*** *** ***
The bedroom brightened in a brilliant flash of light, and then dimmed. Six ponies, four fillies, and one alicorn mare fell to the ground. Each pony helped the other up. Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity saw to the sleeping Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle. Princess Luna helped Aegis to her hooves.
"I've failed..." Princess Luna lowered her head. She fell to the floor, burying her head into her hooves. The princess wrapped her flowing tail wrapped around her body and curled up into a ball. The flowing mane hid the mare's eyes. As she remained motionless on the cold ground inside the castle, in a tearful, quiet voice, she said to those around her, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry..."
Applejack stood by Apple Bloom with Rainbow Dash near Scootaloo, and Rarity beside Sweetie Belle. The Cutie Mark Crusaders rested in the spare beds that were brought into the main chamber. Princess Cadence turned away from Shining Armor, attending to the injured, and then returned to the side of her injured husband.
Time moved forward with the bright beams of sunlight entering into the room. Spike stood near Twilight. The little dragon placed a gentle claw on her side, receiving a hug in return.
"I should be the one apologizing. If Queen Chrysalis hadn't caught us off guard, we could have surprised them and won. I'm sure of it." Twilight said. She crept toward Princess Luna. "We have to be strong for the sake of my mentor, for your sister. I know Princess Celestia is still inside Nightmare Star. King Sombra doesn't control her."
Princess Luna remained motionless, "Leave me be. I've failed Equestria. Even worse, I've failed my sister. We cannot win this fight."
Twilight's ears lowered. She turned towards her friends. Pinkie Pie brought out a piece of cake and slid it towards the guardian of the night, only to see it remain untouched.
"What do we do now?" Fluttershy said.
"I can tell you what I'm 'not' gonna do," Rainbow Dash pointed at Princess Luna, "I'm not gonna give up. So we failed. Big deal. If nothing works out, we move forward. We've always managed to pull it through. That's what it means to be loyal. It means to stick to it." she said, receiving a gentle smile from Twilight. Rainbow Dash returned to Scootaloo's side. The athletic pony brushed a soft hoof against the fillies mane. "Still. It does feel like we're way out classed here. The Alicorn Amulet. Nightmare Star. Queen Chrysalis. We're getting jumped at from all sides."
"You don't know the half of it." Spike said. The little dragon received several raised eyebrows. "You want to tell em?"
Princess Cadence shook her head. "You best tell them."
"Tell us what?" Twilight said.
Spike sat down on the nearby chair. His exasperated sigh reverberated throughout the room. "Ponyville is turning against itself. I saw nine ponies fighting amongst themselves. They're getting angry at the littlest thing. What's weird is the fact their eyes seemed to flash in some weird red color before they went off."
Princess Luna raised her head. She bolted towards Spike, asking him to repeat what he said. The guardian of the night held a hoof over her mouth, and then placed it on the ground. Her hoof slammed into the ground, "We were wrong -- no. I was wrong. King Sombra doesn't intend to unleash the foes of Tartarus. He plans to turn the ponies of Equestria against themselves and feed off their hatred."
"Can he do that?" Fluttershy said.
"It happened before the fall of the Crystal Empire." Princess Luna said. She illuminated her horn. An illusionary, magical circle manifested in front of the ponies. A small image showed mother turning against son with sister turning against brother. "King Sombra enslaved ponies, that is true. What he ultimately did however, it was much crueler. My sister and I assaulted the unicorn stallion to end his tyranny where he fed off the negative emotions of his subjects, their hatred of him festering like a horrible sore. Princess Cadence," Princess Luna turned toward the pony, "the crystal ponies aren't their true selves without love. It was your power that returned them to their former selves and purged Sombra's hatred and fear from their bodies."
"Wait, so King Sombra feeds off fear and hate? That's one weird diet." Pinkie Pie said.
"She is right, in a technical sense." Princess Luna said to the ponies that looked at their friend. "He relishes in those who fear and loathe him. I dare say that King Sombra is almost vampiric in nature."
The six ponies chatted amongst themselves before Princess Cadence clutched her sides. Twilight bolted to her, breathing a heavy sigh of relieve.
"Cadence?" Shining Armor said.
"Shiny?" Twilight said.
"Hey, Twily. You holding down the fort while your big bro took a nap?" Shining Armor said. He pushed the bed covers off to the side. The unicorn stallion rubbed his forehead, wincing for a second before turning towards Cadence. Shining Armor gave his beloved wife a quick peck on the cheek. "Sorry. I should be the one taking care of you. What's going on? Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle? What happened to them?"
"It's not good." Twilight said.
"Prince Shining Armor, I will fill you in on the details. We must make hast though. I fear our safety may only be temporary." Princess Luna said.
*** *** ***
The clock in the corner of the laboratory chimed nine times. Rays of sunlight illuminated the room. Bubbles formed in a jar and burst when they reached the liquids surface. Each pony looked over the diagram drawn onto the mobile chalkboard.
"Well, that won't work. It'll be like last time. There's no tellin' who we can trust." Applejack said.
"What did King Sombra mean by 'you don't have control over your power' before we returned here?" Sweetie Belle said.
Princess Luna looked over the fillies, "That was my fault. I put you in harm's way, believing your power could vanquish him. I will learn from my mistake, and I will trust that Twilight Sparkle has a better plan."
"I don't." Twilight said, her ears lowering. She faced her friends and allies, "We've always faced a foe, one-on-one. This time, we face the combined forces of two old foes, not to mention I have no clue about Nightmare Star or her capabilities. Even worse, King Sombra appears to be a completely different pony with the alicorn amulet at his disposal."
