"Hope is the last to die."
François de la Rochefoucauld
Chapter 8: Over the Horizon
The room seemed to constantly be spinning for the wounded king, who moaned heavily on the floor, spams of pain coursing through his muscular body. He was panting heavily, trying to recover after having received a potent blast of energy from the Crystal Heart.
With great effort, Sombra opened his eyes, only to close them after a moment, as the light of the royal bedroom seemed to blind the aching monarch. A few seconds later, he opened them again and gazed around the chamber, pointlessly hoping to see the purple unicorn somewhere.
He shook his legs, clumsily trying to get up, but only succeeded in kicking away parts of the broken desk which he had shattered upon impact, after having been sent flying through the room by the magical relic's powerful burst.
Starting to feel contractions in his chest, the tyrant coughed loudly, seeking to ease his discomfort. His entire torso seemed to burn with every breath he took.
Unwilling to just lie there, the black unicorn gathered his strength and pushed down firmly on his legs, finally managing to stand up. Feeling dizzy, the stallion again closed his eyes for several moments, shaking his head in order to recover.
He then took a step forward and was met with a painful shock stemming all the way from his lower abdomen up to his face. Looking down, the king ground his teeth in rage upon seeing the source of the pain: a deep wound had appeared on his flesh, stretching from his stomach to his left eye; it was narrow and crooked, similar to the mark a lightning bolt leaves when hitting a surface.
Touching his visage with his hoof, he was greeted by a small drop of blood falling from his eye. With a mixture of fear and anger burning in his heart, the monarch let out a ferocious yell which thundered throughout the chamber. He started foaming at the mouth, thinking about what he would do to the treacherous young mare once he caught her.
Wishing to exit the bedroom, he took a few more steps forward and stopped when he again felt discomfort emanating from his lower regions. This time, the origin of the pain was a lot more amusing, although not to the irritated tyrant. His penis, which had been seconds away from climaxing just a few minutes ago, was still erect, unhappy it hadn't achieved release. As the king walked, the massive member swung between his limbs, hitting them while it slowly shrunk in size.
Trying to ignore the embarrassing obstacle, Sombra carefully advanced towards the door, drawing heavy breaths with each step. He could hear small drips of blood falling from his wound, but refused to look down, both out of haste and out of terror.
Knowing he would make little progress on his own, the stallion dementedly shouted for his servants, "Guards! GUARDS! Come to me this instant!" His vicious yells were accompanied by frantic hoof-thumps which could be heard all the way from the corridor.
Two soldiers were walking up the nearby staircase, on patrol duty, when their master's furious howl echoed through the hall. The black unicorn's tone became more and more menacing with each second, and the other sounds coming from his private quarters indicated how violent he had become.
The crystal ponies instantly stopped and looked at each other with a puzzled gaze, unsure of how to react to their king's commands. After a few seconds of silent glares, they both turned around and walked down the stairs, unwilling to have to face the monarch.
In the meantime, the purple unicorn was running as fast as she could through the hallways of the Crystal Castle, rushing back towards the Dark Tower. Her hair fluttered wildly and the Crystal Heart dangled around her neck, while she roamed the fortress, relying on her photographic memory to get back to her friends.
Upon entering one of the corridors, Twilight Sparkle was yelled at by a disgruntled soldier who seemed surprised to see the young mare racing by, "Hey, you! Stop where you are and …"
Before the guard could utter another word, he was blasted into a wall by a wave of energy which had emanated for the purple unicorn's horn and got stunned by the impact.
Continuing her journey practically undeterred, Twilight said a faint "Sorry, gotta run!" as she whisked past the crystal pony.
Her mind was focused solely on the fate of her five best friends. Fearing the worst would happen to them if she didn't arrive on time, the mare lifted her head and prayed out loud, "Princess Celestia, please don't let me be too late. Please let them be alright!"
Drawing heavy breaths in order to keep her lungs going, the concerned pony pushed on with all her might, running faster than she ever had before. For the first time in several days, hope once again shined in her heart, making the jewel around her neck radiate a pristine white light.
However, within the confines of the Dark Tower, the atmosphere was a lot grimmer. The girls were still bound to the wooden posts, pointlessly struggling to escape, while just outside, King Sombra's soldiers were discussing among them, the members of the previous shift instructing their colleagues on what their dark lord had demanded.
Salty tears fell from their eyes while the mares shook in terror in the sinister chamber, afraid of the awful fate which awaited them. Their broken hearts were beating painfully fast and their heads were bowed down in sorrow.
Huffing loudly, trying to stop herself from weeping, Applejack spoke with a bitter tone, "I still don't believe Twilight could betray us like that. She must have something planned."
The orange earth pony had said what a lot of the other girls were thinking, and what some wished they could believe. None of the members of the mane six looked forward to what was about to happen to them, and their pain was amplified by the purple unicorn's apparent treachery.
Grinding her teeth and refusing to say anything, Rainbow Dash increased her struggles, tugging on the ropes with all her might, not slowing down for a second. Even though the bindings dug into her tender flesh and hurt, the blue pegasus was determined not to give up, as she fought to escape.
Noticing the inefficiency of her friend's efforts, Rarity would have liked to speak up and urge Rainbow to save her strength, but couldn't bring herself to utter a single word. The white unicorn shed a tear from her still blackened eye and looked around the room at her companions, wandering if she would ever see them again.
Pinkie Pie tried as hard as she could to think of a joke, in hopes of lightening the mood, but not even the jovial earth pony could cope with the desperate situation. In spite of her optimism, the pink mare was unable to find any way of escaping. Deadly afraid for herself and her closest friends, she just closed her eyes and tried to think about all the things that normally made her happy.
Rather uncharacteristically of her, Fluttershy had a serious expression on her face and didn't shed a tear. She had stopped crying a while ago and just looked down towards the floor, saying a prayer for all of the fluffy critters she loved so much but would likely never lay eyes upon again. After a few minutes, she lifted her head, hoping to address her friends and try to lift their spirits. However, when she opened her mouth, all she could say was, "Oh my goodness!" as she saw two soldiers entering the room.
The night shift had arrived. They were clad in black armors and wore spiked helmets. One of the stallions had a sharp blade in his hooves, made from the finest steel, while the other carried a heavy mace.
Looking at the prisoners, the guard wielding the sword asked, "Which one of the two pegasi is it?"
With a grim tone, his colleague responded, "The blue one. Can't you tell by the way she is struggling?"
Staring back at them with burning hatred, Rainbow Dash burst out, "What do you two wimps want with me? If you think you're tough, just untie me and then we'll see what you're made of!"
Chuckling at the mare's taunts, the guards ignored her provocation and just walked slowly towards her. As the crystal pony with the blade moved behind the blue pegasus, he condescendingly affirmed, "Check out the attitude on this one. The guys will have a swell time in the barracks tonight. But first thing's first." He then firmly grabbed his sword in one hoof while extending his other leg towards Rainbow Dash's right wing.
Seeing what the soldier was about do made the blue pegasus sweat nervously, as she fluttered her wings wildly, trying to prevent them from being cut off. Pushing her legs against the ropes, she tried to break free, but to no avail.
Desperately seeking to spare her friend, Rarity turned her head towards the stallions and winked provocatively, before trying to seduce them in an alluring tone, "Please, you strapping gentlecolts, won't you spare that mare's wings? She is extremely sorry for what she did and will be very grateful if you show mercy, and so will I. Allow me to demonstrate exactly how DEEP my gratitude can be!"
After smiling at the white unicorn, the guard wielding the mace turned towards his colleague and inquired, "Should we take her up on the offer?"
Not even bothering to lift his eyes, his companion replied, "Sure, if you want the king to kill us and our families. That one is going to the harem, so don't even jerk off to her in your dreams!" He then grabbed Rainbow Dash's right wing and approached the blade to its base.
Appalled by what the stallions were doing, Pinkie Pie protested, "Don't you dare touch her wings, you meanies! Let her go this minute, otherwise I will get over there and punch you both in the nose!"
Giving himself a facehoof, the soldier with the blunt weapon stated, "Oh boy, this must be the nut we've been warned about. We will deal with her last."
Fluttershy watched in horror as the blade got closer and closer to her friend's feathers. With a pleading voice, the yellow made asked, "Please, cut off my wings instead. I don't use them anyway. I beg you, just spare hers!"
Noticing that the shy pegasus's pleas fell on deaf years, Applejack tried to intervene, "Listen fellas, you are making a big mistake! King Sombra specifically ordered that mare not to be harmed! If y'all …"
Not allowing the blonde earth pony to finish her statement, one of the guards interrupted, "Oh we won't harm her, we will just cut off some excess weight."
