“Concentrate.”
Twilight felt foolish. She and Saber stood in the clearing where the previous night’s battle had taken place. He’d insisted on someplace isolated when they left to “run errands.” With Fluttershy back at the library there was no reason for anypony to be out this far. The Servants would certainly be avoiding the area as it was only a matter of time before the locals investigated the damage, but Twilight knew there had been no report yet because Fluttershy was too busy fussing over her animals to visit City Hall. They had at least a few hours before her maternal instincts abated enough for her to stop smothering the poor creatures with affection after such a traumatic event, and with Spike drafted into assisting her he hadn’t been able to follow.
Her first lesson in being a proper Master was to learn an important ability that all Masters shared. Saber told her she didn’t have to do anything special for it to work; no spell was necessary and she didn’t even need to channel magical energy. All that was needed was focus and eye contact with a Servant. And so she stared.
For his part, Saber was doing sword exercises. His grace could not be questioned as he moved smoothly through a variety of stances. Legs wide and blade low, he stepped backward and brought up the flat of the weapon to the left side of his body, blocking an imaginary slash. His bent his right knee and thrust his sword arm’s elbow forward, then followed through with wide horizontal slash. Next came a step forward, followed by a solid thrust of the sword’s point. He ducked beneath a phantom counter attack, and swept out his leg in an attempt to trip his non-existent sparring partner. The sweep turned into a full spin of his body, rising into an upward diagonal slash and, with a subtle motion of the wrist and shoulder, a vertical downward slash as a follow-through.
His movements were interesting to watch. Ponies had developed a variety of weapons and methods of using them over the centuries, but the human body seemed to allow an entire universe of combat techniques that just weren’t very feasible to a quadruped with hooves. His range of motion, his flexibility, the different angles of attack he could manage through those dexterous hands and arms, weren’t things a pony was capable of mimicking. And all of that wasn’t even considering his abilities as a Servant. The little show he was putting on was at a snail’s pace compared to how he’d fought before. Imagining even more complex techniques executed at a pace the eye couldn’t follow left Twilight amazed.
Saber didn’t even pause his exercises when he asked “Are you concentrating, Twilight Sparkle?” She felt herself blush under her fur like a school filly who’d just been called and found herself stumped. Presumably at least, since Twilight had never been in that situation when she was a school filly.
Clearing her mind, she tried to remember Saber’s instructions: keep your eyes locked on the Servant. If you know the Servant’s true name, hold it in your mind. Alongside that, focus on an image of knowledge.
Twilight forced herself not to blink as she imagined a well-worn encyclopedia from her shelf. Mentally, she pulled the book from that shelf and watched its page’s flutter open before her mind’s eye. She locked her thoughts on Saber’s name, Hector. Sections A through G of her imaginary book were brushed away, and the first page of H was blank, ready to be filled with knowledge. Her gaze was unbroken, taking in every flash of Saber’s sword, but her mind was focused only on the imaginary book. And finally, words began to appear.
***
Hector of Troy
Class: Saber
PARAMETERS
Strength: B+
Agility: B
Endurance: B
Mana: C
Luck: C
CLASS SKILLS
Riding: A+
Magic Resistance: B
PERSONAL SKILLS
Charisma: B
Protection of the Gods: A
NOBLE PHANTASM
Geras Aphthiton (The Glory of Heroic Immortality)
Anti-Unit, Rank B
***
“Oh! I can see it! Parameters, Skills and… ‘Noble Phantasm,’ is where your armor is listed.”
Saber halted his exercises and returned his weapon to its scabbard. “Excellent! It should become even easier over time. I know it’s not any kind of spell you’re used to, but this is a power that comes directly from the Grail itself. Even someone without any magic will have it, so it functions a bit differently.”
More and more words were filling in the imaginary page. It really was like a text book or reference guide, outlining the exact mechanics of the abilities of her Servant, and even a bit of historical context on where each ability came from. A lot of the terms and references didn’t make sense to her, but Twilight supposed that was to be expected since she was being fed information about things from another world. She resolved to study the entries in detail as soon as possible. “So, I’ll be able to get this kind of information about any other Servant I look at? Just like that?”
“Indeed. However, your ability to gather information is somewhat limited. You will only gain knowledge about abilities you see used or are explained to you. Until that happens one can only guess at a Servant’s powers based upon their legend. That is one of the two main reasons why a Servant must preserve their true identity.”
