It’s your fault.
Even after all these years you still couldn’t forgive yourself for the way things turned out.
Celestia cautioned you about thinking this way multiple times, but the memories seemed to grow more vivid with each passing day.
If only you had paid more attention.
If only you had fit the obvious pieces together.
If only you watched her closer after she went through that door beneath the Crystal Palace.
The combined forces of black magic and stress had gotten the best of both your friends. Spike had visions of you and Twilight abandoning him. And poor Twilight became hysterical over hallucinations of Celestia disowning her alongside you and her other best friends resenting her. At least, that’s what she told you and Spike as the three of you climbed the seemingly endless staircase to the tower’s summit. You didn’t doubt her then. And neither you nor Spike thought of the mirages as anything but brief, terrible nightmares; nothing but one of the final desperate defenses created by Sombra to stall those who opposed him.
In the months following the king’s defeat she slowly and steadily changed. Toward her friends, she became judgmental and critical about their actions. Traits previously overlooked in her friendship gradually became unavoidable talking points. She hated Pinkie’s recklessness and harshly dealt with the clones she created from that pond. Applejack’s intelligence was mocked when her family reunion went poorly. Rarity and Rainbow’s occasional grandstanding began irritating her far more, and Fluttershy’s inability to maintain self-confidence clashed with Twilight’s increasingly blunt nature. Rarely did you ever come to her friends’ defenses in your private conversations with her.
You just nodded your head thinking it would all work itself out. She was just frustrated, you said.
Trixie’s uprising with the Alicorn Amulet was violently put down by an angry Twilight Sparkle. In private to you, she lauded how her magic was far more useful than whatever help she could get from the other element bearers. You should have stepped in earlier. You could have made sure she didn’t do something reckless.
Perhaps the biggest catalyst was Spike’s insistence that he leave and serve Applejack after she saved him from a Timberwolf. Twilight tried to act indifferent towards his words when he first spoke them. As soon as he left the library, however, she cried for hours. And once that debacle was over she started becoming more controlling. More authoritative. She was afraid of Spike abandoning her.
You could have reassured her more. If only you let her know just how special she was to you and Spike.
Celestia and Luna’s decision to reform Discord struck a terrible blow to her faith in her nigh immortal rulers. At first she, like you, was rightfully shocked. Why had the sisters agreed to unleash a being that had twice already caused untold amounts of pain? Her outrage grew to sadness, and she lamented about their poor decision making for Equestria’s future. Her distress grew into spite towards the Alicorn rulers, even after Fluttershy had befriended Discord.And you nodded your head and agreed with your best friend, even after seeing chaos incarnate reformed.
Celestia advised her protégé against working with Star Swirl’s final spell. Celestia knew she wasn’t yet ready for whatever it was the ancient wizard had worked on. Her advice came as an order and Twilight spat upon the parchment the mandate came on.
She changed for the worse when toiling nonstop for weeks over that invocation. In her desperation to unravel its secrets she lashed out against both you and Spike, her two closest friends.
She was just overworking, you believed. She got cranky when stressed.
But as her berating worsened your excuses began running out. They disappeared the moment Twilight incinerated the kitchen table in a bout of rage over a trivial argument.
Later that night, while Twilight sat distracted with magical tomes and mysterious runes, you and Spike crept away in fear from Golden Oaks Library under the cover of darkness. With the meager items you took came the elements of harmony. As you stepped on the train to Canterlot you wondered whether you took the enchanted stones on your own volition or because they had influenced you to do so. You didn’t bother questioning it for long. The only thing you wondered, even to this day, was whether you had abandoned Twilight when she needed a friend the most. She became an alicorn soon after. She hailed herself a queen.
The distant beat of war drums shook you from your meditative trance. Even from your lofty perch in Canterlot Tower the sounds of war carried themselves well. You shifted your gaze to the window to see the movement of Shining Armor’s troops hundreds of feet below, silently cursing yourself for letting Twilight’s army get so close without prior observation. A red-orange sunset outlined ponies hastily making their way through the city streets to assume defensive positions.
Twilight was confident launching the assault while daylight still shone. Unsurprising, considering the fiends and beasts of her armies vastly outnumbered your allies below. From a worn tan bag at your side you drew a weathered pair of brass binoculars to better assess the forces she marshaled. The balcony you were perched upon was at the highest point in the city, and it allowed you to see everything. Minotaur brigands and griffon mercenaries stood at the forefront of the many lines. Promise of payment and the thrill of battle made them expert frontline soldiers. Behind them, ponies in darker steel armor marched in perfect formation towards the base of Canterlot’s walls. Dozens of siege weapons slowly rolled forwards behind them. If Shining wouldn’t let them scale the walls they would have no trouble going right through them. Flying pegasi and drakes were too numerous to count for both factions. Each side was desperate to scout for any exploitable weakness.
