Cold

by Script Singer

(15) The Big Attack *Part 2*

Twilight hit the ground hard, once more covered with battle injuries. Her shield slid across the ground. She groaned, her body becoming weak once more. Chrysalis slowly walked out of the smoke, smirking down at Twilight. She looked up with a glare, trying not to show any fear in her eyes.

Chrysalis let out a chuckle, glaring down at Twilight. "You may be able to fight, but you're still weak!" she spat. "Cadence's spell has already defeated her, just accept it, princess, you've lost."

"Never!" Twilight hissed. "I refuse to let you kill another innocent as long as I still live!"

"Oh, that can be arranged..." Chrysalis chuckled as she lifted her hoof. Chrysalis let her hoof fall on Twilight's head. Twilight grunted at the impact. Chrysalis then lifted Twilight and slammed her down on her back. Twilight cried out. She tried to roll away, but couldn't find the strength.

Chrysalis kicked Twilight away. She rolled a couple of times, Chrysalis picked Twilight up in her magic before slamming her down again. Twilight coughed and tried to sit up. Chrysalis slammed her head into the ground with her hoof. “Had enough yet princess?” She snarled.

"I'm... not... giving... up..." Twilight choked as she felt another hard impact.

Chrysalis levitated Twilight in front of her face, putting her into a chokehold with her magic. She let out a sudden loud shriek as she felt a pain in her head, causing her to drop Twilight. She let out a huge gasp for air, then coughing ferociously. Chrysalis turned her head, finding the pony who did that.

"Leave my auntie alone!" A young voice squeaked.

Twilight flinched when she heard the noise, knowing who said it. Shock and horror filled her mind.

Chrysalis looked down, finding Flurry Heart. She let out a chuckle as she levitated her with her magic.

"No..." Twilight choked, reaching out a shaking hoof. She knew that she could do nothing but watch her niece be tormented by this monster.

Flurry whimpered, trying to make another attack, but was unable due to Chrysalis blocking.

"The little filly wants to save the day, hmm?" Chrysalis chuckled. "Well, I think that it's time for you to face reality!"

Chrysalis slammed Flurry into the ground hard, causing her to scream. She tried to call out her aunt's name but would be slammed into the ground again. She let out sobs as tears streamed down her cheeks. Chrysalis's laughter would grow louder with each sob the filly made.

"Chrysalis..." Twilight grunted. "You monster! She has nothing to do with this!"

Chrysalis stopped, turning over to Twilight, looking at her with annoyance.

"You know that she is perfectly a part of this!" Chrysalis yelled as she opened her mouth wide while Flurry's coat glowed.

"No!" Twilight yelled, watching in horror as her niece's coat dimmed and eyes grew heavy.

Chrysalis let out a chuckle and smacked her lips together before she continued.

Twilight stared in horror as Chrysalis threw Flurry to the ground like a rag doll. Twilight let out a sob as she reached her hoof out to Flurry, grabbing her tightly, Twilight pulled Flurry in close, trying her best to protect her.

Chrysalis stared at Twilight, chuckling to herself. Twilight glared, despite the tears in her eyes. "So, you gonna feed off of my love too?" She snapped.

Chrysalis broke out into laughter. "You fool, I am saving you for later. For something that is much more painful..."

Chrysalis suddenly levitated Twilight once more, causing her to lose her grip on Flurry Heart. Chrysalis brought Twilight close to her face, with a sly grin on her face. Twilight only glared back, refusing to let any fear stop her.

Suddenly, Twilight felt a pain crawling through her wing as if insects were crawling inside of her. The pain increased as Chrysalis's horn grew brighter. Twilight struggled to keep her pain inside, refusing to show herself as weak, but she could not resist any longer.

Twilight let out a blood-curdling scream of pain, causing Chrysalis's smile to grow. Tears fell from Twilight's eyes as the pain increased. A memory from long ago played through her mind, reminding her of the last time she had felt this pain.

Finally, Chrysalis dropped Twilight to the ground, watching her curl into the fetal position. She let out a chuckle as Twilight tried to reach towards Flurry Heart and bring her close.

