Valor is Magic

by NotSoSubtle


Chapter 1: Rude Awakening

Rude Awakening

In the loft of the Golden Oaks library, Twilight Sparkle sat by the window devouring every word of Equestria Geographic. Outside, scheduled flurries had begun to coat Ponyville in a dusting of snow in preparation for Hearth’s Warming Eve. It was a wonderful weekend morning to stay indoors and catch up on her periodical reading with a cup of cocoa. Nearby sat a thick pile of the periodicals she had already finished, capped by the latest Popular Magic. While that one did share some exciting breakthroughs in unicorn ingenuity, she sat enraptured by the tale of what a new archeological dig had discovered in southern Equestria.

Finishing the article, Twilight’s explosive squee was loud enough to startle ponies outside. “They actually found the ruins of Troa!” Grinning ear to ear, she couldn’t help but bounce up and down. “The city exists! Do you know what this means, Spike?”

Spike raised a distracted eyebrow. He was busily returning the clutter of books in the library to the shelves, and the giant stack of books he was carefully balancing demanded most of his attention. As he shuffled across the library floor, the baby dragon volunteered the only related information he could recall. “Uh, that weird horse head statue on the table is a Troan replica, right? Maybe you could get a real one.”

Twilight beamed, undaunted by her assistant’s lack of enthusiasm. She magically lifted the periodical up to show Spike. It startled the little dragon, and a few wobbles later he and every book he had been carrying were face down on the floor. He shook his head as Twilight continued. “No Spike, it means that the Troan War epics might be based on actual events. It’s our first new glimpse into a history over 4000 years old! Isn’t this exciting?”

She did a joyful hop, and pranced over to her desk. “Spike, bring me our copy of the Troan Ballads.”

The dragon sighed mournfully, sauntered over to the bookshelf. He shrugged and slid the ladder to where he could reach the requested tome. “I don’t know, Twilight. I like battle stories as much as the next dragon, but even I know Equestria hasn’t seen a war in over two centuries. Are you sure this research is worth the time?” After all, the books he had been so valiantly returning were those Twilight had used in her last whimsical research spree. It would be nice to have a day or two before the next one took off.

It was already a lost cause. Twilight began clearing her desk, still radiating her excitement in the face of Spike’s doubt. “The lives of those ponies were important enough to inspire some of the most compelling poetry in classical Equestrian history.”

She looked up thoughtfully for a moment. “Looking back at the lives of ponies so long ago makes you wonder how history will remember us. Besides, you never know when the lessons of the past could help us in the present.” Her desk prepared, she stamped her front hoof like a gavel, the gleam in her eye matching her smile. “Let’s get this research started!”

Spike groaned sadly.


Canard was sure he had gotten away clean. It was chilly, flapping his wings in the fluffy snow cloud, but totally worth it. He was going to be the first pony in the squadron to give their captain the slip! He even kept his breathing hushed, staying as quiet as he could without falling from the sky.

“You blasted colt, form up! We don’t have time for hide and seek.”

Canard’s spring green face popped out of the cloud and looked around. A white pegasus with an ice-blue mane hovered a few yards away. In spite of the scattered snow clouds, the elder pony had picked out which one he was in on the first try. It was uncanny. Canard hung his head in disappointment. “Aww, Snowblind. How’d you find me so quick?”

“Same way I find every pony so quick, you foal. Now, are you gonna form up, or do I have to put you on report?” Snowblind glowered at the younger pony. “Again.”

Canard sighed, his tan mane flopping in the high altitude current. “No sir.”

“Good. Now climb with me. So help me, if I have to break off to track you down again, I’ll ground you with my own hooves. The hard way!” Snowblind bolted straight up like a pony half his age. Canard caught up with him when he leveled off, but it took more out of him than he'd care to admit. Snowblind might be an older pegasus, but what he had lost to the years he had more than made up for in experience and willpower. Canard was a goof, but even he knew not to push Snowblind too far. The Air Corps used Snowblind’s Trident squadron as a last stop for trouble-making pegasi before drumming them out of the service all together, and Canard wasn’t there on account of good behavior.

Snowblind must have had eyes on the back of his head. He started right into the rookie the moment the younger pony formed up on his five o’clock. “Canard, I know this is beyond you, but I’m gonna go over it again just to exercise my aging mind.” He ahemed, somehow making it sound official. “Scheduled patrols are our primary duty in the Air Corps. They are patterned and timed so that every three hours, a four-flight of pegasi fly reconnaissance over every corner of Equestria. We are the vanguard of any national response; if no one else can report a disaster, we will. The ponies of Equestria charge us with being responsible for their safety.”

