Cadance stood suddenly, the alicorn’s head turning sharply to the right and staring off into the distance. Her eyes were wide, her jaw hung slightly open, and all the muscles in her neck were bunched up tight.

“What is it?” Twilight asked, standing up as well.

“Massive magical surge, its close,” Cadance replied.

“I feel it too,” Chrysalis remarked, rising alongside her partner.

“What do you think it is?” Twilight asked hesitantly.

It was then that Twilight realized the rest of the tent had gone silent, and that the others were glancing at Cadance and Chrysalis expectantly. If they had armor nearby it was donned, and if there were weapons stowed, they were retrieved. As everyone silently armed themselves as best as they were able, Cadance’s face contorted in a mixture of shock and confusion.

“It's coming from near where we fought Celestia’s army,” Cadance began. “But what exactly is happening I’m not sure.”

Twilight had known the identify spell she saw Cadance begin using and which Twilight had once been a master of. Now with a broken horn, and having never tried to relearn a new way of using the spell, Twilight was left at an impasse. Time was of the essence, however, so she summoned her magic and tried to figure out what was going on.

For a moment she wasn't sure what she was going to do or how she would even begin to analyze the ambient energy. Then it came to her, and she summoned up a tight mass of necrotic energy before her. She then squeezed it as tight as possible, while creating a tube through the center. The undead unicorn shifted and moved the mass until she was able to ‘feel’ the very energy that she was forcing through it.

“Feels like light magic,” Twilight muttered. “Only with elements of fire and translocation?”

“Celestia,” Nebula hissed. “I shall taste your blood this Night!”

“A teleportation matrix, and close!” Cadance declared.

Twilight allowed her spell to falter, and the miasma to rapidly dissipate into nothing.

“Everyone outside!” Dark Hallow shouted.

The Black Rose followed his order immediately, with Midnight Moon falling in behind him. Nebula was close on their heels. However before Cadance and Chrysalis could move as well, Twilight held up a hoof, stopping them in their tracks.

“This can't be Celestia, right?” Twilight asked.

“We can't be certain. At the bare minimum she is sending a hit squad of some kind,” Chrysalis replied. “So be on your guard.”

“I should go get my friends, and the others,” Twilight muttered nervously.

“The message is already sent, they should be here shortly,” Chrysalis exclaimed.

“Let's go, the others will need our help,” Cadance urged.

“R-right,” Twilight muttered.

Twilight trotted out of the tent to find that the Black Rose alongside the guards had formed a small squad. Midnight Moon had been drafted by Dark Hallow, the aged thestral glancing nervously around the area.

“It's coming from over there,” Cadance exclaimed.

The alicorn pointed across the former battlefield to where a bright golden light illuminated a small wooded area. The glow seemed to emanate from the deep in the ground itself, though it was so powerful that not even the soil could stop it.

“What do we do?” Twilight asked.

“We stand firm. Black Rose in front, us in the back,” Cadance replied. “Help’s on the way. We just need to hold out as best we can.”

Twilight didn't like the grim tone or the finality in her friend’s voice but she could do nothing but about that. All the undead mare could do was steel her resolve, stand a little straighter, and remind herself of her recent accomplishments. She had come so far, done so much, even if assassins were coming to kill her she would fend them off.

This was just another hill to climb, Twilight told herself.

Her soaring confidence dissolved the moment the light flashed and a single towering figure strode out of the woods. Armored from head to hoof in tight, interlocking plates that hid everything but her blazing golden eyes from sight, Celestia resembled an enormous metal golem. If it weren't for the large white feathered wings spread on either side or the pearlescent hair that spilled out of her helmet Twilight would have assumed it was an automaton copy of the alicorn of the sun.

“Oh no,” someone muttered.

Instantly it went from night to day, as the alicorn radiated such powerful light that for a moment Twilight thought the sun may have risen early. The undead mare shielded her eyes as best she could, but even behind her hooves she felt the harsh rays strike her delicate orbs. The others cringed away or winced in pain, with only Wasp seemingly unaffected by the sudden change in daytime.

