"Sir!" a voice barked, tearing Thiemo out of his daydream. The young man jumped up and almost toppled over from his chair which had been tilted dangerously backwards. Arms flailing, he managed to regain his balance, though not before he swept all the books from the table on which they had rested with his feet.

Somewhat embarrassed that he had been caught off guard, Thiemo rose from his seat, smoothened his coat, and looked at the pony that had come into the captain's cabin. "What’s going on?"

"You wanted to be on deck as soon as the fortress was less than an hour away, sir." His eyes twitched, first the left, then the right. For a week he had tried to teach the soldier Cadance had assigned to him as a subordinate not to call him ‘sir’. Unfortunately, the soldier had not forgotten the orders assigned to him from his princess when they had fled. "Thank you, Corporal," he said, nodding to the stallion. "I'll be on deck at once." The guard saluted and disappeared outside the door.

The shaman still couldn’t quite grasp the situation he had found himself in. Not only had Cadance caught on to his entire plan, she had also supported it and given him a ship, crew, and title. Here he was, a herald of the Crystal Empire in the service of the Crown, and Captain of the White Dove, a falcon-class airship. It was a speedy, compact vessel that tore through the clouds like a knife, but looked more like a flying rainbow fish with crystal fiber sails and the lilac-colored trunk. The two side sails, called fins, did not make it any better. Then there was the fact that the ship did not actually sail on the wind, but on the magical currents that were everywhere on Albion.

However, he was captain in name only. The actual captain, a crystal pony mare named Windwalker, led the team. Thiemo was there as he was the only one who was able actually see the magical currents that would take them to Ti. The stopover at Hoovegorod was only a pretext for not raising Equestria’s suspicions, and of course to see Amaryllis. Officially, he was in the cell of the ship, chained to the wall with both hands, only allowed to scratch his nose when he begged for half an hour.

With a sigh, Thiemo picked up the books from the floor, piled them neatly on the table, and looked one last time at his list of notes. On them, he had everything they knew about their opponent. He had hovered together with Danielle over this piece of parchment, but they had not come any closer to figuring out his or her identity. Even the books on former adversaries and individuals who had been banished by Celestia to Tartarus had brought no new insights aside from the fact that Celestia had a knack of making enemies with malevolent beings. It probably belonged to the overall package of being a pony princess, seeing as Twilight and Cadance had already begun their own list. By that reasoning, maybe he would be a pony princess too in the near future.

Thiemo grabbed Legion, leaning against the table in the form of his walking stick, and headed to the door before he glanced back. "Shining, when this is all over, don’t think I’m going to be the one who’s going to explain everything to Cadance." The alicorn, or rather his spirit, stood at the window and turned to Thiemo as he spoke. His lips moved, but without a larynx, no words could be heard. However, Thiemo had a good idea of ​​what he had said, even without being in meditation. “Everything will be all right,” were the words his lips formed, something he had repeated for the past few days. The man shook his head and headed outside.

The mood in the camp was tense. Amaryllis did not even have to resort to her abilities to know how worried and uncomfortable the soldiers were around her. Eyes flew over and over again to the entrance that led down into the unnatural darkness. The poor souls, who had been preventing anyone from going down the past few days, now had to ensure that whatever lurked below did not escape. In addition, their supplies were coming to an end. Everyone had been reduced to emergency rations and a cup of water. However, even that would end in a few days, for many of the rations had been exhausted by the soldiers rescued by Fluttershy.

Her aunt came back with a few strokes of her wings from the highest guard tower of the fortress. Up there, three soldiers had volunteered to keep watch, either for enemies, laggards, or for the aid they desperately needed. Whispers had already increased that that the Empire would leave them in the lurch now that Shining Armor was no longer alive, that Princess Mi Amore Cadenza would now take the title as sole ruler and consolidate power. She had reminded the soldiers that she was also a Princess of the Empire and was here to help them in place of her deceased father. She also knew that her mother would never turn her back on ponies under her protection. Still, she also asked herself, "Where was the damn ship?"

"Nothing," said Twilight as she sat down beside Amaryllis. "The clouds are making it difficult to see anything." Pegasi had already tried to clear them, but something kept pulling them back to their location, blocking out the sun. "I’m sure it will arrive every hour." It was a mantra she had sung over the past two days.

Amaryllis filled a fresh cup of water and handed it to her aunt. For days she had neither drunk nor eaten, giving her rations to the weakest among them. Though death could not claim her as its own, hunger still left traces on her body. At night, when they were together in the tent, she could hear her aunt’s stomach groan, the organ reflective of the stubborn nature of the alicorns. Twilight eyed the water for a moment, but shook her head. This time, Amaryllis did not back down, levitating it directly in front of her mouth. "If you won’t eat or drink, I’ll feed you myself." Déjà-vu went through Amaryllis like a lightning bolt. "You'll be too weak to fight back." Twilight whimpered, her stubbornness keeping her steady for a moment. Finally, body won over mind and she began to drink. The relief that she felt was palpable to Amaryllis.