Snowblind practically growled, losing his official tone as he went off script. “And thanks to the merry chase you put me on, I had to break off from the rest of two-flight. We’re out of position by eight minutes. Worst of all, we had to split up. Two ponies from our flight are out ahead, keeping our schedule.” He shook his head. “If anything happens on this patrol, when we get back, you’re going in front of tribunal. You better pray to Celestia nopony gets hurt, or you’ll be pulling a wagon in an earth pony team for the rest of your enlistment.”

The rookie flier hung his head. Sure, he could be a goof off, but deep down he knew even this boring assignment was important. More than that, he’d come to respect the squadron commander. He was a hard, unyielding stallion, but honest and fair. The disappointment in Snowblind’s voice hurt, and Canard had never known him to be this angry before.

“I'm sorry, sir.”

“Sorry won’t mean a blasted thing if somepony gets hurt.” The captain sighed. “You’re a talented pegasus. It's the only reason I was able to keep the last tribunal from throwing you in a cell.”

Snowblind looked back over his shoulder at the rookie. “But all the talent in Equestria doesn’t mean a thing if the other fliers can’t count on you. Discipline and trust in each other are all you really have when it starts raining horse apples.” He nodded sagely. “You remember that, colt.”

Canard said nothing, and they flew on like that for a long while. Soon their path crossed the Equestrian border with the wilds, and they turned west to follow the border. The scattered clouds thickened a bit, and it was clear to see that the scheduled snows were just wrapping up this far north.

Snowblind finally broke the silence.

“Would you look at that.” To the west, the sun grew near the horizon. It would still be a two or three hours before sunset. For now, it hung squarely between two pine-covered mountain ranges that stretched out further west, with a white carpet of snow and fluffy clouds stretched out between. “Equestria is a beautiful place, but it's views like this that keep a pony company through long missions, rookie. Remember that, too.”

He smiled. “Or, maybe it’s Spitfire you’ll be thinking about. You still haven’t asked her out yet, have you? Hearth’s Warming Eve is coming up.”

The younger pony blushed. “Come on, sir! A few moments ago you were chewing me out for being a goof!”

Snowblind chuckled. “It’s not my fault you don’t know what’s good for you, rookie. She’d say yes.”

Canard hung his head. No matter what his friends might say, he couldn’t bring himself to believe it. There was no way the captain of the Wonderbolts could notice a troublemaker like him. Just picturing Spitfire made him feel tiny.

At least Snowblind had lightened up after teasing him a bit. A few minutes later, the green pony worked up the courage to start the conversation up again, with a topic more comfortable and that had been on his mind almost since he met the captain.

“Say, I’ve been thinking, Boss…”

Snowblind huffed. “First time for everything. And that’s Captain Boss to you.”

“Captain, how do you spot ponies in the clouds so well? Is it your talent or something?”

The white pony didn’t answer for a few wing beats. He kept his eyes fixed on the northern horizon. “Magic.”

“No, I’m being serious, sir. How’d you learn a trick like that?”

Snowblind’s head spun, and he glared at the rookie. “It’s not a trick, you silly colt. Tricks are for foals that have no better use for flying than showing off, and that’s all a trick is good for.”

Canard raised a hoof in surrender. “Alright, alright, it’s not a trick. How did you learn something like that?”

The captain sighed. “I hate telling stories.” The rookie colt hung his head, but Snowblind continued with a smile. “But I guess as long as I have your attention, I should try to teach you something.”

Canard was so excited he had to fight down a nicker. Most of what the squadron thought about Snowblind’s past was wild speculation. The only thing every story agreed on was that he was a veteran of battle or war. There wasn’t a pegasus alive that had fought in the last Equestrian war, it was so long ago. Snowblind must have traveled abroad, but nopony had any idea where or when.

He motioned to a little squall forming in the cloud cover beneath them. “See the squall spinning in that cloud?” The green pony had to squint to see it. Snowblind had good eyes. “Which way is it spinning?”

“Clockwise. I think.”

“You’re right. All the big storms spin that way. Remember why?” Canard knew it had been covered in fliers school, but couldn’t remember now. He shook his head. Snowblind rolled his eyes. “Of course you don’t. It’s the Coriolis effect.”

