The defenders of Everfree Castle held their collective breath in anticipation and stared out at the forest. In the distance, they could all hear the snap, thump of trees being felled one after another. That was the only sound they heard, as the birds had fled, just like the rest of the denizens of the wood.

All save for those forces who now stood in its defense, their various limbs planted firmly atop the freshly reinforced walls. Now wielding weapons as numerous and varied as the types of creatures that had responded to Dark Hallow’s call for aid. Regardless of what they wielded, the many defenders waited, their muscles tense and their resolve steeled.

Alone atop the walls, at the highest point of the keep, stood Twilight Sparkle, the mare nervously chewing on her lip. The roof and battlements of the keep had received their finishing touches only a half hour early and had yet to receive a coat of paint. That was a small concern, as it meant that the final battleground was primed and ready for the struggle that would take place there.

No traps, magical or otherwise, awaited the attackers up here, only a blank expanse of roof clear of obstacles. The only thing that could get in the way was the stairs which lay in the far corner, behind Twilight, and out of sight of the distracted mare. A small part of the pony’s mind tried to tell her to lay some sort of killing curse or defensive ward, but she resisted that temptation.

There was a chance that such a thing could end up backfiring and hurting her friend, a possibility Twilight wouldn't allow. So she reassured herself once more that the bracelets would work, and that their plan would be enough to gain victory here. Just thinking about what was about to happen made Twilight want to summon her friends to discuss it one last time.

Yet again she resisted, reminding herself that it was a relatively simple series of actions that they already discussed. In an effort to dismiss her worries, the undead mare took a deep, unnecessary breath, the action steadying herself ever so slightly. She knew that she required no oxygen, but there was something about inhaling a deep lungful that helped.

With her nerves now under control, she gazed down at the spot where she knew the attackers would appear. Already she could see that the forest had thinned significantly, though not many could likely see such a thing. The omnipresent moon that had hung overhead in the same spot for over a thousand years was gone, blocked out by clouds.

Without its light, the land was bathed in darkness so deep that a creature of the light would find it almost impossible to see. Worse still, for those creatures not born of the night, Castle Everfree sported no illumination of any kind. No candles burned in its windows, and no torches adorned its walls, leaving the castle and its defenders nearly invisible.

Such an advantage was already being negated, as numerous flaming shapes moved amongst the distant trees. Squinting into the night, Twilight was able to make out the semi-formless shape of fire elementals in the distance. The horde of flaming creatures was far ahead of the rest of the force, though that didn't bother them one iota.

Twilight watched as the wall of golden flames rushed forward, incinerating grass and setting alight what got in their way. Within only a few seconds, they had reached the treeline, but they didn't stop there, charging blindly across the field and towards the castle. As they ran, they hurled fireballs and spat streams of flame at the castle’s defenders, lighting up the night.

These strikes were met with shields both magical and mundane, completely negating the attacks. The fire elementals didn't care one bit and simply kept attacking, their numbers soon filling the plains beyond the castle’s walls. Their aggression was met with indifference, the gathered army waiting until the fire elementals drew closer.

It was at the point that these strange, otherworldly creatures got near enough that Twilight could hear the angry crack of their flames that a response was launched. Hidden glyphs sparked to light, ignited by a dryad and her ghostly allies from within the castle grounds. Once glowing with power, the runes soon erupted with water, dousing the fires started by the elementals.

Not only that, but they also destroyed the majority of them outright, their forms withering from the sudden flood. Fountains sprung up all across the grounds, raining down water so cold that it was able to put out even the unquenchable flames of a fire elemental. A few survived and neared the gorge that surrounded the castle, but they were cut down by lances of ice fired from the walls. Though the elementals had perished by the droves and had seemingly accomplished little, they left behind a great bank of steamy fog.

Twilight hissed and chewed on her hoof. “Not good. It's going exactly as Dark Hallow feared,” she thought aloud.

The unicorn’s shadow rose up to reveal Midnight Moon suddenly standing next to her, leaning on the battlements.

“This obstacle won't bother us for long,” Midnight declared.

Twilight resisted the urge to tell Midnight that it didn't matter, but the undead mare held back. Instead she focused her attention on the battlefield, watching as the fog bank cleared to reveal exactly what she feared. The Celestial army had used the cover to establish their forward camps, only camp wasn't the correct word for it.

There were no tents, no store of supplies, and no defensive structures or trenches being constructed. Only a massive wall of magically enchanted stone formed a wall between the attackers and defenders. Hidden behind the barrier were the knights and mages of the Celestial army, their ranks tight.

The casters were at the center, their horns already alight in a single unified cast. The defenders attempted to disrupt this by firing spells of their own or loosing arrows, but they were intercepted. The golems’ personal magical shields flashed into being, turning aside the scattered attacks launched their way.

By the time a more unified effort was gathered, the Celestial soldiers had completed their task. A golden beam shot up into the air, before hitting an invisible barrier and spreading across it like oil on glass. Within the span of a heartbeat, the shield was complete, and the attackers were protected by a wall of impenetrable magic.

