Diamond Dust was a few feet away the Everfree Forest. She touched the ground for the first time in days. “Alright, why am I the only one that has to unseal the ‘servants’ you keep blabbing about?” She trotted into the forest.
“The fifth seal creates a barrier over the forest. Those of ethereal form cannot enter or exit,” The advisor said from within the tiara.
“And how am I supposed to find them?”
“They will have certain items.”
Diamond Dust and her adviser heard hoofsteps. They knew they are being followed. Diamond Dust used her icy horn and created a wall of ice. The wall towered over the very clouds themselves and spanned several feet.
“That should take care of the interlopers,” Diamond Dust said.
The two went on their way to find the servants.
The pegasi were keeping the area around the Friendship Express warm. The windigos were trying to freeze the train solid. Several unicorns and earth ponies volunteered to guard the train from the roof.
Gale Force was distracted. he recognized the shadowy figure from the last time they face the windigos. But he knew his revenge will be used against him. he tried to suppress his feelings. Several windigos were attempting to charge Gale Force but Cloudchaser intercepted and deflected the attack.
She looked at Gale Force. “What the hay is wrong with you commander?”
“Sorry,” Gale said. “It’s just--”
“You think Over Cast would want you to be a popsicle?” Cloudchaser said. “Especially now?”
Gale remembered what happened to Over Cast. He said, ‘What do you know?”
Several windigos were attempting to attack and Gale’s wind barrier stopped the charge. He flew away from Cloudchaser.
Elsewhere near the train Flitter and Star Song were keeping a close eye out for the windigos that passed are about to freeze the other pegasi. They saw one chasing Thunderlane. Flitter and Star Song charged into the windigo and it vanished.
“Heh thanks,” Thunderlane said. “But I could handle it.”
“Sure you can,” Flitter said. “Cloudchaser’s over there stopping them from the back.”
“What?” Thunderlane was stunned. “You think that I would think about her right now with the windigos around?”
“I assume so or otherwise.” --She pointed to some nearby pegasi who from and fell to their deaths-- “You’d be like them.”
“Good point.” Thunderlane saw Star Song next to Flitter. “Who’s your friend?”
“Oh,” Star Song fusterly said. “I’m Star Song.”
“Nice to meet you,” The three pegasi noticed some windigos heading towards them. Star Song charged forth with her ice barrier and vanquished the windigos.
“Well,” Thunderlane said. “I gotta go, thanks.” He flew to the back.
Flitter said, “It’s weird to have casual conversation while malevolent spirits were trying to freeze us over huh?”. They noticed that their wind and ice shields are gonna be depleted soon and entered the train to wait until their passive magic recharges.
Twilight Sparkle and her friends were chasing the shadowy figure until they saw an ice wall.
“What the huh?” The mares and Spike were surprised to see the ice wall.
Rainbow Dash tried to break the wall to no avail.
“That ice is 10 feet thick,” Twilight said. “You’ll never break it in time.”
“I have to try something,” Rainbow Dash said.
“How did this wall get here?” Fluttershy said.
“Somepony doesn't want us following them,” Twilight said. She looked at Spike and wondered if he can melt the ice.
“Should we go back?” Fluttershy said.
“And let Apple Bloom and the others die?” Applejack said. “No thanks.”
Spike noticed that look in Twilight’s eyes and he went to the wall. He knew what Twilight’s plan is. He let out a huff and a puff and blew a giant green flame in a part of the wall.
An impressive but small chunk of ice melted. Spike was panting. He tried his fire again until there was a large hole in the ice. By then, he was too tired to breath a last flame. Twilight levitated the baby dragon to her back.
Rainbow Dash flew into the hole and delivered a fierce blow. There is now a way to the other side.
“Did I Do good?” Spike said lethargically.
“You were wonderful Spiky-wikey,” Rarity said
Spike fainted, content that he was able to help a little.
The group trekked forward to catch up to the figure.
The group were at a bridge. Twilight took out the vial with the cure and saw that it is frozen.
'Maybe Spike can melt it' she thought.
They saw the shadowy figure again.
Meanwhile Diamond Dust saw a herd of ponies on the other side of the bridge and used her horn again.
The ropes on the bridge froze into ice and shattered. Without the ropes to support it the bridge fell down into the river below. Diamond Dust then galloped further into the forest.
“So I have to fix a rope bridge again,” Rainbow Dash said. “Easy peasy.” She was about to fly off until they smelled an all too familiar odor.
“Brace yourselves,” Twilight said knowing what was coming. “The timberwolves are strong but can’t take a hit.”
A timberwolf emerged, but something was different this time. instead of being made of wood like the others, this one was made of stone.
The timberwolf of rock took a look at the ponies. It recognized them from the waterfall.
Twilight gulped. She, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash saw that timberwolf before. It was the one that began reforming after the amithyst cockatrice petrified it and it collapsed into a pile of rocks. She and her friends ran away from it last time, but now there’s no escape, not if they want to save the fillies or find the shadowy figure.
The beast bellowed and began to attack the ponies. One of it’s claws hit Rainbow Dash and knocked her to a large boulder. The attack left her dizzy.
