I charged at Raven as she charged at me. Her rapier was placed just so perfectly as to go right through my defense, but I shifted at the last second for the blade to bounce of my shield. We were both thrown back from the impact, but I used the momentum to spin around and swing my staff at her. To my surprise, she had already righted herself and had her pulsing-blue hand out in defense. My staff was pushed away like two magnetic poles of the same type, taking me off balance. Raven threw out her sword arm, the blade piercing right through my shoulder.
“Ah! Shit!” I screamed. I lifted my legs and kicked her, sending her tumbling backwards. I lifted my staff arm to my shoulder, holding it as I forced my skin to fold and cauterize. And yeah, that hurt like all hell; I always hate having to do that. I glared at Raven, who smirked right back at me, reveling in my pain. “What is your problem?!” I screeched at her. “Who are you? Why are you doing this?”
“Can’t you tell, little kitty?” Okay, that was uncalled for, you bitch. “I am Raven, Raven Masters. I am the Gravity Master, here to dethrone the Queen. I’m going to defeat you and make you pay for your crimes.”
“I’m already in the process of paying for them! Celestia and Luna are--”
“I don’t care what those two animals have planned for you!” she growled at me. “Your crimes are too severe. I will not allow those two to let you off with a blasted warning! No, I am going to make you suffer for everything you’ve done.”
Before I could ask what that meant, she blasted right at me, barely giving me any time to get my shield up to avoid getting pierced again. Raven’s movements were swift and fierce. I had to keep on defending as she struck, constantly moving my shield to block her stabbing blade. After a particularly fierce strike, she lifted her hand and slammed it down. I instantly felt the air around me get heavier and had to fight with my own power to avoid being smacked to the ground. I snarled at her through my focus, her Pressure increasing by the second. She simply sneered at me, obviously enjoying every moment of it.
I tried to fight it, countering it by using my own Pressure in reverse. This, however, removed my attention away from Raven. With my attention on not being pancaked to the ground below, she flew right up to me, cocked back her fist and slammed it into my face. My concentration instantly snapped and I was sent soaring into the ground. Dirt and dust went flying as I plowed through six feet of earth, Pressure keeping me pinned to the bottom of the crater. I forced my head up, seeing Raven at the edge of the crater.
“Well, looks like I’m ahead of schedule. I wasn’t suppose to put you six feet under for a little while longer.”
...okay, this bitch is dead! I let my anger flow through me, my entire body coated in energy. I roared out, overwhelming her Pressure with pure power. The crater I was in tripled in size in an instant from the massive burst of power.
I stood on my two feet, panting slightly from exhaustion. I glared at Raven through my energy coated eyes, hers returning it with no emotion at all. My grip tightened on my staff, my knuckles going white if they weren’t covered in aura.
“I don’t know what your problem with me is, but,” I said, venom in my voice. “For attacking me, my family, and my friends, I’m gonna beat you into oblivion!”
She smirked back at me, increasing my ire. “I’d love to see you try.”
I was so mad, I was shaking. Finally at my limit, I roared at her and pushed off from the ground, another crater forming where my foot had once been. I shot right at her, and for a moment I saw a flash of surprise in her face. I couldn’t think on that, though, as I bashed my shield right into her face. Raven went flying, tumbling head over foot. She eventually righted herself, skidding in a crouched position. She raised her head, snarling at me, but I was already nearly on her again, eager to slam my staff into her face next. I swung and she grabbed my staff with one hand. I was honestly surprised. I mean, I have the abnormal strength as it is, but I have even more ever since I Extinguished that Ursa Major and absorbed its strength. To be able to catch my staff when I’m swinging at full strength was rather impressive.
“You’re going to pay for that,” she growled at me. She lifted her other hand and blasted me away, imitating the classic Force Push. I went flying skyward, Raven flying right at me. She rematerialized her rapier and swung the single-edged blade at my neck. I countered with my staff, catching it an inch away from my vital area. We pushed against each other, trying to overwhelm the other. After a moment, we reached the peak and pushed away.
We stared at each other, her only just now starting to let out little breaths of exhaustion. We stayed like that for a moment, both catching our breaths. Then we glared and charged once again, metal clashing against metal.
*****Celestia’s POV*****
I couldn’t believe what was happening before my very own eyes. The Canterlot Royal Guard, my Royal Guard, was chasing down my student and her friends! I saw one, a unicorn, use his magic to rip Rainbow Dash right out of the sky. She slammed hard to the ground and he immediately jumped on her back, clamping braces on her wings. She stared in horror at the clamps, her one advatage stipped away in an instant.
