counterpart, but I did know that they could be created artificially in a crucible. But still…

“When this is over,” I said. “We hit the spa. And then you have to show me that gem spell. I just had a flash of inspiration.”

She smiled. “Of course, darling,” she said. “Perhaps a joint venture, even?”

“Of course,” I said.

Chapter 17. Tales of Innocence - The Fluttershys

I looked at Fluttershy as we rolled bandages up. We had decided that we would dedicate our time to setting up medical supplies and a triage center.

“What do you mean?” I asked.

She ducked her head in a way I recognized. She was a little embarrassed.

“How did you and Rarity wind up together?” she whispered. “I don’t see how you found the courage to ask. I haven’t.”

I felt the flush climb through my face. “Oh,” I said. “Actually, s-she asked me.”

“Really?” she asked.

“Well, sort of,” I said. “We were on a cruise and she found out I had been hiding a crush on her.” I had flashes of the times we’ve shared on the cruise and since then. “She also found out about just why I’m so shy.”

“Oh dear,” she whispered. “You too?”

“Fluttershy,” I said. “Could we not talk about that? It’s still a little raw.”

Fluttershy will always cry.

She nodded. “I understand,” she said.

“I can tell you one thing, though,” I said. “Ever since we got together, the chanting doesn’t show up as often.”

She flinched, and I saw a familiar distant look in her eyes.

We continued to wrap bandages. “As a matter of fact, our AJ and Dash got together on that trip too,” I said.

“Your AJ and Dash are dating, too?” she asked.

“Too?”

She squeaked and covered her mouth with her hooves. “Oh my gosh,” she said. “I promised them I wouldn’t tell anypony!”

I patted her shoulder. “It’s ok, it’s just between us.”

She calmed down.

“But when, and how?” I asked.

She was interrupted by Sunset and Princess Twilight coming in.

“How’s it going with the first aid kits?” Twilight asked.

“We’ll be able to outfit maybe a hundred medical ponies with supplies, but triage is something we don’t have a lot of experience in,” Fluttershy said. “It’ll be scary for the first few…” She couldn’t say the word ‘casualties’.

Sunset nodded. “Caren should be able to brief the medics on the principles,” she said.

I nodded. “It was part of my medical courses,” I said. I shuddered, my wings fluttering. “But I hope they won’t need it.”

Fluttershy, Fluttershy, Fluttershy can’t hardly fly.

I know she didn’t mean it, but even mentioning the chanting could bring back the memories. I glanced over at her as she finished going over the basics of triage to the two princesses. I kept finding myself staring at them, a strange feeling of longing at war with my timidity.

“Fluttershy?”

I shook my head as Twilight called my name. “Yes?” I asked.

“Do you think you can help distribute the information?” she asked, levitating a small stack of parchments over.

“Yes, of course,” I said.

As they left, I couldn’t help but watch, a familiar sense of longing flaring up.

“Fluttershy?”

I glanced at Caren, and I saw her face light up.

“You have a crush on somepony, don’t you?” she said.

“What?” I sputtered. “No, no, of course not.” I felt the heat rise on my face.

She eyed me with a soft smile. “You can’t lie to me,” she said. “I know what to look for. Who is it?”

I looked away, but the pink pegasus was suddenly in front of me, her wings holding her aloft. “Is it Rarity?” she asked.

“It’s not Rarity,” I said, turning back around only to find myself looking in her pale eyes again. I felt my temper flare as she opened her mouth. I felt the Stare forming.

She froze and looked away. “I’m sorry,” she said. “It’s just that, when Rarity and I got together, everything started making more sense. She gave me the support I needed and never judged me when I told her what had happened in school. She just held me.”

She looked me in the eyes. “I just want you to find that same feeling.”

I looked down, my thoughts whirling around.

We prepared another few first aid kits, silence growing heavy between us.

“Twilight,” I whispered.

She looked over at me.

“It’s Twilight,” I said more firmly. “But I can’t begin to state the number of reasons why it won’t work.”

“Have you told her?” she asked.

“No,” I said. “She wouldn’t want a silly filly like me. I’m not worthy of a princess.”

She smiled. “You are strong, Fluttershy,” she said. “Not like Applejack or Rainbow Dash, perhaps, but you are strong like the wind. Willing to bend when you need to but when you need to, you stand firm. And I think that makes you worthy of your friend, Twilight.”

I looked at her in surprise.

She was still smiling. “Why should you deny yourself a chance at happiness?”

I felt a smile tug at my mouth.

“You sound rather wise,” I said.

She blushed and ducked her head. “That’s what Rarity said to me the night I confessed to her,” she said. “I think it fits you, too.” She looked at me again. “Tell her, and let her make the choice.”

I nodded, turning back to my work.

Maybe it was time I stood firm against myself.

Chapter 18. Tales of Rebirth - The Sirens/Pinkies

I put the rest of the food into the box, closing the lid and setting it off to the side. I couldn't speak for my sisters, but it felt odd to have four legs, personally. I had walked on two legs for decades and swam around in the seas of Equestria for decades prior to that. Pinkie…Diane, rather, came up to me and nuzzled against my neck in a way that made no attempt to hide what was on her mind.

“Worried, lady?” I asked, turning and resting my head along her neck.

She nodded. “I don’t like thinking about all the nasties roaming about,” she said. “I can’t get anyone here to smile! Neither of us can!” Her mane deflated a bit. I stood, seeing the pony Pinkie slowly moving back to the kitchens after dropping another load of simple baked goods for us to package up. Adagio and Sonata were already loading a cart with the lunches we had packed.

I sighed and gave my Pinkie a nip on the neck before moving over to start packing this current load. “It’ll be ok, Pinks,” I said, picking up an empty box. “With all of you and the princesses working on this, I’m sure it’ll be over quick. I mean, look how fast you all dealt with us!”

She giggled a little.

“That's the party girl I love,” I said, pulling her close and resting my forehead against hers. She slid hers along and down until her chin was on my shoulder, her hot breath ruffling the wing-like fins on my back.

I looked down as she cuddled into me, seeing the light blue iridescent coat I now wore. None of us had expected to ever see this place again, and now that we were here, it felt…

Wrong. The air, the feel of hooves, all of it. It wasn’t home anymore.

I glanced at Pinkie….Diane. Blazes, that was going to take some getting used to. I looked at my girlfriend…marefriend? Her. I looked at her and smiled, leaning forward to give her a quick kiss.

“Go help your twin clean up,” I said. “We’ll pack these up and get them to the depot, then you and I can go find something to do.”

She smiled, her mane perking up a bit as she trotted to the kitchen. Of all the girls, she had adjusted to being a pony remarkably quickly. Almost like she had done this before.

I shook my head, my short mane swirling around my neck. That was ridiculous.

Later that evening, after Diane had gone to our room, I sat with my sisters, all of us lounging by a courtyard fountain. The blowing mist still felt good, reminding us of better times, before we got ambitious. Even after our banishment, we had tended to congregate towards bodies of water, though we never roamed far from the portal for some reason.

We understood it now, after the fight with Acerak. Adagio still had a faint scar on her belly, just below the navel and Sunset had a nasty welt running along her side. In her pony form, it was hidden under her wings, something that still took getting used to from my end.

“This isn’t right,” Adagio said suddenly.

“Of course it isn’t,” I said, a trace of my old grumpiness showing. “Ponies being raised from the dead and attacking a kingdom vanished for decades?”

“Not that,” Sonata said. “I feel it too.” She looked at me, a sad look in her eyes. “It’s not home anymore.”

I sighed. “I thought it was just me,” I said.

Adagio shifted in her position, her mane drifting over her shoulder. “I don’t know if it’s the body or the length of time away,” she said. “But ever since we’ve come through, it’s felt like we're trespassing.”

“I don’t think we’re the same ones that were banished. Not exactly, anyway,” Sonata said.

I nodded. “We’ve changed,” I said. “And not just our powers. We’re…” I struggled with the words.

“Different,” Adagio said. “You, the coldest of all of us, have a girlfriend. We all have friends, and Sonata is managing a business.” She smiled a soft smile that I had never seen on my sister until after the defeat at the Battle of the Bands. “We all have things that are special to us all now. Not just ambitions.”

I eyed her suddenly. “Wait a minute,” I said. “All of us, you said.”

She ducked her head as she realized what she had said, her cheeks blushing rose under her golden coat.

Sonata sat up too as she realized what was implied. “Dagi,” she said, a sly tone to her voice. “Do you have a crush?”

“No,” she said quickly. Almost too quickly.

“You do!” my sister cooed.

“Spill, Adagio,” I said.

“Well,” she hedged.

“Out with it,” I said, smiling.

“I’ve kinda been seeing someone,” she said. “He’s sweet, in that earnest kind of way. It’s not serious, though.”

I grinned. Saying that might as well thrown meat before a manticore as far as Sonata was concerned.

“WHO!” she cried out, exploding forward in an excited way that I had seen Pinkie do when the possibility of throwing a party surfaced. She wrapped Adagio up in a tight hug. “Who’s the lucky guy, Dagi? Oh, I have got to throw you a great dinner party when we get back!”

“Air, Sonata,” I said as she continued to hug our eldest sister. “You don’t want to smother her.”

Adagio was laughing softly as Sonata backed away abashedly. “Sandalwood,” she said.

“Sandalwood,” I parroted.

She nodded. “We ran into each other at the fountain in the park,” she said. “And after apologizing for the incident, we got to talking, and then dinner.”

I smiled. “It’s nice, isn’t it?” I said.

She nodded, smiling.

We sat there for a moment, enjoying the quiet when Sonata spoke up.

“I’m so jealous of you two, you know,” she pouted.

We all laughed.

I looked over at my twin, both of us grinning madly.

“I told you they’d smile,” I said, turning and holding out my hoof to Diane.

She couldn’t help but smile as she handed over a cupcake.

“That'll teach me to bet against myself,” she giggled.

The cupcake was delicious.

