My eyes burn as if they’ve been submerged in acid. There’s a heavy weight on my chest. I have a ringing headache, and I feel as if I’m about to vomit. Parting my eyelids makes the burning worse, so I blink them open slowly, bit by bit. The room is dimly lit. There’s no sign of haze, blur, or out of place objects. I’m awake, but am I safe?

“Please bring her back. Please bring her back.”

I hear two voices beside me that cause my throat to tighten up like a clamp. I turn my head slowly, carefully towards the voices. Spike is standing right at the edge of my bed. Next to him is a grey pegasus wearing Order robes. Spike has his elbows propped up on the edge of my bed and prays with tears leaking through his clenched eyes. The pegasus stands behind him with her hoof on his shoulder, head bowed, calmly whispering her own prayer.

My mouth is so dry it feels like my tongue is made of sandpaper, and breathing is like inhaling a swarm of hornets. I shiver a moment before I’m able to force out, “Is it gone?”

Spike’s head pops up and his teary eyes grow big. He stares at me in stunned silence and then gets a look of tortured relief.

“Oh, Twilight!” He lurches up and throws his arms around my neck.

My body turns to wood and I feel like there are a dozen icy bugs crawling all over me. My heart palpitates like a rusty steam engine and I start to sweat. I try to push him away from me, but my hooves are as weak as wet parchment, and his claws are wrapped so tightly around me.

“I was so worried,” he sobs. “They kept saying you might not make it, but I knew they were wrong. I told them you’d wake up no matter what. I knew that—”

I summon magic to rip him off me by the tail. His damp smiling face goes flat as I set him down next to the grey pegasus.

“We’re so happy you’re awake,” says the agent. “You had us really worried for a second. Your wounds weren’t severe, but your breathing and heart rate was incredibly erratic. My name is Derpy, by the way, we’ve met a few times around Ponyville.”

I lean up in the bed and slump my rear hooves over the side of the mattress. I breathe in deeply and feel a stormy churning in my stomach.

“I—I need to be alone. Please leave.”

The grey pegasus is confused and Spike looks at me in shock. “Twilight, is there something wrong?”

“Just please, I need, hurg—”

I hunch forward and press a hoof to my mouth. I vomit, splattering acidic chunks over my hooves. Spike gasps and moves forward like he’s going to touch me again. I levitate both him and the pegasus back towards the flap of the tent.

“Go! Just get out!”

Spike hesitates, but the pegasus takes him by the shoulder. She shakes her head, pulls the hood of her robes up, and leads him outside.

I sit on the edge of the bed whimpering for a moment until another punch of nausea comes and I vomit again. I fall forward on all fours, violently coughing up burning bile into the grass. I fall on my side and shiver, wiping at my tears with a clean section of my hoof. That didn’t really happen, did it?

I crawl forward along the ground, inadvertently dragging my stomach through the puddle of vomit. I groan in response. I find the leg of a table near the back of the tent, and I pull myself up, using the edge like a crutch to support my wobbly legs. I stand for a second, hyperventilating and digging a hoof into my drumming heart. No, it was just a dream, a really, really bad dream.

The table I’m leaning against is cluttered with medical instruments, gauze, and various ointments and medicines. I see my crown lying smudged and bloody next to those tools. I levitate it up to my eyes and wipe it off until I can see a reflection in the violet gemstone. There are red marks running down the length of my back, fresh stitches on my arms and wings, and bandages wrapped around my head. My hooves and lips are soaked in sticky bile, and my eyes look like entrances to dark caves.

I set my crown down and spy an oval-shaped metal basin filled with water next to the table. I stumble over in front of it and bury my face in the water. I rub down my face, my hooves, pour it over my back sending small tremors of pain through it. I run the water over my chest and drench the spots where I felt its hooves. No! That didn’t happen! It wasn’t real!

It was just a dream. None of it was real. The demon might not have been real, but it felt real. I can still feel its breath burning in my ear, its venomous voice slithering in my mind, the feeling, no, I didn’t feel anything. That was horrific. Everything about that dream, that nightmare was wrong.

Nothing happened. I’m fine.

Even as I think that I feel my hoof moving, almost subconsciously, down to the space between my legs. I feel something there, wet and gunky. My eyes squeeze shut and my hooves go stiff as metal. I pull my hoof out from beneath me, hold it in front of my face, and open my eyes. There’s a dripping white substance running down the tip of my hoof.

My heart beats heavy and my breath starts racing. No, calm down. This doesn’t mean anything. I’m fine. I need to be fine!

I levitate a clean cloth from the table, drench it in the basin and clean myself off, everywhere. I gouge at myself until every last bit of that wretched dream is off of me. Then a thought suddenly occurs to me. I march over to my bed, yank off the sheets, and discover a large foul-smelling stain on my mattress. I hold my breath and stretch the sheets out in front of me, also soaked.

My eyes slam shut and I restrain a panicked scream before I fire a magic laser into the bed. The sheets dissolve and the mattress disintegrates into black dust. The metal frame melts into superheated goo and lights a fire on the ground which I need to stomp out with my hooves.

“Princess Twilight?”

I scream at the new voice. I swerve to the tent flap and shoot a hoof towards the intruder. “I thought I said I needed to be al—”

My eyes widen at who it is. The grey earth pony I met at the Order HQ earlier. She takes one look at the scorched dissolving sheets behind me and then looks me dead in the eye. “I’m not even going to ask.”

“You—You’re Captain Octavia, right?”

“That is correct your majesty.” She bends her front hooves down and bows, grunting as if doing so causes her pain. I quickly tell her to rise and she assumes a more formal stance at attention, staring straight forward.

“You look like you’re in pain,” I say.

“I took an injury during the battle, but the healers have patched me up enough to stay on my hooves. They appear to have done a fine job on you as well, your majesty, considering you’re even able to stand after the beating you took.”

I look again at my scorched back and stitched up wings, then it occurs to me just how little pain I feel. Glad to know the healers made it out of the city in time.

“I ran across your young drake assistant as he was leaving,” the Captain says. “He informed me that you had awoken, but he was also perturbed by your behavior. Are you fit to speak your majesty? To move around?”

It takes effort not to glance back at the smoldering pile of snapping bedsprings behind me. “I’m fine. I just—needed a moment to recover, after—recent events. I’d ask for a few moments more if you don’t mind.”

“I’m afraid I must respectfully disobey, your majesty. It’s been four hours since the abduction of the princesses and Equestria is in dire need of leadership. Your council is convened in a meeting this moment, discussing what is to be done, but there will be little agreement if there is not a princess to preside over matters.”

“My council?”

“Well, they’re your council now, since Princess Celestia isn’t here.”

“Oh.” There’s a shudder in my heart and a pulse in my breath.

