Forcing herself off of the ground, Twilight locked gazes with the two alicorns on the other side of the cell bars. Her red eyes burned with the anger and hatred matching the fire that made up her mane and tail. She could see the look of fear on both of the princesses faces, but that went unhindered in her thoughts as the voice spoke up inside her once again.
'Don't you see Twilight? She put you in this cell to keep you contained. She is afraid of you. She has always been afraid of what you were capable of. Now she is trying to kill you to keep you from reaching your full strength, and now her sister is trying to kill you as well! Do not let them stop us. Do not let them stop you!'
Blood boiling, Twilight moved until she stood at the iron bars blocking her path out. She sat still for a moment until she gritted her teeth, the large horn on her forehead becoming engulfed in bright stream of flames. "You locked me up like a criminal, didn't you? You thought that I was a monster coming for you."
Celestia sat open mouthed as she trembled at what her loving student had fallen and turned into right before her eyes. It seemed as if history was repeating itself and-
'No, I can't let this happen again!' She screamed inside her head. Standing back up, Celestia faced her student, her own eyes filled with pain and suffering. "Twilight, please listen to me. I had to do this for your own protection so that we could help you. If you can reason with me and keep back-
"Keep back!?" Twilight snapped out, "Talk as if I am some wild beast! Is that all I am to? A monster!?"
"No! Please try to understand what I am trying to say-
"No, I understand what you mean princess. You want me out of the way so that you do not have to fear me anymore. That is all that you see, isn't it? Somepony that is strong enough to threaten you, so you hate me because of that. Now, I will not let you shove me into the ground like a dead corpse. I am much stronger than I was before, and I will not die here."
Pointing her horn forward, Twilight blasted out a massive ball of fire, the burning mass rushing forward to the rod iron bars. Luna quickly focused her own magic and teleported both herself and Celestia further down the hall away from the fire. The moment they reappeared, the iron door of the cell block was obliterated, chunks of metal and stone flying off into the back wall of the prison hallway. Coming out through the large opening stepped Twilight, each hoof step creating a small patch of fire beneath herself. Grimacing, Luna trotted forward and placed herself between Celestia and the burning unicorn that stared at her. Inside her own heart, Luna felt the horrible pain of seeing one the she herself had grown close to fall and become this figure coming her way. If it wasn't for the kindness that Twilight had given her that nightmare night after returning from the moon, she would still be alone and unaccustomed to the way that ponies were today. Even after that, both herself and the young unicorn had stayed in contact with each other and stayed good friends. In fact, Twilight was her best friend.
At this moment however, Luna knew that allowing personal feelings to cloud her judgement would only make doing the right thing that much harder for herself. And at this very moment, the prophecy that had been nearly forgotten by both her and her sister was coming to effect right in front of them, and she had to do anything to keep it from destroying the home that she loved so dearly.
Charging her own horn, the lunar princess shot out a bright beam of magic targeted at Twilight's chest. The unicorn stood still as the attack came closer to her, then grinned to herself. "I told you that I am much stronger than before. Let me show you what I have become." From her own horn, a stream of fire shot out and dropped to the ground at her hooves. The patch of flames expanded up, creating a sphere of fire surrounding herself, repelling the blue blast and sending it into the wall nearby.
Luna clenched her teeth and fired another beam of magic forward, attempting to break through the shield Twilight had formed. Once again however, her attack was repelled with ease. 'Damn it, I have to get out from here...' Luna snapped at herself, 'I can't use my full power inside of the castle interior; I may blow up most of this section if I did.' Watching the flames part away, her fur stood on edge as Twilight stepped through it and smiled at her. "Tia, I need your help now! We have to stop her within the prison!"
"But we can't use our full power in here..." Celestia yelled, "if we use too much, the entire ceiling above us will collapse!"
"We don't have a choice, we have to keep her down here or she will get out!"
Breathing heavily, Celestia raced her mind as she realized the situation she was in; not only did she have to try and force her student to stop, but she would have to do it while holding back a large portion of her strength while Twilight would not attempt to contain any. It felt like the same situation when she had to fight Chrysalis while surrounded by hundreds of her subjects in the same room. Having to hold back her magic to avoid hurting the innocent bystanders led to her being struck down and defeated. While not the exact same scenario, the danger here was just as great for herself and every other pony in Canterlot.
