Chapter Twenty-Three
Adagio’s glowing magenta eyes were focused on her sketch pad, which was balanced precariously on her lap. With her hair unbound, held only by the glittering Aquastrian tiara perched on her head, the Siren princess sat cross-legged on the cave floor. Her back rested against the bars of the cage where Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo and Apple Bloom were held captive. Fresh batteries enabled one lantern to continue to provide its dim but steady illumination in the sparkling cavern. A second flickering lantern, powered by a petroleum product, stood near the pool fed by the underground river. The white and yellow light mingled overhead and reflected off of the blue celestite and golden pyrite crystals to enhance the ethereal, otherworldly nature of the cave.
The sun had sank beneath the horizon nearly two hours ago, which is when the girls had shown the first signs of restored lucidity. By now, Shrieking Raven’s mind-clouding potion had worn off, but Adagio couldn’t bring herself to engage the captive trio in any sort of substantive conversation.
Is it better to know that death is coming? Is that knowledge mercy or cruelty? Adagio asked herself, but remained unable to answer those difficult questions.
The interior of Nautilus Hall’s throne room, as it appeared during her mother’s rule, was taking shape on the page in front of the curly-haired Siren. She moved the colored pencil clutched in her right hand very slowly, attempting to create fine details on the smaller of the two thrones. Adagio lifted her pencil and banged against the cage with her elbow as Sweetie Belle’s wails worked their way around her gag, distracting the Siren princess.
Adagio rolled her eyes when the noise intensified. “Silence!” she roared, imitating her mother’s sharp rebuke. She felt the cage wobble behind her as Scootaloo and Apple Bloom did what they could, despite their compromised mobility, to comfort their friend.
Rising to her feet, Adagio turned around to find the three young women with their heads together, tears mingling on each others’ faces. When Adagio’s shadow fell across them, they ceased their crying and looked up at their captor. Scootaloo attempted to disguise her fear by contorting her face with fury, while Sweetie Belle simply stared into the cave with abject terror. Apple Bloom’s amber eyes looked up imploringly at Adagio, her muffled voice begging for an explanation or mercy of some kind.
A lump grew in Adagio’s throat, just as it had three hours ago when Apple Bloom repeatedly asked for her mother, the single questioning word evident despite the gag. I don’t know what moved me to run outside and burn that makeshift purple bow, but I felt better afterwards. Perhaps I need a bit of fresh air now, she thought.
“Girls, if you promise to be well-behaved and quiet, then I will bring you back some water from the lake. I need to step outside for a moment.” She spun on her heel as the young women began to cry again. Something about the inflection embedded in their weeping made her stop.
Adagio turned around and folded her hands in front of her stomach. Her enhanced vision permitted her to see the complex emotions vying for superiority on each young woman in the cage. Fear would be replaced by fury, and then revulsion would be replaced by something else.
Pity? Is that what I saw? Adagio thought. Her mouth dropped open and her hands fell to her sides as she considered the possibility. The lump in her throat spread downwards to her stomach, so Adagio briskly walked towards the crevice that led to the exit, eager for a moment alone. On her way, she bent down and scooped up the empty water bottles that used to be tainted with Raven’s potion.
After making her way through the first cavern, Adagio strode towards the chilly waves lapping the gravel and sand beach. The lake breeze blew her curly orange hair behind her where it snapped in the wind like a serpentine battle standard. She spread her arms wide, closed her eyes and let the water bottles fall to the ground as the wind chilled her damp skin.
I miss Sonata and Aria, but there’s something about this quiet solitude that’s comforting. Adagio opened her eyes when she felt the pre-paid mobile phone vibrate in her pocket. She smiled broadly when she noticed the orange message icon illuminated on the flip phone’s cover. Looking very much like an excited teenager, she enthusiastically opened the phone and rapidly read Aria’s report.
“Oh, thank the Master that she’s here, and she’s brought Discord! We have a chance.” Without witnesses to see her display weakness, the desperation and relief that Adagio had buried within her bubbled up at last, creeping into her voice. She wiped the excess moisture from her eyes with the back of her hand.
Adagio bowed her head toward the tiny phone to begin a reply, but stopped when her keen ears heard the sound of boots crunching on loose gravel. Hopeful elation transforming to wariness, she stashed the electronic device in the pocket of her fleece vest. The plastic clinked against the cold steel of the butterfly knife she had stolen from Sunset Shimmer, reminding Adagio of its presence.
What did my mother think the first time that she had to do this? she wondered silently as she ran her right thumb along the knife’s side. I had heard her order many deaths. But the only time I remember actually seeing her kill was just before we were transformed into Sirens by the Master. Why did that guard choose certain death for a pointless gesture? Her eyebrows knit together in deep thought as another gust ruffled her hair.
Zipping the pocket closed, Adagio knelt and began filling the bottles with cold, clear lake water as the footsteps came closer.
“There was no need to come out here, Adagio. Why didn’t you drink from the pool inside the cave?” Shrieking Raven’s tone balanced the knife’s edge between concerned and mocking. “I believe it unwise to leave tonight’s guests of honor alone for any period of time.”
As she filled the fourth bottle and deliberately twisted the top closed, Adagio heard the banshee’s footsteps come to a halt just a few feet behind her. The Siren felt a swirl of magical energy which caused the hairs on the back of her neck stand up.
Hiding a gasp with a deep inhalation, she calmly explained herself. “You’re here a couple of hours before I expected you, Raven. I needed a brief moment away from the girls, and this errand served a dual purpose. I anticipate no problems.” She stood, turned towards the banshee and promptly dropped two of the water bottles upon catching sight of Raven.
The stars and moon shone down upon Shrieking Raven, who had abandoned all pretense of humanity. Her black eyes, trapped in her skeletal visage, reflected an unholy parody of the night sky. The banshee was dressed in a long gray robe, fringed at the collar and hem in coarse hair that spanned every color of the rainbow. Obviously possessed of a powerful magical dweomer, the garment seemed to absorb nearby light. Raven walked the beach barefoot, her feet clad only in dead, parchment-like flesh. Her wrists were encircled with numerous bracelets, making it impossible to determine which were arcane and which were merely aesthetic. Her right hand, its nails sharpened into claws, clutched the handle of a large wooden case. Raven’s only whisper of humanity came from her lustrous black hair, which was done in elaborate braids that encircled her skull and trailed behind her.
Raven’s raspy laugh took on a cruel edge as her desiccated lips curled into a sneer. “On those rare occasions when I lift my disguise, I enjoy the fact that my appearance causes such surprise and terror. Adagio, it speaks volumes about your ability to rule that you haven’t screamed in terror or soiled yourself.”
“You are certainly an imposing figure, Raven.” Adagio scooped up one of the water bottles, but intentionally left the second lying in the sand. “Fortunately, my mother exposed me to horrors both subtle and gross at an early age, so I have acquired some resilience in confronting terrifying things.”
The banshee narrowed her eyes and paused. Satisfied, she nodded after a moment. “I’ll accept that as a compliment, and note that your mother was truly a great Aquastrian Queen that prepared you well for this moment. Your throne has been vacant for far too long, Adagio. Let’s go to the cave and begin.”
As they walked, Adagio’s eyes were drawn to the multicolored fringe on the magical robe. She nonchalantly asked, “Where did you acquire such impressive raiment?”
Raven snorted and haughtily answered, “My Lord Vecna once wore this robe, but its magic was much reduced after I was banished to this world. It took many deaths to restore its power through the addition of the fringe. I see that you are very curious about it.” The banshee caressed the fuzzy collar.
“Indeed. The material seems familiar, but I can’t place it.” Adagio squinted in the darkness as she walked beside Raven. The cave’s entrance was only twenty yards away. The Siren glanced back towards the water bottle that remained on the beach.
The banshee’s raspy laugh raised goosebumps on Adagio’s skin. Raven flashed a terrifying grin, and then said, “Magic is so tough to come by in this world. The fringe is made from the scalps of many men and women, seized in a series of elaborate rituals, Your Highness! Would you like to feel the texture?”
Adagio suppressed the urge to retch as they reached the cave entrance. She smacked her thigh with her palm and feigned forgetfulness. Imitating Sonata’s ditzy, endearing innocence, she cried, “Oh, no! I forgot one of the bottles! Please go ahead, Raven. I’ll catch up right away.”
With a smug look on her skeletal face, Raven nodded her assent and entered the cave’s entryway. Adagio waited until the banshee had disappeared from view and sprinted for the beach. Before she reached down to grab the last water bottle, she opened her phone and rapidly tapped out a reply to Aria on the cheap phone’s keypad:
Aria, there is no time and the signal is awful. I am in the Bridal Cave with the Master’s tribute. Find a second cavern behind the first. I will perform the sacrifice back there. Help me. The banshee must be destroyed. Far too pow—
“Quit stalling, Adagio! Your destiny is at hand and I grow impatient!” called Raven from the entrance.
Adagio pressed the “send” button on the cheap flip phone, and then concealed it in her vest. Clutching all four water bottles, she shouted, “I’m on my way!” and awkwardly jogged back towards the dark opening in the side of the cliff. As she approached, Adagio caught a glimpse of red along with a metallic reflection as Raven adjusted something beneath her robe.
The banshee crouched down and closed the wooden case, frowning impatiently. “If you’re finally ready, let’s proceed. I’ve been waiting to taste those girls’ terror since the first moment they stepped into my classroom this past fall!”
The uneasy partnership walked silently across the first cavern, then squeezed their way through the glittering passage that led to the ritual site. As they emerged into the second cavern, Adagio’s eyes involuntarily flicked over to the cage, where Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were watching Apple Bloom intently. Her red bow askew, Apple Bloom leaned forward and communicated encouragement to the other two girls using her eyes and gestures from her shoulders.
Adagio’s mouth curled in a tiny smile. Very good, Apple Bloom. You’ve learned how to be very brave. But, there is no escape for your friends. Perhaps I can save you. She clutched the water bottles to her stomach.
