//------------------------------//
// Reversing dark magic 
// Story: Cassandra's Tangled Adventure 
// by Acceptable_trash 
//------------------------------//


White Tail Woods - White Tail Village
Present time



Shining Armor had assembled the guards to search the area for this 'red spike', what Luna claimed to be the source of their troubles.

Now all they could do was wait.

Luna watched as Feather Flower,the mother of Icy Breeze, ran a hoof through her son's mane as her puffy eyes still spilled tears.

"Are you sure he's okay?" Feather asked carefully. "This dark magic isn't permanent right?"

Luna gave her a comforting look. "I can make no promises, but know that you have the strength of your Princesses and our knowledge of magic on your side."

Before Feather could voice her concerns a soft knock came from the doorway.

"Princess Luna, -" The guard whispered. "We believe that we have found the source."

Luna nodded to Feather Flower and walked away, closing the bedroom door behind her. "Very good, take me to it."

The guard saluted and marched away, leading Luna out of the house and into the woods.

After a few minutes, Luna saw the pink color of one of Shining Armor's shields through the trees.

Shining approached the two and glanced at the guard. "Go join the others in keeping watch, don't let anypony get by you."

The guard saluted and walked away, leaving Luna and Shining alone to talk.

"Well?" Luna asked, walking to the pink barrier that strangely, didn't allow her to see through it. "What can you tell me about this 'spike'? Are you aware of how it afflicts ponies?"

Shining sighed and rubbed his face with a hoof. "You can only be affected if you look at the spike, otherwise you'll be fine."

Luna paused, dreading the answer to her question. "And how did you figure that out?"

"One of my stallions found the spike and came back screaming, I asked him a few questions and put two and two together."

Luna stiffened. "Quite a nefarious strategy, wouldn't you think? To make all who bear witness slowly lose sanity and deteriorate from the inside out."

She tapped the dome of magic. "I only wonder, why would the monster place such a dangerous element here? In the forest? Surely it would be more effective out in the open?"

Shining frowned. "What are you suggesting Princess?"

"That our monster is intelligent," Luna said coldly. "By placing its weapon in the forest ponies would surely stumble upon it and unintentionally lead other ponies to look for the source and also go mad. Leading to a vicious never ending cycle."

She closed her eyes. "but it is not intelligent enough. Open the shield Captain, I cannot be affected if I cannot see."



Las Pegasus - Library
Present time



Iron Hoof chuckled. "How noble, a changeling willing to die for its friends."

He leveled his dagger at Cassandra. "Oh please, don't make me laugh. A changeling can never know honor. This is some sort of trick to escape isn't it."

Cassandra frowned and stretched her power into the ground beneath her, she could feel the stone's power grow with her anger for this stallion. "I believe the best lies are made from truth. Let them go, and I'll come quietly."

Anemone glanced at Iron's weapon. "Cassandra what are you doing?!"

"Yeah Cassandra, -" Iron drawled. "what are you doing? Don't you understand that I'm just going to kill you all?"

"Uh, Iron? I don't really feel comfortable with this." Brick said uncertainly, shifting nervously on his hooves.

The other two guards exchanged glances, feeling the same with the situation."

"I don't care about how you feel BRICK!" He yelled while ripping Brick's spear out of hooves. "If you won't help me then you're against me. So I suggest you leave before I finish off these four and come after you for insubordination!"

Brick looked between his leader and his friends, seeing that the two pegasuses trying their best to ignore his pleading eyes.

Cassandra stared at the earth pony as he ran, feeling a little less angry at them as a team and a whole lot angrier at Iron Hoof who was their piece of shit of a leader.

Harpy whistled as she watched Brick run away. "Wow, that's cold."

"Shut it, changeling. I don't have to listen to anything you say." He snarled turning the spear in her direction while keeping the dagger trained on Cassandra.

Brick felt tears stinging at his eyes as he ran out the door, he knew that his commander as a jerk but he didn't think that he would threaten his life.

Brick failed to notice the owl that waited outside the building, he failed to notice said owl dive down to tackle him until he was too late. 

He screamed as Owl's talons scraped across his armor and dig into his fur. "Oh please Iron don't hurt me! I'm sorry but I don't want to kill anyone!"

Owl paused his attack and watched curiously as Brick curled up into a ball. Apparently, he thought he was attacked because he didn't want to hurt anyone.

How strange.

A rough voice laughed behind Owl. "Well well, would you look at that."

Owl flared his wings and turned to the newcomer, seeing another being that looked much like Anemone with a pair of big ponies at his side. "I thought solar guards were supposed to be tough shit, ain't that right boys?"

