Born In Light, Forged In Darkness

by Jest

Trial Fifteen: A Very Old Friend

“Velvet, are you in here?” Kanathara shouted, bursting into a small tent.

“Yes, yes, what is it?” Velvet replied, ignoring her advisors and simply brushing past them.

“I need you and a few others to take over casting the breaking spell. There is something that requires my immediate attention,” Kanathara exclaimed.

“I, er…” Velvet glanced back to the small mass of huddled cultists.

The group exchanged a glance at one another, a small bout of whispering, and then nodded to their leader.

“Alright then,” Velvet exclaimed. “What exactly is it that has you so focused?”

“It will take too long to explain,” Kanathara dismissed.

“An old friend of ours was brought back by the Nightmare, and we are off to duel him,” Rainbow Dash offered.

“I guess it wasn't that long,” Kanathara muttered.

“Oh, well, alright then,” Velvet exclaimed. “I’ll gather together a large enough cabal and will start preparing.”

“Before you do, I was wondering how things were coming with the shards of the black hunger. You mentioned a breakthrough before,” Kanathara offered.

“Err, right. We have been kind of busy, but an assistant of mine has been inspecting them,” Velvet waved over one of the hooded figures. “I can't recall all the details, but Twisted Wound should know more about it.”

“Oh yes,” whispered the cultist. “I have made quite the advancement. Not only are the shards only semi-real, since the black hunger had a physical and magical component, but these shards contain a hint of the now lost power.”

“They no longer consume, but rather hold power, correct?” Kanathara asked.

The cultist was quiet for several seconds.

“How… how did you know that?” she asked.

“An assumption I had. Now, do they function as I inquired?” Kanathara demanded.

The hooded pony bobbed her head. “Oh yes. They will suit your needs quite well, I think.”

“Only one way to find out. Hand me a shard,” Kanathara ordered, extending a hoof.

“As you wish,” replied Twisted Wound, the mare reaching into her voluminous robes and producing a thing jagged scar of black glass.

Kanathara took it and inspected it closely, noting how the edges seemed fuzzy as if it were only partially in this reality. She tucked it into her mane, where it disappeared, becoming a single jagged scar in the night sky hidden within her hair.

“Good luck,” Kanathara offered before departing.

Rainbow Dash was close behind her, giving Velvet a weak smile before following after her mistress.

The tent was silent for nearly a minute before Twisted Wound turned back to Velvet.

“Do you truly think we can cast the spell?” asked the cultist.

Velvet snorted. “Call in whatever favors, cash in any contracts, do whatever it takes. I will not have this entire offensive falter because no one has the power necessary to cast a simple spell.”

---

“So what's the plan?” Rainbow Dash asked.

Kanathara grunted, pushing her way past a minotaur who lingered too long in the demon’s path. Immediately after passing him by, Kanathara was greeted by the sight of the long open road and the army arrayed before her. Everyone on both sides stood ready, the various forces ready to attack or defend their positions from their foe.

At the center of it all stood Cervantes and his cadre of lesser armor demons fanned out behind him. In his hands were clasped the dual silver scimitars that gleamed in the bitter moonlight. Snow continued to fall and be carried upon the wind, occasionally whipping at the faces of anyone not bundled up securely.

Kanathara wore little in the way of clothing, though she was not bothered by the cold. The close proximity of her flaming familiar, and her own protective enchantments kept the demon warm.

“We fight him,” Kanathara stated as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “We beat him, and then… well, I’ll have planned out the rest by the time we get to it.”

“I sure hope so, ‘cause I don't think I have the heart to kill Cervantes. He was one of the few who was actually good to us,” Rainbow Dash exclaimed.

“I know,” Kanathara muttered. “Just trust me though, I’ll have thought of something before-”

“Hey, back off, pretender!” shouted a voice.

Kanathara and Rainbow Dash turned to where a pair of tall changelings were shoving one another. Behind them, two separate groups of lesser changelings had gathered around their leaders and were glancing nervously between the two. Ignored by the other demons and supervisors, it was obvious that the ensuing fight would not be handled quickly.

