Vengeance of Dawn

by Scipio Smith

Battle for Canterlot

Chapter 16

The Battle for Canterlot

The door creaked as it closed, before slamming with the finality of inevitable destiny itself. For Breaking Dawn, who could feel cruel fate like a rope about her neck at this very moment, the comparison was an apt one.

"Arrested by the city guard," Celestia's voice was chill as winter, her tone sharp and brittle as frosted glass. "I am very disappointed in you, Breaking Dawn."

Dawn hung her head. She stood once more in the Principal's study of Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns, once more to be raked over the coals. But Princess Celestia had done more damage to her with that single sentence than she could have done had she shouted all day.

"Well?" Princess Celestia prompted. "What have you to say for yourself?"

"I was only standing up for myself, princess," Dawn muttered.

"Standing up for yourself? Is that what you call it? Against a ten year old filly?" Celestia's brow was thunderous, her gaze a beam of disapproval. "I remember a time when you would have stood up for a young girl being hurt and harassed by an older, stronger pony. You would not have been doing the hurting yourself."

Dawn's mouth dropped open, and her mind was drawn back to Sunset Shimmer and her last prophetic words as she had left the school, foretelling that Dawn would in turn be supplanted by a younger rival. Dawn had scoffed then, but it had come to pass and like Sunset she had taken to violence to shore up her crumbling position. I became the thing I hated in the end, didn't I?

"You shame me, Princess," Dawn said. "But when I look at her, when I have to thing about what she's done, what she is, I just get so angry I can't help myself."

"Twilight Sparkle has not wronged you."

"Don't say her name in front of me!" Breaking Dawn snapped. "I should be your student, not her! What does she have that I don't?"

"She does not start fights," Celestia replied coldly.

Dawn shook her head, a manic chuckle escaping her lips, "I was that pony once: meek and mild, kind of heart and noble of spirit. Watch her, your highness, in a few years she will become me as I became Sunset. You are immune to power's caress but we are not."

"If you are correct, then I will have to live with that, as I have lived with many uncomfortable decisions in my life," Celestia said. "But I cannot excuse your behaviour because you cannot control yourself, or because you tell me you have been corrupted by your former status. If it is true that proximity to me has ruined your character, then perhaps it is time to put some distance between us."

"No," the word was a whisper from Dawn's lips, the whisper of a child whose dreams, like a glass menagerie, have fallen to the ground and shattered into myriad pieces.

"You have left me with no choice, Dawn," Celestia said firmly. "I cannot tolerate such behaviour in a student of this school. It is time for you to leave."

"No," Dawn repeated the simple word, this time drawing it out as she pleaded for the gates of paradise to not yet shut her out. "No, I beg you Your Highness, have mercy."

Celestia was constant as the north star, "It will be for the best Breaking Dawn, in time you will understand that. You can live your own life, forge your own destiny."

"My destiny is you, Princess," Dawn cried, tears welling in her green eyes. "To serve you, to be with you. I will do anything you ask: shine your shoes, scrub pots in the palace kitchens, I will even clean out Twilight Sparkle's study if you ask it of me but I beg of you: send me not from the side of grace and greatness."

Celestia's look softened. Her purple eyes glistened with compassion and Dawn felt hope, faint hope like the first flower to raise its head above the snow, that the princess would relent, "I am touched by your devotion, Dawn. Truly, I am. But I cannot allow you to waste your life in that way out of a misplaced sense of loyalty. Live your life, build your own future. I have no doubt that with your intelligence, magical talent and ability to win the hearts of ponies you will be successful at whatever task you set yourself. And who knows? One day, when you have conquered Equestria, we may meet again."

Joyous hope warred with grief in the breast of Breaking Dawn, Celestia's words so addling her wits she could only stammer, "You mean, if I prove myself to you, then I can come back?"

"In a manner of speaking, yes."

Dawn scowled, "But why do I have to leave at all. I don't want to go. Do you really want me gone?"

"It is not a question of what I want-"
"Yes it is! You're the one banishing me," Dawn shouted. "Tell me that you want me gone or I will not go. I am your student, your servant. I will not be dismissed at the hoof or mouth of a lesser pony. If you want me gone, then bid me go."

Celestia's mouth tightened, "Then I command you to go."

Dawn felt the axe come down upon her soul, "As you command, Princess." She turned away, and clutched the last shreds of her torn and mangled pride about her as she half stalked, half stole out of Celestia's presence.

She did not allow herself to truly weep until she could be certain that nopony was watching her.

***

Princess Luna breathed a sigh of relief as she released the magic she had used to raise the moon and allowed it to settle into its rightful place at the heart of the night sky. While the effort did not weary her from rustiness as it had done immediately after Nightmare Moon's defeat, it remained no mean feat to raise the moon and hang it in the air.

She stepped in off the balcony and into Celestia's chamber. This palace had been built after her banishment, with only a single princess in mind, so there were no separate towers for sun and moon as there had been in the old palace she and Celestia had shared together. Celestia's balcony was the most convenient place for ordering the heavens.

"I am glad you feel the trade negotiations are going well, ambassador Sophoniba," Celestia said on the other side of the door. "It pleases me greatly that at least somepony, someone rather, is getting something out of this visit."

"Do not trouble yourself with Grevyian pride," Sophoniba said.
"It is the mask their weakness 'neath they hide."

"Perhaps. At any rate I look forward to a new era of cooperation between Quaggai and Equestria in the years ahead," Celestia said. "Goodnight, ambassador."

"Good night, Princess generous and kind,
I bid you restful sleep and carefree mind."

Luna heard the Quaggai ambassador's hooves beating on the floor as Celestia entered her bedroom.

"Carefree mind," Celestia murmured. "If only."

Luna grinned, "I used to hate that you could do that, sister. Now I admire you for it."

Celestia looked puzzled, "Do what?"

"Hide your true feelings behind the royal mask," Luna said. "Out there, you sounded so sincere, so genuine in your interest in the talks. But I know that inside you are all concern for Twilight Sparkle."

Celestia sighed, and as she vested herself of her golden crown and glittering necklace she seemed to diminish, become less the Princess of the Sun all ponies knew and loved and more simply Celestia, her big sister.

"I wish there had been some news," Celestia said.

"We must trust in Applejack," Luna replied. "She is faithful and strong."

"And helpless against Dawn's magic," Celestia declared. "If they should meet upon the road...and even if Twilight Sparkle is warned, there is still the darkness inside of her to contend with. If something were to happen to them-"

"They have faced Discord, they have faced the Changeling hordes, they have faced me in all my Nightmare wrath," Luna said. "Compared with these, what is Breaking Dawn?"

"Mine," Celestia said solemnly. "I taught her, I chose her. Her fall to evil is my fault, her capacity for evil is my doing. Why did I not see she had such a darkness in her?"

"I cannot say what she is or was, I do not know the mare," Luna answered carefully. "But you are not to blame for the mare the child you knew became." She smiled fondly, "Rest now, sister. I will watch the night and bear the burdens of the realm for now."

Celestia nodded absently, "If news of Twilight-"

"I will wake you at once if I hear anything," Luna said. "Rest now, save your strength."

Celestia smiled as she climbed into bed, "Goodnight Luna." She paused, "You hated it? Why?"

"I thought it made you a false pony, a liar. I didn't see how I could ever trust you when you were never honest."

"And now?"

"Now I can read you better," Luna kissed Celestia gently on the forehead, "Sweet dreams, dear sister."

Luna spread her wings as she leapt off the balcony and glided on the currents of the night air to land on one of the smaller golden towers of the palace. Her guard captain, Catseye, was waiting for her with two of her thestrals.

Catseye bowed, "Highness."

"Captain," Luna said. "All quiet?"

"The moon is up and all is well, Princess," Catseye replied.

"Excellent. I am going to enter the World of Dreams and seek there for the criminal Breaking Dawn," Luna declared. "Wake me if you have need of me, or when it is time to lower the moon if I have slumbered that long."

"As you command," Catseye said. "Nighthawk, Bloodmoon, guard the Princess while she is in the dream world."

"Yes, sir!"

Luna made her way to the centre of the room. It was sparsely laid out, and not lit at all so that the moon's light cast everything in a blue tint. A mass of cushions were laid out for her. She lay upon them, closed her eyes, and stepped into the World of Dreams.

***

Breaking Dawn's eyes snapped open and she woke up with a half-given cry of alarm.

"You okay, Dawny?" Razor Wind was sitting on the end of her bed, keeping watch over Breaking Dawn. Dawn had been catching a quick nap after her run back from the chalet to Canterlot. She wanted to be rested before tonight. She might need her strength for the big performance.

Dawn rolled out from under the covers and out of bed, "I'm okay. I just had a weird dreams is all."

Razor shifted a little on the bed so that she could see Dawn better, "You want to talk about it?"

Dawn huffed, rubbing her eyes with one hoof, "I was in Ponyville. I had...I think I was a statue of some kind."

"A statue?"

"Yeah. I was me, but I was a statue. Frozen like. And I was so beautiful. My eyes were emeralds, my coat glowed golden, my mane streamed in the wind."

Razor frowned, "But you just said you were a statue?"

"A living statue. I was frozen, but I wasn't made of stone or anything. I was me. But I couldn't move. I was standing there, in the centre of Ponyville, looking gorgeous. Eyes, coat, mane and tail, all of it done up to a sheen. Everypony who looked at me found my beauty irresistible. They all just stopped and stared at me. One guy thought I was so beautiful he had to kiss me."

"That doesn't sound so bad," Razor remarked. "I mean, not being able to move would get old after a while but, I don't know, not a terrible dream."

"Maybe," Dawn hesitated for a moment. "I can't help feeling that it means something."

"Probably means that you're going to win," Razor Wind said. "Think about it: you said yourself you were glowing. Everypony was looking at you, admiring you, awed by you. Isn't that what you want? Isn't that what this is all about? Proving yourself, winning the crowd?"

"If I was certain that that was the meaning behind it then I would rejoice," Dawn replied. "But Ponyville is Twilight Sparkle's town, not mine. If I was statue in Canterlot then I believe my dream means what you say it does, but in her town, her home? What if it means the opposite? What if my dream means that I will fall here, and that I will become yet another honour to garland Twilight Sparkle, another glory to her name? What if, when the ponies stopped to admire me, they were really admiring Twilight Sparkle's victory over me and the lustre it has added to her?"

"I think you're over-thinking just a little bit," Razor said.

Dawn rolled her eyes, "If you didn't think it meant anything why didn't you stop me?"

Razor shrugged, "I thought it would do you good to talk about something. You've been, kind of weird since you got back from the chalet."

Dawn turned away, walking across the darkened room to where a small mirror hung upon the wall. She stared into, leaning forward so that her muzzle was almost touching the glass.

"She's not what I thought she was," Dawn murmured. "When I first met her, at the zebra party, I thought she was so devious, so false. I hated the way she pretended to be humble. But now, I think that that humility was genuine."

Razor Wind was silent, recognising that these were things that Dawn needed to say.

"All these years I imagined that the only way she could have stolen everything from me was if she was a monster. A villain, who cackled as she destroyed me. But that mare that I left back there...Celestia help me I'm not sure if I was ever that nice. I mean, what could have been her last night alive and she spent it talking about some days she spent hanging out with her friends, doing nothing of any consequence, just relaxing. I don't think I was ever that free from ambition. Maybe that was what Princess Celestia saw in her heart that wasn't in mine."

Razor Wind's voice was nervous, almost scared, "What are you trying to say Dawny?"

"I think she's a better pony that I am," Dawn murmured, resting her forehead against the mirror. "I think she might deserve to be the hero more than I do. I think she might even deserve to mount me as a statue in her hometown for everyone to admire her triumph, like in my dream."

"But you still tied her up, right?"

Dawn sniggered, "Yeah, I did. I have to know, for certain. I have to at least try, then I can know for sure if I have what it takes, if I ever did. I need to talk to the Princess. I need to know. I've worked so long and hard to get this chance, I just have to take it."

Razor smiled, "You'll do great."

"With your help I will," Dawn turned away from the mirror. "Not a word of this, to anypony else. You're the only one I trust to hear this."

Razor nodded, "Got it. Now go light the sky on fire."

Razor's smile, her manner, lifted Dawn's heart as she opened the door and walked out into the living room. Her friends: Hard Candy, Laurel, Hardy Bloom and Cherry Blossom all rose at the sight of her, scrambling to their feet like soldiers alert to the presence of their captain.

How did I get such good friends? Dawn wondered, and her lips rose at the corners just looking at them. I have to be strong for them. My will is theirs as theirs is mine.

"I hope you're ready for this, ladies," Dawn declared. "Because tonight is the night when all our dreams come true."

***

Lord Mathos of the House Aethiope, of the High Blood of Most Ancient Grevyia, peered into the bowl of wine before him as his shaman muttered the incantations over it.

