The Changelings were advancing, swift and steady, crossing the heavens above Equestria, closing more and more with every second into the magnificent Canterlot.
The swarm had prepared for a long time for this evening, enduring the merciless cold of the artic mountains, deep inside the eternal glacial valleys.
The months spent in that frozen hell granted the Changelings with endurance and strenght equal that of Celestia's army, therefore they didn't need the surprise element anymore, for they could now go on direct confrontation against the Royal Guard.
This was the day the Changelings were waiting for, the time where they would take revenge on ponykind, and no Changeling had waited more anxiously for this day than Queen Chrysalis.
None of them felt the weight of flying at full speed from the North Mountains to Canterlot, their blood was pumping and their heads were filled with thoughts of glorious triumph, they wouldn't feel any exhaustion with victory at their grasp.
And then finally, after seemingly endless hours of flight there it was, the city of glamour, the city of luxury, high above any other city in Equestria.
Canterlot was at sight.
But at the same time the swarm was at the sight of the sentries in canterlot, their black bodies were contrasting with the deep blue of the night, they were exposed.
A living storm coming to destroy Canterlot.
This was no time for being subtle, the guards sounded the city's alarms at the sight of the strange vision closing fastly from afar.
All the thrumphets and every horn in every tower sounded at unison, and every living creature in Canterlot stood still before the ominous song.
The magic shield was quickly raised around Canterlot with the effort of dozens of specialized unicorns, and the evacuation issue was proclaimed at the streets.
Celestia knew something of extraordinary magnitude was about to happen.
To make the situation worse the population was begining to panic due to the sudden events, and the guards were struggling to avoid a stampede in Canterlot streets.
And inside the palace was not much different of a story, but they had Luna, Cadance and Shining Armor to calm them down, so Celestia made her way to the highest towers, to witness for herself the situation.
And then she arrived, recieved by the tower's sentries highest officer whom with calm demeanor informed her majesty what was of their knowledge at this point.
"You'r majesty, It's a massive formation of living beings heading towards Canterlot, coming from the northeast".
"It's... An Army... But who are..."
Said Celestia as she gazed to the horizon, but then the noises on the street caught her attention, the ponies below were in panic, there was chaos.
After some seconds of meditation she made a decision and then took off the tower, flying towards the open skies, where everyone in the city could see her.
And the chaotic crowds suddenly froze at the sight of Celestia's magnicifent glowing figure, like that of a godess.
And so they waited with a knot in their throats to hear the words from their beloved Princess.
With a powerful and Frim but at the same time kind and warm voice she addressed her subjects.
"Citizens of Canterlot, please remain calm...
In this moments the city is in severe peril...
A great threat is coming towards us as we speak, that is the reason we have issued the evacuation order, so none of you will get hurt in the case of a fight...
A year ago i was reminded that my most sacred duty as a Princess is to protect you, and Equestria...
And so i ask you ponies... Be brave...be strong...
Equestria will always prevail as long as it's people always remain strong!"
And so, everypony stood still, petrified by those words, words of valor and inspiration but also of great concern.
"Come on everypony, lets get a move on and leave some space for the guards to do their job, Shall we?"
Said a random gray furred and blonde maned mare with waltzy eyes that was standing in the middle of the silent crowd with a confident smile on her face.
"Oh yes, come on, let's get a move on gentlecolts, on to the shelters!"
Said what appeared to be her companion, a brown furred stallion with a mane of the same color and an hourglass cutie mark that no one really knew much but some ponies said he was some sort of Doctor.
And so, the concerned crowd agreed to follow the instructions, and began to move, following the guards orders with an anxious calm.
The situation was seemingly under control in the streets.
And inside the palace the evacuation was already on course as well, leaded by the royalty after they managed to calm down the guests by their own but similar means.
Several minutes of tension had transcurred, until the alarms sounded once again, this time the tone was the corresponding for the call to arms.
Celestia was in the Streets helping the evacuation when a guard came to her.
"Your majesty, please come with me."
"What is going on, they're..."
"They're here your majesty"
So, the pegasus lead the Princess into the northeastern edge of town, just in the border of the magic shield.
Meanwhile the streets were flooding with guards, running and flying towards their posts, preparing for the oncoming battle.
