The days passed quickly as the group of four spent every waking moment they could studying for any hint of how to defeat the alicorn. Unfortunately, there seemed to be nothing.

“She doesn't seem to fight her own battles at all,” Espirit finally said on the night of the second day. “It's just not... how does a pony go so long like that?”

“She can mind control anypony to obey her,” Steelhorn grumbled. “She's the dream tyrant. A pony who can make her people love her. Can you imagine what life must have been like under her rule?”

“But I always heard ponies loved her,” the zebra said softly. “The legends say she was kind and loving to all her ponies.”

“Perhaps, but how do we know? With a power like that, she could be an evil monster and everypony would still adore her. Maybe it even worked on the other rulers, that's why all the legends speak of her love.” The changeling tossed her book into the chest. “This is useless, we're going to have to wing it. Just hope we can fight her.”

Espirit sighed. “I'm sure we can. It can just... she might not be that strong. If we can delay her long enough so we can fight, keep her soldiers from getting to us, we might be able to do this.”

“Then we're all agreed that a stealth attack is our only option?” Silverwing asked. Grudgingly, they all gave their nods. “Good. Then it's best we make our plan. I'll go in first, to eliminate any opposition we run into.”

“Eliminate? You don't mean--”

“We might have to kill.”

“But they're—”

“One life to save who knows how many others?” the negasi said with a shake of her head. “Ganry, you'll come in second, carrying Espirit.”

“What?!” the griffon asked, his eyes widening.

“You're the largest of us with wings. Espirit can't fly, you'll need to carry her. If we're fighting this monster, her healing could make all the difference. Steelhorn, you'll take the rear. Choose something quiet.”

“What? But I should be in the front, I'm the--”

“This operation calls for stealth. I don't care how good you are with that shield, there is no way we can take on all the forces of Crystalopolis. I am the best suited to lead in this situation. When we get to Cadence and get her alone, then you'll take point. But until then, we need to be as quiet as possible.”

The mare grumbled softly but gave a nod. “Fine. I still don't like it, but I'll do as I'm told.”

“Good,” Silverwing said before pulling out a map of Crystalopolis castle. “Now, she'll likely be here, as this is where the crystal heart is stored. Unfortunately, the castle has been modified countless times since this map was last made, but as far as we know, the royal chambers were near the top. Hopefully that still holds true.”

“If it doesn't?” Espirit asked softly.

“If we can't find Cadence, we'll be eventually put under her control or die. There's really no other way to say it. We'll fail.”

There was no response to that from the ponies, they merely stared ahead in somber silence. A plan was set and they all knew the stakes and chance of success. It didn't make any of them feel any better, though.

After a while the zebra looked up and slowly slid over towards Steelhorn. She reached out a put a hoof against hers. “Steelhorn?” she whispered softly.

“Yes, Espirit?” the changeling asked, giving a low smile. She motioned with her head and Ganry slid up and walked away, giving the two some privacy.

“What if... what if we fail? What if we... come under her control?”

“Then we fight it with everything we have and try to break free. But... it's... probably impossible. I'm sorry. This... mission isn't going to be safe. If I could, I'd make you stay home. If you don't feel like you can handle it, we can--”

“No,” the zebra said quickly, shaking her head. “No, we can't. We... we have to do this. We have to at least try.” Her hoof squeezed her friend's. “But... I just...” She let out a soft whimper. “I-I'm scared.”

Steelhorn gently reached up and put a hoof over the mare's back. “Of course you're scared. You're a smart mare. ANY pony would be scared facing a creature like this.”

Espirit nodded and let out a small whimper, before leaning into her friend and closing her eyes. “Are... are you sure you can block these effects? Her... mind control?”

“I do not know. I... don't think the queen has been captured, though,” Steelhorn said with a shake of her head. “Or if she has, she hasn't been controlled. I'd know. That means there's still a chance and I might be able to do something. The ponies who made it to the city didn't have a chance to see everything, after all. For all we know, the changelings are fighting back now.”

“O-okay,” the zebra said softly. “If... if we... if we're controlled and... and can't be saved. Please... please,” she said, choking on the words as she looked up at her friend, little tears forming in her eyes. “Don't... don't let me become a villain.”

