The metallic echoes of the Black Trident's destruction rang through the mesmerizing mineral formations of Bridal Cave, leaving the observers in a stunned silence at the sudden disruption. Just as the atmosphere started to become oppressive, a gurgling chuckle resounded in everyone's ears as Leviathan’s bemused voice boomed throughout the cavern. “I’ve been waiting for you, Sonata.”
Sonata Dusk stood about twenty feet from the chamber’s entrance, surrounded by a sky-blue sphere of light four feet in diameter centered on her upper chest. Her blue streaked ponytail curled over her right shoulder, adding a splash of vibrancy to the ivory-colored shirt she had borrowed from the Carousel Boutique. Her lilac eyes fierce with conviction, Sonata lowered her right arm from its previous “follow-through” motion and pointed accusingly at Leviathan while brushing dirt from her left hand onto her black pants.
“ 'Waiting for me?' So ‘Great Betrayer’, exactly why is it that you have been waiting for me? Is it because Adagio is on the verge of seeing you for the deceiver you truly are? Is it because Aria now fights against you or because your words have no influence on the others? Or maybe it's because there is nothing you can do without us! It’s time to put an end to your lies and show us what you truly are and whom you hold captive!” Her voice rose and fell with the musical dynamics of a heroic theme as she took command of the stage and scene.
Adagio produced Sunset Shimmer’s butterfly knife and gripped it tightly while keeping the blade sheathed. The light emanating from Sonata reflected in her magenta eyes as she looked her fellow Siren up and down, her lips slowly twisting into a sardonic grin. “That’s a neat trick to bring your own flashlight with you. Perhaps that bump on your head has affected more than just your judgment! It’s certainly kept your cowardly tendencies in check. Aria refused me, and she will pay for that betrayal with her life. With that in mind, have you reconsidered my offer to serve me once more? I'm confident I can find a place for you on the palace staff,” she mocked.
“Sonata, you’ve always wanted to be a princess, and this is your chance! Adagio will sacrifice the blonde female, and then she will give my tiara to you as she is crowned Queen. Wouldn’t that be nice?” Leviathan’s voice had lost its gravelly edge, and a tentacle shielded his watchful violet eyes from Sonata’s magical light.
Adagio’s cruel sarcasm melted away, as she cautiously raised her index finger towards the dark being. “Master, I thought that Apple Bloom would be permitted to be my—“
The black tentacles flailed in fury. “Silence, Your Highness! Sonata’s arrival coupled with her disobedience changes everything. You failed to keep her faithful to me! We must remake our agreement.” The evil vapors retreated from the front of the cavern and concentrated around Applejack, Adagio and Apple Bloom.
Observing from the sidelines, Sunset Shimmer dried her tears on her dirty forearms and lifted her head as the pale blue glow approached. She heard Sonata softly humming a tune to herself, and the sphere of light surrounding her pulsed subtly in time to her song. Her heart fluttered, and He Who Swims in Darkness’ wall of despair eroded brick by mental brick. “Keep going, Sonata! Come closer to us so we can get Applejack and Apple Bloom to safety,” she softly encouraged.
“No, Sunset. Adagio must not be hurt until she sees her Master without his mask. Listen to his words carefully! He's truly scared of what I can reveal, so I won’t risk Adagio, Apple Bloom or Applejack by making a move too early. Don’t get me wrong, Sunset. Leviathan must be stopped, but this moment has been centuries in the making, so please let me play out this scene my way!” Sonata quietly but confidently insisted as she flipped her ponytail behind her in a familiar gesture.
Adagio glanced down at Apple Bloom, and then skeptically raised a perfectly-sculpted eyebrow as she addressed her Master. “Remake our agreement at this late moment?”
“If you wish to be Queen, stop your interminable delays! We should be conquering Aquastria by now!” The inky blob of darkness pressed itself close to the barrier, and the deep voice thundered with impatience. “Slay the sacrifice and roll her to me, or I may crown another and vent my divine displeasure upon you!”
Rarity gasped as she felt her blood turn to ice from Leviathan's words, but a glance at Sonata as she moved towards the center of the chamber renewed her hope. She slowly made a stealthy retreat from Adagio, gently nudging Rainbow Dash as she passed. The fashionista didn't dare interrupt Sonata, so she silently sat cross legged next to the cage, reaching inside in an attempt to rouse Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. Settling to the ground, her body quivered with slightly diminished fear.
Standing at Sunset’s side, Sonata helped her to her feet with a warm smile as the light washed over them both, then turned and snapped at Leviathan, her eyes flashing dangerously. “There is no other potential queen, Betrayer!” She turned to Adagio, and softened her voice. “Your Highness, all three of us have been deceived for our entire lives. There’s no shame in being wrong, and it will all be clear once you’ve seen the truth. Sunset, through her magic and her necklace, showed me the way! You have a powerful sense of obligation to mermares and to Aquastria, but that nobility within you has been twisted to his will.”
Flashing her familiar crooked smile, Sonata modeled her homemade bracelet with the pink heart and jagged eighth note crafted from semiprecious stones and continued. “My twin brother Coral Aegis, who made this for me when I was chosen to be sacrificed, called that terrible creature we served ‘Great Betrayer.’ Adagio, you must know now that the beast before you does not protect the Empire. He lies and only serves himself through trickery and slavery!”
"My magic protects all of Aquastria, Adagio. The males and lesser races are so much happier without the burden of choice. You know this! My laws are stern but with good reason.” Leviathan’s violet gaze glanced at Sonata as she slowly advanced, but he continued to address Adagio. “Take the unicorn’s knife and give me what I desire. The human female is so close that I can almost reach her. The order I impose will make you powerful again, Adagio. Without me, chaos has reigned beneath the waves, and your people suffer.”
