Author's Note

Warning: This chapter contains Death, suicide, allusions to non-consensual sex.

All Fall Down

The skies turned blood-red when the dragons came for the Crystal Empire. Smoke and ash rained over a city of screams. The massive creatures obscured the citizens below in heavy shadows. For a moment there appeared to be a blackout. However that quickly changed when the first pillars of fire started to fall from their wide maws. Within seconds the pegasi that dared to fight back were reduced to charred skeletons, flesh seared away.

At the head of the formation was the most dreaded abomination of all. The creature was a mass of purple muscle lined in armor-like scales. Dark vapors arose from its nostrils and between its razor-sharp teeth. But most curious of all it had a trio of heads, rumored to be due to occult experimentation, by whatever mad wizard had altered it.

The populace no longer recognized the savior of their homeland. Now they only saw their impending demise. Unicorns moved in to support the pegasi with their magic, as did earth ponies armed with bows and arrows or working catapults they had set up, but for every smaller drake they managed to fell, hundreds more were lost almost in an instant.

Some prayed to Celestia and Luna to save them. But like always there was no answer. The Princesses had disappeared, somehow sealed in the sun and moon respectively, leaving the already fractured land in almost total disarray.

Cadance stood on the balcony of her palace, her foal crushed to her bosom, tears in her eyes as she watched the ponies and the land she so loved burn. She was the last Princess standing. No one knew what had happened to Twilight Sparkle, but the rumors were she had turned upon them. Not that she could ever believe that was possible.

What tormented her even more was that Shining Armor wasn't by her side when she needed him most. He would never abandon her or Flurry Heart. She'd come to accept a painful truth that made her heart ache; her beloved husband was dead.

She looked over at the dresser where a bottle filled with poison sat. She desperately wanted to take flight, tackle the horde head-on, but she knew that would be pointless at best, and worse still she couldn't allow herself or their foal to be captured. Death would be the most merciful result were they to sink their claws into them. Rumors also claimed that ponies were being captured en masse, especially mares, in order to be forcibly bred.

"I...I'm sorry, Shiney. We'll be with you soon." Her hooves trembled as she plucked up the bottle, telekinetically removed the stopper, and took a hearty swig of the noxious liquid. She stared into Flurry Heart's huge eyes and knew she couldn't wait long. Her voice cracked. "I'm so s-sorry!" She cried and shook as she forced a fatal dose down her throat.

Flurry Heart closed her eyes one final time. She felt the pitter-patter of her heart slow to an eventual stop. The Princess of Love wrapped her wings about the dead product of their love, took one last forlorn look at her fiery nation, and slumped to the floor.

*****

A blindfold obscured Trixie's eyes as she was carried for what felt like miles across the dense forest. She listened to the odd noises of whatever creatures still thrived in this hellhole, heard the subdued stomp of hooves, but even Rainbow Dash didn't dare banter at a time like this. The survivors couldn't afford to have their sanctuary be discovered.

Once they arrived at the entrance she felt spears prod at her barrel. She winced as one drew a bit of blood. "Hey now man," warned Tree Hugger. "She's not to be harmed...yet. Better at least question her first before he toss her to the timberwolves, you know?"

"This bitch betrayed Equestria! We should ram a spear so far up her cunt it exits her mouth!" She didn't recognize the stallion's voice but the mob answered his demand rather enthusiastically. Her poor enslaved counterpart had thoroughly ruined her reputation.

She froze up and shivered, felt a speartip prod at her snatch, and another at her ponut, thankfully not so far they did any harm. She felt a hoof wrapped around one of her teats and cold steel pressed to the mound. "We could cut her tits off! She doesn't need them to survive! No? Then how about her nipples?" He stretched one out, ready to slice it free.

"Stop that," broke in Applejack. "Get back to work and let us handle this." There were muted outcries, the their voices eventually dulled, the clop of hooves audible from their retreat. "Not that I blame them," she muttered. "I'd like to stomp you myself."

"We could brand her," said Rainbow Dash who rubbed her shapely flank. "Like they do some of those slaves? Just melt away her cutie mark, let her see how it feels!"