The black and purple armored unicorn commanders near the back formed the backbone of her army. They carried out the will of their queen without question. For the ability to cast even the smallest tinge of powerful shadow magic, each of these mages underwent a ritual which linked their lives to their ruler to better carry out her will. With dark Alicorn magic guiding them they were capable of feats far beyond any spellcaster of similar age. Orders could be telepathically sent to grunts at a moment’s notice. Weapons and ammunition could be enchanted with the elements. And they were notorious for summoning monstrous, demonic familiars to fight at their sides. Their large number and uninhibited magical prowess suggested exactly what you hoped.
Twilight Sparkle was coming.
And if you severed the head of this army, the rest of the body was done for.
There would never be a better chance to stop her. Over the past year, moles in her army reported she had grown increasingly obsessed with finding the elements of harmony. For what purpose, no one was certain. As you and Spike went into hiding she hadn’t a clue where you had taken the elements. From what spies could gather, the faintest suggestion of your presence somewhere invoked a massive search by her armies. Appleoosa itself was occupied in part because of similar rumors. Twilight herself oversaw the buffalo tribe’s enslavement under the pretense that they were entrusted with the magical elements.
Though it would come with great risks, to draw Twilight out it was decided that her spies would be given the whereabouts of the elements. The plan hinged on a lot of variables, as with Twilight’s astonishing military victories she had the strength and confidence to threaten Canterlot itself. The plan was desperate, risky, and perhaps the only chance to end her reign. Your natural resilience against most magic, particularly your inability to be spotted by any reconnaissance magic she would likely use, meant you stood the best chance at fighting her.
And you would have to do it alone.
You spun on your heels and hurried to your unequipped armor at the center of the balcony. Without it you had no chance of standing against her might. Fighting the element of magic necessitated the choicest equipment and Celestia and Luna spared no expense with this gear. Magic-nullifying properties of this rare obsidian-black metal made it an incredibly desirable smithing material. The lightweight yet surprisingly durable nature of the material made it all the better when wearing armor forged from it. A collection of the finest blacksmiths in Equestria had come to Canterlot to develop the fearsome looking protection you began putting on.
The chest piece was designed to both frighten enemies as well as deflect the majority of a striking weapon’s force away from the body. A series of overlapping, V-shapes over the ribcage provided ample protection alongside making your figure look far more imposing. Comfortable tailored leggings and boots made from the dark ore ensured you had solid footing and ample protection at your joints. The light metal ensured you had unrestricted movement, were capable of high running speeds, and could move silently if you didn’t want to be heard. The black gauntlets, much like the leggings, offered unobstructed movement for your arms, hands, and fingers. For your head a shadowy and ominous helmet had been designed. The small slits for eyes in the headdress unnerved many foes as it clashed with the open design needed for large pony eyes. Sufficient protection was given to the neck, and did not restrict you from turning your head. The helmet opened near the mouth so you could more easily breath, and across it and the eye slots was strewn a simple, enchanted black cloth. You could see through it just fine, but an opponent could see no flesh. Gloomy, jagged horns protruded vertically from either side of the headpiece. Not only did they instill terror, but they also gave the illusion that you were a Minotaur; a deception which worked. Rumors had spread fear through the rank and file ponies in Twilight’s army about a Minotaur completely immune to magic.
On your left thigh the black longsword rested in its scabbard. Years of training since the night you parted ways with Twilight granted you great proficiency with the weapon. Numerous scrapes and dents marred the once beautifully polished surface of the black shield you owned. You picked up the simple black crest shield and secured it on your back. Your footfalls lightly clinked against the marble flooring as you absentmindedly walked to the balcony overlooking the rest of the hall to gaze across the room. Echoes from your steps met with the dull noise of the opening battle from the besieged city below.
Years ago Twilight and her friends came to this hall at Celestia’s call to stop Discord with the elements. Stain-glass windows on the western walls cast beautiful colored streams throughout the room. Constant maintenance made the immortalized images of Discord’s banishment, the redemption of Nightmare Moon, and Sombra’s foiled attack on the Crystal Empire perfectly clear. Ornate marble pillars at the sides of the room held the red tinted ceiling in place high above. Long ago, expensive bouquets of exotic flowers were placed in perches lining the pillars. Onset of the war had resulted in fake flora taking their place. Banners of varying colors and patterns hung from numerous precipices alongside the pillars and walls of the grand room. An exquisite and very expensive red carpet with a flower pattern at its side ran over the gray and white floor.