Their formations were as it follows.
The land ponies, armed with long spears were in the vanguard of the formation.
And behind them were the pegasus, armed with lighter javelins and light swords.
And in the rearguard were the unicorns, standing in high ground, this case above the roofs of the city.
"Everything is ready for battle your majesty."
A high ranking guard told Celestia while she arrived with the emmisary.
"Battle against whom!?"
The princess asked.
"They're back my lady... The Changelings are back... And they are... Many more than last time."
"But how... How can there be more than the last time!?"
"We're not sure, my lady"
And for the third time, thrumphets sounded, this time amongst the formed ranks.
"They've arrived!"
Said the commander to Celestia.
"Please, My Lady, guide us into battle."
Celestia didn't wanted a battle, but she knew this was no time for hesitation or doubt, it was for her people.
So, she took flight and headed towards the front of the troops.
And there they were, standing on the other side of the magic shield The Changelings were standing, the same creatures that tried to invade the same lands a year ago had returned.
This time there was an overwhelming number of them, never an army of this size had stood outside of Canterlot in all history.
Then the Changeling ranks began opening a singlr path, allowing a tall, slim figure to walk to the front of the lines.
With the same defiant demeanor and and arrogant smile on her face that she portrayed in the past, was standing in the eye of the storm, the Queen of the Changelings herself.
"Chrysalis!"
"You missed me, Celestia?"
"How dare you coming back to Canterlot, How dare you!?"
"You should had known that we wouldn't just stand idly as we starved to death, Celestia"
"That's not the reason you're here, Changeling, what is your intention!?"
"You know you cannot defeat us Changeling, you'll be gone or you'll yield!"
"You mean YOU will make ME yield... Just like the last time, when i stepped on you like an insect!?"
"You got a twisted sense of humor, don't you, bug Queen!?"
Both stared fiercy, throught the shield, each one's troops behind them ready to slaughter each other.
"I shall reveal my intentions here then, Celestia...
I have come to Kill Shining Armor, Cadance... But don't worry... I won't lay a hoof in you... You see... That's another one's privilege"
"What... !?"
Celestia was speechles, shocked by the grim intentions of the Changeling.
"You see Celestia... When you and your damned family defeated us, we were in the brink of death, in the brink of extincion....
That's of course untill our kind benefactor came in our aid..."
Chrysalis said with a tone of mockery.
"What... What benefactor, who in Equestria would help you!?"
"Oh Celestia... You're naive... He's been in front of you the whole time, but you are so blinded by your confidence that you never saw him coming!"
Then it revealed itself as black mist advancing, shrouding the Changeling ranks, and as it passed them they began to look Diferent, the look in their eyes and their presence itself had changed.
"What is that...? Mist?."
Celestia said to herself as she was looking for a new foe hiding in the mist.
"You haven't changed at all... Celestia...."
An ominous voice echoed throught the air, unknown it's direction.
"That... Voice.... It can't be..."
The mist had began concentrating besides Chrysalis.
"Welcome to the party, King."
Celestia and the guards remained silent while the mist began to take shape.
A black fur unicorn dressed in garments of a king, and heavy armor protecting him.
In his neck was hanging the cursed amulet, it's crystals shining like fresh blood.
His crimsom eyes glaring with terrifying hatred and his presence was of voilence and bloodshed, an evil Celestia had feared for a millenium.
"No... You're dead..."
Celestia looked at him with shock, but then she noted something that replaced that shock with the deepest of anguish.
"The... Alicorn.. Amulet... No... Twilight...Ponyville..."
She whispered to herself as she felt her heart shattering and by the tought of what could have happened to her beloved student and all of Ponyville.
"You're not gonna get away with this, SOMBRA!."
Equestria darkest hours were now seconds away.
"You're not gonna get away with this, SOMBRA!."
Celestia fiercely shouted at the dark king, whom with cold demeanor stared defiant at the eyes of the raging princess.
"Where is Twilight Sparkle... What have you done to Ponyville!?."
Celestia yelled once again at King Sombra, only to recieve an answer her heart was fearing to hear.
"The Elements of Harmony are forever gone, Celestia... you've lost your most precious weapon..."
