I came to the ground and looked at Zecora concerned as she mirrored my worry.
"We will eat some breakfast, then figure out what is at the nexus." Zecora planned and I nodded as I followed after into the hut. Breakfast was a quick affair od porridge and cinnamon. I went to the door and looked back at her Zecora.
"Ill meet you in town, Ill try and figure out what's going down." I said and she gave me a smile as I realized myself that I rhymed.
"Go on Feather, no need to treat me like a tether." Zecora said as she began to finish up the dishes. I left the door and closed it behind myself as I took to the sky and began to fly towards Ponyville when out of nowhere a lance of purple lightning streaked in the sky above and I stopped to hover above the foliage.
"What the hell?" I asked myself before going up towards the clouds to investigate. When I broke through the clouds I almost slammed into a purple alicorn.
"Whoa" I called out as she passed me heading deeper into the forest.
"Twilight?" I asked bewildered and began to follow her.
"Hey! Twilight! Do you know what's going on?" I asked and she didn't answer and headed towards the dilapidated castle and landed on the ground. I beat my wings and landed just after her.
"Twilight?" I asked suspiciously.
"F-feather beak?" She asked looking back at me confused.
"You really mush have somet-" I began to say as her horn overloaded in a myriad of powers and a bolt of pure energy crackled from her horn as she gave a look of strained control.
"Control....I just need to get control." She chided herself.
"You...seem more powerful?" I hazarded a guess and she looked at me.
"You cant be near me I cant control the power yet so its dangerous to be near me." She said backing away.
"I can see that but how are you...how did you get so much power?" I asked and she looked at the ground as her eyes flattened against her head.
"Its the only way that Tirek wont get the power of the princesses." She stated simple and after a few moments it clicked. My eyes widened and I sucked in a sharp breath.
"Holy fuck.... They gave you all of their magical power to keep it from Tirek... So this morning." I began to ask and she looked up at me with a sheepish smile.
"Its harder then it looks...controlling the rise and descent of both the moon and sun." She said mildly. I sat back on my heels placing a claw on my face.
"I didn't know what the Princesses would have done but never had I thought they would put all the eggs in one basket." I said and Twilight also sat down.
"I didn't want this. I'm more of a danger to the ponies around me. I need to bear this burden and keep the power from Tirek." She said straitening her back. I let my claw fall and began to think.
"Can you beat him as you are now? You have to be the most powerful being in the world right now." I guessed and she looked at me and shrugged.
"I suppose so but I cant say for sure I would need to run some tests." She said before she frowned realizing what she was saying and I gave a small chuckle.
"Ok I get it, backs to the wall and Tirek knows about the three princesses but how does he not know about you...don't you have like a mural or a statue somewhere since rising to become a princess." I asked and she thought a moment then her eyes widened.
"There's a stain glass mural in the castle." She said suddenly.
"Where Tirek is heading I'm guessing." I said as my face deadpanned.
"Oh horse punky." Twilight said.
"Wasn't Discord tasked with stopping him what happened there?" I asked standing up.
"He betrayed us and is helping Tirek. That's how he's gathered up so much magic so far." Twilight said also standing.
"How's he have so much magic?" I asked and she looked downcast.
"He's stolen all the power from regular ponies from all the major cities and some minor ones. He has the power of millions of ponies from across Equestria." She said as her horn began to flare up as it fizzled and popped with barely contained magical energy.
The ground shook and I looked around unsure how to deal with an earthquake. I lifted off the ground with my wings in a beat and watched as the ground trembled underneath me, Twilight followed my example and hovered next to me.
"TWILIGHT!" A large masculine voice cracked through the air causing my blood to turn to ice in my veins. I rose up above the treetops alongside twilight and was treated to a spectacle that was both breathtaking and horrifying. A large centaur that towered over the village with red colored skin two massive horns atop his massive head. His beard was grey and eyes as black as night with golden orbs searching the village with a hunger that was bottomless.
"I KNOW YOUR HERE PRINCESS TWILIGHT SPARKLE!" he boomed and I looked to her as she gulped.
"I don't envy you." I said with a weak grin. Twilight looked at me a face several shades lighter then she was just moments ago.
"I don't think..." She began and I punched her shoulder causing her to look at me.
"If there is any magical flying pony that can defeat an overgrown bad guy its you. Remember, Friendship is the real magic or something right?" I said knowing that I sounded as corny as a corn festival.
"Ill help hide the townsfolk. just get him away distract him, you know teleport." I added and then against every fibre in my being I flew towards the town with a giant of an enemy that would easily kill me.
Twilight was suddenly beside me and gave me a weak smile before banking off towards Tirek and I flew towards the town hall.
The town hall square was empty stalls were half torn down and merchandise was strewn about haphazardly. I quickly approached the door and tried to open it but it didn't budge. I then knocked hard.
"It me Feather Beak!" I said and after a moment the sound of furniture was being moved. the door opened and I saw the looks of several dozen ponies hiding in the hall. I waked into the main hall where everypony was huddled together.
