Luna couldn’t think straight, her body felt drained and very weak. Dazedly she rose to her hooves, legs shaking as she tried to get her bearings on what had happened. In a flash the memories flooded into her mind, the orange ring and her daughter. The High Princess of the Night looked up and her eyes went wide with shock.
Night had befallen the land, her moon was high above, bathed in vermillion and shining down that light upon the world. Another light appeared, a bright orange star, but this was no star, it was something else.
Luna focused her vision and saw Nidra. Her mane bellowed like vermillion fire, tinged with the natural blue of her mane and tail. Her body somehow had gotten taller, and more mature. Nidra’s horn was longer too, her bat wings flared out and were spiked at the tips.
But the most striking of all these features were on her face. Her eyes had become demonic slits, yellow with a flaring orange smoke coming from the corners of her eyes, and her teeth had become fanged. Luna briefly recalled Sombra and how much Nidra looked like him, but this was far worse. She was slowly becoming a Nightmare, something that Luna had never hoped her own daughter would become. And it was all that ring’s fault.
Suddenly a flash of chaotic light appeared before Luna, and from it Illusion stood at its center. “Aunty Luna, what’s going on?!”
“Illusion, dear nephew…Tell my sister and Discord to get as far away from here as they can, now! And that goes for you as well!” Luna ordered.
“But why, what’s going on –?” Illusion looked up to where Luna was staring, noticing an alicorn mare in orange armor with large bat wings. “Aunty Luna…that’s not – it can’t be, right?!”
“It’s…Nidra…She is possessed by a Ring of the Light, and is becoming a Nightmare with each passing second. She drained me of my magic and now has control of the night!” A single tear fell from the alicorn mare’s eye.
“Then let me talk to her! Maybe I can –!”
“NO! If she can take my magic, then she can take yours as well! The last thing we need to do is give her more power! The only reason I’m still standing is because of my sealed reserves, otherwise she would’ve stolen it all! If she gets ahold of your mother’s and father’s powers, along with your own, she’ll become a literal goddess!”
Illusion looked back up at Nidra, watching as her orange aura flared like flames around her. From her ring she created numerous Night Guard constructs, each one flying out towards the city. Screams could be heard coming from deep within the city as explosions and smoke rose up.
“Do as I say, or we’ll all pay a hefty price! Please Illusion!” Luna pleaded.
The half-draconequus was torn at this moment, he didn’t want to leave his Aunt alone, and he definitely didn’t want to leave Nidra. But right now he knew that neither of them had the power to stop her, not while she wore that ring. Reluctantly, Illusion nodded and teleported away.
When Illusion was no longer there, Luna saw somepony else. Standing in the doorway across from the gardens was Turquoise. The dracony stallion stared at the alicorn mare with worry and dismay. He rushed towards her as quick as he could. Luna was about to tell him to leave but the strength in her body left her for a moment.
Turquoise was able to get to her just in time to catch the Princess of the Night. Luna used the large stallion’s body to keep herself propped up as she gazed into his crystal blue eyes. “Young Turquoise Blitz, you should not be here…!”
“Sorry Princess, but I am! What’s happening?! It was day a few moments ago and now it’s night!”
“It is not my doing…but rather, it is Nidra’s…”
Turquoise looked up at that moment and saw the alicorn thestral floating in the sky, wielding the power of a ring.
“Why is Nidra like that?! What’s going on?!”
“…She’s making the same mistakes as I did in my youth…and I was unable to help her.”
Turquoise continued to stare at the Nightmare, seeing Nidra’s horde growing with each passing second. Deep down Turquoise knew, this was partly his doing. His rejecting of Nidra’s feelings for him, and being too dense to notice sooner, must’ve driven her to this state. He hated knowing that he caused her pain, caused her to become something this monstrous.
“I’m going to Nidra, Princess Luna,” said Turquoise.
“Nay Turquoise Blitz! In her current state, friend and foe are not definable!” Luna warned.
“I’m still going to try! I’m responsible for this! I have to do something!”
Turquoise helped Luna against the castle wall, once he was sure she was stable enough he spread his wings and took off for Nidra.
[Take it all Nidra! It’s all yours! The sky is yours, the moon is yours, and soon, HE will be yours!]
“Indeed, but before that, I must take it all! It shall be MINE!!!”
The light constructs flew through the city of Canterlot, each construct breaking into a shop. When a construct spotted something its body opened up like a giant mouth, consumed the item, and left just as quickly. The constructs would return to a spot where Nidra had designated and dropped their pilfered goods and went on to get more and more.
