Author's Note

IMPORTANT NEWS!

1. I'VE ADDED SOME DIALOGUE NEAR THE END OF CHAPTER 11 BETWEEN STORM BREAKER AND THE ESCORT GUARDS TO ADD A STORY LEAD; READ TO AVOID FUTURE CONFUSION IF YOU'VE BEEN FOLLOWING THE STORY UP TO THIS POINT! (and thank you if you are :) ! )

2. I'm feeling a bit burnt-out with writing as of late, so sorry if chapters won't come out as frequently and this one isn't as good as the ones before it.

3. it's my first time writing Zecora dialogue, so expect it not to be too good.

Chp 12: Into the Everfree and Ponyville massacre

Passing over the sea of greenery and death, feeling the rotten, frigid air flowing through her mane and fur, Twilight was justifiably terrified.

No, not because of the emanate dangers below, but of the obvious boiling kettle of rage she left back in Ponyville, known as Storm Breaker. It’d been clear something was wrong, and she had a clue as to why. The moment a worried Olive Branch came over before discussing the plan to talk about Celestia’s father was a red flag the size of Griffonstone from the start. How did she know in the first place?! Now that she knew the truth, what would Ponyville’s condition be? Would her friends be able to explain things until she got back? Would there be a rampage instead? How many could survive? WOULD THE PRINCESS BE ABLE TO DO ANYTHING?!?

No, everything will be fine; she just needed to recite the breathing techniques Fluttershy taught her- In and out, in and out.

Nothing bad will-

“Hey, Twi.”

“AAAHHHHH!” Twilight shrieked, the protective barrier around her and the small envoy she formed faltering for a split second. “Rainbow Dash, what the hay?! You almost gave me a heart attack!” She shouted at the multi-hued pegasus flying next to the chariot Twilight was pulled along in by two pegasi.

Recoiling from her tone, Rainbow Dash huffed, “Geez, edgy much?” She joked, flipping over so her belly pointed to the sky, “I wanted to ask you what the plan was again.” She said.

Twilight breathed a sigh of relief and purged the embarrassed blush from her face, “Sorry, Dash. I-” Then a look of perplexion crossed her features. “Wait, what do you mean by that? You were there for the debrief with everypony involved, and you didn’t hear a thing?” She questioned.

“Fell asleep.” Rainbow Dash answered. “All that training for the Wonderbolts during the past few weeks tired me out.”

Twilight deadpanned, “Of course.”

So, for the next few minutes, Twilight had to run over the plan for what felt like the thousandth time- not including the sleepless nights trying to make it before hoof.

There would be two different team types in this operation.

One would be the town team: they would prioritize the safety of Ponyville and try to minimize any death or injury that may occur in the likely chance of an attack. Sentry guards are placed around the border on the watch for any invading animals, only relaying the order to prepare when the situation arises. The inner guards, which Storm Breaker was a part of, were the second line of defense if the sentries were to fail. They would lead everypony to safeguards scattered across town, the city hall being one of them. If it weren’t for Storm Breaker’s temperament, Twilight would’ve gladly accepted somepony with her experience to be on her team.

Speaking of Twilight’s team: the search team. Despite Rainbow Dash’s confusion about Twilight’s being the only one, several search teams were scouring the Everfree, having left a while ago to get a head start. After the month’s worth of time sending out waves of magic via a detection spell from outside the forest, the studious unicorn concluded there were multiple ‘hotspots,’ as she called them, causing the corruption.

While smaller groups of guards accompanied by one experienced mage from Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns split off to find minor hotspots, Twilight’s group prioritized the main hotspot- where it was, exactly, she wasn’t sure. The magic in the Everfree interfered with magic more than it usually did, rendering it nearly useless beyond mid-level techniques, which meant no long-distance teleporting.

Once all was said and done in this operation of Twilights, external crystal flares- as opposed to magic ones -would signal the eradication of a hotspot when shot into the sky. And, as theorized by Twilight, if the main hotspot were to be destroyed, it would weaken any minor hotspot’s nearby leeching off its energy, making the process easier. Sure, it wasn’t the most sound of plans with more holes in it than a fishing net for things to go wrong, but it was the best she could do under the increasing pressure and attacks.

