Silent as she looked around the throne room, Twilight couldn’t make out what to say next. Cadance’s and Starlight’s voices were just echoes to her as though they were complete strangers at this point. The sight of seeing her former mentor turn evil was bad enough, but the repercussions of Princess Celestia becoming Daybreaker have come to pass. She has no idea what to do anymore. Sweat trickled down her face with her thoughts not just ricketing around thinking about the Corruption, but about what Daybreaker would do if she left the Crystal Empire and if she freed and recorrupted Princess Luna. The idea of it all made her stomach go all the way up to her throat.

“TWILIGHT!!!” Starlight shouted so suddenly.

Shaking back to her senses, Twilight turned around and noticed Starlight, Cadance, and Pinkie looking at her, filled with concern and worry.

“Are you okay, Twilight?” Cadance asked, placing her hoof on Twilight’s forehead.

Touching Twilight’s forehead, Cadance’s nerves stopped dead in their tracks. The only thing she could feel now was dread as she noticed the black ooze appeared out of her body. She was watching it crawl towards Cadance’s hoof to bond itself to her. Noticing this, Starlight darted over and pulled Cadance away from Twilight.

“Twilight… I think it would be best if you stayed in your room for now until you calmed down a bit.” Cadance said in a scared tone.

“What…?” Twilight asked in a shocked tone.

“Cadance…?” Pinkie asked, looking even more scared now.

“I think it would be for the best if you did what she asked, Princess Twilight.” Starlight said, glowing her horn.

“After all I did for you… after giving everything I had to defending Equestria for Celestia knows how long… you have the nerve to send me to my quarters?!” Twilight shouted by glowing her horn up as well.

“Twilight, this is for your own good. We have no more options and if we-” Cadance said before being cut off by Twilight.

“AND IF YOU WHAT?!?! I WAS THE ONE WHO KEPT EQUESTRIA SAFE!!! I WAS THE ONE WHO TOOK ON THIS BURDEN!!! AND I WAS THE ONE WHO DEFEATED THE CREATURES WHO SEEKED TO DO OUR HOME HARM!!!!! YOU ARE IN NO POSITION TO TELL ME OTHERWISE!!!” Twilight yelled, filled with rage.

“Does this also account to the lives you left behind when we evacuated Equestria?! Let alone the lives you took?!” Starlight countered.

This question stumped Twilight right where she was. Just then, the ooze started leaking out of her the more angry she got.

“That’s rich coming from you. Have you forgotten that you were the one who nearly destroyed our time and send us into complete chaos? Along with every time you were sent on a friendship problem, you created than you can solve?” Twilight countered back.

“That’s enough, Twilight!” Cadance shouted.

“And you. After everything I did for you. Saving you from Queen Chrysalis, King Sombra, and even helping with reassembling the Crystal Heart, this is how you show your gratitude. I WAS THE ONE WHO SAVED FLURRY HEART, NOT YOU!!!”

“I SAID THAT’S ENOUGH!!!” Cadance yelled, firing at Twilight.

The blast knocked Twilight into a wall, rendering her unconscious in the process. The impact alerted the guards near the doors and they bursted in with their weapons at the ready.

“You two! Have the unicorns cast a binding spell on her horn and place her in a dungeon until further notice!”

The guards bowed and took Twilight out of the throne room. After the guards left and the doors closed, Cadance turned towards Starlight. The latter stopped glowing her horn and faced the former. Cadance gave the unicorn a stern look before letting out a deep sigh. Then she said,

“Starlight.”

“Y-Yes, Your Highness?” Starlight nervously asked.

Cadance started trotting towards the door as Starlight watched her leave.

“Join me. I have something to discuss with you.” Cadance said, turning towards Starlight.

Starlight moved a little quicker to catch up to Cadance before exiting the throne room.

“It was quite an explosion in there. Any further and we would have to clean inside. Although it won’t be necessary once the barrier breaks down.” Cadance said with a sorrowful tone.

“What are you saying?” Starlight asked, starting to feel worried.

“When the barrier comes down… and those creatures get me… I want you to promise… please take care of Flurry Heart.”

“Me? But what about Twilight? She-”

“You have seen what Twilight did and what she is capable of if that ooze consumes her mind. The last thing I want for Flurry Heart is to be used for her nefarious schemes.”

“Even so Cadance, there’s always a chance that she could fight it off. And what about Twilight’s friends? They seem more than capable enough of taking care of Flurry Heart. I’d just-”

“No. I am entrusting Flurry Heart to you. When the barrier breaks, and when those monsters come into the Crystal Empire, I want you to take Flurry Heart and warn Sunset Shimmer along with any survivor you encounter to stay away from the Crystal Empire. Please. Swear to me on Sunburst.”

Hearing this stumped Starlight really hard. This wasn’t the first time she was given a role to play when something goes wrong, but this was the first time she was ordered to protect an alicorn. She already knew well within her heart that it was hopeless, but she couldn’t turn her back now that an order was given to her by an uncorrupted alicorn. Taking a deep breath and facing Cadance with a straight face, Starlight said,

“You have my word, Your Majesty.”

“It feels good to hear you say that. Especially since there is at least somepony I can trust.”

The two went into the hallway guarded by several unicorns and went to the door on the left, leading to Flurry Heart’s room. Walking inside and close the door, Cadance walked towards the crib and looked at a sleeping Flurry Heart.

“She’s precious, isn’t she? When she sleeps like this, it’s like nothing matters to her.” Cadance said with her voice nearly breaking.

“Your Highness?” Starlight asked, feeling more nervous now.

“We were supposed to be a family. After everything I did for Twilight… after everything I did for Flurry Heart… after everything I did for my kingdom… it was all in vain. I knew what Twilight was doing… but I did nothing to stop her.” Cadance said, almost breaking into a sob.

“Hey. She would never have stopped even if it were up to you.” Starlight said, trying to console Cadance.

“Even so, Starlight… she was the only thing I had close to a sister. And I let her use me…”

“No, you didn’t. It was all Twilight.”

“Even so… even so…”

At that moment, Cadance couldn’t hold it anymore and she started crying. After enduring so much from keeping the Crystal Empire in order along with assisting Twilight in her missions, she just couldn’t handle it anymore. Having so many of the skeletons and many of the lives that were stolen from her subjects took a severe toll on her. The only pony she now has on her mind… is Flurry Heart.

“Oh, Flurry Heart. If only I were a much better mother…”

She could do nothing but stare at Flurry Heart in her slumber. The only thing that can keep her from losing her sanity now was her own daughter. Rocking her crib back and forth, Cadance felt a peaceful sensation as she kept staring at Flurry Heart. Not wanting to leave the two be, Starlight decided to stay and keep them company until something came up. This was the closest to peace that Starlight was going to get until the corruption destroys the barrier. She walked over to the crib and watched Flurry Heart without much of an objection from Cadance.

***

Off in the distance, Spike was watching from the Crystal Empire with Tirek and Ember by his side along with their entire army, ready to deliver the final attack on the Crystal Empire.

Author's Notes:

I decided to publish this chapter because it's my birthday today (expect a blog on it tonight). I hope you are all enjoying this arc and if there's anything that I can do to improve this arc more, be sure to tell me your opinions in the comment section down below. If you also wish to check out my more explicit stories, be sure to check my Archive of my Own account. I only have one story so far, but expect more as I continue to publish exciting stories for you all. This is Ghoul and I'll see you on the other side.