Twilight nodded. “What’s the second reason?” she asked.
“To hide the circumstances of our deaths. We are spirits after all.”
Twilight raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”
“The legend of a hero is a story of that man’s life, so the ending is almost always death. Once the true name of a Servant is known to his enemies, they also know the means by which that hero met his end, and are free to exploit that knowledge. For example: There is a heroic spirit named Siegfried, renowned as a slayer of dragons. In life he bathed in dragon’s blood, and it made his body invincible. Except there was one spot the blood did not touch. And when the secret of that weak spot was given to an enemy, he was killed by a single blow from a simple hunting spear.”
Choosing to ignore the rather distasteful anecdote about bathing in dragon blood, Twilight still took the message to heart. “I see. If someone knows who you are, they’ll know all your weaknesses.”
Saber nodded in approval. “Your dwelling being a library is not just for show, Twilight Sparkle. I am blessed to enjoy a Master whose wits will soon outgrow her ignorance.”
“I guess one of your weaknesses is being lousy at compliments,” Twilight said, offering up a small eye roll.
Saber actually stroked his beard thoughtfully at that comment. “My brother Deiphobus told me something similar once. He seemed to think that my promise to split half of the spoils of a battle with the rest of my army while keeping half for myself was a rather small incentive. You remind me of him, somewhat.”
An amusing image of an exasperated younger brother trying to explain to a completely bewildered older brother why he was being thoughtless and greedy brought a smile to Twilight’s face. “I’ll take that as praise. It sounds like he was a smart young stallion.”
Saber’s expression became wistful. “That he was.” After a moment he followed up by saying, “Of course, he was also something of an insufferable know-it-all. I’ll be sure to judge you in that area so you can be certain of your similarity.”
Twilight managed to limit her response to an annoyed growl and a glare before standing up. “Alright, now that I’ve got that one down, what’s next on my training agenda?”
Saber began dissolving into his spirit form as he replied. “We head into town. I want to get the lay of the battlefield. And our next lesson is best suited to a crowded location.”
Twilight felt deep trepidation at his instructions. She hoped it was only because he’d referred to Ponyville as ‘the battlefield,’ but suspected there was more.
***
The streets of Ponyville were even more populated than they had been the previous day. Tourists eager to enjoy the Summer Sun Celebration were arriving every hour, and more and more workers were putting finishing touches on displays and stages and booths. The event was still eight days away, but with so many out-of-towners showing up early to take in the sights Ponyville’s pride was on the line. The locals were determined to make sure the place didn’t look like a half-built shanty town.
The net result of all the activity was a massive collection of ponies on almost every corner. Which made a stroll through the center of town perfect for Saber’s ends. But not for Twilight’s nerves.
The reality behind her earlier nervousness was all too clear. This was the first time she’d been around strangers since the Grail War had begun. On a normal day, Twilight would sometimes eavesdrop on the conversations of ponies on the street. It was nice to hear how her neighbors were getting along in life, how they were dealing with their troubles or celebrating their joys. With so many visitors there were a lot of stories to listen in on.
But Twilight couldn’t even force herself to hear. Her ears took in the voices, but didn’t process the words. She was afraid to allow the suddenly unfriendly world into her head. Equestria had become a very different place in a single day.
She took a breath to steady herself, but it didn’t help. Then she began walking. As she strolled along searching for particularly crowded spots, her mind shrank from external stimuli. With nothing else to think about, her thoughts turned unwillingly to the previous night.
Saber had called the Servant who attacked them Archer. She wondered just how far away he had been during his attack. Well beyond her vision, at the very least, and beyond Saber’s ability to pursue. To shoot so accurately in the dead of night through the trees was no small feat of skill. And in her mind, that made it likely that in broad daylight on open streets the Servant could be watching her and she’d never know.
Archer knew her identity thanks to her abortive rescue attempt. Even if he didn’t follow her home, he would certainly know her on sight if he was also scouting. Was he staring at her at that very moment, with an arrow notched in his bow, ready to finish what he’d started?
Her brain told her no, because of the Grail War’s rule of secrecy. Even if his Master allowed it, Archer couldn’t just shoot her down in the street. It would be impossible to cover up. But her gut, and the chill that had firmly gripped it, didn’t seem willing to accept that logic.
Twilight kept her pace, moving toward more dense groups of ponies. She thought it would make her feel safer, more anonymous in case an enemy was observing. But she soon realized the eyes of the unfamiliar ponies were just as bad.
