The life of an adventurer, soldier, and adrenaline seeker was sure to be a strained and wearying one for most ponies. Long days, sleepless night, old battles, and new challenges are tools for building and refining, but just as easily can break down and distress its target. For the Pegasus called Rainbow Dash, both rang true frequently.
She had seen hard, trying times. A horrid upbringing, being attacked as a filly whilst in the guard, being taught how to fight by the Princess of the Night (A truly terrifying endeavor, no matter how gifted the warrior), helping to fend off a changeling invasion of Canterlot, and the many dangerous missions that required her.
None could compare, however, to what she had to endure in the last several weeks.
Rainbow lost track of time after their communication with the Princess ended. She sent Ironworks to wait outside and be ready to receive backup once they arrived. Puzzle Piece and Hayseed flanked the doors to the entrance of the large entry way, and Lucky Strike covered the Kitchen doorway. As Rainbow looked over the group, she breathed a heavy sigh of relief. Help would be on the way soon, finally things were coming to a close.
As she stared off listelessly for a moment, exhaustion catching up with her, as she reflected on the nightmare that had been the last few weeks. She could sleep for a whole week straight, and still not get enough rest to recover from all that had gone before.
Shink...
Rainbow, eyes growing bleary, rubbed her face with one hoof. She sat against one wall of the room, right of the entrance. With Twilight finally taken down, she could allow herself a few moments of rest. She had learned ears ago the ability to sleep without going fully un-conscious, and decided to make use of it while she could. No doubt the night was far from over, and she would be needed to help clean up the rest of this mess.
Shink...
She was in for a reprimanding, no doubt about that. Her actions were certainly crass, despite having found Scootaloo. And, at least that damned voice was gone. Possibly some dark magic trick from Twilight, she would need the Princess to scan her mind just in case. But, at least things were quieter now.
Shink... Shink... Shink...
Rainbow's ears twitched. Her head snapped up, looking towards Lucky. Likewise, Hayseed and Puzzle Piece were staring curiously at the lone stallion, while he glanced at the 3 of them. "...Is one of you playing with a knife?" He queried, incredulous.
Shink...
The noise came again, this time clearly from behind Lucky Strike. Rainbow stood up, tired eyes becoming alert. The other three instantly became alert to the strange noise. It sounded like steel being drawn from a scabbard. It echoed slightly through the cold room, but was now unmistakable.
"What the hell is that?" Hayseed spoke softly. All eyes were on Lucky as the stallion slowly turned, placing one hoof on the door to the kitchen where Scootaloo resided. The other two stallions quietly drew their swords from the scabbards, handles gripped between their teeth, as they slowly moved to cover Lucky's rear. Rainbow, unarmored and unequipped, cautiously moved along side Puzzle Piece.
Shink, shink, shink
Carefully placing one hoof on the rusted and dented door, Hayseed slowly pushed it open to reveal a frightening sight.
A dome of light, dark pink, had encased Scootaloo's still peaceful body. The small pin clasp which had been attached near her neck had come undone, and the rune tablet now hung several feet above the filly. Bright light shone through the talisman, slowly growing brighter every moment.
Shink
The object spun in the air every few seconds, causing shadows to dance across the walls of the dingy room. Like talons on a chalkboard, that grating sound echoed through the room. A collective shiver ran up the spine of all 4 ponies as they watched from the doorway. With every spin, the field around the sleeping filly grew more and more opaque. The light growing into a solid orb of magic.
"What, the hell, is that?" Whispered Puzzle Piece. Before anypony could answer, a tremor suddenly passed through the 4 ponies, nearly knocking Hayseed and Rainbow to the ground as they collided with one another.
Lucky Strike grimaced, bracing himself against the doorway. "An earthquake!?" He yelled, his short sword falling from his mouth. He had stumbled and nearly cut Hayseed by accident.
"No." Rainbow Dash spoke breathlessly. "This is different, the air is getting thicker." She was right. Every ponies legs suddenly felt heavier, their legs giving out beneath them. As if the gravity was being turn up more and more every second, with every spin of the rune. Rainbow looked quickly from Scootaloo, to the door, then back again. She could feel something was about to happen, and the other 3 pegasi, loaded down with their armor wouldn't be fast enough to escape with her.