“Stars above,” Kanathara cursed, trotting in the changelings’ direction.

“I am no imposter, it is you who is attempting to undermine my authority by disguising yourself as your queen!” declared the other changeling.

“You dare don my visage and tell me that I am the liar? You shall perish for your insolence!” bellowed the other.

A moment before the two tall, crown-clad changelings could lock horns, Kanathara stepped between them.

“There will be no perishing unless one of you idiots ends up on the frontline,” Kanathara spat. “Now forget this nonsense and get back to moving that gear. It won't be long until we’ve breached the next gate, and I expect our supplies to be ready to move.”

“But she-”

“I don't care!” Kanathara shouted into the face of each of the changelings. “You will do as ordered, or I will feed you hooffirst into the closest wood chipper!”

That seemed to make both of the royal changelings bawk and stand down. Though neither seemed ready to apologize to one another, Kanathara cared little for their feelings. So after staying just long enough for the two groups of changelings to depart, she left as well.

“What do you think that was?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“I don't know, and like I said, I don't care,” Kanathara muttered. “Probably just some kind of changeling prank gone a bit too far. Either way, they are working once more, so that is all that matters.”

“I guess. It just seems like… I don't know, a powder keg,” Rainbow Dash remarked, glancing over her shoulder.

“We’ve got demons working with demon hunters. This whole damn army is a bomb waiting for a match,” Kanathara dismissed.

“True,” Rainbow Dash murmured, trotting alongside her mistress as they walked toward the front. “So, snap teleport once the fight is over?”

“I’ve already got the receiving ward ready,” Kanathara answered.

Rainbow Dash nodded and walked in silence with her lover, passing by the many groups waiting to attack. Nearly every group of the ragtag army was represented in some amount, though a few were playing only minor roles given recent casualties. Kanathara didn't care about any of it, however, and simply focused on putting one hoof in front of the other.

It wasn't long before she stood in front of the solid frontline made primarily of paladins, but fortified with militia members. On the sides, the various demons in their service waited, straining against the leads that held them in place. They weren't far from the gate, little more than a city block or so, the space left specifically to ensure that there was room to maneuver.

Kanathara and Rainbow Dash required no such room and trotted straight up to the barrier. Blasted occasionally by a particularly harsh gust of wind, the pair didn't flinch, their gazes fixed on their foe. Standing directly on the other side of the barrier, the armor demon and his cadre remained completely motionless.

“Cervantes, are you in there?” Kanathara shouted, pounding a hoof against the shield.

The pair inspected the other demon closely, but found that he didn't respond at all to Kanathara’s call. He just stood stock still, armored hands clenching tight his dual scimitars. For several long minutes, they just stared at one another, waiting for the barrier to fall and the true fight to begin.

Maybe… maybe it isn't him after all, Rainbow Dash offered.

No. It's him. I can feel it, Kanathara retorted.

The sudden buzz of powerful magic tickled Kanathara’s horn and made the appendage ache painfully. Thankfully the feeling passed quickly, leaving behind only a faint fuzzy feeling that stayed at the forefront of her mind. It was an unpleasant sensation, but Kanathara didn't mind as it told her all she needed to know about her mother’s efforts.

The shield will fall shortly, be ready, Kanathara thought.

On it, Rainbow Dash declared.

Rainbow Dash snorted, sending out a wave of fire that melted and pushed back the snow. Kanathara wove another spell and readied, though did not release it, not yet anyway. Holding it back, she exchanged a confident nod with her familiar, silently confirming their shared commitment.

Remember the strategy? Kanathara asked.

Operation sword breaker is a go, Rainbow Dash declared.

The pair readied themselves, with Rainbow Dash continuing to put off a considerable amount of heat. Kanathara remained stock still, her horn glowing faintly with power, the energy yearning for release. A pulse of magic signaled that such a time was coming soon, as a wave of twisting black red lightning surged across the ground.

