The Paradise lifted and pulled away from the tower, quickly disappearing into the swirling storm raging within the enclosed mountain range.
“Well, this had better be worth it since Maud said it would be two days minimum that they would be back,” Trixie said to her fellow Returners.
Rainbow Dash lazily waved a hoof. “Are you kidding? We could be here a whole week exploring this thing. Do you not see the size of this sucker?”
Standing next to her, Rarity craned her neck as far back as she could. Even then, the top of the tower was hidden in the constant maelstrom of winds and clouds. “Somehow that doesn’t fill me with excitement. Who knows what’s waiting up there.”
“Rarity’s got a point,” Twilight said. “We need to be careful. There’s no help coming for a while.”
“You’re all worrywarts.” Rainbow Dash huffed and began trotting for the base of the tower.
The trip was short, the Returners arriving at the bottom of the tower in less than a minute. No ponies or monsters were around to greet them. A set of stairs that wound around the tower like a coiling wooden snake was the only visible means to go up.
“Are we seriously going to climb this thing going up those rickety stairs?” Rarity asked. “My knees are wobbling already from just the thought.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll catch ya if ya fall,” Rainbow Dash said.
“Oh, um. Sorry. That’s not going to work.”
The three unicorns and pegasus yelped and whirled around, drawing their weapons on the source of the voice. The yellow pegasus that had spoken shrieked and cowered on the ground.
“Fluttershy!” Rarity cried and ran up to her trembling friend. She picked her up and hugged her tight. “My dear Fluttershy, thank goodness you’re all right.”
Fluttershy sighed and leaned into the hug. “Nice to see you too, Rarity.” The two separated, smiling to each other before turning to the others. “Um, hi.”
Trixie eyed the newcomer skeptically. “Where did you even come from? You weren’t here when we landed.”
Looking away and pawing at the ground, Fluttershy said, “Well, I kinda was. You just didn’t notice me. Until now. Sorry.”
“There’s no need to apologize,” Rarity lightly admonished. “You’re here now and that’s all that matters.” She paused and pursed her lip. “But that does raise the question of why are you here. I thought you would be in Thamaresa.”
Fluttershy frowned, a hint of frustration entering her voice. “I was, until a few weeks after we all got separated on that floating island.”
When Fluttershy didn’t continue, Rainbow Dash spoke up. “Uh, and then?”
Startled out of her thoughts, Fluttershy said, “Oh, sorry. Yes, um, you see, there’s a reason I’m here. And I can’t leave until everypony is back to normal.”
“Everypony?” Trixie repeated.
“She means us.”
For the second time in as many minutes, the Returners spun around to find a line of ponies descending the tower stairs. In the lead was a light purple unicorn with a dark purple mane smiling widely at the newcomers. The ponies formed two lines with the unicorn at the front. “Welcome! I’m so glad to see more ponies interested in our little group.”
“Starlight Glimmer?” Rarity stepped forward and waved over the ponies. “What are you doing? What is all this?”
Starlight smiled and nodded. “Rarity, it’s been a while. Still wearing that costume? Anyway, I’m glad you asked. Welcome to Our Tower, home of the Cult of Discord.”
The Returners stared blankly at her. As the moments ticked by, Starlight coughed into her hoof. “Well, usually I get at least some response.”
Rainbow Dash shook herself out of her stupor. “You’re kidding, right? You guys are gonna drop the other horseshoe any minute, right?”
“There we go!” Starlight exclaimed, pointing a hoof at Rainbow Dash. “That I know how to respond to. Yes, we’re serious. Just look at what our glorious benefactor has granted us.” She swept her hoof up to encompass the tower.
Trixie cocked her head, levitating out her map. She studied it for a few seconds before speaking up. “It’s called Fanatics Tower.”
Starlight blinked. “Excuse me?”
“It’s not Our Tower, it’s Fanatics Tower. It says so right here.”
Raising an eyebrow, Starlight laughed lightly. “Well, I don’t know where you got that thing from, but I can assure you it’s Our Tower.”
Trixie shook her head. “Nope. Got this from Discord, personally. It fills in whatever foolishness his magic thinks up. So your klutzy cult leader says it’s Fanatics—”
“It’s Our Tower, okay?!” Starlight erupted. The ponies behind her and the Returners both took a step back. Starlight ground her teeth, letting out a huff and giving a forced smile. “So, now that we have that all sorted out, why don’t we head up and enjoy some refreshments.”
Rarity cleared her throat. “As lovely as that sounds, we’re just here to collect Fluttershy. So, enjoy doing whatever it is you cultists do and we’ll be on our way.”
“The airship isn’t coming back for two days, remember?” Rainbow Dash said.
