Chapter 21

The Final Crescendo

Page’s heart pounded in her chest, begging her to stop and catch her breath. Every last inch of her body ached, but she refused to give up. For all she knew, it was already too late. The only thing that Page could focus on was the hazy memory that the truth spell had dredged up from the depths of her subconscious.

Rarity. Rarity had been arguing with Nightowl. That was the only image that stuck in her memory. Not how she woke up, or even what had happened to make her forget. Just a short scene.

With renewed vigor, Page tried to make sense of the elaborate mess of tunnels she was lost in. For some reason, guards were scarce in the spire, where she was now, and the few she’d seen had let her by without a fight. It was odd, seeing cowardly changelings disguised as royal guards.

The further inside of the spire Page traveled, the more determined she became. She had barely mustered the courage to go find Twilight in the first place, but now she felt like she could take on a whole army. Adrenaline pumped through her, overriding whatever weariness she felt.

A sound echoed through the tunnels. Her own hoofsteps continued to resound in the cramped maze, but it sounded like somepony else was in there with her. On instinct, she gave her wings a powerful flap and lifted herself off of the ground.

The hoofsteps continued. Louder. Faster.

Holding her breath, Page spotted a split in the path ahead of her. There was no time to think, much less slow down, so Page steeled herself for impact.

The collision happened before either pony could say a word.

When the tunnel finally stopped spinning, Page found herself on top of another pony. She immediately seized the advantage and pinned her opponent down, her hooves acting faster than her mind. It wasn’t until she opened her mouth to speak that she realized who she had captured.

“You!”

Page’s shout froze the off-white unicorn in place. Caesura, her eyes stretched wide, could only stare up at her attacker. Her mouth was wide open, as if she were trying to say something.

Despite Page’s fury, she felt a pang of guilt. Caesura’s expression was familiar. It was the one she had when Page had first seen her, when she escaped from Eccondale. That moment was still fresh in her memory. Caesura, running for her life through the Everfree Forest and levitating as many instruments as she could carry. Page, picking her up and soaring above the canopy.

Now that Page knew the truth about her friend, everything took on a new appearance. Back then, Caesura had admitted to being a runaway from Eccondale, but Page had respected her silence regarding the motive. That silence hadn’t been out of fear, had it? It had all been a trick. A trick that had ended with the entire population of Everdale vanishing into thin air.

“P-Page, I—”

Bristling, Page furrowed her brow and pinned her prey beneath her. “No more lies! I believed you!”

“Wait—”

“You were in on this all along! You said you’d left Eccondale behind! You said you didn’t want to talk about what it was like, so I trusted you! You...! I should have known!”

“Page, listen, I just—”

“You just what? Abducted my friends? Betrayed an entire town? What else should I expect from a changeling?!”

The word rang throughout the corridor. A thick silence followed.

“Changeling...? I’m not—”

“No,” whispered Page hoarsely, “I’m not wasting my time on you anymore. You had your chance. I gave you more chances than you ever deserved.”

Without waiting for a response, Page burst off down the tunnel. She hardly felt in control of herself, like her disgust for Caesura was overpowering anything else she might have felt, but there was something more important than betrayal. Caesura may have weaseled her way into Everdale, but she hadn’t been the mastermind. That must have been the queen of these monsters.

There was no other choice. She had to warn Twilight Sparkle that Rarity was an imposter before it was too late. As much as it hurt to leave Caesura like that, Page knew she couldn’t waste anymore time. She would deal with that problem later. Right now, she had a mission.

Anywhere else, Page might have stopped herself, but her emotions were flaring in all directions. There was no time to stop and think about what she had just said. Forgiveness was an afterthought.

Within moments, Page burst into a large cavern. She had intended on attacking the first changeling she saw, but she couldn’t begin to comprehend the sight in front of her. A beautiful crystal heart, the size of a mansion. Twilight and Cadance, standing over a hideous changeling with worried expressions. The queen of the changelings, sitting leisurely between her two enemies.

It took a second for everything to sink in. Had Twilight defeated the queen? What was Princess Cadance doing here? What in the wide world of Equestria was that giant gem?

Before any of the questions could be answered, the three ponies in the cavern all turned with a start, anxious eyes boring into her. It was then that Page realized her mistake. How could she be certain that this was the real Twilight Sparkle? Or even the real Princess Cadance?

