Canterlot… the shining beacon of harmony, would soon become the battleground of war.

Celestia had sent scouts in every direction to keep watch for Dusk and his forces.

And Celestia watched from the castle balcony.

“Come on… where is he going to attack from?” Celestia asked herself.

Luna flew out over the city, keeping her gaze locked on all the places Dusk could sneak in from.

The other key fighters were located amid the prepared defenses.

“I’m panicking a little," Trixie said.

“Calm down, I am here,” Starlight said.

At the front gate, twelve guards each armed with a horn to sound if they see Dusk.

Canterlot had been evacuated, and it had never been ready for what was to come.

Cadence having also donned her own armor was walking down the halls with Shining and Twinkle.

“Cady… if things go wrong I just want to say that-” Shining said to break the ice.

“Save it,” Cadence said.

“But Cady-”

“Don’t Cady me, the fact that Twinkle spoke in your defense is the one reason I am not berating you, cease talking to me for the foreseeable future, we’ll talk again when I forgive you,” Cadence said.

“...Ok…” Shining sighed.

“Please don’t fight you two, we’re gonna be ok,” Twinkle said.

“Do not worry, Shining is lucky I don’t hold long grudges, and you're right, we have a war to win,” Cadance said.

“Alright, I will need to hurry, Celestia is waiting on us, Shiny, go find Flash Sentry and make sure he’s ready,” Twinkle said.

“Ok,” Shining Armor said hurrying down the hall.

“Come on,” Twinkle went with Cadance up some stairs and onto a balcony that Celestia was standing on.

“Celly!” Twinkle hugged her teacher from behind making her jump a little.

“Heh, hello my student,” Celestia said as she turned and hugged her.

“So, we’re going to win today right?” Twinkle said.

“I do not know,” Celestia said.

“Nope, we will, then we’re going to throw a big party afterwards! Think positively,” Twinkle said.

“Heh, ok Twinkle,” Celestia said with a chuckle at the positive alicorn.

“Shall we go down to the front lines?” Cadence asked.

“No, we wait until he shows himself, we cannot allow him one single access point,” Celestia said.

“Got it,” Cadence said before a thought came to her “By the way Celestia, why did you implement so many mirrors around Canterlot?” Cadence said.

“...Mirrors?... What do you mean?” Celestia asked.

“I mean the multiple mirrors I have seen throughout Canterlot is it a flanking tactic?” Cadance asked.

“...I am not sure what you mean…” Celestia said a troubled thought growing in her mind.

“...Something isn’t right, the emotions of one of the guards are different, I think… we have a mole,” Cadence said.

“This isn’t good… Cadence, alert the guards and find every mirror and smash them, if Dusk is planning something then we need to be sure,” Celestia said.

“Ok,” Cadence said before running off.

“Twinkle, we need to-” Celestia was cut off as a loud horn blow was heard.

“Huh?” Twinkle turned towards the sound.

“He has come… Twinkle, accompany Luna, I will go to greet him,” Celestia said.

“It’s too dangerous,” Twinkle said.

“If this is a trap, then I need all alicorns at the ready,” Celestia said before taking off.

“...Good luck,” Twinkle said before she took off to join Luna.

A mirror hit the wall and broke.

“Find any and all! We cannot take any chances!” Cadence said as she shot another mirror with a magic bolt and broke it.

“Why are we shattering so many?” A guard asked.

“My magic has detected anomalies, Dusk may have a mole among us, and these randomly placed mirrors are too clear a sign that he’s planning something,” Cadence said before noticing something out of the corner of her eye.

A guard was carrying a mirror away instead of breaking it.

“Huh?” Cadence saw him.

The guard frantically blew on the horn while the others held the hooded figure at spearpoint.

And a dozen crossbow-wielding guards stood at the ready atop the front gate perch.

And behind Dusk was a large group of fused ponies.

But not an army?

“DUSK HEART!” Celestia shouted as she landed on the ground in front of him, flaring her horn.

“Well… I was expecting a quick reception, but not this quick,” Dusk said casually.

“...Where is your army?” Celestia said knowing something was off.

“Maybe this is it,” Dusk gestured to the crowd behind him.

“Not even you are that mad, I know you Dusk…” Celestia was trying to figure out the trick.

“No… you don’t” Dusk said.

Twinkle joined Luna up in the air and spoke with her.

“So, you heard it too?” Luna said.

“Yeah,” Twinkle said.

“And yet, I am not at ease… something isn’t right,” Luna said.

“What do you mean?” Twinkle said.

“There’s a strange magical resonance echoing across Canterlot, and it makes me uneasy,” Luna said.

“Hmm, I’ll do a cursory scan,” Twinkle said before flying off.

“Dusk is planning something,” Luna said.

