Moments before the Final blow:
The damage was impressive, in Wuu’s opinion. Not just because of the physical destruction, but because he’d seen real war. Cities were not very… permanent in his homeland, and death was a common consequence. Here however, in this dazzling battle where Gods danced through the air so frivolously, it wasn’t so. Then this power of equestrian harmony, sought so desperately…
He finally found it.
He’d expected to have a hard time surviving himself, let alone aid the ponies of Canterlot escape the destruction. But as leveled as the city was, he couldn’t find any casualties.
Still, The zebra walked through the destroyed city searching. He was glad to be disappointed.
That was, right up until he saw her.
You are often seen in Canterlot looking to the high towers just to catch glimpses of the diarch of the Sun. That was The way of it for Canterlot citizens. She was… Glorious sight. Regal, Noble, unflinching to the heart.
This was not that Celestia. Her sorrows sat over her like thousands pounds, Graying her mane, sloughing off her wings like cold dawn Tide. She sat limp under the pressure, everything she was bent, Wuu… well, he was going to have to collect his thoughts. He really couldn’t formulate anything, not at that moment. It was too shocking, what in her own name had…
Without even a hint, nor a movement, the diarch addressed him. “I’m sorry Weedly, The plan didn’t quite work this time.” Wuu struggled to think, how on harmony’s Great and grand Equis did she know that nickname?! Images of a gangly, white coated, pink maned pegasus zapped through his mind. Irrelevant. Now was not the time.“Would you take care to witness for me? This Old fool, She now has some debts to pay.” Her speech was fiery, and as she spoke the phrase became literal. Brilliant Flames started to leap off her body, tongues of flame bursted from her mouth as she spoke, “I only need someone to keep the books straight.”
Though he certainly didn’t feel worthy, he realized, by the crater she sat, A limp blue wing was Breaching the rim. Luna’s wing. Being a witness was the least he was going to do with this. So intent was he, On simply sticking by her side That he ignored the blazing heat to come up by her Inflamed flank. To look down upon the fallen Moon, and gaze up upon the responding rising Sun.
Well, Wuu thought, Not without the least bit of remorse for the sisters, someone’s about to get their stripes kicked in.
He looked up to the two monkey kings, realizing now there were again three combatants. He had lost track of them after… the screaming. But, as he had thought, the Stormbringer had been removed from combat. In her place, a unicorn, holding with might and magic the bigger monkey king, whilst the smaller drew power. The short one was preparing an attack, the magnitude of which Wuu could only guess at.
Oh- Wuu was feeling it again, that was Harmony wasn’t it? Interceding? It filled his blood with vigor, and numbed the pain of the flames beside him… No, not just harmony! The monkey kings themselves, they’re mere presence forcing Harmony to act, and act drastically. Impossible!
He couldn’t fathom the power that he was witnessing. The power that was changing him. From flesh to bone he felt his own body transform. What were they doing!? He glanced sidelong at Celestia, worried for a moment, till he saw that she was completely unaffected. In shock, she looked back at him, as his very skin lit up like a gilded lantern.
“Weedly! -” The concern was palpable, he felt it in the air in rapid bursts as Celestia’s split attention swiveled between Wuu and her target.
“F-focus!” He could barely force the word out, and it wasn’t just the fact his jaw was caving in. He had no idea what vice threw him off so, but his embarrassment might provide a hint. “Aim true! Not for v- vengeance…” he took an unsteady breath, the heat sizzling away what little moisture remained within. “But… for… justice, for your sister blue.” Wait, did he just rhyme? Auntie Z would love to have been there for that, whether in pride or scorn. The path of rhyme was difficult, exclusive, and dangerous. But of course, he would succeed where he had once failed, now, at what felt like what would be the end of his life. It wasn’t even particularly impressive of a rhyme, but Wuu took heart in knowing that his first rhyme of truth had been for one he admired so much. She’d appreciate it in full.
And she did.
Her fires waned in time with her rage. Celestia Was overcome by her sudden awareness, she almost snuffed out her fury completely. She knew the significance of the situation: there was exactly no need for barbaric actions. She briefly sowed her magic into Wuu, to ensure he survived the punishment she’d carelessly dealt, and once again focused her being on her target.
This time however she finally saw the truth, not modeled by her fury. Her beloved captain was right in the thick of it, And from the smell on the winds he had been using every forbidden spell his playbook could provide. Currently he was Grappling with her sister’s abuser, and if Celestia could trust her eyes, he had cited a fusion spell. A very hostile and dark one. One that would see him banished in any other situation. But today, it would make him a martyr, and frankly, that was unacceptable.
“Shining!” She called, her magics rushing through her accumulated power, weaving every spell she could think of to ensure his survival.
At the last moment, before the shield enveloped him, he mouthed for her a farewell, smiling boarishly like the foolish foal he was.
And then the sky was alight with power, a beam of mass so great it threatened to overcome the sun itself in luminosity. It collided with her shield, almost breaking both it, and her focus on her other spells. taxing her mind and body as she tried to maintain the sanctity of his being.
All for not it would seem, as five other attacks struck the outer shield at once, knocking Celestia flat on her back and depriving her of her consciousness. But even then, she was still working her spells. Even as the light faded, her determination never faltered. Nor did her wits leave her. Before she even hit the dirt, she had identified each beam’s origin. She knew not why, in that moment. But as the explosion washed over her addled senses and she fell to exhaustion she knew it was somehow key.
Then she faded into uneven rest, as the force of the combined attacks fell upon the mountain city.
Doom had come to Canterlot, and Celestia knew Beyond any doubt, it was on her.