Another, a pegasus, was chasing after Applejack. She was a fast runner, but the guard had the sky, where she was limited to the ground. He flew right above her and dived bombed her back. She was instantly forced to the ground, all four legs pinned by the guard. Using his wings, he bound Applejack’s legs together, preventing her from running again.
“Consarn it!” she yelled at the pegasus. “Lemme outta these durn blasted things! We ain’t after the princesses dammit! We were helpin’ them!”
“All threats to the princesses will be neutralized,” the guard droned out. I never taught them that! That wasn’t something they were supposed to say. A sudden realization came to me. I looked at the other guards and noticed that all of their eyes had a twinge of red aura around their eyes. They were being controlled!
“Stop this at once!”
I looked over at my sister, seeing her doing her very best to stop another two guards that were forcing a magic-disabling ring on Rarity. She was doing her very best to fight back, but the might of the two stallions outmatched her easily. Luna tried to force them off her, but while with still physically weak from the fight, there wasn’t much she could do. She tried to use her magic, but somehow, it canceled out as soon as it touched the guards. That was surprising to say the least. Their armor does have some magic nullifying charms on them, but our magic should be able to cancel those charms. What has happened to my guards?
I heard a series of large clangs above me and I looked to see Kat fighting tooth and nail with Raven. Wait...was this her doing?! Was Raven behind these treasonous acts? But why? I knew she had her own motives for hunting down Kat, but this was something else. I squinted at Raven.
“What are you planning, Masters?” I asked quietly to myself.
“HEELLLPPP!!”
My head whipped around at the scream and I gasped at the sight. Four of the guards were approaching Twilight, spears drawn and ready to pounce. My student had her horn lit, but even she knew that it would be futile to hold off such an onslaught. I felt a fierce, burning fire light within my heart, anger searing into my eyes. Even if they were being mind controlled, nopony. Touches. My. Student! I flared my wings and blazed towards Twilight. I may not have had my horn, but I still had my earth pony and pegasus magic, plenty to take care of a few thugs!
Just as I neared the assailants, I spread my wings again and came to a screeching stop. My momentum, however, carried me right into them, knocking them away from Twilight. I glared fiercely at the mind controlled guards. “Don’t. Touch. My. Student,”I growled at them. Adrenaline pumping through my veins, I began flying around the ponies at top speed. Soon enough, I created a swirling twister that carried them off. I landed right by Twilight, panting heavily. With my fire now extinguished, my legs buckled and I hit the ground.
“Princess!” Twilight said with concern as she ran over to me. “Princess, that was amazing! You saved me.”
I looked at her with pure kindness. Despite the spat she and my little Kat were having, she was still my most faithful student. “Of course, Twilight. I could never forgive myself if you were brought to any harm.” Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. She nuzzled me and I returned it.
However, our moment was ruined as Twilight was ripped away from me by guard magic. She screamed as I yelled out to her. I tried to reach her with my hooves, but m exhaustion coupled with my injuries kept me from being able to grab her fast enough. The guard slammed her to the ground and placed a ring on her horn, then proceeded to bind her legs.
My heart broke at seeing my faithful student bound like a common criminal. I looked around and saw all the other Element Bearers in similar positions. Each one had a guard stationed over them, spears pointed at their necks. The four remaining guards broke into teams of two, one approaching my sister as the others came to me. They pointed their spears at me, but it was more in a warning manner instead of threatening. I looked to see Raven floating down into the circle that we all had unintentionally formed. I glared at the girl, my hatred burning brightly because of this betrayal. Alright, Masters, let’s see what your endgame is.
*****Kat’s POV*****
Time and time again our weapons met, sparks flying as the metal clashed. Raven would thrust with her sword and I would throw up my shield in defense. I would swing my staff down on her and she would raise her blade to parry. It was becoming more and more apparent that we couldn’t overpower each other.
After another clash, Raven glanced behind her, whatever she saw making her smile. Curiosity taking over, I looked over as well and my eyes widened in horror. Down below were all of my friends (frenemies if you counted Twilight, Pinkie, and Rarity) bound by the guards who were holding spears at their vitals. I was so frozen in shock that I never noticed Raven floating down to them, still smiling at me.
“It appears,” she called to me, “That we have reached an impasse, Shifter. Good thing I prepared for such a possibility. Let’s make a deal!”
I glared at her, not moving from my high position. “What kind of deal?” I asked with suspicion.