Starlight grinned.
Rarity facehoofed. “Thanks for pointing that out so loudly, Rainbow Dash.”
“What?” Rainbow Dash said with a shrug. “I came here to climb this thing. I ain’t sitting around while I could be doing that.”
“I like your attitude.” Starlight gestured towards the stairs. “We can talk all about our wonderful society in the guest room. Sugar Belle makes some fantastic muffins.” A pink unicorn in the front line perked up and beamed.
Before anypony could move, Fluttershy zipped between the cult and Returners, waving her legs frantically. “No, don’t do it!”
“Fluttershy, that’s no way to treat our new friends,” Starlight said with a weary shake of her head. “How many times do I have to remind you?”
Fluttershy turned to Starlight, hovering and holding her hooves held out in front of her. “Please Starlight, you have to stop this. Let’s head back to Thamaresa. We can rebuild just like you said we would.”
Taking in a deep breath, Starlight let it out slowly. “Fluttershy, we’ve had this discussion more times than I can count. My answer is still the same. We’re staying here where Discord can take care of us.”
“How stupid can you be?”
All eyes turned to Trixie. The general stepped forward, a look of disdain on her face. “You think Discord cares at all about any of you? You’re his playthings, and he’ll throw you out the moment he gets bored. There’s no sense to any of this which is exactly what he wants. If you think devotion to him to get treated well ‘makes sense’, he’ll betray you just for a joke.”
Starlight eyed Trixie with equal contempt. “Who do you think you are to speak of him that way?”
“Trixie has seen what he can do when he gets bored. He plays with creatures’ lives and tosses them aside to go to the next thing. He cares nothing for their suffering. And that is why Trixie and her army are going to kill him.”
The two held their standoff, neither backing down or breaking eye contact. The moment ended when Starlight’s cheeks puffed out, then burst out laughing. Her cultists quickly joined in. “You… seriously?” Starlight got out in between guffaws. “Beat Discord? And ponies call me the crazy one.”
Trixie’s cheeks reddened, her jawline clenched. “Our magic is more powerful than you think.”
“Really, now,” Starlight drawled. Smirking in victory, she pointed upwards. “Then show me. Get to the top of this tower and maybe I’ll ask the master to turn you into breezies instead of stone.”
“Discord doesn’t turn ponies into stone. Just zebras.”
“You know what I meant!” Snarling, Starlight turned away, the cultists parting for her, then falling in line behind her. In a well practiced march, the Cult of Discord ascended the stairs until they were out of sight.
Rainbow Dash waited for them to be gone before barking out a laugh. “Joke’s on her. I’ve flown over mountains taller than this.”
“Oh, actually, you can’t—”
Fluttershy’s warning came too late as Rainbow Dash spread her wings and launched herself into the air. She looked down at the receding group, waved, and shot up like a rocket.
The moment she reached the first floor, her wings vanished in a small flash of light. With a cry of surprise and panic, Rainbow Dash plummeted. A magenta aura surrounded and caught her before she impacted the ground. She was set down gently on all fours. She looked at her sides in panic and saw her wings blink back into existence.
The Returners ran up to her, Twilight’s horn dimming. “Rainbow? Are you alright? Fluttershy said to be ready when you fell and I’m glad she did.”
Rainbow Dash didn’t respond, instead inspecting her wings by opening and closing them repeatedly. “What the buck happened?! Nothing like that’s ever happened before.” Her gaze shifted to Fluttershy, causing the other pegasus to shrink away. “Okay, spill it. What’s going on?”
“Sorry…” Fluttershy squeaked out.
“Don’t just say sorry, spit it out!”
Fluttershy “eep!”ed and hid behind Rarity.
Rarity sighed and patted Fluttershy’s head, giving a glare to Rainbow Dash. “Now don’t be yelling at her. You’re the one flying off without waiting for us.” Turning away from a chastised Rainbow Dash, Rarity knelt down and rubbed Fluttershy’s back. “Now darling, just take your time and explain to us what you’ve been trying to say.”
Rarity’s soft voice and continued back rub slowly set Fluttershy’s nerves back to normal. Taking in a breath, she said, “The tower’s cursed. You can only use certain kinds of magic. Nothing else works. Sorry.”
“No need to apologize.” Rarity gave her one last pat and stood up, bringing Fluttershy with her. “In fact, this works in our favor. You just so happen to have a bunch of really strong magic users with you. And if I recall, you have some magic now too, right?”
Fluttershy nodded. “A little, I guess.”
“Don’t be selling yourself short. I saw you when we faced off with the Ultima Weapon and your magic kept us alive. Frankly, we could use more of that type.” Rarity gave a reassuring smile and turned to the others. “Well, are we going or do we stay and wait for Pinkie to pick us up?”
