Annie appeared from the hallway and ran to the railing to the lobby below. She just managed to catch Commander as she left the ballroom. Noticing her from below, Commander quickened her pace and ran out though the doors to the outside of the hotel. Annie hopped over the railing and down to the lobby, rolling over to soften the landing.

Annie stared at the doors as they began to close, only to hear the roaring fire from the ballroom. Turning back towards the staircase, she saw the harsh red glow of the flame already coming into the lobby from the doors to the left of the staircase. Annie ran to the right set of doors, bursting through them and being pommeled by the slight backdraft. Annie crawled to her knees to see the damage that had been done: Gauntlet, Spearhead, Doctor, and Black Glass dead on the floor and Gilda lying on the ground, unconscious.

Annie shot to her feet and ran to Gilda, the closest to her and knelt back to her, laying her ear over her chest. Annie was glad to hear a heartbeat prompting her to stand up and go behind Gilda. Crouching down and grabbing Gilda from under her arms, she dragged Gilda towards the unscathed exit, watching as the flames rose up to the ceiling and slowly spread to the last set of doors.

Annie managed to pull Gilda out and into the lobby, almost snagging her outstretched, broken wing on the door. Annie continued dragging Gilda out until she was able to pull her outside the hotel and the cold winter weather. The sun had completely set, the only light available being the glow of the fire from the ballroom behind the hotel, and the faint glow of torches surrounding the hedge maze.

Looking out, Annie saw the barely distinguishable figure of Commander at the maze’s entrance. Upon noticing her spotting her, Commander ran inside the maze and disappeared. Annie, carefully setting Gilda down, ran back inside the hotel.

Annie ran to the right set of doors, the left side of which were already spilling flames. Opening the rightmost door, she reentered into the hot, smoldering room. Annie looked to Spearhead and could already see that he was dead from blood loss. Running over to Gauntlet, she slid towards him on her knees and put her ear over his heart. Unable to hear a heartbeat, feeling the subtle, but unnatural curve of his neck, she could already assume his fate.

Standing back to her feet, Annie looked to the doors, seeing as flames already began to eat at the right door. Annie then caught a glimmer from the right corner of her eye. Turning right, she saw Commander’s sword handle poking out from under one of the tables. Jumping at the opportunity, Annie ran back to the table and picked the sword up. As she ran back to the exit with her weapon in tow, she stopped and looked to her fallen guards one last time.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered.

Hearing the roar of the fire increased, Annie darted back towards the exit as the fires started to envelope the last door. Kicking it open, Annie rushed out of the room for the last time. With her free left hand, she pulled a torch from its holster in the wall and ran to the hotel’s exit. As she left, she found Gilda continuing to lie still at the hotel entrance. Kneeling back down and checking her pulse with her ear, she was glad to both hear her steady heartbeat and breathing.

“Stay put, Gilda,” cooed Annie. “We’re almost done here.”

Annie hopped back to her feet and ran into the darkness, the hedge maze her beacon. With the light of her torch keeping her path illuminated, she looked down, trying to spot whatever traps she could. Annie panted heavily; her body was becoming tired from all the running and fighting and hurting. But if it were for this last one and would save countless ponies in the future from her and her deeds, it was worth the exhaustion.

Annie’s pace refused to let up as she finally reached the entrance to the labyrinth. With her torch still in hand, Annie navigated the path, following the fresh hoofprints in the snow. Annie suddenly had a sickening feeling of déjà vu. It felt much like running through the alleys in Manehattan for Bruiser and Black Glass. However, she knew there would be a fight at the end of this tunnel, and while she was fighting to be able to stand on her tired bones, Commander was relatively well rested, and with her abilities outmatching Gauntlet, Spearhead, and Gilda, she was clearly in for the fight of her life.

Turn after turn, Annie made her way further into the maze, each turn only continued to feed her dread, knowing that Commander could appear from either one. Annie pace finally began to falter, her body begging her to stop. However, with another turn, Annie found the next corridor of the maze led her into what appeared to be the center; torches lining the walls of the spacious area, marble benches and statues. Her fight would begin and end here, and she would finally…

Just then, Annie remembered Flash Sentry’s ambush inside the hotel, already fearing the worst. At that moment, she thought of a plan. Quickening her pace, Annie came closer to the entrance to the center of the maze. At that moment, Annie thrust her torch forwards, stifling the grunt that her exhausted body would make. Sure enough, Commander’s arm swung out, ready to clothesline Annie once she entered.

