Melody began to pant as she continued to run, clinging to the cloak her brother had given her. The material felt strange and it seemed to fit perfectly on her. She gasped as Scootaloo picked her up, carrying her on her back as they continued chasing after the light.
"Almost there everypony." Twilight's voice echoed around them
"Almost where?! All I see is a bunch of trees!" Rainbow argued, skidding to a halt as several holes appeared in the air, Gryphon Warriors stepping out of them. Sweetie Belle stepped forward, her horn glowing as she hummed low and deep, gray musical notes hovering around her. The Gryphons chuckled and threw a golden ring, Sweetie Belle screaming as snapped closed around her horn.
"BELLE!" Scootaloo ran forward, gasping as a hole appeared in front of her. She was moving too fast to stop and tumbled into the darkness with Melody on her back. Another hole appeared underneath Sweetie Belle, pulling her in.
"SWEETIE BELLE!" Rarity tried to run to her sister, gasping as a Gryphon grabbed her. Applejack and Rainbow tackled a pair of Gryphons only to be pinned by another pair. Out of the corner of her eye Applejack could see her brother and the others being pinned against trees and the ground. Big Macintosh continued to struggle, bucking wildly as the Gryphons grabbed hold of Fluttershy and Honeycrisp. It took several Gryphons to restrain Pinkie and Strawberry, finally managing to knock them out cold.
"Yer gonna regret this." Braeburn spat, grunting as the Gryphons knocked him out.
"Heh, yea ri..." A sickening sound filled the air, the Gryphons voice stopping as he toppled forward, a spear embedded in his throat. A powerful voice filled the air with its war cry, a blur of black and white dancing through the Gryphons, felling one after the other with its spears. The figure threw its head back, letting out a proud cry, the forest floor stained in the blood of the Gryphon soldiers.
"Well Piper? What do you choose? Will you have the blood of your family on your hooves? Or will you do the right thing and give yourself to save them?" Xipper asked, Melody whimpering as Niare dug his claw into her throat.
"Let go of my daughter!" Sweetie Belle yelled, screaming as one of the figures grabbed her horn and pulled, forming a crack in her horn.
"STOP IT!" Piper yelled, his eyes wide with panic. He lowered his head, his wings slumping and folding against his sides.
"Just let them go..." he said softly.
"Don't Piper!" Scootaloo yelled. The pegasus looked up.
"Don't give in Piper, you're better than that! You'll figure this ouAHHHHHH!" she screamed as the other figure gripped her wings, slamming his boot into her back and pinning her to the ground.
"I am losing my patience. Decide" Niare growled, lifting up Melody. The young unicorn gasped as the cloak brushed against her horn, causing it to glow brightly. Niare gasped, dropping her as her eyes turned white. Piper allowed himself a smile, dashing forward and aiming to tackle Niare, Xipper blocking his path. The two pegasi tumbled over the edge of the tower, struggling to open their wings. Meanwhile, atop the tower, a young unicorn turned her attention to the figures who held her parents, a wave of her hoof and the two found themselves flying off the tower.
"M...Melody...whats...hap.." Sweetie Belle tried to ask weakly, laying on her side. She could only watch as her daughter hovered in the air, the power of the cloak flowing through her. It took her only a moment to realize it was controlling her, obeying her will and protecting them. The nobodies rolled in mid-air, launching themselves towards the possessed filly and drawing their weapons.
A smirk touched Melody's face as a hoofblade took shape in her magic, knocking back their weapons. Together the three rolled and flipped, weapons clashing against another. Sweetie Belle struggled to her hooves, gasping as Niare grabbed her horn, dragging her along.
"ENOUGH!" he yelled, holding the unicorn up in the air. Everyone froze as he did the unspeakable, an act of ultimate taboo. The scream that filled the air would forever fill the nightmares of all present, even the Nobodies, as Niare twisted his claw, ripping Sweetie Belles horn clean in two.
Hall after hall, the entire castle was empty save for a dragon, a kirin, and an earth pony who searched its halls for any sign of a lone green Kirin.
"This is where we saw her...Dinky dragged me away, she said nopony could survive it and that Emy was the only thing keeping it from devouring us..." Amethyst spoke softly, brushing his claw against some markings in the ground. They appeared to be claw markings.
"This must be where she cast the spell..." Spike spoke up. Pip drew his blade, turning his back to the two of them.
"We've got company." he spoke up. Gryphons marched towards them with weapons drawn and heartless at their heels.
