Chapter Two
Wendigo
"Isn't this a little rushed?" Twilight asked Summer Wind who was doing a last minute once over on the princess's hair.
"Nonsense, the citizens have been waiting for a new ruler for a long time now!" Summer Wind said as she circled around Twilight and nodded approvingly at the appearance of the alicorn.
"But I just got here yesterday, I'm not so sure they will be very excited to have a stranger ascend to the throne so suddenly..." Twilight mumbled as she looked out to the balcony door where Frost Horn was addressing the citizens.
"Just smile and keep a brave voice as you make the oath. You are an alicorn, they will be eating out of your hoof." Summer Wind said with a smile as she opened the balcony door.
Twilight strode out and looked to the two stallions that occupied the balcony. Steel Hoof gave her a nod as she moved beside him. The door clicked as it closed behind her, and Twilight glanced back at the pegasus who joined her fellow council members and the princess on the balcony.
Princess Twilight looked out over the ponies who had gathered in the streets to witness her coronation. Twilight was amazed that the capital city was so massive, and in all honesty she felt a little overwhelmed by the fact that she was about to become the ruler of a country that apparently dwarfed Equestria. It was no wonder a council was formed to aid in the rule over the land.
"Without further ado, I would like Princess Twilight to say a word before we adorn her with the crown." Frost Horn said with his magically amplified voice.
The elderly unicorn then nodded to Twilight and stepped back, allowing the princess of magic to flare her wings and step forward where all the ponies in the streets below could see her clearly. Twilight cleared her throat as she looked around, once more unsure of what to think of the lack of guards. While their system worked to keep the city as a whole safe, Twilight was left feeling very vulnerable to any dangers that could present themselves. Especially if the zebras attempted to attack her as the new ruler.
"Citizens of Concordia, I am honored and humbled to see so many of you here on such a short notice. I came here, wielding the Element of Harmony, to liberate you all from oppression. But when I arrived, I saw proud and happy ponies who were already free of tyranny. The council will still hold power over the day to day ruling, as I see fit that all ponies should have a voice in how to lead their own lives. I will in turn serve my duty to protect all of you, and work for the improvement of our country." Twilight's voice echoed through the streets, causing a cheer to issue forth from the ponies at the mention that the elected council would still exist.
"I hereby vow to revoke all other loyalties to any other nations or people, and pledge my eternal life to the service and betterment of this land. With this crown, the symbol of my rule, let the pact between ruler and subjects be finalized." Twilight said as Frost Horn levitated forward an ornate golden crown that was placed upon her head.
The ponies that filled the streets once more cheered for their princess, their enthusiasm at having a legitimate ruler who could quell the talk of rebellion and keep the different provinces unified made apparent.
"They seem extraordinarily willing to accept me out of the blue like this..." Twilight whispered to the aged unicorn behind her.
"Why would they not accept you? This entire situation is more beneficial for us than you know. The throne has been vacant for over a decade as you already know, but what you do not know is that because of this the provinces at the edges of our territories are growing restless. Some had the belief that since the throne was vacant, it was up for grabs. Had you come a few years later, you might have witnessed not a thriving capitol, but a scarred and bitter war ravaged city." Frost Horn whispered solemnly.
"Is the situation truly that bad?" Twilight whispered as she waved to the ponies in the street.
"Two provinces in particular are on the edge of causing a civil war. That will be the first issue we will need you to address after the coronation here is over." Steel Hoof rumbled in his deep voice from behind her.
Twilight sighed inwardly as she smiled for the citizens. She was suspicious about the hasty acceptance of the council, but she never would have imagined it was because they desperately needed her to quell the civil unrest in the land. Twilight's thoughts then drifted to the old king, and what could possibly have compelled him to keep a country running for so long, just to suddenly and without warning quit.
Twilight turned and reentered the castle. The council members followed her and closed the glass doors behind them. Twilight then turned to them and asked the question that was on the top of her mind, "What am I to expect from the provinces that have been causing trouble?"
"The southern province will need to be visited so that they can verify that we once more have a legitimate ruler. You will simply need to travel there and meet with the governor there. He is a very patriotic pony, and the only reason he is threatening rebellion is because he feels the council is abusing its powers with the lacking of a monarch. He will submit and cease riling up the ponies there once he has seen you wear the crown." Summer Wind explained as she stretched her wings.
"The eastern province is the troublesome one however. The foolish mare who is the governess there thinks she can take the throne for herself. When she sees you she may grow desperate and may even make an attempt at your life if she feels her plot is in danger." Steel Hoof finished the report Summer Wind started.
"Any suggestions on how I could deal with her?" Twilight asked the council. Steel Hoof opened his mouth to speak but Twilight cut him off, "Ideas that would not cause an outright war with the ponies that support her..."