Gold, jewels, clothing, trinkets, and even a gumball machine – Nidra had no idea why she wanted that, but it didn’t matter, it was hers anyway! As a princess everything in this city was rightfully hers and hers alone. Damn her mother, her cousin, her aunt and uncle, she would have it all.
“NIDRA!!!”
The Orange Lantern turned to her right and looked upon the object of her every desire, her ring shined brighter as if responding to need to have this stallion. “T, glad you could make it. What do think of the new me?”
Nidra struck a pose, and admittedly, she was a combination of dangerous, demonic, and beauty all at once. Turquoise couldn’t believe how much her physical form had changed, she was barely the same mare he knew.
“Nidra, listen, this is the honest truth! I do like you! And I could even…with time…maybe be with you! But I love Annie, Nidra! I can’t betray her, and I won’t! Please, for me and for her, please stop all this!” Turquoise pleaded.
Nidra floated closer to the dracony stallion and placed her left hoof gently onto his cheek. “Oh T, I know you love Annie, but if I can be honest for a moment…I don’t care. I want you Turquoise! I deserve you, and nopony will take what is rightfully MINE!”
Turquoise moved away when he saw the flaring of power within Nidra’s eyes. Suddenly a couple of demonic thestral Night Guard constructs appeared from behind Nidra. Both of them charged for Turquoise, but the dracony stallion roared and bellowed a stream of dragon fire at both of them. The sudden attack disoriented the constructs long enough for Turquoise to fly away.
The thestral constructs gave chase, flying at high speeds. Turquoise knew he wasn’t the fastest flyer, or the most maneuverable, so he had to rely on his strength and fire breath to keep the constructs at bay.
One of the constructs flew up to his right, but Turquoise used his great bulk to slam into the orange creation, grinding it against the side of the castle wall until it couldn’t take it anymore and shattered. The second thestral construct flew at him, and crashed into the bulky dracony. It used its foreleg to pin him by the throat against the wall. Since it was made of light energy, it didn’t need to flap its wings to stay aloft.
Turquoise knew this might happen, he wasn’t quick in the air and doing that kind of aerial attack would cost him in recovery time. The dracony stallion growled and opened his maw wide. A torrent of flames struck the construct right in the face, the force of the fire blast was strong enough to send the construct flying backwards. Turquoise quickly flapped his wings, keeping himself in the air as he coughed.
Suddenly orange chains shot out from nowhere, each one wrapped around his legs and pulled him forward. Turquoise quickly flapped his wings to try and escape the chains, but a new set of chains appeared and wrapped around his wings, locking them up and preventing him from flying at all.
The chains kept reeling back until they brought him face to face with Nidra. “Hello my love, why did you run away?”
“Nidra that’s enough, stop this!” Turquoise ordered.
Nidra laughed maniacally. “Oh my dear T, this is only the beginning! You’ll be mine, along with this city and mountain! This will be my Horde, my sanctuary! And as long as I have you…well…everypony can go to Tartarus for all I care!”
Elsewhere, Saddle Arabian airspace…
The crew of the Avalon had boarded the battleship that Starburst had towed with her and were now on their way to Saddle Arabia. Twilight had promised the minotaurs that as soon as they were able, they would transport them back to Minotaurus, where they could give their fallen Prince a proper burial and send off. The Princess of Magic had expressed her deepest condolences for the loss of Prince Steel, and apologized that it was because of her that he fell.
The minotaur soldiers told Twilight to not disgrace his noble sacrifice by saying things like “sorry” or “forgive me”. “Dying honorably and gloriously in battle is the mark of true warrior. Dying while protecting a comrade is true honor, and worthy of praise.”
Twilight made no other apologies after that, but merely thanked them for their help. All this time during the journey to Saddle Arabia one passenger was at a loss of what to do. Annie was in the cargo hold, alone, with her ring still fastened around her right foreleg. She stared at it as the words Starburst spoke to her still echoed in her mind.
Annie finally had the power to bring Starburst back home, and yet, she was far from Star’s equal. Furthermore, for the first time since she donned the ring, Annie was questioning herself and the reason she wore it.
Did she keep it on so that she could finally be able to see? Did she truly intend to only bring Starburst back home? If that was the case, then what, would she give up the ring? Would she just sit idly by and allow the war to continue as it had been, without the aid of the “Fear Lantern” or the “Star Sapphire”?
