By the time Celestia and Luna returned, slowed by the wounded Valkyr, the Three Sisters had broken another seal. Things were not looking good for Equestria. Demons poured out of the ever-widening fissures and winged demons roamed the skies. The royal pony sisters immediately executed Royal Decree Number 583189-A: Cloudsdale would be mobilized and used as a refuge for everypony they could rescue. Thankfully, due to the royal wedding a good deal of ponies were already in Canterlot, where Shining Armor's forcefield was keeping them safe.

A great sense of despair hung over Canterlot, but it brightened a little at the return of the princesses. The ponies had all been enraptured by the Valkyr, but none more so than Rarity, who fawned endlessly over the pegasus' beautiful wings. After Taraiel and the ponies got each other up to speed on recent and past events, Taraiel concentrated on the blackboard the ponies had been using earlier. She turned to Celestia. "May I?"

Celestia nodded. Taraiel used her wings and drew a triangle with a gemstone, storm clouds and rainbow, tree branches and a wild flower and wrote 'Horsadrim.' She frowned at all the 'HELP's written across the board.

Celestia noticed, winked at the Valkyr. "You know, you could have wrote something a little more... helpful."

Taraiel raised her eyebrow. "I did not write this."

Celestia frowned. "Something used my magic and repeatedly wrote that before your sister Shariel contacted us. I presumed it was you."

Taraiel looked concerned. "It was not by my powers. I was filled with so much agony I could barely think, let alone perform a feat such as this. Regardless, which pony is this 'Trixie?'"

Celestia pointed. Trixie sat alone, chewing on a sandwich with a vacant expression. Taraiel appeared before her in all of her majesty, the tendrils of her wings of light splayed out behind her. She commanded Trixie, "Stand."

Eyes wide, Trixie staggered to her feet. Taraiel placed her hooves on the sides of Trixie's head. Her hooves began to glow and the light of her wings dimmed. After a moment, she crashed down onto the table. Concerned ponies circled around her, and Taraiel smiled up at Trixie.

Trixie felt renewed. The dark haze that had hung around her head since her attack on the reception was gone. She smiled happily at the Valkyr. "What did you do to me?"

Taraiel winked. "I have cleansed you of the evils' influence. Do you know why they sought you out?"

Trixie shook her head. "We tried to research why, but couldn't find anything."

Taraiel rolled over and stood, wrapping her wings around Trixie. "Trixie, you are the last of the Horsadrim. The sole descendent of the three bloodlines. Your ancestor was Starred Rain. The evils sought to corrupt you, for with your power you could have easily broken the Horsadric seals to ensure their plan's success. When that failed, they instead tried to destroy you, for you alone hold the power to re-seal the ancient Horsadric runes that bind the bodies of the evils. Luckily for us, the magic of your Horsadric ancestors protected you from them so they could not slay you themselves."

Trixie thought about Fizzle Hooves, and for once the thoughts also weren't accompanied by dark thoughts of hurting herself. "She kept telling me we were like sisters. We were the same."

Taraiel smiled, then glanced at the board. "Yes. Fizzle Hooves could be like your sister. You are both descended from Starred Rain. You are both Horsadrim. It is strange Baphomeena would have told you that, though."

Trixie thought about her time with Fizzle Hooves. She remembered the stone tablets and their ornate box. The box had the same writing that the tablets did, but she couldn't remember what it had said. She got the sneaking suspicion that the box was very important. She looked around the crowd of ponies and saw the bearded face she was looking for. "Star Swirl, I need your help."

Star Swirl bowed his head. "Of course, Trixie. How may I serve you?"

"Can you teach me the spell that lets you project images of memories?" Trixie asked.

"As you wish," Star Swirl said.

Star Swirl conjured up a spell book and sat down with Trixie to help her learn the spell. A short while later Trixie had mastered the spell. She thought of the period after she completed her first trial, for she had closely inspected the box then, and cast the memory spell. A magical screen appeared in the air next to Trixie, displaying the requested memory.

Star Swirl began to chuckle as he saw Marelinn. "It appears you were correct that Marelinn was an alicorn."

Trixie was peering at the symbols on the chest. She began to read them out loud, "When evil makes you want to flee, call upon these powers three."

"What is this I am seeing?" Taraiel asked.

"It's... complicated," Trixie said. "Fizzle Hooves gave me those spells as part of my magical training. After I started to break free from the demons' grasp, she appeared to me again and told me that all the spells, including these tablets, were real."