As she felt the cold steel next to the base of her majestic wing, a tear fell from Rainbow Dash's eye and she started to shake, feeling more afraid than she ever had been in her life. All her struggles, all her protests, all her bravery had been in vain. It seemed that the courageous pony could do nothing to save her beloved flappers. As she closed her eyes, numerous wondrous memories of her flying rapidly through the crisp morning air, of all the races she had won and of the magnificent sonic rainbooms she had performed flashed before her. What would the blue pegasus do without her wings? How could she ever become a Wonderbolt? Would Rainbow Dash even be herself anymore?
In her most desperate moment, Rainbow decided to cast away her pride for a second and attempted to negotiate, "Wait, please, listen to me. You don't need to do this …"
Laughing at the prisoner's predicament, the guard holding the sword stated, "Trust me, we do!"
As the metal began to cut into her wing, a drop of blood fell out and dripped over the sharp blade, landing on the floor. With tears in her eyes, Rainbow lifted her head towards the ceiling and screamed frantically, "I need a miracle!"
Moments later, a mystical beam flew across the room and hit the soldier in his chest, sending him tumbling across the floor.
After the sword fell to the ground, the blue pegasus sighed in relief and gently flapped her right wing, barely able to believe it was still attached to her body.
The eyes of all the ponies in the chamber turned towards the door, the direction from which the magical blast had come.
Unable to fathom what they were witnessing, the jaws of the five girls dropped to the floor, as their eyes lit up with glee and their hearts filled up with joy. Twilight Sparkle had entered the Dark Tower. With her mane flowing wildly and the Crystal Heart shining around her neck, she looked almost like an alicorn princess, an angel sent to save the mares in their time of need.
The purple unicorn smiled warmly, as she gazed back at her friends. Thinking at what Rainbow Dash had said, Twilight replied, "You don't need a miracle, you just need to never give up hope!"
Grabbing his mace and charging towards the mare standing in the doorway, the other soldier screamed, "Are you with the northern resistance? I'll bash your head in!"
Staring at her aggressor with determination, Twilight Sparkle channeled energy in her horn and let out a flash of light which blinded the crystal pony, causing him to drop his weapon as he took a few steps back to rub his eyes.
Before the guard could recover, the purple unicorn used telekinesis to levitate the mace off the ground and roughly smack him in the head with it, rendering him out cold. Walking passed her unconscious opponent, Twilight grinned and proclaimed, "That'll pump some sense into you!"
Sighing with relief, overjoyed to see that their friend had returned, Applejack smiled widely and proclaimed, "Well ain't ya' a sight for sore eyes!"
Feeling a great burden lifted of her heart, Rarity burst out in joy, "Darling, you sure know how to make an entrance!"
Shedding a few tears of joy, Fluttershy added, "Twilight. You returned! Thank goodness! We were so worried that you might have …"
With a fake look of surprise on her face, the purple mare responded in a sarcastic tone, "Betrayed you? Oh girls, whatever gave you that idea?"
Trying to chuckle innocently, Rainbow Dash said, "Yeah … he he … we knew you were just faking it!"
Using her telekinesis, Twilight lifted the sword off the floor and cut the ropes holding the blue pegasus tied up. Looking around the room, she addressed the mares with a deeply sincere tone, "You know you're all my very best friends! I would never dream of double-crossing any of you, not for all the magical secrets and knowledge in the word. I was just pretending, hoping to trick King Sombra ... and it worked!"
Not able to contain herself anymore, with a mixture of frustration and unparalleled happiness in her soul, Pinkie Pie yelled out, "Well you sure could have fooled me! Remind me to never play truth or dare with you, ever. You had us all worried sick. There is just one thing I can say to you, and that is … thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you for rescuing us! How did you get the heart? Did you punch that jerk in the nose and walk away?"
While levitating the blade and moving it near Applejack's ropes, Twilight replied, "Let's just say … he got what was coming to him. And it was a lot worse than just a punch in the nose!"
With a sinister smile on her face and a devilish twitch in her eyes, the pink earth pony declared, "I hope you punched something way more delicate than his nose!"
All of the mane six burst into laughter, each secretly hoping the worst had happened to their tormentor.
After a few more minutes, all of the mares were freed from their bindings. Delighted, they started shaking their legs, trying to relieve the numbness. The two pegasi fluttered their wings, one of them being particularly thankful that she was able to do so.
The eyes of the ponies then focused upon Twilight Sparkle, who had the Crystal Heart around her neck. Seeing the shining jewel once again in their possession filled the mares' own hearts with hope, causing the relic to shine even brighter, as its power was slowly recovering.
Shedding a few tears of joy, the mane six slowly approached each other and shared a passionate group hug, deeply thankful to have been spared from their gruesome fates. The past few days had been a living nightmare. However, now it seemed lady luck had smiled upon the girls. They were once again united and finally had a real opportunity to escape.
Looking up at the ceiling, Fluttershy warmly said, "Thank you, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, for watching over us!"
Thinking clearly, Twilight interrupted the touching reunion and stated the obvious, "Girls, now is not the time to relax. We must escape the castle as soon as possible. Is everypony able to run?"
Putting a confident look on her face, hiding her pain and trying to look as strong as possible, Applejack bravely answered, "We sure are!" but quickly betrayed her true condition when she huffed in pain after taking a few steps.
Looking towards the blond mare, Rainbow Dash confessed, "Applejack, don't kid yourself. Girls, AJ has been injured … badly, by that low life. She won't be able to run very fast!"
Refusing to succumb to her wounds, the orange earth pony protested, "Hush now sugar cube, you know that's not true. I can still beat you in a race, just like I did last time …"
Knowing there was no time for jokes, Twilight Sparkle interrupted, "Applejack, we can't risk it. We all know how strong you are, but now is not the time for false bravado. Rainbow, you seem to still have your strength! Can you please help AJ?"
With a determined look, the blue pegasus went near the blond mare and gently grabbed her left foreleg. Grasping her friend tightly, she smiled warmly towards her and proclaimed, "Of course! I would do anything for Applejack!"
"The rest of us are alright. A bit tired, but more than capable to run!" added Rarity.
Sighing in relief, Twilight Sparkle continued, "Glad to hear that! We cannot foolishly rush towards the main exit, that will be swarming with guards. When I was taken out of here, I saw a corridor which appeared to lead to the battlements. I think it's our only chance of escape. Follow me everypony!"
With that, the six mares quickly exited the sinister Dark Tower and swiftly followed the purple unicorn towards their destination. As they rushed through the hallways and chambers of the Crystal Castle, multiple guards stepped in their way, wishing to capture the fleeing prisoners, only to be immediately blasted away by Twilight Sparkle's powerful magic.
Since the war had started, most of the crystal ponies had been drafted into King Sombra's army. There were only a few servants left to guard the fortress, since the tyrant saw himself as all-powerful and considered that he needed little protection. The main problem, however, would be the multiple patrols stationed just outside the castle, in anticipation of a rescue attempt by the northern resistance.
After running through several corridors and up multiple sets of stairs, the mares had finally reached the battlements. As they stepped outside onto the castle's thick walls, they were greeted by the chilling northern winds. Normally, the icy touch of the frozen air would send shivers of discomfort down their spines, but the former prisoners were so grateful to feel the breeze on their faces and to once again see the sky, that to them the barren landscape seemed like a paradise.
Once above the massive bastion, the girls scanned the terrain, hoping to find a clearing through which they could make a break for it. The snowy plains situated under the outpost tower in the corner of the fortifications seemed opportune for this.
Approaching the parapet, Pinkie Pie gazed towards the ground and, with a frown upon her face, stated, "That sure is a looooong way down!"
Desperately looking around, trying to find a solution, Rarity claimed, "There must be another way!"
Suddenly, the sound of thundering hooves and rattling armors emanated from the stairway of the nearby outpost tower.
Realizing that more soldiers would soon storm the battlements and dreading getting caught again, Twilight Sparkle took a deep breath and addressed her friends with utmost determination, "Girls, listen up! I know it sounds crazy, but we have to make the jump!"
Playfully tapping the purple unicorn's forehead with her hoof, Pinkie Pie exclaimed, "Twily, have you gone nuts? There's at least a hundred feet to the bottom. We would never make it!"
Dispelling the pink mare's concern, Twilight stated, "We have to try! Rainbow Dash, you must carry both Pinkie and AJ to the bottom. It may sound hard, but I know you can do it!"
