“Cold be your hand, your heart, your bone, and cold be you who sleeps unstirring beneath stone,” Twilight began, her voice rising ever louder, ever stronger with each word she uttered, a stirring power filling all who heard her.

In the distance, rolling from within the trees came the sound of a brass section accompanied a second after by the thunder of some huge organ. A great number of stringed instruments joined in a moment later, adding a haunting backdrop to the otherworldly song. It grew to become all-consuming yet whispering at the same time, each note promising death and release.

“Never will you wake upon a stone bed, never till the sun falls and the moon lies dead,” Twilight continued, her entire body humming with magical energy.

All across the battlefield, both the living and the dead found their souls tingling within their forms. Those on the offensive felt as though someone had trod upon their graves while those who stood in defense felt bolstered as if death’s presence had receded. But that was not the only effect of the song, for the shadows lengthened, sapping what little light had been cast by the moon above.

“When the black wind howls, even the stars shall die, and still on gold, here shall you lie,” Twilight sang aloud, her voice traveling for what felt like miles, yet did not deafen those closest to her.

“Over dead friends and withered foes when none can dare to oppose, then peace draws close,” Twilight continued.

Hoof raised above her head, Twilight stood tall amidst the battlements, hers song reached a new height. In the distance, her foes, great and numerous, charged forward, loosing spells or firing arrows in an attempt to stop her. Even they could sense the growing power and the grim finality that they edged closer to with each word she spoke. Twilight's allies felt it too and rose to meet the offensive with a barrier and shield, keeping the singer safe.

“So come, ye broken, ye rotten, ye dead. Strike at their arms, their legs, their head,” Twilight pressed.

The torrent of souls kept captive within the caverns beneath the Castle Everfree stirred and surged. Greenish light emanated and pulsed from within the crevice separating the fortification from those attempting to assault it. Wispy forms could be spotted clambering their way onto the field, their bodies growing ever more pronounced, more real.

“Oaths broken, honor discarded, you lie forgotten no more. I give you claws to strike, a foe to kill, and wings to soar,” Twilight sang.

In the distance, a cry went up amongst the attackers, and soon a golden light surrounded them one and all. Protected or not, the dead cared little, their smokey forms clambering forth from the earth or running from amidst the darkened trees. Those so eager to heed the call were struck down by lances of golden magic. Though their bodies were annihilated, their determination did not waver.

“Though you bear a curse, now you are blessed, provided with bloody hands you pass this test.”

Unicorn, thestral, minotaur, or griffon, nearly every sapient species was represented within the tide of ghosts. Within the crevice, the ocean of undead rose up, spilling over the side and surging towards the embattled attackers. Joining their more eager brothers and sisters, the tidal wave of flickering semi-ethereal forms surged towards their foe.

“Now!” shouted a distant voice.

Twilight ignored it and focused, raising up her pulsing black hoof high above her head. “Great and terrible, your numbers will blot out the skies, but only if you rise, rise, rise!”

The wave of ghostly forms reached truly insane proportions, becoming so tall and wide that none atop the castle could even see their foes. The attackers, assassins of Celestia, could see it all, and even with bodies enchanted with powerful magic, they knew true terror. The emotion was strong and urged them to run, but it was refused, brushed aside by a golden wave of energy.

Dark and uncaring, the magic did not assuage their worries but rather removed the panic from their minds by force. They knew no fear, not because they were certain in their resolve, but rather because panic was not something they were capable of. Guided by the stern hoof of their leader, the knights and the golems charged into the mass of ghosts.

Golden energy turned aside spectral claw and hoof alike, the thousands of undead surrounding them all. Caught without any way to maintain a front line or any cohesion, the celestial forces struggled to repulse their spectral attackers. Their holy magic and protective aura kept them safe while allowing them to strike back, but there were simply too many. Each beam that shot from a unicorn’s horn or each swipe of a golem’s arm destroyed dozens, yet more remained.

The first to die was a knight who had turned towards the source of a distant boom he had heard. The soldier, temporarily distracted, had his helm removed by a spectral hoof, causing the protective enchantment to sputter. Immediately, his eyes were clawed out, his head pounded with hooves and fists, and neck slashed with jagged nails.

He barely managed a gurgle before falling to the ground, hooves twitching while his body was pulled apart. Though his flesh attempted to knit itself back together, and his heart tried to beat, there was no coming back from the damage he had taken. His fellows closed ranks, shutting the corpse out of the defensive circle they had been forced to employ.

Though there was no clear front or back of the formation, their vision was so obscured that none could see more than a few feet. Which allowed the cadre of undead nightsworn soldiers to blindside the attackers right as they seemed to be turning the tide. The only warning the celestial soldiers got was a suddenly very fleshy creature slamming into a golem and pulling on something.

A second later, the explosives tied to the bomber’s chest ignited, and the unthinking hunk of stone stumbled back. Its enchanted hide flickered and fizzled, magical sparks shooting off the burnt black segment that covered the majority of its front. Though not enough to bring down the golem by itself, the attack created an opening exploited by a trio of intelligent undead.

Vials filled with the most potent acid they could find were thrown into the gap created by their foe. The sputtering green liquid ate through the golem’s stony exterior with incredible speed, quickly melting nearly its entire torso. Its enchantments flashed once before dying, the magic holding it together fizzling and leaving the golem a pile of rubble.

Other suicide bombers attempted to repeat the success of their fellow, but could not manage to do so. Shields were brought to bear, semi-living projectiles were dodged, or knocked aside through magical or mundane means. It seemed as though the sudden flank would fail before it could accomplish much, but the nightsworn had already switched tactics.

Several of their number had thrown down large canisters that released their greenish-yellow contents. The thick smoke billowed out towards the celestial soldiers almost completely unnoticed, resembling the horde of ghosts that was still attacking them. The sudden wheeze of a startled knight alerted everyone to what was happening, his corpse hitting the ground a second later while six more of his allies began to cough violently.

