Shining Armor hated the smell of war. It was raw, dirty, and reeked of death so thick, it made him retch. In the span of five years, he had lead stallions and mares into battle after battle with the souls of the dead weighed on his very own. Shining Armor didn’t give much thought towards a Heaven with all the lives he had watched be swept away under his command. He wasn’t even sure if he believed in one anymore. If it existed, though, he felt like they -- whoever that was -- were going to drag him to hell and let him rot there.
Or maybe it was just some strange type of wishful thinking, hoping he wouldn’t have to explain to all those who had died around him why he had let it happen. He knew it wasn’t normal thinking, regardless, but there was no time for a therapist to become involved. All he had time for these days was making sure the ponies under his protection didn’t die.
He marched with his personal guards and generals on top of the Crystal Wall, the biggest physical defence barrier in the world. At twenty-six feet of pure diamond, as well as other crystals to increase its strength, the wall surrounded the entire city nearly sixty miles out. It had been hastily designed after the destruction of the Crystal Heart, a plan left behind by Twilight as a back up. Following her sister-in-law’s death, Cadance put as much effort into making it and it had stood the test of endless battles. Those battles had taken their toll, however, and the walls were always in need of repair or maintenance, and they were running low on resources to keep them steady.
It was likely after this battle, it would have to hold until it fell.
Reaching the highest tower of the wall, Shining Armor stood in the air with the flags of the Crystal Empire and Equestria blowing high above him. He looked below and saw the entire army, all ready for battle. Every section of the wall was layered with archers and various magic focus groups in key areas. Large crystals, red in color and shaped like spears leaping out of a cannon barrel were aimed forward, ready to unleash the crystal magic they had been stored with.
Behind the walls near the gates were the legions of troops of all pony races lined up and ready for battle. Beside them were the catapults ready for long range artillery with whatever ammunition the crews could fill them with.
He sighed. The troops’ emotions ranged from determined to terrified. More than once, he found himself wishing for his old army buddies to be at his side again. The ponies he trained and sweated with for all those years...
He turned to the remaining generals and commanders that he had come to depend on over the years. “Where are Commander Dash and Volunteer Captain Applejack?” asked one of them. “Shouldn’t they be here?”
“They are...” The prince started, but was interrupted by the sound of hooves traveling up the stairs.
A second later, an armored Rainbow Dash and Applejack arrived and saluted.
“Sorry about that, Shining Armor,” said Rainbow Dash, saluting as her hoof connected with her helmet. It was reminiscent of the one borne by Commander Hurricane, but blue instead of black. She motioned over her withers with a nod of her head. “Applejack here couldn’t find her greaves.”
Applejack’s armor, unlike most, was not made with crystals but regular old fashioned steel, designed to look just like the ancient Spartan Earth Ponies. Warriors of old who were feared by all in their time as the toughest soldiers in the land, conquerors of many nations and beheaders of their enemies. Applejack said her Granny told her many stories of them in her fillyhood and even learned she was descended from them. She said if she was gonna fight, she was gonna do it with the spirit of her ancestors beside her. “Would have found them sooner if ya didn’t mix them with the wash.”
Shining Armor did his best to remember that the real Rainbow Dash and Applejack were long gone by now. Still, he had to keep pretences up. “That’s enough, you two. You're here now and that’s all that matters.” He turned to the railing and peered through a spyglass at the roiling darkness of Sombra’s legions. “I guess there’s no point in sugarcoating it: The army coming at us this time is like nothing we’ve ever fought before. Even worse is the fact that Prin—Celestia is leading them.”
Already he saw everypony’s morale drop but his and the remaining fake Elements. The first time he had gone up against his former Princess, he had to remember that this wasn’t the same Princess that he swore an oath to the day he took his duty as a private in her guard. That Celestia had died in Canterlot. This was a puppet that had personally slain not only her sister, but Shining’s sister as well. Not to mention the hundreds of thousands of lives the real Celestia would never harm.
It had been a difficult adjustment to make to go from defending her with his life, to risking it before her...
“I know that things look bad. I know a lot of ponies are saying this is the last fight we’ll ever have.” He paused, looking up to the wedding band that adorned the base of his horn, and he felt a surge of determination well up in his chest. He turned sharply to face his ponies. “But buck what those ponies say! We’re going out there and we’re going to show Sombra that he’ll need more than just a bunch of brainless zombies to bring us down. We’ve stood here for five years against all the odds bearing down on us and we’ll keep standing here for another five years if that’s what we have to do to win, gentlecolts!” He clamped his helm shut, and his blue eyes flashed fiercely. “We’re spicing our beer with the blood of traitors tonight, everypony! And I’m buying!”
