Fractum Speculum

Sixteen

Twilight’s teeth chattered in the cold. She bowed her head against the wind, one hoof holding the orb close to her chest.

“There is a place, high atop the Unicorn Range,” the voice had told her, “there, and only there, may my heart be reunited with my body.”

Looking up she could see the range looming over her, its snow capped peaks almost entirely obscured by cloud.

Not for the first time she stopped to consider what she was doing. She had no idea whether the voice had been telling the truth, how was she to know it could really save her friends. But then, she reminded herself, she would do anything, no matter how slim the chances, in order to make things the way they were before.

She powered on, unconsciously leaving a trail of hoof prints in dirt. A trail that was, without her knowledge, being followed.

Seventeen

Applejack waited until dusk before setting off. She made sure Applebloom hadn’t followed her, but she had been busy trying to get Granny Smith to eat. Her health was beginning to wane, if she kept up this passive attitude she wouldn’t have long left, especially with winter on its way. Applejack knelt down to scratch Winona behind the ears.

“You’ve always been a loyal friend,” she whispered, “and just in case I don’t make it back... I’ll never forget you.”

Winona whined as Applejack stood up and walked out of Sweet Apple Acres.

She took her time, not wanting to be seen. All the way she recalled her sister’s words the day before.

“This won’t bring Big Mac back!” but she knew that, there was no noble intent behind what she was going to do. This was revenge, plain and simple.

As she arrived at the hospital she was surprised to find there were no guards outside. Odd, the place had been armed to the teeth yesterday. She entered, no longer trying to be quiet; it was obvious there was nobody around. She took a breath and made for the ward Fluttershy was being held at. It didn’t take her long to reach the room she’d been stopped at yesterday.

“Please Applejack, don’t do this!” she shook her head trying to forget her sister’s words. No guards here either, and nurse Redheart was gone too.

Applejack began to get suspicious at this point, suddenly she was very wary of what she was going to find through these doors. But she’d come this far. Slowly, taking each step if it were her last, she made her way towards the door. She reached forward with a hoof, hesitated, and then pushed it open.

So that’s where all the guards went. The corridor was strewn with limbs and guts; it was only the armour that identified them as the guards. Though there could easily have been others mixed in, it was impossible to tell. The doors to Fluttershy’s room were smashed from the frame, the carnage continuing all the way up to the bed she had been strapped on. And there she was standing just in front of it, her hoof resting on the decapitated head of Nurse Redheart.

“I’m so glad you made it,” she said taking Applejack back to that morning outside her house, “it saves me having to come get you myself.”

Applejack just stared at her, shaking out of a mixture of fear and anger. All the dead bodies, and these were trained soldiers. She opened her mouth ready to retort, but Fluttershy was bored of waiting. The Pegasus spread her wings and flew like an arrow straight for Applejack, teeth bared.

Applejack dodged easily, either she was playing with her or she was tired from her fight with the guards, she hoped it was the latter. Applejack ran for the room, she didn’t want to get trapped in this confined space with her. She only just made it; she darted around the corner as Fluttershy came speeding in for a second attack. They were both in the room now, facing each other from opposite sides. There was no fighting fair here, Applejack thought, it’s live or die.

She needed to think of a strategy, something she could use to her advantage. But Fluttershy wasn’t going to give her the time of day. She ran forward this time rearing up and kicking out, Applejack wasn’t fast enough and as she tried to avoid, Fluttershy’s hoof caught her in the flank throwing her off balance. Rolling on the floor she managed to dodge another pounce. Fluttershy obviously wasn’t playing with her, but she had definitely been faster back at the cottage. Perhaps she really was tired from her fight with the guards. Then she noticed, Fluttershy was covered in cuts, she hadn’t realised because she assumed the blood had come from the ponies she’d killed.

She had a plan; if it worked she might just come out of this alive, if it didn’t... She started running towards the exit, Fluttershy just laughed, swooping in striking her in the side of the head. Applejack fell flat on her face in a pile of bodies. She groaned clutching her stomach. Seeing this Fluttershy began moving lazily towards her.

“That was fun, wasn’t it Applejack?” Fluttershy said laughing victoriously. “But I’m afraid, I win. Goodbye Applejack.”

She readied herself, licking her lips, staring at Applejack’s exposed neck. She pounced.

