"Yeppppppppppp!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed joyfully as she bounced across the scorched pasture. And she wasn't the only one—everypony else was just as radiant upon seeing Fluttershy safe and sound, emerging from the thick smoke rising from where the Cocatriz Titanicus had fallen.

Leaning on Twilight, who had rushed into the inferno to rescue her, the pegasus soon found herself surrounded by her friends, who threw themselves at her in hugs of happiness and relief. Not only had they accomplished their mission, but everypony had made it out unharmed.

"Thank you! Thank you!" the exhausted pegasus said, listening to the praises of her friends.

"That was amazing, no, it was fantastic, no, it was Fluttertastic! HICCUPPPP," Pinkie Pie proclaimed excitedly, setting off bursts of confetti bombs.

"Truly, the success of this operation is all thanks to you, Fluttershy," Twilight said with a smile, placing a hoof on her friend's shoulder.

"Thank you... it was really hard, but... thank you all for believing in me," Fluttershy replied humbly, her voice weary.

Thus concluded the successful "Runway" operation, devised by Twilight and executed in record time by all the ponies. Their goal had been to reduce the threat posed by the Cocatriz Titanicus within the great barrier. This terrifying beast, under Vanilla's control, made facing the villain directly incredibly difficult. But upon finding an opportunity, Twilight decided they had to neutralize it separately.

Using their best talents and the tools they had prepared in advance, each pony gave their all in the battle.

And no one put in more effort than the unexpected heroine, Fluttershy.

With a magical amulet granted by Twilight, which allowed her to become invisible, Fluttershy managed to get close enough to the Cocatriz Titanicus' neck. Once there, for the remainder of the struggle, she used all her physical and mental strength to press the creature's weak point until it succumbed. It was a difficult, almost impossible mission. During her feat, Fluttershy was exposed to the beast's violent neck thrashes, the fierce winds generated by its wings, and its corrosive breath. All of this, combined with Fluttershy's naturally low resistance to such extreme efforts, made her victory even more impressive. It was clear that the timid pegasus had managed to surpass her own limits.

Of course, Fluttershy was aware of the dangers when she accepted the responsibility of this task. However, she was not prepared for the price she would have to pay for such a noble effort.

That was how, in the midst of her friends' jubilation, Fluttershy suddenly began to cough.

"Sugarcube, are you alright?" Applejack asked, her previous joy fading into concern.

"Yes, it's just the smoke from earlier," Fluttershy responded calmly, though her voice was hoarse.

"Oh, darling, everything you had to endure, having to face that beast's breath," Rarity said sorrowfully, casting a wary glance at the fallen form of the massive Cocatriz Titanicus.

"Fluttershy, you don't look well. I need to take you to the medical wagon for a check-up," Twilight insisted, noticing her friend's paleness.

"That's not necessary, Twilight, I'm fine. COUGH! COUGH! COUGH!" Fluttershy affirmed. However, the pegasus began coughing again and stumbled from a sudden dizziness, quickly supported by Twilight.

Her friends immediately grew more worried.

"Of course you're not, darling. You need medical attention right away," Rarity exclaimed, stomping the ground with her hoof.

"Don't you worry about us, sugarcube. We've got everything covered now," Applejack said, accompanied by Pinkie Pie, both wearing confident expressions.

Fluttershy seemed like she was going to protest again, but then she lowered her head and simply said, "Alright."

"Then there's no time to waste. I'll take Fluttershy... but first," Twilight said as she pointed her horn toward the Cocatriz Titanicus.

"Wait, Twilight, 'he' will be okay... right?" Fluttershy asked worriedly, looking at the enormous, fallen creature.

"Yes, he's just unconscious, but we need to make sure he stays that way," Twilight replied with determination. Igniting her horn, she began channeling a spell to keep the Cocatriz Titanicus asleep. A pair of enormous, soft-textured earmuffs appeared and settled onto the creature's head. The beast stirred slightly but then stretched its limbs into a more relaxed posture.

"This will be enough for now. Applejack, you're in charge. Secure the Cocatriz Titanicus as we planned. If Rainbow Dash returns, come meet me at the medical wagon immediately. Do the same if Vanilla appears. I didn't have time to mention it before, but he has a magical amulet that disrupts spells. He's very dangerous..." Twilight said, giving her friends a serious look. "That's all. See you soon."

