Chapter 10: Into the Fire

(…………………………………………………………………………………………)

In Canterlot, there was a toughened metal-bar fence that completely surrounded the castle grounds of the monarchy. It was as tall as six ponies, and designed with the dual purposes of strength and beauty; as much protection for the princesses as it was part of the pleasing aesthetic of the city. The only way past it was through the front gates, which were comprised of two vertical layers of reinforced beams made of the strongest steel, forged and tempered from Fillydelphia itself. The gates were also flanked by four elite guards; their helmets covering their faces completely.

It was said that even in the long forgotten days when war and conflict had spread over the land, no invading force had ever managed to break the gates and set hoof upon the castle grounds, not even pegasi - as an invisible magical barrier domed overhead. At least that had been the case up until last night, when a certain drunken crazed cyan pegasus had simply let herself in. Scholars and scientists would debate that anomaly for centuries to come.

This time, however, Rainbow Dash had to wave Luna’s royal summons in order to convince the guards to allow her to gain admittance. The guards had hesitated initially while they quietly communicated their concerns between each other through minuscule head twitches and subtle body language. In the end they followed their duties and allowed her and her friends to pass through unobstructed, but insisted they be escorted by a pair of soldiers for safety concerns.

After the gates had closed behind the trio of ponies and their escort, they traveled down a road that was made entirely out of large carved slabs of bleached marble. The pieces were evenly spaced, measured, and cut to make a straight unbroken line straight to the castle. It was flanked on both sides by a single massive garden that wrapped itself around the castle, filling all the gaps between the structure and the enclosure. Rainbow Dash remembered once that Fluttershy had told her that the Canterlot garden contained a far greater variety of flora and fauna species than there were individual ponies in Ponyville and Canterlot combined. Dash didn’t believe all that, but noticed that no matter where she looked she had trouble spotting the same animal twice.

Dash felt uneasy being back here again for the third time. The first visit had been during the Grand Galloping Gala, a month back. It was suppose to have been the greatest night of her life, and had started off promisingly enough. It had been a fantastic party, but that was not her reason for attending. It was the prime opportunity to mingle and work her way in with the Wonderbolts, the greatest team of the six most professional aerobatic fliers in all of Equestria. They were her greatest heroes and her lifelong ambition was to join their distinguished ranks. That’s not how it turned out that night - nothing but an extreme disappointment, a complete and utter disaster.

Much like her second visit last night when she’d ‘accidentally,’ (and that’s how she’d explained it), had gotten tangled up with a lawn mower long enough to have ‘just happened’ to write her initials into the entire eastern part of the lawn. Then she’d dropped several servants into the water fountain, and finished off the night by embarrassing the head gardener by bringing the size of his manliness into question. An act which had won her several giggles from a few nearby mares before the guards and her friends had managed to catch up and put an end to her rampage. Back in the now she had noticed several grounds workers she passed by were giving her a few nervous sidelong glances.

“Looks like ya’ll are not very pop’lar round these parts.” Big Mac stated the obvious while chewing on a fresh hay stalk he’d mysteriously found.

“I know,” Dash said irritably while becoming very self aware of the blush heating her cheeks, “but I tried to explain that it was all just a misunderstanding.”

“Ah misunderstandin’? Ya’ll ripped up and ate his wife’s photo.” Big Mac austerely reminded her.

“How was I supposed to know it was his wife?” Dash shouted in defiance, “I thought it was a production shot from, ‘Planet of the Monkey Men.’ Besides he can always get a new one. I don’t see what the big deal is,” she brought it down into a hot whisper, “stupid photograph.”

“And then ya’ll shoved a quill up his nose?” Big Mac simulated the act with his hay stalk while the escorting guards grunted their disapproval.

“It was the feather end, besides the doctors said they could get that out in a jiff.”

“May I suggest; an apology would be best.” Zecora offered.

“Yeah, yeah, maybe later, we’ve got more important things to do, Zecora.”

“Be on your best behavior, do not be stubborn to excess; we are here to meet the Princess.” The zebra cautiously lectured.

“Ahem.” A stallion cleared his throat and seemingly out of nowhere a tan colored pegasus pony, with a slicked back dark blue mane, landed right next to them. He was dressed in a black two-piece suit with a matching bow tie and a white under-shirt. Pinned over his left breast pocket was a broach made from a silver crescent moon hugging an oval shaped amethyst jewel, polished to a brilliant shine, and glowing gently from an internal light that came from the gleam of a small star that had been implanted inside the jewel.

“Who are you?” Dash asked with a mask of indignation while admiring the gentle shine of the amethyst star.