“Open up!” Cadence called through the closed door, when she got no response she decided to kick the door open and saw that it was the door to the dungeon.

Concerned she and a few guards made their way down the stairs, as they descended they heard voices downstairs.

“Shh,” Cadence said to the other guards.

“Sir! They know something is off about me and the mirrors! I was only able to save one in the castle!” A panicked voice said.

“Huh?” Cadence noticed a light emanating from the bottom of the steps.

“Ok… I understand, for Equestria’s future!” The fused guard said as Cadance made it to the bottom.

“HEY!” Cadence called and he spun to see Cadance and a few guards.

“Heh… guess you found me,” He said.

“So, you were the mole, I sensed something off, what with the random mirrors and the way your magical and emotional signals were off balance… it’s over! The mirrors are destroyed,” Cadence said but he just laughed.

“Did you think Canterlot Castle was the only place I put mirrors?” He said.

“I will give you one chance to surrender quietly Celestia… otherwise…” Dusk said.

“I will not let this continue, your crimes must not go unpunished!” Celestia said.

“My ‘crimes’ figures you’d seek to punish me more after locking me away for twenty years…” Dusk said.

“...What is Dusk’s endgame with these mirrors?” Cadence demanded.

“You’ll find out,” he lit his horn.

“Do you know who you are messing with?” Cadence lit her own horn.

“I know I can’t beat you, so I’ll just do this,” He turned and fired the blast into the mirror and it glowed.

“Huh?” Cadence said.

“Enough stalling, what is your goal?” Celestia said.

“To bring about the new age of Equestrian dominance, I thought you’d learn that by now,” For some reason not even once has Dusk lifted his head, and the hood obscured his face.

“Look at me Dusk,” Celestia said, but he didn’t “Look at me!” Celestia said louder.

“...The funny thing about you Celestia… your so smart… yet so easily-” He looked up and it was a pale green unicorn stallion with a red mane “Fooled,” He said.

“Wh-what?” Celestia stepped back in shock.

“How’s my voice mimicry?” He asked in a different voice.

“No…” Celestia cursed herself for falling for it “Where is he?!” Celestia lit her horn brightly.

“He’s making his move as we speak… let us show you,” Suddenly the other fused ponies revealed their own mirrors and closed in on Celestia.

“What are you doing?!” Celestia demanded.

“Dying for a good cause,” He said.

“What have you done?” Cadence said sensing a great surge of magic from within the mirror.

“Dying for a good cause,” He said, he then shouted “FOR THE FUTURE!” and then he spun and punched the mirror and it began to fracture and glow.

“Huh?!” Cadence hurriedly surrounded herself and the guards in a barrier as a massive explosion tore through the area.

“Luna turned when she heard an explosion.

“What?!” Luna said seeing smoke coming out of the castle.

And then more explosions started ripping through various areas of the city.

“What’s happening?!” Luna exclaimed.

“AAAHH!” Trixie hit the ground as a big explosion tore through the shopping district.

“Look out!” Flash tackled Starlight and Sunset down as another happened.

“Huh?!” Twinkle teleported up high as the explosions continued, looking towards the castle she saw one there too.

“Take cover!” Zap Apple yelled as the downtown area suffered numerous explosions.

“AAAAHH!” Charity cried as it happened.

“Charity!” Spike cried running to her.

“Huh?!” Twinkle surrounded herself in a big barrier stopping the blast around her.

“What just happened!?” Twinkle turned towards the source of the explosion.

Celestia turned back towards Canterlot as smoke began rising into the air in multiple areas.

“No…” Celestia turned to the other ponies and saw them cracking the mirrors and the mirrors began to shake and glow.

“NO!” Celestia flared her horn and teleported the ponies far away, she only had a moments time to put up a barrier and she and the guards were flung back from the multiple blasts.

“Predictable Celestia…” Dusk chuckled as he watched through a telescope before turning to his minions.

“Prepare phase two,” He ordered.

“Yes sir!” The minion said before running to the others, who were wielding mirrors of their own.

Cadance looked up at the devastation the blast caused, and she noticed, a glowing light in the shape of the mirror from before.

“What is this?” Cadence said.

“Checkmate,” a voice said before a familiar hooded pony walked through the glow like a door.

“You…” Cadence said remembering everyponies description of him.

“Hello Princess Cadance, we haven’t been formally introduced yet have we?” Dusk said.

“The mirrors were portals, I should have known,” Cadence said.

“Both portals and bombs actually, did you honestly find me that predictable? Unlike Celestia, I actually pay attention to details,” Dusk said “Come to think of it, I’ll bet you would make a decent fusion partner with some candidates I have in mind,” Dusk said.

“No thanks,” Cadence said with a glower.