Without another word, Twilight, carrying Fluttershy, swiftly headed for the train.

The remaining ponies watched with concern as their two friends left. Applejack, standing at the front of the group, shared the same worry as the others, but at that moment, another thought took hold of her mind. A thought in which a proud, rainbow-maned pegasus was shrouded in a dark veil.

"Alright, y'all heard Twilight. Let's get moving!" Applejack announced, cutting off the farewell and pushing aside her conflicting emotions.

Work was the only thing that could distract her from the bad feeling growing inside her—a feeling that intensified every time she looked toward the horizon, in the direction where Rainbow Dash should be. A bit bitter with herself for her lack of honesty, she didn't share those concerns with her friends; there was no point in doing so at that moment. First, they needed to complete the mission they had planned together.

With that resolve, Applejack began assigning tasks to each of her companions to ensure the capture of the Cocatriz Titanicus.

[-]

It didn't take long for Applejack and Rarity to finish securing the fallen beast. Rarity had woven a massive sticky net around the Cocatriz with a viscous, elastic substance similar to rubber. This material, prepared by Applejack, was a special compound made from pine sap and various cooking ingredients. While finding bottled pine sap among the train's supplies had been a real stroke of luck for Applejack, she still found it an inexplicable mystery how Pinkie Pie had managed to provide such an abundance of cooking ingredients to help. The farm pony scratched her head, wondering when her friend had brought so many materials onto the train.

Setting that mystery aside, with their work finished, the two ponies decided to head toward where Pinkie Pie was supposed to be keeping watch...

"Then, Applejack jumped up and struck the Cocatriz directly on the beak, making it topple onto its side. Rarity lunged at its claws and freed Twilight, but at that very moment, a burst of fire struck them from behind. The Cocatriz had risen, furious and vengeful, trapping them within the flames. But then, the brave Fluttershy charged straight at the beast, striking its weak point and defeating it once and for all!" Pinkie Pie passionately narrated from atop a large rock.

The two ponies had arrived at the place where their friend was supposed to be keeping guard.

"Pinkie Pie, what exactly are you doing?" Rarity asked, annoyed at seeing the carefree pony striking dramatic poses atop the rock.

"Hi, girls! I'm just preparing the incredible story I'll tell Rainbow Dash when she comes back, about how we defeated the fearsome Cocatriz Titanicus!" Pinkie replied cheerfully, striking an exaggerated victory pose.

"But that's not how it happened," Applejack pointed out, somewhat irritated.

"Exactly! It's Rainbow Dash! The more incredible, the better!" Pinkie Pie retorted, pulling a notepad from her mane and beginning to jot down her latest wild exaggerations, paying them no more attention.

Rarity and Applejack were too exhausted to reprimand their friend for it.

"Well, darling, Applejack and I thought it would be best to return to the train with Twilight and check on Fluttershy. It's been several minutes, and they still haven't come back," Rarity said, waving a fan she had conjured with her magic.

"Uhm, no need. They're already on their way here," Pinkie Pie replied without even looking up, too focused on revising her story.

And indeed, they were. The two ponies turned and saw Twilight and Fluttershy flying toward them from the train.

"Phew, what a relief. Fluttershy looks completely recovered," Applejack exclaimed.

"And with a new hairstyle," Rarity added. Despite the distance, she had already noticed a small braid in her pegasus friend's mane.

Then, Pinkie Pie's ears picked up something else in the air. She quickly stood up, lifted her gaze, and, in the distance, spotted a rainbow-colored speck approaching at high speed. With a wide grin and a gleeful whinny, Pinkie Pie started hopping, pointing toward the horizon.

"It's Rainbow! It's Rainbow! She's coming!" the pink pony exclaimed excitedly.

The other ponies turned again and saw that, from the opposite direction, Rainbow Dash was approaching in her signature swift flight.

"Over here, Rainbow Dash! Over here!" Pinkie Pie shouted, waving energetically at her friend. The joyful enthusiasm quickly spread to the others, who also began making gestures to catch her attention.

However, without any warning, Rainbow Dash suddenly accelerated to full speed. From the ground, the only thing the ponies saw was the rainbow streak she left in her wake before vanishing above their heads in a straight line across the sky. Then, a dull thud echoed behind them, followed by an explosion. Applejack, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie didn't understand what had happened. Turning to look back, all they saw was Fluttershy hovering in the air, so shocked by what she had witnessed that she couldn't utter a single word.