The air was thicker in the throng of bodies, and Twilight felt her breath grow shorter as she plunged deeper into the crowd. She shuffled down the tightly packed streets in a haze. Every touch as she brushed by or squeezed through made her twitch. Her eyes scanned face after face. The reality that anypony could be a Master loomed in her mind. Was that pegasus letting her gaze linger just a little too long? Did that unicorn’s smile seem sinister?
She recognized the pounding of her heart and the intense firing of synapses. It was like when she’d suspected Fluttershy, but amplified a hundred fold. Twilight had lived her whole life with a fundamental belief that there was no reason not to trust other ponies. But now when she saw others, all that occupied her thoughts was Archer’s attack. The possibility that it had been ordered by a fellow pony was crushing her. It made her feel intensely, inescapably alone.
After pushing past one last group, Twilight entered an empty alleyway and turned a corner. Once away from others, she began to catch her breath. She leaned lifelessly against the brick wall to her left, trying to calm herself. When she’d laughed at the absurdity of it all after confirming Fluttershy’s ‘innocence,’ she thought that would be the end of this fear. Now she wanted to laugh at how naïve that had been.
“Are you well, Twilight?” It was Saber’s voice. He was still hidden in his spiritual form, but Twilight realized she could still sense his proximity clearly. The magical link of their Master-Servant contract was subtle, and losing track of it was easy. The reminder was a welcome one.
“I’ll be fine. I didn’t feel any sort of tingle from my Command Spell. You’re sure they react when other Masters are nearby?"
“Correct. Just as I have the ability to sense Servants even if they are in spiritual form. As both are conjured by the Grail, both react in the presence of an identical existence. It’s a resonance of sorts.”
Twilight replied, “Well, I didn’t notice anything in that crowd. This ‘scouting mission,’ hasn’t borne much fruit.”
“Not altogether surprising. Of the seven classes, my ability to detect enemies is the weakest because my direct combat abilities are strongest. As Saber, my senses are limited to around 200 meters. And a Master can hide from the Command Spell’s detection if their magical energy is weak or hidden.
However, our true goal is honing your skills as a Master. You must remain constantly aware of your surroundings, your bond with your Servant, and your Command Spells. Each could give you a warning which will save your life. Focus is your first weapon.”
Twilight sighed. “Focus. Right.” It sounded easy coming from Saber. But how was she supposed to focus when even looking at another pony filled her with dread, with fear that it was someone out for her life? She knew that Saber had been a soldier, to say nothing of his heroic status, but she was just a student. She wasn’t certain she was capable of handling this.
But if there was one thing she wasn’t going to do, it was just give up without trying. Ponyville was in danger until the Grail War was resolved, so she couldn’t step aside. Collecting herself, Twilight prepared to return to the crowd, resolved to keep her wits no matter what.
Sadly this resolve didn’t last, as the clamor of a door being kicked open behind her forced a squeak of surprise and a fearful leap out of Twilight’s traitorous body. Her display was met with a familiar laugh. “Wow Twilight, you sure are jumpy today! Get it? Jumpy! Because I made you jump! Ah, you just can’t argue with the classics.”
Pinkie Pie was carrying a large saddlebag full of soda bottles, presumably purchased from the store she’d just exited. She wore her usual smile, but her curly, cotton candy-colored mane seemed a little more haggard than usual. It was to be expected given how hard she was working. The baked goods of Sugarcube Corner were in high demand with the tourists after the Cake family’s participation in the National Dessert Competition in Canterlot. The opportunity to see an Element of Harmony probably wasn’t hurting business either.
“Hello Pinkie,” Twilight said, trying to keep her voice from cracking too badly. “What are you doing back here?”
The pink earth pony shook her rump, making her load of bottles jingle. “Just picking up some refreshments for the bakery. The streets are so crowded it’s faster to take the back alleys. Are you avoiding the crowds too?”
Twilight nodded. “Something like that. Do you need any help with those? You look tired.”
Pinkie shook her head. “Oh, don’t worry about me Twilight. I’ve got energy to spare!” She began to take her leave, only for her legs to begin visibly creaking and wobbling with every step. She laughed sheepishly and a small blush bloomed on her face. “Well, these are a little heavier than I thought. Maybe a teensy-weensy bit of help would be nice.”
