//------------------------------// // Chapter 12: Home Again // Story: Umbral Travels // by pchn00 //------------------------------// Chapter 12: Home Again “Umbra what’s goin’ on? You know somethin’ yer not tellin’ us!” I glance at Tak galloping at my side and frown. “I saw him. The lich. At least I believe it was him. I think he is responsible for this darkness.” I hear Trixie squeak in alarm behind me. “The lich? The LICH lich?! The undead pony monster who destroyed your home? He’s here in the empire?!” Before I can answer our attention is drawn to the center of the empire, specifically the grand crystal palace. Tendrils of magic blacker than the deepest darkness of my home tunnels twists and writhes from the huge structure. I feel an unpleasant sensation twisting in my stomach at the sight. It is magic and it feels…strangely familiar. We all have stopped to stare at the distant spectacle, as the magic grows more and more oppressive in the air. It reaches a crescendo with a roaring explosion, blowing the walls and roof of the palace to pieces. I feel stab of fear in my heart. “Cadence! She may have been in the blast!” I do not wait for my friends as I race ahead, spurred on by the fear of losing yet another family member. One I have only just met but who has shown me great kindness. My ear flicks at I catch the sound of Tak’s buzzing wings. He has shed his pony guise and races ahead in his natural state. Again we are interrupted in our frantic race for the palace. A body flies through the air trailing faint green motes of magic, streaking overhead to land with a crash a few streets over. Even from here the panicked cries of the crystal ponies reach our ears. Torn between checking on the newest disaster and confirming my cousin’s wellbeing the decision is made for me as a second form flashes by, one I recognize. Tak twists in the air looking to me for a decision. “Umbra that was Jen, and she was wearing her armor. She might be in trouble!” I nod. “The princess is powerful and can see to her own problems. We will assist the girl, come.” I know they follow my directions without question. It is not quite the same as the scouts I lead, but they place their trust in me and I do not intend to fail them. The changeling races ahead of us once more and I feel yet another stab of fear. What if the danger is too great? I look back at Trixie panting from all this physical exertion. Am I leading these two I have come to care for more than any other to their deaths? For a moment I ponder sending them away, but I know that order they would refuse. Pushing such thoughts aside I lurch forward as I recognize the green flash of Tak’s magic. My fear ebbs somewhat as his voice reaches my ears. “Hey kid! Y’look like crap!” I round the corner and see the girl, Jennifer smashed into a fruit stand clutching her injured stomach. She chuckles with a wince and smirks at Tak. “Not as..ugly as you I hope…” She groans again and sits up. I do not believe I will ever understand how they can jest in the heat of battle. Rushing to the girls’ side I look down at her in concern. It is difficult to tell the extent of her injuries through the gleaming pink and gold armor she wears but her movements are stiff and pained. “What is happening? Why is it night out? Who is your assailant?” I see her eyes focus on mine through the visor of her helm. “Luna’s mother is here. She’s some crazy queen from forever ago and she’s on the warpath to conquer Equestria again. She’s controlling Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. That’s uh…Luna there.” I look to the hole Tak blasted her attacker, Luna through. My heart skips a beat as…a human woman emerges. She is clad in armor much like Jennifer’s in design, though it is a deep midnight blue trimmed in silver. Her long horn and majestic wings are still present. She bears the crescent blades I witnessed her spar with the girl at Canterlot in each hand. Trixie wrinkles her nose in confusion. “Why is she a human?” The girl sighs. “We can go over all this fun stuff once Galaxia is down. For now we need to take Luna out of the fight and help Cadence and Shining Armor with Celestia.” I look now to the older human, supposedly Luna my birth mother somehow transformed? It matters not if she is a threat she must be neutralized. I summon my magic and feel strength and energy surge through my body. Luna moves jerkily, her movements erratic and difficult to understand. Perhaps she is fighting her mother’s control. I spring over her head but she does not even turn to face me, she is fixated on Jennifer. Planting my forehooves solidly I rock forward than deliver a powerful buck to her backside. She launches forward without a sound straight into the lance of magic released by Tak’s horn, vaulting her into the air. Finally Trixie throws a magical tether around the airborne woman’s abdomen, jerking her head downward and smashing Luna to the ground with a painful sounding crack. She does not attempt