The morning of the second day of the tournament came after a very long and well-deserved rest. Twilight woke up, stretched a little and looked around her room. Link was just waking up too, Navi was wide awake and sitting on the edge of the desk. The clock on the wall was just about to chime seven. He hopped off the bed, snatched his hat from the desk and put it on, looking over at Twilight. Link went into stretches as a human while Twilight flowed into pony stretches.

Today was a new day for victories, and Twilight would have as many as she can.

"You hungry?" he asked, finishing up with a shake of his limbs. "I saw a good place in the festival."

Twilight nodded and stretched out her back. "Will it be just us?"

"Unless we run into our friends. Unlikely, since the place is pretty big." Link helped Navi to his shoulder before walking to the door. "Oh! Don't forget your key. Competitors get a discount." Twilight carried her key with her when the three of them left.

They walked into the festival grounds. Most of the places had just a few customers this early. At the recommended stall, Twilight ordered a salad and apple juice, Link ordered a salad and water and Navi didn't order anything. He sat first at a wooden table; the chair creaked under his weight. Twilight started eating. After her first mouthful, she asked, "So what did you think about my matches so far?"

Link took a drink of his water before attempting the salad. "You won. With strategy, not brute force. How can I criticize success?" He then took a leaf of lettuce and consumed it with one bite. "I look forward to seeing you compete further."

"As do I," Navi added. She gave a small stretch with a yawn, still waking up.

"Same here, actually," a voice came from the side. The three looked over and saw Epona at the end of the table. She then sat beside Link with a sandwich and juice of her own. " Morning Twilight. Morning Link and Navi."

"Morning Epona," Link greeted. He scooted over from the middle closer to the end of the seat so she had room to sit. "What's up today?"

"Emerald is, actually..." she admitted. She looked down at the table. "I'm starting to suspect she's been affected by our forest not-so-friend."

"Are her eyes black like mine were?" Twilight asked. Epona shook her head. "Then..."

Epona sighed and looked at her. "She's talking a lot about him. The alicorn we all met. First in idle conversation, then on her own. And always talks about him in a positive light. Like they're friends or something. Maybe more, or something different, but none of it makes him out to be the evil we know he is." The other two look at her with a questioning tilt in their heads. "I know it sounds messed up, but if she really is under his influence, then her actions make sense. Not only that, but you know how she's all... flirty with Ruby? Now, when I bring her up, she snaps at me, saying the name alone makes her want to punch something. And she's not a violent pony. Not that I know."

"I heard from her roommate that Ruby's much the same, but the opposite. We all went through his portals, and we all came out alright... What if he's still got hold of some of us, if not all?" Twilight asked, taking a long drink of her juice. "She's saying that Ruby is actively trying to make it look like he's the worst pony ever."

"He kind of is," Link admitted eating another leaf. "I mean, maybe not the worst, but definitely a contender. What do you think?"

Twilight thought a few moments. "I think this is something I shouldn't get between them about," she answered. "Those two are crazy strong when they're trying to cause harm. By myself, at this time, I don't stand a chance." She smirked at Link. "Even the great 'Army of One' would be hard-pressed to quell that thunder."

"Whoa, hey now," Link chuckled. "Only if they worked together. If what I'm hearing is right, they'd be too focused fighting each other to know that I'm even there." He turned to Epona directly. "In that regard, I have a favor to ask. Feel free to say no if it makes you feel uncomfortable."

Epona faced him with an endearing expression. "If you have a favor that I may not like, then it must be important to you. Whatever it is, I'll do it if you ask."

That's... awfully obedient. Or obsessive. Hard to say. "That's good to hear. Because it involves Emmy. I need you to be nice to her. Not 'nice' like be nice. 'Nice' in the way she tried to be nice to you before. Distract her bad thoughts from surfacing with good, stronger thoughts that are happening now."

"You don't mean..." Twilight's eyes widened.

"I mean, I want Epona to react favorably to Emmy's advances. Start some of your own, if it'll help. I know what I'm asking, but if she's like you, then she won't remember what's going on anyway."

What'll this accomplish, exactly?" Epona asked, folding her forelegs on the table.

"The more she focuses on you, the less she cares about fighting Ruby." Link took a breath. "At least until we find a way to break the hold he's got."

Twilight piped up. "You don't know if it'll work, do you..." He shook his head. "Well... I don't have any better ideas, so..."

"I already said I'd do it. And I'm not about to go back on my word." Epona gave a smile.

Link smiled back. "Thanks. I will owe you one for this."

Twilight finished her food and drink and stood up. "I'm going to go check the board. See you in the stands."

"Yeah," Link replied, scarfing his salad and picking up his bottle. "I'm off to take Navi around the Sunrise Stalls. See you up there." He stood up and glanced at Navi. "Shall we?" She nodded in reply. The two headed out toward the bulk of the festival.

Epona also stood up. "That means I'm off to romance Emmy. Won't she be thrilled... And yeah, I'm gonna need to start calling her that if she is to believe me."

"You know... You don't have to do everything he asks you to do." Twilight looked back at Epona, who returned the look with one of confusion. "You're your own mare. You don't need to do what he says."

"It's because he asked me to that I agreed to do it. My doing this helps him in some way bigger than I understand. Otherwise, he wouldn't be asking me at all."

Twilight let out a long sigh, then smiled. "You care for him, huh?"

Epona averted her gaze in an attempt to hide her face. "Don't be ridiculous." She walked off, swiveling her head to look for the pegasus.

Twilight watched as she walked off. Then, in a whisper, "That wasn't a denial~" She cleaned up what was left of the mess on the table and deposited it into the nearby garbage can before making her way to the tournament board.

Once there, she found Corona staring calmly at the whole of it. Before getting close enough for her footsteps to be heard, Corona turned and saw her. "I thought it was you. You're early."

"You're one to talk. Who's our opponent?"

"That's the bad news..." Corona pointed to the board when Twilight got beside her.

The board had been redone to reflect the 16 remaining combatants. Solo matches the whole way up in four more rounds. When she looked, she understood immediately. "I get it... Wait, if that's the bad news, is there good news?"

Corona put her hoof down. "Yeah. You'll have your opportunity to go up against Saber. And sooner than she expected. Semifinal round would be you against her. But there's more bad news. The quarterfinal round is between us, if we both win in this round. And I have no intention of holding back."

"I can't fight a friend. No... I won't do it," Twilight rejected, backing away.

"You don't have a choice. The only way to have your solo match with Steel Saber is to go through me." Corona turned and frowned at Twilight. "I know you had my back in our fights so far. Even if we were forced to fight separately. You were there, and it's because of your help that our team got this far."