The moment it hit the barrier, it arced higher, racing along the magical wall and tearing away chunks. Like a million tiny arms, electricity reached forward and ripped sections of magical light from the main mass. The cascading mass of energy left behind only fading remnants of the spell that had once stymied the army of survivors.

Neither side waited long, immediately loosing spells and mundane projectiles alike now that there was nothing between them. Massive stones flew overhead, and fireballs sailed from on high, though neither were a concern of Kanathara. No, she merely released her magic with a flick of her horn, conjuring a barrier around her familiar and their foes.

“I invoke the right of single combat. Us versus you!” Rainbow Dash shouted, jabbing a hoof at Cervantes.

Like a spell being activated, the armor demon’s eyes lit up, and he swept an arm in front of him. The soldiers under his command spread out around the edge of Kanathara’s barrier, where they took position. The field was then set, with Kanathara and Rainbow Dash facing off against Cervantes.

For a moment, neither moved nor struck out at one another, merely observing the other’s movements. While they stared, the battle raged around them, with a flurry of attacks flying in each direction. Enormous boulders hurled by massive demons or traditional siege engines, great torrents of lightning conjured from malignant minds. The battlefield was a cacophonous nightmarescape of destruction that ended abruptly at the edge of Kanathara’s shield. There the sound became muted, leaving the impromptu arena devoid of any noise save for the flickering of Rainbow Dash’s flames.

The two Equestrian demons gritted their teeth in unison and launched themselves forward with great fervor. The fire spilling from Rainbow Dash’s armor burned white hot while Kanathara’s hooves glowed with magical energy. Cervantes met them with a two-handed diagonal swing with both of his scimitars, aiming squarely at Kanathara.

The keeper of secrets skirted just barely under the twin swords, forced to abandon her attack. Trusting that her escape would be covered by Rainbow Dash, Kanathara rolled to the side. Sure enough, the vengant was swiftly upon the other demon, blowing a cone of fire down upon the biped.

An attack that didn't seem to do anything, as Cervantes crossed his swords and leaped up at the vengant. Shielded by an unnaturally cold aura, the armor demon swept his blades downward, intent on removing Rainbow Dash’s wings. The unnaturally fast movements left little room for even the lighting quick vengant to respond, but thankfully Kanathara had anticipated this.

Her blast of magical force didn't do much damage, but it did threaten to knock Cervantes onto his back. Predictably, the armor demon favored a more defensive posture and abandoned his attack again, landing back on his feet a moment later. The second his feet were on the ground, he quickly stepped back, putting both of his opponents before him.

Rainbow Dash, Kanathara, and Cervantes all resumed the slow appraisal of one another, walking in a slowly looping circle. They watched each other closely, neither making a move for several seconds before suddenly leaping across the circle. Again they clashed, and again they struck, only this time it was Rainbow Dash who was the first to strike.

Her white-hot hooves slammed into Cervantes' scimitars before being thrown back by the armor demon. The icy aura protecting the weapons was temporarily burnt away, and a keen eye could see a small nick in the blade. Kanathara grinned to herself as she conjured a quick barrier over her familiar, guarding the vengant against Cervantes’ counterattack.

The armor demon shattered his foe’s shield in a single stroke before leaping through it and swiping again. Put on the back foot and nearly pushed to the edge of the circle, Rainbow Dash blocked the relentless assault launched at her. A downward slice, a horizontal chop, a two-handed attack starting from the bottom right and ending at the top left. It was all blocked or avoided, the vengeant’s body straining to compete against such incredible speed.

When Kanathara moved to help, her blast of power did little, the rippling wave of force batted aside with the flat of Cervantes’ left sword. That tiny amount of distraction was all Rainbow Dash needed, and she leaped to her right, launching into the air with a flap of her wings. Cervantes didn't make any effort into following her though and turned completely around before throwing one of his blades.

Kanathara narrowly dodged, the weapon slicing a thin wound between her neck and left shoulder. A bubbling purplish-black liquid spilled from the cut which refused to close even after reforming her material body. Kanathara abandoned any attempt to heal it rather quickly and instead chose to fire off a forked bolt of lightning.