The queen of the changelings narrowed her unnatural eyes. “You’re....”

“Page!” Twilight shouted. “Wait, it’s okay! I’m fine!”

Page hesitated. Was this the real one? There were a few things that only the real one would know, after all. It was time to put them to the test.

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She trusted me all this time. Even though she knew I was from Eccondale, she trusted me. Even though I refused to tell her anything about myself, she trusted me. Even though I lied to her, planned her abduction, and took advantage of her kindness... she still trusted me.

I brought this on myself... didn’t I?

Caesura lay perfectly still on the cavern floor. What reason did she have to move? What reason did she have to live? At first, she had been furious at Page for betraying her, but now, what reason did she have for that?

I was such a foal back then. Running away and all that. I thought the outside world wasn’t that bad. I thought I could belong out there. I wanted to live a normal life. If only — if only I knew there wasn’t such a thing as a normal life. Not for me, anyway. Chrysalis was right. Mom was right.

Page gave me the life I wanted. She let me keep my secrets. She covered for me. And yet, the whole time, I was lying to her, talking with Skylight behind her back. I should have told her the truth. Maybe, then, things wouldn’t have turned out like this. Everything was fine until I saw how despicable those ponies were. Dotted Line and all of his flunkies... they were worse than any monster in the Everfree.

Maybe... I shouldn’t have gone back to Eccondale. I couldn’t sit back and watch Dotted Line do whatever he pleased. Mom was so forgiving, welcoming me back with open arms. But then I had to go back to Everdale again to enact our plan. They deserved it. Every last one of them. This is their own fault... for what they did to mom...!

Mom...?

At the thought, Caesura’s lifeless body shot into action. Before she knew what she was doing, she was up on her hooves and dashing towards the central chamber. It wasn’t over yet! Mom was still in danger!

Heart racing, she finally rounded the last corner. The sight before her left her breathless. There, in front of the Heart of Equestria, stood four distinct forms, all of them silhouetted by a brilliant, azure glow. Despite the intense lighting, Caesura could still see the expression of one of the larger figures, the one that was sitting down in the middle of the other three.

Chrysalis. Mom. She was smiling. Cadance and that despicable unicorn were standing over her, leering like predators over their prey. Page, who had just reached them, was shouting something, but Caesura didn’t hear a single word. All that she could see was Chrysalis’ smile. Her mother was smiling. It was a patronizing smile, one that said “It’s okay. It’s over. You can relax, now.”

It truly was over, wasn’t it? There was nothing left. Chrysalis had lost. Mom had lost. It wouldn’t be long before Celestia and Luna marched in, razing the city of Eccondale to the ground. There was nothing Caesura could do.

Off in the distance, Caesura heard her name, but she didn’t respond. What was there to understand? That smile said it all. It was over.

Panicking, she turned and bolted, mind racing. Helpless. Chrysalis had given her a new life away from that wretched mare she had once called her mother, but now, when Chrysalis needed her most, Caesura was completely worthless. How could she even hope to compete against an alicorn and Celestia’s personal student?

Caesura’s chest ached as she stumbled wildly through the tunnel, nearly tripping over herself. She had to warn all of the changelings before it was too late. She had to warn everypony. They had to get out before it was too late. Some of them might still be saved.

The next few minutes were a blur. All that Caesura could think of was her own helplessness. At some point, she had made it outside of the spire, but her hooves didn’t let her stop to warn any of the bewildered changelings that stared at her as she bolted by. It was too late for them. It was too late for the whole city. It was over. Run.

Amidst the chaos, Caesura heard a familiar voice calling her name. Red? What was she doing here? Was that Nightowl as well? Or Skylight?

There was no time to think. She couldn’t let either of them, changeling or not, see her like this. Helpless. Weak. Useless. It was only when she ducked into an open door that she realized that her eyes were overflowing with tears. When had that happened? When?

In the darkness of whatever building she had dove into, the world was deathly still. She had failed. Eccondale was done for. She would never see her mother again, who would probably spend the rest of eternity imprisoned in stone if those intolerable tyrants had their way. They always did. Friendship was nothing but a tool. Friends were for ponies that deserved them.

Nearing a fit of silent hysterics, Caesura curled up, shrinking away from the outside world. She wanted to lash out, destroying whatever props had been left behind in this dark shack. She couldn’t. Somepony would find her if she made too much noise. Now, at her lowest point, she only wanted one pony to see her. Mom. The only one she cared about; the one that was in the clutches of the enemy. Mom... wasn’t finished, right? She could still survive, right?