Ponies, with their more showy and obvious unicorn magic to call upon, often scorned the magic of zebras, the potions and the incantations, the mutterings over bones and water. But for all their scorn, for all their sense of smug superiority, they had not developed any means of communication over long distances with the ease allowed by Grevyian scrying. If a pony emissary had been in Holy Hippo Accra, then she would not have been able to contact Princess Celestia as he now contacted the Emperor, may he live forever.

The wine rippled, though no force was being exerted upon it, and the blood red colour of the wine changed to transparency, like a window between Lord Mathos and the throne room in the Eagle Palace.

On the other side of the window, slumped upon a throne of gold and crimson, sat the Emperor Syphax IX, may he live forever. His body swollen with the luxuries available to the emperor, his face was hidden by a golden mask, decorated with peacock feathers.

His August Majesty spoke in the weary tones of an old stallion,
"Mathos, are you for havoc well prepared?"

Lord Mathos bowed his head,
"O Most August Grevyian Majesty,
My soldiers they are armed and well prepared,
I chose them suited for this night-black task,
Cruel temperaments and warlike spirits both,
They have in great abundance. Of mine house,
The greater part of Aethiope's strength,
Is here beneath mine eyes. I only wish,
You had relented of your iron word,
And given me of royal soldiers some,
Small company to bolster forth our strength."

His Augustness, may he live forever, chuckled, "Had I given you e'en but a tithe,
Of but one of the legions I possess,
Then would all ponydom assuredly,
Know us at root of all thy deeds this night."

"What care you what these ponies think,
Once they have been made vassals to thy throne?" Lord Mathos asked.

"I care much what they think if you should fail," the Emperor replied.
"If you should loose, I shall disown thee,
If you should die, I shall not even mourn thee,
If they should take you prisoners, I shall not pay,
Thy ransom though it stand but at a single obol.
If Mathos wins, Grevyia shall profit of it,
If Mathos fails, Grevyia shall not rue of it.
But think not we are ungrateful of thy services,
Most loyally rendered to our ancient throne,
Our soldiers we have sent to guard thy lands,
From jealous rivals, while thy troops are with
Thee in barbarian pony lands, should cruel fate,
Desert thee in thy quest to bring them down,
I'll safeguard both thy children and thy wife,
Within my charge and under my protection."

Mathos closed his eyes and prayed to the gods of his household for the protection of his wife and family. Let my son grown tall and strong. Let my daughters make good matches to mighty lords among the High Blood. Let my house continue after me. He had not missed the words beneath the words the Emperor, may he live forever, had spoken. House Aethiope was the weakest of the houses of the High Blood, that was why he had not been able to refuse this ambassadorial appointment. Already rival houses eyed his lands, vulnerable in the absence of defenders - since the Emperor, may he live forever, had denied him any royal soldiers, he had been forced to bring his house forces to Canterlot - and only Imperial troops warded them off. If he succeeded then the favour of the Emperor, may he live forever, would protect House Aethiope and lift them high. But if he failed, then the troops would be withdrawn and House Aethiope would fall. His family would be killed upon imperial orders, lest they seek revenge for his abandonment and fall. Spirits keep them safe.

"I thank your majesty for your concern,
And shall in all respects obedient to thine honour."

The Emperor, may he live forever, glanced away. He seemed to be listening to someone else, someone Mathos could not see. Then he looked back at Mathos.

"We bid thee to beware of thine ally,
The pony traitor known by Breaking Dawn,
She's fey, we've heard, with moods erratic,
Her mind inconstant and her thoughts,
As unpredictable as ocean storms,
She is no friend to Grevyia or you."

"She shall not live the night."

The Emperor, may he live forever, nodded approvingly, "Fortune smile on you, hot as the baking sun."

"And glory shine upon your august majesty,
Bright as the blazing rays which do alight,
Upon Most August and Most Ancient Grevyia," Lord Mathos said, and the connection with His Majesty was ended.

"Jugurtha," Mathos called, and heard the leader of his Kuj'to M'fu'pakir step closer towards him. "Are all things in readiness?"

"All our companies are prepared," Jugurtha said. He hesitated. "If we were to return home to defend our lands─"

"House Aethiope would be branded traitors for denying the Emperor's will and all our lands seized anyway," Lord Mathos said. "Victory is our only path."

"It is a hard road, and paved with daggers," Jugurtha said.

"That is why every other house petitioned the Emperor, may he live forever, to choose another for this mission," Lord Mathos said. Only House Aethiope was so weak that it had no way of out-bribing any of its rivals. "Still, if we are victorious, then we shall be elevated over the heads of all those who would destroy us."

"Then we will not loose," Jugurtha said. He too had a wife waiting for him back home.

"Once the alicorns are taken care of, see that the pony Breaking Dawn is killed," Mathos commanded.

Jugurtha was silent.

"You disapprove?"

"If we have a chance at success it is due to her efforts," Jugurtha said. "To murder her without cause is not honourable."

"Honour is a luxury House Aethiope cannot afford," Mathos said. "Once the battle goes in our favour, send word to the chalet to have Twilight Sparkle put to death." He had not given the order before for fear that, if the fighting went against them, it would be another crime for the ponies to punish him and his people for. "Bring out the bridles."

The Emperor, may he live forever, had denied to supply Lord Mathos with soldiers for this attack, but he had given Mathos two of Grevyia's most ancient treasures to ensure the success of the plan to conquer Equestria. Two bridles of gold and silver, sometimes called the Bridles of Sun and Moon, which had been given to Skyruler, who had first united all zebras under his rule, by the goddess Pallasa. In ancient days they had been used by zebras to bind the alicorns who pulled the chariots of the sun and moon to raise those orbs each day and night. It was thought that they could be used to bind Celestia and Luna in the same way. The bridles glistened gold and silver in his hooves.

"It might be amusing, might it not, to have the precious pony princesses pulling chariots for us once again," Lord Mathos mused. "Amusing, but risky. Kill Luna as soon as she has been bound. Celestia is the only one we need to maintain control of this country."

"As my lord commands," Jugurtha said reluctantly.

Mathos handed the bridles back, "Begin the operation."

***

Luna stalked the World of Dreams, searching for the elusive Breaking Dawn.

She had almost caught her at one point, she was certain of it. Certainly she had seen a golden unicorn dreaming of being a statue in Ponyville that matched the description she had had from Celestia. But the dream had ended before Luna could catch and interrogate her. Luna had no way of knowing if Dawn was still dreaming or not - dreams changed, after all, and just because a dream had ended did not mean that the dreamer had woken up. She might be in a different dream, or had wandered into the World of Dreams with Luna, though only night's princess could walk this place and be aware of what she was doing.

"Princess Luna!"

The sound was far off, muffled by distance. In the World of Dreams, Luna was both close and miles away from any other pony. She frowned. Nopony would try to wake her if it wasn't important. Perhaps she should let the search rest for now and see what they wanted.

"Princess Luna!" closer, and more urgent. She would definitely need to─

Luna's eyes snapped open as a bucket of cold water was thrown into her face. She blinked rapidly, her jaw hanging open as droplets of water dripped from her magical mane, and glared at the thestral guardspony.

"Forgive me princess," he spoke quickly. "But I had no time to wake you. You have to flee, the castle is under─" some kind of weapon, a rope with two heavy weights on either end, wrapped itself around the guardspony's neck. He gave a strangled cry, reaching for the rope with his hooves even as the weights slammed into his face. Luna's night guard hit the ground with a thud.

Luna's head whipped round, her blue eyes widening at the sight of three armed zebras standing in the doorway. Imperial zebras, the larger breed from Grevyia. In his mouth, one of them bore a glistening silver bridle. For some reason she could not explain, just being near it made Luna's skin crawl.

"What is the meaning of this?" Luna hissed. Below her in the tower she could hear the sounds of fighting in full spate.

The zebras advanced upon her, two of them spreading out on either side while the one with the bridle came straight for her.

"Do not be alarmed," the one on the right, who bore a spear and a shield of hippopotamus hide, said calmly. "Your palace, your city, belong to us now. Surrender peacefully and needless bloodshed will be avoided."

That would be a lot more credible if I could not hear my guards resisting down below. Luna got up. She was not so tall as her elder sister but she could still come to an imposing height when she wanted to, and though she did not loom over these zebras the way she loomed over her little ponies she could still look down upon them as they deserved.

"Surrender?" Luna said, as cold as the chillest night she had ever brought forth. "I am Luna, Night Princess of Equestria, so long as one pony resists you I shall never surrender!"

The zebra who had spoken before snarled, "Take her!"

Luna allowed herself a smirk, "Stand back you fools!" Her horn glowed blue. There was a tremendous explosion strong enough to blow the wall out of the tower room, a room which was covered in blue smoke. Out of the smoke Luna leapt, spreading her wings to carry her up into the night air over Canterlot.

"TREACHERY!" she cried out in her loudest Royal Canterlot Voice. "FOES, BATTLE AND TREACHERY! GREVYIA HATH BETRAYED OUR TRUST! TO ME, MY WARRIORS. TO ARMS, TO BATTLE AND TO ME! CANTERLOT, ARISE!"

Thestrals rose out of the night to join her, her guards of the night breaking off combat on the battlements and balconies, leaping out of windows, rising up from the courtyards and the gardens to hover all around their moon princess.

"Princess Luna," Captain Catseye could hardly bow in mid-air, so he gave her a salute instead. "I am glad to see that you are safe."

Luna nodded, "Report, captain."

"The attack started about thirty minutes ago, maybe more," Catseye said. "The zebras must have planning this for a while, they had troops concealed all over Canterlot and beyond. They've taken the gate and the railway station and they're spreading out all over the city. They took most of the palace before we even knew what was happening. I am sorry for our failure."

"There will be time for recriminations later," Luna snapped. "Where is Celestia?"

"Nopony knows, Highness," Catseye said. "When the attack began I sent guards to rouse her, they have not returned."

"How could they overpower my," Luna cursed, "those bridles, burn them!"

"Highness?"

"The zebras who came for me had a bridle of sparkling silver, if they had put it on me it must have rendered me docile to them. If they have muzzled Celestia..." Luna let loose a roar of anger that struck the very moon itself. In their younger days the irony that she, the princess of the moon, burned so much hotter than the mistress of the sun had often been remarked upon. "I SHALL BURN THEM ALL TO ASHES! I SHALL CRUSH THEM BENEATH MY HOOVES! IF THEY HAVE HARMED ONE HAIR UPON CELESTIA I SHALL SEE ALL GREVYIA REDUCED TO NOTHING BEFORE I'LL CALL MY ANGER SATED!"

Luna forced herself to be calm. This was no time to allow her anger to run away with her. Still, it did not escape her notice that although her guards looked wary of her wrath, a lot of them also looked rather admiring of it too.

It is good to put some spirit in them.

Luna noticed that only her own night guards had risen to her call, "What of the other companies?"

"Some of the City Guard are fighting in the streets below," Catseye said. "But we were taken so by surprise I think most of the guard have been locked in their barracks by the zebras, either here or at the Twilight Palace. I think Lancer is the only captain besides myself who remains at liberty."

"Very well. We shall have to trust in his resourcefulness to free his comrades," Luna said. The barracks were at the very bottom of the palace, to begin the counterattack there would waste the advantage in mobility her thestrals had from being able to fly. "Captain Catseye, you will take half the company and assist the City Guard in defending the city. Protect the civilians at all costs."

"Yes, highness."

"The rest of you with me, we shall retake the palace from the top down," Luna looked around her brave ponies. Some looked nervous, some looked confident, all looked resolute and ready to do their duty.

"Are we not the stars that light the darkness?"

"Aye!"

"Are ours not the eyes that pierce the night?"

"Aye!"

"Is ours not the valour that will guard all those who helpless sleep?"

"Aye!"

"Are we not Equestria's dark shield?"

"Aye!"

"Do we fear darkness?"

"No!"

"Do we fear death?"

"No!"

"Do we fear this foe?"

"Never!"

"When shall we be victorious?"

"Now and always!"

"Then go forth, ponies!" Luna shouted. "For your Princess, for your city, for Equestria!"

The guard of the night let out a fearsome roar as, as a single pony, they dropped down into battle.

***

Breaking Dawn and her gang hid in one of Canterlot's little back-alleys - the appropriately named Narrow Lane - and watched as the zebra occupation of Canterlot unfolded amidst the shattering of glass, the breaking of doorways and the screams of ponies whose night had become full of terrors.

"Wake up! Hide in the hay,
Zebras are coming to take you away," Candy chanted, quietly reciting her hide-and-seek song.

Zebra and buffalo warriors swarmed through the streets with spears and torches, shattering windows and wrestling any pony they came upon to the ground, putting shackles on them and beating them to silence.