The defenders tested it by firing trebuchets, shooting bolts, and launching a few spells, but the effort was half-hearted. Sure enough, the barrier withstood it all without showing any signs of weakening, or even that it was affected at all. That didn't perturb or surprise the Everfree’s champions one bit, however, and they remained impassive. Even as the Celestial warriors shifted, spreading apart and breaking into smaller squads, the defenders waited.

Twilight tore her gaze from the army’s maneuvering and glanced down to the castle courtyard. There, next to the keep was Fluttershy, Zecora, and a small swarm of ghosts and their attendant animals. No signal needed to be sent before they started to pool their energy into a single powerful spell.

Zebra chanting echoed from below, Zecora’s voice somehow as clear as day despite the distance. Twilight herself knew none of the words, though the intention was as clear as it was menacing. Go back the way you came or feel the full, unbridled fury of the Everfree and those sworn to defend it.

The defenders were emboldened, while the attackers didn't even seem to notice, their morale bolstered by their commander. Several barked orders later, the attacking force seemed ready to move out, held back by some unspoken command. It split into squads of golems and knights, the mages remaining behind, undefended but still confident.

Clearly trusting in their magical protection completely, the mages were beginning to cast another spell. This one was larger and seemed intent on funneling energy from the other lesser unicorns up to Tempest Shadow. Whose golden aura captured the borrowed strength and focused it into a small, narrow beam.

Though thin, weak, and easily blocked by the defensive wards placed upon the castle’s main gate, the spell was quickly growing in power. Becoming thicker and brighter, it clashed against the dark blue barrier that protected the gatehouse. At the point of impact, sparks flew, and jets of plasma splashed off to the side, burning everything they touched.

“They aren't working fast enough,” Twilight muttered. “Their commander shouldn't be able to channel that much power, not with a broken horn anyway.”

“Hold, Twilight,” Midnight warned. “The spirits can handle this.”

“No. Everything was calculated perfectly, if they can't hold the gate, then it all goes down the toilet,” Twilight retorted.

“Just give it a second,” Midnight Moon exclaimed, reaching out with a shadowy hoof. “They need time to cast their spell.”

But Twilight was already gone, her body falling to the ground as her spirit leaped over the side. Upon hitting the ground, the undead reformed her body around her soul, appearing only a few feet away from the group. Even from a distance, Twilight could tell that panic was mere seconds from breaking out and destroying their cohesion.

Applejack had come running the moment things had seemingly gone wrong, and even Zecora seemed shocked, her chant vanishing as she focused completely on the spell. The other casters, the ghosts, and their dryad leader stood within carefully constructed spheres around a large ring. Within which were numerous arcane symbols that were slowly filling with power and glowing with a dark green energy.

“What's goin’ on? How can I help?” asked Applejack, only to be ignored.

From a glance, Twilight was able to discern that they did not have nearly enough time to finish their incantation before disaster struck. For a moment Twilight considered going out and trying to help reinforce the door, but dismissed that notion. She could only cast necromancy spells that had a wider range than she would have thought, but could not do that.

She couldn't help hold back the tide of solar energy pounding at their gates, but she could give strength to spirits. Glancing down at the wavering undead unique to the forest, Twilight summoned her power and extended several tendrils. The glowing purplish green lines connected each of the ghosts as well as Zecora and Fluttershy.

With a grunt, Twilight sent each of them a burst of strength the likes of which they had probably never felt before. Instantly, the various undead lurched upward, their forms rippling as foreign energy coursed through them. All that power didn't remain inside of them for long though, as they pushed it in turn to the spell.

Glyphs and runes filled rapidly, quickly eclipsing all the efforts they had made before that moment. Within only a few seconds, the spell was nearly ready, but time was running out for them. A glance towards the gatehouse revealed that the barricade was beginning to glow a faint gold color.

The defensive enchantment was weakening, and there wouldn't be much time left before it collapsed completely. When that happened, the beam would annihilate the door and likely do considerable damage to the keep. Twilight refused to let this happen, and so she pushed as hard as she dared, willing the undead to take a greater portion of her power.

Again light surged into them, and again the spell matrix accelerated towards completion. Only this time it filled completely before shifting colors and becoming a sickly shade of greenish blue. Seeing this, Twilight smiled and pulled back, visions of victory swirling within her mind.

Take them far, far away, Twilight thought to herself.

The magic built for a moment longer before with a flash of light it was completed, and she vanished. She didn't go alone either, as Zecora, a confused Applejack, Fluttershy, and the rest of her ghostly entourage vanished alongside her. Across the field of battle, the mages that had been serving as Tempest’s living batteries simply ceased to be. Like the select group of defenders, they were simply there one moment and gone the next.

Tempest Shadow’s spell immediately dissipated, and she turned around to glare at the army, but stopped before she could make a sound.

“What, how… where?” muttered the mare.

Her neck violently snapped to one side, then cracked back the other way, her eyes glowing a bright gold color.

“Worthless,” she spat in a dark, unnatural voice. “This avatar is too weak to channel my full power and fully push back that wretch, Chaos.”

