It was quietly that everyone in the group marched through the desolate wasteland that once was their home Equestria. Avoiding the unnatural hazards which blighted this world, they repressed their hunger and exhaustion for as long as they could. What felt like an eternity to them had only been mere hours, though the lack of any motion except the shattered remains of the moon orbiting the planet made any impression of time obsolete. They knew the sky would never shift again, much less the celestial bodies adorning it.
Their destination, the bottom of Canterlot's mountain range, was within reach. It was maybe only due to Twilight's never-ending determination that the others managed to swallow their dread. The marginal chance that some parts of the library, or at least a single time-scroll, was intact, made the alicorn push forward. The void destruction they could not overlook was something she could not accept, and whatever it would take she would make sure to return home with her friends.
To their relief, the crystalline beast was no longer hot on their heels. Avoiding the cracks which disgorged natural magic, the more timid members of the heroes often winced when enigmatic thunder and lightning appeared near them, scorching the ashen ground further. Ultimately, their bodies remained unharmed, though the scars their souls gained from this sight of annihilation would take a long time to heal again.
Starlight Glimmer, despite knowing Twilight Sparkle on a very personal level and being her first student, held the least faith of them all. She had not personally experienced many of the direful situations Twilight and the others had narrowly overcome. While trusting her judgment, Starlight did not manage to be optimistic and thought about what to do in case they would never be able to return. Considering in what kind of a timeline they were, was there even a point in doing anything?
Deeply grieved, the gifted unicorn looked over her shoulder and into the distance. The only light that survived this world's end shone adamantly. It did not matter if they were part of it or not, or if they even existed. The people in Ponyville lived blissfully unaware of the outside world in tranquility. However, the price for life was a numb soul. Had they been forced into this existence, or had they chosen it? Given everything that must have happened, it started to sound appealing to her.
Forever protected by a guardian, living in everlasting, perfect harmony under the guidance of one supreme entity. Not even a year ago, if she had been in the queen's place, she would have done exactly the same. And seeing how desperate life was outside the illusion of Ponyville, who was to say it was not the right thing to do? Neither revenge nor the misguided desire for control would have guided this act, but the compassion for innumerable lost souls. Was this not good; was it not the right thing to do?
Gasping quietly, Starlight stopped abruptly as in her perception reality distorted once more. It was not as severe as during the picnic, but to her it still felt like something was trying to rip her spirit out of her chest. Moaning and gasping for air, her legs gave in, forcing her to kneel. Staggered, Starlight's eyes swayed uncontrollably, although she was still able to behold her friends rushing to her with the drive to support her.
With her body partially resting on Applejack's back, she looked past the worried faces of her best friends and at the veil of raw magic that enmeshed most of the surface. She beheld the green energy darkening into a jet-black, thick gauze that was almost liquid. Starlight's pupils shrunk to the size of seeds as she witnessed it shedding shadowy stains. As if attracted by her lurking doubts, the shadows wriggled towards her relentlessly.
“Watch out!” Starlight yelled when she suddenly regained control over her body. Just as one of the shadows manifested into a solid entity which attempted to pounce on Applejack, Starlight pushed her and herself into the ground. The apparition did not manage to land and just disintegrated into obsidian dust upon impacting the brittle ground. As fast as it had appeared, it had already ceased to be.
“What the buck was that?” Rainbow Dash wondered full-throatedly while helping Starlight and Applejack standing up.
Unfortunately, they were not granted any time to contemplate about the assault, since it had just begun. Dozens of molten shades kettled them like livestock and every single one of them craved their existences. With nauseating sounds of cracking bones and tearing flesh, fragments of bodies slowly climbed out of the primordial ooze. Shrouded in hazy darkness, these beings of shadow were barely corporeal and only a couple of their body parts were visible, all of them being purple bone fragments.
These tainted skeletons came in many, familiar shapes and sizes. Ponies young and old, griffons, goats and other sentient quadrupeds; they knew all of them. Only a faint, white light was within their empty eye-sockets, perpetually focused at the group of the alive heroes. Sluggishly, they crept closer to them, their every step a fidgety act of balance. While their silhouette was familiar, it was also drastically vitiated. Abscesses the shape of ragged crystals that were almost half the size of their whole bodies imposed agony on these foul creatures in every second they roamed the world. Yet their desire to consume dominated even this agony.
Huddling together, the ponies and Spike could not fathom what horrifying entities they were looking at. To them, they were nightmares turned real, although the true nature of their existence was likely much more terrifying. Whatever they once were, whatever was left of them, all they were now were specters who sought harmony long gone by any means necessary.
Surrounded alongside her friends, Twilight comprehended that these shades would never allow them to leave, which was why they had to fight them. Suppressing her angst, she stood tall and strong as a role model to inspire courage in her scared friends. “Our friends and families trust us to return home and prevent all of this from happening. We mustn't give up, understood?” Twilight implored the others to overcome their fear and stand united.