to rise again. Much to Tak’s seeming delight the girl’s mouth is hanging open in awe. “Wow. You guys are A LOT better at this than I am.” I move toward the fallen Luna and gently kick her blades aside before looking back at Jennifer. “You are young. I have had much experience with combat, as has Tak. I have seen you training with Luna, one day you will be our equal. For now we should make haste yes?” “Er…y-yeah…Trixie can you bring the princess?” Jennifer struggles to rise and I move to her side to assist her. Using me as a brace she gets to her feet nodding her thanks. Trixie eyes the fallen woman dubiously. “She’s not going to jump awake and start attacking is she?” Jennifer shrugs. “Maybe. But with her swords here she’ll be less dangerous at least. She and Celestia can’t use their magic while they’re being controlled I think, so as long as we don’t let her get her hands on us we should be fine.” Reluctantly Trixie hoists Luna into the air with her magic…well out of reach of any of us. Nodding to us that she is ready we again make for the palace…only to AGAIN be interrupted. Shrill screaming comes from the next street over and without hesitation the four of us race to the sound. Shambling through the streets with jerky movements were corpses. Moving corpses like Tak and Trixie appeared in my dream. Only these are very real, and are attacking any crystal pony unfortunate enough to get in reach of their teeth or hooves. The three of us turn from the horrific spectacle at the sound of an armor clad body being dropped atop a roof. We look to Trixie who shrugs. “I don’t want to be otherwise occupied while we’re fighting the ZOMBIES. I’m sorry.” I do not have time to admonish her, there are ponies in trouble. Without a second though I rush forward leaping over the panicked throng of crystal ponies landing amidst the undead. They turn to face me and I do not hesitate to smash my hooves against their skulls. They break apart easily enough fortunately, and I am leaping from pack to pack breaking them apart before they can retaliate. The occasional lance of acidic green magic will streak from behind me to blast apart the creatures here and there. Tak wielding his magic to great effect. I also see Trixie’s pink aura pushing the beasts back, or lifting fleeing crystal ponies to safety. Jennifer of course simply wades into them slashing and bashing with abandon, the few who do strike her glance harmlessly off her armor. I am very much missing my own about now. We make good progress, clearing the first street. But there are screams from all around us now. I rejoin the others I had left behind. “There are so many, and I am beginning to tire.” Tak and Trixie look exhausted as well, and the girl was already wounded before. She looks ready to collapse. Still she squares her shoulders. “I…might have something that can clear A LOT fast, but it’s really draining. I don’t know how often I can do it.” Tak regards her thoughtfully. “You got any changeling mojo goin?” She lifts her visor revealing her vividly green changeling eyes; bits of chitin are visible around her cheeks and jaw. “Uh…yeah I used that charm too. Figured why not right?” He nods once. “Right. Time for a crash course on emotional feeding. Have you been feeling anything in the air? Fear would be the most likely.” The girl frowns as she looks about quietly. “I…feel something. Like a kinda sour taste in the back of my throat?” Tak nods again. “That’s it. Normally fear isn’t very filling but there’s SO much I think you’ll be able to get more than enough. I want you to focus on that sensation, and try and taste it more. Can you do that?” Jennifer closes her eyes as her horn begins to glow the same acrid green color of Tak’s. “I…I think I’m doing it.” He is smiling now. “It’s basic stuff same as shape changing. Just focus on the feeling, and try to picture yourself uh…eating it. You might start to feel full but try to ignore that and really y’know…go whole hog. Just pig out on it.” Her horn glows more fiercely as her body practically vibrates with all the absorbed energy. She was visibly growing brighter and brighter with the constant influx of magical energy. “I think that’s enough kid! You don’t wanna pop!” She blinks her eyes open, both orbs glowing the same fierce green her body gives off. She looks to the next street and raises her blade, swinging it in an arc before her. The released energy threatens to knock the three of us from our hooves as she looses a shockwave of magic from the sword. It rushes through the street knocking ponies on their backsides, but blasting the undead to powder instantly. The girl grins fiercely back at us. “Yeah…I think this’ll work.” We are moving again. She leads the way this time swinging her blade and clearing street after street. Her aura dims after each blast but she simply drinks in more fear and it glows brightly again. Tak was grinning like a lunatic through it all. “That’s changeling and pony magic working