“I wasn’t asking,” Dusk said before extending his hands and firing out a dozen tendrils of fusion magic and they snagged the guards Cadance was with and tossed them aside.

“In the name of Harmony, I will end this!” Cadence said flaring her horn.

“I’d like to see you try,” Dusk said as several dozen more fused ponies flooded into the room from the light.

“No…” Cadence said realizing how dire the situation was.

Celestia struggled to her hooves as she stood and looked to see multiple doorways letting multiple fused ponies in.

“Tch! Will I ever learn,” Celestia said as she flared her horn and put up a barrier preventing them from approaching.

“Fire!” The pony up front called and they began firing magic blasts at Celestia’s barrier.

“Ngh! They're strong,” Celestia said before opening holes in her barrier and firing incapacitating blasts, nailing several fused ponies, but more just poured through.

“I have to get back into the city!” Celestia said.

Zap Apple helped Charity up and Flash stood up and looked around.

“Where did those explosions come from?!” Flash asked.

“I don’t know,” Charity said looking around and seeing shapes darting in the smoke “Oh no… GET DOWN!” Charity used her creation power and created a massive wall surrounding everyone.

And at the same time blasts of magic hit the wall.

“Ambush!” Zap said getting ready.

“Apprehend as many ponies as you can!” A fused pony shouted as they ran out into the city and fights began to break out between them and the guards.

Charity used her power again and conjured a massive pair of wings and flapped them to blow away the smoke, revealing the fused ponies amidst them.

“Alright! Time ta get kickin!” Zap said with a cocky smirk and she ran and jumped over the wall and landed amidst the ponies and began punching several down.

Charity flew into the air and she used her magic to conjure a net and she dropped it onto a group.

“I’ll help!” Spike called as he ran over as the wall went down and he breathed fire to keep them back.

Flash ran forward and began spear-fighting with an earth pony, but he was struggling.

“Ngh!” Flash grunted.

Shining Armor ran down the hall, having heard an explosion nearby in the depths of the castle, as he ran down there with several guards he was surprised to see Dusk Heart.

And his green magic tendrils holding a battered Cadance.

“Cady!” Shining Armor called.

“Oh, hello, the pawn prince, how goes things?” Dusk asked with a smirk.

“Shut your mouth you monster!” Shining said before firing a beam at him, one of Dusks tendrils smacked it away.

“She couldn’t beat me, what makes you think you can?” Dusk asked.

“I’m done running from my problems, RELEASE MY WIFE!” Shining yelled before running at Dusk with the other guards.

“Predictable,” Dusk fired out his many tendrils, swatting guards aside but Shining managed to dodge around them as he ran towards Dusk.

“Not bad,” Dusk said before flaring his horn and firing a beam, Shining fired his own beam and they hit, what he wasn’t expecting was for the beam to split into two and go around his beam.

“Tch! One chance!” Shining said before he jumped over one and fired a blast at the ground, propelling him into the air over the second one and he managed to grab Cadance, and with a flare of his horn, Cadence was teleported. He was then grabbed by a tendril and pinned against a wall.

“What?! Where did you send her?” Dusk demanded.

“Like hell, I’d tell you…” Shining chuckled.

“....Fine, I’ll use you instead,” Dusk said before raising up his hand and showing the lantern.

“....You’ll be stopped, my sister will find a way,” Shining said.

“Funny, she may be an alicorn, but she’s still very much an upstart, I’ll look forward to making her attack Celestia if I get the chance,” Dusk said before flashing the lantern.

Twinkle rejoined Luna.

“What is happening out there?!” Luna demanded.

“Dusk has opened portals, it’s chaos out there!” Twinkle said.

“Did someone ask for chaos?” Discord asked appearing.

“No Discord, lay low, we’ll need you at full strength if Celtus shows up,” Twinkle said strategically.

“I surely cannot do nothing!” Discord huffed.

“For now, do nothing, trust us,” Luna said.

“Ok,” Discord said disappearing.

“We need to aid Celestia!” Twinkle said.

“I will hold the front, you help your friends!” Luna said before flying off.

“It is on like Donkey Kong Dusk!” Twinkle said flying off.

Celestia was still pinned as the fused ponies continued attacking her barrier, it was slowly giving out.

“I cannot waste too much energy like this!” Celestia said.

Suddenly her barrier was refreshed and she looked up to see Luna descending.

“Take to the battlefield sister! I have this!” Luna said flaring her horn.

“Luna!” Celestia said but Luna shook her head.

“Find Dusk, he is the key to stopping this mess!” Luna said as several of her guards arrived to aid them.

“...Very well, be careful,” Celestia said before flying off.

“Stop her!” A fused pony ordered and several pegasi flew after Celestia, but several guards blocked them.

“Sir! Celestia is heading back into the city!” a fused pony said.