Applejack spun around bringing the spear she was holding with her, dragging it across Fluttershy’s torso. Blood gushed out; Fluttershy just looked faintly surprised and fell to the floor. She lay panting heavily, staring at the ceiling. Applejack walked over raising the spear so the point was resting just over her eye. She just smiled.

“You see now don’t you? The power, I’m at your mercy, you hold my life in your hoof.” She laughed manically, Applejack just stared. She was looking into the eyes of the pony that killed her brother, but she was also looking at her friend.

“Do it.” Fluttershy said simply. Applejack was shaking, she remembered back to the time she’d charged off to the bog because Pinkie sense had predicted Fluttershy was in danger. When she found out she was alright, just before the hydra attacked, she was so relieved that one of her dearest friends was safe. And now here she was, ready to drive a spear into the eye of that same friend. She raised the spear, readying herself to bring it down.

But she couldn’t do it. She threw the spear away, tears welling in her eyes. Then it was as if something left Fluttershy, but Applejack looked into her eyes and saw all the hatred, all the anger, fade away.

“Applejack?” she said, in a soft, quiet voice. Applejack remembered it as if she’d heard in a dream, or a distant memory. She saw the tears pour from Fluttershy’s eyes and knew... she was herself again. Then the black hoof came crashing down, crushing Fluttershy’s skull.

Applejack just stood there. It was as if her whole world came crashing down all over again. She screamed falling to her knees.

“Shame, I was looking forward to seeing that spear burst through her eye.” Applejack looked up at the figure that spoke, and saw through her tear soaked eyes a tall, skeletal thin, black stallion, with withered wings.

“Why?” she said in a choked voice.

“Why?” he repeated, “shall I tell you the truth?” he leaned down and began whispering in Applejack’s ear. As he spoke her eyes widened in horror.

“Run, run, run, as fast you can Applejack.” He called after her as she dashed down the corridors. She had to save Twilight.

Eighteen

Rarity shivered in the freezing cold. All around her the snow was swirling, and the sun had set hours ago. It was getting harder to track Twilight’s footprints, but she knew she was getting closer. Looking up she saw they’d almost reached the peak. Was that where she was heading?

She walked for another ten minutes, or at least that’s how long she thought it had been, it was getting hard to tell. When all of a sudden, the tracks disappeared. She panicked looking all around. But the snow had filled in the footprints. Cursing she squinted through the blizzard. She thought she could make out something in the mountain face, a cave opening perhaps.

She rushed forward, shielding her eyes from the snow which was getting progressively more violent as she ascended the mountain. It was indeed a cave and she gratefully entered. She was expecting it to be pitched black inside, but instead she found herself in a cavernous chamber lined with ornately carved stone pillars, each topped with a ball of pure light. The room itself was a kind of amphitheatre, stones steps all around descending to form a pit in the centre of the room. There was a centrepiece, what looked like a shallow pool. And there was Twilight, standing at the edge of the pool holding the orb out in front of her with magic.

Twilight heard her enter and turned to look up at her.

“Rarity?” she exclaimed, “What are you doing here?”

Finally all the anger that had been building up in her exploded. “The orb, give it to me, Now!” Rarity screamed.

“Excuse me?” Twilight said confused

“It’s mine, all mine,” she screeched thundering down the steps. Twilight looked terrified.

“Rarity stop!” Rarity was so surprised by the authority in Twilight’s voice that she did just that. “You don’t want this; you just can’t handle its power. That’s why it’s changing you, that’s why it’s changing everyone,” Twilight explained

“Excuse me, what do you mean I can’t handle its power? What makes you so special might I ask?” Rarity continued marching, slower this time. “Ever since you got here you’ve been strutting about like you’re so much better than the rest of us. And why? Because you’re the princess’s loyal pooch. Whenever she calls you go running begging for a treat.”

Anger flared in Twilight’s eyes. “I’m going to ignore that because I know its not you in there.”

Rarity laughed, it was mirthless. “Keep telling yourself that. Whenever anyone criticises you, just convince yourself there’s a reason for it, and go on thinking your perfect in every way.”