"There's something moving!" one of the two guards at the door suddenly yelled, readying his spear. All the heads in the camp swiveled around, swords were pulled out of their sheaths, and bows stretched. Unfortunately, it was the second guard at the door who did not react in time. The pony mare had just grabbed her spear when something grabbed her from the darkness and pulled her in. The entire ordeal happened so quickly that it could have been teleportation. The Pegasus who had stood next to her made to go after his comrade, but a shriek of terror halted him.

Twilight’s mug fell to the ground as she moved at a speed that Amaryllis would have considered impossible in her weakened condition. Her horn glowed brightly and she leapt down the first steps into the shadows. There was absolute silence for a brief moment, which felt like half an eternity. Then there was a flash of lightning and two bodies fell into the dust outside the door. Twilight caught the full brunt of the impact, as in her wings she held the disappeared soldier. Blood trickled down the soldier’s head, she was missing a piece of her right ear, and there were bite marks on her legs. "To arms!" the alicorn shouted as she levitated the earth pony aside in the direction of waiting medics and straightened up. "Seal the entrance; do not let anything leave!"

Amaryllis reacted, having overcome her initial shock. Magic gathered at the top of her horn and a shield closed the entrance into the fortress. Immediately something rammed against it, the shield glimmering as it rippled against the impact. Out of the shadows came the praying mantis creatures that resembled changelings. However, it was small, no larger than a dog. Blood clung to the corners around its mouth as it hammered with its scissors-like claws against the barrier. More of the creatures seemed to emerge from the darkness, descending over the bodies of their comrades and filling the entire entrance in seconds.

Twilight was about to respond but was interrupted by a sharp crack, causing their heads to swivel to the source. Amaryllis’ shield still held—it was the masonry around it that began to give way. A large part of the wall had burst out under the massive pressure, and the nightmarish creatures began to stream through. Amaryllis tried to adapt, but the rest of the wall gave way, the mantises pouring forth. The soldiers responded immediately and placed themselves before the princesses, Night Hawk at the helm. Green flames simmered between her lips, and when the first wave came within reach, she opened her personal gate to Tartarus. Insect-like shrieking was heard, the pungent smell of roasted flesh staining the air.

"Attack!" Estoc shouted no sooner than Night Hawk had closed her mouth. The soldiers responded with their own cry as golden armor clashed against black chitin.

"Pegasi to the air!" Twilight shouted at the same moment her hooves left the ground. "Don’t give them a chance! Push them back and block the entrance! None shall escape!" Following her orders, the pegasi who were still able to fly rose into the air. About twenty souls, Amaryllis soberly ascertained.

Suddenly, Estoc stood above her, a spear in his hoof as he gazed down at her. "Can you get up?" Only then did she realize she was prostrate on the ground. Right, she had toppled over when her shield had fell apart. She said nothing, just straightened herself up. Estoc nodded then turned back to face the fight behind him, thrusting his spear into a mantis who had bitten into the neck of another. Slowly, emotions began to return to her. She could feel anger and fear tinged with panic from those around her. It flowed through their bodies and she gathered it all in her horn.

The magic aura that the alicorn and some lesser gifted ponies were able to see was but a flickering light. Like water, it glowed around their horns, indicating that magic was being used. However bright blue flames roared around her horn, empowered by the emotions she fed it. She witnessed how a pegasus who had flown too low was snatched out of the air by three mantises. Some unicorns fired magic beams into the black mass and earth ponies trampled or cut down enemies with hooves and swords whenever they came near. Inevitably, however, they were overrun and Amaryllis answered her with her emotions. “You! Will! Not! Kill! Anypony! Today!” she screamed over the sound of battle. A blue sphere made of magic erupted into the air, akin to that of a miniature sun. The mantis ceased their movements, as did the ponies, and looked into the sky. Then Amaryllis lowered her head in a swift move, the sphere crashing down into the fray and scorching the mantises like ants under a magnifying glas. With every turn of Amaryllis’ head, the beam of blue fire changed its direction and cut through the black horde.

Only when she realized that there weren’t as many left, Amaryllis finally aimed the beam against the hole in the wall that served as their enemy’s exit. The stone melted, reddened, and bubbled before being sealed. Air filled her lungs even as her legs gave way. She had forgotten to breathe during the entire ordeal. As the fight went on, she quickly found it. The ranks of the earth ponies held, but hundreds of nightmares still attempted to get past them, crawling over them or through, if need be. Twilight and the pegasi had brought clouds out of the sky, and with precise kicks rained lightning upon their heads, but rarely struck more than one or two targets before they needed to be replaced.

Amaryllis’ visibility swam and her head drooped. Not far from her was Night Hawk. The claw on her left forefoot was missing, the other stuck in an opponent who was still trying to catch her. One of its scythe-like claws had drilled through the leathery skin of her wings. She had to help her. She had to get up. However, her legs wobbled and her head protested, as she tried to channel magic through her horn again.