"You're not making this any easier..." Twilight walked forward and looked up at the board again. Saber was the first combatant, and Twilight was the seventh. Corona was the sixth; she was to fight in the match before her own.

"I'll be honest," Corona began, turning toward the board and staring at Saber's name. "When she came up to the table, I could tell she was strong. She's somepony I'd want to try my skill against. So in our match, I'll be giving it my all, whether you are or not."

Twilight was quiet for a moment. Then she glanced at round three. "That's assuming we both win. Who's your opponent?"

"I don't know. But I do my best work on the fly." She gave a wink to Twilight. "Hope you can adapt to your opponent's tricks." She turned away and started walking. "Oh, one more thing: if you have any extra skills you need approved, the stallion who we were assigned at the start is still in the tent. Trust me: worth the trip, even if it's just to clarify what you can and can't use in a fight." She turned back and walked off for real.

Twilight gave a nod, then refocused on the board. Saber is first against Cloud from my team. Corona is in the match before mine against somepony we don't know... Then I'm up against somepony I don't know... Prismarine is against a nopony in the sixth match and Forest Meadow in the seventh. "Corona said I should visit the tent if I have any more skills I wanna check in. But... Do I? Maybe I'll think of something along the way..."

Sure enough, when she got to the tent, she had come up with a few questionable skills that might have needed clarification. Cloud did too, as he was coming out of the tent, grim muzzle as was the norm. "Twilight Sparkle? Come to enter a new ability?"

"You too, huh?" she replied with a weak smile. "More like a... a reassurance that I can do certain things, is all."

"Fair enough. Best wishes." He didn't bother returning the smile, instead walking away with a level gaze and broad shoulders.

Twilight watched him leave. "He's up against Steel Saber. If he's nervous, he sure doesn't show it..." She turned and entered the tent. The stallion was jotting something down on Cloud's application file. "Hello?"

"Twilight Sparkle. Come in," he greeted, waving his hoof in her direction. She did so and sat in the available seat. "What can I do for you?"

She looked a little uneasy saying it. "I want to... see about modifying my arsenal..."

Twilight met up with Link in the stands, with everypony else. He was sitting right in the middle of them, with Emerald to his far left and Ruby to his far right. Epona sat between him and Emmy, leaving an empty seat for Twilight between himself and Ruby. He patted the seat for her to sit, and she thanked him for his action.

"Surprised you weren't here earlier, considering it's your old teammate against Saber," Link noted. "I mean, it hasn't started yet, but still."

"Sorry, I had business to take care of first." She trained her eyes to the raised stage below.

Different from the elemental stages from the rounds prior, this one was just the center octagon, raised 20 feet off the ground. Spanning 30 feet in diameter, the raised stage was perfect for solo matches, where no interference could come between the combatants.

The announcer teleported on stage and applied his megaphonic spell. "I hope you've all been enjoying the tournament so far!" Many cheers and stomping echoed through the stands. "Good. Because from here on in, the matches will be one-on-one. That's right. No back-up. No environmental cover or help. Just good, ol'-fashioned spell-slinging at its finest!" More cheering. "The sixteen competitors remaining have been divided from their teams, and shuffled randomly into their positions. Each one's heart is set on taking first place and grand prize! Taking the stage first is Steel Saber and Cloud!"

Saber took out her wooden sword and held on to it as it carried her up to the stage. Having no other way to board the platform, and failing to do so would disqualify her, she had to get creative. When she got on, she sheathed her sword, then made her way to the center, where she drew it once more and held it aloft. Many cheers rang through the stands, even as she thrust the blade into the stage.

"As we've seen in her matches so far, she intends to only have need of the sword remaining on her hip. Will her opponent be able to force the use of her other one?" He pointed to the other side of the stage.

Cloud approached the raised platform and looked up. When asked how he'd ascend, he simply jumped, landing firmly on the edge. With another burst of power, he dashed forward, only skidding to a stop mere feet from the announcer and Saber.

"Her challenger is Cloud! He's got some elemental power we hope to see more of!" He looked between the two. "The combatants are set. Let round three, match thirteen... Begin!" He was quick to teleport away from the combat zone.

Cloud lowered his horn and charged an attack. Saber held up her hoof, causing him to pause. "You're one of Twilight's old teammates, correct?"

He hesitated in his answer. "... That's right. What about it?"

"I don't want to fight you. Not in front of her. Not at full power, anyway. So to honor that..." She pulled the sword from its place on her hip and pointed it down in front of her, coating it in magic along the way. "I will fight you with a slice of the whole."

Cloud fired a bolt of lightning from his horn, displaying he had enough talk. Saber brought her weapon up and caught the bolt, predicting where it would go by the direction he was looking. She absorbed the spell into her sword; it began to electrically charge her weapon as well. Saber thrust her blade at Cloud, releasing the power it held.

He had prepared for that. Cloud rose to his back legs and caught it with his hoof. It surged through a predetermined path in his body, pulling more magic as it went. He shifted through a stance and released the stronger bolt back at her through his other hoof.

Saber tried her best to bounce it toward him, or even away, but found it impossible due to its added strength. It pushed her back to the edge, where she dug her hooves in and stopped herself. Somewhere, she found the strength to deflect the burst of magic up and away. It arced high, and dispersed quickly. Saber looked forward and dashed in, sword at her side, ready.

Cloud got down on all fours and fired fast spearheads made of ice. She was able to cut through them on her approach. When she got close enough to him, he stepped back. Saber took that extra step and lost her balance on the fresh sheet of ice under her hooves. Her swing went wide and missed as she was stuck in free-fall. Cloud took the chance and fired a shock straight into her shoulder. She fell to the ground and slid backward, trying to regain feeling in her foreleg and upper back.

In her tumble, she stuck her sword in the ground behind her and stopped herself by stepping sideways on it. After she righted herself, she got her sword unstuck and watched. Cloud was doing nothing. She tilted her head, then looked up in panic.

Several dozen icy spears were falling from the sky all around her. She did her best to avoid them all, and succeeded, but soon found herself surrounded by ice pillars. Before she could figure out that she could cut through them, the ones on the outer layer thickened and connected to the others in that layer, encasing Saber in a field and bowl of ice. The top tips also formed a ceiling, with holes small enough she couldn't jump out, but big enough to let plenty of air in.

The rest of the spears started melting, turning into water, which began filling the bowl she was in. And fast. She thought she saw Cloud make his way to the bowl before the wall cut off her sight. Estimating his approximate location, she held her breath, dove under the water and aimed her sword. She thrust the blade through the wall of ice and made it hover in front of him.

Cloud tried to go around, but found it difficult. Then, Saber cut from the upper right to the lower left in a huge swing of... something. Then from the upper left to the lower right, making a giant "X" in the wall, the hole from the sword in the vertex.

