Chapter 6: Rulers Duel
Road to Canterlot, South of Canterlot, Equestria, Gaia, Summer, 56 C.E.
Twilight groaned with pain as she made her way along the road. Her body was covered in a series of burns and cuts. Her head was also bleeding profusely due to having several chunks of hair ripped out of it. Twilight was becoming dizzy. She wanted desperately to lie down and sleep but she knew that she couldn't. She looked ahead and saw the great Canterlot Mountain rising before her. She then looked back towards the Equestrian camp, which was caught under a heavy changeling siege. Twilight wanted to run back and try and aid the Doctor, but she couldn't. She didn't have the strength to. The changelings had caught her completely off guard. She was lucky to have survived by using most of her remaining strength to drive the changelings away with a few spells. Twilight turned away from the camp and stared up towards Canterlot. Her instincts told her that she had to reach the city. She had to. While uttering another groan, Twilight continued her trek towards the great capital.
Equestrian Camp, South of Canterlot, Equestria, Gaia, Summer, 56 C.E.
The Doctor flew towards the changelings at a frightening speed. They hardly had time to react before the chestnut stallion was on top of them. A sickening crack rang out as the Doctor kicked one of the changelings in the back with his hind legs. The changeling chewing on bits of Twilight's hair found itself falling to the ground with a pair of strong forelegs on its chest. The third changeling fled back in the direction of the changeling army. The Doctor looked down at the changeling he had pinned to the ground and proceeded to bring his hooves down on its neck. An incredible rage was burning inside the Doctor. He hardly knew what he was doing anymore. It was as if all thought had vanished and now nearly nothing remained but primal instinct. A familiar voice was calling out to him, but it sounded muffled and disjointed.
"Doctor! Doctor, stop!" cried the voice of Angie the farmmare. Angie's cries brought the Doctor back for a few seconds. This period of time was long enough to allow the Doctor to realize that he was close to choking the life out of the changeling. The Doctor let his angry instincts fade away as he removed his hooves from the changeling's neck. The changeling coughed and looked up at the Doctor with nothing but fear in its face. Beads of sweat trickled down the Doctor's face.
"You're lucky I still had a pinch of mercy," the Doctor said with a scowl.
"We didn't kill her," choked the changeling.
"Come again?"
"The purple unicorn...we didn't kill her, if that's what you wanted to know. She managed to escape us and fled north." A cruel smile appeared on the changeling's face. "Go to her and enjoy her while you can. I bet she doesn't have long to live. Besides, the Queen shall kill all of you stinking ponies soon enough." Another sting of anger soared through the Doctor's body as he reached into his pocket, pulled out his Sonic Screwdriver, and slapped the changeling across the face with it. The changeling proceeded to lose consciousness.
"Doctor?!" gasped a frightened Angie. The Doctor turned around to face the farmmare.
"I...I'm sorry that you had to see that. There are moments where I just...can't stop," the Doctor sighed.
"Doctor, we need to head north to the city."
"Right. Angie, head north and find Twilight. Take her to Canterlot."
"What about you?"
"I'll be along." The Doctor looked straight into Angie's eyes. "Now do as I say and run!" Angie slowly backed away before turning towards the north and running as fast as she could. The Doctor turned towards the south and examined the burning camp before him. He broke into a run. Twilight was alive, but now he needed to find Celestia.
Southern Fields, South of the Silent Forest, Equestria, Gaia, Summer, 56 C.E.
The air had begun to smell like smoke. Derpy turned around to see a column of smoke and cinders rising into the night sky.
"The camp," Derpy sighed.
"Keep moving!" urged Bass. Derpy nodded and continued to run.
"So, what do you have that'll get us to the Changeling Empire quickly?" Donna asked.
"You'll see." The group suddenly came to a stop in the middle of a wide field. Bass turned towards the sky and let out a loud whistle. Several seconds of silence followed...then it appeared. Donna's eyes widened as a massive, red dragon seemed to appear out of thin air in the sky above them. The beast landed just a few feet from where they were standing. It was nearly the size of a bus and had piercing, green eyes.
"A dragon?!" asked Flarewing.
"I helped him out of a jam a couple years back and we've been helping each other ever since," Bass explained.
"I am pleased to see you are still well, Bass," said the dragon.
"The feeling is mutual, Erik." Bass turned towards Donna, Derpy, and Flarewing. "Everypony, aboard."
"You're kidding," said Donna. "We're riding a dragon to the Changeling Empire?!"