together! Saving the day! Stick THAT in your pipe and smoke it Mr. High and mighty Shining Armor!” Any that the girls’ power did not immediately destroy Tak and I were quick to dispatch. As I watch her work I again focus on her blade. Mercy is its name, the sword of Bleeding Heart. Luna told me it is part of a set, the arms of harmony. I wonder where the rest are? Perhaps I could acquire such a weapon for myself. Several flares of magic the next street over draws her attention and Jennifer rushes toward it, the rest of us close by. Trixie has resumed carrying Luna in her magic, and anytime the woman stirs Trixie unceremoniously bashes her head against whatever nearby object looks hard enough to render her unconscious. Tak is ahead of me as usual. I hear Jennifer call my cousins name, then I hear Tak shout a warning. Frowning I sprint forward in time to see the girl soaring backward through the air, acrid green smoke rolling from within her visor where she must have received a blast of magic. Magic that looks identical to Tak’s. I do not have time to check on her well-being as my attention is drawn to her attacker. It is Cadence. Or it appears to be. I see hatred on Tak’s face the like I have never seen before. The pink alicorns body is soon enveloped in green flames, burning away the pony façade and revealing the changeling beneath. She is as tall as Cadence, so nearly twice my size and even a touch bigger than Tak. She throws her head back and laughs long and loud, tossing her wispy blue mane and focusing on Tak with a wry grin. Her fangs glisten in the mid-day moonlight. “Well, well, well, if it isn’t Prince Tak’thiss. When Queen Galaxia sent her summons I had no idea you would be here.” I note Trixie darting into the building Jennifer crashed through, Luna in tow. I turn my attention back to the changeling; it could only be the queen that murdered Tak’s mother judging by the hatred etched on his features. As if that were not enough she injured, perhaps even slew Jennifer. I dash by a suddenly surprised Tak but the queen snaps her wings open buzzing over my head. With a mocking laugh she smirks down at me. “Does the little pony not know how to fly?” I twist without missing a beat, coiling my hind legs beneath me and leaping into the air far faster than she expected. I twist in mid-air driving my hind hooves into the bottom of her jaw. Her head snaps back and she tumbles end over end crashing hard to the ground while I land lightly. “I do not need to fly. I jump very well.” The carapace about her jaw is cracked and bleeding as she slowly raises, already the wound is knitting closed much like Tak’s when he feeds. I realize then of course if Jennifer has been gorging on the fear in the air this whole time likely the queen has as well. She levels a heated glare my way. “You pack quite a wallop filly; let’s see if you can take it too!” I try to leap aside but she is too quick. My world explodes in pain as her magic rips into my side, sending me crashing through a nearby fruit stand. I grit my teeth trying to rise but my body does not respond. Very much against my will I find myself slipping into darkness. *** I watch as the bitch who ruined my whole race’s chance for peaceful integration with Equestria drill a hole in one of my mares’ flanks. Huh, ‘my mare’. Kinda like the sound of that. Hope I live long enough to tell her I feel that way. Chrysalis looks my way grinning confidently. “Where were we?” Her voice has a silken quality to it. It takes all I got to not just drop and grovel at her hooves. Stupid pheromones. I feel my resolve weaken, but it only takes a glance at Umbra, her side still smoldering to drive away the compulsion. She looks surprised. Good. Oops, now she looks angry. Her horn blasts at me but I’m ready, rolling aside and returning a lance of my own. It crashes into her chest and leaves melted carapace in its wake. She looks down at her chest incredulously. I might not be a queen but I’ve been feeding on plenty of the energy in the air myself. Her eyes narrow and she hisses. “Wretched little prince! Know your place!” My own wings snap open as I prepare to charge. “Oh I know my place. It’s here at their sides protecting the pony’s I love from you!” With a shout she charges me in turn. We crash together biting, bucking, and trying to hit one another with magical bolts. Her fangs sink into my shoulder and I scream in pain, but I focus through it and catch her full in the face with my magic. She howls in pain and recoils long enough for me to get under her and buck her right in the gut. As she doubles over I dart from under her and smash my hooves against her muzzle firmly. Chrysalis staggers and falls, but I’m already at Umbra’s side. Some of those creepy zombie ponies had been making their way toward her. Before I could reach them a huge wave of magic rolled through the streets, a pale blue color. I brace myself but it passes through my harmlessly. Peeking an eye open I see the undead are