The resulting gashes weakened the ice wall enough to cause it to break down and flood the stage. An inch or so of water covered the arena floor before falling off to the ground below. Saber tumbled out with the flow of water and slid to a stop before her wooden sword, still hanging in the air several feet in front of Cloud. He was in shock that it all happened, and when he looked around for the other sword of hers, it was inside the ice bowl Saber was trapped in before.

Saber shook off the water she could and glared down Cloud. "That was it, then?" She coated her sword in more magic, pulled it back and swung left to right. Nowhere close enough to hit him, Cloud stood still, thinking she's desperate since she was a little short of breath.

Much like when Link did this technique, a crescent wave of silver magic fired itself from her swinging sword. "Hey, that's my thing!" Link outbursted. Surprised and off-guard, All he could do was raise up an ice wall around himself with the help of what water was left in the arena. The wave had rotated to vertical before it made contact and when it did, it collided with Cloud's left shoulder and foreleg. The wall crumbled and Cloud went tumbling toward the edge, slowing to a stop with his head just off-stage.

Saber followed the tumbling stallion with caution and haste to get there before he stood up from the attack. She succeeded and stood over him. Cloud fired a point blank shot of lightning, which was blocked due to her preemptive perception. She held the spell in her sword and watched it skitter along the wooden shaft. "Dancing color, truly a spectacle. You used up too much magic right away. All I had to do was weather the storm." She added her magic to it, changing the lightning from its bright yellow to a shiny silver, then brought it close to him.

The proximity alone caused severe pain to the stallion's whole body to the point he passed out. When he teleported out, Saber thrust her sword skyward, releasing the spell into the sky for it to be dispersed by the arena's barrier. She turned around, walked back to her other sword, still in the ground, picked it up and sheathed it. When she looked out over the edge, she saw Cloud get carried away on a medic cart.

In the stands, everypony was cheering, with the exception of Link and company. "I need a word with her," Link said, clenching his fist and standing up. "Navi, stay here with Ruby. Keep her company."

"Roger!" She flew over and landed on Ruby's shoulder.

"I'm coming too," Twilight said, also rising to stand. "Epona?"

"I'm staying with Emmy, if that's alright," she replied. Twilight nodded and left with Link.

The two came to Saber and Polaris at the tournament board. Cloud's name had been crossed out with red lines and Saber's name has advanced to round four. "He was strong. But, he kept his distance and instead expended his magic trying to beat me."

"And on top of all that, you were fighting with a handicap and still won," Link added, folding his arms.

Saber turned around and saw the two of them. Twilight continued, "In nearly the same way I won my last match."

"That's right. I hope you were watching. What did you learn?"

Twilight tilted her head. "About friendship? Grant no mercy to an opponent who has done their best."

"No, you goof. About the match." Saber shook her head. "That's a bad lesson anyway, don't do that. I did my fight the way I did because I have compassion for my opponent. Always fight with mercy. Go in with the purpose of helping them. I gave him advice before he passed out. If he had used his physical power on me, he might have forced me to use my other sword."

Twilight looked at the swords on her flanks and made note of them. "That why you only used one of them?"

"Yeah. I didn't want to overwhelm him, so I gave him a chance. Nopony here has had me need my other weapon. I'm sincerely hoping you can change that, Twilight."

"Why me?" she replied.

"For your progress, of course. Your brother here has made me use my other weapons. Sometimes out of respect, but most of the time it's because I can't hold back with him. Even when I don't, he still gets the best of me..." Saber glanced down at her scar. "But you, on the other hoof... when you fight against me, you had better be out to win. Even with your.. sealed magic."

"You're not supposed to know about that..." Twilight said softly, like she'd been caught with her hoof in the cookie jar. "How do you?"

"Princess Celestia gave me a head's up. Said if I did end up going against you to make sure you stay in control of your emotions."

"What does she mean?" Link asked.

"You don't know?" Saber asked, looking toward him. "She never told you? The Princess - your Mother - never said a word?" She looked at Twilight, who turned away looking sad. "Guess that's permission. She's had part of her magic sealed away. When she passed the test to get enrolled in the School for Gifted Unicorns, her marks were so good, the Princess herself came to see what had happened, approving her entry on the spot and teaching her personally. The first order of business was to seal away enough of her power to ensure she wouldn't be a threat to herself or others. She said, 'Magic of her level at that age could grow too strong for even the most resilient of vessels.'"

"If I were to use 100% of everything, I'd light up a small town. And Ruby thinks she's dangerous? I could match that if I absolutely had to. But I don't, so it's fine."

"It is for that reason, Twilight Sparkle, that you will lose." Saber and Polaris walked away from then and the board. "But by all means. Try."

Link and Twilight were left watching Saber leave with Polaris. Then, they turned to face the board. "The next match should be just about over. Let's head back in time for Corona's match," Link said.

The two returned to their seats. When asked what they missed, Epona replied. "Well, the pink one wasn't very skilled on her own. So, about a minute ago, she forfeited. She hung her head as she walked off, too. Kinda sad..."

Ruby frowned. "I should go cheer her up. Wanna come with, anypony?" They all replied with their own versions of 'no'. "That's alright. She's my roommate anyway." Ruby walked by the others, and kicked Emmy on her way.

"Hey! That hurt!" she said angrily.

In a sarcastic tone, she responded, "Oh? I'm sorry. I didn't see your hoof there." Ruby kept on walking without looking back.

Epona put a foreleg around Emmy's shoulder and watched as she cuddled into the hug. "I don't know why she's being so mean to me, but I'm sure tired of it. When are we gonna fight and get it over with?"

"Hopefully never," Link admitted.

As was the norm, the announcer stood in the very center of the raised arena. He announced the stallion first, as he was before her in the listing. The stallion in question shrouded the small area in a cloudy haze of desert sand colored magic. Then, he appeared, taking in all the extra for himself. There were only half the stands cheering for him, and they weren't even loud.

Corona's entrance was announced soon after. Much like Cloud's entrance, she jumped from the ground and landed on the edge. Then she walked in, taking a few breaths for herself, and enjoying the audience's attention. Corona stopped in front of her opponent. "Match thirteen..." he started, "Begin!" The announcer vacated the danger zone.

Cheers came from everypony as the match got started, which soon dwindled to faint chatter as the two remained still. Both of my challengers have fought me head-on... But this guy... He's just... standing there... Corona narrowed her eyes, looking for an entry point. She found one and dashed forward. Into the air she went, with a spin and brought her hind leg around in a kick to his head. Her attack was blocked with a rather thick magic shield just big enough to cover the contact surface. She pushed off, sliding back several feet. A barrier that reacts to my movement... It won't be easy getting through that. But nothing ventured, nothing gained!