As each torturous second ticked past, Caesura’s self-loathing intensified. The city was doomed. Her mother was doomed. Everypony close to her had betrayed her in the end. It was her own fault. Everything.

Why was she sitting in the dark, trembling? Did she think that somepony was coming to save her? No. Nopony was coming. Only the royal sisters and their guards. Nopony else. It was over.

The taut wire of her emotions finally snapped. A feral cry filled the garage as a sky-blue aura pierced the blackness. Wooden props shattered against the walls, parade floats were dismantled piece by piece, and anything that wasn’t nailed down was immediately crushed in a powerful maelstrom of magic. Other ponies might see her, but it didn’t matter. Nothing mattered anymore.

Through her unbridled rage, Caesura’s levitation caught up six pieces of fake jewelry. The Elements of Harmony. The forgeries joined the growing pile of splintered wood in the corner.

If those six hadn’t showed up, everything would be fine! Life would have continued as usual! But those ruthless, mindless sheep had come snooping around like it was some kind of vacation, giggling like little fillies at a carnival!

Heavy breathing began to overtake the deafening din of crackling wood as Caesura’s magic began to fizzle out. Despite her weakness, she continued to tear apart the float in front of her, wrenching the wooden wheels off of their hinges and tossing them aside.

What had the changelings done to deserve this? Was there something wrong with trying to live a normal life?!

Sweat came trickling down her forehead from her mane. Each levitation became a labor, like she was lifting an entire orchestra at once. It didn’t matter. Nothing mattered anymore.

It’s over. We’re doomed. It’s my fault. I ran away, just like it did before. I could have helped her. But no. I turned tail and tried to save myself. I’m worthless. More worthless than this broken float!

With one last guttural howl, she tore the large cart in two, sending the elaborate painting of the royal alicorns toppling to the ground with a cacophony of splintering wood. As soon as it was done, Caesura’s legs gave out beneath her.

Her chest ached. Her lungs burned for air. Her whole body felt like lead. Useless. Worthless.

Still heaving, Caesura forced her eyes open. Every inch of her trembling body protested the simple motion, but she wanted to see who would come to take her away. Would it be one of the Elements of Harmony? Would it be one of the royal sisters? Maybe even Red, coming to exact revenge for the incident in the mineshaft? It didn’t matter. Nothing mattered. It was over.

As the dust settled, a silhouette appeared on the other side of the wreckage. There, on the other side of the dark room, stood the figure of an earth pony rearing back on its hind legs. Had this mysterious figure been here the whole time? Had it been laughing at her as she self-destructed? Was it here to finish her off? Who was it? Why wasn’t it moving?

A ray of light pierced the darkness. A harsh light from behind her, casting its glow on the mysterious figure. A gray, lifeless figure.

A statue.

“Y-you...” the desperate unicorn choked. Somehow, she forced herself back to her hooves. In an instant, her emotions flared to life again, chest burning with unadulterated fury. She didn’t ask why she was there. Statues didn’t answer questions. The only thing she could do was howl at it.

“You!”

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It took a long time, but Twilight managed to catch Page up on everything that had happened. The history of Everdale and Eccondale, the Heart of Equestria, and everything else. Page had been cautious at first, but it seemed that she was starting to understand everything that had happened.

“Then I guess I was too late,” Page said softly, looking around the cavern. “I was going to warn you about Rarity. Cadance’s memory spell made me remember what had happened. But you still figured it out, didn’t you?”

Twilight nodded sagely. “I may have figured out who was replaced, but I still don’t have the why. Chrysalis was about to tell me, but then you came in. And Caesura—”

“She’ll be okay,” Chrysalis chimed, looking askance. Her villainous fury had all but vanished. “She’ll understand soon. It’s much better if she stays away from me. A mare like her might be able to return to her old life. I’m the one who stole her away, after all.”

Cadance, who had been waiting patiently, finally decided to speak. “Sister, there isn’t much time. I wouldn’t be surprised if Celestia and Luna were on their way right this—”

“Sister?!” Twilight gasped, shaking her head. “Okay, this is just too much! First you say you’re the Princess of Lies, but now I’m supposed to believe that you’re related? Ugh! And here I thought I solved everything, but now things make even less sense than before! Give me a break!”