Chapter 19. Tales of the Abyss - Sunset And Sunshine

I glided over the city, the wind in my face strangely comforting. Dash had been telling the truth when she and Hot Shot had suggested this. I felt the updraft die slightly and pumped my wings again, lifting up a little and closing my eyes as my stress faded for a second.

I sensed rather than saw an approaching pony. This far inside the perimeter it had to be a friend. I opened my eyes to see Sunshine glide into formation next to me.

“Couldn’t sleep?” she asked.

I shook my head. “Too many things going through my head,” I said. “Troop reports, patrols, supply inventories.” I sighed. “What happened to us settling down?”

“Well,” she said. “We haven’t set a date yet.”

I smiled at the joke. “Fair enough,” I said, spreading my wings a little wider, eyes drifting closed again.

We flew in silence for a few moments, turning to follow the curve of the shield wall that Cadence, Twilight, and Starlight had been keeping up. I frowned, wishing I could relive some of that burden, but shields of this size I couldn’t maintain for long, let alone a full rotation. I had talent in abjuration, but this was something far beyond my capabilities.

We began a slow bank to return to the palace when something caught my eye. I pulled up, hovering in place as I looked down, spying six cloaked forms walking down the street in a hurry.

Sunshine saw it too. “Is that what I think it is?” she asked.

I nodded grimly, horn lighting up as I tucked into a dive. I unfurled my wings as the ground rushed up, slowing my dive as I landed on the street ten yards away from the cloaked forms. Even from here I could make out the red glow of the undead beneath all the hoods but one. That one I spied the metal artificial hoof on the left side.

My heart clenched. Go for backup! I forced through the bond, every bit of urgency I could pack into it. I threw up a shield as I saw a thaumaturgic circle appear, bracing for the attack. But instead of an attack, a red-blue glow appeared and Sunshine cried out, suddenly appearing on the ground between us.

I leaped forward, extending my shield around us both as black bolts of energy fired forth from the undead Unicorns, cloaks flapping wildly in the displacement of the magic circle. Neighlin looked on with a look of sheer madness, the black crystals in place of her horn crackling with stored mana. Sunshine struggled to her feet and glared across the way at our opponents.

“You sure about this?” I asked as I saw the image in her mind.

“Got a better idea?” she asked, her horn lighting with dark purple magic.

“Not at the moment,” I replied, charging my horn and firing a flare into the sky, assuring that one of the patrolling units at least would spy it and come running.

Sunshine flared out her spectral wings again, rising slowly into the air as a dark aura surrounded her, wings spreading out and becoming filled with dark, midnight blue feathers. Her horn extended, the spiral groove becoming slightly deeper and a bright aura of light flared into being around her eyes, glasses vanishing.

Midnight Sparkle hovered in the air, beauty and menace blended together. She threw down a shield and I mimicked her transformation, my Daydream form not much different besides the longer horn and the glowing iridescence it added to my feathers. I saw Neighlin pause for a second, confused.

Thats when Midnight fired a bolt of fire forward, incinerating one of the Unicorns.

And all Tartarus broke loose. Behind the six forms, the air wavered, revealing ten more undead ponies, a mix of Unicorns and Earth Ponies. I hopped into the air, eyes narrowing.

Applejack’s crying face flashed in my mind as I summoned fire, drawing a line in the street. Neighlin smiled and one of the transmutation circles on her barrel flared, appearing on the ground beneath her. The mark on her body disappeared as the circle she stood on flared, blue light leaping up in arcs of light. The circle shifted to red as tentacles lashed out and grabbed each of the unicorns by the horns, turning them all jet black.

The first shot fired then shattered my shield, sending me tumbling in the air. The next missed, and a third was barely ablated by Midnight’s shield. I got my balance and ripped a crate out of a compost heap to take the brunt of the last bolt of the barrage.

Midnight looked at me to confirm that I was all right when she suddenly stiffened. Through the bond, I saw the Earth Ponies that had slipped by us while we were trying to survive the salvo of enhanced magic bolts. I kept my eye on Neighlin and the remaining Unicorns.

Don’t get cocky, I thought to her. We stay in pairs at all times.

They’re getting away, and the patrols won’t be able catch up unless we slow them down!

She bolted away, gaining some altitude as she did. I glanced at her as she did, worry rising. Light flashed behind me and I returned to face my opponent just in time to see Neighlin and two of the Unicorns ripple and disappear, the other Unicorns crumbling into the street, the lights in their eyes fading.

Cursing, I tried to follow the mantic trail of the teleport when I felt it behind me. I spun in time to see them appear two hundred yards down the road, the black bolts of magic already firing up at Midnight.

“NO!” I screamed as one shear through her wing, severing it and sending her into a tumble.

I charged forward, hooves barely leaving the pavement as I barreled into Neighlin, disrupting the spell she was starting to call upon. I swung my right hoof into her face, feeling the jaw crack slightly under the impact. I was then bowled over by an Earth Pony, being shoved away and I felt a rib give slightly. I stood slightly, my horn beginning to glow brightly. I looked up to see Midnight struggle to stay aloft, losing altitude with every second. Then a blue blur shot by and grabbed her, turning and heading towards the Palace.

I blinked when more blurs flashed into view, but my attention was pulled back down as Neighlin growled and slammed her hooves into the ground, multiple thaumaturgic circles flaring to life, each taking the form of a pony. Soon the road was filled with raised bodies, and I no longer had time to focus on my love, despite what my heart said.

I charged my horn and snarled. I blasted apart the Earth Pony that had bull rushed me earlier as it tried to draw its sword. I bucked back as another came up from behind, but as I charged my horn again, a small part of my mind realized I was outnumbered. I spun around, sensing danger behind me, my Daydream form fading as my element flared, the armor we had gained from the geodes forming in time to ablate a spear thrust from a Pegasus with featherless wings. I stumbled from the force and watched as the spear drew back again.

There was a flash of light, and suddenly the Pegasus fell, its head rolling away. I stared for a second before a Unicorn stepped forward, rapier hanging in a cerulean aura. “Looks as though you had a wee bit of a bind,” the Unicorn said, a black vest with metal rings and studs on it around her barrel. She turned. “Suren you don’t mind the help.” Azure winked.

I smiled at the bard. “Not going to complain,” I said, turning to see EUP soldiers battling the risen zomponies. I recognized Gleam Star from his massive body, his hoof crushing both helm and skull of his opponent. I saw the blue blurs again and this time recognized them as the Wonderbolts as they performed a perfect formation strafe, the blades strapped to their sides shearing through horns, wings, and bodies before pulling up again.

“Go,” Azure said, her rapier cutting down another raised pony. “We’ll clean up this mess.”

I turned and saw Neighlin slip through another rip in the air. I leaped over and managed to slide through right behind her. I found myself in the blasting cold, my armor standing out against the white. I saw the Unicorn hobbling through the snow, her prosthetic obviously not made to handle deep snow drifts. I spread my wings and soared after her, tackling her and ramming a hoof into her side as we tumbled. I winced as my rib protested and stood, wings spread instinctively in an aggressive pose as we squared off.

“Little princess looks to get tough, does she?” Neighlin hissed in a rough voice. “Little princess wants to get her hooves dirty?” A small circle on her neck flashed, a glowing sword appearing. “Little princesses should remain safe in their beds.”

“I’ve never had a problem getting my hooves dirty,” I growled, blasting her in the face with a sudden force spell. I deliberately kept it weak, just enough to stagger her. I had the mobility advantage here and I pressed it. The spectral blade swiped out at me but I sidestepped it easily, hitting Neighlin with another force blast, this one to her prosthetic. She stumbled and I hit her again, hammering her over and over, my wrath starting to turn them from force to fire.

“You've made a number of mistakes,” I said, stalking forward, my next blast severing some of the crystal off from her head. “Raising undead to attack the Crystal Empire, brazen attacks using the same.”

She snarled and the blade flashed forward, narrowly missing my neck. I ignored it and continued forward, another blast taking the artificial leg clean off. She screeched and fell into the snow, blood beginning to seep from where the leg had been attached. She tried to activate another circle but a wave of fire scorched all the markings from her side, leaving her writhing.

I tried to force my anger to a small corner of my mind, but it was proving difficult.

She started laughing. “Little princess does indeed prove wrathful, doesn’t she? Angered her have we? Oh, but she is mistaken, yes, mistaken indeed.”

I frowned as she continued to rave to herself.

“Mistakes were made, yes,” she muttered, her wild eyes turning to me. “But raise the dead, that was not myself. Sombra, he and the heir did that.”

“You’re mad, and a murderer,” I snarled, stopping before her. “Worst of all, though?” I said, leaning down almost nose to nose with her.

“You hurt my wife.”

The fire blazed brightly in the arctic night, my unblinking gaze watching as it trickled down, leaving just melted snow and ash.

Chapter 20. Battle Dawn

I must contain my anger, or I won't control my power-
But gods! How long I've waited just to see this very hour!
It's just as well I'm not the one who calls the storm of fire---
Or I would turn this battle plain into your funeral pyre!

I watched as the Sirens sang their healing song as a physician pressed a bandage against the gash in Sunshine’s side. Anger boiled in my heart. This was a friend, and she had been sorely wounded. The fight hadn’t seemed real until now. Yes, I had seen massive injuries, but they had been impersonal, faceless soldiers with cuts and broken bones, seemingly painless.

This was Sunshine, quite possibly one of the gentlest mares I knew.

Anger roiled, and I found myself forcing my horn not to draw mana. I was going to be advising Princess Cadence when the actual attack went forth, even though I had insisted Twilight would be the better tactician.

“You rescued us without your magic, Starlight,” she had said. “You are a better tactician than you realize.”

I looked at the tears on my friend's muzzle and doubts vanished in determination.

The priests all say I must not hate--- but I will not pretend.
I saw the wreck you made of her, my student and my friend---
The scars you left in flesh and soul will be so slow to fade---
Oh, would I had your coward heart beneath my naked blade!

I slowly walked back to the Palace. I smelled of smoke and fire, but I didn’t care. The EUP and Wonderbolts that saw me made way after a few salutes or bows. Only Azure refused to dip her head, seeing in my eyes what I had done.