Brick slowly looked up and let his ears fall back. The grey griffin smirked and gestured to him with a claw. "Take him, Ash. We'll handle the rest."

A large shadow blocked out the light where Brick sat, making him gulp and look up slowly with a whimper.

A tall dark griffin dragged the squealing form of Brick away, leaving Owl to watch as the grey griffin and his two ponies approach the doors to the library.

"Come on boys, we got some heads to smash."

"Yes Sir, Ivory!" The two ponies spoke at once, following him in.



White Tail Woods
A few minutes ago



Shining Armor let his jaw drop, shocked by her words. "Are you serious? It might not just be eye contact, any contact could affect you too! It's my job to protect you!"

"I am an alicorn Shining Armor, I was born to handle much more than any of my subjects. I require no such protection."

Shining hesitated but closed his eyes and opened up the shield, feeling worse with every passing second. "Very well, Princess, do what you must."

Luna steeled herself and stepped forward, feeling the energy from the red spike grow as she approached. "Close the shield Captain, I can release myself."

Shining was about to protest but Luna beat him to the punch. "That's an order."

Shining held his tongue and obeyed. "Yes, Princess Luna."

With the dome whole once more Luna drew power from her horn, focussing a powerful purification blast at the rock before her.

As a being that reflects the light of the sun, she would not be affected by the blast, but the ponies outside in the village who have been corrupted by the dark magic would. 

That's why she ordered the shield to be closed and why she was weaving a second shield of her own for further protection for her ponies.

With a loud cry, she released a powerful beam of magic unto the red spike, feeling its magical essence plummet sharply and fade away.

She released her spell and cut off her beam, reaching out with her mind to sense if the darkness before her had truly been purged.

She felt a presence, but a distinct lack of any dark power.

Carefully she opened an eye and peeked down at the ground.

A yellow spike of rock poked through the earth, standing higher than herself.

A warm feeling began spread in the back of her mind.

"PRINCESS LUNA! ARE YOU OKAY?!"

Luna snorted and then chuckled, and then slowly began to laugh.

"LUNA?!"

Luna fell over and laughed hysterically, she couldn't help it, something about the stone just made her feel so giddy.

The pink dome opened and Shining Armor stepped through, tilting his head at the sight before him. "Uh, Princess Luna?"

She wheezed. "Shining Armor, I believe the problem has been reversed. Quite literally."

Shining blinked And glanced at the tall spire of yellow rock. "Oh..."

A giggle bubbled in his throat and steadily began to grow, in a few moments he found himself also lying on the floor dying with laughter.

One of the guards heard the strange sound and approached the dome. "Princess Luna? Captain?"

"BWAHAHAHAHAHA-"



Las Pegasus - Libary
Present time



Cassandra scanned the area, mapping out the layout, and creating a plan of action in her head.

Harpy laughed at the armored pony. "I can say whatever I want JACKASS."

The three guards slowly advanced forward, pushing the trio into a corner.

"Now for my proposition Cassandra. You put these cuffs on-" he threw a pair of metal handcuffs at her feet. "-and I only kill two of these changelings, I'll even let you pick which ones."

Cassandra stepped forward, menacingly. "Not on your life."

"I agree with the little lady."

Everyone turned to the voice, seeing a large griffin with gray and black plumage step out of the shadows. "Now I suggest you put your weapons down nice and easy or else I'll kill your little friend outside."

The two pegasus guards flinched at his tone and considered their options.

Frost dropped his spear and Sleet slowly lowered to the ground, also laying down his weapon.

Iron Hoof snarled as he saw his men surrender. "Traitors of the crown, that what you all are!"

With a burst of magic, the spear and dagger went flying towards Harpy and Cassandra.

Cassandra managed to dodge the thrown blade and summoned a wave of black rock towards the guards, trapping the three in cages of unbreakable stone.

Harpy was not so lucky.

Anemone and Obsidian cried out as they saw the spear drive through Harpy's chest and fly out the other side.

"HARPY!" The grey griffin shrieked, flying over the mess of dark stone and towards the fallen griffin.

Nobody noticed how Cassandra's eyes burned green, or how thick tracts of purple smoke poured freely from her red eyes.

Cassandra stared intensely at the fallen griffin, not noticing the weeping form of the other pressing his claws in vain against her fatal wound.

No, to Cassandra, Harpy did not fall, Rapunzel did. Her father did, Owl did, Eugene did, she saw everyone she cared about die in the span of a few seconds.

Underneath the stone burned brightly under the cloaks disguise, burning with emotional magic.

The cloak's pony disguise fractured and exploded, making everyone turn to the terrifying figure of a VERY PISSED OFF WOMAN."