Before the dark being’s voice and his violet mist could reassert their control, Sonata removed her pack and produced the Aquastrian history tome. “Adagio, that’s not true! My twin brother, the one I tried to hide from you, created an age of togetherness and harmony in Aquastria that continues today. History names him ‘Liberator’, and he led the seaponies in a revolt against your mother. One of his goals was to find where we had been banished and return us to Aquastria!” She held opened the book to the two-paged picture of the Hall of Freedom. “See, they’re all making music together after the Betrayer’s stain was finally washed away.”
Adagio took a step away from Applejack, who remained too terrified to move, and squinted in an effort to view the details of the far-away illustration. She moved to the edge of the mind-clouding mist and mumbled dreamily, “Mermares, seaponies, narwhal and aqualions making music together? What would that sound like?”
“Sonata, my child, you have been misled. Coral Aegis desired power, just as Adagio’s mother and grandmother did. All beings crave the gifts I can provide. His choice to destroy my temple constituted a grave mistake, and his so-called harmonious age was only a myth.” As Leviathan’s voice flowed through the chamber like malevolent sludge, Sonata’s sphere of light slowly deflated, and Adagio returned to where Applejack lay on the sacrificial slab, fidgeting with the knife in her hand. “Does your book tell you about how Coral Aegis ruthlessly hunted down and killed my mermare priestesses so that I could no longer help the Empire? Did it mention how the lesser races consumed so much food that they weakened Aquastria? Remember that the victors get the opportunity to write history and would be eager to cover up your twin brother’s murderous crusade. The First Chancellor served me well, just not in my name.”
Seeing Sonata’s resolve waver, Discord slowly sat up and laboriously snapped his fingers. His tired, raspy voice echoed across the cavern. “Listen to me, Sonata! Remember what I told you in the boutique and remember your courage in making this journey. Don’t just tell us what you know, tell us what you believe!” He displayed a small piece of stained-glass portraying a light brown gargoyle with compassionate brown eyes. Pinkie and Fluttershy still clutched at Discord, but they opened their eyes and ceased their fearful trembling.
Sonata's eyebrows furrowed as she gave the Spirit of Chaos a slow nod, and berated Leviathan with renewed fervor. “I know my brother! Your servants couldn’t have destroyed the kindness he always gave to me, even when I acted selfishly. I feel in my heart that he would have given any creature the chance to choose his or her fate for themselves. He would have accepted their surrender. But, you do all you can to take those choices away from others. There’s no other explanation of why the royal guard or the priestesses fought to the death.” Sonata took another half-dozen steps towards Adagio, with the book still open. Her voice rose, with her lilac eyes passionately appealing to the conflicted Siren princess. “Come here, and let me show you the truth!”
“Come here, slay the girl and I will give you my Trident again along with all of the power of an Aquastrian Queen!” Leviathan offered, his deep voice rising and falling seductively. “Sonata doesn’t have the pedigree to rule. Her simplicity has always been endearing, but you know well that duty demands sacrifice. Her cowardice at the Crystal Glacier proves she can’t take on the burdens that you can. Come erase the awful effects inflicted upon you by the alicorns’ servants. Commit yourself to the Empire and to me once again!”
Standing on shaky legs, Sunset tugged her thin sweatshirt down over her hips and spread her arms wide. A dim green-blue glow surrounded the Element of Harmony as she passionately beseeched the wavering Siren princess. “It’s all about choices, Adagio! After a thousand years, the magic of friendship made it possible for you to decide for yourself how best to use your talents. Learn from my mistakes and take this one step at a time, Your Highness. The Trident is gone. Let’s start with putting away my knife, and then you can choose to help Applejack get up.”
The evil creature from beyond the veil continued the stalemate, and belched forth even more violet mist to blanket Applejack, Apple Bloom and Adagio, blocking their view of Sonata’s shrinking sphere of sky-blue light. “You have chosen, Adagio! You were chosen the moment you first drew water through your gills! Give me the power I need to help you smite your enemies.”
“No, Highness, don’t listen to him. He’s playing games!” Aria, her face illuminated by Chainbreaker’s white glow, struggled futilely against the bonds the Trident had placed around her body prior to the weapon’s unlikely destruction. “We have done many terrible things while our minds were clouded by the Master’s evil hunger, but we haven’t murdered! Sunset and Sonata are right. Why can’t you see?”
Adagio took another step away from Applejack and the gateway, earning a furious roar from Leviathan. She raised her eyebrow and skeptically asked, “Sonata, how did you change so suddenly? Not even two days ago, you tried to have me killed and steal my crown.”
“I may yet entertain that as a viable option for your ascendance, Sonata! Now, cease this disobedience, extinguish that infernal light and serve your Master!” Leviathan’s rage shook the cavern walls once again.
Sonata pointedly ignored Leviathan’s interruption. “In our anger, we both missed parts of what the other tried to say. You wanted my help against Raven, didn’t you?”
“Yes, I did,” said Adagio, nodding once.
“Well, my new friends must have destroyed her, and you now have other ways to return home that don’t involve him. What I’ve always wanted is for you and me to be equals. I don’t need to be a princess. I didn’t want to paint all of those dreary landscapes, but I did want you to be my friend.” Sonata’s sphere of light began to expand again, pushing away the violet mist. “The magic of Sunset’s necklace is powerful, and it showed me that all of the Master’s gifts are poison. I saw a world where I had murdered you, sacrificed those three girls and finally become Leviathan’s princess here in this world. His crown on my head would have ultimately driven me insane. With him, duty is not the two-way relationship you idealize. The Betrayer demands more and more until suddenly, the ruler becomes a shackled servant, and it all starts with a single death!”
Adagio’s mouth fell open, and she pressed her hand against her heaving chest. Her heart racing, she wiped a tear from her eye and silently stepped backwards towards Applejack, slowly shaking her head.
“That’s it, Your Highness. I can make that fear of mortality go away forever.” Leviathan’s tentacles rippled hypnotically, and his sonorous voice seemed to be an irresistible force. “Don’t believe the words of a stained peasant whose actions have forever befouled her purity.”