Despite Twilight’s outburst, Cadance and Chrysalis shared a knowing giggle. “Twilight,” Cadance said, “just calm down, okay? This is going to sound crazy, but listen to me. Aria told me everything. Lend her your ear.”

Huffing, Twilight furrowed her brow. “I’ve got a few questions, first! Why did you make me go through your silly game of guess who? If you really were on Cadance’s side the whole time, why didn’t you just tell me? And better yet, where are my friends? Where’s Rarity?!”

Twilight’s accusatory tone had no visible effect on Chrysalis, who gave a simple, polite answer. “She’s here, don’t worry. She’s just relaxing in one of the pods in an adjoining room.”

“You mean those nasty green things? You’re telling me that Rarity’s actually relaxing in slime like that?”

“Indeed, I am. You’d be surprised, but according to her, it’s like a visit to the spa. You should have heard her when she first woke up, thrashing and wailing like a Wendigo! I’ve never heard so much whining in my thousand years of living!”

Despite her anxiety, Twilight managed a small chuckle. That sounded like Rarity, alright. “I’m sure she’d have a few choice words about that.”

“Regardless, Twilight Sparkle, your friend only took a few minutes to calm herself. She was remarkably understanding, you see. When I told her about my plan, she told me that she had no reason to worry, and that her friends would come and get her. I was skeptical, but it seems that she was right after all.”

“Wow, I knew you liked to monologue, but I didn’t think you’d spill your whole plan to her. So she knew about everything this whole time?”

“Of course! She has been the most gracious prisoner I’ve ever had the pleasure of holding captive. I had been tempted to allow my changelings to feed off of her, but there was no reason for that, not when she was being so agreeable. After all, we have Dotted Line supplying us with an endless supply of food now.”

Twilight winced at the thought. She couldn’t deny that the prospect of unlimited food was probably tempting for a starving city of changelings, but using a pony to do so made it seem wrong.

“What about the rest of my friends?” she asked.

“You already called my bluff on that, Twilight. I haven’t managed to capture a single one of them. It’s odd. I have a city full of changelings, but not a single one of them has reported that they had seen one of the Elements of Harmony... aside from you, of course.”

While the information was worrisome, Twilight took it as good news. If her friends were still safe, all was well and good.

Cadance, growing impatient, took a step forward. “Twilight, Page, please allow my sister to speak. I do not know if Celestia and Luna are on their way, but I assume that our absence has not gone unnoticed.”

Chrysalis, frowning, averted her green gaze. “You are correct, Mia. I impersonated Twilight’s dream to throw Luna off track, but she is no foal. It will not take long for her and Celestia to realize that I am involved. They know that I can copy dreams as well, seeing as I have done so in the past.”

Page, shaking her head violently, stomped a hoof on the floor. “It doesn’t matter! You can just tell them what you told us! I mean, this whole thing sounds crazy, but it makes sense! Kind of. I’m still a little lost, here!”

Upon hearing this, Chrysalis winced. It looked like she were about to be ill. “It’s not that simple.”

“And why not? If you can convince me, then just go out and talk to them! It’s not that hard!”

“No, you don’t understand. They will not listen to me.”

Twilight huffed, scrunching her lips into a snarl. “Could you stop being so cryptic? I know it’s your whole villain shtick, but I don’t understand why you never just marched over to Canterlot and had a peaceful talk with them!”

“Twilight, I could never have done something so direct. You see, both Celestia and Luna hold a heavy grudge against me.”

Cadance, taking a deep breath, sat down next to her supposed sister and nodded. “I held one as well. It took her lying spell to convince me that what she said was true. Now I understand why a peaceful resolution would not be possible.

“And why not?!” Twilight barked, emotions flaring again.

Chrysalis, her expression heavy, closed her eyes. “Because they believe that I’m responsible for the death of Princess Il Tuo Aria, the Princess of Lies... and their old friend.”

There was nothing Twilight could say in response to such a confusing answer. That didn’t make any sense at all!

“Twilight Sparkle, I shall tell you everything that happened. I shall give you the history that Celestia has worked so hard to erase. You see, she blames herself for all of this, and thus tries to cover up what she deems to be irreversible mistakes. She always did that. The entirety of Equestria on her shoulders, so to speak.”

Chrysalis, not waiting for a reaction, slowly levitated a familiar pedestal in front of her. It was the one that held the crystal ball that she had taunted Twilight with only a few hours ago.