"These stone tablets, you could read them?" Taraiel asked.

"Yes, I was taught how to read that language when I was with Baphomeena. The tablets contained spells. One that binds a target with chains. One that summons a vortex of energy. And one that blinds," Trixie said.

Taraiel clapped her hooves with glee. "Those spells she gave you, those were used by the Horsadrim ancients to combat supernatural foes. They can certainly help us fight the Three Sisters. How they were delivered to you while you were under the oppression of a demon is beyond me, but I gladly confess that I will never understand the mind of a demon, much less one as demented as Baphomeena."

Celestia looked at the Valkyr curiously. She thought back to the Demonology tome and something clicked in her mind. "It was Fizzle Hooves that wrote on the board!"

"I concur," Taraiel said with a smile.

"The Marelinn image being an alicorn, that was also Fizzle Hooves trying to help Trixie. To show her that she was being deceived, wasn't it?" Celestia asked.

"It would seem so," Luna replied. "Fizzle Hooves tried to show Trixie something that she hoped would be seen as false, so that Trixie would realize she was in trouble."

Twilight tilted her head and looked between the board, Celestia, and Taraiel. "I don't understand...?"

Pinkie Pie giggled and produced a Dr. Trotson hat, placing it on Twilight's head. Pinkie had also deduced what Trixie, Celestia, and the Valkyr had, that the foal Baphomeena possessed had found a way to fight back against her demonic guest. Pinkie smiled merrily. "What a perfectly silly thing to say."

Twilight sighed. Star Swirl patted her on the head. "There, there, Twilight. I'm afraid I don't quite understand either."

The other ponies in the room were also perplexed. Celestia used her magic to bring the bouncy Pinkie Pie over to her and hugged her. She looked into Pinkie's smiling face and a tear ran down her cheek. "Of course Laughter would understand, wouldn't you, Pinkie?"

Pinkie giggled and hugged the princess. "I can't believe we didn't think of it before."

The Unliving Queen stood, realization had dawned on her as well. "Twilight Sparkle, tell us: what is the most powerful magic known to ponydom?"

Twilight rolled her eyes. "The Elements of Harmony."

The Queen smiled. "I myself once wielded the Elements, and also have been the victim of them. It seemed like they were useless against me, no? But they weren't. They did work, just not in a dramatic, over-the-top, banish-to-the-moon fashion."

The Queen bowed her head, showing the glittering heart-shaped crystal around the room. "Fizzle Hooves, or Baphomeena, whatever, stole all that I was. She took my magic," the Queen showed her flank around the room, "took my very talent. She told me it was the worst kind of curse, and she was right. I was going to kill myself, for that, and... other reasons. But I learned the one thing she couldn't take was friendship and love."

The Queen walked over to Rainbow Dash and smiled broadly at her friend. "I would not be speaking to you right now if it wasn't for my friends."

Twilight shook her head. "I still don't understand."

There was a twinkle in Star Swirl's eyes, he laughed and grinned at Twilight. "Look at the Unliving Queen, Twilight. For decades she had been a ruthless tyrant, ruling her own twisted version of Equestria with an iron hoof. Now, she's almost just like yourself, like she was before all of this happened."

Twilight looked at what was essentially her own corpse and shuddered. "I give up, will somepony please just tell me already?"

Celestia pulled Twilight over with her magic and wrapped her under her wing. "Twilight, why would Fizzle Hooves write 'Help' over and over? Why would she tell Trixie that they were sisters, they were the same? That Trixie has some special purpose?"

Twillight's ears flopped down as she sunk deep in thought. She studied the board, looked at the Unliving Queen, and thought of what she had read about demons. She thought to herself, We beat the Unliving Queen because she still had goodness in her heart. Baphomeena is a demon, and from what Taraiel told us she is not good at all. But why would she tell Trixie those things and give her those spells? Unless she didn't....

Twilight looked up at Celestia and smiled broadly. "Because underneath all of that evil, all of that corruption, is an innocent little foal desperately wanting to be saved! And that gives us a major weakness to exploit!"

Celestia grinned and held Twilight tight against her.

Star Swirl chuckled. "Yes, it would appear she was trying to help us all along. The line about innocence being stronger than corruption, Trixie's destiny and bloodline... Baphomeena may be in control, but Fizzle Hooves is still in there somewhere, yearning to be free. Kind of humorous, in a way. The mistress of manipulation is being used herself, by one of her own victims at that."

