//------------------------------// // Chapter IV // Story: Final Twilight // by Zeg //------------------------------// Final Twilight by Zeg Chapter IV Twilight stood next to a tall gray pillar in lengthy hallway. The floor had a long red carpet spanning the full length of the hall from its entrance. Nearby at the end of the hallway, a large double-door with an eight point golden sunburst pattern etched across its center stood framed by a gold decorated archway, complete with a white depiction of the sun princess encircled by gold at the top. At either side of the door, two white coated unicorn guards adorned with their ceremonial golden armor vigilantly stood watch. Twilight seemed to be concentrating as she silently maintained her invisibility shroud. Her expression looked somewhat strained as her eyes fluttered open, and she looked around the pillar to the guards nearby. She had successfully dealt with the annoyance in her head, buying some time, and now needed to deal with her next task swiftly. The two guards would easily meet her requirements. They were in the right place, and would be easy enough to take down. All she had to do now was use them to cause a panic. Straining herself to exert more magical energy, Twilight concentrated while her shadow stretched unnaturally longer. The top of her shadow then broke away in two pieces, and quickly slid across the floor and up the walls to the ceiling above. Relaxing herself slightly, Twilight opened her eyes and intently watched the two guards, waiting for the right moment. She noticed her two shadows moving unseen by the guards along the back wall behind them. Then one of the shadows sprung from the wall, zipping through the air toward the back of the left guard's head. It hit him with a powerful force that knocked him forward, causing him to let go a pain filled grunt as he collapsed face first to the ground. The second guard sprung to full alert readying himself to face the assailant, but when he saw nopony there he glanced around frantically confused. A second later, the other shadow sprung from the wall hitting the remaining guard in the side of the head. Stumbling sideways a few steps, he toppled over to his side in a heap. Satisfied with her work, Twilight dropped her invisibility spell and began to gallop down the hallway to the exit to start the next step of her plan. As she made her way into the courtyard outside, she called out for help. --- Celestia had been intently listening to the volley of conversations and stories crisscrossing the table when her hearing picked up on a noise behind her. She turned her neck so she could look behind her chair at the door just in time to see Twilight burst through, causing the servant to jump back from the doorway to avoid getting hit. The lavender unicorn skidded to a stop just inside the doorway, panting hard from over exertion. Just behind her a few castle guards caught up, standing just outside the doorway. Celestia could immediately tell something was amiss. Standing from her chair, she took on a regal demeanor as she quickly approached her student. “What has happened?” She questioned quickly as she stopped just in front of Twilight. “In the tower,” Twilight began through the pants, “shadows. I saw them.” Celestia eyes widened a bit before she glanced up to the guards standing outside the doorway. “Go,” was the only command she gave to them. Immediately the set of guards nodded and set themselves into action, galloping away down the hallway. Celestia's gaze then softened as she approached Twilight and rested a hoof on her student's back. The rest of the mares in the room had left their seats as well, and were approaching to check on their friend. Even Luna who had been sitting at the far end of the table was now trotting up to stand next to her sister. “Oh, Twilight. Are you alright?” Fluttershy asked timidly. “You look like you galloped clear across Equestria,” Applejack added with a concerned look. “I-I'm fine. Just need.. to catch my breath,” Twilight said between huffs of air. Taking in a deep breath to calm herself, she looked up to Celestia as a worried expression played on her face. “I think the elements are in danger.” “What?” Celestia pulled her hoof back, shocked by the statement. “How?” Luna spoke up from beside her older sister, her agitation becoming obvious from the ruffling of her black wings. “I saw a shadow. I followed it to Canterlot Tower and saw it attack the guards there. We have to do something!” Twilight begged as she grabbed at Celestia's raised hoof. “Nothing can get through that door,” Luna asserted with a quick stamp of her hoof. “Only my sister can open it.” “Luna,” Celestia said as she unfolded one of her wings, placing it against her younger sister's chest to silence her. “Hear Twilight out.” Luna frowned, but decided to hold her