But, hey, it was smooth sailing so far. What could-

“Mrs. Sparkle. We're having trouble keeping the chariot afloat,” One of the pegasi pulling the chariot said, following a violent, weightless shake of the chariot. “I advise we find a clear space to land and travel by hoof; I’d be earlier than you’ve instructed, but it would be safer.” He added.

She just had to say it.

“Um, no, it should be fine, sir,” She replied nervously, pointing a hoof to the barrier around her group, “The spell I put up before leaving Ponyville should protect us from most of the corruption and anti-magic properties of the forest. And as long as we don’t go into the forest itself, we should be fine.” She explained, the guard's face still uncertain.

Rainbow Dash flew up to him, “Plus, we have this to get us out if we do.” She said, pulling out a long, blue crystal encased in a metal handle from under her wing. The device she held was something Twilight built from an old tome about the inventions of Equestria’s Renaissance. It was stated in said tome to be a substitute for a unicorn’s teleportation spell for non-unicorns- although the device’s design was never brought to life due to the limited technology at the time. But with some crunch time, extra cups of coffee, and additional sleepless nights, Twilight built something similar to what the inventor originally envisioned.

The metal tube holding the crystal stored the magic for a teleportation spell. If taken out, the crystal would get infused with magic. And, when broken, it would activate the teleportation spell, sending who or whatever was in the five-meter radius back to where an identical crystal was: Ponyville. That was the Tl; DR of how it worked, at least, and every team had one for emergencies or if their job was finished.

Putting the device away, Rainbow Dash rested her hooves behind her head. “It doesn’t matter, anyway. I’ll kick the flank of anything that dares to mess with the future Wonderbolt member and her friend.” She proclaimed, winking at Twilight.

“I appreciate your…confidence.” Twilight thanked, “So there isn’t anything to-” she quickly looked left and right,”-worry…about.” She slowly said hesitantly. She shouldn’t worry too much; her friends back at Ponyville would be strong even without Storm Breaker- she shouldn’t completely distrust their capabilities.

“TWELVE O’ CLOCK, STALLION’S!” One of the further guards shouted, causing Twilight and Rainbow Dash to shoot their gazes dead ahead, only for the former’s face to drop in dread. Less than a few meters away, the relatively clean gray winter clouds were now sickly purple and black puffs of…corruption that had no observable end, purple bolts of searing hot lighting striking the forest below with shaking booms. Even Discord’s leftover magic affected the water cycle?!

Just then, before Twilight could say anything, one of the purple lighting bolts struck the barrier surface- and like wet tissue paper to a striking sledgehammer, the barrier instantly shattered like glass.

With their protection gone and the corruption-filled sky now passing overhead, everypony’s magic- from the guards to Twilight’s - was all but completely cut off, leaving the small group to plummet toward the forest. Rainbow Dash tried to flap her wings in the ensuing chaos but only achieved a useless flutter of her limp appendages. It had been less than an hour since she left the safety of Ponyville, and Twilight was already about to die if she didn’t come up with something!

And as she and the rest of the group inched closer to the ground below, the studious unicorn cursed her bad luck with all her heart.

Why couldn’t she keep her mouth closed?

An undisclosed amount of time later, a start and sharp gasp of air awoke the previously unconscious Twilight to the sounds of battle and thunder, closely followed by pain. Looking down at her back left leg, where it came from, she was disgusted and horrified to see a dark purple coloration decorate a severely swollen ankle. Twilight forced her stomach contents down as she ripped herself away from the sight, shifting to the environment around her to see the guards fighting off corrupted Timberwolves.

Suddenly, her upper half was lifted off the ground by Rainbow Dash, who wore a look of relief mixed with panic. “Twilight! Thank Celestia, you’re alright!” She said, her smile falling to a wince. “And in a better shape than me- my wings are busted.” She giggled half-heartedly.

“R-Rainbow, what happened?” The studious unicorn asked groggily.