Puzzle Piece and Lucky Strike's front legs both gave out, as the were forced to their knees while Hayseed strained against the force in order to stay standing. A magic wind was picking up in the room, the air growing hot. "What do we do!?" Lucky almost screamed through a trained voice. It felt like his strength was being sapped from his body every second.
Though her view inside the force field was almost gone, Rainbow could still barely see the peacefully resting form of Scootaloo, as light began to glow through the floor of the enter building they occupied. Her eyes widened, as she suddenly thrust herself foreword against the invisible force. There was only one way to save her soldiers.
Instantly, she launched foreword, catching the straps of Lucky Strike's and Puzzle Piece's armor in her hooves, and throwing them with all the strength she could muster into the force field. Before they could even yell out in shock, their bodies struck the circle of magic and instantly their eyes rolled up into their head as heir bodies went slack, and they collapsed on top of each other, forced asleep by the rune.
Hayseed, through grit teeth, and with eye bulging from the strain of remaining on his voice had time enough only to shout, "Commander, what-" Before unceremoniously being rabbit-kicked by Rainbow's back legs, and sent flying in the same manner as his brothers in arms.
Rainbow Dash instantly spun around, not even waiting to see Hayseed enter the protection of the run sphere, before she let loose a mighty flap of her wings and was sent careening through the entrance door and up the flight of stairs. The effort it required was so great, she couldn't hold back a howl of pain, as she forced her rapidly weakening wings to once again propel her through the building.
As she topped the stairs, the hum of magic became so loud she couldn't tell if it was whatever spell was occurring, or if her ears were ringing. Her stomach churned as she tasted bile in her throat, but she needed to get out of the building first. Black spots danced through her eyes, threatening to plunge her into unconsciousness. 'No! I need to get out of the city!' She desperately though. With all of her remaining strength, she squeezed her eyes shut and gave one last flap of her wings, hoping the momentum would carry her through the door and across the courtyard to the edge of the mountain-city. 'Ironworks, please tell me you got away in time' She thought to herself, just before hitting the exit.
In an explosion of glass she emerged into the open night, not even glancing down as she felt several shards rake across her skin. As she forced her eyelids open, she only had enough time to see a grey blur and the whites of a ponies eyes, before she struck something hard and metallic. Every ounce of breath se had was knocked from lungs in an instant, as both and whatever she hit letting out grunts of pain and shock. Over and over they tumbled one with one another, rolling roughly across the courtyard, before unceremoniously flopping over the edge of the city.
The two ponies separated in the air, somewhat dazed from their collision. As they locked eyes, Rainbow Dash called out to him. "Ion...werks?" She mumbled, not quite believing it was him. Her head had struck his metal plating hard enough to nearly knock her unconscious.
"Commander, hold still!" The stallion called over the rushing wind. His armor had absorbed most of the impact, but still he had been shaken. With a few flaps of his wings, he began to regain control while Rainbow Dash attempted the same. Her wings flapped limply, slowing her decent slightly. Ironworks suddenly appeared at her side, wrapping one hoof and one wing across her body so he could pull her close. Both of their adjacent wings beat together, although Rainbow's lagged behind, slowing them down as the landed on forest floor far below Canterlot.
As soon as their hooves toughed the ground, they collapsed on top of each other. Neither moved for several moments, their toll on their bodies leaving them unable to recover in any short amount of time. Rainbow Dash suddenly rolled to one side and emptied the meager contents of her stomach onto the forest floor. She flopped onto her back, head lulled against the ground, vision blurry, and wings burning from the stress of fighting through whatever forced had sought to constrain her. Small drops of blood ran down her front legs and chest, marred by the slivers of glass from earlier. They were shallow and wouldn't cause serious issue, but were quite painful nonetheless.
As she gazed up towards the city, high above them in the night, she couldn't tell if she was seeing spots or if the dancing colors and sparks were coming from Canterlot itself.