“Princess Adagio, could you please remove their gags?” Raven’s words indicated a question, but her tone made it clear that she was giving an order. “Once you do so, I will approach our guests.”
The Siren produced Sunset’s knife from her pocket, along with the key to the padlock securing the cage. Walking into the illuminated part of the cave, she deftly unlocked the cage while holding the four-inch steel blade in front of her. She narrowed her magenta eyes and instructed the captive girls. “One at a time, shuffle towards me. If I have to go in there and do this by force, there may be a nasty accident, and I don’t want that. Apple Bloom, you’re first.”
In succession, Apple Bloom, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle followed the Siren’s instructions. Their gags fell free and their eyes spoke volumes, but to their credit the trio didn’t utter a sound until Sweetie Belle whispered, “I know that voice, Scoots. Where do I know that voice?”
Her dark pink hair matted against her head, Scootaloo glanced at Adagio and whispered back to her. “I can’t place it either, but she called Adagio a princess? What’s going on?”
“Shut up! Don’t taunt the crazy Siren with the knife!” warned Apple Bloom. The three girls huddled together in the back left corner of the cage, eyes darting nervously to and fro.
Adagio threw her head back and laughed with false bravado. “I’m the least of your worries, little ones.” She crouched down and handed each of the girls a bottle of lake water, then locked the cage’s tiny door. She willed her commanding voice to drip over the trio like thick honey. “Please drink this, because you must be parched. I solemnly promise that it’s simply cold lake water.”
“Hurry, Your Highness. My patience with this motherly attitude is wearing thin!” announced Raven from the darkness.
Apple Bloom raised an eyebrow suspiciously and hesitantly asked, “Who gives you orders, Adagio? Besides, why are you so worried about us all of a sudden after tying us up and not saying a word to us for hours?”
Adagio knelt down and whispered into the cage, “You heard my colleague. Chug it down, because her displeasure would be very unpleasant for all four of us. This is all the comfort I can spare you for the moment.” Worry creased her forehead until she stood and turned back towards the banshee. Behind her she heard the sounds of hasty drinking, followed by plastic striking the metal bars.
“We’re done. Get on with it,” said Apple Bloom defiantly.
Stepping forward, Shrieking Raven intoned, “My intrepid students, it’s so wonderful to see you! I’m sad to say that literature is not going to be the subject we study tonight.” The dim light and eerie reflections from crystals and water cast long shadows across the banshee’s skull and body, obscuring her true nature from the trio held captive in the cage.
“Ms. Raven, help us! Get us out of here!” shrieked Sweetie Belle.
The monster stepped fully into the light and her laugh surrounded the three girls like a whirlwind of dry, decaying leaves. “If it’s release you seek, I assure you that you will be freed later tonight.” She set down the case and spread her arms wide. “Behold my true form! I am Shrieking Raven, Herald of Vecna, Bringer of Unlife, and soon, Empress of this puny little world!” She threw her head back and screamed a piercing, discordant note that knocked Adagio, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom flat on the cave floor.
As she collapsed in a daze, Adagio’s grimly thought, I must re-acquire the Master’s immunity to her powers, or all is lost for Aria and Sonata.
As the living recovered, Raven continued her monologue. “After tonight, my scream will no longer distract or injure. It will become deadly. Those killed by my shriek will find their souls bound to me! They will rise again and follow my orders.” The banshee’s voice mocked the captives. “Alas, you three won’t join my shambling horde, but you will make all of this possible!”
Sweetie Belle came to her senses and immediately burst into tears, wailing incomprehensibly. Apple Bloom unsuccessfully tried to comfort her, and her own amber eyes were still unfocused from the horrific shock. Adagio’s ears caught Apple Bloom whispering to Sweetie Belle, “I don’t care what she truly is, just speak the words Father Scorpan taught us, and believe in our sisters. To fight this, we have to remember our prayers and have faith.”
Scootaloo cleared her head and went on the offensive. “So you’re just a fancy skeleton, just like in Rainbow Dash’s movies! No wonder you’re so skinny and your classes bored us to death!” Scootaloo pressed her face against the bars. “You bet we won’t become part of your army! Rainbow Dash, Sunset Shimmer and the others will save us.” Behind her, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle cowered in terror as their minds processed the sight of Shrieking Raven anew, their faces slick with fresh tears.
Adagio struggled to her feet. It took considerable effort to keep her voice steady. “If they even make it here, Raven and I will finish them off. They are bravely walking into a trap, from which there is no escape.”
“Such brash spirit, Scootaloo! Your defiance is delectable.” Raven appeared to inhale deeply, then stooped and opened her case, removing an oddly shaped item wrapped in a black silk cloth. “The three of you always spoke of finding your talents and your destinies together. Well, Adagio will grant your wish. She has decided your ultimate purpose for you. Isn’t that generous of her?” The banshee’s face twisted into a sardonic grin.
Adagio gulped and took a shaky step towards the banshee. She glanced at the captives. “Raven, perhaps they would understand better if I expl--”
Steamrolling over the Siren’s objection, Raven interrupted. “At my direction, she planted several traps. Two of the three have already been activated tonight. The ranger station is shrouded in darkness and all within that sphere are trapped in dreamless sleep. She tuned and placed a necromantic engine in the cemetery that will produce a legion of undead minions that will grow more powerful with time, while feeding my own magic. Finally, on the beach, she left a special item that will ensure that our ritual is undisturbed.” Like a practiced stage actress, she stopped for effect and swept her flat eyes over the three captives.
Apple Bloom sniffed away the mucous plugging her nose and boldly filled the pregnant pause. “My sister and her friends will stop anything you throw at them! They have magic, Chainbreaker, and Discord!”
“I felt the necromantic engine start, but is it possible? Discord is here?” Raven darted forward and reached through the bars of the cage and gripped Apple Bloom’s shirt with a claw. “How did Sunset Shimmer find out where I would be? We are far beyond that cursed gargoyle’s sight!” She set down the silk-wrapped bundle and drew her other claw back menacingly.
Adagio came to Apple Bloom’s rescue. “Raven, if he is so close, then this gives you the perfect opportunity to settle the score with Discord once and for all! You’ve mentioned that he is nearly powerless in this world, and the beasts your magic items have unleashed will sap his strength. At last, you can taste the sweet nectar of revenge.” The Siren paused expectantly, while Raven’s razor-sharp fingernails gripped the collar of Apple Bloom’s shirt.
“As we established during our chess game, you have the ability to think strategically, Princess.” The banshee released the farmgirl and she slumped to the cave floor, shaking uncontrollably. “You are more correct than you know. Discord’s death, combined with Vecna’s rewards, will fill me with so much power that my shriek will level Scorpan’s church!”
“I’m happy to help, Raven. After all, you have been so much help to me.” Adagio nodded deferentially.
Tapping her temple with her claw, Raven asked, “Where were we? Oh, yes! We were discussing my favorite subject. Death!” She approached the cage again and picked up the silk-wrapped bundle. “Lord Vecna will awaken Adagio’s Master, Leviathan. He is very old and very hungry. What does he eat, I wonder?” The monster’s voice dripped with condescension.
Sweetie Belle had the wherewithal to quip in a shaking voice. “I don’t think it’s Manehattan-style pizza.”
“Choose your next witticism carefully, Sweetie Belle. It may be your last. Adagio will perform a ritual that hasn’t been performed in at least a thousand years. She will be crowned as the Queen of Imperial Aquastria. Her magical voice will be fully restored, after she rolls you to the edge of this pool, and follows Leviathan’s instructions. He will appear right here,” she gestured at the dark waters with her free claw. “You see, Adagio’s Master feeds on souls. He finds young women particularly tasty!”
The three girls screamed in terror. Adagio watched Raven unwrap the bundle she held and saw the unmistakable color of bleached bone. The dark magic emanating from the object made her stomach turn.
Shrieking Raven clenched her fist high in the air and pantomimed a stabbing motion. “When Adagio’s Master commands, she will kill each of you in turn! Your deaths and your souls will restore a god and crown a Queen!” She cackled wildly and placed the object upon her head.
The horror of the unveiled helmet caused Scootaloo, Apple Bloom, and Sweetie Belle to vomit. Adagio steadied herself on a stalagmite to keep from falling over. A dim green and violet glow began to conquer the lanterns’ artificial light.
“By the Maelstrom, how did she get that?” whispered Adagio.
Fitting precisely over Raven’s elaborate braids was a helmet fashioned from an equine skull. The gaping eyeholes fit over the banshee’s face, permitting her to see, and created a terrifying tunnel to her unnerving gaze. The bleached bone of the skull’s crown fit snugly over the front two-thirds of Raven’s cranium, leaving a cascade of black braids to spill from the helmet’s back onto her magical robe. Above the center of Shrieking Raven’s forehead, the skull had a foot-long protrusion, where the bone had twisted itself into a spiral that ended in a blunted point. The unicorn’s horn glowed dimly with sickly green and purple lights escaping an inky, dark aura.
The banshee’s eyes took on the same black-and-purple glow as the helmet’s horn. She shouted over the frantic pleas of the three captives. “Behold! The skull of this world’s last natural unicorn! They were stupid, trusting creatures, and wholly inferior to Equestrian unicorns. Still, they held much of this world’s meager magic until they were hunted to extinction.” She laughed maniacally for a minute, and then regained control. Raven gestured to Adagio. “Your coronation is at hand, Princess. It is time to make use of the magic I have been hoarding for centuries for a moment just like this. It will take my Lord some time to wake your Master, and still more time for He Who Swims In Darkness to reach us, but I will begin.”
Adagio patted the pocket holding the knife and felt its comforting weight. She straightened herself proudly and approached the Herald of Vecna in all her dark splendor. Adagio’s gaze went beyond Raven to Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom, but her own concealed fear overcame the brief hesitation that crossed her mind. The Siren took a deep breath, looked into Raven’s eyes and declared, “I am ready to become Queen. I am ready to shoulder the duties and responsibilities of leading my people. Let us begin.”