Her heart got crushed in that very instant, but she knew not to trust the words of her enemy, for he was someone known for manipulating the dark emotions within oneself, specialy fear.
"How is it possible that you are still alive!?."
Celestia asked once again with contained rage.
"For you've always lacked the power to kill me... And so did the Crystal Heart."
"You monster...
What do you seek here, why are you allied with the changelings!?"
Celestia kept interrogating the King, triying to buy enought time to figure out how to deal alone with this unexpected foe.
"Ah, Celestia... Don't try to fool me... You know you can't... But im going to tell you, nevertheless... my farewell gift to you"
The princess was more tense with each passing second, for she knew the threats of this stallion were not to be taken lightly.
"Celestia... i want you to be aware that everything that will happen tonight is the outcome of all the mistakes you ever did as a ruler... Your lack of strenght and leadership allowed me to return to my Empire...
Unfortunatedly, Destinty didn't meant for me to take back my rightful throne, and it almost cost me my life to realize so...
Truly, the Crystal Heart's might almost ended with my life...
But driven by my to will to live i was able to cast a sealing spell on myself in order to survive...
Using a shattered fragment of my horn as vessel, i managed to safeguard my spirit and conscioussness to avoid their destruction..."
At that moment, an anxious Chrysalis interupted his speech, and with maniatical enthusiasm related her own story.
"As for me, Celestia...
Your family defeated me and my people, thus condemning us to a slow and painful demise, myself and a few other survivors were casted far away, into the cold lands in the north...
We desperatedly traveled for countless days and nights, stuggling to find any sustain...
Then we thought it was all over...
Until we found the most wonderful gift fate could have given us!."
After Chrysalis ended, Sombra took over the relate.
"And so it came to be...
The Changelings, guided by the hand of fate saved me from my self imposed imprisonment...
They unsealed my trapped spirit from my horn fragment.
Thus i compensated their kin with a power beyond narure...
I have given the changelings the greatest gift, a miracle that only I could grant them!"
"we're gonna use this power to destroy everything you love, in the same manner you took everything from us!"
The Changeling Queen interrumpted the King once again, her eyes overflowing with a dark aura resembling the magic that sombra weilded, and so were the eyes of every Changeling in that massive formation.
The Changelings began to growl and scream filled with animal anger.
"Do you see, Celestia!?
They're my warriors now, For i gifted them the power to feed from the pain and fear born from the hearts of every living creature!"
The ponies that witnessed such insane spectacle were terrified, incapable of speaking, including princess Celestia Herself.
"You took my Empire, you took my body, you took my subjects and my freedom...
But in the end i live, and i will take matters into my own hoofs, exactly like how it was foretold!
I have reclaimed the Alicorn Amulet, and with it i shall take over Equestria and bring it to a new era, where strenght once again prevails over weakness...
I will save Equestria and bring it to it's true destiny and glory!"
The Royal Guards inmediatly took their fighting stance, now more willing than ever to protect Equestria and all it's inhabitants from the madness of this monster and his army of abominations.
"Now, i will show Equestria the strenght of a true ruler ...
Behold the glorious power of the Alicorn Amulet!"
After pronouncing those words pitch black colored dark magic sorrounded by the powerful crimson aura of the amulet flowed into Sombra's horn.
"The Alicorns no longer hold the supreme power, Celestia!"
Sombra exclaimed as he stabbed his horn into the soil under his feet.
And the earth convulsed as King Sombra's magic casted inmense shockwaves at the ground between the two armies, greatly intensifying with each passing second, becoming a devastating earthquake below Canterlot.
"What, how is this possible!?"
Exclaimed a terrified Celestia while she attempted to get hold of reality.
King Sombra roared fiercely, as the tremors were magnified and intensifying, and then concentrated into one single point.
"NO!"
Celestia screamed as she realized what was about to happen, but it was too late now.
The mountaintop that stood above the main city was already shattering itself over Canterlot, massive boulders and pieces from the now ruined constructions at the peak of the mountain began to fell over the shield.
The specialized unicorns were giving their best in the task of containing the falling debris, but it was hitting the shield with extreme force, for it was too heavy and falling from a very high altitude.