Donning a worried look on her visage, Applejack protested, "Now hold on there! I don't think we're as skinny as you might …"
"Of course I can do it! I will get them both down safely in ten seconds flat. Just watch me" interrupted Rainbow Dash, as she quickly grabbed both earth ponies by their foreleg and started flapping her wings.
Turning towards the yellow pegasus, the purple unicorn requested, "Fluttershy, just follow Rainbow Dash and help her if you can. I know you're not as fast as she is, but try your best."
With a resolute expression on her face, the pink-haired mare replied, "You can count on my Twilight!"
Finally, the purple unicorn approached Rarity and touched the white unicorn's horn with her own. Channeling the power of the Crystal Heart, she sent waves of cleansing energy, dispelling the horrid black crystals which prevented the dressmaker from using her magic.
Delighted, the fashionista lit up her horn and lovingly hugged her friend, giving sincere thanks, "You are the most gifted unicorn in all of Equestria. Celestia must be so proud to have you as her student!"
Genuinely touched by the dressmaker's comment, Twilight hugged her back. Still fully aware of the gravity of the situation, the purple unicorn made her request, "Rarity, it's your turn to show us how skilled you are at magic. Use your horn to levitate yourself to the ground!"
Shifting her expression from admiration to fear, the white mare immediately protested, "You can't be serious! You are good with magic, but I could never do that! I just use my horn to lift scissors and materials for my dresses, what makes you think I can levitate my entire body?"
Looking directly into her friend's eyes, Twilight exclaimed, "Because I believe in you! You are the most passionate pony I have ever seen. Imagine you have to lift the biggest, most elegant piece of silk for the dress you will make for Princess Celestia to wear at the Grand Galloping Gala. I know you can do it … you have to!"
Knowing full well what would happen if she didn't try, Rarity smiled back at her friend. She then took a deep breath and promised, "Very well. I shall do it … FOR FASHION!"
The white unicorn then took a leap of faith off the wall and used her magic to slow her fall, levitating herself in the air as much as she could.
Fluttershy followed closely behind, rapidly flapping her wings, ready to step in should Rarity's magic fail.
As Rainbow Dash prepared take off with the two earth ponies, she looked behind and noticed Twilight was not moving. The purple unicorn looked with fierce rage towards the door of the outpost tower, anticipating the arrival of the enemy.
Confused, the blue pegasus shouted, "Twilight, come on! What are you doing?"
Turning back towards her friend, the purple mare commented, "What I have to! I must buy you girls some time, otherwise the alarm will sound and you will be captured once more."
Hearing what the unicorn had said made Rainbow Dash's heart break in two. Refusing to listen, she burst out, "Are you crazy? Just come with us. Those slowpokes will never catch up!"
Lifting her voice, Twilight Sparkle yelled back, "Stop being so stubborn will you! Please, for once, just trust me. Do you want our friends to get caught again? You know what Sombra will do if that happens, right? You must run! Don't you dare stay here or come back for me!"
Shedding several tears, the blue pegasus said, "I can't just leave you here all alone."
Putting a confident grin on her face and pointing towards the Crystal Heart, the purple unicorn replied, "I'm not alone. I have this. My magic is strong, thanks to the hope which you five have in your own hearts. I don't want that hope to fade. I must do this! Please, promise me you'll just run."
Looking away from her friend, Rainbow Dash shed a salty tear and flew over the walls with the two earth ponies, saying a soft "I promise," as parting words.
Finally alone, Twilight Sparkle looked at her friends who had made it down safely and had begun to run through the thick snow towards the north, hoping to flee as far away from the dreaded Crystal Castle as possible.
Now that no pony was able to see her, the purple unicorn shed a tear and put her hoof over her rapidly beating heart. She hated to admit it, but she was deadly afraid. Still, despite her enormous terror, she had sworn to herself that she would not allow the demented tyrant to harm another mare, especially her beloved friends.
Standing near the corner of the fortifications and facing the narrow door of the outpost tower, the mare gulped to remove the lump which had formed in her throat. She then donned a serious expression, determined to buy the girls as much time as possible.
As the sound of hooves came closer and closer, Twilight lit up her horn and pointed it towards the door of the tower, ready to face whoever would appear.
Suddenly, the darkness of the doorway was lit up by two green eyes, which stared with utmost hatred at the purple mare, piercing into her soul.
Knowing full well who it was, Twilight ground her teeth in rage, as she gazed upon the architect of the most tragic moment in her life.
With slow and heavy steps, King Sombra stepped into the battlements, donning a fearful frown on his visage. His once royal demeanor has disappeared and now the monarch looked more like a monster than a pony. The stallion's mane was messy, fluttering wildly in the wind, not being held in place by the crystal crown which usually adorned his head. The tyrant's red cape was missing and his only garments were sharp pieces of hoof armor attached to his legs. The king's exposed chest showed his gruesome wound, extending from his abdomen to his eye, still dripping occasional drops blood. The black unicorn was not wearing his silver armor, undoubtedly due to the pain it would cause if it touched his scarred body.
Being face to face with the young mare made the tyrant's eyes twitch with madness. He huffed heavily, as she slowly approached his prey.
Twilight felt a shiver crawl down her spine. She had hoped she would never have to see her tormentor ever again, and yet, here she was, face to face with the ruler of the Crystal Empire. Trying to calm her rapidly beating heart, she took deep breaths and focused her mind only on the battle which would soon follow.
Hoping to annoy the monarch, the purple unicorn smiled mockingly and, staring at the gaping wound on her enemy's chest, stated, "That's a pretty scar I gave you!"
Grunting fiercely, the stallion replied, "It's nothing compared to what I will give you!"
As Twilight prepared to fire her magic towards Sombra, three more figures rapidly walked out the door of the outpost tower. When the young mare gazed upon them, she was filled with disgust and dread by their hideous appearance.
"What are those … things?" asked a repulsed Twilight!
The Tenebras had appeared, having sensed their master's call. Before any other soldier could even react, the three shadow ponies rushed from the dungeons which they were guarding to their king's side, ready to aid him in any way. Now, they lined up behind the monarch, awaiting a command from the dark lord.
Donning a sinister smile, the black unicorn gazed behind at his three creations and proclaimed, "They are just my … friends from the other side."
Looking towards Twilight, Sombra caught a glimpse of the other five mares, running in the distance. They were trotting through the landscape, rushing away from his castle. Chuckling maniacally, the tyrant threatened, "Speaking of friends, yours will soon be in my clutches again! My soldiers will catch them by daybreak."
Angrily stomping the ground with her hoof, Twilight boldly claimed, "No, they won't! I will stop them!"
With a condescending tone, the stallion replied, "I told you before, don't make promises that you cannot keep!"
Lighting up her horn even brighter, the young mare pointed it at the monarch and proclaimed, "I intend to keep ALL of my promises!"
Squinting his eyes, the king inquired, "Are you referring to the one you've made in your cell, or the one you've made in my bed? Unless you have forgotten, you belong to me now, Twilight Sparkle!"
With an irritated tone, the young mare answered, "Ponies are not objects ... they do not BELONG to you!"
Amused by the Twilight's determination, Sombra laughed loudly and said, "Such bravado! Where is the little mare who cowered and cried when I took her flower?"
Staring back at her tormentor with a vindictive gaze, the purple unicorn responded, "That frightened mare is gone. The pony who stands before you now is not afraid ... and she will make sure that you never rape another mare ever again!"
Lighting up his red horn, the monarch declared, "I will rape countless more, including your beloved Princess Celestia! But first, I shall show you what happens to those who dare harm their king!"
With that, he focused all his dark energy and fired an abyssal lightning bolt at Twilight Sparkle. As the jolt flew through the air towards its target, it let out a horrific shriek. Seeing it coming, the purple unicorn channeled the magic of the heart and summoned a durable crystal shield in front of her which absorbed the projectile.
Frowning, the vengeful stallion threatened, "I shall enjoy snatching the Crystal Heart from your cold dead body." He then pointed his hoof towards the young mare and ordered, "Tenebras, attack!"
In an instant, the three creatures lunged forward at demonic speed, rushing towards the former prisoner, determined to end her existence. Before the confused pony could even react, she found herself surrounded by the shadow fiends, which leaped towards her. Closing her eyes, Twilight Sparkle acted on inciting and relied on the energy of the artifact to create a force field of pure light around her. As the Tenebras touched it, their corrupted skin began to burn, causing the creatures to let out abominable howls of pain as they pulled away. Being imbued with the spirits of umbrums, the shadow ponies were extremely vulnerable to the magic of the Crystal Heart.
