Spitfire flapped her wings as fast as she could as she and the other air benders flew out over the sea. Her eyes widened at the sight that soon greeted them. Ships. dozens of them. There was no way they could all have water benders. Right?
The good news was there were so many of them that they were still in the midst of repositioning. Not unexpected, as they couldn't send tidal waves like that from behind their forces, they'd wipe each other out. Judging by the collapsed unicorns on some of the boats, it hadn't been an easy trick to perform. All the ships made the repositioning a slow and painful process. But their water bending made the ships move faster than they could have, even with the winds fighting them and no oars. The bad news was that the force was huge. They were out numbered, more than they'd initially thought. These were just the forces at sea, as well. Who knew where the others could be hiding?
She took a deep breath and looked back. “Fleetfoot, Soarin! Turn back, warn the avatar about this! They have enough ponies here to take us out!” She did a quick look over and shook her head. “This has to be their main force, though. Get some of our airships back here. We need to delay them as long as we can. Everypony else! We're going in. Wreck sails, break lines, do everything you can to slow them down!” she yelled as she slowly tucked her wings in. “Make them as dead in the water as you can!” She wished they weren't water benders. It would have all been so easy if they would actually stay dead in the water. But, even so, without sails the going would be slow. Hopefully.
A pony on her target ship pointed to her as she dove, but she ignored it. She had chosen one of the ships moving into position. She formed the wind in front of her, using her bending to cut it and reduce the air pressure, making her dive even faster. This could work. It would work. Two of the unicorns stepped forward and started shooting shards of ice at her, a veritable wall of icy knives. She just smirked and kept falling, the air around her hoof pushing out and easily knocking the ice away. The benders then stomped their hooves and a wide pillar of water shot up, but it was too slow. She was on them. Inches above their heads she spread out her wings and performed an instant one-twenty degree turn, exploding the air around her as she moved. The ponies screamed as many of them were sent flying from the sudden explosion, hurtling through the water and some even flying so far as to land in other ships.
She then flew straight towards the edge of the boat before performing a harsh ninety-degree turn straight up, shooting towards the mast. The air followed behind her, pushed and pulled by her air bending and the area she just recently vacated. With a solid push of her air bending, the burst tore through the ship. The sail was shredded as it struggled against its lines, snapping ropes and peppering the ship with cloth. Even the wooden mast began to crack under the assault.
Spitfire yelped and drew herself higher up, barely avoiding a tendril of water as it tried to grab her from below. She shot up like a dart and looked around, frowning. Plenty of the ships were now damaged, fortunately those in the front. But it was slow work and they were heavily out numbered. She could see a few of her ponies struggling as well, trying to fight off water bender attacks and being knocked into the sea. Not to mention a few who she could tell wouldn't be returning home. It was war, after all. She took a deep breath and headed towards the next ship, where she saw an air bender stuck in a ball of water and struggling to break free.
Out of the corner of her eye she saw something orange glowing in the distance, but she didn't let it distract her. She had a job to do. Ponies that depended on her. They had to buy as much time as they could. Who knew what would happen if these ships landed or another tidal wave struck?
------
Twilight hovered in the air, supported on equal parts by her wings and the bending power that flowed through her. She felt so... alive. More alive than she'd ever felt before. She'd been through events like this before, but they were so long ago. Even then, her bending had been so weak and, without wars, this day just tended to be more an event for fireworks and parties.
But now? She felt as if a flood gate of power and magic had been directly connected to her veins. She felt as if she could raise and lower the sun on her own. Heck, she probably could. Flames enveloped her wings as she flapped, her gaze wandering over the ponies below. The fire benders looked exhausted, but then they had helped her by lending their power to her protective wall. Even she had felt tired for a few moments, but only a few.
Now she felt alive. More alive than she ever had before. A golden crown formed on her head, with a purple star gemstone embedded into it. Down below she felt, not so much as saw, the other elements appearing around her friend's necks. The beams shot out, enveloping her, filling her with power beyond what she'd ever thought possible. It wasn't just her fire bending, either. She could feel all the elements, hers to command. Earth. Water. Wind. Fire. She was master of them all. She could reach out and touch the very nature of the world with the ease a pony would close a door.