A great cloud of dust began to rise not far away, on the other side of the train.

Pinkie Pie hopped down from the rock and joined the other ponies. But no one said a word. A trembling Fluttershy descended from the sky and rejoined the group. Even so, none of them could find their voices. In the distance, the dust cloud slowly started to clear, though the sounds of crashing stones and explosions continued.

"What is happening?" Rarity asked in a dazed voice, her mind resisting the reality before her eyes.

"Rainbow Dash attacked Twilight, and now they're fighting," Applejack responded in a mechanical tone. The other ponies exchanged looks, confused and terrified by this reality that, although difficult to comprehend, was unfolding right before them. Indeed, a fierce battle was raging on the other side of the train, far beyond their reach.

"But…? Why…?" Pinkie Pie didn't finish her question because her tail suddenly started twitching, drawing everyone's attention.

Then, a dark figure landed atop the large rock behind them. A slight cloud of dust rose, and from within it emerged the infamous figure of a pony with a pink mane and navy-blue armor: Vanilla. His gaze was as dark as the deepest, most unfathomable abysses. But he wasn't alone; beside him stood a presence that seemed to be the very embodiment of his shadow.

Both figures, wrapped in an aura of menace, observed the ponies with intense stares, causing them to instinctively step back.

"Applejack, what do we do?" Pinkie Pie asked, feeling the danger growing with each passing second.

"I... I..." Applejack stammered, unable to formulate a plan amidst the chaos.

"Applejack?"

[-]

Mannah quickly scanned his surroundings. Before him stood the enemies of his nation, those who had put to the test the millennia-old oath sworn by his predecessors.

"Peasants and townsfolk," he thought to himself. These were the enemies he was about to face. Mannah was almost tempted to spit ink at that moment, but he refrained. Such conduct would be crude and unbefitting of someone like him. He was royalty, a direct descendant of the first knights of the original Order. Unlike the others, who had been chosen from among the many of their own kind, Mannah could at least boast that a member of his family had belonged to that esteemed group in every generation.

This was the reason for the great recognition he received from his people—and also the cause of the deep anger festering within him.

He had never wished to be a Knight of the Order.

In every generation of his family, it had always been the youngest son chosen as the bearer of the Element of Acceptance. He alone had been selected as the eldest. He had aspired to become a member of the Cunabula Council, just like his father and the ancestors he so deeply admired.

That dream did not last. Accepting his fate had been the hardest trial of his youth. It had inflicted a wound upon his heart—one that, instead of healing with time and granting him wisdom and understanding, had left a scar that filled him with an anger and sorrow he refused to acknowledge.

This very rage, rooted deep within his subconscious, now fueled the spell he was about to unleash upon his foes. He had once considered delivering a speech to his opponents, making them understand the despair he would cast upon them. But now, after his encounter with Morrigan, that no longer mattered in the slightest.

"MAELSTROM OF DRAKEN!" Mannah bellowed, unleashing a violent torrent of water that surged toward the sky.

[-]

A torrent of water rose like a wall before the ponies, quickly turning into a dark whirlpool that began to consume everything around it.

Faced with this sight of impending doom, Applejack's thoughts sank deep within her.

Applejack had been having a rough day. That morning, Granny Smith had woken up with a terrible headache after drinking an entire bottle of cider the night before, ignoring both her and Big Mac's warnings. Earlier, while checking the chicken coop, she had discovered that several hens had escaped, likely frightened by the fireworks from the previous night. On the way to the train with her friends, she had fallen into a mud puddle twice, forcing her to bathe three times that morning. To make things worse, she had found out that Apple Bloom had worn her old Grand Galloping Gala dress and completely ruined it.

Applejack couldn't stop thinking about how her little sister had left early that very morning, taking the first train at dawn and leaving behind only a brief farewell note. She loved Apple Bloom deeply, but with each passing day, it felt like her sister was growing further and further away… from her, from their family, and from the farm that had been their parents' legacy.

Suddenly, a rock, propelled by the force of the raging whirlpool before them, struck Applejack in the face, sending a sharp pain through her skull. A pain that, if Rainbow Dash had been there, she would have used as an excuse to snap her out of it and yell: "WHAT ARE YOU DOING, APPLEJACK!?"