“You are familiar with the council, your majesty?”

“Yes, I am,” I answer. “Princess Celestia introduced me to each of them shortly after my coronation. I shall join them soon, but I still must ask for a few moments to gather myself. I’ve only been awake for a minute now, and I haven’t quite got my head straight. Canterlot will survive another few minutes.”

“Canterlot is a smoldering crater, your majesty.” Her eyes move like swords, pointing straight at me. She keeps them on me only for a second, just long enough to set me off guard, then moves them back to attention. “Furthermore, our current situation has turned out to be much more dire than what we originally believed.”

I stare at her in disbelief. “How can this be worse?”

“Canterlot was not the only place that got attacked,” she says. “We’re getting in reports from every major settlement across Equestria. Demons have been popping up in massive numbers, committing genocide wherever they’re found. Most of the cities have become war zones, and Manehatten had to be abandoned completely. Numbers are still coming in but the death toll is already up in the hundreds of thousands, and there are mass reports of widespread rape, torture, occult activity, as well as general disorder and looting that comes with these crises. In short, your majesty, Equestria is facing a demonic invasion.”

It’s as though the air in my lungs has been sucked out of me all at once. I feel lightheaded and need to balance myself on the table again. Demonic invasion? I’ve read about such things in history books. I’ve read about times long before the Princesses when the forces of hell waged war to enslave ponies and slaughtered them by the millions. That’s supposed to be ancient history though, nightmarish events that happened thousands of years ago, nothing like that happens now. But, if that demon was able to overpower all three of us, dear God, there’s no telling what he’s capable of. Equestria is not prepared for this. I’m not even close to prepared for this.

“Your majesty, I realize that you are understandably shaken after the battle and the kidnapping of the princesses, but with Celestia and Luna gone you are the sovereign ruler now, and your presence is desperately needed. If you’re physically impaired from attending I can run a message up to the council and they will relocate here, but aside from that—”

“No,” I interrupt. “I’ll go. It’ll be faster, and from the sounds of things I’ve slept too long already.”

I have to do this. It’s what Celestia would do, what she would expect me to do, and I can’t disappoint her at this moment. She needs me more than ever. Equestria needs me more than ever, and I’m not gonna let some repulsive demonic dream get in the way of that.

I breathe in a deep sigh to steady my fragile nerves then levitate my crown off the table and rest it on my head. “Let's go, Captain.”

I walk to the swaying tent flap and pull it aside. The sunlight reveals an army of howling voices. Hundreds of ponies surround my tent. They’re held at bay by a force field, maintained by a ring of twelve unicorn guards. The faces outside the shield are a maelstrom of fearful, desperate, and angry ponies who all claw at the edge of the shield.

I freeze in place, held still by terror. My legs lock up. I step back by instinct and bump into Octavia.

“Your majesty?” she asks.

I lose balance and fall to the ground. I look up at her inhaling rapid panicked breaths. “On second thought, maybe we should move the council here. I don’t think I can handle walking through that.”

The Captain gives me a sneering look. “Your Majesty, if you are physically incapable that is understandable, but if it’s a matter of simple stage fright then you really should—”

“It is physical,” I nearly shout. “Just go, bring them here. I—I need a moment.”

I breathe heavily and look up at the Captain. She gives me a glaring vicious scowl that makes me feel five years old. “As you wish your majesty. I shall have them here shortly.”

She flicks up her hood and steps out of the tent.

I’m alone again, except I’m really not. I stay near the center of the tent, away from the walls, that I feel could come alive and smother me at any moment. What happened just now? I’ve never had a problem with crowds, I’ve been honing my public speaking abilities since I was a filly. Yet, I’m still trembling. I huddle in on myself, scared to death that something is going to somehow get through that shield, and find its way to me.

Why are those ponies even allowed to be out there?

I answer that question almost immediately, and immediately I regret asking it. Those ponies just lost their homes, their livelihoods, their friends, their families. They’re scared, and sad, and desperate, and looking for someone to guide them. I’m their only Princess now, and I just hid myself away from them as if they were a pack of rabid animals.

No wonder Octavia looked at me so harshly. I’m a terrible Princess.

Have I really been intimidated by this demon so much that I can’t even function? No, I was fine all through the battle. I even kept my composure after the city was destroyed. I was holding it together until that dream, but it was just a dream. No one crumbles because of dreams. No one fears for their life because of a dream. No one gets sick to their stomach because of a dream. No one has an emotional breakdown because of a dream. No one sets a bed on fire and yells at their friends because of a dream.

I cover my head and lower my face to the ground.

Okay, maybe it was more than just a dream, maybe I have no idea how real it was. I can’t afford to think about that now though. Equestria needs me and I need to be there for it. I have to get my head out this dream and into the present.

I’m safe here. There are guards and demon-hunters everywhere, and either my friends will be coming soon or I’ll be on my way to Ponyville. I’ll be fine for now. Just gotta get through this meeting with the council. I should be able to manage that.

I look down at the basin of water I washed with earlier. I see my disheveled appearance in the reflection and start adjusting myself to prepare for the council. I run water over the dark spots of my eyes. I use a spell that Rarity taught me to conjure a magic comb and straighten my mane. I make slight adjustments with the placement of my crown, all the while deliberating on exactly what I’m going to say and how I’m going to act.

“The council is on their way, your majesty.”

The voice is deep, scratchy, and distorted like that of a changeling. I shriek at its intrusion and jump at the entrance horn flared. There’s an Order Agent in the tent. The hood of her robes is up and her face is hidden behind an impenetrable fog of shadow. She pulls back the hood and the shadows instantly vanish revealing Captain Octavia’s face.

“You may wish to do some breathing exercises or meditation,” she says. “Something to ease your mind before the council gets here.”

I take several deep breaths before getting the strength back in my legs. “Sorry, this demon just has me on edge.”

Her tone softens. “Understandable, the books and newspapers do them little justice.”

I can’t tell if that was genuine sympathy or a veiled reprimand, or both. She has a point either way. I know Celestia wanted me to get more direct experience with demons, but I’m certain I’ve just gotten more experience with them in a single day than anyone would ever want in a lifetime. Everyone in Canterlot has. Yet, I need to continue on and deal with it, for the sake of Equestria.

I look back at Octavia, who for once seems to be standing at attention, respectfully. “So, all these years in Ponyville, you were actually a member of the Order.”

“I’ve been with Order for nearly twenty years now, your majesty. I was only sixteen when I joined.”

That’s the bare minimum age to enlist with the military. “That young, what made you decide to do it?”

“Circumstance,” she replies. “My mother died giving birth to me, then years later my father was killed by a demon. I, with the aid of my sister, killed that demon in self-defense. The Order takes note of ponies who can do that without any training, and so I was offered a shot at becoming an agent. I didn’t really have anywhere else to go at the time, so I took it.”

