Kristen and Skystar continue traveling the world, eventually making their way to the former Storm Kingdom, where they find that behind the alicorns' back, the governor has been ruling with an iron hoof. Kristen plans to go back to Equestria to tell Antares what's going on, but the governor and his goons capture and kill Skystar. Before they can do anything to Kristen, she magically overloads and brutally annihilates the suddenly cowering governor and his ponies. She rips his head off and holds it high, causing the gathered ponies and storm creatures to bow to her in fear. She lets out one final unearthly roar which fades into a pained cry at the loss of her friend.

A nearby friendly pony mentions the afterlife, and Kristen realizes that she might be able to find Skystar's spirit before it's taken by Charon. She descends into the underworld and reaches the River Styx, where Death is waiting for her. He tells her that if she can find Skystar's spirit, he'll let her take it back to the land of the living. However, the longer she stays, the more her powers will fade in the underworld, and if she goes underwater, she'll never get back out. Kristen begins her search, originally walking on the water, but as time goes on, she slowly starts sinking until she's swimming, but she still can't find Skystar. Eventually the water is up to her head, but she finally finds Skystar's spirit. She swims toward the shore as the boatman silently rows up to them, almost going underwater, but she makes it to the shore and reunites Skystar's spirit with its body, though Death tells Kristen that she won't be able to do something like that again.

Finally out of the underworld, she takes a much less chipper Skystar back to Mount Aris before flying back to Equestria. She arrives in Baltimare and sees large statues of Blaze and Rapids flanking the doors to Antares's palace. She gets in and walks around the palace, considering everything that has changed and everything that has stayed the same. As she walks around, she sees a large painting in the hallway, and is shocked to see that it's depicting her actions in the Storm Kingdom, holding the governor's head in the air while everyone bows to her. Antares walks up behind her and they have a stilted conversation, where Kristen finds out that she was in the underworld for over twenty years searching for Skystar. Antares leaves her alone, and she stares at the painting, wondering if she should stay in Equestria or go back to Mount Aris.

Author's Note

I've retired, https://www.fimfiction.net/blog/1060252/its-time but I still feel like I should tell you how things end.