“Excellent!” cried the banshee. She spread her arms wide and the horn atop her helmet began to glow with the darkest sort of magic. “Lord Vecna, the Chained God who is beyond Death and rules the realm of Unlife Eternal, hear the words of your Herald as I humbly request a boon!”
Scootaloo led the three girls in prayer as they knelt and put their heads together, “...Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done…”
A bar of eldritch fire burst forth from the horn, streaking into the underground pool.
Adagio tightened her grip on the stalagmite holding her upright. She felt the distinct sensation of being yanked in two directions. She was drawn to the dark pool like a magnet, while another part of her kept urging her to run. The power Raven is channeling is nearly as large as the power the Rainbooms brought to bear last week! I don’t think they can stop her if I fail, thought Adagio, captivated by the arcane display.
“...lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the Power and the Kingdom and the Glory forever and ever…” The three girls, eyes squeezed shut, spoke as one.
Shrieking Raven continued the dark prayer, her booming voice drowning out the captives’ humble plea. “Princess Adagio Dazzle has been severed from her Master, He Who Swims In Darkness! Wake him! Guide him here to receive a sacrifice and to crown the last scion of Imperial Aquastria as Queen!”
At the climax of her oratory, an arrow of darkness shot forth from Raven, and disappeared into the pool. Oddly, Adagio could still see the missile trailing off into infinity.
Weakly, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo completed their appeal. “Amen,” they said, their voices trembling. The trio huddled together once again, unable to master their shaking limbs.
“Now, Adagio, all we need to do is wait for your Master to arrive,” declared Raven. She fidgeted with an item on her left hip, concealed by her robe. “You will offer your sacrifices, become crowned and return to Aquastria.”
Feeling her tiara askew, Adagio used the dark pool as a mirror to straighten it. She gazed at her reflection and her eyes widened. Calming her quickening pulse, Adagio nonchalantly asked, “Raven, O Mighty Herald of Vecna, may I ask a question?”
“Of course, Adagio Dazzle, future Queen of Aquastria. What do you wish to know?” The banshee smiled, her skull’s grin supremely confident.
She crossed her arms over her chest. “Where is the mirror? This isn’t the statue outside the high school, nor is it the glacier that Starswirl used to banish us. How will I return home?”
The unicorn horn atop the helmet began to glow, and Shrieking Raven’s eyes took on a menacing glow. The banshee opened her mouth to speak, when suddenly she was interrupted by a high pitched squeal that shifted tones in the most annoying manner possible.
A deep, sarcastic voice filled the cavern. “Hello? Can you hear me? Hopefully your hearing aids are working properly, I'd hate for those old ears to miss anything! Oh, it's such a pity I can't hear you, though, Cassiopeia. Your singing voice must be devastatingly loud by now, and after so many centuries trapped in stone, I don’t desire an additional headache. Since your change in occupation, I’ve noticed that you can’t ever seem to hit the right note! Did the pay cut force you to stop the voice lessons, Cassiopeia?” Discord paused, but the sound of soft background laughter was carried along by the spell.
“It’s Shrieking Raven, Discord! I cast aside that name along with my mortality! You fool! We could have ruled Equestria together, but instead you chose to insult me and Lord Vecna.” The banshee shouted at the cavern’s ceiling, while she clenched her fists and began to pace.
Hope blossomed on the captives’ faces. Apple Bloom excitedly whispered, “If Discord’s here, then the others are too!”
Aria has done exactly as I had hoped. Perhaps I can help Discord enrage Raven, thought Adagio.
“You won’t succeed, you know. We’re slicing through your horde like ginsu knives and will be at your cave shortly. You were such a great strategist! Well, that’s not the truth. You were great until you got angry. Cassie, are you angry at me? Angry that I saw right through this feeble mess you call a 'plan?' Or perhaps are you upset that I have helped a new Element Bearer realize her potential? Well, if you tell me a secret about Adagio, I’ll tell you one about Sunset! Come on Viceroy, surely you can confide in your Emperor for old time’s sake!”
“Viceroy?” Adagio blurted. Raven’s head whipped around and her glowing midnight eyes bored into her. The Siren attempted a distraction. “You shouldn’t have to take that, Raven! I can handle business here!”
Raven angrily shook her head and stomped her foot like a furious horse. “No! I must supervise your sacrifice. This is a very sensitive moment, and I can’t have you wandering off!”
The Spirit of Chaos continued his biting linguistic barrage. “Raven, you could never get past your teeny-tiny imperfections, but now they are so much worse after a thousand years of wear and tear! Your hair is as limp and lifeless as your skeletal legs. Even before your big change, without the little toys that you cobbled together, your unicorn magic was so weak you couldn’t boil water or lift a whisk broom!” The background laughter was punctuated by a whoop.
“Damn him! I’ll flay the flesh off of his bones and see if he’s so sarcastic while he is carved into tiny pieces and fed to my ghasts!” The infuriated banshee punched a stalactite and it collapsed to the floor around her.
Adagio, seeing Raven’s resolve weaken, fanned the flames. “You shouldn’t have to suffer this indignity as the future ruler of this world. Confront him now and demand satisfaction!”
Discord giggled and guffawed as he mercilessly mocked Raven. “Oh, wait! I know why you decided to go from unicorn to banshee! Cassiopeia, I think that Vecna may have actually done you a favor by matching your external appearance to what was inside you. See, even I figured out the truth! Even before you took on your bony new form, your nethers were full of spiderwebs and dust!”
Overcome with rage, Raven loosed her shriek for the second time. The unholy magical force knocked the four living creatures to the cave floor once again. Scootaloo, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle were rendered unconscious. Adagio, while not entirely overcome, found that she could only writhe among the rocks.
“What? It's not my fault that area never got used! Are you upset at me, Raven? Are you? Oh, I can't wait to hear what you have to say for yourself! Well, if you can even find me with those dusty old eyes of yours, that is! Peace, out!” Discord’s voice fell silent and they could distinctly hear peals of riotous female laughter mingled with applause before the spell ended.
Shrieking Raven stomped towards an open area of the cavern. “I accept your offer of help, Adagio,” she said through clenched teeth. “If your Master comes before I return, follow his instructions and slay the three girls as he directs. Just to make sure you’re not interrupted, I will provide you some additional protection.”
One of the banshee’s bracelets glowed brightly and a pale curtain of light blocked the exit to the cavern.
Adagio frowned as the barrier sprang into being. She composed herself and said encouragingly, “Thank you for this gift, Raven. Now, punish Discord for what he’s done! I’ll handle things here.”
“He will pay for this insult and others a thousand years old!” hissed Raven. Another piece of jewelry glowed brightly as its power was called upon. Its magic enclosed Shrieking Raven in a translucent sphere of darkness. The bauble disintegrated into dust as the sphere disappeared, taking the banshee along with it.
Now that she was alone with the three girls, Adagio wiped cold sweat from her brow. She looked into the pool and saw only a tiny speck of deeper darkness in the imperceptible distance, but it was slowly growing. She looked at the three unconscious girls then stood in place and spun a slow circle. When she was satisfied she was truly alone, Adagio crumpled to her knees as nausea gripped her stomach.
“Aria, please get here soon!”
-----
Sonata made a left turn into the truck stop as dusk gave way to night. The floodlights illuminating the parking lot flickered on as she brought Rarity’s car to a stop alongside a row of gas pumps. She turned off the engine, got out of the car and rolled her eyes when she noticed the sign directing her to “pre-pay for gas after dark.”
“Well, I suppose I could stand to use the bathroom and grab a bite to eat,” Sonata said to herself. She leaned back inside the white convertible to check the clock embedded into the dashboard, which induced a frown. “Doesn’t my body know that I have to keep moving down the road?” She stood and impatiently flipped her blue-streaked ponytail behind her.
As she strode across the parking lot towards the truck stop’s main building, she looked through a large window that framed a friendly waitress busily serving dinner to a small group of truck drivers. Sonata smiled at the way the waitress wagged her finger and chastised a patron who had failed to wipe his face after eating what appeared to be an empty plate of spaghetti.
She jumped at the sound of metal falling on asphalt, her head following the noise to her left. Perched atop a stepladder, a large trucker wearing a green mesh ball cap gave a big rig’s engine housing a light punch, and then looked down at the large wrench he had dropped on the ground. His arms were filthy and he was covered with sweat as he attempted to repair the apparently immobile vehicle. He leered at Sonata, and pointedly looked her up and down. Just as he was about to open his mouth, he clapped it shut and retrieved his wrench.
Opening the door, a cheap aluminum bell signaled Sonata’s arrival. “Hello there! May I help you?” asked a cheerful clerk with laboriously curled green hair held back by a black hair ornament with silver spikes.
Sonata jumped and placed a blue-hued hand to her chest. “I’m sorry! You startled me, because you reminded me of someone.” Stroking her chin, she examined at the cashier’s friendly face and her familiar hairstyle. “Say, maybe you’ve seen her. She’s tall, beautiful, and has curly orange hair that reaches past her waist. Her skin is tinted yellow, and there’s no way you’d ever forget her voice.”
The green-haired young woman smiled and nodded enthusiastically. “Oh, yes! That’s her! She came through here last night and made such an impression on me that I asked for some overtime to pay for this new hairstyle! She did an amazing job of putting that trucker in his place, and the way she said it made all of us girls laugh. It serves him right that his truck broke when he tried to leave. She was incredible, but I never caught her name.”
“Her name is Adagio, and I’ve known her almost all my life. I have to find her before she makes a really bad mistake,” said Sonata breezily. She snapped her fingers and pointed at the cashier. “Hey, I know how you can help me! Do you happen to have a good map of the roads around Lake Piebald? I’m looking for something that’s better than what you can get on the computer.”
The smiling clerk began to rummage underneath her counter. When she crouched down, only the brand-new spiked hair ornament was visible. Her voice floated up to Sonata. “Um, it’s a mess down here, ma’am. Go take care of your other business, and give me a couple of minutes to find what you’re looking for. I really want to help you help your friend.”