Twilight’s own legs were still sore, and walking around hadn’t helped. Instead she lit up her horn, ignoring the protests of her aching head, and gently lifted a bit of the weight on each side of the saddlebag, taking about half the load off Pinkie’s back. “How’s that?”
Pinkie looked visibly relieved, and walked forward easily with her burden shared. “Thanks a bunch Twilight. When we get to Sugarcube Corner your lunch is on me.” As they made their way back to the street Twilight did her best to split her focus as Saber had instructed, minding her link to him and the mark on her hoof. Despite still feeling tense and fearful around the crowds, knowing that Saber was watching over her and having her friend by her side made things easier.
***
By the time the two ponies arrived at their destination Twilight felt ready to fall over from her throbbing head. Even the relatively light magical work had been a strain. Small talk with Pinkie along the way had been a welcome distraction from her previous thoughts, but releasing her spell on the bottles felt like an even greater relief.
Sugarcube Corner was as colorful as ever, its usual pink paint and candy-stripe pillars giving it the proper aura of fun for a dessert shop. In addition to those normal decorations, the Cakes had added sun and moon decorations and matching colored streamers to several open spots on the walls in honor of the season.
The bakery was crowded, as Twilight had expected. The Cakes had brought in extra seating to replace their normal display tables in the storefront, and she’d noticed the number of café tables outside had nearly doubled. Yet every chair seemed to be taken, and the line at the register stretched out the side door.
She saw Mr. and Mrs. Cake bustling behind the counter, dashing between ovens and display cases and customers with impressive energy. Even after several days of these kinds of crowds, they showed no signs of slowing down. Still, when Mr. Cake noticed Pinkie at the door with her load of soda, the relief on his face was palpable. “Pinkie! As soon as you get those put away we could use a hoof up here,” he called out while balancing a sheet of cookies and a few slices of pie on his two forehooves.
“You got it!” She began trotting toward the back of the bakery, but remembered to shout back at Twilight, “Try to find yourself a seat. As soon as I have a minute, I’ll whip you up a slice of our Summer Spicecake!”
Twilight waved to her in acknowledgement, and started scanning the room. Being alone in a crowd of strangers again wasn’t exactly stress-free, but she still sensed Saber by her side. His presence was reassuring enough that she wasn’t on the verge of a freak-out.
As she’d noticed before, almost every single chair in the shop was taken. There were a few ponies with spare chairs at the tables they occupied, but none that she knew, and even under normal circumstances she probably wouldn’t be up for accosting somepony she’d never met during a meal.
She was about to search outside when she noticed something absurd. Sitting at a small corner table was none other than Ruler. She was in her pony form of course, but there was no mistaking that elaborately braided mane, shining green eyes and flank-hiding cloak. She had a muffin carefully balanced on one of her hooves, and was taking dainty bites.
Twilight had crossed the room and stamped a hoof onto the Servant’s table before she’d even finished processing the image. “What are you doing here?” she demanded, her eyes staring daggers into the fake pony.
Ruler continued to chew her mouthful, swallowed, and finally answered, “Eating my lunch. Would you care to join me?”
“Are you kidding me?” It had taken significant willpower not to scream that particular sentence.
“Twilight Sparkle, I suggest you either sit or move on. You are drawing attention to yourself.”
Twilight froze, and then turned her head to see that several other ponies at nearby tables were staring at the obviously confrontational scene. When Twilight eyed them they quickly returned to their food and conversations, very pointedly avoiding the little corner table. Sighing in defeat, Twilight slumped into the spare chair at Ruler’s table. “Seriously though. You’re just having lunch? Aren’t you a ghost?”
An indignant look crossed Ruler’s face. “What difference should that make? Is it a crime to enjoy a well-prepared meal in the kingdom of Equestria?”
Twilight didn’t quite know how to answer that. She sat in silence for a minute or two while Ruler continued to munch on her muffin. Finally, she managed to find something else to say. “You left pretty abruptly the other night.”
Swallowing another mouthful, Ruler replied, “You seemed a bit distraught, so I thought it would be best to give you time alone to consider your course. I also had to see to my duties and ensure the remaining summoning rituals were performed correctly.”
“And they were?”
“Yes. I can confirm to you as a participating Master that all seven Servants have been successfully called to this land. The Holy Grail War began officially last night with the battle in which your Servant fought.”
“You know about that? I didn’t see you.”
“I was not there. The Ruler has the ability to detect Servants at a range of ten kilometers. Once the summoning was complete I spent the first night observing all participants remotely. I have full knowledge of all Servant identities, abilities and locations.”