‘Understood, I figured this may happen,” Dusk sighed turning to the mind-controlled Shining Armor “Find your sister, subdue her, and bring her to me, the rest of you, locate the new alicorns, bring them to me, I need to fix a certain mistake of mine,” Dusk said thinking of Audacia.

“Ok!” Shining and the others said, though it was clear a part of him was fighting it and he ran off.

Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were running from a group of fused ponies who came from one of the portals.

“Why are they after us specifically?!” AB called.

“I dunno!” Scootaloo said.

“Maybe it’s because Dusk wants us dead?” Sweetie offered.

“Tch! So we’re prime targets!” Scootaloo said, “We need to fuse!” Scootaloo said firing some bolts at the ponies to keep them back.

“Ok!... How do we do that again?” AB asked.

“It seems to happen whenever we’re unconscious! So, follow me!” Sweetie said as she took to the air with the other two, avoiding magic shots all the while.

As they got atop a building they felt safe enough.

“Ok… um… sleep spell, how do we do that again?” Scootaloo asked.

“Ah think we just-” Sweetie gave a chop to the back of AB’s neck knocking her out.

“Sweetie!?” Scootaloo exclaimed.

“A guard taught me it, now c’mere,” Sweetie said.

“Are they up there?” A fused earth pony asked.

“I think so! Let’s cut through the building!” another said before a glow came from the top of the roof and a figure flew to the ground in front of them.

“Audacia is back in action!” Audacia said before she lit her horn and blasted the front earth pony down.

“Get her!” Another fused pegasus said and they charged at her.

“Bring it on!” Audacia said.

Meanwhile Twinkle was firing off blasts hitting several fused ponies who were chasing her through the air.

As several more came at her they were teleported away and Twinkle turned to see Celestia.

“Twinkle! I have arrived, where is everypony?” Celestia asked.

“All over the place! I need to find Shining and Cadance!” Twinkle said before her mane twitched and a barrier appeared behind her and blocked a shot of magic.

Turning around she saw Shining on a roof.

“Shining?! Why did you shoot at me?” Twinkle said before her hoof and eye twitched again and she knew then and there he’d been brainwashed.

“Explain yourself Shining Armor!” Celestia called before Twinkle stuck her hand out.

“Find Dusk, I need to help my brother,” Twinkle said before flying down.

“Twinkle!” Celestia said before noticing several more explosions in the distance, and she knew Twinkle was right, so she flew off.

“Shiny, you're under a spell! Stop!” Twinkle said.

“Must… obey…” Shining grunted as he fought it before he opened fire at her again.

Twinkle easily deflected.

“Get yourself in order!” Twinkle said running up to his as he drew his sword.

“Have… too… subdue…” Shining grunted before he swung his blade at her but Twinkle dodged and kicked him.

Shining stumbled a little but Twinkle bounced up to him and he swung for her leg and she bounced over him and punched him on the way down.

“I’ll knock some sense into you!” Twinkle said.

Cadence woke up on the edge of Canterlot Castles courtyard, and she remembered what Shining did.

“No… Shining!” Cadence said standing, looking around she saw what was going on, and she decided to look for Shining and join the fight.

And so she flew off.

Trixie was hiding in an alleyway as Starlight and Sunset were firing shots of magic to subdue multiple fused ponies, good thing the glow in their eyes, likely from the lantern of subjugation, made them easier to tell from other ponies.

“Tch! It’s like fighting a dozen you’s… no offense!” Starlight said as she fired some more shots.

“Yeah! None taken!” Sunset grunted as she rolled behind another cover and fired upon some fused ponies exciting a magic portal.

“I-I don’t know what to do here!” Trixie said.

“Support from the flank, make sure we’re not ambushed,” Starlight said.

“Got it!” Trixie said before somepony crashed into her “AH!” Trixie spun expecting an attacker but she saw Audacia, looking a little tired.

“Hey girls! I knew I recognized your signatures,” Audacia said as she got to cover as well.

“Glad you're here, but what are we going to do? We’re pinned!” Sunset said as they retreated behind cover as well.

“I don’t know,” Audacia said.

“We need some kind of plan!” Starlight said before a thought struck her when she glanced at Sunset, Sunset glanced back and got the same thought.

“What?” Trixie said not getting it.

“Audacia? Did you ever learn to fully control your merge magic?” Starlight asked.

“....No, nonono, there’s gotta be a different way,” Audacia said.

“We need more firepower and Starshine has that!” Sunset said.

“What if you stay fused this time?” Audacia asked.

“Then… we’ll deal, but we need to do something,” Sunset said.

“Guys…” Audacia said before several shots ricocheted near them.

“We’re running out of time!” Trixie said.

