The Dark receded, and all fmes in the hall of the Royal Library took on their natural color.

  The front doors smmed shut, and Twilight exhaled with a hitch. The world around still attempted to treacherously spin at every little movement, and the desire to find a spot to sit down was overwhelming, and yet, she could be much more useful on her hooves. She sobered up and began to push through a worried and disorderly herd of noble ponies and other guests, who still couldn't get that everything irrevocably changed, and still were gawking and trying to gather themselves after a sporadic battle.

  Luckily, her pale and bloodied visage guaranteed they'll try to get out of her way without any extra nudges. Twilight returned back to Rainbow Dash, who was dragged aside and now being cared by friends. Previously, Twilight did all she could to help in her weakened state. Her heart ached at the unsightly sight of burnt flesh and broken bone. "By Celestia's mercy," she pleaded, "please, be alright."

  "I'm fine," Dash mustered an optimistic grin, and her charred stump on her left side wagged a little. "Wings grow back, right?"

  "Dash, ah' think t'would be better to—" began Applejack, wearing a painful and serious expression.

  "Everything is possible with magic," said Twilight and pced a firm hoof on Applejack's shoulder.

  "You really can regrow it?" Rarity, all pale, got distracted from her somber thoughts for a moment. "Or maybe, what, are we talking about a prosthetic?"

  "Make it a cool one!" Dash immediately demanded.

  Twilight giggled, furtively wiping a tear from the corner of an eye. "I know for a fact there are pegasi who use prosthetics! We just have to get you the best one, a magical one, after all this mess."

  Dash sighed, slowly closing her eyes. "Yeah, that would be just... awesome..." She kept grinning through the pain. "Y'know... It turns out, there actually was a prank in Canterlot, right, girls?..."

  "Y-yeah." Applejack sighed, lowering her head.

  In worry, Twilight shifted closer, but Rarity gently stopped her. "I think she's fine, darling. She will pull through. Well, of course, we could need a professional to look after her, mind you..."

  Twilight gnced helplessly around the hall—there wasn't anyone around who could provide substantial aid for wounds this severe. She noticed several distraught and weeping ponies who gathered around lifeless bodies, and gulped, quickly averting her eyes, not willing to watch that in detail. There was a harrowing expectation she would recognize the deceased, and this time something will break in her permanently.

  So, instead, she settled her gaze on a heap of changeling corpses, a few dozen of them, all unceremoniously tossed in the corner. Some of the Royal Guard still were busy finishing off the stragglers, treating them like oversized insects they are. Wincing from one especially brutal motion, Twilight felt very uneasy. Somehow... somehow, it felt like such a waste...

  She frowned, drawing her eyes to the floor, trying to suppress the strange and inexplicable sensation. It's not like she held out for little monsters some kind of sympathy, but...

  The deaths overall, that's what was getting to her: this total and irreversible diminish of someone's potential. It all was so unnecessary. So wasteful.

  So wrong.

  Not to say about how the wedding itself was wasteful... That Chrysalis... No, Twilight wasn't the one to stand up in pose and excim 'Chrysalis will pay!' She simply got very, very sad.

  Because they all tried very, very much to make it work.

  Their effort was gone now, and not unlike all the love that was going into that creature's maw, it fueled something scornful...

  Why do creatures like Chrysalis, who are bent on destroying everything good, even exist? What's with this desire to erode happiness and hope? Is it because they can do so? One couldn't help but wonder how such malice appears in the first pce...

  Spike pced his little cwed hand on her side, and it made her feel a little better. Twilight sighed and offered back a cheerless, but grateful smile. "We'll be fine," she promised with a strained voice.

  "I know I'll be," grinned baby dragon, trying to look brave, "But Twi, if you need a shoulder to cry on and let it all out, I'm here. We all are."

  Twilight nodded, feeling a tingly sensation down her nose, like she was ready to surrender to the urge to do exactly that at any second now. Here in Canterlot it would be very un-Princesslike, so she suppressed it. Maybe will do it ter. Definitely.

  She shifted to approaching Shining Armor. He wordlessly offered her a quick hug.

  "How are you holding out here?" he asked, brought bottled water from aside, then handkerchief—apparently, he carried aplenty of those. Before Twilight had a chance to respond, he already was wiping the dried blood from her muzzle. Somehow, Twilight totally forgot about it.

  She grunted, slightly blushed, and checked if someone's looking. "We manage, I guess. Thanks. How's Mom and Dad?"

  Shining was collected and serious almost to the point of being unfamiliar—well, he was not only a good-hearted pony but a warrior, after all, and a Prince, to hoof. "Shaken a little." He slightly nudged her. "Dad said that if you will be wed someday and changelings still show up, it would be official: all alicorn Princesses are doomed to have it like this."

  Twilight snorted. "I'll double-check if my spouse is Chrysalis, I guess. Do you think we might need a magical detector trained on her or something?"

  "Uh-huh. Make that a chastity belt." Shining faked a smile, but it was enough for Twilight to feel gratitude. "Come on, I need to whisk you away to others. We have to decide what to do next."

  "Right."

  Twilight hesitated, gncing apprehensively back at Spike and the girls. Fluttershy returned a reassuring look, and Applejack gestured with foreleg, "We are alright, don't you worry your head about us. She's alright too." She nodded at lying Dash, already drifted into an uneasy sleep. "Go, Princess."

  There was a commotion of the gathered nobility. Twilight didn't need to train her ear to recognize what the fuss was about—indignation, uncertainty, and the list goes on. As she with Shining in tow was making her way around, she noticed her sister-in-w right in the middle of it, and turned to Shining, worrying. "Will Cadance be okay? These ponies look like they will tear her apart."

  "She had worse," said Shining confidently.

  They reached Stygian and Magnus, the tter already came to after a strike from Chrysalis and now was sulkily treating the wound on the former's shoulder.

  "How did you got hurt, Stygian?" Twilight offered her sympathy.

  Magnus replied instead, busy with bandages, "Apparently he simply froze and was ignoring the changelings, right until one burrowed gums-deep into him."

  "Aye," Stygian mustered. His eyes were sullen, with dark circles around. "I was afraid."

  "Afraid?" Twilight's wings barely twitched. "Of the changelings?"

  "Of the Dark," whispered Stygian on the edge of his breath, and then smiled sheepishly. His direct gaze was slightly unnerving. "Can't you sense it, your Highness? The smell?"

  "The smell?" parroted Twilight again, involuntarily rubbing her nose.

  "Yes, that sweet smell... I can't seem to get rid of it..."

  Twilight tilted her head, being a little confused, but before she could proceed with the questioning, another voice thundered, stealing everyone's attention.

  Cadance had enough. She gracefully leaped on the back of the bench, spreading her wings for bance. Her horn shone with brilliant light, as her aura grabbed a bloodied sword from Prince Blueblood (still knocked out), and she caught it with a loud neigh on her lips.She reared up, the sword lifted high to the ceiling, and danced on her elongated legs. Her stern gaze washed over everyone.

  Twilight gnced curtly at Shining. He brimmed with utter adution.

  "My fellow ponies! You have suffered at the hooves of the changelings, and their depravity and wickedness have reached new heights. But do not fret! We have been through a horrific attack, and we saw it through undeterred! We will remedy this day yet! We will weather this storm and emerge stronger for it! "I know what Celestia, blessed be her sun-like heart, would want us to do: to face the evil that has befallen us with strength and determination, and not shrink from danger, but rather stand tall and resolute in the defense of our way of life! Let no one doubt that we yet will have our revenge on the Queen for her vicious attack!"

  Pinkie, who was right in the thick of it, giggled, hugging her huge party cannon, which was still smoking from overuse, "Yep, don't let some creepy poxy phony ponies get you down!"

  Well, at least someone among her closest friends didn't have any qualms against death and killing. On second thought, her weapon must've been loaded with confetti, though it was a cannon...

  Cadance nodded, and receded to a more normal tone, "Calm yourselves, for everyone's sake. You are in safety for now, and I will guarantee personally that no more harm will come to pass to any of you." She lowered the sword; her leg must've been already getting tired. "We will devise a pn and we will see you all escorted to your homes. Equestria will prevail!"

  Not that frightened canterlotian aristocrats were particurly impressed by the rousing speech and vague promises, but it seemed like their concerns were appeased for now. One clear voice got through their murmur, "What about our fallen? Will we just leave them here?"

  "Of course not. We will figure something out, right now. That is all, we will move out soon and orderly!" calmed them Cadance, jumped down, and confidently walked through the dispersing crowd back to Twilight and others.

  Their small group positioned itself at the bookshelf along the wall, right underneath burned tapestry of Diarchy. Twilight gnced around in discontent and picked up one of the books lying around, torn from the shelves. She gently tucked it back into its pce. Of course, with the whole catastrophe going on, no one even thought about reading something. Chrysalis managed to spoil even this little detail.

  By Celestia, that vile Changeling Queen...

  "Well, what should we do?" asked Cadance casually, and attempted to pull the scabbard from Blueblood.

  "My men are already busy looking for stretchers for severely wounded." Magnus' eyes wandered somewhere in Dash's direction. "I'm afraid we will be forced to manage to carry most with magic and on our backs and leave killed where they fell. Such are conditions of war."

  "Yes. Exactly my thoughts," said Shining grimly. "It all leads to war, and we need to be ready to act accordingly."

  Twilight made a light gasp. "W-what? Are you serious? With Chrysalis?"