“Get the witch, did you?” she asked. I knew she could smell the smoke in my mane.

“You could say that,” I said without slowing. “But it’s not over yet.”

She nodded. “Oh, aye,” she said. “We’ve not had a shortage of fighting in this, and suren more is to come.”

I barely heard her words. I had to see how my wife was.

I must control my rage, or lose ability to plan,
I must direct the fight from here, not charging in the van.
As you will likewise do, no doubt, for all that you are cruel
And revel in shed blood and pain, I think you are no fool.

But in the name of all the gods, you're all that I despise,
Who planned to take by treachery my kingdom as your prize---
My throne, my child, my people. All, you plotted to despoil---
By tricks that only miracles enabled us to foil.

I couldn’t read the reports any longer. My mane was lank from lack of care. I felt a hoof rub my back between my wings.

“Cady,” Shining said. “Come to bed. It’s late and you can’t do any more from staring at the reports cross-eyed.”

I nodded, too tired to even speak. I looked out the window, seeing the sun touching the horizon, my Aunt doing her duty at the end of the day.

I felt the anger at the injuries that we had sustained. Soarin had born Sunshine back suddenly from a sneak attack, one of her wings missing and a horrid gash down her side. The medics and Adagio assured me she was fine, but I knew the injury would run deeper than the physical.

I desired to lead from the front, to show my citizens I was not the type to order marches without willing to bleed with them.

But I knew that my place was here, keeping the populace calm. There is only one job a ruler has in a kingdom.

To make everything better.

I must control my fury or let slip all that I've sought-
But vengeance would not be enough for all the grief you've wrought.
Gods grant this day you fall beneath the steel of me and mine---
And drink full deeply of defeat, that cold and bitter wine.

I polished the steel of the boots Sunset had made. Jackie and I had decided that we’d fight side-by-side all the way to the end, no matter what. But we had agreed that Sorla was mine for what she had done.

I saw the faces of my parents in my thoughts. Not the specters, but my actual parents, their smiles, their laughter. I kept that image burning in my mind the entire time, building a wall against further intrusions upon my psyche.

Regardless of which of us made it in first, I vowed that she’d feel my hooves at least once, for my parent’s sake.

My crown is on my brow, my naked blade within my hand.
My army like an eager hound lies waiting my command.
With how you tortured, killed and lied revealed to them this day---
By all the stars that ever shone,
By all the gods, known and unknown,
For all my friends and the Princess' Own---
I swear that you will pay!

I looked in on Sunshine after the Sirens tended to her. The injury wasn’t bad, as her wings were manifestations of her magic, but the bolt that had torn the left one off had also scored a pretty nasty wound along her side. They had sedated her until the pain faded.

Anger boiled in my mind, my wings ruffling with the desire to take to the air and do to Sorla and her army what I had attempted to do to Tirek. This was just as much an attack on me as it was on her.

I don’t care if it’s frowned on. I’m going to show them what it’s like to fight with magic, and I knew a certain mare that was going to do the same.

I turned and saw Sunset walk in, her eyes hard and the smell of smoke hung about her, along with another fainter smell I couldn’t place. She looked me in the eyes.

I nodded. No words needed to be passed between us.

The battle was about to dawn.

Author's Note

For a better understanding of the lyrics:

Chapter 21. March - Sunset

Ponies milled about in the main parade grounds, the armor of the EUP and the Crystal Guard gleaming in the early morning sun. Nervousness and an undercurrent of fear filtered through the air. I could smell it as easily as I could when Sunshine decided to cook early breakfasts.

I ground my teeth, thinking of her. She had woken up late in the night and she wasn’t in pain, despite the large cut in her shoulder. The pain was mantic, she wouldn’t be able to manifest her wings for at least a day, so she was effectively out of the coming assault. She had kissed me before I left for the assemblage, with a look and a whispered thought.

Come back to me, the same as she had told me back during the fight with Acerak. I had winked at her in response, reassuring her with a wide grin. Staring out at the milling soldiers, though, it didn’t bode well. I couldn’t blame them, though. War was something most of these ponies had never seen and weren’t prepared for.

I smiled ruefully at that. It seemed at times that the EUP had both great members and more often mediocre members. I had slipped past plenty without effort when I went to steal Twilight’s crown, and from what I had heard, Rainbow had been framed easily by someone dropping off a cake to a trio of guards not too long ago.

“You look worried,” Twilight said as she alighted on the elevated walkway with me.

“They haven’t seen nearly what we have,” I said. “They’re not ready for this.”

“They’ve faced small groups in the patrols," she countered.

“And I’ve run firefights in Warfare with my Dash,” I said. “Doesn’t mean I’m qualified to carry a firearm.”

She sighed. “Any suggestions?” she asked as the captains and sergeants called the ranks to order.

I looked down at the assembling ranks. I was about to speak when I heard a voice ring out over the silence.

“Look alive!” it shouted. “I’ve seen foals stand up straighter!” Azure walked up the ranks, Gleam Star and Shining Armor with her. Our friends trailed behind them slightly. The usual look of mirth was gone, replaced with a stern frown.

She took a spot with Gleam at the head of a column as Shining Armor climbed up to stand next to us.

“This is probably the hardest task I’ve ever assigned anypony to do,” he said, his voice carrying through the parade ground. “To march forth and face a foe that terrifies you. But think of your families, think of the families that live within these walls, and don’t flag or fail.

“Remember your training, and remember your oaths, and Celestia grace you all.”

“He has a simple earnestness about him,” I said. “I can see why Cadence fell for him.”

“That’s my B.B.B.F.F for you,” Twilight said. She sighed. “They don’t look any more enthused than before.”

I blinked a few times, trying to think of something to do to alleviate the worries of the soldiers when a strident voice began to sing.

Axes flash, broadsword swing,
Shining armor's piercing ring
Run we all with a polished shield,
Fight those bastards till they yield
Midnight mare and blood red roan,
Fight to keep this land your own
Sound the horn and call the cry,
How many of them can we make die?

I looked down to see Azure, her horn alight as her flute piped out a marching tune. Gleam joined in with her on the next verse.

Follow orders as you're told,
Make their yellow blood run cold
Fight until they all drop,
A force like ours is hard to stop!
Close your mind to stress and pain,
Fight till you're no longer sane
Let not one damn cur pass by,
How many of them can we make die?

I saw several of the more veteran soldiers join in midverse, including AJ, Jackie, Hot Shot, and RD. The Raritys and Fluttershys held back, and the Pinkies were just watching the growing voice with glee.

The Sirens joined in, and their gems began to glow, triggering the gems of the Elements my friends wore, causing light to leap forth and connect them to their twins.

Guard your walls and children well,
Send these bastards back to hell
We'll teach them the ways of war,
They won't come here any more
Use your shield and use your head,
Fight till every one is dead
Raise the flag up to the sky,
How many of them can we make die?

I found myself and Twilight singing with them as we winged our way down to join the vanguard as the standard was raised and the gates opened. We began marching down the road next to Shining Armor, the human Bearers all clad in the armor granted by the geodes. As I joined them, my armor appeared as well, and surprisingly, similar armor manifested around each of the Equestrian Bearers.

Azure’s clear voice rang out with the final verses as the sound of hooves thundered in the dawn air, echoed by two thousand pony soldiers.

Dawn has broke, the time has come,
Move your hooves to the marching drum
We'll win the war and pay the toll,
We'll fight as one in heart and soul
Midnight mare and blood red roan,
Fight to keep this land your own
Sound the horn and call the cry,
How many of them can we make die?

Axes flash, broadsword swing,
Shining armor's piercing ring
Run we all with polished shield,
Fight those bastards till they yield
Midnight mare and blood red roan,
Fight to keep this land your own
Sound the horn and call the cry,
How many of them can we make die?

I found Azure as we marched. Her cocksure grin was back as her flute sheathed itself again.

“You’ve done this before,” I said to the bard.

“Once or twice,” she said, her Foalksmill brogue thick with her laughter. “Soldiers are a stubborn lot more oft than not. Sometimes you just need t’ whip up the blood, make ‘em believe they can do anything.” She glanced at me. “Mighty fancy armor you got there.”

“Long story behind it,” I said.

“I’d love to hear it, we make it through this.” she said, flute sliding forth again to join the drummer in a piping march tune.

The march on the encampment had begun.

Author's Note

In case you want to hear the march...

Chapter 22. As Above - Twilight Sparkle/Sunshine

We stood on a hilltop, the chill wind ruffling our coats. I glanced over at Sunset, the cold look in her eye having returned. It bothered me to see her like that, but I had trouble faulting her. Below us, the milling army of undead formed rough ranks. A single figure started trotting out, and I went forward with Shining Armor to meet with them.

Sorla looked at us with the emotionless eyes that made her unreadable. I shivered as the gaze roved over me before turning to my brother.

“I assume that this is not a social call,” she said, the corners of her mouth quirking upwards.

“We will give you this one chance to surrender,” Shining Armor said. “Lay down your arms and release the spell you have on those poor souls and we will show leniency.”

“No,” she replied, turning to leave. “You want my head, come and claim it. No quarter, asked nor given.”

I watched as she trotted off. “That could have gone better,” I said.

Shining smiled grimly as we went back to the vanguard. Azure piped up as we reached the front rank.

“Am I to assume she didn’t kiss your hindquarters when you asked her to?” she called, eliciting a laugh from the front rank around her.

“No, she politely declined,” Shining said, smiling, causing a fresh round of laughter.

“The terms?” Gleam Star asked, his size imposing while standing this close to him. Even Big Mac would have seemed small next to him.

“No quarter, asked nor given,” my brother sighed. “She’s dedicated to the course, and so are we.”

