> Where did we go wrong? > by Unlikely hero > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > A fate worse than death > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- The first thing Twilight saw was blood. A thick substance spewing from her right hoof and trickling onto the floor. Then she saw light. It made her cringe to see something so bright after being in the dark. Twilight didn't know where she was, but something deep inside her was warning her to try and get out. However that voice was very faint, and as a royal princess of Equestria, Twilight decided that she had better things to do than listen to silly little voices. She was royalty after all. And the Element of Magic. Yes, Twilight decided she would have time later to escape. But now, all she wanted to do is try and figure out how in Celestia's name she had even reached this room in the first place. She sat, alone in the light misunderstanding the events that had recently unfolded before her very eyes. Twilight pushed her hooves against her temples as she tried to think of a logical explanation. She remembered walking with her friends. Yes! Thats it! Walking with her friends! Pinkie Pie must have bumped her in a large rock or tree of some sort. This must be the cause. It has to be! She gave herself a pat on the back for being so smart. That emotion passed through Twilight rather quickly. She suddenly felt as if she was trying to swallow a boulder. What if something really horrible happened to her? Had she died? Twilight cringed at the thought. She struggled as she stood up. "Hello?" Her voice carried a faint echo through the room, "Am I dead?" "No, but you will be soon. Soon." A gravelly voice purred from behind Twilight. Twilight turned around to find a pony, unlike any she had ever seen, a rather tall mare that strongly resembled a bat. Her coat was a deep shade of violet and her mane blew softly in the nonexistent breeze much like Celestia's. "Umm do I know you?" Twilight cocked her head at the strange creature. The Bat threw her neck back and released a very high pitched shriek of laughter. Shivers coiled down Twilight's spine. She did not like this mare. Not at all. "My dear, you do not know me. But I know you." She purred, "In the very near future you befriend my people and I." She turned her head away, "But you betray us! You cast us away, and leave us to die!" Twilight raised her hoof and brought it to the ground harshly "I would never do anything like that!" The bat turned around sharply "Oh but you did princess. And I am here because of that one sin. I am going to take care of you and your little friends before you get anywhere near my people." This mare took it too far. "DONT YOU DARE TOUCH MY FRIENDS!!!" Twilight screamed. The bat cackled "Dont worry, your friends will be touching themselves in the end." Cold sweat began to spew from awkward spots on Twilight's cheeks and snout "Y-you arent going to kill them are you?" The Bat barred a toothy grin, revealing her sharp fangs "By the time I'm done with them, they're going to wish they were dead my darling," She paused, "I'm going to take away everything you and your friends love. Enjoy your final moments of happiness Miss Sparkle." Twilight raised her hoof in protest "WAIT! Think about what your doing, the lives you are ruining!!" The Bat glared at Twilight "You didn't think about the lives you were ruining! You killed my family, my friends, OUR FRIENDS! Bet you didn't think twice about that, did you PRINCESS?" She spat the last word out very unpleasantly. She turned away from Twilight, and what seemed to be a tear fell slowly down her face. "Why? Why did you have to betray me? YOU WERE MY FRIEND!" she pointed her hoof at Twilght's sad face. "You were my friend....." The tearful mare stared at Twilight sadly. "My people trusted you. This is what you deserve." Twilight tried to swallow the lump that was forming in her throat "We can work this out! I'm sure we can. Just please dont do this!" And as quickly as they had both appeared, the were both gone. The first thing Twilight Sparkle saw was a shimmer of light Her ears thrusted back at the sound of her friends cheerful voices. "TWILIGHT!" PInkie bounced joyfully Twilight blinked her eyes, and her friends worried faces finally came into focus. "Thank Celestia your okay Twi." Applejack sighed, obviously very happy to see the purple mare. "I was super scared Twilight, you just fell over." Fluttershy said. Twilight's heart swelled. She was very happy her friends cared so much about her. Her friends would always be loyal to her. She just knew it. Twilight smiled at the sight of her friends faces. "I'm alright girls, dont worry about me." "THATS GREAT!" PInkie shouted joyfully, "We were just heading over to Fluttershy's, remember?" Twilight shook her head "I actually dont remember that." Rarity smiled "Thats quite alright dear, just take a moment to try and sort things out." Twilight stood up, very shaken. "No thats alright, lets just get going." Rainbow shrugged with her muscular blue shoulders. "Maybe you should just go home Twi i'm sure Spike could make you some nice hot cocoa-" "IM FINE!" Twilight said cutting her friend off. Her friends grew silent except for the small squeak Fluttershy provided. Twilight sighed "Girls, lets just get going, Im a little stressed right now okay?" Applejack smiled "No problem Sugarcube, lets just run along then." Pinkie bounced happily "LETS GO!" She giggled The six began to walk along, when Fluttershy abruptly stopped. The very ground seemed to shake. "Fluttershy you kay?" Rainbow Dash asked unsure Nothing but a soft squeaking sound escaped Fluttershy's quivering jaw. Twilight looked in her friend's eyes and saw fear. She could see pure terror in Fluttershy's eyes. She knew that look of fear. The fear of not knowing something. Not exactly knowing what could happen at the given moment. As the yellow pegasus slowly raised her head up, She inhaled through her nose deeply "Somethings burning." It was at that moment, that Twilight Sparkle knew things were going to go terribly wrong.