“So, right from the moment you enlisted, you were already familiar with demons.”

“Even before that,” she says. “My parents were both agents when they first met, your majesty.”

“So really, you could say you’ve been dealing with demons for almost your whole life?”

“I guess I could, your majesty.”

I stare at her nervously. “How do you deal with everything you experience on the job? All the death and horror?”

She says nothing for a moment, staying strictly at attention. Then, in a slow voice, she says, “Wine helps, and so do cigarettes.”

I chuckle nervously. “Okay, but say I don’t want to ruin my lungs, and I need to stay sober for the time being. What then?”

She silent for another long moment. “My advice is focus. Keep yourself as devotedly focused on the here and now, what needs to be done, and what you can do to accomplish it. Everything that’s in the past, or what’s out of your control, push that to the back of your mind. Kick it out of your mind if you can. Focus solely on what’s in front of you.”

I swallow a breath. “And, what if, you can’t help but think of things out of your control? What if, they’re consuming your thoughts so much you feel like you could crumble at the slightest touch?”

There’s silence for a long time. Octavia closes her eyes, then looks directly at me. “Canterlot was not your fault. You did everything you could to save that city. I can credit you that much.”

I restrain a groan and look away from her before she can tell that that was not what I was asking about. I think she can tell despite my efforts, as she gives me a concerned and slightly confused look. Thankfully, the council arrives before she can question me.

Five ponies enter into the tent, Commander Storm Stepper, Duke Gold Standard, Lady Elusive, Prince Blue Blood, and another mare I don’t recognize. They all bow to me and four of them proclaim in unison, “Princess Twilight.”

It takes me a second, but I remember to tell them to rise before it gets awkward. Commander Storm Stepper steps forward and raises a scruffy tan wing to salute me. “It’s good to see you again your majesty. For a moment we were worried we might have lost all of our princesses.”

I swallow a breath and feel pearls of sweat forming on my neck. Keep it together. Relax. Try to be confident. “We haven’t lost any princesses yet, and I intend to make sure that doesn’t change.”

Storm Stepper grins, and I can feel the pride shooting out her eyes, even though they’re hidden behind that messy red mane.

“Is it safe to assume you’re all acquainted then?” asks Captain Octavia.

“Indeed,” says Duke Gold Standard, who speaks very slowly while making wide unblinking eye contact with Captain Octavia. “Her Majesty, Princess Celestia was very intent on making us acquainted in the weeks preceding the coronation. She believed it important that our fledgling Princess be made familiar with key members of her court, and learn from them the responsibilities and requirements of her designation.”

“Yes, she was actually continuing that right before the attack started. I don’t think she ever introduced me to you,” I say pointing to the unknown mare. “Who are you exactly?”

She places a hoof on her scarlet chest and lowers her head with a controlled smile. “I am Duchess Dagger-Heart, your majesty. I had the honor of serving as Grandmaster of the Order of the Alicorn for nearly two decades before the return of our beloved Princess Luna, and with your blessing, I would happily serve again in her absence.”

My eyes widen. “Oh, well if you have the experience you say you do, I see no reason to turn you down. Unless any member of the— my council has any objections.”

Everyone remains silent, though I do notice that both Captain Octavia and Commander Storm Stepper are giving the Duchess unkind looks.

“No objections your majesty,” Storm Stepper says.

I look at her a moment but don’t ask anything. “Right, well, in that case, consider the job yours Duchess Dagger-Heart. Whatever formalities there are in granting you this position I ask that we forgo them, as this invasion demands our immediate attention.”

“I concur,” says Prince Blue Blood. “As fond as I am for such formal ceremonies we have little time, and even fewer resources to spare for such luxuries.”

He steps toward me, stumbling and talking in a weird tone.

“Have you been drinking?” I ask.

“Only a little,” he says. “This whole catastrophe has not been easy for me.”

He stomps his hoof and in walks a servant carrying a silver platter with a large crystal goblet and what looks like an aged wine, the really expensive kind. The servant pours the bottle for him and Blue Blood swirls it around for a bit before taking a deep swig.

The other councilors do not look at him as he does this and I just barely bite my tongue before shooting a sarcastic remark.

“Yes, the situation has been hard on all of us,” I say. “So, let's get started in resolving it shall we.”

Everyone nods and moves to the center of the room. Lady Elusive moves past the others, somehow not bumping into anypony despite wearing a blindfold. Her horn lights up, the glow of her magic radiating off her grey crystal body. She levitates a large rolled up scroll, big enough to cover a six seater dining table, and unravels it on the ground in the center of the tent. It reveals a massive map of Equestria which displays every city, town and the roads between them. There are red numbers marked beneath each settlement, ranging from single digits to over ten thousand. I have no idea what they’re supposed to mean.

Prince Blueblood's servant retrieves several large pillows from storage and lays them down in a circle around the map, giving everypony someplace to sit. Prince Blueblood himself acts offended by this and orders his servant out to find more ‘appropriate’ seating. Everyone else takes a seat around the map.

“First off, I want to know what we are currently doing to help those ponies outside,” I say. “There’s undoubtedly a lot of ponies in need of help after the attack and I want to be assured we’re doing everything in our power to help.”

“The situation extends far beyond that of Canterlot your majesty,” says Commander Storm Stepper. “Almost every major settlement in Equestria has reported enduring demonic attacks to varying degrees. From what we’ve pieced together it appears the more heavily populated areas were hit the hardest, while smaller towns received only minor attacks, or in some cases none at all. We’ve marked rough estimates of how many demons were spotted in each location on the map.”

So those are what those numbers mean. My heart holds still for a moment as I glance down at Ponyville, and I almost sigh in relief when I see the number is only six. I just hope they managed to deal with those few demons in time.

“We’re facing a national crisis beyond the scope of anything we’ve witnessed in our history,” says Duke Gold Standard. “Numbers are still coming in, but the death toll is already in the hundreds of thousands and will likely surpass a quarter of a million before the day is over. We have complete evacuations underway in Manehatten and what was formerly Canterlot, as well as partial evacuations in almost every other major city. We are pulling all available resources to send food and medical aid to wounded civilians, which have thankfully remained out of demonic capture with only a few exceptions. That being said, I would recommend that we focus aid efforts on moving the refugees of Canterlot to other settlements across Equestria, as without any pre-established infrastructure nearby, maintaining liveable conditions over such a long distance from surviving Equestrian settlements will quickly become infeasible.”

His tone is dry and lifeless, almost to the point where it sounds disrespectful. I recall Celestia’s repeated warnings about this before I first met him and decide it’s not worth focusing on at the moment.