The possessed pony spat in disgust once more before staring at the spot she had last detected the powerful necromantic energies. “No matter, the usurper shall be dealt with, all other objectives will be ignored,” she muttered to herself. “So long as she dies, the effort will not have been in vain. Squire, bury the back-up plan.”

The second the full fury of the possessed mare fell upon Tempest’s second, her hooves began to move. Before her brain could even process what was happening, she was grabbing the heavily warded locator rune. With the surprisingly weighty hunk of stone in her hoof, the pony all but sprinted towards a hidden area of the dome off to one side.

“You, dig a hole. I’ll tell you when to stop,” she barked, pointing to one of the golems at random.

Tempest shook her head, the golden glow dissipating and leaving in its wake only a dull headache. She wondered what had happened for a moment before dismissing it, focusing herself on the battlefield. A plan was needed, one that would need to be as daring as it was lightning fast, if it had any hope of succeeding.

“Right then, all-out assault is off the table. We may not survive, but by the sun’s grace we shall be victorious,” Tempest muttered aloud.

Twilight hit the ground hard, the mare struggling to stand as her head rolled about her shoulders. Next to her the ghosts, Zecora, Fluttershy, Applejack, and Midnight Moon were in a similar situation. Fully corporeal or not, the sudden transition left the group confused and temporarily unable to make heads or tails of where they were.

“What happened? Did it work?” Twilight muttered.

She stumbled briefly before bracing herself on what she thought was the keep wall. Yet it was warm and softer than the cold stone she had expected, prompting her eyes to snap open. What she beheld was indeed not the Castle Everfree, but instead a tree, an apple tree to be exact. One illuminated by the dying embers of the day and half consumed by the encroaching night.

Above her head hung withered bulbs, the fruit they were supposed to bear having shrunk down to the size of an acorn. Other trees like it ran in rows in every direction, going all the way to the horizon and filling Twilight's vision with green. Though a moment’s inspection revealed that they were mostly brown, with even the grass having suffered some unknown malady.

“I don't think we're at the keep anymore,” Applejack muttered.

“It does not seem so, but why were we taken, and where are the mages?” Midnight Moon muttered.

“Instead of having any more hearings, we should go up there and gather our bearings,” Zecora exclaimed, pointing to a hill to the right.

“Right, we need to find the Celestial mages before they find us,” Twilight agreed.

Fluttershy nodded and though her ghostly friends seemed to disagree, they followed silently regardless.

Together the group moved towards their goal, silently plodding through the dying orchard at a gentle pace. Everyone seemed curious about their surroundings, though none moreso than Applejack, who stopped to touch a particularly twisted tree as they passed. Her bark-covered hoof soon recoiled, and she hastily trotted after the group, a dark expression on her face.

Noticing her friend’s disgust, Twilight took a few steps toward her and leaned down slightly. “What is it? Do you know where we are?” Twilight inquired.

“I think… I think I’m home,” Applejack murmured. “I recognized that tree, but it's smaller for some reason.”

“I think we're about to find out where we are, or perhaps when we are,” Twilight murmured.

Upon cresting the hill, Twilight looked around and found herself in the midst of a great, dying orchard. Trees extended in all directions, their dry yellow leaves outnumbering what few living green ones remained. For all the orchard’s size, there were next to no healthy apples, only thousands of wilted, shriveled fruits.

“Look, there,” Applejack pointed out. “I think it's the old farmhouse.”

Twilight turned to find that there was indeed the Apple family homestead near the horizon. Behind it rested the setting sun, its rays shining brightly upon the home and casting a long shadow across the farmyard. No movement stirred within the house, and no creatures, animal or otherwise could be seen moving amongst the trees.

“This place is hated by the forest,” Fluttershy whispered, clutching her sides and shaking. “Such contempt, it's nearly overwhelming.”

“Do you think it's the mages’ intrusion?” asked a thestral ghost.

“No, this hate has burned for a long time,” murmured the minotaur spirit.

“Be wary, my friends, I have spotted our guests. We had best move quickly to rid this land of those pests,” Zecora exclaimed.

Twilight followed her hoof to find that within a hole in the trees a good distance away, there was a golden bubble. Inside of which stood the nearly two dozen Celestial mages huddled in a circle, visibly arguing amongst one another. Other than constructing a barrier, they had done nothing of note, remaining exactly where they had been dumped by the forest.

“This is not what we intended,” Applejack murmured. “Why would the forest bring us here?”

“Isn't it obvious?” stated the minotaur ghost. “It has given us the battlefield we requested, and now to return, we must best these interlopers upon the chosen ground.”

“But why here, why now?” Fluttershy asked.

The minotaur snorted. “It is not our place to ask questions, but to act. So I say we do as such.”

“I… think you’re right,” Twilight murmured. “I don't understand why we are here, but our intention was to get rid of the mages.”

“I don't like this,” Fluttershy whispered. “There are no furry friends to call upon for aid, and they outnumber us.”

“There is no dead to raise either,” Twilight muttered, her gaze straying to the closest tree. “Unless…”

“Wait, hold on,” Applejack interjected. “If this is the time I think it is, and we are where we think we are, then we have a golden opportunity to change things.”