Starburst questioned her resolve and reason for using this ring, and now Annie herself was doubting her worthiness to wield it. It chose me because of my love…but is that really all it chose me for? I’m not some kind of warrior like Starburst…nor am I a fighter like Hot Head or Lucky…and I definitely don’t have any kind of great strength like Amber…so why?
“Ring…why did you choose me?”
[Because you have great love in your heart, Annie.]
“I know, you said that when we first met. But what I want to know is why, the deeper reason. Starburst was chosen because she could instill fear, but also she has a strong sense of justice. I don’t condone anything that the griffons have done, but at the same time, I don’t like us hurting them back. It won’t end. I’m not a warrior, so why did you choose me? Amber would make a better Star Sapphire than me. She at least is in the Royal Guard.”
[I don’t make mistakes Annie, I chose you as my bearer, and I did so for a reason. All Star Sapphires fight for what they love, be it a planet, a group of people, their family, friends, or even their lovers. You have love for all, for your family, friends, your lover, and everything creature that dwells on this planet.]
Annie sighed sorrowfully. “And yet I couldn’t keep one from leaving. I understand what Starburst is doing is important…but…Ring, am I wrong? Was I wrong this whole time in bringing her back?! I love Starburst! I want her to come back! I want her to be happy with Del! I want all of us to be happy! Why…” Annie began to cry. “Why is that such a hard thing to grasp…?”
[…………]
Annie’s tears still fell as she laid on the floor of the cargo hold. All the while, Amber, Lucky, Hot Head, and Twilight were watching her from the doorway. Their hearts heavy with the knowledge that no matter what they said, it wouldn’t be enough to bring Annie out from the sadness that had overtaken her. The one thing she had set out to do, the one thing she was most adamant about doing, and come to find out, that despite her training and ability, she was nothing before Starburst’s might.
Amber couldn’t take it anymore and left the others to go to Annie. The goldenrod mare walked up beside Annie and laid down next to her, she then rested her head on top of the unicorn’s and gave it a gentle nuzzle. “It’s alright, Annie.”
“No it’s not Amber…it’s not…! Was I really that wrong in wanting to bring a friend back? Was I really that naïve?!” Annie asked desperately.
“Annie…I…”
“No you’re not Anthea.” The new voice grabbed the attention of both mares. Both watched as Twilight approached them. “What you wanted to do was noble, and something that a good friend would do. It’s just…Star…she’s still carrying the hurt, and the pain of what we…I…did to her. I know Star won’t rest until Equestria is safe, and the only thing I can do now – the one thing we can all do, is make sure she has a home to come back to. I don’t expect her forgiveness, and neither do I expect yours Anthea.”
Annie blinked some tears out of her eyes and tilted her head to the side curiously. “Why would I ask your forgiveness Princess?”
“I…”
[Warning: Love in danger!]
The sudden interruption of the ring caused all five of them to jump. But after a second Annie was able to calm down enough to ask, “‘Love in danger’, what are you talking about?!”
[Romantic love, the one you know as Turquoise Blitz. The life of your love is in danger!]
“TURQUOISE?!!” Annie shouted.
Hot Head and Lucky entered the room and joined the others after hearing the information. “Does that mean Equestria is under attack?!” Hot Head asked.
“It can’t be the griffons, the Princess made it so that Pretenders can’t stay cloaked in Equestria anymore, and as far as we know, they haven’t broken through any of our front lines,” said Lucky.
“Unless they used the Long Road, maybe one of them got passed Starburst and traveled down the Minotaurus Gate to get to Equestria?!” Amber suggested.
“No, can’t be, not even Starburst would allow one of them to get by,” said Twilight.
[Detecting energy signatures, orange Avarice light confirmed.]
“Orange Avarice light…the second ring! Starburst said that two rings entered Equestria, one of them was mine and another one must’ve appeared back home!”
Twilight’s mind started to think hard. “Even if we contact the Saddle Arabians, it’ll take too long for them to relay a message and for us to get a confirmation. By that time who knows what could happen.”
Suddenly Annie was engulfed in a crystal cocoon, after a few short seconds the cocoon shattered into particles of light and revealed the unicorn mare in her Star Sapphire uniform. “Then we’ll have to teleport there Princess!”
“I could cast the spell, but if we run into heavy resistance we’ll need all the power we have to stop it!” Twilight argued.
[That won’t be necessary, I can get Annie to her love, and all of you as well.]
“And how’s that?” Hot Head asked.
[The Sapphire Tether. Connected to each living being is a tether that links their love to another. These tethers are made of the light of Love and are invisible to those who do not wield the power of the violet light. As a Star Sapphire, Annie, you are able to see these tethers, and more importantly, use them to take you to those you love.]