“Thank you very much! I really appreciate it. You have no idea how much trouble she’s in, so I’ll be right back!” said Sonata brightly.
After using the restroom, Sonata looked longingly at the microwaveable tacos and burritos. She shook her head and instead selected three of the potent energy drinks that Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash preferred. For dinner, she grabbed a handful of energy bars, and added a large plastic-wrapped muffin coated with chocolate chips for dessert.
Approaching the counter again, Sonata noticed that the cashier had been joined by the waitress, who both grinned at her. The clerk turned to the waitress and teasingly pushed her shoulder. “See, I told you!”
“So you know that girl we met yesterday. What did you say her name was?” asked the waitress, who had folded her arms across her chest and raised both her eyebrows.
Sonata answered, “Her name is Adagio, and she’s not from around here,” When she caught the waitress admiring the clothes that Elegant had provided her, she added, “May I ask your name?”
Nervously wiping her hands on her apron, the waitress chuckled. “You can call me Cloudy. I’m sorry for staring, because we don’t get too many gorgeous young women passing through here this time of year. To have two in one week creates a lot of conversation. Adagio’s looks and sharp wit made quite the impression on my young friend.”
The cashier interrupted by proudly pushing a neatly folded map across the counter. “I found it! It’s the best that I could find. The thrill-seekers and spelunkers swear by this type of map. Only the military has anything that’s better.”
“Thank you, Emerald,” said Sonata cheerfully, looking down at the cashier’s nametag. “Your hair looks beautiful, by the way.”
Cloudy laughed good-naturedly. “She talked about your friend for hours after she left last night, so the moment the salon opened this morning, she insisted on a new look!” Emerald blushed to the tips of her green-tinted ears.
Setting down a hundred dollars on the counter, Sonata stealthily winked at the clerk and rescued her by changing the subject. “I’ll need forty dollars in gas along with these snacks, but please keep the change so you don’t have to work so much overtime.”
“Wow, what a great surprise!” Emerald quickly rang up the other items and handed a full bag across the counter. “I hope your friend Adagio is alright and you get there in time to stop her from screwing up.”
Leaning over the counter, the Siren gravely looked at both women and said, “I do too, but now I have to hurry! Thank you very much.” She opened the door, then suddenly turned back towards the counter and tapped the center of her chest with a blue-tinted finger. “I want to make sure that you knew that my name is Sonata. It was great meeting both of you!”
As the door closed, Sonata’s sharp ears heard Cloudy mutter, “That Sonata’s something else. Running after Adagio? I wish someone had done that for me before I ran off to Las Pegasus and married my ex-husband!” The closed door muted the two women’s laughter.
As Sonata filled the convertible’s gas tank, she spread the detailed map out on the hood. She peered intently at the area showing the battlefield and ranger station. Her lilac eyes narrowed in concentration and her fingers traced barely perceptible contour lines and unfamiliar icons.
After cross-referencing her findings with the map’s legend, Sonata stabbed her finger down on a spot right on the edge of the battlefield. “Aha! Perfect! This maintenance road will save me about an hour of walking from the campground across the battlefield. I’m sure I can find them from this point, no matter which cave they picked. Rarity’s not going to like it if I trash her suspension on a dirt two-track, but this is a matter of life and death!”
She carefully folded the map and stowed the gas pump. Sliding behind the wheel, Sonata glanced back and checked to make sure Scorpan’s pitchfork hadn’t damaged Rarity’s upholstery. The tool’s handle rested against a small backpack, which contained meager supplies, Sunset’s journal and the Aquastrian history book. She started the engine, cranked up the radio and turned back on to the road to Lake Piebald.
As Sonata depressed the accelerator, she thought, Hang on, because I’ll be there soon, everyone! Adagio, you’d better not fall into Leviathan’s trap and fasten the collar around your own neck by killing those girls. I’ll find a way to show you the truth and keep you from becoming a slave yourself!
-----
Discord’s current costume made him appear like a disaffected teenager. He was wearing steel-toed boots, cargo shorts, a T-shirt with the text “Rage Against the Undead” written on it and topped off the outfit with a flat-brimmed Canterlot Corsairs ball cap. He produced a plaid-painted bullhorn from his backpack and fiddled with the buttons on the handle. His abnormally long tooth protruded from his mouth, which was twisted in a sardonic sneer. The rest of the group watched him with eager anticipation.
Sunset finished her ventriloquism spell and pointed at the Spirit of Chaos. “You’re on, Fangface!” She stuffed her fingers into her ears.
His scarlet eyes glowing with a mix of mischief and menace, Discord took a deep breath and brought up the bullhorn. He winked at Pinkie and intentionally blew into the microphone, producing a piercing, quavering squeal that echoed across the battlefield.
Discord chortled, pressed the bullhorn to his mouth and called out, his voice dripping with disdain. “Hello? Can you hear me? Hopefully your hearing aids are working properly, I'd hate for those old ears to miss anything! Oh, it's such a pity I can't hear you, though, Cassiopeia. Your singing voice must be devastatingly loud by now, and after so many centuries trapped in stone, I don’t desire an additional headache. Since your change in occupation, I’ve noticed that you can’t ever seem to hit the right note! Did the pay cut force you to stop the voice lessons, Cassiopeia?” Discord turned around and waggled his eyebrows at the group. Their giggles and broad smiles signaled approval. Sunset removed her right index finger from her ear and pantomimed a wheel turning, urging the Spirit of Chaos to continue.
“You won’t succeed, you know.” His outfit shifted to a martial arts gi, complete with a black belt embroidered with pink butterflies. Brandishing a katana, Discord shifted his tone from sarcastic to arrogant as he cut the air with the weapon. “We’re slicing through your horde like ginsu knives and will be at your cave shortly. You were such a great strategist! Well, that’s not the truth. You were great until you got angry. Cassie, are you angry at me? Angry that I saw right through this feeble mess you call a 'plan?' Or perhaps are you upset that I have helped a new Element Bearer realize her potential? Well, if you tell me a secret about Adagio, I’ll tell you one about Sunset! Come on Viceroy, surely you can confide in your Emperor for old time’s sake!”
Pinkie, her blue eyes shining with delight, jumped up and down in place while she covered her ears. As her pink curls bounced, she bit her bottom lip in a concerted effort to let Discord complete his taunting. Adding to the mirth, Aria playfully bumped Pinkie in mid-air with her hip, inducing more giggles from the rest of the group.
An easel with the message “Listen to this one, girls!” appeared next to the Spirit of Chaos. His fang shifted from one side of his mouth to the other, and he smiled broadly as scathing insults continued to pour from his mouth. “Raven, you could never get past your teeny-tiny imperfections, but now they are so much worse after a thousand years of wear and tear! Your hair is as limp and lifeless as your skeletal legs. Even before your big change, without the little toys that you cobbled together, your unicorn magic was so weak you couldn’t boil water or lift a whisk broom!”
Sunset broke the silence with a loud whoop of laughter. Tears spilled from her eyes while she stomped the ground with her left boot. The others immediately joined in the hilarity, but Discord silenced them with a sharp gesture of his hand across his neck. The easel’s message changed to “And now, to honor Equestria, I give you the grand finale!”
Discord’s laughter caused him to make two false starts before he finally vocalized a devastatingly derisive insult. “Oh, wait! I know why you decided to go from unicorn to banshee! Cassiopeia, I think that Vecna may have actually done you a favor by matching your external appearance to what was inside you. See, even I figured out the truth! Even before you took on your bony new form, your nethers were full of spiderwebs and dust!”
Upon hearing the incredibly personal insult, all seven females transformed initial shock into roars of laughter. Discord encouraged them by dancing an impromptu jig.
“What? It's not my fault that area never got used! Are you upset at me, Raven? Are you? Oh, I can't wait to hear what you have to say for yourself! Well, if you can even find me with those dusty old eyes of yours, that is! Peace, out!” He dropped the bullhorn and it fell to the ground. The spell ended with the entire group of eight roaring with glee and the young women applauding Discord’s masterful performance. He took a bow, and transformed his clothing back to his camouflage attire.
Sunset patted Discord on the shoulder and looked up at him admiringly. “That was a great one about Raven not being able to move a whisk broom with her magic!”
“Darling, the bit about her private parts being all dead and dusty had to have struck home. Wherever did you think of that?” asked Rarity, as she and the others pressed closer to the Spirit of Chaos.
Satisfied that the bandage on her back had stopped her minor bleeding, Rainbow Dash spun her quarterstaff and tossed her prismatic forelock. “You’ve got to teach me how to do that! It would be so, um, epic! Yeah, epic!”
Applejack rolled her eyes at Rainbow Dash, then checked her lariat and picked up her sickle. She asked Discord, “Well, do you think it worked?”
The red light emanating from Discord’s eyes winked out and his self-satisfied expression promptly changed to worry. He furrowed his brow, stroked his beard and said, “We will know immediately.”
“Um, what do you mean ‘immediately,’ Discord? I don’t like the sound of that,” said Fluttershy, readying her bow and adjusting her quiver.
Chainbreaker began to stir in Aria’s hands, its buzzsaw squeal whispering over the top of the earthwork. “I think it means that if Raven took the bait, we have seconds instead of minutes.”
At the foot of the redoubt, amid the corpses of the undead felled by Fluttershy’s radiant arrow, a sphere of darkness began to build. Pinkie held her handaxe in front of her defensively and noted the obvious. “That doesn’t look good!”
“I think you should cast that undead ward now, Element Bearer,” advised Discord, who had added a thick set of earmuffs to his ensemble.