As a demonstration that this was simply another ordeal they had to triumph over, she launched a beam of light raspberry magic at one of the fiends, which ripped it apart instantly. For a few seconds, the echo of its static, gargled scream lingered until it finally faded forever. This small victory was the proof most of her friends needed to have their hearts fueled with confidence again. The two exceptions were the craven Fluttershy and the traumatized Starlight, who sought refuge in the middle of the others.
“Let's get them!” Twilight shouted before taking to the skies and bombarding their adversaries with blasts of raw magic.
Standing flank to flank, Rainbow Dash was eager to proof that she could reduce more of the shadows to a pulp than Applejack, even while injured. Gladly, the keen earth pony accepted her challenge and used the devastating power of her hind legs to treat her opponents like the trees of her farm, although without gentleness. Rainbow Dash, unable to use her speed force, followed her example.
At first, Pinkie Pie only bounced back and forth, unable to think about a way to help in this battle. She disliked hitting others, which was why she considered more entertaining ways to win. “I got it!” She yelled as she rummaged through her bulky mane. With a rapt grin, she pulled her treasured rubber chicken out of it. Laughing joyously, she utilized the squeaky item like it was a flail, shattering the hostile apparitions which tried to harm her and her friends.
While a fine lady of sophistication, Rarity did not mind getting dirty from the mud dispersed by the arcane detonations Twilight's attacks caused. Still, she was not proficient in the arts of combat, and only knew how to clout someone with graze. It was a sufficient method to vanquish individual specters, but she eventually found herself overwhelmed by an entire group that wanted to make her a part of them.
Just as they tried to lash out at her, a spinning object ripped through them like a cannonball through a ship's hull. Rarity beheld it return like a boomerang to the person who threw it, who was none other than her beloved Spike. She looked at him with a dreamy smile while he proudly spun Applejack's hat on one of his talons as if it was a basketball. Speaking of which, the farmer was not amused about the rascal's simple theft and snatched her hat out of his claw.
For the most part left alone by the aggressors, Starlight Glimmer did not understand her own hesitation. No matter how hard she tried to make her body move through force of will, it denied her control. Similar to being stuck in a dark dream, everything around her felt out of her influence, like watching a movie at the cinema without the ability to leave. She desperately wanted to help protecting her friends, but it was as if the presence of the dark entities alone forbid her to do so. Was it perhaps that they were already feasting on her ever-growing doubt? If that was the case, then even the young unicorn found it amusingly ironic that she once believed herself to be a great leader with a higher purpose.
“Starlight! Look out!” Fluttershy attempted to warn her with vociferous whispers.
Unable to react in time, one of the shadows relentlessly tackled Starlight and pushed her into the dust. Chest on chest, the specter pinned her down and opened its gaping jaw with the intention of feeding on the unicorn's mind. Everything around Starlight turned black as she screamed with fear for her life, trying to push the creature off of her in vain. Its white pupils started to glare and flicker, blinding Starlight while she felt her other senses and her life force elapse.
“Get- off me!” Starlight bawled through her clenched teeth. Utilizing all of her remaining strength, she erected her head and leaned her horn against the fiend's forehead. Her turquoise aura engulfed her horn, flickering weakly as she tried to channel magic through it. Before she could attempt to defend herself however, the darkness shattered like broken glass alongside the entity on her. Snapping out of her struggle for survival, she looked at her savior with utmost relief. “Thank you, Fluttershy.”
The yellow pegasus did not look pleased about what she had just done, but she had not been given another choice. Just like years ago against the giant, red dragon, she put aside her personal objections and focused on protecting those she cared deeply about. Reaching out to Starlight, Fluttershy helped her getting back on all of her four legs. “Are you alright?” She asked the heliotrope pony with a mellow voice.
“Y-yes. I think so.” Starlight answered groggily, finding it difficult to remain unshaken. Regardless, with Fluttershy by her side, she found vigor again and was ready to give their enemies the lesson of their lives. Her newfound courage was of no more importance though, as all that was left of the corrupted creatures were stains of ash and dust. They did not require her support to surpass such obstacles, a fact that aggrieved her. “Well- I guess it's over.”
Mostly silent and wary, the group proceeded with their march through the empty, sallow wasteland. The elation of their victory quickly faded when their minds comprehended the truth of this reality again. Yet it allowed them to cling to hope that was not a mere illusion, but the power that pushed them to their limits. Everyone's will was clear of doubt, even Starlight's, although she mostly forced it back into the deepest abyss of her subconsciousness. She had seen what her uncertainty produced and she refused to ever let it happen again. Her friends did not blame her for the fight, but how could she possibly not blame herself?
In the end, all of them reached the foot of Canterlot's mountain range safely. Knowing that they were on their last legs, they decided to look for a hiding place to spend the figurative night in. It did not take them much time to discover the entrance to a deep cave. At first gratifying everyone, the infrequent flashes of faint, green light from within disconcerted them. If they had a choice, they would have refused to take a single step inside, but considering their current situation it was clear to them they did not.
