The pony-wolves attacked as soon as they saw the intruders. Twilight saw a pony-wolf coming in her direction and tried to react, but it wasn’t needed, because Golden Paladin conjured a shield around the two, which protected them from the pony-wolf. The young princess looked out and saw that Mirror Coat had also invoked a shield around him and Luna. Then, the four started running, plowing among the pony-wolves, while the others were fighting them, avoiding as much as possible to give them opportunities for biting.
The Lord of Chaos watched that scene with a certain pleasure.
"Look at that, Fire Punch" he said. "Is there anything better than watching a war lit up like this?"
"I must say that is a pretty intense fight" Fire Punch commented, noting also the fight.
"That's because you haven't seen a real war" the Lord of Chaos said. "It's not like the humans’, but even so, it is full of negative energy, of chaos. A feast."
"Sir, not to be a killjoy, but we shouldn't keep an eye in Princess Twilight?" Fire Punch asked, making the Lord of Chaos looking to him. "After all, she's going through all the pony-wolves."
"I know exactly what she's going through them, your idiot" the Lord of Chaos replied. "I'm not blind. However, I know that our little princess is not prepared for what expect her. Neither she nor the generals know the true power that resides in the Lunar Crystal. They don't even understand the Solar Crystal’s power. Only Princess Aurora could understand the power of that prickly ball of light. Princess Twilight is still very green. She does not have yet the maturity to use the Solar Crystal in its maximum capability. Believe me, Fire Punch. The odds are on our side."
After much struggle to get past through the pony-wolves, Twilight, Luna, Golden Paladin and Mirror Coat arrived at the castle and were able to enter in, with the generals to stun the vicious creatures who were at the entrance.
"All right, now we just have to find Shadow Claw" Twilight said, leaving the Solar Crystal levitate to her edge. "Let's see where he is."
She focused and so the Solar Crystal began heading for one of the corridors.
"Over there" Twilight said, pointing to where the Solar Crystal was heading.
"If we go through there, we will end in the entrance to the tallest tower" Luna answered. "It's a good place to hold a pony that has no wings."
"It must be were Rarity should be" Golden Paladin said. "He wouldn’t put her in a dungeon. Come on."
They prepared to go when Mirror Coat felt something.
"Wait" he said.
"What's up, brother?" Golden Paladin asked.
"I feel something" he said, concentrating. "I'm getting an image of a reflection in the neighborhood. I think that is... Yes, it is. It’s Princess Celestia, no doubt.
"My sister?" Luna asked.
"Where is she?" Twilight asked.
"She is…" Mirror Coat said, trying to concentrate better. "In a dungeon. I can't quite see well because it should be the reflection of a pool of water. However, I feel that there is something different about her."
"Take me there" Luna said to Mirror Coat.
"Yes, I want to go too" Twilight said, who wanted to help her mentor.
"Princess, I have to remind you of the purpose of our mission" Golden Paladin remembered to Twilight. "We need to stop Shadow Claw and make the Sun rise again. Let Princess Luna deal with this."
"But…" Twilight started.
She knew it was the right thing to do, but she didn't want to turn back to the pony that helped her to get where she was now.
"Don't worry, Twilight Sparkle" Luna told her. "I will get Celestia. You have to defeat Shadow Claw. Is the only way to win."
Twilight then waved and then she and Golden Paladin continued to follow the Solar Crystal, while Luna followed Mirror Coat.
The Lord of Chaos and Fire Punch were seeing as Mirror Coat and Luna were on their way to where was Celestia.
"My Lord, if they save Princess Celestia, she will raise the Sun and all pony-wolves will return to his pony form" Fire Punch said.
"Don't worry about it" the Lord of Chaos said. "When they get there, they will realize that there won't be much for them to save."
And he gave an evil laugh.
The fight against the pony-wolves was pretty intense. There was a massive confusion. Fortunately, all those who were not pony-wolves avoided to give maximum opportunity to the enemy to bite. Blue and Thunder Night were those that defeated more pony-wolves due to their experience in combat, but Rainbow Dash and Applejack were nothing behind. Pinkie Pie was beating her opponents with her only way to fight: with her party cannon, although no one knew how she had brought it. Only Fluttershy was the only pony who wasn't fight seriously, preferring to avoid any fight as possible.