just glittery blue powder on the ground. Giving silent thanks to whoever just got rid of them I kneel by Umbra nosing her gently in concern. To my relief she cracks an eye open. “…that was unpleasant.” I laugh and nuzzle her firmly. “I bet. How about you take a few less magic shots in the flank huh? You’re gonna give me a heart attack.” I hear approaching hooves and ready for a fight, but it’s just Trixie. I look around frantically a minute but Chrysalis is nowhere to be seen. “How’s the kid?” Trixie waves a hoof. “Fine. Princess Luna’s working on her face. It’s…not good. What happened to Umbra? Where’s the queen?” I wave vaguely. “Ran off. Umbra took a nasty shot to the flanks. Did you say LUNA is helping her?” Trixie hoists Umbra into the air, to her weak protests. “She’s herself again. Still human but she’s not being controlled anymore.” We both look to Umbra as she speaks softly. “Take me to her.” *** Trixie holds me gently in her magical grip. I do not enjoy needing to be carried about like a hatchling but I cannot walk on my own with my flank burning as it is. I look ahead and see the two humans exiting the building. The younger moving stiffly, clearly in pain. Her helm removed exposing the horrid burns on her face. The right side simply seems…gone from the cheek downward. A melted lump of flesh, her right nostril and a bit of her lips melted as well. The pain must have been tremendous. I turn my attention to the other woman. Her helm is removed as well and though the features are odd and certainly not those of the pony I am familiar with, her eyes are the same deep blue of Luna’s. She moves to me looking concerned and lays one hand on my flank, the other against my cheek. For a moment I AM a hatchling again. And mother is tending one of my many wounds I accumulated before I learned to see and move in the tunnels more easily. I always loved feeling her hands against my coat. I feel a pleasantly warm sensation spread from her hands to my pains as the aches fade a good deal. I look up to see her smiling softly down at me, a smile I find myself returning. “Thank you.” She helps me stand on my own. “Of course. Now we must hurry, the others are still dealing with my mother.” My flank still aches but I can stand and walk. That means I can run. Jennifer replaces her helm fastening it securely and nods. The five us us make for the palace as quickly as we can, wounded as we are. Suddenly the girl staggers clutching at her throat. I move toward her in concern but she recovers quickly. I hear her speak one word before her horn flares to life and her body is enveloped in magic. She crouches and leaps into the air, streaking toward the palace. I look to Luna. “What happened?” She wears a small frown. “She and Echo wear matching heart stones. Gifts night ponies exchange with their special somepony. It lets them know if one another is in danger. Echo must be in trouble. WE should hurry.” We move quicker now. My flank screams in protest but I ignore it. I cannot help but look to Luna running at my side. “…so you are human?” She chuckles. “I was. When Celestia and I first came to Equestria over a thousand years ago.” Tak and Trixie share a look of shock as they stumble in their dash at this surprisingly revelation. “Am I?” Luna shakes her head. “No. You were conceived while I was a pony and are fully equestrian.” I am unsure if I am relieved or disappointed. While the human body is strange and awkward it’s top half is so very much like my mother and siblings’. It may have been pleasant to learn that I was more like them than I realized. Still the past few months I have come to enjoy pony society, and counting myself among their number is a pleasant thought. Again I look at Luna and see so many warring emotions on her face. Of course her heart is in turmoil. She and her sister, likely their niece too are fighting for their lives against her mother. How can a mother work to harm her own children? The concept is utterly impossible for me to imagine. I try to find words to speak, words that may bring her comfort but of course as my friends are happy to tell me constantly I am helpless in these situations. All thoughts of familial comfort are banished as we reach the palace and I get my first look at both my aunt and apparently my maternal grandmother. The massive golden armored alicorn mare swinging the huge broadsword blazing like the sun could only be Celestia. She is frantically battling a human woman, like her daughters the woman has both wings and horn though they’re a midnight black color, not unlike my own coat. Her hair flows as Celestia and Luna’s does, black with twinkling star motes. I splay my ears as the night pony cadet, Echo streaks overhead shrieking at their mother. I can see the waves of sound distorting the air as her scream shatters stone under the woman’s feet and she staggers holding her head. Shining Armor charges in punching her in the stomach with his magic. Celestia does not waste