“Heck no!” Trixie and Rainbow Dash cried out at once.
Fluttershy shook her head. “I can’t leave until I talk sense into them.”
“Sounds like we’ve decided, then,” Twilight said, nodding. “And I’ll be honest, I’m curious to see if our magic holds up. We really need to challenge ourselves if we’re going to have a chance against Discord.”
“That’s the spirit!” Rainbow Dash raised up a hoof, grinning when Twilight gave it a firm bump.
Trixie smirked, heading towards the stairs leading up. “Then let’s get going. Trixie’s going to enjoy the look on Starlight’s face when next we see her.”
.o.O.o.
“Trixie’s going to jump off this blasted tower if it’s the last thing she does!”
The Returners had only gone up a few stories before their troubles began. When Fluttershy said only magic worked in the tower, she meant it in every sense of the words. Weapons couldn’t be drawn no matter how hard they were tugged. The wings of the pegasi vanished and so did the horns of the unicorns, much to the irritation of Rainbow Dash and Trixie. Even Twilight’s alternate esper form couldn’t materialize, Twilight saying that it just wouldn’t respond when she called upon it.
For better or worse, magic was their only means of defending themselves in the tower. And the monsters they encountered on the narrow stairway were making that a tall order in such close quarters. A fireball from above blasted within their ranks, tossing the ponies across the walkway. Miraculously, nopony fell off.
“Get down!” Trixie called out, relieved that at least they could still talk. A thin beam of ice shot over the Returners’ heads, puncturing through a small monster wearing green robes a few steps above them. The creature gave a gurgling groan and toppled over the edge of the stairs. Trixie’s victory was short-lived as more monsters came clamoring down to take its place. “Gaah, don’t they know that they’re going to die?!”
“I’ve got this!” Rainbow Dash, seemingly fine from the fiery detonation, charged forward to meet the enemy head on. It was as she reached the first monster, a pink and yellow apparition, that she realized her error.
The ghost wheezed out a cloud of poison as Rainbow Dash struggled to pull out her dagger. The mist enveloped her completely and she fell hacking and coughing in front of the monster. The ghost wheezed again to finish her off, but a stream of fire pushed the miasma away and disintegrated the monster to a drifting cloud of ash.
“Rainbow Dash!” Twilight ran up to the pegasus, a heal spell at the ready.
The monsters behind the defeated ghost didn’t give her the chance to cast it. Ice, fire, and lightning pelted at Twilight, forcing her to erect a shield to protect herself and Rainbow Dash. “Help!”
“Coming!” Rarity conjured up a set of needles and sent them into the oncoming mob. They pierced through the enemy lines, driving them back, and giving Twilight enough time to pull Rainbow Dash away. Trixie added her own magic to the mix, blasting the last of the monsters. For a few moments, everything was still.
Fluttershy, keeping in the rear, crept her way up and knelt over Rainbow Dash. A soft white glow spread over the fallen pegasus. Soon, Rainbow Dash’s coughing fits ended and she stood up and shook her head.
“Thanks,” Rainbow Dash croaked out.
“Don’t mention it,” Fluttershy said, falling back.
The group took a minute to regroup and recover, though monstrous noises from further up kept them on edge. “Just how far up have we gone?” Trixie said aloud.
Fluttershy peeked over the edge of the stairs. “Um, we haven’t reached the quarter way point yet.”
“Seriously?! All that effort and we’ve barely even started?”
“Sorry.”
Stomping past the others to reclaim the lead position, Trixie muttered, “If I could just use my runic powers, we’d be plowing past these fools. But no, can’t even use that.”
“Sorry.”
Trixie bit her tongue to keep from lashing out.
The Returners continued the climb, fighting increasingly tougher monsters nearly every step of the way. By the time Fluttershy called out that they had reached the halfway point, the ponies were on the verge of collapse. Rainbow Dash in particular needed constant healing spells as her new, unfamiliar magic left her open to counterattack. Literally dragging herself up each step, she called out for a breather.
“How… the hay… do you guys… do so much walking?” she panted.
Twilight and Fluttershy propped Rainbow Dash up between themselves, the thief too tired to protest. “Practice,” Twilight said. “Lots of it.”
Trixie plopped down nearby. “Trixie would say learning by trial by fire has its advantages, but this is getting ridiculous. And it’s so weird casting magic without my horn.”
“And the worst part is still no treasure,” Rarity said.
“Don’t… even… joke… about that,” Rainbow Dash wheezed.