We formed ranks again and crested the hill, watching as the mismatched group of risen dead shambled towards us, struggling with the snow. We started marching forth, the frontmost guards lowering lances as we slowly began building to a trot. Sunset, the Dashes, and I hopped into the air, wings spread as the army sped into a canter, then a full gallop. The Wonderbolts shot past us, diving in strafing runs as the two armies clashed. Sunset let forth a lance of fire, carving a path directly in front of her, landing in the slush and powering up another spell. I landed behind her and guarded her flank, just as Sunshine would have. The press of the opposing army was immediate, coming forward from all sides. I threw up a shield, holding them at bay for a moment while Sunset finished her spell, a large sphere of fire falling directly over us before she added her mana to my shield, covering us from all but the hot wash of air as the fireball detonated.

But for all the burnt corpses and piles of ash, more rushed in to fill the void.

“This is going to be a very long day,” she said, horn lighting up again as we were swallowed by the oncoming horde.

I watched the battle in the mirror as Cadence and Starlight reviewed a map and moved pieces on it, giving orders to be conveyed to the battlefield. I stretched my left foreleg out, working through the pain in the shoulder and stretching the scar tissue a little. I hated that Sunny was out there without me, but I knew she had all of our friends from both sides of the mirror with her.

I forced down a flash of anger at myself. She had warned me to stay together, but I had rushed off after a set of Earth Ponies because I was worried that our patrols wouldn’t have caught them. It had cost me a day in the medical ward and I was warned not to try to manifest my wings again or take my Midnight form for a few days.

The memory of the bolt ripping through the juncture of my wing replayed itself over and over in my mind. To take my mind off it I had pulled a few books of magic theory from the library, reading them over, finding the information enlightening.

“Do you need anything?” I hear a voice, looking up to see Sonata poking her head in. Her regular roostertail was missing, her mane loose down her neck and over her shoulder.

“No, thank you,” I said. “Are you ok?”

She fidgeted for a moment. “You were hurt pretty bad,” she started. “And now our friends are out there, and I’m afraid they won’t come back.”

I got up and moved over to her, hugging her. All the Sirens had warmed considerably since the incident with the Harpies. They were now part of my circle of friends, and I hated my friends worrying like this.

“It’s ok, Sonata,” I said as a flash of orange light from the mirror caught my eye, revealing Sunset and Twilight for a moment, their coats smoking.

“They’ll come back.”

I blinked the flash spots away as I shot a bolt of force forward, given us some clearance to take to the air again. Sunset’s horn never dimmed, though I could see mana drain beginning to build in her eyes. She shot out another lance of fire, giving some beleaguered EUP a chance to regroup.

“We can’t keep this up for long,” I called out, adding my own firepower to the assault, blasting a Pegasus from dive bombing AJ and Jackie. I saw diamond constructs both slicing through ranks and shielding medics as they ferried wounded from the lines.

“We have to,” she replied. “She can’t have an unlimited source of fighters. Eventually, they’ll burn out.”

We landed again, rotating in place as we fired beams of force and fire, clearing a large circle around my brother, Azure, Gleam, and the Apples.

“We ain’t gaining any ground,” AJ shouted, her armor scored and pitted. Jackie had a long scratch along her armor, bearing testament to how fierce the fight was getting. I saw out of the corner of my eye that the circle was drawing closed again. I set myself, wings spreading out of reflex.

“Just in case,” Azure said, rapier floating in front of her. “It’s been an honor, Princess. Both of you.”

The horde descended on us again, but just as we began striking a swath of them were blow away by a plummeting form. I had thought it was a Wonderbolt strafe, but the form didn’t pull up. Rather, is landed and fired a bolt from her horn, the teal blast momentarily blinding me. When my sight cleared, I grinned at the sight.

Princess Luna stood there, an axe worked with lunar images hovering in her mantic grasp. Her armor was reminiscent of the barding she had worn as Nightmare Moon, dark and simple. A trio of her personal guard landed around her, the Pegasi eyeing the undead as though personally insulted.

“Luna!” Sunset cried, the cry going up across the battlefield that the Princess of the Moon had joined the fray.

“A fine fight thou hast found, Twilight Sparkle, Sunset Shimmer,” she said, her axe cleaving through a hornless Unicorn and blasting a nearly featherless Pegasus from the air. “Mine sister has hastened to the palace to aid in the planning and my thestrals shall join us upon the setting of the sun.”

I grinned. The tide before us wasn’t any smaller, but the size of our arsenal had just grown.

“Aunt Celie!” Cadence cried as the Princess of the Sun entered the room, clad in armor with a broadsword along her barrel.

“Luna and I decided that we would be of more use here than watching the borders,” she said, nuzzling her niece as I and the Sirens bowed. “Well, Luna decided, and I decided to keep an eye on her. She’s at the front and I thought I’d help with planning a counteroffensive.”

The two princesses began discussing plans and strategies, but something began digging in the back of my mind. The mention of a counteroffensive had sparked a fragment of a memory, something important, but the more I groped for the thought the more elusive it became.

“Well, it’s nice to know that our odds went up,” Starlight said as she returned from fetching a meal for everyone. “Fortunately, they haven’t lost any ground, but they haven’t gained any either. It seems that the army was larger than we thought.”

“How are the mana converters holding out?” I asked, referring to the crystals that she, Sunset, Twilight and I had infused to redirect mana into flame spells.

“They seem to be holding up, but the mana ratio is off with some,” she sighed. “Just too many variables and not enough time to test.”

I nodded, the niggling thought slowly drifting to the front again. Something about crystals and mana. I heard Sunset’s voice for a moment, quiet and sleepy.

As above, so below.

Thaumaturgy, enchantment, whatever you called it, it dealt with transferring mana from one location to another, or from one thing to another.

I frowned, bringing the book I had read over to me again, pages flipping as it brought up a section on thaumaturgic rituals.

“Sunshine?” Starlight asked.

“Somethings not right,” I said. “There’s too many for her to be able to raise and control based on the Law of Thaumaturgic Decay.”

“The what?” Aria asked.

“It’s a law that states that any imbued item, be it a bracelet or a raised body, it takes more mana to create than it produces,” Starlight said, coming to look over my shoulder at the diagrams. “If she’s right than Sorla is breaking all kinds of magic laws.”

“I think she’s using crystals,” I said. “It’s been years since Sombra attempted to retake the Empire, but she waited till now to make her move. She likely used that time to store mana in batteries of some sort.”

“It’s possible,” Starlight said. “But the stockpile she’d need would be enormous and our scout reports haven’t revealed any.”

“I don’t think she’d be hauling them around,” I said, seeing a familiar thaumaturgic symbol. “I think she’s draining them from a distance.”

I laid the book down, showing the same circle that Twilight had tried drawing back in her lab at the castle in Ponyville.

Starlight looked at the diagram, then whirled and grabbed a map, laying it down next to the book. A quill flew over from a desk, and she began drawing lines on it.

“We’ve been trying to make sense of the patterns her patrols have been working,” She said, the quill flying feverishly across the map. “They didn’t adequately cover the land she had claimed for camp. There was a perimeter search, but the internal patrols were seemingly erratic.” She lowered the quill and turned the map to us. Precise lines of a thaumaturgic circle were now evident.

“She's turned the battlefield into one giant thaumaturgic circle,” she said. Grabbing the map and rushing to the war room to alert the Princesses.

I reached inside, pulling as much mana as I could and forced it through the bond with as much clarity as I could.

Sunny, it’s a trap!

Chapter 23. So Below - Sunset

Sunny! It’s a trap!

Sunshine’s warning cry blasted it’s way into my awareness, accompanied by a mental image of a map with a large thaumaturgic circle draw on it.

I leaped into the air and pulled on what little mana I had left to empower my Royal Voice.

"Fall back! Fall back to the ridge line!"

Luna and Twilight looked at me as though I had grown a second head.

“Why hast thou sounded a retreat?” Luna called.

“It’s a trap,” I said, turning my attention to the ground forces as they made an organized retreat. Strangely, the risen enemies did not pursue. They followed to a point and then stopped, milling about confusedly.

“How can you know?” Twilight asked.

“Sunshine and Starlight found something,” I said as we were flanked by Wonderbolts as we made our way to the ridge line. “We’re not close enough for perfect contact, so we’ll have to rely on the communication network.”

Just as we landed on the ridge line, the entire below erupted in blue light, the shockwave of mantic power flowing out ruffling the manes, tails, and feathers of the assembled army. I looked back, seeing the forms of the soldiers we had been fighting against dissolve away like grains of sand being carried by the wind. I looked on in horror as the tower of mantic blue light grew brighter with each destroyed minion.

“Maker,” Luna murmured.

“The whole thing was a diversion,” Twilight whispered. “If we had been in that area when the spell went off…”

“We might have been drained of our mana, at the least,” I said, feeling the spell tug at my horn slightly. “If not our life essence itself.”

The tower of mantic light began to fade, revealing the hidden lines of the circle that had lain under the snow, the heat of the spell having melted the snow around the area. On the far side of the battlefield, I could make out the armored form of a pony. It turned and galloped away.

“Oh, no you don’t,” I said, leaping to the air. With my mana so low from the constant fighting, it felt like I was trying to fly through mud. I had to keep pumping my wings to stay aloft, despite the updrafts I felt at times. I saw Twilight and the Dashes come abreast of me.

“This is weird,” Dash said. “It’s like my wings are made of lead.”

“Mana draining effect must still be wearing off,” Twilight said. “Magic helps us fly like we do.”

Hot Shot scoffed. “We’re not going to quit just because it’s hard, are we?”

In answer, I pumped my wings hard, feeling the muscles starting to burn from the extra exertion.

“How is she keeping so far ahead of us?” Twilight panted as we ran through the snow. Our wings had long since given up on us, the increased toll making us all land. A ridge started to grow before us, figures milling about on top. I slowed down, knowing how little mana I had left.

As we approached, I started to frown. The glints of the evening sun on the armor looked wrong. “Is it just me,” I stated. “Or do those look like…"

“Halt!" A voice called out from the side. We turned to see a member of the EUP advancing, lance lowered. “Advance and be recognized!”

Twilight and I exchanged glances and spread our wings to their full length. The soldier hurriedly pulled her lance up. “Your Highness!” she sputtered. “F-forgive me, I didn’t…”

“It’s ok, corporal,” Twilight said. “It’s been a long day for everyone.”

