Chapter Four
Conquest
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Twilight opened her eyes. Light spilling through the open door gave a dim view of the debris and blankets piled on top of her. She pushed herself up and charged toward Spike through the pile of wreckage. “Spike! Spike! Speak to me!” She knelt beside him while her friends looked on from the doorway in silent horror.
Spike climbed to his feet, standing with a hunched posture. He slowly straightened and opened his eyes. Twilight stared into them, and a vibrant teal glare met her gaze. Cold terror pierced her heart. “Spike?”
The dragon smirked. Black mist seeped from between its scales like water through gills. It thickened and grasped every inch of the dragon. It reminded Twilight of a Spike-shaped blot of ink on parchment. The dragon's limbs and torso stretched like clay shaped by invisible hands. Twilight found herself looking up at the dragon that was once Spike. It now stood at about Princess Luna's height.
The dragon's limbs tensed up, and several spikes protruded outward through the scales of its shoulders, arms, legs, and tail, issuing a series of sounds like swords rasping upon stone. It shuddered and lowered its head. A slender horn the length of its forearm grew from its head, slowly jutting forward and ending in a needle tip.
The creature tossed its head back and roared in an unmistakably feminine voice. The mist that had enveloped it blew away in all directions in a gust. Twilight threw a foreleg in front of her eyes to shield herself from the buffeting fume. When her mane and feathers stopped blowing around in the wind, she lowered her leg. Caution slowed her movements.
Black and yellow surges of electricity played across the draconic monstrosity's form. Twilight realized the spikes covering its limbs were not spikes at all, but small unicorn horns—dynamos for the electrical magic surging across its body. Not only was Spike's body now thin and feminine, but the purple scales were now sunrise orange, the light-green belly scales pink, and the green spines a cascade of light blues.
Disbelief froze Twilight in place. She knew the implications what she saw, but could not process them.
The dragon lifted its arms and stared into its open palms, experimentally moving its clawed digits. A wicked sneer twisted its face. “It... it worked.”
Twilight recognized that voice.
“Incredible,” the dragon continued. “I am truly the greatest spellweaver Equestria has ever seen.”
Twilight flared her wings and squared her legs. “What did you do to Spike?”
The dragon placed her hands on her hips and looked down at Twilight. “I put him to good use. He is the tool I need to finish what I started hundreds of years ago. Now scurry back to your piteous hamlet and hide—you will serve the new order far better with your heads still attached to their necks.”
Strings of magic shot from horn to horn and coiled along the dragon's body, where they gathered in a crackling ball at the tip of her horn. She spun on her heels, and five tendrils snaked through the air. Each wrapped itself around one of Twilight's friends, picked them up, and flung them against the bedchamber's walls. The rest of the magic surged along the dragon's sleek form, levitating her off the ground. She loosed a manic laugh and hovered forward, turning the corner and taking off down the hallway.
Twilight rushed to her friends and helped them back on their hooves. “Is everypony okay?”
Rarity rubbed the back of her head and winced. “Mostly. But... what just happened to Spike?”
A slack-jawed Applejack stared out the door. “No, it can't be... It can't be what I think it is.”
Rainbow zoomed overhead, her motions jittery and erratic. “Come on! After him, uh, her! Uh, wherever it went.”
Bending her legs, Twilight flattened her ears and took off at full gallop. “Hurry, everypony. She's going for the throne room!” She did not have to guess where the dragon had gone; a clear trail of scorch marks were burned along the castle's tile floor.
Twilight gave a grim smile as she heard four sets of hooves clopping along behind her. She knew not how powerful this dragon-unicorn amalgamation was, but she knew there was no chance it was as powerful as Tirek. If she and her friends could save Equestria from the likes of him, this creature stood no chance.
“Poor Spike!” Fluttershy's words came between laboured breaths. “What happened to him?”
“He ate the diamond,” Twilight said without looking back.
Pinkie made a gagging noise. “Oh, no! That'll give him a wicked-bad tummy ache.”
“Pinkie!” Twilight gritted her teeth. “Judging from what happened... no... It's just not possible. Come on! Hurry!” Dread formed a weight at the bottom of her stomach. The only logical reason for the nature of Spike's transformation was too improbable to believe.
They made one final turn and charged through the throne room's open double doors. The abomination stood in the centre with her arms spread wide, her many horns aglow. Magic sparks shot off her like embers from a bonfire.
She turned and faced the ponies. “So, you chose to disregard my warning. Funny. I didn't think you were anypony's martyrs.”