Taking a deep breath, the white alicorn focused the magic in her horn, conjuring a long glowing chain and lifted it above her head. Nodding to Luna, she turned back and stepped towards her student. Preparing her spell, she would attempt to latch it around Twilights neck to hold her down while her sister could land a paralyzing spell long enough to knock her out temporarily to keep her down until the other element bearers could arrive.
Launching the chain forward, Celestia guided it straight towards the fire unicorn, who in turn shot out a stream of fire to counter it. Luna had already prepared and blasted a small ball of lightning in the path of the fire, creating a bright explosion of static and embers. Twilight backed up as the blinding light stifled her sight for a moment, shaking her head to clear the spots. Before she fully recovered, the golden chain shot through the smoke and wrapped around her throat, sinching tight and cutting off her air.
Gagging, Twilight attempted to pull back out of the grip, but the chain suddenly yanked her down to the floor and to her belly. Luna saw she had the chance to act and stop this battle before it could escalate at all. Charging her horn up, the bright blue electricity pulsed along the length and ended up into a shimmering ball at the tip. The paralyzing spell lifted off her tip and shot it out, leaving a bright trail in its path. Twilight snarled as she saw the attack coming closer to her. Focusing, she took control of the fire that sat on the ground, expanding its size and blocking the incoming spell. Stopping that, she then pulled as hard as she could to lift back off the ground and stand back up. Celestia panicked at seeing that her holding spell was being physically resisted once again, attempting to put more into it.
Moving the fire she manipulated, Twilight curved it around and slashed at the chains, cutting straight through it and severing the hold on her. As the chains disintegrated around her throat, she took a deep breath as she enjoyed the relief she had with her windpipe unrestricted. She then looked up to the two princesses as they sat there staring at her, which for some reason brought a grin to her face. "I have gotten stronger, haven't I?"
'You see Twilight? This is the power that you are supposed to have.' The voice in her head said again, 'You realize how much strength you have now. And now that you have it, doesn't it feel good? I can sense that you love this feeling that you have. Now, use it against the ones that tried to end your life. Use it on them!'
Not wanting to deny it, but Twilight did like this power that she had. It was giving her abilities she would have never even thought possible before. While it all seemed to be new and sudden, everything that was happening now did not seem out of place for herself to be doing. What she was doing felt natural for her. It all seemed like it was what she was made to always do. What she was born to do.
What she was destined to do.
"Yes I should..." Twilight grinned, "I will see the extent of my powers." Taking hold of the fire around herself, Twilight formed two tall columns of flames and launched them forward towards each princess. Reacting quickly, Celestia formed a shield around herself and diverted her fire away. Luna had chosen to counter the column with her own blast of bright blue magic, striking the flames and pushing it past herself to the side and rushed forward.
Conjuring a long whip, Luna brought it back and snapped it forward, only to have another column of fire rise up and push her back. Grunting, she brought the whip back and snapped it again and again in an attempt to land a successful blow. Every time however, Twilight's fire rose up and blocked the stinging tip away from herself. The lunar princess bared her teeth in frustration. 'Her powers are growing stronger every moment she is like that. I have to stop this before she does grow to be too much.'
Luna turned around and saw Celestia still caught inside the fire behind, unable to help at the moment. Deactivating her whip, she formed herself several balls of powerful paralyzing spells and shot them forward one after another. Twilight shot forth her own fireballs to block the incoming attempts. As the final one came at her, a large batch of fire came up in front of her face and physically catches the bright sparkling ball.
Luna gasped at seeing her technique stifled so easily. "What!?"
A cold smile grew on Twilights muzzle. "I told you that my power has grown from before... Princess."
As the attack blasted back, Luna attempted to form a shield in front of herself, but before it fully formed, her own paralyzing spell struck her square in the chest and launched her backwards down the wall. Her body became enshrouded in powerful streams of electricity that coarsed along her skin. As she fell back onto the stone bedding, her body convulsed as she began losing consciousness and passing out.
Finally breaking through the obstructive fire, Celestia caught sight of her sister on the ground, body limp and still. Panicking, she quickly sprinted over to her sister and dropped to her side. "Luna! Luna get up!" Despite shaking her side, the younger sibling did not wake. "No, this cannot be happening to me."