“That is not how this goes, and that is not how time flows,” Zecora interjected.

“Applejack, if we don't fight them, then we probably won't be able to go back to our own time,” Twilight offered.

Applejack bit her lip and began to pace. “What about we parlay with them? Make them fight us somewhere else, somewhere further away? Maybe we could avoid the fire, save my family, and tell them what they have to do.”

“Then you wouldn't exist,” Fluttershy whispered.

“I…” Applejack frowned and kicked a loose stone. “Gosh, darn it, I know I ain't makin’ any sense. I just wanna save my family all that heartache. If I don't get to exist in that future, then so be it.”

“We’ve already made the decision and chosen to fight here,” Twilight began. “The fire likely started because of the conflict, but that's a battle we’ve already fought.”

Applejack leaned on a nearby tree and stared down at the ground for nearly a minute before finally releasing a sigh. “Fine,” she muttered. “You know more about this wibbly wobbly timey wimey stuff anyhow. If you say this is how it goes, then this is how it goes.”

“The only question now is if we survive, or how many of us come out of this alive,” Zecora added.

“I think Applejack is the only one here that can even truly be considered alive,” Midnight Moon pointed out.

Zecora chuckled. “Ahh, pardon me, my friend. I forget that not all of us have met our end.”

“Enough jabber,” interrupted the ghostly minotaur. “We need a plan, and we need it now. Once those foul assassins figure out where they are, they will attempt to return to this time period’s sun tyrant, and we cannot let that happen.”

“Right, everyone listen to Twilight. I think she has something in mind,” Fluttershy exclaimed.

Twilight nodded. “I do, but it's going to take a bit of preparation first.”

“Just tell us what needs doin’,” Applejack offered, a wooden helmet enclosing her head. “We’re behind ya, one hundred percent.”

“Okay, this is what we need to do,” Twilight began.

Twenty-three mages stood or sat in the center of their makeshift camp in a large circle. They were quiet and were watching the eldest of their group cast an intricate scrying spell. One that, once complete, left the aged pony even more confused than he had been a moment ago.

“That doesn't look like a good face. What did you find out?” asked one of the mages.

“Nothing good,” murmured the wrinkled male. “We aren't far from the Everfree Castle.”

“Finally some good news,” murmured another.

“It gets worse. As you can likely tell from the location of the holy sun, we have also been transported through time,” the scryer explained, gesturing to the horizon.

“So we haven't been just… knocked out for a while?” inquired a junior member.

“I think our diviner is about to explain that,” interrupted a third.

The older male nodded his head. “Indeed, and to answer your question, we have not gone forward in time, but instead have gone backward.”

“What? That's impossible,” muttered someone.

“It seems as though Chaos had just enough power to send us here, though for why, I do not know,” he admitted.

“Noone can understand the mind of Chaos,” intoned another, head bowed in reverence.

“How do we get back?” asked someone else.

“Why would we wish to?” replied the scryer. “Whether the enemy knew it or not, it has given us a great opportunity to serve the gods. If we give Her Majesty detailed accounts of what transpired, we will accelerate her great vision considerably.”

“But wouldn't that make us potentially not exist?” shouted a mage near the back.

“Then we will have given our lives in service of the crown,” declared the scryer.

“May she reign over all,” muttered everyone present.

“So, what now?” pressed one of the youngest mages.

“We go to Canterlot. Activate the reserve power runes and begin constructing a teleportation circle. We cannot afford to be caught so far from our lands,” continued the self-elected leader.

The mages immediately began to scramble in all directions, their horns alight as they began to draw the necessary matrixes. They didn't get far before a sudden commotion from the treeline drew the attention of one rather curious mage. Peering intently, the female unicorn saw what looked like a wolf, looking from around the other side of a tree.

“Sir,” she called, not taking her eyes from the animal. “I think you may wish to see this.”

The older caster trotted over to the edge of the defensive bubble and squinted at the treeline. “What is that?” he muttered.

“It looks like a timberwolf, sir,” murmured the young female.

The scrying expert pushed back the hood of his golden robes and scratched at his pale head. “Strange, this place is not yet corrupted by Chaos’ influence. There should be no…” His eyes opened wide. “Defensive positions! Ready acid and water spells. We have incoming!”

“Wait, who are we fighting?” she muttered in confusion.

“The forest didn't just send us, it took along some of the enemy. And remember. Don't use fire spells,” he ordered.

The flurry of activity reached a fever pitch, with segments splitting off to reinforce the barrier and stand ready while a small group continued to work away at the teleportation rune, only now with panic fueling their actions. Along the treeline, other wooden creatures of various sizes and shapes gathered.

Wolves, rabbits, wolverines, and even a large chimera could be spotted trundling through the orchard. Sporting glowing eyes and a wispy bluish-green energy suffusing their bodies, they moved with remarkable intelligence. None of the mages within knew it, but they were already surrounded by the time-displaced spirits favored by the forest.

Constructed from dead wood and fallen logs, their forms were reinforced with powerful necromantic magics. Though made of detritus and refuse found around the orchard, they slipped quite easily from shadow to shadow. Not only that, but their claws and teeth were sharp, glinting ever so slightly in the low light of twilight.