Twilight bared her teeth and pawed at the ground. “What have you done with Spike?”
“Is that all you can say? I already told you—he was a tool, the last instrumental piece in the greatest magical experiment this kingdom has seen.” The horns on her shoulders fired sparks of magic into the air, exploding in black and yellow bursts. “You fools! The diamond was never enchanted.”
“So it is true,” Twilight said with a shudder.
“What kind of foul nightmare magic is this?” Rarity's voice shook.
Rainbow landed, catlike, on Twilight's left. “But Princess Celestia said—”
“The diamond bore not just simple magic, but a soul—my soul,” the dragon said. “I am Daybreak Aurora, the most powerful sorceress in Equestria. And now, after being without a body for centuries, I live once more thanks to my Spirit Stone.”
Applejack advanced to Twilight's right side. She growled at Daybreak. “Princess Celestia said yer spell wasn't finished.”
Daybreak regarded her with a sour expression. “She was correct. Even someone as mighty as me is capable of making an error. When I dueled Celestia for the throne of Canterlot, I was unprepared. I knew it was only a matter of time before she would expel me out of fear of being surpassed, but I did not expect it to come so swiftly. I again underestimated her strength. Of course, I could not brook defeat, so I cast my spell on the diamond I had stolen a year before our conflict.”
Daybreak spat on the ground. “I knew it would destroy my body in the process—a handy consequence, as it allowed me to fake my own death. I can only guess how depressed Celestia felt.” She allowed herself a chuckle. “But I digress. The spell did not work as I intended. It left my soul in a feeble state. And so I had to lie in wait.
“Fortune finally struck. When you battled Lord Tirek and forced him to give up the power he had stolen, Equestria was bathed in an incredible surge of power.”
Twilight's blood froze as she began to piece Daybreak's words together.
“I fed off that power, taking only a tiny bit of each pony's magic for my own. It was an easy task, given how wild and loose the magic was, and the amount I absorbed from each pony was miniscule enough to be undetected. I was restored. At last, I could make my move.”
“You tricked Spike.” Twilight ground out each word. The cold fear in her veins boiled into rage.
“Necessary collateral damage.” Daybreak waved a dismissive hand. “Directly merging myself with a dragon—delightfully powerful beings that they are—has produced a much better result than simply transferring my spirit into some unicorn. As pathetic as Spike was, he was still a dragon, and that mighty blood flows through my veins. You can't imagine the power I now wield.”
“A few days ago, I was entrusted with all the alicorn magic in Equestria,” Twilight said. “I'd say I've got a pretty good idea.”
“Come now, Twilight, there's no need to be snide.” Daybreak narrowed her eyes. “What matters is you no longer have that power.”
“Um, Daybreak?” Fluttershy said from behind Twilight, Applejack, and Rainbow. “Can you give us Spike back, please?”
Magic flared around Daybreak. “That's Queen Aurora to you, peasant.”
Rainbow raised her hackles. “Enough! I say we finish what Princess Celestia started.”
Daybreak cocked her head and blinked at her. “You seek to challenge me? My my, you are bold.”
“'Bold' is my middle name!” Rainbow reared up and flexed her forelegs.
Pinkie snickered. “Really? I thought you said it was 'Danger.'”
“I have a bunch of middle names.”
Twilight blocked the doubt and fear creeping into her mind. She reached within her reserves of power and lit her horn. The heat from her sparking magic warmed her head as she took methodical steps forward. “Release Spike. Now.”
Daybreak's eyes became teal slits. “Or else what? I've seen inside you, Twilight Sparkle. I know your powers are nothing compared to mine.”
Twilight flared her wings. “You underestimated Princess Celestia, and now you've underestimated us. You were expelled because you don't learn from your mistakes.” Her nostrils expelled a puff of steam. “Everypony, together!”
Twilight and her friends charged forward. Daybreak squared her shoulders and balled her hands into fists. Wiry muscles corded in her limbs as she flexed her arms and flicked her tail. Daybreak’s many horns shot plumes of magic into the air. Her body was awash in black and yellow flame. She bent her knees and leapt backward, soaring dozens of feet into the air.
Daybreak thrust her left palm forward. A jet of magic arced toward Twilight. She sidestepped, feeling it sizzle past her head. The blast smashed into the tile behind her, blowing it apart. Daybreak drifted toward the ground some distance away, the burning magic turning her fall into a graceful glide. She shoved her right palm forward and pulled her left back, sending another blast toward Twilight and her friends.