“Ok ok! I just pray we don’t regret this later,” Audacia said and Starlight and Sunset stood by eachother and Audacia focused and sent the tendrils, grabbing them.

“Hope it isn’t permanent this time…” Sunset chuckled nervously.

“If it is, then… oh well,” Starlight said with a smile before they were raised up.

“Alright… here goes nothing!” Audacia slammed them together and a great glow overtook the area.

As the other fused ponies approached the corner a unicorn stepped forward.

“Come out!” He said.

“Alright!” Suddenly a pink mare with a purple and yellow mane came out.

“Huh? Who are-” The unicorn was blasted back with a too quick to react to blast.

“Starshine, told you i’d be back!” Starshine said before she lit her horn with violet magic and she blasted the ground, and even though the fused unicorns put up barriers the blast broke through and sent them all flying.

“Wow…” Trixie said amazed by her power.

“And that’s all she wrote,” Starshine said before turning to the others.

“Come on! The others need us!” Audacia said.

“Ok!” Starshine said and they ran off.

Flash managed to knock out the pony spear fighting him and he ran over to another one and proceeded to shove him from behind while he was fighting a guard, this gave the guard a chance to shield bash him down.

“Good work Flash!” The guard said.

“If I’m being honest, i’ve never been in a war… it’s harrowing,” Flash panted.

“Well buck up, we got work to do,” the guard said before running off.

“R-right!” Flash said looking around and wondering where Twinkle and Sunset were.

Twinkle put up a barrier as several shots dinged off her barrier.

She was backed up a little as Shining continued firing at her.

“T-Twi…nkle…” Shining grunted holding his head.

“Shining…” Twinkle said before a magical shot landed between them and they looked to see Cadance who landed and saw Shining Armor's glowing eyes.

“...Twinkle, go to the fight, I must finish this,” Cadence said.

“But Cadence, you're hurt,” Twinkle said worriedly.

“Go,” Cadence said and Twinkle reluctantly did so when she saw Cadence wasn’t being swayed.

“Bring… Twinkle… to… Boss…” Shining tried to chase her but Cadance got in the way.

“Shining… stop,” Cadence said as she approached him.

“I… can’t…” Shining said before Cadance hugged him.

“Then I’ll make you remember,” Cadance said before touching horns with him and he relaxed in her hold.

“You're no pawn to anypony,” Cadence said as they stood atop the building.

“.....Thank you, Cady…” Shining said hugging back.

Dusk walked through the halls, having fought his way through several dozen guards he was making his way to the throne room.

“If my calculations are correct, then she should be waiting there,” Dusk said as another contingent of guards got in his way.

“Halt!” A guard said.

“This is getting tiring…” Dusk said before he unleashed his tendrils and he struck aside the guards as he walked.

As he made his way to the throne room doors he paused and looked them up and down.

“Ah… the memories…” Dusk said before he formed the tendrils into a fist and smashed the door down.

He made his way into the throne room and saw the pony he was waiting for atop the throne.

“Dusk…” Celestia said.

“Celestia…” Dusk said with a mock bow, he approached afterward and saw her standing up, he paused when he was halfway to her throne.

….

“So… it has come to this… declaring war on the nation you swore you loved,” Celestia said with disappointment.

“A war to save this nation,” Dusk clarified.

“None of this is an acceptable outcome!” Celestia said.

“Like I care what you think anymore, you're hardly one to judge, sitting cozy in here while your subjects fight? Typical,” Dusk said.

“I came here because I knew you’d come here, knowing I’d be here,” Celestia said.

“Heh…. would you look at that, we read each other pretty well after all,” Dusk laughed.

“Dusk… I beg of you, make this madness end, I abandoned you a long time ago, your vengeance is with me, not with the countless ponies you’ve fused, let me be the one who suffers for what happened,” Celestia said.

“...No, sorry, but that’s not how this ends,” Dusk said his eyes glowing green.

“And how does it end then? When Equestria is your idea of a utopia?” Celestia demanded.

“When the other nations understand, that they can’t walk over us anymore, when they all understand, we’re the most powerful nation in the world, that is my vision, and if you don’t share it, then you will, one way or another, that is the future, full disclosure, you and Luna will make a good ruler for this nation, as one,” Dusk said.

“So is that your endgame? To make the nation bow under one ruler instead of two?” Celestia said spreading her wings.

“Yes, that is how it must be,” Dusk said before floating into the air and bringing out a dozen tendrils.

“Then you are just as insane as ever, and I must stop this here, forgive me,” Celestia said.

“You're not forgiven,” Dusk said before he formed the tendrils into a fist and launched it at Celestia who took to the air avoiding it.

Dusk fired several more shots at Celestia who teleported around and fired a big one back at him, he teleported out of the way and then made the missed shots loop back around.