Less than a minute later, their moment of rest was cut short. From above, a thumping noise was heard at regular intervals. The thumping grew closer, less than a flight above them. Trixie and Rarity took up positions a step above the others, magic sparking on their foreheads where their horns used to be. The source of the thumping soon came into view. A clay urn dropped down from the stairs ahead, rested, then somehow hopped up and thumped down to the next set of stairs. There it lay for a few seconds before the lid of the urn tipped up, revealing a grey impish creature peeking out.
“What in the stars above and earth below am I seeing now?” Rarity said.
Trixie’s features hardened. “Trixie is beyond not caring. Blast it.” Her magic alight, she took aim. The imp inside the pot shrieked and hid back inside.
A flash of yellow and pink rushed past them. Fluttershy stood before the duo, frantically waving her legs. “Wait! Don’t hurt it!”
A low growl escaped Trixie’s throat. “Why?”
“Just trust me on this.” Fluttershy gave a weak smile and turned to the urn. “Um, sorry about that. Everypony is really on edge. Please forgive them.”
The pot lid opened slightly, revealing a pair of wide eyes.
Fluttershy slowly walked up to it. She reached into her saddlebags and pulled out a potion bottle. She offered it to the imp. This caused the imp to spring into action, snatching up the potion with tiny hands, and just as quickly retreating back into the urn. Smiling, Fluttershy came back down to stand with the others.
Trixie eyed the urn, then stared at Fluttershy with beady eyes. “And what did that accomplish?”
Fluttershy shushed her. “Just wait.”
Huffing, Trixie stood and watched. A minute went by with nothing happening. Thankfully, no other monsters came by to attack them while the group waited for the creature to respond.
The urn wobbled suddenly, then hopped down the remaining stairs to reach the Returners. Ponies ready and wary watched as the imp peeked out again. It lifted out the potion bottle Fluttershy had given it and offered it up. Fluttershy accepted it gracefully, giving a little pat to the top of the lid. The imp made a sound reminiscent of a giggle.
“Thank you. You have been very patient with us.” Fluttershy turned and lifted up the potion. Where before the liquid inside was a light blue, now it was deep red. Fluttershy uncorked it and took a small sip, then offered it to Trixie. “Here, have some.”
Trixie eyed the bottle then back at Fluttershy. “Trixie isn’t touching that until you explain.”
“Oh, sorry. You see, this little guy is a magic urn. They use their magic to empower alchemy mixtures. They love doing it, but usually don’t have the chance to. They really are fascinating creatures.”
Trixie didn’t budge. Wilting a bit, Fluttershy passed the bottle to Rarity instead. “C’mon, try some.”
Like Trixie, Rarity eyed the bottle skeptically. With a dramatic sigh, she said, “Oh, what the hay.” She grabbed it in her magic, pulled back her mask, and took a dainty sip. The liquid traveled smoothly through her system, creating a tingling sensation all the way down to her stomach. Her eyes lit up and she stood a little straighter. “Oh my.”
Turning around, Rarity brought the bottle up to Rainbow Dash’s lips. “Dash, I think you could use this.”
Rainbow Dash, having silently followed events so far, raised an eyebrow. “What is it?”
“Elixir.”
Twilight and Trixie gasped. Rainbow Dash’s jaw dropped. “Really?”
Rarity nodded. Needing no further prodding, Rainbow Dash grasped the bottle in her hooves and took a deep drink. Less than a quarter remained when she pulled the bottle away. “Oh, wow. That’s the good stuff.” Rainbow Dash sprang to her hooves, stretching out her limbs, and grinning widely. “Amazing, it is elixir!”
“Gimmie!” Trixie lunged for the bottle, snapping it up and taking a drag.
“Leave me some!” Twilight whined. The moment Trixie pulled the bottle away, Twilight snatched it and drank down the rest.
Refreshed and rejuvenated, Trixie turned to Fluttershy. “Can your little friend make more of those?”
“Oh, sorry, he already left.” Fluttershy pointed at the spot the magic urn once was, now just an empty step. “But he told me to tell you that he’s glad he was able to help.”
“And we are very grateful,” Rarity said before Trixie could get a word in.
Trixie shot Rarity a sideways glare. “Yes. Grateful.” Taking in a breath, Trixie continued, “Well, this has been a delightful rest, but we better get going. If we’re still only halfway, Trixie wants to press on while we’re in top form.” She turned her gaze to Rainbow Dash. “As for you, Trixie thinks it’s best you take the rear. I know that’s not what you want to hear, but you’re still getting used to your new powers. It’s best if you provide support rather than going all out.”
Rainbow Dash pouted, looking to Twilight. “C’mon, I’m not holding you guys back. I’m rocking it!”
Shaking her head, Twilight said, “Dash, we gotta reach the top in as good a shape as we can. Healing you all the time is pretty draining. You can make sure nothing sneaks up on us.”