the opportunity and brings her massive weapon to bear, batting aside her mother’s own blade and sending the woman sprawling to the ground. I feel relief for a moment as it seems the fight is ended. My relief is short lived. She clenches her fists tightly. “Enough.” Her voice is barely a whisper. “Enough.” Louder now, her horn flares with a harsh black light. “Enough!” The magic in the air feels so heavy and oppressive it is all I can do not to fall to my knees. The others have similar difficulties, save Celestia and Luna. The alicorn charges, blade raised while Luna rushes in her horn and hands glowing brightly. Their mother thrusts a hand at each of her daughters, her magic racing out and twisting around both mare and woman. I hear them scream as they vanish in the blackness of her power. They disappear from sight behind the globes of magic, as both rocket away from the field. I can only watch in horror as Luna’s globe flies unerringly for the moon. It glows for a moment before the profile of a mare appears on the moon. “Mother!” I do not even think to consider my words as I watch her sent away, far from my reach and out of my life so soon after we had met. Celestia I suspect is imprisoned within the sun, like Luna…like my mother now is on the moon. She stretches her arms and rises to her feet. The assembled ponies only stare in horror at the moon. My attention however is riveted to her. She stares at me curiously. “Did you say mother? Lucinda actually rutted with one of these animals and had a child?” My eyes narrow and I scuff a hoof preparing to charge. This only seems to amuse her. “Well don’t think that I’m going to look at YOU as family. You animals are lesser beings, to be controlled by their betters.” I wait no longer rushing forward in a charge. She raises her arm to swat at me…no doubt she is as monstrously powerful physically as she is magically and I do not intend to find out first hand. I spring over her head much to her surprise and land behind her, driving my hooves into the small of her back. I hear her howl in pain and rage as she staggers forward. STAGGERS forward. I delivered a solid buck and it did not even knock her from her feet. My friends are quick to assist me however. Green and pink blasts of magic slam into her chest sending her stumbling my way again. Shining Armor charges now, lowering his shoulder and slamming his entire body into the woman. With a shout she rocks back. Echo flashes by screeching in her face and finally sending her tumbling to the ground. Gritting my teeth I charge again only to be met with the woman’s magic. I feel a bone numbing chill spread through my body as the ground is very abruptly ripped away from me. I am flung so high into the air at such great speeds I do not even have time to cry out in alarm as I am wrenched away from my friends battling for their lives. *** Why didn’t I stay with the wagon?! Because I love those two idiots that’s why! Ugh and now I’m fighting some crazy human alicorn whatever. The princess’ mother?! Well this is just great. This is how I always imagined dying of course. I watch her fling Umbra away magically and try to catch her with my own magic but she’s too far already. Tak’s in the air streaking after her and I have to hope he can handle it. The crazy person has turned back to Prince Shining Armor and me. With a gulp I summon images of him and me, perhaps a dozen apiece and send them racing about every which way. While she attacks the fakes I duck into a nearby shell of a building. To my surprise Jennifer’s already there, clutching her heavily bleeding throat. A gentle pink aura of magic surrounds it; I recognize the healing energy and look to the glowing rune of her sword questioningly. It seemed a struggle for her to speak. “Echo was hurt. Used sword to heal her…though it gives me the same wound. It heals fast.” Her words seemed the truth as I could see the flesh knitting back together. It was…gross but fascinating from a magical standpoint. “Who IS she? What’s happening Jennifer?” She frowns. “Her name’s Galaxia. I…accidentally summoned her from a book. Luna and Celestia sealed her away who knows how long ago. I don’t know the specifics.” I look to the battle. Only Shining Armor and Echo remained, most of the fake copies gone. Before I can consider the suicidal course of rushing out to help them the heavily wounded girl is already on her feet rushing at the other human, at Galaxia. How can she be so brave? She’s practically dead on her feet but in she goes charging fearlessly. Obviously she’s a raving lunatic. She’s not even drawing her blade; instead her hand reaches for the jewel around her throat. Aha! She intends to draw Galaxia back to her own world where there’s no magic. But would that work against Galaxia like it did Umbra? My fleeting hopes are dashed as Jennifer grapples Galaxia but they don’t move at all. I can barely hear them speaking. “Young lady I hardly think we’ve known one another long enough