"They are controlling the heartless...this isn't good." Spike said, his back pressed against that of Amethyst and Pip.
"We'll be alright. You made a promise to mom and I've never seen you break a promise." Amethyst said with a grin. Pip chuckled.
"He's right. Rarity would kill you if you didn't get back to her." The dragon laughed and watched the advance of their enemies, the gears spinning quickly in his mind.
"Pip, do you still have the Princess' Enchantment?" Spike asked quickly. The earth pony drew his sword in answer, the air around him growing slightly warmer.
"What are you planning?" he asked softly.
"When I give the word, each of you take a hallway and don't let up. Got it?" they both nodded. Spike took a deep breath and roared.
"NOW!" Both Kirin and Dragon unleashed the full power of their fire breath down two of the hallways while Pip swung his sword in a massive arch, roaring as flames danced along the blade. Upon crashing into the ground the flames formed a massive wall that barreled down the hall, followed by a continuous flame.
All three continued, forcing themselves to the edge of their power to hold the enemy back. Finally the flames died away, a few weak bits clinging to the walls and flickering as the three panted heavily. More holes appeared in the air, more soldiers taking the place of those that had fallen. Pip drew himself up, placing his blade between his teeth and drawing two more, his eyes closed.
"Spike...Amethyst, go find Emy and Piper. I'll hold em off." Spike raised an eyebrow, glancing back at the earth pony.
"You aren't in any condition to win Pip." The Drake spoke up, growling low in his throat.
"We aren't gonna leave you behind Pip." Amethyst said with a smile.
"Amethyst, its my duty to give my life protecting this castle. It is your duty to protect the Elements of Harmony. Piper is Loyalty and your sister is Magic, so you need to find them and keep them safe. Spike, you've gotta save your kids and you know Amethyst is gonna chase after Piper. Are you gonna let him run off alone?" Pip asked, widening his stance, standing on his hind legs. Amethyst swore under his breath and placed a claw on Pips' shoulder, another claw against the ground as Amethyst's eyes began to glow. The stone around them shifting to form a coat of armor for the Earth Pony.
"You better catch up with us Pip." The kirin growled, charging through the Gryphons and Heartless, followed closely by his father. Pip smiled slightly. He watched them run away, knowing it was the last time he would see them.
"We need to help them!" Twilight yelled. Before her stood a tall Alicorn with a mane of flames.
"I am sorry, but you cannot interfere."
"And why not mother!? Was it not due to you interfering in the affairs of mortal ponies that brought about this destruction?!" Luna yelled, pointing an accusing hoof at Harmony.
"There are some things you cannot change and sadly I cannot send you back. What you have done is nothing short of foalish and insane Luna." Harmony flinched as Twilight pushed between them, her eyes glowing brightly and her voice echoing with the wrath of Equestria's most powerful 'unicorn'
"We will help them, even if it destroys us, we will do our duties as Princess' and protect Equestria in its time of need." Harmony smiled, placing a hoof on Twilight's shoulder.
"Alright...but plan your movements carefully, the lightest flicker may just save them, but at the same time...each action you take will tear a hole in reality. It is not your place to do these things. I will do my best to repair the damage, but I can make no promises. Are you ready?" she asked.
They nodded as a multitude of windows appeared around them, showing them all of their friends and loved ones. This would be their battlefield. Twilight did her best to guide her friends, Luna keeping control of the Natural Elements. Both mares eyes grew wide upon the sneak attack of the Gryphons.
"Luna you have to stop them!" Twilight cried.
"I cannot, I would risk hitting the others." Both of them tried to think of someway to save their friends, a solution finding itself as Zecora leapt into the fray, her spears devoted to their mistress and easily finding their mark. Twilight turned her attention to another window and blinked as all of them vanished.
"W..What happened!?" She stood still as six black pillars formed around them, the eyes of the six figures atop each one boring into her soul.
Zecora silently led the ponies to a hidden path in the forest. She had hoped she would never have to use such power in her lifetime, but Equestria was changing. Now was the time for action.
"Zecora...ah dunno how t' thank ya fer everythin...but jus' where are we goin?" Applejack asked weakly.
"The enemy, for blood do they thirst. So for a future to exist you must be safe first. Down this path and around the bend, hides a hidden peace without end."
"A secret oasis" Dinky spoke up, a small smile on her face. Zecora nodded and kicked a stone away with her hoof. In front of them the ground began to shift and groan, forming into stairs.