This... was over. She could end this. She would end this. Her gaze shifted towards the castle. She didn't need to endanger any of them any more. She had the power, the capability. She had the strength. She took off, her wings leaving a burning line through the sky as she went, ignoring her friend's yells as she charged towards the castle.
The wall of stone that had once blocked it off from the rest of the city was now gone, even the metal gate that had been under it was only a few feet of molten slag, quickly cooling and sizzling in the air.
She flew to the balcony, her eyes narrowed into little pin pricks as she tried to find Nightmare Moon, her wings giving the room an ominous glow.
The ruler wasn't there. If Twilight was in a normal state of mind, she might have panicked or spent seconds searching to find the mare in the room. She wasn't. She could feel the air in the room, no pony was in there but her. So instead she darted through the room towards the door, blasting it in as she came close and lodging it into the wall opposite her. A long, twisting staircase stood before her.
The room burst into flame behind her, walls, pictures, bedding, all catching alight from the alicorn's power.
The avatar galloped down the stairs. As she came near the bottom she could feel the ponies waiting there. Preparing to strike as she turned the corner. She gathered her magic around her, compressing the air like one of her flaming explosions. The moment she stepped off the last step, two Shadowbolts charged at her from each side.
They were blown clear through the wooden wall on either side of the room. Then the walls of two more rooms past that, before landing in a daze. “NIGHTMARE MOON!” Her voice reverberated through the castle, the power and might coursing through her fueling everything she was, down to the core. It was... exhilarating. Beyond anything she'd ever imagined. “Come out! I will not hesitate to destroy this castle to find you!” There was no response, aside from the groans of the ponies she'd disabled. She hmped and trotted forward.
The fire spread out from her, enveloping all as she walked. Her hooves scorched the floor, her wings singed the walls and furniture. Ponies charged at her from halls and stairs, but she sent them hurtling back with well timed bursts of air, crashing through walls as she went. She let out another growl. “ENOUGH!” Her magic roared for a second before she formed a fiery ball over her head and blew a part of the roof off. Ponies screamed as wood and ash flew through the air. A few unicorns down the hall who had small spears of ice held above their heads quickly gave each other a look, dropped the spears and fell down on their stomachs. Her eyes turned to them and narrowed.
”Where is she?” The ponies gulped and pointed down the stairs. She charged past them, making the two quickly yelp and gallop away from the approaching flames. The place was so... so big. She had no idea where the mare could be. The floor below was no better, all the halls and doors and just... “AGHHHHHHH!” She finally roared and flew up, blasting through the floors and finally the roof of the building. She then stared down at it, her wings flapping behind her. ”No more hiding,” she said.
The wind began tearing around her hoof, her wing flaps helping to propel it faster and faster. It swirled and twisted, pulling at the building with gradually increasing pressure. Her other hoof flew towards the side of the building, directing the refuse to the side as it funneled up to her.
Suddenly five dark purple blurs burst from the windows of the building and turned straight up, charging at her. Shadowbolts. She narrowed her eyes and gritted her teeth, letting the wind die from her hooves. They flew straight at her as she merely thrust her hooves together. There was a crack and then a powerful burst of air, sending the ponies hurtling back, their wings flapping wildly as they tried to stabilize themselves. She didn't allow them to, not this time.
Twilight lit her hooves up as the flames enveloping her wings grew ever larger until they were each four times the size of a griffons. She then flapped them a few times, sending powerful currents of air at the Shadowbolts. They struggled to fight the wind, flailing their hooves and flapping their wings, but the winds were too strong. They slammed back into the building, their moans rising up from the damaged building.
She flew down to the ground and lifted a hoof down. She then thrust it down to the ground, causing the rocks and dirt to shoot up. The building was cleaved in half as a thick wall of stone separated it into two pieces. “Nightmare Moon! This ends now! Surrender, or I will end you!” Purple water spilled off the rocks, but a wave of her hoof turned it to ice. The power felt so... so powerful. It was intoxicating. She could feel it almost overwhelming her. She didn't need her friends, she didn't need anypony. This was the power of the avatar. She could do this on her own. She would do this on her own. The power flowed through her, like fire in her veins. Earth, water, wind and fire. They were hers to command. The elements themselves were hers. No pony elses. She could do whatever she pleased! She was--
She paused for a moment before shaking her head. What was she thinking? She'd only gotten this far BECAUSE of her friends. She was powerful, but she was far from all powerful. They were still counting on her, she had to--
She felt the attack coming from her right. She easily stepped aside as the purple shards of ice skewered the ground where she had stood. She looked up and, for a second, her heart chilled.