“Sir! Yes, sir!” they all shouted in unison before saluting.
Shining Armor nodded before turning his attention to each leader. “Rhinestone, Copperhead, Shine Light. You three take the west gates, make sure to keep an eye out for any flank attacks on your end. Juniper, Black Topaz, and Amethyst Star, you’re on the east end.” He then turned to Trixie, dressed in dark blue mage battle robes with various magical symbols all topped by her well known magician’s hat, slightly battered from previous battles. “Trixie, you’ll be in charge of coordinating the mage formations. Keep shield spells ready for when I give the order. After the archers are finished, you’ll lead the unicorn divisions in. Give them everything you can. Even dark magic this time.”
“The Great and Powerful Trixie shall make sure not a single corrupted soul gets past her lines. They will be ashes by the time Trixie’s soldiers are finished,” said Trixie with a smirk.
“Applejack. Rainbow Dash. You two are to join up with the main force. Hold back towards the rear and wait for my signal before you strike.”
“Got it, boss. We’ll show them what we’re made of!” saluted Rainbow Dash.
Shining Armor sighed. “I don’t have to tell you that the enemy we’re facing will be our loved ones and friends from another life. But remember... not one of them is someone we knew… not anymore.”
The prince lowered the visor to his helm and stared through the slits in the armor with gleaming ferocity. “If you want to make their lives mean something, if you want to be merciful, if you want to stop all this suffering, then kill every single one that comes your way! Don’t take a single prisoner!”
***
There was no sound on the wall.
Nothing but the breaths of thousands of soldiers, doing their best to stay calm. Some were whispering prayers, others gazed at photos of their loved ones.
But in all of it, there was an eerie calmness… a focus. The sounds on the flat breeze were those of a ghost town. The faint clinking of metallic armor and weaponry, and the distant buzz of mana-charged weaponry were the only hints of a peace that was to be short-lived.
Everypony was tense. Everypony was ready.
Yet none were more focused than Shining Armor, whose gaze never left the blizzard just outside the once green grass of the Crystal Empire. Standing on the tower, ready for anything, he looked over his remaining forces and couldn’t help but wonder over just how little it truly was in the face of the marching monstrosity bearing down on them.
In a few months, they would be all but down to crumbs to eat and broken tools to fight with -- assuming any of the mages lived through the fight. He wondered if Rainbow Dash and Applejack, the real ones, could manage to save them all somehow. Even if they could stop Sombra, what could they build from the ashes of everything?
He shook his head. No, don’t think all hope is lost. Twilight never lost hope… and you shouldn’t either...
“My Prince!”
Shining Armor’s eyes gazed back towards the center of the blizzard, his ears picking up something in the distance. He twitched them and made them focus closer on the sound.
“Drums. They’re here.”
And soon enough, everypony on the crystal wall could see them.
Wielding spike armor blacker than night, covered in the blood of those they have slain, they appeared. Armed to the teeth with spears, swords, axes, bows and more. Like a great sea of darkness, they appeared in numbers greater than any had seen before. Not since the fall of Canterlot. The war drums continued playing, their sound of death coming to greet the last of the ponies, right beside the catapults and giant crossbows lit with violet and green flames.
The numbers kept growing as they came forward. Already they had outnumbered Shining’s forces four to one. The smell of fear and despair could be wiffed in any true warrior’s nostrils. It wasn’t a surprise, but Shining Armor would not let his own fears dominate him. He was the nineteenth heir and the last living pony of the House of Sparkle and Light. He was the youngest Captain of the Guard in history. The elder brother of Princess Twilight Sparkle. And the Prince of the Crystal Empire.
If Death wanted him, there would be a fight.
Celestia’s army continued to make its way forward as the prince fired a magical bolt into the air. A cry for the archers and magicians to prepare themselves echoed across the wall as every bowpony and unicorn took their place. They readied their trademark weapons and aimed at the horde of corrupted. The crystal cannons began charging.
Then, as if they were one single unit, the army stopped. Just inches out of the archers’ range of fire.
All was silent --, not even the winds of the blizzard could be heard.
Shining knew what was coming next. They all did. Sombra’s officers performed the same ritual before every siege.