The attack was seemingly unblockable, but before it hit, Cervantes somehow plucked another scimitar from a ray of moonlight. Now armed with both blades once more, the armor demon was able to stop the forked bolt, the energy dissipated by the swords’ aura. Rainbow Dash was already on the attack, however, body pivoting and back hooves launching at her foe.

The attack was strong, powerful even, but was obvious and easily blocked by the armor demon. That didn't matter, however, as the lightning had dissipated the protective enchantment somewhat, and the vengeant’s hoof took another notch from the blades. Cervantes immediately shoved his opponent back and swiped for her head, removing only a section of Rainbow Dash’s flaming mane.

The vengant sprinted out of reach, her retreat covered by a flurry of magical bolts launched from Kanathara’s horn. Though they numbered over thirty, Cervantes still managed to smack every single one before they hit him. That wasn't all though, as he also did so while charging forward. When the projectiles were gone, he swiped across Rainbow Dash’s backside. The heavy steel plates that protected the demon screeched as they were torn apart, leaving behind another small cut.

A fireball launched at the armor demon was finally able to force him to stop and block with both blades. Giving Rainbow Dash time to regroup with her mistress, the pair eyeing their foe closely as they circled one another once more.

Are you sure this is a good idea? Rainbow Dash asked.

I’m certain. The blades retained the nick even after reforming, Kanathara declared.

Alright, Rainbow Dash replied, seemingly unconvinced.

The fight began again, with both sides leaping upon one another and trading a series of blows. Kanathara struck first with a crippling ray of destruction that opened the way for Rainbow Dash to attack with a powerful haymaker. This was blocked, and Cervantes was able to nick the vengant in return but that was all he could do before they reformed.

Over and over the two sides met, each landing hits, while around them the battle raged on, barely noticed. The wall was breached by a particularly large rage demon who was immediately felled by the Nightmare’s forces. That didn't matter, as the opening was made and the attackers surged toward it while the defenders mustered a response.

All this was ignored by Kanathara and Rainbow Dash, who were now covered in nearly a dozen shallow cuts. Their dark blood hissed upon meeting the air, bubbling away to nothing the moment it met the cool wind. Cervantes was unscarred, though his blades had entire chunks missing from them, forcing the armor demon to use his fists or feet more.

I don't know how long we can keep doing this, Kanathara regretfully admitted.

Come on, one more time! Rainbow Dash declared.

The vengant didn't wait for a response and immediately leaped forward, her wings pumping hard. Upon reaching the height of her ascent, she dove at Cervantes, extending her back hooves in a downward kick. Kanathara managed to conjure a flurry of acid-covered arrows at their foe, though they were swept aside by a single one of Cervantes’ scimitars.

The blade didn't survive the block, however, it either melted away or fell to the side, leaving only the hilt. Forced to bring his off hand against Rainbow Dash, the armor demon’s remaining sword shattered on impact. Allowing the vengant to continue forward and slam her hooves against her foe, sending him onto his back.

Ditching the blades mid-fall, Cervantes transitioned into a backward handspring and landed upon his feet once more. There he raised his fists and charged Rainbow Dash, armored face still utterly neutral. The pair met a moment later and traded a series of lightning-fast hits, only Cervantes’ of which managed to make it through.

Rainbow Dash caught a fist to the chest and then the side of the face, but took the hits without flinching. Her armor absorbed nearly all of the force behind the attacks, with only a tiny shred of strength managing to get through. Barely enough to leave a bruise, Cervantes quickly learned that he wouldn't be able to bludgeon his foe into submission.

Kanathara hadn't been standing there idly, however, so when the armor demon knocked her familiar off balance and turned to her, the keeper was ready. A focused beam of superheated plasma blasted at Cervantes’ midsection, forcing him to raise both arms and do his best to block. After the initial impact had been resisted, he tried to roll away, but was shocked to find that Rainbow Dash had leaped upon his back.

“Now!” she yelled.

