//------------------------------//
// Zon 
// Story: Book 1 - The Behemoth came to Canterlot 
// by Equimorto 
//------------------------------//

Stella looked around the city. The building Twilight had crashed into was evident, and about to fall down. It was unlikely for her to still be there, unless the impact had knocked her unconscious, but given recent events that too was unlikely to be the case. And given the lack of ponies running away or even just looking at the scene, it seemed the city had been evacuated completely during the previous day and night. Better that way, she could take care of Twilight properly without worrying about casualties. Worse in the way she couldn't force the other to come out by threatening others, but that was never part of the plan. If Twilight kept hiding she'd be running away, and if Stella really wanted to find her, buildings wouldn't be a problem.
She flew lower, to the hole Twilight's body had left through the tower and into the other building. She pondered if she should make the tower fall herself, but decided against it. With her magic she enlarged the hole Twilight had left in the other wall, and lowered herself into the building. Empty there, as she'd expected, but it was still right to check. Twilight was probably not hiding in it, but just to make sure Stella teleported back in the sky above it and fired a spell towards it. The building crumbled in a cloud of dust and rubble. No sign of Twilight anywhere, and Stella doubted she'd died there.
She flew back down again, standing over the collapsed remains of the building. She looked around. Nothing she could see. She had calmed down somewhat in the time it had taken her to get there, let out some steam by destroying the building. If Twilight hadn't yet tried to get a surprise attack in on her it probably meant she'd left the alicorn significantly damaged with her previous hit. That did make her feel better about things, and so did the way her regalia had finally stopped burning against her skin. "You can't hide forever, Twilight," she said, her voice magically echoing all through the city. "You know what happens if you run away."
There was a sound, and a flash, a very deliberate spark of colour and light behind a nearby building. Stella was quick with her horn, and it too was reduced to a pile of rubble a second later. Still no Twilight to be seen, but she was close. "You know, I could show this to the rest of Equestria like I did with my announcement. I think I'll do that. Then I won't have to worry about preserving your body when I kill you, I'll make them all see it."
"Make them see the wounds and burns over your body, too?"
Another building down, chunks of it flying through the city from the strength of Stella's blast. Still nothing. She forced herself to clench her teeth and slow her breath. She couldn't let Twilight get to her. She couldn't entertain the thought.