"Send a missive to Spitfire; the Wonderbolts are to be mobilized."
"Sir, that will cause a panic."
Shining kept a brisk pace down the castle's main hall. A fleet of ponies followed in his wake. Guards, scribes, servants, it seemed anypony in earshot came to his side. "There's already a panic, the sun hasn't moved for five hours. We just haven't received the reports yet." One of the clerks penned a note and rushed off. Another pony quickly replaced them. Ahead of the group, Shining saw a lick of flame rise above the crowd. He couldn't make out the unicorn it left behind. "Where is Discord?"
It took a few seconds and several rounds of murmuring for a pony to answer, "Our tails lost track of him about the same time it happened, Captain. You, you don't think tha-"
"Of course not." Shining objected, recalling the sort of magic he'd sensed in the plaza. As if that space simply ceased to be. "It's not his means or motive." A perfect sphere, enshrouding the royal body. Discord twisted and changed what existed, be it for malevolence in his old life or whimsy in his new. "Find him. Maybe he can make sense of what occurred..." Maybe he could explain how a segment of reality could be deleted.
"Shining!" He heard the voice of Sunburst's wife call out over the swathe of ponies. "What's going on!?" Starlight pushed past the entourage before him.
"I don't know," he stated, "follow me."
"Where's Twilight? I can't feel her magic."
"She's missing; They all are. We need to talk."
He saw the look of naked horror cross her face. "Where is Flurry?" He'd been dreading those words. She must have seen the look of his own; he recognized the lunge of a consoling hug. Shining placed an outright hoof to her chest.
He mouthed the word No. It was meant to still his guards as much as it was Starlight as they stepped closer to him.
Shining thanked the sisters that she stopped of her own volition. Only she could feel the weakness in his outstretched leg. What little strength remained faded all the more when he processed his internal prayer. He had to press on, keep moving, stay strong. There was so much left to do before the time for grief.
"Shining..." Starlight pleaded with him.
The stallion walked past her and spoke to her under his breath, "There are far more ponies than I who need your help right now."
"Who will help you?"
He had already stepped away.
"Anyone who is willing, come forward. I won't force it of you. Over time, we can broaden our search and call on volunteers from the broader population," Shining addressed the assembled EUP unicorns that were available in Canterlot, "but for now, we are the only individuals I can call on in good conscience."
They stood in a small meeting hall around a long oak table. The walls were dimly lit by a few lanterns and the corners home to cobwebs. This room was primarily chosen for its proximity to the barracks. Some of the guardsponies lacked their armor and instead wore a tired stupor, having only recently been roused by their summons.
One stepped forward. "How long before we lose our magic?"
"With four of us, a week," Shining answered, "Six or seven, maybe two."
"And if, if they don't return," the guard continued, "we'll lose it forever?"
"Yes." Shining confirmed. The room was silent. "I won't hide what I'm asking of you. There is a limit to what duty can reasonably seek."
The room was silent.
Shining looked over the gathered unicorns. To one side of him stood Tiller Draw, the other, Starlight Glimmer. Before him rested the scroll detailing the ancient ritual that allowed unicorns to control the sun. Under normal circumstances, the captain would have been court-martialed for the regulations and procedures she violated to obtain it. Of course, hardly anything about the day was normal.
One of the guards, Shining recognized the mare from the recent graduating class of cadets, stepped forward. "I'd do it alone, Sir, if I could."
"What's your name?"
"Vigil Stance, sir."
"Go with Headmare Glimmer, she'll lead you and any other participants through the spell." Shining motioned towards Starlight.
The silence returned for another few seconds as the guard crossed the room. Emboldened, another cantered forward to join her. An older stallion remarked "Not like I can use it much longer anyways." and joined the group.
After a minute, around a dozen guardsponies stood near Starlight.
Around twice that number still remained around the table. "The rest of you, go with Captain Tiller. You'll be assigned to new patrols about the capitol or sent into the surrounding area to maintain peace. Dismissed." He watched as they left the room. Some of the younger members had their heads down in shame. The older unicorns met his gaze, their eyes stating the doubts they held. Whether it was levied against situation that required the spell or their ability to cast it, he didn't know and would not ask.
Shining Armor turned to face Starlight. She'd already started explaining the parts the spell to those unicorns around her. As one took a seat, the others soon followed without a word being spoken. Starlight stepped closer to him to read the scroll, and with a spark of her horn the lanterns in the room intensified. It didn't seem like she'd even processed the intention.
Shining cleared his throat, "Can you handle this?" He hadn't realized just how parched it was.
"Yes. I'll set up shifts and see if I can restructure anything to make it less taxing." The scroll was swallowed in a blue light and unfurled itself down the length of the table. "It may take some time, but-"
"I'll come back and take over after I see to-"
"No, Shining." Starlight placed her hoof on the table hard enough to send a low thud through the room. "You're going to stretch yourself too thin. I can't let you have any part in this spell."
Shining did not nod or groan; he simply turned around and walked through the door.
"Shining, can you handle this?"
He stopped just a step over the threshold. "I have to. For them."
Shining sent thanks again, to his oldest partisan and her younger sibling, that there was nopony in the hall to see his tears.