Shades of Grey

by Inquisitor M

16. Moments of Transition

 
The brilliant glow of Luna’s battered body faded, and her lacerations, burns, and bruises were replaced by an unblemished, silky blue coat.
“You can’t keep that up forever, Luna. You’re already growing weaker, and I’m only just getting used to the speed of this remarkable form.” The silver and gold feathered griffon circled his prey, his voice as confident and menacing as his prowling stride. “What are you waiting for? Did you think I wasn’t aware that your little friend has gone to see that wretch, Stormcloud?”
Luna’s cheek twitched.
“Ahh, so you did think there was something she could do. Foolish princess, you are only delaying the inevitable.”
“Perhaps that is true, demon, but you are as loathe to kill me as you were my guards and my friends. Are you having trouble with what little conscience you have left?”
The griffon reared up, a lightning bolt striking him from the heavens and sending smaller arcs scurrying along his wing-feathers. “I can change that, if you prefer,” he said with a sneer, before leaping at her with a swipe of his huge, glinting claws.
 

 
Rarity stumbled and skidded from one near-accident to the next. Finally, she made a last, lengthy jump to solid ground at the base of the trail. Her hooves slipped on the wet rock and her momentum carried her onwards until she tumbled—she would have rolled head-under-haunches if her jaw hadn’t the good grace to take the brunt of the fall.
Her hindquarters stuck up for a few seconds before a brief flail of her hooves brought her crashing down. The pounding of blood in her ears faded as she lay there, motionless.
Is a lady supposed to be so thoroughly dishonest with her friends?
Shaking her head sharply, she raised a hoof to her jaw and prodded it gently.
Dishonest, and now running away like a cowardly filly.
Hooves found purchase on the flat rock and Rarity stood slowly, her eyes falling on the golden chariots in the distance.
“I’m not done yet.” She scowled as she muttered to herself, then stepped forward onto the muddied grassland. Breaking into a canter, she headed for the chariots.
It wasn’t hard to find: one of the carriages had an obvious void on the inside, revealing where the emergency kit had once been and how it was fitted. Designed for pegasus hooves, the second box came free easily, and Rarity only needed her weak magic to withdraw the small hacksaw from within.
 

 
Thunderer came gently to rest beside Splashdown, and Twilight turned away to find Applejack still eyeing her with a wrinkled brow. “Really, AJ, I’m fine. There’s no need to worry. I’m just tired, that’s all.”
“Miss Applejack,” Vindicator said. “We pegasi are trained to watch for the signs of strain in our unicorn counterparts. Please believe me when I say that Miss Sparkle’s condition appears to be simple exertion. She’ll sleep well and eat for two come the morning, but she’s in no danger. Even the reduced body temperature is relatively normal; she’s just trying to conserve energy.”
Applejack grumbled, frowning first at Vindicator, then back at Twilight. “All right, all right. When everything starts bein’ about magic, there ain’t much left for me to do except worry… and Ah like to keep busy.”
“In that case,” Twilight replied, “would you mind if I gave you something else to worry about?”
“Rarity?”
“Yeah. You didn’t see her when we were waiting on Stormcloud. Luna said she’ll be okay, but... something’s really, really wrong, Applejack. I just can’t stop thinking about her.”
“You’d feel better if somepony was with her, and you can’t go ‘cos Luna said she might need ya. Right?”
“Right. I have to focus on one or the other, and I don’t think you can help Luna. No offence.”
“None taken.” Applejack retrieved her hat from a slumbering Pinkie Pie and puffed her chest out. “Don’t you worry none, Twi. You know we’re all proud as peacocks about what ya can do, an’ Ah’m happy to help. Ah got a whole bushel of apples says she’s been up to see Stormcloud an’ Ah reckon there’s plenty o’ tracks in all this mud if she’s moved on.”
“Thanks, AJ. On both counts”
Applejack gave an overblown wink and reared up, reversing direction and taking off at a gallop.
“Splashdown’s cold too,” Vindicator said, setting himself down next to his comrade and extending his wing across him. “I hope those medics get here soon. How’s Thunderer holding up?”
Seeker pressed his nose to the chief guard’s neck. “Same.” Looking at Pinkie, he added, “Twilight, would you mind moving Thunderer next to Pinkie Pie? She doesn’t much seem to care, and the boss could use the heat since we don’t have any blankets.”
Twilight blushed. “Oh… I don’t think, I mean I couldn’t… without asking…”
“They’re your hangups, Twilight, not hers. Besides, you’re about to embark on some insane plan to help Luna, whereas my plan is perfectly safe and puts my wounded first. Don’t you even dare try and talk your way out of it just to save your own embarrassment.”
“How…?”
Vindicator’s head popped up. “You make the same face Luna does when she’s concocting something insane, Miss Sparkle. You’re not hard to read, but please try to take that as a compliment.”
“So,” Seeker said. “What is it?”
Twilight chewed her lip. “After Stormcloud changed, I realised it was true: it isn’t a pony. It’s pure magic, like the mana pools described in Luna’s writings, so I think her mana-diffusion spell will work on it. At least enough to give Luna the upper hoof, I think.”
“Yup.” Vindicator rolled his eyes. “That’s crazy talk. Silverlight said that even Princess Celestia can’t do that spell. Why does every unicorn suddenly think it’s a great idea to cast spells from a book of forbidden magics?”
Seeker raised an eyebrow. “It sounds exactly like Luna’s brand of crazy; good offence being the best form of defence is something I thought you’d get behind, Vindi.”
The other guard grumbled and returned to resting his head against Thunderer.
“The Princess… c-c-can’t cast it?” Twilight’s body trembled as much as her voice.
“Correct,” Seeker replied flatly. “But last I saw, you were the one saving her. Magic is as natural to Luna as breathing is to the rest of us, and to hear Celestia tell it—and believe me, she does—you’re the same. Now, are we going to go for your hat-trick on saving princesses, or not?”
 