  "She took the throne by force, Twiley. She is controlling Celestia, obviously. By the looks of it, the whole city is under siege right now. What else we can expect?"

  "Her powers will not wane while she keeps feeding on Celestia," suddenly huffed Starswirl, and Twilight almost jumped, looking at the old mage who appeared at her side. Somehow he managed to sneak up on her again, what's up with that? "Most likely she will not stop until our Princess is drained completely."

  Cadance slowly shook her head, horrified. "How grim..." She frowned. "I—... I can't even imagine what debauchery she must be enduring... what if it is already too te?"

  "I know little of the creature, but doubtlessly she would attempt to savor the captive for as long as possible," said Starswirl almost impassively, but Twilight knew that these words must be spoken. "There's some hope for her yet."

  Cadance sighed. "This blight, by the name of Chrysalis, must be eradicated. There is no other way to move forward. That is why..." She shot a gnce at Shining, wanting his approval. "That is why I agree, we must be ready for a war. We must gather forces in Crystal Empire, and consider the worst. Too many lives are at stake. It is not only Celestia, it is the whole realm. She would've understood."

  Twilight was slowly blinking, hardly believing what she heard. Cadance was talking like Celestia had already gone... But what about her speech before the crowd? "You considering fighting against Equestria? Aren't you a Princess?" she asked, her brows shot up.

  "Yes, I am." Cadance grabbed Shining's hoof, resolute. "That is why I must fight for it. We are alicorns, Twilight, you must understand. We have a duty."

  "But I am an alicorn of Friendship! And you of Love, I..." Twilight expected that Cadance would be more peaceful and try to search for some other solution, but really, was her former foalsitter ever like that? Twilight honestly couldn't remember. When it mattered, Cadance was always a fighter... What solution there might be other than to fight, anyway?

  "Ancient treaties," said Starswirl, deep in thought. "They remain in Royal Pace, in a secure pce. If we somehow get our hooves on them, we can try and summon other races for our aid, as we did during our war with King Sombra. Of course, the nation of griffins vastly diminished since then, and dragons' society changed as well, but—"

  "I doubt those treaties would help us," interjected Stygian. "We should send messengers anyway, mind you, to other cities and realms. We must warn as many as we can."

  Cadance nodded in accordance. "Yes, and if we retreat now, Chrysalis surely will become arrogant and compcent, like the beast she is. It will be her downfall!" Her eyes lit up. "She will never expect how the whole world will come crashing down on her!"

  Twilight still was shocked. "You talked about giving up Celestia... And now, you want to give up Canterlot as well!? You just can't be serious..." She gasped. "And Ponyville!? It is right next to Canterlot!"

  "Charging right into the thick of it is probably what the Queen and her Hive are expecting from us." Stygian gave Twilight an apologetic look. "Changelings are schemers, so there must be at least several traps already id for us and ready to be sprung."

  "But every second we wait, the Queen will only become even stronger than before!" Twilight tried to appeal to reason.

  "Twiley." Shining pced a foreleg on her shoulder. "We will try to move away as many ponies as we can right now, that is a given, but without at least some reconnaissance, or pulling up forces, without finding means to fight the Queen, what would you expect us to do? We are lucky she didn't unleash all her power on us already. She must consider us too beneath her... That is our chance to prove her wrong, to live and not perish, in the name of all ponies who expect us to lead them. It's kind of how it works, you understand?"

  "Well... Y-yes." Twilight nodded. "Y-you're r-right. We need to regroup and gather forces. You need to. We, I... I see you all of one mind about it, right?"

  Cadance sighed. "It pains me just as much as you, believe me."

  Twilight quickly gnced back at her friends, who all were grouped up in another part of the room, and were observing their hushed and animated discussion. "And what should we do?" she asked. "We do not have the Elements..."

  "Since the Elements are unavaible, it seems it is time for the Pilrs to pick up the pieces," said Starswirl, and raised his head. "In the times of old we were always a backbone on which the fate of the world could fall, and current times will be no exception. I will send missives to all my allies, we will gather up, join forces with you, and strike back."

  Magnus was silent all this time, listening to this. He stirred, shared a look with Stygian, and then turned to the old mage, "Let me be clear, old chum. If need be, you wish to stand against Equestria?" He looked at others. "You all are?"

  "I wish to stand against the Dark, against the discrepancy, as well as this creature which calls herself the Queen," corrected Starswirl.

  "Yes." The knight nodded. "I understand, old friend, but it all means the same thing right now. I need to inform you all: I won't pick up my shield against Equestria and its people, however misguided they may be. Not until the Princess of the Sun orders so Herself."

  There was an uneasy silence.

  Eventually, Starswirl broke it, his voice filled with tension, "So that is your value of friendship? Loyalty?"

  "I am bound by vows of chivalry to Lady Celestia and Her word." Magnus hung his head solemnly. "Her word is the w to me. Not self-elected Queen's, only Princess's. Until I hear from Her and know Her standing, do not count on my aid."Not to say," he uttered under his breath, "to run like that would be dishonorable."

  Twilight felt warmth in her chest.

  Starswirl's gre was piercing. "You had allegiance to Pilrs of Old Equestria long before getting a knighthood."

  "Starswirl, with all due respect, do you really want to go there?" Magnus frowned. "Do you really want to make me choose between my vows? That is childish."

  Old mage harrumphed, raising his head once again. Twilight was appalled when she saw sheer contempt on his muzzle. "Your duty is to the world, to everything that is Light! Are you really so servile so you would stand aside and do nothing while evil prevails!?"

  "I won't do nothing," Magnus growled. "As soon as we finish with these talks, I'll go out there and save as many lives as I can, so you'd better cut it short, old friend. I've spoken my piece."

  Stygian nudged forward, drawing attention. "Starswirl, aren't Pilrs already finished with their duty? When enough is enough? Rockhoof and Meadowbrook both got families, and Mistmane... for Celestia's sake, Starswirl, she just might be too frail for another war."

  "You aren't the one to talk about denying heroes their purpose." Starswirl stared at the unicorn. "By stars above, why are you always so utterly useless!? And you call yourself a tactician!?"

  Twilight couldn't remain silent at this point. "Starswirl, but wasn't it you who tried to calm everypony?"

  Distraught, Stygian shook his head, looking at the ground. "No, no, he is right, I... I should've been more observant. I-I have a great responsibility..."

  Starswirl's eyes remained glued to Stygian. "Elevated commoner." He grimaced in disdain. "You had a great position, a great role to py to assist heroes in their endeavor, but you can't do even a fraction of what you had been intended for! What, you still trying to impede us!?"

  Twilight fell unease. She never was exactly nosy about their history, but she didn't like how Starswirl spoke of Stygian as if he was some sort of a tool. It didn't settle with her right at all. "Mistakes happen..." she said with a sheepish smile, but Magnus already stepped forward.

  His ringing voice filled the room, "Look, old chum, first of all Stygian is our friend, and he doesn't deserve that. And you know that we are all of the same rank here, we all want to protect Equestria, but it's not like in the days of old, you see? There are no sirens, no Lord Tirek, we just can't partake in some quest so everything will be resolved!" The knight snorted and violently stomped down. "I hoped we all were in accord on that, but I'll say it out loud. We have new heroes right now, and if they can't take charge, well then—it's war. So be it. And I might be on the other side, you might not like it, but you know how duty weighs just as well as I do."

  Twilight quickly gnced back at the girls, at wounded Rainbow Dash. The conversation was drawing the attention of everyone in the room.

  "Have you no shame? What use of friendship, if you yourself was first to abandon our cause?" Starswirl almost spat in his beard, and Twilight thought that the old wizard might've been hurt by what had occurred.

  These old ponies of legends were no different from themselves. Twilight envisioned a simir talk with someone in her group. Could it be possible for them to be driven apart as well, and not because of some dispute or anything of the sort, but because of duties? Admittedly, Twilight never thought about her position as a duty...

  Magnus came to a simir conclusion about Starswirl. "Do not twist it like that," he said, frowning. "This is beneath us!"

  Twilight again gnced to onlookers, and took the word before tensions had a chance to rise. "Everyone, calm down, please! It is time we accept our differences and move on! Conflict is what the Darkness wants, conflict is what it needs, it's where it thrives!"

  "And what would you know about it?" Starswirl stared at her suspiciously.

  Suddenly everyone turned to her, curious for an answer. Twilight blushed and her voice become smaller, but she stood strong. "I... might've slipped for a bit in the Dark before. I'm sorry," she added quickly, like it was a blunder.

  "What did you say?" Shining gasped. "Twiley, not you!?"

  "I-It was back when Crystal Empire returned in the North. I saw Celestia using a dark spell when she was showing me about negative emotions, and ter I happened to be in need to replicate it by myself. But it is alright!" She tried to rectify again. "It was a one-time occurrence! I just needed to learn..."

  "You mean to say, you learned a spell of dark magic just by observing it in a single instance?" Stygian sounded perplexed and amazed at the same time. "Without practice!?"

  "Y-yeah..."

  Shining and Cadance shared confused looks, but Starswirl, now thoughtfully stroking his beard, only sighed. "Yes, it is... acceptable. It is fine. It is one thing to let the Dark into your soul and learn from it..." He looked at Stygian with a hard-to-read expression. "To embrace it is a completely different story."

  "But Master Starswirl, with all due respect, here's the thing:" Twilight raised her voice. "The Dark is a part of everyone's souls, we all have urges, and they are part of us, are they not? The Darkness is just as important as -" her voice fell off, as she looked at others, "- w-what I mean to tell is... It isn't something inherently bad..."