"Out of bed, hide under the floor,
Zebras are going to kick down the door."

The doors of Canterlot were not meant to withstand rough treatment. They yielded in moments to the strong hooves of the Grevyian warriors. The night was filled with wailing and screaming as slumbering ponies were dragged from their beds out into the street. Dawn watched as one protesting old stallion was clubbed to the ground while his children watched in noisy horror, then the fillies themselves were beaten with spearbutts into obedience to Grevyia's will.

"Crawl away, like a louse,
Zebras are going to burn down the house."

Torches were flung into the wooden houses, and soon whole streets were ablaze. Dawn saw smoke rising from Shaftesbury Avenue and Holloway Road, and it looked as though Cockfosters was feeling the fires as well.

"Don't cry as you hug the ground,
Zebras will hear if you make a sound."

There was much crying: many tears and wailing enough to fill the Canterlot air and overpower the sound of crackling flames and falling houses. The zebras seemed to hate the sound of crying, for they struck at anypony who snivelled too close to them. They were everywhere, ferreting out all those who tried to hide. Those they had to look for seemed to catch it twice as hard as those who went meekly into bondage.

"Outside! Hide in the park,
Maybe we'll loose them in the dark."

The darkness seemed no obstacle to the eyesight of the Imperial zebras. Wherever anypony was so where they, leering down at the smaller ponies as they threatened them with spears and clubs.

"Hurry up! Hide by the well,
Careful they don't put you under a spell."

There was something almost hypnotised about the ponies as they were herded into Buckingham Square. Their heads were bowed, their eyes were half-lidded and looked cowed and docile. They obeyed without question the orders of the zebras, and made no move to resist as they were beaten into a huddled mass around the Duke of Buckingham's statue and fountain.

"Hide in the bushes, are they near?
Zebras they know how to smell your fear."

A zebra patrol began to approach them. Dawn felt a twinge of nervousness run down her spine.

"Close your eyes, don't look up,
Here comes a zebra to gobble you up."

"That's enough, Candy," Razor hissed. "What do we do?"

Dawn waited a moment, letting the patrol of five zebras get a little closer, then she said, "We go. For Celestia!"

"Whoo-hoo," Razor Wind whooped triumphantly as the six of them charged out of Narrow Lane to hurl themselves upon the zebra patrol. Dawn's horn glowed golden as she fired as many rapid fire spells as she could as fast as she could. The zebras were scythed down where they stood, cut down by the hail of her magic. Hard Candy took one of their spears.

"You know how to use one of those?" Razor asked.

"I trained in stage fighting," Candy replied defensively. "It can't be that different from the real thing."

"Erm, just be careful, okay," Dawn said. "Now, let's go save Canterlot!"

Her magic blazing before her, shooting out golden bolts in all directions, Dawn led her friends into Buckingham Square with the cry upon their lips, "Celestia! Celestia!" Dawn's magic struck true with every shot, and with every shot some zebra or buffalo warrior fell. Razor Wind darted into the press, nutting a zebra forehead to forehead and knocking him to the ground. Candy actually held her own against a zebra spear-bearer, the shafts of their weapons clacking against each other as they thrust and retreated. Hardy, Cherry and Laurel were working together to hamstring a buffalo, compensating for their lack of prowess by forcing him to the ground like picadores.

"It is the unicorn!" one of the zebras shouted. "Kill her! Kill her!"

Dawn shut him up with a magical bolt.

The zebras tried to reach them, but it was hard to struggle through the press of ponies who either stood stock still in obstruction, or else tripped the zebras as they tried to charge and sent them sprawling on the ground.

Obedient to their last command, the zebras hurled themselves at Dawn. But she was equal to all of them. All her doubts and misgivings fell away as she cast spell after spell at the Grevyian warriors. This was right, undeniably. This was just, inarguably. This was the destiny she had been born to fulfil. She was Breaking Dawn, champion of Equestria, and on this night she fought for her people with a righteous fury no pony, buffalo or zebra could match. She blasted a swathe through the opposition, fighting her way to the very centre of the square and climbed the plinth of Buckingham's statue to watch as the remaining zebras turned and ran to the jeers of the Canterlot ponies. Already her friends had begun striking the chains off those whom the Grevyians had sought to make slaves.

"Who are you?" one old mare asked. "You saved us!"

"My name is Breaking Dawn," Dawn declared, posing heroically upon the plinth next to the old duke's statue. "Princess Celestia's most faithful servant and indomitable defender. Fear not, Canterlot is defended from this evil!"

Some of the ponies started up a ragged cheer, though for many the fear of this night was still too great.

"My friends and I will fight for this city, for our Princesses," Dawn continued. "But we cannot fight all the strength of Grevyia alone. We need your help. Princess Celestia needs your help."

Some of the ponies muttered at that. A lithe limbed unicorn mare asked, "What can we do? We are not warriors?"

"Are you not possessed of legs and hooves?" Dawn asked. "Are your hearts not stout, your spirits not possessed of the spirit of harmony and friendship? Are you not the heirs of those brave ponies who dared the frozen wilds to win new homes and new lands for themselves and for their children? Are we not ponies proud and bold, equal to any challenge that magic, nature or other races may pose to us? The greatest weapon in this battle is not the zebra's spear, nor his shield of hippo hide, but our valour undimmed and bonds of comradeship unbreakable. Take heart, stand fast, and they shall be as chaff before our mighty wind!
"Is there anypony here who does not love Celestia? Is there anypony here who does not love this city which has raised us all? Is there anypony here who would see the greatness of Equestria cast down and replaced with Grevyian chains? If the answer is neigh, then fight! Fight for Princess Celestia, fight for Canterlot, fight for Equestria and all these things we love about this land.
"These zebras think us soft. They think us weak. They think that because we live in cities, because we have no fear of nature, because we do not live in constant struggle, because we settle our disputes without recourse to force, that we are soft and cowardly. Shall we prove them right by cowering in the streets, or shall we show these Grevyians that a pony may be as brave as any zebra when her cause be just?"

The ponies began to cheer, a great rolling wave moving from the centre of the square out to the edges.

"We'll show those zebras what we're made of!"

"We'll fight for home and Princess Celestia!"

"We're with you Breaking Dawn!"

"Breaking Dawn! Breaking Dawn!" they cried her name all over the square, hooves pounding upon the ground or pumping upwards into the air. Soon every pony from the oldest bearded stallion to the youngest filly was yelling her name, proclaiming her their hope, their saviour, their champion.

Did they ever cheer you so, Twilight Sparkle? Dawn asked, as she felt such pride stirring in her breast it moved her to glad tears. This must be how Princess Celestia feels every day.

As they cheered, a red pegasus leapt up onto the plinth beside her and kissed her twice upon each cheek, before flying away and vanishing into the press.

Dawn's green eyes widened, she took a step backward in shock. My dream. This is just like my dream. She was in Canterlot instead of Ponyville, but everything else was correct: the great crowd massed in admiration of her, all eyes turned on Breaking Dawn, and the pegasus had kissed her. She could almost hear the bells of fate tolling in the distance.

"Dawny?" Razor fluttered down beside her. "Dawny, are you okay?"

Dawn blinked, managing to smile, "Yes, yes I'm fine." Because really, how could she doubt now that her dream had been an omen of success. They really were cheering for her. That kiss had been the seal upon her triumphant. Success is assured now. Destiny is upon my side.

"Everypony, let's go," Dawn yelled. "And let our cry be 'Canterlot! Celestia and Canterlot!'"

"Canterlot! Celestia and Canterlot!" the crowd chorussed, and Dawn let them whooping and hollering into battle to retake their city from the foe.

And as they followed her through the streets, saving hapless ponies, rescuing captured children, assisting groups of stranded guardsponies, on this night of madness and misrule Breaking Dawn became the hero.

***

Shining Armour pressed his face against the cell door, trying to work out what was happening from the sounds drifting down to the dungeon.

"Hello?" he called. "Can anypony here me? Can somepony tell me what's happening?" Is Twily okay? Is Cadance safe? Won't somepony come and tell me that they aren't in danger?

There was a series of noises from close by that he recognised from experience as somepony getting the snot kicked out of them, a lot of smacking noises and grunts of pain.

"I don't have time to count your stripes now get out of my way!" Lancer yelled as he hit a zebra so hard the zebra flew down the corridor and rolled ten feet along the ground before coming to a halt.

"Lancer?" Shining Armour said. "What's happening out there?"

"Turns out the zebras would rather fight than talk, and there's more of them than we expected," Lancer said. "Fortunately, I was able to find the cell keys before they did." He unlocked Shining Armour's cell with a rattle of locks and a squeak of hinges, before tossing a purple helmet at Shining Armour's feet. "I hope you can still remember how to put that on, sir. We're going to need everypony on the dance floor before this is over."

Shining Armour took the helmet gingerly in his hooves. It was his old helmet, from when he had been captain, before the Crystal Empire reappeared. When he put it on, it still fit him perfectly. He couldn't repress a smile.

"Captain always suited you more than prince," Lancer said.

"I'm surprised you're letting a stallion suspected of poisoning his wife out to fight," Shining Armour murmured.

"I always knew you didn't do it, and now everypony else does too. Some unicorn called Breaking Dawn addled your brain."

"Then why didn't anypony let me out of the cell?"

"Well, we've all been very busy," Lancer muttered.

"Thanks, you're a real pal."

"Can you yell at me after we've saved Canterlot?"

"I'll remember to do just that," Shining Armour said. He added, "Thanks for believing in me."

"You can repay me by showing your flank-whupping skills are still intact," Lancer said. "Come on, the zebras are waiting for us."

They crept up from the dungeons and into the lower levels of the palace. The signs of battle were evident in everything from the broken ornaments, slashed furnishings and broken doorways to the dead or wounded lying at intervals along the floor. Shining Armour could only stop and stare for a moment at his ponies, his bold brave lads, slain in the midst of their own palace like this. Even the changelings had taken prisoners, albeit so that they might feed on them later and kill them slowly but at least that meant they had survived the battle. All the same, he could not deny a feeling of pride that they did not outnumber the enemy upon the floor.

"We got caught bad, sir," Lancer said.

"Nopony could have expected that Greyvia's ambassadors would come here in bad faith," Shining Armour said. "Much less bring an army with them."

"Perhaps the captain of the guard should have," Lancer muttered.

"Don't beat yourself up over it. All you can do now is save the city. That's your duty. Our duty."

"That and make them pay for what they've done," Lancer picked up a spear from a fallen guard. "This feels better. You want one sir?"

"No, I fight better with magic," Shining Armour answered. They walked lightly through the mess of battle, past zebras and buffalo and ponies of the Palace company, towards the barracks where the off duty guards slept the nights. As they approached, they heard the sounds of battle growing nearer to them again. That, and a continuous thudding sound like the beating of an enormous drum.

"What do you suppose that is?" Lancer asked.

"Guess we'll find out," Shining Armour said, continuing to lead the way.

They found the source of the fighting first: one of the staircases leading up to the Sun Tower. There some twenty pegasi and unicorns had made their stand at the top of the crimson staircase, spears pointing downwards to where a warband of buffalo was trying to dislodge them. Behind the guards, from what Shining Armour could see as he peered round the corner, some of the castle servants cowered for protection. Judging by the fallen of both sides, the buffalo had already tried to force the stairs at least once.

"Ranks steady, spears down," a callow golden pegasus appeared to be leading the guards. "Stand fast stallions, we need to give the princess as much time as we can."

"Where are the princesses?" Shining Armour hissed.

"I don't know," Lancer replied. "What do we do?"

"Wait for it," Shining Armour whispered. The buffalo charged up the stairs with a roar. "Now! Equestria! Equestria!"

He and Lancer broke from cover to rush the charging buffalo in the rear. Shining Armour's horn glowed with a lavender aura as he fired off spells as fast as he could. Three buffalo were down before they knew what was hitting them, then as they turned the golden pegasus led his ponies in a rushing countercharge down the stairs. The buffalo braced to meet them, lowering their horn-armoured foreheads in answer to the pony spears, but with the terrain against them and their forces bled by an attack from behind they could not hold for long. The ponies whooped in glee as the tables turned upon their tormentors and in a matter of moments the southern buffalo broke and fled. Shining Armour kept firing at them, knocking two down at once with a powerful beam. Then Lancer got in amongst them. His name well earned, Lancer wielded his spear with an artistry no other pony in the guard could match. At first Shining Armour tried to keep track of the spear-forms Lancer deployed with such effectiveness: Arc of the Moon, the Cyclone Rages, Low Wing Rising, but he soon lost track of the speed at which his old mentor moved. He only stopped when there were no buffalo left to face.

"Sir," the golden pegasus saluted Shining Armour. "Lieutenant Flash Sentry, with the Palace. Thank you very much sir, we would have been done for without your help."

