Twilight Sparkle raised her head with what little strength she had left. A dark violet light tinged the surrounding wasteland coming from the runes underneath her and her friends, draining their power and funneling it to a single source. Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy were trapped like she was, strapped to a crucifix-like post by cuffs and chains. Along with them was Starlight Glimmer, Spike, who had also long given up trying to get free.
She looked around, as her friends, assistant, and student were not the only ones. Princess Celestia and Luna imprisoned the same as her, as were Shining Armor and Cadence. Even Flurry Heart was given the same treatment, showing the cult's cruelty as they ignored her cries. But this was not limited to ponies as Discord, Dragon Lord Ember, Thorax, Pharynx, Prince Rutherford, Queen Novo, and Princess Skystar had been propped up. The only prisoner who hadn't been forced to endure the same was the former Dragon Lord Torch, likely because they wouldn't have been able to handle it. The fact that such a large and mighty dragon had been brought low was a testament to how much planning and power the Twilight's Hammer cult had.
She saw them praying to their leader, the minotaur Crushing Steel, as he chanted, dark energy swirling around him. Twilight looked around to her friends and family, not knowing what to say but trying to convey it nonetheless. She smiled at them, a weak but genuine smile despite her saddened eyes. She knew this was it, that they'd failed, but at least she'd get to spend her last moments with those closest to her. Most of them smiled back in wordless understanding, feeling the same way. Others like Ember and Torch refused to be seen weak and still struggled to get free, even though they knew there was no way to escape.
"The time has come, my faithful followers," Crushing Steel began. "With the power of those that would oppose us, we remove the final block to our Great Lord, and usher his will to bring for the End Times! Rejoice!" The cult members, consisting of every species, cheered. "And now, I shall call forth our Master, and bring an end to this pitiful world!" He turned away from them and raised his arms, power surging around him and the runes at his altar glowing brighter. "C'Thun. C'Thun! C'THUN!" he bellowed. The power he had been gathering exploded as the light around him surged. A wave of energy spread across the land, and for a moment there was silence.
Then everything shook. The wastelands parted, shattering like glass. The sky grew dark, blotting out any light from above. From the wound in the land a purple miasma spewed everywhere. Then came the first signs of the being below, tentacles with slitted eyes at the end. "HE COMES! REJOICE! REJOICE FOR THE END OF ALL!" Crushing Steel laughed. As more tentacles burst forth a massive orb broke rose into view, larger than any mountain, and underneath was a mass of flesh with more eyes and tentacles extending from it. For minutes the group could only watch in horror at what was before them. When it finally stopped it looked like an orb the size of the moon had been propped up by a mountain. And then came the noise, something that sounded like a long exhale of breath, but of such strength and power that it was like the earth trying to tear itself apart. And then, finally, the orb turned to face them all, revealing it to be a massive and horrifying eye. After gazing about the sight before it, the creature spoke.
"... Not again."
Everyone just blinked for a moment.
"Uh... what?" Spike muttered.
"Lord C'Thun? What is the matter? Your Chosen are here! We have carried out your will and revived you!" Crushing Steel began.
"Fool. Your 'Master' has done no choosing. What fool are you to awaken me?
The creature's voice and cadence were somehow calm, yet carried such power. Every syllable was like a whisper in their ears, sending shivers down their spines, and yet also had a strength that made it feel like something was crushing their lungs. There was also a tinge of boredom and a annoyance, like it was tying to explain something to particularly stupid child.
"I... I am Crushing Steel, High Priest of the Twilight's Hammer, and I-"
"'Twilight's Hammer?' How is it you even have the same name?" The mighty beast even rolled its eye. "Listen and understand: I had no desire to be awoken."
"Wh-What? But your voice spoke to me!"
"An apparent effect of my presence, something that I had no control over. I came to this world from Azeroth before even the tinies of microbes had an inkling of evolution. I had grown tired of attempting to revive myself through insignificant mortals such as you, only to be thwarted by so many time and time again. So, with great difficulty I had convinced others to release me so I could leave. I desire only sleep, and you are impeding my wishes. Begone."
"Wait... what!? After all this, all the work I've done, you're just going to go back to sleep!?" Crushing Steel asked, completely aghast.
"I care not for your efforts. Your actions are as meaningless as your lives."
"... NO! I DID NOT GO THROUGH ALL THE TROUBLE OF DEFEATING AND IMPRISONING THE MOST POWERFUL BEINGS ON THIS WORLD SO THAT YOU COULD GO BACK TO TAKING A NAP! I DEMAND YOU DESTROY THIS WORLD, NOW!"
"... Excuse you?" C'Thun asked in a tone that, despite it's calmness, had clearly lost any semblance of patience.
"I... I mean-" Before he could finish Crushing Steel, and all his followers, were vaporized by beams of power. Perhaps by coincidence, they also freed all of the prisoners, who were still staring slack-jawed.
"NONE demand of C'Thun." He then shifted his focus to those that remained. "You."
"Y-Y-Y-Y-Yes?" Twilight whimpered out.
"I had specifically ensured that I influenced none so that I would not awaken, but that seems to have failed. It is now your duty to ensure I never awaken again. For if I do, I WILL destroy this world for such transgression."
"U-U-Understood."
The abomination seemed to grunt in approval."And now..." The Old God descended back into the earth, shaking the very world as it did, uttering one last word.
"Sleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep."
The wasteland converged back into place, covering the hole that had been made like it was never there.
For several minutes, every creature just stared at the spot, then back to each other.
"Well... That was a thing that happened," Starlight Glimmer stated.