We walked up, seeing the resting soldiers and the valley beyond, a large blasted field of snow, ice glittering in the shape of a mantic circle.

“How did we go in a circle?” Dash asked. “We went in a straight line, I know we did.”

“Had to be a spell of some sort,” I said. “It’s the only explanation.”

“Stand ready!” a call came from down the ridge. I rushed over to see the ranks forming as a mass of red eyes boiled from a narrow valley to the west.

Luna walked down the line, wings spread and axe held aloft. Her voice thundered in the eerie silence.

“Soldiers!” she called. “Battle is to be joined again! Many times hast thou repelled them, and thou shalt do so again! For we art the ones that defied Sombra in the past. With us today stand the Elements of Harmony, their power ready to stand to our defense! Three Princesses stand with thee, so thou hast but one order!”

She turned towards the charging force, axe making a small swipe in the air.

“Hold the line!"

I was weary. I had long lost count of the foes that I had smote down with my hooves when my mana was expended. Even Luna had resorted to hoof to hoof combat when her reserves fell low. Celestia had lowered the sun and raised the moon, bright and high. Wonderbolts were trading strafing runs with the thestral guards of Luna’s personal group. Twilight was nearby, her left wing cradled gingerly to her side after a particularly nasty tackle from a risen Earth Pony.

One thing was sure though, we held the line. The ridge gave us the advantage of the high ground, and the strafing runs the Pegasi and thestrals were able to do ran both ways. Few of the enemy Pegasi were capable of flight, so we also held the air advantage.

But we suffered in numbers. It seemed that no matter how many we sent back to their rest there was another to take their place.

Something started to filter into my hearing over the sounds of battle. A voice, high and clear singing. As the voice grew closer, the zomponies we were facing began to lose their coordination, as though the magic binding them was being disrupted. The voice came even clearer.

Come, little children, I’ll take thee away,
Into a land of enchantment.
Come, little children, the time’s come to play,
Here in my garden of shadows.

I recognized the voice, it was Sonata.

“Is that Sonata?” Twilight asked. “She’s supposed to be back at the palace to tend to the wounded.”

The voice came closer, the song growing louder.

Follow, sweet children, I’ll show thee the way
Through all your pain and the sorrows.
Weep not, poor children, For life is this way,
Murdering beauty and passions.

She switched to a wordless pitch, the sound haunting and ethereal. A mist began to form around the battlefield as I heard voices start to harmonize with her. The front ranks of the enemy began to grow listless, standing still as the light in their sunken eyes began to flicker. The scrapes and bruises I had gained began to glow warmly, fading slowly. Wounds all over the ranks of the EUP or Crystal Guard began to heal over. I even felt a small increase in my mana reserves.

The three Sirens came forth, still harmonizing the song and accompanied by Starlight and Sunshine, also singing. Sunshine’s Element was glowing and she was carrying three red crystals with her magic. Sonata took back the song, her four companions switching to harmonizing the words.

Hush now, dear children, it must be this way,
So weary of life and deceptions,
Rest now, dear children for soon we’ll away,
Into the calm and the quiet.

I hope this isn’t an interruption, Sunshine asked me through the bond as she came up to stand next to me. I smiled and accepted the nuzzle despite her singing directly into my ear.

“Not at all,” I said, glad for the respite. I could feel my mana slowly recharging in the wash of healing magic. “What's with the recital?”

Necromancy works through negative energy and malice fed through mana to power the craft, she replied. I figured cancelling out the magic in a zero sum game would be the best way to help.

I caught the thought process. “And healing magic is comprised of compassion and positive energy,” I said.

She nodded, smiling. Azure had joined into the song, her clear soprano carrying the song down the ranks, the healing spell slowly expanding.

I’ve set up an enchantment on these crystals to link any Unicorns with mana left to carry the positive energy as far as the song carries, she said. It should destabilize them.

I saw the front rank of undead slowly lower themselves to the ground, eyes shifting from red to blue, lids slowly drifting shut.

Come, little children, I’ll take thee away,
Into a land of enchantment,
Come, little children, the night’s come at last,
Here in my garden of shadows.

Sleep now, dear children, your labors are done,
Close now your eyes and slumber,
Rest now, dear children, I’ll sing thee away
Back to the land of magic.

As she started the song over, I watched as the undead in the forward ranks closed their eyes as though sleeping, and the bodies began to dissipate. The following ranks closed in only to be caught in the same sonic lullaby as before. I joined in on the singing, as did Twilight and Luna and I heard the song begin to echo throughout the regimen from Unicorns, including Shining Armor’s tenor and the Alto voices of Rarity and Elegance.

Slowly, the army began progressing down the hill, slowly releasing the souls to their slumber. As the ranks slowly thinned, we saw some in the rearmost ranks begin to retreat.

Once the last of the undead still opposing us fell, we began to taper off the song. I looked around, soldiers dropping down to rest. The Bearers all gathered. I looked at them all. They all gave me a solemn nod.

I glanced at Sunshine. “You sure you’re up to this?” I asked.

She smirked at me and spread her spectral wings. “As long as we don’t get shot at again,” she said.

I looked at the retreating ranks. In the bright moonlight, I could almost make out the fringes of Goraumn’s Overlook in the distance.

It was time to bring an end to this.

Chapter 24. Backlash - Applejack and Sunset

We galloped across the plain, quickly approaching the overlook. As we neared, several more of the risen ponies made to stop us, but a quick outburst of song from the Sirens and the unicorns among us either made them lie down peacefully or - in the case of two undead Unicorns powering spells - explode violently. I winced as bits bounced off my armor, missing my stetson something fierce. It's weight and shade were comforting to me, but it had been knocked from my head sometime during the last offensive and I hadn’t had time to retrieve it.

It was just us, the Element Bearers from both sides of the mirror and the Sirens. I glanced over at Rainbow Dash, a pang of worry cropping up. I knew she’d back me up just as sure as Jackie would, but that didn’t mean I could stop the worry. Jackie’s red mane flickered into my vision, reminding me of her vow to stick with me, Apples to the end.

Sunset and both Twilights were flying in the lead, shielding us from incoming magic bolts. I remembered Sunshine being carried into the infirmary, a huge, bleeding gash along her side. I was surprised to see her join us out on the field so soon again, but all things being equal, I’d seen stranger things.

When we crested the hill, we saw Sorla standing with a pair of undead who looked decidedly less than friendly. They had spikes sticking out from multiple surfaces and the red of their eyes glowed with the sheen of fire, small wisps of smoke rising from their bodies.

“Demonspawn,” Twilight spat. “I’m surprised even you would resort to calling those.”

The Unicorn sneered. “You have no room to talk,” she gritted. “I know of who your three friends there are. I thought the last were banished long ago.” She glared at the Sirens. “Your songs will have no effect on my personal guard, though perhaps a funeral dirge would be appropriate. After all, you have taken the strongest of your army and brought it here, leaving them open for the flanking attack I have just ordered.”

The two demon ponies stepped forward, the snow melting around their feet. Sunset and Sunshine landed, wings spread in an aggressive manner while Twilight settled down behind them, eyes narrowed.

“Dash,” she said. “You and Shot get warning to the vanguard. You’re the fastest way we have right now.”

The two Pegasi turned to wing their way off when Sorla stamped her hooves down, horn flaring brightly as a hemispherical dome of ice appeared, trapping us inside. Dash couldn’t quite pull away in time and rebounded from the wall, landing dazed by my hooves.

I knelt down in front of her, brushing her mane from her face as she blinked and shook her head. I smiled as I heard magic start to be exchanged.

“You’ve landed hardern’ that,” I said. “Sure yer not just lookin’ to take a nap?”

She smiled dazedly and reached up to boop me on the nose, just as I had done shortly before she kissed me for the first time. “Just a short one,” she said, rolling back to her hooves. “Been a long day, after all.”

I turned to see our friends not just fighting the two demons that had been there when we arrived, but a handful more risen ponies that had appeared. I winced as Diane grabbed a small chunk of ice from the ground and threw it, the shard of ice exploding as it struck her target. I was a little uneasy being that close to a Pinkie that could make things explode. Dash nudged me in the ribs as Jackie came over to me, a grin on her face.

“One last charge?” the red-maned pony asked, holding her hoof out.

I bumped mine against it. “Lets go,” I said.

Dash grinned. “Go get em, sugar cube,” she said, darting off to run interference with Hot Shot against a few skeletal Pegasi.

Our friends were locked in combat, but Sorla was slowly edging her way back towards her tent. I pawed the ground for a second, making sure that I had good traction as I bore down and charged, shouldering one of the demons aside as I did.

Sorla was mine.

I saw AJ dart off as I turned to buck the demon that had squared off with me in the jaw. My wing twitched as I connected, feeling like I had just kicked a concrete wall. I stumbled forward, my red mane falling into my face as I turned and threw up a shield to block the slashing attack made in return.

What is she doing? Sunshine thought at me as she fired a bolt of force into the face of our opponent.

Evening the score, I said, charging up a complex spell. Payback for the specters.

Sunshine threw up a shield as I continued to power the spell. Should we duck? she asked as the glow began to expand past my horn and encompass my body as well.

Might not be a bad idea, I replied. I never thought I’d cast this thing.

Twilight turned and saw the spell.

“Are you crazy?” she shouted as she came over to me.

“Just a little,” I said, holding the spell to let the natural resonance build the power beyond what I could conjure on my own. “But trust me!”

Twilight gave me a look that screamed You’re bucking mad! and started backing away, taking the legs off of another risen as she did.

Sunshine nuzzled me roughly, the mana trickling off me making her mane stand on end for a moment. Don’t break your promise, she sent with a stern look before falling back herself.

I turned to face the demons, and they howled as they lit their horns as well, black waves of magic flowing in towards me.

I grinned and released the spell, the mana swirling away from me in a vortex that captured their attack and curved it around back towards them.