At the far end of the room stood an impressive vault which stretched nearly 15 feet high along the wall. Images of a blazing sun adorned the vault which was surrounded by a golden, jewel-adorned frame. Stone statues of two imposing unicorns flanked both sides of the vault, and inside there rested the elements of harmony. Former bearers of the elements possessed the peculiar ability to sense when they were nearby. As it was a sensation even the ruling sisters could not magically replicate, to fully lure Twilight into the trap Celestia had locked the elements away inside the vault.
Nary a moment after the fighting escalated into a full battle below, you heard muffled screams and battle cries from the adjacent chamber. Stationed below the balcony you stood on and through the majestic double doors in the hallway leading to this room were some of the finest archers, knights, and mages that the Equestrian Guard had to offer. Shattering glass could be heard from behind the doors.
Twilight was smart. She would instantly suspect a trap if nobody was guarding such important, powerful artifacts.
The telltale buzz of magic permeated the air.
Alongside Shining Armor, you had instructed the ponies to guard the tower and snipe enemy griffon or pegasi flyers trying to swoop over the city.
Crossbow bolts being armed and fired could be heard.
You told them they could relay enemy positions to officers below. You told them they could make a difference.
Clanking of blades against steel were audible.
You hadn’t told them to expect her.
Sporadic crackling of flames and bolts of electricity resounded through the hall.
You prayed that one of them would strike a lucky blow. You knew it wouldn’t happen.
The balcony shuddered as a body was slammed hard against a wall.
Intense feelings of guilt once again occupied your mind as you muttered a silent apology to those ponies you condemned to die.
The doors below crashed open as the charred body of an earth pony guard was telekinetically hurled against them. Intense heat had melted the armor to his skin and a vile stench rose from the corpse below the balcony.
After all this pain that you had a hand in creating, perhaps now you could finally set things right.
The tingle of unicorn magic could be heard, and the doors which were so violently flung open were gingerly closed. Hoofsteps, slightly muffled from the rug below, echoed through the room as their owner walked forward beneath the balcony. As you expected she came alone. Intelligence suggested she wouldn’t dare allow her subordinates to touch the elements. From the shabby tan bag slung at your side you withdrew a white crystalline rock etched with bright red magical runes. As instructed by the princesses, you tapped each of the symbols in a specific order.
Celestia and Luna both put on remarkable acts. You hadn’t suspected a thing until the wedding when Queen Chrysalis battled Celestia and won. Luna’s strange absence from the whole fight only added to your doubts. Movement of the sun and moon, alongside other necessary tasks like Luna’s dream walking, took so much strength that neither Celestia nor Luna were particularly powerful. The princesses could still put nearly all magical users to shame, but the millennia old sisters exerted so much power maintaining the heavenly bodies that they had little hope of surviving a fight against the new queen. Twilight, the element of magic, had no such obligations; she was more than capable of besting either alicorn.
They were too important to risk direct confrontation, but they could provide assistance by other means. With their combined strength they deemed it possible to cast and maintain a magic nullifying field. Not only would it cancel out Twilight’s magic, but the forces responsible for pegasi flight were also removed. She would not be able to fly away. Somewhere in the city, hidden away in a chamber you did not know the location of, the co-rulers of Equestria fell into a deep meditation as they began channeling the incredibly taxing spell necessary for your survival.
The colored arcane symbols in your white crystal faded away, confirming the top of Canterlot Tower was enveloped in an invisible aura which defied the nature of this world. Twilight continued her slow walk towards the vault at the end of the room, seemingly unfazed by the newly cast spell. A flash of fear briefly spread across your face. Was she unaffected by it? Maybe she hadn’t sensed the change yet. Regardless of whether she was affected or not, you needed to confront her anyway. Your hands gripped the handrail of the balcony and you looked down towards the mare as she walked out of the shadow of the balcony directly below.
Your right hand moved to the hilt of your sword and you readied yourself to leap from the balcony and plunge the sword through her. As soon as she came into the perfect position for your strike, however, you hesitated. Against your far better judgment, you wanted to talk to her. Doubts and questions have wracked your mind for years. The relief of having a few of those possibly erased caused you to let her pass unimpeded. There was always the small hope you could stop her without resorting to violence. Risking all the time spent in rigorous preparation and planning would be worth it if you didn’t have to hurt her.
Using your left hand for leverage, you swung both your feet over the railing and plummeted to the ground. The clanking of your armor echoed loudly through the vacant room as you hit the ground. Your body instinctively went into a low stance to better spread the force of impact from the fall. Some 15 feet ahead of you, Twilight immediately stopped walking and stood still, not bothering to turn her head. To appear less threatening you did not wield your sword or shield, you stood to your full height and observed the mare, steeling yourself in the event she tried anything.