“Seriously?! You mean you can teleport us to where T is?!”
[More like trans-warp you, but yes, it would only take a matter of seconds.]
Annie looked to her friends and mentor, all of which gave an affirmative nod. The Troublemaker Trio stood back a few steps and donned their armor with a smack of their breastplates. Twilight summoned her magic and trans-located her battle regalia armor onto her body.
“Alright, Ring, how do I use the Sapphire Tether?”
[Concentrate on the love you feel for Turquoise. Feel it stretch over vast distances, across time and space itself, and see him in your mind’s eye.]
Annie did as the ring instructed. Within her mind she grasped a clear picture of Turquoise, she was thankful for the sight she was granted, now she knew what her love looked like and more importantly, the feelings connected to him. The ring on Annie’s foreleg shined bright, at the same time, the sapphire stone in the middle of her uniform glowed as well. Suddenly Annie was lifted off the floor slightly, enveloped in the violet-pink aura of the ring.
From the sapphire, a long robe made of light shot out of the crystal and lashed about. It then coiled up like a cobra, looking for the direction it would strike. After a moment the tether found its mark and shot forth, the other end formed an anchor like arrowhead as it pierced through the hull of the ship and continued onward without impediment. Despite going through the ship, the tether didn’t damage the ship, more like it phased through it.
Annie floated back down to the floor, landing on all four of her hooves. She then looked the tether that was connected to the jewel on her uniform. “I guess this is the Sapphire Tether. Guys, I think you better hold onto me, I feel something tugging at the other end!”
Twilight, Amber, Hot Head, and Lucky each placed a hoof on Annie’s back. At that moment the tugging became stronger and stronger. The violet-pink aura wrapped around each one of them, and within an instant all five were completely engulfed in light and were shot straight along the Sapphire Tether.
Miles were crossed within a matter of nanoseconds, the scenery blurring into colorful, indistinguishable hues. Within the light, all five were mesmerized at the sights they were seeing. The tether allowed them a glimpse into the vast network of Sapphire Tethers, each one connecting a loved one to another.
They were numerous, incalculable, like a gigantic ball of yarn. Each one sparkled and glimmered with the violet light of Love, each one a connection to somepony special. For a brief moment, each of them saw a tether connecting each of them.
Hot Head had one connected to Amber, which made him blush and the mare smirk. One was connected to Amber from Lucky, and another to Anthea, but there was another that shot off in another direction, as if it was telling him that there was somepony out there. Amber had one connected to Annie, and through it she felt a connection from the young unicorn to herself, one of sisterly love.
Twilight saw one connected to Annie was well, but what surprised her was the love that was connected to it. It felt like the love she had for Starburst, the kind of love one has for their own child. Two more were seen shooting off in nearly the same direction as the one they were following.
Twilight had no doubt that those were connected to Flash and Nighty. More appeared around her, each one she could feel in her heart. Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Celestia, Luna, Cadance, Shining Armor, her parents, and…Starburst.
Annie had a few of her own going every which way. Some of which she could feel right now, connected to her friends and family. Del, Prism, Claire, Candy, Amber, Hot Head, Lucky, June, Illusion, her mother, Princess Twilight…Starburst, Nighty, Pixel, Echo, and Api, and…and…there were three other tethers for some reason. All three somehow felt familiar, but Annie had no idea who they connected to.
Whoever they were, it felt like at least two of the three loved her very much and the third seemed unsure, but did care about her. Annie shook her head, she couldn’t get distracted, she was after one of her loved ones, and it was the colt she pledged her heart to, and he to her.
I’m coming T!
Canterlot City, now…
Nidra’s Horde had grown in a short amount of time. Jewels, gold, clothing, random junk, all of it was piled up high around her. Orange constructs stood sentry around her pilfered goods, while others continued to scrounge up more and more, short of taking another pony.
Nidra had sensed her dear aunt and uncle depart the castle, along with Valiant Heart and Illusion. She wanted their magic too, but at the rate she was going, there wasn’t any need to rush it. She would soon have their power, dominion over the day and night, and over the power of chaos, soon she would also have the magic of love as well from Aunt Cadance.
[The heck with love, you don’t need it! That kind of magic wouldn’t taste very good anyway.]
Nidra was currently dining on a large bowl of fruit, for some reason she had developed a gnawing hunger deep in her gullet and sought to satiate it. “Good or not, it’s more power, and with that power, I’ll make T fall in love me and forget about that tease of a mare!”