 
“Not a word,” Rarity said.
Stormcloud’s mouth snapped shut. He stared at her, wide-eyed and head pulled back, pushed up against the inner wall of the tunnel where he had been left. His eyes flicked briefly to the new hacksaw before he closed them firmly and silently assumed his prostrate position.
 

 
The griffon ignored three illusions and dove at the real Luna, wrapping a claw around her throat and hoisting her into the air before slamming her into the mud. Its other claw swept down from above, but before it found it found flesh, the princess dispersed into purple mist. Piercing the air with an eagle’s cry, the griffon spread its wings wide, unleashing a storm of lightning in every direction.
Caught in the chaotic spread of power, Luna reformed at its edge, wheezing and blackened. She staggered once, and her eyes flashed white, followed by the rest of her. She’d lost count of how many times this had happened, and even after rejuvenation, her chest heaved with ragged breaths.
“I really thought it was your magic that would give in first, but now I see it is your flesh that will fail. Give up, Luna, or be destroyed. It’s not you that I want.”
“Never.”
The griffon’s eyes narrowed as he gave Luna a wide, predatory smile. Dropping to all fours, he lifted a claw to step forward, but balked as a green glow lit his metallic feathers from below. The light pooled on the ground beneath him in a rough circle, but when his eyes rose to meet Luna’s, her horn was not glowing.
“Ahh. It seems your little friend has come to keep me entertained.”
As the griffon launched himself into the air, Luna followed his gaze to a purple glow obscured by a nearby tree. She looked at the spell; she looked at the tree.
“Twilight! No!”
A coil of sickly-green energy sprang from the centre of the circle and latched onto the griffon like a tether, his plumage dulling to bronze and steel-grey in seconds. He fell to the ground in a heap, before dragging himself shakily back to his legs.
“Don’t do it!” Luna shouted as a second ray leapt from the circle, drawn straight towards the obfuscated Twilight Sparkle.
Twilight screamed. Magic flowed out of the griffon and straight into Twilight’s horn, saturating her whole body with its light. She collapsed to the floor, convulsing, spasming harder as the conduit began to pulse.
The griffon was up on his hind legs. His body quaked and claws balled into fists as more and more magic surged into the conduit. He growled a kind of chuckle, a grin spreading across his face. “Want some more little girl?” he said, spreading his wings and grimacing as the pulse quickened. “I have plenty to spare!”
“No!” Luna leapt into the air, throwing herself towards the conduit. She squeezed her eyes tight shut, but a moment later, nothing had happened. As she landed, the blackened, smouldering body of Seeker crashed into the ground and rolled towards her. Steam rose from his coat as he came to a halt, lifeless.
“Bawhahahaha!” the griffon bawled, shining like polished gold and silver again. “Exquisite! How many more will throw themselves at me to protect your sister? I must say, you do seem to inspire as much loyalty as her, but it will do you no good! She will come back before she allows you to… to…” The metallic sheen of his feathers dulled. Slumping back onto his rump, he cradled his head in his claws, growling. “What is it now?”
 

