The following few days, Twilight Sparkle remained housebound. She refused to leave the library, and even her own bed most of the time. Spike did whatever he could to wake her up and get her out of the house, but Twilight wouldn't. She wouldn't wake until past noon, and sometimes she would even sleep all day long. It wasn't until three days after she formed the dome that she finally got out of bed and went downstairs. She saw her friends anxiously pacing about the library.
Rarity was the first to notice Twilight. "Why, Twilight! You are awake! Oh, we were so worried about you. It was the worst possible thing that could have ever happened!" Rarity began to burst into dramatic tears.
Applejack put a reassuring hoof around Rarity, and then said, "Twi, thank heavens. You've no idea what's been happenin' out there!"
Pinkie Pie interrupted before AJ had a chance to continue, "Twilight! Twilight! Let's go throw a party before the gloom gets to us!"
"Oh, you're alive, huh?" Rainbow Dash commented aloofly, but it was obvious to every pony in the room that she was the one who cared the most out of all of them.
"Twilight, it's really good to… um, have you back." Fluttershy muttered in her timid voice as she smiled.
Twilight closed her eyes again, but she motioned her hoof in a gesture that told the ponies to explain what was happening in Ponyville.
"Oh, it is terrible! Dark clouds have started to form inside the barrier, and a storm is brewing! It is so dark out there, and not even our candles will light! This is the only place where they work. Twilight, every pony is scared, and no pony can help us! Not even Zecora! The barrier won't let anypony through!" Rarity exclaimed.
Twilight opened her eyes abruptly. The whites had been tinged green, and purple smoke billowed around them. Her horn was long and pointed and its tip was re, as if it had been made out hot metal. Her eyes were a piercing red and her mane had become an almost black shade of purple, as well as her tail and fur. A devilish smile formed on her face, and she let out a maniacal laugh.
"Twi, are you alright?" Applejack shouted, "You're scarin' us!"
"Everything is great! It's going exactly as I planned! And if you think that's scary, just you wait until you see what I have planned for this wretched town, and then what I have planned for all of Equestria! Muahahahaha!" Twilight explained to her "friends". She got up and ran for the door. When she got outside she witnessed her glorious chaos. Applebloom ran up to Twilight in a panic, not noticing that something was wrong with her.
"Twilight! Twilight! I thought yer spell was s'posed to keep the evil stuff out!" She cried.
Twilight Sparkle used her magic to levitate the filly in the air and throw against the wall. Applebloom collapsed to the ground, nearly unconscious. Her eyes fluttered in a desperate attempt to stay awake. Twilight smiled down at her, the filly squealed and squirmed.
Twilight looked up at the ponies who had started to gather in the square. "Fools! You thought that my spell was to protect you? Ha! It was always to keep the darkness in, to concentrate it. And now…" Twilight let out a deep, menacing laugh. "Now… I have risen. And there's nothing you ponies can do to stop me now!"
Twilight rose towards the sky as a thick black magic surrounded her body, looking down at the entire town of Ponyville like it was a meal. None of the ponies dared to challenge Twilight, they knew what she was capable of before, who knew what kind of terrible power she could wield now?
Twilight shouted, "Bow to me, Ponyville! I am your princess now!" All of the ponies shuddered in fear, except one. A light blue pony in a cape walked bravely up to Twilight and stood boldly before her.
"Don't worry, every pony! The Great and Powerful Trixie shall defeat this monster! With the Alicorn Amulet, all is possible!" Trixie called, encouraging the ponies. Every pony looked up at the blue pony, with a small spark of hope in their eyes. Trixie took a fighting stance, ready to charge. Twilight chuckled.
"Really? Trixie is your best hope? That is just… pathetic."
"We'll find out who the real most powerful unicorn is!"
Twilight chuckled again. "Oh-ho, I accept your challenge. Just try to hit me, if you're so Great and Powerful, Trixie."
Trixie took a deep breath and then revved up her magic. She sent a series of huge blue lightning strikes at Twilight, but something stopped the strikes right in their paths. Trixie watched in horror as Twilight reversed Trixie's own magic back onto her. Trixie winced in pain, but refused to show just how weakened she really was.
"You fool; my powers far exceed that of your puny amulet. I've had enough of this little game. Begonia!" Twilight sent a streak of black and green lightning right in Trixie's direction. The blue mare did her best to counter it with her own blue lightning, but hers was a mere beam of light in comparison the strength and force of Twilight's magic. The lightning zapped Trixie and sent her flying into the wall of Rarity's boutique and she fainted.
"Now that that's settled, is there any pony else that wants to challenge me?" Twilight looked down at Rainbow Dash, but even she trembled in fear. "No ignorant act of bravery? No insults? Why, Dash, are you… scared?"
Rainbow Dash attempted to look up defiantly at Twilight. "I ain't… scared… of nothing! I just… didn't want to look at your ugly face, that's all!" Her adrenaline rushing, she flew up right into Twilight's face and stared into her eyes. "I will never let you get away with this, Twilight. And if it wasn't obvious, you're not my friend anymore. Not any of our friends."
Twilight pretended to look heartbroken. "Oh, whatever will I do without the magic of friendship?" She paused for a few moments, pleading with her eyes to Rainbow Dash. Then her expression changed. "Oh wait, I know." Twilight threw Rainbow Dash to the ground, forcing her through several layers of dirt and rock. She didn't come back up.
Twilight smiled. "Now, then. Bow to me, slaves!" All of the ponies did as she said. "I want you all to do something very special for me. You will destroy this pitiful little town, and replace it with my castle. Bigger than Canterlot, and grander than the Crystal Empire! And for those less complacent mares and colts, allow me." Twilight released a cloud of dust into the air that washed over all of Ponyville. The ponies' eyes went wide as their bodies started to move as if they had minds of their own.
Twilight Sparkle laughed as she beheld her handiwork: all of the ponies were now destroying their precious homes and farms while wailing and moaning. Except… Something was missing. Twilight turned to see a group of fillies and foals huddling behind the school building. She lifted the whole building with her magic and threw it across the field behind, exposing the young ponies. "Muahahahaha!" Twilight exclaimed, "You thought you could hide from me? Oh, my dear fillies and fools… Whatever shall I do with you…?"