Insurgence

by Rose Quill

Gathering Storm

The ground shook as we reached the park. After the tremor passed, I glanced at Sunset.

“Are earthquakes common here?”

She shook her head. “I don’t think so,” she said. “Some of my memories are still hazy, indistinct. I think the spell is still trying to enforce its constraints.”

I lowered my head. “I’m sorry,” I said. “This is sort of my fault.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Twilight said. “You saved us from Chrysalis’s plan. It was her decision to enact this new atrocity. It was not your fault.”

I smiled a little at the words. It was still a little difficult to tell which of the two were talking from time to time, but those words were certainly the Princess. I was about to reply when a cold chill raced up my spine. I turned, looking around, my heart starting to pound.

“She’s here,” I said, voice wavering.

Sunset cocked her head. “Who?”

“Chrysalis.”

***

Her head snapped up, a wicked grin spreading across her face.

“Found you,” she purred, taking off and flying towards the west.

---

I crashed through the gate of the Castle of Friendship, feeling the tug growing stronger.

“I still can’t believe that there’s a transplanar gateway here,” I said. “This kind of thing is supposed to be under strict guard!”

Azure was keeping pace with me, her face grim. “It was until somepony tried to kill a certain Unicorn,” she gritted. “Damned Changelings, never did like them.”

“Steady, Az,” Gleam rumbled behind us.

I followed the pull through the crystal halls, and soon passed into a room and my vision started to swirl, a blinding light in front of us.

“So that’s the mirror,” Azure murmured. “Doesn’t look like much.”

I hesitated, the sheer magic pouring through it making me dizzy. “She’s crossed through,” I whispered.

“Then it’s for us t’be following her,” Azure said, horn flashing for a second. She turned a mischievous smirk to the stallion behind us. “Up f’a new adventure?”

“After you, imp,” came the rumbled response.

I rolled my useless eyes at the undercurrent of affection in their conversation and darted forward through the swirling magic that made up the portal.

And promptly fell flat on my face, effectively blind again. I fumbled around, stumbling to my hooves and trying to reestablish my sight, mana filling my horn but not flowing forth. I could see hazy shapes and colors, but the mantic sight I had been using refused to manifest.

Why couldn’t I use my magic?

---

“Yes!” shouted Lemon Zest as she managed to gain a bit of altitude. “This is so awesome!”

“You’ve got to…” Sunset started to say, only to be cut off as Lemon crashed back to the ground as she stopped flapping her wings. “Keep your wings going.”

“She managed to stay aloft for more than a few seconds, at least,” I said.

“Always thought she’d be able to keep up with me,” Indigo said as she hovered in mid air. “This is unusual.”

I flung up a kinetic shield in time to deflect a small beanbag that rocketed out of control from Sunny Flare’s control, the raspberry aura flickering as she lost her grip. “This is getting a little dangerous.”

“Well, this is familiar,” Twilight said, chuckling to herself.

Sunset chuckled as well. “I seem to recall having to dodge a book a few years back,” she smiled.

“Not funny, guys,” Twilight replied, her wings spreading as another tremor struck the area.

“This is getting worrisome,” Sour Sweet said. “They don’t feel right.”

“She's right,” AJ said, frowning. “There’s somethin’ plumb unnatural about the whole deal.”

“You’re sensing the magic flowing through the earth,” I said. “The conjunction must be interfering with the natural flow of mana.”

Sunset glanced up. “Something’s wrong,” she said. “The whole flow of mana is slowing down.”

Twilight lit her horn, frowning. “You’re right. It seems like there is a vacuum effect somewhere east of here.

“And it’s getting closer.”

Comments

[MySisterBroughtMeHere]

Chrysalis found them?! But the Shadowbolts aren't ready! Uh! Oh!

[Midknight Defender]

I seem to have missed a story where this Azure pony was introduced? She's not ringing any bells. Gonna have to go back and look again.

[Rose Quill]

8437739

She's kind of a background OC for my verse. She had a brief appearance in Forgotten Legacy and mentions here and there but mostly stays in her own series, Bardic Lore which is a spinoff to my Homecoming continuity.

[Midknight Defender]

8437755

Alright. That would be the story I missed, then. :D