Applejack saw the rocks and hatched an idea. She took a nearby stone. “How about this?” She threw the stone at the beast, but it deflected off it’s rock body. The petrified timberwolf directed it’s attention to Applejack.
Applejack felt a little silly now. She dodged the attack.
Rainbow Dash was still a little confused from the blow. She saw the gap they need to get through and wondered if she can fly past it and catch the figure herself. But she can’t leave her friends. She looked at the large beast and suddenly, she had a plan.
She flew up to the head of the beast and kicked it in the torso. The blow was enough to cause a small crack in the stone that made up the body. It is now focused on Rainbow Dash.
Dash used her skill and agility to dodge the attacks and lured it to the edge of the cliff. The wolf was furious.
“Catch me if you can ugly,” Rainbow Dash said. She flew over the river.
The wolf went for a swipe, but Rainbow dash went to the other side before the attack could hit. The weight of the beast was tipped over the river by the attack and the wolf began to fall. it latched to the ground with it’s forelegs while it’s hind legs gripped the ground for it’s life.
“Come on guys,” Rainbow Dash said. “This bridge won’t last long.”
The other ponies and Spike climbed into the stone wolf and galloped as fast as they can before the beast could let go.
Twilight was the only one on the beast as it’s grip begins to fail. The weight on the wolf was too much for it to hold on and it fell into the river. She teleported to the other side just before the wolf fell.
Fluttershy was shocked. The wolf of stone tried to swim but it was too heavy to float on the currents. She flew down into the river and tried to lift the beast.
“Come on,” Fluttershy said. She tried to lift the beast but the weight was too much for her to lift. She tried and tried but the wolf was still trapped in the currents.
Her kindness fueled her resolve. The adrenaline fueled her strength and she was eventually able to lift the wolf off the water and onto land.
The other ponies were shocked by this strenght. The petrified timberwolf ran out of fear of Rainbow Dash...and gratitude for Fluttershy.
When Fluttershy flew to the ground, she almost collapsed from exhaustion. She surprised herself with this experience.
“Well I...didn’t know...that I was...that strong,” she panted.
The group had went further to save the Crusaders, and find out what the shadowy figure is.
SIlver Spoon was looking around the train. She saw that its passengers were worried. She looked out to the storm and saw the windigios.
She remembered the first time she met Diamond Tiara. Two years ago, in an opulent mansion, two pairs of rich and powerful ponies gathered, bringing a daughter each. She was a shy filly. Nopony would approach her and she was too scared to approach them back.
Until a pink foal came to her. “Hello, My name’s Diamond Tiara,” she introduced herself.
“Um, I’m Silver Spoon,” she said. She felt a little happy to meet someone around her age.
The two fillies became fast friends and the memory ended.
Silver Spoon remembered that Diamond Tiara was far nicer back then. Especially in comparison to who she had become, or even a week ago when she first became editor of the Foal Free Press.
She looked back to the months before Diamond Tiara got her cutie mark. It was more than a year ago, inside the latter’s home. By that time Silver Spoon had already obtained her cutie mark. The two fillies were having fun trying on various clothes and fashions.
Diamond Tiara was in an exquisite looking dress. She looked in a mirror. “You know I feel like we’re missing something.”
Silver Spoon said, “I’ve got it.” She took out a bunch of tiaras and other jewelry. Diamond Tiara took the small tiaras and tried them on one by one until she saw one adorned with several diamonds. She put it on and looked in the mirror. Silver Spoon thought she looked perfect.
Diamond Tiara thought the tiara was perfect for her too. It even matched her name. After that day, she never wore anything else except that tiara, and for events, a dress. A month later her cutie mark had appeared on her flank.
She went to Silver Spoon. “Silver Spoon.” she flashed her flank at her friend revealing her cutie mark. “Look!”
“No way,” Silver Spoon said. The two fillies were giddy with joy and the memory ended.
Silver Spoon wondered what changed in both of them. She looked back at the day Apple Bloom first went to school.
It was a normal day in Ponyville Elementary. There was a few new students as the year began. By that time Diamond Tiara was flaunting her cutie mark around. The other students were in awe. Her cuteceneria was in a few months.
Then the new students came. Among them was Apple Bloom. Diamond Tiara noticed that she lacked a cutie mark, unlike most of the other students. She went over to flaunt her cutie mark once more.
By this point she had stopped being nice, they stopped being nice and that memory ended.
Now Silver Spoon wondered what happened to Apple Bloom and her two friends. The last time she remembered seeing them was in class before Diamond Tiara became the editor of the school paper. She went to find some books to read, thinking it’ll take her mind of the windigos outside.
Twilight Sparkle and her friends were trailing the shadowy figure. They found themselves going through a cave. There was a fork in the road.
“So what now?” Applejack said.
“Panic?” Fluttershy said.
Rainbow Dash groaned that Fluttershy suggested that again.
Rarity used a spell. She could see that the path to the left was adorned with several gems, jewels and crystals, hidden beneath the rock. The other path was decidedly less decorated.
Rarity wondered what to do. She knew that the first path was filled with vibrant jewels, but at the same time she knew that her sister and her friends didn't have much time left, and that there was a suspicious figure after them. She saw something in the left cave and grew suspicious.