“MMMMPH!!”
Nidra looked down to Turquoise, who was currently bound in orange construct chains, and had a muzzle fastened around his mouth to prevent anymore dragon fire attacks. Consequently it also muffled his speech. Nidra flew down to her love and stroked his chin with the spike tip of her bat wing.
“Oh don’t worry T, soon I’ll have the perfect place for us to live in, our own eternal kingdom, with riches that can’t be matched in any part of Equus!” Nidra got real close to Turquoise, her eyes staring directly into his. “I can see it in you, you know, that glimmer of Avarice deep inside. I know dragons love to gather things and create their own horde, and my horde will be yours, because you are mine.”
Nidra began to circle around Turquoise, like a shark biding its time before going in for the kill.
“Did you know your father once gave into his greed?”
Turquoise’s head snapped in her direction, giving her a look that said “You’re lying!”
Nidra placed a hoof to her chest, feigning hurt. “Oh T, I wouldn’t lie to you! It’s all true. Aunt Twilight told me so a long time ago. She said that Mr. Spike started collecting random junk, and the more he collected, the bigger, fiercer, and stronger he got. He eventually became so massive that he towered over Ponyville, becoming a full sized dragon within a matter of minutes! Can you believe it T! Haven’t you ever wondered if you could do it too?!”
Nidra wrapped her forelegs around his neck, pressing her cheek against his neck and nuzzling him.
“You would be magnificent, something worth more than anything in this world! And you could have me, because you’re mine, and what’s mine is mine, and you’re mine, so…you get the gist.”
Turquoise thrashed about, falling with a dull thud against the dirt and out of her grasp. He made a few muffled sounds, Nidra waved her hoof and allowed part of the muzzle to disappear so that he could talk.
“I won’t become that Nidra, and I’m not yours! You can’t own anypony! Stop this now, please, before it’s too late!” Turquoise pleaded.
“Oh T…it already is,” said Nidra with a smirk.
[At this rate he’ll never be yours. But, if you want, there’s another option.]
Nidra lifted her right hoof, bringing the ring closer to her chest level. “And what, pray tell, is that option?”
[I have the power to Steal Identity. Consume Turquoise and everything that he is will be made into a construct. It’ll follow your every command, never question you, but most importantly, he will still be Turquoise. Mind, personality, and even soul, will be yours.]
Nidra looked upon Turquoise, the option was tantalizing. “No, I can’t have too much fun with a construct of light, if you know what I mean. Plus, I want foals with T, and I can’t do that with a construct. You may be powerful, but you’re not a god.”
[Touché.]
Suddenly, a few yards away, a flash of violet-pink light appeared out of nowhere. This light took on the shape of the Star Sapphire insignia, growing in size until it was big enough to look like a gateway. Nidra looked upon the strange – and for some reason sickening – light with unease and anger.
From the portal appeared five ponies. Twilight spread her wings and hovered about, with Hot Head right beside her. Lucky and Amber flanked Annie, the Star Sapphire at the lead and ready to help her coltfriend.
“We’re in Canterlot?!” Hot Head exclaimed.
“The tether was supposed to bring us to Turquoise, why would it bring us here and not to Ponyville?!” Twilight asked.
Annie brought up her ring. “Ring, did you make a mistake? Was I not thinking clearly enough?”
[No Annie, this the correct location of your love. Romantic Love: Distance ten yards. Warning: High levels of Avarice light detected!]
Annie looked ahead of them, she wore a flabbergasted expression when she spied the giant hill of random stuff piled up high in the middle of the courtyard. Orange Night Guard constructs circled above them, like vultures about to dive bomb for their carrion meat. One of them broke away and dived straight for them.
Twilight summoned her magical energy into her horn. She then fired a concentrated mana blast right at the construct. The construct was struck with the beam, hitting dead center in its chest. But the construct did not fade, not even a crack appeared. Twilight suddenly felt her magic being drained away, as if the beam was acting like a straw and the construct was syphoning it from her.
“I…I…can’t stop it! It’s taking my magic!”
[Quickly Annie, attack it!]
Annie wasted no time, she aimed her ring skywards and fired a beam of violet-pink light at the orange thestral construct. The construct was pierced straight through, causing it to wail in pain and shatter apart like fragile glass. Twilight descended to the ground on all four hooves, wobbling a bit from the drain on her magic.
“I don’t understand…I thought light constructs were vulnerable to magic attacks?”