Steelhorn nodded before leaning forward to gently place a kiss on the mare's forehead. “I promise. I won't let you become a villain and as long as I draw breath, I won't let you perish. We'll make it through this, one way or another. We're strong, after all. We defeated Celestia and she was far more powerful.”

“R-really? You... t-think she was stronger?”

“Of course. Cadence depends on others to defend her, how strong could she truly be?”

------

“We're almost to the city! You're going to want to see this!” the captain said. The group slowly made their ways to the edges of the ship, peering over the edge and trying to look through the wisps of cloud that cloaked their arrival. The full moon above and the glowing crystals gave them plenty of room to see, however.

Crystalopolis had been changed drastically. Around the city a spiked wall of crystals now stood, jutting out towards the world. They could see figures moving down there, but they were so far away that only the fully grown dragons could be seen. Unfortunately, there were plenty of those. The city fared little better. Great buildings of crystal now stood in the open areas, towering up into the sky like great pink porcupines, their shards jutting out dangerously.

But the sky was perhaps the scariest. Their vessel quickly slowed down as it tried to navigate around the dangers. The clouds above were pink as well, thick and fluffy. Except many had the crystals jutting out from them as well, to impale any who tried to fly in and attack. An assault against the city wouldn't work, it would take too long. Easily enough time for Cadence to enslave the opposing army and gather their forces to her side.

The only chance, should they fail, would be to raze the city and all inside it at once. But the city, which had once housed the greatest spell casters in the kingdoms as well as many of the dragons, could very well be the only force capable of mustering such fire power. The futility of their fight hit Espirit so hard she fell to her knees.

She felt a wing on her back and looked up, expecting to see Steelhorn but instead she saw Silverwing. “Do not lose hope,” the mare said firmly.

“But... but it's impossible,” Espirit whispered. “We can't... look at that. Dragons. It would take everything all the kingdoms have to defeat her, if that. But there's no way that could be done. The centaurs would over run them. W-when we fail, Cadence will--”

“Then we will not fail,” Silverwing said, before pointing down into the city. “Do you see that?”

“See what?” Espirit asked, looking over but she saw nothing but buildings. So many of them.

“There. Our home, our hall,” the negasi said softly. “We aren't just fighting for ourselves, we're fighting for the whole world, for our friends and families. We may be terrified, but that doesn't mean we can just give up.” She put a wing over the young mare's shoulders. “And we are terrified. Every single one of us. But we can do this. You can do this. As long as we're fighting together, there is a chance.”

“H-how do you know?” Espirit asked softly, giving a low whimper.

“Because we're Torrential and we have no choice. We faced Celestia and we will face Cadence. And we will win.” She looked down. “Close your eyes and feel the world.”

“W-what?”

“Feel it. Reach out and touch it with your magic.”

Espirit gulped and nodded. So high up it was hard, but she reached down and felt the land with her magic.

It screamed in pain, shaking her to the core. The land was in agony, the crystal heart that had once helped keep the corruption was now draining every piece of aether it could from the land. Each crystal tower that pierced the skies also dug deep into the earth, cutting and draining every ounce of power it could. She nearly pulled back in disgust, having to force herself to hold on.

“It's... it's diseased,” Espirit whispered. “It's like a horrible, awful disease. She's sucking the land dry until there's nothing left. There won't be anything left at this rate!”

“How does that make you feel?” Silverwing asked.

The zebra ground a hoof into the deck. “Angry. Furious. We... we have to stop her.” New courage welled up inside the mare as she looked down at the castle fortress of the queen. “We need to destroy her before she destroys everything. We will stop her.” The world called out to her like a wailing patient, needing her to save it. She couldn't let it down, not now. Everything was depending on them.

“Good. We will. Because we have no other choice,” Silverwing said softly, a smile on her face. “Ponies, get ready. Our assault begins now. Cover yourself as best you can.” She walked to one of the trunks and pulled out dark gray cloaks. “Wrap yourselves in these. They'll hide you better.”

“Shouldn't we wear black?” Espirit asked, staring.

“Black shows up too well at night. Makes you darker than the dark. These will help you blend better.”