Sure enough, Shining Armor spotted at least six uncorrupted captives, bound and forced to sit on their haunches. Despite his every instinct telling him not to look, he activated a spell to give him enhanced sight. All of them were soldiers, three males and two females, with one of them he recognized. Captain Flash Sentry, one of his best soldiers. His wings were gone, ripped off most likely, and his body covered with signs of extensive torture.
Still, the determination on his face never faltered. He looked ready to die.
Shining Armor bit his lip and said a final goodbye in his head to one of his most loyal friends.
And then he watched as Flash’s throat was slit before he fell in a pool of his own blood along with his comrades. Another six dead.
And then the shouting began. They sang the name of their master. Their ruler. Even their god in some ways. To Shining Armor, it was a name he wanted to see on a tombstone.
“Sombra! Sombra! Sombra!”
And then, with one last bestial cry, they charged.
Commanders of each unit told their archers to hold fast. To wait until it was time. They had to be just close enough for their ranged weapons to do the most maximum damage possible. Like a tide from the ocean, the black armored army began to rise closer and closer towards the wall. The sounds of thousands of hoofsteps, beating against the earth, rumbled louder than the distant blizzard. Each of them united in one goal, one mindset, one focus.
From what they knew of the corruption, those slaved to Sombra’s will had nothing but total obedience. There was no free will and, therefore, no doubt or fear. They were ruthless and unwaveringly loyal -- each would die for the sake of their master.
With one last prayer to whatever god still bothered to look over them, Shining Armor raised his hoof as the first line of invaders made it past the range point.
“Archers! Fire!”
The twinges of bows snapping as arrows flew into the air so numerous, it could cover the sky for anypony down below. Like rockets they sailed, but like meteors they fell. Their arrows were true as they landed in the shoulders, waists, heads, and hooves of the charging enemy. Death cries echoed along side the yells or advancement. More red blood to water the darkening ground that once bloomed crystal flowers of all kinds. He could still see the spot where he and his wife celebrated their first anniversary together with a picnic. And now a mare, with three arrows in her head and two in her chest, was lying down right there, her blood decorating it.
“Catapults!” cried out Shining Armor, remembering he was at war.
The launchers flung their heavy ammunition skyward, alongside arrows being fired at will. Crowds of corrupted looked into the sky one last time to see the heavy rocks coming down before them. Their worried cries were silenced by the sound of their bones crushing and organs squeezing into paste while decorating the giant boulders. Volley by volley did the ranged fire sail over the once fertile land of the Crystal Empire to smite the corrupted and free their souls from their curse.
Yet for all the ammunition they had, it was not enough to stop the army from reaching the halfway point. One of Shining’s lieutenants turned to him, and asked, “Should we fire the cannons, sir?”
“Negative! We need to hold them for as long as possible!” shouted Shining Armor.
“Incoming!”
Instincts kicking in, Shining Armor summoned a shield spell that protected the entire tower from a giant flaming arrow, followed by hails of arrows coming from direction of the opposition. Marching forward, the archers of Sombra’s army fired their own projectile weaponry at the wall. Behind them, support fire came from the giant flaming crossbows, loaded and fired with perfect synchronization.
Now the casualties were beginning to mount. Cries of pain were heard as panicked soldiers took cover or were sent flying off the walls to their doom, pierced by arrows. Flames from the giant arrows spread as the smell of burning fur and flesh began to mix in with the smell of blood. One poor stallion was cut in two when one caught him in midair during its flight.
Thankfully, they were ready for this.
Without any signal, Trixie’s horn glowed as did the horns of her mages. Her apprentices, Snips and Snails, were teleporting from group to group, encouraging with words and orders as a shield of magic began to appear around the wall. Each mage group had been perfectly placed so that their combined magic could protect the defenders.
With the shield now up, they could take a collective breath and reorganize.
Sombra’s army neared the perfect killing range, and Shining Armor smirked as he waited for the fireworks to begin.
He didn’t have to wait long. An opposing earth pony stepped on something with a click, before an explosion tore him and those surrounding him to pieces. More explosions went up all along the field as the army advanced. It was like the earth was erupting from below with fire and fragments. Shining Armor couldn’t help but be proud as he saw one of his late sister’s last inventions come to life before his very eyes.
Storing magic inside devices that released when pressed on, delivering a catalyst of wild and dangerous magic. Wide enough to kill entire groups due to the actions of a single soldier. Twily, you really were a genius.