Celestia nodded. "Taraiel told us that Baphomeena had corrupted more ponies than either of her sisters and had attacked more often. Meaning she would have likely been exposed to the Elements of Harmony more often. The Elements may not have had much of an affect on Baphomeena, but they could very well have been empowering the innocent host within her."

The Unliving Queen giggled. "And you saw how quickly I was changed after only a few blasts from the Elements. How many times must Fizzle Hooves have been bathed in the rainbow of Harmony? There is a brave young unicorn fighting to be free of Baphomeena's darkness, we must help her."

"Yes, uh, Twilight, we must help Fizzle Hooves in any way we can," Rarity said. "I can't help but think about my dear Sweetie Belle and imagining something happening to her like what poor Fizzle Hooves has endured, just makes me so angry!"

Taraiel nodded. "Quite. This may be our best, and perhaps only, way to stop the sisters. If the sisters break the final seal, they will reclaim their own bodies and this avenue of attack will be lost to us."

Applejack said what most of the ponies were thinking. "I don't mean to be a mule at a barn dance or nothin', but this could all just be a trick. Y'all did say she's the master of lies and deceit and all that."

Celestia smiled. "Perhaps, Applejack. Bu if it means we can save an innocent foal, who was sacrificed through no fault of her own, and condemn the demon sisters to eternal suffering, we must give it a chance."

Taraiel appeared in a flash of light besides Applejack and placed her hoof on her shoulder. "Yes, this may be our only chance at justice. I... am not sure if we could defeat them using conventional methods. Not without my sisters... I can sense that you are all brave ponies, but if any of you have your doubts, feel free to stay behind."

Pinkie Pie stomped her hoof. "Stay behind? Nuh-uh! We're going to stop these evils and save those foals! Where is this final seal, Taraiel?"

"The Canyon of the Magi. There, the Horsadrim buried their mummified dead. The final seal is within the tomb for the original Horsadrim: Hail Crasha', Starred Rain, and Tincan Fool," Taraiel explained.

There was a gleam in Celestia's eye. "Mummified dead you say?"

Taraiel nodded. Celestia pulled out the Nether Crystal, stared at it for a moment, then tossed it to the Unliving Queen. Celestia beamed. "I believe we have a task for you, dear Twilight."

The Queen caught the crystal with her magic and stared at it in horror, then ran from the room in tears.

Applejack scratched her head. "Uh, didn't she just say she was gonna kill herself over not having her powers? Why the hay is she a'runnin' from gettin' 'em back?"

Star Swirl sighed. "I'll go talk to her."

Rainbow Dash was already airborne. "I'll do it!"

Rainbow found the Queen back in her quarters, curled up on her bed next to her Smarty Pants doll - which had been transmuted into her crown and was now disenchanted to its original form. The Queen was staring into the Nether Crystal. Her friends, her country, her mentor, were expecting, perhaps even ordering, her to reclaim those dark powers, but the Queen was afraid of what might happen if she got them back.

Rainbow sat on the bed, gently stroked the Queen's mane with her wing. "What's wrong, Twilight? Don't you want your powers back?"

"Why didn't the princess destroy this damn thing when she had the chance," the Queen moaned.

"Maybe because it's yours, and the only reason you lost it was because Baphomeena stole it," Rainbow replied.

"You don't understand, Dash. I was free. That crazy crystal Cadence made? It made me feel so good inside. I didn't have my magic or my dark powers, but for the first time in decades I felt good. Now, if I want to help the ponies I love, I need to take up my powers and all the darkness that comes with it," the Queen said.

The Queen clasped her Smarty Pants doll tighter. "I didn't even get to see my own brother's wedding because of that damn Nether Crystal."

"Look, Twilight," Rainbow gently said. "I'm a pegasus. If you want to know the wing power of any of the Wonderbolts, I'm your mare. If you want specific weather conditions at a specific time and place, I'm your mare. If you want something done the firstest with the fastest mostest, I'm your mare. If you want some clouds busted in a Manehattan minute, I'm your mare. But I don't really know anything about magic, that's all you. Can you even get those powers back? I mean, didn't we use this thing to bind your powers before?"

The Queen frowned. "Well, yeah, the first time it knocked me out like a sleeping pill. I think that is what it was designed to do since it's how the princesses subdued the Unliving King. The problem is Baphomeena managed to put all my magic inside it, too, and who knows what else she did to it."