They didn't remain hidden amongst the trees for long, as the moment the mages began to prepare, the wooden animals attacked. As one, they leaped from the darkness, led by a massive bear that had emerged from a particularly dark shadow. The great beast stood out from its comrades by not only being larger, but also because it looked alive.

The wood that made up its form thrummed with life, and hundreds of vines bound its body together. Moss filled the gaps, leaving the creature almost completely green, save for its fiercely burning bright teal orbs. Unnaturally fast, it seemed to glide across the ground in near silence, hitting the barrier before anyone had a chance to react.

Paws, each larger than the average pony, slammed into the magical dome with enough force to send cracks spiraling in all directions. It didn't manage to deliver a second strike before the mages responded, however, and was blasted back by a jet of water. Slivers and small chunks of green went flying, but the damage was minimal, and the bear was in motion soon after. With a throaty growl on its wooden lips, it swiped once, then twice, rending small rifts in the barrier.

“Augh!” cried one of the mages, a hoof going to his temple.

His magic flared wildly, horn burning so bright that it nearly blinded his fellows. The out-of-control energy exploded, blowing apart the top of his head and sending brain matter flying in all directions.

“You four, focus on the barrier. You two, get that creature off of us!” bellowed the scryer.

Before the bear had a chance to capitalize on the opening it had made, it found itself blown all the way across the clearing. Two powerful pillars of water dissipated the moment their job was complete, their casters turning to the other animals. Who had used the attack of their leader to close the distance and begin their assault in earnest.

With fang and claw, they attempted to reproduce the minor success of the bear, though their efforts bore little fruit. They were strong, tenacious, and possessed powerful natural weapons, but they simply didn't have the weight. Each time it looked as though they were making headway, the barrier pulsed, and the gaps they had opened closed.

With their defenses secure, the mages began to push back, launching gouts of magically conjured acid. A wolf dissolved beneath the torrent, the sheer volume quickly overpowering its protective enchantments. Its closest ally, a raccoon the size of a pony, managed to avoid the attack, only to be blasted apart by a surge of water.

All around the circle the various wooden creatures were being driven back, the magical barrier shrugging off their attempts. The mage’s relief didn't last long, however, as no sooner had they felt as though victory was close, did something strange happen. The trees, which had stood impassively and watched until then, suddenly wrenched their roots from the earth.

Then, with a heave, they stood on newly formed limbs and lurched forward, their branches twisting into fists. As they moved, knots formed where eyes would be, and a bright orange glow ignited in the empty space within. The tidal wave of wood was bolstered by the return of the bear, who once more took the lead, only this time its steps thundered through the clearing.

Conjured acid did nothing to the creature, and even renewed attempts to blast it away with water did little. The mages, confused by this development, soon found out why their attacks did nothing when a segment of wood fell away. Revealing that inside the bear was a vast amount of dirt held together by hundreds of vines, the extra weight keeping it grounded.

“We can't keep them off, there are too many!” shouted a mage.

“It's too strong!” yelled another shortly before his horn erupted, and he tumbled to the side, dead before he hit the ground.

“Everyone but White Chalk and Steady Hoof, focus on the barrier. We can't let them through!” yelled the scryer, the mage adding his own magic in defense of their small camp.

Around him, other mages died or were knocked unconscious, the ponies giving their all to keep out the wooden creatures. For a moment it seemed as though they were doomed, with dozens of openings sprouting up all over the golden dome. Then, a pulse went out and healed them all, the scryer’s magic bolstering his underlings, granting them the reprieve they needed.

Focused utterly on defense, the unicorn mages could do nothing but watch as they were attacked from all angles. The bear slashed and pounded its giant paws alongside the myriad other wooden animals. All while the dozens of full-grown apple trees slammed their great fists down, each impact loud enough to be audible from a considerable distance.

The snarls, thumps, and growls were deafening, but no words needed to be spoken. The Celestial soldiers were focused utterly on the task at hoof, their horns blazing brightly in perfect unison. Behind them, the two rune crafters worked as fast they dared, drawing lines with magic or lighting braziers at certain points.

Further away, hidden out of sight behind a tool shed, stood Twilight Sparkle, the mare glaring out at the distant battle. Next to her, crouched on the ground with her forehooves buried in the earth, was Applejack, the farmer’s face contorted in concentration. Beside them waited Midnight Moon and Zecora, the zebra’s face an impassive mask of neutrality while the shadow moved with an impatient zeal.

“We should be out there. They don't know that I can get past the barrier, I can help!” Midnight Moon implored.

“The moment they realize you are there, they will change the barrier to keep you out,” Twilight muttered. “If you were to strike, we would only get one chance.”

“Well, whatever you’re doin’, do it quick! I can't keep this up forever, ya know!” Applejack interjected.

“Not that you asked, but the answer lies in the past,” Zecora offered.

“In the past…” Twilight murmured, her gaze focusing on the circle. “Wait, that's it-”

“Stay focused, only a few more minutes!” bellowed the eldest mage.