"I'm not in charge," Shining Armour began.

"Yes he is," Lancer said promptly.

"Fine, you want me to be in charge, I'll take charge," Shining Armour said. "Flash Sentry, I want you to get airborne and see what's going on, then double back and give me a sit-rep."

"Yes, sir," Flash Sentry saluted again, using a spear to shatter the nearest window before flying out of it and up into the night sky.

"The rest of you, let's get to the barracks," Shining Armour snapped. Lancer had an approving look on his face.

The drumming sound got closer and closer the nearer their hooves carried them towards the barracks, until it became apparent that it was not drumming at all. It was beating. The zebras had barricaded the doors to the barracks from the outside, preventing the guards from escaping, but that wasn't stopping the guards themselves from trying to batter the doors open from the inside. From the sound of it, and the way the door was shaking, they had improvised a battering ram out of something.

That's my boys, never give up, Shining Armour didn't even try to suppress a tinge of pride.

The Grevyians outside the doors were a mixture of southern buffalo - smaller than the ones out by Appleoosa way, but with bigger horns - imperial zebra warriors, and those zebras with the masks who seemed to hold themselves above the rest.

"If they keep this up all night, they're going to get out," one zebra said.

One of the masked zebras laughed, "Good. I would rather fight them than imprison."

"We don't have the numbers to fight them and occupy the city," another masked zebra, who spoke with what Shining Armour recognised as the authority of command, snapped. "If it keeps going, set fire to the place. We'll see how organised they are when the walls are burning up around them."

"I don't think you'll get the chance," Shining Armour snarled, striding out into the corridor with his ponies ranged behind him. "I ought to tear you up one side and down the other just for suggesting it. But since I'm such a nice guy I'm going to give you a chance to surrender. Throw down your weapons, now."

The only response by the Grevyians was that those zebras wearing masks lowered them so as to cover their faces.

"I guess you want to do this the hard way," Shining Armour said. "Good."

"Wakati gan i'waj wisho?" the zebra yelled.

"Tu'kati'ka kifo!" the masked zebras bellowed. They led the charge as the Grevyians hurled themselves upon Shining Armour's forces.

Shining Armour hit a buffalo with a spell that knocked him flying back into the far wall. He struck a zebra down similarly as ponies charged past him to meet the Grevyians in melee.

They were outnumbered. But they were fighting for their home, their palace and their comrades and they had ferocity upon their side. Lancer led the fighting, the strikes of his spear marking the fall of a foe every time.

But the zebras were led by those masked warriors, and they were a breed apart. They fought with the grace and athleticism of big cats, two of them managed to corner Lancer and pin him down, while their leader cut through the ranks of the ponies with his knotted club.

Shining Armour snarled, and fired a beam of lavender light straight for the zebra leader's chest.

The zebra leapt out of the way, pirouetting in mid air with a dancer's precision to land behind the pony ranks. He looked straight at Shining Armour, his eyes hidden behind his mask, then he charged with a ululating warcry.

Shining Armour took a step back, conjuring a bound sword which hovered just in front of his face.

The zebra charged forward, swinging his club in a wide arc. Shining Armour parried. The zebra leapt back before Shining Armour cut could his club in half. Shining Armour advanced, slashing downwards. The zebra took the blow on his shield. The magic blade cut through the shield. If the zebra was surprised he did not show it. He leapt in the air, descending on the unicorn captain. Shining Armour raised his magic blade. The club struck it with a thud. The zebra tilted his head sideways, then leapt again. He landed on Shining Armour's right, faster than Shining Armour could turn. There was a crack, and Shining Armour cried out in pain as his leg collapsed from under him. Pain shot through him, overwhelming thought and sight and magic. The bound sword flickered out of existence as blotches appeared in front of his eyes.

He struggled to get up as the zebra came to stand in front of him. The pain in his leg was too great, every time he put weight upon it he wanted to scream so loud they would hear in the Crystal Empire.

The zebra raised his club to make the killing stroke.

Shining Armour scowled, and cast a shield an inch in front of him. The club glanced off. The zebra looked annoyed, if that were possible behind the mask. He raised his club to strike again.

Shining Armour tried to smile, but it came out more of a grimace through the pain. His horn glowed brighter, and the barrier before him shot forwards like a freight train barrelling down the rails. It hit the zebra and bore him into the wall so hard it buried him in it, leaving looking like some cartoon character buried in the plaster with a goofy look on his face.

"Keep your agility, I've got magic," Shining Armour growled. He saw that the rest of the battle was done. Though it had cost them half their numbers, the ponies had vanquished the Grevyians and were even now dismantling the barrier keeping the door closed.

Lancer was breathing heavily, "Tricky weren't they, the ones in masks?"

Shining Armour nodded, "How did you take two of them out?"

"Sheer awesomeness."

Shining Armour rolled his eyes.

The doors to the barracks burst open and the ponies that had opened it were almost buried in the deluge of guardsponies swarming out into the corridor.

"What's going on sir? Is the whole city under attack?"

"What do we do sir?"

"First things first," Lancer said. "We need a medic for Shining Armour."

A field medic unicorn nosed his way to the front of the press, "It's fractured. I can set it but you need to go the hospital."

"I need to see out this fight," Shining Armour snapped. "Give me something so I can stand on it for now."

The medic frowned, "Okay sir. I'll cast a spell to temporarily set it and numb the pain, but you'll only make it worse in the long term."

"I know, I'll have to live with that," Shining Armour said. The medic cast his spell, and immediately Shining Armour felt better. He could stand up for one thing, "Thank you soldier. Where's Brazen Shield? Where's the First Captain?"

"I don't think he made it sir," a pegasus said solemnly.

"Sir, Shining Armour sir," Flash Sentry was back, dropping down right in front of his face. "There are Grevyians all over the city. Some of the City and the Night guards are fighting them but they're way outnumbered. Some civilians seem to be fighting back as well, at least to protect the children. Princess Luna has rallied the rest of the night guard and is fighting on the roof of the palace. No sign of Princess Celestia."

"Did you see anything about the hospital?" Shining Armour asked. Is Cadance safe?

Flash Sentry shook his head, "I don't think the fight has spread up there sir."

"Orders, First Captain?" Lancer asked.

"I'm not your first captain," Shining Armour said.

"You're the closet we've got to one," Lancer said. "You want Shining Armour to give the commands, don't you boys?"

"It would be a comfort," Uhlan said.

"We're with you, Shining Armour sir!"

"What are your orders, captain?"

Shining Armour considered for a moment, "Uhlan, take the Palace Guard and head up through the palace to join up with Princess Luna. With luck you'll catch the zebras in a vice. The rest of you, we're going to liberate the city from the inside out, working from the centre here to herd the enemy out of the city."

"What about Princess Celestia?" Uhlan asked.

Shining Armour sighed heavily, "We will have to trust that the princess can handle herself without help from us." Just like I have to trust that Twily can take care of herself. Stay safe, Twilight.

"Now, I trust that everypony knows what is expected of him on this night?" Shining Armour asked.

"Yes, sir!"

"Then I don't have to give a speech, let's move!"

***

In the guest wing of the Twilight Palace, Rainbow Dash pounded upon the door, "Let us out, you Grevyian jerks! When I get out of here I'm going to pound on you so hard that─"

"Rainbow, darling, I hardly think threats are going to get them to open the door," Rarity murmured. The four friends were all locked together in the same windowless study, trapped in there by the zebras who had stormed the palace.

"Well we can't just sit around here and do nothing," Rainbow Dash snapped, continuing to hammer on the unyielding door. "Do you have any better ideas?"

"Do we have any tools we could use to break through the floor?" Rarity asked.

"Oh yeah, great, because that'll be so easy," Rainbow Dash said derisively. "Even if we could do that, it would all be over by the time we got out."

"If we had my party cannon we could blast through the door," Pinkie said.

"That's probably why they took it off you," Rarity said. They had done their best to fight off those ferocious masked zebras when they had broken into the palace, but they had been too many and too fast for them. Rarity's stomach was still tender from where one of those uncouth brutes had hit her with a spearshaft. At one point she'd thought they'd broken Rainbow Dash's wings wrestling her to the ground, though judging by the way Dash was hovering in front of the door slamming it with his shoulder her fears had proven unfounded.

"I hope Applejack and Twilight are doing better than we are," Fluttershy murmured.

"We'll never know if we don't get out of this stinking room," Rainbow Dash snarled, striking it with her hooves. "Let us out of here!"

The door was surrounded by a lavender magical aura, and opened to reveal Twilight Sparkle smiling shyly, with Applejack and Spike just a step behind her.

"Say please," Twilight said quietly, her smile becoming even more diffident than before.

Everypony just looked at her for a moment, silence reigning more absolutely than Celestia.

Twilight half looked away, scuffing one hoof nervously, "Hello, everypony. I'm back. Now, before you say anything I want you all to know, especially you Rarity, how very-"

"TWILIGHT! YOU'RE BACK!" Pinkie yelled, leaping right into Twilight as they rolled together in a heap before ending up with Twilight flat on her back and Pinkie on top looking down at her.

"Hello, Pinkie."

"And you're you!" Pinkie shrieked. "No meany-meaniepants Twilight would ever sound as shy as you just did! You're back and Applejack's here too and that means everything is back to normal and from now on things are just gonna be sweet AWESOME!"

Twilight laughed, "Thanks for the warm welcome Pinkie but, could you let me up please?"

"Oops, sorry."

"Is that true, Twilight? Are you back to normal?" Rainbow Dash asked, settling upon the ground.

"Yes," Twilight replied. "The purging went off without a hitch."

"But the pony that you went with is your enemy," Fluttershy said. "At least that's what we heard."

"She was. She is. But she saved me anyway," Twilight said. "I don't know why she did that. I don't think Breaking Dawn herself knows why she does half the things she's done. It doesn't excuse her actions, and it won't stop me bringing her to justice, but she did save me from herself and I won't deny her part in that." Twilight looked at Rarity, standing a little further off than the others, "Rarity, I know that I've treated you appallingly badly, and I'll understand─"

"Twilight, darling, we all understand that you weren't yourself when you said and did those things," Rarity smiled generously. "Blaming you would be as foolish as blaming Fluttershy for the things she said under Discord's influence. Let's just leave it at that, put it behind us, and never speak of it again."

"Group hug!" Pinkie yelled, elasticising her legs enough to pull everypony plus Spike into a tight, warm, soft embrace.

Feeling the warmth of their bodies all around her, the softness of Rarity's and the Fluttershy's manes in her face, a single tear ran down Twilight Sparkle's cheek.

"This rodeo ain't over just yet," Applejack said as the hug ended. "We've still got a lot of zebras to deal with."

"We need to get to the hospital before anything else," Twilight declared. "I have a promise to keep to a dear friend."

***

Fortunately, the fighting through the streets had not yet spread towards the hospital. Judging by the sounds, and by the fires rising up into the sky, the main axis of the fighting was between Old Street and Cloudsdale Road. The hospital on Hurricane Avenue had not yet been impacted.

Twilight and her friends ran into zebras, who looked confused and shaken and appeared to be fleeing the main fighting, but they were easily dealt with by a combination of Twilight's magic, Pinkie's party cannon and the strength of Applejack and Rainbow Dash.

Once they reached the hospital however, they found the doors barricaded from the inside by a dozen or a score of pegasi guards. One of them, a golden pegasus who almost blended into his armour, stuck his head up over the parapet.

"Princess Twilight Sparkle? We thought you'd left Canterlot."

"I did, but now I'm back," Twilight said. "What are you doing here?"

"Captain, sorry, Prince Shining Armour sent us to defend the hospital," the pegasus replied. "Keep Princess Cadance safe."

"Shining Armour is leading the battle?"

"Yes, your highness, and very well too. I think he could use your help."

"I'll go to him soon," Twilight replied. "But I need to get in there and speak to Cadance."

"Yes your highness," the barricades were removed out of the way of the door and Twilight led her friends inside. She galloped through the half abandoned halls of the hospital, past the wards of confused patients, until she arrived at the psychiatric unit. She kept on running, flapping her wings for extra speed, until she reached Cadance's padded cell.

Twilight tried the door. It was locked.

"I don't have time for this," Twilight muttered, and blasted it down.

Cadance whimpered in fear, shrinking back as Twilight strode into the cell.

"Sorry about that," Twilight laughed nervously. "It's just, this is urgent, okay?"

"You're the nice mare who came to see me before," Cadance murmured. "What do you want?"

Twilight approached, smiling reassuringly, "I asked you once if you trusted me, remember?"

Cadance nodded, "Yes."

"I need you to trust me again, okay," Twilight said. "This shouldn't take long, but I need your help, all right?"

Cadance nodded again, "I guess so."