Twilight sighed. “I don’t suppose sharing any part of that information is in your job description.”
“I’m afraid not. My service to the Grail dictates I attempt to maintain impartiality. It is not my place to give aid to any Master or Servant, unless good cause to do so arises.” She paused and smirked as she turned her gaze to the empty air over Twilight’s shoulder. “As an aside, I was impressed at the caliber of your summoning Twilight Sparkle. It is an honor to stand in the presence of the Prince of Troy. It is a boon to the battle that one of my fellow Nine Worthies of Chivalry is a contestant.”
Speaking quietly so as not to draw notice, Saber replied in a reasonably respectful tone. “The honor is mine. My Master mentioned that you named yourself during your first meeting, King of Knights. No heroic spirit would disdain the chance to exchange a greeting with the wielder of mighty Excalibur.”
Paying no mind to their exchange of pleasantries, Twilight continued her side of the conversation. “If you were observing the battle, then I guess you know that you were right to warn me about the others. Archer tried to…” She felt her face fall, and she wasn’t able to finish the sentence.
Ruler actually looked a bit sad at the admission. Twilight wondered why. “The temptation of the Holy Grail is great, Twilight Sparkle. It is for the best that you learned the true nature of the stakes.”
They sat in silence for a few minutes, any urge for further discussion drowned in negative emotions. Luckily Pinkie arrived with Twilight’s cake, as well as a cup of tea for her tablemate. “Here you go Twilight. Oh, I see you met Pen Dragon!”
Twilight cocked an eyebrow. “Pen Dragon?”
Pinkie nodded emphatically. “Yeah! It’s a cool name, right? She’s been coming in every day for every meal while she’s visiting Ponyville for the festival! Talk about a loyal customer. Even I might get tired of nothing but sweets after almost two weeks! Well, okay, that’s probably not true, but it seems like most other ponies would.”
Ruler sipped her tea nonchalantly while Twilight felt her suspicion grow. Every meal for two weeks? What was the Servant up to? “The tea is excellent Pinkamena. I appreciate your efforts to make it to my tastes.”
Pinkie stuck her tongue out. “I’d appreciate it if you stopped using my full name. Do you girls need anything else?”
“Pinkie, could you see if the Cakes have any of those gemstone cupcakes made up? Spike would love one.” Twilight didn’t want to take the chance that her friend would stick around to chat after serving them.
Once Pinkie was out of earshot, Twilight asked, “Why are you hanging around here so much that you needed a pseudonym Ms. Pen Dragon? I certainly hope you’re not up to something.”
Ruler’s face remained calm. “There’s no need to be rude, Twilight Sparkle. I simply enjoy the food here.” She became thoughtful as she looked at the last few bites of muffin on her plate. “It is made with a lot of care and love. It brings back fond memories. As does your friend Pinkamena. Her excitability and good humor remind me of someone I once knew.”
Twilight wasn’t entirely convinced, but she elected to let the matter drop. There wasn’t exactly much she could do about it at the moment. But she resolved to keep an eye on Sugarcube Corner all the same.
As she dug into her cake, Pinkie returned much sooner than she expected. “Sorry Twilight, no cupcakes for Spike today. It turns out Rarity came in early this morning and bought up our whole stock of gemstones.”
“That’s peculiar,” Twilight mused aloud. Rarity had already made dozens of dresses studded with gems for the festival crowd, could she have needed more that much?
***
As she made her way home that evening, Twilight’s thoughts were preoccupied. She’d spent several more nerve-wracking hours scouring every inch of downtown Ponyville with Saber, the fear of a surprise attack never quite abating despite his presence. She hadn’t once detected another Master through her Command Spell no matter where they wandered, nor had Saber sensed any other Servant.
That included Ruler as it turned out. Saber had speculated it might have something to do with her being able to assume the form of a pony, which he’d also confirmed was an ability he did not share, nor should any other Servant. A perk of her position as overseer no doubt.
But those things weren’t what were bothering her. She was concerned about Rarity. Part of their scouting trip had taken them past Carousel Boutique, and though the shop was closed with a sign on the door indicating the proprietor was out on business, Twilight could clearly see through the windows. And through those windows she saw that all of Rarity’s gorgeous summer dresses had been stripped of their gemstones.