“How long would such an operation take?” I ask

“Fortunately, the train systems have remained completely untouched from these demonic attacks,” says Gold Standard. “Assuming the tracks remain unmolested, and assuming no other complications arise such as breakdowns, fuel shortages, and the like, I would estimate about two weeks.”

“In all likelihood, we can count on it taking longer,” says Commander Storm Stepper. “My guards are spread thin in just about every area across the map. What few free soldiers I have are being moved towards crisis zones in the cities where demonic activity is out of control. There’s very little I can offer in order to protect these civilians should we choose to move them.”

“I believe the Order is more than capable of guarding the civvies,” says Dagger-Heart. “Thanks to its subterranean location, the Order HQ stands as one of the few facilities to have survived the attack on Canterlot. There is still a vast reserve of demon hunting equipment and weaponry we can draw from, and more than enough agents to use them.”

“Weren’t you telling us all earlier about how nearly half of the Order agents in Canterlot were either slain or wounded in the attack?” asks Commander Storm Stepper.

“We still have a formidable force outside awaiting my instruction,” says Dagger-Heart. “Besides, demons are the Order’s specialty. I don’t need to send as many ponies as you do to get the job done.”

The Commander and the Dutches look at each other like they’ve locked sabers in a dual. I don’t know what prompted them to act like a couple of feuding school fillies but it’s really disheartening to see this behavior in Celestia’s council.

“Enough with the looks,” I say. “Dagger-Heart, can you guarantee me the safety of those civilians?”

She immediately breaks off her dispute with the Commander and beams at me. “Absolutely, your majesty. I’ll have agents on board the trains themselves, as well as several platoons watching from afar. They’ll spot any demonic threats approaching long before they can attack, and even if they make it through the trains shall be stocked full of dragon’s breath and holy water, with agents ready to fight to the death to keep everyone safe.”

She seems confident, though she is the only truly unknown for me on the council. I can only trust that she was just as sharp when Celestia first appointed her as she is today.

“Very well,” I say. “ I’ll leave the defense of the evacuation in your hooves Duchess Dagger-Heart.”

She smiles and bows her head to me.

“Now that that’s taken care of, we should turn our attention to dealing with this, invasion,” I say the last word with difficulty, still difficult to believe it’s true.

“Our gravest concern at the moment is the city of Manehatten,” says Commander Storm Stepper. “It was by far hit the hardest out of any city in Equestria, save for Canterlot. Both the local guards and Order agents were overwhelmed by the vast amount of demonic forces that flooded the city. Many civilians and some military personnel managed to escape, but we believe there are still somewhere in the ballpark of one and half million ponies trapped within the city, under complete demonic control.”

The room is gripped with an unsettling silence. No one has to be told what this means. Mass murder, rapes, and horrors beyond anything I can imagine are likely occurring in that city by the hour. God help whoever’s trapped in there now.

I inhale a cold breath as I force up the courage to ask what scares me the most. “What about the demon that kidnapped Princess Celestia and Luna? Has there been any word on that?”

There’s a jade glow that lights up the whole tent. Lady Elusive uses her magic to form a small ghostly image of a demon on the map, right over Manehatten. She then moves this image all the way over to Los Pegasus, leaving a glowing line on the map straight between the two points. She does the same moving it to Vanhoover, then to Fillydelphia, then Cloudsdale, Baltimare, Appleloosa, Dodge City, Ponyville, and finally Canterlot. The glow of her horn evaporates but the lines on the map remain.

Celestia told me that Lady Elusive suffered greatly under King Sombra’s rule, that he did something to her eyes that left her so mortified she refuses to let anyone see them. I’m starting to think that the rumors of her blindness are exaggerated though, she seems way too precise for that.

“Lady Elusive,” says Duchess Dagger-Heart, as she looks up from the map. “Do you mean to say that the demon was spotted in all these locations before it attacked Canterlot?”

Elusive casts another spell, this one creating glowing timestamps beneath each one of the cities that the demon passed through. Duchess Dagger-Heart glances at the numbers only a second before shooting a contemptuous look at Elusive. “A simple nod makes ponies seem far less pompous just so you know.”

“Hold on,” Commander Storm Stepper says. “Lady Elusive, the demon was spotted in these locations at these exact times, your certain of that?”

Lady Elusive nods her head in a slow exaggerated manner while looking in Dagger-Heart’s direction, nearly clipping her head with her horn she gets so close.

Storm Stepper double checks the times and then looks up at me. “Your majesty, if these times are correct then the demon hit every major settlement in Equestria in less than three minutes.”

My eyes fly open as wide as wine goblets. “That can’t be possible, can it?”

“Not technically, your majesty,” says Duchess Dagger-Heart. “There are demons that exist which can teleport long distances through the use of rituals. Doing so at the pace at which Lady Elusive is presenting would require an extraordinarily powerful demon, but I’m certain there is little doubt that the particular demon we’re dealing with is of the most powerful variety.”

“I dare say, this is all rather perplexing,” says Prince Blue Blood, who is now sitting in a large cushioned mahogany chair and ordering his wine goblet full again. “If this demon reduced our cherished Canterlot to such a state, then why did it not do the same with the more common cities?”

“That, is anypony’s guess,” says Dagger-Heart. “Perhaps it was a special ability it was saving for an emergency, maybe Canterlot’s destruction factored into its plans. We have no way of knowing, and there are a dozen other factors that should take greater importance.”

“It might not have attacked the cities itself, but it’s possible that it may have led the armies of demons into them,” says Commander Storm Stepper. “If these timestamps are true then this demon arrived in each city mere minutes before the invasion started. It’s likely that this trail the demon blazed was the monster signaling its forces to attack.”

“That brings up something else that’s been bothering me,” I say. “How did these demons attack so suddenly in the first place? How did they slip by our lookouts? Why didn’t we get an earlier warning?”

There’s a burrowing silence among all the councilors. Storm Stepper and Dagger-Heart avoid eye contact with me.

“We’re not sure your majesty,” says Dagger-Heart. “The nature of these attacks has been, puzzling.”

“More like they make no fucking sense!” Commander Storm Stepper slams her hooves into the ground. “Every report we have insists that the demons simply ‘appeared’ within the cities. No siege, no marches, just ‘poof’ they’re inside.”

“Is it possible these demons were hiding in the cities?” I ask.

“No,” says Dagger-Heart. “The assaults carried out would’ve required vast organization and communication among thousands of demons, and that’s just for a single city, much less every settlement in the nation. If activity on this scale were happening in the cities it wouldn’t have slipped passed the local guard, much less my Order agents. No, they had to be organizing in secret, somewhere well outside our field of vision.”

“I wouldn’t jump to conclusions, Grandmaster.”