Steel Hoof huffed and frowned as Frost Horn rubbed his chin in thought before replying, "The eastern province more than any of the others treasure personal strength above all else. If you can defeat her in a duel you would prove yourself more worthy to all but her most loyal followers. Not a permanent fix, but it would make the situation simmer down to a level that can be dealt with over time instead of with immediate and rash actions."
Twilight nodded at this, but then furrowed her brow in thought. Frost Horn catching the look spoke up, "Is there something wrong my princess?"
"If I am travelling into possibly unwelcome territory, will there be any guards that will accompany me? I know we do not employ town guards, but is there not a force that is meant to protect the castle or myself?" Twilight asked in a concerned voice.
"Well, previously an escort was not needed. Though I doubt the case has changed, if it would make you feel more comfortable we can hire some mercenaries as bodyguards for your journey." Summer Wind spoke up.
Twilight considered this briefly but her train of thought was stopped as she saw the look on the large earth pony's face, as if he wished to speak up but was unsure if he should. Twilight smiled as she addressed him. "Steel Hoof, did you have something you wished to say as well?"
"Princess, I believe that hiring bodyguards is unnecessary when you can simply ask for the assistance of your dragon friend. He should be able to offer more protection than mercenaries, and you would no doubt feel more comfortable with him around rather than strangers." Steel Hoof offered, "It would also be a display of power to be seen with a dragon serving as your escort."
Twilight liked the idea of Spike travelling with her, but she feared what would happen should they be attacked in the eastern province. Sure dragons were very resilient creatures, but they were not indestructible. Twilight would hate to see her beloved friend injured while protecting her. However, hiring ponies who made a living off mercenary work could prove dangerous. Those types of ponies sided with where the money was, and could be bought out from under her.
"Very well, I will ask Spike if he would accompany me. Might I get some coordinates for where I am going however?" Twilight inquired.
"Coordinates? The country is vast, surely you don't intend on teleporting there. The magic required to move oneself such distances is straining, but moving a dragon alongside you? That would be tiring even for an alicorn, and you will need to be ready to face the governess of the eastern province when you arrive there." Frost Horn said with an incredulous look on his face.
Twilight chuckled at this before responding, "Don't worry, I am the alicorn of magic after all. Besides, I brought myself and Spike here from half way across the world just before we met."
The aged unicorn's right eye twitched as he processed what he had just heard. The other two simply adopted impressed looks and Steel Hoof even whistled an impressed note.
"Sounds like the duel should be a piece of cake then." Steel Hoof beamed, happy to hear of the prowess of the princess.
"Well, I will tell Spike to prepare himself. If you could have some traveling supplies and a map gathered, I will be able to set out early next morning." Twilight said as she made her way for the hall that lead to where Spike was staying.
"Princess would you please wait for a moment." Summer Wind called as she trotted closer to Twilight.
"Yes Summer?" Twilight asked as the pegasus mare drew closer.
"You should really go out and see the city. There are festivities all through the streets, and I know it would mean a lot to the ponies there if you would spend time among them." Summer Wind said with a smile.
Twilight looked down the hallway that lead deeper into the castle where Spike had decided to slumber. The princess of magic hummed to herself in thought as she stared out the glass balcony door where she could see pegasi zipping around and decorating the streets. Surely enough when she listened more intently she could hear what sounded like music starting to play. Twilight smiled at the cheerfulness of the ponies and turned away from the hallway, Spike could afford to sleep a little bit longer.
As Twilight made her way through the streets the ponies all greeted her warmly as she passed. Food stalls were being set up on every street corner, and lines were already forming of ponies wishing to partake in the food. The entire festival, as Twilight discovered from the council, was paid for from the royal treasury as a method of raising morale and support for the new ruler. A tradition that had not been put in use for over a thousand years.
"Princess, princess!" An excited voice called for Twilight's attention over the noise of the festivities.
Twilight looked around for the source of the voice, and spotted a scrawny pegasus with a camera around his neck. The pegasus hovered over the crowded streets as he made his way towards Twilight. Landing before her and bowing low to the ground the excited stallion then bounced up and began smiling with glee.
"Princess, can I get your permission to write an article for the city newspaper on you?" The scrawny pegasus said, painting as if he'd flown a marathon to get to Twilight.
"Why, sure. But how about we conduct the interview another time? For now I would like to partake in the festivities, but how about when I get back from visiting the provinces you come to the royal court and we can have the interview then." Twilight said with a smile.
At the news that he was indeed going to be able to get a personal interview with the princess, the stallion cheered and flew off. Twilight giggled at his antics and waved as he left. She then turned her attention to what was going on further down the street she was on. It appeared that magic acts were going on, flashy displays of illusions and pyrotechnics were captivating the audience who stayed to the outsides of the streets and around a fenced off area where the unicorns performed within.