Twilight looked up to see a battalion of pegasi, flying toward them. A group of unicorns surely followed on hoof, led by Crystal. They charged and fired blasts of magic, a few hitting their target, but most scattered around and kicking up dust. Chrysalis noticed this, turning to face the army head-on. Chrystal Mane rushed over to Twilight's side, giving her a bandanna to block most of the dust. Chrystal wrapped a bandanna around Flurry’s muzzle as well. Twilight helped Chrystal lift Flurry onto his back.

"Get her to safety, I'll be fine..." Twilight uttered. Crystal nodded and turned back towards the base.

Twilight turned over to where her shield was using the cover that the dust provided she reached toward it. She managed to drag it over to her side, waiting for its magic to take effect. She slowly regained her strength, allowing her to ignite her horn.

Crystal Mane hooved Flurry Heart over to a pegasus pony, telling him to fly as fast as he could back toward the base to get her to safety. He then turned back, drawing out his sword and charging toward Chrysalis.

She blocked the attack with her magic, throwing Crystal Mane to the ground. Twilight rushed over to his side. Chrystal rolled to his hooves then turned toward Chrysalis. Together they faced down the Changeling, the pegasi and unicorns surrounding her. Suddenly the bussing of a swarm of changelings filled the air. Thousands if not millions of bugs filled the air.

"Retreat, we can't take that many!" Twilight yelled, turning back, with the others behind her.

Explosions set off behind them as they ran, prompting them to go faster. Many of the unicorns were within range for some of the attacks but were quickly pulled out. The pegasi airlifting the injured back to base.

Twilight heard Crystal Mane cry out. She turned, finding him within the center of a ring of fire, probably resulting from an attack. She called over a few guards to help her get him out.

A pegasus carefully descended into the flames and lifted Chrystal out and over to Twilight. After setting Chrystal beside her the pegasus flew off to help another.

Suddenly, an explosion went off at the base. Twilight turned her head, her face filled with shock. She ran as fast as her hooves could carry her as she ran over.

"Flurry!" She yelled as she approached the scene.

Twilight suddenly heard Chrysalis's laughter, echoing through her head. Giant green flames ignited, surrounding the rubble where her niece was trapped. She ran faster, trying to save her before the flame completely blocked her out.

As the flame was nearly completely closed off, she managed to jump through the flame, not noticing any pain as the flames brushed past her.

She hit the ground, panic filled her face. "Flurry, where are you?!" She yelled. Twilight then heard somepony cough, she rushed toward the sound finding one of the guards. She helped him out of the rubble and get back on his hooves. Twilight frantically searched for any sign of her niece as the guard ran out of the flame to get help.

The heat grew stronger, causing Twilight to squint her eyes even more.

"You're never going to be able to save her..." Chrysalis's voice chuckled.

Twilight shook her head, pushing the voice out of her head, but struggled. She heard something off to her side, causing her to turn her head. She finally spotted her niece's hoof under a pile of rubble and ran to her side.

Twilight carefully pulled her out of the rubble and held her close. She turned around to exit, but the flame surrounded her with no chance for escape.

Twilight held Flurry close, trying to protect her as best as she could. The flames grew closer. She couldn't see another way of escape. Twilight could barely move and barely breathe.

Twilight cried out in pain as the flames licked her wing, burning it badly. Twilight had to think fast. There was no choice but to jump.

She held Flurry close and leaped as high as her legs would go at the apex of her jump Twilight spread her wings and thrust herself just high enough to clear the top of the flames. She glided down to the other side, still holding her niece tight for protection. The guards rushed up to her, gently grabbing Flurry from her, and flew off to the secret underground section.

Twilight cried out in pain once she moved her wing. Her head grew slightly fuzzy as she sat herself down, breathing heavily.

Crystal Mane rushed to her side to help. "Princess, are you okay?" he asked concerned.