Every eye suddenly turns to Octavia. She’s been standing so quietly I almost forgot she was there, despite the fact she’s literally right beside me, glaring at the map like it’s a target for a bow.

Duchess Dagger-Heart looks at the Captain with a vicious gleam in her eye. “Captain, I didn’t even notice you were still here. You do realize that eavesdropping dropping on the royal council is a treasonous offense?”

“I was never dismissed Grandmaster,” says Octavia. “Furthermore, I recall that you yourself called me in to give a report on the battle of Canterlot, specifically the nature of the demons that attacked.”

“Yes, and you gave it wonderfully to us earlier. Now leave us, Captain,” says Dagger-Heart.

I stop her. “Hold on. I want to hear what she has to say.”

“She’s only a field Captain, your majesty,” says Dagger-Heart.

“Yes, the best one in the Order, if Princess Celestia is correct. And if she was on the ground during the attack then it’s entirely possible she might have noticed something we missed. Go ahead, Captain.”

Octavia gives a small bow to me and then turns toward the map. “Grandmaster Dagger-Heart is correct. If the demons were organizing on such a mass scale we would’ve noticed almost immediately, however, I find it highly unlikely that they were organizing. There are simply too many signs of disorder and poor planning on their part for this to be any kind of organized affair.”

“And these signs of disorder would be?” asks Storm Stepper.

“When I was on the ground in Canterlot the demons had overrun the downtown section of the city. They had the area under their complete control, with numerous civilians to kill and multiple ways they could’ve dug in and laid traps for us. They never did though, in fact, once my squad arrived almost every demon in the area had fled, despite having a clear upper hand.”

“If this demon was intent on destroying Canterlot regardless it would’ve made sense for them to leave?” says Dagger-Heart.

“Then why have lesser demons attack the city at all?” says Octavia. “The big demon was clearly in a league of its own, it took down three Alicorn Princesses at the same time. It didn't need help to destroy Canterlot.”

Duchess Dagger-Heart goes silent after that.

“It also doesn’t explain the fact that similar scenes were reported all throughout Equestria,” the Captain continues. “In almost every attack the reports were the same, fierce assaults at the beginning, only for the demons to suddenly turn tail and flee while they still had an advantage. The only exceptions to this were the cities where it was clear at a first glance that the demons outnumbered the military by a large margin.”

“It is a rather strange occurrence,” says Duke Gold Standard. “But it doesn’t quite disprove organization Captain.”

“It’s one of many strange occurrences,” says Octavia. “You mentioned earlier that our supply stores have remained for the large part untouched, despite the fact that most of them were in the cities where demons attacked. Our rail lines are also still going, despite being completely unguarded. The courier routes are also still going, we are getting messages back forth through the cities and not a single pegasi has reported being ambushed by demons.”

“What are you trying to get at Captain?” asks Dagger-Heart.

“She’s saying these demons don’t know what the hell they’re doing, and I’m starting to agree with her,” says Commander Storm Stepper. “When you go to war, you don’t just ram headlong into the enemy’s ranks, you cut off their supply lines, you block their communication, you destroy their infrastructure, you cripple their ability to fight until they can’t fight anymore. And as the Captain has been pointing out, these demons haven’t been doing any of that.”

“Exactly,” Captain Octavia says. “And if you want further proof then look at Cloudsdale. That city had a massive amount of demons assaulting it, yet during that entire time, not one attempt was made on the weather machines. Those production facilities could’ve thrown our entire ecosystem into chaos, yet the demons didn’t even try.”

Dagger-Heart glares at Octavia. “Okay Captain, so if these demonic attacks weren’t organized, if this isn’t anything less than an invasion, then what is it? I fail to see any other logical conclusion here.”

“When you have eliminated all which is impossible, then whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.”

I sit straight up and gape at the Captain. “Did, you just quote Sherlock Hooves?”

The Captain glances at me and gives me a sideways grin. “There’s one detail in this that I believe might point to a better explanation, and that’s the initial ferocity with which the demons attacked. When my squadron first arrived on the field, every demon in the area launched themselves frantically, I’d go as far to say suicidally at us. This, of course, is not in character for demons. They’re ferocious to be sure, but they’re not stupid. If they’re in a predicament in which they know they can’t win, then they won’t try. Yet, just as before, what my squadron experienced was not an abnormality. Every squadron of agents and every troop of guards reported that the demons were reckless in their initial attack, almost like didn’t care if they lived or died.”

“So how do you explain this Captain?” asks Commander Storm Stepper.

“What if the demons didn’t actually want to fight, but instead, were forced to.” Captain Octavia puts her down on the map, right in front of the big demon Lady Elusive placed on Canterlot. “We already established that this large demon was spotted right before each and every attack. What if he wasn’t signaling an attack, but instead causing it. It’s possible, that it could’ve been using its vast amounts of power to make the demons in these areas more aggressive, bloodthirsty, and violent. In that case, these attacks wouldn’t be organized assaults at all, but closer to sudden spontaneous riots.”

“Can-can demons do that?” I ask. “Make other demons more aggressive just by getting near them?”

“Yes, they can,” Duchess Dagger-Heart answers. “But it’s a rare ability and the idea of one demon causing an entire city to go berserk is, frankly insane. The only effects we’ve ever been able to document showed only minor increases in hostility, and only on a single subject, and only after several minutes of intensely focused eye contact. What the Captain is describing is beyond absurd.”

“And yet, it is the only theory put forth so far that explains every peculiarity,” Duke Gold Standard says, tapping a hoof to his chin and staring down as he speaks. “Sparing our infrastructure would be an irredeemable offense for an invading army, but a more understandable one for a chaotic disorganized group.”

“It would also explain how none of our soldiers noticed these demons moving until they attacked,” says Commander Storm Stepper. “As prepared as we were, I don’t think anyone considered the possibility that every demon in the cities would suddenly rise up and attack at the same time.”

“Not to mention the populations make sense,” says Prince Blue Blood. “As I recall, demons have a tendency to prefer more dirty and crowded areas such as the cities where they can blend in with all the rabble. If this vile demon used such an ability then it would only make sense that there would be more chaos in the more crowded settlements, such as Manehatten and Los Pegasus.”

Lady Elusive nods.

Duchess Dagger-Heart watches the room turn against her and swiftly adjusts her tone. “Well, even if this theory of the Captain’s is true, there is still the matter of what this demon will do next and how we should counter it.”

“That is a much more difficult question to answer,” Storm Stepper says, rubbing her chin. “We still don’t have a clear picture of what this demon’s goals or motives are, which makes predicting its moves somewhat difficult.”