All of those who had recovered their faculties gasped at He Who Swims in Darkness’ vile, personal insult. Sonata’s temper flared, and the radiant sphere surrounding her flickered with eldritch energy. “You overplay your hand, monster!” she shouted. Pointing a blue-tinted finger at her former Master, her words formed a staccato drumbeat that marshalled her courage. “You speak of purity, when you order your monarchs to commit murder! True, I indulged my own lust and reveled in fleeting pleasures in order to feed the three of us in this world, but I am now working to clean that stain on my spirit.” She turned to Adagio and the anger fled Sonata’s voice. “I must show you what I have learned. Your Highness, in all the ways that value is measured in the Empire, my family and I were worthless. You were our general. Think of this like the battle it is! Why would Leviathan order Queen Blinding Dazzle to take me away from Coral Symphony?”
Adagio's brow furrowed as she considered Sonata's words, understanding beginning to light her face in the darkness. Suddenly, her eyes widened and she gasped as a revelation popped into her head. “The first rule of inter-clan warfare is to deprive your enemy of her greatest strength.” She staggered and nearly fell, whispering a long string of human obscenities. “Mother had the priestesses seize every set of twins because of the prophecy, but you and your brother were initially overlooked…” she trailed off.
“Silence!” Leviathan roared, his attempts at guile at an end, and he focused his piercing violet eyes on Adagio, thus willing every wisp of vapor in the chamber to surround the Siren princess. Adagio staggered and wrapped her arms around herself while using a stalactite to keep herself from falling over.
The air surrounding Sonata crackled with benevolent energy. She inhaled deeply, and spoke confidently, using the tone she normally reserved for stage monologues. “Prophecies are never true on their face, and the power of legend and myth is inspiration. But, the story of the One Who Guides the Waves gave the seaponies and merstallions hope as it was passed from one to another in furtive whispers. Coral Aegis and I were special through our sibling love for one another, and I’m proud that he used my fall into darkness to inspire all of Aquastria to end the worship of the Great Betrayer! I will show you, Adagio! I will show everyone the truth!”
Goosebumps rose on Sunset’s skin, as the magical battle between Sonata and her former Master escalated. Her green-blue eyes were wide with wonder as she watched the blue sphere of light expand from Sonata and push Leviathan’s violet mist back towards the watery gateway.
Sonata raised her voice in the familiar tune that she, Adagio and Aria sang to one another during their banishment to keep their hunger and desperation at bay. She changed the key, the tempo and the lyrics, transforming it into a vibrant song of victory:
Lavenders blue, dilly dilly
Lavenders green
My brother dear, dilly dilly
At last it is clear
You were to fight,
While I would bring light!
Magic exploded forth from Sonata and the radiant sphere emanating from her encompassed the entire cavern. Adagio, stunned by the sudden brilliance, fell awkwardly and landed on her rear end. Leviathan pushed back with all of his dark might against his former slave’s song, his tendrils of darkness threatening to pierce the sky blue curve as it expanded towards the veil between worlds. Sonata’s fuzzy blue pony ears winked into existence atop her head, her delicate lilac-colored fins spread out behind her, and her blue streaked ponytail lengthened. Triumphantly, she composed another new verse of her favorite song:
You freed us all, dilly dilly
While I was in thrall
Through the Sunset, dilly dilly
I saw the light
No time for regret
Now my turn to fight
Sonata’s song threatened to burst through the gateway to reach the evil being, but the Great Betrayer counterattacked with a discordant roar that caused the sky-blue radiance to quiver and recede slightly. Adagio, at the focal point of the sonic battle, covered her ears and screamed in pain. At the sphere’s core, Sonata’s boots rose from the cave floor and she levitated into the air, hovering over the discarded shards of Adagio’s heart-pendant. The light surrounding her became brighter and wrapped her like a cocoon, but try as she might, Sonata couldn’t quite reach Leviathan with her song.
Aria felt herself being torn in two. A part of her called out to the evil being writhing in the darkness, but most of her heart ached to help Sonata in her fierce battle against her former Master. Still bound by the Trident’s power, Chainbreaker’s flanges continued to dig painfully into Aria’s chest, but her true pain existed deep within her spirit. The veil between worlds seemed stretched to the breaking point, and her heart beat a racing counter-rhythm to the magical mace’s pulses. Tilting her chin defiantly towards Sonata, she struggled to free herself against the weakening bands of darkness wrapped around her form. Aria examined the magically glimmering Aquastrian coral and observed the sparkling light from the broken chain links drawing itself into the star of her name-sigil on Chainbreaker’s head. She unclenched her fists, and noticed that her fingernails had made tiny crescent-moon wounds in her palms.
Aria, with a sense of purpose that came from deep within her soul, shouted, “Sonata, take my magic and fight! Become who you were destined to be!”
Aria sang a powerful fortissimo note that complemented Sonata’s melody. Somehow leveraging the struggle’s overwhelming arcane ambience, she reached to the core of her being and ripped all remaining magic from deep within her and hurled it away. Purple light streamed from her eyes and her mouth, forming a bar of eldritch radiance that shot straight for Sonata. When the magical bolt left Aria’s body, the violet glow in her eyes winked out, while the shock caused her to tremble and breathe heavily. Reacting to Aria’s selfless gift, the glowing crimson shards of Adagio’s heart-pendant levitated into the air, and the two light sources converged on the center of the radiant sphere.
“Noooo!” screamed Leviathan. Howls of agony echoed from beyond the gate as he somehow reached his tentacle through the barrier, where it transformed into a black, five-fingered hand on the end of an impossibly long arm. The suckers on the dark limb’s fingertips reached hungrily for Applejack, who still lay on the stone slab, enthralled by Sonata’s awakening.
