It seemed the whole forest was holding its breath in anticipation, wondering who would strike first. Twilight watched with wide eyes as the two Alicorns faced off, Dulcet and Demise. The princess of time was larger in comparison, and she looked like she was sizing Dulcet up, shifting her wings and occasionally flexing them outward to show their size and strength.
Dulcet swallowed nervously but didn’t dare back down. This only strengthened her resolve as she stood in defense of Twilight. Demise expanded the length of her wings in an effort to appear more intimidating. “Well? Are you going to move out of the way, or are you insisting on staying between me and my dearest?”
Dulcet’s eyes narrowed at the dark mare, and a beast-like snarl escaped her lips. “She’s not your dearest, Demise... It’s time you realized that and stopped this madness!”
Then, her horn ignited, and a bolt of concentrated magic fired out, sailing straight at Demise. Twilight wanted to yell for her to move out of the way. She couldn’t bare to see either of them get hurt. Demise, on the other hoof, didn’t look the slightest bit worried as she faced the energy coming straight for her. A sly grin came over her face, and her own horn began to glow.
Twilight wasn’t sure, but it looked like from her position that the bolt of magic was slowing down. That wasn’t all, as she was beginning to feel slow and sluggish herself. When the magic hit its target, a violent, white explosion lit up the trees before fading into nothing.
Demise then appeared to the left of Dulcet, surprising her. “My turn...”
The magic she fired caught the white Alicorn in the side, sending her flying into the trees. She let out a pained cry as she came into contact with a thick trunk, rolling down to the forest floor. “Oh... That’s real fair... Why don’t you just leave time alone and we’ll settle this princess to princess!”
Then, she lunched at Demise with her horn aimed at the black mare’s throat. Twilight caught sight of a floating leaf. No, not floating... It was falling, but very, very slowly.
It the dawned on her that Demise was bending time to her will. “Dulcet, don’t! She’s stopping t-“
The white Alicorn couldn’t answer. She was frozen in mid-air, holding an aggressive pose with the tip of her horn a hair away from Demise’s neck.
“So brave... but so misguided.” Demise’s horn shined brightly, and Dulcet flew off into the woods at the speed of light.
Then, she approached Twilight, who trembled under her gaze. “Now, my love, there is nothing to stop us... That bad influence won’t be bothering us any longer. We can go anywhere we like and do anything we want...” Twilight eyed the hoof before her, extending from Demise. “With my power, the possibilities are limitless!”
She looked up, meeting the dark Alicorn’s grinning face. “Demise...”
“Shhhh... You don’t have to thank me, my love. Just... close your eyes and allow me to take the kiss I’ve desired from you for so long...”
Twilight’s cheeks turned bright red, but her back was to a tree, and there was nowhere else to go. Demise had already began to lean forward with the intent to press her lips into Twilight’s. The purple mare’s eyes began to close against her will, and she felt herself begging drawn closer to meet the taller vixen.
Her heart was pounding in her ears in anticipation of the kiss swooping towards her.
Then, there was silence. The kiss never came, so Twilight’s eyes fluttered open.
Demise, just a breath away from her lips, looked stiff as a board, but her eyes darted around angrily. That’s when Twilight saw Dulcet climbing through the tall brush, her horn glowing and freezing Demise in her tracks. “I told you before... She is not yours...”
The white Alicorn motioned for Twilight to move, which she did promptly, taking her place beside Dulcet.
Demise couldn’t move, couldn’t speak. She could only glare at Dulcet with an unmatched fury.
“Twilight, stay close to me.” Then, her horn shined brightly and the forest around them disappeared from view.
When Twilight opened her eyes again, they were high up. An unbearable wave of cold swept over her, and she spun in a circle to see just exactly where they actually landed. She was standing deep in snow, freezing her rear off on the side of a tall, tall mountain. Twilight couldn’t even see the landscape below as she looked over the edge. Clouds below her carpeted Equestria.
“This way, Twilight!”
The purple mare spun on her hooves and saw Dulcet disappear into a shallow cave. Inside, there was a fire already going, and Dulcet plopped down on her rear. She looked up at her and smiled meekly. “Come, Twilight... sit.”
Unsure of her intentions, Twilight approached her cautiously. Dulcet noticed this, and she let out a sigh. “I’m not your enemy, you know.”
The purple princess frowned. “I’m not so sure... I saw you slow time, and I don’t think there can be two Alicorns with that ability.”
Dulcet pursed her lips and stared into the fire. “I didn’t want to show you that...”
Twilight kept her eyes on her as she sat on the opposite side of the fire. “Please, just tell me what’s going on. Who are you, really?”
The white Alicorn looked up, meeting her eyes, and brushed her mane out of her face. “I’m surprised a smart mare like you hasn’t figured it out by now... Twilight, I am Demise.”
Twilight’s eyes widened. “Wh-What?”
Dulcet leaned back a little, casting a long shadow across the cave wall behind her. “I guess I should say, I’m what’s left of her... When Demise made the decision to abandon her duty to the universe as princess of time, she had to separate herself from her kindness, grace, selflessness, and noble behaviors. It was the only way she could muster the power she needed to escape the island...”
Twilight peered at her through the crackling flames. “That’s why you’re trying to stop her from reaching me?”
Dulcet forced a grin and nodded. “It’ll take her quite some time to find us here.” Then, her smile faded. “The Demise we encountered isn’t the same mare you met on the island. She’s been consumed by her own selfish desires and dark ambitions. This makes her more dangerous than ever.”
Twilight understood, and she continued to stare at the fire. At last, something in her mind clicked. “Wait... How did this fire get here? I don’t see any trees for wood...”
That’s when she heard the sound of hooves clopping on the stone floor behind her, coming out of the depths of the cave.
“Well... Hello, ladies! Welcome to my summit.”
Dulcet’s eyes shifted, and she smiled. “Hello, Blaze... It’s good to see you, after all these years.”
***Up Next: Blaze***