A large serpent made of ice danced through the sky in an impressive display of control over the elements. The unicorn who was doing the act was a pale blue color with a cropped white mane. His cutie mark was that of a snowflake, making it apparent what kind of magic he specialized in. The serpent then spiraled higher and higher into the air, until it reached the limit of where the unicorn could send it, and then abruptly exploded into a shower of fluffy snow that fell down upon the cheering crowd below it. The unicorn bowed and then exited the fenced off area, allowing another to take the stage.
A shadow crept along the ground from the audience and stopped in the center of the staging area. The shadow then began to bubble and a form rose from within it. A young mare with a navy blue and black mane stepped from the growing shadows and grinned at the crowd. Shadow took a deep breath in and slowly exhaled, a dark cloud appearing before her that was comprised of darkness. The cloud then surged around her, blocking all view of the mare as it swirled faster and faster, pulling the swirling orb of shadow smaller and smaller until it suddenly exploded outwards and dispersed before leaving the staging area. Now in the center stood a tall cat made of solid shadows. The mare who conjured it was standing on top of the shadowy creatures head as the animal looked around. It's eyes glowed red, and caused Twilight to tense up slightly. The crowd however was eating the act up, cheering wildly with eyes wide in wonder. Shadow then slid down the felines back, and onto its tail where it flipped her into the air with a sudden flick. The mare did a few flips as she soared higher, and then straightened her body out as she dove straight down into the feline, whereupon both of them collapsed into a single shadow on the ground that moved back into the crowd.
Twilight had to admit it was an amazing display of magic, even she would have struggled to pull off the necessary spells to control the shadows like that, and the spell to enter she shadows themselves was one that had taken years to perfect, but the young mare took to it as if a fish to water. Twilight sniffed the air as she smelled something that caught her attention and turned from the magic show to investigate what was teasing her nose. But she turned back as she heard excited cheering heading her direction. The crowd had spotted her and many ponies were now approaching her and insisting that she participate as well.
"Oh no, I don't even have anything in mind for what I would do..." Twilight said to the crowd trying to persuade them off, but they kept insisting and even nudging her forward.
With a sigh of defeat Twilight flared her wings and with their help leapt forwards into the staging zone. Applause of encouragement broke out causing Twilight to blush and smile at the crowd. This caused many stallions to whistle at her, and many mares to smack their husbands upside the head. Twilight giggled at the display as she considered what to do. Humming to herself in thought, Twilight finally decided on an idea and her horn was wrapped in her lavender aura.
Twilight was lifted off her hooves as she spread her wings wide, closing her eyes as she began to focus. A void of magic formed around her and began expanding as she lifted herself higher into the air. The void stretched out and in no time resembled the night sky, only the stars sat not in a black background, but a deep purple one. The stars began to then swim around in a synchronized pattern that captivated the audience's eyes. The stars would periodically halt as they arranged themselves into perfect copies of constellations and the sky that would appear around them. Twilight focused on making them flawless, a display that would have made Luna proud of her night sky. After she finished the last constellation, Twilight's eyes opened and she smiled down at the ponies who watched her in shock and amazement. The faux night sky then burst apart, and the stars with nothing to swim in, danced down upon the crowd in a glittery display. Twilight then released her magic and began flapping her wings to keep her aloft. The princess of magic was greeted as she descended to the ground with a roaring cheer.
Twilight blushed once more and waved to the crowd. She noticed one pony that stood stock still among the crowd, Shadow was looking upon her with displeased eyes. Twilight put down her hoof and frowned at the young mare who then slipped through the crowd and out of sight. Twilight would have attempted following the mare, but she knew it would be pointless in trying to to follow a pony who had perfected the shadow walking spell. Instead she sighed to herself and once more followed her nose to where the captivating smell was coming from.
Twilight followed the smell down a few back alleys until she came upon a shady looking street that lead to a dead end. The street was narrower than the other roads, and much less densely populated at the time being. A few shady stallions talked to each other near the sides of the street, and at the end was a food stall. Twilight approached the stall with wonder in her eyes. The scent was similar do doughnuts, but it carried a heavy scent of honey with it in the air.
As Twilight reached the stall she noticed that a fan was being animated, and was causing the air to stir and the smell of the treats to drift on the wind. The idea to use this method to spread the smell to attract customers was actually quite brilliant. The unicorn who was manning the stall had his flank to her as he rummaged for something. Twilight waited patiently as she eyed over the objects that had caused her nose so much desire. They were small golden brown balls of what appeared to be fried dough. They were dripping with warmed honey, and sprinkled with cinnamon. The entire cooking process of the dough being rolled out, pinched into balls, thrown into the fryer, and then covered in honey and cinnamon before being set to cool was done magically. The concentration needed to perform all of these tasks had to be impressive, but the stallion who was doing it was mumbling to himself as he rummaged through a trunk behind the stall.
