Then the Storm Blows Cold

by Llama the Kujo

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Twilight could only look on in horror as the scene before her unfolded. The renewed screeching and howling from above confirmed her fears - Filigree Frost had just cast the counter to the spell Clover the Clever had fixed so long ago that had protected Equestria from the windigos.

A gentle nudge from behind reminded her it was time to act. She closed her eyes and began to concentrate, focusing on the spell it had taken her years to really learn. As she reopened her eyes, however, she saw something that frightened her to the very core, distracting her and breaking her concentration, stopping Twilight's heart and the spell in their tracks.

* * * * *

Filigree Frost was filled with elation. There he was, more beautiful than Filigree had imagined - a real, physical Alicorn, returned from his banishment as a windigo. The reverence she felt was overwhelming.

“So thou art she who broke the spell,” came his deep, sultry voice.

Filigree bowed and said, “Yes, it is I. I come before you as your humble servant.”

“We owe thee a great debt of gratitude. May I know thy name, dear lady?” the Alicorn asked, his voice only growing more sultry.

“I am Filigree Frost,” she replied, her head still lowered to the snow. To her surprise, the Alicorn raised her muzzle so that her eyes met his with his powerful hoof. His coat was the gray of steel and his eyes were the brilliant azure of a clear, sunny sky.

“Thou hast done well, Filigree Frost. Forever shall thy name be known in the annals of history as she who corrected the uncorrectable wrong,” the Alicorn said almost as though to a lover. Then, releasing his gentle hold on Filigree, he yelled into the storm, “Come, my brothers and sisters! Come and vanquish with me! WE SHALL AGAIN RULE THIS LAND!!”

To Filigree's delight, more windigos began to descend and retake their physical forms. To her surprise, however, each new Alicorn bowed to the first, much the way she had. The first continued, “My brothers and sisters! Gratitude to this Filigree Frost, we have been empowered to return and reclaim our right as rulers of this world!” Cheers echoed from the others. “And now, I, Prince Umbral Heart, shall lead us once more to glory!”

* * * * *

Applejack eyed the Alicorn that had appeared next to Filigree. He's sure built a lot like Big Mac, she thought, but he's got to be as tall as Princess Celestia… She strained to see more detail through the storm. His horn looked awfully, eerily familiar - it looked more like a tusk than a unicorn horn, curving up and back into a sharp point. Unlike King Sombra's, however, it matched his coat. He was too far away and the storm was too thick for Applejack to see the colors of his coat and mane very well, however.

Then other Alicorns began appearing around him. Twilight was still frozen in place, her face the epitome of frightened surprise. Applejack nudged her. “Twi?” she called through the storm.

Twilight didn't move. Applejack nudged her again, this time with more force. “Twilight!” she yelled. This seemed to break her from whatever had kept her captivated.

“Deh, wha-? Huh?” Twilight replied as her eyes refocused. “Oh, right. Sorry, Applejack. I don't know what came over me.”

“Prob’ly the same thing that came over Dash,” Applejack responded, pointing to the azure pegasus. Dash's eyes were wide, her pupils were small, and her mouth was hanging slightly agape in a look of unbelieving horror as she stared at the additional Alicorns appearing around Filigree.

Twilight, seeing that most of her friends were in similar straits, replied, “As well as all our other friends. Speaking of which, why weren't you affected?”

“I jus’ wasn't surprised, is all, I guess,” Applejack replied, suddenly wondering the same thing. All her friends - including Twilight - had been swept away by the sight of the Alicorns returning from their long banishment as windigos, but not Applejack. “Though to be honest,” she continued, “I ain't rightly sure.”

Twilight had already awoken Rarity and was shaking Fluttershy by the haunches. Applejack decided to follow suit and trudged over to Rainbow Dash. She called her name a couple of times, shaking her. The same dead look in Dash's eyes remained. Applejack shook her again, harder, to no avail. She didn't like it, but there was only one way Applejack could think of that she could do that could wake her friend from her trance.

Applejack turned to face away from her friend. She'd have to aim real careful to avoid hurting the pegasus - about the cutie mark oughta do. As her hind legs tensed up, however, she heard Twilight call out, “Applejack, no!”