Twilight lowered the orb and set it on the edge of the pool. “Rarity I’m warning you!” she threatened. But Rarity was sick and tired of listening to her. She lowered her head and channelled all her energies into firing a bolt of magic straight at Twilight. It caught her by surprise and threw her back, crashing into the steps. Picking herself up Rarity could see Twilight looked as angry as she felt. She fired back three shots following her as Rarity dodged them, the last one singing her tail. Spinning to face her opponent she spun her head sending out a wave of power, expanding in magnitude the further it travelled.

Twilight didn’t try to dodge it; instead she raised her head creating a barrier between her and the wave. As the two met the entire room shook and both ponies were thrown to the ground. This time Twilight was faster, getting up and rapidly throwing out as many different spells at Rarity as she could muster. Rarity couldn’t have dodged, so she focused her thoughts on the step right behind Twilight and teleported there. Twilight didn’t have time to react, Rarity the tip of her horn on Twilights back and fired another blast.

Twilight was thrown down the steps, splashing into the pool. She picked herself up, very slowly; she was probably in a great deal of pain. That shot would have killed her, but Rarity realised Twilight must have cast a protection spell early on in case of a situation like that. They stared at each other, both panting profusely. They both knew they spent.

“Give up Twilight, just give me the orb.” Twilight looked up smiling.

“You mean this orb?” she raised it in her hoof. Rarity looked down and saw Twilight was standing in the pool, which was dyed red with her blood.

Too late she realised what she was going to do, and before she could say or do anything a voice called out behind her.

“Don’t do it Twilight!” she turned and saw... Applejack?

Looking around again she saw Twilight throw the orb with all her force into the pool. It hit the surface of the water, and shattered.

Nineteen

Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash had been travelling at great speed without rest. They’d travelled the entire day and now night was upon them.

“Do you even know the way to Vanhoover?” Rainbow Dash demanded.

“Of course!” she snapped back, “well maybe...”

They came to a halt panting. “Pinkie, we’ve been running for a day. I think we’re lost.”

Pinkie turned her back on Rainbow Dash; she didn’t want to admit she was right.

Pinkie remembered back to waking up the morning after the party. She’d planned to take Gummy to Fluttershy’s house that day, but when she found Gummy he seemed fine. No strange behaviour. It didn’t occur to her for a while that it was the orb that made him act that way. So for the rest of the day she went about her business, baking an order of cakes to be delivered to Baltimare, babysitting Pound Cake and Pumpkin Cake. Then when the news came in she rushed down, but she couldn’t get through the crowd.

She had decided to try and go around, and while running through the trees she saw Princess Celestia and a group of armed guards carrying Flutteshy in what appeared to be a magical coffin. She was terrified Fluttershy was hurt... or worse, but then her eyes opened. There was nothing in her eyes that resembled Fluttershy, even from a distance Pinkie could tell. Then she turned her head and looked right at Pinkie, and Pinkie saw a familiar shadow cross over Fluttershy’s face.

It was only when Spike told her about taking the orb as evidence that she put the pieces together. That whole night she tried to decide what to do. When morning came, her path seemed obvious. But now they were lost. They hadn’t a hope of making it to Vanhoover let alone tracking Davitt down. She sat down lost for thought when Rainbow Dash spoke up.

“Maybe we should head back.” Pinkie was about to agree when a croaky laugh broke through the darkness.

“Giving up so soon?”

They turned and watched the figure step out of the shadows. The scrawny body, the grey coat, they opaque spectacles. Only Pinkie Pie recognised Davitt, but Rainbow Dash guessed.

“Who do you think you are?” Pinkie demanded, “selling evil objects, ruining people’s lives, and for what? Money”

Davitt laughed, “Money? You think I care about money?” he pulled a bag out of thin air, Pinkie’s bag. He briefly opened it to reveal the contents, one hundred bits. Then he clapped his hooves and it ignited, disintegrating in mid air.

“Who are you anyway?” Rainbow Dash asked positioning herself low to the ground, ready to take off should a fight kick off.

“And what was that orb?” Pinkie added, readying herself also.

“Orb? Oh, you mean the heart,” Davitt replied. Both ponies hesitated not know what he meant, but it made a kind of sense to Pinkie, remembering the way it pulsated. “Right now events should be coming to a close. You could have been there to help prevent them, but instead you came after me... and now you’re going to die!”