Twilight harnessed her magic and teleported out of the fireball's path. She yelled, “Everypony, watch out!” when she saw Daybreak begin to rapidly hurl them. With a hard beat of her wings, she took off. Her heart smashed against her ribcage as the barrage splintered tiles all around her friends—and one headed directly for Fluttershy. Bracing herself, Twilight teleported again. She appeared in the fireball's path and pushed everything she had into a magical barrier.
The attack sledged into her shield and exploded in a shower of sparks. Twilight's horn felt like it rang from the impact. But she dug in her hooves and held her ground, even when Fluttershy crashed into her. “Are you okay?” she asked.
Fluttershy mumbled something about being fine, and Twilight exhaled. Ahead, she saw Applejack and Rainbow pressing forward while Rarity and Pinkie focused on avoiding the oncoming attacks. A rattled Twilight began regathering her magic while Applejack and Rainbow reached Daybreak.
Applejack rolled forward, then spun on her forehooves to aim a kick with both hind legs. In a blur, Daybreak crouched and leapt off the ground, allowing Applejack to pass under her. Rainbow rushed forward and threw a punch, the momentum of flight adding a great deal of power. Daybreak raised her forearm. Magic coalesced into a small shield in front of it, and Rainbow's attack bounced off, sending her somersaulting toward the ground.
Twilight again pushed her magic forward, but this time, she had no plans of defending. A boulder-sized sphere of magenta flew from her horn, rolling through the air toward Daybreak, who lowered her head and pointed her long horn at it. Twilight's spell connected and bathed the room in a blinding glow.
Twilight covered her eyes until the blast subsided. Her jaw fell open. Daybreak's eyes glowed pure white. Magic coiled around her in thick cables. Twilight could not understand it—she had held nothing back when she unleashed that shot, but Daybreak floated in the air without as much as a scuff on her scales.
“Enough of this,” Daybreak said. Excess magic radiated from her like heat waves in a desert. She thrust her fists forward, and magic rippled forth in a wave that swept up Twilight and her friends and hurled them against the throne room's back wall. They landed in a heap. As Twilight rubbed her head and tried to stand, Daybreak touched down and strutted forward. Her eyes reverted to their sharp teal colour. “You see? Even with your vaunted ‘magic of friendship,’ your powers are nothing compared to mine.”
“But not ours,” said a stern, familiar voice from the doorway.
Twilight staggered to her hooves and looked toward it. Celestia and Luna stood there. Gone was any semblance of regal nobility; their faces bore withering grimaces that made Twilight feel afraid, despite their being directed at Daybreak. Their ears were flat, their nostrils flared, and their strides that were those of the warhorses of old.
“P-Princess Celestia!” Twilight's words tumbled clumsily from her mouth. “It's Daybreak, she's—”
“I understand,” Celestia said as she advanced. “Stand back, all of you. My sister and I will put an end to this.”
Twilight wanted to caution Celestia not to hurt Spike, but remembered how sincere and pained her expression was when she thought she had killed Daybreak, even hundreds of years later.
Pure white magic gathered around Luna's horn. “Daybreak Aurora.” Her voice boomed with enough force to rattle the stained glass windows. “We will drive your foul essence from Spike's body.”
Daybreak's body horns ignited, once more bathing her in flaming magic. “You will try.”
Twilight stood back, her friends huddling around her. She had heard tales of Celestia and Luna bringing their powers to bear, but had never truly witnessed it. Having harnessed the royal family's alicorn magic just days ago, part of her was eager to see it used by its rightful wielders.
Sunburst magic swirled around Celestia. The royal sisters, surrounded by bright gold and white, advanced at a measured pace. Through the light, Twilight saw Daybreak's eyes studying their movements. As arrogant as she was, it seemed Daybreak still had respect for at least Celestia's power.
With no warning, Celestia and Luna unleashed their magic toward Daybreak in tandem. Massive twin beams burst from their horns, ripping through the air. Surging magic whitened Daybreak's eyes as she thrust her palms forward. Energy poured from her horns into her hands.
The Princesses' attacks slammed into Daybreak with a booming crash of thunder. In the overpowering wash of white and gold, Daybreak burned like a black and yellow flame.
Celestia gritted her teeth and took laboured steps forward, her horn and head shuddering from the effort of maintaining such a powerful spell. “Push harder, sister!”
Twilight's eyes remained fixated upon the deadly clash.
Daybreak roared. Black blades of magic cleaved through Celestia and Luna's attacks, heading straight for their horns. The Princesses flew into the air, and the beams dissipated. Bathed in the fire of her magic, Daybreak hurtled toward them. The sisters banked left and right.
