The air was still in the quiet throne room. The only person in there was Arch Mage Celestia, sitting in her throne with her stave at her side. Her dress was of mostly white, with the cloths that made up the gown alternating between white and light blue. Coming from her back were magically infused metals that were carefully and individually sculpted to give her the appearance of wings. She looked expectant as she enjoyed the beauty of the stained-glass windows. It wasn't long before the double doors burst open and a man with short, blond hair and glistening gold armor ran into the room. Underneath his armor were white tattered clothes that told stories of war with the chain mail underneath. He dropped to one knee and crossed him arm across his chest as his gaze was attracted to the ground.
"I came as quickly as I could, Your Highness," the man said, refusing to look up.
"Thank you, Double Edge," Celestia replied as the man, referred to as Double Edge, stood back up. "I have some important matters to discuss with you."
"Yes, Your Highness?"
Celestia glanced at one of the windows before continuing. The last few years had been tough on her. "Am I right in saying you are aware of the situation concerning the war against Discord?" she asked the paladin.
"Yes, Your Highness!" he said with a hint of excitement in his voice. "We are fighting spectacularly!"
"Do not be so sure," the Arch Mage replied. "Discord would never let us win this easily. It would be too high of a cost for him to lose the city of Manehatten, unless…"
"Yes?"
Celestia stood from her throne and walked over to a stained-glass window depicting six figures, whose heads were surrounded by yellow circles, fighting off a neat-looking villain who seemed to have had lost his right arm. "You must find the Elements of Harmony and bring them together again to defeat Discord. I fear we are walking into a trap of his."
Double Edge saluted and said, "I live to serve you, Your Highness. Where might I find the Elements of Harmony?"
"In Ponyville, past the Changeling Hive."
"Is there a way around the Hive, Your Highness?"
"I am afraid not. You will be walking straight into Death's garden on this mission." Celestia turned around and walked up to Double Edge, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Fear not, however. You are an excellent warrior, and you will do just fine." She removed her hand and said, "Now, go and begin your journey. Discord waits for no man."
Double Edge knelt again and said, "Nam claritas solis." He then ran out of the hall as quickly as he could to start on his path.
Celestia turned back to the window and gave a heavy sigh, muttering to herself, "What are you planning, Discord?"
Out of nowhere, a mischievous voice echoed, "Wouldn't you like to know, Celly?"
Celestia turned around with a gasp to see Discord standing on the other side of the room, facing her. His outfit was a mishmash of clothing: His brown-and-yellow vest stretched out at the back end to form a tattered tail, the two shoulder pieces were of either royal blue feathers or jet black wings, and it was all topped off with a pair of brown slacks that, ironically enough, matched the chocolate shoes he wore. However, the strangest part about him was that the bottom half of his right leg was mechanical, glowing emerald in the sunlight, and his whole right arm was mustard yellow automail.
"Have you-?" Celestia started before she was cut off.
"-been here the whole time, Celly?" Discord finished, a wicked smile growing on his face. "It seems so."
The Arch Mage gave a sigh of defeat and pleaded, "Discord, please…"
"Please what, Celestia?" Discord asked, fury in his words. "You want me to stop having a war so you can reconcile? The time for that is over! You had your chance before, and you blew it! It's time we did battle! Now, have at you!"
The Avatar of Chaos swung his mechanical arm at Celestia, allowing a blade to slide out of the top just as Celestia brought her stave up to block it. "Discord, I don't want to fight you!"
Discord swung again, this time to her side, only to be stopped by the stave. "Then why have you sent your forces against me, dear Celly?"
Again, Discord swiped at her. "Does our past mean nothing?" Celestia asked.
"Our past is simply that, Celly: the past! We must live for now! One of us must be victorious in the end, and I intend for it to be me!"
Discord spun away from Celestia and stretched his mechanical arm out at her, yelling, "Confusa accipiam!" and sending chaotic magic in her direction. At the same time, Celestia used her stave to send light magic at him, shouting, "Sol accipiam!". The two beams met in the middle, causing an explosive reaction and creating a blinding light in the middle, which swayed in between the two. As one forced their magic to work harder, it would move in the direction of their opponent before they countered it, sending it in the reverse direction and causing a stalemate.
Eventually, Discord yelled, "ENOUGH OF THIS!" and forced his magic forward as he walked closed to Celestia. The light reached dangerously close to her, causing her to wrench her stave away and be overwhelmed by the chaotic magic. Her crown flew into the air for a moment before Discord used his own magic to bring it to him, placing it on his head. In an instant, it was corrupted by Discord's chaotic magic and turned into a twisted version of its former self.
"At last, what is rightfully mine," he called out to Celestia, who was struggling to get up off the floor. "I think it's time for a change of scenery…"
As Double Edge reached the outskirts of Whitetail Woods, he looked back as a loud sound resonated through the sky and a giant ball of chaotic magic expanded from Canterlot Castle to surround the city.
"Her Majesty…" he whispered to himself, a look of grief on his face. Double Edge took one last look at the absence of Canterlot before running into the woods to start his journey.