  Magnus narrowed his eyes. "Your Highness, I believe you haven't seen what the Darkness can truly do to a pony. We fought against it a millennium ago and we saw it consumed our friend and many others. We saw monstrosities, not unlike the one that feasted on Celestia, maybe even worse. Don't you dare to talk about it like that! The Dark is the bane of all that is life! It is the void!"

  "Maybe it all varies in matters of using a measured scientific approach," mumbled Twilight, furrowing brow.

  "Nay, you can only think that you can use the Darkness." Stygian shook his head solemnly. "In the end, it is you who is used."

  "Everyone of ye, do not torment yourselves over the Dark! It is still manageable," a sudden voice called to them.

  The Princess of the Night looked miserable. Her sullen muzzle looked slightly off, her coat was covered in old stains and cuts, her royal peytral bore a deep and wide jagged gash, and her tiara was missing. On the neck there was a poorly treated bite mark of something monstrous and poisonous, still seeping with pus. She smelled foul. After great exertion she suffered, she noticeably hobbled. Pale somber green eyes had glowed dimly, but determined.

  No one was helping her, as ponies around were just gawking, giving her distance. Twilight thought to herself that the Princess wouldn't accept their help anyway.

  She looked truly regal.

  Stygian bowed to her, and Twilight followed with a tremble. She felt great shame before Luna—Chrysalis tricked them, after all... Twilight still couldn't believe that the Changeling Queen was right here, and she was ready to eat up her every vile world.

  Magnus, Shining, and Cadance repeated the gesture of reverence. The feeling of guilt must've been shared by all.

  "You are one to talk," Starswirl grumbled, but then sighed, resigned, and bowed as well. "Princess Luna. Your Majesty. My apologies for this outburst."

  "'Tis fine. We have great pressing matters to attend to," Luna replied ruefully.

  Her voice, her manner of speech, it all warmed Twilight's heart. It now seemed so obvious who was fake and who is the real deal... After they finished bowing, Twilight just walked up to the Princess of the Night and promptly gave her a good hug.

  Luna stiffened, not knowing how to react, but then, she slowly embraced the smaller alicorn with her wings. Her eyes became wet, but she blinked it off. "'Tis good to be back." She smiled. "Sadly, I might not be of much use right now."

  "How long had you been captive?" Cadance asked compassionately.

  "It would be the sixth moon tonight." Luna averted her eyes. "I have underestimated that vile creature."

  "We all did." Twilight gulped, breaking the hug.

  "Celestia appeared too untouchable to even consider this was happening." Cadance gnced at floor, as if she was complicit. "You too, dear aunt, but, I suppose, what's done is done."

  "Truer words were never spoken," grumped Starswirl, "but Princess, how did the creature managed to contain you?"

  "A dome-barrier, which prevented all other magic from passing." Luna frowned. "Sixty-five hooves in diameter, roughly fifteen at the highest spot. Never had I seen anything like it in design, and I did study it well. It leeched out of casters their life essence, and changelings swapped each other with zeal, so I could not weaken it. They could even force others' to pour their strength into it..." She gave a pained look.

  "Were you tortured?" Cadance asked, pale.

  "Not me... Fell beasts were interested in me only when there was a need to announce a nightfall. They went after others, so I had to keep a constant vigil for their sake."

  So she hadn't even slept. "You weren't alone?" Twilight frowned, trying to imagine it all.

  "I was not." Luna shifted eyes and cleared her throat. "'Tis hardly matters, as I broke out on my own, and only the Queen could truly force me to obey. I endured the night and pyed possum until consternation prevailed over darkspawns' common sense and they brought their defenses low enough for me to strike."

  "Trickery always was one of your strongest suits, Your Majesty," noticed Starswirl and the Lunar Princess winced, gring at him. "I thought you'll be complimented. What else you can tell us about that barrier?"

  Luna wordlessly ignited her horn, and a set of runes appeared in the air. Despite all her interest in the conversation, Twilight's attention immediately switched, and she lifted her hoof to her mouth, pondering. They seemed abyssinian in origin, dating back to a few hundred years ago when one of the old Storm Kings ruled over the nd in question. Being a derivative from a few ancient dialects at once, those runes were an exempr of an unholy amalgamation of artisanal type of magic, made possible only through sheer experimentation with arcane without natural affinity to it, like ponies for example obviously possessed. Storm Kings were always peculiar in their treatment of magic and technology, and Twilight longed and at the same time genuinely feared to discover, to what heights they might've climbed since then.

  Starswirl retraced symbols into a notebook and huffed. "I recognize these occult molochian drawings. Seems like time wasn't merciful to them—someone had butchered them thoroughly."

  "It must've been designed not by Chrysalis, and to contain Celestia, long ago," pointed out Twilight. "As far as I can tell it's from another realm, yes?"

  Shining shrugged. "Well, Chrysalis did roam the world for hundreds of years, so who can guess what connections she have?"

  "We could've, if foreign retionships of Equestria with anyone except the other pony nations weren't as good as non-existent," Twilight mented.

  "So it could be a ploy by one of our neighbors?" Cadance pondered, her grim eyes reflecting her ominous thoughts. "Could it be that someone tried to weaken Equestria this way? For all we know, our borders might be under invasion right now, while we still sitting around."

  Shining offered a calm smile to her. "Y'know, you kind of too eager to find more enemies. Let's not get ahead of ourselves, dove. One menace and world-ending threat at a time, okay?"

  Twilight took a moment to observe the situation in the room. It looked like the tension had died down considerably, but the calm before the storm still lingered. Ponies had gathered into small groups and were anticipating when they'd be allowed to leave this bleak pce. Without a chandelier, there was barely any light, and ponies seemed wary of drawing attention with any of their own. Signs of the recent battle were everywhere, and befallen darkness outside the building was pregnant with cold and rain.

  Is this the world that the Changeling Queen wanted? The one where, on warm remains of the feast, dark buzzing monsters hunt and gorge upon everyone's emotion of love? Twilight sighed, distraught by how fast everything can be changed.

  Stygian was sitting on a bench nearby, his forehead heavy with sweat. Twilight considered talking to him, but Magnus' voice distracted her.

  The knight was walking to them from the entrance, several guards in tow. "Gentlecolts, dies, we have reinforcements. These ponies saw Princess Celestia, and she seemed to be fine, making her way on hoof towards the Royal Pace. Her main concern was that of citizens, as usual. I have to leave your company and help mount a defense of our beloved city before it is too te, so out of courtesy and our shared friendship, I will try and overlook talks of possible treason against Equestria." Magnus smiled somberly. "It’s been an honour."

  "Why, old friend, honour was all ours," said Starswirl dryly.

  "Take care, Commander." in contrast, Luna seemed a bit more warm. "Providence be willing, soon enough We will once again join thy in battle."

  "Stygian?" Magnus turned to the gloomy unicorn. "I might need your expertise."

  "I am still weathered..." Srygian's crooked smile was guilt-ridden. "Besides, I might be more of use in Crystal Empire." His eyes darted between Starswirl and the knight.

  Magnus sighed. Then he moved closer and curtly pced a hoof on Stygian's shoulder. It seemed like he wanted to say something else, but eventually, he nodded and turned sharply to Shining. "I will leave a few soldiers, but considering all your prowess, I don't suppose regur changelings are much of a threat here. They seem to avoid Royal Library as of now."

  "We might always need an extra few good ponies. Good hunting," answered Shining and shared salutes with the soldier.

  The knight left, and Twilight took a deep breath. There were still some unresolved questions...

  "We should return to the topic at hoof, while we still have time." She turned to Cadance and Shining. "Why won't you use again that love magic barrier spell, that repelled all changelings from Canterlot?"

  Shining shifted his eyes uneasily.

  "It was a one-time occurrence," said Cadance. "We tried to replicate it, but it simply won't work anymore. I believe, it was something simir to what happened to Celestia at the altar."

  "So, if we consider the matter of magical binds, they really are married..." Starswirl looked down, contempting.

  Twilight felt coldness in her stomach.

  The silence psed for a few seconds, as they all let that thought sink in.

  Suddenly, Shining smmed down his hoof in a bout of anger. "By Tartarus be damned that vile monster!" he bellowed and leaned into Cadance's immediate calming embrace.

  "What do we do?" Twilight tried to stay calm too, gncing between Cadance and Starswirl. "How would we... um, I guess... divorce them?"

  "In more usual circumstances I would've said that we need to make them break their vows." Starswirl sighed, stroking his beard. "But I don't recall any vows uttered before the altar, so that verbal component can be discarded. One exception in such an equation is that line from Celestia about protecting and cherishing Equestria and ponies, but I don't see that creature adhering to it anyway, and I doubt it ever will."

  "I would... say that power of love... is very potent... If it is utilized correctly..." Cadance stumbled with her words with a pained expression on her muzzle, as if advocating against the love was going against her very nature. "If we need to counteract it somehow, we should be ready to go for extreme measures..."

  Starswirl nodded with a grim expression. "Evidently, love power has enough potential for that monster to be on par with the alicorns—with Luna herself, and from what I gather, even Celestia. It is the first time I am witnessing something like this in person."

  "Well..." Twilight shifted in pce uneasily, remembering how Celestia tried to protect them in the past. "In raw power, they just might be equal now, yes..." A sudden idea came to her mind. "Is it possible that Chrysalis somehow stole the fate that was meant for Luna?"