Celestia noticed and put up a spherical barrier, the beams continuously bounced off the barrier.

“I’ve learned far more than you realized,” Dusk said before sliding on a red ring onto his horn and his magic grew stronger.

“Huh?” Celestia saw this and then he fire a massive beam at her which blasted apart her barrier and sent her tumbling to the ground.

“Tch!” Celestia flipped up to avoid another beam “An enhancer ring?” Celestia said.

“I never said I’d fight fair!” Dusk said as he created a giant sphere of magic and he shot it into the air and it split apart, raining down blasts on Celestia who used a beam of her own to shoot them out of the air.

Suddenly a tendril grabbed her leg and she was yanked off her hooves and thrown into a wall, as she looked up she saw Dusk approaching a glower in his eyes.

"You cannot let this go on Dusk! I won't let you abuse the power of Celtus like last time!" Celestia said.

“I rotted in jail for twenty years Celestia, all because you were weak! But now I’ll fix that, I’ll fix this whole broken weak equestria you made!” Dusk said.

“I chose the peaceful route Dusk! Would you have rather all of your hometown ponies have been killed, just to make a few griffons pay?!” Celestia said.

“ALL I HAD LEFT WAS A BROKEN SISTER WHO LATER DIED! You could have at the very least have punished their village instead of me! But at least you stood by me for twenty years when I finally got my revenge, right? WRONG! You threw me aside and left me in jail!” Dusk said as he slammed her around some more.

Celestia fired a beam to break the tendril and she took to the air again but several tendrils snagged her and pinned her to a stained glass window.

Twinkle flew through Canterlot looking for her friends when her Twinkle sense alerted her… Celestia is in danger!

“No… CELESTIA!” Twinkle flew off.

“But that isn’t the worst part, the worst part is because of why you did it, because the griffons threatened war, you cowered before them, you the sovereign of the nation, and thus, you tossed me to the wolves, you abandoned me, because you were weak! But now, I’m the strong one, and the first thing I am going to do when I’m done, is drive the griffons to extinction,” Dusk said.

“Y-you’ll what?!” Celestia said.

“Not every race, just the griffons, they’ll be an example what my new Equestria can do, think of it Celestia, nopony will ever have to fear being run out of town by an angry dragon, be lorded over by despots, and no more children will have to sit back and watch as griffons destroy his world,” Dusk said.

“You're insane! I’d never support this!” Celestia said.

“That’s no longer your concern, it’s mine,” Dusk said as he raised her up and slammed her through her throne before throwing her and she tumbled to a heap, Celestia struggled to her hands and knees.

“As soon as I merge you and Luna, we’ll have a leader we can depend on, one brave and powerful enough to make the difference Equestria needs,” Dusk said.

“Dusk… I am… truly sorry…” Celestia said struggling to her hooves.

“Huh?” Dusk said not expecting that response.

“...Your right… I did abandon you… because I was scared… scared of what you became… what you did,” Celestia looked at him with tears in her eyes and Dusk continued to look surprised. “I… wish more than anything to undo my mistakes, but when you used Celtus… I began to fear you… you had the potential and the hatred in your heart, I never should have made you my apprentice, maybe then you’d have lived a normal life, and I would have never raised you into this zealous monster…. I-i’m sorry…” Celestia said looking at him.

“....Wow…. what a speech….” Dusk looked away… before raising his hand and firing out a tendril hand and gripping Celestia by the neck and pinning her to the wall.

“ACK!” Celestia grunted.

“Had you told it to me twenty years ago, instead of throwing me in prison for life… it may have worked, but sadly, you waited too long,” Dusk said with a glare.

“D-Dusk!” Celestia choked.

“Equestria will become a strong nation, with you or without you…” Dusk said before suddenly a powerful beam fired at him through a window and he turned and quickly put up a barrier, blocking it.

He dropped Celestia and turned towards Twinkle who landed.

“Leave her alone…” Twinkle said threateningly.

“Like an incessant itch, you just keep coming back,” Dusk sighed.

“Twinkle,” Celestia said as she struggled to her hooves.

“Stay down Celestia, I’ll take it from here,” Twinkle said.

“You cannot beat him, he has grown too strong,” Celestia said.

“Or you're still too weak,” Dusk said.

“Stop it with this bashing of her!” Twinkle said.

“I’m just saying, she had the chance to kill or at least injure me at least twice, but she didn’t take it, it shows that despite everything, she’s not fit to be the ruler,” Dusk said with a shrug.

“And you are?” Twinkle asked.

“No, I simply want a leader who isn’t afraid of her enemies, merging her and Luna will provide that,” Dusk said “And if you want to still be around for this new Eqeustria I’d suggest you leave,” Dusk said threateningly.

“No… Your views are twisted, and I won’t let you continue on,” Twinkle said.