Again, she burst forth, her enhanced legs granting her speed at least thrice the speed of most ponies. Every attack she threw out - be it kick, punch or other - was met with an equally strong barrier that stopped all force.

After several minutes of fruitless engagement, Corona stopped and took a breath. "Make a move! Passivity is against the rules!"

"I know that," he replied. "Which is why I'm casting the spell as we fight."

So it's not automatic. He's doing it on his own. Judging my speed and reacting accordingly. Fine. Let's see you block this one. She growled and tried again. With another application to her speed enhancing, she increased her max speed to what it was when she fought her last opponent, knowing that such a level would also hurt herself. She charged in again, this time, she slowed down, to make it look like she's wasting her energy.

Corona ended her assault behind him, where she threw a punch. Even went so far as to plant her hindleg, twist her waist and throw the punch like it's gonna knock him out. As expected, the stallion just threw up a barrier inches before her punch would connect.

It never did.

She had vanished into thin air. His eyes - which were looking back at her when she threw the punch - turned forward too late to see Corona below him, contorted in a strange way.

She was on two forelegs and one hind leg, as the last of them was being pushed through the air upward, connecting with his jaw and rocking his head back. It hit with enough force the stallion sailed into the air off his hooves. Corona turned over to her all fours and jumped up after him, coming to rest right behind him.

The entire crowd gasped on shock. Some of them even stood up in awe at the spectacle, Link included.

The two flew through the air in an arc. Corona wrapped her forelegs around his barrel and her hind legs around his own. "We go together!!" she shouted in anger. Magic came from all of her at once. The two turned toward the ground, head first. Then, Corona started to make them spin. Her golden magic spinning off of them, increasing their revolving speed.

Upon contact with the ground, the stage earned itself a sizable crater as gold magic flew out from the impact. Corona was thrown from the site and slid to a stop; the magic that once surrounded her sputtered to an end as she knelt there trying to get her breath. "It is over... I got him!"

Her muscles were also strained from the exertion, and noticeably drained of magic. Her opponent, however, when the dust settled, was seen standing upright. He shook himself off and looked over at her. "Is that all? ... My turn." His other hoof lifted off the ground and pulled a field of magic with it. It broke the arena in a straight line to one of Corona's hind legs. Fully connected by his magic, Corona looked in panic. She was lifted into the air and slammed down on her own, no magic to protect her. Corona grit her teeth, reached over and severed the connection. Then, she tried to dash toward him for another go.

Her body said 'no'. She hit the ground after just a few steps in unimaginable pain. Just an ordinary dive takes a tremendous toll on the body, let alone powered up tenfold like I did.

The stallion walked over, noticeably shaking from the damage the attack caused. During free-fall, he had coated himself in magic. It didn't do much, but it certainly took off more than half of the damage from plowing into solid concrete. He reached out his hoof and wrapped her in magic once more. "That hurt, I want you to know. But nothing like what it did to you. That move is supposed to be used as a last resort, when the lives of important people are at stake."

"I made an exception..." she muttered, being lifted into the air, barely still awake. "You're worth it..."

"I know... Don't think that I enjoy this part." He began to squeeze her inside his magic field.

She held herself together, being used to such pain. "Is that the best you got?" she asked, still mainly out of breath. Corona tried to think of a way out. "I could just teleport out of here."

"If you could, you would have by now," he replied, increasing the hold he had on her. "All you have to do to get this to stop is give up. You know the phrase."

Corona grit her teeth at the decision before her. She weighed her options, even as the grip increased in strength. The magic got strong enough around her, that her bones started to hurt. In her desperation of being let go, she clenched her eyes and shouted, "I FORFEIT!!!" Immediately, she was teleported out and onto a crash cart.

Her opponent dispelled his magic field and teleported off stage through all the "BOOS" and whining. Twilight's eyes widened, and Link looked over at her.

"Save your anger, Twilight. You need to be focused on your coming match. Win, then get your revenge." Link put a hand on her shoulder.

"I know. That doesn't mean I can't take it out on this opponent."

"He doesn't deserve it," Emmy said, sitting up. "Link's right. Stay calm. Stay positive."

Twilight paused, and looked down at the stage. She heard her name called and teleported in a bright flash of purple and sparkles. She narrowed her eyes and hushed the crowd. Not even the announcing of her opponent broke her concentration.

Her crimson opponent appeared in front of her with his own teleportation spell. He smirked.

The announcer looked between them. "Match fourteen... Begin!" The stallion teleported out.

In the short time after, Twilight's opponent fired a shot from his horn. At 5 feet away, Twilight had to react within half a second, given the firing speed. And she did well over that, summoning her blade and bouncing the shot up and away. The second shot came out sooner, and she got it on the back swing, sending it buzzing past his head.

Then the shots came in higher quantity. They pushed Twilight back as she struggled to keep them from hitting her. After a couple minutes, she started to sweat a little as a few blasts made it through. She kept pace with most of them, bouncing up and away, or down to the ground. Not enough time to hit one back at the shooter. When he finally stopped, she took a knee, breathing a little harder. "That, was wasteful..." She got up on her hooves and raised her sword.

"So what, I used a lot of magic. I don't care, it'll be worth it!" Every single shot fired - which amounted in the high triple digits - became airborne in a dome around her. Even the ones in the ground from before. Twilight looked panicked and dispelled her sword in favor of a dome barrier. The red stallion's salvo crashed down upon her purple protection spell.

Inside the dome, Twilight looked all around at the closing bursts. Each one hit for little, but when there were so many, it added up to a pretty hefty hit. Twilight's shield became cracked near the top, and soon caved in most of the way through, unleashing the remaining hundred or two upon Twilight herself. In a tight spot, Twilight curled over and used a more efficient spell to protect herself from the remaining shots.

It was too late, as several dozen had already done their damage.

Outside Twilight's dome, the bolts had converged on his opponent, enveloping that part of the stage in a heavy red mist. The stallion looked at his work as the bursts broke through, filling the dome with the same misty explosions.

When the mist settled, Twilight's dome was clearly shown to be broken at the top, and Twilight herself nowhere to be seen by him.

And he thought he'd won.

Twilight appeared right behind him, her body covered in a light blue coat barely visible even to him. The look in her eyes was one she had never needed to use before. Anger had welled up inside to the point she lashed out with her sword, aiming to whack him in the neck to knock him out.

The stallion turned fast enough to see the coming blade and raised his own made of crimson magic. His was shaped much like her own, and even the same length. The two blades collided with one another. Huge sparks of energy leapt from the contact. Twilight was forced to step back at the unexpected surge of power.