The other casters under his command said nothing, focusing utterly on feeding the barrier the enormous amount of magic it required to maintain. The two ponies assigned to get them out were moving quicker than ever, their magic flowing rapidly back and forth. Every single one of the surviving mages had little attention to give to anything but their assigned tasks.

So it was that they didn't notice a shadow stretching under the dome and extending all the way to the teleportation rune. There it bulged just enough for a hoof to solidify, reach up, and knock over one of the braziers. The moment the brightly burning candle hit the ground, a flame ignited and quickly began to reach in all directions.

Fueled by the dry dead grass, the fire burned hot, spreading rapidly and catching the rune crafters off guard. Their response was immediate, and they both began casting water spells the moment they saw the flames. Only one of them was able to release said magic, however, as his companion had his throat slit by a shadowy entity.

“What the hell is that!” shouted the survivor.

The former scryer and now impromptu commander of the remaining mages turned his attention to the intruder. It took only a moment for him to figure out what was amongst them, and with a pulse of his horn, he rearranged the runes in the barrier. In that time, Midnight Moon had removed the head from the other mage, leaving them without any rune crafters at all.

“Hold!” shouted the aged stallion.

Rising to his full height, he began to cast a second spell, a ball of water gathering before him. Condensation gathered, the orb grew, and for a moment he felt as though victory may be possible after all. Though like before, this sensation was short-lived, as the flames tickled his hooves and ignited the errant thread in his robes.

In a panic, he doused himself with what little water he had managed to gather and tried to start again. But by then the fire had reached his companions, and they soon suffered a similar fate to the one the scryer had just avoided. Only they were not as powerful, nor as wise, and could not divide their attention quite so easily, leaving them easy prey for the hungering flames.

“By the gods, it burns, it burns!” shouted one such unfortunate soul.

With the bottom of his robe now alight, the mage’s concentration wavered, and his spell fell apart. He was lucky, as the backlash only knocked him back a few feet. Most of his fellows did not share his fate. Horns exploded, killing or maiming their owners, while magical backlash tore ponies in half or turned those particularly unfortunate ones inside out.

None were spared, and within the span of a heartbeat, the barrier fell.

The wave of wooden creatures ignored the grass fire blazing uncontrollably around them and surged forward. The three mages who had survived the spell’s collapse found themselves with nowhere to go. Spells were loosed, and a defense was mounted, but it was brief, the group swiftly being torn apart.

The scryer awoke a moment later, the backlash having caused him to black out for a second. When he did, he found himself surrounded by flaming trees three times the height of him. Their glowing yellow eyes bored into his soul, judging him and finding him wanting.

“Get off my land,” muttered one of them.

The unicorn tried to light his horn, but smoke already filled his lungs, and he spent his last moments coughing. Then a massive fist, easily as big as he was, crushed him flat, ending his life before he could even mutter an insult.

Applejack gasped and recoiled. “That's the last of 'em,” she exclaimed.

Midnight Moon reformed a moment later, shaking herself vigorously. “And not a moment too soon, it doesn't seem like we have much time before the flames reach us.”

Twilight glanced over to find that the fire had already begun to spread to the rest of the orchard. The sight made Twilight think back to the time she had spent with the Apple family upon arriving in Ponyville. She recalled Granny’s dire warnings and the prophecy that Twilight would bring Celestia’s flaming wrath upon the farm.

“Huh,” Twilight muttered. “I guess that really did come true after all.”

“Great load a’ good you did us back there,” Applejack exclaimed.

Zecora shrugged, a soft smile on her face. “It is not quite yet my time, though when it comes, I shall shine.”

The small argument was interrupted by the ghosts as well as Fluttershy appearing in a swirling miasma of energy. The moment they emerged from the earth, they wrapped one another in a tight embrace. With Fluttershy at their center, the group laughed, cried, and shared a sublime moment of exultation.

“You guys did so good! I’m so proud of everyone!” Fluttershy declared.

“Not as proud as we are of you!” declared the lone minotaur. “You were massive!”

“I didn't know you could do that,” added another of the spirits.

“I didn't either, but with so much of Twilight's magic flowing through us, it felt natural!” Fluttershy exclaimed.

“Hold on a second, I think we’re glowing,” muttered the minotaur.

The spirits looked down upon themselves to find that they were indeed beginning to shimmer a vibrant green. Realization passed quickly through the gaggle of undead, smiles springing to their faces. Their bodies gained definition, ethereal plants grew upon their forms, and they seemed ready to break out into song.

Only to be interrupted by Applejack.

“Shouldn't we hurry back?” offered the farmer. “All this smoke can't be good for…”

She looked out over the bodiless dryads, the undead unicorn, the zombified zebra, and the shadow creature.

“Never mind,” Applejack muttered. “I guess none of us need to breathe.”

“I guess Bloomberg does that all for you,” offered one of the newly minted dryads.

“Eeyup, though I don't like how close that fire is gettin’, so how about we hold off on all the huggin’ and cryin’?” Applejack declared.