They were caught off guard, he dashed forward fast as light. He raised his horn directly to Pinkie’s face and sent out a stream of lightening. She didn’t feel herself get thrown back, or when she landed in a crumpled heap on the ground. She was completely stunned, all she heard was ringing, and all she could see were blotches of light. Slowly her sense returned and she could hear more spells being fired; clearly Rainbow Dash wasn’t giving up without a fight.

When she was able to see again she saw the air filled with multicoloured sparks and flames. Rainbow Dash was dodging them with ease, but to her horror Davitt was jumping around, casting more just as fast if not faster. Clearly his frailty was just an act. Pulling herself to her feet she stumbled forward, she wanted to help. Davitt saw her from the corner of his; he swung his head around sending out a whirlwind of fire towards her. Pinkie leapt out of the way, but the inferno chased her. Davitt hadn’t thought it through. When she’d first dodged she was still feeling disorientated, but now she was at the top of her game because the tornado was keeping her active.

Taking this in her stride she charged at Davitt. He was so focused with Rainbow Dash that he only turned last minute. But Pinkie wasn’t going in for an attack; she leapt over him and kept running. The pillar of fire kept travelling regardless. Davitt was swallowed up by the flames. All remaining spells faded away and Rainbow Dash returned to earth. The fire sank lower and lower before finally extinguishing. Pinkie and Rainbow Dash exchanged hopeful looks. But then the smoke cleared.

He remained standing, his head lolled forward and his coat was scorched black.

“No way!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed, but then without hesitation he took this chance and flew in for the finishing blow. That was when Davitt looked up, and they both saw that his glasses were not on his face. There were no eyes, just endlessly deep, dark holes.

Rainbow Dash stopped in the air right in front of him, as if frozen in time. Their eyes (or lack of eyes) met, and Pinkie witnesses something horrific. Shadows began seeping from his eye sockets, tendrils of darkness reached out wrapping around Rainbow Dash’s limbs, chest and throat. Pinkie was frozen to the spot as she saw the tendrils tighten crushing Rainbow Dash in the Air. Blood burst from his mouth and dripped from the gaps between the tightly wrapped restraints. Finally they released her and let her limp body fall to the ground.

Pinkie screamed, rushing forward in anger. Davitt began to turn surprised, as if he’d forgotten she was there. As Pinkie ran she reached down and picked up a dislodged tree branch swinging it into Davitt’s head. He collapsed instantly, and she struck him in the head repeatedly, venting all her rage. Finally she dropped the branch shaking, she thought it was finished, but his limbs twitched and he uttered one last sentence.

“It’s too late... the heart has arrived at the fated place... Twilight sparkle shall be its host... our lord will walk Equestria again.” And with that he spent his last breath, and he was dead.

Pinkie rushed over to Rainbow Dash and fell to her side.

“Wake up, please wake up,” Pinkie begged. She felt herself beginning to cry. Then Rainbow Dash’s head turned slowly and her eyes opened slightly.

“Pinkie,” she whispered, she then coughed a painful, rattling cough.

“It’s ok, it’s going to be ok” Pinkie reassured her, or maybe she was reassuring herself. “Ill get you help, you’ll see. You’re going to be ok.”

“Pinkie...” she said again, her voice even quieter still.

“Please don’t go.” She couldn’t stop herself crying now.

“Never stop smiling,” Rainbow Dash said, giving a small grin, “being serious... was never... your thing.”

“Rainbow Dash?” but she was gone, and Pinkie Pie, was all alone.

Twenty

Twilight raised her head. This power. This incredible power. It was flowing through her. She looked up to see the shocked faces of Rarity and Applejack. Rarity’s quickly turned to anger. She charged at Twilight screaming indistinguishable treats and insults. Twilight just flicked her head and sent Rarity soaring and then crashing into one of the pillars, extinguishing its light.

Wait a second, this didn’t make any sense. She was told she was reuniting the heart with the body. So then why did she have all this power? Rarity stumbled to her feet and Twilight tried to think why she felt the need to use so much force. And there it was again, flowing through her. But what she took to be power before felt different now, like an invading force corrupting her system.

Rarity leapt again, she looked demented. Twilights head swung to the side. From her horn erupted a cascade of black light which shrouded over Rarity. She began to scream, and that sound brought Twilight back, what was she doing? She removed the spell. She looked over at Applejack helplessly.

“I can’t control this.” Twilight shouted to her.

