Sterling walked through the library. Books were thrown across the floor, only very few actually still laying on the shelves. She followed the officer up the stairs, into another room with shelves lining the walls, and a loft that had a few dressers and a bed. In the middle of the room laid an open book, hollowed out and containing a small case.

The pony's eyes widened as she approached the case and opened it. A glimmer of light caught the perfect shape of a golden tiara. Its pink gem, cut into the shape of a six-point star, seemed to pulse with hidden energy.

The element of magic.

She picked up the case and looked happily at her prize. There was yelling coming from outside. Sterling put the closed the case and put it in her saddlebag as she left the library, escorted by her guards.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy came to the cottage. Animals surrounded the structure, clearly struggling to cope with Fluttershy's extended absence. The two pegasi moved the couch in the cottage, revealing a small door in the floor. Fluttershy opened the trapdoor, revealing a small box, her element still safely nestled inside. She grabbed the necklace and put it on. Dash started to head out the door, but Fluttershy stopped her.

"Umm, Rainbow Dash?" she asked timidly," Do you really think we can do this? What if somepony gets hurt... or worse?" They stood quietly in the center of the cottage for a few long moments, both in silent contemplation.

Then the cyan pony gulped, "I can't say I'm not worried Fluttershy - I am. But we have to do this - if we don't, these ponies could rule Equestria forever." Rainbow Dash continued, the strength returning to her voice, "We have to trust our friends, and we have to trust Golden Gates - I have complete confidence he can get us through this." Rainbow flew over to Fluttershy's side.

"That's just the thing I'm worried about..." Fluttershy said. "What if Gates gets hurt trying to protect us? I don't think I could live with myself if he got hurt trying to save me..." Fluttershy shied away a bit.

"I don’t think you have to worry about that," Rainbow soothed her. "These elite guard guys, they're more than capable of taking care of themselves - and more." The two pegasi left the cottage. "So let's at least give him the help he needs - let's get to my element and hurry back to Ponyville."

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

"Alright Twilight," Gates said looking around a corner near the library. The place was crawling with Triumvirate guards. "I'm gonna draw them as far away from the library as possible - once we're out of sight, teleport in there and find the element. We'll all meet up back here so you'll have to hide for a bit after you find it."

"You got it," Twilight said. "You can count on me, just make sure you-"

Gates stepped away and fired a bolt into the crowd of guards, and ran up close enough to make sure they saw him.

"Hi there," Gates said wryly as he turned and galloped away, most of the guards turning and chasing after him, firing bolts of magical energy.

"Be careful..." Twilight finished as she looked around the corner. She saw a blue-white pony leaving the library, accompanied by the only guards left in the library. Twilight's horn began to glow and she was gone.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Applejack ran through Sweet Apple Acres. Weaving through trees and trying to avoid the few guards that still searched the orchard. She doubted that they would be able to stop the ponies who were doing this. She remembered the fear she had felt when they faced Night Mare Moon. They had barely beaten her - and they didn't have nearly as many ponies working against them back then. Applejack wondered if they would do anything but get themselves hurt and let Equestria down. She swallowed her fear - she had to try, at the very least. Otherwise those evil ponies would rule Equestria forever.

The orange pony came to the nearly destroyed barn. She climbed up to the rafters, and walked across the damaged beams. Applejack walked across two small boards placed on top of the rafters where a small wooden chest locked with an iron padlock sat against the wall. It lay exactly as it had when she hid it there just a few days after they had beaten Night Mare. The gold necklace had a beautiful red ruby cut to resemble an apple in the center. She looked deep into the jewel and smiled a bit as she remembered what had gotten them through their encounter with Night Mare: friendship.

Applejack hopped down out of the barn, galloping for Carousal Boutique. All traces of doubt fled from her mind - she knew that her friends could get them through this, as long as they were together. She began to pick up her pace, wanting to get to the boutique as soon as possible, thinking back to what Gates said, "I'll keep them distracted as long as I can, but all of you need to get to the library as fast as you can."