"Do not stray, you must follow quickly as I show you the way." the group nodded, chasing after Zecora through the twists and turns, barely noticing as the path closed behind them. What they saw before them made their jaws drop. A massive waterfall reaching down into the most beautiful forest any of them had ever seen. The apples on the trees could rival those of Sweet Apple Acres, the flowers more lucious than any ever grown in Ponyville or even Canterlot for that matter. Tents lined the walls of the cavernous space, a magical light floating high in the air keeping everything brightly lit. Standing before the largest tent was the Doctor and beside him, one Ditzy Doo Whooves.
He had heard so many screams in his life, each had a similar ring to it but all had their unique pitch and volume. He could remember every single one of them, every face, every voice, every stab of his blade. But this scream tore into his soul and ripped it to shreds. It was the scream of ultimate agony, the scream of his mother. Piper threw his wings out wide, his hooves thrown around Xipper as he rolled in the air, roaring and slamming the Nobody into one of the many towers of Canterlot before throwing himself high into the air.
Darkness slowly took a hold of his mind and the change took hold once more. His eyes became two massive bulbs of yellow, jagged horns taking shape upon his head and his wings slowly being consumed by the black gunk. In moments the change was complete.
A massive black beast snarled as it divebombed toward the Gryphon King. Time came to a standstill as millions of holes opened in the air, Gryphons and Heartless alike pouring from them and charging toward the beast. They all pounced, some being swallowed instantly, others managing a stab or two before being consumed by the darkness.
"STOP!" Scootaloo screamed. The beast glanced downward, seeing tears in the eyes of the mother of the pegasus it currently had its claws in. Its rage began to fade as did the darkness itself. Though it continued on its path, slamming into Niare as the last vestiges of its existence faded away. One seriously pissed off Pegasus slamming his hoof into the throat of the current king. At least his hoof would have if not for the sickle embedded in it. He blinked and grunted as another slammed into his other hoof, more piercing his wings and hind legs, pulling him into the air. His eyes began to turn blue and stopped as a collar slammed around his throat. Niare coughed and stood with a quiet chuckle. Melody hovered over the scene, shaking her head.
"RUN MELODY! RUN!" Piper screamed as another blade stabbed through his back, dripping his blood in front of him. Darkness filled his vision. He could just barely see as a purple blur grabbed hold of his sister and vanished. When Piper opened his eyes, there was nothing. No Harmony, no endless white void. Just Darkness and the knowledge that he had failed.
Amethyst didn't have time to think, he had to act. The figures in black were too powerful for him, especially if they had taken Piper out so easily. A voice screamed in his mind, telling him to save Melody. In his current state his body obeyed instantly, launching toward the filly and pulling her close as he threw out his wings, skyrocketing away from Canterlot. He didn't know where was going, all he knew is that wherever the voice was taking him, he would find safety. Slowly his thoughts returned to him. Without realizing it, he had abandoned not only Piper, but his sister as well. And his father.
Spike smiled as Amethyst escaped.
One down, two to go. He froze as his eyes landed on Sweetie Belle, quickly jumping to Scootaloo and then Piper. The dragon growled low in his throat, Niare's grin growing wider with each passing moment. With a snap of his claws, hundreds upon hundreds of heartless pounced the dragon, pinning him to the ground as Niare stepped forward, waving Sweetie Belles horn in his face tauntingly. Spike opened his mouth, hoping to swallow the king in his flames, only to have a ball of black gunk shoved down his throat. The drake struggled to breath, trying to free himself of the heartless and spit out the gunk. His efforts only pushed him further and further along until he finally passed out.
Niare held himself up proudly as Pip was dragged toward him, bound in chains and soaked in the blood of his soldiers.
"You three, such fine soldiers, so determined and so powerful. You don't have to die here. You can live your lives and have your loved ones. Just bow down to me and accept me as your king. I can be merciful." He said with a small smile. Piper had no answer, of course he couldn't speak if he wanted to, nor move. Spike too was silenced, a muzzle keeping him from burning them all to the ground.
Pip raised his head slowly and smiled. His face was badly bruised, his left eye shut and a few of his teeth missing. His smile grew as the sun slowly began to rise. Canterlot had fallen, but Celestia was safe. He may have failed in his duty to protect Canterlot, but his Princess lived on, all that was left, was to make his decision. He spoke softly and with pride as the sunlight shone through the lone window in the room and cast itself upon his bruised form. He would do his duty, right to the very end as a proud member of the Guard.
"I would rather die."