Twilight beamed, "Thank you. Thank you so much. Relax, Princess Cadance. You'll be back soon."

As her friends clustered outside the ruined door, Twilight's horn glowed bright with magical aura.

"I offer myself as Firelight," Twilight murmured. "In the Purging of the Princess Mi Amore Cadenza." She reached out one hoof towards the best foalsitter ever.

Cadance stared at it for a moment. Then, slowly, she reached out and placed her hoof in Twilight's own.

Twilight nodded, and a beam of magic fired from her horn to touch the horn of Princess Cadance.

Light consumed them both.

***

So this is what Cadance's mind looks like. Huh.

While Twilight's own head had looked like something in between clouds and nebulae, Cadance's mind looked like a mass of tubes. Tubes wind enough for a pony to fit into, like slides almost, all leading in their various twisted ways towards a heart.

Judging by the size of the tubes leading to, and from what Twilight could see of this whole place, it was incredibly large heart too. I always knew she had the biggest heart in Equestria.

At the moment though, that heart was concealed beneath a layer of black ooze that broiled and bubbled and bore the unmistakeable taint of dark magic. Twilight would lay odds that Cadance's memories, her personality, where trapped beneath that layer of ooze.

"You can't get her," a mournful voice said. "You mustn't."

Twilight frowned. Cadance was standing before her. A transparent, almost ghostly Cadance, more drab of mane and seeming less beautiful, less vivacious. Less kind, too. Looking into her eyes, there was none of that spark of devotion to others that had made Cadance who she was. This was a Cadance in physical form only, inside she was something else.

"What are you?" Twilight asked.

"I am Me," the thing said falsely. "Me as I will become. As I acquire more memories, so I create a new identity for herself. That identity is me. Soon I will be complete, and then I can take over this body."

"No," Twilight snarled. "She doesn't belong to you. I won't let you have her."

"I am her," the not-Cadance insisted. "I am a pony, just as she is. Only I'm not trapped. Someone has to be this pony."

"I'm going to save Cadance," Twilight growled. "I'm going to get her back from there."

"Why bother, when I'm here?" asked the not-Cadance. "How can you destroy me, just for her sake? Aren't I a pony too? Don't I matter?"

"No." Twilight said coldly. "You're not a pony. You're just amnesia and a few memories of a padded cell. You aren't real. You're nothing compared to the real Cadance. Now get out of my way."

"No," not-Cadance yelled. "I'm here now. I belong here. I won't let you destroy me!"

She sprang at Twilight, but Twilight teleported behind her at the mouth of one of the tubes down to the heart.

"No," not-Cadance cried. "No, please, no!"

Twilight didn't listen. She just leapt.

She barrelled down the tube, having to restrain herself from the urge to whoop in delight. It reminded her of the time Cadance had taken her to the water park when she was a filly, only there was something a lot less harmless than water waiting for her.

Twilight shot out of the tube and landed in the oily, bubbling, seething black mass that was the dark magic keeping Cadance prisoner inside her own mind.

"You cannot pass," the magic groaned. "She is ours. She is ours. You may not enter."

"We'll see about that," Twilight said, and her horn lit up as she dived down into the miasma.

The dark magic groaned and roared, shook and trembled. Twilight felt as though her coat were burning, as though her wings were on fire. At times she thought she would be crushed by the pressure. At times she thought that she would drown or choke. But she kept on going, swimming down with legs and wings both.

I have to do this. No matter what it takes. Cadance wouldn't stop. She'd save me no matter what. So I have to do the same for her!

As the dark magic quivered in its rage Twilight broke through the miasma and fell - literally, with a thump and a bang on the head - into a golden spherical chamber. At the centre of the chamber, which hummer softly with a thousand gentle melodies, shone a Crystal Heart.

"Twilight? Twilight Sparkle is that you?"

Twilight looked up, a smile spreading from ear to ear in spite of the pain in her head, "Cadance! You remember me?"

Cadance smiled fondly, "I think we've done this particular dance before, haven't we?"

Twilight chuckled as she stood up, "I guess we keep getting into these situations, don't we?"

"So it seems. Do you know where I am? I've been stuck here for I don't know how long and I can't get out."

"Don't worry, I'm here to help with that," Twilight said, charging up her magic and generating a shield like the one Shining Armour had conjured to protect Canterlot. She threw it out, the shield striking at the dark miasma and pushing it outwards, up through the tubes, out of Cadance's mind, out of Cadance. Twilight grunted with the effort, it felt like trying to lift a hundred Ursas Minor at once. She put all she had into it and she still couldn't get it all the way.

The miasma began to laugh, mocking her efforts.

"Come on," Twilight growled. "I swore I'd save Cadance now move!"

A gentle hoof was placed on Twilight's shoulder. Cadance said, "That's very sweet of you Twilight. But you don't have to save me all by yourself."

Her horn glowed pink, and a shield of love erupted from Cadance's horn to spread out all around her. "We'll save me together!"

The miasma of dark magic roared in pain as Cadance's shield struck home, and together the power of the two princesses bore it upwards and upwards and─

***

Cadance gasped as the foul magic oozed out of her and puddled on the floor. It lay there, groaning, for a moment; then it sank through the floor and the to the depths.

"Whoa nelly," Applejack murmured. "What it tarnation was that?"

Twilight took several deep, calming breaths. She looked into Cadance's eyes, now once more as wise and kind as she remembered, "Sunshine, sunshine, ladybugs awake,"

"Tap your hooves and do a little shake," Cadance finished. "Yes, I'm back. Thank you."

"Get well soon party!" Pinkie shouted.

"Um, Pinkie, the battle is still going on outside," Fluttershy said.

"Oh shoot, those zebras are such buzzkills."

Twilight giggled, "Come on. There's somepony else you need to see."

***

Fighting raged in the streets of Canterlot. The heavy horse of the Royal Guard, in serried ranks and armour a-gleaming, forced back the zebra peltasts and the buffalo warriors. The Grevyian forces were lightly equipped, few of them possessing armour, and so the guard, presenting a phalanx of spearpoints to the foe, were able to take the advantage in the tight quarters of the city streets and roll like a relentless steamroller over any opposition the Grevyians could muster.

"Keep up the pressure," Shining Armour yelled, gesturing forwards. "Push them all the way to the gates." Some pegasus had pulled the Royal Standard off the roof of the palace, and was waving over the heads of the guard like a battle flag, the banner of the Two Sisters streaming in the night over their heads.

"Big brother!" Shining Armour turned at the familiar voice, to see Twilight standing at the bottom of the street, her friends all around her.

For a moment the breath caught in his throat. When he found his voice, it was a hoarse whisper, "Twily? You're okay?"

"I'm great," Twilight said. "And I'm not the only pony whose gotten all better." She stepped aside, and Cadance walked out into the street.

Shining Armour could only stare at her. Her eyes, her lovely pink eyes, they were not empty any more.

She was his Cadance again. Twilight had brought her back to him.

"Lancer, take command," Shining Armour had barely enough self control to say it before he began to run.

He ran as fast as he had ever run in his life, and hang his injured leg. Cadance was running too, running towards him. There was no battle, there was no Canterlot, there was only Cadance and himself, running together through an empty void.

"Cadance!"

"Shining Armour!"

He reached her, picking her up in his forehooves and twirling her around in the air as he laughed with joy.

"You're okay. You're okay!" he yelled, liquid joy leaking from his eyes.

"I am, I really am I'm here," Cadance kissed him, a deep kiss like the purest form of ecstasy. "I'm here and I'll never leave you again."

Shining Armour put down his wife, nuzzling her and burying his face in her shoulder, "I'm so, I'm so, I love you."

"I love you too," she whispered.

"Backs straight and heads up lads, we're under the eyes of the captain's good lady," Lancer shouted. "We have to put on a show."

Shining Armour snorted as he pulled out of his embrace with Cadance to look his little sister in the eye, "Twily, I─"

"We'll talk later, okay," Twilight said gently. "Right now, I think it's time that this family started kicking flank!"

***

Lord Mathos stood on one of the many balconies of Canterlot palace, attended by six warriors of the Kuj'to M'fu'pakir, watching the ruin of his house and the doom of his expedition.

He was losing this battle.

The pony guard had rallied their forces. In the city they were pressing his troops out towards the edges of the city. Inside the palace, the Grevyians were being squeezed from both top and bottom. And the ponies, the soft city ponies who should have been helpless before his plains-hardened warriors and hunters, had formed into a mob under the leadership of the impudent Breaking Dawn and were hounding his forces from the water to the bush.

He could see it all from his vantage point: the grevyian battle lines being shattered, zebras and buffalo retreating, his forces utterly outclassed in the street to street fighting. He had not considered what a disadvantage not being able to see the foe from a great distance would be upon the warriors of his house. He had only to look up to see those bat-winged abominations sweeping his forces from the top of the palace, their unnatural alicorn Luna among them. He could see the armour of the more heavily equipped pony forces glinting. He could see their unicorn magic cutting through his troops. Only the Kuj'to M'fu'pakir were having any effect against the pony mages, and that but limited success only.

In the normal course of circumstances he would say it was inevitable that, when the sun rose again, Canterlot would be securely in pony hands.

Of course, he did have the power to make it so that the sun never rose again upon this land.

"Exalted one," a zebra warrior burst into the room. "Captain Muttines sends word that the ponies have taken the Astronomy Tower. They are closing in."

Lord Mathos nodded, "Run to Princess Celestia's chamber. Tell Jugurtha that he is to kill the sun princess rather than allow her to be released." Let their victory turn to ashes, let their joy turn to cries of pain and anguish, let all they love be taken from them. As it has been taken from me.

"Most High One," his bodyguard said. "We must flee this place while you yet can."

"Flee? Where shall I flee to?" Mathos asked sadly. "This is the end. The ruin of House Aethiope is nigh." Adonabaal, I am sorry.

The faces of his bodyguards were impassive, "Will you die here then, Lord?"

Mathos chuckled, turning into laughter, "No. No I shall not die by pony spears, or be thrown into a pony gaol where I may that the Emperor has disavowed me and thrown me to the mercy of Princess Luna. I shall burn, and all of Canterlot shall be my funeral pyre. Come with me."

"We are ever at your command, lord." the bodyguard said.

His six warriors followed him like shadows as he moved down through the sections of the palace that were still under Grevyian control. Breaking Dawn did not know that he had learned of her plan. The plan she had been too weak, too cowardly to proceed with. But learn of it he had through the talents of his scryers, and he had remembered it in case of a disaster such as this.

The ponies may win the day, and overthrow House Aethiope, but much good it would do them when they had no Sun Princess, and no capital city either.

He reached the very lowest levels of the palace, the entrance to the mines beneath the city. He had had the area scouted a little already. He knew the way, in part.

Lord Mathos turned to his bodyguards, "Hold here and delay pursuit. Wait for me, till haply I return."

The leader of the six nodded, "When does duty end?"

"Only in death." the other guards chorused. They arrayed themselves in a defensive formation.

Mathos had no fear of pursuit as he entered into the dark.

Long whiles he wandered through the depths of those forgotten mines, careful not to mask the noise of his approach. In fact he made as much as noise as possible. He wanted the demon that dwelled here to know that he was coming.

And at last, passing through flooded delvings and collapsed pits, leaping over chasms whose bridges had long since decayed, crossing quickly through the ancient halls of kings dead and decayed, he found what he was looking for.

The ancient demon of shadow and flame, trapped in slumber in pony magic.

Its mighty form was dark, the fires extinguished. Two great wings were wrapped around a powerful body. Horns protruded from its head. Smoke emerged from its nostrils as it snored.

"You cannot be the instrument of my victory, but you may at least avenge my defeat," Mathos murmured. "In the name of Grevyia, Most Ancient, Most August, I bid thee awaken!" he tossed a phial of green potion at the creature, a phial which shattered on the demon's face with the force of a small explosion.

For a moment, there was only silence in the abandoned mines. Then, with a trembling of the earth and a mighty roar of anger, the balrog woke. Its wings unfurled, its red eyes opened, its body rippled with fire beneath the skin.

The balrog woke, and looked down upon Lord Mathos of the House Aethiope as a god might look upon an ant.

The demon roared. A sword of fire appeared in its hand.

Lord Mathos' last thoughts were for his wife and children.

***

Breaking Dawn turned to her friends, as her makeshift army routed yet another force of zebras.

"I have to go," Dawn said. "I need to get to the palace."

"Right now?" Hardy asked.

"She's back," Dawn answered. "Twilight Sparkle. I need to get to Celestia before she does or all of this will be meaningless." She smiled, "Relax guys, next time you see me I'll be at the right hoof of the Princess."

Razor grinned encouragingly, "Go get 'em, tiger."