Kanathara sprinted forward and wrapped her own forelegs around Cervantes, binding him as securely as they could manage. Then, both familiar and mistress opened their maws and pulled, the other demon’s soul straining to stay within its body. The armor demon wasn't about to take this lying down and kneed Kanathara in the gut before headbutting the keeper square in the nose.

Though her face was now a mix of bubbling blood and broken flesh, Kanathara didn't flinch nor did she stop. She simply pulled harder, sapping at her foe’s strength until his attacks became weak and halfhearted. Then all at once, he fell still, and his glowing eyes seemed to shine with genuine mirth before dying like embers upon the cruel wind.

With one final gust, the demon’s soul emerged from his body, hovering above his head, held there by the two opposing forces. It didn't remain there, however, as Kanathara snagged it out of the air, catching it in the tiny shard of the black hunger she had kept in her hair. The moment this happened, Cervantes’ old body crumbled, rapidly rusting away to nothing along with his squad.

“Did it work?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“Just… wait,” Kanathara muttered.

The keeper stared down at the shard and nearly jumped when it twitched, power coursing out of it. The angry red aura flickered another time, nearly jumping out of Kanathara’s hoof before being caught by the demon. Who held it tightly while the shard continued to pulse and angrily attempt to leap from her grip. Then, just as Kanathara thought it may break under the strain, the shard stilled and became a soft purple coloration.

“Is… that it?” Rainbow Dash whispered, eagerly bouncing from hoof to hoof.

“I think so,” Kanathara replied. “The shard is stable, and Cervantes’ soul remains intact.”

Rainbow Dash breathed a sigh of relief. “Well, that's great to hear because wow, he was every bit the beast as I remembered him.”

“Even more so now that he wasn't holding back,” Kanathara added.

“No kidding,” Rainbow Dash murmured. “So what now?”

“Just… just a second,” Kanathara muttered.

The keeper of secrets lit her horn, and after a moment of concentration, cast another spell. One that sent a teal wave of magic over their bodies and caused their many wounds to glow faintly. They then flashed red one by one, leaving behind open cuts, though ones that didn't constantly bleed. The pair then reformed their bodies and shared a collective sigh of relief when they no longer sported a single injury.

“That took a lot more out of me than I would have liked,” Kanathara exclaimed.

“You're telling me. I’m damn near running on E at the moment,” Rainbow Dash declared while cracking her neck.

“Right, you go assist Fluttershy with the wounded. I’ll see what I can do to aid the attack,” Kanathara stated.

“Better hurry. It seems like they are nearly done,” Rainbow Dash retorted, gesturing to where the ragtag army nearly pushed all the way through the opening in the wall.

“I’m sure there will be a snack or two I can secure,” Kanathara replied.

Rainbow Dash chuckled. “Alright, boss. Give 'em hell.”

Kanathara pulled her familiar into a brief kiss before flashing her a smirk and teleporting away.

“Wow,” Rainbow Dash whispered to herself. “I love that demon.”

---

“Hahaha, run, little piggy, run!” Pinkie Pie shouted before pulling back the trigger.

There was a dull thwomp, followed by an electrical crack, and finally a full second later, a distant scream. A cultist in the midst of a summoning ritual cried out, only to explode a moment later, killing the other members of his group. The half-formed chaos demon they had been attempting to call forth vanished as well, its body turning into a half dozen birds that flew off in all directions.

“Fire this time,” Pinkie Pie exclaimed.

The mare placed the enormous crossbow on the half-destroyed stone wall and began to furiously crank it back into place. A few seconds later, she extended a hoof to her right, waiting a little longer. Sure enough, a massive bolt was handed to her, its tip flickering with a pure white flame eager to lash out at anything flammable.

Pinkie Pie loaded her weapon, hefted it up to her shoulder, and aimed upwards. Her mind turned, the pony calculating how to compensate for the wind that whipped constantly above her head. She was about to fire when a voice suddenly called out.

“A little to the left.”

Pinkie Pie pursed her lips, adjusted her aim ever so slightly in the aforementioned direction, and fired. Another twang was followed by a fwomp and finally a confused squawk from a demon that had been hiding in the blizzard. Nearly invisible due to the constant snow, the great harpy hag had been ready to swoop down alongside its pack.