Blue and Thunder Night approached each other, covering the blind spots of each other and the last said to the first:
"They are too many and too strong. I don't know how long we're going to hold them."
"We have to do the best we can, while Shadow Claw is not defeated" Blue answered him.
Then their heard a moan of pain and saw that one of their guards had been bitten and it wasn't long before he becomes a pony-wolf.
"Not if they keep multiplying in this way" Thunder Night returned.
Twilight and Golden Paladin followed the Solar Crystal and started to climb the highest tower. On reaching the top, they saw a door that was broken by a burst of Golden Paladin’s. Upon entering, they saw Rarity sitting in the bed.
"Twilight!" she called, standing up, happy to see her friend.
"Rarity!" Twilight exclaimed, going up to her edge and hugging her.
They finished the hug and then Twilight told Rarity:
"We came to set you free. Come on, we gotta go."
"Princess" Golden Paladin said, in a warning tone, motioning to the window.
Twilight and Rarity turned and saw Shadow Claw right in front of the window.
"You’re leaving now so early?" he asked.
Fluttershy avoided fighting constantly, what caught the attention of the pony-wolves that were attacking, knowing she would be an easy prey. When one of them was about to bite her, Thunder Night appeared and gave him a punch so powerful that put him unconscious.
"Pick on somepony from your own size, freak."
"Thundy!" Fluttershy exclaimed, going to embrace her coltfriend.
"Fluttershy, you should have stayed in the village, if you don't want to fight" Thunder Night told her.
"I know I have fear, Thundy, but I can't stand quiet while I see my friends fighting" Fluttershy replied. "I just can't do it."
That made Thunder Night smile and say:
"That's why I love you."
Fluttershy also smiled, but then she saw a pony-wolf approaching Thunder Night behind.
"Look out!" she exclaimed.
The thestral turned, but the pony-wolf gave him a blow that knocked him backward. Thunder Night, at times, kept his eyes closed because of the strike, but when he heard the cry of his marefriend, he opened them immediately and stood up.
"Fluttershy!" he called.
He saw his marefriend lying nearby. He intended to approach her, but he saw that she had a bite in one of the forelegs.
"Oh no…" he said, not wanting to believe. "Not you."
The wound then cured itself, while Fluttershy’s body also changed. She then stood up and turned to Thunder Night, looking at him with yellow eyes with narrow pupils and snarling him, showing her fangs.
Mirror Coat and Luna arrived at the castle dungeons. While walking, Luna said:
"This place brings back lots of memories. I never thought I'd come back here after my exile."
"Sometimes, what we think it might not happen, eventually happens, Princess" Mirror Coat said, while trying to feel where Celestia was.
It was then that he felt she were closer.
"Let's go" he said.
They moved down the hall until they arrive to a cell where, through the bars, they could see Celestia, sitting down, with her back to them. Apparently, she had a shackle in one of her hind legs. Next to her, was a pool of water created by humanity. It had been through there that Mirror Coat might see where Celestia was.
"Sister!" Luna called.
However, Celestia does not answer her. It seemed that she had not heard. Luna and Mirror Coat entered the cell and Luna said, while approaching:
"Sister, we're here to save you. Don't worry."
When they got close enough, Mirror Coat noticed that although Celestia had a shackle in her hindleg, she wasn’t arrested and then noticed the claws in the place where there should be Celestia’s hooves.
"Princesa Luna, don't!" Mirror Coat exclaimed.
It was then that Luna, being now practically on the verge of Celestia, made her turn to herself and saw with horror that her sister had been turned into a pony-wolf. Celestia snarled her and prepared for the attack, but Mirror Coat was faster and used a spell that made appear a mirror underneath Celestia that absorbed her. Then he lifted the mirror and put it to a wall, revealing Celestia trapped inside. She tried to free herself, but she couldn't.
"I can't believe" Luna said, looking overwhelmed for her turned sister. "He... turned her."
She turned to Mirror Coat and said to her:
"You have to heal her."
"The only way to do that is neutralizing the alpha, Princess Luna" he replied. "Once Princess Twilight defeats Shadow Claw, all pony-wolves from his lineage will be cured thanks to the Solar Crystal’s light. Don't worry."
However, Luna had reason to worry, because she knew that the darkness had various tricks to achieve victory at any price.