Her green-blue eyes widening with terror, Sunset saw Leviathan make his desperate grab towards the unsuspecting farmgirl. With uncanny dexterity and all the strength she could muster, she silently reached behind her bandolier’s sash. In one smooth motion, Sunset drew and threw the Equestrian silver dagger at the invading limb, steadying its flight with a hastily cast telekinesis spell. The powerful magic dweomer pierced Leviathan’s palm, and the dark being screamed in pain. Drops of midnight blood fell to the cavern floor, burning new holes into the rock as the hand retreated beyond the veil and became a tentacle once again.
“Sweet Celestia, she’s so beautiful!” exclaimed Sunset as the magical forces surrounding Sonata exploded into benevolent brilliance. She shielded her eyes and beheld the graceful figure at the center of the nimbus as the light slowly dimmed to a pale, serene blue that brought daylight to every recess of the dark cavern. Sonata gestured to Adagio with both arms as her song concluded:
It’s now your choice, dilly dilly.
As shown by my voice
Cast off your chains, dilly dilly
The darkness won’t reign
Truth shines in the sun,
Our light, it has won!
Sonata beamed at Sunset, her victorious smile reflected radiantly by the passion in her eyes. As the light dimmed to the point where Sonata’s features were visible, Sunset gasped at the awe-inspiring feminine beauty of the being floating above her. Sonata’s fins, while still a hue of lilac that matched her eyes, had transformed into faerie-like butterfly wings. Her fuzzy pony ears remained in place atop her head, but the darker streaks in her knee-length blue ponytail had deepened to a purple hue, matching Aria’s skin tone. Between Sonata’s collarbones, replacing the burn mark made by the Element of Redemption, a circular blue gem emitted a sky-blue glow from its numerous facets that coalesced into a radiant sphere. The light engendered feelings of courage and inspiration wherever it shined.
The Great Betrayer shrieked with rage, but the cacophony never reached into the bubble of light, where tranquility and silence reigned. Sonata hummed softly as her friends, now free of Leviathan’s terrible aura of fear, stood and marveled at her transformation.
“Who are you, Sonata?” Sunset asked with wonder, “What are you?”
Discord’s magic flashed, and his mismatched suit morphed into the canary-yellow doctor’s scrubs he had used to fool the security guards at Zodiac University Hospital. As his lapel pin orbited his head, the Spirit of Chaos walked over to Sunset Shimmer and handed her a pair of enormous pink balloons. “Why, it’s a girl, of course! Two girls: One human and one, well, I’ll let Sonata explain later. Congratulations!” He handed Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie, who were rapidly recovering from their extended fright, bubble gum cigars from his outfit’s breast pocket.
Sonata’s laughter trilled, and one of her eyes closed in a conspiratorial wink as her boots softly touched the ground once more. “Discord, I’ll do my best to tell everyone what I know in a little bit, but you would do a better job. In the meantime, Sunset, Aria and I still have some work to do.”
“No, we all have work to do.!” Applejack stood and spat on the cave floor near the watery gate where Leviathan raged impotently. She drew her leg back, intending to drive the point of her boot into Adagio’s ribs.
Aria’s sharp order halted the attack before it began. “Don’t, Applejack!” The bonds holding Chainbreaker to her chest dissolved and Aria stood, flexing her aching muscles. “Let Sonata and Sunset finish this their way. After all, we’d all be dead if it weren’t for them!”
Applejack looked down at Adagio with disdain, then nodded at Aria and rushed to embrace her sister. Adagio, her magenta eyes wide with awe, tried and failed to look away from Sonata’s radiant form as she approached. Silently, the Siren princess scooted on her bottom towards the veil between worlds, retreating from her conqueror.
Sonata shook her head and extended her hand. “Dagi, it’s time to show you what you narrowly avoided.” She helped Adagio to her feet, gripped her by the shoulders and turned them both towards Leviathan, who futilely hurled himself against Sonata’s invading sphere of light.
“Sonata, I never knew you had this power within you…” Adagio trailed off as her yellow-tinted fingertips brushed tenderly against Sonata’s now-healed temple.
Smiling kindly at her former liege, Sonata gently removed Adagio’s hand from her face. “I didn’t either until just a few hours ago, but I like the feeling of bringing people together much more than tearing them apart. But, I promised that I’d show you the truth, and I will. Princess Adagio Dazzle, behold the Great Betrayer as he truly is!” Sonata inhaled and let loose a sweeping major-key aria in an unfamiliar language. The beautiful song brought tears of joy to Adagio’s eyes while the others listened silently to the brief, transcendent performance.
Aided by the force of her music, Sonata’s magical luminance pierced the veil between worlds and dispelled the inky black cloud concealing Leviathan’s features. The sky-blue light revealed a hideous black squid with ten desiccated, cracked tentacles. In the creature’s central body, two large purple eyes furtively looked from side to side in their emaciated sockets, and rotting flesh hung loosely from each long tentacle. Scores of ghostly mermares and merstallions, each of which glowed dimly, were shackled to the monster’s central body by black cords of darkness resembling chains. Each chain ended in an ornate jeweled collar fastened tightly around each aquatic creature’s throat. One lonely cord trailed off into the watery distance. Nearly crushed between Leviathan’s horrific head and his topmost right tentacle, a terrified mermare with silver scales, crimson fins and golden eyes screamed in pain. As the spasm of agony subsided, the mermare gazed upon Adagio with mingled recognition and hope.
“Mother! Your crown is a collar!” shouted Adagio. Aria and Sonata grabbed her to keep her from fainting, and also to prevent her from running through the barrier. Adagio briefly struggled against Aria’s strong grip and then buried her face in her hands, sobbing woefully.