“Corruption,” Blue Blood states, swirling his wine goblet. “It wants to tempt the masses into embracing its sadistic pleasures and debauchery. If it wasn’t, I fear it would have incinerated the common ponies outside, and done things to my poor aunty Luna that… I can not bring myself to describe.”

There’s a noticeable shudder in his voice and he takes a guzzling swig of the liquor. Why do I suddenly feel bad for him?

“That may be true, but it still leaves a very broad scope of possibilities for what the demon will do next,” says Storm Stepper. “I fear that predicting our enemy’s next move will be impossible unless we have more intel.”

“Princess Twilight.” Everyone turns toward the entrance of the tent where a guard peeks in through the flap. “There’s an agent from the Order outside who claims they have information on the demon that kidnapped the princesses. Should we let her in, your majesty?”

The whole tent collectively gawks at the timing. I shake the dumbfounded look off my face and respond, “If she has information then bring her in.”

The guard salutes and raises the tent flap a little higher. In scurries a short pony, her face concealed behind a black hooded cloak similar to Octavia’s. She bows to me and says excitedly in a distorted voice, “Your majesty, it is a great honor to be in your presence.”

“Oh shit,” Dagger-Heart says. “Your majesty, I’d suggest expelling this mare immediately.”

“W-Why? What’s the prob—”

“Oh hi Captain,” the agent says, waving to Octavia. “Didn’t expect to see you here.”

Octavia glares fangs at the mare. “Lyra. Bow. Now.”

“Oh right, sorry your majesty.”

“Wait a minute, Lyra?”

I motion the mare to rise and order her to pull down her hood. She does so and I confirm that yes, it’s the shaggy green unicorn I’ve been living next door to both in Canterlot and in Ponyville.

I stare at her for a moment before swerving to Octavia. “Was everyone in Ponyville sent to spy on me?”

“Guard you, your majesty.”

“I don’t feel guarded!”

“Hold on, Princess Luna assigned her to guard Princess Twilight?” Dagger-Heart asks, pointing to Lyra.

“Well, technically she assigned my squad, and Lyra happens to be a part of that squad.”

“And at no point did you consider that having a fucking psychopath near the princess could be a risk to her security?”

“I’m sorry, can someone please back up a few steps and tell me what the hay is going on right now?” I yell.

“Oh, it’s simple your majesty,” says Lyra. “Duchess Dagger-Heart is concerned that my past crimes of demon worship and occult murder make me unfit to serve you now, and Captain Octavia disagrees with her.”

I gape at Lyra who only gives me a childish grin in response. “Can someone else back up a few more steps please!”

“Lyra has a checkered past when it comes to demons, your majesty,” says Octavia. “But those experiences do make her one of the most knowledgeable minds on occult magick in the entire Order. If she has information on this demon, I would listen to her.”

“Checkered past? She’s still out of her Luna damned mind!”

“Shut up!” I shout.

I rub the sides of my head and breath in a mountain of air to calm me down. “Okay, Lyra, please tell us this information you have before my mother walks in wearing Order robes and I have an aneurysm.”

“Right away, your majesty,” she says with a salute. She then levitates a large beaten up tome out of a saddlebag and rests it on the table in front of me. The text looks like it hasn’t been touched in years and clouds of dust pop off the pages as she flips through them.

“When I first saw that demon fly over Ponyville, I didn’t want to believe it. I knew right away who it was, but my mind refused to believe, in fact, I still don’t completely believe it. Which is why when I heard you got an up-close look at it, I knew you had to be the one to confirm this.”

She slides the tome towards me as she continues to flip the pages. I sneeze and shield my nose from the dust.

“You fought this demon yourself,” Lyra continues. “You got a better look at it than anyone else in this tent, so I’m hoping you’ll recognize this better than anyone.”

She stops flipping the pages and points her hoof at a large image on the paper. “Your majesty, is this the demon that you and the other Princesses fought?”

I wave the remaining dust particles out of my face and look down at the page. There’s a tiny paragraph of text written in one of the ancient languages and above that a large image of a bipedal creature, with limbs like that of a lizard and a chest like that of a rhino. Wings of fire spread out behind it. Its head is flat like that of a serpent with twisting gnarled horns growing out the back corners, and between them floats a halo of fire.

Its eyes. The eyes almost look like they’re spiraling on the page, exactly how they did when it attacked us in the sky when it invaded my dream when it tricked me into…

I look away with a crushing weight in my lungs. “Yes, that’s the demon. That’s the one we fought.”

I push the image away so its eyes aren’t looking at me. Lyra stares down at the page with a fervent smirk and presses a trembling hoof on the page. “That confirms it then. I’m still having trouble believing it, but there’s no way I can deny it now. The demon that attacked Canterlot, is none other than the Crown Prince of Lust, Asmodeus himself.”

Silence. The absence of sound enwraps so tightly around us it’s smothering. Everyone stares at Lyra slack-jawed, wide-eyed, or frozen in disbelief. Even Octavia has her mouth open a bit. I myself get a blood-freezing chill shooting down my spine.

I don’t know many names on the list of notorious demons, but I know that one. Every school filly knows that one.

“Asmodeus,” I repeat in a trepid voice. “You mean, the fallen angel Asmodeus? One of the six that fell with Lucifer himself, Asmodeus?”

“And made up his inner circle along with the other Crown Princes of Hell. Yep, that’s the one,” Lyra answers in a tone far too casual for the answer.

I slump down against the back of my seat and press a hoof to my chest. Why is it so hard to breathe?

“She’s gone mad,” Dagger-Heart says. “She was mad before, but she’s off her damn rocker now. None of the Crown Princes have stepped hoof, or talon, or whatever outside of hell since the beginning of recorded history. The only way we even know of their existence is because of the texts of the ancient ones.”

“Which this very book happens to have been written by,” Lyra responds. “Don’t believe me? See for yourself.”

She levitates the open text over to the Dagger-Heart, shoving the dusty pages in her face. “You can read the old languages, right? Tell us, what does that paragraph below the image say?”

The Duchess flattens the book on the ground and scans the paragraph in question, her face drooping further into horror as she does. “Sadism; the most feared and dangerous form of the Crown Prince of Lust, Asmodeus.”

The very air seems to get sucked out of the tent as she reads the passage. Commander Storm Stepper lowers his head rubbing his hooves against his temples, Duke Gold Standard clutches his bit purse like a stress ball, and Blue Blood chucks his wine goblet over his shoulder before waving his servant to bring the entire bottle over which he proceeds to guzzle like cheap beer.

I curl myself into a ball on my pillow, squeezing my hind legs tightly, trying to push the image of its ravenous smile out of my head. You’re safe here. You’re safe here.

Dagger-Heart flips the book shut to examine the front cover, then flips it open again to see the title page and the author’s dedication.

