Twilight was ashamed. Princess Celestia could tell just by looking at her. After she confessed and dropped into her seat, the room erupted. Secretary Manny—of course—was the first to express her opinion.
She stood up and asked, "So let me get this straight. Because of your creation, over three thousand ponies may have lost their lives."
Despite her own shock, Secretary Gardeen stood up and came to Twilight's defense. "In all fairness, her highness admitted that she did not take into account that a pony able to bring chaos to the minds of real living ponies, let alone Narmeelah's enemy would actually attack. We barely knew she existed and if Maheera hadn't, this would not have occurred."
General Bold Shoulder interrupted, "Despite that, I believe we should have still been informed of this flaw. No matter how unlikely it were to happen and how low risk it was, it is still an issue I feel the Government should have been informed of."
Admiral Shooting Star next to Manny nodded and agreed, "It would have made our patrols all the more important during this time. We could have used the UAs and been able to combat this when they arrived."
Twilight sighed and raised a hoof to her head to try and rub out that impending feeling of dread approaching. And not from Maheera this time. Everything she's worked hard for was about to come tumbling down around her. The future she was seeing was about to make her cry.
Well that wouldn't do. Madun jolted from his seat and knocked his chair over with hooves on the table. It was an accident but the clamor successfully ceased all voices. "Enough," he sternly stated. "It was an overlook. They weren't detected and got underneath our scans. Let's focus on getting them out first." He looked down to Twilight and asked, "Twilight, is there anyway to get them out in a quick manner?"
Twilight nodded and answered, "Just like the rest of my innovations and creations, the Obelisks hold an emergency release of any corrupted magic that can be released all at once. When the switch is activated it can knock them out into sight, no matter where they are in the country. And since it's my magic, it will stun them for possibly over five hours. Once it's fired, you will have a minimum of five hours to find and retrieve them all over the country."
"Will it hurt any innocent ponies?"
"Fifty-fifty. It's best to stay indoors in safe and stable areas for precautions."
"Then let's do it. Right now. To prevent anymore possible deaths."
Yes. Get rid of the infected. That's more important right now. More important than Maheera. Focus on that, not her own deadly mistake. Twilight stood with Madun, General Bold Shoulder, Admiral Shooting Star, and Gardeen to make their way to the doors.
After everything that just happened Celestia could only sigh and rub her temple. After the infected were apprehended, then all attention would be directed to Queen Twilight "Arcadia Nova" Sparkle, Savior of Psera. There was no telling what was going through her mind right now. But it went without saying that she would be facing severe backlash because of this.
During the trek into the halls, Twilight could only think of her mistake. The guilt ate away at her mind. The pain, the suffering of all of those ponies... Their blood were on her hooves. Along with hundreds more. Her project of three hundred Obelisks failed to detect the enemy storming her land. Endangering everyone. None were safe here.
Because of her.
She looked to a flanking Dark Silver and ordered, "Have the suspects from the attack taken to the throne room after the pulse wave. After we get this done, I need to do a thorough examination of them for anything."
"Yes, ma'am," he conceded.
They turned and made their way to the broadcasting room of the castle. Where all national announcements were made. And where Twilight knew the backlash would originate from. The trek was quick, cutting her apology-storming short. The room was dark mostly with the only lights on at the moment being dim ones on the ceiling, lights behind the cameras trained on a bright green couch that was the center of attention, and multiple tools they would be using for the time being. Including a single LiVAM that they could look at themselves to see how they were looking on the actual screens.
The King and Queen made moves for the couch while everyone else stayed behind the cameras. They still had to wait for the authorized crews at the moment. That gave Twilight time to talk to Madun about this. She sighed and looked to Madun with a few words on the tip of her tongue. But he shot them all down by turning to her and whispering, "Now I am upset. Twilight, you're supposed to inform us about this. No excuses."
Twilight closed her mouth and took a deep breath. "Look," she whispered. "I know you're mad—"
"Twilight, I am furious. Because of this, thousands of ponies lost their lives and it could have been prevented. As the Queen of Psera and engineer of an enormous amount of our tools and safety equipment, it's best that everyone knows every single detail about this in case something is wrong. I'm sure at the time your Obelisks were created, it was not that big a deal. Like you said, a pony crossing five hundred miles across sea with a temperature under sixty degrees is highly unlikely. But... This was a secret that we needed to know. And because we didn't know... Over three thousand ponies lost their lives."