The end of Annie’s torch struck Commander perfectly in the wrist, making her recoil and bray out as Annie passed through. Annie ran closer to the center to give her space from Commander as well as some time to breathe. Commander glared at Annie as she held her burned arm in her other hand.

“Commander,” Annie shouted in one exhale and breathing in more air. “I’m here now… It’s time I… put an end… to your sick… game.”

“Annie,” growled Commander, letting her wrist go, revealing the ravaged and bubbled skin, “death is no more a game for me than it is for you. You and Gilda both killed to stay alive, much like I must kill you and Gilda to do the same.”

“Then you should have just killed her.”

“Yes, I saw you drag Gilda outside the hotel. She’s quite heavy, isn’t she? And it also looks like you found my sword. I’m guessing that you ran back in and retrieved it? And then you followed me all the way out here into this labyrinth. Sure, I could have killed Gilda, but my time was already ticking away dealing with those annoying guards, and why waste time and allow you to corner me inside that ballroom when I could easily have you running around for me instead?”

Annie gasped suddenly, realizing her strategy. Both the frightening epiphany and her exhaustion made her knees wobble.

“Between your trek to Ponyville,” she continued, “the killing of my mares and stallions, and you chasing me into the labyrinth, all in this, I bet you’re very tired by now. Meanwhile, I’ve spent most of my day in that hotel waiting for you. I’m completely rested, while you’re barely able to stand on your own two feet.”

Annie held her sword out, aiming its point at Commander. Commander merely chuckled, advancing towards her. Annie kept her footing firm, not letting Commander take an inch.

“And you think that because you have my sword I should be frightened of you?” Commander asked. “I’ve disarmed stronger enemies that were further from Death’s door than you.”

“You clearly haven’t fought me yet,” Annie snapped.

Commander was all but a few steps from Annie now, but Annie kept her scowl up, refusing to show any sign of surrender.

“Defiant even as death comes walking closer,” Commander said. “You’ll definitely be one of the more fun ones I’ve ever killed. And then, once I’m done with you, that pesky griffon is next. But… first things first…”

Commander started to lunge towards Annie’s sword. Pulling the sword away, Annie swung her left arm with her torch still in it and towards Commander’s face. Prepared this time, Commander blocked Annie’s arm with her right forearm, the force knocking the torch out of Annie’s grasp where it fell to the snow and fizzled out.

Annie spun right and away from Commander’s body, just managing to avoid Commander’s grasp for her sword. Annie kept the blade of the sword online with Commander’s neck, only to be stopped by Commander’s right hand. Using her turn’s momentum, Commander punched at Annie with her left hand.

The punch was inhumanly quick, too fast for Annie to avoid. The punch plowed into Annie’s face as Commander let go of her arm, sending her off her feet and down several feet from her. The blow was disorienting enough for Annie to drop the sword at Commander’s hooves.

Annie rolled to her feet and backed up several steps as Commander equipped herself with her weapon. Commander turned to face Annie, who put her arms up above her head with her left foot stepped forwards; her signature fighting stance.

“And now that you’re without a weapon or any strength,” sneered Commander, “you still hope to fight?”

“A gift from my father,” Annie grunted. “Let’s see how your fighting compares with mine.”

“Fine,” she responded, grabbing the sword in both hands, “your funeral.”

Commander ran forwards with her handle held towards her waist, going for a thrust. Annie waited until Commander’s right hoof came down towards the ground. Moving her right arm behind her back, thrusting her left elbow up and moving her right leg back, she thrust her leg forwards, her shin colliding with Commander’s.

Commander felt searing pain run through the bottom half of her leg, gasping at the power of Annie’s kick. Undaunted, Commander continued to thrust her sword towards the side of Annie’s waist. Annie using the tilted angle of her body, leaned back, avoiding Commander’s blade by inches as it flew over stomach.

Commander, still in pain from Annie’s strike, fell forwards to her stomach while Annie landed backwards on her hands and knees in a crab stance. Annie spun her body left, extending her right leg out as it swung over and down towards Commander’s back. Commander quickly rolled left as Annie’s foot struck the snowy ground, blowing some up into the air.

Annie pushed back on her left leg and stood upright with her right foot out, putting her arms back up into her stance. Commander stood to her hooves, looking to see Annie fully prepared once again. Commander hissed loudly, enraged at Annie’s persistence. Annie merely stood like a statue, waiting for Commander to take another shot.

“You really are nothing but a pest,” Commander seethed. “Just won’t accept your fate.”

“If my fate means dying at the hands of a filthy cow like you,” Annie retorted, “like hell I’m going to accept it.”