  Princess of the Night made a few rapid blinks, taken aback by this suggestion. Starswirl rubbed his chin, pondering.

  When Luna spoke her mind her voice was especially weak and raspy, "'Tis doubtful 'twould be the case..." There was a faint blush on her cheeks. "The possibility that Sister can have feelings of such caliber for me... And it is... meant to be... It is... It is news to Us."

  Old mage humphed. It looked like he considered the idea seriously. "And I'd say, a very astute observation, Twilight. I will look into the Compendium of Equestrian Laws when I get the chance. Maybe the answer lies there, in the customs of ancient royal weddings."

  Shining raised his ears, curious. "You weren't there when it was written?"

  "Sadly," replied Starswirl, "It was even before my time, and most of what was written in the tome is supposed to be obsolete anyway. Where did you got it from, Twilight?"

  "Forbidden section," said Twilight casually. "It is here underground, in the Royal Library. For the time being, we can use it as a shelter for citizens."

  Cadance nodded. "I know of it, but they certainly would be safer outside of the city walls."

  Starswirl pursed his lips, contempting. "There's something else to consider. We need to evaluate the possibility that Celestia might become the Dark Queen as well."

  "The what!?" Twilight nervously smiled, looking at other ponies around. "She, corrupted? This is absurd."

  No one was sharing her smile.

  "Well then, Element of Magic," said Starswirl severely, "can you absolve us of the possibility that this will happen? Can you stand tall and tell us it is not possible?"

  An uneasy silence fell on them once again. Shining and Cadance listened closely.

  Not hearing an answer, Starswirl pressed on, "Only yesterday we did not even considered she can fall, and now she was compromised—as it turns out, for days. And I haven't seen her in any rush to confront the creature, to which she is now wedded. Evidence is building up in support of the theory, don't you agree?"

  Twilight regained her composure. "This is not who Celestia is, Starswirl! It's just not!"

  "The Dark is very vile and insidious... Thou must understand... There is enough for even a small crevice for it to begin to seep in..." Luna uttered with a strain, and tightened her muscles. "Celestia bathes in the Darkness right now, she made bed with it. She might look and act the same, but..." Luna exhaled, covered with cold sweat. "'Twould be truly disastrous."

  "It would be like cutting open a pristine-looking fruit and seeing already spoiled insides," added Starswirl. "You may not notice it until it is too te."

  "How can you talk like that!" Twilight raised her voice at both lunar goddess and ancient mage, her ears fuming from sudden anger. "How can you even think that!? Are you right in your head!? She is Celestia! Luna, she is your sister, she loves you!"

  Princess Luna lowered her head in deep shame, but Starswirl just humphed, stroking his beard. "You refer to the same love that condemned us all to this." He shook his head. "Girl, we need to be prepared for the worst. There is too much at stake."

  "Well, you weren't prepared for the worst, Starswirl!" Twilight hissed, and rose her head high. "I will not—I won't listen to this snder of Celestia behind her back! I thought you would know her better than this!"

  She turned to walk away in anger, but not before she heard Starswirl's weary sigh. "Oh, our young Princess..."

  After a few dozen steps, Twilight caught herself that she doesn't know what she is doing. She pressed her head against the wall nearby, trying to cool off.

  Their fears were valid, and she was angry because she was afraid too.

  But even then—she was also angry at herself.

  She bit inside her cheek, watching nervous ponies... What is she even doing right now? She stepped from the wall, made a step, then yet another. Her eyes kept searching.

  "Hey... Dad. Mom."

  As she approached them, she gave quick hugs to Night Light and Twilight Velvet, while others were giving them space. Just like Shining said, both were looking a little shaken, but none worse for wear.

  "How are you holding up, dear?" Velvet was attentive and dear to heart, which after recent speeches felt very refreshing.

  "Oh, you know." Twilight smiled awkwardly. "Trying to keep it cool. You both seem to be doing better than me and I'm supposed to be a responsible one!"

  "Now, now, that sounded almost offensive!" said Night, and they all echoed a chuckle.

  "Ah." Velvet looked aside. "If it's any help, you seem to be hosting the most memorable celebrations in all of Canterlot."

  "Mom!" Twilight ughed.

  "One could think, it was your special talent all along," said Night, looking at her warmly.

  "Well, it could be just because you are both present!"

  "I wish!" Velvet smiled widely. "Canterlot could've been such a lively pce! But no, to be honest, it always comes in motion only when you're around."

  "Now you're just trying to get me blush."

  "We had whole seventeen years to figure it out, kiddo." Night sighed. "You'd better believe years of experience."

  "So even with all these world-ending threats, we are very happy to see you each time," said Velvet. "We only wish that you'd come more often."

  "Maybe it's you who should come to Ponyville more than once a year, folks." Twilight felt a bit shy.She fidgeted with her hooves a bit. She needed to y bare what was weighing her down."Look, I need to do something reckless... and I'm not sure... not sure if I should."

  Night Light became more serious."For us you aren't some Celestia's star pupil, or newest alicorn, or anything of the kind. You're just you, and as far as I can tell, you almost always tried to achieve whatever you set your mind to—be that a banishing of ancient evil, or, say, attempting to to reach cookie jar with a dder out of appliances when you was four."

  "This time," Twilight profoundly fpped her wings, "I'll come prepared! And it wasn't my fault that I shattered that jar. I know you're still holding a grudge, Mom."

  "It was a present from your great-grandmother," grumbled Velvet. "Of course I am."

  "Anyway." Twilight frowned, trying to keep herself collected. "I guess, I just want you to promise me you'll be okay while 'm gone. And, look... I... That is to say..."

  Her parents regarded it with all seriousness, not interrupting.

  Twilight steadied her breath."I fell like it's happened because of me." She gnced over a shoulder for a second, and nervously shifted in pce, "Last time, when... Cadance happened... I've learned that I should've trusted my instincts, and I... What I'm trying to say is, I was afraid to begin fussing again over seemingly nothing. I dunno. In short, I wasn't being attentive. I think all signs were there, and I..."

  "Oh..." Velvet rubbed her chin, pondering.

  "Look at her, taking on herself all weight of the world." Night Light smiled proudly.

  Twilight felt a bit flustered. She lowered her head."I know that I am too hard on myself right now, but here is also another thing, I -" Twilight quickly wiped a tear, "- don't want anything of this. I don't want anyone to live in pain and fear, I don't want you to live with it, guys. This is what scares me the most, that... you will get hurt."

  The bck bolt of lightning, sent by the Queen, still lingered in her mind. She still could hear how Rainbow Dash screamed, and could recall the following paralyzing dread, and all that happened beforehoof, that shift in reality, when something broke...

  And the fighting afterwards...

  That was...

  It wasn't right. Not with so much death.

  Velvet hugged her tight, and Twilight returned the hug,

  "I don't want her terror to continue," Twilight almost whined, feeling powerless.Why do such creatures even exist? Who gave them the right to exist? How dare they?"I... Someone... I have to stop the Queen. You understand it, right?" she said hoarsely. "I have to save Celestia... I have to try. Please, tell me I'm doing the right thing."

  Night Light made a long sigh. His muzzle fell. "What of your friends?" he asked gently. "They can help, right?"

  "I don't know... No... No, I don't think so. I will not let them get hurt again." Twilight winced, thinking of Dash's terrible wounds. "They don't know, and they shouldn't, or they will stop me. I will protect them. And I will protect you. Everyone. And Spike too. Watch after him if I won't make it."

  "Nonsense. You will make it," said Night Light, and Twilight smiled gratefully, even if it was only a ptitude.

  "Twilight, my little girl," Velvet pulled back from the hug, her muzzle wet. "I know that this is banality, but I think you should hear this. Listening to instincts is fine, I won't argue, but you have something even better: a great, great heart, and a brilliant mind. Listen to them, too. And I know that you love Celestia very dearly. Let no one stand between you and those who you love. Maybe it's only you who is actually doing what is right."

  'Nurtured heart,' remembered Twilight one particur talk with Celestia, and felt a little better, a little more confident. "I hope so," she said softly, nuzzling her mother. "I very hope so."

  "Just be careful, alright?"

  "Alright... Love you both."

  Luna was lying on the floor in cold sweat. She must've overexerted herself and spent the st vestiges of her strength.

  Twilight examined the combination of runes that composed the teleportation circle. Their arcane nature was not unlike coordinates on a topographic map, just with an added dimension of magic, so it was not hard to deduce that the destination location was somewhere in Canterlot nearby, and then pinpoint Starswirl's Tower. It was so easy, a filly could do it.

  Earlier, when everyone were preparing to leave for the city gates, Luna colpsed right in the middle of the room, and now Starswirl was hurriedly working on this spell. Most of the ponies gave him some space or already began to walk outside, but Fluttershy was an exception among those who remained.

  Twilight marveled how pegasus was lying here with Luna, submerging her little yellow body with spread wings in the flowing dark mane, littered with sparkling stars. It was somehow enchanting. Her hooves were hugging Luna's neck gently, avoiding bringing to the alicorn more discomfort, and her mouth was lowered to the drooped down equine ear.

  Fluttershy was whispering something. Her calm and warm presence was just as soothing for Luna as for others in the room. Lunar goddess' breath was slow and steady, and she no longer whimpered in some strange nightmare that cimed her. That allowed Starswirl to begin tracing his runes, and It was pretty much the only reason he didn't shoo away pegasus girl. It also was a perfect distraction for Twilight to leave for her goal.