“My name is Star Watch,” he replied with well rehearsed professionalism, “I am Princess Luna’s personally appointed aide and butler. Her Majesty has assigned me to act as your escort for the evening. A pleasure, Miss Dash.” He bowed respectfully at her, playing the part of the exemplary gentlecolt quite well, but Dash did not find it comforting or endearing at all.

“You know my name?”

“Of course, ponies have been talking a lot about you lately. Princess Luna, herself, did speak very highly of you. Others... less so.”

“Yeah, I’m getting that a lot lately.” Dash rubbed her head in shame.

“Her Majesty has retired to the dining hall to enjoy an early breakfast. If you’d care to join me, I can take you there straight away.” At Dash’s nod of approval, Star Watch dismissed the guards after a brief exchange of reassurance on his part.

“Hey,” Dash jumped into Watch’s face, “what does the princess want from us?” Watch stopped in his tracks to regard Dash with a perplexed expression.

“Surely, Miss Dash, you must have read the letter Her Majesty sent, did you not?”

“Yeah I did, but what does she ‘really’ want?” She unfolded her wings to punctuate the question.

“Princess Luna intends no deception,” his voice was stern with a hint of caution, “You would do well to watch your tone.”

“Excuuuse me, or what?”

“Hm, do you wish me to give you the polite version or straight up, Miss Dash?”

“Straight up, and stop calling me Miss.”

“Very well,” Star Watch looked her straight in the eyes, the air of sophistication and restraint remained but was fueled by raw emotion just under the surface. To Dash it was like a bolt of lightning had struck her to the heart.

“I don’t like you. I think you’re nothing but a spoiled troublemaker as your despicable performance last night showed. By all rights you should have been tossed right back into the dungeon. Had Princess Luna not interceded on your behalf, then that’s exactly what would’ve happened.”

“R... really? She did that for me?” Rainbow Dash was speechless and looked to her friends for confirmation. Her surprised look was met with confused shrugs.

“She did, and is taking a great risk in helping you. She certainly won’t be winning any friends from it. Her Majesty’s reputation is, to put it generously, abysmal. She’s given nothing but her best in order to win over the hearts and minds of her subjects. Yet most ponies trust her about as far as they can throw this castle.”

“I-I’m sorry, I didn’t know.” she looked away, feeling a lump in her throat. Her own attitude had put her in this position. Now she owed Luna a favor, and she hated that. It wasn’t like she loathed Luna, in the short time they had gotten to know each other Dash had found she kind of liked the inscrutable princess, but she just couldn’t get over that whole Shadowbolts business.

“Remember Dash, it is wise to take a closer look; before judging the cover of the book.”

“Eeyup.”

(…………………………………………………………………………………………)

Star Watch guided them down the boulevard and over the bridge that bypassed the moat, escorting them through the massive double doors of the castle’s entrance, which were just as majestic as Dash remembered them. Through the gates was the entrance hall, where countless servants darted about with focused intent while well-dressed lords and ladies discussed matters of politics, fashion, status, and wealth. Most of the nobleponies were gathered around the foot of the wide staircase that lead up to the second floor. The top of the stairs was where Princess Celestia had stood and greeted all her guests during the Grand Galloping Gala.

The rest of the trip was a blur that ended as soon as they had arrived at the royal dining hall. The room was long, half a hoof-ball field sized long. In the center was a polished oak table with enough room and chairs to seat many hundreds of guests and was set with all the plates, goblets, and utensils necessary to entertain that many at a moment’s notice. Princess Luna was sitting on the right side of the head of the table with the chair on her left unoccupied. Luna was enjoying a simple garden salad while sorting through a large pile of forms and documents. She gave a warm smile as the ponies approached.

“Thank you Star, please leave us for now. I’d like to speak to them in private.”

“Of course, your Majesty.” Star gave a respectful bow before promptly spinning in place and departing the way he’d come in without another word. Luna watched him go and only when he’d completely left the room did she directly address the others.

“So, we meet again Rainbow Dash.” Luna arose and Dash found herself compelled to bow low before her.

“Please, there is no need for all this stuffy formality. When it’s just us you can call me Luna too. I see you brought Macintosh as well, but I don’t recognize your other companion.”

“That’s Zecora, another friend of mine. She’s a zebra who lives out in the Everfree forest and kinda got stuck with us here when the city was closed.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.” Luna said sincerely, “I was only expecting two of you, but I certainly can spare another one for your friend.” Luna lifted out a box decorated with ordinate carvings all over it from a bag that had been propped next to her chair. She set it on the table and before opening it was interrupted by Dash.

“Princ-- Luna. I...” she stuttered, “I heard about what you did for me and... I... well...”

