As Rainbow Dash was heading to the medical area, she started noticing little seems on the cracks in the barrier. Smoke was beginning to fill in as tiny bits of the Corruption started to leak in.

“I need to hurry!” Rainbow Dash said as she started running.

Trotting as fast as she can, she could only imagine what would happen next if the barrier were to collapse in the next moment.

“Rainbow Dash?” a meek voice called out.

Rainbow Dash turned around and saw that it was Fluttershy, whose appearance was worse for wear.

“Fluttershy?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“Were you looking for something?” Fluttershy asked in a tired tone.

“Yeah. I need an update on the wounded and I need to know where Twilight is!”

“I don’t know. Last time I saw her, she was up in the castle. I’m not-”

“Thanks! We’ll talk when this is over!” Rainbow Dash said, running to the castle.

“Rainbow Dash! Wait!” Fluttershy weakly shouted.

Her words fell on deaf ears as Rainbow Dash ran. Watching her run to the castle, Fluttershy sadly remarked to herself,

“She doesn’t know yet…”

The check-board that was strapped on Fluttershy’s back read that the mortality rate has dropped higher than anypony could imagine. She could only imagine what would happen next should the barrier crack.

***

After making her way to the throne room, Rainbow Dash looked everywhere for Princess Cadance, but she was nowhere to be seen. Just then, she noticed a guard.

“You there! Where’s Princess Cadance?” Rainbow Dash asked, looking at the guard on the left.

“She is in Flurry Heart’s quarters with Starlight Glimmer. But she is not to be disturbed at this time.”

“Do you really think this is the time to be keeping secrets?! Look outside! If we don’t do something, we’re-”

Just then, the guard drew his spear at Rainbow Dash, making her get in a defensive stance.

“I appreciate your concern, ma’am. But the princess is not to be disturbed at this moment.” the guard said, giving Rainbow Dash a serious look.

Seeing this surprised Rainbow Dash. She already knew that Equestria was in danger of collapse, but she never knew that it would come down to paranoia. Rainbow Dash, in a low angry voice, says,

“Listen, Buster. I have a report to give for the princess. If you wanna throw down, get ready to go down!”

As the two were getting ready to fight, Cadance, out of nowhere, shouts,

“STOP!”

Cadance, who appeared completely tired and haggedly beaten, came through the door with Starlight by her side who was carrying Flurry Heart with her. Seeing this shocked Rainbow Dash entirely as she thought that it couldn’t get any worse.

“Princess! Are you okay?” Rainbow Dash asked, rushing to her side.

The guard pointed his spear at Rainbow Dash when she was moving closer. But before the guard could threaten her, Cadance said,

“Lower her weapon. She’s safe…”

Obeying her command, the guard lowered his weapon and stood back towards the door. Rainbow Dash sticked her tongue out at the guard who just gave her a death glare in return. Joining the princess and Starlight Glimmer, Rainbow Dash asked,

“We have a massive drop in food storage and we are running out of soldiers. I need to know if the wounded have recovered. We need-”

“Didn’t Fluttershy tell you about the medical records?” Starlight disrupted.

“Records? What records?” Rainbow Dash asked out of curiosity.

“Rainbow Dash… if we tell you this, you have to promise that you can keep this a secret from the girls and anypony else.” Cadance said before signalling the guards to leave the throne room.

After watching them leave and close the doors, Cadance turned towards Rainbow Dash and said,

“Twilight has gone mad. The more she dabbles with the Corruption, the more likely she is to destroy Equestria. She is currently locked away underground with a spell keeping her powers in check and she has no means of escape. Fluttershy has given us an update on the wounded soldiers that made it back to the Crystal Empire.”

“What happened? I can’t help you if I don’t know what’s going on.”

Feeling uncertain about what to do next, Cadance turned to Starlight who nodded in assurance that Rainbow Dash won’t do anything to harm their well-being.

“The mortality rate on the soldiers… is biblical.”

“What?” Rainbow Dash said in an even more shocked tone.

“It’s true. I heard the same report when I was with Cadance.” Starlight said in a somber tone.

“How can this be?! I know that those monsters have us on the ropes, but I had no idea how bad this would turn out! What’re we gonna do?”

As Cadance was explaining her entire plan, two guards looked at each other with serious looks before turning towards the door. Their eyes suddenly blackened and exchanged wicked grins as the Corruption took them over. Turning towards the door with their spears, they were accompanied by two unicorns who lit their horns up, ready for a sneak-attack.

“Ready?” the pegasus guard asked, looking at the corrupted ponies.

Nodding in compliance, the four stormed the throne room and ambushed the three ponies.

“What?!” Cadance shouted upon seeing the door open.

Immediately, the unicorns aimed for Flurry Heart and fired a shot at her, but Starlight activated a force field. The guards ran towards Rainbow Dash and tried to pin her down, but was able to push them off. But before she could fight back, a unicorn fired a shot of magic at her left wing.

“My wing!” Rainbow Dash writhed as it fell to the ground.

Before the unicorn could fire the next shot at her, Cadance stood in the way and created a force field. But her magic was so weakened that the field was easily broken and her horn was destroyed by the shot. Both Rainbow Dash and Starlight were shocked by this, but the latter regained her composure and fired at the unicorn’s horn before shooting the guards. After the guards were killed, Starlight looked at the unicorn and slammed the door shut before she could make her escape. Starlight hoisted the unicorn up in the air and asked,

“Who sent you here?”

“Why should it matter to you? You’re dead anyway!” the unicorn cackled.

Before Starlight could interrogate her further, the ooze started leaking out of the unicorn’s body as she laughed maniacally. Suddenly, her laughs started turning into choking as blood mixied with the ooze started leaking out of her body. Starlight covered Flurry Heart’s eyes as she watched the unicorn screaming in agony. In her last moment, she met a gruesome end as her eyes popped like a couple balloons.

“Sweet Celestia…” Starlight said, looking at the unicorn’s body in disgust.

Her focus shift towards Cadance whose horn was now broken off her head.

“Are you okay, Princess?” Starlight asked, inspecting her for any body damage.

“I’m fine, but…” Cadance said, looking outside the castle.

The barrier has shattered into glass shards as they felt before disappearing into thin air. As they watched, they suddenly noticed multiple figures out in the distance. Upon closer look, their mouths dropped as they realized who it was.

“Oh no…” Starlight said in a scared tone.

***

Off in the distance, Spike was watching as the barrier shattered like glass. Raising his right arm, the Creature wrapped itself around his arm like a snake.

“It is time…”