Espirit picked on of the cloaks up and put it over her shoulders. It wrapped around her frame easily and she couldn't help but admire it a little as she turned. “Ohhhh, this actually feels kind of nice. Breezy, but warm. What material is...” She trailed off when she realized Silverwing was already gone. Ganry reached out and she stepped closer. His arms wrapped around her and he leaped from the side of the ship.

The two plummeted from the sky and she had to avoid screaming, not that she thought she could. Her lungs felt as if they'd fallen down into her stomach and were now hiding. Even in the night the crystals below glimmered like little diamonds, waiting to impale her and finish her for the last time. Then Ganry's wings opened and they stopped falling, instead gliding through the air after the almost invisible blur that was Silverwing. She watched the mare for a few moments before realizing that she was actually seeing a dark cloud in the distance, the negasi had already landed and was waiting for them on one of the higher floors of the castle. Even then she could barely see the mare, the best sign of her being there were the two unconscious crystal ponies on the balcony.

Ganry brought her in for a soft landing a moment later, not even letting her touch the ground when he landed softly on his back paws. Silverwing looked up, waiting patiently for Steelwing to land behind them, her shield lightly clinking against her back. The changeling had taken the form of a hoofless negasi.

“Okay, we're going in silent as can be,” the ninja whispered. “Remember, I take point. Espirit, stay on Ganry's back.”

“W-what?” the zebra asked, letting out a soft eep as she was repositioned by the griffon.

“He's more adept at sneaking around than you are and your hooves might give us away. Come on.” The mare said softly before stepping off the balcony and into the castle. Tension filled the air and they all paused, waiting for any sign of alarm. Fortunately, there was no sign that they'd been detected. The mare walked through the halls, sticking to the shadows as best she could. The others followed behind her. Espirit couldn't help but admire the way the negasi moved. Every step was planned, silent as a cat. She always kept herself perfectly using the light, her shadow never going ahead of her, at least no more than she had to allow it and never enough to alert anypony they were there.

The main problem was that there didn't seem to be anypony there. As far as they could tell, they were alone, the only sign of life on the balconies they passed. “She must not be expecting an attack yet,” Espirit whispered.

“Shush,” Ganry whispered back.

The zebra grumbled internally, but kept quiet. Step by step they made their way through the halls, peeping into rooms as they went, but they all seemed to be empty. Espirit couldn't help but feel that something was wrong and her feelings were only expanded when Silverwing opened a door, only to come face to face with Cadence herself.

The alicorn flung the double doors open and stood before them in her full majesty. Her coat was a dazzling pink, while her main was black and purple, flowing down around her frame. She wore steel armor around her body and a red cape with white hems. Her horn seemed to be crafted of crystal itself. They all froze, awaiting the coming destruction. Instead, the alicorn just smiled down at them. “I was wondering when you four would finally make your way here. Please, do come in.” The mare turned and walked deeper into the room.

They didn't move.

“Please, don't be frightened my children. If I wished you destroyed, I would have already done it when I felt your arrival. For most of you it would be as simple as flicking a wing.”

Silverwing gulped and slowly stepped into the room. It was empty of furniture, but the walls were crafted of crystal, smooth and shiny. In the center of the room a perfectly round platform of crystal rose up, the mare stepped onto it. Hovering above was the crystal heart, casting its light across the room.

“You... know why we're here?” the negasi asked.

“Of course. You come here and wish to dethrone me. What else would such misguided children desire?” She sat down and smiled at them, crossing her hooves. “But do not worry. I forgive you. How could I be the princess of love without such a willingness?”

“W-we won't submit to you!” Steelhorn said.

Espirit dropped to the ground and couldn't stop shaking, though she managed to stay on her hooves. She could feel it, the power. Cadence was stronger than Celestia had been. Far, far stronger. There was no army to aid her this time, but she didn't need it. If she knew how to use that considerable power, they'd be doomed.

“Oh, of course you will, children,” the alicorn said with a dismissive wave of her hoof. “Please, must you make this more difficult for yourselves?” She paused and looked them over before hmphing. “Though only one of you are truly a child I would claim, I will welcome you all into my warm embrace.”

Silverwing stepped onto the platform and spread her wings out. “You're an abomination of aether, a monster. We will destroy you.”