A single titanic flap was enough to send the alicorn through the air, over the battlefield, and above the small squad. Despite the pain of the bright light, Twilight forced herself to look up, silently reminding herself that she didn't actually see with her eyes anyway since she was dead. Twilight immediately regretted it, as in an instant all of her nightmares became real. Midnight Moon instinctively returned to Twilight's side, the shadow creature visibly struggling to keep herself together under the wrath of the sun.

“There are too many pawns on the board,” Celestia boomed. “Begone!”

With a single gesture of her hoof, Celestia created an enormous rolling mass of heat so powerful that even the dirt burned. Those before her had but a moment to react before the glassing wave struck them. In that instant, Twilight recoiled, a half-formed barrier spell coalescing before her, the magic too slow to form in time. Then the world went black once more, only to return to light a second later, the flames having rolled over her.

“W-what?” Twilight muttered.

Looking around she noted that while the ground further away from her had been turned into a glass-like surface, there existed a small patch that was unburned. Forming a small circle around her, the dirt was unblemished, though how or why was beyond Twilight. The answer came when her gaze fell upon her shadow and she saw that Midnight Moon had shriveled down to only a head.

“Twilight,” wheezed the shadow creature. “Don't forget me Twilight.”

“Shh, you’ll be okay just go back into my shadow and-” Twilight tried to reply.

“No, this is it. Already I can feel her magic eating me alive,” Midnight Moon retorted. “You need to listen.”

Twilight bit her lip and nodded, the tears on her cheek sizzling and drying up before they could even fall.

“You must remember the word,” Midnight Moon pressed, her head slowly falling into Twilight's shadow. “You must remember-”

The next word she uttered shook Twilight to her core, and in an instant, the undead mare realized that she now knew true courage. Though it took the last of the shadow creature’s strength, she had gifted the primeval word for courage to her friend. With its utterance, Twilight's spirit was bolstered, though the speaker vanished, her presence utterly gone. Gazing down at her shadow, Twilight found that for the first time in a long time, it was utterly normal.

“No, Wasp!” Dark Hallow shouted.

Twilight turned to find that almost the entire Black Rose had been wiped out in an instant. Wasp had saved Dark Hallow and Vambrace by using her own body as a shield, though the attack had burned her terribly. Twilight could feel that the ancient dragon’s life hung on a razor’s edge and that one more attack like that would kill her.

Swinging her head back, Twilight found that Cadance, Chrysalis, and Nebula were still alive. Safe beneath a cracked magical barrier formed by the alicorn herself, the trio appeared shaken but unharmed. The shield existed for only a moment later before collapsing as Cadance fell to one knee, her horn sparking.

“Foolish. You cannot resist order, you cannot resist harmony,” Celestia stated.

“I will resist until I am naught but dust!” Nebula shouted. “For Luna!”

The spider leaped out from behind Cadance, growing rapidly in the process. Twilight gathered strength and focused on a spell while Nebula reached ten feet tall and showed no signs of stopping.

“A spider? Pathetic,” Celestia spat.

Celestia lowered her horn and readied a blast of superheated sunlight. However, Twilight struck first, grabbing onto Celestia’s aura with a hand of pure necromantic energy. Squeezing with all the strength she could muster, Twilight felt her opponent falter, yet only slightly.

The white alicorn’s spell was still loosed before Nebula could strike, but it was weaker than Celestia had intended. More importantly, the moment of hesitation had allowed Nebula to move slightly out of the spell’s path. It wasn't much, and she still lost the entire bottom half of her body in the blast, but she was able to survive for a second longer.

And that was all she needed.

The spider struck, pouring all of the magic and every ounce of otherworldly power she had into a single bite. Her fangs, empowered by the centuries of building strength pierced a multitude of enchantments, as well as mastercrafted armor. Plunging all the way through Celestia’s defenses, they parted skin and muscle alike.

“Foul creature. I said begone!” Celestia shouted.

Celestia shook free the clinging spider, sending Nebula to the rapidly cooling ground. The spider bounced and rolled before finally coming to a stop, her wounds numerous yet none bled, as they had been flash-cauterized.