Thunder Night tried not to make any sudden movements in front of Fluttershy. He didn't want to fight the mare he loved as if she were a pony-wolf like the others. He didn't wanted to hurt her, even putting her unconscious. He wouldn't be able to do it. Her friends, seeing what had happened, wanted to help.
"Flutershy!" Rainbow Dash called, while she, Applejack and Pinkie Pie approached.
"No, stay away!" Thunder Night exclaimed, making them stop. "I deal with her! Go!"
"But..." Rainbow Dash started, who did not want to abandon Fluttershy, who was her friend before Twilight and the others.
"Don't worry" Thunder Night told them. "I take care of her. You have to deal with the other pony-wolves before they turn somepony else."
"Come on, Rainbow" Applejack said to Rainbow Dash.
And so the three moved away.
Thunder Night turned to Fluttershy that began to approach him slowly and said, while trying to keep his distance.
"Fluttershy, honey, please, you've got to control yourself" he said. "I know it must be difficult but you have to do it. It's me, Thundy, your coltfriend, your beloved."
But Fluttershy seemed not to be listening. Thunder Night continued:
"Do you remember when we met for the first time? You took care of me when I was hurt by having been flying during the day. We didn't get along at first, but we ended up understanding each other. We become more than friends. I will never forget the times you took care of me after I had been imprudent. Especially when you treated me after I had escaped from Shadow Claw. Do you remember?"
Although Fluttershy continue to roar to him, her movements slowed until she stopped approaching Thunder Night. Sensing that he was able to reach her, Thunder Night continued, this time approaching Fluttershy:
"You're the sweetest and kindest pony that I know. You are always ready to sacrifice yourself to help a friend, forgetting all your fears. I have faced a lot of enemies, but I will never have the courage you have."
Came to her and taking her front hooves, Thunder Night told her:
"I love you, Fluttershy."
Upon hearing those words, Fluttershy felt like waking from a dream. She looked to Thunder Night and said in a changed voice, due to her transformation:
"Thundy?"
Happy by Fluttershy have recognized him, Thunder Night said:
"Yes, it’s me Fluttershy."
A smile emerged briefly in Fluttershy’s face. She then said:
"Thundy, I feel weird."
"Don't worry, I will treat you as you treat me. It's going to be okay."
Fluttershy felt safe when Thunder Night said that. Then a sharp pain in her head made her moan of pain.
"What's the matter, honey?" Thunder Night asked, worried.
"I don't know" she said. "Something is compelling me to attack you. I'm trying to resist, but... It’s very hard."
"Fluttershy, you have to resist" Thunder Night said. "You have to fight. Don't worry, I'm here."
"I… can’t" Fluttershy said. "It's… very painful."
It was then that the pony-wolf instinct resumed control over Fluttershy and she attacked Thunder Night, throwing him to the ground and trying to bite him. He struggled to prevent Fluttershy to do it.
In the tower, Shadow Claw made intention to move, but then Golden Paladin put himself in front of Twilight and Rarity.
"Don't you dare go any further" the General of Peace told him.
"Come on, general, you know perfectly well that you can’t beat me" Shadow Claw said.
"That's what we're going to see" Golden Paladin said.
Shadow Claw giggled and then made the Lunar Crystal appear. The crystal glowed and launched waves of energy against Golden Paladin. He tried to resist, but he was eventually pushed against a wall.
"Golden Paladin!" Twilight called.
"I'm fine, Princess" he replied, standing out.
"Shadow Claw, please, you don't have to do this" Rarity said. "You don't have to obey to the Lord of Chaos."
"I already told you, I can't" Shadow Claw answered. "He is the one that made me what I am now and I'm not going to betray him. Very well, let's see what Princess Twilight Sparkle, Princess of the Light Kingdom, and her Solar Crystal are capable of."
"Since you don't want to back up your plan, Shadow Claw, so I have to beat you" Twilight said, carrying her horn with magic and accessing to the Solar Crystal’s power. "And that's what I'm going to do."
"Don't make me laugh" Shadow Claw replied. "You cannot even understand the full potential the Solar Crystal has. On the other hoof, I understand the Lunar Crystal. Allow me to demonstrate."