"It's our quickest method of transportation. Would you rather spend several weeks walking through the desert?" Donna looked up at Erik the dragon nervously and gulped before approaching the beast. Erik lowered his wing, which acted as a ramp for Donna and the others to climb onto his back. Donna was the first on and was followed by Derpy and Flarewing in that order. Bass climbed on and took a seat in front of Donna. Once everyone and everypony was on Erik's back, the dragon flapped his wings and took off into the sky. Donna grabbed onto Bass tightly.
"Don't worry, Donna," Flarewing chuckled. "If you fall, you have two winged changelings and a pegasus at the ready to aid you."
"I'm not sure if I should feel more secure or more afraid!" Donna snapped. Flarewing gave a devious smile and laughed as Erik the dragon quickly flew himself and his passengers in the direction of the Changeling Empire.
Equestrian Camp, South of Canterlot, Equestria, Gaia, Summer, 56 C.E.
The Doctor maneuvered his way through the burning camp. Equestrian and changeling soldiers continued to fight and clash in a barrage of bloody warfare. This battle needed to end soon. The Doctor continued to scope the skies and the battlefield for any sign of the alicorn princess. Where had she gone? Surely, the Princess was still there. She wouldn't have abandoned her army...would she?
"Where is your princess?!" cackled a cold voice from nearby. The Doctor turned to his right to find a female changeling, around the size of Celestia, standing a few yards away from him. A cold shiver ran down the Doctor's spine as the changeling before him had a striking resemblance to Queen Chrysalis.
This must be Esmeralda, the Doctor thought. The Doctor quickly noticed that the changeling queen was holding an Equestrian soldier by his neck.
"I'll ask again. Where is Princess Celestia?" snapped Esmeralda.
"I'm not telling you," choked the soldier before spitting in the queen's face. Esmeralda's eyes began to glow bright green.
"Wrong answer." The Doctor watched in horror as the soldier's limbs were ripped right off by some telepathic force. The soldier screamed as Esmeralda let him fall to the ground. Esmeralda then took the soldier's spear and raised it above his face.
"NO!" screamed the Doctor as he raced towards the queen. However, he wasn't fast enough. Esmeralda brought the spear down and impaled it straight through the soldier's head. As the soldier writhed and died, Esmeralda turned towards the Doctor. A sadistic smile formed on her face.
"Another one? Perhaps you know of Celestia's location." Esmeralda's eyes began to glow green again, but the Doctor was too quick. He pointed his Sonic Screwdriver at the queen and activated it. A shower of magic sparks began to form around the Doctor and Esmeralda as their respective powers clashed.
"You're different from the others," the Doctor deduced. "Why?" Esmeralda chuckled at the Doctor's question.
"It was my birthright," Esmeralda replied coldly.
"I'll give you one last chance, Queen of the Changelings. Take your army and leave this country and its residents in peace or I'll stop you; and, trust me, I will stop you." Esmeralda and the Doctor glared angrily at each other.
"I've saved up enough soldiers and energy for this night. I'm not going to let this chance slip through my hooves. Equestria will belong to the changelings. Equestria will belong to me." The Doctor shook his head.
"You've made your choice. Everything that happens after this point is on you." The Doctor twirled the Screwdriver and the shower of sparks violently broke apart. Esmeralda was knocked back by the force of the magical rebound. She snarled as she turned to look at the Doctor with her glowing, green eyes. The Doctor could feel several dark energies pulling against his body. He activated the Screwdriver again which sent several sparks off his body. The Doctor groaned slightly as a red burn appeared on one of his forelegs.
"We can't play this game forever, pony," chuckled Esmeralda.
"No. One of us will eventually give in," stated the Doctor.
"And it won't be me."
"Yes it will!" announced a commanding voice. The Doctor and Esmeralda looked up to see none other than Celestia herself descending upon them.
"Where the hell have you been?!" asked the Doctor.
"Helping my soldiers to the best of my abilities as well as waiting for you, Esmeralda." Celestia landed on the ground a few feet from the changeling queen.
"Careful, your majesty! She has some incredibly dark magic under her control!"
"I am well aware of this, Doctor." Celestia and Esmeralda locked eyes as they began to slowly approach each other. "You've prepared for this. Biding your time for the moment where your gifts were at their peak."
"You're smarter than I assumed, Celestia," chuckled Esmeralda. "But that matters not. You shall bow to me by the end of this battle. Your army is falling and now I have you where I want you."