  She didn't. Her friends were nearby, as well as Shining and Cadance. The Princess's eyes were wide open and full of tears.

  "So ah' reckon, you won't be coming back?" Applejack mused, gncing at the mage.

  "Someone still needs to look after Princess Luna, and nurture her back to health, even if her failure at her duties might be the actual cause of all this," said Starswirl with almost palpable dissatisfaction.

  Twilight felt like she got spshed with cold water, she even recoiled. Is he serious right now? What's with this disparaging? Twilight gred at him, struggling with a desire to remind him that utterly no one was expecting changelings, including himself. She relented, took a deep sigh, and collected her thoughts. "Just make extra sure she is alright, Master Starswirl."

  "Alicorns are becoming especially valued," said Starswirl grimly. "I would ask you to take care of yourself as well. I'm sure you will manage. The same goes for you, Princess Cadance."The mage stopped working on the teleportation circle and turned to face them. "In any regard, Twilight, I would strongly advise you to come with me to the Tower, so we might expedite out efforts of countering the occurred camity."

  Twilight closed her eyes, seriously considering the option. There was a merit to the idea, of course, as well as a previous nonverbal beckoning—a calling that compelled her to appear before the Tree in the Tower. That beckoning was gone now, just as all sensation of wonder that she already associated with that mysterious pce. It simply puffed away, as if there was none in the first pce. So she shook her head vigorously and without hesitation. "No, sorry, I have to protect my family and friends." She gnced at Dash. "Maybe you can take Rainbow Dash with you? She will be safer there. You can help her, right?"

  Starswirl humphed, not even looking, and returned to his task. "I have to refuse. You must understand, my hooves will be busy as it is."

  "Well then." Twilight gritted her teeth. "See you around. No longer stalling."

  They remained silent until the old mage finished his conjuration and raised his horn. Fluttershy stood up, not before lightly caressing Luna's cheek. When she joined the others, Rarity leaned to her with quiet, "What do you think? How is she?"

  "Hm?" Fluttershy flinched, as if she didn't expect the question, and then smiled adorably, if a bit bashfully. "She's good."

  "Twilight, how do you feel?" asked Fluttershy.

  Twilight snapped back into reality from her cheerless thoughts. It was a question that she didn't know how to answer correctly.

  How does she feel, wading through all this dark greyish bleakness outside, amid heavy rain and lightning strikes above?

  Cadance unraveled her magic barrier and rose the horn high, protecting their group of would-be wedding guests, so they slowly crawled forward, sometimes increasing in numbers when guards could find survivors and other stragglers from the attack. Scared ponies weren't that talkative, but happy for the warmth their group could provide. Sometimes they were hurting. Armor-cd unicorns were unching a detection spell on each one of them, and so far changelings didn't try to invade.

  They didn't even try to disguise themselves. Twilight saw them in pin view, illuminated by the pink glow of the barrier. Some of the nasty little creatures were perched on the edges of roofs, following and crawling on walls, sometimes flying through the thunderstorm. Was hunger driving them, or maybe they were attracted by the light?

  Twilight was slowly pulling back from the group, but Fluttershy still tried to be nearby, and it made it harder to simply teleport unnoticed. Also, Twilight was already having second thoughts. She told herself that she will go and fight when their group reaches the medical center, since, after some consideration, that's where Cadance was leading ponies. Personally Twilight would've cram them into Starswirl's Tower. Seemed like the most protected pce around, after Royal Pace, or guard barracks.

  But as.

  "I'm fine," Twilight answered the question, her gaze drifting over the chaos around them: ruined awnings, broken windows, scorched walls after hits of stray magic, dropped food and personal items. Bodies. Mostly changeling ones. They tried to overwhelm ponies like a swarm.

  The popuce of Canterlot was mostly on the streets at this te hour, and celebrations were still going strong. Those who tried to run into buildings only got themselves more isoted. They didn't have a pn of how to act on such an invasion—the only instance of direct attack in the past hundreds of years was a previous one, and Chrysalis overtook Canterlot's defenses with even more ease back then.

  This time there was more fighting involved. Commander Magnus stayed true to his word and alerted the Royal Guard regiment, Twilight could tell. Good for them, she guessed.

  Actions and reactions, forces colliding... Here on the street, boiling with rushing water, it all felt fueled by some sort of tenacious primal darkness.

  "Look at me," again there was Fluttershy's voice, and Twilight did so reluctantly.

  Her smile was just like in Ponyville.

  Twilight blinked, astonished. It was a small and bashful smile, distinct and precious, warming the heart. Come to think of it, Fluttershy was very close to nature too, wasn't she? Twilight felt the urge to protect this kind pegasus from encroaching misery and pain. She chuckled, wearily. "I..." her voice suddenly became hoarse, and she cleared her throat. "Can you watch after Dash, please?"

  Fluttershy nodded, still wearing the same smile. She tilted her head preciously, closing her eyes for a few seconds. "Is everything alright, Twilight?"

  "Y-yeah, I just... I have to go."

  "After Celestia?"

  Twilight was silent for a few seconds, then puffed her cheeks, "What, it's so obvious?"

  "I wouldn't say so," Fluttershy replied somewhat evasively, gncing at ponies who were still walking forward and not looking back. "I had a hunch. It all must be very hard on you."

  "You understand why I must do it?..." Twilight felt greatly relieved, and in a spur of the moment, stepped closer to Fluttershy and leaned into her. She buried her face into yellow warm fur, hugging her friend, and feeling how something finally breaks inside—but in a good way.

  Twilight shuddered with the whole body, and began to cry, bawling her eyes out. A pleasant, familiar smell filled her nostrils, and Twilight clenched her teeth, feeling like a total wreck.

  But she needed this, even if there wasn't much time, even if it could stall someone. It was hard to describe how utterly alone she felt with her resolution to take on this task... Twilight succumbed to the sensation fully. She let herself pour into Fluttershy's coat. She felt her gentle caress.

  "Twiley? How are you?" she heard the brother's voice, as he and Spike were both approaching from the main group. Yeah, she managed to draw more attention than she wanted...

  It meant that she has to act now.

  "It's only fear," Fluttershy expined in a quiet voice, which filled Twilight with gratitude. With effort, she pulled away, still sobbing. She looked at the wet stains left on Fluttershy's shoulder, and turned to others with a sigh.

  She ignited her horn, pcing hooves firmly, looking with reddened eyes at both of her brothers. Shining's brows shot up, and Spike, catching on, lunged at her with a little outstretched hand.

  "Twi, wait!"

  Not this time.

  They all disappeared.

  Sitting on a rooftop, she cried some more, holding her own against the elements and rushing water that boiled under the heavy rain. The dread settled in, but now there was warmth as well, a definitive understanding that she's not utterly alone.

  'I am never alone.'

  Friendship... what a cause to fight for... A good cause, but it couldn't deny the fear of death... The power of the Queen was overwhelming, rivaling that of the goddess. Would be foolish not to acknowledge this one more time: everyone back at the Royal Library were right.

  The thing is, she knew that she was right as well. Certainty and determination were brewing inside. Twilight only needed to swallow down anxiety, to face it all through.

  But each time she pced her hoof down, ready to ignite her horn and teleport closer to the looming Royal Pace, she had to stop and reassess the situation once again. Is she missing something? Anything?

  It was difficult like never before. Yes, on the surface, it's just like another challenge, and she could try to consider it like that—like a task! To distance herself and push through, and get into the moment like an observer and participant at the same time. Twilight loved the feel of it, the sensation of adventure, of solving the puzzle.

  This time, though, she felt herself more strange than ever. Vilins never had gone so far in their efforts... must it mean that she needs to go just as far in order to match them? Not to say, this whole wedding...

  Maybe it was a good opportunity to try and unleash the Sword. Twilight thought about it several times already. She would look simply comical with it in her hoof. Whomever the thing was intended for, even if it was intended for any pony, it definitely wasn't her... Not to say that she couldn't properly study it yet, let alone wield it.

  There was a motion in the corner of her eye. Twilight immediately cast aside her morose musings and sprung, igniting the horn. She was expecting changelings but instead saw a wendigo.

  It was a creature in a lean and vague horse shape, drawn to come out of hiding by conflict and struggle. More of a spirit than a physical being, it was floating gracefully and slowly through the air, emitting frozen vapors and covering the ground beneath with rime. Its' nonexistent flowing ethereal mane was filled with shattered dreams, and its' head, shaped in a skull-like misty form, turned toward a little alicorn. She looked deep into the eyesockets, filled with white.

  It was an imperious and distant presence. It was a harbinger of death, but hope and renewal as well.

  Somehow it was beautiful, even more so than was dreadful. Its' frost breathed on Twilight, covering her, and she trembled. At the moment, an instinct to fear it was beyond her.

  As the winter spirit continued to float above, Twilight plunged into calmness. She breathed in slowly, taking in how the otherworldly creature was passing over her toward its' unknown destination. She closed her eyes, paying extra attention to her other senses.

  She stood like that for some time, and listened to the rain around. She looked deep into the vortex of darkness. There was nothing in it.

  'Fear... is natural.'

  'Fear is okay.'

  'Everyone fears.'

  She opened her eyes and blinked a few times, then looked around. The wendigo was roaming seemingly without any course, and Twilight did not let her attention linger on it, and instead she watched dark shapes in the distance that were lit by the city's illumination. The little changelings still were going on with their little hunt, right...