There was something about the way he had said that had made her uneasy. Applejack couldn't think about it now though - she had to get top Carousal Boutique.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Golden Gates turned and fired into the mob of guards that chased him. He was actually surprised it had been that easy to draw nearly all of the guards towards him. Gates rushed down an alleyway, making sure all of the guards saw where he was going - he didn't want to lose them. If he did they'd be looking where for him where they wanted to, not where he did. He tucked himself behind a few crates in the alley and waited for most of the group to pass. He slung his staff underneath one of the guards in the back of the pack, thrusting upwards. He drew the attention of the rest as Gates ran back the way he came, firing a magical bolt at the only other guard still that far back.

He rushed by, cursing himself for messing up like that. He had brought the entire guard essentially to the doorstep of Carousal Boutique. Energy bolts propelled passed Gates, many hitting him and singing him. He rounded a corner and took a second to recover. He couldn't mess up like that again. The silver pony stepped around the corner one more time to make sure they knew his direction and galloped back towards the center of Ponyville.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Rarity and Pinkie peeked out from behind the bush across the road from the boutique. The guards rushed back the way they had come, firing a multitude of shots straight back.

"What do you think that was all about?" Pinkie Pie finally chirped up.

Rarity looked back at the road as she stepped out from behind the bush. "I'm not sure, but we should be thankful they're gone," Rarity responded quietly, still wary about the horde of guards that had appeared out of nowhere and just as suddenly disappeared. "That was close...too close," she finished.

Pinkie's eyes widened a bit. "Do you think those ponies are chasing after Goldie?" the pink pony asked as if she already knew the answer. Rarity knew Pinkie always had a good sixth sense, it was almost unnatural. No, it was entirely unnatural.

The unicorn just nodded and walked into the boutique. "Alright Pinkie, watch out he window and let me know if you see anything unusual," Rarity said quickly, adding, "I should only be a minute."

"Okey dokey lokey!" Pinkie said cheerfully as Rarity walked into the back room of the boutique and Pinkie Pie sat up by the front window, staring intently at the stillness outside.

"Oh it's just horrendous back here, those ponies really have no respect whatsoever for beauty..." Rarity began to ramble as Pinkie remained with her eyes fixed on the window. Her eyes almost seemed to be popping out of her head from the intensity of her gazing. Pinkie noticed a rustling in the bush where herself and Rarity had hidden only a few minutes before. She called out to Rarity, but no answer came, just mutters about organization.

Pinkie was intent on finding out what was following them. She slipped quietly out he back door of the boutique, keeping her body close to the ground. The rustling in the bushes moved down the line of shrubs, closer to the door of the boutique. Pinkie pulled her body off of the ground, going up on her tip-hooves, walking silently behind the mass that was passing through the bushes. The rustling stopped as Pinkie got closer, the pink pony was now directly in front of the bush. She stood on her hind legs and leaned across the bush.

Pinkie peered through the foliage and found a pony crouched in the bush. "Gotcha!" she yelled as she sprung onto the still mostly concealed pony.

Pinkie wrestled with the pony before she was pushed out from the shrubs. She hopped up on two legs yet again, striking a karate stance.

"Geez, Pinkie," Applejack said, coming out of the bush. "So y'all are goin' round 'tackling random ponies now?" The orange pony set her hat back on her head, straightening it back to the position it was in before Pinkie had tackled her.

"Oh, I'm so sorry AJ..." Pinkie Pie said, sounding apologetically after attacking her friend. "I thought you were one of those bad ponies we saw earlier."

Applejack let out a sigh as the two entered Carousal Boutique, "Ahh, don't ya worry bout it sugarcube," Applejack soothed, closing the door behind her. They talked for a few minutes before Rarity walked out of the back room of the shop, wearing a gold necklace with a blue opal diamond on the crest. The element of generosity.