[Out of the seven lights of the Emotional Spectrum, the orange light of Avarice is the exception. It consumes everything in its path, even magic is not immune to its hunger.]
“But then why did it shatter when Annie attacked it?” Lucky asked.
[Only two lights of the Spectrum are immune to the orange light, the blue light of Hope, and the violet light of Love. Our power can’t be absorbed due to the contrasting nature of Love and Avarice, and therefore, constructs made of violet light can destroy constructs of orange light.]
“Good to know. Are you okay to continue Princess?” Annie asked.
Twilight nodded.
“Then let’s go!”
Annie summoned forth her crystal tidal wave and surfed it towards the Horde. Lucky and Amber galloped, their armored hooves clanking against the stone of the castle grounds, and Twilight and Hot Head flew above them, keeping up with their companions. The five ponies made it to the edge of the Horde, where they were greeted by more Night Guard constructs.
Annie slashed the air in front of her and released a wide arc of violet-pink light. The crescent wave struck the line of constructs and shattered them in one strike, allowing them to continue forward. But their progress was halted the moment a giant, fiery beam of orange light shot down from the sky and cut a line into the ground before the five.
They looked up and gasped at the sight. Twilight was having the strangest case of déjà vu right now, the mare above them, clad in the uniform of an Orange Lantern looked almost like Nightmare Moon. Except, this Nightmare looked even more demonic and sinister than its predecessor.
“Nightmare Moon?!” Twilight blurted out.
“Yes and no, I guess I am a Nightmare now, but it isn’t ‘Moon’.”
Annie’s eyes went wide upon recognizing the voice. “Nidra?!!”
Nidra chuckled and clapped her hooves together. “Very good Anthea, you figured it out, someone get the tramp a kewpie doll!”
“Hey!” Amber growled. “What did you call her?!”
Nidra zoomed down and landed with a powerful “BOOM” that shook the ground beneath their hooves. She then gave Amber a scathing glare as she bared her fanged teeth. “Zip it! You’re no better than she is you whorse! If anything you’re a whole hay of a lot worse! But then again, I shouldn’t expect anything less! A mare raised by an easy mare like you is bound to pick up on such habits.”
“What the buck did you just call Amber and Annie?!” Hot Head shouted.
“Oh please, defending the honor of two tramps isn’t worth dying over; unless, of course, their giving the two of you some on the side, then I could see a reason.” Nidra goaded.
Lucky’s horn shined violently and Hot Head’s bladed feathers rattled in agitation. The Troublemakers were about to charge, but before they did, two large feathered wings made of violet-pink light spread out in front of them. At that same time, a wave of light-green mana washed over the three, calming their rage. The wings had appeared from Annie’s sides, and her horn was aglow as she used her special talent to stop the anger before it reached a peak.
She then turned to Nidra and frowned. “Nidra why are you saying these things?! Why are you wearing a ring?! And where’s T?!”
Nidra chuckled. “He’s here, see.” Construct chains shot out from her ring and snaked their way into the Horde. Within a few seconds they retracted, pulling out Turquoise and bringing him before the group. “My prized possession, my stallion, and mine alone, and I won’t let you take him away from me Annie, none of you will!”
Annie shook her head, seeing her coltfriend tied up and muzzled like a wild animal, and hearing one of her friends, the mare she entrusted Turquoise’s happiness to, talk to her like this, it stung – no, it stabbed at her heart.
“Nidra…why are you doing all this?!”
Nidra narrowed her gaze as she slowly walked towards Annie, she stopped when she was but a foot away from her, continuing her menacing glare. “Why? Because I’m tire of it all, Anthea, I’m tired of seeing the one pony I could be happy with waste his time with a mare like you! I cared about T, I loved T! I always have! And every day, I have to watch as you and him flaunt that happiness right in my face! But I bit my tongue, bided my time, thinking that somehow, some way, you two would no longer be together – but no!”
Nidra flared her bat wings, and at the same time her orange aura raged like an inferno. Annie summoned forth her own aura, appearing like flower petals as it clashed against the orange light, creating sparks as they grinded against each other.
“I’m tired, and I’m through with it all! I won’t just stay in the shadows to wait and watch! I’ll shine, and I’ll take what I want with my own hooves! And nothing will stop me! And if you do…so help me Anthea…I will raze you and bury you deep in the earth!”
It took everything Annie had not to cry from hearing these harsh words. But she had to be strong, this was the ring, it had to be, Nidra may be a bit uppity and act a bit snobbish from time to time, but she’s not a monster.
