//------------------------------// // Chapter 14: Howling of the Timberwolves // Story: Harmony Arisen // by Panoramic Toast //------------------------------// Chapter 14: Howling of the Timberwolves Darkness. No matter how many times she blinked, it was the same. The stone floor felt cold and damp against Applejack's hooves. Step by step, she moved through the black void as a sudden gust of wind sent a shiver down her spine. Suddenly, a thick masculine voice cut through the darkness. It was singing, singing the same sorrowful song that plagued her dreams from one night to the next. Applejack ignored it as she continued to maneuver through the darkness. Walking became running. She galloped as the singing grew closer. It was all around her, choking the air from her throat. She lost her balance and crashed against the cold hard ground. The pain lasted only an instant, washing away as a wave of light bathed over her. The singing turned to silence and the pain turned to numbness as everything eroded away under the blinding light. The light dimmed and retreated through a set of iron bars on high stone walls. The room became clear to her now. The walls opened up and the pale grey stone made itself visible against the thin rays of light that gleamed from above. It was clear to Applejack now. A prison.          She twisted around, facing away from the iron bars and began running. She couldn’t see the walls, only the endless expanse of stone beneath her hooves and the dark columns in the distance. No matter how far she ran, the floor continued to grow. Sweat dripped from her brow and her legs began to ache. She didn’t stop, even as she began to hear the distant feminine sobbing cloaked in the darkness. It grew closer and closer, yet she paid it no heed. Not until she was standing in front of the nameless, faceless figure; a dark silhouette. She slowed to a halt, scanning the figure’s features. Even with her bare head and her harrowing sobs, she knew the voice; she knew the figure. It was her. It was her painful cries and her faceless shape. Applejack inched forward. Her figure was standing over something: a simple, blue blanket lay across the stone floor. The figure began crying louder, gripping her darkened chest as she fell onto the floor. Applejack walked around the figure, looming over the blanket. She could make out the shape underneath the covers now: the shape of a pony. Someone was underneath those covers. She leaned down, gripping the edges of the blanket with her teeth. Her heart began to race as she tugged on the blanket, slowly pulling it away. A white glow radiated from the edges of the blanket as she continued to pull. She whipped her head back, ripping the blanket from the floor. A white light rose from the silhouette of a pony, swallowing the room.                                     She awoke with a gasp, drenched in sweat. Applebloom snapped her head back. Granny Smith gave Applejack a look of confusion. Applejack gave a sigh of relief. She was no longer in the stone prison; she was sitting in the back of a truck, lit by the faint glow of the lantern by Granny Smith’s side. Applebloom leaned closer. “What’s wrong?” “It’s alright,” she said in between breaths. “Just a dream, sugarcube.” They hit a bump in the road, causing the truck to shake. Granny Smith wrapped her scarf tightly around her neck as she stared at the lantern. A howling pierced the night air, causing Applejack to shudder. “They don’t have timberwolves back in Ponland. Did I ever tell you kids about them?” Applejack and Applebloom shook their heads. “I grew up in Germaneigh with my mammy and pappy. Back then, Germaneigh was still a republic. Anyways, the senate would always ring the bells whenever war was declared. Every time, without fail, the timberwolves would start howling right when the bells did. All the old timers said that it was the wolves shouting their support, riding alongside us in battle, ready to rip apart any country that we fought with. I left for Ponland by the time I was full grown, but I heard about it from my mam and pap who still lived there. It was on the eve of the Great War, when the bells were rung just like they always had been. Everyone expected the timberwolves to cry up a storm. That night was silent. They never spoke up until one stormy night, when everypony was asleep and the bells of war had long been rung. That night, the wolves howled longer than anypony had ever heard. That night was the Battle for Horseshoe Bay, the turning point of the war. Germaneigh thought that they would catch Solaria with their pants down. Turns out, Solaria was a bushel smarter than they gave ‘em credit for. It was the bloodiest massacre that Germaneigh had ever seen. Thousands died trying to reach the shores. Even more were killed when they tried to escape. They say that night the timberwolves didn’t ride alongside Germaneigh. They rode to eat what was left.” “Why are they howling now?” Applebloom asked, huddling next to Applejack. “Not sure,” she responded. She smiled, “Maybe they’re just hungry. Ain’t no need to fret, child. I’m just an old mare long past her prime. What do I know?” Applebloom nodded, still hugging Applejack’s sides. After a few more moments, the truck came to a sudden