The shielding of the city finally collapsed before Celestia even had the time to do something.
The debris kept falling, destroying great part of the city and the tremors hadn't subsided fully yet, the specialized unicorns were barely alive after the amount of energy they used to maintain the shield.
Sombra was terribly exhausted after burning the seemingly impossible amount of energy required to bring down the mountaintop.
"Changelings.... ATTACK!"
Sombra ordered his army between pantings, seconded inmediatly by Chrysalis.
"GUARD, READY"
Ordered Celestia to the Royal Guard while taking her position behind the vanguard.
The Changelings spreaded their wings and charged fearless towards the pony vanguard and their piercing lances.
The two masses of bodies collided with brutality and violence, the fearless Changelings began to be ripped apart by the spears of the ponies but didn't gave a step back in their charge.
The avalanche of black bodies kept pushing forward, while the pony vanguard was squished between walls of flesh, their movement and vision thwarted.
Then above their heads the ponies heard the distinctive sound of the insect-like wings rushing above their heads, followed by explosions and screaming.
The Changeling rearguard had lifted off and was attacking the center of the pony formation from the air.
The Pegasus inmediatly engaged the Changelings, and the air filled with magic beams and the sound of the battlecries.
At that moment the Pushing Changelings began firing their own magic at the faces of the Vanguard ponies at point blank range, killing them and managing to penetrate the first line.
More Changelings jumped from behind their own vanguard and began stabbing and shooting the ponies that were squished defenseless in the third and fourth lines.
The Changelings broke the Ponies defenses quickly after that, infiltrating the formation and spreading it to the sides, anihilating any fighter in the center of the pony ranks, pushing the rest between their own comrades and natural rock walls.
Celestia inmediatly entered the battle, jumping into the center of the formation, fighting the Changeling hordes whom were absolutely no match against the might of the legendary princess of Equestria.
She alone began to push back the Changelings into their own formation, but still something wasn't right.
The battle in the skies continued to rage.
The Changelings, despite their magical talents were overpowered by the pegasus, whom agility and reflexes far surpassed their enemy.
They ripped apart any Changeling that had the disgrace of not having a comrade watching their back.
But still something didn't felt right.
The pony Vanguard had recovered their terrain and were attacking fiercely the incoming Changeling hordes, spears, swords and horns clashed, causing death to each's enemy.
Ponies screaming, cursing and sobbing could be heard everywhere in the battlefield, but the Changelings were in extasis, like they didn't cared for their own pain, as if they didin't cared the least for their own comrades.
They were only focused in killing rather than survive.
Celestia noted something in the sky, just a few meters in front of her, a green flare like signal was shot into the sky.
The Changeling rearguard began rising once again, but this time it wasn't just a few of them, it was the whole rearguard advancing towards battle, making a shape similar to that of an scorpion's tail.
The head of such formation moved above the center of the pony army and began a throwing themselves at it, using the same 'diving bombardment' tactic as when they first invaded Canterlot, but this time in concentrated formations, of sometimes what seemed like 20 Changelins falling at the same time towards one point, raining death to the Ground's ponies formation, whom were forced to break.
The second part of the 'Scorpion's Tail' formation headed straight towards the pagasus fighting above.
But this time instead of 'dive bombing' they used their magic and rushed forwards like missiles against the pegasus warriors.
A pony that was flying straight above Celestia got hit my one of this living projectiles, and the speed of the crash was enought to tear both the pegasus and the changeling apart.
Bodies rained around Celestia as she gazed with horror how the pegasus were being slaughtered by this tactic.
They couldn't avoid the charging Changelings and the magic attacks at the same time.
The Changelings penetrated the Pegasus Formations.
And so, the Unicorns far in the pony rearguard began their anti air duty, only to be greeted by the third wave of the 'Scorpion's Tail' Formation, again using the first 'Dive bombing' strategy, but since the Unicorns were spread across a large terrain and above rooftops these were easy targets for the Changelings that descended in formations and ganged up on them.
The final act of this horror show came when coming the pony rearguard, a flare spell was shot at the sky, meaning that the city had been breached.
Soon after that the city began to show the signs of fire and battle.
Celestia witnessed how the formations were broken and the troops slaughtered helpessly.