“What my pony friend here wishes to say; is she is grateful for the help you sent her way.” Zecora helpfully interceded to a sigh of relief from the cyan Pegasus. Then Luna had started laughing and Dash fell into such a fit of heated embarrassment that her face lit up redder than Big Mac’s coat.

“How could I not help you out after that wonderful display last night in the gardens? The look on Green Hoof’s face after you ate his wife’s picture and vanquished him with his own quill. You and I must think alike, because those were exactly two of the three things I most wanted to inflict upon that hot headed, trumped up, gardenite.”

“So,” The room was filled with Luna’s choking amusement and Dash couldn’t help but join in, “what was the third thing?” Luna gave an impish wink.

“A Princess would not dare say such a thing out loud. I will hint that it would involve using a certain gardening tool in a manner it wasn’t intended for.”

“Oh.” As Dash had begun to contemplate the implications of that statement she found herself growing fonder of the Princess.

“That’s strange,” the alicorn had spoken after opening the ordinate box, “there’s suppose to be six of them.” She then pulled out three of the objects. Each was a silver collar, adorned with two alicorns, made to clamp around a pony’s neck and had a crescent shaped pendant swinging lazily from a short chain. Like a sucker punch, fondness turned to suspicion as Dash recognized the objects as an exact copy of the jewelry Ditzy had been wearing.

“If you wear these you can come and go from the city as you please.”

“Thanks, but we can’t leave just yet.”

“Is there a problem?”

“Yeah,” Dash was struggling with whether or not to trust the princess now, “do you know a pony named Ledger?”

“Ledger? Sure I do, economic specialist, quiet guy. Rather anti-social.”

“Yeah, well, he was spotted sending mail out from the post office and not through the castle guards.”

“That is odd, but not really illegal, at least not under normal circumstances. The mail mare he enlisted would need royal permission from Celestia first."

“That’s just the thing: she had one of yours.” Dash indicated the medals on the table. Luna looked at her as if she’d suddenly exploded.

“That can’t be right. Ledger is one of Celestia’s staff and has no royal right to handle my affairs. Celestia may allow her subordinates to handle hers, but I’ve never given any such decree. Not even when we heard the book had been stolen from the treasury.”

“A book!?” Dash growled, “Is a book really what has everypony by the tail hairs? I could see Twilight getting all hot over such a thing, not all of Canterlot. I’ve been trapped here since yesterday because of a book?”

“It is no ordinary book. In fact it is very special and for all the wrong reasons. To just be near it could be dangerous and can cause certain...afflictions.” Warning bells were going off in Rainbow’s head. Slowly, the pieces came together, and she began to feel unease with were this conversation was headed.

“Would this book... cause ponies to, uhm, kinda-- I mean, see things that were not there?” She’d said so little, yet it had made all the difference.

“You felt it, didn’t you? You actually came under its influence?” Luna suddenly grabbed Dash by the shoulders, “Tell me everything you know. We have to recover that book before it is used by the wrong hooves!”

(…………………………………………………………………………………………)

It hadn’t taken long to pinpoint Ledger’s position. A couple of inquiries to the staff had revealed that he was currently in the middle of a meeting in the dome shaped council chambers. There were two pegasus guards on duty by the entrance to the chambers, and when Luna approached them they didn’t appear to acknowledge her presence nor did they step away from their post.

“Guards, I wish to be allowed entrance. I must speak with Mr. Ledger at once on a matter of dire importance.” Her decree was met with silence. She took a step to get by but they immediately blocked her progress by raising their wings.

“What is the meaning of this? I am your Princess and as the Keeper of the Moon and of the Night Sky, I am ordering you to step aside!” Still the guards taunted her with silence.

“Guards, I should warn you that you are set on a very dangerous path! By disobeying me you are disobeying Princess Celestia!”

“Sorry, your Majesty.” A guard finally spoke, “but it is by Celestia’s orders that no one else be allowed to interrupt.” Luna feigned surprise, then she smile coyly.

“I see, even risking my wrath you remain steadfast and loyal to my sister.” Luna inched close to the guard’s ear, “I find that very attractive in a big strong Stallion such as yourself.” She said in a deeply seductive voice. The guard didn’t visibly react, but she could feel his body temperature start to climb. She gently traced a hoof around his ear and down his neck.

“Maybe you and I should get to know each other better, handsome.” That got the guard’s attention; breaking his rigid stance he risked a slight peek in her direction. The moment he looked straight into her eyes the spell she’d cast on herself made it impossible for him to resist her any further.

Luna felt completely humiliated at what she was doing. Not only at the awkwardness of the situation, but the fact that it was her sister who had taught her the tricks on the finer points of ‘diplomatic negotiations.’ Though, Luna confessed, she might’ve overdone it a bit.