halt. She moved through the air, rising higher and higher. Images of Colonel Sharp flashed in her mind as she dodged Ripple's hoof-blade. The way they had torn their weapons through the body of their comrade; the way Kling's body flailed through the air like some sort of ragdoll. It made her blood boil and freeze over in an instant as the cold revelation hit her. Was she really that different? She had killed plenty of ponies in her life, plenty of griffons as well, but never her own comrades. A life is a life, she reminded herself. Where does one draw the line? Below her, she watched as her ponies scattered through the snowy woods, slaughtering Neighpon soldiers one by one while they did the same. Those deaths are on me as well. I gave the commands. Further south, thick smoky fingers rose into the atmosphere. Remnants of an airship laid against the sandy shores. It was too burnt for Rainbow Dash to recognize the ship's allegiance. Ponies, small as ants, ran out from the ships screaming as they desperately tried to escape the blazing inferno. Above the burning remains, airships circled the sky, firing blasts of missiles and cannonfire. Bits of metal flew from the sky as the sides of an Alliance airship was caught aflame. To the east, in the distant mountaintops, she could see ponies gathering in circles and scurrying across the mountain. Is this what it feels like to command? Is this how Queen Trixie or President Spitfire or King Filthy Rich sees everyone? Like little ants following their every command? She was so lost in her thoughts that Jolt’s left hook nearly sliced her in two. She leapt back as his blade struck the empty air. She glanced down and a smile formed across her face.   Jolt came from above, kicking at her with the weight of his left hind leg. Rainbow Dash blocked his attack with her own hind leg and shot her left foreleg at Jolt, aiming for his throat. His wings shifted as he pushed himself to the right of Rainbow Dash's attack. She flapped her wings forward, propelling her backwards. Almost done. She ascended further, above the mountaintops and gazed down at the world beneath her. Below her, Jolt and Ripple flew side by side in pursuit. She turned her eyes west, past the forest where a spiral column of water was rising from the depths of a nearly frozen lake. Pegasi rotated around the liquid spiral while others soared above, kicking bits of cloud together. Rainbow Dash tapped her transmitter. "Team Bravo, this is Dash. You guys almost done?" A male voice responded. "We just need a little more time. We're halfway through siphoning the water. We've already got three pegasi trying to structure the cloud formation."          Ripple was closing in, her forelegs outstretched. Rainbow Dash bit her lip. “Fine. Contact me immediately after you’re done.” Rainbow Dash hung up and turned around, dodging Ripple’s right hoof-blade. She swung her right foreleg upward, her blade inches from Ripple’s scalp. Ripple caught Rainbow’s blade with her own. Jolt came from her right, swinging both blades as he joined them in their dance of death. Together, Jolt and Ripple encircled Rainbow Dash. They were quick. Just a passing glance of their blades nearly took her head clean off. Rainbow Dash exchanged blow for blow, waltzing through the empty skies as Jolt and Ripple came from every possible direction. Over her, under her, to her side. Rainbow Dash deftly maneuvered through their attacks. With each blow she deflected and launched her counterattack. Jolt sliced horizontally, cutting off a loose strand of her mane. The transmitter under her ear began buzzing. She ducked under Ripple’s blade. Rainbow Dash tapped her neck. “Major, the structure is complete!” She glanced down. Above the lake where the spiraling water had once been, a giant grey cloud towered above the entirety of the lake. “Captain, you need to get your team away from there ASAP!” “Major?” he said in confusion. “These guys are on a whole different league than any of you. I need them cornered in there. Alone. Get out of there now! That’s an order!” Before he could argue, Rainbow dash had cut the transmission and swung her blade vertically, gliding against Jolt’s left hoof-blade. Ripple came from behind, thrusting her blade past Rainbow Dash’s wings. She swerved from Ripple and Jolt as she glanced back at the lake. She continued to fly backwards. Her ear buzzed. "Major, we've evacuated the structure!" "Good, ke-" she started to say before Jolt cut the side of her neck, severing the cord of her transmitter. Blood began to gush from her, down the snipped wire as she jumped back and searched for an opening. They were coming at all the speed, intensity, and savagery that one might expect from one of one of Sharp's disciples. I need to get out of here fast. There, she noted as their blades twirled past her torso. In a single swift motion, she curled her forelegs against her chest and spun her entire body through the air. At the end of her spin, she stopped abruptly, extending both forelegs diagonally downward. The air ripple and quaked as a vortex of air shot out from around Rainbow Dash. Both Jolt and Ripple were forced back, blocking their faces with their blades. In that instant, Rainbow Dash pushed her hind legs inward. Her