“It’s not possible,” she says. “A demon this powerful has never appeared before in Equestria. Even in the age of brimstone, when all were enslaved to the demons, no one has ever seen a demon like this.”

“No demon has ever trounced three Alicorn Princesses at once before either,” Storm Stepper says quietly.

I lower my head behind my folded hooves. Its voice is in my head, clawing my brain, threatening my friends. You’re safe here. You’re safe here.

“This leaves us no other options than,” says Duchess Dagger-Heart. “We go with my earlier suggestion and pursue Asmodeus with the Elements of Harmony.”

“God no!” My head snaps up and I flap my wings to stop myself from falling over.

Every counselor looks at me in stunned silence. I try my hardest to slow my hammering heartbeat and respond in a composed manner. “I—I mean, don’t you think we should be more cautious with this Duchess Dagger-Heart? The Elements are our last line of defense. If we lose that, we lose everything.”

There’s another moment of silence as they all continue to stare at me. There’s a burrowing pain in my gut that says they’ve seen through me, they’ve read my mind, seen my dream.

“I had similar concerns, your majesty,” Storm Stepper says. “When Grandmaster Dagger-Heart made this suggestion earlier, I thought it was too risky, that it would be better to place you and your friends under strong guard while the Order searched for this demon. But, if this is truly Asmodeus we’re facing, I don’t believe there is any amount of security or defense that could keep you safe, besides the Elements themselves.”

“She’s right,” says Blue Blood, speaking a little louder than normal with eyes of tearful anger. “If we don’t act quickly this bastard is only going to cause more problems and I might never get to see my poor aunties again.”

There’s a sound of shattering glass and Blue Blood looks down like he just noticed the wine bottle he broke. He waves to his servant again, who already has a fresh bottle to give him.

“There is also the practical applications to consider,” says Duke Gold Standard. “The demons have usurped control over vast portions of the cities. Engaging them in direct combat could last months and cost us thousands in terms of lives and resources. If the elements were to be deployed however, we could instantly force the demons out and drastically cut down the loss of life.”

Lady Elusive conjures another image on the map with her magic, this one showing the symbols of the elements, striking down the figure of Asmodeus together.

“It appears that Lady Elusive agrees with me as well,” says Dagger-Heart. “Perhaps your majesty, would heed the advice of her council and reconsider the use of the elements?”

All eyes turn back to me. I fidget in my seat. “Couldn’t we try something else first before we risk it? Uh, maybe we could call in Princess Cadence and Shining Armor. Their love magic would probably be just as effective in dealing with Asmodeus as the elements.”

“Doubtful,” says Commander Storm Stepper. “Their magic is powerful, yet even a lesser threat like King Sombra was able to withstand it. It would be incredibly unlikely for it to have any more effect on a Crown Prince. The Crystal Heart might prove to be a more effective weapon but that would also leave the Crystal Empire vulnerable, right as a massive demonic attack is occurring. I know that Prince Shining Armor is your brother and that you are also extremely close with Princesses Mi Amore, but they have an obligation to secure the Crystal Empire to the fullest extent of their abilities, an obligation they are not going to abandon during an emergency like this; besides, from everything I’ve heard about the Heart, there’s a reasonable doubt that it would even work outside the Crystal Empire.”

I swallow a sharp breath. It may have only been a dream, but the implications were real enough. If anything like that were to happen to Pinkie, or Rarity, or any of them I don’t think I could ever forgive myself.

“What about—What about Discord? He could probably take a shot at it.”

This suggestion is met with a chorus of groans from all around the table. I think I heard Octavia grumble something under her breath.

“Discord, is next to useless in fighting demons, your majesty,” says Commander Storm Stepper.

“W—Why?” I ask. “He’s one of the most powerful magic users in the entire world.”

“That’s exactly the problem,” says Dagger-Heart. “Princess Twilight, do you remember after the battle, when the demon was taking Princess Celestia and Princess Luna away? You attempted to cast an extremely powerful spell, but succumbed to a seizure and fell unconscious.”

I blink and look at her from the corner of my eyes. “Yes, for whatever reason, I seem to remember that quite well, thanks for asking.”

Duchess Dagger-Heart clears her throat. “Yes, well what happened is that Asmodeus used an extremely common ability among demons called telepathic neuro-assault.”

“We call it ‘mind rape’ in the field,” says Lyra

I flinch at that word, but try to maintain composure.

“Anyway, this is a common ability among demons that’s used specifically to target magic users,” she explains. “When someone casts a spell they lower certain defenses in their mind which these demons can exploit by pumping in their own demonic magick. The result is an immediate neurological break down of the caster’s brain, such as what you experienced, your majesty.”

“In the case of unicorns it’s a simple matter of being cautious around demons, and using little to no magic around them,” says Storm Stepper. “However, in Discord’s case, well you’ve been around him, they guy radiates magic twenty-four seven. He’s constantly levitating, zapping random things into existence, breathing life into inanimate objects, at times seemingly without even noticing what he’s doing. It’s possible that he might not even be able to switch off his magic even if he wanted to, which in turn makes his entire body one massive target for such demonic attacks. Even the weaker demons could easily take him down this way.”

“He’s also developed an understandable phobia of demonic entities because of said weakness,” says Duke Gold Standard. “It’s highly likely he would refuse outright to help us, that is if we could even locate him while there are such high numbers of demons at large.”

“Plus, it was only a month or two ago that he was still plotting to throw Equestria into eternal chaos,” says Prince Blue Blood. “Are you sure we want to send someone like that to fight monsters known for their ability to tempt and corrupt others?”

I take their replies one at a time and slowly get beaten into forming the same conclusion. “Okay, so there are a multitude of reasons why Discord shouldn’t be anywhere near this conflict. I still don’t think we should send the elements out so hastily.”

The room becomes a mire of confused, even frustrated, looks.

“Well, what other suggestions do you have your majesty?” asks Dagger-Heart. “Even if we were to clear out the other demons without the aid of the elements, we’d stand no chance against Asmodeus himself.”

I try to answer that. I dig and my brain for a single reasonable suggestion that could save Equestria without getting the elements involved, but I’ve got nothing. Dagger-Heart’s question goes unanswered and for a full twenty seconds, the room stays uncomfortably quiet. They do nothing but stare, and judge, and stare, and I struggle to stay straight in my seat.

“Princess Twilight,” Commander Storm Stepper says. “Is there a particular reason you’re so hesitant to bring in the elements?”

I swallow a heavy breath. I need to tell them. If that really was Asmodeus in my dream, then they need to know that he did, what he said. They’ll understand, they’re my council they’re supposed to have my back on this, no matter what. It probably won’t even leave this room. Yeah, I just need to tell them what happened. Just tell them.