"Camera up!"
During their conversation, the professionals over the equipment had stepped into the room and taken over. Everything was ready to go. The alarm was blaring and they had a few seconds to prepare themselves before the feed switched to them and the brightly lit background behind the couch. Twilight took a deep breath while Madun nodded to the crew. But her face didn't portray her signature smile she was so famous for.
The feed switched to her and Madun. Then she began the admittance.
When the feed came through, the element Bearers, Spike, Sunset and Starlight were all taking a much needed together moment in the cafeteria. Then Twilight and Madun popped up on the screen. "Good afternoon, all," Twilight first greeted. "As I'm sure you all know, all networks save for the Castle emergency feed are down due to the attack of our CPC. More details are being worked out, but at this moment, I, Queen Arcadia Nova, have something to say and admit."
Uh oh. Sunset shared a look with Starlight holding a can of fizzy beverage to her lips similar to the soda back at Canterlot High. "Due to a small and extremely irrelevant flaw in the Psera Detection System... Psera has possibly been invaded by a small front of Infected from overseas, who may have had a hoof in the destruction of our tower."
Sunset spit all over the table at the same time Rainbow jumped up and yelled, "WHAT?!!!"
"We've been invaded?!!"
"Oh my Celestia, what are we going to do?!!"
Starlight stood up and ordered, "Guys shut up, shut up!!" Then looked back to the LiVAM for more information.
Twilight clarified, "They managed to use the PDS's flaw to their advantage and have set hoof on our land without any clue. We are issuing a Code Black and releasing a Priority One PDS Release to push them out of hiding where they will be apprehended and detained. All creatures currently on Psera Soil are ordered to stay indoors. If you are not indoors, you have three minutes to get into a building before we release the Pulse. Starting... Now." The screen was replaced with a countdown timer. 02:59... 02:58... Ah buck.
While the timer was counting down, Twilight lit her horn and teleported Fresh Dawn into her hooves from the playground out back. Whatever she was doing, it involved getting sand into her wings. When everything became dark, she stopped wiggling around and looked around her environment. "Uhhh..." She tried to wiggle out of the hold of the pony holding her until Madun looked down into her face.
"Hey, Sugar Plum," he greeted. Then booped her right on the muzzle. "Sorry for interrupting your play time."
"Hey, daddy!" She cheered. Then looked up into her mother's face for that smile. But she wasn't smiling. At least not right now. Using her magic, Twilight was operating a control in her office locked away from sight and out of mind in her desk. Her eyes were on the timer, but focused on this button. The Magical release button. Dawn looked back to her father and asked, "What's wrong with mommy? Is she sick?"
Madun chuckled and pulled Fresh Dawn out of Twilight's hold. "No, sweetheart, she's just really focused. How is your birthday?"
Thanks to the speed of the Pserateps, the streets of Cop were abandoned and everything was silent. The only sound out there was the wind blowing through the sunny deserted streets. The shadows crawling over the walls and roads here were about as confused as a fish out of water. Minds were trained on listening and spying. But they could tell something was amiss. Especially when those large crystal devices yards away from the castle and located in every city was shifting colors faster and faster. So fast that they were blinding until they pulsed, sending out a large wave of purple that hit everything.
The castle shook and something fell out in the hall. Fresh Dawn instinctively hid under her father and peeked out in apprehension. Something was happening to her castle! "Daddy—"
"Shhh," he shushed her. The rumbling slowed to a pause. Then all was calm. The lights above stopped shaking and all eyes trained back on the Queen. She opened her eyes and trained them on all the faces watching her. They who look up to her. The ones she failed.
Twilight nodded to General Bold Shoulder and ordered, "Have all of your soldiers scan each and every last city. Every. Last. One. Leave nothing unturned. Check homes too if you have to. You're dismissed."
Bold Shoulder saluted and vacated the room with the rest of the military leaders and technicians. Leaving Twilight with Madun, Fresh Dawn and Gardeen. The room was silent. Save for the shouting down the hall of one of those creatures being found in the castle. Near Twilight's office.
Twilight sighed and closed her eyes. She had to deal with the suspects next. Which meant walking out there into faces. And eyes. Oh Twilight was already dreading this. She stood up from her seat and took careful steps over to Madun and Dawn. He held up a hoof to stop her approach and was already telling her what to do.
"You need to fix this," he said. "The damage has already been done. Don't give Psera apologies, give them solutions."