“I…Nidra…I…I’m sorry, I didn’t know you were suffering this much –”
“Of course you didn’t!” Nidra interrupted. “You’re not only blind in sight, but you’re blind to the feelings of those around you too!”
“NIDRA!” Twilight shouted in the Royal Canterlot voice. “That’s enough, for Faust’s sake, what would your mother say about this?!”
Nidra tapped a hoof against her chin in mock contemplation. “Hmm, don’t know, the last time I saw her I syphoned her magic and left her somewhere in the gardens. If she’s still conscious, why don’t you go and ask her.”
Twilight’s eyes widened with horror at hearing that. “You…You took your mother’s magic?!”
Nidra looked closer at Twilight, licking her lips hungrily. “Actually I’m still looking for more to add to my mother’s, why don’t you give me yours!”
The orange aura created a giant claw that shot towards Twilight, but Annie threw up a shield of violet-pink light that stopped the orange claw dead in its tracks. The claw tried to pierce through the barrier, but every time it made contact the claw made a hissing sound, as if the shield was burning the claw.
“Stop it Nidra!”
“I will have her magic! Actually, I’ll take your magic first!”
Nidra created a second claw, balled it into a fist and began pounding against the barrier. Annie had had enough, she created two giant arms that resembled minotaur arms and hands. She caught both fists in both hands, pushing back against Nidra’s construct as the two struggled to overpower the other.
“Princess, guys, get out of here and help everypony you can!” Annie ordered.
They wanted to stay, they wanted to help fight with Annie, but as it stood, all four of them were just a nuisance, at worst a liability. Reluctantly they broke away, Twilight shot off to find Luna, while the Troublemaker Trio hurried to help their fellow Royal Guards.
The two ring bearers were left alone, the only spectator was Turquoise. His draconic eyes the size of saucer plates as he was about to witness a battle between his fillyfriend and a mare he was too dense to notice her feelings.
“I don’t want to fight you Nidra!” Annie yelled.
“Well guess what, that’s what’s happening! Now we can see who truly deserves T once and for all! A little tramp, tease of a mare like you or a Princess who can give him everything he ever wanted!”
Their dueling powers created waves of force that kicked up the dust around them. Annie gritted her teeth as she took a step forward, pushing Nidra back. Nidra growled and took a firm step forward as well, putting them back at the same distance. The clashing powers built to critical levels and the energy was released all at once, blasting both mares away from each other.
Annie called forth the crystal wave to cushion her fall and to right herself. Nidra flared her wings and used her aura to stop herself in midair. The Orange Lantern created more thestral ponies, but these ones were demonic, like the legends of old when these ponies were viewed as monsters. Annie created two constructs, both minotaur warriors.
Both held up their large shields and took the brunt of the opposing constructs impact. Then she created a mini army of three-hundred minotaur, forming them up into their phalanx formation. The second line attacked, their spears jetting out from the small gaps in the shield wall and piercing the demon thestrals in the chest, head, and throat, shattering them within an instant.
Nidra growled in indignation and flooded Annie with a wave of demon thestrals. The construct minotaurs surrounded their creator, readying to defend her to the death. One construct thestral after another lashed out and attacked the line, but each were cut down by the sword of the construct minotaurs, or stabbed by their crystal spears. The alicorn thestral was getting agitated now, seeing her army of constructs unable to break through the line of violet light constructs.
Nidra channeled her magic and orange light into her horn and fired a powerful, column sized beam straight for them. The beam pierced through her own constructs and struck against the minotaur warriors, they held fast, keeping their shields up as they took the brunt of her attack. Even though the orange light had little effect on the constructs, the magical energy infused into the beam was starting to create cracks on their bodies.
Annie narrowed her gaze as she funneled her magic and violet light into her own horn. She used the combined powers and created a giant shield that bloomed like a rose and pushed back against the flaming energy blast of Nidra’s horn.
“You always have to be great at everything! Little-Miss-Perfect! No wonder Starburst and I hated you so much!” Nidra screamed.
Annie’s eyes went wide and her concentration faltered for a moment. The shield and beam exploded outward, blasting back even the Horde and making Turquoise slam against a large mound of gold bits. It cushioned his impact, but it still left a dull ache in his back; Luna and Twilight finally made it back, but kept a safe distance as they watched the battle unfold.
When the dust settled, Annie was still standing, but just a few feet away was Nidra, still eyeing her with spite. The unicorn mare looked to her friend incredulously. “That’s not true! You’re ring’s just messing with your mind, Nidra! The orange rings do that to ponies!”