“Eat that,” I said as I watched their own magic spell consume them, then stumbled as mana exhaustion hit me. That rebound spell took a lot out of me.

Just before I blacked out, I saw AJ’s hoof collide with Sorla’s jaw.

The way it felt when my hoof cracked into her jaw was satisfying in a way that had no reason to feel that good. She stumbled backward, blood trickling from a split in her lip. She looked shocked.

“What’s the matter, cupcake?” I sneered. “Can’t take a hit?”

She climbed to her feet and stared at me in rage. “How dare you?” she seethed.

“How dare Ah?” I asked, circling around, looking for another opening. “You attacked one o’ mah friends, endangered folk, and used mah dead Mom and Dad against me!” I glared at her, tensing to spring forward. “The moon is too good fer the likes’o you.”

She smirked. “So, that’s all?” she chuckled before spitting some blood out on the snow. “If that’s all it took, I should have tried sooner.”

The sky started turning dark, storm clouds rolling in and thunder crackling in the distance.

Her horn glowed with an eerie dark purple sheen, and I suddenly couldn’t move, yanked forcibly into the air. I heard the shouts of surprise and turning my head I could see my friends in a similar spot, Pinkie actually flailing her legs about trying to right herself from the prone position she had been in when the spell took effect.

“You want to see true suffering?” Sorla sneered as she came up and got in my face. “Real reckoning for wrongs done?” Her eyes shone with anger and indignation. “I’ll show you the apocalypse, little pony.”

A wooden chest floated out, settling before her. It was engraved with countless runes and magic circles. She opened it and a curved, red and black horn floated out, jagged at the bottom.

I heard Twilight curse behind me.

“It seems fitting that I should use this to destroy you,” she said, the horn hovering in front of her as though she were contemplating a ripe apple. “Since you destroyed him when you stripped him of his horn.”

“Sorla,” Twilight said. “Don’t be a fool! Nopony knows what happens if you fuse another Unicorn’s horn to your own!”

“True,” she said, tilting her head to accede the princesses point. “But there’s only one way to find out.”

And she settled the horn over her own, the purple aura surrounding her horn moving to encompass her entirety. Her laughter grew deeper and began to echo in on itself.

“Oh, horseapples,” I heard Aria whisper.

The glow faded, and Sorla stood there, her father’s horn now fused with hers, spiral grooves circling out from where her horn ended. She was also larger, taller than Celestia and broader that Gleam Star. Her eyes glimmered with barely contained magic and her teeth were sharp as a timberwolf’s.

“Now,” she said, her voice reminding me of Nightmare Moon's. “Shall I give you despair?”

All the risen ponies that had been milling around disintegrated suddenly, the mana that animated them flowing into Sorla. Black crystal towers burst from the ground all around us, glimmering with mana and the faces screaming inside the glittering crystals.

I looked around as lightning flashed.

In the wake of the lightning, another, different light flashed, and I found myself floating in a white field. Slowly, each of my friends joined me.

Sunset stood there, hazy and indistinct.

“I can’t maintain this link long,” she said. “I’m really low on mana. We’ve got one chance, and we have to get the horn off of her.”

“Not to criticize, darling,” Rarity spoke. “But she does seem to have us immobilized.”

“Ya mean trussed up tighter’n a runaway hog,” Jackie said. “Ah can barely twitch mah tail.”

Sunshine smiled. “We don’t need to move,” she said, and raised a hoof to her Element.

Light flowed out, connecting her to her friends, and then a beam of golden light shot from each of them to their counterparts. I felt the beam strike just below where my neck met my barrel, and I felt a solid weight appear, a very familiar weight.

I looked down to see the apple-shaped ruby gem of the Element of Honesty.

“Well, this is a welcome surprise,” Twilight said as her crown appeared, the lavender gem inset once again.

“Think you can remember how to use it?” Sunset smirked.

“I think so.”

The light faded, and I dropped to the ground, suddenly released from the telekinetic grip. We had been separated from each other, I was surrounded by my friends from this side of the portal.

Sorla frowned. “What…”

A rainbow beam shot out from our friends from across the mirror. I focused on the Element around my neck and it powered up, synching with the other Elements and firing out as well.

I saw Sunset, Sunshine, and Twilight floating in the center of the group. Their elements glowed but hadn’t fired yet.Their wings spread and their eyes flared with magic, and two lavender beams shot out, joined by a red bolt, acting as the joint line of the two mirrored rainbows.

Never seen the red bolt before, I thought. Makes sense, though. Rainbows got red in em.

The combined rainbows wrapped around Sorla, and she writhed in its grip. I saw hairline cracks appear on her horn, light shining within. It suddenly shattered and she cried out in pain as she collapsed. The power from the Elements shot out and burst into the crystal towers, breaking them down and releasing a wash of mana that burst forth like water from a damn.

The Elements died, mine vanishing in a glimmer. I felt a momentary pang of loss as it went, my hoof coming to rest where it had laid. I felt a hoof rest on my shoulder, looking over as Dash rub my shoulder, a wing coming over to embrace me. Her face showed the same look I'm sure was on mine.

Sorla stumbled to her hooves, a cut just above her left eye streaming blood down her face. She snarled and a scroll flew out from under her cracked and bent barding, unrolling and landing before her. I tensed as a crystal flew out and landed in the center, flashing as it connected to the scroll.

“I’ve had enough of this,” She snarled, lighting her horn and placing a hoof on the scroll. I tensed as I prepared to dodge whatever came out, but the blue light suddenly flashed red, reaching up and latching onto her horn, a look of fear grabbing her.

“No,” she growled. “No, this shouldn’t happen!”

“What’s happening?” I asked as more as more red arcs of light reached up to grab at her.

Sunshine looked with a sad look. “Thaumaturgic spells prioritize live mana over stored,” she said. “Whatever spell she just tried to cast, it’s consuming her mana to power it.”

Twilight nodded. “And from the looks of it, she doesn’t have enough left to do so.”

The mana crystal shattered in a flare of red light, and the exposed fur on Sorla’s coat started to smoke, sections curling and singeing right down to expose the skin. She was screaming in pain.

I watched with a glare. This was what she deserved. She deserved pain for what she had done.

Does she, really? a voice asked in my head.

“Aw, applesauce,” I muttered before rushing forward.

She was now wreathed in the red light of the spell, writhing and screaming still. I spun as I approached and bucked her hard in the face.

Red light exploded, flinging me away in the force of the blast.

I remember rain starting to fall as darkness closed around me.

“Rain?” I murmured. “Shouldn’t it be snow?”

Unconciousness claimed me.

Chapter 25. Hallowing - Sunset

I laid there, staring at the rain falling down, my mane getting matted to my head. I couldn’t figure out why it was raining in a snowscape. My mana was still exhausted, and I felt the fatigue of the day-long battle hit me suddenly.

“Sunny? Sunny!?” I heard Sunshine whisper, concern evident in her voice.

I turned and stared at her, my lids heavy. “I’m ok,” I smiled. “But I could stand a nap right about now.”

She laughed in relief, plodding over to me. She stared up at the sky, raindrops sliding down her glasses. “Why is it raining?” she mused.

“Probably the release of the mana in those plinths,” Twilight said. “It’s unbalanced the weather in the area.”

“So,” Sonata said. “What are we going to do about her?” We all looked to where Sorla had landed after the explosion. Her fur was shriveled and blackened, burned right down to the flesh. Her horn was cracked and shattered at the tip. It would regrow eventually, but until then she’d be incapable of casting any magic. Her eyes, however, were ruined messes, the corneas filled with a milky white fluid. She was effectively blind.

I glanced over where AJ had landed. The farm pony stirred as Dash nuzzled her with a concerned look on her face.

“Anypony get a look at the train that hit me?” she joked as she rubbed her head.

I slowly climbed to my feet, going over to Sorla, hearing her ragged and pained breath. They were sharp and rapid, and her face was twisted in pain.

“Is there anything you can do?” Elegance asked the Sirens.

Adagio shrugged. “We can help with the pain, maybe some of the burns,” she said. “But the eyes, those are beyond what we can do.”

“Do it,” I said gently. “She shouldn’t be forced to suffer, despite her crimes.”

The song started, refreshing each of us as it healed the worst of the burns on the defeated Unicorn. I slid a forbearance spell around her horn just to be safe.

She laid there, a grimace of pain still crossing her face as her muscles twitched or she moved in any way that pulled at the burns on her flesh.

“This isn’t over,” she rasped. “Nieghlin is still out there, and she will free me. She is bound to me.”

“No, she won’t,” I said quietly. “She’s a pile of ash in a snowdrift about three miles from here.”

“And you called me cruel,” she gritted.

“She left me no choice,” I said, feeling my face grow hard and cold. “Just as you have.”

I turned and walked over to Sunshine. For the first time since the battle started, we had a moment of quiet. I swept her up and kissed her hard as the rain thundered down.

“I was so worried about you,” I whispered into her ear as we held each other.

I heard various ponies coo in the background but ignored them.

“One thing I have to ask,” Twilight said as she came up to me. “You could have subdued Neighlin easily. You came back that day smelling of smoke and burned flesh.”

“And you want to know why,” Sunshine said.

“I know why,” the Princess of Friendship said. “I want to know why she went as far as she did.”

I felt every eye on the overlook fall on me. I shifted on my hooves uneasily.

“She hurt my wife,” I whispered.

The combined exclamation was deafening.

Several days later, we were all rested and healed from the physical wounds. I was standing on the overlook again with Twilight. We had discovered a cache of mana crystals glittering black with necromantic energy.

“Are you sure about this?” I asked.

“Trust me,” she said, levitating an ancient piece of parchment over to me to review. “If we tried to discharge the mana any other way we’d be swept up in the tide.”

I looked behind us, seeing the milling undead wandering aimlessly. Sorla may have animated them, but the crystals bound them to the world. I skimmed the words on the parchment again. It was a complex spell that would take both of us to pull off.

The tricky part would be not incinerating us as well in the process.

