Suddenly the door burst down and filling the doorway stood a pure white alicorn. No longer the benevolent Princess they had known and loved all their lives, but a pony with red eyes, sharp teeth and a voice like thunder.
“You have something that belongs to me!” she demanded, anger in her voice and revenge burning in her soul.
Fluttershy hid behind Applejack who faced the Diarch resolutely.
Twilight stood at the head of her friends, forelegs braced, grim determination etched onto her face; she wasn’t going to give in without a fight, and it would be the fight of her life.
“Girls, we have to power up!” commanded Twilight, “If she gets to her crown, there’ll be no stopping her!”
The ponies formed an echelon behind Twilight as she squared up to her former mentor, each focusing on their individual Element of Harmony.
“Celestia, your reign of terror has to come to an end. I command whatever it is that has control of you to leave you and never come back!”
Trails of coloured light corresponding to the individual Elements of Harmony began to swirl around their bearers, but then faded and died before they could unite and challenge Celestia.
The white mare laughed pitilessly and advanced slowly, not even breaking her stride as she retrieved her livery collar and her crown.
“Again girls!” rallied Twilight, “We must defeat her!”
Once more they all focused, but this time barely a coloured haze became visible around them. Twilight looked around and knew they had failed. She had failed them and henceforth for the whole of eternity, she would have to live with that guilt.
She tried again by herself, because by now the others had given up the unequal battle. They could see that they had been beaten; taking on Princess Celestia, even with the Elements of Harmony had been too long a shot. AJ and Rainbow hung their heads in defeat, neither wanting to meet her gaze, while Fluttershy broke down in tears and Pinkie’s mane lost its bounce. Rarity walked slowly over to where Twilight was straining the last of her energy and placed a gentle forehoof on her.
“It’s all over, darling” she lamented, desperately trying to keep the quavering out of her voice for her friend’s sake.
“No! It can’t be! I won’t accept it!” shouted Twilight, her most valiant efforts now unable even to get her horn to light, “I can’t fail Equestria! I can’t fail us! Once more, girls, together!”
Rarity felt the stinging of fresh tears in her eyes. She didn’t want to give up either, but the evidence was there for all to see; even the Elements of Harmony had failed.
Celestia strode unopposed through the defeated ponies. She had never been on the receiving end of the power of the Elements of Harmony before, but Twilight had come close to both exposing and defeating her. Now she knew she was unbeatable, and since this little matter had been cleared up, Tartarus could expect some more guests. This time Twilight would not be given any freedom, in fact she would see to it that she would have a cage, a small one, so small that she wouldn’t even be able to stand in it.
“You have caused me a lot of trouble Twilight Sparkle” she said sternly, standing up to her full height with her crown and livery collar in place. “You made a big mistake. You tried to use the Elements of Harmony on me, on me!
Did you not listen when I told you that the power of immortality is granted by the Guardian, the same entity that feeds the Elements of Harmony? Surely you could see that it wasn’t going to use its own power against itself?”
Twilight felt weak at the knees. Celestia was right. The only times when the Elements of Harmony had been used successfully was against enemies of Celestia. It was all so obvious now. There was only ever one power in Equestria and Celestia controlled every aspect of it! They had never stood a chance.
She wept tears of frustration and anger at her own impotence. She wept for the future she had consigned her friends to. She wept for Equestria; Celestia had become unhinged and there could be no stopping her now.