Twilight looked as beautiful as the day you met her. Ascending to the status of alicorn had changed her physique slightly. She stood slightly taller than you last remembered. The horn atop her head had grown marginally longer and seemed a bit pointier as well. Elegantly crafted silver armor worthy of a queen covered the mare’s body. Beneath the light shifting of her protective clothing you noticed a thin protective layer of chainmail protecting the joints. From what you could see there wasn’t a single scratch or dent in her attire, most likely because her magic was so powerful nothing came close enough to harm her.
Along the bones of the wings that rested at her sides ran more silver mail, no doubt lighter in thickness to still allow her flight. The sharpened mail appeared segmented and telescopic to still protect her wings when unfurled. She wore firmly secured shoes on each hoof. At the fronts of each shoe finely cut amethyst gems were set in place. Strewn across her shoulders and chest was a necklace not unlike that which Celestia and Luna both wore. The six pronged pink star of her cutie mark was embedded along the front. Despite being jewelry it did a fine job at shielding the vital tissue along her neck. Her distinct tail and mane were allowed free in the open; she styled them in the exact same manner as she always had. Atop her head, Twilight wore nothing aside from a simplistic, spiked gray tiara.
For nearly ten seconds the two of you stood perfectly still, both waiting for the other to make the first move.
“I’m giving you one chance to surrender, Twilight.” You firmly stated.
Upon hearing your voice Twilight whipped her body around and the two of you locked your eyes upon one another. You knew what to expect, but a small frown formed beneath your helmet regardless. The beautiful purple color of her eyes had transformed to a dark hue of crimson. Her irises were magically altered from the round expression filled ones of a normal pony to those of slits like a cat. Most noticeably, the sclera of her eyes had an otherworldly green tint. Extensive use of the dark arts, according to Luna, profoundly changed the user’s eyes.
Her slightly agape mouth highlighted the subtle change from her hardened nature just seconds before.
“Anon…” She softly muttered to herself while continuing her staring. “I always had the feeling you were the black knight.” She continued, more audibly. Her voice was cold, confident, and frighteningly similar to the mare you once called your best friend.
”How’s Spike?” Twilight asked.
There seemed to be genuine concern in her voice, and after hearing it a small smile crept across your face. There was still some good inside of her.
“Safe.” You responded, trying your best to show as little emotion as possible in your answers.
Wherever the princesses were casting their spell from, Spike was with them helping out in any way he could.
”Good…” She trailed off, seemingly lost in thought for a moment.
“Your friends, are they alright?” You asked in return.
Ponyville had remained under Twilight’s control since the beginnings of the revolution. Nobody was entirely sure what had become of the former element bearers.
”Fine.” She quickly stated while looking towards the nearest lavish pillar at the side of the room. It was the first time she had taken her eyes off of you. “Uncooperative at times, but fine.”
“Is that so?” You questioned. You made no effort to show it, but it was a huge relief to know that they were alive after all this time.
”With proper motivation they’ve helped. They lack vision, Anon, they always have.” She retorted as if stating an obvious fact.
“What are you talking about?”
”The magic of harmony is gone, Anon.”
“Because of the gemstones?”
”No.” She quickly responded while shifting her head to cast a menacing glare towards you. “But know that you are forgiven for snatching them away. It turned out to be a blessing in disguise, I learned an incredibly valuable lesson from researching the elements and my friends.”
A small smile formed on her face as she closed her eyes in remembrance.
“That being?”
”Nothing matters, Anon.”
Given the actions showcasing her increased heartlessness over the past few years you fully expected a nihilistic outlook like that.
”All this happened because it was fated to be.”
That, however, you didn’t anticipate.
“There’s no such thing as fate, Twilight.”
”Starswirl’s spell, the one Celestia insisted I hold off on working with, says otherwise. He wasn’t the only one to figure it out either, Sombra did too.”
“And you’d know that how?”
”Do you remember the nightmare door during our stay at the Crystal Empire?”
You nodded your head in approval. A wretched feeling in your gut signaled a growing worry over what she might reveal.
”I thoroughly researched the magic behind that door as soon as I was able. That door wasn’t showing us fear but a gateway to the future. Sombra knew fate was unalterable, and he built the gate as a way to see if he would be overthrown.”
Twilight sat down on her haunches on the red carpet as she began lecturing. It reminded you of more pleasant times with her.
”He cursed the land to vanish for a millennium hoping to avoid what he, no doubt, saw what was to become of him. It didn’t work, of course.”
“That…” You hesitantly began speaking. Stuttered phrases and a change in voice betrayed your stoic outward appearance. “I don’t believe any of that.”