It was Twilight who in the end landed behind the mantis and pulled it off Night Hawk. She encased it in her magic and threw it again the fortification wall. “Gather and retreat!” her voice echoed over the field as she fired a magic signal into the air. Then the clouds parted and down came the arrows. First only one, then more, and finally hundreds. Arrows that could easily be called spears rained down on the mantis. The earth ponies, who had had retreated as soon as the first arrow struck the ground, bore witness as a multitude of the insects were impaled. Those with less luck were frozen in ice and then shattered.

The airship, for it could be nothing else even if it looked more like the belly of a fish, came even further down. Finally it was just fifty meters above them, and Amaryllis could see how the fins moved like they were swimming. “For the Empire!” Hundreds of voices could suddenly be heard from above the fortress, and then came the hail. Crystal ponies jumped over the side of the ship and fell towards the ground. Where they struck, the earth shook, and the mantises that dared stand in their path burst like bubbles under them. The mares and stallions in purple armor didn’t even flinch as they landed. As if unaffected, they started to move against the horde. “Let none live!” a general who Amaryllis didn’t know shouted as he came her way. “Princess,” he greeted and bowed deeply. “Do you need medical aid?” He didn’t wait for a response and instead waved two paramedic towards them, who hadn’t landed far away. Then he turned to some other soldiers. “Snow Crystal, I want a landing zone over there. Quartz Shield, I want snipers on the battlements like yesterday! Get some of those lazy arrow pushers and bring them up there!” He paused for a moment, then he pressed onto one of the crystals at the front of his armor. “Windwalker, we’re ready for the second wave. How are the spitters?”

"At eighty per cent," replied the voice of a mare. "Second wave, go, go, go!" And again crystal ponies hailed down from the ship, but this time they landed behind their own lines. However, something was different, for there was a figure that could not belong to a pony. Thiemo landed not a hundred yards from her, wind cushioning his fall, and without even looking in her direction, he began to attack their enemy with the elements. Lightning flashed around his right arm before they struck the mantises, and ice formed over the chitin of every monster that dared to get into his reach.

"General!" Amaryllis looked around where Twilight, supported by a crystal pony, came to them. She did not look good. "We found Princess Sparkle."

The general bowed briefly before her aunt was swarmed by paramedics. "You can’t believe how relieved I am to see you, General," Twilight said, hissing as alcohol was swabbed over a wound on her side.

"What’s the situation?" the general asked.

"Not good. We have many wounded who can’t move on their own. My troops have been standing for days with little food or water.” She managed a strained smile. "It’s nice that you are finally here."

The yellow glittering stallion nodded and turned to the battlefield. This had now largely cleared. Where the earth ponies had attempted to hold the line, the crystal ponies were pushing the few remaining mantises together to the wall, where the hole had previously gaped into the depths. Lightning and arrows continued to hail down from above and caught any who tried to flee in the air. "We are ready," came the mare’s voice from the gem on the armor.

"Fire."

And for the second time today, Amaryllis bore witness how hundreds of arrows rained down from the sky from something that was called a spitter. This time, the fire was far more concentrated, and as the dust cleared, the only movement of the mantises could at best be called twitches. The soldiers of the Empire began to move to end those, though some stayed back to help their wounded comrades from Equestria. “That would be that…” the general said and waved over to the snipers he had ordered on the battlements.

A throat sounded and Amaryllis turned her gaze at the voice behind her. Thiemo stood there, his gaze hard. "The area has been cleared, General Mustang," he said firmly, bowing to her. "Princess." It was like a hoof in her face when she realized that Thiemo was here. She had not felt it. He had cut off their connection. She was the one who had severed it from a mixture of anger and disappointment, but he had cut it totally. She could not read his emotions.

He straightened again and put his hands to his mouth. "Okay, listen up. Order 66!" Swords swirled around, arcs reoriented. The soldiers of the Empire were now directing their weapons against those of Equestria. "Princess Twilight Sparkle, heir to the throne of Equestria, you are hereby a prisoner of the Crystal Empire. I advise you to order your ponies to put down their weapons," he said to her aunt, holding Legion to her throat.

Author's Notes:

Times has passed, I did a lot of thinking and working on the last third of this story. I changed around a few events, added new ones and deleted a few. You have to remember that this story was drafted back in 2013 and some of my ideas turned into bad cliches in the meantime or are mostly common now. So I used the last month to rework some parts to make the story 2017 worthy.

In regards of this chapter, I know it feels a little rushed and as if there are some part missing. I did that for a reason. Everything will be explained and laid out in more detail later on. Remember this is only part 1 of act 22. There will be four more, maybe five.

But for now I'm happy to be back and I hope you had fun reading.

Special thanks to JBL for translating & editing.