Of course. That would be the smart thing to do. But it still hurt to hear that. Twilight nodded and whispered, "Of course." Then leaned down and kissed Dawn before she turned away and left the room. This time Madun didn't let her know that everything was going to be okay. Because now even he wasn't sure.
~✶~
Another underestimation, another failure. Maheera had to step up her game to get this mare's attention. She found out about her plan. How? Didn't matter. What did matter was the fact that getting her attention was going to be much harder now. Or... Maybe not.
Maheera hummed from her throne with her eyes on the carpeted floor. Then slowly slinked off the throne and made her way to the doors. She didn't know much about this Queen Twilight "Arcadia Nova" Sparkle, but it was clear to her that she was the pony they all looked up to. The one pony that could make things happen despite them being entirely impossible. And if she messed up like this like she admitted to, then she would have betrayed everyone's trust and...
Maheera stopped and grinned with a clear evil in her yellow slitted eyes. All of those ponies were going to chew out Narmeelah's poor descendant. Oh this was going to be good.
The second Twilight stepped out into the hall, boom. Reporters and cameras flashing. Who let them in here?! A massive amount of bright colored Pserateps flashing cameras and asking questions. At this time, she was really happy the Elite Guard was stationed all over the castle. Having little fillies running around made the presence double in the castle.
So they formed a large circle around her and allowed her to walk through. They would get all the feeds for the LiVAMs back up and running in a few hours thanks to another station based in Rayray. And her face would more than likely be plastered all over it.
She ignored the questions and ordered, "I'm heading to the throne room." She honestly could've just teleported her way to the throne room. But she rarely teleports around the castle unless it was a full blown emergency. This didn't qualify for her definition of an emergency. At least yet. The worst part hadn't even started and she already didn't want to be here.
"Queen Arcadia, what are the details in the PDS Flaw?!"
"Is there a plan already prepared for any repairs?"
"What will the future hold for the PDS and how will it affect the war and Psera's Defensive System?"
She didn't answer any of these questions with an answer they needed. "No comment," was all she said. Then allowed herself to be ushered into the throne room. Once she took a step in the doors were closed to seal her with the ponies she really needed to see. Plus one more unexpected visit.
Her Majesty Molten Ice. She was standing to the side and had her eyes on the three ponies sitting in front of the throne in chains and wing rings. The police and Elite Guard were surrounding them asking questions before the Queen stepped in. Then all eyes moved to her and bowed.
"Please rise," she ordered. Then walked over to Molten Ice to see what she needed. That was the only reason she was in the room. Other than that, she was one to keep to herself.
Molten Ice met her halfway and gestured to the three ponies sitting before the thrones. "Why are they being tried in the throne room?" She asked sternly.
As much as her stern tone was a red flag for future reasons, Twilight shook her head and answered, "They're not being tried. Just watch and prepare yourself." At least she didn't ask about the Flaw. She slowly walked around Molten Ice and over to the thrones with that look in her eyes. That look of steel and serious nature. She was tense.
Pudge Mount saw the purple in the right corner of her eyes and she followed it up to the same pony she yelled at... Yesterday? What day was it? Who cares, this was a really serious crime they were being accused of. She immediately started blubbering, "Y-Your highness, you have to believe us!! We would never do—"
Twilight swiftly raised her hoof and calmed them down with a quiet, "Shhhh... I know you didn't mean to do it. As a matter of fact... It was completely out of your control. I need you to do exactly as I say, alright? All three of you." They nodded and eyed Twilight teleport her sword into her hoof. Before they could freak out, she raised it and said, "Calm down, I'm not going to hurt you."
It sure looked like it. Even Molten Ice was a little skeptical at this point. Twilight looked up to everyone in the room and ordered, "None of this leaves this room. Understood?"
Those inside shared unsure glances. Whatever this was involved secrecy. For some odd reason. Molten Ice was hesitant. But she went ahead and nodded. Then everyone else followed along.
Twilight nodded once to them then put her eyes back on Pudge Mount. "Keep your eyes on me okay?" She whispered. Then looked deep into Pudge's eyes. The air became deathly silent with a tense feeling of dread. "Maheera?... I know you're watching, and I know you're listening."
And she was. Maheera stopped walking through the castle on Mount Aris and her slitted eyes widened. The halls in around her were clear. The windows on the side let a reddish glow paint the brick walls. Besides that, the paintings, the flags and herself Maheera was all alone. Her army was out there doing whatever for an attack or sign of one.