“A simple trade. I spare the Element Bearers, your friends and granddaughter. In exchange...you relinquish all of your powers to me.”
My eyes widened to the point of breaking. “W-what?! Are you insane?!” I screeched at her. “Why would I relinquish my powers to you?! That would doom us all!”
To my horror, she smirked. “Well, if that’s your answer… Guards!” The guards tightened their respective grips around their spears. I saw with fear as they started to press the points into their necks. I saw a trickle of blood fall from Flutters neck, reaching my breaking point.
“STOP!!” I yelled throwing out my hand. I could easily stop the one on my granddaughter, but in that instant the others would be gone. I couldn’t risk their lives to save one. Fluttershy would never forgive me, and neither could I. Floating to the ground, I put my weapons away. I already knew I was gonna regret this. “Alright, you have a deal.”
Celestia, Luna, Flutters, and, well...everypony stared at me in shock. “No, Grandmother!” Flutters cried. “Don’t do it!”
“Quiet, you!” Raven snapped and the guard pressed his spear further into her, causing her to squeak in pain.
“Stop!” I shouted. “I’ll do it, okay!? I’ll give you my powers, just don’t hurt them!”
She smiled at me. “I knew you would say that.” She reached out her hand and it lit with power. I instantly felt a pull in my gut; deep down, I wanted to resist it, to remove it from me, but I knew it had to be done.
“For Flutters,” I whispered to myself. Then came the pain, the most excruciating pain I had ever felt in my entire life. I could feel all my strength literally being ripped away from me. I fell to my knees, my mouth open in a silent scream as the pain was so strong. I peaked from my closed eyes, seeing my black and red aura flowing out of my body and right into Raven’s. It was a distressing sight, but catching Fluttershy in the corner of my eye, spear to her neck, I just sat back and let it happen.
The moments drew on like hours, pain echoing through every fiber of my body. Then, as the last bits of my power ebbed away, I fell forward, catching myself with my arms, panting heavily.
I hear Raven humph, so I looked up at her piercing blue eyes, a disappointed smirk on her face. “Well that was practically too easy, Kat. I was honestly hoping you’d put up more of a fight. I guess I was wrong.” I could only stare back as she motioned to her guards. “Round them up and lock ‘em in chains. Take the princesses to the castle, the others...find them some nice cosy cells.”
I tried to lunge at her, my anger spiking back, but my exhaustion was too much. “You lying bitch! You said you’d let the other go! They had nothing to do with this! Let them go!!”
She smiled maliciously at me, bending down to cup my chin in her hand. “Oh, but they have everything to do with you. You and your accomplices will face punishment for your crimes against Equestria, your highness.” She practically spat those words at me. She released my face and stood as two guards grabbed my arms with their magic. “Take her away.”
I tried to struggle, to do anything to save the girls as they were hauled off like poached animals. “Raven!” I cried out in anger. “Raven, I swear, if you harm them in any way, I will destroy you, atom by atom!!” My rage only increased as she smiled victoriously as I was hauled away. I could hear Fluttershy crying out for me, urging me to keep fighting, but it was too late. Raven had us all.
*****Dusty’s POV*****
As my mistress was carted off by those poor, mind-confused guards, I stood off in the shadow, helplessly watching. Unlike my mistress, I could not use the powers of gravity, even if I knew precisely how they could be done. I looked over myself as a few black and red wisps flowed into me and then got to my paws.
If I was gonna be able to save my mistress and her friends and family, then I would have to be discreet. I needed more information, more on what was really happening around here. “Well Kitten,” I whispered to myself, “as I’ve always said, time to find the truth hidden within the truth. Do not worry, I’ll find you again. Count on it.”
With that, I dispersed myself into wisps and flowed off towards the remains of Canterlot.
*****Kat’s POV*****
It’s been several days since I was thrown in this cell. The only light in the room came from a very small barred window near the ceiling of the far wall. With my powers, the simple black bars of the cell would have been easy to bend and break, but that wasn’t going to happen. Not now, not ever. It had all come crashing down on me after that first night. Of what I had done. I had given up my powers, the one thing that made me unique, to save my only family I had left and it ended up getting us all locked away. I had no idea what plans Raven had for us, but I knew that it wasn’t going to be good.
What was even the point of fighting back now? There was absolutely nothing I could do to change things. I was powerless, weak, and pitiful. I hear the rustling of keys and look up from my rock-hard mattress, if it could be called that. I see a unicorn guard unlocking my cell, his partner already having binders prepared for me. He opens the door and says,
“It is time, Gravity Queen. Time for your judgement.”