tongue. “I know it sounds crazy, but I saw it happen. I think they might have gotten in somehow. We have to go check,” Twilight frantically begged to her mentor. “OK, calm down,” Celestia said while gently placing a hoof on Twilight's head. “We'll take a look.” “We're coming too, right guys?” Rainbow Dash spoke up as she gave her wings a flap, unfolding them to ready herself to join in. The rest of Twilight's friends echoed the response with nods and confirmations of their own. --- Celestia and Luna approached the vault door at the end of the Canterlot Tower hallway followed closely by the six Ponyville mares. The hallway had been brightly lit using magical lighting. Many guards were busying themselves with searching every last inch of the hallway, while some attended to the two fallen guards nearby. Celestia spotted one gray coated mare guard checking nearby the door and approached her with a question. “Have you found any evidence of a break in?” “No your highness,” The guard shook her head as she gave her full attention to her ruler. “I see,” Celestia commented with a frown as she looked up at the tall doorway. “Maybe they slipped under it,” Twilight commented as she tapped a hoof near the bottom edge of the door. “Something doesn't just 'slip' under this door,” Luna shot back hotly, “the magical wards on this vault were created by Celestia herself. Only she can open it.” “Luna,” Celestia said lowly with a disappointed look. Luna simply rolled her eyes and cast her glance aside. Celestia shook her head before glancing back up at the doorway. “The ward has failed on this vault once before. I think it is worth checking inside, to verify that the elements are safe.” Twilight let a small smile tug at the corner of her mouth, though she attempted to keep it under control as to not let on that her plan was proceeding successfully. .. stop it .. Twilight narrowed her eyes at the small voice calling out in her mind, and attempted to shove it away. She wasn't going to let it ruin her efforts now that she had gotten this far. The group of assembled ponies took a step back to allow the sun princess enough room. Using the tip of her horn like a key, she slipped it into a small hole at the center of the sunburst pattern on the door. At the touch of her horn, the lines along the pattern started to glow brightly, as did the central seam of the door. With a bright blue flash, the vault doors opened with a groan allowing entry into its inner chamber. The group of ponies walked just inside, finding a purple chest decorated with golden trim and encrusted with a multitude of colored gem stones. Twilight took in the sight, her eyes locked on her first goal. Now she just needed a diversion. Stop it. The complaining voice rung out in the unicorn's mind again. Grinding her teeth, she attempted to ignore the annoyance while she tried to think of a way to get everypony's attention away from the chest. Luckily, the distraction would be provided for her. “Your majesties, one of the guards has awoken,” A white unicorn guard called just from the entrance of the vault. The sound of the guard's voice had turned all attention away from the chest. This was it, the moment that she had been waiting so long for. Stop it! Silence! Twilight bit back at the complaining voice in her mind as she let her magic flair. Quickly, she took up the chest with a levitation spell, and then blinked out of existence in a bright flash. The sudden burst of light caused everypony's attention to snap back to the empty spot that Twilight had just occupied. “Eh.. What.. just happened?” Applejack commented confused as she pointed a hoof at the spot Twilight had vanished from. “The elements!” Luna shouted as she pushed her way to the empty spot on the pillar that the chest had just been sitting at. “She took them!” “Wait.. did you just say that Twilight stole the elements?” Rainbow Dash asked as she looked upon the moon princess with confusion. “Stole?” Rarity echoed as she bit the back of one of her fore-hooves. “Hold on,” Celestia spoke up clearly among the confusion, “We don't know what just happened.” “Celestia,” Luna shouted as she put herself squarely in front of her sister. “That was a teleportation spell. The chest of the elements are missing and so is Twilight Sparkle. The unicorn that was just in here with us may not have even been her, it could have been an imposter!” Celestia stared back into her younger sister's stern glance. She was right, the unicorn that had rejoined them in the dinning room could possibly be somepony else. She wasn't sure what a thief aiming to steal the Elements of Harmony could possibly hope to gain, but right now wasn't the time to ponder on motives. The elements had just been taken right out from under her nose, and it was her responsibility to retrieve them. She would have to find out