“Corilous effect?”

“Coriolis, Co-ri-o-lis! It doesn’t take much, but unless something makes it go the other way, clouds spin clockwise in Equestria.” Snowblind glowered. “Well, I won’t confuse you with the details. It has to do with magical currents and eddies. Point is, when those little swirls happen on their own, they spin clockwise.”

“On their own…you mean when nopony is in one?”

The captain grinned back at Canard. Something like pride glinted in his eye. “You’re pretty quick when you put your mind to it. But there’s more to it than just that.” He returned his gaze to the horizon ahead. “Pegasi wings put a spiral in the air when they flap, opposite on each side. You might get a freak counterclockwise spiral once in a blue moon, but when you see opposite spirals in pair, you know somepony is in that cloud.”

“Huh. I never would have thought of that.” Canard started glancing around at the spotted clouds beneath them.

Tickled that the younger flier was actually paying attention, the white pony continued. “Learned that flying in Shanghay, long before you were even born. Some of us were bored with the duties we had here in Equestria, and were itching for an adventure. Then the Emperor of Yoketo decided it had been too long since their last feud with the mainland, and the Yoketans started up their raids on the Ibix. They probably don’t teach foals that one anymore.”

Snowblind waited for a reply. “Canard?” He turned back to the now quiet colt behind him, distracted by something down below. “Canard, why can’t you listen when somepony is talking to you?”

Canard was focused on a patch of cloud not too far off. “I thought you said those spiral pairs only happen if there’s a pegasus in one. If that’s true, what about those spirals over there?”

Snowblind chucked, and casually glanced where the younger pony had motioned. Canard saw his expression go hard, and looked away. “Captain?”

“Quiet.” Snowblind’s voice was hard. “Eyes ahead, and stay quiet.”

Canard’s blood went cold. He thought he had seen the captain serious before, but something about his tone went right to Canard’s bones.

The captain hung back in the formation, and started talking in a hushed voice. “There are griffins in that cloud. At least a dozen, and they’ve spotted us. They have their own patrols in the wilds, but so many shouldn’t be trying to hide in Equestrian skies.” Snowblind kept his eyes ahead, and his voice even. “We play this cool. If they stay in the cloud, everyone flies their merry way and we report it when we get back. If they try to jump us, I want you to make for Cloudsdale, as quick as you can. You’re the faster flier, so you’ll have the best chance. I’ll try to keep them off your tail.”

The rookie was trembling. He heard his captain, but it just sounded like gibberish. He couldn’t mean what he was saying.

“If it comes to that, dive, and dive hard. Griffins are powerful fliers, but they don’t weigh as much as a pony. You should be able to get a lead on them enough to make it back. Got it?” Snowblind looked back at Canard. The younger stallion’s eyes had gone wide, and he was clearly fighting shock and fear. “Canard! Hey, listen to me.” The rookie met his gaze, shakily. “Do. You. Understand?”

Canard nodded nervously. “Yes, sir.”

The captain smiled. “Good. Now keep a level head. And whatever you do, don’t look down.”

The colt kept his head forward, but his eyes darted from cloud to cloud, and it was then he understood Snowblind’s reaction. At first, Canard had only spotted the spirals in the one cloud because it was closest, and he was new at it. Looking out ahead at the breathtaking view before them, the sight took on a new horror. As they passed over the cloud the rookie had first pointed out, he realized he couldn’t find a cloud that didn’t have at least three pairs of spirals he could spot. Canard could see hundreds of clouds, and it was all the same. He couldn’t believe his eyes. There had to be thousands of griffins out here, but the only reason there could be that many was if…

It was an invasion. The griffins were invading Equestria. As the realization came to Canard and he understood just how important it was that news make it to Cloudsdale, a score of griffins sprung from the cloud cover, screaming as they climbed.

Snowblind cleared his throat. “Canard, it’s been a pleasure. Now dive, rookie!”

Canard did, for all he was worth.

He picked the biggest gap he could spot to the south, and threaded it as griffin heads started to pop out of the clouds. He heard griffins roar, first in challenge, but several changed to agony as Snowblind’s own battle cry answered them. Canard didn’t look back.

The green pony went down like a meteor, the air screaming louder and louder in his ears, until he couldn’t hear anything else. He might not be a disciplined flier, but this was his element; he was running on instinct in a race to save Equestria. Canard used the tip of his wing to roll and get a quick look behind him without losing speed. Sure enough, two flights of griffins had given chase, but he was losing them. Finishing the roll, his eyes started to pick out a path he could fly below the treeline to help throw off pursuit. Adrenaline surged though him, and he grinned madly, leveling out as the earth rose to meet him. He spread his wings to start to pull up, still gaining speed.

