Twilight had no time to react as Majesty spun her glyphs around. One by one, they blasted spiraling jets of flame at her. She gasped as she felt her horn tremble. On instinct, she teleported out of harm's way in a bright purple flash. She ended up all the way on the other side of the lake, on a distant bank. The four flame columns crashed into the diamond wall that shielded Twilight's weakened, windswept friends. The magic surrounding the wall granted the contained ponies ample protection from the blistering heat.
As the flames faded away, Twilight gasped for air. The instant they collided with the diamond shield, she felt an immense pressure upon her stomach and skull. Her horn had been glowing the entire time, subconsciously keeping the wall intact. When the fire flickered out, the pressure strangely vanished as though it had never existed. Still, Twilight had to fight to stay on her hooves. Her glowing white eyes glimmered at Majesty, who turned to find Twilight on the bank behind her.
"Oh? A teleportation spell...? That's some advanced magic," Majesty mused to herself. She was casually tapping a hoof to her chin and smiling. "Hmm...not even I can do that. Tell me, might that be your special, inherent magic, Twilight Sparkle?"
"I-I guess? What does that matter?" Twilight half-shouted. Majesty sighed at this before commanding her glyphs, which twirled idly near her. They changed to blue, and the lake below glistened to match. Several water tendrils shot out of the calm surface, reaching for Twilight. They failed to find their target as Twilight had teleported to safety once again. The tentacles splattered as they hit solid rock, but something else was happening.
Twilight noticed it the instant she appeared on solid land. The purple flash of light caused by her teleportation had manifested into two bright spinning stars. They were about as large as Twilight herself, hanging in the air where she had been. Their stubby arms sliced the encroaching water tendrils to ribbons before homing in on Majesty, who's mouth hung open. She reacted, swinging a front leg and collecting her glyphs, which fortified and blocked the stars. Their bladed arms tore at the circles, but after a moment of electronic hums the stars splintered into useless wisps of purple. Twilight stammered, awed at what she had done.
"Hmm! Already on the offensive, are we?" Majesty said, shifting towards Twilight again. The brown mare slashed a hoof through the air, changing the glyphs to scarlet. They gyrated, hovering above Majesty. They paused before firing a volley of fat fireballs into the air, which proceeded to rain down to pummel the lake and land. Twilight caught a salvo of fireballs in a luminous shield of purple light. However, a collection of shots also careened into the diamond wall. Twilight's friends shrieked as the fire chipped away several edges. Pinkie Pie leapt out of the path of a hot diamond splinter. Pulling Rainbow Dash out of the way, she found the tip of her fluffy tail smoking. Majesty smirked upon seeing the panicking Pinkie Pie hurry to extinguish her tail. "Well, that's bound to happen when you devote more magic to your own defenses..." Majesty commented, like a teacher pointing out the flaws in a student's work. Twilight scowled as Majesty laughed some more. "But don't despair! If you had dedicated magic to protecting them, you'd end up charbroiled! Do not misunderstand me! That was a smart move you just made."
"What is she talking about?" Rarity said. Majesty's voice was a bit muffled by the thick diamond plates, but she remained audible to the helpless ponies. "Meaningless dribble, I'd assume!"
"Prob'ly just that," Applejack sighed, rubbing at the sore red marks on her side after stamping out Pinkie Pie's tail. Pinkie gave a big breath of relief, her tongue flopping out. "Blowin' smoke. Er fire, ah' guess."
"She's...she's toying with her," Fluttershy murmured. "This is all just a game to her. A show..."
"I know, right?" Pinkie said. She cupped her hooves and shouted to Twilight, who could hear her just faintly. "Heeey, Twiiii! Quit playing around and knock her block off! I wanna go hooooome!"
"I think she meant...she's playing around with Twilight," Dash managed to say. She ignored her big bruises and shakily got up, helped by Fluttershy. She gestured to Majesty. "What a load...th-this is ridiculous! Twilight! Let us out! You can't fight her by yourself!" Rainbow Dash rammed into the diamond wall without thinking, tearing away from Fluttershy's grasp. Fluttershy flinched as Dash hit the wall with a hollow thunk. The bruised pegasus rubbed her head. "O-ooww...you lost your mind, Twilight? We're doing this together, as a team!"
"N-no...I'm the only one who can..." Twilight stammered to herself. She teleported again, avoiding another four blasts of searing flame from Majesty. When she disappeared, another pair of homing stars emerged, but the torrents of fire quickly incinerated them. Twilight winced. "You all...you'll just get hurt..."
"What'd she say?" Pinkie Pie said squeakily. She picked at the blackened tip of her tail and spun it around like a lasso. "Something about yogurt?" Twilight's voice was too soft for anypony to hear clearly. "Twiiiiight! Yogurt's not gonna help! But I heard it feels good on bruises and stuff." Pinkie looked discreetly at Dash and whistled. "Admit it. You all wanna try that now too."
"Oh stop that, Pinkie Pie! This is serious!" Rarity snapped. Pinkie Pie drew a hoof over her mouth, producing a zipper-like sound. "Rainbow Dash is correct Twilight! This is preposterous! Release us at once, so we can help you!"