Backing away from the worried pegasus, Twilight assessed her group’s current condition. Aside from their decent job of pushing the rotting canines away, the guards’ armor was heavily dented and scratched, with bloody cuts and scrapes covering their exposed limbs. They fought with every ounce of their fleeing strength, sweat pouring down their faces in spite of the cold weather. Some poor golden-cladded stallions looked pale, ready to knock on death's door any moment- one already lay motionless on the snowy forest floor.

How did things get this bad?

“Well, after we got struck by that lighting, we fell. Luckily the trees broke our fall’s mostly, but those guys are on their last legs, and we are next to useless.” Rainbow Dash quickly summarized, quickly ducking below a pouncing Timberwolf, who was promptly stabbed in the head by a guard.

With a strained grunt, Twilight rolled onto her stomach, attempting to stand by pushing her front hooves into the ground. “We…need to teleport back to Ponyville. It’s too…dangerous out here!” Sadly, her hooves fell from under her, causing the unicorn to fall chin-first into the ground. Holding back a cry of pain, she tried again, succeeding in moving to a sitting position. “Use the device I gave you.” She huffed tiredly.

A sheepish smile crossed Rainbow's muzzle, her hoof rubbing the back of her messy-maned head, “Heh, it’s funny you say that, Twi.” She chuckled nervously.

“...Rainbow.” Twilight said in a warning tone.

“I…sorta lost it.” She slowly said, making Twilight’s eyes widen in disbelief. Luckily, she stopped an incoming rant fueled by anger and panic by holding her hooves up, “Look, when you and I were falling, the chariot tipped over, and you were falling pretty fast. Since none of the other pegasi could fly properly and I was the closest to you, I…essentially grabbed you and became a landing pad.” Twilight gasped, putting a hoof to her mouth, “I didn’t know that the device fell off me when my wings were getting beat the tar out of them by ten different branches.” Emphasizing her point, the prismatic pegasus lifted a sprained wing.

A stunned Twilight removed the hoof from her muzzle, “Rainbow…I-”

“MRS. SPARKLE!” A voice shouted. Unfortunately, the unseen guard's words were useless in the oncoming threat as Twilight and Rainbow Dash only had time to see another Timberwolf lunge at them.

Reacting too late, Rainbow went to push Twilight out of the way but was too slow in her save as the wooden canine and injured unicorn slammed into one another, rolling backward across the snow. Once stopped, the wolf now triumphantly stood over his victim, a feral gaze of hunger in its rotted violet orbs that peered down at a trembling Twilight as its maw unhinged with a sickening snap. None of the guards weren’t able to help due to their own battles, and an already exhausted Rainbow Dash was too far away as the Timberwolf’s sharpened fangs grazed her neck's fur.

Twilight whimpered quietly and clenched her eyes tightly, hoping her inevitable end wasn’t too painful.

And just as she felt the first centimeter of wood pierce her neck, it suddenly stopped. At the sensation of nothing, she opened her eyes, surprised to see the Timberwolf, mere seconds away from ending her life, completely ignoring her, looking off in another direction with its head raised. The studious unicorn, puzzled by the sight, also noticed the other Timberwolves doing the same despite her awkward angle.

Following their gazes, Twilight was additionally shocked to see a figure draped in a brown, drab cloak.

The cloaked figure, standing atop an upward-angled mound of rock, their clothing flapped in the icy air as a familiar-looking black stripped limb peaked out, holding a staff topped off with a green powdered-filled sack. “Leave these souls alone, or you will bemoan!” They shouted in a threatening tone.

Swinging their foreleg, the staff in their grasp followed, releasing the powder as a faint cloud over the immediate area. As the green cloud settled closer to the ground, the smell of burnt wheat and spoiled milk assaulted Twilight’s muzzle- she ignored her position under the wolf to plug her nostrils with her hooves. It didn’t do the awfulness of the scent any justice, but Twilight’s description of the eye-watering mist was close enough. It also seemed the Timberwolves aligned their opinions’ to hers, as multiple whimpers of disgust rang out as the rotted wolf pack ran off into the forest’s dark brush.

“Yo, Twilight, you good?” Rainbow Dash’s voice said unexpectedly, Twilight flinching as she turned to see the pegasus at her side.