"There," Rarity stated. "I am so sorry it took me so long to find it in that mess. Those guards have essentially torn the shop apart," she said in disgust, looking around her messy store.

"Well y'all will have plenty of time to fix the place up after we get rid of these ponies," Applejack added. "Two down, one to go..."

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Golden Gates rushed through the town, firing as often as he could back into the mob of ponies behind him. Five guards jumped out from an upcoming alley. Gates raised his staff above his head, spinning it once to gain momentum and then hit one of the guards in the jaw.The impact rasied him off the ground, sending him against one of his companions. The pony next to Gates tried to take aim as he was jabbed in the stomach by Gates' staff. The guards staff fired, hitting Gates' flank. He bolted ahead, trying to recover from the numerous hits he was taking.

Gates grabbed cover behind a crate as he turned to fire another bolt back at the ponies charging towards him. Everyone stopped in their tracks at the sound of a massive explosion coming from the center of town.

"What the flank was that," Gates yelled, his ears ringing. "Wait, that sounded like it came from... no," Gates turned and fired a bolt into the crowd and ran as fast as he could to the library.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash weaved through the clouds outside Rainbow's home high above the outskirts Ponyville. The two pegasi landing in the center of the cloud house.

"Alright Fluttershy," Rainbow Dash started. "Wait here, this will only take a minute." She flapped her wings and quickly landed by the rainbow pool in her home. Dash stepped into the shallow pool, walking slowly into the center. She reached her hoof down through the pool, and unhooked a small chain. A small box floated up to the surface. Rainbow brought it to the edge, shaking off the colored liquid. She opened the box, staring at the necklace. She hadn't laid eyes on it since they defeated Nightmare Moon. Rainbow strapped the necklace on, the jewels depicting her cutie mark in the center. She smiled slightly thinking about the events that had happened that night - her life hadn't been the same since.

Rainbow's reminiscing was cut short by the sound of an explosion coming from far below. She streaked back to Fluttershy who was lying flat on her back, her wings tucked close and her legs sticking straight up.

"What happened? Are you okay?" Rainbow Dash asked quickly.

"I... I think so..." Fluttershy said, still shaken from the blast. Fluttershy got back on her hooves and flew outside with Rainbow Dash. The two looked down at the flashes and smoke coming from the center of Ponyville, right outside the library.

"Well Fluttershy," Rainbow Dash said, "it looks like they're ready for our help down there. Let's go!"

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Applejack slipped behind the mass of guards that were charging through the town. The three ponies sneaked inside the nearby Sugarcube Corner and ran upstairs. Pinkie ran into the back of her living space above the bakery. She came to a large chest, flipped open the top, and dove in, throwing several party supplies out; streamers, candy, balloons...

Rarity and Applejack peered out of the top window of the building - they could just barely see the top of the library over the buildings. Looking down at the road, Applejack noticed nearly all of the blue-armored guards taking cover, firing magical bolts and charging preparing for an assault.

"Eh, Pinkie, y'all might wanna hurry up," Applejack shouted across the room. " Y'all sure it ain’t somewhere else?"

"Nopey dopey," the pink pony called back, finally popping out of the box with a small case. She popped the small box open and put on the necklace. "There," she said happily. "Now let's-"

She was cut off by a large blast just over the line of houses. The front windows of the bakery shattered and all three ponies hit the ground, unconscious.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Twilight searched the library frantically. Where was it? She had been looking for over fifteen minutes, and she couldn't find her tiara anywhere. She had torn the place apart. Twilight ran back downstairs and scanned the floor for the tiny box she had hid in the hollowed out book months ago. She hastily searched the room again, hoping that she had just overlooked it earlier. Suddenly, the door opened.

She froze. The purple unicorn slowly turned to the door, seeing Sterling Moon standing just outside, holding the element in her hooves.

"Looking for this?" Sterling asked, holding the element closer to Twilight. "I must thank you leaving it completely unattended." Sterling smirked as she walked further outside.