"Oh but it is happening." Twilight chuckled as she stepped through the fire that decorated the ground she walked. "Now I will make sure that you stay out of my way from now on." Gathering all the fire around herself, Twilight formed a massive stream of fire that danced behind her before rushing like an uncontrolled locomotive at the terrified princess.
Before the ball of fire could reach its target, a sudden burst of yellow and red fire even brighter than Twilights came out of nowhere and created a burning wall in front of both princesses, shielding them from the attack. Twilights eyes went wide in surprise as the new flames began shifting its shape before her, becoming a smaller shape with large and spectacular wings.
Celestia raised herself off the ground as the new entity began taking its form in front of her. While most ponies would be shocked by a mass of living fire, but to her, she knew exactly what it was; something that the had lived with her for the last two thousand years of her life. "Philomena!"
The pheonix took its shape as it landed down on the ground in front of the princess. Wings outstretched, the fire bird hissed at Twilight, it's screeches echoing in the stone hallway. Its normally orange eyes were a piercing white as she glared at the burning unicorn, her long feathers emitting bright orange fire. From the sides of her body, Philomena created a blinding flash of light grew out and blocked out all other sight for all of the ponies in the prison cell.
Twilight stumbled backwards as she clenched her eyes tight, bright purple spots still seen in her vision. Rubbing her eyes, she reopened to see the entire hallway empty, only herself standing alone.
---
Inside of Celestia's personal chambers, a bright flash of fire suddenly appeared in the center, lighting up the once dark room. As the fire dissipated, Philomena forced her wings outward, removing all flames around herself. Down below, Celestia sat in shock as she breathed in and out. On floor by her side was Luna, still passed out from her own attack. The pheonix floated down to the ground to her masters side, cawing up to get her attention.
Snapping out of her shock, Celestia looked down to her pet and realized what had happened; Philomena had used her power to teleport comverting all their bodies temporarily into fire and moved them up out of the prison. This was one of the special abilities that only phoenixes had that no other creatures could do. Shaking off the small crawling sensation that was the after affect from the technique, Celestia gave a loving smile to her lifelong pet. "Philomena, you saved me." She gratefully thanked.
Philomena in turn only lowered her head and took several steps away from the princess. The mystic bird trembled slightly as she came to a stop by the large oak desk. Celestia didn't need her smaller friend to tell her what was causing her to be afraid like this. Getting up from the ground, she walked over and sat by her lifelong companion.
The sound of a massive explosion rocked the air, causing the castle itself to seemingly shake. The princess looked out her window, terrified of what was to come after everything that has happened. The horrible time that both her and Philomena experienced seemed to be repeating itself before them. Her horn glowed once again as she prepared to go back down to the courtyard.
"She looks just like him, Philomena. I know that you felt the power coming from her." Celestia looked down at Philomena, who in turn leaned over and embraced her leg like a frightened filly. "I am so sorry you have to see his form again after what he did to you."
---
Trotting along the busy streets of Canterlot, many ponies casually went about their business shopping in whatever shop caught their interest. Out of nowhere, a strong rumbling started shaking the roads, causing many ponies to panic as they looked around for the source. Yelling and screaming erupted as some began speculating another changeling attack was upon the city.
The next moment, a massive blast suddenly burst through the large wooden doors of the royal castle, sending burning chunks of wood flying through the air and crashing into the streets of bustling ponies. Loud gasps and screams erupted from the ponies as the watched in horror at seeing the castle seemingly under attack. As they stared through the clearing smoke, they caught sight of a single figure exiting through the shattered door and onto the steps. The burning mane and cold red eyes pierced through the night as the unicorn came to view.
Twilight made her way down the steps of the castle exterior, making her way towards the crowd of terrified spectators that were frozen in her presence. She glanced back and forth between all of them, registering the fear and confusion that was placed upon each of their faces. 'They all fear me and my power.' She whispered to herself.
Several guards quickly burst through the citizens and placed themselves between the new entity in front of them and the innocent bystanders behind. One of the guards lowered his spear into charging position and glared up at the fire unicorn. "Who are you and what have you done with the princess!?"