Tempest Shadow’s eyes glowed a bright gold, and with a wave of her hoof, the cloud was forced away from her soldiers. The fog quickly dissipated, vanishing into the trees after being brushed aside by the unicorn’s power. Its effects lingered, and those six afflicted knights perished, inadvertently leaving a pair of golems separated from the group.

The pair were quickly surrounded by ghosts as well as nightsworn. Their stone bodies assaulted by ethereal hooves and a thousand scratching limbs, the golem’s operators struggled. Their swings were wild and uncoordinated, allowing their attackers to get in close without even being noticed.

Vials were thrown at important joints, and handheld bombs were dropped before the corporeal undead made their retreat. When the ground shook and earth flew into the air, the two golems found themselves without legs and with their enchantments interrupted. Their foes defences down, the thousand-strong horde of ghosts pounded the colossi to dust in only a few seconds.

Twilight could see this all clearly, her gaze able to pierce the ocean of ghostly forms that blocked the view of most. Amongst the endless tide were a few shapes she was able to recognize from her time in the past. Two familiar thestrals were joined by a gang of miscreants led by their leader, Jackhammer. The few amongst many, they were insignificant, yet Twilight looked upon them with pride.

From her perch, she was able to see that the nightsworn were exacting a heavy price upon the invaders. The tricky defenders had an endless array of tricks, be it chemicals, explosives, fire bombs, or poison, nothing was too underhanded for them. Though excusable given their foe, the sight made Twilight's stomach turn, and she turned to her shadow.

“We must prepare the final battlefield,” Twilight commanded.

Midnight Moon rose up from the darkness and nodded. “Indeed. Though impressive, I believe this is only a momentary stall. Are you ready?”

Twilight hesitated, her gaze drawn to a bloodied and injured animal that stood in the distance. Recognizing it immediately as the spirit of the Everfree itself, Twilight found herself struck by how weak it appeared. The many battles it had with the invaders had taken much from the creature, though even now, its many wounds were vanishing one by one.

“I am,” Twilight replied, looking away from the creature. “Let us go.”

The necromancer then vanished, pulled into her own shadow which raced off so fast that almost no one could track it. One of the few who could stood in a dark alcove near the castle barracks, the stallion joined only by a single other pony. Like him, she was shrouded in darkness and nearly invisible, her midnight armor absorbing almost every shred of light.

“It is time to put our true plan into action,” whispered the stallion. “All glory to her and to those sworn unto her.”

“Glory be,” whispered the mare before slinking away.

The stallion lingered for a moment, glancing back at the slim, svelte thestral slipping into the shadows. She was visible for only a moment longer before stepping into a shadow and disappearing completely. Still, he looked on, committing her appearance to memory in case she was to fail him in some unforeseen manner.

“We have appearances to keep,” he murmured to himself before trotting back towards the walls.

Beyond which the battle still raged, with the celestial forces suffering several more losses. A handful of golems had gone down after being drawn away from the main group by a sudden ground shift. Alone and separated, they and the knights guarding them were systematically destroyed.

Throughout it all Tempest raged silently, golden energy flickering at the corners of her eyes. Each blast of her horn destroyed dozens of the ghostly entities, but it didn't matter. Even when her golems had managed to reform into a well-organized circle, they couldn't put a dent in the ethereal undead’s numbers.

As her anger built, so did the corona of flames that surrounded Tempest’s head, the fire becoming a thick golden halo. The strange floating circle pulsed, and all at once Tempest’s body fell slack before leaping back up with a sudden vigor. Her eyes blazed white hot, and a ghostly horn appeared over where the one she was born with would normally be.

“Enough!” Tempest shouted in a voice not her own.

The unicorn raised her hoof and ignited her horn before swinging her forelimb before her. As she did this, a great golden copy of the mare appeared above the embattled attackers. When Tempest swung her hoof, the magical ghost did so as well, brushing aside the ghosts and destroying all it touched.

Tempest swung back and forth, bringing her great ethereal hoof across the front of her soldiers. Ghosts perished in the hundreds, their forms disintegrating after the merest brush with the golden appendage. Still they came, their uncountable forms piling over one another in a mad dash to see the invaders as dead as they were.

But the unicorn continued, swatting aside the tides of the dead and giving her forces the chance to recover. Within minutes, the seemingly endless swarm of ghostly dead had been reduced to a trickle, and then finally nothing. Repelled by the golden avatar or the empowered forces beneath it, the undead were bested and were now at rest.

As the group reformed into an arrowlike point, the defenders resumed their barrage, launching projectiles of all varieties. Boulders thrown by trebuchet, fireballs cast by those few magic users present, as well as a number of ballista bolts were all tossed at them. Yet compared to the thousands of clawing appendages, pounding hooves, and sharp teeth, these attacks were nothing.

In fact, they barely even slowed the encroaching mass of stone and metal.

The raging golden avatar vanished a moment later, and Tempest Shadow lurched forward, her hooves grabbing at the golem she was riding. With a shake of her head, she dismissed the strange miasma that plagued her mind, focusing on the battle before her. Her group was approaching the crevice that threatened to stop her charge before she could even reach the walls of Castle Everfree.

“Mages are dead, time for plan B,” Tempest Shadow muttered to herself.

As one, the attackers shifted, the golems grabbing hold of as many of the knights as they could manage. Without even slowing down, they gathered their charges and leaped across the opening. Not all landed safely on the other side, as one unfortunate golem lost its pilot mid-jump and fell short.

Together the now lifeless mass of stone and the charges it had been carrying plummeted into the darkness below. No cries could be heard, and no attempt to stop was made, the remaining forces charging onward without slowing down. With the castle walls drawing near, and a familiar purple twinkle visible atop the keep, Tempest’s confidence swelled.