She nodded, “Y-Yeah,” Twilight replied, looking back to the cloaked figure, “but what is she doing here?” Repeating her earlier process of sitting up, Twilight’s settled panic nearly resurfaced as the remaining guards faced the cloaked figure, their spears aimed at them. “Wait, don’t attack her- she’s a friend!” She shouted with an extended foreleg, confusing the guards while- with the help of Rainbow Dash -standing on her hooves, favoring her injured one.

“Twilight, my friend, it’s good to see you again.” The figure greeted as they pulled back the cloak’s hood.

The visage underneath the cloak’s veil wasn’t of a pony but of a zebra, much to the guards’ bewilderment. Her fur was a cool gray with black stripes, wistful and baggy teal eyes, scuffed gold neck/earrings, and a slightly unkempt mohawk. “You are not in the best of well-being, I see,” She jumped off the rock, startling the guards when landing, pulling a vial of red liquid from inside her cloak as she walked by them, closer to Twilight. “For the energy that’s fleeing. To put one at ease.” She finished, tossing the vial to her.

Catching it in her weakened magical grasp, Twilight pulled the cork out of the vial, put it to her lips, and tilted her head back. With the red liquid flowing down her throat, the studious unicorn felt most of the pain in her injured ankle fade into a dull throb.

“Thanks, Zecora. We would all be goners if you hadn’t shown up.” She said.

“Speaking of,” Rainbow Dash interrupted, “what are you doing out here- how did you find us?” She asked.

Zecora frowned. “Guarding this sick land has not been a breeze; days pass without ease.” she started, planting her staff into the snow, “For fortnights I roam, coating my home. The protective mix I’ve produced shows use, repelling those who fall to the ill magic’s abuse.” She pointed to the sack on her staff, “Chance and fate were at play, and I crossed you, who went astray.”

Rainbow Dash tilted her head in confusion, “So you just happened to find us. And this green stuff scares off Timberwolves?” She simplified, receiving a nod. “With a smell like that, I don’t blame them.” The pegasus added in a mutter, swatting the air before her head.

“Still, I’m thankful for your help.” Twilight said, stepping closer and putting a hoof on Zecora’s shoulder. “Oh, and on another note, you don’t- by any chance -know where a clump of chaos magic is?” She said, lowering her hoof.

Zecora raised a brow, “Why?” She simply said.

Twilight sighed, “Because they might be the corruption’s cause; we were on our way to destroy one before…this happened.” She motioned her away from the zebra’s shoulder to the scene around them.

For a moment, the zebra shaman remained silent in the face of Twilight’s question. Putting a hoof to her chin, she hummed in thought and concentration, her eyes closed. Zecora was another of Twilight’s friends she’s made since coming to Ponyville. While not as close as Rainbow Dash or the other elements, per se, she and the zebra had a couple of interactions. Unlike anypony in Ponyville, even ponies like Fluttershy, the Zebra’s choice of residence was in the heart of the Everfree.

Unfortunately, this earned her a bad reputation among the townsfolk well before Twilight arrived, which became resolved over a year ago. Now, whenever situations involving strange magic or the Everfree occurred, Zecora was the first individual anypony went to. And when the corruption attacks began, Twilight and her friends did just that.

However, arriving at her hut, the zebra shaman was nowhere to be found. They tried many times on separate days, but she would never show. It had only been now that Twilight saw Zecora in over a month in better shape than she was in the past thirty minutes.

“Ah! You seek the source, but...the journey may be coarse.” Zecora finally answered, her face giving off uncertainty.

Rainbow Dash returned by putting her hoof against her chest, “Do you know who you're talking to?" She said with a smirk, "Just because we were having a bit of trouble before doesn’t mean one measly walk will hurt us- Well, maybe for Twilight.” She diverted away from the studious mare’s glare. “We’ve been through worse, like Discord! Besides, that magic powder of yours kept away the Timberwolves. What is there to worry about?” She said confidently.

The zebra shaman considered the pegasus’s words momentarily, then sighed. “I encountered such evil one day upon my walk- the result of my find gave me a shock. Beyond moss and stone, hidden behind a decaying throne, lies the sickness’s backbone laid bare and alone. I dare not to loom again, for it would be my bane.” Looking away, the zebra pulled back her cloak further.