wings flared. Faster than the wind. I am speed, incarnated. She descended past Jolt and Ripple with a thunderous boom as the air parted around her. She could barely see ahead. Only the faint outlines of the looming cloud stood out against the blur of colors and the rushing winds. The air crackled and burst in a deafening roar as she broke the sound barrier. For a moment, a thought crossed her mind. I could go farther. I know I can. Nopony had ever gone faster than the speed of sound before, but there were legends that told otherwise. Stories were told that it was possible to go even faster. They spoke tales of a pony that was fast enough to bend the colors from the sky. Was it possible? Was it truly possible for Rainbow Dash to reach that next level? She shoved those thoughts aside. I have to defeat them, she remembered. If I don’t, those guys down there are as good as dead. She came to a halt, spreading a rupture through the air. She was now standing above the dense layers of the cloud, its shadow blackening the lake below. They were behind her now. Ripple’s silver mane flowed back against the rushing current. Jolt wore that same sadistic grin as he descended. They both landed softly against the cloud’s surface. He laughed. “I heard a lot of things about you, Rainbow Dash. Running wasn’t one of them.” “Jolt, quit wasting your time talking to this coward,” Ripple said with a scowl. “She’s gonna be dead soon anyway.” “You’re wrong,” Rainbow Dash said, “because I’m going to be the fastest pony in the world. Until then, I refuse to die.” “You?” Ripple snorted. “How exactly do you plan on doing that?” “I’m going to break the color barrier.” The words came out of Rainbow Dash’s mouth faster than she could register what they meant. They both laughed. “The color barrier is just a myth,” Jolt said. “You’re not even a second rate solider. A rat has a better chance of learning how to fly.” “Really? Wanna try your luck at killing a second rate soldier, then?” Rainbow Dash said with a sly grin. Without hesitation, Rainbow Dash threw herself into the cloud. The fluffy surface tickled her fur as she continued to descend. It was completely dark at first, nothing but an infinite sea of black. It was only a few moments until the world opened up. The darkness of the cloud’s dense exterior opened up into a world of swirling wind and bubbles of grey and white. She was in the interior structure, the most vulnerable and malleable section. Moments later, Ripple and Jolt emerged from the puffy ceiling, floating through the endless, darkened expanse. Rainbow Dash fell back and began flying through the cloud’s hollow insides. She began hovering low, kicking several loose tufts out of her way. She reached even lower and began sliding her hind legs against the ground layer. “Luring us into a cloud?” Jolt yelled from behind. “You remember that we’re both pegasus ponies right? A fluffy cloud’s not going to save you.” She changed directions, still sliding against the dark ground. She blocked Jolt’s vertical swing and flew past him. She could see a stream of smoke rising from below her lower hooves. The pegasus magic trickled down every inch of her body as a spark shot up from behind her. A yellow flash against gray. Writhing, twisting currents of electricity shot up and spread through the ground like a thousand tiny leeches. It ran through the ceiling, traveling through the hollow space with blinding speeds. Rainbow Dash hovered above the ground as Jolt and Ripple appeared before her. Jolt thrust his blade inches from Rainbow Dash’s belly. She swiped it away with her left foreleg and swung a right hook, the blade grazing along his cheeks.          Rainbow Dash jumped back as a bolt of lightning shot down, filling the gap between her and Jolt. In that split second, Ripple’s hind legs collided against her side. Pain shot through her torso, but she continued to block, retreating as the lightning fell all around her. Jolt laughed as he sliced a gash in Rainbow Dash’s left hind leg. The blood ran down her leg, muddying the grey surface below. “It was clever, I admit. Luring us into this cloud.  At first, it appeared like you were just a rookie soldier trying to get a slight advantage. Not many ponies can create lightning by themselves; you should be proud. However, you’re in just as much danger as us.” Rainbow Dash smiled and circled around them. Lightning flashing behind her. She lunged forward. She stopped. The world faded in and out as the bolt of lightning arched and slammed into her back. She felt scared. The world changed colors and speeds at a moment’s notice. Jolt and Ripple multiplied and divided in number. Her hoof-blades burst and shattered as they fell through the cloud layers. Her entire body began working against her as a spasm of pain ran throughout her being. I-I can’t die like this…not here. The world began to blacken. Pegasus. I…I am a pegasus. That was when she saw the light, a bright sweltering fire flashing in the corner of her eyes. The pain was gone and replaced with something...different; a sort of tranquility. Another bolt of lightning shot through the top of her head. It ran through her body like trinkles of warm water. Electricity surged through her being. It ran through her