“That’s because it’s not just you in there,” Applejack shouted back. She had to shout because a whispering had started and was echoing through the empty cavern.

“What do you mean?” but then she felt something tighten around her, and the flowing came faster. Looking down at her legs she could see her blood vessels standing out all over her flesh, they were black.

Twilight finally made the connection between the heart and the black goo, it was blood. And now that blood was coursing through her veins.

“He needed a vessel.” Applejack called out over the thundering noise, “it had to be some pony powerful enough. Fluttershy and Rarity weren’t so he broke them and moved on. He chose you.”

It was making some sort of sense but she still couldn’t stop it. She felt another wave coming over her. She twisted her horn and Rarity was surrounded in a black aura. She flew into the air and was thrown at full force back to the ground shattering the steps.

Applejack was making her way down the steps, but it looked like she was walking against gale force winds. Twilight realised she was releasing waves of energy that were physically breaking up the floor around her. Twilight could see Rarity trying to get to her feet. Looking in her eyes she knew the power of the orb was broken, but she couldn’t stop. Again with no control over her body threw her head back dragging Rarity through the air and hanging her in front of her.

“No! I won’t do this!” but she was helpless. The whispering was now deafening, the blood was flowing so fast it made her head spin. She could feel it leaking out her orifices. Then her head slowly moved from left to right, her horn tracing a straight line in mid air. And as she drew, it was as if a knife was being dragged across Rarity’s forehead. As Twilight finished, it came clean off, splitting Rarity’s head in two. Twilight was horrified with what her body was doing, but it wasn’t over. She raised her horn and the half of Rarity’s skull rose with it. When at last she was holding it at least a dozen metres over her, her head fell, and the skull fragment came crashing into Rarity’s exposed brain, pulverising it.

Twilight collapsed. She couldn’t even express what she was feeling, after everything, there was nothing left inside. Applejack finally arrived next to Twilight and suddenly she knew what was about to happen. She wanted to scream out, to warn Applejack, but her mouth wouldn’t let her, it was sealed shut by the same force that was controlling the rest of her body.

“I’m so sorry Twilight...” she said, her voice echoing through the whole cavern. The whispering started up again, she felt the blood pumping.

“... I never wanted this to happen...” Twilight could feel herself slipping away. Applejack raised her hoof, removed her hat and bowed her head.

No! Run while you can please! But it was no good, everything was happening exactly as it had happened in her dreams for so many nights. Applejack donned her hat one last time and reached down picking up a fragment of the rock the steps had been carved in. She raised it over her head, ready to strike down.

“I’m so sorry.”

“So am I...” the voice came from Twilight’s mouth, but it wasn’t Twilight. She then lifted her head and thrusted her horn into Applejacks chest, piercing her heart. The stone fell from her grasp, clattered to the floor, and Twilight saw the light leave her eyes.

Twenty-one

Princess Celestia was too late. She entered the chamber in time to see Applejack fall to the floor, lifeless. Twilight then turned her attention Celestia and Luna who began making their way down the steps towards her. She should never have left; she’d regretted doing so immediately.

When she arrived back to Canterlot, she found Luna in the library. She had so far found nothing regarding the forged letter. At first she was annoyed Celestia flew off without telling her, but when she heard what had taken place in Ponyville that day she conceded it had been for the best. They intended to return immediately, but she couldn’t send off a legion of guards without having a lot of red tape to cross.

They flew back the next day, arriving as the sun set. Celestia had been confident the situation hadn’t escalated but when they discovered Spike unconscious in the library, her stomach dropped. Rousing him he quickly explained the discovery and subsequent disappearance of the orb, as well as Rarity attacking him. Assuring them he could look after himself they hurried towards the hospital.

They missed Applejack by minutes, entering to discover the chaos that awaited them. Quickly she summoned Rainbow Dash to give a report of the situation, but instead another Pegasus she’d never met before arrived to explain that Rainbow Dash had left her post that morning. The situation was dire, Luna seethed at Rainbow Dash shunning her orders and leaving in the middle of a crisis, but Celestia shrugged it off, they needed to track down Twilight and this orb.

Pouring all their knowledge and power together, they swept across all of Equestria in spirit, searching for Twilight. Eventually they felt her presence at the peak of a mountain in the Unicorn Range. Without a moments delay they set off together. Night was upon them and she could sense time was running out.