Clinging to her side was a growth not too dissimilar to the ones infecting the Everfree wildlife, veins of black and purple branching out from a cluster of violet sacks of an unknown substance.

Upon seeing the inside of the zebra’s cloak, both mares gasped in shock- some of the guards that had circled back around to behind Twilight turned a shade greener. “Zecora! A-Are you going to be okay?” Twilight worriedly asked, the zebra chuckling in turn as she let the cloak fall.

“I’m fine for the most part; I will not fall apart.” She joked. Looking over Twilight’s shoulder, her expression turned to a grimace. “But release your woes, or fall prey to our foes.” She said, causing the ponies to all turn around. It certainly did help quell the zebra's ominous rhymes as countless glowing eyes growled at them from the darkened trees surrounding them. “Let us make haste so they won’t get a taste. A guide I shall be, but don’t be so carefree.”

Returning to the zebra, Twilight sighed heavily, “I guess we have no other options.” She said.

But as the group began to pick themselves up and move on, they were suddenly aware of a subtle shaking under their hooves. And before anypony could question it, the rumbling turned into a full-blown tremor, nearly throwing the group off balance as they cried out in surprise.

Only when Twilight’s head locked onto the direction of a far-off booming sound did she see a hint as to the shaking’s source.

The giant pillar of snow and dirt that fell as quickly as it had formed.

With a muffled roar, the warrior strained every muscle fiber within her neck as the delirious mare sank the sword's blade into the earth in one motion. Akin to a red-hot knife cutting a block of butter, no resistance stopped the dull blade from splitting the ground before the horde of corrupted animals crowding the town hall’s entrance.

Instead of nothing happening that somepony outside her perspective would expect, there was a small rumble, then a noticeable shake.

Until it devolved into a full-blown quake that nopony could properly stand against, throwing some off balance. Due to this, the energy and magic given by the warrior through her weapon embedded deep into the ground, pulling, pushing, and tearing like molten lava. And just like a volcano, creatures numbering in the dozens flew through the air or were buried under piles of dirt and snow as it all went sky bound as a gigantic column of Equus. Screams, animalistic and pony-like, rang out but were ignored as the warrior remained stock still.

Infusing magic into anything, be it an object or the ground itself, was an easy task any measly twig of a creature could do.

However, infusing magic could prove fatal if outputted in amounts higher than the user's body could handle, leading to magic overload. In Vanguard training, it was no wonder the best of the best required new members to go through hellish training to accomplish such an ability’s peak without dying.

But for the warrior, all the pain and hardship she went through learning it more than paid off with her secret herbal concoction.

Because, in the wake of her attack, it was as if the goddess of the harvest herself came down from the heavens, stabbing the earth with her dagger and leaving a sudo-ravine in its stead.

And once everything settled, the elements falling and rumbling, quietness flooded every crevice of the air as the warrior’s eye peered up. She felt every agonizing movement of her inflamed body, every shift under strained skin, and every rapid beat of her racing heart. Pain in its purest form, all blocked out by the flora mixture’s effects, leaving more of a mute persistence in her mind’s background. Nothing but a profound sense of euphoria and freedom remained. The heat of battle had found her once again, and she couldn’t be happier.

The light shining from cracks in the clouds bounced off her unflinching, exposed eye, giving it a light-blue glowing effect with a lowly growl emitted from the large mare's throat. She would re-establish her namesake and make these ponies know of the title given to her by her enemies. The demon of the snowy valley will be-!

Then something strange happened; they…ran, the previously malicious creatures trying to tear ponies apart, whimpering and crying.

Huh? Why were they running? Isn’t this what all predators wanted: A fight with their prey?

…

Oh, she knew why they ran away. They were bored of them; they saw her and the weaklings behind her as nothing more than simple playthings to keep them entertained! Those weren’t cries of fear as they fled…

…They were laughs of mockery.

“GET BACK HERE!!!”