Sonata lifted Adagio’s tear-streaked face with her fingers. “Do you see him for who he is now? He’s starving, Adagio. He needed sacrifices to feed his powers, and he’s been living off their souls and the souls of the Queens who shackled themselves to him through murder. He would have done it to you, and he would have done it to me, if we had let him.” She dropped her hands and held Adagio by her shoulders once again. Conviction and relief animated her voice as Sonata gazed deep into Adagio’s eyes. “Thank goodness that the amulet Sunset forged showed me that awful vision before it was too late! When I put together the truth from my vision and the facts in the Aquastrian book, I couldn’t let you, or any other mermare, suffer the same fate. Aria's mother somehow saw the truth and switched sides at the last moment, sacrificing herself to prevent the death of hundreds. My brother killed your mother and destroyed the temple to free the slaves and give Aquastria a new beginning! The Betrayer wants to dominate, control and channel all life under the sea, but he can't do it without the Imperial slave society. We almost let it start all over again!”
“And now, you must choose.” Sunset came forward, and stood with arms akimbo between Adagio and Leviathan. Authoritative and alluring, despite the dirt encrusting her face, she brushed a lock of flamelike hair from her cheek as she explained. “Sonata and Aria have made their own difficult journeys, and are changed forever. You must decide how best to serve your people. Either return to that thing’s hideous embrace, or come away with us to start your own road to redemption. I see no other paths.”
Adagio dropped to her knees in front of Sunset, clasping her hands in front of her. “Thank you for sparing my life to give me this choice. I know that I would not have done the same, and that truth torments me.” Her pleading magenta eyes searched Aria and Sonata’s faces for an answer. “How do I make it right? What I’ve done is unforgivable! I’ve failed you. I've failed my people, and I've let them be decieved. I decieved them! Nata, your father and brother were right. How could I not see it?”
Sonata put an arm around Aria, and together they helped Adagio to her feet and encircled the former princess in a triangular embrace. “Sunset, I have an idea. There may be another way, but we need to be sure. Could you please give us a moment?” Adagio whispered something into Sonata’s ear, and Sonata gestured towards the cage with her chin. “The keys to the cage are in Adagio’s vest pocket. Could you please free Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo?”
"I'm on it," Sunset replied. She jogged over to where Adagio had discarded her outer garment, dug out a keychain fashioned from an old set of military identification discs and tossed them to Rarity. The fashionista opened the cage, crawled inside and started untying the knots binding Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. Both younger girls tearfully expressed their gratitude.
Slowly turning back towards the Sirens' huddle, Sunset marveled in the enormity of the situation taking place. Leviathan, his gluttonous evil exposed and vile visage unveiled, had stopped hurling himself against the barrier. His sickly violet eyes glanced into the infinity behind him, and he quaked with the same abject terror he had inflicted on the others. An ominous green star appeared in the watery expanse behind him and a small tremor rippled through the cavern. Discord, once again clad in his outlandish mix of stripes, plaid and paisley, danced an impromptu jig with an effervescent Pinkie. Her curls had completely recovered, and she squealed with delight as she took in every detail of Sonata's transformation and the beauty of the glimmering cave. Fluttershy blushed and shyly brushed a lock of long, pink hair out of her face as Discord took her hand in an effort to assist her to her feet.
“Sunset, we have come to a decision,” said Sonata gravely, as Adagio and Aria gazed upon her admiringly. “We don't have much time, though. Discord, I think you're the best suited to explain what happened to us. I'm still fighting Leviathan even now, and my explanation would be, um, too lyrical or too flowery.” She turned back towards the barrier and sang a brief, wordless tune that reinforced her influence beyond the veil.
Rarity backed out of the cage and grinned at Sonata while admiring her appearance. “Darling, you were ready for the Canterlot runway a few days ago. Now, your beauty defies any appropriate superlative!”
“Forget what she looks like, did you see her throw that pitchfork and then put that nasty squid in his place? It was beyond awesome. It was legendary!” Rainbow Dash interrupted her effusive praise and sheepishly bit her lip when she realized that she had been tightly gripping one of Adagio's bedsheet murals.
Discord held up both his hands and requested silence. He looked over the top of his wire-rimmed spectacles to address the group. “You did save us all, Sonata, so brevity is what you'll receive.” He gestured to her with a sweeping wave of his right arm. “She is no longer a Siren. While Sonata and her twin brother always did possess unique potential and hidden abilities, the singular combination of Leviathan's dark gifts, Aria sacrificing her innate magic, Adagio's shards, Sunset's Element of Harmony and her own bravery has made her anew. Sonata Dusk is now a Muse, which is a long-extinct type of being that is a positive force of inspiration and courage.” He added a sardonic grin. “Such artistic flair is related to my chaotic magic, but is distinctly different from my brand of arcana.”
Tossing her ponytail with self-conscious embarrassment, Sonata's breezy affability briefly replaced the new Muse's powerful stage presence. “I feel the new magic, Discord, but this isn't about me. Aria gave me a great gift, and I'm sad that she felt like she needed to do that.”
“I did too need to do that, because the Betrayer was about to crush you with his counterattack and steal Applejack! I have no regrets, and I can easily explain. I gave up my remaining magic in all its forms and gave it to Sonata. I am now a young human woman, and I will age and die as I should have centuries ago.” She arched a purple eyebrow at Pinkie and smiled. “I'm back on the clock, and I will make my remaining time count. I know that I already have.”
Applejack pursed her lips and glared at Adagio. “What about her? Father Scorpan would tell me that revenge is immoral, but I'm not inclined to turn the other cheek right now.”
“Big sis, don't be too hard on her. Did Granny punish you for tearing up all those apple saplings after you took the tractor to do some work without permission a couple of years ago? You thought you were doing the right thing, when instead it was all wrong!” Apple Bloom returned her sister's hat. “She did a lot of bad things, but we need to see how she wants to make it right.”
Adagio removed her tiara and handed it to Apple Bloom. “Well said, little one, and thank you for your understanding. Accept this gift as an apology, and as a remembrance of your leadership and courage, but please have it magically cleansed before you wear it. I will make amends in a different way, and I will rid Aquastria of Leviathan forever.” She looked at Sonata, and smiled deferentially. “Are you ready, Your Radiance?”