That was until it received a bolt to the gut and then exploded in a violent eruption of fire that took the rest of her group along with her. For a moment a tiny ball of fire was visible off in the distant clouds, and then burnt demon guts rained from the sky. The crimson viscera didn't make it far before it was frozen or blown off to somewhere else.

“Nice shot, need another?” offered the voice.

Pinkie Pie glanced back at the keeper of secrets lounging amidst a mound of dead demons, a sharpened bone held aloft in her grip. Next to her sat a small table topped with a hunk of some demon’s leg, as well as a quartet of bolts for Pinkie Pie’s crossbow.

“I’m not sure they even need my help anymore,” Pinkie Pie muttered, scratching her chin while looking back at the battlefield. “They started running the second you joined in, and now it almost feels a little mean.”

“But… they’re demons,” Kanathara pointed out.

“Oh, I’m still gonna shoot 'em. It's just like shootin’ fish in a barrel though. Unsporting,” Pinkie Pie offered while cranking her crossbow.

“True,” Kanathara agreed. “Would you like a more advantageous position? I could teleport us onto one of those taller buildings up ahead.”

“Nah. Just hand me another and make this one emit a couple buckets of acid when it hits. I saw that one demon eat a friend of mine,” Pinkie Pie added.

Kanathara smiled. “I like your style.”

---

“You need to lay still so I may heal you,” Fluttershy whispered, a hoof pressed against a raving pony’s chest.

“The moon calls and bays for blood!” shouted the mare, her bloody hooves reaching skyward. “It demands sacrifice and victory!”

“Alright, that's enough of that,” declared a voice.

Rainbow Dash stepped forward and slugged the mad pony across the face, knocking her out cold in a single strike.

“Rainbow Dash,” hissed Fluttershy. “You didn't have to do that.”

“I didn't, not half to,” Rainbow Dash retorted.

The pegasus sighed. “Just hand me the bandages please.”

Rainbow Dash looked around the snowy tent and quickly located a small bag marked with a white plus symbol. Snatching it up from a pile of half-organized supplies, the vengant pulled out a roll of clean white wraps and handed them over. Fluttershy took them and began binding the injured mare’s wounds one by one.

With nothing better to do, Rainbow Dash looked out over the tent, her gaze landing on the many inhabitants within. Injured cultists of Nightmare Moon lay next to those aligned with Velvet and the true members of Riff Raff’s group. There were even a few demons laid out or attending to ponies, their monstrous nature temporarily restrained.

“Never thought I’d see the day,” Rainbow Dash muttered.

“The world is filled with grey. Maybe now people will see that,” Fluttershy muttered.

The pegasus paused, pulled the bandage tight, and secured it with a simple metal clip. She then paused, reached into her bag, and pulled out a pair of hoofcuffs she had found. With two swift clicks, she bound the moon-mad pony to her metal cot.

“Equestria is gonna be one weird place if we win this,” Rainbow Dash remarked. “It's gonna be hard to pretend as though the whole dang world wasn't saved by a bunch of cultists and demons.”

“And killers, former pegasus supremacists, and several bands of literal bandits,” Fluttershy added.

“Oh, and don't forget the changelings,” Rainbow Dash added.

Fluttershy nodded and followed her friend’s gaze, looking out at the group. “It's going to be an interesting place, but perhaps we should worry about living to see it first.”

“True,” Rainbow Dash replied, flashing the mare a smirk. “You know, you’ve done really good with the whole stutter thing ever since we started invading Canterlot.”

“I guess… I guess a part of me needed to see how small and insignificant I am,” Fluttershy whispered. “Still need my inhaler every few hours though.”

Rainbow Dash grinned. “Baby steps.”

---

Kanathara stood atop the gatehouse overlooking the next quarter that stood between them and Canterlot Castle. The castle which had been little more than a simple white smear on the horizon but was now growing ever closer. Shrouded by layers of magical barriers, it was hard to see, though even from her current position, Kanathara could make out that a battle was raging within.