I really did not like the way he said that, but I also knew that it meant it wasn’t a request. With a sullen look, I got to my feet and presented my hands which were immediately bound together with the metal cuffs. The unicorn then used his magic to pull me after him, like a dog on a leash. It felt more demeaning than anything.
I continually kept pace as they led me down the corridors of the palace dungeons, making sure that I didn’t have to be dragged like a freaking animal. The lights were so minimal in this place, with only simple oil lanterns placed sporadically throughout. I could hear the drip-dropping sound of water falling from the dank ceiling. Why are stone place like this alway so dank? Never made much sense to me, but hey I hadn’t been in a science class in nearly thirteen hundred years.
Eventually, we come to a stop at a hardened steel door, a single barred pane of glass letting in the shadow of a lit room beyond. The unicorn put his hoof on the door and slowly pushed it open, bright light flooding the dark corridor and my vision. I was pushed forward, into the light, and found myself immediately under assault from all sides. My ears are ringing with all the shouting directed in my direction. As my eyes finally began to adjust, I found myself to be in a courtroom, ponies on both sides of me, all screaming and yelling at me in unrelenting fury. Some were even throwing things at me, I know this because I was struck in the head by a soda can not a minute after I walked in.
From there, I ducked and dodged other objects that were thrown at me as I was led towards the front of the courtroom. I took my place behind the defendant table as the judge on the stand pounded her gavel.
“Order! Order in the court!” she bellowed out. It took a few moments, but eventually the mob settled into their seats and my trial commenced. The bailiff trotted forward and spoke.
“The case of Kat Shifter, the Gravity Queen v. the nation of Equestria, is now in session. All rise.” Which we did. “Judge Lawful Order presiding. Your honor,” he nodded to her and she banged her gavel once.
“Miss Shifter,” she spoke, but I interrupted her.
“General Shifter, your honor,” I spoke out of habit. I don’t like being called ‘miss’ in formal settings. My shrunk back slightly at the glare Judge Order was giving me for my interruption.
“As I was saying, General Shifter. You are charged with several counts of destruction of public and private property, arson, and attempted murder of a political figure. How do you plead?”
That was the question, wasn’t it? How did I plead? I knew I had done each of those things, but if I were to just accept that, I’d forfeiting any chance of saving the girls and maybe even myself. “For Fluttershy,” I whispered to myself, hoping that it would bring me luck. I looked at Judge Order with a righteous determination. “Not guilty, your honor.”
The courtroom burst into a storm of anger instantly, the ponies behind me restarting their hurtful words and chants. They kept telling me to die for what I did, to pay for it with everything I had. Judge Order banged her gavel loudly, quelling the storm almost as instantly as it started. “Very well, General Shifter. May the prosecutor please come in.”
The side doors opened and in strolled...oh no. It was Raven, smirking like she already won the case. The cheers from the ponies behind me already told the truth: she had won. I started to shake with sudden fear; this was no trial, this was just a show, simple theatre to entertain the masses.
Another banging of the gavel brought me back to the world that was beginning to crumble around me. Raven walked right into the middle of the room and began a well practiced speech. “Ladies and gentlestallions of the court, I, Raven Masters, have been asked by Princesses Celestia and Luna to speak for them in this most trying of times. And I assure you, that justice will be served here today.”
This time, only polite clapping followed instead of massive cheering. Oh god, I was doomed. She began to pace in front of the judge as she continued. “Kat Shifter, the name used to be synonymous with ‘Gravity’, the mythological warrior of Celestia and Luna. A great and noble being who fought for the ponies in their most desperate hours. Now? Now, she is a symbol of destruction. Wherever the so called ‘Gravity Queen’ goes, destruction and death is sure to follow. In the span of only a year, twenty-five different towns and cities have been wrecked by monsters or burned to the ground by her dragon followers.”
She stopped again and turned to the crowd. “Some say that Kat is a hero, one protecting these cities to the best of her abilities from dangerous monsters, known only as nevi. Others point to her destruction of the invading changeling army three weeks ago during the wedding of Princess Mi Amore Cadenza and Captain Shining Armor. But to them I say this: Kat is only a monster who is defending her prey from other monsters. She uses these instances as opportunities to destroy all of you. Stallions, mares, colts, fillies, not even foals are safe from her rampages. Her bout with the princesses, leaving Celestia heavily crippled should have opened your eyes to the who she truly is.” Raven looked at me and sneered. “Murderous and destructive monster.”