"Feather!" a small voice I recognized causing me to look around and saw Applebloom with Scootaloo and Sweetiebelle.
"Girls...where are your sisters." I asked and know the Scootaloo was not Rainbow's sisters but the just as may have been.
"They went out to confront the bad guy." Sweetiebelle said as he eyes were wet with tears. I knelt down and brushed her face gently.
"Have faith in them. Rarity and Applejack are strong. Rainbow is well Rainbow. So don't need to worry, stick with me and you will see them soon." I said with more confidence then I felt. I looked around and saw Mayor Mare and I made my way to her as the fillies followed after me.
"Is there a place you can get the townsfolk out of here. They can be...crushed in one hoof stomp." I said quietly in her ear over the constant roar. Mayor Mare was giving a blanket to a stallion as she listened and she shook her head.
"I have no place to take them that's better defended then the city hall." she said before looking at me.
"What do you mean crush us he's large yes but only four ponies at most tall." She asked slightly confused as I mirrored her emotion.
"When I last saw him he was the size of two houses stacked on top of one another." I said seriously and her eyes widened as the ground trembled again causing the lights to shudder and dust to fall from ledges and crossbeams.
"I didn't think its smart to stay here. We should get out of town and go towards the forests." I urged and she looked at me now and I got a good look at her. Her eyes were more haggard as her usually more colorful coat and mane were dull almost muted.
"What happened?" I asked bewildered.
"He took our magic..." She said crestfallen. I felt my chest seize and looked at the fillies who were still as colorful as the day I met them. So they had been spared, probably thanks to the girls going to confront Tirek. I placed a claw to comfort her but it did no good. Suddenly the ground began to constantly rumble and then a deafening explosion brought everypony to the ground and I looked around in horror.
"What the hell." I asked looking for the girls franticly and found them beside me now beginning to press into my body and I draped my wing over them protectively. The door was banged on as it was opened Big Mac came into the room looking about franticly. I raised my claw in the air and he saw me easily because of what I was.
"Big Mac over here!" I called out and Applebloom's eyes opened and she stood up and cried out to him as Big Mac scooped her up into a tight hug. He trotted over to me and looked at Mayor Mare.
"We cant stay here." He said in a strong baritone voice. I stood up and nodded as I looked back a Mayor Mare who fought back the fear evident in her eyes.
"Mah farm is far enough out of town an we can hide most ponies there." He said and I nodded in agreement, it was better then the woods of course less chance of beasts attacking but really that didn't matter when Tirek was out there rampaging. Mayor Mare stood up and found a desk and stood up high.
"Everypony we are going to go for the Apple farm we can find shelter and safety there!" She said with confidence that I knew she had none of.
"Big Macintosh will lead the way follow behind him." She ordered and without another word Big Mac went to the doors and placed Applebloom on his back as he looked out of the door. He waited for a moment after the rumbling slowed and he pushed open the door and lightly jogged out into the square using the houses as cover. I looked down at the fillies and lifted them both up and placed them on my back as I waited for the room to begin to empty. Mayor Mare hopped down from the desk and looked at me with a meek smile as she began to help the elderly.
"When are we going Feather?" Scootaloo asked and I looked at her.
"Were going to take up the rear so nopony gets left behind." I said as they both looked at me and both their faces set into looks of determination.
"You ready?" I asked and they both nodded but I could feel them tense up against my back as I was the last to leave the hall. It was slow going but then magic in the air began to rise up and crackle. Rocks began to float off the ground and I hesitated a moment and above us a line of pure magic incinerated the tops of the houses we were using for cover. Several of the ponies froze in fear and I myself had felt the heat and crackle of electricity causing me to stop as well.
"Come one..." I whispered before clearing my throat and forcing out an order.
"Keep moving! We will be safe outside of town!" I said over the rumble and crashing it took a few physical shoves to get the ponies moving but they picked up their paces once moving again. The small convoy made it outside of town with further incident and soon the apple farm was in sight and ponies began to move with more enthusiasm towards the farm. Big Mac passed through the steel decretive arch and the mob of ponies followed after them Big Mac approached me and looked down the road.
"That's the last of them." I confirmed his unspoken question. I looked back at the two fillies who had remained quiet the entire time. I helped them down and turned to them.
"I'm going back. There may be ponies still afraid and scared in their own homes and don't know where to go. Also that monster is far from done. Even worse, there might be ponies hurt." I said as I looked up to Big Mac and he nodded.
"You have things handled here?" I asked as Mayor Mare and Ceerilee who I knew from the show of my little pony approached. Cheerilee had several fillies and colts under her care.
"Yup." Big Mac said confidently and I looked back to the two fillies
"Stay here with Cheerilee alright." I ordered the two of them as Scootaloo looked like she was going to object and I shook my head.
"This is a job for adults." I said as I stepped back and opened my wings to take to the sky and felt a hug on my back leg that caused me to look down. Scootaloo hugged me and looked up at me.
"Come back safe." She ordered then released me.
"Crusaders honor." I said after a moment and then with a beat of my wings I rocketed back towards Ponyville.