The forest spanned out beneath Twilight, and the various wild animals inhabiting it were fleeing at the very sight of the red eyed Changeling Queen. She was still on route to the hive containing Empress Immortalis, just as she had been commanded to. The flight was long, but she cared not. She had a duty, and she was fulfilling it with every ounce of her being.

With the exception of the spark buried deep within her soul.

Twilight tugged against the chains holding her, the bland blue expanse surrounding her remaining as still as always. Aside from the Changeling Queen and the chains holding her down, nothing else existed around her. Where she had previously conjured representations of various locations she knew by heart, the Empress less than interested in satisfying her need for more aesthetically pleasing surroundings.

“She could have at least left a single wall,” Twilight muttered to herself, stopping in her latest futile attempt to rip away the chains.

And, perhaps, that wall needed a mural.

The Queen of the Equestrian Hive shut her eyes, focusing through her real ones in the outside world. At least the trees were something nice to look at, but the view was greatly spoiled by the feeling of looking through the Empress’ intense magic wrapped around her brain and soul.

Even after all the time that had passed, the Empress’ violation was still a strange thing to experience. Being aware and subservient in the waking world, while equally aware and free deep in the subconscious. Even with hours of contemplation on the subject, she still found it hard to explain.

A little lavender filly of the past would have poured hours researching such a spell. Now she just wanted to destroy it and erase all knowledge of such a things existence.

Twilight Sparkle, wishing to destroy knowledge. What had the Empress done to her?

And now she intended Twilight to fight her mentor’s younger sister, and her mentor herself. One a good friend, and the other a pony who had been like a mother to her.

“You can make me destroy a library,” Twilight growled to herself. “You can make me lay waste to a city. But face to face, you can’t make me fight Celestia!”

But then again, she had attacked Rarity with no hesitation. Her friend. One of the closest friends she would ever have, symbolised by their very connection to the Elements of Harmony.

If she would do that, would she too attack the Princess of the Sun?

Twilight shook her head, blinking back the tears forming in her eyes.

“Please no…” she silently begged. “Enough. No more…”

Twilight continued her flight, eyes focused and unwavering. The coming battle would decide many things, and she would be loath to miss it.

Author's Notes:

Continue right on to the next chapter...