They travelled with haste, their wings aching with the strain. When they arrived they charged in… moments too late. Walking down now to meet Twilight Celestia surveyed her student, she looked barely recognisable. Her coat was a deep, dark purple, her veins blackened, creating a dark web criss-crossing over her entire body. Her eyes struck Celestia most; she stared into two large, inky black pools. And all around her, she radiated a dark magical aura.

“You have arrived.” Twilight said, her voice reverberated through Celestia, making her shiver and her bones tremble.

“Twilight, if you’re in there, don’t be afraid. I’m going to save you.” Twilight smiled, revealing a set of razor sharp teeth.

“Twilight sparkle is gone,” she mused, “I live through her now.”

“And who exactly are you?” Luna demanded, furious.

“My name is Sullivan.” She (or he apparently) raised Twilight’s leg pointing at them both, “and you are the usurpers of my throne.”

What was he talking about? Celestia stopped walking; it was becoming more difficult to put one hoof in front of the other.

“And what claim do you have to the throne of Equestria?” Luna posed, rhetorically.

“Equestria? This land was ours. Before the Windigos chased your ancestor tribes here.” He stood defiant. What ever he was saying, Celestia could tell it was true, or at least, that he believed it was. “We’ve been waiting for a long time.”

All around the lights began to fade, the pillars extinguishing. The cavern was cased into darkness, until only Celestia, Luna and Sullivan stood, in an endless plane of nothingness. All around them images began to appear, they were blurred and jittering. They were the ghosts of thousands of ponies, black and grey, emanating darkness, their horns broken, their wings torn. They then watched as one by one they faded away, the crowds thinning until only two remained standing solitarily on either side of Sullivan. A grey unicorn with a twisted horn, and a tall Pegasus, with withered wings.

“We ruled this land, until it was taken from us.” Said Sullivan, Celestia heard the bitterness in his voice. “Over the years our numbers dwindled, until there were only a few who remained loyal. We swore one day we’d return and take back what was stolen from us.”

He began walking towards them now, they bared themselves, readying for a fight. “My followers took my heart, the only piece that was left, and they’ve protected it all these years, until a host came that was capable of being my ark.”

Silence. Celestia could tell Sullivan’s story was coming to an end. They’d have no choice but to fight him, she knew that, but was Twilight going to have to die to stop him? Could she kill her own student? The ghost of the grey unicorn faded away, but the Pegasus remained, in fact his outline became clear, he manifested from a fluttering illusion to the flesh and blood figure. Now it was two against two.

“So it was you who sent Twilight that letter, let her overindulge in magic with the onyx. You were testing her to see if she could be your host.” Celestia shouted at him, but what she said seemed to genuinely confuse him.

“Letter? Onyx? I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Celestia knew he was telling the truth. But if he didn’t send it… then who did.

Sullivan raised his horn, it began drawing in the dark abyss, and suddenly they were standing in a pitched black ocean.

“This… is the end.” Sullivan said, and at once all four sprung into action. Celestia moved as fast as light dodging the black ripples emanating from Sullivan’s horn. She managed to barrel roll through the air landing directly behind him. Lowering her horn she charged her attack, but before she could fire, the Pegasus came crashing into her, tossing both of them to the side.

Recovering quickly Celestia could see Luna now duelling Sullivan, sending spell after spell, not granting any opening. She tried to rejoin the fray but the Pegasus tackled her again. This time she kicked back, they became locked in mid-air. Out of nowhere Celestia was caught in the face by one his wings. She fell, barely landing on all fours. She saw the Pegasus stumble about; his wings seemed to be weighing him down, like they were crippled.

This gave her an idea, and spreading her own wings she soared high into the darkness. Looking down she couldn’t make him out against the black surroundings, but she felt his presence. Targeting him she nose dived with all her force. He hadn’t seen her coming; he dodged a second too late. Her horn cleaved into his flank, and as he tried to escape his hind legs failed him. He pathetically attempted to spread his wings, but attempting to do so caused him immense pain and he barely made it a metre in the air before collapsing again.

Celestia wasn’t sure whether she should finish him or not, he flailed helplessly, the waves rushing over him. She decided he was no longer a threat and switched her attention to Sullivan. Luna was fighting well, but Sullivan wasn’t tiring and none of her attacks were breaking through. Dashing into the struggle Celestia sent a wave of light slicing through the waves. The rippling darkness surrounding Sullivan faltered and seeing her opening Luna launched a relentless bombardment of spells.