Only to be dashed the moment she saw an alicorn take position atop the gatehouse, her horn blazing with greenish energy. Armored in silvery mail and wearing a helmet that somehow managed to let her long hair flow freely, Cadance drew the eye of all. Including Tempest Shadow, whose focus wavered for a moment before returning to her forces and their formation.

Stepping down from her spot amidst the shoulders of her golem, the leader of Celestia’s forces placed a helmet upon her head. The moment the steel settled against her ears, she became the same vaguely masculine pony as the rest of her knights. To a casual observer, she simply faded into the group of knights that had been returned to the ground and allowed to sprint on their own four hooves.

The moment this happened, they split into two groups, with Tempest’s larger golem and her entourage charging at the gatehouse. Another smaller group charged a secondary position off to the right, where the line of defenders was thinner. Calls were shouted, and ponies scrambled to get into position and fortify this secondary spot as well as the gatehouse.

“Hold fast, my friends. Trust in one another, and we will see this through!” Cadance shouted.

A cry went up amongst the defenders, hooves were raised, weapons readied, and projectiles fired. The barrage did little to slow the oncoming wave of celestial soldiers, the front row of golems taking the brunt of the hits. Their enormous tower shields turned aside all but the most powerful spell, which even then barely did anything to the heavily enchanted golems.

With only a few dozen meters between the attackers and the gatehouse, Cadance stepped forward. Energy coursed from her allies into her body and finally into her horn, massing into a crackling orb of destruction. With only a few titanic steps between them, the alicorn unleashed her magic in the form of a razor-thin beam of power.

Though it had only the width of a hair, the ray crackled with power and struck its target with such ferocity that a deafening crack nearly deafened all present. The flash was so bright that for a moment it seemed as though it were mid-day, and then it faded, leaving behind a trail of half-incinerated corpses. Three golems had been partially obliterated by the blast, and three times as many knights had either vanished or had lost the majority of their limbs.

For a moment, the attackers’ advance faltered, their remaining number forced to quickly reform their formation. At that moment, Cadance took wing and landed amidst the forces waiting on the other side of the gatehouse entrance. Standing amidst the block of soldiers, the alicorn lit her horn and bathed the entire group in a rosy aura.

“Trust in your comrades, and we shall preserve!” Cadance exclaimed.

“Hoo ah!” replied the soldiers in unison, stomping their hooves or feet in emphasis.

Atop the wall, Beaker looked on as a duo of golems charged the gatehouse, their arms interlocked and creating a battering ram. Behind them, the remaining golems and their knight support raised shields and prepared to weather the storm of retribution. Beaker’s hoof gripped one of the many potions strapped to his bony body, but he held back and signaled for the others to do the same.

Hiding back behind the crenellations, the defenders gritted their teeth and waited for the deafening boom they knew was coming. The explosion arrived a moment before the golems would have hit the door, as the ground beneath them sunk suddenly. A millisecond later, the earth heaved with such force that the golems were sent skyward riding a great ball of fire.

The eruption was massive, but was somehow angled perfectly away from the castle walls. The golems caught in the blast were heavily damaged but were still in one piece, until they landed. The pair found themselves falling into the crevice, plunging into the darkness and vanishing almost immediately.

Their comrades didn't flinch at the sudden loss of two of their number and already had a second wave of battering rams en route. This time the pair were peppered with large rocks, exploding flasks, and vials filled with acid strong enough to damage the enchantments protecting the golem. Though potent, the combination wasn't enough to bring or even slow the pair down, but it didn't need to.

For the moment they would have hit the gate, it opened wide, and they stumbled into the courtyard. Where a great many defenders were waiting, a trio of ballistae already firing at the invaders. The first bolt put a crack in one golem’s protective wards, which were destroyed by the second, allowing the third to wedge itself deep into its midsection.

Cadance led the charge, reaching the damaged golem right as it was hefting its sword above its head. The alicorn’s armored forehooves slammed into the balista bolt with enough force to send the steel-tipped tree trunk straight through the creature. The golem’s enchantments flickered, and it fell to its knees, the pilot struggling to regain control of the damaged machine. Cadance finished it with a buck that removed its head from its shoulders and finally turned it back into an inert pile of rocks.

Its fellow tried to fall back to the waiting embrace of the remaining allies, but found its way blocked. A trio of potions dropped from the battlements conjured a massive wall of ice that rose twice the height of the golem. Its pilot quickly calculated that they didn't have time to destroy the barrier, and turned to fight the onrushing horde of soldiers.

Confident in their creation’s might, the golem pilot swung its enormous greatsword in a sweeping arc. The swipe which should have killed a dozen, hit nothing, the mass of soldiers taking flight or leaping out of the way. More confusing still was the fact that they didn't get in the way of anyone else, the soldiers somehow perfectly anticipating their allies’ movements.

Like water, they parted before the blade and reformed in its wake, striking at their foe with a multitude of weapons. Hammers, swords, and clubs, all bearing a rust-colored aura, slammed into the golem’s body. Each impact resounded with far more power than what it should be capable of, and left behind a festering burnt red bruise.

Again the golem swiped, and again the soldiers parted, dodging the cataclysmic swipe with unnatural grace. One pony was even picked up by the minotaur behind them, all without a word having to be uttered by anyone involved. The pilot tried to drive forward and reverse the momentum of their sword, but found their arm pounded by a dozen weapons at once.

Somehow the defenders had surrounded the lone golem and were hitting it from all sides. Its protective enchantments suffered and were quickly brought down by the onslaught. All while it flailed uselessly, attacks hitting nothing but open air until finally, its limbs started to crack.

Seeing the writing on the wall, the pilot urged their golem forward, arms swinging wildly in an attempt to hit anything at all. Yet the mass of soldiers, of individuals, was always one step ahead, outpacing the lone golem. Hammering it from the sides, as well as the air, its legs crumbled, and it collapsed into a mound of broken stone at Cadance’s hooves.