  Why not begin with something small?... Why not begin with them?

  Twilight checked herself and finally noticed that she still wearing the bloodied dress from the wedding reception. One of Rarity's designs... oh, she must've been so distraught by this situation. Twilight felt uneasy. She should've been more out there for her friends, but—oh well, it would be something to look for after all of this is over.

  She clumsily got out of the dress and searched for a pce to hang it. It would be a pity to just throw it away. Eventually, she lowered in with an aura on someone's windowsill and giggled to herself. She hoped that some little girl lived there and it would be an unexpected present, even if a little bloodied.

  But all blood can be washed away.

  She felt better.

  She looked at the darkened Royal Pace, the looming silhouette over the Canterlot, dark against the mountainside.

  Somewhere in it was Princess Celestia, alone and tormented.

  Forsaken by everyone.

  "Please, wait a bit longer for me, Princess," said Twilight, and flicked her eyes to the School for the Gifted Unicorns, nestled between the towers. She leaped and stretched her wings open wide in fast flight. The little sparkles in the dark were guiding her forward. Her horn fred up.

  'Just a little bit longer. I will come soon.'

  Pharynx-843 was one of the 'elites'—a changeling who actually got some 'military' training. In practice, it meant that he lived at least a decade, picked up some skills during his infiltrations, and could be appointed as a leader during pony hunts. Why, he even could keep some love for himself, and it were the most precious moments in his life. There was literally nothing better than to walk around and feel how hopes and dreams, as well as someone's affections and desires, slowly digest and become one with your essence.

  Every bit was making a changeling slightly stronger and wiser.

  Now, there was a delicate bance of not becoming too wise, as the Queen could notice your growth. It rarely ended good for a changeling, since they were her pythings, and they weren't supposed to have... ambitions.

  It was a grim but fair truth of life. She was his mother, the w, and his life, and he was happy to serve, or she could... made him whole with her again, and sometime ter, another Pharynx would be required to appear. Actually, there were quite a few Pharynx's around already. Their dark mistress worked hard to expand the Hive in preparation for the overtaking of Equestria.

  Some say, she disappeared in the nursing hives for months and then crawled out as a mere imitation of her former self, a torn-apart ghost with pale green eyes. She restored to dark glory only after devouring a fermented pony who was sleeping in the cocoon for far too long.

  For ponies, it might've been strange existence, but a changeling can't fathom how it can be strange. Do ponies question how the Sun and Moon travel around in the sky, where the wind comes from, or numerous other big and little things? Well, of course, some smart-brains do question these, but most don't. So a changeling didn't question either. It existed. It wanted. It hunted. It died, and then it was reborn again.

  Life was pretty easy. If anything, ponies got duped, with their complicated... everything.

  Though for Pharynx it wasn't so easy, to be honest, as he was burdened. This night was a mess, and the whole attack appeared to be spped together haphazardly and unpnned. He wasn't in any position to object, but was allowed to be quietly distraught. During the raid he was forced to split from the main forces, and now was tracking the running unicorn. At his side, there were two: Gaster-6130, spawned only two weeks ago, and Femur-778, headstrong but still inexperienced fighting-type.

  He needed to babysit these grubs. He dealt with simir tasks before, but tonight Pharynx wanted glory, he wanted struggle, to be in the thick of things and test himself against the best that ponies can muster. The changeling wasn't in high spirits.

  In front of them there was a screaming pony who ran into some cssroom, effectively cornering herself, and all three leaped after in a well-coordinated motion. They began slowly approaching her, hissing and dripping saliva on the ground, ready to perform a pincer attack—until Pharynx noticed that Gaster was acting weird, nervously shifting around without uttering a single sound.

  "Hold," ordered Pharynx, and sat down on the ground. "Gaster. Do you have something you want to tell us?"

  "I don't mean to be an ass." Gaster sighed, sitting as well. "But it's my first time, y'know? I'm nervous. Is it okay?"

  Femur snorted and looked at the ceiling disparagingly, waiting until they finish.

  Pharynx thought a bit about what to say. "Absolutely. I'll tell you about my first time ter, you wouldn't believe how hard I've botched it. Try to follow my lead on this one, and it'll be fine."

  "I have a question too: aren't we supposed to cocoon them for ter use or something?" Femur licked his lips, now looking at panicking pony, and then stared at the leader with a hope for denial.

  "No, that's what the foraging team does. We are the warrior group, of the fighter strain," said Pharynx with pride. "Our purpose is to grab all love we can get, and then use it to terrorize and subdue even more."

  "And how do we do that?" Gaster asked, scratching behind his ear with a hind leg.

  "Haven't you heard the mistress? Be menacing. She was very direct: be menacing. Hiss, and growl, and threaten to bite."

  "Bite!? I do not know where that pony had been before, why would I want to bite that?"

  Pharynx gave out a long and heavy sigh, and all the while screaming pony kept galloping around the small room, trying to find the way outside, stumbling and tripping over tables and benches with all ck of equine grace she could muster. Eventually, she ran over to the window, barred by someone with pnks, and began bucking it madly.

  "Alright, look. There are many ways to suck a pony, -"

  "Don't say it like that!"

  "Gross!"

  "- just think about them like living breathing snacks, or whatever, okay? Like the mistress says: they are beneath us, they might be as well just like... uh, colorful marshmallows."

  "Well, I've never heard how the Queen said that," said Gaster, deep in thought. "And I never saw her, actually. Come to think of it, I never saw marshmallows either. What do they look like?"

  "I guess, something like that?" Femur replied, pointing a questioning hoof at the pony, who got tired of bucking already. Trembling, she tucked into a corner, wielding a stool for self-defense.

  "'Member those mushy cave mushrooms? It is kind of like that, but sweeter," Pharynx attempted to expin to the best of his abilities. "And it's not 'they', those are ponies' food. Look, it's not the point. We need to scare them and then drain. It's simple."

  Gaster gave the pony an inquisitive look and then happily turned to Pharynx. "Looks very scared. Now to draining, yes?"

  "Correct." Pharynx thought for a bit. "Go on ahead. You are new to this, so you need some practice."

  "Uh... What if I am too afraid of that?"

  "Of what?" Pharynx was the epitome of patience.

  "Of that pony. Just look at it, isn't it kind of crazy?" Gaster admitted with a shallow breath.

  "Aren't you hungry?"

  Gaster went for a brief soul-searching and emitted a long embarrassed sigh, "Ye-e-e-eah-h... I am very hungry..."

  "If he doesn't want to do it, I will go first." Femur began trotting confidently toward the unicorn.

  She swung the stool, smacked it wickedly on Femur's muzzle, and broke her weapon of choice to pieces.

  Pharynx winced. It looked painful.

  Femur stumbled back, then plunked down on his behind with a bewildered gre. "That's not very nice, dy," he hissed and spat out a tooth. "Aren't you ponies supposed to be nice!?"

  "Yeah." Gaster sighed wistfully. "When I turn into a pony, I always feel so nice, and cozy, and—"

  "You fools! She's getting away!" barked Pharynx.

  The unicorn made a desperate attempt to flee, but Gaster was on her in seconds. They fell to the floor struggling, knocking over a desk. He hissed in an attempt to overpower, snapping his jaw at her. The pony wept in fear and shrieked for help, kicking fruitlessly. Her horn was deliciously fring white as she tried to protect herself but couldn't muster a single offensive spell.

  Femur gathered his bearings and jumped to help, intending to grab on the unicorn's hindlegs and bite her there.

  Pharynx circled them, basking in pride over their success. 'Is that what the mistress feels when we accomplish something? Must be it...'

  Suddenly there was a snap in the air nearby. Pharynx turned, first seeing a glimpse of an unfamiliar pony, then a blur of strong violet color. An unfathomable force unched him in the air and pressed with other changelings, equally bewildered.

  Pharynx had seen his share of battles before, but this pony was unlike anyone he witnessed, drawing her horn with frightening finesse and speed.

  "Unfair!" Femur groaned.

  The weird pony with both horn and wings—yeah, just like a changeling—weaved its magic, and in a blink of an eye Pharynx realized that he and others are falling somewhere in the river. He almost instantly submerged in water and began to violently work his legs.

  The stream was fairly strong, but he managed to resurface. Moon was shining on an unfamiliar forest ndscape, presumably far enough from Canterlot, since the city and its' memorable mountain were obscured by the trees. There were other changelings on the shore, at least a few dozen, cluelessly wandering and helping others to get from the water.

  "I can't swim!" cried Gaster, almost surrendering to the stream.

  Pharynx cursed under his breath and attempted to save the underling. The mistress would be furious when she finds out... If she finds out... If she cares.

  "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

  "That's enough, Starflower."

  Twilight attempted to step away, but Starflower intended to kiss all over her forehooves. The encounter scared the living daylights out of her, but all Twilight felt right now was sorrow and mild annoyance.

  Luckily, after almost a whole minute, Starflower relented. Finally freed, Twilight ignited her horn, pondering her next move.

  "Your Highness! Wait a second!" Starflower stood up, all covered in dust. "I have to talk to you, it's urgent!"

  "If you are worried about others, I believe you were the st one," grumbled Twilight. "Royal Guards helped me secure the school, and luckily, the changelings only attempted to herd you. Mostly. Some foals were bitten..."

  "No! Wait, well yes, I was worried, but, look..." Starflower took a breath and then uttered, goggling at her. "Princess Twilight Sparkle, I believe you are the only one who can save the world."