"My wing..." Twilight gasped as she tried to stand once more, but lost her balance. Crystal caught her before she hit the ground. "I can't feel my wing..." Twilight's legs grew weak, going under her. Her head spun as she lost focus. She panted slowly and her eyes grew heavy.

"We should get her inside." another guard said. Crystal wrapped Twilight's hoof around his back and walked her into the base.

"Crystal Mane..." Twilight whispered. "I feel so cold..."

"Hang in there, Twilight," He uttered.

"It's so dark..."

Crystal Mane rushed through the entrance, guards helping him carry the unconscious princess. He rushed Twilight over into the infirmary, they lowered her onto an operating table. Medical professionals swarmed the princess the moment she was settled. Crystal refused to leave her side.

They quickly hooked her up, barely finding a pulse. They examined every injury she had, from her head to her hooves. They examined her wing closely. Flurry woke at the commotion and saw who it was.

"What's wrong with Auntie Twilight...?" Flurry asked after a long pause of silence.

Crystal Mane let out a sigh. "She risked everything to save you..." he whispered, finally backing up to leave the doctors to their work Crystal Mane walked over to Flurry. And sat between her and the sight.

"Crystal?" Flurry asked again. "What's happening...?" Chrystal struggled to find the words to answer her question.

---

Twilight mumbled as she noticed a bright light, causing her to move her hoof over her head to block the light.

"What happened...?" She thought to herself as the memory played through her mind. She then suddenly realized the last thing she did.

"Flurry Heart!" Twilight shouted, shooting up from the bed.

She then looked over to her side, finding her niece beside her in another bed, sleeping peacefully. She let out a sigh of relief that turned into a gasp of pain. She turned over to her side, expecting to see her wing, but was shocked at what she saw.

Where her wing should be, was nothing but bandage wrap.

"What...?" Twilight muttered in shock.

"Oh good, you're alright. Thank Celestia..." Crystal Mane said from where he was sitting by the unlit fireplace. He walked over to Twilight, putting a hoof on her shoulder. "How are you feeling...?" he asked.

Twilight barely moved, still trying to process what she was staring at, shock overwhelming her mind.

"Princess?" Crystal uttered, trying to grab Twilight's attention. Pulling his hoof back

"My wing..." Twilight mumbled. Her mind started to string together the pieces of what was going on. Of course! "I should have known, if I knew, maybe I could've... I would've... I..."

"Calm down, princess," Crystal uttered. "You'll be fine. We can-"

"I'll be fine?' What world are you living in, Crystal? I just lost my wing, a piece of me that will never come back! And you're saying that 'I'll be fine?"

Tears fell from her eyes as she lashed out at her friend. Crystal Mane just stood there, as if he was unaffected.

He stayed silent for a moment. When he finally spoke up, "I know you're angry, and in pain. But so is everyone else. You think you're the only victim here, well you're not!"

"Crystal, I didn't mean...-"

"Do you realize Flurry might be paralyzed?"

Twilight was caught off guard by the question.

"I...I..." Twilight sobbed. Her body began to shake as she wept into her hooves. "Crystal..."

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have yelled like that..." Crystal Mane sighed shutting his eyes and hanging his head.

Suddenly, he heard something thump onto the floor. He opened his eyes, finding Twilight on the floor. He quickly rushed over to her aid.

Tears rolled down her face as she wept. "I'm frightened, Crystal..." Twilight wept. "I'm so frightened... I know I have to be strong for Flurry, and the others, but they don't know how terrified I really am... I... I..."

Crystal Mane put his hoof on her shoulder as she clasped herself into his embrace. "I DON'T WANT TO DIE!" Twilight screamed. "I don't want to die Crystal..."

Crystal Mane just held Twilight in his arms letting her weep.

Twilight opened her eyes slightly, staring over at her niece still sound asleep. She had hoped that she wouldn't have to go through much more of this torture, but she knew that it was just the beginning.

Author's Note:

Ah, screw it! You guys are lucky that I decided to publish the rest of it today. Marry Birfmas everyone! Also, another note for myself at the end of the chapter. Ahem...

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