“I appreciate the gesture, but I need no title,” said Sonata, wagging her index finger at Adagio in a gentle rebuke. Adagio sheepishly smiled, and then handed Sonata the knife she had stolen from Sunset’s apartment. Sonata pocketed the weapon, turned to Sunset and continued. “What we are about to do is odd but necessary. We need to properly say farewell, and we will use our song to begin Adagio's atonement. Please stand back, but prepare our friends to tap into their magic.”
Adagio curtsied respectfully to Sunset, and a mischievous glint entered her eyes. “If my plan succeeds, we may yet encounter one another again in very different roles. Please recover the belongings I took from your apartment from my pack. Sunset, I thank you for your service to Aquastria and for redeeming three wretched, defeated Sirens. Together, we have devised a plan that will satisfy my sense of duty and keep Aquastria and all its citizens safe from the Great Betrayer forever.”
“Come, Adagio. Your destiny and Leviathan won't wait any longer.” Sonata beckoned and nervously glanced over her shoulder at the hideous squid, the tormented souls and the ominous green star lighting the astral infinity.
Discord rang a large brass gong with a plastic replica of Chainbreaker. He wore a red military-style baseball cap with golden oak leaves and acorns on the brim with the words “Damage Control Officer” emblazoned its face. He cried, "Don't kill Leviathan, especially with him approaching! There's a very real chance we'd have to fight the banshee all over again if we do!"
Sunset cocked her head in confusion, while Sonata and Adagio gravely nodded at the Spirit of Chaos. The trio faced Leviathan, with Sonata leading them. Her butterfly wings spread out behind her and the crystal in her chest illuminated the gateway. Aria stood to Sonata's right and Adagio to her left. The Muse sang a single note to harmonize the trio, and they began a sweet, yet sad song, dancing and swaying in three-quarter time. Sonata's bright soprano led their melody:
So one final time, sing we Sirens as three
After one thousand years, separate souls we must be
A princess, a peasant and a loyal guard
Forced to serve evil, our souls they are marred
You emerged from the darkness to show us the way
Long trapped within midnight, you dawned our new day
A leader, a hero, a friend, you're all three
Element Bearer, we're grateful to thee.
After the first verse, yellow-tinted mermare ears appeared on top of Adagio’s head and delicate lavender fins spread out like wings behind her back. Her thick orange curls spilled even further down her back, covering her hips. After the second verse concluded, she stepped forward and sang in her commanding mezzo-soprano while Aria and Sonata harmonized in the background:
An Aquastrian monarch, I never will be
But a much greater duty is intended for me
I'll atone for my crimes, give heroes my aid
Steadfastly stand guard until foul darkness fades.
Adagio returned to her place next to Sonata, while the trio hummed a transition. Singing for the first time without the benefit of magic, Aria smoothed her torn, clinging bodysuit. As she stepped ahead to take the lead, she flipped her long pigtails, and raised her rich alto voice to take over the melody:
Songs of grand battles are all that I knew
Now standing victorious, faithful and true
Freely I've chosen a brief mortal life
Every day's brighter through my sacrifice.
Looking past Sonata, Aria winked at Adagio, and the pair resumed their wordless background harmony. Her faerie wings flapping lazily, Sonata lifted herself into the air in the center of the trio. Running her ponytail through her fingers, she started her verse a full octave above Aria, with her soprano creating a soaring melody:
I couldn’t see all this love and its might
No need to despair, its light shines so bright
Mistakes I have made, so much to make right
My songs will unite and no longer bring strife.
Concluding her solo, the Muse slowly glided to the ground and placed each of her hands on the small of Adagio and Aria’s backs. The trio harmonized their voices in a finale that perfectly blended triumph and farewell:
So one final time, sing we Sirens as three
After one thousand years, separate souls we must be
We'll share our new stories, and hope we transcend
Forever closer than sisters, lovers or friends.
Sonata, Adagio and Aria held the last note, until their lungs demanded they slowly release it. The former Sirens embraced one another, forming a small circle while Leviathan raged futilely in the background. Unconsciously, Sunset clasped her hands in front of her chest, taking in the singular beauty of the Sirens’ final song.
Adagio, tears streaming down her face, wiped her eyes and squeezed Sonata and Aria's hands. "My duty is clear. For the first time in my life, it's as transparent as tropical water."
Tears rolled down Aria's normally stern face. She kissed Adagio on the cheek and handed her Chainbreaker. The magical mace shone brightly in Adagio's hands, and the weapon's warning tone trilled musically with the same beat as the song the trio had just concluded.
"What the hell are you doing, Aria?" Rainbow Dash sprinted towards the gateway, but suddenly stopped short when a gentle hand brushed against her shoulder.
Fluttershy shook her head at her brash friend. Tears welling in her eyes, she softly advised Rainbow Dash. "Chainbreaker never truly belonged to us. Let the three of them finish this their way."
Sonata tightly embraced Adagio, whispered into her ear, and kissed her on the opposite cheek. Weeping shamelessly, the Muse added a last benediction. "When our journeys are done, together we will paint a mural of our memories that spreads across the sky! Go, Adagio. At last, speak the words that have always been on the tip of your tongue!"
Adagio nodded and turned towards Leviathan. In the light emanating from the Muse, the former princess brandished Chainbreaker and regally intoned, "N'astir'h Akbar Beh'lian Soulbinder! I confine you to an unbreakable Astral Prison until such time as you starve into oblivion!"
Upon hearing his True Name, Leviathan froze in mid-flail, powerless to resist Adagio. A metallic black box artfully chased with a silvery metal appeared with its lid open, in front of the horrific being. He Who Swims in Darkness shouted in futile defiance as his dark presence began streaming into the unique prison.