Their leader Twilight turned around to face everyone and granted her friends reassurance via a look of confidence. “Alright everypony. We made it this far, so don't give up now. Whatever is inside the cave, we'll face it bravely. And then we finally get some rest.”
The suggestion of rest alone motivated even the anxious members of their group to stand their ground. The sole exception was Spike, who was rewarded a ride on Rarity's smooth back for his dashing rescue. “Sounds good. Hopefully, there's something to munch inside, too.” Because of the reminder that pangs of hunger and thirst still plagued them, almost everyone glared at Spike. Pressing his face into Rarity's neck, he hoped that their anger would dissipate soon.
Having regained composure, the ponies trotted inside the dank, dim hiding place. The sounds of brittle sticks and parched leaves beneath their hooves briefly alarmed them, but as soon as everybody realized that they posed no danger they calmed down. “Where are they even comin' from?” Applejack wondered why the floor was littered with objects that normally belonged to a forest, decayed or not.
Rarity remembered their conflict with the diamond dogs many years ago, and wondered if this was a similar situation to back then. “Maybe it's an alarm system.” She proposed unconcernedly.
While primitive, it was most certainly loud enough to function as such. Twilight nodded and motioned everyone to hunker down. “Okay. Then let's be very careful now. Look out for traps and ambushes.” She instructed her friends in a whisper.
As they ventured into the cave's heart, they found no living entity inside. Yet what Spike discovered instead of the source of the green glow ecstasized him like the promise of chocolate overjoyed a child. “Water!” He shouted before jumping down Rarity's back and rushing over to the glittering puddle of stone-cold refreshment.
Twilight Sparkle wiped through her face in frustration, but when she realized that no hostile entity appeared she forgave the young dragon for his carelessness. Without hesitation, the ponies cantered to the puddle as well and gobbled its contents indelicately. Naturally, the water was contaminated with fine dust and other particles that gave it a sickly brown appearance. Regardless, their survival instincts overpowered the regrets and stomachaches they would experience in the near future.
Satisfied, they decided to end this day and sit down. The hard ground was not a comfortable surface to rest on, but for this overnight stay it had to suffice. Using the last reserves of her magic, Starlight conjured a small, blue fire in the middle of the cavern. “That- should last for an hour of two. At least it does not need fuel and produces no smoke.” Starlight explained quietly. But before long, her insecurity gave way for a winning smile when the others kindly thanked her for the warm bonfire.
At least this once she believed to have contributed in a positive way to this endeavor. She thought about it for a little longer and remembered that she had also helped saving Rainbow Dash. Even if all of this was somehow her fault, she would give everything to see her friends and the world bright again. The idea that all of this pain once again occurred because the former bearers of the elements of harmony were absent saddened her, but she knew that to change the status quo they had to save the world a final time.
“Hey! Who is there?” Rainbow Dash shouted as she leapt back on her legs. Ready for the fray, the blue pegasus stared at the entity that was responsible for the green light they had seen outside. Her daring simmered down fast when she and the others recognized the light was in the shape of eyes and that they hovered mere centimeters above the ground. Most of all they looked scared and woeful.
“Oh no.” Fluttershy gasped as she cautiously yet swiftly cantered to the small being. As she knelt down in front of it and extended a hoof, the benign pegasus at once comprehended everything. It imposed grief upon her fragile soul, but she had to keep strong for the sake of this tiny creature. Slowly stepping out of the shadows, a timberwolf puppy nosed at her. Carefully picking it up, she brought it over to the campfire and huddled against it.
The others remained quiet, not even knowing what to say as they beheld Fluttershy taking care of the ill pup. Though gently petting it and giving it as much affection as she could, the yellow pegasus bore a constant, mournful frown. The poor pup lacked color and vitality just like the flora of the Everfree Forest, and the green glow of its eyes often dimmed. Rainbow Dash, in a moment of compassion for her best friend, took in a deep breath and sat down next to Fluttershy, letting her know that she was always there for her.
“I- well.” Twilight Sparkle stammered, for once in her life at a loss of words. Desperately, the alicorn tried to think about something to lighten the mood or at least distract all of them from their dreadful situation. “So- anypony got an idea what those evil spirits were?” She asked everyone without receiving an answer, much less a lot of attention. The only one who really considered Twilight's matter was Starlight, but she too remained quiet in her hate to think about it.
With everyone remaining silent, Twilight sighed and laid down as her gaze often shifted to Fluttershy caring for the small timberwolf. She remembered the lovely night she spent together with the kind pegasus, and how much she loved her animal companions. She could not fathom how much anguish Fluttershy felt, yet she admired her deeply for remaining stalwart and caring. Twilight did not care what others said about her friend, she knew that her heart was stronger than most others.
Outside, the last remnants of the orange horizon faded. With the world covered in jet-black darkness, the green glow which weakly illuminated the cave's entrance was one of the few lights left in the world. But just like millions before it, it too glinted unsteadily for a long moment until extinguishing once and for all.