Not answering, Twilight continued down the steps until she reached the pathway towards the rest of Canterlot. Inside her heart, a strange sensation began boiling inside as she stared at the ponies watch her approach. Every one of them saw her as a monster, afraid of the power that she had obtained. Knowing this, she smiled.
'Twilight, show all these ponies exactly what you are capable of...' Her inner voice spoke up, 'show them why you are the greatest unicorn in this world. Make them know just what happens when one reaches the point beyond the princesses. Make them know in the greatest way possible!'
A cold grin spread across Twilights muzzle imagining her capabilities. The many small fires around the courtyard began dancing upward, their sizes growing immensely and moving toward the one manipulating them. The swirling masses of flames grew out behind Twilight and formed into multiple large balls. "I will show them all."
The fireballs rushed forth, striking the buildings behind the crowd of ponies and obliterating the walls on contact. Screams of terror erupted from the crowd as they scattered out in all directions to get away from the destruction happening to their city. The guards eyes went wide in shock from the size of the explosions. Still determined however, all of them simultaneously rushed forward, weapons drawn to strike down this new foe. "Fools." Twilight remarked as she formed a ring of fire around herself. Raising her hoovesup, she slammed them back down onto the stone, creating a moving shockwave of fire that rocketed all of the guards far across the street and slamming into the opposing walls. She chuckled as she continued onward, her horn once again grew bright fire as she conjured more fireballs above herself.
As she trotted along, she shot the blasts up into the buildings above her, making large sections of the upper levels crumble down and create a maze of falling matter for the terrified ponies running away. From behind a wall, a guard leapt out and tackled Twilight to the ground. She grunted as her body was pushed down into the stone street, the pony using his armor to keep her pinned beneath himself. "Rah! Let me go!" In an instant, Twilight's whole body began to simmer as her physical temperature increased dramatically. The guard pony yelled out as he felt his chest plate melting against his own skin. Jumping off, he began thrashing about as his armor's molten pieces began dripping onto his fur and scorching his upper body. He screamed in pain as he tried to rip off the straps that held his armor against himself, slamming into the nearby buildings while wailing in agony.
Crawling off the ground, Twilight chuckled as the guard continued to cry out while scrambling down the street away from her. The rustle behind the trash can to her right caught her attention, putting her back on the alert. Making her way towards the metal bin, Twilight slowly stalked forward like a hungry manticore cornering its prey. As she came up to its side, it slightly moved again, indicating something hiding behind it. Using her standard magic, she picked up the bin and threw it aside to reveal the hidden subject.
The small unicorn filly screamed out as her hiding spot was discovered, allowing Twilight to look down upon the trembling pony. It's bright yellow coat was stained in several spots, signifying she barely escaped the earlier collapsing structures. It's wide eyes leaked tears of fear as she curled up into a ball, cowering against the wall behind her. Twilight came closer to it, standing tall above the terrified youngster. A patch of flames expanded out from the thick white horn on Twilight's forehead and began hovering above her head.
'Good Twilight, young ones always leave the most powerful impact when showing your abilities. Now, strike her down.'
Twilight went along with the voice in her head, raising the fire up before curving it down towards the crying filly. As she did, however, something inside of her mind clicked, making her stop the flames only a foot from burning the young unicorn. Her eyes blinked rapidly as her mind began running into circles over what she was doing.
'Twilight, what are you doing? Why did you stop?' The voice snapped, 'Do what should be done and strike her down!'
Twilight however deactivated her fire and stepped backwards. "But... She's just a filly. I shouldn't have to hurt her."
'Why would you stop yourself? She is just like every other pony in this world, one that is against you. If you allow her to grow, she will only resist and fight your way of power. Now kill her!'
This time, Twilight didn't want to listen to her inner self this time. Clenching her eyes shut, she shook her head several times in an attempt to free herself. "No, I won't do something like this! I won't!"
Why are you resisting Twilight? Do it now!'
"No!"
"TWILIGHT!"
The loud scream from behind snapped Twilight out of her subconscious argument and brought her back to reality. Flipping around, she prepared to face whatever pony was coming at her. But when she did, her entire body felt like it chilled to ice when she saw the other unicorn staring right back at her,its eyes wide with terror and pain. It's white coat and purple streaked mane was one Twilight recognized the moment laid eyes on her.
"M-mother?"