“Then your of no use to my plan, so either imprisonment or death, no real matter, once I find out how to make more alicorns it’ll make the difference,” Dusk said before he fired several tendrils out and Twinkle used her sense to detect and dodge each one before firing a blast at him.

He used a barrier to block it and fired a beam at her.

Twinkle teleported but he used ‘redirect’ to make Twinkle reappear right where she was and the beam struck her sending her flying.

“Aaah!” Twinkle cried.

“You're still too green, I’ve had decades to prep for this day,” Dusk said.

“I can still try!” Twinkle got up and teleported again behind him, but A tendril grabbed her and flung her and she tumbled.

“With the enhanced magic of the merge mirror, you have no hope, when are you going to understand that?” Dusk asked.

“Never!” Twinkle said as she rolled behind a pillar as he fired some magic blasts at her and she disappeared.

“Hmm….” Dusk stared at the pillar… and then used his magic to cursory scan for her… she was… below him?....

“Why is she-” Dusk grunted as an explosion blasted a hole in the floor as he was actually hit with a beam of magic.

He tumbled back and Twinkle hopped out.

“Heh… you sly pony,” Dusk coughed as he got up.

“I have plenty of tricks,” Twinkle said.

“Yeah? Well, that’s gonna cost you… alot,” Dusk said with a glower as he flared his horn.

“I gotta reach him,” Twinkle said before she ran at him he fired multiple blasts of magic at her but she dodged around them and leaped at him.

Only to get caught by a tendril.

“Forget about those?” Dusk mocked.

“No, but I can do this now,” Twinkle said before she flared her horn and surrounded them in a transport field.

“Huh? Wait!” Dusk was about to redirect but Twinkle shot him in the face simultaneously with a glitter bomb she pulled out of her mane.

And this distracted him long enough to prevent him from stopping the teleport.

The two reappeared outside Canterlot.

“NO!” Dusk exclaimed seeing they were far from Celestia now.

“Looks like your plan to kidnap Celestia is foiled,” Twinkle said.

“....I planned this so meticulously… and in an instant you managed to screw it up… Now I have to search Canterlot again to find them both!” Dusk actually started laughing, and not a mirthful one either.

“You aren’t going anywhere, I’ll stop you here!” Twinkle said getting ready.

“So… it’s come to this…? I suppose I have no choice now, it is time for Equestria’s ultimate test, to prove itself, it needs to face its original evil,” Dusk said before bringing out the manuscripts.

“No… NO!” Twinkle ran forwards to snatch them but Dusk spun and struck her with several tendrils that bound her to a nearby tree.

“Let me go!” Twinkle struggled, and before she could teleport a ring fastened to her horn “NO!” Twinkle cried.

“This happens to you alot doesn’t it…” Dusk remarked before looking out at Canterlot.

“You can’t do this! Why unleash an evil that wants to destroy Equestria?! Aren’t you trying to save it, in your own way?!” Twinkle pleaded.

“...Equestria needs a wake up call, that complacency is the enemy to progress, and if Canterlot needs to burn for them to see that, then so be it, I’m done playing around, it is time for the next phase!” Dusk said as he levitated the manuscripts.

“NONONO!” Twinkle yelled as she struggled and forced alot of magic through her horn, it hurt like heck but she needed to pull this off…

“Celtus, it is time,” Dusk said.

“Ngh! AAAAAHHH!” Twinkle managed to break the ring with a surge of magic and it flew into the air.

“Hmm?” Dusk said looking up and seeing the beam hit the clouds and create a big flash like a firework.

Zap turned when she saw the blast in the sky, and she looked closely where it had come from and her sharp eyes saw Dusk and Twinkle on a hilltop.

“Oh horseapples… He’s using Celtus!” Zap cried and she took to the air.

“Zap Apple?!” Charity cried.

“I GOTTA STOP HIM!” Zap cried as she took off leaving a rainboom.

She flew through the air at incredible speeds.

Would she make it?

“Awaken, darkness of the past, you who roamed this land long before ponies, and destroy your enemies,” Dusk gestured as he was flowing magic into the manuscripts and they glowed bright red.

“I…have to do something…” Twinkle looked up dazed from the power surge.

“Awaken, darkness of the past, you who roamed this land long before ponies, and destroy your enemies, awaken, darkness of the past, you who roamed this land long before ponies, and destroy your enemies, AWAKEN!” Dusk cried as the manuscripts glowed brighter.

“DUUUSK!” Twinkle looked up and saw Zap closing in on Dusk.

“... You're too late,” Dusk said before he fired a magic bolt into the floating manuscripts.

Zap closed in and was just feet away from delivering a punch.

And then an explosion occurred.