Striding boldly through the watery veil between worlds, Adagio attacked the dark cords spreading from Leviathan even as her physical form rippled. Sometimes Chainbreaker, held in human hands, flashed in a circle, and without rhyme or reason, the magical mace was suddenly clutched in a pair of fins. Adagio alternated from mermare to human, and occasionally parted the dark chains as a hybrid of the two, possessing a fishlike tail paired with a human upper half. Her pony ears on display and her magically-lengthened hair fluttering behind her, she rhythmically twirled the mace and parted each of the bonds that provided Leviathan with nourishment and magical power. As the mermares separated from the Great Betrayer, they nodded or bowed respectfully to Adagio before dissipating to face their individual judgments.
For the first time in centuries, Adagio lifted her enthralling mezzo-soprano in an uplifting song of victory. Fragments of the dark chains imprisoning the Aquastrian queens entered Chainbreaker's radiant aura, and their black metal transmuted into a crystalline white substance that resembled cooled star iron. The broken links orbited Adagio's ever-changing features while she used the magical mace to free her ancestors. The metallic pieces fused into a scintillating crown, where a tiny kite shield nestled within the shattered bonds to form a device that signified the duties that she had eagerly accepted.
Leviathan howled impotently, powerless against the use of his True Name, and deprived of his magical sustenance. Adagio, adding a powerful flip of her mermare form's tail, shattered the last lingering chain and examined her handiwork, while the Great Betrayer's form dissolved and continued to fill the trans-dimensional cage. She looked worriedly at the emerald brilliance in the darkness as a pair of crimson fins suddenly enveloped her in an awkward hug.
“My daughter, you've done it! You've freed us!” For the first time since Adagio was a foal, mother embraced daughter. “Words cannot express how you have lifted my spirit! This is a victory worth a millennium of pain, and to see you wearing a crown you have earned fills me with pride that I never imagined possible.”
Adagio couldn't remember ever seeing her mother smile without malice or machinations. Words initially failing her, she pressed her muzzle against Blinding Dazzle's cheek. Her magenta eyes looked deep into her mother's ghostly golden gaze. “Thank you, Mother! Your theft of the True Name made the final blow possible, so there is no need to suffer alone. Stand guard with me through the decades and centuries to come, as I have so much to tell you!”
“I remember Sonata Dusk and Aria Blaze well, and I wish I could ease the burden of your duty.” The former Queen's gaze flicked to the approaching green malevolence with sadness and regret. “But, this responsibility is yours alone, Guardian. I must not be here when the Death Lord arrives. I am beyond forgiveness and I must face judgment for what I have done. He will chain my soul once more, if I am present when he arrives.”
Adagio’s body rippled and she became human once more. She gestured with her free hand and beseeched her mother. “I have Chainbreaker! We can fight—”
“No, Adagio. The two-legged air breathers must use their Equestrian magic to seal the rift and escape.” Blinding Dazzle interrupted her daughter, smiling sadly. “Do not let Vecna steal your triumph from you. Daughter, in this moment, you have given me the one thing I never had, even when I sat upon the throne in Nautilus Hall: Hope. One day, I hope to find my way back to you.”
Adagio stroked her mother's silver-scaled cheek with her hand as a pair of tears spilled forth. “Mother, we have an eternity.”
Transforming into a luminescent vapor, Blinding Dazzle 's spirit surrendered itself to face judgment. The dimly glowing being circled Adagio once, and vanished. Before she could weep, the cavern and the alternate dimension connected to it rumbled ominously. The sickly green glow started to push against Sonata's sky blue radiance.
At Adagio's feet, Leviathan's divine essence had been locked into a black metallic box secured with two crisscrossed white star iron chains fastened by an impossibly complicated arcane lock. Two straps, perfectly sized for Adagio's back or barrel, trailed from the container.
“Whale spit!” cursed Adagio. “That magic feels like Raven, but much stronger. That necromantic energy must be Vecna. I have to protect Aquastria from him!” Her eyes widened in fear and she grunted as she shouldered her heavy burden and raised Chainbreaker to a defensive position.
Adagio's terrified voice broke the trance that held all those in the cavern spellbound. Sunset beckoned with both hands, and Pinkie, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy and Rarity ran to her and the six girls joined hands. As they did, all six sprouted fuzzy pony ears, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash's feathery wings winked into existence and their hair magically doubled in length.
Rarity looked back and forth between Sunset and Applejack, and grinned broadly. Squeezing both their hands, she squealed, “Darling, I'm so happy that I don't even need to sing to reach my part of the Power of Harmony!”
Throwing enormous bulbs of garlic through the gate, Discord displayed a large wall clock that dangled around his neck on an obnoxiously large gold chain. “Hurry up! I do not want to have an intimate chat with Mister One -Eye-One-Hand.”
“It's time, Sunset,” Sonata turned her head and nodded. “When I changed, a giant crystal tree told me to tell you to ‘believe in your friends to close what was forced open.’ I hope you know what that means!” The Muse shrugged her shoulders, and her eyes glittered playfully despite the approaching danger.
A male voice, quavering with emotion plaintively cried, “Wait one moment! Please!” A gray merstallion spirit with sad lilac eyes brushed past Adagio and pressed against the gate.
“Daddy, we won!” Sonata abandoned her song and sprinted for the veil. She sniffed loudly and her voice wavered, sounding like a little girl instead of a victorious, thousand-year-old being. “Coral Aegis and I rescued you, but it took way too long. I wish we could have won sooner, so we all could have been together again. I've missed you so much, and I’m so happy that my new friends forced me to remember how much you and Mama and Coral Aegis loved me.” Fresh tears ran down the Muse's face as she glanced back towards the group of young women holding hands.
A distant whisper echoed ominously. “I sense Leviathan's dark divinity. It is vulnerable and starving. Give it to me, or suffer wrath and torment that will last an eternity.”
Sonata’s father swam as close as he could to the gateway, and he smiled joyfully at his transformed daughter despite the approaching danger. “I was enslaved by the Queen's magic, but I'm now free thanks to you and your friends. There is no time, but at least I got to see you one last time. I am so proud of you and your brother. One cast off the Imperial chains and the other destroyed them forever. But, I must go to eternity at last, Sonata. So many centuries of agony were worth this moment to see you wrapped in glory! I love you very much.” Dusky Defense's glowing form lost its stability and his features started to dissipate.