Daybreak zoomed between them and came to a stop. She heaved a deep breath and belched a torrent of green flame. The Princesses tucked their wings against their bodies and plummeted toward the ground. The fire plumed forth just inches above them.
Forked lightning issued from Daybreak's horn, striking them in the chests. Their dive became an uncontrolled drop. Twilight could not watch any longer. She galloped forward, lowering her head and charging toward the descending Daybreak.
“Haven't you learned your lesson yet?” Daybreak said as she spun around in midair. She flicked her right hand in a semicircular arc.
A crescent of green flame erupted from the floor. Twilight yelled and dug her hooves into the ground, beating her wings to prevent herself from smashing into them.
“Come on, Twilight!” Rainbow beckoned her with a forehoof and soared into the air. But the flames rose until they licked the ceiling, filling the room with their deadly green glow. She banked off and searched for an opening, but found none.
Twilight could only stare into the fire and guess what was happening a few feet in front of her. Her ears perked up when she heard Celestia say, “Sister, strike as one!” The sound of magic tore through the air, overpowering the flames' crackle.
A peal of laughter—Daybreak's—met her ears. The thunderclap of immense magics clashing filled the air. Daybreak gave a draconic roar, and a surge of her yellow magic blotted out all else in Twilight's eyes. She gritted her teeth and closed her eyes as the heat from the green fire and the warring magics washed over her. Two screams wrenched Twilight's gut. The pain they carried was palpable enough to make her nerves burn.
All became still and quiet.
Twilight cracked an eye open. Her chest felt like it had been struck with a sledgehammer. Celestia and Luna were at the foot of the stairs leading to the throne. A massive block of yellow crystal encased each monarch, leaving only their faces exposed.
“E-everypony!” Celestia said, her voice strained. “Run!”
But Twilight could not run. The thought could not enter her mind. She had to help them. Daybreak's tail swished as she approached the throne, ascending the steps. Twilight looked behind her. Her friends wore expressions of shock, fear, and despair, but she could see the same unshakable drive to save Equestria's rightful rulers that forbade her from fleeing. She advanced with determined strides.
“I said run!”
Twilight did not heed her former mentor's plea.
Daybreak sat on Celestia's throne, lounging on its red velvet cushions. “For once, she is giving advice worth listening to,” she said, leaning forward. “Come now, what's with all the long faces? This is a joyous occasion.”
“Let them go.” The force in Twilight's voice startled even her.
“And give up my new decorations? Oh, please. I have only just begun remodeling. Stand back. I'm sure Rarity will appreciate this.” Daybreak stood and fired a narrow beam of magic at the ceiling.
A yellow glow spread across it until it covered the entire throne room. Images of Daybreak’s original body replaced all the designs in the stained glass windows, each one in an equally different, but equally grandiose, if not arrogant, pose. The tapestries bearing Celestia and Luna's sigils now flew Daybreak's cutie mark as their coat of arms. Pillars turned orange, and the walls transformed into a cascade of blues.
“I think it looks hideous,” Rarity said.
“For somepony as obsessed with beauty as you, I thought you'd have better taste,” Daybreak said. She gave a mock gasp. “I'd almost forgotten. With the pair of nags who had the gall to call themselves royalty out of the way, I am now the Queen of Equestria. You six attacked me. That's attempted regicide. Normally, the punishment is death, but I have something else that's far more fitting.”
Twilight lunged forward, but Daybreak extended her right palm. A low hum met Twilight's ears. Her limbs froze. Eyes darting, she looked to her hooves, afraid she and her friends would be imprisoned in yellow crystal. A black circle had appeared beneath them.
“I-I can't move!” Applejack yelled from behind her.
Dark tendrils of smoke drifted from the circle.
“Me neither!” Rainbow said, stuck a dozen feet in the air.
The smoke rose above them.
“T-Twilight?” Fear shook Pinkie's voice. “What's going on?”
In a choking crash, the black tendrils pulled at Twilight and her friends. In seconds, the five ponies she held most dear disappeared into the maw-like void beneath her. Then she felt it. The smoke latched onto her like straining steel cords that cut into her limbs and back. Her muscles would not obey her as she threw all of her mental energy against the darkness.
Her hind legs vanished beneath the ground. In seconds, her torso joined them. Then, her forelegs. With only her head remaining, she looked into Celestia's tear-stained face. “I'm sorry,” Twilight said with the last of her strength.
In one final, painful tug, her head joined the rest of her body in darkness.