Still, no landmines would slow Sombra’s troops for long. There were only so many, and sooner or later their enemy would reorganize.
It was time to go on the offensive.
“Fire at will!” he cried out, his voice bellowing over the battlefield.
Glowing, the mountainous crystalline turrets began to shine like the stars that once filled the night sky with wonder. They glowed so bright that even those back in the city could see them.
Powerful blasts of energy rippled through the air itself, and scorching beams of light fell upon the invaders, turning them to ash.
Trixie followed suit and ordered her mages into the counterattack. Spells of fire, lightning, light and more blasted through the air alongside the cannon fire. It was like watching fireworks celebration at the end of the world.
There was only one thing left.
Shining Armor turned to the nearby flag messengers and nodded to them. The pair of pegasi flew up and began waving their flags in a synchronized formation that was only directed to Rainbow Dash and Applejack who stood with the charging army of infantry by the gates.
Upon seeing the signal, Rainbow Dash gave a holler before addressing the last legion of defenders. “Okay, you shrimps! It’s our turn to show those bastards out there what it means to be a real army and not one mind controlled by a wispy freak of nature! I want to see you all with bloody armor and weapons by the time we’re done! Any of you come back without any sign of gore on you is gonna be cleaning toilets until next winter!”
“Ma’am! Yes, Ma’am!”
Applejack stepped forward. “Good luck, all of ya… and come back alive.” She turned and shouted at the gatesponies.
The gates loudly thudded across the grounds as the mammoth locks unlatched. The massive doors swung outward until it was large enough for Applejack to stand in.
“CHAAAAAARGE!” her voice echoed thunderously across the plains, and she charged out into the open. Her ground army let out a fierce yell and rushed forward, weapons gleaming, while Rainbow Dash led her pegasi screaming overhead.
Shining Armor, wanting to see their plan in action, teleported himself to the wall itself and observed from above.
Please just let this work...
Rainbow Dash and her forces dove and attacked first -- no surprise there. Holding a spear, she and the other aerial ponies dropped them like bombs and pierced their cowering foes easily through their guts, backs, and hindquarters. Circling back around, they dove down again and struck while their victims were still off-balance before heading back up into the air for another run. This allowed their focus to be on Dash and her team before Applejack’s and her part of the army rushed in with barely any resistance.
At last the attackers responded, firing flaming arrows at Rainbow’s air corps, and driving them away.
Applejack’s troop was on them the next moment, bladed greaves out and ready. She was the first to draw blood with a well-delivered kick to the face that sent the dead soldier flying. She took a stance and began kicking as fast as she could towards any enemy that tried to get in close to her. There was a reason why she wore bladed greaves. Not only could she cut and pierce with them, but the metal allowed for her kicks to be twice as deadly.
She bucked behind her, sending a trio of earth ponies looping back, faces bleeding before she whipped around and kicked out, slicing another across the shins and sending her down. Applejack stomped the mare’s neck with a sickening snap and her opponent moved no more.
The farmgirl was suddenly blasted by a magical burst of energy from her right. She ragdolled a few yards before coming to a limp stop on her back. The unicorn who attacked her marched over, inspecting her limp form. Before he could react, however, Applejack snapped her eyes open and swept the unicorn off his own hooves with an upward slice of her foreleg. Quickly kicking herself, she swung her rear leg out, greaves glinting against the flashing lights of the battle, and split his side open. The unicorn’s organs spilled bloodily on the ground, and he collapsed in a dead heap.
Rainbow Dash was just above her. Sombra’s pegasi dove in from high above, but she was quicker than any of them. With her blade in her teeth, all that could be seen was a blue blur and multi-colored streak, followed by blood spilling out of a severed limb or split neck and the poor soul falling to an early grave.
A few high-speed pursuers took off after wing leader who whipped up and away from the center of the fight, luring a good number from the hoard.
Shining Armor looked up and saw where she was leading them. A small series of dark clouds hung above with a number of flanking pegasi approaching from the hidden side of the cover.
Just as Rainbow moved past, the flanking wingponies dove in and kicked at the clouds, unleashing lightning on the squad chasing after her. Their cries stuttered as fifty thousand volts of electricity coursed through their bodies before they fell limp and silent to the earth below.
Rainbow Dash winged over and dove again, picking up speed while gathering the wind around her. A large group of earth ponies and unicorns charged at the open gate below and managed to circle around them. They lashed out at her diving form with arrows and magic, but their attempts hit nothing but the air around her.