Sweetie Belle stared at her from the gateway of the castle, one eye glowing purple while the other glowed green. Her magic was almost black as the water twisted and writhed over her head. “Avatar! I've killed you once, I'll do it again!” More shards of purple ice flew at her. “Why couldn't you just stay dead? I was happy!” Twilight merely waved a hoof and a small wave of fire evaporated the ice. The ground under her shot up, sending her hurtling at the startled mare, who she sent flying back with a sudden burst of wind. She didn't let up the pressure, using the wind to hold the young mare pinned to the wall.
”Where is Nightmare Moon?” she roared, eyes narrowing into slits as fire blazed from her horn.
Sweetie merely laughed, shaking her head as she tried to resist the powerful winds. They refused to give even the slightest, even putting a dent in the wall from the mare's body. “You'll never find her! My mother is hiding, waiting for the moment to strike! She'll destroy you, and your little army!” she screamed, her horn glowing with corrupted magic.
Twilight growled, leaning forward. The mare had caused her nothing but trouble. So many dead, so many fallen. All because of this one mare. She leaned closer, the flame on her horn glowing a bright white. She should burn the mare to a crisp. Destroy her. One future ruler of the nation, gone. Leaving only Nightmare Moon to deal with.
She thrust her horn forward. Her crown glowed as white light enveloped the princess. She screamed. Then it was over. The winds stopped and, for a moment, there was silence as Sweetie fell to the ground. She stared up at the alicorn, eyes wide and frightened. “What... what did you do?”
”You're free now, princess. He no longer controls you.” Twilight said before turning away from the mare. “Where is Nightmare Moon?”
Sweetie merely stared at her for a few seconds, her mouth open in shock. Then she nervously gulped. “I... I don't know...”
Twilight sneered, before galloping down the hall.
The young princess watched the mare go. She then lowered her eyes. Something... felt wrong. She felt so... so empty. So helpless. So... weak. What did that alicorn do to her? She couldn't even feel the anger anymore. All she could feel was helpless.
------
Spitfire let out a grunt as she avoided a hail of icy arrows. Blood soaked her side, her right wing was missing half its feathers and her mane was a mess, but she kept fighting. The air benders fought with all their skill and might, but they were fighting a losing battle. The ships had given up on trying to organize themselves and were instead focusing on fighting the fliers off. With such great numbers on their side, it was only a matter of time until they succeeded.
She dove down on another ship, scattering the water benders and tearing more riggings free, before grabbing one of her fallen comrades and pulling her off the ship. The other mare's wing had a nasty gash down the side. “Can you still fly?”
“Y-yes, barely,” the mare groaned.
“Fine. Pull back,” Spitfire let her go once they were out of range of the ships. “Get back to the others, help prepare for an emergency escape.”
“But what about--”
“We'll hold them off as long as we can, but this is a losing battle. When we return, we'll have to move fast to get everypony out of here. Go!”
The mare gave a grudging nod, before turning to fly away. Spitfire turned back down to the battles. Already plenty of them had to retreat, not to mention those who had been captured. They were stalling the Water Nation's forces, but that was all they could hope to do here. She drew in a deep breath and dived again, cringing as another spike of ice grazed her cheek.
------
“Show them their insides!” Lightning yelled as she soared across the empty air between her airship and the one they'd come besides. Her wing blades flashed in the sunlight as she tore through lines and the few ponies foolish enough to get in her way. Her pirates moved with her, slashing and cutting with the best of them.
The Water Nation's airships had appeared from the north, closing in fast. She hadn't been surprised, though. Pincering them from the south with water ships and water benders, then from the north with air ships and the pegasi. It was a common tactic, a good one. Her ponies might have been a little frightened of the numbers, except for one thing.