Noticing that Sombra's creations had backed off, Twilight smirked with confidence and taunted, "What's the matter, are you afraid of the light?"
Not amused by the recent turn of events, the tyrant launched a shadow blast towards the defiant mare. Inspired by the protection her former armor had offered, Twilight sought to test the limits of the relic's power and let the enchanted essence of the jewel flow through her body. In a matter of moments, her skin turned to shining white crystals, pure as the new fallen snow. As Sombra's magical bolt hit her, it split into three and bounced off, damaging the crystalline walls of his own castle.
One of the Tenebras then jumped towards the purple unicorn, hoping to sink its teeth into her flesh. Much to his surprise, however, the shadow pony's dentures shattered instantly when they came in contact with the mystical crystals covering the mare's body. Feeling like she could take on the world, Twilight extended her foreleg and brutally punched the creature, sending it tumbling several yards away.
Tired of the mare's tricks, the monarch decided to exploit the key weakness that crystals possessed. Relying upon his dark voice, which functioned in a similar way to the Canterlot voice, Sombra let out a piercing shout which echoed throughout the battlements, causing the crystal fragments they were made from to shake and slowly crack beneath the booming sound.
Twilight Sparkle let out a cry of pain, as she not only felt her ears ache but also her crystalline skin shattering, unable to withstand the high pitch. Having no other choice, the purple unicorn undid her spell, returning to her original form.
Seeking to take advantage of this, the other two Tenebras quickly ran towards her, hoping to immobilize the mare. They appeared completely unaffected by their master's sinister scream. Seeing her prey approaching, Twilight used her magic to teleport away, making her vanish and causing the two shadow ponies to bump into each other head-first.
Due to her limited mastery of the spell, the young unicorn could only teleport a few feet away, and appeared behind the king. Hoping she could surprise him, the purple mare launched an arcane jolt towards the tyrant. Noticing that her opponent didn't sketch any gesture, the former prisoner smiled, hoping she would finally strike the decisive blow.
To her astonishment, as if having a mind of its own, Sombra's shadow began to shift and took on the form of a spiked shield which wrapped itself around the stallion's back, blocking the incoming shot.
Laughing arrogantly at the mare's confusion, the monarch gloated, "You would actually hit me in the back? That's vicious, dishonorable and ruthless. I am starting to rub off on you, aren't I?"
Not so easily discouraged, Twilight Sparkle fired a few more blasts towards the tyrant, shouting, "The only thing which can rub off you is your fowl stench!"
Using his superior speed, the king skillfully dodged the projectiles and commented, "Impressive ... unless, of course, you were aiming for me!"
Drawing a heavy breath, the stallion filled his lungs with frigid air and then blew strongly, sending out a chilling wave which froze anything it came in contact with, including parts of the castle's crystal walls.
Seeing the arctic sting coming towards her, Twilight boosted her speed with the power of the relic and swiftly jumped out of the way at the last second. She had been lucky: only a few hairs on her tail became frozen to the core and snapped off. Looking around, the young mare noticed the king's complete disregard for the structural integrity of his own fortress and the ruthlessness with which he flung his magic.
Trying to figure out a way to use that to her advantage, Twilight sought to buy herself some time by firing a few more energy beams at the king.
After summoning a black crystal shield to deflect them, Sombra growled ferociously. Fed up with the the purple unicorn's defiance, the stallion zapped his own shadow with a mystical beam. The shade instantly slithered away from the king and began to change its shape, shifting into darker copy of the tyrant. The eyes and horn of the tenebrous clone glowed red, as it fed off the monarch's own foul sorcery.
With a malicious sneer on his visage, the king threatened, "Two can play at this game … or should I say three" and then both him and his shadow clone fired potent blasts of abyssal lightning towards the former prisoner.
Baffled by her opponent's arcane abilities, Twilight tried to protected herself by surrounding her body in a force field. However, the barrier instantly shattered when it was impacted by the two projectiles, sending the mare crashing into the wall of the outpost tower. After recomposing herself, the purple unicorn opened her eyes just in time to see two more blasts coming her way.
Using the power of the Crystal Heart, the young mare instantly teleported away causing the bolts to hit the side of the structure behind her.
A bright flash of light then engulfed the entire battlements, temporarily blinding the king and causing the Tenebras to cry out in pain, as more of their flesh got seared.
Moments later, Sombra opened his eyes and saw the purple unicorn a few feet away from him. Extending his hoof towards the mare, the tyrant attempted to negotiate, "Twilight, wait! Let's stop this futile conflict. I can offer a mutually beneficial deal!"
The mare just stood there and looked skeptically towards the monarch.
With an evil grin of his face, the black unicorn continued, speaking as slowly as he could "I have grown tired of this pointless struggle. I am no different from any other ruler, all I want if for my subjects to live in peace. I will stop my march on Equestria and end the war. I will also allow your friends to leave. Even more, I am willing to release the other prisoners I have caught. All you have to do, is … DIE!"
While the scheming stallion was putting his silver tongue to no-good use, his shadow had shifted and had started crawling on the ground, sneakily making its way towards Twilight Sparkle. Since her eyes were staring at the stallion, the purple unicorn hadn't noticed when the shade had gotten close to her.
Moments after the king had finished his false proposal, sharp black spikes emanated from his shadow and pierced the young mare's body, going all the way through her flesh.
Laughing maniacally, Sombra yelled out, "Ding dong! The bitch is dead!" A wicked glee sparkled in his demonic eyes and his tail wagged wildly, as she saw the spikes created by his own shade shredding through the pony's tender skin.
Overjoyed by his victory, he slowly walked towards his prey, desperately wanting to snatch the jewel from her neck. Moments later, he squinted his eyes in confusion, since the stallion could see no blood flowing from the purple unicorn's body. Burning to the core with frustration, he quickly moved near Twilight and reached for her necklace, only for his hoof to pass right through the pony.
After a few more attempt which ended in the same result, Sombra approached his head to the purple unicorn and howled in anger when he noticed the truth: he had impaled an illusion.
"You're not the only one who can fool other ponies," came a voice from above.
With a puzzled look on his face, the king stared towards the sky and his jaw dropped. He beheld Twilight Sparkle, floating through the air using her magic. She had projected an illusion of herself and had managed to fool her opponent.
Ever since she had teleported away from the two incoming abyssal blasts, she had actually been hovering slightly above the battlements, kept afloat by her levitation spell. It was from that position that she had cast the blinding flash and created the illusion. The arcane abilities of the young unicorn had been vastly improved by the Crystal Heart around her neck.
Fixating her sights on her enemy, the purple mare focused a lot of energy into her horn and let out a projectile in the shape of a stunning white alicorn princess, whose face was similar to that of the former ruler of the Crystal Empire.
Dreading its approach, Sombra shielded himself in a dark crystal cage, hoping to be safe from the impact. Moments later, he heard a deafening blast, but, much to his surprise, his barrier was completely untouched. Shedding it off, he laughed arrogantly and teased, "Was that supposed to harm me?"
Smiling back at the stallion, Twilight Sparkle cleverly responded, "I wasn't aiming for you!"
A few seconds later, the mad king and his three Tenebras could feel the fortifications shaking under their hooves. The carelessness of the monarch was about to cost him dearly. His various misfires had damaged the structure of the tower and the fortifications, and now Twilight had taken advantage of that by directing her latest spell towards the various cracks which had formed. After too much abuse, the walls of the outpost tower were beginning to crumble.
Slabs of crystal started falling out, rushing towards the ground. Soon afterwards, the entire corner of the fortifications fell apart, sending the three Tenebras and their master plummeting down.
Sighing with relief, Twilight looked down and took an eerily sadistic pleasure in seeing her tormentors plunge towards the base of the Crystal Castle. She then gazed to the north and began floating at great speed towards her friends, hoping to catch up.
Far from defeated, Sombra refused to let the mare escape. Before hitting the ground, the king assumed his shadow form and flew towards the highest balcony of his castle, where he retook the shape of a black unicorn. Carefully setting his sights on the fleeing mare, he aimed attentively and channeled a massive amount of dark energy into his horn.
In spite of the great distance the purple unicorn had traveled in such a short time, the intensity of the monarch's Doom Blast was tremendous, and it caught up with Twilight Sparkle, sending a painful shock throughout her entire body, causing her to plummet down towards the ground.