The stallion exclaimed in glee as he pulled a chef's hat out and flipped it up onto his head. He then turned around and blinked a few times as his eyes locked with Twilight's. His eyes then drifted between the treats and the princess. He then laughed heartily as he addressed Twilight.
"I was not expecting you to be the first customer to wander down the alleyways." The stallion said as he shook his head and smiled.
"Eclipse? What are you doing here?" Twilight asked in a surprised tone.
Eclipse looked down to the treats, and then up to the stall sign before responding, "Isn't it obvious? I'm setting up a stall to earn some extra income."
"Well, I got that. But I meant what are you doing here, you can't expect too many customers in a back alleyway like this..." Twilight said in a concerned tone as she glanced back at the shady stallions who were doing their best not to stare at her.
"Well, as you may not know professional bounty hunters are not really an accepted bunch. For instance, what do you think of those five guys down the alley here?" Eclipse said motioning down the alleyway.
Twilight looked once more behind her and noticed the grizzled stallions were trying their best not to look at her, but they glanced at her every now and then. The display was excessively suspicious, and the scars all over them did not help. Over all they looked like a rowdy bunch who fought a lot.
"They look like thugs if you want my honest opinion..." Twilight said in a low voice so as to not be overheard.
"Exactly, but they are actually very nice stallions who work very hard to put food on the table for their families. They like I are professional bounty hunters, their scars earned from taking down the toughest of foes. But because of our appearances and occupation, we earn a reputation. While technically there is no law against me setting my stall up on a main street, it would only be asking for trouble..." Eclipse explained all whilst working the series of spells as if they were nothing.
"Oh, I didn't know..." Twilight said frowning and looking once more at the stallions before turning back to Eclipse, "So they are trying to avoid staring at me not because they want me to put my guard down, but because they don't want to be rude, huh?"
"Wonderful perception! Tell you what, these festivals are all about food and games. And what game doesn't have a prize? So for answering my question so well why don't you have some on the house?" Eclipse said as he levitated a few of the golden brown balls onto a plate and set it before Twilight.
Twilight smiled and nodded graciously as she levitated one of the golden orbs into her mouth and began chewing. The sweetness of the honey and cinnamon perfectly complimented the rich fried dough. Twilight happily dug into a second only stopping briefly as a gust of chilly wind swept over the street.
"I did not think the weather pegasi were supposed to bring a cold front this week..." Twilight commented as she dug into her prize.
"No... They weren't. In fact it might not actually be them." Eclipse said with a frown.
"What do you mean?" Twilight asked, a suspicious look growing on her face.
"Are you familiar with wendigos?" Eclipse asked as he watched the sky.
"You mean windigos?" Twilight said in correction.
"No, windigos are the adolescent stage of wendigos. While the young ones can only change the weather, freezing the lands to match the hearts of the inhabitants, wendigos have a special ability. The adult ones can even possess animals or ponies. They generally only possess those who inflict harm upon others though." Eclipse said with a sigh.
"You don't think one of those is responsible do you?" Twilight asked with a growing look of concern.
"Unfortunately they have been a slight problem in these parts, especially since the war with the zebras began. They are rare to come across up close, but they leave quite the trail of misery and destruction." Eclipse said shaking his head in disgust.
The stallion observed the concerned features of the alicorn and smiled as a thought donned on him, "Hey, how about round two? Do you know how to deal with a wendigo?"
Twilight's face lightened up as she thought over the question, her brow furrowing as she hummed to herself in thought, "Well, you said they possess other living creatures, so I would assume that a simple exorcising spell would suffice..."
"Unfortunately no, that is not enough. While forcing them out of their host is good, it will only delay them, not stop them." Eclipse said with a disappointed frown.
"Oh... Then how do you deal with them?" Twilight asked out of curiosity.
"They are beings that lack a physical form, only existing in a spiritual level. Thus forcing them from a mortal body only leaves them vulnerable, but it does not deal with them. You need a magical item that can suck in their soul so that they can no longer run rampant." Eclipse explained.
"You sure seem to know a lot about them..." Twilight said offhoofedly as she popped the last treat into her mouth and began chewing.
"That is my job after all, and wendigos have one of the highest bounties for anypony who can capture one." Eclipse said with a gleam in his eyes at the thought of the money.
"Why would you need anymore money? Shadow carried away a quite hefty bag of gold from the wyverns you defeated. Surely you aren't hurting that bad for funds..." Twilight commented on the greed she saw in the stallion.
"Sure I do not need it, I actually have quite the stash already actually. But why should I stop earning money? I wouldn't want my daughter to think I was a bum or something." Eclipse said with a hurt expression.