"Ironworks..." Came Rainbow's croaked and mumbled voice. "What in the name of Equestria happened?"
The stallion lay with one hoof over his eyes, trying to block out the lights above in hopes the nausea he felt would subside. Deep heaving breaths rattled his entire frame as he slowly shook his head. "I... I don't know. One moment everything was fine, skies were clear, everything peaceful." He dropped his hoof, hazy eyes staring up at the glowing city above. "All of a sudden, my legs felt heavy as steel, and the whole damn complex lit up like a lightning bug. All I could think about was trying to stay standing, and that was when you hit me."
Though the pounding in her head protested, Rainbow Dash slowly propped herself up on one hoof. A small trail of blood trickled from one ear and her misty eyes clouded her view of the glowing city high above, but still she stared up in bewilderment. Even through the thick canopy of the treeline, a brilliant and ghostly glow shone through the foliage to the ground below. She could feel a wave of power pushing against her as she lay on the grass meadow floor.
The stallion was standing, albeit shakily. One wing comfortable wrapped around his left side, the side which Rainbow Dash rammed him at full speed. "Commander, are you able to stand?" He asked, reaching out to her with one leg. Slowly, she took the appendage in her own and rose to her hooves. Her stance was rocky at best, but the pain was subsiding.
"I don't know what the hell is going on, but we need to get a better look if possible." Rainbow grimaced through grit teeth as she stretched her wings, allowing the cold winter air to flow between each feather and relieve the pain from her aching muscles. A few experimental, and somewhat strained, flaps proved the muscles and tendons were tight, but the knots would soon work themselves out. She wouldn't be pulling off any sonic rain-booms, but she would be able to go airborne despite the pain.
"Before we fell, did you see anything else. Did you see Sparkle?"
Ironworks shook his head. "I didn't see her, but just before the light came, I did see one of Princess Celestia's spells activate. She and the rest of the guard are most likely at the castle, unless they escaped in time." Rainbow nodded, resting her chin on one hoof. "We'll need to rendezvous with the Princess, if possible."
Ironwork's suddenly gasped. "Commander, what happened to the others? Where's Lucky, and Hayseed? What about Puz-"
"They're fine, soldier." Rainbow quickly cut him off. She didn't need her only aid to panic now. "Long story short, I had to push them into the force field which was protecting Scootaloo. When whatever-the-hell it was happened, a defensive barrier formed from that rune. They should be just as safe as Scootaloo is."
Rainbow saddled up along side the taller stallion, bumping him with one soldier. "Don't worry, we'll get them back soon. We may not know what happened yet, but we aren't gonna find out unless we get up there." Rainbow began a slow trot that built into a jog, ignoring the twinges of pain from her cuts and soreness. "Evidently, she had left a trap behind for us. On the bright side, maybe that spurred our reinforcements to move a bit quicker. Come on soldier, it can't be the end of the world." And with that, Rainbow wings shot out as she began galloping forward, catching the air, and lifting her into the cold night sky. Iron works soon followed behind, dragging back somewhat.
She kicked off the ground, legs and wings already burning with effort, but began ascending higher and higher. She guided her small body towards a thick tree branch, nimbly landing before turning back and shouting, "Use the trees to assist, we might not make it all the way up if we try to do it ourselves." The stallion only grunted in response, as he less-gracefully landed on an adjacent branch. Rainbow could see from his grit teeth that the much heavier and armor-encumbered stallion was going to have a tougher time than she.
"Come on Ironworks, eyes on me. Follow close, I have an idea!" She pushed off another branch, flying just ahead of her partner. As she landed on another branch, she spun suddenly and grabbed the stallion suddenly by one hoof. "Hold on tight!" She called, before using her momentum to spin and launch him forward. For a moment the stallion wobbled in the air before righting himself, and continuing to ascend through the brush and towards open air.
Even in rough condition, it didn't take long before they emerged from the treeline, climbing along side the mountain to the city's edge. The sheer stone cliff raced by as they climbed further an faster with each beat of their wings, drawing closer and closer to their destination.