muscles, through her fur, through her flesh, and down to her very bone. I am a pegasus. The words made so much sense now. The storm wasn’t her enemy. It wasn’t a simple diversion or some last ditch shelter. It was her friend; her ally; her power. She was no longer Rainbow Dash of Lunaria; she was lightning, the rain transformed. For the first time in her life, Rainbow Dash opened her eyes. She looked down at the clouds and the winds as the funnels of lighting. My tools. My world. “I am a pegasus,” Rainbow Dash said as she gazed down at the puny pegasi standing before her. Jolt’s complacent smile had turned agape. Ripple was shaking with fear. Electricity continued to flow from mane to tail as she floated above them. She moved forward. They began to back up. I am a Pegasus. Her movements were a flash of light. She was in between them, only looking forward. Electricity poured from her body, spreading onto Jolt and Ripple like a swarm of angry hornets. They screamed, silenced only an instant later. Their bodies fell beneath the sea of cloud. Her beating heart seemed to calm as the electricity left her body, flowing out in streams of blue and yellow. She felt light headed. She couldn’t tell when she had started falling. The world choked her as she fell against the soft fluffy ground. Twilight Sparkle screamed as she fell through the air, attached by a magical tether to Big Macintosh and Star Dust. The roaring ice cold winds splashed against her face, burning her lungs as she screamed. Star Dust was falling closest to the ground with a smile on her face. She's actually enjoying this. Star Dust's horn flared as the air began to change colors. Bright orange blasted from her horn, forming a pure white orb in front of her. The orb expanded, growing larger and extending past Twilight as its white walls passed through her body. The sphere which encapsulated the three of them continued to grow as it changed shaped, transforming into translucent white cylindrical shell. The rushing winds were silenced by the towering walls. The only sound heard was Big Macintosh and Twilight's screaming. "What on earth are you doing?" Twilight yelled. Star Dust grinned. "Haven't you seen gravitation spells before?" Twilight's mouth froze. That's a high level spell. Star Dust and I shouldn't be able to cast a spell of that caliber yet. Twilight's thoughts snapped back to reality as she came closer to the ground. In only a few meters, she would be nothing but a splatter on the side of the mountain. Star Dust was still falling. Is this... They stopped. They were floating through the air, surrounded on all sides by the white cone. "This spell," Twilight began to say, "does this mean-" Her words only came out as a high pitched squeal as she was shot into the air. Big Macintosh and Star Dust followed behind as they soared higher and higher.   Twilight wiggled and squirmed against the magic tether. They were all screaming this time, Big Mac and Twilight in terror and Star Dust in absurd delight. Even as they rose above the mountainside, she continued to laugh. She could see the chaos below them. Ponies continued to run in circles as they clashed in the snow. Axe against shield against spell against sword. They fell like dominoes, leaving a river of blood running down the pass. Griffons flew down, fighting against flying pegasi. They rose past them all. Twilight could feel her heart stop beating as they reached the apex of their flight. For just a moment, she had time to gasp. An orange ray splashed against the ice below. Twilight was flung forward. The rope grew taut and she changed direction, heading away from the mountain pass. Twilight couldn’t see her, but she could hear her voice tearing through the wind. “Twilight, I set us on a course to the top. Unfortunately, I misjudged our trajectory. At our current rate, we'll end up flying right over the mountain. That last spell took it all out of me. Any ideas?” "What? Why would you do that?" she yelled in response. Twilight held her shock as she tried to gather her scrambled thoughts. If she could catch a glimpse of the ground, she could teleport straight down. No, she mentally corrected herself. If we do that, Big Macintosh would be stranded. Teleporting multiple ponies took an immense amount of magical stamina, more than Twilight or Star Dust could currently muster. Her face lit up. “Star Dust,” she shouted, trying to move her head to face her, “I have an idea!” She had to act quickly. Below, on the mountaintops, a splotch of purple and silver clashed in the snow. Hundreds of ponies and griffons were fighting below. Even if she successfully landed, what then? Fight soldier after soldier after bloody soldier until the last pony is standing? The ground shifted below them as they continued to fly faster and faster. First, I have to land us safely. I have to be careful. I've never tried anything like this before. Step one: change the trajectory.  