It wasn't everyday you watched a hoofful of ponies both stop a tidal wave AND another batch of them completely incinerate a city, steel walls and all. Even rarer that such a force was on their side. As far as she was concerned, this war was as good as won and she'd be damned if she'd let a couple of lily livered soldiers get in the way of her victory.
She'd sent her ships crashing against the Water Nation's airforce, her own ship leading the fray. They'd already brought almost a dozen of them down and panic was spreading through their ranks. After all, out numbered or not, staring down her horde was a prospect no pony enjoyed. A few of the enemies ships had panicked from the initial charge and done more damage to themselves than the pirates had when they slammed into each other. Balloons, riggings and wood shattered as the pirates drove their ships into the opposing forces.
She flew just under the balloon of her newest prey, turning sideways so her wings slashed a long gash down its side. She laughed as another pony flew at her, wearing their silly soldier armor. Their blades clashed for a moment, and then she was on him. The stallion stared for a few quick seconds before he realized they were too close to use their weapons. Unfortunately, she knew how to fight with her whole body and a few quick blows sent him hurtling down into the deck below. She then flew up, spinning like a top as she blew through the balloon and out the other side.
She burst into laughter as she watched the destruction and panic spreading through their forces. Not a bender amongst them, just hoof and blade. Her kind of fight. “Tear their ships apart! Show them why we rule the skies!” she yelled. She caught sight of something very... strange then. A black and purple garbed pegasus, not wearing a single piece of armor. No, two of them. They moved like lightning and, before her eyes, she watched them take down four of her ponies and two griffons.
Her grin widened and her eyes flashed. “Shadowbolts. Here I thought they were just a myth!” She flapped her wings and flew right at them, her blades cutting the wind. They separated the moment she was on them, just barely avoiding her strikes. “Wh--” She was then suddenly stopped, yanked by her tail. She let out a yelp as one of them actually hurtled her, straight into one of the balloons.
She growled and bounced off it, charging straight at the nearer one. She squinted a little, focusing and... he dove to the right. She dove right with him, slamming into him and striking out with her hooves. The pony didn't even fight, he just reached out and grabbed her, pulling her tight against him. A moment later she felt repeated strikes across her back, making her cry out in pain. She tried to pull back and strike the pony holding her, but he refused to let go and she couldn't get the right leverage like this. Also, she was feeling... weird. Her left front hoof wouldn't move and her right one felt numb.
There was a blast and she was torn free from the pony, before being grabbed and hauled back. She looked up at her savior and blinked. “Rainbow? What in blazes are you doing here?”
“Twilight's got things handled down below, I thought you could use some help!”
“I'm fine,” she snapped, though she glanced down at her front hooves. “Mostly. The buck did they do to me?”
“Shadowbolts, gotta be careful with them!” Rainbow said before letting her go. She flapped her wings and managed to stabilize herself. The two shadowbolts had, unfortunately, stabilized themselves as well. They stared at the two and flew in a tight circle, before tucking in their wings and rocketing towards them. “Don't let them hit you with their hooves. They know some kind of... paralyzing hoof strike thing!”
Lightning cursed before glancing to her. “Fine. I guess I'll take your help. But just this once!” The two shared a quick nod, before flying to meet the ponies.
------
Twilight neatly stepped back as the two Shadowbolts tried to jump on her from above. The light granted by her flaming wings made it easy to see the ponies, allowing her to send them hurtling back with a powerful gust of wind. The fire was spreading rapidly through the halls, causing many of the ponies she'd encountered to run for their lives. Now the only ones who seemed insistent on facing her were the Shadowbolts. They felt almost slow and pathetic now, as she was easily able to sense where they were going to come from based on the air currents.
She took a deep breath as she kept trotting, looking around. ”Nightmare! Come out! You cannot hide forever!”
“She doesn't have to,” a voice said from down the hall.
Twilight whipped around, glaring at the figure. A pony wearing a long cloak stood at the end of the hall. “You shouldn't be here, avatar.”
”I do plenty of things I shouldn't do. Where is she?”
