Her wings had been numb for what felt like hours. The winds kept driving them backwards, threatening to crash into the earth below. Aurora had to toss her mane out of her face several times as the icy wind pushed some of it into her face. But still the sisters pressed on, knowing that victory was close. Their world would be back to its glorious state once they found the Elements. It would be just be like before.
Almost.
Luna had remained close to her older sister since they started flying. Aurora knew that her coat would blend into the clouds and Luna would be left lost, flying alone. Deep down, she was afraid that they were flying in the clouds without any direction. They could have passed Canterlot and were now flying into unknown lands.
It was then that Luna called to her sister. "Sister! We should go above the clouds! We'll be able to get some bearings there!"
The two kicked their way through cloud after cloud, snow coating everything. And then, for a moment, Aurora saw the blue sky and a shaft of sunlight gleaming above. A streak of freezing wind zipped by, the opening to the sky gone.
Aurora and Luna both stared as what sounded like a cross between a whinny and the moaning of the wind on a winter's night started up from the clouds. They saw the hooves first, frigid, emerging from the clouds like ghostly limbs. The head came next, mane flowing in an unseen and unfelt wind. Their eyes were blank, and they could see the clouds through them. The Windigoes had no flanks, just curling bodies that twisted into snow and sleet. They galloped around the sisters, the air getting colder and the snow falling thicker and faster.
As Luna cowered at her sister's side, Aurora took a deep breath and fired a bolt of magic at the Windigoes. They twisted, shrieking like a howling windstorm, before doubling their efforts. She tried again, this time focusing on the clouds in front of her. She had a clear view of the mountains that she knew belonged in the center of the kingdom. For a single second, she could see the castle of Canterlot. She nudged Luna forward with her wing, then the two took off, diving towards the direction of Canterlot.
The air warmed as they got closer to the ground, the snow melting off their wings. As they reached the outer wall of the city, the air became as warm as a summer's day. Grateful for a change, they both glided over the wall and then landed, stumbling as their shivering bodies warmed.
Several of the buildings were now upside down and floating in midair. Ponies hesitated before walking along a path, watching as others were literally walking up and down walls that the paths now crisscrossed.
The sisters only stopped to catch their breath before they took off into the air once more, their wings burning as they flew towards Canterlot Castle, several of the spires now floating sideways. Aurora and Luna headed to the throne room, kicking open the doors.
The room was mostly dark, except for a few torches that remained on the five pillars. Discord sat on the throne, slowly turning a goblet into a chicken, then back into a goblet, though it still squawked when he drank it. He held the liquid in his eagle claw, bouncing it around like a ball.
Discord turned towards them, smiling as his eyes narrowed in fiendish delight. "Well, well, well. Look who decided to come home! We've been missing you, my little ponies."
"You can't scare us anymore, Discord!" Luna cried, stomping her hoof.
"We've found a way to stop you," Aurora said, stepping between him and her sister. "And we will stop you."
"Ooh, I'm so scared. What are you gonna do? Talk me to death?" He burst into a fit of giggles. "Besides, I have something for you two as well."
"Whatever you have, we don't want it!"
"Oh, I really think you do…" He waved his lion paw and glass jar appeared. Philomeena, now a tiny chick, appeared trapped inside a glass bottle. She squeaked and groaned, smacking the glass with her beak and head. She vanished before Aurora could even cry out her name. "That's just the first part. I've got more."
There were quiet hoofsteps behind the sisters. Luna gasped as Aurora turned to see Firespark and Skyheart slowly walking towards them. Their entire beings had faded to a dishwater grey. They showed no sign of recognition as they looked up at the princesses. Just hopeless and angry.
"You left us to die." They said in dull unison. "You left us to him."
Another hoof appeared from the shadows, this one once a midnight blue in color, now almost the same grey as Skyheart and Firespark. Something jingled in the darkness. A lopsided hat appeared, a tarnished golden bell catching no light. Starswirl the Beared looked at the two. "You two have failed Equestria. You are no longer my students."