He closed his eyes and concentrated and it was then that the Lunar Crystal began to shine brightly. It then launched an energy beam against the alpha, seeming to be feeding him with magic. While this was happening, Shadow Claw's body began to glow, radiating the same energy that was in the Lunar Crystal. He should be absorbing all the magic that existed in the crystal. It was then that it stopped giving its power to Shadow Claw and then fell to the ground, breaking up and gaining the transparent color of a common crystal.
After absorbing all the magic contained in the Lunar Crystal, Shadow Claw started moaning in pain, like if he wasn’t being able to control all that power. But then his body began to change. They saw with horror as his body grew up and all the pony traces that he had disappeared completely, only to become a creature completely canine. His fur became purple with a big mane around his head. Purplish white light lines appeared throughout his body.
That image released an immense scream from Rarity, not wanting to believe that the pony for who she had fell really in love had been turned into a monster like that.
Shadow Claw then gave a strong roar that freed a lot of waves of energy that made the roof of the tower be destroyed. Golden Paladin used a protective spell to protect himself, Twilight and Rarity from the wreckage. That was so violent that caught the attention of those who were fighting down there.
"But what the hay..." Applejack said.
And then they saw Shadow Claw appearing, managing to fly thanks to the magic of the Lunar Crystal.
"Is that who I think it is?" Rainbow Dash asked, not wanting to believe in what her eyes was seeing.
"If you want to know if that wolf monster is our dear and beloved pony-wolf alpha, then the answer is yes" Pinkie Pie said.
"But how did he get so big?" Applejack asked.
"I don't know, but I hope that Twilight has something to defeat something that big, I'm not sure if the Solar Crystal will be enough" Rainbow Dash said.
Shadow Claw turned to Twilight and asked her:
"What's up, Princess Twilight? Are you afraid of fighting me?"
Twilight, knowing that she had no other choice but to defeat Shadow Claw in combat, she prepared herself to takeoff.
"Princess, wait" Golden Paladin said. "You’re not supposed to do this alone."
"Don't worry, Golden Paladin," she replied.
And Twilight took flight. Down there, her friends might see her.
"Look, it's Twilight" Pinkie Pie said.
"It looks like she'll face Shadow Claw" Applejack noted.
"Go, Twilight!" Rainbow Dash encouraged. "Show to this bastard how the things are done!"
Blue also noted that and became concerned. He just hoped that Twilight was okay.
"It seems that the stage is ready" Shadow Claw said to Twilight. “The Lunar Crystal’s power against Solar Crystal’s. The light against the darkness."
"Unfortunately, it will always be like this while your master exists."
"So it looks like this war will last for eternity" Shadow Claw said.
And that's when he launched from his forelegs a kind of black magic beam in a unexpected way. Clumsy, Twilight quickly created a shield around her and, with her magic increased by the Solar Crystal, she managed to protect herself, although only barely. She also attacked Shadow Claw, but it just ricocheted in the alpha, not affecting him.
"That's all?" Shadow Claw mocked, while he brushed the place where Twilight’s attack had settled. "You're going to have to do better than this, princess. That even didn’t make me tickles."
The two then continued to wage their struggle, both attacking and defending. However, it was Shadow Claw who attacked more. Twilight was limited to defending and his attacks became stronger with each strike. After all, he had all the power from the Lunar Crystal and Twilight didn't know how to use completely the Solar Crystal’s, but she couldn't let that stop her from doing the right thing: defeat Shadow Claw, save all ponies which he enslaved and raise the Sun once again.
It was then that the Solar Crystal began to shine with a more intense light. Seeing that, Twilight could understand now. The crystal reacted to her desire to help her friends.
"It's time to end this once and for all" Shadow Claw said to Twilight.
He then concentrated an immense amount of dark energy and then said to Twilight.
"Goodbye, Princess Twilight."
And then he released all that energy, hitting in full force in Twilight and creating a huge blast of smoke.
"Twilight!" her friends shrieked, thinking that Twilight had been neutralized.
"Yes!" the Lord of Chaos exclaimed, victorious. "Finally, the Princess of the Light Kingdom no longer exists. What do you say to that, brother?"
And he laughed.
"Your desire was fulfilled, Lord of Chaos" Shadow Claw said.
But in the middle of the smoke, an intense light appeared. When smoke disappeared, Twilight appeared, flooded by the intense light from the Solar Crystal.