“Right,” Twilight began, clearing her throat. “Now let's all focus on going back, and-”

The world turned upside down, and Twilight found herself sprawled out on the ground once more. This time when she gathered her bearings and looked around, she found herself back where she had started. A confused soldier stood over her, alongside a Black Rose member who wore an immensely relieved expression.

“Oh, thank the stars you’re back,” he blurted. “The tyrant’s forces reorganized, but have begun their assault in earnest and are nearing the gorge.”

Twilight nodded. “You’ve done well. Notify Dark Hallow that I will be in position for our surprise.”

“Yes, ma’am!” replied the soldier, snapping off a salute.

Twilight ignored him as he took off running, the undead mare glancing back to her friends. “I must get back into position. Is everyone alright?”

“I think so,” Fluttershy replied.

“Alright? Alright? I’m better than alright! I’m ready to crack some skulls!” bellowed the minotaur, pounding a fist into their open palm.

“It seems like we're alright ‘round here, Twilight. Best get movin’ before ya miss yer chance,” Applejack offered.

“Go, get into position, you have an important mission,” Zecora implored.

Midnight Moon said nothing, the shadow pony merely sliding into the ground and vanishing. No words needed to pass between them, however, as Twilight simply knew that she would be nearby, waiting until needed.

Focusing on her magic, Twilight pulled and then pushed, forcing her spirit out of her body. The ghostly apparition raced across the courtyard and up the wall, unbothered by the apparent impossibility of such a thing. Upon landing atop the battlement, it leaped over a few stone-faced soldiers and stopped atop the gatehouse.

There Twilight's physical body manifested, her gaze immediately settling on the distant shapes making their way towards them. Led by a group of shield-wielding golems, the entire remainder of the invading army was charging across the field. Traps, arrows, bombs, and other pitfalls were avoided with an almost supernatural ease, with few even doing any damage.

“Are they even alive?” muttered a thestral soldier.

Twilight's frown deepened, and she focused on a group of knights sprinting behind the golems. Though they wore heavy armor and wielded large weapons, they moved swiftly enough that they weren't left behind by their stony vanguard. Stranger still was the golden glow that suffused them all, including Tempest who rode atop the shoulders of a particularly large golem.

“They are getting close, ready yourselves!” bellowed a voice from somewhere nearby.

Twilight took a breath and summoned her magic, gaze turning to the gorge and the ghosts that called it home. With grim determination, the undead mare reached within herself and recalled the spell she needed for this moment. It was powerful as well as untested, but she had grown powerful, and she was confident in her knowledge.

Placing a hoof over her still heart, Twilight took a long breath, raised her wisp-clad hoof, and began to sing a song, dark and terrible.

Rainbow Dash crouched low, her body so close to the ground that she was nearly invisible to the naked eye. Shrouded in darkness and cloaked in the night itself, she peered out at her prey without fear of being spotted. Down, below the tree she was perched in and the slight rise which bore her temporary post, was a dilapidated ruin.

Likely a rich merchant’s villa at one point, the structure sat nestled between a shallow lake and a large pond. The docks meant to service any watercraft had long since collapsed, as had the majority of the walls intended to protect the mansion within. They were reinforced just enough to serve as watchtowers for flaming imitations of ponies: the various elementals gazing out at their surroundings.

None seemed aware of the fact that they were completely surrounded, though that may have been due to their own limited intelligence. Guided only by magically imbued commands, the dozen or so fiery entities stood sentinel, observing the forest. Their sharp, lamplike eyes swept over the many thestral and changeling soldiers without seeing their hidden forms.

Back closer to the lake lay what they were protecting, and their reason for existence itself. Lying within a large golden bubble were thirty-plus golem pilots, their eyes closed, and their horns glowing brightly. The protective enchantment that kept them safe was seemingly powered by a large yellow crystal wedged into the earth near the middle of the circle.

The unicorns within barely moved, twitching or muttering something at most, their eyes glazed over. Noone remained behind to serve as a sentry for the seemingly defenseless unicorns, save for their flaming guards. Who numbered less than twenty and who had yet to spot a single one of the many attackers moving in around them.

The sound of a cricket prompted Rainbow Dash’s ears to perk up. “Is everyone in position?” she whispered so quietly that the average creature could not even hear it.

The subtle shifting of grass several feet away answered her question.

With a small nod, Rainbow Dash rose slightly, slowly, gently, and withdrew her moon-shaped scimitar. Then, just as quietly, she ran her hoof across the flat of the blade, whispering a silent prayer to her goddess. Upon completion, the blade glowed a faint blue, revealing unseen runes that became visible for only a split second.

With her now ice-cold weapon in hoof, Rainbow Dash slipped from the branch and soundlessly landed on the forest floor. Shrouded by the shadow cast by the large tree, the thestral was completely invisible save for the faint glint in her eye. Though if her targets had looked upon her, they would have seen nothing save for the tiniest flicker, like a fly moving through a moonbeam.

With a quiet so absolute that the wingbeats of a distant pigeon were louder, Rainbow Dash moved forward. From shadow to shadow she moved, hooves a blur of motion as she sprinted towards the distant walls. The trees gave way to grass and a simple path of beaten stone and dirt, leaving little for the thestral to hide under.