Sunset plucked a snow-white alicorn feather from her bandolier, and paired it with a purple one. She clasped her hands together with both foot-long plumes touching one another, and spoke more to herself than the others as she concentrated. “Celestia’s radiant power and Twilight’s purity…”
A ray of green-blue light shot from the Element of Redemption and twisted itself around both alicorn feathers, which became the center of a dome of white light. The ward continually shimmered with veins of each color of the rainbow as it solidified. The feathers had transmuted into a long, helical-shaped candle that was stuck into the ground. It had one white twist and the other was a vibrant purple, while its flame remained linked to the amulet around Sunset’s neck by an arcane ray of light.
All eight members of the party clustered close to Sunset and ensured that their entire bodies were protected by the powerful magic shield. The translucent dome covered an area roughly thirty feet across and reached nearly ten feet above their heads.
“Excellent work, Sunset! I don’t think Princess Celestia herself could have done any better.” Discord sighed with relief. “Anything less would have been a catastrophe, by the way.”
Aria frowned and shushed the Spirit of Chaos. “Don’t you see how hard she is concentrating? Don’t distract her! Thank her later.”
“Oh my God! What is that?” shouted Rainbow Dash. Her purple eyes were wide with fear as she pointed to where the sphere of darkness had resolved itself into a terrifying humanoid figure. The magical protection blurred and obscured their vision somewhat, but nothing could conceal the frightful creature taking shape within the ball of shadow.
Twenty feet below them, Shrieking Raven appeared. Unmasked, her skeletal form was barely recognizable as the Canterlot High School literary teacher, except for the way that she imperiously stepped forward with the gaze of her flat black eyes drilling into each and every living soul atop the redoubt. Her claws held no weapons, but her many bracelets rattled as she flung her arms outward. The robe she wore sucked in one of Sunset’s overhead globes of light, trapping it into a dark spiral that circled the fringe of ninety-nine human scalps before being consumed. Raven leaned down and angled herself towards Sunset to ensure that she saw the horrifying unicorn skull atop her undead head.
Without warning or preamble, the banshee screamed in rage at Discord, demonstrating her hatred for all living things.
The wave of negative energy buffeted the protective shield. Sunset gritted her teeth and stared into the flame of the candle she had created to keep Raven’s terrible necromantic power at bay. Grunting from the strain, beads of sweat dripped from Sunset’s forehead down her temples. The wave of dissonant darkness passed over the dome, which continued to gleam brightly.
Raven’s unnerving laugh rasped up to the top of the redoubt. She furiously jabbed a finger at Discord. “I have suffered your insults for the last time, ungrateful Spirit of Chaos! You are vulnerable here, far from your home, and I will use your dying essence to catapult me to unparalleled power.”
“Ah, Cassiopeia, you must have left your strategic brain in your other skull!” Discord rolled his eyes at the banshee. “You must not have observed that we are at an impasse. Sunset Shimmer holds you at bay and you have just loosed your hideous shriek to no effect.”
Raven wrapped her magical robe around her tightly. “We shall see, Discord.” She gestured to the entire group atop the earthwork. “Class, permit me to re-introduce myself, since this will be your final lesson! I am Shrieking Raven, the Herald of Vecna in this pathetic little world. I come armed with the knowledge of centuries, and I bear dark magical artifacts beyond compare. The lesson that your mongrel companion never learned is that all things must die, and that by seizing the power to control death, one may then control all eventual outcomes!” Raven’s maniacal laughter had all the musicality of fingernails scratching against a slate chalkboard.
Fluttershy bravely stepped forward and raised her voice, but carefully remained inside the protective shield. “You’re wrong, Raven! It doesn’t always make sense, but life and nature always find a way to thrive by working together.”
Striding up the side of the redoubt, the banshee malevolently stared down Fluttershy. As Raven neared the shield, Fluttershy’s fragile courage broke and she hid behind Discord, pressing her face against his back to avoid the fearsome monster’s gaze.
Raven threw back her head and laughed derisively. “Discord, if this timid animal-lover is your great defender, you are truly doomed. But then again, it makes sense. Fluttershy has always preferred creatures like you that are furry and easily manipulated.” Discord’s eyes began to glow, and he clenched his teeth angrily.
“Don’t let her do it to you, Discord! Look at something funny instead. Ooh, I see how her eye can twitch even though there’s no muscle there, which makes me giggle. Come on, man! Turn that growl into a smile!” Pinkie grinned absurdly and gripped both of Discord’s hands. He glanced down at her and the crimson light emanating from his eyes dimmed.
Circling the shield, Raven looked at each of them one by one. Chainbreaker’s unearthly warning was the only audible sound. After completing her circuit, the banshee pointed a claw at Sunset and feigned disappointment. “Sunset, why didn’t you demand that Twilight take you back home after your great victory at the Battle of the Bands? This isn’t your world. You should have returned home to Equestria to gallop through the meadows once more.”
“I won’t abandon my friends when they need me!” Sunset kept her teeth clenched and concentrated on keeping the ward in place. She ignored the banshee’s gaze, even as dark magic began to collect around the skeletal unicorn’s horn.
The undead monster tut-tutted and shook her head. “You always were a poor student, Sunset. In that, Celestia and I must agree. You are more given to intuition and action, instead of putting in the difficult, solitary work of study. Where will this hunch lead you, I wonder? What will happen if you are wrong?”
“I’m here, so I’m guessing pretty well, aren’t I? Let's just say my actions are speaking louder than my words these days.” The Element of Redemption flashed briefly with an additional surge of magic.
Raven sneered and a ray of violet-tinged darkness shot forth from her helmet, leaving a small, dark stain on the radiant dome. She cautiously extended a finger and touched the black spot. Suddenly, the smell of burnt paper filled the air. Raven howled in pain, and then extinguished her burning finger by wiping it on the damp grass. “You passed this test, Sunset Shimmer, but more await!”
Emboldened by the fact that the shield had held, Rarity tossed her hair and asked, “You had doubts?”
“Ha!” The banshee’s head whipped around, transfixing the fashion designer. “You think I didn't see all those glances you have stolen? Is this displaced unicorn really the one you hoped would fill the emptiness in your life, or is she merely the latest shiny object to attract your fickle attention? Forfeit your sister and flee if you want to live.”
Wrapping her fingers around Rarity’s hand to stop it from shaking, Applejack attempted to draw the monster’s attention. ”She would never abandon her sister, and neither would I!”
“Yoo-hoo! Cassie! Your scream can't kill yet or you wouldn't even be here trading words with us. You’d be spending your Saturday night boring the life out of beatniks at poetry night or some such thing. I suspect that you’re burning through your magical baubles at an alarming rate to make sure this little gambit pays off. After all, you’re trapped here just like the Sirens were,” said Discord, who had returned to top sarcastic form.
Raven hissed with rage. “Silence, fool! As much as I’d love to finally tell you how I will artfully craft your death in as much insulting detail as I can muster, I have a queen to crown and then betray.”
“Adagio!” Aria brandished Chainbreaker and stepped to the edge of the shield, her violet eyes narrowed with controlled anger. “What lies have you told her?”
Raven looked down at the magical weapon. “That is a pretty tool you hold, but was the making of it worth the price, Siren? How much longer can I call you that before you are merely another human girl?” Aria snarled. The banshee shrugged her shoulders beneath the hideous robe. “I can’t help the fact that Adagio sees only the truth she wants to believe. She will indeed become Queen of the Aquastrian Empire, but her reign will be measured in moments, as her power is transferred to me. The domination of Shrieking Raven will span eternity and fuel a glorious spiral of death that will consume world after world!” She spread her arms wide and cackled madly.
“Can someone spell delusional? You might think this whole villain exposition thing is awesome, but the only thing you’re doing is telling us just how crazy you are!” taunted Rainbow Dash as she banged the end of her staff on the ground.
“Turn back from this path, Raven. It can only end in your destruction. You have so much knowledge that you could share if you turned away from evil,” Sunset’s eyes flicked up momentarily, making an emotional appeal. Meanwhile, the powerful spell she continued to control communicated a clear threat to the banshee.
Raven twisted the large onyx stone that topped a ring she wore on her left hand. She forcefully mocked Sunset. “You waste your breath, foolish filly! I revel in the fact that I am far past any redemption, Element Bearer. I take great pride in the murderous acts I’ve committed in the service of Lord Vecna! I have made my choices and cast my lot. The glory or consequences of my decisions are at hand after centuries of planning. I will either rule this world or be cast into the void of oblivion as the price of failure!”
“Then it ends here!” shouted Discord. His hands began to glow with a golden aura.
The banshee beckoned with her claw. “Come to my embrace, Discord. Will you finally make a decision with permanent consequences? What will you choose? Will you stop me or save the girls? You have to pick one, because you are too weak to do both in time.” She laughed derisively. “Twilight, in her naiveté, equipped her champion poorly, but what else could I have expected from a fledgling princess who believes that friendship will win every fight?” Raven removed the ring from her left hand and threw it over the dome to the other side of the redoubt.
“We will do both!” Sunset’s determined voice was passionate and commanding. “For most of my life, I desired only power and cultivated my ambition. Thanks to the bravery of my friend, who is that same naïve, fledgling princess, I abandoned the dark path before it was too late, and I have learned to trust in my friends. We will stop you, and prevent Adagio from killing the girls!”
Raven raised her right hand to her hideous helmet in a salute. “Then the battle is truly joined. Make your choice, and doom your friends accordingly.” She spread her arms wide as a sickly green glow illuminated the area where she had tossed the ring. “Here is something to occupy your thoughts that may render any decision moot!”
A burst of necromantic energy dazzled the living, while a horde of undead burst from the forest, and a second wave clambered out of the ground on the opposite side of the earthwork. Over a hundred undead began to climb towards the shimmering dome.
“Catch me if you can! I’ll be waiting for you amongst the dead.” Raven, cackling madly, fidgeted with a bracelet and she floated over the treetops on a direct line for the cemetery.
Rarity’s blue eyes pleaded with Fluttershy, and her voice was near panic. “Use one of those glowing arrows, darling! They’ll be upon us in seconds.”