Just as the two pegasi flew over the cities edge, a wave of energy struck their bodies with enough force to stun them for the briefest of moments. Rainbow spun through the air, the movement only strengthening the pressure in her head and the nausea she felt. Ironworks dipped in his altitude, falling almost 20 feet before painfully turning and ascending to float alongside his commanding officer.
"Commander!" The Stallion gasped, sweat pouring down his face. "What in the name of Tartarus wa-"
"Celestia almighty..." Rainbow spoke breathlessly, cutting Ironworks. She stared passed him, eyes fixated on the great city in abject shock. Ironwork's quickly spun around, maneuvering in front of Rainbow Dash to absorb any attack that may have been approaching. As soon as his eyes fell upon the mountain capitol, his jaw fell open in shock.
Canterlot, the capitol of Equestria carved into the mountainside, glowed in spectral colors of purple and pink. Magic sparks twirled through the air, as the crystalline ring and hum of magic seemed to emanate from the stones themselves. Rainbow could feel pulse of magic coming off of the mountain in waves, causing her headache to persist from the pressure of the immense magical display. A golden band of light, etched with runic script, encircled the entire mountain and city, punctuating the night further by its majestic glow. It was so bright, no doubt it could be seen from far beyond Ponyville or even Appaloosa.
Glyphs and runes ran through the streets, across the walls, along side every building. It seemed as if the very structures in Canterlot were bound in ethereal chains and subjected to the will of Twilight Sparkle. Dotted through the streets, Rainbow Dash could see her fellow ponies sprawled upon the ground. None moving, all having been unable to escape it time. There were but few who had no doubt wandered outside, the small number of ponies who remained awake through Princess Luna's spell, but now Rainbow watched as their life force itself seemed to be drained from them.
The catastrophic scene was only made worse by a bubble of magic surrounding the entire city. A canopy of living sparks of magic flowed iridescently like a snow globe, moving and colliding, fusing and growing. She had seen the shields Shining Armor was capable of creating with his magic, surely there was no unicorn alive who could compare in their defensive capabilities. But this... this was something completely different. This was no simple spell, this was a force of magic not seen in centuries.
Anypony looking onward from the distance might wonder in awe at the magical display, but having just escaped whatever enchantment had befallen the great city, Rainbow and Ironworks couldn't keep from trembling in dread and trepidation. Rainbow felt dizzy, and not just from exhaustion. Her head spun and the whole world seemed to turn upside down as the watched helplessly from the sky as Canterlot was wrapped in magic.
If this meant what Rainbow thought it meant, and with what lay before her she knew she had no reason to doubt, then Princess Luna had been defeated by Twilight Sparkle. The Mad Mare had seemingly brought the great nation's capitol to heel. The city was spellbound in the night, and it was done at the cost of her teacher's, her greatest friend's, blood.
'It wasn't just the Diplomacy Center. It's the whole city.' Rainbow's heart felt as if it were in the fiendish grasp of a claw. Her chest felt tight, legs unable to move, and wings too heavy to fly. Never had such despair flooded every facet of her being, as it did in this moment. She felt like she was being crushed between two stones, the sickening, horrifying feeling that filled her. If Princess Luna, the Arbiter of Darkness, the Master of Dreams, Weaver of the stars, and Princess of the night could not stop this unicorn, than who in all of Equestria could?
So enraptured by what she saw, was Rainbow Dash, that it took several seconds for her to register Ironworks was yelling for her attention.
"Commander!" The stallion shouted over the powerful hum of magic, pounding their eardrums like the heartbeat of a giant. Rainbow Dash's wide eyes met Ironworks', her jaw slack as she hopelessly gazed across the city. "Commander Dash, what are you orders, ma'am? What should we do!?
Her mind, sluggish as it was from her strain and exhaustion, searched her memories for every protocol, plan, back-up, and last option she knew. Every tricky spot she had been in, every ambush, every fail-safe, last ditch effort, and gutsy moves she ever knew flashed through her mind. After a long pause, she finally spoke the words she'd never thought in her entire life she would have to utter.