She faced upward, struggling against the passing winds. She closed her eyes and fired a blast of forceful magic from her horn. Lavender erupted from her horn with the force of a volcano. She was the first to begin the sudden descent. The others came after, attached by magic rope. Step two: Protect all ponies from impact. A transparent purple bubble spawned from her horn and encircled the three of them. Step three: slow rate of impact. Swirls of watery purple liquid flowed from her horn, coating the insides of the barrier. The purple liquid spread throughout the bubble, expanding and sloshing until it had completely transformed the insides into a liquid mass of malleable purple goo. Step four: brace for impact. Twilight fell on her back against the soft, squishy insides of her barrier. Big Macintosh came next, rolling down the sides, followed by Star Dust. Snow splashed up from their impact. Twilight could barely make out the outside world. She could see the ice, snow, dirt, and...wood? She blinked. They were still falling through the snow. More splinters of wood cracked beneath and rose as they crashed through. She tried to look down, but couldn't see past the thick liquid. Deeper they went. The sky above was barely visible now, except for a bright square above them. Instead of wood, bits of stone began chipping away under their shield. Finally, their descent stopped as Twilight, Big Macintosh, and Star Dust continued to slide against the barrier, trying to regain their senses. Still lying on her back, Twilight popped the barrier, causing it to burst into an explosion of slick, slushy purple. Twilight fell against the hard stone ground and struggled to her hooves, coughing as she took a deep breath. She faced the others, who were attempting to do the same. "Are you guys okay?" she asked weakly. They nodded weakly as Twilight flashed her horn, lighting the darkened room. They were in some sort of hallway, encased in stone tiles and cobwebs. Twilight examined the walls. On each was a different picture, each simplistic in design and carved into the wall. They depicted ponies dressed in regal outfits, ponies holding swords in their teeth, and even a crude map of the world. “What is all of this?” Twilight pondered aloud. Star Dust lit her horn and began examining the wall, running her hoof along the thin lines of each drawing. “These are old,” Star Dust said quietly. “Should we try to head back up?” Twilight asked. They could still see the sky, beaming sunlight down from the narrow shaft that they had fallen into. “Too high to climb. We’re probably several stories under the mountain. Besides, this is too strange to pass up. I heard tales growing up that there were cities underneath some of East Lunaria's mountain ranges. Some say that they were built as temporary refuges for the first settlers of the Eastern Continent thousands of years ago.” “Thousands of years ago?” Big Macintosh repeated, confused. “I thought ponies only came over once the princesses disappeared. That was only only nine hundred years ago or so.” “Big Macintosh, are you familiar with the story of the three tribes?” Star Dust asked. He nodded. “Eeyup. Pegasus, earth ponies, and unicorns, right?” “Precisely. Well, rumor has it that there was a fourth tribe. They say that they were formed during the great winter, before the great exodus to central Equestria. Ponies from each of the three tribes joined together in secrecy, leaving their old ones behind. They were tired of the senseless fighting and sought to leave the mainland behind in search of a new land and a new home where they could prosper. When they arrived on the shores of the Eastern Continent, they searched all across the land in search of a home. They built houses and cities in mountains and in distant fields as they marched on the terrain. Eventually, they headed north and founded a city, their final home. It was said that in that city, they thrived and prospered. They developed all sorts of languages and technology more advanced than even today's. Unfortunately, even if there was a place like that, we have yet to find it. Besides, it’s all just stories and legends told by old stallions and mares to naive little fillies. Still, it’s very odd that we’d find a place like this in the middle of a mountain.” They walked down the dimly lit hallway, examining more drawings. The stone corridor expanded into a large rotunda with several hallways and exits at the end of the room. In the center of the room was a cracked, white, round altar built of several columns. Its top was a jagged circle with small yellow gem sticking from the top. Twilight Sparkle attempted to touch it, only to jump an instant later. “It’s hot!” she shouted. She circled around the altar, eyeing the yellow gem. Big Macintosh walked up and attempted to touch it. His reaction was the same. “It’s like the darn thing is one fire!” he proclaimed as he jumped away. Star Dust nervously approached it and lifted her foreleg. "Be careful," Twilight warned her. Star Dust inched closer to the gem. Her hoover glided over the gem, stroking the edges. “Y-You’re touching it,” Twilight said in shock. "How?" Star Dust seemed absolutely entranced by this golden gem. “It feels strange...like I’ve seen this before.” Clicking and the sound of spinning gears came from inside the altar. It split open, allowing the yellow gem to fall in the growing chasm between the altar. The columns of the altar grew wider as a glass case supported by a thin bar of metal rose out of the chasm. Inside it was a small red shard. It twinkled at the light