As she felt the agonizing energy thundering through her, the mare tried to focus her magic, to make use of the power of the Crystal Heart and stop herself from falling, but was unable to do so. Seeing the frigid ground getting closer and closer, she just shed a few tears and closed her eyes, saying in a calm voice, "Looks like this is it for me …"
Several moments later, she felt a thump and sensed that her body has stopped descending. Thinking she had plunged to her doom, she timidly opened her eyes, afraid to see what the afterlife looked like. Gazing around, she saw the dark skies of the north and could feel the frigid wind on her back. Looking upwards, she saw a pair of wings flapping and dizzily asked, "Are you an angel?"
A familiar boastful voice replied, "Aw, Twilight, you don't have to call me that? Simply refer to me as: my super-duper mega awesome hero and savior. That'll do!"
Fully opening her eyes, the purple unicorn carefully analyzed her position. She was being dragged through the air, having been caught by Rainbow Dash before she had hit the ground. Sensing her heart fill up with joy, the studious mare smiled towards her friend and asked, "Hey, didn't you promise not to come back for me?"
Putting an innocent look on her face, the blue pegasus playfully replied, "I did? … I lied!"
With a distinct hint of gratitude in her voice, Twilight said, "I am so happy that you are the element of loyalty and not honesty!"
After a few minutes, the two were reunited with their friends, who were waiting for them on a nearby hill. When the mares saw that the purple unicorn was safe and sound, they all quickly approached and gave her a warm hug, grateful that she had survived.
Barely able to hold in her tears, Rarity requested, "Darling, we were so worried. Please swear you will never do something crazy like that ever again!"
Gently poking the purple pony on her forehead, Pinkie Pie comically stated, "Yeah … doing crazy things is my job!"
Chuckling, Twilight responded, "I'm so happy to be here. But now is not the time to celebrate. We've still have a long way to go. Let's keep heading north and hope we find some members of the resistance. Sombra is still very much alive, and he will stop at nothing to get his iron hooves on the Crystal Heart! He will surely send all the soldiers in his castle out to find us!"
Sounding as optimistic as possible, Applejack burst out, "Don't you worry. We are more slippery than a pocketful of pudding. Now let's go!"
Giving her friend a worried look, the purple unicorn inquired, "Are you sure you can run?"
"Not to worry, I've got her," interrupted Fluttershy as she grabbed the orange mare's leg and put it around her neck.
"And I will stay low and scout ahead, making sure to point out any patrols," promised Rainbow Dash.
For the next few hours, the girls trotted rapidly through the frigid snow, trying to make their way across the arctic plains surrounding the Crystal Castle. The night had fallen and the moonless sky provided no light. The journey was made even more difficult by the frigid gale which howled through the landscape, sending shivers down the spines of the mane six.
The girls continued walking without a moment of rest, desperately trying to avoid the many patrols which they encountered. While moving towards the north, they searched any cave and grassy knoll they could find, wishing to come across at least one member of the resistance which could guide them towards a refugee camp.
They were cold, hungry and tired, but the hope burning in their souls and the power of their friendship kept them going. All of them dreaded what might happen if they were caught, and were willing to do anything it took to escape that horrible fate.
To avoid getting noticed, the mares barely spoke and tried not to make any sound. They communicated mostly via staring and pointing, trying to sketch what they wanted to say. The situation looked grim, but to the girls it seemed a million times better than what they had gone through during the past few days.
After another hour of roaming around, the ponies heard a sound which made their hearts sink. The ground started to shake rhythmically, as if it was being pounded by hundreds of heavy hooves. The rattle of steel and iron echoed in the distance, and it was constantly getting louder and louder.
Suddenly, Twilight could feel the Crystal Heart around her neck losing some of its power, and she immediately deduced what this meant: King Sombra and his army were approaching.
Filled to the core with terror, the mares ran faster than before, pushing ever forward, hoping to find salvation. Eventually Rainbow Dash could make out a faint puff of smoke emanating from behind a nearby hill.
Hoping to find friends, the mares headed in that direction. Upon reaching the site, they looked around and saw what appeared to be an empty military camp. Gazing around, Rarity noticed something which filled her with dread: the outpost had several weapon racks stacked with black spiked helmets, indicating this was not a rebel camp, but one made by the soldiers of the Crystal Empire.
Hoping to flee, the girls started backing away slowly, when they heard a voice, "Well, well, what have we here?"
Turning around, they saw that they were now surrounded by about twenty of King Sombra's troops. One of them lifted a huge horn and blew into it, emitting a thunderous howl through the northern plains.
With a sinister smile on his face, the captain rubbed his front hooves together and stated, "It must be our lucky day fellas. I think these are the prisoners the messenger warned us about! The king will reward us handsomely for their capture."
With a puzzled look in her eyes, Applejack inquired, "How could you know about our escape?"
Laughing mockingly, one of the soldiers responded, "The whole empire knows about you six! A few hours ago, crystal pegasi messengers were sent from the palace to every single camp and outpost in the realm, with news of your escape and promises of great riches for anypony who caught you. There is nowhere to run and nowhere to hide."
Grinding her teeth with rage, Rainbow Dash burst out, "Who said anything about hiding? I am planning to bash all of your stupid heads in!"
Amused by the mare's antics, the crystal ponies chuckled and then four of them rushed the mares, hoping to capture them. Much to their surprise, the blue pegasus made well on her promise and swiftly flew behind her attackers, hitting two of the soldiers with her hind legs so hard that she knocked them out cold. The other two were immediately blasted by Twilight's energy beams and fell to the ground.
Having taken notice of their colleagues' fate, the remaining stallions grasped their weapons tightly and charged in all at once, wishing to bring down the rambunctious mares.
Feeling afraid, the mane six huddled together in a circle which Twilight surrounded in a magical force field. The blows of the soldiers simply bounced off, as their weapons could not penetrate the mystical barrier.
Sighing with relief, Twilight stated, "Girls, we must figure out a plan. The shield will not last us forever!"
Grunting with frustration, the captain of the group let out an irritated cry, "Come on you maggots. I've seen fillies hit harder than you. If King Sombra were here, he would say …"
"That you are a bunch of incompetent morons!" echoed a sinister dark voice in the distance. Upon hearing it, the soldiers backed away and their legs started to shiver, knowing full well who would soon appear.
A few seconds later, a dark cloud emerged before them and, from it, King Sombra assumed physical form. He had heard the sound of the horn and had rushed towards its origin in his shadow form, determined to make the prisoners pay.
As the monarch gazed dementedly upon the six ponies hiding behind the magical barrier, his green eyes lit up with satisfaction. The black unicorn oozed and aura of maliciousness. His crown once again adorned his head and his red cape flew elegantly on his back. He wore a new kind of armor, a chain vest which had an opening in the middle, revealing his deep wound.
With a wicked smirk on his visage, he demanded, "Return the heart! Return what you have stolen from me!" The sadistic stallion then blasted the force field with a gargantuan bolt of corrupted energy, shattering it instantly.
As the magic barrier fell, the hearts of the mane six sank in despair. Tears fell from their eyes and their hearts started beating faster and faster. Each of them would rather die than again become a prisoner of the gruesome tyrant.
Barely able to keep her composure, Twilight Sparkle beckoned, "Run girls," pointing towards the top of the hill.
As the mares tried to make a brake for it, several of the soldiers rapidly blocked their path. When the purple unicorn flung several magic missiles at them, the king swiftly intercepted them with dark blasts, causing the mane six to halt their advance.
While his soldiers cautiously approached the fleeing ponies, hoping to apprehend them, two of the foul Tenebras appeared behind their king, having rushed in at demonic speed.
Laughing arrogantly, the tyrant proclaimed, "Well done, captain! You and your squad will be handsomely rewarded when I conquer Canterlot. I heard the horn and came here as fast as I could, along with my faithful creations. The other soldiers in my honor guard will be here within the hour, so there is no hope for our lovely ladies!"
Shaking in fear, Fluttershy shed a worried tear and asked, "Oh dear … oh dear. What will we do?"
Seeking to calm her friends down, Twilight requested, "Just stick together and don't give in. We have to fight them off … somehow."
With a determined tone, Applejack added, "I hear ya'. I will drop dead before I let myself get captured again!"
"If these boys want to dance, then we shall dance," proclaimed Pinkie Pie with an insane twitch in her eyes.
Lighting up her horn, Rarity looked back at her friends and said, "Darlings, if this is how we go, I just want to say there are no other ponies I would rather spend the last minutes of my life with," before shedding a compassionate tear.
Holding her head up proudly, Rainbow Dash yelled at the crystal ponies, "I know what you're all thinking – 'If I charge in and capture one of them, I will be greatly rewarded.' But I promise you, I will crush the head of the first idiot that does that. So, you've got to ask yourselves one question: 'Do I feel lucky?' Well do you, punks?"