He turned and saw her with a surprised expression. "Oh, don't look so shocked. I can do it too, you know." The stallion flourished his weapon before dashing in to engage in melee combat. Twilight took up a ready stance, the light blue glow still surrounding her. She swung up against his weapon, deflecting it and readying herself for a counter-attack. Fast as she was, he was just quick enough to bring his sword back to block.

It took some few moments getting the rhythm right, but once they hit it, they traded swings. The two moved as one, as if dancing to a melody only heard by them. Twilight was patient, despite her risen anger for the last match, and thus waited, aiming for her moment to strike. It finally came minutes later. She had swung wide enough to let herself appear defenseless. He took the opportunity to teleport behind her and swing down upon her head.

Twilight trained for this moment. She moved in reflex, as she had done against both Link and Emmy in the week leading up to this event. She brought her sword up and angled it overhead, intercepting the swing with surprising speed. The stallion looked surprised, and started up a teleport spell, but Twilight had his speed beat by a mile. Twilight turned around during her maneuver, sliding his sword down the length of her own and spinning it around fast enough that all that could be seen was a sword trail. She whacked him just to the side of his forelock.

Magic sparked from the grinding blades, and echoed when she connected with his head. The crowd stood up when they saw a shockwave go through the stage, clearing it of dust.

Uncertain of what just happened, Twilight stepped back and retracted her sword. The stallion had dispelled his own, either by choice or by force. He toppled over, only catching himself when he hit the ground. Still conscious - albeit just barely - he sat upright and looked at her. "You are formidable, Twilight. I did not expect an opponent that could predict my moves as you have." He stood up and walked over to her. "May the wind guide your blade in future matches."

"You say it like you're done..."

"I am. Had this been a true fight to the death, I would be no more. And so, in honor of that, I admit defeat." The stallion bowed in respect. "Thank you for the match, Twilight Sparkle." He turned to the crowd and announced, "I forfeit." Before her very eyes, he disappeared, leaving her standing on the broken arena platform by herself.

The announcer boarded the platform and announced her as the winner. Twilight lost the blue protective spell and dispelled her sword. She opted to teleport to the ground below, as her magic was strained enough.

Instead of returning to the stands, she went to the medical tent to see Corona.

Twilight sat at Corona's bedside, who was enjoying orange juice and some nuts. She looked over at Twilight and initiated, "I didn't expect you to see me in here like this... Not after what happened." She was sentenced to bed-rest for her injuries, alongside Cloud for his own.

"I couldn't not see how you were doing. It looked like you took a really heavy beating out there."

"Yeah... He was squeezing the fight out of me. Another minute, and the doctor said it might not have been something I could naturally recover from." Corona looked past Twilight. "Wish I could have won my match. Going against you and your talents would have been fun. Instead, I'm stuck here, healing."

"Please, I'm nothing special. I just have good teachers." Corona looked confused. "My brother and two of his friends trained me in the week leading up to the tournament."

"Well, aren't you a modest one." Twilight shied away from the compliment. "But really... You are a prodigy, taking down guys like that who've trained for years to get where they are. I bet facing me would have been a cakewalk."

"No way. I'd never fight you at that level of power. You deserve my full strength, not what the tournament has me use." Again, Corona looked confused, also curious of Twilight's admittance. "Colt gloves. There's a lot I can't do because of the rules."

"You still found a way." Corona looked sad. "My last opponent is your next one. Are you nervous?" Twilight nodded shyly. "Well, I didn't just lose to him. I got him to tell me how his ability worked." Twilight sat close like she wanted to know. "He can make very precise barriers. Effective ones, too. Felt like every single one was a perfect counter to the force I gave. But they aren't perfect in protecting him. He's doing it on purpose, which you saw me get around with that last attack I did."

"It was impressive, that. How'd you learn to do that as a unicorn?" Twilight asked.

Corona took a slow breath. "There's a martial arts style that caters to each race. Giving strength where there is none. It makes earth ponies capable of using magic in their appendages to increase their speed and destructive power, pegasi do it to enhance their body to weather an onslaught, and as for unicorns, it is used to increase both our power and speed, as well as defense. The drawbacks are: 1: you have to be devoted to the art. And 2: it comes with extreme strain on the body if you take it too far. I can handle speeds of four times the normal, but anything after that, and ... it gets messy. At my fastest, I could rival a pegasus at their fastest. But the pain alone would be so great I wouldn't be able to move for a week."

"I'm sorry..." Twilight said in a sad tone. "What else can you tell me?"

Corona sighed again. "Because his shields are manually activated, he must be able to see the attack coming, in order to block it. Barriers must be his thing, because after he slammed me, I could break his hold on me without much effort. I couldn't break out of his last attack. But you... You can. You can teleport out. He told me himself. He said that I could if I knew how, not that I couldn't even if I did."

"So it doesn't block magic from leaving. If it did, not even the vest could get you out when you said you forfeit." Corona nodded. "It sounds like he puts a lot of trust into those shields of his... If I can break just one of them, he should be down the magic he needed to hold it together."

"Be careful out there, Twilight. In your next match, and your runback with Steel Saber." She smiled. "Beat him, your match with her is guaranteed."

"I'll win it for you. That's a promise." Twilight put a hoof on Corona's shoulder in comfort before leaving.

She went to the stalls and had lunch before returning to the stands.

Twilight returned to the stands when Prismarine's match started. Twilight smiled at the mare before sitting down. "Oh it's her match now."

"Her who?" Link asked.

She sat down and looked over at him. Ruby had also returned. "That mare down there. Prismarine. Remember their race a week ago?"

"I lost that one, if I remember right," Emmy said.

"What about her?" Link asked, growing impatient.

"I did say that I was able to help them get back with borrowed magic, right? Well, I had borrowed it from her. She came up from the water.

"She was swimming?" Ruby asked. Twilight shook her head. "Then what was she doing in the water?"

"Going home, I think. She lives underwater. When she came out, I thought I saw some thin attachments to the backs of her legs. Looked like fins or something." Twilight shrugged. "I didn't have the time to really ask her."

"Sea ponies don't exist. You know that, right? It's just stories that parents tell their children when they want them to behave. That mare down there? Aside from the beautiful mane, there's nothing outstanding about her. She's just a unicorn." Emmy looked forward and smiled.

"I know what I saw..." Twilight affirmed. Link looked over at her and nodded, believing her.

They were all too distracted to see how Prismarine won her match, short-lived as the match actually was. Next match was Forest Meadow and her opponent. Link stood up with a stretch. "I'm off for food. I'll be back later." The others waved him off. Not even Navi paid attention to him, to which Link looked annoyed.

Saber and Polaris were enjoying their meal, but only one of them looked to be enjoying it. Link approached and was welcomed to their table. The two went on in idle conversation for several minutes while Link sat in silence.