“I’ll stay with her,” Fluttershy offered, taking her place next to her fellow non-winged pegasus.
Rainbow Dash grumbled, muttering something about babysitting.
“I guess that means I’m center.” Rarity brushed back her cape, looking determined even with her mask re-covering her face.
Trixie gave a firm nod. “Good. Keep an eye on both ends, if you can. Let’s go.” With Trixie and Twilight leading the way, the Returners once again ascended the tower.
.o.O.o.
The last half of the climb proved just as difficult as the first half, but they reached the top in better condition. With Rainbow Dash being more conservative with her magic, the group was able to coordinate their attacks more efficiently. The monsters rammed into them with unrelenting force, but the Returners were up to the challenge. With a triumphant stomp, Trixie took the last step up, coming out on a flat platform. The wind swirled around them with even more force than before, but some sort of barrier kept them from being blown off. A single hut made of the same material as the rest of the tower lay in the center, a metal door decorated with Starlight Glimmer’s cutie mark set in the middle.
The rest came up next to Trixie, fanning out. Rainbow Dash gave a long, low whistle. “Wow, I’m getting Chozo flashbacks from this.”
“Indeed,” Trixie replied back. She stepped forward and raised her voice. “Starlight! We’re here! Come out and face us!”
The door opened, the cultists walking out single file. They lined up in two equal lines before the Returners, their expressions featureless. Starlight exited last, walking through the cultists to stand in front of them. “Well, I’ll admit that I’m a little impressed. Nopony’s gotten this far without my guidance.”
Rainbow Dash gave an exaggerated shrug. “Pshh. Weren’t nothin’.”
“And now that we’re here, you know how serious we are,” Trixie said. “Call off your cult and help us deal with Discord.”
Starlight tried and failed to stifle a laugh with her hoof. “You poor, deluded fools. Just because you made it here doesn’t mean anything.” She smiled, making a point to lift her nose and look down on them. “You will be joining us. Just stand still and I’ll take care of everything.”
“Starlight, please listen to reason!” Fluttershy ran forward, standing between the two opposing groups.
Sighing, Starlight squinted and her bare forehead flickered. A bolt of lightning descended from above, striking the spot just in front of Fluttershy. The pegasus cried out and fell backwards, Rarity catching her from hitting the roof.
“I’m done listening to you. I see now that you just don’t get it. Well, I’m going to fix that right now.” Starlight motioned for her cultists to move back.
The Returners readied themselves, Rarity gently placing Fluttershy back on her hooves. Fluttershy shivered, then stood tall next to Rarity. The caped pony lifted her mask to glare at Starlight. “This is the biggest mistake you’ve ever made.”
“No! The biggest mistake was letting those espers into our village!” Starlight snarled, her breaths coming out in quick bursts. “Why do you think we hid ourselves in the first place? To keep things like that from happening!”
“It was going to happen regardless,” Trixie said, stepping forward. “But Trixie agrees, we’re done listening. So let’s have our magic do the talking.”
Starlight let out a humorless laugh. “Oh, this will be amusing. You’ve had esper magic for what, a few years?” Her forehead lit up a bright turquoise, her brow furrowed. “I’ve had magic my entire life.” With that, she summoned another lightning bolt, blasting it in the center of the Returners.
The Returners scattered, more out of surprise than harm. It still did the trick of breaking them up, which Starlight took quick advantage of. She targeted the closest to her, Trixie, casting and sending out a grey sphere with two smaller spheres trailing it. The magical constructs made contact and completely enveloped Trixie, shrinking down and soaking into her body. Trixie gave a gurgling gasp and fell to her knees.
Starlight readied her magic to finish her off, but was forced to parry a fireball sent her way. Another fireball came at her, bigger than before. Starlight focused and fired a beam straight through the fire, dissipating it and striking its caster, Twilight, in the chest. Twilight cried out and fell back, clutching her chest.
The three remaining Returners came charging in from all sides, Rarity and Rainbow Dash on her left and right with Fluttershy creeping up the middle. Starlight sniffed. “Honestly, I was expecting more.” Raising her head high, Starlight summoned the winds raging around the tower towards herself, condensing them into a single, large tornado. The speed in which she cast outpaced Rarity and Rainbow Dash’s incoming spells which were blown away by the whirlwind. With a flick of her head, Starlight sent the tornado at the befuddled Returners, snatching them up. The mini-cyclone tossed the ponies around for a few seconds, before petering out and depositing them on the tower roof with a thud.
Starlight took stock, her gaze traveling over the downed ponies. “Well, I suppose that wraps this up. Double Diamond, Party Favor, Night Glider, and Sugar Belle, could you help our guests inside?” The four called on ponies nodded and began heading over.