 
The hacksaw clattered to the floor and Rarity let out a long breath.
“Uuuurgh.” Stormcloud nudged the sawn-off horn as it rolled across the floor. “That doesn’t feel right. I feel…” He swallowed hard and rolled onto his side, clutching at his belly with a forehoof. “I think I’m going to be sick.”
“I’m sorry.” Rarity’s voice was subdued. “But at least we know it did something.”
A long groan escaped Stormclouds throat. “Feels like my insides are swelling,” he said weakly, curling himself into a ball.
“Stormcloud?”
Stormcloud slammed a hoof into the ground and Rarity hopped back, grimacing. “Gah! Feels like I’m going to explode… Aaaaaaah! Make it stop!”
“What’s wrong?” Rarity’s voice rose as the stallion began to thrash. “Wh-what do I do?”
“Get Luna! Get Twilight! Get anypony!”
 

 
Luna stood between the griffon and the two motionless ponies, spreading her wings like shields. “No more,” she said calmly.
The griffon turned one eye to meet her hard stare. “What have you done?”
“You will hurt no more.” Luna’s horn sparkled and the ground beneath the griffon glowed green, fully twice the diameter of Twilight’s spell.
The griffon sprang backwards, his speed unaffected by his affliction. “Ha! Did you think me so weakened that I would fall for such a mundane attempt?” With a wry grin, he turned his attention to Cloudy Top Mountain. “I guess your little friend really did manage to do something. Perhaps I should go and visit her instead. Maybe she’ll attempt to destroy herself as well.” He leapt into the air with a beat his mighty wings and headed towards the mountain, only for Luna’s hooves to slam into his back a moment later.
She drove her prey unto the ground, leaving a long gouge in the mud as they slid to a halt. “You dare you turn your back on me?” she bellowed. “You will fight only me until I am done with y—”
A claw shot up and clamped around her throat.
“Foolish princess! I am still stronger than you!” The griffon’s other claw gripped further down her neck and began to squeeze, wringing out a pathetic squeak.
“Princess!” Twilight’s croaking voice came weakly from out of view. “Get away!”
The griffon pulled Luna in close. “If you escape my claws, I will kill her before you can do anything about it. Can your conscience handle that, Luna?”
Luna gargled and rasped, but none of the noises resembled words. She shook her head, and the claws gripping her twisted, producing several pops and cracks from her neck.
“Princess, please!”
Luna’s head twisted just enough for her to meet Twilight’s gaze. Her mouth opened, but no sound issued forth.
“I know you can free yourself, Princess,” Twilight said, her anxious tone calming as her voice grew stronger. She sat up, her coat a frazzled mess and body leaning at an awkward angle. “You said ‘no more’. Well that includes you too.”
Luna continued to stare, the tightness draining from her face along with her life.
“I know you want to protect us, but I told Celestia I would bring you back, and that’s what I’m going to do.”
The griffon chuckled. “I dared to turn my back on you, Luna; do you dare to turn you back on me while I kill her?” He wrenched her neck again, producing another pop.
“I’ve made a lot of mistakes. I know that now.” Twilight’s voice wavered. “I should have been a better friend for Rarity; I was so wrapped up on my own world that I put her in danger. I need to put this right, but I can’t do it alone. Please, Luna. Please trust me like Celestia does.”
Princess Luna’s eyes drifted shut, and she dissolved into mist.
The griffon didn’t bother beating his wings, nor did he need push off from the ground; one moment his claws were around Luna’s throat, and the next, he rushed towards Twilight, a blur of steel and bronze.
With a little magical pop, Twilight vanished, but the griffon changed direction instantly, heading straight for her again. This time, he flew beak-first into a purple wall of energy. Reeling backwards, he bounced off another wall behind him and collapsed in a heap inside Twilight’s bubble. Shaking his head, he rose quickly to his paws and began to pound on the magical barrier. It cracked on the first strike and Twilight staggered, her horn spitting magic from its aura, but the ground beneath the shield began to glow bright green.
With its victim encased at its epicentre, Luna’s spell instantly tethered to the griffon and sent its second conduit arcing towards the princess. It struck her horn and her eyes glowed white as magic flooded in. Four hooves dug into wet earth as a low growl escaped Luna’s throat.
Twilight’s bubble shattered, but the griffon slumped to the ground, his wings drooping as if heavier than the metals they resembled. A claw furrowed the ground, failing to pull the griffon away from the spell.
A white beam shot from Luna’s horn, splitting just in front of the griffon and tracing a circle around him in the air. The ring extended into a vertical, translucent tube that fizzed and sparked where a claw raked at it on the inside, and the energy flowing through the conduit reversed, sucked into Luna’s barrier and tainting it green.
Luna panted for a few moments, her eyes still glowing. “Synchronous, polarised, feedback cascade, modulated into a self-sustaining exclusion zone.”
Twilight’s jaw fell open. “Is that even possible?”
“It is now,” Luna replied, her breaths slowing.
“But, Luna, your eyes… you’re—”
“Still having to do the modulation manually, yes. Twilight Sparkle, I… thank you. You must have known how dangerous that spell was.”
“Yeah, I knew.” Twilight cast an eye over the pegasus behind her, and a barely opened eye looked back. “But I wasn’t going to be the first pony not to do everything they could.”
“I see why my sister is so proud of you, but that appears to be a conversation for another day.”
Twilight cocked her head.
“Degradation of the magical flow-rate has ceased.”
“Indicating that the field-strength isn’t diminishing.” Twilight frowned. “Which means there is just as much magic going in, as is coming out?”
“From Stormcloud, I suspect. I fear this is not over yet. I sent Rarity to remove his horn in the hope that it would sever the connection, but now I am unsure if that is what has happened. I will hold this creature for as long as I can, Twilight; the rest I must leave to you. Find a way to end this once and for all, but before you go, how is Seeker?”
“Alive. I can get him back to the others; it’s only my legs that feel a bit wobbly.” Twilight studied Luna’s face as the princess twitched and tensed. “Princess… I mean, Luna, are you all right?”
“I am if I must be,” Luna replied through gritted teeth. “I am uncertain how long I can keep so much magic under control. Please hurry.”
Twilight turned sharply and hefted Seeker into the air. Sweat quickly formed on her brow as she trotted towards the makeshift base camp.
“Twilight?”
She stopped. “Yes, Princess?”
“I would not have considered that spell. No doubt you have saved my life again. You have my thanks.”
Twilight stared at Seeker and grinned weakly. “We’ll call it a team effort.”
She stared at the immobilised griffon as she passed, its colours almost faded to grey, until muttering drew her attention. “Seeker? Are you awake?” After another mumble, Twilight drew him closer.
“Forget hat-trick,” he rasped. “I make that four.”
 