“Reform and continue to trust each other. Hold fast the bonds of camaraderie!” Cadance exclaimed.

“Hoo ah!” they shouted.

A moment later, the ice barrier fell, and Tempest Shadow’s personal golem waded into the fight, a knight standing tall atop its shoulders. Behind it surged the remaining eleven other golems and twenty-one knights, their bodies infused with a brighter golden light. As one, they assaulted the equally coordinated defenders, engaging the hundred-plus strong soldiers in a climactic melee.

The ensuing fight was worthy of a great number of song, and tales, but the story of Cadance’s triumph was one for another time. Rather it was what was happening just south that was more pertinent to Twilight's adventure and the ultimate fate of the Everfree as well as the world.

The other defenders had a powerful, but still recovering alicorn on their side, and were forced to rely upon their own strength. Which was mighty, but not a match for the heavily empowered and magically altered soldiers that assaulted them. They resisted, firing or throwing everything they had while forming up on the other side of the wall.

Without an ace up their sleeve, the soldiers fought bravely, but futilely, merely slowing down the encroaching squad of celestial soldiers. Who lead with their golems and destroyed the wall so quickly that several of the defenders fell amidst the rubble. Emerging out the other side, a pair of golems immediately waded into the waiting alliance forces just inside.

Through bravery and a bit of luck, they managed to fell a pair of celestial knights, but that was all they accomplished. In the end, they were cut down to the last, crushed beneath the magically empowered might of the invaders. Who didn't even pause in their assault, merely charging straight for the keep in the distance, the taste of victory on their tongues.

They barely managed to get a dozen meters before they found their movements impeded by a mass of webbing so thick that even the golems stumbled to a halt. The sticky substance somehow blended in with the grass, invisible amidst the sea of green. Only Tempest was free to move around atop the shoulders of a golem, exploding balls of fire shooting from her horn.

While she tried to remove the cloying substance from the hooves of her soldiers, she suddenly found herself staring at the face of a blue unicorn.

“Greetings, interlopers!” declared Trixie, bowing low and extending her hat. “Welcome to your final resting place. Do you have any requests on how you will die? Perhaps asphyxiation is your cup of-”

A blast of magic destroyed the Trixie, though there were no remains left behind, only a flickering illusion.

“Well, that wasn't very nice at all,” exclaimed a second decoy that appeared next to the first. “You know what, I rescind my offer. I think being crushed to death will be your ultimate fate.”

One of the knights summoned an orb of fire and was about to launch it at the duplicant when suddenly the soldier was stepped on. An enormous hairy leg of a spider appeared out of nowhere, leaving nothing behind but a red stain on the ground. Immediately, the survivors looked up to find that a towering spider of truly gigantic proportions stood over them.

A shield was conjured to stop the next titanic stomp, and though the magic was powerful, it was completely destroyed. Worse still for the invaders, dozens of Trixies had appeared all around them, each one of whom was firing bolts of magic. Though the majority were harmless blue orbs of light that did nothing but turn into a splash of dazzling sparklers, some were a bit more deadly.

These were a bit larger and, upon hitting the target, exploded violently, knocking the pony back. One such unfortunate soul found themselves lying on their side, entangled completely in webs. Things only got worse for them when several hairy limbs grabbed them and began pulling at their armor.

Though they thrashed and flailed, the unicorn’s efforts were in vain, and they soon found themselves nude. The moment a section of skin was exposed, a pair of fangs descended and potent venom was pumped into their bloodstream. So much so that the pony barely even managed a scream before their blood coagulated and they died in agony.

The downed invader received help, but that assistance was mostly negated by the cloying webs that stuck to them. None were able to move quickly, and each time they tried to cast a spell, a bolt of blue magic hit them, disrupting their spell. It was only the golems who fared well against the webs, though even they were slowed by the sticky mass clinging to them.

Their great limbs trudged through the muck, the golems circling around the knights and forming a defensive wall. Before they could fully protect their allies, however, another knight was dragged away by several sets of hairy limbs. Their screams of terror were the only thing that marked where they disappeared as several Trixies obscured the survivors’ line of sight.

Throughout it all, Tempest Shadow continued firing great blasts of magical energy up at the sky. These flaming orbs exploded at the height of their arc, raining down brightly colored flares that lingered in the air. Now illuminated in a wash of golden light, the knights could see that a spider larger even than the castle was standing over them.

Any lingering thought that it may be an illusion was dismissed when it leaned down and bit a golem clean in half. The invaders heard a crunch before the top half of the formerly animated stone was spat out onto the ground behind them. Nebula didn't escape without receiving a flurry of her own injuries, however, most of which came in the form of golden bolts fired at her. Unbothered by the insignificantly-sized projectiles, Nebula retreated up above the treetops and out of range.

“Shields, up!” shouted Tempest Shadow.

The knights and golems alike closed ranks and raised their defenses, preparing themselves for something. The horde of enormous spiders and Trixie duplicates attempted to distract or drag another away, but were stymied by their foes’ diligent guard. Confused, they weren't sure what was going to happen until Tempest Shadow’s horn glowed a bright yellow and a wave of fire erupted from the mare.

Eight feet tall and traveling far faster than any normal flame, the surge traveled harmlessly over the invaders. Its effects on the lightly armored spiders were far more drastic, with dozens dying in moments while the rest fled in terror. Silk and grass were turned to ash, leaving only a barren expanse of ground in the spell’s wake.

Those lucky enough to find shelter did so in a barrier conjured by Trixie, the mare protecting as many of her siblings as possible. The moment the wave passed her by, Trixie released her shield, panting heavily from the expenditure. She wasn't granted even a moment of reprieve, however, as the invaders were already charging at her. No war cries were uttered, only the nearly silent thump of hoof and stone against burnt earth.