And Zap was flung back…

“ZAP!” Twinkle cried as a pillar of dark energy shot into the air and it went into the clouds, the clouds darkened and lightning began striking.

Celestia saw this from a distance as she stumbled to a broken window.

“By the sun… no…” Celestia said fearfully.

Luna was still holding the line at the front gate when she saw the eruption of dark magic.

“No…” Luna cursed.

“No…” Twinkle whimpered as she saw the skies darkening and she knew they were too late to prevent Celtus from returning.

She dropped to the ground as the green tendrils vanished.

“Now is the time you all prove my point… stop Celtus, and I’ll know I did everything right,” Dusk said before walking away.

“You maniac…” Twinkle said.

Suddenly it began to rain… but not water, a black liquid, and as it landed on the ground it began gathering.

It formed into a pile that started small but grew in size until it eventually surpassed an ursa major somewhat.

And then it formed into what looked like a giant black bear-like monster with glowing red eyes who reared back and unleashed a bellow that echoed across the entirety of Equestria.

It sprouted horns and wings and bony armor-like plates on its back.

And then turned towards Canterlot and growled before making its way towards the city.

Celestia sobbed as she saw Celtus in the distance.

Suddenly Discord was there beside her.

“So, he was actually crazy enough to pull this,” Discord said.

“Deep down… I prayed he wouldn’t, knowing of the possible casualties… Discord-” Celestia said.

“I’ll do my best to hold him back, but until he is pulled back into the Manuscripts, I can’t stop him.” Discord said.

“That is all I ask, I must find my student,” Celestia said standing up as Discord vanished.

Twinkle got up and stumbled toward Celtus.

“I… gotta stop… him,” Twinkle said before she suddenly found her power restored and she turned to see Discord.

“Come with me,” Discord said before he teleported the both of them.

When they reappeared, they were back in the city, along with Zap Apple.

“Discord?” Zap groaned as she got up.

“Stay in the city, I’ll take care of this,” Discord said.

“Discord!” Charity said with tears in her eyes but Discord hugged her.

“I’ll be okay, trust me,” Discord said before he teleported.

“No!” Charity cried as he disappeared.

Celtus was almost upon the city when he sensed something and he looked down at the ground and saw Discord.

“Alright you big lug, I’ll give you one chance to turn around before this gets ugly,” Discord said.

Celtus just roared at him hard enough to nearly send the Lord of Chaos flying.

“Whew, a few thousand years did not do your breath any favors,” Discord chuckled to himself.

Celtus raised a paw and slammed it down on Discord.

Before Discord grew to a size similar to Celtus making the monster stumble back.

“I can’t get any bigger… or else the city might get crushed,” Discord said with chagrin looking back at Canterlot and he turned back “Let’s go!” Discord said as he shot forward and Celtus shot forward as well and they clashed.

Discord punched him twice, but Celtus bit down on his arm and tore it off.

“OW!” Discord grunted before growing a new one and he struck at Celtus again but suddenly Celtus grew a second tiger-like head that caught that punch in its mouth.

Celtus roared and sprouted a scorpion tail and it flew forward and stabbed Discord in the chest several times.

Discord cried out but returned fire with a chaos beam that blasted Celtus off of him.

Celtus stumbled back but then he morphed into a wolf-like creature and rammed Discord, Discord grunted as he held back the eldritch monster by the neck with one hand and grabbed his other arm as the monster snarled like a mad dog.

“He’s doin it!” Zap said.

“No, he’s not,” Twinkle said.

“What?” Zap asked.

“What do you mean?” Spike asked as he ran over to them, having seen the commotion.

“Look,” Twinkle said and they watched as Discord was wrestling with Celtus who shifted into a more ape-like form and they saw him rake his claws against the creature's arm but the scratch just regenerated.

“This thing can heal?!” Spike exclaimed.

“Not only that, Discord’s chaos magic isn’t making any dents in this thing, we need to find a way to stop it!” Twinkle said.

“I know how,” Celestia said as she landed nearby.

“Celestia!” Twinkle ran over to her teacher.

“What do we need to do?” Charity asked.

“We need to use the original spell to reseal him,” Celestia said.

“Cool, where is it?” Spike asked.

“In the offchance Celtus is released, Luna and I made another manuscript, one that has the sealing spell, we need to go retrieve it, keep Dusk’s forces busy until then!” Celestia said before teleporting to Luna to communicate the plan.

“Ok! Let’s go!” Twinkle said and the others nodded and followed her.

And floating over the warzone was Dusk.

“Hmmph, using the Lord of Chaos and Disharmony to hold back Celtus… smart… and just as planned,” Dusk said with a smile before he teleported away.

Ready to resume his plans.

Author's Note

Bet you guys can catch the references.

I hope I did this well enough, but I can safely say this story is resumed!