As she worked her goddess charms on the guards she observed Rainbow Dash, Big Macintosh, and Zecora silently sneak down a perpendicular corridor. The plan was working so far.

(…………………………………………………………………………………………)

Rainbow Dash and Zecora ducked into an empty staff room while Big Mac stood watch outside. Just as Luna had predicted, the office was unoccupied at the moment. Dash didn’t know what business went on this room and didn’t care. The only thing she was interested in was the window at the far end of the room.

“Remember to not be so bold; follow Luna’s path as she has told.” Zecora said as she unlocked the window with the key Luna had given them.

“Yeah, I know. Just be sure to give the signal in case of trouble.”

There were many pegasus guards flying patrols overhead, but with Luna’s instructions Dash knew the best way how to avoid them all. Still Dash insisted on wearing Luna’s royal medal in case she got caught. It would allow her to talk her way out of a bad situation if necessary, or so she’d hoped.

Stealth required patience, the latter of which was her most prevailing flaw. A couple of times it had almost gotten her noticed by the guards. Inch by inch she had managed to crawl her way down the roof of the castle hiding behind walls, parapets, smoke stacks, and other chest high walls till she reached the glass dome of the council chambers.
Just below the dome was an uninterrupted band of evenly space windows. She attached herself to the wall and snuck around under the windows slowly making her way around the structure. Even here on the outside Dash could clearly hear two ponies whispering in a debate from within the chamber, though she didn’t understand what was being said until she had reached an optimal position.

“Mr. Ledger, is everything prepared?” Spoke a gruff and authoritative voice that Dash didn’t recognize.

“Yes sir. The explosives are primed and awaiting detonation, but still I have doubts as to this course of action, sir.” Ledger paced nervously about the room.

“I understand you may have reservations, Mr. Ledger, but do not fear. Everything has been accounted for. Even if the plan fails there are contingencies in place to assure our success.”

“Would not killing her star pupil be easier? Secret Cherry is growing impatient.”

“No, ignore Cherry! We kill Twilight Sparkle now and fifty ponies will rise up where she fell. With Celestia out of the picture Luna loses her safety blanket and it’ll be easy to convince those scared foals in office that Luna was the mastermind behind the whole thing. Then Prince Blue Blood will rise up into a position of prominence.”

“That incompetent buffoon? Hardly leadership material to inspire the masses” Ledger spat with undisguised contempt.

“He will be the perfect pony puppet to serve our needs.”

“Maybe, but are you absolutely sure that assassinating the Princess will work? She is a goddess after all.”

“Do not worry. The device has been laced with pellets made from orichalcum. Let’s see how she handles that at point-blank range.”

“Orichalcum?” Ledger gasped in disbelief, “Then you found it! The god slayer”

“Yes, and with the power of a new Marker under our control we will make all of ponykind whole again. A return to our former glory, just as it was back in ancient times. The whole world will be ours and no nation will be outside our reach. Not even the moon itself.” There was a chime from a clock, striking the hour.

“Celestia should now be heading to her private quarters for her weekly makeover. The moment she opens the door and it will all be in our hooves.” The unknown stallion dramatically exposed.

Rainbow Dash exhaled a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding, frozen in place with inconceivable disbelief at what she’d just overheard. Her first raging impulse was to fly right at them into a head on confrontation. This was just plain stupid, unforgivable.

“You guys are sick!” she yelled out of impulse, then quickly realized she’d made a terrible slip-up.

“Who’s out there?!” Ordered the gruff stallion, heading in her direction.

“Guards! We have a spy in our midst! Find her!”

Dash didn’t wait for the guard. With a mighty push off the wall she dived straight back to the office, no longer caring if she was spotted by patrols. Zecora saw her charging in hot and quickly opened the window, shutting it again once the cyan pegasus was through.

“Quickly, we have to get to Luna! There is no time to waste; they’ll going to kill her!”

“Steady yourself Dash, tell me what you have heard; what pony would be so absurd?” Dash bolted out the door closely followed by a stunned Zebra.

“They going to kill Celestia, we have to get to her room now!”

“What in tar’nation ya’ll talkin’ about?” The hay stalk slipped from Big Mac’s lips.

“HALT! Stay right where you are!” Two guards interrupted them, and were charging right for them.

“There are intruders in the castle! They mean harm to our princess!”

“No, no it’s not us its..” The guards paid no heed to her protests. They galloped forward prepared to trample and subdue her.

The first guard had the misfortune of meeting the red stone wall that was Big Macintosh. The giant farmer rammed the guard brutally into the wall and pinned him there, knocking the helmet clean off the guard’s head. Zecora reached into her saddle bag and extracted a flask filled with a green liquid. She tossed the glass bottle into the face of the second guard and he collapsed, skidding to a halt as his hooves clutching his eyes in painful agony.