I breathe in until my there’s a painful stretch in my chest and push the confession out slowly.

“During the fight above Canterlot, Asmodeus spoke of the other elements. He said that if they were to get involved he would come after them.” Just this much is already difficult, but I force myself to go further. “He threatened to rape them, hurt them in ways worse than…”

That’s all I can bring myself to say. I’m struggling to hold it together. The counselors look at me now with concern and pity.

Duchess Dagger-Heart is the first to break the silence. “We were unaware of this, your majesty. I know all too well the terror that comes when lesser demons make such threats, let alone one like Asmodeus. But, as understandable as your concerns are, they are, well—”

“Short-sighted and cowardly.”

Everyone turns to Captain Octavia, who stares me dead on with seething contempt in her eyes.

I hear Commander Storm Stepper’s voice trembling out of the stunned silence. “C-Captain.”

“If you think keeping your friends hidden is going to save them you’re dead wrong,” Octavia continues. “Asmodeus is going to come after them regardless of whether they choose to fight or not. They’re the only ponies in Equestria that can pose any legitimate threat to him, and he won’t be content letting that threat roam about undisturbed. Hiding them away won’t change that and it won’t stop Asmodeus from slaughtering them at the first given opportunity.”

“Captain, enough,” says Storm Stepper.

“Furthermore, by hiding the elements away you’d be resigning the citizens of Equestria to horrific deaths at the claws of these demons. The elements could easily clear out the cities in a matter of weeks, and you’d choose not to do this simply to forestall a fight you can’t avoid. If that is not the epitome of cowardice I don’t know what is.”

“I said enough!” Storm Stepper stands up and grips the hilt of her blade. “Grandmaster, remind your agent of her place before I do!”

“You’re out of line Captain,” Dagger-Heart hisses. “Leave us now. I shall deal with you when we’re done.”

The Captain locks eyes with me. She’s unmoving, unremorseful, and completely without pity. She levels me with that look. It takes all of three seconds and then she turns to leave. I watch her as she goes. I stare at the exit for several moments after she’s gone.

“She was hig right.”

I turn to Blue Blood who looks at me with a dopey grin as he struggles to find balance in his seat. The other councilors stare at him in disgust, and in the case of Storm Stepper with contempt. “Your Highness, you’re drunk.”

“Now, now, hig hold on,” Blue Blood says, swiveling in his seat. “Don’t take that the wrong way. I would never hig wish to imply that the lower classes have any hig right to speak in that manner to royalty, but the Captain was right. She was being a hig right bitch when she said it, I certainly would never have hig expressed it in such an insensitive and disrespectful manner, but the basic gist of what she said was hig true.”

He falls back in his seat and leans over the armrest, looking at me. “Your concern hig for those blue-collar friends of yours hig while noble in its intention is ultimately hig cowardly when you look at the bigger picture. We need hig our heroes in the fight, not in the—the—”

He looks off into space like he forgot what he was going to say. “Hig well, we need them like I need hig my fine vintage medicine.”

He claps his hooves and a servant diligently hands him another bottle of wine, which he sips down like a toddler with a milk bottle.

He’s an insufferable colt acting out some piggish fantasy of a stallion, and yet it pains me to admit that he’s right. Captain Octavia is right. I know they’re right. Yet, whenever I so much as think of my friends facing that monster I go numb in my legs and queasy with fear. I can’t have my friends go anywhere near that creature, I’d rather die myself before they did, but deep down, I know there’s no other way. It’ll find them regardless. It’ll enslave Equestria regardless. It’ll hurt everyone regardless until it dies.

The Elements need to fight. I don’t have a say in the matter. I have absolutely no control.

Absolutely no control, even over myself.

To hell with that!

I clench my eyes shut and suck in the tears that were just crawling out. I sit straight up and stare to the center of the room, to the entire council. “You’re all correct. The Elements need to fight, and I’ll lead them in as soon as possible.”

The whole room goes stiff from the sudden change of heart. They all stare at me with a mix of shock and relief.

“That’s—That’s excellent news, your majesty,” says Storm Stepper. “And don’t you worry, I will ensure that you and your friends are kept safe. No expense will be spared in your protection. You have the entirety of the Equestrian army at your back.”

“Good to hear,” I say. “Duchess Dagger-Heart, about Captain Octavia.”

“She will be disciplined accordingly I assure—”

“Princess Celestia told me that she was one of the best soldiers the Order had to offer, is that correct?”

Dagger-Heart clicks her hooves together. “She is certainly a contender, I must admit. Though as you've seen she is sometimes difficult to keep in line.”

“I want her leading the defense of the Elements, give her whatever she needs.”

Duchess Dagger-Heart looks at me solemnly for a moment before quietly responding, “As you wish, your majesty.”

I turn to Lyra, who’s been standing quietly beside me this whole time. “Lyra, you knew what this demon was right from the moment you saw it.”

“Well, sort of,” she says. “I was basically in denial until you confirmed it for me, and even now I’m still having trouble believing—”

“You brought us this information before anyone else. Can you bring us more?” I ask.

“Oh, absolutely your majesty,” she says smiling. “I’ll search through my entire collection, every book, tome, and textbook.”

“Scour every resource you have and bring us anything you find on Asmodeus. Every little bit helps.”

“Yes, your majesty.”

She salutes and then leaves the tent. I walk to the exit immediately after her.

“Your majesty, where are you going?” asks Storm Stepper.

“To address my citizens.”

I throw open the tent flap and step out into the dimming mid-afternoon sun. The shield around the tent is still up, and there’s still a sizeable crowd vying for attention outside. Captain Octavia stands just outside the tent smoking a cigarette. She glares at me with those flaming eyes, but I pay them no attention this time.

I walk up to where one of the unicorn guards is standing, pooling their magic to keep the shield up.

“Lower the shield,” I command.

He turns to me with eyes widened. “Your majesty?”

“Do it.”

The guard stares at me another moment before signaling to his partners. They all stop casting their magic at once, and in a few seconds, the shield slowly dissolves. The crowd rushes towards me.

I panic for just a second, spread my wings and fly up. I keep myself hovering above everyone, and they all stop and stare up. This might be better actually, everyone can see me now.

I take a moment and look over the vast sea of ponies before me. Hundreds crowded immediately below me, and out further behind them, thousands. Small makeshift camps huddled in the craggy mountains below what was once Canterlot. I can actually see the spot where the castle used to be from where I am. I see multitudes of ponies staring out at the dusty crater, and slowly they all turn their eyes towards me.

I take a deep breath to flush out the nervousness and speak a voice like thunder. “Ponies of Equestria, I am Princess Twilight Sparkle, and I vow to ensure that the destruction of your city, your homes, your families, does not go unanswered!”