The figure sighed and shook her head. “Is that your plan? To run around this castle, hoping you run into her? Your only options are to escape now, or smash the building to a pulp and kill everypony inside.” There was a light chuckle. “But, you aren't that kind of pony, are you? Taking one life would be hard enough. But all those others?” The hooded figure glanced around. “Then again, you seem quite content burning the place to the ground. Maybe you don't care that much about these ponies after all.”
“It's burning slowly,” Twilight snapped before stomping a hoof. ”Tell me where Nightmare Moon is! Now!” The ground shook before she sent a burst of wind at the mare. The other pony darted back, disappearing down one of the halls.
“If you wish to find her, you'll have to catch me!”
Twilight growled and chased after the mare, spreading flames along the wall as she went. The mare stayed just barely ahead of her, turning corners whenever she entered the hallway. She knew she was being led around, but she had no choice. The mare was right, she COULDN'T destroy the place. Burning it was fine, the ponies would run and escape. But actually crushing it flat in a matter of seconds? Just the thought of that blood on her hooves made her cringe. She smiled suddenly and skidded to a stop.
She couldn't believe she hadn't though to retry that. The sun's power still flowed within her. She flew up, crashing through the floors above, sending more materials scattering. She flew over the palace and looked down.
She froze for a moment in shock. It was in ruins. Sheared in half by her stone wall, flames spreading through the wood. Ponies were evacuating from all sides, running in terror of her might. But then, why shouldn't they? Like this she was... all powerful. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She felt every flame in the building and, with a single wave of her hoof, she snuffed them all out. She flapped her wings again and sent wind hurtling through the building, shredding the roof apart and sending it crashing down below.
She looked up and stopped. The sun was... she didn't know. How long had she had this power? How long had she been destroying things? Attacking things? How much longer would it last? Seconds? Minutes?
Panic began to build within her as she stared down at the fleeing masses. So many ponies. Was it possible Nightmare Moon was amongst them? She... didn't know. She waved her hoof once more and the ground shot up around them. It boxed them in, a roof of stone forming over them. No. Nightmare Moon wouldn't have come out. Of that she was certain. The mare wasn't the type to... flee like that. She'd be waiting. Hiding. Preparing to snuff her out when she was weak.
She looked down at the castle below. There was only one chance she'd have. One chance she'd ever have. They'd worked too hard for her to give up now. A few tears welled in her eyes. She had to do it. She didn't want to, but she had to. She lifted her hooves into the air as walls of stone rose from all sides of the castle. She had to do this. She had to. It was the only way. She had to end this now, for everypony. The magic water resisted her bending, but it gave way to her control quickly, allowing her to mold the earth as she saw fit. She had no choice. She had to.
The walls rose over the castle itself, blocking out the sun. She took a deep breath and pushed her hooves together. “I'm sorry...” she whispered. It had to be done. The walls began moving towards each other, moving in to crush the castle where it lay.
Then they stopped. She pushed her hooves together, again and again, but it refused to move. The flames from her wings died. Her eyes widened. “No. No no! Stop. Not yet, not--” Then it struck her. The fire in her veins drained away, leaving her hollow. Her wings flapped pathetically, but it was too much. The stone walls crumbled, raining rocks down on the land as she began to fall from the sky. The world faded in and out, one second she was three hundred feet above the ground, then two hundred, then only a hundred. She tried to stabilize her fall, pulling herself away from the castle, to catch herself. But it was too much. Her body felt broken. Weak.
The last thing she saw were the rocks, coming towards her like a moving wall. Then darkness.
------
Applejack did a quick mental count as she helped organize the retreat. As far as she knew, the air benders were still fighting the ships off in the south, so far they hadn't managed to break through. Yet. There was still a good chance they'd come up and bring them down from behind. She glanced to the skies to the north. At least the pirates were doing good, Rainbow had flown off to help and, as far as she could tell, they were destroying the Water Nation's forces. She just wished there weren't so many of them. Pinkie and Fluttershy were staying near her, helping to keep the ponies as organized as they could.