why later. “Guard!” Celestia barked loudly toward the vault door. The white unicorn guard standing at the doorway quickly approached his princess, kneeling down. “Get the word out. Search for Twilight Sparkle, anypony resembling her, or anypony else that might seem suspicious, and keep an eye out for the Elements of Harmony. Search all of Canterlot if you have too, just find them!” “Yes princess!” The guard spoke quickly before rising to his feet and galloping off. Celestia didn't waste any time herself and galloped out of the vault shortly after the guard had left. Her sister and the five remaining mares tried to keep up with her longer stride as they too followed the sun princess out of Canterlot Tower into the courtyard just outside. “Wait!” Luna called out for her sister. Celestia stopped and turned around at her sister's call, waiting for her to catch up. As she did, Luna asked the obvious question. “Where are we going?” “I'm not sure yet,” Celestia said as she glanced around at the various spires of Canterlot Castle. There were too many places to search, too many places that somepony could hide. Especially a pony armed with magic. And then there was the question of whether the Twilight that had taken the chest was the real one or not, and if not, could Twilight be in danger? Where would she be kept? She stood there for a moment going over the possible locations that somepony might try to hide themselves or somepony else in her mind, trying to think of one that would stand out over all the rest. “Princess!” a voice called out loudly above. The assembled group of ponies turned their attention to the skies, finding a gray pegasus stallion in golden armor gliding down. His wings buffeted the air as he approached the ground, and then his hooves clacked against the stone walkway as he landed. “Princess, there has been an attack,” the guard reported as he quickly knelt before the sun princess. “Where?” Celestia quickly questioned as she devoted her full attention to the guard. “Near your bed chambers. Whatever caused the attack seems to have already fled,” The guard spoke as he stood up to meet his ruler's gaze. Celestia considered the report. The attack was most likely related to Twilight's sudden disappearance, due to the timing. There were not any other possible leads on Twilight's whereabouts yet, and though the guard had said that the attackers had already come and gone, perhaps there would be something there that could lead her to where they had gone. Giving the guard a quick nod, she came to a decision. “I'll be there right away, please head back and try to gather more information.” With that command, the guard kicked off the ground and took flight back up to one of the open castle walkways that spanned between towers up above. Celestia turned to face the group that was with her to explain her next move. “I'm going to head that way, perhaps some information about Twilight will turn up there.” “I'm going with you,” Luna quickly added. “I think we all wanna go see what's happenin. Twilight might need our help,” Applejack chipped in as she clacked a hoof against the stone pavement. “Uh, we don't all have wings,” Pinkie pointed out as she pointed a hoof to her right and left at Rarity and Applejack respectively. Celestia glanced across the courtyard at the entrance to the spire that lead up to her personal bed chambers, and pointed a hoof at the entrance. “You three should be able to get up to the top through there. My sister and I will fly on ahead,” She then turned her glance to the remaining two pegasi, “Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, you may come with us if you wish.” “Ah.. I think we should stick with these three, just in case,” Rainbow Dash quickly declined. Fluttershy gave a silent nod to show that she agreed. “Very well. We'll see you at the top. Be safe my little ponies.” Celestia let her long majestic wings unfold from her sides, readying herself for flight. Using her powerful legs, she took a short gallop before kicking off from the ground to launch herself into the air, beating the wind forcefully with her wings as she propelled herself upwards toward the top of the tower. Her younger sister followed suit close behind her, and the five Ponyville mares quickly galloped to the ground level entrance of the spire. --- The reverberating sound of wings flapping echoed through the hallways as the two regal sisters sailed quickly through the hall that lead to the older's bed chambers. As they approached the tall white double-doors at the end, they both descended toward the floor and landed to a canter. “Somepony tell me what happened here,” Celestia called out as she looked around. All around her she saw guards, some downed and unmoving, others rushing to aid the injured, and a group of them standing in front of the double-doors that