A bright flash from above stopped them in their tracks and forced them to shield their eyes. Peeking over their legs, they saw an angelic figure descend from the heavens. The divine being hovered over the Returners, spread its arms and wings, and released sparkling motes over the ponies. The tiny particles floated into the Returners’ bodies, giving each a gentle yellow glow over their forms. Her labor finished, the angel twirled and shot up into the air where it disappeared in a burst of light.
As one, the Returners stood back up. Fluttershy’s cutie mark flicked briefly before returning to normal. She sighed deeply then stood in line with the rest.
Starlight let out a frustrated groan. “Now I have to start all over again.” Not waiting for them to reply, she began casting a new spell while her followers retreated back towards the shelter. She hopped lightly into the air, cast a gravity spell on herself, then came down with gargantuan force. The shear power rocked the top of the tower, cracks appearing beneath where the Returners stood.
The Returners, feeling more refreshed than when they started the fight, skipped away from the damaged floor. Fire, ice, and glowing needle projectiles homed in on Starlight’s position, hitting her from every direction. The ponies kept the pressure up, casting every attack spell they knew. Once they were finally spent, huffing from their exertions, they waited to see what was left of the cult leader.
Their faces fell when a gust of wind blew away the steam and smoke generated from their attacks and saw Starlight standing perfectly fine in the center of the blast zone. A multicolored field surrounded her body, one that faded away with a toss of Starlight’s head. “Wall Change. All of your elemental attacks are nullified. Not that I needed to use it, but I thought I’d show you just how outclassed you all are.”
Smirking, Starlight stepped forward. “Now, get inside before I get peeved. You wouldn’t like me when I’m peeved.”
“Such language,” Fluttershy muttered, too tired to raise her voice.
The group looked to each other, searching each other’s faces for a plan.
Starlight didn’t give them the chance. “Now!”
“Wait!” Trixie brushed past her comrades, taking center stage. “Before you make us into one of your brain dead followers, want to see one last trick?”
Rolling her eyes, Starlight gestured to continue. “Whatever you’ve got planned won’t work, but fine. This is your last chance.”
“Very well. First, Trixie needs help from her lovely assistants.”
Rainbow Dash whispered to Twilight, “When the hay did she pick up the showmare shtick?”
Twilight shrugged helplessly.
Their confusion only increased when Trixie cast a spell over them, feeling their remaining magic reserves leave them and get absorbed into Trixie.
“Did she just runic us without her sword?” Rarity said.
“Osmosis, my dear,” Trixie answered. “Now watch closely as Trixie performs her greatest feat yet!” She raised up on her back legs, raising her front hooves to the sky.
Starlight looked bored. “Get on with it!”
“Ah, a neighsayer. Trixie knows just how to deal with the likes of you!” Her whole body blazing fiercely, Trixie gave a triumphant roar and shot all her gathered magic into the sky. The ball of condensed power reached its apex then winked out of existence.
All the ponies gathered at the top of the tower watched and waited.
And waited.
And waited.
“Huh.” Trixie dropped back down to all fours. “Was expecting more.”
“Alright, show’s over,” Starlight said, all traces of patience gone. “Get—”
The sky above tore itself apart, making a noise akin to breaking glass and paper ripping. Clouds and air seeped into the tear like it was a sink drain. The hole widened, revealing a vast expanse of blackness broken up by numerous twinkling stars. The ponies watched in awe and horror at the spectacle, unable to process what they were seeing but powerless to look away. Their reverie ended when giant space rocks suddenly rained down with terrifying speed, landing with pinpoint accuracy on a startled Starlight Glimmer.
Ponies on both sides looked away as armageddon raged in the spot Starlight occupied, meteor after meteor crashing down on the purple pony. The onslaught only lasted a few seconds, the opening in the sky closing back up in a reverse iris. Once the sounds of repeated explosions disappeared and the normal rush of winds returned did anypony dare to move. Hesitantly, the ponies turned back, expecting to see nothing but devastation and the ruins of a pony. Wreckage certainly showed, with the strong stone roof pockmarked with craters and the smoldering remains of blasted masonry. Starlight Glimmer on the other hoof remained in one piece.
Battered, bruised, missing chunks of her coat, with parts of her mane and tail torn, but still alive.
And furious.
Starlight raised her head and screamed, letting out a primal sound of fury at the top of her lungs. The Returners and cult members backed away, more frightened than they were during the meteor spell. Once Starlight expelled her lungs, she took in quick, shallow breaths, her sight locked squarely on Trixie. “You… that… stupid…” Words failing her, she snarled, her forehead lighting up brighter than ever before. The very air seemed to change around the tower, growing thicker and hotter. A cold sweat broke out on the Returners and cultists as the temperature continued to rise.