She was left with no choice.
She ordered the troops back into the city, defend the evacuating civilians at all cost.
Celestia was about to take off and go help in the city when she felt the presence of an ominous shadow behind her.
She turned only to be recieved by a thrusting horn that she managed to block with her own.
"You should concentrate on the enemy in front of you, Celestia"
Celestia locked her eyes at King Sombra.
"I will put an end to your madness once and for all !"
Celestia shouted fiercely at Sombra, and the king laughted mockingfuly.
Celestia attacked the king with her powerful solar magic, to wich the King responded by shifting into his Shadow form, moving in direction to the city.
"Come forth Celestia and contemplate the fruit of all your efforts, witness the raging inferno that shall become your grave"
After this the shadow moved at amazing speed towards Canterlot, and the princess was obliged to follow him using the full strenght of her wings.
Meanwhile the battle in the streets raged, as the spreaded forces of the Royal Guard did what they could to stop the invading Changelings from reaching the evacuation routes. Including the one on the palace itself.
And inside the Palace.
Cadance, Shining Armor the more forced than willing Prince Blueblood were fighting together the Changelings that managed to sneak past the palace's defenses... They stood on the main hall guarding it so no Changengeling could even dream to enter the underground mines, and trying to figure out what to do next.
"Where is aunt Celestia, i want to go home!"
Blueblood cried, terrified by the hell he was living.
"Shut up and keep fighting, we have to help those people!"
Yelled Shining Armor at the cowering prince.
"I am not a violence lover like you, Shining Armor... I am not a brute, and why do i MUST fight to protect those commone-"
His words sudenly stopped by a hoof in the face from Shining.
"Those 'commoners' are YOUR people, why can't you understand that they count on you to protect them!?"
Blueblood froze at the spot, with his tears still rolling on.
"Cousin... You must understand that it is our duty to fight for the people... Is our duty as royalty, as rulers... So please... We need you, you're strong as well... But you've never used that strenght to help others... So please... Blueblood fight for them."
Cadance adressed her cousin with a tone of sweetness and warmth.
They were interrupted when PrincessLuna entered the room to report the situation to the rest of her family.
"Canterlot is in flames, the guard has spreaded throught all of the city... And no sign of my sister...
I fear the worse..."
Luna said with great concern and anguish.
Meanwhile in Canterlot the battle raged with violence, the city was burning and crumbling, the Changelings destroyed the city's defenses one by one.
Chaos, a few guards tried to run for their lives only to be slayed by the Changeling attacks, the streets were stained in blood and the smell of smoke and charred flesh saturated the air.
Amidst the confusion ensued in battle the Changelings disguised themselves as guards and attacked the ponies from behind and retreated back into the shadows, creating chaos and paranoia amongst the ponies, whom began killing each other in bursts of panic.
But the worst came to happen when the Changelings found one of the evacuation tunnels still intact, for most of their entrances crumbled when King Sombra's tremors devastated Canterlot.
Entire platoons of Royal Guards tried desperatedly to defend this entrance, but with the Changelings mixed amongs their ranks they were quickly destroyed.
A massive number of Changelings began rushing their way into the tunnels, and quickly navigated the labyrinths untill they found the massive chamber that lead to the exit routes...
with of all the ponies evacuating still trapped inside due to the exits had crumbled as well.
What followed was an inenarrable crime, the caves became a pit of despair and death.
The Changelings in their murderous psychosis intended to slaughter every living being inside of them, shifting their forms in order to camouflage and attack their newfound preys, ensuing terror into the hearts of every stallion, mare, colt and filly that lied within that earthly hell.
Thousands lost their lives in the most horrid way inside those caves, many died due to the stampede caused by the panic inside the chambers and tunnels, other died in the hands of the feasting demons and a few other died for the still falling debris inside the caves.
And no one could rescue them, for the Changelings had cornered them into the dephts of the caverns and the blocked the exits to the outside.
But a shimmer of hope was seen, as the heroic Royal Guards in charge of the civilians inside the caves managed to open a path throught the blocking rocks and released the caves leading towards the exits.
A second estampede issued, causing more death and destuction, while the terrorized victims ran for their lifes towards the exit.