"No...she was right earlier! Don't you see? Everypony! Only I can fight her!" Twilight repeated hopelessly as she teleported out of the way of miniature tornadoes erupting from jade colored glyphs. The stars produced by Twilight's teleportation were swiftly blown away, vanishing into violet blobs as they hit a back wall. "Fight magic with magic!" She panted between labored breaths as she blinked into view on the edge of a bank. Her fur was in shambles, and her sweat sopped bangs flopped over bloodshot eyes. Majesty looked none the worse for wear, continuing to pelt powerful spells from the lake's center. "...Th-that's...the only way to win..."
"If that's your excuse, then you could at least let me out!" Rarity said gratingly. Everypony in the group looked to her, incredulous. She withered, chuckling wryly. "I-I mean, I'm no expert but...oh for goodness sake! You simply can't keep this up alone!"
"You certainly aren't helping her to reach victory. Why don't you stay there and be silent?" Majesty said, shooting an annoyed glare at the group behind the transparent diamonds. They reacted not with intimidation, but with looks of rage. "You should be glad she's trying to save your lives. Granted, if she just left you to perish, she'd probably be able to-"
"To what?" Twilight roared. Majesty actually flinched, and slowly looked to Twilight's direction. The purple unicorn was breathing heavily, her voice cracked as barren, drought plagued soil. "Are you really suggesting that I abandon them? No...I'm gonna protect them from you, and defeat you! All...all at once..." Majesty raised an eyebrow and huffed.
"Noble, but unrealistic," Majesty said. She began to raise another hoof, the glyphs shuffling between their four colors. Twilight exhaled parched breaths, completely dumbfounded as to what the mare would lob at her next. "You see, Twilight Sparkle, your magic is very strong. There is no doubt there, but you've no idea how to manage it. You're swinging blindly, and it's painfully obvious. Here I was, getting my hopes up for a good magic duel. Perhaps I overestimated you, thinking your raw power might overwhelm me." Majesty looked to her glyphs and swung her hoof when they reached a resplendent gold.
The ground shook, and Twilight's yelled in terror as she saw the stone floor erupt into a field of countless, needle sharp spines. Panicking, she teleported, but soon found herself on another bank that was littered with the same spines. They would puncture the earth, retract, and then emerge in different, randomized spots. Twilight tripped and hit a smooth section of floor. She just knew a spine would appear from below her, spearing her and ending her life right then and there.
The pounding of rocky spikes cutting through the floor soon subsided, though, and Twilight shambled up at Majesty's voice. A sweltering heat was before her, and she backed up slowly over the now cracked, craggy ground. A massive lance made of flame floated right in front of her eyes. Sweat poured off her body as she moved away, but the lance followed her every move. Twilight spied Majesty, who hadn't budged from her initial spot.
"That's game over, Twilight Sparkle. You know, I could have ended it right there. I truly could have. But...I cannot take another unicorn's life. Not one of your potential..." Majesty said. The flame lance hovered in the air ahead of Twilight's vision, conducting her movements and not allowing her a step forward. She gulped, but had no saliva in her mouth to swallow. "Leave, now. Leave here with your friends that are so dear to you. Then...then go and tell your princess. Let her know I have returned, and that there is nothing she can do to stop me now. Now that I am in command of the Mystery Vein, of Equestria's magic flow, I am...invincible." Twilight growled, still staring down the flame lance. But her eyes slammed shut, unable to take the heat as she gave a despairing whimper. Twilight lowered her head, splattering the ground with her angry, hopeless tears. She felt her magic leave, her horn and eyes losing their luster.
"Is this it...? Have we come so far just to lose...?"
"No! I won't let you leave here!" shouted Fluttershy. Majesty's flame lance twisted violently. It burst into a shower of cinders as its creator cried out. Twilight raised her head to see Majesty darting out of the way of a yellow blur. Fluttershy had somehow escaped from the diamond cage, lunging at Majesty and going straight for her head. Upon missing, Fluttershy twirled in the air, dancing around a barrage of magically catapulted water jets. After turning gracefully to avoid the attack, Fluttershy landed on a nearby bank and screamed at Majesty, her eyes enormous and twitching. "You're not invincible! But you are a big, fat jerk!" She bobbed and weaved like a talent gymnast through slung whips of fire before taking off again, berating Majesty throughout. "After hurting Twilight like that, after all she went through to protect us...h-how dare you think we're gonna let you get away with this?" Fluttershy flew for the lake center, diving at Majesty yet again. Once more, the unicorn got out of Fluttershy's path just by a hair. However, she hadn't accounted for Rainbow Dash soaring just behind her. The wounded pegasus smashed into Majesty's back, sending her tumbling into the lake. The giant glyphs hung uselessly in the air, blinking erratically. Dash gave a cheer, flying over to Fluttershy. The two barely had time to bump hooves before Majesty emerged from the lake, soaking wet and furious. Her once condescending and controlling look had been replaced by pure wrath.
"You...how did you...?" Majesty said, quivering as her cape of mane dribbled countless streams of grimy water.