“Now what’s she doing?” Rainbow Dash asked aloud. “What’s it going to take to keep her down?”
Twilight jabbed Trixie in the side. “Quick! Cast that spell again!”
“Trixie just spent every last drop of magic in her and all of you, Twilight Sparkle!” she shot back. “If I could use my sword, I could runic, but we know that’s not happening.” She lifted her head to the sky and wailed, “This isn’t fair! Trixie just performed the greatest feat known to ponykind, only to get shown up!”
The heat was nearly unbearable, the cultists themselves passing out.
“Starlight!” Fluttershy called out, her hoof outstretched. “Please, stop! You’re putting everypony in danger!”
“She’s too far gone.” Rarity attempted to draw a throwing knife, only to remember that the tower prevented her from doing that. “Oh my, we’re going to die.”
In the center of the growing inferno, her eyes a solid white, Starlight finished her spell. With a cry of hatred, she shouted, “Merton!”
The intense heat reached its peak, washing over the entire rooftop. The cracked and damaged tower, along with the shelter, melted under the all consuming fury. The spell lasted only a moment, but that was all it needed to burn everything to cinders.
.o.O.o.
All was still at the base of the Fanatics Tower. Even the winds that circled endlessly within the canyon that held the tower stilled. The silence, so unnatural for this tiny corner of the world, stretched on. Had anypony been there to experience it and happen to look upwards, they would have glimpsed a red spark shining somewhere far up on the impossibly high tower. Also unnatural, as anything higher than the quarter mark was too obscured by dark, swirling clouds. The stillness stretched on again, like the world paused forever on this moment.
The uneasy calm broke all at once as a ball of fire crashed to the ground at supersonic speeds. Strangely, the impact didn’t leave a crater, nor did the fireball disperse upon landing. The bizarre phenomenon continued as the ball of fire sprouted flaming wings, followed by the blazing head of a bird. The fire bird let out a majestic cry, rising away from the earth with a great flap of its wings, revealing a tail of four long trailing feathers. It rose higher, twirled, then burst into fading motes of sparkling magic.
Where the fire bird had briefly landed now lay over a dozen ponies. The cutie mark of one of the ponies gave off a flickering glow before returning to its normal state. With a pained groan, Rainbow Dash slowly picked herself up, slightly wobbling on her hooves.
“What a rush.”
Shaking off the last lingering dizziness, Rainbow Dash got to work checking on her friends. Some of the Returners were already waking up, just as out of it as Rainbow Dash had been. “Take it easy. Don’t rush it.”
“Thanks,” Twilight Sparkle said, rising to her hooves and stretching out some kinks. She took stock, noticing they were back on the ground and that certain limbs had reappeared. “Hey, your wings are back.”
“Really?” Rainbow Dash twisted her head around, her face lighting up upon seeing two perfectly solid wings. She leapt up and whooped, gliding back down to grin at Twilight. “Nice! Your horn’s back, too!”
Twilight crossed her eyes upwards, spying the tip of her horn. She let out a relieved sigh. “What happened?”
“Um, I’m not entirely sure, but I think that esper I bonded with saved us.” Rainbow Dash grinned, raising a hoof to the sky while hovering off the ground. “I’m so awesome that I did it on instinct!”
“And we’re very grateful,” Rarity said. She looked over her costume, thankful that her mask hid her distaste. “Ugh, I’ve got so much mending to do on this thing. I don’t think I’ll ever get these scorch marks out.”
Trixie and Fluttershy also revived, looking over themselves and delighted to have their missing body parts back. A series of groans nearby alerted them that they weren’t the only ones here. The Cult of Discord members lay sprawled out on the ground, barely aware of their surroundings. They looked out of it but fine, which couldn’t be said for their leader.
Starlight Glimmer, the cult mastermind, lay on her side, her body a blackened and charred husk. Steam wafted off of her, the smell of burnt hair and cooked flesh reaching the others’ noses. Unlike anypony else, she remained still.
Fluttershy ran over to her in an instant. On the verge of tears, she bent down, ignoring the horrid stank Starlight emitted. Holding her breath, Fluttershy listened and waited.
The barest wisp of air tickled her ears.
“She’s alive!” Fluttershy rose up and spread her wings, willing her magic to come forth. The familiar tingle of a healing spell didn’t form. She firmed up her features and tried again, but nothing came forth. “Oh, no. I’m out of magic!” Fluttershy rushed over to Trixie, giving the biggest puppy dog eyes she could muster. “Please, let me have one of those magic giving potions.”
