It was over. Everything was over. The Elements, their strongest weapon did nothing. This being. This creature of overwhelming power, never feared them. All this expedition, all this trouble, all this time... spent on a wrong path. The dream, the Tree, the hope... All were lies, traps set on a path leading to nothing other than a false victory.
It was terrifying. Feeling your end come and having no way to prevent it, no way to avoid the unavoidable. But even this terror couldn't stand the extreme sadness washing upon the minds of the ponies.
Everything will soon be gone... No more joy, no more hope, no more love... no more friendship...
Their thoughts filled with nothing but despair, it was time to come back to Canterlot. If the Elements didn't work, what would? They were the strongest artifact in all Equestria. They already defeated countless villains, none of them standing the slightest chance against the hollowed jewelry. And yet, they had failed.
Marching on the deserted roads towards the once glorious capital, Twilight's apathetic mind was now trying to come up with a way to inform the Princesses. She knew there was no good way to tell such horrible news. And did it really matter at this point? Did anything matter at this Point?...
The sad journey stretched itself into three long and depressing days. Conversations were sparse during this period, only emerging when absolutely required. It was almost like the ponies became mute, their ability to speak abducted along with their hope. The very nature around them almost seemed blander than before. Even the cultists, worshipers of the Entity, caused them no trouble. Only rarely did some lonely spies show themselves far from the group, never engaging into combat.
Finally, the ruined city arose above the horizon. Its mountain towering above the adjacent planes. Despite the current situation, it looked better than when they left it.
Once it was reached, the metamorphosis became even more apparent. The bonfires weren't raging, devouring wooden constructions, rioters and cultists no longer plagued the streets, preaching demented words or simply voicing their dissatisfaction, the corpses that once strewed the ravaged ruins were gone along with those crying their decease... The city was now calm and quiet, too quiet, morbidly quiet...
Already expecting the worst, the group couldn't help but sigh in relief as they noticed a platoon of guards patrolling through the city. The latter however didn't look joyful at their sight, their facial expressions almost blank, they continued their patrol without giving any notice. It was probably for the better. Twilight wouldn't have been able to stand revealing the bad news to everypony. The royal Princesses were already more than enough.
The moment was nearing. Ascending the stairs leading to Canterlot Castle, memories of the state in which Celestia was last time came to the group of friends' minds. It might have been deranging in other circumstances, but now that the world would soon no longer be, the possibility didn't seem so catastrophic. But even so, a sane Celestia could still mean a new hope, perhaps she still had a backup plan... No, it was rather unlikely. If there was anything this journey taught the group of ponies, it was that the more you hope for something, the more disappointed you will be if it doesn't happen. So raising their hopes now probably wasn't the best idea.
Opening the great entrance doors, they were met by a rather comforting sight. The castle no longer seemed abandoned, it's aged look and ruined furniture were gone, giving place to a clean and welcoming atmosphere. Servants were visible, bustling about their normal occupations. It was truly a rebirth for this place.
However, something felt wrong. Nopony greeted them as they traversed the silent corridors. Trying to address the servants themselves, demanding the cause of their impoliteness resulted into nothing but awkward excuses and faltering conversations, the ponies looking as if they had just awakened. There was definitely something strange going on...
Now even more worried, the group saw the throne room approaching. In the hall preceding it, all lights were lit up, giving the place a warm and comforting tone. However, the friends felt all but comforted, fearing the terrible scene that was about to reveal itself before them.
But once again, their fears melted away as they saw Celestia's prismatic mane floating in the nonexistent breeze as she sat in her usual throne. Noticing her former student and her friends arrive, a content smile appearing upon her face, she stood up coming closer to great the returning ponies.
"Welcome back" she said, her voice soft as cotton.
"Hello" shortly replied Twilight, foreseeing the conversation's future course.
Noticing her student's dismay, Celestia decided to get the painful news out of the way "I already know. I felt the disturbance in the ambient magic when the Elements broke." she replied
This was a relief. A relief that paled in comparison to the rest of Twilight's thoughts, but a relief nonetheless. "Then, do you have another plan?" she asked in a hopeful tone.
Celestia grew pensive for a moment. She began stared at the ceiling, trying to collect her thoughts and trying to find something that would give a new hope to the ponies. But to everypony's surprise, she wasn't the next to talk.
Fluttershy, having remained the quietest of all, never raising her voice since the Elements broke, had an idea nopony else could have thought of. "Maybe Discord could help us." she said, unsure of her own words.
And maybe she was right. Discord's power always seemed infinite. Even the Elements only managed to imprison him, delaying his return. Maybe the god of chaos, the once feared villain, the terror of Equestria would now become its greatest savior.
A new hope arose, scarce however, as the image of the broken and powerless Elements still plagued the poor ponies' minds...