"My spell..." Twilight croaked. She was looking over to the bank where she had placed the diamond wall. It had toppled to the ground, now a broken pile of slag. Applejack, Pinkie Pie and Rarity sprinted for Twilight as fast as their sore legs would carry them. They were well covered by Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, who continued to distract Majesty. They were blurs of yellow and blue, consistently dodging and flying over fierce shots of flame, water, and wind. Whenever Majesty would face Twilight, she would be accosted by a pegasus, forcing her to return attention to them. Twilight found Applejack's front leg on her shoulder. The unicorn was speechless, staring at the ground.
"Hey, Twilight! I said don't go crazy anymore!" Pinkie said, sliding under Twilight's hung head and placing a hoof beneath the unicorn's chin. She propped Twilight's head up. "Trapping us like that? That's the craziest thing you could've done, ya know?"
"Honestly, Twilight," Rarity said. "It's the job of the villain to imprison the hero's friends for the final battle. What hero does that herself? I would think you've read enough books to know that." Twilight remained mute before being knocked on the head by Applejack. The hollow clunk of hoof against skull sent her eyes whirling.
"Hello? Gonna say somethin'?" Applejack said, managing a smile. She looked into Twilight's eyes, hoping for some kind of reaction. "Look. You've got yer magic an' all, but what about us? We're just as good in a fight as yer magic is!" Twilight blinked. Applejack shook her head and continued. "Keepin' us locked up? Well, that's only hurtin' yerself! An'...an' us too..." Twilight's eyes went wide at this as she fumbled for words. Her rocky throat provided no assistance.
"I was...I was only trying to keep you safe..." Twilight said, her voice laden with shame. Her gaze returned to the floor. "I'm...everypony was hurt...I didn't want things to..."
"We're gonna get hurt, Twi," Applejack said. "Ain't gonna be no other way about it, against somepony like that! But look at yerself! Yer plenty hurt too. How d'ya think it feels, watchin' somepony close to ya get hurt and not bein' able to do anything?" Applejack mimicked Pinkie's earlier move placing a gentle hoof beneath Twilight's chin and lifting her head up. "We're fightin' together, an' that's that. Got it?" Twilight looked to all her friends. To Applejack, to Pinkie Pie below her, to Fluttershy and Dash grappling with Majesty, and to Rarity, just behind Applejack. She looked up on her own accord as Applejack removed her hoof and smiled bigger.
"You're right..." Twilight said, tossing her filthy bangs out of her eyes, which blazed with blistering passion. "Of course...how could I have been so stupid? You're absolutely right, Applejack! I'm...I'm sorry."
"Great! Now let's get her!" Pinkie Pie said. She made for the lake, but stopped at the edge, puzzled. "Umm...question! How do we get her?"
"Like this, I suppose," Rarity said. She picked up a few discarded stalagmites around her, levitating them just above her head. She shrieked as they flashed white, her horn gleaming platinum. When the flashing light subsided, Rarity's eyes met three floating spears made of glistening diamond. She stuck out her lower lip as she tore her eyes away from her bedazzling creations. "Oh...do I really have to...?" Everypony gave her half-lidded stares, and she sighed, withering. "Well, if I must..."
Rarity's eyes shimmered before she waved goodbye to the diamond lances. She casually flicked her horn, sending them sailing across the lake. They went for Majesty like fired arrows. Majesty caught this new attack out of the corner of her eye and directed a glyph to her side. The circle intercepted the spears, shielding Majesty and forcing the projectiles into the lake with a great splash.
The strength of the blow managed to knock Majesty back. Straight into Fluttershy's path. The bright yellow streak rammed into Majesty's stomach and soared past, sending the unicorn nearly plummeting into the lake again. Fluttershy flew straight up, rubbing her temples as she continued clumsily upward. Dash whistled as she circled the dizzied Majesty from a safe distance.
"Whooo! Never knew you had that in ya, Fluttershy!" Dash said as she flew around a number of fireballs. Majesty had already regained her balance, but she was having trouble keeping up with the acrobatic pegasi. Her head whipped around, her long hair rippling rhythmically beneath her. Her panting grew hoarse and frustrated as she tried again and again to hit the quick targets whizzing around her. She was losing her composure as the majority of her shots ended up misaligned, caused by her having to strafe out of the way of more diamond lances.
Majesty felt something buzz past her ear. It turned out to be a large, purple star with bladed arms. Majesty grimaced and twirled to face the bank that had once held Twilight. Now only Pinkie Pie, Applejack, and Rarity were occupying it. Majesty shouted as two more stars flew out of nowhere, their presence impossible to detect with the pegasi flying about. She then saw Twilight appear near her three friends on the bank. She was smirking through heaving breaths.
"So...it's whenever I teleport, huh?" Twilight said. Though she was talking to herself, her eyes were focused on Majesty, who looked on in horror. Her head snapped away from Twilight as she moved to dodge Fluttershy, who shot through the air like a cannonball. "Okay then..." Twilight flashed a grin before blinking away in a flash of purple. A pair of equally purple stars were generated before automatically flying at Majesty. The mare barely had time to fly to the side before another pair of stars cut into the cold, magic-laced air to strike her. She raised a glyph to deflect the stars, but a bundle of four more shot across the lake, spinning at her relentlessly. Majesty directed another glyph to block their path, but she became helpless as a barrage of stars began to close in from all directions. Majesty felt their pointy arms dig into her fur before exploding into violet magic. Her eyes rolled back into her head as the countless explosions knocked her around like a rag doll. As she fell back into the water, she caught the pegasi floating up above. They had triumphant looks on their faces as they let Twilight pummel Majesty with star after star.