Dropping under the tree line, he started to weave around trunks and branches. He juked left and right, gracefully cutting out a pattern that would make him harder to track from above. A hedgerow with no gaps blocked his vision ahead, and he popped up for a moment to clear it.

Right into a net.

It wrapped around him, and Canard hit the tree canopy. It hurt. He shattered several tree branches and let out an undignified little yelp on his way down, finally coming to a violent stop against an oak trunk. He fell limp to the ground with a thump, with no strength left to fight against the cords that tangled around him. Canard had just enough time to see diamond dogs circling and to feel cheated before his world faded to black.


Two solid knocks at the front door woke Twilight Sparkle with a start. She sat up in bed with a yawn, and looked out the bedroom window. Snow covered all the roofs and ground she could see. Judging from the bit of Orion she could see peeking out from behind a cloud it couldn't be midnight yet. Who could need to pick up a book at this hour? At least the noise didn’t wake Spike. Groggily, she rolled out of bed.

The Golden Oak Library was a cozy place. The spacious public library had rooms upstairs for the librarian to live and pursue her own studies, and it was warm in spite of the snow. The hollowed out tree was the center of collected academic knowledge in Ponyville. Twilight was proud to have the responsibility of caring for it. Even if the occasional crazy pony came knocking on her door at odd hours of the night, it was a small price to pay. Her friends lived in Ponyville, and as long as she could be close to all of them, she’d be happy to call anywhere home.

Her pet owl Owlowiscious flew to her from his perch, landing gently on her back on her way down. Twilight opened the door, and a crisp winter air rolled into the library. The owl shivered.

One of Celestia’s royal guards stood outside. Two others were in the street, harnessed to one of the chariots adorned by Celestia’s ornamentation. He spoke with a deep, authoritative voice, but hushed. “Miss Sparkle? I’m going to have to ask you to come with us.”

She raised an eyebrow. “I beg your pardon?” She had been paid surprise visits from the royal guard before, but never after dark.

“Please, Miss, there isn’t time.” The guard looked up for a moment, searching the distant skies. “Princess Celestia has ordered you be collected and escorted to Canterlot as soon as ponily possible. Can you leave now?”

Twilight was floored. “But it’s the middle of the night.”

“I’m sorry. The princess insisted we get you to her immediately.” The guard was genuinely saddened to be pushing this on her, but still firm.

“Why the rush?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. "Did something happen?”

“Princess Celestia would better be able to explain that, Miss Sparkle.” The guard loomed over her in the doorway, clearly unwilling to discuss further. “If there isn’t anything you need to do before we leave, please come with me to the chariot.”

Twilight raised an assenting hoof. “Wait wait, I’ll need to get a bag and talk to my assistant. Just five minutes, okay?”

“Faster if at all possible.” The guard glanced skyward again. “And keep the lights off. Work by hornlight if you must, but keep it dim.”

“What? No lights? How could—”

“Miss Sparkle, there isn’t—"

“—time to explain, yeah, I got it.” Even worried, she couldn’t help but be a little miffed that this guard wasn’t telling her anything. “Please come in.” Twilight stepped back and let the guard come inside, closing the door behind him. “I’ll get some things together. Wait right here.” She left the guard at the door, trotting upstairs to her room to pack a saddlebag with essentials. She put on her warmest scarf and boots, putting a spare scarf in her bag. What else would she need? It was hard to imagine, not knowing what the rush was about. Owlowiscious hopped off and made himself busy collecting her grooming kit.

Twilight stopped to consider. If Celestia wanted her in Canterlot, it was because of something she could do best. That meant she was needed either as Celestia’s student, or as the Element of Magic. Twilight grabbed a few reference books about the elements and packed them. Lastly she added a few personal odds and ends that her junior assistant brought her, and strapped on the pack.

Owlowiscious perched on Twilight’s back again, hooting twice.

“Oh no. I almost forgot about Spike.” She checked his basket to find the baby dragon was fast asleep. He had been so busy yesterday helping her with research, she didn’t have the heart to wake him. With a smile, she drew out quill and parchment and wrote him a note.