Twilight blanched and she started to apologize, but was cut off as Exlipse burst into laughter, "I'm sorry, I could not resist. You are alright in my book though princess, too many ponies who get involved in politics are overly serious and uncaring. Some ponies like old Steel Hoof on the council wouldn't know a fun time if it ran up and bit him."
"You know Steel Hoof?" Twilight asked in a surprised tone.
"Of course I do! Do you have any ideas how many bounties I have turned in over my years of work? Those three kooks still insist on personally overseeing all of the visitors to the castle, when it would be faster and easier to have a couple of clerks do it for them." Eclipse said waving a hoof dismissively.
Twilight shrugged at this and looked at the sky that was quickly growing darker and darker, "I should head back to the castle, I have a busy schedule tomorrow."
Eclipse bowed deeply, his chef's hat falling off causing him to scowl and pout. Twilight however giggled at this as she thanked him for the treats before spreading her wings and flying in the direction of the castle. Eclipse and the other bounty hunters waved her off as she left.
Spike felt something nudging his shoulder, and grumbled as he rolled over to put his back to whoever was disturbing his sleep. He could vaguely hear somepony huffing and he smiled as he slowly drifted back into sleep, surely they would not try to disturb him a second time after he made it clear he was planning on sleeping in.
An electrical jolt surged through the dragon's rump causing him to yelp and bolt upright. As he began to rub the slightly smoking scales where the zap hit him, Spike looked around for his assailant and as his eyes fell on her he swallowed nervously.
"Twilight, why didn't you just say it was you? I would have woken up I swear!" Spike pleaded seeing the frustrated look on her face.
"Spike I have been calling your name for fifteen minutes! I told you last night that we need to leave today to visit the provinces." Twilight scolded the dragon like he was still the baby brother who slept in the basket at the foot of her bed.
Spike stretched and yawned as he looked around the ball room that he was currently occupying. The tall ceilings and spacious walls provided a lot of space for the dragon to call home, the only condition being that he would need to clear out when the room was to be used for holidays and the like.
"Well shall we then? We have a busy schedule Spike!" Twilight said with a smile as she trotted for the large double doors that lead to the courtyard.
"Just like old times then..." Spike mumbled as he followed the alicorn with a smile.
The two of them as they made it into the courtyard were greeted by Frost Horn who was taking a break from council duty to see them off. The wizened stallion however had a slight frown on his face as Twilight and Spike approached him.
"Are you sure you want to deal with the eastern province first? It will undoubtedly be the most difficult of the two provinces you need to deal with. Perhaps if you go to the southern one first and rally some support before heading into the lion's den.." Frost Horn said in a concerned voice.
"No, I believe it would be better to stop the biggest threat first." Twilight said, shaking her head.
The elderly unicorn shrugged at this and motioned for the princess and the dragon to follow him. They walked to the very center of the courtyard where a large marble gazebo sat. Frost Horn stepped up the stairs to enter the gazebo and made his way to the center of it where a small cloth bundle sat. The council member beckoned Twilight forward, but Spike stayed outside of the gazebo, being too large to enter.
"What is it?" Twilight asked as she approached the bundle.
"I believe it is something that will help you on your task..." Frost Horn said with a slight frown.
Twilight approached the bundle and unwrapped it with her magic. Inside there was a golden scepter that held a hefty diamond at the top of it. The gem was perfectly round and gleamed with its own magical light. Twilight had never seen a gem quite like this one.
"Thank you, but what is it?" Twilight said with uncertainty.
"It is something that I believe you should only use for a dire situation..." Frost Horn said in a grave voice.
"What is it for?" Twilight demanded in a suspicious tone.
"It is not my place to say, but I believe it could come in help if the situation turns dire. For now, let us hope it does not come to that..." Frost Horn said with a somber look.
Twilight took the scepter in her magic and set it inside of a satchel that she then handed to Spike who tied it to his wrist. Twilight then exited the gazebo and began to channel her magic to create a portal large enough for Spike and her to enter through. As the arcane energies began swirling and formed, Twilight looked back at the ornate gazebo and the old unicorn who stood within. Twilight waved at him and he nodded at her in response as she followed Spike through the portal.
The arcane forces pulled and pressed at her as she walked through the twisting nether. The transition only took a few seconds however before she emerged behind Spike and walked around him. The protal emitted a loud cracking sound as it pulled itself closed and ceased to exist. Ponies were staring at her in mixed looks of fear and disbelief. Many looked as if they were ready to attack, but only held off their assault at seeing the crown on Twilight's head.
"What is the meaning of all this?!" A mare's voice roared from the distance, causing a cacophony of voices to surge forth from the ponies that were gathered around the town square Twilight and Spike stood in.