lead to her bedroom. One nearby pegasus guard kicked off from the ground, gliding over and landing just in front of the princesses as he gave a quick nod of his head. “We are still trying to assess the situation your highness. When our squad made it here, the others were already as you see,” The guard reported. “How many injured and how badly?” Celestia asked as she kept up her royal composure. “None injured critically. They seem to have been knocked out cold by something, but there isn't any signs of fighting. About a half dozen guards in all.” “Lieutenant!” A voice called out from across the room from a white earth mare guard. She waved a hoof in the air while standing near a gray coated unicorn guard that was sitting up with his side against the wall. The guard that the royal sisters had been speaking too gestured for the princesses to follow him as he turned to gallop over. “Tell us something,” the Lieutenant commanded as he approached his two comrades. Celestia and Luna stood close by listening in. “Shadows. Came from everywhere. I got hit hard by one, nearly passed out,” the gray unicorn reported as he tapped a hoof against his helmet. “Get that helm off. You need to be checked,” the Lieutenant commanded. The unicorn wasted no time complying with the order, quickly undoing the strap under his chin. The white mare guard to his side helped him ease the helm off, and as it left his head its enchantment faded, his gray coat shifting color to a deep green. His short cut dark blue mane fell in place as the helm fully left his head. He instinctively reached up with a hoof toward the spot on his head that was throbbing, but his superior officer quickly pushed the hoof away. “Hold on there,” the Lieutenant commented as he took a look at the spot himself. Lightly placing his hoof at a spot at the back of the green colt's head, he noticed a reaction when the guard grit his teeth. “Well, you did get hit, nothing too serious though.” The Lieutenant then noticed the guard's helm sitting on the ground next to him. Scooping the helm up with one of his hooves, he turned it over and looked at the back of it. “That's odd. Not even a scratch on your helm. Where you out of uniform at the time of the attack?” “No sir,” the green stallion quickly replied. “It felt like my helm didn't even stop.. whatever it was.” The Lieutenant slowly sat the helm back down, seeming a bit confused. “Shadows that can strike through armor,” he huffed, “anything else?” “Yes, in all of the confusion I saw a unicorn. She went into her royal majesty's bed chamber, carrying something like a box.” “Twilight went inside?” Celestia interjected as she stepped closer to the group of guards. “Did you see anything else at all? Was she in trouble or being chased?” “I-I don't recall, princess. I only saw her for a moment, and nothing else,” the green stallion said with a shake of his head. “I see,” Celestia sighed as she glanced back at the double-doors. The group of guards at the door had grown, and they seemed to be discussing something among themselves. Celestia turned her attention back to the three guards before her as she continued. “Please see yourself to the medical ward. Even if it is minor, I want you to get that injury checked,” she commanded with her gaze upon the green coated stallion. She then turned her gaze to the white earth mare. “Help him there if you would please.” “Of course princess,” the white mare nodded as she approached the stallion to help him up. Celestia turned toward her next task, and began walking to the double-doors of her bed chamber. As she did, her sister who had remained silent until now trotted up next to her. “This doesn't feel right,” Luna commented. “Of course it doesn't,” Celestia shot back. “No, I mean all of this, all night so far, this hasn't felt right. I noticed it when the mares arrived in Canterlot and it has gotten worse ever since,” Luna took a few quick steps to put herself in front of her sister, causing Celestia to stop. “Something is happening in that room. We have to get in there now.” Celestia regarded her younger sister silently for a moment. Something had the younger princess genuinely scared. Celestia hadn't seen this look on Luna for a countless number of centuries. Glancing up past Luna to the white double-doors, she considered the urgency in her sister's words, trying to think of her next course of action. Lighting her horn, she reached out to her magic and began casting a teleportation spell on herself and her sister. However, the spell fizzled, causing a shower of sparks to fall to the floor from Celestia's horn. “The wards are active,” Celestia said with a quick stamp of one of her hooves. Now she understood why guards were simply standing outside the door. There was no way in with the protective wards of her bed chamber active. Only a unicorn with