Dawn nodded, "Thank you, all of you. I couldn't have done it without you girls." She whooped for joy, "It's time to fulfil my destiny!" she teleported in a flash of golden light.

She reappeared, in a similar golden flash, in Princess Celestia's bed chamber. She had been there but a few times, but the location was so engraved upon her heart she could have found the way from Hoofington if she had had the magical juice to teleport that far. Dawn landed on all fours, the gasps of surprise matching her own gasp for breath.

Then she looked up.

Sitting in the middle of the room, stripped bare of all her finery but with a glimmering golden bridle placed about her mouth and neck like some kind of sick muzzle for a dumb beast, sat Princess Celestia. She could not speak, the brutes had pulled the bridle too tight for that. In her eyes, her gorgeous purple eyes, was a look Breaking Dawn had never wanted to see in the eyes of her beloved Princess, a look worse than the disapproval she had shown to Dawn at her expulsion.

Powerlessness.

Dawn scowled, looking around the room at the astonished zebras, "You did this? You dared to trespass upon one who is so much your better as a dragon to a dragonfly? I should kill you all you wretched savages!"

Jugurtha bared his teeth in a vicious snarl, "Your usefulness has come to an end. Kill her, kill them both."

Dawn cast a golden shield around Celestia, "No harm will come to Princess Celestia while I live."

"Then you will die first," Jugurtha said.

Two zebras leapt upon her from behind, spears raised for the downward thrust.

Dawn smirked, and cast her blinding spell, a golden light that burned so bright it blinded everypony in a room but her. The zebras cried out, missed her and landed on the ground covering their eyes. Dawn's horn blazed near as bright as the sun as thirty three magical darts fired near enough at once into all corners of the room. Celestia's bedchamber was rent with explosions and cries of pain. When the light spell wore off, only one zebra remained upon his feet. Jugurtha.

"Congratulations on dodging my attacks while blind," Dawn said. "You're good."

"And you are powerful in your magic," Jugurtha replied. He leapt at her with blinding speed, spear weaving. "But power is useless if you cannot keep up with your opponent!"

Dawn retreated, using every bit of speed and stamina she had to keep one step ahead of that spear which moved with pinpoint precision and lightning speed. Jugurtha's expression was cold, purposeful but not angry. He did not fight with his rage. He just fought. He drove Dawn back across the room, dodging frantically, only a step ahead. He wounded her on the shoulder, his spear grazing her golden coat. He pinned her against the wall.

Jugurtha screamed in Grevyian as he thrust for her heart.

Dawn teleported behind him. Jugurtha froze, half turning towards her. Dawn fired a golden beam right for the middle of his back.

The wall to the chamber exploded, blinding Dawn in the dust and the debris. When the smoke cleared, Jugurtha had a wound down his left side. It made him breathe heavily, but he could still move.

"You really are fast," Dawn murmured. "Not fast enough."

Jugurtha glared at her for a moment, then ran. He did not attack her again, but ran past her, through the doorway and out of Celestia's room. His running hoofbeats echoed down the hall.

Dawn made sure he was gone out of sight before dropping the shield around Princess Celestia.

"It's all right Princess," Dawn said, smiling as she approached her beloved teacher. "It's okay. I'm here now. Dawn's here and everything's gonna be just fine. Everything is going to be fine." She removed the golden bridle from Celestia ─ how dare they muzzle her like a dog! ─ and threw it on the fire where it belonged.

She turned to face Princess Celestia, a beaming smile upon her face ─ and was immediately hit with a full body bind that wrapped her up in golden ropes that would not break.

"You come here," Princess Celestia seethed, her voice quivering with anger. "You dare to speak to me thus, to show your face to me after what you have done?"

"Princess Celestia," Dawn said, squirming as the magic held her in the air. "It's me, it's Breaking Dawn." This is a misunderstanding. She thinks I'm somepony else, or she's forgotten who I am and thinks me impertinent, that's all this is.

"I know who you are Dawn," Celestia shouted. "I know what you have done. I know everything. How you poisoned my niece Cadance, how you have hunted, wounded and betrayed Twilight Sparkle. Where is she? What have you done to my student."

Her she calls 'my student', me she does not seem to remember at all. "I did nothing. I left her out of the city, trapped but safe. I meant no harm to her as I meant no lasting harm to Princess Cadance. I did only what you asked of me."

"I asked," Celestia said in tones of utter incredulity.

"When you cast me out of your school you said that you and I might meet again if I could prove myself worthy," Dawn said, smiling. "I figured out what you meant. It was a test, your last test to see if I really was ready to fulfil my destiny. I had to triumph over absolute adversity. You wanted to see if I really had what it took to rise from nothing to the very pinnacle of success. It took me a while but I finally realised it. And I did it Princess! I had nothing, absolutely nothing at all. But with hard work and a little help from my friends I won everything. I defeated Twilight Sparkle, I got into court. I've gotten here, and now I'm with you. And that means I pass, and things can go back to the way they were...right?" Hold me close the way you used too.

Celestia's eyes were wide with shock. Slowly she lowered Dawn, still bound by magic, to the floor. The Princess said, "Oh Dawn, I am so sorry. I did not do right by you."

Breaking Dawn blinked, "Princess Celestia, I don't understand." My dream, my dream showed that I would fulfil my destiny, that I would be adored by all ponies. How can this be happening?

"Breaking Dawn, when I said those things I never," Celestia shook her head, "I never intended for you do what you have done. I meant for you to find your own path in life, become successful in a field of your choice."

"A field of my choice?" Dawn repeated. "A field of my choice? Something not as glamorous as saving Equestria, obviously."

"Every endeavour is equally meaningful so long as you put your heart into it," Celestia said.

"No it isn't!" Dawn yelled. "That's just what ponies say to make themselves feel better. 'Oh sure, I work in a life insurance office making seven bits an hour but my work is every bit as important as raising the sun!' You told me that I would be more than that, that I was better than that. There were promises made between you and me, Princess."

"I was mistaken," Celestia whispered.

"Mistaken," Dawn's eyes were filling with tears now, tears of anger and sorrow intermingled. She wanted to lash out with magic and strike at Celestia. She wanted to embrace her as a daughter embracing a mother. She wanted to cry, she wanted to scream, she wanted to fight, she wanted to collapse in a heap. "I got fired from every job I ever had because you filled my head with talk about my greatness, my destiny. You made me think I was so awesome I was too good for anywhere that would employ me, too good to take orders from anypony. And now you tell me you made a mistake and it was all a bunch of horse manure."

Celestia was weeping too, crystal tears falling down her glowing white cheek, "I cannot apologise enough for what I did to you, Breaking Dawn. It was wrong of me to put so much weight upon a filly so young. I used you, and when I could not use you how I wanted I set you aside with undue haste. All your failures as a student may be laid at my feet as your teacher."

"No, no Princess don't blame yourself," Dawn said. "I hate to see you sad, don't cry. But, but why couldn't you use me? I wouldn't have cared what it was you asked me to do. I love you, I am your most loyal servant, the most faithful pony in all of Equestria. I would have died for you had you commanded it. I told you that I would do anything to stay by your side, so why couldn't you use me."

"Because you are not the pony that I thought you were."

"But Twilight Sparkle, she is," Dawn demanded. "What makes her so much better than I am? I have as many friends as she does. I am as charismatic as she is, more I think. I understand friendship, harmony, courage, generosity as well as she does. She's a little more powerful than I am, but that shouldn't matter should it? What makes us different, and her better."

Celestia bowed her head, closing her eyes, "I learned from the mistakes I made with you. Twilight was ignorant of her destiny, lived her life not knowing the plans I had for her. And thus she was not corrupted by her position, by the power she would wield. She never grew arrogant, as you did."

"That's it?" Dawn shouted. "I am condemned for a fault not my own."

"You are condemned entirely for faults your own, Dawn," Celestia said, her voice growing cold and stern. "As a student you were vain, lazy, disrespectful to your professors and disdainful of your fellow students. And now, as a grown mare, you have grown vicious and cruel. What you did to Cadance, whatever your intentions to reverse it, whatever your motives, your actions these past weeks have been absolutely unforgiveable.
"You have disappointed me in ways I never believed possible Dawn. As much as I regret my failure to better help the filly that you were, the mare that filly has grown up to become disgusts me."

"No," Dawn sobbed, sobs that were childlike in their broken-heartedness. "No, this isn't how it's supposed to be. This isn't what I was promised. I had a dream, a dream. I'd save you, then you'd embrace me like the old days, and make me a princess and..." Dawn's tears fell heavily upon the crimson carpet. "All I wanted was to be great, to shine, to be loved by you. Was that so terrible a dream to chase?"

"Only when you sought to rise at the expense of others," Celestia said.

Dawn screwed her eyes tight shut, "What will happen to my friends?"

"They will be put on trial for their part in your plot," Celestia said.

"And I?"

"You will─" Celestia was interrupted by a mighty roar, loud as the screaming of all the souls in Tartarus, erupting from within the bowels of the earth itself. Then there was a shuddering of the ground, then the mountainside exploded amidst fire and smoke.

The balrog was loose.

Celestia strode to the balcony and gasped in horror, "It cannot be."

"Princess?" Dawn looked up, squirming against the body-bind.

"The balrog," Celestia murmured. "The balrog is free!"

They knew. The zebras they found out somehow. This is their revenge.

"Princess Celestia," Dawn pleaded. "Let me go and I can save Canterlot, I promise."
Celestia's head whipped round to fix on Dawn, "The Elements, Dawn, the Elements of Harmony, where are they?"

"Safe with my friends, please," Dawn said. "Let me go. I can do this. All I'm asking for is my chance. Is that so much to ask?" Once I do this you'll have to accept you, you'll just have to.

"I don't have time to play games with you, Breaking Dawn," Princess Celestia snapped. "The Elements are linked to Twilight Sparkle and her friends, only they can wield them."

"You can't know for certain if you don't let me try," Dawn shouted. "Please, let me prove myself to you."

"I cannot take the risk with something this important," Celestia's voice rose. "Now where are the Elements of Harmony?"

Dawn closed her eyes, gathering up all of the magic at her disposal, compressing it, forcing it down her horn but not releasing it, not yet. She held it in readiness.

"I am sorry, Princess Celestia, but I must disobey you just once more," Dawn said. Her magic exploded out of her in a torrent, the powerful pulse disrupting Celestia's body-bind spell. In that instant of freedom, Dawn teleported away, letting her connection with her friends guide her to them. She landed panting in their midst, as the balrog roared above the city.

"What did you do, Dawn?" Hardy demanded "What did you do?"

"This is not my fault," Dawn insisted. "I promised I wouldn't wake the stupid thing up and I didn't. The zebras must have found out somehow and loosed it on us as their last shriek in defeat."

She looked around, meeting their eyes each one in turn, "Come on. I made you all a promise, didn't I? Do you really I'd lie to you like that?"

Laurel shook her head, "No. You never would."

"That's right I wouldn't," Dawn said firmly. "I didn't start this fire, but together we can stop it using the Elements of Harmony. If we don't, then all of Canterlot could be destroyed."

"Well that gives us a wide range of options, doesn't it?" Hardy remarked.

"Are we all agreed?" Dawn asked. One by one her friends all nodded. "Good. Then let's seize our fate! Razor, have you got the Elements?"

"Right here, Dawny."

"Okay, here we are: necklace," Hardy Bloom, Element of Honesty, "necklace," Cherry Blossom, Element of Kindness, "necklace," Hard Candy, Element of Laughter, "necklace," Laurel, Element of Generosity, "necklace," Razor Wind, Element of Loyalty, "big crown thingy," Breaking Dawn, Element of Magic. Soon Canterlot will resound to the sound of my name. Dawn was certain of it, as certain as she was of the element's weight upon her head. Her dream had promised as much.

"Are you ready?"

"I guess," Cherry Blossom murmured.

"Don't be afraid," Dawn touched her on the shoulder. "Everything will be just fine, I promise. Now follow me."

She led her friends up to the seventh circle, the highest level in Canterlot. The balrog, thrashing and raging, loomed above them, casting a shadow over the whole city. Its wings were spread from peak to peak, shadowy and insubstantial seeming things, so that Dawn was hard pressed to say it they were really there or not. A flaming sword was in the demon's right hand, a blazing whip in its left. Fire raged under the creature's skin.

"Hey, you up there!" Dawn yelled. "Yes, you, big ugly. If you think you're going to wreck our town, you can think again. Because we're going to stop you! That's right, the Elements of Harmony are going to blow you away. Get ready girls." Dawn channeled a trickle of magic into the Element of Magic, the spark that would ignite them all unleash their fury on this balrog.

Nothing happened.

Dawn scowled, pumping more magic into the gem in the centre of her crown.

Nothing happened.

"Dawny," Hardy cringed as the balrog roared in their direction.