Kicking off the ground with a bolt of thunder striking in the distance, the warrior gave chase to the fleeing, cocky animals with her sword drawn back. It took little time for her to span the distance; the first group of creatures looked back, terror in their previously lifeless gazes before darkness consumed their minds- the warrior’s almost unseeable swings parting heads from shoulders. No one was safe from her rampage, blood, and gore flying this and that way as the warrior hacked and slashed, mighty beasts such as manticores fell like chomp trees, and even the environment got caught in the crossfire.

Holding her momentum, the warrior intended to turn a corner to continue her pursuit but was too early, charging directly toward a collection of houses. But the warrior wasn’t the least bit moved by the blunder and decided to put more power into her sprint. Following a single crash of brick and wood, that was one of many destroyed houses due to the warrior bashing through their interiors like they weren’t there.

After breaking the seventh house, the warrior finally broke through the obstacle of homes and out the other side, cutting off a fleeing hoard and catching them off guard.

“WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU’RE GOING?!?” She yelled savagely, grinning in a sadistic manner at looks of dread as the terrified hoard tried to turn back.

It was useless; the warrior immediately jumped into the fray, starting by using the butt of her sword to stab the top of a wooden mutt’s head, following up by kicking it. It didn’t matter if her skin was quite literally ripping under her merciless assault with every slash and chop, nor did any concern cross her mind that her bones felt as though they were nearly about to snap. She cared more about mending her hurt pride than herself, nothing more in the face of these cowards while she ran her sword through five different creatures.

The Vanguard was a proud organization- her pride as a member was nothing to laugh at!

These useless ponies did enough of that, she knew!

They lied if they denied such a claim! Celestia, her lap dog, and even Olive Branch. AND SHE WASN’T ABOUT TO LET A BUNCH OF DIRTY VERMIN DO THE SAME!

THEY WILL ALL PA-

Suddenly, the warrior's massacre was interrupted by a loud boom, not of thunder, but of a large creature approaching her. Unfortunately, before she could regain her already lost bearings to find the origin, the silhouette of a massive head was all she saw as it slammed into her with a crushing force.

Hit square in the side by the unknown creature, she felt herself sailing through the air, then a painful experience of damaged flesh impacting plaster and brick as she crashed directly into more buildings. When it finally stopped, the warrior’s temporary black-out faded away to reality as she scanned her surroundings, finding nothing of use before lifting her battered body to its hooves. She wobbled and climbed over the trail of rubble while exiting the destroyed home, using the edge of her self-made entrance to maintain stability. In the warrior’s blood-stained vision, the closing-in steps of her assailant proved to emphasize its sheer size as the three-headed lizard locked on to its potential meal.

Like other corrupted creatures the warrior faced, its body was also in a state of decay- one of its heads lacked half of any skin or muscle -and the monster's mighty frame showed from under torn flesh. Teeth sharper than any blade, bloody and scratched, dripped with saliva, and the monster’s triple growl shook her very skeleton.

“STORM BREAKER!” A voice rang out. Glancing in its direction, the warrior spotted a gaggle of guards- a noticeable lack of her escorts -and Olive Branch, accompanied by the apple farmer and two other brightly colored mares. “Get out of there; that’s a hydra- you’ll get killed!” He shouted.

The warrior barred her clenched teeth, “Killed, huh?” She mumbled, voice scratchy and rough. “YOU CALLING ME WEAK?!” She roared angrily, making the large group stop.

A look of surprise crossed the apple farmer's face, “What? No! We’re tellin’ ya you’re in no shape to take on something like a Hydra! You’re already in bad shape; there’s no hope of you winning this one!” She retorted.

“SHUT UP!” The warrior snapped, turning back to the hydra with a grin, pupil shrinking to a pinprick. “Weak? I’ll show you weak once I’ve skinned this bastard alive!” She seethed, blood bubbling in her mouth’s corners. Before anypony could stop the mad-mare, she went into a full sprint toward the Hydra, in turn, getting met with a roar as it also charged her. She knew it! Those fucking cretins thought of her as feeble!

Even as the short distance between her and the three-headed lizard closed, she wanted nothing other than to turn right, directly toward the arrived group, and show them how weak she was.

But that had to wait as she struck heads with a Hydra.