an understanding of how ward enchantments worked would be able to activate them. Unfortunately, Twilight easily qualified for such a task, making Celestia wonder if her student really had taken the elements for some reason. “We may need to force our way in,” Luna spoke as she turned her head to look back at the doors. Celestia's eyes widened at the recommendation. “That would take an eminence amount of magical power. The blast could harm Twilight.” “If that actually is Twilight inside,” Luna pointed out. “I would rather not take the chance,” Celestia responded back firmly. “We have to take that chance!” Luna said as she locked her gaze back on her older sister's eyes. The urgency in her voice was rising. Celestia could tell she knew something, but didn't know for sure what. It was then that the sounds of a group of hooves galloping toward them drew the sun princess's attention away. She glanced over her shoulder, and saw the five mares they had left down below in the courtyard quickly approaching. She turned to face the group as they made their way to her. “Wow, what happened here?” Rainbow Dash commented as she glanced around. “A shadow attack of some sort. We are still not entirely sure how,” Celestia commented as she turned to face the doors again and started walking toward them. “We've been told that Twilight may have been seen going into this room with the elements, and we were trying to find a way in.” “Is it locked?” the rainbow colored pegasus asked, a bit puzzled as to how a door could stop two of the most powerful beings in existence. “Yes, and protected with a powerful ward against magic. We are unable to open it or teleport past it from the outside. It is designed to be a safe haven, but now it's just keeping us out.” Celestia stopped behind the group of guards that had gathered in front of the doorway, looking up at it. The rest of the mares that had been following her walked up along side her to take in the sight of the door as well. “Sister, we are wasting time,” Luna complained from behind the group. “Luna, I am not going to haphazardly blow a hole into this door,” Celestia growled back, losing some of her royal composure she had held on to up to this point. Just then a bright flash blinked near the group, causing all eyes to jolt to the source. “Um.. where'd Dash go?” Applejack asked as she looked at the spot right next to her that had been occupied by the pegasus only seconds ago. A few tense seconds ticked by, and then another bright flash occurred, leaving the location that Rarity had been standing at empty. “What the hay!?” Applejack blurted out as she rared back. Celestia's mind quickly tried to figure out what was happening. Two of the young mares had just vanished for no apparent reason. One of them a pegasus, which meant it couldn't be teleportation magic, unless they were teleported by another unicorn. But she hadn't noticed any unicorn magic being used in the room, which meant it had to come from elsewhere. The only other place close enough would be... Celestia's eyes widened as her mind came up with the answer. She glanced back at the door with a terrified look on her face and then back to the remaining three mares. The spell ward worked as a one way door. It kept all forms of magic outside from coming in, but magic from inside the room could work outside. Just then, another bright flash signaled the disappearance of the butter colored pegasus. They were being drawn into the room. “Get them out of here! NOW!” Celestia bellowed to the group of stunned guards. They quickly scrambled to answer their princess's order. Celestia instinctively spread her wings out in a defensive stance as she stood between the doorway and the two remaining earth ponies. She looked back over her shoulder at them, having only one simple word to say to them. “Run!” “Don't have to tell this pony twice!” Applejack called out as she took off in a gallop. Pinkie also turned to make a break for an exit, but only managed two good hops before she blinked out of existence. Applejack could feel her chest tightening up as she urged her legs to carry her faster. Behind her an entire group of guards were charging down the hall with her, attempting to usher her to some kind of safety. But how could anypony possibly be safe from something you can't even see. Pushing her body as hard as she could, she began to feel a strange tingling feeling through her muscles. Keep goin, she thought to herself as she tried to push past the feeling, but it continued to grow. Then she realized that the feeling wasn't coming from herself. In a final bright flash, Applejack vanished from the hall. The group of guards that had been pursuing her stopped, glancing about frantically for the pony they had been assigned to protect. Celestia could only stare in stunned silence, her mouth hanging slightly