 
“Rarity!”
After navigating the last of the mountain trail, the unicorn’s head snapped up at her name—she hadn’t noticed the gallop of hooves approaching. “Oh, Applejack! Something simply awful has happened. I cut off Stormcloud’s horn and now he is in terrible pain!”
“You did what now? Why would you go and do a thing like that?”
Rarity’s eyes went wide and it was a few seconds before her answer formed. “Well, Luna asked me to do it. She told me—”
“Luna asked you to do it? Gosh darn it!” Applejack stamped a hoof. “Why, in Celestia name, would she ask you to do that? You come home barely conscious two nights ago, giving everypony the scare of their lives, an’ then she has you up in Canterlot an’ calls on us ‘cos you’re still ill, and now she asks you to go an’ do what any of us coulda done. It ain’t right, Rarity! She may be a princess, but I oughta give her a piece o’ my mind!”
Rarity blinked, her eyes developing a glistening sheen. “Applejack, I… I mean…”
After a big sigh, Applejack’s voice softened. “Sorry, Sugarcube. Ah’m just a little frustrated ‘cos everything’s all flyin’ an’ magic right now. Ah can’t help nopony if they don’t tell me what goin’ on. How are you holdin’ up?”
Rarity just stared.
“Rarity?”
“Oh, I’m… fine. Thank you, Applejack. Thank you so much, but I really need to find Luna or Twilight. You know…” Rarity gave a fake grin. “All that magic talk.”
Applejack frowned, studying her friend’s face closely for a moment before stepping forward and giving her a gentle nuzzle. “You sure you’re okay, hun?”
Now would be a really good time to try some of that honesty.
“Yes, dear,” Rarity whispered. “I’ll be fine, but... thank you.”
Oh well. Never mind.
“Well, all right then. Luna’s a mite busy fightin’, but Twilight’s plenty worried about you already, so what do ya say we go show her you’re still in one piece? I’ll explain what’s what on the way.”
 