Dear Spike,

Some Royal guards arrived with orders to bring me to Canterlot. They aren’t saying much, but it sounds like an emergency. I’ll write you from there as soon as I know more.

Twilight Sparkle

PS: Don’t eat all the ice cream again. I’ll be checking the tub first thing when I get back.

PPS: Oh, and put away all the books downstairs, but the ones by my bed I need out for my research on Troa.

PPPS: Take care of Owlowiscious. He seems worried. Well, I would be too if a prodigious plated pegasi paid a ponderous visit, presenting passionate petitions.

The guard called upstairs. “Miss Sparkle? We should be going.”

PPPPS: Out of time. If you need anything, talk to Fluttershy. I love you Spike, be safe.

After putting the note on her bed, Twilight turned to the baby dragon, still sleeping soundly. She pulled his covers tight and headed back downstairs, saying her goodbyes to Owlowiscious. She smiled happily at the royal guard. “I’m all packed.”

“Good. Please come with me.” The two of them headed outside into the cold, snow crunching lightly under each hoofstep. As they approached the chariot, two more royal guards landed nearby.

Twilight had never seen Celestia travel with such a large escort, and she was taken aback. “There were more of you?” she asked, thinking of the cold. “I would have invited you all inside if I knew.”

“That would not have been possible. Miss Sparkle, there is one more thing before we take off.” He turned to Twilight. "Once we are in the air, we’ll be proceeding as quietly as possible. Please, no questions or conversation on the way unless one of us breaks the silence first. Understood?”

Twilight couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “What, really?” Her eyes narrowed. “You show up in the middle of the night, and now this?”

The tall stallion met her doubting gaze with a grave stare of his own. “It’s for your own safety.”

“How could that possibly make any of us any more or any less safe?”

He sighed. “I’m afraid Princess Celestia will be able to explain that better.”

Twilight rolled her eyes, stepping into the chariot. “Fine. The sooner I get there, the sooner I’ll get all these explanations.”

With that settled, the royal guard turned his attention to the escort. They had grouped around the chariot team, silently waiting for their leader. Puffs of mist flowed from their little circle with each breath. Even wearing all that metal plate, not one of them shivered. The lead guard addressed the team as he entered the huddle. “News from above?”

One of the younger pegasi spoke up. “N-Flight reports all clear.”

“Good. We’ll do this the same way we came out, in zone formation. We’re down one, so I’ll take point. We’ll have to leave our three o’clock quadrant open. Questions?” The guards stayed silent, but Twilight tilted her head in confusion. Before she could ask what he had meant, the leader stretched his wings, and the others mimicked him. “Good. Celestia be with us. We make for Canterlot.” With that, they were off.

The pegasi escort gained altitude much quicker than Twilight was used to, and it made her a bit uncomfortable. Cold air bit her nose and ears as they rose, and Twilight found herself crouching in the chariot to keep out of the chilling breeze. She had made the flight between Ponyville and Canterlot before, and it usually took a few hours, but those flights had been at a trot. The guards were being extra cautious tonight. She could only guess how long this flight would take.

Twilight had good eyes, but there was barely enough moonlight tonight to make out the white pegasus in the back of the formation. That would be their six o’clock, if she understood the pegasi parlance. She thought about reading by hornlight for a moment before deciding it might not be best to open her saddlebag in the fast moving chariot.

Still drowsy and with no better way to occupy her time, Twilight closed her eyes and rested for whatever trials lay ahead. Soon she was fast asleep.


“Miss Sparkle?” Twilight came to with a start, and turned to see the rear guard flying just behind the chariot. “We’re coming into sight of the city now. This landing could get a bit interesting.”

Twilight shook her head to clear it, which worked. Well, at least it helped. Looking back at the pegasus she raised an eyebrow. “Define interesting.”

The guard gave her a hard look. “Whatever happens, we’ll get you into Canterlot.” He spread his wings into a brake, and returned to his place in the formation.

She gaped. What could that mean? She stood and looked forward just as Canterlot came into view. The pegasi had brought the chariot around a longer way. She was used to approaching from the west in a direct flight, but they were approaching from the south. The mountain blocked their view of Canterlot until they came around.

A pinkish globe surrounded the city. Twilight’s brother, Shining Armor, had cast his shield spell. She had seen it before, most recently during the Changeling attack a few months earlier. While the components of a shield spell were not unknown among studied unicorns, most could only muster up enough power to shield a small space. On its own, that might just mean Canterlot was on high alert, but it was quickly apparent that this was no mere drill.