agape. “Sister!” Luna called out to her, snatching her attention back. Celestia focused back on Luna and quickly tried to recompose herself. “I know, we have to get inside now.” --- The strange static like feeling began to dissipate from Applejack's body. Her hooves felt like they were made of lead, being far to heavy to lift. She blinked her eyes quickly, trying to clear the bright spots that had clouded her vision. She could hear something; something that sounded like voices, one of which spoke to her directly. “Aw, not you too AJ,” Rainbow Dash's voice rung out inside the room. Applejack blinked her eyes again and focused on where the voice of her friend had come from. The room was dark, with the only light source being a faint glow of moonlight filtering in through the curtains overhanging the room's one window. Just across from her she could make out the rainbow pegasus facing her as her eyes adjusted. Taking a quick glance around, she noticed that the rest of her Ponyville friends were there as well, all of them standing in a perfectly spaced circle of six facing a purple chest that sat in between them. “Can anypony else move? I'm kinda stuck here,” Applejack complained as she strained her leg muscles to move, finding her hooves firmly secured to the floor of the room. “Can't budge an inch,” Rainbow Dash replied as she flapped her wings, stretching her legs slightly as she tried to take off. The downdraft caused by the flapping caused Rarity and Fluttershy, each standing next to the rainbow pegasus, to lean away from the gust. “Rainbow stop! That didn't work before, and it isn't going to work now,” Rarity complained as she tried as hard as she could to duck away from the wind gust. “Well you have a better idea?” Rainbow agitatedly shot back as she folded her wings back to her sides. “Alright everypony, just calm down. Maybe Twilight knows whats goin on here,” the farm pony offered, trying to be the voice of reason. “Twilight hasn't said anything yet,” Pinkie chirped to Applejack's left. “I think she's playing the quiet game. I've never seen anypony play the quiet game so well. Well maybe Fluttershy. There was this time-” “Pinkie!” Applejack called out, stopping the pink pony, who offered a grin in response. Applejack shook her head and then looked to her right, seeing Twilight laying there staring down at the floor. Her breathing seemed to be labored, and her entire coat glistened with sweat. “You alright sugarcube?” Applejack asked, wishing she could reach out to check on her friend. But her hooves still remained securely glued to the floor. As if finally answering her friend's call, Twilight shakily pushed herself up to stand. “Hey, you're not stuck?” Rainbow Dash complained as she continued to tug at her hooves to free herself. However she stopped when she noticed the purple chest lift off the ground in the middle of the group. The five confused mares watched the chest lift into the air just above their heads, while Twilight strained herself to maintain a levitation spell on the chest. With a pop of the golden latch, the chest lid flew open, and the six Elements of Harmony magically lifted from inside the box in a halo of purple magic. The chest then whizzed over Fluttershy's head, slamming hard into a mirrored vanity behind her, causing the pegasus to crouch down to the ground and guard herself under her wings as best she could. “What is this all about. What is going on?” Rarity frantically asked as she leaned away from the center of the circle. She cringed back as one of the elements, bearing a violet diamond shaped jewel floated over to her and placed itself on her neck. “Yeah what we doin here Twi?” Applejack asked as the necklace bearing her apple shaped red jewel found its way to her neck and fastened. There was no response from the lavender unicorn, other than the heavy breaths she drew in as she strained to maintain her spell. Each of the elements found their owner, with the tiara that represented the element of magic being the last to find its place upon Twilight's head. As her magic faded out, she nearly collapsed to the floor, barely catching herself with her front hooves as she let go a gasp. “Stop,” Twilight begged in a whispered under her heavily labored breaths. Hot trails of tears and sweat were drenching her fur coat under her eyes so much that they pooled together as droplets at her chin, falling to the floor. A loud thud with a sound of wood cracking echoed into the room, causing all gazes but Twilight's to snap to the tall white double-doors as the room's entrance. The door shook from the blow it had received from the other side, and a glowing yellow aura gleamed around it for a second before fading back out. Twilight strained herself to try and look over her shoulder at the doorway, but before she could fully turn her head her horn