"Princess Celestia seemed sure it was going to give you your powers back though, right?" Rainbow said. "She just gave it to you, like she knew it would work."

The Queen ran her hoof along the crystal. "Maybe it's not so much the powers I'm worried about, you know? I figured it has to go back in the same hole and our crystal is there now..."

"Okay, even if it has to be put back in your head like it was before, maybe there's room for our crystal too," Rainbow said. "Just try it, Twilight. Stick it in there, and if you go all sleeping beauty or psycho on me I'll just yank it back out."

The Queen smiled, then shook her head. "It's more than just that. I did so many terrible, terrible things when I had those powers. I don't even know how much of my evil thoughts were my own or just planted by the Three Sisters... I'm... I'm afraid I might relapse or, given recent events, some demon will come along and... and I'll end up..." the Queen began to sob, "hurting you and everypony I love!"

"I promise you, Twilight, that won't happen," Rainbow said with confidence.

The Queen wiped at her tears and looked at her loyal friend. "But how can you be sure?"

"Because, Twilight, if I ever see you heading that way.. BAM! Sonic rainboom right between your eyes," Rainbow clapped her hooves together over the Queen's face.

The Queen laughed. "You really mean it?"

Rainbow nodded and flashed a roguish grin. "Yep. I want you, Twilight. Not the Unliving Queen."

Rainbow held the Queen's hoof, "Go ahead, try to put in the crystal, for me. For us."

The Queen took a deep breath, took a long look at her friend's face, then jammed the crystal into the gaping hole it had left in her body. She looked up. "Well, I'm still conscious, and I don't hear the voices of the damned like before."

Rainbow bounced on the bed excitedly. "Okay, time to check and make sure it's all right. Cast a spell!"

The Queen paused for a moment, thinking of what she wanted to cast. In her brief time without magic, she had realized how important it was to her, especially for its utility uses such as opening doors. "Ooh! I know the perfect one."

The Queen's horn began to glow as she cast a necromantic mending spell, repairing her damaged head and the sword wound from where Star Swirl had stabbed her during their final battle in the Westmarech castle. "How do I look, Dash?"

Rainbow smiled. "Just like new, well, sort of."

Rainbow craned her neck to look at the Queen's flank and frowned. "Your cutie mark is still gone."

The Queen looked back and sighed. "That's annoying. I still remember that day I, or I should say 'we,' all earned our cutie marks. I was so happy that Princess Celestia had chosen me. I was even happier when we realized that all of us were connected, that destiny had hoof-picked us to earn our cutie marks that day."

Rainbow smiled and nodded in agreement as she checked out her own cutie mark. "My first sonic rainboom, that was so awesome! Well, maybe you can re-earn your cutie mark? It won't be as special but I can muster up a sonic rainboom if need be."

The Queen hugged Rainbow. "Thank you for being my friend, Rainbow Dash."

Rainbow grabbed the Queen and took off, embracing her in an aerial hug. She giggled as the Queen gasped in fright. "You're welcome, Twilight Sparkle. Hey, how about a race back to the lounge?"

The Queen smirked. "You're on! But I must tell you Rainbow, you've already lost!"

The Queen's horn began to glow as she cast a teleportation spell and vanished out of Rainbow's grip. The pegasus laughed and made her way out the door, then grunted as she fell to the ground. Rainbow rubbed at her rear and looked up and saw Rarity standing over her. "What the hay, Rarity!"

Rarity looked down upon her with curiosity. "Rainbow Dash, what in Equestria is going on between you and unholy Twilight?"

Rainbow stood and dusted off her flank. "Nothing."

Rarity shook her head. "Don't lie to me, Rainbow Dash. I've seen the way she looks at you. She doesn't look at any of us like that. And you seem to be the only pony besides her daughter, brother, and maybe sister-in-law that care about her. I certainly didn't see Fluttershy bolting away to go console her just now."

Rainbow sighed. "That's probably because Fluttershy is scared of her.... It's not something you would understand, Rarity."

"Do I need to get Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash? I just want to know what is going on with you," Rarity said. "I'm worried!"

"Please don't get Pinkie, and please don't tell anypony else what I am about to tell you, okay? Especially Twilight," Rainbow said.

Rarity's eyes lit up. She loved secrets. "Ooh! You can trust me, Rainbow. I have a Top Secret security clearance with the Canterlot Intelligence Agency!"