She hadn't required such grand protection, however, using the shadow of a passing cloud to dash closer. Then a rock barely large enough to hide a shoebox behind, before finally slipping soundlessly through a patch of tall grass only a foot tall. With the wall behind her and her target directly above her, Rainbow Dash counted down for a few seconds before gripping her sword.

Wings extended, and, standing solely on her back hooves, the thestral leaped into the air, pumping her leathery appendages. Twisting through the night in order to render her passage utterly silent, Rainbow Dash soon reached the apex of her jump. There she pushed out her blade and plunged it into the heart of the fire elemental.

For a split second, she hung there, motionless in the air as the creature struggled to comprehend what was happening. Then in a flash of white, the sword’s magic flared to life, and the monster was swallowed in a sudden explosion of cold. All around the walls of the villa, the other elementals vanished without a sound, leaving behind only a few small piles of ash.

Rainbow Dash opened her wings, pumped them once, and landed atop what had once been a watchtower. Her attention turned, and she watched as the golem pilots remained motionless, their focus elsewhere. The thestral was joined a moment later by Chrysalis, the changeling leaning forward and following the other female’s gaze.

“We have already disabled their wards, and I see no further obstacles,” Chrysalis whispered.

“Save the barrier,” Rainbow Dash replied.

Chrysalis snorted. “It will not stop us for long.”

Rainbow Dash nodded and followed silently after the changeling as she glided down from the destroyed battlements. Dozens of other dark shapes moved along with them, landing on the other side of the barrier and spreading out. Two of their number knelt down and removed a box from their backs, placing it near the magical force field.

Chrysalis did so as well, her swift hooves retrieving and quickly setting up a primitive-looking machine. Like a jackhammer tipped with a pitch black stone and mounted atop a set of hydraulics, it didn't look like much. But once assembled and evenly spaced with the other two, the machines began to move and soon proved such assumptions incorrect.

The first impact was soft, gentle almost, but the machines soon picked up the pace. Each time they gut their target, they did so at the same exact moment, their timing utterly perfect. As their tempo built, the crunch of the collision grew louder and louder, until each slam sounded like a pane of glass being shattered.

A moment later, mere minutes after being started, the machines slammed forward for the final time. All at once, a great network of cracks spread across the golden globe, growing so numerous that there was no space left undamaged. The moment this happened, the barrier fell, and the crystal within shattered into dozens of pieces.

These individual chunks flew in all directions, the seemingly random nature of their flight turning out to be planned somehow. They landed next to each of the pilots, where they sparked to life and created a smaller golden barrier over their ward. Within the blink of an eye, the dome broke, the shards flew, and forty more obstacles arose before the Everfree’s champions.

Though it happened quickly, Rainbow Dash was faster still and managed to grab one of the pilots. Thrown bodily off to one side, the unicorn hit the ground hard, her horn smacking against a rock and shattering the spell she had been channeling. The pony lay there, groaning and confused as Rainbow Dash walked up to her, Chrysalis close on her heels.

“Color me impressed,” murmured the changeling queen. “I didn't even see you move.”

“Well, I am the fastest thing with four legs,” Rainbow Dash declared.

Chrysalis chuckled. “Well, now let's see about testing what our little captive knows. Get her up.”

A changeling soldier clad in midnight black mail reached down and hoisted the pilot to her unsteady hooves. The pony nearly slumped to the ground a moment later, however, forcing the drone to hold her upright instead.

“What is your primary goal?” Chrysalis demanded in a loud, authoritative tone. “Are you here to only kill Twilight, or do you have any secondary objectives?”

“I, bwhat?” muttered the unicorn.

“What are your primary and secondary objectives?” Chrysalis barked. “Give us this information willingly, and I may just spare your life, as well as the lives of your comrades.”

“Wait, you are… which means,” stuttered the unicorn.

Her statement ended abruptly when her jaw flew open, her eyes rolled into the back of her head, and her horn suddenly began to glow a bright gold.

“Get down!” Rainbow Dash shouted.

The thestral leaped forward, slamming into the changeling and rolling away in a mass of tangled limbs. Behind them came a strange unnatural whine followed by a dull explosion and a shower of hot gore. Blood, bits of bone, and liquified organs rained down around them.

Chrysalis merely stood there in shock, her hastily raised barrier fading as quickly as it had been brought up. For a moment the changeling just stared at the red puddle that had been her captive, mind churning with confusion. Then a scowl crossed her face, and she spat an angry wad of greenish goo at the ground.

“Damn her,” Chrysalis muttered.

“What, what happened?” muttered the baffled changeling guard.

Rainbow Dash pushed herself off the confused male and turned towards the puddle. “It seems as though someone doesn't want us asking any questions,” she declared simply.

“That was…” The changeling soldier followed his rescuer’s look, only to retch immediately.

“Enough gawking,” Chrysalis barked. “Get the pistons in place for the next one and prepare the stasis charms. Perhaps we may be able to save a few of these damned fools from their chosen fate.”

After a second of quiet when no one moved, Rainbow Dash stomped her hoof. “You heard her, get moving!”

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