“I can’t aim well through the shield, and I don’t want to waste one. I’m sorry, Rarity.” Fluttershy shook her head with resignation. She nocked one of the radiant missiles, but kept the bow pointed towards the ground.
Rarity stood guard over Sunset as she maintained the undead ward, while Discord, Fluttershy, Applejack, Pinkie, Rainbow Dash, and Aria formed a circle around them, readying their weapons and spells.
At least four ghasts directed the shambling monsters up the hill. As they approached the shield, they put their arms in the air, directing the other undead to halt. The ghast closest to the top of the redoubt shook its head and pointed up to the sky. A translucent, vaguely humanoid shape floated above them. Its glowing yellow eyes betrayed intelligence mingled with hatred for all living beings. The flying creature dipped towards each ghast in turn, and then returned to its vantage point above the group’s radiant refuge.
“That is a wraith,” said Discord, speaking gravely. “Its touch will drain your life force with each strike. Only magic and magical weapons can harm it. This group will attack with great cunning until we destroy this awful creature.”
Abruptly and silently, the undead horde charged from all directions at once. Skeletons and zombies rushed the dome, immolating themselves in the radiant magic. As the creatures violently disintegrated around the companions, Sunset gasped and the purple-and-white candle flickered. She bit her lip so hard that she drew blood. “Do something, everyone! They’re trying to overwhelm the ward!”
With increasing desperation, the group’s weapons lashed out beyond the shield with little success. Rainbow Dash complained. “I can’t hit what I can barely see!”
Sweat poured down Sunset’s face, as the magical candle’s flame became increasingly wild. The conjured wax began to drip onto the ground, and the ward began to flicker. Overhead, the wraith wailed wordlessly, urging his troops forward.
Discord shouldered a giant, garishly decorated Roman candle, and Pinkie lit the fuse on its base. As flaming multicolored balls incinerated zombies and skeletons, he turned his head and shouted, “Sunset, it’s time to let your imagination take flight, before they overwhelm us!”
“Dammit, remember something happy!” she cursed under her breath. Closing her eyes and clearing her mind, a kind voice filled with confident wisdom sprang forth from Sunset’s memory to fill the void:
Sunset Shimmer, I see you’ve had a difficult day. Come to my private apartments after your lessons. I’d like to share some tea with you and introduce you to my pet. You have so many similarities, so I believe that she would like you very much.
“Yes! Of course! This way, I will become the weapon!” Sunset triumphantly shouted as she fumbled with the pockets of her bandolier. The magical fuel dripped in large globs and the candle threatened to tip over as still more mindless undead destroyed themselves in an effort to overwhelm the arcane shield.
Sunset produced a downy crimson feather with golden highlights. With increasingly confident fingers, she added one of Celestia’s large, snowy feathers and two of Luna’s dusky blue-gray feathers.
This is the only phoenix feather I have. If I can cast this spell, it will be the absolute limit of what I can do. I hope for all our sakes that it’s enough. Philomena, you made a terrified unicorn filly smile. I pray that you still remember me fondly, thought Sunset as she shifted her concentration to a new spell. The Element of Redemption shone with red-and-gold brilliance. Her pulse quickened, and her chest tightened as she drew upon every bit of Equestrian magic available to her.
The purple and white candle collapsed, but the shield didn’t fall with it. Instead, the radiant white dome transformed into an outward blast of yellow fire that consumed all of the zombies and skeletons close by, leaving the companions inside unharmed.
Barely retaining consciousness after the effort of casting such a powerful spell, Sunset issued a cry of triumph whose echo returned with a shrill avian edge. Transformed into a fantastic figure, she rose up from the circle of ashes created by her fiery blast. Wings comprised of red and yellow flame, seemingly attached to her outspread arms, spread outward over the top of the redoubt. The hood of her sweatshirt slipped free, exposing thick red-and-gold tresses that danced in an invisible breeze. As Sunset transitioned from a vertical orientation to a horizontal one, brilliant yellow motes of sunshine and fire spat forth from her body. Behind her legs, a blazing tail tickled the soles of her boots, while it mercilessly scorched the walking dead.
Aria thrust Chainbreaker into the air, saluting her friend, while sparing a moment to look up in awe. Her violet eyes reflected the majestic scene taking shape above her.
Discord snapped his fingers, and concentric circles of gooey taffy appeared around them, slowing the monsters’ counterattack. He waved wildly and shouted, “The phoenix rallies us! Form a circle around me and Fluttershy!”
As Sunset gained altitude, the flames warmed her friends, but didn’t harm them. The inferno was simultaneously attached to her and a part of her. Led by Aria, her companions cheered her while stabilizing their defense.
Sunset Shimmer clenched her fists and accelerated. Suffused with magic and possessed of unearthly beauty, she burned bright across the sky as she took flight to battle the wraith.
*****
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The awesomeness is just building and building and building, and - forgive the song reference - there's a power to Sunset that wraith will be unable to deny as it's getting burned to dust.
So very glad I caught this before catching some sleep.
You continue to impress, eh?:D
Adagio, your conscious is showing.
Oh dear. If D&D and MLP have thought me anything, its that getting a rainbow aimed at you does not end well. And the rainbow seems to absorb light. Because it wasn't scary enough already now we're invoking g1 tirek's rainbow of darkness. Eeeeep.
Oh. Oh god. And here I was thinking her robe couldn't get worse. Silly me. Welp they're all fucked. That thing is crazy OP. Hope to god she doesn't know alacrity.
How my brain went during that bit:
Read the first part of the first sentance: "Oh fuck."
Read the second part of the first sentence: "phew, dodge a bullet there didn't we?"
Read the second sentence: "And we're back to pant pissing terror."
Good on you Apple Bloom. Way to show some common sense.
Ohhhh! Nice burn Scoots!
Oh. Unicorn skull. Well that's only super creepy.
(we really need a Discord face.)
Phew, Discord showed up just in time. Thanks for taking my mind of that creepy hat Discord!
Sonata really is serious. She passed up Mexican food!
Yep. Totally a ranger.
Hmmm. Sunsets anti-undead ward seems to both block undead getting to close AND stop their magic from affecting those in the area. Impressive. So a wall of good and a mass mantle of good perhaps? Not specifically anti undead, but anti-evil works on like 99 percent of undead. I'd call it a hallow, if it wasn't for the 24 hour casting time. Ohhh Holy Aura. That's pretty spot on. And I'm pretty sure most DM's would count alicorn feathers as sacred relics
Holy crap Sunset Phoenix! That's way outside Milo's cr range. Impressive
Oh wait. Wrong fanfic. Moving on.
Ok. So pheonix partial transformation. Channel Greater Celestial perhaps? Though given wierdass way the mirror portal thingy works it may just be a Shapechage. Pfffffft. Hahahahahahaha "just a Shapechage". Oh I crack myself up. I want to say the first one though, mainly because the name seems so appropriate. Maybe I'll have a better idea when I see what her new trick can do for more than a couple lines.
And Discord casts web! Except its made of taffy. Because of course! I need to do this someday. Throw an enemy who casts completely ridiculous versions of staple spells at the party. Web is taffy, grease is a bunch of banana peels, magic missile is a bunch of miniature versions of the caster face that laugh at you when they hit. Meteor Swarms are disco balls. It would be awesome.
Onto other matters:
Geez man, how long are you going to keep ramping up the action? I don't know how much more epic I can handle!
CO, you continue to amaze me with your well written banter, characters (in particular the Sirens), and fight sequences. Please don't keep us much longer in suspense for how this all turns out! I know I must wait 2 weeks for the next chapter but... Man... The suspense is starting to kill me!
Hope you have a fantastic weekend!
OMG this is EPIC!!!
YES! Flaming Sunset phoenix is soooooo totally awesome! Sunset's team has an advantage over Raven since Adagio isn't on Raven's side, so they only need to kill/deal with Raven.
Your Sunset Shimmer has evolved :
Regarding Raven, why do villains who are able to hide, plot and bid their time for decades or even centuries, suddenly lose their composture and fall into hamminess and Bond Villain Stupidity just in the final steps of their schemes? Is the side effects of overusing dark magic, in this case?
Awesome chapter!
I can't wait for more!
that should be a period after days, right?
Since the Element of Redemption isn't speaking, Sunset is.
I want to see artwork of Sonata in a bard's outfit or Pinkie going berserk in Chapter 22.
6008415 Thank you very much! I freely admit that "The Past is not Today" inspired the end of this chapter, and a couple of Sunset's moments in the Carousel Boutique prior to their departure for Lake Piebald. The imagery was just too incredible not to use, especially since it meshed so seamlessly with the plot! Please, catch up on sleep, and I apologize for keeping you up too late.
6008420 I try, but the credit goes to the editing team and all of you for helping me grow as a writer.
6008518
I appreciate the D&D Version 3.5 insight in your previous comment and the continued analysis here. I'm way off base for any cogent roleplaying progression at this point, since we're nearing some of the moments that I came up with during that October trip to the playground with my daughter. (Pssst... that means we're certainly in only single digit chapters remaining depending on how descriptive the upcoming confrontations must be). Thank you for your compliments on Raven, her magic and her equipment. Her key line from this chapter is a bit buried, but I'm sure you spotted it. 
I hope that I've succeeded in making a terrifying, but believable villain!
6008520 I hope you have a great weekend, too! I hope to do a little catching up on reading (in particular, reading your stories) while I get started on Chapter 24! I may not beat the two-week deadline, but hopefully I won't stress myself out by getting ahead. Thanks for reading the first night that the chapter was released... I haven't been so diligent in my own reading lately.
6008614 Thanks! I tried to make the story epic and fun, and I'm glad you like it. Buckle up, because we're not done yet!
6008733 I hope that you get a kick out of what's to come. You are correct, but keep in mind that Adagio's Master is on his way. Coral Aegis didn't call him the Great Betrayer for nothing...
6009197 Yes, indeed! Sunset has evolved, and I need to bow to the Lords of Hasbro for releasing "The Past is Not Today" the same week that the title character's destiny was partially revealed. As mentioned above, the phoenix moment is just too perfect not to use - the imagery is wonderful, not to mention practical.