That wasn't the only location where a battle was located, as a mass of demons, cultists, and moon-mad ponies were assaulting a block of apartments. A great barrier of golden magic kept them out, however, allowing the defenders to fire from within it with impunity. The shield was strong, but Kanathara could see the cracks beginning to form along its edge, and worse still, the demonic force grew with each passing second.

“You know that was incredibly dangerous what you did,” Tirek offered.

Kanathara glanced only briefly at the centaur as he clambered up the final steps and sat next to the keeper.

“It was calculated,” Kanathara retorted.

“I’m glad you did the math and not Rainbow Dash then,” Tirek remarked.

Kanathara chuckled. “True. She may be smarter than some give her credit for, but she simply lacks the patience for that kind of thing.”

“I remember a time when you fell into a similar camp,” Tirek pointed out.

“Did you come up here just to embarrass me?” Kanathara demanded, a slight blush coloring her cheeks.

“Not entirely, no,” Tirek admitted. “We’re going to have to rescue those paladins.”

“Why bother? Can't we just ignore them?” Kanathara exclaimed in jest.

“Mmm, possible,” Tirek muttered. “But to leave such a large force of enemies just sitting behind us wouldn't be a smart move by any stretch of the imagination.”

“Fair,” Kanathara murmured. “We’ll need to employ the necromancers as our primary force. Have them raise the fair amount of dead that litter the streets.”

“I was never a fan of this city, so pompous and full of itself. Yet…” Tirek snorted. “Even I cannot condone what has happened here.”

Kanathara stared silently at the body-strewn streets that stretched from one wall all the way to the next. The demonic occupation had been violent, resistance had seemingly been higher than anticipated, and the Canterlot populace had suffered because of it. The once mighty skyline had been decimated, and now desiccated, burnt-out husks littered the once pristine landscape.

Everywhere Kanathara looked, she saw refugees hiding in ruins, too scared to leave their homes. It was an unpleasant sight and one that was quickly swallowed up by a surge from within the ever-present blizzard. Wind and snow buffeted the shield that surrounded the pair, a howl rising to become so powerful that conversation was impossible.

A flash of magic muted the sound and allowed Kanathara to turn to Tirek. “What news is there of Pythias? She said that Nightmare Moon had summoned reinforcements,” Kanathara inquired.

“As usual, she was correct,” Tirek replied. “They assault her even now and seem to be on the verge of victory.”

“Then…” Kanathara hesitated.

“She has an escape plan, and I’ve sent several segments of the sky fortress to reinforce her when she takes position here,” Tirek stated.

“We need to do more than that,” Kanathara demanded.

Tirek placed a hand on the keeper’s shoulder and squeezed gently. “Pear Butter has volunteered to stay behind. The majority of her forces will fall under my command, but she should keep a good number with her.”

“I guess hers is the only subfaction that has actually grown in number, besides the undead,” Kanathara muttered.

“They will be fine,” Tirek stated. “We’ve learned enough about the barriers that we should be able to create a weaker version. It won't be perfect, but at least we should be able to keep them out long enough to win the day.”

“Still,” Kanathara murmured.

“It will be okay,” Tirek repeated.

Kanathara nodded and straightened her back. “Right then. Let us plan this assault properly. Starting with the assassins as well as the sky fortress. We’ve kept them in reserve, and as the rear guard for long enough.”

“I agree,” Tirek offered.

“Let's see what they and the necromancers can really do,” Kanathara muttered, peering intently from her perch down upon the ranks of robed dark magic users.

Author's Note:

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Comments

[Bronyshot2020]

I can't decide if I should read this or the sister story first lol

[Jest]

11383628
Pull a 2 face and flip a coin then :P

[YewUnicorn]

I'm glad that Cervantes will be able to come back after all this. I especially liked the little moment of mirth coming from his eyes just before he lost.

He's so proud of his girls, haha.

[Echo Night]

I'm a bit behind but I got to say:
Love the Pokémon moment with Cervantes. Had me rolling.