“Go, go, go!” Trixie shouted, gesturing back to the keep.

Trixie, the real one, wore none of her usual garb, instead bearing a full set of silk steel plate armor. Only the bright white hat and flowing gem-studded cape remained, each altered to appease the eye while also serving as protection. As her remaining arachnoid siblings fell back, Trixie conjured as many duplicates as she could, filling the ground with grinning copies.

Before she even had the chance to test their usefulness, another pulse of magic emanated from Tempest Shadow. This time when it washed over the battlefield, it gave the fake Trixies a reddish aura while highlighting the living targets with a greenish outline. Nebula attempted to cover their retreat, but her stomp met only dirt, as the golem unexpectedly side-stepped.

The animated stone didn't stop there, however, and also gripped its greatsword in two hands before delivering a chop. A segment of the spider’s leg fell to the ground as a shrill cry of pain echoed throughout the forest. As Nebula recoiled, a lance of golden magic slammed into her midsection and caused her to stumble even further.

“Mother!” cried Trixie.

Though the illusionist wanted desperately to assist her adopted parent, she knew that doing so would be suicidal. So she focused on simply keeping her remaining arachnoid siblings from harm's way with a brilliant trick. With a pulse of her horn, she made each one of her duplicants begin flashing a rainbow of lights while screaming incoherently.

When struck down, the illusions erupted in a great firework, blinding the poor unfortunate knight who had done the deed. Stumbling back and clutching his eyes, the pony was left behind, deemed useless by Tempest Shadow. Noone slowed, with the column charging straight through the mass of Trixies after altering their enchantments to protect against ocular harm.

The effort had been worth it though, as Trixie as well as the spiders were able to retreat before they could be caught. By then Nebula had managed to remove the burning lance stuck in her side, and reared back, a mass of magical webs gathering between her fangs. With a titanic spit, she hurled the rapidly expanding orb towards her foes, an orb which would cover them all in a thick mat.

Tempest Shadow rose to the challenge, however, her horn glowing bright gold and returning fire with a thin beam of white-hot plasma. Though only as thick as a pony’s hoof, the heat that washed off it was intense and turned to ash the sticky webbing. Its work was not yet done, and the attack continued on until it struck Nebula on the side of the face, burning away a large section of flesh. The great spider screeched in pain, recoiling and rapidly shrinking out of sight, desperate to avoid any follow-up.

Her foe, as well as the rest of the invaders, didn't bother trying, and made a beeline straight for the keep, ignoring everything else. Including Trixie, who stood off to the side, glaring daggers as the cadre of golems and knights charged past her. The only thing between them was a large hole filled with scaffolding and discarded digging tools.

Again Tempest Shadow’s confidence surged, and again it was stifled by a strange occurrence she hadn't seen coming. This time she received a minor amount of warning in the way of a sudden earthquake, stopping her squad dead in its tracks. They immediately looked around, searching for Nebula’s return, only to be surprised when the threat came not from above but below.

A massive plume of dust and dirt exploded from the hole, followed by a sudden sinking sensation as earth slid towards the open dig site. The golems along with their pony allies backpedalled, avoiding being pulled into the opening. The unspoken question as to why was answered when a giant clawed hand emerged from the pit and heaved.

A massive head easily larger than several golems strapped together rose into the air, its pitch black scales robbing the world of what little light remained. The great creature roared and hefted the top half of its bulk from the hole while the invaders peppered it with projectiles. Beams of positive energy, concentrated rays of the most refined plasma as well as more mundane attacks, all did little against the dragon.

His natural armor was greater than nearly any made by ponies or any other race for that matter. What few attacks did strike true, did nothing, the undead dragon utterly unbothered by having an arrow shot into his eye. By the time the invaders realized the futility of it all, the dragon was on the attack, an enormous hand reaching forward.

Its target swung its great axe down in a powerful arc, only to be ignored, the strike merely bouncing off the dragon’s finger. Not slowed in the slightest, the dragon gripped the golem and squeezed hard. The enchantments flickered once and then popped, allowing Spike to turn the stony soldier into a pile of rubble.

Tempest Shadow wasn't about to take such an attack lying down, and with a pulse of her horn, she conjured a powerful spell. One that sprung unbidden to her mind from some unnamed source, the strangeness not bothering her for some reason. Regardless of its origin, she knew it would make the great undead flee in terror, along with any others who may be caught in the blast.

Her shattered stump of a horn conjured a ball of light which once released, shot straight up in the air. A split second later, pure sunlight pierced the cloud cover, bathing the front of the keep in a resplendent day. Lesser undead ran screaming from so much as a reflected ray while Spike was completely illuminated by the seemingly divine spell.

He roared and began to scramble from the hole he was still half trapped within but stopped himself almost immediately. He knew what true terror looked like, and he knew what bravery truly meant. His will now steeled, and his resolve hardened, Spike bellowed to the heavens, uttering not the word for bravery, but bravery itself. His allies shared in his strength, returning to the battlefield or standing taller, confidence blooming in their chests.

Spike turned to face his foes, staring straight through the beam of sunlight and down upon the invaders. Tempest knew her attempt to remove the latest obstacle had failed, yet her mind couldn't comprehend what had happened. In her hesitation, she allowed Spike enough time to lean forward and breathe a great cloud of black smoke tinted with spots of sparkling silver.

The cloud chewed through metal and flesh alike, the gaseous mass somehow managing to bypass the armor’s enchantments. In seconds, a quarter of the knights lay dying on the ground, their armor quickly evaporating, along with their flesh. Eyes melted, blood turned to ash, and meat sloughed off now blackened bones.

Still reeling from the shock of it all, Tempest Shadow went limp once again, her body leaping back up a moment later. The unicorn then conjured another spell and released it with a flash, stopping the cloud from affecting any more of her soldiers. By then the damage was done, and over half lay dead or dying, leaving only eleven of their number still standing.