Sonata sniffed back more tears. “I love you too, Daddy. Tell Mama and Coral Aegis that I miss them and love them.”
“They heard everything, Sonata. They are right here to greet me,” he gestured to the invisible expanse with his fin, “Be good and be brave...” Dusky Defense evaporated into a glowing vapor that promptly disappeared.
An alarm clock made from a frowning plastic skull rang loudly, intentionally disrupting the emotionally-charged silence. Discord snapped his fingers and the clock transformed into a conductor’s baton, and he suddenly wore an outrageous orange tuxedo with a ruffled shirt with a plaid marching band hat that towered two feet above his head. “Time’s up!”
“Is that really necessary?” Rarity asked, her voice dripping with annoyance as she wiped a tear away from the corner of her eye. “You’re spoiling the beauty of this moment with your tacky props and that horrifically garish outfit!”
Applejack frowned at the watery gateway and the skeletal figure that had started to coalesce in the green light that now dominated the veil between worlds. “Glad to hear you’re back to normal, sugar cube. Rarity, that critter’s already ruined your precious moment, so let’s do what we need to do and get out of here!” She donned her trademark hat after accepting it from Apple Bloom’s outstretched hands.
The horrifying figure continued to take shape into a robe-clad skeleton with only one hand. Vecna’s one-eyed gaze illuminated the box on Adagio’s back. “Give me your burden, Guardian. You didn’t slay my devoted servant. There is no need for you to become my enemy.” His soft voice whispered like a breeze through dead leaves.
“Discord, do what you can to help!” Sunset, her flamelike hair blowing in the unnatural breeze, hastily issued orders. She looked at Adagio, who held Chainbreaker in front of her like a shield. Sunset gazed into the magenta eyes beneath the crown made of broken chains. “And you need to figure something out and get the hell out of there!”
Examining the dozen-strong group, who all nodded and smiled with confidence in her command of the crisis at hand, Sunset used the magical force of the Element of Redemption to reach deep inside herself. She tapped into a flowing river of unimaginable arcane power that rippled outwards from her body. They rearranged themselves into a single long line, all holding one another’s hands. From left to right, Scootaloo, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie, Aria, Sonata, Sunset, Rarity, Applejack, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, Fluttershy and Discord stood defiantly and faced the gateway that evil magic had torn between worlds.
Vecna tore his one-eyed gaze from Adagio, and stroked his skeletal chin admiringly. He chuckled, and his soft voice ominously addressed Sunset. “I am too late to stop you from your triumph, but time has no meaning to the Lord of Death. You have attracted my interest, hornless unicorn, which even the jester who calls himself the Spirit of Chaos knows to be a dangerous prospect. Whether your mortal end comes in minutes or centuries, know that I will do all I can to claim you as my thrall.”
His crimson eyes glowing angrily, Discord shrugged his shoulders and pointed at Vecna with his free hand. “Doubtful. You know what would be fun right now? Undoing all of the awful things Shrieking Raven did here!”
Taking advantage of Vecna’s shift in focus, Adagio jabbed Chainbreaker’s head downward, creating a bright trapdoor, through which she escaped with Leviathan’s starving divinity. She poked her head out of the square of light, winked playfully at the others, and then closed the insubstantial door behind her, passing out of view.
“I don’t know what my future holds, but I’m certain you will not control it.” Sunset announced to the dark being. Suddenly, her body and spirit filled with the Power of Harmony. The Element of Redemption blazed with prismatic light, and Sunset, Rarity, Applejack, Pinkie, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy rose into the air, carrying the others along with them. Sonata’s lilac butterfly wings flapped lazily, helping to keep everyone aloft, and the circular blue gem embedded in her chest emitted radiance that halted Vecna’s advance.
“So be it. You, of all these mortals, understand the power of irrevocable decisions. Unleash your celestial fire and know that if we meet again, it will not be on amicable terms,” rasped Vecna, folding his arms and slowly retreating.
Sunset Shimmer’s green-blue irises disappeared, replaced by a glowing white light that projected forth from her eyes. Her words, inspired by Sonata’s glow and originating from the center of her being, echoed throughout the glittering cavern and through the gateway. “I began in the light, favored by the Sun, but chose to fall to darkness. I didn’t believe in the magic of friendship until it was forced upon me, but the moment I saw it and let it enter my heart, I decided to change myself forever. Together, we helped Aria, then Sonata and finally Adagio learn that they can choose to turn their faces towards the Sun once more. We are all stronger for walking through the darkness to reach the light! You will never conquer us as we stand together!”
Six bands of color originating from Sunset, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie, Applejack and Rarity rose towards the chamber’s ceiling, and wove themselves into a helical-shaped rainbow. Saturated with beneficial magic, their wounds healed before their eyes. A separate ribbon of arcane energy sprang forth from Discord. The chaotic magic splashed in and out of the multicolored spiral as it danced through an array of wild colors and insane patterns. The rainbow reached its zenith and rocketed through the gateway. It knocked down the vertical wall of water, and caused the terrifying skeletal figure to disappear from view. The six bands of color traced across the back of the cavern like a welding rod drawing a bead, causing steam to rise towards the stalactites as the Power of Harmony sealed the otherworldly veil. Simultaneously, Discord’s magic exploded outward in a cacophonic wave of raw eldritch power that immediately passed out of sight.
The bliss that permeated their beings gradually faded, and the group slowly settled to the ground. The powerful arcane energy illuminating the cavern dissipated nearly as suddenly as it had appeared, and the crystalline echoes that resounded throughout the cavern faded into a deafening silence, the now-unremarkable pool of stagnant water left without a trace of any dark being. As they stared into the empty cavern, a wave of relief washed over the group of friends like an overflowing river of emotion as the bittersweet revelation immersed itself in their collective hearts:
It was over.