But right now, an attack wasn't even the least of her worries. Her eyes dilated and turned a deep red. Just like all three of the ponies in front of the Queen. Arcadia knew it. They were taken over without even noticing.
The three stood up so fast their chains zipped into the air then back onto the carpet. The Guards were about to stride forward, but Twilight's hoof stopped them. Their despondent faces now turned upside down into sadistic grins. Then they sat down on their haunches, raised their hooves and slowly clapped them together. At exactly the same time.
Their voices reached ears with a threatening evil painting over every syllable. "Great job, Queen Arcadia. A little too late, don't you think?"
Queen Arcadia held her sword in her magic and answered, "It is never too late to take you out."
"Oh for those in Psera's beloved tower..."
"Hush your forsaken mouth!!" Twilight bellowed. Molten's fur seemed to vibrate when she yelled. "Free your spawn from these ponies, they are innocent! This is between you and I!"
The infected ponies tilted their heads to the side and asked, "Oh whatever do you mean, Queen Arcadia? I'm pretty sure the fact of the matter is this: Wherever you go, death will follow."
Twilight took a step forward and corrected, "You speak of yourself, Maheera."
"Do I? Or do I speak of us?"
Twilight's hesitation let Molten know that hit home. They needed to have a talk later. Twilight stomped her hoof and yelled, "Enough! Leave Psera out of this feud between you and Narmeelah. Take this matter up with me if you truly believe this world is yours."
Whoa, wait! Molten was about to stride forward but Twilight used her magic to conjure a large transparent wall of magic guarding everyone away from those thrones. Keeping out every sound. Maheera silently chuckled on the other side and said through her captives, "Do you honestly think you can defeat me? What makes you believe that if even Narmeelah and her team of misfits couldn't, you could?"
"Because I'm not Narmeelah. I'm Queen Twilight 'Arcadia Nova' Sparkle, Saviour of Psera. But before that I was the top mage in the known world. If anyone knows how to combat dark magic that has evolved beyond your time, then it's me." While she spoke, Maheera's smug smile slowly disappeared from her face. "All of your spells, I know how to combat them. Psera has managed to get past your infections just by reading the books I supplied them with. I pushed you to the side and I can do it again."
The ponies roared in anger and broke out of their chains with a mere spread of their wings. They walked around Queen Arcadia to form a circle and yelled, "You honestly believe I will fall for that again?! Oh you foolish pony! I am atune to your tricks, there is nothing you can—"
Queen Arcadia suddenly lifted her right hoof and stomped it back on the ground. Ice shot up from underneath Hard Love and entrapped her, as well as the Shadow Spell inside her. The gloves were off.
Hard Seas and Pudge Mount shot to her from either side. But Arcadia grabbed Pudge Mount in her magic and threw her across straight into Hard Seas.
They went flying, but the shadows inside soared out of their body's orifices and reformed back into the same spellbound abominations Maheera created by the time they landed.
Those were not regular Infected ponies. Claws, rows of scythe-sharp teeth, and gills. Black as night that absorbed the light. Molten gasped and the soldiers started firing, but they got caught in Arcadia's shield spell. She didn't need interruptions.
Ducking a near swipe from a razor sharp wing, Twilight slipped up and brought her right forehoof forward to send one flying backwards. Then dropped it back down and brought her rear hooves up to buck the other away in the muzzle. It gave her plenty of time to ready herself.
Maheera's spawns recovered quickly. They were on their hooves once more. Ready to go. They raced and bounded for Twilight. She knew Maheera would try again. Had to learn the hard way. She swung one sword behind her and charged forward with her horn pointed. Using her large wings, she swept it under the hooves of the abomination charging back towards her face to trip them. Then jumped on top, pulled back, jabbed forward, and froze that sharp horn less than a millimeter from this thing's forehead.
Her sword had frozen the pony charging from behind after she swiped for the neck and held there. Then it was a standoff with Twilight on top. Glaring down into Maheera's shaken eyes. She could honestly say she didn't see that one coming. Twilight slowly slid her sword across the neck of the pony behind her and whispered, "Anytime, Maheera. You leave my country out of this. Just you and me."
Maheera growled from her castle and whispered through her spawn unheard. "You have seventy-two hours. Before I reign eternal pain and suffering upon Psera." Then just like that, they broke down into matter at her hooves.