The fire benders and the water benders were still fairly exhausted, though Vinyl had at least recovered enough to help organize their escape. The air ships weren't in any state to help them escape, locked in conflict like they were. Even if they won and Twilight managed to defeat Nightmare Moon, it was best they weren't here when the rest of the forces crashed in on them. Fortunately, the destroyed and now only slightly hot walls were barely more than a mild annoyance. The ground had been so destroyed by the flames that the earth benders had little trouble bending again, as most of the water had been boiled away.
“Okay everypony, groups of five!” Octavia yelled. “Three earth benders, two others in each group! Head to whichever meet up points you can!” She stomped her hooves. “Most importantly, don't gather up! There's an entire army out there trying to make its way back, we're not fighting them! We're going to sneak by right under their hooves!” She motioned to the side. “If no ship arrives to pick you up, head into the Fire Tribe lands. Keep low, we'll find you!”
The ponies nodded as they broke up into small teams before galloping towards the walls. Applejack glanced up towards the castle, letting out a gasp as Twilight burst through the roof. Was it done? Had she succeeded?
Almost every eye turned to the alicorn. Gasps filled the air as massive walls of stone rose up to surround the castle. The water drenching the stone turned to ice, making the earth bender stare in awe. “Guess controllin' all four elements has its benefits...” she mumbled.
Then it all stopped. The walls began to crumble and she saw Twilight, fluttering and struggling to stay afloat as the rocks fell around her. Applejack gasped and charged forward, only vaguely aware of other ponies running on either side of her. The ground was warm but hard under her hooves, allowing her to easily plow through it. Her eyes never left the avatar as she leaped over the remnants of the wall. The castle courtyard was filled with toppled stones, a gift from the avatar's display.
The earth pony didn't hesitate. She slammed her hooves down and the debris gathered into a tall pillar of rock and dirt. It reached up for the avatar as she fell, letting the mare slam into it. Then it gave. It guided the alicorn down towards the ground, slowly crumbling under her and slowing the fall. Applejack kept running, until the last of the dirt was swept away and the avatar flew into her hooves. Against all her instinct as an earth bender, Applejack let the alicorn crash into her and send her toppling back, the two skidding on the ground a few yards. She let out a groan before slowly shaking Twilight. “Hey. Twi, yah okay?”
“Fire... the fire... earth...” the alicorn mumbled drowsily, her eyes slowly opening and wobbling around, unfocused. “Gotta... gotta get...”
“Easy there sugarcube,” the earth pony said with a chuckle. “Yah had a right tumble there.” She then glanced up at the castle, gulping. “Really messed up the place too. Yah manage tah get Nightmare Moon?”
“Gotta... find her...” Twilight groaned as she tried to pull back from the mare, but she was weak as a foal, not even able to lift herself. She couldn't even maintain consciousness for more than a few seconds before going limp in Applejack's arms.
“Then it's as we feared,” Octavia said softly as she trotted up behind the two. “The avatar has... failed.”
“Hey, it's not all bad,” Vinyl said with a chuckle as she walked besides the other mare. “We still wrecked their place. Made Nightmare Moon run like a frightened filly. All we gotta do now is get out of here and--”
“Get out of here?” a deceptively calm voice said from the ruins of the castle. The three conscious ponies flinched as Nightmare Moon slowly walked out from the trashed building. She stepped gingerly around the wreckage with each step. “Oh, the four of you won't be going anywhere.” She stepped swiftly to the right as a spike of earth attempted to impale her. She cocked an eye. “Don't believe for a moment your... novice bending can oppose me.”
Octavia stepped forward. “Get the avatar out of here. I'll hold her off.”
Applejack gulped. “But--”
“Do it!”
The mare looked down at her fallen friend before slowly moving the alicorn onto her back and galloping away.
Nightmare Moon glowered before thrusting a hoof forward. Spikes of water shot out from the ground, aimed at the retreating pony's back. They shifted direction in mid air, impaling the ground.
Octavia glanced back. “Vinyl--”
“Don't say it,” the water bender said with a growl. “You have no chance taking her on, one on one. You need me.” She smirked. “Besides, I've been wanting to knock her royal highness on her up tight flank for years.”
Octavia smiled and shook her head. “I wasn't going to say that.” She turned towards the ruler and grinned. “Just wanted to say I'm happy to have you by my side.” With those words, the two charged the ruler.