“Rainbow Dash, do not hesitate; save Celestia before it’s too late.” Dash faltered anyway despite the advice. It was all happening so fast that she couldn’t cope. So she just stood there in a panic stricken state.

“Git goin,’ Now!” Big Mac shouted as he struggled to hold the trained soldier. “We’ll handle these here stallions. Ya’ll have ta warn tha Princess!” Dash snapped back into reality and with a nod and a promise to get the job done she shot down the corridor like a bullet. Unfortunately in her panic she went the wrong way, away from Luna. As Dash flew she thought of Twilight and how devastated her friend would be if she failed to avert this disaster.

(…………………………………………………………………………………………)

She had trouble wrapping her head around just how big the castle was on the inside. The narrow confines of the castle made it hard to achieve any decent speed; the constant fear of sudden sharp turns limited her potential. After awhile she had to stop in order to gather her bearings. She had tried her best to retrace the path Luna had taken them to only find herself stuck at an intersection with three possible directions to take. By now she had come to the awareness that she was completely and utterly lost. All around her was a near maddening silence, not a servant or guard to be found. She listened carefully for any sign of life, but there was nothing.

Each hallway looked exactly the same. She had a feeling that the way was straight ahead and she had not flown more than a dozen feet in that direction before she heard somepony call out to her.

“You’re going the wrong way.”

“Hello?” Dash called out to the enigmatic speaker hoping to find a friendly face or at least somepony she could grill for directions. Either she had imagined it or they were hiding from her. She had to rub her temples, suddenly finding it hard to concentrate on her surroundings and returned to the intersection, hoping to find the voice.

Then she heard something.

It had begun as quiet clatter that echoed at the periphery of her hearing and slowly gained volume. She recognized the slow, but purposeful, clapping of light hoof steps upon stone. Yet there was something strange about it, an unusual quality that shouldn’t be there, a kind of sticky wetness with each hoof fall.

“Run! Run, now!”

The voice implored and had abruptly instilled within her a strong feeling that she was in terrible danger. The moment the emotion had hit the slow canter from the unseen pony became a full gallop as it suddenly picked up deadly speed. Sharp animal cries echoed behind her and on both her sides followed by vociferous barking as if from a large canine. The raw sounds filled her with a primal fear and she blindly took flight for dear life in the only direction she felt was safe.

Back the way she came.

Whoever following her was soon joined by a second set of hoof steps, then three, and then more joined it making it impossible to judge their numbers. She bolted ahead, countless turns and intersections passed but she never broke flight. From time to time she spotted one of them, a flurry of moment in the corner of her eye. Every time she looked the assailant was gone. Yet the wet sounds never allowed respite that they were there and all around her, surrounding her on all sides. No matter how fast, they were close by; chasing, following.

Stalking.

She didn’t know where to go. The hallway had become a featureless void, removed of all landmarks. It just went on forever in a straight line, no deviations. A low hum had become a loud ringing as dozens of voices were unexpectedly talking in her head. Some encouraged her on and others told her it was a hopeless effort. She ignored them as best she could as her only desires remained reaching Celestia in time. Pumping her wings harder, she was achieved dangerous speeds all the while gulping for air, body covered in sweat from the exertion.

She peered to her right and managed fleeting glimpse of one of the stalkers. Whatever it was stared her straight in the face. Hollow vacant holes where eyes should have been, all the flesh and muscle peeled back from its face leaving only a bloody grinning skull and a muzzle that had elongated into a sharp point at the nose. It had been a pegasus, once, now it was something far worse; unspeakable, and unnatural. Its featherless and flightless wings were fully erect, the bones elongated into spear like appendages.

“Ditzy?!” Dash cried in frightened disbelief. There was no way to tell if it was the gray Pegasus that had been butchered in such a abominable manner as any distinctive features were gone such as the mane, tail, and cutie-mark. Yet, the signs were just too similar to be coincidence. The thing, whatever it was, lifted its head and barked several times at her. Dash had a feeling it was communicating with its brethren.

“Stay away from me!” Dash had shouted in dismay as she attempted a sudden left turn at a T-shaped intersection.

A second stalker ambushed her on the spot, turning the corner at the same time as she did. Its hardened skull struck her square in the chest like a battering ram. The crushing blow sent waves of agony through her entire body. Her vision blackened for a second as she cratered into the wall the impact cracking her spine and tearing her wing muscles. The inertia of the impact threw her several feet back before she had forcefully landed onto the stone floor. She couldn’t scream, her lungs refused to operate, and all that came was pitiful whimper.

