Rarity Writes a News Article

Lightning struck everywhere. Light was always flashing, and it was blinding. Thunder was always heard, and it was deafening. At their elevation, the air was cold and rain made it damp. They could barely stand up to the howling wind. Undead clawed at the doors, desperate to protect what gave them life. When they looked back, this would not be an adventure. But it was almost over.

"Hurry up!" Rainbow Dash called out in panic. She was losing the fight to hold the door in place. Small streams of blood stained her coat.

"What do you think I'm trying to do?" Twilight responded angrily, her voice hurting from the yelling. She gritted her teeth as she tried to fit the last few pieces of the puzzle into place. The turn of the stone rings was almost mesmerizing.

"Um, I don't mean to make a panic, but, uh, our protection is starting to wear out." Fluttershy added. The Glowing diamond fastened around her neck was begining to dim.

"Horse Feathers!" Twilight shouted as she threw the rune vexing her at the stone carving. A large chunk of stone fell out of the ceiling, and she sighed in relief. Impossibly, it was exactly what she needed. She fit the newly found piece into place, and the wall began to retract. Just in time. Rainbow Dash fell forward as the undead made it through the flimsy wooden door. She scrambled to her feet and to safety, heart beating strongly from the near death experience.

In the next room would be an ancient relic, imbued with dark magic by a bitter unicorn long ago. It granted the undead what little life they had. A strange stallion told her it needed to be destroyed, that the undead were going to become a problem: That darkness was upon them. It seemed easy, so similar to the adventures they'd had before. The Earth ponies had been busy, so the four went in on their own, confident in their abilites.

"Everypony through!" She ordered, and braced herself. The familiar purple aura surrounded her horn, and a bright light began to shine. Abruptly, it flashed to a blinding intensity and faded. The pursuing horde stopped in burning pain, and Twilight ran through the door as it began to close.

"Fluttershy, how is the artifact?" She demanded, but the answer was already clear. The darkness surrounding the temple was growing strong. She felt faint as its power attacked her. Doubtless everyone else felt the same.

"I don't think it's going to last any longer." She replied.

Twilight made her way to the black crystal in the middle of the room. It was suspended in a bright-blue light, and pulsed upward periodically. She felt a burst of energy every time. The pressure on her leg spiked as she reached toward the crystal. Her heart beat so rapidly she couldn't hear anymore.

"Almost... GOT... IT," She yelled. The pressure dropped as she grabbed it and it forced her off her balance. Rainbow Dash was on top of the crystal as it landed, smashing it with her forearm, angry determination on her face. Outside, the sound of clattering bones stopped. It was over.

Or, it should have been. Instead of going away, the darkness she felt rapidly overtook her. She could not stand.

"NO!" She screamed as she struggled against the unknown force. "That should have stopped it! That should have worked!" In her slowly fading vision, she saw Rarity collapse as well, and Fluttershy rush over to her.

"TWILIGHT," Rainbow Dash called out in the distance. She had been wrong, and now this evil would claim countless lives because of it. She knew not how she would stop it any more. She could not believe it. She had been lied to. She had been wrong, and they had failed.

"TWIIIILLLIIIIIIIIIGHT!!! WAKE UP!" Dash continued, her voice growing farther. Twilight heard a deep laugh as she saw a silhouette walk through Dash toward her, and lost consciousness.