Twilight galloped outside behind Sterling. The light-blue pony turned around, chuckled to herself and began with an incantation. A portal, just like the ones that the ponies had saw earlier, began to take form near Twilight.

"NO!" Twilight yelled, her horn glowing brilliantly. A small ball of dark magic appeared next to her. Twilight's horn glowed even brighter and a flash came out of the portal. It imploded, sending both Twilight and Sterling flying through the air. The tiara landed on the ground between the two.

Both ponies got up slowly, squaring off with one another. Sterling grunted and pawed at the ground. She galloped ahead, charging at Twilight.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Gates came to the center of town, just outside the library.

He watched as Twilight teleported past a charging Strerling. The purple unicorn grabbed the element in her hooves, but it was knocked away by Sterling. Gates ran forward to help, but the half-dozen guards that had been able to pursue him hit him from behind. He raised his staff, firing at the first guard, sending him to the ground. He swung his staff with renewed vigor, dealing with the rest quickly.

Gates turned his attentions back to Twilight. Sterling bucked her and sent her skidding across the ground. Sterling Moon galloped towards the element. He swept her legs out from under her. The pony recovered quickly, batting back at Gates with her hooves.

Twilight grabbed the element with her magic. Four guards rushed up to her, knocking the element out of the air. Out of nowhere Rainbow Dash sped through, attacking the guards, sending them off balance. The necklace hurled through the air. Fluttershy swooped it and caught it. A pegasus guard charged towards the pony, making her panic and drop the element. Just before the guard reached Fluttershy, two apples rocketed into his chest. The guard dropped to the ground, his staff breaking off of its brace. It rolled towards Sterling. She spotted it and nimbly grabbed it, placing it on a brace of her own.

Sterling swung her new staff at Gates wildly. He countered with ease, hitting her for four consecutive times before she jabbed at his stomach, sending him back. Gates swung, Sterling blocked his move but he twisted his staff around rapidly, breaking Sterling's off of its brace. Sterling took a few steps back and began to cast another portal. Almost instantly dark chains came out striking at everyone. Gates knocked a few back with his staff before jumping back away from charging Sterling.

Applejack caught the element on her back and bucked it back into the air. Rainbow Dash barely managed to keep it in her hooves. She weaved through the chains that were flying through the air. The cyan pony had to dive sharply to avoid being hit by one that had come from her flank. She hit the ground rolling and dropping the tiara. A guard barely gathered it in his hooves before twilight leaped over him, grabbing it with her magic. He fired a magical bolt at the element itself, sending it bouncing across the ground. Everyone but Golden Gates and Sterling rushed for it.

Gates swung quickly at Sterling, hitting her hard. She rarely got in any hits with her hooves, but she was resilient. Sterling lowered her shoulder into Gates' side, knocking him off balance momentarily. He recovered and hit her quickly, in the stomach, flank, and shoulder. Golden Gates spun his staff trying to gain momentum, taking a powerful swing at Sterling. She jumped back, dodging the attack. She knocked Gates' staff into his shoulder. Sterling rose back on her back legs and drove her right hoof into the back of Gates' head, knocking him to the ground. He could barely move and she turned her attention to the others, confident smirk on her face "No..." Sterling let escape from her lips.

Twilight and her friends stood about twenty feet away from Sterling, all wearing their elements. Twilight's horn began to glow brighter than ever, the crests on the other ponies' necklaces began lighting up as well, lifting them up in the air.

A sharp bright light shun and enveloped all six of the ponies. A bright rainbow shot out of the light and wrapped around Sterling.

She let out a scream. As flashes came out from the area surrounding the pony. Gates stumbled back to his hooves and looked on wearily. The light and smoke had cleared. The six ponies wearing the elements just stared as Gates eyes widened.

Sterling was gone.

Next Chapter: Chapter Eleven - Light at the End of the Tunnel Estimated time remaining: 2 Hours, 23 Minutes