"Come on," Dawn funnelled more and more of her magic into the Element of Magic, pouring her power into it. "Come on work, curse you."

Dawn poured her power into the crown, felt a spark, then screamed in pain.

Magic poured out of the crown and into Dawn's body, wracking it, convulsing it. To her friends, it looked as though Breaking Dawn's body rippled with lightning. Dawn felt as though her eyes would melt, as though her back would break, as though she would spasm around so much she would snap every bone in her body. It felt as though she was being rearranged from the inside out. And all she could was keep screaming.

So you are the pony who sought to gain the powers of Harmony? Arrogant fool, did you truly think yourself worthy?

Yes, Dawn did not think the answer so much as it was dragged from her mind, torn from out amongst the pain and the confusion and the constant yelling. Dimly, she could hear her friends crying out, asking what was happening to her. But all she really hear was the voice in her head.

Then you are as stupid as you are over-proud. One such as you, who creeps and crawls and strikes from the shadows, will never be fit to embody Harmony.

But, you called out to me, I heard you singing...

A siren song, to lure those who would seek me out of the desire for power or fame. My true bearer hears nothing from me, for I am nothing to her but a means to protect that which is truly precious.

Dawn started yelling even louder as she felt her skin being torn apart, demonic wings erupting from her back, claws sprouting from her hooves. The pain was like a zebra crucifixion.

What's happening to me?

You are being punished for your hubris. You will wear your soul upon the outside now.

No, please. I was supposed to be great, known throughout the land.

You will be. As a cautionary tale.

"Get it off her, get it off!" Candy's yelling was muffled as though by water.

Dawn could dimly feel Razor's hooves upon her head, even through the distance and distortion she could hear the pain in Razor's voice, "It won't come, it's like its fused to her head or something."

She felt Cherry's touch but dimly as the pegasus hugged, "Please Dawny, please stop. Come back to us. You don't have to hurt. You don't have to suffer alone because we're all here."

Is this hurting them?

Only when they touch you.

Do whatever you like to me but you can't hurt them, they don't deserve it.

Then make them let go.

"Let go," Dawn croaked through her agony. "Get away."

"No can do sunshine," Razor growled through gritted teeth as lightning lashed her hooves and forelegs. "I'm coming away with this crown or not at all."

"You can't leave us Dawny, we need you," Laurel pleaded. "You make us more than what we are, you always did."

"We already lost you once, we can't lose you again," Candy said.

"Please Dawn, if our friendship means anything like as much to you as it does to us," Hardy said.

Your friends are worthier than you yourself. Be thankful for them.

The pain lessened. Dawn found she could stop screaming as she felt her body returning to its normal pony state. The lightning all around her died down and vanished. Razor, hauling upon the Magic Crown, flew backwards, bounced along the ground and let the crown slip from her scorched hooves to fly away into the night.

Breaking Dawn collapsed in a heap on the ground, crying.

They were right all along. Celestia, Twilight Sparkle, all of them. It never was my destiny at all. They were right, and I was so wrong.

"What do we do now?" Hardy asked. "Dawn, what happens next?"

"I don't know," Dawn confessed for the first time since her mad scheme began. "I've no idea where to go from here."

***

The guard faltered at the sound of the demon's roar. Ponies looked from one to another anxiously, and looked to their leaders only to find them as confused and clueless as the rank and file.

"What is that thing?"

"Big trouble."

"What do we do now?"

The demon roared again, brandishing its sword as it perched atop the mountain like some ancient god of darkness about to rain down terror on those below. With a thud and a thump, it began to descend the mountain towards the city.

"Celestia's grace protect us," Lancer murmured. He closed his eyes for a moment, and gripped his spear tight. There were times when a guardspony must take his life in his own hooves.

"Reform the line facing north," he shouted loud enough for everypony to hear him. "Three ranks, lances levelled. Prepare to advance on my command at a brisk trot."

"You want to charge that thing?" Uhlan asked, aghast.

"Have you got a better suggestion?" Lancer demanded.

"But most of our troops are still tied down fighting zebras on the city outskirts."

"They can stay there. We'll have to do the job with what we have. Prince Shining Armour, you've done a grand job but I think it's time for you to retire again. Get your wife and sister someplace safe."

"I'm coming with you," Shining Armour declared.

"Don't be a fool boy, you've a family to think of," Lancer growled. "Princess Twilight, kindly talk some sense into your brother."

"He's right, we should come with you," Twilight said.

"I said I would charge your enemies to let you escape ma'am, I said nothing about letting you charge with me," Lancer said briskly. "Ponies of the guard, form up! And I see anypony flag or falter let's just say you won't have to worry about any fire demon by the time I'm finished with you."

"There will be no need for that, captain," Princess Celestia glided through the night to land in the midst of her faithful guards. Clad in all her royal raiment, she glowed brighter than the moon in the midst of all the war-torn darkness.

"Princess Celestia!" Twilight cried. "You're okay"

Celestia smiled fondly as she craned her neck to nuzzle Twilight Sparkle, "I am more glad to see you well again, Twilight Sparkle, than I am to have been freed from the treachery of Grevyia. I have a task for you, my faithful student, and for all of you my brave ponies. Gather the people, and begin to evacuate them out of Canterlot."

Near everypony gasped. Twilight said, "Evacuate Canterlot? But─"

"I am Equestria's Sun Princess and I will defend my subjects and my city as best I can," Celestia said. "But if I should fail, I will not have my little ponies harmed."

Lancer began, "Your Highness, you should not─"

"You have your orders, captain," Celestia said gently. "I must do this. I am the only one who can." She flapped her wings and rose into the sky, "I am so very proud of all of you."

***

Celestia's wings hummed as they beat through the air, carrying her closer and closer to the balrog. Shimmering white, she was as a diamond in a tar pit against the balrog's shadowy mass, or a star hovering above a black hole.

She flew high enough that she and the balrog were eye to eye, though either one of its blazing orbs was larger than Celestia herself.

"This far," Celestia said, her voice nearly cold enough to chill the balrog's flames to ashes. "And no further."

The balrog tilted its head curiously before roaring into her face. It's breath was hot as white flame.

"So long as I am princess," Celestia declared, "you shall not harm a hair on any pony's head. Begone!" She fired a golden beam of magic from her horn, striking the demon in the middle of its chest. The balrog howled, and staggered back against the mountainside. Celestia kept up the pressure, giving the beam everything she had.

The balrog's howl of pain turned to a howl of triumph, and it overcome the pressure of Celestia's magic to take a striding pace forward. It swung its flaming sword towards her. Celestia dived to avoid the blow - the sword was as large as her palace was tall - firing magical bolts at the balrog as she did so. They dissipated on its burning skin without leaving a blister. Celestia swooped and turned like a swallow on the wind, flying upwards now, sending her magical darts towards the balrog's eyes. Not a single one struck home but erupted harmlessly upon that shadowy face.

Maybe if I get closer, Celestia thought, flying upwards and upwards. I cannot let my subjects down again.

The demon growled, and jerked his flaming whip towards her. The burning ribbon flew towards Celestia─

And was deflected by a blast of dark blue magic which knocked it in the opposite direction.

"Sister, I am insulted!" Luna glided through the night to halt, hovering, at Celestia's side. "Did you think to fight this beast alone? 'Tis unlike you to be so monstrously selfish."

"You should leave the city, Luna," Celestia said. "No matter what befalls Canterlot, Equestria must always have a princess."

Luna snorted, "If the court must move to Ponyville then let Twilight Sparkle rule. Let her do governance from her library while seated atop a throne of books." She smiled at the image, "It would suit her I think. For myself, have you ever known me run from battle?"

"Never," Celestia said. She smiled, "I will be glad of the company, little sister."

The two princesses regarded the demon evenly.

"Not very pleasing to the eye, is it," Luna observed.

"Not at all," Celestia replied.

Luna smirked, "Just like old times, eh sister? LET US SMITE WITH THE FURY OF A THOUSAND SUNS!"

The two alicorns sped into battle, weaving around each other as they fired at speed upon the demon of shadow and flame. I have missed this, Celestia realised as she dodged a blow from the balrog's sword. I have missed flying into battle with you, Luna. It was the least of the things she had missed during the thousand years of Luna's banishment, but now that they were together again she now realised how long it had been since their last battle: too long. Sombra, Discord, Pelinore, Titan, Typhoeus, we lived in those days little sister did we not? We lived upon the sharp edge of the knife yet still we lived.

The demon raised its arms, covering its face from Celestia and Luna's attacks. The two princesses turned away, each curving in a different direction: Celestia to the left and Luna to the right. As they turned their back upon it the balrog raised its sword to strike-

Two bolts, one of pink and one of lavender, struck the demon between the eyes. The balrog staggered back three paces, moaning in confusion.

"Mind if we butt in?" Cadance smirked, as she and Twilight hovered in the air together, their horns aglow. Twilight smiled meekly.

The balrog leapt forward, swinging its sword down upon the four princesses. The flaming blade struck a lavender shield, making a sound like the ringing of a mighty gong.

"Thank you darling, that was perfect," Cadance shouted down.

Down below, Shining Armour winked up at his wife.

***

In the streets of Canterlot, Twilight's friends watched the battle with the balrog unfold from a distance. The four alicorns swooped and dived about the balrog, casting their most powerful spells at it, while Shining Armour covered them with his shield. But their magic only slowed the demon, they could not stop him, and it was continuing to advance inexorably towards Canterlot.

"We can't just sit here and do nothing," Rainbow Dash shouted.

"Without the Elements of Harmony ah don't know there's much we can do," Applejack said. "Ah mean, are we gonna buck its legs till it collapses."

Rarity sighed, "Without the Elements, we're pretty much dead weight to Twilight I fear."

"No we're not!" Rainbow Dash shouted. "We're her friends, and the least we can do is be there for her."

"Um, I agree with Rainbow Dash," Fluttershy murmured. "Even if there isn't anything we can do, I think it would be a comfort for her to know that we're there for her."

Pinkie Pie and Rarity both nodded their agreement. Applejack said, "Ah guess y'aint wrong about that. And we already know we make a good cheerin' section."

"And if nothing else, we can always roast marshmallows on its toes!" Pinkie said as he bounced in the demon's direction.

"Pinkie," Rainbow Dash sighed.

"What?"

***

Twilight gasped for breath as she backed away from the implacable fire demon. The balrog's power level is off the charts. It's shrugging off our strongest attacks like they're nothing at all.

She looked around. Celestia, Luna and Cadance all looked tired from the strain of the battle. Shining Armour looked near worn out by having to maintain a shield against such powerful blows as the balrog could deliver. Nopony looked like they had enough left to give that they damage a beast that had taken their best already and kept on coming.

I don't think we're gonna win this one.

"Twilight!"

Twilight looked down to see her friends gathered below, not far from Shining Armour. Twilight glided down to them, "What are you girls doing here?"

"We know we can't help you fight this fight, sugarcube, but we wanted you to know you ain't alone," Applejack said.

Twilight smiled, "That's really sweet of you girls, but you need to get out of here. I couldn't bear it if any of you got hurt and right now I can't promise I can protect you."

Rainbow Dash growled, "This sucks! If only we had the Elements of Harmony."

"Yeah, then-" Twilight stopped, a spark appearing in her eye with a fizzling sound. "That's it! The Elements! We do have the Elements of Harmony!"

The others looked at like she was mad. Applejack said carefully, "Uh, Twilight, you remember the elements were stolen, right?"

"The physical forms of the Elements were stolen," Twilight said. "But they were never really important anyway. Don't you remember the night of Nightmare Moon's return? Nightmare Moon destroyed the five Elements but we brought them back because the Elements were in our hearts the entire time. That's where they've always been, we were just too hung up on necklaces and tiaras to see it. So long as we're together, so long as we hold true to our friendship, then the Elements of Harmony will never be far away!" Twilight and her friends were suffused with light, surrounded by it, gripped by its power as the light surrounded them and lifted them up into the air. A rainbow ribbon danced around, connecting the six of them, joining them together as a great rainbow erupted from out of the midst of the six ponies and struck the balrog in its chest. The balrog roared and bellowed, flinching and squirming against the greatest magic known to ponykind.

"Now!" Celestia yelled as she, Luna, Cadance and Shining Armour attacked with whatever magic they had left to give. The balrog's shadows were all burned away, the demon's flames were all put out. The balrog was consumed with light that struck it hard against the mountainside, and then the great beast was turned to nought but ashes, which blew away and were seen no more.

When Twilight opened her eyes, she and her friends were wearing the Elements of Harmony once more.

"Well done, Twilight, well done," Celestia said. "You truly are a remarkable princess. We could not have done it without you."

"And I couldn't have done it without all my friends," Twilight said.

"Indeed," Celestia acknowledged.

