With Shinning Armour and his guard held captive, there was little to no resistance as Azzal sent forth his final wave. All that could be spared was sent towards the gates, storming the remaining defenders with numbers they could not hope to repel. By the morning they would have the palace and free access to the tunnels bellow the city where their civilians took refuge.

But Celestia would not go down that easily, not to them. If she could buy her subjects some time then there would be at least a chance for them to flee back into the caves. Rarity did not go easily and had to be forcibly restrained and brought back. It seems news about Applejacks capture did not go down to well with her. There was still no sign of Pinkie Pie, the mare disappearing some time before during the battle.

And so the Princess of the Sun landed before the gates, horn lowered in challenge and defiance. Before her stood a few hundred of the desert marauders, each one shouting curses and threats at the alicorn, but none daring to step forward. Indeed she was a rather intimidating sight, her golden armour dimmed by the fumes of battle, her mane and horn glowing with magical energies.

And so Azzal stood forward to meet her, the Talon reforged upon his hoof and gleaming it the firelight. That accursed weapon would be the first to go, its very presence a foul omen. You couldn’t tell, but under the mask strapped on his muzzle, he was grinning, although his eyes seemed to give that away.

“And so the true tyrant shows her face!” The stallion began to taunt her, earning a small wave of laughter from his troops. “Celestia, ruler of Equestria, the false god!”

“I never claimed myself a god!”

“I wasn’t finished!”  He held aloft his talon and let the plume of unholy fire reach out and lightly brush the princess, she staggering back as his aggression reached new levels. “Do you know how long it took me to accomplish all this!? You forced my hoof Celestia, and now I shall end what I set out to do those many years ago!”

What he spoke of she did not know, this pony did not arise in any memory she had. “Who are you?”

He hesitated at first, looking as if he was about to lash out once again, but instead lowering the talon and looking the princess dead in the eye. “No pony. I am simply a liberator of these ponies. Now, do you wish to barter words further or will you face me?” he presented the talon once more, flexing the multiple joints and bladed appendages that made up the crude yet elegant weapon. More a symbol than a tool, it was useful none the less.

Celestia gave no response, instead sending a pulse of magical energy that knocked all within the courtyard off their hooves and sprawling on the cobblestone ground, even Azzal himself. She quickly grasped the advantage, charging forward with her wings flared and her horn glowing bright. Azzal quickly signalled his troops in their own tongue. “Attakk il-palazz!” The regained their balance and followed the orders given, leaving their commander to his own fight and moving towards the palace.

“So, now it’s just you and me.”

“Shut it you worm!”

Luna sealed the entrance with a beam from her glowing horn, quickly turning to address the panicking mare. “They’re storming through the palace, the others have reached the caves in time but we cannot reach them. You must find safety while we try to aid my sister.”

The obvious caused some objection from Twilight. “What!? No, I’m not leaving you to face him alone. He’s got something up his sleeves, I know it. Let me help you!”

“No! Twilight, Celestia did not want you in the battle for a reason; so long as you live there is hope. Now don’t dishonour our sister and get to safety. Hide somewhere on the lower levels and don’t come out till it’s safe. We are sorry we couldn’t be of more help.”

“Wait!-” But Luna did not; she had taken to her wings and flown off the balcony with a thundering take off. She was still injured and weary from her previous engagement, but she was determined, and in her own mind, expendable. Now Twilight was left alone in her chambers, left to sit the rest of the battle out. And yet she did not want to disobey her princess’s wishes, even if she herself was a princess.

Celestia bombarded her foe with spell after spell, trying to keep him pinned in place, but his talon deflected her attempts like a ball against a brick wall. As quick as she had reacted, Azzal unleashed another whip of flame from the centre of the metal construct and sent it lashing towards the vulnerable Celestia. She took to her wing and managed to avoid it in time, landing not far from her adversary and delivering a solid blow to his side that sent him sprawling.

In the end he knew he could not outmatch the alicorn, the best he could do was wear her down. He got back on his hooves and took to the skies, spreading his wings and flying above their heads. He was certainly by no means as agile as many pegasi, but it was sufficient to keep the magical attacks of Celestia at bay.

But then out of nowhere came a solid thud of hooves against stone as her sister landed by her side, still in full battle armour. “What are you doing Luna? You are in no state to fight.”

“I will not let you face him alone. We bring him down together and avenge the fallen.” It was apparent that nothing Celestia could say would ease her stubbornness.

“Fine then, together it is.”

Azzal felt his chance of success slim down greatly, for now he had two all-powerful beings to deal with. He had a plan, but it was a long shot. He turned towards the broken palace gates and flew directly towards them, the two princesses giving chace.

Within the confined halls he had a small chance.

The two sisters began to draw him down, the Pegasus landing in order to more effectively hold his ground. If they could corner him within the hall he could only resist so much. Celestia abandoned the use of simply energy blasts and began to belt him with fire stretching from her horn. All the while Luna levitated fallen brick and stone and began to pelt him with the incoming projectiles. While many he was able to dodge others hit their mark. He was down.

But Azzal would not be taken that easily, for all around them his troops began to gather once more to defend their fallen lord. Celestia and Luna flared their horns ready to fight once more, but both were exhausted from the fight, neither possessing the ability to continue any further. Azzal half staggered to his hooves with the aid of his guard and brushed of his now very damaged armour armour. The Talon of Pain lay damaged at his side, but it was of little importance right now, it could be mended. His mask on the other hoof, which kept his throat from collapsing in on itself, has taken a slight beating, causing his breathing to be somewhat irregular and delayed.

In the end his plan had worked, they no longer had the power to resist the numbers encircling them, wasting it on a single target. Azzal had played them well. “And now…   it ends. Guards…    be sure they are taken…     and put in the caves with…   the others. Keep them restrained...    and held up tight. Go!”

Celestia could not believe her folly, her grave mistake. This weight could not be lifted from her heart, and surely death would be more preferable than the knowledge you failed your subjects. As she was restrained and taken bellow to the caves she did not resist, and nor did her sister…

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