 
Rarity gasped, shrieked, and shuddered at Applejack’s rendition of events. When the two ponies reached the makeshift encampment where the injured guards rested, a frazzled Twilight was setting Seeker amongst their number.
Rarity dashed to the middle of the group of wounded. “Oh my! Twilight, what happened?”
“My plan sort of backfired and Seeker had to save me. It was horrible.”
“Darling,” Rarity replied, putting a muddy hoof to Twilight’s already muddy shoulder. “After spending the day with these fine ponies, I just know he is proud to have done his job.” Lowering her hoof, she asked, “Are they cold, Twilight? And how is Pinkie Pie managing to sleep at a time like this?”
“Rarity, she’s been up since before dawn getting a big party ready. And she was up early yesterday because she wanted to throw you a get well party, but I said she couldn’t because you were coming home to rest. So now she’s keeping Thunderer warm because these two got cold in the rain, and... Oh gosh, I’m just so happy to see you’re okay.”
With a broad smile, Rarity gave Twilight another hug.
I’m not even going to waste my time by saying it.
Pulling away, Rarity looked over the wounded. “Applejack, darling, would you mind bringing me as many of those large leaves as you can find?”
“Uh… sure, but ain’t you got some important questions first?”
“I am quite capable of talking and working, Applejack,” Rarity replied, giving her friend a deep scowl. “And these ponies need something to keep them warm right away.”
With a glow from her horn, a few soggy leaves lifted off the ground and transformed into perfectly flat, dry ones. “Now, Twilight, Luna told me that the magic for this... thing controlling her was coming from Stormcloud and suggested I try cutting his horn off.”
As she spoke, she drew some needles and a reel of thread from the emergency kit beside Splashdown and began transforming the first batch of leaves that Applejack dropped at her hooves. “It took a little longer than I expected; I’m afraid my magic is still rather weak, and there were other… problems that got in the way.” Threading two needles simultaneously, she got to work sewing the leaves together.
“When it finally came off,”—she winced as she spoke, but continued weaving two makeshift blankets—“he was suddenly in rather a lot of pain and I had no idea what to do. He said it felt like he was going to explode, but I don’t think he meant it literally. Do you have any ideas? Anything at all?”
Twilight’s attention flicked between Rarity and her work. “Well, I don’t know how much you know about what happened with us—”
Applejack spat out another mouthful of leaves. “Ah told her everything Ah know.”
“Okay, so, I saw Luna was starting to lose, when suddenly it, the demon… griffon… thing, just turned pale and became… I don’t know, dizzy? Weak? Then Luna managed to trap it with the spell that backfired on me, but it’s still drawing more magic from somewhere, and Luna thought it must be Stormcloud.”
“There.” Rarity shook out two leaf blankets and laid them over Splashdown and Thunderer. “Now, does that mean you have any idea why Stormcloud might be in pain?”
“Right now, I have no idea, and we don’t have much time. I’m not sure how long Luna can keep that monster contained. It’s taking a lot of effort.”
“Well, Ah got some words for Princess Luna already.” Applejack’s voice turned hard again. “So let’s get a move on and see what she has to say for herself.” Before anypony could offer a reply, she galloped off towards the ruined clearing.
Twilight frowned and blinked. “Wait, you have what?”
“Oh!” Rarity took off into the forest, shouting, “No! Applejack, don’t!”
“Rarity!” Twilight took half a step forward then looked back at Vindicator. “What in Equestria…”
“Go on then,” the guard said. As Twilight galloped after her friends, he added, “You mares are doing a much better job of not getting hurt anyway…”
 