The few Guards and some brave volunteers, fathers, uncles and brothers sacrificed their lives to protect their loved ones, holding the Changelings back and even blocking the creature's deadly magic with their own bodies.
An incalculable number had perished inside this trap, but the heroic efforts and sacrifice of a few granted the scape for many many others, whom rushed down the mountain, searching protection in the woods below, guided and protected by the few guards that survived the fight in the mines.
And back into Canterlot's surface the battle between Celestia and Sombra ensued.
Sombra still in his shadow form guided Celestia throught collapsing neightborhoods, avoiding skillfully the attacks of the enraged Princess.
"Do you see now, the 'invencibility' of your 'Great Kingdom', Celestia"
"Shut Up!"
"This is the price that ponykind has to pay because of your incompetence!"
"SHUT UP!"
Celestia casted a wave of light that forced Sombra out of his shadow, knocking him to the ground, allowing Celestia to trap him under her hooves.
"You're right Sombra... I wasn't strong enought last time...
But this time i'll make damn sure that i'll kill you!"
Celestia spoke with the ominous canterlot voice, her fearsome eyes glowing like the sun itself.
Sombra frowned before the threats of the alicorn princess.
"Celestia... You don't know your place, do you?..."
Sombra casted his extremely powerful magic towards the princess body, who was strucked and pushed away with with brutal strenght, provoking her to release a scream of pain.
Spreading her wings, Celestia using that same impulse elevated herself and with iron determination shot her most poweful beam against Sombra, whom contested with a spell of his own.
The powers of Shadow and Light clashed over Canterlot, burning the skies in a magnificent display of magical energy.
Yet neither of the two opponents yielded before the power of such colossal outbust of energy and ressumed their battle, colliding their horns with rage and hatred for one another.
The Princess took flight and began casting the best attacks on her personal arsenal against the dark King, whom using the power of his amulet and his shape shifting abilities, avoided once again the princess attacks while concieving a counterattack, wich he applied and casted terribly destructive magic over Celestia, maiming her body and knocking her out of the sky.
Blood stained her beautiful face, and the rest of her figure showed the severe bruises and cuts product of this battle.
Still, she wasn't ready to accept defeat.
King Sombra approached her, and now it was himself that trapped Celestia under his hooves.
"Not even you can withstand the onslaught of time, Celestia"
As the King was speaking those words, he Princess realized all the damage their battle had caused to the already crumbling city, but she saw a place where they could finish their battle without risking Canterlot anymore.
"My voice will be the last sound you'll hear, your majesty!"
King Sombra shouted enraged at the Princees, and pummeled his hoof at her face, moment Celestia, with all the strength of her heart used to capture the King between her hooves, and using her powerful wings for taking an advantage position, she managed to lift off from the ground taking Sombra with her.
Sombra tried to transform into shadow to escape the yuke of his captor, but with no avail, for the princess contained him using her light magic as both rose into the skies at great speed.
Her plan had to be flawless, she flapped her wings with desperation and flew faster than she had ever flew in her life.
And with one final push Celestia close her wings and braced herself, for she was diving straight into one of the towers of the Canterlot Palace, the same tower that were used as storage for the fireworks that were meant to be used later that night.
And they breaked throught the thin roof of the tower, moment the princess used to cast away Sombra into the hollowed center of the structure along with a spell before she managed to adjust her own diving angle and escaped throught a window just in time, for the fireworks stored in the base had began to fire off, causing the tower to explode and collapse in itself with King Sombra unavoidably still trapped inside.
Celestia glided with effort her wounded body throught the outer palace, before finally crashing into a window that took her right into her own throne room.
Hearing this racket, Shining Armor, Cadance, Luna and Blueblood rushed into the throne room only to find a heavily wounded Celestia lying on the floor amongst the broken glass and covered in dust and wounds.
"SISTER!"
Princess Luna yelled her lungs out as she ran to provide help to her beloved sister.
The rest of the royal family only could follow Luna and assist her.
But as a surprise to all the present, Celestia began to stand on her own, althought her coat was bloody and her right wing was broken beyond repair.
"Oh, Luna... How much i wanted to see you again"
Celestia talked with an exhausted voice to her sister.