"It can't be!" Shadow Claw exclaimed.
"Twilight!" everypony exclaimed, watching with a smile that Twilight was fine.
"What?!" the Lord of Chaos asked, not wanting to believe. "She's still alive?! And to top it she get access to the full power of the Solar Crystal. Shadow Claw, you have failed me."
"That's impossible" Shadow Claw said to Twilight. "I… I shot you. You... You should have been destroyed."
"I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I didn't" Twilight replied. "Not when my friends' happiness depends on my victory. You know, that's what you don't understand, Shadow Claw. Love, affection and friendship are far more powerful than the power of darkness. Because they illuminate our world."
Twilight then made the Solar Crystal rise up above her head and it started releasing an immense light that spread everywhere. That light hit Shadow Claw that began to scream in agony, while he felt all the darkness that he had absorbed disappearing. It was then that his body began to move to the previous appearance and then returned to his pony form.
With their Alpha defeated, the pony-wolves began to moan and began to return to their pony form, freed from the curse that had been placed in them. When Fluttershy became herself, she found herself overwhelmed by Thunder Night that, seeing that she was back to normal, freed her. The two then exchanged a smile and a hug. Luna also saw her sister returning to normal and after that happens, the mirror where Mirror Coat had put her broke, releasing her. Seeing that she was free, Celestia hugged her younger sister. In addition to all this, the Sun returned also to rise, bringing an end to that eternal full moon night.
Twilight descended into the room in the tower, carrying Shadow Claw with her magic and putting him gently on the ground while landing. He began to stand up and, upon seeing what had happened, he said:
"No! My power! It... disappeared!"
"It's over, Shadow Claw" Twilight said. "You lost."
"No, it can't end like this" Shadow Claw said.
"Please, Shadow Claw, it's over" Rarity said, trying to get close to him. "You don't have to continue to serve the Lord of Chaos."
"You're wrong" Shadow Claw answered. "I'm still a pony-wolf."
"Maybe, but you will not be as strong as you were" Golden Paladin answered. "You should surrender yourself."
"I will never surrender" said Shadow Claw. "You'll see. I will form a new army and come back."
"That's not going to happen" a voice said.
They turned and saw Mirror Coat at the entrance of the room. He then charged his horn with magic and invoked the cell blaster that already had a life cell prepared. Upon realizing what Mirror Coat was ready to do, Rarity said:
"No, wait!"
But it was too late, because Mirror Coat carried the cell blaster with his magic and it issued a light blue light that hit Shadow Claw and he began to be sucked into the life cell, while he tried not to be captured. However, he was completed sucked and his image appeared on the life cell. Mirror Coat then invoked the prison-book and put the life cell inside of it.
"No, Shadow Claw!" Rarity exclaimed.
"I'm sorry, but it had to be this way" Mirror Coat said. "We couldn't risk have him there hurting other ponies."
Despite knowing that Mirror Coat was right, Rarity did not fail to feel immense pain in her chest.
"I don't believe!" the Lord of Chaos yelled, while destroying everything that was on his side and Fire Punch left the room, fearing his master’s anger. "I was so close! That idiot didn't serve for nothing!"
After calming down, he said:
"But they haven't seen even one tenth of what I'm capable of."
In the library, Spike walked from one side to the other, quite nervous. He was like that since he found out that Rarity had been kidnapped. The little dragon, which has always had a crush on the white unicorn, couldn't stop to ask to himself if she was okay. He wanted to go with Twilight, but he had to stay with Star.
The door opened and Twilight and Blue entered.
"Finally, I was almost getting crazy here" Spike said. "How's Rarity."
"Safe" Blue answer. "And the Mirror Coat arrested Shadow Claw in the prison-book."
"But that's amazing!" Spkie exclaimed. "I'll go see how Rarity is.”
"You better not do that, Spike" Twilight advised.
"Why not?" he asked.
"Because she now needs rest and have time to herself" Twilight replied.
In her room, completely obscured by curtains, Rarity was lying on her bed, thinking with tears in her eyes. She couldn't get Shadow Claw out of her head. He was the first stallion she had been in love for real. Despite everything that happened, Rarity made a promise to herself: she would find a way to cure his condition as pony-wolf and release him from the control of the Lord of Chaos, even if it cost her own life.