"I... I don't know." She whispered, unable to even hear her own voice over the magical cataclysm before her. A small tear formed in one eye, trailing slowly down her cheek. She was too stunned to notice it was there, let alone wipe it away.
"I don't know what to do."
Magic is a strange and fickle thing. It came in many forms; the physical, the ethereal, mental, natural, elemental, dark, light. Harnessed in so many ways, yet never truly bound. It existed in it's own right, barely understood by the simple creations of Equestria and it's neighbors. Though it was the lifeblood of all creation, flowing through every living thing in ever sphere of life, it could be taken for granted like anything, even the air. It exists, but it becomes a part of us. To most, it had to be studied in depth, constant focus, time, attention to detail, and above all patience was required to master it's use.
To others, it was like running. It required strength and balance, but once it was learned it was rarely forgotten. As ponies pushed themselves further and further, at the expense of their physical energy and sometimes their personal safety, they grew stronger and more able bodied. The raw energy coursing through their veins, and growing stronger with every step they took.
To a select few, it came to them as naturally as the breeze. One simply needed to exist to feel the power of creation and destruction beckoning to them. As easily as a filly or colt might stretch forth their hoof would the mighty sorceries, both known and unknown, be bent according to their will.
For Twilight, she found a combination of all was the most effective.
Years of planning and preparation had led to this moment. Everything she had learned, studied, and sought to understand was displayed before her and all of Canterlot. The spell she cast was no minor one. Quite the opposite, in fact. It would be remembered as one of the most incredible magical feats in the last seven centuries, the spell which bound the most powerful city in all of Equestria. Such magic hadn't been worked since the great sorcerers like Star Swirl the Bearded or Clover the Clever had overseen the lands.
For weeks in the tunnels and caves stretching below Canterlot, she had slaved away carving the ley lines of her great spell beneath the very hooves of the ponies who dwelt there. Liquid magic had been placed at key points, acting as the critical joints which would support the glyph and guide the magic through the massive expansion so that it would flow correctly.
Every unicorn, pegasus, and earth pony alike within its sphere of effect would find themselves bound, their magic stripped from their bodies as it bled deep below and fused with Twilight's great spell. Magic would flood the caverns below, creating a sea raw magical energy, the likes of which had never been seen by any mortal pony. Only three ponies in Canterlot were unaffected by it's power.
However, a spell that large and powerful would need a massive catalyst. Twilight, with her unusually large reserve of magic, had been prepared to power it herself. The effort would have nearly drained her magic in it's entirety, but the end result would have been worth it. However, some ingenuity, quick thinking, and, undoubtedly, luck, had provided Twilight with an even greater tool than she had expected. The very magic of an Alicorn, Princess Luna.
Without siphoning the magic of the Night Princess, it would have taken Twilight nearly an entire day to start the intense magical process. Now, it had taken only a few minutes.
As she sprinted through the night, the city washed in magical light, she could not help but reflect on her youth when magic seemed to be the farthest thing possible for her to have. Even as a filly of 8, it was clear that she held a genius intellect. Her desire to learn and innate ability to absorb knowledge painted a clear picture of one who was destined for greatness, a true scholar among mages in the making. Were it not for her crippling lack of control of her magical powers, she would have been a powerful mare even as a filly.
16 years ago, she couldn't have even lifted a measly pebble with her magic. 'And yet, I have all power tonight.' She thought to herself. Had it been any other pony, they might have let out a laugh of joy, drunk with power. Some might expect mad cackling, or the euphoria of being filled with god-like power, but it was neither the time nor the place. Power surged through her like never before, but she was going to need every last drop of magic to fulfill her goals. 'And to think, not a single innocent pony would suffer lasting harm in the process.'
Every pony caught within the ley lines, would be swiftly pulled into the realm of unconsciousness as they became living batteries to her spell. Sever magic drain could prove dire to some ponies health, especially those not as well trained in their magical capacities, and thus the spell would cut off it's draining effect once a pony had been reduced to approximately 15% of their magic, but would still be held unconscious to prevent any unwanted attention or injury.