Rainbow titled her head. Did Rarity just say she was a spy? She shrugged it off. "Uh, okay, thanks, Rarity. This might sound dumb, and I really don't want you telling anypony this, but the evil Twilight is just so much cooler than our Twilight. She throws fireballs, chokes ponies with her magic, her voice is all creepy and cool, her eyes look so fiery and awesome, she summons crazy things like ghouls and bats. She's just so... awesome..."

Rarity shook her head. "I suppose she is kind of cool, in a super scary and evil kind of way. But I know there's more to it than that." Rarity smirked at Rainbow mischievously. "Tell me what she told you back in Westmarech. Or I'm telling Twilight you think she's not cool enough without being evil."

Rainbow sighed. "Well, the thing is, when Pinkie was about to put that crystal in her after we beat her, she didn't really tell me that Fluttershy has tail extensions."

Rarity nodded. "Mm-hmm. I suspected that much."

Rainbow smiled. "Well, yeah. Anyway, what she really said was that she loved me, and I found out earlier that the reason she had said that, and the reason we are even still alive, was because the other me, the Rainbow Dash of her world or whatever, had said it to her. It was apparently a really emotional moment for her, and she said she tried to keep remembering that memory, that it was the one thing that helped keep the goodness in her alive, but she ended up losing it. Then when she looked at me as we fought her in Westmarech it all came back to her."

Rarity put her leg around Rainbow's shoulders. "Oh, Dash.."

"I mean, Twilight's never told me that. I've never got a Hearts and Hooves Day card from her," Rainbow said.

Rarity laughed. "Sweetie, none of us get Hearts and Hooves Day cards from her. That mare's always got her head buried in a book."

Rainbow smiled. She remembered last Hearts and Hooves Day, where Twilight had spent the majority of the holiday wandering around reading about it instead of participating. "Well, I guess, but the Unliving Queen used to be just like our Twilight. Which means Twilight really does love me, right?"

Rarity hugged her friend. "Of course she does, Rainbow! Why would you think otherwise?"

Rainbow looked sheepishly at the ceiling. "Well, she's never told me."

Rarity giggled. "That's because she's, well, Twilight. I know she loves you, Rainbow Dash, she loves all of her friends, and we love you too. We might not say it, but that doesn't mean it isn't true. Would I be here checking up on you if I didn't care for you? I've seen the way Twilight obsessively makes your favorite sandwich when you two are reading your Daring Do adventures together. That look on her face for just a moment after you've accidentally crashed into the library or wherever she is when she is elated to see you. You two are just like myself and Fluttershy, really good friends that share a special bond. We prefer the spa, you two prefer Daring Do."

Rainbow grinned. "We do love the Do!"

Rarity paused.

"You really are a good friend, Rainbow Dash. You see the Unliving Queen solely as Twilight, and not the undead horror that she is, don't you?" Rarity asked.

"Well, yeah, I mean, she is Twilight. It takes some getting used to how she looks, but you should really talk with her, she's pretty much just like Twilight now," Rainbow said.

Rarity laughed, then put her hooves on Rainbow's shoulders, her expression becoming grim. "I just don't want to see you get hurt, Rainbow Dash. Once this is over, Princess Celestia might throw her in the dungeon, or worse. She did some very, very evil things, including attacking Canterlot itself."

Rainbow sighed and looked back at the Queen's Smarty Pants doll on the bed. "I know... I guess we'll see what happens soon enough, huh? Guess we better get back there."

The two returned to the dining hall and took their seats. Taraiel nodded at them. "We are all here. Alright, my little ponies, this is it. We have but one shot at this. If we fail, this world is doomed. The key to our victory is Fizzle Hooves, the corrupted host of Baphomeena. If we can isolate her and show her the magic of friendship, the innocent foal may be able to overpower the demon. We will then exorcise her and trap her within the spirit stone."

The Valkyr pointed at Trixie. "We shall use the last of the Horsadrim to try and lure out the other two demons. She must be protected at all costs, or else we shall not be able to reseal the Horsadric runes. Star Swirl the Bearded, In Hoc Signo Vinces, the Unliving Queen, you and I shall be her protectors."

The three unicorns nodded.

"I would like to make one amendment to that, however," Star Swirl said. He began to cast a spell and his chronal magic transformed Spike into his adult self - a buff, bipedal humanoid dragon.

"Spike helped my Twilight and I before, I would like his sword arm now," Star Swirl explained.