Then out of nowhere, Link asked, "Are you really here for yourself, or are you here for Twilight?" Saber nearly choked on her salad.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Polaris asked him.

"Nah, it's alright," Saber interrupted, raising a hoof. "He asked a question, and a good one, too." She swallowed her salad leaf and looked across the table at him. "Why do you ask?"

"Because something's off with you. You walk into the throne room like a mindless drone-"

"Hey!" Polaris said out of habit. "Uhh..."

"Not you, Polaris. You know what I mean." He switched his gaze between the two, and back to Saber. "You did as you were told. Nothing more. So forgive me if I find it hard to believe that you had the guts to ask to be here. What I think, and I could be wrong, is that you were ordered here to test her skill. Or, that you requested to compete to do much the same. I'll ask again: are you here to test her for the princess, or test her for yourself?

Saber was quiet. Then, she chuckled. It burst into all-out laughter and continued after she hit the ground. Both Link and Polaris looked concerned at the toppled soldier.

She righted herself after a minute or so, sitting once more upon the bench. "And that's really the only two you came up with? It never occurred to you that I had planned on attending the competition long before Twilight came in to the throne room? It surprised me to hear that she was competing as well, and I even got extra rules put on me if ever I went up against the princess' star student. 'Don't overdo it,' she said. 'Have mercy on her' she requested. Sounded more like a demand, but still. So naturally, I agreed, and complied with all of the rules of a royal guard entering the tournament. I'm not allowed to watch any of the other matches, because it would give me an unfair advantage. There's even a stricter criteria in place regarding 'excessive force'. Any attack that incapacitates my opponent must be viewed and judged by all three judges. If it's deemed excessive by any of the three, I face charges of assault to a civilian. So no, I'm not doing this as a test to her, or anypony else. This is a thing for me to do."

Link sat there quietly. Then he asked, "Then why'd you bring her along?"

"She wanted to get out of the castle. It got cramped in there, not being able to adventure like she wants. Plus, it was my request. Seems I've grown to be something of a favorite to the princesses. After I put in the request, this one was assigned under my care, so I couldn't exactly leave her behind." She turned to her partner. "No offense, you're a delight." Then back to Link. "I promise you: my being here has nothing to do with Twilight."

Again, Link was quiet. Polaris spoke up. "And, because she's not allowed to see the matches, she has to go to the board every 20 minutes or so to see how it's going. Between rounds, she and I have fun in the festival part."

"Alright... I believe you..."

"You should. And if she manages to win, then she wins. And if she loses, then she loses. We're still gonna be alright, though. Right?"

Hesitantly, he nodded. Then added, "Depends."

"On?"

"On whether or not you take her seriously. She's a fast learner, much like me. The last opponent got a moulinet to the head after teleporting behind her. He went down quick after that."

"So she is skilled. Just as I'd expect having learned from you." Saber smiled at him. "Does she use a shield, too?" He nodded. "Just like you."

Link amended, "For the other side though. I'm a lefty, she's a righty. Sure I trained her to fight like me. But just because you faced me and won, doesn't mean you can take her lightly. Even in sparring, she's made leaps and bounds and added it to her repertoire."

"If she comes at me like she did in the castle, then I will knock her down. And you can tell her as much. I'm sure she'd welcome it."

"She wouldn't have it any other way." He finished his meal quickly. "Like fighting another, younger me out there..."

"Younger?" Polaris asked. "I thought she was your 'older' sister?"

"Skill-wise she is. I mean, like, she is now how I was when I joined the guard." He folded his hands. "But unlike me, she has the potential to become the best. Her learning and understanding of technique is on par - if not better - than my own. Coupled with magic as her talent, I'm standing still by comparison."

"Maybe. But you have something that she doesn't." He looked over at Saber. "I saw it when you fought against me in the castle. It's heart. Twilight Sparkle swings a sword. But when you do it, you prove a point."

"And what's that?" he asked, genuinely curious.

"That you won't give up. Not that you can't. That you simply won't. It's not stubbornness. I wouldn't call it pride either. You may have forgotten, but I was there when the captain took all those training swords. He even took both of mine. When he aimed them all at you, you gave this look like you didn't care. Like you could have taken the beating, got up and asked for more if you had to." She gave a small smile. "So don't count yourself out just because your sister shows a little bit of promise."

Link waved his hand dismissively. "You give me too much credit. I just wanted to break his shield. And I didn't even make a scratch."

"Maybe not, but you forced him to order you to back off. In time, I bet even he could have a weakness brought to light."

A familiar voiced sounded off beside him. "Finally, somepony else who sees it," the mare said. Derpy came in a little wobbly as she sat down on the bench. Link scooted over to make room, even offering a stabilizing hand to prevent things from breaking. "Thanks. I told you when we met that I saw a strength in you. Glad I wasn't the only one to notice it."

"And... you are..." Saber asked.

"Steel Saber, meet Derpy. She's a mailmare who works locally."

"I didn't know the postal service gave days off."

"They don't, usually. But when I asked for the weekend off, they were all too happy to let me go. I don't know why." She canted her head in confusion, then shrugged. "Twilight's doing good so far. Her luck might just bottom out in her next match though..."

"Why's that?" Saber asked.

"She's up against last year's champion. He plays dirty."

Link shook his head. "Of course she is. Why would it be anypony else."

"Does she know?" Link shrugged as well. Saber put a hoof to her chin. "Hope she wins and puts him in his place. I read up on the winners of three years prior. He won due to a judge's decision on the use of excessive force. He only won because his skills were purely magical. If they had any physical attribute, like a hoof touching the body without magic, then it'd be against him, but..."

"So Twilight's supposed to go up against a stallion like that?" The others nodded. "Then I have to go tell her. If Emmy hasn't already." He stood up.

"Hope she has a plan..." Saber offered.

"She does. You just see if she doesn't." He started to walk away.

"I can't watch, remember? Rules." She chuckled at his bad memory.

Derpy also stood up to leave, and broke off the bench she was sitting on, bringing the rest of the table to the ground. The other two picked up their food and watched her walk off after him. "That mare is... unique..." Polaris admitted.

Saber nodded in agreement before the two took their stuff to another table.

The hour passed between rounds. All of the arena's damage so far has been repaired and ready to start fresh with the coming bouts. Link had returned to his seat after dealing with Saber, and was regaled with all he'd missed.

Forest Melody had won her match, and Twilight didn't know either of the last match's fighters, so the winner was inconsequential.

Everypony took a ten-minute break in which Epona had to be a mediator between Emmy and Ruby as the three went for a snack. Twilight sighed and tried to restore her magic level before match two. During intermission, the stage ponies came along and reconstructed the arena from all the damage it took, and Twilight was able to learn it just by looking at how it was done. When everypony came back to their seats, the announcer took the stage. A spotlight shone on him as the rest of the arena's light dimmed.