The mare chuckled into her hoof. “A monster? Truly? Then what do you--” Her horn glowed and she caught the arrow Ganry had shot at her in her magic. She snapped it with ease. “Very well, my children. I do not wish to hurt you, but sometimes discipline is required.” Her eyes began to grow a light pink and the room began to shudder.

The roof of the room began to open up, the crystals moving aside to reveal the night sky. The platform in the center of the room then began to rise, the crystal heart still hovering above it. Espirit barely managed to jump onto it in time to avoid being left behind. It finally stopped, high in the sky, the heart glimmering like a star above. The conjurer gulped and looked around. The sky by them was empty, but she could still see the patrols off in the distance, as well as the hovering crystal death traps.

“Now then, my children,” Cadence said before the heart began to sink. A pink glow formed around her eyes yet again. “Come little ponies and listen to my song,” she sang, the words flowing through the air to wrap around them.

Espirit shivered and she felt her mind being nudged at. Then Steelhorn slammed forward, crashing her shield into the alicorn's face. The changeling's horn was glowing a dark green, illuminating the alicorn in its glow. “It's not going to be that easy, princess! Come on!” she yelled.

An arrow lodged into the princess' flank a moment later as Ganry managed to get behind the mare. Silverwing shook her head before charging in, her wings lancing out and slashing against the mare's backside. The princess let out a shriek, aether flowing off her. “You foals! Very well, then you will be disciplined!” She stomped a hoof and shards of crystal rose up into the air, before lancing forward at the negasi. However, Steelhorn was between them in an instant, knocking them away with her shield.

More gems began to rise into the air and peppered the group, though Espirit and the others moved quickly, narrowly avoiding most of the shards though getting a few knicks and cuts. She looked around before quickly casting a small healing spell on Steelwing, the mare slightly damaged.

They pounded on the mare, hitting her with everything they had. Though there was no earth to throw, Espirit managed to turn the winds on the alicorn and use them to cut the mare.

“Enough! You challenge that which you don't understand!” Cadence called. She then stomped a hoof. A straight line of crystals shot out at Espirit. She shrieked and tried to get out of the way in time, but they hit her head on and sent her tumbling back, off the pillar.

The zebra screamed and closed her eyes, awaiting the inevitable crash. Her hooves flailed in the empty air as she fell. She'd failed them all, without her magic they were doomed. One by one they would fall. All because of her. Suddenly, a pair of talons grabbed her and hauled her back up. She looked up and saw Ganry and a grin formed on her lips. “R-right. Wings. Forgot you guys had those.”

“Be more careful, okay?” the griffon said before depositing her back on the platform. Cadence was being torn apart by her friends, but she couldn't feel the alicorn's magic dwindling much. They were making only slight headway. But it was better than nothing.

Cadence let out a shriek of pain once another blade struck her back. She then stomped on the ground. “Enough!” She stomped again and again. Each time the ground burst, a single layer flying out and hitting the ponies. There was nothing they could do to defend against the attack aside from huddle. But there was something she could do.

She lifted her staff into the air and cast healing spell after spell, the warm light enveloping them all and keeping the damage from the spell manageable. The alicorn then leaped into the air before rocketing back down to the ground, shaking the pillar and flattening it, scattering all the shards. The outer rim of it fell to the ground, crashing below. Espirit ached all over, but she kept working, casting healing spell after spell on her comrades, returning them to full strength as the alicorn focused her attacks on Steelhorn once again.

The changeling did everything she could to keep between the alicorn and her comrades, her shield always thwarting the mare when she tried to get through. She finally let out an angry shriek and stomped her hoof again. Another line of shattered shards flew at Espirit.

This time the zebra was ready. She leaped to the right, narrowly avoiding the shards and once again casting her healing spells on her friends.

“Enough of this!” Cadence yelled before stomping a hoof and scattering them back towards the rim. She stepped to the center of the platform and the crystal heart lowered itself down to her. The magic flowed through the heart and into the alicorn.

“Stop her!” Espirit screamed.

Silverwing was on the alicorn in a moment, slashing as hard as she could, but the wounds healed faster than they could make them. Espirit shook her head and looked away, a new horror dawning on her. Cadence's army was coming. She could see the dragons and pegasi flying into the air towards them. They were going to be overwhelmed.