Overexerted, Twilight teleported back to Applejack, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie. She collapsed, unable to conjure up any more energy. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash descended going over to their drained friend. The world was swimming around her, colors blending disgustingly as she barely managed to keep her eyes open. She heard a melange of babbling, the voices of her concerned friends calling out to her. Twilight stood as things gradually became clearer. She looked to the lake, as did everypony. The glyphs hovered over the spot where Majesty had been. They blinked slowly, shifting through colors. They appeared very dull, ugly, even, compared to their normal, lustrous glow.
"Did we...did we get her...?" Twilight said. It was more of a plea than anything. Nopony responded. The lake was quiet, the small ripple where Majesty had fallen spreading out to the edges. The glyphs continued to blink, unsure of what to do next. Everypony watched, and sighed in relief.
Their deep breaths and would-be cheers were cut short, however, by the sudden, violent churning of the lake water. Everypony screamed as Majesty arose from the lake. Her expression was one of primal agitation, a hideous mixture of disbelief and brutality. Her flowing mane spread apart into jagged, drenched tendrils of brown hair, and her massive eyes glared pure blue. Her mouth rolled open as her glyphs shifted upright again. They were shining the same, ominous color as her eyes
"No...no...I will not be kept here!" Majesty bellowed. Her voice was harsh beyond measure, dwarfing the volume of a trumpeting elephant. She raised a hoof to her side, and the glyphs cast a glint of azure across the lake. "I have been here too long! Nopony...nopony will keep me here!" She slashed her hoof down. In an instant, the lake water exploded upward with a thunderous roar. It descended upon the land with crushing force. Twilight thought quickly as the wave approached, stretching to the ceiling. She readied her horn and a large pink bubble of magic surrounded the group, guarding them from gallon after gallon of ruinous water. Twilight and her friends could see nothing but rushing blue from within the sphere.
Eventually the water stopped coming. Twilight lowered the saturated bubble and looked at what should have been a waterless crater. Instead, everything in the lake had been replaced by a swirling sea of blue magic. The room had been darkened to a frightening indigo, rendering things shadowy and featureless. The only light spilled from the luminous magic flow, which surged like a sea at storm.
Majesty raised her hoof again, turning the glyphs spring green. The magic below her reflected the change, shifting color along with the large circles and bathing the room in a noxious glow. A desolating wind swept across the room. On instinct, Twilight raised her bubble again to prevent everypony from being blown away.
"Great. Back to square one!" Rainbow Dash said, spitting. The bubble creaked and hummed as it guarded against both furious winds and propelled blades of green magic. The shards carved giant gashes into the rock walls, ripping away chunks of stone and carrying them in the gale. "Now what? Same like before?" Everypony looked to Twilight. Her eyes were chalk white again, drawing upon more magic than was comfortable. The weight on her chest and horn multiplied as she staved off wind, flying rock, and razor sharp shards of magic.
"Wh-what...? Ahh..." Twilight got what they meant, and turned to look at them. Her head twitched sickeningly as a large fragment of rock collided with the barrier. "You mean...what I did earlier? That...that interference she was talking about...?"
"I-if you can..." Fluttershy said. She looked Twilight up and down, and shuddered. Her fur was so damp with sweat that it drooped greasily instead of sticking out at odd ends. Deep, black circles were forming beneath her eyes. "But...but maybe you shouldn't! Twilight...you have to think of yourself-"
"No...no, I won't," Twilight said, firmly shaking her head. Fluttershy had been approaching, but backed away at this. Twilight winced as the howling wind reverberated in her ears, and as another big rock piece came hurtling against the bubble. "If I can stop this...I'll do whatever I have to..."
"But, h-how did ya?" Applejack said, her voice bogged down with coughs. Her throat must've been exceedingly dry. "A-ah' mean...d'ya even know how ta' work it? That magic, ah' mean?"
"No...but, it can't be that hard. I just gotta...get mad..." Twilight assured herself quietly. She closed her eyes tight. She thought of Majesty, out in the world above and doing as she pleased. She imagined a vivid picture of her friends wounded, suffering. She imagined herself as the only one left. The images proved too much, and she screamed. "No! Majesty! I won't let you get what you want!" The bubble dissipated, but it wasn't through lack of magic. It was the result of a tremendous shock wave, produced by Twilight's shout. Majesty wavered. The glyphs lost their sheen, the wind died instantly, and debris tumbled out of the empty air. For that moment of peace, the magic flow below Majesty became light purple, the same color as Twilight's fur. Majesty growled before screaming in anger and overwhelming power. The wind picked up again.
"No! You upstart! I will not...I will not yield to you, Twilight Sparkle!" Majesty cackled. Her brow was furrowed as she laughed maniacally, hysterically. The wind intensified, but Twilight stamped her hoof, bringing it to a halt again. Majesty's hair bristled, whipping around her petite form. "I yield to nopony, Twilight Sparkle. I yield to nopony! I will not be kept here! I will not be kept here!" Majesty's voice became low and demonic, sending chills and earthquakes across the battle and magic scarred cavern. She resumed the windstorm, which was amplified at least three times beyond normal strength. Twilight heard something amidst the howling and shrieking. A crack. The trembling, quivering magic mist below Majesty ripped at her eyes, but she kept them open to see the unicorn. She was more focused on the glyphs. A tiny, but noticeable crack had appeared in the topmost one. Twilight gave a little grin.