for such familiarity.” She clamps one of her hands around Jen’s throat lifting her off her feet. “Oh my…that looks absolutely garish dear. Let’s see if I can’t help you a bit?” She wormed her fingers into Jennifer’s throat and the world swam before me as I felt nauseous. “Did you think I wasn’t watching how you defeated that Umbra creature? Did you think I couldn’t counter the buffoon’s magic? Even at FULL strength he was not a match for me!” I can’t just sit here and watch this. I need to help! I call on my own magic, however good it will do…ready to shoot the woman’s legs out from under her. Before I can, the same pale blue magic that turned all the zombies to dust flares between the pair, pushing Galaxia away. I catch the girl as she falls drawing her back toward myself. Galaxia rounds on the recently arrived Princess Cadence. She looks like she’d seen better days, but if it WAS her who unleashed the city wide wave of magic the fact that she was on her hooves at all was a miracle. “What does it take to be rid of you annoyances?!” She reaches into…thin air; her hand disappears as she draws out a sword. Long and jagged, the same black starry substance her mane flows with. She hurls the sword unerringly at the unprepared Princess. I look away expecting a bloody end but her husband saves the day, deflecting the deadly missile with a powerful barrier spell. She screams in rage but I see something over her shoulder that gives me a bit of hope. *** “I am beginning to feel we are outmatched!” Tak has me in his hooves carrying me back to the sight of battle. “What? Just cause she sent the two most powerful ponies I Equestria away with a wave of her hand? That’s nothin’. We got this.” Tak tries to be brave but I hear the fear in his voice. “We have wounded her, this is true. And I do not believe she has as much control over us as she did her children. We have a chance Tak. We have to stop her.” I hear him sigh. “Rather we just run back to the tunnels but hey, where’s the fun in that?” He tightens his grip around my forelegs as the battlefield comes back into sight. The woman is bearing down on a staggered Shining Armor and Princess Cadence. “Throw me!” He does not hesitate and I am again streaking through the air…something I have done entirely FAR too much of today…I collide with her solidly, rocking her forward and off her feet. She fell and did not rise immediately this time. I feel hope again that this battle may be near its end. Then I feel another sensation I was not eager to experience again. Green energy rips into my side sending me sprawling. I struggle to rise…and see a sight that freezes my heart in its chest. Standing over a writing Cadence and Jennifer is a dead looking crystal pony mare, though her eyes blaze with unnatural red light. A fleshless horn juts from her forehead. When she speaks…it is in the lich’s deep cultured tones. “I expected more of the supposedly unbeatable Queen Galaxia. Apparently she needs aid after all.” Shining Armor is rushing to his fallen wife’s side, only to be felled by another shot from Chrysalis. “Come come now Sir Lich. Our new friend here has been asleep for some time. She’s not at her best.” Now the woman was raising to her feet…Galaxia. I could feel the chill of her magic as it rolled off her body. “I am not…but I am swiftly reaching that point.” She is not even at full strength?! This must end. I reach deep calling up my magic. I imagine her banishing Luna, my other mother away. I feel the rage I felt when facing Jennifer in the forest not too long ago. New strength surges and flares through me as my magic manifests visibly about myself in a crimson nimbus of light. Then I charge. Tak is attacking Chrysalis, and I see Trixie distracting the lich from finishing his victims with more images than I believed she could conjure at once. My attention is drawn from my friends as I close on Galaxia. She sends blasts of magic and conjures swords hurtling at me, but with my own magic fueling my muscles I move quicker than she can react. Darting from side to side I begin striking with my hooves when I get close enough, leaping back before she can counter. To my relief Echo is still in the air, devilling our opponents with her screams and keeping them from focusing on any of us too firmly. The fur on the back of my neck is standing on end as I feel a new power behind me. It is not so great as Galaxia’s but it is still impressive nonetheless. I am surprised to find Tak at my side soon, assisting me in keeping Galaxia off balance. A moment passes before Trixie’s pink lances of magic are striking her from the other side. “You have dispatched Chrysalis AND the lich?” Tak wore a worried expression. “Not us.” Before I can question what he means we are all sent stumbling to the ground by a wave of magic from Galaxia. “You pests can die now!” She raises her blade charging forward…then…steps on a banana peel that seemingly materializes from nowhere beneath her foot. She slips