Twilight blinked a few times. “Wait, does that actually work?”

Lifting the cloth off of it, Chrysalis sighed. “Of course it does. Now, I will abbreviate the tale as much as I can, but I feel that some details need to be shown.”

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Equestria. A nation divided. Four lands, six rulers. Thousands and thousands of years ago, before Equestria was united, the world was a different place.

Celestia, her flowing, pink mane whipping in the wind, stared at the cavern ahead of her. She was a simple white mare, a unicorn with an unrivaled stubborn streak. She had no wings, no royal bearing, nothing that would identify her as the future Princess of Equestria. Instead of a crown, she carried nothing but a rather large pair of worn saddlebags across her weary back.

“Celestia, art thou afraid?” came a playful voice from beside her. Mi Amore Cadenza, a rather dainty pink pegasus, chuckled in amusement. She had always been the tomboy of their group, despite her feminine appearance.

“Cease your taunting!” a dark unicorn cried, stepping in between the two. Luna bore a striking resemblance to her sister, save for her dark coat. “You should be grateful that my sister asked thou to accompany us!”

“Sister, ‘tis fine.” Celestia shifted her heavy pack, resulting in a small rattling of metal. “The three of us should make haste. The Heart of Equestria is ahead, and our allies await us. I highly doubt that Sir Luz will wait much longer.”

Luna, nodding sagely, took the lead. “I pray that Sir Consonance has not destroyed everything yet. Such a rambunctious stallion, one would think his kingdom would have fallen by now.”

“Hush, sister. Sir Consonance is an upstanding gentlecolt, and you would do well to respect him. Sir Luz is quite the same.”

Cadenza, flipping her mane out of her bright eyes, remained close to Luna’s side. “Oh, I have my doubts that thou would speak the same of my sister. Thou always spoke of her as the Princess of Lies, and me of Truth. Now, let us cease dragging our hooves and continue! My sister is probably worried by now. Celestia, you simply had to make those trinkets, did thou not?”

“Hush,” Celestia answered. “I shall have you know that I made these as an offer of peace between our nations. One for each of us, displaying our most noble traits for all to see. I even enchanted them! And this is my payment? Mockery?”

“Sister, Cadenza, that is enough,” Luna sighed as they entered the cavern at a brisk pace. “Now, sister, I presume that thou art still confident in the study of this gem?”

“Of course I am! I have given it a name, as well! It shall henceforth be known as The Heart of Equestria, since it shall serve as a beacon of hope to all who see it! That is why I have called everypony here. The Heart of Equestria shall put all six of us through a trial, and once we succeed, we will gain power beyond what we may only dream of! With this, our four nations may unite together, and peace shall reign forever. You see, from my studies, I have determined that it shall put your fears to the test, and once anypony conquers them, they shall be blessed with a bolstering of their greatest strength!”

Luna, looking anxious, swallowed air. “A bolstering of one’s greatest strength?”

“Why, it is as it sounds, sister! Luna, you are immeasurably kind, so I imagine that you will become the kindest mare of the entire pony race! Your kindness shall become power, and none will ever be your equal. Mi Amore Cadenza, thou always speaketh the truth, and as such, honesty shall become power. You sister, Princess Il Tuo Aria, shall be the greatest mage that Equestria has ever known! Of course, Sir Consonance shall bring laughter to the whole world, and Sir Luz shall shower the world with his generosity.”

Luna’s eyes sparkled, similar to a little filly on her first day of school. “And what of thou, sister? Thou hast united everypony in this crusade, encouraging a loyalty beyond our tentative bonds and treaties! I proclaim that loyalty shall be your element!”

“Agreed,” Cadenza said, albeit begrudgingly. “Celestia, thou hast brought peace to our countries. Had thou not discovered this magical gem, I have little doubt that we would not be able to speak on such terms.”

Their conversation continued as they descended into the dark caves. Celestia created a magical ball of light with which they could see, but it did little to allay their anxiety. After all, Equestria was still a wild land, with dangerous animals roaming the countryside. The weather and celestial patterns had yet to be controlled, making the world a dangerous place for the unaware traveler.

After a long, downhill trek, the three mares finally arrived.