"Keep it up, Twilight...keep her going..." she said to herself. She stomped again, quelling the gale and turning the magic flow purple. She had steadily been approaching Majesty, leaving the lake edge behind. She stood atop the magic flow itself. It kept her aloft, although it stung at her. Her body felt as though it were being jabbed with frigid needles, while the ground itself felt cold as an ice floe. Though the magic churned and raved, corresponding with Majesty's own mid-air contortions, it proved surprisingly solid. Twilight heard another crack. The glyph to Majesty's left continued to shine and sing. It was hard at work, despite the new big fissure right down the center.
"I will not...be kept here..." Majesty repeated as she grabbed at her face. Her hooves slid down her snout, stopping at her neck. She didn't seem to notice the damages done to her glyphs. She was too focused on Twilight, who was nearly right in front of her. She lashed her hooves out, resuming the gale. The wind tore away a massive piece of ceiling. The room shook as its foundation began to weaken.
The uncontrollable wind sent the gigantic rock slab through the air, barreling towards Twilight's friends. They were pinned down by the force of the wind, and their screams didn't escape Twilight's ears. She whipped her head around, feeling her own body lifted and thrown by the rending gale. Her fur was torn at repeatedly as her eyes went wide. She saw Rarity, struggling with all her might to hold the rock fragment up.
"Everypony! Hold on!" Twilight shrieked as she cast the pink bubble spell at the bank, at her friends. It rose up around them, deflecting the rock as Rarity gratefully released her own magic. Twilight, however, was now back on the edge of the lake. Majesty gave a deep, horrid laugh.
"You see? See how far back you are, now? If you had simply ignored them..." Majesty began before Twilight turned to face her. Her furious eyes flashed ivory.
"Shut up! You coward! You'll regret ever trying to hurt them!" Twilight screamed over the wind and chaos. She stamped her hoof, forcing the magic flow to flicker between green and purple. She charged at Majesty, sliding across the magic filled lake surface and aiming her horn at the unicorn's chest. She was stopped in mid-air, a layer of crackling violet and blue magic forming between the two unicorns. Twilight was held in the air, suspended as she tried to break through to Majesty. She couldn't see around her to survey the glyphs. She had no idea how much more her foe could take, but she felt her own limits bearing down on her. She felt weak pulsations within her chest. She felt her breath ringing in her ears. She felt magically charged oxygen burn her throat. She looked up, getting an eyeful of Majesty's emotionless face. Her eyes were still shining blue as she gazed down to the steadily weakening Twilight.
"How pitiful. Did you really think you ever stood a chance, little Twilight Sparkle?" Majesty said. The wind imploded inwards, forming a sphere of agonizingly fast winds that made hurricane feel like a summer breeze. It encased the unicorns, locking them against one another as Twilight thrashed, desperate to break through the thin, but tremendously strong film of magic. "Hmph...you really ought to learn your place..."
"Twilight!" the purple unicorn heard Applejack's shout. Twilight would've angled her head back to look, but her neck was locked. She could only see Majesty's chest and head before her. The details around her had been reduced to shadow. Something similar to sleep began to cloud her mind as her head drooped, the world around her growing fuzzy. In spite of the weakness, she managed to shout back.
"A-applejack! Everypony stay back!" Twilight screamed. Her heartbeat was growing ever slower. Another crack sounded, lagging and heavy as lead in her ears. "I can...I can...I've...almost...got..."
"No! None a' that nonsense!" Applejack cried. Hoof beats echoed across the solid magic flow. To Twilight, everything was echoing endlessly. Applejack must've run forward with the strength of a freight train as she nearly slid right into Twilight, pushing her forward just slightly. Twilight gasped and Majesty shrieked as a new sight came into view, lightly lapping at her watery eyes.
"Magic? F-from where?" Majesty stammered. Her call remained loud and booming, but it had suddenly lurched upward. She recoiled just a bit, keeping the film of magic fortified and holding Twilight at bay. "I-Impossible...! You! Earth pony! Where are you drawing that magic from?"
"Applejack...?" Twilight nearly whispered. She managed to tilt her head to the side, spotting Applejack in her peripherals. The earth pony was struggling next to Twilight, a warm orange aura emanating from her. Twilight saw a trio of thick red lights pouring from Applejack's cutie mark.
"Yer not doin' this by yerself!" Applejack said through gritted teeth. Her tone wasn't one of exhaustion. Instead, it oozed determination as she glared at Majesty. "And you...yer not gonna hurt Twilight anymore!" Twilight felt some of her waning strength return as two more cracks sounded out. Majesty applied more pressure, pushing her hooves and the magic forward. Twilight thought to herself, staring up at Majesty.
"Trust my magic, Majesty...? That's how I would beat you, huh...?" Twilight said, smiling big before looking to her side. Applejack caught Twilight's look and winked. "I don't need to...not when I've got them!" Twilight threw off Majesty's hold for a moment and turned back. She saw her friends, standing huddled on the bank of the lake, bracing against the oppressing winds. "Everypony...! Help me!"