from Twilight’s horn. The light reflected from its jagged edges and shined brightly through the glass. Twilight cautiously approached the glass container. “It looks like a red crystal fragment,” she deduced. Star Dust stepped forward. “What’s it doing here?” “I don’t know,” she said as she began to shoot a thin beam through the glass. “But I want to find out.” Twilight moved her head, circling it as the beam cut through the glass. After the incision was done, she lifted the loose piece of glass with her magic and flung it to the side, shattering upon impact with the ground. She leaned closer and reached for the shard with her magical grip. She picked it up and drew it closer, gazing upon its edges and the shimmering edges of the shard. Star Dust and Big Macintosh walked behind, looking over her shoulder. A pained voice ran in her mind as she held it, lasting only a second. "Help...me." She turned her head. “Twilight, y’all alright?” Big Macintosh asked. "I...I heard something," Twilight said in a fearful whisper. She continued to stare at the shard. Her eyes grew wide as the room around her began to shrink and her friend's voices became quiet. Images seared into her mind. A sky of red. A city with glass domes and towers of glass and crystal. Ponies were screaming. They all ran. Some old, some young, some had families. In the end, they all ran. A flash of blue. Two ponies, wings and a horn. A hourglass. Silence. She didn't remember when she began to fall, only that Big Macintosh was grabbing hold of her just before she was about to hit the ground. The crystal shard was still in her magical grasp. She struggled as she regained consciousness. She moved the crystal shard close to her chest. “Twilight,” Big Macintosh began, “what was-” Faint shouts could be heard in the hallway that they had entered from. “It was around here! Search everything. If it moves, kill it.” “Soldiers,” Star Dust mumbled. “We need to get out of here. Twilight, can you...Twilight?” She drew the crystal closer as more images pierced their way into her mind. Fire. Screaming. The images blurred together in Twilight’s mind as her body began to spasm. “Twilight!” Star Dust whispered as she tried to grab hold of her. Twilight’s horn flared as a bright aura began to surround the three of them. There was a soldier in lavender. Two stars decorated his cloak. “She’s got the crystal!” he shouted. Soldiers in armor, bearing swords, rushed forward as magic swirled around the trio. In a flash they were gone. Smoke, snow, and bits of rock fell from the indent in the side of the mountain where Siegfried had been thrown. Clumps of snow fell of like raindrops, scattering amongst the ground. Shining Armor placed his ethereal lance in front of him, facing forward. He tightened his rose tinted armor around his chest. Moments later, rock rocks fell and the ice began to crunch under Siegfried's hoof steps as he stepped away from the mountain, blood dripping from his forehead.  "A pony hasn't made me bleed in quite some time," he said as he walked. "I underestimated you severely. For that, I apologize. Tell me, Shining Armor, for what cause do you fight? Money? Thrill? Protecting someone dear to you?" Shining Armor backed up. "What does it matter to you? Why do you fight? Why do you serve a tyrant intent on controlling the world? He laughed. " Young shield of Britannia, even if I told you, I doubt that you'd understand or find reasoning in my madness." His curved sword flew to his side. The hilt of the blade burst into an indigo flame, igniting the metal. The monstrous fire spread past the edges, making a thin sea of fire around the metal. "The time for words and reasoning is over. You stand in the way of my mission." He disappeared in a flash of violet. He was in front of Shining Armor now, thrusting the tip of his flame crusted sword into Shining Armor’s lance. He teleported once more. Shining Armor held his ground and looked forward. He closed his eyes as magic washed over his body. When his eyes opened, they were no longer calm cerulean but a harsh empty void of whiteness. Through them, he could see past the mountains, and up the distant landscape. He saw past the winds and the clouds, all the way to the top of the mountains. He noticed a strange object floating through the air, three dots attached by what appeared to be a string. His ears perked up as he heard the distant screaming on the mountain tops. The faint sound of steel clashing and the crunching of ice became a blur as the world opened up around him. A wisp of air from behind. Shining’s lance was already behind him, blocking the flaming sword. He turned to face him. Siegfried grinded his teeth as he tried to push his blade through. “That’s very strong defensive magic. Most weapons would have been destroyed by that fire.” Shining Armor smiled. “My old man taught me pretty well.” “Indeed,” Siegfried agreed. He jumped back, thrusting his hoof into the ground. A million granites of rock leaped into the air. they hovered against Siegfried’s violet aura. The rocks began to crack and sizzle as tiny points of red poked their way out from the top. The red tips burrowed through, shedding the rock’s like a lizard shedding its skin. From the rocks, sprouted a swarm of tiny red