Commander, taking offense to the word “cow” charged once again. Annie observed as Commander raised both hands above the right side her head, coming for a slash. Annie shifted her body to the left, moving her arms to dodge Commander’s swing.

Annie swept her outstretched right leg out, avoiding Commander’s proximity and facing her once again. Commander swung out to the left at waist level. Annie fell flat to her left side, dodging the blade once again, before she could fall, Annie caught herself on her left forearm and thrust her right leg out, kicking Commander in the stomach and pushing her back.

Annie rolled up to her back and pushed off the ground with her hands and up with her legs, flipping her to her feet and allowing her to assume her stance once again. Commander looked upon her nearly unbeatable enemy, studying her and predicting her next move based on her own.

Commander made another run at Annie, circling her arms down behind her and around for an odd stab towards Annie’s left side. Annie began to shift her body right, anticipating the strike. Mid-swing, Commander stopped, shocking Annie. Commander followed through in the opposite direction, swinging up and behind her, going around to swing up. Sliding her right leg underneath Annie between her legs, Commander’s body was allowed to follow through with the swing.

Annie shifted her head and neck as far back as her body would allow. While Commander’s swing missed the head and neck, the blade was able to slice through the flesh, from the side of Annie’s rib cage all the way to her shoulder.

Annie yelped at the sting, but saw Commander’s back exposed. Lifting her left leg up for a roundhouse kick, Commander was already beginning her own sweep towards the back of her knees. Commander made her mark, making Annie wince and grunt even harder, throwing her kick off as it went over Commander’s ducking head.

Annie fell to her knee, but fought through the pain to use her momentum to spin around and stand on her left leg, keeping as much weight off her right foot as possible. Annie tried putting her arms back up, but could only lift her right arm halfway.

Annie wheezed painfully, knowing that the fight could not continue much longer in her condition. Commander laughed happy to see the fight finally turn in her favor.

“Look at you,” scolded Commander, “you’re falling apart. Now it’s going to be just too easy to kill you. How I’d love to drag you out in your condition back to Gilda, and have you watch me kill her as originally planned… but I can’t afford to take any more chances. So, if you could just stay still…”

Commander thrust her sword towards Annie’s heart with her right hand, going for the ultimate kill. Annie leaned right and pushed to the left, ducking under Commander’s sword and arm and picking herself back up on the right side of the arm. Twirling her right arm in the same fashion, she managed to grab Commander’s wrist and push outward, spinning Commander’s back to her.

Reaching over Commander’s shoulder and grabbing her face with her left hand, Annie shifted her weight back to her right, shouting out to fight the pain in her leg. Lifting her left leg behind her, Annie kicked Commander in the back of the legs and followed through, lifting Commander off her hooves and swinging her body up. Annie’s hold on Commander’s burned arm forced Commander’s momentum to twist it about, the sword slipping out of Commander’s grasp.

Annie let go of Commander’s wrist caught the hilt before it could fall. Commander landed on her back, knocking the wind out of her. When Commander opened her eyes, she could see as Annie, kneeling on her right knee, held the sword blade up as she swung it over her head and down towards her neck. Commander reached up to block, but the sword passed through the gap in her arms too quickly, allowing Annie to drive the blade into Commander’s throat and out the back of her neck.

Annie watched as Commander’s eyes bulged out as she gasped, scared of the death she now faced. Annie twisted the blade in the neck, mangling her spine and killing her completely. Annie looked down at the slain minotaur, the final remnant of the dreaded Fates.

Pushing up with her left leg, Annie managed to bring herself to her feet. Annie slowly limped to the side wall of the center of the hedge maze, turning around and leaning onto it, allowing herself a small rest. Annie breathing slowly, in and out, the cold breeze feeling prickly inside her lungs. Looking at the wound on her right side, she hugged her breast with her a right arm and held it tight with her left. With nearly nothing left to do, Annie hobbled towards the entrance back into the hedge maze. Leaving Commander’s corpse inside her makeshift tomb.
________________________________________________________________________________________

Annie made it back to the entrance to the hotel, seeing the orange light visible through the cracks in the door as light wisps of smoke crept out of it. Gilda was still lying in the same spot she was when Annie pulled her out. Annie looked at Gilda’s broken wing, her face frowning in regret at what had befallen her.

Finally making it to her side, Annie dropped to her left knee, slowly getting to her right knee as well. With exhaustion fully enveloping her, Annie gently laid her body onto the side of Gilda’s waist next to the base of her wing. Annie silently wept as tears streamed from her face and onto Gilda’s fur, both from the pain her body was in and in the hope that Gilda would finally wake up.