Twilight turned bravely back to Majesty after seeing Pinkie Pie dash forward. The pony had reached the center of the lake within seconds. The pink glow shining from her was enough evidence to guess this. Only a few more seconds had passed before Twilight saw a sky blue light up above, with a pale yellow light pulsing next to it. When a pure white light joined the display, Twilight looked around. She saw all her friends, flanking her and pushing forward in perfect unison. Majesty tried feebly to force the magic film back against them. It absorbed broad sparkling streams of multicolored energy before beginning to distort. The occasional cracking sound had given way to a chorus of hearty snaps. Twilight could move her whole body freely now, rejuvenated by the magic light of her friends. The glyphs persisted, still glowing brightly, but a spiderweb of cracks ravaged all four. Small chunks of a magical, glass-like substance began to chip away.
"No...I won't...be kept here!" Majesty growled. Tears were streaming from her eyes as she tore at her hair. The film of magic was crumbling. The mist below was thinning. "I won't be kept here...I won't be kept here...I won't...I won't! I...I...!" Majesty let out an anguished wail as a veritable dragon's roar came from the glyphs. At long last, they shattered into billions of tiny fragments. The pulsating floor became littered with glossy pieces, which the fading magic flow greedily lapped up. Majesty's eyes were wrenched open, staring blankly into space. They had returned to their brown color as she slowly descended, frozen and powerless. A dropping sensation engulfed everypony before the surrounding world fell to a curtain of blackness.
"Mistress...? Mistress...!" Twilight awoke to a familiar gruff voice some ways away. She rubbed her head as she got to her hooves. Looking up, she saw curved rocky walls around her and her similarly groaning, exhausted friends. The bottom of the lake held only a few sparse puddles of opaque water, and the tremendous magic flow had vanished without a trace. Twilight looked ahead to see Hertz, desperately shaking Majesty. The brown mare lay motionless. "Mistress, wake up! You said you'd be waking up soon! You promised..."
"This is unheard of...unreal! Like something out of a dream! Or nightmare. Take your pick," Anima's voice said. Twilight hadn't noticed the green mare pacing along the side of Majesty opposite Hertz. Somehow she had acquired a new mantle.
"Is master...sad...?" Landscape said. She sat on her haunches from behind Anima's position, curiously following her master's movements. A light orange patch of clay skin had been placed across a big chunk of her chest, and her black mane had been regrown.
"Well, not particularly..." Anima said, stopping to look at Landscape. "Bewildered would be more appropriate. ...Eh...? Oh, and speaking of which, look. They're awake." Bored sounding, she gestured to Twilight and her friends, who were gathering the strength to get up, one by one. "I suppose that means we're doomed then, yes?" Hertz leapt away from Majesty, growling like a rabid dog.
"You all! You did this?" her voice cracked with anger and bemusement. "How...? You...you'll pay for hurting the mistress! Anima! Let's beat em' up!"
"Well, I've got nothing better to do," Anima said, shrugging. She leapt back and slashed a front leg forward, directing Landscape to Hertz' side. The golem pony struck a low battle pose before twitching and falling over onto her back, whimpering. Hertz stammered as Anima shrugged again, this time matter-of-factly. "Hmm, that's enough of that I suppose. Hertz, what exactly are you proposing, you imbecile? What makes you think we've got a chance if even Majesty couldn't defeat them...?"
"I...well, we-we've gotta do something!" Hertz blubbered, chastising Anima. The green pony paid no attention, instead straightening her glasses.
"You will do nothing, Hertz," Majesty said. She rose, her long mane blanketing her body. Hertz jerked her head back as her eyes sparkled with joy.
"M-m-mistress?" Hertz squealed, running over to Majesty. The battered mare blinked in response. "I...oh...my...umm...h-hi! I've waited so long to meet you, mistress! I've...umm...wow...now I don't know what to say! Heh, go figure!" Majesty blinked again, totally lost for words.
"...At any rate, I cannot fight any longer...never, never have I felt so weak," Majesty said sluggishly. Every word sounded taxing. She turned to the group of victorious, but still very injured and tired ponies. Their eyes were transfixed upon Majesty. Even Rainbow Dash's and Applejack's, who had gotten into low battle positions the instant Landscape had. "...I cannot stop you...I can hardly move. Go...go on and alert your princess..."
"That won't be necessary," Celestia's voice called out before a flicker of sunlight appeared in the space separating Twilight's group from Majesty's. Everypony gasped in awe as Princess Celestia stepped out of the pillar of light and flame. It ebbed away as she shook her perfectly groomed mane. She faced Twilight and her friends, who were bowing in respect. She gave a big yawn. "Really, now. Everypony, must you bother with formalities?"
"Second nature, yer highness..." Applejack choked out before doing a landing on her snout, her legs too wobbly to support her. Her hat flew out in front of her as everypony followed suit in utterly collapsing. "...But umm...don't think ah' could stand much longer if ah' wanted..."
"Seconding that!" Pinkie Pie mumbled, her mouth full of gravel. Celestia chuckled at Pinkie Pie's words, but her smile evaporated as she saw the state her subjects were in. She let out a little gasp as she shook her mane again.