 
The glade looked more like a battlefield for a hundred ponies than just the two figures standing in it. The dull metallic griffon tested its cage with claws to little avail, while Luna slouched on her haunches, eyes still glowing white and each ragged breath a struggle.
Applejack pulled up short of the griffon’s cage. “Well, shucks. Ah never expected the princess to looks so bad. Ah can’t be angry with her lookin’ like that. Sorry, Rarity.”
Rarity smiled, but before she could answer, a flash of light drew their attention to the serene form of Stormcloud standing where the griffon had been, this time with a black mane and horn.
“Stormcloud?” Twilight trotted up to the translucent green barrier. Behind her, Applejack moved to follow, but stopped when she looked back at Rarity, who stood transfixed by Luna.
“Yes,” Stormcloud said. “It’s that bad, Rarity. However, I should warn you that I think my alter-ego is only letting me surface to distract you. If Luna falls, you’re all in severe trouble. I suspect that you have some encouraging words for her after your dream-time.”
Rarity turned her head slowly, regarding the stallion briefly before fixing back on Luna. “Oh, well, I... don’t remember much of it,” she said in a distant voice. “I remembered what I was supposed to do, but…”
“Really?” Twilight said. “That’s weird. I can remember all of it.”
“Indeed,” Stormcloud added, his voice buoyant and energised. “Twilight can fix that with her memory spell.”
“Hey! How do you know about my—Oh.” Twilight scowled. “That.”
“I’m really sorry about that Twilight, but can we not dwell on what’s done? I’d do it myself by you know full well that nothing I do can pass beyond this barrier.”
The hard lines of Twilight’s face melted as Rarity nodded and gave her a weak smile. “I can’t pick out one memory,” Twilight said, leaning in and whispering. “So you’re going to remember everything that happened in the last few hours. Some of it was… Are you absolutely sure?”
Rarity replied. She shifted her gaze towards Luna. “I have to.”
When Twilight’s glowing horn touched her head, Rarity’s eyes glazed over. Her pupils widened. A few twitches later and tears started rolling down her cheeks before she gasped and recoiled.
“Are you okay? Twilight asked quietly once Rarity refocused on her.
“I have to talk to Luna,” Rarity replied, covering her mouth with a hoof as she blinked the water from her eyes. “I’m sorry Twilight. I wish I could explain, but…”
“It’s okay.” Twilight smiled. “Just so long as you know we’re here for you if you need us.”
Rarity sagged, her lips drawing thin as she looked away. “I know. It’s just…”
“Go on,” Stormcloud said loudly. “Luna’s waiting for you.”
The ponies fell silent as the two unicorns exchanged another quick hug. Once Rarity was walking away, Applejack spoke up. “As the not-a-unicorn here, can Ah ask what hay is goin’ on?”
“My apologies,” Stormcloud replied. “But Rarity is a very different calibre of unicorn to Twilight or Luna, which brings me to something important: how much do you trust Princess Celestia, Twilight?”
“What?” Twilight levelled her full attention at him. “I trust her completely, of course.”
“Oh, really? Are you so sure? What if she has been lying to you about the nature of your gifts? I mean, you have to admit there aren’t many ponies quite like you when it comes to… oh! But wait, what’s this? Doesn’t Luna look remarkably similar now, to how you looked when you were protecting Celestia? I mean, she of all ponies would know her own sister’s capabilities, so don’t you think she would recognise yours?”
Twilight froze, not even breathing.
“I’m speaking rhetorically of course. I know you think about it all the time, but you’ve never seen another pony do what your own friends said that you do. Are you still sure that you trust her completely?”
“Yes,” Twilight replied sharply. “Yes I do.”
Stormcloud grinned. “Good. She probably isn’t lying to you, but the likeness between you and Luna is clear and my alter-ego was thinking of trying to get under your skin with it. Now you’re prepared for that.”
“None of which answers mah question!” Applejack shouted. “You ain’t Stormcloud ‘cos Rarity left Stormcloud up on the mountain, so Ah’m guessing this alter-ego thing means you’re some kinda split personality or the like?”
“Oh, Twilight, you haven’t even explained that much? Tut, tut. Yes, Applejack, I am but one fragment of a copy. The only thing I am sure of is that our relationship with Stormcloud is mere coincidence; no blame should befall him for what has happened. Now, I’m sure Twilight was just about to ask me if Stormcloud’s horn being cut off had an effect on me, correct?”
“Oh!” Twilight chuckled nervously. “Of course.”
“Yes, we presumed that Stormcloud’s horn had been cut as our power was drastically curtailed. It has not been removed entirely, however, but there isn’t much more I can say.”
“That’s not good enough.” Twilight edged closer to the barrier. “Rarity said Stormcloud was in a lot of pain after she cut off his horn, which probably means that it’s related to the change is magical flow. But if I don’t know what changed, how am I supposed to do anything about it?”
Stormcloud glared at Twilight. “You cannot afford to assume that an answer to your question exists. We are linked, he and I; his death may be the only thing that can truly stop me.”
“No!” Twilight and Applejack cried in unison.