Dropping her left wing, she entered into a tight spin around them. The dirt around the invaders began to spin as Dash compressed the air. A rainbow-colored tornado formed picked up the corrupted ponies one by one and threw them in the air.
The soldiers on the wall cheered, not just for the heroic Elements, but for their victorious, hard-fighting comrades.
Shining Armor, however, knew better than to announce victory so early.
Just where the hay is she?
As if by wicked providence upon hearing his thoughts, a bright light appeared at the edge of the army near the cloak of the blizzard, growing bigger and nearer by the second. Shining Armor turned his eyes toward the light source, before widening them in fear. “Shields up! Shields up NOW!”
His cry was heard over the thunder of battle, and the mages swiftly brought up their magic.
A large beam of light smashed into the arcane wall and nearly shattered it into pieces. Unicorns’ bloodcurdling screams tore through the air as they struggled to fight against such power, but somehow the barrier held.
Shining Armor even lent his own magic to reinforce the forcefield, and sweat pooled on his brow when he saw who it was splitting the sky towards them.
She landed with a impact that shook the earth. Whatever cries of celebration and excitement they once had were now silenced by a cold wave of horror.
Lifting her head, Celestia gazed upon the ponies that once called her their ruler. Her blood-tarnished golden armor stood out among the rest of her forces of Sombra. The blood of her subjects. The blood of her sister.
The blood of her student.
Celestia smirked and lit up her horn with a telling light. “All hail King Sombra.”
She fired once and in a fiery blaze, dozens of soldiers from either side were blasted into flaming bits. Those caught in the blast area were sent tumbling helplessly through the air. Ponies charged but with another blast of her horn, scores more fell.
Shining Armor grit his teeth and reached back with his horn to draw his sword when he saw a rainbow blur heading straight for the corrupted matriarch.
“Rainbow Dash, NO!”
Celestia didn’t even need to look out of the corner of her eye. A golden shield arose between them and the pegasus bounced off the arcane wall. Landing on the ground, she spat blood and drew her sword. Flaring her wings, magenta eyes narrowing, she readied herself as ponies backed away, awaiting the battle between the two legends.
Celestia drew her own blade with her magic and twirled it around a bit. “You dare draw your sword on your princess?”
“You’re not my princess,” growled Dash before flashing forward. Her sword glinted in Celestia’s light.
The two clashed, blade to blade. Celestia fought with a grace and experience no others had. Rainbow, however, used her speed and unorthodox style to keep Celestia on edge.
To others, it was like watching a dance, with all the world watching to see who would be the best performer. Rainbow Dash dodged a thrust meant for her chest and spun around before bringing her sword down towards Celestia’s head.
The alicorn’s cheek bled from a thin gash cut across her face.
Seeing the princess wounded made the hopes and hearts of many of the defenders soar.
With an irritated snarl, Celestia lashed out with her magic, snaring the pegasus by her wings and slamming her forcefully against the ground. Rainbow lost her grip on her sword from the shock of the impact. The princess lifted her again and forcefully crushed her against the cold ground once more.
Dash’s cries of pain went out each time her battered body made contact with the earth. Thrown hard against the ground, the pegasus lay trembling, broken, beaten and helpless.
Celestia sneered. “And so ends Loyalty…” she said, raising her blade up over her head.
Rainbow flinched.
“GET AWAY FROM HER!”
Shining Armor already had teleported himself across the battlefield, horn glowing and sword ready.
Somepony else, however, had beaten him to the rescue. A certain orange farmer flung herself into the fray and forcefully bucked Celestia across her armored face with her front legs. Landing beside her remaining friend, Applejack swirled around and growled, her breath heaving.
The princess smirked.
“Good, the both of you are here,” said Celestia, healing the cut she had taken to her face with a surge of magic. “Now at last I can kill the remaining Elements, and any remaining hope of your pathetic resistance.”
Her horn glowed as she slammed her hooves on the ground. A yellow magic circle with runes appeared. Glowing and spreading across the ground until it pushed everypony but Dash and Applejack away.
Shining Armor cursed and grunted as he was flung to the side. He rose quickly, pounding on the barrier, but his efforts proved useless.
Celestia’s horn glowed once again and lightning surged through the circle, honing in on the two trapped Elements. Their tortured screams ripped through the air as a sadistic Celestia only smiled. The soldiers wore horrified expressions as they could only watch their heroes tortured mercilessly.
Shining Armor grit his teeth.