”I was the same way, Anon.” A sigh escaped her lips before continuing speaking, looking you straight in the eyes. “But neither Starswirl nor Sombra had access to the elements of harmony.”
“What’s so special about those jewels?”
Twilight held her head a little higher as she began explaining why, proud of what she learned.
”Those gems were born from magic and bonded to me and my friends. Originally I hoped I could circumvent needing the actual elements, but the magical connection between them and my friends withered away years ago.”
In all likelihood, you thought, probably due to the lack of harmony between her and her friends, assuming they even were still friends after what Twilight has done. Knots twisted in your stomach as you slowly began to anticipate what she had planned.
“You didn’t answer my question.”
”I know how to use the elements without my friends. Once I get my hooves on those artifacts I can unweave the threads of destiny!” She exclaimed. “With alicorn magic I can control them to change everything! It could take us back to before this was all fated to happen!”
The word ‘us’ caused the uncomfortable feeling in your gut to flare again.
”You and me, Anon! We can make everything right! We can make it even better than it was before!” She again excitedly proclaimed as her words echoed through the chamber. A pleased yet frightening smile adorned her face as she took a few steps towards you.
Your head drooped downward and you began staring at the carpet below. There was no possible way she was telling the truth, was there? You didn’t, and couldn’t, believe her.
“The elements of harmony don’t work like that, Twilight.” You decreed, doing a fine job of masking the sadness which began to well up inside you.
“You think that saying everything was preordained makes all this okay!?” You yelled while waving your hand towards the battle outside. “Do you seriously think everything you did was somehow beyond your control? God knows how many ponies you’ve killed Twilight. After everything you’ve done-“
”It can all be undone!” Twilight retorted with scorn on her face. “I’ve planned for that! The spells I’ve prepared have taken all those things into account. I’m powerful enough to use the elements without Applejack, Rainbow, or any of the others.”
“Wishful thinking.” You snapped back. For the sake of Equestria you couldn’t allow her tempting words to make you falter. “I won’t say it again. Surrender now, Twilight.” You said as you reached a left hand to grab hold of the shield strapped to your back.
”Anon.” She steadfastly stated while almost pleadingly looking you in the eyes. “Help me open that vault. We will be above fate. We can make a better future for everyone.”
Both you and Twilight gazed at one another, together hoping that the other would stand down. Once fifteen seconds of silence had passed you spoke up.
”You can’t cast magic here, and you can’t fly away either. It’s over, Twilight.” You declared, still not reaching for your sword in hopes that she would let you restrain her.
Twilight closed her eyes and sharply exhaled at your rejection.
“I already know.” She huffed in return while bringing her muzzle downwards to the edge of the red carpet.
In one swift motion she bit the edge of the carpet on the floor, reared her head back, tore the fabric, and pulled with such ferocity that you were flung off balance.
There was barely any time to brace yourself once you realized what she was doing. A loud clang resonated through the room as your armored frame ungracefully collided with the tiled floor. A cry escaped your lips partly due to the shame of letting your guard down and also because of the brief burst of pain. Twilight launched herself into a sprint as soon as your back hit the ground, intent on quickly ending the fight. She leapt into the air as she neared you and sharpened blades protruded from the silver shoes of her forehooves. With your back against the floor you had a perfect view of the mare leaping towards you, and you rolled to your right to narrowly avoid the razors from slicing into the joints connecting your armor. Large flecks of marble chipped away from where the blades stabbed the floor before returning to their hidden sheathes. Mid roll you twisted your legs to halt your momentum and brought yourself into a crouching position.
”Did you think I was defenseless?!” She shouted, bringing your focus to the queen once again coming at you.
She had already spun herself around in front of you by the time you registered where she was. You immediately brought your shield up and held it with both hands just as Twilight brought up both her rear legs and bucked. Even with both arms bracing for impact you were still shunted a couple feet backwards towards the wall, the force she put into the buck was greater than any sparring partner you’ve trained with before. Celestia and Luna said nothing about increased physical strength as an alicorn. No doubt some kind of dark magic heightened her physical prowess.
Twilight gave you little time to think as she whirled back around to face you and charged with slightly unfurled wings at her sides. You weren’t sure what she had planned, but you needed to make sure she couldn’t keep you on the defensive for so long. After quickly shifting your shield into your left hand you backpedaled a few steps to the wall to buy yourself a few precious moments before Twilight reached you. You swiftly brought your right hand to the hilt of your sword and firmly gripped the handle. With a grunt you swung the black sword in a wide arc in front of you at the charging alicorn while pulling it directly from its scabbard. Unable to stop her momentum to avoid your sword, Twilight deftly ducked beneath the swipe and rolled to her left. She came to a halt beneath a bouquet of fake lilies at one of the pillars.