  That was unexpected. Twilight couldn't help but chuckle over the pretentiousness."Uh-huh," she said and scratched her temple.

  "No, seriously. Can you walk with me to my study? It'll only take a few minutes."

  Twilight was somewhat curious now what else can the night throw at her, so she shrugged in a halfhearted agreement. A little distraction could be worth it.

  They made their way through several dimly lit corridors and ascended a staircase. Twilight noticed how happy Starflower was. She was beaming each time their eyes met, and yet there were some awkward undertones, and each time there was some sound in the dark, Starflower was stopping in her tracks with and waited for Twilight to come along.

  Almost amusing, really.

  The huge raindrops were beating into the windows. The wind was roaring. The cavernous darkness above unraveled cataclysmic floodwaters and was trying to devour the city whole.

  "We are here," sighed Starflower, fiddling with the keys and then trotting into the room.

  The board inside was filled with different formus, and on the ground, there were discarded boxes of quick noodles (ugh, city food, Twilight almost forgot about it existing), as well as empty coffee paper cups. Twilight hummed, trying to guess what position Starflower holds around here—was she, like, a Starswirl's intern and a young aspiring teacher in the school at the same time? One could only wonder how many bits she makes per year.

  Still, Twilight was a little jealous.

  "Were you cooped up here for the whole past day?" she tried to sound normal, masking a wow, how lucky are you tone behind a little contempt. She failed badly.

  Luckily, Starflower didn't paid attention. "Oh? Yes, but look at this." She grabbed a ruler and pointed at lines on a board. "Do you see this equation? I made a request to nab some equipment from Tower to test it thoroughly, but then, you know, those changelings invaded, so I believe that we need to work with what we have." She smiled awkwardly.

  "Hmm." Twilight pursed her lips, taking her time to follow the calcutions. There wasn't anything groundbreaking, but Starflower apparently took their talk to the heart. The board was smeared in traces of wiped chalk and contained many corrections and few mistakes, but ultimately, the equations were about magical potency and the practical effect of energy application. "Yes, magical energy does constantly convert, we established that. As with any other energy, it cannot be neither created, nor destroyed. And I see you derived the Trot-Baltzponn constant thoroughly in each simuted instance, good job."

  "No, what I meant to... look, it might be only a specution, but in the st few years the output of magic had a dramatic increase, right? Have you noticed it? I wouldn't even figure it out without our talk, but there is a steady slow increment recently... Do you see those results? Here I lifted data based on research from one hundred years ago, here are only five years, here is recent... I would like to test it with your assistance, but I don't think we have the opportunity..."

  Twilight hung her head in deep thought. Somehow it was difficult to wrap her head around it and think of specifics, but the fellow researcher was right—everything definitely was slowly become more magical. "We defined the world as something that is in a constant state of transience..." she began to pondering, her eyes darting. Can it be tied to the broken Elements?

  "Yes. While I've worked on matters of transition of magical energy I've figured out that exertion of it leads only to the appearance of even more avaible magic, to an overall increase of potency. Magic isn't static, it permeates and penetrates everything, and it has the capability to be an infinite resource. So it is a perpetual cycle, see? We keep producing energy, taking it, producing even more, and It is as if the energy doesn't go anywhere, it only disperses. Technically, it is the same principle as with entropy that you mentioned yesterday."

  "So, entropy... but... b-but it means that Harmony is something that directly opposes entropy? This magical entropy? Not the other way around?" Twilight suddenly began to shake. "I thought of it only as a concept, but if we can consider Friendship as an immutable axiom on which we can build theories and allow the creation of new, then entropy... Oh, no, it can't be! It should be given the same treatment of consideration, is it not? W-wont Magic of Friendship will be increasing the entropy too? Will anything but direct harmonic—"

  She stopped herself.

  Starflower was looking with big frightened eyes.

  That one thousand years of retive peace they had between the banishment of Luna and her recent return—was it all a continuous state to force the entropy die down to more manageable levels? But the entropy can only increase...

  Uncertainty and chaos can only increase...

  Deterioration can only increase...

  There was something else worth considering. Starswirl said that the world is a tree, or something, and what does a tree do? Through the energy of the Sun, the energy that gives life, it converts carbon dioxide to produce oxygen—everyone knows that, well, at least every schor worth their salt. It would deem reasonable that this tree, this hypothetical World Tree if you will, does a simir function?

  Is it possible that their entire existence to keep Harmony is exactly to keep solving this problem of pervasive magical entropy?

  Does Celestia know about any of this? If so, then how much? Considering that everything is magic, how about the thought that beings who devour magic in some ways perform as an in-built coont system?

  And what about the most powerful magic users around, what about Celestia and Luna, anyway? As alicorns are known to be very powerful magical beings, it is possible that the sheer presence of these beings could be contributing to the overall magical entropy. If this theory is true, would the will of the world demand them to go away at some point, or diminish their presence somehow else? You certainly shouldn't have that many alicorns around in the world like this.

  But wait. Twilight is an alicorn too, she remembered. She is the Element of Magic...

  It's only a specution... Twilight tried to calm herself. She realized that she was just sitting with opened mouth, and promptly snapped her jaw shut.

  "Starflower," she whimpered, "it is terrible. I don't know what to say. We need to—... We might need to look into this deeper."

  "We have to. At some point in time, if it keeps going, the world will be oversaturated with magic of all kind." Starflower fervently nodded. "When it comes to a boiling point—"

  "It will colpse," Twilight finished. "Maybe it will happen only in a few years, maybe in a few hundred, but who knows? It all will become more complex, until disorder will become an absolute order, and new variables would just stop appearing... Until we know for sure that this theory is correct, the magic needs to be managed with care. Maybe your project, concerning the transformation of magical matter, will even help somehow." She imagined a scenario in which all magic in the world must be suppressed, and a shiver went down her spine. Is something like that truly can happen? Twilight wiped cold sweat from her forehead. "Yes, it must be fixable," she said resolutely. "Go to Starswirl with it. All of it. We might have to push our heads together and figure something out."

  "Are you mad? No way I'm staying in the city." Starflower tittered. "I will leave a copy of my research and will find him after everything cools down, but I'm not some kind of insane magic user like you two."

  "Starflower—"

  "Don't even start, Princess! I've told you, isn't that enough?"

  Twilight sighed and mustered a confident smile. "I meant to say, 'be safe'. I understand."

  She didn't really know why she came here. To look at it, maybe.

  Now, as the dark of night and the rain had befallen on Canterlot, the Tower appeared so imposing and alien. It was twisted like a branch that was protruding from the side of a supporting ptform of the city, giving an impression that it was being spped on haphazardly, without consideration of how it would fit into the aesthetic.

  It was like a parasite, or simply something too new and unusual, if it made any sense.

  The direct teleportation inside did not work, she already tried it out of curiosity. With her foreleg raised, she was lingering before the door, aware that someone will answer to her knocking. After a little while of standing like that, she bumped her forehead against it, and heaved a deep sigh.

  Even if no one will answer, she could replicate the teleportation circle from the Library with ease... but what will be the point?

  No, there was nothing to be gained there. In all that vast, lofty Tower, with all its halls, crooks, and crannies, there literally was nothing that wasn't unknown or unreachable to her to some degree.

  All those artifacts, and histories, and secrets, all dirty little stories from ancient times... To lean into them would be knowledgeable and reasonable, and for sure there was some 'smart' expnation of everything magical, of everything that had occurred, based on facts and traditional logic... Twilight imagined Starswirl, who was humphing and nodding his head, looking at some complex and detailed schematic of mechanics for transcendental conjunctions, and the absurdity of the scene made her giggle.

  Worst of all, he could calm down her again. Twilight didn't want to be calmed. His authoritative and cutting voice sometimes made her feel all kinds of servile feelings that she simply didn't need right now. She was worried that if he says again to not worry about the future, she will do exactly that, and will mirror this wise, weighted, and thoughtful approach, which simply smelled like something antique by itself.

  Yes, this whole pce, the whole Canterlot even, it just gave off the impression of something very old... How could she never notice that? Was she too enchanted by its' beauty?

  Starswirl hardly could help her. Not to say that every wasted second meant that Celestia suffered more and more. When Twilight remembered that, she exhaled sharply and stepped back. It came to her mind that it might be the first time in her life when she makes a conscious choice against books, and she ughed loudly.

  'It seems that even books and infinite knowledge aren't as important as certain someponies.'

  It was all about the momentum now. She needed to preserve it...

  Actually, many things were about momentum, about rhythm, occurrence, causality, and sensation. Twilight remembered Zecora who was in tune with nature—literally—and wished that she would've been nearby instead of that old mage who was too list in the feelings of self-worth and was measuring everything through the lens of it.

  No, the heart must be humble. It doesn't deny any self-esteem, but only makes you see things clearer and without bias.

  Twilight lowered her magic shield, and lifted her little vender muzzle to the ongoing rain, smiling. She instantly got soaking wet, and then shook up with her whole body, ughing. It didn't help of course! But it felt good! It helped her feel!

  Then, she took a moment to recall her recent findings, but now without the grim context.

  Everything grows stronger, more pronounced, more beautiful, and more complex with every second of living, and everything around her brimmed with new possibilities.

  Everything is Magic.

  Everything.

  Everything!

  So, she was literally breathing magic. It was such a peculiar and sudden realization, that Twilight forgot how to breathe.

  And then, she took the sweetest and longest breath of her life.