"Starswirl, it's not true!" Luna cried. "We found a way to-"
"I don't need anypony right now! And I certainly don't need two failures as students!"
As Luna's eyes started shimmering, another pony stepped out. A once brilliant rainbow mane now was faded. "I should have left you two be taken by him! You weren't my problem!" Spectrum shouted at them.
"Thanks for helpin' me fix my barn," a cross voice said. Fruit Tart trotted out from the darkness, looking pale and sick, the exact opposite of the hearty earth pony they both knew.
Ladybird and Humble Pie stepped out as well, just as grey as every pony there. "What good was being kind to you?!" she shrieked, "All you did was run away when I needed you most! You made me leave the pony I care about, and for what?! To become a mindless puppet!"
Humble snorted at them. "Guess who's laughing now? Just Discord!"
"By the way," Discord added, appearing behind Skyheart and Firespark, "when you left that crystal pony's house, you left the door wide open. And guess who paid her a visit?"
With a flash of light, Specialty appeared. Her eyes were wide with fear, the luster from her coat was totally gone, now revealing more clearly her Cutie Mark, a glowing diamond. She was bound and gagged. Her hyperventilated as Discord stroked her chin with his claw. "Do you want me to show off for her as well? Maybe we should see what she looks like as an actual crystal?"
"Don't touch her!" Aurora cried. "What have you done, Discord?"
"Well, I'm only ruling Equestria and getting revenge on your grandparents for leaving me in a frozen wasteland. By the way, have you noticed the Windigoes? Since the chaos is getting so deliciously rampant, all the ponies of Equestria are blaming each other just as they did ages ago. The Windigoes never did leave you pony folk alone. They're always there, especially in the winter, just waiting for hatred to rise up again."
Luna nudged Aurora. "We have to get to the throne. That's where Friendship's Fire is. We can end this."
Aurora took a step towards the throne. Discord was instantly in front of her. "And just where do you think you're going?"
Aurora straightened, spreading her wings, and she did her best to use the Canterlot Voice. "I am claiming what is rightfully mine! And you will not deny me!"
They both charged towards the throne, dodging as the floor tiles ahead and behind them rose up and tried slamming into the Princesses. As the alicorns reached the throne, Aurora looked behind her at Discord, fuming; the other ponies, greyed, hopeless, and it was for the first time she understood what it meant to truly be a princess.
These ponies were under her and her sister's watch and care. It was not only their duty to raise the sun and moon, but to protect weaker ponies from threats like Discord. Their grandparents had abandoned these ponies to what they thought was a greater cause. But what good was having a kingdom if there was no one to rule? More importantly, it was times like these that ponies would look to the Kings and Queens for guidance and protection. And now, when Equestria needed them, they were not there.
She heard Luna's cry of alarm before she felt her feet fall from beneath her. She did not open her wings because she hit the bottom. The opening above slammed shut. She was suddenly caught in crippling hug. It took her a moment to realize that it was Asterope, clutching her, sobbing with relief. "Sweet Aurora, you're all right!"
"Grandma!" Luna cried, burrowing into her grandmother's shoulder. "It feels like it's been ages!"
"Oh dear, Luna! Thank the heavens above that you are safe! We have been so worried! Come follow me, you're safe now."
Asterope hurried down the stairs at a fast trot, practically skipping with glee. As she entered into the first chamber, she was met by Pleione, who had been pacing the chamber. The moment she caught sight of her granddaughters, she dashed over to them, kissing their muzzles, tears flowing down her face. "You're alive!" she gasped, "you're alive!"
"Come, we must get you to Castor and Pollux!" Asterope said. "They've been anxiously awaiting your return!"
The passageway to Friendship's Fire was already open, though the light from the Fire did not reach as far as it once did. As Aurora and Luna entered the cavern, they had to resist the urge to gasp. The fire had dwindled to a fraction of its size. It still pulsated and sparked, though it did so as it sputtered and hissed. A bolt of golden magic hit the heart of the Fire, though no great change occurred.
"What's wrong with it?" Luna cried.
