"Ow... Stars damnit..." I groaned as I got back to my hooves, stretching my pained wing and leg.

"Are you alright Lu?" Tia asked, approaching slowly.

"I'll live." I grunted. "And... Thanks. For the praise. I know I don't show it very often, but I greatly appreciate it."

Tia's face lit up in a beaming smile, only somewhat stained by dirt smudges.

"Anytime Lu." she grinned, pulling me into a hug.

I returned the sentiment.

"Well ain't that just disgustin'." called a new voice, this one low and husky.

"Not through this yet." I murmured, breaking away from Tia's hug and turning towards the new mare of light, this one a blazing orange.

The mare stood solidly on the ground, her legs set wide and stable, yet her head remained upright and firm, as if daring anypony or anything to even try moving her from her position.

"I wonder how many there are... This will be the fifth." Tia turned with me, presenting a united front to the fiery mare.

The mare smirked, and then Tartarus broke loose as her legs tensed.

If the blue mare of light had been quick because she was agile, this mare was quick because she was just that strong.

The stone beneath her hooves literally cracked and shattered as she moved across the room, seeming to be more of a blur than a cohesive mare.

The mare jumped, bringing one of her hind legs around to kick my face, almost faster than my eye could follow. A shimmering yellow field appeared before the blazing mare's oncoming hoof.

My jaw suddenly hurt and I found myself across the whole cavern, slumped against the wall.

"... Ow..." I groaned after a moment. I shook my head and made to stand back up.

I was really getting tired of being knocked to the ground by absurdly strong apparitions.

I glanced up to see how Tia was faring. To say it was a standstill would've been a gross oversight, but yet I could think of no other word for it. Tia was caught in the standstill certainly, but the blazing mare simply stood, uninterested in moving from her indomitable stance. I could see Tia's lips moving, but I heard no sound.

I really needed to stop getting kicked in my damn head...

I tapped on the side of my skull to see if I could still hear.

Thonk. Thonk. Thonk.

Ah I see, they were merely exchanging words quietly.

Maybe I could try for a sneak attack, the blazing mare was turned away from me. I gave my still aching wing a final stretch, and took to the air, relying on flying being quicker and quieter than charging on my hooves.

I dove for the blazing orange mare of light.

Ten Pony lengths.

Five Pony lengths.

Three Pony lengths.

Two Pony lengths.

One...

The blazing mare smirked.

The next thing I knew, I was facedown on the ground, an indeterminate distance away.

"Tough break sugarcube." the unfamilar voice chided from nearby. "Totally saw ya a mile away."

I felt my anger rise again.

I imagined I would've started steaming if I had been wet.

"In all seriousness though, ya'll are doin' a piss poor job. Ya'll should turn around an' go back home. Ya'll ain't gonna find what ya came for."

I was now certain I was steaming.

"Ah mean really, only a fool an' her rabid Moon Mare would come out here."

I used my own Earth Pony strength to push off the ground, briefly becoming airborne. The Smug face of the blazing mare was just off to my left.

I combined the Earth Pony strength with a Pegasi's ability to channel lightning.

KRAK-KOW!

The thunder boomed through the cavern, briefly deafening me. But it was worth it, the blazing orange mare was sent tumbling through the air, but much like her light blue sister, she recovered quickly, twisting around like a cat and landing solidly, her hooves leaving long scrapes in the rock as she slid to a stop.

I managed to catch a quick glimpse of Tia.

She was sitting on her haunches, sobbing with her face in her hooves.

What had this phantasm said to make Tia react so?

I quickly refocused on said phantasm, who hadn't even tried to move from her new spot.

"Jus' a scratch..." the mare breathed heavily, looking significantly less brilliant.

Wait... The last apparition that dimmed was the gleaming white apparition... And that was because I hit her hard enough to send her careening into the cavern wall. But at the same time, each of these mares has been a test of some sort, and thus single minded. If by saying my blow was "just a scratch", did that mean the spellwork that made up the mare have the ability to tell a lie about its condition?

My eyes narrowed.

"You're lying." I accused, slowly advancing, not willing to be the recipient of another buck from that absurdly strong mare.

"Ah am not." the mare replied, slowly regaining her brilliance.

If this was a spell that told falsehoods, then her answer could also be a lie. I would then, therefor, need to ask the blazing apparition a question that would trick her into revealing she was lying.

But what question?

Too simple a question, and depending on the complexity of the spell at work, could be easily avoided. But too complex a question, or too vague an answer, would prove nothing...

Hmmm...

"What did you tell my sister?" I smiled.

It was a good question. Not too simple for a spell matrix to easily avoid, and not too complex to give an answer that I couldn't figure out by asking Tia, who had, for the most part, stopped sobbing behind me.

"Ah told 'er that y'all will succeed, y'all will defeat Discord, and y'all will lead a Kingdom of peace and prosperity." The blazing mare grinned in reply.

I cast a glance backwards towards Tia. She was still sitting on the ground, her eyes were still red and puffy, but she was able to meet my eyes.

She shook her head.

"Then I suppose I have to tell you the truth? That's how this has been working right? You and your sisters can only be banished by us being contrary to your demeanor, and if you can only lie, then I have to tell you the truth." I asked.

"Not at all." the blazing mare informed me.

"I see." I smirked. "I am Princess Luna Fiendbane, and I am proud to be one of the heroes my people need." I put a hoof to my chest as I got caught up in the moment. "I will do everything in my power to protect the innocent and those who can't defend themselves. I will stand and fight all those who would dare come defile the lives of the Ponies who take solace beneath our rule."

The blazing mare smiled approvingly, but she didn't vanish. Instead she trotted over to me and whispered in my ear.

"She will always be by your side."

And the blazing orange light vanished.

I felt my mind screech to a shocking halt.

What?

"Lu?" Tia called behind me.

I felt myself turn, as if watching another Pony wear my skin.

Tia was approaching, her horn alit with her yellow aura.

"Whatever she said, don't worry about it. You said it yourself, all she could do was lie."

"Uh... Yeah." I said dumbly.

"Do you think that was the last test?" Tia continued.

"Oh, um... Right." I shook my head to clear away the cobwebs.

Come on Luna! Focus! The end can't be far now!

A bright light illuminated Tia's face.

While all Tia had to do was turn her head to address the newcomer, I had to fully turn around to present a united front with the next mare of light.

My jaw dropped.

Y'know you didn't have to torture Luna like that. You've foreshadowed enough as it is.

Shut it, let them figure it out.

Oh don't be like that. We both know you're nervous about this turning out well.

Listen here and listen well Discord, don't make me use any more pigeon jokes than I have to.

I'll be good.