Chrono and the others tended to the prone form of Rarity. With Fluttershy’s help, he was able to tend to her wounds, making a tourniquet to stop the blood from flowing from her severed leg.
“Dear Celestia,” Chrono said suddenly, “we have to hurry! We’re losing her!”
Suddenly, Rarity’s sword began to glow, as did a group of clear crystals and the area of Rarity’s former leg. Instantly the crystals that were glowing detached and coalesced, merging into the bloody stump where her leg used to be. Before the stunned eyes of the the five ponies, the crystals formed into the shape of a leg and fused with Rarity’s physical body, becoming a sort of prosthetic. Everypony, Chrono included, was mystified, shocked, and generally unexpectant of this event.
Within the next fifteen minutes, the clear crystals that made up Rarity’s new leg turned a deep, crimson hue as the blood began to flow through the rock. Within the half-hour, her eyelids began to flutter as she started to revive.
“Rarity?” asked Rainbow Dash, “Are you ok?”
“Ohh…” Rarity moaned. “What happened?”
“Allow me to explain that,” Chrono said, “but first, how much do remember?”
“I remember breaking the crab’s shell, then… nothing after that,” Rarity replied.
“Ok, I’ll take it from there,” said Chrono. “After you split the shell, the crab knocked you against the far wall, severing your left foreleg and sealing all the exits.”
“Oh,my,” Rarity gasped.
“Then you discovered your True Power; it turns out you can do more than make dresses and find gems,”
“Is that so?”
“Quite, in fact, it seems your gems now protect you and your closest friends from harm, like a shield or…”
“Or a barrier?” suggested Pinkie Pie.
“Exactly like a barrier,” Chrono said. “Thank you Pinkie. since you have discovered your True Power, Rarity, you have evolved into something much more. You are now the Crystalline Vanguard, your stalwart defenses protecting all as you lead your friends through danger.”
“That doesn’t explain what happened to my leg though,” Rarity said.
“I don’t have the best explanation for that,” Chrono responded, “but I think your spirit called out to the crystals by way of your sword, which in turn formed a new leg. What it means is beyond me, though if I had to guess, the new leg is a symbol of your new abilities, similar to the green patch on Fluttershy’s back.”
“Your cutie mark has also changed.” Applejack indicated. Rarity’s mark still consisted of three diamonds, yet the diamonds were arranged in a hexagonal pattern, with a gap between the three that looked like a triangle with sides bent inwards. The diamonds now appeared to be prismatic, shimmering and changing color in the light.
“I take it to mean that my powers have amplified and that I’m always there to protect my friends?” Rarity asked.
“Correct,” answered Chrono. “One last thing though. How are we going to get out?”
“Leave that to me.” Rarity said as she walked towards a patch of crystals. As she got nearer, the crystals pulled apart and revealed a passage to the surface.
“You’re much more powerful than you think, Twilight,” Obscura said as the two walked down a corridor in the dilapidated stronghold. “You just have to strive to become stronger every day, eventually all your untapped power will make itself known to you. Only then will you surpass this Chrono.”
“I’m not sure,” said Twilight, “Chrono said that a sudden influx of power could kill me.”
“Oh, dearie,” Obscura replied in a comforting tone. “He was just saying that because he knows your potential and he’s afraid of it.”
“So you’re saying that he is deliberately trying to hinder me?” Twilight asked.
“Of course, he is obviously afraid you’ll surpass him.”
“But he brought us here to discover ‘True Power’.”
“Tell me he didn’t!” Obscura said, dropping her facade for a moment, then, after regaining her composure, “I mean, once a pony discovers True Power, their natural capabilities will no longer advance, preventing them from becoming all they could be. Trust me, You’ll grow stronger under my tutelage, Twilight, in fact, once you are converted, you’ll grow in power faster than you would in this form!”
“I’m not sure,” Twilight responded.
“Oh, don’t you trust me?” Obscura cooed, caressing Twilight’s face with her hoof. “Or do you want to remain weak?” This last statement hit home.
“NO!” I want to become stronger!” Twilight snapped. “I have full trust in your motives, and I assure you I will submit to this conversion!”
“”Excellent,” Obscura said sinisterly as the two ponies walked into a foreboding chamber. Dark crystals lined the walls while maleficent symbols covered the floor. “Then let’s begin.”
The journey to the surface was uneventful to the point of being boring. When Chrono Rarity, and the others reached the surface, the sun had already set.
“Nighttime already?” said Applejack, “Well shoot.”
“It appears we were in the caverns longer than we thought,” Chrono said. “In any case, we can’t go back underground for shelter; it’s much too dangerous.”
“Then what are we going to do?” asked Rainbow Dash. “Sleep on the ground?”
“Exactly,” Dash’s mouth dropped in reaction to Chrono’s response. “And in the event of predators or otherwise; leave it to me.” Chrono then took a sharp stick and pierced his leg, drawing a few drops of blood. He suspended his blood in front of him. “I’ll need blood from all of you,” he said. “Nothing much, just a drop or two.”
Reluctantly, the other five ponies allowed Chrono to draw blood from them, adding the scarlet fluid to his own suspended drops. Chrono then coated the point of the stick in the liquid and, gesturing for the others to take a few steps back, drew a five-pointed star, starting from the topmost point. When the star was finished, Chrono drew two circles of runes. “Qisan natro salnar nolet futumar!” he chanted as he drew the the circle. The result was large enough for the six ponies to comfortably sleep in. Chrono then touched the base of the circle with his hoof. A dome of energy the size of the circle shimmered brightly, then died down.
“There, now we can get in and out of the circle, but no one else can.” Chrono said, admiring his handiwork.
“So you’re saying we can just step in the circle and nothing will harm us?” Applejack asked. “Seems a little too good to be true.”
Cold anger flared in Chrono’s eyes as he glared at the earth pony.
“I’m not saying I doubt your abilities,” Applejack defended, “I’m just wondering if it’ll protect us from any threat.”
Chrono’s anger resided a little , “Trust me, it will work,” he said before quietly adding, “I hope…”
“So how’s this ritual going to work?” asked Twilight.
“All you have to do is stand in the circle and follow my instructions,” Obscura assured. “Just let me guide you.”
Twilight stood in the center of the sinister-looking circle as instructed. Once she was in place, the crystals began to glow with an ethereal darkness.
“Now just close your eyes and relax,” instructed Obscura. “Feel every ounce of power leave your body and flow into the crystals.” Gradually, magical energy began arcing from Twilight’s horn to the crystals, which seemed to draw her power out faster. As more and more energy left her, Twilight felt more and more relaxed.
“Excellent!” Obscura exclaimed, “Now I shall augment the circle and crystals with my magic.” Obscura’s horn ignited as beams of black and purple energy emerged from the tip; black energy striking the crystals and purple energy striking the circle, causing both to glow with even more dark energy.
“Now, feel every negative emotion in your body; anger, fear, hatred, despair, rise in intensity.” Twilight’s body began to shift in appearance as she complied to Obscura’s instructions. “That’s it,” the dark alicorn said, “let it take control of you. Let it consume your mentality. Become one with your hatred toward Chrono!”
Twilight’s body began to glow with malefic energy as her mind became twisted and dark thoughts invaded her consciousness. The crystals and circle began to glow with greater intensity as energy shot from the crystals, filling Twilight’s form with malicious power far exceeding her original levels.
“Yes!” Obscura cried, “Awaken! Twilight, from this day forth, you are reborn!” Black energy erupted from the circle, consuming Twilight in a swirling maelstrom of darkness and spite. When the energy subsided, Twilight Sparkle was no more.
“Welcome to the game, Astral Blackflash!”