“Heh,” Nebula laughed. “You taste of arrogance and foolishness.”

Celestia snarled, and with a flash of her horn, incinerated the spider completely, leaving behind not but dust to be carried away by the breeze.

Twilight resisted the urge to cry out, courage beating out the desire and leaving behind only cold determination.

“And now the stage is set,” Celestia began, the alicorn using her magic to repair her armor, leaving no trace of the holes that had been punched into it. “For my final victory.”

“You idiot, we have the elements of harmony! How can you still claim the moral high ground?” Chrysalis spat, gesturing to Twilight.

“I…” Celestia began.

The alicorn turned and for a moment her and Twilight's eyes met. Familiarity flickered through those golden orbs and all at once they became a bright pink color. Shock, confusion, and pain appeared on Celestia’s face before vanishing a moment later, her eyes returning to their bright yellow.

“You have corrupted them somehow,” Celestia stated. “And after I have ripped them from a warm ash pile, I will find more suitable bearers.”

“You know that's not how it works,” Cadance interrupted. “You know that with their appearance you are not on the side of harmony.”

“Silence!” Celestia shouted. “I am harmony incarnate, you know nothing of my will!”

Twilight took the moment of confusion to use her unique necromantic teleportation to get beside Cadance. As soon as her body reformed around her spirit, Twilight willed the courage she felt deep down to extend to Chrysalis and Cadance. The trio stood taller, visibly invigorated by the influx of primal magics.

“You’re defiant wriggling ends now!” Celestia shouted.

Her magic built, and Twilight felt the alicorn’s killing intent focus upon them. The next attack would annihilate the trio, empowered or not. Twilight was sure of that fact until she felt a familiar presence closing in on her, the sound of leathery wings reaching her ears.

The beam of sunlight slammed into a barrier made of both hardened raw magic, as well as necromantic energy. The combination proved a match for the spell, though only just barely, with the barrier having nearly been depleted. The blast left its scars on the battlefield however, with huge divots being carved out of the earth, and molten blobs of melted rock sitting at the bottom of the newly dug trenches.

“Why do you continue to resist? You know I shall stand victorious!” Celestia shouted. “No matter how many of you there are I will incinerate you to the last.”

“Sorry we’re late, that glass stuff is super slippery,” Rainbow Dash exclaimed.

Fluttershy dropped the rest of her friends in a heap before changing from a great roc to her normal pony form.

“I hate getting carried around like a sack of apples,” Applejack muttered, pushing her hat back up her head.

“Never fear, the cavalry is here!” Pinkie Pie shouted.

“You have come only to die!” Celestia screamed.

“Brace yourselves!” Cadance yelled.

The six friends gathered around the alicorn of love, granting the mare all of their combined strength. The effects were immediate, with Cadance’s horn gaining a rainbow sheen, and her barrier appearing thicker than before. Though powerful, and enough to keep Celestia’s attack at bay, it demanded the full attention of not only Cadance herself but Twilight, her friends, and Chrysalis.

Trapped beneath the blast of energy, the eight of them could do nothing but stare up as the full unbridled might of the sun bore down on them. The temperature rose, hair began to singe, Applejack’s leaves began to wilt, and the living began to sweat. They pushed all they had into the alicorn of love, giving her everything they could muster, yet the barrier was still shrinking.

Worse yet, Celestia’s spell only grew with power with each passing second. Already they could feel the end closing in on them, and the hopeful defiant glares began to be tinged with worry. Twilight could feel her friends panic, and could see in the way they looked at her that they were seeking her guidance.

But Twilight had nothing.

It had all happened so quickly that she had barely had a chance to react. The Black Rose was almost completely gone, Nebula had been killed, and the moment their barrier fell all eight of them would follow the ancient spider to the grave. Worse still there was nothing any of them could do for the moment they shifted their focus the wall would fall and they would die.

Resignation replaced panic. Chrysalis laid her head against Cadance’s back and wept quietly. The six friends looked at one another, silently saying their goodbyes and preparing to face oblivion together.