There, in the unnaturally large cavern, waited three figures: a unicorn and two earth ponies. Out in front was Il Tuo Aria, Mi Amore Cadenza’s sister. She was a fairly large mare with a deep violet coat, one that reflected the shocking azure glow that came from the sizable gem in the center of the cavern.

“My dear sister!” Aria exclaimed, sharing an embrace with Cadenza. “Thou art late! Sir Luz and Sir Consonance have already begun! I attempted to warn them of the dangers of this trial, but neither would lend me so much as a single ear. Stallions, so stubborn!”

Cadenza giggled, but Celestia couldn’t hide her worry. She had planned that all of them would go together into the trials that awaited them, but it seemed that the two stallions were not of the same mindset.

“Now Mia,” Aria said sternly, “you are not required to go through with this. Shall you decline, I shall harbor no ill will, and neither shall anypony else.”

“Sister! You worry over me more than is reasonable. I am a full grown mare, and I would expect to be treated as such! I am no filly!”

Celestia watched as Cadenza stormed past her sister. Aria looked hesitant, her downcast eyes giving away her hidden anxiety.

“Princess Aria,” Celestia announced, retaining her royal manners. “I am grateful for you and your sister’s cooperation. Now, let us begin.”

“Wait,” Aria objected, glaring. “What happens if we fail our trial? Thou hast not explained that. I wish to know.”

“There is no need to know! Princess Aria, we may call you the Princess of Lies, but thou art strong. I believe that thou may be stronger than myself, and as such a Princess must fulfill her royal duty! A duty to peace. Peace across Equestria.”

Aria did not appear to like that answer, but she glumly turned and joined the two motionless stallions on the floor. They had already begun their trial, it seemed.

Sir Luz, the king of the Crystal Empire, appeared to be asleep. From Celestia’s research, the trial took place in one’s own head, forcing one to face one’s greatest fears. Because Sir Luz was renowned for his generosity towards his subjects, his trial would likely consist of something regarding his kingdom. Perhaps being dethroned, despite his good works? His subjects were the richest in Equestria, with gems only rivaled by the Heart of Equestria, and their charity was known to all. It all stemmed from Sir Luz, a bright white earth pony with a gorgeous blond mane. He fit the role of the generous king.

Sir Consonance lay there beside him. The pink earth pony was a stark contrast to the stallion beside him, with a wild brown mane that appeared to have just gone through a windstorm. Sir Consonance may not have been as rich and generous as Sir Luz, but his subjects were just as beloved. Most of them were farmers, leading difficult lives, but Sir Consonance made their lives more enjoyable, spreading cheer wherever he went.

Celestia could only imagine what those two ponies would be like once they were finished with their trials. Equestria would be a beautiful place.

Readying herself, the Princess of the Sun lowered her saddlebags to the ground beside her and walked calmly towards the radiant, heart-shaped jewel. Eagerly envisioning the bright future of Equestria, Celestia let herself drift off into sleep, allowing the jewel to work its magic.

Her trial awaited.

In the saddlebags behind her, a small glint of metal was overshadowed by the brilliant azure glow of the cavern. As if moved by some unseen force, the bags tipped over, spilling their sparkling contents onto the floor.

There were six pieces of jewelry, each with their own insignia emblazoned on it. Aria’s magic. Cadenza’s honesty. Luz’s generosity. Consonance’s laughter. Luna’s kindness. Celestia’s loyalty.

All of them, when brought together, were supposed to bring harmony to Equestria.

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Twilight Sparkle’s eyes widened. What was this? Who were those other ponies? Hadn’t Celestia created the Elements of Harmony to banish her sister? But there was one more question that chilled Twilight to the bone.

“Aria... she looks just like—”

“I did,” Chrysalis stated firmly, eyes gently shut. “I was much like you, in terms of physical resemblance. It is no surprise that Celestia appointed you to be the Element of Magic. When she saw you... I can only imagine what went through her guilt-ridden mind.”

Speechless, Twilight’s eyes found their way back to the crystal ball. Four kingdoms of Equestria, instead of the three she had always read about. Were ponies not divided by race back then? But more importantly, the rulers of those kingdoms....

Luz. Light. Sombra. Shadow. It was not difficult to imagine what had happened. The Heart of Equestria showed one their greatest fears, just like what had happened at the Crystal Empire. That Crystal Heart must have been part of The Heart of Equestria. There was no doubt of it.

Consonance. Discord. It all made too much sense. The Elements of Harmony, all together in that cavern. But what had happened?