and smacks her face into the ground with a meaty thwack. I look up incredulously to see the girl, Jennifer swirling with the chaotic magical energies she used to drag me to her home world. She’s grinning manically as she darts forward and delivers a swift kick to Galaxia’s rear, sending her skidding along the ground and lodging her head in a nearby wall. “Bwaaahahahaha! D’you guys see that! Her head’s stuck!” She was clutching her sides rolling along the ground laughing hysterically. I felt my concern grow as Echo rushed by gripping the girls face in her hooves. “Jen I know this is bad but this isn’t the way to fix things! Discord’s power is going to make you just like he was; we’ll just trade one monster for another! You have to shake it off. You have to come back to me!” The girl blinked a moment and looked herself again, but just for a moment. With a snort she swatted Echo aside. “Oh stop your bellyaching. Such a crybaby all of a sudden.” Her smile dimmed somewhat as she looked to where she’d slapped Echo to the side, the night pony lay one wing mangled and she was not moving to rise. Real concern in her eyes she rushed to her side. I do not give the spectacle more attention. Galaxia is down, perhaps wounded. Tak nods to me and we rush in. He levels blast after blast of his magic at the trapped woman while I leap, slamming my hooves squarely into her exposed back. She howls in pain and wrenches upwards, obliterating the wall she was trapped in and spins, her horn flares as we are both seized in that horrible numbing chill of her magic. The cold is so painful, like nothing I have experienced before. Tak and I can only curl tightly shivering and trying to fight it off. I vaguely note Jennifer rushing back into the fray, still wielding the unhealthy magic she borrowed from Discord’s amulet, but there is more clarity in her eyes. She swings a fist at Galaxia but the woman catches it, forcing her to her knees. “Did you think borrowing the buffoons’ power would be enough? He couldn’t stand up to me at full strength and you…you do not have his full strength.” She lifted the girl overhead and slammed her to the ground where she lay groaning. Her horn glowing brightly as she no doubt tried to escape; Galaxia slammed a foot on the small of her back drawing a screech of agony. “Oh no. No more teleporting for you girl. No more pranks, no more tricks, no more jokes.” She lifted her foot to deliver another stomp, only to have a pink magical tether lasso it and tug her off balance. She slammed her face to the ground whirling to glare at…Trixie The mare shrugged helplessly. “Er…s-sorry?” Eyes blazing with fury Galaxia stormed toward her. “You’re GOING to be.” I want to cry out as Trixie is seized in her magic, hoisted into the air by that awful black aura keeping Tak and I pinned. Trixie’s mouth is open in a soundless scream as she writhes and twists. I am forced to look away…I find Jennifer’s gaze locked with mine. She looks…resigned, but determined. Offering me a faint smile she clenches the jewel in her fist tightly. I see the swirl of color form around myself…Tak…Trixie, Echo, Cadence and Shining Armor…then the world disappears into darkness. *** I wake slowly. My body screams in agony but I ignore it. I am lying on cold stone. The chamber we are in is lit by Cadence’s gentle blue glow of magic. I recognize it immediately of course. It is Bleeding Hearts cavern, where we used to meet all those months ago. I cast about frantically but see Tak and Trixie struggling to rise as well. Cadence is fretting over her husband, healing him with a spell of some sort. The only one who is NOT here is Jennifer. Echo breaks the silence. “Where’s Jen?” Cadence looks up from her work, pain etched acrossed her face. “She…didn’t come with us Echo.” The young mare looks confused. “What do you mean she didn’t come with us? Where is she then?” Now my cousin looks away, unable to meet her gaze. “She stayed behind. She saved us but…I don’t think she could save herself.” Eyes wide Echo shakes her head. “We have to go back! We have to help her!” I finally speak. “We cannot. We are…many weeks travel from Canterlot. These are the tunnels of my people. This is Bleeding Heart’s final resting place. She must have sent us here, knowing it was beyond Galaxia’s reach.” Her wings flared as she leapt to her hooves. “I don’t care I’m…” She falters and staggers, clutching her chest with a pained expression. I suspect what ails her, but Cadence rushes to her side. “Echo…Echo you need to calm down and let me heal you.” “It-it can’t be…she can’t be…” Her hoof falls limply from her chest. I see the small crystalline heart hanging from a string about her neck. It is glowing gently, but the glow is flickering. Before my eyes I watch it fade entirely, leaving the stone a solid black. I look at the slowly recovering Trixie and Tak, than back to Echo. What must it feel like? To lose the one you love? I…cannot imagine. I move closer to say something, anything