A light green unicorn mare with a golden mane and eyes pushed past the crowd, her anger evident on her face, "Wha's all that ruckus? I'll personally tan the hide of the troublemaker that is causing a problem in my town!"
The mare did not take long to notice the dragon, and she looked as if she was preparing a spell to attack immediately, but the spell ceased as her eyes drifted to the purple alicorn that stood next to the dragon. Her eyes narrowed however and a fierce look was plastered on her face.
The look was not lost on Twilight, and the princess frowned at the scene the mare was making. Twilight did not let it get to her however and she smiled and flared her wings as she strode forward with a confident step. The council made it abundantly clear that she could not falter in the face of these ponies, or they would immediately judge her as a weakling.
"I presume you are the governess of this province?" Twilight asked the clearly volatile mare.
"Aye, and who do you suppose you are?" The mare asked with a defiant frown.
"I am Princess Twilight." The alicorn said with confidence.
"Oh you are, are you? How are we to know you are fit to rule though?" The mare said with a devious smirk.
"Will a simple duel suffice?" Twilight offered in a bored tone.
The look on the mare's face and the murmuring of approval from the crowd was all the alicorn needed to know that her ploy had worked. This was going to be a simple matter of defeating the mare at Twilight's game. Magic was without a doubt an area that Twilight could not be beaten at. The crowd even seemed to like the idea of Twilight proving herself.
"You are so on Princess." The mare said the title in a mocking tone.
"Very well, shall we?" Twilight said, signalling the ponies to back away and clear an area for the two unicorns to conduct their duel.
"I am Dandelion, and know that I am not so much a pretty wee flower as a fierce predator! They call me the lioness from my days in the ring." Dandelion said as she began to circle Twilight.
"So you used to partake in a lot of magical duels then I take it?" Twilight asked as she circled with the governess.
"Nay, I was a boxer!" Dandelion said as she charged with frightening speed and pulled a forehoof back to strike Twilight.
The alicorn flapped her wings and surged out of the way at the last second, the attack having taken her completely by surprise. Dandelion did not stop there though, she fired a magical bolt causing Twilight to dodge left to where she was charging to meet her. This time the blow connected, but the smiling unicorn's face turned into a look of disbelief as she noticed her punch did no damage. The alicorn had managed to snap a magical shield around her in the last second, and the hoof stopped mere centimeters from her face.
Twilight sighed in relief as she addressed Dandelion, "You took me by surprise there. I can't believe a unicorn would be so physically strong. But I warn you to forfeit this match, because I am the alicorn of magic..."
Twilight's eyes and horn began to emit light that grew in intensity as she was lifted off the ground by the power she wielded. Dandelion's face changed to that of fear as she felt the raw power of the princess, but she did not back down. Her pride would not allow it.
"Very well..." Twilight said, seeing that Dandelion would not forfeit.
A beam of light collided with the governess, and caused her to cry out in surprise. No physical damage was dealt, but the mare could feel herself weakening. After a few seconds the beam ceased and Dandelion fell to the ground, panting as if she had just run a marathon. She looked to Twilight with confused eyes, unable to muster the energy to speak.
"I simply removed all of the extra energy your body has stored. If you eat a meal rich with calories you will be back on your hooves by tomorrow. I will need you to run this town for me after all." Twilight said with a warm smile as she beckoned forth a few ponies from the cheering crowd to help the governess back to her home.
"This... Isn't... Over..." Dandelion huffed, gaining energy from her anger to speak.
"Are you alright milady?" One of the stallions who moved to help Dandelion said as he put his head under one of her forelegs.
As a second stallion did the same on the other side and they picked Dandelion up, the governess hissed in one of their ears, "release it."
"Excuse me milady, but is that really a good idea? With the state you are in I don't thi-" The stallion was cut off as Dandelion hissed at him.
"Do it!" The stallion looked nervously to the other pony helping him and then to the fountain that stood in the middle of the town square.
"Is something wrong?" Twilight asked, and then exchanged glances with Spike who merely shrugged.
The stallion who helped Dandelion up channeled magic into his horn and pointed it towards the fountain. Twilight gave the stallion a confused look and was bout to ask him what his actions meant, but suddenly a rumbling sound shook the town square. Most of the ponies in the vicinity held looks of confusion and fear, but a few ponies held knowing and grave looks.
The fountain split into four direction and the water drained below as it made way for something that was coming from under the ground. A large iron cage slowly rose from beneath the fountain, and a dark beast could be seen within. The air seemed to take a dramatic dip in temperature as the beast emerged.
"What is the meaning of this?!" Twilight cried in a demanding tone, glaring at Dandelion.
"You are... going to regret... Wearing that crown..." Dandelion said in a hate filled voice.
Twilight was about to respond, but the beast was now straining against the thick iron bars now that it was out in the open. Twilight saw the grotesque features of it from behind the insanely thick bars. Even Spike looked at the hideous abomination in fear and disgust.