The moment she reoriented herself, you brought your sword back and thrust forward, intent on piercing her neck. Twilight, with her wings still slightly flared to her sides and eyes focused on your sword, stepped backwards to avoid the stab. You stepped forward as she stepped back, again plunging your weapon forward to yet again drive her back. Unwilling to try the same maneuver a third time, you brought your sword high above your head and swung downwards. You believed this would force the queen to either leap away from the wall, and allow you a follow-up attack, or continue backing up.
Twilight did neither.
In a move you never expected to see from a pony, she reared herself on her hind legs and brought her left forehoof up to stop your sword’s predictable path. Obsidian metal from your sword met the silver alloy of her shoe and let out a loud clang that echoed through the hall as your blade was brought to an abrupt halt. Your balance was thrown off and Twilight capitalized on the moment of weakness by thrusting her right hoof forward towards a gap where the armor met near your shoulder. The outstretched blade from her hoof was only stopped with an incredibly lucky grab from your left hand. You grasped her leg and halted the edge just as it reached your armor.
Both of you let out annoyed grunts from exertion and frustration. Despite both pushing harder neither of you could break the grip of the other. Twilight continued balancing your longsword’s sharpened side while your secure hold on her leg never wavered. After five seconds of being locked in the position together, Twilight spoke up to you. Her voice still carried with it the assertiveness from before, though with a degree of tiredness from the fight.
”Cutie marks, Anon.” She let out in a huff.
“What?!” You angrily spat out while tightening your grip on her foreleg.
”Starswirl researched cutie marks throughout his whole life. And I’ve read his findings. They’re all brought about by fate.”
“No.” You firmly retorted. “They just come because of a love or talent. Some ponies don’t even do what their cutie mark says they’re good at.”
”I’ve seen magic that can change cutie marks.” Twilight said, wincing slightly from your stronger grip. “It changes them because it’s tied to their lives and forms their purpose.”
While looking Twilight in her eyes you began twisting your hand to the side, intent on breaking the bones of her foreleg. Twilight felt what you were doing long before anything broke, however, and with a cry she twisted her body to the side and brought you both sprawling on the floor. Unwilling to get stabbed by any of her flailing hooves, you rolled away from Twilight while hugging your shield and sword to your body. Twilight had done the same but in the opposite direction, concerned about you landing a blow while prone on the ground.
Upon getting to your feet you kept your shield raised and slowly began circling Twilight, who in turn began doing the same while assuming a defensive posture. This time it was you who spoke up.
“Remember when you traveled back in time to warn yourself about what would happen the following week? We went to get one of Starswirl’s spells.” You asked while accusingly pointing at Twilight with the tip of your sword. “The exact same thing happened to your earlier self. Time travel can’t change anything.”
Upon hearing your allegation Twilight let out a very annoyed grunt while giving you a heated look.
”I know that! The elements will make it work!”
The elements of harmony were her answer to everything, it seemed.
”Once I get to them I’ll show you just how powerful I am.” She announced while unfurling her wings to their full lengths at their sides. True to her alicorn physiology they were slightly longer than typical pegasi wings.
Atypical of her wing structure, however, were the numerous silver plumes intermixed with her purple feathers. By the time you realized what they were it was too late.
She shook both wings once to the side in an oddly specific manner to bring the throwing knives into place, and her right wing swung towards you first. The deadly projectile sped towards your chest with alarming speed, and had you not already been in a defensive stance with your shield up it would definitely have struck true. The thin blade bounced off your shield and fell to the floor below, but before it touched the ground Twilight had already launched another blade from her left wing. The distance that Twilight had put between you was exactly what she wanted. She had waited until you were both in the center of the room before she began her barrage and there was absolutely no cover for you to use.
You blocked what projectiles you could but there were simply too many, and she was too skilled not to exploit this advantage. Numerous blades struck your armored shins, legs, and upper arms, but you were so focused on protecting your face that you were unable to shield your right knee as one of her knives struck into the connecting plates and pierced your flesh. A cry of pain left your mouth as your right leg buckled forward and you were left kneeling. Blood spurted onto the floor where your wounded knee hit the tiled floor, forming an unsettlingly large pool. Your sword loudly clattered to the ground as you instinctively griped the embedded knife and tore it from your flesh. Silently, you let out a prayer that it wasn’t laced with poison.