“Oh please, even if that were true, what I said is still the truth! She hated you, and so do I!”
Annie shook her head, unable to process this. “But why, we’re friends, what did I do to make you guys hate me?!”
“For one thing, that, that stupid naïve sense of everything’s all hunky dory! Well it isn’t! You’re just Little-Miss-Perfect, always excelling at everything and gaining the pitiful looks of everypony around you! You stole Star’s mother away from her! Tell me, how well do you get along with Aunty Twilight, hmm?!”
“Well…I –!”
“How excited does she sound when she teaches you magic?! How much time do you spend with her?! How much does she wish you were her daughter instead of Starburst?!”
Annie’s mind flashed back to that moment when Twilight accidentally called her Starburst instead of her real name. She thought it might’ve been just a guilty conscious, but maybe there was more to it. But Annie never considered herself Princess Twilight’s surrogate daughter, although, with as close as the two of them had been getting lately, and how much of a connection she felt with Twilight. Maybe…Maybe she had been drawing Princess Twilight’s attention away from Starburst.
“I never meant to…I just wanted to be a good student to the Princess…!”
“Yeah, that, that oblivious nature of yours! It’s because of that that Starburst never said a thing about it! She’s a better mare than you or me, keeping that hurt inside and never saying a thing! If you weren’t around, maybe she could’ve have had a better relationship with her mother!” Nidra accused.
The orange light created a construct of Starburst, appearing right before her and giving her a glaring, intimidating stare.
“And there’s me…my magic isn’t powerful, and yet yours is potent as Tartarus! And when I find the one pony I believed I could be happy with, you snatch him up from me! If you weren’t around, he could be with me!!”
A construct of Turquoise and Nidra appeared next to Starburst. The Nidra construct leaned against the Turquoise construct, nuzzling him tenderly while the other looked down at her with a loving gaze.
“Your existence only brings me and Starburst pain and sadness, and I’m sick of it!” Nidra roared.
Annie’s eyes watered under the withering gazes of the constructs. The guilt was gripping her heart, making a lump form in her throat as her resolve was eroded away. Suddenly her uniform disappeared and the ring lost its shine. Nidra seized this opportunity and thrust out her ring hoof, shooting a beam of orange light that surrounded Annie’s right foreleg. The unicorn mare let out a pained cry as she felt the ring ripped away from her hoof.
The ring was flung into the distance, its energy could not be absorbed so it was of no use to her. Nidra used the beam to completely wrap Annie up in a cocoon of orange light, leaving all but her head exposed. She brought the unicorn mare close to her, only inches away from her face and continued to glare at her.
“You can’t see me anymore can you, probably just blurry blotches of color, right?!”
Annie didn’t admit it, but she was right, without the added power of the ring her vision had returned back to its normal state. But even in this state, she could still make out those glowing eyes.
“You have to pay for it all! And I have the perfect punishment and prison for you!”
Nidra’s horn began to glow as the orange energy flowed out and wrapped itself around Annie’s horn. The unicorn mare’s eyes bulged out of her skull the moment she felt the intrusive power begin to coil itself around her magic. She tried to resist it, but the power was too overwhelming. Nidra syphoned the magic, taking in more and more. She had no idea how potent Annie’s magic was, but that was only the icing on the cake.
“Nidra stop it! Please! I-I’m begging you! STOP!!!”
With each passing second, Annie’s world started to darken, her anxiety and fear of the dark was growing and making her heart pound in her chest. And then, everything went pitch black. Annie panted and huffed, her breath quickening as her fear arose.
“N-Nidra I-I can’t see! I can’t see!” Annie cried.
“Good. Now I will make sure you never mess with anypony ever again.” With the added power of Anthea, Luna, and her own magic, Nidra opened up a portal beneath the totally blind unicorn mare. “I’m going to drop you into a pocket dimension. A total sensory deprivation dimension, no sound, smell, or anything to touch, you’ll have air, but nothing else. An endless expanse of nothingness, of complete darkness, even if you regained your magic, you’d still be wrapped in darkness!”
“NO NIDRA PLEASE DON’T! I’M SORRY, I’M SO SORRY!” Annie cried.
“NIDRA STOP!!!” Luna shouted.
“ANNIE!!!” Turquoise and Twilight yelled.
“Goodbye…”
With that last word, the only sound she would hear, Nidra released the cocoon and let Annie drop into the abyss. Closing the portal and leaving the unicorn mare to writhe in her worst nightmare.