shards, appearing like miniature daggers. They twirled, flying towards him at lightning fast speeds. He teleported back, dodging the ethereal knives as they rained down from above. He leapt to the side, landing on a single foreleg as he met Siegfried’s blade with his lance. More rocks rose from the snow, transforming into miniature daggers as they continued to swarm him. Shields summoned around him within an instant, deflecting their blows. The air above him crackled. Shining Armor jumped, striking the point of his lance into the edges of Siegfried’s sword. He was gone once more, clouded by the torrent of knives that continued to pound against his shields. He held his ground and scanned the shapes around him. More blades flew to his shields as he searched the wind for sounds. There was a ripple. It felt heavy, contrasting with the thin, sharp sound of the tiny blades. Round, it was definitely round. It came hurtling through the snow. Shining Armor teleported back as the ground where he once stood erupted in a flurry of snow and fire. A bomb. He’s charging the snow with high concentrations of magic. Another ball of magically charged snow came from around the corner. He teleported, reappearing directly in front of Siegfried’s hoof as it crunched through his magic armor. He fell into the snow, gritting his teeth. Siegfried's sword struck downward. He rolled away, barely dodging the blade as it cut through rock and ice. He leapt back to his hooves, listening to the crackle of his breaking magical armor. He continued to swing his lance, dodging as the blades continued to swarm him on all sides. He jumped back, evading another ball of ice as it destroyed the ground beside him. Amist the torrent of bombs and blades, smoke began to fill the air, clouding his vision. His eyes zipped from one side to the next, trying to make out the blurry figures hidden behind the smoke. Zigzagging, he ran across the ground. Blades rained down, explosive balls of ice splattered snow against his face. Something else was mixed in the sea of red. Blue. The ethereal arrow shot through his shield, stabbing through his right foreleg. He screamed in pain as the blood poured down his leg and into the white ground. Another arrow came. Shining Armor grinded his teeth together and teleported away.   He reappeared in a hurried waltz as he awkwardly stumbled through the field of arrows and blades and bombs, still straining his eyes against the thick walls of smoke.  Siegfried appeared in between the arrows, his fiery curved blade swinging over his shoulder. Shining Armor crashed into the ground in an attempt to evade his blade. Rocks cut across his face as skidded against the ground. He raised his lance, blocking the oncoming attack.   Siegfried's downward strike came again. Shining rolled, dodging blow after blow. Putting his weight on his left hind leg, he dragged himself from the ground. Their weapons met as Siegfried blasted the ground with his horn. The ice became thin and dark, twisting and writhing into a dark liquid mass. He slipped and fell onto his sides, struggling to keep his balance.   More blades and bombs pressed themselves against Shining Armor's shields, testing his limits. Siegfried's horn glowed white as electricity scattered around it. The electricity spread onto a small orb, tipped against his horn. The sound was deep and pulsing as it grew in size and decreased once again to the size of a pebble. Shining Armor continued to struggle against the black liquid, slipping after every attempt to gain traction.   The white pebble shot off his horn. One moment, he was struggling against the black, the next he was flying through the air, hooves flailing. He felt a sharp pain in his back as he collided against the sides of the mountain. The purple armor that guarded him cracked and fizzled out of existence as he fell onto the ground. Even his ethereal lance was gone, sizzled out of existence in mere seconds.   His legs were bleeding. His sides burned as he tried to stand. Ribs are most likely broken or cracked. He screamed as he tried to take command of his left foreleg. Broken leg. His sensory magic had already faded long before then. His magical stamina was nearly exhausted. Still, Shining tried to peer through the blood that dripped from his forehead.   He couldn't see any more knives or bombs or arrows; only a single figure. Siegfried walked towards him, a towering blue shadow. His flaming sword was still by his side as slowly strutted forward. Shining gave one final attempt at standing, before resigning to his fate.   "You were strong, young shield. I used up much of my magic, more than I have in a very long time," Siegfried said. He crawled backwards. "Unfortunately, you stand in the ways of my mission. I'm afraid that as long as you continue to impede my mission, you cannot be allowed to live. May you find peace in the next world.   He raised his sword above his head, letting the sun strike against the cackling flames. It was over now. Shining Armor could feel the end nearing as his blade made its downward descent. He closed his eyes. I'm sorry Dad. I promised that I'd make it home.   