Trixie scrunched up her face, looking between Fluttershy and Starlight.
“I don’t have much time!” Fluttershy pleaded. “Please!”
Breathing in heavily, Trixie reached into her pouch and produced an ether. She popped the cork and took a tiny sip. She hoofed over the rest to Fluttershy, drawing her sword with levitation at the same time. “I’m not taking any risks. The moment she tries to cast something, I’m using runic and then ending her.”
Fluttershy swallowed and nodded. She downed the ether in one gulp, then galloped back to Starlight, Trixie right behind her. Flaring out her wings again, her magic at last responded. Pouring every last bit of power into her spell, Fluttershy wished for Starlight to recover.
A single golden mote descended from the sky, tinkling as it went. It touched Starlight’s body, the mote spreading over her in a cocoon of life giving energy. Little cherubs appeared over the cocoon, sprinkling sparkling dust. Within seconds, the spell completed, the cocoon and cherubs fading away with a wave and a giggle.
Fluttershy sighed and pulled back her wings. She lay down on her stomach, reaching out to stroke Starlight’s restored hair. The rest of her body had similarly been healed, though her breathing remained shallow. The cultists had recovered by this point and waited with everypony else for something to happen.
With a cough and sputter, Starlight jerked awake. She took in air desperately, nearly hyperventilating back into unconsciousness. Fluttershy held her and continued to stroke her mane through the entire thing. Once Starlight’s panicked breathing became more regular, her body slacked as though all energy had been drained from her.
“Shh, relax,” Fluttershy said soothingly, holding Starlight close. “Don’t rush it. Take your time.”
Starlight did, letting Fluttershy hold her and whisper comforting words for a full minute. With a deep sigh, Starlight began to rise, Fluttershy helping her the whole time. Starlight looked around, taking note of the Returners, her cultists, and their location. “How are we still alive?”
“Me!” Rainbow Dash waved from her spot in the air.
“We think Rainbow summoned her esper and it protected us and brought us down here,” Fluttershy said.
Starlight blinked, shaking her head. “That… that’s amazing.”
Rainbow Dash puffed out her chest. “I know, right!”
Any further commentary from Starlight was cut short as her cultists swarmed her, hugging and singing praise to her miraculous recovery.
“That was astounding!” Night Glider slapped her on the back.
Double Diamond gave Starlight a light nudge. “I never knew you had such powerful magic.”
“Me neither,” Party Favor said.
“I’ve never seen you cut loose like that before,” Sugar Belle stated.
The good cheer and merriment ended by a simple, but insistent, cough. Fluttershy smiled at them, her face serene. “I’m glad you are all okay.”
In an instant, her expression changed, her features hardening into a deep scowl. She marched up to Starlight, her piercing stare stopping everypony in their tracks. “But how irresponsible can you be?!”
Returners and cultists alike took a step back, letting Starlight take the full brunt of Fluttershy’s fury.
“You nearly got us all killed! Us and your poor friends! Did you even think about what you were doing?!”
Starlight gulped, finding her mouth suddenly dry. “But—”
“No buts! You have a responsibility as mayor to watch out and protect your citizens. This behavior is disgraceful!” Fluttershy pointed at the tower. “Look at what this has made you become. A hateful and inconsiderate bully, nothing like the pony I looked up to in Thamaresa.” Fluttershy backed away but kept her stare fixed on Starlight. “I don’t know what else to say to get through to you, Starlight.”
Completely gobsmacked, all Starlight could do was look away.
“We’ll be leaving once Pinkie Pie comes to pick us up. You’re welcome to join us when she does.” With that, Fluttershy gave one last, withering look, then turned to head back to the Returners.
“D-Discord w-won’t… allow it.”
Fluttershy stopped and regarded Starlight. She started to speak but a motion from Trixie stopped her. The unicorn took Fluttershy’s place in front of Starlight, her expression neutral. “Discord wasn’t there when you needed him most. He isn’t here now. He doesn’t care. He’s probably somewhere laughing his stupid butt off at all the entertainment we just provided him.”
Starlight looked up, some fire reigniting in her eyes. “You can’t stop him.”
“You were certain that we couldn’t stop you, yet here we are. He’s powerful, but not invincible. Discord was made a year ago. He can be unmade.”
Trixie looked past Starlight, to her cohorts watching with unease and uncertainty. “You don’t have to join us. Discord will be focused on us and not you or your friends. It’s probably best you take Fluttershy’s advice and go back to Thamaresa.” Trixie looked Starlight in the eyes. “You have a day to think it over.”
Swiping back her singed cape, Trixie trotted back to the Returners.
Letting out a huff, Starlight walked back to her fellow cultists. “Guys, we need to talk.”