Twilight slumped against a wall sighing in exertion; her head had started bleeding again and it was sapping her already flagging strength. Squinting through her fuzzy vision she checked her location on the deck map she had fallen against.
"Close... come-on." She murmured to herself, pulling away from the wall with a wet slide. "Just a few more decks."
Twilight continued to stumble through the corridors, working her way between the closest available object she could lean against. A few worried looking ponies ran past her but orders from the bridge had filtered down and her subjects were carrying out her final orders.
From out of the haze Twilight saw Nocturne and Umbra running towards her. This seemed like a good enough reason to sit down for a bit so she slumped down as the siblings skidded to a halt.
"TWILIGHT! You've got to come quickly, its the..." Umbra yelled as she approached, suddenly cutting off into a horrified screech as the filly finally noticed Twilights ruined forehead. "Oh hells-teeth what happened to you?"
"Its under control." Twilight replied, trying to wave it off. "What did you need to tell me?"
"Uhh... its uhh... its the Tree of Harmony... its dead." Umbra spluttered. Her brother signed something Twilight didn't understand, which should have been impossible, and Umbra snapped back at him. "That's not important right now!"
"What isn't?"
"It's nothing...what are we going to do about the...?"
"Tell me." Twilight cut in. Voice certain.
"I am..." Umbra said hesitantly, glancing at her brother before continuing. "I am somewhat in pain."
"What kind of pain?" Twilight said leaning in.
Umbra replied looking embarrassed by the fact. "It is in my stomach; it kind of all scrunching in, and its has been coming in waves since the Tree died a few minutes ago... I've never felt like..."
"You're hungry." Twilight said, smiling slightly in-spite of herself.
"But that's impossible..." Umbra said, stepping back in shock. "Twilight... I don't... I CAN'T get hungry... my magic..."
"Your magic should preclude the need yes," Twilight replied, getting back to her feet and continuing her weary way down the corridor. "It must be quite the shock."
Umbra followed, "No. But if this is happening what about every-pony else?"
"A voice, a deep baritone that was unfamiliar and oh-so familiar at the same time, rang out. "Then all our magic will soon be naught." The two mares looked back at Nocturne, whom had been silent since the first day he had come blinking into the light, only looking slightly surprised at his own utterance. "We're all going to die."
Umbra looked on in horror for a moment. And when she turned back to Twilight the princess was gone.