“And not only that,” she said dramatically moving over to a large object under a massive sheet. She grabbed the edge and pulled while saying, “she had help!” As the sheet fell to the ground, everypony, including myself, gasped at what lay within the cage underneath. They were all there, looking more depressed than ever before. Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Twilight Sparkle, and Fluttershy. Oh dear god, what are you doing Raven?! “Now, you may all be wondering why the famed Elements of Harmony are here, locked away in a cage. The answer to that is simple: they have wronged Equestria. Ever since Kat’s return, these six ‘patriots’ have kept her existence and location a secret from all of Equestria. Did the report her to the princesses? No. Did the attempt to reseal Kat away in the stone prison where she belongs? No. What did they do? They helped her!!”
The crowd gasped, looking highly betrayed at the six downtrodden mares. I wanted to say something, but I just didn’t know what. “That is right,” Raven continued. “These six ponies have known about the Gravity Queen the entire time, including her plans for the princesses and assisted in keeping her location a secret. In other words, they committed the greatest act of treason and are traitors to Equestria!”
Oh no! No, no, no, no!! Raven was doing it, she was punishing the girls right along side me and the ponies were buying it hook, line, and sinker! They were shouting at the girls, all who cringed at the verbal onslaught. Each of them looked at me with big, sad eyes, no doubt wondering why I did this to them. I couldn’t help wonder that myself. To my horror, though, Raven kept going.
“These...terrorists, will never stop until all of Equestria has been destroyed and they reign supreme. And those nevi that have been attacking and nearly decimated Canterlot? It has been discovered that it was none other than General Shifter herself that created them!” The ponies gasped in shock and I was looking at with eyes that had shrunk to pinpricks. I knew she was lying, I couldn’t do such a thing, but that’s when it clicked. She could!
Just as Raven said those words, three minions suddenly appeared right next to her and she yelped in fright, backing away slowly. The ponies all screamed at the sight of the bulbous, crab-like creatures. The minions looked around the room with their glowing, red eyes and they homed in on me. They approached and I found myself backing away from them, but only was able to back into the railing behind me. They climbed on the table then...bowed to me! I paled at what that meant and looked at Raven, staring in shock, but I saw that malicious glint in her eyes. And all my hope shattered in that one instant.
Three guards charged from the air, piercing the minion’s eyes with their spears, dispersing them into dust. Raven falsely regained her composure and bellowed to the ponies, “Now do you see? Kat Shifter is responsible for all of your pain and suffering! She won’t ever stop, not even if she is sealed away! She needs to be stopped, once and for all! What say you, Equestria?! What is Kat’s fate?”
As one, the ponies shouted the one word I deathly feared. “Death!!” They kept chanting that word, then the phrase: “Death to the Gravity Queen!”, Raven spurring them on more and more.
Eventually, Lawful Order banged her gavel hard enough to get everypony to settle and stared down at me with a most hateful of gazes. “Kat Shifter, it seems that a verdict has been reached. You have been found guilty of all charges. You, and you coconspirators, shall be sentenced to execution for your treasonous crimes against Equestria. May Faust have mercy on your souls.” She banged the gavel. “Court dismissed, have these traitors thrown back in their cells. Get them out of my courtroom.”
I had gone blank when she said that the girls would be executed too. Then I felt myself being dragged away by the guards as the girls’ cage was wheeled in the other direction. That snapped me right back. “No!! No you can’t!! They didn’t have anything to do with it! Let them go! It’s me you want! Let them go!! Please, they’re innocent!!” I could feel the hot tears falling from my eyes as I tried to reach out to Fluttershy who was doing the same.
“I know you’ll save us, Kat!” she screamed, a hope filled shine in her eyes. “You’ll save us all. I have faith in you!”
I kept reaching out even as the door I came in was slammed and I was continually dragged down the dungeon corridors again. I still fought as the guards shoved me back to my cell. As they trotted off into the dark, I screamed at them. “Leave them alone!! Please just let them go! PLEASE!!” When the guards were finally out of sight, I fell into sobs on the floor, grasping the bars tightly. I felt like such a failure. And now the girls would pay for my mistake. What have I done?
*****Celestia’s POV*****
I was shaking with pure rage as I saw Raven enter my throne room. She looked so proud of herself, so successful, when all I wanted to do was strangle her skinny little neck. “Oh, you’re shaking, Celestia!” she noted in a mocking tone. “Are you as excited as I am?” Her stupid little bird let out a cackle as she did, filling the room with her laughter.