"What is that thing..." Twilight mumbled as the bars began to screech and give way.
The beast with one final slam of its meaty fists burst its way out of the cage. It crawled out, leaving smears of blood from its bleeding fists. Its unnaturally elongated arms caused its knuckles to drag on the ground as it stood on its hind legs. Its back hunched forward, allowing the exposed organs from its split belly to dangle out slightly. It had the head of a deer, a native animal from the forest that stood between the eastern province and Concordia the capitol. The deer's features were obviously twisted and perverted by something however, for they were supposed to be just like ponies and cows in the sense that they stood on all fours and had hooves. This beast however only had hooves on its hind legs, its gnarled hands and sharp teeth seemed alien on the creature. The state of it was appalling too, its skin ripped and torn as if it grew too large for its own skin that was stretched and bare of fur in places where the stretching was extreme.
"Wendigo..." Twilight whispered to herself as she realized what the beast could possibly be. Eclipse had told her they were a problem here, and that they would possess an animal or pony, but he did not say they would be so terrifying.
"That little beasty will make quick work of you..." Dandelion huffed.
"Are you mad? That thing will destroy the town!" Twilight yelled.
No response came from Dandelion though, as the wendigo let out a blood curdling scream as it flailed its antlered head around. It made like it was going to charge at the crowd of ponies, but was tackled to the ground by Spike. The dragon barely had any size on it, though he should have dwarfed a deer. They wrestled each other on the ground, Spike desperately trying to stop it from harming any of the ponies. The wendigo however clawed and gnashed its teeth, managed to scratch and even painfully pull off scales from the dragon in places. Unlike the wounds inflicted onto the dragon, any claw marks that raked across the wendigo's flesh was knitted back into its original grotesque form.
Twilight exclaimed in fear as she watched Spike receive injuries from the monster. Charging her horn with magic she hoisted the dragon into the air and crushed the wendigo into the ground with increased gravity. Blood from the dragon dripped down onto the monster who screeched and roared as it struggled to lift its limbs, cracks running along the ground as it was pressed further and further into the ground.
"What were you going to do if I could not stop this thing?!" Twilight roared at the governess.
Dandelion only held a defiant look on her face, though the two ponies who were supporting her held looks of terror at how things were being played out. Twilight was about to lash out at them in anger but she noticed something she had not before now that her magic was touching the wendigo. There was a spell placed on it.
"No, not on it... In it..." Twilight mumbled to herself as she stepped closer to the thrashing beast. Ponies screamed in terror and fled back to a safe distance as it inched closer to the group of ponies. Twilight approached closer, to get a better look at it and shook her head in disgust.
"You placed an explosive spell on it in case it got loose or out of hand..." Twilight's voice and face were heavy with disgust.
The alicorn of magic concentrated a spell to exorcise the wendigo from the deer. The beasts thrashing increased, and it nearly stood up, before it was once more crushed to the ground by the increased gravity that was placed upon it. Twilight took aim, and fired the cleansing magic into the beast. Light immediately erupted from the wendigo's eyes and mouth as the spirit was driven from the body. The roaring spectre circled over the body it once possessed, until it was suddenly sucked into the pack that Spike had, still tied around his wrist.
Twilight set Spike down on the ground, and immediately looked over his wounds, sighing in relief as she noted that the wounds were minor and shallow. Twilight then diverted her attention to the bag on Spike's wrist.
"Spike, can you get the scepter out for me?" Twilight asked suspiciously.
"S-sure..." Spike said as he moved a hand from a scratch on his underbelly and opened the pack on his wrist.
As Spike opened the pack a bright light could be seen from within. The dragon pulled the scepter out, the large round diamond glowing fiercely with an eerie power. Twilight frowned as her suspicion was confirmed. Frost Horn knew that there was going to be a wendigo here, perhaps even the entire council.
Twilight looked over to the frightened governess and the two supporting her, "You three are coming with me..."
Dandelion merely glared back at the princess as Twilight opened a portal that would lead back to the courtyard in the capitol. As Twilight motioned for it, the two stallions who held the governess nervously approached the twisting purple portal. As they stopped before it and stared at it, Spike groaned and kicked them through it before entering himself. Twilight then turned and addressed the townsponies.
"I know this is a little sudden for a lot of you, but I am now the ruler of this country. I also find the soon to be ex-governess guilty of plotting against the crown, and of sheltering a dangerous creature that could have brought harm to the local ponies." Twilight said to the stunned and frightened crowd.
"Um.. Princess, what of the position of governor?" A stallion asked as he walked up to Twilight.
"As I said, Dandelion will be stripped of her rank, a new one will have to be elected." Twilight explained.