Twilight slowly sheathed her sword and sighed down into the puddles of sand and dirt. The remains of the lands beyond the Obelisks. There was no telling what she would find there, but there was no denying that she was soon to find out.
The ice trapping Hard Love quickly melted, letting her out coughing onto the floor. Twilight lowered her shield and ordered, "See to their health, please." Urging the Police and Guards to rush towards Pudge Mount and her associates.
She watched them work for a moment with other thoughts on her mind. Combating against Maheera. Alone. None of the ponies in this room heard their conversation at the end. She agreed to fight Maheera within seventy-two hours. Within three days.
Queen Arcadia was going to make it shorter. She turned and walked around her throne for the room's rear entrance. She didn't need the press in her face. "See to it that I am not disturbed, Molten!" She ordered.
Molten Ice just watched Twilight walk away with worry. Her walk was more urgent. Much more violent and angry. Anger makes ponies do stupid things. A wise pony would turn into a fool before their very eyes while they wrestled with their livid emotions. She could do nothing but watch.
But she knew someone who could do something about it later. Molten whipped around and followed after the Suspects being carried out. The only one who could actually walk was Hard Love. But she was frozen in ice and shivering. So they all needed a trip to the medical wing. Hopefully Twilight would be alright by then.
Twilight was not alright. Celestia could tell when she walked right past her without so much as a glance. She's been looking for her ever since they lifted the temporary Code Black. But the Guard said she was in the throne room with other ponies and couldn't be disturbed. So she waited and killed time by looking at all the decorations on that floor outside Twilight's office doors.
Then she came storming out the other end and almost ran her over. Celestia jumped out of her way and walked back while she opened them. Her face was contorted in a light phase of aggression. Something she's never seen before.
The Arcadian Guards stood stoic while their queen opened the doors. "Twilight?" Celestia whispered. She walked closer and laid a wing on her back. Full of love and care. "Is everything alright?"
Twilight took a deep breath and stood strong with closed eyes. "No," she replied. Then opened her eyes with that thick as steel stare she needed to boost her own morale. "But it will be. I am not to be disturbed by anyone for the rest of the afternoon. None, whatsoever."
She moved past the Arcadian Elite Royal Guards stationed at her door. Before Celestia could follow, they flared their wings open to block her path. Then the doors were shut. Celestia didn't know what would happen in that room. But she didn't like what she saw. Not at all.
Behind those doors, Twilight took eager steps across the grass to the box sitting on her desk. A large steel container with a dial facing her. The blue gold still in its blue phase. Contained in heavy material. Right on time. Using her magic she grabbed it and her sword once again. Then carried them both with her across the land of grass under her hooves to the bookshelf hiding her elevator. If Maheera wanted a fight, she would get a fight.
In a few seconds she was dropping deep into her underground lab. Under all the soil and deep into the gold that made up Psera. Her number one hidden secret. Deeper than anything she's ever hid. Her spell sanctuary. The laboratory where she conducted spell experiments and where all of her spells were held. Every. Last. Single. One. The thousands upon thousands that she's created in a lifetime lined the shelves casting shadows onto all of her equipment.
But none of these tomes lining the walls mattered. No, what mattered was creating this weapon. She jumped off of her walkway and soared through the lights down to the panels below. To her laboratory.
A table was cleared with a sweep of a hoof followed by the shattering of glass. Flood lights were turned on and trained on the sword and box placed under their beams. This would fix everything. The CPC Disaster, the Obelisk Flaw, the trust she's lost from her citizens.
Twilight fully concealed herself in a PPE supplied exclusively from SERL. Her muzzle covered by a mask, focused eyes protected by a pair of airtight goggles, and mane curled into a bun hidden underneath a bag. All with the label of Solid Energy Revolution Labs.
Once certain and prepared, she reached out and went to work unsealing the box by turning a knob on the box's side. After a few turns, the sealed edge popped open and the lid was free to pull off. Twilight did just that with careful hooves.
Inside lied a large blue rock. It looked exactly like Gold would. Just blue, harder and definitely had relatively strong bonds. It even held the luster. But it held little to no value as it was highly dangerous. Good. Dangerous was what she needed.
Twilight used her protected hooves to lift it up and set it on the table next to her sword. What she needed was a torch, her magic and a large chemical clean up kit for everything after that.
Once it were all within hoof's reach, she lifted the blowtorch and went to work taking the box apart. Sparks flew through the air and landed at her hooves. But she paid it no mind. She had a weapon to create and a war to win.