I snarled at her, attempting lunge, but was stopped short by my chain. I glared at the black little thing that kept me on my own throne. I had occasionally thought of this castle at a prison during my lowest moments that Luna was gone, but now, it truly was my prison. A prison created by a madwoman.
“Unh, unh, uh,” Raven said as she wags her index finger at me. “Fighting will only make it worse.”
“Why are you doing this?!” I shouted at her. Even after several days of containment by my own guards, I still knew nothing about why she was taking my country. What were her plans for my little ponies and, especially, my Kat?
“Well that’s quite simple, Celestia,” she said oh so sweetly, twirling in giddy joy around me. “I want Equestria. And you’re going to give it to me!” she announced while pointing at me.
My jaw unhinged at her statement. “W-what?! Why would I ever do such a thing?!”
“Well, I’m sure you heard about the trial today, yes? How all of your precious Elements are going to be executed?” My glare easily indicated that I had heard. It was the only talk nobles around here wouldn’t shut up about. Even through those thick doors, gossip can spread like wildfire. “I’m going to make you a deal, Princess. You publicly announce that you will be stepping down as ruler, use your horn as an excuse or something, and place me as your successor. In return, I will grant the Bearers full pardons and they can return to their happy little lives. Easy as that.”
I watched her with suspicion, looking for any indication of betrayal as she had done to Kat. Speaking of which, “And what about Kat?”
She ‘tsked’ at me, shaking her head. “Oh, Celly, Celly, Celly. Kat has caused unforgivable damage to this country and must be punished. Sure, I suppose with my new powers as princess I could relieve some of her sentence, but I won’t.” Raven’s expression turned hard and furious. “She will pay for everything she has done. Then she won’t ever hurt anyone ever again.”
“And should I refuse?”
“That’s also simple. They all die and you’ll be so overcome with grief that Equestrian law dictates that you would have to stand down. Normally, succession would be taken up by Luna, but since she’ll be in the same boat of losing the only ponies she had as friends, the role of ruler would fall to the highest military command, which you gave to me as General Masters.” She lifted my chin with one finger, smiling smugly at me. “Either way, I win, princess. Now, it’s just up to you if your ponies live or die.” She started to walk out of the room, her bird landing on her shoulder. “You have until tomorrow morning, Celestia. If I don’t hear from you before nine, then the first of the six will be executed. Think about it.” She slammed the door as she left and I was all alone with my thoughts.
**********
I don’t remember passing out, but I was awoken by shouting. I tried to keep my ears close to my head to block out the sound, but it only got louder. I slowly opened an eye and saw a navy-blue blur standing in front of me. It appeared to be the source of the noise too. I blinked a few times and the blur came into focus, showing my little sister to me. She seemed highly distressed and worried. I sat up from my position on my chafing throne, the chain rattling slightly, and stretched my back and wings as I yawned.
“Good morning, Lulu. Did you sleep well?”
“Celestia, now is not the time for your pleasantries! The execution is already under way!!”
In that instant, I was awake faster than I had ever been. I looked over at the lone wall clock in the room and noted the time to be eight fifty-two!! “Oh no! I’ll never make it!!”
“Make it? You truly wish to see such a thing, sister? We should be trying to stop it!”
“I already know how to stop it! But I need to get to the execution now! Luna, can you free me of these chains?”
“I don’t know what you’re planning sister, but if you have a plan to save the Elements, I’ll gladly help.” Luna pointed her horn at the chain and fired a quick beam of magic that completely severed it. I immediately took flight, heading for the window and smashing right through it.
I turned back to Luna and called, “Come, Luna! We have no time to lose!!” She nodded and followed after me. We flew off around the castle, heading right for the guard arena. I looked up at the sun and noted the time to be ebbing away much faster than I would have liked.
We banked the last corner and spied down on the arena, but it was not a sight I wanted to see. Oh goddess, I could hear her screams from up here, They were filled with pain. Those screams filled me with fear. I cared deeply about all of the Bearers, but it was Twilight who took over my thoughts. I couldn’t lose her, not like this!
I dived bombed the arena, intending to stop this all. But as I neared, I got a better look at who was being executed and my face paled. Not her! Anypony but her! No, no, no, no!! Faster, wings, faster!! I flapped as fast as I could but--,
“NO!!!”
…I was too late. She was gone before I even landed.