"Nopony will harm her while I'm around," said AJ. "We'll listen to her story, and if it doesn't check out, she'll have a fair trial like any else. Then I'll take a lasso to her myself!" She uttered the words with such venom that Trixie couldn't help but bristle. She remembered what happened to the last stallion who met her noose and sobbed a little.

"Darn. I'd really like a shot at those flanks," admitted Rainbow who smacked the witch's bottom so hard it was sure to leave a mark. Supple flesh wobbled under the strike.

Eventually the entourage arrived at their destination. Their prize was tossed into a chair and her blindfold was violently ripped off. Immediately somepony spat her in face. Her cape was torn off and the pointy hat Fluttershy had plucked from her was stomped flat.

She simply watched with her forehooves and ankles still bound. A hoof slammed so hard into her belly she doubled over and vomited bits of sick. She sobbed and told herself they simply didn't understand; she was but a convenient scapegoat to direct their ire. She looked around a dim tent lit by a small lantern and saw only indifference or hatred.

The flap rustled as Sunset Shimmer bounded inside the packed tent. "Wait! We have to listen to her side, at least. Think about all the weird stuff that's happened over time! Maybe she was under some form of mind control, or there was an imposter, or-"

A hoof raised to her mouth cut the words off. "I know you wanna' think the best of everypony, Sunny, but I reckon' she's dirtier than a donkey show," snapped AJ. "Still, I did promise her a chance to make her peace, so let's hear it! What's your tall-tale?"

Trixie took a deep breath to steady herself. She wasn't certain where to start, and with their open hostility, she doubted any of them would believe her, no matter what she said. At least Sunset seemed to still have a little faith in her. She couldn't help but sniffle at that.

"Have all of you heard of the Necronomicon?" She nodded to the book Fluttershy held to her bosom. "That's the main cause of this...I think. At least, that's where it all started to go astray. You know that parallel world Sunset hails from? Well, Twilight Sparkle's counterpart there stumbled on that book, read way to deep, and it possessed her. The Twilight from this world's dead, too. She...murdered her." She didn't dare share her part in that. Not that it was directly her fault, but she couldn't help but feel responsible, even if she was under the monster's control. The powerlessness she felt made her feel rather sick even now.

Tree Hugger lit up a joint and breathed smoke in her face. "You expect us to jive with this ridiculous crap? Seriously, this chickadee can't even lie properly to save her buns!"

"It is pretty far-fetched," admitted Fluttershy who stroked the tome's cover. "But here's the proof the Necronomicon actually exists. It would explain quite a lot." Its forbidden power radiated from here, and likewise, the compulsion to crack it open.

"Just looks like another dull textbook to me," said Rainbow Dash.

"No. It's the real-deal. And it's pure evil," said Sunset who snarled at the book. "I'd say we should destroy it immediately, but if the myths are true, it's pretty much indestructible anyhow. So this is what's thrown Equestria and the other world so out-of-balance!"

Tree Hugger chewed on her doobie. "Don't tell me you buy this? Man, and they call me the airhead. You're still too naive, Sunny. Still convinced it's the old world. Well, that Equestria's dead, and it won't ever come back. Just have to learn to live with the new one."

Sunset snatched the blunt from her lips, tossed it on the dirt, and stomped it out. "Watch the way you speak to me, soldier. Remember, I'm second-in-command here. And while the Prince is busy my orders are pretty much law! Got it?"

"Okay, okay. Sheesh." The hippie raised her forehooves. "You can be pretty scary whenever you're serious, you know? Take a chill-pill...pretty please?"

Sunset's features softened. Normally she hated to throw her weight around, but she needed to keep them in line, especially when her lover wasn't available. Without a semblance of order their whole operation would steadily fall apart.

The debate continued for hours and numerous questions were tossed Trixie's way. She did her best to answer them truthfully, filled in the blanks with what she knew wherever she could, in the hopes that with this new information the situation could somehow still be turned around. However what she learned of Equestria almost dashed her optimism.

All the Princesses were lost. The theory was Twilight used slave unicorns to raise the sun and moon each day. The Crystal Empire had been razed. The mirror that led to the other world hastily smashed by Sunset, who feared it would be overrun and exploited too.

