Shattered Gemstones and Silent Bells
Twilight Sparkle galloped through Canterlot Castle, ignoring the dead and injured, the destroyed rooms, the pools of dark magic- all the signs of a great and terrible battle, and burst into the throne room, halting at the sight within. There, bound to the floor by dark tendrils of black magic, within a pentagon made of her own blood, was her teacher and mentor. One of Celestia's wings hung limply, bent at a painful angle and blood dripped from a gash on her face. Stood over her, a dagger poised in the air, was the sorceress, the witch, who had so easily defeated the Princess of the sun with magics most foul, eyes glowing with the power of black magic.
“Rarity,” Twilight croaked out. “Why?”
“All my life, Twilight Sparkle,” the white unicorn said, shadows sticking to her body as if they were alive. “I have given and given, sacrificing so much, never expecting anything in return, not even a simple word of thanks. Do you remember when I cut of my tail for that sea serpent, or when I made not one, but two dresses for you to wear to the gala? But I have lost something I could never give away, never sacrifice, and now I am simply bringing her back. The universe owes me that much, at least.”
“Sweetie Belle is dead, Rarity!” Implored Twilight. “There is nothing you can do about it. She’s gone! There is no need for this!”
“Lies! I have learnt the darkest of magics, from the most foulest of beings. And I know, Twilight Sparkle, that not only can I bring her back, but that I will. Do not presume to stop me, for my power now exceeds your own.”
“Rarity, please stop this. Despite everything, you’re still my friend. I don’t want to have to fight you.”
“Then don’t fight me. Just watch, as I do the impossible and bring my sister back from the dead!” With a shake of her head, Rarity sent the knife plunging down towards Celestia’s body, only to be halted by a purple shield. “Humph, it appears you have chosen to fight me anyway. Well Twilight, you have made a foolish mistake, believing that you can stop me. Nothing, not even Death himself, shall keep me apart from my sister!”
Rarity lept over the still shielded body of Celestia, horn crackling with black magics. A tentacle of shadow leapt from behind a column and struck at Twilight, sending her flying across the room, impacting against a wall with a might crack. Twilight stumbled to her hooves, coughing up blood, fire in her eyes. Without a word Twilight cast a spell of her own, a bolt of purple force headed straight for Rarity, only to be knocked aside at the last minute by the shadowy tentacle.
“Is that the best you can do, Twilight? I thought you were supposed to be the Element of Magic? How does it feel, to know that you are no longer the most powerful being in the room, hum?” Twilight declined to respond, knowing full well that Rarity was trying to goad her into attacking. Instead, she circled around the witch, head low, eyes watching. “Cat got your tongue, darling?” Rarity said, before casting another spell. Twilight shook her head from side to side, trying to detect where the danger would come from next, when suddenly another tentacle detached itself of the ceiling and knocked her to the floor, pinning her down. Rarity walked over to the downed unicorn, shadows coiling around her body. “My, my, I wasn't expecting you to go down this easily.”
“You forget something,” Twilight chuckled. Rarity raised an eyebrow.
“And what, may I ask, have I forgotten, dear Twilight?”
“You're not my only friend.” Rarity’s face froze in shock, but before she could look up, a rainbow blur burst through one of the windows and smacked into her, sending the white unicorn flying across the room.
“Sorry we're late to the hoedown, sugarcube.” An accented voice spoke from the doorway. Looking up, Twilight saw her four friends- Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy standing there.
“Oh great, the cavalry has arrived,” Rarity said sarcastically, picking herself up of the floor. “No matter, not even the five of you can hope to stop me.”
“You want to bet on that?” Rainbow said, speeding across the room, only to be intercepted by a tentacle, smacking her across the room and into a column.
“Oh, but I do.” Rarity took up a stance and began channeling black magic into her horn. The temperature of the room dropped, as if a shadow had passed over it. A ball of black magic flew out of Rarity’s horn, before striking the floor. A moment later, the ground trembled and shook as dozens of skeletal bodies dug themselves out of the marble flooring.
“Impossible...” Whispered Twilight, still pinned to the floor.
“Do you see now, Twilight, just how far above you my power is? Sweetie Belle will be returned to me!”
“Pinkie, Fluttershy- help Twilight,” ordered Applejack, “Dash, with me. Lets show these skeletons a rodeo they will never forget.” The four ponies charged into ranks of the skeletons, Pinkie and Fluttershy tackling the tentacle which held Twilight down. Rainbow Dash flew into the skeletons, lashing out in a hurricane of blows, broken and shattered bones flying each way, whilst Applejack stood her ground, bucking any skeleton that tried to reach Twilight. Eventually, Twilight was able to worm her way free, at which point she joined the battle. But no matter how hard they fought, no matter how many bones they broke, how many skeletons they downed, the abominations just kept climbing back up and returning to the fray.
“This is hopeless!” Dash exclaimed. “There's just too many of them!”
“We can’t give up now, sugarcube!” Applejack bellowed, the distraction giving one of the skeletons an opportunity to down the farm pony.
“Applejack!” Cried Pinkie, wrestling with another skelton, her party canon abandoned to one side.
“Oh... oh my,” Fluttershy said as a pair of skeletons backed her into a corner, there lipless mouths chattering uncontrollably.
“No, we must prevail! We can’t let Rarity continue!” Twilight shouted above the chaotic melee. Suddenly, a purple flash and the sound of falling glass stilled the battlefield. Twilight looked on in horror as the shield over Celestia- her shield- shattered, exposing the Princess to Rarity.
“Its too late, Twilight! Nothing can stop me now! With this sacrifice, Sweetie Belle will return to me!” She cried, her dagger plunging towards Celestia's heart.