Sullivan was hit, and for a brief moment the whole dark void shimmered revealing the cavern. Celestia swooped in for another assault, but he teleported out of reach. Unable to see him they leapt back to back searching the shadows for him. Then Celestia saw him reappear next to the withered wing Pegasus. The pegasus stopped his struggling long enough to look and smile, he thought Sullivan had come to help him. But instead he opened his mouth and sank his teeth into the Pegasus’s throat, tearing out his oesophagus.

The body became limp very quickly, and then disintegrated into ash. Sullivan sucked in, drawing the ash into his mouth and nostrils. Immediately his aura became more solid, his wounds healing. Celestia could hear Luna panting behind her; they couldn’t keep the fight up much longer. Sullivan returned surrounded in darkness, which formed twisted limbs and tentacles, which in unison began flailing at them, clawing and tearing at their flesh. Luna sent out a stream knock them back allowing them to retreat to a safe distance.

Celestia bowed her head creating a wall of light between them and Sullivan; she then thrust her whole body forward sending the barrier smashing into him. He blocked it easily by forming the darkness around his body creating a protective shell. Luna began charging a spell, and Celestia fired off sparks keeping Sullivan at bay. When Luna was ready Celestia touched the tip of her horn to Luna’s mane and teleported them both behind Sullivan. He wasn’t prepared, Luna fired, and he was shrouded in a beam of blue magic.

As the light faded they saw Sullivan standing completely unharmed. Impossible! But then he flickered and Celestia realised too late it was an illusion. The real Sullivan moulded from the shadows behind Luna, he lowered his horn, gently resting the tip on her flank. Her bones snapped, and she fell submerged by the dark waves. Celestia turned around, but she was too slow. Sullivan sliced the air with his horn sending Celestia flying, landing in a bloody heap.

He walked slowly towards her, breathing heavily, the fight had been hard on him too.

“Impressive. Just what I would expect from a being of your fame.” Said Sullivan, his voice wavered slightly. “But now, it’s…”

But he stopped, his eyes stretched wide.

“What?” he struggled to get the word out of his mouth. Celestia stood up, looking in Sullivan’s eye, she saw something. Deep within those black pools… a light sparkled.

“Twilight Sparkle.” She smiled, her student was reaching out to help her, but the light was waning, she didn’t have long. “Thank you.”

A single tear ran down her cheek, and bowing her head, she drove her horn into Sullivan’s chest, piercing his heart… but destroying Twilight’s body.

Epilogue

Scootaloo sat on a cloud, briefly she glanced down at Ponyville a mile beneath her. A year ago she’d never have made it this high. But Rainbow Dash had taken her under her wing, pushing her to be the best. Everyday she challenged her to go as high as she could. The day this all started, Fluttershy’s birthday, she left the party early with Rainbow Dash so they could make up for the time they lost while she was in Cloudsdale.

Before Rainbow Dash had left she was only able to go half as high as this, but that night Rainbow Dash watched her fly higher than ever before. They sat on the cloud not saying anything, and then Rainbow Dash looked at her and made her feel like the happiest pony in all of Equestria.

“I’m really proud of you,” Rainbow Dash said, no hint of sarcasm in her voice, “you really are my little sister.”

The day the curfew was enforced she’d been ready to show off her new moves to Rainbow Dash. But another Pegasus came bringing her a message.

“Rainbow Dash had to leave, she said keep flying to the cloud and she promised to meet you there when she got back.” And that was it, Scootaloo did just that, she’d fly up, wait for an hour, come back down, get impatient and fly back up.

She kept doing this, even when the news came in, everyday as Rainbow Dash had told her. She wouldn’t believe Rainbow Dash was gone, she was going to come back… she promised. But she never did, and eventually Scootaloo fluttered slowly to the ground, and never took off again.

Sweetie Belle was gone. After Rarity’s death her parents decided to move to Filly Delphia, they hoped a change of scenery would help them move on. Applebloom was gone. Granny Smith did pass away when the temperature began to drop. Her relatives came for the funeral, but none of them were able to take over Sweet Apple Acres. After much debate they were left with no alternative but to declare it closed. Applebloom and Winona went to live in Applelosa with her cousin Braeburn.