“Come my children,” Cadence sang. “Protect your loving queen. Show these trespassers--”

“ATTACK THE CRYSTAL HEART!” Espirit screamed, tears forming in her eyes.

“What?” Steelhorn asked.

“Do it! It's our only hope! We have to disrupt Cadence's magic, it's the only way!” the zebra yelled. The others didn't make a move. She gulped and then quickly shifted forward, letting the aether flow out of her she sent the winds to attack the heart, cutting into it. After a few moments Silverwing ran forward and her wing blades slashed against it.

“What? Stop this!” Cadence called, her singing stopping.

“D-destroy it!” Espirit screamed.

An arrow hit the heart and exploded, moments before Steelhorn rammed her shield into it. Cadence sent out little blasts of crystals, trying to scatter the ponies, but they kept striking at it, coming from all sides. Then the heart cracked.

Espirit felt as if she'd been cut in two. Pain surged through her body as the world and she screamed in agony. She fell to the ground, unable to endure the suffering as the ancient relic was damaged. Cadence screamed as well, her magic flowing out as great pink waves of energy tore through the night sky, shattering the crystals in the air and those down below in the city. The zebra soon couldn't endure any more and blacked out.

Espirit came to a moment later, being shaken by Steelwing. The pain was gone, but she could still feel its echoes coursing through her, like a great scar that had been laid across her body. Cadence was writhing in pain and her allies weren't faring much better, blood dripping from them. “W-we need to finish this,” the negasi said. “Her armies are disoriented, this is our only chance.”

Espirit looked out over the city. It was true, the coming assault had stopped in its tracks. Some had fallen to the ground, others were stuck in mid air. The scarring of the crystal heart too much for them to endure. She lifted her staff high, though calling on the magic felt as if she was holding it with a fresh wound. She called more aether from the land and began healing her allies, doing her best to ignore the pain each spell sent through her.

Blades, arrows and shield once again assaulted the alicorn, though it took her a few moments to begin fighting back. “YOU FOALS!” she screamed. “You've ruined everything!” She stomped her hooves again and suddenly crystals shot up around Espirit, surrounding and imprisoning her within. All she could see was darkness.

“No no no no,” Espirit squeaked, looking around. “T-this can't--” A hole formed in the crystals after a moment. Then another, and another. Finally, they crumbled around her as Ganry and Silverwing stood a few feet from her, grins on their face.

“Ready to finish this?” the negasi asked.

“Y-yes, let's,” the zebra said before turning to the alicorn. They could do this. They would do this. She unleashed her healing magic on her friends as Cadence struggled to hold them back. But there was desperation to the alicorn now and aether was flowing off the mare in thick streams as their blades cut through her again and again. Without the power of the crystal heart, she was quickly weakening.

Again the princess tried to use her song to charm them, but Steelhorn refused to let it, her own magic moving to counter the mare's. Espirit reached out, taking the aether as she could, sending it back into the world, letting it flow through and heal the damage that had been done.

Then Cadence exploded, the great bundles of aether within spewing out into the world.

Espirit stepped forward, letting the aether flow around her. Her eyes widened and she galloped forward, wrapping her hooves around the crystal heart. “I... I can do this.”

“Espirit, don't!” Silverwing yelled.

“I can do this!” the zebra screamed. She could feel it, the great relic crying out in pain, the world scarred by its destruction. But now there was so much aether from the destruction of Cadence. She closed her eyes and let the magic flow into her and then surged it into the heart. She let it seep through the cracks and scars.

She felt more of herself being drawn into it as she worked. The heart wasn't just taking the aether, it was trying to take her. She trembled and kept flowing the magic into it, struggling to resist having her own powers absorbed as well. The pain began to slowly die down as she worked, gathering all the power that Cadence had stolen and healing the relic.

She didn't know how long she worked, but the gashes across the crystal heart were finally gone and it glowed in her hooves, before finally raising up into the sky. She'd done it. She'd actually done it. She felt the heart absorbing the power that remained and sending it back into the ground.

Her vision faded as the world turned black, her body spent and energy drained.