"So we're just giving up?" Rainbow Dash squinted at her friend.
Twilight shook her head, "On the contrary, I plan for us to fight our hardest battle. I believe in the power that was gifted to us by the tree of harmony. The unknown comes from the three crystal the Cutie Mark Crusaders possess. It is a key to winning, but, and I hate having to say this, I don't know how we can utilize their talents."
The ponies chatted amongst themselves. Shining Armor stood near Princess Cadence, giving her a kind kiss on the cheek. Princess Luna stood at the chalkboard, scrutinizing the battle plans.
All of them froze. A thin beam of light ran through the room. The castle's top lifted up, flying off into the distance.
Twilight's eyes widened. Her jaw dropped. The crystal tree castle's top stopped in mid air before burning to dust.
"Hello, 'sister.'" Nightmare Star said.
The outside world darkened. A shadow lengthened on the ground. Several hisses and clicks resonated in the outside world. Hooves pounded on the castle's front door before it gave way. Stallions, mares, fillies, and colts galloped inside. Angered hooves pointed at Twilight and her friends.
An army of changelings descended to the ground, surrounding the castle.
"Surrender and make it easy on yourselves." Queen Chrysalis said. She tugged on her collar, and then resumed her vicious gaze towards the ponies in front of her. "I'm getting rather 'tired' of that!"
Twilight collapsed to the ground, an indentation forming beneath her. Her hooves remained immobilized.
"Gravity Field Spells are rather nice when you need to immobilize a pony." Nightmare Star said. She crept forward, looking over her sister. The mare illuminated her horn, "No more chances. No more mercy. It is time to lock you away, forever."
"No!" Scootaloo screamed. She and her fellow Cutie Mark Crusaders produced their armor. "We won't let you harm Princess Luna. She's your sister."
Nightmare Star faced the fillies. She flew backwards, repulsed by the shield Apple Bloom produced. A malefic stare greeted the Cutie mark Crusaders. Her horn aglow, the mare caused the fillies to collapse to the ground underneath a gravity field.
Rainbow Dash bolted towards the jar containing the bubbling liquid. "Here!"
"What... is this!" Nightmare Star said as she fell to the ground, a sticky substance covering her wings. Flames escaped her open mouth with each breath. "Enough!"
The deposed changeling ruler's eyes widened. She pointed a hoof, but the changeling army refused to follow her command. Queen Chrysalis illuminated her horn, along with Shining Armor. The two shields intermingled.
A barren field lay around the group. Nightmare Star's eyes burned. Fire continued to escape her open mouth with each breath she took. Embers floated off her fiery flowing tail. Her hoof steps seared the ground, leaving a trail of charred marks.
"All who oppose me shall be incinerated -- no. I've got a better idea." Nightmare Star said. A fiery aura enveloped her horn. The elements of harmony rose into the air. A fiery shell enveloped the six ponies with them flying to different parts of Equestria. Fierce eyes turned towards Princess Luna. Another fiery shell enveloped Nightmare Star's sister. "Your fate shall be far worse."
Princess Luna's prison flew towards Canterlot, boring itself into the mountain side. Chains of fire latched onto Shining Armor, and then another.
"How dare you! We are on the same side." Queen Chrysalis yelled. She tugged on the chains around her neck, soon breaking them. "King Sombra will here of this, traitor."
"It was his orders, not mine. You're a liability." Nightmare Star said, illuminating her horn once more.
Princess Cadence tugged on the chains around her husband's neck. Tears rolled to her cheeks. She winced as the flames seared her hooves.
Soon, the mob of ponies parted. Zecora stepped forth. She grinned at the sight in front of her. Nightmare Star smiled in return.
"You are foals to return. This idiocy shall be your undoing. It's time for you to burn." Zecora said. She reached for a pouch. A red powder poured into her hoof. The zebra looked at the four fillies, the Queen Chrysalis, and then Princess Cadence. "..."
Nightmare Star illuminated her horn as Zecora blew on the powder. A brilliant flash of light blinded the all of those in its vicinity. The fiery mare lowered her hoof to see a bubble forming around her, the crowd, and the changeling army.
Furious hooves pounded against the shield. Beads of sweat rolled down Shining Armor's forehead. The sweat dripped from his cheeks, evaporating in the heat of the area. He winced with each forceful strike made by Nightmare Star. Magical blasts and hooves pounded against the shields that surrounded the ponies and changeling army.
"I won't... let you... get them." Shining Armor struggled. The chains around his neck tightened. A shield formed around his neck chain. His eyes widened, "Sombra."
"King Sombra, peasant!" The unicorn stallion said. A red glow enveloped his horn, infecting Shining Armor's horn. King Sombra laughed in a maniacal tone before he flung his cape around his body. "This is a great day. Our enemies have been flung to the far corners of Equestria, never to return again."
A changeling crept towards King Sombra. Several hisses and clicks escaped it, the changeling being flung away.
"Filthy creature. You will speak to me in my tongue. Not that disgusting, unintelligible garbage that escapes your orifice when you attempt to speak." King Sombra said.
Nightmare Star remained silent. She crept forward. "Your enemies are vanquished, King Sombra."
King Sombra smirked. "Good. Now comes the rise of this great empire and its rightful rulers. Stand by my side, Nightmare Star. You shall be the shining beacon that guides this great nation to its rightful place as ruler of all!"