At the sound of her voice, both Kings looked up in awe and delight. They abandoned their posts and hugged both Aurora and Luna, nearly crushing their ribs. "May you never be in such danger again," Castor said.
"What's wrong with the Fire though? Why does it look like-?"
"It's dying?" Pollux finished, bowing his head. "Because it is. We have no clue how to mend this. No magic we have tried can restore it to its former glory."
"If it dies, the Windigoes will freeze everything!" Aurora cried.
"The Windigoes?!" Pleione looked towards her husband. "There cannot be any in Equestria as long as Friendship's Fire still burns!"
"But it's dying! And the Windigoes power is growing!"
"Sister!" Aurora looked at Luna. "The Elements!"
They approached the fire, their grandparents looking on. "They've grown so much," Asterope whispered.
The two sisters looked on the fire, the pink light reflecting in their eyes. They waited, thinking hard about the Elements and the way to stop Discord.
What have you learned? They heard a voice say. What have you learned from others?
"Do we need to speak?" Aurora asked.
All that is needed is the thoughts of your hearts.
Luna looked up at her sister, lost and hopeless.
Aurora touched her horn to Luna's. "Remember what Mother and Father used to say? 'There's always something to be learned, even if it's not from a book or Starswirl. Sometimes you have to remember where you've been to know what you have learned.'"
"I remember. But where have we been?"
"Remember each of the ponies we've met on our journey? They've each taught us something."
"Fruit Tart was so nice to us. And he was rather blunt about things."
"But he's never once lied to us."
The Fire swelled up, and a flaming emerald shot from the heart of the flame, hovering and steaming between the sisters.
Brightening, Luna cried out, "And Spectrum didn't tell Discord where we were, even though he was under so much pain."
An aquamarine joined the second one, the pink flames still curling about it.
"Lady Bird was kind, even to Discord, who didn't even deserve it!" Aurora said.
A brilliant ruby twisted from the heart, smoldering inside.
"And Humble was so funny!" Luna giggled. "I just laugh thinking about his rock farm!"
A citrine, bright as the sun, sparked into existence.
Aurora thought of Specialty, and, though she didn't have much to give to them, she gave willingly and freely.
The flames suddenly surged and Friendship's Fire swelled. A garnet, almost the same color as the flames, joined as the fifth gem.
The Elements of Harmony are yours. Go now and return Harmony to Equestria.
The five gems hovered between the sisters, sparkling with their own magic. Aurora and Luna met each other's gaze, both in a moment of reverence and awe, and they nodded. They headed for the stairs to go back to the throne room.
"What are you doing?" Pollux cried, dashing in front of them to stop their way. "You can't possibly be thinking of going back to that monster!"
"Grandfather," Aurora said, "the Elements are the only way we can stop Discord! We have to go back!"
"And there are ponies up there who are hurt because of us!" Luna added. "We have a chance, we have to take it!"
"Absolutely not!" Asterope slammed her hoof onto the stairs. "You're not going back up there and that it final. We shall not risk your lives."
"And you can't go risking your lives for other ponies!" Pleione said. "That is folly. There are guards to protect us!"
"The guards are all in peril and have been incapacitated!" Aurora shouted. "There is nopony else who can do this! It has to be us!"
Luna backed away. "Please don't fight them, Aurora."
It took her a moment to realize that Luna had called her by her name. "Luna, we have to go help those ponies. They're the reason we have the Elements in the first place. We owe it to them to return the favor. They were there for us when we had no one else."
"And we have each other," Luna said.
Castor shook his head. "I'm sorry, my children, but we simply cannot allow you to risk your lives so needlessly."
For a moment, the Elements lost a little of the light they carried within. It was enough for Aurora.
She winked at Luna. Aurora reared up on her hindquarters and charged forward, her hooves clattering the whole way. Luna followed close behind, the gems floating between them.
"Aurora Celestia! Luna Nocturna!" Asterope cried. "Get back here this instant!"
"We'll be back once we save Equestria!" Luna promised, and she hurried to catch up to her big sister.
They stood at the entrance to the secret chamber. "Let's end this, Luna," Aurora said, smiling, her face illuminated by the Elements.