The blood drained from Twilight’s face as she looked out at the capital city of Equestria, for many years her home. The violet-and-white city of her mind’s eye stood battered and burning, tarnished with the soot of its own ashes. Roofs of buildings had gaping holes blown in them. Red light played over the white walls from dozens of small fires while the ponies of the fire brigade valiantly fought the flames.

Twilight’s patterned mind simply went blank as she took in the horrific sight, unblinking even in the cold breeze. She tried to understand, to process what she was seeing. Try as she might, she couldn’t move past the first word of any she might pose to herself.

Why?

So profound was her shock that she almost missed the angry roars that rose up from beneath the chariot. The sound triggered some faint memory, and it tried to assert itself in her mind. With a mental click she placed the last time she had heard a something like it. “Gilda?” she asked aloud. She blinked twice, and looked over the edge of the chariot.

Three griffins rose from the tree tops, flapping their powerful wings to give chase. A predator’s fire burned in their eyes. Celestia’s royal guards started to change position against the threat. The rear guard pegasus dove on the leader, striking the griffin with his shoulder. The two fell together into the treetops below. The other griffins continued to rise unphased, too quick in their ascent for the other guards to intercept them.

One of the griffins hit the bottom of the chariot, cleaving the axle with his talons. The other gripped the back of the chariot, heaving himself into the bed to stand mere hooves from Twilight. Raising his other talon to strike, it screeched again.

Twilight may have been a bookish pony, but the last few years had seen her in greater peril than this. She wasn’t going to go down without a fight. She spun and kicked the griffin hard with her rear hooves, one hitting him square in the face. The stunned griffin lost his balance and slid from the chariot, but his grip held firm. As he started to haul himself back up, the other griffin’s head popped up over the side rail, moments from being able to attack her as well.

“Miss Sparkle, duck!”

She dropped to the floor. A blue and purple streak barely missed her, slamming into the griffin gripping the back of the chariot. Another streak drove straight down into the other griffin, this time giving Twilight just enough time to see the outline of bat wings on the diving pony. Both impacts were accompanied by bone-shattering crunches, and Twilight was left alone in the gouged and de-wheeled chariot.

One of the guards in the chariot team was looking back at her with a smile. “Well done, Twilight! You do the princesses proud.”

Her heart still racing, Twilight recognized the voice as the one that had warned her. “Uh, thanks.” The guard nodded upward, and she glanced up to see a bat-winged pegasus keeping pace with them. She had seen Luna’s terrifying personal escorts before, but in piecing the last few moments together her respect for them grew exponentially. It must have been members of Luna’s guard that had driven off the last two griffins.

“Twilight Sparkle!” The bat-winged mare’s voice carried through the night, clearly unafraid of being heard. “Know that both orders of the royal guard stand together in thy defense. Oft has the Princess of the Night spoke of her great debt to thee.”

The midnight guard grinned viciously and lifted her gaze to the stars. “Stand true, for we honor it as our own. For Princess Luna, and for Magic!”

Unseen pegasi above, hidden by midnight magic, answered in unison. “For Magic!”

Stunned that the two groups had been sent together to fetch her safely to Canterlot, Twilight remained silent. She stared out toward the city and considered what little she knew about what had happened. Her conclusions grew considerably darker as she went. It was already clear this was unlike anything she had seen or faced before. Nightmare Moon and Discord had certainly threatened Equestria by unmaking the natural order. The changelings had nearly taken all Canterlot captive to feed off the love between the ponies.

This was different. Canterlot had clearly been attacked, likely by a force that at least included griffins. Still, even Twilight understood that the city was deep in Equestria and lacked resources or population that would have made it a military target. In her view, it was simple malice of one people directed at another: An act of pure, wanton destruction. Looking out at the wounded city, she felt a gnawing emptiness growing inside her. She knew so many ponies that lived there. Alone in the chariot flying through the cold night, Twilight was left to ponder.

What could ponies do against such reckless hate?

Yet in the middle of all this devastation both princesses had chosen to send for Twilight, and most chillingly, it was important enough to risk pony lives to do it. As the depth of that responsibility settled on her heart, she shivered. Whatever it might be, she could only hope she was pony enough to do it.

If any other griffins spotted the chariot on its approach to the city, they didn’t reveal themselves. The skies remained clear as the mixed royal guard finally delivered Twilight Sparkle, cold and dejected, to the battered city of Canterlot.