"Not once have I underestimated you, Esmeralda. You should probably have given me the same courtesy." Almost simultaneously, Celestia's and Esmeralda's eyes glowed brightly with color. A beam of green energy shot out of Esmeralda's horn while golden energy shot out of Celestia's. The force of the colliding attacks sent the Doctor flying back several feet. Sparks and bolts of magical electricity revolved around the alicorn and the changeling. The air grew even hotter than what it had previously been and the earth beneath Celestia's and Esmeralda's hooves began to burn from the released energy of the attacks. The Doctor tried to pick himself up but found himself held down by powerful energies in the air. Golden cracks began forming on Esmeralda's face while deep cuts began forming on Celestia's body. Celestia was obviously beginning to grow weak from the battle of will and strength. Esmeralda was weakening as well but not nearly as fast as Celestia.
The Doctor began looking around for the Sonic Screwdriver, which had flown out of his grasp when he was knocked back. It took him a few seconds to locate the Screwdriver. It was lying a few feet from where he himself was lying. Once again, the Doctor tried to pick himself up but a powerful energy was holding him down. Using every ounce of strength at his disposal, the Doctor began to painfully crawl his way towards the Screwdriver. Celestia let out a groan as the cuts began to grow even deeper. A sinister smile appeared on Esmeralda's face.
"I look forward to tearing you apart," chuckled Esmeralda.
"Not today...not ever," groaned Celestia as she pushed her remaining strength into the energy being released from her horn. Tears of pain began rolling down Celestia's and Esmeralda's faces. Time seemed to slow down as the Doctor grew closer and closer to the Screwdriver. Dirt soiled with blood and ash coated his face as beads of sweat rolled down his body. He stretched his right foreleg forward and grasped his hoof tightly on the handle of the Screwdriver. He then turned around and aimed the Screwdriver at the point where Celestia's and Esmeralda's attacks were meeting and pressed the button. A blue glow appeared in the point of converging energies. The air around Celestia and Esmeralda began to give the appearance of bubbling water.
Blood was trickling down Celestia's body from the cuts. Esmeralda's face was burning from the magical, golden cracks appearing in her insect-like skin. The magic beams began to grow brighter and brighter. It soon became so bright that the Doctor couldn't bear to look at it. He closed his eyes but didn't once remove his hoof from the Screwdriver's button. The air was immensely hot now. It felt as if that one area they were in were situated in the heart of a volcano. Then everything fell silent. The sounds of the battle faded away. The groans of Celestia and Esmeralda simply stopped. The Doctor couldn't even hear the beats of his own hearts. A wave of cool air washed over the Doctor. Due to curiosity, the Doctor opened his eyes to examine the scene.
Everything seemed to have come to a standstill. Celestia and Esmeralda appeared to almost be frozen in time. The magic beams swirled and fluctuated like the slow movements of stars in the cosmos. For what seemed like an eternity, everything was caught in a deadly moment of tense tranquility. Then the final phase of the reaction kicked in. Sound returned and everything began moving at their normal speeds just in time for an explosion to emerge from the point where the Sonic Screwdriver's, Celestia's, and Esmeralda's energies were meeting. The Doctor flew through the air once again and everything became nothing but a hot, melted blur.
Road to Canterlot, South of Canterlot, Equestria, Gaia, Summer, 56 C.E.
Twilight had been lying on the ground for several minutes now. She had tried to begin her trek up the mountain but no longer had the strength to continue the journey. She could feel everything slipping away. The pain was still there but was mostly replaced by an unnerving numbness. Twilight's body wanted to give up, but the unicorn knew that she couldn't give up. There were still so many others that she had to help: the Doctor, Derpy, Donna, Celestia, and maybe even Angie. She had to live and see another day. She had to help her friends. She couldn't stand by and possibly help lead to Equestria falling to the hooves of the changelings. Suddenly, Twilight felt something grab onto her.
"Who...who's there?" Twilight asked weakly. She turned to face her savior and tried her best to get a clear picture.
"Do not worry, Twilight Sparkle," said her savior. "I will get you to safety." Twilight recognized the voice. "You helped me and now I must help you." Twilight gave a weak smile.
"Angie." Just then, the ground beneath the two mares shook violently. "What...what is happening?" Twilight could make out bright lights in the distance. The air around her and Angie grew a bit warmer. Angie gasped. "Angie...what's happening?"
"Don't worry yourself about it now! Just...just let me help you." Twilight wanted to question her more but found that she didn't have the strength to. Twilight simply nodded and allowed the farmmare to begin helping her up the road towards Canterlot.