The newly empowered unicorn then swiped a massive ethereal hoof in front of them, blowing away the smog. With it gone, she was able to see the swiping claw aimed directly at her just in time to conjure another barrier. The cataclysmic thump of the impact threatened to knock the gathered knights off their hooves, sending dust high into the air. Though powerful, the strike merely cracked the shield and did not shatter it, allowing Tempest a chance to launch her counterattack.

Before any great magic was conjured, a scanning spell was used, one that found that there were no anti-teleportation charms cast on the dragon. The castle, as well as the majority of its inhabitants wore such wards, meaning it would only work once, but that would be enough. Though a surprise, it was a welcome one, and with a smirk on her face, Tempest Shadow began to gather power. While she did so, Spike pounded a fist into the barrier, and then a second one, shattering the defensive magic.

Tempest Shadow didn't flinch, however, and with a pulse of her horn, she teleported the dragon out of the picture. Spike reappeared a moment later nearly twenty miles deeper in the forest, his great bulk crushing a group of evergreens flat. Though confused, he was unharmed, and immediately began sprinting towards the castle, though he would arrive far too late to help in the battle.

With no worthy foes before them, Tempest Shadow found herself with another hole in her memory. She wasn't bothered by the realization however and silently commanded a golem to charge forwards and knock down the door to the keep. The stone soldier did just that, but suddenly collapsed immediately after entering the building, its pilot dead.

“Go, find the stairs up to the top floor!” Tempest Shadow ordered.

As one, the remaining soldiers both living and not charged into the keep’s entryway. There they found themselves met by a cadre of trolls, a plant pony, and a handful of thestral soldiers. Though the trolls were large and intimidating, that wasn't what bothered Tempest, as she soon noticed that the other exits were heavily barricaded. Magical walls had been erected in the doorways, potentially slowing or even stopping them from finding a way to the roof.

She had larger concerns, however, and focused her attention on the foes arrayed before her. The trolls varied in size and color, along with the various soldiers that took up the flanks, some of whom were undead. They didn't intimidate the celestial commander one bit, and with bold confident steps, she ordered her squad inside the keep.

“Well, if it ain't that ugly jerk who done wrecked up a whole buncha innocent trees,” Applejack declared, the mare’s face obscured by a bark-covered helmet that had grown from her torso. “I’m gonna enjoy kicking yer flank.”

“And to turn such noble stones into killers… you should be ashamed,” Maud added.

“Less talking, more butt-kicking!” Limestone shouted, pounding her forehooves together.

“I agree,” Tempest Shadow muttered beneath her breath.

As one, the knights and their golem allies charged forward, with a group of three golems and six ponies splitting off. Though the defenders knew that they should stop this small squad, they also knew that they didn't have the strength to manage it. At least, not on their own anyway, as the attackers were met by a wall of shadow that rose before them, stopping Tempest in her tracks.

The strangely thick wall of darkness bulged outward, only to collapse into the shape of six individuals. Each of whom bore the image of a black rose somewhere on their person.

At the center stood Dark Hallow, the aged thestral wearing a set of alabaster robes that had upon it his order’s symbol, the black rose emblazoned upon his chest. He wielded no weapons, unlike the gold dragon next to him who held aloft a pair of long shimmering scimitars. Vaspelodrax wore the same heavy plate armor as before, her helmet still missing, or more likely cast aside for dramatic effect.

The others were a mix of races, and consisted of the thestral Twilight saw earlier, a dark-skinned minotaur, an undead unicorn, and a second thestral. The largest of the ponies was the second bat-winged pegasus who wore full plate mail and wielded a longsword. Their armor was exquisite, but it was the blade that drew attention, the air around it filled with black petals blowing on some unseen wind.

The minotaur’s skin was nearly as dark as the shadow which cloaked his allies. Wearing no protection save for a silver steel belt and a strangely beautiful black kilt, the male was easily the most well-muscled creature in the room. Unlike the almost skeletal unicorn whose steps left behind frozen hoofprints, and whose eyes contained not a hint of mercy. The final creature was a thestral assassin so elusive that even the trained eyes of his allies could barely locate him.

“Mind if we cut in?” Dark Hallow asked.

“Emphasis on the cut part,” Vaspelodrax added, swiping her scimitars in a cross before her.

Tempest Shadow gritted her teeth. “So be it,” she muttered.

Her three golems formed a spear and attacked, though before they could hit their newest foes, Tempest Shadow launched a blast of golden energy. The attack never hit its target, however, as it was almost immediately swallowed by a mass of shadow that moved on its own. A moment later, there was a muted, barely visible flash of gold before the darkness flowed normally once more, leaving no sign of the spell at all.

The stone soldiers charged on, their shields and swords raised above them, ready to strike. Their pilots watched as a thestral, a minotaur, and an undead unicorn arrayed themselves in a line, each taking a different defensive posture. As one, the golems struck, with the lead one attempting to drive his blade straight down into the skull of the minotaur.

Only to find that their weapon was seamlessly brushed aside, guided out of the way, by a single open palm. The thunderous attack didn't hit the target at all, and in fact, had somehow been redirected into the golem’s own foot, removing a chunk of rock. His allies didn't fare much better, as one found his legs encased in ice while the other hit only a mass of black petals.

The knights, supported by Tempest Shadow, were trying to go around and reach the stairs as well, but they too were blocked. Shadow swallowed one of them whole, and though a blast of golden magic brushed it aside, it revealed only a bleached corpse. The other celestial soldiers soon found themselves divided, with three fighting Vaspelodrax while the other two stood on either side of Tempest Shadow.

Who was holding a ball of brightly burning energy at the tip of her horn, banishing the darkness. Shadows fled back to the edge of the room, and if one listened closely, they could hear muttered cursing from those nightborn present. The spell also left her mostly indisposed, so much so that she didn't notice the shape appearing behind her.