They said they’d keep in contact, and for the first few weeks they did. But soon it was days before Scootaloo heard from them, then it was weeks, and eventually she never heard from her friends again.

~

Spike returned to Canterlot with Celestia and Luna, who although both very injured, pulled through. There was nothing left for him in Ponyville. Upon his return he was invited into the royal court. Officially he was a steward, but as time went on he found himself becoming more relied upon as Princess Celestia’s bed nurse, who never seemed the same after losing Twilight. Slowly she became more withdrawn, making fewer public appearances. And then she became completely bed ridden, never uttering a word.

Princess Luna was forced to take sole responsibility for managing Equestria, but it wasn’t long before the task became too much for her to bear alone. They were forced to call for Princess Cadance(29) to return to Canterlot from her seat in the Crystal Empire. Her and Shining Armour(30) had already been down to attend the royal funeral for all the ponies who’d passed away during the crisis, and it was clear being back only provided painful reminders for what they’d lost.

Before leaving Ponyville he’d taken Owlowiscious to Zecora in the Everfree forest. She agreed to look after him; Spike couldn’t help but miss him a little after that. Peewee he took with him and it was allowed to stay with Philomena. One day Spike was standing with Cadance in the throne room.

“I’m not sure what we can do,” she said sadly, “if another crisis occurs, we have no one to wield the elements of harmony. The last line in Equestria’s defence is broken.”

Spike picked up the crown. His claw brushed over the blue stones coming to rest on the pink star.

“You know what we have to do,” she said bowing her head. He did. When the elements rebound themselves to Twilight and her friends, they had to be destroyed first. In order to create new wielders, these had to be destroyed. Spike nodded handing over the crown, the last keepsake he had of his oldest friend.

~

Pinkie Pie was the last pony standing. She took her time returning to Ponyville, Rainbow Dash slung over her back.

“Keep on smiling.” That’s what she said. But how could she smile when she’d lost so much. She somehow knew before she saw, that the others didn’t make it. Rainbow Dash, Twilight sparkle, Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy, those five, who had been bound together with Pinkie Pie and each other before they ever met, they were all gone.

At the funeral she saw her friend’s bodies being lowered into the ground. She couldn’t even bring herself to weep for them, she had nothing left. She’d left early, unable to take all the ponies saying they were sorry for her loss. She wanted to lock herself up and never come out. But as she lay on her bed, the blinds drawn, the light extinguished, Gummy scratched on the door. She met his eyes and knew he wanted to go outside. Dragging herself out of bed she reached for the door, as she opened it, daylight flooded into the room. Blinking she stepped outside, Gummy running to find a discrete place to do his business. She looked all around, everywhere ponies ambled along, not a single one talking; they just went about their daily business. And for the first time in what felt like forever, Pinkie smiled.

Not because she was happy, but because she knew someone had to.

“Keep on smiling.” She had to smile for all of them now; she had to live for all of them now. But she needed to start over. She handed her notice into Mr and Mrs Cake. They weren’t surprised by this, and they didn’t try to stop her, they just helped her make preparations for travel.

“Where will you go?” they asked. She didn’t answer, because she didn’t know yet. She just tapped her nose and turned her back, leaving Sugarcube Corner, and leaving Ponyville.

Pulling a cart containing all the essentials required she would need to get as far as Manehatten, should she choose to go that way, and Gummy sitting on her back she walked between the houses, leaving their lives and memories behind her. As she reached the bridge, the one she need to cross and she’d officially have left Ponyville, a pony walked past her in the opposite direction. As they did they dropped something which rolled out in front of Pinkie. Stopping she reached down to pick it up. It was a small black stone.

Pinkie had seen onyxes before, and she knew enough about magic to know this one was enchanted with something.

“Excuse me, you dropped this.” She reached out her hoof not looking at who it was had dropped it or reached out to take it.

“Thank you.” The voice was familiar, but she didn’t stop to see who it was, she just continued on. Reaching the bridge, she stood on it and looked around one last time. The setting sun cast a warm glow over the rooftops of Ponyville. Birds chirped, hooves clattered, but no pony exchanged words of any sort.

“Goodbye… everyone.” And with that she turned, leaving Ponyville behind forever.