Inspired by the bravery of her friends, Twilight lit up her horn and pointed it towards the king, shouting, "Did you hear that Sombra? We are not going down without a fight. So do your worst. I will defeat you again, just like I have done twice before!"
Foaming at the mouth with rage, the king slowly approached the defiant purple unicorn, ranting, "Twilight Sparkle, you could've been my apprentice. All my knowledge, all my power could have been yours. But the only thing you care about is your WORTHLESS LITTLE FRIENDS. Well then, you shall join them, IN DEATH! Soldiers, kill every last one of these cunts and bring me the Crystal Heart."
Upon hearing their master's command, the two Tenebras rushed in first, jumping hooves-first towards the mares.
Preparing to make their last stand, the main six huddled together and braced for impact.
As the sinister creatures nearly struck the ponies, two bolts of mystical energy came down from the top of the nearby hill and hit them in their chests, sending them tumbling several yard backwards.
A familiar voice then echoed in the ears of the mares, "Twenty three against six. That doesn't seem fair. Mind if we even the odds?"
Looking above with a mixture of relief and bewilderment, the girls' hearts once again filled with joy when they witnessed Twilight's brother, Shining Armor and his wife, Princess Cadance, surrounded by ten crystal ponies, all members of the northern resistance.
Upon seeing her sibling, the purple unicorn shed tears of joy and clapped her hooves together, infinitely grateful that he and her former foal-sitter were alright. It was hard to believe that a little more than a week had passed since the mares had left Equestria on their mission to rescue the two, and now they were being rescued by them.
King Sombra's soldiers took a few steps back, made uneasy by the sudden appearance of so many enemies. The odds were no longer in their favor and this displeased the royal troops. Even more baffling to them was the notion that crystal ponies could actually defy their dark monarch and live. Unsure of what to do, they gave each other puzzled stares.
The black unicorn, on the other hoof, licked his lips with delight upon seeing the alicorn and her husband. He could not believe his fortune: not only was the Crystal Heart within his grasp, but so were the leaders of the northern front. All he had do to was seize the moment and nothing could stop him from conquering all of Equestria and, later, the world.
With an insidious grin, the tyrant proclaimed, "Princess Cadance ... after scores of my troops failed to find you, now the universe delivers you to me as an act of providence!"
Looking with contempt at the mad king, the alicorn replied, "King Sombra, please listen to me! We don't have to fight. This war is an unnecessary burden upon both of our nations. You have the power to stop this madness and end it all here!"
"You are right … I do have the power. I HAVE ALL THE POWER IN THE WORLD!" retorted the insane ruler, with a demanded gaze in his demonic eyes, as he fired and immense wave of shadow energy into the air, sending shivers down the spines of all who were present.
Afterwards, he launched an abyssal beam at the alicorn, hoping to strike her down. With a determined look in her eye, Princess Cadance summoned an energy shield which absorbed the projectile, while Shining Armor and the rest of the crystal ponies who opposed the tyrant charged forward, wishing to save the six mares.
Getting up, one of the Tenerbas resumed his attack on the girls while the other rushed to intercept the charging rebels, alongside most of the king's troops which were present at that campsite. Hooves flung left and right, sword, spears and maces clashed, kicks and punches struck armor and flesh as the two opposing forces bravely brawled.
Two rebel ponies swung their weapons at the insidious shadow steed, appalled by its appearance, but the Tenebra easily dodged the attacks and retaliated with powerful blows which crushed the bones of the soldiers. They were followed by vicious bites that tore through the skin of the crystal ponies, staining their shining coats with crimson blood.
Not willing to let his troops suffer, Shining Armor fired an energy bolt from his horn towards the foul creature, which it evaded with great ease. Seeing the fiend rushing towards him, the white stallion surrounded himself in a force field that got swiftly smashed by the Tenebra's blows.
As a punch to his stomach forced the gallant warrior to take a few steps back, Shining Armor began to think how he could overcome the powerful opponent.
Meanwhile, the six girls, seeing the battle going on around them, stepped in to help.
In her characteristic manner, Rainbow Dash rushed in head first, charging towards the stallion which had rung the horn, seeking to punish him.
Pinkie Pie set her sights on a bulky warrior wielding a large club and, hoping to use her speed to vanquish her foe, zig-zagged towards him.
Fluttershy and Applejack stood back to back, knowing that in their current state, neither of them would be of much use. Seeing a vicious soldier with a sword approaching, they decided to defend themselves.
Rarity started running around, blasting as many enemies as she could with her horn, while avoiding the numerous sharp objects which flew around the battlefield.
Having set her sights on the other Tenebra, Twilight lit up her horn and charged at it, knowing she could take it on. As the foul creature tried to rush behind her, she emitted a power blast of light which stunned the shadow pony. Taking advantage of the seconds of confusion, she fired a beam of pristine energy at the Tenebra's foot that singed it's flesh, forcing the insidious creation to seek cover behind a big rock.
Having caught a glimpse of his sister, Shining Armor smiled as he faced his opponent and whispered, "So, light magic is their weakness." He then fired two more blasts towards the shadow pony he was sparring with, only for his opponent to dodge them easily and rush behind him, knocking the gallant unicorn down with a powerful blow.
Shining Armor fell to the ground and refused to get up. He just stood there motionless, with his head down, as if having given up. Seeking to destroy his prey, the Tenebra viciously lunged at the stallion and started brutally choking him.
As he felt the shadow pony's hooves around his neck, Shining Armor lifted his head, and, with a shrewd smile on his face, stated, "Sucker!" He then emitted a powerful blast of luminous energy from his horn, which he had been secretly channeling for a while.
Being too close, the Tenebra could not dodge, so it just screamed horribly as the pristine light burned its flesh, causing it to back away slowly. Rapidly getting up, Shining Armor thrust himself forward and pierced the creature's chest with his horn, forcing the shadow pony to retreat in great haste.
Cadance stood above the hill, firing arcane bolts towards Sombra's soldiers, when suddenly she felt something coming up behind her. Turning her heard, she saw a dark portal opening and the ruler of the Crystal Empire stepping out of it, a vicious look burning in his eyes.
Seeking to defeat her foe, the alicorn conjured three energy swords which she lunged towards the black unicorn.
Chuckling arrogantly, the tyrant summoned a black scythe out of thin air and swung it, shredding each of the swords into pieces. Looking at his opponent with condescension, Sombra stated, "Is this the power of an alicorn princess? Pathetic! I hope you'll show more determination when you serve as one of my harem mares!"
Visibly disgusted by the stallion's words, Cadance fired a radiant blast towards him. Mere moments later, the king's shadow began to shift and a wall of black tentacles sprung up in front of the monarch, which then solidified, absorbing the full power of the projectile.
Smirking pretentiously, the black unicorn took a deep breath and let out an arctic wave, causing the former foal-sitter to shiver in pain, taken by surprise by the monarch's sinister sorcery.
Charging his horn, the tyrant mischievously exclaimed, "Winter is a harsh mistress," before blasting the alicorn with a shadow bolt, sending her tumbling down the hill.
Seeing what the monster had done to his wife infuriated Shining Armor. The white unicorn shouted angrily and charged up towards the king, blasting several energy jolts in the black stallion's direction.
With a calm look on his face, the monarch used his shadow speed to dodge every single one and then hit the ground with his hooves, sending rows of sharp crystal spikes towards the gallant pony.
Twilight's brother easily jumped over the shards and approached the tyrant, throwing a powerful punch in his direction.
Anticipating the hit, Sombra lifted his chest, causing the armor he was wearing to block the impact. After the white unicorn's hoof hit the hard steel, the king smiled sadistically as he watched Shining Armor pull his foreleg back in pain.
Laughing mockingly at his opponent, the tyrant summoned two tentacles from his shadow, which bound the gallant stallion's front legs together. As Shining Armor struggled, the monarch approached him and taunted, "Is this all you have to offer? Are you sure you are the prince and not the princess?" After that, Sombra violently hit the white unicorn with his hind legs, knocking him off balance and making him roll all the way down.
From atop the hill, the king looked upon the battle and was displeased to see his troops getting their asses handed to them.
Rainbow Dash had managed to overpower her opponent and had proceeded to stick his horn … somewhere safe. Pinkie Pie had made the bulky pony dizzy by running around him and was now throwing multiple punches at his face. Fluttershy and Applejack had disarmed their attacker and Twilight and Rarity were launching a barrage of arcane bolts at his soldiers. Even his faithful Tenebras were licking their wounds, unable to do much.