We spread our wings and lit our horns as we took to the air, our mind's eye creating the complex shapes of the spell. Then, in unison, we began reciting the words of the spell.

Para nudoii, furmo blooru. Brag za hars, karzard azuzard, kisku. Hansay glos silk. Zam-zin zar-oni eni meto, ari deko za heerun-eni rooyan. Tia-tio rain, zazard, zazard, sorono, rono-sook…

The hallowing spell was long and complicated, but when it unleashed itself, it’s glare swept over Goraumn’s Overlook, consuming the crystals, the undead, and the overlook itself. When the flare of light died down, nothing remained of the undead, crystals, or half the rock of the overlook.

We touched down, and I stared at the devastation the spell left in its wake.

“Now all that’s left to deal with is Sorla,” Twilight said. Then she grinned. “And your wedding reception.”

I groaned. “Couldn’t that wait until the actual wedding?”

“It’s what you get for having Luna perform a wedding in a dream state prior to going to war,” she said, sticking her tongue out at me.

I couldn’t be mad at her. She had a point, and she probably knew just as well as Sunshine did how to put me at ease. They had been spending a lot of time together since the attack of Acerak.

“Let’s just try and keep the Pinkie’s under control, at least?” I hedged.

“Agreed,” she said before winging her way towards the palace.

Sorla was curled up in the corner of the cell. She was still blind, but the healers had managed to heal the worst of the burns. She was still going to have scars and no guarantee that her fur and mane would grow back properly. The shackles that hobbled her were inscribed with tiny runes that would leech away mana as it regenerated, ensuring that she couldn’t light a candle without a match.

I stared at her, emotions conflicting. She, for the moment, was just to be incarcerated while the Princesses convened to deliberate over her fate. AJ stood next to me, a glare focused on the mare that had threatened a kingdom.

“I can hear you breathing,” she muttered, turning her blind eyes to us. “Out with it.”

“Why?” AJ asked. “Why use undead? Why deny folk their proper rest?”

“That’s your question?” she said, turning away again. We waited, but she never uttered another word. I turned to walk away, but AJ slammed her hoof into one of the bars of the cell before turning.

I put a wing over her shoulder. “Sometimes, we don’t get all the answers,” I said.

“It ain’t right,” she grumped.

“No,” I said, mind whisking back to bring my parent’s faces into my mind, their smiles evident. “No, it’s not. But sometimes we have to just move along, as best as we can.”

She wasn’t satisfied, but her frown eased.

“Now how about you tell me how you and Dash hooked up,” I said, mischief in my voice.

Her blush was worth ever rib I had gotten over my hush-hush wedding.

Epilog - Twilight

We giggled as we fell backwards onto the bed, our hands still clasped together.

"I'm sorry," Sunny said. "But I am so glad to get out of these heels!" She gave her feet a little kick and I heard the shoes thump on the floor.

I giggled at that as I slid my loafers off. The advantage to having the Pony Rarity go over your outfit and hair prior to going out was you didn't have to worry about sneaking comfortable shoes into the outfit. Since she never had experience with them, she never thought to double check. I almost felt guilty.

Almost.

"Well, then," I said, rolling over slightly and looking at her over the rims of my glasses, knowing that she liked the way it looked.

She grinned, a slight flush covering her cheeks. "Yes?"

"Shall we discuss the plans I made for the honeymoon?" I reached over and pushed a lock of hair back behind her ear.

"Well, there's the house in Equestria," She said. "Rent free and easily stocked."

"I was thinking of something else," I said, leaning in and kissing her on the ear. "Princess Cadence mentioned it, actually, before we left the Crystal Empire."

"Oh?" she whispered, her voice going a little husky.

"She mentioned a resort she and her Shining Armor went to on their honeymoon," I said, my breath against her neck. I could feel her shiver. I had never been this forward about things before the games, and I knew that she had become more analytical since we had become friends. I suspected that parts of our personalities had synched up after the events of the Games.

Or maybe we had just become more in tune with them. In either case, it wasn't important right now.

"A resort," she whispered. "What's it called?"

"Hello Tropics," I said, reaching the tip of her chin. "She said she'd put us in touch with one of the directors, an Oxygen Rush, I believe."

"Isn't that the fancy and expensive resort down in Jamaneca?"

"It's already paid for, Sunny," I said, kissing her to silence her.

Wedding gift from the Princesses, I said through the bond.

Remind me to keep them on the Christmas list, she thought in response, easing into the kiss.

"Um, Twilight?" I heard a voice ask.

I looked up to see Fluttershy standing in the doorway to the library. She was nervous, the twitching in her wings giving it away. "What is it, 'Shy?" I asked, setting the book I was reading aside.

"I...I wanted to ask you something," she said, her voice soft.

"Sure," I said. "What's on your mind?"

"Well, I...that is, well...I, um...like you."

Did she just say what I think she said? Outwardly, I smiled and offered a well-known exchange.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" I smiled. "Didn't quite catch that."

She smiled, her courage gathering.

"I like you," she said.

I grinned, and held my hoof behind my ear. "One more time?" I said.

She giggled out loud. "I like you, you silly filly!"

"That's what I thought you said," I said, smiling still.

She came over, a slight flush on her cheeks under her butter-yellow fur. "I wasn't sure how to tell you," she admitted.

"Oh, Fluttershy," I said, feeling a similar flush creep up my neck. "We're friends. You can always tell me anything."

"I...I think I just did," she said.

I nodded. "I think you just did."

Her blush kept growing, and I knew any minute now she'd rush away out of shyness. I leaned forward and gave her a peck on the cheek.

She blushed fiercely and rushed away with a speed that even Rainbow Dash would have been proud of.

I smiled, lifting a quill and jotting a note down on my calendar.

Schedule dinner with Fluttershy after she comes out of her cottage.

I smiled, going back to my book.

Author's Note

And that's a wrap, fillies and gentlecolts!

And now I'm going on a brief hiatus. Over the next week or so I'll repost links to guest week entries and update you as to events going on as well as the next story I'll be writing.

Oh, and a final shoutout to BlackWater for permission to use their Hello Tropics resort from the Twilight Shimmer story.

Chapter 12. Calm Before the Storm - Sunset

The dreamscape spread out before us, the same green fields. I went and laid in the patch of wildflowers, closing my eyes as the breeze rustled my mane.

“We haven’t done this much lately,” Twilight said as she laid next to me, the ethereal wings tucked against her sides, almost invisible.

“It’s been a busy set of weeks,” I said. “Graduation wasn’t that long ago, and between that and getting set up for college we’ve both been burning the candle at both ends.”

She leaned over and rubbed her horn along mine, a shiver running along my spine as she did. I saw the color rise in her cheeks as well. “Well,” she said. “That is new.”

“It has seemed more sensitive since the ascension,” I said, trying to force my heartbeat back down. “Seems like you noticed it too.”

She nodded, licking her lips before speaking.

“It’s…” she paused. “Something to experience.”

I stretched out a wing to cover her and enjoyed the silence. I then glanced at her.

“Ready?” I asked.

She nodded, and we touched the tips of our horns together.

“Remember, let me direct the spell,” I said. “I’m the one that created the dreamscape, so it’s following my mantic path, not yours.”

She murmured an assent and I began directing the spell, reaching out to the other sleepers, touching but not able to contact them.

Luna, I thought. I could use a hoof here, if you don’t mind.

I didn’t get a verbal response, but I did hear a bit of throaty laughter as suddenly the contact was made.

In front of us suddenly were the forms of our friends, each looking around in surprise.

“Welcome,” I said, rising. “It’s time for some training.”

In the dreamscape I looked around as our friends flopped down in the cool grass, the breeze cooling their sweat. I had helped Rarity learn to use her magic for more than just her shield constructs and found she had an affinity for earth spells, just as I had for fire and Starlight had for ice. While she and Twilight practiced, I helped Rainbow and Fluttershy get used to their wings, even being beaten out when Dash got a firm handle on everything.

“How long have we been in here?” Twilight asked as she flopped down next to me.

“I figure around an hour, real time,” I said.

“We spent that much teaching Rarity telekinesis,” she protested.

“Dream time is fungible,” I said. “I have that on good authority.

“Hey, Fluttershy!” Dash shouted. “Catch!”

I looked up in time for Dash to buck a ball towards the shy girl. She spun in the air, her pink coat being obscured by the yellow tail that caught the ball and flung it back to the other Pegasus.

“Sweet move!” Dash called out.

“Oh, my,” Fluttershy murmured. “That was exhilarating!”

I watched with amusement as my friends started an impromptu game of buckball, seeing who could get a point past either Pegasus. Rarity, however, sat on the sidelines, cheering on her marefriend.

“Whoo!” she hollered in a most unladylike fashion when Fluttershy managed to perform an amazing catch and return. “That’s my Care Bear!”

Fluttershy grew even more pink in the face. “Rarity,” she whispered.

“What?” she said as the mare landed next to her. “I’m not going to be shy. We’re among friends, anyway.”

Fluttershy still seemed a little flustered, and Rarity went up and gave her an awkward nuzzle.

“That brings back memories,” I whispered out of the corner of my mouth.

“Hush, you,” Twilight replied. “It’s cute.”

“No, that’s you,” I teased, earning a wingtip flicked across my nose.

“Let’s go join them,” Twilight said, standing and giving her wings a ruffle.

“I’ll be along in a moment,” I said. “I want to enjoy the calm for a few.”

As my fiancé trotted over and began to play along with the game, I reached inside and sent out a message to the Princess of the Night.

Princess Luna, I need a favor.

Later that night, as our friends slumbered in the field, Fluttershy nestled against Rarity, the Unicorn’s head nestled against her withers. Rainbow had a wing draped over AJ, and Pinkie was on her back, a giant pillow in the shape of a siren clutched in her front hooves.

Twilight looked at me as Luna walked into the dreamscape.

“Are you sure about this?” she asked, a nervous look on her face.

I nodded. “I don’t know what’s going to happen, and this is something we need to do anyway.”

She came over and nuzzled me, wings coming around to embrace me.