Taraiel smiled as the ponies excitedly gathered around Spike. "To reinforce the threat that the Horsadrim poses, the Unliving Queen will use her dark powers to raise the Horsadric dead. That should guarantee involvement from the demons, disrupting or slowing their ritual."

The Valkyr pointed at Luna. "Princess Luna, you shall command the armies of Equestria against the demons to ensure that there is still something for us to come back to should we prevail."

"Princess Celestia, you will accompany the Elements of Harmony and protect them while they confront Baphomeena. Know that she can invoke your greatest fears and use them to destroy you," Taraiel said.

The ponies looked at Fluttershy, who was well known for her fears. Fluttershy blushed. "Don't worry about me, girls. I'm afraid of everything equally."

Taraiel patted Fluttershy on the head. "Baphomeena's greatest weapon against you is terror. Do not give in to your fears. She may also attempt to deceive you or seduce you with offers of power or fortune. Resist her, and we can put an end to her for good. Be careful, my friends, and may the light watch over you."

Celestia looked out the window. "How much time do we have, Taraiel?"

"The final seal is the strongest. There is time, but we must not dally," Taraiel said.

Celestia looked at Twilight and her friends. She had an idea in mind. "Girls, I want you to fetch something that may help you save Fizzle Hooves. Think of the aspect of friendship that you represent, and how that may help against Baphomeena."

Celestia smiled as the six bearers of the Elements ran off excitedly. She turned to Taraiel. "So tell me, Taraiel, how did your sisters let all of this happen? If you had the tools to defeat the demon sisters, how are they allowed to roam free?"

A tear fell down the Valkyr's cheek. "My sister, Urdiel, the Valkyr of Fate, she possessed a magical scroll, the Scroll of Fate as it were. Upon this scroll was written everything that had happened and would happen to us, the Valkyr. Her scroll said that we would all meet for one last battle against the sisters on the site of the first seal, and that we would be defeated. So it was written, and so it has passed. We could not act in any manner besides what was preordained by the scroll."

Taraiel looked out at the fiery skies. "I was supposed to die by their sides, yet here I am. I guess our actions were not set in stone after all."

Celestia hugged the Valkyr. "I am so sorry, Taraiel. I lost my sister for a thousand years because of these demons, I can not even fathom how you must be feeling right now. There's one more thing I wish to ask, you said you and your sisters have been fighting against the sisters for quite some time, where have these battles been waged?"

Taraiel smiled. "The majority of our conflict has been fought in the land of Pandemaneium, a battle-scarred land dominated by light and shadow. Some battles spill out into the Netherworld, the magical parallel realm that mirrors your world, and others even made their way here. The great crusades of old closed most of the portals to the Netherworld and cut off the conflict from spilling out to this peaceful place, but as you have unfortunately born witness to, the demons appear to have re-opened many of them."

"Is this Pandemaneium located on our world?" Celestia asked.

Taraiel shrugged. "If it was, it is no longer. My sisters and I must use our powers to travel between this world and Pandemaneium."

As Celestia and Taraiel continued to chat about demons and Pandemaneium, the six ponies returned, each bearing saddlebags. Twilight galloped up to Celestia and grinned. "We're ready!"

Celestia nodded at the six Element bearers. "Though this be our darkest hour, it may yet be your greatest moment. Is everypony ready?"

Trixie hugged Twilight. "I wish I could be there when you girls take down Baphomeena."

Twilight smiled as she hugged Trixie back. "Don't worry, I'll tell you all about it. You might even need to show me that memory spell so you can have a front row seat."

"How are we going to get there?" Star Swirl asked. "I'm afraid even I have not heard of this Canyon of the Magi."

"This one is on me, old one," Taraiel said as she thrust out her hoof and opened a portal.

As the ponies entered the portal they found themselves within a sandy, wind-swept canyon. They could see numerous entrances of tombs carved into the canyon walls. The Unliving Queen's horn glowed brightly as she began raising the Horsadric dead that populated the tombs. She smiled broadly, she could sense the power held by these corpses, and powerful they were indeed.

Celestia looked at her comrades and smiled. "This is it my little ponies, win or lose, know that I am proud of everypony here, and I love you all."

Taraiel stuck out her hoof and summoned her runeblade. She held it up before her and shouted in a voice as loud as thunder. "When the injustice is great enough, justice will lend us the strength needed to correct it! There is nothing that can stay the hoof of justice when it is brought against you, Baphomeena! Know that for all who betray justice, I am their fate, and fate carries an executioner's blade!"