The blade stopped. Siegfried's transmitter began to blink. He tapped a hoof against his neck. His face was pale. "What do you mean, it's gone? How did you lose it? Two unicorns and an earth pony?" He gritted his teeth. "Very well. The mission has failed. Pull out. You heard me. Retreat back to the camp site immediately. Siegfried, over."   He tapped his neck as the flames receded from his saber. The blade returned to his side and slid into his scabbard. Shining Armor struggled to find the words. "Why...why are you sparing me?"   He turned around. "My fight is finished. With it, so are qualms with you...for now. Your wounds are severe. If you wish to survive, you'd best be quick." With that, he left Shining Armor behind, bleeding out against the rocky landscape.   The moonlight glowed against the parting waters as they lapped against the dock's wooden supports. Above, across the rickety floorboard, Applejack helped Granny Smith out of the truck while Pinkie Pie and Applebloom waited behind them. As Applejack helped her grandmother to the ground, she looked back to the distant buildings gleaming light in the distance. Somewhere in that city, Pinkie's family sat, waiting for their daughter to return. Is Big Mac waiting for us to return?   She continued to walk forward. It was quiet. Pinkie Pie seemed different than her usual self. She smiled, but she was no longer bouncing happily about or chatting excitedly about this and that as she usually did. Applejack sped up her pace and walked alongside her, giving her an encouraging smile. There was a pony waiting for them just like Pinkie Pie had promised them. A small wooden boat with several oars on its side sat beside the dock, swaying in the water.   The pony was a male with a small trench coat, swaying in the wind. On his face was a small stubble of brown hair. He spoke out across the dock. "You got them?"   "Yeah, just...give me a second," Pinkie nervously yelled back. She turned to Applebloom first. She patted her head with her hoof, messing up her rose colored mane. She smiled down at the little filly. "I probably won't see you again until you're older. By then, I'm sure you'll get your cutie mark! I can't wait to see it. We'll have the biggest party ever, with cake and pie and streamers...just you wait." Applebloom began crying. "I'm gonna miss you, Pinkie. I promise, I'll work real hard and by the next time you see me, I'll definitely have my cutie mark!" Pinkie gave sullen smile and hugged her tight. She turned to Granny Smith. "I'm so glad that I got to meet you. You had so many fun stories. I hope by the next time I see you, you'll have tons more to tell me!" Granny Smith smiled through her wrinkled face. "Sure thing. Thank ya for takin' care of my family. In all my years, I ain't never met folks like yours. Thank you." Pinkie nodded and faced Applejack. Her face drooped. She frowned and twisted her lip as if she was trying to form words. "Applejack,I..." Applejack raised a hoof to silence her. "Pinkie, I ain't never met anypony like you. You've done so much for all of us. You've saved us. You've made us laugh. You've helped us find a new home. You've done more than I think anyone has ever done for us...for me." Her voice was quivering. She felt something wet falling down her cheeks. "You...You're the best friend I've ever had. Pinkie Pie...I...I..." Light blindsided her. She raised a hoof to cover her tear filled eyes. There were shouts from across the dock as shadowy figures stood against the blinding light. Ponies in violet jackets ran from all directions, pointing hoof-guns towards them. Applejack felt her heart stop. "No," she whispered to herself. Applejack stumbled backwards. "No," she said louder. Without thought, she wrapped her forelegs around Pinkie Pie. "No...no...no," she said, sobbing. Applebloom hugged Applejack's hind leg. Granny Smith grew closer. The pony in the trench coat began turning away, running closer to the boat in a desperate attempt to flee. He was shot down before he landed in the water. They all stood frozen as they continued to surround them, shouting commands and giving hoof movements. Applejack felt someone push her down against the wooden boards. A hoof pressed into her back. She screamed out in agony as the others were held down by the increasing number of soldiers dressed in lavender. Steel cuffs and sets of chains levitated in front of Applejack. They continued screaming orders as they placed over her hooves. Two cuffs chained together, two connecting her forelegs and two connecting her hind legs. They did the same to the others, even little Applebloom and fragile Granny Smith. They were forced to their hooves. Soldiers ran in front of Applejack and behind her, prodding their hoof-guns against her. A ragged cloth was levitated to her face. She tried to back away but the cloth wrapped around her eyes and tightened around the back of her head. Everything was black. "Help! Applejack, what's going on?" Applebloom cried out. "Be brave, child," Granny Smith's voice quivered. "This can't be happening," Applejack whimpered as tears streamed down her face, wetting the cloth. "No. Please, no." The point of their guns poked against her hind legs, forcing her forward. She continued on, hitting her forelegs against the cold metal of what appeared to be a truck. She clumsily worked her way inside the truck.