"Ladies and Gentlestallions!" he bellowed with his spell. "We have reached the final eight! All combatants have shown their tricks and established a name for themselves in the tournament. But remember: only one may take hold of the gold cup and claim to be the Spellmaster of the year!" Thunderous cheers from the entire crowd. "Starting off round four... We have The Dual-Wielding Demon! Opposing her will be The Illusionist! Which one will triumph, and which one will fall? Find out in just a few minutes!"

He disappeared just as the lighting returned to normal.

"What's with the names?" Link asked.

"Oh," Emmy started, "everypony who makes it to the final eight gets a name tied to their skills. That's what he meant by 'a name for themselves'. Even Twilight has one now, and I can't wait to hear what it is."

"Sounds a little over-the-top if you ask me," Twilight admitted, folding her forelegs.

Link put an assuring hand on her back. "Maybe. But let's all admit that it's an honor to be recognized by so many."

"What I don't get is how she's a dual-wielder. She's never used her other sword, opting to stab the ground with it," Emmy said.

"She's only needed one. It takes a special opponent to warrant use of her other sword. Even against Twilight the first time, she'd only used one." Link looked over at Emmy. "That'll be different this time. We put everything into training her. You just see if Saber doesn't recognize her worth as an opponent."

"Yeah well... She over-powered me with just the one. How far could I have gotten in just a week or so?" Twilight shook her head. "No, I can't think like that. I've come this far, same as her. Which puts me at or above her one sword level. I know I've improved."

"We all have faith in you. Right girls?" Epona cheered. The others agreed. "Besides, you fought off the three of us in sparring. Just one for real should be a snap."

As was normal, the stallion teleported onto the stage with his big, booming voice. "Alright, everypony! Round four is under way! Please welcome to the stage... The Dual-Wielding Demon!!!" Huge roars from the crowd as Saber mounted her sword and flew to the stage, dismounting on the ledge. She sheathed her sword and walked to the center. "She's faced round one on her own, and round two as well, opting to take on both teams solo. In round three, she turned the tide and washed away the competition in a shocking display. Will she retain her icy disposition? Or will her opponent finally get her second sword some practice?" She stopped herself in the center and hoisted her right sword high. As before, she coated it in magic and stabbed the stage. "I suppose we'll have to find out."

Then, her opponent showed up on the far side of the stage in a black haze. "Facing off against her is The Illusionist! He's taken victory in all of his matches from the shadows. Claiming victory over five of his challengers so far in the tournament! Are his skills enough to make this his sixth? Or will he be tossed to the side like a two-bit street performer?" The stallion stopped in front of her.

He gave the crowd a wave before addressing Saber. "Here's to a fair fight, eh?"

"May our skill be put to use," she replied. Saber drew her sword as the stage fell quiet. The Illusionist lowered his hoof and looked forward at her.

"Match twenty-one... Begin!" He was quick to disappear.

The Illusionist cast out a black ball at Saber, who cut it open without a moment's hesitation. It exploded into a black mist that shrouded around her on all sides. Not even the sun's rays - strong as she knew they were - could get through. Saber looked around her, trying to discern his location with no success. She charged her blade fully and swung, cutting through the haze around her, sending it scattering in all directions. "Where are you... she asked herself, looking around once more. Then, on instinct, she swung back, deflecting a shot of black energy up into the sky.

He was standing there, with a smile. His red eyes surrounded by white as a normal pony, but something was off... Saber turned around, feeling uneasy and saw another of him. More and more copies appeared several layers deep around her, all bearing an evil grin. "I am everywhere. All at once," he replied, charging his horn. "You handled one easily enough. How do you fare against hundreds?"

Every single clone started firing upon her location. Saber stepped back and focused her magic into her weapon. With intense speed - almost as if she had three around her - she deflected almost every shot fired, speeding them off every which way. Upon inspection, she saw the shots go through the other clones. All of them. The real one is not among them... she thought. In the moment between shots, she placed her sword at her side and turned to the right. "There!" Saber powered her hind legs, knowing it would hurt, and dashed forward, swinging between two clones of him.

A loud smack silenced the cheering crowd as the firing stopped. One by one, starting with the farthest away, the clones dispelled themselves. Saber sheathed her sword and watched as the real one collapsed to the ground. "How did you know..."

"You're strong. Another minute, and I'd have been out-matched. You can't hide your energy and be invisible. Takes too much magic, and you didn't have that much after all those illusions." He closed his eyes and was teleported off. Saber walked over, amidst all the cheering, and retrieved her sword, placing it at her side where it belonged.

The stadium chanted, "Demon!" over and over until she left the field of battle.

Link tilted his head. "I don't get it; did she use her second sword? Because she's never been that fast before."

"Don't be nervous, Twilight," Ruby said encouragingly. "She'll be afraid of you when your match comes up against her. For now, why don't you think about adding some flair for your entrance? Maybe some of that ice you blocked me with?"

"Ruby, I'm only winning this match to get revenge for how he treated my friend."

The announcer took the stage again. "Well, that was a blink-and-you'll-miss-it victory for the Demon!" Many cheers once more. "For our next bout... we have a special competitor. He won the whole thing last year, and he's shaping-"

"He what?!" Twilight exclaimed, leaning forward.

Emmy looked over. "Yeah. That guy your friend fought was last year's winner. Nasty trick that squeezing thing he does."

"You knew it was him, and did not tell me?" She looked over at Emmy, who looked apologetic with her ears flat to the side. Twilight sighed and looked at the stage.

"I thought I had. I'm sorry."

"It's alright, I guess. Just... Would have been nice to know." She looked at Link, ready to ask what to do, but he turned away. "Wait... You knew too?"

"For about an hour, yeah..." he admitted. "You didn't need the pressure. He's just another opponent, right?"

"- Give it up for... The Crusher!" The stallion took the stage and gave a wave. He was met with many disapproving and disappointed sounds. "His challenger: a mare who's overcome trials and tribulations the tournament thus far. One who has overwhelmed stronger foes with her cunning intellect and magical prowess. Welcome to the stage: The Prodigal Daughter!"

"Well, there's nothing for it but to do it. Here we go." Twilight disappeared from the stands and showed up ion stage in a burst of purple and blue. Presumably the ice idea Ruby gave her. She earned herself rupturous stomps the stadium over. She didn't give a wave or even look at the crowd. She focused on her goal of victory.

"Will The Crusher grind thee underhoof? Or will The Prodigal Daughter triumph once more? Match Twenty-Two..." Twilight narrowed her eyes as her opponent readied himself. "Begin!" The announcer vacated the area.