The stalker was standing over her, reared on its hind legs, giving a predatory wail that froze the very marrow in Dash’s bones. She crawled on her back, struggled with a taste of blood in her mouth, and incapable of looking away from the corpse monster. The stalker was moving its wings, the ravaged appendages separated from its body spreading out further than was possible. The wings were attached to a pair of arms that were unfolding as if parts of its spine had been cut out from its midsection and still wrapped up in strands of muscle and gore. The wings flexing like a pair of hands with three spear like fingers. She imagined those claws plunging into her chest and ripping her in two. Tearing her apart and painting the walls with her blood, eviscerated organs pulled from her torso one by one as she met a slow and painful demise.

She was bewildered to witnessed the creature had hopped back a step before it retreated back the way it’d come, folding its wings back in as it left. Dash’s breath was slowly returning in shallow and rapid gasps, her chest was covered in a large bruise. It felt as if several of her ribs were broken, and it was agony to move her wings. She was easy prey; she couldn't understand why it’d left her to live. Speculation dropped as a second stalker peeked its mutilated head around the corner, low to the ground and preparing to charge. She knew then that they were playing with her, toying with their meal.

Still reeling in agony, eyes bulging from the pain, she rolled over and forced herself back up. She limped away as fast as she could and only took a few steps before the path terminated at a door that was reinforced with golden metal bands and an impression of Celestia’s sun. She opened it just as the stalker charge, its wailing getting louder and higher pitched as it swiftly closed in. Ducking inside she slammed the door shut without delay. It shuttered under the impact, the metal hinges groaning in protest as the door was bent inwards. Dash offered up thanks that they were not smart enough to open doors.

She had entered the throne room through the servant’s entrance. Safe for the moment, Dash examined her surroundings. There were stacks of papers, scrolls, money, and other unidentifiable baubles circling the room. To her right were the massive, ceiling-touching gates where guests were heralded through. From there a plush red carpet traveled down the center of the marble floor to the two ordinate thrones placed side by side; one was gold and the other silver, flanked by four blue glass windows as big as the main gate. They were blue because they were strengthened by magic woven right into them, unbreakable.

There final option was a door, partially concealed by a velvet curtain, built behind the thrones. She reasoned, hoped, that this door would lead to the Princess. Placing a hoof on the latch she attempted to turn it and was devastated when it remained unmoving no matter how hard she tweaked it. It was locked, the faint glitter of a spell circling its edges. She stepped back from as a second impact rocked the servant’s entrance. The stalkers hadn’t given up on her yet. They screamed with howls of rage, she was a rat in a cage.

Trapped.

Dash collapsed with a sigh of defeat sliding down the back of Celestia’s throne. She covered her face as she cried, face covered in tears and bloody mucus. She began thinking about her life and how she had paraded around her friends with such stubborn pride and bravado. It was just a mask, an act, in reality she was just as scared and helpless a little pony as everyone else, and she knew it. Now, here, trapped at the mercy of monsters she could not comprehend, she knew she was going to die.

In her despair there was a memory that had broken through the haze of fear and pain. It reached out to her from way back in her childhood during the days she spent in the Junior Speedsters flight team. It was strange to hear it now, but she recalled a bit of advice from her old coach.

“In a game of cat and mouse, never be the mouse.”

It was almost like she could hear him speaking now. That was because she could, and he was sitting right next to her. By her side, dressed in his old blue Wonderbolts flight suit and blue mane waved under an invisible wind was Vertical Jump. His coaching whistle hung loosely around his neck and wore goggles on his forehead. Dash was stunned, she wanted to ask him how it was possible and desired to warn him to escape. Her tongue felt swollen and her voice caught as he looking at her, disappointment saturating every inch of his face.

“What’s happened to you, squirt? I thought you were going places?” He asked softly. She could hear his breathing and feel the heat off his body as he inched closer. She could smell the cheap cologne he had worn every day.

“I’m sorry, c-coach. I... can’t do it.” She sputtered pitifully, trying to hide her face from him. It was like she was a child again, crying, making excuses for herself. She had never felt so useless, so empty. Like that day when all the other junior flyers had nicknamed her Rainbow Crash.

“What can’t you do?”

“Some pony wants to k-kill the Princess. I need to warn her, but I can’t. I mean... won’t be able to make it. Even if I knew the way, the door is locked.”

“Then that’s what I’m here for, squirt,” he gently stroked her mane, “to show you the way.” He cantered over to the locked door. She wanted to tell him it was useless, yet somehow the door opened with just a simple touch from him.

“Head straight through the museum, and when the path forks like a V go to the left and up the tower stairs to the top. You’ll be able to manage it from there. Now get up.”

“I can’t, those things, they... it hurts so much.” This was not just a coach to her, he was somepony she had honored and respected before she’s even knew he had been a Wonderbolt. She had loved him, like the father she’d never had.