Her loyal and fearless knights did, however, with one of them throwing himself in the way of a trio of darts. Two out of three bounced off his armor, but the third slipped past his enchantments and struck him in the cheek. The needle-thin projectile punctured his cheek and stuck fast between his teeth, its greenish tip disappearing into the soldier’s mouth.

He was barely even able to wonder what had happened when the flesh on his face rapidly began to necrotize. Skin flaked, muscles withered, died, and turned to ash along with the thin bone that held his jaw together. Falling to the ground, the soldier’s enchantments flared to life and attempted to fight back against the poison, which only made it worse. Skin rapidly regrew, only to die all over again, the ebb and flow of death edging across his face in surges.

His closest ally quickly took his place, sword raised and horn flaring with life. Standing between his friend and the nearly invisible assassin, he fired a beam of magic before swinging his blade in a wide arc. The move was intended to draw out the slippery foe and cut them down in a single stroke, but that plan failed.

The glowing eyes the invader had seen had been little more than embers floating upon the breeze, and the real assassin was directly above him. Descending from the cloying shadows which hid in the crags of the distant ceiling, the thestral was unseen until the moment he struck. Fast as lightning, he drove a blade against the armored neck of the celestial soldier, the enchantments flaring to life and blocking the attack. A twist of the dagger caused the spells to fade and allowed the pointed tip to pierce the thin armor as well the unicorn’s spine.

His death was almost immediately avenged, however, as Tempest Shadow turned unnaturally fast and released her spell. The overpowered flare hit the assassin square in the face and nearly incinerated his eyes, leaving him utterly blind. The thestral managed to throw down a smoke bomb and try to run, but Tempest Shadow was faster still. A blast of golden magic cut his back hooves out from under him before a second incinerated everything from the shoulders up.

Before the assassin died, Vaspelodrax and Dark Hallow fought bravely, though the thestral caster found himself useless. The golden orb of magic banished most of the darkness and forced him to retreat back out of sight. The dragon did not shy from the glow, however, and easily managed to keep all three of her foes at bay.

She twisted out of the way of a blast of magic, deflected a strike with the flat of her blade, and kicked a soldier in the face, causing his attack to go wide. A whirlwind of death, the dragon was always one step ahead of everyone, weaving through their swipes while also hitting back. A punch here, a slash there, slowly but surely she was wounding her foes and edging out a careful victory.

Then the light exploded, and she was briefly blinded by the burst of radiance. Thankfully for her, Dark Hallow had seen this coming and was able to drag her away just before the celestial soldiers could strike. While Vaspelodrax was recovering, Dark Hallow was on the attack, conjuring duplicates of himself.

The doubles did their work taking the hits for him, while Dark Hallow himself built up power, his form growing darker by the second. Before suddenly returning to normal a moment before three thick black spikes shot up through the bellies of the remaining knights. The trio found themselves hefted bodily into the air, blades stopped before they could hit one of Dark Hallow’s copies.

While Dark Hallow and Vaspelodrax fought, their allies did the same, each one engaging another of the golems. The minotaur seemed the most adept at engaging the larger foe, his hands turning aside blade, fist, and stone foot with ease. Each attack had its momentum altered, and the pilot soon learned that sweeping attacks were to be abandoned.

Relying solely on straight jabs and quick stabs, the golem relentlessly drove forward, intent on killing the minotaur quickly. The grappler adapted just as easily as his foe, ducking or dodging instead of redirecting their attacks. All while punching back, his strikes powerful, yet doing little to the heavily enchanted hunk of stone before him.

Yet the minotaur continued, weaving constantly as he struck back, his counterattacks hitting a different part of the golem. This continued for nearly a minute before all of a sudden the golem began to vibrate and gave its pilot pause for a moment. The confusion lasted just long enough for the minotaur to leap forward and pour every ounce of strength into a single punch.

His fist blew a hole clean through the stone soldier, bypassing the wards entirely. The damage was massive, and the minotaur allowed himself to revel at the moment, a mistake he would quickly regret. As the golem was far from destroyed and grabbed his extended arm around the wrist before pulling him forward.

The massive pommel of the stone soldier’s weapon bashed the minotaur in the head, stunning him, but not killing him outright. The pilot then urged its killing machine to finish the job by throwing the minotaur back and slicing him clean in half. The sudden pop of the barrier protecting him stopped that from happening, leaving the grappler heavily injured, but in one piece.

As the golem’s pilot lay dying with a changeling sword rammed through his throat, the minotaur stumbled away. He was quickly supported by the undead unicorn, who constructed a quick chair of ice for him to rest upon. There he sat, eyes glazed and vision blurring, just barely able to make out the frozen golem his ally had already dealt with.

The sole remaining golem wasn't doing too hot either, as he was missing an arm and was covered in black petals. Its foe stood up on their hind legs, bobbing and weaving around the clumsy strikes launched their way. They continued to do so until suddenly leaping forward and cleaving the remaining arm from the golem’s body in a single swipe.

The thestral was about to finish off the stone soldier when it unexpectedly toppled forward, its pilot distracted by Rainbow Dash attempting to remove their head. Though victorious, that wasn't the only fight occurring at the entrance to the keep. Not far away, Applejack and the Pie sisters along with a handful of night guard were struggling just to stay alive.

The fight had gone poorly for the defenders, with their night guard support dwindling down to only two soldiers. They had traded their lives for mere three knights, one of whom had only perished because they had been used as a shield to block a golem’s swipe. Now bloodied and bruised, the two sides squared off against one another, while not far away, the Black Rose readied themselves to fight Tempest Shadow.

The two sides clashed a moment later, with Tempest Shadow somehow managing to keep up with the flurry of attacks launched her way. Her remaining golems fought fiercely, attempting to drive away the defenders in order to assist their leader. The trolls and Applejack were not so easily defeated, however, and managed to hold their ground through stubborn denial.