“Twilight Sparkle, do not look away. You must see this. I will show you what happened after that. From my point of view.”

Twilight could only nod lifelessly in response.

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Il Tuo Aria screamed. This was too much. She couldn’t face this. This wasn’t real. No. Not real.

Stop, just stop! My sister — my sister would never betray me like this! N-no, please don’t..... Sister, please! I only meant to aid you!

In the blink of an eye, it was over. The vision had receded back into her mind, settling in that dark corner of her thoughts where only the most potent of fears resided.

Gasping for breath, Aria found herself standing on wobbly hooves, barely able to keep her balance. The intense aura radiating from the gem gave her a headache, further throwing her off balance. She closed her eyes. It was as if she had just woken up for a long nap, but she didn’t feel refreshed. In fact, she felt terrible, like she hadn’t slept in weeks.

She had failed. She had failed the trial and given into her worst fears. Cadenza had betrayed her, throwing a coup and disowning her sister in the process. It had all felt so real. It couldn’t be real. Cadenza would never do that. They loved each other... right?

Something felt wrong. What was the price for failure? It felt as if she were much taller than before, but also much lighter. Wrong. Something very wrong.

Taking a deep breath, she opened her eyes again, wincing at the bright light from that insipid gem. The Heart of Equestria, Celestia had called it. Equestria was better off without something so terrifying. This had been a mistake from the start.

It wasn’t until Aria fully opened her eyes that she realized how much of a mistake it was. Luna, Celestia, and Cadenza all lay peacefully in front of the terrible gem, but their bodies were entirely different. All three of them had grown substantially larger, but the most striking change was their race.

They had become alicorns. All three of them. Creatures of legend, with gorgeous, flowing manes like a sunset, a night sky, or a beautiful mural. Had they passed? Had they failed? What about the others?

Off to the side, a monstrous amalgamation of creatures lay with its snakelike body curled into a tiny circle. Its body was a mashup of every kind of animal that Aria could imagine, creating a monster like nothing she had ever seen before. When had this monster arrived?

Beside it lay a dark, filthy stallion with a jagged horn erupting from his forehead. His hooves appeared mangled and neglected, but the most striking feature was his face. The sizable stallion’s closed eyes emanated a sickly green aura, one that faded into the air around him like a cloud of noxious magic. There was no mistaking who that was.

Luz. Did that mean that the other one was Consonance? There was nopony else in the cavern besides them. Was this the work of this insipid gem?

Shaking visibly, Aria took a step backward, eyes wide. This wasn’t happening. This was still part of the trial. This was her worst fear: being abandoned. Being alone. Surely a simple gem wouldn’t be able to make such a change to one’s appearance!

Aria’s hoof caught on something as she tried to back away. Something cold and lifeless. In front of her, Celestia slowly began to stir. She was beautiful. She was royal, perfect, and everything else that Aria had tried to be. There was no doubt that she had passed her trial.

Celestia’s wandering eyes finally fell on Aria. Their gazes met.

Before Aria could understand what was going on, Celestia was up on her hooves, face dark and spire-like horn aglow. In an instant, Aria found herself hurtling towards the nearest wall. She collapsed.

The world spun. Had Celestia failed after all? Had she lost her mind? Why?

When she opened her eyes, everything began to fall into place. There, lying lifelessly in front of the Heart of Equestria, was Princess Aria. A trail of sickly green energy trailed from where the body lay to where Aria thought she was.

But I’m over here. How am I over there?

As Aria tried to come to grips with the scene before her, Celestia dashed towards the motionless body. Shouts, cries for help. Dead. Aria was dead. Killed by this monster in her sleep. Life energy stolen. Crying.

But I’m not dead. Stop saying that. I’m not dead. I’m right here. But I’m there. I’m here. I’m alive....

Aria brought up a hoof to try and stand again, but what she saw stopped her. Holes. There were holes in her leg. Her black leg. Her teal mane. Her insect-like wings.

Despite her shock, Aria could still see Celestia’s face quite clearly. Tears streamed down her brilliant white face, her lips contorted with unbridled fury. Righteous fury.

The wrath of the sun.

-------------------------------------

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“And that,” Chrysalis whispered, “is the truth.”

Twilight stood frozen in place, her eyes still locked on the crystal ball in front of her. There was nothing to see anymore, but the image of Celestia’s despairing, wrathful expression was burnt into her memory.