Corona said his barriers are reactive. Let's see just how fast that is. Twilight took a shot at him. Just as expected, he raised a reflective barrier off of which it bounced back at her. The barrier went away right after. She caught the shot and applied the necessary magic to form her sword. Wish I was a bit more agile. This would be easier.

"You might as well give up now, if that's the best you can do," he taunted, not even flinching.

"I'm just getting warmed up." She rolled her shoulders and launched herself forward in a flurry of swings. Each one was deflected by his barrier, which was noticeably thicker. It's not just a thicker shield... It's a different spell entirely.

The Crusher stood still, letting his shield take the beating. Twilight noticed the ground start to break and teleported back. From the ground came a field of magic intended to ensnare her. She fired off a few rounds at him, each one reflected to varying directions. Then she teleported above him and fired several dozen more, all minimum power. Each one bounced off and buried themselves underground for future use. Again, she vanished, appearing at his side. She swung at him with a mighty yell. Her sword clashed with his thicker barrier.

Twilight commanded one of her previous shots to come up behind him and fly at his horn. Just before contact, he dodged to the side, making it miss by a hair. She caught it, morphed it into her shield with the added magic and bashed it against his. Both shield trembled at the effort.

The next few shots unburied all at once and fired at him. She swung again, hoping to make him choose between deflecting the sword and reflecting the shots.

He didn't need to choose; he was able to make both kinds, blocking and reflecting the sword and all three shots at the same time. Both. At the same time. Next play she thought. In her thought process, she didn't notice the ground. As before, he had funneled magic into the stage, and brought it up under catching her and holding her above himself. Even her sword disappeared. "Gah!"

"It took a few more moves than I hoped, but I've got you now. There is only one way out of this. Say the words, and the match will be over."

Struggling to look at him, she forced herself to do so. Then, she spoke, through constricting energy. "Is that what you told her?"

"Her?" he asked. "Oh, that last opponent was your old teammate?"

"That's right. She's my friend!" Twilight teleported out of the field and onto the stage. One of her shots came up beside her and was trailing at her side as she galloped toward him.

It's just a shot, like many others. Bounce shield it is he thought. When the shot was just a few feet away from him, he raised his shield.

Twilight thrust her sword through the flimsy barrier and shattered it, plastering a look of stunned surprise on the stallion's face. The tip of her blade jabbed him in the forelock at the base of his horn, dropping him in a roll. The Crusher tumbled several feet. Twilight kept her sword nearby and shot off a dozen good weighted shots at the air over him and teleported over. She made it rain over him, each magic blast hitting hard enough to chip the ground below. A cloud of purple enveloped him.

When it settled, he was gone. The announcer declared her the winner as she walked over to the edge and teleported down, stumbling to get her balance.

Twilight retreated to the medic tent, and parked it beside Corona's bed. Cloud had fallen asleep in the bed behind another curtain. She went alone this time, leaving Link and the others to watch the following matches. Corona was still awake, but definitely tired. "By your weak smile, I'd say you won," she estimated.

"You'd be right," Twilight admitted. "It was a tough match, like I expected, and it left me with about a fifth of my magic. I only had enough to make one more play before I ran out of options."

"I wanna know how you did it, if that's alright."

"I made him think my sword was a magic shot. I had angled it in such a way that he couldn't see the body of the sword, making him throw up the wrong spell. He went down and I rained a dozen mid-power magic blasts on him. He either ran out of magic then, or passed out. Either way, I won."

"Congratulations~" she commended. The tent curtain ruffled and in came Link alone. "Who's this?"

"Nice win, Twilight," he complimented.

Twilight turned around and saw him. "I thought you were gonna stay behind?"

"Nah. The others are absorbed into the tournament to really get at each other."

"Oh right." Twilight turned toward Corona. "This is my brother. Well, one of them. Meet Link. Link, this is Corona."

"Nice to meet you." He looked over at Twilight. "Come on. We have work to do."

Twilight lost her smile and tilted her head. "What do you mean?"

"Let's just say your training isn't over yet. Meet me in the hotel room as soon as you can." He turned and exited the tent with nary an additional word.

"That was... strange... Does he usually do that?"

"Do what? Demand things? Only when it's important. Tomorrow, I have a match against Steel Saber, a Royal Guard I've lost twice to. This time, it'll be more of a fair fight."

"I hope you're ready... I'll try and make it if I can walk," Corona offered.

Twilight put a hoof on her friend. "Don't hurt yourself. If I could spare the magic, I'd heal you myself, but I can't do that and be prepared for tomorrow." Corona waved a hoof and smiled. "I'll come by afterward, win or lose. I promise."

"I look forward to hearing tale of your victory. Go, fight, and win."

Twilight stood up and meandered out of the tent.

The Illusionist sat on his bed in the hotel room. He made sure he was alone, and that the soundproofing spell was in place. He conjured a black portal, on the other side of which stood the forest alicorn.

"So," the latter began, "how strong is she? Will she serve my purpose?"

"Strong of magic, and body besides. Yes, she is the perfect soldier for your army."

"And how easy was it to infect her with the spell?" he asked.

The Illusionist waved his hoof in the air. "It was the first thing I did at the start of the match. She just stood there in the mist, breathing it in like it was an alright thing to do." The Illusionist smiled. "And the masking spell you provided me with cloaked me from the Hylian and his crew's curiosity."

"Good. The time is nearly upon us."

"Time for us to wait, you mean. Even if he does open the door and draw the sword, we would have to wait until he leaves with his friends."

The alicorn scoffed. "I have waited over a thousand years. What is another week?" He took a pause. "The nation will soon be mine, and there is no one capable of stopping me." He laughed about his situation. "What of the Bearer?"

"She fights your soldier tomorrow. First thing in the morning," The Illusionist replied.

"The soldier or the Bearer... I am eager to see which one triumphs. Given that I won't be interfering. The soldier beat you - a manifestation of just a fraction of my power - with little effort."

"What of the Hylian?" the Illusionist asked.

"What of him? He will be out on a mission if I heard right. To the desert. He will be gone long enough for me to take over. And he is just one child. What can he accomplish alone?" He waited for a moment. "You have your orders." The Illusionist nodded as the portal closed.

He cast his gaze to another open portal. One that showed Twilight at Corona's bedside talking to Link. "Boring." The over to both Ruby and Emerald in the stands. "Now that is a fight I'd pay to see."

He sat back and watched the fight between Prismarine and her opponent.

6 weeks later, here's the second day of the tournament! My longest chapter to date, and I'm proud of it. Next one will probably come out start of August, most likely, and be a tad shorter than this one.

P.S.: It's sad to see EFNW closed for this year... But we get to roll over our passes to the next year, so I hope to see you all then!