Then a titanic crash, and no longer was the sun bearing down on them, eager to wipe them from existence. Seeing this, Cadance released her spell and promptly fell to the ground, her legs having lost what little strength they had. Twilight didn't turn to help, however, as she stared in slack-jawed awe at the chaotic monster standing between her and Celestia.

What also lay between them was an incredibly deep, and long molten trench that spread out behind them in a V. Like the tide breaking upon a stubborn rock, Celestia’s spell had destroyed the landscape, carving a crevice that went down nearly thirty feet. Half that wide, the cavern’s sides dripped with molten stone and crumbling ash.

“What? What is this foul abomination?” Celestia demanded. “What mockery of life have you concocted?”

“It's the spirit of the forest,” Fluttershy whispered in shocked reverence. “It saved us.”

The chaotic creature that had stalked and harried Celestia’s forces during the entirety of their intrusion towered over the small group. Though still bearing visible injuries and numerous freshly healed scars, the monster seemed confident. Standing tall on its mismatched limbs, it had a strangely teasing smile on its bestial features.

“Kick her ass spirit!” Rainbow Dash shouted.

“I don't care what abomination you throw at me. I shall be triumphant!” Celestia shouted back.

“What are ya doin' just standin' there? Get her!” Applejack yelled.

The chaotic creature glanced over its shoulder and smirked at the apple farmer. It then turned back, and opened its forelimbs wide, seemingly welcoming the killing blow.

“Die!” Celestia demanded.

With a single spell, Celestia conjured a tight beam of energy and brought it down on the creature. The magic cut the monster from his left shoulder down to his right hip while at the same time creating a line of forest fires behind them. Though they were protected from the attack by the spirit’s body, the small group stood in stunned silence. Together they watched the monster fall forward, seemingly slain by the attack.

“Madness claimed you, and now death has its due,” Celestia remarked. “Now I… wait, what?”

A zipper appeared along the dismembered halves of the chaotic creature’s body. A zipper which was then tugged down until it reached the other side. Allowing a strange noodle-like creature with mismatched parts to step out of the deflated body like it had been a mere costume.

“Ahh much better,” Discord exclaimed, running a clawed hand down his newly reformed body. “Thank you kindly, Celestia. I needed that little boost.”

“What? I gave you no such thing,” Celestia spat back.

“Tisk tisk, I’m not talking to you,” Discord retorted, sticking his tongue out at the alicorn. “I’m talking to my dear old bosom buddy Celestia.”

“I am-” Celestia began.

Discord snapped his fingers, and the alicorn found herself unable to speak or cast spells.

“Now then, onto business,” Discord proclaimed.

The spirit of chaos turned around and grinned, pointing from one creature to the next starting with Twilight.

“I forgive you for killing me, and only half bringing me back,” Discord began.

“Uh yeah. Sorry about that,” Twilight muttered.

“We’re cool, we’re cool, we’re cool and love the hair by the way,” Discord continued, pointing from Applejack to Rainbow Dash and then finally to Rarity.

“Oh um, thank you,” Rarity muttered, running a hoof through her mane.

“You two are adorable together, and to answer your question no it's not weird. You both just need to stop thinking so hard about how you ended up together and realize that the circumstances around that whole thing don't matter,” Discord declared, extending two fingers, one to Chrysalis, and the other to Cadance.

“I told you,” Chrysalis declared.

Cadance sighed.

“Thank you Discord,” Cadance tiredly replied.

Celestia struggled, and her horn sparked, the alicorn trying and failing to break through Discord’s influence.

“Whoops, we’re almost out of time here. Better send you off,” Discord remarked, turning back to Celestia once more. “Just one more thing though.”

The long, snake-like creature wriggled through the air until he was only a few short feet from the solar princess.

“Celestia, you know I love ya but you gotta remember to love yourself too ya know. Ya can't break out of any prison if you don't think you deserve freedom in the first place,” Discord exclaimed, only to shudder with disgust. “Yech, enough of this emotional mumbo jumbo. Any more sappy stuff and I’m gonna turn into a tree.

“Alright, now off ya go, buy bye now!” Discord exclaimed, raising a clawed hand.