I hope that I was able to hint at Raven's flaws early in the story. The good guys screwed up early, so perhaps it's the bad guys' turn. 
Elements of "last chance" - at redemption, at victory, at conquest - these are woven throughout. Raven's actions were hastened by the shattering of the Sirens' pendants, and her first substantial taste of the sweetness of Equestrian/necromantic magic in centuries. Add in Discord's infuriating personality, and she (like Adagio) has gone "all in" - even when greater caution is advisable. As Pinkie would say, the cake's in the oven now, and only so much can change with frosting! 
I always appreciate your insights, and hope that you enjoyed Chapter 23!
6009227 Thank you for pointing out the minor fix! I'm glad that you had fun reading the update, and I'll admit I'm well behind on your stories, too - so I'd better get cracking this weekend.
6009292 I'll see what other folks have to say, and thanks for the segue! Everyone, please shift over to my most recent blog post and reply there if you choose to. I've saved up some money to commission some art. What moment from this story would you most like to see brought to life?
Have a wonderful weekend, everyone! I hope to hear more from you soon and thank you so much for taking the time to comment!
Good question.
I'm afraid you'll get no mercy from Apple Bloom.
Oh perhaps you will.
How cute, she considers Discord being here a good thing.
Ah yes, the butterfly knife.
So she's now in her true form, a Humanoid Abomination.
Hm.
What was WRONG with her?
You lie through your teeth, banshee. Also, you double spaced between Adagio and let's go, you have 2, possibly 3 editors, yet none of them catch this.
I see...
You, you insane bitch!
Raven: 190.
Ya double spaced between forgetfulness and imitating as well as no and I.
Clever.
She's right.
Like your word is worth anything.
You are also a Massive Bitch.
You really love your monologues, don't you?
Ouch! That was a vicious burn!
Wow, you really love the sound of your own magic.
Correction, Discord is here and he is Crazy Awesome.
You think he's alone and that powerless, how cute.
In your dreams.
Methinks not.
You know, if not for the fact that he'd love to eat them, literally, I'd make a VERY inappropriate joke.
What is it with bitches/witches and their cackling?
Violet and green, the colors of dark magic.
The skull of The Last Unicorn. I'm tempted to link the movie, but few people would get the joke.
Ya know Dagi, I doubt a knife is gonna make much of a difference against an undead, you're gonna want to have to do like you would with Majin Buu and blow her up until there's nothing left of her. Or summon Rainbow Horse Jesus.
Prayer, holy words to protect them form the unholiest of magic.
Agreed, short of a gigantic source of chaos magic giving Discord a huge boost, or the Autobot Matrix of Leadership, I doubt much could stop her.
So that's how it goes.
So she does plan on crowning Adagio, maybe she'll absorb her magic once she's crowned and have Lord Vecna absorb He Who Swims In Darkness. Seriously though, what's with all the malevolent Eldritch Abominations? Can't there be a good one? Or oneS to counter these 2?
So Starswirl banished them with a glacier. Nice. Also, that's a good question.
BEST DRACONEQUUS! Well, human, whatever. Also, Discord's voice isn't that deep, I mean, when he's particularly menacing it can get deep, and De Lancie Sempai's voice is fairly deep but, yeah.
Because he's the Undead, he can't toy with zombies and the like.
Shouldn't it be Vicereine? Also, I love how arrogant and cocky he is, because even here, he can back up his threats not to mention with his power limited, he has to rely on his mind more. I wonder, what would it be like if he used his "brainwashing" for good?
Not sure if he's exagerating or not. Either way, Sunset must be finding this hilarious!
Knowing Discord...
Best part about this is being able to hear Discord saying this in my head.
*claps* Discord, you are Magnificent! I came to this story for Sunset, and I get Sunset, Discord, banter and more fun than I expected!
She will, but not on your side.
You're adorable Sonata.
Adagio Dazzle. And yes, that scene was pure win.
Now if only people were this nice in real life...
A muffin? fc05.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2011/316/8/7/derpy_approves_by_a8702131-d4fybyn.jpg
You're generous.
HAH!
Mischief and menace, a deadly combo in the hands of Discord who can be VERY creative.
Discord you are truly magnificent.
Cool!.
Probably.
He's right
She's right.
Yes Ravie, piss off the Spirit of Chaos, pure genius.
HAH! SUCK IT!
I think this might work better if it were "Was there ever any doubt?"
And Sarcastic Discord is best Discord.
She's right.
Trading Badass Boasts. YES.
Actually she fought Motherbucking Tirek. Magic blast to magic blast and was able to match him, granted she was boosted by the other alicorn princesses magic, but still.
The dead are upon us!
You sound like a guy giving exposition in a video game. Mind you if this were a video game, I'd love it. Heck, the fight scenes would be a hack and slash section.
*Optimus Prime voice* Arise, Sunset Seraph.
*Yes intensifies*
(Man I've been waiting for this for a long time and as usual Conning, you don't disappoint, and neither do you two (presumably) wonderful editors. Can't wait to see how this goes down. In the meantime, this is ShadowLDrago, signing off.)
6009352 Eh, don't worry. I come by insomnia honestly.
6009352
Well if you're reading my stuff, you'll have plenty to occupy a good chunk of time!
SaSF is up to 5 chapters now, and I'm close to finishing chapter 6. 
And reading within hours of posting was totally a coincidence... I just happened to get the e-mail notification in between episodes of Sailormoon Crystal.
The fact that I squealed like a rabid fangirl the moment I noticed what story had updated had absolutely nothing to do with it... 
Discord made this chapter for me. And somehow i knew that Phoenix Sunset would make an apperence not a bad thing mind you. Adagio is really impressing me using her decitful nature alot more than usual just to keep Raven away. Conning great job you wrote Discord very well in this chapter as well as Sunset i was always a Sunset fan and this story is proving why that is.
Reallly like how you worked in Sunset Phoenix thing from the short. This is *incredible*. I can't wait for more! :D
6009352
You know, when I think in Leviathan I cannot help but remember this other tentacled, godly bastard
Quick, Adagio, use siren, elements Sonic inversion, to take Masters energy for yourself, ending his reign, then give it to Raven in Discordant fasion. ,Too much, too soon, too quick.
Hey, guess who's here for more commentary! What's that? You thought it was me? Well you're wrong. It's one of the other mes. The me that's usually here is off taking care of... business (I could have told me I had to do this ahead of time
). In the mean time, this instance of me shall be taking my place instead. So, therefore I shall comment on this chapter instead of me!
If I recall, I mentioned last time digging less for innuendos, right? Well, that shouldn't be too hard. It's not like you actually have very much to go off of anyw-
Oh God dammit you sick bastard!
*sigh* Well, I guess not. Let's just get on with it, then, shall we?
But Conning, they're not gold!
"Men are but flesh and blood. They know their doom, but not the hour. In this I am blessed to see the hour of my death... To face my apportioned fate, then fall."
Because drinking cave water is generally a bad idea unless you have no other option...
She also clubs baby seals and bathes in the blood of unborn children!
Or is that just me? ... Yeah, might just be me...
Hey, what do you know? That's my fourth favorite subject!
A Leviathan in that little pool? I now expect a comedic scene with Leviathan getting stuck.
So that's where Sombra went.
I'm kind of getting Kefka vibes here, what with the whole 'genocide of a race and stealing their magic' thing, though she seems slightly less competent...
"The CMC's call
was absorbed
by the darkness."
Well, you could just chop her head off and bury it somewhere. Villains have a tendency to make the mistake of thinking you won't kill them mid-monologue. Only problem is, heroes always make the mistake of obliging them...
*Crosses arms and nods sagely* That'll do, Discord. That'll do.
Considering Discord, he probably would still be sarcastic if she did that. And would make some pun about being 'dicey' or something along those lines.
It's for his own good. Eating plates isn't a habit you want to get into.
Aside from the yellow tinted skin:
wallpapers111.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Princess-Merida-HD-Wallpapers.jpg
So, basically, the entire party could have just gone around.
If I didn't know better, I'd say there was a strange force that directed them to fight through the armies of the dead for their own entertainment...
Oh no, I assure you, there's a darker form of magic. Perhaps one day I'll... paint that image for you.
This is reminding me of something, but I think of what for the life of me...
My first thought was maybe Grifball, but the quote isn't what I thought it was so it doesn't work.
Given how much we've seen of Celestia's abilities so far...
"Keep your wits about you, mage. True tests never end."
As much as I'd like to tease the shipping... Aw, screw it. Full canvas!
To be fair, friendship isn't exactly the most reliable when it comes to winning fights. Power is.
Good thing the most powerful force we know of on the show responds to friendship!
Anime time?
Anime time.
Sunset Shimmer, you fool! Phoenix down instantly kills any undead, and you didn't save the only one you had for Shrieking Raven?!
And... yeah, that about sums it up! Features three of my top four favorite subjects, great build up, plenty of action, hilarity all around, and more delicious dark undertones
I hope they all suffer and die.What more could you ask for?Oh, and Conning: no, your last minute changes did not incur my dark wrath. If you had done wrong, I would have annihilated you with a smile on my face while laughing with glee. I love suffering and chaos, not loathe it.
6009197
Two reasons.
One: pressure. Biggest issue with planning so intensely that if it looks like anything might be going wrong, you panic.
Two: Discord got involved when he wasn't accounted for. That'll throw a wrench in any plan.
6009352
I did nothing.
... Okay, so maybe some of the lines were suggestions that I made... and maybe I suggested some fixes for a few minor little errors here and there... What of it?
6009513
Look a little closer. There's two spaces after every sentence in the entire story. I've been noting that for a while, and haven't really commented on it yet. I can understand why he does it, since it was once the standard, but in modern writing it's become widely preferred to use one space instead...