No bold words of determination were uttered at that moment, as everyone present knew the stakes. They understood what would happen if they lost, and knew their fate should they be defeated that night. So they fought on, desperate to stay ahead of their foe and stave off the encroaching grip of death.

Marble, alongside the remaining two night guard soldiers, squared off against the celestial knights bravely. The troll stood front and center, the stone growing from her chest emitting a strange and alluring light that drew the eyes of her enemy. Unable to look away, their swords clattered uselessly against Marble’s chest. All while the night guard closed in from either side.

A shrill cry followed by the sound of shattering glass prompted more than one curious onlooker to look over. To where the sole unicorn member of the Black Rose lay against the ground, her body quickly crumbling like a sheet of glass falling to pieces in slow motion. Above her stood an inferno-eyed Tempest Shadow, her horn blazing like a tiny sun sitting calmly atop her head.

Marble knew better than to look away from an opponent, but one of the knight’s curiosity won out. The temporary distraction was all that the night guard needed to end him and begin pinching the remaining soldier. Who, though strong and fast, would soon fall under the combined three-pronged attack, but not before killing another of the steadfast thestrals assaulting him.

Only a few feet away, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Limestone, and Maud were each engaged with a different golem. Pinkie Pie constantly confused her foe, vanishing one moment, then appearing out of nowhere with a mouthful of rock she had somehow bit off the golem. Applejack traded blows with her foe, but despite being able to take a hit, she wasn't fast enough to return with one of her own.

Much unlike Limestone, who never ceased her assault for even a moment, charging forward and punching whatever she could reach. The relentless momentum kept her foe balance while her unnaturally sharp hooves cut away hunks of stone. A move only made possible by the strange orange dust that the troll breathed which caused the enchantments to fluctuate wildly.

Maud stood apart from the others, the towering troll able to keep her opponent on the ropes through strength alone. The golem’s mighty swings thumped audibly against her hide, bouncing off her stony exterior. The golem had to retreat almost immediately, bringing up their tower shield in order to block another thunderous blow.

With armor dented and foe closing in, the golem surged forward, discarding its added protection in the process. With lightning-fast strikes, it attacked Maud with all the power they could muster, pushing the troll back and searching for a chink in her natural armor. The other three golems quickly followed suit, abandoning any small shred of self-preservation that remained.

The one fighting Pinkie Pie was the least effective of the lot, hitting only air in its desperate assault. Over and over the pink troll blurred out of sight, only for a chunk to be removed from the golem, its shield arm falling not long after, most of its shoulder gone. Seeing how things would soon turn out, the pilot switched targets and tried to attack Applejack in hopes of felling a single foe.

The golem got only three steps before a hunk of carved bone was jammed suddenly into a hole made in its chest. The strange talisman-adorned totem immediately began to vibrate so powerfully that the golem couldn't walk straight. It took another awkward step only to get tripped and land face-first on the ground, the fetish rammed so deep in its body that its very core began to shake.

Applejack knew that there was very little she could do to strike back against her giant stone enemy. Though strong, she wasn't quite strong enough, nor did she have any cool tricks, or at least ones that worked on unliving foes. So she built up her defense, growing an extra layer of bark, along with a shield, and bunkered down.

Punches, stomps, and swings were all blocked, the impact of which sent the plant pony skidding back. Her natural armor cracked and occasionally split, but it healed faster than her enemy could take advantage of the damage, leaving them in a stalemate. That was until its pilot found themself staring down a crossbow and no longer inhabiting the body of a bipedal stone construct.

Applejack breathed a sigh of relief as she watched the stone soldier fall inert to the ground, though her feelings were not shared by many. Unfortunately, the golem facing Maud had managed to locate the vulnerable section it had been so desperate to find. A blow seemingly random had hit the troll’s neck, a hit that made the Pie sister recoil and wince in pain.

While her sisters finished off their foes, and Applejack recovered from the beating she had taken, Maud found herself on the defensive. Several more strikes of the golem’s sword, and her dress was completely destroyed before a kick sent her slightly off balance. It wasn't much, little more than a momentary distraction, but it was enough for the sole remaining golem to stab her target with all the force they could muster.

The thrust pierced straight through a gap in the troll’s natural defenses, cutting several feet into her body. Though her heart was pierced, and her life was flashing before her eyes, Maud fought on, shattering the sword that had struck the killing blow. She tried to follow this up by removing the blade from her chest, but instead toppled to the side, limbs already growing cold and unresponsive.

Her sisters cried out in collective agony as they watched their sibling fall, each one immediately turning upon the golem. Limestone belched a noxious unpleasant gas while Pinkie Pie bit off the stone soldier’s arm. Marble, uncertain of what to do, remained back until a moment presented itself, and she bucked the back of the golem’s knee. The combined assault brought down the magical construct quite quickly, but by then it no longer mattered. The pilot lay dying in a pool of their own blood, their horn removed so suddenly they didn't have a chance to go out with a bang.

There was no time for grief, however, as a sudden gout of flame grabbed the attention of everyone present. All eyes turned to the suddenly tall imposing unicorn and the great fiery wings that had sprouted from her sides. Around her lay the broken forms of the Black Rose, their two surviving members wearily stepping away from the blazing avatar.

“I will not be denied!” Tempest Shadow bellowed in a voice too deep and too alien to be her own. “Order will reign, your resistance will be quashed, and the Eternal will finally be stomped out for good.”

The flaming winged unicorn raised a glowing hoof high into the air, a golden miasma spilling from the upraised limb. This unnerving mist spread rapidly across the ground and pooled around the corpses of the dead knights and the destroyed golems.

“You have given your body and soul in defense of existence’s truest champion, and I deem your oath…” The unicorn paused, her horn burning so brightly that all were forced to avert their eyes. “Unfulfilled.”

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