With Annie’s weight on Gilda, the griffon began to stir. Feeling Gilda begin to roll to her stomach, Annie shot up and backed up, giving her space. Gilda’s right wing moved to fold itself back in, only to stop suddenly as a contorted look of pain shot on Gilda’s face.

“Ow!” she cried. “What in the hay happened to my wing?”

Annie began to breathe heavily, happy to see Gilda finally awake. Gilda, seeing the blood oozing out from the cut in her jacket and hoodie, gasped.

“Annie?” questioned Gilda. “What happened?”

“Commander got me good,” she panted.

“What happened to her?”

“…She’s gone. You’ll never have to worry about the Fates again.”

“R… really?”

“Yeah. I also got Flash Sentry good too.”

“Nice… Hey, come to think of it, what am I doing out here?”

“Commander knocked you out, broke your wing, and left you for dead. I managed to pull you out.”

“You… you did?” Gilda responded, tears flowing from her eyes.

“Yeah. Now, could you help me up? We have only a half-hour’s walk to Ponyville.”

“Sure thing,” she responded, wiping her eyes with her talons. “Hold on.”

Annie draped her left arm around Gilda’s lower back as the griffon stood on her talons and then to her back paws, groaning to the pain in her gut. Annie stood to her left leg and began to stagger behind Gilda to the other side.

“Looks like she got you pretty good,” Gilda said.

“Yeah…” answered Annie. “She did.”

“Need a lift?”

“Thought you’d never ask.”

Annie managed to swing her right leg up and around Gilda’s back, and with a gentle jump, Annie mounted Gilda, lying her tired body across her back.

“Don’t get too sleepy there,” warned Gilda. “Don’t want you falling off along the way.”

Annie carefully grabbed onto the base of Gilda’s left wing, giving it a gentle squeeze to let her know they could go. Gilda ran at a comfortable pace south of the hotel and down the hill towards the train tracks that connected Ponyville to Canterlot.

As Gilda strode through the snow, Annie looked behind her, seeing the center building of the hotel glow bright as a pillar of smoke rose from the ballroom behind. Leaving the final corpses of the fates behind in both distance and in the back of her mind, Annie laid the side of her face on Gilda’s back, calmly closing her eyes and relaxing her taxed body.
________________________________________________________________________________________

Inside a small hospital room with seafoam-green walls, Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Rarity surrounded a bed with a sick-looking Spike on it, snuggly under the covers. While Fluttershy and Rarity looked genuinely concerned, Twilight stared at the baby dragon with disappointment and bemusement.

“Ugh,” Twilight groaned, “this is the last time I study poison crystals after dessert.”

“Don’t be so harsh on the poor dear,” reasoned Rarity. “They do look quite a bit like emeralds.”

“Hardly! Emeralds are… well, emerald colored, and those crystals were at least two shades brighter!”

“Just be thankful that he didn’t eat too much,” Fluttershy cooed.

“Yeah, it could have nearly killed him.”

“Come on, Twilight,” groaned Spike. “I said was sorry.” *CUKH* *CUKUKH*

“Spike, you should just focus on not opening your mouth for a little while.”

Twilight looked to Spike’s bedside drawer, seeing an empty glass pitcher save for the few water droplets inside of it and a glass that was a quarter full with water.

“Rainbow Dash,” asked Twilight, “can you go and refill the pitcher?”

“Sure thing, Twilight,” she responded.

Rainbow Dash walked over the drawer and picked up the handle in her teeth. Rainbow Dash carried it out of the room. Rainbow Dash turned right towards a drinking fountain, only to see two unicorn ponies roll a stretcher down the hall, making her scoot to the side and let it pass.

As the stretcher came by, Rainbow Dash was shocked to see that it was Annie being carried on the stretcher. Her clothes and boots were dirty and stained with blood, her hoodie slashed at the abdomen and the right side along with her jacket. Despite the cuts on her body and the bruises on her face, Annie’s face looked relatively calm and complacent.

Rainbow Dash kept her eyes on Annie as she passed by her. As Annie’s stretcher was pushed further through the hall, the sound of gasping to her right brought her attention there. Rainbow Dash turned to see Gilda standing before her, still and shocked at having not seen her friend in so long. Rainbow Dash’s mouth hung open, causing her to drop the pitcher and shatter to the floor.

“Gilda?” Rainbow Dash asked.

Gilda pursed her beak, hoping to remain as collected in front of her old friend as possible.

“Hey... Dash,” she greeted nervously.