Damnit! When is Cadance sending her?!
Raising her sword, Celestia levitated the two closer to her.
A powerful series of violet blasts, however, shattered the barrier and sent Celestia reeling backwards. She shook her head as the dust cleared, wiping the blood from her nose before she glared up, ready to kill whoever had dared lay a hoof on her.
Her pupils dilated and her jaw dropped as she took several steps back.
“No… that can’t be... You perished!” She shook her head, disbelieving of her own eyes. “I killed you myself!"
Nopony else on either side could believe it either, except for Shining Armor whose breath left him in a sigh of relief.
Twilight Sparkle, decked in her purple armor, hovered overhead, eyes fixed on her former mentor, horn aglow with raw arcane power.
“Release my friends, Celestia! Your battle is with me!”
Celestia stared for many long moments, then closed her eyes before opening them again.
“What trickery is this…?” she demanded. She set her jaw, horn glowing ever-more-brightly. “I felt your lifespark flicker and die… how is it possible that you’re still alive?”
Twilight stared, horn sparking.
The two stunned armies watched on with bated breath. It felt as though Time had lost all meaning. Even as the blizzard fell in gales around the two, the world felt empty except for the two mighty princesses squaring off.
Celestia snarled, taking another few steps back and sheathing her blade.
“Guard captain… signal the retreat. Withdraw to the fallback position and reassemble the ranks...” she begrudgingly commanded an orange pegasus mare nearby.
Her cold eyes then glared at Rainbow Dash and Applejack laying beneath her nearby.
“But we will not leave this battle empty-hooved.”
Before anypony could react, two spears of light formed on either side of the princess and flew towards Applejack and Rainbow Dash.
The two never had a chance and the spears pierced straight through the duo’s chests. Their eyes widened in brief surprise and pain, before they rolled back in their heads and shut.
The two Elements rolled onto their sides and collapsed lifelessly to the ground to the horror of all.
“NOOOOOO!” shouted Twilight flying swiftly to her friends. Celestia used the momentary distraction to teleport herself away, while the rest of her army turned back.
Nopony bothered to chase after them.
All soldiers that had lived gathered around their fallen idols. Countless tears flowed, uncontrollable sobs could be heard, and the survivors lowered their helms respectfully.
Their victory had cost them more than they had been willing to pay.
***
Shining Armor, Cadance, and Twilight Sparkle entered the morgue alone. They had asked for privacy for when they gazed upon the fallen heroes. On the metal beds lay the now deceased Applejack and Rainbow Dash, removed from their armor and their wounds patched over.
An exhausted-looking Cadance sighed as she muttered softly, “Illusion off.”
In an instant the bodies of Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and even Twilight shifted into perfect crystalline replicas of a normal pony bodies.
Cadance walked over to the two “corpses” and shook her head. “I wish the damage hadn’t been so extensive. We don’t have a choice but to use these two as corpses now… Nopony could ever survive damage that extensive. Even if we did bring them back… Celestia would only be suspicious.”
“On the bright side,” Shining Armor said grimly, slicking a hoof through his mane, “Celestia won’t be looking for the real ones anytime soon… And at least we managed to scare her back with the Twilight golem,” muttered Shining.
He looked over at the crystal golem that had taken on his sister’s shape again. Something about her unflawed appearance struck a chord in his heart, and he had to stop himself from reaching out and embracing the automaton.
The crystal golem had been an invention by Sombra of all ponies, before his days of madness, as intelligence gatherers and espionage agents. Most of them had been destroyed over the years by age or neglect. But by sheer dumb fortune, a small hidden group of them had been discovered during the tunnel excavation nearly three years ago, perfectly preserved.
Their existence had been a closely-guarded secret until that day.
“I wish it wasn't a pain to re-enchant them to follow our orders instead of Sombra’s,” the princess said, shaking her head. “If we had at least a few more handy, we could have had all six Elements again.”
“And what cover story would we have for that? We got away with Twilight because we said she was in a coma and we faked her death until her recovery,” said Shining Armor, sighing. “As far as I’m concerned, I’m just grateful that the plan worked. Celestia will hesitate for awhile to attack us now that she’s seen the Twilight gollum. That’ll give Rainbow Dash and Applejack a chance to get underway...”
There was a moment of silence between the two royals.
Then, “Do you think they’re alright?”
Shining Armor sighed before activating the illusions for the two on the metal beds. “For all our sakes, I sure hope they are...”