"So we can trust the council will be swift with their decision on a new governor? Normally the consideration for candidates takes a while, but given what has happened... I think we need one sooner rather than later." The stallion said rubbing the back of his head.
"You seem to know quite a bit about the politics of the matter..." Twilight commented.
"Well of course, I was one of the ponies that ran against Dandelion in the election. You see, the council decides the nominees, and then the people can from there vote." The stallion explained.
"Well then, I will personally make sure that it gets done in a timely manner. Though the trial and punishment of Dandelion comes first." Twilight explained.
The stallion nodded at this, accepting the decision of Twilight. The alicorn of magic then made her way over to the corpse of the wendigo and shook her head in disgust. As she levitated the corpse and moved it through the portal, she took one last look at the ponies who had been under the care of Dandelion. They all looked shocked by what had happened, all for a hooffull here and there that Twilight knew had to be loyalists to Dandelion. Shaking her head Twilight stepped through the portal after the wendigo corpse.
As Twilight stepped once more through the portal and emerged into the open air of the courtyard, she was greeted by the sight of Dandelion lying on the ground, struggling to stand up, and Spike holding the two stallions in his hands. Twilight set the wendigo down on the ground as the portal closed behind her with the loud cracking sound and gave the dragon an odd look.
"They dropped her and tried to run." Spike said shaking his head.
Twilight frowned at the two stallions and shook her head. She then turned her head as the doors to the courtyard burst open and the three council members came rushing to Twilight. As they approached they halted and stared at the twisted monstrosity that lay dead on the ground. Frost Horn paled as he stared at the body, while Steel Hoof and Summer Wind merely stared with slack jaws at the wendigo.
"Is that what I think it is?" Steel Hoof said, whistling in an impressed tone.
"Where did it come from?" Summer Wind asked in a disgusted voice.
"I was hoping you all could fill me in actually. The governess there had one captive and set it loose on me." Twilight said in an annoyed tone as she narrowed her eyes at Frost Horn.
"Are you alright then? Wendigos are very fearsome creatures." Steel Hoof said looking over Twilight.
"I am fine, but Spike needs some medical attention." Twilight said waving him off and directing him towards the purple dragon.
"How did you manage to deal with it?" Summer Wind asked, still eyeing the dead creature.
"She sealed its soul in the royal scepter." Frost Horn said with a scowl.
The other two council members' eyes went wide and their heads bolted toward the wizened unicorn. Twilight's eyes drifted toward the scepter that was held in her magical aura and she found herself captivated once more by the round diamond that now held the soul of the wendigo.
"But the previous king is supposed to still have that..." Summer Wind said as she only now noticed the scepter.
"Frost... Why do you know of this. Where did the princess get that?" Steel Hoof asked in a stern voice.
"He must have left it at the gazebo over there. I happened upon it early this morning, and understood that he was leaving it to be found before the princess left for the eastern province." Frost Horn said with a frown.
"You mean the old king knew where she was going, and decided to help her?" Summer Wind said, as confused as the others.
"I do not know what he is planning, but it would appear he wanted Princess Twilight to deal with the wendigo." Frost Horn explained.
Twilight looked behind her to where the gazebo sat in the courtyard. She noticed something sitting there, exactly where the bundle that held the scepter once sat. As she approached it and left the council to bicker among themselves, Twilight could see that it was a box that sat in the middle of the gazebo. As she walked up to it she could smell something from within it, something that caused the fur on the back of her neck to stand up as a chill ran down her spine.
"No..." Twilight said as she stood over the box and opened the lid.
Within the box sat a plate filled with the treats that she had eaten at the festival the night before. There was also a note tucked to the side so as to keep out of the honey. As Twilight levitated the note in front of her she scanned it hastily.
'Dear Princess Twilight,
You may not have won the prize for the second question, but I truly did enjoy chatting with you. So, I instead chose to send your prize to you as a gift. I trust it served you well, and will continue to benefit you should anything else come to pass that you would need it for.
P.S. Here are some more Loukoumades (that is what they are called), I was unable to sell as much as I made so I figured why not give the rest to you since you liked them so much.'
The letter was not signed, but it was clear enough as to who it was from. Twilight folded the note back up and set it in the box with the treats. Her mind was swimming with questions, all of them having to do with the seemingly kind stallion named Eclipse. She almost did not want to believe that he was the one who had ruled the land with an iron hoof. Her mind then drifted back to all the interaction she had with him, and how off it seemed that he could even be capable of doing something evil. Then there was the question of why help her. Twilight wanted answers to this, and she knew exactly where to get them.
Twilight looked back to the council members who were currently calling for servants to tend to Spike as they personally dragged the governess and her two lackeys off to the dungeons. As they were occupied Twilight took this opportunity to find some answers, and she launched into the air with a mighty motion from her wings.