Hooded and concealed by frosted woods, three figures stood in wait, peeking ever-so-often towards their target.
"Is it time yet?" The first figure asked, crouched low behind a boulder and gazing worriedly towards the purple Alicorn and her compatriots, "I'm getting antsy, they've just been standing there... You don't suppose they've spotted us?"
"Subtlety isn't their style," the second said, laying down on the ground in a careful motion, "Believe me. I mean, have you seen Rarity?"
"Quiet!" The third snapped, the telekinetic grip on her book tightening as her companions flinched, "Its time when I say its time, so stop talking and wait. We only have one shot at this! And if one of you messes up my concentration we are all going to die, not just Princess Twilight, but everyone else in a 20 miles radius, so, shut, up."
And for a good while, the group respected the request, but time turned on, and even gentle breezes wore steadily at their nerves. The apparent leader, clutching her tome ever tighter, eyed the group of mares still gathered at the edge, peering over into the depths. Beginning her incantations with a measured sigh and a deep breath, she spoke the words slowly, letting slip each syllable as carefully as one could. To her two underlings, the effect was at once beautiful and disturbing, like the words had a will of their own, indignant at being summoned forth from someone unworthy.
"Dolain Ak'marorna," she said, her face twisting with concentration, as if every letter was fighting her, willing itself to remain unspoken, "H'yiat Zetheil Xsim!"
"So... When do you think she'll be done?" The First whispered, reaching up with a claw and scratching underneath his hood.
"Who knows," the Second said, "Honestly, you'd think somepony with such a big brain could work out a less convoluted way to... Just get it over with."
"Well, that's Specter for you, when she wants someone dead..." The First again looked out at the group, his voice growing heavy with pity. He didn't need to continue the thought for the Second to understand what he was getting at. Specter, the third, was if nothing else, thorough. If she succeeded with finishing her incantation, there would be no doubt, the Princess, and likely the other four that were with her, would die...
And that's what you want, isn't it? The Second was so sure, at least, once, in another time...
She'd wanted vengeance, she'd wanted to be free of her past... That was her mistake, and as she looked at Specter, her incantation nearing its zenith, powered by a laundry list of thing the Second had stolen, cheated, and lied to get her hooves on... A vial of royal blood, moonstone, even the Alicorn amulet, that had been the hardest, but what was that effort for? What did it mean?
She look back to the group, spying the shock of colors that was Rainbow Dash... Her... Her friend...
The truth was, it meant nothing, all that effort, that time, the lies, the thievery, all of it, for something she no longer wanted any part of.
The realization hit her like a train.
Guilt, regret, the pain from every lie she ever told, long suppressed, rushed back to her, and her calm, carefully constructed facade threatened to crack under the weight of it.
And, as if it was the crescendo, the finale of her emotional crisis, there was the rage.
At herself,
At the world that had brought her to this,
At Specter...
So, in the moment of blinding rage, she lost her control. Her hate slipped from her mind into action, and as the rock sailed through the air, she realized just what she'd done.
THOCK
She winced as the stone sailed true to its target, beaning Specter straight on, and cocking her neck back with the force of the impact... Cutting the word she'd been saying neatly in two.
Uh oh, The Second quickly reoriented herself, trying to look just as scared as she felt. Neither Specter nor their companion had seen her throw the stone, but of course, that wasn't what she was worried about.
The First looked back in a panic as the word was cut short, eyes widening as he took in the implications of the failed incantation, just as the Second had.
They stood there, all three of them, as the seconds wore on, the First and Second scared witless, and Specter seemingly dazed. Then, as if awoken, Specter reacted,
Her face curled as she seemed to concentrate its mass toward its center, all her features crushed together in a face that somehow managed to convey her near boundless rage. With no doubt, she was pissed. But as fast as the rage had overtaken her, it dissipated, along with the magic she'd been gathering in her horn.
"Welp," She said, finally straightening her neck and looking to the other two with an expression best described as 'flat', "We are so unbelievably dead."
And with a flash, they were gone, moments passed, and the bright light attracted the attention of the five ponies still near the abyss. Looks of confusion were shared, before the calm was wrought upon a shock wave, the sky above seemed to fold within itself, and three great spheres shot out from its depths. The first sped south, beyond the mountains, the second fell to the North, descending into the great abyss, and the third was launched straight towards the now panicked bearers.