As if hearing that imaginary scolding, Applejack shook herself from her thoughts and looked around.

Her friends were trapped in the mesmerizing terror of the rising whirlpool. They couldn't move or look away, like prey cornered by a serpent. These ponies, normally brave and experienced, had become frightened fillies, utterly helpless in the face of the disaster looming over them. They were on the verge of giving up, of closing their eyes and never opening them again.

That wasn't happening today. She wouldn't allow it.

"EVERYPONY, RUN!" Applejack shouted with all her might.

Her friends snapped out of their trance, and seeing Applejack move, they followed her without hesitation.

Applejack ran as fast as she could, and her friends kept pace, almost matching her speed. Even Fluttershy, usually timid and hesitant, ran with the same determination. They were all fleeing the whirlpool, chasing after Applejack, who silently thanked the stars that she and her friends were ponies—with four strong legs that gave them the speed they desperately needed.

A deafening crash thundered behind them, like a tidal wave slamming against a cliff. Applejack didn't look back. She wouldn't—not until they reached the train.

The train was close now, but…

Applejack felt a jolt of panic when she saw that all the train car doors were shut.

How would they get inside? Would they have to jump onto the train? Break a window? Her mind raced frantically. She couldn't think of anything. Was she going to have to sacrifice herself?

"Twilight, I'm sorry..." Applejack thought, hearing the roar of the water growing closer and closer. There was no more time. She was about to turn around and face the oncoming wave, hoping her friends could withstand the impact.

Then, a miracle.

A glimmer of light appeared between the doors of one of the train cars. Had she not noticed it before? It was slightly ajar.

Without hesitation, Applejack shouted, "FOLLOW ME!"

Slamming her hooves down as she reached the train car, she leapt inside, and her friends followed like arrows. Applejack remained at the door, making sure everypony had made it in safely. Then, she cast one last glance outside.

A massive wave, as tall as two barns, was rushing toward them like a black wall, swallowing everything in its path.

Applejack shut the door and closed her eyes, wrapping her hooves around her friends as they braced for whatever was coming next.

[-]

A whistle. Nothing more.

Silence, followed by an intense drumming.

More silence, and the drumming kept echoing.

Everything was dark. She opened her eyes, but it was still dark. The drumming still resonated, though now it seemed distant...

[-]

Applejack felt her heart slowly begin to calm. She had expected to hear a crash, a dull thud, something like the charge of a bull. She knew about those kinds of things. But she felt nothing.

Suddenly, a thought unsettled her. Had she…?

Quickly, she checked her nose, moved her tongue, and bit down on her own hoof. Everything seemed normal. She remembered Granny Smith used to tell her that doing that was enough to know if you were alive or dead. But she also remembered that her granny wasn't always right…

She stretched her hooves into the air and felt something strange. There was an elastic layer around her. It felt unnatural.

A shiver ran down her spine, and suddenly, a cold breeze enveloped her. An intense light burst forth from one end.

"Applejack… Applejack…" A distant voice called out. It was familiar, too familiar, like her mother's voice.

"Applejack… Applejack…" Another voice echoed. This time, it sounded like her father's.

Applejack felt fear. Real, deep fear. She wasn't ready. She wasn't. She never had been. But… could it really be…?

"Dad? Mom?" she whispered, barely audible, as she looked toward the blinding light.

Then, an irresistible force pulled her outward, dragging her away from everything she knew.

[-]

Inside one of the train's medical carriages, on a white bed, a disoriented Applejack looked around. There were Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Fluttershy, completely unharmed, their faces filled with joy.

"Huh? What?" the farm pony mumbled.

"Relax, disorientation is a normal effect when using the Averages impact-isolation capsules. It'll pass in a few minutes. You might not hear well for a while, but that'll be temporary too," explained Magazine Doublereport while examining Applejack with some complex medical devices.

[-]

"Greetings, everyone," said a mental voice that resonated in the minds of all the Knights of Order gathered in the war room.

"Hello, Balor," Morrigan responded from her seat, directing her gaze toward the great golden orb suspended from the ceiling of the chamber.

Above them, inside the orb, was Balor of Cunabula, bearer of the Element of Magic, newly awakened.