With no time to assess your wounds, and no idea how many daggers Twilight still had with her, you reached into the old, tan pouch at your side and pulled out a half dozen white, glossy, marble-sized pellets. You activated them all at once by squeezing their small embedded triggers and the effect was immediate. Dense white smoke puffed out of all the orbs at once, shrouding your position as knives continued shooting past you. After silently dropping to the floor to avoid any more flying blades, you rolled the remaining smoke pellets all around to encompass both you and Twilight in the dense fog that now engulfed the better part of the room. Quietly, you shifted to the right to avoid any blind-firing by Twilight.
”You can’t hide from me, Anon!” Twilight proclaimed, giving away her position in the smoke not only by her voice but also with the flapping of her wings to disperse the clouds. The smoke was being blown away so quickly that you left your sword on the ground to move closer to the noise of the wingbeats.
Twilight was confident that she could finish you off and was moving further into the cloud toward the point where you went down. The intense flaring pain from the cut made moving softly and rapidly a challenge, but you needed to stay in the smoke and away from where Twilight expected you. The red carpet at the center of the room muffled your footsteps even more as you began stalking the alicorn. Twilight continued beating her wings to keep her sight clear as she trudged forward to find you. As you neared Twilight, a loud clacking noise echoed through the room when she stepped on the handle of your black sword.
Pain streaked through your right leg as you launched yourself towards Twilight while holding your shield in both hands. The smoke obscuring her peripheral vision worked in your favor as you came to Twilight in a full charge, brought your shield back, and swung it forward with as much force you could muster into the left side of her unprotected head. Disoriented and reeling, Twilight unceremoniously tumbled to the ground while groggily stumbling away from you. She collapsed to the floor almost ten feet from where you had bashed her, and you wasted no time in moving atop her.
The tiara she was wearing was broken in two and dented almost beyond recognition. Twilight brought both of her hooves up to her face in an attempt to ease the pain, and her wings remained unfurled and strewn about at her sides. You grabbed her left wing’s forearm with your black gauntlets and atop the humerus you planted your foot. Sickening as it was, you needed to make sure she couldn’t outrange you any longer. With a sickening snap you pulled hard and broke her wing, eliciting a screeching howl from the disordered mare.
Twilight nearly blacked out from the horrific pain, but as you moved to break her other wing she became acutely aware of the situation around her and violently struggled. You had anticipated this and positioned yourself to avoid her flailing limbs. As you prepared to break Twilight’s other wing, however, your worst fears came to fruition. Sweat dripped down Twilight’s face, which was locked in a painful concentration and following a bright magenta flash Twilight teleported from your hands.
You whipped your head up and searched the room, cursing yourself as your own smoke was working against you. Twilight’s loud and uncoordinated movement, no doubt caused by the pain she was in, thankfully alerted you to where she was: near the western wall beneath the stain-glass window detailing Discord’s second petrification.
”It’s over, Anon! Your seal is weakening!” She declared, her voice more angry with her confidence shaken, but she knew that the advantage was unquestionably hers now. The smoke cleared just enough for you to see an incredibly devious smile form on her lips. Neon-green energy swirls began pooling around the base of Twilight’s horn and she closed her eyes to better focus on casting the spell. You charged across the room straight towards the alicorn. The pain from putting pressure on your wounded knee was almost unbearable, but you had no other choice. There was no time for anything aside from stopping Twilight from casting that spell, and you prayed for the princesses to be strong enough to maintain the waning nullification field for just a few precious seconds longer.
Coils of the arcane green haze began slowly working their way up the contours of Twilight’s horn. Twilight was audibly groaning at the effort she needed to exert to overcome the celestial duo’s remaining magic. Just as her spell neared completion you slammed into Twilight and wrapped your hand around her horn. A loud, audible gasp erupted from Twilight as the two of you both were thrown off balance but remained standing. Multicolored sparks fizzled from where your magic resistant gauntlet connected with her horn.
Twilight let out a cry of anger and pain as she shook her head to and fro, desperate to remove what was obstructing her spell. You shifted to Twilight’s left side to avoid the thrashing of her unbroken wing, and you positioned yourself as best you could to remain at her side and away from where her hooves could reach you. The gauntlet gripping Twilight’s horn began heating up and quickly reached unpleasant temperatures. Sparks flew with more regularity and a thin trail of black smoke rose from her horn. The temperature grew so unbearably hot if felt as if your flesh was being cooked, and you let out a scream of frustration as you wrapped your other arm around Twilight’s flailing neck. Letting go of her horn could mean your death.
The two of you lost balance and began falling to the side, but you continued to hold Twilight’s upper body and utilized the momentum to drive Twilight’s horn into the stone wall, cracking the magically sensitive material. An explosion of mystical green instantly erupted and Twilight’s failed spell filled your vision as you were sent flying backwards. The black armor and your own resistance to magic drastically reduced whatever damage you would have taken from the blast, but they did nothing to cushion the copious blows you took while tumbling and rolling across the vast room.