Everypony, Unicorn's, Pegasi, and Earth Ponies alike had magic to offer. The Pegasi with their abilities to control the weather, Earth Ponies with their bond to nature, and the Unicorns ability to harness raw magic as it existed in the world. All of these would prove critical in breaking Discord's seal, but with Princess Luna acting as the catalyst for Twilight's spell, it would all the easier. However, it was a delicate balance to maintain, and with the strength of an Alicorn coursing through her every faculty, Twilight knew she needed to act quickly.
Still she allowed herself to relish for a moment in the cold night air as is flowed through her mane. Though her time was limited, for the first time in weeks she knew there wasn't anypony immediately trying to kill her. Her injuries had been fully healed, and her body was coursing with an imagined level of magic the likes of which she had never imagine. Luna's magic, combined with hers, ran through her veins, while even more magic gathered beneath her hooves.
'Still, there is one final bridge to cross.' She gazed high above her head, hundreds of feet above her in the air. Her eyes fixated high above Canterlot Castle, where a giant globe of fire had been only moments ago. It's intense light had brightened the city even more than her spell already had, but just moments after she emerged from the hangar it disappeared. 'I may have subdued one sister, but Celestia is no pushover. She's saving her magic, and expecting a fight.'
Thought she had been subjected to the terrible and fear-inspiring visage of the enraged Night Princess, in terms of raw power, none could appose Celestia. Getting past her would be no easy feat and attacking head on was nothing short of suicide. Not to mention, Celestia would surely find a way to break Twilight's spell. At the very least, to free herself from it's effects.
She came to a halt in the market place, her eyes focused on Canterlot castle in the distance. She could see no guards or furious Alicorns for the time being, but that was sure to quickly change. If there was even one pony left to stand against Twilight, it was be Celestia. Time was of the essence, and Twilight had very little to waste. There was much to do, and very little time to do it. Thankfully, Twilight could be in more than one place at the same time.
Ducking into an alleyway, safely out of sight, her horn began to crackle and spark with raw energy. She ignited her horn, magic bursting forth from her head with so much power she couldn't hide her surprise at the feeling of raw power coursing through her. Her eyes were wide as two-toned magic poured from her horn, a beam of intertwined magenta and cerulean. She had never expected the feeling to be so... potent. So incredibly awesome, in the truest sense of the word.
Shaking herself from her stupor, the magical flow twisted through the air and collided with the ground. Slowly, the magic took from, coalescing into a body. Legs began to sprout, then a neck, and head. In only a few more moments, an identical clone stood before her. Bearing every scar and bump, even adorned a rough cloak, the clone stared eye to eye with it's creator.
Standing straight, it saluted with a soft "Ma'am." Twilight nodded at the clone in satisfaction. She even sounded exactly like her. She had thought they would need minor adjustments, but the spell was foolproof. It's a shame she couldn't always have Alicorn magic, it was certainly addicting. But the clone was by no means just a body. It's horn crackled with magical sparks, possessing a large part of Twilight's normal magical power.
Quickly, she withdrew a small knapsack from her bags. In it was a small potters clay, and a wood box. The clone wordlessly took it from her with her magic. Twilight looked to her with steely gaze. "You know what to do with this. Search Canterlot General, then the Castle Infirmary. After, find Octavia. Protect her until you're destroyed. If you encounter any resistance, you have my permission to use any force other than lethal to fulfill these orders. GO!"
Without even a moments delay to nod, the clone turned and galloped away, quickly lost among the many buildings. Twilight exited the alley way, giving a terse glare towards the still burning mini-sun hanging high above the Castle. "It's a shame I won't be able to say goodbye in person." She muttered under her breath.
Throwing her hood over head, she once again sprinted off into city. To face Celestia would be suicide, but perhaps she wouldn't have too. Trickery was often the most effective way to fight, but it is hard to fight in the shadows when it's mid-day. But, there was one option.
She turned towards a large regal building looming in the distance. 'Why not fight fire, with fire?' She thought, as she sprinted to Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns.