I clutched Derpy close to me, her breathing shallow. Lily laid her head upon her sister’s chest, while Twilight and her friends encircled us, providing some measure of privacy.
The griffon that greeted the Elements of Harmony began issuing orders to her subordinates, sending some to watch after the retreating Diamond Dogs and others to safeguard the ponies.
“What can I do,” I whispered to myself. It was happening again. I could see myself in the pain that filled Lily’s eyes, overflowing onto Derpy. It was the pain of losing your little sister.
I looked to my bow, considering the spell I had yet to invoke. A plan took shape in my mind.
“Not again.” I whipped my head up, startling Twilight, who was leaning over me to see Derpy.
“Twilight, I need you to cast a spell.”
“Max,” she replied softly. “When I was an Alicorn, perhaps I would have had enough power to heal her, but now—”
I was unfazed. “Can you teleport us to the Rainbow Refuge?”
Twilight’s eyes lit up as she connected the dots. She trotted over to where my bow was lying on the ground.
“There isn’t much time,” she said, bending down to touch the bow with her horn. It began to glow, the bowstring shimmering purple in response to her magic.
“What do I have to do?” I asked. Lily looked desperately between me and Twilight.
“Snap the string. That will release the spell, and it will put the two of you as close to the pool as the magic reserves within the bowstring allow. I need to be with the refugees, to lead them to our new home. This is something you will have to do yourself, Max.”
Lily didn’t hesitate. “I’ll meet you there.”
She took off, disappearing into the sky like a bolt of violet lightning.
Another griffon descended, landing next to their leader. “Our scouts spotted Dissonance on the other side of the forest, near the ponies.”
Twilight locked eyes with me. “I have to go.”
Rainbow Dash spread her wings and looked toward the head gryphon. “C’mon, Gilda.”
Gilda flew after her, with the messenger griffon trailing behind. The other ponies galloped out of the square behind Twilight.
I reached over and grabbed the bow, struggling to hold Derpy on my lap with one hand. The bowstring was strong—I had no idea how I would break it.
One of the griffons noticed me frantically twisting and wrenching the string.
“Allow me,” he said, claws appearing from his footpaw. He swiped them at the bow, and as soon as he made contact I felt a jerk; like tripping or falling in a dream.
We were somewhere deep within the Everfree Forest. I was still kneeling, resting on the side of a hill in the soft mosses and leaves. I tried to find any landmark that could give me a clue as to our whereabouts.
Derpy’s blood had soaked through my clothes. I watched her chest for the subtle signs of life, but my trembling arms made it difficult to discern any movement. If we stayed here, she wouldn’t have a chance.
I got my feet under me, lifting Derpy up and over my shoulders. It took every ounce of strength to stand. I climbed the hill slowly, one step at a time.
As we neared the top, through the deafening sound of my heart pounding in my ears, I heard a waterfall in the distance.
“Almost there, Derpy. Just hold on,” I wheezed. Asthma gripped my airways, but I knew that I couldn’t afford to slow down.
Cresting the hill, I looked down into a familiar valley. The surface of the pool rippled with the breeze and the stream crashing down into it, causing it to twinkle with lively color. So close to the Rainbow Refuge, and still so far away.
I picked my way carefully down the other side of the hill. The grass was slick from the rain, and each step threatened to send my feet out from under me.
Once I had reached the bottom, I braced myself for the final leg of the journey. Derpy hadn’t moved or made any noise since the square, but I had to believe. I had to try.
Inch by agonizing inch, I narrowed the gap between us and the water’s edge. We were nearly there when I felt a sudden presence behind me.
“You’re not Twilight,” muttered a sinister voice. I turned cautiously, finding myself face to face with Dissonance. I glared back at him.
“I didn’t expect to find you at the terminus of a spell with her magical signature,” he said, smiling wickedly. “Are you going somewhere?”
I couldn’t fight him alone, and I wasn’t about to set Derpy down. I had no choice. I turned back toward the water, and put one foot in front of the other. Two steps later, I was struck from behind.
The shock of the blow caused me to drop Derpy, who fell forward and tumbled to a stop just short of the pool. I didn’t feel any immediate pain, so I was surprised to notice that there was a metal spike protruding from my stomach.
I groaned as he yanked it free, causing my own blood to pour out of the wound and mix with the blood that already coated me. I fell into a kneeling position, suddenly weak.
“No!” I heard Lily yell from somewhere above. My vision darkened around the edges—Derpy was lying ahead of me at the end of the tunnel.
Lily flew past me. Dissonance roared. I started to crawl on my hands and knees toward Derpy.
My ears were ringing. Each breath was laborious and painful. I struggled to stay conscious.
“Max!” I glanced backward to see Lily looking at me, her eyes wide. She had planted herself between me and Dissonance. “Get to the water!”
The Draconequus swung his tail around, but Lily ducked just in time. She launched herself toward him, wrapping her forelegs around his trunk and knocking him backward.
I saw the trail of blood behind me. Time was running out.
I kept crawling, the sounds of struggle behind me fading away as the ringing in my ears grew louder. I reached Derpy, and feebly tried pushing her ahead of me toward the water. She barely moved, if I even moved her at all.
They say your life flashes before your eyes when you’re about to die, but for me it was just a single moment of time. I saw my sister’s nursery, and her empty crib—empty except for the Pinkie Pie plush doll sitting in the corner.
I felt a surge of adrenaline, and knew that I would only have the strength for one last push. It would have to be enough.
Crying out, I grabbed Derpy with both arms and rolled over her, pulling her with me. We tumbled together down the gentle slope toward the pool. Splashing down, I twisted around to angle us so that our heads would stay on the shoreline, out of the water. A circle of rusty color spread out from where we landed, the pool cleansing us of the blood and dirt covering our bodies.
The pain receded immediately, though I still felt completely drained from the effort. Derpy opened her eyes, one of them looking back into mine as she gasped for breath.
The darkness closed in on me and the Rainbow Refuge faded away as I lost consciousness.