The two remaining cutie mark crusaders, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, took a few steps towards Twilight, putting on brave faces. "We're gonna stop you!" Scootaloo screamed.
"Oh my, you are so scary… Oh, I know what to do with you… You won't stop me, because you shall all help me…" Twilight replied with an inquisitive look on her face.
Sweetie Belle attempted to use her magic, but in her fear all she could muster was a few puny sparks. Scootaloo pumped her wings as hard as she could and with the adrenaline flowing through her body she actually managed for once in her life more than a few feet of flight, but just as she was starting to climb to Twilight's position, Twilight let out a loud roar and sent a stream of fluid darkness in the direction of the young ponies. They screamed in pain as their bodies began to change and darken and transform. The mares and colts screamed as they witnessed their siblings and children become morphed into creatures of darkness, but were unable to do anything at all about it.
All of the fillies and foals were now made out of shadow, each with their own set of leathery bat wings and razor sharp horns. Twilight looked them in the eye and said, "Now, my minions, fly to the furthest reaches of Equestria! To Manehatten, Phillydelphia, Canterlot, and beyond! Spread my darkness and my torment! Fly!" The foals and fillies obeyed and zoomed straight through Twilight's barrier of darkness.
During this time, Twilight's friends were shocked to see that they were completely unaffected by the spell. Around their necks had appeared their elements of harmony.
Rainbow Dash said, "We were protected by the elements! This is our chance, while Twilight's distracted-"
Rarity interrupted. "It'd be no use, Rainbow Dash. We need Twilight! Without the sixth element, we're all doomed!" She dove into a chaise lounge that magically appeared.
"Maybe we should send a letter to the princess…" Fluttershy mumbled. She knew nopony would hear her anyway.
All the other ponies continued pacing and Rarity continued sobbing on her chaise.
"We have ta git word to Princess Celestia!" Applejack finally spoke up. "We need to know what that spell was the Celestia taught Twilight, and why it's goin all wonky! But how…"
The five ponies put their heads together, and all at once they remembered Spike.
"How could we forget about Spike?" Pinkie Pie asked. Come to think of it, none of the ponies had seen Spike since the barrier had been put up around Ponyville. They went to the first place they could think of: the library. In the basement they found Spike, shuddering in a small iron cage.
"Spikey Wikey!" Rarity exclaimed, "Oh, you must be so frightened!" Rarity attempted to put her hoof through the bars to comfort Spike.
Spike blushed. "N-not really, Rarity, I'm not scared! I'm just confused… that's all, really. Please, get me out!"
"I'm awful sorry, sugar cube, but there doesn't seem to be a way for us to do that. There isn't a lock er anything. Just this crystal." Applejack explained.
Spike sighed. "Yeah, it requires dark magic, but I guess none of you would be able to do anything like that, and you probably shouldn't. We don't need two crazy ponies out there."
Pinkie Pie spoke up. "Spike, I know you're scared-"
"I'm not scared!" Spike refused to look terrified in front of the most beautiful pony in the world, and his long-time crush, Rarity.
"Okay, I know you're confused, but we really need you to send this letter to the Princess. That big dome thingy can't keep a dragon from sending a letter, right?" Pinkie finished.
"No, I don't think so. Alright, let me have it." Spike took the scroll from Pinkie and lit it up in green flames, hopefully sending it to Princess Celestia.
Moments later, a letter from Celestia returned from Spike's fire breath. Spike started reading it aloud, "It says: My little ponies, I have no idea what you are talking about. I would never teach any of my students a spell like that, not even Twilight. It is far too dangerous, especially for a young unicorn. If Twilight is performing dark magic and claims to have learned it from me, then something is terribly wrong. When the Crystal Empire reappeared, Luna and I were away in Saddle Arabia and did not know about anything regarding that until we came back a few days ago. My only conclusion is this: there must have been an imposter, with a very evil plan. I will send help immediately to you."
When spike had finished, silence befell the six. They looked at each other nervously, and then Fluttershy began to panic saying, "It must have been Sombra! It was him all along! That's why he was so easy to defeat!"
The other ponies nodded. Applejack replied, "Why, Ah think Fluttershy's right girls. And if that's the case… we're all-"
"No!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed, "Don't you dare finish that sentence! Celestia's coming for us! She can stop Twilight! Come on, let's go upstairs and wait for the Princess to get here!"
As the ponies all started up the stairs, except Rarity, who looked back at Spike and saw that he was already starting to shiver in fear again. "On second thought, girls, I think I'll stay here with Spike. Someone's got to keep him company." She always had a soft spot for that baby dragon. Spike smiled and blushed.
The rest of the ponies went upstairs and looked out the windows. To their horror, the scenery was already drastically different. It was darker somehow, but they could see the outlines of already demolished buildings and the spires and towers being built, no doubt becoming a castle for Twilight. They wondered why the library hadn't been touched yet, but hopefully Celestia would come before they would find out why.