“She's not respondin’ to normal shakin’, Twilight!” Applejack replied as the purple alicorn approached her.

Rarity trotted right up to Applejack's face and stuck her muzzle up to Applejack's. The look in Rarity's eye was not a happy one - in fact, it looked a bit angry. “I believe what happened was related to how much we're worried and scared over the whole situation. And poor Rainbow Dash here is more than worried about what will happen to her parents in Cloudsdale when it passes by here tomorrow! She didn't want any of you to know for fear of ruining her image!”

* * * * *

The silence that followed was broken by a bellowing but beautiful deep stallion voice announcing that Prince Umbral Heart would again lead the Alicorns to victory.

“Rarity, maybe you can get through to Rainbow!” urged Twilight. “We've got to wake her up if we're going to end this nightmare!”

“I shall try, darling, for all our sakes,” Rarity replied somberly. I'm not sure how, but I shall try, she thought.

She put her muzzle next to Dashy's right ear, Dashy's muzzle next to Rarity's neck. “I know you're worried, darling,” Rarity half-whispered, “but you know as well as I that together we've beaten everything Equestria and beyond has thrown at us, and we can do so again, here. Without you, however, I fear that our fears will come true. We cannot do this without you, Rainbow Dash. And I will accompany you to Cloudsdale myself if that's what it takes to assure that your family is safe.”

This seemed to stir something in Dashy, for at that moment a tear formed at the corner of her eye. Then there was another. Then Dashy whispered, “I might take you up on that,” and turned to look her friend in the eye. “Thank you, Rarity.”

Rarity felt her whole body relax as her friend began moving. Rarity looked to Twilight and said, “I believe, darling, that we are all here and ready. Shall we try again?”

* * * * *

The small group of Alicorns had grown to a crowd, with Prince Umbral Heart and Filigree Frost in the lead. Twilight’s confidence surged through her like electricity. She and her friends were standing in formation, facing them. Twilight closed her eyes and channeled her confidence and the sense of absolute unity with her friends into one part of her mind. There, she allowed that confidence and unity to bond with her connection to the magic her horn always used and the connection she held to the Tree of Harmony. As she felt that mixture begin to boil, seeking a path to the outside, Twilight opened her eyes, her jaw clenched in determination, and sent that growing, boiling ball of energy to her horn. Her horn and heart warmed, as did the air around her. She was aware of the feeling of being levitated off the ground without having used her wings. She was also aware that all five of her closest friends were, as well.

Then, focused on the Alicorns before her, she released the boiling energy from her horn and from her heart. She was encompassed by a blinding, warm, familiar light as she felt the power of the magic of friendship and the Tree of Harmony fill her being.

First there was a single arc of light, arching up before falling to land on the ground in the midst of the Alicorn group. Then another joined it, and soon there was the full rainbow spectrum in a collective beam, encompassing the whole crowd of Alicorns.

Twilight could see looks of surprise on the Alicorns’ faces, except for the prince. The prince wore a smug look of confidence, even as his fellows began to revert to the ghost-like forms that everypony associated with the windigos. Screams of denial and anguish could be heard as the windigos were forced back to whence they came.

Nothing happened to Umbral Heart, however. His maniacal grin just widened as his fellows were once more banished from around him. Suddenly his horn was surrounded by a deep black magical aura, and he teleported outside the area of the rainbow beam’s effect.

As soon as the rest of the Alicorns were once again banished, Twilight confidently cried, “Let's get him, girls!” and proceeded to focus all her attention on Umbral Heart, the giant rainbow friendship beam suddenly changing course to follow instructions.

* * * * *

Prince Umbral Heart seemed unable to escape the polychromatic ray of burning light, yet again. Every point to which he teletransported met the same fate as the previous. On the immediate, the ray would again find him and commence draining him of his magical power. Had he been more familiarized with the lay of the land - it had changed much during the centuries of his long banishment - he could have escaped. Each teletransport and subsequent beating drained him all the more. He was growing weary.

He had studied constantly in his mind what had occurred that day, centuries ago, and had believed he'd found a solution. Yet, here again was the same situation, only delayed and yet expedited by his constant movement.

No! He would not be--

Everything went black.

Author's Note:

Sorry it's been so long since I've published. I'm still working on Chapter 8, trying to get it right.