The zebra didn't know how long they rode or how far they'd gone. Her throat had started to hurt from all her screaming, without any sign that anypony had seen them. Or, if they had, that they cared enough to risk trying to save her. She'd tried launching a few attacks, but the closest she'd ever come was managing to put her carrier to sleep, which just ended with her slamming into the ground and rolling a few feet, before being picked up and the sleeping centaur forcefully awoken.

She was moved from centaur to centaur as they went, like some kind of package to be delivered. Then again, she supposed that's what she was. A package. They'd turn her over to Tirek and that would be the end. She'd be turned to aether and absorbed into that monster. With each step the hope drained from her more and more.

Then the centaurs finally ran out of the woods and onto the rodes. Espirit felt hope spring up within her. “H-help,” she managed to lightly croak out. She took a deep breath and swallowed. “H-HELP!” she screamed, even though it made her throat burn. They were out of the woods now, they were in the open. Vulnerable. Her friends had to save her now. She knew it, this was the point where she'd be rescued by the others and they'd all band together for one last showdown with Tirek.

“Wasting your breath, pony. No other ponies for hours from here.”

Espirit ignored the centaur and kept calling for help, screaming as loud as she could. There had to be somepony, anypony. It couldn't end like this. She didn't want it to. Soon all she could do was make soft croaking sounds and after a bit more even those refused to come out. She laid limp on the centaur's back, the last of her hope vanishing.

Her friends had to come for her, to save her. But they didn't even know where she was. Clearpond had to know where she was. The white mage said she could tell that the zebra was a spirit.

Even that hope started to fade. She was a spirit, but she was in harmony with the world around herself. She probably blended in perfectly. She--

The zebra's eyes widened. She blended in perfectly. But she didn't HAVE to blend in perfectly. A grin formed on her lips as she slowly reached out, doing her best to alter the aether of the land as they ran. Forming little taints and stops throughout it as they went. Creating a trail for her friends to follow straight to her. It wasn't much, but she prayed it would be enough.

For hours they seemed to ride, the centaurs seemingly tireless in their galloping. If she wasn't so terrified, she'd have been quite impressed with their speed. The pegasi were faster, but only in the air. When the base came within sight, Espirit could barely even lift her head.

Row upon row of centaurs lined the fields, covered in armor and holding long lances in their hands. Espirit was carried through their ranks, the soldiers moving aside. Espirit wished she didn't know where they were going, but there was no doubt.

Tirek stood above them all, practically a building compared to his much smaller brethren. He stood on a great throne of stone. On a much smaller throne besides him was a centaur wearing thick, purple robes. Off in the distance she could see the great cages, rows upon rows of them as well, probably enough to hold thousands, if not millions of ponies.

In front of the great thrones a clearing was formed. She was brought into the center and dropped in the middle of it, net and all. She let out a shriek and tried freeing herself. It was difficult, but the centaurs merely watched and laughed as she worked, Tirek staring down at her. Finally she stood up and tossed the last bit of the net away.

She felt like an ant surrounded by giants on all sides. Even the smallest of centaurs were bigger than her and they all wore thick metal armor with great lances. She had to crane her neck to even see Tirek's face and he seemed more amused than angry. “So, little pony. You are the last great resistance the world has to throw at me?”

She gulped nervously and nodded.

He laughed and slowly stood. The ground rumbled slightly under his hooves. “I must admit, I am disappointed. When last I arose, the great defense was made of an alicorn and her five friends.” He reached down to touch her with his hands. She was too frightened to run, but he merely patted her on the head. “Now it is just one little zebra? Surely you must wield great power! Please, show me what you can do. My last opponent of worth could destroy mountains with her magic, I will expect no less from you.”

Espirit whimpered before taking a step back. Slowly she breathed and reached out to the aether with her magic. She let it flow through her before forming a small stone and hurtling it up at the centaur. It bounced harmlessly off his chest. The laughter was deafening.

The zebra looked around, helplessly searching for any sign of support or her friends. But all that greeted her was laughing centaurs. Then her eyes fell on a few ponies standing by the throne. “Aetherbind!” Espirit screamed.

The pony, still in the form of Goldenseed, looked up. Cheesecake and Beefcake stood behind him. Tirek raised a hand and the centaurs fell quiet. “Friends of yours, spirit?”

“Y-you... how could you? You promised to help everypony!” Espirit cried, taking another step back. T-there's some mistake, right?”

Aetherbind sighed and then her body flashed, revealing the form of a changeling. After a moment she turned back into his form. “I'm sorry, prince. We were loyal subjects to the centaurs long before we ever met you. You weren't even supposed to survive your travel through the aether, though I must admit I was quite surprised to hear what powers it gave you. But we've been serving the emperor since we were little more than foals. In fact we were the ones who discovered Tirek's horn and helped him to be reb--”

“Enough!” the centaur on the smaller throne yelled before standing. “Tirek, you have the last one you need. Absorb her so we can move on with my conquest.”

Tirek chuckled. “As you wish, emperor.” He reached out for the zebra.

Espirit shrieked and turned to run. A wall of centaurs blocked her way, so instead she tried running around the circle. All she had to do was buy time, she knew it. Her friends were on the way, they had to be. There was no way they would just leave here here, to be absorbed by this monster. She only made it a few steps before the massive fingers reached down and grabbed her, pulling her up into the air. “No no no!” she screamed, trying desperately to wiggle free. She tried using her magic on him, but it was like a fly trying to throw itself at a steel wall. “Put me down!” she screamed.

His grip never released and he smiled down at her. “Good bye, little spirit. Worry not, you'll live on forever in me.” He opened his mouth and slowly she felt the aether being drawn from her, forming into wisps in the air. The strength to resist slowly left her body and she stared into his gaping maw.

Her friends had to come, she was sure of it. Any second one of them would dive down and free her and the ponies would launch a grand assault, taking down the centaurs once and for all. They would. They could. They had to.

Her body disappeared more and more and she began to see through herself. “N-no,” she said weakly.

Then the last of the aether was drained and Espirit was swallowed by the void.