"Dear sister, what has happened to you... Who did this ... Was the one responsible for this insanity!?"
"king Sombra... He's here.. He has the... Alicorn Amulet...."
Celestia replied, provoking complete terror in the hearts of Shining Armor and Princess Cadance.
"Twilight!"
Shining and Cadance uttered at the same time.
"But... If he's got the Amulet that means Twilight Sparkle is..."
Luna said with a tone of deep concern in her voice.
"No... I suspected it as well... But something tells me i am wrong... Something tells me Twilight Sparkle is still alive..."
Celestia adressed to the relief of everyone in the room.
"Luna... Cadance... Shining... Blueblood... Please listen to me... I'll give you commands and you'll need to follow them... In order to ensure the safety of Equestria..."
"What? But sister, your wounds...!"
"Listen to me!"
Everyone froze in the spot and looked at the wounded princess, who stood as prideful and imponent as ever, even with her body in such decaying state.
"Cadance... I want you to take Shining armor and take for Ponyville, evacuate the town, lead them into the forest... To our old castle... There lies an entrance to a series of tunnels and shelters that connect to the Equestrian mountains..."
"But Princess, i can't leave my post behind, my men need me... Im still a captain for the Royal Gaurd!"
Shining reclaimed to Celestia, and then he turned the head to see his beloved wife.
"Cadance... My love... Go to Twily... Help her get throught this... Please..."
"But Shining, I can't leave you behind as well..."
"Cadance... If i go with you... I'll just slow you down... I'll be a burden... So please..."
Celestia could only bear to watch as the couple decided their fate.
"Luna... The Elements of Harmony..."
"They're safe sister... They're safe in the tower... Your spell still protects them, no one will take them away!"
"Im glad to hear that"
"Sister, whatever you have planed, i'll follow you, but first you need medical attention..."
Luna approached to Celestia in order to examine her wounds closely, only to realized as she touched her sister that Celestia's body temperature was extremely hot.
"Sister... What are you doing... If you use that much energy you'll..."
"Im so sorry, Luna... But it's unavoidable now..."
The room filled with disconcert once again as Luna oppenly sobbed.
"Come closer Luna"
Celestia instructed her sister, whom immediatly snuggled her, still with tears on her eyes.
And the two sisters horns came in contact, after what Celestia began to cast her own magic into Luna.
"Cadance... Go to Ponyville... Get in contact with Twilight and Spike... From this moment forth any messages directed to me shall be recieved by my sister..."
"But... Why?"
Cadance asked with hessitation.
"Also... From now on the duty of rising the sun falls into my beloved sister, Luna..."
"Why are you saying such things, aunt!?"
Cadance asked again, fearful for whatever her adoptive aunt was about to answer.
"King Sombra will reach us at any time... I casted him into the tower that burned a few minutes ago... But that won't be enought to finish him...
That's why will put put an end to this battle... I shall end this madness... Before my time is up..."
"Let us help you aunt!"
"NO!... You can't... You can't... He's far too strong... And Equestria will need you... Please... Cadance... I don't wan't to see more death."
Celestia approached the pink Alicorn and embraced her with her left wing.
"Aunt... You're burning..."
"My time is up, Cadance... I have used too much energy for way too long... So many years... I am like a star that has burned most of it's power..."
The Sun princess told a grieving Cadance as she turned her head and looked at her sister in the eyes.
"Luna... You shall go to Cloudsdale, lead the evacuation inside the mountains... Meet with Cadance... Gather our subjects... Rebuild Equestria..."
Luna could only nod in reply.
And out of nowhere all the lights inside the Palace were extinguished, and a sound similar to the cryings of a wendigo could be heard.
"He's coming... You must leave, now!"
Cadance inmediatly turned to Shining and looked him in the eye.
"I don't wan't to leave you.."
"You must do it... Protect Twily... For me... And please... Ask her if she can forgive me..."
After saying this, Shining Armor and Mi Amore Cadenza kissed for one last time.
"I love you, Shining... I'll always love you..."
"Goodbye my love, goodbye my princess... And remember... That our love will conquer all adversities... No matter what..."