began to ignite with magical power again. “No, no no no,” She whined as she strained against the magic once again. Her entire body became rigid as the glowing of her magic became brighter. Raring back, her front hooves came down hard on the floor of the room, causing arcs of magical energy to fly from her horn to the floor in the center of the group. As the arcs traced along the floor, they left behind bright green glowing lines and symbols. All eyes were now squarely focused back on Twilight. As the spell's magic completed a glowing circle of runes in the center of the floor, Twilight's body began to slowly lift from the floor. Hovering there just barely off of the floor, her shadow stretched unnaturally toward the glowing runed circle in the center. “This is crazy! What is going on!?” Rainbow Dash yelled as she struggled to free herself once again, frantically flapping her wings. “Twilight, you must stop this!” Rarity pleaded as she too struggled against the unseen force holding her hooves to the floor. Just as the shadow stretching across the floor reached the glowing circle, Twilight let go a blood curdling scream. The rest of the mares cringed back at the sudden outburst, all stunned into silence. Twilight seemed to struggle against some unseen monster that was attacking her, trashing her legs in the air as she screamed out. Then she drew in a gasp as her body once again went rigid. Her neck arched backwards as she made a choking sound, her horn glowing a bright white. The tears that poured from her eyes seemed to darken her coat as they rolled down her face. Her mane whipped around in loose strands. Then, with a sickening sound that could only be described as bones and muscles being bent out of place, Twilight let go a loud scream of pain as two featherless bat-like wings shot out from her back. The five mares that had been watching the terrifying transformation had not noticed the shadow creeping long the floor, spilling out of the center of the runes as it reached out for them. Rarity was the first to take notice of the sensation of something crawling up her leg, and looked down to see the black shadow sprouting up from the floor. She lost what ever sanity she might have had left at that moment, and began to scream out in panic as she tired to pull her fore-hooves back, but she was still unable to budge. Around the room, a similar sense of panic unfolded as each of the mares realized that the shadows were coming out through the floor. A bright white flash accompanied by a loud blast and the sound of splintering boards echoed through the chamber. The double-doors flew into pieces of finely splintered wood, leaving a gaping hole where they had stood only a second earlier. The splintered remains of the doors hung lazily to the side on their bent hinges. A line of gray and white unicorn guards stood just in front of the two regal sisters, the magic of their combined spell casting fading from their horns. As the dust and magical energy cleared from the doorway, Celestia began to take in the scene inside the room. Some sort of shadow seemed to be assaulting the six mares, and a glowing circle of green light pulsed brightly from the floor in the middle of them. Twilight was the closest too the doorway, hovering there with her back facing the group.. and wings, where those wings on her back? Celestia made a decisive choice, igniting her horn with glowing yellow magic to conjure up a length of glowing gold chain that hovered just above her. With a sift motion of her right wing, one end of the chain sailed out in front of her into the room, wrapping itself securely around Twilight's midsection. Folding her wing back, the chain pulled hard, yanking the lavender unicorn from the air and out of the room. It all seemed to be playing out in slow motion for Twilight, as she felt the force of her body being wretched away from the spell. Before her, she could see the shadow grasping at her, just barely missing her as she sailed backwards. Though her teary eyes, she was still able to make out the forms of her friends intertwined in the darkness. They all cried out in terror, fighting against it in vain, their frantic pleas to be rescued reaching her ears. And then, in a thundering flash of green light, they all vanished. The darkness, her friends, everything. Twilight's back hit the ground, and she slid across the floor as the golden lengths of chain that had pulled her from the spell clattered. Her body ached everywhere, and she felt like her magic had been stretched to the breaking point and beyond. But still, she managed hold her head up just barely so she could look back at the room. She didn't want to believe what she had just witnessed, what she had been forced to do, but she had no choice but to accept the fact that was right before her. Her friends were just... gone.