“That’s all I needed to hear,” she whispered.

“If you are ready,” Luna said, spreading her wings.

I touched my horn to Twilight's and smiled.

“Always,” I whispered.

Chapter 26. Change in plans - Twilight Sparkle/ Sunset

“I’m not sure how much harsher we can be with her,” I said. “She has already been robbed of her sight, horribly scarred and most of her mana was lost in the damage to her horn. The spell backlash saw to that.”

Celestia nodded. “Her horn will heal, but the damage done is irreparable,” she said. “It may well be more in her interests to see that she is given care until she can fend for herself.”

“I’m not sure she can be redeemed,” Sunset said. “I know that is the looked for and preferable outcome - and Twilight has a great track record with that - but it’s not always going to be possible. Sometimes ponies just want to watch the world burn.”

I pursed my lips at that. She had a point, and the anger Sorla held was much deeper than the anger Starlight held, and she likely held a different viewpoint on Sombra than we did. What kind of a father had he been? I knew that Celestia had fallen in love with an alternate version of the mad king, though she refused to speak of it beyond a few whispered words.

“I, for one, think she is where she should be,” Luna spoke up. “Let the cur spend a few moons in the cell before we offer parole or banishment.”

“That’s a little extreme, Luna,” I said.

“But under the laws of Equestria, banishment is the punishment for using Necromancy,” Sunset reminded me. “She knew that before we marched on her encampment.”

“I won’t allow that,” Cadence spoke up for the first time. “She came into my kingdom to avenge her father, and therefore it falls to me to pass judgment.”

We all turned to her in curiosity. “And what do you deem to be a proper punishment?” Luna asked.

She smiled sheepishly. “I don’t know yet,” she admitted. “But think, haven’t we all had a moment of inconsolable loss? Some moment that drove us to thoughts or actions unthinkable?”

Luna and Sunset bowed their heads in memory and Celestia glanced briefly at her sister. I had a flash of memory of my grandparents.

“I think she should be given time to come to grips with her actions, but not in the dungeons of the Crystal Empire,” the Princess of Love continued. “I think I will allow her parole and place her within quarters until she is healed. Perhaps she merely needs time.”

The doors opened behind me as I leaned forward to press my point. “That seems a little risky, don’t you think? Sorla had access to a lot of lost or forbidden magic.”

“I doubt that it’s an issue for right now,” Starlight said, bringing our attention to her. “Forgive me for the interruption, but Sorla has lapsed into a coma.”

The physician came out, the guards shutting the door to the quarters behind her.

“She appears to have placed herself in the state,” she said, resting her bag on the ground. “Forced her mind deep within herself. It will be entirely up to her if she comes out of it or not. She is responding to stimuli and appears to take fluids and likely food, but as far as a cognizant mind, I can find no sign.”

Cadence nodded.

“Maybe the ignominy of defeat was too much for her?” Sunset said sarcastically.

“Likely, she might have borne defeat easily,” I said. “But can you imagine being robbed of your sight and magic?”

She leveled a look at me and lifted a wing to reveal a scar just below her ribs.

“Oh, yeah,” I said, sheepishly. “I suppose you could.”

“Care for her and keep a watch on her until further notice,” Cadence said. “Perhaps when and if she recovers, we can come to a ruling then.”

We walked in silence on the way back to the throne room. When we arrived, Cadence looked at Sunset and smiled.

“So, I understand that congratulations are in order?” she singsonged.

Sunset smiled sheepishly. “Yeah,” she said.

“So, do you wish it to be made formal here, beyond that of dream proclamation?”

“I would be proud to join you in the waking world as well as the Dreamscape,” Luna said.

“As would I,” Cadence said.

Sunset looked around. “Where is Princess Celestia?”

“She had to return to Canterlot to oversee a trade delegation,” I said. “She really couldn’t stay no matter how much she wanted to.”

She seemed let down, and I didn’t need to ask to know why.

Celestia was as much a mother to her as she had been to me during my time as her personal student.

Everypony wants their mother at their wedding.

I walked into the throne room, seeing the assembled Crystal Guard and all my friends dressed in their best. Twilight Velvet and Spike stood there on one side of the throne dais and my sisters stood on the other side, all smiles. Cadence, Luna, Shining Armor, and Twilight stood on the top tier of the pedestal, all resplendent in their royal regalia. I suddenly had butterflies in my stomach.

The tiara felt heavy on my head, but no more so than the veil and dress I wore. Morning Glory had been ecstatic when she heard I was going to have the Empress of the Crystal Empire marry me and Sunshine, more so than when she had seen that I had wings. She immediately put her excitement into helping the Pinkies and Sonata in the reception meal.

My eyes misted as I remembered Dew’s words as Glory had bounced away.

“We always knew you were destined for great things, Sunny,” she had said, a few tears in her eyes. “Just don’t forget that you’re still my little sister, and I love you.”

I took my place by my sisters and Crystal Hue, Dew’s Fiancé. Soarin stood by Glory, the Wonderbolt looking somewhat uncomfortable in his dress blues. The ring on Glory’s horn sparkled in the bright light filtering in through the stained glass windows.

The doors opened again with a fanfare, and Sunshine walked in with Night Light standing beside her. They may not have been related, but Night had insisted on walking her down the aisle. It was only right and proper, he had said.

Rarity has outdone herself, I thought as I took in Sunshine’s dress. The music and audience slowed to a dull background noise, and everything faded out but the view of my love in white.

Nothing registered before Cadence spoke out after the exchanging of vows.

“And so, before us all assembled, I do declare that Princess Sunset Shimmer and Duchess Sunshine Sparkle,”

I heard Luna and Twilight giggle at the name. I almost did as well.

“Are hereby married, so witnessed by myself, Empress of the Crystal Empire, Prince Consort Shining Armor, Princess Twilight Sparkle, and Princess Luna.”

She smiled down on us. “You may kiss the bride,” she said.

I had already done so before she had finished speaking.

I collapsed on the couch in my apartment, Spike running over and leaping into my lap.

“I hear you two had a good time,” he piped up as soon as Twilight shut the door behind her, dropping a bag on the ground that consisted of our wedding gowns from Equestria, some books loaned to her from Princess Twilight, and some pictures of us at the reception.

“After a lot of bad, yeah,” I said, scratching him behind his ears. He pressed his head into my hand as I did so.

Twilight was still speaking into the phone, filling in her parents on the events that had transpired in Equestria. On the trip back from the school she had already filled in Cadence and her brother and gotten their blessing to swap wedding times around.

I think I had drifted off a little, because the next thing I knew she was kissing me before dropping onto the couch, Spike hopping over to lay between us.

“They've agreed,” she said, setting her phone on the coffee table. I followed it’s path, seeing the final letter from the Appleloosa Sheriff’s office, declaring any back fees on the bike dismissed. I remembered that particular headache all too well. My bike, still in the process of being restored in our yard, had been delivered with a few hidden fees attached.

“So, how long for the thing to be set up?” I asked, swiveling my head without lifting it from the back of the couch.

“Well, Rarity and Pinkie said they could have all the preparations ready by the end of the week if we went in for our fittings tomorrow,” she said. “Sonata is talking to the Cake’s to get the materials they’ll need for the cake.”

“Two weddings in as many weeks,” I said with a smile, lacing my fingers through hers. The rings we had exchanged in Equestria were now on chains around our necks. We had decided to use them here as well.

“It’s just for the families,” she said, tilting her head over and resting it against my shoulder other hand ruffling Spike’s fur. “That’s all this is, really.”

I nodded. She could tell there was something bothering me.

“Celestia?” she asked.

I nodded. “I had really hoped she’d be there,” I said. “Ever since we patching things up, all of my old hopes and wishes involving her came back. Her seeing me getting married, my foals,” I trailed off. “I should know now that as the Princess of Equestria, she has a large load of work. I still would have liked to see her, though.”

She kissed me on the cheek.

I tugged at the hem of the bolero jacket Rarity had made for me. She was making minor adjustments to my hair and makeup while the Pony Rarity did the same for Twilight.

“This is so much easier on hooves,” I said, giving my feet a tap toe first on the ground to settle the heels more securely on my feet.

“I’m sure,” the fashionista had said, brushing her hands off and handing me two items: my Element necklace and my mother’s hair comb. “But trust me, darling, you look radiant!”

I felt a slight blush as I slid the comb into my hair just behind my left ear.

“You truly do,” a voice said from the doorway. I turned to see Principal Celestia standing there.

No, I thought as the subtle differences made themselves known, including the slight luminescence in her long hair. Not Principal, Princess.

“I am truly sorry for missing your ceremony in the Crystal Empire,” she said, smiling softly. She was dressed in a conservative gown of pale orange, shading into yellow and red at the waist and hemline. “But I had always intended to be at this ceremony.”

I was still stunned by her appearance here and stammered out. “What do you mean?”

Starlight stuck her head around the corner. “That would be my doing, I’m afraid,” she said. “Twilight and I wanted to get you something special for graduation and figured that asking the Princess to be here would be great.” She twiddled her fingers nervously.

“I agreed, of course,” Celestia said. “With one condition.”

As the music started to play, she walked over and took my hand in hers.

“If I got to give you away,” she said.

I could feel tears trying to well in my eyes, but I stopped them with an iron will. I hugged the Princess of the Sun, laughing like a filly.

All set? I heard Twilight ask through the bond.

Yeah, I replied, standing and letting Celestia lead me out to the back yard of Cadence’s house. I saw Night Light and Twilight approaching from the other side, her dressing making her look much like the princess I considered her.

And side by side, we walked past our friends, the pony versions on my side of the aisle and the human ones on her side. Twilight's classmates from Crystal Prep were also here, scattered through the audience. Vinyl Scratch was hooking up the last few cables for the music she was going to play at the reception. Once again, my sisters were up by the altar and Shining Armor stood by Twilight’s side. Luna stood before the entire congregation, her lack of luminous hair marking her as the human one.

We took our places, those who had walked us down the aisles placing our hands in each others’ and stepping back.

And we entered the next phase of life.