“Twilight,” Cadance whispered, eyes beginning to water. “It’s the truth. Please, accept it. Please, Twilight...!”

“But,” Twilight stammered, unblinking, “what happened? P-Princess Celestia, she—”

“She passed,” Chrysalis stated, masking her emotion. “She, Luna, and Mia all passed. I failed. I was always so independent, but I was truly afraid of being left alone. And to punish me, the Heart of Equestria turned me into... this. From that point forward, I was forced to deceive others and rely on their unknowing charity to live. That was not all. All of my subjects were transformed as well, leaving their bodies behind and becoming changelings. To Celestia, it appeared that I was the guardian of this gem, and I had come to punish those who disturbed it. She truly believes that she is responsible for not only my death, but the death of an entire kingdom.”

“B-but why—”

“Why did I show you this? It is the same reason I put you through that ridiculous game of truth and lies. Twilight Sparkle, you are the only one who can convince Princess Celestia of who I am. She will not listen to reason when I am involved.

“The reason I forced you to solve those mysteries was to test you. I wanted to see your dedication to the truth. I tried to tell Luna by imitating my old dreams, but Celestia had told her everything. I tried countless nights to tell Luna who I was, but she refused to listen. She was still inside of her trial when Celestia witnessed what she did, and thus she believed all that her sister told her.”

Cadance firmly stepped between Chrysalis and Twilight, furrowing her brow. “I will repeat all of this with my spell if you would like, Twilight. It’s all true. Who we now refer to as Sombra enslaved his kingdom, forcing his generosity on others. With his magic, he transformed all of his subjects into the crystals they so adored and forced them to mine more. Discord’s kingdom fell into anarchy, ruining itself within days.”

“Then,” Twilight gasped, taking a step backward. “Celestia always sent me and my friends to deal with her foes. Was that... because they were her friends? Discord. Sombra.”

“I would imagine so. But it didn’t end there, Twilight. I... could not handle the loss of my sister. I fled and disguised myself for thousands of years, having lost not only my family, but my friends and subjects. I tried to disappear for one thousand years, but then I met you, Twilight. You and your brother. For the first time in a millenia... I felt like I had a family.”

Twilight found it difficult to listen to such heartfelt words. How could she respond to such a terrible truth?

Chrysalis motioned for Cadance to step aside, nodding knowingly. “So you see why Celestia will not listen to reason. She blames herself for all of this. Luna may be convinced, but as long as the royal sisters are together, it’s hopeless. I only need to use my lying spell, but I doubt that Celestia would ever gave me the chance to speak. While I was in Canterlot, during that regrettable invasion, I was so starved and deprived of food that I didn’t even think of trying to speak to her. Even now... she would never believe me. But she would believe you.”

This was too much. Twilight couldn’t take all of this in at once. “W-wait, what about Cadance?! She has a truth spell, she could—”

“You don’t understand, Twilight. By the time Celestia arrives here, she will be beyond reasoning. After one thousand years of guilt, she will not rest until I am no more. To her, I am the one who murdered Princess Il Tuo Aria. She feels responsible for my death, the death of an entire kingdom, and the corruption of Luz and Consonance. Even Mia’s disappearance and Luna’s fall, she blames herself. She cannot see past her own guilt, not after bearing it for such a long time. In essence, I believe that you are the only one who can get her to see reason.”

“I-I can’t tell her all of this! Why would she trust me, but not you? You’re the ones with the truth spells!”

“Twilight, I put you through that silly game to make sure that you were ready for this. I feared that she might think that you were a changeling, but I can think of an easy way to overcome that obstacle. You are a powerful unicorn, Twilight Sparkle, and a changeling would have difficulty matching your strength, even with all of the love in Equestria behind it. But to erase all doubts from Celestia’s mind that you are telling the truth, you must become stronger. So strong that nopony could ever hope to match you.”

“No... she’ll believe me, right? Princess Celestia will know it’s me!”

“She didn’t know when I had replaced Mia, and she is much more powerful than you.”

“Then what do you want me to do?!” Twilight cried out, bewildered. “If Princess Celestia really thought I was a changeling, she would burn me to a crisp! How am I supposed to stand up to her? How can I talk to her like this?!”

“As I said, you must become stronger. Erase all doubt from her mind. Twilight Sparkle, I want you to undergo the trial that I failed.”