With a snap of his claws, Discord sent Celestia far far away. The moment she was gone, the grinning, confident master of chaos vanished as well. The noodle-shaped creature fell to earth, all the strength he had exuded disappearing alongside Celestia.

“Whoowee that took a lot out of me,” Discord muttered. “I guess this is gonna be more of a cameo, than a recurring role. At least I won't end up being another character that gets forgotten about amidst the slew of OCs.”

“What are you talking about?” Twilight asked.

Discord chuckled weakly and waved a floppy hand at the unicorn.

“Don't worry about it. Just gotta make sure I get in a few jokes before I kick the bucket,” Discord replied. “Say before I go, would the pink one mind coming over here for a second?”

“Wait, why are you talking about like yer dyin'?” Applejack asked. “You just got here.”

“Oh I’m already dead,” Discord replied with a shrug. “I just fooled reality into thinking I was alive. Unfortunately, the universe ain't an easy mark, so it's working on fixing that little issue as we speak. It's fine though, chaos ain't supposed to be a person. Like my sister, we become tainted by sapience, broken by desire, other cool ways of saying we gotta go die.”

“I don't-” Applejack began.

“Don't worry about it, farm girl. Now then, Pink one!” Discord demanded.

Pinkie Pie popped up in front of the chaotic being and saluted. “Ready, sir!” Pinkie proclaimed.

“Aww good. You’re as eager as ever,” Discord muttered, pulling a strand of white hair from his eyebrow. “This is the power that you earned because of your own effort. Eat this!”

“Wait was that a reference? Don't you think that is kind of lazy?” Pinkie Pie replied.

“Don't insult my dying wish you ungrateful pink twerp!” Discord shouted back, only to erupt in a coughing fit.

“Sorry, sorry,” Pinkie Pie muttered.

The troll grabbed the strand of hair and after a moment of hesitation ate it.

“Uh. Why exactly did you ask her to eat your hair mister the forest, sir,” Fluttershy asked.

“She’s tasted death, she's tasted life, she's tasted harmony, and she's tasted chaos,” Discord continued. “Soon she’ll become so much more.”

“Yeah but why the hair?” Rainbow Dash inquired.

“Oh, that does nothing. I just thought it was funny,” Discord replied with a chuckle.

Pinkie Pie spat repeatedly before wiping her tongue with a hoof.

“Ew, ew! I can't believe I ate someone’s eyebrow hair!” She exclaimed in disgust.

The draconequus’ laugh grew and grew until his entire body shook. Yet with each guffaw, his body lost more of its definition until finally, he vanished completely, disappearing without a trace.

“What in the hay just happened?” Applejack muttered.

“Wait, tasted death,” Pinkie Pie began, her eyes lighting up. “At the tower, when we fought that golem!”

“What do you…” Twilight muttered, her jaw hanging open. “It killed you, but you landed on that preservation rune which explains why it took so much effort to heal you!”

“And the chaos?” Rarity asked.

“Why the bricks of course! I’ve been eating those since forever,” Pinkie Pie proclaimed.

“And harmony is the elements,” Fluttershy murmured.

“Wait, but what could he mean? Don't tell me you’re gonna turn into some sorta chaos god,” Applejack exclaimed.

“I don't think so,” Pinkie Pie replied, shaking her head. “Discord wouldn't want that. Oh hey, I knew his name. That's so weird, he didn't even tell us.”

“Help! Someone!” shouted a strained voice from somewhere nearby.

The group turned to find that Vambrace and Dark Hallow had managed to recover enough strength to stand. Together they were carrying Wasp upon their back, the dragon’s back a single massive third-degree burn.

“Twilight, see if you can bring back their spirits,” Cadance ordered. “The rest of you help me with Wasp.”

“R-right,” Twilight muttered.

As the two groups split up and began their work, the distant sound of thumping could be heard in the distance. Spike was coming, and with him came a certain illusionist who had felt a sudden hole open up in her heart.

This is a part of the Jest Days of Christmas, where I update something every single day of December. Go check out the link for the full list and check back everyday for a new update!

Only 1-2 more chapters left in book one!