  The darkness was suffocating, sure, but now, she could breathe in it, she knew how to breathe in it. She understood that she can take as much magic as she would want, and it will help her in her endeavor. The option was always there, but Twilight simply never could realize it... Though, 'realize' might be an incorrect operative word here, Twilight couldn't 'see' it before. She couldn't 'sense' it before, in a way that only 'she' could see it or 'sense', as it was something directly reted to her... specialties.

  She grinned wide, staring at the Royal Pace, and then took a step closer. 'I am free. I am still afraid, but it is alright. The future is unknown and dark, but it is alright. Magic is here. Magic is me.'

  In her soul, a fire was bzing.

  The world is quite simple. You make an action, you see a reaction, reactions, unending chaining reactions, sequences and consequences.

  And actions were happening all the time, all the time was happening all the time. Twilight saw it all around. All magic... living, breathing magic...

  To describe it, Starswirl would've said 'there are rules'. Zecora would've said 'there's rhyme'.

  But Twilight? She just hummed a song now, energetic and washing away the morose trepidation, and was raising up a brilliant horn with a huge grin on her face.

  The changelings were roaming the main square in front of the Royal Pace, waiting for an army that never came. The regiment of the Royal Guard was busy liberating the city one building at a time, so the changelings grouped near the fortified position: the main royal building, intended to be the st line of defense for the city's protectors. Except, as far as Twilight could see, they didn't try to get inside the Pace, and mostly patrolled the territory,

  It was a tiny bit funny. A few years ago at the first invasion she would've been hopeless against such a number of little beasts, as they captured her and the girls right somewhere at the same spot. But now? Oh, how the tables have turned.

  She shifted in anticipation, feeling how the smile is widening on her muzzle. Yes, she could've just sneaked past all those clueless monstrosities, but if there was an opportunity to thin out this dark herd, she needed to use it. She cast a final look over them, took a step forward, and spread her wings. There was a desire to say something suitably pompous, like any other alicorn surely would've, but she didn't come up with anything and just screamed at the top of her lungs, lifting the invisibility spell:"Hey, you!"

  She teleported to them before they could figure out what is going on. Teleportation was just as easy for her as taking a step, flicking a tail, or blinking her eyes. After all, Everything is Magic.

  Magic is Easy

  Everything

  is

  E?A?S?Y

  'I have never considered the possibility that an entity could literally be its own magic, a concept I find incredibly intriguing. This theory suggests that an entity's inherent existence could be a source of its magical power, which would imply that this entity has a unique affinity for magic and is able to harness its own energy to produce magical effects.'Stomp of the hoof, and gravitation changed under the few dozen on the left. They were completely helpless, buzzing their wings and craning their necks, trying to figure out what's happening. Step, teleportation, turn, a group is running at her. Little spell, and the ground underneath them transformed into ice. Twilight giggled, and caught one under her leg, as they rolled and tumbled about around her. She wanted a little experimentation on the field. 'This is a worrisome hypothesis and one that warrants further investigation. If this is true, then it raises the possibility that entities such as alicorns, which are traditionally considered to be exceptionally powerful magic users, may in fact be infused with magic and thus have a unique ability to manipute it. This would suggest that the very existence of an entity may have a profound impact on the overall magical entropy of the universe, which is a fascinating concept to consider.'There was a certain method, process, and rhythm. Steps and spins, twirls and leaps. Pulling, lifting, taking, using. She ignited the horn, lightly touched the specimen, and watched how it transformed into potted sunflower. At the same time, another changeling tried to leap at her from a fnk, so Twilight teleported a hundred meters deeper into the square, and then, as startled beasts begun to sluggishly turn to her, teleported on top of one of the buildings. She kept the sunflower with her, tugging on magical strings and looking at how it transformed into a little toy cart, then into a musical box, then into a doll, and finally into a little adorable bulldog puppy. The puppy was scared beyond its' wits, so it began barking, and Twilight released it from her aura, ughing. The specimen dashed away immediately.

  'The universe folds and bends.'

  So, that's the fabled magic of chaos? A bit unusual. It tasted like raspberry ice cream and crunched just like universal ws under her hoof, in other words, an unhealthy, calorie-rich dish. Very enticing!

  'Somewhere, somehow, in the world full of hectic energy, there was a pattern.'

  Twilight reared, and leaned into an arch, moduting the next surge of magic and spreading into a vast and long cone of energy. Surrounding changelings tried to cover themselves with little magic shields, showing some skill. How pitiful they are! She made one-third of them teleport away, the second-third fall asleep, and the st-third blew up in pinkish smoke. It was a bit overkill though, but Twilight giggled nonetheless.'Furthermore, if this concept is indeed accurate, then it may provide a new perspective in the study and understanding of the magic that permeates the world. It would suggest that an entity's individual nature and inherent qualities may be directly reted to the magic that surrounds them, making the individual a unique source of magic and potentially providing a deeper understanding of the nature of this force.'Meanwhile, those changelings, which were unched in the air without an effect of gravitational pull, already reached a suitable enough height. Twilight fpped her wings, teleported next to them, grabbed them with aura and somewhat clumsily turned with them in the air. She never practiced it before, but it was forgivable for the first time. She condensed the whole group and positioned them against the bckened stormy sky, where, for a few moments, clouds dispersed and the Moon showed itself. It looked like the beasts realized what was going on and began to struggle and scream, but Twilight pulled them all closer, quickly calcuted trajectory, and unched them like from a giant magical slingshot.'This may also provide insight into the way a particur individual or entity interacts with and uses magic, creating a more comprehensive understanding of the specific properties and qualities of magic and how those properties affect or are influenced by individual beings and entities.'Then there were little twinkles on the Moon, as changelings successfully completed their first moon nding in history. Presumably.'This would suggest that magic is a dynamic and variable force, which can fluctuate and change over time based on a variety of factors. This would also suggest that magic is not a finite resource, in contrast to what has been observed with other natural forces.'Twilight fpped wings and dodged several more of her assaints, reached down to the ground, and fell on it with a shockwave of magical force, throwing and tossing enemies in all direction. She began to feel a little exertion. There were considerably fewer changelings around, and the fire was still going strong inside of her, but she might've needed to finish them without any dey. Her attention was drawn to a group, charging at her from the gates of the Royal Pace. These changelings were cd in bckened armor and wielding curved swords, as well as carrying shields—another elite-types, just like that one she battled in school.'It is also suggested that the existence of alicorns could be a contributing factor to the overall magical entropy of the universe. As alicorns are known as very powerful magical beings, it is possible that the sheer presence Oh no—She readied a special spell for them, when all of a sudden, a pain in the ankle startled her and made her look underneath. A song on her lips died out. One of the little bastards managed to crawl up to her somehow and bit into the leg.

  "Let go of me!" Twilight cried, bucking it into the head, but it grasped her tail and fnk, dragging her to the ground. The indignity! Twilight fell, whinnied, feeling how her magical trance is breaking apart, and everything suddenly became real, too real—

  In a fsh, a steel run through the nape of the changeling, and it gave out an agonizing hiss of death. Twilight blinked in disbelief and gave a huge smile. It was Shining Armor. Her brother emerged from somewhere, his horn ignited, a sword in one hoof, a strange contraption mounted on the other. He lifted it, it clicked, and an explosion wiped away most of the armored changelings. The remaining ones jumped to the sides, flying, attempting to spread out.

  "Shiney, what are you doing here?" Twilight cried happily, grabbing his hoof and getting up. "Are you crazy!?"

  "Are you?" He smiled.

  "I am magic!" she procimed proudly.

  They continued battling together. Shining was working with his sword, hacking and skewering little monsters, and Twilight was moving with him almost intuitively, no longer holding back her raw magical prowess. A barrage of her spells wasn't too complicated in design, but it was enough to both cover her brother and let him cover her back. Feeling extra vengeful, Twilight let a purplish bolt of lightning out and sniped one of the enemy soldiers who tried to fly away. That's for Dash.

  Steel cshed, Shining was spinning among enemies, and Twilight unched another shockwave and smmed them into the nearby wall. They both pressed their backs, watching with ignited horns how even more changelings ran at them from the streets. There was even that bulldog puppy, charging in the first row.

  "Go, go!" Shining cried. The way to the Royal Pace was clear.

  They galloped, teleporting forward haphazardly, making their way through the pace gardens and then up the long white staircase to the main hall. The doors were wide open. Twilight ran into the coldness and calmness of the building, surprised by the echo of her own hooves, and how peaceful it seemed inside.

  Shining was right behind her. He smmed the front doors shut before the flying horde, reached for the deadbolt, slid it in securing the door. They both ran up another staircase and took a turn to the rge hallway that led to the Throne Room. There was another lockable door. Shining worked with a tch, securing it as well.

  Heavily breathing, Twilight was startled by a loud thud. The changelings tried to kick in the front door. There was a sound of breaking gss.

  "Go, Twiley," said Shining grimly, licking his lips and brandishing the sword, dark from the changeling's blood.

  "But you..." she began, and in the hornlight, saw him fshing a confident smile.

  "Just go, I know what I'm doing. Go and tear that Queen a new one!"

  "Right!"

  She turned and ran down the hallway, trying not to think too hard about it, to not let trepidation settle in. Soon, the darkness around became even richer, and she heard only her own trembling breath. Just a few turns and a few passageways, and she will reach her destination. She knew these corridors since she was a filly... But where is everyone? Where's Celestia???????From somewhere up ahead came a beautiful song.