It was a bizarre sight, and it was understandably worrisome. Had her friend’s shop been burglarized? It seemed unthinkable, but even without her pristine view of pony society collapsing under the fear of violence Twilight could have believed it was possible with so many strangers in town.
She resolved to find Rarity tomorrow and learn what had happened. Saber wanted to expand their scouting to include the rest of the town and its outskirts, but if something terrible had happened she wanted to make time to check in anyway. The Grail War was important, but she wasn’t going to disregard her friends for it, even if they couldn’t help her.
Twilight pushed her way through her door just as the sun was starting to dip toward the horizon. Inside she found Fluttershy picking up the last of her animal’s dinner dishes. “Welcome home Twilight! There’s food for you in the kitchen if you’re hungry.”
“I’m fine. Where’s Spike?”
“Rarity came by after you left this morning and invited him to go gem hunting. I wasn’t sure he should go without letting you know, but she was very insistent.”
Twilight felt her concern rising. “Fluttershy, I think Rarity’s shop might have been robbed. All the gems were missing from her display dresses.”
Fluttershy let out a surprisingly loud gasp. “Oh goodness! That’s terrible! Do you think she’s alright?”
“You’re the one who saw her. How did she seem?”
She put a hoof to her lip, thinking carefully. “Well, she did seem a bit nervous. She kept looking over to the door. And she seemed like she was in a hurry to get Spike and get out to the gem fields.”
Twilight frowned. That sounded bad. Rarity was probably quite upset. If she was staring out the door the whole time and trying to get away from town she was probably nervous. Fearful. Angry that her home had been violated. Twilight couldn’t have sympathized more.
“We should talk to her when she gets back. Let her know we’ll be here for her if she needs anything.”
Fluttershy was just nodding her agreement when Twilight’s Command Spell gave off a feeling of stinging pain.
Panic set in quickly. A Master had found her home. Were they just here to observe or attack? Was it Archer’s Master, the one she knew could be violent, or someone else? There was no way to know.
The faintest whisper of Saber’s voice floated by her ear, just barely loud enough to hear. “Master, a Servant is approaching. It is slow, but certainly coming here. Should I take physical form?”
She hissed back, “Not while Fluttershy can see you!”
“Did you say something Twilight?” Fluttershy asked.
“Oh, no, no. Nothing. Say, could you, uh…” The room was filled with Fluttershy’s animals. What excuse could she use to get her away from the house while they were here? Would it be too dangerous to send her out of the house in case the enemy team saw her? Were the animals in danger if they saw a Servant even though they couldn’t talk? She only had moments to consider the variables.
The pain in her hoof was a lot stronger than the ‘tingle,’ she’d been promised and made it hard to think. It felt like her brain was shutting down. All she could think of was that enemies were coming to her home. They were in all likelihood coming for her life.
Fluttershy stood there looking confused at Twilight’s half-finished sentence, but Twilight didn’t care. She was straining against her own thoughts, trying to guess what would be safest for her and Fluttershy. If they fled the enemy would surely notice, and then it would be a game of cat and mouse. It would give Fluttershy time to hide at least, but if the Servant was Archer it would be a shooting gallery. If they stayed and fought, Fluttershy would see and Twilight would have to be absolutely certain that the other Servant did not survive, or either it or Ruler might try to eliminate her. And that wasn’t even considering the possible destruction a battle could cause to the town.
Her mind was stuck. There were too many things to take into account, and every decision seemed bad. Saber whispered to her again, asking if he should prepare to fight. She told him to wait, that she would give the order if the moment came. Her voice was a little louder than before and the look on Fluttershy’s face was more confused than ever.
Then Twilight heard talking from beyond the door. Her Command Spell was throbbing. That was the voice of her enemy. The time to plan was over, and all Twilight could think was that at least she could finally put a face to her fear.
The door swung open. “…outdone yourself this time, Spike. I really can’t thank you enough for your help. If there’s…”
When Rarity saw Twilight she became very still. It didn’t even look like she was breathing. Her eyes had widened slightly but otherwise she was like a statue. Twilight thought she should be feeling some kind of emotion looking at her, but she just felt empty.
Without really thinking about it, Twilight lit her horn, just the smallest spark of magic. Rarity unfroze as she let out a yelp and picked up her right hoof, looking to see where the pain had come from. When her brain caught up to her reflexes, she couldn’t even muster the decency to put the hoof back down.
Saber’s voice whispered in her ear one last time. “There is no doubt. I sense the Servant by her side.”