Extremely disappointed, the king lifted his hoof in the air and commented on his army's performance, "Bah ... mediocre!"
Having had enough, the sinister stallion's eyes lit up with rage and his horn started shining bright red, as he called upon the full spectrum of his umbrum powers. The northern winds seemed to obey the tyrant's will and began to howl, as their formed a whirlwind around the members of the resistance, making them gasp desperately for air while sending chilling shivers down their spines. The ground shook and dark crystal spikes erupted left and right, causing all ponies, including Cadance and Shining Armor to run towards the center of the battlefield, in order to avoid getting impaled.
Taking a deep breath, Sombra shouted louder than he had ever done before, using his dark voice to its full extent. The deep sound thundered throughout the camp, forcing all ponies to cover their ears with their hooves. They shook with fear, unable to cope with the horrible noise which seemed to pierce their very soul.
Desperate, all the rebel crystal ponies, Shining Armor, Princess Cadance and the mane six huddled together, forming a circle, as even King Sombra's soldiers seemed to back away, afraid of their master's dark magic.
Sensing victory was upon him, Sombra teleported and appeared several yards in front of Twilight Sparkle, starting at her like a vicious predator. Channeling energy into his horn, the tyrant fired a powerful abyssal beam towards the purple unicorn.
Drawing upon the powers of the Crystal Heart, Twilight first created a force-field around herself and the other ponies, in order to protect them from Sombra's sorcery. She then retaliated with a beam of her own, made of pristine light. As the rays clashed, the two skilled unicorns became locked in a magical duel. They started focusing their energies in their horns, trying to push their opponents beam back.
The purple unicorn's legs were shaking, her heart was beating fast as she tried her best to fight the king's powerful magic. Heroically holding her ground, she kept her head high and continued channeling the ray of light, desperately trying to push back the beam of darkness. Despite her best efforts, she could sense that she was losing. With every moment, Sombra's bolt was getting closer and closer, the sorcery of the black unicorn seeming to far surpass her own, even with the Crystal Heart around her neck.
Noticing their friend was being overpowered, Princess Cadance, Shining Armor and Rarity lit up their horns and added their magic to Twilight's, hoping to turn the tides.
As the beam of light intensified, it started pushing back the tyrant's darkness, but only for a moment.
Unimpressed, the king laughed mischievously and his echo thundered through the arctic plains. Using his demonic stare, he lit up his eyes and gazed into the very minds of the ponies gathered before him, making his malefic voice ring into their heads, "Can you sense it … can you feel your end approaching? Look around you. You stand in the middle of the army of the Crystal Empire. My forces will soon swarm upon you. None of you will make it out of here alive! And, in your final moments, think about the suffering you have brought upon Equestria. With the power of the Crystal Heart, I shall march upon Canterlot and annihilate it from the face of the world. Your precious Princess Celestia will be nothing more than a slave, and she will watch in horror as her kingdom burns. Everything you have built will fall, and from the ashes of your world I shall build a new one ... one where darkness and fear rule."
The tyrant's words penetrated the very hearts of the ponies who opposed him. They cut deep into their souls, deeper than any blade ever could. The scraps of hope which his enemies still had began to fade, and in their place, despair and terror took root.
The crystal ponies of the resistance sobbed uncontrollably, regretting their decision to ever defy the omnipotent monarch.
Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rarity and Rainbow Dash shivered, lowering their heads and shedding tears. They could not believe how close they had been to freedom, and how tragically they had lost their final chance to escape.
Even Shining Armor could not hide it anymore. He was afraid … deadly afraid! Not only was he about to die, but the two ponies which meant more to him than the entire world would perish as well. Looking upon his wife and sister, he started weeping, blaming himself for not being strong enough to fight Sombra.
Twilight Sparkle once again felt the whole world crumble around her. Crying her eyes out, she stared with fear at the ray of light, which was growing dimmer by the second. The power of the Crystal Heart had begun to fade, no longer having any hope to draw upon. Even worse, with the king's sorcery fulled by rage and sorrow, his dark beam had grown twice as thick and was rapidly pushing forward, getting closer and closer to the purple unicorn.
Twilight was desperately trying to think of something. What could she do to save her friends? Should she once again offer herself to the black unicorn, claiming she had seen the error of her ways and would never again betray him … no, that would never work. Should she advise the king to take all of her friends for his harem, thus condemning them to a fate worse than death … how could she do that?
Not able to come with anything, she lifted her head towards the sky and cried, "I am sorry everypony. I have failed you all … I have failed the test!"
With a sincere smile on her face, Cadance surprisingly stated, "Relax, there is always tomorrow!"
Not sharing her former foal-sitter's optimism, Twilight said, "That is not true! We will die here … and it's all my fault!"
Putting her hoof on the frightened unicorn's shoulder, the alicorn warmly commented, "No, we won't! You'll win, you're stronger than him!"
Shaking her head if disbelief, the purple mare cried out, "No … no I'm not. I cannot win. I can't, I can't, I can't! My magic isn't strong enough. I don't believe we will survive …"
Smiling, the princess replied, "That's OK, because I DO! I believe in you, Twilight. There is no other pony I would rather be behind right now, than you. Ever since I became your foal-sitter it has been my role to teach you, but you were the one who has always taught me. Your dedication, your brilliance, your curiosity give you more power than any dark sorcery will ever have. Princess Celestia chose you as her student for a reason. Everypony else believes in you … so why don't you?"
His wife's words lifted Shining Armor's spirits. Suddenly, he had the strength to expel the fear from his heart. Looking upon his crying sister, the white stallion added, "Twily, what are you doing? It's not like you to say 'I can't.' Remember when all your classmates kept telling you that you cannot read thirteen encyclopedia volumes in one weekend, yet you could. Remember when everypony told you that you cannot master levitation in one week, and you did it in four days. Remember when that mean bully laughed and you and said you'll never get into Celestia's school, and now you're her best student. There is nothing you cannot do. I still have hope in you, why have you lost yours?"
Feeling her heart beating once again with confidence, inspired by the bravery of the other two ponies, Applejack lifted her head, gently pat the purple unicorn on the back and stated, "Twilight, as the element of honesty, I swear to you that even though I am more afraid than I have ever been, there is no place I'd rather be right now than here. You've always been there when we needed ya', and now we are here when you need us. You control your powers, not the other way around. It's not your fancy schmancy magic that makes you strong, it's your heart."
Lifting her head, the shy yellow pegasus timidly stated, "Ehm … Twilight, wasn't it you who once told me I should stand up to bullies? Why aren't you following your own advice right now? Keep fighting and you will win. After all, the night is always darkest before the dawn."
With the magic of her horn seemingly intensifying, Rarity addressed her friend, "Darling, whenever I find myself at a loss and unable to come up with anything, I always turn to my friends for inspiration. I ask you now to look around, and see that we all have faith in you. Please, have faith in yourself!"
Putting a smile back on her face, Pinkie Pie burst out, "Twilight, you're not going to make me brake my promise to Princess Celestia, will you? I owe her a super delicious cake, and I'm sure she will be willing to share with you. So, if you want a slice of the most scrumptious, mouthwatering, humongous mega-desert you can imagine, turn that frown upside down!"
With a playful cheer in her eyes, Rainbow Dash approached the purple unicorn's ear and slowly whispered, "Listen, Twilight, if you ever tell this to anypony else I swear I will beat the living snot out of you, but remember when I said I am by far the coolest pony ever. Well, I lied. There is one pony I know who is at least 20% cooler than me. OK … maybe 19%. That pony is you, and you better not let me down!"
Sombra's beam was now inches away from Twilight's horn, having almost fully pushed back the fragile ray of light. Victory was within the tyrant's iron grasp. With a demented grin on his face, the black stallion shouted hysterically, "I HAVE WON!"
However, with every single word her friends had said, with every revelation, the hope within Twilight's heart had become brighter and brighter. She could sense her friend's courage, their generosity, their kindness, their loyalty, their laughter and their honesty. She could feel all of their hearts beating as one, radiating hope and powering the relic around her neck. Remembering her promise, Twilight cast away the fear in her soul.
Wiping away her tears, she stared back at her tormentor and boldly proclaimed, "You haven't won and you never will! I feel sad for you Sombra, for you'll always be alone. No one will ever follow you willingly, not even your own shadow. High up in your Dark Tower, you cling to power and fear, hoping to fill the void in your heart, but that will never happen. You say my friends are worthless, but look, at least they are here for me. And I'm here for all of Equestria, and all the free ponies of the world!"