“So where do we go?” Pinkie Pie said.
“I don’t know,” Twilight said. “They both look the same!”
“Wrong,” Rarity said. “I know what path to take.” She took the cave to the right and the others followed. At the end of this path was another split. This time into three. They heard a thud in the distance. Rarity was right, the left path was a trap.
She tried her spell and entered the cave in the middle. And the other ponies followed suit.
Rarity led the ponies down the roads less traveled and avoiding the gem filled ones. She knew what was more important than gems.
Eventually they were near the exit. There are now five caves. Rarity didn’t like what she saw.
“Oh no,” she said. “All the caves, they’re all the same.” She was close to breaking down in tears. All the caves were full of crystals and all the crystals were in plain sight. She was now unable to help her friends escape.
“Um gems?” Spike said. The mere sentence made him a little bit hungry. Pinkie’s tail started to twitch.
“Those caves were baited with gems,” Rarity said. “Gems and traps.”
By that point the cave started to collapse behind them.
“What’s going on?” Rainbow Dash said.
“This cave’s about to give,” Applejack said. “We can’t turn back now.” The walls were beginning to collapse around them. Applejack noticed something strange about the middle right cave.
She took a closer look at that cave. “Come on everypony.” She entered the peculiar cave. and the others followed. The cave’s crystals begin to vanish as the surroundings collapsed behind them.
Applejack knew that cave was peculiar. The group saw a light at the end of the tunnel. and galloped faster.
They escaped the cave. They looked back and saw the area sink into the ground as it collapsed.
“Well that was close,” Rarity said. “Thank you, darling.”
The other ponies continued their quest.
Meanwhile In the forest, Twilight remembered that the petrified Cutie Mark Crusaders were carrying some ominous items. She took out the cure for Spike to heat up and then took out the Dark Treasures and Secrets of Equestria book.
She skimmed the book. “Alicorn Amulet, Neighcronomicon, The six hundred sixty six spires of Lucifer.” She found the page depicting the items the Crusaders had.
She read silently, “The four talismans were artifacts of the windigos that were used by their leaders. The crown of conquest, The sword of war, the scales of life and the scythe of death...
“...These artifacts were claimed to have untold power. The crown of conquest was used by their king Ithaqua. With it they possessed the power to control ice and wind. However the crown was destroyed when Ithaqua was sealed in Tartarus...
“...The other artifacts were lost when the other leaders were killed by the Fires of Friendship. Legends say that the windigos need all four artifacts to free Ithaqua so he can freeze the world over...
“...And that Ithaqua left behind a part of himself to find a new leader and make a new crown. If the artifacts are together again and if they find new holders, the world will freeze and become a new Cocytus.”
Twilight placed the book back in the saddlebag. She galloped ahead of the group. “We need to hurry, the fate of the world might depend on it.”
The others are confused.
“Um what are you talking about?” Applejack said.
Spike had finished melting the cure into a liquid.
Twilight said. “Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. They were carrying dangerous artifacts when they got petrified. We have to hurry.”
Just then an a large blizzard began to form. And the shadowy figure looked from the shadows.
“That ought to hold them,” Diamond Dust said. She went forward to find the servants,
Diamond Dust and her adviser were now in front of three familiar statues. The windigo queen was shocked. She said, “Is that them?”
The advisor said, “Yes, they have the items.”
“Just when I thought I was done with these blank flanks,” Diamond Dust sighed. “Okay what now they’re petrified.”
“Leave that to me,” The advisor exited the white tiara and entered the other items.
The mares and Spike were confronting the ice beast. Pinkie Pie bounced around with her tail her tail twitching as large hailstones fall from the sky. She saw a large chunk of ice forming over Rainbow Dash
“Rainbow Dash,”Pinkie said. “Look up!”
Rainbow Dash destroyed the ice as it fell.
Pinkie’s tail twitched again. She then looked up and saw several hailstones falling and dodged them.
Twilight noticed something in the clouds above. She took a closer look. There was a large icy rock in the eye of the storm.
She said, “Rainbow Dash, get to the eye as fast as you can.”
“On it,” Dash said.
Twilight then erected a normal magic shield over herself and Pinkie Pie, who used her Pinkie sense to help Dash avoid the hail. The other ponies went under the barrier.
“Come on,” Rainbow Dash said. She saw the gargantuan ice ball within the eye. A cone of wind and pressure formed around her. “Just a little more.”
She was fighting the pressure. Going faster and faster until. A ring of color emerged behind Rainbow Dash as she breaks the sound barrier. The ring expands as dash used the momentum to charge the ice ball.
She flew into the ice ball and destroyed it. It broke into several large pieces as gravity began to drive them to the ground.
Twilight dismissed her barrier knowing that it would not withstand the chunks of ice.
Pinkie Pie’s tail twilight all over the place as her Pinkie sense and sight allowed her to dodge the ice. The others followed her as she avoided the chunks of ice until the last of the ice fell.
Rainbow Dash descended from the stratosphere and the group marched forward. They were close to the statues of the Cutie Mark Crusaders, but they had little time left to cure them.