At first the survivors believed one of their old enemies was responsible. They first went to Discord for answers, only to learn he had somehow been turned back to stone and crushed to rubble. Tirek and all the inhabitants of Tartarus he was trapped with were butchered to the last. Ahuizotl and his followers had been sacrificed in their own temple which now ran with their blood. The rotten corpse was Chrysalis was found dumped in the Everfree Forest. Worst of all, the Tree of Harmony had withered and died.

Entire races blamed each other and went to war. Lines were drawn and entire species were wiped out in the process. A cult arose from the aftermath, heralded by a foursome that claimed to be the horses of the Apocalypse, here to usher in the end times.

They seemed to attack at random with their armies, than vanished as mysteriously, until the next time they decided to strike. Perhaps they were more dedicated to instilling fear in the populace than anything else. Some believed it was simply an experiment by this warped mare who called herself Twilight Sparkle, who appeared to bounce between wanting to conquer Equestria, and end all life, dependent on a momentary whim.

*****

Sunset wiped her brow and returned to the Prince's private tent. For now she ordered their captive be released from her bonds, fed and bathed, and left unmolested. Of course she would have her watched at all times. While the couple could have lavishly decorated their abode, they kept little more than the necessities, as the survivors dared not remain in one area for more than a few days at a time. They had lost far too many friends already.

The lamp cast heavy shadows over the pair. Cautiously she approached Shining Armor who had his back to her. He wailed suddenly out-of-the-blue, and her heart ached, a constant reminder of that same sound he'd made, the moment he'd learned of his family's demise. She covered her ears as fresh tears streaked down her cheeks.

He scooped up a sturdy bottle and drank heavily. "Cadance? Honey?" He stumbled about in a fugue state and nearly tripped, his handsome features marred by a lack of sleep. He barely noticed her return and even looked past her. "I need you, honey."

She knew who he really meant and that hurt all the more. He'd hastily vowed never to remarry in honor of his wife, but she'd talked him into staying with her anyhow, reminding him that Cadance would want him to be happy. He'd reluctantly accept her proposition, and while he was supposed to be their leader, that onus ultimately fell on her shoulders.

He bent her over and took her with mechanical thrusts, more out of duty to her than to sate his own needs. Muted sobs wracked her frame as he took her lazily without any real tenderness. She would even happily settle for base lust. But his passion had died out and he merely carried out the routine motions he believed were expected of him.

She squeezed his hoof in her own. "Pretend I'm Cadance."

"I can't. I won't betray her memory like that." He took her a little more forcefully, desperate to release so he'd have an excuse to end this already, but it was difficult for him to even maintain an erection now. At best he could keep up a muted physical response.

"Please. Do it for me." She took the hoof she held, raised it to her snout, and slowly started to suckle on it. He moaned low despite himself. Picked up his pace.

He kneaded her buttocks. Closed his eyes and moaned, "C-Cadance..."

She blinked away tears and smiled. All she wanted was to be his rock, to comfort him however she could whenever he needed it. A number of the foals he'd sired had either been stolen away or perished amidst the various attacks. He visited the ones that survived when he could, but that pained him terribly, especially since a number of them were turned into more soldiers. Every member of his valuable army was expected to do their part.

Of course there were constant reminders she was merely a substitute; for instance he would have hesitated to be so forceful with his wife. She hinted and asked and even outright pleaded with him to dominate her in the bedroom, but he'd often treated her like a precious artifact he could easily break, denying her the release she so desperately needed.

However he had no such compunctions with the other mares he bedded. Fortunately, she also liked a stallion who took charge! She intentionally clenched hard around him, tried to suck his length further in, rhythmically milked him with her slimy walls. His eyes watered as he howled, "I love you Cadance!" And then he burst inside her. She almost swooned.

Like most of the mares here she routinely took potions that served as contraceptives. Some mares here had chosen to try and help repopulate Equestria, despite its terrible state and a lack of resources, but far more chose to aid the war effort in other ways, and those who became soldiers often took potions that would permanently render them barren. Better to lose a part of themselves than to be captured and become a broodmare of their enemies. Many of them would happily choose death over such a terrible fate.

She shook away such terrible thoughts and basked with him in their afterglow. For a short while they could forget their responsibilities. Sex was one of the few real pleasures left to them in these dark times, and even that had been twisted with all those who tried to exploit them. At the least they could still take some solace in the comfort of one-another.