Truth be told, I noticed as soon as I had first become a pre-reader, but never commented since I had thought it was something Isabella preferred, and I deferred to her judgment. However, due to... recent events... it seems this may not be the case. I suppose I'll talk to him about it. That's a lot of editing to do if he does decide to do the switch (every single sentence in the story!), so I hope you'll understand if he decides to keep it the way it is!
Viceroy can be used as a gender-neutral term.
I think that's everything for now. Is it everything? Yeah, it's everything. If not, then, well, I suppose I can address the rest when I get back. I'm tired of filling in for me, I have more important things to do!
6009513 I enjoyed seeing your reactions as the tension escalated during the chapter. And, 6011075 hit it right on the nose - I've been double-spacing after periods for the nearly 30 years I've been typing. Old habits learned on an IBM Selectric die hard, even though we're in a new digital world. I think we've all had the teacher that enjoys the sound of his/her own voice a little too much. Raven's that teacher, and her pontificating has significantly more "oomph" right now - the banshee loves her monologues. I would have gotten a reference from The Last Unicorn, though I decided that Raven's helmet is hideous and terrifying enough without any additional backstory. Both Discord and Sunset were a ton of fun to write this chapter, and I'm glad that the major moments were worth your time. Great Transformers: The Movie memories, too. Sadly, Orson Welles is no longer with us to voice He Who Swims In Darkness during his inevitable appearance... Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
6009640 In my line of work, I know all about losing a night's sleep for no particularly good reason. Even if you come by the insomnia honestly, it's still no fun. Hopefully, the caffeine supply was adequate to get you through your day.
6009779 Nearly done with Chapter 6? How in the world do you churn them out so quickly? I'm jealous! Sadly, it's not looking good for my doing much reading this evening, though I have no regrets. Daughter of ConningOfficer kept me quite busy. She overheard me saying that I posted a chapter last night and she asked, "Did Sunset Shimmer beat the bad skeleton (Raven) yet?" Too bad that the Sonata-Big Mac scene will keep this story out of her hands until her mid-teens.
6009799 Thank you very much for the compliment - as mentioned above, I really got a kick out of writing Discord, Sunset and Adagio during the past several chapters. Discord's taunt was an exercise in self-restraint, because he could have gone on for 4,000 words by himself - but if he had said everything he wanted to, I'd have to abandon the "T" rating and go straight to "M"
And, you get a hearty Rarity wink 
for mentioning Adagio. This is the first break she's gotten in a while - let's see what she does with it!
6009863 I'm grateful for your comment and your kindness. I'll keep working as diligently and quickly as work, life and my need for an adequate amount of sleep permits!
6010063 I appreciate the constructive and complimentary feedback. Thank you! I try to paint the picture as well as I can without getting bogged down in it. Tolkien is often too descriptive in his prose, but I'm drawn (obviously) to authors who specialize in epic storytelling. Jordan and Martin are inspirations for that level of balance. I still call this beginner's luck. After all, 6009981 and 6010011 are writing excellent feedback on chapters I am seriously considering rewriting after the story's done. Maybe there is something to be said for this whole "experience" thing!
6010244 I saw the title screen from my phone, but my laptop has taken away the link! I have no knowledge of this franchise (remember I'm old and my video game time is presently used for writing)... but I'm curious to see what you posted in your comment!
6010458 I must have missed a few steps, or I need some sleep! Before we get too worried about how Adagio plans to dispose of Raven, just remember that she has a massive ace-in-the-hole if she can figure out how to best use it...
Which brings me to 6011075 - last, but never least! You weren't kidding when you said that you were reserving a couple of good jabs for your chapter comment. Ouch! I'll try to go rapid-fire on as many things as I can: Yes, I know that pyrite isn't gold - but it's shiny and reflects light, so it looks cool!
With regards to Raven, I'm the author and there are things that she's done that *I* don't want to consider! Ah, Discord's rant... I'm glad that you liked it.
What else to mention... oh, the maintenance road that Sonata found. Remember, our heroines (plus Discord) had to set up shop at the campground to get their act together while managing the suspicions of the park rangers. Sonata won't have to worry about park rangers, but she will still have to cross the battlefield. Fortunately, Emerald's map will save her a huge chunk of time. Oh, you've noticed some shipping? Applejack's involved? Are you sure you don't want the full plot outline?
Thanks for the fixes, recommendations and suggestions. I'm simply glad I didn't draw any withering ridicule from you during this chapter!
That's probably more than enough for now... Have a great night everyone!
6011456
Trust me, writing this quickly is a novelty for me.
It helps that in worst-case-scenarios, I can just ask my mom to proof-read them for me and make sure the scenes make sense. 
And
for the kiddo asking about the story! Could always offer to read her Crystal Wings instead. 
6011456
Oh, I remember you worrying (?) about the IDW comics about the Sirens coming out in April... I wouldn't be worried. From what I've heard, its not very good at all.
Awesome friggin' chapter! Take that boney bitch down!
I have fallen so much deeper in love with this story, it is so much more than I had hoped for. Well done Conning.
Also the dusty nethers quip was hilarious
Looking forward to the next chapter!
wait only the one? then how will revive your team mates if they die? (wait is was a down right?)
6010244 Loved that game story was really good it even made up for bad camera movements when doing those puzzles plus the main character was voiced by one of the main actors of mash.
6023995 Oh, I'm only inspired by the video games, comic books, role-playing games and cartoons of my youth. There's no way that our heroines (plus Discord) will have it that easy. One bit of headcanon: Sunset could use her entire inventory of alicorn feathers, wish on a falling star, and cry her eyes out, but she can't cast a resurrection spell.
6020613 Thank you very much! I'll repeat what I said before - making Discord's taunt somewhat clean was very difficult!
6013147 I'm in the process of writing Raven's next appearance right now, but I realized I have been neglecting the comment feed.
I hope you'll enjoy Chapter 24 once it's ready for public consumption!
6012702 Yes, I got a bit more detail from 5982053, and it seems pretty underwhelming (to the point where it's not worth a trip to the comic store or even Google).
So, I'll stick with my backstory, if that's OK with all of you...
6011866 I'm still jealous of the rate at which you're writing good stuff. Can I subcontract my employees' annual evaluations to you? Seriously. I'm buried at work! My fic-reading backlog is enormous, and I'm a terrible friend/community member for it... I'm sorry!
Have a good evening, everyone!
6027001
LOL, CO!
I wish I could help you, but I imagine your captain would get cross. I doubt being a retired Air Force TSgt's daughter would help smooth that over. 
In any case, I've hit a major block after posting chapter 6, so I'm probably gonna b slowing down some... But I'll still be writing as quickly as I can. I love that I'm doing so well with it and it's a huge confidence boost. 
6027001
So this is Fire Emblem now?
Well, you didn't have to
Though I think the clean version is probably way funnier than the dirty one.
Oh no, thank YOU! After reading that comic, I permanently adopted this story as headcanon. It has parents, a caste system, believable backstories to a new race of creatures not yet explained or explored in the canon. They took their chance and squandered it on pop music references and some other goal I'm not sure exists. Your canon is superior canon. Warships wish they had a can
non as strong as yours.6027001 but she can't cast a resurrection spell? you cant do that I'm too emotionally invested in theses characters.
6028233
I guess Sunset is more arcane than divine spellcaster.
6028233
Curse you! I accidentally scrolled too far and read your comment before clicking on the chapter, so now I was expecting someone to die any moment while reading!
Boy did you mess up my reading experience with that false alarm spoiler.
6029939 oops sorry for the spook
6031353 Ah it's fine, really it was my own fault.
I read all the chapters up to this point and I really like your story!
Great plot, great character developments, great balance of dark and light and it is a very engaging read.
Excellent job on this story ConningOfficer and I'm looking forward for the next chapter!
6027267 I made some decent headway on the dull work writing front, so I'm hoping to spend some time on fun writing this weekend. Yes, I agree with you, my boss wouldn't be so welcoming, though I thought of your comment when I hit my limit for different ways to say "this person did their job quite well this year."
6027622 As I get ready to bring the nuances of the backstory to the fore, I am grateful for your kind comment and vote of confidence.
Hey, I'm just glad you and a few others find this version of the Sirens' origin entertaining!
6028233 and 6029939 I bear at least some of the blame - I tried to get cute with a cryptic comment and ended up causing more trouble than I thought I would. 6029521, I'll clarify: Though Sunset is able to cast a mix of classic "divine" spells and "arcane" spells, you're on the money - she's much more mage than cleric (to use classic Dungeons and Dragons terminology).
6033262 Thank you very much for the flattering compliment! I appreciate your taking the time to write, and I'm glad that you enjoyed the story thus far. With luck, I'll be able to give the next chapter to my editors early next week and post by next weekend! Speaking of that, I need to get to work. Have a great evening, everyone!
6034415
what the what? holy freaking shizznits people did sunset jsut go the equestrian equivalent of A SAIYAN going super saiyan ?
6041447 nah, it would have been another twelve chapters of screaming back and forth before she became a Phoenix if that where the case
http://angel-pup.deviantart.com/art/Super-Sunset-Phoenix-523943112 me thinks this picture covers equestria girls sunset shimmers personal appearance in the powered up phionix form rather well folks and hot damn i am loving the whole super saiyan style look shes got going for her in the picture hair wise HOT DAMN
Ah, it's always fantastic to see Sunset's special talent in full bloom as she decimates armies with her holy fire even if it did only premiere on April 1. Still I can't wait to see what happens when you pit a holy fire bird of rebirth's power against a vampiric creature with no physical form.
Behold Scootaloo, Mistress of Burn!
I don't think I can put into words how much I love your writing of the CMC all throughout these chapters during the battle with Raven and the undead.
I think my initial reaction around here was along the lines of "holly CRAP and here I thought Raven couldn't get any more palpably darkly evil."
And I loved how you worked Phoenix Sunset in. I agree with ConningOfficer that it was too good to pass up on and such perfect imagery for this fight.
This story just keeps on getting better and better with each chapter.