Upon hearing that, the trembling crystal ponies of the resistance stopped shaking. Looking upon the purple mare, they remember the reason they had defied the tyrant in the first place, they recalled why they had chosen a life of hardship over one of servitude: so they could be free. They had once pledged to have liberty, or death. Staring at their former master with hatred, they shouted in unison, "Better to live one day in freedom, than one hundred in chains!"
With her heart filled with pride, Twilight challenged the demented tyrant, "Do you hear that Sombra? It's the promise of the ponies who'll never be slaves again. And just as I've promised you, you will never reach Equestria, you will never enslave another innocent, and you will NEVER harm another pony ever again. I swear by Celestia … by all of ponykind … I will kill you!"
The very next moment, the Crystal Heart started shining brighter than it ever had, as it powered up Twilight Sparkle's horn. The beam of darkness stopped advancing, much to the grim surprise of the power-hungry monarch.
Grinding his teeth, Sombra channeled all of his sorcery into his horn, making the shadow energy even more intense.
However, Twilight was not deterred. Drawing upon the hope of all the ponies who believed in her, she started pushing back, slowly extending the ray of light.
Suddenly, the dark northern night had ended, and a faint ray of sunlight managed to make its way through the grey clouds. As it reached the ground, it touched Cadance's face.
Lookup up towards the sky, the alicorn smiled and said, "Hey look, sunshine … sunshine …"
Smiling warmly, Twilight continued "Ladybugs awake!"
With a playful cheer in her voice, Cadance added, "Clap your hooves …"
"And do a little SHAKE," shouted the purple unicorn, as she fully regained her spirit. Looking directly towards the monarch, she channeled all her energy into her horn and exponentially increased the potency of her magic, rapidly pushing back the beam of darkness, much to the horror of the demented king.
Unable to believe that he was losing, Sombra tried to draw upon his strength, to call upon the dark powers of the shadows, but no matter what he attempted, the ray of light kept racing towards him at ludicrous speed.
Seeing the purple unicorn's magic getting closer and closer, the black stallion began to panic. Sweat fell from his forehead, as he gazed around, desperately trying to think of something.
When the beam came inches to his face, a look of utter dread took hold of the monarch's visage. Knowing how much harm the pristine magic could cause him, the tyrant he shouted frantically, "Help me, you idiots!"
His soldiers just stood idly by, gazing upon their monarch with doubt.
As if possessed, one the Tenebras immediately rushed towards its master and jumped in front of the ray, taking its full force. He let out an agonizing shout as the light burned through his flesh. After a few seconds, the fiend burst into a pile of dark crystals, as a strange shadow flew out from the remains and evaporated moments later.
Sombra looked towards his enemies with evident fear and teleported a few yards away behind his troops. Shouting at the twenty crystal ponies, he commanded, "Attack them you fools. Reinforcements will be here soon! I will not be denied again. I must have that jewel!"
No longer intimated, Twilight Sparkle channeled all of her energy into the Crystal Heart and caused it to emit a continuous burst of glimmering energy which filled the entire valley.
Seeing the display of magic, King Sombra's forces put their weapons down and began to flee.
Not ready to give up yet, the black unicorn tried to take a few steps forward, but noticed himself getting weaker. Much like when he had been young, the Crystal Heart was draining his umbrum powers, making the mighty stallion become feeble.
Seeing his skin start to burn, the monarch's heart got filled with dread. Still clinging to his arrogance, Sombra refused to back away and held his ground, as he sensed his powers slowly diminishing.
Looking upon the tyrant with a vindictive stare, Twilight Sparkle approached him, threatening, "You're next!"
In a final attempt to take back the jewel, the king tried to summon a shadow bolt, but found himself unable to even channel energy into his horn. Unwilling to fight a battle he could not win, the monarch drew upon his last shred of remaining magic and reverted back to his shadow form, rapidly fleeing towards his advancing army, with his one remaining Tenebra following closely behind.
Gazing back at his former prisoner, the tyrant threatened, "This is not the end! The shadow will soon fall upon your kingdom ... and there is nothing you can do to stop it. We shall meet again!"
Donning a wicked smile on her face, Twilight Sparkle shouted towards the retreating monarch, "Oh, come now Sombra ... don't be sad. It could never have worked out between us!"
With the enemy finally gone, the purple unicorn dispelled her enchantment. As she walked back towards her friends, she noticed that the relic around her neck weighed a bit more than before, a sign that it was slowly returning to its original size.
Everypony cheered, overjoyed that they had managed to defeat the darkness. Rushing towards Twilight Sparkle, they all hugged each other warmly, finally having a moment to catch their breath.
Looking up towards the sun-light sky, Fluttershy happily proclaimed, "We did it! Thank Celestia!"
Approaching her brother and his wife, the purple mare hugged them so hard they could barely breathe, but none of them dared to pull away. They just hugged her back, shedding a tear of joy.
Still unable to believe they had all made it out alive, Twilight confessed, "I was so worried about both of you! When I heard you had been captured, I feared the worst. But now, here we all are!"
Delicately kissing his sister on her forehead, Shining Armor stated, "You've always said you'd go to the ends of the world for me if you had to, and now you've proven it. I hope you know that both me and Cadance would do the same for you!"
"As would we all," added Applejack.
"I would go all the way to the moon if necessary," said Pinkie Pie in a playful voice.
Smiling warmly, Twilight replied, "Well, if I ever make Princess Celestia mad, who knows … you might have to!"
Patting Twilight on the back, Rarity cheerfully exclaimed, "I doubt that will ever happen."
Approaching the purple unicorn with her forelegs wide open, Rainbow Dash loudly stated, "Oh Twilight, that was neat, here, let me congratulate you …" before leaning in and whispering in her ear, "Hey, remember what I said: don't you dare tell anypony … or else! Don't think I'll go easy on you just because you've defeated the lord of darkness."
Gazing lovingly upon all the ponies, Cadance warned, "I'm so glad to see that you all are safe. But there is little time. Sombra's honor guard will soon be upon us. We have to make haste and flee!"
With a puzzled look on her face, Applejack inquired, "Flee where? And, come to think of it, how did you find us in the first place?"
With a boastful smirk, Shining Armor replied, "Let's just say we have … somepony on the inside. They told us you had been captured. We had organized a rescue party and would have arrived tomorrow night. However, when we got news that you had escaped and were heading north, we immediately rushed out to find you."
"As for where we are going, I am happy to say … home!" added Cadance.
Scratching her head, Pinkie Pie asked, "Home … as in home at a base camp, or home cave, or home …"
"Equestria!" stated the alicorn with a big smile on her face.
Clapping her fore-hooves together with joy, Rarity burst out, "Are you serious? Back to Equestria? Finally I'll get to take a nice hot bath and wear something decent. You are not just pulling our legs?"
Looking towards the fashionista, Shining Armor exclaimed, "After what you've been through, we wouldn't dare. One of your scouts recently found a cave that runs deep beneath the Crystal Mountains, leading all the way to Neighagra Falls. A lot of the members of the resistance have already crossed it and that is how we resumed our communications with Equestria. We will be home in two days!"
Barely able to contain her joy, Rainbow Dash burst out, "Then what are we waiting for. Lead the way!"
With a worried look on her face, Cadance asked, "Of course. We can stop by one of your hidden camps along the way. I'm sure you girls are tired and hungry. Are any of you hurt? Did that tyrant do anything to you while you were captured?"
Upon hearing that, all the mares looked down in silence, refusing to answer. They all knew too well what had happened in the dungeons of the Crystal Castle: they had just been through the worst nightmare of their lives.
Lifting her head, Pinkie Pie responded, "Forget it Cadance … it's the Crystal Empire."
Feeling a shiver going down her spine, the alicorn put on a fake smile on her face and pointed the girls towards the location of the camp. She had gotten the hint, and her hatred for King Sombra had grown exponentially.
"You two, make sure to cover our tracks," said Shining Armor to three of the rebel soldiers.
A few moments later, all the ponies quickly headed towards the cave, successfully fleeing the advancing army of the Crystal Empire.
As they walked alongside their new friends, the mane six looked upon each other and smiled, still not fully able to believe they had escaped. Their torment had ended. Finally, they would be back in Equestria. Even more, with the power of the Crystal Heart, it wouldn't be long before Sombra's dominion would dwindle.
The rays of the sun shined through the grey clouds and touched the snow-covered landscape, bringing with them light and warmth. No longer prisoners, the mares looked up and beheld the untamed beauty of the northern lands.
Gazing towards the Crystal Mountains they knew that their home lay just OVER THE HORIZON.