"Oh my...everypony, you have my apologies," Celestia said. "I should have intervened. No, I should have solved this matter myself. I was suspicious as soon as strange magic began to interfere with Luna's work, but-"
"Please, princess! We couldn't have you risk yourself like that!" Twilight gurgled. The sound of Celestia's worry energized her just enough to hop up and fall right back down again, her flank waving in the air. She sighed groggily. "Just tell us we did a good job..." Celestia blinked before smiling proudly.
"You did a fine job, my faithful student. You, and all your friends did spectacularly," Celestia said. Everypony let out huge sighs of relief and pleasure. "Without you, I don't know if this incident would've been resolved."
"It isn't. Not yet," Majesty said. She sauntered out, heading for Celestia. The princess turned to the mare that was barely recognizable to her. "You've returned to seal me up again, isn't that right? That's the only reason you showed your face, isn't it? Admit it..."
"No! No you can't!" Hertz said, darting out in front of Majesty. She stared up at Celestia, who's great height was more than imposing to the meager unicorn. She trembled and gulped. "Y-you'll...h-h-have to go through me f-first..."
"Oh? Is that so?" Celestia said. Her eyes narrowed, as though issuing a challenge. Hertz giggled weakly, whipping her head around and spying Anima. The mare had Landscape by the scruff of her neck and was trying to sneak out of view.
"A-anima! Get over heeeere!" Hertz wailed. Anima groaned, stomping on over. Landscape followed her like a lost puppy. "I can't take her by myself!"
"Hertz...you know something? I think I understand you better now. Yes, I now understand that you have a death wish!" Anima said. She stopped before looking slyly at Celestia. Her slits of eyes portrayed the desire to spit at her. She threw a hoof forward, directing Landscape. The golem pony loyally jumped ahead of her master. "...Then again, I do have a bone to pick with you, princess."
"Hmm? And what might that be?" Celestia said airily.
"I think you know full well," Anima said. Landscape fell onto her back again, overcome by a twitching fit. Anima sighed as she tried ordering the golem wordlessly. "My special talent is creating golems. A 'dangerous' type of magic. Forbidden, even? Are those words ringing any bells?"
"None that immediately come to mind," Celestia said glibly.
"Well, I would've most certainly been shunned for practicing my special talent. Seen as a pariah for attempting dangerous magic, declared taboo by order of the princess herself," Anima lectured. Celestia looked confused before nodding in comprehension. She certainly seemed sincere. "So I escaped here. Mistress Majesty allowed me to perfect my technique, as opposed to condemning me for it. You may not have ordered it personally, but you more or less forced me here. Understand?"
"Ah. Well I am sorry about that..." Celestia said absently. Her nodding continued throughout. Anima shrugged and pushed her glasses up her snout. Landscape still couldn't get up, wobbling like a turtle knocked on its back.
"Erm...well, forget it. I'm not fighting you," Anima said, tugging at her mantle. Hertz looked back, whimpering. Anima threw her hooves to the sky. This made Landscape shoot up, as though she had been shocked by lightning. She sat back down sheepishly. "What? That's suicide, Hertz! At the very least I managed to give her a guilt trip." Anima noticed that the princess hadn't stopped nodding with the same tempo as before. "...Maybe."
"Whatever! You flake..." Hertz spat. She turned to Majesty. "Mistress! I'll distract her so you can escape to the-"
"No...Hertz, that is impossible," Majesty said. Hertz heaved like a fish out of water. Majesty ignored her display. "I doubt I would make it far. Besides, you haven't a chance against her..."
"You mustn't talk like that, mistress!" Hertz pleaded. "If you stay here, she'll seal you up again! You said so yourself!"
"What's this? Who's sealing who up?" Celestia said. She had stopped her childish mock nodding. "Certainly not me. I shall do no such thing! My dear, I wish you wouldn't try to guess my intentions." Twilight and Applejack gasped in unison as they both shot up from their slump. Twilight flopped over to Celestia, pointing a trembling hoof at Majesty.
"Princess! Do you have any idea what she's planning to do?" Twilight said. Her pupils had shrunken to nearly microscopic dots. Celestia laughed casually. "T-to unicorns...to earth ponies...to...to...to all of Equestria?"
"Probably the same thing as before!" Celestia said, her tone carefree. Twilight choked on her own spit.
"I will not allow her to escape from here," Rarity grumbled, sitting up and heading for her princess. Her eyes bounced around in her head as she walked. "Such a devious mind, and...princess, you simply must reconsider!"
"Yeah, what she said!" Dash said as she too wobbled over to Celestia. The princess was now surrounded by incredulous little ponies gathered at her towering legs. "And besides! What was the point of sending us down here if you're just gonna let her loose? That means we did all that for nothing! Nothing!" Dash rubbed her snout as she fell to her back legs, flapping her lips.
"Well, I suppose so..." Celestia said, chuckling mischievously. "But really I was only hoping that you would beat some sense into her, you know? You were the only ones that could." Everypony stammered, backing away from Celestia. Majesty stood firm as the princess looked into her eyes. "Well, lady Majesty? After what you have experienced with these ponies, have your ambitions changed? Have they changed since that fateful day? That day so long ago, when I imprisoned you? At least, oh, twelve hundred years ago, I believe?" Majesty took a deep, shuddering breath.