to give her comfort. I do not get the chance, as she opens her mouth. I sense what is coming and cover my ears in time to block out some of her anguished wail. It goes on and on, shaking the cavern and dislodging rocks from above. Cadence has to leap aside to avoid being crushed. The princess works quickly, her magic enveloping the out of her mind with grief pony and putting her in a deep sleep. Even unconscious tears flow freely form her eyes. Cadence regards her sadly, then turns to me. “Umbra we…is there somewhere safe we can rest?” I nod. “Of course. My home is not far. My family will shelter you, all of you. Can you carry the others? I do not trust my magic to do so.” My cousin looks exhausted but she nods. “Of course.” She hefts the four in her magic, Tak and Trixie do not protest while Echo and Shining Armor are still unconscious. I step out leading the way along the familiar path home. It is all so familiar though I have been gone nearly half a year. Cadence looks increasingly nervous as we begin to see signs of the family. Thick webs hang here and there. “Do not fear. Even if you were not with me you would not be attacked, merely turned away.” She nods, but gasps as the first of the spiderkin approach. A scout I recognize well. “Kasson! It is good to see you!” The scarred veteran looks shocked. “C-commander? What…how? Were YOU making all that racket?” He looks from me to the group of ponies. “No…one of our number. Her love has passed and she is…not taking the loss well. This is my cousin, Cadence. She seeks sanctuary.” His mandibles click agitatedly. “From what?” I shake my head. “I will explain all when we are in Neela’s chamber.” Kasson does not seem happy at allowing four ponies to wander in, but he nods. “Very well. Come along, quickly. And tell your pony cousin not to damage anything with those clumsy hooves.” He sets a brisk pace, and I turn an apologetic smile to Cadence. “Do not be offended, Kasson is very kind just…gruff.” She nods. “He called you commander?” Now I nod. “Yes. Before I left I was scout commander of the family. We explored new tunnels, securing them for the family to use.” “I see. Is there somewhere I can put them down? I’m getting a little winded. I used most of my magic to clear the empire.” I nod. “Of course.” I make a brief detour to my old room. Cadence lays her charges on the moss. I give Tak and Trixie a brief nuzzle before leading my cousin to my sister’s web. Neela looks delighted to see me, smiling grandly. “Umbra you are home! With…guests I am told.” She eyes Cadence curiously. The princess returns the curious gaze. I smile and go to meet my sister, who has left her web and crouches to embrace me. “It is good to see you again Neela. And yes there is…trouble above. It is not safe any longer.” Neela chews her lip. “Not safe? You will need to explain. And who is this?” I step back. “Neela this is my cousin, Princess Cadence. Cadence this is my sister Queen Neela.” Cadence blinks and bows politely. “It’s nice to meet you your highness. I’m so sorry to impose as we are.” Staring at the large pony for a moment Neela shakes her head. “It is no imposition. Of course friends and family of my sister are friends and family to me. You are welcome here for as long as you like. Spinner will complain but then, when does he not?” We share a smile at our absent brothers expense. “Where is he?” She shrugs. “Securing a new tunnel. Business as usual. Let us find accommodations for your pony friends, than you and I can speak at length. I wish to hear everything about the surface.” Feeling better suddenly I cannot help but smile. Down here so far from the surface it feels as if the last few hours events happened far longer ago. “I would be delighted sister.” *** I leave Neela’s chambers seeking Cadence and the others. She and Shining Armor are lying on my old bed, while Tak and Trixie speak softly by the pool. “Where is Echo?” Cadence looks up. “She left. Said she…had to see for herself what happened to Jennifer.” I frown. “The tunnels are dangerous, will she be safe?” The princess shrugs. “I think so. Night ponies are very capable. They flourish in the dark as well. She should be fine.” I sit with my friends smiling to both as they rest against me. “I have explained the situation to Neela. She will give what aid she can, and offers whatever resources she can spare to our coming efforts.” Cadence and Shining Armor exchange confused looks. “Efforts for what?” I raise my eyebrow. “Reclaiming Equestria of course. You two did not intend to allow Galaxia and those others to get away with what they did?” It is Shining Armor who speaks now. “I don’t like it any more than you do but what can we do? She’s too powerful alone let alone with those other two helping her.” I sit up straighter. “What has Cadence told you of the Arms of Harmony, Shining Armor?” He looks to his wife curious…but Cadence is smiling now. I see something in her eyes that warms my heart. There is hope.