“I want to go home.” Her heart ached under his displeased stare, an expression that she feared more than anything in the world. The room vibrated as the stalkers rammed the door again their screams of frustration made her shiver.

“Listen to me, squirt.” He sat down next to her, “You can make it home, but first you have a job to do. You know what it is.” Slowly he wrapped his arms around her and brought their faces close.

“Every day I saw you practicing, doing your best to surpass all the other speedsters. Often times you failed and others called you Rainbow Crash for it, but that isn’t how I saw it. I saw a young filly, full of life and ambition, and from time to time you’d strain a wing or get a black eye, but you never gave up. Don’t give up now. Your friends, your team, are counting on you.” Dash finally managed to look at his face.

“It... it really is you isn’t it, coach.” Dash smiled as her despair became joy. “You made us all believe you were dead, why?”

“No time to explain, focus on the now first.”

“Y... you’re right, I can’t let my friends down.”

“Then get back into the game and show everypony what you’re made of, show it to your friends, to Celestia. Never let them doubt you again!” He lifted her back onto her hooves.

“I... I will. I’ll save Celestia and all of Equestria will know that I am the greatest pegasus!”

“Then hurry now, the Marker is waiting for you.” Vertical brought the whistle to his lips and blew it as hard as he could.

The high pitched clamor hit her like a burst of consciousness as reality seemed to shift around her. In a final mighty strike the servant’s door gave way and exploded into a hail of wood and metal shrapnel as four stalkers swarmed into the room and had started spreading out, looking for her.
Vertical was nowhere to be seen.

“F-fine,” Her voice quivered as she escaped. “Rai-Rainbow Dash is no mouse, you’ll ha-have to work for your meal!” She slammed the door, just as the stalkers sounded the alert and ran after her.

Just as Vertical had said she was now in a museum of sorts. The walls were covered with large portraits of various ponies or still art. Large statues played amongst the many display pedestals topped with glass bubbles. Inside the bubbles were gadgets and gizmos that Dash had never seen before.

None of it interested Dash except for one thing. Arranged against the west wall were six suits of armor, three made for stallions and mares equally. These armored suits were not like the golden ones that guards wore nowadays. These suits were the real, full on head to hoof plate mail made for a war, deal. Dash used her mouth to grip the weapon that was modeled with the nearest suit. A short staffed voulge with a meat-cleaver like blade at the top. Dash grinned; the mouse now had sharp teeth.

Gaining her second wind she galloped at best speed, but not without a noticeable limp and wings hanging limply at her sides. The V-shaped fork was just ahead when she heard the tell-tale wet and sticky hoof steps of fast approaching stalkers. One of them charged, its screams drowning out all other sounds. Dash turned to face it, teeth firmly clenched over her weapon.

The stalker ran, and she reared onto her hind legs and raised the voulge high. Just before impact she brought the blade down with deadly intentions. There was a loud snapping of bones and ripping of flesh as the blade burst the stalker’s head like a melon. Sending a shower of gore all around as it cut through the brain matter, out the bottom of the head, and between the jaw bones before firmly burying itself into the floor. The creature gave a pitiful squeal as it was impaled to the floor, yet refused to expire. It thrust out and around with an unfolded hand, the three knife fingers cut through her feathers and stabbed her in the side leaving three large gaping wounds.

Dash rolled with the blow, traveling to the side and backwards, leaving a bloody streaked trail as she did so. She felt the room start to grow cold as her body started going into shock. She refused to be beaten now, and ran for the left hallway when she was forcefully pulled back. The impaled stalker had grabbed her tail with its other hand, its ruined skull continuing to grin at her, gloating in its victory.

With failing strength she attempted one last burst of speed. She pulled and pulled and the creatures grip tightened. Suddenly she heard the ripping of hair and fell forward as her tail was sheared in half by the stalker’s sharp claws. She had escaped death once again and at the end of the road was the foot of the tower. Closing the gate, she climbed the spiral staircase. Using the rails for support she slowly and deliberately made her way past dozens of floors, her blood marking her progress.

“One more step, just one more.” She chanted, wheezing uncontrollably and covered in a mixture of sweat, body fluids, and gore. After an unusual stretch of silence she wondered what had happened to the stalkers. It was as if they had halted in their chase and given up.

The staircase continued on and up with no end in sight. It all felt pointless now. She would never make it to the top; it hurt too much just to stand. Yet she held on, just one more step, always just one more. Eventually her effort paid off and she reached the apex. Emerging from the tower, she was on a bridge that connected her tower with Celestia’s. The whole bridge was like a greenhouse, rows of flowers and plants down the walls.