"What's that sound?" Rainbow Dash asked of the rising tide of babble they could hear.

It was the sound of all of Canterlot cheering its salvation.

"Hooray for Princess Celestia!"

"Celestia and Luna!"

"Twilight Sparkle! Twilight Sparkle!"

Soon all of Canterlot took up the cry, "Twilight Sparkle! Twilight Sparkle!" the whole city reverberating to the sound of her name, the newest princess being lifted by the love of the commons and rendered more immortal than Celestia by their love and honour.

***

Breaking Dawn heard the cheering and despaired, So that was what my dream meant after all. It was always Twilight Sparkle that the crowd adored, and in triumphing over me she has turned me into just another trophy of her greatness.

"She is a better pony that I am," Dawn murmured.

"What?" Razor asked, leaning down, but Dawn did not repeat herself.

"I think we ought to get out of here," Hardy said.

"You all go, I'm staying here," Dawn said.

"What, why?" Razor demanded. "They're going to come for you, you have to run."

"I played the game and I lost," Dawn declared. "I have to face the consequences of my arrogance. When even the magic jewellery tells you that suck perhaps its time to take notice. Besides, where and what am I going to run too? I blew my shot, a shot I never deserved in the first place. What should I now? Hope that the third time's a charm? But you five, nopony knows who you are, get out of here."

"You aren't going anywhere," a guards officer shouted, as guardsponies appeared from all directions to surround them. "Surrender now or we will use force."

"We surrender," Dawn shouted. "Nopony needs to get hurt."

Princess Celestia and Twilight Sparkle landed in front of their guards, both of them glaring at Breaking Dawn.

Dawn approached, hanging her head, "You were right, Your Highness, I wasn't the pony that I thought I was. You were right not to give me my chance. I ask only mercy for my friends. I will submit to any punishment you deem appropriate."

Princess Celestia did not reply. Only glaring down at her erstwhile student.

Dawn looked upon into the angry gaze of Twilight Sparkle. A sad smile crossed Dawn's face, "So, the better mare won. I hope you are happy, Princess Twilight."

Twilight snarled, "If I were to do the things that would make me happy you wouldn't walk out of here in one piece."

Dawn nodded, "In your place, I expect I'd feel the same."

"Breaking Dawn," Celestia pronounced. "You have committed heinous acts of treason and violent assault. Nothing can excuse the things that you have done. It is for this reason that I must─"

There was a jostling amongst the ranks of the guards as Jugurtha, his spear bloody, forced through their ranks to charge screaming for Twilight Sparkle. Both Twilight and Celestia were caught flat-footed by the arrival of the zebra warrior, his mask lowered, his speed winged. His warcry became louder as he thrust his spear at Twilight's breast.

There was a flash of gold as Dawn teleported Twilight out of the way and herself into Twilight's place. The spear pierced her flesh with a sickening squelch.

Dawn moaned in pain, and collapsed upon the groud.

The guard captain leapt forward. His first stroke knocked the spear from Jugurtha's hand. The second stroke made an end of him.

"Dawny, dawny!" Razor Wind tooks Dawn's hoof in her own burned hooves. "Dawny, talk to me."

"So cold," Dawn murmured.

Twilight Sparkle looked astonished, "Why?"

"Didn't do it for you," Dawn croaked, looking at Princess Celestia even as she coughed a harsh and rattling cough.

Celestia knelt down beside the injured mare, and Dawn hoped that in those last moments she saw not the grown mare who had come to disgust her but the adorable filly who had once so delighted her hours.

"Breaking Dawn," Celestia murmured.

Dawn managed to smile in spite of the pain, "I told you I would die if you willed it, Your Highness."

Celestia shook her head, "Oh Dawn."

"Can you save her, Highness," Razor asked, her eyes wide with desperation.

"No, I cannot," Celestia said solemnly. "But I can give you immortality Dawn, if you want it."

Dawn looked into her eyes and knew at once what the Princess meant, as the full meaning of her dream was finally revealed to her. If this is my fate. She nodded, "Very well. Razor, help me up."

Razor helped Dawn onto her feet, where she stood tall and proud facing the princess. She could withstand the pain for a little while, it would not do to spend eternity crouched prone and pained upon the floor.

"Dawny?" Razor whispered. "What are you doing?"

"Making my own choice, for the very first time," Dawn said. "I am ready, Princess Celestia."

Princess Celestia's face was grave as she leaned down, a spark of light at the very tip of her horn, and touched her horn to Breaking Dawn's.

The coldness in Dawn's wound was replaced by a coldness in her hind hooves, and spreading upwards, through her legs and up her body.

"Laurel," Dawn said. "Who was that philosopher who took poison, and kept talking even as she could feel it spreading up her body?"

"Sorreltes," Laurel murmured.

"Right. I thought it was," Dawn struck a noble posture, and allowed herself a small smile as the spell sped up her neck. Then it spread to her head, and across her face, and Breaking Dawn was turned to stone.

"Neither age, nor wounds nor sickness will ever trouble you," Celestia whispered. "Not even Twilight Sparkle is so fortunate."

Razor Wind had her head in her hooves, silently weeping. Laurel looked to be in shock. Cherry Blossom's mouth moved, but no words came out.

Hardy said, "I feel like somepony ought to say something. About Dawn. To sum her up, now that she's gone."

Hard Candy wiped tears from her eyes, "Her life was mountainous: the peaks of joy and riches mingled with the deepest vales of poverty and sorrow. Yet through all tribulations of fate, through all misfortunes she remained ever Breaking Dawn: proud as an eagle, brave as a lioness, righteous as a god, cruel as a dragon, vengeful as a timberwolf. And though in the brightest days she might into temptation fall, in darkest nights she'd blaze bright as a beacon of hope to all whom she took pity on. She was a unicorn, take all in all, whose like we shall not see again, and she was likely, had she been put on, to have proved most royal. Let all who knew her mourn the loss." Candy came to a halt, collapsing in a teary mess. Hardy moved to comfort her.

"It is well said," Celestia murmured.

Author's Note:

Dawn's dream, which recurs throughout this chapter, is actually somewhat taken from Breaking Dawn's cameo in Dark Parable's excellent From the Outside In. Aside from finding it hilarious, the sequence reminded me a bit of Pompey's dream and I thought it would be a cool addition to this chapter. Go and read Outside In, you'll laugh I promise.

This chapter changed quite a bit in draughting and writing. Originally Dawn was going to release the balrog after Celestia rejected her, and after Twilight used the Elements of Harmony Dawn was going to try and kill her, leading to a fight in the next chapter in which Razor Wind would have died. I feel this version is truer to Dawn's character development, particularly in the last chapter.

Just a short epilogue to follow and then we're done.

Comments

[Albi]

21,000 words.

Dude.

Well, let's get started.

[Lyall]

Ahhh I love it when irony is used to bring down a villain.
Rejected (badly) by Celestia, bitched out by the Elements, and then gets immortality in the form of petrification.
She earned every bit of it too.

[greenwar1991]

the ending wasnt satisfactory , I really hate death equals redemption it is just a cheap way to make a redemption without facing consequences. .,

[Xaldon Ajide]

And Stay lithified. Not to watch pinkie make smores.

[lilmagi]

....
You know, I saw the self sacrifice coming half way through the chapter. After the all the things Dawn did just kept falling apart, it seemed the only thing that may actually be a bit satisfactory is to sacrifice herself for Celestia.
Yet, as @greenwar1991 said. 'death equals redemption' sucks and I am left unsatisfied and disappointed.

Oh well, on to the epilogue.

[heynow]

When Dawn died all I could think was that she got what was coming to her.

[xTSGx]

Getting turned to stone. Seems like a fitting punishment for treason.

That zebra Emperor (may he live forever) is gonna have to do some serious ass kissing if he doesn't want Equestria to drop a solar flare on his country. He can spew plausible deniability all he likes, the fact is, a "rouge group" just doesn't have the ability to stage a massive coup with out help from the government.

[ladyanaconda]

You should upload the alternate chapter one of these days. I has spiked my curiosity.

[Jordan179]

"... Live your life, build your own future. I have no doubt that with your intelligence, magical talent and ability to win the hearts of ponies you will be successful at whatever task you set yourself. And who knows? One day, when you have conquered Equestria, we may meet again."

Oh, dear. Very poor choice of words, Celestia. I guess even master manipulators occasionally get critical failures on their Skill Rolls ...

I'm guessing what Celestia meant was "Make a success of yourself, and perhaps one day we can be friends again," rather than literally conquering Equestria.

In their younger days the irony that she, the princess of the moon, burned so much hotter than the mistress of the sun had often been remarked upon.

They invert the normal Solar / Lunar divine stereotypes in their approach to problems. Celestia is the manipulator, Luna the more direct of the pair.

I SHALL BURN THEM ALL TO ASHES! I SHALL CRUSH THEM BENEATH MY HOOVES! IF THEY HAVE HARMED ONE HAIR UPON CELESTIA I SHALL SEE ALL GREVYIA REDUCED TO NOTHING BEFORE I'LL CALL MY ANGER SATED!"

See, and this is why it's a bad plan, even given the existence of the Bridles and plausible deniability from the point of view of the Empire. Had the Grevyians been sufficiently unfortunate to kill Luna and leave Celestia alive, their fate would have been worse than mere physical national devastation. Celestia, in her kind and subtle way, would have so wrought as to turn Grevyian culture into a parody of itself, probably producing animes and cheap motor carriages for Equestria, with the children of the High Born hiding in their rooms and marrying inflatable Zebra mare dolls. Seriously, it could happen to a Proud Warrior Race led by an Evil Overlord suffering from Evil Cannot Comprehend Good, especially if it woke a Sleeping Giant!

I'm kind of wondering how much of "Most Ancient" Grevyia's version of history is true, and how much a flattering lie they've devised for themselves. The obvious analogy (in terms of role though not cultural and geographic location), Imperial Japan, had a number of delusions they developed to paper over the fact that their civilization was considerably younger than that of China, from whom they learned most of their culture. The Bridles obviously work, though, and must have been made by some entity who wanted to control Alicorns.

I can't see any way that this is going to end without Grevyia putting itself on Equestria's cultural shit-list for many decades to come. There is a whole generation of elite Equestrians who are going to grow up remembering this attack and seeing Grevyia primarily as a treacherous, terrifying foe. Were Equestria a democracy, there would be no way to avoid a major and total war; even assuming that Celestia holds back (as she probably will), she would find it very difficult to ride herd on her subjects and maintain any but the coldest and most distrustful relations with the Empire.

The Grevyian Empire is basically making the same mistake as did Chrysalis -- they are mistaking the capital and the leadership for the nation. Even if every part of their plan worked and Celestia fell under their control with the other Alicorns destroyed, the Imperial Zebras would be facing fierce resistance from a more powerful and populous nation for generations to come. The ultimate outcome of that would be to ensure that when the Equestrians finally won, their objective would have shifted to the complete and utter subjugation of the Empire, hopefully for the Imperial Zebras (the alternative would be that it had shifted to genocide).

If the Empire by some miracle managed to maintain control, it would do so only by expending so many of its own resources that it would itself be vulnerable to other Powers. Screaming and leaping on a more powerful Realm is very, very rarely a good plan, as the Third Reich and Imperial Japan found out in World War II with reference to the Soviet Union and the United States of America respectively.

... And one flaw in the Imperial plan immediately manifests. They have "hundreds" of warriors -- but they are attacking a city with a probable population of around a hundred thousand. After the initial surprise, pockets of resistance are forming and counterattacks organizing. The Zebras are neither as individually-capable nor as numerous as was Chrysalis' Swarm, and I'm not entirely sure that they could have held Canterlot for more than a day or two.

The Equestrian toll must amount to dozens to hundreds killed, thousands wounded. And Breaking Dawn must share in some of the guilt for this, even though she is now fighting against the Imperial Zebras.

Exit Lord Mathos.

And Celestia finally realizes the way in which her words were misinterpreted by Breaking Dawn.

She led her friends up to the seventh circle, the highest level in Canterlot.

(*nodes*) As per Minas Tirith, one of the inspirations for Canterlot, and appropriate given just what is now attacking the city!

[Jordan179]

Alas for Breaking Dawn, Redemption Equals Death. Or at least stasis. It's remotely possible that one day she might be brought back to life, perhaps in an age where her wounds can be healed, long after the last of those scarred by her treason has died of natural causes. This is something that might well have occurred to Celestia, who has after all done exactly this before, and to a foe whom she wanted to someday forgive and befriend -- if you take that interpretation of her treatment of Discord.

[Purple Patch]

It takes a strong pony to live to mend their mistakes.
It also takes a strong pony to die to mend their mistakes.
Well done, Dawn.
You learnt something very valuable.

[Stet709]

Died and made into a statue.
Can't say she didn't deserve it...