"...Has it honestly been that long? That explains why you're speaking so informally, Celestia. So traditions do not endure, do they?" Majesty said. Celestia gave a loud, magically amplified cough. Everypony except Majesty jumped, jittered by the massive noise. "And no. My goals have not changed. I will liberate unicorns from you. I will dedicate my life to-"
"Oh, that's too bad. If that's the case, then I suppose I really will have to re-seal you," Celestia said nonchalantly. Majesty choked as she looked at the floor. She shook her head feverishly.
"F-fine...I will wait for as long as I have to..." Majesty said. Her voice was morose and barely audible. Celestia sighed, getting a little closer to the dispirited mare.
"Majesty...you were right about traditions failing to endure. You know that one about unicorns being mistreated? That lifestyle that so many followed? That one I sought to end?" Celestia said. Majesty raised an eyebrow, but refused to look at the princess. "Well, I did. I ended it by making unicorns, earth ponies, and pegasi equal. Unicorns do not need that much power, Majesty. That frightening magic you wielded just recently...what purpose would that serve?" Majesty remained silent, moving her head a shadow of an inch in Celestia's direction. The princess breathed softly. "And look to the ponies at my side. These six here. Did you not witness the power they hold together? The power of their friendship can overcome any magic you wield. It can overcome any magic anything wields. When that kind of benevolent power is available...your Mystery Vein is...it isn't needed. That kind of destructive magic is better off locked away." Majesty shook her head again, her eyes watery. Celestia tilted her head back. "Please, Majesty. Abandon these 'ambitions' of yours, and step out to the light. Or...well, I suppose it is time I ended my attempts at persuading you. It is your choice now, Majesty. Which do you choose? Will you stay here with your plans? Or will you leave them, the Mystery Vein, and this cave behind, forever?" Majesty looked around the empty lake bed. All eyes were on her. She looked to Celestia, and then to Hertz. The yellow unicorn smiled, her wide eyes fixed in adoration upon the brown mare.
"Whatever you want is fine by me, mistress!" Hertz said. She closed her eyes and nodded. "I haven't got a home! I haven't got a family! But...but I've got you, mistress. You let me stay here, and I've always felt at home. That's because...wherever you go is my home, because you're my family." Majesty turned to Landscape and Anima, desperation and confusion upon her face.
"I've been keeping track in my room ever since you took me in," Anima said solemnly. "A couple hundred years, I've been here. Most everypony I knew is probably dead. Ehh...scratch that. They're definitely dead. So...what Hertz said, I suppose."
"I go where...master Anima goes," Landscape said. "So...same for me too..." Majesty finally settled her gaze upon the victors. Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and Twilight, standing beside to their princess. They offered no words for her. More than anything, they looked as though they wanted to leave.
"I...I wish for unicorns to be free...to be great," Majesty said. Celestia wavered upon anxious hooves. "But...but more than that...so much more than that I..." Majesty choked on her tears. "I want to be free! I don't want to be kept here!" Celestia nodded pleasantly.
"And free you shall be," said Celestia. Her smile did not fade, and it looked as though nothing could wipe it off her face. She turned away from the shivering wreck that was Majesty. Tossing her mane, she began to walk. "Come, everypony. Let us gather up the others." Everypony nodded resolutely before following the princess. Celestia turned to see that Majesty and her followers were not proceeding. "Majesty..." Celestia said over her shoulder. The mare looked up to the great white alicorn. Hope blossomed in Majesty's dark brown eyes. "That means you too. As well as you three. I assume you meant what you said. ...Let us go."
In spite of their crippling fatigue, it didn't take the group of ponies long to reach the stone platform where Hertz had been fought. The blue mass of magic seemed to quake before Celestia, as if it feared her very presence. Upon reaching the confused, wailing, sobbing mass of captive unicorns, Celestia instilled order. Everypony bowed and waited for her words. She explained to them that a powerful, ancient evil had polluted their minds, dragging them to the cave against their will. However, she was quick to note that the evil was dead, and would never return. Nopony offered any kind of remark or question, instead nodding and accepting Celestia's words. The unicorns unsteadily lumbered after the princess and her entourage. They trudged up and out of the cave, all the way to the surface where the Everfree Forest awaited.
The forest at dawn was still shrouded in darkness, with shadows creeping out from behind the trees and grasses. However, the sheer size of the group of ponies kept any creatures at bay. The fact that the princess of Equestria was leading the pack did a great deal more to ensure that any threats would keep their distance. Seldom did the Everfree Forest have so many visitors.
As the drowsy, silent ponies moved to the outskirts of the Everfree, Majesty made her way out to the front. She breathed shakily as she looked to the dazzling golden orange mixture pulled across the horizon. She stepped away from the trees and her followers to gaze at the fast approaching morning sun. Celestia chuckled merrily.
"Well, you wanted to see a sunrise, yes?" Celestia said to Majesty. The mare did not turn around. She was far too captivated with the long forgotten wonders of the outside world. "Was it soon enough?" Majesty's voice trembled as she heard her followers approach from behind. They too smiled at the warm horizon as they sat down in the grass.
"It's...it's beautiful..."