Far on the other end she spotted Princess Celestia accompanied by two earth-pony servants. They seemed to be happily talking and laughing amongst themselves unaware of the trap that they were headed into. Dash managed a few uneasy steps before tripping over her own wings. She had gone as far as she could, there was no more strength left in her legs. Breathing in a lung full of air, she gave the loudest shout she could manage.

“Princess Celestia!” Dash cried at the top of her lungs and thankfully the princess turned at the sound of her name, “It’s a bomb!” Celestia’s seemed confused at first, then her eyes went wide in understanding. However, a servant already had her hoof on the latch. In that single terrible moment Rainbow Dash bore sole witness as Princess Celestia disappeared under a massive explosion.

The fireball blinded the cyan pegasus with its intense light. The blast roared like an angry beast, shaking her to the core, as the fire expanded exponentially to consume the entire top of the tower. Too weak to escape she watched as a wall of stone and glass flew right at her. Then she felt herself blown away by the concussive force, thrown through a pane of glass, and she fell over the side.

Flaming debris and stone blocks erupted up and out, raining death down upon the horrified crowds below. Mass chaos and panic gripped them as they fled in all directions. Many unfortunate individuals met their end that day, crushed under tons of stone or run through by falling debris. Those were the lucky ones. Before the reality of the moment could catch up, a second massive explosion blew out the base of the tower. The tall structure, no longer able to hold itself up, emitted a deafening bass of grinding stones.

The grisly scene was witnessed by tens of thousands of ponies as the tallest tower in Canterlot collapsed.

Thankfully, its path of destruction did not take it over the rest of the castle or the city. Instead its falling might obliterated the eastern wall before it toppled over the side of the city, rolling down the side of Mount Eclipse, leaving behind a cloud of dust and black acrid smoke.

Rainbow Dash silently watched it all, saw the world coming undone, and she had nothing to say.
She would have met her end long before now, but in her numb state hadn’t noticed that Princess Luna had caught her. The young monarch carried the broken Pegasus away, she couldn’t stand the sight of her own sister’s demise.

(…………………………………………………………………………………………)

Luna had carried Rainbow immediately to the medical wing of the castle. The doctors assured her that there was hope for the young pegasus, though it was slim hope. She then went to help the firefighters put out the blazing inferno that had spread to the city after a third blast had ignited for an unknown reason. Only after the fires were out and the injured being treated did Luna retire back to her quarters. She wanted to check up on Dash, though right now the pegasus would probably be in emergency surgery. Besides, she needed some peace and quiet to think and mourn the loss of her sister.

She slowly meandered up to her own tower, refusing to meet the faces of any. Using her magic, she had carefully examined her own quarters for any booby traps. Finding none, she opened the door into darkness. The windows had the curtains drawn over them and all of the light fixtures were extinguished. Luna was instantly on guard as she sensed another presence in the room.

“Sshh,” a familiar voice called, “Calmly enter and close the door.” Luna did as she was told. When it was safe she lit a candle and looked to her guest sitting upon her bed.

“Big Sister?! You’re all right.” Luna wanted to embrace her sibling, but stopped when she saw Celestia’s wounds. The sun goddess’ mane was smoldering in places and there were innumerable burns and sores all over her body. At the moment she was using her magic to slowly mend the worst of the damage.

“Oh, Celestia, we should get you over to Dr. Hawkeye’s office right away.”

“I’m more shaken than injured. I appreciate your concern and I will not cause you any additional worry and turn myself over to his ministrations in a little while. I just wish I could say the same for Sun Dancer and Wind Walker.” Celesta choked back her tears, now was not the time for mourning.

“I’m sorry, I’ll miss them too.” Luna tenderly nuzzled her sister.

“I know, ah, but first there are a few matters we need to discuss. I fear if it hadn’t been for Rainbow Dash’s warning then I would not have survived. How is she?”

“Very bad, her injuries were horrific, like she’d been mauled by a wild animal. The doctors don’t hold much hope.”

“I see, but I have faith that Rainbow is in the best of care.” Celestia hesitated, gathering her thoughts, “Little sister, we are far shorter on time than we’d first estimated. I had hoped that I could prepare Twilight Sparkle for what was ahead. This attempt on my life has forced my hoof.” She inhaled sharply knowing she very well may regret her next decision in time.

“Luna, I think it’s time for my dear pupil to meet our ‘old friend’ face to face.”

(…………………………………………………………………………………………)

Author’s Notes: For those of you who have asked this story takes place post season one in the My Little Pony:FiM series and right after the end of Dead Space 2 when Isaac defeats the Marker. Part of me wanted to write Rainbow yelling, “It’s a trap!” But the potential humor of such a line might’ve ruined the scene for some.