On your back, you finally came to a rest in front of the golden vault which protected the elements. A deathly quiet permeated the chamber. You looked over to where the explosion took place to see the unmoving body of your opponent. Despite your dazed state you forced yourself to quickly check your body for any new injuries. Already you could feel the sting of numerous bruises forming, alongside your wounded leg being even worse for wear. You forced yourself to your feet only to almost immediately drop to the floor thanks to your bad leg.
After downing the vile contents of a flask to comfort your wounds, you crawled across the room to where Twilight rested. She never moved as your armor loudly clanged against the floor. The stain-glass window above her had shattered. Most of the glass had flown out the window, but a good portion of the broken shards littered the floor around Twilight. As expected, you saw she was in terrible shape while leaning over her. Her horn had all but disappeared, nothing but a jagged edge where it met the skull had indicated she even had one. Her once beautiful mane was disheveled and frayed from heat, and the distinct smell of burnt hair permeated the air. Specks of blood matted ends of her coat and mane together, and they could also be seen splattered against the wall and floor blackened from the explosion. Her eyes were shut tight, the left of which had an incredible bruise from where you had hit her with the shield.
Her silver armor likewise was marred from the blast. Not only was it discolored, but many plates of her garb were bent at odd angles and exposed her raw, burnt skin below. Twilight was a crumpled heap, but you heard a small audible mumbling as you drew your head near. You took your helmet off, set it aside, and brought your ear down to Twilight’s neck. The noises you heard from her weren’t incoherent speak as you anticipated, but it was actually her uneven and raggedy breathing. She couldn’t possibly have much time left.
From your pouch you pulled a small vial containing green fluid, a product of Celestia’s finest herbalists and doctors. You pulled the cap off and brought it to Twilight’s mouth while tilting her head back to accept the concoction. The bitter blend wouldn’t heal her wounds, and at this point little could be done for them, but it did an incredible job of masking pain all throughout the body. Her breathing became less labored and she slightly moved her head from side to side, trying to judge just how severe the damage done to her was.
“Twilight…” You whispered as you cradled the pony in your arms to ease the burden on her body.
A long pause filled only with the injured mare’s breathing passed by until she, eyes still shut tight, looked towards where she heard your voice.
”Why, Anon?” She muttered back. Her voice was incredibly raspy, hoarse, and you wouldn’t have understood what she was saying if you hadn’t been so close. It reminded you of a time long ago when you cared for her after she lost her voice from an infection.
”I could have fixed everything…” She trailed off, lightly gurgling. You brought a hand to lightly stroke her cheek once you saw blood pooling in her throat.
“It wasn’t going to work, Twi.” You answered. You didn’t show it, but you weren’t too sure of that any more. How much of what Twilight said was true?
Before the fight you were sure Twilight wanted nothing more than all of Equestria under her rule. It definitely seemed that way at first. When did her goal change to altering the past, you wondered. Was it her purpose from the beginning? You would never understand how, and if, her magic could work, and siding with Equestria only made it all the harder. Just as you resigned yourself to never truly understanding Twilight’s motivations, Twilight tried lifting a hoof towards your face but made little headway.
There was just one last thing you needed to know.
“Twi…” You muttered, pausing for a confirmatory grunt from Twilight. “Do you remember when we came to the door beneath the Crystal Palace? The one you said predicted the future.”
Twilight snorted in affirmation.
”Celestia disowned me. My friends all hate me. Spike has to believe I abandoned him… It all came true, Anon.” Twilight reminisced, sadness quite evident in her tone.
After a moment of hesitation you continued.
“I looked into the doorway too, Twi. I never told you, Spike, or anyone about it. I saw you leaving me.”
”And here we are. It’s coming true.” Twilight quietly responded.
“No. Not you going away forever or dying. You said you didn’t love me anymore.”
Twilight sharply inhaled after hearing your words. She coughed for a few moments as her breathing increased in difficulty. It wouldn’t be much longer now.
“I need to know, Twilight, even after all this time apart… Do you still love me?”
Twilight craned her head to look at you and, slowly but surely and with great effort, her eyes slowly opened. The purple irises you knew and loved filled her bright, round eyes and had taken place of the malicious red tint from earlier. The green glow from her eyes was gone and a healthy white color was left in its place.
”Yes…” She weakly uttered, tired from the exertion needed to simply speak. “I never stopped…”
Cheers and rallying cries erupted from the beset city below and through the broken window. The attacking army had fallen into disarray with their command structure broken. As the sun settled below the horizon, with you hugging your best friend and whispering sweet nothings into her ear, Twilight Sparkle closed her eyes for one final time.