After what Cadance, hesitantly took flight and escaped throught one of the broken vitrals and gazed at her love for one last time with teary eyes before dissapearing into the night.
"Luna... My beloved little sister... Be strong... Equestria will need you... You shall be the light that brings hope to all ponies in this times of despair..."
"Celestia... Please... Forgive me for all the pain i've ever caused you...
I was such a fool... I really... I never fully realized how much i loved you... But now that im about to lose you...."
"Shhh... That is a thing of the past, Luna... And of course i forgive you..."
The two sisters remained snuggled in silence.
"It's time... You must go Luna... Never look back... Just go forth, into the future..."
Thus, Luna began to step back, and got out throught the same way Cadance did.
The room was silent and Darkned, only the battle outside could be heard.
"Princess, i shall go outside and help Cadance escape..."
Shining armor said, as he made his way out of the room, leaving just Blueblood and Celestia alone.
"Im sorry, Princess..."
Blueblood calmly said as he walked towards the front door.
"Where are you going?"
"I... Don't know... I've always been useless to you... But... Seeing this situation... I've decided that perhaps... I should fight for my subjects for once... Cadance was right..."
Saying this, Blueblood began to walk outside the door and into the dark hallways of the palace.
"Wait, Blueblood!"
The prince couldn't even look back into Celestia as she approached him and embraced him with her wing.
"Blueblood... Oh my Blueblood... You were always so charismatic, but yet so vain and prideful... And still... I know the good in your heart... I wish i could have spent more time with you... Im sorry..."
"Aunt... What is... Why... Why are you doing this?"
Said the prince with tears in his eyes.
"For the people of Equestria..."
Blueblood finally rised his head and saw Celestia's face, radiant even in the darkness and with a smile drawn on her face.
"But you're gonna ..."
"I know"
This was like an epiphany to him, for he realized how much a true ruler is willing to give for their people.
"CELESTIA!"
A gruesome scream echoed throught the halls of the empty palace.
"He's here..."
Celestia looked nervous, almost scared and embraced Blueblood with force.
"Aunt... I know what to do... If Shining has go to help Cadance, then i shall go and help aunt Luna in her escape..."
He then headed to the windows and looked back at Celestia.
"I love you, aunt."
"And i love you too, my Blueblood."
But in that same moment the doors were busted and a thick smoke-like mist invaded the room.
"AUNT!"
"BLUEBLOOD, GO!"
The prince quickly managed to jump throught the window and escape the throne room before Sombra saw him.
"I've had enought of your little games, Celestia!"
The voice echoed throught the room, the exact procedence of his owner unknown.
"No, Sombra... You've gone too far... You're gonna fall here, today..."
It was then that a figure leaped throught the mist and stabbed Celestia in the chest.
Celestia screamed in pain as she felt the horn thrusting into her flesh, tearing her apart.
But she reacted with haste and using the advantage of her height Celestia stomped the King in his head, pinning him down to the floor and pulling the horn out of her chest.
"Equestria will never be defenseless, even without the Elements Of Harmoy, Sombra... You thought i had used my last resource... but you're dead wrong."
The King, now possesed by the fiercest rage tried to shift, only to realize the Princess had once again casted her restrictive magic on him.
"I am the sun... and you are in the epicenter of a supernova!"
He could only stare at Celestia like a cornered animal.
"You and me ... We're gonna die together here, King... The circle comes to a close."
Princess Celestia's body shined brighter than the sun she once controlled and her body burned hotter than anything else on this earth as she trascended into pure energy.
Sombra struggled with great despair to escape, for he not only felt an excruciating pain caused by the exposure to such energy.
But he also felt a primal terror beyond anything else he had felt in his life.
"Blueblood, Cadance, Luna, Shining... and my faithful student Twilight... The Hope of Equestria... Rests upon all of you..."
Celestia closed her eyes as she spoke her last words.
The brightest flash of light engulfed heaven and earth, as the magnificent Royal Palace of Canterlot was engulfed before the eyes of every living being across the vast land of Equestria and beyond.
The sun had descended with all it's might and glory upon Canterlot.
So the Night transformed into Day as the great sacrifice of Princess Celestia marked the beggining of the new era, not only for Equestria, but for the world as a whole .
